Vai bids farewell to Professor Sunwake, being practically dragged off with Nasima.
Tamrin gives a wave and a reassuring smile to the young half-elf, then sends all of the pertinent files for her to Administration to get her set up with a room and a preliminary schedule. He then goes back in the Infirmary to check on his son.
"I hope that was the last one..."
"Umm...I should regain the ability to take kobold form by midnight..."
"I hope that was the last one..."
"Umm...I should regain the ability to take kobold form by midnight..."
"I think we've made a full patrol. But just in case we should head back to the the central room. Even if our enemy can port in more stuff, we can still shut off the entrances to there, and it has extra layers of protection, so he shouldn't be able to port anything in there."
She yawned. "And I think it's well past lunchtime. I've got a few shells of heroes feast we can use. I'm starting to think I need to develop a 'summon coffee' spell too. I'm so tired."
Vai bids farewell to Professor Sunwake, being practically dragged off with Nasima.Tamrin gives a wave and a reassuring smile to the young half-elf, then sends all of the pertinent files for her to Administration to get her set up with a room and a preliminary schedule. He then goes back in the Infirmary to check on his son.
Fei is helping Jiminy back onto a bed while Fieri is yelling at him. Jiminy catches his dad's eyes and shakes his head a little, indicating that it was a bad idea to try to stop Fieri's tirade. He gave a slight nod towards Kalesril. Then he lay back and clased his eyes, drifting off to sleep.
"Come on, let's get out of the way." Michael tells Kitty after he's been checked. Most of the student body has already been checked and released, so the chances of being in the way are slim, but it seems like he doesn't want to be here.
"Okay," she says, taking his hand as the leave the auditorium. "Do you want to go to the cafeteria and get something to eat, or we could just go to your room if you'd rather have some peace and quiet."
"Coffee is just a stimulant." Lysander states as the group heads for the central room. "Addictive too."
Once in the central room, Lysander sits down and pulls a small bundle of food from a pocket and eats it slowly. He seems calm and relaxed, almost like there isn't a chance of another attack.
"Okay," she says, taking his hand as the leave the auditorium. "Do you want to go to the cafeteria and get something to eat, or we could just go to your room if you'd rather have some peace and quiet."
"Let's get something we can take back to my room. I really just feel like sitting against a propped up pillow right now."
"Coffee is just a stimulant." Lysander states as the group heads for the central room. "Addictive too."
Once in the central room, Lysander sits down and pulls a small bundle of food from a pocket and eats it slowly. He seems calm and relaxed, almost like there isn't a chance of another attack.
"Well, it's not as good as that energy drink that Razzy makes, but it works in a pinch....and stimulants can come in handy sometimes too....besides, do you realize how much of the stuff I have to drink to get any effect at all? Sometimes a draconic metabolism isn't an advantage."
She shoots a couple of shells at the floor and then sits down to eat a dragon-sized picnic.
"Go on, Krays, there's plenty for both of us."
After she'd shoveled in a few mouthfuls of food she paused.
"Lysander...I...I know there was something you didn't want to tell me about the Swiftspark. Wait...don't say anything yet. I know we have our differences and all, but I trust you. So if it's honestly something I don't need to know then I'll just let it go. If it is something I need to know, I trust you to tell me when I need to know. I just figured I should tell you that. So, you know, you don't have to worry about keeping secrets from me. I won't pry into things that really aren't my business."
"Okay," she says, taking his hand as the leave the auditorium. "Do you want to go to the cafeteria and get something to eat, or we could just go to your room if you'd rather have some peace and quiet.""Let's get something we can take back to my room. I really just feel like sitting against a propped up pillow right now."
"Works for me. I'm betting the cafeteria is going to be pretty crowded right now anyways," she said cheerfully.
When they got to the cafeteria she requested a couple of boxed lunches and some fish for Saffire.
Fei is helping Jiminy back onto a bed while Fieri is yelling at him. Jiminy catches his dad's eyes and shakes his head a little, indicating that it was a bad idea to try to stop Fieri's tirade. He gave a slight nod towards Kalesril. Then he lay back and clased his eyes, drifting off to sleep.
He just chuckles and nods, and when James drifts off to sleep he heads back out to help with the final sweep of the school grounds.
