《Society of Mythic People》 Nora The eyes. The eyes always knew. Looking back now, it makes sense. The gold flecks. An emerald green that''s a bit to deep. Young eyes that looked like they had seen everything. We passed them off as oddities, peculiar looks in an otherwise normal world. The fact that it seemed to pass down between generations suggested it was nothing more that your typical genetic trait. But the truth was there, in the eyes. The young man sat quietly. Fingers drumming on the side of the ornate chair. Tapping slowly, counting the seconds. The cars passed quietly outside his estate. People milling about, unaware of what was to come. Peaceful, or as peaceful as the world could get. He had tried to keep it going. The world wasn''t ready for the return, but how could he stop it? The spell was powerful, shielding the world perfectly from the mythics. He even managed to convince them of their humanity. But it also sealed away magic itself. And while he had put so much into the spell to begin with, there was no way to maintain it. It had lasted centuries. Only a handful of people knew it was possible, and even fewer knew it had happened. He reached over and picked up the small piece of parchment. A note he wrote to himself all those years ago, to remind him of what had happened. If he hadn''t lived this long, he might not believe it. But time kept marching on. A knock at the door brought him out of his thoughts. Before he could stand, two men barged their way in, dragging a screaming woman with them. "Is this the first one?" The man asked. "Yes sir. Started 2 hours ago, already showing signs of degeneration. Non-cooperative, obviously." The man who spoke had large red gashes down his right arm. "I''m sorry for what is happening." He looked into her eyes. Ice blue. A perfect match to her hair. Along her arms fell gold scales. A single, perfect row. They followed their entire length, ending at her fingertips. From them came sharp talons. Had she been standing still, he would have seen that her light skin was actually a fine layer of scales as well. "She''s already in the advanced stages. Did you happen to get her name?" "Smith" "Augh. A commoner name. I had hoped for Formen or Sandres." "Do you think their magic could help?" "It can''t stop what is coming, but they could at least ease the pain. Take her upstairs. I don''t want word of this leaving while we still have secrecy." The young woman continued to protest, but all that came from her mouth was a growl. The hours passed, and still he could hear her. She had run out of things to break, but that didn''t stop the roars. No other reports came in. He was beginning to wonder if there had been a mistake. Even if the initial tear had been contained, there should be others. The weave of the spell was thin, and it wouldn''t take much for it to tear elsewhere. The ringing phone made him jump. *click* "Anderson speaking." "Another one''s been found. Watforn. North Dakota." "Is it contained?" "For now. It''s a basilisk, so I don''t know for how long." "Shit." *beep* "Got another call. Let me know if the situation changes" *click* "Anderson" "We got one in Dieppe" "Vampire?" "Good guess." "Contained?" "I''m afraid not. Still hunting him down, but no promises." "It was bound to happen." *click* He slumped into his chair again. 700 years, and it finally fell apart. What''s more, if the lady upstairs was any indication, it was going to be rough. In a couple generations it would self-correct. But as it stands, these people genuinely believe themselves to be human. Add in a dash of magic, or in the case of a dragon, a lake full, and things were never going to go well. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! But... Perhaps this was a blessing? A spark of an idea began to form in his head. It would take time. And the right connections. But if anyone had those connections, it was him. "Milfred, can you fetch me some tea?" The aging butler nodded and made his way out of the room. He would need an example. Someone to show that things had indeed changed. The whole point of the spell was to create cooperation. It was never intended as a permanent fix, but with the right twist, he might be able to make it work anyways. Several calls later, he was standing before the heavy oak door. The roaring had stopped, and when he pressed his ear to the door, it seemed quiet. Cautiously, he unlocked the door, and stepped inside. "Can I interest you in something to drink?" She glared in his direction. Clear membranes flecked across her eyes, but otherwise she remained still. In the nearly 7 hours since her arrival, she had gained two small horns on her head, a tail nearly as long as she was tall, and a pair of small wings, covered in the same gold scales, but with a royal purple membrane crossing them. "What did you do to me?" She fought to ask the question, her tong far to long for her mouth. "To you? Nothing. You have always been this way." "Bullshit!" The word turned into a growl. "It''s true. You''re from a family of dragons. By the coloring, I would guess Strix." He gestured to the gold scales that adorned her skin. "Dragons aren''t real." "There are may myths we believe aren''t real. That was the intent. Had I done nothing, it would be the truth. I only did what I had to." "So you did do it." "All I did was hide the truth. From everyone. Without the right notes, even I would have been oblivious to it. The truth is, there is nothing I can do to stop it. Not anymore. The weave is breaking, and soon every mythic will be reviled." "There are others?" "Yes. Millions. We might even outnumber natural humans now." Her eyes lit up when he said that. "It could be enough to ensure we are safe, but I''d like to be sure. I have a plan, or the workings of one anyways. It seems that your resistance to accept the truth has had an effect. I know there will be others like you. My hope is to have you act as speakers for our kinds. Ambassadors, if you will." She said nothing, so he waited. She was thinking about it, clearly considering the option. A slight twitch in her tail told him what he wanted to know. "We have already found a way to identify others. If we move quickly, we can prep them before things begin to happen. But having someone with them would help." She nodded. "You''ll be helping countless people. You, of all people, understand just how scary it is to not understand what is happening. We don''t want anyone to get hurt." "Of course." She nodded to the tea set nearby. "May I?" "Certainly." He handed her the cup, still steaming. "I need to make one more call. When your ready, come on down stairs and we can get started." "Nora" He stopped, the word coming expectantly. "Sorry?" "You never asked my name. It''s Nora. Nora Smith" A smile formed across his face. "Bradly Anderson." New York Anderson stood in the hanger as the jet was taxied. Despite the return of mythics, he hadn''t yet been granted his power, so the Cessna before him was still his best option. Not to mention most comfortable. "Just got ta fill-er up. Should be ready in 15 minutes. 30 at most." Bradly nodded. With only a handful of reveals the last two days, it was clear the spell was unraveling slowly. On the bright side, that meant more time to try and track down new mythics. Unfortunately, that also meant less data to work with. 3 attempts this week, and all of them busts. No harpy, no centaur, and the other dragon was just born. That alone changed everything. It meant any eggs were still viable. Eh, Ebay had been his friend there. The young half-dragon popped out of the limo, a bored expression on her face. "So what invisible fairy are we hunting this time?" "They call it the United Nations." "There''s a mythic in the UN?" "No, just a special counsel." He had spent the last hour on the phone, trying to get this meeting to happen. A special counsel meeting would guarantee some amount of legitimacy for the society. And for someone like him, getting that meeting was easy. Heck, half the active members were put there by him. Or, at least he had a hand in their placement. Even the masons didn''t have that much influence. