Van sighed, he needed to find Knite. Since he'd had no luck looking in the Inn, and he was nowhere to be found around town he decided to look for him at the place where he worked. Logical, right? Coming up on the building he gasped. This place was huuge!

He would probably be wandering around for a while after he talked to Knite..Or maybe get the Elder to take him on a tour. The place hummed with magic, he suspected that at least half the students were gifted. He should probably bring Tristen here. A chuckle at the thought. He'd run screaming.

Walking up to the big double doors he became aware that he looked disreputable. They'd probably kick him out before he even got in there. The skin tight black tank-top, black jeans and a sword belt. Spiky black hair and ice blue eyes. The tank-top showing off the small muscles on his tall lean frame.

It took him a moment, but upon finding the knocker he used it. Leaning slightly against the door jam he waited outside those huge double doors.

He smiled as the door opened, bowing deeply to the pregnant lady, then stepping inside. A quick glance around showed him the entrance hall, he noted the food, but barely gave it a second glance. His gaze quickly returning to the lady.

"Hello my lady. My name is Vanyel Askeveron....I'm looking for Knite? I wanted to speak with him about dragons.." His head canted to the side, apparently listening to something not quite audible. "Or perhaps you could help me, I'm not sure...Anyway..I was also thinking about enrolling here.."

Another bow. He was just slightly intimidated by all the magic here, that seemed to be controlled by only a few people.

He smiled and shook her hand, not too tightly but firmly. She would probably notice the calluses on his hand, from sword and bow. He noticed the faint shock as their hands met. He recognized that she was likely a mage.

"A pleasure to meet such a pretty lady as yourself." He noticed the draconian grin, responding in kind. Way too long around his sister.

"That sounds good...Maybe I can bug both of you, because my question is a little odd..You see.." He trailed off a moment, following her and organising his thoughts.

"My adopted sister is a dragon..We're mentally linked, and through her I learned dragon magic..At least the basics..We parted ways about five years back, and now curtesy of the Nexus are reunited..I hadn't changed into my dragon form in the five years we'd been separated..But about a week ago a..."

Here he trailed off again, searching for the word. "A friend of mine convinced me to change..And well, I was wondering what spirals meant in a dragon's markings..I didn't use to have them, and now I do..I find myself thinking it rather odd.."

He had a slightly sheepish look on his face by the time he'd finished. Mildly surprised he'd said all that to a person he didn't really know.

Oh, she was more then just a mage... but the shock kinda took her by surprise nonetheless. It brought a flash of sapphire flame which replaced the pupils of her eyes for just a brief moment. She listened carefully to his story, thoughtfully mulling the information around in her head.

"Hmm... maybe something to do with which race of dragon you were or perhaps even age. That is, if it's a natural occurrence. Perhaps it's something else attributing to the change.. like perhaps a parasite of some sort either building atop the scales or else digging into them... Or perhaps something magical. Honestly, I just don't know. I suppose I'd have to see it to get a better idea."

Movement from down the hall caught her attention and a wide smile brightened her visage while she watched Knite approach.

"And.. speak of the devil!"

Muttered through her smile and she waited for him to speak first, since he had that look on his face... the one that said he had something on his mind to say. So, she let him talk and gently, ever so nonchalantly, pulled the box out of his hands after casting a levitate to lessen the load. She let it float to the side out of the way.

"I'll answer yours if you answer mine." she chimed at Knite with a Cheshire smile.

"Actually, Knite, this is Vanyel Askeveron. He's actually here to enroll, and to see you. He asked me an interesting question that I could only hypothesize about. He says it's been a while since he changed to his dragon form and when he did, he noticed spirals in his markings. He wanted to know what they meant? I thought maybe it could be a number of things, though I was only speculating. Could you answer his question? I'm kinda curious myself."

"Marks?"

The drow pondered this a moment. "Well there are a lot of reasons marks would be on your body. Contact with an artifact, a magic spell, runes put on to protect or harm you. Shoot almost anything can mark a dragons hide. It might be something that is heriditary. Shoot, it could be a boo boo you got while in humanoid form and that is what the scar looks like against your scales."

He shrugged at Sha'uri. "Lets go to the court yard you should have enough room there." He looked at him a moment almost seeming to study him. "I can grab you some student robes on the way there. Not the most popular of clothing but quite functional. Sound like a plan?"

Sha almost lost it with Knite's answer. Mirth twinkled from every pore of her as they made their way towards the courtyard. There were a few children around and so when they arrived, Sha'uri kept walking, snatched up a hand in each of hers - one was Knite's and the other Vanyel's.

"Hold that thought... if you get humanly naked, Vanyel, we might have a lawsuit on our hands here... There are Children here. Come with me you two. I know a place just outside of RhyDin, a nice private little meadow."

A single word of Ancient lore snapped from her lips and a portal opened not two feet away. On the other side was a large meadow with a stream running through. She'd lead them through and wait until they were with her on the other side before she'd close it.

"Oh, sorry, Van... you could've stopped. Don't know why that would hurt, though, or make you want to puke. It's just a portal, not a teleport. So wierd.. unless you're allergic to magic? Well, that would just be dumb. Dragons are magical creatures and this is a school primarily geared towards the magically gifted, though not everyone here is now that we've increased to include normal things. Still, magic is everywhere at our school. YOu are dragon, are you not?"

