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Post by Angel Kapur on Jun 24, 2010 20:25:14 GMT -5
At about one-thirty in the afternoon Dunehelden time, on the Saturday after the last day of classes before Spring Break, Angel came rap-tap-tapping on the door of Allan's room.
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Allan Warbeck
Ireth
Janitorial Enigma
He who limps still walks.
Posts: 81
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Post by Allan Warbeck on Jun 24, 2010 20:54:52 GMT -5
"Coming!" Allan called, knowing just who it was who was knocking. He shrugged on a light jacket and picked up his suitcase in one hand, while Francois whirred and beeped happily at his ankles. He limped to the door and opened it with his free hand, grinning down at Angel.
"Right on time. Is everything ready?"
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Post by Angel Kapur on Jun 25, 2010 6:00:15 GMT -5
"Yeah, just about. My snake wants to come with us, so we probably have to go grab him out of the kitchens, but I'm ready, and we've got plenty of time to get to Florence before the party technically starts."
He grinned and crossed his arms. "So the Headmaster has released you ito my hands, and you're good with releasing yourself from all duties and obligations here for a week? Completely willing on your part?"
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Allan Warbeck
Ireth
Janitorial Enigma
He who limps still walks.
Posts: 81
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Post by Allan Warbeck on Jun 25, 2010 13:59:53 GMT -5
"I am," Allan nodded confidently, stepping out of the room with Francois beside him. He had wrestled with the idea of shirking his custodial duties for quite a while, but eventually he had managed to come to terms with it. Now if his OCD and germaphobia would just let him stick to it, he'd be good to go.
He shut and locked the door behind him, slipping the key into his pocket. "Shall we?"
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Post by Frog on Jul 7, 2010 10:43:13 GMT -5
Frog crouched low to the ground, creeping catlike along the floor. He made no sound.
Quiet. Quiet. He slipped up slowly behind Angel, then caught Allan's eye and put his finger to his lips.
Frog leaped up from the floor and threw his arms around Angel's middle, tackling him to the ground.
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Post by Angel Kapur on Jul 7, 2010 11:37:23 GMT -5
"Great." The air seemed to fizzle for a moment. "In that case, let's-"
His sentence was interrupted by roughly 120 pounds of pooka hitting the middle of his back. "Hwuf!" He began to panic before he even hit the ground, trying to writhe out of the grip of the thing that had grabbed him, and got so far as to be turned around and have Frog's face buried in his stomach before he realized what had happened.
He faux-glared at the boy. "I guess that means we don't have to find you, at least."
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Post by Frog on Jul 7, 2010 12:03:46 GMT -5
Frog beamed. "Found you. Didja miss me?" Frog nuzzled against Angel. "Already got our stuff packed up and ready to go. Can we stop for snacks on the way? I want doughnuts."
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Post by Angel Kapur on Jul 7, 2010 12:07:44 GMT -5
Angel sighed and ruffled Frog's hair, standing up. "That would take more time than just raiding our host's kitchen, and something tells me he won't stop u- wait. He won't have food. Okay, sure, we'll get cannoli or find an Italian Krispy Kreme or something."
He smirked at Allan. "If you'd like something, I'd be happy to accommodate."
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Allan Warbeck
Ireth
Janitorial Enigma
He who limps still walks.
Posts: 81
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Post by Allan Warbeck on Jul 8, 2010 14:58:48 GMT -5
Allan smiled and shook his head. "No, thank you. I'm fine."
He chuckled at his roomba, who was eagerly investigating Frog's ankles and beeping at him in greeting, then looked back at the two cuddling boys. He was intensely curious about who their host would be, and what would happen once they reached Florence. Just what kind of party had they been invited to?
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Post by Angel Kapur on Jul 10, 2010 15:26:12 GMT -5
"Up to you." Angel brushed himself off. "Let's get going, then, if you're still ready. I don't want to lose a minute more of vacation than I have to."
The trip towards the castle gates was mostly uneventful, the halls being for the most part clear of students. The twilight outside sparkled with a thousand golden stars in a soft green sky, and when the trio passed through the gates, the wards flared around the edges and sparked visibly gold as well. Angel rolled his shoulders irritably and scratched his arms where the sparks hit him.
A short walk through the woods brought them to what at first seemed to be a copse in a park, but the trees began melting into stones and they came out in an alleyway. The sun was still a good hour from setting, dark red in the sky, and the streets were full of people coming and going in the beautiful spring air.
"Benvenuti a Firenze." Angel turned to Allan and grinned. "Might want to stay within several feet of me, at least until night falls. I can't remember how the sun affects things like you, and who knows how endless twilight might have changed that?"
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Allan Warbeck
Ireth
Janitorial Enigma
He who limps still walks.
Posts: 81
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Post by Allan Warbeck on Jul 11, 2010 21:45:36 GMT -5
Allan followed the two students as quickly as he could, and Francois whirred along happily at his side. He couldn't help but cringe a bit when they stepped out of the castle, not knowing what to expect and fearing some nasty consequence if this went wrong. Thankfully, nothing happened; he emerged onto the school grounds completely unscathed.
