Question Faolan 5: The Pearl of Truth

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Wednesday March 28, 2007
Whateley Academy
Melville Cottage
6:15 AM EDT

Oh wonderful, my jailer is awake! Once again I get to be tortured with watching the world from behind her eyes; what I would not give for just a moment's freedom rather than watching my tormentor dangle it in front me by letting me watch what I can never have- just like always. Granted now I get to see a lot more than I used to, it is a little foggy as if it happened a long time ago, but I remember a time when my jailer was a lot more powerful than she is now. Back then she rarely went anywhere unless it was to do terrible things to people or reward them if they amused her, almost as if people were just toys to her.

Now that I think of it, she still treats people as if they are toys to play with, although because of all the power that she has lost the cruel games that she plays on people are a lot more limited. I guess it also does not help that there are girls around this place where we are now that are almost as pretty as her- some even more so; there is also one lady here that is so pretty and powerful that I can feel my jailer burn with envy whenever she's around.

Those times make me wish that I had my own voice to sing in joy whenever those moments happened and as well, as sing the praises of this Fey that my jailer's comrades call the jailer burner. Note that I do not use the word friends, not that I am unaware of what that word means, I most certainly am, but because my jailer does not really have any. Of course she does not seem to want any real friends either, from what I can tell her comrades want people to worship and fear them like they used to a long time ago, from what I have seen everyone is better off without that going on.

Sometimes I remember a time when my jailer and her comrades lost their power; still that memory is a little hazy mainly because that I can recall is being trapped in this dark and lonely place for what felt like forever. Of course, that darkness ended when my jailer awoke again in a body that was a lot smaller and weaker. The first part of this awakening was fun for a while it was like my jailer be a prisoner just as I was, of course as her new body grew it became far less of a prison and then it was back to watching her live through her eyes. At least the sights and sounds were far more exciting; man must have advanced a long why without the jailer and her ilk holding them back.

At least I learned a lot through my jailer's eyes and ears, if I ever escaped- well- I could hardly imagine just what I'd do if I was ever out, like that would ever happen. Not that my jailor cared, of course from what I knew she was unable to care about anyone but herself, that was hardly surprising she still treated people like toys. Even today just like any other, she went about her routines with minor deviations, seemingly oblivious to my torment.

Why can I not be free like all the others that I see every day? Why must I be forced to watch another live out first one life and then another? What did I do to deserve such an act of cruelty such as this? Why can I not look at a face that I could actually call my own? Just what am I? Who am I? Will I ever learn the truth?

---

Crystal Hall
8:04 AM

As much as I like the fact that the quality and variety of the classes at Whateley are compared to those back at my old school, there is one major fly in the ointment here, the math classes weren't the watered down joke that they were back home- at least that was how they seemed that way now that I had something to compair them.

Now don't get me wrong it was a good thing that the teachers here actually had a passion in what they taught to the other students well except for Dr. Filbert Quintain, the word around the campus is that he actually makes Ben Stein seem passionate. Boy am I glad that he was full up this semester, although since it was a Freshman requirement as unpleasant as Health-class was back home that meant that I needed to make special arrangements.

This meant that I had to do the course reading in addition to that for my other classes and study the notes from a student aide, and I would be called in to the testing center in Beck periodically to take a specially made test to show that I was doing the work. Also since my skills in English were found to be on par for my grade level they replaced my Freshman English class with Powers Lab.

"It's weird Randi this is the first time that I think that I've seen you study." Erze pointed out as she saw me pouring over my books and papers.

"This isn't studying this is practice," I explained without looking up from the exercise in masochistic-mathematics that was trinomial equations. "Jane helps me study since our link helps me memorize the material better, at least when it comes to reading."

"Wouldn' that be considered cheatin'?" Steve asked with a touch of disapproval in his voice. "Making her do your work for you I mean."

"I do not do Randi's work I just read the books and send her the memories of doing so," Jane explained from her perch on my left shoulder. "I do not interpret the material for her or do her assignments for her, she has to do those on her own, and according to the Mystic Arts Department as long as she does the actual classwork it is about as fair as Exemplars making use of their photographic memory. Also this way she actually retains the knowledge far better since it goes straight to her long-term memory rather than risk being forgotten in her short-term memory."

"Sort of like a neural jack download," Buck Swift commented steadily approaching the territory of drama mode once again. "I have considered doing so myself think of the possibilities of saving time by downloading things into your mind rather than watching them, why the possibilities are- oww! Why did you do that Murphy?"

Joanne smirked as she opened the textbook that she just hit Buck with back up before explaining, "To stop that chain of thought before you went and did something stupid again, you're no surgeon let alone a brain surgeon, doin' something like that is liable to kill you or leave you paralyzed. Not to mention if it does work what are the chances of you accidentally downloading a computer virus into your brain and turning you into a rutabaga. Honestly Buck, its things like this that makes me wonder if you devisors substituted your common sense for superpowers."

"Joanne it is the nature of the human condition that once one acquires power it often overcomes one's natural faculties." Froggy began to explain in his usual British manner. "That is one of the many reasons that we are at this institution to help dispel our fantasies and return to reality so that we can gain control of ourselves and hopefully thrive outside in the real world."

"If only the people in the rest of the world did the same, we would probably all be better off." Kerry muttered going over her notes from Practical Mystic Arts.

"If people were like that maybe the Baltimore PD might have sent a hostage negotiator to calm me down instead of siccing the Knights of Purity on me." Jamal grumbled about his manifestation over Christmas, "If not for Chaka and Bladedancer I would be another stain on the concrete for city sanitation to fuss over."

"Still a little jealous that they're taken?" Regina asked as she stared at Jolt with a knowing expression.

"Yeah," Jamal said as he deflated, "Although I can't say that I'm surprised. I still can't believe that Bladedancer's in a three-way relationship in high school."

"Just don't get any idea Sparky," I smirked at my friend. "The chances of a relationship like that working out are slim, and Bladedancer is connected to the guiding force that balances destiny and fate. I wouldn't be surprised if it was what influenced the separation between her and the Kimbas so that she could focus on her own group. Besides, you might still have a chance if you're patient. Just remember this is high school. I mean what are the chances of someone hooking up with their soul mate on the first try?"

---

Northland Restaurant
Berlin, New Hampshire
7:02 PM

Within the private booth at the Northland, the view was amazing and the sunset was spectacular, all things said it had been a wonderful moment for the couple sharing the table. They were a couple who despite their lengthy separation unwanted had stuck together baring some flings of the ladies that the gentleman seated with her could hardly fault her for, after all ladies had their needs and he was hardly there to satisfy them. Still at long last they had been reunited and were determined to remain that way for a long time.

"So Titus my love, how was the lobster?" Nicoletta Sera inquired of her date a warm smile gracing her veneer.

"It was no where nearly as exquisite as your company my dear." Baron Astio, the newest seated member of the Obsidian Circle stated as he tenderly kissed his girlfriend's hand. "But it will suffice as a decent repast for this lovely occasion. Still as wonderful as this evening is, I could not help but wonder what could be keeping our guest for the evening?"

"I have no earthly idea my love," Nicoletta stated with a modicum of concern. "She is usually so punctual about her appointments, some would say almost neurotic about being on time."

"It is rather frustrating though, as delightful as the thought of experiencing a mundane youth with both you and the majority of our children is, I still have a vital mission for The Circle to complete." Titus sighed at the memory. "I have used my powers to search every inch of the campus and have still yet to locate our objective. We know from our intelligence that the item is at the academy but even after searching every hidden or classified and unwarded location I have yet to turn up a single clue."

"Do not worry my love," Nicoletta said as she gently covered Titus's clenched fists with her own hands. "The Bishop is never wrong, it is there just... obscured, as soon as our contact gets her we can find out more information and gain another clue to the item's hiding place."

At least the empty time was not a waste, the two reborn monsters of Greek Myth and Legend decided just to sit back and enjoy the beautiful sunset that New England decided to provide them with. Five minutes after the burning sun drifted below the horizon and gave way to radiant twilight the waiter interrupted them, "Young sir and madam your guest a Ms. Amos is here to see you."

"Then please my good sir, show her in." Titus said as he sipped from a glass of sparkling cider to wet his palate. Soon the two secret heavyweights of the Grand Hall of Sinister Wisdom saw their guest, Natalie Amos, or as she was better know amongst the Grand Hall and the supernatural hero community when in costume as Miseo one of Mistress Nyx's elite operatives known as The Erinyes. The Erinyes comprised of Miseo along with her sisters Skleeros and Ekdikeo and they had quite the reputation not only for their power and ruthlessness, but also for their procession and effectiveness.

"I apologize about running late; my taxi from the airport had a flat- must have picked up a nail somewhere." The lilin masked as a human woman stated before turning to the waiter. "Now my good sir I shall try the cedar pecan-crusted salmon, with braised asparagus and grilled scallions, and I believe a nice glass of Pinot Noir to drink- the house's recommendation of course."

"Very well madam," the waiter said with all the well-mannered and polite courtesy of a seasoned professional. "I shall I shall present your order to the chef at once."

After the waiter was out of sight, Miseo took a small prism out of her attaché case and placed it in the center of the table that she now shared with Astio and Lamia. All three of them touched the privacy crystal, one of Mister Domino's most vital contributions to the Obsidian Circle; mainly due to the fact that it let undercover operatives meet in public and disguise the full details of their missions without spies or eavesdroppers being an issue.

"We understand that you are having a great deal of difficulty locating the Pearl of the Orient," Miseo stated to Astio the focus of the meeting clear and upfront.

"Yes I have searched everywhere on campus, even in the off-limits areas," Astio began to explain to the lilin. "Bishop Brimstone said that he could detect that it was brought to Whateley within the last three years and that it periodically leaves campus during certain times of the year. We have checked about those times in question, they are always on the weekend, school breaks or during the summer; this means that the item in question is most likely in the hands of a student or a member of the faculty, so it shouldn't be in one of the more heavily warded areas."

"Bishop Brimstone has further narrowed his search for the Pearl, we now know that the Pearl has been with its current owner for nearly three millennia and that it's owner is unaware even now that they have it in their possession." Miseo began to explain the Circle's findings on the item in question, "This should narrow down your search considerably."

"Yes we already know that the first owner of the Pearl of the Orient fled to the Mediterranean Sea from a colony of Eastern Court survivors during a war with the same tribe of rogue djinn who King Solomon later sealed." Astio mused over the information that he already had about his objective. "I doubt that they would have hidden on land so this means that the current owner of the Pearl found it during the Bronze Age in the Mediterranean and if it has stuck with them this long without them knowing about it, then it is likely within their astral shadow."

"Tell me Miseo," Lamia said breaching the conversation. "Just what is the Pearl of the Orient, my beloved Astio is not allowed to go into details about it since it is his assignment and mother will not tell me anything about this so just what is the Pearl of the East?"

"The Pearl of the Orient is the unhatched granddaughter of the Last Crowned Triton King of the Eastern Court by his eldest daughter." Miseo said with as little flair as possible, "The true known Triton King was Apsu who ruled a kingdom of refugees safely located in a now buried inland sea that lies in the center of what is now Iraq and was once called Mesopotamia. Sometime over the course of his reign he came into conflict with a semi-nomadic tribe of djinn, he tried to make peace with them but they murdered him during the negotiations and the rest of his kingdom went to war with the tribe."

"When the war broke out Apsu's queen, Tiamat sent her daughter (and the pearl's mother) Princess Thalatté to hide with the Pearl somewhere in the Mediterranean Sea as a contingency plan. Supposedly when the child within the Pearl is born she will have the ability to resurrect Prince Qingu, Apsu's son who fell in the war before he could be properly crowned as a Triton King."

"Not to mention that the child will also be one of the four maiden's who are foretold to restore the links between the Center Court and the rest of the Five-Fold Courts." Astio explained, "While having her finally born into the world would be a great boon to our plans, securing her loyalty to the Circle by lineage would place us in an advantage for establishing the foundations to our final agenda. The real trick though will be to exorcise the Pearl out of the carrier's astral shadow and into reality."

"There is a way to do that, but you would need the assistance of another party." Miseo explained as she produced a folder from her attaché case handed it to Astio. "One of our spies obtained information on a freshman student who arrived at Whateley alongside yourselves this spring. If you are able to obtain the girl's cooperation her abilities should enable her to bring the Pearl out of its astral hiding place that of course is provided that you are able to discern the identity of the carrier."

"Ordinarily I would have to do a little research; however given the information I have with what you have just provided me gives me a good idea of just where to start looking." Titus stated as he considered some old acquaintances of his on a very short list of suspects. "I also have a few ideas of people that I can use to retrieve the item for me once it is uncovered."

"Just remember it would take someone with a great deal of power that is solely of the Center Court to awaken the Pearl and allow it to hatch. Having the Eastern Maiden loyal to the Circle would be a great boon to our future endeavors; thanks to that bungling fool Plagiat we lost out on our chance to gain such influence on the Western Maiden when she was born after we acquired your current body. The Northern Maiden, though she was the first to be born into her role is out of our reach, and remains obscured behind a heavy ward of protection by none-other than the Wayfarer and the likelihood of The Circle gaining any sort of influence on her is all but nil. Fortunately, by an odd stroke of luck it appears that the Southern Maiden will be born into our own ranks from the very beginning, all we need there is to allow natural parenthood to take its course."

---

Friday March 30, 2007
Poe Cottage
6:00 AM

I woke up from this wonderful dream that I was having involving half of the girls that I knew on campus just having fun at a nude beach in the French Riviera on a gorgeous summer day. It was stellar, nothing but sun, sand, fun, laughter, and unclad beauties to make the scenery even more incredible. Of course this couldn't last forever, ♫Messenger of fear in sight, Dark deception kills the light...♪

If you're confused, you see last weekend Candace found an mp3 alarm clock on sale at a Radio Shack in Berlin and picked it up. Naturally, she downloaded the songs from her miniplayer onto it and set it to wake us up in the morning unfortunately it was all trash metal. Wouldn't you know I moved onto the other side of the cottage to get away from Phase and her assault by Brass Monkey tearing through the wall every morning only to move in with a Metallica fan, don't you just love irony. "Yeah shred those chords K-man!"

I sighed as I got up and gathered my kit for the morning shower line. Candace may not have my tastes in music but at least she appreciates the quality of what she likes, of course, Jane and I did put up soundproofing wards on our walls- no sense in giving Tempest something else to bitch about after having a gender-bender in lesbian land. I still couldn't believe that she labeled our dorm room the Yiffing Room Candace and I were not a couple, not that she isn't a fine piece of tail (literally and figuratively) but I just didn't feel that way about her.

Sadly I was still trying to figure out who I was as a person (with Doctor Bellows counciling) while I admit it I had more than my fair share of thoughts about my friend Kerry, but the sad fact of the matter was that I was a coward. Yeah that's right I said it, when it comes right down to it I Randi Patricia Bridges am a coward, I just value the friendship that I share with Kerry too much to risk losing it on behalf of a stupid high school fling that was likely not to go anywhere. *Sigh,* This sucked worse than combat training with Morrigan, at least that was over in two hours but I still felt better by morning.

As I walked into the shower room I beheld a sight that made me silently thank Candace's choice in music, right as I was getting in line Nikki Reilly was exiting shower greeted me. The sight of the naked dripping wet potential Western Queen, would have made Botticelli's Birth of Venus green with envy, then again Nikki made the real Venus aka Cytheria's looks pale in comparison; knowing that probably makes the winner of the Ms Olympian (yes I caused the Trojan War to win) Pageant all Wicked Queen inside, maybe Majestic too since her 'husband' is known for trying to sleaze his way into any bed he damned well pleases. I just wish that something would cheer Nikki up- she just hadn't been the same since Aunghadhail's passing.

"Hey leg-humper," Sharisha snarled behind me snapping me out of my wandering thoughts. "Quit holding up the line either get your flea-ridden carcass in the shower or let someone else have a turn!"

I took that as a cue to go to the first open shower, now don't get me wrong I love trading barbs with the PMS-Avenger as much as the next person, but I have a test in Algebra during fifth period. I needed to get to Crystal Hall early enough to eat and quiz myself, lunch just was never long enough to do that and still touch base with my friends. Whateley proof positive that just because you can shoot lightning out your nose, that it doesn't mean that you can avoid learning about how to solve algebraic equations. Besides I needed to keep my grades up, regardless of any destiny that I may have later in life, my parents would make my life in the meantime a living hell if I didn't go to college.

Besides despite a large number of students who seemed to come here with dreams of super-heroics or costumed villainy, most of them took a while to realize that folks like Gizmatic and dare I say it Lady Astarte were the exception not the rule. Plus every hero needs a day job, and I should know I have met every current member of the newly reformed Dallas Defenders and every one of them had a job outside of the spandex and trench coats. Pero del Fuego even told me up front that it should be a requirement for every hero to have a job, especially since they helped maintain one's sanity no matter how mind-numbing they were.

I exited the shower stall clean and refreshed and let über-bitch take it over, things around campus have been really sedate lately, nothing really bad has happened at Whateley since the last attack by the Winter Court, it gave me ample time to keep up with my school work, and my extra-curricular activities. Okay there was keeping Bloodwolf from attacking Heather but that problem was over before it started. There was also the tragedy of Aunghadhail finally joining her late peers in the here-after thanks to Hekate's final surprise; Morrigan however told me that was sadly inevitable but it wouldn't change the threats from the Twin Courts of Faerie.

That was the real Blade of Damocless, right now the Summer Court was laying the groundwork for their attempts at Nikki now and from I had heard their tactics were a lot different from Winter. While winter worked in nastiness and brutality, Summer from what Morrigan told me specializes in duplicity and deals that are horrible if you take them, a lot of people seem to forget that most of the time the prettiest things in nature are also the most toxic.

I just hope that I'd gotten in enough practice for the test today, math was always my weakest subject and the teachers here didn't water down the difficulty so that Little Johnny the star quarterback could stay on the football team and let his washed up dad relive his youth through him. Really the PTA back home has too much power to abuse and not enough common sense, of course it doesn't help that most of the parents on the board never grew up they just grew older.

This truly sucks for those of us who stayed out of the honors programs and meant that we would wind up getting bushwhacked by serious math programs when we went to college. At least by taking classes here at Whateley I could hope to undo the damage by the time that I graduated and Heather probably had a better chance than I did. Maybe I should see if I could schedule a session with Kayda- it was still hard to believe that the Teaching Assistants to three programs lived on my floor.

After brushing my teeth, paying particular attention to flossing my slightly more prominent canines, I headed back to my room to get ready. By the time, that I was dressed and ready for the day hurricane Candace buzzed in and did in seconds what took me five minutes. "Rasafraken speedsters, don't even realize how lucky they are. Come on Candace we better hurry before all of the good stuff is gone, and before you think of zipping right over there the flag is yellow right now. The supply trucks must be here making their drop offs early today."

"Ah man, I hate the tunnels." Candace began to groan at the thought of having to hide underground for the day; she really seemed to love the outdoors. "At least you can hide your tail mine's too bushy to do that!"

"You mean Crux still hasn't made any headway on those notes that I gave her on glamour amulets?" I asked somewhat concerned at this bit of news. "I gave her the notes and materials two weeks ago!"

"Glamour whatsit's?" Candace asked as if I was talking Esperanto to her face. "Would this be one of them?"

I observed as my roommate pulled a pewter talisman on a leather chord from her desk and explained. "Honestly I didn't pay too much attention when Sophie was explaining these things; I thought it was just some tacky magic jewelry."

I began to groan at this little fact, "Jane," I said as I turned to my familiar partner who was now awake and done grooming herself for the day, "Would you care to explain this one?"

"Certainly Randi," Jane replied in her usual proper British tone, "Candace what you have in your hands is a glamour amulet, in simple terms it would mean that if you wear it other people who do not know you would perceive you as normal. Strangers would not notice your ears being different or the fact that you possess a tail, which is as long as you wear it upon your person or they do not see you donning it."

"Really! Cool!" Candace said as the put it on, "Maybe the gang and I could use it to go to Boston this weekend, say would you mind coming with your friends it would be a blast."

"Um probably not," I said as I remembered the hassle a few other students from Poe had in Bean Town recently. "Besides third week of classes is usually when teachers begin the first wave of tests, math always seems to strike first, and I have that today or do you think that just because she's not in this state that your aunt doesn't get your report card?"

"Ugh thanks for reminding me!" Candace all but glowered as we left our room with Jane resuming her post on my shoulder, "You know Randi for someone who says that she's half fairy you're a real buzz kill."

"That's faerie not fairy, I'm not eight-inches tall, I don't have insect wings and you can't kill me by saying that you don't believe in me." I snarked as we made our way down the stairwell. "Just remember this don't count on what you learned from Disney movies to prepare you for dealing with fae folk, they censored those stories for modern children- real deal are a lot nastier. Remember ogres, goblins, and a lot of other nasty things are also faerie, I suggest that you read a book from the library on them if we're going to be roomies, I've already pissed off a few members of the Winter Court and am likely going to do the same to Summer before the semester's over. And FYI I was a major buzz kill back when I was normal too."

"Maybe I should ask Riptide if she'd switch with me." Candace grumbled as we prepared to leave Poe.

"Yeah right," I scoffed with a smirk on my face. "Like Rip would give up the chance to see Bugs get hot and sweaty working on her latest invention." Soon as those words left my mouth, I observed Candace's eyes get that far-away look as she pictured the bodacious devisor from Vegas at work. I shook my head as my roommate tried to keep from drooling while we headed to breakfast.

---

The Quad
7:13 AM

Outside in one of the benches of the Quad, in front of the elaborate fountain adorned by a statue of the Academy's original founder Noah Whateley was Titus Bannon. There was a little time before class started and if he cut it a little too close to class time for this appointment he would just assume the form of a wind elemental and get over to his science class in Dunn Hall.

Fortunately he did not have long to wait, barely a minute had gone by when the bizarre yet exotic Atavis exited Crystal Hall and walked up to the bench where he sat. "Meradee told me that you needed to talk with me about a matter of some importance." The oddly beautiful chimera explained. "Well technically it was Jackie who was in charge at the time, still without splitting hairs, what is it you wish to discuss?"

"Straight and to the point I like that." Titus said with a smile as he tossed her a crystal that she caught invoking the privacy crystal's spell. "I have heard it through a source that your eyes can see things as they truly are, no matter how hidden."

"Correct Typhon," Fullanah stated as if it were a matter of common knowledge. "I can also see that your body is not your own and was actually dead for a brief period."

"Do not worry about those matters, the original owner is perfectly fine in his new life," Titus stated glad that the privacy crystal protected his secrets from prying ears.

"I know that much, I have seen her here on campus." Atavis explained.

"I would not be surprised." Astio said with a smug expression, "My associates and I are more than aware of that fact. What concerns me is something that I cannot find, a name that is hidden within someone that does not belong to them in any sort of fashion."

"What would you like me to do about this matter?" Atavis asked curious about where this conversation was headed.

"I would like you to use your eyes to search the individuals who are on this list during lunch." Astio explained as he handed Atavis a piece of paper that had been rolled like a scroll.

"Why do you need me to do this?" Atavis asked as her sight told her that the boy before her had an ulterior motive that he was trying to conceal from her. "If you refuse to tell more or try and lie to me then you can forget about me helping you with this matter."

"Very well," Titus stated as he tried to mold the truth in a manner that would best work in his favor. "My sources have informed me that someone on campus unknowingly harbors an unborn being within their astral shadow that they had secreted onto their spirit during a past life. I belong to a certain group that would like to see that being born into this world and able to go about living its life. All we need you to do is use your sight on the people on this list and if you see an odd name clinging to them that is not their own to call it out and free that being, fate will take over from their and ensure its birth without any further intervention needed on your part."

"Very well I can see that you are still keeping things secret however every word that you have spoken is also the truth, very well I shall assist you in this endeavor." Atavis stated as she stared the youngest of the Obsidian Circle right in the eye with the words seeming to carry extra weight from beyond even her form. "However know this; if you are doing this to bind this innocent to your order's will, then I shall make your suffering a thing of legends."

"What we intend of her could hardly be considered binding beyond making her indebted to us for her freedom. As for the matter of your threat, the depths of my suffering are already the thing of legends, it continues even now although I do my best to try and ignore the matter." Titus said with a hearty chuckle, as he became one with the wind and literally vanished into thin air.

---

Crystal Hall
11:47 AM

"Hmmp, awfully smug not studying when you have a test in two periods are you not." Radu stated with his usually grouchy expression.

"I've been studying for the last few days Konrad," I explained as I looked up from my notes from Criminology. "If I try to over cram at the last minute all that will wind up happening will be me psyching myself out with confused information in my short term memory that will get in the way of what I already have down. Besides I have a test in Police Procedures on situation codes and proper responses Tuesday, and Kerry and I both have one in Practical Mystic Arts on Monday."

"Ugh, don't remind me," Kerry groaned as she starred at her own notebook. "All that information on essence interaction with the environment is mindboggling."

"Honestly, I fail to see what is so hard to understand about how mana interacts with the atmosphere and the biosphere," Jane stated as she looked up from her birdseed and grit. "Now the lithosphere on the other hand, that is where it gets truly confusing."

"Easy for you to say Jane," Kerry said as she glared at the stormcrow. "Remember you're a storm elemental you were born having to know these interactions like we had to learn how to walk. For the rest of us this stuff is hardly second nature, well maybe except for the faerie-"

"Nope we have to learn it too," I corrected Kerry's train of thought before it ventured into jealousy territory. "Plus I am still learning how this all relates to my innate elements, why else do you think that I made my mana rifle to simplify spell-casting for me."

"Speaking of which I remember you were saying about making a pistol version," Erze said chiming into the conversation. "How is that project going?"

"Not so well," I sighed slightly deflated. "I have everything finished but I need to find a new inscribed sterling silver pin to finish it. I mean I know that the pin itself would not be too inexpensive, heck it would only cost me about five or six bucks and I could order one from one of the places over in Boston. The problem is the inscribing; the process of mystically inscribing something on metal is tricky, it isn't like carving out a new spellshell it takes some techniques that I don't know how to do by myself just yet. Morrigan helped me out with the first one but she insists that I take care of this one on my own, she says that it's 'a good learning experience for me' and I don't want to bother Cailin with this since Morrigan expects me to do it myself."

"I thought that you were planning to take the one from your rifle and replace that with a mithril one, why don't you just do that?" Kerry said somewhat curious at the response.

"Morrigan told Eldrich and Silver to turn down any commissions for one until I pass practical mystic arts as well as advanced spell-weaving next semester." I stated clearly, as I looked up from my notebook where I had been writing down proper responses for various police situation calls for authorized heroes based on levels of local cooperation. "She says that until I do that I'm not ready to handle that level of spell-slinging, especially if I need my mana rifle to do it. Plus I would also need to add a containment ring to rifle barrel to prevent accumulated stress from repeated use at those high levels from blowing it apart in my hands."

---

Elsewhere on the other side of the cafeteria Faolan's roommate Quickvix was busy trying to salvage their little trip to Boston tomorrow, and was running into the same sort of problems that Randi had warned her about earlier. The reason being that her friends were also caught up in studying for their first wave of tests.

"I don't think that this would be a good idea Candace," Sophia explained. "Remember we have that test in Biology on Tuesday."

"And unless you have forgotten we also have an Algebra test on Monday in Dr. Winslow's class." Richard stated with his usual emphasis on responsibility. "As does Rex so you should think twice about trying to sneak off campus with him, because I doubt that we would be allowed a pass to Boston this weekend anyway."

"Don't be too upset Candace," Max said trying to calm their group's resident party girl down. "Maybe you could go and do something in Berlin instead."

"And do what- there is nothing decent playing at the movie theaters and aside from a stuffy old theater the city has no nightlife to speak of that anyone who doesn't go to Berlin High School knows about." Candace groaned at the realization that another weekend was ruined.

"We could always go out for a date," Rex brought up strongly hinting his interest. "There are a few restaurants in town."

"A date without a dance floor or a live band is a date for old folks," Candace stated as she gave her wannabe boyfriend a withering look to let him know that he had just landed himself in the doghouse.

"I am uncertain of that," Flora Sera observed with a wistful smile. "Sometimes a quiet time with just you and that special someone and a special magic happens all on its own."

"Ooooh, it sounds like someone will be enjoying one of those boring restaurants with young Mister Weatherson this weekend." Asklepian cooped at the words that came from their group's friend from Sicily as her serpentine tail wagged in anticipation. "Will it be an afternoon picnic beside Dead River, a woodland stroll through Jericho Mountain State Park and watching the sunset off the lake? No- wait- don't tell me, a nice candle-lit dinner for two in Mellville catered by one of our grand academy's own talented master chefs, I hear that they really work some magic when they are allowed to strut their stuff and show just what they can do."

"No kidding Sonia," Max said with a smirk on his face. "Anyone who's walked near the Kimba's table when Phase starts to eat knows just what they are capable of. Honestly the noises that come out of that- guy when he begins to eat give me flashbacks to childhood."

"Is that the reason that I hear that you wear earmuffs to bed?" Richard asked his friend, "I thought it was because the place that your family moved to in Pittsburgh was near the railroad tracks?"

"You get used to the 11:23 after a month or two Rich," Max explained. "But no kid wants to hear noises coming from their parent's room at night that should be reserved for the monkey cages at the local zoo."

"Ugh!" "Come on man we're eating here!" "How Crass!" "TMI Gilison! TMI!" "Gahh! Mind's eye! Mind's eye!" All around the table, almost everyone was recoiling from that little piece of information, except for Rex.

"Say Candace," Deuce whispered across the table to Quickvix. "How much you want to bet that we could top that easily?"

Unfortunately her glare told him that not only was he still in the dog house with her, but after that comment he had better invest in a cot and some warm blankets to go with the accommodations.

---

Meanwhile in the food-line below Cytherea of the New Olympians was at her wits end, in between her a small line of boys of her and a tantalizing lemon chiffon tort that she charmed a man on the staff to make for her, was Atavis. This was one of the newest additions to the Whateley student body, a girl who while heavily GSD'd somehow looked elegant and almost natural. She was a four-way fusion of bird, lion, dragon and girl in a rich, vibrant, and almost regal color pattern, and most galling of all, completely immune to her charms.

"Why should I get out of line?" the Atavis inquired in her usual way while she cafefully got her measure of number four on the list that Titus Banon gave to her. "I thought that the purpose of a line was to be polite and wait one's turn?"

"Child- surely you are aware of to whom you are speaking," Cytherea replied exuding glamour to the point of driving more than a few of the men in line ahead of her into an almost primitive, apelike froth. "I am Cytherea of the New Olympians; lines are for lesser individuals such as yourself, now do be a dear whatever you are and stand aside."

"It's weird that you call yourself Cytherea but I see other names attached to you." Atavis said in a manner that unnerved the avatar of the Greek goddess of love especially how the mishmash seemed to stare right through her.

{"So you are aware that the name of my group bares a certain extra weight,"} Cytheria said as she began to speak in Ancient Greek to Atavis hoping that this would cause the child to submit to her whim. {"That is all the more reason for you to clear out of the path of the Sea-Foam-Born Goddess."}

"No it's not those names," Atavis replied still unshaken by Cytherea's display of will-bending power, "I see another one attached to you, it's faint like it's not supposed to be there, it's hard but I can make it out. I think it says Alethia."

When Fulanah said this phrase Victoria Donovan fell to the ground crying in pain as she clutched her abdomen. All around students rushed towards her in concern all the while Cytherea was in distress from the swelling that she felt in her side.

"Please someone contact Doyle." Atavis told one of the servers in the lunch line, "Tell them that they need to bring a stretcher." The volunteer at the lunch line ran to do just that, all the while worried that this might be a sign of appendicitis or worse still food poisoning.

---

Specimen Isolation Room
Doyle Medical Center
2:37 PM

It had taken the doctors in Doyle quite a while but Victoria Donovan was now stable and resting in the recovery room. Honestly it wasn't everyday that Dr. Raul Tenant had to perform surgery on an exemplar, it was a good thing that they had a sterilized negation collar to temporarily nullify the girls advanced self-recovery ability so that they could extract the problem properly rather than having to rush like on one of those hour-long television medical dramas.

As for just how the object in question got into Ms Donovan though, that was the real mystery. All that happened prior to the girl collapsing in pain was by all accounts an entirely verbal confrontation with another student, and it couldn't have been a magic attack from the girl. Atavis the student in question was an Exemplar/Energizer with a case of severe Gross Structural Dystrophy and no memories going back further than a few months, not a trained warlock with the ability to fling curses on people or a Warper who might be able to teleport or phase an object inside of them.

This was beginning to turn into a real mystery and Headmistress Carson was headed over any minute with a few members of the Mystic Arts Department and a pair of consultants from ARK to investigate the object they had extracted from the young lady. Of course the object in question was an oddity in and of itself, just how did a pearl the size of a baseball suddenly appear inside a girl in the span of a second perfectly enclosed inside a cyst so that the regenerative properties of an exemplar's body did not reject the object's mass. It was a shame that he had hadn't been able to conduct more tests prior to the operation, he could have gotten quite the paper to the medical journals out of this event.

He hoped that the school had the sense to secure something like this properly, much like the massive mound of gold donated to the Homer Gallery by Gabriella Guzman, a precious gemstone of this size and apparent perfection would likely trigger a moment of greed in a hapless individual. Dr. Tenant was under no illusions that occasionally valuable pieces went missing on campus, and not always by a student trying to make their way into the glamorous carrier of costumed villainy.

"Well Dr. Tenant, I am sorry for tacking so long however I had to wait for our guests to arrive." Ms. Carson said as she entered the room with Circe and Ms. Redstag along with two experts who arrived from ARK. "I believe that you already know Circe and Morrigan from our Mystic Arts department, and these gentlemen are Professor Jeff Chamblee and Professor Jeremy Easton from the Arkham Research Consortium. Now is this the object that you extracted from our student this afternoon?"

"Yes Ms. Carson, and I hope that you fine people can shed some light on this, because I cannot find anything odd about the object myself." Dr. Tenant explained indicating the pearl. "By all accounts it appears to be a perfect pearl; approximately seventy-five millimeters in diameter, and that should not make any sense. When I did some research on pearls of this size that have been discovered, all of them appear so grooved, pitted, and lumpy that you do not even need a magnifying glass to see it. But I have used our equipment here to visually examine it down to five-thousand times magnification and still cannot find a single flaw."

"Remarkable!" Professor Easton proclaimed as he approached the gemstone in question. "And you say that this came out of one of the students here, is the child in question a manifestor of some sort or a mage?"

"No Professor Easton, the young student in question, a lady known as Cytherea is an Exemplar/Empath." Ms. Carson explained as Circe and Morrigan began to examine the pearl from a distance with their magic. "And there is no indication of how it came to be inside her body, by all conventional knowledge foreign material such as this would be forced out by the faux-regeneration trait that all exemplars possess."

"Doctor Tenant's earlier claims appear to be correct," Professor Easton said as he looked up from the device that he had been using to scan the pearl's surface. "As near as I can tell the object is a perfectly formed spherical pearl. Moreover, that doesn't make any sense because even small natural pearls have flaws on them that occur during the secretion and hardening of the nacre, this pearl was manufactured in some manner before it came to be in Cytherea."

"It is magic," Circe explained as she drew the attention of the rest of the room. "Although I do not recognize the resonant magic that went into crafting the pearl in and of itself, I do recognize some of the signs of how it came to be in Cytherea, there deep echoes of astral energy on the gem, I suspect that it had been hiding inside of Cytherea's astral shadow for some time. The pearl did not just appear inside of Cytherea it was on her person for a very long time, something that happened today must have pulled it from of its hiding place in the girl's astral shadow and into the physical world."

"I do not claim to have anywhere near the expertise that my colleague Circe has over astral matters, that area of expertise always was my brother Greyback's territory." Morrigan began to explain, "However I can offer some insight on the pearl's origins. The mana weaves that I detect went into its construction are complex and ancient, they also follow a style that I have not seen in ages. The pearl itself appears to have been created several thousands of years ago using the style of mystic spellcraft that was taught in the schools of magic in the Eastern Court of the merfolk. While the purpose behind its construction eludes me at the moment, I can detect that no intentions of malice went into its crafting. Taking this into consideration the pearl itself holds no danger to the Academy or anyone here in and of itself and should be safe to handle. Still for obvious reasons I think that an artifact of this magnitude should not leave campus, at least not until the full mystery behind it's manufacture becomes apparent."

"I think that I agree with you on this matter Ms. Redstag," Elizabeth Carson said as she picked up the pearl to look at it herself. "For the time being it would be best that we keep this in one of the storage areas in the Mystic Arts Department for further study, as well as safekeeping. Everyone please try to keep a tight lid on this, we do not want this type of information getting out on campus."

Unknown to everyone in the room the news about the pearl had made its way to numerous ears, many of whom had already drawn their own conclusions and plans. The Pearl of the Orient was about to become a hot commodity on campus, and only the events to come would show what would become of the jewel.

---

---

?
3:01 PM EDT

Where am I? Is the jailer dead again? Why can't I see anything? Why can't I hear anything? Why am I alone in the dark again? What is happening? Why do I feel weird? Hold on a moment! Am I feeling something other than emotions? No it must be my imagination running wild from- what is that term- oh yeah, sensory deprivation. Just what is going on?

---

Dr. Alfred Bellows Office
Doyle Medical Complex
3:17 PM

"Now Marlene during our last season we spent a great deal of time talking about your feelings for Ms. Atterberry," Dr. Bellows said as he began his season with the Goth known as Samhein. "Today however I would like to talk about your home life."

"There's not much to say, my mom raised me alone while running her accounting firm." Marlene Hollcomb stated while lying down on the couch before a look of concern crossed her face when Marlene inquired, "This is all confidential right?"

"Nothing that you say here leaves this room and I sweep for bugs before and after every session." Alfred Bellows replied to his patient.

"That's good- you see my mom is a Shifter too, although she just has the ability to adjust her hair and eye color, as well as her skin-tone." Marlene explained as she began to relax and finally reveal the story behind her home life to someone at the Academy. "You see before my mom started up her firm, she took a series of secretarial jobs to gain knowledge on the inner working of a number of the corporate giants during the late eighties. I also admit that at the time she did some things that weren't exactly legal, she mainly did this work under an alias while she was legally registered as a mutant under her real name, and she hid that she was a mutant when she was on the job."

"I also think that she might have used what she learned while working to conduct insider trading using her real identity in order to gain the start up money for her firm, although there's no legitimate proof of that happening. Anyway this continued for a number of years until she went to work for Walcutt International, there she caught the eye of the then president's son- Giles Walcutt."

"Now I have many things I could say about my mom, but her being a shameless flirt and a gold-digger are not one of them, she always prides herself on keeping her professional and private lives as separate as possible- Giles however from what I heard as well as learned since coming here- is a slime. You can look at the man's history, he goes through trophy wives at the rate of one every three to five years, and evidently he has a real wandering eye even when he is happily married. I read my mom's diary from back then and she kept a record of at least two affairs that he had with women working for him. Of course my mom turned him down every time he came onto her personally, which was until the 1990 Employee Christmas Party when she had a few too many to drink and then woke up in a motel with a killer hangover next to the sleaze."

"When she confronted him about it later he confronted her with the DPA file under her real name and accused her of attempted industrial espionage not to mention her of slipping him a roofie in order to force some money out of him via entrapment and fired her with the threat of getting the FBI and the DPA involved if the affair ever became public. Still with everything that happened, mom was still surprised when I came along next September. I was twelve before she finally told me the whole story, that trophy wife bit that I tell other people is actually what I grew up hearing before then."

"And how did that make you feel Marlene?" Dr. Bellows stated asking Marlene to elaborate further on her feelings.

"Well... it sucks of course, but to tell the truth it was actually a lot kinder than the honest truth that my father doesn't even know that I exist and treated my mother like a used rubber after he had his way with her. That's also the reason that I said I was a lesbian when I enrolled, you see I spent a lot of time around my mom's accounting firm when I was growing up, she tends to hire only women to ensure less distractions and inter-office affairs in the work place."

"Naturally whenever a client came over if it was some young hot-shot corporate executive trying to do business with our firm I saw how they treated the ladies who worked for my mom, it was horrible. Now I knew a lot of these ladies by name and for the most part they were a nice and friendly bunch of hardworking women who I admired a lot, I even baby sat for a few of their kids during junior high before I manifested. I know all men aren't that way, but after all of those years I just can't help but think of those sleazy executives when I think of boys. Still coming here to Whateley presented another challenge."

"Yes I would imagine meeting your half-sister who had your father's love would present a great deal of difficulty for you emotionally." Dr. Bellows said in observation ignoring the emotions radiating off the young lady to allow her to vent.

"Are you kidding? If someone like her was the result of our father's love I'm glad I was raised by a single mother with a real job!" Marlene burst out laughing. "No my only problem is that we look too much alike, I have to dye my hair black to keep anyone from seeing the resemblance, especially Tansy there is no telling how that girl would react if she knew the truth. To be honest I'm glad that until the incident this Winter that I was able to keep a low profile, I only wish that I had been- had been- had been able to talk Y'vonne out of tha- that- stupidity."

"Now Marlene we've talked about this," Alfred did his best to console the girl and keep her from lapsing into depression again. "You tried everything that you could to talk Miss Atterberry out of this course of action months before Miss Bridges arrived on campus. The sad fact is that her obsession over reuniting with Mister Darling drove her down a very self-destructive path, she likely would have tried anything to get him back."

"I know doc," Marlene cried as the waterworks began. "But I still miss her, I mean I know that she would have never really had feelings for me, but I still wish that she was here so that I could talk to her."

"That's perfectly fine Marlene," Albert Bellows said with a smile as he offered her the box of tissues from his desk. "It's feelings like that, which show we're human."

"Thanks doc," Marlene said with a meager smile as she blew her nose. "Can you pencil me in for next week?"

"Certainly Marlene," Dr. Bellows replied as he extended his hand to the young lady. "I'll send you an email with your appointment time, now please try and enjoy the weekend."

"I'll try doc," Marlene assured the man as she stood up and gradually walked out of her Dr. Bellow's Office feeling slightly better. "I'll try."

---

The Dark Room
Whateley Tunnels
3:38 PM

In the tunnels that wound under Whateley in one of the many hidden rooms down there, Astio and Lamia awaited the news that was coming to them. The Dark Room as it had been recently rechristened had been established by Erzebet Scratch's organization years earlier to serve as the base of operations for her current spy at Whateley. However, at present it served another purpose; as the Obsidian Circle's base inside of Whateley.

Although it wasn't as if Erzabet's current spy did not use the room, she still did so only now she served not only as her mother's spy but also that of the Obsidian Circle as well. "Baron Astio I have come to make my report on the status of the item."

"Proceed Ms. Nemo," Titus Banon stated as he continued looking over the texts before him related to the Eastern court and the Deep Ones.

"It was as you suspected sir," Sherry Colson explained to her mother's associate. "Cytherea's collapse was due to the reemergence of The Pearl of the Orient in this world. At present, the administration is unaware of The Pearl's full origins and purpose, however thanks to The Morrigan and Circe they are aware that it is ancient and originated in the Eastern Court. The administration plans to keep it in the Quarantine Room at Doyle overnight for further observation and then move it into the Vault tomorrow after a special containment box arrives from ARC tomorrow afternoon."

"Let me guess the package needs to be intercepted before that happens," Sherrie stated. "I am certain that I can get it away without anyone noticing."

"No Ms. Lanter," Lamia stated in a matter of fact manner. "While your powers should keep yourself unnoticed and let you slip in and out easily, The Pearl of the Orient is not that easy to transport unnoticed with your current skill-set, things of such importance once revealed have an annoying habit of resisting attempts to pull them back into the shadows. No matter how hard you try to sneak something like that out of the Quarantine Room somehow someone will notice. No we need a cat's-paw to pull this off."

"Lamia my dear, I do believe that your fellow Bad Seed Nephandus should have some expertise in these matters." Astio mused aloud. "Somehow he caught wind to my being a member of The Circle and is trying to quietly seek my approval without tipping off his fellow Bad Seeds, I believe that I can obtain a favor from him easily, tell him that he has my permission to make use of the Masterminds if he needs to."

"Might I suggest approaching Vamp as well Baron Astio," Ms. Nemo stated in her usual calm monotone. "Offering her the Obsidian Circle's protection from The Necromancer might work to gain her assistance as well."

"A good suggestion Ms. Lanter; however I think that young Ms. Carfax would like to avoid participating in anything of a felonious nature for the time being." Astio began to explain. "She is only here as a result of striking a deal with Boston's District Attorney; I doubt that she would appreciate anything that would jeopardize her only protection apparent protection from the Children of the Night as well as every group they have crossed over the years. This is especially true when the offer would be coming from another faction within the Grand Hall of Sinister Wisdom, not to mention a faction of which she would likely have little information."

Lamia decided that now was the time to add her own ideas to the pool as it were. "We could however use her reputation to our advantage as a distraction; drop a note to Captain Bravo or one of the similar screw-up heroes on campus that she will try to abscond with The Pearl and give it to The Necromancer in exchange for canceling his vendetta on her. Such individuals would likely be gullible enough to believe such a contrivance, especially when it fits in perfectly with their own preconceived notions."

"When should I deliver the message to the blockhead brigade madam?" Ms. Nemo inquired as she awaited further instructions.

"Well, considering that we do not wish for others to overhear and try to stop them or dissuade them of their endeavor, about twenty minutes before the transfer takes place." Astio replied. "That should be enough for those fools to get together and target Vamp, which in turn should attract security to their location and away from the transfer."

"Understood sir," Sherrie stated patiently. "Is there anything else sir?"

"No Sherrie, please enjoy the rest of the day, tomorrow is going to be rather hectic and you deserve to go and have some fun since I will be occupying so much of your weekend." Astio explained as he continued his studies on the Eastern Court.

