NOTE: This Chapter contains mild acts of male to male homosexuality (Nothing explicit), a minor case of what by wide definition would be animal cruelty and an instance of gaelic.
It was unsettling.
The books in the University's library had been fidgety for the past few days.
If wizards were like canaries in a coalmine when it came to thaumaturgical fields, the books were highly-developed gas-detectors.
The Librarian had been on his job for most of his life. He therefore had been witness to the books behaving like that already.
Back when the red star stood in the sky and when the last Sourcerer had been around.
Probably 'unsettling' was not the right word after all.
And what the Librarian had just done was not something he liked doing. Namely breaking into the HEM to talk with Hex while Stibbons was away.
Well, it wasn't so much 'breaking into' as the lads always forgot to lock the door.
The one on the roof that is.
Speaking in orang-utan terms they left the front door open.
But then Hex had mentioned he wasn't feeling well right now either and that he was...scared.
No, unsettling was definitely not the right word.
Several hours later and about the distance two coaches full of wizards can manage in that time away, night had fallen. And as it was late anyway it was decided not to get up before the morning.
The wizards had stopped at a small inn by the road to get a good night of sleep in actual beds instead of the rattling and shaking vehicle.
But while everyone else was sleeping(1) Ponder Stibbons lay awake, being gloomy. Not his usual gloominess, but one that got him to the verge of tears.
(1) Everyone except Rincewind, who was making an attempt to get away, hide, and find a rather safe passage home once the others had left, and the Archchancellor, who was keeping him from just that.
After staring at the ceiling of the small, dark room long enough to have lights dance before his eyes he rolled to his side and nudged Skazz, who was sleeping next to him.
The answer was an annoyed murmur which grew into an even more annoyed grunt after the third prod.
Finally the student rolled over to face his mentor, even though seeing more than maybe a faint outline in these light conditions was out of the question.
"What?" Sebastian complained.
"Am I really that bad?"
"Yes, Ponster, you are. Now lemme sleep."
Skazz rolled over again, snuggled into the bed but then turned his attention back to the man next to him.
"No pillow?"
"Pillow?"
"After such a dialogue I'd have expec- ," Skazz yawned, "expected you'd hit me with one." There was worry growing in his voice. "What's wrong?"
"I've been thinking."
"Ye rarely don't."
In the darkness Ponder smiled faintly.
"Do people really see me as that article depicts me, Sebastian?"
"Humorless, stuck-up, self-righteous, order- and organisation-obsessed, egoistic, incompetent and a hopeless and annoying know-it-all?"
Stibbons winced and sunk deeper under the blanket.
"Am I like that?" he asked carefully.
"To be 'onest, Ponster: You've been. But you grew since that."
Skazz sighed and reached out to pat his friend and mentor on the head, slowly and reassuring caressing Ponder's cheek and a scar where a bit of the ear was missing.
"Why does that bother you?"
Ponder whimpered as his student moved a finger over the scar. Damn it, Skazz knew just too well how sensitive that spot was.
"It's... Tomorrow we'll reach Pseudopolis, help Adrian and go home again. I nor...hwaa...normally wouldn't mind it, but with that article around I...Reading it made me feel as if I am looking at myself through someone else's eye...hwaa...eyes."
Again Sebastian murmured, carefully rubbing the sensitive flesh between his fingers, causing the older man to whimper softly.
"Do go on," he purred as he felt Ponder squirm slightly under his touch.
"That...article..." Stibbons moaned quietly, but let his student proceed, "I know that article is a mess, but nonetheless it...hwaa..." Here Ponder bit the pillow to suppress a louder moan as Skazz had suddenly pinched the ear.
"It what?" the student asked all innocent, "Don't mind me, do get it off your chest."
"It opened a window to...ahh...to an alternate reality. And I...got the im-...impression the... the Ponder there... withheld vital information on...on purpose...ha...hazarding the possible consequences out of...of pure...pure...ego-..."
There was a very peculiar sound followed by ragged gasping from Stibbons and a muffled chuckle from the student.
