"Uh...we stock a lot of thing in the materials and supplies building here, kid," one of the workers said, trying to stifle a laugh, "but smarts are not among them. You'll be wanting the big building up there," he said pointing to the imposing stone building just across the courtyard.
The young man quickly turned his head as he heard that they were not at the right building, looking to the merchant that informed him with a threatening glare. "But you said you would take me to--" he started to say, but he managed to keep himself in check as he knew that, while not directly in front of the building, he was practically there. Instead, he turned to look at the impressive, stone structure that seemed to be the place he had been looking for. He was about to run up to it immediately, but as he took the first few steps, he remembered that the merchants had done him a good deed, and he had to return it.
Walking up to them, the young man reached into the bag tied to his waist, rummaging through it for something. Without a word, he acknowledged their help with a nod, then pulled out what he was looking for: a pointed ear that still had a bit of flesh still attached to it from the face. He handed it to the one who seemed to be the leader of the merchant caravan, patted him on the shoulder, then quickly turned and ran to the stone building.
Unintentionally taking the long way around, the young man eventually found the front doors to the Academy, and just a little out of breath from all the running, he walked up to them. He had to do everything in his power to keep his patience in check, having waited and journeyed so long to get to where he was, but he managed, and he knocked on the doors with a few, powerful strikes. "Where's the guy who makes people smart in here?!" he then yelled, trying to get at least someone's attention inside. "I'm here to get smarter!" After waiting a few seconds, he struck the doors a few more times, and then a few more, until he was almost pounding his way through them, his patience wearing thin. If it weren't for the bad luck he feared, he would have just charged in.
Florence hears the banging on the front door as she runs around the halls, on the way to her room. She eyes the door briefly, before swinging it open. The door swings open quite quickly.
"Uh... Hi. What are you doing there? I mean, other then pounding on the door."
Kitty dived down again, figuring that two sets of eyes looking were better than one.
Florence hears the banging on the front door as she runs around the halls, on the way to her room. She eyes the door briefly, before swinging it open. The door swings open quite quickly.
"Uh... Hi. What are you doing there? I mean, other then pounding on the door."
Just as the doors flew open, the young man that was pounding on it had just started to reach back towards his greataxe, ready to smash at them with it. When he looked back and saw the young girl standing there, he paused a moment, just looking at her, hands on the shaft of his axe. It must have been a little unnerving, a man about to brandish a large weapon with caked blood on his face and rage in his eyes.
After what was probably a few moments too long of just staring at her, the young man eventually brought his arms back down to a relaxed position away from his axe, then sighed lightly. "I need to find the guy who makes people smarter," he then told her, his voice a little rugged. "I need to come inside and look for him. Where is he?" Surely the girl knew, if she was already inside the place.
Asha got a strange expression on her face. "What time is it?" she asked urgently. "I've lost track....it was getting late....the sun is going to go down soon right? Except...the firebird sun isn't ever coming up again. Come one," she said, grabbing his hand and trying to hurry him towards outside. She was glad to have escaped, but she wanted to see it for herself. She wanted to make sure it would really be gone.
Being dragged along, Tryko'Sam doesn't seem to mind the manhandling, or Firebird handling, as it were, grinning as he does.
"Firebird sun? is that the thing going on that people aren't really -- rather, have shared about? Wish this place had Internet or something! PDAs aren't all that bad, in moderation..."
Rambling as he is pulled along, he smiles while following.
"If you really want a scenic view, I'm sure we can find something better suited... got a preference?"
Either way, he follows Asha along.
Florence grips her staff, witch is little more then a glorified stick, tightly when she saw the man, holding it in two hands.
"Ok, before we continue... One, calm down. Please. You're going to make people nervous. Two, there are many teachers at this school, not just one man who makes people smarter."
as she spoke, she gradually relaxed, slowly shifting her weight from foot to foot.
Florence grips her staff, witch is little more then a glorified stick, tightly when she saw the man, holding it in two hands.
"Ok, before we continue... One, calm down. Please. You're going to make people nervous. Two, there are many teachers at this school, not just one man who makes people smarter."
as she spoke, she gradually relaxed, slowly shifting her weight from foot to foot.