She peered at him through eyes that could see the lines of magic and the weave they would dance.... trying to figure out what those markings were on Vanyel, though she was also looking to make sure he was okay and would offer to heal him if he were truly injured. She was also familiar with many languages, ancient ones too.

"Knite, do you see these marks?"

And as stupid as the allergy sounded, she'd actually come across those claiming to be just that ... Allergic to Magic... though, thankfully, she'd not come in contact with any of those since her return a year ago. It was never technically proven to her, though, but what was she going to do, argue the subject while they suffered? No. She'd leave them to their own .... away from her magic.

"Oooooh, so I'm a foriegn magic wielder."

Grinning, she rolled her eyes teasingly. Then shrugged and gazed over the markings on Vanyel's body.

"I suppose that would depend on where one is from or what they're used to. I've been exposed to so many different kinds from different places it's just all the same to me anymore. i.e. there is no foreign magic. Especially being the same considering many mages manipulate the original spells they were taught in order to conform them to their needs. I've done that on many occassions."

She sighed gently.

"Warning is one thing, harming is another. I still don't understand why your clan's magical tatoo's would hurt you just to warn you. That's like someone smackin you hard just to warn you that you're standing on a ledge. Are they saddists? ... or do they just wanna give my magic a bad name..."

She grinned again, mirth sparked in her eyes.

The drow was quiet as he study everything.

"Hm hah what quiet.. oh sorry." The drow grinned as he was seemingly woken up out of a trance. "Just trying to get a feel for it is all. Magic isn't just about words and movments, feelings are a big part of it all."

He watched Vanyel a moment. "Clan tattoos??" His words like a thought out of no where. "Hmm that gives me a therory but going to need to see more to make that theroy into reality." He waited and watched for Vanyel.

She looked at Knite, then looked again with a grin as he stammered a bit.

"Yes, tatoo's ... like magical glyphs and runes I'd think. But we'll see..."

She stepped back and watched Vanyel transform, always finding it intriguing the different ways each one did it...most notably the colorful clouds brought on by a wind.

"Kickin... that's a new twist. Nice style, don't you think so, Knite?" she winked to the Drow.

She joined in on the Hmms.. and Oh's.... and Mmmms eminating from Knite, as if she were in harmony with him as they both kept looking over Vanyel. Finally, she shifted her gaze to Vanyel.

"I have to admit they are attractive markings. Nice... but those markings... I just don't know why they're there. How'd you come about choosing this particular species to change into? If I may ask...."

She glanced at Knite briefly.

He had watched for a moment or two waiting for Vanyel to finish changing. He smiled at Sha'uri and with a quiet word he rose into the air to start studing the markings.

"Hmm fastinating." He went from marking to marking touching each carefully and probing for lingering magic. On Vanyels back he seemed to find perticular intrest in one of his markings.

He yelled to Sha'uri. "Hay you may want to come look at this!" He sent about walking the pattern of the rune, one he was quite familiar with for it ment travel to most.

He smirked slightly, then sat still. Not wanting to accidentally throw them or something. "Shad..Shadow, Shadow Kitera...My sister. You probably heard me mention her when I was explaining things. Wait...Only three? I don't seem to fit into any of those...Hm.."

Were he human he'd be fidgeting, but seeing as he had people on him that might be a bad idea. So he settled for clenching and un-clenching his claws, digging small trenches in the dirt beneath him. "How sure am I that I'm human? Honestly, I'm not...I took to magic easier than most.."

He sighed slightly. "I learned dragon magic first, how to manipulate the energy streams around me...How to hear the songs..Then human magics, how to manipulate the mind, reaching through shields to harm or heal...I then started to learn how to fight..Now that I'm thinking about it, I always seemed slightly faster or stronger than I ought to have been.."

"Killing never bugged me, though it didn't strike me as odd..Grasping some of the odder concepts were easy for me.. Now that I'm thinking about it, I'm not at all sure I'm human."

He nodded to the offer there. "Yes, please. I'd like to know what the hell I am..I didn't realize how inhuman I was until I started thinking about it. We can do the blood test after I switch back, okay?" A smile to her, though he wasn't gonna move for fear of knocking them off.

He blinked and held still, uncertain what spell or trick Knite was using. Remembering that Shad would kill him if he squished her Elder. He snickered as he came to the armour one.

"That tickles...No, I'm not certain... Mother was human, father was human. They both were terrified when Shad and I developed powers, but I'm not sure if that means much..I don't know my family history past my parents.. And as to them being a manifestation of the tattoos, I doubt that. They contain no runes, and certainly nothing regarding Travel."

A faint pause. "They are simply Wards, and besides. I shifted a lot shortly after I got them, it made them stop flaring...It basically feels like someone's running a nail on the back of your neck, at first anyway.."

He blinked. And blinked again. A device that drew blood, without being a sharp and pointy thing, and not hurting? Cool! He snickered, her enthusiasm was contagious!

