[IC] Mystic Orphanage (Aristocles and Siaya Dragalorn)

[Riven Wight]

The morning sun began its slow climb into the sky, marking the beginning of the day as it yawned over a forest. Even so early, a heavy, humid stickiness clung to the new summer air and settled on the lush grass and trees. Light and shadows pooled around a large, four story mansion filled with spires and iron decor around the wood of the house and clay timber roofing. A wraparound porch created a nest for shadows trying to flee from the oncoming day.
But even the shadows quaked, startled, when noise erupted through the mansion.
“Up, up, up!” strong voices called through the halls as the bare feet of the various day staff padded the floors.
Groans and moans of protest erupted from the orphans slumbering in their beds. Roommates snapped at each other as they tried to blame the others playfully for keeping them up with snoring, or talking in their sleep. A pillow war broke out in one of the boys’ quarters, a few feathers flying before a fully grown kobold brought it to an end with a booming, “Knock it off, and git ready for yer day! The sun’s a shinin’ and the day’s a burnin’!”
On the other side of the house, a small group of young girl elves tittered in a corner, already up and dressed for their day.
A woman Halfling, the elven girls only a couple inches shorter than her, eyed the group of three suspiciously.
“What’re you three up to?” she inquired, crossing her arms and trying to look as intimidating as she could.
The girls only beamed back at her.
“Just getting ready for classes!” the youngest, a petite girl who moved with the grace of her race, answered sweetly.
The woman’s eyes narrowed further. “Go on, then,” she said slowly after a moment. “Get to breakfast.” She jerked her head toward the door, and the three girls headed out while a lizardgirl rolled out of bed and landed on the floor with a loud thud.
Upstairs, in quarters crawling through the uppermost spires, Thayva groaned and let out a loud yawn. Her serpentine tongue stretched out of her mouth, before she licked her lips.
“It’s morning already?” she muttered, glancing out one of the many windows and regretting staying up late the night before. Her mind, still fogged with sleep, finances, and names, took a moment to fully register the fiery rays streaking across the sky.
Checking to see if her husband, Serapis, still slumbered, she decided to grant him a couple extra minutes of rest before trying to arouse him. As quietly as she could, she got out of bed and quickly got ready to tackle whatever joy and mayhem the day would bring. After all, today marked the first true day of summer.
Once she finished with her morning routine, she returned to Seprapis’ side of the bed and sat near him. She placed a gentle hand on his scaly back and leaned toward his head.
“It’s time to get up, dear,” she whispered soothingly. “The day awaits!”

[Aristocles]

Serapis woke not a moment after she had spoken. The dracon had been up late practicing the previous night. Normally, he'd have been up first of anyone in the compound.

"Alright, dear, give me a moment." He stretched, letting out a yawning roar which was so characteristic of his race. The dracon then put on his robes and went to attend the daily affairs of the orphanage. "So, I hope you slept well, Thayva." He gave her a little hug. "We've got quite a bit of work today."

Meanwhile, the boys dormitory had finally calmed down as the various races finished climbing out of bed. Among the varied races who lived at the orphanage were dracons, kobolds, dwarves, humans, halflings, elves, and a handful of others. The more reptilian of these species wore only a loincloth around their waists, but the humans put on a bit more than that. One boy, a fair-skinned human with blonde hair, put on his shorts over the lighter shorts he had worn to sleep, then slipped on his sleeveless shirt. Next to him was another boy, a lizardfolk. The day was indeed hot and the reptilian was enjoying every second of it.

"Ah, it's too hot for a shirt" the human whined.

"Maybe your species should have thought of that before inventing them" the lizardboy replied with a hissing laugh.

"Very funny. Let's see whose laughing after practice!"

"Is that a challenge?"

"You bet your scaly rump it-"

"Break it off!" One of the dracon staff intervened, separating the two boys. They'd have plenty of time to work out their aggression later in the day. At about the same time, the girls were almost all up and out of their dorms. Some of them did stretches, a routine which would prove useful in their spare time, at least for those of them who did gymnastics. It was especially popular among the elven and dracon females. All of the species were differentiated by gender, with the males universally larger and stronger than their female counterparts. This was most pronounced among dracons and lizardfolk, somewhat less so among the humans and human-like races, and least noticeable among the kobolds.

Serapis checked over the books. A recent finance report had come in, and the orphanage was still in the black. It was a small surplus, but it was a solid one nonetheless. For a moment, he had been concerned that it would be a loss, given how much they had spent on the welfare of their charges lately. The recent war had claimed too many lives, and there were more orphans than even this institution could care for.

The orphans padded their way to the mess hall, where they found the usual dracon-style round tables and cushions awaiting them. The food varied by race, with humans receiving a diet rich in grains, fiber, and fruit, while the dracons and lizardfolk ate copious amounts of meat. It also varied by each race's size, with halflings and kobolds only needing a fraction of what the bigger races ate.

Although much of the orphanage was separated by gender, the boys and girls all ate in the same mess hall. While they could sit at each other's tables, it was in practice largely separated on gender lines. On a more positive note, orphans of different races were rarely adverse from sitting together. Considering that they did everything else together regardless of race, this kind of integration came naturally to them.

[Riven Wight]

Thayva returned Serapis’ hug.
“Huh.” Her brows lifted and the corners of her mouth pulled down in mock
surprise as she placed a hand on her hip. “Must be a day that ends in ‘y,’ then.”
She followed him into their small study, where they kept their more important scrolls and other documents. Two small, crude desks sat on either side of the room, hers strewn messily with various papers, books, ink bottles, and a couple quills and unlit candles from the night before that she had yet to get around to putting away.
Thayva began to tidy it up a bit. She glanced over at Serapis as he opened what she recognized as the most recent finance report.
“So?” she asked through a sigh, crossing the space between them. She placed a clawed hand on his shoulder and tried to get a good look at the report. “What’s the damage this week?”

