The Art Museum normally charges for admission, but, truth be told, most of its visitors manage to get in for free – consisting of Temple Scout field trips, families of the few supporting patrons, and – in this case – a group of apprentices from the Collegia Esoterica, from the Sphere of Illusion.

Bedecked in black robes – some bespangled with runes or bizarre symbols – the apprentices file in the entrance, as the Mage in charge of the tour goes through the formalities of getting them free entrance on the name of the magical college of Rephidim.

While that is handled, however, the students of the arts of the arcane are left to gawk at the bizarre "artwork" to be found in the main lobby.

Most of the students are fairly young – some not much more than cubs. But there's one that stands more than a head and shoulders above the rest – and has a fair deal more tails, too.

The Kitsune (that being the apprentice with more than his fair share of tails) seems to be a little more occupied with fiddling with the robe that was issued to him than paying attention to the works for art. "Black is just not my color," he mutters every so often.

On one wall are a few paintings that are, in a word, disturbed. (Whether they're DISTURBING depends upon the viewer.) Tortured landscapes seem to writhe in agony, and the plant life looks as if it might swallow up the moon and stars … or pull up its roots and start prancing across the countryside. On a dias toward the middle of the room is a giant … something … that looks like a rejected attempt at making a chitin sword for a warrior the size of an airship. Or perhaps it looks like a piece of taffy (for someone the size of an airship) that has been twisted around and then – once it dried – had holes bored through it. Or perhaps … well … it defies words.

Francisco continues to grump while waiting for the party to be let in, and looks around for any kind of timepiece to try and work out when this tour might be over.

A gigantic sundial is set in the middle of the chamber, beneath a multi-panelled glass window in the center of the shallow-domed ceiling. Or, that is, it probably could SERVE as a sundial, but it appears that it is just, after all, another bizarre work of art. A sundial without any markings. Perhaps it's a political statement.

A young Hekoye sticks out his tongue at the "art" – but quickly sucks it back in before the poodle receptionist can see. He loudly whispers to Francisco, "I could make things better than THIS!"

The five-tailed fox perks an ear, and looks over to the Hekoye and kind of shrugs a reply. "Modern art. Even where I come from, it always looks like someone just slapped it together."

"Really?" the Hekoye looks up at Francisco. "What's it like where you come from?"

"Well," Francisco says, "for one thing, where I come from they don't just coop this stuff up in places like this. You see weird sculptures and paintings and what-have-you almost anywhere. Most notably though, shopping malls and business parks."

"Shopping … malls?" the coyote gives Francisco another typically inquisitive look. Meanwhile, the mage assigned to the group – an eagle-like Aquilan by the name of Kuraa (with an unpronounceable surname) – finishes dealing with the poodle, and starts to lead the apprentices out of the lobby and down the first corridor.

"You know," the Kitsune says as they walk along, "places with loads of chain stores all under one roof. Uh, no. You probably don't. Think of it as an indoor Bazaar where the same people are in the same shops in the same place day after day."

Francisco adds, "Not to mention food courts that are a fair deal more decent than what you find around here."

The coyote ducks under the beak of a statue of a Raktor, scrabbling over its pedestal despite the "Do not climb on the displays" sign. "Chain stores? Are those really popular where you come from?"

"Oh yeah," replies the gray fox. "You can pretty much find the same stores in each mall you go to." A moment of realization sets in. "No, they don't sell chains."

"Uhm… " replies the coyote, "what DO they sell, then?" As if the fox couldn't see THAT coming a mile away. The coyote, however, seems to barely notice the dangling chimes hanging from the ceiling, and ducks just in time to avoid them. Not that this is a hazard that Francisco would have to worry about, as – unlike the cub – he's not walking on the wrong side of the rope dividers that say "Do not cross this line".

Shrugging again (and still not really paying much attention to the works of art around), Francisco replies; "Depends on the store, really. Could be kitchenware, could be furniture, womens' fashions, sportsgear. The list goes on and on."

"But… " the Hekoye strains, "Ah! It's a theme, right? Chains!" He nods as if he's figured it all out now.

"Actually, they… " Francisco starts, then decides that he might as well let Zarnan win this one. "Yes, pretty much. They don't sell chains, but they use them quite a bit in decoration for the stores." After all, it's not like he'll ever get to see what a chain store really is. The Kitsune grins a little to himself at that thought.

