Xone Of Contention (4 page)

Bemused, he realized that she was truly pleased to have the program done, so that they would not default on a deadline. And maybe she was jealous of Kim's kiss, too. Pia never apologized, she just changed her mind, like the popular conception of the ideal woman. She had one effective way to make everything right, and he was not about to object. Whatever other problems they might have, they had none in bed when Pia was amenable. He knew that this was merely a gesture of the moment, and that nothing long-term had changed. But it would be one phenomenal moment.

He was correct.

Next day they coordinated by phone, then got on the GigaGrid. Edsel was on his system, and Pia on hers in the other room, and Dug and Kim on their two systems at their house. They “met” at a private online site they maintained, checking in. “Follow me,” Edsel said, knowing that they would lock on to his name and be carried along with him.

He made his way to the Magic Mesh. When he came to the warning sign, he typed “Party of four: Edsel, Pia, Dug. Kim.” Then he did his voice whistle.

The sign shimmered. WELCOME TO THE O-XONE. Then they were standing in the hall of pictures.

“Oh!” Pia breathed, amazed. She tugged at her skirt, as if not believing that it was real. Maybe it was illusion, as was her body, but it was tangible

“It's the O-Xone all right,” Kim said. “They have done a nice job.” She checked her own clothing. She had put on a skirt and blouse for this occasion, and looked decent.

Edsel led the way to Breanna's Leaf. This time he did not knock; hitting was too literal here. “Breanna.” he said.

The picture animated. “Good; you're here. This time we're set up for it. Come in.” The picture expanded as her image fuzzed out. and became an entrance to a comfortable chamber.

They stepped inside. The room seemed larger from inside; in fact it was like a huge living room, with easy chairs around the edge, facing in.

They stood in the center, uncertain whether to sit. Then from a hall on the opposite side a man and a woman entered. The man seemed to be of college age, and the woman of high school age. In fact she was Breanna, this time complete. “You're right,” Edsel said, sun eying her body. “It's proportional.”

Breanna smiled. “You've been kissed recently, Edsel. It shows. So I guess it's okay for me.” She walked up to him, embraced him, and reached her face up to kiss him.

It felt real. Not destabilizing in the way of Kim's kiss, or sexy in the way of Pia's kiss, but solid and pleasant He had never been kissed by a black girl before, and was almost surprised to discover that it was just like any other kiss. She was a very nice little package.

Breanna stepped back “This is Justin,” she said, indicating the young man. He looked quite ordinary. Not at all like a tree.

“This is Pia.” Edsel said. “And Dug, and Kim.”

“I know,” Breanna said. “We haven't met before, but they are well known in Xanth.”

“And we know of you.” Kim said. ”We got a report on Jenny's wedding, and you were there."

“For sure. So are we ready to meet Nimby and Chlorine?”

Kim's jaw dropped. “Who?”

“Those are the names,” Edsel said quickly. “I guess I garbled them.”

Breanna glanced at him sharply. “You don't know who they are?”

“I never heard of them before yesterday.”

Breanna smiled. “Maybe that's just as well. They are the ones you'll be exchanging with. They want to visit Mundania. In fact it turns out they set this up, so they could do it.”

“Set this up?”

“Ah. here they are now.”

Two more people entered the room The man was handsome to the point of looking princely, while the woman was so stunningly hnely that it was hard to look directly at her.

“Nimby and Chlorine.” Breanna said.

Edsel tore his gaze from Chlorine. “Uh. this is—”

“Thank you.” Chlorine said smoothly. "We know. Now there should be no misunderstanding, so I will spell it out. Nimby is a demon who normally assumes dragon ass form in Xanth, hut he can take any form he wants, and give any form to his companion. We will borrow your forms in Mundania, but we think that something else is better for you in Xanth.” She glanced around the room.

Edsel glanced too, as he wasn't sure what she meant. Dug and Kim both seemed awed, as if they were seeing something miraculous or incredible. What was their problem?

"Better?” he asked blankly.

“This.” Then Breanna and Nimby changed forms, becoming exact likenesses of Edsel and Pia, complete to their clothing.

Edsel stared, suspecting that this was a mirror effect. But Pia was standing beside him. His head swiveled, looking from one woman to the other. They were identical; he could not distinguish them. It was evident that Pia had a similar problem with him.

“So you can be yourselves, in Xanth,” Chlorine continued. "Except that you will have to have magic talents, because everyone in Xanth does.” Then she and Nimby reverted to their original forms, abating the confusion.

Something else occurred to Edsel. “Pia—she's diabetic. Will she be the same in Xanth?”

Chlorine turned to Breanna. “Diabetic?”

