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World of Darkness: The Academy - Chapter 9: Everyone's Dirty Underwear


Dawn OOC

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"Ms Pritchard?" Ravi looked surprised at Ray's ignorance on the subject. "She's a member of the Dalton council or some such. I think her offical job title is 'interfering old baggage'." The striking young nobleman smiled humourlessly. "Someone erased our memories of strange events, and she's the number one suspect. Not that she's denied it, either. The damned woman must have sealed the Door to prevent allies or enemies coming through, in the name of 'protecting' us."

"Well, she's failed on that count. Abysmally. But the daft bat won't admit it and try to work with us when given a chance." Ravi knocked back his drink and stood, stretching languorously before fixing his catlike gaze on the Chiderans present.

"I don't want to be a poor guest, however I really need to stretch my legs. What's the position on me having a walk around your town - Doorhold, wasn't it? Do I need a guide?" He smiled charmingly, the glint in his eyes somewhat wicked. "Or just someone to keep me out of trouble, perhaps."

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“I have no side,” Joran said, sitting down on the wall, facing Ryan. “The Walkers have chosen no sides in the wars that have sprung up. We have no interest in the conflicts of others.” Those eyes watched him for a moment, then the man asked, “Again, what is your name and people? I have been forthcoming to you.”

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

“The purification is from a man’s touch. Those among us have gone out before and taken men as lovers; when they return, they undergo a time of purification in the heart of our lands,” the Elder explained. “Cassandra has found her weapon and her soul fired quickly, for one born outside our people. We think she will become a great warrior.”

“Yeah, she was great at fighting,” Sean said sourly, remembering the fights, though verbal, that he’d endured from Cassandra over the years.

They stopped at a building; it was like the hall they’d left but smaller, much more compact. Shortie knocked sharply on the door; Sean sucked in a nervous breath just before it opened. Cassandra stood in the doorway, a fur hide wrapped around and blinking at the torch light. “Yes?” she asked cautiously before focusing on Swan. “Hey, isn’t that a Caramine?”

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

“I will guide him,” a Chideran offered, her voice hard. “If our allies wish to see DoorHold, and it pleases the Pimszt, I will take him.” She was like Quixa, the dark-skinned woman with the red hair and green eyes, only her eyes were a slightly darker shade and she had a swimmer’s build rather than a boxer’s. The handle of sword – one that would have gotten a man mocked for compensating – jutted up over her right shoulder.

“Take anyone who wishes to go,” Oreili replied, “as I only need to speak to Dalton’s general. Who leads your army now?” The question was asked to the room.

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Lucia's eyes widened at the question. "Well, I'm the student body President, but Dalton isn't a country or a military organization. It's a school. We have a couple of sports teams, but we don't have an army. Unless you count the dozen or so of us."

She looked at the shadows playing around her and remembered the night that she faced off with a panther. "....to be fair..." she murmured, then shook her head. "What did they tell you about Earth...about the Dalton Academy, before? When it was the man Dalton and the students with him?"

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Originally Posted By: Jeremy Noctis
Ray sighed. "Yes, it's me, and if you doubt it, flip a coin fifty times and see if any come up tails." Then he raised an eyebrow at the cattish boy. "I'd find it hard to forget something like that. What woman do you speak of?"


Micah stammered out "But I just saw you 2 days ago in the dorm hall. What the hell is going on here? Was I seeing things?" He then proceeded to pinch himself on the arm. "Nope, Not a dream. Can you explain why I saw you at Dalton a couple of days ago?"
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For the first time in his life, Sean's eyes were level with his sister's, yet Cassandra completely overlooked him to focus on Swan. He snorted and folded his arms across - under - his chest. Being ignored by his sister wasn't new to him.

"Swan's my friend," Sean clarified, smirking and holding his arms out for a hug when Cassandra glanced back at him, his feminine voice sharp with bitterness and false cheer. "Hey, Cassie! Aren't ya gonna say hi to your brother?"

"My brother." Cassandra's tone was flat as she arched a condescending brow he knew well at the other Midnight Ices. "Is this some hazing ritual I'm not aware of?"

Sean shifted to the side, blocking her line of sight, and leaned in close. "No joke, Cassandra. It's me, Sean. The tits came when I stepped through the Door. Surprise, surprise, for all of us."

Cassandra scowled, looking pass Sean at her fellow Chiderans. "I am not appreciating this, my brother is-"

"Is right here!" Sean shouted, grabbing his sister by the shoulders. "You think this is easy for me too? Any less unbelievable?! I stepped through a fuckin' Door to another world, and poof! Suddenly, my dick is gone and I have a huge rack. I can prove it."

Sean held up a fist, extending a finger after each revelation of their past he shared. "Your first kiss was with John Cavis when you were thirteen. When you saw that I saw, you chased me down and threw me into the pool at our home in Whistler - it was freezing and I almost caught pneumonia. During your regional basketball finals, you got fouled by Kristin Mackenzie, but the refs didn't call it, so you sucker punched her and got kicked out of the rest of the tournament. When you were nine, way before Vanessa and Dad got divorced, our dog Thunder died and you, me, and Savannah all hugged and cried after dad told us. Then, there was-"

Cassandra grabbed Sean roughly by the chin, studying this woman making such outlandish claims. The woman could have been her twin, save for wearing ill-fitting clothes from Earth, boy clothes that could have belonged to her brother. The woman's raven hair was shorter than her own and she perhaps had a greater breadth of shoulder, but the wry grin was disturbingly familiar.

