My hands tremble as I zoom across the overcast sky. I just sent Wind to inform Mother Nature of my plan to meet with Conroy today. An excited jolt shoots through my stomach and I flex my hands as I scan the ground below me. While a decently populated town for most of the year, Bemidji really isn't all that big compared to some of the other human cities that I have visited. Which makes spotting the college campus that Conroy works at rather easy. What won't be easy is remembering which window he said was his. My hand slides into my sweatshirt pocket and I pull out the small business card.
I'm pretty sure he mentioned something about a building called 'Hagg-Sauer' and his office being on the second floor facing the lake.
Wrinkling my nose, I hover over a small cluster of brown buildings near an American football field, right off of Lake Bemidji. One of these has to be Hagg-Sauer, right? I'm pretty sure that I've seen some of the college kids heading into these buildings mention that name before.
Lowering myself, I start scanning the building closest to the football field and lake, directly across the road from one of the dorms. A wide grin spreads across my lips as I spot the words 'Hagg-Sauer' in black metal lettering just above one of the entrances.
Well, that was easy. Now to find Conroy's office.
Humming to myself, I lazily drift up to the second floor and start peeking into the windows. It feels a little weird doing this, kind of like I am invading someone's personal space. But how else am I supposed to find Conroy? I can't necessarily go inside. I mean, I could but I might get lost. I pause right outside the second window I come across as the door opens and a smile tugs on my lips as the very man I was looking for enters the room.
Conroy has a small messenger bag hanging from his shoulder and he is wearing a nice ice blue button-up shirt and dark blue jeans. His blond hair is slicked back from his eyes and he has a thermos in his left hand. Conroy uses his foot to close the door and hangs his bag on the coat tree next to the door. Sipping his coffee, Conroy flicks the lights on and sits down at his paper-covered desk.
Just throw a snowball or something at it and I'll know that it's you.
Well, he did say he would know that it's me if I throw a snowball. Holding my hand out, a small snowball forms in my palm. I float back a ways, judging the weight of the perfect snowball. Winding up, I throw it with as much force as I can.
SPLAT!
I grin as the snowball hits square on the glass. I form another snowball, just in case. However, my wait isn't long when the window is thrown open and Conroy peeks his head out, brown eyes wide as he glances around.
"Darlin'?"
Huffing a laugh, I zoom up to him and place the snowball on the windowsill next to his left hand. Conroy jumps as he looks down, his mouth falling open as I'm sure the snowball just materializes out of thin air for him. I press a hand to my mouth to stifle a giggle when Conroy launches himself for his desk, ripping open one of the drawers. Grumbles pour out of the open window a few seconds before a loud exclaim erupts from the room and Conroy returns to the window, sunglasses in place.
A broad grin spreads across his face.
"Darlin'!"
Smiling, I put my hand out to the side and wave, a sudden feeling of shyness hitting me.
"And you're flyin'! How? Have you always been able to fly?"
I sign 'yes', amused by his baffled expression. Conroy releases a breathy chuckle.
"Of course you can fly. You can walk on top of snow, why shouldn't you be able to fly?" Conroy leans away from the window, his smile never leaving his face. "Would you like to come inside?"
My shoulders relax as I sign 'yes' again. I float into the room when Conroy gives me space. The office itself isn't overly large, just big enough for three grown adults to stand inside of. The walls are painted white and a few landscape pictures are hanging near some bookshelves covered in textbooks and reading material. A coat rack sits next to the door and a heavy green jacket rests next to his messenger bag. Three degrees rest on the wall behind Conroy's desk.
I glance over at Conroy when he inhales sharply as I land.
I sign out 'what'.
Conroy chuckles, running a hand through his hair as he rests his hip against his desk.
"It's…It's nothin', Darlin', just a little…shocked. I knew I was taller than you but I didn't expect our height difference to be so…extreme."
A pout forms on my lips and I cross my arms. Yes, I know I'm short, there's no need to be so surprised by it.
Conroy chuckles.
"I see that I've hit a sore spot. I apologize, Darlin'. Would you like to take a seat?" Conroy asks as he gestures toward two empty cushioned chairs in front of his desk.
Nodding, I choose the seat closest to me.
"Did you like the treats I left you?" Conroy asks as he sits as well, resting his chin in his palm.
My grin swiftly returns to my face and I reach into my pouch pocket. I pull out two of the small pastries that I tried yesterday and hold him up for the human to see. Leaning, forward I place the one in my right hand on his desk. I then open mine and take a bite out of it.
Conroy laughs as he grabs the small treat from his desk.
"I'm glad! I wasn't sure if you would like them or not, but I thought you might enjoy them." Conroy hums as he takes a bite. "These were actually my favorite while growing up, so it's kinda nice that I could share them with someone else. My sister always told me they were too sweet for her."
My head tilts to the side at the mention of a sister as I pop the rest of the treat into my mouth. Could that have been who he was talking to when we first met? His sister? My eyes narrow. Was she a part of the fox incident as well?