"That sure is a sensitive spot ye 'ave there, Ponster," Skazz whispered, feeling how his mentor squirmed on his side of the bed. Ponder just grumbled and was thankful that is was too dark that anyone could see how red his cheeks were again. Though for a moment he felt as if they were flushed enough to actually glow brightly.
Again he mumbled something and sighed, feeling Skazz's hand on the side of his head again.
"I think I know what ye mean," the student whispered. "That other Ponder seems too self-absorbed to see Drongo -or anyone else- as a friend."
This was answered with an agreeing sound and a low mumble as Skazz ruffled the older man's hair.
"Not to mention that, as I apparently don't exist in that reality for some reason, it's impossible that that other Ponder ever experienced the lovely little foursome consisting of you, Drongo, Tez and me."
For that Ponder boxed his student on the shoulder, grumbling.
"If I get cold feet from all the blood rushing into my cheeks," he threatened, "I know on who I'll warm them."
Skazz winced but huddled up to Ponder playfully once the older man had rolled over.
Stibbons just sighed, reached back and patted his student on the head.
"Good night, Sebastian."
As narrative causality mandates the next morning felt to have come far too early. As least to some of the wizards.
The most obvious were Ponder Stibbons and his student.
Ponder had been up first and was now on his way downstairs for breakfast, dressed in an attire that surely would get him a light scolding about those clothes not being fit for a wizards from the Archchancellor. But Stibbons was much too tired and too hungry to change into usual clothes already. So he stayed in what he slept in. There weren't many other guests at the inn anyway.
"Ponster?" Skazz came more or less waddling down the corridor behind his mentor, hair tied back again.
"Yes?"
"I wanted to apologise for last night. What I said wasn't really thought-through."
Ponder pushed his glasses in place.
"It's quite alright. You managed to point out some things and you distracted me from the things I worried about."
Sebastian smiled softly.
"But I didn't really answer your question," he said then, taking a deep breath. "You're in no way like that other Ponder. Maybe some folks see ye like that, but I know that there's a great heart beating in your chest."
For a moment Stibbons smiled shyly, looking up at his student.
And Skazz smiled back.
"You shouldn't bother yourself with things like that, Ponster."
The older man smiled and nodded his head towards the stairs to signal his student that they should go and get some breakfast.
"But ye know..." Sebastian started, tilting his head as they walked along the corridor. "I had to think 'bout that other reality too."
Ponder braced himself. Skazz might be very intelligent in theory -according to a test they once took out of curiousity his IQ was even two points higher than Ponder's- but his thoughts tended to be one tangled, hard to unravel mess. If he announced he'd been thinking, one was in for a ride most of the times.
"And I sometimes wonder what keeps you awake at night..." Stibbons mumbled, waiting for his student to continue.
Skazz blinked.
"Coffee, good books or Adrian. But what has that to do with what I just said?"
Ponder bit his tongue.
"Nothing, go on."
"Well, how can it be that neither Tez nor meself exist in that reality, yet Hex does? I mean, someone had to build his basics."
"Maybe the other Adrian or that other I did." Stibbons shrugged. "Or the other you did build it and then had to leave the university earlier than you had to here."
"Yes, but wouldn't both possibility mean both of the other you and Drongo would have to have some idea of how to actually do that kind of advanced contrivancing? Which then again would mean the other Adrian would have had to remember rebuilding that interface, as to rebuild something like Hex, he would have been aware of that bloody little thing we here only noticed by chance and at first had no idea what it was doing there? Heck, it's a yellow-spotted, purple piggy bank," the student continued musing as they walked downstairs. "And by the way, what DID happen with Tez here? Haven't seen 'im for a while even before I left."
Ponder cleared his throat.
"Matthias joined the school choir," he said.
"And you let him?" Sebastian drew a face that spoke of shock and memories that could best be filed under 'confusing.' "We're talking 'bout Tez the Terrible here. As if his ability to pop up out of nowhere without any magic wasn't creepy enough already. Joining the school-choir likely turned that up to eleven."
Ponder scratched his head, murmured something, yawned and opened the door to the little room where breakfast was being served.