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Unfortunately, getting the meeting was the easy part. Now he had to convince them that special protections for mytics was warranted. Considering how powerful some of them would be, the idea that they might need any defense was surprising. But there was a reason they were endangered before. "So you''re talking to a bunch of big wigs." "No, *We''re* talking to a bunch of big wigs." "You don''t actually expect me to talk to them, right?" "It''d be nice." Nora pouted. Truthfully, he hoped she would be quiet. Not that it would help, but he had no idea how well she did with public speaking. Her presence would be enough. "It will be fine. Their just trying to decide if you need protection." "I''m a mother f''in dragon. Why would *I* need protection?" Her attitude toward her transformation had certainly changed in the last few days. He couldn''t decide if it was normal for her, or some kind of coping mechanism. At least she wasn''t afraid to leave the mansion anymore. "It''s not just you. Do you know why I put out that spell?" "Something about mythics having been endangered?" "Exactly." Another pout. As he was contemplating his next words, the engines began to fire. "We''re ready to go when you are, sir." "About time." Trapped Nora was once again pacing in her hotel room. She had been holed up in the room for the past 3 days, trying to avoid an "international scene." Had she known she would only been in the meeting for a total of 5 minutes, she might have refused to even come. She was in New York! Why couldn''t she go see the sights? She turned to the balcony window. From here, she could see most of Lower Manhattan, including the 911 memorial, the Brooklyn Bridge, and even a bit of Battery Park. What she would have given to get a chance to go see it. She could probably easily break the lock, but facing Bradly would not end well. Not to mention the numerous people who would freak out the moment she left. Even getting up to the hotel had been a carefully planned endeavor. She knocked on the hallway door and waited for an answer. The lock clicked, and a large man stepped into the room, looking like someone straight out of the CIA. Hair neatly trimmed, black suit, black pants, black shoes, even the classic black sunglasses. "Can I help you?" The formality was off-putting. "I''m bored." She tried to put the heaviest sigh into her words. The man was unfazed. "I want to go see the city." The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. "Mr. Anderson specifically said you were not to leave the room." "So what? He''s not my dad." "This is for your safety." "You keep saying that. I''ve been on my own for 6 years now, why do you think I can''t handle myself." "Mr. Anderson is just taking the necessary precautions. Considering your... special case." "Just say it. He thinks people are going to attack me. I''m FINE! Sheesh. I could handle people before, I can handle them now." "That is the concern. He''s working to ensure it doesn''t come to that." Nora took a step back. That was more info than she expected. Did they really think she would cause an incident? She had been joking about it, but stopping to think about it now, what would she do? Sure she was strong, but if she had to fight someone? It had not occurred to her that her only real options were violence. And without any training, she would certainly win, but was she ready for that? Was she ready to kill someone? She shook her head. "What if you came with me?" The man stared at her for a good few moments. "I''ll ask Mr. Anderson if it''s OK." He stepped outside to make the call. A smile spread across her face. Time to start planning. Planning Looking over everything laid out, Nora frowned. 2 water bottles, a jacket, a phone (an old flip-style), several bags of beef jerky, and a knife. She never really carried a purse, and with her new wings, a backpack wasn''t going to work. If it weren''t for the food, she would have just put everything in her pockets, but the salad from the other day gave her a good reason to be picky with what she ate. Her ears perked as the door opened, and a messenger bag was thrown onto the bed. "Figured this might be easier for you to use." Bradly never ceased to amaze her. It was almost like he could read her mind. When Frank had called to ask if she could go explore the city, he began reading out a whole list of things she could go see. He even reminded them that it would probably be to late to go that day. Add on top of that the fact that when he got back to the hotel, he had the solution to her current problem already in hand, she had to wonder. "I just hope things go better tomorrow. I''m getting sick and tired of being told I''m defending ''monsters''." "Are they wrong? I mean, I''m not human, right?" Bradly sighed and put his head in his hands. "No, but if I don''t convince them otherwise, there''s no way they''ll let you stay." "Let me stay? Like, they''ll deport me?" "No?" His confusion hung in the air. "This is the UN we''re talking about." "Oh." The weight of the situation came to rest on Nora''s mind again. Before, it felt like the world didn''t care what happened to her. Bullied on the playground, the teachers didn''t care. Ganged up on while playing sports, coach didn''t stop them. Fired for... for nothing, why would the boss do anything about it. Hell, when she was robbed last summer, the cops acted like it was her fault. But now people payed attention to her, and she found herself wanting to go back to being nobody. To being able to walk outside. She didn''t like it, but the protection made sense now. As strong as she was, there was no way she would survive if something happened. Not without others getting hurt. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it "Get some rest. Hopefully having you out and about will show them that your just a normal person." Bradly left the room. Nora began packing her things. Once she finished, she curled up in the large recliner chair, careful to avoid hurting her tail again, and looked over the list of things they would try and do tomorrow. Battery Park in the morning, in an attempt to judge how the public would react. 9/11 memorial after that. Nora insisted on that one. Then Liberty Island. They wouldn''t be able to go inside, but it was enough to be able to go see it. Lunch would back at the hotel. They had debated if Central Park Zoo would be OK, but he eventually relented. Muttering something about wanting to keep her out of there. A brief stop at Radio City Music Hall (she really wanted to know what the big deal was), and, assuming everything up to then went well, they''d go see the Fringe Fest. It was a packed schedule, filled with a ton of travel. And she wouldn''t be allowed to travel by herself. She sighed, stood up, and headed to bed. Hopefully tomorrow would go well. Special Counsel Rubbing his temples as he sat in the car, Bradly quickly went over what he had just agreed to. How could he have been so stupid? If she did anything, it could ruin everything he had worked for. *You could restore the veil.* The thought crept up in his mind before he realized it, but he quickly dismissed it. The veil had been a crude attempt to ensure mythics had a chance to repopulate. It had done it''s job. There was no benefit to casting it again, as he would just have to deal with the aftermath in a couple hundred years anyways. Besides, he had no power yet. Imagine all the damage that would occur before it came back. No, instead, he needed to convince everyone in the counsel that keeping the mythics around was not just possible, but a good idea for humans. Had one of them changed, it would have been a simple task, but as it stood, he wasn''t even sure if any of them would. 