Johara Chronicles

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Author: Johara Guardian
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Xanadu story universe
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This story is a work in progress.


Chapter I

“It’s just about perfect don’t you think Linda?” Sebastian asked.

“As perfect as we could make it at least,” Linda replied.

“I don’t know, I am still not satisfied with animatronics,” David said.

“If you had your way this would be a robot and not a costume,” Sebastian quipped.

“Well, it would be better as a robot,” David replied. Sebastian and David had this conversation at least once or twice a week since Sebastian hired him as part of his design team.

“I can’t wear a robot,” Sebastian replied.

“True,” David conceded.

The three stood looking over the costume Sebastian commissioned in their hotel suite’s lobby. Sebastian had booked the suite at the Orlando Convention Center for this year’s Kubla Con. He was very excited to be here this year. It was supposed to be bigger than in year’s past and he finally had the money to live it up.

“How are the diagnostics coming along?” Sebastian asked David.

“So far so good, everything is checking out fine. Move out of the way so I can check the articulation on the wings. I am afraid that they might have gotten mangled in transit from Kentucky,” David replied.

Sebastian stepped out of the way. David typed commands into his laptop and the costume’s wings spread out as far as they could in the suite lobby, which wasn’t quite the full 7 meter wing span of the costume.

“Great no problems with the extension,” David said as he typed more commands. The wings folded themselves neatly to the costumes back and sides.

“My heart always races when I watch that part you know,” Sebastian said to Linda. The costume they were ogling was the result of long lived fantasy of Sebastian’s.

“Looks like the tail is working as well,” David said after making the costume’s tail wiggle, curl, and uncurl.

“Stick the head on so we can test the sensorium,” David instructed Sebastian.

Sebastian went over to the costume and pressed a spot on the side of the costume’s head. The face opened up to reveal the internal electronics. He lifted the head from the mannequin while being careful of the wires that still connected it to the rest of the suit. Stepping close to the mannequin he placed his back to it and lifted the suit’s head above his. Carefully he placed it over his own and shut the face. He wiggled his facial muscles in an exaggerated fashion to make sure the head would show his expressions. However, he couldn’t see and couldn’t hear well since the electronics in the head weren’t on yet.

“Ok, looks like the face is working. I am going to turn the video feed on,” David said.

The two screens over Sebastian’s eyes flashed blue before clearing to show images from the camera’s embedded in the suit’s electric blue eyes.

“Looks good from here, but it is still grainier than I would like,” Sebastian said with exaggerated care so that the head’s mouth would move properly.

“Yeah, but it is the best we can do with the size and power constraints. Testing the zoom setting now,” David said.

Sebastian watched as the spot he was looking at expanded on the tiny screens.

“Zoom is good to. Turn the ear’s on,” Sebastian instructed. David did as he was asked.

Sebastian winced as the ears were activated. Sounds were crisper and clearer now.

“They are working,” Sebastian told David.

“Ok, great. Last thing to check, here goes the voice synthesizer,” David said.

“Ttteesssttt, ooonnneee, tttwwwooo, ttthhhrrree,” Sebastian said in an eerie multi-tonal voice that was much higher than his own.

“Excellent, it all checks out. You can take it off for now,” David said as he turned off the feeds.

Reverently Sebastian opened the face and removed the head. He set it carefully back on the mannequin. Mean white David was checking out the suit’s cooling system and battery power.

“Looks like we are good to go on my end,” David said after several minutes.

While the two boys played with the electronics Linda was busy checking over the outfits for the costume. Her area of expertise lay in the design and manufacture of the exterior of the costume. She had stitched together the stretchy fur covering and the clothes that went over it. The rest of the design team wasn’t here of course, but she and David were the leaders of the group. Sebastian had hired ten costume makers, artists, and special effects people to make his fantasy a reality.

“Looks like the rest survived traveling as well,” Linda told the other two.

Sebastian looked at his watch. “Well guys it is about time to get this show on the road. Linda call the rest of the team in.”

“I dread this part, it takes forever,” David said as he stood.

Sebastian began stripping off his clothing until he wore nothing, but a part of speedos. Linda called the others who arrived shortly from their rooms. The team went into action while Sebastian sat on a stool. The costume was designed to be put on in pieces and each team member had a well-rehearsed role in taking the costume off the mannequin and putting it on Sebastian.

