Huni Pi
A week has passed since the Study had shut itself off from the rest of the Gaia. No matter what anyone tried or did, the room simply refused to let anyone in. Perhaps they were settling down after the harrowing events that had passed?
Linneas had gone out for the day, probably to think and reflect. Leaving Huni to man the shop. The Gaian was struggling to re-arrange the furniture, having been struck by the feng shui bug. Things weren't going well as she huffed and grunted with each forceful shove of an armchair.
Linneas had gone out for the day, probably to think and reflect. Leaving Huni to man the shop. The Gaian was struggling to re-arrange the furniture, having been struck by the feng shui bug. Things weren't going well as she huffed and grunted with each forceful shove of an armchair.
Sosiqui
Sosiqui sighed to herself as she wandered down the shopping street, pausing to peer half-heartedly at the wares in each shop's window before moving on to the next.
Bored, bored, bored. She hadn't had a case at 'Just in Time' worth her attention in two weeks. Now that it was fall, Kurrin was off at boarding school and Airyn was getting busy again... and Riven had more concerns. Her friends were by and large also busy with their own concerns. That happened, when one was a dragon and the other the Lord of the Dream Realm.
And where does that leave a half-broken kairomancer?
Bored.
She peered in the window of the next shop. Stationary... hm. The wares were appealing, and she did need another good notebook. Spellcraft didn't feel right just written in a spiral-bound college rule affair. It really needed good leather.
She pushed the door open and walked in.
Bored, bored, bored. She hadn't had a case at 'Just in Time' worth her attention in two weeks. Now that it was fall, Kurrin was off at boarding school and Airyn was getting busy again... and Riven had more concerns. Her friends were by and large also busy with their own concerns. That happened, when one was a dragon and the other the Lord of the Dream Realm.
And where does that leave a half-broken kairomancer?
Bored.
She peered in the window of the next shop. Stationary... hm. The wares were appealing, and she did need another good notebook. Spellcraft didn't feel right just written in a spiral-bound college rule affair. It really needed good leather.
She pushed the door open and walked in.
Huni Pi
Huni heard the door open, how she managed to do that above the screeching of the furniture legs' scraping against the floor she didn't know. Maybe she's just extra alert for customers as it seemed like they hadn't had any in ages.
And property taxes aren't very friendly to those who can't afford to pay.
"O-oh! Hello! Pardon the mess, lemme just -grunt- sort out this set." She called out and finished lugging the sofa at an awkward-looking angle. It was obvious she didn't really understand feng shui.
"Welcome to the Tall Tales Stationery Store, how can I help you?" she greeted, wiping her hands against her pants.
And property taxes aren't very friendly to those who can't afford to pay.
"O-oh! Hello! Pardon the mess, lemme just -grunt- sort out this set." She called out and finished lugging the sofa at an awkward-looking angle. It was obvious she didn't really understand feng shui.
"Welcome to the Tall Tales Stationery Store, how can I help you?" she greeted, wiping her hands against her pants.
Sosiqui
Sosiqui smiled a bit awkwardly at the shopkeeper. "Hi... um. Do you have anything in a leather binding... maybe something especially attuned to spells? Time elemental, if that helps, but something normal and nice looking would be just as nice."
Now that she was here, she might as well have a solid look around before going back home.
Now that she was here, she might as well have a solid look around before going back home.
Huni Pi
Huni had taken all the inventory to the backroom while she was busy feng shui-ing the store. In hindsight that probably wasn't the best idea. Most of the shelves were bare, save for accumulated dust. "Leather, hmmm, okay, I'll just be for a minute. Uh, here have a seat. I'll get someone to bring you something to drink. Tea? Coffee? Water?"
Sosiqui
"Oh, no, it's okay... I'm fine. Thanks, though." Sosiqui sat down on the offered seat and waited, fidgeting a bit after a moment. She'd been outside long enough... she could probably justify going back to the PS2 now, right? It'd be a distraction.
But the shopkeeper had been kind, and it would be rude to leave, so she stayed where she was.
But the shopkeeper had been kind, and it would be rude to leave, so she stayed where she was.
