The Midnight Train Crossing

After a few minutes, there was a rap at the window.
Trent got up, rubbing his wrists. He walked over to the window and opened it.
D'tanian slid inside.
Trent gave him a small grin. "Cover's blown."
He frowned, "I'm sorry to hear that..."
"It's okay." Trent sighed.
"Why are you wet?"
"I dropped some water on C'lyrisse and she dropped me in some water."
"I see. If you'll forgive me, that wasn't very smart."
"No, it wasn't, but I was angry..."
He nodded.
Trent sighed.
"And she took the book?" he asked.
Trent nodded.
He sighed.

"This isn't good..."
"No," he agreed, "I'm afraid that I am out of ideas."
"As am I."
"I wish that I could help you."
"I know. It isn't your fault."
D'tanian nodded, "What did she do to you?"
"Nothing too drastic. Dug her nails in my neck a bit. I could do with some air." Trent admitted.
"Can you?"
"Yeah," Trent looked. "Do I have a balcony?"
He nodded.
"Then I'll sit there for a bit." Trent smiled.
D'tanian nodded, "I'll look around, perhaps I can think of something."
"Thanks." Trent walked out onto the balcony. Urgh, it was so high...
D'tanian followed.
Trent took a few breaths, and sighed again.
"I will come back later," he promised, stepping off the edge of the balcony.
Trent shuddered. He hated heights.
D'tanain's wings caught the breeze and he glided away.
"Eurgh."

Despite everything that had happened, it was still a very nice day.
He looked around at his scenery.
The sunlight took on a greenish hue as it was filtered through the leaves all around him.
Trent sighed, wishing he was back home.
Suddenly there was a shout from above him.
Trent looked up in interest.
It sounded as if something was crashing through the tree branches overhead.
What on earth...?

"Yeee-aaaaaah!" a female voice shouted as a figure fell from the trees and landed right in Trent's arms.
He looked shocked, but kept a hold of her. What in realms was happening?
"oh ouch," she groaned, rubbing her head, "I hate magic."
"Magic?"
She blinked and then looked up at him, as if seeing him correctly for the first time. Then she grinned, "Alright!"
"What?"
"Hi Trent."
"What? You know me? How?" The Psy looked completely lost.

She blinked and regarded him with very green eyes. ~*Of course I know you...*~
~Good heavens...~ Trent almost dropped her.
"Hey careful!" she protested, "I'm not used to this shape."
"Sorry..." Trent carefully put her down, still looking like he'd been slapped sharply around the face with something obnoxiously cold.
She swayed a bit, but remained on her feet, "How on earth do you manage two feet?"
"Very easily..."
She shook her head good-naturedly.
Trent still looked shell-shocked. "How'd you -?"
"With great difficulty."
"I - I don't understand..."
"It's complicated," she said, still attempting to stay upright.
Trent put out his arms to steady her.
"Thanks," she said. "Okay, to answer one of your questions at least," she pulled out a charm on a chain around herself, "This allows me to shapeshift."
"I see..." He didn't, really, but he had to say something.
"I'm sorry it took so long, but you were hard to track down."
"Yeah... I guessed..."
"So," she looked him over, "How are things?"
"Things...? Um, they're okay, I just upset the person holding me here though..." Trent looked sheepish.
"Hmm."
"Sorry..." he felt he should apologize.
"It's okay," she said, "Now to get you out of here..."
Trent nodded. "Anytime soon!"

She started to nod, and then caught sight of his wrists.
He groaned, seeing her sight line straight away. "I tried to get them off, but she caught me."
"So that is how she held you..." she said.
"Yes..."
She frowned slightly.
Trent sighed.
"This will take some effort I think..." she said.
"I am sorry..." he apologized.
She looked thoughtful.
Trent fell silent.
"I will figure out something," she said.
"Thank you."
"Well of course," she said, "I couldn't very well leave you here..."
"Thanks." Trent smiled slightly.
She laughed slightly, "d'you know how odd it is to be smaller then you?"
"It must be very strange... At least you can't bat me with your tail and knock me flying." Trent gave her a smile.
She smiled, "Oh, that reminds me..."
"Yes?"
She looked upwards and let out a call.

A few seconds later something resembling a brown lightning bolt shot down from the trees.
Trent chuckled.
"Trent!" Eriki shouted, running over, and nearly running up the psy.
Trent grinned and fended him off. "Hey, gently..." he laughed.
"We've been looking all over for you," Eriki said, "Through all sorts of different realms, but we finally found you. Well of course we did, we're here..."
"Exactly." Trent grinned broadly. He'd missed Eriki's rather confusing way of speaking!
"Okay Eriki," she said, "Calm down."
Eriki fell silent.
Trent grinned still. He was so relieved to see them!

