Ties That Bind

Status
Not open for further replies.
Cassie started giggling when Kellen did, laughter being almost as contagious as yawning. "I knew you could do it! We have to celebrate!" She spun a little, still giggling. She sent a wide, happy smile at Gaen, completely unconcerned, and used to, his unique way of putting things. "Gaen, we have an excellent reason to have some of that really sweet wine of yours now, right? You know, I can't think of a better occasion." She finally left Kellen alone, moving over to Gaen and grinning brightly up at him.

Anax was instantly distracted by Kellen's comment. "Of course, I'm still hungry. I barely ate a thing in there." He waved his hand at the building. Honestly, seven sausages, three chunks of meat and a chicken leg was nowhere near enough. His smirk was back, now that he was convinced that Cassie wasn't going to hug him. "We can't all be dainty little things like you, Kellen." While it was true that currently, he wasn't that much bigger than she was, but normally he was.

Easily distracted from begging Gaen, Cassie grinned, as she turned toward the dorms, happy that they are celebrating and not commiserating. "So, Anax, what are you?" Probably not the most polite question in the world, but she wanted to know. "Are you an extra special, one of a kind, like Gaen here?" She said it fondly, honestly pleased to have him as her Guardian.

A shake of his head, and a so-so hand gesture. "I'm a Shadow Wyvern, not one of a kind, but I think I'm decent enough." He shrugged then, because to him, it really didn't matter. He was what he was, and nothing could change that. He certainly wasn't going to apologize for it. He glanced at Gaen, figuring he was some type of fae, even if he had no idea what kind. Generally the Fae tended to stick together, while Anax, he wandered.
 
Dainty, huh? He'd have a new surprise when he saw how much she ate, but she was also starting to think that their little dorm suite fridges were not going to be anywhere near big enough to even hold all the snacks they were going to need to keep all of them from getting peckish. Kellen just grinned at him, flashing a bit of an overlapped fang and shrugged with a little acquiescent nod as Cassie took control over the situation. And then baldly asked Anax what he was, prompting another, smaller snort from the redhead.

Shadow Wyvern, huh? Now she had a proper name, she wouldn't even have to look up his race on STU's encyclopedia of known Guardians. Good. It'd taken forever to figure out what Gaen was the year before, and Kellen had been little help, so deep in a morose funk of failure and despair. Noticeably, she still would look him up and read all that was available on wyverns, but at least she knew where to start.

At being called extra special, like a Shiny Pokemon collectible, Gaen's cigarette shimmered out of existence, leaving behind nothing but the faint suggestion of smoke in the air before an eddy of wind stole it, dissipating it like the tendrils of a dream. He seemed a little off-put and yet pleased at the description. Perhaps not at the casual tone, but the words were flattering... somewhat.

Noticing the subtle looks Anax and the fairy had been exchanging over their heads, Kellen waved a hand in the airspace between the two as they walked towards the dorms, looking back and forth. "So should we be worried that wyverns and fairies don't get along? Gaen?" The name was stressed for him, and only him; she frowned. The fairy's lips curled up faintly in bemusement.

"No, I've nothing to do with wyverns or any of their brethren for good nor bad. Though i can't speak of other fairies." And he wouldn't, by the half-shrug. The Gancanagh had very little to do with any race that lacked the inherent qualities that attracted him to their females. What other fae or fairies did, on the other hand, was beyond him.
 
Anax shrugged again, one hand coming up and waving back and forth. "Not on my end. Never had much to do with the Fae." In fact, Anax had only seen one group of them, ever. All of them clustered together in a field, doing... something. "As long as he isn't a Drake or a cat, I have no problems." It wasn't exactly surprising that Anax had a dislike of Drakes, and the cats were more of a personal preference. He didn't exactly have a reason,but they annoyed him.

Cassie's brown eyes widened a bit, and she turned completely around and walked backwards. "But, cats are adorable! All soft and cuddly, not to mention they don't have to be walked like a dog." She had her hands loosely clasped behind her back as she walked. "I think it's a guy thing, Kel. Guys only like big dogs." She rolled her eyes a bit, knowing better than to ask Gaen. She's already had that discussion.

Changing the topic, as was her habit, Cassie, smiled over at Kellen. "So, have you thought about what area, you are going to study for now? I honestly just don't know what I would be good at..." She glanced at Gaen, hoping that this time he would offer an opinion. "I mean, I don't really see myself as the front line type, you know? You've always been better at fighting than I am. But, I also don't want to sit around as support either..."

Since he had absolutely no idea what Cassie was talking about, Anax took the time to look around the complex a bit. The cobbled walkway was familiar, in a way, while the style of the buildings was completely foreign. Still, they did cast lovely shadows here and there, breaking up the bright area a bit. It was still very disconcerting to see buildings that were taller than he was. He still didn't like being so small, and he was already planning a nice solid round of tests for his skills later. Much later, after his flight, and nap.
 
