"Well, it kinda makes sense," she said with her mouth full. "With so many powerful beings in one place, if someone needs to be stopped there's lots of other powerful folks around to do it. And the wards are great. I need to use them an awful lot, so I would know. If you get hurt real bad they just teleport you straight to the infirmary."He nods. Then he seems to notice what she's eating.
"Does that taste good?"
"It tastes good to me," she said. "But it's probably poisonous to you. That was one of the first things I had to learn here. Firebirds shouldn't eat other people's food, and other people shouldn't eat firebirds' food. Your food would make me just as sick as mine would make you," she explained.
Ace curses as his strike did not drop Repp, then wills his scimitar into bow form and fires off several arrows.
"It tastes good to me," she said. "But it's probably poisonous to you. That was one of the first things I had to learn here. Firebirds shouldn't eat other people's food, and other people shouldn't eat firebirds' food. Your food would make me just as sick as mine would make you," she explained.
"Well, it kinda makes sense," she said with her mouth full. "With so many powerful beings in one place, if someone needs to be stopped there's lots of other powerful folks around to do it. And the wards are great. I need to use them an awful lot, so I would know. If you get hurt real bad they just teleport you straight to the infirmary."He nods. Then he seems to notice what she's eating.
"Does that taste good?"
"Ahh. What about you?" he says to Kezzin. "Looks like you eat normal things..."
"Yes," she agreed gratefully. She sighs as she sits down, her breath forming ice crystals in the air. "My last patient of the day....his idiot parents had actually bound an Other into him when he was a child. Needless to say, I very nearly froze the poor boy to death. It was....a very strange Other. Intelligent. Not that they aren't often cunning and calculating. But this one was capable of thoughts and ideas like self-preservation. Possibly things it has picked up from its host. I don't know. But it's a lot of blows in one week. First to find out that the barrier has failed, and now to find that there is an Other in the school...the barrier must have failed a long time ago. And my ice powers are...well, they're growing. I...I suspect my mother may be sick. Part of me is happy about that. The rest of me is concerned about what will happen without her taking an active role in leading the Winter Court now that they need to attend to their duties again."
He begins to make them tea, never seems to be a quick process for Ryuzo. He listens while he works.
"The Others are a serious threat, to everyone. I wonder why someone would put one in their child. Perhaps if this one can be reasoned with...?"
"Has your mother made a replacement for you? Can you tell?"
"Yes," she agreed gratefully. She sighs as she sits down, her breath forming ice crystals in the air. "My last patient of the day....his idiot parents had actually bound an Other into him when he was a child. Needless to say, I very nearly froze the poor boy to death. It was....a very strange Other. Intelligent. Not that they aren't often cunning and calculating. But this one was capable of thoughts and ideas like self-preservation. Possibly things it has picked up from its host. I don't know. But it's a lot of blows in one week. First to find out that the barrier has failed, and now to find that there is an Other in the school...the barrier must have failed a long time ago. And my ice powers are...well, they're growing. I...I suspect my mother may be sick. Part of me is happy about that. The rest of me is concerned about what will happen without her taking an active role in leading the Winter Court now that they need to attend to their duties again."He begins to make them tea, never seems to be a quick process for Ryuzo. He listens while he works.
"The Others are a serious threat, to everyone. I wonder why someone would put one in their child. Perhaps if this one can be reasoned with...?"
"Has your mother made a replacement for you? Can you tell?"
"I sent the boy to the Headmaster. If anyone will know how to help him, or at least who to send him to...and yes, I hope that this one can be reasoned with. The idea of this kid getting destroyed because his parents were stupid doesn't sit well with me. And from what I saw in his memories, they didn't know what they were doing. They just decided that hey, let's put this mysterious thing we found into our kid....I swear, if I ever meet these people I am going to slap the both of them. For starters."
"And no, I don't think my mother has made a replacement. I think that she's still using the mindless clone of me that the headmaster gave her. I think the clone might be sick too. I think that the power of Winter is trying to find me. But I don't have proof of course. It's just a feeling. And dreams. So many dreams. All ice and snow. But not how I remember it from my childhood. Beautiful. Peaceful."
"There's more. As if all of that wasn't enough. I had an appointment with Phaezeriel today. About my memory problem." She was twisting her hands nervously now. "He was able to examine the structure of the magic the memories are encased in. It seems that the magic is tied directly into my life energy. He presented me with some different options to try and undo it. He can try to unravel the magic itself, which is no simple task. This is ancient fey magic after all. Or he can try cutting its connection to its source bit by bit. But the quickest, most likely to succeed option would be to kill me. Temporarily. Obviously. I would probably have to be dead for a matter of minutes to cut off the magic from my life force completely. But my deal with Luck ends when I die, and there's no guarantee that Luck would be willing to reinstate it. And with the power of Winter trying to find me....it's pretty high risk. I told him that I wanted time to consider and to talk things over with you before I decided on what to do."
