Chapter 2 (c): Hidden Staircases (...Contd.)

Ash whistled as he watched James and Zen disappear into the inky darkness of the staircase, "I almost feel like I've set foot on a stage of theatrical thespian magic, I wonder if that makes me Puck, the court jester", he wondered as he followed Zen and James.

If you're Puck, I'll eat my hat", Zee huffed, "There's no way you're smart enough to con people", they said rolling their eyes.

"As opposed to you", he huffed.

Zee shrugged, "I could be a good con artist", they said.

"I'd rather choose not to con people", Ray said and followed the other three.

"That probably makes you the most confounding person there is", Jasmine said simply emphasizing the word 'con'.

"Hey!" he protested.

Jasmine walked behind him, "I'm just saying, almost everyone is born with traits to deceive others, in small ways and sometimes in ways that can be devastating", she pointed out, "People lie, there's no such thing as a man who speaks only the truth", she said as Zee cleared their throat, she laughed, "Man, woman, non-binary, whatever, no one speaks the truth absolutely. Heck, I know nuns and priests that have lied", she corrected and continued, "If you're saying you would rather choose not to con people, that makes you the biggest confounding conman there is", she stated simply.

Bell hummed, "That kind of makes sense", she said agreeably.

"Then again", Ash added, as Vani followed them through the hole, "A conman who only told the truth is kind of interesting conman", he said intrigued.

Vani hummed, "How would that even work though? I mean as a conman, if you were trying to convince someone the sky was the color green, it's not necessarily a lie, he'd be stating the truth, there are parts of the world where the sky becomes green", she pondered thoughtfully.

"True", Bell added, "But if he was telling a blind woman that as soon as her vision returned her eyes would see a green sky", she paused, "He'd probably take her to that area and show her the green sky, and what spend the rest of their lives under that one sky?" she asked confused at the entire idea.

"Or he could use magic", Ash pointed out, "He could just keep taking her places that had green skies, or use magic to create a green film over her eyes for the rest of their lives. But the question for that really would be why do that at all? I mean if he's going for a long con with a person, why would he start with a truth and then spend the rest of their days cheating her?" he pointed out logically.

Ray sighed heavily, "I just meant I didn't want to con people", he huffed stressed.

The others snickered at his exasperation.

*

Rinzen followed James easily, ignoring the other's conversation, "Why underground?" he asked quietly.

"It was the safest way to hide the path to the library", he answered vaguely.

"The library?" he asked quietly.

James nodded, "Hale Academy has more than one library to her name", he stated, "But the one for the school, is normal I guess", he paused, "About as normal as a magic school can provide that is", he muttered somewhat amused, "Though it only holds reference books, and books related to the course load, and testimonial based pamphlets, and the likes, the remaining books a student usually brings and there's techno-magic that allows for students to get the information from the world wide web", he explained at length.

"But this library?" he asked bringing back their conversation.

"It contains the History of Ascendants' Lore", he answered quietly.

As James took a left turn, Rinzen moved to follow him, only to stumble, "Whoa…" he flailed, his left reaching out to balance him, when he 'fisted' some material and crashed straight into James, who'd turn to see what had caused him to yelp, his chin landed on James's shoulder, "Ow…" he whined pulling back to rub at his chin.

James steadied him and then cupped his cheek, "You've probably got to be the first Ascendant to experience more pain than the others", he huffed amused.

The teen shrugged, "I think I'm being prepared for something?" he paused, "Is this the part where the library fillets me?" he asked warily.

Ash walked up to them, "Don't talk about food please", he begged as his stomach grumbled pitifully.

Rinzen wrapped an arm around his shoulder and pulled him closer, "I love how you just walked all over and ignored the fact that I'm hurt", he pouted biting his cheek.

Ash whined, "Well half of me is worried you tripped over thin air", he teased and then huffed, "Also I'm not food", he chided albeit gently.

Rinzen licked his cheek, "Sorry"; he said not remotely sounding apologetic.

"Mon Ami, you're weird", he stated easily.

"Well that's like stating water is transparent", Zee snorted, "He's being weird from the get-go", they said.

"Hey", Rinzen protested.

"Well you have been", Zee stated, "The first time we met you, you pushed us all behind you the minute James arrived, and you kept us protected even though you denied being a protector", they said, "And you always lead the conversation asking the important questions, you're ridiculously tactile but you flinch whenever someone touches you first, and you eat like you're wary of the food presented to you", they listed, "You look around you like you're wary of enemies lurking, and your eyes always search the exits and entrances", they listed and then stepped back.

"I mean mate", Ray cleared his throat, "We're not attacking you", he said and bit his lower lip, "It's just, we all come from bad families. I mean I was thrown out", he shrugged almost accepting. "Because every person in my family were prodigies, except for my youngest sister who manifested at sixteen", he said, "My father and mother stood united as they tossed me out of the house with ten thousand pounds and a suitcase, straight up said;

'You're a burden—'", he swallowed, "'Ray, come back when your powers awaken. We can't spare the time to worry about your humanity' and that was that slam went the door", he smiled tightly; "I had my sisters call me, and my brothers. But when I needed them to have my back they stood behind my parents as they tossed me out. I've lived on my own in a small cottage I own (a rundown shack that I love to pieces), I work during the day and go to Trade School at night", he swallowed, "I understand being treated like an outcast, but I have good friends, humans, and Magicks, which I trust and cherish. What happened to you?" he asked worried now.

Bell nodded, "I'm the same, family that bought me a large house, gave me everything except their love and acceptance. People who hated me for who I was or could have been. I was discriminated against before I knew it", she paused, "After my father remarried, his wife's children manifested at birth, and well, of course, I was treated with disrespect. I'm the heir and my mother's will declared that even he married again, the property would only be given to me—magical or not, you can imagine how much dissent that sowed", she smirked, "Even if I didn't choose to be an Ascendant, I still at eighteen can get everything and throw those assholes out onto the street, but Zen, I have never flinched the way you have", she stated, "Who hurt you?" she asked sounding really apprehensive.

Rinzen stretched and hummed, "No one", he answered honestly, "I mean I didn't know I was flinching at all", he shrugged, and then stood casually with his fingers interlocked behind his head, "I genuinely didn't know I was doing it until Zee pointed it out", he answered baffled. "Maybe it's just reflex. I mean I know you guys are my future teammates but I don't really know you, and instinct is always going to rear its head first", he paused, "My dad is a Venerer though, and I was trained by specialists my whole life in tactical training and basic warfare, maybe I'm just being paranoid, without actually knowing it", he muttered mostly to himself, "But this is interesting", he bit the end of his thumb, continued muttering to himself as he followed James who had left them alone, and was waiting for them down the corridor.

*Interesting... Interesting...Interesting*

*

TBC...