2.6 billion potential mythics, and yet he was fairly sure not a single one was in that room. Compound on that the fact that he made himself look like a fool by suggesting that he would predict the next change, only to have nothing happen for a full week. With only 17 confirmed changes so far, most in those first 2 days, he didn''t have a strong base to work with. "We''re here sir." He stepped out of the car, quickly checked his hair, and made his way into the lobby. The center of the high skylight had been recently re-painted an emerald green. An odd change from the dark blue that marked most of the UN''s work. He presented his badge for the security officer, gave her a nod, and made his way into the large meeting room. Only a handful of the nearly 700 chairs were filled. He made his way to the front and sat down. "Glad to see you could make it, Mr Anderson" He couldn''t make out who was speaking. Probably someone near the back. Odd. "I understand you''ve let one of your pets loose on New York?" "She is not my pet." His temper began to flair. It wasn''t that he had some paternal care for her, quite the contrary. No, he just worried that if something happened to her, his life''s work would come crashing down. As much as she annoyed him, his success was pinned on her. "Actions speak louder than words Mr. Anderson. Or are you suggesting she''s something else?" "No," he stammered. A breath to collect himself, and he continued. "I just tend to be careful with how my assets are handled." Bradly was still searching for the source of the voice. "I see." Another man spoke, this one was easier to spot. He made himself clear, and stood with authority. Probably a general or something. "And yet your suggesting that we need to treat it like a human? Which is it Anderson, an asset or a human?" More irritation. The mythics were not human, but that didn''t mean they were something less. "Their neither. But that doesn''t change the point. I still feel they should be granted the same rights." "I see, sticking to the talking points. Tell me, if we were to grant this, what stops them from abusing their new found freedom." He bristled at the comment. New found? Had they already dismissed the fact that they were human? He decided to try a different angle. "What stops you from abusing it?" One of the men near the front row grinned. "Risk." It was the first man. His deep voice cut throught the room. How had he missed him? "The way I see it, the only reason society works as well as it does is because, in the end, we all have the same risks. And, as humans, we like living. So anything that might be too risky tends to be filed away." The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. "They have the same risks." Bradly pointed. "Do they?" The man''s eyebrow raised. "Would you really argue that a dragon has the same risks as a human? I don''t imagine a gun would be nearly as effective on scales as it would on flesh, do you?" "You''d be surprised. Besides, even so, body armor exists. What stops someone from just wearing that and going on a rampage?" The other man stayed silent. The smile didn''t drop, which made it difficult for Bradly to judge if he had won the argument, or if he was being tested. "Armor is only so effective. Get enough people together, and anyone would be in danger." "Then would that not apply to dragons as well?" "Maybe." A crack in the smile. Now we were getting somewhere. "We have yet to see." "Perhaps," a woman interjected. Bradly immediately spotted her on the 4th row. She felt aloof, likely worked as a CEO of some large multinational. "We shouldn''t be considering what the individuals would do, and focus on the whole. If what Anderson says is true, these creatures won''t outnumber us, but would still be formidable. And supposedly they still retain some memory of being humans. If this is true, I would be surprised if they were already trying to return to some kind of normal life." Another spark of hope lifted in his chest. If he could keep the conversation on the mythics'' humanity, Nora''s trip today could become powerful evidence. "Even so, this is all still hear-say. I''d like to see some evidence." Damn, he was already on top of that. "Agreed. At no point has Anderson provided any proof of his claims." "Does the half-dragon herself not count?" The brief appearance from the previous day was less than he had hoped for. Her shyness left her speechless in-front of the counsel. "Count for what? That he''s experimented like some mad doctor? The thing didn''t speak. It didn''t show any emotion. Hell, it barely followed his instruction. If that is what these... mythics are, I sure wouldn''t want them wandering the streets." The way he drew out the work mythics cut at Bradly. "No emotion?! She looked terrified!" At least she was still on his side. "Any animal can be afraid." "What? Were you asleep yesterday?" One of the men in the back stood up, waving a sheef of papers around. "We''ve got proof that she was human, right here!" "I don''t see how those prove anything." "Then are you suggesting that these records are wrong?" The man patted the papers as he waved them around. "Because if so, we have a much bigger problem on our hands!" "Bigger than a global threat from magic creatures?" "Yes!" The room fell silent. The message clear. Either she was human, or there would be far worse things to deal with. Bradly made a note to not mess with that man. He clearly commanded the room. After a moment, Bradly spoke again. "Then I assume we are on the same page." More silence. "I guess so. We''ll call for a full vote tomorrow. Thank you for your time." It wasn''t what he was looking for, but it would be enough for now. Time to make sure Nora''s day was going perfectly. For his sake. Day Trip "Dressed, bag packed, breakfast eaten, Frank... I guess he''s ready?" Nora approached the door and lightly knocked. "You ready Frank?" The lock clicked and she pulled the door open. She was beginning to wonder if he ever slept. He had never once left the door, or if he had, she didn''t know about it. "You sleep well last night?" "Your security is my priority right now." "Uh hu, and you can keep me safe without sleep?" He pulled down the sunglasses, emerald green flashing in his eyes. A fountain of energy just behind them. "You don''t need to worry about me." The glasses once again perched on the bridge of his nose, he pulled out his phone. "Is the car ready? Good. We''re headed down now." Nora threw the bag over her shoulder, only to have it catch on her wings. She fiddled with it till she had managed to lever the strap over the wing, then her head. It didn''t fit perfectly, but she could see how it was superior to a backpack. Not to mention easy access. As she stepped out the door, the realization of what was happening hit her. She was going to be in public, for the first time since... since she changed. People were actually going to see her. See what she had become. She shivered at the thought, then moved quickly to keep up with Frank, having already reached the elevators. --- Bradly had been reviewing the plan for the past 20 minutes, over and over. As if the repetition would ensure the world worked as he needed. He would be dropped off at the UN headquarters, Frank and Nora would head to the park. A few hours there (Bradly insisted that she try and interact with people.) A stop by the memorial, then on to the ferry. A hour at Liberty Island (no gift shop), and back on the ferry. Meet back at the hotel for lunch. On to Central Park, a tour through the zoo, and finally Radio City Hall. Meet again for dinner, then catch one of the performances at Fringe Fest. The plan was simple, and left plenty of