Relatively calmer than he was mere seconds ago, the young man tried to rack his brain for what the girl just meant, but couldn't find the answer. "Teach...ers..." he repeated slowly, not sure just what the word meant. A few seconds later, he shook his head and started to lose his patience again. "Look, I just need to get in here and find the guy who makes people smarter," he reiterated, closing his eyes as he attempted to control his breath, and thus control himself. "Can I get in here or not? You guys have a tribe elder or something? He might do."
"Um... We have a headmaster. He's the closest thing to a "tribal elder" here. Of course you can come in. The door's open, isn't it?"
her fidgeting grows gradually faster. Before you can speak, she murmurs to herself.
"Ah, good idea."
"Um... We have a headmaster. He's the closest thing to a "tribal elder" here. Of course you can come in. The door's open, isn't it?"
her fidgeting grows gradually faster. Before you can speak, she murmurs to herself.
"Ah, good idea."
Upon hearing yet another new word, the young man started to think about just what a "headmaster" was. From the sound of it, he could be a master of heads, or...no, definitely it was that. "Ah, so it's not just magic in this place," he said to himself, his lips forming into an excited smile. "There ARE true warriors here!" No longer paying too much attention, he hardly noticed the girl fidgeting anymore, and almost trampled her over as he walked inside the place. For a moment, he was struck by the sheer size of the interior; it was definitely bigger than the huts and shacks that his tribe had made. Perhaps they should've used stone instead of sticks, straw, and mud, but he figured that he wouldn't have time to ponder such things, as he had to go see the master of heads.
"You, take me to this master of heads!" he then demanded of the girl. "He must certainly be able to make me smarter in the ways of a warrior! I knew I didn't need any other smarts!"
Florence topples for a moment, before turning back to kodjack, and holding him back a little. She is incredibly strong, especially because she doesn't look it, but certainly not as strong as you.
"What? The headmaster isn't a warrior, i don't think. Never met the guy!"
Florence topples for a moment, before turning back to kodjack, and holding him back a little. She is incredibly strong, especially because she doesn't look it, but certainly not as strong as you.
"What? The headmaster isn't a warrior, i don't think. Never met the guy!"
The young man obviously wasn't paying much attention at that point, all too eager to meet the master of heads. He hardly even noticed that he was being held back slightly. When he did, though, he looked down at the young girl and gave her a stern glare. "Do you know where this master of heads is or not?" he asked her, his voice demanding an answer. "If so, you must take me to him right away!"
Florence is getting a little frustrated. What's with this guy? Her grip on her staff tightens again.
"Alright, let's get this straight. I don't intend to help you if you don't listen. I understand being in a rush, because I'm always like that, but don't go so fast you get into situations you're unprepared for. Judging from the fact that i couldn't meet him for my application, he's most likely busy."
Asha got a strange expression on her face. "What time is it?" she asked urgently. "I've lost track....it was getting late....the sun is going to go down soon right? Except...the firebird sun isn't ever coming up again. Come one," she said, grabbing his hand and trying to hurry him towards outside. She was glad to have escaped, but she wanted to see it for herself. She wanted to make sure it would really be gone.Being dragged along, Tryko'Sam doesn't seem to mind the manhandling, or Firebird handling, as it were, grinning as he does.
"Firebird sun? is that the thing going on that people aren't really -- rather, have shared about? Wish this place had Internet or something! PDAs aren't all that bad, in moderation..."
Rambling as he is pulled along, he smiles while following.
"If you really want a scenic view, I'm sure we can find something better suited... got a preference?"
Either way, he follows Asha along.
"Yeah, you remember, the place I came from? I know I told you about it, multiple times. We all had to be evacuated because it's being destroyed. It was decided after the council was overthrown I guess. That's why I finally got to get out of my tower...and how I had the chance to escape from the refugee camp. I just want to see for myself what's going to happen to it. Maybe nothing . Maybe it'll just disappear. I don't know. That's why I want to see!"
