“Aaah! You’re Ruarc’s apprentice. He mentioned you were along. If you’re sure, then I’ll get a good slice for ya,” Rodney said with a smile and a wink, the hint of a laugh on the edges of his words in response to Drysi’s reaction. The large bugbear stood and moved deftly through the work tables until he reached a table with a spread of containers and food lined up on it; chanting subtly as he did. First his hands began to glow a faint light, and then he traced his finger over something Drysi couldn’t see from the window. Hefting what looked like a heavy clay dish with a thick lid, he moved over to the large wood fire ovens along the back wall, and grabbed one of the heavy steel doors, swung it open, and placed the ceramic into the opening. Once the door was closed he grabbed a bowl and a couple plates and seemed to be preparing some other items. From a heavy metal pot over bright coals he ladeled something into a bowl before preparing something else on a side plate. Once he had finished after a couple minutes he returned to the oven, reopened the door, and with his bare hands retrieved the ceramic dish. Setting it down on the workstation, Drysi could see Rodney lift the lid and then with a spatula scooped a hearty slice of steak and kidney pie. Plates and bowls in hand, he returned to the window to put them on Drysi’s tray.
“Alright, young Miss. Here ya go. In the bowl is a cream of leek and potato soup. Beside it is an arugula salad tossed with sherry vinaigrette, red onions, and a smear of tart cherry compote on the plate; because a growing lady needs a balanced diet. The main attraction is, of course, your slice of steak and kidney pie; locally sourced with highland cattle sirloin, and the freshest of lambs kidneys from a village not twenty miles from here. You will notice on the plate I also included a small side of blistered shishito peppers topped with some toasted almonds, goat cheese, and an apple cider gastrique. Eat your fill kiddo, and let Ol’ Rodney know if ya still have room for dessert.”
With a warm smile, Rodney waved to Drysi as he donned a pair of work gloves and returned to his work station. The tray in front of Drysi was as fragrant and well presented as her lunch had been. The soup smelled warm and comforting, a slight tanginess in the scent of the cream suggested it had been made using some of the same goat cheese Rodney had topped the peppers with. The salad looked crisp and refreshing. The handful of small thin peppers were blistered over open flame, and with its toppings gave off a sweet and well rounded earthy spiciness that heightened the smell of her primary target. The wedge of pie still maintained a beautifully flaky hand rolled crust that Drysi could see had a decorative top layer of Celtic braids and oak leaves; and the filling had tender looking morsels of beef, slices of kidney, sauteed onions and garlic, and a thick gravy that smelled of rosemary, thyme, and tarragon. Off to her side, she saw a small alcove filled with various pitchers and glassware. The drinks provided ranged from water and milk, to a variety of fruit juices, coffee, tea, cocoa, and in a section labeled Sixteen & Older were flagons of ale and wine. Once her choice had been made and her tray was in hand, she could find a place to sit. At which point Drysi would see a young female druid, probably only a little older than she herself was, waving her over. She looked to hail from India and wore the cloak of one from the Eighth Circle. She was sitting with a couple other druids from various circles. A sage, a somatic, a healer,and even a keeper. All around the same age.
“Hey hey! New girl! Want to come sit with us?”
[The Keep] Walking to Skye
Re: [The Keep] Walking to Skye
”Is it that obvious?”
Gideon pressed his head against her jaw, ”Your jumping and jittering at everything, so you don’t look exactly comfortable with your surroundings; moreover, your cloak’s brown and clearly custom-made. Everyone seems to be wearing their circle-colors of something a little more plain.”
Drysi puffed her chest out at the mention of Laoise’s handy-work. The initiate had been terribly proud of her ceremonial gift, but it did strike her that she may have to exchange it one day for something a little more goldenrod. She eyed the hem of the hood for a bit of comfort as she considered the offer from the other druids. In her mind, she had planned to go into a corner and scarf down her artisanal gift of a meal as fast as she could so she could run off to the library.
”Give it a shot,” urged Gideon just as the word No began to form on her lips. ”the books will still be there when you’re done.”
The initiate took a breath, and walked over, sheepishly pulling her hood back. Her curly blonde hair spilled back over the fabric, and she tried not to stare too long at the steaming cup of cider she had plucked up from near the hot beverages. Willow wasn’t here to hold her hand, nor to make the introductions any easier.
“Thanks,” Drysi, doing her best not to sound too inconvenienced. Then, having heard it a little in her voice, she hastily took the nearest empty seat, and pressed into an introduction, “Drysi. Drysi Maelgwyn. I’m… I’m here on a visit with my master, Mr. Flynn. Ahm… Mr. Ruarc Flynn. So… ah…”
She hadn’t looked at any of them too directly yet, choosing instead to stare into her cup of cider, which she held with both hands, “ah… M’first day. Little overwhelmed.”
Then, she took a sip, “Uh… it’s a pleasure.”
Gideon pressed his head against her jaw, ”Your jumping and jittering at everything, so you don’t look exactly comfortable with your surroundings; moreover, your cloak’s brown and clearly custom-made. Everyone seems to be wearing their circle-colors of something a little more plain.”