Huni Pi
A small mechanical creature came to Sosiqui, carefully holding a tray in its metal arms. Whiskers resembling those of a catfish twitched to and fro, though lacking in its real counterpart's smooth grace. On the tray were three assorted cups. One was a mug of paisley patterns containing warm water, another was a cup of hot green tea, and the third was a glass of iced chocolate poured straight from its tetra pack.
"Huni may be a while, she's not the most organized of humans." Ning explained as if apologizing. "I've been tasked to keep you company while she sorts out the clutter she calls the stock room."
"Huni may be a while, she's not the most organized of humans." Ning explained as if apologizing. "I've been tasked to keep you company while she sorts out the clutter she calls the stock room."
Sosiqui
Sosiqui blinked at the creature, then smiled. "You're a Fandangle, aren't you? It's been a while since I've seen one that wasn't my own, or my son's. Er, thank you." She picked up the iced chocolate and took a sip. This certainly was a very friendly little place.
Huni Pi
Ning seemed pleased with this customer, not very many people knew what she was and she hadn't met many others. Not that she blamed her bonded, she rather liked staying indoors as opposed to going outside where the elements weren't as friendly as their sprocket counterparts. "Why yes, I am. I am also supposed to warn you that there are times that particular room," She turned her gaze towards the Study, "Can be a bit overwhelming."
A thump sounded from the Study as if retorting to Ning's comment.
A thump sounded from the Study as if retorting to Ning's comment.
Sosiqui
"That room?" Sosiqui turned around and squinted at it. "Huh... there's some kind of magic there, seems like. It feels..." She concentrated on it.
Whoa.
"... powerful," she finished, gulping down a swallow of iced chocolate to counteract the sudden dryness in her mouth. What on earth was going on over there?
Whoa.
"... powerful," she finished, gulping down a swallow of iced chocolate to counteract the sudden dryness in her mouth. What on earth was going on over there?
Huni Pi
Ning clucked her tongue, though it sounded like someone tapping a coin against a steel sheet. "That room is quite temperamental. It would shut us out for weeks at a time, and at one point it even shut us out of the store." She shook her head, "Best not to pay it any attention." Ning instructed, "I'll see how Huni is doing, I won't be long." And the fandangle walked off.
The Study seemed pleased with the new face. Yes, quite pleased indeed. The doorknob rattled at Sosiqui's statement of its power. Both the Study and the Tome had been resting, so to speak, and they haven't quite found a new... volunteer? Target? Victim? Perhaps now they have.
The knob's rattling grew harder, more frantic, as if someone inside was trying to get out but was failing.
The Study seemed pleased with the new face. Yes, quite pleased indeed. The doorknob rattled at Sosiqui's statement of its power. Both the Study and the Tome had been resting, so to speak, and they haven't quite found a new... volunteer? Target? Victim? Perhaps now they have.
The knob's rattling grew harder, more frantic, as if someone inside was trying to get out but was failing.
Sosiqui
Sosiqui tried her best not to look over at the door again after the Fandangle left, but it was difficult. There was power there, of a strange sort she'd never encountered before, and it was... attractive.
"Stupid. Don't go poking things you don't understand, especially in magic," she muttered to herself, saying the words aloud in case that helped get the point across to the curious part of her mind.
It didn't.
A particularly loud rattle of the doorknob made her jump, and she rolled her eyes. Fine then.
"I'm coming, I'm coming, no need to throw a tantrum, geez." She sighed and got up, hesitated in front of the door for a moment, then put her hand on the doorknob and turned.
"Stupid. Don't go poking things you don't understand, especially in magic," she muttered to herself, saying the words aloud in case that helped get the point across to the curious part of her mind.
It didn't.
A particularly loud rattle of the doorknob made her jump, and she rolled her eyes. Fine then.
"I'm coming, I'm coming, no need to throw a tantrum, geez." She sighed and got up, hesitated in front of the door for a moment, then put her hand on the doorknob and turned.
Huni Pi
The door swung open, though rather than creaking, the sound the hinges made resembled cracking knuckles. The smell of pine scented air fresheners came flooding out the room. It quickly dissapated, and the floorboards groaned in apology.
I'm new at this. The room seemed to chuckle.
I'm new at this. The room seemed to chuckle.
Sosiqui
Sosiqui blinked. "Well... okay, whatever. So what's so important, hm? Let's get it over with." She stepped inside, then put her hands on her hips in a 'waiting' pose.