Of course, breakfast at a common roadside inn was in no way comparable to the one at the Unseen University.
"I'll get dressed adequately once I've eaten something, sir," he mumbled the moment Ridcully had drawn in some air to comment on the clothes Ponder was wearing.
The Archchancellor nodded with a huff.
"But make sure you do before the gentleman from the Times wakes and sees you like that," he said. "We're wizards. We have to retain a certain standard."
Heavily Stibbons slumped down in a chair, got himself a helping of scrambled eggs and sighed.
These were the times when he seriously wondered what exactly made a wizard a wizard.
He was almost thirty now, had achieved the record score of 100% at the exam (2), held the majority of votes in the council, was hopelessly overworked but had managed to maybe discover more about magic, life, the universe and everything than any wizard before him. (3)
And yet no one would believe him that he was a wizard if he wasn't wearing a pointy hat.
But even then people might comment on his lack of beard.
It was demotivating so very often.
(2) Twice, actually. After the initial one consisted of nothing else than the question 'What's your name' he had felt guilty and had taken the test again. And then also achieved the biggest hangover in the university's history after celebrating scoring 100% again.
(3) Maybe except for Rincewind, but to Ponder that didn't count as Rincewind never wrote things down. To which Rincewind would answer that writing findings down keeps one from running away from them.
"By the way, Ponster," Skazz dragged Stibbons from his thoughts, "If you'd really been like that you in the article Professor Rincewind might have gotten violent towards you."
"What?"
"I would?" Rincewind -as well as the other wizards- looked up rather confused.
"Remember you once said you might get uncharacteristically violent if Ponder would ever start acting more like...wossname... that guy you went to university with and who tried to read all the spells from the Octavo."
Rincewind's face went blank.
"Ymper Trymon," he said dryly. "Yes... Yes, I think the Ponder from that article's pretty much like him. And yes, I might actually go and take action. Can't have such a thing as back then twice."
He shuddered, trying to stuff memories back into their box and continued eating, as well as the others.
Except for Professor Macarona, who, despite his knee, joined -or better had to join- the trek as the problem had, after all, something to do with his fields of teaching.
"Could someone enlighten me?" he tried.
"'Twas a wizard and Archchancellor for a short while about thirty years ago," Rincewind started, chewing on his food as if it was the cause of all his worries. He went on with explaining, but after a certain while Stibbons felt as if the older wizard was actually talking about him.
"I...should go and get dressed..." Ponder suddenly excused himself, rose and hurried upstairs.
Almost knocking over one of the maids on his way, as it's always in these situations.
There was a moment of silence among the other wizards.
"He's pretty knackered," the Senior Wrangler then commented.
"No wonder," Macarona mumbled, sending Skazz a knowing wink. "Has been a long night for him I think."
The student in return send him a stony glare and drew a face that indicated he was just not kicking the genuan wizard's injured knee under the table out of courtesy.
"Has been a long night for the Archchancellor and Professor Rincewind, too," the Lecturer in Recent Runes interrupted, shaking his head. "And they're both fine."
"Mister Courtsbridge," the Archchancellor interfered at this point, "You shared the room with him. Any idea what's on his mind this time?"
"He's worried 'bout the current situation, sir."
"The usual, then." Ridcully nodded and reached over the table to not let Stibbons' breakfast go to waste. "Mister Courtsbridge, perhaps you should go upstairs, too. You need to get dressed as well and as you're standing a good six-foot-six tall that might take a while."
The student raised his head and a brow, before he nodded quickly, following Ponder to their room.
Sometimes he wondered how much of Ridcully's general behaviour was in fact just playing a role.
As he expected he found Ponder sitting on the bed, half-dressed, playing absent-mindedly with his glasses.
"You got the old man t' worry, Ponster," Sebastian said, closing the door behind him. "And me too."
"I already told you I'll be fine, Sebastian. It's all just a bit much, as said."
"And that Macarona-guy is not helping," Skazz lamented and sat down on the bed.
"What did he do?"
"I think he thinks we had sex last night."