He stood still for a few seconds, looking around him in awe. He had seen the school grounds before, but only through windows -- this was the first time in living memory he had been outside of the castle walls. The day was warm, with a soft breeze cooling the air, and making the grass rustle all around his feet. His roomba gave a soft whine and stayed close to him, looking as anxious as a robot could.
"It's alright," Allan murmured soothingly to his pet. "It's just grass."
He lifted his eyes, looking up at the moss-green sky with its thousands of golden stars, and stood still for a moment, admiring its eerie beauty in full for the first time. Then, realizing that Angel and Frog were getting ahead of him, he picked up Francois in his free hand and hurried to draw level with them again as they approached the castle gates and passed quickly through them.
They started into the woods beyond the warded gates; Allan quailed inwardly at the thought of what lurked here, especially on a microscopic level, but he carried on in stoic silence, determined not to turn his back on adventure. This was the opportunity of a lifetime, and germaphobia or no germaphobia, he was going to enjoy this, darnit. He walked boldly on, though he kept from touching the trees as much as he possibly could.
Soon the trees turned to stones, and they emerged in an alleyway. Allan winced a little at the sudden glare of the sun from the red sky to the west, looking around in wonder at the comings and goings of the people of the city. So this was Florence.
He smiled and nodded when Angel spoke. "I plan to." He had been the whole time, honestly, and he really didn't want to take any chances.
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Post by Angel Kapur on Jul 21, 2010 23:42:25 GMT -5
Frog got a couple dozen donuts, and they continued on.
Eventually, a little before dark, they arrived at a large, almost Roman-looking house in one of the older areas of the city. At the door, a pale man wordlessly let them in to a small waiting-room, past which was a long hallway bordered by twin staircases. The windows at the end of the hall reached to the ceiling, but were at the moment covered in thick, dark curtains. Angel headed up to the second floor, winding around to a pair of white-and-silver double doors that were thrown open to reveal a large, if mostly empty, decorated ballroom.
The few people who had arrived already included a buff-looking, white-haired Korean man in an expensive white suit, sitting apart from the small crowd on a sofa; and a short, adorable sixteen-year-old Italian boy in a masquerade costume (like most of them) who immediately detached himself and came over to meet them.
"Ah, and we have our guests of honor!" He took Angel's hand and kissed the air overtop of it, following with Frog's and Allan's. "Signore Naga, Signore Rana, and... our wonderful little anomaly." His smile shone up at Allan's face.
"I am Antonin di Verracia. Welcome to my house; may I ask your name, sir?"
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Allan Warbeck
Ireth
Janitorial Enigma
He who limps still walks.
Posts: 81
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Post by Allan Warbeck on Jul 22, 2010 15:42:25 GMT -5
Still holding his roomba carefully as they headed onward through the city, Allan looked around them in awe at the beauty of Florence. The architechture was breathtaking, especially the older buildings. He listened with great interest to the voices of the people they passed; Italian was a lovely language, and it seemed like it would be interesting and worthwhile to learn.
Finally they came to a large house with a distinctly Roman look to its design, and were beckoned inside by a pale man who did not utter a word of greeting. Allan followed Angel and Frog carefully up a winding staircase, looking around at the ornate interior design of the house. They entered a large decorated ballroom, which currently had only a few occupants.
A young Italian boy in a masquerade costume, who looked no older than sixteen, hurried forward to greet them. Allan watched and listened politely, and smiled rather curiously as he was acknowledged and addressed as a 'wonderful little anomaly'. He had to wonder just what the boy was referring to.
"I am Allan Warbeck," he answered when Antonin asked his name. "You have a beautiful home. I'm honored to have been invited here."
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Post by Angel Kapur on Jul 28, 2010 16:29:46 GMT -5
"Fascinating." Antonin beamed, looking over the roomba as well. "And what is that, may I ask?"
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Allan Warbeck
Ireth
Janitorial Enigma
He who limps still walks.
Posts: 81
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Post by Allan Warbeck on Jul 28, 2010 17:46:54 GMT -5
Allan smiled, adjusting his grip on the roomba in his arms. "This is my pet, a Roomba named François. A mage friend of mine enchanted him for me. He was a Christmas gift."
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Post by Angel Kapur on Jul 28, 2010 22:17:28 GMT -5
Antonin chuckled. "Ah, mages. Such wonderful work they do."
He glanced at Angel, then took a step back and waved his hand at the ballroom. "Tonight, however, we reserve for lighter matters. You are a guest in my house, and its chambers are open to you. Drink! Dance! Mingle!"
Angel looked at Frog, then Allan, then Frog again, and shrugged.
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Allan Warbeck
Ireth
Janitorial Enigma
He who limps still walks.
Posts: 81
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Post by Allan Warbeck on Jul 28, 2010 22:37:04 GMT -5
Allan smiled, but inwardly raised an eyebrow. Drink, he would. Mingle, he would. But dance? With his foot? That was unlikely.
He glanced self-consciously down at the appendage in question, not letting his smile slip. He glanced around the room, wondering idly whom to mingle with.
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