AChapter 11
[Emberstrand]: College of Science
The college of science, the name itself conjures up images of steam engines and automatons working behind the reception desks. But in truth it is a sedate, marble floored building of great antiquity. The windows are lead lined and narrow, casting beams of sunshine across the hall, on long summer days a multitude of dust motes dance in the air.
The reception desk is a circular affair with several people manning it at all times. It blocks access to the offices, workrooms and classes of engineers, scientists and students that make up the college's population.
Thompson is in his office inside the College of Art, it's always been a bit of a war for the History department over which department it should be in so Thompson just cheated and convinced the Dean it was in both. He's busy reading papers turned in by his students and drumming his fingers on the desk as he considers the papers.
The door clicks open, and Ainsley pokes her head in uncertainly, and then spots Thompson. She slips in and closes the door behind herself, and steps on over toward Thompson. She silently waits and smiles, though she fidgets some, waiting until she's addressed at the very least.
"It is proper courtesy to knock Ainsley," Thompson says without looking up from the paper he is reading, "Have a seat I will be with you shortly. I just need to finish this."
Ainsley squeaks, and glances back at the door, and mumbles a "Sorry," then steps over to a seat and climbs into it. She grabs her tail and plays with the feathered tuft at the end carefully, waiting patiently.
Thompson makes a few notes on the paper, "Tea is ready," he slides a cup over to her, steam curling up from it, the scent of fresh tea made just the way Ainsley likes it and left long enough to cool to a sensible temperature. "Cookies are in the jar and yes the book on the desk is Karlsworth's Discussions on the Social Order of non-Moogles in Baguba Port, the revised edition by Louisa Kuudapo."
Ainsley's mouth opens, and then closes. She reeeaches from her seat to grab the cup and sip from it, giving an appraising gaze at Thompson. And then her head tilts. And then she giggles. "I don't think I've ever been to Baguba," she mentions, quietly. She glances aside uncertainly, and then back to Thompson... She goes for the jar, grabbing the whole container and putting it in her lap. She really likes cookies. "Are you done...?" she inquires, before stuffing a cookie into her maw.
Thompso says, "Not just yet... Matilda makes some very interesting points in this essay. You've never been to Baguba but you will be going soon. I got that out of the library it is important to understand the social rules of the city of Moogle's It is very ... different to what you are used to in Hume dominated society.""
"To be honest," Ainsley says, quietly and mildly, "I fully expected to have culture shock if I ever went there." She twitches her tail and then holds a hand up to her mouth, snickering. "I don't even have to ask you. Seers are a spooky sort." She sips her tea again. "From what's been said, I gather I'm supposed to meet Andromeda? Is there anything you'd recommend for me to do to prepare?"
Thompson sets the paper down and lifts his head, the ebony skinned man regarding the lizard quietly, "First you are going to meet Oidhchecloca Coimheadair's mother. She will be in Baguba Port to meet her son, from there you will need to see the High Priest of Mog. Tell him what you seek and he will know where your path goes from there. It does not end with Andromeda however... Your destiny does not take you beyond the Starlight Veil and cross the Song of Ages. You must speak to the High Priest of Mog, he will render you aid in reaching the Gardens of Babylon where what you seek may be... the Starscape is... very lost, its old paths are opening but many are still closed."
Ainsley's eyes squint at Thompson. And then she looks bewildered. She half expected that she would hear an affirmative, but this information pleases her and troubles her at the same time. Her hand stuffs another cookie into her mouth, giving her time to chew on both the treat and what's been said to her. "The Dragon King's ominous words grow more ominous the more obscure this trip seems." A sip of tea, and she continues, "Am I looking for a specific spirit that isn't Andromeda?"
Thompson smiles at Ainsley softly and tilts his head, regarding her with eyes that are suddenly silver, "I'll answer that in a moment, I suggest you put the cookie jar down and open the door. My cousin is coming up the stairs now and he does not know the way to my office."
Ainsley blinks at Thompson in confusion a moment. She puts down the cookie jar and her now-empty cup of tea, pausing a beat. "Oh!" And there's her realizing who he means. The lizard girl merrily steps toward the door and opens it, sticking her head out to look for her favorite guy, because he's the only one she can think of that Thompson would call 'cousin.'
Lee is indeed coming up the stairs, resplendent in his plain black cloak and hat, the later recently replaced after the jaunt to the Dragon Mount. It's clear he's never been in this particular building before, given how he's checking every sign and door placard and what-not he can find, though he doesn't seem in any way anxious over the fact that he doesn't really have any idea where, exactly, he's supposed to go, taking it more as a mini-exploration of a sort instead, and a leisurely one at that. It's not long before he spots Ainsley's head sticking out of a door, and he gives up exploring with a wide smile, strolling over to join her at Thompson's door, "'Allo, luv! Afternoon' goin' well?"
Thompson remains behind his desk, the ebony skinned scholar regarding the cloak and hat sporting man, his eyes seeing beneath the clothing, reading, oberving. "Come inside and shut the door cousin, Miss Ainsley was about to hear answers to the questions she hasn't asked yet and you... it seems got shouted at."
