Snow Queen and the Six Dwarves (closed)

(Loosely based on the book series and TV show, "The Dresden Files")

Name: Sonja Patel
Location: Knoxville, Tennessee
Weight: 125 lbs
Height: 5'5"
Measurements: 34D-27-37
Age: 18
General Description: Third generation Indian-American, Sonja has smooth, dusky skin, brown eyes, and black silken hair that has just a hint of a wave and which reaches down almost to the small of her back. She has an oval face whose regular features are usually stern and unforgiving, unless she is alone with trusted friends or loved ones. She usually wears very conservative clothes unless she is at home. Even then, she doesn't wear skin tight or overly revealing clothes. At the beginning of the story she is wearing a light blue T-shirt with a modest scoop neck and loose light blue jeans, both of which still reveal more of her form than most people ever see. And it is certainly the only time she reveals any of her magnificent cleavage, even if it is only a hint.

-----

"You didn't have to break his arm, you know," a surly voice announced as Sonja came down the stairs from her bedroom and into the kitchen.

"At worst, it was sprained," Sonja replied, not bothering to look at the source of the voice as she went to the refrigerator. "Perhaps his elbow was hyperextended. He might have a large bruise or two. Nothing significant. And nothing that a week's time will not heal." Sonja rummaged around in the refrigerator, before extracting a bottle of sparkling water. Grapefruit, she thought, allowing herself a hint of a smile. Mom always seems to know what flavor of water I'm in the mood for.

"You still didn't have to do that," the voice said, its source moving closer. "Dalton was just trying to talk to you."

Any trace of a smile disappeared from Sonja's face as she turned toward the source of the voice. "Talking does not entail cornering me in the school parking lot when it was nearly deserted. Talking is not defined as attempting to pin me against my own car."

'Attempting' was the key word. Dalton might have had eight inches and almost a hundred pounds of muscle on Sonja, but then he hadn't been trained by Donna Redwoman on how to fight on more than one plane of existence.

"Dalton was just trying to be friendly," the voice whined. "I don't know why you always have to be such a bitch to everyone."

Sonja studied the source of the voice. At sixteen, Chris, her younger brother was already taller than her, possessing the same long, lean build that everyone in Sonja's family possessed, except herself. Not that Sonja had an out-of-shape physique. It was just that her curves were more pronounced, made even more so by her shorter stature. Sonja's Mom had once joked that Sonja was a changeling, left on the family doorstep by Queen Titania herself. Sonja wasn't a changeling, of course, but when Donna Redwoman had come into her life, and the lives of her friends, Donna had shown Sonja and her friends that such things were a real possibility.

Her younger brother's thoughts must have drifted to Donna Redwoman as well, because he added, "I don't think Mom should let you take lessons from that bi---"

The next thing Chris knew, he was pressed up against a counter, two fingers pressed against his sternum. He found himself unable to move and barely able to breathe.

"Finish the sentence," his older sister said in a low, dangerous voice. "Finish it." She was looking straight up into Chris' face, her eyes burning. Her younger brother was pointedly not returning the gaze. He had done that once, after Sonja and her friends began learning from Donna Redwoman. He had not made that mistake twice.

"I'll --- I'll tell Mom," he managed to gasp out.

"And I'll give you something to tell Mom," Sonja replied, pushing hard before releasing her younger brother. He immediately fell to his knees, wheezing for air. Sonja turned back to the refrigerator, looking around inside once more before closing the door. "The reason I'm a bitch is because I was treated like I was nothing." Sonja didn't bother turning back around as she explained herself to her brother.

Chris shakily got back on his feet. "That was years ago. You need to let go and let guys like Dalton in your life, not your loser ---" Her younger brother shut his mouth with an audible snap as Sonja spun around, holding up the two fingers that had held him motionless with just minutes before.

Sonja studied her younger brother, who pointedly did not return her look. When he was eleven, her father's startup company had taken off, and Sonja's family had just moved into one of the most elite gated communities in Knoxville. Now her younger brother was a sophomore, a solid athlete and, with his looks, a sports car and his family's money, well established in the elite clique at their high school. So he didn't understand why Sonja didn't want to hook up with his friend Dalton, or the other members of his elite circle.

When Sonja was eleven, her family was living in a lower middle class neighborhood. Every dollar that could be spared went into her father's company, which was then still confined to a corner of the garage. Sonja was a short stick figure of a girl wearing hand-me-downs that had passed through two older sisters, whose shoulder length hair was perpetually greasy, whose skin was mottled, and who wore braces that extended to headgear that had to be worn during daylight hours, as well as brace on her left arm. Sonja only had a handful of friends, all boys who everyone else considered geeks, and all of whom had always been as faithful friends as anyone could hope for.

A group friendship that had been solidified on her 13th birthday by a visitor from the NeverNever, and the subsequent rescue made my Donna Redwoman.

Now a week past her eighteenth birthday, the difference between eleven year old Sonja and the eighteen year old version she would grow into was like night and day. Sonja's attire at high school, although conservative, was always in style. Her British racing green Jaguar convertible stuck out in a parking lot full of high end vehicles. And with her flawless, dusky skin, midnight black, long silken hair and stunning figure, she was considered the unparalleled exotic beauty of her high school.

The elite social group that her brother hung out with couldn't understand why Sonja didn't want to hang out with the same individuals who had treated her so cruelly in the past. And whose only kindness had been ignoring her and leaving her alone.

"They are my friends," Sonja said pointedly. "They are not losers. They are not geeks. They are not The Dwarves. Is that understood?"

Her younger brother sullenly nodded.

"Have any of them arrived?" Sonja added.

"Yeah, a couple of them already got here, and took the snacks Mom made for you down to your dungeon room."

Sonja nodded, turned around, and headed toward the door to the wine cellar. Behind her she heard her brother mutter "Snow Queen." Instead of turning around and confronting him, she merely smiled. At lunch, she hung out with her friends, and no one else. If a potential 'suitor' tried to sit down with them, he or she was made to feel unwelcome by her. Very unwelcome. Soon her friends were called the Dwarves, and she was dubbed the Snow Queen. Quite frankly, Sonja was impressed that her detractors had enough collective intellect to make the pun.

Sonja made her way down the stairs to the wine cellar and the Dungeon Room. The Dungeon Room was a separate room in the back of the wine cellar that was used by the house's previous owners for their select vintage. At present, since her mother and father had barely made a dent in the rest of the wine cellar, the dungeon room, with a large solid oaken table, comfortable chairs and even a small refrigerator, was used for the gatherings of Sonja and her friends. It was a great place for fantasy and sci-fi roleplaying, trading card games and board games.

It was also a good place to review the lessons of Donna Redwoman. On those nights, the door was closed, locked and wards were put in place. Even though nobody in her family said anything, everyone but her Mom refused to look her in the eye since she began training with Donna Redwoman. Still, there was no reason to freak everyone out by practicing magic somewhere where someone could just walk in.

Earlier in the week, Jori had talked about bringing over a new video game to play on the state-of-the-art system in the game room of Donna's house. But then Bassie had found an actual magical artifact at, of all places, a yard sale. He had shown it to Donna Redwoman, who had identified it and given the group permission to experiment with it.

So that was the agenda tonight.

The door to the Dungeon was partially open when Sonja entered the room. "Hey guys, what's up?"

