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"Typical. I often wonder how in the world our patrons even get along sometimes. Mine is so laid back in comparison..." he continues to try to rub the stress from her shoulders as he recounts events in the infirmary, and the semi return to normal...
"It seems you're just as ready for sleep as I am. Let's go see the eggs, then head to bed, ok?"
The grumpy older dwarf who ran the teleport room harrumphed. "Oh for crying out loud! Teenagers! All this drama over what's plain as day to anyone else. I'm going to go grab a sandwich...you two figure things out while I'm gone. You're clearly not gonna need to be teleporting anywhere in the next ten minutes...you'd think that there'd be some kind of manual or something so they didn't all have to fumble through exactly the same thing but no," he grumbled as he stomped off to give the awkward pair some privacy.
Ardiente looks a bit troubled at the dwarf, wondering at what he could possibly, but doesn't release Raelle from his hug. "Is it easier to talk with when he's not here?" he asks, now genuinely curious. He was usually good at reading people and Raelle had him completely perplexed.
There is a faint scratching at the door of Ephebe's office.
Glancing at the assembled, Anahita remained impassive as the fire bear, though standing and ready while studying folks.
When the gathering of Kitsune arrive, and with everyone's reactions, she remained quiet, studious still.
Primarily, though, her attention appeared to be on three beings there, Hermes, Fei and Vai after her eventual release and embrace by Fei after the death of Keme.
It might surprise folks, but, the bear remains very quiet and silent, not even making flame sounds, per say, just ...a fixture among everyone.
Deep thoughts, perhaps, coursing through her mind.
Ardiente looks a bit troubled at the dwarf, wondering at what he could possibly, but doesn't release Raelle from his hug. "Is it easier to talk with when he's not here?" he asks, now genuinely curious. He was usually good at reading people and Raelle had him completely perplexed.
Raelle had her face buried against his chest so at least he couldn't see how much she was blushing at the old dwarf's comments. She didn't look up since that had clearly been a bad idea before. And it felt good having his arms around her even if he did only think of her as a friend. Well, okay, maybe that last bit was a problem...
"I think I might have screwed up kind of a lot and now I don't know how to fix it and it might even be too late to fix it and...and this is like earlier...the more I talk the stupider I sound."
There is a faint scratching at the door of Ephebe's office.
She looked back at Krays. "Well, yes, but apparently not just yet," she sighed.
"Come in," she called out.
marcell swims back into her room, and notices that half of it is stone.
"Hunh. New roommate, i suppose."
she swims into the room.
The scratching continues until a piece of paper is slid under the door by small, rat-like paws.
without anyone in the room, she takes her shirt off, and rifles through her clothes until she finds a loose t-shirt to wear to bed, too big for her, but suitable for pajamas.
"I wonder who my new roommate is. Or what race he is. Can't wait to find out."
Raelle had her face buried against his chest so at least he couldn't see how much she was blushing at the old dwarf's comments. She didn't look up since that had clearly been a bad idea before. And it felt good having his arms around her even if he did only think of her as a friend. Well, okay, maybe that last bit was a problem...
"I think I might have screwed up kind of a lot and now I don't know how to fix it and it might even be too late to fix it and...and this is like earlier...the more I talk the stupider I sound."
"I don't know of..." Something clicks in Ardiente's brain - maybe he wasn't just imagining it. She was holding him awfully tight right now, and he could feel how warm she was. But... she knew he liked her. Hadn't she read David's letter? "What did you screw up Raelle? I don't know anything that you screwed up."
Carl lands the HammerShaft on the sun, shielding up and lets the 1st waves of refuges on board, Family's with kids and all they can carry, he post over big stuff, once full he lifts off and set course for the refugee camp, he flops back into bed and sleeps all the way back.
she stretches out across he bed.
"I wonder... Will tomorrow be just as weird for me?"
"I don't know of..." Something clicks in Ardiente's brain - maybe he wasn't just imagining it. She was holding him awfully tight right now, and he could feel how warm she was. But... she knew he liked her. Hadn't she read David's letter? "What did you screw up Raelle? I don't know anything that you screwed up."
"I'm afraid maybe it took me too long to figure things out," she said quietly, still too nervous to lift her head...especially since it seemed to cause her to lose all of her language skills.
The scratching continues until a piece of paper is slid under the door by small, rat-like paws.
She stood up and walked over to the door, picked up the paper, glanced at it and then threw open the door looking for the messenger.
A large rodent, a dire rat of fiendish heritage, scurries away down the hall as soon as the door is opened.
Ephebe curses vehemently in draconic and takes off after the rat, hoping to follow it back to its master.