“It's a problem handling sugar in the body,” Breanna said. She glanced at Pia. “Do you have to take shots?”

“Yes.”

Chlorine glanced at Nimby, who nodded. She turned back to face the others. “Yes, she will be the same.”

Edsel wasn't sure whether that was good or bad. But it would be nice to seem to be themselves. Still, he wasn't quite satisfied. Where was the catch? “Why are you two acting as if you see ghosts?” he asked Dug.

Chlorine smiled, and the room actually brightened. “I will answer that, in a moment. But you must agree to tell no one else.”

Edsel had a programmer's mind. He didn't like open ended processes. “How can we agree, if we don't know what we're agreeing to?”

“I will tell you, and if you then agree, you will retain the memory. Otherwise you will lose it.”

He was really suspicious of this. “You can do that? Wipe memories9 When we're not even here, really?”

XONF OF CONTENTION

“Nimby can. You are in the O-Xone.”

He looked at Dug again. Dug recovered enough to speak. “He can do it,” he said. ”You'd better agree."

“But nobody can do something like that!”

Now Kim spoke. “Nobody in Mundania.”

Edsel shrugged. “Okay, tell us.”

“I am an ordinary girl,” Chlorine said. “In my natural state I look like this.” She became rather plain, with straggly hair and ragged clothing. “Nimby changed me, outside and inside, making me beautiful, healthy, smart, and nice. When I met Nimby, he looked like this.” She paused.

The handsome young man became a weird dragon with diagonal stripes of pastel pink and bilious green. His head was that of a stupid donkey. He also smelled like an overripe swamp.

“A dragon ass,” Chlorine said. “But when I asked him to change, he assumed a nicer form.” The princely man reappeared “This isn't his real form either, but I am satisfied with these two forms. I like being a damsel with a dragon. Nimby is actually a crafted form of the Demon X(A/N)th from whom all magic flows. I speak for him, and guide him, because my compass is small enough to concentrate on scenes and events that are for him like ants on a distant slope; it is an effort for him to focus on them. Your friends recognized him, and are properly amazed.”

“Well, I'm not,” Edsel said stoutly. “You expect me to believe that this donkey prince is the source of all magic?”

Chlorine glanced again at Nimby, nodding.

Nimby reached out with one hand, toward Edsel and Pia. The hand expanded, becoming huge. The fingers closed around the two of them. Pia screamed as they were lifted right out of the Leaf and through the ceiling, which fuzzed away. They soared high above the landscape of Xanth. whose outline looked much like the State of Florida, or possibly Italy, Korea, or some other large peninsula. The hand held them firmly, but the arm trailed into a mere string, as if they were being flown like a kite. Then the whole thing melted into swirling colors. They became two birds, flying toward a castle. Their wings beat in the air as if it were water. They flew into a window, into a chamber, where a woman walked who had a tiny moon circling her head. She glanced up, seeing them as they joined its orbit. But then they flew on, back out the window, and across the landscape to a great lake, where they dived down into the water and became two flying fish, touring a fabulous magical underwater setting where mermaids and mermen were just the beginning. Then back out to air, to the coast, which glistened like polished brass. On to another castle, and into that one, and to a room where six people stood. They landed, resuming their natural forms. They were back in the chamber with the others

“Who was that woman?” Pia asked.

Chlorine knew whom she meant. “That was Princess Ida, whose moon has all the folk who ever did. ever will, or ever might live on Xanth. She's very perceptive."

“Yes,” Edsel said. “She saw us.”

“Ever might.” Pia asked. “Like whom?”

Chlorine looked at Nimby, then answered. “Like people Xanth doesn't have room for yet. Like Dol, the son of Magician Grey and Princess Ivy, whose talent is to turn inanimate things living. But they already have three children, so he must remain a might instead of an is.”

“I suppose that makes sense,” Pia said dubiously.

“There are also Xanth Waves from the future hidden on those moons,” Chlorine said. “If they came to the Xanth of today, there would be amazing complications.”

“For sure,” Breanna agreed.

“And that brass coast,” Edsel asked.

“In the realm of dreams, or the gourd, there live the Brassies,” Chlorine said. “Men and women made of brass. They have set up a vacation resort in Xanth proper, near the Gold Coast, where things are less precious.”

It was a persuasive demonstration. It might be illusion, but it had seemed real. “Okay,” Edsel said. “We won't tell.” He looked at Pia, who nodded agreement. “But just the brief glimpses we saw—would it be all right to use some of them in our software? I mean like maybe an animation of a Xanth theme park, with all the creatures of the land, air, sea, tiny moons, and magic? I think folk would love it, even just in a computer game.”