Name: Ash Harris
Age: 18
Height: 5'11
Hair: black
Eyes: brown
Physical Description: Ash has a sharp, handsome face with a strong jaw and piercing brown eyes. His black hair is short with a windswept, unkempt look to it. He has a lean, pale but athletic body which is taut and toned.
Nickname: Doc

Name: Gael Young
Age: 18
Height: 5'7”
Hair: red
Eyes: green
Physical Description: Gael has a angular visage with a sharp, Aquiline nose and angry green eyes below usually furrowed brows. His bright red hair is short and typically slicked back. He has a wiry and surprisingly agile frame. For his outward lankiness he has incredible strength and endurance. He is fair skinned with a hint of red on his face, neck and shoulders when he gets emotional (which is often).
Nickname: Grumpy

Name: Sebastian 'Bassie' Martinez
Age: 18
Height: 5'6”
Hair: brown
Eyes: green
Physical Description: father is of latin decent. Short hair, olive skin. Short hair. Usually with spoke product to make it spiky. Tawny beige Sebastian is compact and lithe, with tawny beige, smooth skin and handsome features. His green eyes often sparkle in the light and the smile on his face can melt even a stone cold heart. His hair is short and he often uses product to spike it up in the front.
Nickname: Happy

Name: Julian 'Jules' Winters
Age: 18
Height: 5'10”
Hair: blonde
Eyes: hazel
Physical Description: tall and skinny, swimmer. Really short on the side, longer on the top and bangs. Jules is tall and skinny, with a svelte quality. His features are soft and with a touch of melancholy. His hazel eyes are bright but often hidden behind a pair of thick framed glasses. He is deathly pale, which makes his neatly trimmed blonde hair appear almost white against his pallor.
Nickname: Bashful

Name: Mohe 'Moe' Campbell
Age: 18
Height: 5'8”
Hair: black
Eyes: gray
Physical Description: Cherokee blood. Mother is Cherokee, takes after her in skin tone and hair. Father is white and well built. Shoulder length hair kept back in a ponytail. Moe's gray eyes are typically calm if not without a hint of mirth within their depths. He wears a confident but not cocky look upon his refined features, his thin lips often tilted upwards in a lopsided smile. His hair is dark and glossy, shoulder length and often kept back in a ponytail. Due to his active lifestyle he is well toned and defined for his age, his frame sleek with an athletic build, broad shoulders and long legs.
Nickname: Sneezy

Name: Jori Coleman
Age: 18
Height: 5'10”
Hair: black
Eyes: dark brown
Physical Description: Jori is tall and solidly built, despite his general lethargic nature. He can look imposing but usually wears a half-asleep, uninterested look on his stern face. He keeps his head shaved except for the short fohawk stripe of hair that races form his hairline to the base of his skull.
Nickname: Sleepy

_________________________________________________



Deep in the bowels of the Patel household they gathered. Several bodies were huddled together over the large oaken table that dominated the middle of the Dungeon. Each of the four young men wore serious expressions, stern and focused as they looked between each other and their own hands. It was quiet, deathly quiet as Sonja descended the stairs and she might think for a moment that her younger brother had lied about her friends early arrival. It wasn’t until one of them, Ash Harris, finally moved at the head of the table and fanned out the shiny plastic cards held tightly within his grasp. A wide, knowing smirk drifted out over his lips as he slowly drew one card from the hand he held and causally tossed it onto the table. It skittered across the well-polished surface and landed near a few other cards meticulously stacked and arranged before them.

“Sorry fellahs,” He commented with an undeniable air of superiority. “But this round goes to me.”

The grin that drifted across his sharply chiseled face was sadistic and only grew when the three other boys around him audibly groaned and tossed their cards onto the table.
“That’s cheap, man.” Moe Campbell said with a sigh, a look of defeat tugging at the corners of his lips. “You always use a Brad Truckleton card.”

“Yeah,” Jori Coleman piped in, looking more agitated than sad. The tips of his raven bangs dangled against his brow briefly before he unconsciously swiped them away with his free hand. “It’s a dick move.”

“Don’t you get tired of being a one trick pony?” Jules Winter said at length, though his voice was subdued in his typical quiet nature. He pushed his glasses back up over the bridge of his nose and did his best to give Ash an annoyed look, though no one took it seriously, especially Ash.

He was the tallest and more mature looking of the group, if he wanted to he could have easily passed for older than eighteen years old. No doubt he could fake his way into a club or buying a six-pack of beer, but that really wasn’t Ash’s way. Instead he would rather hang out with his friends, playing some kind of collectible trading card game, some video games or even an old fashion pen and paper tabletop roleplaying game. That grin lingered all too long for most of his friend’s tastes, Ash simply tapped his cards on the table and offered a shrug of his broad shoulders.

“Hey…why change what works?” He said simply before reaching for his cards. “Wanna go another round?”

“Yeah,” The three simultaneously agreed without a second thought. Yet as they collected their cards and began to shuffle them again the door opened and in walked none other than Sonja Patel. Her voice caught the four boys’ attention and all turned to greet her. A resounding echo of “Heya, Sonja!” “Hey!” and “Wassup?” greeted her all at once. It was a typical greeting that everyone in the small group would receive upon entering. Sonja was just another one of the group, despite her ugly duckling story, none of the group thought for a moment to treat her differently. Sure, she was drop dead gorgeous now, an exotic beauty that none could deny, but, it hadn’t once gone to her head. She could have easily ditched the group of six friends for the popular kids or other group for that matter. Anyone would have accepted the beautiful, dusky skinned girl with open arms. Yet, they were the same ones that pointed and laughed at her head gear, sniggered and jeered behind her back while she was growing up. Never once did any of her true friends think to ridicule her for her appearance. They weren’t the best looking bunch either, being a teenager wasn’t as glorious as all those 80’s movies made it out to be. The humble loser wasn’t always a dashingly handsome young man or the starring girl a ravishing beauty after her glasses were taken off. The group of friends had waded through some pretty rough times in their adolescent lives, kids were cruel and thankfully they had each other to go to. The bond they created wasn’t so easily broken and despite them growing into relatively attractive young people, it never went to their heads. Of course, no one’s transformation was as stunning or miraculous as Sonja’s. It was merely physical though, she was still the girl they grew up with. She had her chances to hang with the popular kids, do the things that ‘cool’ kids did, but never once did she waiver.

Of course, they all shared a secret that not everyone knew about. That night when Donna Redwoman saved them had changed their lives and only served to strengthen their bond. It opened up a whole new world of possibilities, though some took to it more easily than others. For a few in the group, namely Jori, Jules, Gael, and Ash, it was still something they had trouble comprehending. Moe and Bassie took to it relatively easy though, as did Sonja seem to as well. Still, they were all humble students in the sight of their stoic teacher. They all had much to learn. So when Bassie managed to find a honest to goodness magical artifact at a yard sale, few of them could pass up the chance to test it out.

“Dunno where Bassie is. Wanna join in for a round while we wait? Ash is being a dick again. He needs some of your mad skills to bring him down a peg or two,” Moe addressed Sonja as he shuffled his deck, his cool gray eyes flicking up to meet the lovely brown pools of her own. Ash just grinned some more and made a ‘bring it on’ gesture to the group as a whole before offering a contemptuously and playful snort.

“You wish. C’mon then…let’s do this.”

