Morgan: Look, two chapters in one night! I love this story!
Chuchiru: What's that up ahead!?
Morgan: Time lapse! (looks queasy)
Chuchiru: I--I think I'm gonna--
Morgan: Don't you dare! You expect me to write about a hundred days of school when I can just say, "It went well and the friends got to know each other better" instead?
Chuchiru: (yarking off to the side)
Morgan: Well, it can't be helped. Don't be confused! You haven't missed anything, trust me.
* * *
The next few weeks of school ran smoothly. All the students settled down into their routines, and Ash got to know his school, his teachers, and his new friends much better.
Casanith, who liked to be called Casan for short, had ancestors from the Far East, which explained his stature and complexion. He was into loud, heavy music, and even had his own local band, although it was currently short a member, which interested Ash greatly. He knew a few spells, he said, although he wasn't that good at them and preferred his music; he also admitted to picking a few locks in his time. There was also something strange about him that became more evident as Ash came to know him; it was nothing you could really put your finger on, but he seemed to be caught up in some kind of inner struggle a lot.
Kendrick had a wide variety of interests, but he liked art more than anything else. He was highly intelligent without a doubt, and seemed to be, along with Brenna, the stabilizer of the group. He was also shy and self- deprecating, though, and usually just followed the others' lead in things rather than making suggestions. He laughed a lot, but he still had "designated driver" written on him as plainly as Brenna and Ash himself. The most interesting thing about him was that, as was exhibited by his presence in evocation, abjuration, and magical engineering, he was a mage of the first order, at least for his level of skill. No magic could be used within the school grounds due to a damper field set up by the faculty, but he knew way too much about divination to be just a scholar.
J'soon, or Jay, as Sara called him, was an instrumentalist with as much talent and a bit more practice than Casanith. He was fun to be around, as his happy-go-lucky mood was persistent and virulent, and his humor was wide-ranging and usually involved some sort of obscure reference to the comical images that the world around him inspired, and which he shared with his friends. He played with Casan in the band, but seemed perturbed when asked about it due to their "two-timing drummer."
Brenna was much like Kendrick, but she was more independent and spoke her mind openly. She was highly accepting of others, was a real nature freak, and as much a mage as Kendrick. She was a bit flighty and sometimes cheerful to a fault, but her laughter and kindness was infectious, and she had the spirit to back up her promises as well as her remarks.
Sara was an enigma to Ash. She was outgoing, outspoken, and liberal, but at the same time had a load of old grudges and pet peeves that she didn't mind expressing openly. She was a goth like him, although she didn't show off as much skin, and listened to the same kind of music she played: "heavy metal," taken from a dwarven reference to certain ores that, in their opinion, shouldn't exist in the underground due to their uselessness and the bad influence they had on other nearby metals. She, too, was a member of the band, playing backup with J'soon while Casanith sang lead, and admitted to using a few minor spells she'd picked up to put a special something in her music.
As the six got heavier into their classes, they became fast friends, often meeting after school at a nearby restaurant for lunch before going home, or gathering to hear the band practice. It was at one of their luncheons that Sara shook her head and nudged Jay.
"Look at those two," she said, jerking her chin at Ash and Casan, who were together in the booth parallel theirs across the aisle.
"What about them?"
"You don't see it, do you? Ash doesn't either. Look at the way Cas looks at him when he's not looking. There! You see that?"
"Not really," Jay said suspiciously. "What're you talking about?"
Sara harrumphed. "You don't get it, do you? I knew that Casanith swung that way, I just knew it! It doesn't bother me, except that he won't admit it to himself."
"Oh," J'soon said, his eyes widening in sudden comprehension. "Oh, my."
"Eh, eh, see? That's why he's so moody. He's all the time trying to convince himself that he's straight, but he's had been hot and heavy on Ash since the first time he saw him."
"That doesn't mean anything," Jay protested. "You look at him the same way."
"Nah," Sara disagreed. She shrugged and said bluntly, "I just want to get him alone sometime when he's drunk and see how many ways he can move that tail. I'm not in loooooove with him." She drew the word out comically, batting her eyelashes.
"Well," Jay said, still doubtful, "should we tell him or just pretend we don't know?"