Infirmary
"Professor Sunwake, I must insist that you get back into bed this instant!"
"Don't be silly, I'm fine. I'm not even taking my IV out, see? I won't go far. I won't even leave the infirmary," she said in as reasonable a tone as she could manage. She wasn't micromanaging everything. She wasn't. She didn't have control issues. She just wanted to make sure that things went smoothly with rescuing Melody. It was only a few steps after all.
"Alright, I admit that I don't know much about you kids, but is this whole awkward silence thing normal?" she asked, equal parts amused and concerned.
"Phaedra doesn't like talking to non-firebirds," she said softly, her eyes firmly on her toes. "And Lang and I had...kind of an argument."
"Ooooh, it's that kind of awkward silence. I understand. It's so vexing when you're not sure whose turn it is to apologize."
"Feeling weak, Rep? Helpless?" Michael sneers as he darts forward and slashes at the worried gnome. Maliciously, he began using the flat of the blade. He wanted the gnome to live a little longer. Feel the pain he more than deserved...
The arrow, perhaps divinely guided, perhaps 'charged' with all of Ace's anger, frustration and rage, punches through the back of Repp's skull, and passes clean through the gnome's right eye.
Once he drops, Ace will turn his attention to the girl on the ground, confident Keme and Michael will handle the corpse.
Walks up to the corpse of Repp and touches his staff to it, grabbing the soul before it can make it's journey on. The corpse almost immediately begins to look desiccated as a result.
::It is done.:: he sends to Ephebe.
"I sent the boy to the Headmaster. If anyone will know how to help him, or at least who to send him to...and yes, I hope that this one can be reasoned with. The idea of this kid getting destroyed because his parents were stupid doesn't sit well with me. And from what I saw in his memories, they didn't know what they were doing. They just decided that hey, let's put this mysterious thing we found into our kid....I swear, if I ever meet these people I am going to slap the both of them. For starters."
"It's sad how some people's woes are caused by mere ignorance..."
"And no, I don't think my mother has made a replacement. I think that she's still using the mindless clone of me that the headmaster gave her. I think the clone might be sick too. I think that the power of Winter is trying to find me. But I don't have proof of course. It's just a feeling. And dreams. So many dreams. All ice and snow. But not how I remember it from my childhood. Beautiful. Peaceful."
"We may have fooled Ma...your mother, but perhaps not the fey magic that runs through you. Maybe it's calling to you to aid the Winter Court?"
"There's more. As if all of that wasn't enough. I had an appointment with Phaezeriel today. About my memory problem." She was twisting her hands nervously now. "He was able to examine the structure of the magic the memories are encased in. It seems that the magic is tied directly into my life energy. He presented me with some different options to try and undo it. He can try to unravel the magic itself, which is no simple task. This is ancient fey magic after all. Or he can try cutting its connection to its source bit by bit. But the quickest, most likely to succeed option would be to kill me. Temporarily. Obviously. I would probably have to be dead for a matter of minutes to cut off the magic from my life force completely. But my deal with Luck ends when I die, and there's no guarantee that Luck would be willing to reinstate it. And with the power of Winter trying to find me....it's pretty high risk. I told him that I wanted time to consider and to talk things over with you before I decided on what to do."
He stops what he's doing and looks long at Nala before responding. He finishes up the tea and brigns it over, sitting with her on the cushioned floor mat.
"I'd be lying if I said that didn't concern me a great deal. Those aren't a list of great options. But death? I'm sure Krays could bring you back, and honestly Luck may appreciate you 'rolling the dice' on such a thing...but death? High price...what do you think?"
Invisible still, Alys trots up to the dead girl. This should not be! How can one so young be a target to anyone! reality must not persist!
Alys digs deep into the strength of her body and her magic, speaking the ancient words that are so easy for her, and yet so hard for any others.
So close, Ace can hear the words that Alys is speaking and can feel the very fabric of reality shiver as the words that were spoken to create it are now spoken to change it. A deep headache begins to pound as the words continue.
Soon everyone can hear the words as Alys' teeth begin to clench in pain and her breath comes in short rasps.
Krays can feel the progress of the girl's soul halt as it is drawn back into its body. The horrific wounds are partly knitted back together, and her soul settles back into its body.
