Book 1 - Chapter 4: A Favour Repaid

Effina finally awoke from her troubled sleep. It must be morning outside by now, after all, light was leaking in through the curtains over the windows. Just a little longer...

Or, Effina had hoped. Suddenly, she could hear crying coming from Zena's room. It sounded like...

Coral!

Effina didn't sleep very well that night a her sleep was rather troubled. She couldn't really make much sense of what she had witnessed. For it all had been something from Zena's past it had to have been when she had still been human. But why was Effina allowed to see something like this sure Coral had a small hand to play in it, She wasn't able to think about it any longer as she could hear crying coming from Zena's room.

The sound of the crying was coming from Coral, but the question was why was she crying. Getting out of bed Effina hurried out of the room. She was still dressed in her night clothes so at least she wasn't naked. Arriving at the door Effina knocked upon it with her small right hand.

"May I please come in, I'd like to know the reason why Coral is crying?" Effina asked.

Effina's lack of sleep was greeted with an upset Coral when she finally awoke.

"Your turn. I did it at four in the morning when you were still fast asleep." Freya sleepily mumbled to Effina as Effina got out of bed and hurried to the door.

So, this wasn't the first time Coral had got someone up in the space of a night?

Effina left her bedroom and went straight to Zena, knocking on the door and asking if she could be let in. The door was opened but, as soon as it was open enough for Effina to see in, Coral came sprinting out of the room to dive onto Effina crying.

"PAAPAAAAA!"

Before Effina knew it, she was on her back on the floor with Coral hugging onto her for dear life.

"PAPA PAPA PAPAAAAAAAAA!"

Through all the tears and tight dragon hugs, Effina felt like there was a wetness over her as well which wasn't from Coral's crying. Managing to pull herself up enough to support Coral and look at the damage, Effina knew exactly what the source of the early morning tears might be.

Coral's sleep shorts were soaked through.

She'd wet the bed.

"All this just over a little bedwetting." Lucine sighed as she stepped out of the bedroom as well, wringing the bottom of her Baby-Doll out over the wet wooden floors. She was likely the one who'd opened the door. Coral had left quite the trail of wetness in her sprint from the sleeping bag. "It's clear like water and doesn't even remotely smell like pee. I should know, I woke up feeling like I was sleeping in a water barrel. She peed like a damn waterfall."

Once the door finally opened and before she could step inside. Coral came flying out of the room knocking them both to the ground. Coral was hugging onto her tightly crying the entire time. She also felt a wetness on her body and when she was able to pull herself free. To see that Coral's sleep shorts were clearly soaked through.

"What's wrong?" Effina asked.

Lucine stepped out of the room a moment later to say what had happened.

"I'll take her to go get cleaned up and help her calm down." Effina took Coral by the hand and led her to the bathroom in the hall where she opened the door. Once both girls went inside Effina closed the door and turned to Coral.

"Did you have a bad dream?"

When the initial shock of dragon impact wore off, Effina tried to ask why Coral was so upset, but Lucine had already answered that for her. Effina then said she'd go and take Coral to clean up.

"Hey! Where am I gonna- ugh! Fine, I'll use the downstairs one." Lucine called after the rapidly withdrawing pair.

Safely inside the bathroom, Effina asked if Coral had a nightmare. However, Coral was still crying too much to answer at the moment. She just gave a nod of her head and grabbed hold of Effina again. Lucine was right, there wasn't even the faintest smell of urine coming from Coral's sodden shorts and shirt. It was almost as if she'd just dived straight into a pool of water rather than wet the bed. How strange...

"Never send a man to do a mother's job." Freya commented as she entered the bathroom as well, with nothing but a blanket wrapped around her naked body. In her rush, Effina had forgotten to lock the bathroom door. "Although, considering you have no children of your own, I kind of understand why you might not be experienced with consoling them."

Locking the door behind her, Freya removed her blanket and placed it on the towel rack.

"Need a hand with cleaning her up? I'm sure there are places you wouldn't want to put your hands." Freya quipped Effina. "You may look like a girl, but you're still a man on the inside."

It was true the reason for Coral's current wetness was from the nightmare. She had which Effina took from the girls faint nod she let Coral hold onto her again. Freya soon entered the bathroom with nothing but a blanket wrapped around her. "That really hasn't done me much good, plus I've already got the others questioning me on who I really am."

With the door locked behind them, Effina had went over and turned on the warm water. For the shower so that they could clean Coral up. "That would be helpful." once the water was warm enough. Effina had removed her own clothes and stepped under the running water.

Effina agreed that having no prior experience of raising children was causing countless trouble. She also made a passing comment about people already questioning who she truly was.

"She knows." Freya replied. "However, she's not done anything about it because she trusts that you wouldn't abuse your current appearance to get questionable favours or information from the girls. Syl's also aware, though she's not completely certain if her judgement has any grounds, yet."

If what Freya was saying was true, then the 'she' who knows might be Lucine. It would be a safe assumption, considering the way Coral's been acting around Effina, and the sorts of things Effina has done, or tried to do. Effina confirmed that she would like the assistance with cleaning Coral.

"Then, you can go clean up first. I'll wash Coral down before she gets into the shower." Freya informed Effina as she gently took Coral from Effina's grasp.

As Effina checked the water and began to undress, Freya had started to peel the wet clothes off of Coral. Coral was still in a little bit of a state, but her crying had stopped a good deal since Freya had joined them. Being with both of her Parents probably helped to soothe the upset Dragon.

"If she does know, I'm glad she hasn't said anything to the others. Syl's sure to catch on knowing her its only a matter of time until she finds out the truth." Effina said. Freya then agreed to help wash Coral as she started to help Coral undress.

"When you checked on Coral earlier this morning did you ever. Find out what it was that had upset her?" Effina now being alone under the water started to clean herself down.

Effina believed that it wouldn't be long before Syl pieced together the information she had and learned the truth about Effina.

"Hopefully, by that time you'll be back to normal." Freya answered.

Once Effina was undressed, she got into the shower and began to clean herself down. Coral, on the other hand, once she was undressed as well, was taken over to the toilet instead. Rather than being seated alone on the toilet to go about her business, Freya had placed Coral on top of her lap and a little forward, so both of them were on the toilet at once. Once Coral was seated securely, Freya spread her legs open a little so there was a clear space between Coral's lower regions and the toilet.

During this, Effina asked if Freya knew what had upset Coral earlier that morning.

"I think she just woke up and realised we weren't with her and got a little distressed." Freya replied. "There wasn't anything else I could see which might have woken her up, unless she had another bad dream. Even Lucine wasn't sure what might have caused her to wake up like that."

Accompanying the gentle downpour of the shower was a slightly louder sound of water splashing into water, muffled by the presence of the two on the toilet. Somehow it didn't sound like just one of them was going, but more like both at once.

"I don't think she did wet the bed. She's going quite strongly now." Freya informed Effina, uncaring of the intimacy of such a topic. "There also wasn't the slightest trace of staining on her top, and, even with all she'd been drinking, it wouldn't have been that diluted."

That would explain the clarity of the liquid and the lack of any discerning scents.

'That is if I get back to normal." Effina replied back.

While in the shower Effina thought about what would happen when. He would changed back into his male self. He was going to miss being female it was a enjoyable time for the most part. She washed down her arms and legs with soap and water. She then heard Freya say something else and heard a slightly louder sound of water. Only to see Coral was naked and sitting upon Freya's lap with her legs spread.

She was clearly using the toilet Effina watched for a while. "I think I know what might have caused her to wake up like that. I think it was a bad dream she had we both might have shared the same dream." Effina looked away and washed between her legs.

"This is going to be the death of me one day." Effina sighed. Clearly not sure how to take all the talk all the time or even seeing young girls wetting themselves.

"It'll wear off eventually." Freya consoled Effina. "If not, well, it's not that bad being Female."

Effina began to think about what would happen when she returned back to her original self. She actually felt like she'd miss being female. Perhaps there was some kind of magic or potion that could be made which would allow her to return to these days, if she so wished?

Effina's thoughts were interrupted by the dual release of the girls on the toilet. Effina looked to the source to see both Freya and Coral peeing both at once. Coral was a little further forward on Freya's lap and had her legs spread slightly for additional stability. However, this didn't stop Effina from seeing her delicate place, gently releasing its yellow nectar into the toilet bowl below. Slightly overshadowed by Coral's presence was Freya's own hidden treasure, barely visible behind Coral's. It, too, was depositing its own blend into the toilet, merging with both Coral's and the water already in the bowl.

"Stare all you want. You've already seen it once before." Freya chastised Effina with a mischevious smile.

Quickly correcting her view back to the shower, Effina explained some theory behind why Coral may have been upset.

"It's a possibility, although why would only you experience it with her?" Freya questioned.

Both Freya and Coral finished up their release into the toilet. Freya wiped herself and Coral down, flushed, gently took Coral off her lap and led her to the sink on the other side of the bathroom to clean up.

"Regardless of why she woke up crying, we've still got the sodden accompaniment to consider." Freya continued as Coral took a seat on the stool by the sink. Freya then began to fill up a washbasin with warm water from the tap. "You're familiar with Magicians coming into their powers. Has there ever been records of them using their magic without their knowledge before they are aware of how to control it?"

A fair point. It was common knowledge among Magicians that not everyone was aware of their powers from birth. Lucine is a prime example of such a discovery.

"I think the deluge might have been due to Coral using her Magic without her knowledge. Dragons are meant to be the origins of all Magic, after all." Freya concluded.

"Coral can use Magic?" Coral chimed in as Freya requested that she checked the temperature of the washbasin's water.

"Yes, little one. We think you used it accidentally while you were sleeping, and that's why you woke up all wet." Freya informed Coral.

Effina went on to think about how she might be able to change back into a girl. From time to time with either magic or a potion. It was worth looking into when she had more time to spare on that idea.

Seeing both child and adult using the toilet, at once was an exciting. Thing to watch for Effina while she wasn't interested in the whole of going pee. She just thought it looked nice to be able to see something she wouldn't see again. It was also the first time she saw Coral's treasure like that.

"A nice sight indeed for both of you."

With the main topic brought up once again Effina thought for a while on it. "That I don't really know, maybe because it's something to do with how Coral was brought into this world. Or it's because I've been able to see some strange things while holding onto her." Effina spoke.

Freya next asked another question.

"Yes, theres been quite a few times in the past where people have been unaware. They could use magic, Lucine is one of them as she didn't know she had magical powers. Until I told her about it, there was also another back in my homeland who was just the same." Effina stated.

Effina thought on teaching Coral how to use her magic.

"Perhaps I can try and teach her how to better use her magic?"

Effina watched Freya and Coral using the toilet together and commented on how nice a sight it was.

"Now, now. Don't get and funny ideas about Coral." Freya cautioned Effina.

Moving on to the important discussion, Effina mentioned that she could see some unusual things when holding on to Coral. During the discussion, Freya was gently washing down Coral.

"What kind of strange things did you see?" Freya asked. "If you can describe them well enough, I might be able to discern what they are. While you were getting changed into a girl yesterday, I looked through some old research tomes on Dragons that the Duke had. They weren't in a good enough condition to get any detailed information from, as the language they were written in was from the Old Tongue."

Effina then explained that it was quite common for Magicians to use their magic without knowing that had it and suggested that he teach Coral about Magic as well.

"Are you sure?" Freya questioned. "I'm going to be blunt on this, but you've not made any progress with Lucine's studies despite being her mentor for over half a week."

It might be painful to admit, but it was the truth. Lucine hadn't even mastered the basics of Magic Theory yet, despite how long she'd been with Elthin. Without a true grasp on the origins and nature of Magic, she wouldn't even be accepted at an Academy to further her studies.

"Don't worry about that." Effina said.

Things then moved back to important business. "I believe what I was able to see while holding onto Coral were some floating orbs of condensed Wrath. I think I was able to sense one earlier this morning above Zena's head. They usually allow you to see a persons memories, so I think I was able to see something about Zena and the same with Lucine a while ago."

Freya wasn't so sure Effina would be the best teacher to teach Coral magic.

"It's just a suggestion, I know I haven't been able to teach Lucine much. Maybe you are right and someone from the Magician's Guild would be better at teaching them both. I think I know someone who would be perfect for the job."

Effina explained what she could see when holding on to Coral.

"Orbs of Sin?" Freya questioned. "According to Legends, Dragons came down to this world to absolve Mankind of their Sins. Most people believed it to be some form of Genocide decided by the Prime Gods and acted out by Dragons, but, from what I could make out in the Duke's Books, this was a misconception. Dragons aren't there to kill Mankind, but to save them.

"Those orbs are a form of sustenance to Coral. They are supposedly like food and water is to us. Dragons can live without consuming those orbs, but, in exchange, they need to consume loads of 'human' sustenance to make up for it. Logically speaking, Coral may not consume the orbs as an object, but the emotions of Anger and Hatred which existed at the point of the Orb's creation. In doing so, she removes the feelings which cloud the judgements of the person the orbs came from, allowing them to view the situation from an outside perspective and review their understanding of it.

"Finally, from what you've explained, she needs to 'enter' the time of the Orb's creation to consume the negative emotions. While she is not physically existing in that timeframe as a person or an object, she transcends human limitations and passes through the Forth Dimension of reality, and coexists both in that time and the present time. While experiencing the emotions of the Orb's creator, she can determine what caused it to be made and 'consume' the source of that negativity."

"Coral's head hurts now..." Coral sighed, not understanding all the complicated explanations.

While Freya's explanation was going on, she'd pre-washed Coral down and was washing herself down now, with Coral's assistance at the young Dragon's request.

"There is much we do not understand about Dragons. Hopefully, having one of our own to study as she grows will help to further our understanding." Freya concluded. "It sounds like, as she's bonded to you more strongly, you are the one who experiences this with her. It is possible that, when she's older, she could do it independently but, for now, she needs someone to watch over her as a tether to the Present Dimension of Existence so she doesn't lose herself between dimensions."

With all the complicated Existential theory-crafting out of the way, Effina went back to the more simplistic conversation about Magic Tutoring.

"Who do you have in mind?" Freya asked. "Although, a change in tutor may only set her back further, as they would likely have a radically different style of education in comparison to what you give."

Effina had just finished up washing herself down. Than began to dry herself down with a towel as Freya explained more about what she had told. Freya about everything she had done with Coral.

"Something like that yes, I believe that's what the cause of Coral's problem this morning. Was her passing into Zena's mind where she took in the emotions. Thus she saw memories from Zena that must have scared her, which were imparted onto me as well." Effina stated.

She finally finished drying off then created a set of clothes for her to wear. Out of magic she created a blue blouse and pair of white shorts. "Well she has taken a strong liking to me so, it will be nice to see what happens to Coral as she grows up."

Freya asked then who Effina had in mind to tutor Lucine.

"If he isn't too busy I was thinking of asking the elder to teach her."

Effina finished up in the shower and dried herself off while the theory around Coral's teary wake-up was concluded. Creating an outfit from Magic for herself, Effina was now ready to start the day. But first, there was the issue about Magic Tutoring to solve as well. Effina, without even thinking too much about it, believed that The Elder could teach Lucine.

"Did you give that suggestion any thought at all?" Freya sighed, unimpressed by the lack of consideration for Magician Etiquette. "You, of all people, as a Magician should know why that isn't possible."

Freya had a point. It was known among Magicians that The Elder of a Guild could not personally teach any student, regardless of their social standing, status or aptitude for Magic. To do so would be to show clear favouritism for a student or Magician Household, which may spark a civil dispute between all Noble houses and Magician Guilds.

Freya and Coral were now all prewashed and ready to step into the shower.

"I wasn't trying to play favorites or anything so, if he is unable to train her then who can?" Effina asked not really knowing anyone who would be a good teacher for Coral or Lucine. With both girls now all prewashed they took their steps out of the shower.

"Maybe Duke Trent might know someone I could always ask him about it?" Effina then went on to try and think of who'd be best to teach them.

Effina realised the error of her suggestion and asked who else would be able to teach Coral and Lucine.

"If you get your teaching head in order, then you'd be the best teacher available for them. As you know, Brascus does not take kindly to Female Magicians." Freya informed Effina as she went about her shower. "Argenta is a land of Kinetics, which is fundamentally different from Magicians, so it's unlikely that the Duke would know any Magician who could teach them. Why do you think you were called up to help give a lecture on Magic at the School?"

"Coral wants Papa to teach Magic." Coral cut in. "Coral doesn't want anyone other than Papa to teach Big Sis and me."

"Your student has spoken." Freya commented with a smile. "You won't be alone in the Lecture, I can tell you that. You've not got anyone under you who can demonstrate the different elements of Magic, so he's called in a contact from the Mainland. Just so you know, this contact already has two sweet little Apprentices under them, so they won't want to take on any more. See if you can get some teaching pointers from them."

"Didn't I just say I'd try to teach them." Effina pointed out. She further listened to what Freya had to say. 'Because they needed help with teaching, I also thought it was because of a few other things as well."

Coral spoke up about wanting her to teach both Coral and Lucine magic and no one else.

"What can you teach me on how to teach my own two apprentices?" Effina asked.

Effina wanted some more pointers on how to educate the girls under her.

