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From Darkest Bedroom To Slightly Brighter Living Room

Hale regarded his new roommate with polite curiosity, looking into his bright orange eyes and giving a small smile. The reptile did not return the smile, but the fox was not unnerved. They two stood there for what seemed like a long time, but was in truth only a fraction of a moment, before the fox held out his paw in greeting.

The iguana looked at the paw, his tail twitching in surprise at the gesture. He looked up at the fox with a bemused expression, as if daring him to keep the offered paw out. The fox's ears twitched in surprise, and then he said, awkwardly, "Errm...My name is Hale, like I said. I'm your new roommate. It's good to finally meet you." The reptile said nothing, and only looked deeply into the fox's eyes. For a moment, it seemed as though there was the beginning of conflict between the two, a fire burning within the iguana's eyes.

With an air of nonchalance, the iguana walked past his roommate, taking a seat at the couch beside the wolfess. He said nothing, only leaned back against the sofa, with a small smirk on his face. He gazed again at his new roommate, his glance seemingly daring him to say something.

The fox looked at his roommate in surprise, his ears twitching at his rudeness and strange behavior. Despite his feelings of unrest, he shrugged his shoulders and returned to the sofa, sitting on the other side of the female wolf. Silence followed for a moment, and then the large dragon cleared his throat.

"Ahem, well, this is pleasant, no?" he asked, with a wicked grin on his face. His tail swung lazily behind him, and he yawned and stretched, his large wings spreading out to their full span for a moment.

"Saszik, stop being a fool," the fennec said, fidgeting as his large wings brushed against her side. She batted the massive appendage away, her ears going flat in agitation.

"Khor, I'm hurt. I'm only trying to lighten the mood a bit," the dragon said, with that foolish smile of his.

The fennec ignored him, and instead turned towards the iguana. "So, Hale wasn't able to learn your name from the building management," she said leadingly.

The iguana shrugged, then nodded. "My name is Nghia," he said finally, in a quiet, rather morose tone.

Hale smiled at that. "Good to finally learn your name, Nghia. The management wouldn't even tell you what species you were."

"Would it matter what species I am?" the iguana asked, rather defensively.

"No, no, it wouldn't. It's just the sort of thing you'd expect them to be able to tell you," Hale said, his tone level and unaggressive.

"Well, if this building wasn't run by idiots, then you might have had a chance of learning something useful. But as it is, they are idiots, and it's very unlikely that they will even learn your name and species. It has been this way for quite some time, and their negligence has been so abhorrent that they did not even notice when a pair of students murdered one another in this very room, just a few years ago. The bloodstains can still be seen in your room, I believe," the iguana said, in a calm, even tone.

Silence pervaded the room like a shivering miasma following the iguana's story. Everyone looked around awkwardly, shivers running down their spines as they imagined the murders happening before their very eyes. Everyone looked at one another, and then at the iguana in caution, stealing only small, brief glances at him. They continued in this way for quite some time, before the wolfess finally restored peace and tranquility to the room.

"How about I go open up the tea box? I'm sure a nice cup of tea for everyone would be a good way to get to know each other," she said with a pleasant smile, her ears perked up and her tail wagging.

Hale leaned in and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

The Miraculous Effects of Tea on the Phenomena of Awkward Silences

There was a collective, although silent sigh of relief as the wolfess went to fetch tea, breaking the dismal air of apprehension that had descended over the room. All at once it seemed, the furs and scales began to move, as though life were breathed into them by a breezy, soft wind. Hale turned towards his new roommate, and his friends did likewise.

"Ahem," came the sound of the fox clearing his throat. "Well, Nghia, you haven't had the pleasure of meeting my friends. This is Khor," said he, pointing to the fennec vixen, her face obscured by the black cast.

The iguana looked over at the fennec, his tail twitching in surprise as he saw her black facial obstruction. His mouth opened as though he were going to say something, but then he thought better of it, shaking his head. "I am pleased to meet you," he said quietly, in that characteristic level voice.

Hale continued. "And here is Saszik." The large dragon spread out his wings, stepping forward to shake the iguana's hands. He made sure to let his wings brush against Khor's face, much to her agitation.

"Great to finally meet you, mystery roommate," Saszik said with a wide grin.

The iguana shook hands with the mighty dragon, his eyes narrowing as he took in this new scale. "And the same to you, stranger," he said, though not unkindly.