* * *

In the halls, the three female elves stuck close together, their pace slightly slower as they whispered among themselves.
“Are Tor and Nick in or out?” the youngest, a redhead who looked no older than twelve or thirteen, whispered to up to the tallest, who looked about a year older than her. “We can’t do it without them.”
“Nick’s in,” the older girl answered, casting a quick glance around to make sure none of the staff were close enough to hear as they neared the dining area. “Says he’s been working the spell for it all week. He thinks he’s got it down.”
“Tor was a bit too excited for it, I think,” the middle-height and eldest of the three by a couple months interjected, her short blond hair tied back in a tight pony tail, “but her last class keeps going long, so she might be late.”
The redhead nodded approvingly as they entered the mess hall. Boys of many races sat at the tables, with girls trickling inside as they got ready. Only a couple tables were dominated by single races, likely more by accident than intention, with the others a healthy mix of friends and siblings. A couple dracon adults walked the tables, making sure the meal remained peaceful.
The girls slowly made their way to the large table at the head of the room, where an adult of each race stood behind an array of food fitting for their ilk.
After receiving a plate of various fruits and nuts, and a glass of water from an elven man dressed in a green and brown robe, they went to one of the few remaining empty tables and sat, cross-legged, on the provided cushions.
“What about you two?” the youngest glanced between her comrades as she picked up a rather ripe strawberry, her voice still low. “Have you gotten the spell down?”
The middle girl frowned. “I’ve managed to make a pastry vomit its filling, but not explode. I squished it when it started complaining.”
The oldest girl choked on her water. “You made it talk?”
The middle girl scowled. “Well… if you want to count pained groaning as talking, then yes.”
The oldest girl grinned. “Well, at the very least, it will make people panic.”
The three fell quiet and looked up as a boy, his ears slightly pointed, and a lizardwoman joined them.
“When’s this thing happening, Kai?” the lizardwoman asked, her yellow eyes shifting slightly as she leaned forward over her plate of meat.
“Don’t look so suspicious, Tor,” the red-headed scolded with a frown. She cast a quick glance around to be sure the adults still stood too far to hear amidst the din of other voices. “During lunch. When the staff switches. We’ll have a couple minutes before they get back.”
“It usually takes a minute and a half,” the male elf, Nick, whispered. “The quickest I’ve counted was last Wednesday. Only about a minute and ten seconds.”
Tor looked to him. “I’m not sure if I should be impressed or a bit scared that you actually counted.”
Nick shrugged and started picking grapes from a stem and popping them in his mouth.
“Remember to sit away from each other during lunch,” the middle girl reminded, changing the subject. “It’ll give us better range.”
The five fell quiet as a dwarf boisterously joined them at their table.
Kai smiled and participated in the conversation as it turned to classes and training, excitement buzzing in her stomach.

[Aristocles]

"We're still in the black, but not by much. Our savings are still intact, but unless we get more income soon, we're going to start running deficits. If that happens, we'll only have enough cash for a few months. No, we're going to need to do something more." He got up and handed Thayva a handful of letters.

"I've made appeals to the king of this land and various lords. While they have all expressed their concern and fondest wishes, none of them have resources to spare. They all fear that this peace is but the eye in the storm and that war will resume at any time. If that happens, we'll surely be hit by a wave of new orphans and a loss of income. Even if we stopped accepting newcomers, we're going to be pressed for resources. No, we need an infusion of cash. Something to get us through another couple of years." He shuffled through a few more papers.

"But, we're okay for now. This matter can be saved for another time. Tonight, maybe. Or even the day after. Or next week, if we had to wait that long. There are other affairs to attend to which cannot wait that long." Serapis picked up some office supplies and opened his door.

-------------------

The competitive human boy and young male lizardfolk sat at the same table this time around. Normally, children who had issues with each other tended to sit apart, but these two kept glaring at each other in anger, each one afraid to let the other out of his sight. They looked at each other, when the lizardfolk finally broke the silence by smiling.

"Is it true that your name is Aurie?" the lizardboy hissed.

"It's Aurelian!" The boy replied.

"It's a girl's name among your kind, yes? Aurie? Like a pretty little princess?"

The boy's hand had curled into fists. "Shut up about my name! It's the only thing my parents gave me! Your parents just dumped you here, didn't they?!"

The lizardfolk bared his fangs "I never knew my parents. My egg was abandoned. I don't even have a real name! Greentail! It's a description, so don't complain, princess."

Aurelian lifted his fist to strike Greentail, but he hesitated, tears forming in his eyes. A few moments passed, but then he just got up and walked away, looking for a friend. He found a male elf who stood about his height in spite of his more fragile elven frame.

"Nick, are you still working on those food spells? There's a certain lizardfolk who's just begging to be made a target." Greentail just lay back and put his clawed feet on the table. It took all of five seconds before he was shouted back down to the proper seating arrangement by the same green-and-brown robed elf.

At about the same time, a halfling boy and a dwarven girl strode by. They passed a few dwarven and human guards as the girl told the halfling about her people.

"So your people normally use those things on their feet?"

"That's what I've heard. Same as the humans in town. The staff here are unusual for humans. And elves. And dwarves. They do it to serve as an example for the rest of us. After all, the youngest of the staff were orphans here themselves. They took jobs here and never left."

"But why would anyone wear those things? I mean, people don't put gloves on their hands just to touch things."

"They say it's for comfort and protection. And I know that you have tougher feet than I do."

He laughed. "That's cause you're a girl, Laura."

"It's because you're a halfling. And male dwarves aren't much different from females in that way. In fact, I think I'm tougher than many of them. Well, sort of. Maybe. Well, I'd like to be tougher than them." They passed another dracon member of the staff, a female who was busy taking attendance. So far, all of the healthy orphans were accounted for. She adjusted her blue loincloth and matching top as she moved on.

"At least I'm tougher than you, Jorn!" Laura replied, laughing.

Jorn, the halfling, shrugged at that. "Halfings just aren't that tough, besides our feet. We're good at gardening, though."

"Gardening? I thought you wanted to be an adventurer when you leave."

"Oh, I-I do. It's just that I have to have a backup plan and a hobby. I mean, even the headmaster didn't stay an adventurer all his life."

"In that case, maybe you could show me a few of your brave 'adventurer' moves during practice. When we have a mixed class." Laura hinted at the fact that while many gym classes and training sessions were separated by gender, reasonably matched males and females by age and species were allowed to practice together on occasion. Usually, it was a slightly younger male of a weaker species against a slightly older female of a stronger species. Jorn and Laura fit the bill for that perfectly. A similar fight between dracon males and females would almost inevitably end with the male beating the female in the first minute, while a match between a male dracon and a female halfling of anywhere near the same age would better be described as a massacre.

Jorn felt a bit uneasy at her request, but he didn't want to disappoint her. They weren't even teenagers yet, but her competitive streak was already showing. For dwarves, prowess in combat was highly attractive for courtship purposes. They certainly couldn't count on their looks for that sort of thing! For halflings, it was just the opposite. Fighting was unattractive to them, and a good mate was one who showed caring and gentleness. Still, Jorn knew that she meant well and had been a good friend. Of course, not only were they too young to think of anything serious, but the staff would inflict severe repercussions if they tried anything.

"Alright. When we get the chance, let's spar. For now, I'd like to enjoy my food" He sighed and sat near to the three elven girls, who were on friendly terms with Laura. Perhaps they could divert her attention from him at the moment.

[Riven Wight]

As Serapis spoke, Thayva’s tail curled around to her front. She gripped it lightly near its tip, her fingers toying with one of the gem-encrusted golden bands she always wore—an heirloom that had been passed down for generations from female to female on her mother’s side.
She snorted when he mentioned the king and his fears. “With how things have been going, it wouldn’t surprise me if it started up again.” She gave a deep sigh, and stroked the scales of her tail as he continued. An odd smile spread over her long mouth. “We’ll find a way to manage. We always do.”
“This matter can be saved for another time.”
Thayva gave a sharp nod, and her tail whipped back around, creating an “S” shape behind her. She turned her back to Serapis, went back to her desk, and moved a few scrolls around as she searched for one in particular, making more of a mess than tidying her previous one.
Finding the scroll she wanted, she grabbed it and placed it in the waist of her skirt so half of it stuck out near her side. She glanced back at her desk, giving the mess an irritated sigh, then went to make sure her and Serapis’ son, Arjun, had already left his room.