Gael Young stood in the shadow of the Patel house leaning against the brick wall near the backdoor. He clutched a cigarette in his right hand and lazily inhaled as he fiddled around with his smart phone. He was pretty sure everyone else was already inside waiting for him, but he had to get his nicotine fix before venturing down to the Dungeon. He knew how Sonja felt about his dirty little habits, she made it very clear in no-nonsense terms that he was not allowed to bring drugs onto the premise, let alone smoke them anywhere near them. If anyone had spoken to him in such a fashion they probably would have gotten their teeth smashed in, but Sonja had always been one of the few people that could harness in Gael’s anger. He respected the young woman above all others, so when she said no, he couldn’t rightly resist her. Still, a cigarette was a cigarette, and he wasn’t going to get a chance for another for a few hours. He had a feeling once they started tinkering with whatever thing Bassie had found they were going to pull an all-nighter. That was typically how this magical stuff worked, at least in his opinion. He didn’t truly understand it, save for the more instinctual type of magic that drew off of emotions. That stuff was dangerous though, as most of it could be used as a weapon. Donna had yet to even delve into that arena of magical knowledge but since his eyes had been opened to the real world, it was already calling to Gael’s tempestuous nature.

The sound of footsteps caught his attention and those green eyes drifted up to finding the familiar figure of Sebastian Martinez approaching. He wore his typical happy go lucky expression on his face, something about that smile always made Gael want to smack it off.

“Sup, man.” Gael called out and let out a puff of smoke as Bassie approached. The young olive skinned boy offered his best smile and a firm nod to his friend as he approached.

“Heya, Gael. Everyone already inside?” He asked pointedly, glancing towards the nearby door.

“As far as I know. You got the magical doodad?” Gael gave Bassie a once over before tilting his head towards the other’s backpack. Bassie offered a stout nod before his smile widened.

“Course. Should be interesting to find out just what it does. You ready?” He asked eagerly, taking a step towards the door.

“Yeah yeah,” Gael sighed, exhaling one final time before he stomped out his cigarette butt and tossed it into the nearby trash bin. He reached into his own backpack and fished out a spray can of deodorant and gave himself a healthy spray before following Bassie up the stairs to the backdoor of the Patel house. Together they ventured through the kitchen and down the stairs to the cellar, where they found the Dungeon door open and the rest of the group already gathered.

“Heya guys!” Bassie said just as he passed the threshold. He was greeted accordingly, with Gael offering a wave and a grunt of acknowledgement. Bassie clutched his backpack to his chest as he approached the table and gingerly set it down, his green eyes drifting about the gathered bodies.

“You ready for this?” He asked all too eagerly.

Sonja took a very subtle sniff of the air and arched an eyebrow at Gael, the right corner of her lips quivering upward, but said nothing. She knew by the telltale odor of spray deodorant that her redheaded friend had indulged his nicotine habit before coming downstairs. Sonja wished he'd break that habit. But he did keep it out of her house, so she didn't feel she could push it further than that.

In a way, Sonja identified with Gael. Both had an angry fire burning inside of them, though Gael's burned hot and erratic, and she could help him bring it under control. Sonja's burned cold, dark and steady, though at times like this with her friends, she hardly knew it was there. And Donna Redwoman had helped her harness that anger.

As Bassie set his backpack on the table and the rest of her friends gathered around it, Sonja walked toward the Dungeon door and closed it. "Hang on a second while I get the wards activated," she said. Donna Redwoman had instructed all of them how to set up permanent wards on their houses. In addition, when the seven of them got together and practiced what they had learned, Sonja would put up additional wards on the room itself, to make sure they weren't disturbed or eavesdropped on, either by mundane methods or arcane ones. Sonja was the one to put them up because not only could she make them mesh with the ones already set up in her house, but in terms of strictly offensive and defensive capability, she was the best in the group. Sonja knew her limitations, of course. She would have had to literally trip over the artifact Bassie found to recognize it. She could create a potion by rote, but didn't have the imagination to "tweak it" to make it better. Other magical subtleties would elude her. But when it came to a slugfest, no matter what level it was being fought on, Sonja was the "go to" girl.

Once she got everything set up, she returned to the table to see what Bassie had found.

-----

It stretched languorously, as it felt the presence of several wizardlings gather around its home. It had fell back asleep when one of the wizardlings had brought it to a very powerful wizard and the wizard and it had a short discussion. The wizard need not have worried. It was not in its nature to harm the innocent.

It had been lured here some time back, before the parents of these wizardlings had been born. And perhaps even before the births of their grandsires. Not trapped of course. Merlin might have been able to trap it. The Wizard who it had talked to recently might have been able to do so. But then if they had trapped it, it would be of no use to them.

It had been lured here to this magnificent home, which it could wander and explore for eons, at so many sizes. It was a magnificent domicile, much better than its home in the NeverNever. And in return, it served as a guard, using its strength, its invisibility and its ability to change as the battle required. If the foe were strong enough, it would be overcome and be sent back to its beautiful mansion. But such was its nature. And it chose who it served.

It took a taste of the ether, and purred in satisfaction. These wizardlings were going to explore its nature, so that they could learn more of the world about them. The wizard had made it promise that no harm would come to its cubs. It was properly insulted. It was not bound. It stayed out of choice. It would help the cubs to learn. And there were some very interesting flavors. Very interesting. It would be amusing to see how the education proceeded.

All six young men gathered around the table closest to Bassie. He stood at the front of the table, the spot Ash had previously claimed, and gingerly set down his backpack before unzipping it and retrieving the artifact that had all brought them here tonight. It was wrapped in a faded old bathroom towel, far from the velvet cushion and silk cover it should have had. But Bassie had found it at a garage sale for a steal, it wasn't as if they were handing out pillows for pieces of junk. Slowly, reverently, he drew back the towel wrapped about the artifact and set it down upon the table for all to see. At first glance it could have easily been mistaken for some kind of cheap, gaudy piece of costume jewelry or perhaps even a prop from a play. It was a fist sized crystal, opaque and a lustrous azure hue. Veins or cracks seemed to lace through the inside of the crystal, giving it a fractured appearance despite being one solid piece. Bassie set it down upon the table, still resting upon the towel before he leaned up and folded his arms over his chest. His smile never faltered, if anything it got bigger as his gaze lingered intently upon their prize.

“If only my Mom knew why I wanted this so bad. She thought it was a waste of money,” He said confidently, with a hint of undeniable pride. Gael snorted as he rounded about the table, his green gaze narrowing on the crystal like artifact as he passed by.

“Are we even sure it'll do anything? It looks broke to me,” He said without giving his choice of words a second thought. He got a few annoyed glances, but it didn't seem to phase the redhead one bit. He stood a little on the outside of the group, one hand scratching at the back of his head while his gaze drifted about, finally meeting Sonja's briefly. He had caught the look, sure he might seem oblivious more often than not but it wasn't hard to feel the raw emotions leaking out from his old friend. They had many similarities yet were far from too peas in the proverbial pod.

“Can't you feel it?” Bassie shot back just as quickly. Not all of the group was as attuned to the mystical energies of the world around them. While Moe and Bassie took to it naturally, the others struggled in their own varying ways. Gael gave a noncommittal shrug as a response and Ash made a thoughtful face, as if he were trying to concentrate a little too hard. Jules busied himself with cleaning his glasses and Jori was already taking a picture of the artifact with his smart phone. Moe drew in over the table though, leaning over it as he held one hand out to hover near the crystal. He indeed could feel it, like a subtle warmth radiating out over his hand. He didn't know exactly what it was, but he knew the sensation all the same.

“I don't think Ms. Redwoman would've wasted time with this thing if it was broke. What do you think, Sonja?” Moe turned his cool gray eyes to her as she turned from the door, having just finished sealing the room properly. Slowly all eyes turned to her as well. She was turning into something of a regular bad ass, as Gael would have put it. Despite being shorter than most of them she could easily take even Ash and Jori down with the moves Donna had taught her. That wasn't even including what magical talent she possessed. So while the group rarely bothered with ideas such as who lead them, the mantle was by default placed upon her shoulders.

