Just a normal day...

[ϞSymreeϞ]

Arix went to get Draldoth. I felt myself breaking into two. I hadn't killed him, but the shock still rang through my mind. What if no one had noticed what I was doing? How long would it have taken me to realize that he had fallen into unconsciousness? I never would have forgiven myself if I had actually killed him.
Enjori walked over to me, her eyes seeming to search mine like a probe. She wasn't afraid of me. She knew that I wasn't a killer. She knew. I didn't want to look at her, I didn't want to see whatever it was that she was trying to tell me. She blocked my View of Malglo, and we stared at each other for several moments, neither speaking. At last my gaze fell to my hooves. "What have I done?" I asked softly.

Enjori took a step forward, draping her neck around mine. Okolim nosed my flank with his muzzle. They were trying to comfort me. They knew that it had been an accident, that I hadn't been able to move. They knew I wasn't a killer. I buried my head in Enjori's chest, not wanting to see the stares of my fellow classmates. They should know me by now, they should all understand that I was not capable of hurting him on purpose. It was plain to everyone how I felt about him. Any chance I had ever had with him was gone now. The knowledge stung like a wound...like his lungs must have stung with the first breath of fresh air.

"Why didn't you just get off him? Are you an idiot?"

I raised my head to glance over Enjori's silver bay form. I couldn't bring myself to answer. What could I say? That I was frightened of what he would do when he got up? That I secretly loved the feeling of his wet coat against mine? Yes, maybe I was an idiot. I should have just let him go with Enjori.

"How can you be comforting someone who's a murderer?" The stallion hissed, glancing from brother to sister.

I followed his gaze, flinching at Okolim's angry expression. Enjori's face was still unreadable. I could nearly feel their blood boiling, but why? Why did they have any reason to defend me? They tolerated my presence, yes, but I had never expected them to comfort me. I had never expected them to stand by my side.

"You two, comforting her?! Like she's the one who needs comfort! She nearly killed a stallion! Eye for an eye! Murderers,Should be taught who they're messing with when they mess with one of us!"

I flinched, but Enjori and Okolim straitened their stances, identical expressions of anger on their perfect faces. The world seemed to break apart. The trees shook and moaned, branches waving in a wind that I couldn't feel. Vines and grasses grew and stretched over the river, some rising on impossibly thin tendrils to hover at a height That was even with the average unicorn's eyes.

I glanced in fear at Enjori, and pressed back into Okolim's chest, was she really doing all of this? I spotted Malglo and the coach not too far away, looking in warily at the vines. My blood bay wobbled a few times, using the coach as a crutch to cover a bit of the distance between us. Leave it to Malglo to run towards the danger zone. Well, now he was hobbling, but if I hadn't nearly drowned him, I felt sure that he would be running. If I hadn't nearly drowned him, none of this would be happening.

"One of us? Not one of us?", Enjori snarled, "She is us."

I saw the stallion go running, and the vines and trees whipped dangerously. Could Enjori control all of this magic that she had unleashed? I glanced desperately at Okolim, "Do something!" I wasnt powerful enough to stop her, and I knew she wouldn't listen to me, but tried anyway. "Enjori! Enjori, stop!" I went to touch her, but Okolim pulled me back, shouting something about it being too dangerous for me to distract her. I felt myself shaking even though I didn't think that I was in a danger zone. The world would surely come to an end today.

An impossible amount of time seemed to pass before Draldoth, Arix and Amanthea came upon the scene. All three stood behind some sort of force field that the headmaster had created. The trees and vines couldn't penetrate it. "Okolim, call your sister back! She's going to get someone killed! Enjori, listen to your brother. Nothing's going to happen to Kathri, Ok?" Draldoth shouted all of this above the noise of the forest, and I wondered vaguely how he knew so well what was going on. My gaze found Arix and my heart sunk. Draldoth knew exactly what was going on. I had nearly killed one of his favorite past students.

Enjori let the magic break with an exhausted sigh. Draldoth was talking with the healer, and Arix was talking with Malglo, it only made me feel worse that they were laughing. I glanced away, not wanting to watch anymore.
The coach shooed away the last of the students and walked over to Malgo and Arix. The three exchanged a few words and then Arix went to speak with Draldoth. My eyes narrowed, what more could she want with him? I wished that I had long distance hearing, but had to let myself be satisfied with the nod that Draldoth sent her way before she left. The headmaster added something to his conversation with the healer, and then started walking our way.
My heart raced, I was going to be in so much trouble. He could expel me from the academy and I couldn't have blamed him. I couldn't believe what I had done to Malglo.

The headmaster reached us, coming to a sharp halt. "Kathri," he said, stopping a few feet from us, "Arix has told me a little of what was going on between the two of you leading up to the incident."
I opened my mouth to say something, but Draldoth cut me off.

"Now, I'll hear your version as well, but considering what she told me, I had better get this out in front now. She said you two were both showing off for Malgo."

A soft smile touched his lips, and it seemed out of place to me. How could he smile after all that had happened. He should be livid. He should be shouting at me. He had every right to.

