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"Don't worry about it. If my son can hide a growing panther in his room for three months without anyone finding out, he can help you stop being... forgettable." Jerak says as he takes a sip of his drink before giving Kitty a serious look. "Now, tell me, has he been a gentleman towards you?"
The sounds of chase can be heard going through the entire house, interrupted only by the excited meeps of Saffire.
Ryuzo nods and chuckles
"...and you're a witch. I'm not suprised, really, but that's way cool. But I don;t think anyone else will believe you, lack of green skin and warts and all. So the fox is your spellbook? How does that work? What's it's name?"
He'll go to sit down on her bed to check out the fox, then stops and shoots Nala a questioning look, asking for permission...
"Don't worry about it. If my son can hide a growing panther in his room for three months without anyone finding out, he can help you stop being... forgettable." Jerak says as he takes a sip of his drink before giving Kitty a serious look. "Now, tell me, has he been a gentleman towards you?"The sounds of chase can be heard going through the entire house, interrupted only by the excited meeps of Saffire.
Kitty blushed. "Yes, of course," she said. "Whether I wanted him to be or not," she added under her breath, and then blushed more.
Ryuzo nods and chuckles
"...and you're a witch. I'm not suprised, really, but that's way cool. But I don;t think anyone else will believe you, lack of green skin and warts and all. So the fox is your spellbook? How does that work? What's it's name?"
He'll go to sit down on her bed to check out the fox, then stops and shoots Nala a questioning look, asking for permission...
She laughed. "I don't know where people get these ideas about witches. Yes, it's alright. You can touch her. Her name is Vasya."
"I'm not really sure how to explain it exactly. Vasya tells me my spells when I need to know them. I had to teach them all to her, but once she knows them, I don't need to keep them in my head anymore. She can remind me when I need to know. That's the best explanation I can give."She finished hanging up her clothes.
"There. All clean. We should probably get going. I'll have to put Vasya back in her hiding place first. I don't want anything bad to happen to her."
"It's not right, you having to leave her behind like that," he says with a furrowed brow.
"We need to get you a pouch, or something. What if I made her invisible?"
"Don't think I've ever seen someone blush that dark a shade of red before. I think you kids are going to get on fine."
At this moment, Michael is pretty much dragged back into the kitchen.
"He managed to hide the albums around the time I cornered him by that fake earth elemental of yours, Jerak."
"You'll get them back when we leave." Michael tells his mother defiantly. He looks at Kitty, then at his dad. "What did you talk about while I was running to keep those horrible photos out of Mom's clutches?"
"I just asked her a question, and she mumbled something and blushed. You'll have to ask her yourself."
"Kitty?"
"It's not right, you having to leave her behind like that," he says with a furrowed brow.
"We need to get you a pouch, or something. What if I made her invisible?"
"You can do that? I really hate leaving her behind, but I would hate putting her in danger even more."
"And what's a kitsune? I'm not familiar with that name."
"Well, I can pop a clone, have him hold her and go invisible, then follow us a round. If anyone tries anything I'll know about it. May complicate seating a bit..."
"Think, dragon, but furrier. Legend is, they all start out as normal foxes, then somehow become shapechangers. They have multiple tails, and can look human. That's about all I know off the top of my head.
I'm sure there's more info in the library, or we could ask Gennosuke-sama himself. I have him for Zen."
"I just asked her a question, and she mumbled something and blushed. You'll have to ask her yourself."
"Kitty?"
"Your dad asked if you'd been a gentleman towards me," she said, squirming with embarrassment. "I told him you had."
"Well, I can pop a clone, have him hold her and go invisible, then follow us a round. If anyone tries anything I'll know about it. May complicate seating a bit..."
"Well, if you think it will work," she said, hopefully. "It would be so nice to have her close by."
"If you're comfortable with it and she is, we can try."
A clone of himself steps out of a shadow, and reaches to pick up Vasya.