---

Beck Library
3:47 PM

Ugh, that exam was hell; I wonder why I worked so hard to get placed out of remedial math in time for spring semester. Oh yeah- now I remember; I'm a big sister now I have to set a good example for Heather, or at least a better example than Chuck did for me. Okay to be fair Chuck wasn't always the horrible letch that he is now, he used to actually be a cool big brother, but sometime near the tail end of Junior High he changed and then started going out with his on-again off-again girlfriend Vanessa. I'm not joking she breaks up with him every few weeks then changes her mind and begs him to take her back. Back when I was Sean, it was annoying but now that I'm Randi I'm starting to find it insulting.

Don't ask me what he saw in that basket-case, from what I saw of her before I manifested she seemed to have some real issues, and there always seemed to be something off about her. Must have been the fact that her dad replaced her mom with a trophy wife back when she was eleven, after all that occurrence didn't seem to do Solange any good, although the fact that no one has seen her mom since is what made this even weirder.

"Hey Randi, the Boss wants to have a word with you." I turned toward the speaker and groaned, sure enough it was Badb in her little faux-Hindi girl form.

"Not now Badb, I am working, and Ms. Henderson does not appreciate idol conversation." I said to my familiar's very annoying mother in a hushed tone. "Now unless you want me to help find you something specific little lady, then I cannot help you."

"Little lady! I'm older than this language!" Badb barked back, "Morrigan needs to see you now, it's important!"

"Badb, I am not playing tour guide to another new citizen of the Wild Court, I am in the middle of working, now please leave and tell Morrigan that unless this will end the world before sunrise that it can wait until tonight's training session." I stated as I began to walk away while Billie stared at us from where she was busy reshelving in the Philosophy section.

"Fine but for that I'm going to ask that she makes Anu spar with you tonight." Badb stated as she smirked sadistically at me.

"She won't be available," I said grinning ear to ear as I patted Badb on her head like a little girl. "She has a date with Chet Haskins from Squad 3 tonight. Some of his squad was congratulating him and with these ears I can't help but pick up gossip, and I doubt that Morrigan will let you force her to cancel it with a royal order."

Now that her threat neutered, and that she apparently didn't have anything else to use as leverage to force me to obey her, Badb turned and stomped out of the room in a huff. 'Jane,' I said as I called out to my own storm crow familiar over our link from her place in our room.

Yes Randi, Jane replied as she looked up from my Intro to Criminology textbook. What is it?

'No offense to your family,' I admitted nervously to her as I got back to shelving the Anatomy and Physiology texts in the Medicine section. 'But your mother's a real brat.'

I know, Jane sighed as she got back to her reading. She has gotten even worse now that she's in her fifth childhood.

'Are you sure that she left her first one?' I asked as I continued working.

Sometimes I wonder about that matter myself. Jane confessed while terminating the direct mental link.

I chuckled at that comment as I continued shelving all the while, idly wondering just what Morrigan wanted to talk about that was so urgent.

---

Crystal Hall
6:17 PM

"So did you hear about Cytherea," Gina stated as she looked around the table. "She collapsed in the lunch room, they took her to Doyle and apparently they had to remove something."

"Five bucks says it was a hamster." Murphy stated off hand in a comment that made me chuckle, what the girl went through boys faster than my house went through two-ply after a trip to the State Fair."

"No I'm serious Joanne," Gina continued. "They had to go into surgery and everything."

"Ouch performing surgery on an exemplar, talk about a doctor's worst nightmare." I commented staring at Steve and Eddie, "I mean you guys are pretty tough and you heal fast, that would mean that would be a pain in the neck for a surgeon."

"I'm pretty sure that Doyle has one of those MCO inhibitor collars for medical reasons." Kerry stated only somewhat sure of her assessment. "I mean they'd need it for all sorts of power sets, imagine trying to use metal instruments on an electricity manifestor."

"Not to mention if a warper or a telekinetic woke up under the knife," Baird said as he shuddered at the possibilities of what could occur.

"Come on I am certain that the great medical professionals of Doyle had the matter well in hand," Buck said as he stood up. "Why I am certain that they have equipment on hand for every conceivable emergency!"

"I would imagine you would know better than all of us Buck," Joanne remarked with an impish grin across her face. "You've been in there more than anyone else at this table."

"So what Tim Taylor moment did the Boy of Tomorrow have in the Workshop today?" I inquired curious now that I no longer had to bear witness to his antics on the Range as I had this winter.

"You know how curious he was about your boots Randi," Joanne stated reminding me of how Buck had been eying them ever since I used them to perch horizontally mid-air on the roof of Shuster when the new students showed up.

"Yeah," I replied as I gave Buck the evil eye. "He kept trying to borrow them for analysis." Given what I had to pay for them and I don't want him messing them up by going all devisor on them and trying to use pseudo science to figure out magic.

"He tried to create an anti-gravity belt, not a harness just a belt." Joanne continued as the truth began to unfold.

"I have you know that my wondrous creation worked." Buck bellowed with a voice peppered with his usual drama. "Sure enough I did slip the invisible grip of the Mother Earth's bonds."

"Unfortunately he only had it designed to negate the earth's gravity." Joanne continued. "That meant that he was instantly attracted to the largest thing in the room."

"You mean that he flew right towards Tiny Tim," Erze guessed as she anxiously awaiting the conclusion of the story.

"No he fell into orbit around Tiny Tim and the button on his belt got stuck in the on position." Joanne replied, as her smile grew larger.

"My word good sir," Bob exclaimed in shock, "However did you extract yourself from such a precarious predicament."

"Why by using my scientific expertise to carefully devise a solution to my unfortunate predicament. Buck stated fanning the flames of his own ego while everyone at the table turned to Joanne.

"He yanked out the battery that powered the damned thing and fell on top of Knick-Knack and Mega-Death." Joanne corrected Buck as she filled us in on what really happened.

"I hope that it didn't cause poor Harv to have another Drick fit," Kerry recoiled with her voice full of genuine concern. "Seriously Buck you need to think things through, whatever happened to your jetpack?"

"I ran into difficulties with the inertial dampener." Buck explained to all of us.

"Yeah it canceled the inertia on the jetpack too, the silly thing wouldn't make it off the ground afterwards." Joanne explained. "Honestly you need to put in a little time in the G-Force simulator to learn how to take a few G's, pilots use them for a reason you know."

"Speaking of funny- Badb decided to pay me a visit while I was working over in Beck and demanded that I drop everything and come with her." I explained still a little exasperated by the affair, "She even had the gall to threaten me with another training session with Anu of all things. FYI Haskins of Squad 3 asked Gentle Annie on a date tonight, his fellow squad mates were really patting him on the back for having the guts to try."

"A'm concerned less with tha' man's courage an' more with his willpowah." Steve said with his Georgia accent shinning through.

"I hear you Steve," Eddie grimaced as he paused from his mountain of ravioli. "If he can just keep looking her in the eyes for half of the date it would be a colossal act of restraint."

"Ordinarily I might find that comment demeaning," Jane interjected bringing her own air to the conversation. "However considering how men are programmed to think by modern society you would be correct. Now Randi we should not tarry too long, as pushy as my mother is she did say that Morrigan wanted to see you about something."

"Hmm, I wonder if it had anything to do with Cytherea's surgery." Gina pondered for a minute, "I had heard that she was called over to Doyle with Circe this afternoon."

"If it has anything to do with that I'll let you all know at breakfast tomorrow," I promised as I gathered our dishes. "That is unless it's something that I'm not allowed to tell you all about."

"We understand, faerie secrets have to be purchased or earned." Kerry remarked with a bemused expression on her face.

"Geez Kerry that was a joke." I replied somewhat embarrassed that she was still bringing that little bit up. "When are you going to let it go?"

"Maybe after this Sunday," Kerry stated as she grinned from ear to ear. "After all your parents gave me plenty of ideas."

"Be afraid dear Randi Bridges," Jane warned from her perch atop my left shoulder as I nervously scratched my right-ear. "Be very afraid."

To tell you the truth I was, April Fools was almost here and not only was I in a cottage with Beltane, Chaka and Generator, but my mom and dad had given Kerry tips...I am so screwed!

---

Laird Hall
8:23 PM

I had to admit that Morrigan was getting a lot more experienced with her husband's temporal manipulation spell; she was actually able to condense the time for today's training from two-hours real time into one hour of real time stretched into five hours. Of course the whole mess was costing me big time, not money wise mind you just refueling I have always hated the taste of Gator-Aide™ it's always made me gag and it's been worse since I've manifested I had better start checking out their competitors.

"Well Randi- that should be enough for today," Morrigan said as she began to towel off although she hadn't even broken a sweat despite how long we'd been going at each other. "Your knife work is really beginning to show the sign of a seasoned veteran and your saber techniques are coming along nicely as well. Still I am slightly disappointed in that you after almost two months you still haven't been able to make an manifest a proper edge on Sydan."

"Are you sure that the trick is what Unfurth said it is Morrigan." I huffed as I began to towel off myself. "What if he was just pulling my leg, I mean I doubt the freedom would honestly be worth the price of a commissioned dwarf-forged enchanted sword."

"No Randi," Morrigan chuckled before taking a swig from a nearby flask. "Dwarves have too much pride as artisans to ever lie to a client about the quality of their work, if Unfurth claimed that is the trick to using it then that is the trick to using it. The fault is clearly not in the blade but in the one who wields it, you obviously need to find out what is holding you back from using Sydan properly. Because if you can honestly make the blade's sharpness as great as your willpower when you make use of it, then once you finally master the sword there will be nothing that you cannot use it to attack."

Honestly like that kind of information is a good thing, still it was time to get down to brass tacks about another matter. "By the way Morrigan, Badb came to pester me at work today, she said that you had something that you urgently needed to speak with me about."

"Not that urgently," Morrigan sighed as she sat down against the wall. "As you may have already heard Cytherea, the reborn Olympian deity Aphrodite, collapsed in Crystal Hall during lunch. The reason that this happened was that a pearl about the size of a softball manifested inside of her body and was pressing against several of her internal organs. After a surgical team in Doyle removed it Ms. Carson had Circe, myself and two experts from ARC examine the pearl to determine how it had gotten inside of her."

Morrigan paused to take another swig from her flask, damned the Phantom Queen loves her liquor then again Jane tells me that she has her own microbrew that she hidden somewhere on campus. "The boys from ARC told us that the object was a physical impossibility given that it was a perfect sphere, and way too dense to be a natural object. Circe scanned it with her powers and told us that it had been in Cytherea's astral shadow for quite a while before something that happened made it appear in the physical world."

"Hold on. I know what the astral plane is and astral beings but what are astral shadows?" I asked curious to learn more from my self-appointed mentor.

"An astral shadow is the presence cast by a living thing in the astral plane," Morrigan explained while going into lecture mode. "Most of the time it is just there but with training someone can learn how to utilize it to sense another beings presence or intent if they are in their immediate vicinity. There is also some literature, not written by myself mind you, that states that using it to affect things outside of itself is the source of psychic abilities but the jury is still out on that one. However it can be used to store objects, I do believe that the queen's protege uses it to store her favorite sword for example."

"Oh lord- you're telling me that hammerspace actually exists," I commented almost with a groan before turning to her with desperation in my eyes. "Whatever you do keep this a secret otherwise the Power Rangers will never leave you alone, maybe Chaka as well."

"They can ask all they want," Morrigan elaborated as she stared back at me. "I am a teacher after all; my job is to teach those who are willing to learn as long as it doesn't harm them. Of course, the fact is that I am not really that talented in its use, few faerie really are that is why we utilize items like your bag for example. However the important thing is that the pearl in question appeared inside of Miss Donovan's body rather than in her hand or nearby; according to Circe this means that the pearl was forced into her astral shadow without her knowledge."

"So she was carrying it around without knowing about it," I stated. "What's the big deal about that?"

"It means that someone or something went to a great deal of trouble to hide it where it wouldn't be found." Morrigan explained as she took another swing. "There are only two reasons why someone would do something like this, either they wanted to keep the item in question safe from someone who would misuse it, or they wanted to keep it out of the hands of the being that should be using the item. Also when I scanned the pearl I noticed that it was created using Eastern Court magics and this was the kind of magic that they used back prior to the Sundering."

"Wait a minute the Eastern Court," I said somewhat shocked knowing what I did from Greyback. "I thought that they were corrupted by the followers of the Old Ones like Dagon and turned into Deep Ones a long time ago- or are in the process of becoming Deep Ones."

"Almost all of them are...at least on Earth proper," Morrigan explained with a pained voice. "A number of refugees live in the Wild Lands of Faerie under the Wild Council's protection alongside the selkies in two colonies and others live under the protection of the Tianshin and Immortals in the Jade Heavens, but these days all of those who are left in the human consist of Deep Ones and people who are suffering from Innsmouth Syndrome...whether they are aware of it or not. Now the purpose behind the pearl itself eludes me, but all that I can tell so far is that it is not a weapon. Now you have told me that you have been able to get in touch with Greyback, I need you to touch base with him and find out if he knows something that I do not. Right now Badb is showing Jane everything that you need to know about the pearl and she will in turn relay that information unto yourself before bedtime, please we need to learn what you can as soon as possible."

"Still even if it wasn't a weapon wouldn't it be dangerous to keep a mystic relic on campus?" I asked out of concern besides just because something wasn't a weapon did not mean that it was not dangerous.

"The Pearl is being kept in a Quarantine Room at Doyle until a special containment case arrives from ARC sometime tomorrow afternoon," Morrigan calmly explained. "After that it will go inside of the School's Vault until further notice, which is why it is imperative that you contact Greyback post-haste!"

Okay it looks like I wasn't done with the Dreamlands just yet, still Morrigan had given me a pretty tall order, she expected me to locate Greyback over the course of a single night. Even if a night in the Dreamlands could last up to a century for an experienced dreamwalker, which I was most assuredly not, did Morrigan honestly have any idea just how massive the Dreamlands were I doubt that I could have found him the last time if he hadn't been expecting my arrival. One thing was for sure it was time to test out my pass to the City of Lost Dreams because if there was anyone who could help me find Greyback quickly and safely it was Queen Tiamat come to think of it she probably had a good deal of useful information too, I only hope that the price wasn't steep.

---

Goth Club Room
Whateley Tunnels
8:46 PM

"I knew having Marlene take that thread from Faolan's gi would pay off," Romulus proclaimed. "Thanks to Samhein we had a way of casting a surveillance spell to monitor her training sessions with Morrigan and it's paid off. We know that the big fuss this afternoon was over a Eastern Court relic, just imagine what we could accomplish with something that ancient."

"I don't think that this is a good idea Rom," Samhein stated as she was packing up her things to go back to Poe for the evening. "Nothing good comes from messing with things that powerful and ancient, believe me Y'vonne, Bernice and I learned that out the hard way when we meddled with the affairs of the Phantom Queen. Also all things considered the level of knowledge that we have about the Eastern Court ranks between slim and none, we would be wise to stay away from this until we at least know what we're messing with."

"Speak for yourself Marlene," Delve stated stroking Carcharoth's amulet. "I think that even if we don't use it right away we would still be smart to take it for ourselves, that way once we know what it does, we will have it on hand."

"So you see Samhein the majority rules," Romulus said with a smile. "We're going ahead with our plan, tomorrow before the transfer takes place we will strike and this Eastern Pearl will be in our hands to use when the time is right."

"Do whatever you want," Bernice said as she grabbed her bags. "The only reason I've stayed in this club was because it reminded me of Y'vonne, but if we're going to keep doing the sort of stupidity that cost Y'vonne her sanity then I'm out. You can keep my contribution if you want, the way those sparring sessions go she's going to have to replace that gi by April if not earlier."

After Samhein stomped out of the room, Remis looked at his brother who had become the defacto leader of The Goths since Bloodworm's abduction and stated. "Let her leave if she wants, if she doesn't have the drive to continue forward then we can do it without her assistance."

The rest of the Goths agreed with his statement especially Delve who knew through her amulet that her savior would want her to obtain The Pearl for Baron Astio, and that doing so would prove her usefulness as an agent of The Circle.

---

Mastermind's Hideout
Whateley Tunnels
9:50 PM

"I knew that remote nanoscopic surveillance drone would come in handy," Niles Ridgely said as he congratulated himself. Of course the real stroke of fortune was being in the library when Badb and Faolan had their little confrontation, the grand irony was that he had been in there gathering research on a paper that he had to write for his stupid required American History class on the colonial's policies towards the natives during the Nineteenth Century. Still while he was sitting down at a study carrel reading up on the Trail of Tears he couldn't help but overhear Faolan telling Badb that Morrigan could wait for their training session to tell her something.

Now he already knew from Jello how Morrigan and Circe had been called into Doyle after Cytherea's fit during lunch and that Ms. Donovan herself had to have something surgically removed, this meant that he likely had a prime time and place to gather information. All that he had to do was plant his surveillance bug on Faolan's person during dinner, it was easy enough since he just programmed it to head towards the nearest leather object when he released it when he walked by her ensuring that it would land on that choker that she always wore. Now the bug itself was set to broadcast ten-minute microburst compressed audio transmissions beginning at seven o'clock every ten minutes, and those in turn would be picked up by a receiver that he had hidden in his locker in Laird Hall which would then forward the transmission to his laptop.

The whole entire setup was cut and dry and it had worked, the only downside was that he had to share what he had learned with that she-male b!tch Phase. Still he was under orders to give her any intel daily by five o'clock in the afternoon, it was after five now and the transfer to the Vault would likely take place before that time tomorrow. All he needed to do was organize the Masterminds to steal the artifact before then and it would be theirs, after all, he was just ordered to share intel with Phase not his loot.

As for the loot itself while none of the Masterminds themselves were wizards and hell if he knew what this Eastern Court nonsense was, but there was a large number of potential buyers for mystic artifacts even on campus and not all of them were mages. He could even make a mint and garner some favors selling it to the New Olympians, surely those wannabe deities would want a mystic relic related to one of their core members returned. Stopwatch smiled to the point of beaming as he sent out an email to his fellow Masterminds for a pre-Breakfast meeting, tomorrow was going to be a very fortunate day for their future careers as super-villains.

---

Melville Cottage
10:26 PM

Don Sebastiano prepared to turn in for the evening somewhat thankful that recent circumstances afforded him a single, mainly due to the fact that after the truth about what he'd been doing to Cavalier came out no one wanted to risk falling asleep in the same room with him. He was just between the covers when his cell phone rang, picking the device up from his nightstand he saw that it was that number and anxiously answered the call after activating the bug scrambler and the signal tracers in his room.

"Greetings Sebastiano, I do hope that you were not asleep on my time."

Once again, the voice of Hekate's Master rang in his ears, the enigmatic being whose identity still eluded him, his last attempt to discover the mystery man's identity and get himself back into Ms. Hartford's good graces had lead to what appeared to be a dead end. "Of course not, now what can I do for you this fine evening?"

"I have felt an artifact of some mystic importance emerge at your Academy this afternoon somewhere near the center of the campus. I need you to acquire this artifact post-haste and deliver it to the cellar of the Old Whateley farmhouse in Dunwitch by nine o'clock tomorrow, you will find directions to the location in with Hekate's effects, and do not tarry."

"Certainly I will acquire the artifact in question for your collection." Don Sebastiano replied. "But certainly there are more convenient places for a dead drop?"

"This location is not for a dead drop nor do I want the artifact for my collection." The voice replied nearly seething with rage that Sebastiano would even suggest something so outlandish. "This is a retrieval and disposal mission, once you are at the site with the artifact you will turn it over to a minion of mine who will meet you and only you there."

The wheels in Sebastiano's mind began to turn as he could feel a plan coming together to get him out from under the mystery man's thumb. "Know this Sebastiano, I know how you think, should you attempts any treachery against me this time the consequences will be beyond your feeble imagination. Remember you are convenient to me you are not irreplaceable!"

"Understood," Sebastiano said slightly shook by the clear threat that he heard. "I will endeavor to carry out your request sir."

"No Sebastiano you will carry out my order, remember the Great Queen's former host is at present unaware over who informed the Necromancer of her plans in Boston that day, should she somehow discover the truth your future while grim would still far kinder than what I would have planned for you should you ever attempt to betray me."

The voice hung-up on the other end long before the signal tracker could determine the call's source. The Don understood his predicament, he had to follow through with this assignment no matter what, still it would be best to leave Solange out of this the brat was far too ambitious to be involved in such a vital mission. Still now was not a time for sleeping, he had to come up with a plan for tomorrow, and needed to get in touch with his contacts with Security to learn more about the item in question and discern its location to prepare his strike.

---

Saturday March 31, 2007
Kane Hall
1:53 AM

Now that B-Shift had retired for the evening it was time for Platoon 3 to begin earning their bonus pay, every member of the Platoon 3 who was not currently involved with monitoring the goings on of the campus were busy transmitting their reports to their various contacts. FBI, CIA, MI6, Mossad and every other intelligence agency on the planet was receiving there transmissions of reports from the corrupt security officers.

However there were a number of officers filing reports to less reputable organizations such as the MCO, the Syndicate, groups on campus or even the Academy's own rivals, officer Otis Simpkins was one of those individuals. In fact Simpkins contact with his secondary employer was even more dangerous, in addition to the data packet transmission they wanted to chat in case he left anything out or had special requests of him. Spying was one thing, even the current administration accepted the fact that they could not keep all things that happened at Whateley hush-hush, but this was extra-risky given what happened last Halloween.

This risk was further compounded on both ends given his the source of his extra-income had recently changed leadership, fortunately they hadn't decided to cancel their subscription to his services...yet. Still there was also the risk of them asking him to do something that would betray the academy itself, and that would mean that no matter what he decided one of his employers would likely declare him to be an unacceptable risk. If either happened this would likely wind up with his contract being terminated...permanently.

"Hello this is The Fool, I trust that you got the package, over." Simpkins said over the personal scrambled line to his main contract.

"Affirmative Fool we have received your package." The altered voice on the other end of the line state. "However we are curious about the results of the Cytherea incident."

"The full details of that incident are still unknown sir," Simpkins said with trepidation fearing where this conversation would go. "Either the details are still under investigation or have yet to be submitted to Whateley Security. All that we do know is that around one twenty-four local time a staff surgeon in Doyle removed an object roughly the size of a softball from the abdomen of the student known as Cytherea. The object in question appears to be a pearl however I have no further information on the item's origins or how it wound up inside of the student in question."

"I see," the voice on the other end of the line stated as he/she mused for a few moments. "Fool I have an assignment for you."

This was it; the moment that Simpkins had been dreading, he just knew it. His shadowy employer was going to ask him to steal the pearl or whatever the hell it was, and regardless of what he did he was screwed.

"I will be transmitting you a list of individuals and groups on your campus; I want you to supply all individuals on said list with all available information on this Pearl. Now this must be done in secret mind you, I don't want anyone aware of just where this information is coming from."

"O-of course sir," Simpkins said both relieved and rattled by this request. "May I ask why?"

"Because I want to read tomorrow's full report on the resulting incident," the voice stated with a little more energy than normal. "I want every detail that can be included, send video files if you are able. I am certain that we will enjoy learning of the resulting chaos tomorrow when this information gets out."

As the voice hung up Simpkins heard the ping from his email box, sure enough there was the list with the sender's email of course being blank. He printed the list out causing the email itself to self-delete and the space to be over written with common spam and then looked over the sheet of paper. One thing was for certain these groups and individuals would indeed cause a great deal of chaos when they found out about the pearl, Simpkins was going to be very busy tonight in order to follow through on his contract and notify everyone on the list without them knowing about the sender. He might not have betrayed the Academy by following through with this request be come this time tomorrow Headmistress Carson or Chief Delarose would probably still want to wring his neck if they found out it was him.

---

Ulthar
The Dreamlands
?

Once again, here I was back within the Dreamlands, fortunately this time I was back where my journey from last time began in Ulthar, the city of the talking cats. "Hey Faolan, it's nice to see you here again."

Sure enough I turned around and there was Mirabel alternating between petting and cuddling what appeared to be a dozen kittens as a couple of queens looked on.

"Greetings young Awakener," one of the queens said as she approached me, "As always a friend of the High Queen is welcome within the walls of Ulthar, provided they follow the rules of course."

"And why wouldn't they," I stated as I cocked my lupine head, as I was now in my wolf form. "After all unlike elsewhere the feline denizens of your fair city do not harm others except when seeking sustenance or meeting out justice."

"Thank you for understanding our ways like this young one," the queen stated as her tail waved in pleasure. "Now tell me how may I be of assistance? It appears you are looking for something."

"Yes I am looking for the old wolf whose title you do not like to give," I explained. "I seek knowledge from him on behalf of his sister who maintains the balance between both the land so fair and the one so mundane."

"I understand however it has been some time since I have seen him," the queen said in reply. "Still if I do see him I will pass along your message."

"Thank you very much your majesty," I said with a lupine bow. "May your present litter grow up as magnificent and proud as their mother!"

"I thank you for your blessing Awakener, and may you find the knowledge that you seek." The queen replied before padding away.

"Nightingale," I called out as I garnered the attention of my underclassman, "Do me a favor if you see Greyback tell him that I need to speak with him before I wake up."

"I will but I doubt that I will see him anytime soon," Mirabel replied while giving a tiny Abyssinian tummy rubs. "That old wolf knows more about the Dreamlands than anyone short of the High Queen."

"I know," I sighed as I shut my eyes and took a deep breath. "That's why my next destination is the City of Lost Dreams, because if I can't speak to Greyback this evening then I will need to speak to the High Queen of the Dreamlands."

With a good deal of trepidation, I began to focus my thought on just where I wanted to go. Greyback had told me of this trick as we set out for the Primus Umbra, how for those who were dreamers was a way to get anywhere in the Dreamlands that they had been to before as long as they focused hard enough. With my eyes still closed, I focused on the City of Lost Dreams that sat at the true heart of the Dreamlands, the place where all the forgotten dreams of being in creation that had ever existed could be found as the city's stone and mortar. I thought of that mysterious city both old and new at the center of which sat the Dreamland's High Queen and incarnation, the being who called herself Queen Tiamat.

As I steeled my thoughts while standing on all four paws on the streets of Ulthar, I could feel myself both standing still and moving. Once I felt the odd sensation of moving and not moving faded back into just standing still, I opened my eyes to behold...

---

---

The City of Lost Dreams
The Dreamlands
?

...That I was three feet above the ground. "Wha-" *thud* "Ow!" I exclaimed right before I picked myself off the ground while muttering. "Note to self when you do that again, remember shift to the same form that you were in during those memories."

I took the time to look around and orient myself, sure enough, here I was once again, and this time without the damned marathon sightseeing road trip, that was hazardous to my mental and physical health. This place was eerie and amazing all at the same damned time, then again a city made of every dream that has ever been forgotten since the dawn of creation shouldn't really be considered too welcoming. After all not all dreams are pleasant and most of the dreamers that contributed to this place weren't human.

And neither was the lady who sat on the Throne of Fantasy and Terror at the center of the city, like many such beings she was an abstract force given form, and I use the term 'she' because the lady prefers to be female. Of course, her real name was unknown to me; I probably couldn't pronounce it anyway and if I could my head would probably blow up. Lesson 1 kiddies true names of Class X entities are better off unknown, calling them by their real names strips them of all filters and causes them to appear in their full presence, which is something better off avoiding as it’s a good way to get either wiped from existence, have your soul devoured for eternity, or have your brain turn into pudding and ooze out your ears.

Yep with supernatural beings it is better off calling them what they want to be called, that goes infinitely more so for those in the Class-X weight class; although beings of that category are best avoided altogether what with the whole risk of mind-flaying, eyeball-clawing insanity and all that. As for the High Queen of the Dreamlands she prefers to be called Tiamat, evidently it was the name of one of her previous avatars in the mortal plain, no not the five-headed dragon queen from the D&D game (Gary Gygax has a lot to answer for on that one) the one that the Babylonians claimed as their goddess of chaos and creation. As I walked towards the center of the city and approached, her throne I could easily understand why, which was ironic considering the Babylonians feared her more than worshiped her although either action was understandable.

"Greetings Awakener," Tiamat proclaimed from her throne now and I observed that the city itself was far less empty than I remember it as she was the square around the throne itself was filled by a court of various amazing and odd creatures. Still some of these beings were more normal than others were such as a multi-hued Chinese dragon, a roman individual with an ivory crown, a silver-skinned dwarf, a black-haired girl that I swear I've seen around campus, and a black-cloaked man whose bone-white face was obscured by the shadow of his (at least I think it was a he) cloak. Still others in this retinue were more unusual and exotic such as a giant hovering three-eyed head, a swirling black fog bank similar to that which once covered the Dreamlands (now contained in a floating orb), a rather smug looking drider based more on a blue-skinned woman than what Jobe Wilkins would consider a drow, and a host of other beings that would have taken a lot longer to describe. "You need not ask, I already know why you are here."

"That is wonderful your majest, I would hate to waste your valuable time with something as meaningless as small talk." I explained as I deflated some despite dreading the impending price that I would need to pay.

"I regret to inform you that you shall be unable to speak with Greyback this night," Tiamat began to explain. "He is wandering the Astral Plane in search of information on the whereabouts of a lost artifact on the mortal sphere which you call home. There is no charge for this information for there is nothing to gain or lose by telling you except time."

"As for the other matter there will be a price to pay for that knowledge," Tiamat stated in a voice that felt more absolute than anything I had ever heard since the last time I spoke with her. "The payment for the information is one task related to the object itself, you must protect it to the best of your ability and ensure that it remains on the grounds of your Academy, should you fail in this task you would do well to avoid ever coming to the Dreamlands again for I might be unable to stem my wrath. There is more to the task however it is related to the information that you seek and I cannot reveal more until you agree to this task; still I swear on my Throne that knowing what I do about your character that if you knew the full details of this task you would still agree wholeheartedly."

Okay no ordinarily I would turn down a deal like this, agreeing to a favor with any mystic being without knowing the full details is a major way to permanently screw up your life or worse, along with the whole invoking her wrath if I failed bit. However given that Tiamat just swore on her Throne that changed things, this was no small statement given that her Throne was tied directly to her true name and sense of self; if she was willing to throw away something that she had been waiting for since the Dawn of Time on the simple gamble should I disagree. "Very well, I accept your offer."

"The Object that you seek to learn about is known as the Pearl of the Orient by those few who know about its existence, but its true nature is even more precious. It is an unhatched royal mermaid's egg protected by a series of powerful spells to keep it safe, spells that were spun by my previous avatar whose name I now bare for the egg contains the granddaughter of that incarnation and Apsu." Tiamat proclaimed with a good deal of information that stunned me, we had an unborn Class-X being on campus and I was supposed to protect it presumably until it hatched.

"Do not feel alarmed the child, while the part of me that was Apsu's Queen was a mermaid she was one completely although a powerful one and her children in turn were full denizens of the Eastern Court without a trace of anything else. Although during the final battle of the war, the fragment that became me was able to assume a great and powerful form to battle Enki's tribe of djinn; her children while merfolk were a part of their father's ancient and powerful royal bloodline. Now when the war between the Mesopian Kingdom and Enki's tribe erupted she felt another power was at work, especially after her husband Apsu was slain while negotiating peace with the djinn who claimed they had proof that we were going to wage a war of extermination against them. So as a precaution she performed a mystic ceremony with her daughter Thalatté, in this ceremony harvested one of Thalatté's ova and bound it with a series of powerful protective spells that made it take the form of the Pearl of the Orient as a precaution should the worst come to pass."

"After that she sent Thalatté with the pearl and a small entourage to the distant and then landlocked Mediterranean Sea, with instructions to hide until either her brother Qingu or the Queen herself came for her." Tiamat said as she continued to weave the ancient story. "Alas her fears were justified as her son Qingu was fell by the hand Enki's greatest warrior Marduk, and the source of her dread was revealed, an ancient traitor of the Eastern Court Dagon had allied himself with Enki's tribe to destroy the last of the Eastern Court's royal lines. After that, Dagon unleashed a terrible and virulent curse using Qingu's blood and the magic he had received from his master, Cthulhu the High Priest of Azathoth, all denizens of the Eastern Court who became exposed to this spell were twisted and warped. Still none were as horribly warped as the merfolk who like Dagon himself were mutated into what you now refer to as the Deep Ones."

"While some merfolk and denizens of the Eastern Court survive as refuges within the Faelands and the refuge of the Northern Court known as the Jade Realm shielded from the curse, they cannot return to the mortal realm lest they suffer the horrific transformation into Deep Ones themselves as do all who bare the blood of the Eastern Court. Still there is hope, Dagon while powerful cannot corrupt those of the Eastern Court who come from the lines of the Seven Triton Kings, and those who bare that royal blood are immune to his spell. Still it can affect them indirectly for when Dagon cast this spell, my Thalatté found herself set upon by her own entourage after they had twisted and warped into Deep Ones and to protect herself, had to slay them all. In her sorrow over ending the lives of so many of her friends and confidants, Thalatté using ancient magic of the Eastern Court cast a spell of permanent transformation upon herself leaving her as a giant oyster with the Pearl of the Orient hidden safely within her shell."

"Now as you can understand my fragment was enraged at the fate of my children and so for the first time since becoming a mermaid harnessed her dormant powers to change into a great and terrible monster the likes of which the world had not seen since the War of the Sundering. She then attacked Enki's tribe with the intent of taking the life of Dagon who was still hiding among them, instead she found herself locked in battle with her son's slayer Marduk who was using the amulets she had created for her son to empower himself. The battle above the Mesopian Sea was long and vicious however victory was never meant to be hers."

"You see the amulets that the Babylonians called the Tablets of Destiny each had a separate purpose. One amulet was to amplify Qingu's power to let him fight the djinn on land at full strength, while the other was to let my daughter or one of her line resurrect Qingu should he have fallen in battle with the aid of a magic scepter that my fragment gave to her named Nin-Ti. Marduk used a leather cord fashioned from a lock of Qingu's hair that we cut off during the battle to harness their power for himself and thus gain the advantage against my fragment. Still as she lay mortally wounded by Marduk before he finished her off, my fragment whose name I now use, enchanted the enhancement amulet with a second spell. This would ensure that should her son Qingu ever hold that amulet again and one of my daughter's lineage hold the Scepter of Nin-Ti, together they would be able to dispel the curse of Dagon."

"While this act would come far too late to save those who are now Deep Ones, and nothing can ever save those who have chosen to follow Dagon of their own free-will, for all others affected by the curse that is another matter. For those who are not fully twisted by Dagon would be cleansed by the spell and granted their Eastern Court heritage awakening as true merfolk and free denizens of the Eastern Court."

"Naturally Dagon learned of these spells years later after examining the Tablets of Destiny and as he could neither destroy the Tablets, the Scepter, nor cancel the spell he still did all that he could to ensure neither would be cast. Eventually he found my fragment's daughter then killed and ate her however, he was unable to destroy or even touch the Pearl of the Orient. So he did all that he could to ensure it never hatch, you see my fragment despite being so much a part of her husband's colony of the Eastern Court still remembered much have what she learned from her time as a part of myself including the Coming of the Four Maidens. For the spells around the Pearl of the Orient ensure that the only ones who may touch it are those of its bloodline, or those of the Center Court untainted by the Old Ones. The reason for this is that only the touch of a powerful being of the Center Court may fertilize the life within the Pearl of the Orient and only once it was taken upon dry land."

"Eventually an event happened that Dagon could not over prevent, when an avatar of existence worshiped by the people of the Ancient Mediterranean that you know as Ouranos was slain, his blood fell into the sea near where the Pearl of the East laid and overtime mixed with the silt on the ocean floor."

"The Birth of Aphrodite," I spoke aloud realizing just how Cytherea had likely encountered the Pearl of the Orient in the first place, it was right near her when her previous self the goddess Aphrodite was born. "Hold on technically Aphrodite was a titan; wouldn't she have been powerful enough to fertilize the Pearl?"

"Yes and Dagon not only knew this, he knew that were it to happen he could never hope to harm the child of such a bloodline and go unnoticed in the world." Tiamat replied to my query. "So before Aphrodite was fully formed, and thus able to fertilize the Pearl, Dagon used as much power as he could risk channeling and opened an astral portal. This caused the Pearl of the Orient to fall into the astral shadow of the soon to be born titan known as Aphrodite and ensure that it never hatched. However the wheels of fate were already upon the Pearl and destiny had assigned it the name that the child within would have had if Aphrodite was the one to hatch her- Aletheia."

"And names have power including that to reveal things as they truly are," I said as the pieces of the puzzle that was yesterday's events began to fit together. "Cytherea was keeled over in pain after an argument with Atavis and the word around campus is that Atavis can see things as they are, even if their hidden. Atavis must have seen the Pearl's name and said spoke it aloud, that's what caused it to emerge from Cytherea's astral shadow. And let me guess the reason that the Pearl of the Orient must remain on campus is that there is someone powerful enough there to fertilize and ensure that she hatches?"

"The information that I have gathered suggests that the Pearl of the Orient has already been fertilized, however a mermaid's egg requires the aura of their parents' to grow until it is ready to hatch. As Thalatté is no longer in the astral plain that means that the Pearl needs the one who fertilized it, your task is to ensure that the Pearl remains on campus and as close to the one who fertilized it as possible." Tiamat stated explaining out the request. "Still you must be wary, there are already those on your campus who seek the Peal of the Orient although most are unaware of the truth surrounding it, there is also one who serves as the cat's-paw of the Old Ones who serves one who seeks to destroy the Pearl and has found a way to do so." Tiamat said giving the fog bank a glare that promised punishment if it tried anything, while the spider lady gave fog bank a dark smile saying that she wanted to watch any punishment it received.

"I understand I will protect the unborn Eastern Maiden with all that I am," I swore as I bowed my head before the Queen of the Dreamland then looked up with a canine grin. "Besides I am certain that your granddaughter would like to have a friend help welcome her into this world!"

"Then I thank you Faolan, Maiden of the Western Court, and shall return you to Ulthar with some advice." Queen Tiamat explained as she stood from her throne and placed her right hand on my back. "Prepare for tomorrow will be a very taxing day and you will need every friend that you can to get through the day, including those of which your are unaware..."

---

Ulthar
The Dreamlands
?

Once again, I found myself in the relatively peaceful City of Ulthar to hear a rancorous cacophony of laughter. Somewhat perplexed I searched around for a few minutes until I discovered the source, Mirabel was laying down a nearby patch of red grass buried under a pile of kittens who were licking her all over, some of whom had even crawled up her nightgown.

"He-ha-ha, stop it," Mirabel tried to say through the laughter. "Ple-he-he-se stop it I gi-he-ve al-heh-dy."

"Yeah! It’s another victory for the Kitten Crusaders!" The little kittens cheered aloud in unison as they began to crawl off their downed human playmate.

"Whew," Nightingale heaved as she tried to catch her breath until she noticed my presence. "Oh hey welcome back Faolan. I was just playing cops and robbers with some of the kittens and they caught me. So did you find Greyback?"

"Nope, I'm sorry to say that mission was a no go." I explained helping her to her feet. "I did learm quite a lot from Queen Tiamat though, I'll explain it all at Breakfast. Please bring Apparita and Animalia with you because this is..."

---

Saturday March 31, 2007
Poe Cottage
Whateley Academy, New Hampshire
6:00 AM EDT

♫Yes, no, yes, no, not another word, You'll know what to do, right...♪ I shot my oblivious roommate a look that promised payback in her future as she woke up head-banging to Anthrax. I was about to tell Mirabel how important this was, and my roommate’s damn thrash metal woke me up before I could...dammit.

I was about to verbally chew Candace a new one, but the fact of the matter was that time was a limited resource today and there was a life on the line, not to mention an Elder God's wrath should I screw this up. I grabbed my shower kit and headed to the line mentally going over just who I could trust with this information, yeah I needed to bring in as many others as I could trust to do so because there was no way in hell that I could pull this off by myself.

Mentally I went over the list of those that I knew on campus either directly or by proxy, and weighed my options as I waited for my turn in the shower stall. Of course, Morrigan and Ms Carson were at the top of my list, I had to tell them anyway, since Morrigan asked me to find out this information in the first place on her behalf, plus from what I know about the Headmistress she'll move heaven and earth to keep a child safe. There are my friends in the lunchroom of course, even Konrad would likely lend his aide if I asked him here, after all he would probably love to brag to his patron Lord Paramount that he helped rescue a mermaid. The Kimbas were a perfect choice as were their hangers on, they would likely help if I explained the situation not to mention that Jade would be tickled pink to be able to meet a real mermaid. Kayda was still too much of an unknown for me to trust her so she was a no go.

Okay I know that I'm using that word a lot, but come on- for anyone who’s grown up having fairy tales read to them or watching cartoons the idea of meeting a mermaid would likely be right up there with seeing a unicorn or a dragon. Okay make that a dragon from a distance as seen through a pair of high-power binoculars, what I'm not stupid. I was also curious at meeting another one of the four maidens, I mean I know that the Northern Maiden was supposed to have been active before I was but according to Greyback I'm not likely to be able to meet her before the middle of Summer. I did some research on what he said to me about her and Okan was what the Blackfoot tribe called their Sun Dance, I had still yet to decipher whom the Hand of Gaea was or where Dibé Nitsaa was located. At least about the Spirit Lodge of the Medawihla part, almost everyone on campus knew that, heck I was taken there after my fight with that Fomor mercenary in the woods.

So anyway, just who to trust, the Outcasts were a good bet, hell I trusted Jericho a great deal and Kerry thought that Eldrich could be trusted with your life if you were in a real jam. From the few times I had met Wallflower when she came to Poe to hang out with her boyfriend Lancer she seemed nice, and she was raised the daughter of two super-heroes so she and the rest of the Junior Star-League were a strong maybe. Okay now for the rest of the maybe column, the Wild Pack stuck to their security auxiliary status to the letter; however Stormwolf really needed to get a clue and look at the bigger picture.

I knew the Underdogs through my sister and they seemed like a good group to have your back when you needed someone too, even if the lot of them weren't too much in the powers department still this time around a few extra sets of eyes could make all the difference. As I moved into the shower, I made my decision to ask them through Heather to help out with this one. The Cape Squad was also a definite possibility, after all these were the folks who aspired to be heroes. I had also talked to Boudacia more than a few times when I was hosting Morrigan and she was the real deal, Saladin was here in Poe and everyone with two brain cells to rub together trusted him implicitly. Okay Hippolyta was here too and a little on the crazy side, but who could blame her before I met her I had never actually met anyone who suffered the brutal indignity of female circumcision.

And don't go telling me that it's religious, back when I was in Arlington I attended a lecture by a special guest speaker at UTA post 9-11 where the local Iman from the Dar Elsalam Islamic Center came to answer questions that locals and students had about the actual teachings of Islam. During the lecture a Women's Studies major asked about the practice, turns out it was only a regional practice in that little corner of the world and had nothing to do with the religion itself.

Of course, there were the definite on the no list too, the Three Witches were too irresponsible and might try to swipe the Pearl and leach essence off of the poor thing, and all because they were too impatient to wait a few more years for their powers to awaken naturally. The New Olympians were also solidly in the no column, while Judicator had helped me out in the past and even saved my life, Imperious was too power hungry and would only see the Eastern Maiden as a potential source of power and another possible conquest given Zeus's reputation. The Bad Seeds of course were also on the no list, while She-Beast could possibly be trusted with some things, and Belphoebe was okay from the few times I had met her, I knew better to than to ever trust Nephandus or Jobe with this kind of information.

As I exited the shower I sent a message to Jane, 'I have the information that Morrigan wanted and then some, please take this to your mother to have her relay it, get in touch with Anu too if you can, time is of the essence.'

It will happen as soon as I am able, Jane said told me right away, Meanwhile before you launch into war mode Randi, remember that you have your Biology Lab and a Powers Lab scheduled after breakfast. I think that you get to dissect laboratory rats today, and don't save me the leftovers I hate formaldehyde.

As I approached my room, I saw someone all too familiar standing in front of it talking with Candace with Bunny standing nearby having just gotten back from the showers herself. "What do you want Samhein?"

"Because I need to tell you that I've cut my ties with the rest of the Goths and why." Marlene sighed as she explained, "Soon after we found that Morrigan was going to be training you, Romulus had me take a thread out of your gi for a monitoring spell."

I began to shake with rage at having my privacy violated, and as I was about to shout at her for doing something like this so soon after she helped Trevia pull Morrigan off of me- Candace put a hand on my shoulder and said. "Randi let her finish, something tells me this is a lot more than a confession of guilt."

"Your roommate is correct, the spell was just to spy on the training that Morrigan gave you because we thought that it would let us observe Faerie magic at a lower level than what Fey throws around." Samhein began to explain while she closed her eyes to steel herself, something about this next part was probably going to be extra difficult for her to say, and I suspected that I knew what it might be. "While we did see a few tricks every now and again it was never a big deal, until yesterday. When there wasn't any news about Cytherea's collapse yesterday at lunch or her surgery every group on campus knew something weird was going on, when we heard that Morrigan and Circe were called into Doyle shortly before two people from ARC arrived."

"We were all extra curious if something would come up during your training session with Morrigan, that's when we heard about the Eastern Court artifact." That little fact filled me with dread, I had been responsible for letting something so important leak, Tiamat was likely going to atomize me. "When they decided that they would try to steal the artifact then I knew that they had gone too far. I mean I know better than anyone that you shouldn't mess with something or someone from one of the Courts, but they wouldn't listen to me and are determined to try and take whatever it is. This took me most of the night to think about what to do, but I felt that I should tell you first before I turn myself in to Security."

Now it was my time to stop someone, "Marlene what you did wasn't a crime, just rude. I mean you want to turn yourself into Security for eavesdropping and taking a string, it wasn't like you used it to put a curse on someone. If you really want to help then promise me that you will take that information and what I am about to tell you to the Cape Squad and only them, then afterwards you will request that you be placed in the custody of Whateley Security until the Phantom Queen comes for you. There is a life on the line here, more than one actually."

