Lightning, steel, and blood: All dancing across this grand field of bladed grass and cloying mud. Steel clad knights fell beneath rains of enchanted arrow fire while cravens and traitors hid beneath the corpses of brave unfortunates. Such was the site of the plane known as Cicero's Folly. At least that's how it was in the eyes of Sergeant Bertram Harper, of Her Majesty's 15th mobile legion.

"Stand firm and behind the pikes!"

A great wave of armored horsemen had smashed the forward infantry line, and was crashing towards Bertram's company like the tides of a Fuji typhoon. Their lieutenant was panicking in the back of the line, and now the company was shaking in like fear. But Bertram knocked an arrow into his great bow and aimed true.

"They're coming right at us lads. It's a straight shot, just like we've practiced."

He let loose his arrow, and the mighty bolt flew forward and pierced through the armor of a blue plumed lancer. The unfortunate dame fell from her mount and was trampled by her own fellows. Seeing the invincibility of the oncoming charge proven false, the rest of the bow company knocked their arrows and fired at their sergeant's command.

"Fire!"

A great volley of spell steel arrows cut through the armored lancers. Slowed by the mud, and tripping over the corpses of their own comrades and mounts, the remaining lancers turned tail and ran before the second volley even commenced. A great cheer rose up from the bowman, celebrating their stunning victory. Bertram joined in at first, but heard an almost shrieking sound cutting through the air...and getting closer. Finally, he turned his eyes to the sky, and saw a great ball of red hot flame crashing towards his fellows. He didn't even bother to pack his bow.

"Scatter!"

And so they did. The bowmen of the 15th scattered beneath the incoming blast of fire, and minimized their casualties. But seven souls still passed on, their bodies ignited by the spell of a mage. A mage now charging forward with a column of shield wielding infantry. They marched casually over the corpses of the fallen lancers, and fell upon the bowmen before they could recover. Bertram saw no choice but to draw his broadsword.

"Fight for your lives! It's the only way you'll be keeping em."

Not the most inspirational words perhaps, but they were motivation enough for the bowman to stand and fight. And the fight they did, but it was not enough. They were scattered and worn, while the enemy was in formation and supported by bolts of flame cast by their mage. Bertram, against his strongest impulses, was about to sound a retreat. But he was smacked to the ground by an enemy shield. As Bertram looked up at an armored shrimp of a man, who was far too young to be smiling at the kill he was about to make, the sergeant thought on the his own young boy he'd be leaving behind. And on the wife that he wished he'd seen more of before this moment: the moment of his death.

Then, a great whiny sounded out across the battlefield. Bertram's would be killer turned to its source, and his head was sliced clean in half by a misty blade, while his body was kicked into the dirt by a black armored hoof. Bertram couldn't believe his luck.

"By all the demons of the Beyond, what happened?"

Bertram tried getting up but was actually helped up by two of his comrades, one younger man and one veteran woman. Bertram turned towards the veteran.

"Who was it that saved our necks?"

"That one over there."

The veteran pointed a finger toward where the enemy line had been, and Bertram blinked dust out of his eyes as he walked forward and marveled at the sight before him.

"By the gods of war and all their vicious bastards..."

The enemy soldiers were scattered before him and running into their own reserves. Charging behind and cutting them down was a lone horsewoman. A knight in black, skull laden armor atop a horse that pulsed with violet flame. Her strangely luscious hair danced in the winds just as her misty blade cut through the armor and hearts of those fool enough to oppose her. And all of this she apprehended behind a skull mask as black as the rest of her armor. Bertram's mouth was as wide opened as his eyes.

"Who is that?"

The woman beside him gulped down air.

"That's Dame Barbara Corsange, The Angel of Anubis."

********

"That's a load of crap Harper. And you know it."

The tall but lanky bully's voice cracked across the schoolyard. But fierce as he tried to make his tone, it was not enough to intimidate his "victim." Who stood his ground and spoke his mind.