But how can I ask about that if he can't hear me? I glance down at my hands, frowning.
"Somethin' bothering you, Darlin'?"
Pursing my lips, I nod slightly, not really sure if he can see it. Conroy's smile slips from his face and he sits up straighter in his seat.
"Was it something I did?"
I make a so-so gesture before a thought strikes me. Waving my hand, small specks of snow float from my hands. Conroy's mouth falls open as he watches the snow as it hovers in the air, his eyebrows shooting toward his hairline. I can't believe I didn't think about doing this the last time we spoke. Twisting my hand, the snow itself starts morphing and twisting until it spells out:
I have a question for you.
Conroy's hands land on the desk, causing his drink and some of the papers to scatter. I fear for a moment that the man might launch himself over the piece of furniture in his excitement.
"Yes! Please, ask away!"
Warmth spikes in my stomach at the awe in his voice. Okay. Here goes nothing.
I twist my hand again.
Were you the one who put that Arctic fox out in the woods?
I know that he already confirmed this from hearing his conversation on the phone, but I want to hear it directly from him.
Conroy tenses as he finishes reading the question, his mouth opening then closing. A heavy sigh escapes the professor before he leans back and runs his hand through his hair.
"So it WAS you who we picked up on her signal." Conroy grimaces. "Darlin', I won't lie to you, especially since you were quite honest with me when I was the one askin' questions. Yeah, me and my sister, Sofia, were the ones who put that little fox out in the woods. She was already dead when we found her before that," Conroy quickly adds as I tense. "She died of starvation and we found her while searching around the Arctic Circle. We had been having spiked readings of energy up there and it was the first time we could afford to go. And, well I can only guess who we might have been catchin'." Conroy huffs a chuckle before frowning. "It was Sofia's idea to use the little fox as a way to capture footage, even though I was rather leery about it. She mentioned how a small thing like the fox would have a higher chance of getting near one of the beings we've been researching then one of us." A bitter smile forms on his lips. "I hate when she's right. She's never gonna let me live this down."
I swallow as my stomach twists. Okay. He's just being honest. You asked him a question, Jack Frost, now you have to live with the answers. I flick my wrist as another question arrives in my mind.
She had cameras for eyes and was streaming footage. Where was she streaming to?
Conroy's eyebrows shoot toward his hairline.
"You…?" Conroy shakes his head. "Yes, she had state-of-the-art technology inside of her, stuff that my sister created. We knew that you, or whoever found her, would know if she didn't at least act normal in some aspects, so Sofia wired her through her spinal cord up to her brain so that she could move her head and ears. As for where she was streaming, well, she was streaming to a private server that Sof and I use for our research on, well, you and whoever else is like you." Conroy grabs his coffee and sips it. "Funnily enough, right after we picked up what I'm guessing was your signature, all of our footage got corrupt. The last thing we saw through her eyes was the bushes being parted and then everything turns to static."
I slump back in my chair, heat prickling behind my eyes. Oh, thank the snowstorms, I don't have to move. Scrubbing at my eyes, I look back at Conroy. His eyebrows are knitted together.
"We really freaked you out with that, didn't we?"
Biting my lip, I rotate my wrist.
A little bit, yeah.
Conroy sighs.
"I'm so sorry, Darlin'. That wasn't our intent. We merely wanted to catch footage of something that people were tellin' us wasn't real. But with the rise of other articles coming out about unseen beings roaming around, we knew we needed to step up our game so that our life-long work wouldn't be stolen from us." Conroy runs a hand down his face. "We didn't even bother to think how that might affect the being who might have found her. And for that, I'm sorry, Darlin'. You didn't deserve that."
My eyes widen.
Oh. Well, I most certainly wasn't expecting an apology. An explanation? Yeah. But an apology?
I rearrange the snow again.
I won't lie and say it didn't scare me but I appreciate the apology.
I frown and the snow rearranges again.
You mentioned articles about us. What articles do you mean?
Tension bleeds from Conroy's shoulders and he relaxes in his seat again, nibbling on the pastry.
"Most of them are the usual spoof articles, mainly under blogs and videos about myths and legends. However, there has been quite a few that are takin' this just as seriously as me and my sister and our little group of researchers." The professor's fingers drum on the desk. "But there is something that these articles have brought up that I have only heard in the rumor mill."
My heart nearly stops and cold tendrils of fear work their way from my gut up into my chest.
Oh please, oh please, don't be talking about what I think you're talking about.
"About how beings such as yourself can control major weather events here on Earth."
I jolt out of my thoughts and stare at Conroy.
Wait. What? THAT'S what he's talking about? How we can affect major weather patterns? Nothing about the Aster? Or us being able to speak to other Protectors across the galaxy?
I huff.
Why am I questioning this? Isn't this what we want? For humans NOT to know about the Aster?
The snow rearranges as Conroy waits for me to comment.
Actually, I can have an effect on the weather. It does have a mind of their own, but when I want, I make it snow even if it was a 70-degree day and there wasn't a cloud in sight.