The thought is soon interrupted as Kuraa, the black-robed eagle, stops the class with a loud eagle-cry that resounds through the hallway. "Class!" he calls out, bringing them to a halt in a hub that connects six hallways that radiate outward – one of many such hubs in this maze-like layout. "You are to seek out your own place to carry out your assignment, which I shall now give to you … "

The Kitsune 'hehs' to Zarnan. "Sometimes I get suprised at how like home things are here. I think it must be a universal constant that all field trips give you assignments to do while you're at places."

"That's what field trips are FOR, ri – " and then the coyote jolts as he is shushed by a feline student nearby. The Aquilan clears his throat. "Now, this is a very special test – one that will show us whether you have any potential to continue within the Collegia Esoterica … or whether perhaps you simply should pursue studies in … OTHER fields." He furrows a brow seriously, and a few apprentices gulp in fear.

The Aquilan says, "Your assignment is to use the cantrips you have learned to create an image which is a duplicate of some work of art within this museum, and to maintain and clarify it to the best of your ability. The item you choose as your model is entirely up to you … though your choice may give your judges some insight into how you work as an illusionist, and what prospects you may have for future advancement. I will give you all twenty minutes and then I shall come by to examine and grade your work. Do not be hard to find – If I cannot find you … your work will not receive a passing grade." The eagle gives the apprentices a stern look. "Are there any questions?"

No one seems to be brave enough to ask any.

"Good! Your assignment starts … " He looks off into space, silent long enough to be almost intolerable. "… NOW!" At once, the cubs scatter outward, heading down the different hallways. These immediate hallways seem to deal with art of "primitive cultures" of Sinai, though there are several other displays beyond those. To the north is a display of "Primitive Art of the Savan". To the northeast, "Shellwork of the Vykarin Barbarians". To the southeast, "Hammerings of the Titanian Barbarians". To the south, which the group already wandered through, "Shinies of the Vartans of Himar." To the southwest, "Art of the Nomads of the Himaat." To the northwest, "Ancient Glyphs of the Babelite Undercity Ruins."

Francisco looks around, not having seen which way Zarnan went. After a brief pause, he heads down the passage towards the Savan exhibit.

The Savan exhibit is marked by many pieces of woodwork, painted in what once may have been bright colors, though much of the paint has peeled and dyes faded. Still, there are plenty that retain enough of their original splendour in wood and feather, bone and shell to suggest a certain vibrance, albiet a primitive one. There is no single "Savanite Style", but many, many variations that are only united in that they look primitive and suggest subjects from the wild continent dominated by the Nagai Empire.

The fox ponders over what's here, and looks around as to what could be a possible 'target'. Ideally, a stolen exhibit would do… That'd be easy to imitate.

Alas, there are no conveniently empty pedestals with missing displays. There are, however, numerous wooden instruments in the shapes of Creens, various representations of dancing Savanites, wooden masks of creatures hard to discern, carvings from the tusks of Bromthen Forest Hogs, adornments made from shed scales of many colors, twisting staves of warpwood, and much more.

Wandering around the items in display briefly, Francisco comes to the conclusion that he could probably reproduce one of the masks pretty well, and decides on one that is not too ornate, but hardly dull and boring either.

Francisco takes a deep breath, and begins with his first cantrip. It's a fairly simple one, to try and bring up the general shape of the item.

The cantrip requires several tedious repetitions, but at last a hazy oval shape begins to form, hovering in the air in front of the Kitsune, devoid of definition.

The Kitsune repeats it a few more times still, and when satisfied with the current shape, starts on another cantrip, trying to bring more detail to an otherwise bland shape.

The mask slowly takes on a form roughly resembling that of the original mask, as if sculpted from clay … a dull gray clay, that is, devoid of color. While it's hard to tell just what the maker originally intended, the mask has features that might suggest some sort of wild beast … probably reptilian. Or perhaps it's some mythical spirit being. Or all of the above, given how many animist cultures there are.

Francisco, again, continues with a few more invocations of the cantrip to re-inforce his work thus far. Glancing briefly at the original mask again, and picturing it in his mind, he begins his third cantrip – the purpose of this to give his reproduction its color.

During one of these chants, the fox notices the shape waver slightly, and carefully waiting until he finishes an invocation, chants the initial cantrip a couple more times – then the shape cantrip – then resumes the coloring again.