::Do you remember that Hunter we fought...the fiendish summoner...back when my other self's memories were starting to fail and my Hunter powers were starting to come back? When Tare took us off-world that one time...The note was supposedly from him,:: she said telepathically to Krays.
::Ugh. When it rains, it pours...::
He teleports next to her and joins in the chase.
"I'm afraid maybe it took me too long to figure things out," she said quietly, still too nervous to lift her head...especially since it seemed to cause her to lose all of her language skills.
Ardiente was pretty sure he knew what she meant now... especially with what the dwarf said. His heart started pounding so hard that Raelle could definitely hear it, her head against his chest after all.
"You... you don't mean..." It was Ardiente turn to stutter slightly. "Raelle... I don't think it took you too long... at least.. if I understand what you're getting at." Ardiente says a little hesitantly. He didn't want to ruin their friendship just because he had gottne the wrong idea.
Ardiente was pretty sure he knew what she meant now... especially with what the dwarf said. His heart started pounding so hard that Raelle could definitely hear it, her head against his chest after all."You... you don't mean..." It was Ardiente turn to stutter slightly. "Raelle... I don't think it took you too long... at least.. if I understand what you're getting at." Ardiente says a little hesitantly. He didn't want to ruin their friendship just because he had gotten the wrong idea.
Her heart was going so fast...she hesitantly looked up, biting her lip as she looked up at him. "I...I...I l-l-l-l.......I like you," she blurted out, blushing furiously, desperately hoping that she'd understood him right. She was shaking like a leaf. What if she was wrong? What if he didn't like her that way? What if she'd just ruined everything?
The rat continues to run until the spell keeping it on this plane wears off just inside the garden.
Flames that lip bite was cute.
At Raelle's words, Ardiente practically melted. She said it! She /liked/ him. He sat there stunned for a second, holding her tightly and maintaining eye contact. The moment seems to stretch out, Ardiente having not responded yet but the smile was widening and widening on his face. "I've liked you since the first moment I saw you, Raelle. You are so beautiful." Ardiente bends down ever so slightly, closing his eyes and kissing her gently on the lips, barely even making contact.
Once he told her that he liked her too...that he'd always liked her...her fear melted away and she felt relief and happiness...and then he kissed her and, suns and stars, it felt amazing. Everything about being with Ardiente felt right to her.
"That was my first kiss," she said breathily, downright giddy.
"Does this mean I can refer to you as my boyfriend now?" she asked, grinning.
Seeing as few of the others were actually engaging in anything she could take to mean socializing while she was there, and certainly feeling as if the gathering had concluded with it's initial purpose, Anahita stretches once, then peers off.
"Until we meet again, Fei. Be well." With that said, she disappears, leaving small plant life and various little things that skimper away in her wake.
"Well, crap. What did the note say?"
Genosuke walks all they way back to the school, and arrives at the remade infirmary. He gently lays Keme's body on a gurney, and casts gentle repose on him. He gives him one last look, and a kiss on the forehead, then informs the staff that his body is there. When Genosuke leaves to go find Nala or other staff, Ryuzo steps up and looks over the body, looking for any sign that Hope has let him go.
"Sir, I believe that it is time for us to go."
It steps forward into the light cast from various things.
Once he told her that he liked her too...that he'd always liked her...her fear melted away and she felt relief and happiness...and then he kissed her and, suns and stars, it felt amazing. Everything about being with Ardiente felt right to her.
"That was my first kiss," she said breathily, downright giddy.
"Does this mean I can refer to you as my boyfriend now?" she asked, grinning.
"Mine too." Ardiente says happily, not releasing his arms around her. His smile hasn't faded in the slightest. "I think it does, but only as long as I can call you my girlfriend. I'm pretty sure that's how it works, right?" he says with a grin, kissing the top of her head as he squeezes her again.
And then, of course, reality rudely interrupts Ardiente's giddy frame of mind as he remembers what Raelle had been through only a few days previously. He gently breaks the hug, trying to suppress the giddy desire to kiss her again and be serious for a moment. "Raelle... I know you had a bad experience with David, and I definitely don't want to make you feel pressured or anything of the like. I want /you/ to be sure that your feelings for me aren't a lie, so we can take this as slowly as you like..." He trails off, clearly concerned about making assumptions, especially on this new and delicate ground. He takes her hand, looking her in the eye. "I just don't want you to second-guess your own feelings. Does that make sense?" he finishes awkwardly. Raelle /might/ be able to tell that he's trying to do the honourable thing by offering to take it slow, but his body language indicates that he really just wants to kiss her again.