Drysi puffed her chest out at the mention of Laoise’s handy-work. The initiate had been terribly proud of her ceremonial gift, but it did strike her that she may have to exchange it one day for something a little more goldenrod. She eyed the hem of the hood for a bit of comfort as she considered the offer from the other druids. In her mind, she had planned to go into a corner and scarf down her artisanal gift of a meal as fast as she could so she could run off to the library.
”Give it a shot,” urged Gideon just as the word No began to form on her lips. ”the books will still be there when you’re done.”
The initiate took a breath, and walked over, sheepishly pulling her hood back. Her curly blonde hair spilled back over the fabric, and she tried not to stare too long at the steaming cup of cider she had plucked up from near the hot beverages. Willow wasn’t here to hold her hand, nor to make the introductions any easier.
“Thanks,” Drysi, doing her best not to sound too inconvenienced. Then, having heard it a little in her voice, she hastily took the nearest empty seat, and pressed into an introduction, “Drysi. Drysi Maelgwyn. I’m… I’m here on a visit with my master, Mr. Flynn. Ahm… Mr. Ruarc Flynn. So… ah…”
She hadn’t looked at any of them too directly yet, choosing instead to stare into her cup of cider, which she held with both hands, “ah… M’first day. Little overwhelmed.”
Then, she took a sip, “Uh… it’s a pleasure.”
Re: [The Keep] Walking to Skye
The girl that had waved Drysi down practically slapped the table.
“I told you I heard right!” the girl said. Her round face was practically beaming.
“Actually no foolin’?!” asked the keeper, sounding excited. She was a teenage girl slightly older than the first, her accent sounding like she had just flown in from New York and her voice somewhat rough sound to it, as though she’d spent a chunk of her life yelling. She had very sharp features, an asymmetrical bob cut of jet black hair with an undercut, and icy blue eyes. “Yo’re the girl Black Staff Flynn took as an apprentice? Name’s Brooke Sullivan, pleased ta mee’cha Dryce.”
“Careful Brooklyn, you’re blushing,” spoke a boy on par with Drysi’s age who was sitting next to the American, he wore the Sages cloak; his accent suggested Belgian heritage.
“Can it, Goose!” Brooke donned a bulldoggish grimace as she planted a hand aggressively on his shoulder.
“I think it’s cute,” came a timid voice that was almost too soft to hear. It came from the visibly youngest member of the table; a young teen who looked to be from Central America, she wore the white robes of Circle Six. “Nice to meet you, Miss Drysi. I’m Lucia.”
“Why do I continue to sit with you guys?” the remaining member of the table spoke. A teen boy around Brooke’s age. The Somatic of Circle Two.
“Because you’re like a house cat, Vincent. You can act disinterested all you want, but still come around for food and ear scratches,” the first girl, the beastkeeper, chided as she leaned over the table and pinched Vincent’s cheek. The boy promptly swatted at her hand and pulled away, to which the girl sat back laughing. Settling down quickly, she turned to Drysi. “Sorry about the hectic introductions, Drysi. I’m Satya Mahajan, of Circle Eight. To do this proper…”
Satya cleared her throat and began to point at each member of the table in turn.
“Brooke, our resident Keeper; she’s from the Bronx, not Brooklyn. Lucia de León, an acolyte from Costa Rica; she’s living here with her uncle while she trains to join the Sixth…”
“Try and join, Satya,” Lucia interjected, looking a little bashful.
“You’ll get in, chica,” Satya smiled back. “The Sage Initiate is Gabriel Goossens; Gabe, or Goose, for short. And the sourpuss of the group is Vincent van der Meer; the first person since Chief Bombelles herself who thought joining Circle Two would be fun. Oh! Hey hey! Is that a tiger keelback snake? Probably doesnt need asking, but your familiar, right?”
Satya had leaned over to get a better view of Gideon as he sat near Drysi jawline.
“I told you I heard right!” the girl said. Her round face was practically beaming.
“Actually no foolin’?!” asked the keeper, sounding excited. She was a teenage girl slightly older than the first, her accent sounding like she had just flown in from New York and her voice somewhat rough sound to it, as though she’d spent a chunk of her life yelling. She had very sharp features, an asymmetrical bob cut of jet black hair with an undercut, and icy blue eyes. “Yo’re the girl Black Staff Flynn took as an apprentice? Name’s Brooke Sullivan, pleased ta mee’cha Dryce.”
“Careful Brooklyn, you’re blushing,” spoke a boy on par with Drysi’s age who was sitting next to the American, he wore the Sages cloak; his accent suggested Belgian heritage.
“Can it, Goose!” Brooke donned a bulldoggish grimace as she planted a hand aggressively on his shoulder.
“I think it’s cute,” came a timid voice that was almost too soft to hear. It came from the visibly youngest member of the table; a young teen who looked to be from Central America, she wore the white robes of Circle Six. “Nice to meet you, Miss Drysi. I’m Lucia.”
“Why do I continue to sit with you guys?” the remaining member of the table spoke. A teen boy around Brooke’s age. The Somatic of Circle Two.
