Outside the dorms- Saturday morning

[notconflicted]

Sia was ready to write this last week off entirely. She didn't like feeling out of control of herself, she didn't like doing stupid things because of that (she didn't like doing stupid things, period), and she was more than ready to repress as necessary and move on

Comments

[suited2conflict]

Years of training had given Syanna more than her fair share of poise. But out here, with none of her teachers - or her mother - watching, she felt free to shove her hands down her pockets and walk with just a little hint of a saunter.

Don't tell anyone.

So that was the way she was standing as she observed the girl who would become her mother, patiently waiting for the right moment.

Right... about--

"Here, boy."

[notconflicted]

And just like that, Vitor had a new friend! Or at least, he was really excited about meeting her, and trotted over to her as close as his leash would allow to say hi.

"He's a bit excitable," Sia said, a bit apologetically. She was still working on that with him, too.

[suited2conflict]

"It's okay," Syanna promised her. She offered Vitor one of her hands to smell. "I've met one of these before. Slightly bigger, actually."

[notconflicted]

"At least it hasn't seemed to give you a negative opinion," Sia said, watching Vitor sniff the girl's hands and making sure he didn't start jumping as his way to say hello. "I don't think I've seen you here before."

[suited2conflict]

"I'm playing truant," Syanna admitted. "Just busting out from under my teachers' yoke to sniff around here. Sounded interesting. Probably dangerous."

She ruffled the fur on top of Vitor's head once he was done sniffing.

[notconflicted]

She'd missed the interesting and dangerous stuff, though Sia wasn't about to say that as then she'd have to explain it. "So we have a reputation, you're saying."

Which didn't really surprise her. How this town didn't make the news, Sia had no idea.

[suited2conflict]

"I don't know about that," Syanna said, shrugging her shoulders as she turned her attention away from Vitor. "But you and dad were pretty clear about that whole interesting-and-dangerous business. So frankly, you really don't have anyone but yourself to blame."

She was enjoying talking to her mother like that, yes.

[notconflicted]

...She had heard that right, yes?

"Excuse me?"

[suited2conflict]

"You're my mother," Syanna replied, then jabbed a thumb back towards the park. "There's a portal to two decades from now. That's how I came in."

[notconflicted]

What.

No, seriously. What.

"I should have expected this," Sia said. "I really should have. What's your name?"

[suited2conflict]

"Syanna," she volunteered. "And yes, really, you should've." She was a little disappointed.

[notconflicted]

"You'll have to forgive me. There are still some things that are very new to me."

Like this. Definitely this.

"Is your father here?" She dreaded the answer to that a little, but she had to ask.

[suited2conflict]

"Yes," Syanna responded, glancing over her shoulder. "But he's... well, he's on the other side of the island right now."

[notconflicted]

Somehow Sia knew this was all going to go to an uncomfortable place. Wonder how she could guess that. "Have you seen him already?"

[suited2conflict]

"No, I heard you, so I came straight here," she replied, looking back towards Sia. "Couldn't resist the dog."

She was a little confused now, but she wasn't about to say that.

[notconflicted]

"Vitor has the effect on people," Sia said. "I do have to ask who he is, strange as that is to say."