The Mind of a Child

[Katrias Lyseer]

Two sets of legs made their way to the medical ward's waiting room. One was shorter and stocky, while the other were the legs of perhaps an adolescent girl. They continued at a normal pace, neither brisk or relaxed. To at least one of them, it was a normal every day job. The other, the adolescent girl, on the other hand, had been there just to tag along, however improbable that seemed to those that knew her.

She had been talking to him about something long and drawn out, but it didn't take them long to be in the hearing range of both the halfling, Kin, and Anastasia.

"And you wouldn't believe what he did after that. Placed a couple of the wrong things together, and before he knew it, the whole place was burning down. He definitely was good at it." She paused a quick moment before continuing. "You know Shandon, at least you understand me. I swear the rest of the guild just doesn't get it." Katrias said, completely oblivious to the fact that Shandon hadn't said a single word since in the last few minutes of their conversation.

[Linwelin]

Kin Sheel

It was obvious that Ana was uncomfortable in the room, no matter what words were said. Not that Kin blamed her, as this whole wing was completely different and separate from the guild's normal style. In her mind, she probably wasn't even home any longer. She wouldn't let the clerics take a look at her at this rate. Finally, Kin spoke up.

"Would sticking with her through the tests ruin things? She seems pretty uncomfortable, so staying close would probably keep her calm." Once again, they were shocked and took a moment to respond. Kin. Considerate? Everyone in the room had immediately thought that their life dreams were possible in the face of this miracle.

"Well, we're not doing anything intensive, so I don't see why not. The head cleric finally stammered out. "And on that note, we're just about ready. Please step onto the platform, you two." They had prepared a small ritual circle, with a font of holy water and other divine spell materials. It was a very proper setup that Kin knew well enough. But something was off about it, and on queue, the man spoke up. "It'll still work fine, but usually there should be another member for the ritual. So it may lack a little strength, but I don't think it'll be a problem.

It was then that everyone heard another young girl's voice from outside the doors. It was a voice many knew well, but none expected to have this tone. Was that...slightly cheerful? "That...can't be Katrias. Can it?"

But sure enough, Katrias came right through the doors, with someone Kin hadn't met before. An odd dwarf with white eyes and dark skin and hair. Odder still, he seemed to be listening to Katrias intently, for what seemed to be one of her ranting stories. Commendable.

Shandon Crystalslayer

"..."

Shandon was listening to Katrias' tale of mishaps and frustration diligently. The main reason? It wasn't often that someone talked to  him this long, so he was curious what kind of person would overlook that fact he hadn't said a word for a good 20 minutes. She seemed intelligent, but rather condescending, which was odd for someone so young that was surrounded by elders. He concluded she was talented, but due to that talent, was left alone. In short, she needed someone to listen to what she normally keeps to herself, but shouldn't. He knew that feeling well enough from times past. It was something he didn't really get much of, and so he thought, before that isolation truly began effecting her, he would lend her an ear. After all, there was not much else he could do in this regard.

In truth, the story was actually rather enjoyable, once you were able to look past her rather insulting words. It'd actually brought him to occasionally chuckle. So really, it wasn't much of a sacrifice listening to the rant. This was even more apparent at her sudden paused words. Shandon beamed a tight-lipped, warm smile her way, before turning it to a grin and cocking a eyebrow jokingly to address her last sentence. "...Idiots?..." His only word. In 20 minutes.

Pushing open the doors, he was greeted by an unexpected sight. A halfling with a grand reputation for both his swordsmanship and speech stood before him with a little girl. He gathered from the positioning and surrounding that they were going to be examining the little girl, and with a rather strong ritual.

"What's...wrong...?" He said, with a somewhat worried expression.

"Oh! Perfect timing, Shandon. Could we get your help with the ritual? It will be more stable that way. And perhaps you could help us detect anything. You're very perceptive, so we'd appreciate it." he then turned to Katrias. "And Miss Lyseer, it's good to see you. We'd actually appreciate your eye for the arcane, as well. Just in case. No need to strain, just to watch." He said with a hopeful smile.

