<font color='669900'><CENTER><FONT FACE=VERDANA> Current Day: Two Current Quarter: Dyo Current Year: Year Two Takron pushed open the door to his new office. A shiny plaque on the door read "Guidance Office" with the name "Takron Kuulkes" engraved on it underneath. He grinned to himself - it made him feel important. His office was large and spacious, with a large skylight in the ceiling. Tasteful if sparse paintings lined the two walls, a third was covered in bookshelves, and the last wall was occupied his desk. His visiting hours extended from 8 to 12 noon, which meant those were the hours he had to be in regardless of whether he had an appointment scheduled with a student t hen or not. His first half hour he spent in rearranging the furniture to his liking. This way, when sitting behind his desk, he was facing the door, so he could see whoever came in. Also, this way his desk was right under the skylight, providing plenty of light. And his bookshelves were arranged on the wall next to him so that he could reach them fairly easily from his desk. The boxes full of books he had transported with him from his home cave in Watani were now all piled ina corner. After sitting down for a minute to survey his handiwork, he got up and begain to arrange his books on the beautiful hardwood shelves. He also put a few trinkets and such, a a photo of his one true sweetheart, on his desk. He had barely started when there was a knock on his door. <FONT COLOR="white"> "Come in," </FONT COLOR> he called pleasantly, looking up expectantly.</font>
<font color='#728FCE'>Nubajek looked at the floor dejectedly as he pushed the door and entered. He wasn't shy or anything, no, he was annoyed. He didn't see why he had to be in that place anyway. He was 1500, wasn't he old enough to do what he pleased? Apparently not, he had to come this pointless school - or did they call it an academy? Nubajek, Nub for short, was used to counselors: he hadb een through more than 6. They were all the same, they'd first try and be friendly and hten they'd start brainwashing you. but he wasn't the type to let himself be influenced, no ! He wouldn't let them. These were his confused thoughts as he slowly entered and looked up to face the new counselor. Hello Mr ... Kuulkes(he read on the board) , he mumbled, I have been sent here from Aerobatics class because I supposedly misbehaved, once again.</font>
<font color='669900'><CENTER><FONT FACE=verdana> Takron cocked his head, studying the youngster. He seemed to be in a horrible mood. No point in trying to talk to him in this mood. <span style='color:white'>"Call me Takron,"</span> he said, getting up and going over to the youngster. <span style='color:white'>"And I'm sorry, but I didnt quite catch your name?"</span> He continued shelving his books as he spoke, acting casually to attempt to put the youngster at ease. And he was, of course, careful to shield all his thoughts - from Takron's own experience, youngsters around Nub's age always felt they were being manipulated in some way. And if this student had as many problems - or, and here Takron smiled to himself, issues, as they were being called nowadays - as he appeared to, then it might take a while - several sessions even -to get to know the student before he could safely attempt to do something about the problems. Doing so too early would only get under the guy's skin. In plain language, Takron wanted to help this youngster - not piss him off.</font>
<font color='#728FCE'>Nub was utterly annoyed. <span style='color:dodgerblue'>'I didn't quite catch your name'</span>, he mimicked, <span style='color:dodgerblue'>Of course you didn't, I didn't tell it to you !</span> He hated the way counsellors always had to say things in a complicated way. He could just have said. 'Hmm, look, you forgot to introduce yourself', but no, he had to use the big words. Nub already felt he disliked this pendragon. <span style='color:ivory'>'Name's Nub</span> he mumbled, still looking at the ground.</font>
<font color='669900'><CENTER><span style='font-size:8pt;line-height:100%'>Takron raised his eyebrows a little over the name - surely Nub couldn't be his full name - but decided not to pursue it at the moment. Takron paused for a moment, looking at Nub again, thinking quickly. <span style='color:white'>"What class were you in?"</span> Â he asked Nub, returning to shelving the books. Outside, there was suddenly a crack of thunder, quite a change from the beautiful weather of the earlier morning, and when Takron looked up, startled, he saw, through his skylight, dark clouds rushing together. He smiled - he always loved a good ol' thunder-and-lightning storm - and shekved another book, pausing a only moment to stroke its soft blue leather spine. It was one of the many journals chronicaling his life, this one of the time he himself had been a troublesome teen at this school. He smiled a little to himself - how long ago that seemed! Yet he could remember it as yesterday. Oh well, that wasnt the problem at hand now. So he pushed the journal onto the shelf, in between two other journals of his life. They were in order, Â by date. He always tried to start out methodically, organized, but his rooms always ended up a disorganized pigstyle. He grinned, then looked to Nub for an answer. His hands front paws continued delicately shelving books.</span></font>
