The Mind of a Child

[Annia Siadon]

"I can always lead us out. Kin had just recovered after all. I wouldn't feel right if it was because of the crowd here that Kin would have to relinquish his room." She said glancing at Alaenoria. Shortly after that Kin addressed her.

"Oh, and Goldy... Thanks for watching the kid."

The knight almost raised an eyebrow at Kin's unexpected behavior. However, seeing Anastasia who had worried for the halfling and who had rarely left his side during the past week when Kin was unconscious, started to give reason to the unexpected response. Likewise, the more Annia thought about it, the less of a mystery it seemed. She had taken over a guardian's role for the little girl because of duty. Kin's absence would have left no one immediate to care for young Anastasia. Though there may have eventually been someone to take her in, or even one of the medical ward's array of healers, Annia couldn't help but volunteer and take the lead. Kin was her friend after all.

But as she glanced at Anastasia again, something within her stirred. She realized that the week spent caring for the young girl would come to a close. Feelings and dreams from a time in the past flashed in her mind. Starting a family, raising a child, and caring for them. Those among others had been ideals that she had since let go in pursuit of her taking a place in the Order.

Though, hearing the halfling's sincere words of thanks, Annia couldn't help but pause. Seeing the halfling change in this way was arguably for the better, at the very least Kin was growing.

"It was my pleasure." Annia replied, her smile truly genuine as she indeed meant it.

[Ella]

Alaenoria Stalleeci

"Annia is right; you just woke up after being unconscious for a week. If you are going to get up and walk around, you should do it carefully and stay close. If I recall, the healers said not to let you leave until they checked up on you." Alaenoria replied, moving to grab the back of Kin's shirt before he could leave the room. She decided to ignore that he called her a doctor even though she was not.

"It would probably be best if Anastasia heard it from you rather than me." She turned to look at Annia. "Would you mind watching her for a little longer?"

[Annia Siadon]

The paladin smiled wistfully as she gave Alaenoria a slight nod. She stood up then, as she bent over Anastasia.

"Now that Kin is awake let's give him some time, okay? I'm sure Callista would love to see you again too." Annia smiled gently. She gave her hand out for the young child to grasp.

"And Lyolf, lets give Kin some privacy." She said with finality as she glanced at the elf in the room with them, ignoring the fact that the magus still had a bomb in his hands.

[Anastasia Sheel]

The little girl glanced between Kin and Annia, unsure of what to do. Her hero had just awoken after all! And it had been so many days since she had last seen him awake. Anastasia didn't realize what loss can feel like, but she knew she felt strange and isolated when Kin was sleeping. It was being lonely. Anastasia thought, putting a word to the feelings.

She stared at the proffered hand. They looked so soft and gentle. The tall lady, Annia, had been scary at first, but even though she had since gotten used to the knight and her constant presence, she still didn't feel up for leaving Kin. She continued glancing between Annia and Kin for a few more moments, her facial features never betraying her inner thoughts. In fact, her eyes were large and plain as they always were. However, even though she didn't know it at the time, her own thoughts were communicated in a different way as well.

In the form of abstract thoughts, feelings, and picture, did Anastasia impart to Kin of her relief, joy, and feelings.

[Linwelin]

Kin walked back in the room as the elf had suggested. He'd actually wanted to leave because being in a bed like that made him restless, and knowing he'd been out for a week didn't help. He watches as Annia goes to sort out the mess in the room, as well as reassure Ana. He couldn't help smiling, which was only reinforced by the new flood of mental feelings and imagery. Without a doubt, this came from Ana, only this time, it was much more purposeful. His smile widened. "Go on, Goldy'll treat ya well. I'll be right there." He nodded his thanks again to Annia, and waited until everyone, even his bomb-crazed roommate, to exit the room. Once he deemed it private enough, Kin turned back to Alaenoria. "Now then, let's hear it." The halfling said bluntly.

[Ella]

Alaenoria Stalleeci

When the others had finally left the room, leaving Alaenoria alone with Kin, Alaenoria moved to sit on the now unoccupied chair beside the bed.

"Now then, let's hear it." Kin had said bluntly. Alaenoria maintained eye contact with the halfling for a few more moments before she finally spoke up.

"You may have already noticed from Anastasia staying with you, but it seems she is a psion. Her powers are latent, residing within her. She has the most complex set of psionic abilities that we've ever seen for someone her age. Apart from that, there isn't much we can glean. She keeps up a powerful wall around her mind, preventing our attempts to push deeper."

Still watching Kin to gauge his reaction to her words, the herbalist continued. "It seems that, as she has attached herself to you, the two of you now share a sort of connection. That is why you were the only one affected when the healers' test backfired. We would strongly recommend that you be cautious with her until we can learn more. If you want the healers to do more tests, I would recommend holding off for a while. At least until she has become more comfortable with the guild and we have been able to do more research on psions."

[Linwelin]

Kin nodded along, relieved that he wasn't dreaming about hearing Ana's voice in his head, and seeing images from her mind.  He may be crazy, but not that kind of crazy.

"As I thought. Though I'm surprised none of your tests could get more details on her ability. Well, I guess it did backfire." Kin looked up at the ceiling in thought before returning his gaze to Alaenoria. "No, I see no reason for more testing at the moment. I just wanted confirmation that she was well, and that those powers existed. Next I just need to find someone to mentor her, so she can gain some discipline with those powers. Those psionic outbursts HURT!" Kin said half-jokingly with a smirking laugh. "Well, if that's the report, then I'd like to return to the girl's side. I can...feel her anxiousness." With that, the halfling gathers his things and starts to run out the door. But for a moment, he turns back to address the elf. "Thanks for the help, Ria."