They detached the suit’s head, wings, tail, arms, and legs. The torso was then removed followed by the crotch piece.

The crotch piece was handed to Sebastian who slid it on like fur covered underwear. The torso with its battery pack, fans, and fake flight muscles was then maneuvered over. With his arms straight in the air they lifted the torso over his head. He had to wiggle to get it on, but his arms finally popped through the holes in the side. The room felt suddenly much hotter to Sebastian with the torso on.

The head followed the torso and then then arms. The arms were more like gloves with claws and had an extra thumb opposite Sebastian’s real thumb. The legs were trickier since they were actually digitigrade stilts. With his team’s help Sebastian stood on his new six toed sandaled feet.

“Hurry up with the wings and tail. This suit is damn hot and I want the cooling system on,” Sebastian said with his voice somewhat muffled by the suit’s head.

The team quickly finished assembling the rest of the suit. David went over to his laptop and typed in the commands to activate the suit’s full suite of electronics while one of the team hooked the carefully hidden plug that was part of the tail into an outlet.

“Ok, let’s run through the diagnostics again,” David said. He repeated the various checks that he had done earlier. One of the head’s connections had to be adjusted before the camera’s would work properly though. “Everything is green,” David said after several minutes.

“Here try using the remote controls in the staff,” David said while handing Sebastian the ornate crystal tipped white staff to him.

Sebastian pressed the concealed buttons in the staff, which controlled the suit’s animatronics. He caused his wings to extend and then fold. His tail wiggled slightly, which caused it to unplug itself. The cat like ears on the side of his head wiggled back and forth like they were supposed to. The eyes blinked and could even be made to wink at people.

“Ok, everything is working on my end. The rest of this show is yours Linda,” David said.

“Right let’s get this boy dressed for the ball people,” Linda ordered. While Sebastian stood there in his costume a group of his team went to another mannequin and began removing clothing from it. Under Linda’s watchful eye they carried the various pieces over to Sebastian.

They unplugged Sebastian’s tail from the outlet and threaded it through the back of the torso piece. The long piece of white cloth was then maneuvered between Sebastian’s legs before the front and back were folded and snapped together at his shoulders. A poncho like piece of cloth with gold embroidery was then placed over Sebastian’s head. It attached to the first piece by means of a gold sash which tied the two pieces together in the front and back. With the wing membrane stretching from the top of the wings down the suit’s sides and ending at the knees it made wearing pants or a belt impossible. The torso piece, poncho, and sash were the best that the team could come up with. The outfit resembled a side less white tunic.

Linda primly adjusted the clothes here and there before nodding. “Looks good, let’s get the jewels on,” she said.

A tiara like headband with an electric blue jewel in front was placed on Sebastian’s head. Snake like gold wrist, thigh, and bicep bands followed. A gold necklace ending in a blue pendant completed the accessories. A full length mirror was brought over so Sebastian could see himself.

Sebastian smiled in an exaggerated fashion and watched as the suit’s small delicate muzzle smiled back. He turned his head and ran his fingers through his mane were it had gotten messed up when he was dressed. He carefully adjusted his jewelry and then turned to his team.

“Guys thank you so much for all the hard work you put into this. I really never thought I would be able to get this close to looking like Johara outside of my dreams. You guys have made that dream as close to reality as is physically possible,” Sebastian told them. A brief cheer and smiles spread through the group.

“So we get a bonus right?” David asked with a laugh.

“Of course!” Sebastian said to the group’s surprise. Money wasn’t a problem for him anymore after he got lucky playing the lottery last year. “It is actually already deposited into your bank accounts, but it is time for me to get going. Enjoy the convention and I will see you all tonight,” Sebastian told them.

“Don’t forget the pouch!” Linda said. She brought the white pouch over and attached it to the sash of Sebastian’s outfit. “You will need you id and such. Your cell phone is in there as well,” She told him.

“Thanks,” Sebastian said with a smile. He looked around the room to make sure he wasn’t forgetting anything else. He decided not to carry the fake book around or the model spaceship. With a chuckle he decided to pretend they were in his extra dimensional chamber that Johara was supposed to have made inside his pendent.

With a nod of thanks to his team Sebastian headed out the door of the hotel suite towards the convention.

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