Three people presently sit around the table: Dean Viscoi of the Sphere of Mind, a Cervani, Mage Yffryn, a fox'taur and the acting Dean of Dreams, and Mage Mystico of the Sphere of Dreams, a Lapi. Two more individuals – one Gallah and one Jupani – stand guard flanking the door, in the uniforms of the Caroban Watch. A moment later, the door opens to admit an old human male in the white robes of the Spirit realm, escorted by another Kattha guard. He walks with the aid of an old staff of polished wood, although he does not seem especially to need it. A semi-circle of curly iron-gray hair crowns his brown-skinned, wrinkled head, and he stands easily erect as he surveys the room. He nods to the Dean of Mind in acknowledgement, then turns to his escort. "So the Templar and Fyia are running even later than I am – any idea when they'll be here?"

"Lieutenant Bellefeuille sent her regrets and said she would arrive as soon as possible. She is detained on Ambassador Dunbarre's business. And, uh … Fyia?" the feline mews at the last, puzzled.

"Yes, Fyia." He frowns at the cat, poking him with the tip of his staff. "You know, Dean of Chaos, calls everyone 'sugar'. Looks a bit like your kind."

The guard flicks one ear back. "Uh … Dean Fyiara, sir? I wasn't aware she was coming."

The man sighs and walks towards one of the remaining empty chairs. "Humph. Kitten doubtless slept through the part of the High Council where I told her to come, and that nod of hers was just her head falling over. Ah well. Go send someone for her, Lieutenant, and have the possessed girl brought in the meantime. No sense keeping everyone waiting all day on a chaos mage and some poodle noble." He settles into his chair.

A few moments later, another pair of Caroban guards escorts in the gold and white Aeolun whose plight is currently in question.

Smiling brightly, Envoy – still radiating her aura as the Avatar of Inala – bows to the assembled mages. "I'm so pleased that you could see me."

The gray-furred fox-taur Dream Mage, Yffryn, smiles just as brightly back to Envoy, though she refrains from adding her typical little cheery wave. Perhaps she feels the need to be somewhat decorous, what with her temporary promotion to Acting Dean.

"You ought to be," Dean Viscoi says, looking distinctly less cheerful than the two women in the room. He glances to the Dean of Spirit, and the man nods, then turns to address Envoy.

"I'm told this is the first time in two hundred years that a College Dean has chosen to speak with a possessed person regarding their plight, rather than just exorcising them. I hope you appreciate the gravity of your situation. While your host may have unique qualities that give us reason to treat your case a bit differently, don't make the mistake of assuming we'll leave you in charge, spirit," the dark-skinned man says. "I am Dean Walker of the Sphere of Spirits, and acting Dean Yffryn and I will be deciding what happens next to you."

Envoy bows again, and gestures to one of the unclaimed seats. "May I sit down? The one who wishes to discuss this matter with you is not able to control the body well when she is in control."

The man snorts, then nods. "Be our guest." He watches the Aeolun's movements closely.

The Aeolun gets comfortable in the chair, places her hands in her lap … and suddenly loses almost all expression. Her eyes flick from one person to the next, then focus on Mystico. "Do you recognize my voice, Mage Mystico?" she asks, in the voice of Dragon.

One of the rabbit's ears flops, and he twitches his nose nervously. "Uhm … why … y-yes," he says, then, trying to sound more determined, "Yes, I do."

The Cervani coughs. "As whom, Mage Mystico?" he asks, a trifle sharply.

The rabbit furrows his brow in consternation, then pauses in thought while drumming his fingers on his muzzle. "What do you mean? That's Mage Envoy, of course. A bit deep, though." This last bit sounds uncertain.

"Can you remember how I appeared to you during your rescue from the Dream Realm, Mystico?" Envoy says in that somewhat hollow sounding voice. "I had hoped Mage Cyprian would be able to attend, as it would be easier for him to verify my identity. In his absence, I must hope that Mages Viscoi and Walker can at least determine that I am not a possessing spirit."

"So this," the buck waves a hand towards the Aeolun, "is more representative of the Envoy you knew than her attitude when she entered?"

The rabbit smacks himself on the forehead. "Oh! OH! OhhhhhhhhhH! Now I remember. I'm dreadfully sorry. Uhm … That … ah … " He snaps his fingers a few times. "Yes. The … uhm … the Rokuga-Envoy … gold … Dragon. Yes. That's it. In the Dream Realm. She spoke like that, originally, when she rescued me. One of her … ah … Aspects, you see."