"A bit of dignity would've been all I wished for not a week ago, so I know exactly what you mean." Vai replies, suddenly grim, as if reliving something. She shakes her head. "I... I just don't know who I can trust. It seems like you and the Sunwake family are the only ones I can trust in the school. It makes it hard to talk to people. I know what I am and how people will perceive it. I was lucky you found me in the bathroom when you did." Vai smiles as Nasima mentions flying. "I.. I flew yesterday. Using my wings. It was an awesome, I've never felt so free."
Vai listens as they exit the room, looking a bit dismissive. "I dunno if I buy all that "just me" stuff. Something inside you gives you control over Khoda. It's a part of you that controls him. You are special Nasima, even if you don't like it."
"I told him you had."
"At least this visit isn't embarrassing for just me anymore." Michael says with a withering glare at his father, who just laughs. "Hey, where's Ant at? He shouldn't be missing all the fun."
Asch's darkling continues it's search throughout the school checking for anything amiss. It spots a hamburger that had more than a hint of suspicion and consumed it ignoring the shocked look on a students face as it's meal is consumed by a smudge of darkness with teeth.
"He said he was going to the caves for a bit. He, ah, he didn't 'want to intrude'. He's kind of took over the caves since you left."
"The caves?" Michael asks, concern showing on his face. "The same caves I told you were unstable after that rock crashed into them? You've been letting him go there?"
"Well, he said they were okay."
"I'm going to go make sure they are. Do you want to see the caves, Kitty? They'll be safe in no time."
"Uh, sure....Who's Ant? And what caves?" she asked confused.
"If you're comfortable with it and she is, we can try."
A clone of himself steps out of a shadow, and reaches to pick up Vasya.
Vasya hesitated, looking back at Nala. Once she got a nod of okay from Nala, Vasya jumped into the arms of Ryuzo's clone and setlled in comfortably.
"Anthony, he's in the caves about a mile's walk from here. No one really goes in them since there's nothing there. I used to spend time there just enjoying the quiet, but this big rock fell and made the entire cave system unstable."
"Anthony, he's in the caves about a mile's walk from here. No one really goes in them since there's nothing there. I used to spend time there just enjoying the quiet, but this big rock fell and made the entire cave system unstable."
"Oh, okay. I never would have thought of shortening his name like that. Then I guess we should go make sure he's okay."
"Considering the recent security sweeps? Not terribly long. I'd bet money it was smuggled in during one of the recent crises when we were too busy dealing with other problems to notice it. Of course, I could be wrong. It could have been there for years and all that needed to be done was liberate it at a strategic time." She shrugged. "But then, I'm paranoid."Vakkler doesn't look up. "What other dragons are there to be referred to? How would you even--why--" The kobold pauses. He examines the bolt very closely. "How long do you think said metal umbrekkul*--blast it--monstrosity spent under the school?"
** spoiler omitted **
"Better paranoid than carefree, in this school."
Michael tells his parents they'll be right back, reclaims/saves Saffire from his mother, and leads Kitty back down the stairs to the forest floor. He takes a moment to remember the right way, then heads off toward the caves in a hurry.
"It didn't look like I hadn't come back for two years, did it?" Michael asks Kitty. "Sorry if my dad embarrassed you with the gentleman question. He warned me he'd ask any of my girlfriend's that, but I forgot to warn you about it."
Michael tells his parents they'll be right back, reclaims/saves Saffire from his mother, and leads Kitty back down the stairs to the forest floor. He takes a moment to remember the right way, then heads off toward the caves in a hurry.
"It didn't look like I hadn't come back for two years, did it?" Michael asks Kitty. "Sorry if my dad embarrassed you with the gentleman question. He warned me he'd ask any of my girlfriend's that, but I forgot to warn you about it."
"No, it's okay," she smiled. "It was probably better this way. Totally unrehearsed answer so he could be certain it was accurate."
"Are the caves really that dangerous?" she asked, concerned.
"They can be. I spent a lot of time in those caves, but that rock falling sent deep cracks throughout the entire system. I'll work on them as we go, but we should still be careful. I just wish I could understand why he'd go to the caves! He never liked them before."