Shandon simply nodded, his expression becoming determined. He looked to Katrias to confirm what was happening. "Talk later..." He said, then motioned to the group with a sideways nod of his head. "Work."

After the small exchange, Shandon walked up to see what was to be done. First, though, he went to the young girl. "Don't...worry..." He said, then pointing to her torso, indicating her for his next word. "Safe."

[Anastasia Sheel]

Two strangers appeared, chatting away and though Anastasia was usually hesitant on newcomers, something about these two seemed to be more welcoming. She couldn't quit pinpoint the exact reason, but Anastasia decided it must have been something dealing with their height.

The stockier one came up to her, talking almost hesitantly, and immediately Anastasia blinked a couple times realizing that this one was different than the others. He was quieter, at least compared to her hero, and Anastasia couldn't help but stare at him for moments longer. It took her a few more moments to register the next words that he had spoken, but she got the general meaning. She glanced towards Kin, and soon enough made her way up on the platform.

The ritual started then, with the healers surrounding them, and chanting. The circle glowed with divine energy, and Anastasia couldn't help but cling to Kin tighter. She felt the intrusions to her mind then, a sure sign that the ritual that was being performed started doing its work. But something was going wrong. The divine energy continued to crescendo, attempting to intensify the energies required for the thorough scan. The circle only grew brighter, the chanting increasing in like terms.

Anastasia closed her eyes tight while she gripped on to Kin's clothing. She wasn't aware of it at first, but walls upon walls were being built around her. Impenetrable fortresses raised, and as each one was torn down by the bright shining light, another one would take it's place right behind. When she continued to feel the intrusions slip in, then forcefully out, over and over, Anastasia knew something was going wrong. She didn't want to prevent the scan, hero wanted this after all.

But try as she might, those bulwarks never decreased, only continued to pile upon each other as more layers were added.

No... no... stop it.

Never. Never. NEVER.

The struggle continued then, but try as she might, Anastasia only became more and more frustrated.

No! No!

Her thoughts continued to cascade within her, echoing through every corners of her mind. The divine energies continued to mount, and though she didn't mean to, before she knew it she had built up a large chunk of psionic energies. Anastasia felt cornered, she wanted to help, but her mind continued to recede further and further.

Finally she released all that energy, her physical body's voice yelling at the same time.

"No!" With that her mind shot forth, assaulting the barriers around her, piercing through them and the walls, reaching out to anyone and anything, leaving a burning wake in its path. With it's first target being the one thing that Anastasia would have most refused to hurt: Kin.

[Linwelin]

Kin could feel the warmth of the divine magic building and looked to Ana with a smile, reinforcing that it was alright. She seemed determined to follow his lead, so that was good. But just before he turned his focus away, he felt her squeezing his hand a bit more, then his clothes. Something was going wrong, there was resistance where there shouldn't be. "Oi, Ana, keep calm-"

"No!"

CRACK!

BZZZTZTZZTZTZZZTZZZTZZTZT

Kin had lost his hearing. His eyes wouldn't focus to nearly going black. All he could sense was the internal buzzing and snapping sounds of lightning within his head, barely making out the the presence of the little girl beside him. He sluggishly turned toward her, trying to steady himself and focus his eyes through the light of the ritual and the pain in his head.

Then he hugged her.

Kin put his arms around the girl, his head next to hers, hovering over her shoulder. "A...a...An..a...Ana...!" He could barely even speak her name, but pressed on. She trusted him during this whole time to keep her safe, and now she needed help. He was her hero! He could not falter! Even with his dulled senses her could feel the shaking from the combating magic. He was right...she's something special.  But I know she's not evil...! The necromancer from the troll cave had predicted she was the cause for much distress. And he was probably right. But it wasn't her desire, that was obvious now. She was afraid. Scared of her own power. He could feel it. Wait, how could he feel it?