"I think that will rely on... what we're good at, as a team." Kellen hedged, frowning; that was going to be another decision that had to be made before they could advance to their next step, though that would take months, if not until her second year, like Cassie, and often relied on the professional opinion of the summoners and guardians who taught their classes. They had decades of experience behind them, on the field, working with new teams. Sometimes their decision overrode all else.

"Reconnaissance, maybe." She ventured to guess, though she herself was plenty comfortable busting heads and leaving behind no opposition. But in a real life situation, those fights in the gym and on the training mat would be real, and she wouldn't be leaving behind pained fellow trainees, but corpses. That didn't sit too well with her. She hadn't dreamed and worked half her life for this moment to become a killer. Not that she had anything against those that went or were selected as optimal wetwork teams; everything and anything for a time and place, as needed. But she never wanted that to be her honed purpose. Not for herself, and not for Anax.

That he might prefer that would be something to be dealt with at its own time. Not when all she wanted was a drink, a bandaid, a shower, food and a nap -- not necessarily in that order. Gaen coughed, politely, and she was glad to let him speak up.

"I believe we might be best suited for something not combat related." He replied, carefully, blank in expression for a moment instead of the usual stroke of sardonic indolence. Which in Gaen speak meant he really disliked to see women fighting for their lives, but had gotten into enough fights with the both of them over the last twelve months to be any less diplomatic in his wording than that. Kellen huffed at him, a habit she picked up from her roommate, and pointed at a three-story building with red-brick patterned walls, a black hipped roof sitting tall, a veranda wrapped around the first floor.

"Home sweet home." She told Anax, observing his reaction. Could he take living indoors? He hadn't seem terribly pleased inside the summoning chamber.
 
"You're probably right, Gaen." Cassie replied with a little sigh. Her partner usually was, but still it would be so nice if he would take some kind of interest in it. She made a face at him, sticking her tongue out briefly. "I still don't want to just sit around doing nothing."

Anax, who had been looking at the building Kellen referred to as home, decided to offer a shrug and a comment. "It could just be that I don't know you two from a half crazed poltergeist ... but I bet you would do good at information." It was a strange comment, but it was what he thought. He didn't know them, but humans liked it when people were cheerful, right? "If that's home, then lets eat, so I can go explore and have a nap."

Cassie immediately sidled next to Anax, who watched her warily. "Oh are you tired? Why are you tired? Gaen wasn't tired after our summoning... Do Wyverns get tired easily, or was it a really hard summoning? I've heard sometimes it takes a lot out of the Guardian... What do you eat? Do you sleep outside? Have you ever slept inside? Do you have a house? Where are you going to explore?" She kept up a steady stream of questions, practically without taking a breath all the way up until they were standing in the dorm.

Anax had started out just staring at the blond but about halfway through he started looking almost confused. "Do you breathe?" He had taken advantage of a slightly longer pause inbetween the rapid fire questions, to ask his own. When Cassie simply looked confused he smirked. "To answer them all in order. Yes, I'm tired. No, we don't get tired easily. I'm tired because I spent four days chasing Zephyr spirits. No, it wasn't a difficult summoning. I eat moving things. Sometimes, I sleep outside, sometimes in a cavern, no I don't have a house, and finally, I don't know, that is why it's exploring." Satisfied he had dine his part to be polite, Anax started looking around the small dorm, curious, but preferring to examine things before asking questions.

Cassie, who was simply thrilled he had actually answered all of her questions, grinned at him before darting into one of the rooms and reappearing with glasses. "Time for a drink then!"
 
Trust Cassie to go straight for the drinking glasses. Lord bless her American heart. Her underage American heart, but there were ways around things when you really wanted something. Particularly when, like Kell, one happened to work at a nightclub to cover things outside of the waived tuition fees. Not that difficult at all to swipe a bottle and slide a twenty to the bartender on duty on the way out from her shift.

"Do you drink?" She asked Anax, tilting her head, rewinding to all the answers he'd given Cassie. He said he didn't have a house, not that wyverns didn't have some sort of stable-enough social group to be able to negotiate with others for things they lacked, since trying to distill spirits on the move seemed impossible to her. Exponentially high probability of explosions aside, moonshine never tasted right in her opinion. Were wyverns like dragons? Did they hoard shiny, expensive stuff? Were they going to be finding a pimped out stash of Rolex's in his closet in a few months? Much like how they'd forced Gaen to at least switch to cigarettes instead of his pipe that stunk up the entire suite.

She closed the door behind them, being the last one inside. They'd done what they could with the small living room area, set up a tv, a sofa and a table to the side to eat on for two. They could have theoretically added more furniture, but that would have meant dodging sharp corners constantly. The laptop she'd left on the table that morning before going out was still there, so she sat down, opening it so that she could both fill out and send in their paperwork, and order delivery. The little fridges given to them were mostly filled with leftovers, snacks and drinks. (Who knew what Gaen's was filled with?)