The feeling of tension was rather lessened now that everyone had been introduced-

"And my name is Amy! I'm Hale's woofy?," she said with a beaming smile, opening up the box that had been so conveniently labeled tea, with a large strip of packing tape.

"His...Woofy?" Nghia asked, rather incredulously. He looked over at the fox, his eyes wide in curiosity.

Hale chuckled lightly and shook his head. "Amy is my mate. She also happens to be a wolf, meaning she is my woofy."

Nghia was speechless for a moment, his scaly brows furrowed in confusion. "Why do you mammals always-no, never mind, I don't care."

Saszik chuckled lightly, which earned him a disparaging glare from Khor. The dragon gave her his most innocent look, cocking his head and cupping his hands together. This earned him another, more acidic glare from the fennec. "You're the worst..." she said softly, though with a small hint of playfulness to soften her sourness.

"Okay, what flavor of tea would everyone like? Hale, Earl Grey?" asked Amy as she set up the tea kettle.

"Yes, love," the fox replied lovingly.

"Amy, chamomile for me," Khor called.

"Orange Sekoe, woofy," Saszik requested.

Amy nodded, preparing the drinks over at the room's kitchen counter. "Nghia, what would you like? We have all kinds of tea," she called out.

Nghia was silent for a moment. Inexorably it seemed, the eyes of everyone in the room were drawn to him as he finally made his answer. "Sanguine Dominion," he said, nonchalantly.

No one said a word. Khor looked straight at Nghia, her eyes seeming to probe his very psyche, searching for an explanation. Hale could only look down at his paws as he absently twiddled his thumbs. Amy was flipping through all the different teabags in her box, not at all put off by the iguana's request.

As for Saszik he had a broad smile on, chuckling deeply to himself. "You know, it's these uncomfortable awkward silences that will eventually bring us together as an unlikely but lovable group of close friends."

Khor did her best to cause him anguish with her stare.

The Irony of That Statement...

Amy had the tea ready soon enough. Although it was to her dismay that she had been unable to locate a bag of 'Sanguine Dominion' in her ample supply of teas, Nghia had directed her to a small cabinet in the dorm room's kitchen. There, she found what was needed, along with other assorted, nefariously named tea flavors.

The wolfess brought the tea to the living room on a small tray that had been packed in the box. Everyone was served with pleasantly designed tea cups that would have seemed more at home in a children's storybook then here in this dorm.

"Thank you, Amy," came the nearly unanimous chorus from the assembled furs and scales. However, Nghia was not so quick to chime in his gratitude. He instead sipped thoughtfully at the drink, his eyes going wide at the first taste, his tail swaying lightly at the next. He closed his eyes and drank deeply, a low rumble emanating from his chest as he drank half of the cup in one go.

"Nghia, that's...Still fresh from the kettle..." Hale pointed out meekly, his confusion evident in his features.

The iguana made no reply, setting down the cup on the low table in front of him. "I wasn't aware of that. Thank you so very much for bringing it to my attention," he said in a mocking tone.

Saszik laughed heartily, slurping loudly at his tea. "I hope that really is tea your drinking, Nghia, and not something else," he chuckled.

"What else would it be, Saszik?" Khor asked scathingly.

Saszik made no verbal reply. Instead, what passed for brows in his scaly face raised up, his eyes went wide, and he looked down at his tea as he throatily chuckled.

"You're the worst," Khor barked softly, returning to her own tea.

"I assure you, this is tea, dragon. It just isn't the same type of tea that you're drinking," Nghia said.

"Where did you find a tea like that, Nghia?" came Amy's curious question. I've been drinking tea for years, trying out any sort of flavor I could find, but I never heard of anything called 'Sanguine Dominion."

"Oh, hon, it's probably best if we don't-" Hale began.

"Well, if you truly want to know where I found this tea, we'll have to go back to the beginning. The very beginning..." Nghia said in a deeply mysterious and mystical tone, his eyes glimmering darkly, with a fiery tone.

"Well, this ought to be good," Khor mused.

"Is the room getting darker?" Hale asked aloud.

"This day just gets better and better!" Saszik exclaimed, clapping merily.

"It is getting darker...Story time!" Amy yipped playfully.

"It all began, nine-hundred years ago..."

The Battle of Mera-Tao

---

"The war had reached the Imperial Province."