* * *

A young halfling boy walked close to the walls of the dining hall, doing his best to remain unnoticed by most of the other boys. No older than seven, maybe eight, the child was short even for his race, making it easy for the untrained eye to think him younger. His hair stuck up messily from his head, no matter how hard he tried or the female staff complained, making him look almost like a porcupine. A freshly healed cut ran over his face from jaw to earlobe, creating a line against his tan skin. He kept his head bent, making himself look as small as he could.
One of the newer arrivals, the child silently made his way toward the breakfast table. He stopped near the table with his back against the wall, waiting for the line to clear out a bit more.
Though he had lived among all the others for nearly a month now, his family lost to a raid according to the men who brought him to the orphanage, the child still had yet to speak to anyone, regardless of how much others pressed him. From his name to his true age, the child remained a mystery hidden behind a silent tongue.
He waited. And he watched. A brawl almost broke out between a lisardman and dracon over a stolen piece of meat. Girls giggled and boys guffawed. They slapped each other encouragingly on the back, shook hands as the more experienced orphans spoke to newcomers. Though a couple others still kept to themselves, they all sat together, the staff patrolling the tables and cushions often making any standing alone socialize with the others.
Yet, he remained beneath their radar. Neither child nor adult looked his way, or even spared him a quick glance. Which suited the boy just fine. It was far better than the cruel names and words often shot his way by the older kids when the various staff turned their backs or turned out the lights. He still smelled like sweaty undergarments from being locked in the laundry room the night before. That, or the scent still clogged his nose, tainting everything with the foul stench. Though he knew his tormenters, he would not speak even to say their names to the kindly human who found him, which, he suspected, was one reason they chose him to pick on.
Finally, most of the orphans had gotten their food. He slunk from the wall, needing to put forth little effort to remain mostly unnoticed as he got his plate and turned to head to the spot he had claimed as his: a little alcove tucked between a broom closet and the kitchen, where he could still hear when the staff called an end to breakfast.

* * *

“Nick, are you still working on those food spells?”
The tallest of the elven girls, Ilyrana, nearly choked on another mouthful of water for the second time that morning as the boy continued.
Kia cast Nick a glare cold enough to put out the flames of even the mightiest dragon.
Nick’s eyes widened, and he swallowed before looking to Aurelian with narrowed eyes. “I told you to keep quiet about that.”[/i] He sighed, then glanced over his shoulder in the direction the boy had come. “Greentail again?” He smirked. “Don’t worry. He’ll get what’s coming to him soon. I’ll make sure of it.”
Kia huffed, then turned her frustrations to biting into a soft, juicy pear.
“Which one’s Greentail?” the middle height elf, Laya, looked over the crowd.
“The one who just got in trouble.” Nick nodded toward the lizardman.
“Got it.”
“What, you going to cover him in pastry vomit?” Ilyrana teased quietly, smiling.
Laya glared at her. “I’ll cover you in it if--” Her words cut off as the dwarf girl, Laura, and her friend sat near them. She turned in her seat so her back faced the table and front turned toward the stalky dwarf, glad to have someone else to talk to. “Laura! Good morning!”
Ilyrana laughed, turned long enough to wave at Laura, then went back to her plate of food.

[Aristocles]

Serapis stroked the side of his wife's snout. "Thank you, my love. Your confidence means much to me. I just want you to know that." After a brief nuzzle, they went their separate ways for now.

He set down his office supplies and took a seat at his desk. Additional papers awaited him, with both old papers and new missives having been placed there. He read through several of them, and found most of them to be quite mundane. Matters such as disciplinary actions, minor complaints from the staff, letters of inquiry by questionable foster parents seeking to "release" their charges into Serapis' care. A few letters were important, though. One of them concerned the next round of tests for the students. Serapis wrote some of them up himself, leaving Thayva and a few other staff members to write the remainder. He had already finished his part of the duties, but there were some concerns as to the content of the examinations. Each student was given a test not based on his age alone, but on his ability. Those who passed earlier tests could go on to harder ones, while those who failed simply had to take the test again until they passed.

----------------

Arjun was already up. As his parents were in charge of the school, he had a handful of privileges, but not that many. For one, he had his own room, and he had the comparative luxury of knowing his parents and family. Beyond that, his life was much like that of the orphans. His clothes were the same, his education was identical, and he was supposed to eat with the other children. Supposed to. He was already up and he had eaten, but he had returned to his room briefly, just for a bit before classes began. He wanted to play with a new toy he had bought in the nearby town, a little magical curiosity called a sparkler. It looked like a metal oval with a top which flipped open. It let out miniature fireworks of various colors, and he let several of them out, impressed by the brilliant blues and reds. Then he heard his mother's footstep approaching, and the door to his room began to open.

"Oh, mom! Uh, good morning!" He quickly hid the little device behind his back.

-----------------

"Alright. Breakfast is ending! Take five minutes to finish up, then move on!" One of the staff, a burly male lizardfolk, announced to the group. About 150 orphans were present, with slightly more males than females among them. The staff were more female than male, although the imbalance was not much more than 55% - 45% split.

Laura sighed as she heard the call. She would have to rush to finish, and while she wouldn't get in trouble for wasting any food, the staff around here clearly frowned upon it.

"Oh, morning, Laya!" she spoke through a mouthful of food, a rather unladylike thing to do. "Nick and Aurelian are up to something, aren't they? As for me, Jorn and I are going to spar later. When we have time of course." She said it in the same tone which a human girl might talk about going on a date. Jorn looked embarrassed and stared down at his food as breakfast began to come to an end. He took another bite.

"Yeah. Greentail? I've heard about him. Kind of a jerk." Jorn had overheard Aurelian mention him in passing just a little while ago.

“Greentail again?” He smirked. “Don’t worry. He’ll get what’s coming to him soon. I’ll make sure of it.”

Aurelian nodded. "Thank you. I-I know that the headmaster wouldn't like it, but sometimes, you just gotta do these things..." he replied, absent-minded.

[Riven Wight]

Faint crackles and pops reached Thayva’s sensitive ears as she reached Arjun’s room. She recognized the sound of the firework toy currently quite popular among the children of the town. She opened the door in time to see him place his hands behind his back. She crossed her arms as the young dracon addressed her.
Thayva raised her scaly brows. “Good morning to you.” She held her hand out toward him, palm facing up, waiting for him to hand over the object behind his back. “Your father and I overslept a bit. Have you been down to breakfast?”