The fairy in question had vanished into his room, the one he'd share with Anax -- or the one he'd share with Cassie, she wasn't sure. So much to figure out. "The Bacardi's under the TV stand," She said, distractedly.
 
Cassie, after literally shoving a glass in Anax's hand, bounced over to leave one on the table near Kellen. "Oh Kel? Pizza? Because I'm thinking we need pizza. Oh! with cheese in the crust, I'm craving that today. You'll like it Anax, everyone loves pizza." She started digging around for the stashed liquor, still extolling the virtues of pizza.

Anax stopped listening after a moment, really not too sure about Cassie. "I don't know anyone that doesn't drink." He kind of perched on the arm of the couch, having gotten a feel for this new form during the walk over, and doing a decent job of balancing there. "What are you doing?" He looked confused at the computer, leaning a bit so that he could see better. The forms looked fairly complicated, names and types and dates. He decided then and there, that they could work out a trade. She could do the paperwork and he would do something she hated. It seemed like a practical and fair trade to him.

Cassie made a happy sound when Kellen told her where where to look and reappeared with two bottles, both about half full, and she dropped one in Kellen's lap as she passed, rolling her eyes when she noticed Gaen and ducked out. With a long suffering sigh, she took the other bottle with her, going after her unusual summon.
 
The screen revealed two tabs open, one with the log-in account for the Savannah Treaty University student website, the other with their favorite local pizzeria with their usual order cached in the bookmarks. Kellen absently flipped back and forth the two, fingertips sliding across the keyboard with the lithe grace of dancers taking to the stage. While not a techie by any means, she and her cellphone were glued to one another, and, occasionally, the laptop was her only salvation with school work and managing to keep her family from worrying too much about her.

"Ah, okay, I just wasn't sure how easily accessible alcohol might be in the Celestial," She explained, shooting a glance at the wyvern under lowered eyelashes, taking her measure of the reply. Factually, she knew what the school taught first years, but information on the actual Celestial itself was sparse, clinical. Vague. You got more juicy bits from hearing stories through the grapevine and from what Guardians deigned worthy enough to mention, but she also knew the Celestial was just as large as the real world, if not even more so. What might have been normal to one area of the Celestial -- she'd heard there were some Guardians who had more than managed to make their own version of steampunk cities -- could have been entirely bizarre and unheard of in another. Technology and customs could fluctuate wildly. She tabbed back to the pizzeria, editing and adding to the usual order as per Cassie's request and the addition of Anax to their merry group. "This is, a.... hm. It's a little hard to explain."

She frowned; not wanting to be pedantic or explain it as if he were a three year old. He might come from another world, but that didn't make him an idiot. Kellen adjusted the laptop so that he could see better without the dense shine of an angled screen. "It's a complex machine that allows for storing of information and communication instantaneously across the world. We use it for everything in the modern world." Probably relied on it too much, but the value of the internet, secured encryptions, text messages and so forth was difficult to deny and not use. "Right now, I'm filing our partnership papers and informing the school."

if Cassie were inclined to notice, the first thing she would note was that the room Gaen kept smelled a lot fresher and cleaner than it did on previous opportunities. The open window appeared to be the cause of the room airing out, and though always as neat as the meticulous whims of a cat, the room now seemed even more sparsely lived in than ever. Gaen lifted a gaze, eyes a cool evergreen, giving her a questioning look for being followed, leather-bound book open in his hands, looking heavy and arcane. No one had been able to open it without his say so.

"I am not being 'antisocial'." He preemptively evaded that accusation, glancing back down at the open pages, spidery text half filling them. The blond had never hid the fact that he kept a strict record of information on everything he noticed. Anax hadn't been entirely off the mark about information; a fae was nothing if not a politician who hoarded and wielded secrets. "By the way, Kellen still needs a bandaid."
 
"I would assume that it is similar to here." Anax replied, eyes still studying the screen with interest. "If you have connections, or funds then you can get anything." He make a slight face at the device. "That sounds useful anyway. But since you are doing something important, I'll just ask about later." He straightened up a bit, looking over the small living area. "If you need to know something, just ask, it's doubtful you'll offend me." He figured that she would have to ask him some things, just like he did about the machine she was using.

While the dorm was a nice place, it really didn't take long for Anax's curiosity to fade. He slipped off the couch and started wandering around the small room, looking but not touching anything, fingers twitching slightly and feeling better now that he was moving. Unless he was sleeping, he never felt comfortable just sitting around doing nothing. The room was rather quiet save for the clacking of keys. While it wasn't exactly an uncomfortable silence, it wasn't necessarily a comfortable one either. Anax was starting to think that he should have gone exploring first. "Any objections to me taking my flight after dark?" His eyes slid over to watch Kellen again.