Kin suddenly realized that he was hearing and feeling things that weren't from his own senses. They...were Ana's. Only partially, but the shock seemingly opened some sort of mental connection. What...is this? His thought echoed within his mind as it swam through the myriad or familiar and foreign thoughts. It nearly overwhelmed him, until a single presence trumped all the rest. A wave of cold swept through him as he focused his thoughts at whatever entity was there. What else could even BE here.

Get out. Get out! GET OUT!

And just like that, Kin was flung from the psychic state, his eyes opening widely in shock. "When did I close my eyes?" He looked around. The ritual appeared to be over. "What happened?" Then recognition hit him. "And why am I lying on my back-! Owowow, my heeead~" He gripped his head. It seems he'd lost consciousness. No, that wasn't it. His consciousness was in Ana's mind temporarily.

Not temporarily.

He still felt...something. Not as strong. But a trace of whatever energy he'd been hit with. His eyes shot open wider. "Ana! Where's Ana!?"

[Annia Siadon]

But as Kin woke up, the first sight that greeted him was a familiar paladin, though rather than the expected golden armor that she wore, the knight had on a simple white blouse with an equally simple skirt. She had what seemed to be a book open, and quick glance would have easily told an observer the title of what she was reading: Milianna Jones: Raiders of the Lost Tomb.

The paladin immediately stopped her reading when Kin had the outburst. It looks as if she was going to say something, but she held her thought, and instead smiled warmly. With the rays of the setting evening sun outside, the gleaming orange gave the scene an almost surreal look and feel, with Annia straight in the center of the warmth.

"You've awoken Kin. It's been..." She hesitated for a moment, but making up her mind continued. "It's been an entire week since you fell unconscious. Had a lot of people worrying about you." She gestured towards a nearby desk filled with a variety of random get-well items.

"But most of all..." Annia started to shift her position, giving Kin a better look. "This little one." As she moved out of the way, right beyond on her, completely knocked out and asleep was a little girl, her arms spread neatly as a makeshift pillow, while she sat on a chair beside the bed. Her eyes were closed, as her chest heaved up and down slowly with her breathing.

It was Anastasia.

[Linwelin]

Kin blinked a couple times, even rubbing his eyes. He'd never seen Annia without her armor, or at least it wasn't often, so she was nearly unrecognizable to him. "Hmm...? OH! Annia! You don't have your armor. Weird." Of course, it was in fact perfectly normal that she wasn't wearing armor in a recovery area.

After her greeting, Kin's jaw dropped. "A WEEK!?" He put his hand to his head in disbelief, but once again flinched due to sensitivity. "That force really did a number on me. So? What was the result? Do we know what's going on with Ana? Can we help her?" Of course, he had a better idea than most on the specifics. He'd seen first hand the strange ego in her mind, only perpetuating her fear. THAT was what he wanted to deal with; the presence was most likely what the necromancer had been hunting. Kin clenched his fist in frustration. And Ana was just a necessary sacrifice to him...the bastard!

"Wait a second, that's one hell of a 'get well' table. Who exactly DID all that?" Yes, he'd saved people, so maybe they sent their regards. And yes, he had friends. But close enough to have this occur? "I mean, I know I have a fan club, but SHEESH!" It was one surprise after the next today. Unconscious, an unarmed Annia, being wished well. Too weird.

It was when Annia shifted to the side that Kin didn't heed anything else. "Ana...!" He jumped out of bed, his balance unsteady due to the slight atrophy of being bedridden for a week. When he finally made it to her chair, seeing her breathing normally, he sighed in relief. Kin then looked to Annia for confirmation. "She's alright...right?" It was his turn to worry, turning back to the resting child with concern.

[Lance]

"Oh... you're already awake," a certain infamous elf spoke, as he entered the room with a raven on his shoulder and inkwell and quill in-hand. He promptly hid such objects behind his back though, seeing that the room's occupants were very much present and -unfortunately?- very much awake.

"A pity."

"I'm sure."

