"I wouldn't be surprised if Hollie has already contacted her brother." Aimee commented with a light laugh before making her way into the house.

---

A few hours later, Aimee was on her way to her office at the school. She'd just finished a hands on meeting with a couple of the students that she was teaching, and was rather drained. Her mana had been used, a lot, especially considering they were toying with things beyond their understanding - which is why she was teaching them - and the end result was that she had just arrived at her office with an artefact that was rather hazardous. It literally sapped mages of their mana, and could go farther than one might expect, as well.

She set it down on her desk and sank into the chair, resting her head on her arms, which were on the desk with a groan.

---

Aimee was silent, didn't look up.

". . . that's one way to put it." She comemnted, her voice quiet.

"Since you're here... want to do me a huge favour before it kills me?" She asked, looking up and meeting his gaze. When she did, he could see the marking in her eyes that said waht was going on.

That the quartz on her desk wasn't the one she normally had there, that the one there was literally draining her mana, and soon her life.

---

Aimee just sighed.

"I'll be all right... I'll recover." She said.

"A couple of arcane siblings brought it in, not knowing what the fuck it was taht they had." She added before pushing herself to a properly upright position in her chair.

"What brings you around?" She asked after a moment.

---

Aimee just laughed lightly.

"I was going to do that before I was heading home." She told him honestly.

"Anyway, feel like giving me a lift home? Not... sure I could do it myself for the moment." She commented after anothe rsecond or two, her voice sounding about as rough as she looked to be.

"We can talk once I'm home." She added

---

"The den would be lovely. Thank you." Aimee said as she carefully got to her feet.

"And yeah, I realise that I'll feel like death for a bit, so to speak." she added.

"Low mana royally sucks." She lamented before shaking her head, almost instantly regretting it though.

"Right, let's go, please."

---

Aimee sank onto the couch before chuckling.

"Actually, that's why I want to talk to you." She told him honestly.

"And yes, we do have a guest here. Lex is looking to take her in as a charge, an official charge." She commented.

"Hey Madison!" She called after a second or two.

"Coming!" The child replied from antoehr room.

---

Aimee just chuckled softly at the comments that Yuri made.

"I know. But... She reminds both of us... Of when we were young." She said as a short auburn haired child, honest child, stepped into the room.

"Alex is sleeping, if you were curious." the child said.

"Good to know. Madison, this is Yuri. Yuri, Madison." Aimee said, introducing the pair. Madison just waved to Yuri in repsnse, some hesitation to her movements. He could tell though, it wasnt because of what he was. It wasn't because of the rather imposing aura and form he had.

---

Madison paused a moment before looking to him quizzically.

"I... wait... what?" She asked.

"I hadn't.... I never even noticed." She told him honestly.

"From what Lex and I have been able to gather, she's ... wary around people overall." Aimee commented.

"Don't worry, Madison. Yuri here isn't human. You don't need to worry about him thinking lowly of you because of your mana." She added. Madison paused, and Yuri was able to literally see her relax a bit, and feel the change in the air. Madison had been holding her mana back as best she could. While it wasn't extremely more apparent, there was still a bit of a change.

---

Madison nodded.

". . . Yeah. I ... While I don't know him too well... I've heard from a reliable source that he's one I can trust, as is Aimee." She answered, speaking as if she was older than she was. It wasn't that surprising to the twins any longer, but possibly to Yuri.

"and... that means more than anything for the moment." She added.

"So I hope it all goes well..." There was unease to her voice. Unease that almost sounded like fear. She was terrified of being taken and put somewhere else, as she knew that there would be a decent chance of ehr parents getting her again, and that was the one place she didn't want to be.

---

Madison was silent as she looked to Yuri, surprise and confusion in her face.

"I... what?" She asked.

"How?"

"... Let's just say that Yuri has his ways." Aimee commented with a light chuckle.

"Don't worry, he has his ways."

". . . . will... will there be any trouble...?" Madison asked, honestly seeming scared for him. She didn't want him to put himself out for her.

---