<font color='blueviolet'>Nub, who had up to then been looking at his feet, studied the new counselor carefully. He didn't seem like all those  'goodie goodies' come before him.  He noticed, with interest, the earings he wore and came to the conclusion that he had probably had a rather troubled youth. He didn't look very old either - around his 30 00's, he guessed. Looking upon his jet black face, he noticed a smile and looked down at the curious book he held in his paws. It was old, blue and common, yet Nub was eager to know of it's content. This was rather strange, as he didn't like reading. He would have asked but he felt he had principles - he couldn't be so friendly with a counselor, however interesting they might be. So he decided to simply answer, yet he couldn't help but follow the journal and look at it as he did. As i have al-rea-dy said (he rolled his eyes) i was in Arobatics. Tough he had tried, the tone of his voice wasn't quite as arrogant as he would have liked it to be .</font>
<font color='669900'><span style='color:white'>"I'm sorry, I guess you did say that earlier,"</span> and Takron grinned a little sheepishly at Nub. <span style='color:white'>"Uh, you may have noticed that I've just started here. I'm trying to get my office in order here. So, if you really want, I can make you a cup of tea and you can lie on my couch over there and pour out your life's problems to me, but..."</span> and here he stopped to grin at Nub, his eyes twinkling. <span style='color:white'>"so, unless that's what you really prefer, than I guess I'll send you packing back to your classroom. However, your teacher might not appreciate that. So how about you come help me get my office in ordere a bit? And when the bell leaves you can go on to your next class. Sound alright with you?"</span></font>
<font color='blueviolet'>Nub forced a smile (he made sure it looked forced aswell) and replied: - Sure, I wouldn't mind helping you a little, I guess. My Aerobatics teacher has seen enough of me for today, i think. But I must warn you, I 'm probably the most disorganised Pendragon ever so don't expect me to do wonders. What must I do? He didn't want to go back to that class either, just to see that Kuentin guy, a real showoff, beat him at a race again. And, if he stayed, he might have a better look at that journal, the blue one ...</font>
<font color='B0C4DE'><center><span style='font-family:verdana'><span style='font-size:8pt;line-height:100%'>Takron grinned inwardly at Nub's reluctant attitude, although he was careful not to show it - it might offend the kid. So he just said, <span style='color:B22222'>"Glad you agree. If you go over to that box over there, you'll find it full of psychology books. If you could arrange them alphabetically by author on the shelf there, I would really appreciate it." </span> He noticed Nub's eyes lingering over his blue journal, and said <span style='color:B22222'>"Oh, this blue book here is just my journal. Actually, this one is from when I was about the samge age as you are now."</span> He grinned mischieviously. <span style='color:B22222'>"I'd let you read it, but you might get some ideas from it, and what kind of counselor would I be if I encouraged you in your fun?"</span> He grinned again and winked at Nub. <span style='color:B22222'>"And somehow I don't think you'd appreciate it if I offered to let you read some of the tamer ones?"</span> He looked over to make sure Nub was shelving the books correctly, then smiled and went back to his own work. A companiable silence settled down for a little while.</span></span></font>
<font color='blueviolet'>Nub was disappointed as he heard the reading of the journal be denied to him but kept himself from showing it. As he shelved the books, without paying much attention to them, the disappointment turned to anger. He was determined to read that journal. He did not why, yet he felt that it contained something important, something vital. His brains began to concieve a plan, a plan to steal the coveted journal. As he placed the very last book he turned to face the ocunselor and asked, - Will that be sufficient? Do you wish me to leave now?</font>
