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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ankh-Morpork Guard" data-source="post: 2211402" data-attributes="member: 10079">Chapter 208: Enjoy YourselfBeing dressed like he had no idea how to do it himself was something that Jyren would never get used to. He made a point to never like it either, as the damned attendants had a habit of moving him around and bending him in places that shouldn’t be bent without at least giving him some warning. Being bathed was not all that different, but he did his best to just not think about that. At least they didn’t try talking to him. They seemed far too busy for that, and Jyren had no idea what exactly he’d say in the first place.    Three long hours later, the flurry of activity was over, and Jyren found himself clean, neat, and dressed. Thankfully, there was no argument over his hair this time, and they seemed to accept that he could at least look slightly scruffy. The tunic he wore was...interesting, to say the least. It was a flat silver piped in blue that matched his stripe, which was definitely not a coincidence, and had a very high collar. Something was attached to the back of his neck, which dug in and hurt for a moment before he forgot about it altogether. It was explained to him that it was a small device to keep him warm enough, as the planet was not nearly the same general temperature as Alraxia and he wore no morphsuit to fix it.    So, the high collar was likely to keep the thing hidden, but that didn’t mean it was any good. He found it actually dug into his skin when he tried to look down, and it itched far too much. At least the trousers and boots were comfortable. In fact, all of it was except for the damned collar.    After ten minutes of tugging at it and wondering where his father had disappeared to, the door to the small room opened, and an older Alraxian woman motioned for him to follow her. Not one to argue or even question at this point, Jyren nodded and was led down the long, seemingly endless hallways. Jyren wondered if it was normal to see no one else around, but ended up deciding that it probably was...considering how huge it was.    And then they stopped, the Alraxian woman bowed to him and said softly, “Please wait here for a moment.”    When Jyren nodded, she smiled and stepped into a nearby door. So he just stood there. Waiting. Waiting on what? He was lost enough as it was, so what did one more question really add at this point? Bored, he found himself idly rocking back and forth and looking around at the blank, nondescript hallways. And then the door opened again.    It slid open quietly in that usual iris-like motion, and a vaguely familiar figure stepped out. It was Shadow. It...it had to be. She just looked...all...different. For one, her hair was shining slightly and up in some interesting style so that it only fell to her shoulders. She wore a long, flowing off white dress that hugged her torso until flowing out, and it was lined with a soft gold colour. On her face, was a scowl. At least something was the same.    Of course, she’d stepped out while he’d been swaying back and forth, and Jyren nearly fell on his face in surprise. Somehow managing to catch himself, he managed a weak smile and nervous laugh. Her scowl did not fade. A few silent moments passed before she rolled her eyes, “If you don’t close your mouth you’re going to swallow a bug and choke.”    Realizing he’d been gaping, Jyren quickly snapped his mouth shut, and nearly bit off a chunk of his tongue in the process. Thankfully, though, this was the end of his idiocy for the next few minutes, as Shadow was ushered out of the doorway by an attendant. She was then pushed over to him and, like before, their arms were linked and they were then pushed off down the hallway.    [This again...?] Jyren asked, trying to do his best to watch in front of him and not constantly glance over to look at her...    She sighed out loud and nodded...not that he saw her nod, of course. [Worse. Trust me. Much, much worse. Just smile, nod, and let everyone talk, and it’ll all be over with in a few hours.]    [A few...a few hours?!]    [Exactly.] she didn’t sound pleased, either.    They walked for what seemed like ages before being stopped before a pair of large doors, twice their size. Jyren and Shadow exchanged worried looks for the short moment before they opened. Because when they did, it really was all over. Slowly, the doors opened to reveal a gigantic, domed room that could probably fit at least five large space transports. There were stairs to upper levels, columns all over, and large windows directly opposite them, showing the outside...which was now dusk, and gave an interesting view of the rest of the city. But none of that really got either of their attention.    It was the people. Hundreds of them. And not just Alraxians. There were so many different species that Jyren lost count after he got to about fifty. And all of them stared straight at the two of them. All of those eyes. It was a silent moment before the two of them were ushered in along the pathway that was opened up for them between the crowd, and it eventually led to the center of the room, with the Empress, Emperor, and Jyren’s father standing there waiting.    The three of them smiled warmly upon seeing the two young Alraxians. When they came to a stop, the Empress turned and spoke to the huge crowd gathered around. She spoke in Alraxian, so Jyren had no idea what was being said. However, at the end of it, there were cheers and the once silent chamber was suddenly ablaze with conversation in at least five different languages. The Empress then looked to Jyren and Shadow and they were led to one end of the huge room where a seemingly endless series of tables were set up.    