Dot was pacing impatiently at the entrance of the Principle Office,
fueled by worry over this strange sprite. All Bob had told her was that
the woman who came through the portal was being led to them under careful
surveillance, leading Dot to worry more. Phong appeared beside her, also
looking concerned over the unexpected guest. Mouse stood against the wall,
her arms folded over her chest, more annoyed than worried.
"I don't see how anybody could have gotten past my traps, sugar." Mouse's words were heavy with her Southern accent, and although she was generally very relaxed even under the most dire of circumstances, they held a worried edge. Phong spoke up with a few consoling remarks.
"I am certain that anyone who poses a threat would not be led here, my children. This does not seem the way of Daemon, or those she controls."
The doors opened. Dot stopped pacing to stand up tall and face the group of people entering. Bob and Matrix, in front, stepped aside to reveal the stranger. Mouse stepped away from the wall, but stopped herself from moving any further towards the strange figure. The woman delicately pressed a spiral icon clasping her energy shield cloak at her throat. The purple energy dissolved into a million pinpricks of light and reformed as a chain of softly glowing spheres encircling her waist, with her icon at its center. She pressed a concealed control on the seemingly smooth surface of her staff, and it shrunk down. She tossed it into the air, and allowed it to fall into a perfectly sized pocket in the inner forearm of her sleeve. Phong moved forward, coming up to her without hesitation. She smiled fully know, without the slightest hint of anything but happiness, and knelt down to his lower height. Dot could see tears welling up in the strange turquoise eyes as Phong lifted a hand to gently brush against the side of her face, touching cream colored skin. Matrix, Bob, and the troupe of officers behind them were all bewildered. Even Dot, the sprite with a hand in every business in Mainframe, was completely at a loss.
"Phylaina, my child," Phong spoke, in a tone barely loud enough for the surrounding audience to hear, "Welcome home."
The strange visitor folded into his arms for a deep embrace.
"I don't see how anybody could have gotten past my traps, sugar." Mouse's words were heavy with her Southern accent, and although she was generally very relaxed even under the most dire of circumstances, they held a worried edge. Phong spoke up with a few consoling remarks.
"I am certain that anyone who poses a threat would not be led here, my children. This does not seem the way of Daemon, or those she controls."
The doors opened. Dot stopped pacing to stand up tall and face the group of people entering. Bob and Matrix, in front, stepped aside to reveal the stranger. Mouse stepped away from the wall, but stopped herself from moving any further towards the strange figure. The woman delicately pressed a spiral icon clasping her energy shield cloak at her throat. The purple energy dissolved into a million pinpricks of light and reformed as a chain of softly glowing spheres encircling her waist, with her icon at its center. She pressed a concealed control on the seemingly smooth surface of her staff, and it shrunk down. She tossed it into the air, and allowed it to fall into a perfectly sized pocket in the inner forearm of her sleeve. Phong moved forward, coming up to her without hesitation. She smiled fully know, without the slightest hint of anything but happiness, and knelt down to his lower height. Dot could see tears welling up in the strange turquoise eyes as Phong lifted a hand to gently brush against the side of her face, touching cream colored skin. Matrix, Bob, and the troupe of officers behind them were all bewildered. Even Dot, the sprite with a hand in every business in Mainframe, was completely at a loss.
"Phylaina, my child," Phong spoke, in a tone barely loud enough for the surrounding audience to hear, "Welcome home."
The strange visitor folded into his arms for a deep embrace.