Don't Be So Eager

No. As tempting as it is to want the hot dark-skinned Elven under you and under your power, taking things too fast is probably a very bad idea.

And not just because this feels way too much like an obvious trap.

The Professor's one good eye darts down to the forming Rein and her hand briefly glows with a white magical energy, which causes the magical strand to freeze barely an inch from the back of that hand. Curiously, that is all the spell she cast does instead of dispelling it. "You knew that was there," she says as her gaze returns to your face.

You nod. "Yeah."

"Tell me," she says still not moving her hand, "Do any of those other women you have, besides the elder Harker, know of these yet?"

You shake your head, a momentary feeling of guilt stabbing through you. Why had you not? They did deserve to know that they were connected to you this way, right? But then again, how DO you explain "An automatic spell I have no real control over has bound you to me and is slowly making you more and more my obedient love slaves AND it is apparently unbreakable" in a way that will NOT cause a total freak out?

"Good," Zizana says, her voice as firm as her nod, "It is best they remain unaware for now. Especially Ashcroft."

Somehow, this surprises you and that surprise shows enough on your face that Professor Zizana momentarily smirks. "This is not a matter of informed consent. It is your responsibility that as few as possible know these strings exist. For a string that cannot be cut can still be pulled in more than one direction."

Her face somehow grows even more severe than normal. "Or become a noose around both your own neck and those of the ones bound to you."

A chill runs down your spine. Several times. In a row. You think you know what she is getting at but somehow it seems better to say it out loud. "So you're saying there's someone who could make Harmony pull that string even if she hung herself in the process?"

"Her devotion to her family's ideals, her father's ideals, was strong enough for her to risk becoming your dedicated brood mare, was it not?" Zizana replies.

"'It's an Ashcroft's duty to be the best,'" you paraphrase, remembering what Harmony said the first time you did it with her, "'or to be bred by them.'"

Professor Zizana nods. "All to make the family stronger, no matter the sacrifice of an individual part."

You stew on that for a few seconds. There is a good person beneath all of Harmony's bluster and ego, you are sure of it. But if you were enough of an... influence, to overcome whatever conditioning her family had embedded in her over a much longer period of time than you could have ever know her up to this point, is something you very much doubt.

"And that is why it is your responsibility to ensure NEITHER of them, or any other you take on for that matter, lashes out in such a manner against one another EVER again," Zizana continues, "So no matter the result of their sex duel, be the victor Ashcroft or Harker, you WILL ensure they abide by it. Or, for the sake of more than you can know, I will have to... intervene."

It is hard to say if you are more shocked at her implied threat or the realization that she knows about the nature of the upcoming duel. "How--?" you start to ask.

Zizana actually smirks for a moment. "Ashcroft, 'for no real reason' has been discretely asking her old private tutor about defenses against tantric combat techniques and how best to quietly study their use. Until today, I had been wondering why. Harker had best not expect her experience to carry her through. Ashcroft is a quick study even with subjects she may find... unnecessary."

A vision of Harmony and Zizana in some... interesting positions passes through your mind. "Does that mean you've been helping her practice?"

"No," the Elven quickly growls, "Much of my tantric knowledge can be unpleasant to learn. And utterly inappropriate for someone as... innocent as her to know."

Zizana looks down at where the Soul Rein is still frozen in place, though you get the feeling it is less to ensure it has not progressed and more that she does not want you seeing whatever memories are showing on her face. Given her scars, they are obviously not good ones. "If it means anything," you say, "I'm really glad to hear you care about her well being. About all of us students, really. Given how quick you jumped in to stop things from getting violent, I mean."

She is silent for a few moments as she still stares down. "So much like him," she mutters before speaking louder, "Prove to me that you can be responsible and manage what you have. Then... perhaps you will be ready for more. Dismissed."

You turn to go, Zizana raising her hand as if she is about to end the spell making the room private. "One last thing," she says, causing you to pause, "It is true that what you are places you at the center of many events. However, even you can sometime be caught in the middle of another's unrelated crossfire. Remember that."

The Professor finally banishes the runes along the walls and you depart, pondering her words and... really everything that has happened so far today. A shower and changing back into your regular uniform does not really improve your mood as much as you had hoped it would as you head out of the gym towards wherever you are headed next.

Even two hot blondes running over to walk by your sides can fully lift you out of your thoughtful funk. "The nurse said Amelia's going to be okay," Mana says, "but wants to keep her in a quiet place for a while to get over the shock. So she's not allowing visitors for now."

Well, that eliminates dropping in on the infirmary as your next step.

Selena reaches out to give your arm a sympathetic pat. "She was already starting to look a little better when we left," she adds, "And we're gonna drop in after dinner to see if she got back and see how she's doing, okay?"

"Sounds good," you mutter.

"So why'd Professor Zizana want to talk with you though?" Mana asks, "I mean, the two were acting like the main rivals in a romcom story for cryin' out loud, so did she think you egged them on or something?"

"Something like that."

They seem to catch something in your tone and the two girls share a look, Selena's being openly worried while Mana's grows slightly guarded. "Did you?" the straight haired blonde asks.

You sigh. Are you REALLY going to have to undergo another interrogation already?! "If they were acting that way because of me," you tiredly growl, "it wasn't because I told them to or anything like that."

Selena raises her hands in Mana's direction. "Hey, I don't think he's trying to do anything bad," she says, and then she chuckles in a way that sounds oddly ****, "I mean, if that spell had gone off, he'd have blocked Marcus from getting hurt by a woman by being in the way twice now!"

... Huh?

"What do you mean by that?" you and Mana ask in confusion.

Selena blinks, as if realizing what she just said, then frowns. "I mean, while we were practicing, he was trying to start up a conversation and said, 'You're a Pegasus, huh? I was dating that psycho Pegasus girl for a little bit. You know her?' OOOOH! I hit him with a REALLY nasty curse that makes you feel like you've got the runs when it was his turn!"

Smooth, Marcus.

"I wouldn't have even bothered with the curse," Mana growls, smacking her fist into her hand.

"So," you ponder aloud, "how did him dating Parisa lead to me 'protecting him'?"

Selena continues, "Well, at the time I just kind of **** a smile and told him to go on. It sounds like they started going out a little after me and Mana helped her break up with Victor, and he said they even had plans for him to come over on the day that... uh... you know..."

"But she suddenly canceled on him and invited me to her room instead?"

Selena nods.

"That's... weird," Mana says, "Though I guess both of them are lucky in a way. Marcus for not getting attacked, and Parisa for going after someone strong enough to resist her before she actually hurt them."

You come to an intersection of pathways and Mana and Selena say their good byes as they turn to head off for Pegasus House. You take the pathway towards Wyvern House, still thinking on what to do. Studying for tomorrow's classes is out of the question, given all the new information that is currently running through your head combined with older information you still have not really stopped to really sift through yet.