"I'm no teacher, but any Parent or caregiver for children can tell you that each child learns differently and at their own pace." Freya explained. "Lucine seems like quite the active type of learner, so she wouldn't focus well or learn much sitting around reading books. It'll be better for her if you took her outside and allowed her to practice in a safe place. The same goes for her reading and writing lessons. She likely learns through experience, and not books.

"As for Coral, I'm not entirely sure where her strengths lie. I think you should just try different things and see what she clicks with best."

"Taking Lucine on a small trip into the desert would work. Even if it's just for trying to teach her better." Effina spoke. She knew Lucine would still want to see more places but that while it could be done. Needed both time to set up and Lucine to get the basics down for magic.

"That could be a tuff one."

Effina suggested taking Lucine into the Desert would help her learn better.

"That's...not exactly safe, I would say." Freya commented, a little stunned by the suggestion. "I'm thinking more along the lines of studying through experience. Have her try to make a small fire with her magic out of wood and tinder on stone flooring next to a well. That could help."

Effina believed that teaching Coral through trial and error would be tough.

"Welcome to raising a child, First time Father." Freya retorted playfully. "Trial and error is the only way any first time parent can look after their children. Most of the work has been done for you, as Coral's toilet trained and educated to the basic degree. All you need to do is work on her strengths to teach her about the world, when you find them out, that is."

"I wasn't planning on taking her on any long journeys or anything. Just perhaps a mile or two out of town. But what you suggested might be a better idea rather then mine."

Effina didn't really know how to raise a child.

"Can we not talk about toilets or any of that sort. I already have enough problems with always having to be around people in that state. It's starting to make me feel strange if you ask me." Effina responded to with a blush. She quickly tried to change the subject "I guess it's time for some Father-daughter time."

"Even a mile into the desert has bought about the end of many a foolish and unprepared traveller." Freya cautioned Effina. "It's part of the reason all merchants hire mercenaries and sellswords to protect their goods, even when travelling to Port Ralence."

Effina tried to pull the conversation away from toilets and using them, as she admitted that it was making her feel strange.

"Need to go yourself, now, do you?" Freya chuckled. "Before we close that course of conversation, there's one thing you should know if you want to be a good parent to Coral: Dragons, when they are in their natural element, lose a small amount of muscle strength as their body reacts to the element which birthed them. This, in Coral's case, means that whenever she's in water, she's likely to add to it with her own unless she's already gone before entering."

Effina decided to change the subject to Father/Daughter bonding.

"Which one? The one in here or the one cleaning up the mess in Zena's room?" Freya questioned.

"Just trying to give her an open area to practice in nothing more." Effina stated. But once again Freya had a point with what she had just said and all.

Where she had not felt the need to use it earlier. All this talk about it and feeling strange had made Effina feel the urge to go. "N-no I don't" Effina lied, as Freya went on to speak more about being a good parent to Coral. "So, whenever she's in water she's going to add to it unless she's already gone. Okay will just need to make sure she tries to use the bathroom ahead of time."

The subject was changed to Father/Daugther bonding.

"The one in here, but I guess it would be better for the other one to join in to."

Effina lied in regards to Freya's rather invasive question about toileting needs. She then confirmed to herself the information Freya had given her about Dragons and their Elemental affinities.

"You should be thankful she's not a Wind Dragon." Freya commented to Effina. "Those poor things must have so much trouble in their daily lives."

Effina answered that she wished to do bonding with Coral, but realised that she couldn't just leave Lucine out either.

"You could help Lucine clean up after Coral's accidental magic use. I'm sure she'll be thankful for that." Freya informed Effina. "At the very least, it'll allow her to get started on her own day sooner. We'll be done in here soon, so we can all spend time together then."

"I don't even want to think about that!" Effina stated.

She couldn't help but shiver at the thought of what they must go through daily. Freya suggested something for Effina to do to help out Lucine.

"Okay, I'll go help her out."

Once she was done she left Freya and Coral and headed back to Zena's room. Where she knocked on the door.

"Can I help out with the mess?" Effina asked.

Effina didn't want to even think about the sorts of trouble Wind Dragons must go through, considering they are almost always in their natural element.

"They would likely have ways around their problems. It'll just take some creative thinking." Freya answered.

Effina then decided to go and help out Lucine with the clean up. Heading out of the bathroom, Effina went on over to Zena's room and knocked on the door. Zena was the one who opened it this time.

"Good, just in time." Zena replied to Effina, handing her a few towels. "You can start on the trail in the hallway. It's just water, so you don't need gloves or cleaning products."

The door opened and Zena greeted Effina who was then handed some towels. "What about once I'm done?" Effina asked as she turned around and started to use the first towel. Upon the trail of water she did her best to make it as clean as possible.

Effina wanted to know what she should do when her first task was completed.

"When you're done, you can help carry the sleeping bag into the bathroom when it's free." Zena explained to Effina as she left her to her assigned task.

With little direction aside from the scant amount of detail given by Zena, Effina folded up the towel and began to mop up the drip trail leading from Zena's bedroom towards the bathroom. For such a small girl, Coral certainly made a big mess. Thankfully, it was little more than something like a spillage of water, so it didn't take much cleaning up. During the task, Freya and Coral had finished up in the bathroom and were making their way back to their assigned bedrooms. Coral looked a little down at the fact that Effina had to be cleaning up the mess she'd made, but she seemed in a slightly better mood from before they spent their time together.

The whole mopping up task took no more than a couple of minutes, so now it was time to move on to the next step of the cleanup.

There was sure a lot of water on the floor, it certainly was a big mess. But it didn't take that long to clean up yet seeing all this water. Made Effina think about using the bathroom again when she had time. Freya and Coral made their way out of it and headed towards their rooms. She greeted them both with a wave and went up to finish the task at hand.

Returning to Zena's room she went over to the sleeping bag. That was pointed out to her and helped carry it to the restroom.

Mopping up the last of the water on the floor, Effina finished her first task and headed back to Zena's room to complete the second one. Both Lucine and Zena were helping to move the sleeping bag as well, making sure to not tip it so the open end was pointing downwards. It seemed strange to need three people to move one sleeping bag, but...

...upon trying to pick the bag up, Effina instantly realised that it was a fair amount heavier than a sleeping bag normally would be. Just feeling the contents inside it sloshing around indicated why this was the case. There was definite grounds behind Lucine's earlier comment about sleeping in a water barrel. This amount of liquid coming from a single source could only be down to accidental magic use, unless Coral's hiding a huge barrel of water inside her, which might not be too much of a exaggeration considering she's a dragon.

After moving the sleeping bag into the bathroom, Zena began to tip the item like she was pouring water from a jug, In seconds, a large downpour of water began to empty from the sleeping bag to be sucked down the shower's drain, making the load in Effina's hands a little lighter. Clean up looked to be complete now.

Carrying the sleeping bag sure was a handful even with three people. Since a large amount of water was still sitting inside of it. Once they reached the bathroom Effina began to tip it towards the shower drain. All the water that was inside began to pour out of the sleeping bag which took a short while.

Once everything was done, clean up was now finished. Effina thanked both Zena and Lucine for their help.

The cleanup after Coral's accident was finished at last. This allowed Zena and the others to finally begin on their morning routine. Thankfully for Zena, there didn't appear to be school that morning, but she was still going to be busy even without that. According to Zena, both herself and all the other young ones will be helping set up the school for the lecture on magic later that day, preparing demonstration areas and making sure that all safety checks were done. Seemed like Effina would still be busy even before the lecture came.

Everyone had to help out with setting up the school. For the lecture on magic this meant Effina was going to be busier with having to help out. She agreed to it for now anyway while Zena was busy going through her morning routine Effina asked her a question.

"Will Naru be there as well?"

Effina wanted to know if Naru would be present at this lecture on magic.

"She's both a student at the school and the security for the event, so she has to be there for the security role, even if she's not interested in the lecture itself." Zena explained. "Got something against her?"

It seemed avoiding Naru would be slightly more difficult than Effina might have thought originally. Considering she's an active member of COG, the main public order group of Argenta, Naru is likely to be at a lot of the events going on in the city.

"I don't like what she did to me." Effina stated. She didn't want Naru to be there as she'd surely try something once again. "The same can be said for what she did to you to." Effina added. Before Zena could ask what she meant by that Effina left the room to go back and check on Coral and Freya.

"Naru's not going to do any of that while on duty. She has an image to maintain, after all, and she's serious about her work." Zena answered. Effina then bought up the fact that she didn't like what Naru does to Zena, but left the room before Zena could retaliate.

Leaving the other girls to their morning routines, Effina went to check on Freya and Coral back in the room assigned to Freya and herself. Coral was currently lying with her head on Freya's lap while she had her hair combed to straighten it out after her shower. Coral looked to be thoroughly enjoying the attention, as any child would, and had completely returned to her usual upbeat and hyperactive self.

"You sure took your time!" Effina was chastised as soon as she entered the room. From the sound of the speaker, and the lack of reaction to the voice from the other two in the room, the source could only have been Tone. "Grab my Vessel and take it into the toilet before you have to explain why a puddle is suddenly forming!"

Due to the slight sense of urgency in Tone's biting commands, she was likely on the verge of creating that puddle. This was only further clarified by the fact that she had both legs crossed twice over and one hand firmly holding herself as she sat on Effina's assigned bed.

Effina returned to her room and was greeted by Tone who seemed. Upset about something it turned out that she needed to use the bathroom. 'Oh, stop with your whining' Effina said. She went over and grabbed the vessel. Then headed towards the bathroom like Tone wished for her to do.

When in the bathroom she set the vessel, on the counter. 'Okay, you're here so go about your business'.

At the insistence of Tone, Effina hastily grabbed her Vessel and quickly headed back into the thankfully empty bathroom. Of course, it did spark a curious look from Freya, considering Effina just entered, grabbed a book and then left the bedroom without so much as a single word.

Once inside the bathroom, Tone didn't even wait until Effina had set the book down before speeding over to the toilet and letting loose. From the sound of the stream and the velocity it was leaving Tone, she'd probably been holding it for a very long time, likely from when Effina went to see Zena the night before and got caught up in playing Truth or Dare. Come to think of it, Effina didn't exactly give her a chance to go before bed the previous night...

"You really need to get better at thinking about others before indulging in your own pleasure." Tone scolded Effina. "You should feel happy that your 'children' are old enough and developed enough to take care of their own needs."

"I don't need to hear that from you." Effina sighed.

Tone could have always asked to go before Effina went to bed when she returned to her room. They were both at fault there and a fight wasn't something she wanted to go through this morning.

"Let me know when you're done and we can leave this place."

Effina decided to not take the bait Tone had set out and refrained from engaging in an argument with the troublesome Spirit. Tone remained on the toilet for near enough half a minute before wiping herself down, pulling up her panties, which had a thin damp line where her lower lips would be, flushing the toilet and then going to wash her hands.

"All done." Tone informed Effina once she'd dried her hands.

Tone was finished up with her business and Effina grabbed the book and headed back. To her assigned room where she tried to see if any of the others were still there or went to breakfest. "I don't want you trying to cause trouble for me today okay?" Effina asked.

After Tone had finished inside of the toilet, Effina took her Vessel back to the bedroom they left to see if anyone else was still hanging around. Unsurprisingly, the bedroom was empty, as the people that were inhabiting it moments ago would have likely gone downstairs. Finally having a quiet moment, Effina cautioned Tone to not cause trouble.

"Such a harsh accusation!" Tone countered, a slight hint of mock disbelief in her voice. "As if innocent little me would do something so horrible!"

That wasn't exactly an acceptance or decline of the caution, but hopefully Tone would not cause trouble unless provoked to.

The bedroom was empty when Effina returned. Tone spoke up about not causing any sort of trouble.

"Consider this a test if you can remain good for the rest of the day. I might start to treat you a lot nicer." Effina tells her.

She then left the bedroom and headed downstairs looking for the others.

Effina believed that a hint at being treated better would be enough to have Tone behave herself.

"Oh wow. I really must try my hardest to behave if that's the reward." Tone retorted monotonously.

Seems like she didn't believe that it was a suitable reward for the effort it would take her to not cause trouble. Leaving the mischievous Spirit to ponder the potential reward some more, Effina went downstairs to rejoin the others. It certainly sounded busy down there, as the children's voices could be heard even up the stairs. Rounding the corner at the bottom of the stairs, Effina was pounced on by a pouting Coral.

"Papa, Willow's being mean to me!" Coral exclaimed. "She's making fun of me because I woke up in a wet sleeping bag!"

And so begins Effina's fatherly duties once more...

Effina was quiet and said nothing further to Tone. When she got downstairs she was pounced on by Coral who once again was upset about something.

"Why, not tease her back about something or tell Mama on her?" Effina asked.

He could consider getting Willow back for being mean to Coral but it'd only cause trouble. "Let's go speak with Willow to get this settled?"

Effina decided to try and pass off Coral to either Freya or have her sort her own problems out. However, Coral's answer caused Effina to reconsider the options she had.

"Mama's gone out with Uncle Dukey to the school and they've taken Zee with them." Coral answered.

That mean that Effina was the only responsible adult(?) left on the premises. One solitary adult(?) in a house with four troublesome children and an equally vexing Spirit. She must have drawn the short straw this time. Effina decided to get both ends of the story before deciding on a punishment.

Heading into the kitchen, the conversations which Effina got parts of while coming down the stairs were a little more clear.

"...not pee. It was pure water, like the kind you get out of a well or the tap." Lucine's voice could be heard. "Seriously, if that midget could pee that much I'd be amazed where she was keeping it all."

"It didn't smell like pee." Syl quietly interjected, yet her comment was overlooked by the louder duo.

"What, did she spill a bucket full of water into the sleeping bag, then?" Willow countered. "Syl's wet the bed tons of times before, I know what bedwetting looks like."

This might be an awkward conversation to enter in, at least for poor Syl. The things the children get up to when adults are not present...

Effina was left alone in the house to supervise four children and one. Trouble some spirit there was a handful right there yet as the pair walked into the kitchen, things became a little louder as Willow and Lucine were talking about what had happened that morning.

"It was water and not pee." Effina quickly added.

She was backing Lucine up on this one. "Plus what's this I here about you teasing Coral here about it?" Effina asked. She wanted to know why Willow had teased Coral.

Once she got her reason Effina then asked Willow another question. "What if this had happened to you I don't think you'd enjoy being teased."

Effina decided to overlook the potential embarrassment Syl might feel after finding out that someone else knew about her problem. Entering the kitchen, Effina backed up Lucine by saying that it was water in the sleeping bag and not what became of water when consumed.

"How would water get into her sleeping bag when she didn't even get up in the night for a drink?" Willow countered. Effina then forced the topic of why Willow was teasing Coral. "Are you her White Knight or something? Besides, she's lying! All I said was that she should be a bit more proactive with toilet breaks, even during the night. If she's scared of the dark, then all she had to do was wake Lu up and ask her to go with her."

Things just became a little more difficult. Which side was telling the truth, and which side was lying? If what Willow said was correct, then she did little more than caution Coral to be a little more careful and ask for help or comfort when required.

Despite the potential chance that Coral could be lying, Effina still pushed for an empathy trip from Willow.

"Like I said, she's playing the victim! I didn't tease her at all, I just told her to be more careful and not to be scared to ask for help, like a Good Big Sister would do!" Willow repeated. "Why're you getting involved, anyway?"

Willow countered the statement made by Effina about how the water got into Coral's. Sleeping bag and went on to tell her part of how that actually happened. "It happened from magic." Effina stated. She then questioned if Effina was some sort of protecter of Coral or something like that.

"What does it matter if I am or not?" Effina asked.

Willow or Coral could have been lying it was just getting out of hand.

Effina stated that water got into Coral's sleeping bag through the use of magic.

"How can you be sure that she didn't wet the bed and then try to use water to cover it up?" Willow suggested. "Why would anyone voluntarily flood their sleeping bag with water?"

Neither side had any evidence to back up their claims as of yet, so there was no way either side could prove that they were right. Effina avoided answering why she was getting involved in affairs that likely didn't concern her to those present.

"Don't butt in to other people's conversations!" Willow retorted. "If it doesn't concern you, then don't get involved."

Effina wasn't exactly aiding her cover by suddenly pouncing on the opportunity to bash heads with those who supposedly picked on Coral.

"Willow was just trying to help Coral. She might have took it all the wrong way..." Syl quietly commented, yet her voice was overpowered by the others once more.

"I don't know." Effina said.

Willow did have a point with what she had said but with no evidence. None of them could actually prove the claims or not.

"Whatever."

Syl then spoke up and tried to say Willow might have taken things the wrong way. Effina didn't say anything more just went about looking for something to eat.

Soundly defeated in the battle of wits with Willow, Effina decided to back out from any further antagonising. However, this didn't do much to quell the dispute between Lucine and Willow. Randomly joining an argument, throwing a few unsupported statements out and then withdrawing herself from it made Effina look quite bad to all those present, including Coral.

"Don't start something you're not gonna finish. You look bad enough as it is, you don't need to reinforce that." Tone lectured Effina. "They would have sorted it out between themselves given time. You're seriously babying that clingy kid too much. Let her fight her own battles. She'll never stop being a pushover if you're always willing to take the slack for her."

