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The Outernet and the Outerworld have connections and to the Spirits of the world, made of concept and data, computers are closer to that of gateways than boxes of metal and plastic. No Anth or Fera have ever seen what lies on the other side though... \n\nThe Outerworld and Spirits are not undead as it has been stated. \nIt is simply a different plane of existence than is connected to the Innerworld. \nGhosts and things of an undead nature do tend to overlap the two worlds. Fitting into neither. \n\n[url=https://www.subscribestar.com/hivesoul]If you want to support our work, check out our Substar here![/url]\n\nCover art by [iconname]SoulCentinel[/iconname]", "description_bbcode_parsed": "Now that Tobi and Sally can touch and have experienced many new things together he finds it time to head back and report his findings. The Outernet and the Outerworld have connections and to the Spirits of the world, made of concept and data, computers are closer to that of gateways than boxes of metal and plastic. No Anth or Fera have ever seen what lies on the other side though...

The Outerworld and Spirits are not undead as it has been stated.
It is simply a different plane of existence than is connected to the Innerworld.
Ghosts and things of an undead nature do tend to overlap the two worlds. Fitting into neither.

If you want to support our work, check out our Substar here!

Cover art by \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSoulCentinel\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t		\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSoulCentinel\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
", "writing": "The Outernet. To the Anth it is nothing more than the unseen web that connects all computers of the world together into a great and thriving information network. To the Ismi however, and to the Spirits of the Outerworld, it is much closer to that of a great system of subway tunnels. Although any Spirit could pass from one world to the other on their own strengths, such things took an exorbitant amount of time and effort. \n\n“Why walk across a continent when you can sit in comfort and get there in a fraction of the time.” The Ismi would say as they took inspiration from the technology the Anth often created. \n\nWithin minutes Tobi had passed on from the Innerworld, though the Outernet and to the Outerworld. He materialised from swirling storm clouds and began to fall down from on high. Far below him were the Swamps of Potentiality. A vast choking wasteland of dry black mud and white crystals that grew up and out in the mocking shape of a dead, crooked, tree. Each small island was little more than an overly large congealed lump of dried mud, with the biggest of these being a conglomerate of several lumps. And yet upon those little islands the Spirits did sit and dance, and live, and play, and eat each other alive.\n\nThe only source of light for such a place was the dim glow of the white crystal trees. Or the occasional crack of lighting as it struck down from the endless swirling barrier of storm clouds above.\n\nAll life here was a reflection of life in the Innerworld. Each thought, each memory, every tiny little secret buried deep into the darkest recesses of the brain. When they died these all returned to the Swamp in bits and pieces, like little grains of sand on the wind. Due to this, common Spirits were formed from the dying minds of animals and in turn became animalistic themselves in their rebirth. Spirits do not need to eat the flesh of each other to survive, but they still hunt, for the mind of a wolf or tiger only knows the peace of stalking in the grass and the pleasure of the kill. And so too does the Spirits remade from these fragments. \n\nEven so it was not a place of undeath. \nThe Innerworld was ruled by forces of biology and physics. Everything was predictable, and could be worked out to a science. The Outerworld however was a place of the mind where concepts and context could bend reality freely. The Spirits are born from the Unconscious Depths of the Swamp. They drag themselves out of the mud and attempt to find some purpose in their lives. Just as the Anth do. \n\nIndeed, as the Ismi and Anth both figured out. Spirits are not Ghosts. They are not the lingering remains of the dead. They are something more than that, beings of mental energy and data that come to life with a spark, a Soul. Such a fickle thing these Souls are. Each one moves back and forth between the two Worlds constantly, giving life to either a body of flesh or a body of energy as it returns.\n\nTobi peered down to the Swamp as he spread out his wings to slow his descent. He turned himself around gracefully and beheld the Spire of Pardon. Each of these gleaming silver spikes was built by the Ismi to contain and protect both the information of each region of the Innerworld as well as the portals that allowed for easy transport. The size of each one depended on how much information that region of the Innerworld contained, but even the smallest still stretched up from the depths of the Swamp to the very clouds above. \n\nTobi beat his wings and landed on one of the small metal balconies that stuck out from the side, like a flat topped mushroom on a vast tree. His ears twitched and looking over the edge he found a dozen Ismi in the midst of fighting off a Gribbler far below. He knelt low and tried to draw on Sally’s power but she was too far and no such strength could be found. \n\nThe stagnant air of the Outerworld gave Gribblers a terrible amount of power. But even so they were simple and starving beasts that would only try to mindlessly climb the spires and escape into the Innerworld. By using that simple nature against them, teams of Ismi worked to knock them off the Spires and sink them back into the mud for a time. It did not always work but it did buy them enough time to organise the Hunters and be ready for when one would emerge. \n\nKnowing that he would not be of any use to them, Tobi instead turned his attention to the Spire. Along the outside of each Spire flowed inverted rivers of glowing light. Each moving upwards towards the clouds above. He approached the river nearest the balcony and placed a hand near its edge. The smooth, oddly warm, metal of the spire felt nostalgic to him. But as he caught a glimpse of his own reflection in the ethereal light he found himself unable to recognize the face staring back at him.