"No it isn't! My dad was right there and he told me. He even has the wounds to prove it."

The were the words of Hadrian Harper. Yet despite the conviction, the other children in the schoolyard remained unconvinced. They shook their heads and called him a blowhard, and then went back to their lunches. This did not sit well with young Hadrian.

"This sucks. I know my dad isn't a liar, why does everyone make fun of me?"

The young, and yet rather large boy, kicked a small bowl into the wall, shattering it against the stone. But as he looked for something else to take out his fury on, the class bell rang. Running to the log cabin that passed as his schoolhouse, and ushered in by the Sister of Kar'Salkoth that was the teacher, Hadrian's mind was still beset by a host of troubles.

"There's gotta be a way prove I'm right. If I don't everyone in the school will call me a loser...maybe even...a nerd..."

As the teacher droned on about the histories of Leo, including the recent wars of succession between Queen Isabella and her Uncle, Duke Vladimir Caspianus. One of the other kids, Christopher, raised his callused and dirtied hand. The teacher spotted him, and nodded.

"Yes Christopher, you have a question?"

Christopher put his hand back down, but not before straightening out his dirty blonde hair and batting his bright turquoise eyes as innocently as he could manage.

"Madame Klein, can you tell us about the battle of Cicero's Folly?"

The class started snickering, and a few of them stuck their tongues out at Hadrian. Hadrian himself just hid beneath his book and cast pleading pitiful eyes at Christopher, as if to ask: Why? But Christopher, maintaining his innocent façade, while also raising a middle finger behind his back towards Hadrian, asked again.

"I heard some funny stories about that battle."

Madame Klein's grey eyes looked surprised.

"Funny stories? I hardly think there are any funny stories considering the battle where Queen Isabella kept her crown."

"What?"

Hadrian raised his head up with hope practically bursting from his eyes.

"Madame Klein?"

"Yes Master Hadrian?"

"Was there a Knight of Anubis at that battle?"

"Oh not just any Knight of Anubis, but a member of the Magis Eques. Dame Barbara Corsange."

There was a collective murmur of disbelief, and some disappointment, from the class. Whether it was due to obliviousness, or perhaps some conscious choice, Madame Klein ignored their chattering and continued on.

"The battle was won by a charge of the Royal Mobile Corps griffon knights as well as the rallying action by one Barbara Corsange. Who, if you remember your lessons from our foray into the history of south eastern conflicts, was the youngest squire ever promoted to knight. Beating Sir Prometheus Caspianus by two years."

The bell then rang a final time, and Madame Klein dismissed the class. Despite the revelation that Hadrian had in fact been honest, a few kids in the class were still giving him angry looks. So Hadrian did his best to ignore them, as there was little else to do. No one could come up with any names to call him at this point, and he was too big for anyone to be stupid enough to pick a fight. Most importantly of all, Hadrian didn't want to pick a fight. With words or with fists.

"I got in trouble the last time...I didn't even start that one."

So Hadrian kicked some dust on the floor and decided to walk on back home with a frown on his face and his wounded pride on his shoulders. Walking home through the middle ring of Tribune's Stand was not a chore by any means. This fortress city (which was technically just the front door to the Kingdom of Leo's capital: Sunmirror) was connected both to the river as well as the Aurelian Highway, and therefore a great hub of commerce and a key defensive point. So the security and military presence was a ready site here, and many of the soldiers and guards actually knew Hadrian by name.

"Hey kid how're you doing?"

"Just getting back from school."

Alexander, the soldier who had greeted Hadrian on the road crossing, stroked his beard,and then remembered something.

"Your dad wanted me to tell you that he was expecting company tonight, and that you need to get his armor from Taiga's."

Hadrian's eyes lit up.

"Really? He said that?"