The mask takes on vibrant color … and in the paws of the caster adjusts to more approximate the mask. Still … there's something WRONG. The mask seems rather smooth and almost plastic, not quite like the wood of the original mask, with all of its imperfections.

Continuing with his coloring-cantrip, the Kitsune considers his options. He can't really go back and re-cast the solid part of the mask again. Maybe… maybe he could cast a cantrip to create the illusion of the feel of wood?

There's a giggle off to Francisco's left.

It causes a ripple in Francisco's concentration … but it holds for the time being. The mask wavers just a LITTLE, but retains its shape.

Re-affirming his concentration, he runs through all the cantrips again, and attempts the one for the feel.

This one takes a bit more work, since it requires "undoing" a little bit of the earlier work without undoing the whole thing. Plus, there's some movement out of the corner of the fox's eyes. Something being dangled from a string and bouncing up and down, held by a cub standing up on a pedestal where he ought not to be.

The Kitsune puts that movement out of his mind and continues to concentrate on the task at hand, plus being sure of himself that he can do this.

With a *spring* and a *snap*, whatever it was that was dangling on the string goes flying, eliciting a squeak from the troublemaker. He scrambles down from the pedestal, and a bit of gray fur can be seen as the scoundrel heads over to one of the exhibits … and starts some incantations of his own.

Meanwhile, the mask's surface ripples very slightly … and takes on a rough wood grain texture. The mask looks as the original may have when it was first made, though with faded colors. Somehow, it just looks a little too clean and new.

Francisco resists the urge to sigh in frustration, and continues working on his cantrips. Perhaps with a couple more invocations it will look more like the real item.

Something's a bit … wrong. There's something different about the mask that Francisco is modelling off of. There's something on top of it that wasn't there before.

Certainly the repeated cantrips are not making much difference, and the gray fox glances at the real mask again, which is when he notices the 'addition'

There is a dead vermite laying on the crown of the mask, with part of a string dangling from it. Some of the legs have fallen off, and it looks like it must have rolled over in a windowsill and dried up quite some time ago. The string, no doubt, was a much later addition.

Deciding there is no way that he is going to re-create that, the Kitsune repeats his cantrips a few more times to give himself a few spare seconds, then reaches out and quickly knocks the dead thing off the mask.

There's a crunching noise … and the thing is now stuck to the kitsune's paw. To his credit, the illusion still hovers in place though – in moving forward – his face is right in the middle of the apparition, giving an AWFULLY weird spectacle for anyone who might be looking just now.

Footsteps can be heard approaching, coming down the corridor.

Francisco's concentration is somewhat stretched now. Oh well – there's not that much longer until the instructor comes around. He can go and have a quite little scream to himself later. For now, he continues chanting each cantrip in turn keeping the illusion steady.

The Aquilan walks up, standing right in front of Francisco. From Francisco's point of view, it looks as if the eagle is wearing the very mask the fox just finished creating. "Hmm," says the eagle as he ponders the back side of the illusion.

The Kitsune is only faintly aware of the eagle's presence – he's still heavily concentrating on keeping his illusion there.

The eagle ponders. "Very, very intriguing. Either you made a mistake and forgot to make the BACK side of the illusion … or else you have displayed great imagination by making a mask that is visible to all but the one who would be wearing it."

Francisco manages to put on a slight smile and small nod. He knows it was a mistake, but there's no reason that he can't make it seem like it was intended.

The Aquilan looks at Francisco's hand, noticing the dangling bug. A puzzled expression creases his brow. "Very interesting method. A material component to aid in your concentration?"

The Kitsune puts his paw behind his back out of view, and just shrugs noncomittedly in response.

"Very good," says the Aquilan. "I had worried that at your age, it might be too late to begin training, but you show creativity and determination to complete a project … " He glances over at the coyote cub who is making a cartoony replication of a Creen. "… despite distractions. I will give you a passing grade of Average."

Francisco raises his eyebrows a little at his grade, but has learnt during his time at the College it's often not a good idea to dispute the instructor. He plays safe for now and tries to hold the illusion until the Aquilan wanders over to the next trainee.

By the time that Francisco hears the instructor chiding the coyote, it would seem that it's quite safe to let the cantrips fade away. And to do something about that bug-thing…

And does something about it he does. Not bothered about being respectful to the other trainees in here, he runs from the exhibit whimpering loudly and shaking his paw furiously trying to get the thing off.