\n\nTobi once again transmuted himself into a cloud of energy, with his core at its centre. He entered into the river nearest the balcony and was propelled upwards with an immense amount of force. The Swamp below grew smaller and smaller as he approached the swirling portal he had come from, but instead of passing into it he instead passed through to the other side. \n\nThe river’s end was a giant silver basin on top of the spire. It sat partly sunk into the normally impassible clouds like a bowl pushed into wet sand. Once he had come to rest at the bottom of this vast pool of glowing mist he reformed himself, and then took a pause. All the emotions of every person who used a computer within Pardon was condensed here. Joy, sadness, love, anger, all filtered and purified into a tasteless but potent light. Tobi took a wisp of this light and drank it but he found it tasteless compared to Sally. \n\nAfter pulling himself from the basin he stood on its edge and took in the familiar sight of his home. Ismi-Pardon, a settlement built around the basin of light and the spire that collected such nutritious energies. White stone and gold trimmings stretched out wide in all directions, forming a circular shape to the town. \n\nAbove him was nothing. No sky, no stars, no vacuum of space. There was only a harsh and blinding white void to which Nothing existed. To the Anth it would certainly be a maddening sight and concept but for the Ismi they found comfort in it. Nothing was safety, as it meant that they could only ever be attacked from below. And yet, below them was an impassable wall of solid clouds that burned with violent energies.\n\nTobi stepped out of the basin and into one of the Threshold Gardens that sat all around its edge. Each one of these Gardens was full of black sand, and pale stones. This thick and clodding sand was neither warm nor soft but it did not feel cold or sharp either. The air was the same. No noticeable temperature, with no wind to be found. It was not stagnant like the Swamp but it was tedious. A predictable existence of nothing and everything with none of the chaos that came with life. \n\nAll around these Gardens were Ismi.\nMost raked the sands as a form of mediation while some others went as far as shaping it into geometrical formations as a form of play. As Tobi flew overhead any who noticed his presence stopped what they were doing to bow respectfully. Even the most distracted of them at least tilted their head as he passed. Soon he reached the Garden Wall, a sheer cliff made of polished bricks that stretched on upwards for some time. Tobi beat his wings and ascended the wall. \n\nAt the top was the Pale Towers. An expanse of various towers and tall buildings dotted with holes. Strong, square and brutalistic in their design this was where the Ismi did live and work day after day. At first glance there was nothing to set each one apart from the other but at closer inspection, they were laid out in a very purposeful way. Each district of the city was a cluster of towers, with the tallest in the middle, and the ones outside of it spiralling down in height. Tobi ignored these lesser structures and instead headed up and into the middle one. \n\nThe inside was just as square and sterile as the outside although there were hints of decor and history. Glass beads on strings hung down from the ceiling, and giant metal structures in the form of geometric, rune-like, shapes were hung on the walls akin to paintings. Tobi flew up the central shaft of the tower to the upper floors, and along the way passed by many dozens of Ismi. They sat on a stone disk in groups of three around crystal structures, their hands typing away on solid projections of an oddly shaped keyboard. Within the shaped tower of crystal glints and glimpses of data passing by could be seen, like dappled sunlight flowing across a forest floor. \n\nAt the very top of the tower was a special room, with softer sand covering the floor like carpet. A single Ismi sat here alone, their stone disk had a comfortable sheet of cloth over it. And her computer crystal was block shaped, like that of a desk for her to lean on while she typed. She took notice of Tobi instantly but waited patiently for him to approach. \n\n“Ismi to you.” She greeted him.\n\n“Ismi to you.” Tobi replied. \n\n“Report?” She then asked. \n\n“Update on mission status, Scouting. And information found, Unity.” \nTobi told her as he peered the tangled sculpture of wires that sat half made by her side. \nSuch lovely geometric form, and yet he found his love for the shapes to be missing. \n\nThe Ismi girl paused at his words. She gave him a look, both surprised and impressed. \nShe then tapped some buttons onto her keyboard before waving her hand over a much smaller, triangle shaped, crystal that sat on her desk. As it began to glow blue a wind began to swirl around the edges of the room. The runic symbols carved into the walls then started to glow as well before finally a glowing portal opened on the nearby wall. It spun and swirled like fog on the surface of a cold lake. \n\n“The Mismi wishes to see you, when you are in the Hall, head upwards.”\nShe spoke professionally. \n\nStepping through the portal, Tobi found himself in a different room, in a different building, in a different region of the world. The floor had the same soft sands but the room was massive compared to the tower. Spread out in all directions were Ismi, half of them were workers who sat listening to the reports of scouts, the research findings of thinkers, and the stories of explorers. Each listener was separated loosely by walls, sometimes thin stone, and sometimes cloth. It reminded Tobi of a beehive, stretched flat and laid out across a huge, round room. Although there were a dozen more portals all along the curved wall, there were no doors or windows to be found. The whole Hall was lit by crystal. \n\nHe had been to the Hall many times over the decades to give his reports on Anth culture, the movements and behaviours of Gribblers, or other various insights he had noticed while watching Alvia from the skies. He had never once met the Mismi however. \n\nHigh above the Hall was another bulbous room that hung from the centre of the ceiling. It had a balcony that wrapped around it like a ring, and on that balcony there were several keen eared Ismi listening in on the chaotic ramble below. Tobi beat his wings and headed up to it. On one end of the balcony was a gap in the railing for him to land, and nearby was a door. A wooden door, just like the kind the Anth used. Near this door as well there were two Ismi. One was laying down in a small nest like bed of fabrics and pillows, one of his hands holding a book lazily, while the other petted just above the tail of a female Ismi that was draped over him like a blanket. Near to them was a stack of yet more books, the titles, the colours, and the materials all being from the Innerworld. Despite the Innerworld objects, the way he was coupled with the female was very much Ismi, with no movement and little reaction from either side. \n\nTobi approached and the male nodded over to a bench nearby for him to sit at. \nAfter reading through some pages he placed the book face down to keep where he was at before picking up a device. It was built of Ismi materials, crystal and metal, but the design and form was like that of an Anth computer tablet. He looked over the information on it and flicked through the screens before nestling it back into his bed. \n\n“Unity.” He spoke, and the girl’s ears twitched. \n“Good or bad news?” He then asked Tobi. \n\n“I don’t know, both perhaps.” Tobi replied. \n\nThe male smirked, and leaned his head back lazily to look at Tobi properly. \nThere was a fatigue in his eyes that Tobi had not seen on other Ismi. He could feel the burning entropy of centuries behind those tired eyes, eyes that had seen too much of the Outerworld with its beastly Spirits and scheming Demons. \n\n“Even bad news is better than none at all.” The male spoke happily. \n\nAfter a while of waiting