Everything that needs to be found here has been found. The cleanup crews can come in now that the area is secure to search for anything of value and determine if it’s worth the government establishing a foothold here. A distinct possibility since the portal opens in a deserted castle, ensuring stable supply lines, and modern weaponry should make it easily defensible.
At least that’s what I thought would happen.
"I’ve got this" Karl motions to the mages who were starting to set up a protective barrier around the portal. "Finish up in the surrounding areas and you can call it a day"
This announcement was met with widespread cheers. Cleaning up is the easy part. But for a group of non arcane mages to set up a barrier that will hold well enough to keep out dangerous magical beings would take them half the night, a task that Karl could accomplish in minutes.
"Okay, done" He smiles at me and Lala "Let’s get back and write those reports. Lala, I’ll get you settled into your new home." Trudging to a Jeep the cleanup crew brought over to replace our mangled pickup truck, we are back at the Safe House before I even have time to fully process my thoughts in preparation to do my first official report.
My first mission. First Report. First rescued survivor. Today has been a big, big day. Unfortunately it will end with hours of mindless paperwork, as the Task Force command insists on same day debriefings, saying the need to know more about the portal phenomenon is paramount to all other concerns.
Far too soon my phone rings, Lala’s soft voice on the other end of the line "would you like a midnight snack? I can bring you whatever you’d like? Karl said you’d be up still doing work"
I gently rub the growing throb in my forehead. Has nobody taught this poor girl about the one question at a time rule? "Sure, thanks Lala, I’d love something"
"Excellent, I’ll be there in just a moment"
Knowing that the dining hall was only at the end of the hallway, I immediately got up to open the door, hearing a surprising amount of noise coming from outside. In fact, any noise was surprising, as the three of us were the only ones staying on this level. Then I saw Lala headed my way with a tray of snacks. In what looked like a sexy maid halloween costume.
"Lala, what exactly are you wearing, and where did you get it?"
"Isn’t it cute? I found it in the storage room, Karl said there were clothes I could have there. Real clothes, whatever I wanted! And I found this cute black dress. It seems really fashionable, the technicians have been complimenting me on it ever since I changed"
"Has Karl seen what you picked out yet?" Lala shook her head and I nearly facepalmed "We’re going back to the clothes storage to pick out a few more outfits for you. I also have a couple things to discuss with you about fashion in this country."
Lala looked a bit confused, but at the mention of more clothes her mood quickly improved.
Arriving at the storage after chasing off the gazes of lusty mages and one immensely entertained vampire, I began to pick out a few outfits while explaining the Bunny’s fashion misstep.
"Oh, my. I’m sorry if I embarrassed you Miss Kat. This was so much more clothing than I am used to that I thought it would be fine"
Smiling I patted her head in consolation. Oh, this is soft, I could do this all day, no wonder Karl likes to pat my head when my ears are out.
"Don’t worry about it. You’ll need some time to adjust to a whole new world, and your status as a free woman. Do you have any idea what you might like to do now that you’re here?"
Lala pondered a moment, her fluffy white ears twitching back and forth. "Not really, my whole race has been bred to serve without question for thousands of years, so I’m not really up to picking out a whole new future for myself."
That struck me as a bit sad. The whole concept of enjoying her freedom was beyond her ability to understand.
"But Karl said he has a spell that will teach me to read and he’d hire me as the team’s scribe. Secretary I think he called it. He said it gets a cute uniform, good pay and I will get to stay here in this great palace in the gigantic room they gave me all to myself"
That evil, lazy mage. Taking advantage of an innocent bunny. He’s so getting a piece of my mind tonight.
Lala continued "It’s not like I can go far anyhow. The designated master needs to inject their mana into the binding spell every moon or so to keep a slave alive."
I gasped in horror "It prevents us from running away you see. Not that I’d try to run from here, you both seem very nice" she tried to smooth over my shock.
Shaking my head, I tried to come up with an explanation for just how wrong keeping slaves was here. Though I suppose in some circumstances it’s still seen as fine. Certain types of relationships still have a master and slave dynamic, and then there’s the Vampire’s blood thralls, which are mentally bound to them and basically slaves. I guess I’ll just let this one slide for now, until we can find a way to undo the spell.
Six outfits and a dozen dresses that looked her size picked out, I dragged Lala over to the corner of the storage room where a sheet had been hung to create an impromptu changing room.
"Try these on and come out to show them to me. We’ll pack up the ones you like to take to your room"
"Yes mistress" Lala replied, an ingrained response that made my eyelid twitch.
A few moments passed in silence before I started hearing somewhat frantic noises from the changing area.
"Lala are you alright in there?"
"Kat, help, I’m stuck and I don’t know how to work this thing!"
Oh, yeah, I suppose that might be an issue. Poking my head through the curtain, I found Lala with one ear stuck through the shoulder opening of a sweater, one arm pinned in the air and the other somehow still sticking out the bottom. Rearranging her quickly, I explained how the design was to show off the shoulders, with arms through the sleeves. Paired with low cut jeans that left her tail free, she had high praises for the comfort of this outfit, so I turned to leave.
"Would you mind staying? I know nothing of ladies fashion. In fact it’s been years since I left that room where you found me."
Patting her head again, we got back to trying on more outfits before moving onto sundresses, well suited to the warm climate control of the Safe House. I could get addicted to those ears, they’re just so soft I never want to let them go.
Finally settling on a wardrobe, I realized that Lala was entirely devoid of undergarments. A problem she only vaguely understood. Fortunately, the wall contained a phone, so I rang up Karl’s room.
"Karl, Lala needs underwear, but there’s none here in storage. Do you know where I can find some for her?" I started without introduction.
"Oh good, she found some help. I thought it might be a bit too forward for me to dress her, so I may have left her unattended. I take it she’s fine?" He asked.
"Fine? FINE? She was wandering around in a slutty maid Halloween costume when I found her" I shouted back at him.
"Well I’m willing to wager nobody complained. But I see your point. I’ll drop off some under garments in her room."
Shaking my head at his density, I entertained the thought that the stress of magic use might have actually damaged his brain. But when we returned to Lala’s room to retrieve her under garments and stow her new wardrobe by situational appropriateness, I did indeed find a small stack of under garments on the bed.
White lace bra and panty sets. Multiple silk camisoles, Disney princess underwear and training bras that immediately caught her attention as looking the most comfortable, and finally a couple long tshirts I’m certain he meant as night gowns and a bath robe.
Maybe it’s best he didn’t stick around to pick out her clothing. I saw a number of princess dresses and little girl jumpers in storage. I’m fairly certain that our Bunny would not take kindly to being treated as a school child.
Saying goodnight to Lala and setting out night clothes and an outfit for tomorrow I bid Lala a goodnight and headed back to my room to enjoy the snacks she’d brought and finish my reports