"Psh, not why I'm here. You can spend all the time alone you want to as soon as the pizza gets here." Cassie dropped gracelessly on the unused bed. "I'm just here to share the bottle and give Kellen a few minutes with her new partner. Then I'll go out and fuss and we can have the celebration she deserves." She glanced at her partner,then flopped backward on the bed, eyes staring at the ceiling so he didn't feel like he was being watched. "I know how nervous I was, Gaen, and Kel went through it twice. I think both of them probably need a couple of minutes to do more than make a deal."

Cassie loved having Gaen as her partner, she really did. He was unique and different and she liked that, but there were times that he drove her absolutely nuts. Like the rare times she managed to con Kellen into shopping. When he had appeared before her, she had be so worried she would offend him, and figured that Kellen was possibly feeling the same way. She waved at hand at Gaen. "Oh, I should ask, who do you want as a roommate, me or Anax? I don't care and I doubt he will either, so it's your choice." Cassie sat up then, and poured herself a healthy drink.
 
Kellen lifted her head, blinking, having been absorbed in finishing up their paperwork as fast as possible after sending off their order. She added her digital signature and student ID number at the bottom of the form, and clicked submit, sealing their fate as much as taking a step out of the array had. Only then did she become cognizant of the fact that she'd never dealt with the summoning cut, but it'd stopped bleeding, so she placed it out of mind. Instead she sat back in the chair, lifting her leg up on the chair so that she could loosely wrap her arms around it, resting her chin on the knee. "Not that I don't want you to fly. But, hm..."

He had said it was fine to ask him questions. The practical self that made up Kellen was relieved at that, too many problems averted straight off the bat if he was willing to answer them without getting annoyed or going irritatingly silent like Gaen. She outlined her concerns, mentally, placing them in order of priority, and then compared them to what she knew. "This city -- it's called Savannah -- it's not the largest city here, but it's not small. They're kind of used to seeing odd things," There she flashed a smile, revealing a slightly overlong incisor before she closed it. "but I'm nervous about you not recognizing some of the... things we use in the air up here."

Like Amazon drones. Wasn't that going to be fun to explain? "If you're a Shadow Wyvern, how well can you see in the dark?" She was considering their options. Anax was hardly the first flying Guardian on campus. Or the only, currently. She'd just never paid much attention to the landing strip by the school. Maybe she wouldn't have to pull out a chart of aviation laws.


"I have no problem with either you nor the Wyvern living in this room. No preference." Fae didn't sleep outside of using doing it for pleasure. He was centered enough between fae and fairy that he shared that similar aspect of their nature. Shutting off into unconsciousness like humans did was something he needed very rarely. The room was practical, but he wasn't territorial over it.

The blonde closed the book, lean fingers resting on the shut cover, before it dissolved in his grasp like sand, vanishing into the ether that existed not in any of the three known realms but somewhere in between. An eyebrow was raised, expectantly. "You've grown, in the last year." The statement was not meant to indicate physical growth, though he didn't miss the signs of the terrible aging all mortals went through, but in wisdom.

He snapped his fingers, punctuating the remark with summoning a filled glass, the golden liquid lambent under the light filtering through windows. The Bacardi bottle was then noticeably lower in volume than it had been previously.
 
Anax turned from studying one of the pictures on the wall, a family of blonds, whom he was betting belonged to Cassie. "Uh huh..." His trademark smirk was back. It wasn't his fault that it was terribly funny to watch his thus far, cool and confident partner, at a loss for words. A couple of fingers tapped a random patter on his leg, head tilted slightly. Apparently, what he though of as a very simple request,wasn't going to be that simple.

"I've heard of your planes... It seems like a terrible way to fly in my opinion." He glanced at her, listening to her hesitant explanation.

He paused, head tilting to the side slightly. "Much better than I do in the sunlight. I'm more at home in the dark than most are in the light." Seeing in absolute darkness was something that came naturally, like shadow jumping and manipulating the darkness to hide. He took time to learn the harder skills, like silent movement and flight, using his magic to hide others or things in the shadows with him. Finally, he decided to throw her a bone, so to speak. "You don't have to choose your words. I'd rather you plainly explained than tried to spare my feelings."



That was exactly the response that Cassie expected, especially after a year of being Gaen's partner. Honestly, her teachers, all five of them were leery around the fairy. One actually had told her that he was bound to cause her trouble, it probably didn't help that most of the girls in her class practically ignored the teacher in favor of badly covert glances at Gaen. Cassie had shared a good laugh with Kellen after her first class with him.

"That's...good, right?" The little blond's tone was very questioning, unsure really what Gaen meant.

