Chapter eleven! All right.
Plans are put in motion here today. :3. You lucky people get to see them.
Speaking of plans, how's it coming along, Douglas?
"It's coming."
"Hey! Why do you only acknowledge Douglas for this war?"
Because he's the only experienced warmonger out of you bitches, Chase.
Anyways, thanks for reading and reviewing. Insert something witty here because I'm too tired to think of anything for you.
DarkestKing: Dafuq just happened?! :P Hello again.
Mia-Teresa-Davenport: "Fine. Your loss. :P"
Moonlit: That sounds like a fun word. Lol zugzwang.
Shinxshinx1595: I'm not all that worried.
DisneyXDGirl: The entire Vietnam War was fought against hiding enemies. And they won. What say you now? :P We couldn't win that battle. It was eight - nine, with you - against hundreds. We need to fall back and regroup. Plan our next move. We aren't acting out of cowardice; we're acting out of the acknowledgement that losing one battle doesn't mean losing the war.
Gg180000: I don't think lotion helps with scales. XD
RissA15: I thought I established back in Hybrid that the accident that turned Chase half-demonic destroyed his GPS? And let your geniuses come. We have a mine field. Those were expensive and I want to see someone blow up, damn it!
AllAmericanSlurp: ...I actually want to tell you guys something about that, but not now. Soon, Dearies. Soon.
So who wants to do this? Griajar?
"Zara doesn't own Lab Rats or anything you recognize. If you don't recognize it, it's probably hers."
"Misunderstood! It is a right fool's word. Is it so bad then to be misunderstood? Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus, and Luther, and Copernicus, and Galileo, and Newton, and every pure and wise spirit that ever took flesh. To be great is to be misunderstood."
Ralph Waldo Emerson, Self-Reliance and Other Essays
"I'm very specific and ambitious in plotting out my goals and never take no for an answer - so it's not like things just fall in my lap."
Darren Criss
Chapter Eleven - L'eroe di Marino!
Adam
He didn't know why the Council made their demons stay in the background. They were pretty smart; wouldn't including them be better?
Not that he really had much of a say himself. The second that they figured out that Adam was more of a Charmer than a Summoner, he was standing in the background with the creatures, holding Yahn. Chase was leaning against the wall beside him, his ears swiveling back and forth as he listened to the Summoners talk amongst themselves. Oly was perched on his shoulder, dozing off.
As for himself, Adam didn't pay much attention. He heard the occasional snippet of conversation - mainly when Douglas introduced Leo and everyone instantly wanted his attention. Various teenaged Summoners-in-training were sitting smugly in their chairs, convinced already that their trainer was the best and that Leo was only getting the leftovers.
However, Douglas had a plan to reduce the odds of that happening.
Adam didn't really pay attention to what it was, though. That part of the plan was Leo's and Douglas' concern, barring the one thing Adam had to do to kick it off. As far as Adam was concerned, his job was much better. Demons were more interesting than most people, anyways. They had way more stories to tell and quirks to find.
And they liked him. A lot. No one had an explanation for that, but Adam didn't really care.
Beside him, Chase, Oly and a djinni that looked like a mix between a cat and a dog started snickering, obviously lost in their own private conversation. Adam watched them curiously for a moment. It must have been nice for Chase to have a foot in the door when it came to relating with demons.
Adam kind of wished that he had that. Instead, where Chase could guess at a demon's intentions, Adam was forced to wonder about them blindly.
Just because demons liked him didn't mean that he really knew them.
Yahn suddenly tugged at Adam's shirt and pointed at a charcoal-gray ibex that had an extra horn growing from the tip of its nose and spikes down its back. "That's the one," Yahn whispered.
Adam nodded and - as discreetly as he could - edged along the wall towards the imp. The ibex watched Adam warily, shaking its head to show of its more-than-dangerous horns.
Deciding to stay a bit back, Adam stopped a few feet away from the creature. "Griajar, right?" he asked quietly.
The ibex instantly changed its attitude at the sound of Adam's voice. "Your voice is as lovely as a church bell," it - no, she - cooed.
"And your fur is very soft," Adam replied smoothly, rubbing Griajar's shoulder.
Why was it that he couldn't flirt with girls, but could woo a demon without a second thought? Where was the justice in that?
"Listen, Gria'," Adam began after a second. "I need a favor."
"Sure."
