Phedre stood outside the academy's gates, pacing. She ran her hand through her hair and then looked around for passers by. Thoughts flew rapidly in her head and she began to speak aloud to herself. "I can't go in there," her voice was low and shakey, "if I go, I... I could just..."

She looked up into the sky, the moon hung high in the sky setting an eerie light over the grounds. She shoved her hand into her purse and felt little coins and let out a sigh, "at least it'd be a place to stay... maybe."

She turned around and started pacing back to the woods, away from the academy, "I could easily board at the academy of arms... far from here." She looked at her dagger and then to her mount, a giant tiger growling in the nearby bushes, "but I don't really need it." Fears are weaknesses, she thought silently, I can cure my weaknesses right here. And with that she began walking, slowly back towards the gate, her head down, hoping to run into somebody, anybody that could direct her. Softly behind her, the padding of the tiger's feet hit the ground.

Master Ace walked out of the acaademy and into the eerie light of the moon. The chilly wind blew against his jet black hair. He was going to take a simple stroll for the night. He could not sleep and he could not carry on with his studies. He thought that night air might prehaps ease him. Master Ace slowly walked to the gate. As he neared the gate he saw a familiar face. It was Phedre. Under normal circumstances Ace would rember her, but this was far from the case. He could tell she seemed familiar in some way, but could recall no memory of her. He could not remember their meeting in the bloodseal tavern, even with the dark tale of how she became a vampire.

He saw only a woman who seemed lost or prehaps a bit unsure of what she should do. She was beautiful despite her pale skin. Ace could tell that she was a vampire, held no fear of her as he held no fear of her in their first meeting. He called out to the woman who held her head low. "Hello, I suppose you are here to get a good look at the academy," Master Ace smiled.

Her head shot straight up, her amber eyes staring straight into Ace's familiar face. She was taken aback and stumbled back a few steps, a breath catching in her throat. Finally she regathered herself and brushed the stray strands of hair from her face. She approached the man slowly, the rays of moonlight glittering on her pale skin. "Get a look at the academy?" she repeated, ignoring the shudder through her body, "not exactly..."

She crossed her arms over her chest and let a half smile play on her lips, "Where is your army of mischeif?" she asked with a growing smile, her stance moving to one of relaxation. The moon slid behind a grey'd out cloud, leaving only Phedre's flickering eyes and the sheen on her lips purely visable. She let her smile grow to its full extent, angle white fangs slipping from her top lip slowly. She watched him with a careful gaze, awaiting his response and relaxing in his presance. She no longer feared a stray spell coming at her, or even enteringthe academy's grounds. From deep in the bushed though, Falco laid low to the ground, ready to pounce at the drop of a hat.

She stumbed back a bit, but then moved foward with new energy. Her eyes upon him and no longer lingering on the ground. A smile appeared on Phedre's face as she asked her question, but Ace failed to see what she meant. His smiled faded and was replaced by a slightly confused look. If he could recall his two psuedodragons he would have wound her question very funny,but instead it brought only confusion. He tried in vain to make sense of her words, but failed. She seemed certainly much more assure of herself now that she had noticed Ace's presence. It seemed almost as if she knew him. He might have noticed Falco hiding in the bushes if his attention was not occupied by Phedre and her seemingly senseless question. "Army of Mischeif? I believe I fail to see the meaning of your question. In any case, is there anything I can help with here at the academy?" Master Ace replied. His smile slowly returning.

After hearing Ace's reply her own smile faded and her fangs retracted behind her crimson lips. Her eyes seemed to dull as she eyed him over. The moonlight had returned and played on the strands of her loose, blood stained hair. She took a step back from him, her eyebrows knit together in confusion. She began eyeing the ground nervously again. It didn't seem like it was him... maybe someone was shape-changed to Ace's form. She took another step back and felt fear inject into her viens. Thoughts of another magical summoning peirced her mind and sweat began to dance on her paled skin.

Falco sensed her swift emotion change and readied himself for an attack. He shifted closer to the two and croutched his front low to the ground. Phedre stepped back again, one more step and she would be off the academy grounds. This wasn't the man she met a few nights ago... this was far from him. Meeting a stranger in a frightening place was more than she could handle and her body seemed to convulse in rigid fear. She tried to hide it as much as possible, but her eyes gave it away.