"Now, I have a rule here, and it's going to make it very difficult for Malgo if you two keep fawning over him. There is to be NO relations between teacher and student of any sort. You understand me?"

I nodded shortly, slightly confused. Malglo hardly seemed to be considered as staff. We all knew that he was employed by the academy, he had tracked most of us down and brought us here himself, but he didnt act like the teachers, they all seemed to look down on him. It was just like the coach, calling him kid all the time. He interacted with the students almost like he still was one. It was unusual that I should see so much of him around lately, but I supposed that the school was full...this must have been Malglo's off season.

"She said she provoked you, deliberately, several times. Is that true? Also, now I want your version of what happened leading to the incident. Beginning from gym class."

Part of me wanted to shout in triumph, yes! There was my proof! She had admitted to his face that she was trying to provoke me! I wanted to let a smug satisfaction cross my face, but I held it in and simply nodded. I took a deep breath and launched into my side of the story, starting with gym.

When I had finished, his expression was blank, but kindly. "So, here's what I want. Tomorrow, you will be excused from classes, and so will Arix. Starting first thing tomorrow morning, both of you will be working with Healer Armathea to restock her herb supply. I find that working together generally soothes differences. When she releases you, you two will report to me to tell me what you learned, Ok?"

I nodded, but couldn't hold back the words that tumbled from my mouth. "I think it will take a lot more than words to soothe our differences, headmaster." I took a deep suck of air, as if trying to pull the words back into my mouth, "W- Im-" I pulled my lips together tightly and replied respectfully, "Yes sir."

[Shanza]

At the first chime sounding the class day, Arix strolled through the knee high grass towards the healer's quarters. Would Malgo be there? Probably not. The thought caused her to frown in disappointment.

The healer's area was spacious, with a nice open waiting room, created by a semi-circular cave. The front was drapped in vines, probably to help stop drafts. Arix nudged her way through, slightly edgy with the strong memory of the previous day. These plants would be a perfect way to strangle someone. Feather-filled fluff sacks covered in woven grass lined the walls, and there were shelves full of all sorts of plants, both dried and wet. She needs to restock? Arix snorted. This was the last place that was running low on supplies.

To her left one wall opened into another room, and she walked over to check it out. There were a lot more shelves. In fact, shelves were the only thing this room contained. Pillars of earth connected ceiling and floor in regular intervals, and they completely covered in sectioned shelves that were partitioned so the sections were only a cannon bone wide. Every single opening contained different herbs, and most were overflowing. Arix shook her head and backed out of the room.

The far wall had a doorway thickly screened with vines, and Arix assumed that it was the healer's office. The back wall sunk into a tunnel, lit by those strange glowing orbs that were seen all around the Academy. The dapple gray pegasi really wanted to know how they did that. Walking into the tunnel, she noticed there were five rooms leading off from it. Ducking her head through one of the vine doors, she noticed it looked like one of those examination rooms. Blah. Quickly backing out, Arix headed back to the waiting area. Shortly after, she heard voices approching from outside. "Yes, all you'll be collecting are the plants you have learned from your herb classes. Since you are both in first year, they aren't many, but they are the most commonly used." Arix quickly reconized her as Armathea, and seconds later the healer slid into the room. Smiling at Arix, she grabbed several bags and tossed them to Arix and the mare who had followed her in. Arix and Kathri looked at each other, and Arix smiled. "Nice to see you."

"Come on, come on," the healer said, trotting out. "I'll only be able to stay with you for a short time, and then you'll have to finish the collecting on your own. That won't be a problem will it?"

"Of course not," Arix replied. "We'll be fine." She grinned over at Kathri; this was going to be fun indeed.

[Shanza]

I was nervous as I walked to my destination; I didn't know how he would react. The arching plants of the entrance had been beautifully sculpted into graceful curves and designs. I heard them calling; I always heard them. Taking a deep breath, I stepped inside the darkened interior. "Malgo?" I glanced around, waiting for my eyes to adjust. "Uh, is anyone here?" It took me hours to find out where he was, and then he's not here? Geez, rip off. I waited, for a brief time before turning around to leave.

Seeing something move out of the corner of my eye, I jumped, spinning in that direction. It was the bay stallion. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding, and eyed him, slightly more warily than I intended to. "I thought you were suppose to be resting?" I clamped my mouth shut. I couldn't quite believe I had just said that. "Sorry," I mumbled. "Not my business."

"Can I help you?" he asked quietly.

"Uh, no. Wait! Yes," I stammered. I flicked my horn up and down as I started to speak. "You know that Kathri didn't mean to try to kill you, right? She just froze, you know. It happens," I finished lamely. Why did I come here again?

He just watched me, and I stared fixedly at the ground, wishing it would just swallow me up. No, that would be awkward. I wish I didn't have this fool of an idea to begin with. "I'll just go, then," I mumbled, and scooted towards the door.

[ϞSymreeϞ]

Armathea met me almost immediately as I came into the infirmary, and I couldn't help but wonder if she thought that I was a mare walking on the edge of insanity. She had a look about her that suggested that she wanted to preform some tests or experiments on my brain. Lots of tests.