“Because you’re like a house cat, Vincent. You can act disinterested all you want, but still come around for food and ear scratches,” the first girl, the beastkeeper, chided as she leaned over the table and pinched Vincent’s cheek. The boy promptly swatted at her hand and pulled away, to which the girl sat back laughing. Settling down quickly, she turned to Drysi. “Sorry about the hectic introductions, Drysi. I’m Satya Mahajan, of Circle Eight. To do this proper…”
Satya cleared her throat and began to point at each member of the table in turn.
“Brooke, our resident Keeper; she’s from the Bronx, not Brooklyn. Lucia de León, an acolyte from Costa Rica; she’s living here with her uncle while she trains to join the Sixth…”
“Try and join, Satya,” Lucia interjected, looking a little bashful.
“You’ll get in, chica,” Satya smiled back. “The Sage Initiate is Gabriel Goossens; Gabe, or Goose, for short. And the sourpuss of the group is Vincent van der Meer; the first person since Chief Bombelles herself who thought joining Circle Two would be fun. Oh! Hey hey! Is that a tiger keelback snake? Probably doesnt need asking, but your familiar, right?”
Satya had leaned over to get a better view of Gideon as he sat near Drysi jawline.
Re: [The Keep] Walking to Skye
The words just kept coming, and Drysi looked down at her food again as she tried to process the information and all their eyes. If anything, it made her appreciate Rodney's work all the more, but it gave her stomach more power to coax her hand to grab her fork and begin to eat. Sheepishly, she began with the meat-pie she had been yearning for since she saw it on Mr. Flynn's plate. Brooklyn had finished her own introduction by the time she managed to finally taste it.
Black Staff Flynn? I don't think I've heard that. Should ask later... Hm... She's pretty.
It was good. Too good. She cut off a piece of the flaky edge and piled more filling onto it like a little edible plate and shoved it in her mouth. With a hand over her mouth, to hide her teeth, she continued with small bites.
He's funny. Those two are a nice pair. No. No No No, don't start shipping people you've just met, Drysi.
Her three eyes bounced back and forth between everyone as she chewed, as if she were more in the audience, than a participant.
Adorable. Are all healers like that… I just wanna’ hug her… Ah… ah, he's the Mr. Flynn of the table… Handsome…
The rich flavor of the onions and beef flattened her mind to a neat line, and it made it easier for her to take in everyone's name and profession.
Drysi was the picture of the elegant 3rd Circle initiate, until Satya closed in to look at Gideon. The triclops’ unnaturally brilliant, emerald eyes widened, almost reflecting a green glow in their color as she began to lean back from the beastmaster. It suddenly occurred to her that she had tuned out the human element of these interactions. Satya was clearly the ring-leader, the strongest personality, and it radiated an intense warmth that Drysi was hesitant to bask in for no good reason except her social ineptitude. Despite this, she continued to eat as she considered what to say.
Gideon on the other hand, having been noticed, slowly coiled back around Drysi's neck, as if to hide. Then, he poked out the back of her hood of hair, and coiled back around again over the strands to show himself proper and take the social heat off of his druid. He turned, facing one of his eyes at the triclops, as if to urge her on.
"Ahm... Yes... He's a Tiger Keelback," the answer came very steadily after putting away a bit more meat pie, "and quite a wise one. His name is Gideon."
Gideon tasted the air, gently coiling the other way to display himself. "I've only had'm for a couple weeks now, only been an initiate for that long. I mean, Master Flynn's been overseein' my learnin' for a few months now, but, after all we've been through, he figured I was ready for somethin' like this. Still gettin' used to havin' a little friend in my head, but he's a sweet'un."
She gave Gideon an affectionate stroke on the head.
Black Staff Flynn? I don't think I've heard that. Should ask later... Hm... She's pretty.
It was good. Too good. She cut off a piece of the flaky edge and piled more filling onto it like a little edible plate and shoved it in her mouth. With a hand over her mouth, to hide her teeth, she continued with small bites.
He's funny. Those two are a nice pair. No. No No No, don't start shipping people you've just met, Drysi.
Her three eyes bounced back and forth between everyone as she chewed, as if she were more in the audience, than a participant.
Adorable. Are all healers like that… I just wanna’ hug her… Ah… ah, he's the Mr. Flynn of the table… Handsome…
The rich flavor of the onions and beef flattened her mind to a neat line, and it made it easier for her to take in everyone's name and profession.
Drysi was the picture of the elegant 3rd Circle initiate, until Satya closed in to look at Gideon. The triclops’ unnaturally brilliant, emerald eyes widened, almost reflecting a green glow in their color as she began to lean back from the beastmaster. It suddenly occurred to her that she had tuned out the human element of these interactions. Satya was clearly the ring-leader, the strongest personality, and it radiated an intense warmth that Drysi was hesitant to bask in for no good reason except her social ineptitude. Despite this, she continued to eat as she considered what to say.
Gideon on the other hand, having been noticed, slowly coiled back around Drysi's neck, as if to hide. Then, he poked out the back of her hood of hair, and coiled back around again over the strands to show himself proper and take the social heat off of his druid. He turned, facing one of his eyes at the triclops, as if to urge her on.
"Ahm... Yes... He's a Tiger Keelback," the answer came very steadily after putting away a bit more meat pie, "and quite a wise one. His name is Gideon."