Alexander nodded, looking oblivious to Hadrian's enthusiasm. So the young schoolboy gave a hearty thanks to Alexander, and then rushed as fast as he could to Taiga: the blacksmith from the distant and mysterious island of Fuji. The path was just as pristine as any other: Stone streets regularly filed and and relaid. Sometimes low level mages would be forced to do the job when more skilled manual labor was unavailable. Hadrian always thought that was funny.

"Magic is becoming more and more "normal" everyday. I wonder if we'll even call it magic anymore..."

The streets and the flow of traffic were easy enough for Hadrian to navigate, as he had done so many times. So it didn't take him even ten minutes before he was at the front step of Taiga's workshop. This cottage sized domicile looked like some strange combination of arts school and steel mill. Taiga was known as a innovator of metal shaping. So her primary income came from the many students she instructed. One of them took off her work goggles and waved at Hadrian from her workstation.

"Hi Hadrian!"

Hadrian stood frozen upon hearing her voice. It was deeper tone, with a very throaty quality to it. Like if midnight could speak and was beckoning him to sleep...but he shook his head and turned over to her.

"Hello Veronica."

He kept his tone formal, controlled, cool...or at least what he considered cool. Veronica kept her toothy smile though, her orcish teeth gleaming whiter then many human molars ever could, and cleaned her workspace.

"Just give me a sec, I'll be right with you."

Hadrian did his best not to stare. And he even felt bad for those occasional moments were his gaze would linger. On and on he'd hear his father chastising him:

"There's nothing wrong with looking at a girl for the first time. It's that cheap second and lingering look that makes you a pervert."

So Hadrian did his best to look away from her ruby red hair, her bright pink eyes that flared ever so brightly as she set about her work, the way she smiled whenever she got something just the way she wanted it or whenever she saw him...and he definitely didn't pay any attention to her toned her body looked, even in her industrial strength work gear...no he didn't do any of that. So he kept his eyes down cast, his only companion being the sand that occasionally billowed along the stone, until Veronica spoke again.

"Are you here to see Taiga Sensei?"

"Uhm, no. I mean, yes. That is why I'm here."

"Great, she's just about finished with your pops' armor."

Veronica waved for him to follow her, and he certainly obliged. As they entered the workshop, they talked on and on about how stupid the kids at Hadrian's school were, how strict Taiga sensei was, and a few other problems that were happening in Veronica's quarter.

"Yeah so...I think I'm gonna stay away from the Elven district. At least for the next few days."

"They really said that to you?"

Veronica seemed to shrink into herself.

"It's not the first time someone's called me a "pigspawn", still hurts though."

"Did you hit the guy?"

"I wanted to but...well, they were wearing silk shirts and embroidered skirts and all the rest of that crap."

"Damn rich kids."

Veronica shrugged her shoulders.

"I'd rather them pick on me then on smaller kids. I mean, we're sixteen right? If we can't handle name calling then we're probably doing something wrong right?"

Hadrian nearly jumped out of his skin.

"She's only sixteen!?"

"Yeah, we're both that age I guess..."

Veronica raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm sixteen, it's just that..."

The eyebrow remained up.

"What?"

Hadrian didn't know what to say. This was so awkward and his cheeks were so read and his head felt so warm and...there was a lot to deal with right now. So he talked as calmly and measured as he could manage.

"You just look very uh...mature."

"What does that mean?"

At this point, Veronica looked more curious than anything. So Hadrian relaxed a bit, but still chose his words with some care.

"Am I actually gonna say it?"

"Uhm, well...you're really pretty, and gorgeous and...all the other stuff."

"Oh gods I said it!"

Veronica stopped in her tracks...and looked pretty angry.

"How long?"

"Wh-what do you mean?"

"How long have thought this?"

Hadrian struggled for the words.

"For a while, I guess."

Veronica shocked.

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"I didn't want you to be upset...or for you to say that you don't like me."

Veronica's eyes widened.

"Of course I like you. Haven't you been getting my signals?"

"What signals?!"

Veronica looked like she'd just met the dumbest animal on earth.