He grinned. "Well, I guess I'll come with you my dear. And from the tongue? What if I breath?! I think from the scales would be safer.." All the stuff about rune dragons just kinda going over his head. He leaned forward slightly, giving her access to a looser scale on his neck.

He grinned. "I'm not worried about the breath. More that I might accidently torch you.." He glanced to the side, watching her without moving his head much. A blink at the puff of air, in this form it was not even a pin-prick.

He listened in mild amusement as she talked to her necklace, blinking at the thought of the gate again. "Um..I'm not sure that's a good idea, they flared that time, I'm not sure what they'll do the next." While speaking he prodded them again, causing them to glow. Standing silver against his black hide as he tried again to adjust them, and shook his head slightly.

"They really don't like you..I can't get the right combo to make them stop. I could fly, and you could ride.. Haven't lost a rider yet." A faint smile to her.

He snickered. About to speak when he realized that she was shifting, he watched for a moment, then legs curling slightly he leapt. In a couple hard wing beats had matched her in altitude, where he spoke again.

"No, not allergic to *you* forsay, just the funny magicks that you use!" Laughing as he said it, then sobering slightly as he remembered that bit about being untouchable. "Well, untouchable? Damn! That's gotta be useful! I doubt that's why they hate you though..I'm still fiddling with it..There is a way to force them to accept you, but I don't wanna do it in the air. Too risky.."

A grin as he watched her still, the coloring was beautiful, and kinda mesmerizing. It matched her in a way he couldn't quite put to words. "And trust me, if you touching me made them go violently, it wouldn't bust a scale. It would lock my muscles. In part, that's why they can be used as a weapon. If you know how to enforce them on others...Which I kinda do."

The ancient watched them both take to the sky. He would have loved to join them but he had a side trip to make. With that he dissappeared. He would meet them at Ravensheart with his brother.

She mused with that twinkle of mirth and a drawled accent.

"Darlin, ya'll never find another mage like me!"

A draconic laugh escaped. She was kidding, of course. Though, after a moment of thought, she wondered if she wasn't just a bit different from most. Okay, maybe she had to admit that.

Ravensheart school came close enough to start a landing. Down in the field the shuttle craft was just waiting as it had been ordered.

"Down there, in the field. We'll land there."

Her left wing dipped gently to circle round and come in gently to land near the shuttle. Her form changed swiftly back to her half elven looking self and she finished the distance to and handed off the vial of blood to the Lieutenant as he approached.

"Send word as soon as you know. I want a full report."

"Yes Ma'am!" he saluted and took the vial, returning to the shuttle and promptly the craft took off for the skies. It swiftly moved out of the atmosphere seeming to disappear from sight.

She remembered Vanyel's request from when he'd first arrived and they were talking about him changing his form. As soon as the Lieutenant moved away, Sha'uri's attention was back on Vanyel. It occured to her that Knite still had those extra clothes, or so she thought. She didn't see them around and she knew she didn't have them. So she quickly conjured up another robe to make sure Vanyel had one.

"Here's another robe. Should I.. ?"

She kinda looked around at the open space for his privacy. They were far enough away from the school that they weren't going to be seen clearly, well, by most. Plus, there was a grove of trees surrounding the field. By the time he got himself down to human form, someone would have to be looking real hard and with some help to see anything. She nodded towards the end closest to the school, finishing her question about if she should go down there to wait for him...?

"Or.. did you want to acclimate out magical forces before you changed out of your dragon clothes..?" Grin.

The moment his form started changing, she held out the robe to the side and averted her gaze by turning her back on him. She waited a moment or two after the robe had been taken before she chanced a glance back, making sure he was covered before she turned around and saw him doing the same, pulling the hair from out of the collar.

"Okay...First off, what's that thing?" Pointing at the shuttle. "Second, I think we should try in in a shielded room...If something happens and I call a firestorm; I want it contained.." His tone serious for the first time, though it broke quickly as he grinned. "You know, roasting students wouldn't be a good was to convince the headmaster to let me in.."

She laughed soflty.

"That ... Thing.. was called a shuttle craft. It's a machine designed to fly not only in the air but in space, up above and beyond the sky. Ever been out there? It's quite beautiful and fascinating."

Her steps brought her towards him. She seemed to be whispering something, sapphire hues flickered with flame, but the words were unclear yet... something changed beyond the meadow they stood in. OUtside of it seemed to dim as if a shielding wall more then fifty feet high rose up along the tree line surrounding them. She continued to walk until she came to a stop in front of him, standing as tall as he at six foot even, and by now her gaze sparkled with mirth.

"No, roasting students wouldn't be good. Most of them aren't ripe."

Was she serious? Mirth in her eyes, yet her visage seemed .... serious.

"They'lll be safe. Not only do you have my magic to contend with... you'll have the Headmaster's beyond that. We've taken precautions here, many precautions. We have to. You don't have to worry about hurting anything because there are many wards and shields against it happening. What we do here in the meadow won't reach beyond the edge. Satisfied? Please... let's continue."

Both her hands were lifted in an open gesture, awaiting his next move.

"You all are prepared for everything, aren't you? This school would be the only thing still standing if some dumb person decided to blast Rhy'Din off the face of the planet, wouldn't it?"