[Katrias Lyseer]

As Kin finally came out, Annia had waved. Both the knight and Anastasia found themselves on a bench not too far away from the entrance to Kin's recovery room. Not only that, there was another sight as well - a girl dressed in a set of faded-purple clothes with a distinct hat that looked more akin to a nightcap.

"You know for a kid, you're pretty sharp." Katrias said uncharacteristically as she eyed the little girl. Whether or not if was Katrias' height or something else entirely, Anastasia only stared back rather than the customary hiding behind Annia who sat calmly on the bench with her. In the week Kin was unconscious, Anastasia had a chance to get to know more of the guild members Annia knew, and though she kept to Kin's side as much as possible in the week he was unconscious, Annia had made it a point to show her around and to introduce her to other guild members.

When Katrias finally noticed Kin, the arcanist turned around.

"The Mad Sword finally wakes. Annia mentioned you're up and about." Katrias said in her usual monotone voice. " Not that I'm worrying, I just happened to past by." She quickly corrected herself.

"The other wizard-shopkeeper might have mentioned it already. But let me train her." Katrias said pointing towards Anastasia. As always Katrias was quick to the point.

[Linwelin]

Kin could sense Anastasia's anxiety at Katrias' approach, but was happy to find it was much more subdued than normal. The halfling looked back at the enchanter appraisingly. She was certainly a genius, and had the self control that many of the elders around her should have. And Anastasia didn't seem overly cautious around her. Whether or not she made a good teacher, Kin didn't know, but it would certainly be better than the alternative mages in the area. Much better.

Kin nodded sagely. "You're certainly the most qualified. I'll leave her in your care, Kit-kat." While Katrias stewed in her dislike of the nickname, Kin approached Ana. "Hey kid, sorry for all the scary stuff. Though I guess that was a week ago, so you're probably over it mostly." The halfling scruffs her hair a bit. "It seems they found that you have latent psychic abilities. I don't know the first thing about those, so I'm leaving the teaching up to this one over here." Kin nods his head sideways toward Katrias. "She's cold with her words, but just about the most honest mage I've met. I know she'll treat you well."

Kin addresses everyone with his final statement, "Now, it sounds like I'm not allowed to leave this place until the medics look me over again, so I'll be heading over there." He pauses in thought before speaking, "Thanks for the help."

The halfling begins marching his way toward the medics' main office, leaving the gathering to do what they please. Whether Ana followed him was up to her; he'd be back, after all.

[Katrias Lyseer]

"You know, that was actually easier than I thought." Katrias commented when Kin was already a few steps away heading towards the medics' main office. She had looked towards Kin as he walked away, his back turned to them, but she shrugged as she turned back towards the two others with her.

Immediately she noticed Anastasia looking out towards Kin who continued to walk further and further away. As usual, Anastasia's eyes were hard to read, but Katrias could guess what she was thinking at least.

"I don't have to read minds to figure out what you want." Katrias said plainly.

"As for seeing what you can do. We can figure out the details later." She pointed towards Kin.

[Anastasia Sheel]

The more steps he took, the more anxious she became. When Katrias finally pointed towards Kin, the little girl unclenched Annia's shirt and started after him. She rushed out at first, and looked as if she was about to stumble, but quickly catching her footing, she continued onward. She was happy when her hero had first woken up. But the realization came to her late, and seeing Kin walk away again, made her feel something strange within her. Anxious? No, that wasn't it. Sadness perhaps? At the same time there was relief. The mix of emotions were hard for Anastasia to understand and even sift through, and she couldn't help but feel something wet in her eyes.

They call these... Tears?

Stumbling forward, the little girl reached out to her hero.

[Linwelin]

Hearing the pattering footsteps wasn't difficult. What did prove hard to see was who was making them, and the state she was in; sure, he could feel the emotions she felt, but the physical aspect of it threw him off. Anastasia, though definitely human and certainly capable of emotion, had never been able to naturally exhibit emotion well. She was always hard to read, even for Kin who now had the advantage of a mental link with her. Thus his shock when she was anxiously running at him, arms outstretched and tears in her eyes.

"Ana...you're crying...!" Kin was as speechless as the loudmouthed halfling could be. He immediately opened up his arms to accept the rushing young girl's embrace. "I wasn't going to be gone long, kid." He says as he parts from the hug and offers her the shirt he was holding in his hands to wipe her tears. "Your hero's not going anywhere without you." Kin kneels down into a kneeling position. "Hop on, we have some doctors to see." And so the duo piggy back their way to the medics' office.

Kin was still astounded by the young girl's expression. The trauma from the troll cave had made her emotionally cold. She hadn't even cried then. But to see those tears like that, perhaps she would be okay with time. "You're really something else, kid." Kin mutters under his breath as they walked.

[Annia Siadon]

The knight had never really accompanied or talked to Katrias very much, and she couldn't help but feel the awkwardness of sitting beside her without anything being said. They watched quietly as both Kin and Anastasia had their mini-reunion, and eventually disappeared towards the medical ward's office. After a few more excruciating moments, finally, Annia broke the silence.

"Those two make quite a pair." She said. To her surprise Katrias responded quickly and curtly.

"Never would have imagined the halfling to take a kid." As usual, her voice was monotone.

"How about you? I never would have imagined you'd take on an apprentice." Annia replied back. She wanted to say something about her age, but seeing enough of her outbursts in the past, the knight decided to gloss over that fact.

Katrias didn't respond however, she only remained quiet - her eyes never leaving where Kin and Anastasia disappeared off to. Eventually she shrugged.

"Me neither."