The invisibility drains away from Alys now in her true form, a young, pretty human-looking girl with three fox tails. She staggers slightly and wipes a thin trail of blood away from her nose.
Infirmary
"Professor Sunwake, I must insist that you get back into bed this instant!""Don't be silly, I'm fine. I'm not even taking my IV out, see? I won't go far. I won't even leave the infirmary," she said in as reasonable a tone as she could manage. She wasn't micromanaging everything. She wasn't. She didn't have control issues. She just wanted to make sure that things went smoothly with rescuing Melody. It was only a few steps after all.
Jessa stops in front of Aananda, mostly blocking the door to the infirmary. Her face is a set mask of worry and chagrin. When she looks up at Aananda, there is a total lack of recognition on her face, but her brows come together slightly in concern, "Excuse me, miss? You don't look too good, maybe you shouldn't leave just now? Sorry. Not trying to be a pest, but you really look like you should lay down and sleep for about .. um .. maybe a week."
"Ahh. What about you?" he says to Kezzin. "Looks like you eat normal things..."
Kezzin looks up, his hand halfway to his mouth. He uses utensils for many foods, but this drumstick is meant for hands. "Huh? Oh. Yeah, normal food. Just a lot of it."
"No. No!" Michael yells, running towards the corpse and slamming a hyperdermic into its chest. He watches as the injection sight slowly smokes, then just burns, with no reaction from Rep. "Gods damn him!"
Ginni nodded reluctantly. "Okay. But be careful. The demon is dangerous I think. She doesn't want you to help me."
Phaezeriel nods, ::I doubt she does;I will interfere with her desires. I will be careful.::
Phaezeriel stands up and walks slowly toward the red clouds, dropping protections over his own mind as he goes. He pauses just outside the red, examining it before stepping carefully into it.
Walks up to the corpse of Repp and touches his staff to it, grabbing the soul before it can make it's journey on. The corpse almost immediately begins to look desiccated as a result.
::It is done.:: he sends to Ephebe.
::Thank you, my love.::
"Well," she said out loud, addressing her grandmother who was sitting across the table from her. "It seems that the students are once again safe to wander the grounds. I'm sure that we all feel better for that."
He stops what he's doing and looks long at Nala before responding. He finishes up the tea and brigns it over, sitting with her on the cushioned floor mat."I'd be lying if I said that didn't concern me a great deal. Those aren't a list of great options. But death? I'm sure Krays could bring you back, and honestly Luck may appreciate you 'rolling the dice' on such a thing...but death? High price...what do you think?"
Nala takes her cup of tea and cradles it in her hands, letting the warmth of it soothe her. She sighed.
"As far as the Winter Court is concerned, I don't have any real information. All I have right now is guesses. Guesses made through a lens of fear and pain. Which brings me back to the other problem. These memories are holding me back. In every aspect of my life. They make me a less effective healer because I have a difficult time interacting with older patients. They certainly make things challenging between us. Not that you have ever been anything other than patient and understanding. But I'd like to be able to show affection without having a panic attack," she added wryly. "And they are coloring my judgment in regards to how I should deal with the threat posed by the Others. I'm more afraid and therefore more cautious, which makes me a less than ideal Champion, at least by Luck's standards. Luck isn't a big fan of playing it safe. I mean, I know that the things that happened to me will always be a part of who I am, including the horrific things. I just...I need to not have them be front and center all the time. Living through them once was enough. I don't want that to be the only thing in my life that defines me. I'm more than just a victim."
She stopped to take a sip of her tea before continuing. "I'm terrified at the thought of dying. Even knowing I will come back. The uncertainty... And Phaezeriel did present other options. But I also know that dismantling the connections one by one...it could take years. I'm not sure I'm willing to wait years when I know that there's a quicker option. I don't know. I'm so tired of being afraid," she added sadly.
Jessa stops in front of Aananda, mostly blocking the door to the infirmary. Her face is a set mask of worry and chagrin. When she looks up at Aananda, there is a total lack of recognition on her face, but her brows come together slightly in concern, "Excuse me, miss? You don't look too good, maybe you shouldn't leave just now? Sorry. Not trying to be a pest, but you really look like you should lay down and sleep for about .. um .. maybe a week."Infirmary
"Professor Sunwake, I must insist that you get back into bed this instant!""Don't be silly, I'm fine. I'm not even taking my IV out, see? I won't go far. I won't even leave the infirmary," she said in as reasonable a tone as she could manage. She wasn't micromanaging everything. She wasn't. She didn't have control issues. She just wanted to make sure that things went smoothly with rescuing Melody. It was only a few steps after all.