Along most of them, was every single kind of food one could imagine...and then some. But at the end of it all, where they now stood, was a table filled with what could easily have been someone’s junk. However, at that thought, Shadow had elbowed him in the ribs. [Those are gifts, not junk!]    [Gifts...?] he glanced from her to the...the things all over that table.    [Yes, gifts.] Shadow rolled her eyes again. [If you’d stop staring at me for a moment and actually listen to what I’ve said, you’d have remembered this is a celebration for us. Can you figure the rest out or do I need to kick you in front of all these people?]    He didn’t answer. He would have, but the Empress started speaking in Basic to the two of them, “There is a group that would like to personally deliver their gift to you.”    Smiling, she stepped to the side to reveal five tall, thin creatures. Attached to their arms, were soft, feathery wings, and their heads were just as avian. The five of them walked over to Jyren and Shadow and bowed deeply. Jyren didn’t need Shadow to tell them these were the Jendari she’d talked about before. They gave off an aura of calm and...and...he couldn’t pinpoint it, but they were amazing creatures.    In perfect Basic, with no accent at all, the Jendari in front looked to Jyren, an interesting smile on the avian face, “We have waited many years to see you again, young Jyren.”    All eyes were on him again. Even Shadow’s. Why that one extra pair of eyes made it worse, he wasn’t sure, but it definitely did. Not sure what he could say, but knowing that everyone was waiting on him Jyren stumbled out, “...you...you have?”    Shadow rolled her eyes...well, mentally. In a way, she couldn’t blame him, but in another, it was just far more satisfying to blame him. He’d get over it...well, no, he was always going to be a bit iffy when it came to thinking, but it could be worse. How...? She blinked, shook off those odd thoughts again, and looked to the Jendari again.    The Jendari simply held his smile and nodded, reaching back and to one of the others, who handed him a small object. Very gracefully, the Jendari’s arm pulled around and presented a small, somewhat translucent green cube object to Jyren, “Your mother wished for you to have this. We are all very sorry she could not give it to you herself.”    Carefully, Jyren took the small cube, finding it was about the size of his palm and felt...interesting. Or maybe he was just nervous. After looking at it a moment, he went slightly red and looked back up to the Jendari, “Thank you very much but...what is it?”    Reaching out to rest a fragile hand on his shoulder, the Jendari just said, “When the time is right, you will know.”    Typical. So very typical. And yet...somehow, it was satisfying. Jyren smiled slowly, and nodded, glancing down to the small cube, then to the hand on his shoulder. He followed the winged arm back to the Jendari’s thin body and bowed, “Thank you. Somehow, I feel that receiving this from you is just as good as receiving it from my mother.”    When the Jendari nodded, the Empress turned and said something to the rest of the crowd, spoke something else, and everyone started moving. Some went for food, others simply to talk. Most, though, made their way to Jyren and Shadow, if only to say a few words in person.    It slowly began to fade off after a few minutes, and the Empress stepped over to them, leaning down and whispering to her daughter, “No running out on this. Enjoy yourself...please.”    Surprisingly, Shadow nodded, and the Empress smiled as she then walked off to join her mate, Jyren’s father, and the Jendari that had presented the gift to him...which was now in a pocket. Finally finding an opening, Shadow took Jyren’s arm again, and led him to a slightly less densely occupied section. They then both became aware of music, and when Shadow looked around, she sighed, then shrugged and looked to him, “They’re going to expect us to dance.”    “I don’t dance.”    “Neither do I,” Shadow grumbled, noticing that there were a few more eyes on them again, and that her father seemed to be trying to secretly signal Jyren for something...not that it made any sense. Sometimes, she truly did not understand that man, “However, I have been ordered to enjoy myself, and that means doing what they all think we should.”    “Wonderful...” Jyren sighed, “But thankfully, there’s a problem.”    “Oh, there is?” Shadow raised an eyebrow, idly leading him a little closer to where her parents were so they’d actually see she wasn’t trying to disappear.    Jyren nodded, a smile slowly finding its way onto his face, “Of course there is. I don’t know how to dance...especially this formal stuff.”    “That won’t get you out of anything,” she poked him somewhat roughly in the side, “Besides, its not that hard. I’ll teach you.”    He looked shocked, “Wait, wait...you actually know how to dance? Not only that, but you sound like you actually want to! What have you done with Shadow?”    Laughing slightly, she smiled and shrugged, “I was told to enjoy myself. Maybe it won’t be so bad...”    “You really have done something to Shady, haven’t you?” Jyren asked, finding out it was already too late for sarcasm. Of course, Cole was still trying to say something to him through not-so-discreet hand signals and motioning. None of them made any sense to Jyren, and besides, he was suddenly caught up in being taught how to dance by...of all people, Shadow. Already, he could tell it was going to be a very interesting night.</blockquote>

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