Listener's POV
"... and that, Nelkir, is reason number six hundred and sixty-six as to why you should propose to Aventus within a normal human's lifetime. Oh, hey, he's here! And apparently unconscious. I'll have to introduce you when he's finished training. Send me a raven when you've run out of clients, and I'll come and Listen as soon as I can."
Bickslow's lying on the ground of the carriage, which is attached to a train. Our stop is the last stop it has, but we'll just go in a magic-powered car. I still have to convince the makers of them to sell me one for my own, all they have right now are rentals. Stupid people. They could be making a fortune in repairs and the like.
Nelkir stands up, looking slightly relieved to be free from my lecturing, and walks out of the carriage into the next one.
I busy myself arranging the order of the books I brought to give my new apprentice to read while we wait to arrive at my house that is about seven hours away from the capital. We've been traveling for three, so I'm counting him lucky. It's almost half over.
He groans, and moves. "Ah, good, you're awake. It's nice to meet you, Bickslow. You're my new apprentice."
He sits up, screaming, "YOUR NEW WHAT?"
I frown. My ears are sensitive, thank you very much. "Could you please not shout? And you are Bickslow, right? Figure Eyes, Seith Magic, correct?"
He nods, stunned into answering my questions. "Good. Then you are my apprentice. Call me Listener, please. Now, we're four hours from our destination, about, and then a little bit more. You get to read the entire time. And here are your books."
He stands. Even as tall as I am, he dwarfs me by at least a couple of inches. (1) "Why don't I fight you instead?"
I smirk. "I took down all ten Wizard Saints at once, remember? You wouldn't pose a challenge to me."
"What if you didn't set a trap?"
"I'd still have won."
Five little images swarm around him, repeating 'trap' several times. My eyes light up when I see them. "Aww! They're adorable!"
What I can see of his face contorts. "What? No, these are weapons of mass destruction! Aren't you, babies?"
"And yet they're the cutest things I have ever seen."
"WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?"
"Nothing. You however, have studying to do. Don't worry, they're not that long or hard to read."
'Like most men,' I think.
Bickslow puffs up a bit, then sits down, lotus position, grabbing the book on the top of the pile, and starting to read.
I allow myself a small smile, knowing that I'll enjoy this, and he can't see it. I sit deeper in my seat, getting comfortable, and resume my own reading, before switching to writing for a while. By then, however, it's time to get off the train, and I get the books quickly.
"Impressive. You're on the last one."
"It's harder than the others."
"Which one is it? And can we talk about it while walking? The train's gonna leave, and this is where we stop."
He smiles slightly, and gets up, still holding the book. "It's The Mirror. I don't understand what it correlates to."
I chuckle. "You should relate it to a defensive maneuver. It's for blocking. These Skill Books are all magical, except for that one."
"Skill Books?" His tone sounds as curious as a cat's, and it shows when I give him a glance over my shoulder.
"Yeah, they're from a long time ago. I've collected them all, and they increase your skill in a certain area when you read them. Although, you do have to comprehend them, so that's kind of there as well.
"However, they're kind of like Celestial Keys. They're incredibly rare, only about 5 exist of each copy."
Bickslow looks at the book with a newfound respect. "Really? That's what they do?"
I smile. His naivety in this matter makes him seem so charming. "The rental's over here. C'mon, let's go."
I can see his smile when I glance back. His tongue's hanging out, displaying his guildmark proudly, and I know he's happy. I knew it! He likes learning, even if he doesn't act like it. A part of me is even excited to teach him.
A little while later, we're there, and once he gets out of the carriage, his jaw drops.
"What, do you have all the money in the world? Is this normal for you?" he shouts at me when I chuckle and move forward.
The house is huge; castle is more appropriate, actually, or perhaps, mansion. There's a lake out back, and in front is a set of protection magic that ensure only I can pass through. It's my private retreat.
"Bickslow, come here. I need to key you into the wards so if I have to leave you don't die or something." I hold out my hand for his wrist, beckoning him closer.
"They're that dangerous?" his palm is pressed against the wards, and they shimmer, glistening in the sunlight.
I smirk. "Incredibly so. If you were an intruder, you'd probably be dead right now."
He hisses at it. "Wicked."
