Levi was too late as he stumbled into the clearing at the edge of the pond. He watched as Paige lifted the coin and then simply disappeared. So, she was going to see Mr. Stowe. That was what the crows were worried about? Levi didn't get it.
He was worried about Paige, too. He'd pushed her away again, and he needed to fix that. He knew she was probably hurting. Even before he'd been cold to her, she'd probably been hurting about Maddy's death.
But Levi was pretty sure that her coin was a good thing. Based on his own experiences with Rick, he was also pretty sure that Mr. Stowe would want what was best for Paige.
Levi looked around at the perched crows, who'd gone silent. "This is what you were worried about? She'll be fine, guys. Mr. Stowe is a good thing. I'm sure he'll do whatever he can to help her... though I'm not exactly sure what the coin does or why Paige used it."
Another wave of caws rippled through the treetops, and a single grow drifted down and landed on the fallen log where Paige had sat.
"Master Levi, we are afraid because she wants to change her class," the crow spoke. Not with its mind as the white buffalo had, but from its mouth. Its voice was exactly what you'd expect a crow's voice to sound like, and Levi couldn't help but think of Gilbert Gottfried.
"You can talk? Like actually talk, with words?" Then Levi's mind focused, "And why on earth would she do that?"
"You know why. She feels guilty because of being lost in her rage. She blames herself for Maddy's death, among other things. And she blames her class because she blames herself."
Levi made his way to sit next to the crow. "That's not... I mean... anything could have happened. No matter what class she had, whether she was in a rage or not..."
"That's rich, coming from someone blaming himself the most of all," the crow answered.
"That's different," Levi argued.
"Everything is different. Two kernels of corn will never be identical, but they are both kernels of corn."
"Really? Crow wisdom? Actually, though, not half bad. How can you talk, though, for real?" Levi asked again.
"We corvids were quite well known for our ability to speak, even before the system. A Beastfriend connection obviously has the potential to enhance it. How can you be so daft?" The crow answered.
Before Levi answered, another crow fluttered down on the log next to Levi. "Levi is stupid," it cawed with actual words, too.
"Greetings, Hemlock. Where is Madam Grace?" The first crow asked, still speaking in English.
"Master comes, Grumpy. She comes. Brings Joe. Close, close." The second crow said. Levi assumed this was Grace's familar.
Levi was about to ask how close when Grace and Joe entered the clearing.
"I came as fast as I could. Where is she?" Grace looked shakey and sweaty. She held a walking stick that shook as she used it to support some of her weight.
Joe tried to help support her with his one arm, but she absently swatted his hand away.
Levi stood and faced them. "Too late. She already used it."
"Stupid girl. I swear, you two both give me a damned headache," Grace limped her way to the log and eased herself down. "Well shit."
Levi nodded and sat back down.
"I warned her to be careful about David. I know he had to have said something to get into her head." Joe said as he joined them on the log. "I should have went with her."
"Not your fault, Joe. I was pretty cold to her earlier. I try to be better, then I just... I mean... every fucking time," Levi leaned forward, his elbows on his knees and hung his head.
"Hey, we all have our own issues. Don't beat yourself up too hard." Joe slapped Levi's back in a supportive gesture, but Levi thought it was a little too hard and somewhat meant to hurt.
"Well... we're not sure it will even work. None of us even know what that coin does, other than give her a meeting, of some sort, with her Mr. Stowe."
"First time I'm hearing of it, at all," Joe commented.
Levi quickly explained the circumstances of the coin he'd given Paige upon their first meeting.
"So we don't even know if what she's trying to do is possible." Joe commented when Levi was done.
"Nope," Levi answered.
"Well, nothing we can do about it now, except sit here and wait," Grace grumbled.
"I don't know that there's nothing we can do." Joe scratched at his beard. "We can still support her. To do what she's doing, she's probably feeling pretty terrible about herself. We can be here when she gets back. We can let her know we care about her."
Levi felt his heart tighten at Joes words. Goosebumps rose on his arm and tears formed in his eyes. Joe had given him the answer he needed. "Yeah, if she does come back with a different class... and even if she doesn't. I can be here waiting for her."
Joe squeezed Levi's shoulder in a much more approving gesture this time. "You know, you're getting there, brother. I see it. I'm proud to call you a friend."
"Joe, I love you, you know that. And I know you're right, but I'm still going to give her an ear-full for being a silly girl." Grace looked away and huffed. "I'll just give her a big hug first."
Levi thought he heard Grace's voice tighten and the hint of tears finding their way into them at the end of her words. He couldn't be certain of that, but Grace's voice held more genuine emotion than he'd ever heard. That emotion completely undermined her snark.
"Aye," Grumpy's voice came from the other side of Levi. "I so desperately hope she doesn't change her class. But I reckon that's for selfish reasons. No matter what happens, us crows will always be her friends... and yours, too. We'll all be here waiting when she returns." At Grumpy's words, all the crows loudly cawed, filling the air with deafening agreement for a few long seconds.