<font color='B0C4DE'><center><span style='font-family:verdana'><span style='font-size:8pt;line-height:100%'>The words were barely out of Nub's mouth before Takron heard the bell peal. <span style='color:B22222'>"Well, there goes the bell, so my say in the matter disapears. Off you go to your next class, and try not to get in trouble again or next time I may have to work a bit harder to occupy you in my office!"</span> he said, smiling at the not-so-young niotie before making shooing motions with his hands towards the door. His threat had been deliberately mild, yet nonetheless intended. He hoped Nub would take the advice, although he doubted it. Niotie's, especially ones of Nubs age and personality, tended to do exactly what they pleased and listen to no one. Takron sighed. He himself had been such a one once. As the blue journal could have prooven. But there were at least a few things in there which Takron was fairly sure even the Administration's intensive mind-probing had not yielded to them, and some went quite a bit beyond innocent schoolboy mischief, which seemed, from that brief interview, to be all Nub was really guilty of. <span style='color:20B2AA'>No, </span> Takron thought with a little shudder, <span style='color:20B2AA'>Nub should most definitely not get his hands on that!</span> He continued to shelve books for a while longer, then sat down for a moment to rest and survey his handiwork. There was only one more crate of books to go. The rain had for the most part let up, and, as Takron looked up, the sun peeked from behind the dark clouds, causing a rainbow to shimmer for a moment before disappearing from his window's view. Sighing contedly, Takron rested for a moment more before determinidly getting up to finish the last box of books. And when that was done, unless there were any more students - or anyone else, for that matter - requiring his attention, then he would go down to the teacher's lounge to eat. And hopefully meet interesting people, since so far the only adults he knew by name and sight at the  school yet were the secretary in the Office and Sir Krochet.</span></span></font>
<font color='blueviolet'>Nub nodded and muttered something which ressembled a goodbye. As he left, him subtly placed his paw on one of the door's hinges, leaving a colourless substance behind. The thick, viscous substance began to spread and cover the entire mechanism and began to eat at the metal. He had often used this to go to places where he shouldn't and had never yet been found out. Nub grinned to himself and walked off to his next class. ------------------------------------------------------------ An hour later, at noon Nub left his class, excited. It was lunch break and he was pretty sure the couselor would be out. Yet a part of him, the moderate one, told him that it was too risky and that , in daylight, he would surely be caught. and that was not what he wanted. He initial plan had been to go late at night when most would be sleeping but his unbearable curiosity nagged him. He just had to find out. The substance, Ukep, of which he was the proud author, would havereacted by then. Carefully looking around to see that nobody was watching him, he gave a hard and swift blow at the hinges. Like dry mud, the metal broke into uneven clots and the door began to fall. Nub cursed, for he had not expected it do be so quick, and quickly pushed the door forward . He gently opened it, and, still supporting it with his left front paw, he pushed it open at a slight angle and quickly slid inside. After a slight sigh of relief, he balanced the door properly so that it would not fall crashing to the ground. Suddenly, he began to wonder if he had done the right thing. He hadn't even made sure Takron had left for long period of time and he didn't know where he was. Well, he thought, It's too late now.. You might aswell just read da thing. He reached for the journal, almost too scared to open it.</font>
<font color='006600'><span style='font-family:lucida sans console'><span style='font-size:8pt;line-height:100%'><span style='color:black'>There we go!</span> thought Takron as the lunch bell sounded. He had finished arranging his room to his satisfaction some 15 minutes ago, and, as he was new enough here not to have any scheduled appointments or left-over paperwork to do, he had been twiddling his thumbs since then. And lunch signified the end of his office hours as well, until 3:30 that afternoon, so he'd have plenty of time to himself. Whistling amiably, he got up and went out, locking the door behind him. If the door seemed slightly looser in its sockets than it had earlier that morning, he didn't note the change. After only one wrong turn, Takron found his way to the teachers lounge, where he silently thanked the gods that teachers ate different fare from the students. Actually, he noted with surprise, carrying his tray over to a table and sitting down, this was quite good. He was just just beginning his meal when the majority of the other teachers filed in in groups, most of them laughing or chattering amiably with others. <span style='color:black'>Of course,</span> he thought, <span style='color:black'>they would have had to tie up loose ends in the classrooms before coming on down.</span>. Actually, he rather wished now that he hadnt been so hasty in getting here, as then he wouldn't have had to endure all the curious glances they spared him as they waited on line for their food. Watching a few out of the corners of his eyes, he continued to eat, pretending to pay them no mind. He was halfway through his meal when he realized that he'd forgotten the keys to his new appartment inside his office. <span style='color:black'>Oh well,</span> he sighed. He would just have to go back and get them after he had finished eating. So he bolted down the rest of his meal in order to get back to his office, grab his keys, and get out of here.</span></span></font>