“That would be all right.” Chlorine said. “As long as there is no mention of Nimby.”

That reminded him. “No mention of Nimby. But why does anyone with this much power want to go to Mundania in someone else's body?”

“There are other Demons,” Chorine explained “Most are associated with what you call planets, though their essence is not planetary but demonic. The demon X(A/N)th felt no need of a lot of territory, so took only a small segment of one globe, leaving the rest to the Demon E(A/R)th. But now, with increasing interaction between the denizens of Xanth and Earth, he would like to explore that other region. However, he has no magic power in Mundania, and the Demon E(A/R)th might do him mischief, being resentful of his status among Demons. So he needs to do it privately. This seems to be an opportunity.”

Edsel was satisfied. “It works for me.” He looked at Pia. “You?”

“Yes.” she agreed faintly. Not much impressed Pia, but this session evidently had.

“Good enough.” Breanna said briskly. “Let's take a week to set things up, and meet here again, when the four of you will exchange, and the four of us—” she glanced at Justin, Dug, and Kim “—will be your Companions, to keep you out of mischief. We'll have to organize special tours, so as to get the most out of it. Okay?” She looked around.

“Okay,” Edsel said, feeling exhilarated. If a tour in magic Xanth didn't change Pia's mind, nothing would.

“Okay,” Kim said.

“Of course.” Chlorine said.

Then the scene dissolved, and the four of them from Mundania were standing at the O-Xone exit. Edsel hum-whistled, and they were back on their linked computers. Back in Mundania. Already it seemed dreary.

Pia had to admit that Edsel had come up with something interesting She had been finding him increasingly boring and marriage itself boring, but the magic Land of Xanth was interesting. She had privately envied Dug and Kim's ability to believe in it, and to submerge themselves in mutual fantasy. Maybe that was what made them get along so well there was magic in their relationship.

Pia herself hardly believed in magic But that demonstration in the O-Xone had satisfied her that there was something there. Maybe not magic, but one hell of a good show, like the effects of a stage magician. You could enjoy it even when you knew it was all trickery.

Best of all, if it turned out disappointing, it still committed Edsel to dissolving the marriage without a fight. That would make it much easier to recover her freedom. Edsel wasn't a bad sort really but if you took away that motorcycle, and his software, and his supposed humor very little was left. She wanted excitement, novelty, fresh romance and endless indulgence Dug had come to bore her, years ago. and Edsel had seemed to be an escape from that, but Edsel had turned out just about as boring While Dug ironically, had grown more interesting after he got together with Kim. Maybe he had been about to turn the corner and she had left him at just the wrong time.

But she would give this fantasy adventure a fair trial She wasn’t sure why Edsel thought it might change her opinion of their marriage, but that was his problem. She preferred to get free of him without suffering an ugly scene, and this was the way. Share the adventure, return to their separate ways. It was a straightforward course, and a good one.

Now if only she could be as readily free of her diabetes. She had long since learned to give herself insulin shots, they really didn't hurt any more, and twice a day was enough. The blood sugar level checks were mere pinpricks, a nuisance, but again, routine. So apart from a certain caution about her diet, she could mostly ignore it. But she would rather be free of it. For one thing, it was likely to complicate things if she ever decided to have children, not that she expected to. Children were such demanding nuisances.

On the appointed day, their business in temporary remission, they sat at their computers again and connected via their modems to the Mode M Mesh. The three others were so enthusiastic that Pia found herself reluctantly carried along. Dug and Kim swore that there was no better land than Xanth, as long as a person was careful about dragons and such. Edsel—he seemed a bit much taken with that black girl, what's her-name, with her lustrous waist length black hair green eyes and pert figure. As if Pia herself didn’t have those same things, except that her hair was brown. Well Pia's figure had filled out some in the past few years She had to use a corset when wearing a show dress. She hated that, but she loved chocolate, and the two sort of went together. Her malady also tended to add to her weight, because she was constantly balancing sugar against insulin, and it was easier to eat a bit of sugar than to cancel a shot she had just taken. If she anticipated needing less insulin, then she could cut down, but life was full of ugly little surprises. So she was fighting a losing battle of bulge. Edsel hadn't commented but she could no longer bend him to her whim as readily as she once had, and she figured this was why. Of course there was an age difference between the black girl and Pia sixteen vs twenty two, and she remembered how well Edsel had liked that age. Wait till time had its way with the girl then see how pert she remained. But what was her concern? That girl was otherwise committed, and in a fantasy land, and if Edsel strayed—well that would make the divorce that much easier.