Ignoring any further attempts at dragging her back into the argument, Effina gathered up some food and then left the Kitchen, leaving the children to argue between themselves. Some distance was placed between Effina and Coral at this lack of support and she'd likely not want to be around Effina until she'd calmed down.

Tone spoke up.

"I don't need a lecture from you, she isn't used to this sort of thing." Effina countered. As she gathered up some food she looked back at the others. Seeing that Willow was still arguing her case and seeing that Coral wasn't doing much. Butted into the conversation once again.

"Do, you have something against Coral?"

Effina just couldn't leave the kitchen without cutting into the conversation once more and interrogating Willow to see if she had somewhat of an issue with Coral.

"Do you have something against me trying to help her?" Willow countered. "Like I keep saying, I've done nothing but try and support her. She's the one who's got all bent out of shape over it, almost as if she thought anyone else trying to help is automatically going against her!"

"We've gone so far from the original point of this conversation." Lucine quietly sighed in disapproval.

"What do you think do you believe Willow is trying to help you or not?" Effina turned and asked Coral to get what her thoughts on this whole thing was.

While she waited for an answer she turned back to Willow.

"I don't know how you call this helping."

Effina decided to ask a potentially biased source as to whether Willow was helping or hindering Coral.

"Willow's being mean!" Coral repeated. "Papa should punish her for being mean!"

Of course Coral would say that... Effina then retaliated against Willow by questioning how what she's doing can be called helping.

"How exactly are you helping her?" Willow countered. "If you're just grasping at whatever straws you can find, then you're doing nothing but wasting your breath trying to defend a liar."

"Seriously, are you going to keep this up all morning?!" Lucine cut in, her anger growing past the point of sitting this out.

It didn't help that Coral still only thought Willow was being mean to her. She now wanted her to be punished and Effina wasn't sure on what to do now.

"Before any punishments are thrown out if it goes that far. How did this whole thing begin with you two fighting?" Effina asked.

Willow asked a question.

"That I don't know, she could be telling the truth or lying. The same could be said for you as well."

Effina was once more indecisive with who's story to believe. She accused both for lying, and was simultaneously unsure of whether they were telling the truth and if she should listen to them. Trying to further drag things out, Effina asked how the whole debate began. Both Willow and Coral tried getting their side of the story out at the same time and were continuously trying to overpower the other until Lucine threw perfectly crafted fireballs at both of them, just narrowly dispelling the magic before it impacted the bickering pair. Needless to say, she had their undivided attention, until Coral tried to claim that Lucine was being mean as well, but was quickly silenced by a small pinprick sized flame which was created on the upper half of her bare left arm.

"Now that the two of you are quiet, maybe we can get somewhere in this utterly pointless disagreement?" Lucine started.

"Firstly, both of them are in the wrong and both of them deserve a stern talking to by a responsible adult. Coral's actually lying about Willow being mean to her, and Willow's telling the truth, for once. What Willow did is exactly what she kept saying she did, although the wording she used when offering the help left much to be desired. She suggested that Coral should wake someone up if she wants to go during the night and shouldn't just stay in bed and hope it passes without incident.

"Coral obviously took this completely the wrong way and played the victim, trying to get a gullible person to punish Willow for something she should be rewarded for, despite the fact that her way of putting it across was far too blunt. Coral's been spoilt far too much and that's why she's so free to play the victim and slap the punishment card on someone who's not done anything wrong just because she disagrees with them.

"Where Willow went wrong is that she's so stubborn and hardheaded that she refused to accept the explanation for why Coral's sleeping bag was a mini-pool when she woke up, which ultimately led to this argument which you only served to fuel rather than defuse."

With the whole truth finally out there, both Willow and Coral were silent about this, probably more scared of another near-miss with a fireball rather than because their shortcomings were revealed. Nonetheless, that was some impressive Fire Magic from Lucine with the fireballs and flame sparks.

Everything was soon explain by Lucine who ever had cast some small fireballs. Along with some flame sparks Effina said nothing when she had been accused of causing the debate to go on for longer then it should have.

"When the time comes they will both get a severe talking too." Effina stated.

While she could do the talking to both of them she wasn't going to. Not yet anyway she'd try and speak with Coral when they were alone. "Just as long as this thing is now settled we can get on with what needs to be taken care of."

Effina finally went about eating her food.

Effina believe she was exempt from the punishments which will be coming, despite how she instigated a good deal of the debate.

"All three of you will be properly dealt with when Freya gets back." Lucine corrected Effina. "The only one who hasn't done anything wrong is Syl. You should all learn from her example if you don't want this to happen again."

At the end of the lecture, both Willow and Coral went to opposite ends of the Kitchen to sulk in a corner, facing towards the wall rather than the centre of the kitchen.

"It's good to see everyone getting along so well." Syl quietly commented with a hint of sarcasm.

With a tentative peace finally hanging over the kitchen, Effina concluded her breakfast trip. However, her work was not yet done as she still had to help set up the school for the day ahead. No rest for the wicked...

Effina finished her meal in peace and watched as the two troublemakers. Sulked in their corners she went over to Coral and spent the time with her. After a while it was time to leave and set up the school for the day ahead. Not knowing where the school was Effina waited around until it was time to leave with everyone else.

Effina decided to try and spend some time with Coral, despite the fact Coral was currently sulking in a corner and would probably not want to be disturbed. Effina sat down next to Coral, yet the dragonling just turned her back to Effina, refusing to look at her. She was likely still very mad about the outcome of the argument being against her. It would take a good while for her to cool down.

Realising that she had absolutely no idea where the school was, Effina was at a loss for how she was going to get there in order to help out. Lucine and Coral likely knew nothing about where it was either, and it'll be down to chance whether Syl or Willow knew. Well, if Zena and the others already set off before Effina even got up, hopefully they would've been able to requisition the help of another to lead the stragglers.

The awkward silence blanketing the kitchen was disrupted by the sound of the front door to the residence opening. Moving to see what had caused the noise, with her attention turned to the door, Effina was unpleasantly surprised to see none other than...

...Naru.

At least, she think she saw Naru, but whatever humanoid figure was at the door suddenly disappeared.

THUD!

"Awwww, you're already showered and dressed. I wanted to help you get ready." Naru whined, now straddled over a surprised Effina. "Zee-zee said you weren't ready yet, so I rushed over here to help out."

Spending time with Coral was out of the question. As she was still very mad at the turn of events. So, Effina left her alone and the silence was broken by the sound of the front door. Opening going to check it out she saw the last person she wanted to see. Naru had entered the home and then knocked Effina to the floor.

"Get off me!" Effina shouted at Naru.

She reached out with a hand and pinched the side of Naru's arm. Hard enough to get her to move off of her. This allowed Effina to get back to her feet, "I wouldn't need your help for that, in fact all I need from you would be the location of where the school is?"

After the sudden shock of Naru warping on top of her faded, Effina angrily tried to wrestle her off once more.

"Ow! You're so mean!" Naru countered as she flinched backwards, landing on the floor centimetres away from Effina. The angle she landed at, combined with the one Effina was forced into, allowed Effina to see directly up the short skirt Naru had on, revealing the mature lacy pink panties which she wore, echoing her raunchy personality. The front of them, a little ways down from the waistband, had a small love heart shaped decorative cutout in the material. How a girl her age managed to get hold of R-18 panties was a mystery.

Effina reiterated that she only needed help getting to the school.

"Why should I help a mean girl like you?" Naru retaliated, sounding a little offended and pouty. "If you let me engage in skinship with you later, then I might rethink my opinion of you and help out."

"Why, do you do these things?" Effina questioned.

Naru had gotten off of her finally while the hurt girl asked why she was so mean.

"Because all I want is the location of the school nothing more." Effina countered. She wasn't about to do anything of the sort with Naru. "I'll pass on that last part."

"Because I love cute things, and cute things should be loved." Naru retaliated. Her explanation lacked any justification, as if she considered what she was doing as being normal.

Effina claimed that she was only being mean because she wanted the location of the school, and nothing more. She refused to agree to the terms offered by Naru.

"Then I won't show you or tell you where it is. You can be scolded and punished, for all I care." Naru explained.

"Just suck up your pride and give in to her demands." Tone instructed Effina. "What's the worst she could do? This'll probably be the only time in your life where a girl's asking to get all physical with you."

"Would you let her do these things to you if you had a real body?" Effina countered. To Tone so that only she could hear.

She didn't want to agree to Naru's demands. In fact she frankly didn't like Naru at all especially with the type of things she did. Effina thought of Zena and wondered if she hated the things Naru did to her.

"Fine, you can do your skinship with me." Effina sighed.

"I wouldn't complain. At least she's asking for consent this time. For all you know, this perversion could just be a front used to hide something else." Tone answered. "Anyway, isn't getting physical what you've always wanted to do to all these young girls which flock to you, especially that little green-haired fountain? You eyed that one up quite a bit and tried to play it all smooth as well."

Realising that she wouldn't likely make it to the school by herself, Effina reluctantly agreed to the demands of Naru.

"I'm holding you to that, you know? No trying to back out of it." Naru replied as she got up off the floor. "Get your stuff together and drag those others with you. All those able need to be helping out to make this a success."

"If you expect me to try and find out what she's hiding no thanks." She wanted nothing to do with whatever trouble Naru might have hidden.

After having given into the little brats demands it was time to head out.

"Oh, we'll have a blast you'll enjoy every moment of it." Effina said. She left Naru alone and went to gather the others.

"I never said you should, I just made an observation and theory." Tone answered. "I couldn't care less why one pervert acts the way they do. The affairs of you...mortals are trivial to a being of the Elements."

Effina went to gather up the others and usher them along to help out as well. Trying to get the disciplined pair to listen was quite a feat in itself, but they eventually decided to come along when they realised that they'd be left alone together, and likely punished more, if they didn't go with the others.

With everyone finally ready to head off, Naru led the way towards the school in a manner befitting of a representative of the local Law Enforcement. Effina and the others were left untouched from Naru's usual perversion while she was out and about in the public eye. Around twenty minutes later, Effina and her group arrived outside of a large stone and wood building, with an equally large wall around its grounds. The actual building itself Effina felt like she'd seen before... The minute details, like what it was made from and how large it was, differed slightly, but the overall aesthetic of it looked very much a mirror to the building she'd seen get torched in her troubled sleep the previous evening. Coral also seemed to recognise it, but she probably didn't know why.

Everyone was gathered and the party soon left to head to the school. As Naru led the way Effina kept a close eye on her in case she tried her lewd acts. Surprisingly she didn't do anything and twenty minutes later the group. Arrived at a large stone and wood building. She looked at the building for a while and seemed to feel like she'd seen it before. Which had to have come from the dream she had.

"Where inside do we meet up with the others at?" Effina asked.

Not quite trusting Naru, Effina kept a close watch of her as they made their way to the school. It was a little unnerving to see her not do anything worthy of a restraining order, but perhaps this was just the calm before the storm when she had her private time with Effina later?

Arriving at the school grounds, Effina wanted to know where she'd meet the others.

"Head towards the sound of voices. They're the only ones in there at the moment. The school grounds are off limits until the lecture later." Naru informed Effina. "And don't think I'd wait until after the event for you to keep up your end of the deal. As soon as they're able to do the rest on their own, you're honouring your agreement with me."

"Awwww, too bad. Looks like you've gotta play along with her. There's not hoping to change back before she calls in your 'agreement'." Tone snickered to Effina.

Naru left the others outside the school, explaining that she had to prepare safe viewing areas for the general populace to see the demonstrations of Magic from the visitors.

They arrived at the school grounds and Naru then told Effina where. To go by listening to the sound of the voices. She then wanted to get their agreement started once the others were able to do the rest."That was never agreed upon." Effina stated. Tone then spoke up about it to her.

"I'd rather change back before that."

Naru left the others and they headed inside.

Effina claimed that she never agreed upon anything.

"I should arrest you for lying to an officer of the Law." Naru countered. "I said 'later', and that could mean any time I believe to be later than the time I said it, and you agreed to it. I have four witnesses right here."

"Nice try, but you're not going to get out of it that easy." Tone agreed with Naru's statement. "You agreed to the vague term of 'later', so even a single minute after you said that would've been counted as later than the time the agreement was made."

Effina was doomed to her skinship time with Naru, it seemed. Nothing she could do would allow her to escape that fate. With her destiny decided, Effina headed into the school to look for the others. The school carried a slight eeriness about it without any students wandering around inside, but the sound of others inside of the school helped to offset some of the unease. Effina followed the sound of voices to the largest classroom in the school. The door was closed, at present, but Effina was certain that was where the sound was coming from.

"I'll make sure she enjoys every minute of it so much so that she will never do it again." Effina warned Tone.

Once inside the school Effina and the other eventually heard. The sound of voices and followed it to the largest classroom in the school. Behind the closed door the voices could still be heard. Effina rose her small hand and knocked four times upon the door to try and get the other attention.

"It's me I'm with the others right now and we are all currently here,"

"That's a surefire way to get her to pounce on you more." Tone countered.

When she reached the door, Effina knocked on it and announced her presence. The large oakwood door began to creak open as a rather unimpressed looking Zena leered out of the crack between the door and its frame.

"You sure took your sweet time getting ready. You should've been here with us first thing. That goes for the lazy four with you as well." Zena lectured. "Better late than never, I suppose. Go introduce yourself to our guests. Whatever you do, do not make a fool of yourselves."

Zena opened the door so everyone could fit through. It was now time to make a good first impression.

"If she does she'll regret it."

The door opened a crack and an unimpressed looking Zena leered out. At them before whining about how late they were in getting there. "You could have taken us with you when you left don't blame me." Effina told Zena.

Effina once she walked inside looked around the room at the guests who currently. Were there and had been waiting for everyone. Effina headed straight over to get ready to introduce herself.

Effina decided to answer back to Zena's accurate statement.

"We were already running late as it was because your little lizard decided to take a bath in her sleeping bag." Zena countered. "If I had waited around for you slowpokes to get here, then we wouldn't be able to prepare half the things we wanted to."

Effina could waste her time arguing with Zena, but more important matters were at hand. She needed to look as professional as possible for the guests from the Mainland. Heading into the classroom, which carried the same kind of set-up as most of the professional Lecture Halls in Magician's Guilds, Effina made her way to where she saw a strangely fully dressed Freya talking to a gathering of three people. One of them, a young man in his late twenties, was dressed in full Adept Magician Regalia and was likely the skilled teacher Freya had mentioned.

The man was accompanied by two young teenage girls each dressed in very formal uniforms similar to the kind Effina had seen Ellara in, but not as intricately decorated. They certainly weren't inquisitors, but the dual colours of their outfits strongly meant that they were Adept Magicians. The girl to the Magician's left had Reds and Greens in her outfit and light brown hair, and the girl to his right had Ochre and Blues in her clothing and honey blonde hair. This must be quite an important event to have three Adepts, albeit two trainees and a teacher, as guests.

Arguing with Zena wouldn't be wise at a time like this seeing as how. More important matters were currently at hand. Seeing all the guests from the Mainland Effina knew just how she had to act having done things like this when she was in her normal body. She spotted a strangely fully dressed Freya talking to a group of three people. Before Effina reached the group she stopped and turned around to the other members of her group.

"As Zena pointed out we need to be on our best behavior and try not to embarrass ourselves." Effina cautioned. She wasn't being her usual self she seemed to have switched roles and tried to caution the younger members. While Effina was sure that Syl and Willow would behave themselves Coral and Lucine were another story as they had not to Effina's knowledge done things like this before.

Her group reached Freya where Effina could see a young man dressed in a full Adept Magician's Regalia as it was this had to have been the teacher Freya told her about. There were two young teenage girl's dressed in formal uniforms. Effina took a moment to look at both young girls. She used her eyes to study them taking mental notes not for any lewd purpose but more for knowledge.

Before turning her attention back to the young man. She took a moment to wait until Freya's conversation with him was finished before she spoke up for the first time. "Greetings my name is Effina Renald and these four with me are my friends it's a pleasure to meet you." Effina said she did a small curtsey.

On her way over to the guests, Effina cautioned her group to be on their best behaviour, focusing more on ensuring Lucine and Coral did not act up, believing that Syl and Willow had experience in a similar situation before. Coral didn't answer and simply huffed, pouted and turn her head away from Effina. She was still likely quite angry.

"I'll leave you to do the talking. Try not to embarrass us with you lack of tact." Lucine retorted.

"Only you seem like the biggest target to mess this up. The water fountain's quiet, so she's not going to be screwing up and the other two take after someone far more skilled in social interaction than yourself. Fireball's only likely to mess up if she's mad." Tone snidely commented.

Effina took a moment to look over the students to try and gather some information on them, for questionable purposes or others.