A smile was the only answer she gave. Whatever else there was, it could wait, right? She didn't feel like getting into a discussion about pocket dimensions and therefore held her tongue.

She watched, him, though. Her vision keenly took in the details, the flow of the magic and the form it took around him. Sha'uri could see between the l lines... She could see it, like a trap coiled and ready to spring. Yet, she didn't move, didn't flinch.. just remained calm and let him come to her. Perhaps it was just a guess, or perhaps she felt something of it, sensed that maybe if she kept calm and slow it could only help.... it's what worked for her to get through the nexus, slipping through those weaves of magic....

"Raise your aura now my dear...And we'll see what happens..They'll either throw me back, or I'll find the proper combination."

She saw the changes and they intrigued her, the symbol she would commit to memory and ask Knight about it later. Right then, though, her gaze was locked with his. Her sapphire hues held a flame of deep dark blue in the pupils, flickering gently as her aura was slowly, ever so slowly, raised. She would let him come to her and remain calm.

The energy hit the shield and spread like wildfire in a field of dry pine needles. It looked like a snowglobe of fire instead of snow. The shield held in the damage, though the shield was now gone. A soft grin was given as he stepped back. There was something in the whole thing she just realized.

"You... are going to be all right. White's not so bad a thing."

Grin. She gently took hold of his hand.

"I think I know why it was so odd. You weren't dealing with just me. I'm sorry I didn't realize it, but I guess it's okay anyway."

She slowly pulled his hand to lay atop her belly. The girl within was moving and there was an aura there that had mixed with her own. It still lingered, but it was clearly coming from the child within. She was actually in awe.

"Can you feel that? Have you ever known an unborn to do this? I'm not sure I know what that means...."

She had a lot of tears welling in her eyes, the emotions suddenly just skyrocketted... a normal thing for a very pregnant woman. Of course, she had no clue why.

"Oh look at me.. emotional little bag here."

A half laugh escaped as they fell. The attempt to wipe them away was not working, but she tried anyway. They were more happy tears then sad ones, though.

"Tea.. I think I need some tea. and a chair."

She thumbed in the direction of the school, a change of subject. Though her other hand was kept on her side. Whatever was going on in there, the unborn was exceptionally active. It almost worried her, but she tried not to let on about it.

"Knight will be here soon, I think. I'll get you an application if you're still interested and... uh.. some tea or whatever. And..."

Cringe.

The cringe came again as they started to walk. It wasn't anything he was doing, the arm over her shoulder didn't bother her at all having a sort of big brother feel to it or something. It was comfortable and surprisingly welcome. Yet, she cringed again and within a few steps, she realized there was a twinge in her side and she wondered what diabolical dance the baby was doing inside. It wasn't really painful, but more of a pressure. She tried to ignore it, though she did walk slowly.

"Anger?"

That seemed odd to her. She wiped another tear and looked at him, smiling gently, though, and wasn't going to chance that he was kidding, at least not completely.

"I don't know of anyone who hasn't had an issue with anger at some point in their life. A few months ago I just about totally let mine get the better of me. If it weren't for my son, Alex, shooting me in the back..."

She shrugged to finish the sentence and then realized just how odd that sounded, she laughed.

"It's not like that. Well, long story."

Her visage sobered gently, refocusing the topic on him with gentle soothing tones in her voice.

"But anyway, we should be able to provide you with some help if your serious. What's your story? If you don't mind me asking. Why the anger?"

"Probably a good thing or Panther might've had your head on a pig pole as an appetizer if you'd messed with the matrix protecting his Inn."

She grinned briefly as her visage went back to that gentle seriousness. She'd heard about Bob and it seemed it was almost time to seek this one out and have a little conversation with the infamous one....

"You seem to have a noble heart though maybe lack focus beyond your immediate goal. Sounds to me like maybe your anger issues are affecting your magic, if what you described with the fire happens a lot. One must be balanced internally in order to grasp their full potential, or to manipulate spells beyond what they've been taught.. or to create new ones... It's really a spiritual thing that not every mage understands, which doesn't mean one can't gain powerful spells. It just means they can't control it any better then they can control themselves... not their full potential."

She paused briefly.

"It's like being in a desert on a hill of sand and trying to dig your way to water when there's water just on the other side. It would be better to just walk your way around and over to it rather then dig your way straight through a hill of sand to get there. Know what I mean? The direct route isn't always the best."

She paused in her stride, giving him time to digest that while she ever so gently nudged her stomach at a particular point, causing the baby to shift. The result was an 'Ooooh' sigh of relief as the baby moved herself.

"Sometimes she just needs a little nudge to get her to stop dancing on my bladder, pinching my kidney or plain 'ol just to move out of my lung space. Much better..."

She gave him a smile for the cryptic message there, then continued the walk. They were moving out of the clearing into the small grove of trees and on to a path leading to the inner school grounds. To the far right was the archery field. Ahead of them was the temple with the stables slightly behind and to the right. The dorms and faculty living quarters on the left and behind the temple with the top showing above was the administration building.

"So, Vanyel.. how do you feel for what we might find out about you? Have you played the 'What If' game?"