Ainsley reaches to grab Lee's hand, and then turns to close the door behind him. Then she guides Lee over to a seat, and sets him down. And then climbs into his lap, after reacquiring the cookie jar, completely unrepentant about her love of sweet treats. She stuffs another cooking in her maw and watches Thompson intently, waiting for his answer, while she cozies and shows her affection to Lee without really needing to say it.
Lee grimaces at Thompson's mention of his dressing-down from the Singular Racial Deity, grumbling a bit, "Like y'wouldn' b'lieve..." Hand taken, he follows Ainsley into the office, hat coming off once he's through the door, as Ainsley closes it behind him, head revealed in all it's shaggy and unkempt glory. Guided to a seat, he sinks into it, finding his lap full of a lizard and her cookie jar, one arm instinctively wrapping around her to keep her safely in place there as he brushes his hair out of his eyes with his free hand, "I'll need t'suss out Lord Bahamut's riddle, too, I think, but all in good time."
Thompson say's, "There were many riddles spoken, I was just telling Ainsley she needs to travel to Baguba Port to continue her journey. Your mother will see you there and the High Priest of Mog would be a sensible person to speak to.""
"Thompson," Ainsley says, blinking once or twice. "My question?" she tries, while she fidgets to get a proper spot on Lee's lap that's comfortable and not suggestive. Her long tail wraps around his leg, though, as best it can manage.
Lee stares at Thompson for a moment, then blinks slowly, looking at Thompson with some skepticism, "Yeah, my mother... Y'do know she died, right?" He hushes up as Ainsley directs the topic towards her question, a bit curious as to the answer himself, even if he doesn't know exactly what the question was in it's details.
Thompson lets his eyes rove over Lee's body, reading... watching, staring, "You heard what he said to you, what he told you to do... leave the denial behind Lee..." he then returns his gaze to Ainsley. "I cannot tell you what specific spirits you need to meet, I can tell you the names of spirits you will meet but not which one you must meet to achieve your goal."
Ainsley looks up to Lee's face as he says that, and then over to Thompson, and then she shoves three whole cookies in her mouth, obviously conflicted now that they've begun focusing on Lee's mum. She sets the jar aside, and tells Lee, "She's not dead," quietly.
Lee frowns deeply at Thompson, "Now see here, junior... Yeah, I 'eard what Bahamut said, but I looked for 'er after th'Folly, an' she weren't nowhere t'be found. Our 'ome was leveled; hell, the whole damned district was leveled, jus' a pile o'stones an' sticks, an' I'm pretty sure she's buried somewhere under all... under..." He blinks at Aisnley's quiet words, his offended tirade stumbling to a halt, turning his crimson eyes on the scholar in his lap, "M'sorry, what? Not dead? What th'devil y'talkin' about "not dead", luv?"
Thompson picks up the term papers he was marking and goes back to it murmuring quietly, "And this is when Ainsley tells you and so you learn. We'll continue our discussion about what Ainsley wishes to know soon."
Ainsley lets out a heavy siiiigh. She had hoped that he would just accept it, but then she tilts her head and turns to give Lee a hug. And squeeeeezes him. And then lets go. "She's not dead. She said to keep it secret because of... well because of the stuff with the Whisperer. She wanted you to be able to focus on that... but she said she'd be at the wedding, whether or not I send an invitation. Still, you are going to meet her in Baguba, apparently..." She rubs the back of her head. "I'm sorry, Lee. I just found her by chance."
Lee is, to say the least, shocked by Ainsley's revelation, quiet for a moment or two as he wraps his head around suddenly not being, technically speaking, an orphan any more, even if he was grown by the time his mother apparently, so far as he knew, died. After a bit, he gives his head a little shake, gaze turning from the middle-distance past Thompson's office wall to Ainsley once more, "Aw, nah, s'nothin' fer you t'apologize for, Ains. Knowin' her, she'd not've asked ya t'keep quiet without what she thought was good reason. An' I suppose I can see 'er logic, in that. Jus'... It's a 'ell of a loop, y'know?"
Thompson looks up and glances at Lee quietly then Ainsley, not intruding right now, just sitting quietly and marking term papers. He goes back to reading and murmurs, "It is as it should be,"
Ainsley smiles gladly as he takes it fairly smoothly, and relaxes. She settles her weight against Lee and looks off toward Thompson again. Her head tilts lightly. "Is there anything else we should know?" she inquires to him, quietly. She looks up to Lee and says, "What about you? Do you have any questions for him?"
Lee rests his chin on Ainsley's shoulder, arms around her middle as she settles against him. He shakes his head a bit, still a bit distracted by the news of his mother, "Hm? Questions?" He thinks a second, then shakes his head again, this time in answer, "Nuthin' comes t'mind, no."
Thompson smiles gently at Ainsley and Lee then speaks softly, his eyes glowing white for a moment, "You will meet the End of All, the One who is Always and take the Path of Stars to the Garden at the End. Pass not the veil for all is lost if that path is taken." He blinks and his eyes return to normal, "That is all that I can tell you now... the time and chance to give you the names of those you will meet has passed." He stands then and ushers the pair of slightly bewildered people out into the corridor beyond. "Take care now and travel safely."
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