Adam was slightly taken aback. He had at least expected a tit-for-tat exchange of favors. However, if it would be that easy, then it would be that easy. "See, I have a friend named 'Leo' over there." He gestured at Leo, who was being forced to listen to a Summoner go on and on regarding...well, regarding something. When Griajar nodded, Adam continued. "He's really excited to be here, and he wants the best mentor he can get. Since your Master seems to listen to your excellent judgement skills when it comes to apprentices, could you persuade him to accept my friend?" Oddly enough, the Summoner in question tended to rely on Griajar to make judgements regarding students. Where Douglas had gotten that information was beyond Adam, but he knew better than to ask.
Griajar nodded instantly. "I'd love to!"
Adam smiled to himself. This spying thing was proving easier than anticipated.
"When children are doing nothing, they are doing mischief."
Henry Fielding
"For Satan always finds some mischief still for idle hands to do."
Isaac Watts
Chase
"Look at him: Have you ever seen anyone look so ridiculous?"
I followed the finger of my new friend - a cat-dog looking guy named Draut - to see his Master.
The man did look ridiculous. Hey, asshole: Your suit was two sizes too small!
"He looks like he's going to pop out of that thing any second," Oly snickered.
"No kidding," I agreed quietly, flicking my ears between speaking Summoners. It was mainly boring political information, but the apparent theft of Azazel's Bane was mentioned a couple of times. For some reason, no one was overly concerned about it.
Oh well. More shiny amulet for us. Mainly because we didn't tell anyone that we had it, but that seemed like a minor detail.
After a second, Draut sighed. "This is boring as hell." Then, he suddenly gasped. "We should light something on fire!"
Wait, what?
Actually, that did sound like fun.
Then why are you waiting? Just do it! Have a little less impulse control. Live once in a while. You were born to light things on fire.
Technically speaking, I was born to grow into a bitter adult who wasn't satisfied with his life. Just like the rest of America!
I shook my head. "I don't want to end up locked in a tin of rosemary for the next hundred years," I sighed. Not that Douglas would ever do that to me, but it was possible. Just ask the poor demons that were forced to stay inside tiny jars of sandalwood at the bottom of various bodies of water. Until someone opened up their prison, they would be stuck in there.
Since some were at the bottom of the ocean, they were likely stuck there forever.
Poor guys. They must have been bored out of their minds.
Oly sighed. "Buzz-kill." After a second, Oly tilted her head. "Draut? Who do you think stole Azazel's Bane?"
Draut grinned halfway, his voice barely a murmur. "One rich motherfucker. They probably sold it by now. I know thousands of summoners that would love to get their hands on it. And it's not like anyone on this Council is an exception." He scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Look at these fools. They all come together in the pursuit of regulating summoning, yet they spend more time on political schemes to advance themselves as an individual rather than doing what this Council was created to do."
"Ain't that just like the Man," Oly responded, shaking her head. "They preach one thing and do another."
I nodded in agreement as I rolled my weight back on one heel and turned my attention to the speaking Summoner.
"We may have discovered a new type of Circle..."
He on and on about that. How anyone stood sitting for hours at a time here was beyond me.
Oly suddenly poked my shoulder. "Hey, Half-Breed: How many dead leaves do you think we can get to stick on Master's spiked hair before he notices?"
At the mental image of Douglas flipping out when he found leaves in his "flawless" hair, I had to suppress a laugh. "We should try that when we get home."
Douglas would be pissed, but at least we'd be amused about something today, since the hunt for Azazel's thief had proved fruitless this go around.
I had honestly expected that, though. Why would anything be easy, right?
"...Often this quiet, humble heroism is the greatest heroism of all..."
Wilferd A. Peterson
"The hero is commonly the simplest and obscurest of men."
Henry David Thoreau
Leo
Keep it cool, Leo. You have this.
Leo repeated that in his head like a mantra, focusing so hard on maintaining his eager apprentice act that he was barely listening to Arthur Hall speak.
He hoped no questions about his topic would come up. Summoner Hall was who he needed to impress. If anybody would be able to lead them to corruption, it would be one of the leaders of the Council itself.
However, such a rank did not come without an air of entitlement. He rarely took apprentices. And, when he did, he was very picky about who they were. It was next to impossible to get the guy's attention, but Leo had to do it.
For Narnia!
Well, for the sake of the plan. But Narnia was close enough.