"He has to admit it to himself first. There's nothing wrong with it at all, but apparently he thinks he shouldn't be like that, so he's fighting it. He'll come around, especially if Ash gives him the least little bit of encouragement." She narrowed her eyes. "I bet Tief there is bi, at least. He dresses way too much like a slut to not be available for everyone in general."
"Maybe we can discuss it later," J'soon said pleadingly.
Sara smiled and sat back, content with her daydreams of two handsome boys making out in a bathtub somewhere.
* * *
It was the last school day of the week when Ashnod finally asked his friends if they'd like to come over to his house for the afternoon--or even the night, he said, if they wanted.
Sara and Casanith accepted immediately, and Kendrick shrugged and followed. J'soon produced a small ioun stone, one of those that was capable of making long-distance telepathic links with someone who had another one, that they could use to call their parents. Brenna, not to be left out, also readily accepted the invitation.
"Are you sure it's okay?" she asked Ash doubtfully. "I mean, me and Sara are girls, you know."
"It's all right," Ash assured her. "I've got plenty of guest rooms, each of which I'm sure Mom'll nail shut once you go to bed. She can pick up your clothes too; she won't care 'cause I asked her yesterday about all this, and she said she had to go shopping anyway."
"Great then," Casan said enthusiastically. He caught a strange look from Sara, a little half-smile that said she knew something, and frowned.
"Let's go, then," Ash agreed. Then he stopped, looking around bashfully. "Um," he said, scratching the back of his head with his tail, "I don't have a way to get us home. Dad's at work late."
"Never fear," Kendrick put in unexpectedly. "We're not on school grounds, so that isn't a problem. Kendrick to the rescue!" He began to weave his hands in front of him as the other realized the plan and scuttled closer. With a short babble of arcane words, he put one finger on Ash's forehead and made a circular motion with the other hand. Pulling the thought from the tiefling's mind was difficult, but he managed to construct a usable doorway in the air that opened at the gates of the new Darkling estate.
"Oh my god," Sara breathed as she hopped through the portal, followed by the others.
Ash made a pushing gesture, and the gates swung open to admit them. Looking over his shoulder, he straightened his backpack and grinned. "Shall we go in?"
Chuchiru: What's that up ahead!?
Morgan: Time lapse! (looks queasy)
Chuchiru: I--I think I'm gonna--
Morgan: Don't you dare! You expect me to write about a hundred days of school when I can just say, "It went well and the friends got to know each other better" instead?
Chuchiru: (yarking off to the side)
Morgan: Well, it can't be helped. Don't be confused! You haven't missed anything, trust me.
* * *
The next few weeks of school ran smoothly. All the students settled down into their routines, and Ash got to know his school, his teachers, and his new friends much better.
Casanith, who liked to be called Casan for short, had ancestors from the Far East, which explained his stature and complexion. He was into loud, heavy music, and even had his own local band, although it was currently short a member, which interested Ash greatly. He knew a few spells, he said, although he wasn't that good at them and preferred his music; he also admitted to picking a few locks in his time. There was also something strange about him that became more evident as Ash came to know him; it was nothing you could really put your finger on, but he seemed to be caught up in some kind of inner struggle a lot.
Kendrick had a wide variety of interests, but he liked art more than anything else. He was highly intelligent without a doubt, and seemed to be, along with Brenna, the stabilizer of the group. He was also shy and self- deprecating, though, and usually just followed the others' lead in things rather than making suggestions. He laughed a lot, but he still had "designated driver" written on him as plainly as Brenna and Ash himself. The most interesting thing about him was that, as was exhibited by his presence in evocation, abjuration, and magical engineering, he was a mage of the first order, at least for his level of skill. No magic could be used within the school grounds due to a damper field set up by the faculty, but he knew way too much about divination to be just a scholar.
J'soon, or Jay, as Sara called him, was an instrumentalist with as much talent and a bit more practice than Casanith. He was fun to be around, as his happy-go-lucky mood was persistent and virulent, and his humor was wide-ranging and usually involved some sort of obscure reference to the comical images that the world around him inspired, and which he shared with his friends. He played with Casan in the band, but seemed perturbed when asked about it due to their "two-timing drummer."
