"Five on one is hardly a fair contest."
She chuckled. "Who said anything about fair?" she asked, one eyebrow raised.
"And I find that I am in fact very much looking forward to seeing my great-grandchildren."
"And gods help anyone who tries to harm them," she added grimly. "They'll need it."
"Just thought I'd mention it. They are all in the garden if you'd like to join them you know."
Ryleh sighed. "Yes, I really should join them. To put Ephebe's mind at ease if nothing else."
She stood up and started leave and then paused.
"Thank you," she said quietly. "Of all the things I never expected to find, someone who actually understands was near the top of the list. I suppose you had to be there," she added wryly. "It doesn't change the past, but it seems to be time to let the past stay past."
"Don't mention it. Seriously, Ephebe would throw a fit knowing that the 'talk' we had was mostly you trying to kill me." Lysander says as he looks as his bloodied clothing. "No hard feelings about that by the way, at least on my part."
"If it makes you feel better, your family was never on my list. Also... if you ever need someone to talk to, you are not the only one who remembers how horrible the fighting was."
With that strange offer given, Lysander takes his leave to go get clean clothes to change into. The mirrors collapse back into sand and follows him.
Phaezeriel pulls back from the hug just a bit and smiles at Vai,
Don't go anywhere.
With a look of concentration from Phaezeriel and a small popping sound, Vai is left with nothing in her arms.
"Of all the things I never expected to find, someone who actually understands was near the top of the list.
"Of all the things I never expected to find, someone who actually understands was near the top of the list.
"Of all the things I never expected to find, someone who actually understands was near the top of the list.
Vai looks a bit startled when Phaez disappears, wondering where he went. She blinks and looks at Aananda. She smiles and says: "No session today then?"
"No, sweetie. You're excused from classes today, even mine. I'd like to run another scan on you tomorrow, but since the changes I'm seeing all appear to be beneficial, I'm not too concerned. You can join the others in the garden if you like, or get some rest, or stay here and help assemble security crystals...whatever you like."
"No, sweetie. You're excused from classes today, even mine. I'd like to run another scan on you tomorrow, but since the changes I'm seeing all appear to be beneficial, I'm not too concerned. You can join the
POP!
others in the garden if you like, or get some rest, or stay here and help assemble security crystals...whatever you like."
Phaezeriel appears on a countertop as Ananda is speaking, a glittering silver shape coiled in his hands. He waits politely until she finishes then looks down at the armful of metal he holds and turns towards Vai.
This is Vai. You belong to her now. Serve her well.
As he speaks a very small draconic head lifts up to look at him. It turns it glittering blue eyes to Vai. Then it rises to its feet and hurls itself into the air. It streaks around Vai two or three times before settling onto her arm. It stretches up and places a forepaw on her shoulder, then rubs its cheek on hers. It is a perfectly formed dragon, made entirely of mithril except for its sapphire eyes, with a body the length of vai's forearm.
Vai looks inquisitively at the silver creature. The eyes match Vai's eye colour almost precisely. When the creature lands on her arm and rubs it's cheek against hers she squeaks from surprise. She holds her arm up, so the creature won't have to work to stay perched. Vai's voice is a little awed. "It's beautiful Phaez. What is it? Where did you find it?"
I made it. Remember how I said I would look for a long term solution to the spell I used to hide you? Well, we have a more permanent solution now, but as long as you have this with you, no one can find you with magic. It is a construct, but I gave it a tiny fraction of personality so that it can be more life-like. You can also tell it to send a message to anyone you know and it will do so over any distance. As long as they are on the same plane anyway.
Aananda ran a critical eye over the mithral wyrmling.
"It's beautiful craftsmanship, Phaeze. Do you just make magic items, or are your skills more generalized?" she asked in that considering tone that warned anyone who didn't want to be spending significant amounts of time in the lab to say no.
Thank you Lady Ananda. I currently know how to make constructs, miscellaneous items, and storage crystals for psychic power. But with a little notice I can be ready to make just about any magical or psychic item.
"How do you feel about earning extra credit?" she asked with a mischievous smile. "Because we could really use some extra help in here. Especially with getting the planetary security network up and running. Ephebe was going to work on it, but I don't feel right asking her now with everything else that's happened."
At this point, Krays has taken the form of a black wrymling (the size of a house cat) and is playing with the kids...tag, hide n seek...whatever.
I would like to help protect this place. This is the first time I have felt like I had a home.
Phaezeriel is watching Vai and the Mithril wyrmling get acquainted with a small smile on his face.
Vai, it would probably respond well to having a name.
After a moment of the two getting acquainted, the mithril wyrmling curls up around her neck, making soft purring noises. "He's so beautiful... he needs a beautiful name... what about Nimceleb? Would you like that?" Vai nuzzles the creature. "Um... how do I... make him work?"
