Serafina had been slowly been getting more and more restless over the year. It had been far too long since she'd seen any of her brothers and sisters, with Kanika more or less staying with Wolverine, Faolan was basically an unknown these days, she had no idea where Victory was at any given time, and Saku... she'd heard he'd recently signed up at the Watcher Academy, along with some of her cousins, and the thought of seeing her half brother again and feeling like she'd reconnected with her mother, was something that she was longing for.
So after many hours of reassuring her Da that she was going to be fine, and that she would be travelling with a trusted Wolfram and Hart teleporter, she was finally on the way.
In the blink of an eye, she was outside the gate, a bag slung carelessly over her shoulder. She turned to the teleporter and smiled lightly.
"Thank you. Tell my Da that I am fine and that I will call him and to not worry so much," she said, running a delicate hand through her long brunette locks.
"I will, stay safe, Miss Serafina."
"I will," Serafina whispered to herself as he disappeared. She reached up and traced over the ornate lettering on the sign, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, able to smell her brother's scent through the air. She sensed he was happy, and that made her happy. With a slight shrug, she reached over to press the buzzer.
Brigid
Brigid O'Callaghan had been engrossed in her work, organising the material for her class, when the buzzer went off and made her jump in the process.
She checked the screen that showed what the camera outside was seeing, and raised her eyebrows at seeing the young lady who was standing there.
"Hello," Brigid said. "How can I help you?"
Serafina
"I'm Serafina Angel, I'm looking for my brother, Saku Hanson?" Serafina replied.
She bent slightly to rest her bag on the ground.
Brigid
Oh! One of the cats was she?
"Well, your timing is pretty good. It's almost lunch time so you can come up here and we can get him out of class a few minutes early," Brigid said.
She pressed the button for the gates to open.
"Just come up to the main office - the first building on the path, can't miss it."
Serafina
"Ok, thank you."
Serafina picked her bag up again and walked through the gates. She flinched slightly at the glare of the sun, she was a tiny bit sensitive and tended to get burnt easily.
"First building on the path," she murmured to herself. "Aha."
She reached it and went up to the door, pausing only to open it. Once inside, she looked around.
Brigid
"Ahh, good you're here," Brigid greeted. "I'm Brigid O'Callaghan."
Brigid got out from around the desk and gestured towards another door.
"This way please."
Serafina
Serafina's nose twitched slightly as she found the scent of her brother. She barely paid attention to the halls and rooms around her, instead focusing on trying not to cry from sheer happiness.
Saku, Saku, Saku! Family!
She waited patiently for Saku to be called out of class.
Saku
Brigid knocked on the door and gestured to the teacher who walked over. Saku paused in his wondering at what they were talking about when he sniffed a familar scent. Serafina?
His teacher walked back over.
"Saku? There's someone here who wants to see you. You're excused from the rest of class."
"I am?" Saku said. "Thanks."
He quickly grabbed his books and zipped to the door, trying to be quick both to avoid disturbing the class any more than neccesary, but mostly because he really wanted to see his sister.
"Sera!" He practically shouted, spotting her the moment he walked out the door.
He dropped his carefully gathered things on the floor and wrapped his arms aorund her in a huge hug.
Serafina
Serafina had thrown her bag down on the floor in excitement and hugged him back, almost purring.
"Saaaaakuuuuu!"
Saku
Brigid smiled to herself and left the two to go back to her work.
"Missed you!" Saku said. "How have you been? When did you get here? How long are you going to be here for?"
Serafina
"Missed you!" Serafina exclaimed. "Just got here, and I'll be as long as whenever, I have no plans! Just wanted to see my brother!"
Saku
"Awesome," Saku replied.
He gave her another squeeze before picking up his things.
"Man it's so great to see you again," he said happily. "It's been way, way too long."
Serafina
Serafina picked up her bag and slung it over her shoulder.
"I know, and I haven't even heard from any of the others in at least 6 months."
Saku
"Same," Saku replied sadly. "I've missed all of you."
He slung his bag over his shoulder.
"So, can I show you around?"
Serafina
"It sucks that we never made more of an effort when we knew where everyone was," Serafina said.
She nodded slightly.
"Yes, yes you can."
Saku
"Yeah," Saku agreed. "I guess we never thought we'd be separated so badly. Not even Uncle Sabre or Auntie Priss are around any more."
He chewed his bottom lip for a moment and gestured around.
"As you can see, these are the classrooms," he said, grinning at Serafina.