"All the smiling, and I've been talking to you about all this heavy crap?"

"You smile at everybody! Even Taiga Sensei! That's not a signal!"

"Well do you know I like you now!?"

"Yes! I do!"

Veronica was about to open her mouth but fell silent just as quickly. She shrunk back into herself again and looked at the floor, the same way Hadrian did whenever he pretended not to look at her. But she took a deep breath, and her voice came out far more quietly then it had been for most of the conversation.

"Ok, so...what are you gonna do about it?"

Hadrian knew exactly what he wanted to do about.

"I saw a meteor swarm coming close to the sky on my telescope, so there's going to be a full shower tonight. I was gonna watch it from my roof but...but I'd really like it if you would watch it with me. Cause I remember you saying one time that you wanted to see a comet go by so...this is pretty close."

Veronica smiled.

"So it's at your place then?"

"Yes."

"Alright then, I'll just go get some things."

Not even hesitating, Veronica planted a soft and quick kiss on Hadrian's cheek, and then ran out. She waved as she went.

"See you then."

"Yeah, see you then."

Hadrian waved back in a semi-dazed state. His other hand was checking his cheek to see if it really had been kissed. He couldn't believe that this all really just happened. But he shook his head clear, and was surprised to see that he had in fact been guided to the front door of Taiga Sensei's workshop. So he knocked on the door, and a very controlled and disciplined sounding voice came from the inside.

"It is unlocked. Come in at your peril."

So Hadrian opened the door and walked in. Beyond the door was a meticulously organized and pristine workshop containing all manner of tools and crafted steel. Both finished, unfinished, and antiquities pieces hung from posts and weapon stocks. The artisan behind all of these implements was perched on a large stool and polishing a medium sized suit of partial plate armor.

"Welcome young master Hadrian, I'll be with you in just a moment."

Sensei Taiga waxed the already shining base of the armor with cloths wrapped about her scaled and clawed hands. She was one of the lizard folk, and a low growl, almost like a cat's purring noise escaped her throat.

"Your father was quite insistent that I have this done for him soon. I told him that even a captain of the royal corp needs to wait in line like everyone else...then he told me about his guest."

"Who is his guest?"

Taiga adjusted her work goggles and looked at Hadrian from the corner of her eye ocean blue eye.

"He hasn't told you?"

Hadrian shook his head, and Taiga seemed to consider something just as her scales shimmered like the steel in her worship. But whatever it was, Taiga must have thought it irrelevant because she finished a final scrub of the armor and set about packing Captain Bertram's armor.

"So, finally manned up huh?"

"Pardon?"

"You finally said something to Veronica."

Hadrian massaged his temples hid his eyes.

"Does everyone know I-"

"Little man you might have burned the whole workshop down if you stared any harder. Hand me that vial there."

Hadrian did so. The vial in question held a clear liquid, which Taiga proceeded to sprinkle over the edges of some packaging. Once that was done, she began inserting the armor into the packaging.

"Well I'm happy for you both. Veronica is my best student. If she keeps at her work, she'll be a better smith then me in a few years."

"Really?"

"Oh yes, but don't tell Veronica I said so."

"Why not?"

Taiga finished up the packaging and presented it to Hadrian with a bit of a huff.

"She's got plenty of natural talent that one. But the only reason she works so hard is because she thinks she has so far to go. I'm afraid that if she realizes how proficient she is, she'll become lazy. So, I compliment her work, tell her to keep at it, and that's about it."

Hadrian took the package, the metal being surprisingly light. And as strong as he was for his age, he knew that there was something special about the metal.

"What's the armor made out of Taiga Sensei? It feels lighter than usual."

Taiga Sensei smiled a toothy and proud smile.

"An alloy from my homeland. A great meteor fell into the side of a mountain, and spread it's substance throughout the stone. Now the metal from that mountain is stronger, but lighter than any in the world. Lighter even than the materials of elven make and stronger than the heaviest of dwarven mail."