Ponder flushed furiously, trying to shake that idea off.
"He didn't say it out loud," the student calmed his mentor, "But I know when someone thinks like that. Heck, if I would have heard you last night without knowing you I might have thought that too."
Shaking his head eagerly and all puffed up Stibbons pouted.
"With a student? Really now," he said.
"Or with anyone at all," Skazz teased, grinning. "But don't think about that too much, Ponster."
"With all the problems on my mind another one wouldn't make a difference."
Carefully laying and arm around the older man Skazz sighed.
"You should not let things get you down like this. 'specially the thing 'bout your personality and how other's see ye. You're not like that Ponder from the article. Ye know," he smiled encouragingly, "Maybe that guy is there to cosmically outbalance your awesomeness."
Stibbons looked up, grinning askew.
"Do you really think it wise to pet my ego like that, Sebastian?"
"Nay, but we have to blow up a giant chicken. And blowing stuff up always works better when in a good mood."
Ponder tilted his head, wondering if he should dare to ask whether or not his student spoke from experience. He decided not to.
After all, there was that thing about the tea-trolley. And gods beware if anyone of the remaining faculty should ever find out 'bout that...
Much, much later the group had long left the inn again and was nearing Pseudopolis.
And even though Archchancellor Ridcully was relieved to see Stibbons in a better mood again, it concerned him a bit how merrily the young wizard and his student were throwing around all those fancy terms, hunched over their calculations.
"There." Stibbons straightened and put the notebook back in his pocket. "All set."
"Bravo." Ridcully nodded,appreciatively. "But, a word, Stibbons. Are you really going to repair that machine of theirs?"
Ponder pushed his glasses back up his nose.
"Honour as a natural philosopher demands it, sir. And, if I may be honest, in the long run it does open some very interesting possibilities."
"I really don't know, Stibbons. You spent years developing Hex. And now young Turnipseed went and basically stole everything. Don't tell me you are not angry at him for that."
"We...had this talk, sir."
There was a certain sound of displeasure in Ponder's voice, which got his student's attention.
And Skazz was rather certain that his mentor was miffed at Adrian. But he knew just as well that that was something the two had to settle among themselves. Which wouldn't keep him from being there to prevent worse things than shouting from happening.
There wasn't time to say something in that matter anyway, as the coach suddenly stopped.
Where it had stopped the road led down a hill overlooking the city. And therefore, of course, the giant chicken that had apparently made itself comfortable on the town square.
The wizards looked at the thing for a moment in honest disbelief.
They had seen many things already, but rarely did those have such an absurd touch to them.
"Well, look who it is," Ponder suddenly exclaimed, stepping from the coach and, eager to see if he would actually manage it, whistled sharply on his fingers.
A bit down the road stood what, by some people with far too much good will, might have been called a welcoming committee.
There was, of course, the former Dean, Adrian, and a young man with curly black hair Ponder's inner almanack identified as Charlie Drinkie.
As Ponder had somehow expected only Adrian and Charlie looked hopelessly sleep-deprived.
Yet they both raised their heads first at the whistle.
The carriages stopped and Stibbons had barely stepped from the one he'd been on when Adrian came stomping towards him like the very embodiment of indignation, waving a newspaper.
"I dearly hope for you that you have an explanation for this...this..." Turnipseed smacked the paper with the back of his hand, glaring at Ponder.
The older wizard couldn't help but take a step back. Adrian was normally as meek and prudent as Ponder himself, but the two were also pretty alike when it came to fits of rage.
"Your bloody paper makes me look like a total idiot!"
"I'm not responsible for the articles."
There were probably better things to answer. There were probably also better places to be right now.
"They interviewed you!"
"They messed up the articles!" Now Ponder resorted to using exclamation marks too.
Adrian opened his mouth to say something when he looked past Stibbons and paled.
Ponder turned to see what was wrong and saw that, as the last of the bunch, Skazz had stepped from the coach.
"Why you..." Ponder heard Adrian hiss and turned his attention from his current to his former student.
Turnipseed trembled, glaring at him, fists clenched with rage.