Sonja felt a little uncomfortable at all of the eyes focused on her to make a decision. Not that she had a problem with doing that. Mostly.

Ever since her thirteenth birthday, she had become driven, a force that could be deflected and channeled, but that could not be stopped. Part of that drive came from her six friends. They had been her friends when she was that little girl that everyone mocked or ignored. If she allowed herself to think about it, she might have admitted that she was partially driven by her love for her friends. Sonja didn't think about it much, though. She just knew these six boys-becoming-men were "hers" and that fact, coupled with her desire to leave that little girl she once was far in the past, made Sonja the proverbial "irresistible force."

It was no wonder that her friends, rather than trying to deter her momentum, more often than not just allowed themselves to be dragged along in her wake.

This crystal thing on the table, though...

Sonja sort of wished that either Ash or Jori might take the lead on this. Jori had a very sharp mind...when he applied himself. Ash had a sharp mind as well, even though it seemed to her that his parents could be a lot more supportive. Bassie had spotted the crystal, and probably had some ideas. But he wouldn't put himself forward, Sonja thought with a mental sigh.

All of her friends had their own creative strengths, Sonja reflected. And all had reasons why they wouldn't take a crack at this crystal first. Which is why they all turned to her, because she would make the decision.

"Ms. Redwoman said it's a ward," Sonja said decisively, because her friends were expecting her to sound decisive. "One that we can practice on. Like a training dummy. I'll go first. After," she said with a grin, "I get something from my bedroom." The grin was one she used when she found a rare video game Jori had been looking for, or sprung an incredibly rare card on Ash that she had picked up online. She slightly shifted one of the wards so that she could get in and out of the room, then ran upstairs to her bedroom.

The group offered a collective blink and an inquisitive look as Sonja shifted gears and disappeared past the previously warded door. None of them followed suit, since most were already situated about the table and the crystal. Bassie leaned further over the table until his elbows were resting against the surface, his hands busily taking up the artifact and handling it like a fine piece of china. He turned it over slowly examining every facet with his intense green gaze.

“I suppose we can get it set up?” He said lightly, his finger running over the surface slowly as if to trace one of the veins just underneath the surface. This place, with the object in his hands he could feel the pulse of energy emanating from it, constant and warm like the the radiating waves from a heater. Moe tugged the towel away and tossed it over the back of one of the chairs, making room for them to proceed. The rest assisted in moving their accumulated gear from the table since they weren't entirely sure what to expect from it. Sure, Donna had said that it was a ward and it was a concept that they could understand, mostly. Even Gael, with his short temper and general lack of understanding could cast a simple ward on a door or window. How exactly it functioned as a ward was something of a mystery, but that was exactly what they were here to find out, weren't they?

Bassie continued to examine the object, his inquisitive look slowly drawing into a confounded furrow of his brows. He gave the crystal a tap and held it upright, offered a whisper of spidery language which should have activated it, or at least started to awake its spirit. Yet nothing happened, much to his disappointment. Gael let out a snicker, which he half concealed behind a cough, while Jori, Jules, and Moe looked on with the same expression as before. Ash though stepped up and drew in beside his shorter friend. Bassie gave him a confused look even as Ash reached out and took the artifact securely in his grasp.

“Confidence, man.” Ash said with that winning smile as he held the artifact in the palm of his right hand. He held it out before him and in a clear, confident tone repeated Bassie's words. There was an undeniable energy and charisma behind them, the very things needed to draw out the latent energies within oneself. With a throb of raw energy a light flickered within the depths of the crystal briefly before it flared to life brightly. It cast a pale blue radiance about the small room briefly before going out completely. Ash offered a glance around the room only to find the amused and interested looks of his peers.

“See?” He chortled lightly and tossed the crystal back at Bassie. The young man reacted, instinctively reaching out for the crystal as it flipped over itself. It hit his palm flatly before it danced through his fingers and started to spin haphazardly in an arch over his head.

“Shit!” Bassie cried out as he fumbled for control. Ash flinched and lashed out with his right arm but was just out of reach. Moe and Jori could do nothing but stare helplessly from the other side of the table as the crystal arched into the air seemingly in slow motion. Gael watched with a mixture of annoyance and mild amusement, but made no move to react beyond that. So, it was surprising that the only person out of the group to react was Jules. His movements mimicked Ash's, reaching out with his arm fully extended and fingers splayed. His typically calm and soft voice echoed out as a sharp bark, the clear demanding tone surprising as he vocally focused his arcane energies only to direct them towards the falling object. He caught it mid air just before it hit the hard floor. The crystal simply stopped and hovered, slowly revolving around itself a few inches from hitting the ground. All five boys breathed a collective sigh of relief while Gael just let out a scoffing snort.

“Good job, fumbles,” He chided Bassie before bursting into a full fledged bout of laughter. Bassie's cheeks flushed with embarrassment, though no one seemed to pay him any mind, not as Ash and Moe crowded in around Jules and slapped him sharply on the shoulders.

“Hey! Nice catch man! And who said you sucked at this?” Ash laughed, his grin returning all too easily. Jules was jostled by the sudden slap and thankfully Jori had taken it upon himself to snatch up the artifact before anything else could happen to it. With his distraction wavering the effect Jules erected dissipated quickly enough. He offered a nervous laugh himself before he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and gave Ash a firm look.

“I think it was you, actually. Or Gael.” He retorted easily, his voice falling back into the calm, soft spoken nature. Gael and Ash laughed together, exchanged looks and shrugged almost in unison.

“He's probably right,” Gael concluded.

“Well. I was wrong!” Ash admitted without a hint of regret, his arm thrown about Jules' shoulders and shook the tall, skinny boy violently. “We'll make a proper spellcasting bad ass out of you yet!”

"Yes we will," agreed a warm, alto voice from the door. Sonja had returned and was standing in the doorway. She was gripping an odd looking sword by the hilt in both her hands, with the point angled down toward the floor. The double edged blade of the sword, which looked to be about sixty-five centimeters in length, had three "waves" from its guard to halfway to the point. In addition, a strange looking figure was carved in the sword's ivory hilt, though it was obscured both by Sonja's hands wrapped firmly around it, as well as a reddish-gold metallic wire binding.

"It's a kalis," Sonja said, pronouncing the last word distinctly as she left the sword so that it pointed toward the ceiling. When she did this, it almost seemed as if a reflection of light traveled from the guard to the point. "I got if for my birthday," she added, perhaps with a hint of embarrassment in her voice. Seven years ago, when the group of friends first bonded, Sonja was the one always wearing patched hand-me-downs. Now, her family was the most well off, and it sometimes embarrassed her a little among her friends.

"It's from Mindanao. That's the second biggest island in the Philippines," Sonja hurriedly explained, as she held the sword in one hand, while closing the room's door and resealing the wards with her other hand and feet. "Dad wanted to get me a new car, but the Jag is the only thing I can get into anymore where the radio works most of the time, and the car doesn't act like it's on the verge of breaking down." Sonja's Jaguar had a built in telephone that had been popular thirty years ago, and it was the only type of non-landline telephone Sonja could use anymore. "Ms. Redwoman helped Mom find someone on the internet who sold antique swords like this." Sonja twirled the sword in a circle once, and this time there was no mistaking the light that danced across the blade as Sonja gathered in the ambient energy around her and focused it on the blade. Sonja's hair lifted up a little, as it rustled in the presence of the energy she was drawing in. Looking over at the crystal, she asked, "You guys figure out anything new while I was gone?"