She couldn't stop the snicker for his last comment, gazing with mirth between him and her belly.

"Well, I'm not gonna explain it to you. If you don't know by now, then you'll just have to ask Knite about it when he gets back. And then he'll probably run."

A giggle escaped and she picked up the pace a little, feeling better to walk more normal now.

"I wonder what his brother is like. I've never met him. Have you?"

They were cutting across the temple grounds, meandering through the garden she'd planted last year. All manner of plants were growing, various flowers were in bloom.

Delightful curiosity was met with pleasurable mirth and a bit of secretive mischief dancing in her sapphire hues.

"Aaaahhh... "

She purred, gaze darting briefly to the symbol of Corellon hanging from one of the temple windows. The symbol was actually in various places and made of different materials through out the entire garden. In fact, a birds eye view of the garden would not only reveal the easily identifiable crescent shape, but also the minute details of Corellon's Bow etched by the pathways within.

"That would be telling. Consider it an ancient Elven secret."

The eyebrow wiggle was followed by the wink of one eye.

"Actually, I'm pleased you like them. Those roses are ones from my mother's old gardens. She knew how to grow those like no other I've ever seen, except maybe Briarius. I guess being married to him had something to do with that. He used to have such a flair about them that eventually it rubbed off on her, or so she used to tell me."

A fond memory seemed to have her paused for a moment. She shook off the thought and nodded up ahead.

"Anyway, you won't find thorns on these. There are some red, purple and fiery sunsets up ahead that way. White, yellow and peach to either ends with a few variations in between. Some of my tulips aren't in bloom, though. It'll be a few more weeks before they're up again. Those are easy to do... just freeze the ground for several days, let them thaw and they start their process all over. Thus the empty spots in the garden are from the bulbs that have recently been through a flash winter spell, which I try to keep separate from other plants and I rotate the freeze. There's some hyacinths about ready to bloom over there.... and some across the way in bloom. This garden is small, too, compared to the one I have at the Citadel, my home."

It dawned on her how much she was going on and on about the plants and she ended her sentence abruptly with an embarrassed grin.

"Sorry... I'm probably boring you to tears. No? It's just, you seemed interested and nobody hardly ever is."

Which was true. She couldn't remember the last time anyone showed interest in it.

A soft chuckle escaped. She put her hand into a hidden pocket of her skirt and pulled out a pair of scissors to cut some flowers.

"You may have one of each color. I'll get a basket to hold them in."

There was a utility box a few paces away. Sha'uri took a few steps that direction and opened it up. She pulled out a shallow rectangular basket to put the flowers in, giving it to him to hold. It was the right size to hold about a dozen or so of the cut flowers. She also grabbed a cloth of sorts from a bucket of what seemed like water, but it had additives that nourished the plants to keep them fresh for a couple of weeks. This she laid in the end of the basket.

"Use it to wrap the ends of the flowers in. I've got some wrap paper inside the temple if you want it."

She cut the ones he indicated, handing them to him.

Blink.

"Uh... maybe you have a gift for making things grow? And what was whispered to the rose to cause its petals to unfold ..."

Grin.

"Come on. I'm getting really thirsty for that tea."

She cut the odd bloom and set it with the rest into the basket. Then she put the scissors back into her pocket and took hold of his arm, partly for support and partly for his support. A quick wink was given to reassure him he was fine, having seen nothing that would indicate otherwise.

She led him into the temple, a back entrance, and moved to a cabinet to retrieve some wrapping. Then she wrapped up the flowers carefully, checking the moist dressing to make sure they would be fine for awhile. Then she quickly made up a cardboard box and placed the flowers inside, wrapping it with string so the box wouldn't open.

"There, that should do it. I could actually give you a tour of the temple if you want. Or you could come back for that later. I think I smell one of Lyndra's apple pies... or is that a cinnamon apricot?"

Her stomach would growl about now.

If she weren't so big, she probably would've challenged him to a race. Of course, she could just teleport there but there was no fun in it. Suppressing the childish, but fun, urge... Sha'uri merely smiled, sapphire hues sparkled understanding.

"Let's go eat some pie."

And they were off and back to the administration building, sitting out on the side patio in the beautiful weather eating apple cinnamon pie and drinking tea while they waited on Knight to bring his brother, and for the Citadel to bring word of the test results, which would be in soon. She was getting a little worried about Knight, though, wondering if getting his brother was going to be a quest over days... having no clue where his brother was. She tried not to worry too much, knowing Knite could take care of himself quite well.

Sha'uri took the last bite, savoring as she chewed and swallowed, wiping her lips with a napkin. A bit of tea was sipped before she leaned back in her chair and relaxed, still holding the cup resting it atop her belly. She had a contented look while gazeing at Vanyel with some serious thoughts. She was trying to figure out why she felt so close to him. It was odd and she had a hard time forming words to talk to him about it. Instead what came out was..

"How was the pie?"

Grin is what she did, watching him daydreaming. It was so obvious it was cute. But she didn't quite catch some of his words, wondering for a moment what a moon pie was. Yes, the dumb look flashed across her visage briefly.

"So, where are you from?"