As the end of class approaches, the noise level in the garden seems to go up exponentially, despite the departure of the other students nearby. The sounds drifting through the verdant expanse are those of younger children.
With a centering breath, Fei opens his eyes and rises from his attempts at meditation. He starts to carefully make his way through the greenery so as not to step on any students (or younger ones) on his way to Art class.
Ephebe watched as Krays played with the kids while she was working on making some quick repairs to a bubblemaking machine that could make bubbles big enough and strong enough to ride around in. She remembered them being extremely fun for rolling down hills.
There was a knock at the door to the Headmaster's office.
"Excuse me, sir, I don't mean to bother you. I'm hear to speak to you about one of my students who, to the best of my knowledge, has been in isolated detention for almost two days now. I would like to know if Ssrena will be continuing at this school and if so what the terms of her punishment will be. Also, I'm not sure if you've already dealt with this or not what with all of the other excitement, but I was curious if there were going to be any form of punishments for the other lycans for the riot the other night?"
The townsfolk were getting restless again. With everything else going on, it was likely that Uncle Ryo had forgotten them again. That was alright. He smiled. This he could handle.
Since Fieri had decided to go back to class he was on his own for this, which was fine. He balanced the roll of blueprints he'd taken from the lab over his shoulder and walked out confidently. Setting up that listening device in the village pub was so going to pay off right now.
"You're the ones who are here about the jobs right?" he asked cheerfully as he met the suspicious glares of the townsfolk.
To shield yourself from being found, you simply have to have it with you. Within 10 feet. To send a message, just tell it the message that you want to send and to whom you want to tell the message.
Vai laughs as Nimceleb nips playfully at her ear. "Thank you so much Phaez, he's adorable." Vai gives Phaez another hug, making a weird scene of a girl with a dragon on her shoulder hugging a demon. "Is there anything I can do for you?"
Waits for Nala in the lunchroom...
When the day gets around to lunchtime, Nala wanders in fairly early since that was a good strategy for avoiding crowds. Although she hadn't gotten much more than dirty looks since people realized that she and Ryuzo were an item.
There was a knock at the door to the Headmaster's office.
"Excuse me, sir, I don't mean to bother you. I'm hear to speak to you about one of my students who, to the best of my knowledge, has been in isolated detention for almost two days now. I would like to know if Ssrena will be continuing at this school and if so what the terms of her punishment will be. Also, I'm not sure if you've already dealt with this or not what with all of the other excitement, but I was curious if there were going to be any form of punishments for the other lycans for the riot the other night?"
"It's not a problem. Ssrena started a riot on the belief that lycanthropes were stronger and therefore better than the rest of the students here. That belief is unacceptable. She will be leaving this school at the end of the day and not allowed back. The others will have a punishment slightly less severe. Three months of slurk detention, no participation in any school events, and a day in the White Room for every time they start a fight while in their hybrid or animal forms. half a day in their non-shifted form. If you can think of something to add to that, please tell me what it is."
Ryuzo smiles and stands as he sees Nala enter the cafeteria.
"Did you want to eat here? The garden's been taken over for PE classes...actually, here won't work, we'll need some privacy. If it's ok, you mind getting lunch, then eating in my room?"
At this point, Krays has taken the form of a black wrymling (the size of a house cat) and is playing with the kids...tag, hide n seek...whatever.
Ecstatic that Krays can turn into a tiny little dragon, the children immediately begin a game of tag with him, and then races from one end of a garden path to the other, eventually just making up games on the spot.
::Wow...do these things ever run out of energy!!:: He says to Ephebe
"It's not a problem. Ssrena started a riot on the belief that lycanthropes were stronger and therefore better than the rest of the students here. That belief is unacceptable. She will be leaving this school at the end of the day and not allowed back. The others will have a punishment slightly less severe. Three months of slurk detention, no participation in any school events, and a day in the White Room for every time they start a fight while in their hybrid or animal forms. half a day in their non-shifted form. If you can think of something to add to that, please tell me what it is."
Miss Jones nodded. "Yes, that sounds like a fair punishment."
She sighed. "It does not however get to the heart of the problem. removing the ringleader is certainly necessary. But with Ssrena gone and Mr. Darkclaw no longer willing to act as leader of the lycan faction, or even have any part of their group whatsoever, there is a bit of a vaccuum of power as it were. It would be best for everyone if rather than isolating themselves, the lycans actually attempted to integrate themselves into the school population. I do not believe they will do so unless forced. Rather than restricting them from school events, thereby increasing their isolation, I would suggest that they be given some form of responsibility that forces them to interact with other students in a positive way. Set-up, clean up, handing out supplies. That sort of thing."
Ryuzo smiles and stands as he sees Nala enter the cafeteria.
"Did you want to eat here? The garden's been taken over for PE classes...actually, here won't work, we'll need some privacy. If it's ok, you mind getting lunch, then eating in my room?"