"A bit of dignity would've been all I wished for not a week ago, so I know exactly what you mean." Vai replies, suddenly grim, as if reliving something. She shakes her head. "I... I just don't know who I can trust. It seems like you and the Sunwake family are the only ones I can trust in the school. It makes it hard to talk to people. I know what I am and how people will perceive it. I was lucky you found me in the bathroom when you did." Vai smiles as Nasima mentions flying. "I.. I flew yesterday. Using my wings. It was an awesome, I've never felt so free."
"Oh, there are others. You haven't met Asch and Amada yet, they're great. Krays is a complete sweetheart, too; you met him last night, he's always nice to talk to. Um. Percy's really cool. I met a big metal guy yesterday but I don't think he liked me; he just kinda brushed me off...maybe he's not a good example..." Nasima trails off, then shakes herself. "ANYway! There are others. We'll see who's at this memorial, and hopefully people won't be all weirded out because it's a memorial."
She pauses again, and smiles at her friend. "That's great about your wings, Vai! See? You're a natural. Keep practicing and you'll be rocketing around in no time."
Vai listens as they exit the room, looking a bit dismissive. "I dunno if I buy all that "just me" stuff. Something inside you gives you control over Khoda. It's a part of you that controls him. You are special Nasima, even if you don't like it."
"I...I see what you're saying. Thank you, Vai, that's...that's super sweet." 'Sima blushes, and her hair makes a little swoony motion in the air behind her. As usual, it's not clear if she's doing this, or if her long white locks are autonomous. She continues. "And, I mean, I'm not being like self-deprecating or anything, though, you should know that; I'm pretty sure I'm just me, and not imbued with any like super powers or anything. I might be, but I doubt it. I honestly don't know what it is that lets me control Khoda. I don't know how much I am controlling or can control Khoda, and how much is just the gate. Whatever it is. Wherever it is. Sifu Daiyu is helping of course, but...but yeah. I'm glad you believe in me, and 'Phebe and Krays and a couple of the teachers and Percy and anyone else. It's really cool."
She twists her mouth. "Also, to be like totally honest, I'm not even sure how much I even want to be able to control Khoda's power, or borrow it or whatever. The better I get, the more my dad is gonna want me to do war stuff, and I don't want that. Really I just want to live with mom, in her castle, and travel and explore and help people and stuff. I'm really not like dad at all."
As she speaks, the gem set in her forehead changes from a clear, dull diamond-y color to a rich blue-black, to a furious crimson.
Enre walks around the school, thinking to himself. As he moves through the halls he sees Nasima and Vai. He walks up to them and says "Hello."
"They can be. I spent a lot of time in those caves, but that rock falling sent deep cracks throughout the entire system. I'll work on them as we go, but we should still be careful. I just wish I could understand why he'd go to the caves! He never liked them before."
"Well, maybe he missed his brother. I mean, you did go away without coming back for two years. That must have hurt. A lot. And then there's the possibility that he's trying to hide something. Powers tend to run in families you know. Or maybe he's just being a normal adolescent and needs somewhere to have some privacy. He's very lucky nothing bad has happened up to now if the caves are really that unstable."
Ryuzo's clone turns invisible, taking the fox with it.
"Well, that works, I guess...can you still feel her there?"
"If you are right about any of those except the last one, I will be very surprised." Up ahead, a small hill with an opening in it's side comes into view, and Michael runs up tot he entrance and begins moving a small pile of rocks near the cave opening, eventually standing back up with a beat up lantern. He checks it, and is gratefully surprised it still works. "At least I don't have to go back and get another one."
The slim sylph looks up at Enre. "...hi!" she gives a small wave. "Don't think I know you, I'm Nasima, this here is Vai. You, um, you going to the memorial service? You can come with us if you are."
"If you don't want to be like your dad, what's stopping y-" Vai stops mid-sentence as the large man in the mask and cloak approaches."Hi" barely a peep from Vai, as her hair falls naturally into postion, hiding half her face behind the wavy blond locks.