I smiled and said, "Good morning professor," even though it was setting up to be a terrible morning, and I was being forced to work with the one creature here most likely to murder me. When had I turned into such a liar? I smirked inwardly, Okolim and Enjori were becoming a bad influence on me.

She returned the smile sweetly, "Good morning, Kathri dear, how are we feeling today mm?" She seemed like a cotton candy monster ready to strike, almost so sweet that it made me feel sick.
I forced myself not to take a step back. "Just fine," I said, firmly, adding as an afterthought, "Thanks, and you?"

The smile persisted, but she didn't answer, instead she lead me through the infirmary to the waiting area...where Arix would be. I couldn't suppress the idea that I was being lead to my doom.

"Yes, all you'll be collecting are the plants you have learned from your herb classes. Since you are both in first year, they aren't many, but they are the most commonly used."
We entered the room and My eyes unintentionally met Arix's. The dapple smiled at me, not overly sweet, but not hostile either. If I didn't know better, I would have sworn that she had decided that she'd played enough with me and wanted to be friends. Pshh! I wasn't that stupid! I knew an evil mare when I saw one, and Arix's picture would be the only definition that a dictionary would need.

"Nice to see you."

Oh playing nice were we? How convenient. "And you," I said with a casual dip of my head. Now we both knew for sure that nothing had changed.

"Come on, come on," the healer said, trotting out. "I'll only be able to stay with you for a short time, and then you'll have to finish the collecting on your own. That won't be a problem will it?"

My eyes widened slightly, and I fought to put them back down. She couldn't leave me alone with that demon! I could feel panic rising in my throat, but I kept silent. I wouldn't give her the satisfaction of knowing that I was scared.

"Of course not," Arix replied. "We'll be fine."

Her gaze slid over to mine and she smiled, like I was her favorite flavor of ice cream or something. It took all of my courage not to cringe away, and I nodded in affirming my doom, "Yeah, no problem." I couldn't bring myself to return the second smile. I wasn't a cannibal.

The healer lead us out into the field, and watched over us for several minutes, correcting our mistakes and making sure that we wouldn't be at each others throats. No, we'd save that for later, and what was left of my corpse would be rotting in the sun when Armathea returned.

I suppressed a shiver, glancing after the healer as she left. A funeral march played in the back of my mind. I held onto a slice of bitter root a bit longer than necessary, sending a sidelong glance in Arix's direction.
She returned the glance, but said nothing, and I placed the root in a bag, snatching for another herb as though possession of our busywork would keep me alive longer.
I hoped that Draldoth had thought to place someone to watch over us...someone to hear my screams... I cleared my throat, making sure that I was not hoarse from so much silence. I would need a strong voice if anyone was going to hear me from here.

I counted every second that passed, wondering when Arix would pounce. Eventually I lost count, and glanced nervously over at her every few seconds. After at least ten minutes had passed, I could take it no longer, and I threw a slice of root into a bag. "If you're going to kill me," I snapped, "Just get it over with! I don't handle suspense well!" I realized with a start that my horn was pointed at her threateningly and I quickly lowered it, surprised at my own actions. What was going on with me lately? Maybe I did need a few tests run on my brain...

[Shanza]

"Yeah, no problem," Kathri said in response to the healer's inquiry. Arix was nearly dying from supressed laughter.

Arix glanced at Kathri once, when the grulla glanced at her, but didn't do anything else. She waited, and waited, and waited... The waiting was driving her nuts! Focusing on the plants, Arix wondered when the mare would crack. It was taking much longer than expected, considering how fast she jumped on the stallion at the river. The pegasi got bored with wondering, and started to think over what the rest of her day would be like. Best chance, the next she would see Malgo would be Thursday, if he was well enough, and if she was lucky. That brought her up short. Daydreaming about a stallion? Really? She hadn't done that since Sunthara...

Quickly yanking her mind away from that direction, she trotted over to the next likely clump of plants. What her teacher would say if he could see her now; Arix didn't want to think about that. Daydreaming over a stallion, but bidding her time with her target. He'd laugh, and laugh, and laugh until he couldn't laugh anymore. And Arix would be standing by, annoyed and flicking her tail back and forth, unable to do a darn thing about it.

"If you're going to kill me, just get it over with! I don't handle suspense well!"

Arix looked up in surprise at the bared horn. Then she started laughing. It started softly, and became a deep, soul-searching laughter that was carried throughout her body. The mare had straightened out her horn, but was watching Northarian like a deer to a wolf. "You," she said, starting to control the laughter, "Are not going to die yet." She chuckled to herself, and rolled her neck, cracking her spine in a sort of threatening way. Her eyes never left the grulla appy standing in front of her. "You are much too amusing to kill." She grinned; let Kathri think what she would of that. "Oh, and someone who can kill deserves a better chase." The mare would most likely react strongly, and that's what she was gunning for. Now for the display.