"I swear on my true name and my magic that I will do so," Marlene stated much to my astonishment, I mean that was a promise with some real serious weight behind it.

"Alright I will take that promise and hold you to it just remember to what and whom you made that promise. Before I say anything Candace would you and your friends like to take a crack at being heroes again like in New York?" I asked my roommate as Jane buzzed past us headed for the front door.

"Are you kidding I know Rich and I would," Candace said filled to the brim with enthusiasm. "Maybe Max and Sonia as well, why just what kind of artifact is this, and for that matter what is the Eastern Court?"

"The Eastern Court was a group of Kingdoms that were contemporary to the original Atlantis; however the population wasn't human." I explained as I began to lay down a little history. "There was a court for each cardinal direction and each was populated by a type of creature and those similar to them. The Western Court for example was populated by faerie like Nikki, Morrigan and I, now the Eastern Court was a place of water and not wood so you can imagine what lived there. As for the artifact that we are talking about, it isn't exactly an artifact it's a egg- a mermaid's egg, and it will hatch any day now."

"No way!" "Really?"

"First I get to meet an elf queen and now I'm going to be able to meet a mermaid!" Candace vibrated with awe and excitement, "This school is totally awesome!"

I looked at my roommate with a little bit of disbelief, but then I suppose I had become a little more jaded by my experiences so far. Still there was a life on the line as well as the future of an entire race I had a lot of ground to cover if I was going to be able to make up for the fact that for two hours today I was going to be unable help out. I really needed to get moving because time was a commodity that I had precious little of to spend today, and in addition to all of that, I had a test to study for on Monday. If this was Chou's boss at work then he's one sadistic son of a b!tch.

With my first bit of preparations underway, I went into my room to get dressed. After I put on a clean uniform, I went to put my choker back on and noticed something weird, in-between the gem that I kept my costume in and the one that I used for casual clothing was what looked like a raised bump. Ordinarily this looked like it would be a sign of the cheap leather beginning to separate but I knew that since this was not a cheaply made leather belt from some Goodmart that it wasn't likely, especially after Morrigan mystically reinforced it. I used the nails on my right hand and found an edge to the bump; carefully I peeled it away and turned it over. As I took note of the circuitry and microscopic legs I knew what it was, someone bugged me.

I set the bug on the rail of the bed and transformed into my wolf form. As my robe hung off my canine body I took a deep whiff of the listening device (possibly even devise), after catching the scent on the bug over the normal scents of my room, I transformed back to my normal form and crushed the damned thing. I carefully thought back there was no way that someone slipped it on me while I was in Laird Hall last night, and the smell that I caught wasn't something that I had caught around Poe before so it wasn't put on me tonight. No one had come near me when I was in Beck working other than Badb and she had no reason to plant one on me.

The smell also didn't belong to anyone who sat with me normally at Crystal Hall or the nearby tables, but someone could have easily slipped it on me while I was in line at the cafeteria. This meant that other than the Goths, someone else obviously knew about the Pearl and depending on how sensitive the audio pickup on this thing was they might have heard what I just said in the hall as well.

---

?
6:34 AM

Whoa, this feels weird, I still can't see or hear the outside but I can feel what's around me. I am certain I have a real body and I think it’s getting bigger. I can't do much yet, but still this is great I wonder if I'm finally going to see the outside. Am I finally going to see with my own eye the world that the Jailer has been keeping from me? Am I really being born into the big world outside? Whoa, what was that? Am I moving? Where am I going? What is going on outside?

---

Mastermind's Club Room
Whateley Tunnels
6:41 AM

"Okay Niles we're all here," Heartbreaker stated as she impatiently drummed her fingers on the table. "Now tell us why you wanted us to rush here so early in the morning."

"Very well Eve," Stopwatch stated as he began in the impromptu meeting. "As everyone here likely knows Cytherea of the New Olympians collapsed during lunch yesterday and was taken to Doyle. You also may have heard that they had something surgically removed from her body, and had to bring in Circe, Mrs Redstag and a pair of scientists from ARC to examine the item in question. You heard correctly, you see during dinner last night I was fortunate enough to plant a burst audio transmitter on Faolan on the off chance that Mrs Redstag might discuss something about it with her during their evening training session. I learned that what they removed turned out to be a mystic artifact from someplace referred to as the Eastern Court, also this artifact is by all physical appearances a flawless uncultured pearl the size of a softball."

"Whoa talk about a major score right in our own backyard." Jello said as she was almost in awe of what she heard. "I mean we don't really have a use for it but the list of potential buyers for it would go around the block, we could even make a mint selling it back to the New Olympians."

"Tell me Niles just why did a teacher in the school's confidence just reveal this information to a student?" Hazard said coyly to their leader. "Why would she risk her position like that?"

"Well besides Faolan being her protégée Mrs Redstag also asked her to get in contact with someone named Greyback." Stopwatch further elaborated. "Apparently she is unable to but Faolan can and she wanted her to check with him for any information that this person might possess. Unfortunately, wherever she contacted him last night was out of range of one of the receivers for this type of bug. Besides there is a good chance that she'll have found the bug either last night or this morning and have destroyed it and any information that it recorded on this meeting since Phase made us remove the receiver inside of Poe. What we do know is that as soon as a special container arrives from ARC this afternoon the target is going inside the School Vault, and this means that they'll have to transport it across open campus ground to do so."

"Yes if we act with procession and finesse we should be able to pull this off fairly easily." Haywire said as he looked over the finer details, let’s go grab something to eat then get to work, this should be something to put the Masterminds back on top again."

As the rest of the Masterminds began to discuss possibilities of what to do and how to pull this off and potential buyers for the Pearl once they acquired had it in their possession. Hazard however stayed strangely silent, this was big and if she was discrete about how she leaked this to Ace it might be her foot in the door with the Spy Kidz. She blushed about the possibility of how she might be able to rescue him from that floozy A-Plus.

---

Crystal Hall
7:35 AM

"Wow that is amazing," Joanne said aloud, "Buck you finally made something that can't be confused for a weapon and works like you intended it to."

"Very funny my comrade from the land of the midnight sun," Buck Swift said as he let the semi-sarcastic praise slide off his devisor born ego. "But as you can see my privacy field not only works on creating a sonic and radio wave nullification barrier to thwart eavesdroppers and listening devices, it can also easily be adjusted to cover any area up to fifty meters away, so long as the shape needed is round or at the very least-symmetrically elliptical. It even has a slight visible blurring effect to deter lip readers and garble devices that use a photonic transmission method."

"Yes it's very impressive Buck. Now Randi, are you being serious about what you told us?" Kerry asked wanting to get back to the explanation that both her group, Heather's and a few select members of the Underdogs were having.

"As a heart attack," I explained. "Some of the Goths are apparently planning to steal it and I doubt that they are the only group that will try, fortunately I doubt that anyone will be crazy enough to try and get it out of the Quarantine Room at Doyle."

“Yeah they’ve locked up some of my accidental reanimations in that area for study and it is pretty heavily guarded,” Joanne elaborated sounding as if she had been there a few times in the recent past. “They have an entire mini-wing dedicated to Jobe Wilkins in there that have vacuum sealed airlocks and a dozen bio-hazard signs. The entire place has some pretty heavy surveillance and even a sealed check point; it would be damned near impossible for someone to sneak in and out.”

“So if anyone tries anything it will be when they decide to transfer the Pearl out of Quarantine Room and into the Vault underneath Shuster Hall.” Jamal said as he began to layout the most likely places for a thief to steal the Pearl. "Are we sure that they won't try and use the tunnels?"

"What tunnel?" Rhiannon said speaking up, "Everyone on campus knows that there is only one way into the vault, and that's an express elevator in the basement of Shuster Hall that requires a special key to access and the only ones that have one are the Headmistress, the Assistant Headmistress, and the Chief of Campus Security. The Vault is also the lowest part of campus other than the sewers and from what I hear crawls around in those things you don't want to know about or run into without the right sort of equipment."

"I know Generator told me that a fifty-thousand BTU flamethrower is standard gear for every maintenance team that works down there." I said with a shudder. "I have seen some pretty gnarly things but those were all when I was walking thought the Dreamlands."

"Speaking of which Randi you have to take me to meet the High Queen sometime." Mirabel said aloud, "I mean Ulthar is nice and all but a city made of forgotten dreams, I'd love to see that."

"Mirabel I only know one way to take someone else there and I won't take you that way until you learn some skills to combat more exotic opponents. I mean the Dark Forests of the Zoogs are bad enough but unless you have nerves of steel and an incredible poker face I am not taking you through the Canyon of the Face-Stealers. There are also a dozen other dangerous places on that journey- there are creatures on that route that can deal you a real death and not just a dream one."

"Meanwhile back on topic," Renee said to steer us back onto the matter at hand. "Honestly Randi if this information was coming from anyone but you I would say that you were trying to take us for a ride. Thankfully I feel that I know you better than that, we need to be careful to keep this a secret while we move to help Security transfer the Pearl to the Vault."

"It's not that much of a secret Renee," I explained the events of this morning. "I made steps to inform other groups that I felt we could trust in this matter. The Cape Squad, Team Kimba, as well as my roommate's friends who helped us out in New York should know this information by now as well. Hopefully we can talk the Outcasts into helping us out, Kerry I remember you telling me that Caitlin was the unofficial TA for Squad Tactics last winter."

"Are you sure it was a wise decision to trust all of those people?" Erze inquired out of concern. "I mean the more people who know the more likely this will leak out."

"As far as I know a good deal about the Pearl has leaked out already." I explained to my Hungarian lunch mate (or at least the kind one), "I know that the Goths are already aware of The Pearl's origins but not the entire truth about it, and if they know that much there is a good chance that any number of groups on campus already know and are after it as well. I don't know if anyone else was able to spy on Morrigan and I after our training session, but I do know that some groups here on campus have access to information from Campus Security. Now Security's reports may not mention that its an ancient mystic artifact and certainly wouldn't say that it's mermaid's egg, but a natural and flawless pearl the size of a softball would draw the attention of every would-be thief and super-villain here on campus."

---

Headmistress Carson's Office
Shuster Hall
8:37 AM

"I'm sorry for meeting with you so early in the morning Elizabeth as well as asking you up at such an hour Circe," Morrigan said as she sat down in one of the chairs in the office of the semi-retired Lady Astarte after having touched the privacy crystal in the office (Fey's little gift to the school). "However using some resources available to me I have discovered information that explains the full nature of the little mystery that we have on our hands."

"This is perfectly alright Morrigan if it concerns the safety of this school and potentially my students then I can forgive the need to get an early start this morning." Ms Carson stated as she took a sip of her third cup of coffee. "So feel free to enlighten us."

"Yes please do tell us oh Phantom Queen," Circe said as she spoke with a hint of something in her tone. "Please inform us of the Fallen Center what the Regent of the West has discovered."

"Please Circe there is no need for such feelings," Morrigan said trying to avoid a confrontation with her college. "I was merely fortunate to know someone who was able to speak to the right individual; I did not mean to step on your toes. This Pearl from the Eastern Court that was found in Ms. Donovan appears to have been in her person due to the fact that the spirit she hosts had it placed within her while it was created. As for the Pearl itself its purpose is far more benign than we first imagined, for all intents its primary purpose is to act as a fortified stasis capsule to protect and preserve an egg of one of royal bloodlines."

"You mean that we have an ancient royal heir under heavy observation in Doyle," Ms Carson said as she imagined the implication. "Great, please tell me that we can avoid this becoming a diplomatic incident with a powerful magical kingdom that want their long lost heir back?"

"We can very easily, the child within the egg is for all intents a refugee of a fallen kingdom, and in fact many of her people live in a colony within the Wild Court under my people's protection. You see the Pearl was not made to only keep an unborn child of the royal line safe (not an heir though the Eastern Court is a patriarchy), but also served a secondary purpose," Morrigan continued to explain to the Headmistress and her colleague. "The egg itself was unfertilized, the Pearl was also to keep the egg in stasis until someone came along that fit a list of criteria, and after that condition would be met the Pearl would release the stasis, take a DNA sample and use it to fertilize the egg within."

"Wonderful then all we need to do is deliver the egg to your refugee colony and they can fertilize it and raise the child when they hatch." Circe proclaimed, "Except that I sense that the egg's occupant will not be leaving campus for a while when it hatches, in fact its destiny is intertwined with someone in this room."

"Correct Circe," Morrigan sighed. "You see the condition necessary was for the Pearl to be in contact with air, and in direct physical contact with an individual of the Center Court who possesses a powerful aura."

"As for all who remain of the Center Court," Circe began to elaborate. "That would be mankind."

"So it would appear that I have another student on campus that will have to raise a child." Ms Carson sighed as she began to pick up her office phone. "I'll have Nurse Garrett notify Miss Donovan when she wakes up."

"I'm afraid that I doubt the child's mother is Cytherea Ms Carson," Morrigan stated as she gave the head mistress a concerned look. "When the surgeon’s operated to remove the Pearl from Ms Donovan they had to use a sterilized MCO power suppression collar, this neutralized her aura during the operation. As for when it was inside her body, the Pearl was inside of a fluidic cyst. This means that Cytherea never made physical contact with the Pearl while it was exposed to air and her powers were active."

Elizabeth Amelia Carson's eyes opened wide in shock as her glasses slid down the bridge of her nose as she shot up out of her seat. "Morrigan this had better not be some sort of joke, because if you are having a joke of this manner at my expense then I assure you that I shall do all in my power to have you bared from Whateley until the school itself is nothing more than a memory."

"I would never be so cruel as to make a joke of this nature Elizabeth," Morrigan said as she continued to look at the Headmistress with a world-weary expression. "My source has it on good authority that the egg itself has been fertilized, to my current knowledge only nineteen individuals here on campus would meet the qualifications necessary to fertilize the egg within the Pearl. Of those nineteen, I am only aware of one from that list who has made direct contact with it since it was removed from Ms Donovan. By all the current evidence I can say this with as much certainty as I can, congratulations Elizabeth, not only will your daughter Shelly be rejoining your family soon but it appears that she will have a little mermaid half-sister to welcome her."

---

Medical Isolation Ward
Doyle Medical Center
9:13 AM

"So what you are saying is that if I am indeed the individual who fertilized the egg then the closer I am to it the sooner the child inside will hatch?" Ms Carson asked as she walked with Morrigan towards the gate into the ward itself.

As the guard hit the button to open the outer door of the security airlock to let them inside to screen them, and apply the ionic decontamination field to remove any outside contaminants Morrigan responded. "In theory, if this is what my source claims it to be then the child's growth rate corresponds to their proximity to the parents' auras. As you are likely to be the only surviving genetic parent given that the one who laid the egg in the first place was reported to have gone missing roughly fifteen millennia ago, granted that the egg doesn't have to be with you but is certainly would accelerate the child's maturation and inevitable hatching."

"It's a good thing that we found this out before the container arrived, still I admit the thought of becoming a mother again so suddenly is rather unusual," Elizabeth said as she thought back to the memories she had of raising her various children. "Although it will likely be an interesting experience raising a little girl who can't walk on dry land."

"Try having to raise the same tomboyish spitfire twice and then having to watch from a distance as she grows up a third time without you as a human being." Morrigan said with a wry smile as she recalled her daughter Bridget, "Maybe you can ask Louis to help you babysit her, I'm kidding besides merfolk can take on human form when they need to come onto dry land."

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow to that comment as they approached Quarantine Room 5 where they left the then unidentified egg hooked up to the special equipment that the personnel from ARC brought with them yesterday. When the special hermetic door opened, they noticed something off about the room, like everything inside was- fuzzy.

Concerned the pair entered the room to find that an active hologram projector had masked the fact that the egg and the monitoring equipment that it had been connected to was gone. As they looked around the room they noted that there was a few strange devices hooked up to the ports on the wall where the machines had been hooked up to connect with the data recorder outside the room, obviously sending falsified data to trick the security guard on duty that everything was still fine inside.

Headmistress Carson was understandably furious; she pulled out her cell phone and hit the quick key for the Campus Security Emergency Line. "Security this is Headmistress Carson, we have had a theft of a large amount of equipment and one mystic artifact from Medical Isolation Room Five in Doyle, I want a forensic team over here ASAP to investigation. Also put the campus under one-way lock-down, no one is to leave until this situation is resolved. I also need someone to compile a list of everyone who has left campus between now and Friday afternoon, students, faculty, staff and visitors."

As Elizabeth received her confirmation from the Security Officer at the dispatch station over in Kane Hall, Morrigan grabbed her attention. "If you don't mind Elizabeth, I would like to call in my apprentice to go over the room after they are done, her wolf form's nose might pick up something that would take a forensics lab far longer to discover."

"Very well, as long as the Pearl is found soon," Ms Carson stated radiating the intensity of an enraged lioness while doing so.

---

Faolan's Spring Schedule
Spring 2007-
1 Period: Practical Mystic Arts
2 Period: Biology I
3 Period: Introduction to Criminology and Police Procedures
4 Period: Beginning History
5 Period: Algebra I
6 Period: Powers Lab
Evening Tutoring: Combat (w/ Morrigan)

Saturday
Biology Lab

Tablets of Destiny – The Tablets of Destiny are two Inscribed amulets, made in the Fallen Eastern Court Colony of Mesopia by their greatest scribes at the instruction of Queen Tiamat for her son crown prince Qingu. The Tablet of Change amplifies Qingu’s power allowing him to fight on land as though he were in the sea, it was also charged with a spell that if combined with its twin amulet and the scepter of Nin-Ti would let the line of Apsu and Tiamat dispel the Curse of Dagon (as well as similar GOO curses). The Tablet of Life protects Qingu from heat and flame, and if used in conjunction with the scepter Nin-Ti would let one who is of his sister Thalatté's line resurrect him should he fall in battle.

Scepter of Nin-Ti
A scepter made of mystically woven trumpet seashells and pearl that has been fortified by Eastern Court Magic and filled with primordial seawater. In the hands of a mermaid of royal blood, it amplifies their unique powers. If wielded by one of Thalatté's bloodline in conjunction with the Tablet/Amulet of Life it will let them resurrect Qingu should he fall in battle. If used in conjunction with both Tablets and Qingu (or a triton born of of his lineage) after the death of Dagon it would cause the Curse of Dagon to dispel.

Curse of Dagon – The Curse cast by Dagon the High Priest of Cthulhu, which to this day transforms all of those of the Eastern Court lineage not of Royal Bloodlines into warped monsters, and transforming those of merfolk bloodlines into Deep Ones.

---

Front Reception Desk
Doyle Medical Center
10:29 AM

Man that was brutal, as I walked up to the front desk of Doyle I was already mentally exhausted from having to carve open and display a rat in Biology Lab. Moreover, the formaldehyde that they used to preserve them was still in my nose, I was grateful that I still had that wasabi paste from so long ago in my purse of holding. Yeah-funny story but back home I when we went to Austin for Heather's adoption and witness-protection hearings we stopped by a mom and pop burrito place, while on the road they kind or ran out of bags because of the lunch rush so I put them in the Reticule.

Anyway, given the crazy traffic once he got to Austin proper, we couldn't eat in the car so when we were finally able to stop after the adoption hearing, everyone was a little nervous when we got there. Everything was still as warm as it when I put it in, after a little more experimenting, I found out that anything you place into the Reticule of the Fields apparently remains in the same condition as when you put it in until you take it out again.

I know who in their right mind would intentionally eat a cup of wasabi paste; well Morrigan called me earlier and said that she needed my nose for something in Doyle. I could only think of one thing at the moment, someone actually had been crazy enough to break into from the Quarantine Room where the Maiden of the East's pearl-encased egg was left hooked up to monitoring equipment and took the pearl and her too. That would mean that they need my nose to go over the room and in order to be worth a damn to do so I needed to have my sinuses very clear. "Down the hatch!" I said as I upturned the entire cup over my mouth and tapped the bottom so that the glob of paste fell out.

"Gaah," I barked from the shock and mild pain as the green-dyed horseradish paste hit my palate, and my eyes began to water as my nose began to run and went to the nearest restroom to retrieve some paper towels to blow my nose on since I didn't have any Kleenex on my person. I know it's weird for some reason, heat like in most spices and chili’s have never affected me all that much but horseradish and wasabi hit me like a punch to the face, and I don't mean since my mutation I mean since I was seven. Having gathered the necessary stack of paper towels from next to the sink in the ladies room, I blew being careful not to accidentally blow out my eardrums in the process.

Once my nose was clear and stopped running (although my mouth this throbbed as if I'd been gargling with po'ed hornets) I went up to the front desk and told the receptionist on duty a Mrs Mackenroe. "Ma'am I'm Randi Bridges, Headmistress Carson and Mrs Redstag sent a message for me when I got out of class, something about needing my nose."

"Take the elevator to the second basement and I'll tell Norm at the Security Gate to let you in," Mrs Mackenroe explained as she gestured towards the elevator. "But you still need to show him your Student ID and MID so have them ready to save you time."

"I understand, thank you ma'am." I replied as I took the elevator down to the sub basement. As the elevator was moving, I got out my wallet and removed both my Whateley Student ID and my MMID as Mrs. Macenroe told me. When the door opened, I was treated to a scene that nearly gave me flashbacks to my time in the custody of the MCO, right outside the elevator, which was one of those doublewide hospital models, after a short recessed hallway was a similar security station next to a gate.

Fortunately, that was where the similarities ended, the gate in question was a CDC-style airlock rather than a jail security double-gate, so panic attack averted besides if this was about what I thought this was about then the egg containing my Eastern Court counterpart and hopefully comrade-to-be was in jeopardy. Calmly I approached the gate and pressed my cards against the security glass on the booth, "Faolan here to see Headmistress Carson."

The guard on duty buzzed the airlock open and said, "Wait for the decontamination cycle to complete and then go to Medical Isolation Room Five. Once inside be careful about contaminating the room, until further notice the room is an active crime scene."

"Roger dodger," I said as I returned my Student ID and my MMID to my wallet, then my wallet back to my purse before entering the open airlock. Once inside the door shut behind me and I heard this weird high-pitch whirring, then this blue light swept over me making my hair and tail feel staticy for a moment.

A few moments after the blue light was gone the other end of the airlock opened up, I followed the guard's instructions and went through until I found room five, which was pretty easy since the door was open and Morrigan, Carson and a few school security guards were outside. Morrigan turned as she saw me, "Randi, glad to see you finally made it."

"Sorry I was in Bio Lab dissecting a rat," I explained, "Since you needed my nose I had to clear out the smell of the formaldehyde. So let me guess someone was actually stupid enough to steal from a secure area."

"Yes but smart enough to hack into the security cameras and splice in a video loop, setup a holographic projector and leave behind sensor ghosters." One of the security officers explained. "We've finished sweeping the room and taking samples for the forensics lab, your student is free to go over the room."

"Okay hopefully here goes something," I said as I shifted into full on wolf and began sniffing around the room. *sniff* *sniff* *sniff* "Hmm nothing so far," *sniff* *sniff* *sniff* "floor-wax with a hint of bleach," *sniff* *sniff* *sniff* "day-old hint of Deodorant and" *sniff* *sniff* "whoa didn't know anyone actually wears Old Spice aftershave, still a day old though." *sniff* *sniff* *sniff* "Okay someone here forgot to wear Odor eaters. *sniff* *sniff* *snort* "Okay which of you geniuses decided to wear cheap cologne to a crime scene."

One of the guards sheepishly raised his hand, after shaking my canid head in disgust at such an apparent lack of professionalism as I continued to go over the room. *sniff* *sniff* *sniff* "Sanitizing agent," *sniff* *sniff* *sniff* "Hold on," *sniff* *sniff* "There's something here that doesn't belong."

Slowly I tracked down the smell to its source until it hit me, *sniff* *sniff* *sniff* *sniff* "BLEECH!" I reeled at the stench as I charged out of the room, removed a trash bag from my purse and heaved.

After a few minutes of retching until I was certain that last night's dinner wasn't prepared to join this morning's breakfast I finally settled down, immediately one of the officers present asked. "What's wrong? Some sort of toxic agent used in the theft?"

"No," I said as I calmed down sure that I was finally done. "It's just there is nothing more rank than Indian food after it goes south."

"Just who would be carrying around Indian food after it goes bad?" Headmistress Carson asked curious about the answer.

"Belphegor," I said as I explained my line of reasoning, "To my knowledge him and Kludge are the only students that go around in those hover-chairs, but Ed doesn't strike me as the type of slob to just leave spilled food in the recesses of his chair to stink it up. The good news is that I seriously doubt that Belphegor was after the Egg, he probably just noticed the folks from ARC here yesterday with all that bleeding edge equipment and swiped the whole setup."

"It fits his known profile Ms Carson," the leader of the security team explained. "He's a known kleptomaniac when it comes to high-end technology and we've had more than enough complaints about him taking things in the past. He probably let his punishment from the Belpheobe incident slip his mind when he let his imagination go wild at the possibilities of what ARC's monitoring team brought with them."

"Understood," Headmistress Carson stated, "Please put out an APB on Philip Blackadar, but remember to tell Security that they are not to try and take him into custody. He is known to be a real problem if you chase him, and Ms Bridges how do you know about the Pearl, let alone it being an egg?"

"Morrigan told me told go looking for information in the Dreamlands," I began to fill the Headmistress in on the whole story. "Originally I was looking for Morrigan's old colleague Greyback, when I couldn't find him I went to the City of Lost Dreams to try and ask the High Queen, and boy did I find out a lot."

"I hope your protégée’s sake didn't have to sell her soul for the information you provided me with Morrigan." Carson said as she gave the Phantom Queen a frosty stare.

"No, not my soul she made me swear to keep the egg on campus and as safe as possible until it hatches, or never show my face in the Dreamlands again." I stated, "It turns out that the mermaid who laid the egg was the daughter of the last of the Eastern Court's Kings and the avatar of the Dreamland's High Queen. As she was an incarnation-type Avatar whose memories returned to the High Queen upon her death she feels a connection to the child (her other self's granddaughter) and wants her safe. At lead she implied that the child was a her, and said the egg was already fertilized too."

"I know," Headmistress Carson stated clearly, "Morrigan seems to think that I did it when I touched the egg."

"Then I have a few things to tell you about your future daughter Ms Carson," I said as I bowed slightly. "But first the egg must be found and for that to happen someone needs to find Belphegor."

"That goes without saying but stay out of this," Officer McGraw said as he walked up to me. "This is a matter for campus security, not student vigilantes. So run along and leave the school to handle this matter."

"Here," I said handing over the trash bag that I had been heaving in over to the security officer. "You might want to submit this into evidence." After I submitted my barf bag to the officer I trudged off, I knew that I was going to get into trouble for this, but fae half-blooded or not had to keep their promises. Moreover, come hell or the wrath of Carson I was going to leave my Eastern Court counterpart in trouble, I planned to be there when that egg hatched to help welcome her into the world.

---

?
10:53 AM

Please someone- anyone- let me out, send me back to the jailer, anything- just please turn the lights back on, just let me hear a voice, please I-I hate the dark, I-I'm scared, please someone help me!"

---

Whateley Tunnels
11:04 AM

"They call me lazy, they call me a thief, ha- I am Belphegor the master of innovation." The little ball of pathetic ranted as he cobbled his latest stolen property together with things that he had appropriated prior to this latest tech hunt.

"These short sighted fools are the pathetic ones, inventors who fail to see the potential in their own creations." The self-proclaimed genius continued as his hover-chair swerved about the room. "Why these bio-sensors and astral scanners were just what I needed. Now all I need is my gestation chamber back along with some of that bio-culture that Jobe has just laying around, and with my neural scanner, all that I need is to scan Razorback or Jimmy T and I can create an unstopable bodyguard in no time maybe even a whole squad of bodyguards."

"Yes then they will have to acknowledge my genius." Belphegor beamed with pride as he looked on to the portable BIT scanner that he had assembled and went about further stroking his own ego. "After all I would have succeeded in this endeavor all on my own without the need to ride on another's coattails, and then the entire world will know my genius!"

Suddenly there was a banging on the door that hid his lab from those prying and jealous eyes of the school, Belphagor knew they were our to steal the fruits of his genius, his labor and he wasn't about to allow that to happen.

"Dammit Belphegor open up!" A voice from the other side of the door shouted as he continued to bang on the false wall. "Pip I'm warning you, give back my gyroscopic stabilizer and synch helmet right this minute! I need them for my hover-bike, so give them back immediately!"

"You’re not the only one he's ripped off this time Akira," Another voice from outside joined in the banging," He also jacked the neurotransmitter interface for my power armor.

Obviously, the idiots were searching in vain for some hidden panel to let them into his lab. Ha- ever since that debacle with that overblown fake Jobe, he had made sure to hardwire an isometric bluetooth key into his chair. There was no way those simpletons would get into to steal the hard work of his genius.

"Okay Hiroshi we tried the nice way, now we get rough." The voice stated issuing another pointless threat after all once opened from the outside the door to the lab of the great Belphegor could only be activated from the inside. "Zaiyan, Ash it's your turn to try knocking!"

"Got ya', Kingler I choose you!" A foosh sound could be heard outside the door, "Kingler use Crab Hammer, no not Bubble I said use Crab Hammer." Then he heard a loud thud hit the ground. "Not at me Kingler, hit the wall, right there!"

"Hold on Ash maybe your friend here just needs a target," a fourth voice said aloud. "Come on big guy you need to hit right- here!"

There was a massive ringing thud that made Belphegor feel a slight moment of trepidation, a moment that he soon waved off as inconsequential. "Ha like that meat head could possibly damage the walls of the tunnel; this place was built with PK-Bricks and Exemplars in mind."

The echoing of the punches at his doorway grew louder and as he began to hear the metal give way. This actually made Belphegor start to panic for in order to ensure the entrance to his lab was as secure as possible he neglected an emergency escape, after all another way out was just another way for his enemies to come after him. "On no, oh no they are coming in I know the stasis generator- no I took that apart to make the growth acceleration field for when I got my gestation tanks back." Belphegor began mentally rifling through his inventory of stolen technology for something to defend himself. "Wait the paralysis beam; no I repurposed that into components into two other devises. Yes my plasma rifle, no I still need to borrow a power source and a containment device. Wait of course there's still the-"

Whatever stroke of genius Belphegor had to save him came too late, Zaiyan and Ash's Kingler had finally broken through the door to his lab. "Give it up Pip," Zaiyan demanded with a stern look on his face as he hovered mid-air staring at the now exposed Belphegor. "We just want back what you took."

"Never," Belphegor shrieked as he desperately tried to put some distance between him and the Whateley Academy anime otaku known as the Power Rangers. "I won't have another take credit for the results of my hard work, and claim my devises for their own like they always try to, because they're all jealous- jealous of my genius."

"Pip you never invent anything and you know that it's true." Nahga said as she stepped into the room with her magic rod pointed right at the furious deviser. "All you do is take other people's hard work, slap it together and call it your own."

"That is not theft that is innovation," Belphegor proclaimed as he forgot the danger that he was in at the moment, "Without innovation we would all still be in the Middle Ages, if Thomas Savery did not take Taqi al-Din's steam powered spit and turn it into the first steam engine the industrial revolution would never have begun. You would have me deny the world my genius by refusing to show what technology could truly achieve in the proper hands."

"Ice!" Nahga proclaimed as she thrust her rod towards the hovering thief and sent a freezing spell right at him. Soon enough the devises within his hover-chair shut down and sent it crashing to the floor. "I'm sorry Pip but you refused to listen to reason, so as punishment we're going to take this stuff back to our club room and ensure it all gets back to its rightful owners."

"N-n-no I w-won't l-let you st-steal the r-r-results of a-all my hard work." Belphegor said through his shivering as he tried in vain to restart his chair.

"It never was your hard work in the first place you delusional blob," Akira said as he began to gather up everything in sight with Zaiyan, Hiroshi, Akemi, Gynax, Ash, and the help of Ash's manifested pokémon who decided to obey for once since their trainer and his friends were putting in as much work as they were.

"Akira you get in touch with the Gearheads, Hiroshi you get in touch with the workshop students," Nahga said trying to rally her fellow otaku. "We need to get this stuff back to its rightful owners."

Soon the Power Rangers left the room completely empty with the exception of Belphegor, who was busy screaming and proclaiming his rightful vengeance- while desperately waiting for his hover-chair to unfreeze.

---

Future Super-Heroes of America Clubroom
Beneath Shuster Hall
11:37 AM

"Now no doubt that all of you wonder why you are here," Pendragon stated to the group that had assembled in the Cape Squad's private clubroom. An assortment of two individuals picked from groups allover Whateley, official clubs and training teams alike. "Some of you are aware that there is a crisis on campus, others are aware of a valuable artifact that recently came to be here and might have some inkling of information. This meeting is to put all the cards on the table, so I now turn the podium over to someone who has the most information on the matter at hand- Faolan if you would please.

For the second time today I felt like throwing up, here I was about to give an intelligence briefing to some very powerful individuals, including Phase, Carmilla, Eldrich, Bladedancer and Pendragon- I hadn't felt this out of my league since Counterpoint ambushed me. "As you are no doubt aware around noon yesterday the New Olympian known as Cytherea collapsed after a verbal confrontation with the student known as Atavis, some of you might even be aware that after a very difficult surgical procedure an object resembling a pearl about seventy-five millimeters in diameter was removed from her body."

"Now what you may not be aware off unless I had arranged for you to learn so is that the pearl in question is an Eastern Court artifact, a manner of stasis capsule designed to both preserve and protect a very special treasure- an unfertilized egg from the daughter of the last surviving Triton King since the Eastern Court fell. Now the artifact also had a secondary purpose to fertilize the ova within the egg with DNA taken from a human host with a powerful aura in open air, this would mean that the resulting child would be half-human and half-mermaid."

This bit of info sent a ripple of discussion around the room, along with a few words of disbelief. "Now I know this was hard to swallow, how could I know this kind of info after all I'm a freshman, well let’s just say that I obtained the information in question from a very reliable source that will have to remain classified for the moment."

"Wait does anyone have any pictures of this Pearl?" Loophole the sole representative there on behalf of the Alphas asked, "We need to know what we're lookin' fa'!"

"Fair enough," I said passing out a number of printouts of a picture that Morrigan had sent me.

"Wait just a gosh darn minute!" Loophold said as she stared at the picture on the paper in shock. "That's what we're looking fa', I saw it not too long ago in the Power Ranga's club room. They raided Belph's lab and were givin' back all the stuff he stole."

"Then that means they aren't likely to have it anymore," I stated before asking. "Who all was there?"

"Bunch'a folks, me, Jericho, Thunderfox, along with Kew, Ferret, Ecto-Tek, Knick-Knack, Techno-Devil, Stopwatch, most of the Gearheads and tons of students from the workshop." Loophole said as she rattled off names.

"We also have another piece of evidence thanks to a confession," Phase stated as she chimed into the conversation. "A group within the Goths plans to steal the Pearl and use it for a ritual further down the line. At present it could be in the hands of the Power Rangers, the Spy Kidz, the Good Ol' Boyz, the Goobers, the Masterminds, the New Olympians, the Bad Seeds or any number of devisors and gadgeteers, so what we need to do is assign people to go and talk with whoever might have the pearl. Since Jan, Mal and I go way back I'll talk to the Bad Seeds, the only problem I see is if Jay-Arm was the one who took it from the Power Rangers."

"I'll talk with the Goobers," Chou said aloud. "My relationship with them is on fairly good terms and if I explain everything they might just help us out with this."

"I will deal with the Goths," Carmilla spoke up before doning an eerie smile. "They do not like me however after Bloodworm's botched attempt to sacrifice me to my own loving father; they have more than enough reason to fear me. They'll probably tell me everything just to get me to leave if I should suddenly appear on their front door."

"That is one interesting approach Carmilla," Pendragon responded as he eyed the young Great One with as much trepidation as the rest of us. After taking a moment likely to shake the chills out of his spine, Pendragon turned and asked me. "Faolan since you are from Texas would you mind talking with the Good Ol' Boyz? Since you are from the same state as most of them, you might be able to secure their cooperation."

"Thanks but no thanks, the last time I was within five feet of Fantastico he tried to get all grabby and use his family money to buy a date." I replied as I shuddered at the memory. "Besides he's their leader and Junior has an ego as big as the lone star state, and a chauvinist attitude to match, I won't be able to get anything out of him. No if it's just the same with you I'll take the Power Rangers, I've been to A-kon often enough so I know how to handle their flavor of fanboy." That and if I dropped the fact that I had a few things that I got from Cousin Larry that would have them eating out of my hands.

"Very well," Pendragon said as he mulled things over in his head. "Loophole, could your brother Stronghold ask the Good Old Boys? I have a feeling that of the lot of us that he would achieve the best results."

"Sure," Loophole said with a smile, "Like he'd eva' turn down a request from the leada' of the FSA."

"Before we divide up the rest of the searching there is something else about this that I feel that I must share." I spoke up once again drawing everyone's attention. "There is a good chance that the egg has been fertilized, as the Doctor's had to place an MCO power-nul collar on Cytherea in order to operate it is unlikely that she fertilized the egg. However one of the people to examine the egg in the Quarantine Room was Headmistress Carson, so in all likelihood the demi-mermaid to be is her daughter."

"Very well we shall all take this into account," Pendragon stated as he stood up from the table. "I shall go and inquire with the New Olympians through Judicator, everyone else ask around in the workshops and explain to them what's going on because time is of the essence, grab a quick bite if you need it because we have someone who needs all of us!"

---

Shuster Hall
11:51 AM

In the reception area outside Headmistress Carson's Office, a familiar individual waited all under the watchful eye of Amelia Hartford. "Are you certain that you wish to wait for the Headmistress, I could just leave a message for her Miss...?

"Houwang," the oriental lady replied to Ms. Hartford's inquiry. "Mei Houwang, and believe me I have waited longer for important people to come along. Besides I believe that she will understand how important this matter is when I speak with her."

---

Whateley Tunnels
11:56 AM

"Wait, Faolan I want to talk to you for a minute." I turned around and there were Phase and Lancer in the hallway coming up to me. "We want to talk to you for a minute."

"Yes, I can tell that there is a good deal that you are not telling us." Lancer said as he locked eyes with me. "Just what are you trying to hide?"

"Lancer you should do yourself a favor and try not to over think this." I explained to the PK brick. "You two are lucky to know Fey so well, but most are not so aware of the details behind the Five-Fold Court. There are still things of which the two of you are still unaware about The War of the Sundering or even what the world was like back before the Sundering, I doubt that even late Queen Aunghadheil knew all that there was about the other courts."

"We know that Nikki is having trouble with major magic because there aren't any world trees anymore, we know that the Bastard was an ancient fae who betrayed the Western Court and that Aunghadheil's spirit was the only queen to survive in any capacity." Lancer stated as he tried to impress upon me with what he knew.

"Did you know that the Bastard wasn't the only traitor to the Western Court, a member of Tsugotha's cult attempted to assassinate the Nine Queens before the war began in full, Morrigan successor died stopping him." I stated, as I impressed upon the Kimbas the magnitude of those events. "Before today did you even know that one of the Triton Royal lines even survived the war? Do you even know how long the war was fought or just what the world of the Five-Fold Courts looked like?"

"No but how could we- it's not like there are books about it." Phase replied back as she began saw that I looked at her as if she had grown a second head. "Wait, are you telling me that there are books about what the world was like back then?

"Yeah, of course there are books about it over at right over at Beck," I said as I shook my head in disbelief. "Morrigan was alive back then and she is a rather prolific author, also she wasn't the only survivor even in the Western Court. For example, Elder Podom of the Dwarves survived the Sundering and left a great many records about it for his people, one of his descendants was amongst the group that helped Morrigan found the Wild Court. And those two are only the survivors that I know about from the Western Court, there may be others from the other four courts still alive. So yes, there is a lot that I am not telling you simply because you lack the context for the information at this time, now we need to get moving. I'll tell you more later if you want but first you might want to ask Carmilla to tell you about the Dreamlands."

I left the two Kimbas likely burgeoning with questions, but time was of the essence. The future of an entire Court and every human being with who would suffer Innsmouth Syndrome counted on finding that egg and letting the mermaid within hatch. Okay so I also wanted to stay on Queen Tiamat good-side, she was nice enough for an Elder God and would deserve to see her son and granddaughter safe and healthy.

---

?
12:03 PM

Please someone- I hate this! I hate the dark! I hate being alone! I-I'm scared... I'm scared of the dark... I'm scared of being alone... Please somebody help me... Anybody... Wait what is this feeling? Why does it feel so warm? This feels nice. Is somebody here for me? Why do I...feel...so...slee...py...?

---

Whateley Tunnels
Near the Power Rangers' Clubhouse
12:57 PM

Okay, I'll be the first to admit that this is embarrassing but I don't know my way around Whateley. Then again, I doubt that anyone short of the maintenance crew knows every inch of the campus inside and out, especially since the majority of campus is underground and well outside the prying eyes of the general public.

Now I don't know if many people are aware but North Texas has two things that make building anything below ground a very expensive and high-maintenance process, expanding clay and a high water table. This means that despite being in Tornado Alley you would be hard pressed to meet anyone who has a basement or a storm cellar.

Imagine my surprise now being at the Whateley Academy that has a tunnel system that not only covers the entire campus, but also has more than one level. The entire system goes all the way down to the bedrock under the school, and there are areas that nobody has even been to in years. Now I don't use the tunnels often, I followed Tennyo to find Tech-Wolf's lab to stop Macha, and normally I only use the basement level tunnels as a quick way to get around the campus when the weather's bad, now I have never even been to the Power Ranger's freaking clubhouse.

It took me a great deal of time to find the Webpage for the Whateley Anime and Japanese Culture Appreciation Society on the school's intranet at the computer lab in Beck and print out a map. Even then, the directions were more than a little confusing since the clubhouse, like so many others, was two tunnel levels below the normal cottage basement level and the tunnels were laid out more like a maze than what one would expect beneath a place like this.

Thankfully, I wasn't the only one looking, Jane and her dozens of siblings were busy keeping up a dragnet around the school and keeping a careful eye out to make sure no one tried to slip off campus. Badb was apparently very busy coordinating the lot and keeping Security abreast on the entire matter.

"Okay, I think that after this next junction the door to their clubroom should be around here somewhere," I commented under my breath looking up from my short stack of printouts. "I swear that we don't need to have street name for the campus roads, we need to have them for the tunnels down here so people know how to find their way around. Maybe have someone from the Workshops make a localized GPS for the TechFair, they'd make a small fortune from the freshmen alone." Note to self, pass the idea along to Buck in exchange for a 35-65 split on the profits.

After wandering the tunnels for the better part of an hour looking for the damned place I was certain that I'd finally found the Power Rangers little clubhouse. However, just to be extra certain I shifted back to my wolf form and let my nose do the walking. *sniff* *sniff* *sniff* "Yep lingering traces of modeling glue and a hint of stale Pocky, this should be the place alright."

I shifted back to normal and knocked on the door, after waiting for a few minutes Gynax the proverbial gunbunny that I met during the Basic Firearms Safety course last winter answered. "I'm sorry but we returned all the- oh hey Randi, how have you been I haven't seen you much since winter."

"Tammy what are you talking about," I said somewhat indignant. "We both have Miss Bell for fifth period Algebra; you sit three seats away from me for crying out loud."

"Really I wouldn't know," the busty brunette in the form-fitting sawed-off fatigues replied. "To tell you the truth Randi, most of the time I'm having too much trouble staying awake in that class to pay attention to who's around me. I wonder if Buck had the same problem in Firearms Safety?"

"Nope in his case it was a matter of devisor eagerness to test his inventions," I said shaking at the memories. "My personal favorite was when his vortex hand cannon backfired and sent him and Peeper slamming against the wall."

"Mine was when the trigger on that Pulse Rifle of his jammed while on auto-fire and Sarge had to put it out of its misery." Tammy Jackson said as she shook her head. "I could swear that he was in shock."

"Boys and their toys Tams," I said with a chuckle. "Speaking of which I heard that you raided Belphegor's Loot Cache Lab this morning!"

"Yeah we took back everything that he stole and redistributed it back to their rightful owners." Gynax explained as she posed with pride.

"You know not everything that he stole belonged to other students’ right?" I asked as I got right to the point, from her silence the answer to that question was no. "Some time this morning he broke into a sealed room in Doyle and lifted out some Bleeding Edge monitoring equipment that ARC left to monitor something."

"You mean that big pearl that the docs pulled out of Cytherea right?" Gynax asked in a manner that shocked me. "I have it back in the clubroom, I left a message with Security to come by for it, but they appear to be pretty busy today. I thought it was the best thing to do since we're still on thin ice because of that incident with Michael and Akihori at that off-limits area during winter."

"Yeah they're busy looking for Belphegor, so you have it in the clubroom." I said trying to verify what she was saying.

"Oh you mean the pearl," Ash said as she refused to take his eyes of his GBA and his copy of Pokémon FireRed. "I'm sure that I saw Ferret take it with him, said that a relative of his found it in the middle of Houston's Bay and sent it to him for analysis."

"No it was Techno-Devil," Akira said as he was busy recalibrating his recovered gyroscopic stabilizer in his motorcycle. "He said that Nephandus's dad swiped it from a museum in New Dehli last year and sent it to him for safekeeping and I wasn’t about to argue with the Son of Dr. Diabolik."

"You two are both wrong," Akira explained as he looked up from the Gundam model that he was busy working on. "Knick-Knack took it with him, he wanted to research it and since it was pulled out of Cytherea it should have belonged to her anyway."

"You two are so full of it," Zaiyan explained looking up from his untranslated copy of Hajime no Ippo (or as I like to call it the series that refuses to stop beating a dead horse). "Ecto-Tek said it was a pagan artifact and took it to Reverend Englund to be purified, I remember because he was also verbally condemned me for watching the works of heathens."

"No- the pearl was taken by someone who has no aura." Akemi stated as she looked up from her homework. "It is unusual but I cannot recall her face."

