The next morning, Eira awoke to find a steaming hot breakfast on the table, and the Dark Phoenix nowhere in site.
For her own reasons, she didn’t want to go poking about, but the living space was so curiously constructed that she almost couldn’t keep from wandering about.
It was when she finally stepped outside that she saw him.
He was sitting-sort of-on the hill to the side of the house, eyes closed, hovering in meditation. Not wanting to interrupt, she chose a grassy spot to the side of the house and sat down, waiting.
“Good morning.” His head turned, eyes still closed. His feet shifted from thier mid-air perch and unfolded to touch the ground. His hands dropped to his sides and piercing eyes connected with hers.
“uh, morning.”
“Sleep well?” He turned back to face the mountains and stretched luxuriously.
“Yes, thanks for asking.” She scrambled to her feet. “Thanks for uh, breakfast too.”
He smiled. “You’re welcome. I thought you might want something to eat at an earlier time. I generally don’t eat until noon. It makes it harder to concentrate.” He reached the door and held it open. “Have you reached a decision as yet?”
“I don’t know.” Eira said, honestly. “I really don’t. I mean, well, I sort of came, charging across the galaxy looking for-” She stopped, her face tinged pink. “I mean, I was looking for-” She tried again.
He chuckled. “Think about it. When you find the answer, tell me.” He moved to a tiny cubicle and drew his cloak he’d worn the day before. “I have a proposition for you. Granted you could say yes or no, depending, but I feel it is only fair to warn you that I test all possible students and apprentices.”
“You’ve had apprentices?” Eira blurted out and winced. “Sorry. I don’t mean it the way it came out-really, I just-“
“It is eaiser to keep one’s foot out of one’s mouth, if generally that foot is on the ground…and not halfway to their mouth.” He wrapped the cloak around his shoulders. “Yes, I have. I’ve had about twenty-seven, I believe. They were…decent.” He sighed.
“Decent?” Eira repeated. “What kind of test?”
“Abstract.” He answered, rooting around in the cubicle for something else.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Impromptu, rather.” He corrected himself. “I generally pick a moment at random and if the results are uniform in relation to others, then I base my decisions off of it.”
“I see. So if I said yes, I’d still have to pass your…test?”
He shrugged. “I believe that is what I said.”
“Okay. Fine. Uh, what do I have to do? Or when can you test me?”
“I take it that is a ‘yes’ then?”
“Of course it’s a yes.” Eira rolled her eyes. “What else would it be?” He perked a brow and she looked at the floor. “Sorry, you can be incredibly…dense, you know.”
“Dense?” He repeated. “Most curious choice of words. Very well. Get ready. I have to see to some business on the other side of this mountain. It takes me a day going back and forth. I’d appreciate it if you’d hurry.”