* * *

The halfling boy sighed as the loud voice sliced through the relative silence of his little alcove, announcing the end of breakfast. He sat on a rather rugged pillow he had salvaged from the garbage. Straw stuffing stuck out from a few holes, while crude stitching kept larger parts of the fabric together.
He quickly finished off his plate of food, then stood. He glanced to his little alcove, his sanctuary. Noticing another larger rip forming in the cushion, he sighed again. Making a mental note to come back and sew it up later, he sluggishly made his way back to the dining hall, his bare, furry feet dragging against the floor. Voices echoed down the hall, growing quickly louder as they echoed off the wood walls and floor.
He stopped in the hall opening leading into the larger, crowded room. Already, orphans had begun to stack their empty plates on the long table where the food had been a short while before. His attention snapped over as angry shouts rose above the others.
A small group of pre-teen dwarves, humans, and halflings stood in a circle about a yard from the mute boy, a couple with plates and the others without. A dwarven girl looked about ready to murder an elven boy with smirk on his face. A few of the staff had started to make their way over to the group as the mute boy cautiously inched away.
One of the staff, a male dwarf with a thick beard down to his knees, stepped close to the group, gaining the dwarven girl’s attention. She snorted, turned from the others, then stormed toward the exit.
The mute boy gave a relieved sigh and hurried toward the table to add his plate to the stacks already there.
A lizardboy the halfling knew to be only a little over a year older bumped into him, hard. The boy gasped and fell to the floor, his plate clattering in front of him.
“Watch it, Brownie,” the lizardboy hissed, barely managing to step over the halfling on his way to the table.
The mute boy laid there for a moment, glaring after the lizardboy. The race some of the crueler kids had taken to calling him rang in his ears.
I’m not a brownie, he thought angrily as he knelt and picked up his plate. He looked it over to make sure it did not crack. Finding a small chip on the bottom, he gave a grumbling sigh and hurried to place it with the others.

* * *

Nick shrugged at Aurelian’s thanks. “Yep. But don’t think me yet until it’s done.”
Laya grabbed her own plate and placed it in her lap as she and the others at her table hurried to finish. She couldn’t quite keep a grin from quirking her lips at the dwarf’s question. “Why would those two be up to something?”
She caught Kia as the redhead cast her a warning glance at Laya’s tone of voice. Laya cleared her throat as Laura continued, and cast a glance to Jorn. “Oh really?” She drew out the second word. “That’ll be fun for you guys.”
Tor guzzled down the meats on her plate, earning her a repulsed look from Ilyrana.
“You’re going to make me sick, Tor!” Ilyrana complained, placing a hand over her mouth in emphasis.
Tor looked up at the elf. “How do you think I feel about your disgusting veggie diet?” Tor smiled at the elf, showing off her rows of sharp teeth. “You guys need to get some meat in you! It’ll do you good!” She raised a rather thick chunk of ham in emphasis, before shoving it in her mouth.
Ilyrana’s nose scrunched up in disgust. “Yeah, I’ll pass.” She grabbed her mostly empty plate and stood. Kai joined her, and the two headed toward the table.
Laya glanced up at them, then finished off the small amount remaining on her plate. “See you later, Laura!” She stood, and looked to Tor and the boys. Tor gave a quick wave without taking her full attention from her food. Nick nodded in farewell before she followed after the other two elven girls.

[Aristocles]

"Oh, mom! I ate already." He fidgeted about for a moment, trying to hide the little toy. A few moments later, he stuck in in a chest behind him, getting the sneaking suspicion that his mother knew what he was up to.

"Well, nice to see you! I think I'd best be getting to class!" He looked up at her and saw that she clearly didn't approve of his actions. With a sigh, he came clean. "Alright, the sparkler's in the chest. Can I go now?"

-------------------

Serapis finished going through his notes, reaching the bottom of the pile. Then he noticed a single envelope with a red wax seal on it, stamped with the school's insignia. The students didn't know this, but a red seal indicated an normal matter for the school, as opposed to the more urgent green. He quickly opened the envelope to find a letter which read:

"Dear Headmaster,

I wish to inform you that there is a cheating ring in place and that the current exams have been compromised. Copies have gone missing, and there is evidence of tampering with the cabinets in which they were stored. Regretfully, it seems that we will have to remake the current round of tests, necessitating a delay. In the interest of safety, I shall reveal my identity, just know that this round of testing will unfortunately have to be postponed."

No one had signed the letter, and matters such as this normally required a green seal. Unsure of what to make of this, Serapis continued on with his duties, although he would be sure to bring this matter up with his wife later.

------------------

"Well, I appreciate it, then" Aurelian replied, getting up.

“Oh really?” She drew out the second word. “That’ll be fun for you guys.”

"Yeah. Fun. Just what every halfling wants to do. Wrestle a dwarf." Jorn finished up the last of his food and got to his feet. He noticed another halfling in the corner, but didn't have time to go over to him.

Laura got up and walked with Jorn for a bit. "So, got any plans for today?" She edged closer to him, causing the halfling to blush.

"Er... no, not really. After class and chores I don't have much on the schedule." He felt beads of sweat coming down his brow and he quickened his pace.

Aurelian walked with Nick, Tor, and the others. "So, maybe I can help you with-" he quickly shut his mouth as they passed by one of the staff, an elf. When they had put some distance between themselves and the elf, he spoke again "-help with that little plan for later?"

[Riven Wight]

Thayva watched the young dracon in his attempt at hiding his toy before dropping it oh so nonchalantly in the chest, the toy making a light thunk as it landed among the other items inside.
The corner of her mouth quirked up at Arjun's admittance. “I guessed that much, love.” She uncrossed her arms and placed a gentle hand on Arjun’s shoulder. “As long as it doesn't interfere with your studies, it’ll be here when you return. Now go on.” She nodded to the door and patted him on the back. “You’ll be late for class.”

* * *

The small halfling child made his way to the hall that eventually led to the various classrooms. He paused near one of the corners, letting a large group of mostly older kids pass by, his height aiding him in remaining unnoticed. At least, so he thought.
He felt the hairs on his back tingle with the sensation of being watched. He looked up and scanned the mass of bodies, trying to find a pair of eyes on him, but the feeling had already dissipated. A lingering glance his way, perhaps? For as long as the boy could remember—which, if he was honest, was not all that long—he could tell when someone looked at him with more than a quick glance. But, in a crowd of nearly one-hundred-fifty, it could have been anyone who saw him between the other bodies.
Shaking off the thoughts, he stole out through the doorway behind the oblivious group, occasionally glancing over his shoulder and jumping at any sudden, loud sound that echoed through the area.