Maste Ace stood confused. She had seemed so assure of herself earlier. Now she seemed as confused as himself and frightened. Seconds ago the vampress' angel wite fangs gleamed in a wide smile, but not hide behind her crimson lips. He could see what fom on he pale skin. Her eyes turned back to the ground as if to avoid loking at ace. Her eyes showed a sense of terror in her face. Master Ace could not understand what would cause this sudden switch in emotions. Ace didn't want to see her leave. It was hard to find people to join the Academy. "Is there something wrong? Why do you seem so suddenly afraid?" Master Ace said in a comforting voice. He tried to comfort her, but this would like do little to aleviate what ailed her mind. Ace heard a slight rustling in the bushes, but dismissed it as unimportant. It could be a rabbit or squirell for all he cared.

Phedre stopped stepping backwards, though her body still shook. She tried to look strong, frim and dangerous, "who are you?" Her voice hid no sign of her inner panic, though she forced her hands behind her back to stop them from shaking. Again she pitched her voice so it carried loud and firm, "What do you want?" She looked to the bushes and shaked her head no, subtly, though she knew that if Falco wanted to attack, he would. She stared at the stranger a small hint of saddness in her eyes. She took another step back, readying herself to flee at the first sign of danger. The strange man looked genuinly concerned, but she had too much fear to take it seriously.

When he hesitated an answer she asked again, with more force, moving her hand to hover over her dagger's hilt, "Answer me!"

She felt the pain of an only friend fade into the shadows as she looked upon the face of someone she had once shared happiness with.

Master Ace was confused. This woman seemed highly unstable. It was as if she was on an emotional rollercoaster. She was at first seeming timid, then happy, they terrified, and now angered. He had never seen someone change so quickly, but he had never seen anyone in such a osition as Phedre. To be forgoten by one whom you trusted and and shared happiness, was no small ordeal. Master ace seemed to show more concern, but also now a hint of fear. He did not know what to expect from the woman next. She seemed so unstable. "I am Master Ace. I only wish to help you," Master Ace said calmly. "Would mind telling me who you are and what you want?"

If Rith could see this event he might shed tears, but he would still have done nothing to attempt to alter the situation. It was the only way to sever his ties with Ace. No other way would suffice.

She scoffed, "you are not he," she said firmly, unsure of what was going on, "you are not the man I met before." She shook her head, thinking back on how she almost decided to enroll here. She had only relief that she hadn't gotten herself deeper into this mess... so deep she couldn't pull out.

She shook her head, her anger turning to disgust. Thoughts reeled in her mind, questioning whether he was just being crude by pretending not to know her. Am I not good enough to be aquianted with? she though with a sour look on her face. Her eyes lit up in feirce rage as Falco decided now would be a good time to stalk slowly towards his master. Phedre spoke again, spitting the words out like they held a foul taste, "I," she began re-introducing herself, "am a lady you best not cross paths with again," she inhaled stiffly, "if you want to live a full life that is." She inhaled sharply again, "Phedre, a Lady of the Night, in more forms you'll ever know... alive." She didn't plan on attacking him, but her distaste for him grew strong and she was not one for patience.

"I am Master Ace. I am the archmage training master. I have no idea how you could mix me with some one else, but it seems as though you must have. I do not recall ever meeting you before," Master Ace wanted to say bitterly in response to her saying that He was not who he said he was. He could not understand why she felt so much emotion and he had hardly said much.

Her name echoed through his head. He had heard it before. He did not know where, but it was as familiar to him as her face. "I assure you, Phedre, that I am Master Ace. It most have been someone else you had met before. I must sadly admit that your face seems familiar in some strange way as well as your name, but I do not recall ever meeting you," Master Ace replied.

She rolled her eyes. "Look, it's not like I'm hurt or torn by it, but if you hated my company that much, the least you could do was tell me to hit the light sometime." She felt a tug at the back of her mind, a tug trying to tell her he may be telling the truth. "You find me a man, calling himself by your name, and being in the company of two small children, one a mind reading annoyance and the other a blood-lusting silence, and I will bow lowly down and offer you my appologees." She tilted her head to the side and her neck let out a crack, "until then, I have no proof to believe your tall-tale."

She felt a brush up against her back and a small growl rumble in her ears. Falco has snuck up behind her, and the white dire tiger had decided to make his presance known to the strange man. He bared long fangs and let out quiet growls of aggression, though he didn't move. His white coat let the moonlight dance around on it, making his midnight strips seem to come alive on his back.