Alton appeared in the courtyard of his family home. As good a place as any, he thought as he set down the small case he'd brought with him. It contained a host of nanites he'd reprogrammed and updated to his specifications.
With a flick of the lock, he released them and they immediately set to work taking the sun apart and using it to create more of their kind, the process going faster and faster as their numbers grew.
In truth, this was helpful to his plan. As Alton's nanites dismantled the sun, they did so in such a way that it resembled a solar eclipse, a silly symbolic gesture he'd thought fitting to mark the end of an era.
Ace, perceptive young man that he is, spots Tami and Morrivan entering the cafeteria, and noticed the water bender had been crying. He taps Ginni on the arm and says quitely "She looks like she could use as many friends as possible right now" nodding subtly in the direction of his girlfriend's two friends.
"Gotcha. Maybe one day the details of that place or whatever and why it's being destroyed can be shared. Sorry to hear, but sounds like a good call over all, huh?"
They'd found some scenic (of the sun) viewing spot, mostly outside the school's walls.
As the eclipse occurred, however, Tryko'Sam had the oddest expression, probably a state of silent contemplation he had had for quite some time.
"So, does this mark a good passage, or what, for you, Asha? Sounds like you managed to get free of some nasty shit from earlier. Glad to hear you're well. Do you know of anyone else that's been abused that needs help?"
He asks after viewing for a bit, looking back towards her.
Fieri stood and watched the 'eclipse' happen, tears falling down her face. It was a necessary change, but there was a part of her that couldn't help but mourn for the loss of her home. Even though she'd already lost it long before this.
Pyra stood looking out the window one arm around Ignace and the other keeping Chara from overbalancing on the chair she was perched on so she could see out the window. Part of her had always thought that someday she'd have a chance to go back....and now it was really gone forever. She tried to stay strong and not cry in front of the girls. They were feeling uncertain enough already.
Raelle stood beside the shuttle. They'd landed and started unloading passengers just before the destruction of the sun had started. She had mixed feelings about it. Mostly she wised Ardiente was here. This was going to be so hard on him. She wanted to be there to comfort him.
"Gotcha. Maybe one day the details of that place or whatever and why it's being destroyed can be shared. Sorry to hear, but sounds like a good call over all, huh?"
They'd found some scenic (of the sun) viewing spot, mostly outside the school's walls.
As the eclipse occurred, however, Tryko'Sam had the oddest expression, probably a state of silent contemplation he had had for quite some time.
"So, does this mark a good passage, or what, for you, Asha? Sounds like you managed to get free of some nasty s+$@ from earlier. Glad to hear you're well. Do you know of anyone else that's been abused that needs help?"
He asks after viewing for a bit, looking back towards her.
"I'm not sure how to describe it to you....it's all the history I know so I don't know how to relate it to what you know."
"And I don't know. Maybe there were others like me. But I know not everyone agrees with my family's ideas. They complained about people who didn't all the time. So there have to be some firebirds who are good people."
She stopped talking as she looked up and watched the sun disappear into shadow.
"I believe that you should still be examined by the medical staff. All precautions should be taken, in the case that you may still be affected."
"I know..."
Ace, perceptive young man that he is, spots Tami and Morrivan entering the cafeteria, and noticed the water bender had been crying. He taps Ginni on the arm and says quitely "She looks like she could use as many friends as possible right now" nodding subtly in the direction of his girlfriend's two friends.
She looked to where he was directing her attention.
"Yeah...this could take a while. Morrivan is taking Rodhas's death pretty hard."
She got up and walked over to the other two girls,
Tybalt had been focusing on his origami folding and hadn't noticed his companion walking alongside him.
When she speaks up he looks over to her and after a quick glances his demeanour changes entirely, as years of being brought up under stiff expectations snap back to him.
He speaks in catfolk, as the formal greetings cannot be translated wholly into common.
He bows at a 45° angle.
"Hello Elder Healer. My apologies."
He straightens up.
"I don't usually spend much time getting from place to place."
He smiles, slipping slightly from the formality, as the woman before him seemed so kind.