The shadowy warrior streaked across the ash-strewn, body-carpeted battlefield, his feet barely gracing the earth. Those soldiers that were near his passing specter could only blink and gaze on in awe as his blood speckled form tore across the scene like a reaver out of hell. In just seconds, he had reached his next target, a mighty warlord clad in great steel armor, every conceivable point of weakness covered by the thick, red plates. In one piercing strike, the warrior crushed the man's chest plate, driving the blade deep through his chest, until it punctured through the other side. The warrior followed up with a powerful kick that sent the warlord flying back, the blade sliding free from his bloody chest.

_ There had been guards and attendants on hand when the warlord was killed, and all they cried out in horror as their leader was slain. Some took flight, and others drew weapons, brandishing them brazenly and charging towards the mysterious killer. In just two cuts, every one of them was slain, falling onto the battlefield, their crimson, vital essence flowing out onto the earth like streams joining a greater river._

_ Soon, the shadowy assassin was off again, blazing a trail of carnage and blood across the battlefield, his eyes aglow with a vicious determination, his next target in his sights, his blade hungry for-_

"Hold on, what does all this killing have to do with a cup of tea?" Hale asked incredulously.

"Yeah, this seems a little over the top for a tea brand...And why would a heartless assassin be drinking tea?" Khor asked bemusedly.

"This assassin isn't heartless, you're thinking of the Benaran Warrior at the Battle of Twin Falls," Nghia said in an unconcerned tone, waving away the more important questions.

"Well, I think it's a really good story." Amy said with a bright smile. All the action, and the fighting, and the killing, and the...The sword fighting...And..."

The return of the awkward silence was now less inexplicable and phantasmal as it had been the first few times, the group having grown accustomed to its recurrence. The fox, fennec, dragon, and even iguana all looked over at her, their features disbelieving, and their eyes softly laughing at her words. Hale moved out to kiss her nose gently, gripping her hand tight.

"It's okay, hon. I know you don't actually like all this killing," he said comfortingly.

"I know, it's just..." she whimpered softly.

Hale was thoughtful for a moment. "You just want him to continue the story, right?" Hale asked, in a tone that displayed his slight apprehension about listening to any more of this bloody tale.

Amy nodded, a blush coming over her face. "I just wanted him to know that not everyone had bad things to say about the story," she mewed.

"Oh, I don't have anything bad to say about it. Although I would like to get a better understanding of how the warrior was able to stab through the warrior's plate metal with such force, and what technique he used to-" Saszik began to ramble.

"Don't," came Khor's dismissal.

The dragon "Harumph"ed, looking over at the vixen with a hurt expression. Amy cuddled closer to Hale, and Nghia looked around incredulously at these new people. "Again, why do- No, I still don't care. Anyway, on with the story...

"He had his target in his sights, and his blade was thirsty for the blood of another mortal man..."

** The Meaning of the Name**

"His next mark was in his sights."

The warrior left a wake of death and destruction as he passed, his blade singing a song of sweet massacre. All who looked on were stunned by the savage beauty of his strikes, the blood flowing from his sword paint from an artist's brush. He rapidly closed the gap between him and his target, clearing the battlefield in easy, long strides.

_ There stood the warlord, high upon a hill, looking down at the warrior, his blade drawn. The assassin charged forward, his blade slick with blood, but as he neared his adversary, the warlord raised one hand up, in a halting gesture._

_ Wary, the assassin slowed, keeping his distance, his blade still held brazenly in his paw. He paced around his adversary, his eyes searching for a weakness, an opening that he could exploit. The warlord stepped further away, approaching a small flat rock at the crest of the hill. There, he sat down, sitting calmly and gazing out at the assassin. With one scaly hand, the warlord gestured for his adversary to come sit with him._

_ Intrigued, the warrior approached, his blade lowered a fraction, but still eager for blood. As he approached, he saw that the warlord had his own attendants and guards, as the others had, but they were all unarmed. One servant had a small stone tray in his hands, and upon it were small cups._

_ The warlord smiled, for he wore no helm upon his head. He raised his hands up, to show that he was unarmed. "I hope that your desire to end my life will not overcome you, great warrior. I mean you no harm, and I am seated here to make an offering of peace between my hold and yours," he said in an even tone._

_ The warrior made no reply. He looked around again at the assembled servants, eyeing them for any weapon they might have concealed on their persons. Satisfied that he was in no immediate danger of being assassinated, he approached the table. He held his blade up over the warlord, before returning it to its sheath at his waist. He sat down cross legged, his eyes glaring across at his adversary._