The fact that said pose also placed her left hand practically on the hilt of her sheathed wand was not a coincidence. Just in case.
The fact that said pose also placed her left hand practically on the hilt of her sheathed wand was not a coincidence. Just in case.
Huni Pi
The door quietly closed behind her, the lock audibly clicking in place. The room was dark, as it had always been, but there were a few changes ever since certain events transpired. For one, the bear skin rug had been replaced (the Study felt it was too tacky) with an oriental one that spanned nearly three fourths of the room.
And speaking of the room, it looked far larger inside than it did outside. Shelves lined the walls, filled with books of all sorts. Printed on the spines of each volume was but one word: Time.
And Time, it seemed, the Study and the large, leatherbound Tome that lay atop a newly varnished writing desk at the far end of the room had plenty of.
And speaking of the room, it looked far larger inside than it did outside. Shelves lined the walls, filled with books of all sorts. Printed on the spines of each volume was but one word: Time.
And Time, it seemed, the Study and the large, leatherbound Tome that lay atop a newly varnished writing desk at the far end of the room had plenty of.
Sosiqui
Sosiqui twitched as she heard the lock snick behind her. Her first instinct was to grab her wand, age the wood of the door to dust and get out of there - but the power still didn't seem hostile. Just... determined.
The books...
The room could have been an infinitely smaller version of the Endless History in the Nexus, except the books there weren't all labeled the same, and this chamber didn't have the right feel to it to be really related to that place. The power here wasn't that of the kairomancers, that was for sure. Her brow furrowed. "What are you playing at...?"
She let herself be drawn to the largest book on a desk at the end. After one hesitant touch, she opened it.
The books...
The room could have been an infinitely smaller version of the Endless History in the Nexus, except the books there weren't all labeled the same, and this chamber didn't have the right feel to it to be really related to that place. The power here wasn't that of the kairomancers, that was for sure. Her brow furrowed. "What are you playing at...?"
She let herself be drawn to the largest book on a desk at the end. After one hesitant touch, she opened it.
Huni Pi
The instance the Tome opened, invisible candles flickered to life. The tongues of flame hovering overhead to provide light that was far too bright for normal candles. It wasn't blinding, it was just unusually bright, almost electric. But there were no sockets, no outlets, no hint that this room was even connected to the store the door led to.
Printed upon the page of the Tome was the alphabet, several repetitions of it in fact. And it was like that in the next page. And on every single page.
Until that is, the letters started to scramble into each other.
Printed upon the page of the Tome was the alphabet, several repetitions of it in fact. And it was like that in the next page. And on every single page.
Until that is, the letters started to scramble into each other.
Sosiqui
"Ngh..." Sosiqui blinked rapidly until her eyes adjusted to the sudden influx of light, then peered down at the book in front of her.
The alphabet? She turned the page, and frowned slightly as she saw only more repetitions of the full sequence. It was the same on the next page, and the next, and the next...
She quickly fanned through a good chunk of pages, and saw nothing but the same thing over and over - until the letters started to move. At first she thought it was an illusion caused by the quickly moving pages, similar to a flipbook, but no. "Ooookay... and the point of this would be... what?"
The alphabet? She turned the page, and frowned slightly as she saw only more repetitions of the full sequence. It was the same on the next page, and the next, and the next...
She quickly fanned through a good chunk of pages, and saw nothing but the same thing over and over - until the letters started to move. At first she thought it was an illusion caused by the quickly moving pages, similar to a flipbook, but no. "Ooookay... and the point of this would be... what?"
Huni Pi
The lights flickered, as if chiding Sosiqui for her impatience. Eventually the letters had re-arranged themselves and settled quite nicely on the pages. A few fragments faded here and there until the only words that remained on paper was:
A drawer suddenly pulled open, and inside were pens with a small hourglass embedded inside them. Yes, gone was the quill and the inkwell, the Study and Tome were trying to update themselves it seemed.
"What hope is there for broken things?"
A drawer suddenly pulled open, and inside were pens with a small hourglass embedded inside them. Yes, gone was the quill and the inkwell, the Study and Tome were trying to update themselves it seemed.