Gideon tasted the air, gently coiling the other way to display himself. "I've only had'm for a couple weeks now, only been an initiate for that long. I mean, Master Flynn's been overseein' my learnin' for a few months now, but, after all we've been through, he figured I was ready for somethin' like this. Still gettin' used to havin' a little friend in my head, but he's a sweet'un."
She gave Gideon an affectionate stroke on the head.
Re: [The Keep] Walking to Skye
"Nice to meet you Gideon!" Satya said with a smile. After giving a quaint wave to the snake, the beastkeeper settled back to her part of the bench before taking a bite of a small savory smelling hand-pie. Lucia had begun leaning a bit over the table to get a better view, a look of wonder on her face.
“Ye’, tha’s a cool one,” Brooke added as she similarly settled back into her spot, her hand leaving Goose’s shoulder to grab what looked like half of a cup of ale. A moment later a rather surly looking tomcat wiggled its way onto Brooke’s lap from beneath the table. Its fur was a solid matte of bluish gray except for a zigzag of dark fur over its left eye, its eyes were light green and squinting in Gideon’s direction, and it looked like it had lost a chunk of its right ear. Brooke looked down at it and chuckled. “This is David Bowie. He looks meaner than he is.”
Bowie meowed sharply in response, making Lucia laugh. Goose turned slightly and seemed to rummage in his hood for a moment before extracting an oblong object that was black with gold speckles. It was a turtle shell, and shortly after the animal extended its head slowly to look at the scene outside. “This is Tucker. He’s a European Pond Turtle. Relatively common to the European mainland, but actually somewhat rare in Belgium.”
Vincent was minding his own business, and making a show of not including himself in the conversation; the backside of his black cloak seemed to begin shifting however, and shortly after the scrunched face of a monkey poke out from under his arm. It grinned a very toothy grin, and with smooth motions clambered out from under the cloak and sat on the bench beside the boy.
“That’s Desdemona; a barbary macaque, she’s the more personable one of the pair,” Satya was the one to give the introduction as Vincent instead pulled out a small notebook and began jotting down something. The girl then leaned close to Drysi and raised her hand to subtly whisper. “That’s his journal, he’s noting your name. Nothing weird, he just gets embarrassed when he can’t remember someone’s name.”
“No puedo esperar para conseguir una compañera,” Lucia said as she slumped onto the table a bit pouting.
“You will, kiddo, an’ it’ll be a fuckin’ rad one too, I bet,” Brooke offered as she idly scratched Bowie’s chin.
“It’ll be hard to compete with Satya and Aashvi,” Lucia moped as she rested her chin on crossed arms.
“It’s not a competition, priya,” Satya planted a comforting hand on the young girl’s head. Hand still on the other’s head, Satya returned to looking at Drysi. “So how’re you liking the Keep? Being a druid agreeing with you?”
“Ye’, tha’s a cool one,” Brooke added as she similarly settled back into her spot, her hand leaving Goose’s shoulder to grab what looked like half of a cup of ale. A moment later a rather surly looking tomcat wiggled its way onto Brooke’s lap from beneath the table. Its fur was a solid matte of bluish gray except for a zigzag of dark fur over its left eye, its eyes were light green and squinting in Gideon’s direction, and it looked like it had lost a chunk of its right ear. Brooke looked down at it and chuckled. “This is David Bowie. He looks meaner than he is.”
Bowie meowed sharply in response, making Lucia laugh. Goose turned slightly and seemed to rummage in his hood for a moment before extracting an oblong object that was black with gold speckles. It was a turtle shell, and shortly after the animal extended its head slowly to look at the scene outside. “This is Tucker. He’s a European Pond Turtle. Relatively common to the European mainland, but actually somewhat rare in Belgium.”
Vincent was minding his own business, and making a show of not including himself in the conversation; the backside of his black cloak seemed to begin shifting however, and shortly after the scrunched face of a monkey poke out from under his arm. It grinned a very toothy grin, and with smooth motions clambered out from under the cloak and sat on the bench beside the boy.
“That’s Desdemona; a barbary macaque, she’s the more personable one of the pair,” Satya was the one to give the introduction as Vincent instead pulled out a small notebook and began jotting down something. The girl then leaned close to Drysi and raised her hand to subtly whisper. “That’s his journal, he’s noting your name. Nothing weird, he just gets embarrassed when he can’t remember someone’s name.”
“No puedo esperar para conseguir una compañera,” Lucia said as she slumped onto the table a bit pouting.
“You will, kiddo, an’ it’ll be a fuckin’ rad one too, I bet,” Brooke offered as she idly scratched Bowie’s chin.
“It’ll be hard to compete with Satya and Aashvi,” Lucia moped as she rested her chin on crossed arms.
“It’s not a competition, priya,” Satya planted a comforting hand on the young girl’s head. Hand still on the other’s head, Satya returned to looking at Drysi. “So how’re you liking the Keep? Being a druid agreeing with you?”