She bit her lip. She knew his motives were purely for privacy. Besides, it wasn't as if it were really any different than him being in her room. She let out a sigh.
"Okay, that will work. We can just get some box lunches and go."
She quickly shifted her bookbag to hide the wriggling inside.
"Besides, I think trying to eat in the cafeteria might be...problematic."
::Wow...do these things ever run out of energy!!:: He says to Ephebe
::Nope. They have two settings. Crazy energetic and asleep. At least that's what Master Quo always used to say about us.::
"Who wants to try bubble rolling? You get to roll down the hill while inside a giant bubble!"
::That should give you a chance to catch your breath.::
"That is a very good idea. At the moment though the only event I have scheduled is a Hunt meant to prepare the students for a fight if our off-planet enemies find us." He takes a moment to think. "What about a talent show? We could split them up into groups that help the Art students make posters advertising the show and build the stage."
...Set-up, clean up, handing out supplies. That sort of thing."
"Who wants to try bubble rolling? You get to roll down the hill while inside a giant bubble!"
"We could be in bubbles!?" They all ask as they run over to Ephebe and the machine. "It won't pop?"
"That is a very good idea. At the moment though the only event I have scheduled is a Hunt meant to prepare the students for a fight if our off-planet enemies find us." He takes a moment to think. "What about a talent show? We could split them up into groups that help the Art students make posters advertising the show and build the stage."
She nodded. "Yes, that is exactly the sort of thing they need to get them past this 'us and them' mentality. I know you're very busy, and already have another activity to plan. I'll be happy to help with the planning and supervising of this talent show in whatever capacity you deem necessary," she said with an uncharacteristic smile. It was something of a surprise from someone who usually hid behind a severe appearance.
"I'll set it in motion with an announcement tonight during dinner and making a list of students who can most likely work well with the lycans. If you could talk to the art teachers to see which students they can spare and when, it would a great help."
She bit her lip. She knew his motives were purely for privacy. Besides, it wasn't as if it were really any different than him being in her room. She let out a sigh.
"Okay, that will work. We can just get some box lunches and go."
She quickly shifted her bookbag to hide the wriggling inside.
"Besides, I think trying to eat in the cafeteria might be...problematic."
They'll grab boxed lunches (Ryuzo sneaks some meat scraps for Vasya) and they head back to his room. It's pretty spartan, with a tatami mat, pillow and small cherrywood dresser. There is an area with a low table of the same wood, circled with pillows that he indicates she should sit at, as he sets the lunches down on the table. He'll ask her how her class went, not to delay but showing genuine interest. Then finally, after they're done eating...
"I don't know exactly where to start, or if this is really even a big deal or not. You have been completely forthright and honest with me about your past, where you're from, and pretty much everythign else. I owe you the same thing.
Remember when I told you I had a patron? Well, it's a little more than a patron. There are forces in the world that move behind the scenes, trying to maintain a sort of balance. Not gods or demons or anything like that, but...concepts, or incarnates. These incarnates represent things we do and experience...things that have a life and power of their own simply by being. These things agreed eons ago to not interfere directly with the mortal world, but to keep things in line and to represent their interests, they have the ability to appoint a champion to their cause. I had to leave in a rush this morning because that duty was called on, as one of the other incarnate's champions had been going way off task and had to be stopped. This will happen from time to time...
Why I wanted to share this...why it is so important is, I am the chosen champion of Deception. As a result, I have been given the ability to deceive and to see through deception in most cases.
I just wanted you to know that I have never used these abilities on you, and even if you tried, you could not ever use yours on me. I can not be charmed, I can not be controlled...I don't know if this gives you any comfort, to know my affection is genuine...
I'm kinda rambling now, but I just wanted you to know."
"Who wants to try bubble rolling? You get to roll down the hill while inside a giant bubble!""We could be in bubbles!?" They all ask as they run over to Ephebe and the machine. "It won't pop?"
"Well, it will pop, but it has a time limit of about a minute and a half. Which is plenty of time to make it down the hill and roll around at the bottom for a bit. And it's soft and springy so you won't get hurt."
"Come on, I'll show you," she said, hitting the button and standing in front of the machine until there was a big bubble around her. She turned a cartwheel inside the bubble and the bubble started rolling. She was careful not to go towards the hill though. Spinning around on flat ground was as much as she was going to risk in her current state.
At the end of the time limit the bubble gently popped, leaving Ephebe standing there covered in soapy goo. She laughed.
"Okay, you three, line up and you can try."
"I'll set it in motion with an announcement tonight during dinner and making a list of students who can most likely work well with the lycans. If you could talk to the art teachers to see which students they can spare and when, it would a great help."
"Thank you, Headmaster. I'll get a list together, and start working on a schedule."