Akryn grinned widely as he walked past the nurses at the childrens wards, highly amused by the shocked, and worried, expressions on their faces. They had been expecting the young, white haired, leather wearing mage, sure. But they certainly had not been expecting all the sword and the large white wolf! Akryn had come in full mission gear, the leather pants and coat, the red glove, his magic ring, seven cuts, even the black star cutter! And with Eris plodding along beside him he looked more like he was on his way to a full scale fight, not a ward full of sick children just to entertain them. Still, they had been warned that the mage coming was a bit....eccentric, and they had been told not to interfere with him unless it was a direct threat to the children. Animals with mages was an all to common occurrence after all, and most mages carried a side weapon of some sort these days, so how bad could it be, right?
Akryn stopped at the door to the childrens ward, winking at the elderly looking, and certainly concerned looking, nurse, before gently pushing open the door to the ward to peek in, Eris at his leg gently poking her head in as well, to survey the room curiously. Inside, about ten children were currently sitting in their beds, looking extremely bored, as another nurse, a large, rather rotund, one did her best to entertain them with a book she was reading. And of course, the theatrical performance she was putting on for them, doing her best to act out the story. Akryn for his part found the whole thing to be funny, but the children obviously did not.
Akryn couldn't help but feel a bit of pity for the nurse, who by this point in the story, lookd to be extremely winded. Kids could be the toughest of crowds, even for the most experienced and skilled of entertainers. Someone who was unprepared, and untrained, in the art of entertainment would almost certainly have a rough time. Thankfully, Akryn was just a kid trapped in a mans body.
He looked down and winked at Eris, sending her into motion. She instantly drew back and dropped down into a crouch, tamping her feet down to get a good buildup for momentum, before suddenly barreling forward, slamming through the doors and into the room.
The nurse inside was caught completely off guard as Eris charged into the room, tail wagging, head up, eyes bright, and long, pink tongue hanging out, doing her best to appear as the absolute epitome of friendliness. The nurse almost lost her head at the sight of the animal, but the children seemed to absolutely love her. Ages ranging from six years old, to even a fourteen year old, who was extremely adamant that she was to old to be stuck in the same room as a bunch of little kids, none of that meant anything as they all leaned up from their beds to watch the wolf, in absolute awe of the creature. As the door opened again, most of them turned to see just what else might be coming, and they all gasped, in total awe, as Akryn walked in, his eyes up, and his hands moving in a blur, as he juggled all seven blades of the seven cuts set, sending them end over end in a very large circle. In all their young, little lives, none of them had ever seen something so entertaining. And strange.
Even the nurse stopped to watch, grinning a little as Eris hopped up on her hind legs and started to dance around Akryn, hopping as fast as she could, all while those knives flew through the air. However, when Akryn seemed to suddenly stumble, the children screamed, as Akryn dropped to one knee and the knives would drop from the air. The children watched with wide eyes and bated breath, as Akryns hands shot out to snatch up the knives from out of the air, one by one, in rapid succession. Except for one, which had fallen backwards, behind Akryn. The children watched in terror and disbelief as the knife tumbled, end over end, towards his leg, the one he was kneeling on. The screams and cheers that came up from the children next were whole hearted and sincere, as Eris' jaws suddenly snapped out, and shut, on the handle of the blade, before scampering around to the front of Akryn and dropping her front half low, rump in the air, tail wagging.
Akryn quickly stuffed his other knives back into the large, square holster on his back, before hopping up and extending a hand towards the wolf. "Ok Eris. Hand the knife over." he said with a grin, his other hand on his hip, one foot tapping. Suddenly he would snatch his hand towards it, trying to grab the handle of the night, just for Eris to suddenly turn and bolt away across the ward, with Akryn in hot pursuit, making several theatrical, and entertaining, dives towards the wolf, just for her to slide out of the way just in the knick of time.
The children screamed and cheered as the wolf led Akryn on an absolutely merry chase, all throughout the ward, much to even the nurses amusement. Several curious nurses, having heard the commotion, were gathered at the door way, watching with small smiles as the wolf scurried under beds, with Akryn doing flips over them. The wolf scurried over a table, Akryn slid under it. At one point the wolf ran straight at a wall before leaping up, planting her feet, andf then pushing off, flipping through the air, with Akryn just a step behind to do the same trick. The chase finally ended with Akryn cornering Eris and, after a small tug of war, retrieving his knife and resheathing it, to many cheers and applause from the various attendees.