Serafina
"Fascinating," Serafina said dryly.
She followed Saku.
"So the cousins are here, are they?"
Saku
"Yeah," Saku nodded as he walked down the hallway. "Well, Orion, Percy and Draco are here. Cassie's at the slayer school. Turns out she's a slayer. Go figure."
Serafina
"Fascinating," Serafina said again.
She wasn't quite ready to see her cousins yet, she needed more time with Saku, needed more time to reconnect with her family so she stopped feeling so out of place in her own body.
"So what's the place like?"
Saku
"It's been pretty good so far," Saku replied. "Pretty relaxed. Magic course so far is pretty basic, but I've already learnt some new techniques that make things easier. Which is good because the magic classes were the whole reason for me coming here."
He grinned.
Serafina
Serafina nodded.
"I haven't really advanced far in magic, but Da says that's because I am half Vampire. I can do basics, but honestly? I've just been honing my fighting skills."
Saku
Saku nodded.
"Meanwhile, I started off with fire magic, and somehow ended up with protection magic as well, about a year or so ago. It used to be the 'protector of women and children' thing didn't really affect me all that much, that being Grandma's thing and all. But now that I have protection magic it's become more engrained."
Serafina
Serafina made an affirmative noise.
"I've found that since I've aged a little more, things are becoming easier, or clearer, if that makes sense. Every weapon I pick up now, is just easier to learn, easier to wield."
She shrugged.
"I don't know if that's part of our genetic make up, or if I've just gotten better. Personally, I think it's a little of both."
Saku
"Probably," Saku agreed. "That's our gym and dojo over there. We're not as heavy on the fighting skills as they are at the slayer and paladin schools. They're more interested in magic and other supernatural stuff here, so yeah. Of course, that's the reason why I decided to come here, heh."
He grinned at his sister.
Serafina
"I'm glad you didn't decide to visit the Slayer school, they'd probably try to kill me."
Serafina shrugged slightly.
"So, what else is there?"
Saku
Saku chuckled a little before gesturing to a set of double doors.
"That's the cafeteria in there," he said. "The food is surprisingly good. Never would have guessed from all those comments they make about cafeteria food in movies."
Serafina
"Well, I would hope so, what with this school being strong in magicks and everything, that if they couldn't afford to hire a good chef, they could just... magic some food around."
Serafina shrugged.
"Or something."
Saku
Saku laughed.
"Makes sense," he grinned.
He paused as the bell rang.
"Ahh..." he said, walking quickly to another set of double doors that lead outside. "I think now is a good time to show you the garden."
Serafina
"Cool."
Serafina dutifully followed her brother.
"Everything smells so strong here," she said.
Saku
"Yeah," Saku nodded. "But... lotsa insects to chase too. Just be careful of the fountain. Nearly fell in there once. Not fun."
He threw his arm over Sera's shoulders.
"So, what have you been up to lately?"
Serafina
Serafina snuggled into her brother's side.
"This and that... study, travel, parties, averting apocalypses. The usual stuff we cats do. What about you?"
Saku
Saku grinned.
"Study, too. Taunting the dogs next door - always a fun pasttime. practical jokes, dating... all good stuff."
Serafina
"Dating," Serafina said, almost wistfully. "I almost remember that."
She gave an exaggerated pout.
"Da is waaay too overprotective since I... went through puberty."
Saku
"Overprotective? Of you?" Saku asked, surprised. "He is aware you're a godling right?"
He leaned forward and grinned.
"Actually, Dad tends to give me the riot act about not getting anyone pregnant like he does. Heh."
Serafina
Serafina nodded. "And I'm half vampire... but I'm still his baby girl."
She shrugged. "It does sort of limit my choices to non-humans, so I can be, you know, as weird as I like. But... I don't know, I like humans. They're fun to play with."
Saku
"They are, aren't they?" Saku mused. "Seeing anyone at the moment?"
His own thoughts drifted briefly to a certain red-eyed girl back in Tulsa.
Serafina
Serafina shook her head.
"I was, but... things got messy, so I kinda left that situation."
She looked at him.
"You?"
Saku
"Fair enough," Saku replied.
He smiled wistfully.
"Sort of," he admitted. "There's a hot chick back in Tulsa. Trina's her name. She's a pyrokinetic mutant. And I just realised I made a pun. Hot. Pyro. Heh. We went out on more than one date, which is a real acomplishment for me. They usually loose my interest after the first one, but not Trina. She is so..."