"I'm fine," Aananda insists, although her color is definitely not good. "I'm not trying to leave the infirmary. Just my room. And just for a couple of minutes. It's just a little morning sickness. I'll be fine," she said, leaning on the doorframe for support.
The nurse gave an exasperated sigh. "What you need is to go back to bed this instant," she said firmly. "And to be put on indefinite administrative leave," she muttered. "Thank you for your help miss," she added to Jessa. "Professor Sunwake needs to stay in bed. Not that she's listening to medical advice," she said grimly.
"You're making a fuss over nothing," Aananda insisted.
"No. No!" Michael yells, running towards the corpse and slamming a hyperdermic into its chest. He watches as the injection sight slowly smokes, then just burns, with no reaction from Rep. "Gods damn him!"
Keme gently pulls Michael away from the corpse. "It's better this way, Michael. I know it doesn't feel like it, but at least we didn't do anything that would make Kitty unhappy or worried to hear about. And you know what she's like. She would hear about it. I wanted him to suffer too, but at least now he won't hurt anyone else."
Krays drops his invisibility.
"Well done, young one." he says to Alys. He looks at the corpse, then back up to Michael and Ace and Keme.
"What do you three intend, here?"
|
Pyry grumbles as he poofs into the infirmary for yet another incident involving getting burned. It was one of the rare times he'd been in the gym this time, the result of a impromptu duel with an older -and rather elitist- firebird. He'd handled himself well enough, but... well, it was different fighting than it was chasing off giant mountain fire bugs.After catching a couple fish and slipping some stuff out of the kitchen to his room, Tybs brushes his left hand gently along the wall with a couple nicely painted wooden boxes under his right arm.
He glances upwards when the arrows blink upon reaching a door, and he sighs when it reads "infirmary."
After a quick check with the receptionist, the window to the cold room gets a tap. When the ice bird looks up, he sees the familiar face of his catbro, giving a wave and holding some boxes up.
Pyry turns his head to look at the window and goes from sullen and angry to smiling happily. He quickly waved the cat in after pressing the button that let the door open.
"Tybalt! I don't usually get people coming in here unless a nurse wants to scold me or something! What's in the boxes?"
Ace kneels beside her, trying to calm her down "Easy, easy. I'm not sure who Zane is, but I'm pretty sure he was never actually here. Just try and calm down, please."
He then pulls out his holy symbol from inside his shirt, and lets it hang visibly. "If you'll let me, I can provide you with some more healing"
Ginni nodded reluctantly. "Okay. But be careful. The demon is dangerous I think. She doesn't want you to help me."Phaezeriel nods, ::I doubt she does;I will interfere with her desires. I will be careful.::
Phaezeriel stands up and walks slowly toward the red clouds, dropping protections over his own mind as he goes. He pauses just outside the red, examining it before stepping carefully into it.
Once inside the cloud, the mist takes shape into Ginni's form. Well, mostly like Ginni, but much, much more sexualized, her skirt just a bit too short and cleavage on display. That and the large bat wings, the claws, the sharpened teeth, and the tiny horns...This Ginni is obviously a succubus. "Why are you interfering?" Demon-Ginni pouts. "She's had her time. She's not needed anymore."
Whatever else she was going to say is interrupted by what from in here feels like an earthquake as the connection between Ginni and Repp is abruptly severed.
Krays drops his invisibility.
"Well done, young one." he says to Alys. He looks at the corpse, then back up to Michael and Ace and Keme.
"What do you three intend, here?"
"I don't know," Keme said, looking at Repp's body with loathing. "What are we supposed to do with the body of a monster like that? From the time he came here....he murdered an innocent girl every single day he was here. Gods only know how many he killed before he came here. The world is better without him in it. But...I never really stopped to consider what to do after."
Sorchan let out a sigh as he entered the door of their apartment. He could smell smoke coming from the kitchen, which was definitely a good sign. He couldn't help but smile when he saw Pyra standing over the stove.
She smiled back when she saw him come in. "Hey, you. None of the kids showed up for dinner, so I think it's just the two of us."
"A quiet dinner alone? Are you sure that's allowed?" he asked in mock horror.
Pyra laughed. "Probably not, so we better take advantage of it while we can."
Ace pours divine power through his holy symbol, healing the girl, and Keme and Michael, should they be close enough.
"My name's Ace, and I'm a friend. The young lady here is Alys, and she's the one who brought you back to life. She can't talk, bur she can understand." He says, giving the girl a soft smile. "What's your name?"
"I'm fine," Aananda insists, although her color is definitely not good. "I'm not trying to leave the infirmary. Just my room. And just for a couple of minutes. It's just a little morning sickness. I'll be fine," she said, leaning on the doorframe for support.
