Aananda and Miss Jones headed outside to get the students still playing outside to come in since the temperature is heading towards dangerously low now.
Ephebe stood on tiptoe and ruffled Fei's hair. She laughed.
"You can be responsible without being serious all the time. It isn't a crime for you to enjoy yourself. You don't have to treat yourself like a prisoner. There's a lot of us here who have done terrible things, some on purpose some not. You just have to let it go and move forward. The future is full of surprises. Don't miss them."
Even ruffled, it just doesn't look 'ruffled'. It must be the ponytail. (^.^)
"I understand that it is...difficult...for everyone else here to perceive it, but I do enjoy myself - I just appreciate more subtle things than most here. But as another student has reprimanded me for the same thing, I am...trying to provide more overt proof of that."
"I suppose that it is just irony that the first time I try to do that, your grandmother teleports me into a meeting for which I was evidently...underdressed." (=^_^=)
Ephebe stood on tiptoe and ruffled Fei's hair. She laughed.
"You can be responsible without being serious all the time. It isn't a crime for you to enjoy yourself. You don't have to treat yourself like a prisoner. There's a lot of us here who have done terrible things, some on purpose some not. You just have to let it go and move forward. The future is full of surprises. Don't miss them."Even ruffled, it just doesn't look 'ruffled'. It must be the ponytail. (^.^)
"I understand that it is...difficult...for everyone else here to perceive it, but I do enjoy myself - I just appreciate more subtle things than most here. But as another student has reprimanded me for the same thing, I am...trying to provide more overt proof of that."
"I suppose that it is just irony that the first time I try to do that, your grandmother teleports me into a meeting for which I was evidently...underdressed." (=^_^=)
Ephebe laughed. "Okay, definitely ironic. Hey, all of the rest of this aside, you're a friend, and I worry about you sometimes. You rarely smile and even more rarely take time off. But I won't bug you about it any more today. Notice I didn't say I wasn't going to continue to bug you about it in the future."
"N-n-not c-cold." Anthony protests, going into the school anyway.
"Of course not, Mr. Dacamara. Your teeth always chatter when you play outside," Miss Jones said dryly as she shepherded the students who were playing broomball inside the building while Professor Sunwake made a sweep of the gardens to find any stragglers.
"There is hot cocoa with or without marshmallows set out for you in the cafeteria. Yes, Miss Bebe, there is a vegan option as you were already well aware. The cafeteria has not failed to provide adequate nutrition for you yet. You don't have to ask every time."
"Vai, I'm so sorry. I was totally out of line. I promised you I would take things slow and I totally messed up. I...I hope you can forgive me."
Sadie bit her lip. "I know it's not an excuse, but it turns out someone spiked the punch. It was the first time I'd ever had alcohol. Apparently the rumors that it impairs judgement are quite true."
"Sadie, you don't have to worry. You're already forgiven." Vai said firmly. "I... I just learned about the punch too, though when I... shifted it kinda went away. Even though I was exhausted, you were still drunk. So I'm not gonna worry about it, okay?" Even with that out there, Vai still seems a little apprehensive.
Aananda and Miss Jones headed outside to get the students still playing outside to come in since the temperature is heading towards dangerously low now.
Sadly, there had never been a goal. The game had still been incredibly fun, but it was getting very cold out. He was following Aananda into the school when he heard the other teacher say 'Dacamara'. Surely not?
"C-cold up in the h-high trees. T-this is n-n-nothing."
"Of course not, Mr. Dacamara. Go get your cocoa now," she said firmly, obviously humoring him.
"Sadie, you don't have to worry. You're already forgiven." Vai said firmly. "I... I just learned about the punch too, though when I... shifted it kinda went away. Even though I was exhausted, you were still drunk. So I'm not gonna worry about it, okay?" Even with that out there, Vai still seems a little apprehensive."Vai, I'm so sorry. I was totally out of line. I promised you I would take things slow and I totally messed up. I...I hope you can forgive me."
Sadie bit her lip. "I know it's not an excuse, but it turns out someone spiked the punch. It was the first time I'd ever had alcohol. Apparently the rumors that it impairs judgement are quite true."
Sadie wasn't sure if she should feel relieved or not. "Okay. So I'm forgiven for being an idiot while under the influence of alcohol. So what's the real problem? If it's that you're beating yourself up about running away, don't. I don't blame you for that one bit. It was too much too soon. I get that."