Saku trailled off and grinned at Sera.
"But you probably don't want to listen to my verbal drool," he joked. "We're still talking but yeah... little awkward to actually go out anywhere when we're in different states, so yeah."
Serafina
Serafina nodded.
"Yeah... I mean, I was always tempted to like... eat my boyfriends. And not in the fun yummy way. In the, I will kill you if I drink too much blood, type of way. Maybe I need to date a vampire?"
Saku
Saku laughed.
"Maybe," he grinned. "Of course, then you have the problem of not letting him influence you into going hunting."
Serafina
"If I turn myself a playmate, then it won't be an issue... but I don't want to pick a partner for like... eternity. Sure we could break up, but he'll still be my Childer."
Serafina frowned.
"It would be easier if I was just Godling without a mix. Or just human."
Saku
Saku nodded thoughtfully.
"Yeah," he said. "Does kind of limit the field a bit. I suppose, we're both going to be long-lived, if not immortal, so probably going through partners is going to be..."
He shrugged.
Serafina
"Unless we find an immortal partner."
Serafina made a face.
"But I think I'd get bored with them. I don't do so well long-term."
Saku
"I think I'd like to find someone long term," Saku replied. "But yeah... as you said, unless we find an immortal partner... I think I've resigned myself, actually."
Serafina
She wondered if he ever thought about the fact that Zac wouldn't be around for eternity either... it was a depressing thought.
"I think the best bet is finding a mutant like Logan, or a vampire. Or someone else immortal."
Saku
"Probably right there," Saku nodded.
He sighed.
"But enough about the limited dating pool," he went on, cheerfully changing the subject. "How long you planning on staying for? A week? A month? A year? Indefinite?"
Serafina
"Until the sky starts falling, I guess," Serafina replied.
She gave a shrug.
"Haven't got a definite plan at the moment."
Saku
"Fair enough," Saku replied.
He gave her another hug.
"It's going to be so great having you around. Hey, it already is so good. Awesome even."
Serafina
Serafina nodded.
"It's been sucky because we've all been apart for so long."
Saku
"Yes, yes it has," Saku agreed. "So, you got yourself a place to stay yet? Or have you only just arrived and have no idea? I could probably get you a room here if you want, but'll probably be in the girls dorms. They've very stict about those things."
He waggled his eyebrows.
Serafina
"Wolfram and Hart has arranged a hotel room for me," Serafina said. "Da kinda sent along some guards as well. He's a bit jumpy as of late."
Serafina shrugged.
"Think he's just paranoid."
Saku
Saku chuckled.
"Where are your guards now?" he asked, totally amused.
Serafina
"Hotel. I have to call them when I'm ready to leave and then wait until they come and get me before I can leave."
Serafina rolled her eyes good naturedly.
"I suppose though, in the past, he's had reasons to fret."
Saku
"Like that kidnapping scare we had a couple of years back?" Saku asked.
Zac hadn't told him about that until later, and Saku was glad that he had never come victim to it.
Serafina
"That, and when Da had his son taken..."
Serafina made a thoughtful face.
"I don't remember him before, but I met him again and he's really nice... it's complicated."
Saku
Saku nodded slowly.
"Interesting," he said.
Serafina
"We lead complex lives for cats."
Serafina giggled.
Saku
"This is true," Saku agreed. "We should be sleeping and chasing invisble things and eating. And demanding things off our staff. Cats need staff."
Serafina
"Well, I sorta do have staff."
Serafina grinned.
"At the law firm!"
Saku
Saku stroked an imaginary beard.
"This is true."
Serafina
"Tis much fun."
Serafina thought for a moment.
"So, we have cousins here, yeah?"
Saku
"Yeah. They're probably in the cafeteria at the moment," Saku replied. "Wanna catch up?"
He half turned in the direction of the doors.
Serafina
"Mmm, yeah, I could eat. And this sun is a little bit hot."
Serafina shielded her eyes slightly.
Saku
"Yes, yes it is," Saku agreed, heading back inside.
He thought for a moment then asked:
"You don't have an adverse reaction to sunlight, do you? I mean, obviously it doesn't kill you like it does to vampire vampires..."
Serafina
"Not really bad, I just burn easily."
Serafina made a face.
"Which is annoying, but it's just like being fair skinned, really."
Saku
"Fair enough," Saku replied.
They stepped into the cafeteria and Saku scanned the busy room for their cousins.