"What can you do, mare? I mean really," she snarled, her tone and face loosing all of their hilarity. "Fire, right?" She laughed again, a cruel, hard sound that put all of depth of her experience in it. "As you know, I manipulate water." She opened her mouth just slightly, her eyes narrowing, "And fire," Right in between them flames came out of nowhere, burning up until they reached their horn height. "And so much, much more," she hissed, staring through the flames. "You," she said again, coldly and with anger, "will die when I want you to, and how I want you to. And you will stay away from Malgo. He's mine. Are we clear?" Now why did she say that about Malgo? It wasn't for Kathri's reaction, that was for sure.

[ϞSymreeϞ]

The gray mare looked up in surprise at my horn and then she started to laugh, a terrible sound that sent a shiver down my spine. I leaned slightly away from her, wishing that I hadn't said anything, wishing that the laughter would stop. It was worse than the silence.

"You," she said, starting to control the laughter, "Are not going to die yet."

My eyes widened, yet? I wished that I had a tape recorder, that had to be more than enough proof that she had a screw loose right there. That meant that she planned on killing me eventually! And how openly she admitted it! I could read her expression too well to think for even a moment that she was joking. The mare had dark humor, darker than I had ever come across before, but I saw none of it now. Her laughter made the words feel like a promise.

Her eyes were latched like claws to my own and she rolled her neck, cracking it in a way that both frightened and disgusted me. Her laughter ended in a soft chuckle. "You are much too amusing to kill."

Amusing! she thought my fear was funny! She planned on killing me and now she was laughing at me? To be honest, I wasn't all that surprised. This mare was the spawn of Satan. How could I have forgotten?

"Oh, and someone who can kill deserves a better chase."

Had my coat been capable of bristling, and my ears able to produce steam, they would have. "Hold it right there," I snapped, teeth barred, "I'm scared to death of you, but that doesn't give you the right to speak to me that way!" My cheeks burned with a heat that I felt glad that she couldn't see.

"What can you do, mare? I mean really," Arix's face fell out of it's molded smile, and I suppressed a shiver, whether it was of fear or anger, I couldnt be sure.

"Fire, right?" She asked, laughing.

I took a step away, feeling sure that I would have nightmares about this laugh. It was true, and downright evil. I knew that Enjori said that there was no such thing as an evil unicorn and a good one, but I couldn't agree in this moment. It was all I could do to swallow the scream I felt rising in my throat.

"As you know, I manipulate water." She opened her mouth just slightly, her eyes narrowing, "And fire,"

Flames shot up between us and the scream shot out of my mouth as the flame leapt to the height of our horns. I shied away from the fire as Arix stared at me through the flicker of flame.

"You," she said with cold anger, "will die when I want you to, and how I want you to. And you will stay away from Malgo. He's mine. Are we clear?"

Malglo. The name snapped Kathri out of her stupor, and she frowned, straitening to face the mare, the action was made to look a lot braver than she felt. She was amazed that her voice held steady as she spoke, looking directly into Arix's eyes. "No. Malglo is strong and smart. His heart is pure and I will not stand by and let you destroy him. He's too good for you." I spat the last part and swept my horn through the flames, extinguishing them. "You wanted a chase? Too bad, you're getting a fight instead." My lips lifted into a snarl, but fear filled my heart. What had I just done?

[Shanza]

Northarian enjoyed how much she was making this mare squirm! She made her scream! It made her sooo happy.

Then Kathri straightened when Arix mentioned Malgo. Darn, why did she have to screw everything up by mentioning his name? Oh well, she would just have to go with it.

"No. Malglo is strong and smart. His heart is pure and I will not stand by and let you destroy him. He's too good for you."

Northarian nearly started laughing again at that. Nobody was good and pure. And who said anything about wanting to destroy him? She wanted to use him. There was a difference. And maybe she wanted a little more.

Kathri swiped her horn through the flames, and they went out. "You wanted a chase? Too bad, you're getting a fight instead."

Arix opened her mouth in a grin, responding to the mare's snarl. Sure she had a vast boatload of magic at her disposal, but her connection was tedious at best. Again, what was the point of magic if you couldn't use it? It was worthless. Completly and utterly worthless. At that moment, she vowed that she would regain control of her runes come hell or high water. She was ready for both.

"Then let the games begin." She smiled again, with a deep anger mounting behind her eyes. It took every ounce of will she possessed to not leap accross the space and kill the mare right now, but that would destroy everything she worked for up to this point. And besides, she was a pegasi right now. She still had many tricks up her sleeves. The least of which the grulla couldn't begin to imagine. After all, her mentor, a unicorn highly skilled and trained in the delicacies of dark magic, said she had done things he didn't even know were possible. Arix knew she couldn't go up against the staff of this Academy, not yet at least, but she was more than a match for this unicorn mare. Much more.

[ϞSymreeϞ]

I lay on the spongy moss with a feeling of unbelievable boredom. No Nautic sack. No running. No fast walking. No exerting myself. No snoring. No breathing...what was the point of healing me? I groaned, rolling off the bed. The healer had left with Arix and Kathri, maybe I could run for it. I wobbled on my hooves, using the wall to keep myself standing. No...running was definitely out, but I could poof out to the fields... I weighed my options. I knew that I was well enough to poof without a problem, but Amathea would have a cow when she found out. It was not longer a question of if. I was pretty sure that she had my room bugged.