Enre looks down at Nasima tilting his head slightly, "We have met before, I was with Asch at the time. Both of you went to the restroom and never returned."
"If you are right about any of those except the last one, I will be very surprised." Up ahead, a small hill with an opening in it's side comes into view, and Michael runs up tot he entrance and begins moving a small pile of rocks near the cave opening, eventually standing back up with a beat up lantern. He checks it, and is gratefully surprised it still works. "At least I don't have to go back and get another one."
"Maybe I should go first? I don't know the caves, but I can see in the dark."
Ryuzo's clone turns invisible, taking the fox with it.
"Well, that works, I guess...can you still feel her there?"
Nala tilted her head, a quizzical expression on her face.
"Yes. That is the oddest feeling, knowing she's there and not being able to see her."
"Better paranoid than carefree, in this school.""Indeed," Miss Jones agreed. She set down her empty coffee cup and sighed. "Well, time to get back to dealing with the delinquents - I mean students. It's nearly time for the memorial service to start. Poor Mr. Gilly. It just isn't the same without him around."
Vakkler frowns. "Wait, did he stay dead?"
Nala tilted her head, a quizzical expression on her face.
"Yes. That is the oddest feeling, knowing she's there and not being able to see her."
"Good! Shall we?" He offers his arm to Nala
Michael shakes his head.
"Sorry, but being a gentleman and saying 'Ladies first' isn't going to happen here. If I go first I can stabilize at least the part of the caves we're going through." Michael says as he takes the lead, holding the lantern high. A few feet in an Michael slips on a slope he'd forgotten, and slides deeper into the cave. "Okay... I need to watch the floor closer." He mutters as he stands up, tilting the lantern toward the floor. "And we have footprints! At least we can follow him."
"Oh, good. That's a lot better than just wandering blindly," she said, picking her way carefully down the slope so she didn't trip as well.
Ryuzo directs his clone to stay close but out of the way...
"Huh. Weird" Michael follows the tracks carefully, his memory of the cave system returning even as he concentrates on fixing the cracks and fissures. When he reaches a rather big opening, he peers into one and frowns. "He moved the rock."
"What are you doing here?" A voice from behind them asks, causing Michael to jump. "Come to take the caves back?"
"Ant, you know these caves are dangerous."
"No their not. They might have been two years ago, but the caves have settled again, and I tested for dangerous spots in the beginning, blocking them off if I found."
"That's not the point, Ant, y-"
"Don't call me that!" Anthony shouts, causing dust to fall from the ceiling. "I never liked that nickname."
"Then what would you prefer to be called, Anthony-kun?" she asked calmly, stepping in between the two in the hopes that she could calm things down before they ended up being crushed by falling rock.
Vai shrinks away from Enre, thinking him perhaps mad that he had been forgotten. "I-I'm sorry. It's just... alot has happened since then." she squeaks.
Enre turns to look at Vai, "Why are you apologizing?"
"My name! I'm not some bug!" He says angrily. "When it was little, it didn't bother me that much. But I'm not some little kid anymore!"
"Why did you say anything then?"
"Because everyone was busy worried about why you hadn't come back! Even Cait stopped wanting to play after a while. So I started coming here to..." Anthony pauses to find the write words, "to get away from it! I've made this place my own. So get out."
"I need to make sure it's stable, Ant... Anthony. I can go after that."
"No!" Anthony says, sounding just a tiny bit panicked. "Just go!"
"Anthony-kun, Michael only came here today because he was worried about you. He's not trying to take anything from you."
"Could we please continue this conversation outside? Where there isn't a danger of the ceiling falling on us?" she added nervously. "And have I mentioned that I'm not a huge fan of small enclosed spaces?"
Vai begins playing with her hair nervously, trying to calm down and talk properly. "I... I thought you might be angry. I-I thought.. I don't know. I'm sorry."
"If I was angry you would know. Again why are you apologizing?" Enre says to Vai.