"I don't know what you saw but I got the Pearl right here." Gynax said as she went over to waste bin on the side of the room lifted the liner out and brought out what looked like the Egg of the Eastern Maiden. "Now Faolan I told you that I already called Security we'll keep it safe here until they get here for it."

"Do you have a phone in here?" I said asking around. "I need to make a call."

"Sure it's right over there." Nahga said as she looked up from her book. "You know it's weird I could have sworn that I saw Stopwatch next to it."

I walked over to the phone on the wall, a common old wall mount that still had the cord attached, and called Phase's cell phone. After about three rings she finally picked up. "Hello who may I ask is calling?"

"Phase its Faolan," I said into the receiver. "It took me a while but I found the Power Ranger's clubhouse. It's weird Gynax showed me that they have the Pearl and says that she already called Security for it, but everyone else says that they saw someone else take it with them."

"I know!" Ayla said she a weary frustration in reply. "Everyone we're working with says that their group has the Pearl too? When I talked to Jadis and explained everything to her she helped me get it away from Nephandus, and it wasn't easy evidently he found out about it being an Eastern Court artifact. Apparently, he and Mal picked up a bug's broadcast signal yesterday."

"So someone was eavesdropping on my eavesdropper,” I grumbled under my breath before asking. “Then what happened?”

"He tried to flee with it, made it about halfway across campus when he ran right into Major Blunder and the his brigade chasing Vamp across campus again." I rolled my eyes as I remembered the chaos that happened last time Sahar and Zenith arranged for Nex to get caught stealing in broad daylight. "Evidently, they got the idea in their thick heads that she was the one who took it. Still we got the Pearl away from Jay-Arm and turned it into Security, and it wasn't the only one."

"Let me guess, everyone else had a Pearl too?" I asked seeing where this was going.

"Yeah, the Goobers showed it to Chou and they're waiting for Reverend self-righteous to tell them to turn it over. The Spy-Kidz showed one to Hank, they say that they're waiting for Security to take it into custody. Imperious claims the Pearl belongs to his group and is refusing to turn it over, I think that it will take Ms. Carson getting involved personally to get him to see reason. Loophole took one away from Compiler when she almost dismantled her lab trying to analyze it. Your friend Stronghold found Ferret tied up in the bushes, apparently the Goths jumped him and took the one that he had, Carmilla's still busy trying to track them down."

"Maybe when Security gets around to it we'll get to the bottom of this." I groaned into the receiver. "Honestly where did all these things come from, if it wasn't still March I would swear that someone turned this all into one big April Fool's Joke."

"I have a few ideas but we need to get all of the possible Pearls together to figure out which one is the real deal." Ayla explained before she said. "I have some leverage on Stopwatch, so I'll headed to the Masterminds Evil Lair to see if they have a Pearl in their possession as well."

"Then I'll just hang around the Power Ranger's Clubhouse until someone from Security arrives." I said as I hung up the phone. "So out of curiosity do you have any fansubs of the latest series of Pretty Cure here?"

"Do you even have to ask?" Gynax said as she hooked the room's computer up to the flat screen television in the room.

As Gynax queued up the first episode, Akira sidled over to me and asked. "So has Ryoko shown you her starship yet, you are in the same cottage right?"

"Oh for crying out loud Tammy, Tennyo is not Ryoko." I said as I shook my head, at the fanboy. "She's the kid of a couple of CIA agents whose younger brother used a devisor drug on her that caused simultaneous manifestation and burn-out. She just looks like Ryoko because she was a Tenchi Muyo fan and her powers latched onto the memories of that as a BIT."

"Then how come everyone's seen Ryo-ohki around Poe?" Akira said even more sure of himself.

"That's a devise that Generator made, and everyone knows that she thinks of Tennyo like a big-sister, even more so since Billie convinced her family to adopt her since Jade's an orphan whose only family is that ghost of her older sister that hangs out with her." I explined somewhat indignant at the whole thing, "Besides you haven't seen Tennyo phase through matter, teleport or make duplicates of herself have you?"

"Well- no but," Akira stammered as he tried to process that bit of information.

"Well that's because she can't do any of those things, now if you don't mind I really want to see this." I said as the show began with a typical shojo beginning, 'Oh great, I hope this isn't the season where they forget what made the franchise good and fall back to the old Sailor Moon formula that used to be everywhere.'

---

Whateley Tunnels
Goth's Sanctuary
1:46 PM

The chanting in the room went dead as Carmilla entered the room. The group actually looked paler than normal as they saw the tendril protruding from her shoulder that ended with a hand, an exact copy of Shriek's that she used to fool the biometric palm scanner on the door wave at them before it shifted back to match the rest of the black tendril which recoiled back into her body.

"Hello again," Sara said in a sensuous tone while wearing a predatory smile. "I do believe that once again you are trying to tamper with forces beyond both your comprehension and understanding."

Sara stared at the lot as she tapped her jaw line with her right index finger as if in thought, "Correct me if I'm wrong but that did not work out too well the last few times either did it."

"B-be gone Kellith," Romulus said as he placed himself between Carmilla and the rest of the Goth's. "We've done our research, you may still be able to enter this room but we figured out how to ward ourselves against what you and your father may try and do to us. So you are powerless to stop us from unlocking the power of this ancient mermaid artifact." He said motioning towards what appeared to be a large pearl on the ground.

"True, I am at this moment unable to do anything against you directly, it looks like you actually did your homework for once." Sara said as she continued to smile. "Unfortunately for you I am cat-sitting for a new acquaintance today from my math class."

Much to the Goth's surprise a oddly cartoonish looking black cat emerged from inside Sara's robes to curl around her neck, "Goths meet Schrödinger, Schrödinger meet your new playmates."

Schrödinger looked at the group grinned at them with a maw that was way too wide and full of what appeared to be razor sharp teeth, them lunged at them with claws extended. As the Goth's screamed while they ran to the other side of the room to escape the baby shoggoth breaking their wards in the process, Sara calmly approached the Pearl then after raising an eyebrow smashed it.

She then pulled a cell phone from her robes and dialed Ayla as the goths's screaming filled the background. "Phase its Carmilla, the Pearl the Goths had was a light globe that was made out of milk-glass and wrapped in an illusion spell, I can sense that something was here but someone swiped it from the room before they got started."

"Understood Sara," Ayla explained. "I'm a little busy trying to get Stopwatch's whereabouts out of the rest of the Masterminds before he hocks the Pearl he took. I just hope that we get this all sorted out soon."

---

---

The Dark Room
Whateley Tunnels
2:07 PM

Baron Astio, Lamia and Ms Nemo carefully studied the recent arrival to the Obsidian Circle's local base of operation. Somehow this Delve, a freshman who was barely a blip on anyone's radar, had somehow managed to not only like Nephandus deduce that Titus Banon was a member of the Obsidian Circle but had also learned how to produce the secret symbol that marked her as someone who was connected to the Circle in some way.

"Now Ms Hodges, how did you come by your knowledge of the ways of The Circle." Astio asked clearly and evenly. "Also be warned, should you attempt to deceive us or prove yourself not to be trusted, you shall never be found."

"Very well Baron Astion, but before I begin my tale I offer up a gift." Delve said on a bended knee as she opened up her book bag and revealed an all too familiar Pearl. "I obtained it before the other Goth's could secure it in their Sanctum, and without their knowledge of my doing so. You see I helped Shriek jump Ferret before he could deliver it to that heel Fantastico, but what she didn't count on was me swapping it out for a fake while she was dealing with weasel boy."

"I knew that we were dealing with a pearl of the same size as a light globe from the chandelier the drawing room in Whitman. So I simply took one of the spares from the supply closet and thanks to a simple glamour spell enchanted it to look like the pearl and feel heavier than it was- I also threw in a blurring charm so that they couldn't analyze it by magic and slipped out while they were focused on the fake."

"That still does not explain how you learned of our order or our ways," Lamia frowned as she reiterated. "Now explain or your future shall be as grim as my imagination allows."

"Very well I came to learn the ways of the Circle through my patron, Carcharoth one of the chief operatives of Mister Domino." Delve said as he stunned the group, "While Mister Domino was busy fighting Jotun with his fellows from the Southwestern Branch of the Grand Hall of Sinister Wisdom, Carcharoth took me on a sojourn from campus and I used my abilities to free his true form in return for his patronage. That patronage included amongst other things my increasingly girlish figure and growing power, as for knowledge of the ways of the Circle that he has conveyed with me through a dead-drop."

"Also as I recently learned," Delve smiled as she revealed the talisman that Carcharoth had given her after she freed his real body. "This declares me the paladin of his child Sköll."

"Wait I thought that Sköll was one of the two sons of Fenris?" Lamia said in confusion.

"And he is- however a paladin need not be the same gender as the spirit, sometimes it helps if they are not." Delve said with a smile. "Still if someone wants to split hairs over this matter, I will ask you this on the subject, why is it that Hati is the only one of the two referred to by the title of Hróðvitnisson? The fact is that Hati was the only one of the pair that the skalds were certain were male, although the truth is that they both are it is something that I can use latter to really mess with people's minds."

This made Astio began to laugh aloud at the both the absurdity of the girl's claims and how the undeniable evidence in front of him supported her claim. "Honestly I never thought that the wolf would know the meaning of the term subtlety if it bludgeoned him over the head, but evidently you can indeed teach an old dog new tricks." Astio stated as he got up from the couch that he was sitting at and extended his hand towards the girl, "Very well Delve, consider yourself a part of our little group, feel free to make yourself at home our little cub for this is your first step into the larger world then you ever were aware of before today. However I welcome you with a warning; be patient learning of the world of the Obsidian Circle, for there are horrors that lurk amongst the dark paths we walk that exceed those of your worst nightmares."

"Now let us have a look at our Pearls." Lamia said as she retrieved one identical to Delve's from a hidden compartment elsewhere in the room. "This was the one that Ms Nemo here recovered from the Power Rangers Club Room."

As Lamia placed Ms Nemo's pearl beside Delve's, Baron Astio examined both of them closely. After several moments of careful examination Astio proclaimed, "Both pearls that you ladies brought here today are identical in every way, especially since they are both fake. Still this was not a total loss by examining the two forgeries side-by-side I have determined their source. I know who is responsible for this debacle and how he did it, as for the culprit’s motivation behind this; while the truth behind this farce is still a mystery I have a fairly good idea."

---

Power Ranger's Clubhouse
2:35 PM

Well after two episodes, I already saw some signs that the Pretty Cure franchise had jumped back into '90's shoujo territory. Maybe it would work its way back to the type of show that made the franchise last three series but so far I wasn't really seeing it from Yes! Precure 5. Okay so Splash Star didn't take too many chances either but at least it recognized what the audience liked with the original and Max Heart. I'd have to watch more to make sure it was an okay show, at least I got to watch the final episode of Black Jack 21 while I was here.

Unfortunately, Zaiyan and Ash found themselves in need of a testosterone injection after exposure to two episodes of a mahou shoujo followed by a cerebral drama, so what did they pick? Well it wasn't what I was expecting, honestly I had heard some good things about Giant Robo.

No they picked the latest series of Ikkitousen, why dear lord why of all things did they want to watch that steaming pile- okay I knew perfectly well why they wanted to watch it and it wasn’t for deep characters or a compelling story. For those who aren't familiar Ikkitousen is a series that uses a train wreck of a plot about all of the major characters of Romance of the Three Kingdoms being reborn as Japanese School Girls with figures that you would never see in real life on anyone who was not an exemplar. Now what is the show about, well it's about as many fights that the animators can throw in full of girls who tear each others clothes to shreds while flashing their panties, packed in between shower scenes and clichéd valley girl high school fluff, at an audience of drooling and pathetically horny men over the course of twenty minutes.

Okay so I used to be a guy, and I did appreciate the occasional amount of fan-service. Okay I still do, but the fact of the matter is that I prefer it in a show with a watchable plot; without that, the experience gradually declines from cheap thrill to boring drivel. I also had plenty of exposure to actual hot scantily-clad girls (a fair number of whom were into other girls as hot as they were) in the showers at Poe so stuff that's put on a TV screen after being designed by some mangaka doesn't really do anything for me.

I had given up on ignoring the stupidity of the show and was about to start guarding the clubroom from outside the door, when there finally a knock came at the door. Finally, I hope that this is security, because if I'm in the same room with this dreck for a minute longer my brain will try to escape out my nose and try to skip the country. Fortunately I wasn't the only one, Nahga and Gynax both wanted an excuse to get away from watching overly drawn women getting their clothing strategically torn off which flashing gratuitous T&A everywhere- I don't know the mangaka who came up with this load of crap but he made Go Nagai look subtle by comparison.

Finally, Nahga got the door, much to my surprise it was Anu standing right there. "I'm Officer Danann of Squad 5 here for the item that you confiscated from Philip Blackadar aka Belphegor."

"I'm glad you got here, I was getting tired of keeping an eye on them," I said as I got up from the furry heap that I was on the floor and shifted back to normal. A bad show was so much easier to ignore when you only saw in black and white.

After Gynax retrieved the egg from its hiding place, Anu explained as she opened a special case that she had at her side, "Security has been very busy today kid, now move along before I inform the Headmistress that you got involved in matters that do not concern you."

Now this statement not only made my temper start to flare, it also set off a number of warning bells in my head. For starters, the Headmistress already knew that I was involved in this matter since I identified Belphegor as the culprit back at Dunn. Moreover by involving Team Kimba and Wildpack I was also working with security auxiliaries, and since Storm Wolf was so damned by the book, he had likely filed a report with Chief Delarose right after the meeting in the Future Superheroes of America's clubhouse. However, the biggest red flag of all that something was up, Anu just called me kid; Anu is always respectful of everyone that she talks to and that goes double for those that she trained with one-on-one.

'Jane, what did you tell Anu about what I found out in the Dreamlands last night?' I send Jane a message over our link.

I was not able to tell her anything Randi, my storm crow partner and familiar replied. She and her date nodded off during the train ride from Boston to Berlin last night and wound up in Dover-Foxcroft, Maine before they realized it, they called in to Delarose who told them to get a motel and come back in this evening.

I knew right then and there that something was rotten in Denmark, and as I got closer and Gynax set the Pearl inside the briefcase I saw that I was right even without Jane's information. "Say Anu do you remember what you told me about makeup having no place on a real warrior on the battle lines?" I asked as I scratched behind my left ear. "How allowing one to be distracted by frivolities invites weakness?"

"Of course kid," Anu said gruffly as she appeared to be growing impatient with me, as she shut the case on the Pearl. "Why do you bring this up now? I am on a tight schedule in taking this to the Vault underneath Shuster!"

"Just this," I said as I activated my collar with my left hand, and drew Sydan with my right as soon as my outfit appeared and cleaved through the top of the case (separating the lock from the bulk of the case) like a hot-knife through butter causing the case to drop to the floor and pop back open. "Where did the rest of your freckles go?"

"Faolan what's the matter with you?" Gynax asked hysterically as she grabbed on to me. "Why are you attacking a security officer with a weapon?"

"Because that's not a security officer," I said as I struggled against the grip of the Power Ranger's gun bunny as her comrades stopped mid-charge. "Anu and her date missed their train stop coming back in from Boston last night and wound up in Maine. Plus she would never call a former sparring partner something other than by name let alone something as disrespectful and dismissive as kid."

"Yeah, but what is that sword made of," Akira asked in astonishment. "That case looks like its some devisor alloy and that it cut through it like it was made of construction paper?"

"I don't know what it's made of or how it could cut..." I said before what happened finally dawned on me. I had intended to use Sydan to knock the case out of this imposter's hand; instead, I cut through the case. I actually managed to cut something with Sydan, I finally was able to make an edge appear on this thing.

Unfortunately, the Anu imposter decided to take advantage of my moment of distraction, 'she' scooped up the Pearl and cried out, "Head's up!"

This knocked me out of my temporary introspection as I shifted to my ravewolf form (without turning on my pump) and tackled this fake. Unfortunately, by then it was too late, this imposter had already thrown the Pearl out the door where something blurred past and snatched it out of mid-air faster than I could see. 'Damn, a speedster.' Beginning to feel a bite of hunger, I shifted back knowing that the Pearl (at least it could have been the Pearl) was long gone. While I shifted back to normal so did my prisoner, who turned over struggling to get out from under me, and grabbed something that they shouldn't have. I looked down to so get a better look at my prisoner, I couldn't place the face but I knew one thing was for certain...

...Some guy who I didn't know not only stole something on my watch but also was currently squeezing one of my breasts, I was so shocked that I let Sydan drop to the floor with a clatter. It took him a moment to register this as I shifted to my werewolf form (this time remembering to turn my nutrient pump on), that’s when I felt my moment of shock give way to a wave of cold fury that ran through my veins. From the look of terror on the boy's face, I can only imagine what I looked like at that moment in time.

Naturally, the boy bolted out from under me and tried to make a run for it at the same pace as his accomplice, unfortunately he obviously wasn't a power-mimicking shifter because I easily outran him. Before the perverted thief knew what was going on, I vaulted over him spun on my heel and threw him to the ground before catching him in an arm-bar.

"I always knew that Bogus had a wimp," Nahga stated as she looked down at the shifter who impersonated Anu. "That blur must have been Aries then, it looks like The Don has the Pearl."

"Maybe, maybe not," I said as I began to tie up the downed shifter with a roll of duck tape. What I have a near infinite bag of holding that I can instantly retrieve anything from; like I wouldn't keep common emergency supplies in here hell I have a full first-aid kit in this thing. "When I called Phase earlier she told me that it seemed like everyone who visited your clubhouse earlier made off with a copy of the pearl, we don't even know if that was the real one or what it was. Still I need to get in touch with Phase and let her know what happened, and then Security to let a real officer come and pick this little weasel up. Can one of you help wrap up this present for me?”

“Lady, it would be a pleasure.” Zaiyan said as he approached while cracking his knuckles.

---

Stopwatch's Emergency Hideout
Whateley Tunnels
2:41 PM

Ayla wished she had a camera on her B-Phone when she saw the look on Stopwatch's face when she walked right into his personal workshop flanked by the Spykidz. "Phase what is the meaning of this," Stopwatch shouted as he tried to hide the Pearl that was in plain sight when she walked into the room. "Just because we have a contract for me to provide you with intelligence does not give you cart blanche to barge in here whenever you feel like it. And your hired muscle is certainly not welcome in here either."

"Now, now Mr Ridgely there is no need to be so hostile," Phase said in her formal business tone. "I was just stopping by to see if you recently came into possession of something that belongs to the school. As for the Whateley Intelligence Cadet Corps, they were already on their way here when we encountered one another in the hallway, and were also looking for you. So naturally I decided to be helpful and show them the way here."

"Now Stopwatch you will return the property school that you lifted from the Whateley Anime and Japanese Culture Appreciation Society this morning," Ace stated showing that he had his Drama Flakes this morning at breakfast, "We have eyewitness testimony and video evidence of you doing so."

"How did you even find this place?" Stopwatch continued to shout. "I don't tell anyone about it except my fellow cohorts, what did you do to them to force them to talk?"

"They didn't need to do anything to me Nigel," Hazard said as she stepped into view. "Now please turn over the Pearl before anything happens.

"Etui Amelia," Stopwatch said as he glared at his teammate. "So what did she offer you power, money, a foot in the door into the little empire that she is setting up here at Whateley.

"Phase simply told me what that pearl really is and I lead her here." Hazard said as she leveled a harsh glare at her leader. "Now please turn it over, the Headmistress is pretty pissed that Belphegor took it in the first place, imagine how she'll feel when she learns that you have it and refuse to return it to the school."

"It might sound insulting for me to say this Mr Ridgley," Ayla stated with a smile. "But your intelligence in this case is woefully inadequate. Not only that but if you did front your loot to one of the few groups that would want it, you would once again be making enemies in this world that you cannot yet afford. Also most of the groups that would pay you for that are off campus and not the sort of individuals that you would want to make a deal with, unless you are up to the task of trying to squeeze money out of The Necromancer or Madam Eventide."

"That is of course if what you have is even the real one." Ace said as Kew walked into view holding a pearl identical to the one Stopwatch was so desperately protecting.

"I found an anonymous tip this morning on this thing that was delivered to our HQ last night. So when I saw this mixed in with a number of things that were taken back from Belphegor's lab I confiscated this from the Power Rangers and called Security to come and pick it up, but by the time I got tired of waiting Ace called me and said you took it." Emily began to explain, "So I want to know just what the heck is going on."

"So do a lot of people," Phase began to explain. "We organized a meeting to hunt down Belphegor after we found out that he took the real one from Doyle. Then at the meeting, Loophole explained that the Power Rangers raided his lair and took back everything that he had to redistribute to their rightful owners. Therefore, we organized to track down everyone who went to their clubhouse to find who took it, imagine our surprise when we found out that it was everyone under the sun. At least most of them had the good sense to call Security, but something appears to be wrong with their dispatch system because everyone that has been waiting to turn theirs over is still waiting."

“And since the only people who would be interested in taking that bauble off your hands would vaporize you (or worse) if it was fake it would probably be best to turn it over.” Hazard began to explain to the leader of the Masterminds. “Niles you need to face facts, there are times when the goods are too hot to fence and you are better off cutting your losses. This time the haul is just not worth the risk of dealing with the possible buyers.”

“What about the New Olympians,” Stopwatch said desperate to save face in front of his subordinate who was making more and more sense every moment. “I am certain that Imperious would pay to have something that was taken out of Cytherea returned to him.”

“Nice try Mr Ridgely but Knick-knack came and left from the Power Rangers clubhouse before you got there.” Phase explained as she promptly took the wind out of his sails before he could set out, “He is refusing to turn his over unless the Headmistress asks him in person, and the ham is probably doing it to make a play for the Alphas probably so that he can be Alpha King during Senior Year after Kodiak graduates.”

Stopwatch tried to muster up another argument when Ayla’s cell phone rang, “Hold on, I have to take this.” Phase whipped out her B-Phone glanced at the caller ID and answered with all the practiced finesse and precision of the seasoned junior executive that she was. “Hello again Faolan, is Security finally retrieving all of these possible pearls so that we can get to the bottom of this?”

"I wish that were the case Phase," I said from my current location in the Power Ranger’s Clubhouse. "Bogus came in disguised as Anu and they bought the disguise and handed over their Pearl before I could expose him. I tried to tackle the creep after I destroyed the case that he was using but he Hail Married the Pearl to a speedster who was probably out of the tunnels before I could make it out the door. At least I captured Bogus though, and I have witnesses who saw him shift back."

“It wasn’t your fault, listen I’ve almost secured the Pearl that Stopwatch has, just go back to Poe, when I’m done we’ll go and debrief with Chief Delarose together later.” Phase said as she shot a look at Stopwatch to tell him that she wasn’t in the mood for any more games with him.

"No, I’ll go tell Carson myself," I said wanted to throw up for the third time today as those words left my lips. "It was my idea to get so many students involved in this if anyone is going to take the blame for this debacle it’s going to be me."

“Randi there is no need-” Phase began to say as I hung up on my end, “-to do that.” Phase just sighed and shook her head at Faolan’s potential actions. “Honestly, kids these days, they just don’t have a clue.”

---

Headmistress Carson's Office
Shuster Hall
2:53 PM

Part of me wanted to jump right out of my skin and run for the border as I was welcomed into Headmistress Carson’s office for the first time since winter and my fight with that Fomor in The Grove. I remembered Ms Carson’s warning about being asked to come in here for a second time after that incident quite well, I just hoped since I came voluntarily before she sent for me that I wouldn’t be in nearly as much hot water as I would be had she sent for me.

“Randi Bridges,” I am surprised to see you again so soon after this morning, “I assume that you had something with that scuffle on the Quad this afternoon?”

“No ma’am,” I said as I could feel my palms sweating. “But I admit that I am the one who told several individuals on campus about The Pearl that was stolen from Doyle this morning. I thought that the more eyes that we had looking for the mermaid’s egg the sooner that it would be found before anything bad happened to it. I only told individuals though that I felt could be trusted, I have the list of those in attendance in this folder with their signatures stating that no one else was in attendance.” I said as I handed over the folder that I had in my purse of everyone who attended the meeting in the FSA clubhouse this morning.

“You are aware that two individuals on this list are frequently in detention for rules violations.” Ms. Carson said as she raised an eyebrow. “I am surprised that you included them as well as Stormwolf and Thunderfox.”

“I only wanted to include those who I felt that I could trust with this matter ma’am.” I said while trying to steady my nerves. “The Kimbas might bend the rules however; I believe that their hearts are in the right place when it comes to matters like this. I learned about the matter with Vamp after the fact. To be honest, as you can see neither Captain Bravo nor any of his associates were involved in the meeting, which is where we learned about the Power Ranger’s raid on Belphegor this morning after he breached Medical Isolation Room Five."

"We also found out that they invited all of the workshop students to retrieve what he stole from them, on the off chance that one of them decided to pocket the egg while retrieving what was there’s we left to talk with all of them. I have no clue why they were attacking Vamp, as for Nephedeus he had the pearl and tried to run; at least he thought that he had the pearl. Somehow after the pearl was taken dozens of counterfeits turned up and made their way into various hands around campus during the Power Ranger’s open house, most of those who took them called Security to arrange for pickup as did the Power Ranger’s.”

“Speaking of which I have a note that claims you assaulted and tortured one Janos Boglavros alias Bogus in the tunnels.” Ms Carson stated holding up the report, “Would you care to explain your actions there young lady?”

“First of all I tackled him and then held him in an arm-bar after he stole the Pearl in the possession of the Power Ranger’s while impersonating Whateley Security Officer Anu Danann and was already in possession of the case that ARC sent which meant that he impersonated an Whateley Academy security officer at least one other time prior to that. After that I gave the Power Rangers a roll of Duck Tape from my purse and asked them to gift wrap him for Security, I admit that at the moment the fact that his grade of shifters shift to mimic clothing kind of slipped my mind, plus he had just felt me up and I admit that I was fairly pissed off at the moment.”

"Now Ms Bridges your intentions might have been good, but the fact is that you involved other students in a matter that concerned the school and not them. You understand that there will be consequences for your decision today." Ms Carson explained as I felt that sinking feeling. "Since the Captain Bravo incident was not incited by you and how this was just an independent investigation consisting mostly of Security Auxiliaries, and did not interfere with the investigation that was launched by Campus Security I think that helping out the grounds crew after classes for three days should be sufficient."

"I appreciate your generosity in this matter headmistress and I hope that we find the real pearl soon." I said as I stood up of course my eyes were drawn to something new in the room. "Whoa I see that you got a new clock, funny you didn't seem the type for ostentatious antiques."

"If you mean that Fabergé egg Clock replica, it was a peace offering from the new Headmaster of the Yama Dojo. It was delivered by a Ms Mei Houwang this afternoon." Ms Carson said, as she got ready to show me out while I tried to place the name and it dawned on me.

I got up and walked over to the clock and pulled a round object and a cigarette lighter out of my purse (FYI I don't smoke but you never know when you'd need one for an emergency, which is also the reason why I have three rolls of two-ply in there).

"Just what do you think that you are doing with those Ms. Bridges," Headmistress Carson stated in shock, "Or do you not realize how much trouble you are in at the moment?"

"I believe that I'm about to uncover the source of so many headaches today." I said as I waved the smoke ball in my hand before I started striking the lighter. That was when the clock jumped and transformed into its true form.

Naturally, Headmistress Carson was shocked to see the Monkey King in his fully hairy glory wearing his golden-vest, phoenix feather cap and cloud-walking boots. "Okay kid, you got me," Sun Wukong cried as he waved his hand, at least the one that was not currently clutching the faux Fabergé egg, in surrender. "Just put away the smoke ball, I'm surprised that you actually know that weakness, few westerners do."

"Few westerners remember your trip through Lao Tzu's cauldron, or the name you gave yourself oh Handsome Monkey King. And this isn't a smoke ball," I said as I threw the object against the ground dispelling the glamour and revealing it to be just an ordinary super ball. "I have a lot of them, they're a cheap and effective way to get someone to look in the direction that you need them to."

"And the lighter Ms Bridges?" Ms Carson asked with a stern disapproving tone to her voice. "Or is that something else too?"

"Nope this is a part of my emergency kit; I also have a first aid box in here." I said as I pulled out the container and opened it to show that it was what I said it was. "But more to the point I believe that a certain simian knows what was the cause of all of those fake pearls that were confusing everyone. He was also probably the source of the communication problem with Security.

"Speaking of those fake pearls, can I have them back, my tail is getting a little chilly." Son Wukong chuckled sheepishly as he showed us the bald tip of said appendage. "I'll even give you something good in return."

That was when the faux Fabergé egg wavered and expanded, there in front of us was the Pearl of the East, the Egg of the Eastern Maiden and the object of my frantic search for most of the day. "I thought the thing was the size of a baseball?"

Obviously, since the last time anyone saw it the pearl had put on a few pounds, the thing was the size of a beach ball. "The Egg within the pearl appears to be growing in proximity to the aura of its parent; even the ambient energy that has soaked into your office over your tenure was enough to speed its growth by proximity alone. Now that it is in your office and in your presence it should hatch sometime tonight."

"That still doesn't explain how you did what you did with the fakes." I said with my arms crossed glaring at the simian Buddha.

"Oh that- well I got into Doyle sometime after midnight and was able to let myself in through the airlock in the basement using a clone, that same clone who later flew to Berlin rented a car and arrived on campus as Mei Houwang after I signaled it." The Monkey King said as he set the Pearl down, went over to the wall, and began messing with the vent. "Still I couldn't get in the isolation room itself so I turned myself into a gnat and waited, eventually this kid came along in a hover chair and opened the room, when he took the Egg and the equipment I followed him. I was going to wait for him to leave the room but another group of students came along and took everything in the room."

"When they invited everyone the one you know as Belphegor stole from I knew that then was the time not only to take the Egg where it needed to go but also to keep anyone else from being interested in it in the meantime. So when the room was crowded I began making clones like crazy, first one to replace the pearl that was hidden in the room then another to take the real one out and meet up with 'Mei'. After that I made more clones to disguise as the Pearl and either waited for those in the room to take them or simply reverse pick-pocket one onto them."

"After that I disguised myself as my clone did and just walked out of the room, then 'Mei', the student clone and I met up in the wash room after 'she' arrived; that was when I sent the student clone on a new mission, and became the clock while the Pearl was placed on top of me for safe-keeping. As for what happened next well you already know that or can probably guess."

"Let me guess that mission is what is causing problems with Security's dispatch system," Ms Carson said as her eye began to twitch.

"Nope, that mission will remain a secret until tomorrow," Sun Wukong explained. "As for the problems the source for that should arrive momentarily."

There was a rattling and banging in the nearby AC vent, along with a string of obscenities that I could barely make out, although I think I heard the word camel used once or twice. Soon the Monkey King pulled open the vent as a two-foot tall rust red imp-like creature in what looked like an aviation jacket that was all too familiar to me crawled out hacking and dusting itself off. "Geez lady- you need to your people to maintain these things better, there is all kinds of build up in your vents. Oh how rude of me, the name's Zibiteez I'm a gremlin."

"Faolan is this is the first attack by the Summer Court this year?" Ms Carson asked with a raised eyebrow. "It seems rather harmless considering."

"Summer, why I've never been so insulted and here I was trying to be polite." Zibiteez said as he began to throw a little temper tantrum.

"Ms Carson, Gremlins are not faerie they are earth daemons that is to say denizens of the Southern Court." I began to explain. "It figures that one of them was able to play havoc with security's communication system."

"Then I suppose that this wasn't a gift-" Ms Carson began to say as her phone rang. She hit the speaker when she answered the phone the voice through the other end was instantly recognizable to her even if her caller ID didn't clue her in ahead of time.

"Hello Lizzie, did you enjoy my little April Fool’s joke."

"Arashi-sensei, so you did become the new Headmaster of the Yama Dojo after all." Carson stated with obvious displeasure in her voice. "I'll have you know that it is still March so that hardly counts as an April Fool’s joke."

"You forget, I am in Japan which is clear on the other side of the International Date Line." The man on the other end of the phone chuckled, "I found out yesterday and called in a couple of favors to help in this affair, and Sun and I happen to play Mahjong together about once a week so he was also happy to help."

"What can I say I'm always glad to help a fellow misfit with some chicanery?" Sun said with a wide teeth filled smile.

"I also wanted to do this to show you that the inner-school rivalry between the Whateley Academy and the Yama Dojo is intact," Arashi-sensei proclaimed. "Although if you want to return the favor then feel free to do so; we can hardly gauge our defenses properly against those pathetic Cold War throwbacks that the DeVille Academy keeps throwing at us. Not to mention give us a chance to capture trespassers that we don't have to deal with for the good of society."

"You mean that you kill them?" I asked somewhat shocked, okay so the average DeVille Academy student was a street trash punk who by the time they graduated were Grade A sociopaths worthy of a Bond Film.

"No child after a psychic screening we let our mage department turn them into endangered species and turn them over to serve their sentences in the World Wildlife Funds captive breeding program." Arashi-sensei explained in a way that made me feel more than a little green, "We turn them back after their sentences are over, most are so grateful to be human again they stay on the straight and narrow for life."

After Arashi-sensei hung up I turned to Sun Wukong and said as plain as could be, "If this is the guy who’s in charge now I wonder what the person he replaced was like?"

"If you mean Hanshou Reifujin, believe me that I was not a fan." The Monkey King explained as he informed me that the former headmaster of the Yama Dojo was also someone that I knew to be a former member of the Obsidian Circle, I knew that now I needed to lie down.

"Ms Carson I have some things to tell you later about your child to be," I said as I stood up and stared at the mermaid-to-be's egg. "But I think I need to be somewhere else since I am clearly way over my head."

Thankfully, Ms Carson didn't object and only told me, "Not a word about what happened here is to be said young lady, one way or another I will let you know when it is time to tell what happened here to the rest of the student body."

"Understood ma'am," Was all that came from my mouth as I left her office as fast as I could.

---

Crystal Hall
5:41 PM

After a relatively sedate hour of work in Beck and after the day that I had I was more than ready to sit down eat dinner and call it quits, still Morrigan promised that she would let me know when it would be time for the mermaid to hatch so that I could be there. After the amount of hassle that everyone went through to see this kid born the least that I could do was be there, especially since I planned to tell Queen Tiamat the good news tonight about her granddaughter. I also noticed that the cafeteria was a little emptier than normal, everyone else must have decided to head for Dunwich and enjoy what was left of the day.

Too bad for them because the pickings in the line were decent today, brisket sandwich station in the line today, unfortunately it looked like this was Kansas City style rather than what I'd see on a trip to Sunny Bryant's. I finished my plate off with coleslaw and green beans, and then picked a simple cup of lemon custard for dessert, however it looks like dinner today was going to be anything but peaceful.

"Hello Faolan, We want to talk to you about this afternoon." Iron Star stated as he walked up behind me flanked by Hippolyta and G-Force.

"Hello Iron Star," I sighed as I put my fork down. "Let me guess I'm in the FSA's dog house."

"Big time, first off you blow your assignment and then we here you claim sole responsibility for all our hard work." Hippolyta growled, as she was clearly three steps away from losing her temper.

"True I blew it, Bogus showed up disguised as a Security Officer and by the time I ID'd him Gynax already turned her pearl over to him, by the time I did and tackled him he passed the pearl that I was guarding off to a speedster that was waiting out of sight in the Tunnels." I sighed as I recounted my major screw-up today. "And I did claim sole responsibility for what happened to Carson, it was my decision to get you involved and no one else should have to shoulder the blame. I have detention starting tomorrow helping out the Grounds Crew, as for everything else that was discussed Ms Carson told me before I left her office that the information was to remain confidential until further notice."

"You're lying it's all an awfully convenient excuse to avoid telling us the whole truth," Iron Star stated as he tried to apply more pressure to me in order to get me to crack.

"Leave her alone Bobby," Kerry said coming to my defense, "She's right she didn't have to tell you anything in the first place. She only knew about this because Admin called her in to assist security after the forensics sweep in order to speed the investigation."

"Got that right," Steve said as he backed Seraphim up in coming to my defense. "Plus she's willin' to shoulda' the blame fo' the fallout."

"And the reason that I didn't tell you everything the I knew about what was going on before hand is because I didn't have the time to give everyone a full background briefing." I said as I glared at the wannabe leader of the FSA. "Why don't you ask Hippolyta to tell you the full truth about what Mrs Redstag and Nikki are? After you do that, then I'll tell you more as soon as Carson lets me, until then stay off my case."

"I still say that you're using the meeting with Carson as an excuse," Hippolyta said as she tried to steer the discussion away from her shared demonic girlfriend. "What proof do we have that Ms Carson told you not to tell anyone."

"How about the word of a teacher?" Morrigan said as she approached our little gathering. "Would that be good enough for the Future Superheroes of America or would the word of an honorary member of the Empire City Guard be more to your liking? Because I still am if that's what it takes."

"Y-y-you're just saying that because you're her mentor?" Iron Star stated somewhat losing his nerve in the presence of Valkyrian a living legend in the super-hero community.

"Robert Hasting are you insinuating that a teacher is intentionally lying to a student?" Morrigan said in a low tone that I knew from experience meant that what followed would be the full level of intimidation that a sidhe of her vast age could unleash, which for Morrigan meant that she was perfectly capable of making Doctor Diabolik soil his cast-iron boxer-shorts.

"No we'll take your word for it," G-Force said as he worked with Hippolyta to reel in the most likely choice for candidate to replace Pendragon next year. "Come on Bob we'll find out eventually for now it's not worth it."

After they left I stared at my teacher, "This is about what I'm not supposed to talk about isn't it?" I asked the two of them although in my gut I already knew the answer to my question.

"Just be in the Headmistress's office by eight on the nose," Morrigan stated to me as I stared at her. "Oh and I suggest you invite along Zenith and tell her to bring a couple of the Hover Cams from the WARS media room."

---

Headmistress Carson's Office
Shuster Hall
8:07 PM

"This is so cool!" Zenith exclaimed as she all but shook in excitement. She like the rest of us was in costume since there was a good chance that we would need to broadcast this later. "I can't believe that I'm going to be able to film a mermaid being born. I can't wait till I tell everyone back at Poe about this! I will be able to tell everyone at the dorm about this right? And what is that troublemaker doing here?"

"Why not Zenith my dear, I am the one who returned this Egg to Lady Astarte." Sun Wukong explained from his seat on top of his cloud. "And I intend to take the news of this child's birth back to the four Eastern Court Refugees in the Jade Heavens, believe me they will be celebrating this one for a year solid."

"I still can't believe that this is the last mermaid to live of a royal bloodline." Ms Carson observed as she stared at the Pearl which had now ballooned into a sphere about six feet in diameter and kept in place by a wading pool full of sand with a tarp underneath that. "And if what you said is truth she'll be my daughter as well."

"Well she's not the last mermaid of royal blood." Morrigan began to explain to everyone in the room. "There are others in both the Wild Court and the Jade Realm but there will be something very unique about your daughter. Faolan my dear, would you care to tell Lady Astarte about what makes her youngest child so special."

"Well all children are special in their own way," I nervously chuckled as Morrigan and Carson both glared at me. "I don't know the full mechanics of the spell however your daughter to be and her mother before her, well her other mother- the one who laid the egg that this pearl protects that is, have the potential to revive her uncle Qingu the last direct descendent of the Triton Kings of the Eastern Court. Moreover together the two of them should be able to lift Dagon's Curse which is the source of what ARC calls Innsmouth Syndrome, which is what gradually mutates human beings with Eastern Court ancestry into Deep Ones (or what the public calls fish men) and robs them of their freewill in the process."

"Also like myself she is one of four half-breeds of one of the cardinal courts and the center court who is apparently destined to repair some aspect of the damage caused by The Sundering." I admitted to everyone in the room as I filled Ms Carson in on her youngest child's destiny.

"Just out of curiosity what happens to all of the people with Innsmouth Syndrome now if the curse is removed?" Zenith asked as she directed the Hover Cam to get another angle on the Pearl.

"Unfortunately all the ones that are so far down the path to becoming Deep Ones that their minds have already been infected and their bodies have patches of scales are beyond the point of no return." I closed my eyes as I was forced to admit that even magic had its limits, "As are those who serve Dagon willingly as a part of his cult. For everyone else when they will become mermen and mermaids themselves, but they will still be able to live out their lives as they did before. Still they will also live and stay young a lot longer, be able to assume their aquatic form, and have various powers native to their breed. Still they will also have to live away from arid areas or else invest heavily in moisturizer and air-conditioning, from what I hear merfolk are more vulnerable to heatstroke than humans."

"And just how will the minds of those who become mermaids or mermen be affected?" Zenith asked as she made the other Hover Cam zoom in for a close-up of me.

What is it about today and things that make me want to hurl. "Actually they won't really, their perspective might change when they live past a normal human lifespan but that is to be expected, another century or two but not true immortality. You might try asking Totem or Dr. Quasimodo how they've adapted to living as long as they have without losing touch with their humanity."

“Lady Astarte just how is this your child that’s about to hatch?" Zenith zoomed in on Headmistress Carson in her full uniform. "I mean when did you…?"

"I didn't the egg is sealed inside a mystic artifact that is designed both to keep it safe as well as fertilize with a from what I was told the DNA sample of the first being with a powerful aura that it comes into contact with after being exposed to air." Lady Astarte explained now that the camera focused on her. "After the pearl was found I was simply the first who met the requirements to come into physical contact with it, which at the time was the size of a baseball ever since it had been growing in size and I am told will soon hatch. The powerful aura part was probably put there by the individuals who made the artifact surrounding the egg so that the prospective parent would be able to protect the child from those who wish to harm her once she's born."

Suddenly a crack appeared on the Pearl, Morrigan then turned and with a cry of "Boilgeog!" encased the Pearl in an amorphous force field. When Ms Carson glared at Morrigan the sidhe elder simply responded, "What? You don't want your office to get wet do you?"

Soon the crack widened until one side of the Pearl busted open, and with the deluge of fluid carried what appeared to be a naked teenage mermaid version of Elizabeth Carson (although the indigo tail, webbed ears and periwinkle skin and blonde hair would have thrown a few people). Charlie Lodgeman extracted the young lady from the water while Sun Wukong maneuvered the Pearl crack side up while Morrigan with a chant of "Sruth!" rechanneled the water (at least I thought it was water) inside the hollow nacre cask and everything else to the sand around the pearl. Then with a cry of "Deisigh!" Morrigan sealed the breached pearl until it looked perfectly restored, then sent another spell at the giant gemstone "Giortaigh!" that reduced it back down to the pearl's original size.

Ms Carson rushed over to the child that the kindness of fortune and destiny had given her with a thick beach towel that she had on her desk and wrapped, her newborn (although physically teenage) daughter in the towel. The mermaid soon began to transform as her periwinkle skin gave way to a normal Caucasian skin tone, her tail split into legs, and now in her mother's embrace opened her violet eyes and shakily reached up to touch her mother's cheek. "Welcome to the world Beatrice Margaret Carson!" Lady Astarte said as she tried and failed to hold back her tears over once again being a mother.

Bea then tried her best to smile and say something however, she soon fell asleep, it was perfectly understandable after all. It was a long day for everyone but I imagine seeing the world for the first time after trying so hard to make it into the world would exhaust anybody.

---

---

Sensor Ghoster – A gadget or devise that analyzes the pattern detected by a piece of sensory equipment that is in range and then transmits a false signal based to the analyzed pattern.

Gremlin
A gremlin is a Class 2 earth daemon native to the Southern Court. Gremlins are diligent inventors who are quite inquisitive and industrious in their nature with a bit of an playfully impish sense of humor. The trouble with Gremlins comes not from the adults but from their children, who have the annoying habit of taking apart any piece of technology new to them in order to try to figure it out, and then try to put it back together. Like other creatures of the Southern Court, gremlins have an aversion to damaged antiques and ruins due to both being able to sap their stamina.

Bubble
"Boilgeog!"

Flow
"Sruth!"

Repair, mend
"Deisigh!"

Shrink
"Giortaigh!"

---

?
8:18 PM

I can't believe it I saw something through my eyes, my very own eyes it was a woman in an outfit and she gave me a name. Wait if I remember the costume right that was Lady Astarte or the Headmaster at the school, the jailer attended. If I remember right her name is B- Beth- Bethany Carson (I think that’s right), wait a minute the last that I was aware according to social customs parents are usually the person who gives someone a name and the last name that she spoke to me was Carson, that means- that means- that means that she's my mother.

That realization filled me to the point of overflowing with joy, "I don't believe it, I have a body, I have a name, I have a mother." This is the happiest day of my life... Okay technically since I've never had a body of my own before today (at least none that I could ever remember) so it’s really the first day of my life but that was splitting hairs, I was still happier then I have ever been before in as far back as I can remember and I remember pretty far back. Desperate to see the world again I tried to open my eyes, wait how did I do that before, "Come on I finally saw the world with my own eyes I want to do that again."

"I know that you do kid but the fact is that you're body is pretty exhausted from being born." A man in fancy clothes said as he came into view.

"Wait, who are you?" I asked curious about just what was going on. "I don't remember seeing you around the jailer's school, just who are you?"

"Why my dear young lady I am Louis Geintz also known as Fubar, and I believe that you are Beatrice Margaret Carson, Headmistress Elizabeth Carson's newest daughter." The man said as he extended his hand to me. Oh I've seen this before, shaking hands, I tried to extend my hand to meet his but I couldn't I didn't have a hand how could I have a body and not have a hand what was wrong with me?

"Calm yourself young Beatrice we are having a psychic conversation, the reason that you can't meet my handshake is that you have no reference for yourself yet, or in lay-man's terms you do not know what you look like yet. Here let me help you visualize," Fubar gestured to his left and right as two mirrors rose into existence.