"That's amazing."

"Indeed."

Taiga Sensei dusted off her hands and then set back to her work.

"Well master Hadrian, you'd best get back to your father now."

"Yes Taiga Sensei, and thank you."

Taiga nodded and smiled pleasantly, even as she brought hammer to steel. So Hadrian left her to her work and sped out of the workshop. He left the inside of the industrial cottage, and looked to see Veronica's outside workstation empty.

"Oh. I wonder where she went..."

Though he wondered at this, Hadrian knew he'd see her again anyway. So he sped off to his home, dodging other pedestrians and the occasional wagon train. Suddenly, out of the corner of his ear, he heard something:

"Leave me alone!"

It was Veronica's voice, somewhere in the distance, and in some distress. So Hadrian ran towards the noise. In no time, he found Veronica. She stood in the street corner, surrounded by several taller and older elves, both girls and boys. One of the older girls, a brunette in very contemporary (though strangely puffy) dress was holding an open box with another dress in it.

"Holyshit you guys! Pigspawn here got something from the discount bin."

Veronica gritted her teeth and was about to walk up to this bitch. But a taller and more robust looking elf boy stood up to her.

"Oh I'm sorry, do you have something to say? Because one word from my father to the guards says you don't."

Hadrian correctly assumed that these were the kids who had been tormenting Veronica for some time now. He ran over, but before he got there, Veronica head-butted the robust elf. She suffered no damage herself, but the boy got his nose broken. One of his companions, a smaller, greasier looking fellow, took exception to that.

"You bitch!"

This boy took out a knife. In response, and without putting much thought into it, Hadrian tossed the armor package as hard as he could. The package hit straight into the knife wielders chest: knocking him to the ground, and maybe breaking one of his ribs. This caused the elves to panic.

"What the hell? Holy crap, it's the Captain's brat! Run for it!"

The brunette elf dropped the dress, but Veronica was able to catch it. They even managed to drag knife boy with them, even as he cried and clutched his ribs. But Hadrian didn't pay attention to any of that. Instead he ran over to Veronica.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I could've handled myself you know..."

"I know. But I wanted to help anyway."

Veronica smiled.

"Thank you."

Veronica looked over her dress, which was still relatively pristine. It was a simple looking thing, with a nice floral pattern at the bodice and a longer white skirt that looked more like silver in the sunlight. Hadrian blinked a few times.

"Were you going to wear this tonight?"

Veronica flashed an incredulous look.

"Yeah. Weren't you going to wear something nice tonight?"

"Uhm...yes. Of course."

Veronica looked at him suspiciously,before Hadrian interrupted her.

"Would you like me to walk you home? In case those jerks show up again?"

Veronica shrugged her shoulders.

"Why don't we go just to your place? It's almost sunset anyway, and I can just change there."

Hadrian was surprised by how quickly this conversation had gone so much in his favor, yet so much under Veronica's control. So he nodded.

"Ok, sure. That works."

"Great."

At this moment, Hadrian was certain that he had never been so lucky in his entire life...then he remembered something.

"Oh no..."

He turned toward the ground and saw that his father's armor suit was spilled out of the package and on to the floor. The once pristine metal was now covered in dirt and grime. Hadrian hands went up to his cheeks, trying to calm himself down.

"Dad's gonna kill me..."

Veronica shared in Hadrian's distress.

"Maybe I can fix it?"

Hadrian shook his head.

"Veronica, he's an investigator. He'll figure it out."

"Yeah, I forgot about that...well,maybe if I told him you helped me then he'll nice about it."

"You really think so?"

"Hey, it's the least I can do for my date."

Hadrian had to keep his jaw closed again.

"Holy Crap! It's an actual date! She said I'm her date!"

But Hadrian just smiled pleasantly, and stood a little straighter, letting his broad shoulders take as much space as they were able.

"Well, thank you."

Veronica smiled. She probably knew what he was doing, but didn't mind one bit.

