Brand jumped and twisted, swung and spun, sometimes almost seeming to take flight. He was a fast, agile, virtually a contortionist.
Hitomi ignored him. Or tried. She could feel his smugness from across the room where he was playing on the gymnastic equipment. He hadn't touched the ground, or stopped moving for over fifteen minutes. It was impressive and annoying as hell for a boy five years younger than her
Of course, she was a leader, and he merely a soldier. He even still had to go to school, or what was left of schooling for the warmblooded these days. Hitomi was too important, so she didn't exist, didn't have to go to school, didn't have to do anything they usually made kids do.
Unfortunately, this meant she had to fly all the way out to the States from her home to test the boy because he couldn't come to her. Ms. Jefferson needed him evaluated and properly worked into their plans, so she was away from her home, away for her duties for almost a week. It irked her, and since she couldn't be mad as Ms. Jefferson, she was quite willing to take it out on some Swedish Vampire.

"So what do you think Sakagi?"
It was Trent Washington, the head of the Spanish Office. He was here, also, this was a big meeting, a face to face planning session. He wasn't watching her for Ms. Jefferson, even though he'd probably tell her anything Hitomi said to him. He was handsome and competent, and a very good leader, as well as a good follower. He used to be a military commander in the US army. He'd been in Spain at the time of the Diaspora, he'd chosen to stay behind, and had just naturally ended up as the head of the Spanish Office. Hitomi had a crush on him. She knew what is was, knew it was silly and probably trivial, and was going to do her best to ignore it.
"He's certainly energetic." she said. "And skilled, too." she admitted, an afterthought.
"He's a polymorph."
Hitomi blinked. "He hasn't changed."
"Look closer," Trent smiled.
She did, as Brand did a few handspins on the pommel horse, then pushed off from his hands, flipping in midair and grabbing hold of the lower uneven bar, gravity swinging him around. However, in the middle of his leaped, for just a split second, he'd changed into a bird of some kind, just long enough to flap and give himself the little bit of lift he needed.
She hadn't noticed it. Hadn't noticed the feel of him go from Vampire to bird. Maybe it didn't change when he did. Maybe emotion was separate from form. Either way, she hadn't been paying enough attention. "Incredible. And he's only eight?"
Trent smilled. "You're only thirteen."
"Yes, and I couldn't even begin to pull that off," she said sourly.
"No, it's a talent. Your talents just lie elsewhere. I suspect in a contest of wits you'd trounce him."
Hitomi fought her smile and won, managed to maintain a serious look. "He'd be wonderful at onsite data recovery."
"Heh, that's how we've been using," snorted Damien. "Kid's damn near put me out of a job."
Damien was American, too. A hacker, he was in charge of data recovery for the Head Office here in America. He was part of Ms. Jefferson's cell here in the States. A good guy for a dwarf, friendly, good humored, but not nearly as cute as Trent.
Dragging her mind back to what as important, Hitomi began examining the tactical issues already going through her head. She was head tactician for the entire resistance as well as head of the Japan Office. Already she'd come up with several ways to use a Vamprie Polymorph, thinking of ways to mesh his skills with the other members of the three command cells. Deciding which were worthwhile, which would prove ultimately deadly and finally which to present Ms. Jefferson with when they all went down to speak with her finally.
Who'd believe that potentially the greatest danger to the current regime was a thirteen year old elven empath? Someday they would all know and praise her name.

recent...
2003-06-15 - Sakagi Hitomi.
2003-06-14 - A true proverb.
2003-06-12 - Garbled nonsense.
2003-05-21 - What I don't have.
2003-05-19 - Oh my god, it's full of stupidity!