Cassie eyed the glass, "You know.. I really wish I could learn how to do that." She shook her head in fond exasperation. Gaen was a difficult Guardian, and while she still respected him and thought of him as her friend, she really did wish she understood him a bit better. But, trying to get a definite answer, or a valid opinion was like pulling teeth, out of your own mouth. "It's going to get pretty busy now... Kel and Anax and you and I..." Her expression was wistful. "I think that I'm going to miss things like this..." She fiddled with the glass, before grinning. "Well that's the way things go."
 
"Alright. I'm thinking -- are you good enough to avoid all the strange things you might run into up in the sky?" Kellen considered the issue. Savannah didn't allow too many tall buildings to be built, no skyscrappers, certainly. No military bases doing aerial exercises over the city. "If you feel you are, I have no problem with you flying at night. There's a strip to take off and land by campus. There's other flying Guardians who use it."

Maybe she should track down one of those and ask them to show Anax around. That was a thought. No matter how attentive and how she liked the city, Kellen was still a stranger to it. Nobody would know Savannah like someone who already knew it intimately from the sky. Know the most interesting places to land and explore. That was something beyond her to show him. Kellen's eyes slid to the closed door leading off to the other bedroom where first one blond and then the other had followed. Giving them time alone?

She waited a beat, then stood up, intending to give a little bit more of a tour other than 'here's the cramped living room'.


"It is what it is." The words could have been in reply to anything; they didn't follow nor join with any particular answer, nor were stated in anything but a faintly philosophical tone. Gaen brought the glass up, taking a long drink, feeling the liquid burn of high potency liquor; at least humans had mastered that. There was something to be said for those of short lives still comprehending the benefits and pleasures brought by years of waiting for something.

Yet, he tilted his head, if anything, being for what passed for kind for him. "You still have two years." A grain of sand. Two. He glanced at the generic, mass-built and designed walls, signs of previous owners supposedly gone, though he could still sense traces of a siren and a wolf having lived there previously, underlying the scent of freshly painted walls. No, he didn't like Savannah Treaty all that much. But the year he'd spent as a Guardian was the longest he could recall living and sharing with any other living creature as far as memory stretched.

He might have even said he was fond of their suite. Might being a very vague word. He finished off the drink and then waved his hand, vanishing the glass and refilling Cassie's. "You've no need of magic when you have myself around." Gaen belatedly pointed out.
 
Curious, which was almost as common as amused for Anax, he studied her for a moment. "Kellen, I'm not bragging here, but I am a Scout. Only the best can have that job." It was a calm statement, factual, not an ounce of boasting. He wasn't really the type to pat his own back. "If there is a designated place to land then, I'll try to abide by that." His smile was back.

Something dawned on Anax then, a rather reckless idea that Kellen would probably shoot down instantly. Still, this human was to be his partner for the foreseeable future, it would be smart if they at least attempted to try the things the other enjoyed. Anax mulled over the thought that was buzzing around in the back, glancing at Kellen out of the corner of his eye. It was probably a very bad idea, but that made him like it more. The minute his partner stood up, he casually announced his idea. "I think, since you are so worried about it. You should just come along for the flight." He shrugged then, like it didn't matter one way or the other.

A loud knock sounded then, and a blond blur darted out of the room, throwing open the door with a wide grin. "Finally!" Cassie cheerfully chatting with the pizza girl while she paid, then turned, nudging the door closed with her foot. "I am starving! You're gonna love this Anax, it's the best pizza in the whole city! Right Kel? Oh, did you look at your arm yet? You should at least wash it, I knew one guy who's arm got infected, so go take care of that." She grinned as she made a shooing motion at Kellen, and started getting plates. "Gaen! Foods here!" Cassie knew she was rambling, but Gaen always threw her off when he showed his own brand of kindness. It make her feel a bit nervous, and she never knew what to say.

Anax, again, looked that odd mix of confused and amused. "Seriously, does she breathe? I know Tricksters that talk slower than she does..."
 
Well, he didn't lack for confidence. Not that she thought that was troublesome. If he said he was good, then she'd trust him to be precisely as good he said he was. (Thank God that certain sarcastic blonds weren't allowed to hear thoughts, or she would have undergone a fierce round of ribbing at the unintended double entendre.) Kellen simply gave him a short, simple nod in acknowledgement and had on her end dropped the subject when he picked it up again, a growing idea on his mind that made her wonder if he wasn't at least a little bit devilish.

Her, up in the sky? Kellens stomach somehow seemed to rise and drop. She wasn't afraid of heights, but she'd never thought she'd ever be up there where heights would suddenly become a very pressing problem. Lips parting to speak, the moment was interrupted by the food arriving, and Cassie rocketing out of the room as if Baskerville's hounds were snapping at her heels. Or she was hungry. One or the other.