I made a noise somewhat like a caged cat and leaned against the wall, closing my eyes. Did they seriously think that I got into trouble on purpose? Maybe I didn't complain enough so they thought that I was fond of my time in the infirmary. I chuckled softly to myself. Draldoth knew better.
I sighed, my mind wandering to Arix. I hadn't heard from Draldoth about that one yet. Maybe he trusted me enough to think that I wouldn't be tempted if she left me alone? No he wasn't that stupid. He knew that I was in to her. He'd realized it before I had. He was just trusting me to know better and behave professionally. I couldn't suppress a snort. I wasn't a teacher. I was only professional when I was outside the bounds of the Academy. I was too young to attend the top secret teacher conferences, and not bored or desperate enough to hang with with my fellow recruiters. What else was there to do but goof off with the students? it wasnt like they would listen to me if I was put in charge of detention. The group would end up playing a rowdy game of Nautic. I smiled to myself at the thought.

The next moment, I heard hoof beats approaching my room and frowned. It was too soon for Amathea to be back. Without bothering to knock, the head, neck and shoulders of Enjori's silver bay form entered the half light of my doorway. She glanced around, blinking furiously.

"Malgo?" She glanced around some more. "Uh, is anyone here?"

I smirked, flicking my tail to catch her attention. She jumped, spinning in my direction. I blinked, feeling a bit dizzy from how fast she had moved...maybe I want ready for poofing yet after all. The mare eyed me warily, and I refrained from reminding her that I didn't bite.

"I thought you were suppose to be resting?" I cocked an eye at her skeptically and she clamped her mouth shut. "Sorry,"she muttered,"Not my business."

I smirked again, asking quietly, "Can I help you?"

"Uh, no. Wait! Yes," She flicked her horn up and down as she spoke, once again reminding me that I needed more meds for my headache. "You know that Kathri didn't mean to try to kill you, right? She just froze, you know. It happens,"

I thought about that for a moment, wondering why she had come in the place of her friend. Oh yeah, she was out re-stocking with Arix... I got lost in my mental image of her sopping wet mane, and the glow off of her coat as she shook the water from her wings...

"I'll just go, then," she muttered, shuffling towards the door.

I shook myself, coming out of the Arix fantasy. I smiled at her, "I've had my life threatened too many times, by too many different creatures to mistake that for attempted homicide. I'm still a bit angry at your friend for messing up my reputation a bit but, " I shrugged, "I'll get over it, no worries."
I realized that she still edged towards the door and the smile fell into a smirk. "I'm not a vampire, I promise I don't bite. If you wouldn't mind and aren't busy, I could use the entertainment. This place is terribly boring."

[Shanza]

"I've had my life threatened too many times, by too many different creatures to mistake that for attempted homicide. I'm still a bit angry at your friend for messing up my reputation a bit but I'll get over it, no worries."

When he said he knew Kathri didn't try to drown him, I was very relieved. I kept backing towards the door, because I wasn't all that sure I was suppose to be here, anyway.

"I'm not a vampire, I promise I don't bite. If you wouldn't mind and aren't busy, I could use the entertainment. This place is terribly boring."

I paused, and rather sheepishly smiled back. No wonder Kathri liked him. He knew how to get along with folks. "Well I sorta ditched class to come talk to you, but I don't feel like getting a lecture when I walk in late. Are you Ok?" I asked, rather belatendly, realizing that he was probably still feeling the effects of yesterday.

"You have to forgive Kathri, she has her reasons." I sighed at his curious look. "You can't tell anyone what I'm going to tell you, ok? She kill me if she finds out, but it's for in own good." I took a deep breath and launched in. "She rooms next to Arix, and from the first time she saw her, she was convinced she was evil. I know, I know, don't laugh, but she's convinced of it." I started at him hard, then continued, "You really can't tell here I told you this, or I'll tell the plants to strangle you in your sleep, got me?" I glared at him until I was satisfied, then went on.

"She's got this major crush on you, and Arix had been pushing her the whole day. I don't know what she did, but she had Kathri seriously freaked out after gym class. I mean scared freaked. So when she saw you starting to go after her, and yes, I know you were going after her, she sort of lost it. I think she was thinking at the time you'd be eaten by the devil mare." I looked at him sadly, and rather worried. "My brother and I don't know what to do. We don't think she's evil, but somethings happening that's proving to Kathri that she is. That's the only reason I'm telling you this. Do you have a darn idea what to do?"

[ϞSymreeϞ]

Enjori paused at the doorway, smiling back rather sheepishly. "Well I sorta ditched class to come talk to you, but I don't feel like getting a lecture when I walk in late. Are you Ok?"

I shrugged, "A little sore and uncoordinated, but that's nothing new. Ill be fine once I get out of this prison." A smile lingered on my face as I glanced around the small room, I was almost here enough for it to be my second home.

"You have to forgive Kathri, she has her reasons."

My face rearranged itself into one of curious contemplation, I had to forgive her? Ha! This mare was funny, I didn't have to do anything.

"You can't tell anyone what I'm going to tell you, ok? She kill me if she finds out, but it's for her own good."