The brown haired girl's uniform had Red as the base colour on her waistcoat and skirt, with Green being the accentuating colour of the hems and decorations. She had a crest on the left breast of her waistcoat, likely the crest of her Teacher's House, as most students in the mainland do. There was another, slightly smaller crest on the base right hand side of her skirt, carrying a completely different House Symbol. This was likely her own family's crest. She was certainly well looked after as her clothes were made from the finest silks imported from the Eternia continent. Effina only realised the quality as she'd seen it on the higher ranked Magician's back in the Guilds. She was leaning more to the left while in a relaxed standing position, so she likely favoured her left hand over her right. Sheathed in the right side of the lace sash used as a belt to her waistcoat was a rather archaic implement for most Modern Magicians, a finely carved wand foci made from Elderbark with a green Elemental Stone at the base of it.

The honey blonde haired girl, being dressed in a similar fashion, didn't really differ much in clothing appearance from her companion. The base colour of her waistcoat and skirt was Ochre, with Blue being the decoration colours. She had the same crest on her waistcoat, but a different crest on her skirt, likely hailing from a different House to the other girl. She was also cared for in a similar fashion to the other girl, having equally as lustrous materials used in creating her clothes. She also seemed to favour her left hand over her right as well, but, even while relaxed, the was a certain rigidness to her which denoted that she was ever alert for danger. She didn't have a wand foci, but she did have a small gold signet ring inlaid with Blue Elemental stones on her left ring finger. It wasn't made from Alchemical gold, but real gold, which was a rarity anywhere outside of the Ancestral lands of the Animalia in Drakmar.

Effina waited until Freya had finished conversing with the young man before introducing herself in a manner befitting of a young lady. The three guests all looked upon Effina and her little group before the Young man did introductions.

"Pleasure to meet you, Miss Renald. My name is Alfonse Kaur. " The young man greeted Effina warmly. "These two young ladies are my students: Lady Emeria Rall and Lady Yunie Leid."

From the indications Alfonse gave, Emeria was the girl with Brown Hair, and Yunie was the one with Honey Blonde hair.

"Well met, Miss." Yunie greeted Effina with a perfect curtsy. "Although, may you please enlighten me as to how you managed to befriend what was thought to be extinct? Am I mistaken that the young lady with blue hair is a Coral Dragon?"

The immediate accurate observation took nearly everyone Effina was familiar with off guard, yet Coral just looked very confused.

"We shall wait and see how that all goes." Effina sent to Tone.

Lucine spoke and Coral only huffed and pouted. Effina didn't respond at first and went back to acting in a lady-like manner that she'd seen her mother and sister act like before. Trying her best to act similar in a sort of way.

The gathering of information on the two young girls were for questional purposes. So, that if she were to speak to them later alone. She'd be able to bring up topics on normal chatter after getting her fill before turning back to the other three who finally introduced themselves to the group.

"The pleasure is mine Lord Alfonse." who then introduced the two females beside him. Who turned out to be named Emeria and Yunie. Effina then went on to actually introduce her own guests names to the others. "This is Syl, Willow, Coral and Lucine." Effina replied taking a moment to speak for the others.

It was when Yunie spoke up asking about how Effina had befriended Coral. It caught everyone off-guard including Effina.

"You're quite well informed for this is indeed a Coral Dragon." Effina said at first. She had to play things safe right now she didn't know much Yunie or the others knew about Coral. Let alone if they could really be trusted?

"I'm afraid I can't reveal that sort of information at this time please forgive me." Effina spoke.

Introductions were given, with Lucine trying to mimic the grace Syl had with her curtsy. Willow just greeted with a smile and a wave, and Coral the same. The sheer difference between upbringings was made more evident. When Yunie immediately identified Coral as a Dragon, Effina decided it would be more logical to go along with it rather than try to come up with a fabricated explanation.

"First a Sylph Dragon, and now a Coral one? This is indeed most intriguing." Yunie commented. "All I have seen of such creatures before are in the old tomes within Maestro's Library."

"Might be a stretch, but could the rumours of the Desert Dragon be accurate as well?" Emeria suggested.

"Well, this is unexpected. Came here to teach Kinetics about Magic and ended up running into two Dragons." Alfonse chuckled. "Although, judging by how she looks, she's a freshly hatched Whelping, isn't she? The curvature of her horns suggests they haven't grown to their full length yet, and her wings don't looked developed enough to fly with."

In contrast to the well spoken manner of his Students, Alfonse's manner of speaking seemed to be more on par with the Duke's. Also, while Yunie and Emeria carried with them the air of authority only Noblewomen have, Alfonse seemed to be from more humble origins as well.

Coral didn't seem to enjoy being the topic of conversation for strangers and had now hid slightly behind Lucine.

Effina heard mention of a Sylph Dragon could she had meant the green haired girl? Then there was mention of a Desert Dragon. Which Effina had heard about before but had forgotten about over the course. Of everything that had recently been happening to her lately..

"What sort of rumors of this Desert Dragon are there?" Effina politely asked.

Alfonse was the next to speak up about Coral. "She was only reached hatched a short while ago. She turned to study the look on Freya's voice and the others as they spoke about Coral. Who Effina saw was hiding a little behind Lucine.

"They seem to know a lot about Coral here, they might know more then they are letting on. What's the best way to go about this?" Effina asked Tone.

Effina then tried to turn the topic of conversation onto something else. "Lord Alfonse, what sort of Kinetics do you teach?"

Effina asked about the rumours surrounding the Desert Dragon.

" 'Tis little more than just the ramblings of inebriated individuals." Yunie summarised. "Traders who came in from Port Ralence a few weeks ago gave some rather tall tales about claw prints the size of trading wagons littering the desert near strong sandstorms. In addition to this, some claim to see enormous silhouettes of a quadruped lizard with wings in the centre of these sandstorms. I fail to understand how people can find enjoyment in drinking to the point of hallucinating."

"Although, it is kind of unusual how these sandstorms only seem to form around those silhouettes, regardless of whether the desert sands were calm before seeing them. It is almost as if the sandstorms move with that silhouette rather than it appearing within them." Emeria added in.

"In short, traders seem to believe that a Dragon stalks the desert on the trade routes which pass by old ruins. Although, a dragon the size of what they say in the rumours could only be an adolescent Dragon, which would be at least a few hundred years old in our lifetimes. I'm surprised it's managed to go unnoticed until recently." Alfonse concluded.

Effina decided to only explain that Coral was hatched recently and did not elaborate further. She then looked around at the others in the room to see what they thought of it. Freya seemed a little unsure of whether she should intervene with Effina's explanations, but decided to trust that she wouldn't give too much away. Zena seemed completely unimpressed that Effina would openly waltz a Dragon into a room with three powerful Adepts from the Mainland. Was she covering her face with her palm the more Effina blagged about Coral? Duke Trent didn't seem too surprised nor concerned over Effina giving away information on Coral. Did he trust that Alfonse would not use this information for his own gain?

Lucine was secretly eyeing up Yunie as if to estimate the kind of strength she possessed outside of her Adept status, almost believing that someone as book knowledgeable as Yunie would possess little physical skill. Emeria wasn't as informed on books as Yunie was, as it seemed Emeria only knew that Coral was a dragon when Yunie mentioned it. However, Emeria looked to be more than just trained in Magic, considering her Wand Foci was sheathed as a fencing Rapier would be.

"Just like that Sylph Dragon in town." Alfonse commented. "Although, she looked to be a few days older than this one does, as her Wings were fully formed. However, Sylph Dragons, being proficient and born from Wind, develop flight at a much faster rate than other Dragons do."

"Her wings looked positively heavenly to touch." Yunie cut in in regards to the Sylph Dragon's wings. "Such delicate softness looked to surpass even the finest down feather pillows that we have back at home."

"If we see her again, do you think we should ask her if we can touch them?" Emeria suggested.

"Oh, most certainly!" Yunie happily agreed.

In the moments when the two girls were discussing how nice it must be to touch such soft wings, Effina consulted Tone for advice on how to handle this leak of information.

"Easiest solution: Kill them. If they're dead, they can't tell anyone." Tone simply replied. "Joking aside, unless you're asked about specific things, don't tell them anything else. The less they know, the less they can use against us. On the other hand, if you can win them over to our side, having access to the expansive Libraries on the Mainland could be a great boon to us. I can't remember much about politics, but I know for a fact that knowledge is power."

Effina decided to change the topic to what kind of teaching Alfonse gave.

"This is the first time I've been asked to teach Kinetics about Magic. I've only ever had to teach Magicians back on the Mainland." Alfonse answered. "The Duke asked me to give them a rundown of other forms of elemental powers to help them develop their own more. Being a Magician yourself, despite how surprisingly young you look, you likely know that Kinetic Powers are a weaker form of Magic, correct?

"Both Kinetic Powers and Magic all stem from the same source, which is a connection to the Natural Elements of the world. The only real difference is that Kinetics need to constantly be connected to the Element they control, otherwise they can't use their powers. Wind Kinetics need to be able to feel natural wind, Earth Kinetics need to have skin contact with natural minerals, Water Kinetics need to have skin contact with water, and Fire Kinetics need to have an existing source of flame to control and craft their powers from."

Yunie and Emeria both spoke more on the rumors about the Desert Dragon. Effina listened to everything that was said even Alfonse seemed to know something. While it was true these could just be petty rumors. It was worth investing further as it'd been a while since Effina had last looked into these rumors.

Effina thought about asking for more information. But after seeing the looks on the other's faces to and what she'd done so far. Perhaps putting more thought into a plan would have been handled better as it looked like Effina had revealed a little more then she should have about Coral. From the look on Freya's face she seems likely to almost want to step in Zena was unimpressed while Duke Trent appeared to be the wild-card here neither being surprised or concerned could Lord Alfonse be someone whom could be trusted.

Lucine appeared to be secretly studying up Yunie. Effina smiled at this on the inside at this might be a way to motive Lucine on perhaps a path to choose. Maybe she could see Yunie as a sort of rival for Lucine.

Turning back the main three as they spoke about the Sylph Dragon. Tone spoke on what would be the best course of action to take with them.

"You do have a point there, I think I've given away more info then I should have. But what you say about trying to win them over to our side. Would prove to be a great value to us in both having access to the Mainland Libraries but also allies in the Arch Mage's inner circle?" Effina sent Tone

Effina decided it would be best to follow Tone's advice about trying to win them over.

Alfonse spoke on the reason why he had been brought here.

"Yes, I would know that Kinetics is a weaker form of magic. That's something I learn from my own teacher. What's it like teaching Magician's on the Mainland and teaching about Kinetics?" Effina asked. A short time later Effina went on to ask Alfonse another question as this would let her know if they shared a similar hobby. "My Lord do you like to travel?"

Lastly, Effina turned her attention back to the two students.

"How are both your studies going?"

Effina realised that from the looks of the others present, and Tone's warning, that she'd probably given away more information than she should have.

"I doubt they're important enough to be part of any 'Inner Circle'. If they were, I'd be extremely concerned with how powerful those students are, not to mention their teacher, that they wouldn't even need any bodyguards. I think they are more than likely just regular Magicians from the Mainland." Tone answered.

Effina asked about teaching Magicians on the Mainland.

"Unlike in most Magician's Guilds, the one back on the Mainland operates much differently. Instead of having large groups of Magicians to focus on, Magicians get to choose their own students to teach. The tutoring is done solely between the Magician and their Apprentice. This allows a much more streamlined teaching experience for both the student and their teacher as they can tailor their lessons to fit with what the student excels at, and focus on what areas they may need to develop further." Alfonse explained.

"Basically, everything you're failing to do, despite following the same teaching method." Tone cut in.

Effina decided to broach the topic of whether Alfonse liked to travel.

"I did my fair share of travelling before I became a teacher, but is has been a good while since I last stepped out of my dusty old tower and travelled around." Alfonse replied.

When Yunie and Emeria finished their discussion about wanting to pet this Sylph Dragon's wings, Effina asked how their studies were going.

"Maestro says that I am a good deal ahead of where most of the other students are in my theory work." Yunie informed Effina. "I am only slightly ahead in Magic Application, though, so today should give me some more experience in that area."

"I am beginning to feel more familiar with my Secondary Element Focus, but I still have yet to properly learn how it operates and what its differences are in comparison to my Primary Focus." Emeria answered. "I know a few more combination spells than my peers, but they are not quite at the level to use them without risk."

Effina listened to what Tone had to say about the three standing before her. "Even if they are not apart of it having allies on the Mainland. Might be able to shed a little light onto what the Archmage might be doing?" Effina spoke.

She took the time to look everyone over as Alfonse then spoke about how. Teaching on the Mainland worked and Tone cut in again.

"That sounds like a very good method of teaching, being able to teach what the student. Would already only serves to further help them excel as you've pointed out." Effina took a small minute to think about what else teaching on the Mainland was truly like. "When I grow older I'd like to travel."

Effina turned her attention to Yunie and Emeria.

"What's it like being able to combine spells?" Effina asked. She then looked away for a moment letting her eyes scan the room for anyone else. She would need to speak with later.

"Unlikely, but you do whatever you think you need to." Tone answered.

Effina agreed that Alfonse's method of teaching was effective.

"It helps because then they can learn in a way which fits their personalities and they don't feel pressured into doing something they might not like." Alfonse explained.

Effina asked what it was like to combine spells.

"It is much harder than it sounds. First, you must fully understand the spells you are trying to combined and then visualise what effects they will have once they have been joined." Emeria replied. "It is kind of like cooking in the terms that you have ingredients, a recipe and a basic understanding on what to do. The result, however, is down to how you interpreted the information given and what form you gave to the ingredients before they had been merged to make the final step."

Effina then mentioned that she would like to travel 'when she got older'. This, however, received a reaction from Yunie.

"Correct me if I am wrong, but you only just appear like you are a child, do you not?" Yunie questioned. "You are not an Eternian, nor are you a native to Argenta, so you must have travelled to reach here, am I correct? This current appearance you have is a result of malevolent Magic, is it not? It is far too ancient for me to understand what it is, but I am certain that you have been subjected to a Hex or Curse."

"Look out for that one, she's much smarter than she looks." Tone interjected. "Now would be a good time for you to drag this back to the original purpose for coming here, unless you want them to know you're an adult male posing to be a child to curry favour from other children to add to your perverted harem."

Effina wondered if she should look into taking a little of Alfonse's teaching methods. And try them out with Coral and Lucine. While she didn't know how it usually went it couldn't help to try and see where both girl's strength's lie and work on those.

Eremia replied to the combining of spells.

"Sounds like a lot of hard work if you ask me."

When Effina mentioned about wishing to travel Yunie spoke up on that. However she seemed to pick up on that Effina was different some how.

"Now, that I'm here what is it I can help out with?" Effina asked to both Duke Trent and Zena. Following Tone's advice by trying to change the subject and move things along.

Effina believed that combining spells was more trouble than it is worth.

"It is indeed very difficult, but the results of it are spectacular and the things you can achieve with it make up for the time needed to master it." Emeria answered.

Realising that someone was likely catching on to her secret, Effina changed the topic of conversation to what kind of assistance was needed. Yunie noticed that Effina was being cagey about that topic, but didn't mention anything further relating to it.

"There's a pool a little further into the school which needs filling up. Could you see to it?" Duke Trent suggested to Effina. "Zena can lead the way. The girls can stay behind and help out in setting up the demonstration area in the courtyard."

"It would be nice if we could talk some more, but business is business." Alfonse agreed. "If we've got time after the lecture, we might be able to talk some more if you want."

Duke Trent suggested to Effina about filling up the school's pool. "Consider it done." Effina replied before looking over to Zena. "Would you kindly lead the way?" Before they departed Alfonse spoke.

"That would be nice." Effina agreed.

Effina agreed that it would be nice to talk to Alfonse later when everything was concluded. At Effina's request, Zena led the way back out of the lecture hall and into the school's main building once more. The school itself looked kind of like a miniature Magician's Guild due to the number of classrooms in it. It would have likely been very difficult to navigate without getting lost if Effina didn't have someone familiar with the layout leading the way.

"So this is a school, huh?" Tone commented mostly to herself. "I wonder what it's like to attend one. Did I ever go to one?"

It had been a while since Effina had noticed Tone being this quiet and distant. Effina had a sense that Tone, while still inside her vessel, was looking around the empty halls of the school. The unsettling feeling before was just intensified now that there was just Zena, herself and a normally invisible Elemental Spirit in their little group. The sudden echoing of a clock tower's bell broke through the eerie silence, signalling that another hour had come.

"That sound..." Tone mentioned. "Somehow it fills me with sadness."

The clock tower continued its announcement of the change of hours, ending its tolling on the ninth chime. They had a little under a quarter of a day to finish the preparations, as the event was scheduled to being at half two that afternoon.

The varnished wooden floors of the school corridors soon began to change to polished blue and white tiles as the pair approached a large set of glass double doors. Through the doors Effina could see a large open swimming pool which was currently empty.

Zena led the way towards the pool and they past into the school's main building. Effina looked around as they walked while Tone spoke mainly to herself."What are you rambling about?" Effina asked. She had not really been paying much attention to Tone at the moment but heard bits and pieces of what was said.

The group heard the sound of a bell that was coming from the clock tower. Soon they arrived at a large set of glass double doors. Effina looked inside to see a large swimming pool that was empty.

"How are we to fill this swimming pool?"

Effina overheard what Tone was commenting about and asked about it.

"Nothing important. At least, not to you, anyway." Tone replied. "It's rude to listen in to other people's thoughts."

