Writing 2014-05-21

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Professor Djarlee wants to know about everything, but sticks most to the quest, and the magic they have seen.  Professor Ktharr, however, wants to know about their tech, and then about the lost troll mage they found.

Both are fascinated.  Both also agree – the spacefarers should see the Dreamwalkers.  Professor Djarlee begins to fumble for writing materials.  While he mutters about lost inkwells, Professor Ktharr has picked up pen, paper, written a note, and handed it to Djarlee to sign.  The gnome does, and directs Larrikan to take them to see the Dreamwalkers.

Larrikan does as the Professor has bid.  As he walks across the sunny campus, he steals glances at Sakura.  She walks next to him, smiling a little, holding his hand.  He wonders how such an amazing vixen wound up here with him.  He is amazed and astonished by the things this unassuming vixen has done.

Across the courtyard, a voice cries out, “Aay!  Hold there!”  A quiet stirring begins at that end of the courtyard as people start to cautiously, slowly back out of harm’s way.

Vash straightens a bit, looking for the speaker, saying, “That sounds like… who’s there?”

A large, tawny quadruped galumphs across campus, crying, “Is that who I think it is?” at the top of her voice.  Other students and faculty get out of the way.

Vash’s eyes get huge.  He takes a half step back, unsure what to do.  At best, he manages, “You!”

The shuddering of the ground is clear now as the lioness reaches the group, nearly bowling Larrikan over, thudding to a skidding halt in front of Vash.  She cries out, “Not-a-snack!” and nuzzles him firmly and cheerfully.

Vash’s crew reacts in various ways.  Douglas – a big cat himself – makes a calm statement to Kerry, who agrees.  Sakura is shocked to the point she stares, which is extremely unusual for her.

Larrikan is floored.  He’s shocked out of words.

Vash says to the sphinx, “It’s you, isn’t it?  I thought you were a dream.”

The sphinx, a lioness with only a human face to show she isn’t purely a cat, grins, casually trips Vash, pushing him over to step over him to stand over the armadillo and lick his face.

Larrikan thought he couldn’t be any more surprised, but the usually aloof, respectable professor licking the armadillo in a very thorough greeting manages to get to him.

Once the sphinx has finished, she tells Vash, “I’m glad to be able to talk to you again!  I didn’t think we’d be able to find you.  Fancy you showing up at the University.”  She finally looks around and sees the others.  She asks, “Are these friends of yours?”

Vash introduces the others from his crew.  He introduces Kaiwaii as a local.  Each of them gets a careful feline greeting with scent mark.

When she reaches Larrikan, she asks him curiously, “Do you hail with these people, too?”

Larrikan, flustered, shakes his head yes, then no, then yes again.  He finally says, “I’m their friend, ma’am.  Professor Djarlee and Ktharr said they should see a Dreamwalker…” He trails off, then apologizes, “I’m very sorry, ma’am.  I didn’t know they already knew one.”

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