"Uh, right." The arm. She patted her pockets, pulled out a folded twenty from underneath the grungy underside of lint-filled backpocket and gave it to Cassie before she wiggled her finger at Anax to follow her. "Your guess is as good as mine. Fae were known to swipe children and replace them with other fae, weren't they?" She joked, knowing Cassie could hear her as she pulled open the door into the closet that she shared with the other young woman. It was a walk-in and walk-through closet, with the other two doors leading into the shared bathroom and bedroom, where their fully stocked first aid kit waited under the counter. Young summoners had a habit of breaking bones and bleeding all over the place.

"That's my room at the other end, there's another on the other side, pretty much the same. Do you want to room with me or with Gaen? I don't think he actually sleeps here, if that's worth anything." Kellen pulled out the heavy box, letting out a little grunt, door left open. The rest of the closet was full of winter and summer clothing, as well as training and exercise uniforms, along with the clothes she usually wore when working, which, the skimpier the better the tips, though she was never going to get a job at Hooters.

Kellen browsed until she found a one-time apply sterilizing swab and a bandaid, bent down with a knee on the floor.
 
It was a bit strange really, the fuss they all made over a little scratch. The skin had already closed over, and there was not even a hint of the scent of sickness in the air. Still, if it made the little blond happy to fuss, who was Anax to really say anything. One eyebrow rose at the gesture, and while he was rather surprised at the range of expression that human faces had, he followed willingly enough, more curious than anything.

Cassie giggled, her high spirits returning. "I'm not pretty enough to be a Fae!"

In an odd way, Cassie's reaction to Kellen's teasing, made Anax actually smile. It was so close to something he would say, that he couldn't help but approve. "Hmm... Never really could understand why they would want to steal human children." He wasn't really moving, except for a finger tapping against his leg, but his eyes were darting about, like he was memorizing the place. "I'm sure they're good for something. Although.." He made a mildly displeased face. "Most that I know would just eat them." Personally, he didn't, as he preferred larger meals, but to each their own.

The medicine kit certainly looked impressive and for the first time, Anax was actually looking forward to the training that lay in their immediate future. While it was true fighting in this smaller form would not be anything like what he was used to, it certainly would be a challenge. Idly, he wondered how much of his original strength he had in this form. With a wry smile, as the list of things he needed to test seemed to be growing very quickly, he waved his hand a bit. "I don't mind Gaen, or you. Cassie, now, I might threaten to eat after a couple of days, but.. those would mostly be threats." He had figured that had already been decided, and as he had no problem sleeping anywhere, it really didn't matter. "Gaen is acceptable." He shrugged, not caring at all.

Watching Kellen clean her leg, reminded him that humans were very fragile. Oh, they were strong enough, they continue to survive and even thrive, which speaks a lot for their inner strength. Physically, though, it would take so little to cause them harm. Too close to a Spirit of Fire, and they would burn to a crisp, a steep fall could shatter bones, even his own claws could rend their skin easily. The idea of the partnership almost seemed impossible, if he didn't know it had worked for years.

"Lots to think about... that's a fact..."
 
"Cheery." Kellen's reply was as dry as the desert as she swabbed the small cut. It stung, briefly, then faded away. By the time she'd peeled the bandaid open and applied it, it was a long gone memory. With quick, deft movements she repackaged everything into the first aid kit and pushed it back under the bathroom counter, where it would stay until one of them needed it again. Probably in just a few days. Training didn't kid around, and the combat masters didn't care if you got a few large boo-boos on their watch.

"What, are blond women your weakness? Or is it the chattiness? You tend to tune it out after a while." She laughed, wondering if he had siblings. Anyone who grew up with siblings learned to filter out Cassie's chatter to the most salient points. The redhead bumped the doors shut with her hip and then ran a thin spout of water, washing her fingers with soap to get rid of the lingering chemical scent as well as because they were about to eat the most hands-on food known to man.

The good cheer quietened, slightly, at his last comment, but all she did was nod. He'd have time to be by himself shortly, sort out some of the things on his end, just like she was going to have to call her brother and tell him the news. Kellen put a smile and patted him on the shoulder. "First things first. Food. You, my dearest Guardian, are about to enjoy one of the tastiest, most unhealthy delicacies our world can offer, and it's better hot than cold." She left him in the bathroom to take care of business if he needed to.

In the living room Gaen was fiddling with the cuffs of his sleek suit, sitting in a chair that hadn't been there before, was too pricey and comfortable looking, to belong in a dorm suite. The first few times that had happened she'd stopped and stared, even asked how--? but that was just a Gaen thing now. She did not envy Cassie. Not at all.

"So, did they get our order right?" She bust out the plastic plates and napkins, as fussy and pretentious as the meal was going to get.
 
"No, but it is the truth.. I'm more likely to say what I mean than to wrap everything up in pretty words that don't actually mean anything." He shrugged then, because that was not likely to change. Unlike Cassie or Gaen, Anax did not think that he would do well in information. He was sneaky, but blunt with his words, not one to dance around an issue or to flatter someone. He had never seen the point.