the male looked at his tablet again. \n\n“When you meet the Mismi. Be polite, to the point but leave nothing out. Pick a set of eyes and stick to them, you’ll be fine.” He instructed Tobi before giving him a nod to enter. \n\n“Thanks?” Tobi replied. \n\nStepping through the double set of wooden doors, Tobi was taken back. The inside of this round and bulbous room was nothing like the Ismi constructions surrounding it. The floor was wooden, with the walls covered in bookshelves and hanging canvas paintings, there were glass cases full of old Innerworld artefacts and Anth cultural arts. \n\nIn the centre of this round and oddly shaped room was a large stone basin with a slowly swirling pool of yellow liquid. And standing next to it was the Mismi. Tobi felt every instinct he had switched into both flight and fight as he beheld the Ismi god. Nearly twice as tall as himself, with large robust wings, and a long whip of a tail that swept around its legs. It had the same semi-transparent, blue, rabbit-like body and long ears but as it turned Tobi was met with four eyes staring back at him. \n\n“Greetings friend.” It spoke so sweetly. The words wormed their way into Tobi’s mind and created even further conflict with his instincts. A part of his very soul told him to relax but it was too intense to work effectively. \n\nFrom behind the Mismi’s great wings three cute Ismi females suddenly appeared, they each took notice of Tobi and scampered over to him. They wore just as little clothing as himself, each a different thin scrap of soft cloth that only served to highlight their features rather than hiding. \n\nThe doors of the Mismi’s Sanctum closed quietly as he was pulled inside by smooth, sweet smelling, hands. They urged him to sit and relax. And quickly pulled him onto a big nestbed of soft fabrics and warm pillows. They rubbed his shoulders and paws while one of them nibbled his ears, the combined touch so divine that Tobi relaxed quickly and almost forgot what he had come here to do. All the while the Mismi continued to stir the yellow pool and gaze deep into the the depths that dwelled beyond.\n\n“You have a tale to tell me?” \nMismi asked, their words a comfortable whisper behind Tobi’s eyes. \n\n“Yes, Sir. I’m Tobi Ismi, Scout of the Innerworld, Pardon region.” Tobi replied without much thought. His words just slipped from his lips as his eyes went hazy from all the pleasurable feelings. These girls were talented and they knew just how to stir the energies within him in a most pleasant way. \n\n“A name.” The Mismi whispered, amused. \n“From who?” They asked.\n\n“Sally, of the Bunnies. Thirteen, female, Pardon region…” \nTobi replied, but just as one of the girls slipped their hand under the shawl around his waist he snapped out of the haze. He took a firm hold of her hand and spoke, “No.” \n\n“No?” Mismi repeated.\nThey turned away from the pool and looked at Tobi properly for the first time. \n\n“The affection is appreciated but not any further than that. Sally, her kind, has rules and opinions on partnership. Until I ask her about such, I can not potentially betray her loyalty with another.” Tobi explained.\n\n“Partners… Continue.” The Mismi said before turning back to the pool. \n“From the beginning.” They added, their words softer than before. \n\n“Yes Sir.” Tobi replied before collecting his thoughts. \n\n“My history as a Watcher before my current Mission has no bearing here. Instead I will start by recounting my time spent as a Scout, around eighty years ago. Most of those decades were spent focusing solely on my mission. Observe the Innerworld, slow Gribblers if I reach them before the Hunters, and report back any findings towards Unity.” Tobi began to recount as the girls continued to massage his body. \n\n“All findings on those decades have already been reported. However those reports do not contain my inner thoughts and emotions. I only first noticed the change myself around twenty two years ago. My small interest in the Anth had started to greatly increase. Although I did not know why I found myself compelled to spend the free time my Mission afforded observing the Anth more closely. Not just for simple documentation of their movements and behaviours but, for something more. Several years in fact were spent within a library, and then a college, and then eventually a highschool. The latter is where I first met Sally.” Tobi continued as he recalled the years catching up to him. \n\n“I had known of her existence for two years before the current incident occurred. She was like many of the others in the school although her mental deficits were more pronounced than most. Despite these difficulties she still attempted to harmonise with the cultures of the school several times, but predictably never succeeded.” \n\nTobi paused for a second. \n\n“No matter what happened she never lost her hope in others or the joy in her eyes. I find it admirable.” Tobi said with a smile, before taking a breath and continuing. \n\n“She first became aware of my presence a year ago as I was moving through the school’s gardens. I was unsure at that time how well she could see me or to what extent but it was clear that she did have a perception of our kind. Knowing the importance of this find I spent the next several weeks following and testing Sally. I found that she could only see me if I was very close, and she could only see the light of my core. Further testing showed that all communications, including hand signs, did not work. Even so, it was clear that Sally was unique in her abilities. To find one who could see us, even if it was a glimpse… I feel it speaks to the evolution the Esper population is currently going through but it is also quite clear that such a development is far too rare to replicate.” Tobi spoke confidently. \n\n“Replication is only possible if existence is proven, and that first step is always the hardest.”\nThe Mismi spoke to themselves.\n\n“Due to her importance I began to aid her in small, daily tasks such as navigation around her school. Around that time however, I found myself having to leave her due to a rise in Gribbler sightings. The lengthy battle that took place alongside a team of Hunters at that time was successful and without casualties however I and many others were injured. By the time I recovered and returned to her there were noticeable side effects to my absence. She had become sad without me. I was concerned due to the damage depression can cause in her kind and so I followed her back to her home.” Tobi recounted.\n\nThe more he thought about his past the more Tobi realised that his actions were not all based in broad logic. He had followed her home not just for her importance, but because he did not want to see her grow sad without him.\n\n“Perhaps it was her longing for me but somehow Sally made contact with me, and we formed a connection. Her mental deficits were improved due to this connection, but I was also changed terribly. I felt my emotions much more strongly than before and every day since then they have continued to bloom. Over the months I began to understand the Anth, their ways and their culture in ways that I could not imagine before. And with it, I fell in love. I do not know if it is just the connection to Sally or my heightened mental state but ever since we made that connection I’ve been able to draw great power for a time… And yet. Using it to fight the Gribblers has proven unsuccessful. It is too great to control but so then that. The near death encounters have instilled a fear of death that I did not have before.”