"Sean?" Cassandra whispered disbelievingly.

"Yup! What do you think out mother's gonna say?" He meant to ask his question with a self-deprecating coolness, but there was a tightness to his tone that betrayed his sincere interest.

Cassandra's eyes narrowed to slits. This... this woman was her brother! She could see it in the way she tensed her shoulders, a bit in the way she stood, in the expression on her lovely face. Her brother!

"You're an even bigger freak than we thought, Sean. An abomination-"

Being called an abomination once more made Sean see red and he grabbed Cassandra's furs, twisting them in his fist and shoved her hard against the door jamb with a surge of frightfully strong fury. "Stop callin' me an abomination! All of you! Vanessa didn't want a son, she never treated me like she wanted me, but guess what?"

He gestured down at himself, flinging out his chest so his breasts strained tightly against his sweater in clear display, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "I'm her daughter now, every bit as much as you. Bet ya she'll be thrilled."

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They think we have a general, Sylvia thought to herself, shaking her head slightly as she sighed. They're going to be disappointed... and I hope that doesn't erase our goodwill with them.

"Lucia is right, Oreili. We're part of a school, not an army, though from all that has happened lately, it's become apparent that we're more than that.

"Wilbur Dalton founded the Dalton Academy, and from what we could find in our records was involved in whatever happened thirty years ago and passed away shortly after that. I'm Sylvia Dorn, a teacher for my students here, and in that sense I'm the leader of this group. And like my student, I'd be very interested to hear how the late Mr. Dalton represented the Academy."

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"Err," Ryan uttered, stalling. He wasn't sure if he should trust Joran. He made up his mind. "Cristos Emanuel Logakis," Ryan proclaimed matter-of-factly, and stuck his hand out. The lie had served him in the past, which Ryan still found amusing since he didn't look at all Greek. Still, the alien pervert before him wouldn't likely know that would he. "I'm human. We're not really up to speed with the whole doorway to other worlds thing. Or the special powers thing. Nobody else can see like I can ... at least I don' think so." He shrugged. A little truth and a little lie. "You'll prolly be bored around here by the way." Ryan realized he was bring cryptic and added, "Cause I don' think they, umm ... mate ... much around here, they're all girls."

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“General Dalton told my predecessor much the same, that his army was small but with technological advances,” Orieili said, taking a seat at the table. She poured a mug of drink and threw it back. “That they were a school. The children… they liked being called warriors, though. They liked to fight, and it seemed that they followed one of their own more than Dalton at times.”

“Who?” Sylvia asked, suspecting that she knew the answer.

“He was the Thief,” Oreili said, her face setting in a grimace. “It is one thing to tempt our deviants; it is another to take them with you.”

“So… Dean.” Sylvia didn’t need Oreili’s confirming nod.

“Yes. The other students followed him much of the time,” Oreili replied.

Meanwhile, the others were talking about getting a tour. The more that signed themselves up, the more the woman who had offered narrowed her eyes. Still she said nothing until she stated, “If you are coming, come outside.” Her statement made, she stalked to the door with a hunter’s grace, drawing the boys’ eyes to her. Then she was outside, waiting in the snow.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

“I doubt Mom will be anything happy,” Cassandra said. She glanced down and up at Sean again. “Mind letting go of my robe?” There was a pale section of flesh showing. Flushing, Sean let her go and she pulled the furs shut. “So. You going to see Mom?”

“She has to go,” Elder said, “before she gutters.”

“He, and what?” Sean asked, hating being called ‘she’.

“Your soul has been long denied, but soon it will burn. You must go to HeartStone for it to rage, or risk it guttering out altogether,” the older Chideran explained, though that didn’t explain anything.

“You’re going to manifest Chideran powers,” Cassandra summed up. “And if you don’t do it right, they believe that your powers will be damaged, changed for life.” Behind her, a woman with strawberry blonde hair, a deep tan and big brown eyes peered over Cassandra’s shoulder. She was dressed – or undressed – in furs, too. “You do need to go, Sean,” Cassandra added, and there was something like concern in her face. “You really need to talk to Mom, and you should go for yourself.”

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

“I’m not interesting in sex for just copulation,” Joran replied. “The Chiderans, like most physical species, have intercourse frequently. I find their sexual dynamics to be very interesting.” He watched Ryan for a moment. “You are not human,” Joran told him. “You are nothing that I have heard of, because you seem… almost a walker.”

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"Umm, no. I'm totally human. Except for this whole RADAR thing, but that's, like, par for the course or sumthin' at Dalton." Ryan was insistent, adamant even, of this point; he was neither prepared, nor willing, to believe that he was anything other than what he was, and what he was was human. "Born an' raised. Two arms, two legs, ten toes an' ten fingers, an' the proper number an' size ah everythin' else." He started to panic a little, he didn't want to find out he was some kind of ... something else, likethe others. "A week of RADAR don' make eighteen years, an' like six months of human go away."