Arriving at the pool, Zena pushed open one of the doors and entered the poolside area, with Effina following along behind. Looking over the vast, empty tiled interior of the pool, Effina asked just how they were meant to fill it. Zena gave a disapproving look and shook her head.

"I wonder why Big Brother sent a Water Magician to fill a swimming pool?" Zena sarcastically mused. "Just what was he thinking? It's not like you can just magic water out of nothing and fill the pool that way."

"I would chime in with something equally as sarcastic, but I believe she's summed up your complete lack of common sense well enough." Tone cut it. "You're a Water Magician, make with the Water Magic and fill the pool. The alternative is lugging hundreds of buckets of water to and from the shower rooms and filling it that way."

"Then next time keep quiet" Effina replied back.

They walked into the poolside area, after Zena had opened the door. Once again she was being her sarcastic self.

"What bit you in the butt this morning?" Effina asked.

Tone then cut in once more and Effina felt like tossing the book. Into the swimming pool once it was filled up with water to teach her a lesson. "Fine, I'll fill your pool now you can go help out the others."

Effina began to cast her water magic on the pool.

Despite being the one in the wrong, Effina still retorted against Zena's accurate assumption that she didn't use common sense before asking her question.

"Just don't flood the place." Zena concluded when Effina informed her that she could leave and help the others. "I'll come back in around fifteen minutes to check up on you. If you're done by then, we can move you on to other tasks."

Zena headed out of the pool area and back into the school corridors, leaving Effina alone with Tone once more. In relative peace and quiet, Effina focused on her connection to the Element of water and began to visualise a manner at filling the pool up to bring the spell into existence. It took about a minute or two to work the elements into a corporeal form of rain filled clouds over the pool. The entire surface area of the empty pool was covered with rain clouds, which soon began to unleash torrential rain into the basin. At the rate the rain was flowing, it shouldn't take more than five minutes of concentration to fill.

Zena left Effina alone with Tone as she went back to having. Some peace and quiet at last, she focused on filling the pool with water. Using magic to work the elements into a form that could work. Rain clouds filled up the pool and then the water fell into the basin. Five minutes later the pool was filled with water. Effina stopped her work then spoke up to a certain someone who might have sneaked into the room.

"I know you're Naru."

Effina filled up the swimming pool and completed her first task with ten minutes to spare until Zena returned to check up on her. Effina then believed that someone might have sneaked into the swimming pool to capture her. She called out to the emptiness, believing that Naru may have sneaked in. No response came...

"Nope. Nobody here but us two." Tone responded. "Feeling lonely without your 'hands on' friend? Are you looking forward to your skinship later?"

It turned out that Effina's suspicion was for nothing. The poolside was such an open space that hiding there would be impossible. In addition, there was no wind inside of a building unless windows were opened, so even if Naru was there she couldn't use her Kinetic powers, which would mean that Effina would have plenty of time to avoid or run away from her.

The swimming pool was filled up and that left ten minutes. Until Zena was set to return there was also silence as Naru in fact wasn't there at all.

"Nope and nope." Effina said back.

With not much left to do Effina went to sit down and took out Tone's book. She ran her hand over the surface of the front of the book then put the book away.

Effina's fears that Naru was present were for nothing. Countering Tone's teasing, Effina decided to be quite hypocritical and engage in non-consensual skinship with Tone. Running her hands over the cover of the book of course filtered through to the spirit bound to it.

"H-hey, stop touching me like that!" Tone ordered Effina. "That's sexual harassment!"

It wasn't exactly clear which part of the book linked to what part of Tone's body, aside from the base of the spine being very close to her tender place. Perhaps haphazardly touching places on the book wasn't that good an idea.

After a long ten minutes of boredom for Effina, Zena returned to check up on her.

"Good, you didn't flood the place." Zena commended? "Anyway, Big Bro's next task for you is to monitor the little firebug while she tries to light some candles without using matches. She's out in the playground. Follow me."

"Next time don't tease me about that brat." Effina demanded.

Zena returned to check up on how things went.

"How about after that?" Effina headed after Zena as they. Both headed towards the playground where Lucine was.

"Not like you don't harbour the same perverted tendencies as her. You just don't act on them like she does." Tone countered.

Zena returned to inform Effina of her next task, prompting Effina to ask what was going to be her task after that.

"When you've done that, take some time to familiarise yourself with the layout of the school. You'll be here for a while, so it's always worth noting down where things are so you don't have to keep asking others where to go." Zena suggested. "Once you know the layout, then you need to head to the classroom we were in before and set up the desks and chairs for the students."

Zena led Effina through the school once more until they reached a side door overlooking a large open playground. Coral and Lucine were already setting up the positioning of an array of candles to form the shape of one of the most basic Magic Circles a Magician can learn. Without seeing it up close and fully prepared, Effina couldn't quite figure out what Magic Circle it was.

"It would only lead to trouble if people did those sorts of things." Effina told Tone.

Zena told her what she'd be doing next after her business with Lucine was done. Following alone they reached the area where Coral and Lucine were busy setting up. An array of candles that all appeared to form the shape of a Magic Circle. From where she was Effina couldn't quite tell what it was.

Effina and Zena reached the playground. Upon leading Effina to her destination, Zena went back into the school to help out with the administration side of the event once more.

"Let's get this over with. I can tell this is going to be a boring afternoon of annoying tasks." Tone complained.

Effina headed into the playground proper to monitor Lucine's attempt at using actual magic. Now that she was this close, Effina could make an educated guess at what kind of Magic Circle they were making. According to the design and placing of the Candles, this was likely a Summoning Circle. Etched into the soil that the candles were placed on was a the rest of the Summoning circle. The wax from the melted candles would eventually fill these trenches and allow for it to become active. Judging by the runes that were etched alongside the main circle, Effina deduced that this circle would summon a Gaia Worm, one of the most docile of Earthen Magic Beasts. It was likely going to be used to display how Magical Beasts are made and the Elemental Planes they come from.

"Watch and learn. I'm about to show you that I am capable of controlling my Magic." Lucine instructed Effina when she noticed her arrival. She wasn't looking up from the candles, though, so it must be her spatial awareness that allowed her to pinpoint Effina's arrival.

Effina ignored Tone's complaining.

As Effina drew nearer to the candles she was able to guess. That the Magic Circle and placing and design of the candles, appeared to be like a summoning circle. Effina studied the layout and the candles a little more closely and heard Lucine speak up.

"The go ahead and show me."

Effina didn't really react much to Lucine's confident statement that she was about to transcend Effina's expectations of her.

Lucine cupped her hands around the wick of the single candle in front of her, leaving enough space between her palms and the wick to allow a small amount of airflow to help catalyse the creation of flames. She closed her eyes and began to inhale and exhale at a steady, deep pace. Effina knew that this was a trick commonly used by very young Magicians in training to help them focus on the flow of Elemental Energy within their bodies. Around six deep breaths later, Effina could feel a small amount of unrefined Fire Elementals around Lucine, which were reacting to her attempt at calling for their power. These creatures of Magic origin bore the same appearance as small orange fireflies flitting around Lucine. Coral could also see them as her eyes were following their paths in amazement.

The wick between Lucine's palms began to take on a very faint orange glow, as if the embers of a fire were beginning to take root on it. A small trail of smoke floated up from the smouldering candle wick, dissipating in the faint breeze that filled the playground. Focusing more intently on visualising the flame appearing in her mind, Lucine beckoned the gathered Elementals to bring her vision into reality. At first, nothing seemed to happen. However, moments later, a powerful flame erupted forth from the candle wick, roaring with vigour as Lucine removed her cupped hands from around it. Holding her right hand up around 30cms away from the tip of the candle flame, Lucine balled her hand up into a fist before opening it, with her palm facing the flame.

As Lucine's fingers stretched outwards, the flame on the first candle began to spread, igniting the other candles in the circle with as much force as she formed the original flame. All of the candles' flames steadily died down from the roaring inferno they were to the constant flickering of a naturally born flame. Coral could only gasp in wonder as she saw the effects of Lucine's power.

"So, better than you expected?" Lucine questioned Effina as she turned to face her, a triumphant grin on her face. "While you were off getting yourself turned into a little girl, Freya helped me to read through some of the old books on Kinetic Magic that were in the Duke's study."

Effina watched silently as Lucine went about lighting the candles. She was impressed by how Lucine handled herself very well keeping things all under control. But also going into it with a calm manner and having used what she had learned from the books she had read with Freya.

"Well done, I'm impressed if you keep doing amazing things like this. You'll be able too to accomplish much harder magical tasks in the future." Effina said.

Effina was impressed by how far Lucine had come with her studies.

"Come on, no need to play it up." Lucine responded sounding slightly upset, yet still blushing all the same. "Lighting a candle is the most basic of basic cantrips for Magicians. Although, I guess I've gotta start somewhere."

Coral didn't seem to care whether a spell was basic or advanced, she still happily pounced on Lucine in joy, praising her for her ability to perform Magic.

"We'll stay here to make sure the candles don't make a hazard." Lucine informed Effina while wrestling her way out of the tight hold Coral had on her. "You've got other things to do, haven't you?"

"I'm trying to say I'm proud of you." Effina told Lucine.

Coral hugged Lucine tightly and praised her for her ability with Magic. While Lucine told Effina they'd handle things here.

"Yeah, I've got to get to know the layout of the school before, helping out setting up. All the desks and chair's so I'll be busy for a while."

Effina reiterated to Lucine that she was proud of her before agreeing that she had other places to be. Of course, this abnormal influx of praise was taking its toll on Lucine's usually unshakeable exterior.

"Yeah, yeah. I get it already." Lucine repeated, blushing a deep crimson and looking down at the ground. "If you've got stuff to do then get to it."

"Awww, poor wittle newbie Magician is getting all bashful of her teacher noticing her." Tone chuckled condescendingly. "I wanna watch her squirm more under the barrage of praise, but we really should be going. You've got a date with Naru, after all. Don't want to keep her waiting, now, do we?"

Lucine seemed to like the praise she was getting or was at least. Embarrassed about it with all the blushing she was doing. Effina walked over and gave her a pat on the head but remembered to say goodbye to both her and Coral before leaving them alone.

"Leave her alone, I don't want to go see Naru I want to change back into me before then."

Effina started to follow Zena's advice so she could get a layout of the school.

To further consolidate her pride in Lucine's growth, Effina went up to her and patted her on the head in congratulation. This was the last straw in pushing Lucine's embarrassment to levels previously unreachable. She simply kept her head down and melted into the headpatting, blushing a deep crimson the whole time. The girl who normally had a witty response to nearly everything was now left speechless due to her own bashfulness.

After patting Lucine's head and bidding the two goodbye, Effina headed back into the school to get an understanding of the layout, decidedly confirming to Tone that she wanted to change back to normal before Naru had her way with her.

"Not going to happen. If it is a full 24hr thing, then you won't change back until after the lecture, and your admirer did say she wanted to capitalise on your agreement with her before the lecture." Tone reminded Effina. "Quit complaining and just deal with it. You agreed to it, after all, so you can't escape."

Effina started her look around the school, figuring out where everything was and the location of all the important rooms. The school building, while looking relatively rustic, was still in very good condition and had quite a lot of modern facilities not often found outside of the Mainland. The classrooms were well sized and fully equipped and the overall feel of the place was welcoming.

The school building was split across two floors, with each floor having two sets of toilets and around ten classrooms. At a push, the school could comfortably accommodate around 600 students as well as the faculty, which covered a good deal of the populace. It would be easy for a first timer to get lost while going about the bustle of an active school day. Thankfully, Effina was the only one really looking around that day, so it wasn't too confusing.

Aside from the pool, which Effina had already gotten the placement of, the school had a fully functional gymnasium, an auditorium and a large library which spanned both of the floors. There was also a large running track just past the playground, which Effina noticed through one of the second floor windows. Leafing through some of the reference material in the classrooms and library, Effina deduced that the first floor of the school were for children around 6-12 years, and the second floor were for students aged 13-18 years.

Concluding her tour of the school by looping round to the classroom she met the others in, Effina had just about mapped out the entire building in her mind. Now came the task of setting up the lecture hall.

"Fine, fine it's not like I'm going to be enjoying it or anything like that." Effina sighed.

She went about looking around the school as she walked. Taking in all the sights while keeping a close eye on where everything was. So that if worse came to worse she wouldn't get lost it wasn't too confusing in the long run. But took a short time to take everything in plus Effina would rather be around the others then by herself.

Having mapped out her tour of the school. Effina headed towards the lecture hall which still needed setting up.

Once she was certain that she knew where everything important was, Effina continued with the tasks she was set to complete and went about setting up ready for the lecture. Moving the chairs around was a little taxing, but nothing which Effina couldn't handle. When it came to the tables, however, Effina's progress was reduced as they were quite heavy for someone as small and lacking in upper body strength as she was now. Moving the tables was little more than dragging just an inch above the ground.

Powering on through the arduous task she now had to do, Effina was quite tired after lugging around all those heavy tables. It would've been so much easier if she hadn't been changed into this weaker form, but she couldn't do much to change that at present.

"I don't think they'd punish you to helping yourself to some of the food and drink in the canteen." Tone interjected. "After all, you are technically part of the staff at present due to the work you're doing. Why not stop by there to rest and recover. You've not been given any other tasks, and it is coming up to lunch time."

Effina grew tired after having moved both the chairs and tables. It was much harder doing it by ones self but also not having the strength needed. Maybe it would have been a good idea to have asked for some help with completing this task. Soon enough Tone spoke up again to fill the world with her voice.

"I am feeling a bit hungry and thirsty."

Effina headed over to the canteen to search amongst whatever was there.

Following on from Tone's suggestion, Effina decided to head to the Canteen to refresh herself after a long morning's work. As she had got an understanding of the layout of the school, she knew how to get to the Canteen from her current location pretty easily.

Like the rest of the school, the Canteen was empty which helped when it came to finding a place to sit. As there were no people inside, the only food on offer were store bought food and drink that were placed on the counter by the register. Next to them was a small note which simply said for anyone involved in the set-up of the event to help themselves.

"Oh, nice. Free food and drink." Tone commented as she appeared next to Effina and began to do just as the note had said.

The clock which Effina had heard earlier began to sound its midday chimes.

"The others will likely come along soon, so grab a seat before they do." Tone suggested.

Effina helped herself to some of the store bought food and drink. That had been placed her the register before taking a seat. Next she started to eat some of the food while Tone ate as well with nothing left to do Effina just waited around for the others to show up.

"Nothing to do, why don't you tell me more about yourself?"

Effina picked out some food and drink from the selection available and headed over to one of the many empty tables. Tone followed along and also snacked on some of the supplies that had been offered. To break the boredom of silence, Effina asked for Tone to tell her a little more about herself.

"Nothing to say that I haven't said already." Tone shrugged. "I'm and Elemental Spirit, a being born of the affinity between Elements and the life essence of a deceased individual. The Vessel I'm bound to is the Book you carry, and my dominant Element is Earth. Aside from that, I've no other memories of what came before I woke up bound to the Book in your possession."

The silence which consumed the Canteen didn't last for long, as soon enough both Lucine and Coral came in, arguing about something like the regularly did.

Tone spoke of what Effina seemed to know a little about already.

"There most have been some sort of reason as to why, you've be bounded to this book?" Effina asked.

Helping Tone regain those lost memories of her's might help. But Effina had no idea as to where to even start looking. "Maybe the ruins I visited earlier might hold some keys to your past?"

Lucine and Coral entered later.

Effina believed that there was likely a very good reason why Tone was bound to the Book that had become her Vessel.

"Maybe so, yet we won't know until either I get my memories back, or we find a way to open the lock on it." Tone replied. Effina then suggested that returning to the ruins she went to the previous day may hold some clue to Tone's past. "It's worth a shot, but I'm not sure what we might find there."

Coral and Lucine, still arguing, took some of the food and drink from the gathered stash. Coral noticed Effina's presence and headed straight towards her.

"Papa, what's more important? Coral being able to go pee, or Big Sis playing around with her magic?" Coral instantly pounced on Effina with the question which potentially began their argument.

"If you're going to force someone else to answer, then don't just make it seem like your point is the only one that matters." Lucine cut in. "The full story is that I said Coral knew where the toilets was so she could go alone if she wanted. That wasn't enough for her, it seemed, as she refused to go without me being with her. I lost a good deal of practice time by being dragged around by her."

Effina listened to what Tone had to say.

"There's always a chance that your book might hold some keys. To help you regain your memories but I don't know how to open the book to see inside." Effina said.

Coral and Lucine grabbed some food and drinks before. Coral suddenly asked Effina a question while Lucine told her the full story behind it.

"I'd say both would be important at the same time. As Lucine would have still been able to practice her magic while Coral you, went to the restroom to avoid having an accident."

Effina thought on what else to say.

"How come you didn't want to go alone?" Effina didn't really understand that unless Coral didn't like going by herself. She then turned over to Lucine and spoke back to her.

"Why, not try practicing her for a little bit?"

"Wherever there's a lock, there's always a key to open it. We just need to find that key." Tone explained.