“Only that Jules has been holding out on us,” Ash said and gave the tall blonde haired boy another shake of his shoulders before releasing him fully. Jules, slightly flustered, brushed his hair back from his face and gave a noncommittal shrug. The rest regained some sense of composure now that Sonja had returned, though a few curious glances were given to the object that she returned with. Jori held the artifact easily within his grasp and rounded about the table towards Sonja.

“Not much more than we already knew,” He admitted and came to stand nearby. He was content to keep the object safe for the time being, just in case someone else wanted to toss it around like a football.

“So what's with the sword?” Moe asked from his place at the table. The group started to arrange themselves back around the table once more, migrating subconsciously to their preferred spots along the tables length.

“If all we were going to do was smash it I woulda brought my baseball bat. It woulda worked much better,” Gael added. Ash gave him and look and a causal shove to shut him up, once more his attention returning to Sonja. They all peered at her expectantly, another default position they set themselves into without giving it much thought. And, well, she was the one with the glowing sword in her hands, that did tend to attract and demand some attention. There wasn't much that could top the sight, a beautiful girl, the rush of magical energies and sharp objects. All they needed was some food...wait a minute. It was Gael would found himself wandering back towards the tray of snacks that Sonja's Mother had thoughtfully prepared for them. He stuffed his mouth greedily and chewed, hey, it was the good stuff, he was going to enjoy himself.

Sonja rolled her eyes at Gael but kept her opinion on his actions to herself. A lot of times she felt as if Gael were trying to live up to persona he had in is head, about what he should be like. She suspected that Gael sometimes fooled himself.

"I didn't bring it down to smash that crystal," Sonja said, more than a hint of exasperation in her voice. "It's my focus. Like the staff Ms. Redwoman uses. Besides, it's a kalis," Sonja repeated, as if that explained everything. "It has an...essence forged into it. All the good swords, the really good swords, from that part of the world. have an essence forged in them," Sonja said authoritatively. "Anyway, I wanted to bring it down so you guys could look at it." Sonja suddenly felt hesitant, not really sure how she felt about passing her new sword around to her friends. But they were her friends, her best friends, and they had always shared. "Or we could get down to business, trying to make that ward crystal work," she added, turning her attention, as well as the sword, toward Jules.

-----

It had been rather amused as the younglings had tossed its home around, fearful of damaging it. Its home, of course, had been forged with great skill, and was not something that could be damaged by the amusing clumsiness of cubs.

Now that bright thing the sole female cub was wielding, it mused, that might just do the trick, in the properly trained hands, of course. But these were all cubs. Cubs who it could taste all had great promise of differing sorts, but still cubs.

And cubs who were curious about differing things, and not just the magic in the world around them. This bit of knowledge made it chuckle, which sent a warm pulse of light emanate from the crystal.

It also noted that the female cub still possessed its barrier of innocence. Well, it was its duty to respect that barrier. But if the female cub were the one to test herself against it, it would first help her learn her skills, and then perhaps it might help all the cubs satisfy some of their curiosities.

“Aren't all good swords suppose to have names too?” Ash asked as he rounded the table and approached Sonja. His eyes drifted across the wavy blade and then its owner, that easy smile still lingering upon his lips. Jules felt a rush of needless embarrassment as Sonja's attention turned towards him, though it was mostly the word. He held his hands up in a defensive manner, as if she would really strike out at him, but it was just Jules' way. Always the cautious one, to a fault some would say. He cleared his throat and pushed up his glasses once more, trying to become the calm and collected man he always prided himself on being.

“I think I'll pass. Besides...it looks good on you...er...in your hands,” Jules retorted, a smile coming to his lips though it was far from as cool and collected as Ash's. Jori gave the crystal a squeeze, his gaze drifting down towards it within his grasp. It felt as if something was humming within it, or like it was awakening. No doubt it was whatever was inside the crystal? A spirit? Some magical force bound to a repository of power? It was hard to say, though there was no doubting the curiosity that began to drift to the the surface.

“I should get me one of those,” Moe exclaimed as he drew in as well, his gray eyes roving over the sword with honest enthusiasm. Bassie elbowed Moe as he approached as well, a playful smirk lingering upon his lips.

“You'd probably cut a few fingers off. Yer not cool enough to pull it off. Stick with a staff,” He teased ruthlessly. It wasn't a harsh burn though, not coming from Bassie. Still, the boys laughed all the same, a good heartfelt laughter that echoed off the walls.

Jori brought the crystal out before himself and let it settle against his palm. His gaze drew up over the assembled group before he finally spoke.

“Well let's see what we can do with this thing. Ladies first, right?” He said with a growing smile. His attention turned to Sonja as he said it, offering the crystal to her delicate yet sure grasp. She was far from fragile, more like steel wrapped in silk. It was always an alluring feature for a woman, one that few of the boys around her could deny.

Sonja allowed herself a slight smile as she listen and watched the boys' banter, as her mind tried to come up with a good name for the sword. She could remember dozens from literature, everything from Excalibur to Orcrist, but as for coming up with a name on her own, she really wasn't as creative as her friends at such things. Did swords like the one in her hand really have names?

"I think it's the kind of sword you don't use its name in public," Sonja said in an uncharacteristically indecisive fashion, though as soon as the words left her mouth, they sounded true. "Anyway, we'll get to that later. Why don't we push the table out of the way and set the crystal on the floor, and then I'll start?"

“You should name it Indecision,” Ash was the first to turn the teasing on Sonja. His grin drew wider and wider when she reacted in a most surprising fashion. Always so cool and confident, but not always, it was very surprising to see it nowadays though. Sonja was brimming with confidence, so much so that her friends could tangibly feel it at times. So when it faltered, they were the first to pick up on it. Of course, the teasing she received was just that, teasing. Mirth was behind Ash's eyes when he said it and the smiles and grins that surrounded Sonja were there only because they knew she would find some form of minor embarrassment from it all. That was what friends were for, after all, right?

Gael and Ash set about shoving the table aside while the rest, besides Jori, started to move the chairs to one side. The groan and screech of the solid wooden legs against the floor echoed harshly in the Dungeon, so much so it was enough to cause them to flinch a time or two. Jori walked towards the center of the room once it was cleared and gently placed the crystal on the ground. He rose and swept back, giving Sonja free reign to begin at her leisure.


----------------------------------------------


And so it begin. It felt as much as it heard its surroundings, if only in a close radius about its lovely home. There was no small amount of eagerness that begin to rise within It, after all, it had been some time since It had a chance to rouse from It's home let alone engage another. They were cubs, but still, they held much potential and exploring the possibilities of their profound human emotions would be an absolute delight! So before the innocent one drew close It began to stir further, seeping out into the environment and poking and probing at those jumble of emotions and feelings that composed being human. It was drawn towards the most obvious sensations first, the volatile rage of Gael was a curios thing, though it would find no delight in fueling it in mindless hate. But lying just underneath the surface was something else, that curious inquisitive feeling that lingered in all of the male cubs. Now that, that was something it could work with. Another pulse of light pulsed from the crystal, offering an undeniable warmth even from a few feet away.

Sonja raised an eyebrow at Ash but said nothing, simply giving him a mock disdainful look. She actually enjoyed it when the guys teased her. It reminded her that there were places left that she belonged. Sometimes Sonja felt the changes that had turned her life completely around over the last few years...her looks, her family's money, and the burgeoning Talent she was learning to harness...all of these things were separating her from the people around her. Only her Mom and her six friends in this room were solid constants she could depend on. Well, Ms. Redwoman was one too, although her instructor...the instructor of all seven of them...was too aloof for Sonja to feel anything but a teacher/student relationship with.

