Jareth sat down at Trent's desk thoughtfully.
Trent was looking through his bookcase.
*Trent?*
~ Hmm? ~
*Can you sense the others?*
~ Yes. ~
*Do you think that I should try and contain them until we can figure out what to do?*
~ There wouldn't be a way to hold them all, and the noise would drive us both insane. ~
*There are that many of them?*
~ There are enough. ~
*What if I kept them in the Labyrinth?*
~ Hmm. ~
*I could put them in a corner and then block it off.*
~ It's an idea, I agree. But - is it fair to hold them captive? ~
*Why not?*
~ What they're doing is only in their nature. ~
*Well they must be very stupid to try that sort of thing here.*
~ Well, yes... ~
*I just intend to hold them captive until we can find a more suitable place for them.*
Jareth was thinking on where to put them.
Trent sighed. "I do not think it is a good idea to cage them." he said.
The already caged Indreve, as this was the first he had heard of this, let out a squeak at that idea
"Put a sock in it." Trent murmured, using, as always, Mortal Slang. "Perhaps if we encase them in a bubble of some form...?"
"Nononono!" the Indreve protested. Jareth ignored it, "And how is that better then walling them up in the Labyrinth somewhere?"
"At least it's less of a cage," Trent countered.
"I'd give them enough room," Jareth said, "Just to keep them somewhere where we can keep track of them."
"Hmm."
The Indreve squawked in protest.
"Be quiet." Trent growled.
It growled.
"Now," Trent ignored it, "As you were saying, brother?"
"If we collected them all in a section of the labyrinth and then I blocked it off then we would at least know where they are."
"That sounds as good an idea as any," The Psy sighed.
Jareth sat down at Trent's desk thoughtfully.
Trent was looking through his bookcase.
*Trent?*
~ Hmm? ~
*Can you sense the others?*
~ Yes. ~
*Do you think that I should try and contain them until we can figure out what to do?*
~ There wouldn't be a way to hold them all, and the noise would drive us both insane. ~
*There are that many of them?*
~ There are enough. ~
*What if I kept them in the Labyrinth?*
~ Hmm. ~
*I could put them in a corner and then block it off.*
~ It's an idea, I agree. But - is it fair to hold them captive? ~
*Why not?*
~ What they're doing is only in their nature. ~
*Well they must be very stupid to try that sort of thing here.*
~ Well, yes... ~
*I just intend to hold them captive until we can find a more suitable place for them.*
Jareth was thinking on where to put them.
Trent sighed. "I do not think it is a good idea to cage them." he said.
The already caged Indreve, as this was the first he had heard of this, let out a squeak at that idea
"Put a sock in it." Trent murmured, using, as always, Mortal Slang. "Perhaps if we encase them in a bubble of some form...?"
"Nononono!" the Indreve protested. Jareth ignored it, "And how is that better then walling them up in the Labyrinth somewhere?"
"At least it's less of a cage," Trent countered.
"I'd give them enough room," Jareth said, "Just to keep them somewhere where we can keep track of them."
"Hmm."
The Indreve squawked in protest.
"Be quiet." Trent growled.
It growled.
"Now," Trent ignored it, "As you were saying, brother?"
"If we collected them all in a section of the labyrinth and then I blocked it off then we would at least know where they are."
"That sounds as good an idea as any," The Psy sighed.
*Don't worry* Jareth said mentally, *I won't treat them badly... they will have plenty of room*
~ Alright. ~ Trent conceded.
Jareth nodded, when suddenly the caged Indreve whistled and the door of the room flew open, the other invisible sprites in the room bolted.
Trent reacted quickly and mentally slammed every door and window in the tower-room as his psyche could reach.
But some of them had already made it out of the room.
"Damn!" Trent snapped.
*Are there any still here?*
~ They're all trapped in the room below us, what we managed to catch, anyway. ~
Jareth nodded, *Well, come on then...* He gestured the cage, and it floated along behind him.
Trent followed as the Indreve let off some very loud shrieks.
Jareth teleported into the other room so as not to open the door.
Trent followed suit.
Jareth raised his hands and made the other Indreves in the room visible, much the same way he had done with the first.
Trent had to duck as a small swarm of them shot in his direction.
"Hey lay off!" Jareth protested.
They then flew at him, screeching shrilly.
The caged Indreve, which they had left out in the hallway suddenly appeared in the room, midway between Jareth and his attackers.
They screeched to a halt.
"Tell them to behave," Jareth ordered the caged one.
It squeaked. They didn't move.,
"Good," Jareth said.
Trent sighed softly.
"What?"
"Nothing..." He brushed a hand through his hair.
*Right... now... how are we to catch them?*
~ Hmm, perhaps we can freeze them somehow? ~
*That's an idea...*
~ I am so glad I have one to your approval, brother, ~ Trent teased.
*Yeah... yeah... now is not the time for this, I'm going to need your help...*
~ I know. ~
*Right* Jareth closed his eyes for a minute.
Trent watched.
*Okay,* Jareth said after a minute, *The south corridor of the Labyrinth, closest to the castle is secure enough for them.*
~ Right. ~
*Now...* Jareth looked around at all of the Indreves.
~ Hmm, we have to find a freezing spell... ~
Jareth nodded, thinking.
Trent frowned in thought.
While the two brother's were occupied, the caged Indreve started calling to the others.
They surrounded the cage.
Jareth didn't notice.
Neither did Trent...
The Indreves were being very quiet.
Trent looked up. "What's going on?"
Jareth shrank the cage slightly again.
The Indreve squealed loudly.
