Love Poison No Cure Needed

Role of a Friend 2.6

Jasper had gotten out of class late. Having gotten caught talking to the biology teacher, Dr Clare. The cherub was a cheerful sort, but was forever trying to build connections to higher ranking Angelskin which meant she tended to come across as quite annoying and had previously been given a warning by one of the other human teachers about unacceptable advances on students. While it had been proven that there was no such action her flattering was really not an acceptable tendency in the school. Which forced the students to go with the flow for her talks lest she be swapped for a more hard nosed Angelskin which would take the opposite stance.

When he headed to the veranda benches he came out of the main building at the top most corner and saw Daylen in the distance at the midsection of the veranda around the corner. Daylen stared at something for a moment before striding off in what seemed to be the direction of the library. Jasper raised a brow at the resolute stride before he headed over to put his books in his bag. As he reached his bag he saw the leather backpack settled next to Kayad’s with heavy sorcerer warding and laughed. It seemed that Kayad was still intent on sticking to his new flower. Jasper would have to warn Kayad that sticky candy was eventually disliked for being too sticky.

Jasper shrugged and decided he wouldn’t bother looking for Kayad and instead chose to grab a pie from the canteen before going in search of Daylen.

When Jasper came around the back of the secondary classrooms headed for the library he caught sight of a muscular figure dashing from the back of the library into the woods by the turtle pond. A trail of silver hair flashed in Jaspers vision behind the person and he dashed forward reaching the library just as Kayad came belting out the side. A glance behind the library showed both William and Simon unconscious on the ground.

“That way.” Jasper pointed towards the woods as he went to check on the magic users. A quick scan showed they had been hit with a sleep spell.

“I can’t believe how Kayad’s acting over this, just bed the guy and move on.” Daylen said as he came round the library having trailed more slowly after Kayad. Jasper closed his eyes. His fate was apparently a hard one and Jasper realised that Daylen’s callous disregard for anyone outside his niche was more than he could accept in a partner. It would be different in a harsh world of death to outsiders but to be so judgmental and unwilling to accept others at this point crushed a part of Jasper’s spirit.

“If all you're interested in is protecting your cluster and not accepting anyone new or helping with the happiness of your friends then you're not a very good friend. You're just a selfish bastard.” Jasper said. Jasper refrained from looking at Daylen and we watched for William and Simon showing signs of coming round. William recovered first a white static running over him as he sat up. He looked alert and nodded at Jasper as he helped support Simon.

“Go help.” William said.

Jasper nodded and straightened. He turned to the woods and stepped past Daylen without a glance. When Daylen reached out to grab his arm, he shook him off and moved faster. He wouldn’t let his friend wait and wonder about his support. Now that he had helped the others that needed it, he would go help his old friend and his new one.

Jasper entered the woods and looked around trying to pick up a trail. The area near the pond itself seemed untouched but there was to clean an area beneath the trees to find the right direction. A startled shout and thump sounded but it echoed amongst the trees making it hard to pinpoint a direction. Jasper now envied the Beastskins ability to follow scent trails.

“I guess I’ll have to use a seeking spell.” Jasper prepared. Unlike healing magic which was quick and easy other types of magic required more preparation on his part far less convenient than the preparation of a sorcerer or the mana manipulation through medium of a mage.

Tap. Tap. Tug. Tug.

A tapping on his shoulder and tugging on his clothes broke Jasper’s concentration. He spun to find the source and then froze at the sight of a dozen branches waving in front of him before they moved off pointing in a particular direction while other branches waved him along. Jasper remembered the sight of Sorrel engulfed in yew branches and decided that there was likely no harm in listening to the trees. They wouldn’t like the ogre that had snatched Sorrel at least.

“Jasper” Daylen shouted from behind him, but Jasper continued forward breaking into a run and then leaping to glide he followed the trail of the tree branches until he came to the fight. If you could call it that.

As Jasper came round the last peppercorn, he was just in time to see Kayad bodily toss the Ogre across the clearing into a pine tree.