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Quote:
Meanwhile, the others were talking about getting a tour. The more that signed themselves up, the more the woman who had offered narrowed her eyes. Still she said nothing until she stated, “If you are coming, come outside.” Her statement made, she stalked to the door with a hunter’s grace, drawing the boys’ eyes to her. Then she was outside, waiting in the snow.

Ravi nodded to the others, gave Mari a reassuring smile and pat on the shoulder when it looked as though she was dubious about heading out into the cold and snow, snagged a handful of dried meat and sauntered outside. He definitely did not want to be stuck indoors for the next hour or so talking things over. An experienced enough traveller back on his world, the young aristocrat was eager to see a totally foreign culture, one that had developed without patriarchal interference. That interest would probably have surprised the hell out of those who believed they knew him, but there it was. The smooth, apparently-shallow werecat did have some depths to him.

Of course, there was also the not-being-cooped-up-listening-to-others-talk-anymore aspect of this tour. If he were being perfectly frank, which he invariably was with himself, Ravi was heartily sick of listening to the chatter. He was young, strong, could turn into a big bloody cat and run down a deer on two legs. In many ways, his restlessness was similar to Ryan's, though there was also the fact that he, Ravi, wanted to see what it would be like to be at large in a community where men were rare, to say the least.

So he wasn't perfect. Like that was news.

He leaned against the doorpost outside, smiling at the stern-looking woman who'd agreed to guide the tour as they waited for others to join them.

"Thank you very much for this, I appreciate your kindness." he told her smoothly, careful not to flash his sharper teeth. "May I know your name?"
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“Unless you only thought you were human for your eighteen years and six months,” Joran replied casually. “If you can see without seeing, if you can sense where Here becomes There… The walkers track such things and thus far, we are the only ones who can do these things. Can you move There to Here?”

“Huh?” Ryan asked.

“I surmise not,” Joran continued. “Young Cristos Emanuel Logakis, you are not wholly human.” He shrugged, and it looked a little like the shoulders just slid up and down his spine a few inches instead or raising themselves. “I have no name for your people.”

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

“I am Yithaja of DoorHold, of the Burning Embers line,” she told him. Some of the annoyance had disappeared, as if the cold air had quenched some of the anger burning in her blood. “What are you called, Green Eyes?” The wind gusted, and she asked, “And do you need furs? Men from Dalton seem to be thin-blooded.”

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"Ravi, currently of Dalton, of the FitzCoventry line." He replied in smooth, velvet-like tones, bowing his head politely, meeting her eyes with his own as he brushed strands of his long black hair from his face where the wind had blown it. A smile curved his lips at her question, and he shook his head a little, his cat's eyes gleaming as they caught torchlight.

"And my blood may be a little thicker than most men, though I don't like to brag." he stated simply. "What I am wearing should suffice, although I imagine the deep nights might be a little cold and uncomfortable here." he added lightly, the faint smile tugging at one corner of his mouth able to devastate a nun's resolve, as he'd actually discovered once. Okay, so she hadn't been a full nun yet, but the French girl had been very enthusiastic in setting aside those vows she had taken. And there'd been something altogether thrilling about sneaking into a nun's room for fornication.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Yithaja of Doorhold." he told her, that smile never more than a shadow of the playful, wicked gleam in his eye.

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"Nooo... I. Am. Human." Ryan stood up, he knew there was nobody in line of sight to his current location. He cursed, the Rydar proved as useful as it was troubling. "What the hell do you know?" he spat. "How many humans have you studied? How can you be so sure?" His hands clenched and unclenched, futilely trying to wring the nervous fear from him one squeeze at a time. He had just started to have things figured out and now all of this. It wasn't fair. "I'm not a freak."

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“I can be sure that humans have their ingenuity and resourcefulness, their adaptability and technology,” Joran replied, his voice even. “I have a passing familiarity with all known species, since my research focus transcends species. Humans are interesting; the majority of them claim to embrace monogamy yet they frequently practice polygamy. Most of their world rejects homosexuality, yet there is a strong minority of same-sex practices. You have an institution called marriage within where the sexual liaison is socially accepted, but outside of that, it is demeaned or seen as second-best. Some places, your sexual revolution appears to be alive and strong, yet even in those places a ‘sexual scandal’ can destroy a man. In other places, such activity results in the punishment of one or both of the active participants.”

He smiled. “I can be wrong, but no where in your world have I seen a human with powers such as yours. I have never seen them outside the walkers.”

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"Yeah? Well my parents don't look like you, so unless one of your people decided to take a first hand approach with my mom I'm human. Period." Ryan scowled at the man he couldn't see, and then started to wonder. He started to wonder if there was actually a guy there at all, if Joran was real or if he'd gone insane. He wondered if maybe all of this were a delusion, or a fever dream, or if maybe he'd taken a bad fall and was now in a coma. Were is friends real? Were their gifts just a part of the false reality? Was Anything that had happened since ...

