Ephebe blushed. "Umm....no thanks on the tea. I just wanted to tell you officially and all...about Krays and I being bonded....which you already knew....we should probably go tell Mom and Dad - "
She was abruptly cut off by a tight hug from Ryleh.
"Foolish girl. I don't have to always agree with you to value you. And I am happy that you are happy," Ryleh said.
Ephebe blinked back tears as she hugged her grandmother back.
"And as for you, young man," she said to Krays with mock sternness. "Welcome to the family. I know that I can trust you to take good care of my granddaughter."
Smiles at Ephebe's happiness, then looks serious at Ryleh's comment
"Her happiness and well being have always been paramount to my own. You can rest assured that has not changed. And thank you, I'm honored." :)
"Alright, I won't keep you. I know you're anxious to tell your parents. Your mother already suspects, but I rather expect that your father will be surprised. And don't forget to tell your uncles and cousins. They'll take it personally if you don't tell them yourself."
"Thank you, Grandma," Ephebe said, giving Ryleh one more hug before heading off in search of the rest of her family.
"So...lunch first,or trying to track them all down first? No, definitely lunch first," she answered her own question as her stomach loudly protested its need for food.
Tummy grumbles
"This bond is amazing. A resounding vote for lunch now!"
Ephebe and Krays headed for the lunchroom and made a beeline for the tables specially set aside with the piles and piles and piles of food necessary for a growing dragon.
Ephebe was so hungry that she ate too fast to really even taste her food.
"Oh good, you can read minds too." Michael says with a laugh. "Things will be so much easier now." ;)
The walk back is quiet, if you can call the noise all the forest and it's occupants are making quiet. At one point, the sound of extremely faint laughter can be heard just moments before an acorn hits Michael in the head. Other than that the walk is uneventful, though Michael does have enough bravery to hold Kitty's hand.
"There is nothing like forest air after being in that school for so long."
Wolfs down quite a bit of food himself...and does so with a stupid grin on his face...
"Oh good, you can read minds too." Michael says with a laugh. "Things will be so much easier now." ;)
The walk back is quiet, if you can call the noise all the forest and it's occupants are making quiet. At one point, the sound of extremely faint laughter can be heard just moments before an acorn hits Michael in the head. Other than that the walk is uneventful, though Michael does have enough bravery to hold Kitty's hand.
"There is nothing like forest air after being in that school for so long."
"It's beautiful here. I'm still trying to take it all in. It's so unlike anywhere I've ever been before. The air smells so different. And the light...it's dimmer, and greener than I'm used to. And I'm still trying to sort out what noises belong to what or who," she said, smiling contentedly.
"I can't read your mind, you know," she said, looking around at the scenery. "You're just predictable," she said, turning to face him with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.
"There's too many things making noise at once for me to ever figure it out either. I'm pretty sure I'll react the same way to your town too. I've never been to a port town before."
"So you can see the future? Why didn't you tell me Anthony was going to throw that acorn then, hm?" Michael asks, just as mischievous.
She giggled. "Well, now you're confusing me with my cousin Nenene."
"I miss them. A lot," she said, suddenly serious. "I was okay about it, or at least I thought I was. But being here and meeting your family has made me realize how much I still miss my family. I don't want to be a ninja, but I do want to be able to at least write letters to them or something. And..." she sighed. "I'm afraid it will never happen. If they do remember me then Obaa-sama will insist I come home and resume my training, but if I did that they'd forget me again. And if I didn't...well, you just don't defy Obaa-sama. It isn't done. He'd understand I think, if I could explain, but I'm not sure how I'd navigate things to actually get that far."
Michael squeezes Kitty's hand tighter.
"I really do think we can beat this. If it makes you feel better, I will go with you to your house or on my own and explain things as best I can."
"You know... in theory, wouldn't the already be remembering you, if this is working."
"Yeah," she said smiling nervously. "And if I'm very lucky there will be a message waiting for me when we get back to Avalon. I hope so."
"I'm going to need you with me. It's going to be so hard to not fall back into trying to please everyone if I go home. And there wouldn't be any point in going home if I did that."
"Hey, you faced my family. What kind of gentleman would I be if I didn't return the favor?" He asks with humor, but he becomes serious quickly. "I'll go. Don't doubt that. I could go armed to the teeth with Saffires if it would make you feel better about it, but I'm going to be flat out terrified one way or other so it doesn't matter to me."
"I don't know what you're scared of. It's only an entire clan of tradition-bound ninjas," she said, sarcastically. And then more seriously. "Okay, more realistically I know exactly why you'd be scared. Honestly, they scare me sometimes. But underneath all the scary they're really nice. So hopefully you'll get a chance to see that side of them."