It was likely that, if the former Dean hadn't interrupted things that moment, things might not have ended without injuries.
"Well, look who finally had the kindness to show up", he said, or better sneered, mainly at Ridcully.
"I thought things aren't as urgent, Henry. Your latest clacks message made it sound as if things were under control and that, and I quote, 'Some UU wizards to assist those of Brazeneck to take care of this small problem a bit faster might not be a wrong idea nonetheless'. Don't tell me your seventy-foot 'small' problem has proven too much for a wizard of your rank after all."
"It has settled down in town square a while ago. I thought a few additional hands when it comes to cleaning up-"
"Cleaning up?" Ridcully huffed. "Why should we clean up a mess we haven't made? Not to mention the mess you want cleaned up hasn't even been made yet. You're still fiddling with your poultry problem."
And bickering ensued.
Ponder and Adrian took this as cue to continue their own quarrel about the newspaper and that, according to young Turnipseed, Ponder wanted to ruin his reputation out of spite.
"Here we go again," Rincewind groaned and decided to climb back into the vehicle.
The other wizards watched the two groups quarrel, till Skazz suddenly marched up to Ponder and Adrian, grabbed them by a shoulder each and turned them towards Ridcully and the former Dean.
"Gentlemen," he singsang to the two young wizards with a smirk, "your future."
They stood for a moment, the implication wandering through Stibbons' and Turnipseed's brains. Then those two grimaced, hastily shook hands and babbled away apologies.
"I might have overreacted a bit."
"So did I, Adrian, so did I. Never meant to insult or harm you..."
"Friends?"
"Friends."
They nodded eagerly and tried to banish certain thoughts from their heads, shuddering.
"Excellent." Sebastian smiled.
There was a bit of silence between the three young wizards. Silence with a constant background noise provided by the two Archchancellors still bickering.
"You look awkwardly overworked," Ponder finally said, looking over at the chicken in the town square, trying to avoid Adrian's gaze.
Another way the two young wizards were very much alike: the rather short duration of their fits of rage.
"I am," Turnipseed yawned, rubbing his face.
"How many times have you tried getting rid of El Pollo Grande so far?"
Turnipseed scratched his arms embarrassed.
"Over nine thousand or so..." he sheepishly admitted.
Both, Ponder and Skazz mouthed an unbelieving 'What' and shook their heads. Turnipseed shrugged.
"No idea," he said, "It's just that nothing seemed to work. Till a few hours ago it even had its gender switched due to one of the spells we tried."
"Skazz, shut up." Stibbons chuntered the moment the student opened his mouth.
Skazz, understandably, pouted. And then looked sad at Adrian who started chewing his lower lip guiltily and took a step away from the student as he noticed the look.
"We have brought something," Ponder announced, pointing with his thumb over his shoulder.
"And what?" Adrian asked.
"Bea."
For a moment young Turnipseed stood with his mouth agape and then squealed rejoicing. A sound that pulled the two Archchancellors from their argy-bargy.
Ridcully raised a hand to wave one of the lads over and after a brief discussion amongst the three Skazz walked up.
"Yes, sir?"
"Did young Turnipseed just squeal?"
"Yes, sir."
The former Dean blinked slowly: "Why?"
"No idea, ArchChancellor Porter. I think Drongo's sanity is waving bye-bye due to lack of sleep. Saw it with Ponster quite a few times."
The two older wizards exchanged looks, not really certain what to make of this information.
"Well," Ridcully finally said, "Do go on then...do go on..."
As the lad turned the Archchancellor of the UU raised a brow and glanced to the side. Henry apparently hadn't noticed it, but the way the student pronounced the title when addressing him had a clear emphasis on the second 'c', even if there had been a capital 'A' as well.
Calling the Head of Brazeneck 'ArchChancellor' was maybe not the best compromise, but Ridcully could live with that.
"Who was that?" Henry asked as Skazz walked back to the others and then over to the coach, where they pulled down the package.
"Sebastian Courtsbridge. One of Ponder's team you didn't manage to -How would you call it?- recruit. Very clever lad, it seems. A bit of a loudmouth, maybe, but I see nothing wrong with him."