Deciding to take the middle ground rather than choose sides, Effina said that both were important. The two just viewed this as a copout of an official answer, until Effina explained further.

"Coral hates being alone." Coral countered. "Big Sis knows this, yet she still said Coral was being childish for not wanting to go alone!"

"Freya and that guy from the Mainland said that practising Fire Magic indoors is a very bad idea if the Magician is still learning. Outdoors is the only place I can do it safely, unless you want this whole building to burn down should things go bad." Lucine explained.

"We can search for that later."

Both thought what Effina had said was a copout. But she refused to pick sides as that would get them mad at her.

"I know that but what harm could it hurt it with trying that out even once?" Effina asked. She knew for a fact Coral didn't like being alone. But even still what harm was there in trying to use the bathroom alone. You wouldn't know if you liked it or not unless Coral tried it out for herself.

"No, that wouldn't be wise outdoors would be the best for you."

Effina took Lucine's side of the argument with her next answer, saying that Coral should try going toilet alone, if only once.

"Like I said, Big Girls don't need to be accompanied to the toilet. Only little children feel like that's necessary." Lucine concluded. "Even your Papa says so, so you should listen."

Coral evidently wasn't happy about the outcome of the argument, but the conclusion had been reached so there wasn't much point in arguing a losing viewpoint.

"I wonder if that little Green Haired girl you've got your eyes on refuses to go toilet alone. Does she drag her 'Big Brother' into the girls toilets with her?" Tone mused with a grin. "Think of all the fun you could have with her if she imprinted onto you as well. She holds her pee as well as a barrel full of holes holds water, does that poor Big Brother of hers have to go with her every time?"

With the argument having reached it's conclusion there was little. That could go one as they waited for the others to arrive. "Which do you find easier to do reading books to help you get a better understanding of magic before trying to practice it. Or trying to practice magic like how I had tried to help you with?" Effina asked.

Tone took this time to speak up.

"That's none of my concern." Effina told Tone.

Effina wanted to know how Lucine learned best.

"If the theory behind the Spell is explained clear enough, and I can picture it well enough in my head, then actually trying it out works best. I'm not nearly good enough at reading to understand the thick books you Magicians love to read." Lucine explained. "Freya helped me out by turning all those complicated words into things I could understand and helped me to picture what they're saying in my head."

Effina declined Tone's query and said it was none of her concern.

"Whatever you say, Pervert Prince." Tone dismissed the refusal with a roll of her eyes.

Lucine explained how she best learned things.

"Being able to read those will take, time. We can start of with ones that are easy for you to read. As time goes on as your ability to both read and understand what. Freya or I can help you with those complicated words should help you understand things better." Effina explained.

Tone refused to believe what Effina had said.

"What do you want me to say, that I want the little green-haired girl. To imprint herself onto me so I can enjoy going to the bathroom with her all the time?"

Effina explained that learning to read will take time, and that whatever help Freya or herself could give would be utilised to speed up Lucine's learning. Through the mental connection to Tone, however, Effina admitted her lust towards the supposed Sylph Dragon that was believed to be the Green Haired Girl she'd come into contact with.

"I'll take that as admitting it. You can't retract that statement now." Tone answered. "Shame I have no physical form for others to perceive, so I can't pass over this guilty testimony to the Authorities. What a scandal that would cause! I can already see the headlines: 'Foreign Prince admits to lusting after children. Investigation in the Prince's Kingdom has been mobilised to prevent further innocents being abused.'. That would be a thing for the History books!"

Well, maybe for Argenta at least. As Effina had seen, and was common knowledge, not all Cities or Kingdoms believe children to be off-limits for the more 'questionable' activities. Although, as Tone apparently didn't know this bit of knowledge, perhaps the time she originated from had vastly different ideals?

"I don't like how it'll take a long time, but I guess certain things can't be rushed." Lucine agreed with Effina's explanation. "I want to at least be able to read children's books soon, if nothing else."

"Believe whatever you wish." was all Effina said.

She returned to her chat with Lucine.

"You could always try asking Zena or Freya, Syl or Willow if they have. Any children's books as that would be a great place to start you on your journey." Effina suggested.

"I want books which'll actually help me in my training rather than stories designed to lull children to sleep." Lucine explained. "Magician's books which have been broken down to be understood by Children who are first starting out with Magic would be much more helpful than fairy tales. I don't think any of them would have those kinds of books."

The lunch break continued on until Coral had finished nibbling away at her food and it was then back to work.

"Before we get back to work, your last task is to place up posters which point from the entrance to the classroom where the talk will be happening." Lucine informed Effina. "You'll find them in the classroom and you just need to backtrack to the entrance while placing them in visible areas. Once that's done, then all that's left are the last few things which the others can do."

"Your date's coming up after that. Best not to keep her waiting too long." Tone cut in.

"The Magician's Guild may have some books that you are seeking. We can visit there after we return home." Effina suggested.

The lunch break was over and back to worktime it was.

"I'll get on it."

They all parted ways and Effina headed back towards the classroom.

"Who cares if she has to wait a while."

Effina believed that the Magician's Guild back in Brascus would have the kinds of books Lucine's looking for. Although, judging by the general populace and people that attend the Guild, the books inside it may just be as complicated as the ones which Lucine has trouble reading. Either way, the lunch break had ended and it was time to return to finish off the last of the tasks set for Effina. Evidently, Effina was not looking forward to what came after the work.

"That's no way to treat a girl! No wonder you're still single. No matter how crazy or perverted she is, even though she's a perfect match for you, all girls need to be treated with respect and kindness!" Tone countered, sounding quite offended by Effina's complete lack of concern over Gentleman etiquette.

Collecting up the posters from the classroom, Effina began to sort through which direction arrows she had, location clues and the total number of posters available. Two of them were very easy to place, as one could be placed on the Classroom's door and the other on the notice board by the school's entrance. Quickly thinking over potential visible places she knew of on that particular route, Effina left the classroom and started her final task. It took a little more than ten minutes to get everything set up correctly, leaving it at around quarter past one in the afternoon. The event was going to start at around three o'clock, so Effina still had a fair amount of time before then. Yet...

...she still had her skinship session with Naru to endure.

While Effina parted ways with the others and went back to the classroom. Tone spoke up about something she knew about.

"She isn't a match for me she's nothing but a pain. How would you like it if she was all over you with her pervertedness?" Effina countered. If Naru was going to ever be treated with kindness and respect then she'd have to treat Effina and the others the same way.

Effina then went about placing the arrows and posters. In the places where they were suppose to go so that. Those going to the meeting would be able to know which route to follow. It only took ten minutes to do, which left Effina with sometime.

She headed off to go find Naru.

Effina was insistent that Naru was nothing more than a perverted pain.

"Just deal with it. You blindly agreed to her terms so quit your complaining." Tone retorted. "What's the worst she could do? I doubt she's going to violate you in the middle of the day. Get your mind out of the gutter. Skinship can be just hugging one another as well."

Effina finished her task and then reluctantly went in search of Naru. Effina couldn't find her around the school grounds, so she headed towards the city proper. Now she knew where the school was, she could potentially find her way back there so long as she did so while it was still daylight out. A little way down the road from the school, Effina's target found her instead.

"You're really no fun going for shorts." Naru's voice originated from underneath Effina. "I was hoping you'd at least dress up some more when meeting the visitors."

Lying on the floor underneath Effina was Naru, whom appeared to be trying to see up the legs of Effina's shorts.

"Considering you're wandering around, I take it you're finished helping out?"

Tone spoke her piece and Effina didn't say anything back. While she had not found any sign of Naru yet a little down the road from the school. Effina was found by the girl known as Naru who looking down found her trying to sneak a peek.

"I'm sure you'd just love to dress me up in something of your choice." Effina sighed.

She stepped away from Naru.

"Yeah, I'm done for now."

"I always make sure Zee-Zee is wearing panties. It's what any good friend would do. Although, she doesn't seem to see it the same way. I know how embarrassed she'd get if she ever went out without any panties on, so I have to make sure she's remembered to wear them." Naru explained as if it was a natural occurrence between friends.

Effina went along with Naru's demands and sat herself on the mat on the floor of the Storage Shed. Naru pushed the door closed until it was slightly ajar before sitting down next to Effina and beginning to undress.

"We can't exactly call it skinship if clothes are in the way. Take your blouse and skirt off. You can leave your panties and vest on if you want."Naru instructed Effina as she removed her top, revealing a purple and red 'Magical Makki' branded bra covering her rather noticeable, yet still relatively small, breasts.

Dotted across Naru's torso were various scars and bruises at numerous stages of healing. Some of them even looked to have had stitches in before, but were healed enough to not need them anymore. One very obvious injury on Naru was a large patched of burned skin from her right shoulder down to just above her abdomen. It had recovered as well as any burn wound could and looked to have been inflicted many years ago.

"Guess she isn't just a huge perv. Those wounds looked to be really bad." Tone commented, all her previous snarky attitude gone. "She must be really serious about her job if she's willing to continue even after all of those injuries.

Once her top was off, Naru began to unclip the skirt she had on, bringing to Effina's attention her rather childish choice in underwear once more as her panties matched her bra. Strangely, there were no injuries anywhere on Naru's legs, otherwise Effina would have noticed it before. The attacks made against her looked to be with the intent of killing in mind rather than maiming. Being an Agent of Justice likely made her have a fair amount of enemies.

"What're you waiting for? Want me to undress you?" Naru asked Effina, catching on to the fact she hadn't taken her clothes off yet. "Or are you just checking out my body before committing?"

"That's something you shouldn't be doing to her or anyone for that matter." Effina told her.

Naru began to get undressed and Effina looked at her taking notice. Of the various scars and bruises that covered some of her body. Effina turned her head away not even wanting to look anymore. "That's not something I want to see on anyone." Effina told Tone.

Naru questioned why Effina was still dressed.

"I don't really like what I saw. Just makes me feel sorry for you've had to have gone through to get all those."

Knowing that Naru would grow upset and wanting to get through this. As quickly as possible Effina started to undress.

Effina believed that checking to see if a friend had underwear on shouldn't be done. Naru just shrugged at the protest, potentially hearing it before. As soon as Effina noticed the numerous wounds across Naru's body, she turned away, not wanting to see such a thing.

"Being law enforcement isn't meant to be glamorous. It's part of the territory." Tone answered.

Effina explained that she didn't like seeing all the wounds Naru had sustained from her time in COG.

"It's either me or innocent people, and I'd rather go through it than them. After all, I've got a high pain threshold." Naru explained. "Still, it's nice that you've got a soft side. You've only complained and pushed me aside before."

Effina undressed rather quickly, expecting Naru to want to get it over with. However, Naru didn't seem the least bit concerned with others seeing her like this. She just lay on her side on the mat, facing Effina, and patted the space in front of her, indicating Effina to do the same.

"But still I don't want to see let alone touch that."

Naru replied to Effina's reply.

After stripping down to her vest and underwear she laid down. In next to Naru and just looked at her face. "Maybe if you weren't always doing those things to people. I might start to think differently about you."

Tone didn't have a clever retort to Effina's evident disgust against Naru's uncovered wounds but it was clear that she certainly didn't approve of it. Regardless, Effina still kept up her end of the agreement and lay down next to Naru wearing nothing but her underwear.

"I can't help who I am. It'll be like asking a bird to not fly. You've more than likely got things which others don't like you doing." Naru countered as she moved in closer to Effina and placed her arm around the smaller girl, pulling her into a hug.

Unlike her normal actions, Naru didn't even attempt to further undress or fondle Effina and, instead, just lay there hugging her. Even through all of the unpleasant sights Effina had seen on Naru, the other girl's body still felt soft and comforting.

"Being a Magician must be so convenient. You can just up and heal away anything you don't want on your body. Medical science, no matter how advanced we may be in comparison to other continents, can't fully remove things.

"Even so, I don't regret joining COG, even if it results in this. The only thing I don't like is how worried Zee-Zee gets. No matter how many times I tell her I'm fine, she still says I should quit COG and be just a normal girl. I can't do that. I can't."

Even though she didn't want too Effina went about hugging Naru. Just like thse was doing to her right now. "Then why do you do all those things surely there's a reason?" Effina asked. Naru went on to speak some more to her.

"Then you should stop worrying her. You've been lucky so far but at some point luck always runs out. At least think really hard about whether you still want to worry Zee-Zee or not."

Effina wanted to know why Naru did the things which nobody condoned.

"It's just how I've always been. I don't know when or why it started." Naru answered. "Do you know why you do the things which you do? Does anyone fully understand why their mind and body works in the way it does? Everyone's unique, and uniqueness is what makes us alive."

Effina also attempted to convince Naru to quit COG.

"I'm not going to, no matter what anyone says." Naru simply replied. "I took the oath to get in, and I made a promise. I'll never quit unless COG itself forces me to. Even then, I won't stop protecting everyone."

"Such blind devotion to serving the people. Does this girl even realise what she's saying?" Tone cut in.

"I couldn't say." Effina said.

Naru then spoke about whether she'd quit COG or not.

"What if you die I'm sure that would make Zena very upset?" Tone then cut in. "I don't think she does.

Effina posed the chance that Naru might not be able to luck her way through the next injury she may get.

"Yeah, I know it will. But, I'm not going to go down that easily. Think of all the people who put their lives on the line every day so we can live comfortably: Factory Workers, Sailors, Tradesmen and City Defence to name a few. They know the risks of what they do, yet they still do it. I feel the same way." Naru answered.

"I don't think you'll be able to talk her out of this. She's even more stubborn than the Firebug is, and you can't even get her to do things. Give up trying to get her to quit. She'll only stop when she's dead." Tone coldly dismissed Naru's explanation.

"Then do what you want." Effina said.

Tone spoke up and Effina had to agree with her. It was hard trying to get Naru to quit her job or give it more thought.

Giving up on trying to convince Naru, Effina remained quiet after dismissing the conversation. Tone had no further comments and Naru didn't have anything else to say either. The two remained cuddling each other and, after a short while, Naru fell asleep. Effina could use this chance to leave, however...

"Stay with her. Don't even think about leaving. She's not done anything questionable at all and, honestly, I like her better asleep." Tone suggested. "Ditching her now will certainly end badly."

Whether Effina heeded Tone's suggestion or not, Naru remained asleep until the clock tower's bell signalled the time being around quarter to three in the afternoon. They only had fifteen minutes before the Kinetic's tour of Magic began.

Naru finally fell asleep as the two remained cuddling. Tone spoke about how she should remain with her. "She's better this way." Effina remained with Naru and didn't move but she didn't want to be late to the Kinetic's tour.

The tones of the bell roused Naru from her slumber as she snuggled Effina closer for a moment before sleepily pushing herself up a little and rubbing away the drowsiness of sleep. It took a couple of minutes for Naru to process just what had woken her up until she realised that she had only a short amount of time before the tour began.

"I wanted to hug more, but duty calls." Naru sighed as she gathered up her removed clothes and redressed herself. "You can go on ahead and wait in the classroom. I've gotta usher the people in and make sure nothing happens."

Fully dressed once more, Naru headed towards the door of the storage shed. Opening it, she waved Effina goodbye and hurried on towards the school building.

With the sound of the bells ringing Naru awoke once more. Effina being nice returned the snuggle and then got to her feet. After Naru did and started to get dressed once again. "Be careful out there."

Effina waved goodbye to Naru and headed to the classroom.

Accepting that the tour was more important than snuggling, Effina got up and started to get dressed shortly after Naru. As Naru was heading out, Effina decided to be nice for once and send her off in a thoughtful way.

"That's something I didn't think you'd say to me with how you've been acting." Naru replied with a small smile. "Are you ready to return my feelings at last?"

Looking past the Naru-esque comment, it was clear that she was happy Effina cared enough for her to say what she did. When both were fully dressed, Naru and Effina went their separate ways for now as preparations for the tour went underway. Effina arrived in the classroom and was the first person there. The others were likely finishing up with last minute preparations before the big event.

Before Naru had left Effina had one last thing to say to her.

"If you don't act like you usually do then maybe things will change between us." Effina said.

After arriving in the classroom she was the first one there. So she grabbed a seat and took out Tone's book she looked over the book closely trying to find. Anything that might help shed some light on Tone's lost memories. Followed by seeing if there was anyway she could open up the book.

While she waited on the others arriving, Effina decided to look over Tone's Vessel to see if there was anything on it which could help restore her lost memories. Much like before, the book was a simple leather bound tome made from some resilient material. Despite looking a little weathered with age, there were no signs of deterioration anywhere on it. As Duke Trent had pointed out, it was unlikely that anything modern could damage the book in any way.

Looking between the covers of the book, Effina could see the tops of the pages inside. Like the cover, they had also stood the test of time quite well and were not frayed or torn in any way. In fact, the pages of the book looked to be made from a type of paper that looked glossy in the lights and reflected part of the shine. From Effina's knowledge, no books, not even those in the Mainland's library, were made from anything but papyrus or vellum.