He gave a resigned sigh, his face betraying no hint of the mischief poorly hidden in the arms behind him. "Anyways, we're glad to have you back in the land of the living, Kin!" Lyolf laughed merrily, with the raven bobbing its head in agreement. His arms then swept across a bulk of gifts, many of which came from the elf himself: there was turkey, oil, turkey covered in oil, vials that go boom, flasks that spout doom and...

[spoiler=A large black spherical object bearing text of some kind]

http://www.youtube.com/v/RZGP9JlLk6o&autoplay=1
It possessed a short, yellow fuse on top, likely intended to trigger the device.



And with but the wave of Lyolf's hand, the fuse was lit.

[/spoiler]


"As you can see, you really had us worried there," the elven magus spoke aimlessly, as the fuse's spark slowly but gradually made its way towards the black sphere's core. "And I didn't mean to eavesdrop but I heard your question about the girl just now," he continued while pointing towards the small girl resting in a chair nearby. "From what I can tell..."

"She seems fine-rather, she seems so fine that it's somewhat suspicious." The elf's expression went slightly rigid and the room entered a momentary period of quiet, disturbed only by the constant fizzing sound of the yellow spark as it slowly transversed the path towards its goal-the sphere's core. "If anything, I feel that it's her name that's slightly off," Lyolf went on, completely unperturbed by the looming danger.

"Perhaps you could reconsider her name somewhat?" The magus asked hopefully. "I feel her name should have more flavor, more extravagance, more flair like... Like-"

"Sakura?" The raven offered expectantly.

"Too boring."

"...Rin, then?" Uli asked again.

"Too plain."

"In that case, why don't you come up with one," the raven responded in an irritated tone, to which the elf responded with apparent glee, as if spending his entire life awaiting this one moment.

"Shinji!" He blurted out confidently.

"No."

"Eh...? Then, Gilgamesh!" Lyolf spoke, a look of triumph on his face. For what sane, reasonable creature could possibly deny granting a little girl with such a form-fitting name.

"Rejected."

"Alright, fine!" Lyolf exclaimed, his voice rising just as the fuse's spark finally reached its goal. For ever since that day one week prior, Lyolf had come up with a name that he was planning on saving for someone special, someone unique. The elf gritted his teeth. To think he had to use it now... However, his familiar had left him with no other alternative. Thus, the magus pointed at the child and uttered one word accompanied by an explosion.

"Rasputin!!!!!"

[spoiler=Additional Info - If the bomb was not stopped]
It explodes in a shower of garlic, holy water, and confetti.
[/spoiler]

[Anastasia Sheel]

Her sleep was peaceful, and even more so than that, her dream was comforting. Anastasia was in a field that stretched as far as the eye could see. The weather was bright and sunny, and though she didn't relate the nicety of the environment as a requirement for a comforting dream, at least to Anastasia the feelings they evoked were calm and positive. But if one were to attribute the primary aspect of the dream that simply made it that much more soothing, it was the presence of a particular halfling.

She had been picking up small flowers on the ground, having examining them for what seemed like hours. It was then after looking up did she saw him. A short creature, roughly her same height, a sword strapped to his back, with what looked to be an inviting grin. She stared at him for a few more moments until she started to pick up her pace, waving her small hands at him, her hero, Kin.

"Hero..." She called out in her meek voice.

"Ana!" The halfling responded. It was at this point when Kin started running towards her as well.

"Hero!" Anastasia called out again, her steps bouncy.

"Ana...!" Kin continued. But time seemed to slow down. The sounds of her footsteps started to become more muffled.

"Hero?" Anastasia called out again, though less certain this time around. Again her voice was muffled. She heard Kin respond again, but it was harder to make out his words, even though he was already just a few feet away from her.

"Ana-putin..." She heard him say.

"Hero...?" Anastasia called out again, panicking as she noticed his features distort and warp. Her hero didn't respond again then, only continued to distort and warp, as something that was definitely evil took the place of her beloved hero; it was the face of a silver-haired elf.

"Anaputin!" It said, still calling out to her, as his hands reached out to her. Anastasia stepped back, she wanted to look for Kin, but her eyes couldn't leave the nightmare in front of her.