\n\nTobi pushed the girls away as he stood up out of the basket. \n\n“Our kind may enjoy coupling but we do not have this emotion of love. It is terrible. It hurts and burns and yet I can not live without it anymore.” Tobi said as he approached the Mismi. “Last night, Sally and I touched each other for the first time. And since then I can touch everything. The cold countertops of her kitchen, the warmth of the air. I can smell the flowers in her garden. And I’ve never known such pleasure then that of the heat and chemicals dripping from her body. We do not have a physical form, I should not be able to touch anything in another world and yet I can. And all I can think of is when I can touch her again.” \n\nTobi loudly rambled as the Mismi finally turned around to face him. \n\n“I am compromised. I can not continue my mission, but I can not stay here either. I do not desire to reject you but my need for Sally is too great to ignore. I can not live any other way now. I’m… Not Ismi anymore.” He told the Mismi while staring into his four eyes. “I am Tobi, of the Bunnies.”\n\nTobi squared himself as the Mismi raised a large hand towards him. But they then placed it on Tobi’s shoulder. The energy burning beneath those fingers were terrifying and yet if need be Tobi was set on fighting his way out of here. \n\n“The road most difficult is often the most rewarding.” \nMismi said comfortingly as they rubbed Tobi’s shoulder. \n“Unity requires evolution. Evolution demands sacrifice, growth, pain. I will free you from your current mission and grant you a new one. One more befitting of the great first step you have taken towards the dream of all Ismi. Do not fear, you are most precious to me.” The Mismi spoke, not with their mind but quietly with their mouth. \n\n“Words can not convey the emotions within me right now. I thank you.” \nTobi said while suddenly bowing his head down and putting his hands on his knees. \n\nThe Mismi took their hand off his shoulder and stepped over to a bookcase. They took an old looking leather journey from a row filled with a dozen more, and opened it. With incredible ease and speed they noted down everything Tobi had just told them before tapping the pencil on the paper. \n\n“Coupling with an Anth? They are compatible?”\nThe Mismi then asked. \n\n“Highly so. The shape, size and length of my penis fits her well and the energy that comes from my touch is pleasant to her. However, discharging is painful. It is akin to a dangerous injury they call electrocution. Sally still shows pleasure despite this pain due to what seems to be a masochist mindset. Any other would only enjoy the act, but not the climax.” Tobi explained. “Despite that conflict, the pleasure I received in turn was extraordinary. I predict not all Ismi males would share the same opinion though. It is a very, wet, and visceral kind of pleasure that could be overwhelming or disgusting to some.” \n\n“Good. Safe discharge research is needed.” The Mismi muttered. \n“New mission.” Mismi said as he closed the book with a snap and put it back into place. \n\nTobi stood up straight, ready to receive his orders. \n\n“Live with Sally, learn more about Anth. Test compatibility. You will live like they do, eat like they do, couple like they do… And in turn, Sally will join you in hunting. She will play like we do, fight like we must, and understand us as we try to understand her.” The Mismi spoke. \n\n“But Sally is not a Hunter, in many regards she struggles with even that of a normal minded Anth. It is a compromise to us both, but it is not equal. I would rather suggest…” Tobi retorted. \n\n“She is still Anth.” The Mismi spoke as they cut him off, their words echoing in Tobi’s mind.\n“Or do you wish for stagnation? A pair of slaves. One that lives for you to take pleasure from, and the other shackled to her every whim and desire. Equal only in taking from each other.”\n\n“No, of… Of Course not… “ Tobi stuttered as his inner temptations were laid bare. \n\n“Unity requires evolution. The most difficult path. I choose you for this path for I see within you just as much greatness as there is temptation. You and Sally must strive to be better, to find a path between Anth and Ismi that others can not see.” Mismi said comfortingly. \n\n“Yes Sir. I apologise for seeking the easy path.” Tobi said more confidently. \n\n“Trust the Anth, for they are clever and they evolve fast. Trust your partner.” \nThe Mismi said as he returned to the pool. \n“You will discover her strength just as she discovers your own.”\n\n“Yes, I understand.” Tobi replied. His trust in the Mismi just as strong as when he was born.\n\n“Take time, in Gardens. Rest, return tomorrow.” The Mismi offered. \n\n“Thank you, a wise suggestion.” Tobi nodded. \n\n“And if Sally does agree, come to visit us again.” \nOne of the three females whispered in his ear before scampering past with her sisters. \nThe trio tucked themselves away behind the Mismi’s wings once more. Although one poked their head out to give Tobi a wave, then a wink as she blew a kiss in his direction. As she did so the doors to the Mismi’s room opened. \n\nTobi stepped outside to find himself almost in a daze. The echoing words of the Mismi had left his brain buzzing and his heart racing. The light outside of the sanctum as well was so much brighter on his eyes. He felt unbalanced, even shaken, as if having missed a step while walking upstairs. \n\n“They have that effect on people. Take some time to rest.” \nThe Ismi male near the door said before turning the page of his book.\n\n“I will.” Tobi said as he rubbed the space between his eyes.\n\nAfter floating down to the Hall and heading back through the portal to Ismi-Pardon Tobi would take some time to rebalance himself. Although as he sat on a white stone in the midst of the Threshold Gardens he found himself unable to relax. The white void above was too stark compared to the ever changing colours of the Innerworld’s sky and the repetition of stroking the black sands paled in comparison to the rich stimulation found in every room of Sally’s house. \n\nTobi rubbed the side of his head and took a deep breath.\nHe would linger in the Gardens for only a few more hours before the desire to come back to Sally became too strong. As he travelled back down the tower he wondered how to approach Sally with their new mission. And the more he thought about it the more he did realise that he could not predict her answer. \n\nTobi then decided that finding such an answer would be a good place to start. ", "writing_bbcode_parsed": "The Outernet. To the Anth it is nothing more than the unseen web that connects all computers of the world together into a great and thriving information network. To the Ismi however, and to the Spirits of the Outerworld, it is much closer to that of a great system of subway tunnels. Although any Spirit could pass from one world to the other on their own strengths, such things took an exorbitant amount of time and effort.