"Oh, I don't know, Mustrum. I think I remember the lad. Yes...yes I do. He took a pan to 'Poor Scholar's' once and beat back the stale bread we threw."
Ridcully's face suddenly brightened. THAT he remembered.
"Knocked me out with one of the loaves," the former Dean continued, watching the three younger men setting up some sort of device. "And he was supposed to get suspended for that. I never understood why you let him run free."
If any encyclopedia ever needed a picture for the definition of 'Look of utter innocence' taking an iconograph of Ridcully that very moment would have been an excellent idea.
"In any case, Mustrum, whatever the lads are doing there, I doubt that you have a solution to this either."
"Do shut up for a moment, Henry, will you. I am admiring your problem."
The other man huffed and Ridcully took a pipe from his hat, packed and lit it and casually walked over to the three youngest wizards, followed closely by Henry and Adrian's student Drinkie.
Ponder, Adrian and Skazz had in the meantime unloaded and unwrapped whatever it was they called 'Bea'.
It seemed like an ordinary, if quite neatly decorated sewer pipe with a trigger on one side.
Drinkie gave in to the urge to ask.
"Oh, what's that?"
"It's a bazooka," the other young wizards answered in unison.
"And it does exactly what?" Charlie continued, looking amazed and curious.
"It fires spells at a high velocity," Adrian explained.
"You can't increase the speed of a single spell, young man," The Senior Wrangler interrupted as the rest of the group slowly gathered around them.
"Well, the spells are induced into a projectile the device fires, sir. They are unleashed upon impact." Skazz continued Adrian's explanation as Ponder kneeled down, lifted the device onto his shoulder and aimed for the giant chicken.
The former Dean huffed.
"I doubt it will work," he said, "It's just another simple spell in the end. An explosive one, perhaps, but just another simple one nonetheless. We tried dozens of those. Turnipseed, didn't you say there's likely too much chicken for spells to wo-"
The rest was cut off under the sound of an explosion as the thing was fired and another one as the projectile hit the creature.
And as narrative causality and the laws of humour mandate there were feathers falling down over the wizards, no matter that they stood quite a distance away. ArchChancellor Porter, the Lecturer in Recent Runes and the gentleman from the Times even spat out some feathers.
Something which didn't keep latter from taking a few pictures.
As the smoke slowly cleared the three youngest wizard nodded satisfied.
"Well, now it's probably too many chickens," Ponder said, looking at the dozens of multicoloured chickens. "And bugger...I knew we were off in the calculations somewhere."
"What's wrong?" Charlie Drinkie had shuffled closer.
"We were aiming for a white chicken that laid multicoloured eggs, Charlie," Adrian explained. "Seems we got it the wrong way round...Pity."
Ponder sighed in response.
"But now for the cleaning up." He said, turning. "Archchancellor?" he called out, realising a moment too late that that wasn't the best choice of words.
Of course, both, Ridcully, who had been picking feathers from his pipe, and the former Dean looked up.
"Yes?" they responded, glared at each other a wink later and Ponder frowned.
"I meant the older one."
Again he realised that wasn't good either, as again they both answered.
"Now how do I get out of this one?" he mumbled to himself, rubbing his temples.
"I meant Archchancellor Ridcully," he then said aloud.
"As I thought, lad. What is it?"
"I wanted to suggest we split the group now." Ponder motioned his hand around. "One group goes back to Brazeneck to have a look at the machine, while the other goes and tried to catch as many chicken as they can. That second group can later be joined by wizards and students from Brazeneck."
"Excellent idea, Stibbons. Macarona, you best come with us, can't have you running around with your knee like that. And Rincewind... Rincewind I KNOW you're hiding there, come out...There's a good man. Rincewind, you take Runes, the Senior Wrangler and the gentleman from the Times and see that you get into the city and catch some fowl."
Rincewind grumbled and saluted.
"Oh, and, Rincewind, as the chickens are needed, make sure your infernal chest doesn't eat any of them," the Archchancellor of Brazeneck added as the Luggage had jumped down from the coach, delightfully stretching and scratching itself.