"Mine too." Ardiente says happily, not releasing his arms around her. His smile hasn't faded in the slightest. "I think it does, but only as long as I can call you my girlfriend. I'm pretty sure that's how it works, right?" he says with a grin, kissing the top of her head as he squeezes her again.And then, of course, reality rudely interrupts Ardiente's giddy frame of mind as he remembers what Raelle had been through only a few days previously. He gently breaks the hug, trying to suppress the giddy desire to kiss her again and be serious for a moment. "Raelle... I know you had a bad experience with David, and I definitely don't want to make you feel pressured or anything of the like. I want /you/ to be sure that your feelings for me aren't a lie, so we can take this as slowly as you like..." He trails off, clearly concerned about making assumptions, especially on this new and delicate ground. He takes her hand, looking her in the eye. "I just don't want you to second-guess your own feelings. Does that make sense?" he finishes awkwardly. Raelle /might/ be able to tell that he's trying to do the honourable thing by offering to take it slow, but his body language indicates that he really just wants to kiss her again.
"Ardiente...while I wouldn't really want to go through this stuff all the time, there's nothing quite like a crisis for cutting through the crap. I didn't need you to rescue me tonight. I managed okay all on my own. But when I saw you I did realize that I needed you, just to have you be there. And I was really confused. Kinda going around in circles in my head. But then...when you told the creepy guy we were just friends I almost burst into tears because it really hurt to hear. Even though it was what I had asked for. I guess what I'm saying is that I wouldn't have told you that I like you if I wasn't sure about my feelings. I'm not looking to take things super fast here either, but...I don't mind if my boyfriend kisses me from time to time," she said with a grin before stepping in closer to him and kissing him lightly on the lips.
"Oh, good, you figured it out...was worried I might have to knock some sense into the both of you. Kids," the dwarf said, shaking his head as he walked back into the room with a very tall sandwich on a plate. "If you're going out again you best get going."
Raelle laughed. "Well, you heard him. We have to get going. We have a lot of firebirds still to talk to tonight...so where are we going next?"
Naturally, Ardiente returns her kiss, putting his arms around her once again. "Understood... Mistress." he says with a wry grin and a wink, recalling the title he had used to address her when he had first learned her name.
Ardiente laughed along with Raelle as the dwarf re-entered the room. He was ovbiously high on life right at that moment, the trouble of the creepy town and firebird swept away in the rush of the girl that was with him. He even has to double check their destination, as it had completely slipped his mind. "Ermm... we're going to... geez. Why would a firebird ever pick somewhere so cold to live. It's up in the north, near to...."
Mel finishes her Diary entry for today, skimming back discovering it covers nearly three pages. wow, I was busy today
Mel takes a sip of her hot cocoa checking to make sure there is still a hot mug for Vai when she returns.
sitting at her desk Mel pulls out some paper and begins some songwriting.
I've always been better at conveying a message through song. Now I want to tell Vai I'm...I mean all of us girls... are here for her, we won't abandon her
Mels seems lost in thought a minute or two, then soon ideas start to flow and numerous versions of a song start to take shape....
"Well, crap. What did the note say?"
She handed him the note. "Apparently tomorrow is also going to be 'one of those days'," she said wearily.
"Hello, Dragon,
I'm letting you know I'm back to settle what started on your brother's I'll fated vacation. See you tomorrow.
-Hunter and Lobo"
Reads the note, and she can feel the anger over the bond. Such anger that he apparently takes his old humanoid form without realizing it...and the note simply seems to age into dust in his hand...
"Let him try. My staff needs a recharge."
Probably even more concerning, at least to Ephebe, is the attitude behind the anger. That some low creature would seek to threaten what is his, and the now inevitablity of their death for daring to do so.
Reads the note, and she can feel the anger over the bond. Such anger that he apparently takes his old humanoid form without realizing it...and the note simply seems to age into dust in his hand...
"Let him try. My staff needs a recharge."
"Well, this is new," she said warmly, stepping in close to him and running her fingers across his pointed ear. "Though I think I prefer your human form more...fond memories and all that...and this form comes with more baggage."
She stepped back again. "I know better than anyone how hard it is to stay off of Team Evil, love. Evil is so much easier. You just come in and destroy everything in your way and you don't have to worry about compromises or listening or anything...and it can be so tempting to go back to it. But that's not what we're doing here. I'll face this guy myself. Hunter to Hunter. I'm a lot stronger than I was the last time we fought. You are staying away from it. I'll be fine. I can ask someone else for backup if that will make you feel better. Just not you. No until you get a hold of yourself," she said firmly.
"Huh?" he says as she plays with his ears.
"Oh...my. I hadn't realized..." you feel confusion and embarrasment over the bond.