"You have, clearly, changed something about yourself," the Dean of Spirit comments to Envoy. "You've dropped your glamour, and you've changed your demeanor – apparently to fit what Mage Mystico terms an 'Aspect' … but not, evidently, the original Envoy schooled at the College. You are, however, still possessed. By only one spirit, at my guess, though I suppose I should verify that at some point."

"Can you verify now whether or not the … possessing spirit … is in control?" Envoy asks. "I was also told by my guardians that a secondary spell had been affected by this change of control. I don't suppose any of you would care to share with me what you know of this spell?"

"No, I don't suppose we would," Viscoi answers.

Yffryn frowns, then leans over to whisper to the Dean of Mind.

Envoy turns her head slightly to give Viscoi a cold glare. "Again, I ask if you can verify whether or not the possessing spirit is currently in control."

The Cervani cocks his head askance at Yffryn for a moment, then turns back to Envoy, a skeptical look frozen on his face.

Walker looks to his fellow dean, but doesn't comment on his remark. Instead, he says, "To my knowledge, there's no research done on the distinction between a spirit in 'active' control of a body, and one merely 'riding' on one." He sighs. "This is why I wanted Fyia here. Ah well. In point of fact, I don't recall this whole issue coming before a spirit mage in the past. Spirits sometimes attempt to trick non-mages, but a spirit mage, quite simply, knows better than to believe a possessed person. I truly find myself wondering at the futility of this exercise. You are possessed. Your testimony on your own behalf cannot be taken at face value."

Yffryn raises a hand, waving it about, leaning forward to try to get within Walker's line of sight. "Dean Walker? Excuse me?"

The Aeolun turns from the human to focus on Yffryn now.

The human coughs, then nods to Yffryn. "Yes?"

"Well, you see," Yffryn says, "I know this view has been tainted by being brought up by the previous Dean of Dreams, but, honestly, I do think there's some merit to the idea that this may represent a chance to reclaim the Dream Realm. This 'spirit' does seem to have influence over what is going on there, or so I am led to believe."

"Right," Walker says, looking something less than fully convinced. "And so we are all here. Mage Envoy, or whomever you are, do you have anything to add to Mage Yffryn's point?"

"Only over one part of the created Dream Realm," Envoy corrects. "A part which is no longer accessible to those entering the Dream Realm in any case. However, she does provide the means for observing the status of the Realm, and some of its overall structure."

Yffryn posits, "Maybe … she could guarantee some sort of protection if, for instance, we were to send a dream-observer into the Dream Realm?" She glances askance to Mage Viscoi, then picks up a quill, dips it in some ink, and starts scribbling on a piece of parchment.

"I cannot make any agreements on her behalf at this stage," Envoy says, "And there may be more that I do not know, since you have not told me about the other spell which weakens when the glamour is dropped."

Envoy blinks, then adds, "Correction, others may enter Inala's Realm, at her discretion, but no others may take the Challenge as I have."

The Dean of Mind glances at Yffryn's note, then shoves it across the table to Dean Walker, who looks down at it, thenback to Yffryn, considering. "Mage Envoy, you say that you cannot make agreements on 'her' behalf at this stage. I assume you mean the spirit possessing you?"

"Yes," Envoy says. "I have entered into an agreement of my own with her, wherein the four Aspects of Envoy will be reunited into her conscious mind, and the two Aspects added by Inala will combine to form a second conscious, but non-controlling, Aspect. This will provide a more symbiotic relationship, since there are still things Envoy can learn from Inala faster than she would have on her own, and since an exorcism would almost certainly cause serious psychological damage to Envoy – if it worked at all in the first place. As the logical Aspect, I also see the potential benefit of being able to resume the role of Avatar of Inala in any attempt to infiltrate the cabal of Babelite mages behind the whole thing."

"'Attempt to infiltrate the cabal of Babelite mages?'" Viscoi repeats, with another glance askance to Envoy.

"The ones who have co-opted the Dream Realm for their own purposes," Envoy explains. "I have been unsuccessful in convincing Inala that they may still have influence or control over her."

Mystico timidly raises a hand, glancing over to the Deans, then asks Envoy, "Ah … what does it mean, to 'resume the role of Avatar of Inala'? You're using quite a bit of terminology I'm not familiar with to describe this … rather unique arrangement."

Walker starts to add something himself, then pauses, gesturing for Envoy to answer the other mage's question instead.

"While Envoy would be in control under normal circumstances, it should still be possible for her to voluntarily allow the Inala Aspect to take the lead," Envoy says. "This would reinstate the glamour for the duration of her control."

"Let me get a few things straight," Walker begins. "Is the spirit possessing you aware that she was created as a tool to serve the Babelite mages?"

