Doctors Orders’

When Dr Smith, who added the last name after becoming a doctor so she would not be known as Dr Pepper, was leaving the Strongwell residence she made Jessica sign a contract to not invent work on inventions or do any unnecessary magic for 3 whole days. She had started her negotiations at a month hoping to get her to agree to a least 10 days. She was not happy that Jessica would only go as high as 3.

"I can't slack off just now," Jessica said in a drowsy voice, "I trust you and your advice but in a few days I have to get started on another project. I do need to wait for some things to be developed that will take at least 2 days." She added an extra day to appease her worried parents and the doctor.

Peter came home not long afterwards and Jessica who didn't know about the fight between him and her parents greeted him with a hug.

"Where did you fly off to you naughty Fae?," Jessica said in mock admonishing tone. The smile on her face lighting up her the gold flecks in her hazel eyes. Peter glanced behind her to her parents. He didn't know how to explain to them how sorry he really was. He had been deeply hurt when Jessica acknowledge his feelings for the first time and dismissed them just as quickly. He had felt a swell of hope for a brief second and crushing disappointment the next.

"I was taking a heartbreak vacation," Peter said softly. Jessica look was looking at him puzzled, "After what you said to me in front of the dungeon I just needed some space."

"Seriously," Jessica said laughing, "You Fae are so weird sometimes. Didn't you all swear to never fall in love with us because A) we die and you don't and B) you have never been able to have children. What would your wife say if she was revived tomorrow about you loving someone else?"

"Don't you dare talk about Stephanie! You know nothing about who she was to me or our relationship!," Peter shouted in her face. A fire forming into a dagger in his right hand.

"Don't square up on me, Peter," Jessica said a white sword taking form in left hand, "Always remember that I do have the power to end your eternal existence!" She twirled the blade in her hand and Peter's top right wing twitched.

"You couldn't live with the guilt and you know it!," Peter screamed at her half not believing what was happening.

Jessica sighed and the blade got smaller, she did not extinguish it fully until he remembered and put out his dagger. They stood in the living room just staring at each other for 5 solid minutes. The silent power struggle between them causing the air in the room to vibrate.

Jessica sick of his stupid ass Fae who learns so little bullshit teleported into her room and locked herself in with a two foot thick protection barrier. She fell onto her bed tears running down her face and quickly fell asleep she was beyond exhausted and couldn't even begin to process what had just happened.

Peter stood there staring at the place she had just been his mind awash in anger at the unfairness of her bringing up his long dead wife. Stephanie had been like Jessica in many ways the main difference being she was not from a Fae family and nowhere near as naturally gifted. It had been four thousand five hundred twenty eight cycles, one hundred days, five hours and 23 minutes since Stephanie's health bar had dropped to zero leaving a hole with in him. It still hurt worse than even the pain of having his wing cut through could have ever hurt. He nearly attempted to teleport after her to finish the fight when he noticed Mr. Strongwell glaring at him.

"What is WRONG WITH YOU!," Vinetra Strongwell shouted a shield made of fire with a gryphon's face roaring formed between them. He was in no mood for Peter's antics today and even less in the mood to have his daughter using magic again so soon after the doctor had ordered her to rest.

Mrs Strongwell stood next to her husband. She calmly and purposefully spoke a spell.

Peter the Fae

Today is not the day

It is time for you to go away!

Her banishment spell shoved him out the door of the family home and down the street all the way to telepad on the edge of town. She walked forward closed at locked the door. She and her husband worked together to put a barrier around their home. When that was done, she dusted off hands and placed them on her hips.

"What the frak is happening to our family?," Vinetra said tossing his stupid frames on the ground stomping them.

The Jesse P.A.I.L. walked into the living room from the stairs looking confused. "I came over to help Jessica with her hair but I can't gain access to her room what the hellscape is going on." He had been looking over his shoulder and turned to see the Strongwell's anger. His eyes narrowed and he formed black iron bars on the windows and sealed the doors with sheets of welded metal. He could see the protection spells on the house and added what he could with the holotech. These metals where solid and every bit as real as the real thing as long as the projectors were working.

