Big Eyes, Small Mouth (BESM): Monster Academy - Chapter 7: End of Term [complete]

[Karren Gaunt]

"I knew I was right. Human immunity *is* the key," muttered the young Dryad with a self satisfied smirk upon picking up Katrina's discovery, shifting her research accordingly away from depressingly similar cases of outbreak upon outbreak upon outbreak seperated without rhyme or reason to human magiks, holy, infernal, or otherwise.

[envoy] 8:01 pm: okay. research time in MA. let's avoid double 2s this time mayhaps.

[Asarasa] 8:02 pm: Heh

envoy *rolls* 2d6: 2+2+10: 14

[envoy] 8:02 pm: heh heh heh.

[Katrina DeWitt]

"You know, if this is some sort of disease, and it is known throughout, has there been times where the disease has run it's course where after it's period those suffering it are able to retain their human guise? Or is this disease something that will permanently..."

Katrina thinks for a moment. "Dammit... All of this is too convenient. A disease from almost a millenium ago has come back? This almost feels like someone weaponized the perfect disease to throw us into chaos. Like someone weaponizing the bubonic plague. Just infect a "subject zero" and let the madness commence."

She scowled, a feline growl entering her voice. "This isn't some natural outbreak. That I am certain. Someone wants us in a concentrated area."

Her ears pin back. "When the blood was offered, was it a total sacrifice where the person in question died, or was it a smaller offering?"

Suddenly her human morals overrode her animal instinct. "The concept of killing a human for our benefit disgusts me."

[Justin OOC]

Rubi looked at Mystel. "There's plenty more books to read, pick one up and get started. We're looking for any information on the plague. (roll 2d6+Mind+occult)

She looked to Yuuki. "No, it might mean that. I think the ritual is more important."

Reading as they did, They continued to find nothing of the actual ritual. Aki shrugged. "I don't think death of the human would work. Only Dark Magic is like that, and even then the results wouldn't have been perfect. We simply don't know anything yet."

She sighed. "There's far better places to release a weaponized disease. Many more with larger populations and no barrier to keep them contained."

[Karren Gaunt]

"Heh heh. What better testbed for the panic reaction then? A perfect closed circle," chuckled Yuuki darkly, feeling frustrated and useless with current events, muttering in sudden anger, "Tree. I need my Tree, and this isn't getting me any closer at all. Trying to apply useless dead lore when we have perfectly fine living test subj..."

She caught herself, offering a big fake grin to all concerned who might of overheard and burying herself in lore again. They'd have to lower their guard eventually and then she could get to work on a real solution if these books kept coming up empty like that had again and again and again while her Tree kept being stuck defenselessly on it's own.

[envoy] 8:45 pm: *sucks in a breath* go go, random number god!

envoy *rolls* 2d6: 5+3+10: 18

[envoy] 8:46 pm: yes!

[OrangeCrème]

Mystel looked a little skeptical not seeing as how she could help just by reading a book and then sighed. "I don't see how I can help." She groaned out showing the inner loathing toqard herself that normally she kept hidden deep down behind her mask of lies. Opening a random old tomb, the shape changer scanned a few pages coming across spell diagrams, philosphical propaganda of past histories, different events throughout history involving bizarr incidents. "Hmmm? I think I found something!" She cried out flashing a genuine smile and not one of her souless fake grins.

(Looks like I hit something, but I kept it vauge since I don't know what the hell its suppoused to be: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3721532/)

[Katrina DeWitt]

"So... who of us then specializes in the opposite of Dark Magic? I mean, if there is a dark side there is a light side, right?"

This magic stuff was outside of her knowledge. She just got lucky finding that information... "Ugh... if only this was a enemy we could fight..."

She adjusted the lapel of her uniform. The one thing keeping her grounded. "I hate being the 5th wheel."

[Justin OOC]

Aki and Rubi both looked from their books to Yuuki. "Wonderful, a dryad that's gone mad with need to return to her tree."

Rubi looked at her. "It's an ugly thing you know seeing how you really see him. He'd be disappointed."

For once Rubi was glad the fire Wielding succubus was the one guarding Kyohei. She turned to her studies even as Katrina gave vent to her frustrations. "I'm the only one here who knows Holy Magic. Skye has some facility with holy power I imagine, but I doubt she knows any real magic."