They reached the O-Xone interface and Edsel whistled them in. Pia had to admit it was a nice effect, the way it went 3D making them seem to be standing in a hall. They ought to learn the secret, so they could incorporate it into the Companions software, it would sell a million. Assuming there still was a business, after the divorce.

They walked down the hall and entered the girl's chamber. Breanna—that was her name. Of the Black Wave, as if anyone could doubt her color. But she seemed nice enough, and they'd better get along, because there really were dragons in Xanth, and Pia had no idea how to avoid them.

Justin was there, as quiet as before. Then the gaudy dragon man and splashy damsel arrived. The odd thing was that the room didn't seem at all crowded, even with eight people.

“Some things we need to clarify,” the damsel said. Chlorine—that was her name, like a chemical treatment—was taking charge, in her pushy manner, as she had before. “We shall need to remain in touch, in case it should prove necessary to end the exchange early. So we must report to this O-Xone each day.” She glanced around, but nobody disagreed. “And though Nimby and I will not have magic in Mundania, the two of you will have talents in Xanth. We want you to have useful ones, that will help you get along without being so strong as to attract undue attention. So you, Edsel, will have the ability to create solid illusionary creatures. And you, Pia, will be able to see one day into the future. That should help you avoid problems, as you will be able to change that future by changing your immediate actions.”

She would have a magic talent? This was becoming increasingly interesting. She would have to experiment, to be sure she know how to use it.

“Now let's make the exchange,” Chlorine said. As she spoke, she and Nimby changed form, becoming exactly like Pia and Edsel. “Take our hands.”

They held hands, then separated. That was all.

“So when do we change?” Pia asked, not really trying to mask her impatience with this ritual.

There was laughter, which she didn't appreciate. “Uh. I think we are changed,” Edsel murmured beside her “We're on the other side of the room.”

She saw that they were facing Dug and Kim, though she was not aware of turning around. Beside them were Justin and Breanna. “But we're the same,” she protested.

“I'm not sure. I feel better than I did, somehow.”

“We provided you with bodies in perfect health,” the other Pia said. “Except for your malady, of course.”

Pia suppressed her irritation. Since this was really illusion, they couldn't cure the incurable. She checked her purse: her insulin kit was still there. So she was in her own body. Yet she did feel better. She had a recent scratch on her left foot that itched; it no longer did. She had meant to wash her hair, as it had started to feel grungy, but had forgotten in the distraction of getting ready; it now felt fine. Surely her imagination, yet enough to make her wonder at the power of suggestion.

“This way,” Breanna said, turning to the door opposite the one they had entered by.

Edsel and Justin followed, so Pia had to go too. But she wasn't easy with this. Could this all be a fancy joke? Yet what was there to do except play along until it ended?

Breanna turned her head back. “See you here tomorrow for check-in!” she called.

“Got it.” Kim called back from the far doorway.

Then they were on their way down a hall. As they proceeded, it gradually lost its square outline, becoming rounded. Soon it resembled a natural cave tunnel. What was the point? To show off the morphing abilities of the program?

The tunnel opened into a regular cave. There was a stream running through it, and a sweetness wafted from the water. Pia sniffed, trying to identify the tantalizing fragrance, and felt distinctly strange.

“Don't breathe too much of that,” Breanna warned. “It's from a love spring.”

Definitely a joke. But Pia stifled her breathing. She didn't know what the consequence of imbibing from a love spring would be, but doubted she would care for it.

They came to a metallic or ceramic or plastic contraption with a glassy screen.

“Hi, Passion,” Breanna said brightly. “These are Edsel and Pia Mundane.”

“Pia Putz,” Pia corrected her, using her maiden name. “And my business associate, Edsel.”

Edsel glanced at her. but did not challenge her statement. She was choosing to be herself on this excursion, not someone's disenchanted wife.

(. the screen printed.

“And this is Com Passion.” Breanna continued. ”She is our interface connection to the O-Xone And her mouse, Terian."

A lovely, sultry woman emerged from the shadow. She nodded, then faded back into obscurity.

“Looks human to me,” Pia remarked.

Terian stepped forward again. She shimmered, and suddenly was a brown mouse.

“Eeeek!” Pia screamed, jumping back.

“What's the matter with a mouse?” Breanna asked.

“It might run up my leg!”

The mouse became the woman, who retreated again. Pia realized that she had made a fool of herself. She hoped she wasn't flushing.

r/ycuu/ t/t^u /we fo //Ma Jrme jf/fffttsr ?

“We can't right now,” Breanna said. “We have to go out and see Xanth.”

“In a day. Passion,” Breanna promised. “Thank you so much for helping.”