Sosiqui
Sosiqui tilted her head quizzically as the book stopped its schizophrenic alphabet-soup-spewing and settled down, then jumped when the desk stuck a drawer in her direction.
... The pens were nice, though, she had to admit, and she picked one up to study it more carefully. She had quite a weakness for hourglasses. It was only after the pen was in her hand that she stopped to actually read the question left alone on the Tome's open page.
Sosiqui paused. The room suddenly seemed... expectant. Waiting for something. For what?
An answer?
She didn't like writing on books. It was just Not Done, but the drawer and the pens and the question was as close to an open invitation as she'd ever seen. Sosiqui took a deep breath and bent over the tome.
The question, the room, the hourglasses - whoever had crafted this had known the buttons to push. It would have been disconcerting if it hadn't been for the friendly, harmless invitation the room offered her.
What hope is there for broken things?
She wrote the answer. Two works, quickly. There. Done.
... The pens were nice, though, she had to admit, and she picked one up to study it more carefully. She had quite a weakness for hourglasses. It was only after the pen was in her hand that she stopped to actually read the question left alone on the Tome's open page.
"What hope is there for broken things?"
Sosiqui paused. The room suddenly seemed... expectant. Waiting for something. For what?
An answer?
She didn't like writing on books. It was just Not Done, but the drawer and the pens and the question was as close to an open invitation as she'd ever seen. Sosiqui took a deep breath and bent over the tome.
The question, the room, the hourglasses - whoever had crafted this had known the buttons to push. It would have been disconcerting if it hadn't been for the friendly, harmless invitation the room offered her.
What hope is there for broken things?
She wrote the answer. Two works, quickly. There. Done.
"Only time."
Huni Pi
The moment the ink dried upon the paper, unseen clocks began to ring. Cuckoo clocks chirped and squawked as bells rang and timers buzzed. And just as quickly as the sounds sprang to life, they died down.
Loud, heavy thuds followed. And with each dull sound, an actual time piece appeared around Sosiqui. They fell, one on top of another, piling up but never quite surrounding the kairomancer completely.
Once the heap had stopped growing (mainly because it nearly reached the ceiling), you'd think things were over. But no, there was one final surprise in store for Sosiqui.
Loud, heavy thuds followed. And with each dull sound, an actual time piece appeared around Sosiqui. They fell, one on top of another, piling up but never quite surrounding the kairomancer completely.
Once the heap had stopped growing (mainly because it nearly reached the ceiling), you'd think things were over. But no, there was one final surprise in store for Sosiqui.
Sosiqui
"What the..." Sosiqui turned around in a slow circle as a cacophony of clock alarms and chimes filled the air. When the first timepiece fell, she drew her wand quickly and backed away... but they surrounded her, building up in a ticking wall around her.
Don't panic. They're just clocks... so far. She forced herself to stay calm until suddenly, everything stopped.
Don't panic. They're just clocks... so far. She forced herself to stay calm until suddenly, everything stopped.
Huni Pi
There came a bright, blinding, flash of light. The sound of the fabric of time being unzipped can be heard followed quickly by its closure. A small oomph, and a sudden squeak of surprise echoed throughout the room.
One by one, the heaps of broken clocks started to disintegrate into dust, until the entire room was filled with sand. And more was pouring up from the ceiling. The walls had taken an odd sheen.
It takes mere seconds to realize the room had turned into a giant hourglass. Would it have been a coincidence that this hourglass was within a pen as well?
The small cry was heard again, and in the distance a small figure struggled to pull itself out of the sand.
One by one, the heaps of broken clocks started to disintegrate into dust, until the entire room was filled with sand. And more was pouring up from the ceiling. The walls had taken an odd sheen.
It takes mere seconds to realize the room had turned into a giant hourglass. Would it have been a coincidence that this hourglass was within a pen as well?
The small cry was heard again, and in the distance a small figure struggled to pull itself out of the sand.
Sosiqui
Sosiqui's skin crawled as the unmistakable sensation of someone manipulating the local timestream washed over the room. And they weren't doing a very good job of it - like hacking randomly with a blunt ax when a single swipe with a sharp razor would do the job.
As the clocks started to disintegrate, she swore under her breath and brought a shield up around her. The magic fizzed only lightly, though, interacting solely with the dust and not blocking an aging manipulation, as she'd feared. As the entropic wave ended, she let the shield drop.
