A young black-and-white unicorn carefully inspects the leaves on individual bushes near the cliff, looking for ones with thin white and red "veins" running through them. His master had explained that they were indicative of a type of benign disease in the plants, and asked him to bring back an intact plant for use in a lesson. Koshiro directed him to this remote spot to find one, and it had been most of a day's climb just to get here. Fortunately, the apprentice's old and tattered robe from his College Esoterica days has recently been replaced by more practical trousers and tunic, since it is exactly trips like this one which ruined the robe.

Privately, Rory suspects the errand is less because Koshiro wanted the plant, and more as an excuse to get his querulous student away from him. His most recent lesson – where Koshiro tried to show him how to scry for signs of life and recent death over a broad area – did not go well. Trying to think of Light, Shadow, and Life as one sphere doesn't come naturally to the unicorn, no matter how hard he tries.

Silhouette rests on her stomach in the grass beside the cliff face, watching her friend at work. When, over the course of examining the leaves, Rory comes to face her again, she signs, Maybe you should try using another Scrying spell, instead.

Rory nods. "I … maybe … I'm still not exactly certain just how … I mean … " He sighs. "I'll give it a try." He looks about for a relatively clear spot to sit down in the grass, near Silhouette, and starts to put together a magic circle. While he's doing this, he says, "You know … if I'm actually earning money … a little, anyway … then do you suppose that makes me a journeyman now, instead of just an apprentice?"

I don't know. Doesn't the College Esoterica have to promote you for you to be a journeyman? the shadow signs back, words carefully demarcated against the grass.

Rory mmms. "Yeah. I guess so." He slumps his shoulders a bit. "But it's still a start." He beams. "It means I'm worth something, right? Er … I mean, that my magic is worth something, that is. That I'm getting better."

You have always been priceless to me, Rory, Sil signs loyally. But yes, I think it's good that the people of Sunrise City appreciate your talents, too. It was … thoughtful of Koshiro to suggest you look for odd jobs to do there.

Rory beams all the more. "I like Koshiro. He's really grumpy, but that's okay. I think it was awfully nice of him to let me stay, and teach me all this." He arranges some pebbles. "I'm having a bit of trouble with Scrying … but I think I'm a fast learner. I figure something will be useful. And then we can make you real again!"

I am real, the shadow girl signs, exaggerating the motions for emphasis.

Rory nods. "Well, yeah, but I mean real real real. You know. Like … like … you know." He waves his hands around vaguely. "So you can pick things up. So other people can see you. So you can have a super-dooper-icy-scooper-freeze-spell-special-xocholatl-with-a-cherry-on-top back at the College! And not just the shadow ones I make."

I like the shadow ones you make. The outline of her head tilts down, stubbornly. I bet they're just as good as the other kind, and they're free, she adds. After a pause, she signs, Koshiro can see me. So can Skiree.

Rory sighs. "I miss Skiree." He shakes his head, and remembers his work, pulling out a pouch of powder, and spilling some of it in a rough circle. He looks as if he's deep in thought. "Did I say something bad, Sil?"

No, she replies, quickly. Then, her right hand waggles from side to side in the grass, as if she had something else to say but hadn't decided what, yet. It's just… , she begins. I don't know. If I really want to be … something other than what I am now.

Rory frowns. "But … I thought that was what I was going to do … when I was good enough." He pauses in his preparations, giving his full attention to Silhouette. "At the very least … I … I want to make certain that you're … well … able to get around. I really don't know what you do when you go away, or where you go. Or what you'd do if I wasn't there to make shadow-stuff for you."

I'm around, Silhouette signs. I go watch other people, sometimes, or look at the scenery, or just … think. I remember things. I can remember a lot more since we got here. Something about the way she makes the last gestures strikes Rory as sad.

Rory's ears droop. "Bad things?"

No, not really. Another indecisive waggle, then, Or, maybe. I remember what it was like to be Sylvan. To be … real, Silhouette signs.

Rory blinks. "Are you afraid that if I make you real, that you'll be Sylvan … and not Silhouette?" He then frowns, unsure whether that even makes any sense, given what Koshiro has repeatedly told him.

Maybe. Or – being real didn't seem to make Sylvan very happy. Maybe it won't make me happy, either. And if I become … like you, will I still be able to do the things I can now? What if I don't want people to be able to see me, sometimes? Will I still be able to move around as easily as I do now, or will walking make me tired, like you're tired now from climbing the mountain? I don't need to worry about eating, now, or having money for a house or paying for tuition or any of that. If I were … real … then wouldn't that change everything? Silhouette finishes.