"So are we going?"

Hadrian nodded, packed up the dirtied armor, and then the two youngsters headed off to his house. Once they got there, they saw something remarkable. In front of this larger, official looking building (which featured a balcony, a porch,and a back porch), a large black horse was hitched to the front post. This horse was armored in blackened steel and had flaming amethyst eyes that radiated a feeling of cold rather than a burning sensation. Veronica looked amazed.

"Wait, I've seen that horse before."

Hadrian turned in shock.

"You have?"

"Yeah...Oh wow. Quick Hadrian! We have to get to inside!"

Hadrian leapt up the porch stairs and followed after Veronica, who stood by the front door, shaking with excitement.

"Come on, hurry!"

"I'm trying, just give me a second."

Hadrian got his keys out and fiddled with them as he tried holding the armor package in the other hand. The noise must have been loud because the door opened, and Hadrian was greeted by a bubbly and welcoming voice.

"Hello there, I'm guessing that you're Bertram's kid?"

Hadrian looked up at a statuesque woman that was even taller than he was. Clean and luscious Auburn hair ran a little past her shoulders, her entire body was covered head to toe in black and skull laden armor, and her face was concealed by an emoteless skull mask of the same material. Once more, the inviting and casual voice came into Hadrian's ears. Only this time, it was coming from the skull masked woman.

"Oh boy. He didn't tell you I was coming did he? That old bas-uhm...fox."

Hadrian couldn't keep the tremor out of his voice.

"You're Barbara Corsange: The Angel of Anubis."

Dame Barbara set a gauntleted hand on her hip and nodded.

"Yep, that's me. But let's just keep it at Babs, alright? I get enough of the formal stuff at work."

Hadrian just nodded, while Veronica nudged him over.

"Hi again Ms. Babs'"

There was a light chuckle from the skull mask.

"Well that's one way to say it. How're you doing Veronica?"

"I've been better I guess. But Sensei Taiga says I'm doing good work at the forge."

"I believe it."

There was a gruffer, more seasoned voice: that came from deeper within the house.

"Leave the woman alone children. If you have any more questions you can ask her by the fire."

The youngsters scurried into the house while the looming black knight closed the door behind. The two teens then stood expectantly, eliciting some confusion from Babs.

"You two alright? Oh, I get it. You are dismissed, go ahead and change."

The two kids answered with a unanimous:

"Thank you."

Both Veronica and Hadrian ran up the stairs as Babs went to talk with Bertram, Hadrian's dad. Hadrian opened the door to his room and indicated the way in.

"Uhm, you can use my room if you'd like."

The room in question was strangely immaculate. It was clean and precisely laid out in the fashion befitting a military child. Veronica seemed impressed.

"Sure. You don't mind?"

"Of course not."

"Thanks Hadrian."

She walked into the room and closed the door behind her. Hadrian just sat up against the opposite wall, not really doing anything. Until he realized that he was still holding his father's armor.

"I better run this down."

Hadrian walked back with the armor in hand, being very careful not to drop it. Then he heard Babs and his father talking.

"I think you've raised a fine young man Bertram."

"He's a good boy. But I can only do so much."

Hadrian carefully creeped down next to the stairs and, listening and watching the conversation from the corner of the wall. Babs was standing next to the fire place, looking down at Bertram, who sat in a cushioned chair and rubbed his weary eyes.

"It sounded like you knew Veronica"

"Yes. I met her while Taiga Sensei was forging something for me."

Babs wrapped a knuckle on her shoulder plate.

"This armor in fact. At that time, Veronica was working there as a cleaning kid. I noticed her looking at the way Taiga working steel, and asked the old woman if she'd give Veronica a chance at forging."

"You recommended her?"

"I recognized the interest, Taiga Sensei recognized the talent. The old bag's pretty good at that."

Bertram nodded.

"I'm glad Veronica's made friends with Hadrian. He's needed a good woman in his life for a while now. His mother left us far too soon."