"Peter is being a fucking bastard," Mr Strongwell said and Mrs Strongwell nodded her head in agreement. They had had fights over the cycles but nothing rising to this level. Peter's hurt at Jessica's rejection was something that had worried them for a long time and to have this happen just after everything else was tiring to say the least. They collapsed on the couch and just as they were about to call their therapists to have emergency holo appointment M.A.V.I.S. appeared in the living room having made the mistake of looking like Peter in cockdale dress. Luckily Jesse saw her before either of the Strongwell's and forced into private chat telling her to change her setting or be attacked. She quickly turned into her normal Jessica settings and he shook his head no. She didn't understand what had happened so she went with her default. They looked up finally seeing her.

"You tell me right now how long were you going to let my daughter work herself to death before you did anything?," Mrs Strongwell lashed out at her.

"I wasn't observing her. I know I should have been but until Purdy showed up at the unpacking plant and yowled at me and starting hissing when I tried to shoo him I didn't even think to," M.A.V.I.S. admitted ashamed. It was easy to forget that even happy Jessica had her faults and needed help from others.

"So you are telling me the only creature on Karth who was actually looking out for my daughter's well fair is a non sentient feral beast that adopted her when she was five cycles old?," Mr Strongwell fumed and then his face softened a bit. He glanced at his wife and she was already walking to the kitchen. They were going to make that cat a feast the likes of which it had never seen.

Purdy was going to have to wait for Jessica to wake up and take down the wall around her room before he could eat because at that moment he was jumping onto her back and needing his way into a comfortable position to sleep on her and attack any approaching enemies. He had sensed a dip in her life force and waited when no one had come to her aide he had sought out the closest help he could find. Satisfied that she was recovering now he purred on her back.

Jessica dreamed of flying down an endless tunnel. It wasn't scary just endless. She was awoken from this dream three hours after she had fallen asleep by Purdy who was softly mewing at her and headbutting her face. She breathed in deep not yet wanting to open her eyes and the smell of the food being prepared down stairs hit nostrils hard. Her stomach growled causing Purdy to concluded that he would not be getting many scrapes from the upcoming meal. He hopped off the bed and over to the door. Jessica removed the barrier and got up stretching. She could use more sleep but Purdy was right it was time to eat.

---------

While all the drama unfolded at the Strongwells' home the committee had been busy looking over the records. They could see that were discrepancies with the funds it took them awhile but they finally figured out that the last two cycles of reports on the upkeep of the cities of Hope were completely false. They set a quest for people near them to go in person to check on them (something most people considered a little scary, like how on Earth you don't walk through a graveyard at night). After the first three reports came back they started to realize the situation was worse than could have dreamed. The first man sent back a video of evidence there had been a burst pipe causing water damage in one of the buildings that had cracked the foundation. He pointed the camera at himself opened his mouth and closed it again shaking his head his face twisting back and forth from anger to sadness. The second came from a woman who just repeated looked into the camera and said "Why?," while pointed at tipped over statues and the empty groves that were meant to always have fruit trees in them. She was trying to cast repair spells through her sobs and couldn't. The last man did have magic, it was Brutus, but half of the city he was in had somehow burned to the ground. "I can clear the debris myself. You guys are going to need to ship materials and tell Jes, shit, the doctor's psa…" He trailed off and ended his transmission.

They wanted to call Jessica in and tell her about all of this but everyone on Karth had watched a PSA from Dr Pepper Smith telling them to let Jessica rest for a minimum of three days. She had been very firm. So the committee decided that they should check out the nearest one for themselves. They drew lots to send 6 of their number not wanting to leave the office empty.

Zerek, Dzvezda, Malrha, Abby, Piper and Jimmy got the sticks with the green ends.

Oh good, Jimmy thought, at least with Dzvezda with me I won't feel so out of place.

They piled into a van that had magnets attached to each side and the back that said:

Committee Survey Vehicle

Do not block

Zerek drove rather than allow the auto nav to take control to have something to do on the two hour long journey. Everyone else busied themselves on their hoploads going over reports and other paperwork. That is until an hour later when Jimmy suddenly called for Zerek to pull over. The second the van came to a stop he slid the door open forcefully and ran behind a tree to puke.

"Honestly reading while travelling was making me a bit queasy too," Piper said a little embarrassed. Abby nodded and placed her hand on her stomach.

"I think maybe we should find something else to do on the trip," Dzvezda said digging in her everbag to get some heartbreak root for them to settle their stomachs.

Zerek calmly reached his hand out for one himself.

"You were driving," Abby said tilting her head.

"I am also not used to travelling in a vehicle for so long. Most of the places I go are walking distance from my home," Zerek said, "The road may be smooth but I think the stabilizer on the van are a bit off."

