Chapter 1: Leil

In Leil's dreams, black space was lit by six figures, five standing in a
curve, the pale glow coming off them showing robes with runes stitched on the hoods
and black shadows where there should be faces. Before them, standing in a stark
white circle, Leil stood, her hands behind her back, her shoulders stiff. Her face
was smooth, but there was a tenseness in her jaw and is her stance that said she
was afraid.
"Leilen Archer" The central figure, on whose hood was a rune Leil
identified as much more complicated version of the rune for Control, seemed to be
the source of the resounding voice. "We are concerned"
She stood silent. This being was not one with whom Leil, even at her
sparkiest and most powerful, would dare to cross. He didn't even need periods to
declare the ends of his sentences.
"You have lain idle in the Palace of a golem, you have focused your
energies on trivial matters, and you have wasted power to aid a mortal in a game of
combat"
"You have unleashed your Core to protect those to whom you owe no
allegiance"
All at once, the five spoke "Explain Yourself"
Permitted to speak at last, she chose her words carefully, trying for eloquence to conceal the uneasiness in her bones.
"My Lords of the Council," She began, "I am aware that, as a Mage within
the Trials, I have a duty to perform within this world I was sent to. However, and
I am certain I need not remind, my circumstances are not normal, and my Trial is a
point of anomaly within the history of the Academy. Further, is not my duty to save
this world as I see fit? To change its course in such a way that it will be
improved?"
"Your duty is to complete your Trials and return to the Academy as
expediently as possible!" This speaker, who stood at the leaders left hand, bore a
variation of the rune for Power. Leil inclined her head to him.
"Yet you will agree that, were I to act hastily, my presence in this world
could condemn it."
The figure to the right of Control, who bore the Rune for Wisdom, nodded
once. "In that, at least, she speaks truth. Yet attest now to the wisdom of your
actions in baring your core and stripping yourself of your power?"
She answered that, and dozens more questions like it. Everything she said
became the next point of contention between her and the Masters of Magic in her
world. Finally, they fell silent and Control spoke again with the voices of all the Masters.
"We deem that you have grown too attached to this world and its people
That you are tethered by a false sense of loyalty to those around you and that you have forgotten that above All Else your Loyalties belong unto the Void" The synchronous voice broke into fragments once again.
"You know what you must do, Leilen Archer" The Magister bearing the rune
closest to that of Necessity spoke.
"Do not hesitate" Power commanded.
"Do not fail" Honor's voice was soft but strong.
"These Trials are yours to Pass or Fail" Control's words echoed eerily, as
opposed to merely echoing.
Wisdom, strangely enough, was the last to speak as Leil's spirit drifted
back into her body. "Remember, Leilen. Above all else, you must remember..." She
awoke in the false darkness of her room, sweating, and certain that there was
something incredibly important about those parting words that she had missed.
...Why had /Wisdom/ gone last?


Chapter 2: Jake

He sat on the desk in Kanareshii's living room, his back to the dirty
window. Sunlight streamed over his shoulders to fight a losing battle against the
dingy shadows of the room. In his lap was a manila folder containing the briefs Leil had put together on their next opponent--the Terrible Twosome, the Dynamic Duo, the Singing Summoners, Mack and Sam Shennigan. Looking at them, he expected to lose another round. Together, the two were fast and dangerous, with either one capable of covering for the other's attacks, and he knew Leil was down for the count still.
She wouldn't admit it to him, but her fight with Otherbody had hurt her far
worse than the Doctors claimed. He could see it in her eyes, and in the way she
moved--like she was stiff from a half-healed wound. He'd bumped into her the other
day and didn't even realize it was her until she turned around; he hadn't felt a
thing. No, he couldn't rely on Leil this round... She'd done the most he could
expect of her already.
"What do you think?" He looked up to see Leil standing in the doorway. She
was pale, her black hair too dark by comparison. Her smile was genuine, but her
eyes were deathly still--he had grown accustomed to the shifting bolts that crawled
across them, and seeing them unmoving was like a giant red flag waving over a field
of shiny bronze cannon and an army of Raiders. He returned her smile half-
heartedly.
"I doubt I can win. Between the two of them--even with their handicaps--I'm
out gunned."
"Don't count me out. I can do for either one of them, especially now that I
know how to use this thing." She pointed at the gun he'd spent the day before
showing her how to shoot. He didn't think it would be enough: there was an ocean of difference between being able to shoot a gun, and being able to shoot well. Eventually, the young mage might fall into the latter category, but as her skills stood now, she was still out to sea in a tiny little boat.
He sighed. "Even so..."
"Well... I have an idea..."