Babs folded her arms across her chest.

"Hadrian needs a mom and Veronica needs a dad. It almost clicks a little too well."

Bertram chuckled.

"I suppose so. Her father was a real turd. He was always getting in fights, always getting caught with other women. I'm surprised Jessica didn't drop him sooner."

"Where is Jessica now?"

"She pulls double duty over at the commerce office. She's an excellent mathematician, but has none of the political skills her peers have."

Babs nodded.

"Sounds like you two have something in common."

"I think I'll leave the romance for the younger generation."

"If you say so."

Hadrian felt a tap on his shoulder, he turned, and saw something quite beautiful. Veronica had tied her hair up with a ribbon, and it trailed down the side of her face in a long braid. Her eyes glinted clearly in the light, and her dress fit her perfectly. The skirts in fact did look quite silvery in the light as well, and seemed to sparkle whenever she took a step forward. Despite all this, Veronica still had a concerned look on her face.

"Well? What do you think?"

"You look beautiful."

Veronica gulped down, but looked like she was about to say something. Until Bab's voice carried through the room.

"If you're done eavesdropping, why don't you came and join us."

The kids laughed a little. They were disappointed that they couldn't have listened a little further, but they were being invited to talk anyway. So what did it matter? Once they were settled down in the family room (taking their seats as Babs kept her standing room by the fireplace) Hadrian presented his father with the armor.

"Here dad. I got it dirty, I'm sorry."

Bertram Harper raised an eyebrow?

"And how did that happen."

Veronica spoke without any pause.

"He tossed it at one of the elven kids who was bullying me and broke his ribs."

Bertram looked at his son with a discerning gaze.

"Is this true?"

Hadrian nodded.

"Yes sir."

Bertram looked over his armor and smiled.

"Well, at least you put it to good use. No other point in armor I suppose."

Babs chuckled and leaned against the wall.

"So what were you two kid planning to do?"

Veronica blushed as she spoke, but did so very proudly.

"We're going to watch the meteor shower from the roof. Hadrian even has a telescope that he built himself."

"Really?"

Hadrian nodded again, looking a little embarrassed. Bertram on the other hand was positively beaming. Then he noticed something.

"Son. You've brought a lady to the house, and she's well dressed. Wonderfully dressed in fact."

"Uhm, yes."

"So what are you going to wear?"

Veronica bit her lip, but could only conceal so much of her building laughter. Hadrian was about to say something, until Babs stepped away from her perch on the fireplace.

"I have a few of my husband's clothes stowed away. I think they'd fit on Hadrian."

Bertram looked about ready to protest, until Babs raised a hand up.

"Not one word from you old man. You're many things, but snappy dresser ain't one of them."

Babs then ushered Hadrian into his own room, and opened a small black rift in the air, from which she then several pairs of pants and several sets of shirts.

"Alright kid, take your pick and see what you like."

Hadrian looked at the clothes. They were of simple make but the actual cloth and weaving work were of a clearly superior quality. Carefully and respectfully picking through the clothes before him, Hadrian eventually decided on a black shirt and red leather surcoat with black pants. He was very happy to see dress clothes.

"Thank you so much dam-I mean, Babs."

"They're yours. As long as you promise to take care of them."

"Of course."

Babs nodded.

"Well, I'll just pack these up and let you get changed."

Hadrian nodded, and was about to set his new clothes aside, until a sudden burst of curiosity got the better of him.

"Ms. Babs?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you...can you give me advice about girls? And romance and...all that stuff."

Babs remained silent, even as he packed the other clothes into the rift. Once that was done, she scratched her head a bit before she talked again.

"You should probably ask your pops about this."

"I know but...I don't want him to think about mom. I know it makes him sad."

Babs nodded her head, rubbed a hand over her ring finger.

"I can understand that. Well alright then, what do you want to ask me about?"

"How do you...make someone keep liking you? Or...I guess-"

"How do you keep the romance alive?"