"Lysander...I...I know there was something you didn't want to tell me about the Swiftspark. Wait...don't say anything yet. I know we have our differences and all, but I trust you. So if it's honestly something I don't need to know then I'll just let it go. If it is something I need to know, I trust you to tell me when I need to know. I just figured I should tell you that. So, you know, you don't have to worry about keeping secrets from me. I won't pry into things that really aren't my business."
Enough time passes that Ephebe begins to think that Lysander didn't hear her, but he speaks before she repeats herself.
"The rumor." He takes another bite, chews, and swallows it before he continues. "It was true."
"Lysander...I...I know there was something you didn't want to tell me about the Swiftspark. Wait...don't say anything yet. I know we have our differences and all, but I trust you. So if it's honestly something I don't need to know then I'll just let it go. If it is something I need to know, I trust you to tell me when I need to know. I just figured I should tell you that. So, you know, you don't have to worry about keeping secrets from me. I won't pry into things that really aren't my business."Enough time passes that Ephebe begins to think that Lysander didn't hear her, but he speaks before she repeats herself.
"The rumor." He takes another bite, chews, and swallows it before he continues. "It was true."
"You mean the one about them being descended from....but I looked and looked and I couldn't find any evidence of that....to keep something out of the pool of reflection....would take the interference of a patron...."
"Each of the seven hunter clans were descended from a different species of dragon. And yes, a patron and their Champion were involved in hiding that knowledge."
"Each of the seven hunter clans were descended from a different species of dragon. And yes, a patron and their Champion were involved in hiding that knowledge."
** spoiler omitted **
"So.....thanks to the time demon I have DNA from someone descended from the ones who ordered the extermination of my species...how complicated. But which patron would want to hide that knowledge and why?"
Digs in and listens...
Fei goes over, quietly gets an arm under James' shoulder and guides him to a bed while Fieri continues to scold him. He then walks back over to Kalesril and bows slightly."...Thank you for bringing him back to the Infirmary. Do you have any injuries that require treatment, while you are here?"
Kalesril watches his handy work before being addressed by a human.
"Not at all, I am far harder to kill then mortals. My wounds heal themselves."
With a quick flick he leaves a long wound on his exposed arm which heals itself in moments not even bleeding.
"Patrons and their Champions cannot directly interfere with the others using the power they wield. Take a moment and think about it." Lysander takes a drink and waits for Ephebe to put the pieces together.
Listens and chews...
Int check
When they got to the cafeteria she requested a couple of boxed lunches and some fish for Saffire.
With boxed lunches in hand and Saffire begging for fish, Michael and Kitty go to his room. Michael sighs when he opens the door and see the ramp that caught Saffire's box is still there. He hadn't gotten rid of it because Vakkler had said he'd tell Professor Sunwake and have her deal with it. Chances are she knew about him by now anyway, so Michael waves his hand and returns the floor to normal. Then he flops down on his bed.
"This has not been a good day."
"Patrons and their Champions cannot directly interfere with the others using the power they wield. Take a moment and think about it." Lysander takes a drink and waits for Ephebe to put the pieces together.
"So...if the pool of reflection has been tampered with....it had to be done by....by Kronos. Or by my predecessor using Kronos's powers. But....why? Why would she want to hide this?"
"Well.....it's been a long time. Maybe it wasn't her. She was a blue dragon, and I think she was only about 300 when she got killed. So maybe it was her predecessor. And I don't know much about him.....but I think he was a .....gold dragon," she said, thinking out loud, trying to put all the pieces together.
"Close, but he wasn't a gold, and he didn't die. Sandwalker legend says he stepped down." Lysander corrects.
When they got to the cafeteria she requested a couple of boxed lunches and some fish for Saffire.With boxed lunches in hand and Saffire begging for fish, Michael and Kitty go to his room. Michael sighs when he opens the door and see the ramp that caught Saffire's box is still there. He hadn't gotten rid of it because Vakkler had said he'd tell Professor Sunwake and have her deal with it. Chances are she knew about him by now anyway, so Michael waves his hand and returns the floor to normal. Then he flops down on his bed.
"This has not been a good day."
"No, not really," she agreed, sitting down next to him and handing Saffire a piece of fish.