Ryan realized that he had been sick before most of this happened. Sick with a fever. "Is this real?" He didn't realize he had spoken, he was too caught up in trying to examine his memory. Had any of this happened? Were the "stolen memories" actually there, or just a way for his fever burned brain to rationalize the dream? Ryan Sat down on the edge of the wall, confused. "What's happening to me?"

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Sean's eyes widened at the sight of the mostly naked woman behind his sister, then widened even more when he connected it to loose robe that was Cassandra's only garment. A hand slowly started coming up to point.

"You!? Her!? You're a - YEE-OUCH!"

The thing that might have been concern in Cassandra's face vanished behind a cold and dangerous glare that could quell a volcano. But it was her reaching out with a thumb and forefinger and twisting one of his nipples that made him rise up on his toes and screech like... well, screech like a girl. Even through his shirt and sweater, it felt like she had tried to rip it off. Several of the other Midnight Ices shared amused smirks.

"What I am is my business," Cassandra told her brother-now-sister with icy condescension. "And if you want to stare, you have your own pair to look at, Sean. Go to HeartStone, it's really for the best," she repeated, again with a trace of genuine concern he had rarely ever had directed his way.

"Wait! Powers? There's more than just being buff babes with big swords and axes and shit?"

"You have no idea, Sean. But you will soon. There's a reason why the Chiderans were able to resist the Caramines."

Then she slammed the door in his face.

Sean stared at the closed door for a long moment, rubbing his sore boob, then froze in surprise when he realized what he was doing. Swan looked up at him and gave his free hand a consoling squeeze, her black eyes full of commiseration.

"Sean, what they are saying, being.... guttered, it does not sound good." she said softly.

"It is not," the elder replied sharply.

Sean shivered at the coolness of her tone, and the chill of the wind sliding around his thermal vest and cutting through his sweater. "Then I guess I'll go see my mother and Savannah. So, how far is it to this HeartStone place? And what powers is Cassandra talking about?"

Greeeeeat! Seems like a gotta go to girl school now too, otherwise big, bad, shit is gonna happen to me. I hope I don't need a fuckin' instruction manual.

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Mari ventured out into the snow behind Renata and Ravi. The two layers of tee shirts weren’t cutting it, and she lacked their eagerness to explore the frozen land of the amazons. Curious though she was to journey through this strange new land, that most closely resembled a poem out of English class about furry monsters and Vikings, Mari would have been content to sit in the hut and drink something warm...if the huge warrior women had anything to drink besides fruity beer.

Shivering her way past Ravi, Mari pulled her sleeves down over her hands and hugged herself, arms tight across her chest. “I could use some furs, please.” she told Yithaja through chattering teeth.

__________________

Height: 5'1", Weight: 102 lbs, Hair: Dark brown, Eyes: Hazel, Striking looks 4, Dexterity 4, Presence 4

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Renata came up behind Mari and started rubbing the smaller girl's shoulders sympathetically.

"Shoulda brought a heavier coat," she said. "Gore-tex or something."

Meeting Yithaja's eyes Ren added, as much out of solidarity with Mari as anything else, "I'll take a fur too, I guess. Captain Hairball over here won't need any."

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Joran shrugged, again with that sliding-bones motion that was a disgusting to watch in action. “I do not specialize in the mental aliments that affect your people,” he said simply. “I know that this is real, but that does not aid you. I do not know enough about human physiology – outside of the realities of their sexual encounters – to help you.

“As for sexual relations with your mother, I never compromise the integrity of my research,” Joran added, as casually as if he was talking about letting someone know what he was testing for before a psychological survey. “Others might have, perhaps. You mother would be the one to ask, if she is not deceased.”

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

“It is three days walk to HeartStone. You may bring companions, but they may not travel into the lands; they may only go as far as the camp,” the elder instructed. “You must stoke your soul to fury, or watch it gutter and then walk the path given to you. That is the heart of being Chideran. If you do not allow your soul to burn at HeartStone, you may find that it will gutter on its own.”

“You should go,” another of the Midnight Ices said. “If nothing else, your mother will wish to see you.”

“When he is there, how long will it take for his soul to… do what it will do?” Swan asked.

She received several scowls from the watching women but the one talking answered. “It depends. Cassandra’s soul flared in less than a day. That is very fast. It never takes longer than three days once the process begins.”

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Yithaja stared at the two women for a moment, her green eyes hard. “Wait here.” The order was given curtly and Yithaja stalked off with that same haughty grace. She was only gone a moment before returning with an armful of furs. Draping the entire load over what appeared to be a hitching post, she selected two and threw one to each of the girls. Renata received something black; Mari’s was white and soft, save for the occasional quill poking through the fluffy softness. “Are those sufficient?” she asked as the two pulled them around them.

“One more, please?” Mari asked nicely enough, but Yithaja scowled and fished out another, tossing it to her.

“Are others coming?” she asked, staring at Renata.

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"How should I know?" Renata asked. "Oh right." She looked behind her and didn't see anyone else coming out of the tent.

"My superhuman vision tells me...no, we're it." She nodded for emphasis, pulling the fur around her shoulders. "Thanks for these."