Hourglass...
"Ack! Plft! Blub! I di'nt... di'nt say DESERT, ya stupid..." came a flailing cry from across the sandy pile, and Sosiqui's eyes widened in surprise. The trace of time manipulation hovered over there, and she slogged through the sand only to find...
"Oh. Hey. Who's you?" A young girl, very young - four? five? - peered up at her from the sand she'd been flailing in, her eyes round with curiosity. The faint sizzle of time was all over her, centered in the odd, humming metallic backpack she was wearing. "I mean. Um. Crap. Cloak fun'shun! CLOAK!"
She banged on the backpack with one flailing hand, but it just let out a fizzle and a lowering whine. The hum died with a wheeze.
"Craaaaaaap," the girl moaned.
"Were you... did you..." Sosiqui managed. Was that a time machine?
Was this a FIVE YEAR OLD WITH A TIME MACHINE???
Oh, we couldn't be having with this.
As the clocks started to disintegrate, she swore under her breath and brought a shield up around her. The magic fizzed only lightly, though, interacting solely with the dust and not blocking an aging manipulation, as she'd feared. As the entropic wave ended, she let the shield drop.
Hourglass...
"Ack! Plft! Blub! I di'nt... di'nt say DESERT, ya stupid..." came a flailing cry from across the sandy pile, and Sosiqui's eyes widened in surprise. The trace of time manipulation hovered over there, and she slogged through the sand only to find...
"Oh. Hey. Who's you?" A young girl, very young - four? five? - peered up at her from the sand she'd been flailing in, her eyes round with curiosity. The faint sizzle of time was all over her, centered in the odd, humming metallic backpack she was wearing. "I mean. Um. Crap. Cloak fun'shun! CLOAK!"
She banged on the backpack with one flailing hand, but it just let out a fizzle and a lowering whine. The hum died with a wheeze.
"Craaaaaaap," the girl moaned.
"Were you... did you..." Sosiqui managed. Was that a time machine?
Was this a FIVE YEAR OLD WITH A TIME MACHINE???
Oh, we couldn't be having with this.
Huni Pi
With the backpack's seeming 'demise', so too was the odd flux of time and space. The sand began to swirl around the child and the woman, swallowing them far too quickly for either to react. They were both deposited or rather lowered gently back into the Study, just at the foot of the writing table.
The leatherbound Tome was gone, replaced by a smaller one bound in green leather. Embossed on the cover in gold leaf was
The leatherbound Tome was gone, replaced by a smaller one bound in green leather. Embossed on the cover in gold leaf was
Pyroxene
by Sosiqui
by Sosiqui
Sosiqui
"Augh!" The little girl clung to Sosiqui's legs as the sand swallowed them both - and then, suddenly, they were back in the Study, with the table before them. But the big book was gone, replaced by...
"Wait, wait, what?" Sosiqui carefully untangled herself from the girl's grasp and picked the book up, staring at it. "Pyroxene...?"
"What?" The girl wandered over too, tilting her head to one side and making her braids bob up and down. "Why's that got my name on it?" She gave Sosiqui an accusing look.
"Pyroxene? That's your name?" Sosiqui crouched down next to her, at the girl's eye level. "Where are your parents?"
The girl looked away immediately. "Somewhen," she said, evasively.
"Some... when? Okay. We'll fix this later, when I've had a chance to think," Sosiqui declared, with a sharp nod. "For now... come with me." I am not giving a child with a time machine to anyone else. I can handle this, for a while.
Pyroxene gave her a quizzical look. "Whatcha gonna do now?"
"Talk to the shopkeeper, for one... come on. My name is Sosiqui. I'm a kairomancer, a time mage... I know all about time travel and things like that, so you don't have to hide it from me."
"But Rule One-" Pyroxene closed her mouth immediately, then, and clapped her hands over her mouth. "Oops," she mumbled.
"Wow, you're really bad at this secrecy stuff," Sosiqui said, with a sigh... and a smile. "Come on." She offered her hand.
"Mmmm..." Pyroxene looked speculatively, back and forth from between the hand and Sosiqui's face. "Okay."
Sosiqui carefully took the child's hand in her own and led her towards the door.