I prick his finger, letting a tiny drop of blood spill out and trying desperately not to look at it, or smell it.
Yes, that's right, I'm a Volkihar, pure blooded Vampire. And I haven't had a single drop of blood in over forty years.
I press it to the wards before it has a chance to affect me, and it accepts him easily. Almost as easily as it did for me when I first bought it.
Interesting…. But, I can think about that later.
"Welcome, to Shadeleaf Manor." (2)
The awe must have a greater effect than I thought.
"That was the name you came up with?" he collapses in laughter.
"Ugh. Just get inside."
He complies, but he's still snickering slightly by the time we reach the entrance.
"C'mon, Bickslow, this is ridiculous. You've got a room to get to, and more training to do before the day is done."
"I'm not reading this time?"
"No, you are, but not right now. Come on."
He obliges, following me up the grandiose staircase that splits itself in the middle, like all those other castles in the world we always imagine. He's snickering again.
"What?" I ask, turning my head and raising an eyebrow.
"Oh, nothing, you've just got a great butt."
My expression falls flat. "Oh, how I loved to hear that. Nothing else can possibly make my day like a comment like that."
He just laughs more, and I sigh, before smiling slightly.
"This, is your room. Mine is right next to it, and the bathroom's across the hall. Library's in a huge tower, and the dining room is downstairs, immediately to your left off of the stairs, and the kitchen's right by that. Any questions?"
"Yeah, the training?"
"Oh, yes, that. Tell me, do you have a second origin yet?"
"I don't." he crosses his arms over his chest defensively, almost growling out the answer.
"That's good. You'll have to expand your own magicka, increasing your magical stamina to outlast any opponent who faces you. Now, come at me."
"Here? Now?"
"Oh, thank you for reminding me, right. We should go to the training room first. This way, Bickslow, and no comments about my butt this time."
He snickers. "Of course not, why would you ever ass-ume that I'd do that?"
"That was terrible."
"Oh, I have much worse ones."
"This is gonna be a long day, isn't it?"
An hour later, he's panting, almost exhausted to the point of collapsing. He's not wearing his mask or overcoat anymore.
"Hmm. That was impressive. Keep it up, and you'll be gone sooner than you think."
He growls, and I recall it was on the third attack or so that I deflected that he started growling and grunting in response, choosing not to use words, except on spells.
"Baryon formation!"
"Oh, please." I put up a ward, deflecting it to little or no harm. I didn't see what was coming next, though. His fist collides with my face, and I can say I never thought that'd happen.
"Finally, you managed to hit me. We're getting somewhere."
He growls again, attacking at random now, physical or magical, and sometimes both. I'm hit a few more times, then he stops, and collapses on the floor.
"That was rather impressive. First time sparring with me, and you lasted an hour and twenty minutes."
"What's impressive about that?" he asks, gasping for air, his eyes shut.
"The Saints went down in less than half that. I think you should try to use spells that don't require speaking, or be able to just think about them, and instead of having to rely on your tongue, just think about it and it should happen."
"I'm a bit exhausted for that right now, in case you hadn't noticed."
"So I see. I'll get your books for you, if that makes you feel better. Get some sleep, and we'll do some more training tomorrow."
He just huffs in response, and then walks out, rubbing his neck and carrying the clothes he took off in training. I wait for a moment, considering his performance. I wasn't trying that hard, but he said he only had his original magicka, not anything more, and that's what confuses me.
He should have used up all his magic long ago, probably not even thirty minutes into our bout.
What is going on?
Could it be the time to open up…. that book?
I pick out a few choice books for him from the skill book section, then grab some for him to just enjoy on the sidelines, or perish from boredom. My eyes linger on the locked chest that Urag gave me, oh-so-long ago.
~Start Flashback~
"Only open it if you're absolutely one hundred percent sure, Arch-Mage…. Even I don't know the repercussions of such a powerful artifact like that being allowed to be opened, let alone read. I just hope I'm not alive when you finally do." said Urag, handing over the chest and the key rather reluctantly and eagerly at the same time. He didn't want it anywhere near him.
"Sadly, Urag, I get the feeling you're right about that. And trust me, if I know, I'll know. But you know me, I'm usually careful with ancient and extremely powerful artifacts that tend to try and end the world before the time comes, and all that." I smiled at him, feeling good to know that my questions would be answered.