The nurse gave an exasperated sigh. "What you need is to go back to bed this instant," she said firmly. "And to be put on indefinite administrative leave," she muttered. "Thank you for your help miss," she added to Jessa. "Professor Sunwake needs to stay in bed. Not that she's listening to medical advice," she said grimly.
"You're making a fuss over nothing," Aananda insisted.
Jessa smiles hesitantly, "Sorry, I didn't mean to intrude. I wasn't trying to come into your room." She looks around a little bewildered, "How did I get past the..."
She looks at Aananda and the nurse again, "Sorry, I was looking for Miss Nala? I didn't mean to intrude. I hope you feel better again soon." She turns and begins walking back to the front desk in the infirmary.
Since it was one of her favorite places ever, Cindra heads for the library to search.
Ace pours divine power through his holy symbol, healing the girl, and Keme and Michael, should they be close enough.
"My name's Ace, and I'm a friend. The young lady here is Alys, and she's the one who brought you back to life. She can't talk, bur she can understand." He says, giving the girl a soft smile. "What's your name?"
Alys looks much more stable on her feet after Ace's healing power washes over her. Her form shimmers slightly and the tails disappear. She smiles reassuringly down at the girl.
"I don't know," Keme said, looking at Repp's body with loathing. "What are we supposed to do with the body of a monster like that? From the time he came here....he murdered an innocent girl every single day he was here. Gods only know how many he killed before he came here. The world is better without him in it. But...I never really stopped to consider what to do after."
"Well, if no one minds, I can walk him to the graveyard."
Ace pours divine power through his holy symbol, healing the girl, and Keme and Michael, should they be close enough.
"My name's Ace, and I'm a friend. The young lady here is Alys, and she's the one who brought you back to life. She can't talk, bur she can understand." He says, giving the girl a soft smile. "What's your name?"
"Talysmyn," she said, sparing a shy smile for Alys. She's mostly in shock, and for her this whole thing seems like a strange, bad dream. The memories feel so real, but yet it's equally obvious that they can't be, and she can't quite process it all.
"Well, if no one minds, I can walk him to the graveyard."
"I don't know," Keme said, looking at Repp's body with loathing. "What are we supposed to do with the body of a monster like that? From the time he came here....he murdered an innocent girl every single day he was here. Gods only know how many he killed before he came here. The world is better without him in it. But...I never really stopped to consider what to do after."
Keme looks at Ace and Michael to see if they agree.
"Burn it, then dump the ashes into a tub of acid." Ace says grimly.
"No. No!" Michael yells, running towards the corpse and slamming a hyperdermic into its chest. He watches as the injection sight slowly smokes, then just burns, with no reaction from Rep. "Gods damn him!"Keme gently pulls Michael away from the corpse. "It's better this way, Michael. I know it doesn't feel like it, but at least we didn't do anything that would make Kitty unhappy or worried to hear about. And you know what she's like. She would hear about it. I wanted him to suffer too, but at least now he won't hurt anyone else."
"The one time I make things to hurt just one, specific person and... aaaahhhh! He was supposed to feel his blood turning into phosphorus mere fractions of an ounce at a time as it ignited!""
Grim warily accepts the spell with a wince as the negative energy seems to briefly burn his skin where it touches. Despite this reaction color seems to return to his face and eyes and his clothes seem to return to normal. "That still kinda hurt... Is magic healing supposed to do that?"
Pyry turns his head to look at the window and goes from sullen and angry to smiling happily. He quickly waved the cat in after pressing the button that let the door open."Tybalt! I don't usually get people coming in here unless a nurse wants to scold me or something! What's in the boxes?"
The catfolk quickly slips into the ColdRoom, trying not to let the cold out, or more scientifically, the heat in.
"Well, I was hoping to meet you for dinner. Just didn't expect it to be here."
He ruffles the icebird's jet black hair.
"What has you stuck here? And are you allowed to eat stuff?"
Instead of answering verbally, he just sets the boxes on the cot next to him as he sits at the end of it, opening them up to show expertly placed sushi rolls all through one and the other full of an array of brightly colored Popsicles.
Krays drops his invisibility.
"Well done, young one." he says to Alys. He looks at the corpse, then back up to Michael and Ace and Keme.
"What do you three intend, here?"
Alys looks over at the creepy black kobold, suddenly registering that he was speaking to her. She makes a small curtsy before turning her attention back to the girl.
She holds her hand out to the girl and speaks, the words unintelligible, but the gesture and the intent clear; she is offering to help the girl return to the school.