"I think all of the excitement, and you already being in danger once today set that off, I apologize." he takes his human form, and hugs her. "You are the best thing that's happened to me, Ephebe. Please understand that to lose you means to lose myself. I will go to whatever lengths I must to protect you and our children." He sighs...
"But I'm most ashamed. You are not my property, you are my mate and partner. If you do not wish me to be there, I will trust you to handle this yourself. It will be...difficult...but you're right. I am a dragon, you understand..." he says, with a tinge of humor.
"We protect what means the most to us."
"Huh?" he says as she plays with his ears.
"Oh...my. I hadn't realized..." you feel confusion and embarrasment over the bond.
"I think all of the excitement, and you already being in danger once today set that off, I apologize." he takes his human form, and hugs her. "You are the best thing that's happened to me, Ephebe. Please understand that to lose you means to lose myself. I will go to whatever lengths I must to protect you and our children." He sighs...
"But I'm most ashamed. You are not my property, you are my mate and partner. If you do not wish me to be there, I will trust you to handle this yourself. It will be...difficult...but you're right. I am a dragon, you understand..." he says, with a tinge of humor.
"We protect what means the most to us."
"I do understand, my dearest," she assures him, smiling. "I am not angry with you. I love you always. And as a dragon I share those instincts. And right now protecting you means keeping you away from a situation that may prove too much of a temptation for you...just as you do from time to time with me. If something goes wrong, if I need you, you can be there in an instant. But unless this guy has gotten a major power boost in the last year I doubt it will be more than an annoyance."
She kissed him. "I am here and safe, in spite of earlier, and you have no need to worry about me at present."
He smiles...
"It must be taxing, being right so often. How do you manage?"
he says, teasing.
"Let's go see the kids..."
He smiles...
"It must be taxing, being right so often. How do you manage?"
he says, teasing.
"Let's go see the kids..."
She laughed. "By being wrong an equal amount of times," she joked.
"Yes, let's. After a day like today...I am just so glad they're all safe," she agreed and the two headed off for some much needed time in the hatchery.
Vai hadn't immediately drawn away from Arthur's hand - though whether that was her choice or the intervention of some other being - is not immediately clear. When Fei begins to call her, she forces her tear-streaked face to look up at him... and then whatever was holding her ceases, and she tucks herself into his arms, tears and sobs coming freely now. "Meldanya, I will fight her if she keeps doing that. I won't let her do to me what Esperanza did to Keme, but I might need your help." she says hoarsely a few minutes later, after the sobbing had died down (and assuming no 'explosive impacts' from Fei). "And we'll have Keme back soon." that last phrase is said so that Ace, Anahita, and Arthur can easily hear, spoken with fierce passion: it was a direct challenge to Hope.
"You have whatever help I can give, meldanya, whatever I can do."
Fei watches the departure of the other kitsune (and Anahita, with a grateful nod), and Genosuke's exit with Keme and Ryuzo.
"Yes we will...there will be another dawn," he answers, his conviction matching her own. "I will stand vigil over him Vai - you need to rest, especially after what just happened."
He stands, gently pulling her up with him...
Overcome by the immense emotion suffusing the crater, Ace involuntarily shifts into a fox himself, and howls in conjunction with the clan that had gathered.
After they all depart, the young man shifts back and sits on the ground. Head hung, he's not really paying much attention to whats goin on around him.
They walk over to Ace's seated form. The young monk risks a light hand on his shoulder.
"Come...he is free now. That is not something to grieve. Let us greet him at the rise of a new day, and hope he chooses to return to us."
Hermes and Arthur fly back to the school. As Hermes flies its armour makes very nearly less than no noise.
"I believe that there should be an assigned room for you here somewhere, Sir."
Ace glances up at Fei, but its clear by the expression on his face and the kinda far away look in his eyes that he doesn't fully hear or even see the monk.
Ace glances up at Fei, but its clear by the expression on his face and the kinda far away look in his eyes that he doesn't fully hear or even see the monk.
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Ace glances up at Fei, but its clear by the expression on his face and the kinda far away look in his eyes that he doesn't fully hear or even see the monk.
"Huh?" he says as she plays with his ears.
"Oh...my. I hadn't realized..." you feel confusion and embarrasment over the bond.
"I think all of the excitement, and you already being in danger once today set that off, I apologize." he takes his human form, and hugs her. "You are the best thing that's happened to me, Ephebe. Please understand that to lose you means to lose myself. I will go to whatever lengths I must to protect you and our children." He sighs...
"But I'm most ashamed. You are not my property, you are my mate and partner. If you do not wish me to be there, I will trust you to handle this yourself. It will be...difficult...but you're right. I am a dragon, you understand..." he says, with a tinge of humor.
"We protect what means the most to us."