She snapped out of her dumb reverie.

"Oh, uh, you probably never heard of it... it was a realm seperate from here, called Secak. I was born in Exodii City within the walls of Woodshadow Castle. It's ...a... a bit different now, though. The realm no longer exists that we know of, though some of it escaped, for lack of a better word. Eh, long story. Where are you from?"

A streak across the sky let her know the results were already coming back... she hoped, as she spotted the shuttle craft flying in and landing in the front where the landing pad was reserved.

"They're back...."

Her gaze locked with his, there to support him and hoping he was ready for what answers were coming back.

Calm? After that insane display? Whatever he was going through, she instinctually kept herself calm even though it was confusing the hell out of her. She was worried. He'd called his sister's name, she'd heard every word he'd said .... he seemed upset and yet... she had to know.

"Heartstone? What's going on, Vanyel?"

Her attention was so intense on him she didn't hear the approach and was a little startled by the pad as it was brought before her eyes.

"Mistress, we have the results you ordered."

She took the padd and read through the report, brows scrunched and confused.

"Minute traces of human... and vampire? ..."

She glanced up for a moment and back to the pad.

"You are definitely dragon, but the kind is not known. It doesn't really match with what we know ... and we have no DNA for a Rune Dragon so we can't match that too easily there. Also, there were other oddities that lead some of the scientists to believe you might not be a Rune one ... but that is speculative and they are still running tests on those. They are also trying to match it up with mine, Lynrda's and my mother's.... just in case there are anomolies similar in reaction."

She was calmly watching him, but inside was like a field of butterflies under the influence of a haste spell. What if ...? She was too nervous to even finish the thought in her head.

"Are you okay?"

She hoped Shadow was all right and if he needed to go she would understand. Now to explain the info she'd recieved... when she didn't fully understand things herself.

"I don't know. In dealing with my kind, if you can call it mine... we've only dealt with those subjects that are related. We knew we shared the same blood and therefore it was easy to match up certain chromosomes and prove we were related. It's never come up of ..what if there were others and how would you prove a Soul Dragon was a Soul Dragon if the DNA for that could change your structure... That's a bit confusing. Uh, see .. They have found shifting anomolies similar. But Dopplegangers do this too, they can shift form but they don't shift DNA. Without the subject actually changing, it's hard to determine the difference between these shifting anaomolies of one to the other. Maybe you're a doppleganger?"

Grin. She knew he wasn't. Her words rambled on, though, as she speculated this and that...

"We could try something, though. I could shift through that wall and have a tricorder take readings.. then get you to shift through the wall doing the same thing and compare it. If your molecules do what mine do, then we just might be the same. Dopplegangers can't do the shift through walls bit. In fact, I don't know of a species that can without the use of magic... except ghosts maybe. Neither way is the same as what my kind can do. We actually change our genetic make up enough to filter through the walls. I learned that a while back... when I served with Hue Empire."

It was a sad but fond smile for the memory of how she saved Rick that way. But it was briefly as she was still rambling on trying to figure it out.

"That is... if we can get you to shift through. It might take time for you to learn it if you even have the capability. Either it'll work and you are like me.. or... it won't and you'd have to use other methods to pass through the wall. Or run into it. The Tricorder will pick up on that. Course, if you can't it doesn't always mean you're not one. It just might mean you haven't quite grasped the concept. .. "

She literally paused abruptly, eyes widened and smack her forehead.

"Oh! I'm so stupid! That makes sense, too. Doh! Dragon... dragon DNA mostly. Human... Human DNA mostly... I don't know why I never thought of it or anyone else. Probalby because that would be too easy! But it makes perfect sense if the molecules can change like mine do. Gah!"

Blink. She realized the officer who handed her the pad was looking at her as if she were a lune. Vanyel was probably, too, but she wasn't focused on that.

"The sample I took of you was when you were a dragon, Vanyel. And I don't think I've ever had a sample taken of me when I was dragon. The ratio should change accordingly in a different shape. If that's the case, then guess what... we're of the same kind because I know from past experience that doesn't happen with most other dragon kind, nor other shape shifters that we know of."

She turned to the officer.

"Lieutenant Jenkins... go get a sampler.. you've got some more samples to take and get back for analysis."

"Yes, Ma'am." Jenkins went back to the shuttle to get the equipment.

Sha'uri moved away from the table to give herself a little room, then shifted her form, though kept her size small, about six foot tall. Jenkins returned and took a blood sample from Sha'uri and marked it with her name. Then he moved over to take another sample from Vanyel while he was in human form. That sample was marked accordingly.

"Lieutenant, when you return, either find me or Vanyel and let us know the results."

The lieutenant was off to the shuttle, quickly returning to Exodii.

Changing her form back to half-elven, she sat back down and took a sip of her tea.... Thoughtfully...

"Or maybe.. it's just a case of, knowing."

She focused on Vanyel only now really pausing to take a good look at him. Realizing she'd just gone through a spazed out session of sorts,she was trying to relax and take a breather. It wasn't every day that a rare breed even had the possibility of meeting another of their kind. In fact, it was the first time in her life the possibility was even there, other then birthing them herself. It was a profound kind of thing...

