The Workshop

“What is this place?” Toby asked Ari. They had just flown – together – from his house to a place maybe fifty miles away, in the middle of nowhere. It was a clear night, nice and warm, and he was pretty sure they were just a county or two away from him. It was pretty hard to tell when he was in the sky, because there weren’t exactly bright orange lines like there were on maps. He couldn’t tell which roads were which, and which roads defined a county, or a state, or even a country.

“This is going to be your training arena.” Ari announced to him as they landed. “It would be quicker if you would just let me take us... ” She commented as she watching him land, then observed the curiosity of him folding his wings up. He put his shirt back on over his head.

“I need the practice. And how are people not going to find this place?” Toby asked her. He looked around and moved towards the empty building. It was dark, but he assumed that there would be electricity.

“We have... charms. Everything alive that is not touched by immortality can not enter. Or, my personal favorite of the charm, if they get in, when they leave, they won’t remember what the hell happened to them.” Ari explained to him. “The door is unlocked, and currently the place is bare. We weren’t sure what you would need.”

“Well, aren’t you all in charge, and I’m just the go between?”

“Yes. But we’ve never had this before, and I haven’t really devoted too much energy to it.  You’re mortal. Its your task, not mine.” Ari said, opening the door and ushering him inside.  “Light switch is over here. Its just a big warehouse. If you need me to alter it and add walls or whatever, I can.”

“Okay... what is it I am supposed to be doing again?”

“Creating a council and organization and school for the gifted.”

“So you want me to create a community, and be the leader of this community.” Toby asked her, looking around the warehouse sitting before him. “First of all, is there a bathroom in here?”

“Corner over there.” Ari pointed for him. He nodded. “Kitchen is over there, too. Well, it used to be a staff room.”

“Who the hell built a warehouse way back in the middle of nowhere like this?” Toby asked her as he walked around, looking in wonder. The place was old, but clean. The windows seemed to be intact and all.

“Well, interesting story. It was actually a commune of sorts, built by people in the nineteen sixties who wanted to live together in a community. Only thing was, they maintained a policy of abstinence, much like the Shakers. They all died out and the place was put up for auction, along with ten square miles around it. These cult members were loaded with cash.”

“Oh. So we’re trying to build a commune in a place that already failed?”

“No. They didn’t fail. They just died. They were all older.”

“Did they believe Jesus was going to come down on a spaceship to rescue them, too? Or was that some other weird religion?”

“Different one. But don’t worry. They believed in cremation, so there aren’t any dead bodies underneath the rafters. The place is clean of influences and everything. It is yours.”

“Okay. Look, I know you want this up as soon as possible. I need some sort of... crew to work with. Lisa, that girl, should work for some of it.”

“She’s still in training.” Ari said. “She almost has control of her powers, but she nearly killed someone a few days ago.”

“Okay... is there anyone that we can employ here, as our studies, of sorts? To help run the community?”

“Possibly.”

“Look, I may not be completely fit for this job, but looking at this place, it needs to first, stop being so massive, and second, be a little prettier. If I am a mortal who has been having trouble with my powers, and I am just told that I am part immortal, I don’t want to walk into a huge warehouse and be told that this is where I’m going to be taught. It should look more like a college, or a church, or at least something less ominous. This warehouse just screams, ‘you will die here.'” Toby told her, frowning and walking around. “Can I have some chalk?” He asked her, and she handed him a piece.

“Look.” He continued. “If we made a decent sized atrium right here, and kept it really nice, this could be where the new people are brought to be orientated. Next, we’d need a hallway – maybe in a circle formation... look. If we measure ten feet out from each wall, with exception to the back wall, because it has the bathroom and the kitchen – we can make a hallway that wraps around the inside. Then we can build smaller rooms around the outer edge – these can be for rooming, meditation, whatever. On the inside, right in through doors here... ” Toby ran back to the front as Ari watched him, amused, “There can be a large meeting room.”

“Sounds good.” Ari agreed.

“And if you want these people to be in a community, we’re going to need to build houses and some sort of life – groceries, for example. Or make a path out so we can get them.”

“We can easily assign an immortal to supply food and water.” Ari interrupted him.

“Alright, that’s fine then.” Toby agreed with her, and then frowned. “I wouldn’t want to stay in the middle of nowhere if I had nothing to do. We need some sort of night life here, eventually.”

“You’re getting way too far ahead of yourself.” Ari interrupted him. “Let me change this building, first. I’ll do this when you leave. And tomorrow we’ll talk about paint. Alright?And you can keep brainstorming. We’ll review and make some more choices then.”

“Sorry. Am I spouting too many ideas at once?” Toby asked her. “Can’t handle it?”

“No, I can handle it perfectly fine. I’m afraid that you, however, will explode your poor mortal brain.” Ari teased him.

“I’m Zeus’ son.” Toby declared triumphantly. “If my brain explodes, then obviously he is not perfect.”

“Ah, the true essence of immortality. None of us are perfect, Toby, except the great Lord and Lady who do not take physical form at all.”

Toby looked around at the dank walls. They definitely needed some color. And even if it was relatively clean inside, the placed smelled musty and moldy and just... old, in general.It definitely needed to get ‘warmed up’ in there before they could attract demimortals and demand respect of those who did not necessary give it at first.

“Can we... paint? Or something?” Toby wrinkled his nose at her. “Plain white would work, but I have a better idea. What if each room had a theme and a patron god/goddess? I know there are tons of you.” He overrode Ari’s protest. “But like, the older Gods. The well known ones. And you, and Arkonel, of course, because you are Patrons. Unless you can expand the building to have a room for each immortal. Or at least the ones that have patronages. Or whatever. I don’t know.”

“I’ll get it done.” Ari agreed. “Go home, Toby. Your work is done for the night, and my work is just beginning.”

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