Finally, a look over the lock yielded no results either. The clasp with the lock on it was forged with a very strong metal as well. There was no brute-forcing this book open, not even with the strongest blades which blacksmiths can forge. The only way to release the lock would be to find its key. Judging from the size of the keyhole, the key which opened it would likely be small and ornate. Closer inspection inside the keyhole showed that the tumblers which the key would open were so complex that nothing but its paired key would be able to open it. The most skilled of locksmiths, or lockpickers, would likely stand no chance against it without seeing how the original key was crafted. The shape of the placement for the tumblers indicated that the teeth of the key for them bore a strange shape akin to a love heart. Only diaries or private books would have a key like that.

"When you're...quite finished..." Tone complained between quick breaths. Effina's observations of the book likely forced a reaction through Tone's link to it.

Lost in her study of the tome in her hands, Effina didn't notice that Zena, Coral and Lucine had joined her inside the classroom. Coral and Lucine still looked to be at odds with one another, but time had soothed most of the aggression.

"Found a way to open that thing, yet?" Zena questioned Effina, catching on to her fixation with Tone's Vessel.

"Am only trying to help out nothing more." Effina told the complaining Tone. She would need to find the missing key in order to open the book. But with no idea where the key was she needed a starting place to search for it. The others had arrived inside of the room while Effina had been searching the book.

"Not really I think I need a key to open it but don't have it." she looked over at Zena. Then back at her two kids, "how are you guys both doing?" she asked to both Lucine and Coral.

"You don't have to be so hands on with it, though." Tone countered. "Watch where you're putting your hands."

From how Effina was manhandling the book to fully observe it, there was no wonder that Tone wasn't that pleased by being fondled in some likely very private places. Until Effina could discover just where each section of the book tallied up to Tone's body, she'd have to be very careful to not violate the unsuspecting Spirit in ways which could be bad.

In response to Zena's question, Effina explained her current findings.

"You mean you Magician's can't use Magic to unlock things?" Zena questioned, unsure of what was possible or impossible through Magic.

Following on from that, Effina greeted Lucine and Coral.

"Aside from being a little tired from using Magic, I think I'm doing okay." Lucine responded. It was common knowledge among Magicians that those not used to using their powers often feel fatigued after using them for a short while until their bodies get used to the experience.

"Coral's still mad at Papa." Coral answered, pouting slightly.

Some of the others started arriving a little later until everyone, aside from the Duke, the Guests and Naru were present. Formalities probably made it so the Duke and the Guests were at the entrance to greet people, and Naru was likely on Security there.

"I don't know where I'm putting my hands to get you so worked up." Effina countered.

Effina had just been running her hands over the book like normal. She wasn't trying to fondle Tone or anything but not knowing where her private places were. Effina didn't know why Tone would be so upset about that.

"That would depend on what one is trying to use Magic to unlock. This book in my hand needs a key which I don't think is magic needed." Effina tried to explain. "If you look at the markings here doesn't it look like a key would be needed to unlock it?" Effina tried to show Zena where the key hole on the book was.

Effina turned to the others.

"It's nice to see you're both doing okay for the most part."

"Then at least you could not be so free with your movements." Tone retorted. "Think about the book, and then think about the female body. The rest should be obvious as to where to avoid."

Effina decided to give a rather condescending explanation of how locks work and why Magic might not unlock them.

"Yeah, anybody who's passed preschool knows that!" Zena countered. "I know how locks and keys work. I was asking if you could use Magic to trick the lock into thinking that the key's gone into it."

Unsure of how to respond to the answers of her charges, Effina replied to the statements of Lucine and Coral with a partial acceptance of their current physical health.

When the others arrived, things began to move on quite quickly with the tour. A couple of minutes after the last assistant to the set-up arrived in the lecture hall, movement was heard from outside of the classroom as a brief tour of the school was given to the parents of the students who attended, and any citizens who may have not attended the school. From the sound of the number of people, it was likely that the majority of the citizens in the surrounding area had attended this talk.

"There's a chance I could try it but I don't want to risk damaging the book if something were to go wrong." Effina explained.

With everything now moving forward movement was heard. From outside the parents and the students who were attending. A majority of the citizens were coming to attend the talk and Effina watched as they all started to enter into the room.

Effina was set against trying to lockpick Tone's Vessel with Magic. Perhaps that was for the best, anyway, as the Vessel was clearly no ordinary book. Forcing it open may result in some unfortunate consequences.

"Good idea. Trying to force open a Vessel will trigger magic far beyond the weakened Baleful Polymorph that the Ruins door did to you. It may drink the very Magic energy from your blood until you're nothing more than a husk of your former self." Tone cautioned.

A few minutes after the movement was first heard, the Duke, the Guests and the attendees to the talk entered the lecture hall. Introductions were given from the Staff Members gathered to the general populace and, soon enough, the talk began in earnest.

With the introductions given from the Staff Members. The talk was about to begin in earnest and Effina placed Tone's vessel away. "Will just have to find the key instead where ever that might be."

Once all attendees were comfortably seated, or stood, Alfonse opened the lecture with talk on the origins of Magic and Kinetic Powers.

As often referenced in history books, Magic was a gift from the Dragons to Humanity. The Dragons were considered to be emissaries or Avatars of the Four Prime Gods. Ignesis for Fire, Ventussius for Wind, Terran for Earth and Hydraxin for Water. Alongside these four notable figures, Alfonse touched upon others only mentioned in restricted texts, these being the Prime Gods for the two Forbidden Elements, Life and Death. While their names were yet unknown, even to the most influential of Magicians, their ties with the Elements were made clear. Every Element can both give life and take it, and these two Prime Gods ruled over the Four lesser elements and governed their actions.

After the Great War, which was speculated to have been initiated by powerful Magicians seeking total control over all six elements, including the Forbidden Two, mankind's boon of Magic was stripped from them, and the Dragons were wiped out by the Prime Gods for having failed in their duties. The cause of the War was believed to be linked to the destruction of the Gott Kingdom, which housed people who had mastery over every Element, yet were unable to control more than two of the six at once.

When Magic faded from the world, humanity was on the brink of extinction. Due to a bountiful existence utilising the gifts of the Dragons and the Prime Gods, humankind was unable to fend for themselves against things which they had hunted before, and were also unable to cultivate any form of sustenance. Their own dependence on Magic had soon become their downfall. When people eventually braved the gaping maw that had once been the Gott Kingdom out of desperation, they found shards of the weapon used to create the devastation. These shards still hummed with the call of the Elements, but their power had dwindled considerably with the deaths of the Dragons. Even so, through sheer determination, humanity banded together to study these shards to see if they could recapture the gifts that had once served them.

Generations followed until, eventually, humanity was able to use the shards' power by embedding them into their own bodies, birthing the weakened form of magic now known as Kinetic Powers.

As Alfonse opened with the lecture about a couple of minutes into it. Effina started to feel a slight pain in various places of her body. The pain would come and go or last for a few moments too even a few seconds. She tried not to make a scene but the growing pain was getting to her it wasn't because she had to go to the restroom or anything. Maybe this pain was coming from the make that her changing back into her male self was coming soon.

When Humanity was attuned to Magic once more, they started to recover from their steady decline. However, due to the necessity to embed the Shards into a person's body to use Magic once more, very few people had this ability when before it was bountiful. These select few were chosen to lead the others as Mankind attempted to thrive in this world with limited Magic.

It was soon discovered that those with Kinetic powers were able to pass them on to their children if they were born after the Shards were inserted into their parents body. Magic was looking to make a return, yet, while effective at filling the void left from the loss of Pure Magic, Kinetic Powers were considerably weaker than Magic. Kinetic Powers required a physical connection to the Element they were attuned to, where Magic was able to create it from nothing. In addition, each Kinetic's power was limited to a single Element, and anyone in their bloodline could only use that chosen Element. The time of being able to wield the powers of multiple Elements had passed with the loss of Magic.

Despite this, as the centuries passed, Kinetic powers had become more apparent as Kinetics bred with other Kinetics, therefore passing the Shards' powers into their children. Humanity knew that Kinetic Powers will never be as strong or as versatile as Magic was, but it allowed them to continue living in an age where they thought they'd go extinct. Belief soon returned to the populace as their faith in the Prime Gods was renewed with this Miracle. Mankind vowed to never repeat the mistakes their Ancestors made which nearly doomed the entire World and, as more people started to worship the Prime Gods again, Magic made a slow return to those not blessed with the Kinetic Bloodline.

It was discovered that a person could not both control Magic and Kinetic Powers. They either had one or the other. While still respecting those who fought against all odds to ensure the survival of Humankind, those blessed with Magic once again started to look down on Kinetics and the role of leadership was soon changed. With the recovery of the blessing of Magic, people began to look for traces of the civilisation of those who were around in the time where Magic flourished and the Dragons existed. This led to leaps and bounds in technology and advances far beyond anything possible in the time of Kinetics as people recovered relics and items from before the Great War, leading to life in the present day.

As more of the lecture went on the pain finally left Effina's body. At least for now anyway she was able to listen to everything that was said in peace.

The final closing points of the lecture was that Magicians and Kinetics no longer bore animosity towards one another and could peacefully coexist. As expected, with it came a warning about not abusing the gifts from the Prime Gods and to use both Magic and Kinetic powers with respect towards the forces which gifted it to humanity, otherwise another period of strife may be forced onto Mankind and they might not be so lucky this time.

The lecture itself took the best part of an hour and a half. There was a time given for questions, which were answered by either Alfonse, his Apprentices or Effina. Following on from the question time, now came the practical demonstrations of mastery of Magic and how Kinetic Powers may be further developed.

The swimming pool, which Effina had filled earlier, was used by Yunie to perform a routine of using her Earth Mastery, combined with her understanding of the Element of Water, to allow herself to walk across it as if she was walking on solid ground. For added flair, Yunie created small geysers of water to create steps leading her up to touch the ceiling of the large swimming pool area. After that, she used the same method to walk herself back down to the poolside. This display evidently got the attention of some of the teenage males in the audience as they could clearly see up her skirt as she walked up and down the water geysers. Yunie likely knew of this but didn't seem to react much at all.

From the conclusion of the Water display, the Water Kinetics in the audience were allowed to try their hand at doing something similar with the powers they possessed. Of course, there weren't many takers at all, save for a few students likely from the swimming club. These students headed into the changing rooms to don their swimsuits before attempting a Water Routine of their own. Coral clearly wanted to join in as well, but Freya managed to talk her out of it.

The next part on the agenda was the summoning circle in the playground. Alfonse called forth the Gyre Worm and allowed any spectators to ask it to allow them to ride on its back. This held the attention of most of the Children, whom asked the Gyre Worm for a ride around the playground. The Gyre Worm looked exactly how Effina read about it in books. It was a creature born from Earth Magic fashioned in the shape of a Worm but made from a mixture of crystals and cylindrical rings of ore. Its core looked to be made from amethyst and supported the rings of ore like a spine would to a human. Thanking the creature for its services, Alfonse dismissed the Gyre Worm once the children who rode it showed their appreciation as well.

Concluding the playground exhibits was a flight demonstration from Emeria. Using the powers of Fire to create thermal vents in the air, Emeria flew around the playground with ease, maintaining her velocity and altitude with some carefully precise Wind Magic. Emeria also offered this flying experience to the children in the audience, provided their parents gave permission. There were some takers to this, whom were very pleased by their experience.

With the last part of the lecture coming to a close Effina watch as both Yunie, Alfonse and Emeria each went through their own parts. Paying attention who what they were all doing at the start she had watched Yunie closely studying both the way she used her magic looking for anything that might help Effina in learning more about it. When Yunie walked across the water gesyers she did peak up Yunie's skirt but half the males there were clearly doing it as well.

She then with great case studied Emeria with how she used her Fire and Wind Magic. This allowed some of the people to try their hands at flying a little bit.

Effina studied how Alfonse's Apprentices used their Magic through watching their demonstrations. Yunie's control of the Element of Water, while not her primary power, understood the fluidity of how liquids worked and allowed the flow of Magic from her body to the pool to mimic the motions of how water in the natural world flowed. Understanding how the Element was in Nature was likely the first part of perfecting one's control of their Magic.

Considering Effina shared the same Elemental Affinity, she understood just how a Magician was able to weave and thread their Magic into creating what they envisioned in their mind and gently guide the water to make this vision a reality. Yunie's application of the water geysers could've been a little more visually appealing if she physically created stairs out of the water, but perhaps her control over that display was mostly influenced by her core affinity of Earth. Following the views of the males, Effina looked up Yunie's skirt when she could...

...only to find that Yunie was wearing sports pants under her skirt. That would explain why she wasn't too fussed with the leering gazes. Effina would later realise during Emeria's flight demonstration that she'd also foresaw what kind of lewd attention she might get and opted for the same kind of anti-panty flashing protection.

Learning about Emeria's control of Fire Magic was an unknown ground for Effina. She couldn't quite understand just how Emeria applied her knowledge, considering Effina's element was the polar opposite to it. However, she did pick up on the fact that most of the flight was done through Wind magic, with spontaneous bursts of thermal currents to keep her aloft. Flames, like in nature, are uncontrollable and volatile. Perhaps if Lucine applied this knowledge further and used the advice she'd gotten from Alfonse and Freya, then maybe her control of it would be perfected enough to properly learn Magic? If anything, maybe Emeria could give Lucine advice if she asked, considering her Core Element is Fire as well.

When the practical displays came to an end, the final parts of the tour were concluded. The Kinetics were given a chance to test their powers using the provided props which both Yunie and Emeria used, and the parents of the students could ask questions about Magic and Kinetic powers. Overall, the tour ended at around quarter to six in the evening and the attendees were seen out by the Duke and Naru. Effina had noticed during the tour at several points that the Green Haired Girl and her Older Brother were among the attendees.

With everything finished, the Guests were thanked for their time and escorted to the Portal Building by Zena and Naru to return home. This left Effina, Freya, Lucine and Coral to tidy up. Eventually, at half six in the evening, everything was tidied away.

While doing her best to learn more about the two girl's the pain. Effina had felt before had returned once again she couldn't help but cry out at one point. But her cry was swallowed by the round of cheers and clapping that came from the other audience members. Soon enough everything began to wrap up and Effina and the others were left alone.

With the pain growing stronger Effina used this chance to say. That she needed to use the restroom and hurried away. Before any other questions were to be asked she headed for a place around the school where she could hide and not be seen.

When the tidying up came to a close, Effina's body was further wracked with the growing pains she'd been feeling throughout the Tour. Hoping that they meant she was going to change back, Effina excused herself to find somewhere covered and out of plain sight just in case she suddenly turned back to normal.

"You might want to undress, lest you be caught as a full grown man wearing little children's clothes. You can just summon up a set of suitable clothes when you change back." Tone cautioned.

Following Tone's advice Effina after finding a place to hide in the back. Of several of the buildings and surrounded by a lot of trees. Quickly undressed out of all of her clothes leaving herself completely naked. Effina again cried out as she was overcome with pain.

"It wasn't this bad when I changed yesterday."

With the pain almost causing her to pass out. Effina was suddenly enveloped within a white light that shined brightly for just a few seconds and once it vanished. Effina was nowhere to be seen instead a naked adult was standing where Effina had once been.

Elthin had returned who used this chance to summon a set of clothes. Now dressed in a light blue silk shirt and black pants and shoes. Along with the correct pair of male underwear, Elthin completely checked himself out by padding his whole body. Making sure everything was where it was supposed to be.

"I'm me again," Elthin said.

He hurried to get back to the others.

Finding a hidden spot in the (mostly) empty school wasn't too difficult and Effina managed to conceal herself pretty well between the back of the Gymnasium and a copse of hardy pine trees. Removing the children's clothing she had on, a naked Effina waited for the effects to pass and for herself to be returned to normal. Although, the amount of pain she had to go through for it was vastly different from her change into a small girl.

"You shrunk back then, and now your body must grow again. Shrinking something is much easier than stretching it out, so it's not surprising that it'll hurt." Tone explained.

The Polymorph on Effina was eventually reversed and Effina now found that they were Elthin once more. Tone had likely retreated back into the confines of her vessel, which was resting on the ground against the back of the Gymnasium, likely too modest to look upon Elthin's naked form. When he'd dressed once more and collected up Tone's Vessel, then the Spirit returned to around her Vessel.

"Naru will be so disappointed that you're no longer a little girl." Tone commented with a snicker.

Elthin then rushed back into the school building to rejoin the others. Obviously Freya, Coral and Lucine knew just who he was.

"Oh, you're back to normal now." Lucine questioned upon seeing Elthin as himself once more. "Good for you, I guess. Although..."

"How will you explain the disappearance of 'Effina' to the others?" Freya interjected. "The Duke knows who you are, but Zena is still a little confused as well as Syl and Willow."

"I think it would be better if she doesn't learn the truth." Elthin told Tone.

Joining the others he saw that Freya, Lucine and Coral were all there.

"That's actually a good question as I'll also need to explain. Where 'Effina' went to Alfonse as well as he hasn't met the real me yet." Elthin tried to think of something which he could use to explain to the others where 'Effina' went.

"That's assuming that she doesn't find it out of her own accord. Don't discredit her intuition just yet." Tone cautioned the newly returned Elthin.

Elthin was now stuck with the conundrum of how he shall explain this return to the others.

"The truth of it all might be the best way, though that doesn't mean they'll believe it." Freya suggested.