Brenna was much like Kendrick, but she was more independent and spoke her mind openly. She was highly accepting of others, was a real nature freak, and as much a mage as Kendrick. She was a bit flighty and sometimes cheerful to a fault, but her laughter and kindness was infectious, and she had the spirit to back up her promises as well as her remarks.
Sara was an enigma to Ash. She was outgoing, outspoken, and liberal, but at the same time had a load of old grudges and pet peeves that she didn't mind expressing openly. She was a goth like him, although she didn't show off as much skin, and listened to the same kind of music she played: "heavy metal," taken from a dwarven reference to certain ores that, in their opinion, shouldn't exist in the underground due to their uselessness and the bad influence they had on other nearby metals. She, too, was a member of the band, playing backup with J'soon while Casanith sang lead, and admitted to using a few minor spells she'd picked up to put a special something in her music.
As the six got heavier into their classes, they became fast friends, often meeting after school at a nearby restaurant for lunch before going home, or gathering to hear the band practice. It was at one of their luncheons that Sara shook her head and nudged Jay.
"Look at those two," she said, jerking her chin at Ash and Casan, who were together in the booth parallel theirs across the aisle.
"What about them?"
"You don't see it, do you? Ash doesn't either. Look at the way Cas looks at him when he's not looking. There! You see that?"
"Not really," Jay said suspiciously. "What're you talking about?"
Sara harrumphed. "You don't get it, do you? I knew that Casanith swung that way, I just knew it! It doesn't bother me, except that he won't admit it to himself."
"Oh," J'soon said, his eyes widening in sudden comprehension. "Oh, my."
"Eh, eh, see? That's why he's so moody. He's all the time trying to convince himself that he's straight, but he's had been hot and heavy on Ash since the first time he saw him."
"That doesn't mean anything," Jay protested. "You look at him the same way."
"Nah," Sara disagreed. She shrugged and said bluntly, "I just want to get him alone sometime when he's drunk and see how many ways he can move that tail. I'm not in loooooove with him." She drew the word out comically, batting her eyelashes.
"Well," Jay said, still doubtful, "should we tell him or just pretend we don't know?"
"He has to admit it to himself first. There's nothing wrong with it at all, but apparently he thinks he shouldn't be like that, so he's fighting it. He'll come around, especially if Ash gives him the least little bit of encouragement." She narrowed her eyes. "I bet Tief there is bi, at least. He dresses way too much like a slut to not be available for everyone in general."
"Maybe we can discuss it later," J'soon said pleadingly.
Sara smiled and sat back, content with her daydreams of two handsome boys making out in a bathtub somewhere.
* * *
It was the last school day of the week when Ashnod finally asked his friends if they'd like to come over to his house for the afternoon--or even the night, he said, if they wanted.
Sara and Casanith accepted immediately, and Kendrick shrugged and followed. J'soon produced a small ioun stone, one of those that was capable of making long-distance telepathic links with someone who had another one, that they could use to call their parents. Brenna, not to be left out, also readily accepted the invitation.
"Are you sure it's okay?" she asked Ash doubtfully. "I mean, me and Sara are girls, you know."
"It's all right," Ash assured her. "I've got plenty of guest rooms, each of which I'm sure Mom'll nail shut once you go to bed. She can pick up your clothes too; she won't care 'cause I asked her yesterday about all this, and she said she had to go shopping anyway."
"Great then," Casan said enthusiastically. He caught a strange look from Sara, a little half-smile that said she knew something, and frowned.
"Let's go, then," Ash agreed. Then he stopped, looking around bashfully. "Um," he said, scratching the back of his head with his tail, "I don't have a way to get us home. Dad's at work late."
"Never fear," Kendrick put in unexpectedly. "We're not on school grounds, so that isn't a problem. Kendrick to the rescue!" He began to weave his hands in front of him as the other realized the plan and scuttled closer. With a short babble of arcane words, he put one finger on Ash's forehead and made a circular motion with the other hand. Pulling the thought from the tiefling's mind was difficult, but he managed to construct a usable doorway in the air that opened at the gates of the new Darkling estate.
"Oh my god," Sara breathed as she hopped through the portal, followed by the others.
Ash made a pushing gesture, and the gates swung open to admit them. Looking over his shoulder, he straightened his backpack and grinned. "Shall we go in?"