"Exactly.."

Her gaze caught with his as she nodded slowly. It felt like everything slowed down, caught up in a moment of realization. Perhaps it was several moments, or longer. She lost track of time.

She understood keenly and couldn't help the spark of a rueful grin tugging at the corner of her lips, matching his laugh. Holding his gaze as she stood back up she moved to him and cupped his face.

"And if he had, that would've ruined the surprise."

She winked and smiled as she slowly drew him into a heartfelt hug.

There must've been something to that time slowing down. It didn't hardly seem but several moments when the dinner bell was sounding indicating they'd been there for quite some time in that hug. She blinked.

"I'm not entirely sure. I barely understand it myself. Mom didn't realize we'd look so different until I came along. And then when Lyndra settled into the change, I began to realize some things.. that our personalities might have a bearing on our dragon selves. It's a spiritual thing I think. It's also very hard for me to determine for others not of my blood line. I don't know much about my Erim lineage. I do know they were powerful beings, time travelers, highly advanced if they were all like my father. Unfortunately, I wasn't around my father very much and he said next to nothing about his race, save that he was the last. So... I honestly don't know all that our kind of dragon can do. Perhaps it's something we'll have to discover together. Maybe if I try to teach you some of the things I do, and you do them, then maybe that's a Soul Dragon trait. Feel up to the task of researching this with me?"

He nodded to Sha'uri. Grinning broadly. "Certainly! Practical research is fun! Especially when it's really kinda needed like this is. That we aren't sure what makes us similar should be remedied soon.."

Looking up as the streak appeared again, smiling happily. "That should be..." He'd broken off, and blinked a few times rapidly as Alex and Sha-uri exchanged looks. For a moment he just stared dumbly, looking like someone had just smacked him or something.

Shaking his head a moment he stood and bowed deeply to Alex. Nearly stepping forward to hug him, and quickly quelling the urge. Ice blues met the emerald. "I'm Vanyel.."

He blinked a moment, very carefully. Suddenly and starkly aware of the fact that he was nearly growling at the other, the tension had all the little hairs on the back of his neck standing up. Closing his eyes a few moments he concentrated on figuring out why he was so tense.

Indeed, instinct was screaming at him about dominance. Opening his eyes again slowly, avoiding Alex's gaze now that he recognized the instinct. Feeling the fact that his pulse had sped up a bit-in an attempt to help the not yet flowing adrenaline. Looking to Sha'uri he asked. "Is it a normal instinct to wanna throtle a stranger for no reason?" Raised eyebrow, and a faint smirk.

It was The Stare she gave Vanyel... the one full of piss and vinegar that suggested the promise of an arse whoopin, which was beyond the whipping .... the one look that she inherited from her mother, which was a look she rarely used. She shook her head at Vanyel and blew her sigh between lips forming the word 'Wow'.

"Well! aren't we a cozy bunch!"

She smirked and glanced pointedly between the two.

"That's a thoughtful idea, Alex, but I think I'll leave that up to Vanyel here."

Her gaze came to rest on Vanyel, though it held a bit more compassion and understanding. After all, it had been a lot to take in for all of them and probably more so for Vanyel. Her tones softened as well.

"Feel up to meeting more?"

There was a quiet pause before she moved to place a hand on Vanyel's shoulder, gently. To Alex, she nodded for him to go get Lyndra and waited until he was gone before her gaze rested back on Vanyel.

"Listen, I can feel that. I'm not sure what happened but my guess is some alpha male thing going on."

She grinned.

"I haven't seen that since... well.. this morning with my husband. He's always about the Alpha Male."

Chuckle. She was only teasing and nudged Van playfully trying to get him to relax. Her tones purred and were empathically soothing.

"No one's going to hurt you here, least of all any related to me."

Alex didn't have far to go to find Lyndra. She was actually on her way there, having seen the shuttle come in. She hadn't seen Alex in so long, she was all happy bouncy to come find him.

"Alex!" she waved to him when she came around a corner and saw him down the hallway.

Alex paused and waved to her, long strides of his legs brought him to her quickly.
"I was just coming to you. How've you been?"

Lyndra beamed a smile and gave him a warm heartfelt hug.
"Ye're always away too long. I've been fine. No, good actually. Been busy though. Oh!" her eyes beamed widely all excited. "I got a dragon form! Did I tell ye?"

Alex returned that hug, but shook his head with a half smile, mixed feelings on the subject she brought up. He was beginning to wonder if the gods were plotting agianst him or something. Everyone was dragon. Was he the only one who didn't want to be? He didn't hate them just... he didn't want to be one.

Lyndra saw that look and lost her excitement.
"What's wrong?"

Alex shook his head.
"Nothing.. just... Mom's got a friend for us to meet."

That got her ever so delicate brow to lift in that alluring manner of intrigue.
"Is that why yer all uptight?"

"No!... I mean, Yeah." he grimmaced. "Yes. It's just a lot for us to get used to. Lyndra.. he's like us, sort of. We think he's a Soul Dragon, whatever that means."