“Why walk across a continent when you can sit in comfort and get there in a fraction of the time.” The Ismi would say as they took inspiration from the technology the Anth often created.

Within minutes Tobi had passed on from the Innerworld, though the Outernet and to the Outerworld. He materialised from swirling storm clouds and began to fall down from on high. Far below him were the Swamps of Potentiality. A vast choking wasteland of dry black mud and white crystals that grew up and out in the mocking shape of a dead, crooked, tree. Each small island was little more than an overly large congealed lump of dried mud, with the biggest of these being a conglomerate of several lumps. And yet upon those little islands the Spirits did sit and dance, and live, and play, and eat each other alive.

The only source of light for such a place was the dim glow of the white crystal trees. Or the occasional crack of lighting as it struck down from the endless swirling barrier of storm clouds above.

All life here was a reflection of life in the Innerworld. Each thought, each memory, every tiny little secret buried deep into the darkest recesses of the brain. When they died these all returned to the Swamp in bits and pieces, like little grains of sand on the wind. Due to this, common Spirits were formed from the dying minds of animals and in turn became animalistic themselves in their rebirth. Spirits do not need to eat the flesh of each other to survive, but they still hunt, for the mind of a wolf or tiger only knows the peace of stalking in the grass and the pleasure of the kill. And so too does the Spirits remade from these fragments.

Even so it was not a place of undeath.
The Innerworld was ruled by forces of biology and physics. Everything was predictable, and could be worked out to a science. The Outerworld however was a place of the mind where concepts and context could bend reality freely. The Spirits are born from the Unconscious Depths of the Swamp. They drag themselves out of the mud and attempt to find some purpose in their lives. Just as the Anth do.

Indeed, as the Ismi and Anth both figured out. Spirits are not Ghosts. They are not the lingering remains of the dead. They are something more than that, beings of mental energy and data that come to life with a spark, a Soul. Such a fickle thing these Souls are. Each one moves back and forth between the two Worlds constantly, giving life to either a body of flesh or a body of energy as it returns.

Tobi peered down to the Swamp as he spread out his wings to slow his descent. He turned himself around gracefully and beheld the Spire of Pardon. Each of these gleaming silver spikes was built by the Ismi to contain and protect both the information of each region of the Innerworld as well as the portals that allowed for easy transport. The size of each one depended on how much information that region of the Innerworld contained, but even the smallest still stretched up from the depths of the Swamp to the very clouds above.

Tobi beat his wings and landed on one of the small metal balconies that stuck out from the side, like a flat topped mushroom on a vast tree. His ears twitched and looking over the edge he found a dozen Ismi in the midst of fighting off a Gribbler far below. He knelt low and tried to draw on Sally’s power but she was too far and no such strength could be found.

The stagnant air of the Outerworld gave Gribblers a terrible amount of power. But even so they were simple and starving beasts that would only try to mindlessly climb the spires and escape into the Innerworld. By using that simple nature against them, teams of Ismi worked to knock them off the Spires and sink them back into the mud for a time. It did not always work but it did buy them enough time to organise the Hunters and be ready for when one would emerge.

Knowing that he would not be of any use to them, Tobi instead turned his attention to the Spire. Along the outside of each Spire flowed inverted rivers of glowing light. Each moving upwards towards the clouds above. He approached the river nearest the balcony and placed a hand near its edge. The smooth, oddly warm, metal of the spire felt nostalgic to him. But as he caught a glimpse of his own reflection in the ethereal light he found himself unable to recognize the face staring back at him.

Tobi once again transmuted himself into a cloud of energy, with his core at its centre. He entered into the river nearest the balcony and was propelled upwards with an immense amount of force. The Swamp below grew smaller and smaller as he approached the swirling portal he had come from, but instead of passing into it he instead passed through to the other side.

The river’s end was a giant silver basin on top of the spire. It sat partly sunk into the normally impassible clouds like a bowl pushed into wet sand. Once he had come to rest at the bottom of this vast pool of glowing mist he reformed himself, and then took a pause. All the emotions of every person who used a computer within Pardon was condensed here. Joy, sadness, love, anger, all filtered and purified into a tasteless but potent light. Tobi took a wisp of this light and drank it but he found it tasteless compared to Sally.

After pulling himself from the basin he stood on its edge and took in the familiar sight of his home. Ismi-Pardon, a settlement built around the basin of light and the spire that collected such nutritious energies. White stone and gold trimmings stretched out wide in all directions, forming a circular shape to the town.

Above him was nothing. No sky, no stars, no vacuum of space. There was only a harsh and blinding white void to which Nothing existed. To the Anth it would certainly be a maddening sight and concept but for the Ismi they found comfort in it. Nothing was safety, as it meant that they could only ever be attacked from below. And yet, below them was an impassable wall of solid clouds that burned with violent energies.