"I'll check them,��� Malhra said and got back into the van to run a system check. She came back and confirmed it had been a while since the van had been properly serviced. The van was shaking ever so slightly but she corrected the issue for now.

"How is it you aren't sick?," Zerek asked Dzezvda peering at her. Knowing her elf blood made her just as susceptible to motion sickness from something like this as himself.

"I drank a pot of heartbreak root tea before we set off," Dzvezda replied as though it were only natural.

"Well them why didn't you make me some?," Zerek complained.

"I am a vet not nurse I don't give out medications to people unless I know for certain that they are medically necessary," Dzvezda replied in a no nonsense tone.

Zerek chewed his root and dropped the matter they found some toothpaste in Piper's everbag and Jimmy had a new toothbrush in his. When he was done brushing his teeth they decided to let the autonav drive the rest of the way and rearranged the seats so they could face each other around a small table and play card games. The rest of the journey passed more quickly and no one really minded that Jimmy won every hand.

The van pulled to a stop in the center of the First City of Hope that had ever been built. They release a few surveillance drones as the holocams in the City were still displaying false images. The buildings seemed to be fine and their hadn't been any fires or burst pipes here.

The almost apple grove had been bulldozed and silver statue of Jesse Strongwell was covered in dragon bird poop. Jimmy pulled a rag and some water out of his everbag and send them to at least wash off the statues face. The Paper Tree orchards were non existent and all of the flowers were long dead.

Seeing this place in such a state they each had moments of rage at the former chairman. He had stolen the funds meant for the upkeep of the cities of Hope and they had no idea what he had done with them.

"I hope she breaks his wish and kills him out right," Zerek said spitting on the ground.

"If she doesn't I will," Malrha replied pulling an axes handle from her everbag and shoving it back down. There was nothing to swing at here.

Dvezvada held Jimmy's hand as they looked around at the sad state of the once pristine vigil.

Abby looking around shaking her head in disbelief. She suddenly clapped her hands together and smiled. Everyone looked at her like she was crazy.

"You know who would be perfect at fixing these places up again?," She asked a confused group of very smart people, " All of the retired P.A.I.L.'s and just like Jessica's example we can pay them from the committee funds so they can save up for their new bodies."

Jimmy smack himself in the forehead disappointed he hadn't thought of it first. He was sure he could have, if he had been looking for a solution rather than focusing on his own anger and sadness.

"That is the best idea I have heard today," Dzvezda said smiling.

"Lets go write it up as a quest rather than a job assignment," Piper added to the new plan, "We will need magic users to help them out with the regrowth of things after all."

"You Jacob is gonna make us vote first," Zerek said teasingly.

"Like any one of our members would vote no to such a brilliant plan?," Marhlra said a smirk on her face, "Although we really should get the camera's fixed and run a diagnostic on the hologrid first."

They walked to the main building that would serve as a meeting hall for the town when it would hopefully one day be filled with life for the first time. The set about finding and destroying the masking program and checking the hologrid for the city. It needed a few of the latest software updates but was in otherwise fine shape.

"That's one thing to be grateful for," Abby said relieved they wouldn't need to overhaul the whole system.

"I think maybe, just maybe when you change your perspective not everything about this job is completely boring," Jimmy said smirking.

Having an idea of the next steps they headed back to the committee building to execute their plan. Jacob of course did make them vote and it passed unanimously. They then set about writing the quest in such a way that P.A.I.L. would understand it was meant for them. You can't just set a quest for one form of life but they hoped that a majority of the replies they got would be from them.

"Here Abby you hit enter and post it," Jacob said standing back from the screen. Abby smiled and smashed the button a little too hard and they all chuckled.

"How long do you think it will be until we get responses?," Jimmy asked.

"I think we should at least some by tomorrow," Mae said. You know when he is actually engaged in something he isn't a much of a little shit as I thought.

Mere moments after posting the quest thousands of retired P.A.I.L. applied to take it on. Within an hour they had plans and schedules in place for earth magic users to come and begin the process of regrowth.

"Well" "that" "was" "quick" the Q's said passing the words back and forth reading through the replies.

The former Chairman had caused a lot of damage but the people of Karth had once again picked themselves up and kept moving forever forward.

Clean up, clean up everybody everywhere.

Clean up, clean up everybody do your share.

-An old Earth Nursery Rhyme from the children's show Barney