* * *

Nick stood soon after Laya and followed the girls toward the table.
Not wanting to be left too far behind, Tor savagely finished tearing at the little bit remaining on her plate, and lumbered after, her sharp teeth still chewing at a chunk of ham. She took up the rear of the group, her thick, scaly light green tail swishing behind her.
Kia’s face hardened when Aurelian started speaking. She slowed her pace, gesturing for the older girls to keep going, and fell back to be closer to the boys and better hear Nick’s answer.
Nick glanced to Kia, then sighed. “Not unless you know magic.”
“Actually,” Kia turned to face them. She took a couple slow steps backward, then stopped, her voice low as she continued. “Make sure Greentail’s closer to the center of the room come lunch. It’ll make things easier to give the lizard his just desserts. Well, at least I’d think it would for Nick, wouldn’t it?” She looked to Nick with an overly innocent expression.
Nick gave a snorted chuckle. “Yeah. The center would be best.”
Kai grinned, winked at the two, then hurried to catch up with the other girls.
Tor rolled her eyes from behind them. “Hurry up, you two. I swear, you’re slower than a wounded snail slithering through molasses.”

[Aristocles]

"Thanks mom, see you!" Arjun ran off, grateful that his mother didn't get more annoyed by his little toy. Adjusting his loincloth, he made it downstairs just as the other students were filing into the classrooms. He noticed a little halfling boy in the crowd, a rather small specimen, even for one of his species. He walked behind the boy for a moment, wanting to meet him. His father encouraged this sort of thing, especially with the newer orphans.

"Hi there! Oh, sorry. Did I startle you? I-uh... don't believe that we've met. You're new here, right? I'm Arjun, the headmaster's son. You know, Serapis. That big dragon guy. Yeah. So, uh, what's your name?"

----------------

"Magic? You know I'm not really good for much more than sparks when it comes to that" Aurelian sighed. "But maybe I could look up something real quick before lunch in one of those spell books."

He overheard Kia's words. "“Actually,” Kia turned to face them. She took a couple slow steps backward, then stopped, her voice low as she continued. “Make sure Greentail’s closer to the center of the room come lunch. It’ll make things easier to give the lizard his just desserts. Well, at least I’d think it would for Nick, wouldn’t it?"

"Hmm, I think I can do that. Yeah" Aurelian replied, a little smile creeping onto his face.

A minute later, they were entering their classroom, which was appropriate for their age and grade level. The older and younger orphans went to their own rooms, which were similarly appropriate for them. These particular classes were coeducational, but some of the others were for males or females only. Jorn sat down next to a young dracon on one of the cushions used at the orphanage in place of seats. Luckily for him, Laura chose to sit somewhere else, much closer to the other girls.

[Riven Wight]

Thayva Sighed and shook her head as she watched Arjun hurry through their upper floor living quarters.
Oh, Arjun, she thought fondly, following in the boy’s footsteps at a leisurely pace. She went through what looked like a closet door just large enough for Serapis to fit through. A set of sturdy wood stairs spiraled downward, creating a back exit hidden from the students.
Though they had a front door that would lead her closer to her destination, she loved taking the back way, one of the ‘secret passages’ that only a select few of the staff were trusted to know about.
She made her way down the twisting stairs, their dimensions perfect for a dracon. Only the click of her claws against the wood echoed around her.
She passed through another door the size of the wall into a closet, the doorway behind her appearing to be little more than the back of the closet. She picked her way through the clutter of cleaning supplies and emerged through the second door a few feet in front of her into a large storeroom on the bottom level. A few desks specially designed to be used from the cushions strewn through the room were stacked precariously about. Other cabinets housed various supplies the children would need for their studies.
Leaving the storeroom, Thayva locked the door behind her, padded the scroll at her waist to make sure it was still there, then headed to the front of the mansion.

* * *

The young halfling’s pace quickened slightly as he felt someone following him, and not in the simple, going-where-he’s-going way. The presence felt like it was one of the older boys… or at least someone relatively tall.
“Hi there!”
The halfling jumped and spun around, his fists coming up in front of him to defend himself in what little way he could. Despite his attempt at looking menacing, he still only managed something between cute and scared.
He looked up at the red-scaled dracon towering before him.
The halfling slowly lowered his fists as the dracon continued to speak, suspicion in his hazel eyes. Arjun, he believed he had heard others call him, which the dracon confirmed.
“So, uh, what’s your name?” Arjun finished.
The halfling blinked at him, surprised that anyone would bother to ask anymore. Arjun looked friendly enough--perhaps trustworthy, even, if the instincts nagging at him were correct. He opened his mouth slightly and inhaled as if to answer, part of him begging to hear someone call him by his real name again, the name his parents chose for him.
A knot formed in his stomach at the thought of his parents. He felt a familiar stinging pricking at the back of his eyes, a stinging he refused to succumb to.
He looked over as the all too familiar gruff voice of one of his usual tormenters boomed over at him.
“Oy!” The stocky form of a dwarf of about nine years of age lumbered toward them, apparently oblivious of the older dracon. “Brownie!”
Anger, hatred, and fear made the halfling’s eyes widen. He glanced between Arjun and the dwarf, then turned on his heels and sprinted down the hall, leaving the young dwarf scowling after him.

* * *

The three elven girls walked together, as they always did, until their separate classrooms forced Kia to take a different hall, Laura and Jorn following after the other two. She walked confidently into the room for a twelve-year-old, her head held high and eternally mischievous gaze taking in the classroom and the half-filled cushions on the floor.
She chose a spot near the center beside a female halfling who had her nose in a book as Nick and Aurelian entered the same classroom a couple moments later and took their own seats.
“Whatever you’re up to, Kia,” the halfling girl said without looking up from her book, “don’t do it.”
Kia gave the girl a dramatically wounded look. “Why ever would you think I’m up to something, Ella?”
Ella glanced to Kia without moving her head. “You have that look. Besides, when aren’t you up to something?”
“Please. I’d never.” She grinned, then laid down on her stomach, using the cushion as a pillow instead of a seat.
“And I’m a three-eyed toad.” Ella rolled her eyes, then looked back to her book as Kia closed her eyes and started to hum.

[Aristocles]

The young dracon paused, not knowing what to make of that. He wanted to go after the halfling, but he really needed to get to class.

Arjun made his way down to the classroom appropriate to his age group and found one of the little desks with a cushion for him to sit on. The orphanage didn't assign permanent seats, but in general the students picked and sat in roughly the same places. Leaning over, he felt a little twinge in his back, causing him to let out a very brief hiss. Just growing pains. I'll get that treated later today. Trying not to get too wrapped up in his own thoughts. The subject in question was history, and Arjun was quite good at it.

---------------

Aurelian sat down near Nick, not too far from Arjun. Laura sat quite close to the elven girls.

"Say, Nick. Isn't that the headmaster's son?"

Laura took one look at Kia and chuckled. "Heh. Can't wait for your massage, can you? Already in position for it, I see. I'm looking to get some work done on my shoulders in few hours."

Jorn just kept silent, sitting cross-legged on the cushion. He saw that the assigned books were already laid out in front of the students on the desks, with bookmarks placed in the page they would be starting from this day. After quite a while, the teacher finally stepped forward, a female elf with a large tome. She put it down on a desk in front of the room.

"Alright, class. The lesson is now in session. Any and all conversations can and will have to wait."