A smirk settled on my features. I hadn't quite expected her to stay and chat, and I never would have guessed that she would be spilling secrets to me. I had only been joking about the entertainment, but I nodded, making the gesture of an X across my chest. "Cross my heart, hope to die. I shan't spill a word."

Enjori took a deep breath."She rooms next to Arix, and from the first time she saw her, she was convinced she was evil. I know, I know, don't laugh, but she's convinced of it."

I tried not to laugh, but a soft chuckle escaped my lips. "Forgive me," I said, voice vibrating slightly with thinly veiled amusement. The mare stared at me, a rather intense expression on her face.

"You really can't tell her I told you this, or I'll tell the plants to strangle you in your sleep, got me?"

I frowned, remembering the scene by the lake. I made a face and eyed the vines at my doorway. "Take it easy," I said slowly, the smirk returning, "I already promised, I'm a stallion of my word." Slowly it crossed my mind that I had never promised Draldoth that I would stay away from Arix. I had told him that I would be careful, but being careful wasn't always enough. Yesterday had been proof enough of that. Darn it! I had to stop thinking about her!

"She's got this major crush on you, and Arix had been pushing her the whole day. I don't know what she did, but she had Kathri seriously freaked out after gym class. I mean scared freaked. So when she saw you starting to go after her, and yes, I know you were going after her, she sort of lost it. I think she was thinking at the time you'd be eaten by the devil mare."

I almost laughed at first, but the smile fell off my face as Enjori continued. My face fell into a pondering expression. "That's why she tackled me? Because she was afraid that Arix would do something bad to me?" For some reason, this thought had never crossed my mind. I had guessed that Kathri had a crush on me, that part didnt come as a surprise, but For some reason I had thought that she had just snapped because I was following Arix and not her...

"My brother and I don't know what to do. We don't think she's evil, but somethings happening that's proving to Kathri that she is. That's the only reason I'm telling you this. Do you have a darn idea what to do?"

She was worried, that much was plain. My eyes narrowed in sympathy, I was staff, I had to try and help when students came to me with their problems. It was in my job description. Believe it or not, I had dealt with a few pretty big things and handled them very professionally. I wasn't as good as Draldoth or some of the other teachers, but students tended to trust me, and I had been told that I was easy to talk to. My first year on the job, one of my friends from another year got herself pregnant. She'd been so scared, scared of not graduating, scared of the rest of her year finding out. I convinced her to go see Draldoth with me and the whole mess got sorted out. The smile fell off of my face as I remembered that the mare had died in childbirth.

I shook the memory from my mind, but couldn't shake the frown. I sighed, no longer exactly sure what to say. Why was the right thing always so hard to do? "Alright, you told me something that you maybe shouldn't have, so now I'll tell you something that I probably shouldn't. You know that I like Arix, I've been crushing on her for weeks, but I shouldn't be. Draldoth probably mentioned his rule to you three when he spoke to you yesterday. I'm not a teacher, and I'm not ancient history, but the rule still applies. I'm still staff. He knows how I feel about her, and He knows that I'll be tempted to do something stupid, and he's probably right, but that's beside the point." I paused, staring into the dark tunnel like ovals of her eyes. "Believe it or not, I'm not completely hopeless when it comes to self control. I don't have classes, so the minute that I'm out of here, I'll follow Arix around, I'll keep an eye on her. I'm good at being discreet, she'll never even notice. You keep an eye on Kathri, try and get whatever you can out of her today when she comes back from herb gathering. I'll find you sometime in the next few weeks, we can compare notes and go from there." Hesitated, "Dont tell anyone what Im telling you now, but I think that Draldoth suspects something is up with her as well...he warned me to be careful around her the first day she came in, so if you decide to do some detective work...be careful."

I managed to plant a warm smile on my face and said quietly,"Dont worry, we'll figure this out." I glanced towards my doorway and said in a whisper, "Armathea's back, you should probably go. There's a path that winds back and around towards your history class, take that, and this note from your councilor. You wont be bothered en route, and your professor cant chew you out." I winked in a way that was friendly and reassuring. "I was supposed to give you that last week. Go," The mare slid out of my room and I dove onto the bed of moss just in time for Amathea to enter. She glanced around suspiciously, "What have you been up to, Malglo?"
I shrugged, an easy smile on my face, "Nothing, professor. Absolutely nothing."
She snorted and began the daily ritual of fussing over me and preforming her tests. Finally satisfied, she turned to leave, calling back behind her, "Dont forget to take your medicine!"
I glared a the leaf, smothered with paste, not bothering to hide my disgust. These leaves were nasty, but I knew better than to not take it. I had needed one of these leaves every day for the past five years. I swallowed the leaf without chewing and made a face at the horrible taste. This was the cost of 'being lucky' I supposed. If more than two days passed without me eating one of theses leaves, I started to loose control. I shivered, yanking my mind away from that train of thought, and buried my head in the moss.