"But I have hope that good will come out of it. I was so proud of you when you used your abilities to heal that girl. You did a good thing. And honestly got a better revenge against Asch than trying to hurt him would have. Something to think about going forward."
"Agh. Don't mind me. I really shouldn't be lecturing. I'm sorry."
"I just want you to know that I'm on your side, however things turn out."
"Close, but he wasn't a gold, and he didn't die. Sandwalker legend says he stepped down." Lysander corrects.
She wrinkled her nose. "Let me guess altered the record again to delete himself?"
"And you can do that? My undersanding is that the only way to get out of being a Champion is to die....unless he became immortal. I guess that would disqualify him from Champion status."
"'Pool of reflection'?" Krays asks between bites...
"'Pool of reflection'?" Krays asks between bites...
"Oh, yeah. It's this thing inside Kronos's Clock that lets me see the past...well, not the recent past. Nothing that happened less than a year ago at all, and honestly it's a little fuzzy until about ten years ago."
Fei goes over, quietly gets an arm under James' shoulder and guides him to a bed while Fieri continues to scold him. He then walks back over to Kalesril and bows slightly."...Thank you for bringing him back to the Infirmary. Do you have any injuries that require treatment, while you are here?"
Kalesril watches his handy work before being addressed by a human.
"Not at all, I am far harder to kill then mortals. My wounds heal themselves."
With a quick flick he leaves a long wound on his exposed arm which heals itself in moments not even bleeding.
Fei nods slowly as Kalesril wounds himself, a questioning look on his face.
"That answer did not need to be punctuated with self-injury - or a generalization about mortal 'frailty'...but I am glad that you do not require medical attention, nonetheless."
"Are you a new student at Avalon, or did you pursue the fiends here through the rift?"
"Also, I'd assume you'd need to be willing to be a Champion...I don't imagine an aspect would want to keep a disgruntled Champion on a technicality, right? I figured a being like that could offer or withdrawl his power or support at will?"
"Also, I'd assume you'd need to be willing to be a Champion...I don't imagine an aspect would want to keep a disgruntled Champion on a technicality, right? I figured a being like that could offer or withdrawl his power or support at will?"
"I...I guess so. That's not really how it was presented to me....but I guess Kronos wouldn't want to advertise that there was an out, especially if someone took it once."
Fei nods slowly as Kalesril wounds himself, a questioning look on his face."That answer did not need to be punctuated with self-injury - or a generalization about mortal 'frailty'...but I am glad that you do not require medical attention, nonetheless."
"Are you a new student at Avalon, or did you pursue the fiends here through the rift?"
"Self injury as you put it is growth, I find it easier to be understood by showing. As for my generalization its a matter of fact. Mortals die if not they would not be mortal would they."
Kalesril yawns a bit. He had been so active, being slowed down so fast was making him sleepy.
"I was not aware this was a school so no I am not a student. And no I did not enter thru the rift, that "generalization" about half breeds from the outer planes is often wrong among other things."
He smiled back.
Vai recovers after a few moments, and looks back out from behind her hair. Nasima was talking to someone else, and the pressure was off. Vai looks around the cafeteria. Strange folks everywhere. An itch in her hand. She was feeling uneasy. "I.. uh... I have to go to the bathroom. Nasima, can you tell me where one is?"
"Hm? Oh, sure Vai. It's to the left there, right around the corner." 'Sima points to a hall that exits the cafeteria off to the left. The sylph then goes back to conducting lazy little zephyrs as they bounce an errant ramen noodle back and forth to each other in the air. She smiles absently.
"Self injury as you put it is growth, I find it easier to be understood by showing.
Fei nods.
"I am told pain can be the best teacher for some...though there are other ways as well."As for my generalization its a matter of fact. Mortals die if not they would not be mortal would they."
"That is true - but you were commenting on something other than mortality before."
Kalesril yawns a bit. He had been so active, being slowed down so fast was making him sleepy.
"I was not aware this was a school so no I am not a student. And no I did not enter thru the rift, that "generalization" about half breeds from the outer planes is often wrong among other things."
He smiled back.
Fei nods again.