I looked and what I saw reflected in the two mirrors both looked like the same girl, although there were several differences between the two. The girl on the right looked a lot like Headmistress Carson, the woman whom I was ecstatic to call mom, just that word had a ring to it, maybe even one day I could hear someone call me that- well except for the hair being blonde rather than red. Still there was something a little off about the ears, they didn't look like normal human ears they were webbed with what looked like spines in between the webs and the opening was a little misshapen too. She was also wearing the same type of uniform as I saw all over the school through the jailor's eyes, although it was missing the badge on the jacket.

Now the mirror on the left the spines in between the webbed folds on the ears were even more pronounced and the lower part…what was it called…oh that’s right the lobe extended down in a spine that nearly doubled the length of the ear. Of course, the ears weren’t the only thing that was odd about this reflection, the skin was a pale blue, and the legs had been replaced with a tail covered in indigo scales...a mermaid. The eyes had also changed, the whites were gone as and the purple ring covered all of the eye except the black part…Oh that’s right that was the pupil, was the size of of where...iris that's the proper word. She was also wearing the top half of a bikini.

"Which of these am I?" I asked as I turned to look at Fubar, and both of the figures in the mirror did the same.

"Near as I can tell they both are," Fubar stated as the mirrors lowered back down into nothingness. "I don't know the circumstances that cause the change however both forms are yours."

I made a decision and looked down to see the normal skin tone of the human form from the right mirror along with the uniform that came with it. It was amazing I could feel my arms and legs, I could feel the clothing on my skin and the slight pinch of my shoes, and of course the slight sensation coming from my head as my hair was tossed as I moved. Still I knew that this was only my imagination but it would probably help me prepare for the real thing. "This is amazing I can't wait to experience the real thing."

"You mean this is the first time that you've ever had a body of your own?" Fubar asked, as he looked slightly troubled.

"Yes," I said as I began to laugh in joy, "for as long as I can remember I have only seen and heard the world through the eyes of the jailor. I still can't believe that I'm finally going to be able to experience the world for myself, it's like a dream come true, come to think of it maybe I'll be able to have dreams too. Oh I can't wait to experience well...everything."

"You might have to wait a little while," Fubar said with a little trepidation in his voice.

---

The Place of Smoke and Mirrors
8:19 PM

Heather looked out the reflection of the window in the Headmistress’s office in awe, she knew that she wasn't really invited but there was no way that she would ever forgive herself if she missed out something this monumental. She still couldn't believe that she had just witnessed the birth of an actual mermaid. Okay so this girl was as much a mermaid as her sister Randi was a faerie, but still she came out of that big pearl thing a mermaid. Still thanks to her power and Mirabel's camcorder, she got it all on tape she couldn't wait to show everyone back in Dickinson.

Okay on second thought maybe she should wait to release this, the girl in question was in one way or another Ms Carson's daughter and showing this to anyone without her permission would land her in a mess of trouble. Still if only Heather wasn’t so nervous and focused in thought then she would have noticed that she had just leaned forward just enough so that one of her sweaty palms was poking out of the reflection in front of her just enough to betray her scent to someone in the room with a very sensitive nose.

"Apparitia put your uniform on and get out of that mirror right this minute young lady.” Heather slightly jumped as she heard her sister Randi shout in a very disappointed and perturbed tone. Heather swallowed nervously she knew that she was in trouble, someone had caught on to her spying on what was supposed to be a very intimate moment of the Headmistress welcoming her newest daughter into this world, a moment that her intrusion ruined. She then did as her older sister told her to do, she had been caught red handed, and she might as well face the music now.

---

Headmistress Carson’s Office
Shuster Hall
8:21 PM

I admit that I understood why my sister peeked in on what was going on in the office, hell I could hardly blame her she had spent nearly two years seeing the uglier side of the magic world with only her fellow slaves for companionship. Then right here at Whateley the opportunity comes along to give her the chance to see something magical born into the world that might not want to do horrible things to people. Still this wasn’t my call to make, this was the Headmistress’s special moment, I was only here because I knew that she still had questions for me. I should know I had answers for her when the cameras were turned off and Zenith left, I still didn’t explain the full truth about her daughter’s other grandmother, and I would tell her provided the good reverend never learned just what I had to say.

“Young lady what do you have to say for yourself?” Lady Astarte asked while Zenith was busy deactivating the Hover Cams.

“Um do you want my video too,” Apparitia said as she shakily held out Mirabel’s camcorder. “I think I did get all of that from a good angle.”



“Louis- school discipline is my responsibility not yours, although your criticism is noted,” Lady Astarte said as she removed her mask. “Still can you sense that she is healthy or not, I am also concerned that she’ll wind up being a child in an adult’s body?”



“Hold on a minute! Just who is this Louis, and why is it like everyone is having another conversation that I’m not a part of?” I asked mystified at what was going on right in front of me.

“Faolan my dear,” Morrigan said noting that the camera were thankfully off. “You might want to take your normal mask off- poor Louis is a telepathic projection, you are completely unaware of his presence thanks to your mask’s ability to shield against psychic intrusion as he is to yours.”

I was of course somewhat reluctant, understandable given my history with head hijackers but I decided to take off my mask and join in the festivities; although just in case I flipped my original cloth mask down, that now doubles as a bandana, to take its place. That was when I noticed another addition to the room a twenty-something man in a suit and tie who seemed like he wasn't really here, still considering that I had to take the Mask of Occlusion off to even see him that was likely an apt assumption.

"Hello Ms Bridges I don't believe that we've actually met in one form or another, I am Louis Geintz better known to those here on campus as Fubar," Louis said as he tipped his hat in my direction. "I admit that given what I have heard about your history that I have kept my distance out of respect."

"Well Mister Geintz I thank you for your discretion, I really don't like people poking around in my head, besides Phase warned me about you and your sense of humor. So I have to warn you that I have a dangerous weapon that I can deploy at any time against psychic intruders should I choose to do so, now you were saying about Bea here."

"Well she might seem asleep but her mind is quite active at the moment." Louis began to explain. "To tell the truth she seems to be quite eager to meet everyone, but until she learns how to do all of the things that everyone takes for granted such as walking and talking we are going to have to be patient. Still we are not teaching a baby these things so it might go a lot faster than we think."

"Very well I think that I'll take my daughter home for the evening," Carson stated as she looked at me. "Faolan my dear can I borrow your cloak?"

"As long as I can get it back later," I said as I took off the Cloak of Equinox and draped it over Bea.

"Of course Ms Bridges, also you and your sister will be doing your detention together." Ms Carson stated as she looked at me with a smile. "Instead of assisting the groundskeepers, you and your sister will be assisting in Beatrice's physical therapy. Also you can feel free to spread the good word around campus about the full story of today's events and the newest addition to my family, after all glad tidings like this deserve to be shared."

"Might I suggest that you wait until about nine o’clock?" Sun Wukong chimed in as he deflated his inflatable easy chair. "There is a certain individual at your school who acts as another's eyes and ears, I don't want him to find out about this until his spy is well underway delivering a special package that I arranged to mark this occasion."

---

The Dark Room
Whateley Tunnels
8:53 PM

As the Obsidian Circle's local contingent got ready to go back to their respective cabins of Melville, Dickinson and Whitman Ms Nemo decided to ask a question that had been on her mind since yesterday. "You know Baron Astio you never did explain just what you wanted the Pearl of the Orient for anyway, why did you want the mermaid?"

"Why did I want the Pearl of the Orient? The reasons are two-fold however both of them are simple my dear Sherry," Baron Astio said as he popped up from the couch. "On the one hand I wanted the child that would hatch from the egg to be mine; the four maidens you see will be very influential after they help repair the damage that was done to the courts during The Sundering. With the influence of two of the maidens being on the side of the Obsidian Circle we would wield a great deal of political power in the Center Court once it ascends."

"As for the second reason that is far more selfish on my part," Baron Astio sighed. "I wanted to hatch the egg myself, part of me wanted to be a father again with Lamia and with me watching almost all of my children grow up without me has made me nostalgic for what might have been had Zeus not imprisoned me. I would do it the old fashioned way but I don't want to deprive Lamia of a chance at an ordinary public life after graduation, and teen pregnancy would make that difficult. With the Pearl though we could have had the chance and there would be nothing that Imperious could dare to do about it, still that opportunity has come and gone and we have another day to prepare for."

"Besides my dear the year is only beginning and this year will prove to be a very busy one for the Obsidian Circle." Lamia said as her lips pursed in a smile. "We have accomplished many things these past few months that we have planned for decade’s sometimes even centuries to achieve, and many more important plans will pay off soon. As for our failure to secure The Pearl our effort was pointless from the start if it was activated before we could attempt to lay our hands on it, however this is not a total failure adding young Delve to our network here at Whateley along with the maiden being hatched by Lady Astarte are both in and of themselves great victories. So for now you two go and get some sleep, we still have work to do before Summer Vacation begins."

---

Poe Cottage
9:37 PM

"And that's the whole story," I finished as Hippolyta stared at me as if I had a second head while most of the rest of the common room was slack-jawed.

"And you expect us to buy this load of bull," Sharisha barked back at me. "A half-breed mermaid hatching out of a pearl that went from the size of a baseball to nine feet wide in less than a day, a mermaid who just so happens to be related to the Headmistress. You expect me to buy this load of BS."

"Quite frankly Tempest I don't what you buy," I remarked while rolling my eyes at the man-hater. "The girl in question is going to be undergoing physical rehab in Doyle and according to Fubar knows enough to start classes here, so whether you like it or not she is going to be one of our fellow students."

"How is she? Is she pretty? Is she doing well? Will she be in a wheelchair because of her tail? What's she like? Which cottage will she be in?" I looked around as I began to face a flood of questions from Bunny and Jade who both rushed towards me before Tennyo and Riptide reeled them in to give me a little breathing room.

"Billie, Rip, thanks for the save," I said as I regained my center against the maelstrom that was Wondercute. "She's probably asleep right now in the Headmistress's Apartment; remember she was just born today although she looks like a teenager. Yes, she's pretty, believe me I got a really good look. She appears to be able to form legs but I don't know how well she can use them yet, remember I don't think that she has any experience having a body yet."

I took another deep breath and then continued, "I don't know what her personality is like Fubar is the only one that's communicated with her directly, she might have to be taught how to speak. I don't know what cottage she'll be in probably Dickinson unless they have a problem with her having webbed ears, because I'd say she ranks about a 9 maybe a 10 on the scale of her looks without being in exemplar territory. Although they might place her in Melville because she's Carson's daughter."

"I doubt that they'll put her in Melville," Ayla said as she interjected. "Granite was in Whitman when she was here, she'll probably be in there again when ARC finishes growing her new body." I winced at that reminder, knowing from personal experience what it was like to have to get used to a new body- rather than just one that was metamorphosed by mutation.

"I wonder how she will feel about meeting her new little sister." I asked trying to keep myself civil around the Goodkind spawn, "I just hope she doesn't feel jealous because believe me that Bea has a tough road ahead of her, she's going to need family and friends, and all family that she has for now is on Carson's side." 'They don't need to know the truth about the girl's Class-X grandmother.'

"What do you mean by for now?" Zenith inquired as she descended the stairs.

"I came across a prophecy about four hybrids of the Cardinal Courts of Atlantis who are supposed to repair the damage when monsters, like the one behind those diseased voodoo wolves that tried to attack campus last semester, left around. Each is supposed to come about a different way, two will be born human and remade under different means and two will be born half-breeds." I closed my eyes as I admitted something to the cabin. "As near as I can tell Bea Carson and I are the third and second of the four to awaken, the first was nabbed by a cult over on the West Coast, but I heard that she has since been rescued. The details are very sketchy but I believe that she's in hiding till sometime this summer, I'll know more once I decipher more of the terminology that was used."

“That still doesn’t answer my question,” the cottage fixer stated as she began impatiently tapped her foot again the floor while glaring at me.

“Well if I understand it right if she gets a hold of three artifacts she can free her Uncle who is to the Eastern Court what Queen Aunghadheil was to the Western Court.” I nervously explaining while hoping not to set off Nikki's depression over the Daughter of Burning Oak finally joining her sister-queens in the here-after. “I’m going to try and find out a little more from my source in the Dreamlands tonight.”

"Going to the Dreamlands is not such a smart move child," Sara stated as she joined the conversation. "There are things that walk there that have not ventured forth upon the Earth since aeons long past."

"This isn't my first rodeo princess," I retorted with a heavy Texas twang as I stared down Carmilla, "I have been places there and met creatures that few of the Dreamlands own inhabitants are aware exist. After all there are paths in the Dreamlands through which even the Crawling Chaos refuses to tread upon, and beings that even he wishes to avoid the presence of since they have little tolerance to him. Two of these beings are well known to me and I plan to meet with one or both as soon as my head touches my pillow."

"Wait what was the cause of all of those fake pearls," Toni raised her objection, "Just who was behind that debacle?"

"The culprit was none other than our friendly neighborhood panty thief, he secreted the real deal and himself into Ms Carson’s Office and was guarding it until I caught him." I deadpanned as I trudged up the stairs to the room I shared with Candace. Apparently mentioning the Monkey King was enough to silence everyone's questions, did I ever mention how much I hate speaking in front of a large group.

Suddenly I noticed that we were missing a face in the crowd, "Say where's Kayda? I know that she wasn't really part of the hunt for the pearl but I thought that she'd at least be curious."

"She's in Doyle again," Hippolyta replied with a solemn tone, "She along with her friends, Glorianna and Pendragon ran into some Lakota snake demon in Dunwich a couple of hours ago. They one but Kayda took some serious lumps so healer or not she's spending the night in the hospital- doctor's orders especially since the snake was a Class-X entity."

I turned my head to look at Sara who was looking on with mild disinterest, she noticed and remarked, "Hey! I'll have you know that I had absolutely nothing to do with this!"

"I know that much," I retorted with a smug look on my face, "I'm just surprised that they didn't call you in to take care of the left-overs, you would be one of the safest and most efficient ways of disposing of the thing after all."

"Maybe you are correct," Sara mused now that she knew that I wasn't accusing her of something, "but ARC would rather have as much of the specimen on hand to study first- maybe I'll have the left-overs after they glean what they can from the corpse."

---

The Old Whateley Family Farm House
Outside Dunwitch, New Hampshire
9:57 PM

"Okay, I got here on time," Don Sebastiano huffed as he walked into the dilapidated old farmhouse. "Whoever is supposed to pick this thing up come on out, it wasn't easy to sneak off of campus the late at night and I need to get back before I am discovered missing."

Impatient Don Sebastiano searched all around the cabin until he came to the cellar hidden under the rotten floorboards. As he carefully made his way down those rotten stairs, trying not to fall through, then he beheld at the center of the room at what looked like a mystic array. However, unlike those he had glanced occasionally while shoving his weight around among the mystic arts department; he could tell there was something inherently wrong about the occult design that lay before him. Even a psychic like himself with minimal familiarity with the ways of magic could tell deep-down that no human mind had dreamed up this design, no this design had definitely been imported from somewhere not of this earth and then taught to humanity.

"Good I see that you are on time," a hooded figure said as he appeared from out of nowhere. "I assume that you brought the object that we asked you to acquire, otherwise the meeting much like your continued existence is entirely pointless."

"Here," Don Sebastiano said as he tossed the small bag that he brought with him to the figure. "The Pearl is inside, now I need to sneak back onto campus before the midnight burst scan, otherwise they'll notice my absence from campus, and unfortunately because of your protégé’s failure in Kansas City last December I no longer have the power and influence that I used to at Whateley."

"What you desire is of little consequence," the hooded figure explained as his hidden hands dove into the bag until he pulled out the Pearl that Sebastiano brought with him. "And I am not Kallysta's Master- merely another of his servants. Now where is the agreed upon object, this is merely a booby trapped forgery."

"What?!? That's impossible- my operatives delivered this to me immediately!" Sebastiano looked at the object with disbelief and fear. "How could it be a fake?"

"This is a core of condensed dark matter within a shell of enchanted nacre, a mix of northern and eastern court magic’s." The hooded figure replied as he examined the fake. "If I disposed of this in the ritual that I intended for the real one it would cause a four-thousand megaton trans-dimensional pinhole explosion. Otherwise the object is harmless, still this means that either someone pulled a switch on your operatives before they were aware of it or you have a traitor in your organization. Either way be gone whelp, the master will contact you with his judgment on your continued usefulness."

As Sebastiano ran from the farmhouse the hooded figure continued to contemplate the mystic weapon in his hand. "So the Princesses of the Four Jade Seas know of the Eastern Maiden's birth and laid a trap to protect her, the master will not be please at this development. No he will not be please at all."

---

Aries's Room - Melville Cottage
Whateley Academy
10:24 PM

Just as he was about to take a short vacation to REMville, Arnold felt a nudge in his side as he opened his eyes he took note of the individual who made his acquaintance in the tunnel after Bogus passed him the Pearl...mainly because the Pearl transformed into him.

"Hey Arnold," Wukung Sun stated Aries stared at the Buddha sitting at the foot of his bed, "I never did get to reward you for helping switch my decoy with that little surprise I had waiting. Shame that it didn't go off like I planned, still I do owe you one for the effort."

"Don't mention it and quiet down you'll wake up Bogus." Arnold growled at the Monkey who was rather loud. "And unlike me he actually is loyal to The Don."

"Of don't worry about him," the Monkey King grinned as he produced a pouch from his belt. "Sands from the Cave of Morpheus, he'll be out like a light until the sun comes up. That still leaves the matter of your reward, maybe a nice girl from my kingdom to be your personal servant."

"I don't need a helper monkey, besides that kind of servitude is illegal." Arnold groaned at the monkey's offer.

"Not in the market for a personal servant huh, then how about I give you a dragon's egg?" The Monkey King retorted. "Hatch into something nice and powerful."

"It would also probably scare the cows back home till their milk went sour," Arnold replied growing increasingly annoyed.

"Okay how about a Pearl of Wisdom from the Jade Seas," the Monkey King said as he made yet another offer to the triple agent. "Everyone could always do well to be a little smarter."

"I'm already smart enough to say no, so please go away." Arnold stated now fed up with the divine simian's presence.

"So you refused me three times eh, so here take this." the Monkey King stated as he tossed the boy something clear and coin shaped which Arnold caught with ease. "That's my marker; it constitutes one favor owed save it for when you truly need it and pleasant dreams.

Arnold just looked at the crystal token with a symbol of a monkey spanking its butt engraved on it. He shrugged and placed the marker in his desk. "Oh well at least he's gone now to get back to sleep, mom'll tan my backside this summer if she finds out I slept through church."

---

City of Ulthar
The Dreamlands
?

I rose and stretched my limbs as I once again found myself in the strangely comforting City of Ulthar, home of the infamous Cats of Ulthar and an oasis of safety in the Dreamlands as long as you obeyed the cardinal rule and never harmed a cat. I could hear giggling in the distance but there was more than one voice, while I could recognize one as my sister's dreamland-walking, Ailurophile. healer friend Mirabel the other was sounded a little older and was new.

After trotting over there on all four legs, I witnessed Mirabel and Beatrice just sitting there playing with some kittens. I just stood there and watched because something about the sight was a type of magic in and of itself; just the pure joy that the two of them exuded made me feel that it would be a crime of the most heinous sort to interrupt them. I must have just watched the two of them forever and became so focused on the sight unfolding before me that I didn't notice my new companion.

"It's moments like this that make all that hard work worth it isn't it eh' pup?"

I yelped and almost jumped out of my fur as Grayback's question and presence caught me completely off guard. "Geez you old fleabag, you nearly gave me a heart attack! So did you find out what you needed to on the Astral Plane?"

"Of course I did," Grayback looked at me with the weight of ages upon him. "This old fleabag knows his way around the Astral Plain like the back of his right forepaw. I can see that the Eastern Maiden is alive and well."

“Yeah,” I said gazing at the sight before me again, where was Norman Rockwell when you needed him? “I assume that Queen Tiamat drew her here like you did me?”

“Yes she did,” Grayback stated as he stared back at the two with me. “She wants to meet her granddaughter, however of course there are rules.”

“There is no way that she’s ready for that journey,” I said with a growl. “She was just born and knows next to nothing about the Dreamlands, I knew a little and the trip almost killed me a dozen times over.”

“There is a way child to go straight there for those who are new; however it requires three things: permission of the domain's owner- in this case Queen Tiamat’s which I already have, an anchor to create the temporary road- in this case myself, and a guide to help the travelers journey there- in this case you.” The old sidhe sage stated.

"I hate this job sometimes," I sighed looking at the two. "I mean she has been alive for less than a day and already she must be exposed to her destiny. Why can't it wait for a few days?"

"If she had been hatched earlier it could have however fate conspired against such an occurrence." The old wolf sighed. "The moment when Qingu must be freed fast approaches and the tools necessary for her to do so will be in her hands soon enough. Morrigan is reassembling the scepter as we speak and the tablets of destiny are in the hands of an ally to our cause. She needs to know what she must do before the Summer Solstice; the Obsidian Circle is preparing to end a major operation that although it serves their own ends will also benefit us as a side-effect."

"Who would have thought that they would actually help us?" I mused for a moment.

"They might be a gathering of some of the darkest individuals to ever walk the Earth, however they count the Old Ones as their sworn enemies." Grayback informed me. "Some among their number are individuals from among the Five-Fold Courts, while others see the continued survival of humanity as being in their best interests. Either way while they might not be our allies sometimes our interests do coincide."

"You know she's going to hate me for this right," I sighed. "I wanted to try and make friends with her especially since Lady Astarte has told me that I will have to assist in her physical therapy. I guess like North and South it is inevitable that East and West do not get along either."

"Do not lose hope so quickly child, I know of your pessimistic bent all too well but you should know better than to make quick judgments about someone who you have yet to hold a conversation with." Grayback explained showing the wisdom of his years once again. "Just because she is enjoying an innocent pleasure does not mean she is necessarily as naive of the world as you think. Remember you cannot know about a person until you have exchanged more than mere words."

"I'll try Grayback...I'll try." I said as I began to reluctantly pace towards the pair feeling more and more like interrupting this special moment was a sin, then again I am hardly a perfect little church girl. Once I was finally close to the pair, I announced my presence, "Hello Nightingale, I see that you have made the acquaintance of the Eastern Maiden."

"Oh hello Faolan, just who is this Eastern Maiden you're talking about?" The young lady with the unusual power set asked. "Oh do you mean Pearl here?"

"Pearl? Oh you are aware of the circumstances behind your birth." I said as the connotation dawned upon me.

"Yes, Fubar explained it to me when I was struggling to regain consciousness," Pearl began to explain, "So can dogs talk just like cats? And how do you know of my origin as well?"

"First of all at the moment I am a wolf, not a dog. Also this is the City of Ulthar in The Dreamlands really only the cats here can speak as we do- okay maybe the servants of Bast can as well, but that is just speculation on my part." I began to explain to the Eastern Maiden. "As for how I know I was in the room when you hatched, moreover I was the one who discovered that the Monkey King had secreted the Pearl containing your egg into your mother's office."

"Really?" the demi-mermaid asked. "Granted that I didn't get too good of a look at the room before I lost um- oh year consciousness, but I'm sure that I would remember seeing a fluffy dog like yourself there- oh I'm sorry I mean a fluffy wolf like you there."

"That's okay I'll let you forgive that slip up, after all you have been in the world for less than a day." I stated with a light chuckle. "Still there is a reason for that because on that occasion I looked like this!"

With that, I transformed into my normal self and made a facsimile of my outfit appear from the aether of The Dreamlands since my real outfit was in my collar on my desk while I slept.

"Oh I think that I remember seeing you there are you a teacher or something at the school?" Pearl asked causing Nightingale to start giggling.

"Don't be ridiculous Pearl, Faolan is a student at the Academy just like I am." Armordillo granddaughter laughed at the misunderstanding, "Hey Faolan why don't you put on your other uniform."

I complied with the request and with a moment's concentration; I had shifted the aether around me into the form of my student uniform albeit with a domino mask for added effect. "Here how's this?"

"Why are your badge's different," Pearl asked, "I mean I always saw that around through the jailer's eyes but I never understood what that meant."

"Well the stripes on the border of the badge signify school year and the color symbolizes your cottage," I began to explain. "Nightingale's uniform shows that she's a First-Year Underclass Student from Dickinson while mine shows that I'm a Freshman Student from Poe. You'll probably join the student body as well once you are able to do so."

"You mean I'm going to be going to that school too," Pearl almost squealed. "Will the surprises ever stop I mean they just keep on coming, it seems like they’re never going to end. I wonder if this is what that Christmas thing I remember seeing- is going to be like. Say what did you mean when you called me the Eastern Maiden?"

"I was honestly hoping that you wouldn't have noticed that remark, not all surprises are pleasant ones." I sighed before looking at the newborn teenage mermaid with a heavy heart. "You see you were born with a destiny weighing upon you, a long time ago before the rise of the current age of mankind, the world was governed by what was called the Five-Fold Court of Atlantis. Each court held dominion over a portion of the world and made shaped it according to the needs of their people. The Court of the North was one of dragons; there's was a land of high-mountains, clouds, and flying creatures. The Court of the South was one of djinn; there's was a land of deserts, caves, and daemons. The Court of the West was one of sidhe; there's was a land of forests, meadows, and faerie. The Court of the East was one of merfolk; there's was a land of deep seas and oceans, inhabited by all manner of sea creatures."

"And I'm a mermaid." Pearl replied in a hushed tone.

"You are half-mermaid of royal descent," I corrected her before continuing with my explanation. "It was foretold that four half-breeds each representing one of the courts would each enter the world in a different way, and they would be destined to aid the true rulers of the Five-Fold Courts in healing the damage of The Sundering, the very catastrophe that ended the Five-Fold Courts that held the world in balance. You are the Maiden of the East, just as I am the Maiden of the West."

"So does that make us enemies?" Pearl inquired in an innocent tone, "I know that East is the opposite direction from West after all."

"Not necessarily- besides I was hoping that we could be friends." I admitted as I nervously extended my right hand, which she promptly took for the handshake with a wide-beaming smile. "So glad that we're not enemies cause quite frankly your mother and grandmother are not the type of people that I want mad at me. Either would be hazardous to my long term health, and being even a demi-faerie I plan on being around a long time."

"Wow- I know that mom is supposed to be powerful, but I had no idea that her mom was also strong too!" Pearl exclaimed in a way that had me shaking my head.

"No not Lady Astarte's mother, the mother of the mermaid who laid your egg." I began to elaborate for Bea. "She was the avatar of the High Queen of The Dreamlands upod earth, and we will be going there so that you can find out more of your destiny."

"You mean I can finally get to meet Queen Tiamat," Nightingale said joining Pearl in her enthusiasm.

"Yes, this time because thanks to Grayback we have an alternate way to get there, the normal route to the City of Lost Dreams is beyond dangerous. Still we must be cautious the beings that are among her court are the Great Ones and are not without power of their own, so watch what you say, be polite and most importantly never speak your true name." I said before turning to stare Beatrice right in the eye, "I am serious Pearl while here you are not to tell anyone the name that your mother gave you, one of the cardinal rules of magic is that names have power, if someone who knows how discovers your name they can use it to control you."

"Worse still if they know how to take your name away they can enslave you, that is why aliases, code names and nicknames are important, besides your grandmother is likely already aware of your name." I said as I smiled at her and patted the two of them on the back. "So are you ready?"

The both of them nodded as the sole kitten, which had been playing with the two of them and had yet to wander off, approached Grayback. "Hello again Mister Grayback sir, do you mind if I come along to see the Queen again now that she's feeling all better?"

"Of course young Blinky, I am certain that Queen Tiamat would be delighted to see you again, especially since you have become such good friends with her granddaughter." The old wolf chuckled at the young kitten; hmm this must have been the kitten of that queen spoke of when I first traveled here months ago. After a moment's concentration a tunnel of energy appeared in front of us, "Now everyone do not lose contact with Faolan until you exit out the other side and let her take the lead. Young one I suggest you take one of her shoulders, you may have been there before however the destination is no longer the Primus Umbra if you try on your own you will likely wind up in the Underworld."

Evidently, Blinky took that sage bit of advice to heart as he leaped up to my shoulder like a shot, and hung on tight. Meanwhile Pearl and Nightingale each took a hand as I lead them into the tunnel and towards our destination the City of Lost Dreams, and the Palace of High Queen Tiamat Pearl's grandmother.

---

---

The City of Lost Dreams
The Dreamlands
?

After a few minutes of guiding the girls through the tunnel, we finally emerged in the awe-inspiring Center of Tiamat's power. To be honest this was my third time here and this place still weirded me out. I mean it was true that the dreams and nightmares that made this place up were smaller than the smallest grain of sand but I could swear that I could feel their full effect radiating from the walls around me.

I know that the presence of Class X entities and places associated with them is supposed to drive mortal minds insane, that is after all a well-established fact. However, what most of those at ARC and other such people are unaware of is that the surreal nature of dreams (and even more so The Dreamlands) makes such interaction possible for anyone who finds their way here, provided what they find doesn't try to eat them. Still The Dreamlands don't negate the effects of emotions and given that dreams are full of emotion that means that in some ways what happens in a dream can feel more real than reality.

Given that this city-sized palace was constructed from the forgotten dreams of an infinitesimal amount of beings from trillions of alien races ever since the Big Bang, this meant that every brick and stone was filled with an unbelievable cacophony of emotions. Emotions that if you didn't ignore them almost seemed to bleed out of the walls, not enough to penetrate your being but it could make you feel unnerved and that is not something that you wanted to experience when confronted with Queen Tiamat's court.

Eventually Greyback rejoined our motley crew as we navigated the still relatively empty size to the center courtyard, and the throne of High Queen Tiamat someone who was essentially the Goddess of The Dreamlands and as old as the Demon Sultan Azathoth- possibly older. Given that the courtyard was also full of beings that were likely Elder Gods and Old Ones themselves and thus well up there in terms of power and the ability to seriously mess you up, it was also a place to really mind your manners.

As we entered the courtyard the full scope of Tiamat's Court finally hit me, it figures you never realize just how out of your depth you are unless you have no other issues to distract you. For example, last time I didn't notice the six-winged gray-skinned man flying nearby who used two wings like a skirt and two like a helmet, wait a minute- holy crap that's a seraphim. Okay I know that I've been in the presence of a large number of individuals who were considered deities (I used to share my head with a few of them after all) but this was my first time seeing a real angel.

"I see that you children are speechless," Greyback explained as Bea, Mirabel and Blinky took in the courtyard and the many beings that were assembled before us. "That might be for the best, here allow me to make the introductions here, I have a rather positive rapport with most of those assembled here after all."

"As verbose as ever Greyback," a woman in old-fashioned attire explained while she all but drug a girl in another Whateley Academy uniform over to us. Wait a minute isn't that woman in the Math Department? "And I suppose that you have the responsibility of protecting this group of students from my school?"

"Ms Mason I've been coming here for a few years now." Mirabel said as she fumed in indignity. "If you actually paid attention every time that you visited Ulthar then you'd have known that the queens there consider me one of the best kitten-sitters around."

"And I was here when her majesty High Queen Tiamat created the City of Lost Dreams." I explained as I stared at the rather young looking math teacher. "Moreover I am here to report the status of a task she charged me with."

"Really," Ecila said as she eyed us all with a note of curiosity, "And what about you?"

"Who me?" Bea asked before replying. "I'm just here to visit my grandmother."

"Um, you picked a really dangerous place to do that," the girl with Ecila Mason pointed out stating the obvious. "I mean couldn't you have done that somewhere else a little safer?"

"No she could not," I elaborated as our group approached Queen Tiamat's throne with a measured pace, "I honestly hoped that she forgave my insolence the last time, but then again I was concerned with the life of others more than my own.

I knelt in silence as Mirabel and Bea mimicked my actions to my sides, while Greyback and Blink were in front of us making it like an X with me at the center...almost like a bullseye. "High Queen Tiamat, oh Beating Heart of the Surface of Land of Dreams, we come before yourself and your court to present to you at long last the granddaughter of your previous incarnation from the Eastern Court colony-" Greyback began to speak as he circled our group coming to rest beside Bea, "Lady Aletheia!"

With this revelation, the court around us erupted into cheers the majority of which were jubilant while, some were obviously half-hearted such as that from the confined orb of swirling fog. Nevertheless, the most amazing of all were the brilliant smile upon Queen Tiamat's face, although the heavenly aria from the nearby seraphim came in at a very close second.

<HR>

This was amazing my first day of life was proving to be a stream of wonders that never seemed to end, as I approached my grandmother for a- what was it called- oh yeah a hug. I threw my arms around the lovely woman with the shimmering rainbow hair and shifting eyes. I could almost feel the joy radiating off her like a tidal wave that made the stones of the room seem to erupt in scenes of happy children and warm family moments of people, merfolk, faerie, and more things than I could have imagined before this moment.

But right now none of that mattered I was so happy I could cry, I was alive I was meeting my family, making friends, seeing things that I had never before been able to imagine, I felt so happy I could explode like a firework of joy. "Thank you for visiting, child of my prior self's child, please know that you are always welcome to visit here at anytime you choose." My grandmother said in a voice so melodic it might as well have been a song. "I have much to tell you however it can wait for later; please have a seat while my court presents itself to you."

After grandmother said this a smaller throne formed from the ground beside her, I later learned that this throne I later learned was crafted from the sweet innocent dreams of childhood that are too often forgotten as individuals grow older and became hardened by the ways of their worlds. Still all that I know is that for now the throne radiated warmth and wonder, it felt comfortable to myself and as I sat down I knew that any who approached it while I was seated upon it would never feel an ounce of fear or a harbor a single thought of malice.

"Greetings Lady Aletheia," a luminescent almost featureless being said as it stood hovering before us. "I am ________ servant of the conscious mind of existence, may your life be long and fruitful."

"Why can't I make out what you look like or hear your name?" I inquired honestly curious.

"I am an abstract being therefore your perception of me is filled by you own personal beliefs," the agent of existence explained. "As you have yet to choose just what to believe, I have no conceivable name or form, when you do choose just what you believe then you will perceive me thus."

As the luminescent being floated away, a snake that shone like a rainbow flew up to take his place, "Greetings daughter of the Queen's daughter, I am known as by countless names across many tribes although most know me as the Rainbow Serpent. I am a guardian of life, and an adjudicator of justice, I know of your destiny and offer my blessings in your pending quest."

"Thank you Rainbow Serpent," I replied in turn, still what was this about a quest.

Soon the shimmering serpent moved out of the way for a lady that was part spider. "Greeting scion of the Queen's line, I am Atlanch-Nacha she who weaves the webs of prophecy. I offer you a warning, choose your friends wisely but keep in mind that though they might not be there when you feel you feel that need them the most it does not mean that they are not your friends."

"Thank you for your advice Lady Atlanch-Nacha." I replied I filed her cryptic advice away for later. The spider lady left as a hooded figure whose face was hidden in the shadows of his black robes took her place.

"I am Zo-Kalar, lord of birth and death; I hope that given how long that you awaited for the former that you shall have at least as long to await the final mysteries of the later."

As the creepy figure drifted back into the crowd, a young boy with a spear came forward. "Greetings I am Lobon, patron to pacifists and healers. May your gift aid many in the days to come."

Soon the youth relinquished his spot to an orb of swirling mist, "I am Nyarlothotep the crawling chaos, and I promise the wrath of my followers to await your future in the waking world."

The orb was soon batted aside by a three-eyed king riding a lion, "I am Nath-Horthath, lord of law and protection, and as long as you walk the path of renewal you shall have my blessing."

One by one, they came to me and offered their blessings or in some cases threats as the party and the night stretched on.

---

As Bea was receiving her blessings from the court and Mirabel and Blinky were keeping Josie Gilman company Greyback took me aside like he had something important to tell me. "Okay old wolf, what is it? I would like to be there for my fellow maiden on her big day, especially since I wasn't able to help the Northern Maiden with her problem, what with not even knowing about any of this till I was a month into classes at Whateley."

"That could not be helped and Duànlóng, the Maiden of the North, is fine you merely need to tell the Hand of Gaia where she needs to find her. No this concerns something about you as well as well as why she is where she is right now. You see unlike the Eastern Maiden, you and the Northern Maiden were both born human, you two have much harder paths ahead of you."

"Why does it sound like I won't like this?" I muttered under my breath.

"Because this trial will be very difficult for you to do child, more so than your first journey here." Greyback began to explain. "In order to unlock your full potential you much immerse yourself in your element, in this case you must separate yourself from the world of man and learn to walk the wilds. You must go on this summer you must go on Walkabout as a wolf, go into the open land avoiding civilization when posible, taking nothing with you and eschewing the form of your rebirth, do not ask your familiar for aide for you must do this alone."

"And this will fully unlock my powers?" I asked curious about the purpose of this heavy-handed request.

"Correct if you do this not only will you master your shape-shifting and gain a better understanding of your magic," Greyback answered my inquiry, "but you shall also be ready to receive my gift. Although you must know this you will come away from this experience stronger; you will also face a grave danger. You see the power of the Faerie flows from the living world, and in order to embrace your wild nature like you embrace your humanity you must face death itself."

"Hah," I said as my tension dissolved. "I've faced death plenty of times already, what can be so hard about that?"

"No child you have not faced death, you have run from it." The sage of the Ancient Fae stated in a firm tone. "You ran from The Hangman as a child, you tried to help a child escape Slaughterhaus's carcasite but your were protected by Carcharoth's glutony and rage, when Plagiat's curse tried to end your life I sacrificed my place on the mortal plain to shield you, and you severed your own arm to survive a fight with a Fomor when the Phantom Queen became unable to protect you. Moreover you have also needed other's to aide you in times of peril you needed a dwarven sword to rescue you from Ares, Athena to save you from Macha, and Seraphim to escape Professor Id's trap. This time you must face your peril without human or fae allies, for if you do not you will never unlock your true potential and your destiny will go unfulfilled."

"Speaking of my destiny just what is it?" I asked the old wolf still a little shaken by his speech. "I know what the Eastern Maiden is supposed to do but that doesn't explain what I'm supposed to do."

"The Eastern Maiden's own quest this summer is actually not her true task assigned to her destiny. The task of bringing back Qingu and destroying Dagon's curse with him is her personal trial like your Walkabout and has nothing to do with her destiny as the maiden, despite the fact that it will aide in her destiny to come and benefit the entire peoples of the Eastern Court. As for your destiny child you can find that out after you meet your fellow maidens, but that destiny will still be beyond you until you complete your Walkabout and you have receiving my gift." Greyback elaborated in a way that caused me no small amount of frustration. "Though when you go on walkabout you need not be thinking about your future, truthfully you need not be thinking about anything other than survival. Know that only when you travel to the point that you lose yourself in the wilderness will you find out just who you have become when your power begins to matures."

As the ancient sidhe wandered away he disappeared amongst the party guests, I was left feeling perplexed. Just when I thought I had the old wolf figured out he threw ten more levels of cryptic and enigmatic crap at me, well it looks like I'd need to sign up for Driver's Ed in the Fall at Whateley because it looked my summer back home was pretty much going to be blown. I had planned to ask Billie and Jade if they'd like to attend A-kon this year after classes were over, somehow I thought that they'd like it, at least until I found out that classes spilled over into June not ended in May like back home.

Still I wondered what I was going to tell my folks, they'd have enough on their plate this summer helping Chuck prepare for college, and I didn't want them to worry about me wandering around the plains of Texas as I risked getting shot by ranchers. At least it would get me out of waitressing at Nana place the Beacon Bridges Bar & Grill in Corpus Christi this summer, maybe I should ask around to see if anyone wanted a summer job that included access to one of the best beaches on the Gulf Coast.

---

After the wolf known as Greyback, who had come with us to escort me to grandmother's palace in the first place, had extended to me the offer of his wisdom and council grandmother took me aside to another part of the palace. It was weird; while she walked down the hallways, her gown changed along with the floor. If someone didn’t know any better they would swear that the gown Tiamat wore was like the very floor of the palace that rose to drape itself around her as she walked.

As soon as we were far enough away from the party in a separate room, that sealed itself behind us before she began to speak again. "Granddaughter I must speak to you of a matter of extreme importance that cannot fall upon prying ears in the Dreamlands, you may tell a handful of others in the Waking World but none who exist solely in The Dreamlands must know until after the deed is done."

"I think that I understand grandmother," I said as I wondered what she needed me to do, I mean I'm less than a day old and can barely move yet.

"Good listen because this is important, you must travel with your mortal mother to the ruins of Babylon with the Scepter of Nin-Ti and the Tablets of Destiny by the Summer Solstice, and there and then you shall know what to do."

"Um that's not a lot to go on," I said somewhat nervously I mean I've never even heard of these things before. "Plus I don't even know what those things are, just where do I find them?"

"Before the week is over daughter of my prior self's daughter they will find you," grandmother explained as she led me back to the party.

---

After what seemed like the long side of forever, the celebration began to wind down as the guests began to find their own way to their domains, still unknown to anyone Queen Tiamat called an old friend of her’s aside. "Blinky my dear young tom of Ulthar, can I beg a favor of you?"

"Of course Great Queen," the young kitten stated, “Just what favor do you need?"

"When you return to Ulthar with my granddaughter can you follow her from The Dreamlands and into the Waking World?" Queen Tiamat inquired of the kitten, "I would like you to help guard at times when I cannot do so when you are able."

"Of course your majesty just let me tell my momma so she doesn’t miss me." The young cat explained before he followed the group and disappeared.

"Stay safe young ones for there are many perils ahead of you that will test you to your very limits." Tiamat spoke as tears welled in her eyes, knowing that no matter what happened in the Waking World that she could do nothing to interfere. There were times that even an Outer God could feel completely powerless.

---

Sunday April 1st, 2007
Headmaster's Office
Yama Dojo, Nagano-ken, Japan
13:47 JST

"Arashi-sama your appointment for three o'clock is here early," the voice of Kanoko Izumi came in over the intercom. "Do you want me to send Hóuwáng-san in or have her wait?"

"Please Izumi-san, send her in and do be a dear and hold my calls until we are finished." Arashi-sensei the current Headmaster of the Infamous Yama Dojo replied.

Soon his secretary, a modern Japanese Office Lady, escorted his appointment and stern no-nonsense Chinese businesswoman inside. Once the heavily warded doors were dropped and the EM field was engaged the two of them dropped their disguises with Sun Wukong transforming into a pair of camo-shorts and a loud T-shirt that proclaimed "Spank the Monkey!" while Susanoo was in his usual unbuttoned Hawaiian shirt and Bermuda shorts with geta sandles and his hair worn loose and shaggy. "So Sun, my main monkey man, how'd it go in the land of the stuffed shirts and spandex?"

"The Eastern Maiden was born and the Western Maiden is as sharp as a tack." Sun stated as he summoned his cloud easy chair, which he preferred to the inflatable one fortunately Arashi's floor was treated bamboo no need to worry about potential water damage from condensation unlike Headmistress Carson's wood floors. "The Northern Maiden is still in the Rockies where the Wayfarer and I left her; I hope the Handmaiden is up to the task because Xuè-jīn Mùshī and his men really did a number on the poor girl."

"She has to be all four Maidens are needed to heal the world and fortify it for the pending conflict." Susanoo said as he went over to his personal bar and mixed himself up a Sex on the Beach (the TGI Friday's variation) and Sun a Banana Daiquiri. "Any news about who the Southern Maiden might be?"

"One prospect and you won't like it," Sun said as he took the drink and sipped it. "A woman named Miranda Salazar who’s currently expecting, she's currently a handmaiden of Set."

"But wouldn't that disqualify her as a possibility?" Susanoo asked as he took a sip from his own drink. "When a djinn makes someone a servant, even if they back out later, while they are the servant is a genie."

"Yeah except the signs show that the Set knocked her up before he made her the offer," Sun explained. "That means that the unofficial head of the pre-Grand Hall Obsidian Circle is the father of the Southern Maiden."

"Set isn't that bad getting all his internal organs back and reuniting with his wife should mellow him back into the djinn that he used to be." Susanoo mulled it over for a minute. "Besides it could have been worse, Typhon is a student at the Whateley Academy, and he could have just as easily have hatched The Eastern Pearl."

"Don't remind me," Sun said as he made himself a second daiquiri. "He knew about the Pearl and it's likely that he arranged for it to be drug out of its hiding spot in Aphrodite's astral shadow."

"Still someone had better tell the Eastern Maiden to get over to Iraq by late June," Susanoo said a as he took a deep drink of his cocktail. "The region might be hot with hostiles right now but she needs to be there. Le Fay told me that the Circle intend to have Jörmungandr tear into Y'ha-nthlei to chow down on Dagon and Hydra not long after the solstice. That means that Prince Qingu needs to be free and healed up in so that the Eastern Maiden shred Dagon's curse as soon as Jörmungandr chows down on Dagon."

"Morrigan is already preparing to reassemble the Scepter of Nin-Ti," Sun stated as he started on his second banana daiquiri. "That means that the Eastern Maiden needs the Tablets of Destiny."

"I'll be leaving next week for the reception," Susanoo stated, "It's true that I could get there a lot sooner but I have to maintain my cover. Meanwhile you might want to tell the Four Dragon Kings of the Jade Heavens to arrange the reception, I would think that they would be especially interested in the Eastern Maiden, although tell them to coordinate to bring practical gifts that don't clash with each other."

"I will," Sun stated as he finished his drink. "Morrigan will also likely be notifying the refugees living in the Gold Sea and the Silver Sea in the Wild Lands of the Fae about this development, I wonder if I should bring anything, maybe something normal to throw everyone for a loop. Still I wonder how young Beatrice will deal with six mermaid princesses knocking on her door and buttering her up with gifts. Although it will just be to win her favor so that she presents them to her Uncle as the Royal Fiancée, or would that be the chief fiancée if I understood Eastern Court traditions his father King Apsu was pretty unique in that he only took one wife."