At that moment, Summoner Hall was droning on about the discovery of a new Circle to hold demons . He wasn't giving away any real details about it, but he seemed eager to share that his research was going great.
Leo wanted to bang his head on the table. Why bring it up if you weren't going to talk about it?
Beside him, Douglas wrote something down and slid the paper over to Leo. With a frown, Leo tilted his head and read the note.
You look half-dead. I warned you that this would get boring.
Leo sighed and wrote his response. How does anyone get anything done? I haven't heard a single productive thing all day!
Douglas smiled cheekily and wrote, Welcome to politics and government. One step forward, ten steps back.
Growing aware of the childish nature of them passing notes, Leo smiled. So...you said you'd get an "in" with this guy. Are you going to leave me snowed about it, or what? Wait: Does it even exist, or are you just winging it?
Douglas rolled his eyes. Have a little faith, kid.
Leo wanted to respond to that - something along the lines of "hell no" - when Arthur gestured right at them. "Now, before we end this today," Summoner Hall began, "I would like to hear from Summoner Davenport on his escapade with the golem in Italy." Hall grinned. "Go on: Tell us how you stopped it."
"Showtime," Douglas whispered, winking before he stood up. "Thank you, Summoner Hall," he said formally as Arthur sat down. Douglas cleared his throat and rolled his shoulders before finally beginning. "I'm sure you have all heard by now about the golem incident in Italy. I've heard many of you herald me as a hero for stopping it. Now, while I do appreciate the recognition, you've got it wrong." Douglas stepped around behind Leo's chair as he continued. "I did not actually stop the golem. Although I am infinitely great-" here, Leo rolled his eyes- "I was knocked out by falling debris."
Nice cover, Leo thought. It wouldn't do to lose The Arm of Raziel.
"As I was unconscious, I couldn't have stopped the golem. No, I'm not the one who stepped up to the plate that night." Leo jumped as Douglas' hand came down on Leo's shoulder. "Leo Dooley is."
Leo felt his eyes widen as murmurs travelled suddenly through the Council. That must have been painful for Douglas to admit. Quite frankly, Leo was shocked that Douglas hadn't just taken the credit himself.
Douglas squeezed his shoulder gently as the discussion died down. "This kid," he went on, " bravely risked his life to pull the scroll from the golem's mouth before it could destroy anything else. He - not I - is, as the Italian Council said, 'L'eroe di Marino': The Hero of Marino!"
Leo never heard that phrase in his life. Honestly, the only thing he remembered about the Summoners Council in Italy was Douglas flipping everybody off. However, everybody here ate it up. They started applauding.
For him.
Stunned, Leo froze in place.
"Stand up, kid," Douglas hissed.
Snapped into action, Leo rose from his chair, looking around the entire room. Near the wall, Chase, Adam and Yahn were clapping with the Councilors. Oly was just watching everything, rolling her eyes. Douglas started applauding beside him as Leo tried to get over the surprise.
Was this happening?
Did Douglas seriously just do that?
These people were recognizing him as a hero?!
He honestly hadn't expected anything of the sort. He just figured that stopping the golem was something he wouldn't be acknowledged for. Especially by Douglas.
And he was okay with that.
Now that it was happening - now that he was the hero instead of his siblings, as usual - he had no idea how to react. It was overwhelming.
So he just stood dumbly until the applause died down and Douglas directed him to sit again.
Councilor Hall stood up and smiled at Leo. "You are a hero indeed. Not many could face a golem."
Leo felt his cheeks heat up.
Hall then looked at everyone. "Is there anymore business to attend to?" At everyone's silence, he nodded. "Then I move to adjourn this meeting."
"I second the motion to adjourn this meeting," another Summoner piped up.
"All in favor?" Hall asked. He was met with a chorus of "aye." Nodding again, he declared, "Council adjourned."
As Douglas and Leo stood up, Leo found himself frowning. "That was it? He isn't going to make me his apprentice? The plan failed?"
Douglas clapped him on the back. "The plan isn't over yet. We've only gotten through step one."
Leo furrowed his brow. "Which was...?"
Douglas grinned. "Make sure that Hall knows your name."
Phase one: Complete!
Douglas is a flipping genius, no? Silver-tongued bastard.
Anyways, feel free to review. Or don't. I don't care.
And enjoy.
*Bows and exits*