Ray slept in the next morning. His head was too full with thoughts from the night before, trying to guess at what Reeva Swane was planning. After a long, long night he figured the best conclusion was that it wasn't any of his business unless she chose to make it his business. He went to get lunch in the cafeteria and considered walking around for a bit to see if he might run into her, but as he was eating his sandwich and sipping sparingly at his juice, he was interrupted by a man that was, at the very least, flamboyant.

His hair was styled to look much like animal ears, his golden hair sticking up in two prominent places, though it was hard to tell if that animal was a rabbit or a cat or some other creature in between. He smiled pleasantly at Ray as he sat across from him, and Ray immediately felt uneasy as he the stranger said, "Ah! A newcomer. I know every face in this tower, so I know you must be new. Come, what is your name?"

He wondered where this guy was last night when there was a woman that didn't even belong here wandering the halls, his words dipping as he spoke in the middle. "My name? What's your name?" He took a deep drink from his juice to chase away his hiccups.

"Oh, pardon! My name is Talem Gorsiaux. It's quite nice to meet you. Now yours?" He replied, thrusting his hand into Ray's free hand that didn't clutch at a sandwich that oozed out meat and distress.

"Ray," he answered, wondering how he could possibly keep all these names straight without some sort of cheat sheet. He at least knew his robes would be familiar to him, being a vibrant purple and copper color with a silver ropey robe tie at the hip. His accent was notable as well, sounding flowery and nearly pretentious if not for his friendly demeanor.

"Oh? Just Ray? No family name? No fancy title?" He said, almost as if he was prompting him to make one on the spot just by the way he grinned at him, his teeth almost too white. He almost couldn't stop staring at his teeth once he noticed how white and straight they were.

"Well, yes and no. It's a bit complicated," he answered. "I once told a boy that I was-"

"Yes?" He replied, sitting forward in his seat and making Ray feel weird.

"That I was the ray of light that reaches the bottom of the sea," he coughed. "It was really dumb, and I had been unconscious and unresponsive quite a while before that, so I didn't know I was actually awake. Really dumb."

"Brilliant, I would say!" He replied. "So is that all then? Are you an orphan?"

"Well, yes, but that's not why my name is so short," he replied. "I just can't imagine it's all that important."

"Anything pertaining to yourself is important, young man. Don't you know? The way you see yourself is the way everyone else sees you especially. If you want to be a big, strong man you have to feel big and strong," he insisted.

"But, what if you're wrong?" Ray answered, "I mean what if I'm wrong? Then I just look dumb, and everyone thinks I'm full of myself."

"Well, you certainly don't look right sitting over here all by yourself like this with your shoulders bent," he scolded teasingly, practically leaping over the table to pull his shoulders back for him. "Here! Isn't that better?"

"Hey," Ray said, and it was more like an animalistic squawk. Talem appeared immediately intrigued as Ray turned to regard him.

"What sort of person are you, really? "Talem teased. "I don't think you've thought too hard on it yourself before."

"I'm—"

He paused, trying to think of something that didn't make him sound like a murderer or broken. He moved forward a bit, making sure his shoulders were back as he answered, "I'm not someone worth thinking too much about."

"It must be terribly hard to be no one," Talem responded with a wide grin.

"I didn't say I was no one! I said I wasn't—"

"Wasn't someone," he replied, "someone worth thinking about. Wouldn't that be a nobody? Everyone is interesting to me so you would have to try rather hard to say you were a no one to moi."

"Then tell me what's so interesting about me that you thought I was worth talking to," Ray answered stiffly.

"You're very delicate about the way you eat," he answered, "until I got in your personal space. You acted a lot like an animal and didn't start looking me in the eye until I upset you. You have a few scars, but you don't wear them obviously, and you have a habit of tapping and scratching at things."

Ray tilted his head, starting to feel less hostile and more curious about him. "What do you study here?"

"The behaviors of magic and people," he replied. "Would you be interested in seeing for yourself? Come, I can take you to see for yourself. We can run a few tests."

"I—maybe I'll—I don't know if—It's just that—" he started to stutter out, but Talem immediately stopped him.

"Ah! So sorry, my dear friend. I realize that something like that would be hard on a mind like yours. There's no need to be worried. It's perfectly fine if you feel more comfortable not going at all, but I promise my intentions are honest," he replied, going back around the table, so there was something substantial between the two of them for Ray's own comfort.

Ray appeared a bit conflicted, not sure how to take this, but after a moment he replied, "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to take a quick look."

Talem smiled brightly back and replied, "Come then, and I'll show you." Ray felt uneasy as he had no idea how to get to his room, but Talem started leading him the moment he stood, and Ray felt silly. Of course, he wasn't meant to take the lead. Talem didn't merely lead him along but made it so he could walk beside him.

"You're not a little doggie, are you?" He teased, and Ray puffed himself up a bit, and Talem laughed softly as he was aware that he probably didn't even know he was doing it and was even walking alongside him now. "I truly hope you aren't in the habit of walking behind people only. It's terrible for one's self-image."

Ray nodded hesitantly, not sure what to make of that. He really didn't think too much about it. He wasn't really ever ahead of anyone before now unless he was killing, and he wasn't alongside anyone unless the other person was showing him off. Ray tried to guess at how Talem could be using him for such a use but decided that he wasn't. He even opened the door for him to go first. When Ray hesitated, he told him, "It's merely a courtesy, my friend. Would you prefer if I went in first?"