"I didn't realize that Alocatra was fairly close to here. I must have gone the long way around, but oh- excuse me. You wanted to speak with me?"
"Have you tried finding this place on a map? Maybe it isn't nearby enough to recognize? You can probably find any map you need in the library."
"You may join us in the cockpit if you like. Or you may also return to the freezer, should that be more comfortable for you. We shall arrive back at Avalon Academy in approximately seven minutes."
"Well, I know there are a bunch here in this school-- like that Ari guy, and someone he was hanging out with. If you're looking to make ties, that's the path I'd take. As for sharing, hell, it doesn't matter-- sometimes just the talking is what is important, not the specifics or how it's structured."
He does study the sun as it slips into shadow, seeming to pay close attention to it, as it goes.
"Impressive. I take it that's not a natural structure, the sun? You guys lived in there?"
Florence is getting a little frustrated. What's with this guy? Her grip on her staff tightens again.
"Alright, let's get this straight. I don't intend to help you if you don't listen. I understand being in a rush, because I'm always like that, but don't go so fast you get into situations you're unprepared for. Judging from the fact that i couldn't meet him for my application, he's most likely busy."
The young man was getting quite frustrated, as well, having waited much too long to be told that he can't see the man he set out to see in the first place. He was not about to have any of the girl's antics, even if she was the only one around that could help him. "Fine, I'll just find him myself!" he stated, shoving the girl aside as he walked past her. "I will get smarter from this master of heads!"
His voice was getting loud enough to easily carry through the hallway and a bit beyond, his enthusiasm and excitement bringing him almost to the point of obsession.
"Hmph. Good luck. You'll need it. This place changes on it's own."
she pulls a slip of paper, and realizes her room is now much farther away then it was before. She starts "walking" in a different direction, moving blindly fast.
"Well, I know there are a bunch here in this school-- like that Ari guy, and someone he was hanging out with. If you're looking to make ties, that's the path I'd take. As for sharing, hell, it doesn't matter-- sometimes just the talking is what is important, not the specifics or how it's structured."
He does study the sun as it slips into shadow, seeming to pay close attention to it, as it goes.
"Impressive. I take it that's not a natural structure, the sun? You guys lived in there?"
"Yeah...firebirds had to keep the fires of the sun burning...we were important. The sun was literally the center of the world. And then a few months ago...Boom! The sky got big and the whole world was on the outside instead of the inside and our sun was just this little thing compared to the big one up there. It was so scary. For a while I didn't even mind being stuck inside my tower. The sky was too much. But once you get used to it, it's not so bad. Still weird though."
"And now the firebird sun is gone...we're not really that important anymore. That scares people. They went a little loopy I think."
Ace kisses Ginni on the cheek as she leaves, "Want me to come along, or hang here with Ehos and Jai?"
Ace kisses Ginni on the cheek as she leaves, "Want me to come along, or hang here with Ehos and Jai?"
"You stay. I think she's probably not in the mood for too many people right now."
"I keep hearing that name from people. What is a champion? First Casil says it to Vai when he boyfriend exploded and then Johnny says he is and then dissapears. What does it mean?"
His ears twitch up slightly, moving on on Jericho on top of his head when she talks about being able to visit home, but then she says champion and she can tell that the term bears mixed feelings, mostly confusion.
"Yeah...firebirds had to keep the fires of the sun burning...we were important. The sun was literally the center of the world. And then a few months ago...Boom! The sky got big and the whole world was on the outside instead of the inside and our sun was just this little thing compared to the big one up there. It was so scary. For a while I didn't even mind being stuck inside my tower. The sky was too much. But once you get used to it, it's not so bad. Still weird though."
"And now the firebird sun is gone...we're not really that important anymore. That scares people. They went a little loopy I think."
"Wow." He looked back at Asha, impressed at what was shared.
"So you went from an internalized hollow world, where you were the center of existence for everything in it, and suddenly, thrust into ...astounding."
He looked off, a slight shimmer on his eyes of thought as he considers that, and then one of his patented charismatic smirks.