"Eriki, I'm going to need your help," she said.
He cocked his head to one side and listened intently.
Trent managed to stop grinning like a man possessed, and listened.
"We gotta get this spell off Trent first, before we can take him home, and I don't think that I can manage it by myself." she said gently.
Eriki frowned slightly, a rather odd expression for him.
Trent watched.
Then he nodded, "Yes. I will help."
"Thanks." Trent said softly.
Eriki nodded slowly.
Trent smiled slightly.
"But we don't have enough room here," he said.
Trent now looked confused.
"Eriki needs a lot of room to do... what he does," she said a bit vaguely.
"I see...." No he didn't...
"I'll go look around and see if I can find a place to go, so that I can find a place for us to go," Eriki said, leaping into the trees.
Trent watched him.
Tris shook her head as she watched him go.

"I'm so glad you found me.." Trent murmured. "Or I would have had to perform..."
"Perform?"
"These people have never seen one such as myself..."
"Yes...?"
"And C'lyrisse wanted me to - well - show some of her 'friends' what I do..."
"Oh, you mean your powers?"
Trent nodded.
"I see..."
He grimaced.
She set a comforting hand on his arm.

Trent smiled slightly, then growled as he felt the familiar tugging sensation. "I have to go..."
"What?" she asked.
"I'm being called..."
"Being called?" she stepped in front of him.
"She can summon me using these..." Trent indicated to his bracelets. "And when she says go, I go-!" he growled as he had to dig his heels into the ground.
Tris put her hands on his arms, stopping him. She started into his eyes and started muttering something that sounded hot.
He grimaced slightly.
"Trent, listen to me," she said, "Do not get yourself in any more trouble."
"Sorry..." Trent looked contrite. "I didn't mean to..."
Tris' eyes were slightly hypnotic, "Promise me."
"I promise..." Trent murmured.
Tris smiled and let him go.
Trent blinked.
"I will find you again," she said.
"I hope so...!"
She smiled at him.
Trent smiled back.
"Go on now."
"Okay..." Trent turned around to go, and promptly walked into the doorframe.
Tris giggled, "Trent, honey, be careful."
"Heh..." Trent groaned. "There's a wall there...."
She smiled at him, "I am going to take you home, but that's no excuse for not paying attention!" she scolded lightly.
"Sorry Tris..." Trent went red.
"Go on now."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

C'lyrisse was waiting impatiently.
Trent eventually made his way to her door.
She was sitting in her chair waiting for him.
He knocked.
"^Enter.^"
Trent stumbled slightly as he did so.
She regarded him, "Well."
He made no answer.
"Are you ready for tonight?"
"I have no say in this matter."
"Very true."
Trent said nothing.
"Now, I am debating being nice to you..." she started.
Trent sighed.
"And not requiring that you attend for the entire time."
"Thank realms for small mercies..."
"However, in light of what you tried to do..."
Trent rolled his eyes.
"You may attempt to convince me to change my mind."
"I have nothing to say."
"Odd. You usually have so much to say."
"Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit."
"I was not being sarcastic, I was just commenting."
"Point taken."
She sighed softly.
Trent stared at a spot in the distance.
"The next time that I summon you, you will come to my gathering until I dismiss you."
Trent rolled his eyes.
"You may go."
"Thank you." Trent turned around without a backwards glance and started back for his room.
she sighed softly as he left.
Trent sat down in his room as soon as he got back.

Eriki bounded up to Trent.
He grinned. "Hey Eriki."
"Hi Trent! Guess what?"
"What?"
"I found a place large enough."
"For what?"
"for the spell!"
"What spell?"
"The spell to break the other spell so we can take you home!"
Trent grinned. "Fantastic."
Eriki nodded, "Come on!"
Trent tilted his head to the left. "Eriki, where is this place?"
"The roof."
"I see... How do I get there?"
"Follow me!"
Trent groaned.
Eriki bounded over the window, and then looked back to see if Trent was following.
"Erm, Eriki... I don't fly..."
"I know that, of course you don't fly, you don't have any wings. I don't either, but we still gotta get to the roof, and I know how so come on!"
Trent groaned and looked out, blanching and going slightly pale at the distance between himself and the ground. Too far, much too far...!
Eriki stood out on Trent's balcony, waiting for him.
Trent looked out again and groaned.
"You gotta come outside..." Eriki said patiently.
"Alright, alright..." Trent went out onto his balcony with a sigh.