Akryn spent the next few hours entertaining the children and getting to know them. Eris even gave a few of the smaller ones a ride on her back, while Akryn taught a few of the older ones how to do knife tricks, using sticks the nurses retrieved from outside of course. When Akryn and Eris finally left the ward, the children had certainly been entertained and their spirits were uplifted. After all, a good smile was always the best medicine Akryn thought, and those kids had certainly been left smiling. Most of them had been extremely admant that they now wished to be wizards, just like the man with lightning reflexes.
Akryn had to admit, it felt good to be applauded and cheered like that, but it felt even better to know that he had helped those kids feel a little better. Just the idea of being locked up in a ward like that with nothing to do and no chance to leave, bothered Akryn more than a little. Akryn loved his new family in eclipse soul, and he would happily die, and kill, for them. But he also enjoyed his independence, immesnly. His guild did not need him to keep them rolling, and he did not need them either, and that was an arrangement he just now realized, he was ok with. Oh of course they needed each other, like any good family needs its members, but they did not NEED need him. He had his freedom, to roam around and do what he wanted. He suddenly considered the day when he might actually NEED need someone, and he couldn't help but shudder. "Eris, promise me something. If I ever get stuck in a bed like that, you kill me, deal?" he said, reaching down to scratch the wolfs ears.
"Only if I get to pick the way you go. I'm thinking clowns, snake venom, and ballroom dancers." the wolf said, looking at him like she was grinning. Akryn couldn't help but laugh as he scratched Eris' ears again. The white wolf was as much his family as anyone else in the guild, and he was glad for her. He didn't even want to consider the day when he might lose her, or anyone in the guild.
Akryn looked up, eyeing the guildhall, and a thought came to him. Eclipse soul had very much become his family, in every sense of the word, and he adored them. If they were to die, Akryn had to admit, he wouldn't know how to react. Probably with devestation and grief. He enjoyed their company, missed them when they were gone, and truly felt like he fit in with them. If that wasn't need, a need for them, and for the love they provided to him, then what exactly was need? Akryn smirked a bit, deciding today was a fine day to use the stairs, as he continued to contemplate just what was family and the need for such a thing. It was a topic Akryn thought on often, almost always pleasantly.....
Akryn stopped at the door to the childrens ward, winking at the elderly looking, and certainly concerned looking, nurse, before gently pushing open the door to the ward to peek in, Eris at his leg gently poking her head in as well, to survey the room curiously. Inside, about ten children were currently sitting in their beds, looking extremely bored, as another nurse, a large, rather rotund, one did her best to entertain them with a book she was reading. And of course, the theatrical performance she was putting on for them, doing her best to act out the story. Akryn for his part found the whole thing to be funny, but the children obviously did not.
Akryn couldn't help but feel a bit of pity for the nurse, who by this point in the story, lookd to be extremely winded. Kids could be the toughest of crowds, even for the most experienced and skilled of entertainers. Someone who was unprepared, and untrained, in the art of entertainment would almost certainly have a rough time. Thankfully, Akryn was just a kid trapped in a mans body.
He looked down and winked at Eris, sending her into motion. She instantly drew back and dropped down into a crouch, tamping her feet down to get a good buildup for momentum, before suddenly barreling forward, slamming through the doors and into the room.
The nurse inside was caught completely off guard as Eris charged into the room, tail wagging, head up, eyes bright, and long, pink tongue hanging out, doing her best to appear as the absolute epitome of friendliness. The nurse almost lost her head at the sight of the animal, but the children seemed to absolutely love her. Ages ranging from six years old, to even a fourteen year old, who was extremely adamant that she was to old to be stuck in the same room as a bunch of little kids, none of that meant anything as they all leaned up from their beds to watch the wolf, in absolute awe of the creature. As the door opened again, most of them turned to see just what else might be coming, and they all gasped, in total awe, as Akryn walked in, his eyes up, and his hands moving in a blur, as he juggled all seven blades of the seven cuts set, sending them end over end in a very large circle. In all their young, little lives, none of them had ever seen something so entertaining. And strange.