"Nobody's a fifth wheel, we're all working towards finding a cause and cure."

Not long after that, Mystel's exclamation drew the attention of others. What she'd found was a listing of rituals that were rights of purification, that would work on anyone, yokai, human or celestial.

The last one was called "Dark Purity." It involved draining the heart's blood of willing human who was pure of heart to heal the sickness of a yokai. It was a darker ritual but of those there, it was the only one guaranteed to work for yokai with no side effects.

Rubi scowled. "That's definitely not an option I will pursue. "Let's keeping going. There's others there, and now that we know it's a ritual we can requisition books from the library directly."

She went over to the counter, pulled out a notebook, wrote down a few lines, and in moments, there was a thumping noise outside the door. She opened it, finding three dozen tomes on rituals. "Come on. help me with these. There's going to be a better way."

[Katrina DeWitt]

Katrina scratched her head. "Well... the point of school is to learn, right? I wouldn't have learned Japanese if I didn't come here after all." She said with a smile, helping Rubi with her texts. "Maybe I might just open the right page..."

Mind Check

[Kamiko] 6:49 pm: Okay Making mind roll for the Kat.

Kamiko *rolls* 2d6: 5+3+5: 13

Kamiko shrugs

At this rate, Katrina feared, she'd need glasses from all the eye-strain of reading. But again, in this crisis, Knowledge is power and right now they need all the power they can get their hands on.

[Karren Gaunt]

"We're all test subjects in this crisis, Rubi-Sempai. If killing this body would help cure this plague and get me back to my Tree," she rebutted softly, waving at herself, "I would do so in heartbeat. A. Heartbeat. In comparison, Kyohei-Kun is much much much less expendable as the sole 'donor' of immunity and for... other reasons."

There was almost a growl in there, a 'do not press me' in Yuuki's slit-eyed gaze before she begrudglingly turned back to reading. Two more hours. Two more. Then she'd... do... something to get away from these intelectually fettered idiots and find a practical solution to her problem.

Well, I rolled dice earler and got 16 for a mind+occult roll. Go go dice gods...

[Toby Lupin]

*Since several hours have passed*

Two furry, quite satisfied cat-girls, warm and snuggled up around the central tableau. Which was a wickedly pleased succubus - stroking the face of Darrik, head buried between her 'twins.' The young warlock was quite relaxed for such a long activity - sex had proved to be a wonderful way to let the stress go for a bit.

The nagging issue of handling the whole 'virus' lingered in his head, and Darrik regretfully admitted he needed to break this off for now. Slowly rolling his upper body to a sitting position, Darrik smiled at the nekos, Mei and Akari. "Hope you enjoyed it."

[Justin OOC]

The two girls looked at him their tails stroking his sides idly. "Oh yes, we'll do this again, if Jez says we can." The satiated succubus looked at them with a smile. "We'll see." She looked at Darrik. "You're going to go find the others aren't you? You want your magic back." She knew it was true and didn't mind, at all she had her fun.

For Katrina and Yuuki the next hour searching the tomes of rituals proved somewhat fruitless. There were just so many, it was hard to find anything useful, that wouldn't kill the one performing it, and a willing sacrificial offering.

[Toby Lupin]

"Yeah. And solve this virus." Darrik got up fully and pulling on his clothes. "I hope Jez says yes, too, by the way." Waving goodbye and clutching his stuff, Darrik weaved his way back down out of the girls' dorm, and began looking for Rubi.

[OrangeCrème]

Mystel was sick of all this reading and wanted to just eat and get to sleep since it seemed completely pointless. "Back into the books." She groaned before picking up the next tomb and scanned through the old text. She wasn't so sure of herself but it was obvious that in order to be helpful putting oneself in line for critisism would be required.

"Hey come take a look at this." The shape changer called out, marking the page and reffrence in a nearby note book, signaling to Rubi who had been taking command of the previous findings...

[OrangeCrème]

(Forgot to post my roll earlier: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3725552/)

[Delilah Synn]

Digging through books for two hours was way more than enough for Delilah. She tossed the last tome she was looking at aside and held Kyohei close. She kept a wary eye on Yuuki, the taste her frantic emotions and near insanity to get back to her bloody tree making Delilah's tongue curdle.