Re: [The Keep] Walking to Skye
The break in Drysi's participation was a welcome moment to dig into her food, the more she ate the more she realized she was incredibly hungry. Constantly charging the chain for experimentation was more draining than she thought, she'd have to keep that in mind in the future. As the cat put himself up onto the table, the triclops was mid-chew, but she lit up at the fuzzy creature. Cats were cute, but she was also allergic to cat dander, so her parents would never let her have one.
Look at his face! He’s so cute!
Gently, Gideon slithered off from his perch on Drysi’s shoulders and set himself on the table. By this point, he had learned how to navigate her fairly well, and she had learned how to stiffen just enough to enable his movements.
A turtle… I suppose familiars can be all kinds.
The snake sat a spot just off the side of Drysi’s dish, and coiled himself, staring stiffly at David Bowie. His druid wasn’t sure what he was doing, but he seemed incredibly focused. Between eating and looking on at the next familiar to appear, she gave him an ameliorating pat on the head.
FOUGH my god, Drysi snapped up at the appearance of a monkey, and tugged up her shawl as she disheveled herself with a jump. All kinds. Ah, that reminds me, I should probably write all their names down too.
Her brows furrowed when she realized she had left her bag upstairs. Thankfully, she couldn’t dwell on it too long.
“Bein’ a druid? T’be honest I don’t even know if I can answer that yet,” Drysi replied honestly, clenching a few strands of her hair in place of her bag straps. “I was an inscriptionist about three or four months ago. Master Flynn doesn’ talk much of the order and my exposure over the last few hours has been a blur.”
The triclops pulled up a finger, “Met Mr. Willumson at the gate after I lost my lunch from my first magic hop.”
Then another finger, “Then I got lost, an’ bumped into Mr. Clarke; a fire of a man, he is.”
Then the middle finger, “Hustled back down tha’ stairs, did my interview with Ms. Mastrogiacomo; had my first project rated and got another task assigned to me.”
The ring finger came next, “Worked for about five or six hours…”
Finally, heaving a sigh that caused her glasses to slide down her nose, she gripped her pinky, “Now I’m here. Up an’ down, it’s been a day, and I’ve got a few hours of work before bed. Honestly, haven’ had time to think about it. Food's good, though.”
Look at his face! He’s so cute!
Gently, Gideon slithered off from his perch on Drysi’s shoulders and set himself on the table. By this point, he had learned how to navigate her fairly well, and she had learned how to stiffen just enough to enable his movements.
A turtle… I suppose familiars can be all kinds.
The snake sat a spot just off the side of Drysi’s dish, and coiled himself, staring stiffly at David Bowie. His druid wasn’t sure what he was doing, but he seemed incredibly focused. Between eating and looking on at the next familiar to appear, she gave him an ameliorating pat on the head.
FOUGH my god, Drysi snapped up at the appearance of a monkey, and tugged up her shawl as she disheveled herself with a jump. All kinds. Ah, that reminds me, I should probably write all their names down too.
Her brows furrowed when she realized she had left her bag upstairs. Thankfully, she couldn’t dwell on it too long.
“Bein’ a druid? T’be honest I don’t even know if I can answer that yet,” Drysi replied honestly, clenching a few strands of her hair in place of her bag straps. “I was an inscriptionist about three or four months ago. Master Flynn doesn’ talk much of the order and my exposure over the last few hours has been a blur.”
The triclops pulled up a finger, “Met Mr. Willumson at the gate after I lost my lunch from my first magic hop.”
Then another finger, “Then I got lost, an’ bumped into Mr. Clarke; a fire of a man, he is.”
Then the middle finger, “Hustled back down tha’ stairs, did my interview with Ms. Mastrogiacomo; had my first project rated and got another task assigned to me.”
The ring finger came next, “Worked for about five or six hours…”
Finally, heaving a sigh that caused her glasses to slide down her nose, she gripped her pinky, “Now I’m here. Up an’ down, it’s been a day, and I’ve got a few hours of work before bed. Honestly, haven’ had time to think about it. Food's good, though.”
Re: [The Keep] Walking to Skye
“Aye, Mr. Clarke is a good chap,” Satya agreed. “And that Roan is quite the looker.”
“The Ard Rhys,” Vincent corrected emphatically, “is the first Ard Rhys in six hundred years to have a clear vision for the future, and the determination to carry the Order into it.”
“Eh, there’s somethin’ ‘bout ‘im tha’ don’t sit right wit’ me,” Brooke threw in her two cents.
“How Brooke feels about Mr. Flynn is how Vincent feels about the Ard Rhys,” Satya whispered to Drysi. Just as it looked like Brooke and Vincent were going to get into a debate, the American quickly shifted her attention back to Drysi; seemingly sensing the mention of Mr. Flynn.
“So what’s training with Ru… Mr. Flynn like? Is it tough? How much of it is combat? Do you get to see him train?!” Brooke almost gasped. “Have you met the other members of the Menagerie? Have you got ta see them train?! I’m picturing like the Danger Room from X-Men? What’s Miss Kagami like? How…”
“Breeeeeeeeeeath, Brooklyn. Breath.” Brooke was practically leaning halfway over the wide wooden table before Satya met her in the middle and put a hand on her shoulder. “Sorry about that Drysi. Some of the younger keepers here treat stories from groups like the Menagerie as the next best thing to Marvel movies. Brooke here just so happens to have formed an attachment to your Master’s group. She even wanted to call our little study group The Menagerie.”