"She does not accept that as given, no," Envoy says. "When faced with certain contradictions which would support the idea, she … chooses to skirt the subject."

"I see. And you believe that if forced to accept this fact, she would turn against her creators? In other words, she has not been invoked as a willing tool?" the Spirit Dean continues.

"I believe it is a possibility," Envoy says. "It is part of the reason I took her challenge in the first place. Morpheus believed that meeting the challenges of the Seven Sisters would weaken the hold of the Mages over himself and the Dream Realm they created."

"This state of possession was not her choice, any more than it was mine," the Aeolun adds.

The Dean of Spirit sits back, thoughtful. Viscoi lets out a heavy sigh. "You're not taking her seriously, are you?" he asks. "It's a possessing spirit; of course it's going to tell us it will help us."

"I have made no such claim," Envoy points out to Viscoi. "Inala has no reason to help anyone other than Envoy in this matter, and Envoy's cooperation with the College is somewhat dependant on the outcome of this meeting."

Mystico blinks. "Are you implying that Envoy intends to not cooperate, depending upon the outcome?"

Walker makes a face at the mind mage. "Yes, yes, of course. But the dream mages have a right to investigate every avenue, however unlikely. And this case – of a summoned spirit who works against its creators – is hardly without precedent." He scowls again at Envoy's added comments.

"If Envoy's personality is damaged by the actions of the College, she would not be in any condition to cooperate in any case," Envoy points out to Mystico.

"Furthermore, she has gotten more results on her own than the entire College has in the past five years," the Aeolun adds.

Mystico opens and shuts his mouth a few times, but opts to let someone else respond to the possessed Exile.

"Oh, yes," Viscoi comments with deep sarcasm. "Possession by a spirit is infinitely superior to anything we've accomplished."

Yffryn's expression looks like that of a hurt puppy as she looks to Envoy. "Really, you sound as if you have no faith whatsoever in the abilities of the Deans. Why should you think your personality would be damaged?"

"The added Aspects of Inala are closely entwined with the two Aspects that form the larger part of Envoy's personality," Envoy explains. "And the College is, as you must agree, suspect as well. Are you willing to test every Mage to find out if they are secretly aligned with the renegades in Babel, Mage Viscoi? I have no reason to trust any of you, save for Mystico, at this time."

Dean Walker glances from the deer to the Aeolun and shakes his head. "All right, enough … " He taps his staff against the ground. "… before you convince me that Envoy's personality could benefit from some damage. Mage Envoy, can you persuade Inala to offer Mages Yffryn and Mystico safe passage in the Dream Realm, should they attempt to verify your story using dream rituals?"

Mystico blinks a few times, his whiskers twitching nervously. "Are we actual – " He then respectfully covers his mouth, shutting himself off while the exchange is going on.

After an introspective pause, Envoy says, "Inala will protect them and see them safely back, so long as they do not threaten Inala or her realm."

Yffryn smiles pleasantly. "I should like to know some parameters for what might be considered a 'threat', to make certain we do not unwittingly cause an offense, if you would be so kind?"

"That is a good question," Envoy says. "One moment please… "

Envoy blinks several times. "No … violence, or other attempts to harm me or others, including spells. And no attempting to do an exorcism while Inala's attention is elsewhere. Exploring and enjoying yourselves is all right."

Mystico twitches his ears. "How about if I don't enjoy myself? Will that be considered an offense?"

"I don't think so," Envoy adds. "Elise didn't seem to enjoy herself very often while there, with no ill effects."

"Try not to spoil it for others you encounter, though," the Aeolun says.

Mystico's ears flatten back timidly at the added admonition.

"Mage Yffryn? This was your suggestion; if you wish to investigate further using dream magic, you have my blessing on it," Dean Walker tells the fox'taur.

Yffryn bows graciously to Dean Walker. "I thank you. I am slightly intimidated at the risks involved … but, after all, what's at stake here is the livelihood of all within my Sphere." She looks to Envoy. "Please … do be kind." The fox'taur smiles hopefully.

"I'll assume you meant to ask Inala that," Envoy says.

Yffryn covers her face with one hand to cover a roll of the eyes and a faint blush. "Could you kindly pass that along, then? With so many of you crammed into one body, I do hope you'll understand some confusion on my part."

"They are not termed the Kindly Ones in vain," the Aeolun adds after a moment. "I still don't understand the name myself, but I'm dense that way. This body is much larger in the Dream Realm. Maybe you'll be able to see if you look up from there."

Yffryn pauses as she silently tries to parse that, then looks over to the rabbit. "Mage Mystico … would you be so kind as to assist in maintaining the spell while I'm in trance?"