"Hero!" Anastasia called out helplessly.

Suddenly, the stranger's face suddenly sped right up in front of her, yelling in frightening voice.

"Rasputin!!!!!"

She woke up. Tears in her eyes, and immediately recoiling when she noticed something. The silver hair. The keen eyes.

It was the elf.

[Linwelin]

Even in Kin's lesser state, he was perceptive enough to recognize a bomb when he saw it. "What the- DAMNED CRAZY ELF!?" Kin quickly lunged forward, gripping the fuse with his hand to quench the flame. After a slight recoil from the pain of gripping fire, the halfling sighed in relief.

He turned to face his 'roommate', a dour expression on his face. "I didn't think I'd get to kill something so soon after waking up!" He said in a sickeningly cheerful voice, his expression now that of a sneer. It was then that the elf finished his ranting, yelling out a name of some sort. This yelling caused Ana to stir, staring teary-eyed at the elf. It was the first time he'd seen disgust in Ana's expression. He was all choked up, proud of her for realizing what this moron really was. They grow up so fast.

But this was no time to stand still. Ana was crying. BECAUSE OF LYOLF! Kin quickly moved back beside the girl, his anger from the bomb only increasing with the newest event. But now that Ana was awake, he wasn't about to pick a fight with the carrion before him. It took all his might to not continue to grit his teeth. Finally, he spat out a remark venomously, "Get out...!"

[Ella]

Alaenoria Stalleeci

Flowers and herbs were known to help speed up healing of not just the body and soul, but of the mind, too. Thus, when she heard there was a little girl with amnesia who the guild's healers had failed to help, the Elvin herbalist decided to help. She would have joined them in their rituals had she been notified, but it seemed everyone had been in a hurry to get things done that day. Upon deciding to join them in their meeting about what had happened, she had learned that while performing the ritual for diagnosing the girl, the halfling who was currently in charge of her had fallen unconscious. And so, for the last week, Alaenoria had been collecting herbs and flowers that would help both of them. Every day, she had brought in another vase or potpourri pouch to add to the table of ever-growing get-well soon gifts. Each one had different flowers and herbs. There were so many that could possibly help that she had decided to just bundle up the ones that went well with each other and bring in one bundle a day.

This day, she had prepared a bundle that focused on geranium and hyacinth flowers. Geranium was known to help relieve tension and domestic conflict and thus might help the little girl relax so that they might be able to find out what was wrong with her. Hyacinth was said to help build self-esteem and build trust, which she hoped would help the girl become more comfortable with everyone. Alaenoria had a gut feeling that whatever had happened to the halfling during the ritual had something to do with the girl's mind, and so she also hoped the hyacinth would help rebuild the trust between the halfling and the girl should Kin blame the girl for what had happened to him.

"Get out...!" She heard a voice shout upon nearing the door, which was now open. Assuming that was the halfling's voice, it seemed as though she had arrived just in time with her aromatherapy. With that in mind, she slipped in to see one her least favorite Elves in the city. The halfling's first day back in the world of consciousness and Lyolf was already picking on him. Her eyes narrowed. Why was this guild so full of crazy characters like this Elf?

"Lyolf." There was disdain in her voice as she very shortly spoke his name. She slipped past him as she continue to speak, aiming to place the vase on the table by Kin's bed. "This is a place of healing and recovery. If you are going to cause trouble, then take your leave and cause it somewhere in which your presence is more tolerable."

[Annia Siadon]

Before Annia could respond to Kin, Lyolf had suddenly burst into the room, both waking up Ana, and causing Kin to get very much annoyed. The spell trigger that Lyolf must have used was foiled due to Kin's quick actions.

"Unfortunately Lyolf, she already has a name." She said responding to the elf's outburst. The paladin shook her head, used to the rowdy antics between Lyolf and Kin. She very much doubted that the bomb could have caused serious trouble, after all the elf surely wasn't that crazy.

... right?