Vincent scoffed.
“But the name works! We’re all from different Circles. Even with Drysi sitting in it still works since we don’t have a Circle Three,” Brooke defended herself.
Meanwhile
“If she were a dog her tail would be wagging,” a smooth male voice sounded in Gideon’s mind. Its accent was fairly neutral, but the words felt silky and warm. Across the table and keeping Gideon’s eye contact, Bowie lounged and looked like he didn’t have a care in the world; except for his eyes which remained half closed yet unblinking, and their pupils were dilated to narrow slits. “How about your’s newbie? She seems pretty similar. Looks serious until something excites her?”
”David bothering you? He’s not as standoffish as he seems,” said another voice, this one a young boy’s; similar in age to Gideon. Tucker the turtle meandered around to Bowie’s front and settled down onto his plastron shell, and almost as though he were invited Bowie moved slightly forward to now rest on top of the smaller familiar. “And he’s really warm.”
”Let us know if you need anything dear, we familiars have each other’s backs,” came a woman’s voice with a curious accent. Desdemona waved to Gideon from where she sat. “You can call me Dez.”
“The Ard Rhys,” Vincent corrected emphatically, “is the first Ard Rhys in six hundred years to have a clear vision for the future, and the determination to carry the Order into it.”
“Eh, there’s somethin’ ‘bout ‘im tha’ don’t sit right wit’ me,” Brooke threw in her two cents.
“How Brooke feels about Mr. Flynn is how Vincent feels about the Ard Rhys,” Satya whispered to Drysi. Just as it looked like Brooke and Vincent were going to get into a debate, the American quickly shifted her attention back to Drysi; seemingly sensing the mention of Mr. Flynn.
“So what’s training with Ru… Mr. Flynn like? Is it tough? How much of it is combat? Do you get to see him train?!” Brooke almost gasped. “Have you met the other members of the Menagerie? Have you got ta see them train?! I’m picturing like the Danger Room from X-Men? What’s Miss Kagami like? How…”
“Breeeeeeeeeeath, Brooklyn. Breath.” Brooke was practically leaning halfway over the wide wooden table before Satya met her in the middle and put a hand on her shoulder. “Sorry about that Drysi. Some of the younger keepers here treat stories from groups like the Menagerie as the next best thing to Marvel movies. Brooke here just so happens to have formed an attachment to your Master’s group. She even wanted to call our little study group The Menagerie.”
Vincent scoffed.
“But the name works! We’re all from different Circles. Even with Drysi sitting in it still works since we don’t have a Circle Three,” Brooke defended herself.
Meanwhile
“If she were a dog her tail would be wagging,” a smooth male voice sounded in Gideon’s mind. Its accent was fairly neutral, but the words felt silky and warm. Across the table and keeping Gideon’s eye contact, Bowie lounged and looked like he didn’t have a care in the world; except for his eyes which remained half closed yet unblinking, and their pupils were dilated to narrow slits. “How about your’s newbie? She seems pretty similar. Looks serious until something excites her?”
”David bothering you? He’s not as standoffish as he seems,” said another voice, this one a young boy’s; similar in age to Gideon. Tucker the turtle meandered around to Bowie’s front and settled down onto his plastron shell, and almost as though he were invited Bowie moved slightly forward to now rest on top of the smaller familiar. “And he’s really warm.”
”Let us know if you need anything dear, we familiars have each other’s backs,” came a woman’s voice with a curious accent. Desdemona waved to Gideon from where she sat. “You can call me Dez.”
Re: [The Keep] Walking to Skye
”Hello.”
The snake, seeming satisfied, coiled himself a little more tightly and rested his head on himself.
”I am Gideon, but you all know that already,” he explained, speaking quietly and evenly as he was apt to do, ”Thank you for your druids being welcoming to Drysi, and for you welcoming me. She has had a hard time these last few months… as far as I know… but she doesn’t reach out and talk with people as much as she wants to. Ever since she took her apprenticeship, people have become less important, even more now that she is a druid of the 3rd Circle.”
Slowly, he scanned over them, and realized that, for once, he also had a small group to confide in. It was a new feeling. ”I don’t see a familiar for Satya.”
Hearing other people talk about the Menagerie was different here, Drysi thought. When it happened among friends at Safeholme, they all could speak personally of their experiences with each member. Out here, they felt more like celebrities than real people, more ideas and ideals than real mages. She realized that she, in fact, had met every member personally at one point or another. She knew most of them.
It filled her with a smug sense of importance that she felt ready to wield.
”Careful,” warned Gideon.
”Stop that! What are you even doin’ down there, anyway?”
”Chatting with the other familiars.”
”You can do that!?”
”Apparently.”
Drysi was learning something new with every passing minute, it was making her head spin.