Just then the crystal pulsed, and Sonja could feel its warmth. She closed her eyes and "reached out" to the crystal and felt...something. Or someone, she corrected herself. The someone reassured her somehow, letting her know this was an exercise. And she felt something else from the someone. Curiosity?

"Okay," Sonja announced, brandishing her sword, "I'm going to try to get through the ward, and it's going to try to stop me. Jules," she told her pale friend, "Why don't you get on the other side of the crystal, like I'm trying to get through the crystal to you. Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you. And the crystal won't let anything happen to you," Sonja added pointedly. Sonja didn't know if there actually had to be someone the crystal ward was suppose to be protecting, but she always tried to take the opportunity to draw Jules out when she could.

The look of shock was very real on Jules face when Sonja called his name. He blinked and reflectively flinched at the sound of it before the look of disbelief drew out over his face. He pointed needlessly to himself as if to confirm that she had meant him,

“Me? Really?” He stammered and gave Sonja an incredulous look. The rest of the group sniggered quietly, all giving the blonde young man an expectant look. Ash stood nearby Sonja and grinned, his hands resting on his hips as he tilted his head back in Jules' direction.

“C'mon man. Don't worry. Not like Sonja would hurt you. On purpose,” He couldn't help but add, surprising the desire to let out another chuckle at his friend's expense. Perhaps if she hadn't been brandishing a sword of all things Jules might have not been so opposed to assisting her. His eyes were mostly focused on that lightly shimmering blade, even as he began to approach.

“Against my better judgement,” He said as he approached, taking off his glasses and setting them on the nearby table before he approached the crystal. By then it was already glowing, giving off a warm radiance that seemed to grow with his approach. He held a hand out and took a breath, if only to steady himself. His blue eyes closed for a moment as he too reached out to the crystal, if only to assure himself and perhaps it that he was friendly. Not that he needed to do such, still, Jules was always a cautious one. He drew in another breath and opened his eyes, this time focused upon the beautiful young woman who held the sword. He offered a slight nod and braced himself, if only to keep from flinching if Sonja decided to go the dramatic route.

The rest of the boys slowly shifted about the peripherals, keeping in semi-circle behind Sonja, if only to keep out of her direct line of sight and distract her. Even Gael wouldn't think to ruin the moment by throwing out a smart ass comment. They all stood by and waited, a few holding their breath. The anticipation of the moment was steadily growing, a common but nevertheless intense emotion. The spirit within could easily grasp at those intangible wisps, growing stronger itself the more the two cubs focused and called to it. By now the crystal started to pulsate slightly, the radiance growing bit by bit.

Sonja raised an eyebrow at Ash and gave him a pointed look before she returned her attention back to Jules and the crystal. She was about to go on the attack when the crystal pulsed. The feeling of concern she had for Jules momentarily flared, shadowing everything else. She released her sword, which stood up perfectly straight on its own, balancing on its point. She walked up and gave Jules a tight hug, pressing her breasts firmly into his chest. It was the first time she had ever been that physically affectionate with any of her friends, usually limiting herself to fist bumps and the like. She whispered, "There's nothing to worry about" before releasing him and stepping back to grab her sword.

As soon as Sonja grabbed the sword's hilt, the fire returned to her eyes. A white electrical blast traveled down the blade, through the air, landing on the crystal, where it dissipated harmlessly.

"This is going to be fun," Sonja commented out loud as she twirled the sword in her right hand while gesturing with her left.

Jules too felt something curious with that pulse of light from the crystal. Though before his mind could fully register it, Sonja drew closer, leaving the sword standing upright on its own accord, an impressive feat in its own right. He didn’t have time to ponder that either, not as Sonja drew up close and embraced him. It wasn’t the first time they had hugged, though it certainly wasn’t something that any of the seven made a habit of doing. They were close friends, not intimate lovers or family. Still close, but never anything like this. Jules felt the warmth of her frame, the firm definition of her breasts as they pressed against his chest. He reacted instinctively, his arms raising to wrap about her and return the affectionate hug. It was honest and true, firm and surprisingly sure for the brief moment it lasted. The typical Jules response would have been to stand there awkwardly, unsure of just how to react. Yet not this time, for some reason the closeness of Sonja, the radiant warmth of the crystal and her soft words offered to him a certain amount of courage.

He said nothing to her words, though as she turned and faced him one more, a confident smile drifted out over his lips briefly. Jules gave a stout nod of approval, even as the white blast of electric energy flared down the edge of the blade and arced towards the crystal.

“Don’t hold back,” Jules retorted as his smile returned. His arms rose at his sides as he gestured with both hands for Sonja to come at him. Jules held his ground, feet squared with his shoulders. That hint of courage was enough for the crystal to latch onto, amplifying it considerably for those few brief moments. So too did his trust in his friend grow, along with a curious tinge in his frame and the back of his mind that he couldn’t quite put his finger on.

A very talented cub, the spirit in the crystal thought to itself, as one attack and/or spell after another was launched against it and, to a lesser degree, the cub it was shielding. Not that the cub was in any danger of being harmed. The cub "attacking" it was keeping itself under control, even as it increased the strength and variety of its attacks against the ward the spirit of the crystal had erected.

As the spirit parried and counterattacked, it savored the tastes of the cubs. There was curiosity and a growing desire, of course, but there were other tastes as well. There was admiration for the young lioness facing him, and a growing self-confidence in the "shielded" cub. The young lioness had a genuine affection for her fellow cubs, and even a touch of concern.

It was a very heady bouquet, indeed, one to be savored and nursed delicately.

Finally, the young lioness left an opening. For a cub, she was quite good, but then again, she was still only a cub.

-----

It happened faster than Sonja could respond. The crystal had been emenating barely visible limbs in its defense. Sonja had been leaping, spinning and slashing, a broad grin on her face during the entire fight. But as she came down from a jump, she stumbled slightly. It was all the crystal needed. The next thing she knew, she was suspended several inches above the floor, face up at about a 45 degree angle, her back slightly arched, and her arms held away from her body with an invisible grip at her wrists. She could feel another invisible hand patting her condescendingly on the top of her head.

With a dramatic sigh, she told her friends, "I guess it's somebody elses turn now. Once one of you guys get me down."

The young men watched in awe as Sonja unleashed her wrath upon the crystal. If she was holding back, restraining her efforts at all, none of them could tell. Gone was the ice cold, calculating look that typically adorned her visage and in its place a wild and wide grin. It was rare to see her let go so fully and even rarer still that she got to display the talents that had grown within her, both magical and mundane. Her skill at arms was impressive in its own right, coupled with the spells she unleashed it made for a remarkable display. Jules did not flinch when Sonja came in hard and fast, striking out at the near intangible, ethereal limbs that sprang forth from the light surrounding the crystal. Some got closer than others; Jules could feel the rush of air sometimes when the length of the blade cut sharply through the air. But his confidence in his friend and in the shielding the crystal provided was steadfast, so much so that he actually started to grin himself as Sonja continued.

There was a palpable rush of energy that surged through the air, everyone could feel it growing and swelling with each strike Sonja took, each deft dodge she performed and each blast of arcane energy she expelled. The crystal, even as it traded between offensive and defensive abilities, drew out those latent emotions even further. Jules could feel the rush already, being closer to the action than any of the other men. He felt a flush draw out over his cheeks and a tingling in his limbs as the underlying sensations slowly crept in.