Afterward, there was a peaceful silence, as everyone sat in agreement.
Until Levi jumped up in alarm.
----
Mama-cat had watched as her daughter had made her way through the forest. She had smelled the distress on Paige, and decided to follow. Her daughter was acting foolish, that much she knew for certain. Her daughter would have certainly noticed the bobcat following if something was not wrong.
Curious, Mama-cat watched as Paige made her way to the pond. She saw her sit and pull out the metal object. Then her daughter had just disappeared. Mama-cat had almost broke into the clearing to sniff around when her daughter's mate made his way to the bank. So instead, she chose to stay hidden and watch.
When Levi and the crow began to speak, she used her daughter's ability to understand their language. Their conversation concerned and angered her. Why would her daughter do such a thing?
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As more people joined them, Mama-cat listened intently.
Her instincts told her to leave. To abandon her daughter. But something else inside her told Mama-cat not to abandon her daughter, no matter how stupid she was being. She watched on as all the others made their choice.
And then, Mama-cat made hers. If her daughter came back changed, she would be waiting to witness that. If her daughter came back with her class intact... Mama-cat would make sure she provided the proper lessons so that her daughter would never be so foolish again.
With her choice made, she joined the group, easing out and sitting next to her daughter's mate and those her daughter called 'friends.' She felt content as she committed to her choice, in a way she had not known before. It was better than a belly full of prey or napping in the sun. She knew she had made the right choice.
And then her daughter's mate spooked like a prey animal.
Mama-cat suddenly realized that she should have given her daughter a better education. She'd never realized how bad humans could be at choosing mates.
----
Paige opened her eyes to see Mr. Stowe with his legs up at a desk in front of her, nose in a book. It reminded her of a teacher's desk, complete with a desk calendar, fake plant, a few stray pens and pencils, and a small globe--though the continents on the globe resembled nothing like that of Earth. There was even a small apple at the corner. She blinked, wondering where she was.
She looked around expecting a classroom of some sort, but it was her old bedroom, or some representation of it. It was her old bedroom in the sense that she recognized it, but there were some huge differences. Behind Mr. Stowe was a picture window, and the landscape beyond was a grassland, much like that of the Realms, except she could see a herd of wild horses grazing instead of buffalo.
On either side of the desk were bookshelves. At a glance, she didn't see a single book she didn't recognize as one she'd read. Paige had forgotten how much she had actually enjoyed reading.
There was a One Direction poster to her left, but it wasn't one she'd actually had, rather one she'd always wanted. On her right was a poster of her life-long celebrity crush in a rather flattering pose, shirtless, with a physique that was a little too muscular to reflect reality but was still somewhat dad-bod. Everything else about Adam Sandler, from his haircut to his goofy grin, was 100% from the movie 50 First Dates.
She wanted to laugh, but embarrassment compelled her to bury her face in the soft object she'd had in her hand. She pulled her face back immediately, realizing there had been something in her hand for the first time. It was the stuffed horse she'd had her entire life, Junipeero. He was worn and lumpy, just like the last time she'd seen him.
As she looked down at the Junipeero, she realized she was sitting on her old bed, with the sunflower comforter she'd always loved so much. "Where am I?"
Paige heard a book snap closed and looked up to see Mr. Stowe pulling his feet from the desk and sitting up.
He set the book to the side on the table, before answering. "A representation of for soulspace. Similar to what Levi experienced when he upgraded his Core, but far more stable than his, I'd imagine."
"Huh," Paige gave another glance around the room. "He never told me about his. Not really what I would have expected. I wonder what is inside his."
"They change. Actually, we Spirits change them, as is suitable. But everything that exists in these representations is already there. Though, I can't say I'd want to see what is in Levi's, if I am being honest." Mr. Stowe adjusted a pen on his desk as he answered.
Paige's eyes locked on Mr. Stowe. "Why is that?"
Mr. Stowe met Paige's eyes before continuing. "Well... I can sense my siblings. I can sense what they experience, although only very little. My sibling does not have an easy time with Levi." Mr. Stowe gave Paige a sad, fake smile. "But, that's not why you're here, now is it?"
"No... but..." Paige sat the stuffed horse next to her and stood, steeling her resolve. "You know, already don't you? So let's just do it. Tell me what my choices are."
Mr. Stowe gave a more genuine smile at her words. "I am happy to see you have grown so much, but I think not, my dear. At least, not before we talk about things."
Paige felt anger rise, and then pushed it down again. She was starting to hate feeling angry. "You can do it though, right? You can change my class if you wanted to?"
Mr. Stowe gave a slow nod. "Not myself personally, no. But, yes, I can make it happen. But I won't. Not until we talk about things. So, will you please have a seat, so we can have that talk?" He folded his hands on the desk as he spoke.
Paige wanted to refuse him, but his voice was a gentle invitation, not a command, and he sat there looking like just a cute old man, waiting for her with kind eyes. So she let out a breath and sat back down on the bed.
"Thank you. Now, do you want to tell me why you want to change your class?" Mr. Stowe asked.