“I can understand that,” she answered, finally, adding with an aside and a small smile, “I am of the third circle, by the by, but… Mr. Flynn… The Menagerie? Ruarc Flynn… Riley Erin Alstad… Jane Smith… Kagami Miyuki… Mr. Caxton… Well… They’re all just teachers to me. Save for Ms. Alstad, she keeps to her own, but her girl goes to the school so she makes herself known. They don’t train together. As far as I know, they’re more like cats, they are. Only gathering in one place when there’s trouble. Mr. Flynn crafts his own gear and spells, but prefers the life a Sage, I think. Ms. Alstad, she’s quite mysterious, but there’s too much in her eyes for her not to be doin’ things. Ms. Smith only rides out when there’s trouble, otherwise, she’s more concerned about her ranch whatever trainin' she's got my girlfriend doin'. Ms. Kagami… I don’t think I know her quite as well, but I’ve been told she’s being allowed early retirement from the JSDF for her service.”
Then, there came that smug smile again, which she shadowed behind her shawl, hiding the shine of her sharp teeth. “But! I have trained with Mr. Flynn, mind you, even fought dangerous cultists with him. In fact, one of my most recent breakthroughs came from helping Mr. Flynn channel his signature Dragon Fire spell to defeat an especially dangerous mage.”
She left out the parts where she nearly died and it had been a grueling fight for their lives, but, looking back, it was pretty cool.
The snake, seeming satisfied, coiled himself a little more tightly and rested his head on himself.
”I am Gideon, but you all know that already,” he explained, speaking quietly and evenly as he was apt to do, ”Thank you for your druids being welcoming to Drysi, and for you welcoming me. She has had a hard time these last few months… as far as I know… but she doesn’t reach out and talk with people as much as she wants to. Ever since she took her apprenticeship, people have become less important, even more now that she is a druid of the 3rd Circle.”
Slowly, he scanned over them, and realized that, for once, he also had a small group to confide in. It was a new feeling. ”I don’t see a familiar for Satya.”
Hearing other people talk about the Menagerie was different here, Drysi thought. When it happened among friends at Safeholme, they all could speak personally of their experiences with each member. Out here, they felt more like celebrities than real people, more ideas and ideals than real mages. She realized that she, in fact, had met every member personally at one point or another. She knew most of them.
It filled her with a smug sense of importance that she felt ready to wield.
”Careful,” warned Gideon.
”Stop that! What are you even doin’ down there, anyway?”
”Chatting with the other familiars.”
”You can do that!?”
”Apparently.”
Drysi was learning something new with every passing minute, it was making her head spin.
“I can understand that,” she answered, finally, adding with an aside and a small smile, “I am of the third circle, by the by, but… Mr. Flynn… The Menagerie? Ruarc Flynn… Riley Erin Alstad… Jane Smith… Kagami Miyuki… Mr. Caxton… Well… They’re all just teachers to me. Save for Ms. Alstad, she keeps to her own, but her girl goes to the school so she makes herself known. They don’t train together. As far as I know, they’re more like cats, they are. Only gathering in one place when there’s trouble. Mr. Flynn crafts his own gear and spells, but prefers the life a Sage, I think. Ms. Alstad, she’s quite mysterious, but there’s too much in her eyes for her not to be doin’ things. Ms. Smith only rides out when there’s trouble, otherwise, she’s more concerned about her ranch whatever trainin' she's got my girlfriend doin'. Ms. Kagami… I don’t think I know her quite as well, but I’ve been told she’s being allowed early retirement from the JSDF for her service.”
Then, there came that smug smile again, which she shadowed behind her shawl, hiding the shine of her sharp teeth. “But! I have trained with Mr. Flynn, mind you, even fought dangerous cultists with him. In fact, one of my most recent breakthroughs came from helping Mr. Flynn channel his signature Dragon Fire spell to defeat an especially dangerous mage.”
She left out the parts where she nearly died and it had been a grueling fight for their lives, but, looking back, it was pretty cool.
Re: [The Keep] Walking to Skye
”Brace yourself,” Bowie said as he finally blinked. Almost immediately afterward Brooke’s hand hit the table beside the cat with enough force to jostle her mug of ale. The oldest member of the group appeared to be having a hard time determining what to say next, or even to breathe for that matter as a series of partially formed breathy syllables drifted from her mouth. Everyone at the table looked at Brooke; except for Bowie who looked exasperated. This time it was the cat that extended a paw and placed it on Brooke’s hand rather than Satya. Brooke stopped and took a deep breath. She didn’t speak, and instead looked to be thinking.
”She has about seventeen questions that she’s ranking to decide which to ask first,” came Bowie’s play-by-play.
“You’ve seen Mr Flynn in battle; how would you describe his technique?” Brooke started, her tone sounded intentionally paced. “Also, girlfriend, hey? Right on.”
”She’s practically screaming about how much she wants to ask if Ruarc and Jane were ever a couple. Since apparently if the apprentices are dating, clearly the masters must be.” Bowie physically rolled his green eyes.
”As for Aashvi, Miss Satya’s familiar, she’s too big to fit in the Keep unfortunately,” Tucker began answering Gideon’s observation. “She stays over in the stables with the other large familiars. She’s really warm too.”
”If you want to meet her, I can carry you and the others,” Dez spoke up. ”We go and visit every once in a while to keep her company.”
”She has about seventeen questions that she’s ranking to decide which to ask first,” came Bowie’s play-by-play.