"We're all test subjects in this crisis, Rubi-Sempai. If killing this body would help cure this plague and get me back to my Tree," she rebutted softly, waving at herself, "I would do so in heartbeat. A. Heartbeat. In comparison, Kyohei-Kun is much much much less expendable as the sole 'donor' of immunity and for... other reasons."

"Yeah, like... he'll be dead," the succubus hissed like a sultry viper, eyes blazing like purple forge-fires. A palpable heat radiated from her. "How nice of you willing to sacrifice your body when you think you'll just pop out of your tree again."

Delilah could taste Yuuki's intransigence about being pushed and wanted her to know she wouldn't be pushed either. With loving care, Delilah flowed to her feet, Kyohei held in her arms as easily as if he was a baby, her tail lashing angrily.

"If you'll excuse me, if you don't mind, Ms. Nekomone, I think I'll just bring Kyohei back into the bedroom. He really should have a bed to lay in." At the huge cat's nod, Delilah spun around with a flaring a sable wings and strode toward the door and opened it. She glanced back over a shoulder before stepping through.

"Nobody bother us unless we come out or you've found a cure," she warned.

Delilah stepped into the bedroom, closing the door firmly with a push from her tail, then laid Kyohei down on the oversized pillow that served as a bed. A sleek motion and Delilah was nude, slipping in next to him and hugging him close.

On her flawless, coppery skin, bloomed Hellish runes of searing gold entwined with Heavenly runes of blinding silver, their light permeating the entire room with ephemeral and dangerous haze. It promised a deadly heat to any who didn't have the young succubus-in-love's leave.

"I'll keep you safe, Kyohei. From anyone."

Dual Fire Magic

Using to her HellFire and AngelFire to create an Aura (Area 2, Selective, Insidious, and possibly some other effects) Effect.

Enter at your own Risk. You have been warned!

[Karren Gaunt]

"Nrrrrrrrgh... Stupid, useless root-rotting waste of time... Why did I even think this would be..? Rggggh," grumbled the experated, mussed Dryad, degenerating into further noises owing more to animal frustration than any kind of human, yokai, or celestial language. Her work station looked similarly chaotic, stacks of tomes pecacarilously balanced on one another around columns of notes that followed and twisted around one another like maniac tapeworms. She was done. No more lore. No more old books. No more research. Time to find her solution, her way with whoever she could grab and there were three people she knew would be willing to help her, Tree willing.

Tree. She Was Going to Get to Her Tree. Now.

"This is stupid. Try to kill me or get out of my way, but I'm not staying here," she monotoned darkly, lighting up with power as she pushed to her feet, ready and fully willing to back up her words as she throbbed with mystic energies.

Activate Plant Control

[Justin OOC]

Shizuka watched Delilah Carry Kyohei off, knowing it was everybit for his safety as for her wanting to be alone with him. When Yuuki rose up, about to stalk off, she had enough. "You will NOT leave, Yuuki." To emphasize her will, a Tail thicker than Yuuki's waist wrapped around her, gripping her with inhuman strength. "All you're going to do is get yourself killed for good. If you die while the barrier's up you will die for good."

She sighed. "Nothing gets through, NOTHING."

The fire returned to her voice which shook the walls of the room.. "SO you will either Sit down quietly or I will make you." The last words carried both the authority of her office, and the tone of the Massive Predator that she was.

Aki nodded. "Take it from an expert on things of this manner Yuuki."

Rubi looked at what Mystel found and nodded. 'Right track, still not the one though." She sighed. "This brings up something though. It's time for a break. Some food will do us all good. I can call in the order, if everyone agrees. A full stomach may help settle us all. We've made alot of progress. We know what the cure isn't."

[OrangeCrème]

Mystel sighed in relief at the prospect of food and a break, even though she still hadn't succeded in what they weren't doing, in fact she had was so zonked out of it from hunger and lack of sleep that the situation happening around her was going unnoticed. "So what do we have to eat?" She asked as all the thoughts of delicous cakes and savoury meats passed throguh hher mind.

[z-Skye Angelus]

Skye did her best to ignore the shennagins in the room; she was comfortable in her corner with a book on her crossed legs and Kuromaru wrapped around her shoulders. His steady purr was accented by his occasional nuzzle from his nose. All things considered, Skye was having a great time today.

So when people started acting like dumb demons, Skye just buried her nose a little deeper in her book and pretended they weren’t there.