As quickly as it began it ended. One simple mistake was enough to send Sonja floating in the air, bound and restrained with seemingly no effort. The silence after her assault was almost deafening, save for the labored breaths that came from Sonja and Jules alike. That silence was finally broken but Sonja’s over-dramatic sigh and her words. It snapped Jules from his focus, his blue gaze blinking once before it focused on her floating, bound frame. There was something oddly intriguing, if not downright arousing, with the sight before him. Yet it shouldn’t, the sensation of arousal when looking upon Sonja was something he dare not think about. And so Jules used that new found confidence and took a step closer, only to raise his hand and chant softly. It should have been an easy incantation, yet as the final syllables left his lips nothing happened. Indeed, Sonja seemed to lift up if only by an inch, the pat on her head brushing ever so slowly through her long hair.

“Uh…” Jules faltered, casting a glance at his friends. “Let me try again…”

“You had your chance,” Gale butted in, slipping up beside the pale blonde. In the light of the crystal the two boys shimmered, their hue easily the fairest of all the boys. He raised his hands and focused, muttering the same words that Jules had, intending to dispel the trap that Sonja had set. Yet as he finished too, nothing happened, or at least nothing that the boys could see.

The spirit within the crystal was having too much fun to end now. He had the cub right where he wanted her; she had offered him so much fun it just didn’t seem right to let it end so prematurely. Besides, he had gotten a just a taste of those emotions, just a sampler and now it wanted more. The caress of Sonja’s hair drew up against her cheek, a fond touch of a lover savoring the moment. It was light as Jules tried to enforce his will, though grew as Gale stepped in and added his own emotions to the pile. Oh how it grew, the simple delight that started to ripple through the room, rousing the remainder of the group with a subtle yet undeniable attraction and desire.

"Will you stop that?" Sonja growled, shaking her head. "Not you two," she said almost apologetically to Jules and Gael. "The crystal is patting my face and hair, like I'm the slow kid it's trying to reassure." Sonja didn't add that she rather enjoyed having her hair stroked. When she was younger, and had to wear the brace and frame around her head, it was difficult to give her hair the proper care it needed. And since her Mom was having to work then to help the family, oft times Sonja's hair didn't get that care. Now at 18, Sonja took pride in her lustrous mane, and was enjoying the invisible fingers running through it.

"Let me try it," Sonja said decisively. She muttered a few words under her breath. Immediately her shoes and socks popped off, followed by invisible fingers attacking the soles of her feet.

"Not...fair," Sonja managed to gasp out between fits of laughter.

Both Gael and Jules shared a confused look as Sonja snarled her request. But it wasn't at them, or so they realized shortly thereafter. Soon enough though Sonja was taking control of the situation as was more than typical. She recanted the words that both boys had, though she got a more tangible reaction than either had accomplished previously. It was a shock, the sound of her shoes flying off and hitting the floor jolted the group of boys from their reverie. Her socks followed after, leaving her delicate feet free to hover in the air. Yet something more surprising happened after that: she laughed.

It was a curious sound, not one of mirth but that forced laughter of one being tickled. Jules noted the way her toes scrunched and besides her body being held in place, the way she writhed to get away from it. What was this? Obviously it wasn't Gael's doing, since he looked just as confused as the rest of them. Being the closest to Sonja, both Jules and Gael could see the affect of the tickling, the soft indentations gliding across the soles of her feet. Was it the spirit in the crystal doing this?

Ash strode closer and gave it a go as well, uttering the low incantation to end the effect of the crystal's trap. He had the same result as the rest, though those invisible hands only multiplied, drawing Sonja's arms up and over her head, exposing her under arms to which another pair of devious hands attacked. They teased at her upper arms before slipping down where arm met shoulder. Just as playfully with her feet they tickled there, just long enough to send her into a burst of giggles and laughter before ceasing. It was just enough time to catch her breath before they started up once more.

“Is it suppose to do that?” Moe asked from his place near the edge of the crystal's light. Both he and Jori stood nearby watching with perplexed looks on their faces. Ash shared the look as he stood nearby, one hand rubbing through his hair before settling on the back of his head. Bassie watched with a wide grin, enjoying it if only because Sonja was laughing. It had a lovely ring to it, something that they rare heard so loud and unabashed. It was Gael who looked past the moment and saw it for what it was. He idly nudged Jules with his elbow and gave the taller, pale boy a sidelong glance.

“Try it again,” He encouraged, which in itself was surprising. Jules returned the glance; had it been any other time he might have shied away from the thought. Yet he had a taste of courage and he found it very desirable. It was incredible to have that control, if only over ones self. Jules nodded silently and turned his attention back to Sonja. He raised his right hand and cast it out before himself, trying another spell to disable the crystal entirely. Gael on the other hand cast his glance around, giving one to Ash as they caught eyes. He nodded towards Sonja and gave a smirk, to which Ash simply frowned with confusion. Instead of trying to explain it, Gael turned his attention back to Sonja.

“Havin' fun hangin' out?” He openly teased, his hands settling upon his hips as he cocked his head to the side. Instead of trying to cast a spell himself, he simply focused on the moment, drawing in the latent sensations that emanated from the spirit. It was obvious the spirit was having some fun, denying any request to end the moment prematurely. But it was still a spirit bound to a cage, it could be controlled to some extend, couldn't it? That was Gael's understanding at least, so he focused on the crystal instead, reaching out to urge it further, only fueled by the underlying emotions that were steadily rising to the surface.

Sonja wanted to say something curt to Gael, both in response to his taunt and his smirk, but the invisible hands tickling her underarms returned in force, forcing more peals of laughter from Sonja. Sonja herself wasn't aware of all her ticklish spots, but apparently the owner of the phantom fingers was. Those phantom fingers were content to let her levitating body writhe however and as much as it wanted, just so long as her torso, arms and feet were held in place.

While invisible fingers ran across the bottom of her feet, another set moved down over her ribs and stomach. As Sonja continued laughing and demanding that the tickling cease and desist, the invisible fingers untucked her T-shirt from her jeans, pulling it up to expose Sonja's flat stomach, adorned only by an "innie" belly button. Sonja has no time or breath to object, though, as invisible fingers now tickled her exposed skin mercilessly. The invisible hands lifted Sonja's shirt so that just the bottom of her white, utilitarian bra was exposed, before the fingers once again concentrated on their tickling.

The tickling proceed further, much to the general enjoyment of the group. They were all enjoying the moment, even laughing themselves as it went on. To see Sonja belting out the chuckles and squirming mid-air, well, it was down right amusing. It was all fun and games until those phantom fingers began to tug out Sonja's T-shirt and slowly but surely expose her taut inner core. It was a surprising sight, not that it really should have been. They all knew that Sonja had grown into a very beautiful woman, though she had never been one to flaunt her beauty. Even now in a more relaxed manner her clothing was far from revealing, so when that dusky flesh was revealed, just a hint even, it was more than enough to get their attention. The laughter slowly died as her shirt drew up further, revealing her core fully, even hinting at the white bra underneath. The fingers continued to ruthlessly assault her thought, tickling and teasing without sign of relenting. That was till there was a sudden and unexpected surge of desire that flared to life in a vague circle about Sonja.

There was no denying it now, as the emotions were running high, loose and free as the tickling session flew in full force. The most intense emotions were always the tastiest. There was no way to resist them for any prolonged period of time. The effect was just as profound on the young men who stood and watched as Sonja was ruthlessly tickled. Jules felt it rather immensely, as he was standing more or less right at Sonja's feet, so his angle was straight up over her stomach and ample chest. He felt a flush to his cheeks rise, a stirring that couldn't be denied. It was a tangible sensation, one that made him swallow and his pulse to quicken. Gael felt a sudden rush of desire, perhaps being so close to Jules the emanating emotions flooded through him. Truth be told he shared very similar desires, after all, the frame that was slowly being revealed was taut and toned, young and divine. How could any of them deny that feeling? At least to themselves they couldn't and normally that would be as far as it would go. Instead, there was a hush that slowly drew over the group and all six eyes were upon Sonja, held fast onto her exposed flesh.