“You’ve seen Mr Flynn in battle; how would you describe his technique?” Brooke started, her tone sounded intentionally paced. “Also, girlfriend, hey? Right on.”
”She’s practically screaming about how much she wants to ask if Ruarc and Jane were ever a couple. Since apparently if the apprentices are dating, clearly the masters must be.” Bowie physically rolled his green eyes.
”As for Aashvi, Miss Satya’s familiar, she’s too big to fit in the Keep unfortunately,” Tucker began answering Gideon’s observation. “She stays over in the stables with the other large familiars. She’s really warm too.”
”If you want to meet her, I can carry you and the others,” Dez spoke up. ”We go and visit every once in a while to keep her company.”
Re: [The Keep] Walking to Skye
Brooke was intense, as the smack was enough to make Drysi nearly jump out of her skin. She immediately found what Gideon was warning her about as she watched the American quiver like she was going to explode. Gideon and Drysi exchanged glances as the situation came to a simmer.
"His technique?" the triclops looked as though she were going to fumble the first question, but she pulled out her phone. She looked as though she were checking something, "Master Flynn practices a contemporary style, blending the use of runes into a type of traditional spell-casting."
A finger shot up sharply, indicating she wasn't done. "His style is aggressive for a traditional battlemage, but less aggressive than classically trained close-combat keepers. He has a tendency to maintain the middle range, forming the line between rear-line casters and front-line adepts."
Another finger raised, indicating she was not taking additional questions yet. "Foxwell indicates that a mage is often influenced more by his peers and workplace, than his school of magic. Thus, Master Flynn is possessed of an adaptive, generalist style in order to quickly flex to changing requirements, and gives him the appearance of a regular mage, rather than a simple rune-amplified druid."
Calmly, and primly, she set her hands down on the table, folded. "Because of this, he is unlikely to be bogged down by patterns, or situational requirements. His strength is speed, striking early, hard, and precise, then changing his footing based on the enemy's response. He will keep the attention of the enemy at the mid-range while more specialized mages carry out their work. If you want to know more, I am writing a paper on the modern techniques of Keepers and using my Master as juxtaposition snd example."
"Drysi, can I go to the stables," asked Gideon, right as she finished her dissertation. It snapped Drysi right out of her confident pose, as she stared aghast at her snake with the thought he would go somewhere without her.
"But-- You can-... You can-'t go somewhere without me, can you?"
"I think so. I want to meet others like me."
It struck Drysi that the familiars were having a type of conference, and Gideon was fully participating. He was also taking these things in, not just as a new visitor, but as a new being. Despite that, he had waited in the room with her for hours instead of indulging what she was now recognizing was his curiosity. Reluctantly, she was acknowledging that Gideon wasn't just a pet, but a partner in this.
"O-okay," Drysi nervously acquiesced, feeling four layers of anxiety build upon her shoulders. A couple layers fell off when she saw him spin around with an energy she had never seen before.
"Can we go now? I've only ever met one other familiar, but she seems to prefer a human form these days." asked Gideon to the others, looking at them with that even, side-eyed stare.
"His technique?" the triclops looked as though she were going to fumble the first question, but she pulled out her phone. She looked as though she were checking something, "Master Flynn practices a contemporary style, blending the use of runes into a type of traditional spell-casting."
A finger shot up sharply, indicating she wasn't done. "His style is aggressive for a traditional battlemage, but less aggressive than classically trained close-combat keepers. He has a tendency to maintain the middle range, forming the line between rear-line casters and front-line adepts."
Another finger raised, indicating she was not taking additional questions yet. "Foxwell indicates that a mage is often influenced more by his peers and workplace, than his school of magic. Thus, Master Flynn is possessed of an adaptive, generalist style in order to quickly flex to changing requirements, and gives him the appearance of a regular mage, rather than a simple rune-amplified druid."
Calmly, and primly, she set her hands down on the table, folded. "Because of this, he is unlikely to be bogged down by patterns, or situational requirements. His strength is speed, striking early, hard, and precise, then changing his footing based on the enemy's response. He will keep the attention of the enemy at the mid-range while more specialized mages carry out their work. If you want to know more, I am writing a paper on the modern techniques of Keepers and using my Master as juxtaposition snd example."
"Drysi, can I go to the stables," asked Gideon, right as she finished her dissertation. It snapped Drysi right out of her confident pose, as she stared aghast at her snake with the thought he would go somewhere without her.
"But-- You can-... You can-'t go somewhere without me, can you?"
"I think so. I want to meet others like me."
It struck Drysi that the familiars were having a type of conference, and Gideon was fully participating. He was also taking these things in, not just as a new visitor, but as a new being. Despite that, he had waited in the room with her for hours instead of indulging what she was now recognizing was his curiosity. Reluctantly, she was acknowledging that Gideon wasn't just a pet, but a partner in this.
"O-okay," Drysi nervously acquiesced, feeling four layers of anxiety build upon her shoulders. A couple layers fell off when she saw him spin around with an energy she had never seen before.
"Can we go now? I've only ever met one other familiar, but she seems to prefer a human form these days." asked Gideon to the others, looking at them with that even, side-eyed stare.