extra time in-case something went wrong. Not that anything would, or could, go wrong. Bradly was instantiate on this part. The small phone still sat in her pocket. Should she get separated from Frank, or if something happened to her, a single button would connect her to Bradly. "Even at the slightest provocation, you call, understand?" It wasn''t the first time he tried to make that point. In all that, Nora wasn''t really paying attention. Her mind was focused on the world outside the door. People moving about. Cars slowly making their way through the streets, like blood pumping through the veins of the city. Every person who looked their way made her tense. She kept trying to remind herself that they couldn''t see through the glass. That it was only the limo they were staring at. It still caught her off guard. Those thoughts had been so loud in her head, she nearly missed Bradly leaving. "See you at lunch!" His charming smile flashed before the door closed. He had really made things easy so far. No one worried about her. No fear of her draconian scales. Her ice cold stare. She wanted to see the world, but now reality was about to force itself upon her, and she was terrified. She clutched the phone in her hand. He was going so far out of his way for her. But why? What did he gain? Or... did any of that matter? The way he looked at her, he was like an older brother. Her heart sped up a tick. Why? The question repeated. What had she done to gain his attention? Frank''s hand on her shoulder nearly caused her to scream. "We''re here." "Oh. Ok." Stepping out of the limo, she immediately received a few looks. Though, not nearly as many as she expected. Did people not notice? Or was her change... Had she exaggerated it in her mind? "Let''s go." Frank began walking to the park as the limo pulled away. But Nora stood, frozen. "Are you alright?" "I-I''m... Uh..." She stammered. Words failed to find her, and she wasn''t sure why. She quickly latched onto his arm, and they walked on. Fall had brought some brilliance to the park. Red, orange, yellow. The color was everywhere. Being from the Midwest, she hadn''t seen such vibrant color before. Sure, leaves changed color in the fall, but this was breathtaking. It must have been a strange sight indeed. A fierce dragon-lady, clutching the arm of a CIA agent, while gawking at the trees. Her head began to feel light as the moment overwhelmed her. She dare not look around to see what others might have thought. Frank would take care of that. They stopped at a small cart, and he picked up some coffee. She wasn''t thirsty, but the warm cup felt wonderful in her hands. She hadn''t notice how cold her body had got, but as she sipped, she felt the heat flow through her. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. As her nerves began to calm, she looked around. People moved here and there, paying her no mind. They came to a bench and sat down. A man and a boy, likely his son, ran in the park, throwing a Frisbee back and forth. A lady jogged by, dog running beside her. A couple sat under a tree, talking. No one seemed to care that the strange creature was sitting there. Nora sighed. If this was the worst it would be, she might actually be OK. An older man sat down next to them. His grey hair tucked neatly under the black bowler hat that sat on his head. A comb mustache sat over his lip. He was watching the Frisbee throwers. "It''s really a wonderful time, isn''t it?" Nora froze. She wanted to believe he was talking to someone else, but there wasn''t anyone else around. And she doubted he was talking to Frank. "I do enjoy coming down here to see the leaves change." His voice sounded gruff. A bit older, maybe 50 or so? She wasn''t sure how to respond. He was acting like this was the most normal thing he had done all day. "Uh, ya. It''s nice, I guess." She reached a hand up behind her head. "How are you enjoying the city?" Nora started. How did he know she wasn''t from here? "Oh child, your thoughts are written on your face." "Uh... They are?" He chuckled, a smile spread across his face. "Indeed." "Oh. Well... it''s been interesting." She quickly added, "I guess." "Haven''t been here long then?" "Only a couple days." She was reminded how much time she spend staring at the hotel walls. What she had seen was either from her hotel window, or from the limo as the drove around. "You can see a lot in just a few days." "Eh. I''m just glad to be outside again." The man glanced at her. "Is that so?" Nora began to squirm. It felt like an interrogation. And yet he kept avoiding the obvious question. "Um..." He laughed again. "You seemed like a nice kid. Didn''t think it was too important." What? Was he reading her mind? "I''ve sen quite a bit in my time. Strange things are just a part of life here, you know?" "Oh." Now Bradly''s choice started to make sense. Perhaps the people here just didn''t care that much. Or that weird things didn''t have a real effect on them? She had only been here a few days, but the past few minutes were already beginning to make sense. Time seems to slip by as she spoke to the old man, and before she knew it, Frank was pulling her toward the memorial. Her focus snapped back to reality. 18 years she had put this off, and now, with everything going on, she wasn''t sure she was ready yet. As they approached the memorial, memories began to flash through her head. She had been young, only 6 when it happened, but things began to reach forward again. A smile, brown tussled hair. The water from the memorial was deafening, and she felt something well up inside her. Frank sat down, and she approached the wall alone. Her talons brushed against the stone, but she quickly pulled back, worried she might damage the wall. Her eyes darted between the names, searching frantically. Slusser, Small, Smar, Smart, Smith. Kevan, Loydd, Sam Sam Smith. The name clung to her. She reached out, carefully placing a finger over the name. She wanted to scratch it out. Rip the stone from the wall. Like destroying the name would change history. Again, she felt something inside. Something welling up. Her eyes began to water, but no tears flowed. Instead, fine membranes began to flash across. *Of course.* She thought. *I don''t even get to cry for her.* But the pain still grew. Her chest felt like it was on fire. Every inch of her, screaming inside. Before she knew it, she fell to her knees and cried out. What came was not a cry, or sobbing, but a roar. It felt like the whole city could hear it. People turned, but not out of fear. She didn''t care why, but those nearby could feel her pain. Not in a "I''ve been there" or an "I can relate" way, but in the most pure way possible. Everyone in the block felt it. As if they had lived her life, and this one moment, a moment of loss, of anguish, of utter defeat, resonated with them. As soon as she stopped, the moment ended. Frank stepped over, and offered her his hand. "If it means anything, I understand." She glared at him, unaware of what had just transpired. He paused for a moment, letting her contemplate her next action. She stood, ignoring his hand, and began to walk away. "We''re going to miss the ferry if we don''t leave now." Outburst The silence of the limo had become oppressive. No one wanted to say any longer than they had to. Bradly had suggested changing lunch to a restaurant he had seen on his way back. Unfortunately, that ment dealing with traffic. Both men had kept quiet after Frank described the afternoon events. Despite the heavy atmosphere, Nora seemed content. Staring out the window, she watched as people milled about, doing whatever it was that they were doing. The nervousness from the morning was gone. And despite the event at the memorial, she seemed happy, as if nothing had happened. Frank and Bradly tried to discuss the events at the UN, but kept being interrupted