[Katrina DeWitt]

Katrina scratched your head. "Right... every solution right now I'm seeing us just turning my stomach. Something tells me the expedient solution will get us nowhere, or just be a temporary fix." She leans against a wall. "Skye, any suggestions? I think we could use another angle on this puzzle."

"Of course after we get some sustenance. How would we get it here though I mean... we'd scare off any delivery guy... I mean I could get my cloak out, but that would be... odd... to wear. That and I think that would definately be a bad idea to begin with."

Her cat-like instincts were there, she was itching to go outside... yet she knew beyond that door was quite alot of danger.

[Karren Gaunt]

The entrapped Dryad, after a moment of reflexive struggling against the coils of tail wrapped around her, said nothing, fixing an impassive glare on her instructor. Her features remained impassive, a tight storm of etheral cherry blossoms bursting into existence around around her and carving into the flesh and fur around her like tiny, airborne knives, once, twice, angry the way Yuuki refused to let show in her lips.

envoy] 2:11 pm: okay, activating Forcefield for action one.

[envoy] 2:11 pm: Action two, attacking with said forcefield.

envoy *rolls* 2d6: 3+1+6: 10

[Carver-working] 2:12 pm:

[Malachite] 2:12 pm: Okay, so I caught up on cleaning and now I feel.....out of place?

[Carver-working] 2:12 pm: Er, I guess I should say Witty.

[envoy] 2:12 pm: huh. so 10 minus whatever penalties for being wrapped in a giant tail.

[Carver-working] 2:12 pm: Mala: Did you do such a good job that you no longer feel like you're living in your house?

So, 60 damage for turning field on, 66 damage if the actual attack hits.

[Justin OOC]

Shizuka couldn't supress her wall rumbling growl.. "Dammit Yuuki." The girl had become a dangerous liability. She pulled her around to face her directly, forcing her to look into massive eyes, careful not to catch anyone else with her gaze. "SLEEP."

The offensive field guttered out instantly and Yuuk fell over like a marionette with her strings cut. "I HATE that, she gave me no choice." Aki took the sleeping dryad and nodded. "She'd have gotten herself hurt otherwise."

Rubi sighed. "Dryads can be so irrational. This is why we move so many of their trees into the forest..." Rubi was already selecting some things from the book, and then handed it to Aki. After she returned from the second bedroom and laying Yuuki down. "Pass it around, and tap the dish you wish to have. My personal magic may not work, but my artifacts work just fine." The depowered shinigami ordered and then let anyone else take it.

The menu tome looked small but contained a massive plethora of dishes from all sorts of culinary schools.

"We won't leave the apartment, not until we have a cure., Now I'm going to see if Delilah wants anything."

She smiled, and walked to the back. "Delilah, it's Rubi, I'm getting us food, do you or Kyohei want anything?"

[Kyradathea]

The young dragon moved, struggling with the walls a bit, she was a bit too big to be inside, though she could manage, not like most larger dragons, she was still young enough to be able to force her way inside dwellings designed for smaller creatures then dragons. Kyra didn't think she was much help to the rest of the group in finding what they needed, but she could keep the dryad from hurting herself, and moved over to Yuuki, curling up around her friend like she was some part of her horde, clearly willing to protect her friend, even from herself if she needed to.. she would have done the same sort of thing with Kyohei, but Delilah seemed to have that well in hand.

[Toby Lupin]

Darrik fortunately, heard Rubi's voice coming from Ms. Nekomone's room, and knocked on the door. "Rubi? Can I come in?" When the door opened, and he stepped in, the young warlock noticed the scene, Skye uncaring, Yuuki frenetic-looking but asleep, Kyra around her.

His expression remained impassive, glancing at the strewn about books. "Any progress with the research then?"

[OrangeCrème]

Mystel nodded and took the tomb, looking at the picutres of all sorts of different meats and dishs containing fruits and vegtables. "I think I will take vampire style roast brisket' since im feeling like something more juicy." Mystel announced since its well knowmn that if vampires partake in actual food of any kind that wasnt blood or energy, then it had to be meat cooked rare. Taking her index finger the girl touched the picture to make the steaming plate of meat meld out of it, and passed the book onto whoever else wanted it.