The tickling continued for a few moments, lingering over her delicate flesh, even going so far as to dip under her shirt and tickle her underarms directly. Slowly though the touch drifted from the swift rakes f fingertips against flesh to a more intimate, slow touch. It started as a gentle massage of her feet, rubbing at the very spots that they had so ruthlessly tickled moments ago. One pair of invisible hands massaged at her spine, down to her lower back even as another slid up to her neck and shoulders. It was like having a trio of trained masseuses working out every tired muscle and knot on Sonja's young frame. Eventually, ever a few moments, it began to take a sensual touch to it. Jules found himself holding his breath at the sight, unable to look away as Sonja was caressed slowly but firmly.

The fingers that had been tickling her finally relented, giving Sonja a chance to catch her breath and blink the tears out of her eyes. The fingers caught her by surprise as they began kneading her lower back, shoulders and feet. For a moment, Sonja forgot where she was, luxuriating in the feel of the phantom fingers releasing tension she wasn't even aware she had.

It wasn't the first massage Sonja had ever had. Ms. Redwoman often gave her one after their training sessions. But those were more therapeutic, and were aimed at making Sonja more flexible and quicker. There was definitely more of a hedonistic quality to the massage that Sonja was receiving right now.

The pair of "hands" working the small of her back began moving up her spine, the "thumbs" pressing into Sonja's soft skin. The invisible hands were incidentally pushing up Sonja's T-shirt, which was soon bunched up underneath Sonja's chin, revealing her bra encased breasts. It was a very modest bra, revealing a bare minimum of cleavage, but it was more than Sonja was used to exposing.

Sonja was enjoying the pressure of the phantom thumbs on her spine, her eyes closed, when she suddenly remembered where she was and, more importantly, who she was in front of. Her eyes popped open just as the invisible fingers undid the clasp of her bra on her back.

Undoing the clasp didn't immediately reveal anything, as the bra's cups remained more or less in place. Well, it did reveal one fact: the bra was being used solely for confinement, not support. There was no sign of sag on the still covered orbs on Sonja's chest.

The fingers began to lift Sonja's shirt and bra off her when she shouted, "Wait! Just...wait. I got to say something." The hands paused, wanting to hear what was to be said, and also to gauge the reactions of the other six in the room.

Everyone seemed lost in the moment though for totally different reasons. The young men watched the scene unfold with a sort of dumbfounded delight. It was like finding a stack of money under your mattress. Such a familiar place, yet something so spectacular that one would never imaging finding. Thus the sensation rippled through the young men as inch by inch that dusky skin was revealed, soon giving full view of the simple bra, white and stark against her otherwise darker flesh. It was an amazing sight, one that made more than a few eyes widen in wonder. Some got a better view than others, namely Jules and Gael had a rather blessed view from their place before the crystal. The others caught the subtle movement though, a tug of that bra before the clasps slipped apart and dangled underneath her. There was a soft murmur of surprise, though the current position did not allow for the bra to slip away. Instead it was held in place by sheer gravity, which did much to display the rather perky nature of Sonja's physique. Slowly her shirt began to rise further, along with it the bra which began to expose more of the firm definition of her ample curves. The temperature of the room seemed to rise a few degrees, each young man felt his pulse quickening at the sight. They didn't realize that they were drawing in as a group, leaning over as if to take in the scene more fully. It was only with Sonja's sharp words that they gave pause.

Bassie found himself holding his breath up until that moment. He felt so hot, his T-shirt was stifling and perspiration was beading upon his brow. Try as he might he couldn't draw his gaze away from her partially revealed assets. Moe stood nearby, his arms folded over his chest almost defensively. His look was a little more focused, almost annoyed by the situation, at least outwardly. His surprising desires were slowly bubbling to the surface though, with each passing moment he felt his resolve wavering. Jori had slowly moved about the circle, if only to get a better view. He licked at his lips lightly, one hand running through his short hair absently. Ash didn't move from his nearby spot, though his eyes were in constant motion, wandering and roaming over Sonja's lush frame with abandon. His desires were far more prominent in his mind, the devious thoughts flashed through his minds eyes and all he could do was flush. Gael wore the most outwardly eager of faces, the sight of Sonja's slow reveal causing his brows to arch. So it was when she called out and the hands gave pause, he all but groaned his contempt. He felt the rush of passion all too easily, though it wasn't anything knew, the secret desire that often came to mind in the dark of night surface amidst his friends. Jules gave Gael a rather nasty glare, albeit briefly, before his gaze returned to the ravishing sight before them.

“...Go on,” Jules was the first to answer, with the others murmuring their consent. They excepted her to regain some sort of composure and demand to be set free. It seemed her way, after all if she bothered to look up she could see, literally feel the desires of her long time friends as they peered down at her nearly half-naked frame.

It was a heady experience, hovering in the air as Sonja was, feeling invisible fingers first running over her body, then beginning to undress her. Disrobe her, she mentally corrected herself. She was slowly being unveiled in front of her friends, their desire to see her body almost palpable. She was surprised that the owner of the invisible hands had actually stopped when she shouted for them to wait, almost as surprised as she was to hear her own voice give the order. Truth be told, she was finding herself getting more than a little excited at being partially exposed to her friends. She had also began wondering how far the owner of the phantom fingers was planning to go, and how far she would acquiesce.

She was trying to catch her breath and her thoughts when Jules, of all people, told her to "Go on." Somehow the crystal, the situation, something had drawn out an unknown boldness in him. For a moment, Sonja was lost in an image of the dark flesh of her naked breasts disappearing into Jules' pale hands. She had to take a deep breath to expel the image.

The invisible hands holding her tugged her T-shirt down so that it just barely covered her breasts, as if this bit of modesty might spur her on to speech. It then adjusted her position so she was now leaning a little forward.

"I think you guys are going to get to see some stuff, and maybe do some stuff," Sonja began, the dusky skin of her face turning a bright red, "but that doesn't make me a slut," she said emphatically. "Maybe this is the only time something like this happens, maybe it happens more than once, but every time we're alone, you guys can't just start trying to rip off my clothes. You're going to have to show respect, now and in the future."

"And you guys know this is just between us," Sonja added softly. "You know my reputation as being the Snow Queen at school, especially after what happened between me and Dalton in the parking lot. So if this happens between us, it can't ruin things between us, especially between you guys. You guys can't get jealous with each other. You got to stay friends."

"And, uh, you guys have got to keep your clothes on until I say different," Sonja added, practically glowing red. "I mean, I didn't ever think we, uh, be right where we are right now, with you guys looking at me and maybe doing stuff to me. So I don't know if I'll be doing stuff to you guys this time or next time. I got to think about it."

"And I love you guys," Sonja admitted. "You've been great to me and you're just great period. And you could be greater still. You could be brave---you ate brave," Sonja corrected herself, looking directly at Jules, "You could be anything you wanted to be, if you applied yourself," she added, looking at Jori. "Like I said, I...I love you all, but if we're going to keep going, you got to Promise to respect me, respect each other, and respect yourselves. You can't keep on doing stuff that could hurt yourself or one of us, just because you're angry." Sonja was staring directly at Gael now, and there was more than a hint of the Soul Sight in her eyes that a full blown wizard would possess. "You have to Promise." The Capital "P" could be heard by all in the room, and a pulse from the Crystal confirmed it had taken note and was affirming the sudden serious tone of dialogue that had arisen among the cubs.