by Nora''s excited comments about different things outside. Bradly frowned. At this rate, he wouldn''t be able to discuss the next action with Frank. Things may have been moving forward, but the incident may have set things back. Without details from Frank, he wasn''t able to move forward, and Nora straight up refused to discuss it, acting as if nothing had happened. Nora made another passing comment about a pedestrian, and Bradly exploded. "ENOUGH!" His rage left Nora stunned. He paused to catch his breath. "Look, something happened, and I NEED to know what. If you''re not going to tell me, at least let me discuss it with Frank. Or do you want this to fall apart, cause at this rate, that is EXACTLY what will happen." Nora kept her mouth shut. "Right. Ok, so what happened?" Frank held for a moment, contemplating the scenario. "I believe she used some form of magic." Nora''s eyes grew wide. Magic? Was she actually capable of that? "Right, I see. Well, then I''ll need to add magic study to the list of things. Any idea what the effect was?" "No. But whatever it was, it had a long range, likely several blocks." "Anyone else notice it?" "No. Or... Not in a way that mattered." Bradly sighed. "And do we know what caused it?" Frank looked toward Nora, causing her to recoil. Was he mad at her? Had she caused this? She wasn''t even certain what had happened. "It seemed to be an emotional response. Involuntary." This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. "Hmm. We may have to cancel the rest of today''s plans then. Cant have it happen again." Nora immediately sank. Her one day out was already over? What did she do wrong? Her sudden expression must have been obvious, as Bradly quickly tried to consul her. "You didn''t do anything wrong. But if you''re expressing magic already, then we have to be careful. Dragon magic is highly sensitive to emotion, and you... well. You don''t exactly hide your emotions." The old man said the same thing. Was she really that obvious? She sank deeper into the seat. Bradly knocked on the window to the driver. "We need to head back to the hotel after all." "Of course sir." Bradly sighed. If her magic was coming back now, they would have to continue her tour after she had some training. It was unlikely that she even knew she had done something. Seeing her face, he felt compelled to do something. Everything was going well, things were working out, so why did it feel like it was already falling apart? A familiar, yet foreign, feeling fell over him. Like a cold blanket. Dread. Something was wrong. He banged on the window. "Stop!" The limo lurched. "Is everything alright sir?" But he didn''t give a response. A single look to Frank told everything and the two quickly hopped out. The feeling was still there, but no one was panicking. Was he mistaken? It had never failed him before. Nothing around them was out of the ordinary, and he couldn''t pinpoint any magic sources. Perhaps his lack of magic access was preventing him from finding the source. Nora started to open her door. "NO! Stay inside! Let us figure out what is going on." She complied. "Sir, I believe something is suppressing the area." "No shit! Do you at least have an idea of where it''s coming from?" "No. Whatever it is, it''s hiding well." Cars continued to move around them, several honking as they tried to pass the parked limo. "Well, we can''t just stand here. Time to" He was cut off as a roar ripped through the air. Black wings filled the sky, and a jet of fire ripped between the buildings. Bradly stood in shock. "How the HELL did we miss that one!?" Dragon The dragon perched itself on-top of a nearby building. It''s large yellow eyes narrowed, and focused directly on the trio, waiting. "Frank, get the building security up to date and let me know when we can get up there." "Already on it." Frank moved quickly. Far faster than one would expect for a man of his size. "Nora, are you ok?" She merely whimpered from inside the limo. The whole scene had overwhelmed her. Bradly was feeling it too. This whole thing was a disaster. He could only pray that the UN wouldn''t take this development into account. Ya, fat chance. Where had it come from? His pocket began to buzz. "Hello? Yes. Ya, no shit. I don''t know. No, it''s sitting right here. Uh... probably Skelis. Ya. Look, do you have any idea where it came from? Right, kind of figured. Well, keep your eyes peeled. As soon as anyone has an idea, I want to be the first to know. Right." He hung up, a stream of curses fell from his mouth. The beast continued to remain still, as if waiting for something. Where was Frank? The building should have been secured by now. Nora poked her head out, smelling the air. "Is... that another dragon?" "You can smell it?" "Ya, I think so." He pointed to the winged creature, still perched on the top of the building. Sirens began to sound as people pointed. "Seems we missed it. Frank is getting me access to the building now." "What about me?" She had gone from scared to curious in a matter of moments. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. "You? Your staying here. Not going to take any chances with you." Her ears tilted down. She was getting tired of being bossed around. "I''m serious. I cant have you causing another scene. My work is too important for that." *His work?!* Her tail twitched irregularly as the idea sunk in. *So I''m just a pawn to him after all.* "Get back in the car." She didn''t move, her eyes narrowing the only reaction. "NOW!" "I''m done listening to you." A growl crept through her words. "And I''m done dealing with you. You keep pretending this is all about you. It''s so much more. There''s no way you could comprehend what''s really..." He stopped, then smiled. Nora was taken aback as he began to laugh. Her rage continued to burn, but was slowly replaced with confusion. Instinctively, she tilted her head. "What''s so funny?" She growled. Bradly brought himself under control. "I''ll explain later, but for now, your coming with me." "Wait, wha..?" Bradly cut her off by dragging her to the front door. The pieces were clicking together. Why he had trouble focusing on the counsel meeting, how she convinced him to let her travel, why no one seemed to pay attention to her. Hell, it even explained how he missed a new mythic. If he was right, he new exactly how to confirm it. Frank stepped through the door, his face showing no obvious emotion. "Sorry sir, they''re refusing." "No worries. I''ve got an idea." Empath The look he gave made it clear he had something in mind. As he grabbed Nora''s wrist, he mumbled something under his breath and pulled her toward the door. She had half a mind to slap him, but a larger part was curious as to what he was thinking. Had he gone mad? Or was this some spark of inspiration? The implications of the former scared her, but the results of the latter were all to familiar. "Are you going to tell me what your thinking?" He turned to face her, still moving toward the door. "I figured out your magic! Dragons had always needed to guard their emotion. That''s what powers their magic. Anger grants fire, hence the ability to breath it. Happiness can heal, both themselves and the surroundings. And sadness can twist the weather around them. All powerful, but all requiring emotion. But you!" He broke into laughter. "You have a different take on it. Imagine what you could do!" She began to sneer, "I would if you would tell me." He paused, looking like he was about to break something. Then, just as quickly, he calmed down. "Are you familiar with what an empath does?" Nora shook her head. "An empath can read the feelings of others. Not a terribly offensive power, but it''s far easier to convince a spy to turn traitor if you know that they don''t like their boss." She cocked her head, "So I''m one of those? Doesn''t seem that useful here." He