[Justin OOC]

Aki looked at Darrik, who she knew but the same couldn't be said for her. "Yes. We know there are blood rituals in which a human monk willingly offers his blood and life that will cure the disease. Like all dark magic though, I'm willing to bet there's a steeper price though."

She sighed. We're taking a break for now, some were getting too "Intense" and getting food. Just order what you want from the tome that's getting passed around. Rubi's checking on Delilah and Kyohei. After his ordeal and all, he's still not woken up." That was the only thing that registered concern in all that she said.

[Toby Lupin]

"Seems like we'll need a better option, yes."

Darrik got handed the tome and then rapidly tapped something without looking. He passed it onto Aki, and noticed the girl looked around Rubi's age. "You wouldn't happy to be a senior then?"

Even as he asked this, he grabbed at an unopened book and began to open it, intent on reading more anyway.

[Delilah Synn]

Just as Rubi knocked on the door, Kyohei began to stir. Delilah shifted, helping him to sit up and letting him rest his head on her shoulder. To him, the radiant heat the succubus was emanating was soothing and comforting.

"Hey, baby, you hungry?" Delilah purred.

"Yes," Kyohei croaked, the cleared his throat. "Very."

"Thank-you Rubi," Delilah called through the door, glancing a Kyohei and interpreting his nod. "Kyohei will have sashimi and miso soup. I'll have filet de boeuf (filet mignon) - rare - with a ceasar salad and a strawberry smoothie, please. If it's alright, we'll eat in here. Kyohei is still exhausted."

[OrangeCrème]

Mystel decided that having this pile of meat might not be enough, so she se her mind on something else, like something sweet. "I think I will have a Norman Tart, topped with Chocolate Mousse." She mused to herself, licking her lips at the thought of the sweet French delights...

[Justin OOC]

Rubi nodded, going back to put the order in. She'd check on them when the food arrived. Returning to the livingroom she smiled. "Kyohei's finally awake. Still weak though. He did get hit by Kana pretty hard after all the battling. His wounds mend nicely, but exhaustion fades slower."

Aki looked to Darrik and shook her head. "I'm a graduate from here, and a former professor." Shizuka shifted, and Aki sighed. "And I'm normally a Shinigami."

In the room Kyohei looked at Delilah. "If I could wake up every time like this, It would be worth it."

Then he looked around. "This isn't one of our rooms."

"Delilah, where are we, and why are you nude? Not a complaint, but this seems like something I need to know.."

-----------------------------------

Elsewhere, in Aria's room, the young Juraigumo heard a voice. "Aria, come to my office, now please. I might have answers for you." The headmaster's voice was unmistakeable.

[Toby Lupin]

Darrik's gaze snapped, laser-precise-like, to Aki and fixed itself on her face. A Shinigami? "I see. Normally meaning you've been afflicted by the virus too? Why did you come?"

[Karren Gaunt]

home she was home the smell the sound the feel of verdant growth everywhere around her the glow smell of her sisters aunts going about their business in serenity and security unmasked and unashamed of what they were her feet moved without her direction following a trail of hand-carved stone cobbles she knew like the back of her hand through field and workshop and orchard bathed in the happy simplicity of a world where she knew everything everyone knew her nothing could go wrong a happy pause at a living fence surrounding a very very special grove sharp-eyed guardians judging her and stepping aside to let her pass within

Yuuki's eyelids fluttered in REM sleep, a soft contented sigh escaping her lips, nostrils flaring with indrawn breath.

row upon row column upon column of sakura surrounding and augmenting her natural scent ablaze with pink petals and the promise of summer cherries to come as far as her eye could see the soul and future of her clan each a sister aunt elder home heart of the vale holy of holies the occasional nonsense singsong of a dryad tending her tree in blissful total ignorance of all else the quickening of her footfalls as she hurried to be able to do the same it had been too long she didn't know how long but she would smell see feel be her tree once more the way it would be could be should be now and forever

Sighs turned to moans, contentment to fear, a gradual tightening around the corners of the young Dryad's eyes and lips.

where was it it should be here she didn't know these trees the wrong proportions too many blossoms too few blossoms singing out of key in response to her mental whispers had she missed it had they moved it they would not could not that was against tradition and all sanity where was it where was it eyes darting around and sakura sakura sakura but all of them strange and different and deserted leaving her lost and alone and a failure in the only important thing in her world running crying calling out for it eyes darting everywhere thoughts wide open for the song of growth and good health that matched the heartbeat of her soul but nothing upon nothing lost lost lost in the one place no hina could be would be lost