Hadrian nodded, and Babs stroked her chin. She seemed to be considering something very deeply. Then she nodded.

"A lot of people would probably say that you're young, and you should just be adventurous. But I'll tell you right now: I've made enough adventurous mistakes to tell you that those people are morons. You shouldn't be looking for romance, what you need is love."

"What's the difference?"

Babs nodded.

"Tell you what, you change, I'll turn around, and we'll keep talking."

So they did just that, but Babs once again took the time to consider her answer.

"Tell me something, were you friends with Veronica before you were anything else?"

"Yes."

"Good start. Now after that, you just have to wait it out."

"Really? That's it? No big bundles of roses or walks across the countryside?"

Babs shook her head.

"First you've gotta figure out if you can stand each other long enough for that. And that doesn't mean you have to agree on everything."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you could be gentle, and she might be decisive. She might be abstract, and you could be direct. You can have any kind of outlook you want as long as you agree on one thing: values."

"You mean a motivation."

"Absolutely. You need to understand and agree with the direction your life is going. If this is just to have a shoulder to lean on during the evening, then you both need to be honest about that. If it's more than that, especially if one of you wants a family, then you definitely need to agree about that. You have to stop thinking about what you want, and about what's best for you as a team."

"And if both of you can't do that, then maybe you should see other people. And that's where the friend part comes in. Because you'll have already learned to care about the other person, and you can know that you're able to leave each other without hating each other. You'll have seen each other as people, people that you respect. And that's where love really starts, and what everyone, boy or girl wants. A consensual understanding and respect. That's were any love, true or platonic begins."

Hadrian asked this outright.

"What about sex?"

"Believe me, the bedroom's a lot less awkward and way hotter when you're with somebody who gets you...we are not telling your dad we talked about this."

"Yeah, of course."

Hadrian fastened the last buckle on his surcoat, and looked in the mirror. He looked like his belonged in a noble court. And perhaps that was the point. But he turned towards Babs.

"I'm done...I think."

Babs turned.

"Well, let's see...it..."

The Black Knight looked at Hadrian without any animation in her body. She just stared at him as if lost in a trance. It made Hadrian concerned.

"Babs? Are you alright?"

The Black Knight shook her head, and then righted herself.

"Yeah. I'm just remembering my boys. My husband and son...Why don't you go see Veronica?She'll be happy to see you."

Hadrian did as he was told. But as he left the room, he was almost certain that he heard labored breathing and the grinding of teeth behind him. As if someone were trying to draw a long blade out of their chest. But Babs' prediction turned out to be true, Veronica jumped up and was even happier to see Hadrian in his new clothes then when she had seen him earlier today. Babs joined them soon after, and Bertram asked her if she would stay for dinner. The Black Knight shook her head.

"No, if you need me to do the job you asked, we better start it now."

"Of course, that scum won't clear themselves out will they? Well I've got my armor on, we might as well start."

Veronica asked where they were going. Both Knight and Captain looked at each other for a moment. Then Captain Bertram Harper, of her Majesty's Mobile Security Brigade, put a hand on his son's shoulder.

"Not every soldier or guard is worthy of the uniform son. Dame Barbara is here to help me amend that."

"You're...you're going to kill people?"

"Not if we can help it. But I need both you and Veronica to stay inside the house. Alright?"

Both youths nodded. And the adults left the house, just as the moon was beginning to rise. Hadrian and Veronica then ascended up the stairs, went up on the balcony, and watched the stars. Sure enough, the meteor shower came. And it was as if the stars themselves were forming a great blanket across the night sky. Both Hadrian and Veronica leaned into each other. They gushed over the bright lights, the silence around them,and even looked on as a few other people (some couples, some just lone observers) watched the meteors as well. And that was their night. Two young people, who for one special moment were ignorant of the world around them, and happy with the world they were sharing in one small moment.

So closes Young Life in Leo, a Tale from Caminus and Yishu.