<font color='006600'><span style='font-family:lucida sans console'><span style='font-size:8pt;line-height:100%'>As Takron jogfed back to his office to pick up his house keys and leave, he thought about his morning's visitor, Nub. He seemed the typical mischievious teen, but you never knew - Takron's counselors had thought the same thing of him, and look how wrong they'd been. Thank god they'd neber gotten hold of his diaries! Come to think of it, Takron realized with a start, the police might want to get their hands on those too. Some of his former partners were still selling, he knew, and although he had cut all business ties with them, he was still friends with a couple. But the police couldn't read those without a warrant, and it had been several years since he'd quit the drug business, and as far as he knew, noone really suspected him. Oh, a few of his old teachers, maybe, but not enough to proove it conclusively - Takron had an extremely strong mind shield, from even an early age, that only very few teachers could penetrate - and Takron had always made sure to be perfect around those. And besides, most of the teachers operated on a code of ethics and wouldnt pierce even a weak mind-shield without strong suspicions. So, Takron decided, so long as no one else got access to his diaries, he needn;t fear the police or anyone else. But he probably shouldn't keep them in his school office, where curious students might get... interesting - ideas. No, keeping them here was definintely not a good idea. Nub had already shown some interest in one - if his memory served him correctly, that particular one told of how he got started in the whole thing at 15. And named several people who would reeeeeeeeeally rather not be known, and Nub might well know or at least recognize one of them. So, when he picked up his keys, he would also collect the diaries and take them to his appartment. Then he got to his office door, and all thoughts flew out of his head. Someone had broken into his office, and it sounded like they were still in there.</span></span></font>
<font color='#48CCCD'>Nub couldn't believe it, he ad only read the first few pages and was already baffled. All the things and feelings described in these were ones that he could have felt or done himself. He just couldn't picture Takron as young 15 00 year old rebel, no, as hard as he tried, he couldn't. He was about to turn a page when he heard someone coming close and, keeping as cool as he could, rapidly put the journal back in it's place and wondered where he should hide/go. Under the table? No, that would plain stupid. Out of the window? It's locked and it would take too much time... There was nowhere he could go so he went up to the door and opened the still broken door, balancing it's weight in his two paws and leant it against the wall. He then grinned and said: - Hello mr Kuulkes ... Had a nice lunch? His tone of voice was confident and loud.</font>
<font color='006600'><span style='font-family:lucida sans console'><span style='font-size:8pt;line-height:100%'>Takron took a deep breath and was about to plunge inside to find out who was violating his office when a cocky, impudent, familiar you face appeared at the door. <span style='color:FF9933'>"You!"</span> Takron shouted, furious beyond the point of reasoning. If Nub had read... Striding forward, Takron grabbed Nub's shoulder in a painfully strong grip and attempted to steer him into his office. Once inside, Takron whirled, and glared at the door. The door flew up from where it had crashed to the floor, re-atteched itself to new-made hinges, and slammed shut. There was the sound of a key turning in a lock and a bolt slamming shut, and a key flew through the air to land in Takron's outstretched hand. He hadn't really fixed the door, just put a sort of time-spell on it, so that it returned to the form and position it had held three hours ago. It would last for 3 hours, which Takron judged sufficient time to deal with Nub. Once the door was in place, he strode over to his desk, and sat down, whirling the chair to face Nub. He pointed a finger at the nioti, and silver fire streamed from his finger and over the pendragon, encasing him in a fluid barrier of silver light. Assuming it worked correctly, when Nub moved, it would follow him, until Takron chose to release it. It was a truthsaying spell. When Nub spoke the truth, the silver would turn a steady, cool blue. If he lied outright, it would flare red. A half-truth would turn it a dull grey-black. <span style='color:FF9933'>"Now,"</span> Takron began in a steely voice. He turned his chair so that his back was turned to Nub. His face, he was sure, was full of the fury that filled him. He paused a moment to get his outside features under control, than whirled his chair back towards Nub in a swift, angry movement. At least his face was now an unreadable, cold, steely mask, as he continued <span style='color:FF9933'>"You will tell me, in precise detail, every little thing relating to and up to the time I found you here since the time you left my sight this morning. I will know if you lie or omit any detail, and will punish you accordingly, so I advise you to be truthful, Nubajek!"</span> His face as cold and impassive as ever, and his voice steely, hard, flat and cold, he cut an impressing figure. Now he stared hard at Nub, knowing he was probably making the cub wet his pants and not caring.</span></span></font>