"That gotta be a real mind jerk, for sure. Huh. I guess people at the very least, should thank you guys for keeping them illuminated and warm. Keep that part up and I'm sure no one will have any complaints." The smirk turned smile, then grin as he then asks, "So, Miss Center of the Internalized World, what will you be doing now? Hopefully without the sky being fearful. The universe is a vast open place, quite mind boggling, if you let yourself get lost in it, which can be fun."
He sat there, relaxed, enjoying the conversation.
Nodding in response to Sadie's suggestion of critical targets, Anahita merely says, aloud, yet quietly enough so that perhaps only Sadie could hear, "Proceed, I shall assist."
Clearly the Keleshite didn't have the urge to be the aggressor here, for whatever reasons.
Her intense gaze peered about the room, however, and she continued to seem ready for combat, having nimbly dodged that prior grapple with ease.
"Hmph. Good luck. You'll need it. This place changes on it's own."
she pulls a slip of paper, and realizes her room is now much farther away then it was before. She starts "walking" in a different direction, moving blindly fast.
More than just a little angry, the young man has a hard time controlling himself, shouting angrily as he walks blindly through the halls, "Where is the master of heads?! I must speak with this warrior!" Occasionally, he bangs his fist against the wall, hoping to get at least someone else's attention that could lead him to the warrior he sought after to make him smarter, and not just try to impede his progress.
"Wow." He looked back at Asha, impressed at what was shared."So you went from an internalized hollow world, where you were the center of existence for everything in it, and suddenly, thrust into ...astounding."
He looked off, a slight shimmer on his eyes of thought as he considers that, and then one of his patented charismatic smirks.
"That gotta be a real mind jerk, for sure. Huh. I guess people at the very least, should thank you guys for keeping them illuminated and warm. Keep that part up and I'm sure no one will have any complaints." The smirk turned smile, then grin as he then asks, "So, Miss Center of the Internalized World, what will you be doing now? Hopefully without the sky being fearful. The universe is a vast open place, quite mind boggling, if you let yourself get lost in it, which can be fun."
He sat there, relaxed, enjoying the conversation.
"I don't know. Now that I'm out of my tower there's just so much to learn. It's kind of overwhelming really. I guess first I'll have to learn about things like history and writing and numbers and stuff. At least I already know how to read...I just haven't had much in the way of reading material. And then...who knows?"
He is silent for a moment, leaning against the wall now, he was just walking to visit Mel and now a woman that reminded him vaguely of his mom was telling him he had been chosen to be a part of something bigger than the gods themselves...
"So, if you're picking me, what does that mean about my friends? I'm not going to have to fight anyone, or anything, am I? Is there anyone else here besides that was picked for this?"
It sounded pretty good to him. It was an honor to be chosen for this, and if he accepted the offer, he could help people, visit home, but he couldn't help but feel like he wasn't quite grasping what he was getting into.
"I thought so too..."
He takes Jericho off his head and pets him gently.
"I guess... I..."
Thoughts were going through his head at a million miles a minute.
As far as those he heard about goes, Mercy sounded pretty good. Better than Wrath or Darkness, at least. He could help people, visit home. But then, it also meant getting involved in politics, and while he knows about them from his upbringing, eventually having to get involved in them was one of the reasons he ran away from home....
Well, I could do a lot of good, and I guess if I was chosen out of everyone in the universe, not doing this means that the worlds wouldn't be as good as they could be...
"I will accept. Thank you for choosing me."
He says resolutely.
Tybalt simply stood there a moment and let it all sink in.
Today had been completely crazy.
After a moment there, he collects Mel's notes that are now neatly folded into a crane, woman in a dress and a bird.
He continues his walk to her, kind if hoping that there wasn't any more drama in the day.
He now has a whole new set of things to think about...
"As they will know you. Champions can always recognize each other."
Ephebe made sure that Lewis and Tarka were settled securely on her back. And then she saw the solar 'eclipse' against the setting sun.
::You know, on the whole, I think it was for the best that Ignace didn't come on this trip. Watching the destruction of the firebird's sun while away from home would have been too difficult for her.::