If not then, then someday, at the very least.
~End Flashback~
I shake off the thought, and carry the books to Bickslow's room. It's kind of strange, having someone else in the Manor with me. It's always just been me. I've never even brought Lucien in here with me, or even Cicero. My dogs don't even know where it is.
I open the door, and he's simply lying on the bed, looking peaceful, under the covers. I set the books down, and pull out my own, before laying it down and getting my parchment, quill, and ink.
He's simply too adorable to pass up this opportunity.
An couple of hours later, I've drawn Bickslow at least several times, probably more than five, in his adorable little poses, and it's hard to believe that someone so fearsome in combat could look so cute asleep.
Really, how does that happen? Although, that might happen to me, so, I can't really talk about it….
I put the stuff away, though, as he starts to stir. Aww, that's even more adorable. Also, I have to remember to bring charcoal next time. I believe it will work better than the quill and ink. Perhaps it will let me capture the flow of his hair, and the sheet covers that seem to be dipping oh-so-slightly towards exposure. I didn't have anything to do with it, so don't look at me like that!
He stretches and yawns, then yelps upon realizing I'm sitting in the room with him. He draws the sheets around him, blushing spontaneously and looking protective.
"What are you doing?" he yells out.
"I was reading and waiting for you to wake up to tell you what you really need to read, and what's not entirely necessary. You only slept for an hour or so, so it's not like I really had the time to do something elaborate and creepy and weird."
He's still blushing like mad, turning his head away from where I'm sitting.
"Fine, fine, I'll go. Brothers of Darkness isn't necessary, but you might find it interesting. Come find me when you're done reading, okay? I don't know where I'll be." I exit the room, the door slowly falling shut behind me. "Maybe I'll go for a swim or something…."
I can practically his cheeks bursting into flames right now. Ah, teasing students. There's nothing quite like it in the world.
I actually do follow my own advice, and walk out into the sunshine in a bikini custom-made, bearing a black hand on it and red the rest of the cloth. I don't actually know why the maker made it like this. It's a bit odd, and I don't know if I'd wear it in public. The hand in on my right breast, and it's kind of weird there. But hey, it's my life. If it wasn't weird, where would I be?
Smiling, I dive into the lake, enjoying the feeling of the water on my skin, which already feels warm. It's a good thing vampires don't tan, or sunburn. Then I'd be in trouble.
I face the house for a split second, and see Bickslow looking out the window, turning away just as quickly. Laughing quietly to myself, I swim out a bit, then just float on my back. I look up at the house after a few minutes to myself, and find him staring out again.
Grinning, I beckon him out here. If he has any questions, then I don't have to move from where I am. Perfect.
He brings his books with him, and sets them down on a tabletop next to a comfortable chair.
I get out of the water and grab a towel, drying my hair. "Any questions?" I ask, standing next to the table.
He nods. "One. Can I join you in the lake?"
I grin again. "Got a swimsuit?"
"You kind of teleported onto the train without giving me time to pack…"
I smack myself on the head. "Knew I was forgetting something…. Huh. Well then, just whatever."
He smiles, and takes off most of his clothes, leaving his boxers on, as I jump back into the lake. I surface, and yell at him. "Catch me if you can!"
"What part of this is training?"
"I can find an excuse for this… Hmm… Let's see… Stamina? Dexterity? Unwillingness to give up? Take your pick." I snicker at his floundering in the shallow area, and then stop at his smirk. Bickslow dives in with the grace of a pro, and gets about halfway to me in the span of time it took for me to get where I am. He's good.
"Fuck," I mutter under my breath, and swim away from the shore, into open waters, the middle of the lake. He's still catching up, and I change course, swimming towards the nearest shoreline so I can stand up and cast a spell. Or several, actually.
Swimming quickly, I finally reach the shallows, and stand up, casting a Water Walking spell. I smirk, and wait for him to approach me.
"Please tell me it's this easy." Bickslow smiles, his tongue lolling out.
He's standing in the shallows, and I smirk. My arms are behind my back, and I prepare a Magelight spell, throwing it right at his eyes and blinding him for a minute. I run away from him, giggling, across the water, fast as I can. It might seem like cheating, but I never said anything about the rules, did I?