Tobi stepped out of the basin and into one of the Threshold Gardens that sat all around its edge. Each one of these Gardens was full of black sand, and pale stones. This thick and clodding sand was neither warm nor soft but it did not feel cold or sharp either. The air was the same. No noticeable temperature, with no wind to be found. It was not stagnant like the Swamp but it was tedious. A predictable existence of nothing and everything with none of the chaos that came with life.

All around these Gardens were Ismi.
Most raked the sands as a form of mediation while some others went as far as shaping it into geometrical formations as a form of play. As Tobi flew overhead any who noticed his presence stopped what they were doing to bow respectfully. Even the most distracted of them at least tilted their head as he passed. Soon he reached the Garden Wall, a sheer cliff made of polished bricks that stretched on upwards for some time. Tobi beat his wings and ascended the wall.

At the top was the Pale Towers. An expanse of various towers and tall buildings dotted with holes. Strong, square and brutalistic in their design this was where the Ismi did live and work day after day. At first glance there was nothing to set each one apart from the other but at closer inspection, they were laid out in a very purposeful way. Each district of the city was a cluster of towers, with the tallest in the middle, and the ones outside of it spiralling down in height. Tobi ignored these lesser structures and instead headed up and into the middle one.

The inside was just as square and sterile as the outside although there were hints of decor and history. Glass beads on strings hung down from the ceiling, and giant metal structures in the form of geometric, rune-like, shapes were hung on the walls akin to paintings. Tobi flew up the central shaft of the tower to the upper floors, and along the way passed by many dozens of Ismi. They sat on a stone disk in groups of three around crystal structures, their hands typing away on solid projections of an oddly shaped keyboard. Within the shaped tower of crystal glints and glimpses of data passing by could be seen, like dappled sunlight flowing across a forest floor.

At the very top of the tower was a special room, with softer sand covering the floor like carpet. A single Ismi sat here alone, their stone disk had a comfortable sheet of cloth over it. And her computer crystal was block shaped, like that of a desk for her to lean on while she typed. She took notice of Tobi instantly but waited patiently for him to approach.

“Ismi to you.” She greeted him.

“Ismi to you.” Tobi replied.

“Report?” She then asked.

“Update on mission status, Scouting. And information found, Unity.”
Tobi told her as he peered the tangled sculpture of wires that sat half made by her side.
Such lovely geometric form, and yet he found his love for the shapes to be missing.

The Ismi girl paused at his words. She gave him a look, both surprised and impressed.
She then tapped some buttons onto her keyboard before waving her hand over a much smaller, triangle shaped, crystal that sat on her desk. As it began to glow blue a wind began to swirl around the edges of the room. The runic symbols carved into the walls then started to glow as well before finally a glowing portal opened on the nearby wall. It spun and swirled like fog on the surface of a cold lake.

“The Mismi wishes to see you, when you are in the Hall, head upwards.”
She spoke professionally.

Stepping through the portal, Tobi found himself in a different room, in a different building, in a different region of the world. The floor had the same soft sands but the room was massive compared to the tower. Spread out in all directions were Ismi, half of them were workers who sat listening to the reports of scouts, the research findings of thinkers, and the stories of explorers. Each listener was separated loosely by walls, sometimes thin stone, and sometimes cloth. It reminded Tobi of a beehive, stretched flat and laid out across a huge, round room. Although there were a dozen more portals all along the curved wall, there were no doors or windows to be found. The whole Hall was lit by crystal.

He had been to the Hall many times over the decades to give his reports on Anth culture, the movements and behaviours of Gribblers, or other various insights he had noticed while watching Alvia from the skies. He had never once met the Mismi however.

High above the Hall was another bulbous room that hung from the centre of the ceiling. It had a balcony that wrapped around it like a ring, and on that balcony there were several keen eared Ismi listening in on the chaotic ramble below. Tobi beat his wings and headed up to it. On one end of the balcony was a gap in the railing for him to land, and nearby was a door. A wooden door, just like the kind the Anth used. Near this door as well there were two Ismi. One was laying down in a small nest like bed of fabrics and pillows, one of his hands holding a book lazily, while the other petted just above the tail of a female Ismi that was draped over him like a blanket. Near to them was a stack of yet more books, the titles, the colours, and the materials all being from the Innerworld. Despite the Innerworld objects, the way he was coupled with the female was very much Ismi, with no movement and little reaction from either side.

Tobi approached and the male nodded over to a bench nearby for him to sit at.
After reading through some pages he placed the book face down to keep where he was at before picking up a device. It was built of Ismi materials, crystal and metal, but the design and form was like that of an Anth computer tablet. He looked over the information on it and flicked through the screens before nestling it back into his bed.

“Unity.” He spoke, and the girl’s ears twitched.
“Good or bad news?” He then asked Tobi.

“I don’t know, both perhaps.” Tobi replied.

The male smirked, and leaned his head back lazily to look at Tobi properly.
There was a fatigue in his eyes that Tobi had not seen on other Ismi. He could feel the burning entropy of centuries behind those tired eyes, eyes that had seen too much of the Outerworld with its beastly Spirits and scheming Demons.

“Even bad news is better than none at all.” The male spoke happily.

After a while of waiting the male looked at his tablet again.

“When you meet the Mismi. Be polite, to the point but leave nothing out. Pick a set of eyes and stick to them, you’ll be fine.” He instructed Tobi before giving him a nod to enter.

“Thanks?” Tobi replied.

Stepping through the double set of wooden doors, Tobi was taken back. The inside of this round and bulbous room was nothing like the Ismi constructions surrounding it. The floor was wooden, with the walls covered in bookshelves and hanging canvas paintings, there were glass cases full of old Innerworld artefacts and Anth cultural arts.

