“Quite true, my dear.” Thayva’s tail thumped lightly against the floor as she thought about it. “But those tend to cost a pretty nobel that could always be put to better use. Perhaps someday, by the miracle of increased finances.”

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	“Why does this not surprise me?” Nick grinned at Aurelian.
	He chuckled at Jorn’s reaction. “I knew you were secretly a peeping tom.”
	He followed Aurelian alongside the halfling as they quickly traversed the halls. “Sure you didn’t take a wrong turn?” he asked when they stepped into the cluttered classroom-turned-storage-room, but followed his friend nonetheless to a balcony area where he heard Kia’s voice floating down to them.
	“Okay,” he whispered, “I’m kind of impressed you knew about this.”
	He craned his neck to get a better look at the pendant Aurelian spoke of, the angle odd with the girls above them. “The twenty-seventh?” he answered jokingly.

[center]*	*	*[/center]
	“Pretty good point.” Laya stretched her arms out above her.
	“Yeah, I guess,” Kia said through a sigh. “I don’t know,” she said tauntingly when Laura finished, her dour expression changing in the range of a split second to a grin befitting her tone.  “Maybe he’d find it attractive.” She drew out the last word and bobbed her shoulders, her back rubbing against the shingles.
	“Personally, I’m glad to be here.” Belle began to replace the items in her satchel in a more organized manner, leaving the pendant out for the time being.
	Laya nodded her agreement with Belle, then paused. "Did you guys hear something?"
	Kia shrugged. "Thunder? You talking?