"No more trouble," Jareth said, returning the cage to it's original size.
The Indreve gave an indignant squark.
"And don't take that tone with me either!"
It gave a smaller squark. Trent chuckled.
"Alright, I have it," Jareth said, "But we'll need them all together."
~ What's the plan? ~
*I can trap them in a bubble if they're all together...* Jareth said.
~ Right... How would we do that? ~
*Well... I guess we just round them up.*
~ I suppose... ~ Trent looked skeptical.
*Well do you have any better ideas?*
~ Nope. ~ Trent sighed and looked around. ~ Unless... ~
*Yes?*
~ I could send out a psychic shock that would stun them for long enough for you to get them rounded up... ~
*You can do that?*
~ I can, but you'll have to block, or it'll hurt you too. ~
*Alright* Jareth raised up a barrier around his mind, keeping Trent out.
Trent took a deep breath, then let out the equivalent of a mental roar from Trisanalysia.
Even with blocking out Trent's voice, Jareth still winced.
Trent rubbed his head and grinned slightly. "Your turn Jareth,"
Jareth waved and gathered all of the stunned Indreves together, then built a bubble up around them.
Trent watched.
"That's all of them, it looks like," Jareth said.
"Good." Trent nodded.
Jareth started outside, the cage and the bubble floating along behind him.
"What would you like me to do, brother?"
"Just... keep an eye out for more, and see if you can find out more about these creatures..."
"Okay," Trent went back to his study.
Jareth took the Indreves, which were beginning to wake up, downstairs
Trent sat down and read through some more books.
The one in the cage, a bit dizzily, made a bit of a pitiful sound.
Trent frowned; he needed help with this, and a more varied library...
Jareth deposited the Indreves lightly on the ground, with the exception of the caged one, which he regarded.
It squealed half-heartedly at him. "Lemmego..."
"I will."
It seemed surprised, and it sat down.
Jareth set the cage on the ground and it vanished, "There you are."
The Indreve looked around itself, then jumped up and squealed.
Jareth watched.
It looked around again, then sat down heavily. It's friends were still stunned.
"What? You didn't think that I would let you go?"
It shook it's head.
"All I wanted to do was get you out of my castle," Jareth said.
"Oh."
"And now I'll collect the rest of your kind..." he said.
It squealed again.
"What?"
"Leavemlone!"
"I won't hurt them, I'm just going to bring them out here."
It seemed satisfied and settled down on the floor.
Jareth glanced around to make sure that the Labyrinth was securely blocked off.
The Indreve flew into the air and landed in his hair, nestling around as if trying to make a nest.
"hey, get out of there!"
It giggled.
"I mean it!"
It leaned down over his forehead and grinned at him.
Jareth promptly vanished.
It fell to the floor with a surprised "wheep!"
Jareth appeared back in the castle, in Trent's study.
Trent was virtually submerged beneath his texts.
"Anything?" Jareth asked.
"Sorry?"
"Have you found anything?"
"Have I what?" Trent stuck his head out from behind about four piles of books. "Oh, found anything? Not yet. I fear my library does not contain the appropriate texts..."
"Rats."
"Well..." Trent sighed.
"So look somewhere else," Jareth said.
"I could ask Trisanalysia..."
"Fine," Jareth agreed, "Perhaps she will have something helpful..."
Trent nodded. "I might go and visit her..." he murmured. "I do not know whether I feel up to a telepathic conversation with her right now..."
"I could send you there," Jareth offered.
Trent nodded again. "That would be greatly appreciated." he smiled
"Now?"
"If you please."
Jareth nodded, "If you are ready."
"I am." Trent nodded as well.
He landed, neatly as he could, outside Trisanalysia Fyreflyght's cave. "Good morning," he called.
"Good morning!" a familiar voice answered, "And I hope it stays that way, cuz good mornings are so much better then bad ones..."
"I agree." Trent smiled.
Eriki hung down upside down in front of Trent and smiled at him.
Trent chuckled softly. "Hello Eriki. Is Trisanalysia there?"
"She's over there," he pointed to the cave, "Or at least she was a few minutes ago, but she hasn't said anything to me about going anywhere, so I guess that she's still there."
"Thank you Eriki..." Trent grinned slightly, then walked over to the cave. "Trisanalysia?" he called politely, not entering.
"Yes?"
"Ah, I'm glad to have caught you," Trent smiled. "May I speak with you? I need to ask your assistance..."
"Certainly Trent," Tris rose and snaked her head out the door towards him.
"We have a slight pest problem," the Psy said.
"Well certainly," Tris teased, "Look who you live with..."
Trent laughed. "Apart from him!" he grinned.
She smiled, "What sort of help are you looking for?"
"I've been looking up information on the creatures, but my library does not house all the information I need. I was wondering if I could possibly look in your library and try and find out some more information?"
She nodded, getting up completely this time, "Follow me."
Trent did as he was bid.
Tris led him into her library.
Trent looked around, happy -as he always was- to be amongst books.
"I think..." she said, "I have something... somewhere..." her head vanished down one of the rows of shelves.
Trent watched.
"What sort of pests?" she asked.
"Indreves."
"Ah," she said, returning into view with several books in her claws.
"Ah?"
"Helped narrow down my search a bit," she said, depositing several books on a table.
"Good."
"These should help..."
"Thank you." Trent smiled and sat down at the table.
"Yeah," Tris went back to her search, "I think I have one more book... somewhere..."
"Yeah?"
"I think I do anyway..." she said.
"Alright."
Tris went back to her search
Trent opened one of the books and started to read.