-----------------

Serapis had left his office and was in the process of asking teachers if they knew anything about the alleged cheating scandal. So far, none seemed to recognize the letter, and the handwriting on it was unfamiliar. At that time, he heard the sound of footsteps coming down the hall. Human-like ones, given the lack of claws clattering against the floor. He saw a young male halfling running down the corridor.

"Hold on there, youngling!" The headmaster positioned himself in front of the halfling. "What seems to be the trouble?"

[Riven Wight]

Nick looked around the classroom as he moved the books already on the specially made desk to the floor. He pulled a thick book bound in faded leather, a wad of parchment, and ink and a quill from his usual leather satchel. He placed the items on the desk, then carefully opened the ancient book.
The runes formed an archaic Elven text he had been trying to decipher for the past six months with little, if any, success. A few notes in modern Elvish flowed over his parchment. The dialect was so far obsolete that even the teacher who had given him a majority of the scant notes had little to offer in the way of translation.
Nick looked to Aurelian at the sound of his name, his gaze distant for a moment as the gears in his head screeched into another direction. He followed the human’s gaze to the dracon in question, and took a moment to examine his face.
“Yeah.” Nick nodded slowly and drew his attention back to the thick tome. “I think so. Haven’t seen him in any of the sleeping quarters.”

* * *

Kia closed her eyes and suppressed a yawn. She cracked one eyelid open when Laura spoke to her from her other side.
“Can’t wait to be capable of taking a nap.” Kia exaggerated a yawn and stretched like a cat. “Though, who doesn’t look forward to a massage?” She plopped back down on the pillow and curled up in a fetal position. She moved the pillow over her head, trying to block out the natural light streaming in through the windows.
“Alright, class.”
Kia groaned loudly at the sound of the teacher’s voice. She made a show of forcing herself into a sitting position, and let the pillow drop from her. Her hair stuck out at odd angles, static electricity making a few strands stand on end.
“You’re so melodramatic,” Ella whispered, rolling her eyes as she closed her book.
Kia shrugged, then reluctantly placed the cushion beneath her where it belonged.

* * *

The halfling child turned to take a less traveled route through the mansion to his first class of the day. A longer route that most avoided, the child knew well that it would be virtually deserted this time of day. Even when he was sure the dwarf was far behind him, the child did not stop running. Anger and hatred for the dwarf, the demeaning nickname, and his own reaction burned in his chest, forcing his feet to move faster. Their pounding on the floor matched the rhythm of his heart, and furious tears threatening to spill over.
“Hold on there, youngling!”
The child bent to duck around the draconic body that stepped in his way. Just in time, he realized who, exactly, stood before him, and slid to a stop.
He blinked at the dracon, craning his neck to look at the headmaster. His mouth parted slightly in shock at seeing--let alone nearly running into--Serapis himself.
“What seems to be the trouble?”
The child dropped his gaze, subconsciously glancing slightly behind him. He shook his head in a silent, “Nothing.” He gestured down his desired path with his eyes and a slight nod as he stepped slightly further on his way.

[Aristocles]

Aurelian opened a book in front of him. His book had some characters on it as well. Runes? Letters? Characters? Hieroglyphics? Maybe they were numbers? He wasn't even sure.

"I think so. Haven’t seen him in any of the sleeping quarters"

"I suppose we can talk to him later, after class" he replied, trying to keep his voice down.

--------------------

Laura straightened up and paid attention to the teacher. "Now, each of you have assignments to hand in. You may do so at the end of class. For now, we will continue to learn about the history of magic and the different kinds of mages. Who can tell me the difference between a wizard and a sorcerer? Yes, Jorn!"

The halfling looked the instructor in the eye. "Wizards have to learn their magic, sorcerers are born with it."

"That is correct, very good. Now, can someone else tell me what is the difference between the two of them and a warlock? Or a witch, for a female."

--------------------

Serapis quickly caught up to the halfling. "Child, what is wrong? You can tell me." He didn't want to assume that the boy was mute, although it was a possibility which he could not rule out. "If you need something, I'll help." No response was forthcoming. At about the same time, he saw a human masseuse coming down the hall. She was dressed much like a dracon, in a loincloth and a top. Each were quite large for that kind of clothing, and she was well-covered apart from her stomach, arms, and legs. Her white skin and dirty-blonde hair made her stand out among the adult human women who worked at the orphanage.

"Oh, Galatea. Didn't see you there."

"Hello headmaster. What seems to be the problem?" Her voice was soft and soothing.

"This young halfling doesn't want to speak. Or maybe he can't. Do you know his name?"

"I'm afraid I don't, although I've worked on him before. This little one is unusually stressed for someone of his age. Not sure what happened to him. It used to be even worse when he first arrived. He never speaks to me, but his muscles tell me a lot." Serapis suppressed the urge to roll his eyes at Galatea's last statement.

[Riven Wight]

Glad for her timing and the lack of traffic in the halls, Thayva quickly made her way to the large double front doors of the mansion. A few papers cluttered a board mounted to the wall beside the doorway, advertising various jobs from people in town for the orphans to take up come the weekends, among other bits of information all held up by rugged nails tacked into the board.
Her tail swished behind her as she pulled the scroll from her waistband, unfurled it, and tacked it to an empty spot of board with a couple unused nails: the newest list of jobs. She scanned the other pages, checking for anything old or out of place.
After tearing down a couple old job advertisements and pocketing a messily scrawled prank note of someone looking for anyone willing to fish out a fire-breathing duck trapped in one of the boys’ privies before it blew up the mansion, she began her usual morning routine of opening the windows facing the front of the house to let in fresh air.
She paused as an unusually cool breeze blew through the window she had just opened, her nostrils flaring as she sniffed at the crisp scent. The sweet, electric smell of an impending storm rode the breeze.
Thayva leaned out the window, trying to get a good look at the sky. A line of gray clouds floated just above the tree line surrounding the front yard, looming with a puffy ominousness.
Have to keep an eye on that. Thayva ducked back inside. Don’t want the floors to rot because of an open window during rain.
She turned and headed toward the kitchen. Driven by a hunger that had begun to gnaw at her stomach, she hoped to scavenge any leftovers from the morning meal before finishing up double checking the most recent test scores.

* * *

Nick nodded in Aurelian 's direction as Ilyrana eagerly thrust her hand in the air, her face begging for the teacher to pick her. Without waiting for more than the teacher’s glance, the elven girl spoke.
“Wizards,” Ilyrana began, ignoring Laya’s raised eyebrows, “usually deal in lighter magic, and specialize in one or two subjects, while warlocks delve into the darker stuff, and usually deal in a wider range of areas. Though, they both usually need some kind of staff, wand, or other trinket to channel their magic, since they have to seek it out, instead of it seeking them out.”