"No," she breathed aloud still sleeping, a categorical denial of everything.

where what there she could feel it muted and masked and afraid she ran charged screamed through the terrifyingly alien grove certain that she could find it she kept going one more step one more move one more there just out of reach just out of sight she would find her tree she would and there it was alone in a circle of sickened rotting trees behind a dome of sickly black mist she choked as her foot broke through the bark of a root on the ground and unleashed a miasma of flies and stink, every botanical symptom in the world no world no she would get it out of there she would get it away from the contagion make it whole and strong forever if it was the last thing she did stay back stay back the mist cried as she struck at it there is no hope here it was like fresh tar clinging to her hands as she tore at it foul and burning her hands as she fought to get through it filling in like quicksand sludge

"Give it back. give it back. It's mine, me, you can't have it. No no no..," she twitched and muttered in her sleep, clawing weakly at Kyra's scales, heart going a mile a minute in her distress.

[OrangeCrème]

Mystel eventually got her Norman Tart, and Chocolate mouuse, but at the moment she realized that Kyohei although not knowing he was awake, might want something to eat, so she decided that maybe she would share. Picking up the plate of meat and the pastry, sthe shape-changer made her way to the living room where a mass of people were standing around the human.

"Is Kyohei hungry? He might need something to eat, to replenish his strength" Mystel announced making her presence in the room known, she balanced both food items in each hand before making her way towards him.

[Delilah Synn]

"Delilah, where are we, and why are you nude? Not a complaint, but this seems like something I need to know.."

"We're in Prof. Shizuka's rooms and why wouldn't I be naked?" Delilah said with a teasing smirk. Her eyes narrowed and lips firmed as she added, "If me and Yuuki traded rooms, you could wake up every time like this." A long, coy tongue playfully licked her lips. "Something to thing about, y'know? I wouldn't mind either."

When Mystel made her offer from the main room, Delilah raised an eyebrow in question at Kyohei. When he said he could use something before his main meal arrived, she altered her aura so it wouldn't burn the shapechanger. And otherwise reclined on the bed, nude and tempting with her sable wings framing her glorious curves.

"Aren't you going to get dressed or cover up some, Dee?" Kyohei asked after a long moment of simply staring at his gorgeous girlfriend. Delilah might have some very liberal attitudes toward nudity, but he still have a conservative upbringing.

"I wasn't planning to, but if you insist..." Delilah sighed wryly. The teenaged succubus pulled up the sheet so it covered just enough of her breasts that she could claim the barest of modesty, though one leg was still bare to the hip. The incandescent runes painting her flesh turned her body into an hourglass shadow beneath the pale silk of the sheet.

"You can come in now, Mystel!" Delilah called out through the door into the main room.

[Justin OOC]

"To take possession of the Sealed Shinigami kept on the grounds." Aki looked at him pointedly. "I don't want such an embarrassment escaping again. Sadly this virus has rendered me unable to do my duty."

While thoughtful, The food Mystel had grabbed was indeed just some of a snacks that had been there already, not the food being ordered. When Kyohei heard her voice he sighed. "Honestly she's not been here a day and she worries me. Almost as much as Yuuki's little outburst." You can come in Mystel, we're decent." Much softer he voiced. "As decent as we're gonna get..." only Shizuka heard and grunted in the main room. "That's gonna be detention.."

[Toby Lupin]

"Isamu Noriega." Darrik said simply. Aki looked more curiously at him but nodded. "I thought so-" the warlock summed up, "and given what happened to Saizo Uno... I doubt he's sealed up anymore. Though that raises the question as to why the underwear thefts? Perhaps the sympathetic connections would help channel the virus if he created it- would explain why Skye is unaffected, she came too late for that."

"Still, sounds like Aoi is wrong though."

[SalmonMax]

Elsewhere, in Aria's room, the young Juraigumo heard a voice. "Aria, come to my office, now please. I might have answers for you." The headmaster's voice was unmistakeable

Aria heard the words, but didn't act on them immediately. Like all spiders, she was capable of blindingly fast action, but reserved it for when it was needed. She was content to stay in her web and watch, and wait. Life was much simpler as a spider than it was as a human being. Why had she ever thought coming here, denying her nature, would be a good idea? So much better to sit and wait and eat and think...and when the time came, not long now, she would find a mate...