Chapter 3: Preparation

Most people forgot that Leil was capable of altering her appearance on a
small scale. She could grow or shorten her hair, change its color, adjust her
figure and in general shift her mass and pigmentation around as she pleased. Her
plan involved making use of this ability while Jake got his costume change. From
Cossi's, she acquired a green coat, and some brown slacks she could pull over her
Sky Pirate pants, and a pair of plain brown shoes. She borrowed a mirror, and
pinned up a photograph she'd picked up at the Alkemist and went to work.
She left while Jake was still in the dressing room, which was just as well. If Leil
had seen what Cossi turned her partner into, she might well have considered
forfeiting the round right then.
Jake... a purple Puma?
"You'll need to get used to the feline instincts," Cossi warned him. "They
can be over powering for a first-time shifter. you should take some time to walk
around before trying to confront the Twins."
He growled a reply that was supposed to be 'Yes, Ma'am.' but came out
rather more harsh. Cossi didn't seem to mind, so he padded out of the store and
looked around. With Leil gone to set the stage for later on, he had time to waste
getting used to this second skin of his. Everything was sharper as a cat--sights,
sounds, scents... He sniffed the air and felt his ears prick up. Mingled in with
the aroma of the crowd was a strange, almost minty scent he didn't recognize. There
was something incredibly enticing about it, and he followed it without thinking.
The source of the smell seemed to be a detective he had seen once or twice
before as a human. The man always seemed to have at least one cat following him
around, and Jake thought he understood now. There was just something about that
scent...
The detective turned around and stared at him.
Jake smiled, taking a step forward.
The detective turned tail and ran, the purple puma bounding in hot pursuit.
On the other side of the street, Sam watched them run by.
"Huh... That's strange..."

Chapter 4: Apologies

Leil darted around a corner. Leading Mack off from his brother was the hard part--she had to stay just in feasible reach, but far enough off to get away. She led him down a winding series of back allies and side streets before vanishing down a dead end. On the rooftop overhead, she stripped off the Kenton-costume she had worn to lure him away and looked down at the scene. It was a delay she couldn't really afford to make, but chanced anyway.
He didn't swear when he saw what lay waiting for him, but Leil was sure he dearly wished for his voice. The word 'Sorry' was painted in red on the dead, gray wood of the fence that ended the alley, and Mack's expression was one of rage. She felt bad for misleading him so, but she had to get him away from Sam. He was too smart to fall for the Womanly Wiles trick she intended to play, and with him there, Sam never would agree.
She hurried back across the rooftops, reducing the distance she traveled by almost half. It would take Mack much much longer to retrace his steps to where he left his brother, and by then, hopefully, Sam would be gone away with her. It would give Jake the fighting chance he so badly needed to win. She dropped back to the street a few blocks down and strode up the street, past the twin who'd nearly gotten himself killed chasing skirt before. He followed her, as expected, and offered to take her to dinner at some fancy restaurant. She talked him down to Lunch at a local diner. She couldn't let him spend all of his money treating her--the Shennigans were tight on cash as it was. Besides: she wasn't interested in Sam particularly. She was curious about the magic he and his brother used, but when she tried to get him to talk about it, he played dumb.
They wound up talking about cheesecake for some reason... It was a surprisingly good conversation.
She just hoped Jake was okay...


Chapter 5: Tuna

Jake was, in fact, doing just fine. He'd lost track of the detective somewhere, but that was okay, because he'd found Mack instead. And Mack had a hamburger. Unfortunately, Mack also had survival instincts, so when faced with a two-hundred pound purple cat, he did the sensible thing and turned and ran.
Well, almost sensible. Jake couldn't resist the felines' instinct to pounce, and so gave chase, bounding after the unfortunate soul who had not been informed his opponent was going to be a giant cat. Again, he lost the trail somewhere near where the detective vanished. He looked around, testing his heightened senses, and heard the sounds of a struggle from... inside the dumpster? He saw it wiggle, and stepped out of the way just in time for it to spill over, disgorging with all the refuse, one very annoyed Mack, and one equally annoyed detective.
Jake walked over to the detective and stuck his whiskered nose in the man's face. He couldn't figure out what was it that made him so distracting...
What was he getting distracted from? Food... Ah! Mack! He turned to look for the elder Shennigan twin. He was standing at the entrance to the alley, looking as though he wished he were any where else on the face of the planet.
He had the biggest fish Jake had ever seen in his life clutched in his right hand.
AND he threw it.
Hundreds of years of survival instincts demanded Jake take the fish and run. It was a good sized meal for a cat that big... Unfortunately, when he locked his jaws around the tuna, he froze up. Literally. It took several hours to de-thaw him after the announcer declared the victory in the Shennigans favor, and several more to get his own form back. When the ordeal was over, he sighed, feeling defeated and relieved at once. It was over, but he was one round further in, and no closer to finding out who was trying to turn him into a killer than he was when he saved Marisol. He dragged on his shirt and was buttoning it when Leil walked in, escorted by Cossi.
To his relief, Cossi left, but Leil stayed.
"We lost." He was sure she'd already heard--there was something sadly resolute in the way her face was set when she entered--but he felt obliged to tell her anyway.
Leil shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe not. Sam'll lend us a hand if we need it, I'm sure. And I think he has contacts that could help us find your Shadow Org. Last round we picked Setrina up as a potential ally, too, and she's worth her weight in gold." She shook out his vest and held it while he slid his arms into their appropriate places. "We're losing... but we're not losing everything."
"Yea'... But we still don' know whose behind all this." He shook his head and buckled on his gun belt. "If I don' figure out who it is soon..." He trailed off. Leil sighed.
"C'mon. I'll buy ya dinner..."