"Yes, sir..." Rincewind mumbled, knowing if anything he might be able to make the Luggage leave a few chickens uneaten.
The group around Rincewind went off down a small footpath leading straight to the city gates while the remaining wizards climbed back into the coach. Well the older ones at least.
Ponder, Adrian and their students had decided to walk to the university, as they needed to discuss a few things. And discussing was easier in fresh air. Especially when there were no senior wizards around.
"It really is a pity we got that bit of the calculation wrong," Ponder admitted as the coaches rattled away and they started walking.
"That was still very impressive, sirs." Charlie looked admiringly. "May I ask how exactly that was done?"
The other three looked at each other and finally shrugged.
"It's actually nothing special," Ponder started explaining. "There are several spells infused into the projectile which get cast at once or at a rapid sequence and in various directions upon impact."
"I assume it also makes use of the shock and stun from said impact?"
"That too. That'd be of use majorly if you'd have fired it at a target that could cast counterspells. But I think it's also neat to keep the target from coming after you."
"Amazing."
Suddenly Drinkie stopped, looking as if he just remembered he left the cooker on. Or would have looked like that if there'd been electric or gas cookers to be left on on the Disc. But you get the idea.
He hastily held out a hand to Ponder Stibbons.
"I just realized I haven't introduced myself yet, sir. Charlie Drinkie. It's an honour to finally meet you in person."
Ponder smiled, not unflattered and shook the offered hand.
"Ponder Stibbons. But you already know that. I'm equally honoured. Your discoveries were a giant leap for all natural philosophers. And this," he waved at Skazz, "Is Mister Sebastian Courtsbridge."
For a moment Charlie seemed to be short of air.
"You're the originator of Hex!" he then exclaimed, his face glowing, "And the inventor of the subphase paradox inducer. I can't believe I get to meet two of the most important natural philosophers at the same time."
Now even Skazz blushed flattered, undoing his ponytail to hide his face.
"Well," he then said, "You're part o' those ranks as well. Not t' mention you..." his voice went a bit more silent suddenly, "Work with one o' that league..."
Drinkie turned his attention towards Adrian, who decided to speed up a bit.
"We...should hurry a bit nonetheless," he spoke, his voice deprived of any emotion. "We got a lot of work to do."
The others followed Turnipseed, who rather stalked ahead, occasionally yawning, with a bit of distance. Not because his behaviour worried them in anyway -at least two of them were unfazed by it- but walking and talking at the same time, especially about technomantic matters, could prove much harder to do than sleeping and walking.(4) Not to mention they weren't indoors.
Occasionally Adrian looked back over his shoulder, quickly turning his head back each time.
After quite a while and the point where the professional talks shifted to discussions about the two universities (5) the group arrived at the, actually pretty, if slightly damaged gates of Brazeneck.
(4) A fine art every student had down pat as long as he made sure to not exceed a certain level of fatigue.
(5) And according to Sebastian Brazeneck gained a bonus-point for having an ArchChancellor one could drink.
"This 'asn't always been an university, 'as it?" Skazz, who had meanwhile tied his hair back again, inquired, looking up at the building and then at Adrian, who yawned heartily.
"It's formerly been a summer palace," Drinkie explained. "Till the city's borders got too close to it and a new one was built over in the hills."
"Very nice," Sebastian started, but before he got further Ponder lifted his hand to stop any word from his student.
"Sebastian, I don't want to hear one comment about the Patrician and the palace from you now."
"Why not?" the student sneered, crossing his arms, "We're in Pseudopolis, Ponster. And I'm from Hergen. Why hold back?"
Ponder looked around and motioned his head towards the reporter from the Times nearby.
Skazz nodded briefly, shrugged and wandered off as the man came walking over to the group, asking for additional interviews and perhaps a little guided tour over the campus.
"Able?" Turnipseed called out for nearby wizard, "Take Thursley and show this gentleman from the Times around," he turned to Stibbons, "Charlie can show you the machine. I'll go and get some sleep..."
