<div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">Day 79, Change Starts at Home</span></div><br/>Waiting for the presentations to the baron and dean was nerve-wracking.  Kleris watched Merrix question and evaluate each student, automatically comparing their projects to his own.  Thankfully Rensha's shears worked, but unfortunately Andrei's didn't.  The pass/fail system seemed a bit harsh, though; at least the jug did<em>something</em>at separating liquid from a water bath.  When he was called down, he swallowed hard and held up the crown for inspection.<br/><br/>"No sir, the design is part of the function..."  Fortunately he had spent the last of his time actually enchanting the lion, otherwise it would have just been a pretty tiara, and he wasn't sure what Merrix would think of that.  He put it on and focused on the iron bird.  As it dove, he yelled out a warning, causing the small golden lion to loudly roar at the same time, allowing the brass bird to veer right out of the way.  He pumped his arm in satisfaction, very glad everything had went as smoothly as designed.  And with praise from the baron too!  "Thank you, sir," he grinned, stepping back into line.<br/><br/>He'd been waiting to see what Lillin had made, and unveiling the painting had the dramatic effect she was probably looking for.  As for Merrix's utter disregard for it, that was upsetting.  Fortunately the dean offered some sort of evaluation, which everyone was quick to jump on.  "Impressionism is a valid alternative to representation..." he offered, but Merrix was having none of it.  As the dean tried to alleviate the situation, he looked to Lillin, hoping the dean would see reason and help her out.<br/><br/><hr/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">Mess Hall</span></div><br/>"Even if he sees no value in something not immediately practical, he gave to rubric for that!  It was just a test of using animated tools to complete a long-term project, not to see what it would actually do.  The dean will see reason and give a fair grade for completing the assignment..."<br/><br/>When the elf, Sella suddenly came and saved Lillin from choking, Kleris found himself struck by recognition, though from her shoulders rather than face.  "Oh!  Umm, I mean, thank you for your help.  I remember meeting you a while ago, kinda.  Detecting enchantment, eh?  Hmm..."  Sella excused herself before he could fully think through her question, but he had some ideas in mind.<br/><br/>"Andrei seems like a good guy, but yeah, vampires do have a reputation, and I don't want to make assumptions either way.  There is a spell to detect charms, though only if it's currently active.  I suppose if there was some ongoing enchantment we could detect it.  I'll have to do some research to figure it out, but in the mean time, we could always just detect any general magic on her.  There's nothing wrong with passively detecting magic on her each day and making sure there's no enchantments."<br/><br/><hr/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">Day 80, the Big Play</span></div><br/>The gown they designed was very flowy and pretty, and the stage jewelry was glamered to sparkle and shine, and the makeup artists went heavy on everyone to make their expressions and characters pop out for the audience.  It was all a bit extreme, but Kleris did have fun being done up and transformed during rehersals.  Now, though, was the opening night.  He took a deep breath and tried to act just like the dress rehersals; only those days didn't have a full auditorium.<br/><br/>As his cue approached, he took a breath and stepped up and on to the bow of the "ship" that was bobbing in the ocean waves.  A few "doves" landed on his outstretched fingers before beginning a singing monologue narrative.<br/><br/><em>"Oh my love, my bull, my Tallik, here I cross oceans of woe and travail to find you and your arms again.  No water or earth can separate our hearts, and we two shall be one, once more.  Oh Nalsa, my cupid, bear me swiftly and sure, that I might fulfil love's quest."</em><br/><br/>Statements were punctuated with releasing birds to fly off, and ebracing the stoic captain who was secretly and tragically in love with the princess herself.  A storm hearalded the coming of a leviathan, and as the ship slowly rotated, Lillin dueled a colossal sea serpent, wacking the pantomine monster with a cutlass.  Princess Morid blinded the leviathan with a brilliant flare to the eyes, allowing Nalsa to stab it, but in its throes, it swept the princess overboard, forcing the captain to dive after her.<br/><br/>The set went dark and the ship was slid off-stage to transform it into the next strange and foreign land the two wash ashore on in their quest.  The hem of Kleris' gown broke away to become artfully tailored "tatters" as they regained their bearings.