W V W V That was evidently the machine's way of expressing appreciation.

They stepped out into daylight. The sun was shining down on a thickly forested landscape. A pleasant path led away from the cave.

“First thing to remember,” Breanna said. “When in doubt, stay on the path. It's enchanted, so that no harm can come to you on it, and it goes where you want to go.”

“Suppose a person needs to — to do something private?” Pia asked. She wasn't sure how natural functions would be handled if they didn't take occasional breaks from the program. Her real-life body couldn't sit in front of a screen forever, no matter how realistic the effects.

“There are places along the path,” Breanna said. “There's one now.” She indicated a side path. “Want to see?”

“Yes.” Actually it was about time for her afternoon shot.

“Okay.” Breanna led the way down the offshoot, while Justin and Edsel waited on the main path.

Behind a barrier of bushes was an outhouse with a crescent moon painted on the door. Pia approached it and tried to open the door, but her hand passed right through the wood.

“It's illusion,” Breanna explained. “Just walk through it.”

Pia tried it. She passed through the wood and found herself in a surprisingly modern bathroom. How much of this was illusion?

She felt the toilet seat. Sure enough, it was a mere board with a hole in it, under the illusion. Well, that would do.

She took out her kit and pricked her finger, checking her blood level of sugar. Then she prepared a shot. She untucked her blouse and swabbed the fat of her hip. She always injected in the same place, and was almost immune to pain there. The shot took only a moment. Then she tucked herself back together, and put away the kit. She should be okay until morning, if she didn't overexert herself.

Breanna didn't inquire; she surely thought Pia had been attending to different matters. They returned to the main path, where the men stood.

A ghost loomed up before them. “Booo!” it cried.

Pia stifled a scream and stepped back, but Breanna was unimpressed. “You're practicing your talent,” she said.

“To make solid illusionary creatures,” Edsel agreed. “Justin reminded me. We need to get a handle on our talents, so we won't flounder when we need them.”

The ghost hovered, now properly harmless.

Pia concealed her annoyance at being frightened. “I thought a ghost wasn't solid.”

“This one is,” Edsel said. “I can't make a real ghost, but this is a fake ghost. Go ahead, touch it.”

Breanna reached out and caught hold of the ghost's substance. “Sheet,” she said.

“Can you use such language in Xanth?” Edsel inquired innocently.

Pia was disgusted. Him and his juvenile sense of humor.

Justin looked blank, but Breanna almost let half a smile escape. “You can when it's a bed sheet.” She yanked, and the ghost lurched forward. “OoOo!” it complained.

Pia touched the sheet. It was indeed solid. She lifted it up and peeked under. There was nothing; it was just material shaped over air.

The sheet dissipated, and the ghost was gone. “I like it,” Edsel said.

“You should check yours,” Breanna told Pia.

“I thought she just did,” Edsel said, with that feigned innocence again.

“Will you stop that!” Pia snapped.

“Did he do something1'” Justin asked, perplexed.

“You were a tree too long, dear.” Breanna said fondly.

“Indubitably. But—”

“First he implied that a word I said almost sounded bad, though it wasn't,” she explained. “Then he made a comment that was similar.”

“I don't understand.”

Pia realized that the man really had been out of touch too long; he was truly innocent about some things. She liked that.

“I was suggesting to Pia that she should check her talent,” Breanna said to Justin. “Edsel pretended that I was suggesting that she check her state of—of digestion.”

“Digestion?”

“Girls aren't supposed to have digestion.”

“Oh.” He remained blank.

“You have a long row to hoe,” Edsel said to Breanna.

“I’ll get there,” the girl said. “Now about that talent, Pia—they work different ways. Mine is seeing in blackness, so it doesn't apply in daytime. Justin’s is voice projection; for a long time he needed it, because didn't have a mouth. Show them, Justin.”

“As you wish.” a nearby tree said.

Startled, Pia looked at the tree. It had no mouth. “Oh—ventriloquism.”

“Not exactly,” Breanna said. “Watch his mouth,”

“I am speaking again.” the tree said. Justin’s mouth was firmly closed.

Pia nodded. “That is impressive.”

“But yours should be more useful,” Breanna said. “Because you should be able to see any trouble that's going to happen. But all talents have limits, and it's best to understand them thoroughly. What do you see in the future?”

Pia concentrated, uncertain how this worked. She closed her eyes. Then she saw a pretty shore, with pleasant trees by blue water. “It's just a scene,” she said. “Trees and water.”

“Do you see yourself?”

“No. It's as if I'm doing the looking.”

“Okay. There's a limit. You don't see the whole scene, just what your eyes see. What happened before that?”