"I suspect that might have been because no other mermaid could possibly hold a candle to Tiamat, or he didn't want to piss of someone as powerful as she was." Susanoo muttered as he mulled over the details aloud. "Anyway just think- after Qingu’s coronation there will still be six vacant Triton Crowns, and none of the other Triton lines had any direct descendants who survived. If you think about it they could avoid a succession war for at least a two full generations."

---

Elizabeth Carson’s Apartment
Whateley Academy
6:45 AM EDT

As her alarm clock went off, Elizabeth Carson got off of her accidental bed for the evening, in this case the reinforced easy chair in her Memory Room. Her Memory Room was the type of room that other people would turn into their game room, entertainment room or office but she didn't really need any of that. Why need games when you lived alone, entertainment she had a modest television and a small film collection in the den downstairs, and as for her office that was only a brisk walk away at Shuster Hall.

No Elizabeth's Memory Room was an important sanctuary in and of itself. Here she had a copy of every Whateley Academy Yearbook ever since she was brought on to be the Headmistress back in 1982 on a book shelf, along with three wedding albums, dozens of family photo albums of her children, grandchildren and hopefully soon to be great-grandchildren. She had scrap books dedicated to her exploits going back to before she became Ms Champion back when she was a fourteen year old teenager during the forties, as well as a separate one dedicated to every Champion since dear old Harry.

This was a room of memories, and she had nodded off losing herself in them late last night. It was hard to believe that she was a mother again, okay she had been expecting to consider herself one once Shelly new body finished growing at ARC and came back to school, but Beatrice's arrival came as a unexpected as a freight train's arrival at a island port town. It wasn't like she wasn't happy to have a hand in raising a new child, but she had just come so suddenly there was no time to prepare. Elizabeth knew that for starters, she had to get Cecelia Rogers over here to measure Beatrice for some clothes; all she had to wear at the moment was a cloak that Randi Bridges had let her borrow and would likely want back given that it was a part of her costume and a few borrowed night gowns.

That could wait for the moment as her old alarm clock was ringing up a storm in it's usual place in the guest bedroom, so that Elizabeth didn't accidentally smash the poor thing that had been with her ever since her dad bought it for her when she was nine. She went into the room and spied her new daughter who like her had been awakened by the clock, Elizabeth turned off the alarm and went over to the antique full-sized bed and gently ran her fingers through her new daughter's hair.

"Hello sleeping beauty," Ms Carson said as she smiled at her newly born daughter. "Louis said that you already knew this, but I'm your mom."

The girl said nothing of course, having not learned the ins and outs of how to speak just yet, but she could already understand English and smiled at her mother instinctively. Elizabeth was so absorbed in the moment that when she felt something furry rub up against her arm she half-jumped.

A quick glance revealed it to be nothing more than a kitten with gray and lavender stripes...wait a moment lavender, "Alright little one," Ms Carson said as she picked up the young tom, "Let's see if we can find out just who sent you."

"If you want to know ma'am Queen Tiamat asked me to come and keep an eye on her Granddaughter," the kitten explained causing her to drop the cat back onto the bed although he didn't so much drop as float down like a feather. "My name's Blinky from Ulthar, the Queen asked me to keep an eye on her granddaughter for her since she can't come to your world."

"How are you able to do that?" Elizabeth asked granted she had seen several strange things over her odd life, but the kitten reminded her of something that she read as a little girl.

"I told you I'm a Cat of Ulthar we can all do things like this," the kitten said as his gray stripes began to fade to the point of complete transparency. "I understand that one of us named Giggles was really well known by people."

"The Cheshire Cat," Elizabeth guessed as she began to chuckle, remembering the antics of that particular feline in the book and the films. "Well you had better not cause too much mischief around here young tom, this Academy has enough tricksters in the student body alone."

"Okay but I just want to keep an eye on the Queen's granddaughter and help keep her safe." Blinky explained. "Besides she gave me good tummy rubs back in Ulthar, and I'm hoping for more."

"Well I'm afraid that my daughter Beatrice will take a while to do that young Blinky," Elizabeth said with a smile. "Her mind might be right where it needs to be for someone her age but she still needs to learn how to use her body."

"Wow it must be fun to have two mommies," Blinky said, as his invisible parts appeared visible again. "Or are you the daddy? I really haven't met too many people."

"Oh no I am definitely her mother young kitten," Elizabeth said as she scratched the kitten's ears not wanying to think about the subject. "I just might wait a while to introduce her to the rest of her family; she should at least be able to talk to Samantha and Miranda, not to mention Shelly. Still in hindsight I'm glad that I didn't decide to name her Alice like I was considering."

---

Crystal Hall
7:23 AM

"So Randi any more craziness planned for today?" Murphy chewed my ear for a bit, "I mean yesterday was wild but today's April Fool's day."

"I don't think so Joanne," I deflated, "I'm in enough trouble right now, all I have planned is collecting my cloak from the Headmistress and doing some research before my detention begins."

"So what is our fair lupine maiden burdened with for her noble intentions?" Rob Rose inquired as he manifested a yellow rose, then handed it to me which then barked and disappeared.

"My sister and I have to assist Bea Carson in her physical therapy so we won't be leaving for spring break." I said as I began to explain to my group. "Evidently she's been seeing and hearing Cytherea's life through her eyes and ears so she has the mind and body of someone our age, but she has no experience coordinating and using a real body so we have to help her learn all the ins and outs of doing things that all of us take for granted. She understands how to read but doesn't know how to write, she can understand English but she doesn't know how to speak yet, and don't forget about hundreds of other motor skills. It's going to be a real challenge helping her."

"Yeah," Kerry said, as she looked right at me. "Honestly I don't envy your position basically the duration of your detention depends on how fast this girl learns."

"It would really try your patience too," Baird explained. "you're going to need to learn to have to deal with someone else's needs more than your own, it should prove to be an enlightening experience."

"Of course it figures that the Headmistress's daughter would be getting such preferential treatment," Konrad began to spew his usual venom on American-entitlement. "How much would you wager that she does not even have to take classes with us?"

"Nothing all things considered Radu," Renee stated as I glared at the bitter Romanian. "She might know everything that Cytherea knows but she'll still have to take a placement test, besides they are also make her write her own research papers from all of those classes in the interest of fairness to the rest of the student body."

"And she might have Cytherea's knowledge but I really doubt that Bea has her power set," I said as I considered things carefully. "She'll have to take Power's Lab as soon as she will be able to and either a survival course or a beginning self-defense course with tutoring to bring her up to speed with the other students."

"The real question is that since she's learning how to use her body from scratch will she be ready for the Spring Combat final." Jamal said drawing attention to the massive elephant in the room. "I figure that she'll be a probationary student once she's done with physical rehabilitation and this fall she'll be allowed to be a junior or more likely a sophomore so that she can focus on her own specialties. Keep in mind the girl is starting life at the period when other people are deciding what they want to do with there's."

Jamal had a point the rest of us all had a real childhood to cultivate our interests and dreams not to mention tastes and hobbies, even Belphoebe who was becoming her own person had Belphegor's childhood to draw upon. Also along with her motor skills, she'd need to develop her interpersonal skills and survival instincts, if she was too naive there were predators and psychos at this school who'd use and abuse her until she was a shell. Great that meant that I'd have to help her with something that I have very little experience in, face it Randi you have taken on a labor worthy of Hercules.

"Randi this will only be for a little while, honestly child you need not fret so much about this matter." Jane said as she finished her own breakfast. "Ultimately you will likely find that this will be a very positive experience, and might lead you to forge a very long-lasting friendship. Besides this might also help you when the time comes to have children of your own, you can never have enough practice after all. "

"Jane!" I moaned as I blushed and ducked my head down, "Sometimes you’re as bad as your mother."

"No Randi," Jane began to explain, "If I was my mother I would be urging you to get in practice of the other variety, and something like that is most unbecoming of a lady."

Okay the first suggestion was embarrassing, but that once made me want to turn invisible. Well it made me want to turn invisible or sink through the floor...okay come to think about it turn invisible and then sink through the floor. Unfortunately since I didn't know how to do either, or had something that could help me do so, I just settled for trying to slump further into my seat in Crystal Hall.

---

Physical Rehabilitation - Doyle Medical Center
Whateley Academy
9:57 AM

"Alright repeat after me," Nurse Monroe said as she looked over me while Faolan and another girl waited in the corner. "Ah, eh, ih, oh, uh."

"Aggg, eegg, iikkk, okkk, ukkkk." I said doing my best to repeat what the nurse said for what seemed like forever, damn this was frustrating. I knew what I wanted to say and what I wanted to do but the how escaped me, not surprising I might have lived through the jailer's eyes but that didn't exactly teach me how to work a body.

"Hold on Ms Monroe," Faolan said as she interjected herself in-between the nurse and myself. The she took my right hand and pressed it against her throat while she did the same to held my left hand over mine. "Okay Bea, concentrate on the feel of the vibrations when I make the sounds then try to match them, ahhhhhhhhhhhh!"

"Agh, agh, agh, ah-hhhhhh!" I did my best to match it until I finally could, I think that it took about three minutes but it worked.

"Great that's one down, so what is it thirty-two more to go!" Faolan smiled as it almost felt like her feeling of elation matched my own, at least I though so given that I saw her tail wagging.

"Forty-three," Nurse Monroe stated as she began to walk away. "There are forty-four sounds that are common to the English language and that stunt just took five minutes, but since your obviously getting results that I'm not I'll just leave you two to work at it while I go back checking up on how young Mister Watson's progress."

"Randi do you think that you'll be needing anything?" the other girl in the corner asked Faolan, hmm I guess that Randi was her real name.

"Maybe a pitcher of ice-water in a little bit Heather," Randi said to the other girl. "Something tells me that we're going to be a little parched in a while."

"Got it sis," Heather said as she opened a book and got some papers from her bag, I guess this might be that homework thing that the jailer was always having those boys that she drug along working on, it looked like these people actually did there own though. I guess that everyone does it differently, or is this how you're supposed to do things and the jailer was doing something wrong.

"All right let's move on Bea my dear," Randi said as we got back to work. "Now try to match me again, ehhhhhhhhhhhh!"

---

Monday April 2, 2007
Outside the CEO's Office
Axcel Incorporated Headquarters
Dallas, TX
10:53 AM CDT

Once again, Debra Solomon was filled with trepidation; she had been hired on less than two months ago and was still in her probationary period. She had just completed the simulations and the dry runs on the Star Marshall Knight model three days ago including one live fire run. Now here she was outside the office of the woman who had given her a golden opportunity when she and two of her fellow Knights of Purity had been thrown under the bus for the fiasco in New York.

Debra wondered just what she had done wrong, after all when the president of a large conglomerate rarely calls you into their office when they have good news; still Debra knew in her gut that whatever this was it would be huge. "Ms Solomon, Ms Metzer will see you now." The secretary at the desk said as she motioned for Debra to take the door, this was her moment of destiny and she felt like she was tightrope walking along a razor blade.

As Debra walked into the office, she noticed there were three other people in the room with her. She instantly recognized Colonel Brian Koller who was the head of the Star Marshall training program and Kayla Hewlett who ran the program that developed the Star Marshall suits in the first place, however the third individual she never recalled seeing before anywhere at the company since she was hired. "Ms Solomon please be seated." Alana Metzer the CEO of Axcel Inc stated.

Debra did as Ms Metzer asked filled with trepidation; just what was this meeting about who was this stranger and what was so important that the CEO and the two heads of the Star Marshall program had to be here as well. Every moment of silence felt like the like the slow raise of a guillotine's blade poised to severe her future, losing two prime jobs in a year would surely kill her future in the private sector and that would leave her with only an entirely military career path to fall back on.

"Ms Solomon when I made you the offer to join my Star Marshall's I did so because I saw something in you." Alana Metzer said as she began to explain her intentions for calling this meeting. "And from what I have seen both from your training as well as your records with both the Knights of Purity and the US Military I can see that I was correct."

"Lieutenant Solomon," Col Koller said as he took the floor. "Among all of the cadets in the Star Marshall training program you have shown the most promise and aptitude, if you had more experience with the company I would easily offer you a squad leader position the moment that one became available. Indeed it seems almost criminal to keep you in our program because we feel that any squad that we place you on would be struggling to keep up with your talent and experience, and I have no intention on crippling a natural ace power armor pilot with your drive and determination."

"This brings us to the real reason for this meeting," Ms Metzer said as she retook the floor. "This gentleman here is Barney Murff president of Starlight Solutions, a smaller company that specializes in solving tech difficulties as an on a per case basis, however several years ago he was also known as the power armor user Tin Star of the second iteration of the Dallas Defenders."

"Hello Ms Solomon," Mr Murff said took the floor. "I have read your file and even observed some of your live practice sessions, so let me tell you why I am here. You see these days I have mostly retired from the super-hero game, my role with the new Dallas Defenders today extends mainly to offering logistical support and gathering intel. Still I wish I could do more for the team, but the fact is that I'm no longer the spring chicken that I used to be. I can still build a suit of power armor that is beyond the bleeding edge of what most companies are capable of, but I don't have it in me to pilot them anymore."

"I could always get someone else to pilot them, but the fact is that these days most qualified power armor pilots either stay with the military or join up with a private concern- mainly the Knights of Purity. Now no offense to your former employer but naturally I find a lot of their records suspect. So when an old friend in the Defense Department called and told me about the Star Marshall program that he had just seen debut in New York, I began to put my feelers out and that is when I began negotiations with Ms Metzer."

"Understand Ms Solomon that if you accept this proposal you will still be an employee of Axcel Incorporated," Ms Metzer stated as she took over the discussion again. "Officially you will the test pilot for improvements to the Star Marshall line that Ms Hewlett's team develops you might also be called upon to assist Col Koller in training and screening new recruits when he needs assistance to do so. Unofficially however you will be contracted out to the Dallas Defenders to serve as a member of their team."

"So you have heard the offer that is on the table Ms Solomon," Barney Murff said as he got up from his seat and as he approached Debra and extended his hand. "Will you be willing to take over my legacy as the new Tin Star?"

"Am I dreaming or is this real?" Debra asked as the situation began to make her head swim.

"This is indeed real Ms Solomon, so do you accept my offer?" Barney said, as his hand still hadn't moved.

"Of course," Debra said as she took Mr Murff's hand and shook it enthusiastically. "This is like a dream come true, I mean I always wanted to be a hero growing up but I never imagined that I'd be able to do so."

"Well it's happening Ms Solomon, and we can get started right away if you would like." Barney explained as he and Debra walked out of the room.

Once the door was shut, Col. Koller turned to Ms Metzer and asked. "Is this the right thing to do mother, we are handing our enemies a powerful asset?"

"The Dallas Defenders are rivals not our true enemies Brian, we might work cross-purposes and step on each other's toes at times but we both want what is best for humanity. Besides heroes like the Dallas Defenders are the whetstone that keeps my organization sharp when it comes time to confront our true enemies. Besides we were holding Ms Solomon back, and who am I to impede the progress of a child's dream?"

---

Physical Rehabilitation - Doyle Medical Center
Whateley Academy
3:41 PM EDT

"Hey Bea," I said as I walked into the room with Heather already having arrived and helping her with a hand coordination exercise. "How are you today?"

"Am doong valy goodah. Ow ar yoo doong?" Bea said still working on how to speak, don't get me wrong her progress was astonishing considering she was still getting used to her vocal cords. The doctor in charge of her therapy said that at this rate she'd be speaking without any difficulties before the week was over with, hell by this time next week she should be able to start learning how to sing something that Morrigan tells me is very important to Eastern Court culture.

"Fine at the moment," I replied as I set down my book bag in the corner. "I heard that Louis has started your tutoring already."

"Yah, ee saas thaad ett looogs leig Ahl bee ah soofmoor, buut Ah haab tu wriid tha reeserrg paapurs fur thooos claasez." Bea said she tried to stay propped up against the wall while stacking the plastic blocks that Heather handed to her.

"Don't worry about it for now," I said with a smile, "Just concentrate on yourself for now and leave the papers for when you can handle them."

"Aakay," Bea replied as she shakily set the next block on top to make it a stack of three. "Soo, weeen Ah beecum a stewdend, widg cotaag weel Ah bee en?"

"Probably in Dickinson with Heather and Mirabel," noticing the blank look on her face I explained, "She was that girl playing with you and the kittens in Ulthar when we met; her codename is Nightingale by the way."

"Caan Ah yoos tha naamuh Graaamah gab me fuur a coodnaamuh?" Bea asked as she shakily picked up another block.

"I don’t see why not," I replied, "We could look into it and see if it's in use. Just what is it again?"

"It's Aletheia," Louis explained as he popped into view again. "I believe that it's the Ancient Greek word for truth."

"It's appropriate," I mulled over the name while looking at Beatrice. "After all she is supposed to help her uncle save a lot of people from a very horrible lie."

---

---

"Am doong valy goodah. Ow ar yoo doong?"
"I'm doing very good. How are you doing?"

"Yah, ee saas thaad ett looogs leig Ahl bee ah soofmoor, buut ah haab tu wriid tha reeserrg paapurs fur thooos claasez."
"Yeah, he says that it looks like I'll be a sophomore, but I have to write the research papers for those classes."

"Aakay,"
"Okay,"

"Soo, weeen Ah beecum a stewdend widg cotaag weel Ah bee en?"
"So when I become a student which cabin will I be in?"

"Caan Ah yoos tha naamuh Graaamah gab me fuur a coodnaamuh?"
"Can I use the name Grandma gave me for a codename?"

---

Wednesday April 4th, 2007
Crystal Hall
7:17 AM
POV: Randi Bridges

"Hey Randi," Kerry called out as I walked over to my usual, "So how's Bea's therapy going?"

"Great so far," I said as I began to explain. "Her speech is almost completely coherent, and her motor skills are up to the point where they think that she should be fully dexterous by the time everyone comes back from Spring Break."

"Cool, have you heard any decisions about her schooling yet?" Erze asked obviously brimming with curiosity. "For that matter has her dorm been decided on?"

"Yeah it looks like she'll be in Dickinson," I began to explain, "but she'll be using a hover chair for the time being until she works up enough leg strength to begin walking with only minor aide."

"Why don't they just do the water thing like they do with normal therapy?" Renee asked showing that he actually knew a thing or two about this.

"Because my dear multiplier; anytime that they have submerged her legs in water said appendages fuse into a mermaid's tail." Jane chimed in with a crucial piece of information, "At present they are unaware whether it is inherent or if she can learn to control with practice."

"I hope that it's just a reflex that she can learn to control otherwise that could suuuuuuck." Joanne droned aloud, "Just imagine what could happen at a water park, come to think of it would she have to take the swim test if she can breathe underwater."

"It would be most foul in more ways than a damaged swimsuit if the young mermaiden cannot control this ability," Rob Rose our resident drama flake interjected. "Remember most pools are not intended for habitation, only recreation, for our Headmistress's youngest this could prove quite the predicament.

"No kidding not only are swimming pools non-oxygenated due to lack of special equipment they are chlorinated to prevent the algae growth," Buck Swift chimed in setting aside his cobbled together breakfast burrito, "Randi your a history buff you remember what Chlorine did to people back in World War I, that's why you have to use that chemical when you fill a fish tank because even tap water will kill gill-breathers."

"That is a truly disturbing line of thought Buck," Baird stated in what I thought was an understatement.

"Speaking of disturbing have any of you observed that most unusual feline frequenting the grounds of our fair academy the last few days?" Rob Rose said, for once sitting with us rather than his unofficial girlfriend Naucht.

"You mean Schrödinger?" I almost shivering at the thought of that little extra-dimensional menace. Nothing should have that many sharp teeth other than a shark.

"No this particular feline is gray with purple stripes," Rob elaborated as he mulled over what the cafeteria called Eggs Benedict. "There are also occasions that it appears to be transparent."

"Oh- you mean Blinky," I realized how he was referring to the Ultharian cat that I'd seen hanging around Bea and Nightingale. "He's the same sort of creature that inspired Louis Carrol's Cheshire Cat. They're mostly harmless, just don't try to do anything bad to him or someone that he's gravitating towards and you'll be fine."

"A mermaid with a cat as a familiar," Steve chuckled over that train of thought. "If that ain't ironic Ah don't know what would be."

"Oh I'm not her familiar," Blinky explained as he reverse faded into view on the table having set down the sausage patty that was in his mouth, "the High Queen just asked me to keep an eye on her."

"You can talk!" Murphy observed as she eyed the cat carefully, "First a talking bird and now a talking cat, if you and Jane decide to have a Sylvester and Tweety moment tell me first so that I can have a camcorder handy."

"Joanne I keep telling you that I am a storm elemental not simply a common corvid; do please endeavor to remember that detail in the future." Jane stated to Joanne once again. "You need remember that I manifest as a bird because I find this form comfortable. Now young Blinky should you not be keeping an eye on your charge."

"Bea's mama said she wanted to spend a little quality time with her this morning so I decided to hang around Mirabel some instead." The Ultharian kitten explained. "You people sure have some yummy food here, and so many nice people for scratches."

The rest of us looked at the furry Dreamlander as he faded from view while nibbling on his little treat.

---

Fort Trussell
Dallas, TX
3:46 PM CDT

Debra couldn't believe this it was like a childhood dream come true, having the opportunity to be a super-hero it was unreal. Okay- she'd known for years that it was nothing like the glamour that she'd imagined it as, but still she'd be working with people who put their lives on the line to face the possibility of death by costumed maniac.

Apparently, I wasn't the only one here to take over for a retired hero I could see a younger catwoman in an outfit that was clearly inspired by the founding feline femme of the Dallas Defenders the Puma. "Huh, I didn't know the Puma decided to call on someone to take over her legacy just like Tin Star did," Debra observed as she approached the feline woman. "I always wondered where Puma got her powers from anyway, is it some kind of Power Gem or a force like the Champion?"

"It's a hereditary curse actually," the new Puma stated as she explained to Debra with a sigh. "Grandmother and I are Ewah, the descendants of Weeping Hare, a Cherokee woman who was cursed by her tribe's medicine man because for breaking gender taboos and observing the sacred hunting ceremonies; essentially we're born half-cougar- and by that I mean mountain lion because I'm only in twenties. It isn't until we find our soul mate and marry them that we're able to take on a human form."

"Ouch, I'm sorry, I didn't know." Debra winced looking on at the feline woman with newfound sympathy, "So is your mother anyone that I would know about?"

"No- mom married into the family, the shaman's curse is gender specific and only affects women so dad's off the hook." Puma stated as her tail lashed behind her. "Part of the reason that I said yes was so that I could get some visibility and be recognized as something that doesn't look like a monster. That and maybe find my own soul mate so I can go out in public without having to wear a burkah and a cold pack."

"Sorry we kind of started off on the wrong foot-" Debra extended her hand to the Ewah, "Debra Solomon."

Puma met her handshake and replied, "Susan Garretson, I suppose it makes sense to be here given that both of my grandparents helped found the team."

"Oh yeah I heard that Puma married Sureshot after they hung up their code names." Debra said. "Sorry to hear about your grandfather by the way."

"It's okay," Susan replied with a bittersweet smile on her feline face. "Grandpa Ryan had a pretty full life, along with three kids and a handful of grand kids (furry and otherwise) to be there for him in the end. I honestly wish that I look that happy to say goodbye when it's my time to punch out, he literally died laughing so much for the Diablo Desperado's promise that he'd be full of regrets in the end."

"Let's just hope that it's no time soon." Debra said as she sipped her tea. "This is a dangerous job but I'm hoping for a good long career to look back on. Well then let's have a toast, to legacies!" Debra said as she faux-clinked her plastic cup with Susan's.

"And to those that are stuck following in them! Speaking of legacies they have told you about our honorary members right?" Sue said staring at Debra.

"You mean Pero del Fuego," Debra said in confusion, "I thought that he was just a part-time member because he's an active fireman."

"Nope- there are a bunch of kids at The Academy that are listed as honorary members because they have worked with us in the past." Sue explained, "One of them is Plainswalker's ward and another studied with him, there's even one of Armordillo's grand kids."

"That's on a need to know basis Puma," Duck-it said as she walked by. "We'll tell you more about it at another time Debra, for now Barney and I need to get Tin Star acquainted with her new power-suit, hope that you don't mind a bronze colored-finish with silver detailing."

"As long as the star on the suit isn't too much of a bull's-eye it'll be fine." Debra stated as she went to follow the gadgeteer.

"I thought that was the whole point of the dorky outfits," Sue remarked as she joined the duo, "So that the bad guys shoot at us and not the far squishier civilian targets."

"I wouldn't exactly put it like that Puma," Duck-it retorted as she glared at the young Ewah, "even if it is an accurate statement."

---

Physical Rehabilitation - Doyle Medical Center
Whateley Academy
5:43 PM
POV: Randi Bridges

"Hey Bea, how are you doing this fine day?" I asked as I came into the room setting my bags down and seeing that for once Blinky was visible.

"Jusd fine Randee," Bea said as she looked at me from her spot on the floor where she was bust fitting shaped plastic blocks into the proper shaped holes on a board. "Miz Reeyes waz here todaay to ged my meh-shur-mends for my clothes."

"I see that you speech is coming along better as well." I smiled at the mermaid, "And once you hit campus in that school uniform, you're going to be having to push boys away, maybe some of the girls too."

"Why would I wand to push oders away?" Bea asked out of curiosity, "I wand to get to know as many people as possibull."

"Heh-he, I doubt that you want to get to know them like that just yet." Heather said a little nervously.

"Lig waat?" Bea inquired still a little bit clueless on what we were talking about.

"Like how Cytheria used to treat boys outside of her group," I explained and saw the moment of comprehension on her face, I wonder if she was still in the cootie phase.

"I'd neber threet peoble lig thad!" The mermaid proclaimed almost scattering the blocks that she was working on.

"Good, that's a major point in your favor compared to her," I remarked aloud. "Treat people like people rather than tools or things, and you never know what might develop."

"Speaking of developments Ms Bridges," Nurse Munroe said as she approached me with a bucket and a sponge. "One of our candy stripers is out with the flu so Ms Hartford determined that as part of your detention you and your sister will have to fill in for our staff gaps. Since your sister is busy you're being tagged for the fine honor of giving Chris Watson a sponge bath."

"You are an evil woman you know that." I nearly growled as she pushed the bucket and sponge into my hands.

---

The Dark Room
Whateley Tunnels
7:01 PM

"You know Lamia as fascinating as most of these tomes in here are I can't help but notice something." Delve stated as she looked at her senior among their little group. "None of these explain all too much about the history of the Obsidian Circle or why they pulled together with the Black Lodge and all of those secret societies to form the Grand Hall in the first place."

"That is because my dear Bernice that information is on a need to know basis," Lamia said as she slowly closed in on Delve. "Fortunately as one of our operatives you are part of a very small circle that can be in the know."

"Leave me out of this," Ms Nemo said as she gathered her things and prepared to leave. "As Mother's current spook here this type of information is above my pay grade until I accept the status of sisterhood."

"Before you go please take these and put them in the empty closet of Beatrice Carson's Room once we find out which dorm room she'll be put in, Brimstone asked my mom to them for her." Ms Nemo caught the shoebox that Lamia tossed to her and after she had left the room, the daughter of Madam Eventide continued. "Now my dear Delve, The Obsidian Circle was founded primarily by four individuals Lord Ataxia, Mister Domino, Baron Astio and Madam Eventide with a unified three-fold purpose to rebuild the Five-Fold Court, restore the power of the ancients, and prepare for coming war that will occur when the Old Ones return. Each of them had both a reason for vengeance and a connection to the Courts."

"Ataxia was chief of the royal guard of the Southern Court House of the Blazing Disk; he had been cursed by the Cult of Nyarlothotep when he recognized that the Black Pharaoh had possessed his Sovereign. Domino was an assassin who loyally served Queen Venraniel, Daughter of the Silent Willow of the Western Court, even some tales said that their relationship was closer than that of Mistress and Servant. As for Astio and Eventide they are both descendants of the Queen of the Center herself, they recognize how the state of the world has diminished without her and want her back."

"When she learned of the threat that the return of the Old Ones posed for her own children and her clan's hope for a better future this made Mistress Nyx seek an alliance with the Circle and earn her seat among them as well. For centuries the Circle worked in the shadows choosing many ways to interfere with the cults of the Old Ones, some as subtle as an assassination or disappearances others as overt as razing a city or igniting the flames of war, all that mattered was buying time for the moments that are now upon us."

"As civilization marched forward to the beat of progress the dark days of empires and kingdoms gave way to the birth of nations and industry and with these new times came fire-brands who sought to cast light in the shadows in which the Circle operated. Adventurers who lived in the age of science began to emerge such as the Mystic Six or Doctor Quasimodo to interfere with our efforts for all the best of reasons, the road to hell truly does shine with good intentions. This made it necessary for the Circle to partially emerge from the shadows and take their places among the villains of the day, what made this tolerable is that on several occasions we were often able to steer those same heroes into doing our work for us."

"Eventually given the rise of institutions like the Miskatonic University and with the Arkham Research Consortium on the horizon the Circle realized that the old ways of secret societies and stand alone operations had come and gone, they needed to adapt to this changing world or perish. To that end, the Circle sent out envoys to other secret societies those who answered were the Black Lodge and the Esoteric Order of Dagon. So one dark night on the Isle of Man our own Lord Ataxia met Ephraim Waite and Baron Impié and with a dark pact the foundations for what would become the Grand Hall of Sinister Wisdom were laid."

"All of the higher warlocks in each order would strike out and establish a chapter house, and as other societies joined in the charter they would create houses as well. Mister Domino who recognized that America was an emerging power created the New York chapter house, while Lord Ataxia who dare not set foot in Cairo at the time created one in Los Angeles. Mother knew that Rome was too much of a hot spot given the Order of Saint George and the Knights of the Church so instead she created one in Palermo and made inroads with the Cosa Nostra. Mistress Nyx in decided to take the gateway to two separate regions and created a chapter house in Istanbul."

"In the meantime other societies were not idle under the Banner of the Black Lodge, Conte Enigma created the Paris chapter house while his master Baron Impié opened ones in Sydney over in Australia and Riyadh in Arabia. The Esoteric Order of Dagon meanwhile opened the chapter houses in Boston and London."

"Now on paper the Grand Hall was to allow a place for practitioners of the Dark Arts to come together pool our resources, seek apprentices, hire mercenaries, and pool our knowledge. This helped lure smaller independent warlocks and dabblers out of the edges of society as they sought to carve out a piece of the emerging world, all aiding in the Circle's secondary goal for the Grand Hall. You see the Grand Hall in its own way is like a roach motel, it attracts practitioners who would ordinarily slip between the cracks of society out into the open where we could keep an eye on them. Once in our sights we would identify potential resources, seek out potential members, and learn the faces of possible threats to the Circle's Plans."

"Eventually other organizations came to the banner of the Grand Hall and chapter houses were opened in New Orleans, Chicago, Cairo, Oslo, San Francisco and Dallas. When Bishop Brimstone joined the Black Lodge, he briefly took over the Paris chapter house from Conte Enigma who proceeded to open a new one in Rio de Janeiro. After the Third Reich fizzled and the Thule Occult Society was finally out of our way, we found out Dame Hollenfeur was Mister Domino's mole in that organization."

"It turned out that she had laid the full groundwork for the Berlin chapter house during the war, hardly surprising given that she was Domino's daughter and Carcharoth's older sister. This meant that once the Iron Curtain was raised and the Berlin Wall was built that the Circle made a fortune smuggling goods, people and mystic artifacts from Eastern Europe to the West, and occasionally the opposite for certain organizations."

"Still as the Circle saw the signs that showed the time we had been waiting for was fast approaching and that knew that they had become far too public and saw how that could work to their advantage. It was then that one by one the members of the Obsidian Circle, including Baron Impié whose Black Lodge had since merged with the Circle faked their deaths or were sealed away. This act let the Circle slip back into the shadows to operate undetected by our enemies until the time had finally come."

"Still we were not idol; Greygus founded a chapter house in Las Vegas shortly before the '71 Earthquake destroyed the spells holding the LA chapter house together. Mother also seeded the children of Typhon into a community in Pennsylvania for rebirth while other preparations were made. Then when the greatest of the Western Queens was reborn in an incarnation that could give rise to a true successor, followed by the advent of the Northern Maiden, the time to emerge had been set in motion with the first of our many plans to bear fruit- the emancipation of Baron Astio."

"When we obtained the body that Astio and the fallout of that operation was fortunate for us indeed, it had not only set in motion the awakening of the Western Maiden and we gained Erzebet Scratch and her sizable organization as a part of the Circle. Now do you understand what the Obsidian Circle truly means, or do you have any further questions oh future paladin of Sköll?"

Mystified by this information Bernice Hodges could only nod at the magnitude of what she was now a part of and the power that would soon be in her grasp.

---

Thursday April 5th, 2007
Southern Arabian Desert
Northern Saudi Arabia
11:17 PM AST

The figure moving through the sands of Arabia had to be careful, no more than a few miles each evening and always through the desert, she had to avoid the cities because she never knew when Set's spies would recognize or a mortal conjurer might see her- one who might know of Sulliman's method for confining djinn and other daemons. She could not move over the mountains for doing so might attract the attention of Khonshu nor could she move during the day for risk of drawing the eye of Horus.

This was aggravating for centuries her lady under the guise of Isis ruled the House of the Blazing Disk with Horus enslaved as Ra the Anchor of the Black Pharaoh Osirus. Then Set and his thrice damned spawn had to return and destroy the Black Pharaoh's anchor and kill her lady, she had barely had time to flee herself before Sekmet and Bastet descended upon 'Isis's' retinue of handmaidens. The two hands of the Prince had correctly deduced that they were loyal followers of the Black Pharaoh and responded in kind with solar fire, she had not escaped that room or their wrath unscathed. Still she might have been banished from the tremendous Solar Barge with her sisters dead or scattered and broken like she was but she had a mission.

Let Set believe that he was victorious it mattered little in the long run; her lady had known that there was always a possibility of Set returning and prepared accordingly. There was a way for the persona of the Black Pharaoh to return from oblivion, but it would be tricky, and the result was a true gamble. She needed a djinn with a strong solar elemental connection fortunately Suleiman had imprisoned one such djinn long ago, finding his name had taken some doing but she had discovered it and created a dousing needle attuned to him. Soon she would find the djinn and restore the Black Pharaoh and this time Set would know her wrath.

---

Water Therapy Room - Doyle Medical Center
Whateley Academy
4:41 PM EST
POV: Bea Carson

"Um, is this such a good idea," I said while staring at the small pool on the ground floor. "I mean is there a point in me learning to walk in one of these things when my legs just turn into a tail when I get in?"

"You still need to build up your lower body strength Bea." Randi said as she pressed her something on the back of that collar she wore causing her school uniform to change to a one-piece aquamarine swimsuit that had a ring-shaped hole in the back for her tail, although I didn't really think that it went well with those armored boots that she was wearing. "The docs also think that your mermaid form's tail makes use of the same muscles as your human form's legs, if so that means that this should be a good way to build up some strength, plus it can't hurt for a mermaid to get in a little swimming experience."

"That may be so Randi," I said more than a little embarrassed, "but I can't help wonder about this odd swimsuit they are making me wear."

"Yeah, I know I may not be the fashionista like some of the Venus Inc girl's but even I know that two-piece top doesn't go with the string-bikini bottom." Randi said as she helped me get-up from my wheelchair, "But the nurses decided on it because the strings should come untied when you leg's merge. Honestly I'm working on an armband like my collar so that your clothes will just switch out when you change."

"Is that why you wear that thing," I asked as she ascended the steps next to the pool to lower into the water with me. "I thought that was part of your abilities."

"No I'm a shifter/mage," Randi explained as we entered the pool and my legs once again became a vibrant indigo tail and my skin turned a light blue while my multitude of flexible purple fins re-emerged.

"Now this is normal salt-water but just to be cautious I'll be holding you up while the Nurse Munroe operates the controls." Randi stated as she used her arms to hold me like a- what are those things called a fork-up? -well hold me in the water like one of those heavy mover machines while I grabbed onto the two bars in front of me. "If you feel more comfortable putting you head underwater while the current is turned on feel free to do so we have a bubbler setup to oxygenate it for you."

"Thanks I guess," I said while Randi lowered me further into the water and Nurse Murphy activated the current generator. Gradually I worked my tail to move against the current almost if by instinct I could feel my way through the water. Meanwhile even as the current increased and I began to swim harder and harder Randi didn't even budge an inch from where she was holding me up. It seemed like I was doing this for hours not that I minded one bit; I just felt that I was in my element.

This felt amazing- part of me wanted to do this forever, maybe in a real pool or something even bigger like a lake or maybe even the ocean. As I swam against the current, my mind began to drift to things that I had seen through the jail- oh wait she was called Cytherea, what I saw through her eyes. Although she never really paid close attention to them I tried to see all that I could, shows on the televison about people who worked in funny suits under the water with the animals that lived there or recovering things that had fallen down into the ocean.

Could I do that could I swim the seas and meet all of those animal, maybe find things that had been lost to the depths. Randi said that it was my destiny to be the Eastern Maiden, whatever that fully meant I still don't know all the details, well except for grandma Tiamat wanting me to help save my uncle this summer. Still I don't think that being the Eastern Maiden meant that I was forbidden from trying other things, really there was so much that I had only seen passing glimpses of while trapped in Cytherea, I want to understand what those glimpses were. I mean I know that I still have trouble moving around, but I the doctor said that's not going to be a problem forever and once I can move around like other people I want to see just how much I've been missing.

Eventually the current began to slow down snapping me out of my thoughts, that's when I noticed that Randi wasn't holding me up anymore- Well at least she wasn't until the current stopped and then she grabbed me again. "Ouch, Well Ms Carson, that's it for today." Nurse Munroe explained in her usual brusque manner, "Just how do you feel?"

"Just fine Mrs. Munroe, but what happened with you?"

"Oh nothing dear some saltwater just got on the console and I got a little electrical burn, that's all." When Nurse Munroe showed me her burn I got so curious, I just had to touch it.

"Wai," Mrs Munroe said before I touched it. There was this glow and I felt a flow of energy, but when it was over her burn was gone. "What, I didn't know you were a Healer."

"Neither did I, although it suppose it should explain something." I replied somewhat mystified at what happened while I felt Randi begin to carry me out of the pool on steps that I didn't even notice earlier. Eventually when I got out of the pool and Nurse Munroe wrapped a towel around my currently unclad waist, I couldn't wait for that armband Randi said she was working on now that I understood nudity this was starting to be embarrassing. Once Randi helped me back into my chair, she went over to a stool off to the side and pulled off her boots that she began to empty water from.

"Do you need any help drying off those magic boots of yours Ms Bridges?" Nurse Munroe asked as she took reign of my wheelchair.

"No thanks they're pretty resilient," Randi said as she used her collar to change into the outfit that I had seen her in briefly while in the Dreamlands minus the boots of course. "I'm going to use my equipment to dry them off, it won't hurt them, so go right ahead and I'll catch up once I'm done cleaning up."

As Nurse Munroe wheeled me down the hall, I could hear a weird blasting noise coming from the Water Therapy Room, Nurse Munroe only shook her head at this. "Kids and their toys," was all that she said as we approached the elevator.

---

Freshman Girl's Sun Room - Poe Cottage
9:57 PM EDT
POV: Randi Bridges

After the day's training with Morrigan was finally over with, I decided to spend a little time in the Sun Room on the east end of the cottage; I was unprepared for the deluge. "So Randi a little birdie told me that you were assisting a mermaid in water therapy today," Rip said walking up to me then nudged me in the ribs from where I was playing my DS. "Pretty slick huh, getting to get real close to Carson's daughter, we've seen the video of how hot she is after all."

"So not only did the faux-bitch get to see her naked, he also got to feel her up," Sharisha snorted. "It figures, you can take it away from a man but you can never make them anything else than the horn-dog they already are."

"Give her a break Tempest," Candace said coming to my defense. "There was a nurse there after all so it was probably entirely professional."

"I just held her up under her midriff for the first part of the therapy until she got used to the current," I explained. "Besides I know better than to try anything, I want to be the girl's friend, and do you seriously think that I'd risk the wrath of Lady Astarte. Besides this is detention, when one of us isn't assisting with Bea's therapy we have to fill in for vacancies in the shift, yesterday I had to give Counterpoint a sponge bath."

"Eeeeeeeew!" Bugs said as she could almost picture the gory details of that event, "You poor, poor dear. Having to do something like that for that ruffian, just remember that no matter what anyone says you are invited to the grotto for our next hot tub party."

"Gee Bugs I thought that all the TG-girls were invited now," Billie said as she floated over. "I would have thought that you'd okayed Randi by now especially since she lives in your half of the girl's wing."

"It wasn't a snub Billie, she just hasn't attended yet so we thought that she thought that TG girls were banned." Rip said as she looked at the heaviest hitter of Team Kimba.

"She's telling the truth Billie, with everything that's happened lately I've just been too busy to take advantage of the offer." I explained before asking, "By the way your friend Harry does metal work right, does he also make jewelry?"

"I think that he might," Billie stated, "Why do you want to know?"

"Well I thought that Bea might appreciate something like my collar that would change out her clothing with her form, rather than losing her bikini bottoms every time that she gets in the water." I began to explain. "I have plenty of scrap gold and silver that he can use and set some changeling baubles in the place of stones."

"Why not just ask Silver and get them made of mithril," Ayla said when she walked over to us.

"Because not all of us are made of money Phase, that stuff is expensive and admin insists that she charge market for it even if she sweats the stuff." I said my familiar disdain of the Goodkind family being tempered somewhat by the fact that they treated her and her sister like lepers. "I got my arm brace's made by trading some of the prime magic stuff from that I found in the stash of a Grand Hall warlock who won't be needing them anymore."

"Now, now Randi whoever says that this has to be your gift alone," Phase said as she adopted her corporate lawyer's grin, something that would scare anyone who knew her. "I'm certain that given all that Ms Carson's done for the school most of the student body would be more than happy to chip in and buy Beatrice a belated birthday present, that is of course if you are more than will to supply those changeling baubles for the settings."

"Ooh I bet that I can get Stephen to help drum up support from Whitman and Twain." Jade began to squeal about that weird boyfriend that she shared with her sister Jann. Now I know that I wasn't into guys, given the fact that I still liked girls despite the fact that I was gradually coming to terms with my body. I mean I knew that it was mine and all but I was still coming to terms with it, it might come as a surprise to those around me but the other reason that I hadn't joining in any of the grotto parties yet was because well- I hadn't even- I mean.

Okay I'll admit it, I haven't taken my body for a Test Drive ever since I became Randi, granted I was tempted after that incident with Elise in that dressing room back at The Parks last January, but well having another person always watching kinda killed the mood. Do they even know how embarrassing this was still being shy about talking about girls like that now that I am one and see them every day in the shower room, not to mention seeing Candace in our room all the time, I wonder if anyone else knows that she sleeps in the buff. Although with Morrigan back in her own body maybe I'd work up the nerve and ask both of my roommates for some...me time.

"Speaking of which," Alex said as she inched up to our group. "Can I have a few of those things, I heard about them back when I was with the Children of the Night but the people who dealt in them would never do business with anyone who worked with the Necromancer."

"That's because their made and sold by faefolk Vamp and there is a lot of bad blood between Darrow and the faerie of all of the three courts," I explained. "Titania, Mab and Morrigan might not like each other but all three of the queens take a dim view of someone summoning their subjects to use as sacrifices. Still if you want some then you have to pay me the going rate."

"And how much would that be?" Vamp said as she stared at me.

An act that brought a mischievous smile to my face, "It depends, this is a faerie price after all, let's just say that there is no telling how many you might be able to earn before your pride and self-respect got in the way."

"You'd be surprised what depths I'd be able to sink to Randi." Alex shot back giving me a dark look, "I've heard your story around the Cottage, unlike you I had to do some pretty unsavory things to survive."

"True but this is nothing about a matter of survival," I still smiled at her causing her to simmer a bit. "Besides you can still hold your head high, and this has nothing to do with a matter of depravity but one of humility. The going rate for one changeling bauble is an act of public stupidity, intentional or unintentional it doesn't matter it just has to be you act. So how much is the former pawn of darkness hiding in the shadows willing to play the role of a fool in the light of day?"

---

Hidden Cave - Hesperus Peak
La Plata Mountains, Colorado
9:17 MDT
POV: Zhen-yu Chen

Within the forge, I felt my claws and my will shape my work; I could feel the molten ingots flowing together into a work that I could feel proud of, how I missed that feeling. I'd been a prisoner of the Xuè-jīn Mùshī and his Zhāoshāng de Yōuhuàn for so long that I had begun to feel like it was my natural state of being. I had almost forgotten that day when my life changed, it's hard to believe that it hasn't even been a year. Then again when you spend your days in alternating between using your powers to turn slag into gemstones and being whipped with enchanted freezing flails when the results weren’t satisfactory. As for spare time that consisted of being shoved into a reinforced concrete cell so without natural light your only method of telling time was counting the times that they feed you a bowl of rice gruel, so it was easy to lose track of time. "The handle's done now to work on the head."

"Scoop!" I said to myself as I picked up a small handful of ingots.

It's hard to believe that I had begun to forget that day back in September when Amy, Nan and I were cleaning the Fa-Hsing Buddhist Temple's store room. Our class had been volunteered by the James A Garfield student council to do community service in the Chinatown-International District and we got the temple as our assignment. The school needed some positive press because the student council president and the head cheerleader had been caught in a club with fake ID drinking, honestly I didn't mind the International District was my home after all.

"Melt!" My flames reduced the shards of metal to molten slag.

At least I didn't mind until a rat in the storeroom knocked an urn from the Song Dynasty off the top shelf and onto my head while I was cleaning the base boards. Fortunately, Phra Thera Park had known me since I was little and trusted my word, that and he found the damned squeaker's dropping next to here the urn's spot on the shelf. He still made us sweep up the debris though, supposedly, the urn was made from the bones of a lóng (Chinese dragon) and contained the creature’s ashes, but I was a little doubtful. Okay I know this was part of my cultural heritage and all, but Catholics aren't the only religion that have been known to manufacture relics, although to be fair our priests take them in more than make them.