* * *

The halfling gave a frustrated sigh at Serapis’ persistence. He was late. Of that he was sure. The sounds of other orphans had already faded into oblivion from more than just the distance he had placed between himself and the most-traveled areas. Before the dracon finished speaking, the gentle sound of feet padding against the floorboards drew his attention a short second before Serapis looked over at the woman approaching.
His brows furrowed irritably when the woman, too, asked about “the problem” in the same kind tone she had used on those couple occasions Galatea had been his masseuse.
“Or maybe he can’t.”
The halfling’s head dropped, his gaze turning to the floor and fists clenching at the dracon’s words.
Can’t. How he hated that word. But, no matter how often he heard it--mocking or otherwise--he refused to correct it, to prove it wrong. No. He wouldn’t break the promise he made himself after...
He hung his head lower as Galatea answered the headmaster. Turning his attention instead on the hall, he focused on keeping his steps silent as he tried to steal away from the adults, hoping neither would notice until he had already safely slipped into the back of his classroom.

[Aristocles]

Serapis noticed the halfling boy heading towards class. Not wanting to disturb the student, he let the boy go.

"Well, please keep an eye on him and let me know if there are any developments, alright?"

Galatea nodded. "Yes, headmaster. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to prepare some of the tables for later today." She shuffled off in near-silence, moving with surprising grace.

-----------------

The teacher thought about it for a moment. While it was not correct, she didn't want to frame it in that way.

"That's not an entirely accurate answer, but you do get some of the generalizations correct. Yes, it is true that many wizards specialize in one or two areas, and warlocks are prone to dark magics. Only thing is, that's not the fundamental difference. Wizards can use dark magics while there are benevolent warlocks out there. And magic staffs aren't related to the distinction between those kinds of mages. Can anyone else answer?" A few more unsuccessful answers followed, after which the teacher simply gave the answer herself.

"A wizard is a mage who was not born with his magic. He has to study to gain any aptitude whatsoever with his magical spells. A warlock also has no magic at birth, but he gains it through a deal with a being who has magical powers to grant. More often than not, this is a demonic or other evil being, but it can be a neutral or even good creature."

Aurelian raised his hands and spoke as soon as he was called on. "What about a sorcerer? Or a cleric?"

"Good questions. Sorcerers are born with magical ability, while clerics don't have magic per se. They request spells from their deity, but do not actually cast them from any magic within themselves."

----------------

A bit later, Serapis met up with Thayva. "Oh. Hi there, love. Just finished making my rounds. Anything new today? Any big jobs for the students to do?" He moved behind her and gave his wife a little nuzzle, and moved to put his hands on her shoulders, awaiting her nod before he'd give her a little shoulder rub. He briefly looked outside, seeing the impending arrival of rain. Even after all these years, he still wasn't used to water falling from the sky. Given the extreme rarity of precipitation in the dracon realms, this was not hard to understand.

[Riven Wight]

Gray light filtered through the glass of the solarium situated at the back of the house. Various plants sat in the corners of the room designed to hold heat better than the rest of the mansion. Thayva sat on one of the five cushions placed in a circle at the room’s center. A stack of papers sat atop a large, round table in front of her. She held a featherless quill, which she dipped in a bottle of red ink every now and again as she marked a couple forgotten tests.
Wind gently blew through the room from the couple glass panels Thayva had opened, flooding the usually warm space with the fresh scent of the impending storm. Thayva paused and inhaled the smell. Even after the few years she had spent outside the dracon realms, she still had yet to grow used to the pleasant scent of rain.
She heard the inside door to the solarium open. With the familiar gait and way he shuffled forward, it could only be her beloved Serapis.
“Good morning, my dear.” She glanced up and returned his loving nuzzle before looking back to the papers.
“Any big jobs for the students to do?”
Thayva gave him the nod she knew he awaited. “Well,” Thayva reached into a small pocket hidden in her skirts, pulled out the prank note, and placed it beside her pile of papers, “I’d say eliminating a fire-breathing duck would count. Don’t suppose you’ve heard anything about it, have you?” A smile pulled at her maul. “Other than that, the blacksmith’s apprentice has fallen ill, so he needs an extra pair of hands this weekend, the butcher’s looking for an extra hunter, and the potter has offered her knowledge to teach any who may want to learn the art of pottery.”
Thayva glanced out at the yard, then to the sky, trying to gague the time. “It looks nearly eleven. Lunch should be served soon. Would you care to join me?”

* * *

When the teachers released the orphans for their last class of the day and sent them on their way to lunch, Kia and Laya stopped and waited outside one of the classrooms for Nick and Ilyrana.
At last, the door all but burst open, and people flooded out. The two girls stood to the side so the others could exit.
As soon as the other two elves joined them--Nick and Aurelian having separated during their last class--the four headed to the lunch room.
“Remember, don’t sit together,” Kia whispered just loud enough for her friends to hear. “And try to make our separation look unintentional. We don’t want to arouse suspicion.”
The others nodded. The four separated, losing one another in the crowd of students flooding the halls as they headed to the dining hall.

[Aristocles]

“It looks nearly eleven. Lunch should be served soon. Would you care to join me?”

"That would be wonderful, my love. As for those jobs, I'm sure some of the humans or dracons can take them. Although come to think of it, any of them should be able to help with that duck. It isn't particularly dangerous, I trust. Wouldn't want to put them in unneeded danger." When he saw her nod, he began to gently rub her shoulders, not that he'd keep it up for very long. They'd be eating soon, and more involved intimacy was something for a private space and a private time.

"How's that, dear? Feel better?" He sniffed the air, unsure of what to make of the scent. It was a bit like the smell of a shower after it was used, but far cooler and more diffuse. Like water hanging in the air. Only after another minute did it hit the dracon that rain was on the way. He finished the rub with a little pat on the back of her neck. Serapis then took a glance at the tests, and, satisfied that they were well-marked, set them down without needing to say another word about them.

--------------------

“Remember, don’t sit together,” Kia whispered just loud enough for her friends to hear. “And try to make our separation look unintentional. We don’t want to arouse suspicion.”

Aurelian nodded, slowly walking off towards a table which was predominantly attended by other humans. Sitting cross-legged, he waited until whatever was going to happen, happened. As he knew what was about to go down, he didn't get any food just yet.

For her part, Laura got some food, being quite hungry. Jorn just sat down at a table next to a lizardfolk and another halfling, only wanting to enjoy a quiet lunch.

[Riven Wight]

“... It isn’t particularly dangerous, I trust. Wouldn’t want to put them in unneeded danger.”
“Hmm. I don’t know.” Thayva tilted her head back and closed her eyes, enjoying the relaxing sensation of his hands kneading her shoulders. “I heard some pretty nasty sounds coming from one of the privies earlier. It may be mutating.” She grinned, showing off her sharp teeth.
“Mmm, much,” she answered his question. She cracked an eye open when she heard him sniff. He never has gotten used to that smell, she thought lightly, realizing what he probably smelled.
When he finished rubbing her shoulders, Thayva quickly markrf the last of the tests as Serapis glanced over the others.
“The human twins’ grades have improved.” She placed the last of the tests with the others. “Though a few others’ have fallen.” She picked out about five tests from the bottom of the pile and placed them on top for Serapis to see. “But, that can wait.” She stood, stretched her back, and picked up the stack. Her stomach growled. “First, lunch calls. After all, a battle isn’t won on an empty stomach. Even one against poor grades.” She patted his chest lovingly.
Thayva stopped at the door leading into the house, her purple scales glittering in a ray of sunlight that managed to breach the clouds and filter through the glass room.