The rabbit bobs his head, his ears flopping around. "Of course, of course!"

Viscoi pushes his chair back and paces around the small room, glowering silently as the two dream mages prepare their ritual. While they work, a gentle rapping sounds at the door, and a feline head pokes through. "Hi! Sorry I'm late, Gramps – totally spaced that you wanted me here," Dean Fyiara says, smiling brightly at the human.

The man's face brightens for a moment in return, then he scowls. "You slept through the whole Council, didn't you? Never heard a word I said."

Envoy watches the new arrival, and wonders if her office is knee-deep in pillows, papers and knick-knacks like Haskalah's had been.

"We – ell. Not the whole Council," Fyiara mews. "C'mon, Sugar, I had heard it all already. Most of it several times. There's gotta be some limit to a girl's tolerance. What did you want me here for anyway? I'm not Spirit or Dream. Hymu glared at me through most of the Water Council – brrr – for even having an opinion."

"Because this whole silly story is quite beyond my professional experience, and you are our leading expert on magic theory, Fyia. If anyone can say 'Is this possible?' it ought to be you. Unless you've been feeding me guff all these years about your research," Walker tells her.

"I would be interested in reading this research," Envoy pipes up (in a rather deep voice, that is). "Is it available through the main library?"

"Oh." Fyiara wrinkles her nose. "I'm sorry, Gramps. I've been so busy with my own project I didn't even think about it in that light. I guess I could look into the relevant notes s'more. It seems to me I've read stuff about symbiotic spirit relationships in non-Collegia documents on heretical practices – not that anyone else in the College gives a vermite's patootie about that sort of stuff." She tiptoes across the floor around the practicing mages, then crumples at the foot of Walker's chair. "What're they casting? Think I should give it some kick?" she asks, gesturing to the mages.

Mystico's ears shoot up, and he gives Fyiara a positively terrified look – though, to his credit, he doesn't miss a chant.

The feline sighs deeply. "See what I'm up against, Gramps? You must be the only one in the whole College that's outside the Sphere of Chaos and still gives us any credit at all."

"Gramps" pats Fyiara on the head consolingly. "So you think Envoy, in her current state, could be an asset?"

"By 'current state', do you mean a state in which the native mind is in control while the spirit serves in a background role?" Envoy asks the Spirit Mage.

"Oh, gosh, I dunno," the cat mews, while Walker nods to Envoy's query. "Isn't that why the H.C. turned her over to you? So you could decide?" At the mage's glare, she sighs. "Okay, okay. Could be," she admits dubiously, scuffing at the floor with one paw. "I'd have to really look into it. Hope the dream mages find something good out."

A fox'taur materializes amidst a swirl of mists, looking about curiously and with more than a little awe at her surroundings, swallowing a faint gasp. She blinks a few times, then musters her voice. "Hello?"

Standing next to Inala's archway, Dragon waves to the Fnerf. "Hello Yffryn, welcome to the world of the Sev- … of the Kindly Ones."

The gray-furred fox'taur smiles. "Oh! There you are. You look rather fascinating like this, really."

"Most dragons do," Dragon admits, straight-faced. "The size and detail of the various statues here is an indication of how well developed each realm has become."

The fox'taur looks around the statues, studying them with interest. "Really," she murrs, then looks back to Dragon. "Well … I'll make this quick. Now, please answer truthfully. Are you 'Dragon', and, if so, are you one of the original 'Aspects of Envoy'?"

"Welcome to Our Realm," a mellifluous female voice says, from the direction of the Envoy-statue.

Dragon nods to Yffryn. "Yes, I'm one of the originals. Oh, and this is Inala," she says, gesturing back to the statue.

Yffryn shudders delicately, smiling ecstatically, then puts a hand to her cheek as she tries to recover, blushing noticeably. "Well … I'm … honored, really." She takes a moment to steady her breathing.

Dragon blinks, and turns to Envoy-Inala to ask, "Do you always have to do that?"

"No. I just like to make people happy," the goddess-figure answers. "Is there something wrong with that?"

"Well, there's happy and then there's happy," Dragon says. "It doesn't always have to be an all-over type of happy is all."

Yffryn shudders a bit more, then gasps, "Oh … well … ah … one more thing. Dragon, please tell me if you were indeed just speaking to us earlier, and if you are in full control of yourself, if not of Envoy as a whole."

"Yes, it was me, and I was in full control of myself," Dragon says, nodding. "Maybe we can show you the Avatar. I wonder what Walker would think if he heard you talking through Envoy's mouth?"