"The bedwetter will likely flip when she finds out she spent an evening playing with someone she's not keen on." Lucine interjected.

How indeed should Elthin broach this subject?

"While the truth would be for the best, wouldn't they be angry at me. For all that had happened while I was a girl?" Elthin asked.

Lucine spoke up about Zena.

"Oh, don't get me started on how she will handle it."

"While that may be true, it'll be better for both you and them to get the truth out as soon as possible. Lying to them and pretending like it never happened would only serve to bite you in the back when they do eventually put two and two together." Freya warned Elthin.

"Lying's bad, Papa, don't do it!" Coral cut in.

"Better to have them mad at you now and forget it later rather than having it looming over everything until the truth comes out." Lucine agreed.

From the suggestions of the others, it seemed they were all in agreement that Elthin should just get it over with as quickly as possible.

"Better decide fast, otherwise you may miss your chance." Tone cautioned.

Elthin listened to what was needed to be said.

'It might be best to just tell the truth as I don't want any trouble from. Whatever happens will just have to wait and see what happens.' Elthin said.

Coral also spoke up.

'I won't lie.'

Elthin ultimately agreed with the others and resolved himself to telling the full truth when the time came for it.

"Anyway, what're we all standing around here for? I wanna go get something to eat and then rest after all this hard work." Lucine commented.

It was getting close to dinner time after all, so it didn't come as a surprise that Lucine was the first to kick up about being hungry.

"You'll get something to eat."

With everything agreed upon everyone headed towards. Where the rest of their group was Elthin kept an eye out for Alponse and his students. While also looking for where Zena and the others were.

Giving in to the demands of Lucine, Elthin, alongside the others present, started to head out of the school to find somewhere to stop by for a bite to eat. At present, everyone aside from the Duke, Zena, Naru Alfonse and his Apprentices were in the group. The aforementioned people were likely en route to the Portal Building.

Elthin found Syl and Willow by the entrance to the school. They were helping to tidy up the last of the notices on the bulletin board which related to the events that day. The looked to be a little confused at Elthin's presence, considering 'Effina' came with them that day.

The group found both Syl and Willow by the entrance to the school. Where they were busy cleaning things up. They noticed Elthin and seemed confused by his presence. Most likely wondering where 'Effina' had disappeared too.

"There's something I need to tell you." Elthin explained to the two girls. With their full attention upon them he told them the truth. "I'm sure you're wondering where Effina is and why I'm currently here standing before you. When you haven't seen me for about an entire day now. To tell you the truth I was Effina having been turned into a girl by a trap when I blasted into some ruins."

Elthin started to explain to Syl and Willow about why he was there, and 'Effina' was not. However, this only served to confuse them even more than they already were. No magic they'd ever heard of was able to transform someone so completely for any notable length of time. The only transformation Magic they knew about were minor curses which only changed their target for an hour at most, and these were limited to shapes like Sheep, Frogs, Cats and Rodents.

Nonetheless, it was unsure as to whether they believed Elthin or not, yet it didn't seem like they were angry or upset in any way. In fact, they agreed with the group consensus of getting some food and were more focused on this than polymorphs and other Magic. It would probably serve better to discuss the confusing things over a meal.

A suggestion was to head over to one of the fast food restaurants in the shopping district and have dinner there rather than go through the trouble of preparing a meal from scratch.

With nearly all the trio back together again, they were going to head. For one of the fast food restaurants in the shopping district. But they still needed to find Zena wherever she was and Elthin also looked around for any signs of Alphonse. He was thinking on if he should tell him the truth or not. But Coral's words about lying went through his mind.

"There's one place I need to stop by first." Elthin informed the group.

Much to the disapproval of the younger members of the group, Elthin decided he had something else to do before they could have something to eat. Considering how he wasn't used to the layout of the city yet, it wouldn't be wise for Elthin to stray far from the others lest they get separated. Also, taking into account the current state of hunger in the group, Elthin's business would have to be concluded quickly.

Instead of stopping where he wanted he gave in so that. The younger members of the group could eat their full and get fat. Not knowing which was the best fast food place to eat at he looked around to see what was there that might taste good.

Realising that his own business could likely wait until everyone had been fed, Elthin relented and dismissed his earlier request in favour of the children. The small group headed to the heart of the shopping district and came across several family restaurants and fast food diners. A true cultural experience had ensured that several of the eateries stocked foods from across the five major Continents, and maybe even beyond! There was certainly a lot of places to choose from, but the local children and their families seemed to favour one particular fast food diner.

Going along with the crowd, the group arrived at a diner that served both healthy salads and less healthy fried foods. The menu items were surprisingly cheap and were next to a pittance when compared with the fancy restaurant they went to in Brascus. This might be why it was so popular with families as their foods looked filling, tasty and, most important of all, were affordable for all.

They all entered into the local burger joint where. Everything was smelly tasty. And families were all busy enjoying themselves. Elthin looked at the menu while everyone went over to stand in line and wait their turns to be served.

Despite how popular the place was, the lines in the Diner were actually quickly reducing as people were served mere minutes after their order was placed. Leaving their orders with Elthin, the rest of his group went to secure seating for them before all seats were taken. The Diner had a takeaway menu as well, but, considering how most of them had been up and about nearly all day, having a sit down meal was likely more favoured. Lucine and Coral wanted to order everything on the menu, as neither of them had had anything like it before, but they were talked down to just a single regular sized meal each by Freya.

Elthin placed the orders and gave the table number that the others had claimed and was informed that their order will be with them shortly. After purchasing the meal, which was much cheaper than what he'd paid in Brascus despite how more food was ordered, Elthin rejoined the others at their table and, within a couple of minutes, the food was bought to their table and the feasting commenced.

The others went to go find somewhere sit while Elthin. Placed the orders and gave the table number and after it was all paid for he rejoined the others. Taking a seat next to the hot head and then the food was brought over to them. Everyone soon dug in eating all that they had Elthin ate this and that and saved some of his food to take home. He'd give it to Tone later when they were alone.

The food in front of Lucine and Coral didn't last long and they'd finished it before the others were even halfway through theirs. Coral had even downed her regular sized drink and requested another one, which Freya agreed to pay for. Coral headed off to the counter, accompanied by Freya, and returned with a refilled drinks cup. Coral made sure to drink this one slower, as she was informed she wouldn't be getting another.

When everyone had finished their meals, twilight was starting to set in outside the Diner. Gathering up the packets and drinks cups left over, Lucine disposed of them in the designated place as everyone else prepared to head back to the Duke's Residence for their last evening in Argenta. However, before they'd left the diner...

"Papa, toilet." Coral requested as she fidgeted a little on the spot.

The opened up the perfect opportunity for Freya to insist that Syl and Willow also made sure they went before starting the journey home, which was extended towards Lucine as well, who did not really appreciate being treated like a child, but understood the need to instil good practices into her impressionable 'Sibling'.

The food and drinks didn't last that long and Coral wished for another drink. That Freya paid for but told her she wasn't going to get another. Once this was done and Elthin got a doggy bag for the rest of his meal. They all headed back to the Duke's home but made a pit stop at the toilets first."

"Okay." Elthin said.

He took Coral's hand leading her to the restroom with the others. Only to stop before the door to the ladies room. "Lucine or the others will help you once inside. As it's bad if I were to enter into this room."

Elthin was roped into accompanying the girls to the toilets. Outside them, Elthin reminded Coral that she'd have to rely on the others while inside as he wasn't allowed in. As she was the one that requested the stop, Coral was the first to head in, with Lucine following along behind her.

Syl and Willow waited for the others to leave before going inside themselves, as they didn't want to monopolise the whole facility. Just before Syl and Willow entered...

"Sorry, coming through, excuse me!"

A rapid blur of green cut in front of them and bolted inside the toilets. The other girls weren't too keen with being cut in front of, yet didn't kick up about it, at least not verbally, as they headed into the toilets. The glare which Willow gave in the general direction the green blur headed in was enough to show her annoyance.

A few minutes after the incident, the green blur was recognised as the small Slyph Dragon when she left the toilets looking a little embarrassed. Coral recognised her and seemed to be intrigued by her presence. It was highly possible that Dragons could sense other Dragons. The Sylph Dragon's usual accompaniment was nowhere to be seen at present...

Elthin waited around outside for the kids to finish up. When from out of nowhere a familiar green blue rushed past bolting into the toilets. She soon returned outside and Elthin looked over at her. He looked around and didn't see her brother anywhere. While he would have liked to say something too her right now. He stayed where he was as something bad was sure to happen if he tried anything.

Elthin, deciding to be cautious around all young girls, chose not to approach the Sylph Dragon as it might spark lots of rumours. The Sylph Dragon, even though she'd finished what she came in for, waited just a little ways down from the toilets, oblivious to Elthin's presence. When Syl and Willow finished up inside, she came back to apologise for cutting in line before hurrying out of the Diner, likely to rejoin her Brother.

With everyone ready to set off, Elthin and his group started the journey back to the Duke's residence and arrived there just as nightfall approached.

With everyone ready to set off, Elthin and the group left the diner. He then used the small chance before leaving to wave 'Hi' to the Slyph Dragon. They arrived at the Duke's home at nightfall and walked inside. Elthin excused himself and headed towards his room to be alone for a while and gather his thoughts while. Tone ate some of his left over food he set out on the small desk in his room.

"Have some food for you."

On the way out of the Diner, Elthin wanted to greet the Sylph Dragon, but she was nowhere to be seen. She'd probably already set off back home before they left.

When they reached the Duke's residence, Elthin went off alone to his assigned room to think things through and feed the Elemental Spirit that was likely quite annoyed at missing out at the Diner. Elthin didn't even need to inform Tone of the food set out for her as she'd already swiped it up moments after Elthin set it down.

"Good to know you didn't forget about me this time." Tone commented in her usual manner. "I'm surprised you didn't talk to your little leaky friend when you saw her."

"I had wanted to speak with her but that would have just caused some trouble." Elthin told Tone who was busy eating the food he had set aside for her.

Taking a seat on the bed he thought some.

"Besides that, I would have liked to have spoken more to Alfonse and his students."

"She looked like she might have wanted to talk to you, though. I would've said so earlier, but I think she can perceive my existence and it would've probably scared her if I sudden appeared from nowhere. Dragons are the most powerful Magicians of all, next to the Prime Gods that is." Tone explained.

Elthin continued with his self loathing over not speaking to people more.

"All you Magicians have those devices, right? The Orbs that work like transceivers and allow you to talk to people around the world. Now you know his name, what he looks like and the place he's normally stationed at, you can probably blip through to him with it now when you get back home. They used to work off of specialised communication numbers, I think, but they changed that when they realised how limiting it was."

"Maybe there's a chance we might run into each other again. Before we have to leave to head home?" Elthin asked. Then thought about what else Tone had just said. "That wouldn't be any good I don't want to scare her off or alert her to knowing you're there."

Tone spoke again.

"We, do that sounds like a good idea to try out when we all get home."

Elthin believed in the possibility that he'd be able to speak to the Sylph Dragon before heading home the following day.

"Maybe so. If all else fails, you could get your own Dragon to sniff your little leaky friend out." Tone suggested after finishing off the food set out for her. "Anyway, you can't hole yourself up in this room all evening. You'll disturb my nap. Go do things to pass the time until the little ones go to bed."

'I would rather just go alone, but your idea is a good one' Elthin said.

He then agreed to the book's request and then left the room. His first quest of business was to speak with Zena and headed over to her room before knocking on the door. "Zena are you there it's me can we talk for a bit?"

Elthin agreed with Tone's suggestion to finding the Sylph Dragon and decided to follow through with the suggestion from earlier. Leaving Tone to sleep off the meal, Elthin headed towards Zena's room to explain the Baleful Polymorph incident to her.

Elthin knocked on the door and called out to the resident of the room. Moments later, Zena, dressed in nothing but an untied bathrobe and underwear, answered the door. Noticing just who had paid her a visit, Zena blushed a deep red, quickly shut the door and then opened it again seconds later in a tied up bathrobe with a healthy blush on her face.

"I should've known it was you." Zena sighed with evident disapproval. "Forget what you saw before, otherwise I'll have to knock it out of you!"

It would be wise for Elthin to forget the frilly pink and white Magical Makki panties and vest that Zena had on underneath her bathrobe, along with forgetting how soft and smooth her delicate skin would feel. If he didn't, then who knows what Zena would do to him?

"You said you wanted to talk, yet you've been suspiciously quiet." Zena commented with a slight accusatory tone to her voice.

Zena had opened the door in only an untied bathrobe and underwear. Then quickly shut the door after blushing bright red. "Does she plan these sort of things just for the right time?" Elthin asked himself with a shake of his head.

"It's nice too see you to." Elthin walked past Zena into her room and the door. Closed behind him then took a seat on her bed. "What I wanted to talk to you about we Effina and myself you see Effina was me. I had been transformed into a girl from a spell in the ruins that I had visited the other day."

Ethin let that all sink into her small head.

In order to get this over and done with before Zena could kick up too much, Elthin gave an equally disapproving greeting before heading straight into Zena's room.

"HEY! Don't just barge into a girl's room like that!" Zena complained, yet Elthin paid it no heed and simply explained his reasoning for wanting to talk to her.

It took a good few minutes for Zena to fully process everything that Elthin had to say. However, when she understood it, she glared straight at Elthin with such a powerful leer that it could almost be physically felt impaling him.

"You have ten seconds to defend yourself before I call Naru here and have you arrested for the exploitation of minors." Zena stated venomously. "Ten...nine...eight..."

Zena took a few minutes to fully process everything. That had been said to her and when she did she glared right at him.

"I already explained to you what happened to me. You think I planned on turning into a little girl just to do something like that. I did nothing of the sort at all if you'd just take a moment to fully listen to me." Elthin demanded.

"You want more proof ask Coral or the others even the Duke they knew the truth. Or what about when we played truth or dare last night and I asked you if you had a crush on anyone?" Elthin stated.

Elthin insisted that he meant no harm in invading Zena's room under the guise of a little girl, explaining that the form was beyond his ability to control and informing her of sources which could back him up with his innocence. This at least stopped her countdown to Elthin spending a night behind bars, but threatening her with the Truth or Dare game was likely not the best way to go about things.

"Blackmail!" Zena countered. "You'd blackmail a defenceless girl to hid your own perverted nature?! You really are a creeper!"

"Blackmail why the hell would I blackmail you I have no reason too." Elthin snapped.

Their little chat which was suppost to be a calm one was quickly becoming. An aruging match between the two of them. Elthin then brought up another point on another subject which needed to be settled.

"Why do you always act like a jerk around me?"

Elthin's 'chat' had turned into another heated argument with Zena. Elthin was determined to at least get one straight answer from Zena about her behaviour before things got too bad.

"Because you've always behaved like one to me!" Zena retorted. "Even when we first met you tried blasting me with shards of ice and trapping me in a frozen prison. After that, you picked up that private note, showed it to everyone you know and made me a complete joke to them. To make everything ten times worse, you've tried exploiting me for your own nefarious ends while posing to be kind to me!"

"You're one to talk!" Elthin countered. "All you do is accuse me of being a lewd pervert, who's always trying to have his way with you. But look at yourself, everytime we meet or chat on the phone you're always either half naked or in some other lewd act. It's like you're putting on a show for me because that's what get's you off isn't it."

Elthin felt like going over a smacking Zena across the face. He got up from her bed and walked towards her door.

Elthin fired off an accusatory counter, stating that Zena was purposefully allowing herself to be caught in lewd situations for her own personal enjoyment. Stunned by the completely baseless claims, Zena was speechless as Elthin left her room.

"That sounded like it went as smooth as walking across shards of broken glass accompanied with caltrops. Not to mention the jagged rocks and sharpened arrowheads that was thrown into them by your thoughtless words." Tone interjected through their telepathic connection. "It was just shouting after shouting. How's anyone meant to get any sleep with that going on?"

Elthin left Zena's room and headed back to his own room.

"It's none of your business." Elthin simply said. He opened the door to his room and then closed the door. Talking with Zena had put him in a pretty rotten mood.

Elthin dismissed Tone's accurate description of his interactions with Zena and headed back to his room. When he reached his door, he heard the outcome of their 'discussion', which sounded very much like Zena being reduced to tears to such an extent that Coral came running up the stairs and headed straight for the source of the noise, completely oblivious to Elthin's presence as he closed his door and shut himself away in his room.

"Nicely done. You've managed to reduce a girl to tears yet again. You're making quite the habit of this." Tone snidely commented before returning back into her vessel and momentarily closing the Link for the evening.

Having heard the outcome of his 'discussion' with Zena which. Had reduced her to tears he didn't much care about the outcome sure it was his fault. But Zena was always on his case about something never treating himself nicely. So, after locking himself in his room he didn't see Coral rush by.

Completely ignoring Tone's snide comment Elthin laid down on the bed and went to sleep.

Not letting the aftermath of his choices control his actions, Elthin ignored both Zena's crying and Tone's understandable passive-aggressive fury towards his lack of consideration with his words. Wanting nothing more than to get the day over with as quickly as possible, Elthin just headed straight to bed, leaving whatever may happen to the next day...