_ "Ah, I see that you are a reasonable man," the warlord cheerfully commented. "Your reputation has spread far and wide, throughout the entire Imperial Province. Many have raised their blades against you, and all who have done so have fallen."_

_ The assassin said nothing, only held his paws together, narrowing his eyes scanning the reptile across the table for something, anything that would reveal his true purpose._

_ "I myself do not wish to fall, nor to lose my holdings to you or any foreign warrior. However, I am not a fool. I know that raising my blade against you would be my death. So, I have come to a decision."_

_ At the warlord's gesture, one of the servants approached the table. The assassin drew his blade and turned to the servant in a whirlwind motion, terrifying the young reptile enough to make him wobble._

_ "Please, do not kill my servant. He brings only a peace offering, tea from my homeland. I do hope that you will accept it," the warlord said lightly._

_ The foreigner glared at the servant for a moment longer, before placing his blade over his legs and turning back to the warlord. The servant placed down the tray, setting stone cups before both warriors. He took his tea pot and poured out a generous amount of deep, bloody red tea for them._

_ "This tea is a specialty of my hometown, Fa-Shi. I present it to you now, because without sharing a drink with me, I am afraid no peace can be had between us two."_

_ The assassin reached warily for the cup, his paw still holding his blade tightly. He looked into the drink, as if divining for some hidden measure that he was not aware of._

_ "You see, my people have held to tradition for hundreds of years. In this tradition, peaceful dealings between the warlord ruler and any foreigner must be affirmed with a sharing of the local tea. This represents the good will of the ruler, and the trust of the people."_

_ Putting the tea down, the foreigner feigned to relax as he settled more comfortable on the ground. His ears perked up in interest, looking with interest at the rival warlord._

_ "The trust of my people will be essential to even a renowned warrior such as yourself. For you see, although I may hold absolute dominion over this land, my son has some measurable degree of power. It is not in his nature to stand down to any foreign warrior, and a band of renegade warriors has sworn their fealty to him."_

_ Giving no physical signal of affirmation, the warrior continued to listen, his eyes scanning around him for any sign of an ambush._

_ "If you drink this tea with me, it will be apparent to all my hold that I have had dealings with you, and that you and your soldiers can be trusted. It will bring peace to my people, and you will have no need to slay me or my people."_

_ The assassin looked into the warlord's eyes, the energy between them causing a profound feeling of tension and apprehension._

_ "If you would drink with me, then your soldiers will be safe from my son and his hidden warriors. We will partake of this tea together, shall we?"_

_ The warlord reached for his cup, bringing it up to his lip. He blew on it, his eyes searching the foreign warrior for any sign of mistrust._

_ The assassin took his own cup, raising it to his lips, not deigning to cool the hot drink._

_ Both men brought the tea closer to their mouths. With a smile, the warlord opened his mouth, drinking deeply of the tea. The assassin paused for a moment, then did the same, taking small sips of the drink._

_ Nothing happened for a moment. The warlords put down their drinks, looking one another in the eye. The assassin felt no different after drinking the peace offering, and he began to relax, his fingers drumming along his blade._

_ A powerful burning coursed through the foreigner's chest as his breath seemed to stop. His eyes went wide, and his hands tightened around his blade. He brought it up, slobber dripping from his mouth as the poison, for he knew it to be poison now, surged through his body. He stabbed forward ferociously, plunging his sword into his enemy's neck, turning the blade to rend the flesh entirely. The reptile died slowly, his body bleeding out on the table._

_ With a horrible scream, the assassin fell over onto the ground, clawing at his own neck and chest, trying to tear the poison from his own body. Soon, his writhing ceased, and he was still._

_ The servant who had brought the tea to the table stepped forward lightly and confidently. He descended to the ground, checking the foreigner's pulse with his scaly hand. When he felt nothing, a broad smile crept over his face._

_ "And so it is done. The blood tea has claimed another life for the glory of Fa-Shi," he growled darkly._

_ "F-father..." gurgled the dying reptile._

_ The true warlord walked over to his son, looking condescendingly down at him, his eyes bitter and uncaring._

_ "You did your task well, my son, but not well enough. You deserved to die for your treason," he hissed._

_ "B-but, I..." he snarled, his own blood choking him._

_ The reptile took the assassin's blade, plunging it into his son's chest, stabbing his heart and ending his life. He then returned to the tea his son had drank, tossing it aside and pouring himself a new cup. He drank the entire cup, not even waiting for it to cool._

_ "Aah...Such a bloody conquest. Such sanguine dominion..."_