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"Here." Ravi said softly as he stepped close to Mari, who was juggling the two furs. Taking one from her for a moment and furling it over his arm, using the other hand to make sure the first fur was wrapped closely around her with gentle, firm adjustments. Then he draped the other one over her head and shoulders, arranging it so that it formed a hood of sorts to protect her from the wind. He smiled down at her as he tucked stray strands of her hair into the hood, then leaned down and gave her a swift kiss that warmed her to her toes. "That should keep the cold away." he murmured to her with a grin as he stepped to one side and turned to Yithaja.

"As the Lady Snark here says in her diplomatic fashion, I think we're the only ones, Yithaja." he said politely, his eyes glancing at Renata. Captain Hairball. Duly noted. he thought to himself as he smiled charmingly, then looked back at the Chideran. "Please, lead on."

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Sean strove - and failed - to keep the colour from his cheeks. 'You must stoke your soul to fury' sounded entirely too dirty and personal in his head and he didn't even want to think about that with his current anatomy. Not even a little...? Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at Swan, then shook the thought from his head.

"I'll go to HeartStone" Sean said resolutely, still not used to the tone of his new voice. He had to stop almost looking around for whoever was speaking whenever he said something.

He wanted to be the one to tell Vanessa - Vena - what was happening to him, instead of Cassandra. He wanted to see Savannah too. He endured Cassandra's reaction, might as well endure Savannah's too. And while possibly missing upwards of a week of school would be hard to explain, trying to explain why he was a girl would be harder still. He still wasn't sure how he was going to handle it. He did look enough like Cassandra now that he could probably use her ID...

And then there were the repeated references to being 'guttered.' They way the Chiderans said it, made sound more than... ominous. If all he had to do was go someplace and undergo a hazing ritual to prevent being irreparably damaged, somehow, then he was willing. A buried part of himself, despite railing at his circumstances, was envious of the special powers some of the others had revealed. If he could have his own, maybe...

"We better go tell the others, so they don't wonder where I've gone - we've gone" Sean suggested, rolling his arms against the biting cold then holding Swan under his shoulder when he noticed her shivering. "Uh, we weren't expectin' it to be quite this cold or to be here longer than a day or two. Would it be possible for Swan to get a fur or something?"

There were a few grumbles then one of the Midnight Ices gestured peremptorily. "This way. We will return to the Guest Hall, then prepare for your pilgrimage to HeartStone."

"When your soul burns, the fangs of winter will no longer be able to bite," Shortie offered, noticing Sean was chilled though he attempted to hide it.

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The Adventures of Lady Snark and Captain Hairball. Mari mused. It had a ring to it. But where do I fit in? Mari wasn’t entirely certain. Maybe being snarky really was Renata’s super power. That still left Mari wanting for a power of her own. Turning into a panther was kind of neat, when the panther sat quietly on a bed and let you pet it, but less neat when it started eating people. And being snarky was good for a few giggles, but it kept Renata isolated...Maybe she likes it that way.

Impulsively, Mari stepped between Ravi and Renata. Her little hands reached out, looping over Ravi’s right arm and Renata’s left, before digging back into the warmth of her furs. From the depths of the furry hoodie Ravi had fashioned for her, Mari gazed up at her friends, favoring them both with a shy grin as the trio fell into step together.

__________________

Height: 5'1", Weight: 102 lbs, Hair: Dark brown, Eyes: Hazel, Striking looks 4, Dexterity 4, Presence 4

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Frida watched as Ravi, Renata, and Mari made their way out of the hut. She glanced back at Ms. Dorn for a moment, but the woman seemed wholly engrossed in her conversation with the head Chideran. She debated several long moments, knowing that whatever was discussed between Sylvia and the woman would be important, and reluctant to tag along with Mari and Ravi, but yet dreading the idea of sitting quietly, one of the only students remaining, in the dark hut.

Besides, Renata will be there, it isn't as if I will be interrupting personal time between them. And I will NOT allow myself to miss a perfectly interesting opportunity just because of a stupid infatuation.

So she stood up and moved briskly to the door, stepping outside along with the others. It felt good out here - less neutral, she could feel the bite of the wind on her cheeks immediately, and it made her feel a little more alive, though to the others she appeared less distinct, her pale, translucent appearance becoming even more washed out by daylight and white snow.

"I'm sorry for the delay. I would appreciate the opportunity to join you for a tour." She saw an irritated scowl flicker across the woman's face, and though she didn't acknowledge it verbally, she slid the backpack off her shoulder and began to open it. "It's most gracious of you to take the time to show us around. Please, allow me to offer you a gift for your kindness. We heard your people were fond of sweet things, and that they were hard to come by here."

She pulled out a Snickers bar then, and held it out to the Chideran woman.

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Renata resisted the temptation to fuss with Mari's furs. Ravi's gotten the better of her there, but when Mari took her arm and beamed up at her, the simmering jealousy guttered out like a candle. Negative emotions just didn't stick to Mari. Not when she was there in front of you at least. She couldn't even work up a decent snit over her taking Ravi's arm too.

As they walked to follow their guide, Renata wasn't even aware of the goofy smile on her face. A smile devoid of the usual cynical twist, or wry half-facedness that usually typified her. For now at least she was just enjoying the moment. Snow, fur, and all.