In the centre of this round and oddly shaped room was a large stone basin with a slowly swirling pool of yellow liquid. And standing next to it was the Mismi. Tobi felt every instinct he had switched into both flight and fight as he beheld the Ismi god. Nearly twice as tall as himself, with large robust wings, and a long whip of a tail that swept around its legs. It had the same semi-transparent, blue, rabbit-like body and long ears but as it turned Tobi was met with four eyes staring back at him.

“Greetings friend.” It spoke so sweetly. The words wormed their way into Tobi’s mind and created even further conflict with his instincts. A part of his very soul told him to relax but it was too intense to work effectively.

From behind the Mismi’s great wings three cute Ismi females suddenly appeared, they each took notice of Tobi and scampered over to him. They wore just as little clothing as himself, each a different thin scrap of soft cloth that only served to highlight their features rather than hiding.

The doors of the Mismi’s Sanctum closed quietly as he was pulled inside by smooth, sweet smelling, hands. They urged him to sit and relax. And quickly pulled him onto a big nestbed of soft fabrics and warm pillows. They rubbed his shoulders and paws while one of them nibbled his ears, the combined touch so divine that Tobi relaxed quickly and almost forgot what he had come here to do. All the while the Mismi continued to stir the yellow pool and gaze deep into the the depths that dwelled beyond.

“You have a tale to tell me?”
Mismi asked, their words a comfortable whisper behind Tobi’s eyes.

“Yes, Sir. I’m Tobi Ismi, Scout of the Innerworld, Pardon region.” Tobi replied without much thought. His words just slipped from his lips as his eyes went hazy from all the pleasurable feelings. These girls were talented and they knew just how to stir the energies within him in a most pleasant way.

“A name.” The Mismi whispered, amused.
“From who?” They asked.

“Sally, of the Bunnies. Thirteen, female, Pardon region…”
Tobi replied, but just as one of the girls slipped their hand under the shawl around his waist he snapped out of the haze. He took a firm hold of her hand and spoke, “No.”

“No?” Mismi repeated.
They turned away from the pool and looked at Tobi properly for the first time.

“The affection is appreciated but not any further than that. Sally, her kind, has rules and opinions on partnership. Until I ask her about such, I can not potentially betray her loyalty with another.” Tobi explained.

“Partners… Continue.” The Mismi said before turning back to the pool.
“From the beginning.” They added, their words softer than before.

“Yes Sir.” Tobi replied before collecting his thoughts.

“My history as a Watcher before my current Mission has no bearing here. Instead I will start by recounting my time spent as a Scout, around eighty years ago. Most of those decades were spent focusing solely on my mission. Observe the Innerworld, slow Gribblers if I reach them before the Hunters, and report back any findings towards Unity.” Tobi began to recount as the girls continued to massage his body.

“All findings on those decades have already been reported. However those reports do not contain my inner thoughts and emotions. I only first noticed the change myself around twenty two years ago. My small interest in the Anth had started to greatly increase. Although I did not know why I found myself compelled to spend the free time my Mission afforded observing the Anth more closely. Not just for simple documentation of their movements and behaviours but, for something more. Several years in fact were spent within a library, and then a college, and then eventually a highschool. The latter is where I first met Sally.” Tobi continued as he recalled the years catching up to him.

“I had known of her existence for two years before the current incident occurred. She was like many of the others in the school although her mental deficits were more pronounced than most. Despite these difficulties she still attempted to harmonise with the cultures of the school several times, but predictably never succeeded.”

Tobi paused for a second.

“No matter what happened she never lost her hope in others or the joy in her eyes. I find it admirable.” Tobi said with a smile, before taking a breath and continuing.

“She first became aware of my presence a year ago as I was moving through the school’s gardens. I was unsure at that time how well she could see me or to what extent but it was clear that she did have a perception of our kind. Knowing the importance of this find I spent the next several weeks following and testing Sally. I found that she could only see me if I was very close, and she could only see the light of my core. Further testing showed that all communications, including hand signs, did not work. Even so, it was clear that Sally was unique in her abilities. To find one who could see us, even if it was a glimpse… I feel it speaks to the evolution the Esper population is currently going through but it is also quite clear that such a development is far too rare to replicate.” Tobi spoke confidently.

“Replication is only possible if existence is proven, and that first step is always the hardest.”
The Mismi spoke to themselves.

“Due to her importance I began to aid her in small, daily tasks such as navigation around her school. Around that time however, I found myself having to leave her due to a rise in Gribbler sightings. The lengthy battle that took place alongside a team of Hunters at that time was successful and without casualties however I and many others were injured. By the time I recovered and returned to her there were noticeable side effects to my absence. She had become sad without me. I was concerned due to the damage depression can cause in her kind and so I followed her back to her home.” Tobi recounted.

The more he thought about his past the more Tobi realised that his actions were not all based in broad logic. He had followed her home not just for her importance, but because he did not want to see her grow sad without him.

“Perhaps it was her longing for me but somehow Sally made contact with me, and we formed a connection. Her mental deficits were improved due to this connection, but I was also changed terribly. I felt my emotions much more strongly than before and every day since then they have continued to bloom. Over the months I began to understand the Anth, their ways and their culture in ways that I could not imagine before. And with it, I fell in love. I do not know if it is just the connection to Sally or my heightened mental state but ever since we made that connection I’ve been able to draw great power for a time… And yet. Using it to fight the Gribblers has proven unsuccessful. It is too great to control but so then that. The near death encounters have instilled a fear of death that I did not have before.”

Tobi pushed the girls away as he stood up out of the basket.

