Digdit: Hm. Humans. Interesting. Where is this place? And how am I speaking your language? The Rishnaran: Daktars are a little different. But that's a different story. One I'm afraid you missed. You should have been here earlier.
Jason: "That . . . is a good point. Points. Hm, that's strange. How do we happen to be speaking the same language? Can you even make the same sounds I do with your dragony mouth? Is that connected at all to how people can apparently not die in here? Hmmm. Oh, I had thought about jumping in earlier, but Sharon seemed to think we shouldn't. I probably shouldn't have come but I did want to make new friends. Perhaps I should leave before she finds out."
Vanna: Where do you come from, Jason? What do you do as a job? I'm a schoolgirl, and I live in Kashmir, 1935, but I go to school in Nottinghamshire. Hallo, Digdit! It's nice to meet you. Who are you? And no, we aren't daktars. We had that conversation with Dav, if you know who he is. Most of us are humans. I'm a witch. Cis: Hallo! Vanna told me about this place! What a curious assortment of people we have here! Where's Dav? I'd really like to meet him. Vanna: He's long gone. Cis: Why didn't you bring me here earlier? Vanna: Because people were swearing. Cis: Oh. Anyway, I've just come from laxe practice! We were playing against the Lowers. Vanna: Did you win? Cis: No. Daphne whacked me in the shins, and I just went right over. Vanna: Sorry, old girl. Daphne's much better now, isn't she, but her lacrosse tactics will always be...interesting. Cis: Natch. Jasmine's coming as soon as she's finished her prep, and she's bringing Bonnie and Ophelia. Vanna: I say, don't bring the whole gang! There are such crowds of us, we don't want to overwhelm the fellows!
Jason: -somewhat distracted- "Oh, hullo new girl. Well Vanna, I'm not really from anywhere in particular. My father and I were traveling entertainers, and he never did like to talk about his past. As for a job, well, don't have one at the moment. I'm only fifteen as well, and right now things are very, um, uncertain for me. I'm currently in a small country on the western side of the East Continent, but it's best for us to leave soon. Do you think Sharon's wondering where I am?"
The Rishnaran: I don't think so. These events are non-canonical. Your creator can pull you out of any moment of your life and return you the instant you left with no memory of what has transpired here.
Vanna: I'm here just after my epilogue. I say, I hope no-one plans to read this book - I've given so much away, and won't EMR be browned off!
Jason: "Oh. Well, if your sure, perhaps I can stay. What Sharon doesn't know can't hurt her right? Or me." -nervous laugh- "I feel bad for sneaking out on her though. Don't worry Vanna, I won't read your book. Couldn't even if I wanted to!"
Jason: "Well, my father was a jester. We used to travel all over, performing, having fun, making friends and having adventures! Are you a traveler too? I love traveling. It's the only life I've known. Except for the past few years, but let's not talk about those."
Digdit: Indeed I am. Though I wasn't always. [chuckles] I used to be quite the introvert. Then an old wizard dragged me off on an adventure and I got hooked on wandering. He's probably dead now, sadly. I was young when he paid me a visit, and as you can see I'm quite old myself now. It was my dear sister who recommended me to him... her soul is in Rintara now... She was a wizard as well. Karash was looking for some help in translating various languages, and I happened to be fluent in several from reading.
Jason: "You're old? Frankly, I can't tell. Could be the whole, you know, dragon thing. I'm fifteen, which, in human years, is about mid adolescence. I'm sorry about your sister, I hope she had many smiles and a peaceful death. But anyway, -claps hands- traveling is certainly exciting, isn't it? Seeing all these new places, meeting new people. I'll be glad to get back on the road. I'm good at languages myself too! Had to be, since our job was entertainment and all and jokes don't usually work that well if people can't understand what you're saying."
Nate: *hikes up his ill fitting levis as he regards the sudden change of company* "Not much ta tell. Spect I'm just like most a y'all. Stumbled in here between fight'n." *spits at the floor* "My world you either fight ta survive, or you're food for something wants to go on livin' badder 'n you do."
Vanna: Mum and I kept moving house. We'd stay for a couple of months, then Mum would show up at school with our bags packed and she'd say "Could I have Vanna, please? She will not come back." Then I'd go to bed somewhere entirely different. Eventually, she entered me for this school called Derryn Green and I hated the look of it - Dreadful Derryn, I called it - but on my way I got picked up by a magic spell - what are the chances? - and would up here at St. Edith's instead. For three terms, no-one knew who I was, but then I found out that dark wizards were after us, they nearly killed me, and everything came out. At least Mum knows I'm here now and she isn't worrying any more. Jasmine: I was there when you woke up, remember? You were frightfully confused, but you were a top-hole liar. Vanna: I'll take that as a compliment.
Digdit: I'm afraid it wasn't peaceful. She was murdered by a dark wizard named Jai Bolgazog. She and her husband were Shazarians, and he was a Kenshi. Their son now lives with me. He's grown into quite the young man. Keeps the manor while I'm away. Vanna, you're a magician as well? Tell me about your experiences.