"Roll!" I moved the molten metal across the self-made anvil in front of me on a tungsten rod that would serve at the core.

In retrospect I should have paid more attention because the next day a weird rash appeared on my back, I tried telling my mom about it but she thought that I was just trying to get out of that test I had in science class. As the days went by the rash spread and the affected areas began to swell, I finally saw a doctor both medical and traditional (in case you’re curious snake wine tastes worse going down than vomit does coming up). Two days before the doctor's were to call back with a biopsy report I fell unconscious, mom said that my body swelled so much that I looked like a leather egg.

"Cool!" I dipped the rod in the water beside me to cool.

The next day they egg split open and I gushed out looking like I do now, as if I'm a human lóng. My formerly black hair was now the color of rust and goes does my spine like a ridge to form a tuft at the tip of my tail. My brown eyes were now the color of amber, my skin was now a coat of olive scales except for the steel-gray ventral scales from my neck to nearly the tip of my tail. That's right tail three feet long with an extra tuft of hair at the tip, and as if that wasn't weird enough I also have ash colored antlers with one prong, taloned feet, and onyx claws instead of nails. At least I don't have a mustache like traditional dragons and still have the same number of fingers- or would that be claws.

"Scoop," I said as I repeated the earlier process.

"Melt!" My parents were glad to see that I was still alive, while the community when they heard about it proclaimed it a sign of prosperity. "Roll!" After a day of gawkers Phra Thera Park came by to examine me, and said that I had transformed halfway into a Fúcánglóng, a volcanic dragon who guard's treasure in the Underworld and loyally serves the heavens. "Cool!"

"Scoop!" That's when half the trouble started. People from as far away as Chinatown in San Francisco began coming to see me and tell me their wishes, not expecting I'd grant them but simply that the heavens would hear them more clearly, I had become like a divine cell phone. "Melt!" Part of me wondered why it didn't make the news, when the biopsy results came back I found out why. "Roll!" Apparently, I had something called an active mutant gene complex, which made a lot more sense in my opinion. "Cool!"

"Scoop!" Unfortunately one of the hospital's file clerks was a card-carrying member of Humanity First, and his buddies soon came trying to tell everyone in our community how dangerous mutants were and using the soft approach; they obviously forgot how long Asian Americans had been putting up with bigots. "Melt!" This also made it easy for one of our community elders to see why the press had ignored me, H1 sympathizers and right-wingers were suppressing the story since I had become a hot button. "Roll!" Apparently, they had been getting a lot of bad press due to certain extremist factions; this meant the last thing that they needed were those sorts barreling towards a cluster of a very prominent minority group in one of the country’s largest cities and sparking a race riot. "Cool!"

"Scoop!" Still the Chinatown council had decided better to be safe than sorry, I would play musical homes every day, and my location when not in public was something that only they knew. "Melt!" I understood now why it was necessary but at the time I was upset since it meant that I couldn't see my friends, that's when I learned of my power when my fire and strength turned an thankfully empty can of milk-tea into molten aluminum. "Roll!" I was so amazed at the feeling that I focused on it more and more as the molten ore swirled and shaped in my hands, by the time I was down the slag had it was a decent sized medium-grade raw sapphire, once it was polished they told me that it was actually a star sapphire. "Cool!" Mom of course sold it and the money went towards my college fund, but I was elated I could do something other than be a scaly conversation piece- if only I knew just what I had done. "Scoop!"

"Melt!" I learned later than the jeweler my mother sold the sapphire to had a brother with a gambling addiction, he lifted a large quantity of jewelry and stones to square away his debt, including the sapphire. "Roll!" That sapphire soon wound up in the hands of a member of the Triad who sensing something about it turned it over to the Zhāoshāng de Yōuhuàn seeking their favor. "Cool!" Thus came that a little more than a month after I was reborn as a dragon girl that I was kidnapped out of my current lodgings and smuggled south to San Francisco. "Scoop!" Apparently, the sapphire soaked up enchantment like a sponge, and the leader of the Zhāoshāng de Yōuhuàn the Xuè-jīn Mùshī wanted more. "Melt!"

"Roll!" Naturally, they weren't going to keep a draconic mutant like myself around without a leash, that's when they warned me that if I valued not only my mother's life but her soul as well I would do what they said. "Cool!" At that moment they took my name from me, I was no longer Zhen-yu Chen, I was simply known as Yáo Xīyì- the kiln lizard. "Scoop!" My first labors for them were soon fashioned into whips enchanted with arctic cold that they used to beat me should the quality or quantity of my manufacturing ever decline. "Melt!"

"Roll!" This torture and degradation lasted until a scant few months ago when a powerful mystic known as The Wayfarer liberated me, it was of no surprise to those present that the Xuè-jīn Mùshī objected to this turn of events. "Cool!" What did surprise the Zhāoshāng de Yōuhuàn was when the warlock tried to kill The Wayfarer that she caught his spell with her staff, stripped it of its essence. "Scoop!" She then used that essence to activate the curse that the Xuè-jīn Mùshī's patron The Demon Lord of the Hell of Blood-soaked Gold placed upon all with that title to hold their obedience. "Melt!" The curse that was what caused the warlock's flesh to transform to gold dust. "Roll!" Supposedly the bones that remained behind would be used find his replacement. "Cool!"

"Scoop!" When she took me the Wayfarer restored my name but warned me that other such weavers of the dark arts would seek me out, that's when we traveled here to Colorado to hide in the cave of this sacred mountain. "Melt!" It was here she informed me of my destiny. She told me that I was not just a mutant who looked like a dragon, but I was indeed half-dragon, the priest back home had been correct. "Roll." I was something called the Maiden of the Northern Court a portion of ancient Atlantis, and the first to begin their awakening.

"Stake!" I drove the handle that I made earlier into the still hot head. I was told that the Western Maiden had also begun to awaken, as had the Maidens of the East and South, but for the time being I had to stay here to heal and prepare. "Emboss!" I used my power to add minuet details to the metal while using my strength to snap the now brittle tungsten rod free from the hammer's head.

"Cool!" On Kelsey's suggestion, she still hadn't told me her last name, I had used my powers to create a forge from the cave around me and had gotten to work. I had never performed metalwork before, the only crafts that I had ever known were sewing that I had done with my parents since I was little given our family's business, and sculpting which I got into thanks to Art class at school. Still color me shocked that working with metal and stone actually began to make me feel better. "Sand!" I worked over the head with sandpaper to remove inconsistencies.

She would occasionally leave for new materials and sometimes return with letters from my mom, the first time I read one I cried for hours on Kelsey's shoulder. "Polish!" Soon I got a letter from Amy and Lan as well along with some late birthday and Christmas presents, mainly clothes for my transformed body, but I liked the letters the most. "Finish!"

At least my last piece of work before I really got started was finally complete. I stared at the finished piece; it was something that any good smith or artisan needs- a hammer.

"So Zhen-yu will you be naming your creation?" Kelsey said as she walked up to my work area while I examined the product of my craft.

"Yeah," I said as I looked over the tiny embellishments that had appeared along the barrel-shaped head. "I've also thought of a title to give myself, those are common these days amongst mutants aren't they?"

"I believe so," Kelsey stated as she smiled at me. "If I may be so bold what are they?"

"The hammer is Mùdì or drive, something any artisan needs." I smiled cradling my work. "As for me I think that I have chosen something appropriate, a name to make my own. Call me Duànlóng, the forge dragon; after all of this I think that I've made it my own." I motioned to my self-made workstation.

"It appears to be an appropriate choice," Kelsey said as she sat down over in a corner of the cave. "Still remember your powers are far from complete, as the Northern Maiden you have still yet to fully awaken."

"Oh come now- what else can there possibly be for me to do?!?" I said in frustration. "I have my forge, I know how to use my powers so well I probably don't even need this, so what more do I possibly need?"

"You need to train here with the Handmaiden of the Tao," Kelsey said as she shook her head at me, come on this girl is only a few years older than I am and she's treating me like a kid. "She will ignite your true fire, and then with her you will travel to the Spirit Lodge of the Mediwhila Tribe, soon after you will meet with a mentor who will teach you how to use your abilities in ways that you could not imagine. In between then and now you will also meet the Maidens of the East, West and South and learn of your destiny."

"Come now who can possibly teach me how to use my abilities better than I can myself?" I fumed as steam literally came from my nose.

"One who harnesses energy in a way that you do not yet imagine," the Wayfarer explained. "The Western Maiden already knows this rising master, but she is not one who needs such training, you however will if you are to achieve your destiny."

"Ha I bet that this Western Maiden doesn't have to go through this to awaken her power," I complained, "There is no way that she has had to suffer like I have."

"The half-faerie of which you speak has had to suffer torment from a ferocious monster every night since a young age," Kelsey said looking at me with a look of sadness. "Although her suffering has not been as great as your own; she has still suffered and that suffering will seem like nothing compared to what she will have to endure to fully awaken."

"We'll see, I'll compare notes with this butterfly-winged pansy when I meet her," I proclaimed. "then she'll hear what it really means to endure hardship." Suddenly Kelsey fell over clutching her gut laughing, okay that was random.

---

---

Friday April 6th, 2007
Crystal Hall
12:04 PM EDT
POV: Randi Bridges

"Hello Randi, Kerry said you wanted to talk." I looked up from the table to see that it was indeed Eldrich along with Jericho who was wearing- wearing- oh dear lord in heaven please don't make me describe this, believe me I wish that I didn't have to see it but I could swear that I the afterimage was now burned into my retinas.

"I'm sorry Caitlin I think that I missed what you were you saying," I shuttered as I tried to look her in the eyes rather than at...that. "Jericho's outfit was making my brain throw up."

"Here Ms Bridges allow me," Thorn said as he snapped his fingers and the image of a black box appeared around Jericho.

"Hey Rob," Jericho said in defiance. "What's the big idea?"

"Why my good sir I am just endeavoring to censor an public act of indecency." Thorn replied with his usual polite English gentleman's air. "A canary yellow top was never meant to go with an electric blue bola, and fire-engine red stretch pants." It didn't surprise me in the least that this drew the laughter and applause of the entire lunchroom.

"Just be grateful that Razorback kept him from the hot-pink zebra tube top, lime green tutu and Partridge Family Bus tights." Caitlin remarked giving everyone at the table the chills. Don't get me wrong Jericho's a nice guy and all but his choice in fashion should be declared in violation of the Geneva Convention and a photo album of his wardrobe ensembles should rank up on a list of forbidden tomes somewhere inbetween copies of The King in Yellow and the Revelations of Glaaki. "Anyway Kerry told me about Phase's amendment to your gift idea, I'm willing to offer you a ten-percent discount on the commission if you let us examine the mystic items that you use in your costume."

"Make it a cursory examination and you have yourself a deal." Everyone stared at me as if I'd grown a second head for that demand. "What it's not like I can go into a Target and have this stuff replaced, I don't even know if I can replace anything except for the boots."

"It's a deal," Caitlin said as she offered me her hand that I gladly shook. "Stop by sometime tomorrow and the bracelets should be done sometime in between Sunday evening and Monday morning."

---

Whateley Tunnels
3:27 PM

Ugh why did I ever let those lab jockeys talk me into testing my hearing range," I shook my head with my ears still ringing. "Honestly if I find out which of them had the bright idea to kick the sound frequency up to eighty kHtz without reducing the volume I'm asking sis to pay them a nocturnal visit with a stink bomb."

"Can I inform the headmistress about that plan," a familiar voice said behind me that sent a chill up my spine and mad the color drain from my face.

"H-h-hey Anu," I stammered in fear. "H-h-how was the date with Officer Haskins go?"

"Just fine Randi, we went to a Bruins game then out to dinner afterwards." Anu explained. "It was embarrassing that we fell asleep on the train back to Berlin, but the bed and breakfast we spent the night at afterwards had the most delicately tart blueberry blintzes. "Still I was not about to speak to you about my love life, or the prank that you should know better than to contemplate and tempt your younger sister into implimenting. The buzz around campus is that several of the students are pooling to get Beatrice Carson a very nice late birthday gift, I know that you would likely have a hand in such an endeavor and several of the faculty and staff want to add to the pool."

I stared at Anu wondering where this had come from, "Several of the faculty and staff owe a lot to her mother and giving the kid a nice birthday present from everyone feels like a proper thing to do. Take me for example how many people would hire an ancient celtic deity whose only real resume point for roughly two-thousand years was semi-effictive prison guard. So what is the gift anyway?"

"A couple of custom made mithril bracelets from Eldrich, Silver and Seraphim, set with some of the changeling baubles that I have left; since none of them have any real plans for Spring Break they agreed to work on them." I explained to the Three-S security guard (Serious, Stacked and Scary fyi). "I was going to ask Techwolf to make them out of some scrap gold and silver that I have when he got back from visiting his family but then Phase jumped in and decided to up the ante. Officially once they're done Kodiak and Poise will be giving them to her on behalf of the student body after Heather and I introduce them to her while Zenith broadcasts it of the student body to watch."

"Sounds a little impersonal, but then again I guess that it would be less scary than making her accept them in front of the whole student body." Anu mused, "Besides from what I've seen and heard about The Don and his tenure, the Alphas need all of the positive press with the student body that they can get."

---

Aleshire Residence
Westover Hills, Texas
10:51 PM CDT

A blue '84 Mercury Cougar drove into the private drive of the Aleshire's house in the affluent neighborhood of Westover Hills. Although two decades old the Ford Sedan purred like a kitten; still it was oddly out of place even the security camera's couldn't seem to focus on the license plates as the driver buzzed the intercom, "Mister Aleshire I'm here as promised."

Soon the gate began to swing open letting the car into the private driveway, where a rather frantic man met it. "Please hurry she's getting worse."

Out of the care stepped two individuals, a man in a rawhide jacket blue jeans and a woman wearing a trench coat and slacks. Who efficiently went to work gathering a number of materials from the backseat and trunk of the car. "We got the details and your advance from your middleman," the man whose face was obscured by a brown face-helmet.

The nameless masked man carried two large suitcases into the house with him while the woman who had long black hair and a ski mask carried an oddly shaped box. Still Mister Aleshire led them to the door to the basement, "I have to warn you, this isn't pretty."

"Mister Aleshire situations like this rarely are, but believe us that we know what we're doing" The woman said trying to calm the man down. He swallowed as he led the two down the stairs.

At the bottom bound with chains and shackles that were anchored into the floor with eye-bolts was a creature that looked like a grotesque parody of a woman. The female's hair was thinning and turning white, one leg had already merged with the tail that was trailing its swollen belly while the other was following. One of the woman's eyes was already blank and reptilian while the other was human and pleading while trying and failing to weep, the creature hissed out, "Hhhhhnnny kllll meeee!"

"Please tell me you can do something!" Mister Aleshire said as he grabbed the man in a panic. "Tell me you can get her back to normal."

"We can try sir," the nameless man replied, "But first I need to know what you do for a living."

"What does that have to do with this?" Aleshire shot back in exasperation, "We already agreed on the payment why are you stalling?"

"Sir this is the Curse of Yig, an ancient being worshiped by the a race known as Serpent Men, a sapient race that is on the border of extinction." The masked man began to explain, "These days they remain in underground caverns and never come to the surface. Yig only curses people who harm his children, and he even warns them before they do it, so I repeat, how do you earn your living."

"Natural Gas exploration," Aleshire finally fessed up. "Oh god one of the foremen was complaining a week ago before we fracked that site in Laredo that it was swarming with rattlesnakes."

"And that was the warning that you ignored, you probably flooded one of the serpent men's caverns when you fracked the sight, that is why your wife is suffering." The man said in no kind terms, "Yig is transforming her into a half-breed to give birth to Sacred Serpents who will reestablish the destroyed colony elsewhere; most wind up going insane in the process or take their own life afterwards."

"Fortunately there is a way to prevent this and return your wife's humanity;" the woman explained. "But it is neither easy nor pleasant."

"Please I'll do anything," Chesterfield sobbed, "We have a child on the way, just save her!"

"If this works you might have to take care of a lot more than one child," The man replied, "But first I must make contact with Yig, if he accepts your alternative penance then and your wife and unborn child will be saved. Just remember you must abide by this deal if you renege your family will suffer even worse and your life is forfeit."

"Now the problem with beings such as Yig is that their presence can drive the mortal mind insane as it has nearly done to your wife, fortunately there are ways around that." The man proceeded to draw a series of arcane symbols on the ground inside of a trio of concentric circles with chalk leaving the last partially open until the lady who was with him placed the contents of her box in the center- a common corn snake. When she left the circle the man completed the third circle and strangely enough, the snake just stayed put. "Yig, Father of Serpents, I beg your audience through this oracle a humble creature that you claim as a totem of your children."

"VERY WELL SON OF ADAM WHO HAS CHOSEN TO BECOME A WEAVER OF THE MYSTIC ARTS, I SHALL GRANT YOU AN AUDIENCE." an eerie and powerful voice emerged from the snake. "I PRESUME THAT YOU SPEAK ON BEHALF THIS TRANSGRESSOR WHOSE CARELESS ACTIONS SLAYED SO MANY OF MY CHILDREN."

"Yes, he has allowed me to do so," the masked man stated. "He has agreed to the penance you require of him, will you accept his offer to nourish the life of your cherished children and protect them as they grow?"

"VERY WELL SHOULD HE COMPLETE THE CEREMONY AND HOLD TO THE AGREEMENT HIS MATE AND UNBORN SPAWN WILL BE SPARED," the voice of Yig proclaimed. "HOWEVER SHOULD THEY EVER GO BACK ON THEIR WORD, OR IGNORE MY WARNINGS AGAIN, THEN NOTHING SHALL STAND IN THE WAY OF MY RETRIBUTION!"

"So the agreement has been made," the masked man stated as the woman removed a large bowl and an emergency transfusion kit from their suitcase.

"Now sir it is your turn, you must literally pay in blood." Trembling Aleshire rolled up his sleeve as the woman sterilized his arm and inserted the needle with the tube flowing into the bowl. Eventually the woman clamped the tube as the bowl had filled with nearly two pints of blood, as Aleshire was pale and shaking. When the man brought the bowl of blood over to the suffering half-transformed woman, she leaned over it and in an act that would have been impossible for a human regurgitated three potato-sized eggs into the vessel.

When the last of the eggs had fallen into the bowl, the man brought the bowl before the arcane circle where the serpent inspected the eggs and was obviously please. "VERY WELL, AS THE FIRST ACT OF YOU PENANCE HAS BEEN COMPLETED, I WILL GRANT YOUR WIFE AND SPAWN REPREVE FROM MY CURSE."

Suddenly the reptilian woman began trembling as the scales on her skin turned a milky shade, then like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon the skin sloughed off her leaving a normal naked woman six-months pregnant chained to the basement floor.

"NOW YOU MUST RAISE AND CARE FOR THESE UNBORN CHILDREN AS YOUR OWN, FOR I WILL HOLD YOU TO YOUR WORD MORTAL. REMEMBER THIS IS ONLY A REPREVE, WHEN MY CHILDREN ARE GROWN AND VENTURE FORTH TO ESTABLISH THEIR OWN COLONIES IS WHEN YOU ARE FREE, BUT NEVER EARLIER" Yig stated trough the snake. "NOW MORTAL MYSTIC, AS THE ARBITOR OF THIS ARANGEMENT I AM REQUIRED TO GRANT A BOON UNTO YOU, SHOULD IT BE WITHIN MY POWER TO DO SO. NOW SPEAK AND DO NOT TARRY FOR MY PATIENCE IS FINATE!"

"Very well," the masked man spoke. "I wish to know how one afflicted by the Mark of Dagon, may escape the fate of becoming one of his servants."

"THAT CAN ONLY BE GRANTED BY THOSE WHO SERVE CTHULHU," Yig explained to the masked figure. "AND IT IS ONLY A REPRIEVE NOT A REMEDY. THE CURSE OF DAGON REMAINS UPON ALL OF MERFOLK BLOOD NOT OF ROYAL LINEAGE; IT MAY ONLY BE BROKEN THROUGH THE POWER OF A TRITON PRINCE AND AN INTERMEDIARY AFTER DAGON'S DEMISE. NOW I WILL LEAVE YOU MORTALS, DO WELL TO REMEMBER TRANSGRESSOR, KEEP TO YOUR WORD OR SUFFER MY WRATH."

When the sense of presence of Yig's spirit had departed the man erased the the circle and returned the dazed corn snake to its carrier, while the woman who had finished with Mister Aleshire retrieve the bowl and took it over to the man with a printout from the other briefcase. "Here you need to read this it contains information on how to care for the eggs and ensure that they hatch, as well as what you will need to know to care for and raise the serpent ladies that will hatch from them, do not ignore what it has to say. I'll be upstairs setting up the incubator for them; meanwhile you might want to unlock your wife's chains."

By the time the pair returned to the car with their bags, a full hour had passed and Mister Aleshire agreed to wire them the rest of their payment. They left the private driveway and drove until they came to a church parking lot in North Fort Worth. Once they had stopped, the woman began to cry out the tears that she had been holding back ever since Yig gave his answer. "I thought that we would finally find out this time, it felt like we were so close but every time we get more information out of that serpent it feels like the finish line moves further away."

"Calm down dear," the man said squeezing her thigh. "We'll figure this out, in the meantime I need to talk to the old man, and at least we have something more substantial to go on this time."

The woman nodded as she recovered a painted canine skull from within her purse on the floor. The man took it in his hand and stared into the eyeholes. "Master Red Plains, I need to know anything that you know about Tritons."

"I seen that once again the ceremony that I taught you has been a success. I regret to say that I am sorry, I know next to nothing about Tritons save what can be found in a normal book," A man's voice came from the skull as a faint ethereal light emanated from the eyes. "However I am aware of someone who should know, long ago alongside my team I fought an infernal menace who we defeated thanks to the assistance of a woman known as the Valkyrian, I later discovered that she was a sidhe who lived before the modern age of man. Of any that I knew only she might be able to reveal or guide you to this information, but be cautious dealing with the faerie is a dangerous endeavor and free information from them is as scarce as hen's teeth."

"Well at least we're going in the right direction," the man said to his partner. "Now we just need to find a little more out about this Valkyrian. Well if it's a faerie that I need to talk to then at least I know someone who can help point us in the right direction."

---

Monday April 9th, 2007
Arabian Desert
Al-Anbar Province, Iraq
5:32 AM AST

Weakly the figure crawled across the desert wrapped all over in layers of black robes, deep inside her scared body Khepri burned with vengeance. Soon she would avenge the death of her Lady Kakra who she faithfully served for millennia while her mistress masqueraded as Isis. The Crown of Wadjet might have been destroyed by the machinations of that bastard Set and his spawn Wepwawet however just because Ra was no more did not mean that the Black Pharaoh was gone forever.

If there was one thing that her master and mistress had during their reign it was time, especially time to lay our contingency plans in case that bastard Set ever thwarted them. While it was true that the Crown of Wadjet was destroyed Lady Kakra had more than enough of her consort's body than to merely fashion one vessel, she opened her bag brushing past the Nemes of Bahm to check her compass again. Sure enough, the needle pointed down not more than five meters from where she stood, without a moment's hesitation she took her bag, dashed over to the spot, and began to dig as fast and hard as she could.

Soon Khepri uncovered an old copper teapot, the very object of her search every night this past month. Quickly she took the vessel and ignoring the creaping weariness that handling the tarnished antique gave her rubbed the vessel. Sure enough a stream of smoke emerged from the vessel that took the shape of a twenty foot tall man with the head of a boar. "I AM UTU; BY THE LAWS OF SULLIMAN BY WHICH I AM BOUND I MUST OFFER YOU THREE WISHES! KNOW THIS THESE WISHES MAY NOT VIOLATE THE LAW OF FREEWILL OR VIOLATE THE BORDER SEPARATING LIFE AND DEATH!"

"I know who you are Utu for I am of the djinn as well, separated from the protections of the lingering houses of the Southern Court." Khepri rasped as she could feel the danger of the impending sun rise and the resulting wrath of Horus that it would bring. "Still as I am afforded I have three wishes for you to grant."

"VERY WELL WANDERING RENEGADE, SPEAK YOUR WISHES AND THEY WILL BE GRANTED!" Utu stated radiating his impatience.

Grinning from her unseen face Khepri rasped, "My first is that upon completing the task of my third wish that before doing anything else you don the Headdress in my bag at the exact moment that the sun crests beyond the horizon."

"VERY WELL SO YOU WISH SO IT SHALL BE DONE," Utu proclaimed. "STATE YOUR SECOND WISH NOW, MY PATIENCE WEARS THIN!"

"I wish for you to heal every injury upon my being, restoring me to my pristine former beauty." Khepri coughed anticipating this wish even more so than her prior one.

"VERY WELL SO YOU WISH SO IT SHALL BE DONE," Utu proclaimed as his magic flooded into her robes eliciting moans of pleasure and relief from the djinni hidden within. "STATE YOUR FINAL WISH NOW; I WOULD LIKE TO GET THIS EXCHANGE OVER WITH!"

"Very well mighty Utu I shall make my final wish," Kepri said in a voice that belied far less a wretched beggar rather than a hidden beauty. "I wish that the vessel binding you to the Contract of Sulliman crumbles into dust."

With those words the copper teapot corroded into nothingness, Utu was now free of all except the command of the final wish and that would end once he fulfilled it. He looked at the djinni who released him, on the one hand wanting to thank her for freeing him, on the other wishing to punish her for daring to order around one of her own kind. Instead he found only empty robes, oh well her fate could wait the sun would soon be up and he had to fulfill the first wish.

Utu shrank to the size of a mortal man, a mere five and a half feet tall, and reached into the bag to removed an royal headdress of the kind that was worn in Egypt during the Classical Period. Already he could feel the dark energies streaming off the object in his hands; however, despite being a being of freewill he was bound by the wish to violate it would do egregious harm to his soul. With great regret Utu did as he was bade to and placed the Nemes of Bahm upon his head just as the sun crested the horizon.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGH," A soul-rending scream tore from his throat as he could feel the vile garment's presence claw its way into his being, shoving him aside as it proceeded to wear him rather than the other way around. Soon has screams fell silent as Utu's porcine head became encased in a black substance that compressed it into the crude outline of a human face.

Eventually the black substance had poured over Utu's entire body, as his fanged mouth opened along with his six-eyes it was clear the Black Pharaoh had found his new anchor. The mask of Nyarlathotep now that he had obtained his bearings stared at the pool of robes in the sand, "Rise my loyal servant, this djinn of solar flame while a pale shadow of my former host is still pleasing to me, come forth and receive the blessing of your master!"

At this command, a billow of mist emerged to take the shape of a beautiful woman wearing the garb of an Egyptian royal servant with the head of a duck. The woman immediately prostrated herself before the Black Pharaoh, "My great sovereign Nyarlathotep, I am overjoyed that I could offer my meager aide in the restoration of your mask as the Black Pharaoh."

"Tell me your name my servant," Nyarlathotep commanded of the djinni, "So that I may reward you."

"I am Khepri the handmaiden of Kakra, who served you faithfully until she was slain by the vile djinn Set." Khepri stated from her place against the desert sands.

"Set's punishment is already in motion," Nyarlathotep proclaimed. "Rise my servant, for your loyalty I grant you the station of your former mistress, from this day forth you are the high priestess in the cult that serves this persona." If a duck's beak could grin at these words, Khepri would be from ear to ear.

---

Sunday, April 8, 2012
Ledoux Home
Boulder City, Nevada
7:40 PM PDT

In the middle of checking his math homework for tomorrow Paul Ledoux screamed clutched his head in agony, in between to pulses of pain he could swear that he saw flashes of a snarling six-eyed man with fanged teeth and onyx skin wearing an Egyptian headdress.

As the pain subsided Paul steadied himself and got back to checking his homework, his mother had already told him that the only way that she'd allow him to take part in the Silver Gloves this year was if he kept up a straight A average and he was already close to losing that in his math class.

In the den below his single mother gazed up at the stairs in concern, did the child suspect the truth was he beginning to awaken? If it wasn't for her orders to maintain absolute cover she would contact her masters, there was only three months to go on her duty that she had maintained these past several years, the brat had better not spoil it all now if he knew what was good for him.

---

Monday April 9th, 2007
Empty Classroom - Shuster Hall
Whateley Academy
3:37 PM EDT
POV: Randi Bridges

Evidently as Heather and I approached the room where Bea was told she was going to need to go through some legal formalities. Now that she was writing well enough to sign her name, going to be today we did our best to conceal what was about to happen along with the guests who were following us with Bea's gift from the student body. Granted it took Phase coordinating with Kodiak and Thuban to explain to some student's why it would be seen as a good gesture to chip in to get Headmistress Carson's newest daughter a little belated birthday present from the student body.

It also didn't take long though for Fubar to catch on and some of the staff and faculty to chip a little in, still it didn't hurt that Eldrich, Silver and Seraphim gave us a discount as part of the gift. It was a little sad though that none of them could go and visit their families for Spring Break but that made sense in a sad way; Kerry's family was in witness protection, Eldrich was esentially an orphan and Silver couldn't leave campus for the sake of her own safety (given the fact that she sweats mithril).

Still even our guests Kodiak and Poise were surprised to arrive to see that we weren't the only ones waiting for Bea's arrival. I'll be the first to admit that I had no earthly clue who the Japanese man with the four young ladies, whose garb looked to be variations of traditional chinese attire, were standing next to the Monkey King. However, I did recognize the two young women with Morrigan and Badb (in her bird form for once) right off the bat from the lessons that I had with the Phantom Queen concerning the Peoples of the Wild Lands of Faerie. Standing right behind Morrigan holding two wrapped boxes were Sorcha of Aurum, First Princess of the Golden Sea and Evania of Argentum, First Princess of the Silver Sea, these were the eldest daughters of the two regents of the merfolk refugee colonies in the Wild Court.

Wait a minute weren't there four merfolk refugee colonies that were said to be located in the four cardinal seas of the Jade Heavens in the = Northern Court, but wait why were they all here. Okay there's Assistant Headmistress Hartford (doesn't look to happy to be here- then again I don't think that I've ever seen her happy period) and there's Mrs. Shugendo, ‘Whoa I haven't seen her since right after before the meeting with Ms Hartford when I got here back in January.’ Zenith was also here with some hover-cams, but that was already planned after all everyone wanted to see Bea open her present and hear a few words from her, especially since I was one of the few people to talk to her so far.

"Faolan, Apparitia please get over here," Zenith called out to the two of us making sure to use our codenames while the Alpha male and female who probably knew what was going on walked over to the Headmistress's group. "The guest of honor is on her way."

---

Hallway - Shuster Hall
3:41 PM
POV: Bea Carson

"This hover chair is weird mom," I said trying to get used to the controls and steer the thing without tipping it over and spilling Blinky who was nestled in my lap.

"Don't worry about it too much dear," Elizabeth told her daughter as she walked with her down the hallway, "it's only until you get fully used to your legs."

"That's fine by me mom, there's probably a lot of places that I can't go with this thing and if there is one place that I want to do is go and experience as many places as I can." trying my best to explain it to mom, "There's just so much out there that I fell that I've missed out on, well I just want to see everything that I can, and well being a mermaid I can probably see a lot more than most people."

"I could only imagine dear," Elizabeth smiled honestly refreshed to hear these kinds of things out of someone as old as Beatrice looked, although given teenagers these days there was no telling how long that would last. Oh well hopefully there was still a ways to go until their first fight. "And here we are Ms Hartford and Ms Shugendo are inside, apparently they wish to see just how you handle being in a classroom, since it isn't likely that you will be inside one this school year. Then after dinner we'll get you settled in your dorm room."

As I stepped through the door I noticed that there were far more than the Assistant Headmistress and the Dean of Students to meet me, there was that hairy man that I kind of remembered from when I hatched with a man and four ladies a little older than me. Randi and Heather were here with a trio of older students; as soon as I could I would see about looking at the school intranet's online yearbook. The one of who was working a few of those hover cameras like the kind that the docs had recording my therapy sessions I could swear that I've seen before. As for the last group well I don't think that I've ever seen them before, just what was this about it couldn't have been a surprise party in real world terms I was just a little over a week old.

"I'm sorry for the secrecy dear but a few people wanted to meet you as soon as they heard about you," mom said as she guided me over to the groups, while Blinky hopped out of my lap to perch on top of one of the nearby desks.

The hairy man was the first to approach me, "Hello, I don't know if you remember me kid, but I was there when you hatched." The man said as he extended his hand, like I'd seen countless times before through Cytherea's eyes I took it and shook his hind. "I am Wukong Sun, known to many as the Monkey King, Buddha of Youthful Vitality. I am here on behalf of the Jade Heavens and what is left of the Northern Court, you see the four ladies behind me are representatives of the four refugee colonies of the Eastern Court that settled within the Jade Heavens."

"Wait you four are mermaids too," I said in astonishment. "But I thought that all other merfolk were affected by The Curse."

"All not of royal blood," one of the maidens said as she meekly walked forward. "But forgive my impertinence; I am Lou Xiao Li daughter of the Ao Shun. You see each of us is of royal blood, however none of our fathers were a direct descendent of a Triton and only a Triton may inherit one of the seven vacant crowns of the Eastern Court. Although my father is called a king he is only a merman and simply a regent of distant royal blood; as are the others with me."

"Your uncle however, who you are destined to bring back to us, is of direct lineage and thus a true Triton. We are here to bestow upon you gifts to aide you in your endeavor, and obtain your blessing in our intentions. I offer you this suit of Armor of Tiānlóng, it will both defend you and enable you to swim through the air as you do through the water."

"It's also made for a mermaid so it will adjust instantaneously to you in either form," Wukong Sun said as he munched on an apple to the side. "So that no embarrassing incidents will happen while you have it on. It will also partially diffuse energy attacks, won't stop them just makes them lose focus and that only works if you’re not using the armor to air swim."

I could see by Xiao Li's face that I wasn't the only one embarrassed by that comment. "I thank you for your generous gift daughter of Ao Shun, however what do you mean by my blessing for your intentions?"

"They mean to marry your uncle after you help save him kid," Sun Wukong explained, "merfolk aren't traditionally monogamous so they are asking for your blessing as his only living relative to wed him."

The explanation kind of weirded me out even remembering certain cultures that were a part of the Macedonian and Roman Empires; still formalities continued with the other three mermaid princesses, I guess that they took these matters very seriously. Jin Ming Xia daughter of the Ao Run gave me a Helm of Zhījué; she said that it would let me see hidden things. Yi Mei Hui daughter of the Ao Qui gave me a Ring of Jùlí, which was enchanted so that if I held it against my throat anyone that I could see with my bare eyes would hear me as if I was standing in front of them within arm’s reach. Zha Xi Ang daughter of the Ao Guang gave me a Ring of Yīn, which would protect its wearer from environmental hazards like air and water pollution and as well as providing some protection from heatstroke. It was weird though the four were so formal and rehearsed that I could barely tell them apart aside from their wardrobe and their looks, it was very unnerving.

That was when the strange lady with the crow on her shoulder came over to me with a girl who looked to be as old as those three with Randi and Heather, while the other looked to be about Heather's age. "Hello Miss Carson," the lady called me by my chosen codename as she extended her hand to me to shake. "Like Sun Wukong I was also present when you hatched, I am also a teacher at this school so you might see me sometime after your enrolement. I am called Morrigan, I also happen to be the Regent of the Western Court and the mentor of the Western Maiden. Now within the land under my protection there also happen to be two Eastern Court Refuges the Sea of Gold and the Sea of Silver, these two young ladies behind me are the eldest progeny of those sea's two regents."

"Greetings Lady Beatrice Granddaughter of Late Triton King Apsu, I am Sorcha of Aurum, the first princess of the Sea of Gold. I see you are still working on your land legs!" Sorcha obviously the elder of the two by several years observed with a curtsy as she stepped out from behind Morrigan with a swagger in her step. "Anyway I bequeath unto you this Trident of Maelstrom selected from our armories, this was used by the brave soldiers who served the Eastern Court both above the waves. You can use it to create vortices in the water or whirlwinds when on dry land, as well as use it like a proper spear. I can attest to its effectiveness myself, dad's certainly scolded me enough when I was younger and sneaking it out of the armory to play with it."

"Yes he told me that you finally stopped when you accidentally blew the roof off a parapet," Morrigan remarked causing Sorcha to flash beet red as she meekly stepped back. After Sorcha returned to her earlier spot the other girl looked at me nervously, I couldn't tell if she was shy or afraid, soon Morrigan touched her on the back and said, "Calm down child, the Eastern Maiden won't bite, now the Western Maiden on the other hand that's another story."

"Hey I didn't bite Peeper Morrigan and you know it!" Randi cried out at the verbal jab. "I was only snapping at him because I caught him trying to sneak cameras into the girl's locker room again."

"I would have given her detention but it was a green flag day," I heard Hartford tell mom ender her breath. "Besides she herded him right into that old pine tree in front of Kane Hall and turned him over to Security."

Obviously, this jocularity made the girl relax enough to approach me, "Hello Princess Beatrice, I am Evania of Argentum, the princess of the Silver Sea. This necklace is called the Necklace of Iobairt, it is made from a colony of sea snails who gave their lives to let my mother flee the Deep Ones when she went to look for the Tablets of Destiny in the Persian Gulf, and woven together with a lock of her hair. The necklace will turn cold whenever someone's coming towards you that want to do bad things."

"Evania I couldn't possibly take something so personal to you," I said tried to push the necklace back to her.

"It's alright," Evania said as she pulled the collar of her conservative blouse and down to show, another just like it. "She made three, and you can use it to help you when help your Uncle make all the Deep Ones go away."

"Evania," Morrigan wearily explained as she placed her hand on the girl's shoulder. "The spell will only make it so that those not loyal to Dagon's Cult become merfolk, it won't get rid of the Deep Ones, although it will slow the tide of new ones being created and let normal merfolk leave the refuge. We'll have to get rid of the Deep Ones the old fashioned way."

"Speaking of The Spell, I have something to return to you, keep in mind that this isn't a gift as it rightfully belongs to you." Morrigan continued as she turned to me, hold out what looked like a giant spiral seashell with a pearl in the hole. "This is the Scepter of Nin-Ti, I just finished putting it back together. I found the Scepter during an adventure with Doctor Quasimodo in the Ottoman Empire before the First World War, as for the pearl set in it- well- you could probably guess where that came from. This apparently belonged to your other mother Princess Thalatté, and I heard that you need it to free your Uncle. As for what it does, I'm sorry but I don't know."

"As for gifts young Beatrice," the guy standing in front of Randi with the stylized A on his jacket said a he approached me with an oblong velvet box. I opened it and saw two bracelets studded with small colorless jewels. "These are a gift from the school faculty and student body, we thought that it must be annoying to go all those years without a single birthday present, even more so when Fubar explained to us how you spent all those years a literally a prisoner in Cytherea's shadow."

"The right one's got the same spell on it as my collar," Randi said as she began to explain. "I'll show you how to work them in a little bit."

"And speaking of presents," the Monkey King said as he tumbled towards me. "Here's mine."

I took the messily wrapped package from him accidentally tearing the wrapping of as I did so.

"You got her a fanny pack," the camera operator stated in disbelief while I picked the aqua colored thing up.

"Well aren't you going to look inside?"

The moment that I unzipped the thing and I reached inside, I was knocked out of my hover chair by something big white and fuzzy.

"This is my Fanny Pack O'Plenty, something no modern day adventurer should be without, it'll match any outfit and hold anything as long as you can fit a part of it into the opening and will always give you what you need when you reach into it." The Monkey King said as sauntered back to the Asian mermaid princesses while Randi helped me back into my chair. "As for how I got that four foot long Beluga plush inside, well I wish I could say that it was a whale of a tail but in truth it was a total fluke."

"Faolan why don't you help Ms Carson get dressed in her new attire," Morrigan stated. I was about to object when she pointed at Randi and me with a cry of "Ceilte!" Suddenly the two of us were covered in a dome of darkness although we could still see.

"Okay let me explain about the bracelets," Randi said as she picked up the velvet box and held it in front of me. "Now place the right one on your right wrist and the left one on your left wrist, then once you do press a jewel on the right one."

I did asked after, all she knew how these things worked, only to cause something surprising to happen. "Ra- Faolan! What happened to all of my clothes?"

"Calm down Bea," she said waving her hands in front of me. "They're inside the gem you just pressed, now do you need help getting this breastplate on?"

"Hold on," I said picking the thing up off the table. "I'll try to do this on my own." It took a few minutes but I succeeded. "There, I've got it on, must be one of those one-size fits all things that I've heard about. If you want Faolan, you can help me with the necklace while I get the rest of this on."

She fastened the collar behind my hair while I put on the two rings, the black Ring of Yīn on my right hand while the red Ring of Jùlí what on my right. The next was the Helmet, which Randi helped me thread my hair through. On a whim, I put on the fanny pack that turned into a processed leather mini-satchel that was held on by a belt, I guess it does do with everything. "Well how do I look?" I asked after trying to strike a pose with the trident which, which isn't easy sitting in a hover chair that I just slid back into.

"You need shoes to go with that number." Randi commented as Morrigan released her spell understanding that I was done getting dressed, "Maybe some tan leather ankle boots."

"Ugh, really Faolan," The older student with the stylized A on their lapel responded. "If it wasn't for Fey I would wonder if any of you Frosh Posies had any fashion-sense what-so-ever. "That outfit screams a Greeco-Roman influence it needs sandals the kind with the cord ties."

"Not all of us think about fashion 24-seven Poise," Faolan grumbled before turning back to me. "Now if you want to put your equipment like that trident up, just motion like your sheathing in one of the jewels."

I nodded and sheathed the trident in my left bracelet, then when I picked up the scepter to do the same I felt a pulse from both it and the bag that made me drop it back on the table. That was when the still nameless Asian gentleman spoke up, "You would probably like to know that there is something else other than that doll in your bag. I will not bore you with the details of how they came to be in my possession, however I implore you to succeed in you coming quest, there are scores of people on the Isle of Kyushu alone depend on your actions."

---

Dillard's - The Parks Mall
Arlington, TX
3:21 PM CDT

In the middle of her shift Vanessa Kunz almost collapsed to the ground as she felt something inside of her scream in fear, it was weird it came from inside her but it didn't feel like her- no it couldn't be that she was too young to be hearing that while she was awake. That didn't happen to her mother until she was thirty, she still had nightmares about it although she was six at the time.

No she had to talk to Chuck she had to make him understand that she couldn't let him suffer what her father went through with her mother, she loved him too much to let him see that happen to her. Still the odd thing was that while it was screaming she could almost swear that she heard a voice- singing.

"Miss, I asked you if you had these shoes in a Size-7 preferably in black," a lady staid has she held up a pair of red-pumps.

"I am sorry madam," Vanessa apologized to her customer for spacing out as she tried to regain her composure, "Please wait a moment while I check our inventory in the back."

---

Elizabeth Carson's Appartment
Whateley Academy
9:41 PM
POV: Bea Carson

I admit that all that happened today was another rollercoaster of surprises, I found out that I wasn't the only mermaid princess like I thought but apparently the others and the mermaids that were staying in the Wild Court and the Jade Heavens were counting on me. If you think about it the future of an entire race of people depended on what I did this summer, it was a lot to think about considering that the time that I needed to do this was only two months away.

"Bea the surprise party or not I want you to know that I was serious about you coming on as a student." Mom said as she sat on the chair in the guest bedroom, "While your therapy is important and you need to continue it especially if you really need to visit that place this summer, you need to interact with others your own age."

"Of course mom," I replied as I carefully maneuvered myself out of the hover chair to sit on the guest bed. "I want to meet as many people as possible."

"Now dear, officially you are listed as a probationary student, that means that you need to complete all of the research papers and the tests for those courses that you have Ms Donovan's memories of taking. Keep in mind now the test will be different versions and the paper's will have to be entirely your own. To that end other than powers lab you will spend most of your class time for the rest of the year in self-study to play catch up. You will turn your papers in to Ms Hartford along a predetermined schedule along with the schedule for your tests, both of which she'll give you tomorrow."

"Don't worry mom, I'll take whatever she can throw at me." I said as a flexed my thin arms for emphasis.

"That brings us to another thing you are to keep regular therapy appointments and put in some time with the boys down in the powers lab." Mom smiled, "You need to have your abilities properly gauged and learn more about them."

"You mean like changing into my mermaid form or the time that I healed Nurse Munroe's electrical burn."

"Yes, they'll help you discover the full extent of your abilities and just what you can do with them." Mom explained as she sat down next to me and hugged me with her left-arm. "Keep in mind that most of Cytherea's classes were tailored to her abilities and interests not yours. You need to learn how to make the most of your abilities, as well as think about what you want to do with the rest of your life, as I understand it mermaids can be around for a real long time, you are probably going to want something to do with that time."

"Besides your abilities need to be properly measured otherwise you can never get a passport to go to Iraq this summer to free your uncle; it does take six weeks to process a passport after all but for mutants you need to get your MID before you can travel abroad." Mom continued as she got up and ruffled my hair. "In other words, take your tests and get your license otherwise no world travel for you. Now get some sleep tomorrow is your first day of Power's Lab and you get to move into your Cottage Room in the evening. That means no keeping her up Blinky."

"What?!?" A young male voice said as a pair of gold eyes in thin air before Blinky appeared gradually around them after Elizabeth left the room. "You think she would trust a cat to know how valuable sleeping would be. So gonna eat breakfast in the cafeteria tomorrow with your friends?"

"I hope so Blinky," I replied as I pulled the covers over me and curled up next to the Monkey King's gift. I wonder if I'll be able to see the real thing some day, or better yet meet one. Blinky was already asleep and fading again, no doubt to report to grandma, but in the mean time I wanted to see what kind of dream that I would have tonight, yesterday's with the big room full of shrieking monkeys in suits had been hilarious.