Then Frida came out and Ren turned to see her without letting go of Mari. "Oh yeah, the chocolate." She nudged Mari. "We forgot to give 'em the chocolate."

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"Eeww, I'm not gonna ask my mom about that, I'll be all scarred for the life or sumthin'." Ryan was out of sorts, even more so than usual, "Besides, wouldn't I look different? I mean, if I was a half breed?" He didn't care for the idea of his limbs being all out of proportion, though he found the idea of invisibility kinda cool. "I can't go home anyways, I don' know how to make tha door work." He hung his head, "I wasn't payin' attention when they explained it."

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The Chideran was watching everything closely, and the observant teens felt suddenly that she was ramming them into preconfigured slots in her head. There was no good way of figuring out what she was thinking; those green eyes held nothing but a concealing glare of non-directed annoyance and rage. The sight of the candy eased that look quite a bit.

“Thank you,” Yithaja said, taking the sweets that Frida was offering. The chocolate was tucked into a pouch as the woman turned. “Let us walk.”

Someone had made an effort to clear a path, though the wind had done its best to fill it back in with snow. The Daltonites found themselves walking though ankle-deep snow instead of shin. At places, the wind had failed to make any progress, and the path was clear. Yithaja led though past dark buildings to a loud, lit one. “This is our drinking hall,” she said, before pushing back the heavy fur that had blocked the entrance. There were signs that a door had been here once.

The smell of ‘fruity’ beer poured out of the building, as well as the sounds of people having a good time. Men and women alike were crowded into the massive tavern; this seemed to be the major source of evening relaxation. In darker corners, women stroked fur-covered skin and kissed. The scene was mostly PG but Mari felt a blush creep up her cheeks. Renata tried not to stare and fantasize.

“Do you wish to socialize?” Yithaja asked, a glimmer of a smile on her face.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

“That’d be nice,” Sean muttered as the group walked back toward the Guest Hall.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

“You mean how to make it work with Keys?” Joran asked, tilting his head to the side. It went a little further than was comfortable for Ryan. He kept expecting to hear popping noises.

“I guess,” Ryan said with a shrug.

“You can feel where Here becomes There with the Door, but not how to connect There to Here?” Joran seemed greatly interested in his answer.

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Ray showed no sign of going out for the tour, seeing as a year had given him ample time to visit the expanse of the Doorhold effectively, and felt more interested and concerned in the negotiations/information exchange being held by Ms. Dorn and the Pimszt. And frankly, it was time to make a point.

"I've heard all that already about Dean Cassidy, Wilbur Dalton, all this from the Chideran point of view," he began, simply stating a fact, "but regardless of his sexual life, you've held out Dean as the closest thing to a hero as a man can get. And Dalton is the coward of cowards, I know the story. But from a Daltonite perspective, once you get past the fact that both of them were playing at this, Dean Cassidy did the wrong thing in attacking the Camarine leaders and Dalton did the right thing.

"The Dalton Academy is just that, a school. When the Camarines struck back in the Seventies, Dalton did probably what was his responsibility to do. Rather than get the entire school and likely the nearby town caught up in another attack, he protected them and made a deal. There wasn't really any other plausible option. Of course, he chose to, as we say 'Sweep everything under the rug.' On the bright side, we have time, not sure how much, but time to plan a response at last. I doubt it'll be war though. The Chiderans trained me well, and I've paid my dues on the front lines when the Camarines raided every month, but not everyone is so prepared or equipped. That's why Dalton folded, the Academy can't win an all-out war."

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"Ummm," Ryan thought about it, "I dunno, I don', think so, but I haven' really tried either. Can you do that? Are you sayin' you can use the doors with going through all the mumbo jumbo with the feathers and scraps of paper and stuff?" Ryan seemed doubtful, mostly because on TV these kinds of thing were always complicated. He expected that opening a door to another world should be a pain in the butt and require spells and weird stuff. At the same time he had a different perspective now, and making here, there, or there here there, or their hear now here they're ... Ryan shook his head, he was confusing himself. "Can you show me?"

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Socialize or make-out? Mari wondered, glancing sidelong at Yithaja. Everywhere she looked, it seemed, girls were kissing and nibbling at each other’s necks and all entangled with one another in their furs. My mom would be throwing a fit, the little teen concluded. So too would Father Villanueva, who did not share Mari’s progressive views regarding homosexuality. She could almost hear him now, Maria, la mujer fue hecha para el hombre—en su infinita sabiduría Dios creó a Adán y Eva. No a Adán y Estaban. Ni tampoco Adriana y Eva.

Mari pushed her fur hoodie down to her shoulders and tentatively ventured deeper into the drinking hall. The place was full of Adrianas and Evas. She remembered another bit of wisdom Father Villanueva had given her, en Roma has como los romanos. that made her blush all over again. “Could you maybe get me one of those drinks?” Mari heard herself shyly ask Ravi. Her throat felt dry and thick.

__________________

Height: 5'1", Weight: 102 lbs, Hair: Dark brown, Eyes: Hazel, Striking looks 4, Dexterity 4, Presence 4

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For Renata, looking around was like getting punched in the head. Her jaw fell open in naked shock as she saw women...some young, some older, ALL pretty good looking it seemed like...just going at it. In plain sight. None ofthem seemed nervous or even uncomfortable!