Vanna: Well, there's not much to tell, really. My dad's a famous time travel specialist who writes books about different periods - do you have travel guides where you come from? I've just helped to defeat this weird political party called the Protectionists who had a really queer agenda which seemed to essentially boil down to "kill as many people as we can". That was a bit odd. They murdered many of my friends' families, but they wanted to kidnap Dad because of his power. They were going to brainwash me - I was just a year old - and use Mum as leverage to get him to do what they wanted. He sent us both away and I was raised in the early 21st century, as opposed to the 1930s, where I belong and where I am now. I had no idea that I was a witch until last summer, which is also when I got to meet up with Dad again. Like I said, I'm at St. Edith's now, doing ordinary subjects - Maths, Art, History, etc. - and I'll start learning spells when I'm eighteen (which is about thirty-six in your years, isn't it?).
Jason: "That doesn't sound very nice. I suspect I'd be long gone if I lived over there." Jason: "Oh, um, I'm sorry to have brought up bad memories." Jason: -nervous laughter- "Seems we all have something depressing to talk about. Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to- to make light of you and your friends suffering. It's just- how I react to things. I joke. Sometimes about things I shouldn't."
Digdit: No trouble at all. It's not your fault. The Rishnaran: By the way, Digdit's a family friend of Dav's and Edeneshar considers him the grandfather he never had. I'm sure he'd be interested to know they were here.
Synder enters the chat room Nate: Ain't so bad. You get used to the foul smells, even the dyin' after a bit. Worst part though? You miss silly things like AC, real beer an' not the horse piss that get's served at the saloon, good Rock 'n Roll, and ice. Synder: *rolls eyes* Who are you kidding Nate? You'd drink paint thinner if you thought it'd muddy what's left of your wits. Nate: Shush woman! Nobody invited your freckled nose where it don't belong. 'Sides, ain't you supposed ta be on guard duty? Synder: No. You were supposed to relieve me five minutes ago, you old goat!
Jason: "Greetings and welcome fair lady!" -grins and bows to Synder. "We only have half of those things where I'm from. I think? I suppose it would depend on what you think it 'real beer'. I don't care for any of it myself, makes me light headed and prone to more stupidity than normal." Jason: -shuffles awkwardly- "Yes, well, ahem. Anyway. I don't believe I met them."
Vanna: I'm very sorry for your loss, Digdit. We had two dragons in here before, do you know Dav and Den?
Digdit: You mean Davard Arrissa and Edeneshar the singer? Yes, I know them! They were here? Davard is my friend Rastira's son. He visits quite often. I do wish I hadn't missed him. And Den too? I do always enjoy his visits-- and his music. He used to live in Shira. He would come to Sag Raddak when he was a boy, before he left to seek his fortune at the tender age of thirty-two. Now look at him. He settled back down in Shira recently with his wife Rina. Lovely dragoness, I hear she's laid an egg. Good for them. I never had children. The egg my Asa laid never hatched... I remember Den wrote a song about it when I told him... Little Egg, it's called... But Asa is raising our child now in Rintara. Someday soon, I'll be with them.
Nate: No, No, No! Synder. You know full 'n gd well it was that miscreant Ralph Packard s'posin' to relieve you. Synder: *scoffs and shakes her head* Well now. See Nate. Some folks still know how to treat the fairer sex! 'Ello Jason. Nate: Man's gotta know his limits, Jason. Good to know yours, but don't be afeared to test 'em every once in a while. Keeps a body young. 'Cept that one *indicates Synder* she's a typical red head, and testier than any rattler!
Jason: -laughs- "And she is much fairer than any creature on this earth. Or, my earth anyway. Probably yours too." -smiles brightly-
The Rishnaran: Another dragon appeared. He was of a different species than Digdit; he was three meters tall, and had he reared up on his hind legs, his head might have nearly touched the high ceiling. He was a smoky black with large black eyes that reflected brown in the light. His hind feet were taloned, large enough to carry off a bear, but his front feet were more like hands, with an opposable digit on the side of either one. His wings cast shadows over the humans like two tent-sized umbrellas. His tail curved where it ran against the wall. His great head was squarish, and grey horns sprouted from the back of his head and there were two smaller ones where ears would be, next to the holes that seemed to serve that purpose. Digdit looked up. "Koroon!" he cried. "Digdit?" the enormous dragon replied in a deep, soronous voice. "It is good to see you, my friend." "And you as well," Digdit replied.
Vanna: Hallo! I'm Vanna. Who are you? And, by the way, we're not daktars. Most of us are humans. I'm a witch. Bonnie: Ooh! Here be dragons! Ophelia: I thought they were extinct. You'd have to travel back extremely far if you hoped to meet one. Vanna: Well, different people have different realities. You just have to be adaptable. Jasmine: What's a daktar? Vanna: Long story.