"I understand. The way you spoke of the fiends seemed to indicate a certain familiarity - as if you had been pursuing them specifically. That indication was the source for my question - nothing more."
He notes the slight fatigue evident on Kalesril's face and in his posture.
"We do have some couches available in the waiting area if you require some rest," he offers, motioning to another set of doors.
A mumbled 'thank you' and Vai hurries to the washroom. She was clenching her hands, but the itch was worsening, and scratching was doing nothing to relieve it. Her back was itching now too.
Into a stall in the bathroom, Vai practically slams the door, and stops clenching her fists. Claws instantly slide out from her fingernails, extremely painfully. Blue leathery wings erupt from her back, tearing the back the uniform. Vai collapses on the floor, weeping from the pain. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she's thinking: "Oh gods, no one can find me like this."
He notes the slight fatigue evident on Kalesril's face and in his posture."We do have some couches available in the waiting area if you require some rest," he offers, motioning to another set of doors.
Kalesril waves away the concern.
"My body is just relaxing itself to fast. I dont need sleep but its the result of my body winding itself down. As for the fiends I hunt them, hunters know about their prey. It's that simple."
Kalesril waves away the concern.
"My body is just relaxing itself to fast. I dont need sleep but its the result of my body winding itself down. As for the fiends I hunt them, hunters know about their prey. It's that simple."
"As you wish. I must get back to helping those who are injured, so I must take my leave. Please do not hesitate to ask if you have any questions or need to find something."
Fei bows and excuses himself to continue helping the injured.
A small breeze ruffles Nasima's hair and her eyes suddenly widen. Oh Vai, you could have told us. Poor sweetie. The sylph stands abruptly. "Gonna powder my nose, as mom would say." Feeling like an idiot for even saying anything, she blushes and jogs over to the girls' room. She pauses before she opens the door, thinking. She then concentrates and suddenly evaporates, turning into a cloud. Her clothes all fall to the ground in a small pile and she wafts through the cracks in the door, silently. Floating in, she gathers around the ground, low, like a fog.
"Vai..." she says, and her voice fades in and out across the room, misty and grey and comforting like morning mists over lowland woods. "Vai, hey, it's okay. It's me, Nasima. Are you hurt? Does it hurt? You didn't have to leave, but I sure understand why you did. Boy you should have seen the first time Ephebe transformed into a dragon right in front of me, in the headmaster's office. Almost squished me and a bunch of others! It's okay, most of us have seen draconic transformations before, it's okay."
"Do you want to talk about it?"
The fog rushes over Vai, soothing her pains, comforting. "Nasima? It hurts, I don't know what's happening, I couldn't stop it... I don't know how to undo it..." Vai uncurls and looks around, tears still gleaming in her eyes. Fog everywhere. "Where are you?
"Also, I'd assume you'd need to be willing to be a Champion...I don't imagine an aspect would want to keep a disgruntled Champion on a technicality, right? I figured a being like that could offer or withdrawl his power or support at will?""I...I guess so. That's not really how it was presented to me....but I guess Kronos wouldn't want to advertise that there was an out, especially if someone took it once."
"Especially since the only Champion to ever step down was the Champion of Time." Lysander comments as he finishes his small meal. "It was Kronos' own fault, taking on a Champion."
"Especially since the only Champion to ever step down was the Champion of Time." Lysander comments as he finishes his small meal. "It was Kronos' own fault, taking on a Champion.""Also, I'd assume you'd need to be willing to be a Champion...I don't imagine an aspect would want to keep a disgruntled Champion on a technicality, right? I figured a being like that could offer or withdrawl his power or support at will?""I...I guess so. That's not really how it was presented to me....but I guess Kronos wouldn't want to advertise that there was an out, especially if someone took it once."
"I...I didn't know about any of this. Please tell me what happened. Now I'm very certain that I need to know," she said, looking quite worried.
@Vai: There is a ghostly giggle. "I'm the fog, silly. And as for what's happening, well, it looks to me like you're turning into a dragon. At least mostly. This ever happen before? Or anything like it?"
"I dunno, I don't remember much from the experiments.. I didn't want to remember.. but I can't remember anything like this.." Vai touches her wing with a hand and shudders. "Aren't dragons supposed to breathe fire? What if that happens and I can't control it?"