shook his head. "No, what you have is far more powerful. You are a manipulator. Think a reverse-empath. You can change and control the emotions of others." Her eyes lit up. "So, when you were angry with me earlier?" "You passed your anger off." A look of guilt fell from her eyes. "No no, it''s not your fault. Emotional magic is hard to control for even the strongest. The only real control is to manage your emotions. That will just take time. For now," He tilted her head to meet his eyes, "just follow my lead. OK?" A quick nod confirmed her intentions. The two made their way up the steps and into the tower. A clerk sat behind the desk, busily typing away as they approached. He nodded to the sign on the desk, No Solicitors. Bradly turned to her and asked, "Are you nervous?" She was about to respond, but a quick wink told her to take it in stride. It took a moment, but by allowing the thoughts of all the people surrounding her, she began to feel. The clerk quickly responded, looking up at Bradly, who now seemed far more intimidating. "Look, I don''t know who is in charge here, but if they don''t get down here now we''re going to have a serious problem." The intensity of his voice was unexpected. "Uh, sorry sir, but.." The clerk was barely able to compose himself. Nora flinched as she realized just how much effect she was having, now that she focused on it. The clerk sputtered, before getting up and rushing off. Bradly sighed, "Good, that should get things in gear. Can you do complacent?" She raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean?" "That guy upstairs is likely not interested in listening to us. If you can get him into some kind of accepting mood, we may be able to just ask him to leave. Think you can make that happen?" This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. She pondered for a minute. It was an odd request. It was clear what she needed, but how is that suppose to feel? She began combing through memories as the clerk came back with a gentleman in a suit. "I understand there is some issue here?" He spoke with authority, but seemed ignorant of the beast on the roof. "Issue? You mean the 10 foot serpent on the roof isn''t an issue?" Bradly was playing the pissed officer very well. Or was he actually mad about it? She couldn''t tell. What she could do is be curious about it. "Serpent? Would you care to show me what you mean?" The man followed them outside to see what Bradly was referring to. His curiosity was tinged with fear when he saw the large black dragon perched on the edge of the roof. It was staring right at them. "Oh, that." "We''re here to take care of it. Now are you going to let us do our job, or not?" Looking between the two, the man must have just noticed Nora''s odd form. "Oh. OH! Uh, yes, of course, whatever you need." The two nodded to each other and made their way to the elevator. As it rose, Nora sighed. Trying to maintain her emotions like that was hard. Bradly smiled. "You''re doing alright. Just try not to panic when we get up there. Ok?" She nodded, even as a bit of fear began to creep in. She pushed it down. He needed her strength more than her weakness. The door opened and another roar filled the sky. Bradly stepped determinedly up to the dragon, as Nora followed, less so. "Ok, what is your business up here?" The dragon lowered his head to be eye level with Bradly. They glared at each other, seeming to stare themselves down. The beast pulled back and began to speak, his scaled muzzle leaving the words rough and grating. "I was sent to find Nora. Seems I am already too late." Bradly''s eyes shot up. He was here for her? How did he even know she existed?! He turned to Nora, to make sure she was ok. But the surprise on her face was plain as day. "Before you ask, no, I don''t know her. He said so long as I brought her back, I was free to act here as I desired. And there are plenty of fine things to acquire while I am present. So, if you will hand her over." Bradly''s anger flared again as he turned back around. *Seems Nora isn''t to fond of this idea either.* He thought to himself. "While I am not her keeper, I will defend her, and you will go no further. Am I clear?" The dragon chuffed. "So be it. He warned me not to trifle with you, but don''t think I am afraid of you. I will return for her. You can be assured of that." With that, he spread his massive leather wings and took off. Gasps and screams from the street filled the air. Bradly turned to thank Nora, but found her shivering on the ground. It took a moment for him to realism that she was crying. "I''m sorry. I knew I was going to be ok, but I was still afraid. I''m sorry for making you worry." Afraid? He hadn''t felt a thing. Wait. He had. The truth hit him like a tone of bricks. He helped her to her feet. "Looks like I might have been wrong. Emotions aren''t the only thing you broadcast." Manipulator The limo was once again silent. Bradly was staring out the window while Nora continued to ponder his last statement. What exactly was she "broadcasting"? She had waited for him to finish the thought, but wasn''t surprised when he started to leave instead. It seemed like something he would do. Perhaps he was waiting till they were somewhere safer. Didn''t change the oppressive silence. People still didn''t seem to mind her presence, which she was thankful for. She had worried about it up until that morning. Some part of her assumed that maybe, just maybe, people didn''t care? Maybe they thought it was a costume, or some fancy trick. Or maybe she just wasn''t weird enough to register. Didn''t change how much she hated it. She wouldn''t tell him, but she couldn''t stand being like this. The scales, the wings, all of it was wrong. All of it wasn''t her. She continued to fume about that as the limo pulled back up to the hotel, and they made their way back to the top. He closed the door of the hotel room and sighed. "Ok, I think we should be fine for the moment. Look, what I''m about to tell you might be a bit scar..." He wrinkled his nose as another thought crossed, but he waived it away and continued, "Uh. Right. Point is, whatever happens now, it''s not your fault. Or I should say, it is, but no one can blame you. A power like this is not something anyone can easily control. But it does explain almost everything." She had flopped onto the bed as soon as she entered the room, but upon hearing his word, sat up. Her ears drooped just a bit. "Should I be worried?" "Maybe? If you are, that''s fine. It doesn''t actually change anything. The truth is, your power seems to align with a particular magic thread known as Planetary Alignment. It''s a bit of a misnomer, but the idea is sound. As a Manipulator, your emotions should affect those around you, rather that just yourself. But combine with Planetary Alignment, it goes from affecting people nearby, to affecting everything near by. In a strange twist, when I told you that you changed people emotions, it actually worked like that. At least until something stronger took over. It explains why no one has reacted to you. You didn''t want them to, so they didn''t. You didn''t want to change, so you stopped. I suspect that may even be why the mythic transformations in general are so slow." Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! Her expression flew through emotions. Sadness, anger, surprise, they all made an appearance. What settled was confusion. "So, wait, I just think something, and it happens?" He shook his head. "No no, it''s based more around your beliefs and convictions. Specifically the ones that have emotions tied to them. If there is a strong emotion tied to something, it''s more likely to have an effect. You also have to truly believe it. Simply suggesting an idea wont an instant effect." Nora thought back. Was there anything she truly believed that wasn''t true? She shook her head. That was a stupid question. Of course it would be true. Right? "Perhaps the incident at the memorial has some more answers?" Bradly turned to Frank. Frank just shook his head. "Sorry. I still don''t fully understand what happened there." Nora spoke quietly. "I just wanted to forget." She took a deep breath. "She didn''t need to be there. She didn''t need to die. I just wanted to forget, so I could stop hurting." Bradly nodded. "Makes sense. Your desire to forget must have been what got broadcast." "That doesn''t explain the dragon," Frank interrupted, "or why you couldn''t sense it." "No, but I have a good reason to think she had nothing to do with that." "Why is that?" "Because I think I know who is actually responsible for that one." Bradly tented his fingers, as if ready to tell them, but he kept quiet. Many moments later, he continued. "Right now, the most important part is ensuring you are focused and attentive. You might not be able to corral or control this power, but by recognizing the triggers, we can work out what it might be doing. That itself is a huge help." Nora had been staring at the floor for this whole time. If she had something to add, she didn''t say it. "We should head back now. He''ll be looking for you here, and the last thing we need is you ending up in the wrong hands." Control The flight home was quiet. Bradly discussed the expectations of the next counsel meeting with Frank, while she slept. Somewhere along the way she got a message from her landlord. Told her she lost the deposit, and wasn''t allowed back. Just as well, everything she owned was ash. At least she could stay at the mansion. Bradly''s phone rang. "Anderson. Yep, headed back now. Which one was that? Ah, right." He pulled the phone away and turned to the pilot. "Any chance we can change the flight to North Dakota?" "Where exactly?" "Watforn" The pilot tapped on one of the screens. "Uh... I think so. Let me call it in." He brought the phone back. "Sounds good. We''re still a couple hours out. Yep. Tell Paul I said hi." Putting the phone down, he turned to Nora, smiling. "Ready to see what you can do?" She wasn''t sure if it was the statement, or the fact that he smiled as he said it, but a chill ran down her spine. Despite her reservation, she nodded. "Good. We''re dealing with a basilisk. Think a giant snake, but it can..." She cut him off, glaring. "I''ve played enough D&D to know what a basilisk is. I''m not stupid." She was trying to be serious, but the joy of maybe being able to help someone was rising to the surface. Bradly let out a laugh. "Ah, good. Well, his name is Simon. My college Paul has been looking after him, but they need some help smoothing things over with his housemates." Nora eyed him suspiciously, "And how can I help with that?" "Simple. You''re still sitting in the divide between Humans and Mythics. You''re able to connect with people, while understanding the frustrations of living with such radical changes. It''s all about perspective." His eyes gleamed as he spoke. It was clear he had been planning this for a while, but his excitement now was palpable. Nora leaned back, only to jump as she accidentally pinched her wings against the seat. Two weeks and she still wasn''t use to them. With everything going on, she hadn''t had time to even try and see if they could support her, so for the time, they''d been just getting in the way. The mood in the plane immediately dropped, and she was reminded of the effect she had on others. She needed to get some control over this. "Um. So about this," she paused, unable to find the right word. "Um. Eh..." Bradly jumped in, "Your magic? Yes, what about it?" "Is it something I should be worried about? Can you do anything about it?" He looked off, thinking. The answers weren''t great. Yes and No, but not in the order he''d like. But if he just told her that, she might panic. Course, there was a good chance she would panic anyways. Emotionally driven magic was dangerous like that. The first step would be to help her remain calm. Without strong backing emotions, whatever effect she might have would be minimized. It wasn''t much, and she would have to do all the work, but it would be a start. Better than nothing, right? This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it "I wouldn''t worry about it right now. Best we can do is to focus on keeping it under control." He relayed, cool and collected. "I thought you said I couldn''t control it." "No, but you can control the energy source." She tiled her head, "What would that be?" "Your emotions." More tilt, the other way this time. "I thought I was broadcasting my emotions? Did I miss something?" "No, but I can see the confusion. Lets not focus on that though. Instead, I''m going to lead you through a few exercise. They should help you remain calm. Calm means no energy, and thus no danger." He winced as he said the last sentence, worried she would get the wrong idea, but she didn''t seem to notice. The rest of the flight went quietly. Nora kept practicing the techniques he had taught her, and before she knew it, they had touched down. A tall man with short brown hair greeted them on the runway. After exchanging greetings with Bradly, he turned to Nora. "Ah, you must be Nora. I''m Paul Huber. I''ve been working with Bradly for some time now. Glad to finally meet you." He extended a hand, to which she just stared. Like the old man on the bench, he acted as if this was the most normal thing he had done. It was a bit unsettling, but left a weird comfort. She wasn''t weird, and things were fine. After a moment, she finally took his hand. "It''s good to meet you." Her words were strong and confident, something she didn''t expect. "Shall we?" Another limo awaited the 4 of them. "Has Bradly brought you up to date on what we''re dealing with?" Nora nodded. "A basilisk named Simon?" Paul flashed a smile, "Good! We''re all on the same page then." "How did you find him?" He looked to Bradly. "You''d be amazed what Brad can do. Found the guy at a house party. Something to do with some gaming thing." "D&D?" "Ya I think that''s what they called it. Somehow they had found actual swords and were attacking the poor guy. Claimed one of them had brought him there as a challenge. Strange kids." "No Paul," Bradly interrupted, " that''s actually a fairly normal reaction. It would have been strange if they treated it as normal. You really are getting too close to this." Paul smiled. "Maybe. Good thing you have Nora now. Better perspective." The limo began to slow. "Ah, here we are." Simon For a house occupied by a giant snake, it was very well maintained. Stepping inside, Nora immediately noticed the size of the room. Despite what she had been told, it didn''t feel cramped. This was the living room, and somehow 4 guys were suppose to live here? She remembered her time in collage, how even just Julia and her took up twice this space. Somehow they had managed to pack a TV and table, a full size couch, a recliner, two beanbags, and a smaller couch. And yet it still felt like there might be room left over. And somehow a basilisk lived here. Is that the problem? Did he not have enough room? She took another deep breath, trying not to get worked up. Three in, one... two.. three... Four out... one... two... three... four... She felt her arms relax. She was here to help. That worked better if she wasn''t stressed herself, right? You''re the guys from the Society, hu? Nora jumped. The thought had popped into her head, but she didn''t recognize it as her own. Paul said you were going to help? She heard a strange, almost trilled, hissing. Not sure how you can help. Kile is insistent that I have to leave. Now she was certain it wasn''t her. "Do you want to leave?" Bradly asked to the empty room. No, but is it really my call? Bradly looked expectantly at Nora. Right, this was