"Thank you. For noticing me. For remembering me. For being willing to brave my ninja clan family to help me. You're awesome. Don't forget that," she said, and kissed him lightly on the lips.
"Thanks for being nice to me. For sticking with me after I told you what I did. Heck, just for making me laugh sometimes." Michael returns the kiss, not blushing this time or caring who sees.
Coming out of the service somber, Vai turns to Enre and Nasima, a serious expression on her face. Her hair is pulled back, but she still shies away a little bit from Enre. "Well," Vai says quietly, "I've got nothing planned for the rest of the day... though I should probably do something about my class schedule..." Vai trails off, her hands flexing and unflexing, like a cat might to stretch their claws
"Thanks for being nice to me. For sticking with me after I told you what I did. Heck, just for making me laugh sometimes." Michael returns the kiss, not blushing this time or caring who sees.
"I love you," she said resting her head on his shoulder. "And I can't be certain, but I think your brother is making gagging noises from somewhere above us," she whispered.
Asch and Amada show up to the cafeteria just as Krays and Ephebe begin digging I to their respective piles of food. "Hey what's up you two…something seems different abou you guys…is everything ok we didn't miss anything fun yesterday did we? We got stuck helping clean up after some metal dragon crashed the concert…"
"Well, you missed the part where I got kidnapped and was going to be sold to the bighest bidder and they had to send out a rescue party to come and save me while my grandmother and my parents tried to negotiate with the kidnapper," she said with her mouth full. "So, yeah, you missed the fun. Sorry about that."
"Serves him right for throwing acorns like some sort annoying forest pest." Michael replies with a soft laugh. He lifts kitty up slightly and then takes a step, and soon Kitty realizes their floating up on a pale bronze disc. In less than a minute they can step off onto the branches. "This is such a cool power."
"Oh, wow! I had no idea you could do this!" Kitty exclaimed, utterly delighted as they flew up into the treetops. "I think that may be my favorite power yet."
"Force field. Last time I used it it was blue though" He says as he steps down onto a branch, holding out a hand to help Kitty down. "Welcome to the famed Branching Roads of Anderail. Okay, maybe not famed, but they're still pretty nice."
"Force field. Last time I used it it was blue though" He says as he steps down onto a branch, holding out a hand to help Kitty down. "Welcome to the famed Branching Roads of Anderail. Okay, maybe not famed, but they're still pretty nice."
"Wow, this is incredible!" she said entusiastically as she scampered across a branch, using her tail to help her balance. She grinned back at him. "I may not be a fan of small enclosed spaces, but I absolutely love heights."
"Sunwake rescue squad, we're calling it..." Krays says happily
"Wait and no one to…huh what are you serious?" Asch breaks off as Amada whispers excitedly in his ear. "Wait so you two are together now!? Damn I really have been missing alot…"
Ephebe blushed. "Well, it's pretty recent. As in I only imprinted on him last night. Actually we haven't even managed to tell all of my family yet. Just Taron, Kam, and Grandma so far."
Coming out of the service somber, Vai turns to Enre and Nasima, a serious expression on her face. Her hair is pulled back, but she still shies away a little bit from Enre. "Well," Vai says quietly, "I've got nothing planned for the rest of the day... though I should probably do something about my class schedule..." Vai trails off, her hands flexing and unflexing, like a cat might to stretch their claws
Enre nods to Vai before speaking "Good luck with scheduling your classes." He than walks away to get some food.
"Well then your secret is safe with us until your ready to release it."
Just chews and grins...
"I think I was more suprised than you, Asch. Very pleasantly suprised, but suprised nonethless."
"Thanks," Ephebe said, completely unable to stop herself from smiling. She was just so happy, she couldn't contain it.
"And how are you doing, Asch? You've been isolated for a while now trying to get control of your, er, vampire side. It's going well? You look more relaxed than the last time I saw you."
Jim will find his way to Aananda's office, ready to get his schedule hammered out.
"Wow, this is incredible!" she said entusiastically as she scampered across a branch, using her tail to help her balance. She grinned back at him. "I may not be a fan of small enclosed spaces, but I absolutely love heights."
"That's good, because we are really high up." Michael replies. "Just don't fall, because then I'd have to catch you."
"It's about time!" Anthony yells. "Spending all that time kissing when you knew I was waiting!"
Vai twists uncertainly, looking at Nasima for help. She has to try to make friends.
Alton locks the door to his room and leaves, jumping to his meeting with his co-conspirators.
"Something took power from the stores."
"I know. That's usually your line though, isn't it?"
"Someone's testy the power got drained, aren't they?"
"Just tell me if we can get the power levels back up where we need them."
"I knew something like this was possible, and gave you the power level almost double what is needed. We still have more than enough."
"Do you realize what could have happened? If we had used all that power we could have died trying to use it all!"