The fact was, despite Renata's preferences, she had been raised by a sternly Catholic mother and had attended a series of private schools where religion had figured as much as scholasticism. Their version of 'sex ed' had been musty old filmstrips from the 50's in a class titled "Health and Development." She was intellectually aware of things like 'gay bars,' but shied away from thinking about such things out of conditioned refex. She just figured they were kind of like normal bars; people went there for drinks and talking. In her mind, sex or anything related was for home, behind multiple layers of drawn curtains. In her case especially.

So now, here she was. So embarrassed she felt she might pop like a balloon, with flaming red cheeks as proof. And yet, so turned on that she thought it must be obvious somehow, as a badge of shame. And when Mari walked farther in, looking around with mild curiosity and ordering a drink, Ren felt like she might actually die from lightheadedness. Mari didn't seem upset at all! Surrounded by lewdness that equalled or eclipsed Ren's tawdriest fantasies, Mari took it in stride. Oh,she was blushing...but what was causing it?

Did she have a chance with her after all?

"Make that two," Renata quickly blurted, coughing when she tried to inhale and talk at the same time. "I'll have one too. Mari, lets pick a spot to sit down."

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"It looks as though we do wish to socialise." Ravi said to Yithaja with a small laugh, nodding to her, then smiling at the other three girls. Truth be told, he was a little surprised, though not displeased, at Mari's curiousity, and smiled back at her as she asked him for a drink.

"Of course." he told her, leaning closer to her lovely blushing features. He was going to suggest that they find a quiet corner and 'socialise' a little...

Quote:
"Make that two," Renata quickly blurted, coughing when she tried to inhale and talk at the same time. "I'll have one too. Mari, lets pick a spot to sit down."

Well, of course, milady. Happy to oblige. It's the least I can do for thousands of years of patriarchal oppression, I'm fucking sure. Ravi's inner beast snarled from the red dark place at the back of his soul. I know you're a frustrated dyke in Wonderland, but would a goddamn 'please' kill you? Because I swear, the lack of one just might one of these days.

"Why certainly." he said with a smooth tone that may or may not have contained sarcasm, in the same way that responsible food manufacturers would hedge their bets and warn consumers that the bag of banana chips may contain nuts. "It would be my pleasure." His eyes glittered slightly, but that was surely a trick of the firelight as he turned to Frida and Yithaja, all smiles. "How about you ladies? Seeing as the duty falls upon me, I would be delighted to fetch you both a warming beverage also."

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Lucia waited quietly for the others to leave and the Pimszt address them. What they had learned so far was...disquieting. What if the Door was cut off again somehow? Would they be able to get home another way?

Well, there was nothing for it now. If they were stuck, they were stuck.

She fished out one of the large chocolate bars she'd raided the vending machines in the lounge of Juno hall for and stepped quietly up to where the Pimszt stood and offered it to her as one might a sheathed blade-gift. "We were told that this would be a pleasing gift to you," she said quietly but with conviction. "A gift from one friend and ally to another."

Wreathed in shadows as she was, it was only the glimpse of t-shirt and jeans between the swaths of darkness that marked her as from Earth or human.

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Unlike Mari and Renata, the bar scene did little to ruffle Frida. She was from the art world, after all, a more generally open-minded atmosphere than most. She had plenty of experiences with same-sex couples, including her aunts Lillian and Angelique in Belgium, who had been married since '06 and were living happily together in Antwerp where Angelique ran an accounting firm and Lillian taught pottery classes at a small art studio. Her response was mostly curiosity - not about sexual preferences of the Chiderans present, but the actual. Immediately her mind was engaged in the techniques required to recreate the dim, rustic atmosphere and the lively casualness of the women present.

"Why certainly. How about you ladies? Seeing as the duty falls upon me, I would be delighted to fetch you both a warming beverage also."

Frida was startled out of her revery by Ravi's smooth voice, and her gaze flickered over to him. For a brief moment, the fondness she felt for him flickered across her face at the sight of his smile, and the corner of her lips tilted up slightly as she recognized the veiled sarcasm in his voice. But it smoothed over quickly into a neutral expression, and she took a step in his direction with a slight shake of the head.

"That's too many beverages for one person to carry.. I'd be happy to assist."

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Autumn watched as the number of students dwindled, and resignedly finished her second cup of the fruity not-quite-cider. It brought a warming flush to her skin, for which she was immensely grateful.

It wasn't that she begrudged the others their sightseeing, but hadn't they come here for a reason? Some way to stop these Caramines, whoever they were? Even as generally undisciplined as she was, Autumn had been taught early that work should be finished first, whether it was cleaning her room, doing her homework, or finding the answers to serious questions in alternate, vaguely hallucinatory realities. Then you got playtime.

Abandoning the carved wooden cup, Autumn slung her bag back over her shoulder and moved to join the tenebrous young woman she recognized as Lucia. Being the "new girl," and not particularly well-versed in diplomatic protocol, she watched the interaction between her new friend and the Pimszt with avid interest.