[ϞSymreeϞ]

It seemed like a miracle that the rest of our time together was passed in silence. I was terrified. More than that, I couldn't think of a word to describe accurately just how frightened I was. I wasn't a fighter. I wasn't brave. What had I been thinking? I shouldn't have stood up for myself. I shouldn't have said that I wasn't useless. I shouldn't have provoked the sleeping monster inside of her. She would kill me now, there was no question about it, and I would never even see it coming.

The sun started to set and Armathea came to get us. "I think that's enough, ladies," she said, softly, "Good work." She helped us gather the bags and we marched them back to her infirmary, placing them in a well packed storage area that barely had the room needed for them. I frowned, feeling as though the whole afternoon had just been a wild goose chase, set up just to give Arix more reason to kill me. There would be no escaping the mare's attention now. I would be her breakfast, lunch and dinner. Malglo would be her dessert.

When the last bags were packed into the narrow space, Armathea thanked us and gave us an escort to Draldoth's office. She poked her head inside the room and called, "Headmaster? I have two trouble makers here, ready to tell you what they've learned."
I suppressed a shudder. I had learned that Arix was more evil than I had thought. I had learned that I was worthless and stupid. I had learned that I was dead meat. My face was blank and staring.
Armathea walked away, and I heard Draldoth's voice call from inside, "Come on in you two."

[Shanza]

Draldoth called to the two mares, "Come on in you two," and they slowly entered. He quickly got the feeling that something was wrong, but couldn't quite place why. Kathri had entered first, and then Arix, in her usual flowing grace. They both watched him, waiting. "So, Arix, why don't you go first?"

She snorted in response, shaking out her mane. "Well, it wasn't a complete fiasco, but we probably didn't make as much headway as you wanted us to." She looked slightly annoyed, and Draldoth guessed that they had gotten into an argument. And it was probably over Malgo.

"And what about you, Kathri? Not as much headway as I would have liked?" He smiled at her tentative nod; students could always get so worried about appearances. Although there seemed to be something more here. Kathri was stiff and rather nervous-looking, but Arix was more like annoyed. "If you didn't have class tomarrow, I would suggest working out your differences more," Kathri reacted just enough to comfirm that she did not want to go with Arix again, and Arix laid her ears back slightly. "But since you do, I think it's better you don't miss anymore class. You don't want to get too far behind, right?" He smiled at them comfortably. "So Arix, why don't you wait out side while I talk to Kathri, and then I'll talk to you."

Arix nodded to Draldoth, glanced at Kathri, and walked out of the room. "So Kathri," Draldoth asked, "Is there anything else you want to tell me?"

[ϞSymreeϞ]

"So, Arix, why don't you go first?" Draldoth asked when we had entered. I noticed with a sense of dread that she looked annoyed. She snorted and shook out her mane, looking too beautiful to be real. Who knew the devil had a younger, better looking sister?

"Well, it wasn't a complete fiasco, but we probably didn't make as much headway as you wanted us to."

I bit my lip, that was putting it lightly. This mare was going to kill me and it, "wasn't a complete fiasco"!? I couldn't do this, I couldn't handle this.

"And what about you, Kathri? Not as much headway as I would have liked?" I nodded tentatively and he smiled. "If you didn't have class tomorrow, I would suggest working out your differences more,"

A muscle in my leg twitched, but I was going to pieces on the inside. Tomorrow! More of this tomorrow! Stick a thermometer in my belly and call me cooked goose while you're at it! Make funeral arrangements! Get a head start on digging my grave!

"But since you do, I think it's better you don't miss anymore class. You don't want to get too far behind, right?"

My legs relaxed slightly. Thank you I thought. Thank you for not being blind and stupid! I'm on death row here! I could have hugged the headmaster, but I thought that it may seem weird. Arix still looked annoyed.

"So Arix, why don't you wait out side while I talk to Kathri, and then I'll talk to you."

The Pegasus mare nodded respectfully, and glanced at me before exiting the room. She knew I was going to break.

"So Kathri," Draldoth asked, "Is there anything else you want to tell me?"

I felt my legs vibrate slightly, and I struggled to hold myself together, biting my lips to stop myself from going off on a wild rant. I shook my head and then the dam broke. "Yes! Sir that mare is crazy, she looks at me like I'm a part of her dinner tray! She told me today that she plans on killing me, and she will be the one to decide how and when! She's out to get me! W- You know that she controls water, but she can do fire as well, s- she showed me! She-" I lowered my voice, still speaking a hundred miles an hour. "Headmaster, she told me to stay away from Malgo, that he's her's, I think she plans to try and kill him as well so I got mad and told her that I wouldn't let her touch him, that he was too good for her and...and..."
I let my voice fade out, fear overtaking me once more. I must have looked so stupid to him! I felt moisture on my face and realized that I had been crying. Oh great. Oh joy. He'd send me to the healer for some brain tests. He thought I was crazy too. I tried to read his expression and failed, trying to wipe away the tears on my leg. Would he laugh? Would he think that I was just jealous and trying to get Arix into trouble.

"Shes not who everyone thinks she is," I whispered without knowing why.