<font color='#48CCCD'>Nub couldn't understand Takron's reaction. Ok, so he had come into his office, read one or two pages of his stupid journal and so what? Did he deserve to get locked up and all yelled at? He tried to suppress a helpless yelp as he felt the sharp claws grasp his tender shoulder. He also tried to hide his shudder as the door slammed back into place. This pendragon was getting scary... All his confidence was now gone and he was beginning to regret his recent actions. Had he known this takron guy would get this mad, he wouldn't have come at all. well, maybe he would have, but he would have done it during the night or something, without being caught. well, it was too late now, regretting wouldn't bring him anything. He was about to say something when his was envelopped in some kind fluid. Oh boy, i'm in for it... He looked upon the counselor's cold face and couldn't recognise it. It was very different from the one he had first seen. This pendragon was impressive and his tone cold glare was pitiless. Nub knew he couldn't rely on his old lies and as thoughts rushed thrugh his brains he tried to figure out ho to get out of this mess. He looked at his from paws for a second, trying to avoid the piercing stare, but, as he lifted his head again, they were still there, studying him. Shivering uncontrollably he sat down and decided that he would have to say the truth. He did not know what this spell that had been cast upon him would do and felt that, if he didn't do as takron wished, he might be in deeper trouble, deeper than in the mess he had gotten himself into. - Sir, I ... Never before had he called someone 'Sir' i admit I was wrong to enter your office without your consent. And, I also admit that reading your journal was invading your privacy. But, Sir, please believe when I say that I have read but 2 or three pages, really... He stopped as he felt the fluid change, it was now a strange darkish grey. He trembled, wondering what it meant. It was bound to have something to do with what he had said... The counsellor had said something about detecting whether he was lying or not, could that fluid.. but, he wasn't lying !! Sir, I promise, I swear... I'm not lying! Please, I have only read one or two pages, five at the most... Â The fluid turned to a cool blue again and he sighed. S.. So... he stammered, as I left, I placed this, this, substance I made... On your door, and ... And I came back a mittle later, at nooon... And, that's all Sir, that's all ... Never had he stammered, never had he been so scared. One locked up part of his brain was thinking That Mr Kuulkes is gonna pay for this... Whilst the rest of his mind was telling him You're gonna die, you're so dead you are ...</font>
<font color='006600'>Takron stared hard at Nub for a minute, unforgiving. Well, at least he seemed to have the sense to tell the truth. "I see. Somewhat. But you have not told me everything, young Nub. Firstly, you will tell me all about that substance you coated my door with, both its purpose, functions in general, and its exact ingredients, if you know them. You will also tell me," and here an icy chill crept into his voice, "which book you read, what exactly you read in that book." He continued to stare steelily at Nub.</font>
<font color='#48CCCD'>Nub sighed as his tensed muscles began to relax. Though Takron did seem to still be in a foul mood, his life did not seem threathened anymore. Regaining his confidence, he was almost going to refuse to give out his secret recipe, but, as he raised his head and met his cold eyes, he immediately dropped the idea. It was still way too dangerous. Instead, he decided to explain and define his invention without giving out it's exact recipe. He avoided the merciless glare as he began to speak. OOC: Hi Rachel, am in the U.k right now (somewhere in Kent, near London, at my Uncle's place.) Will continue later ....</font>
<font color='669933'><span style='color:99CCFF'>OOC:</span> <span style='color:999999'>heylo!</span> <span style='color:99CCFF'><center>BIC:</span> Takron continued to stare at Nub. One could practically see the wheels grinding in the nioti's head as he thought. But after a few moments pause, Takron began to get impatient. <span style='color:99CC66'>"I'm waiting... "</span> he reminded the boy. <span style='color:99CC66'>"What exactly did you read in that book?" </span>he prodded coldly.</font>