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The leader of the Chideran accepted the chocolate bar with a nod. “My thanks. You are gracious guests. I declare you welcome to stay among us.” The other Chideran relaxed slowly, coming to the table and taking seats.

Oreili snorted. “You say this, Ray, but your people would not even try. They gave up.”

Ray sighed; he’d had this conversation many times in the last year. Before he could say anything, Sylvia spoke up. “We need to talk about what we’ll do now. The past is gone and I want to focus on the future. That’s what we’re here for – to figure out what to do now. We’re not warriors. Fighting toe-to-toe with trained magical soldiers isn’t what my kids can do.”

“Your kids are manifesting powers. With training, they could hold the Caramine out of Dalton,” Oreili replied. “With more of them, you can make a stand and strike back. We are not the only people to hold against the Caramine. It can be done. Do you have the will to do it, or will you feed tribute to the Caramine?”

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

“Sit,” Yithaja replied brusquely to Frida. “You will need payment,” the Chideran said to Ravi, her green eyes fearlessly meeting his inhuman cat-eyes. “I will help carry.” She jerked her head toward the table Renata and Mari were already occupying. “Go.”

As Frida found herself with nothing else to do, Yithaja and Ravi turned to the bar. Frida was left in the middle of the room – alone.

At the bar, Ravi found himself pressed against Yithaja as they pushed to the bar. It took a moment, but they were able to order five mugs of something that didn’t smell like fruit. Yithaja offered a bracelet for them, which was accepted. “So you have a barter system,” Ravi noted as they walked back to the table.

“We had minted coins once,” Yithaja replied, “but this is better. Value is only in the mind of the beholder.” She gave him a smoldering gaze that should have singed his eyebrows but said nothing. There was a certain sway to her hips as she returned to the table, though she took a seat next to Frida.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

“I could try,” Joran replied, “where I interested in doing so. “However, if you cannot make There Here, you would probably fail. Making There Here is the first step to operating a Door without Keys.” He smiled. “I am causing you confusion, yes?”

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Shortie Ice, Yaiza, and another Midnight Ice, this one looking nearly as muscular as he was when he was still a he, led him to another log house, a private residence Sean thought. Buff Ice, Vikkirri she admitted suspiciously told them to wait and stepped inside. A moment later, she came out and threw a fur coat at Swan, that hung down to her knees and handed Sean a pair of odd leather gloves with a furry inside that went pass the elbow.

"Uh, thanks. I'm not sure what I've to trade for 'em," Sean began, but Vikkirri cut him off with a sharp grunt.

"Thanks are not required. I am just wanting to see if this son of Vena's has a soul that will burn or gutter. For that, you must make it to HeartStone without freezing." The muscular woman smiled and pretty as she was, Sean rather she hadn't - it wasn't pleasant. "Besides, we will work something out... if you survive your ordeal. Come, this way."

"Survive?" Sean questioned softly, looking down at Swan.

Yaiza rolled her eyes and smiled, then gave Sean a shove to get him going, surprisingly strong for such a small woman. "Oh, I wouldn't worry. Most pass the ordeal and of those who fail, most survive, even if they do gutter." The short woman made a warding gesture, then her eyes hardened as she glanced up at her odd kin from beyond the Door. "It's those who refuse to undergo the ordeal who are worst then dead. Cowards. Tell me, Sean, do not the warriors of your Realm undergo trials to test their might and skill?"

Right.... His mother's attitude certainly made a lot more sense, even if it didn't make it anymore pleasant. "Er, I guess, but they are very rarely lethal."

On the way back to the Guest Hall, Sean gave Yaiza a brief description of his training regimen for football and boxing - some of which seemed to make sense to her, much of the rest bizarre in her eyes. Learning to fight with his hands earned her approval, only learning to fight with his hands earned him a shake of her head.

Entering the Guest Hall, Sean just caught the last of what Oreilli was saying, then nodded at Dorn and the other girls. "Yeah, speakin' of trainin' and powers, I think I gotta go to this HeartStone, Ms. Dorn. Otherwise, now bein' Chideran, bad things can happen - I'm not too clear on it - besides, y'know, what's already happened."

Sean looked down at himself, and sighed. "And my mother and other sister are there too. I... I wanna tell 'em what happened. Only thing is, HeartStone is three days away and the ordeal can take up to three days too. So... You think you can cover for me, Ms. Dorn?" He glanced down again and gave an ostentatious shrug that made them bounce. "I think we're gonna have come up with a damn good excuse anyway."

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Originally Posted By: Dawn, OOC
“I could try,” Joran replied, “where I interested in doing so. “However, if you cannot make There Here, you would probably fail. Making There Here is the first step to operating a Door without Keys.” He smiled. “I am causing you confusion, yes?”


"Yeah, just a lot though." Ryan grimaced, "Are you interested in doing so? Cause this is a big ol' waste o' time if not. An whadda ya mean by making there here?" Ryan found himself hoping that this strange "man" was willing to guide him, if only because so far he seemed like the only super freak without somebody else to talk to. Sean's got a whole tribe of lesbian amazons, which is frikkin' awesome, he thought slightly envious, though sure that he would rather keep his male parts than to gain a bunch of lesbian amazons.
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