Leaning against the wall, eyes fixed on Kellen's movements, studying carefully what she was doing,in case he needed to possibly repeat it. His magic couldn't heal, and while he personally healed quickly, or, if the injury was severe, could put himself to sleep, like a medical coma, until he was whole again. All Dragons and dragon cousins could do so, even if it was one of their carefully guarded secrets, since they were almost completely defenseless while they slept. "I don't understand her." He stated bluntly. "Being happy is one thing, but I cannot understand how someone can be that happy all the time. Not to mention, I am still undecided on whether or not she actually breathes." He smirked again, obviously teasing. "I have to say, I'm rather thankful I did not receive her has my summoner."

The sudden somber mood, was while not unexpected, slightly unsettling. He hadn't meant anything by his comment. He had just been reminded again of how different Kellen was compared to what he was used to. He would have to watch her back, and allow her to watch his.. that was different. Normally, he looked after himself, long amounts of time alone, watching their claimed area, guarding from afar, meant he rarely had someone always there, keeping pace with him. Anax was pleased by her change of subject. "Ah, yes, my first bit of human corruption. I confess, if it tastes as good as it smells then I will not be disappointed." He flashed her a small grin.

The blond looked up from where she was perched on the edge of the table. "I think so... they sent three pizzas... surely that's enough food for us all right?" Cassie didn't eat as much as Kellen did, maybe three slices if she was starving, which she wasn't, as she had passed a little bistro on her way back from classes, and had to try it. It had been absolutely fantastic and she had eaten way more than she should have. "It smells so good though... I'm telling you Kel, this place is way better than the one down the street. Takes a little longer to get here, but so worth it." She bit into her slice with a happy sigh.

When Anax reappeared, after exploring the bathroom and poking at nearly everything, he immediately noticed the chair that hadn't been there before. . He had spent a few minutes making faces at the mirror. His new look was very strange to him, hair and skin a far cry from his missing scales and wings. He had to admit though, he didn't really mind that his coloring hadn't changed. "Nice..." It made him wonder a little, what else Gaen could make appear. He had a couple of things from his den that he would prefer didn't go to someone else in default. He'd ask in a couple of days, for now, all he wanted was something to eat.
 
"Yeah? I'll check it out next time I go out. I don't have a shift until mid next week, though." By the time Anax had come out, Kellen was digging quite cheerfully into a slice of pizza herself. If there was one thing that she loved about Americans was their manic dedication to making food bigger, better, and greasier. Sure, she could tell a horror story or two about haggis, get a few double takes and disgusted noises, but Scottish food wasn't bad. Most of it she missed.

But American junk food made up for a lot of it. She twined a strand of cheese around a finger, trying not to let the slice come apart in her hands in a mess of tomato sauce and gooey, delicious mozzarella, steam still wafting with every bite. She sat straddling the back of one of the two breakfast nook chairs, disposable plate balanced on the top of the back.

Gaen was regarding the whole ritual with vaguely fond of exasperation, staying away from anything, vegetable or otherwise, that would stain the sleek suit he wore. At least, whatever his thoughts concerning fast food, he didn't seem to care if they pigged out on it. Though considering Kellen was sure the V8 bottles that occasionally appeared into their dorm room fridge were the work of fairy magic, he seemed to still think they ate too much of it.

"You're still going to continue working?" He inquired, curiosity piqued. Kellen nodded and pushed out the other chair with a foot, swing it around by hooking it around the ankle so that Anax would sit and take a cue from them all, just grab straight from the propped open box. She swallowed the last bite before she spoke.

"Aye, but I'll take less shifts. Eventually I'll quit, but it suits me enough in the meantime, that it does." At least it wasn't fliggering secretary work. Kellen wouldn't do well cooped up in front of a desk all day. She took another bite and internally sighed, happily. She had a Guardian. She was a Summoner. Life was good.



The aerial strip was more of a deserted field, which students and local kids usually took over to play sports in. The grass was kept low, and patches of it showed the pale brown dirt underneath, mixed with flecks of mica. Here and there were also deep indents, made by the heavy stride of a creature many times larger than most anything found on earth shy of the deep depths of the sea. Hints of the others who used it .

At night it was empty, and a single but starkly bright lamp post illuminated a good deal of it, with a cement foundation. Kellen had played what the Americans called soccer on the field before a few times in the last year, but this was the only time she came on something akin to official business.

The night was cool, a few degrees below fifty. She briskly rubbed her fingers together, a long red scarf wrapped around her neck, underneath wearing it a black sweater and blue jeans, having changed after taking a nap and showering. Then eating some of the leftover pizza. Now it was time to live up to her side of the bargain.

"Well. Here it is. I'l wait down here, I've got some study materials to go over, so don't worry about me." Kellen said, turning back to regard the wyvern, feeling a bit like she was dropping off her kid at the first day of school.
 