"She'll be here in minutes. We should go see how the progress with the clone is coming. It's time to get ready for the negotiations," she said, tense.
Ephebe laughed. "Okay, definitely ironic. Hey, all of the rest of this aside, you're a friend, and I worry about you sometimes. You rarely smile and even more rarely take time off. But I won't bug you about it any more today. Notice I didn't say I wasn't going to continue to bug you about it in the future."
"That is duly noted, yes," the young monk replied with a bow.
"Perhaps I will return to the pool for a while - assuming that will not offend anyone, of course..."
"Ok, let's get this over and done!" he holds out his hand
"To the headmaster's office?"
"No offense taken, and I think I've hit my quota for meddling for the day. Have fun." ^.^
"Ok, let's get this over and done!" he holds out his hand
"To the headmaster's office?"
She nodded and took his hand, and they teleported to just outside the office. She knocked on the door.
"Have a good day, Ephebe," he answers as he bows and returns to the lab. He drops off the coveralls, then returns to the locker room to change (yet again) and make his way back out to the pool. He notes that the temperature has dropped again for some reason.
She nodded and took his hand, and they teleported to just outside the office. She knocked on the door.
This time, the door opens on it's own and shows a floating capsule next to Ryo's desk. The Headmaster sits behind his desk looking rather displeased.
"I'm tempted to let Professor Agave have a go at this 'Winter Queen' now. The clone is done. Including the memories and selective amnesia."
"Have a good day, Ephebe," he answers as he bows and returns to the lab. He drops off the coveralls, then returns to the locker room to change (yet again) and make his way back out to the pool. He notes that the temperature has dropped again for some reason.
"May I....may I see the clone? I ...I'm not sure exactly what, but I think I have something to add that will help."
"And I think it would be a good idea to let Professor Agave take a few pot shots at my mother. The capitulation will be more believable that way."
"Pot shots... from a green mage..." Ryo actually manages to smile before he waves and the front of the capsule slides open.
"Ok so how exactly is this going to go down? Nala leaves the room and we give her the clone in her place? What if she's aware of what happened at the shrine?"
"I would rather she not even step foot on the school grounds. I was planning on meeting her at the gate, but the Professor will be most pleased that she's getting to vent."
"The Queen will never come inside this building. You'll take the clone out to her and convince her that the clone is really me. If she knows that I visited the shrine you'll have to convince her that the attempt failed...use that 'failure' as a way to explain any damage other than the modified memories. Don't be specific. Just say you're not sure what side effects it might have had. If she doesn't know about the shrine, don't bring it up."
Nala took a deep breath and approached her clone. She pulled a tube of lip gloss out of her pocket and using the lip gloss drew a symbol on the clone's forehead. She'd never seen the symbol before but she was sure it meant luck. The symbol glowed and then disappeared.
"There. That should add a little oomph to this trick, help things go well."
Sadie wasn't sure if she should feel relieved or not. "Okay. So I'm forgiven for being an idiot while under the influence of alcohol. So what's the real problem? If it's that you're beating yourself up about running away, don't. I don't blame you for that one bit. It was too much too soon. I get that."
Vai bit her lip and resisted the impulse to cover her face with her hair. This was going to be hard. "I... I have to be honest with you." That line alone was wince-worthy, and the pause didn't make it any better, so Vai just blurted out the rest of what she had to say. "I had alot of fun last night, and I really think you are beautiful, but before this I kinda had a crush on someone and I saw him again today and it's really confusing. I like you alot and we have fun hanging out, but I... I dunno." she finishes and looks at the ground, a little ashamed.
There was a long awkward silence.
"Okay. I appreciate the honesty. I'm not going to lie. I'm not thrilled to hear that. But...well, we've only been on one date. It's not like we're in a committed relationship. If you need time to figure out how you feel, it's better to take a step back now."
"But I'm not giving up just yet either. I hope you're okay with being friends. And if things go the way I hope, then you may realize down the line that I'm the perfect one for you after all," she said with an only slightly forced smile.
"I can do that. It won't be the first time I've checked the future for just the right thing to say."
"Okay. So I guess now we've done everything we can to prepare and it's time to just see how things go," she said, feeling a bit nauseous from nerves.
"One way or the other this will all be over with by the end of today."
There was a long awkward silence.