He failed to understand what she meant by her decriptions of Draco and Bruno. "I do not have the slightest clue of those ou speak of. Surely if one were impersonating me I think he would do his best to keep himselfout of my knowlege. How is my tale tall? I merely stated that I am the person I happen to be. If any tell tall tales it would seem to be you with the description of strange children," Master Ace said still keeping his calm composure. He watched Falco emerge out of the bushes and made his presence known to Ace. Ace wondered if this was a trap of some sort. He hade been paying so much attention to Phedre and her strange reactions and words, that he had payed little more attention to the world arond him. Master Ace also wondered at the chance of someone impersonating him. If some one was doing this, why did he do it and what on Imythess were his intentions.

Phedre let out a sigh and her exhaustion, both from arguing and from the slight lightening in the sky, were catching up with her. She tucked a stray strand of hair from her face, behind her ear. She didn't say anything, just let out a yawn, her fangs bearing in the action. She rested a hand on her protector's back, which reached her hip easily. Fatigue was starting to set in as another yawn appeared. Finally she said something, "just a question," she said calmly on the exhale, "have you hit your head reciently... meaning no offense."

She resisted the urge to kneel on the ground, it was getting early. She lifted the hood of her cloak up and over her head, casting her face into darkness and protecting it from the discomfort that the sun would give in a few minutes when it peaked the horizon. Falco stood, fangs beared, beside her, but he no longer growled. He seemed more of a warning of what would come if any attemp of harm came to her.

"Not that I know of....," Master Ace answered slowly. She seemed so sure that she had met Ace before. The thought that he had an impersonator who simply made freinds with random strangers was aboslutely absurd. Phrehaps Phedre had come across an important point. He doubted it was something pyhsical that ailed him. It could easily be something magic similar to magic. It didn't seem to make so much sense though. He would have detected an on going enchantment by now and a spell this strong would have been detected immediately. Master Ace saw the sky begin to lighten. He knew it would not be long before she took off. "What...What did I say to you?" Master ace said sadly. He had the sensation thath he had missed a delightful experience with her. An experience that would give her every right to act as she did to Ace's replies.

Phedre sighed, sinking to her knees to scratch Falco behind the ears. The tiger remained stiff, though his eyelids lowered in a lazy pleasure. Phedre covered a yawn with her free hand and answered his question with one of her own, "you mean when I met...erm... who I thought was you before?" she said softly. She shook her head. Thinking back on it now, she told "him" way too much. "You said a lot." She kept it vague. She didn't want to spill their conversation in depth, it was bad enough he told him once. "Histories, dislikes, preferred drinks."

It was just comforting to see some sort of civility for once... she thought silently. She got back to her feet and shrugged, "I don't know what more you want me to say." The light grew brighter and she shrunk deep into her cloak, keeping comfortly out of the growing sunlight.

Master Ace now saw how foolish his question was, especially if there was she had given sensitive information as it would see my her actions. Even if she hadn't given tender information she would likely decline to elaborate more on what was said. He felt terrible now. Not only had he apperently shared delicate info with her and forgotten it, but he had forgotten Phedre and meeting. He would not be surprised if she loathed him. He wanted to see her again not only to see if he find wat ailed his mind and fixed it, but he wanted make up for giving the feelings that Phedre went thorugh, the emotional trauma of their meeting. A large dark globe appeared between Phedre and the sun, leaving her in the shadow of the glode which admitted no light and hung idly in the air. "Will I ever see you again?" Master Ace asked with a shaking voice. a tear formed in his eye. He could imagine no answer from her aside from 'No'.

Phedre stopped squinting as soon as the dark globe appeared. She opened her mouth to reply when she caught sight of the magic being used to sheild her from the sun. Despite her training to remain in control, she fell back to the ground, sheilding her face. Falco let out a roar and dove to stand between her and the magic. He hissed and snarled at it's surface, his fangs long and dripping with saliva. Phedre sheilded her face from the magic, acting as if it were to shoot at her and kill her instantly if she made any kind of visual contact with it. Her eyes were srunched shut and she tried blindly to shuffle backwards.

Master Ace watched her reaction and felt he knew why she had entered so timidly. She had a now obvious fear of magic. He must have certainly had gained her trust for her to come here with such fear of even the simplist of spells. Master Ace's mind raced he tried to think of some think and quick. Master Ace flew below the globe and put his hand into to it. He pulled his his hand out and held it out as if to show her. "The this is a boon for you not a bane. A mass of darkness that can't even be penetrared by rays of the sun. Think of it as means of protecting your self from the sun. It is incapable of harming anyone, let alone a Lady of the Night," Master Ace as explained as he looked at her. He wondered if she was too busy cowering in fear to pay attention to him. He was curious now as o what could cause such a fear.