"I...I didn't know about any of this. Please tell me what happened. Now I'm very certain that I need to know," she said, looking quite worried.
"Time wanted his(or her, patrons are like that) Champion to find a kill another Champion that was causing trouble. He searched and searched, finally finding the Champion he was looking for: his younger brother. Time still wanted him dead, but he couldn't hurt his brother. He erased himself from time and became immortal, using Time's own power to escape Championship."
"He became known as the Watcher in Sandwalker mythos, making sure they always survived. He's very protective of his family. If they can't handle something, he steps in."
"I...I didn't know about any of this. Please tell me what happened. Now I'm very certain that I need to know," she said, looking quite worried."Time wanted his(or her, patrons are like that) Champion to find a kill another Champion that was causing trouble. He searched and searched, finally finding the Champion he was looking for: his younger brother. Time still wanted him dead, but he couldn't hurt his brother. He erased himself from time and became immortal, using Time's own power to escape Championship."
"He became known as the Watcher in Sandwalker mythos, making sure they always survived. He's very protective of his family. If they can't handle something, he steps in."
"I see......I definitely need to talk with Kronos about this. I don't like that he (and yes, he's sometimes a she, patrons are confusing) was keeping this from me. If he's going to use me as a way to have a second chance of getting things right, he could at least have the decency to tell me. Especially after...well, it would have helped a lot knowing that Time doesn't always get things right the first time either."
She stood up and paced back and forth across the room as she talked.
"And how am I supposed to organize a resistance against the Champion of Madness knowing that the awful thing he did was something Time tried to do once too....."
"The brother....was he the Champion of Madness that came before? Or is there someone else I need to worry about? Patrons don't forget these things, and they have a bad habit of taking it out on Champions."
She put a hand over her eyes, trying to ease the building headache.
Frowns
"From what I understand, with Madness being the exception, that is against the rules..."
She put a hand over her eyes, trying to ease the building headache.
"You don't have to worry about Time sending you against that Champion. His Patron faded away not long after the Watcher stepped down."
Frowns
"From what I understand, with Madness being the exception, that is against the rules..."
"Where there is one exception, there are others. The Patrons are at war with each other, always have been. They just aren't as open about it anymore."
A tiny face on a near by wall no bigger then the size of a pin needle's head watches the trio discussing the patrons. "Time's little secret was out to his champion, wonder how that was going to go over. Death seemed to have weaseled a reborn in, figures he would take advantage of the life cycle more then anyone. Weaknesses to be had, Madness may clean house if he does it right." The little face smiles wide. "What fun."
"No, not really," she agreed, sitting down next to him and handing Saffire a piece of fish.
"But I have hope that good will come out of it. I was so proud of you when you used your abilities to heal that girl. You did a good thing. And honestly got a better revenge against Asch than trying to hurt him would have. Something to think about going forward."
"Agh. Don't mind me. I really shouldn't be lecturing. I'm sorry."
"I just want you to know that I'm on your side, however things turn out."
"Lecture away. I think I'll like yours better anyway." Michael replies with a grin he can't help. "You really are just to good for me."
@Vai: There's a pause. "...experiments?"
She put a hand over her eyes, trying to ease the building headache."You don't have to worry about Time sending you against that Champion. His Patron faded away not long after the Watcher stepped down."
"Where there is one exception, there are others. The Patrons are at war with each other, always have been. They just aren't as open about it anymore."Frowns
"From what I understand, with Madness being the exception, that is against the rules..."
"Patrons can...fade?"
"Ugh."
The speed of her pacing increased. "And now I...I can't help but wonder how much was a test. I mean, he had a Champion step down because they were asked to kill a sibling.....I lost track of how many times I had to kill Jimmy," she said, her voice breaking. She took a deep breath. "I did it to save him, but that didn't make it hurt less. I thought...I thought it was necessary, that I was making a real difference. But now..I went through hell, and now I don't even know if it was actually necessary or just some bizarre loyalty test.....But I guess that part is between me and Kronos."
"There's one thing I still don't understand. You said he was the one who concealed the origin of the Swiftsparks...that he hid all the records of them being descended from gold dragons. Why? Is it something he did for all the clans or just them?"