"This is fine," Ray answered, not wanting to appear rude and walking in ahead of him, though he still braced himself for some sort of trick or trap.

"This is going to be a treat for you," Talem told him excitedly as he followed him in and motioned to a comfy chair, another sitting near it. Ray stayed standing for a moment, feeling a bit conflicted, but sat down when standing in the door started to feel more awkward. When Talem returned, he was holding a mask that was shaped like a rabbit.

"Can you guess what this does?" Talem asked Ray excitedly, not commenting on how Ray seemed to perch on the edge of the soft, peach-colored chair.

"It hides your face," Ray answered, clearly aware of how a masks work.

"Ah! You have a sense of humor as well," he praised, "but no. If you put it on," he placed it over his face, and his features did seem to change a bit, his hand becoming more like paws and his tufts of hair appearing much more like ears than before, "it does alter your appearance a bit, but it also makes you run much, much faster and makes your senses sharper."

Ray felt a bit disconcerted by the way that it did seem to change him, but the mask part seemed to stay mask-like, as if the rest of his features were more alive, but not his face. "That's really something, though why a rabbit?"

"Are rabbits not quick and clever?" Talem argued. "Would you know anything quicker or cleverer?"

"I think I know one animal that's both," he replied, and the wizard felt altogether amused at how Ray seemed to be bragging, practically expecting him to throw down a challenge for a foot race.

"Oh? You think you have a smarter and faster beast than this one? Then why don't you prove it to me?" Talem chuckled.

Ray, without thinking twice about it, immediately changed into his wolf form like he was satisfying an itch after watching the mask at work. Talem appeared absolutely dumbfounded for a moment. With the mask on, Ray couldn't read his expression and was sure he had made a terrible mistake in revealing himself to him. He curled his tail around and tried to make himself smaller, starting to shift back as if taking back what he did was as simple as that.

Talem, however, was faster, practically diving for him. He rubbed at his face and tugged softly at his ears. Ray, shocked at such treatment, and especially with the sudden movement, dug his fangs into his shoulder. The wizard seemed to understand his own mistake immediately, though he didn't tear himself away from Ray as most would have reflexively done.

"I'm sorry. I'm terribly sorry, my friend," he murmured and whispered softly to him, taking his hands away and holding them up so he could see there was nothing there, and then pointing them down as he knew that as a man known for having magic this could be considered hostile as well. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have startled you so. Everything is fine. You're safe here."

Ray was trembling, his fur standing on end as he had stopped changing back the moment he had bit down. Talem's voice seemed to break through to him, and he slowly let go. The wolf whimpered at the smell of blood and waited just a second before darting behind the chair as Talem backed away slowly. He grasped his shoulder and moved across the room to a basin much like the one in Ray's own room, untying his robe and sliding it down gingerly, the violet and copper fabric stained in blood. Ray didn't move, startled and too afraid to change back, and much too afraid to try to get out the door.

"Look," Talem told him very gently, knowing he was still there. "Look, it isn't so bad after all. I can clean it up hastily, and it'll all be fine. I'm so very sorry. I shouldn't have frightened you like that. I must have scared you to death."

Ray felt confused as he peeked out at him from time to time, the vibrant colors in his robes making it easier for him to see him, though he still couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"Please, let us talk," Talem implored him, clearly worried. "Please don't be frightened away."

Ray, after a moment, slinked out, changing back to his human form. He stared at the ground, his mouth dry, expecting him to start screaming at him at any moment.

"I hope this doesn't make you uncomfortable," Talem told him gently, indicating how his robe was pulled down. "I have to have it down to clean the bite."

"I don't know what happened," Ray replied hollowly. "I didn't mean to."

"It wasn't any fault of yours," Talem told him. "Do you hear me? I shouldn't have done that without your permission. Do you forgive me?"

Ray didn't say anything, tears starting to form in his eyes.

"You don't have to if you don't want to," Talem added quietly.

"I forgive you," Ray answered after so he wouldn't think he didn't or wouldn't, still feeling sick and confused. "I just thought you were angry and were attacking me. You aren't disgusted?"

"Excuse me?" He answered quietly. "Nothing is disgusting about what you did. It's brilliant. You must absolutely show me how you did it—if you wish to that is."

"It isn't something I can just teach people. It's native to me," he answered, wishing desperately to just say that it was a complicated spell, but feeling unable to disassociate himself with it in his gut.

"It's lovely and a precious gift for you to have. I hope no one has taught you that what you naturally are is abhorrent. You should be very proud of it," he told him, and it was clear he was struggling not to touch Ray's face. He let his hand drop to his side so he wouldn't be tempted to cup Ray's cheek or bring attention to his other arm that he had to hold at his side after the bite.

Ray was glancing at him now, could see a few crisscrossing scars on his chest, and above where the silver rope belt held the remainder of the robe in place. "You've been calling me friend?" Ray asked softly.

"Yes, that's right. Does it bother you, Ray?" He answered.

Ray shook his head slowly and replied, "I'm feeling a bit light-headed. I hope you'll excuse me."

Talem nodded, going to open the door for him gingerly, and Ray went on his way. He paused and added, "It was nice to meet you."

He didn't just go to his room, but first went to gather a few things. When he returned to his chamber, he made a potion that he hadn't bothered to make in quite some time. He felt like it should be hard to remember, but it sprang to his mind like a spring rising from a rock after the slightest tap. It was miraculous.

He looked at the vial and swirled the liquid inside a bit before pouring it down his throat. By the time he laid down, she was a woman again, and she slept deeply.