“Our kind may enjoy coupling but we do not have this emotion of love. It is terrible. It hurts and burns and yet I can not live without it anymore.” Tobi said as he approached the Mismi. “Last night, Sally and I touched each other for the first time. And since then I can touch everything. The cold countertops of her kitchen, the warmth of the air. I can smell the flowers in her garden. And I’ve never known such pleasure then that of the heat and chemicals dripping from her body. We do not have a physical form, I should not be able to touch anything in another world and yet I can. And all I can think of is when I can touch her again.”

Tobi loudly rambled as the Mismi finally turned around to face him.

“I am compromised. I can not continue my mission, but I can not stay here either. I do not desire to reject you but my need for Sally is too great to ignore. I can not live any other way now. I’m… Not Ismi anymore.” He told the Mismi while staring into his four eyes. “I am Tobi, of the Bunnies.”

Tobi squared himself as the Mismi raised a large hand towards him. But they then placed it on Tobi’s shoulder. The energy burning beneath those fingers were terrifying and yet if need be Tobi was set on fighting his way out of here.

“The road most difficult is often the most rewarding.”
Mismi said comfortingly as they rubbed Tobi’s shoulder.
“Unity requires evolution. Evolution demands sacrifice, growth, pain. I will free you from your current mission and grant you a new one. One more befitting of the great first step you have taken towards the dream of all Ismi. Do not fear, you are most precious to me.” The Mismi spoke, not with their mind but quietly with their mouth.

“Words can not convey the emotions within me right now. I thank you.”
Tobi said while suddenly bowing his head down and putting his hands on his knees.

The Mismi took their hand off his shoulder and stepped over to a bookcase. They took an old looking leather journey from a row filled with a dozen more, and opened it. With incredible ease and speed they noted down everything Tobi had just told them before tapping the pencil on the paper.

“Coupling with an Anth? They are compatible?”
The Mismi then asked.

“Highly so. The shape, size and length of my penis fits her well and the energy that comes from my touch is pleasant to her. However, discharging is painful. It is akin to a dangerous injury they call electrocution. Sally still shows pleasure despite this pain due to what seems to be a masochist mindset. Any other would only enjoy the act, but not the climax.” Tobi explained. “Despite that conflict, the pleasure I received in turn was extraordinary. I predict not all Ismi males would share the same opinion though. It is a very, wet, and visceral kind of pleasure that could be overwhelming or disgusting to some.”

“Good. Safe discharge research is needed.” The Mismi muttered.
“New mission.” Mismi said as he closed the book with a snap and put it back into place.

Tobi stood up straight, ready to receive his orders.

“Live with Sally, learn more about Anth. Test compatibility. You will live like they do, eat like they do, couple like they do… And in turn, Sally will join you in hunting. She will play like we do, fight like we must, and understand us as we try to understand her.” The Mismi spoke.

“But Sally is not a Hunter, in many regards she struggles with even that of a normal minded Anth. It is a compromise to us both, but it is not equal. I would rather suggest…” Tobi retorted.

“She is still Anth.” The Mismi spoke as they cut him off, their words echoing in Tobi’s mind.
“Or do you wish for stagnation? A pair of slaves. One that lives for you to take pleasure from, and the other shackled to her every whim and desire. Equal only in taking from each other.”

“No, of… Of Course not… “ Tobi stuttered as his inner temptations were laid bare.

“Unity requires evolution. The most difficult path. I choose you for this path for I see within you just as much greatness as there is temptation. You and Sally must strive to be better, to find a path between Anth and Ismi that others can not see.” Mismi said comfortingly.

“Yes Sir. I apologise for seeking the easy path.” Tobi said more confidently.

“Trust the Anth, for they are clever and they evolve fast. Trust your partner.”
The Mismi said as he returned to the pool.
“You will discover her strength just as she discovers your own.”

“Yes, I understand.” Tobi replied. His trust in the Mismi just as strong as when he was born.

“Take time, in Gardens. Rest, return tomorrow.” The Mismi offered.

“Thank you, a wise suggestion.” Tobi nodded.

“And if Sally does agree, come to visit us again.”
One of the three females whispered in his ear before scampering past with her sisters.
The trio tucked themselves away behind the Mismi’s wings once more. Although one poked their head out to give Tobi a wave, then a wink as she blew a kiss in his direction. As she did so the doors to the Mismi’s room opened.

Tobi stepped outside to find himself almost in a daze. The echoing words of the Mismi had left his brain buzzing and his heart racing. The light outside of the sanctum as well was so much brighter on his eyes. He felt unbalanced, even shaken, as if having missed a step while walking upstairs.  

“They have that effect on people. Take some time to rest.”
The Ismi male near the door said before turning the page of his book.

“I will.” Tobi said as he rubbed the space between his eyes.

After floating down to the Hall and heading back through the portal to Ismi-Pardon Tobi would take some time to rebalance himself. Although as he sat on a white stone in the midst of the Threshold Gardens he found himself unable to relax. The white void above was too stark compared to the ever changing colours of the Innerworld’s sky and the repetition of stroking the black sands paled in comparison to the rich stimulation found in every room of Sally’s house.

Tobi rubbed the side of his head and took a deep breath.
He would linger in the Gardens for only a few more hours before the desire to come back to Sally became too strong. As he travelled back down the tower he wondered how to approach Sally with their new mission. And the more he thought about it the more he did realise that he could not predict her answer.

Tobi then decided that finding such an answer would be a good place to start. ", "pools_count": 3, "title": "Story - Ismi 6 - The Outerworld", "deleted": "f", "public": "t", "mimetype": "image/png", "pagecount": "1", "rating_id": "2", "rating_name": "Adult", "ratings": [ { "content_tag_id": "4", "name": "Sexual Themes", "description": "Erotic imagery, sexual activity or arousal", "rating_id": "2" } ], "submission_type_id": "12", "type_name": "Writing - Document", "guest_block": "f", "friends_only": "f", "comments_count": "5", "views": "647" }