Conroy grins. "Seriously?"
I nod.
"That's amazin'! Darlin', you never cease to amaze me."
I chuckle.
"I'm really not all that amazing." I say out loud with a chuckle.
I jump when Conroy launches himself from his seat.
"Did you just say somethin'?"
I clutch at my chest, my heart hammering at the sudden movement when Conroy is kneeling before me. He isn't touching me, but if he so much as lifts his hand, his fingers will brush against my knees.
"Please, Darlin'," Conroy says softly, voice pleading. "Did you just speak aloud?"
Nose twitching, I contemplate for a second. If I speak aloud again, this will be the first time a human has heard me speak since the late 1600s here in the states. But, if I don't, then wouldn't this moot the point of me and Conroy being honest? Heart pounding, I rub my clammy hands on my thighs and make my decision.
"Yes."
Conroy inhales sharply, his hands twitch as if to reach out for me but instead, the man abruptly stands, hands clasping together in front of him.
"This…Oh, Darlin', I can't tell you who much that small 'yes' just meant to me." Conroy's smile is beaming and I know that his eyes are shining behind those sunglasses. "For years I've dreamed of meetin' someone much like you and one of my fears was that I wouldn't be able to speak with them. We would still be able to communicate and I can't express how much the way we have been communicating has been great. Because it has been and I've been hopin' that I would get to meet with you again."
Frost spreads across my cheeks and I fidget in my seat, tilting my head down as I smile bashfully at my lap. I most certainly wasn't expecting such a strong reaction.
"Darlin'."
My head snaps up and I glance at Conroy. He is no longer pacing but is leaning against his desk directly in front of me.
"If you aren't fully comfortable speakin' aloud with me, I honestly don't mind you using your snow to communicate with me," Conroy states, reaching a finger out and brushing it against some of the words suspended in the air. "But I don't think I will ever forget that small 'yes' you just shared with me."
The snow rearranges before I can open my mouth and I just allow it to spell out what I'm feeling, a little overwhelmed.
It's been a long while since a human has heard me. I'm sorry.
Conroy kneels in front of me again, his hands resting on his thighs.
"Darlin', don't you apologize. You're overwhelmed, anyone can see that. If you don't mind me askin', though, when WAS the last time a human heard you speak?"
I clasp my hands together, squeezing my fingers painfully as I actually think about it.
"What year is it?" I ask aloud causing Conroy to stiffen again. The human recovers much faster than before and he hums.
"Well, let's see…It's November 5th, 2013."
I wince and wave my hand. Conroy follows the movement back up to the floating snow.
The last time another human heard me was back in the 1600s.
"Oh," Conroy says softly as if someone has punched the air from his lungs. "Darlin' that's…I'm rather sorry. This must be so overwhelming for you."
Shrugging, I squeeze my fingers again as Conroy stands and clears his throat.
"Well, I don't have another class for two hours, so if you would like to stay, I would appreciate the company, but I know that I've overwhelmed you quite a bit and this must have been quite the big step for you."
Biting my lip, I watch as Conroy returns to his side of the desk. I rearrange the snow again.
I would like to stay a little bit longer and just talk if that's all right?
Conroy beams at me.
"Darlin', you can stay for as long as you like. Can I at least get you anything? Since I now know for sure that you can eat human food."
A laugh bursts from me. He bought me treats and thought about the fact that I might not be able to eat them? A fond grin morphs onto Conroy's face, so I'm guessing he heard me laugh and I wave at the snow again.
A hot chocolate would be rather nice.
That has Conroy laughing.
"Hot chocolate, you say? Then a hot chocolate you'll get. I'll be right back, Darlin', I know exactly where to grab one for ya."
I lean back in my chair as Conroy strides purposely out of his office, gently shutting the door behind him. This is going surprisingly smooth. My eyes flicker toward the still open window and my lips twitch.
And here Ake was worried that Conroy was going to use this as a trap. But not only did he not KNOW I was coming, but he also left me alone in his office where he left the window open for me to leave at any time. And he has been receptive so far to my questions! I did worry that I might have to leave after that fox one, and while I'm not happy that they used her poor corpse in such a way, knowing that she was at least dead and THEY weren't responsible for her death has me relaxing a little bit.
At least Cato doesn't have to waste time trying to figure out who did that to her. I can just tell them the next time I see them.
I bite my lip.
Or maybe I shouldn't. Will Cato be okay with me meeting with Conroy? Mother Nature certainly surprised me, but that doesn't mean Cato or Father Time will be as receptive. I shake my head as I tilt my head back and stare up at the ceiling.
I'll ask Mother Nature or the other seasons what they think about me telling the others. But, honestly, if this is how our meetings are going to go and now knowing that Conroy can hear me, I do want to meet up with him again. But for now? I'm just going to enjoy the fact that I'm gaining answers for the others and the fact that maybe, just maybe, I've gained a new friend.
My lips quirk into a full smile and I close my eyes.