Cassie looked up when Kellen reappeared, part of her pizza in her mouth. He quickly chewed and swallowed. "Oh Kel, remind me when you go in next time, I want some of those chocolates from Marchelli's. You know the ones I like." She smiled brightly at the thought. They were overly melty and messy and Cassie loved them, even if Gaen tisked every time she had one. They were expensive, but she thought they were worth it.

Anax ended up, perched on the top of the chair, feet in the seat, looking surprisingly comfortable and oddly balanced. Since everyone seemed to just take some, he did the same. He had to admit, the pizza was excellent, and he was very hungry. "So what is your job?" He glanced at Kellen from his strange perch, wondering if this was how they ate every night or if it was only for celebrations.

"Kel is a bartender. Pretty good one too in my opinion." Cassie answered, pausing to take a drink from her glass. She hid a wide smile behind the cup, pleased that her friend was going to be able to stay in school now. Anax didn't seem overly picky or anything, But she still planned to interrogate Kellen on all the details. It was only fair, after all.




The short walk to the air strip was probably more enjoyable to Anax than it was for Kellen. He didn't mind the cool temperature, or the slight hint of a breeze, fickle and playful, almost enticing an aerial game of tag. The very thought made him smile.

Anax's smile grew just a bit more as he scanned the field, the light more than enough to allow him to see nearly everything. It was large enough, with an excellent view of the clear sky above. Lights from neighboring buildings concealed most of the stars from view, but as high as he planned to fly, that wouldn't matter. "Are you waiting before you worry something will go wrong, or because you enjoy the evening?" He scanned the field again, moving comfortable in the shadows as most humans did in the light of day. "I cannot think that you would be able to see very well." He didn't sound offended, because he wasn't. As far as he could tell, Kellen was a big girl and could do as she liked.

Still, pleased with his nap and the food, he even admitted to Cassie that she had good taste in that, he was looking forward to stretching his wings, literally, and getting a proper view of the place. Anax walked far enough away that he wouldn't accidentally hit Kellen when he changed and took off, and shifted back into his normal form. Then, almost immediately, he stretched, wings spreading wide, neck and tail extended as far as possible. It felt wonderful to be as he was meant to be. "Pleasant study then." His body lowered slightly, and then shot into the air vanishing into the shadows like he had never been there at all.
 
"Call me a worrier. Besides, it's a nice night." The wind whisked away a strand of hair and Kellen lifted a hand to keep it pushed back, inhaling deeply the faint scent of magnolia that always seemed infused into Savannah thanks to the plentiful trees that lined the streets. She flashed a lopsided smile at the comment regarding light. "I'll show you later. You might want to get one of your own eventually." Kellen stepped back and observed the transformation process, which was just as fascinating in reverse as it had been that morning.

Out in the open she could see how big he really was when he wasn't curling himself up to fit into a constrained space. She took another step back, then another, heading to a pleasant spot of green lush grass and sitting down, pulling out the tablet before she did so, or she was out three hundred bucks to replace it from her own salary. There was a sliver of a moon hanging like a Cheshire cat's toothy thing in the sky, but bare seconds after Anax took off, she lost sight of him. Kellen studied the sky, trying to decipher which way he'd gone. Maybe towards the river. Who knew what wyverns liked?

Speaking of...

The screen lit up, awaiting her student ID log in. Kellen grew absorbed in the small screen between her hands, glad that wi-fi stretched that far. Glanced over the confirmation receipt of their registration, a notice of the first wardrobe arriving for Anax te next day, and then navigated over to the encyclopedia, searching 'dragon wyvern'.

Nothing. Zero results, and a suggestion to read Wyvern instead. Well, that was a bust. She flicked her fingers, opening up the article and finding it contained more information about Wyverns in relation to dragons and seemingly related races than actual information of what they were and did. There was nothing in the sparse paragraphs that told her anything she hadn't already gleamed from observing Anax in motion, or outright asking him. Thought the bit about the wars and rivalry was interesting.

At the end, after mulling over the lack of true information, she instead went back to the main menu and selected the Savannah Treaty campus, checking out the list of Guardians and their Summoners. There were, according to the records, a dragon, two worms (seriously?, she thought) and a drake. No hydras, no other wyverns. She bit her lip absently, trying to decide whether that was a good or bad thing. At least he wasn't totally alone on campus if he wanted to seek out others like himself. Nothing to do but let him know and he could sort it out. At least it wouldn't come as a surprise once they began classes and he got used to running around campus on his own.

That appeared to be all she could do for the time being. While it might have been foolishly optimistic to hope for, say, an in-depth FAQ of how to deal with a wyvern Guardian, at least Anax seemed as pragmatic and unpretentious as she was. Maybe one wasn't needed. Kellen cupped her hands together and breathed into them, warming them up, and turned to actually studying, since she had a test on SGU international law by the end of the week.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom
Back