The statue animates, turning to study Yffryn. "Perhaps My effects need further fine-tuning," she admits.

"Mages are generally an ascetic lot," Dragon says to Envoy-Inala. "Not used to these sorts of sensations."

Yffryn shudders. "Please, let us not provoke the good Dean too much. Any road … I think I have enough information to report back to the others. Unless, that is, you have anything else you would like me to convey on your behalf?"

"If you could, let him know that I would really rather not have him mess about with my mind with an exorcism," Dragon says. "I'm sure he's good at it and all, under normal conditions, but the situation is just a bit more complex than he's probably encountered before."

Yffryn shudders again, and exhales. "Whoo!" She fans herself with one hand. "I … really … mmm." She shakes her head as if to clear it. "That was … something."

"The stuff that dreams are made of, Sweetheart," Dragon says.

The fox'taur takes a moment to recover a bit more, then raises an eyebrow at Dragon. "Now, really, Dragon!" She clears her throat, then says, "In any case, I shall dutifully relay your concern. Now, please, don't make me look foolish by proving yourself untrustworthy despite my testimony. It would make my term as Acting Dean rather … disappointing."

The statue says, "You may tell your Dean that I am only interested in protecting My avatar and in spreading a little of My joy into your world. I mean to harm neither you, nor your people, nor certainly My precious Envoy." She smiles beatifically at Dragon.

Dragon's ears go down a bit at Inala's attention. "And we still need to find out if Inala herself is a victim of outside control, don't forget."

Yffryn bows graciously. "Oh, don't worry. I'll make an immediate report on the issue. Thank you very much for having me here. Now then, I shall be going back, if you don't mind, lest they wonder what I'm up to here!" She winks. "Mustn't let them think I'm enjoying myself too much. Wouldn't be proper."

"I believe My sweet avatar is wrong on this count, but I do not underestimate her intelligence. If it is of concern to her, than it is of concern to Me. It will be My … pleasure … to help you learn more. You may leave now," the statue says, gracefully.

Yffryn bows again, then utters an incantation. The mists swirl about her, obscuring her furry form … and then dissipate, leaving naught in their wake.

After Yffryn completes her ritual, Dean Walker, with some assistance from Fyiara, conducts an examination of Envoy on his own. Viscoi leaves for a while to get a drink and some food, then returns, apparently solely to resume glowering. When at last the spirit mage is done, he sighs and shakes his head. "Fyia?" he asks. "What do you think?"

"She's genuinely willing to stay possessed, or at least as willing as a possessed person can be about anything, I guess. No fight in her though, and that's unexpected," the Chaos mage says, wrinkling her nose.

"Yffryn?" He looks to the Fnerf.

The acting Dean of Dream answers, "I think she can help us. And she's willing – she wants to stay this way. We need to leave her be."

"This is an abomination," Viscoi says, flatly. "You cannot leave a woman possessed and call yourself Dean of the Sphere of Spirits, Walker."

"That's my burden to carry, Rageson, not yours," the dark man says, looking at Fyiara, who has curled up next to a chair again. He sighs, heavily. "Mage Envoy, at this time, I give you dispensation to remain possessed, provide that you otherwise obey all laws of Caroban and any other nation you venture to, and that you consent to remaining under the observation of the scrye-ball." He gesturestowards the glowing will-o'-wisp that has hovered near her through the entire meeting. "Should you attempt to evade scrutiny, or should you be found in any way abusing either your original or your new powers, I will treat you like any other possessed woman. For now, however … you are free to go."

The Cervani clenches his jaw together. "Travesty," he spits out, and stomps from the room.

Envoy watches the Mind Mage storm out, and asks, "I take it this will not be known beyond those here and the Watch?"

"The whole college will know of it. Otherwise, any spirit mage who saw you would most likely attempt to free you from the possessing spirit," Walker tells her, soberly.

"There is no way of keeping the information from reaching Babel then?" Envoy asks.

"I suspect news of your possession reached Babel some time ago, as the ship Mage Kant attempted to load you on did leave for Babel. As for this latest news … I doubt there will be many further communications between the College and Babel. But I would be surprised if they did not have some way of keeping tabs on us, nonetheless," he admits.

Envoy manages a frown that doesn't look too much like a grimace. "Unfortunate. Until I finish the process of … waking up … I request permission to remain here in the quarters provided to me by the Watch."

"Granted," the man tells her.

Envoy's face returns to animation, as Dragon hands over control in order to allow walking. She stands up, and bows to the remaining Mages. "I'm sure we will all gain much from this experiment. Even, perhaps, poor Viscoi. He really could use a bit of loosening up."