suppose to be her conversation. But who was she talking to? As if to respond, the black beanbag began to move. She hadn''t seen anyone sitting in it, so the movement startled her. Looking closer, she realized there wasn''t anyone sitting in it. Slowly unfolding, the bag morphed into a giant snake. Simon. He had curled up in just the perfect way so as to appear like the red one. She was completely taken aback. "Uh... Sorry, didn''t see you there." She stammered the words out just as quickly as she could, then paused, repeating her breathing. Three in, one... two.. three.. Four out... one. two three. The panic continued to rise. Something deep insider her began to claw it''s way out. Some primal urge. She tried to reason herself out of it. Simon was human, like her. What possible reason would she have to be afraid of him. thump. He was just another person trapped in this shitty situation. thump. All she needed to do was talk to him. thump. thump. What was that damn thumping?! thump. thump. Simon had stopped moving, his green eyes fixated on her. thump. thump. His eyes held her gaze, rooting her in place. Something floated inside them, like a wisp. Or as soul. thump. thump. Time slowed. The stare down seemed to last forever. thump. thump. She kept looking at him. thump. thump. even as he moved away. thump. thump. what... thump. thump. She held still, just staring. Nora clutched at her chest, falling to the floor. thump thump The beating getting louder with every second. thump thump Cries of pain erupting from her mouth. Thump Thump... Thump Thump Simon had slithered to the other side of the room, his voice echoing in her head. Thump Thump I''m sorry! I don''t know what came over me, his distress palpable. Thump Thump I didn''t mean to hurt her. Bradly was standing over her, saying something, but she couldn''t hear him over the pounding in her ears. Thump Thump Stars filled her vision. She tried to hold on, refusing to let herself slip. thump, thump... thump, thump. The pounding continued. He said something, and at once the pain quit. A moment after, black. --- "... that there was a natural conflict. So long as she doesn''t learn the truth, it should be resolvable." Bradly was sitting on one of the beanbags. No wait, the only beanbag, she reminded herself. She had been moved to the small couch. "The truth of what?" She attempted to lift her head, only to be met with argument from it. Whatever had happened had left her reeling. "Hu? Oh, you''re awake. Um... just that..." Bradly began stammering. He hadn''t expected her to hear that part. There are some pests in our neighborhood. Apparently that''s what''s been driving me crazy. Bradly mentioned you might have been able to fix that if you didn''t know about it. Simon had laid himself out in front of the TV, eyes fixated on it. The TV was off. "Right." He was diverting. Hiding something. She attempted to prop herself up again, to no avail. Clutching her head, she sank back into the soft cushions. I''m sorry about that. Really. I guess I was startled. Hopefully you can forgive me. She was more interested in the how than the why. Things like how he managed to give her such a headache, how he was talking to her, or how he didn''t immediately turn her to stone. That last question felt like the important one. "Uh... Ugh. Um." She was having trouble getting the right words. "Not that I''m complaining, but don''t basilisk petrify people when they look at them?" Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Bradly nodded, "A fair question." Actually, I''d like to know the same. Jeffery was reading the manual yesterday and ask the same question. Is something wrong with me? Manual? What kind of manual? Was this some pamphlet that Bradly had been giving out? Why didn''t she get one? "What manual?" That was all she could get out. Oh, the Monster Manual. We were playing D&D when it happened. Right. Bradly had mentioned that. "Truth is, basilisk don''t petrify their victims. They just disable them with psionics. A headache can immobilize someone very quickly, with the added bonus of stopping a spellcaster from getting in an attack." He looked briefly at Simon. "Don''t get any ideas." A knock on the door rattled Nora yet again. It was like the morning after her collage bender. She learned quickly to avoid drinking at parties if she wanted to wake up in the morning. Frank stepped in with a plastic bag. "Got the pain killers." He handed the bottle to Bradly. "These usually don''t work on dragons, but I''ve never tried with a half-dragon." He handed to two white ovals to Nora. "Simon, can you get us some water?" Sure. He slithered off. Some clinking in the other room, followed by a crash, and he was back. Nora gratefully took the glass and downed both pills. "Thank you. Soon as she''s better, we can get back to discussing your situation." Nora took that as permission to fall asleep again, and quickly passed out. --- Nora woke to a smell wafting to her. Earthy, with a hint of lemon. Tea. Bradly must have left it for her. The remnants of her headache were slipping away. What had she done last night? She took a moment before realizing she wasn''t home. The sky was dark. Right, she had passed out at Simon''s house. How long was she out? She shook her head, clearing the thoughts. It didn''t matter, she was here to help. She slowly sat up on the couch. Whatever he had given her, it was working beautifully. "Awake again?" She nodded. "Good. Jeffery should be back any minute now." He went out to get food. There''s a Chinese place around the corner. I don''t suppose you have any objections? Nora shook her head. Food was food. She''d just eat the chicken or beef and give the rest to Bradly. "You ok?" She nodded again, then followed up, "Ya." "Right. So Simon, could you explain what the problem is?" He looked hesitant, which thinking about it, was quite an expression for a giant snake. It''s a lot of thing really. Lost my job, can''t easily help around the apartment, taking up too much room. I don''t blame them, but it''s frustrating to not be able to do anything about it. Nora thought about it for a moment, then exclaimed "Night Guard!" Both Bradly and Simon looked at her questioningly. Then Bradly smiled, "Of course! Telepathic communications makes notifying of intruders easy and covert, and being able to literally stare down people would be a plus." Simon still didn''t look on board. Why would anyone hire me? "Leave that to me." And the apartment? Nora sat back, sipping the tea. It was a Jasmin tea with honey and a touch of lemon. Bradly''s favorite. "Hmmm..." This was more complicated. Seeing him appear from what she thought was a beanbag ment he didn''t take up much room, so that problem seemed silly, but helping out? His tail seemed capable, as he brought the glass of water, but if the crash in the kitchen ment anything, it probably wasn''t that dexterous. And she was sure scales were a problem. She had gotten use to having to clean up shed scales from time to time, but that was as easy as picking them up and tossing them. Without hands, this made things more complicated. "I mean, as far as I see it, there really is only the problem of cleaning the scales. Take care of that, and there really isn''t an issue, is there?" Flicking his tongue out, he thought There really isn''t enough space here. "What about earlier, when I got here? You weren''t taking up much room then." No, but... The thought trailed off. Hu, I guess not. "And now? I see 4 people here, and still plenty of room." She was again reminded of her collage days. How did they take up so much room? Ya, but... No, I guess you''re right. She could feel relief in his thoughts. Her ears perked. Something delicious was outside, and she could smell it. She was already on her feet when the door opened. "Foods here!" Finally, she hadn''t had anything to eat all day.