[Lance]

"BWAHAHAHA!!" The elf spontaneously shouted, a crazed look in his eye at the paladin's response. Both inkwell and quill were long gone from Lyolf's hands, having been placed back into the deep recesses of his handy dandy haversack. In their place, however, was something round, something black, something... spherical.

"Should I even bother asking?" Uli spoke, eyeing Lyolf's latest acquisition with an upraised eye.

"Ah, it's that phrase of wisdom Golas keeps spouting; It's actually quite catchy." The magus quickly replied, grinning as his eyes drifted down towards the newfound weight in his hands. Its glistening black sheen glimmered with light, seemingly coinciding with the elf's own solid gaze.

"While I agree that the phrase is most catching, what I was really worr-"

"Oh, this?" Lyolf finally surmised.

[spoiler=The magus raised the black mass towards his familiar.]

"It's a bomb."



"You never had to worry, Kin. I had a spare!"

[/spoiler]


Additionally, apart from the halfling, paladin, and child it seemed one more had decided to enter the ever crowding room-an elf of sorts or at least Lyolf thought it was an elf. It was the ears. They were far more pointy and sharp than his own, like an arrowhead. Of course, that was to be taken for granted, seeing as how human he had become. The average passerby wouldn't even recognize him as an elf, both physically... and otherwise. However, it seemed this normal elf had a thing or two to say about the magus/raven duo's antics.

[spoiler=Their reply?]

"BWAHAHAHA!!" / "BWAHAHAHA!!!"

[/spoiler]

[Annia Siadon]

The others here were probably used to how the elven magus acted, though she worried about how the little girl, Anastasia, felt. This was, after all, possibly one of the few times they had met. Annia looked towards the halfling who seemed to have gotten riled up. The knight looked as if she was about to say something but thinking better, instead only smiled.

That Lyolf bringing in his usual antics, he probably just wanted to see how Kin was doing.

Then the bomb appeared.

He just has a bad way of showing it.

[Ella]

Alaenoria Stalleeci

Setting the vase down, the female Elvin mage looked at the halfling. Ignoring the laughter of the male magus and his raven, she spoke to Kin. "If you would like, I could have him temporarily banned from this room and possibly confined to one of his own, depending on whether he chooses to exit via the door or the window over there." Although she did not spend much time around the guild in these last few years, she had heard of the trouble-making magus' antics on a variety of occasions. She was not the kind of person to tolerate such behavior in places such as her shop or infirmaries. It had already been established in her shop via forceful bursts of wind sending trouble-makers sprawling into the street, and she could not see why the healers who ran the guild's infirmary had not established it here.

Believing the paladin in the room would take care of whatever idiotic ideas Lyolf thought he might be able to pull off while she was speaking to Kin, Alaenoria changed the topic to something of more importance. "Although I was not there when you brought the child in for the check-up, I was delegated in a meeting with those who were to discuss what happened with you whilst they continue doing more research for a secondary attempt if one is desired. It does not have to be now, it can wait until you are feeling well enough and ready. I believe it would be best if we spoke about it in private."

[Linwelin]

Kin simply nodded at Alaenoria's request, But he suddenly became insistent, "It sounds like news that shouldn't wait. I'm well enough. And as much as I would LOVE to see him tossed from the window, it's probably better that I follow you." He then looked down toward Ana behind him, then back to Alaenoria, "But can the kid come with us? I know Lyolf won't leave of his own volition, and it wouldn't feel right leaving Ana with him. Besides," He looked back to Ana, "I've been unconscious a week, I doubt she'll leave my side easily."

"Either way, lead the way, Doc." He said, stepping forward. If anything, it felt more comfortable to leave the room behind. Too many weird things to let him be comfortable. Before completely leaving, he turned around at the last moment, addressing Annia, "Oh, and Goldy." Kin spoke hesitantly, searching for the words. He wasn't exactly good with them. "...Thanks for watching the kid." The words felt odd to say, like they weren't even his own. But he felt like they should be said. He looked to Ana with a single thought. You have had the strangest influence on me, kid.