[Shanza]

Draldoth listened to Kathri's reaction with a growing sense of unease. The pegasi clearly had issues from her past, and Draldoth expected that most of it had to do with her time in Sunthara. But control of fire? It just wasn't possible if she was level 1, which she was, there was no doubting it. Even if she wasn't level 1, control of fire only came with Grades A and B at levels 2 and 3, respectively. It just wasn't possible. Draldoth listened to her continue, about death and murder, and about claiming Malgo. That's probably where everything steamed from, but Draldoth wasn't insensitive enough to say that to her face.

She was crying, but Draldoth just listened to her calmly. It was better to get this out in the open and see exactly what he was dealing with. She tried to wipe away the tears, trying to control herself. "She's not who everyone thinks she is," she whispered.

"I know," Draldoth answered, "But she's had a hard time in her life, and I think her anger and hatred stems from that. I will let you off with just a warning this time, and some homework. What I want you to do is to research pegasi in Sunthara. Can you do that? Can you try to understand?" She just stared at him, with sort of a blank expression, and he continued. "You have to believe I'll try to understand what happened out in that field as well, but first you have to do that for me. Do you know the best way to turn your enemy either into your friend or the battle into a stalemate?" She shook her head slightly. "Understand them. Know what's going on in their head." He watched her kindly for her reaction. "Then you can out think and outmaneuver them. Kathri, I won't always be there to protect you. None of the staff will. This world has dangerous and powerful magic users seeking to control and manipulate you, and if they don't succeed, they will try to kill you. This Academy is not to just learn magic and how to use it; it is so you can learn to defend yourself. It is to prepare you for the rest of the world. It just seems, though, you just might have gotten a taste a little too soon."

He sighed, and then straightened, shifting his weight sideways. "Will you ask Arix to come in? Thank you."

[Shanza]

Arix growled quietly to herself as she waited outside the headmasters office. Why did she have to mention Malgo again? Everything was going so smoothly until then, why did she have to go and screw it up! She snorted and stomped at the ground. She could just imagine Kathri spilling her guts out to the Headmaster, but the question was; would he believe her? That was the main thing. Would he believe her. She just had to hope that he wouldn't. Otherwise she was toast. She needed to be able to stay here until she could learn what she needed to learn. Why did she have to open her big mouth? Why could she just let Kathri stew for a couple weeks longer at least? She knew why. She was going crazy here, and was dying for some action. It was ironic that dying for action would probably end up bringing her too much.

A short time later, she heard hoofbeats, and Kathri emerged from the office. "He wants to see you," she muttered, before rushing off. Arix snorted. She didn't even get to guess at what happened. She sighed, and flicked the vines sideways with her nose before entering.

Draldoth was watching her as she walked in, but it wasn't in a critical, confused, or even curious sort of way. She felt more hopeful. Maybe he didn't believe Kathri after all. "Is there anything you're not telling me?" He asked softly.

She looked away, grinding her teeth. "We got into an arguement." She said shortly.

"I sort of figured that part out. What I want to know is what happened in the arguement."

"It started shortly after Healer Armathea left. Kathri threw down her plants and wanted to know what my problem was- or something like that." She sighed, flicking her tail back and forth in an annoyed manner. "I'm not quite sure how it escalated, but fairly soon we were yelling at each other about, well, almost everything. It got out of hand, I should be able to control myself better."

"And?" Draldoth asked, watching her closely.

"Well," she looked away, rather embarrassed, "I yelled something about Malgo would be better with me, because with her he'd be dead." Arix fell silent, figiting. Would he buy it? Everyone always said she was a good actor- good enough to get herself banished. "That's when we, well, um..."

"Starting fighting? With magic?"

Arix nodded, still looking away.

"So who started it?"

Arix stayed slient, he already knew where her tale was going, she just needed to convince him of it's truth. At least hers had the ring of plausablity; she could hear Kathri's story now, consisting of fire created by a Level 1 Grade D pegasi, when there was a unicorn who could control fire standing right across from her.

"Who started it, Arix?" He asked again, a little more insistant.

"She didn't mean to, I'm sure of it," She looked up with a hint of desperation in her eyes. "You've got to believe me, I was the one that pushed her over the edge." She paused, looking away and lowering her voice so Draldoth could barely hear her. "Again."

Arix could almost feel Draldoth's eyes burning a hole into her soul, but she stared fixedly at the corner of his desk.

"So it's your fault she attacked you?"

Arix nodded sheepishly, "I pushed her too far, and would have done the same thing in her place. I'm sorry I went way too far, truly I am. I should know better," she finished, feeling shame burn through her veins. Arix didn't have to fake the feeling; she was beating herself up for going too far anyway.

"You may go, but Arix?" He asked, catching her as she turned to leave. "Keep an eye on your tongue and your manipulation. This isn't Sunthara and we don't tolerate it."

She nodded, and when he turned back to his work, she scooted out the door. Quickly picking up a trot, she kept her head down in the replication of shame, but couldn't keep the light from sparkling in her eyes or the slight grin to tug at her mouth. He did indeed think that she was a product of her home kingdom, but he had no way of knowing how far that influence went. Sunthara had indeed prepared her for a life of seduction, manipulation, and intrigue. These northern equines would never know what hit them.