Eriki leapt up and caught hold of a rope that was hanging over the side of the building, then pressed it into Trent's hands.
Trent looked a little worried, but caught a hold.
"Now come up," Eriki said, jumping and catching hold of the rope, he scaled the side of the building easily. "See," he called down, "It's not far."
"Far enough!" Trent muttered.
"come on!" Eriki repeated, "Tris is already up here!"
"Okay..." Trent gritted his teeth and started climbing.
Eriki stood back to give Trent room.

Eventually he appeared, pretty white-faced. "Okay, made it...!"
Eriki bounced a bit. Tris smiled at Trent.
Trent gave her a weak grin back. He really did loathe heights!
She walked over to him, still a bit awkwardly, and took his hands, pulling him towards the center of the roof
Trent grinned slightly. "OKay?" he asked.
She nodded, "Trent, you trust me right?"
"Just," He teased. He then smiled. "Yes, I do."
She nodded, "good. Have a seat." she indicated the ground.
Trent did so.
Tris handed him a pair of dark glasses, "Put these on. Eriki's magic tends to be flashy, and I'm sure that you wouldn't be able to keep your eyes closed..." She smiled to show she was teasing.
Trent grinned, slightly confused. "Okay..."

Eriki watched as Tris walked in a circle around the roof, mumbling as she created a protective circle. He shivered slightly.
Trent looked a little worried.
Eriki suddenly darted over to Tris, looking frightened.
Trent watched.
Tris held him gently and they spoke softly to each other for a few minutes, slowly Eriki calmed down.
"What's happening?"
Tris shushed him with a glance.
Eriki pulled out of her arms, and nodded, pressing his tail into on of her hands.
She held it for a minute and then let him go.
He darted to the center of the circle that she had made.
Trent shrugged slightly and settled to wait.
"Hold out your hands Trent, and push up your sleeves," Tris directed, "So we can see the bracelets."
"Okay," Trent did as he was told.
"Now, hold still, or at least try to," Tris sat down outside of the circle and closed her eyes.
Trent grimaced.

Eriki stood on all fours in the center of the circle, looking very much like he was trying to concentrate. Suddenly he looked...different. His brown fur took on a golden tint and he started to almost glow.
Trent watched interestedly.
A golden bubble of light slowly surrounded Eriki. The bubble shimmered and flowed, much like a golden soap bubble.
Trent wished he could lower his aching arms.
Suddenly with a small pop-ing sound, the bubble exploded, sending beams of intensely bright light everywhere, including a very strong beam towards Trent. It hit Trent's wrists, or more accurately the bracelets.
Trent gave a surprised-sounding yelp and fell over backwards.
The light beams continued to bounce all over the place in a rather interesting display.
"Can I get up yet...?" Trent mumbled.
"Yes," Tris said.
Trent got up, looking ruffled.

Eventually the light cleared. Eriki was lying still in the center of the circle, looking slightly gray.
"Is he okay?"
Tris nodded absently, darting over to Eriki and gathering him into her arms.
Trent looked worried.
"good boy," Tris praised him soothingly, "Well done, you did it."
Eriki opened his eyes slightly, curling against her in response to her tone.
Trent's brows drew together slightly. Had he been back home he would have found something to help Eriki... Had he been at home Eriki wouldn't have needed to do that!
"I did it?" Eriki asked.
"Yes you did," Tris said, "You did it."
"Good," Eriki said, he curled his tail around Tris' wrist, pressing it into her hand again.
She gave it a light squeeze and then he smiled.
Eriki closed his eyes and promptly went to sleep.
Trent smiled.
She stood up, even in his sleep Eriki clung tightly to her.
"Everything alright?" Trent asked, standing also.
She nodded, moving towards him, "are you alright?"

Trent nodded, then glanced at his wrists, and looked confused. "Erm..."
She shifted Eriki and reached towards the bracelets with her free hand, sliding one of her fingers under it.
Trent watched.
She gave the chain a sharp tug. Tris may have been in a different form, but she still had her normal strength. The chain snapped.
"Ow!" Trent couldn't help exclaiming.
"Sorry," she said, doing the same thing to the other wrist.
Trent nodded. "Thanks!"
Eriki shifted in Tris' arms, his fur already turning back to it's normal shade of brown.
Trent smiled, relieved to see Eriki looking more or less normal
"He recovers quickly," Tris explained.
"I see."
"Now we'd better get out of here," Tris said, "Eriki's magic tends to attract attention."
"Where will we go?"
"Where d'you think?" Tris asked with a smile.
"Home?" Trent looked hopeful.
She nodded.
Trent grinned, relieved.

Eriki shifted in her arms and blinked his eyes open.
Trent grinned at him too. "Thanks."
"Your welcome," Eriki said promptly.
Trent smiled happily; he was more than just relieved now.