Phedre got destracted from her fear as she felt Falco leave her side. She opened her eyes to see him stalking towards Ace, his mouth open, anticipating a bite. "Falco, leave be," she ordered, a hint of shakiness in her voice. The tiger growled and hopped back into the bushes, his light eyes glowing from the leaves.

Phedre took a deep breath and got to her feet. Her heart still raced but now her mind burned with embarrassment. She looked at the darkness and hid a wince, taking a step closer to it. "It won't harm," she asked, forgetting that he wasn't the man she had grown to trust. She hesitantly took another step foreward, even shakily moving to extend her hand forward, reaching for the orb. Sthe stopped moving foreward, her fingertips a foot from the darkness. She moved her eyes to Ace, looking for some sort of reassurance... or sign of danger or wickedness in his eyes. Sweat slowly glicened on her forehead and the light from the rising sun wasn't even noticable to her.

Master Ace became uneasy as Falco stalking foward apparently in an attempt to defend his master. Luckly Phedre had gather the courage to call him off. Her voice was a bit shaky but it was a surprise given her cowering state. "Perfectly harmless," Master Ace said as he held his arm in the large globe. He was glad to see her step up and overcome her once paralyzing fear. He watched her closely as she neared the globe, that hung unmoving in the air. Her fingers neared the globe as she looked to Ace's comforting smile. He saw sweat glisten on her forehead. Master Ace now truly wonder what traumatizing experience she must have went through and Ace highly doubted it was one occassion, rather many. He was glad to see that she was begining to trust him...again.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
She took a silent, deep breath and plunged her hand into the dark orb, scrunching her eyes shut tightly. Opening them slowly she saw her hand sitting idly in the orb's depths. She removed it slowly, a smile of her crimson lips. She looked at Ace, then the globe, then Falco's glowing eyes, and doubled over in laughter. Her hands on her knees, she bet over, her laugh soft yet full. Finally she straightened, wiping the sweat off of her forehead with the back of her hand. She took a step back from him and stared curiously at the orb once more. "That.. thing," she said for lack of a better word, "may come in handy someday." She smiled again and shook her head, amusing at her own previous fear to it.

She ran her hand idly through her hair and looked at Ace, still slightly weary but more or less comfortable. "I turly do appologize for my behavior moments ago," she began, her voice soft and sincere. Falco collapsed with a thud in the bushes, curling himself up for a nap. "It isn't my..." she bit her bottom lip searching for the word, "Umm... I don't usually react like that." She cleared her throat and tried to stand taller, seem stronger, "You caught me at a bad moment." Her eyes didn't even flicker at the lie, but she raised a brow persuasivly just in case.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Master Ace was pleased to see her finaly place her hand in the dark orb. Her eyes were at first closed, but when she seemed to notice it would do her no harm she opened them. Master Ace saw her double over in laughter. He had no doubt that she was indeed laughing at how passionately she had feared this orb before. She quickly gained control of herself and wiped the sweat off of her forehead, but her smile did not fade as quickly as her laughter.

Master Ace wondered if she meant her bout of laughter or her fear of the orb. He found it strange that her emtions had shifted to quickly since the start of their conversation. He rembered that while the globe currently held her safe from the sun, it still rose steadily in the sky and srunk the shadows that would protect her from the sun's harmful rays. She should be on her way to where ever she slept normally during the day. "I suppose a Vampire can have a good bit of bad moments in the morning," Ace smiled. "You should be on you way to where ever you call home. If that place is too difficult to reach now, then I can make sure you have a restful slumber in the academy dorms." Master Ace tried to make his offer subtle. He hadn't noticed that Falco was now thinking of slumber himself.

She winced, trying to squish closer into the shadow of the orb. She let out a small sigh, "actually I was thinking of..." she rubbed the back of her neck slightly, "attending here."

She had almost no belongings, the ones she did own were on Falco who was now purring in his sleep. She shivered as the light grew brighter and cut immediatly to the chase. "Please, if you have a room, I would love to stay a while." Her thoughts wandered to securing the light in the rented room, but her worries were soon surpressed.

((OOC: Sorry this is short, but I have little time and I want to get that topic with Rith going. lol.))