"You do realize we're working to destroy Agartha, right?"
"..."
"We'll be ready, and nothing we go wrong. I'll even get a few more precautions set up, and people who don't even know they are going to help."
Before any more questions can be asked, Alton leaves and returns to his room. He gets all of his fire rats, all of them down to the littlest ratling, and changes to his firebird form and settles down in the middle of all them, wings spread over the rats and fire blazing almost to the rafters.
Jim will find his way to Aananda's office, ready to get his schedule hammered out.
"Ah, Jim. There you are. Okay. so let's get this worked out for you. You're required to take PE, but you can choose for yourself whether you want to take Advanced or Basic. I have the waiver forms here if you want to take advanced."
"Wow, this is incredible!" she said entusiastically as she scampered across a branch, using her tail to help her balance. She grinned back at him. "I may not be a fan of small enclosed spaces, but I absolutely love heights.""That's good, because we are really high up." Michael replies. "Just don't fall, because then I'd have to catch you."
"It's about time!" Anthony yells. "Spending all that time kissing when you knew I was waiting!"
"Are you sure that's incentive NOT to fall?" she teases Michael, although she certainly doesn't look to be in any danger of doing so.
"And we might have been more inclined to hurry if you'd been less inclined to throw acorns...oh, who am I kidding? I like kissing Michael, and will almost certainly continue to take every opportunity to do so. Get used to it," she told Anthony, laughing.
"Advanced sounds excellent.You said yourself that I would likely do well in the Advanced Class."
"Advanced sounds excellent.You said yourself that I would likely do well in the Advanced Class."
"Wonderful! I'll just need you to fill out these forms releasing the school from any liability in cases of injury or death....we've only ever had the one death and they were able to be raised right away, so you shouldn't worry about that too much."
"Alright, well, you'll need History of Agartha with Professor Relkav. It will help you catch up on what you missed while you were stuck in the lab."
"And Advanced Mechanics. I teach that class as well, though honestly it's mostly independent study."
"Is there anything else you're interested in learning about? You have room in your schedule for two or three more classes."
"Hmm.... Now that's a tough decision. There's so much I want to learn about... I'm not really sure where to begin. I suppose I'd really like to learn about biological organisms. Until recently, the only one I'd ever been aware of was Krueller."
"Well, we have a basic anatomy course designed for beginning students of both the necromantic and healing arts. There's also a basic botany course. And Care of Magical Creatures....well, I don't recall that one. It seems to be new. The schedule somtimes rearranges itself based on student interest," she explained.
Hmm... I think I'll take that anatomy course. I most likely won't be doing any healing or necromancy, but it seems like a very interesting class. I don't really know what else to choose, is there some sort of generalist course?
Hmm... I think I'll take that anatomy course. I most likely won't be doing any healing or necromancy, but it seems like a very interesting class. I don't really know what else to choose, is there some sort of generalist course?
"I'm sorry. The three classes I mentioned seem to be the only ones currently available in biology. At least at the beginning level. It doesn't help that we've lost nearly half our staff as a result of the recent string of unpleasantness. Aside from the memorial service, Ryo has had to deal with a near constant string of teachers turning in their resignations."
"Perhaps a general survey of sociology of humanoid creatures might suit you? It looks like that class is still open."
basic anatomy, healing arts, and Care for Magical Creatures
"You like kissing him? We're looking at the same guy, right?"
"Shut it, Ant." Michael replies. "I know about your Lady of the Lake."
Anthony tries to come up with a comeback, but it's just not as effective since he's turned a bright red and can't stop sputtering. He turns and runs off across the branches as Michael laughs good-naturedly.
"I didn't think he'd actually seen her!"
basic anatomy, healing arts, and Care for Magical Creatures
"You like kissing him? We're looking at the same guy, right?"
"Shut it, Ant." Michael replies. "I know about your Lady of the Lake."
Anthony tries to come up with a comeback, but it's just not as effective since he's turned a bright red and can't stop sputtering. He turns and runs off across the branches as Michael laughs good-naturedly.
"I didn't think he'd actually seen her!"
Kitty laughed. "You should have seem how red he turned earlier. He was telling me about the cool stuff around here and almost mentioned her, and then got sooo embarrassed when I told him that I have brothers so I already knew what he was talking about and then launched into a story about how Kyuu would always steal uncle's spyglass so he could look a tthe mermaids cause they were topless.....which begs the question of how you know about the Lady of the Lake," she said with a michievous wink.
"Same way he does, I was out in the forest one night and saw her. Since you weren't jealous of the mermaid, an actual nymph shouldn't be anything to worry about it, should it?" Michael replies with a little twinkle in his eye. "Of course, it helps that I like you more than her. Though I've never talked to her, so it's just an assumption..."