"That's actually one of the brightest ideas you had in the past few months." Ponder couldn't resist to tease his former student.
Adrian raised a brow.
"What was that phrase Skazz taught us?" he snuffled, "Póg mo thóin!"
With a long yawn and after sticking his tongue at Ponder, who mirrored the move, showing things weren't as serious as one might think, he moved away from the group, walking bits of the way with his eyes closed.
Given how sleep-deprived he was, he walked straight into a wall after a while.
He yowled briefly and rubbed his head, frowning and cursing under his breath.
"How's 'bout you walk first and sleep once ye reached yer bed?" a voice sounded behind him and Adrian turned, flushing madly.
"Sk...Skazz."
They both stood there for a moment, looking at each other while keeping a certain distance.
"It's...been a while," Adrian started sheepishly, trying to avoid the other's gaze.
"Yes..."
"You're alright?"
"Pretty much. You?"
"Can't complain."
Following the unwritten laws of storytelling, Adrian, after a moment of awkward silence and the realisation they were all alone in the corridor, leaped forward, flung his arms around the student and they kissed longingly.
That kiss lasted for a moment, before turning into a hungry smooching.
"Good gods, I missed you," Adrian finally gasped as he had the chance, though unwilling to end their activity. "I...I'm sorry to...to have avoided you the whole time."
"Hush," Skazz breathed, moving his lips over the other's throat, "Can hardly pounce each other in public, now can we?"
Turnipseed chuckled, moaning briefly at the other man's touch.
"Wish we could," he sighed, to which Sebastian looked up, smiling softly and sad.
"You know I wish for that too," he whispered, kissing the other's forehead. "But you know how it is."
Adrian leaned his head against Skazz's chest, sighing as well.
"I know. Will that ever change?"
"We can only hope. We can only ho-" the last word was cut off and Adrian noticed that his, well, lover, was standing frozen in fear.
He turned his head and could almost feel the colour fading from his face.
"Charlie..." he at least managed to address the student who was standing there, staring at them in disbelief.
"I...I should perhaps come back later," Drinkie stuttered, turning around again.
"Charlie! Wait!" Adrian squirmed from Skazz' embrace, rushed forward and grabbed his student by the arm.
He tried to say something a few times, but only managed to stare at Drinkie scared, his whole frame shaking.
"Sir?"
Turnipseed swallowed, his lips trembling.
"Charlie...please..." he just shook his head slowly, words failing him.
"You...don't want me to tell anyone about this, do you?"
"I beg you..."
Drinkie took a step back as his professor let go off his arm and looked at the two men before him.
He didn't know what to think of this sort of revelation about people he looked up to, but he knew two things.
First, what had their sexuality to do with their skills and intellect? Yes, they were both wizards, but sex had no influence on thaumaturgical skills.
And second, they both looked mortally scared now.
"Sir, I..." Drinkie took a deep breath and stuck out his chest, nodding. "I won't. Trust me."
Adrian stared at his student for a moment before sighing relieved and heartily hugging the lad.
"Thank you," he whispered, letting the young man go again.
"But..." Charlie dared as his professor went back to the taller student, gently taking that one's hand in his.
"Yes?" for a brief moment Skazz and Adrian looked just as scared as moments before.
"I...came here looking for you as we're having problems with Pex again." he said, seeing with a bit of relief how tension seemed to fall off the two other men, "Mister Stibbons said there isn't much that needs to be repaired and that the machine should actually work fine without the damaged parts. But when we wanted to do a test-run Pex just wouldn't start, no matter what we did."
Turnipseed rolled his eyes and sighed.
"Not again."
"Not again what?" Sebastian asked, tilting his head, now pouting slightly at Drinkie's interruption of his and Adrian's reunion.
"When we initially built Pex it wouldn't start up for days. But then all of a sudden it was running one morning. No one knew why."
"Well, you are using chickens, Drongo. You know from where the delay can come."
"I know, I know. Guess we have to take a look at it."
They both sighed agreeing and, as they followed Charlie, both hoped silently that there later would be a chance to continue where they left off.