"You already know, don't you? Why don't you just tell me," Paige answered.
"I know most of it, yes. And I am sorry, my dear girl. That is a terrible thing, to blame yourself like that. But, out of my respect for you and because I feel like a conversation would be more productive, I would prefer this be a conversation."
Paige stared at Mr. Stowe for a long few seconds, before she finally huffed. "Fine. I don't like that I don't have to fear losing control. That rage. David was right. That's what got Maddy killed, that's why Joe lost an arm, that's why Levi sacrificed all his skills."
Paige watched as anger passed over Mr. Stowe's face for the first time.
"David is being a vindictive little shit right now, and he's wrong." Mr. Stowe said in a growl.
Paige jerked straight. "Mr. Stowe, you cursed. You don't ever curse."
"Well...that p-pisssed me off," Mr. Stowe answered. He closed his eyes for a moment and then his face slowly relaxed into something more peaceful again. When he opened them, he looked into Paige's eyes. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news my dear, but your class had nothing to do with that rage. That's just there. It's you. No matter what class you take, that rage will be there with you... but that rage did-"
Paige interrupted Mr. Stowe with a rush of words. "So I killed Maddy. It was just me, David was right, I-"
Mr. Stowe slammed a fist on the table. He face was angry again. "No, Paige. Listen. Perhaps I should have started by saying this. What David said was grief-feuled nonsense. What if you hadn't gone into a rage? What would have actually happened? Would you have been able to actually continue fighting the troll as long as you did? Probably not."
"You know what would have probably happened? Realistically?" Mr. Stowe continued. "You'd have tried to save Levi, anyway, without being in a rage. Then you'd have died. Then the troll would have finished off Levi. And then, they'd have all still came back for you two, and then they'd have all died, too."
Paige took a shuddering breath. "You mean..."
"Yes... you didn't get anyone killed. If anything, it might have saved everyone who did survive," Mr. Stowe finished, more gently.
Paige let out a sigh and closed her eyes. After a moment, she opened them and spoke, "I still don't like that I lost control."
"Nor do I. But you didn't really lose control this time, you gave up control, remember?"
For a moment, Paige stared back at Mr. Stowe, confused. And then a memory flashed. Her last thought before she'd blacked out in anger had been 'Good.' She'd let her anger take control.
Mr. Stowe smiled as the realization hit her. "I knew you'd see it. So, do you still want to change your super neat, amazing class I picked for you?"
Paige shook her head. "No. I like my class. And I guess it wouldn't make a difference anyway." Paige closed her eyes and shook her head. "But I still don't like the fact that I could lose it again. That rage, no matter where it comes from... I'm afraid of it. What do I do?"
Mr. Stowe stood from his chair and walked around the desk. His movements were slow and deliberate, like any old man's, and he was shorter than Paige had realized, barely taller than she was while sitting.
"Practice some mental control excercises. I bet Levi would love to teach you how to meditate. Just don't distract each other too much." Mr. Stowe waggled his bushy, gray caterpillar eyebrows at her. "But just in case, give me your coin," Mr. Stowe said as he stuck out his hand to her.
"What-" Paige stared to say, before she suddenly felt the coin in her hand. Still confused, Paige did as he asked and handed it to Mr. Stowe.
After he took it from her, he cupped both hands around the coin and closed his eyes. For a split second, Paige thought she saw a bit of light shine from his hands, but it was so breif she thought it could be her mind playing tricks.
Then Mr. Stowe opened his hands. In his palm, the coin was no longer a dull plain gray. It was a bright silver and now had some design etched into it. He extended his palm to Paige, offering the coin. As she took it, she noticed how light seemed to reflect a sapphire sheen across the surface. Curious, she held it up to inspect it.
On one side, she saw her own face, twisted in rage. It made her stomach twist to see it. Quickly, to put the image out of her mind, she turned the coin over. Levi's face was engraved into the other side, but she recognized the expression on his face. It wasn't Levi, but what he looked like when he was lost in his deeper meditative state... the way he was the night he'd created his sword.
"What is this?" Paige asked.
"Think of it as a get out of mind-jail free card...for both you and Levi. After all, I do owe him my life, too. You know what it is for. It can be used by either of you, for either of you. It only has three uses. And it should be mostly safe, but look at me." Mr. Stowe's voice grew serious.
When Paige looked up at him, he continued, furry eyebrows pressed together. "Do not, under any circumstances, use this if he's stuck while uprading his core. It won't save him, and it will kill us both."
Paige nodded, knowing in her heart it wasn't a promise she could or would be able to keep.
Mr. Stowe sighed. "Why do I even try?" He lifted a hand and gave her a gentle smile. "Well, better get going then. Shoo!" And then he snapped his fingers and everything went black again.
Paige's eyes opened to the sun setting over a larger pond. Before she could even find her bearings, a voice cawed behind her.
'About bloody time, miss. And you better still speak bird, or I'm shitting on you, and I don't care what the rest of the boys have to say about it.'
Then someone hugged her from behind.