* * *

Something felt off. The halfling child felt it the moment he entered the dining hall. He moved to the corner, as he always did, and slowly made his way toward the usual tables with their display of dishes.
His classes had been as long and torturous as normal, even from his seat at the back of the room. The last thing he wanted was trouble while trying to eat. And yet, he couldn’t shake the feeling that that was exactly what was going to occur.
He glanced over the sea of faces, trying to figure out what, exactly, was off. Perhaps it was something simple. New cushions? Different tables? No. They were all the same. Then he realized. A few of the orphans were acting... odd. They were not eating. Their plates sat in front of them, full as ever, and a couple he had grown used to seeing being talkative were quiet. Concentrating. Sure, some people took longer than others to eat, but their plates were untouched, and they looked like they had been sitting comfortably for a while. The child couldn’t recall a time when, after a morning of classes, plates remained untouched for more than a few seconds.
Did someone do something to the food? The halfling waited until the last of the orphans had gotten their food before collecting his own plate, selecting his entrées with more precaution than normal before slowly heading to his favored nook.
But, before he could get too far, the loud voice of a lizard folk rang through the room…

* * *

Once everyone got their food, Kai chose the perfect corner to keep an eye on the most important people in her plan. The few others she had recruited for their mischievous plot already speckled the fairly crowded dining hall. She had made certain to instruct them to sit in places to ensure mass foodstruction.
Tor sat near at the table marking the center of the room. Beating Aurelian to his job, she had slyly coerced Greentail closer to where Nick sat. She gave the other lizardfolk a swat on the back with her tail when the teachers’ backs were turned.
Gereentail looked about ready to attack, before an adult lizardfolk far more intimidating than him caught his eye. He sat, swearing his revenge, between two other lizardfolk.
Kai turned her attention to Nick, who met her gaze for a split second before looking back to his food. She half listened to the conversation floating around the table, discretely keeping an eye on how much everyone had eaten.
Finally, she noticed the adults making their way nonchalantly toward the front of the room. The changeover. She looked once more to Nick, who gave her an inconspicuous wave to wait.
Ten seconds passed. Fifteen.
Nick glanced behind him at the adults as they left the room, and started to count down on a hand. Five seconds.
Kai quickly caught Tor’s eye. The lizardgirl cocked her head, tore a large bite off of what looked like a turkey leg, and quickly chewed it.
Two seconds. One.
Nick nodded her the go, which Kai gave to Tor.
The lizardgirl promptly swallowed, and hopped to her feet. Paying little regard to the other plates sitting on the table, Tor jumped onto the middle of the table, making herself as tall as possible among all the sitting orphans.
“Meats!” Tor began, her volume calling for everyone’s attention. “Vegetables! Breads! Too long have you sat idly by, allowing these savages to feast upon your brethren!” She clenched her fists angrily. “But no more!” She spread her arms to the sides, glancing from one plate of food to the other. “Now is your time to fight back! Rise!” She spread her arms slowly higher, her clawed fingers bent wickedly. “RISE, MY BEAUTIFUL DELICACIES!”
Magic buzzed through the air from unheard spells as select magic users around the room simultaneously called on it, including Kai and her close friends. Then, mass chaos broke loose.
Food all around the room quivered, then began to explode, sending gooey pieces of fruit, chunks of bread, puddles of water, and mulched meat spewing everywhere. Screams and laughter erupted, all but drowning out Tor’s manic, triumphant guffaws.
Across the room, a dwarf boy tried to escape as his sandwich started convulsing, then spat out its innards at him before the bread exploded into a fine dust of crumbs.
At Greentail’s table, the lizardboy’s pile of meats burst forward, throwing themselves on Greentail’s face. The meats started to bubble and turned into a pinkish goo that caked into his scales.
Kids tried to run to the door, to escape the food flying everywhere and catching ruthlessly on hair, scales, and clothes. Many slipped and fell on the paste that had formed from the combination of jellified fruits, bread, and meats.
With her own damage done and seconds carefully counted, Kia stood, a look of panic that matched the others on her face. She tried to run into as many of her cohorts as she could to show them it was time to go before everyone got caught.
She slid to a stop, and suppressed a grin as she noticed two of her acquaintances, both humans of about sixteen who proved to be talented sorcerers, working together. They created a small tornado out of the paste, which lasted only a couple seconds. But that was long enough. It sucked in a few other food bits, then barreled between the legs of children. It burst apart, making the substance airborne once more and splattering a handful of people unlucky enough to be near it.
Noticing Kai, the two joined the crowd of fleeing students.
“Kai!” Ilyrana raced toward Kai, her face a perfect picture of shock and fear. “You okay?” she asked loudly to be heard above the noise of over a hundred students trapped in a gory battleground of fruit guts, vegetable blood, and severed pieces of meat and bread.
“I’m fine!” Kai grabbed her friend’s wrist and pulled her forward. “Let’s get outta here before things get worse!”

[Aristocles]

"Agreed. Lunch first, then we can handle the issues of academics, finances, and... discipline." Serapis went to their quarters, which were attached to a small, private kitchen. He washed his clawed hands and then got some plates out. Then, he took some chicken and vegetables out of a cabinet and prepared to cook them, when he heard a sound coming from the cafeteria.

"Is that? Did you? Thayva, I think we're needed downstairs, now!" he got up and quickly ran downstairs.

------------------

Aurelian smiled as he saw the food began to explode in the faces of dozens of students, including the lizardfolk he was arguing with earlier. Greentail scratched himself frantically, trying to get the food out from his scales, largely without success. Jorn ran from the table and ducked under it, covering his head. Laura happened to be next to him.

"Glad to see you here, love!" It was harmless flirting, but Jorn felt embarrassed by it. She had to raise her voice to be heard, as did Jorn, who had to shout back at her. "What?! Laura, do you know what is going on here?!"

"It's a magic prank! Just enjoy it while it lasts!"

As it turned out, that wasn't much longer. Serapis burst into the room and took one look at the situation, his eyes wide. Not only was it a food fight, but it was an unauthorized use of magic!

"STOP!!" He waved his right hand, which was surrounded by a light blue aura. Immediately, the magics in the room were neutralized by his counter spell. The once-moving food resumed its original inanimate state. Even so, the damage was done. A huge mess now dominated the room, which was coated in a bizarre mixture of fruit pulp, wet bread, and water mixed in with bits of every kind of meat and vegetable one could imagine. The smell was quite strong already, and it would stink later in the day as the food puree began to rot.

"Who is responsible for this?! Did anyone see anything?! Speak!" One of the staff, a female elf, stepped forward.

"I think it was a group of children, sir. Some were elves and there may have been a human among them."

He let out a sigh. "I-we will deal with this later. Thayva, what's your take on all of this?"