Even the nurse stopped to watch, grinning a little as Eris hopped up on her hind legs and started to dance around Akryn, hopping as fast as she could, all while those knives flew through the air. However, when Akryn seemed to suddenly stumble, the children screamed, as Akryn dropped to one knee and the knives would drop from the air. The children watched with wide eyes and bated breath, as Akryns hands shot out to snatch up the knives from out of the air, one by one, in rapid succession. Except for one, which had fallen backwards, behind Akryn. The children watched in terror and disbelief as the knife tumbled, end over end, towards his leg, the one he was kneeling on. The screams and cheers that came up from the children next were whole hearted and sincere, as Eris' jaws suddenly snapped out, and shut, on the handle of the blade, before scampering around to the front of Akryn and dropping her front half low, rump in the air, tail wagging.
Akryn quickly stuffed his other knives back into the large, square holster on his back, before hopping up and extending a hand towards the wolf. "Ok Eris. Hand the knife over." he said with a grin, his other hand on his hip, one foot tapping. Suddenly he would snatch his hand towards it, trying to grab the handle of the night, just for Eris to suddenly turn and bolt away across the ward, with Akryn in hot pursuit, making several theatrical, and entertaining, dives towards the wolf, just for her to slide out of the way just in the knick of time.
The children screamed and cheered as the wolf led Akryn on an absolutely merry chase, all throughout the ward, much to even the nurses amusement. Several curious nurses, having heard the commotion, were gathered at the door way, watching with small smiles as the wolf scurried under beds, with Akryn doing flips over them. The wolf scurried over a table, Akryn slid under it. At one point the wolf ran straight at a wall before leaping up, planting her feet, andf then pushing off, flipping through the air, with Akryn just a step behind to do the same trick. The chase finally ended with Akryn cornering Eris and, after a small tug of war, retrieving his knife and resheathing it, to many cheers and applause from the various attendees.
Akryn spent the next few hours entertaining the children and getting to know them. Eris even gave a few of the smaller ones a ride on her back, while Akryn taught a few of the older ones how to do knife tricks, using sticks the nurses retrieved from outside of course. When Akryn and Eris finally left the ward, the children had certainly been entertained and their spirits were uplifted. After all, a good smile was always the best medicine Akryn thought, and those kids had certainly been left smiling. Most of them had been extremely admant that they now wished to be wizards, just like the man with lightning reflexes.
Akryn had to admit, it felt good to be applauded and cheered like that, but it felt even better to know that he had helped those kids feel a little better. Just the idea of being locked up in a ward like that with nothing to do and no chance to leave, bothered Akryn more than a little. Akryn loved his new family in eclipse soul, and he would happily die, and kill, for them. But he also enjoyed his independence, immesnly. His guild did not need him to keep them rolling, and he did not need them either, and that was an arrangement he just now realized, he was ok with. Oh of course they needed each other, like any good family needs its members, but they did not NEED need him. He had his freedom, to roam around and do what he wanted. He suddenly considered the day when he might actually NEED need someone, and he couldn't help but shudder. "Eris, promise me something. If I ever get stuck in a bed like that, you kill me, deal?" he said, reaching down to scratch the wolfs ears.
"Only if I get to pick the way you go. I'm thinking clowns, snake venom, and ballroom dancers." the wolf said, looking at him like she was grinning. Akryn couldn't help but laugh as he scratched Eris' ears again. The white wolf was as much his family as anyone else in the guild, and he was glad for her. He didn't even want to consider the day when he might lose her, or anyone in the guild.
Akryn looked up, eyeing the guildhall, and a thought came to him. Eclipse soul had very much become his family, in every sense of the word, and he adored them. If they were to die, Akryn had to admit, he wouldn't know how to react. Probably with devestation and grief. He enjoyed their company, missed them when they were gone, and truly felt like he fit in with them. If that wasn't need, a need for them, and for the love they provided to him, then what exactly was need? Akryn smirked a bit, deciding today was a fine day to use the stairs, as he continued to contemplate just what was family and the need for such a thing. It was a topic Akryn thought on often, almost always pleasantly.....