She caught that and for the first time she realized how frustrated Alex was with what he is. She laid a comforting hand on his arm but frowned sadly.
"Alex... ye are what ye are. Like Knite says... what ye are on the outside doesn't have anything to do with what kind of person ye are on the inside. It's not who ye are its what ye do that defines us."

He nodded and became quiet, escorting her to the patio while he steadied himself again.

She remained quiet beside him, taking his arm as he escorted her, though she wondered what else happened besides someone who seemed to be the same species. She could feel Sha'uri, though, and that put set her at ease. They came into the patio area and she could feel this new guy, too. Her hazel green hues studied Vanyel as she waited for introductions.

She lifted her hand and stroked Vanyel's cheek gently with the back of her fingers as she nodded to his cling upon the logic. It was as if she were saying hold on to that. Her tones were gentle even loving, though it held a protective warning that wasn't just for family, but included him too.

"Just never play the alpha male with my husband should you ever meet Triv. As a favor to me... just don't. Okay? He's not related to me. He's also not dragon but still... it could very well be bad. I'm curious how our son, Bryce will react to you as well. I've never seen Bryce and Alex like that, but then they share my blood and perhaps that's why. You and I don't. Bryce is an exceptional fighter, though... he's a bit more aggressive then Alex. Neither of them have given their dragon sides a chance but... you should understand that they are my sons."

She heard the footsteps, too, though she felt them long before that. Her gaze, like Vanyel's, moved to greet them as they joined back up again.

Vanyel's reaction, however, didn't go unnoticed. She grinned and wanted to pass the proverbial napkin to wipe the expected drool from his lip. He'd been so loose, so informal and relaxed - persay minus the Alex part - until Lyndra showed up. It was like she drew Vanyel's focus like iron to a magnet and gave him a purpose... the kind that drew a grin. She had a feeling things were about to get interesting.

"Vanyel, meet Lyndra... Lyndra this is Vanyel Askeveron"

He straightened up then, nodding slightly to Sha'uri. "I won't.. I don't wanna play dominance with your son either.. I'd much rather we were friends.." A faint wince at the thought of a more aggressive person.. "More aggressive.. That would be bad. My temper wouldn't hold, and I don't want to start trouble already.."

His gaze still avoided Alex, in fact it avoided all three of them. He stared steadily at a point a little above everyone's heads. Standing almost at attention, but not quite; his left hand clasped his right behind his back.

However, hearing Lyndra's question he smirked and shook her hand with his right, still feeling the spark. He winced a moment before his hands returned to the former position. "I like peanut butter.. And chocolate.. I'm not sure which would be my favorite though, it's kind of a tie.."

Upon hearing Sha'uri, he looked after her with a look somewhere in between horror and amusement. "Carmel, broccoli and raisins....." Blink. "Gotta be a pregnancy thing.." He still stared after her retreating back.

Lyndra started to smile and offer to make him some peanut butter and chocolate concoction when the other combination hit her ears like fingernails on a chalkboard. She winced painfully.

"Eww..."

She watched with a horrified expression while Sha'uri left. Her gaze went back to Alex and her expression grew worse. She actually looked a bit pale.

"Oi now.. peanut butter, bologna and cheese? Gods, I'm never ever getting pregnant. Never. Ever."

It sounded pretty final as her gaze went back to follow Sha'uri for a moment while she tried to steady her stomach. After a moment she seemed better and returtned her gaze to Vanyel.

"Okay, let's leave that subject alone. So, Vanyel, are ye a student then?"

A glance was shifted between Alex and Vanyel.

"That would be great. I could teach you to cook!"

She grinned, mischievously.

"Have you filled out an application yet? I'll walk you down there if you haven't."

A grin was displayed with a slight crookedness in its line.

"Guess I'm not needed anymore then."

He gave a polite nod to the two.

"If you'll excuse me, I have things to attend on Exodii."

Alex was gone the way he came, quiet and abruptly. Several minutes went by and the shuttle was seen moving away from the school as he returned to his work in another world.

He nodded as Alex left, but didn't say anything in response.

Following Lyndra to the office confirmed his guess that he'd have gotten lost if he'd tried to find the office by himself. He nodded smoothly to Melody, sitting and filling out the paper-work. Quietly ignoring their chatter as he worked, he wrote quickly and neatly. In about fifteen minutes it was filled out, he stood and offered the clipboard to Melody. "Here ya go.. All done."

He nodded slightly and smiled, looking to Lyndra. "Where to next?" A quick glance toward the door, he thought he'd heard thunder.

He blinked a moment, thinking. "Well, I think I will need a room.. I have a room at the Inn, but I'd rather have a place that won't run the risk of exploding to store school stuff. Um....I don't mind room mates.. If that's any help.."

As he heard the voice he looked up, and grinned. The ice blue eyes sparkling. "No.. I don't normally explode things... My sister does, but I'll be sure to keep her out of the buildings.." He laughed a bit then. "Besides, if I'm angry enough to be exploding things, I'm not going to be in a building...

"The Inn has a lot of fights and things. I'd rather not need to worry about my school things being lost, or worse if the Inn goes 'BOOM'-" He made an elaborate wide armed gesture. "- and recreates.. I haven't examined that spell, so I'm not sure if it fixes everything, or most things.."