"Okay. I appreciate the honesty. I'm not going to lie. I'm not thrilled to hear that. But...well, we've only been on one date. It's not like we're in a committed relationship. If you need time to figure out how you feel, it's better to take a step back now."
"But I'm not giving up just yet either. I hope you're okay with being friends. And if things go the way I hope, then you may realize down the line that I'm the perfect one for you after all," she said with an only slightly forced smile.
Vai looked up, still resisting the impulse to hide behind her hair. "Well," she says with a sad smile, "Are we still having that tea party this afternoon? And I'm gonna hold you to those fencing lessons too, don't forget that." Vai was trying. She hated herself in that minute, that she had led Sadie on while being so confused herself.
"Of course. Zren and Rikken are totally looking forward to it. And of course I'll still teach you how to fence. I did say I wanted to still be friends. That's not just words, you know," she said. Her cheerfulness didn't sound believable, but she was holding things together pretty well.
"Okay. So I guess now we've done everything we can to prepare and it's time to just see how things go," she said, feeling a bit nauseous from nerves.
"One way or the other this will all be over with by the end of today."
Ananda finds Wyrd standing in a grove of rare and beautiful flowers and trees. He is his full height, and he seems angry. He is the closest to fully molten Ananda has ever seen him, but the heat pouring off him seems to be protecting the plants around him from being frozen to death.
"Wyrd, you need to go inside. There are enemies coming. We need all students to go inside. There shouldn't be much trouble, but we're responsible for your safety. Don't worry. The plants will be alright. Adsila will be able to help them once the cold lets up. But you are much less replaceable."
"Okay. So I guess now we've done everything we can to prepare and it's time to just see how things go," she said, feeling a bit nauseous from nerves.
"One way or the other this will all be over with by the end of today."
"Indeed." He gives her hand a reassuring squeeze, then takes his protective stance that she's seen before. It's clear if things go bad, they'll have to get through him first.
"Wyrd, you need to go inside. There are enemies coming. We need all students to go inside. There shouldn't be much trouble, but we're responsible for your safety. Don't worry. The plants will be alright. Adsila will be able to help them once the cold lets up. But you are much less replaceable."
"I will be more than able to keep them warm now that the vulcan flowers are warming up." Professor Agave says as she rises up from a bed of flowers. "We'll have active volcanoes in about a minute. I've gotten the go ahead to attack the *&$%# that dared frost my garden out of season."
For a moment it seems that Wyrd will refuse. But finally, with a growl of disgusted rage, he turns and starts stalking towards the school, frost steaming away from every step. As he nears the building he shrinks and enters, though the last Ananda sees of him, he is still glowing with the light of molten iron.
"I'll head out to meet them then. Any advice to give before I meet the Winter Queen?"
"Ahem, speaking of attacking..." Adsila says under her breath as she waves her arm and a rather directed volcanic eruption spews lava at the Winter revenue.
"I'll head out to meet them then. Any advice to give before I meet the Winter Queen?"
"Just the obvious. Choose your words carefully and take nothing she says at face value."
"Ryuzo....it may help if you kick up a fuss where she can see it. After all, you wouldn't just let things go if that were the real me. It will help sell the illusion."
Ryuzo ponders something, then takes out a very thin cloth from around his neck.
"Ryo-sama, take this. Wrap it around your head. It will show you deception, by intent or action. Make sure I get it back, please."
"Cause some problems, will do...wait is she aware of 'us'?"
"Thank you, Mr. Kato, I will ensure you get it back. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a performance to give." With one last nod, Ryo and the capsule disappear and show up just inside the gates to the school grounds to await the arrival of the Winter Queen.
Adsila, of course, continues using her plants to create and throw more lava.
Ryuzo ponders something, then takes out a very thin cloth from around his neck.
"Ryo-sama, take this. Wrap it around your head. It will show you deception, by intent or action. Make sure I get it back, please.""Cause some problems, will do...wait is she aware of 'us'?"
"I can't be certain. But I think when I...kissed your cheek.....I think that helped her pinpoint my location. Because of how the winter princess's powers work. She might not be aware specifically, but she'll know there's someone."
"Ok, then." He spawns 2 grinning clones.
"When the time comes we'll raise a wee stink."
"No need. I already know why she's here." Ryo calls back. "She may come collect the Winter Princess, who resides in this capsule at the moment, or send someone for it."
"Here we go..." He and his clones port.