I reach the opposite side of the lake, and equip an ankle bracelet with a Water Breathing enchantment on it. I tend to stash things around my houses just in case I need to hide out for a while, and this has come in handy several times.
I dive to the bottom of the lake, or at least as far as I want to go. I can, however, see a light from the spell I cast on Bickslow earlier. He's following me.
Keeping up my diving down into the lake, until I can barely see around me, even with Vampire's Sight, he's stopped, and gone back for air. I hear a muffled shout, and can't hear anything else.
Is he…?
I don't know if they can do that….
I wait a few moments, and something else enters the water with us. I glance around, trying to locate it.
It's his puppets.
He's smart. I knew I made a good choice.
I swim away slightly, trying to toy with them, and him by default.
They can't see down here either, so though they might not have to go back up for air, they can't find me unless they bump into me, or something along those lines.
But, instead of just staying where I was and practically impossible to reach hiding spot, I swim cautiously to the other side, away from the middle, staying low to the ground.
His dolls don't find me, and he's still out in the middle of the lake when I surface, finally, returning the ankle bracelet to it's hiding spot and running back to the tables and chairs are. I briefly consider going into the forest, but I'll save that for another day. It'd be no good to do something too difficult. Besides, it's confusing in there. I've gotten lost at least once, and while there's nothing dangerous in there, it's not a very nice place to be.
I sit down on one of the laid-back cloth covered comfortable chairs, and it's a while before he notices that I'm over there, and not in the water. One can practically feel his displeasure at it. Although I can't see his eyes with his mask on, I can feel a glare coming. Oh, I'm so scared.
I simply smile and start writing in my journal. I have several hundred of these in my personal library here. It helps to organize myself, although I have to be careful with my writing. I take precautions, and it's even in code. No one but me should ever be able to read this.
Bickslow gets out of the lake, his dolls floating around him, and I toss him a towel. "Did you have a nice swim?"
He throws it back at me, and I catch it before it can spill my ink. "Careful there. If you spill any ink, I'll dump you back in the lake."
He stands over my chair, looking at what I'm writing about, and quite possibly my cleavage as well. Eh, whatever.
Bickslow sits down though, and starts reading through the books he brought out with him. He's dried off enough so that he won't drip on them, though he takes off his helmet to read more clearly and dry his blue and black hair. I have to admit, it's really cool looking, especially with the face tattoo. I don't know why, though, but it's just…. cool.
I'm no longer paying attention to my writing, I've started describing Bickslow, and I just continue to roll with it. Nothing's quite working out entirely as I imagined. I'd never thought that someone from Makarov's guild would have been cool with living with a sociopathic, psychopathic killing machine, but, that part might not have come to light yet.
Still, I never imagined anyone from any guild in Fiore, just agreeing to come with me, even though I sort of kidnapped him, and just settling in and doing what I told them. I don't even know what I'm doing! Is that what makes a teacher a good one? Knowing what to do and what not to do?
But what about all the other factors in my line of work? Experience? Working under pressure? Feeling the sweet, sweet smell of blood spilling out of someone's body as their knees buckle, unable to right themselves, knowing their very life is coming to an end? Is that what my goal is here?
To turn Bickslow into an unstoppable killing machine?
Or just to simply impart all that I know upon someone before I eventually come around to the throes of fate, dying, like every other great hero out there that was remembered for a time, then forgotten?
What truly happens to people like me, is that they twist. We try and fit into a mold that was made for us, but we don't quite fit. It's not a true calling, it's not even anything like that at all. So what is it?
Why did I take Bickslow as my apprentice?
….
….
I believe I need to talk to Serana. And sooner, rather than later.
But how?
He finishes the books by the time the sun goes down, and we head back inside.
"Where's the kitchen again?" he asks.
"Hungry, are you? It's this way. What do you want?"
"I can make it myself." he grumbles, taking a seat nonetheless.
"I don't trust you yet, as much as you might want me to. Especially since you probably haven't eaten in at least a half a day."
"Oh yeah!" his face lights up, or what I can see of it. "I forgot about it. The books kinda distracted me."
I watch him sheepishly rub his neck as I get out ingredients for pancakes. This place is always fully stocked, courtesy of moi.