---

Kunz Family Home
Pantiego, TX
10:17 PM CDT

Chuck Bridges walked into the door annoyed with the call that Vanessa made to him in the middle of his delivery route. He even knew the subject, "Vanessa how many times have we been over this I don't care about what you might turn into down the road, you deserve to be happy in the here and now."

"Easy for you to say Chuck," Vanessa barked with a voice full of venom. "You don't have a monster inside of you that wants to mutilate your soul until your body is just a warped shell for it to wear. I still remember when what used to be my mother turned and looked at me before diving in the water, there was nothing left of her in there."

"Dear, I keep telling you from what old man Red Plains has been telling me we have at least a decade before that happens to you." Chuck said as he drew Vanessa into his embrace, "Besides once we find a triton he'll be able to lift your curse. I may not be a mutant like my sisters but with Coyote's instruction I'm certain well figure something out on how to keep you from turning into what your mother did."

"Still something happened today," Vanessa, weeped as she shook in uncertainty and fear. "I could hear the monster while I was awake this time it was screaming it was like it was afraid or in pair, maybe both, and the weird thing while it was I could hear a girl singing."

"That is weird," Chuck mused as he mulled that detail over for a minute. "Oh speaking of my sister, I also found out a clue to the Valkyrian's whereabouts, apparently she showed up at my sisters' award ceremony in New York. I'm going to get in touch with Randi tomorrow and ask about how to get in contact with her."

"But what if she asks why you want to know?" Vanessa asked out of concern. "I thought that you wanted to keep your family away from this to keep them safe."

"'Nes' Randi's a mutant whose training in the mystic arts with seasoned professionals, do you know how hard it was hiding Red Plains from her after she manifested and got her new body. For that matter Heather is taking magic classes at that school too, I'm not going to be able to keep hiding this from my family for much longer." Chuck explained as he gently held Vanessa's hands in his own. "If she asks then I'm going to tell her everything, I should be able to hide your secret but I'll probably have to spill the beans about Coyote."

Chuck's thoughts turned to the spectral Native American super-hero whose ghost had been mentoring him in the ways of magic ever since he met him at the zoo during that trip to San Antonio four years ago and guided him into finding his skull later; he had even been operating under his old codename. Still what this newest development meant for Vanessa was a mystery, would it be what they needed to free Vanessa from her dire fate of being transformed into a fish-monster as her mother had been or was it a sign that her time at being herself was running out.

---

---

Palace of Blossoms
Summer Lands, The Faer Lands
?

Many were assembled in the Court of Queen Titania of Summer; it was a place of that embodied the dignity and grace inherent in the highest nobility of nobility in the Faer Lands. Unlike the Court of Queen Mab of Winter this was a place of civility and decorum, here the danger was hidden behind porcelain smiles and the veneer of civility. While they were in this room one need not worry of their rivals cutting them down in a moment of cold fury, these were the sort who refused to dirty their own hands after all when one had problems they should go and employ professionals to handle their problems for them.

Indeed, let Winter skewer their enemies like pigs on a spit, for Summer the quiet dignities of poison or hidden assassins worked far better. That is after all why they were assembled, it was past the Vernal Equinox, the Northern Hemisphere was within the domain of Summer once again and now it was their turn to take care of both Courts’ common threat, Queen Aunghadhail of the Western Court's heir-apparent.

For years, they laughed at the self-confessed false Queen Morrigan and her slowly expanding court of renegades that dwell on the fringe of proper faerie society. She was a relic mired in the past who led a court of traitors, freaks, outcasts, and deviants who nibbled away at the scraps at the edge of their lands during the interim while making deals with self-aggrandized mortals. These were faerie that were far too close to humanity, they had even believed in the myth of the Western Court of that radiated from the original lost city of Atlantis which united them with the djinn, the merfok and the dragons- what an absurdity.

That absurdity was now a terrifying reality- a year ago there was a massive explosion of mana in the mortal realm that had mystified both courts. Still they dismissed it as the work of a mortal sorcerer that place on the mortal realm was under the purview of the Succubus Matriarch that called herself Erzabet Scratch after all, she was known to employ mortal sorcerers to various ends, and sometimes even made use of those degenerate outcasts that worked in the Goblin Market. Then over the year, they had detected spells being cast, old and powerful spells that harnessed the very energies of the ley lines themselves.

Both Winter and Summer sent spies to investigate, that's when they discovered to their horror that the ancient myths were not myths but half-forgotten history. One of the Ancient Queens whom Morrigan and her followers had been waiting for had returned, and not just any of the Ancient Queens but Aunghadhail Daughter of the Burning Oak, the greatest among the nine queens of legend whose reigns ended with The Sundering. While it was only a fragment of her powerful vestige it was clear to all who knew that ancient ways what was happening- Queen Aunghadhail was grooming a potential heir.

This sparked a panic in both courts that had taken months to quell, quietly (or in some cases) not so quietly the nobles of Summer and Winter had managed to return their lands to order. Unfortunately by the time order was restored it was too late for any of Summer to put a plan into action, still they observed Winter's reaction a lottery for the chance to terminate this returned monarch's heir before The Abdication of the Crowns less than a mortal century from now. The winner of the drawing of lots would have three opportunities to terminate this atavistic Queen-to-be per the laws of magic.

The Winner, Lady Agatha Blackpond, first sent a Fomor assassin armed with iron; The Morrigan and a mongrel that she had taken as her latest protégé dispatched him. Then she arranged for Macha and Nemain to provide the second end of a pincer attack with Jötunn frost giants on the other end, The Queen's vessel and the mongrel scuttled that plan with the aide of several mortals. Finally when all proved for not she sent the Fomor mercenary king Balor to deal with the Aunghadhail's host by destroying the entire estate in which she mulledwith his dreaded eye, he fell to The Morrigan's spear and her husband Dagda's club. Her failure meant that the noble who tortured her to Mab's satisfaction would have the privilege of dealing with her after the Autumnal Equinox; it looked like the current front-runner was Lady Eothe Darkcavern.

Surprisingly Aunghadhail's essence was dispatched by a curse born of darkest sorcery but Still the Law of Nemesis meant that Summer had to try three times to maintain the balance of the Solstice Proclamation that supported their kingdoms, during the Festival of the Vernal Equinox Lady Aenara Shining-Lily won the right by their own Lottery.

Lady Aenara had four hands of days, two-thirds of a mortal month to present her first plan to the court, and then every noblewoman and man would swear on their soul before the Summer Queen and the Summer Lady to take no actions to hinder or aide in the endeavor. That day was today, time was up for Lady Aenara for by the pact taken at the Lottery she had sworn by the body and soul of her first born to continue to stay the course and continue the task to the end.

"Lady Aenara Shining-Lily," Stianallophos the Major Domo of Titania's Court proclaimed aloud. "Present yourself before the Queen!"

On command, a lady in regal attire exited the assembled throngs, yet despite how ostentatious the Sidhe Lady's attire was it paled in comparison to the that of Queen Titania and her daughter Lady Areala before whom she knelt as was proper.

"Lady Aenara Shining-Lily," Stianallophos continued. "Queen Titania and her blessed scion Lady Areala are prepared to hear your first plan and will offer you anything required to achieve that within their means."

"Your majesties," Lady Aenara finally spoke. "Unlike those crude beasts of Winter I have learned that attacking the heir-apparent of the anachronism known as Aunghadhail while she is at the mortal institution is an act of folly. While she dwells there, she has too many powerful allies upon whom to draw strength, instead I shall endeavor so that she meets her end like a fox in its den. I have also learned that a source of hope for the Court of the Wilds, the mixed-breed mongrel known as the Western Maiden shall be undergoing a trail of discovery in the open wilds alone and without allies, I propose to unleash an evil that the Phantom Queen aided in defeating out in those open mundane prairies."

Queen Titania was honestly intrigued at this plan so far; even her daughter noticed how her attention had been drawn further in to the speaker. "First this darkness will end the Western Maiden and then shall march north to do the same unto the scion of Burning Oak, for this plan I require a scroll of transportation with a return trip to a particular destination. I also need an audience with the keeper of the tome of mortal fates to make use of a true name of the departed, as well as a cord of guidance. Understand that this is my final plan, my others I can set in motion with my own resources and all three are explained in full upon the scroll that my servant Isudru carries."

Prompted by his lady's words a humble aelf approaches with a scroll and his eyes to the ground. Isudru prostrated himself upon the ground and held out the scroll, which Queen Titania floated over to herself with a gesture and unfurled it with another. Titania perused the document for a moment then nodded to her Major Domo. Once again, Stianallophos spoke for his sovereign. "Her Imperial Majesty Queen Titania of the House of Raiwen approves of your plans, you may have what you ask, understand though should you fail in this attempt and the two others afforded to you then your titles and lands will return to her majesty to redistribute at her leisure and you shall be punished until the point of non-existence in the Tower of Briars by your successor until the next Vernal Equinox."

"I understand your majesties," Lady Aenara said as she averted her eyes to the floor. "I shall not fail this quest that you have deigned to bequeath unto me."

---

Tuesday April 10th, 2007
Poe Cottage
6:00 AM EDT
POV: Randi Bridges

I woke up to the buzzing of my alarm again while Candace also began to stir, no trips to the Dreamlands last night just ordinary run of the mill dreams. This one was fun in a different way; it was as if Bea and I were LARPing in a fantasy world with real monsters. That she was a cleric and I was a rogue, I know it was a real stretch; I also couldn't make the other members of our party out for some weird reason. Candace buzzed past me as I got my towel and bathrobe, by the time I got to the line Chaka, Bugs, Rip, and my roomie were already waiting for me

This probably meant that Vamp, Phase and Fey were already in the showers. Who am I kidding it was more than likely actually since neither Ayla or Alex ever missed an opportunity to ogle Nikki in the mirror when she toweled off, not that I could blame them the sight of the Queen-to-be au-natural is enough to make the population of a monastery abandon their vows.

"So Randi, I hear your detention’s over today," Rip said as she struck up a conversation. "So I guess this mean that we'll be getting another mermaid in the student body?"

"It's likely Rip, although you probably won't be seeing her in classes until the Fall, and Sylene isn't a real mermaid you know. Plus those are likely to be powers classes since after she makes up her tests and papers she'll have all of the basics that Cytherea took up until last fall kicked out."

"How much you want to bet that Cytherea will have to play catch-up too," Ayla stated before she vacated her stall for Toni to take her place. "After all something tells me that she wouldn't be above sweet talking someone else into doing her heavy work for her."

"You mean like you and Jadis caught Fantastico doing last semester." I stated.

"Exactly, by the way is he still hitting on you?" Ayla asked out of concern.

"Yes- at least once a week." I groaned at the memory of last Friday at dinner. "Did you know that he tried to invite me to the rodeo championships as a summer date? I mean I might be from Texas but do I look like a roper?"

"Maybe it was the blue jeans and flannel shirts that you wear on the weekends." Candace stated, "I mean I know that you used to be a guy and all but you could seriously use a shopping trip."

"I had a shopping trip before I got here with a hot cousin from Cali," I stated. "And there's nothing wrong with the tomboy look, besides it's colder up here than I'm used to for this time of year."

"Ha- I knew that southern hicks like you were into that sort of thing." Tempest stated with her usual venom.

"You mean that admitting that my second-cousin once-removed Elise is attractive, I do have eyes and pulse." I stated, "So yeah I'll admit it, besides we're both girls so what's the big deal, it's not like we ever did anything."

"You're still one sick freaky mutt." Miss attitude said as I went for the open stall.

"And you're just jealous because you know this is one piece of tail that you'll never get." I said as I wagged said appendage for emphasis before shutting the door, I let the shower drown out her venomous response as I went to work after all it takes a lot of maintenance to keep the fur on my tail nice and shiny.

---

Elizabeth Carson's Apartment
7:23 AM
POV: Bea Carson

Oh man I was so excited I can burst, I was finally going to be a student and not just some sequestered curiosity that was whispered about in rumors. Okay, I knew from watching Cytherea that it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows and there were plenty of folks that I needed to look out for like The Don and Imperious to name a few but still this was going to be my first opportunity to make friends of my own. Okay, I liked to think that I could count on Randi, Heather and Mirabel as friends but to be fair they were among the first people that I ever met, and Heather and Mirabel were a lot younger than me and I probably wouldn't see the two of them very often.

Okay, it's time to join my peers, it took me a while to guide this damned chair across campus, the control kept sticking and it was acting like it wanted to veer to the right still we finally made it to Crystal Hall. To be fair I knew my way around this place from my memories but I wondered whom I'd sit with, after all Cytherea's group was up on the third floor and I wanted to avoid them at all cost so the ground floor would probably be the safest.

Speaking of safe there was also a matter of the food, when I finally made my way inside almost everyone started to stare at me almost as if everyone was studying me under a microscope. Still I didn't let it get to me as I got in line for breakfast and when it was my turn chose a carton of milk, half a grapefruit, a scoop of scrambled eggs, and a couple of slices of wheat toast. Now it was time for judgment.

"Hey Bea, over here," I fortunately Randi appeared to have my back this time. I did my best to maneuver the chair over to her table without bumping into anyone, but made certain to apologize whenever I felt this thing nudge somebody.

"Thanks' Randi, I hope that your friends don't mind me sitting here, I mean if I'm intruding feel free to tell me." I all but stammered, oh man get a grip.

"It's okay; I'm Kerry by the way, I helped make your bracelets." Kerry said as she introduced herself, "Actually the whole reason that our group came together was because we all got here in the middle of the year before the Spring Students."

"Not that certain other groups aren't insisting that some of us need to join them, I'm Jamal by the way although I also go by Jolt." Another student at the table paused in-between bites of his sausage. "For example the Tigers keep trying to get me on their African Pride Parade."

"Ugh- tell me about it," Randi groaned. "I can't get that self-important d-bag Fantastico to leave me alone. So what if I'm from Texas. I don't see him offering to let Jerico or Diamondback join the Good ‘Ol Boys, and everyone knows that Ferret's from Oklahoma."

"I know what you mean I get the same treatment from the Goobers," Kerry said as she rolled her eyes. "I might consider it, but Nightbane really gets on my nerves; that and I get this creepy vibe from them."

"Well Ah for one wouldn't mind joining the Cape Squad, A'm Steve by the way." A boy with a chiseled look to him explained. "Of course they don't really take freshmen, just evaluate them for the next year."

"I know, Joanne by the way but most folks just call me Murphy." Another girl extended her hand for me. "I hang out a little with the Whateley Literature Club, but their mostly a group with similar interests."

"Bah this table is becoming invaded by American's," The boy with one arm said as he took his tray with him. "I think that I have lost my appetite."

"Do not let Konrad get to you," A girl who reminded me of my memories of the people that lived in the Balkans back during Cytherea's days as Venus. "He for some reason he just doesn't like this country. I am Erze although I also go by Stroiga."

"And I'm her roommate Renee," the brown-haired girl next to her stated. "I'm curious, just what are your powers?"

"Well I seem to be able to heal people and I can turn into a mermaid." I explained as I tried to put everything into words. "Of course being at least half-one that would be obvious. One of the other mermaids that I met yesterday said they'll be coming back today to help the guys in the lab with my powers testing, something about giving them a base line to work with."

"Really and which of the ladies from the other day was it?" the lizard man asked. "I'm Baird but everyone calls me Froggy as well."

"Sorcha, the First Princess from the Golden Sea in the Faer Lands." I did my best to explain. "From what I gathered Evania would have liked to visit again as well, but her grandfather is really over-protective."

"I know," Randi sighed. "Heather seemed to enjoy talking with her afterwards, if I have time and mom will let me I'll see if I can bring her with me to visit the banks of the Silver Sea sometime well maybe not this summer, I'll be real busy."

"You mean you're coming with me to Babylon?" I asked as I honestly I hoped that a fellow maiden could help me out; I mean I knew that the country was a warzone.

"Sorry but I can't," Randi looked at me apologetically. "While you were talking with your grandmother Greyback told me that I need to go on a Walkabout this summer, I'm supposed to spend all of my time as a wolf to fully master my abilities. Apparently because I was born human my powers are unlocking in steps, and he told me that to achieve the next one that I need to get in touch with my inner wolf. He told me that by doing this I'll master my shape shifting to a better degree and it would let me access to his gift."

"Hold the phone," Another brick whose name I later learned was Eddie decided to speak up. "That's in Iraq, are you sure that you need to go there that place is dangerous beyond belief right now, who knows what Babylon is like right now."

"Are you kidding Babylon should be one of the most secure locations in the entire country at the moment," Buck Swift who I knew about from this incident with a sparking sword a few months ago, that and the fact that he stepped on Cytherea's Quiche Loraine while trying to run away from it. "It is the illustrious location for Camp Alpha for the Allied Occupation Forces, with the magnificent Lady Astarte by her side there is no safer place that she could be in the sands of Arabia."

"You mean not even Dubai, the city of gold." A British man is flamboyant attire proclaimed as a mound of gold coins appeared underneath him that he slid down to the vacant seat at the table.

"Surely you jest Robert," Buck recoiled in exaggerated shock (at least I think that it was exaggerated). "Why the prices alone are so exurbanite that being held up by common robbers would actually be lighter on the wallet."

Everyone began looking at me as I started giggling, when I noticed their attention I told everyone. "What I thought that it was funny, this is a comedy act isn't it?"

Now it was my turn for confusion as everyone else at the table laughed, even the bird that was with Randi.

---

Powers Testing Lab K
Whateley Tunnels
1:17 PM

Now that lunch was over it was back to the labs for another round of powers testing, even Doctor Hewley during her run through Lab I this morning to test her shifting and healing abilities said they were doing this a little fast. However as her mom told her she needed if she wanted to go to Iraq to help her uncle and all of the merfolk trapped in the refugee colonies than she needed a passport, and there was no legal way for a mutant or other paranormal to get a valid passport without a proper MID.

Still it was interesting; this morning's trials in Lab I had told the scientists running the tests that her mermaid to human form shifts were reflexive. This meant that with time she would be able to learn how to stay in human form in the water or turn into a mermaid while on dry land, suddenly the sky-swimming ability of the Tiānlóng Armor made a lot more sense, for a mermaid that would be like highly maneuverable flight.

They also found at that, the power of her healing ability depended on a variety of conditions. Apparently, while on dry land her healing ability was only ranked a three, but after they heard about the incident with the swimming test they tried to repeat the conditions with my mermaid form under a number of conditions. That's when they found out that my healing was boosted when I was in contact with salt-water, not just when I was a mermaid. They told me that they wanted me to try again later with some of my presents, but these tests for today were to establish my power's baseline.

Just as I told Randi and her friends, who I hoped would be my friends too, Princess Sorcha was here to help the doctor's see what a mermaid was capable of while I observed her talking to Dr. Quintain or as the students called him Professor Monotone. I still couldn't believe that she wanted to become my aunt, well so did four other mermaids, I really couldn't take Evania too seriously for this since she was really as young as Heather.

"Are you ready of this Beatrice?" Sorcha of Aurum asked as she approached me. I was still amazed at how she looked even more human that I did, I wonder what her mermaid form looks like did she keep was her hair still that flashy red-gold or was it a duller shade?

"As ready as I can be," I told her as we lined up on what looked it a firing range. One of the assistants came over to put on a microphone so that we could hear them and so that they could measure our vocal ability. "So I gather by that red ring that part of a mermaid's powers have to deal with our voice."

"Yes Queen Morrigan informs me that the humans refer to mutants with a similar ability as possessing a siren-trait." Sorcha said as she began to lecture me about this. "They think that this is due to telekinetic alteration of sound waves and that might actually be how it is for mutants. Now the reason that merfolk have developed our vocal abilities is an obvious one, sound travels with greater efficiency through water than it does through air. Yes like mutants with siren-traits, we can use it to create sonic attacks or to sew suggestions in the minds of others. We can even use sonar like whales. You should be able to do all of these with enough practice, but you must understand that the most important use of a mermaid's voice is for spell-singing."

"Now faerie depend on the deep and ancient power of life in nature for their magic, but life in the sea is rarely that long-lasting. This is why the magic of the merfolk is cast in a flowing harmonic manner, like the water through which we swim it is a thing of movement, not something that grows from firm roots." Sorcha held her splayed right-hand in front of her and said, "Let me demonstrate."

As she began to sing a beautiful and flowing melody I could see the air in front of her hand begin to gather, almost as if it was rushing to fill a single spot, then that spot began to glow in a soft light that eventually faded. "Now this is a very simple spell but in time you should learn how to do this and far greater spells." Sorcha spoke before turning her attention to the target range, "But for now let's start with the basics, namely focusing sound, let's practice so that it hits that bull's-eye and not the surrounding wall. Try to do as I do, take a deep breath, focus on your target and release a short shout. YAHHH!"

I swore that I could see the air distort in front of her briefly until a dent appeared the exact size of the bull's-eye but off-center and into the next-ring. "Darn, still pulling to the right outside of the water." I heard Sorcha chide herself before returning to her lecture. "As you can see this is tricky, it should take you a good deal of practice, but what is the point of going to a school if it isn't to learn. Believe me if there's one thing that you never stop doing it's learning and all too often it's learning the hard way."

Everyone in the room shared a little laughter at that one, too bad that this couldn't be a normal thing, I heard from my mother that the school board was cracking down on special tutors. Apparently, they accepted Morrigan on because she genuinely loved teaching, and given her long life, she had a lot to pass on to those willing to learn.

---

Dickinson Cottage
Whateley Academy
6:50 PM

When I hovered my chair through the front door, a woman with a wide smile on her face was there to meet me, "Hello I'm Mrs. Selkirk, and you must be Aletheia, our probationary sophomore. Now your effects are already in your room, but please understand as you are on probation you cannot be given a room on the third floor with the other sophomores."

"However you are in luck our freshman crop this year is currently an odd number, and since one of our spring transfers took in one of our other freshmen we've had one of our fall students without a roommate." Ms Selkirk stated before calling out, "Seraphim are you back yet I need you to show our recent arrival to her room, she will be filling Fatigue's empty bunk."

"Coming Mrs. Selkirk," Kerry the girl that I met at breakfast said as she came down the stairs. "Hey Bea nice to have you joining us here in Dickinson," she said while extending her had.

"Yeah I hope my temporary situation won't be too much of an inconvenience," I commented while thinking about how the royal treatment was starting to wear thin. That little meet and great in Shuster was almost too much, I wanted to stop being special and get a taste of normal- of course the first step was getting my land legs as Sorcha called them.

"I'm sorry to pry but just what is it with this maiden thing." Kerry said as she guided me up the stairs. "I've heard that Randi's the western one, you're the eastern one and that the northern one is out there somewhere, but just what does it mean?"

"Well aside from being half mutant and half of another race, I really don't know." I said chewing over the fact of how little we actually knew about the whole ordeal. "I know that I seem to have healing abilities, something mermaids don't normally have. Randi is unusual for a faerie, because from what I know, they usually don't have both magic and shape-shifting, it's one or the other. As far as I know we're supposed to make it possible to for our races to rejoin humanity, but I don't think either of us knows how that's supposed to happen."

I was so lost in thought over how much of our mission was completely unknown, that I rear-ended Kerry with the hover chair when she stopped in front of the door to what was probably my room. "I'm so sorry Kerry." I apologized flushed with embarrassment over the accident, "I'm still not very good with this thing."

"It's okay, Randi explained that the chair would only be until you could walk without assistance, at least nobody saw it happen could you imagine the jokes." Kerry stated. "FYI you probably need to get on that, that chair's be a pain to maneuver in the shower room."

"I'm just grateful that my tail usually doesn't come out unless my legs are submerged, I'd hate to have a slip and fall every time it rained." I explained before asking, "By the way, is my roommate in so that I can meet her?"

"Only one way to find out," Kerry smirked before she knocked on the door. "Hey Mabel are you in there, it's Kerry, I have your new roommate with me."

"Hold on a minute," the door was opened by a girl with slightly frazzled light-brown hair. "You must be Aletheia, I'm Fatigue. I guess you're in luck that we won't have to swap bunks since I usually like to sit back and stare at the ceiling before going to bed. Anyway the closet on the right and the desk by the door are yours, your desk chair is in storage at the moment since you probably don't need right now."

"Okay," I commented as I followed her back inside the room. "I should probably warn you this cat..." I stopped when Fatigue pointed out the purple-striped gray cat sprawled out on my pillow defeating the purpose of my warning. "Never mind... Say you look familiar, you know there's this person over in Doyle that looks just like you."

"I am that person over in Doyle," Fatigue turned around with a smirk on her face. "Still it's nice that someone pays attention to the folks folding sheets in the background when the doctor tells them to cough." Fatigue smiled as she gave me her hand, "Mabel Criswell."

"Beatrice Carson," I replied as I gladly shook the offered appendage. "Although everyone seems to call me Bea, and I see that you've meet my friend Blinky."

"Is he your familiar?" Mabel asked out of concern, "Because if he isn't then he can't be on campus."

"No he's not my familiar," I explained to Mabel. "He's Nightengale's familiar."

"What so that little guy is Mirabel's, then why isn't he with her and Heather in their room?" Mabel asked out of curiosity.

"Because my grandmother asked him to look after me and in order to be here he formed a pact with Mirabel." I began to explain everything, "To tell the truth they've known each other for years, they just needed permission to formalize things once Mirabel started with her training because of how young he is."

"Yeah, and I'm not going to be looking after Bea forever," Blinky said as he got up and stretched. "She asked me to do it until she feels that Bea can look after herself, besides Mirabel needs someone to watch her back too."

"I'll do my best to meet grandma's expectations Blinky," I promised as I guided my chair over to the bed and worked the kitten over with my nails as I began to play him like a furry musical instrument.

"I won't tell- just as long as he doesn't go in the room or bring dead things in here." Mabel stated as she laid down the rules.

"Okay so you don't want me to bring you anything nice," Blinky pouted over Mabel's rules. "I understand."

---

Laird Hall
(8:17 PM)
POV: Randi Bridges

As usual today's training climaxed in a complex ballet of sparks and metal not my usual weapons mind you, two practice knives made of a special faerie metal called karone. Interesting stuff feels as heavy as my normal weapons, even as sharp, but it couldn't cut anything alive- would still hurt like hell though. From what I understand, it was originally made for kitchen and dining utensils in the Winter Court, guess it makes since why would you want to use something that might cut the server and spoil the food, or something a servant could use to stab a master in the back.

"Boss- we got a phone call!" Badb shouted as she scampered in wearing her human form holding a brick of a cellular model.

"Really, is it the school line or my private line?" Morrigan asked as she began to pat herself with a towel. Call it a bit of an ego boost but actually managing to make Morrigan break a sweat during our practice sessions

"School line, it's for Randi." Badb replied as she handed me the phone. "You're sparing time with the boss is hardly a secret you know."

"No kidding I'd been bugged twice that I know of." I muttered as I answered the phone. "Hello, Ms Bridges speaking."

"Hello sis," I heard my brother's voice from the other end of the line. "We need to talk about something important."

"I would suppose so," I said through the line. "We rarely do talk anymore, and considering this is likely cutting into your time with your girlfriend this must be important."

"Randi, I know this is a long shot but do you have a way of getting in contact with someone called the Valkyrian." I heard my brother say much to my surprise. "I have something important that I need to talk with her about."

"Whoa big brother, talk about getting all important in the world, wanting to talk to the Valkyrian." I remarked eyeballing Morrigan who was listening intently. "But still this is a pretty big favor; you'll have to tell me what it's about."

"Have you ever heard of the Curse of Dagon?" My eyes shot open wide as Jane fell off her perch in shock.

"It isn't safe to talk over the phone," I replied telling the complete truth. "Wait a minute and I'll arrange a more secure mode of communication." 'Jane I know that one of your sister's is watching Chuck, can they make contact so we can talk over your secure line?'

Certainly Randi, Blanche is watching your brother and his paramour and apparently she has accumulated a good deal of gossip. Jane began to explain. Still we can get in touch easily all we need is a radio, do you still have that old one in your purse?

'Please Jane I was born in Tornado Alley, for us a reliable radio is a part of any emergency kit, especially in the spring or summer.' I stated as I got the radio out. "Listen Chuck someone will be there in a minute but this is important you need to have a radio on hand."

"Okay Randi," Chuck said peppered with obvious disbelief. "But how this will help is beyond me. *DING DONG* Hold on squirt, someone's at the door."

"I told you to stop calling me that!" I all but growled at him.

---

Kunz Family Home
Pantiego, Texas
7:23 PM CDT

While Chuck got the emergency radio from the weather kit in the bathroom, Vanessa opened the front door only to find no one there just a bird. "Hello is anyone there?" She called out looking left and right.

"Nobodah here but me sugar." Vanessa lowered her gaze to the source of the voice, the bird standing on the doormat. "Do ya'll mind if Ah come in and perch a spell before we get started, my babah sister will be ready to get us in touch in moment."

"Okay Vanessa, I have the radio." Chuck said as he came back into the room and looked at "Badb what are you doing back here?"

"Ah understan' your confusion honey child," the crow said in a Georgia peach accent. "But mah name's Blanche, Badb's second youngest? Ah'm here to help ya'll get in touch without any nasty ol' eavesdroppers listen' in."

"Okay... how exactly does that work?" Chuck asked curious about where all of this was going.

"Frequency resonance dear," Blache explained. "Ah'm a storm elemental jus' turn on that radio, lean the antenna to the left, and Ah'll do the rest."

He did as she said and then Blanche hopped toward the radio and bit the extended antenna. "You are listening to KROW, storm crow radio all the show ya' need to know!" The voice of an all to familiar annoyance came in over the speaker.

"Knock it off Badb," Randi's voice came in. "Alright bro now tell me how exactly you know about The Curse of Dagon and why you need to know about it, and know BS about you contacting it, I know for a fact that the damned thing is hereditary only so if you have it so would I."

"Because I have it," Vanessa admitted as she decided to spill her dirty little secret. "I received the curse from my mom, I remember seeing her after she changed when I was eight, it still gives me nightmares."

"What!?! that makes no sense- female Deep Ones instinctively kill their young," Randi replied in disbelief. "Even if they try to get as far away from their family before they finish changing they always return to finish off their kids."

"Sometimes parents who know the truth make preparations Randi," Morrigan's voice came in over the speaker. "I understand that you needed to speak with me."

"Whoa Morrigan- you mean that you're the Valkyrian?" Chuck asked in disbelief, "Why didn't you tell anyone when you were here?"

"I was trying to keep it a secret for as long as I could, I also used to be called Lady Ravenheart." Morrigan explained. "Randi found out a week before we left when she woke up while I was putting my gear into her collar. Still you have explained the why but not the how like we demanded, so if you want the information it is time for us to hear your secret."

"Fine Randi, remember our vacation to San Antonio a few years ago." Chuck said as he began to unveil the past of how he got involved with the supernatural. "Remember how dad took us to the zoo since we couldn't afford Sea World."

"Yeah it wasn't too big of a deal to me," Randi began to explain. "I mean I understood back then how expensive that place was, and theme parks only milk you even more once you get inside. I should know I used to work at one remember?"

"Yeah well when went near were the tour guide said the old coyote exhibit used to be I picked up a spectral hitchhiker." Chuck said in a tongue-in-cheek tone. "You hung around Plainswalker, he must have told you about the previous mystic on the team."

"You mean that Coyote's ghost hitched a ride home with you?" Randi asked in an obviously rhetorical manner. "Let me guess he's taken you as a posthumous apprentice."

"Yeah sis, after I reunited his ghost with his skull of course, you always were brighter than you used to look." Chuck snarked aloud.

"You're just jealous that I'm getting to shower with dozens of smoking hot girls every day more than a few of them who are very...open-minded." Randi shot back that made the obvious image flash in Chuck's mind.

"He better not Randi," Vanessa snapped back with a slight indignant tone. "After all he has me- at least for now he does, but the reason that we wanted to talk to you is that we found out that a triton can break the Curse of Dagon and Coyote said that you would probably know about them."

"Randi would you care to explain this?" Morrigan asked my sister, obviously a way around paying prices to faerie, my sister wasn't one. Unfortunately, Vanessa's father Jacob walked through the door, an hour early.

"First of all the Curse of Dagon is on the planet not just the body of the people who're affected by it. The reason why they're affected in the first place is that they are of the bloodlines of the main inhabitants of the Eastern Court, ie merfolk and the only merfolk who aren't affected are those that are descended from the Tritons the Kings of the Eastern Court, in other words tose with royal lineage."

"So all we need to do is find one of those royals," Chuck said brimming with excitement.

"Unfortunately, only a merman who is the direct descendant of a Triton can be a Triton. Moreover, under ordinary circumstances, it would take the power of Seven Tritons to break a curse on this scale, and Dagon did his best to wipe out the last direct bloodline before he cast the spell in the first place. From what I gather the last Triton's blood was the main component for the Curse."

"So it is hopeless," Vanessa said as she began to lose it again.

"I said under ordinary circumstances, fortunately the last King's wife was anything but ordinary, she saw the source of the threat to their people when her husband was killed and took steps to safeguard her son. I'm a little fuzzy on the full details but she found a way to prevent him from being killed by Dagon's machinations. Still the problem is that whatever happened to him he can only be rescued from our side by one who shares his father's bloodline, this ritual can only be done during the Summer Solstice in the spot where he disappeared using a few mystic relics that his mother prepared. The good news is that we found the descendant of the Triton prince's sister and the relics have been waiting for her, the bad news the place for the ceremony is in the middle of Iraq; fortunately for us it's also where the US Military built Camp Alpha."

"So my little sister is going to be saving my girlfriend," Chuck mused for a second. "Excuse me can you aim a little to the right I think a little bit of my masculine pride is still intact."

"Don't worry Charles," Morrigan interjected your sister won't be involved. "She has to go on a Walkabout to get in touch with her inner wolf this summer. It's going to be a few acquaintances that will be there to assist with the ceremony, well along with my husband. Believe me we'll help the mermaid do what needs to be done, as well as prevent anyone from interfering. Next time I suggest you distance yourself less from your family, you could have learned this months ago and saved yourself a headache."

"Fine- fine," Chuck groaned. "I'll tell my folks everything. Are you sure that there isn't anything that I can do?"

"Just two things," Morrigan stated. "Remember to attend Parent's Day, bring your girlfriend if you want. Moreover, speaking of Vanessa she might need to have a serious talk with her father right now."

Morrigan's end hung up as Blanche turned into a cloud and vanished out the cracks in the window that was when we looked over and noticed that Vanessa's father had been listening the entire time.

"So you know Vanessa." Jacob spoke up. "You know what happened to your mother."

"Of course I do dad," Vanessa shouted. "I saw her the night she left and dove into the water, she didn't even recognize me."

"Then our preparations worked. Vanessa remember how I told you your mother and I met- As well as your stepmother Glenda?"

"Yeah you told me that you all met at the Our Lady of Graceful Charity Orphanage in Dallas," Vanessa shot back. "You and mom were childhood sweethearts and Glenda was her bff, why?"

"You know about why Kelly was an orphan right," Jacob explained. "About her father."

"Yeah grandpa Donnie was never able to get over grandma running off so he ate his hunting rifle," Vanessa said right before her eyes widened. "Grandma didn't run off did she?"

"If she did then she came back later for your mother." Jacob said trembling. "Your grandpa used that rifle and saved your mother's life. It wasn't until he examined the creature that he found it wearing the locket that he gave her for their fifth anniversary. He preserved one of her hands as evidence, and sent the jar along with a letter to be held in escrow with his lawyers until your mother turned twenty-six, which was when you were less than a year old. We went under the legal radar for a bit and hired someone from the Grand Hall of Sinister Wisdom to examine your mother, they confirmed the truth."

"That's when we made plans, your mother agreed to let them have her body after she turned if they could ensure that you would be kept safe. They came up with a set of manacles that would swap the aura and presence of the wearers with each other. Your mother was also given a necklace that would compel her to seek out that aura when she first began to transform. The reason that your mother didn't recognize you was because of the manacle; it saved your life and led her to the sorceress we made the arrangement with and her end."

---

Banks of the Phelgethon
Outer Ring of the Seventh Circle, The Infernal Hell
?

At the banks of the river of boiling blood in the Hell designed to punish various forms of violence a portal opened. As soon as the portal was stable, the elf Isudru and a grizzled figure with a harpoon and a silver line attached to it stepped through into the nightmarish place. Both of them shivered in horror when they heard the cacophony of screams of the damned bubbling up from the surface of the foul river, as they blended with those who were being tortured nearby by the devils into a revolting symphony of sadism.

"To think that this place was shaped by the beliefs of the mortals who populated it, as well as those above who might one day reside here?" Isudru shook his head at the thought. "What fevered and diseased being would want to imagine that this was what awaited them when their life ceased to be? Angler are you prepared? We need to be swift, the distraction we arranged for the centaurs will not last forever." He turned to his companion.

"Yes oh favored sycophant of the mistress," The crotchety old being stated as he stared at the elf with his one good eye. "The true name that the mistress supplied me with was used for this harpoon; it will find its owner. Are you sure that you do not want to haul the mortal's soul out myself?"

"Of course I am you fool," Isudru stated as he stared at the angler in disbelief. "This individual would kill you the moment you pulled him from the river, no secured the line with the anchor before you throw your harpoon. Believe me we want to be gone before this damned soul pulls himself out, I shudder to think what he would do if we allowed him to access the Summer Lands, not to mention what Queen Titania would do to us if she found out."

The angler nodded as he secured his line to the ground with the heavy anchor from their bag, while Isudru readied the bag and the note. The last time this man had made his own way out of Hell past the Minotaur, the Furies, Phlegyas, Plutus, Cerberus, Minos and even Charon. However, this forbidden ordeal took the man a century to achieve and this time when he was thrown into the deepest part of the Phelgethon the Minotaur tied a heavy stone from the shore to him before he did so to make sure he stayed down.

As the angler readied to thrown his line, Isudru called out before stepping up to the lip of the portal they came in. "Remember the moment that the line goes taunt run for the portal, because this thing will close on the count of ten after I enter."

"Got it ya' foppish popinjay." The angler said as he threw his harpoon in an arc far out into the river. Isudru watched as the line was pulled out further and further until it finally was pulled tight, then he stepped through and the angler did his best to follow behind narrowly jumping through before the portal shut.

A scant few moments later, a desiccated and rotten man with an infernal light spilling out from body pulled himself from the river of boiling blood. The moment that he stepped onto the banks, he yanked the harpoon from his crest and with a burst of hellfire reduced it to nothing.

The damned soul looked around and spied the bag, "Well it looks like someone sent me a little going away present." He shambled on over and read the note, "If you want revenge on the Valkyrian follow the needle to the targets in the world of the living."

The damned man grinned with an expression of sheer and unbridled malice across his cadaverous visage, "Well who am I to turn down such a gracious offer, now where's that bum steer with the hatchet, I'm in mood for some jerky."

---

Kunz House
Pantiego, Texas
9:57 PM CDT

"Sorry for being so late dear, we were backed up with the drawing up the new contract that we got for the Star Marshall's in Columbus." Glenda said as she entered the master bedroom to find her husband with a glass of whiskey. In his hand and a haggard expression on his face, "Dear what's wrong?"

"Vanessa knows about her mother, she's known for years and I didn't catch on," Jacob said as he looked at his wife with the weight of these events catching up with him. "Her teenage behavior recently was paranoia that she was starting to change."

"That is ridiculous," Glenda explained stated as she guided her clothing over to hang itself up. "I check her aura every day."

"There's more, those late night parties of her's aren't parties. She and her boyfriend have been working as blank-staves in their spare time; evidently, Chuck is the new Coyote we've been hearing about and Vanessa is Miss D'Loch. Plus Chuck's sister is at The Academy and in the mystic arts program."

"I already knew about his sisters dear," Glenda said as she let her succubic tail and wings unfurl. "Mother saw fit to inform me of her spy's findings given Vanessa's connection to their family. As for our daughter and her boyfriend let them choose their own path, even if it means that they won't be working for the family their happiness matters most. Besides she won't be the only [/i]light-sider[/i] in the family's history, Blankslate with the Justice Battalion is Kampe's granddaughter and Galatea's cousin."

"I also found out that there's a plan in the works that could give 'Nessa a real future," Jacob said as he hugged Glenda. "If it works by the end of June she won't have to live under the shadow of what happened to Kelly anymore."

"That's wonderful news dear," Glenda beamed as she briefly patted her abdomen before letting her wings draw Jacob closer. "Then maybe she'll be here to welcome her mother back, sometime after Mistress Nyx lifts the curse on the succubae and lilin."

"Too bad I probably won't be here to do so, but at least with 'Nessa I'll be here in spirit." Jacob said in a bittersweet tone as he locked lips with his wife and enjoyed the embrace. Just for a moment, Jacob allowed himself a flight of fancy as he imagined that he could feel his soul intertwine with Glenda and Kelly's. In this imagined moment, he let himself return to their younger days and the pure love that the three of them shared for each other to allow them for a brief moment to defy the curse of fate that had torn their dreams asunder.

---

---

---

Zhāoshāng de Yōuhuàn
The Merchants of Suffering are a cult centering around the Demon Lord of the Hell of Blood-stained Gold, lead by their high-priest the Xuè-jīn Mùshī they seek to gain wealth harvested by the pain and suffering of mankind. Of course this means the racketeering, extortion, as well as smuggling weapons, narcotics and even people.

Although they make extensive use dark magic to maintain their dominance the Merchants of Suffering are not above using more mundane means and have deeply entrenched themselves in the Chinese Underworld as one of the corner stones of the Triad. Their influence has grown over the years and has infiltrated deeply into the Ruling Party in China and into several facets of the Underworld on the Western United States including the San Francisco chapter of the Grand Hall of Sinister Wisdom.

Situated in the ruins of Old San Francisco buried under China Town this site acts as the hub for most of the Dark Magic Activity on the Western Seaboard. It is also fairly inclusive in that unless one swears their eternal allegiance to their patron the Demon Lord of the Hell of Bloody Gold, they can only access the meager outer archives, however they are not above seeing to the needs of those who are not a part of their cult for the right price.

Xuè-jīn Mùshī - (Imbued) est. WIZ-5
The Priest of Blood-Stained Gold is the title of the chief warlock of the Zhāoshāng de Yōuhuàn the group that founded the San Francisco chapter house of the Grand Hall of Sinister Wisdom in the mid Fifties after the Los Angeles chapter fell apart figuratively with the 'disappearance' of its founder Lord Ataxia, and then literally when the Kern County Earthquake disrupted the spell that held it together.

The priest of their cult or Xuè-jīn Mùshī, is only chosen when after his predecessor is retired when he is no longer seen as useful. When a Xuè-jīn Mùshī is retired the Demon Lord takes his power back turning the old priest into a pile of bones and gold dust, the members of the cult then use his remains to perform a bone-reading to determine the identity of his replacement.

Ao
Traditionally the family name of the Dragon Kings (Longwang) of the Jade Heavens in the Taoist Traditions. However, this is actually the title bestowed upon the ruler of each of the four refugee colonies of the Eastern Court that live in the Jade Heaven's four seas. While the title is one of king it is actually one granted to those of the colony's royal bloodline who prove to be the most skilled among their generation. In return, their children are granted the title prince or princess. As they are of royal blood they are unaffected by the Curse of Dagon; however as they are also not of direct Triton lineage they cannot claim one of the seven vacant crowns of the Eastern Court. The title refers to their ability to assume the form of a giant sea serpent at will although they call this the royal gift.

Armor of Tiānlóng
A breastplate of scale mail with a loin-shield that was crafted from the shed scales of a cloud dragon enables someone to swim through the air with the speed and grace of a lóng (chinese dragon). As well as provides excellent protection, even partially diffuses high-energy attacks although not while the wearing is using it to sky swim.

Helm of Zhījué
A helmet woven by The Smith from the shed fur of Bai Hu no weapon may pierce it, the face-guard also let's its wearer see that which is hidden from sight.

Ring of Yīn
An onyx ring made from a type of living stalagmite within the Cavern of Chúndù carrying with it the cool moist and pristine environment of the deepest caves. The ring protects the wearer from harsh sunlight and most contaminated water on the planet. Can only be removed by the hand that put the ring on. They are only crafted at the rate of once a month to allow the stalagmite to regenerate. Warning only protects against toxins in the air and water not those delivered through other means.

Ring of Jùlí
An enchanted red coral ring that can make it so that all who the wearer can see will hear her as clearly, as if she is standing within arm’s length. The ring's magic is activated by holding the ring to her throat.

Trident of Maelstrom
An enchanted trident that is not only strong but will also let them unleash vortices underwater or cyclones when out of the water. Also is a decent spear.

Necklace of Iobairt(Sacrifice)
A small choker necklace made from cowrie shells strung together with the hair of a mermaid princess. According to the story told to Princess Evania it carries with it the love and loyalty that the sea snails had for their princess who sacrificed their lives to let escape an attack by deep ones. The truth was they were a project made by Princess Sorcha when she learned from Princess Evania's mother. They feel cold whenever the wearer is about to be the target of an act of malice.

Conceal
"Ceilte!"

Spell-singing
The use of harmonic notes to cast magic designed to achieve a desired effect, the spells only last for the duration of the song. Famous practitioners include Dagda, Orpheus and Apollo. Important side note a spell song's duration can be expanded through the use of instrumental accompaniment- usually string instruments.

Karone
A faerie metal that cannot cut living flesh, mainly used for cooking utensils, dinnerware, practice weapons, and torture equipment.

Angler-
A variety of Summer Court or Seelie faerie that takes the form of a grizzled, half-blind, old man. An angler can hook anything that they know the exact look of with their rod or if they know something's true name with a harpoon. While something can slip their hook if it conveys a verse of Holy Scripture, their harpoon cannot be removed unless they are no longer holding the line attached to it.