"Wait, wait, what?" Sosiqui carefully untangled herself from the girl's grasp and picked the book up, staring at it. "Pyroxene...?"
"What?" The girl wandered over too, tilting her head to one side and making her braids bob up and down. "Why's that got my name on it?" She gave Sosiqui an accusing look.
"Pyroxene? That's your name?" Sosiqui crouched down next to her, at the girl's eye level. "Where are your parents?"
The girl looked away immediately. "Somewhen," she said, evasively.
"Some... when? Okay. We'll fix this later, when I've had a chance to think," Sosiqui declared, with a sharp nod. "For now... come with me." I am not giving a child with a time machine to anyone else. I can handle this, for a while.
Pyroxene gave her a quizzical look. "Whatcha gonna do now?"
"Talk to the shopkeeper, for one... come on. My name is Sosiqui. I'm a kairomancer, a time mage... I know all about time travel and things like that, so you don't have to hide it from me."
"But Rule One-" Pyroxene closed her mouth immediately, then, and clapped her hands over her mouth. "Oops," she mumbled.
"Wow, you're really bad at this secrecy stuff," Sosiqui said, with a sigh... and a smile. "Come on." She offered her hand.
"Mmmm..." Pyroxene looked speculatively, back and forth from between the hand and Sosiqui's face. "Okay."
Sosiqui carefully took the child's hand in her own and led her towards the door.
Huni Pi
Back outside, Huni had finally found what Sosiqui had asked of her. With a great deal of help from Ning. The leather book in one hand, a few assorted notebooks in the other, Huni came back to the shop front only to find she was gone?
Huni sighed, maybe the feng shui wasn't working? Maybe she did it wrong? That is until the Study door creaked open, as if asking for an applause from the red head. "Oh no, not after you sucked me into wherever-land, I ain't being nice to you." She stuck her tongue out at the door only to see Sosiqui and a small child with her.
"Oh crap."
Huni sighed, maybe the feng shui wasn't working? Maybe she did it wrong? That is until the Study door creaked open, as if asking for an applause from the red head. "Oh no, not after you sucked me into wherever-land, I ain't being nice to you." She stuck her tongue out at the door only to see Sosiqui and a small child with her.
"Oh crap."
Sosiqui
"Yeah, crap! That's what I said!" Pyroxene released Sosiqui's hand and clambered up onto the countertop to peer at Huni from two inches away. "Hiya! Whoa, books! Are they an-teeks?"
Sosiqui facepalmed, then sighed. "You weren't half wrong when you said that room was strange."
Sosiqui facepalmed, then sighed. "You weren't half wrong when you said that room was strange."
Huni Pi
Huni shook her head, "That room is crazy. It lures people in, gets them to answer a question and kablammo! You end up with a child whose story, apparently, is being lived here in Gaia." she shook her head, "Well these aren't antiques, they're new stock. Here." She handed the little girl one of the assorted notebooks she brought before turning to Sosiqui. "You might want to keep the small book the kid came with. No one else'll be able to write in it except you and her. At some point, you won't even be able to add anything to it either." Huni mused.
This all seemed so ordinary and commonplace to her, the only reason she reacted with surprise was that the Study and the Tome hadn't claimed any new victims since, well, since they locked everyone out of the Store.
This all seemed so ordinary and commonplace to her, the only reason she reacted with surprise was that the Study and the Tome hadn't claimed any new victims since, well, since they locked everyone out of the Store.
Sosiqui
"My story? Hey, neat!" Pyroxene hugged the book to her chest and beamed at Huni. "You're a nice lady, lady!"
"I..." Sosiqui sighed. "Somehow I thought that might be the case. I've been saddled with two children in similar ways. One I dreamed of for a month before it finally showed up on my doorstep; the second one came through a portal in an egg... I really shouldn't be surprised by this anymore." One hand reached up to massage at her temples. "Can you tell me anything else about these children? Anything at all? I take it I'm stuck with her?"
Pyroxene giggled.
"I..." Sosiqui sighed. "Somehow I thought that might be the case. I've been saddled with two children in similar ways. One I dreamed of for a month before it finally showed up on my doorstep; the second one came through a portal in an egg... I really shouldn't be surprised by this anymore." One hand reached up to massage at her temples. "Can you tell me anything else about these children? Anything at all? I take it I'm stuck with her?"
