The Forgotten Zodiac

"You're quite welcome." Michael glanced at Werr, wondering the same thing he was. "So Sylas, what if you pretended to be something that doesn't exist anywhere in the world, like, say, a dragon. Would humans see you as a dragon?"

"Dragon...like the thing with scales and wings and a long tail?" Sylas blinked. "Yes. Because dragons DO exist. They exist in pictures and stories and stuff, so humans would be able to tell what I am pretending to be. If I pretended to be a Snarbolax, though, they would not know what that is, so they would probably just see me as a big wolf or something like that, because a Snarbolax is similar in shape to a big wolf. Just a lot stronger and a lot more teeth."

Werr nodded thoughtfully. So it was only limited by what normal society would easily recognize...another thought came to him. "You said you were better than your...siblings. How much better?"

"Oh, Iyoui and all the others can probably only shift into one or two or three things. I spend much more time hiding, though, so I've learned more than them. They are a lot better at manipulating shadows, though...it is very sad. I can only make little hands. The others can make swords and spears and arrows and all sorts of weapons, and even armor, but I can only make tiny hands to do things like turning off the Tee-Vee for me." Sylas explained. "It is useful, but no good for fighting. So I hide instead. Hiding is easier anyways."

"What one or two things?" Michael sat down in a chair across from Sylas, trying not to be obsessed with weaknesses in the Iyouis' seemingly unbreakable shields. "And if you like, Sylas, we could practice fighting." Worried that Sylas would freak out again, Michael hurried to explain the ideas behind practing. "We wouldn't actually hurt each other, just practice so that if someone bad comes, like Lotis and James, we'd be prepared."

"Well, it depends on the Iyoui. Lotis can change into a big lion, and he has a more human-looking form, and then he has a bear form. Other siblings of mine can change into anything, so long as they are looking at what they want to change into at the time." Sylas nodded thoughtfully, then smiled a bit. "Practice. I know that word. I guess we could practice, but I do not know how much of an opponent I'll be, because like I said, I am not good at the shadow thing."

Michael shrugged. "We don't have to, if you don't want to, but it might help you get better at the shadows, or, at least, find a use for them that you hadn't thought of before." He glanced over at Quinn, then back at Sylas. "Should we wake her up? It's not healthy to get too much sleep."

"Hmm..." Sylas thought. "You are right, I suppose. We can practice." He nodded, then looked over at Quinn. "I guess so. Should we...tickle her?"

"DON'T YOU DARE!" Quinn sat bolt upright, pulling the pillow off of her face. "Don't even think about it, any of you!"

Sylas smiled, then remembered something. "Oh! I need to make breakfast before we practice, Michael. Who wants pancakes?"

Michael hung his head. "Awww... I wanted to tickle her." He brightened at Sylas' mention of pancakes. "We should make waffles! You take pancake batter and put it in a waffle iron and you get delicious."

Tyler climbed into Sylas' lap. "I want waffle-pancakes! And so does he!" He pointed at Werr, then nodded emphatically. "I know because I'm his boss. He's good now."

"Waffle iron? Okay. I think I can figure it out." Sylas nodded, standing up. "His boss? You mean you tell him what to do?"

"Something like that." Werr would have shrugged, except that would hurt. He was well aware of the fact that he would be having trouble moving his arms properly for a long time. "Kindly refrain from putting strawberries on mine, though. I have allergies."

Michael nodded. "Waffle iron." He got up and pulled the device from a cabinet, placing it on the counter, and plugging it in. "You put the batter in there, and it comes out delicious."

Tyler nodded. "Yep. That's how it works. He was a weasel, but now he's not. Now he's a mongeese." Tyler turned his head and looked at Werr. "What's wrong with strawberries? We didn't poison them."

"Okay," Sylas nodded, moving into the kitchen and starting to make the batter. "That is interesting...will he do what you say no matter what?"

"Nothing is wrong with the strawberries themselves, but I can't eat them." Werr shook his head. "I would get awfully sick and die if I were to eat them, but touching them gives me a rash. It's not very enjoyable, so I stay away from them."

"That's not as bad as touching them and puffing up like a balloon." Quinn pointed out.

"Good point, but even so..."

Tyler nodded again. "Yep. It's 'cause I'm his boss. Do you puff up like a ballon when you touch strawberries? I think that sounds fun, you should touch some strawberries right now, and we can put a string on you and pull you around."

"No, I don't puff up like a...balloon. Sorry, er...boss." Werr shook his head.

"There are no strawberries in here anyways, so it is okay," Sylas said from the kitchen, smiling as he made the pancake batter.

"Awww... Okay then." Tyler stood up and walked over to Werr. "Go sit down." He ordered, pointing at the chair Sylas had vacated. "I need somebody's lap to sit on."

Michael began rummaging through cabinets, finding various syrups, plates, and other things necessary for the eating of waffles.

Werr blinked down at Tyler, and would have shrugged again if it weren't for the fact that shrugging would hurt. He walked over to the chair and sat down, hoping that Tyler wouldn't be too squirmy, because the child might bump up against his shoulders. That would hurt worse than shrugging.

Sylas poured the batter onto the waffle iron and closed the lid, watching and waiting, wondering how much more delicious a waffle could be compared to a pancake. If it was made from the same batter, the taste wouldn't change much, would it?

((Silly Sylas. Waffles are just awesomer.))

Tyler followed Werr over to the chair and climbed up into his lap. After a few seconds, he nodded. "Good job. You have a comfortable lap. It's almost as comfortable as Sylas'. Almost. Atlas is still the best."

((I've never had a waffle, nor do we own a waffle machine. So yep. :T))

Werr just blinked at Tyler for a few moments. "Okay then." He nodded, not sure what else he could say.

Sylas jumped about a foot when the waffle maker beeped. He opened it up and pulled off the completed waffle, setting it on a plate and blinking at it a bit. How odd...it looked like an ice-cube tray or something. "Is this right?" He turned to Michael, frowning slightly.

((Oh Bun. I think I'm going to cry.

Also, if I start calling you Ben, it's because I'm starting a roleplay and the other guy's character is Ben.

Also, neither you nor Hannah have told me if I need to change my signature.))

Michael nodded and took the waffle, pouring ridiculous amount of maple syrup onto it, and then chewing his way through it. "Yep. Better then pancakes." He said through his mouthful.

((I'm sorry. And that's okay, I'm sure I've done that to you once or twice, you just don't notice. :T

I don't mind your signature. Change it if you want, I suppose?))

Sylas blinked at him, then turned back to the waffle maker, pouring on the batter for a second one. Tyler and Quinn would probably want some too, but he wasn't sure what Werr would eat...might as well make one for him, too.

((You called me a girl once, does that count?))

Michael tore the waffle in half and the non-bitten side out to Sylas. "Here, try it!" He encouraged.

Tyler looked up at Sylas. "You don't have to. If you don't want it, I'll have it."

((Yes, I think it does. I still am sorry about that one. You are one of...three roleplayers I know that are male, so I have an excuse. Not to mention, I'm a duck. I has half the memory span of a human being, so thar.))

Sylas blinked at the waffle, then down at Tyler. He took the half from Michael and tore that in half as well, handing the larger of the two to Tyler before taking a bite of his. He licked his lips, catching an escaping bit of syrup. "It is good," He nodded, smiling. "I will make one for myself too, then."