Rory blinks. "I … I guess so. I hadn't really thought of it like that. But I get along just fine, really. And if I want to hide, well … I'm a shadow mage. I'm better at that than most anything else, really. Even dancing." He blinks. "What did Sylvan do to get money for a house? I mean … she … you … lived all alone out here. Right? So you obviously had some way to take care of things. You could grow things a whole lot better than I'll probably ever be able to."

But I can't anymore, Silhouette signs. I've tried, after watching you and Koshiro. I remember how Sylvan used to do cast spells. But I can't do it. It's not like I don't understand how – at least, I think I understand it. But even if I go through the motions and sign the words, it doesn't work.

Rory shrugs. "It's probably because you can't move stuff around to make a magic circle. If you could move stuff, you could probably do just fine. I mean, I'm learning a little about Life Magic, so if I can do it, then you can. Could. Would. Whatever." He makes a raspberry noise with his lower lip, the updraft tousling a lock of his mane that dangles over his horn. "In any case, you could come with me. I'll be a really powerful mage someday, and I'll get my own castle. Maybe even my own sky island. Just a little one. With a bunch of berries on it. And some Creens, too. Hmm. But they'll eat all the berries. Well, lots of berries, then. If I get good at Life Magic, I can make more. And an airship, so we can go back to Rephidim for other stuff."

Silhouette opens her mouth in profile, so that Rory can see her smile. That sounds wonderful, she signs. She pauses for a moment, then continues, Would you still like me as much, if I was real? I mean … would you mind having me around all the time?

The black and white unicorn looks positively aghast at the question. "I wouldn't mind at all! I'd like you just as much! I mean … if you're like this, or you're like that, or however you like, you'll always be my best friend. And I'm really sorry if I've been wanting something you don't want. I just … I just wanted to help you. And it'd be awfully cool if we could play games together. I mean, you know, stuff that doesn't make me have to stop and cast a spell first so we have a shadow-ball to play with."

Silhouette covers her mouth with one hand, giggling. Okay. I think I'm just worrying over nothing. Maybe Corwin and Sylvan didn't always get along … but we're not really them, are we? Even if we are really them. Oh, you know what I mean. I guess that they both were real wasn't what made them fight, was it?

Rory says, "I sure hope not. I mean … I really try not to get into trouble. And they got into fights because Corwin thought Koshiro was bad, and Sylvan didn't. And I like Koshiro. Even if he's grumpy."

I like Koshiro, too, the shadow girl gestures, shyly. He seems nicer than I remember him. You must be a good influence on him, Rory.

The little unicorn grins. "Well … you too, right? I mean, you're a good influence on me! I mean, if I'm Corwin and all. Well, even if I'm not. Or … ack! I don't think I'll ever be able to talk straight about any of that." He lets out a lip-fluttering sigh. "But anyway, I'm pretty sure if we got you back to … you know … solid again, I figure you'd be able to cast magic again. And then maybe you could teach me a few things. I mean, I'm still just learning. And you could do all sorts of neat stuff."

I wasn't that good. You can do Life rituals now, too. And I never did Shadow and Scrying, like you do. I bet you're lots better now than I ever was or will be, Silhouette signs, with a curious touch of pride in her gestures.

"You could be that good!" Rory insists. "I mean, if you really focus on something … well, I'm just sure of it. You could help me, and I'd help you. Maybe I'll never get any better, and maybe you'll never get any better, but we'll never know until we try, huh? And I think it'd be great if we could both do magic. I mean … wouldn't that be so dark? We might even be in the same classes!"

Silhouette giggles again, unclasping her hands from her muzzle to sign, It would be! Except, wait, if you're a great magician when you make me real, won't you have stopped taking classes? You'll probably be teaching classes!

Rory blinks. "Oh yeah." Then he forms a big grin. "I know! Maybe you could be in the class I teach!"

She throws up her hands dramatically. I bet you'd flunk me! Sil teases.

Rory laughs, then says, "But then you'd still be in my class!"

The shadow girl snorts. Exactly! But you're still going to be in Koshiro's class if you don't find him one of those plants!

The little unicorn lets out an "Eep!" of realization, and his ears blush. "Sorry. Oop. All right … " He sets to the business of putting the finishing touches on his magic circle, then tries a minor spell – the best he can manage yet, really – in an attempt at locating these mysterious red-and-white-veined leaves.