...what happened to daddy?

A sickening jolt cut through the calm, instinctive comfort that Aria felt while perched on the web she'd spun over her bedroom. Yes, she remembered now why she'd decided she wanted to come here. Every female jorogumo had a doom hanging over her, though she knew not all of them saw it that way. A sword of undeniable, inexorable instinct poised to fall at least opportune of moments.

Most made their peace with it. Aria refused to. But here she was, indulging all the other instincts of spiderkind. Was that any better? What good was it to have a mind, to have will, if one did not USE them?

Even so, the effort required to leave her place of security and comfort was monumental. She had to go in short little scuttles. Down to the corner. Across to the door. The door gave her a moment of trouble, as she had no hands now. With a few tries she managed to stick a leg tip to it strongly enough to turn the knob, then quickly shove with another leg to open it. Out to the hall. Down the hall to the drinking fountain.

As she got farther away, Aria was distracted by nagging thoughts of her web. Was it all right without her? Had anything gotten caught in it? She knew that these thoughts, that anxiety, was born of dumb instinct not rational concern. The web was stronger than steel cable and in a locked bedroom. It'd be fine. And again, locked. Nothing was getting in to get stuck. The desire to just go back and check was a constant ache in the back of her head though, and made fighting onward that much harder.

Once she managed to get outside, it was better. She could hide in bushes. In trees. Being exposed in a well-lit area away from her web was very stressful, even though there weren't many things on the campus that would have wanted to antagonize a huge spider. Instinct again. The virus was amplifying it...making what should have been vague inclinations into powerful, overriding obsessions.

Finally she arrived, through the nearly deserted schoolyard, to the headmaster's office and awkwardly batted at the door twice with a chitinous leg, carefully enough not to damage it.

[Kyradathea]

Kyra considered the dryad that she was currently protecting, her friend, the need to simply pick her up and take her back to her horde where she could guard her more perfectly, along with the rest of her treasures was strong.. if it wasn't for the fact that some of her other friends, Kyo and Delilah were here, she would be fighting that need harder. Of course, Kyo and Delilah had proved that they could take care of themselves, and together could even stand equal to her, even perhaps, defeat her, though that had not been the intent the night they were all.. together.

Protecting Yuuki here and now managed to quiet most of her instincts, but it had her contemplating the dryad carefully, considering, weighing her ability to protect herself with her own protective capabilities, and the desire to claim her actively, to move her permanently, tree and all, to the dragon's horde was a strong one.

It would involve dealing with her elders though, to claim the girl and her tree as her own, and her recent fight with her sister had humbled her a little, she was not quite as sure she could deal with them as she might have been before.

Even as these thoughts passed though her mind, the dryad within her protective embrace began to stir in distress and that drew a response from Kyra, as she nuzzled the smaller girl like she might another dragon in distress. The air around them got a bit warmer as she attempted to wake the dryad out of her nightmare.

[Justin OOC]

Aki looked at Darrik. "That's not the one I came to pick up Darrik." You're saying you had him and ANOTHER shinigami sealed here?"

------------------------

For Aria, a door that could not be forced open, moved easily with her second tapping, into a room lit only by candle light. "I have summoned you here Aria, because of one reason. You can keep a secret." The Headmaster's voice spoke from the darkness of shadows. "What you see here, of me, you will never communicate to another, without my express permission, do you so swear?"

There were files on the desk, looking very old, and she could smell blood in the air, very ancient blood, and something that was simply, the Absence of odor.

[SalmonMax]

For once, Aria was almost glad she was stuck in spider form. It would have been hard to hide the sudden eagerness, the sparkle of avarice with a human face and body. Spiders didn't convey emotions with their movements; they didn't need to. They were not social creatures.

What could it be that he would keep it secret from all others? And why would he reveal it now, even to someone he trusted not to speak of it? What form had the virus revealed in the headmaster?

"I swear," she replied, "never to communicate what I see here of you to another without your permission." For what it was worth, she meant it as well. Some things it was enough just to know. To have it to chew on in the long moments of solitude. Priceless knowledge was to the jorogumo as gold wrought statues and works of art to a dragon...to be kept and guarded, not simply expended or used.