Pyroxene giggled.
Huni Pi
Huni only understood what they were basically, if only Linneas were around. "Well they used to be the essence of a wizard and his apprentice. But they went home and left the Study and Tome behind so that the children who came before your kid don't end up poofing into nothingness. What they are now? Uh, my son would probably know more than I would." She chuckled sheepishly. The trauma of being comatose for so long seemed to have some lasting effect on her.
"And thank you for thinking so, I'm Huni, by the way. I'll probably know your names when I check the roster. That is if the Study will let me look." She shot a glance at the room.
The door swung open invitingly, before slamming shut. "Guess not."
"And thank you for thinking so, I'm Huni, by the way. I'll probably know your names when I check the roster. That is if the Study will let me look." She shot a glance at the room.
The door swung open invitingly, before slamming shut. "Guess not."
Sosiqui
"A wizard and a... okay, forget I asked that part," Sosiqui began, before Pyroxene put her hands on her hips and began to huff.
"Part of a thingie nothin'! I'm Pyroxene Centauri, Agent Five of Project Mnemosyne and, um." She clapped her hands over her mouth again. "I'm not anythin' like what you said, anyway," she mumbled, then moved her hands just enough to stick out her tongue.
"You can say 'Mnemosyne' but not 'nothing'?" Sosiqui asked bemused, and was rewarded with Pyroxene turning around and sticking her tongue out at her, too. "Well. I'm Sosiqui. Sosiqui to Aeina. And your magical room is rather a petulant brat, isn't it?"
"Part of a thingie nothin'! I'm Pyroxene Centauri, Agent Five of Project Mnemosyne and, um." She clapped her hands over her mouth again. "I'm not anythin' like what you said, anyway," she mumbled, then moved her hands just enough to stick out her tongue.
"You can say 'Mnemosyne' but not 'nothing'?" Sosiqui asked bemused, and was rewarded with Pyroxene turning around and sticking her tongue out at her, too. "Well. I'm Sosiqui. Sosiqui to Aeina. And your magical room is rather a petulant brat, isn't it?"
Huni Pi
Huni couldn't help but laugh, Pyroxene certainly had spunk. Like her grandchild (oh gahd she was old) Arya who was playing with her aunt Paestri in mall. She offered her hand to Sosiqui, "It's behavior certainly became more brat-like. But at least it's improving, physically speaking. Not as dusty and dank as before, though it sometimes smells like salmon or vinegar. And I think that drives Ning mad."
Speaking of the fandangle, Ning stayed behind in the stock room to alphabetize and organize everything Huni messed up in the process of searching.
Speaking of the fandangle, Ning stayed behind in the stock room to alphabetize and organize everything Huni messed up in the process of searching.
Sosiqui
"Salmon...? I think I'll have to ask you about that later." Sosiqui shook Huni's hand warmly, then glanced at Pyroxene, who was busy banging on her backpack again to no avail. "I think I'll take this little one home."
"I'm tryin' to go home, but s'not listening," Pyroxene grumped, then scrambled down off the counter. "Do I hafta go back with you?"
"Yes, see?" Sosiqui held the green leatherbound book out to the little girl. "'Pyroxene, by Sosiqui.' That's you, and that's me, so..."
"I guess," Pyroxene replied, though she didn't sound to sure. "Fine. Okay. Bye-bye, nice lady! Thanks for the book! I'm gonna write the most awesome story ever, you'll see!" She waved one hand energetically at Huni.
"I'm tryin' to go home, but s'not listening," Pyroxene grumped, then scrambled down off the counter. "Do I hafta go back with you?"
"Yes, see?" Sosiqui held the green leatherbound book out to the little girl. "'Pyroxene, by Sosiqui.' That's you, and that's me, so..."
"I guess," Pyroxene replied, though she didn't sound to sure. "Fine. Okay. Bye-bye, nice lady! Thanks for the book! I'm gonna write the most awesome story ever, you'll see!" She waved one hand energetically at Huni.
Huni Pi
Huni nodded, smiled and waved as they left. Only minutes later did she realize "I'm going to have to start selling more stuff to pay the bills."
