Shadow of Jahkarsi

Nicholas Alisari Age 13, Year 3021, Ninth Tide, 1st Moon

I have met many refugees from Jahkarsi in the past but rarely are they Celestials. Meeting the Alisari siblings for the first time was interesting, to say the least. I believe that Nicholas and his sister will be welcome additions to our Academy.

~ From the Journals of Donavin MonDalain

Nicholas perched on the roof of Phoenix tower, waiting for the blue-haired boy to come out. He scaled the tower and had been waiting in the shadows of the flag all day. Anyone who bothered to look up to the roof of the tower would see only the ornate flag. Depicting a fiery phoenix soaring into the sky; its looming shadow cast on the red tiles. A well-trained eye might have noticed that the shadow was not the right shape and that it stayed ever on the west-facing side of the flag regardless of where the sun was in the sky, but Nicholas doubted there was anyone that observant on a day as busy as today.

The start of a new term at the Guardian Academy had the grounds crawling with students, professors, members of the council, and even parents taking tours. Nicholas had seen the blue-haired boy first, in the Administration building and then again with one of the tour groups. He followed the boy to the tower, trying to figure out what he would say. When the boy went to the tower Nicholas decided to wait him out. 

Reaching up, Nicholas scratched the ears of his familiar, a fennec fox named Vision. Vision bit him hard, drawing blood. Nicholas sucked in a sharp breath past clenched teeth and flicked the little fox in the head with a bloody finger. The two of them had had a tenuous relationship since Nicholas rescued the fox from certain death two years prior. Nicholas needed the fox to be his eyes, and the fox needed him, or at least, Nicholas liked to believe that it was a mutually beneficial relationship.

Vision chittered.

"I know. But, I need to make sure that it's him," said Nicholas.

Vision nipped at Nicholas's ear and gnawed on the stem of his glasses.

"Vision, stop it! I know the glasses don't help, but they comfort me. They are far less comforting if they are riddled with teeth marks."

The fox chittered again angrily and turned around on top of Nicholas's head, facing the flag pole, looking out at nothing.

"Turn around!" Nicholas hissed. "I can't do this without you."

Vision closed his eyes defiantly, and suddenly the world went black for Nicholas.

"Really? We're six stories up on the roof of a tower, and now you choose to blind me? Look, Vision, I know you're angry, but if you open your eyes now and turn around, I'll give you two treats tomorrow."

Vision refused to oblige.

"Damn it!" growled Nicholas under his breath. "Fine! We'll go now, but I can't very well get down without your help."

Nicholas poked the fox in the side until he opened his eyes, and as if someone had turned on a light in a dark room, Nicholas could see again.

He had wanted to see the blue-haired boy again before they were inevitably introduced during their studies. If it had been the same boy, there was no way to be sure they would even have lessons together. He wasn't sure how old the boy was. But he assumed that the pirate boy who saved him and his sister from slavers was at least a year or two older than he was. He wanted to find the boy and talk to him. But what would he say? How would he apologize for getting him arrested while at the same time thanking him for saving his life?