"Learning really dulls your appetite for a while, does it? Hmm. If I need to ration food with you, I'll remember that." I mix the ingredients together, before realizing I'm still in my swimsuit. Haven't even changed.
As they're frying, I study him, whose reading Brothers of Darkness.
"You know, you can take off that mask whenever you want. Figure Eyes don't affect me. Well, at least, yours shouldn't."
He looks up at me. "Really?"
"I'm immune to most forms of mind control, and I know how they work, for the most part. A friend of mine actually invented something like them a long time ago, before they were known as such." I flip a pancake or two, halting the flow of information for a second as I concentrated on my task. "He wanted to make people do what he wanted without actually having to tell them." I chuckle.
"Oh, Neloth. He so loved to kidnap people."
"You were friends with a kidnapper?"
"He stopped long before I knew him, don't worry. If I wanted to dissect you for parts, you'd already be sold and shipped, so don't worry your pretty little head about that. I mean, I'm much more dangerous than Neloth, and besides, I'm your teacher now. I try not to harm my students."
Bickslow takes off his mask, shaking his head. "That didn't make much sense."
I shrug. "I'm not entirely used to explaining things to people, especially about myself. It's been a long time since my history's been brought up. It's kind of strange, actually."
"So what do I get to know?" Bickslow asks, as I flip the pancakes and put them on a plate for him. I place it in front of him, levitating out the maple syrup and such.
"More? Good, there's too much batter here. Well, I don't know how much you get to know yet. I should tell you some things, but those would require a lot of background history and explanations that we don't have much time for right now. It is, like, what, nine at night?" I sigh, checking the other pancakes.
"I'm the leader of several organizations, or at least, I was the leader of several organizations. Most of them are collapsed now, although several of them kind of combined into one. The College and the Companions kind of merged into guilds as you know them today, although the College actually became more like the Council, though that is really more like the Synod. They're about as reliable as them, too. The Thieves' Guild still exists today, but it also has a different dark side, some taking after the Companions, and making Dark Guilds. The Black Market also sprung from them, as well. Everything stolen ends up there. Well, most things, anyway. However, those are just the basics. I'd tell you more, but it's rather complicated past that, and the ones that aren't familiar with those things get lost pretty quickly. I can write it up tonight in a tree or something."
He swallows a mouthful of pancake that I just put on his plate again. "A tree?"
I smile. "Sort of a genealogical tree, but for the magical guilds and organizations of today."
"Interesting."
"History is always interesting for those who wish to learn from their enemies', and their allies', mistakes. Nothing reveals such things like a person who's been there."
"You haven't been there. Wait, have you?" he asks around yet another mouth of pancake.
"Of course I have. Haven't you noticed I'm pale as moonlight? I mean, sure, my illusions are strong, but I have to have a base. I never change my skin color."
"What are you saying about that?" his eyebrow rises from it's normal position.
"I'm a vampire."
He drops his fork. "B-but vampires aren't real!" he practically shouts.
I smile, putting away ingredients. "Oh, they're real all right. But, Bickslow, seriously. When I said I'm not going to harm you, I mean it. If I do, I promise I'll heal you right away."
"How can I trust your word?" Bickslow questions.
I smile sadly. "I swear on my Dread Father's name, and the lives of every member of my Family. I will not harm you if I can help it."
He relaxes a bit, then finishes his food quickly, but with less enthusiasm than before.
"Leave the plate; you rest. You'll be training hard every day for six days of the week; you'll have one day off every week like clockwork." I say, my arms folded across my chest.
He nods, then exits the room.
"Oh, and Bickslow? I haven't bitten anyone in over forty years. I'm not in any position to bite you."
He leaves, and I hear him going up the stairs, quietly but not quickly. He's thinking.
I sigh, and clean up. I have a letter to write.
(1- Estimation only. I'm sitting down now.)
(2-I named it Shadeleaf Manor after Shadeleaf Copse, home of several Spriggans in Keizaal, where I grew up, despite my elvish heritage. There were Spriggans here too, but they're long gone. The entire race has disappeared, hunted down. Now there's no one left to protect the wilds. This place is also so heavily enchanted, every brick, that if you tried to find it on a map, the magical interference could drive a person bonkers.)
~A/N
I want to make the chapters as perfect as possible, so that's why it's been so long. However, please keep reviewing, because I want to improve it!