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"Susila," a familiar voice said, though it seemed far away to the monitor. He ignored it in his half-sleeping state, assuming it was just another dream. "Susila?" the voice continued, starting to become irritating. Susila considered responding for a moment, but was cut off by a loud buzzer which caused him to bolt awake.

Looking around blearily, Susila couldn't figure out where he was for a moment. He was in some sort of chair, the early morning light streaming through the one-hundred-eighty-degree window that surrounded him. It all came back to him when MADAM said, "Good, you are awake. I trust you slept well?"

Taking a moment to find his voice, Susila answered, "I was until the rude awakening. Where are we?"

"Your house," MADAM responded, a little blinking light appearing on the right part of the window.

Looking at the light, Susila saw that it highlighted his small home. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Susila asked, "Why didn't you wake me when we arrived?"

"You were sleeping peacefully, and it seemed a shame to wake you," MADAM replied, "I felt I could provide enough comfort for a full night's rest. Was I mistaken?"

Susila shook his head. "No, it's alright," he assured the AI, "What time is it?"

"Eight forty-five," MADAM reported, "You would be heading to work soon, if you were not currently between jobs, would you not?"

Susila nodded, unsurprised that the machine knew so much about him. The monitor made to open the door, but stopped when MADAM said "Wait just a moment."

There was a flash of pink light, and a grey ring with a little speaker appeared in midair in front of Susila. The monitor blinked, taking the ring. "What's this for?" he asked.

"This will allow you to take me with you," MADAM explained, "I would like to make sure that you are taken care of. It would be unbefitting of me to leave you on your own when I am so near anyways."

Susila wondered at the AI's strangely mothering attitude. As he put on the ring, he noted that it resized itself in order to fit comfortably on his claw. "Thank you, MADAM," he said, opening the door.

As he stepped out onto the sidewalk, Susila noticed that, despite the seemingly cold air around him, he seemed to have a shell of heated air. After a moment, he realized that this was MADAM's doing. As he walked toward his home, he wondered if he would be bringing all of the AI's features with him.

The monitor's home wasn't nearly as grandiose as Grentail Manor, but it served its purpose for Susila. A single bedroom house with a small bathroom, it was all he ever needed. There was a small television in front of a worn-in loveseat, the end table in front of it serving as Susila's dining table. The kitchen was small, but well organized and clean. What dished the monitor used he washed by claw afterwards, not letting a backlog develop. His bedroom was equally spotless, with a thin bookshelf in the corner supplying entertainment when the television failed to do so.

As he entered his home, Susila realized that he was still sated from last night's dinner. The monitor flushed and shook his head at the memory. He had to be careful, that cook's food was dangerous!

Giggling at the thought as he hung his leather jacket, Susila made his way to his room, disregarding his television set. He had a lot to consider, and what was on TV wasn't part of it. He pulled out a pen and paper from the bookshelf, to better weigh the pros and cons of his decision. As he sat at his desk, he both wrote and spoke aloud.

"Pro," he began, "Increased salary. Con; adjusting to new work environment. Pro; all the benefits. Con..." Susila paused, thinking hard. After a moment he put down the pen and leaned back in his chair, pinching the bridge of his snout.

"Needing to watch yourself around Melissa's cooking?" MADAM offered.

The AI's sudden contribution nearly startled Susila out of his seat. He had entirely forgotten that the ring he wore brought MADAM into his home. Still, what she said helped get Susila's train of thought moving again. He leaned forward, picked up his pen, and wrote, "Temperance around food. Pro..."

The monitor continued to list pros and cons, though as he did, it became increasingly difficult to find a con for every pro. Stopping when he had three pros for every con, Susila realized that he was stalling. For what reason, he wasn't sure, though as he ruminated on the matter, he unconsciously wrote the word Ember in the pros column.

Before he could look down at his handiwork, Susila heard someone walking up to his door. Recognizing the gait of his mailman, the monitor got up to greet him at the door. When he opened the door, the mailman was halfway to his mailbox.

"Good morning Mister Stark," Susila said to the postman.

"Ah, good morning, Mister Flores," the gecko replied, pulling the monitor's mail from his bag, "How are you on this chilly day?"

"Keeping warm enough, that's for sure," Susila answered, taking his mail.

"Well, that's good," Mister Stark said, "Have a good one, Mister Flores."

"You too," Susila closed the door behind him, looking at the three letters in his claw. There was a scam package, an electric bill, and a letter with a familiar insignia on it; a G backed by a dragon and a red peacock.

Recognizing it as Grentail's insignia, Susila placed the other letters on his dining table and sat in the loveseat, opening the letter. He was surprised when a flash of light shone from within the envelope, an expensive-looking tan tuxedo appearing on a hanger suspended in midair. Susila took a moment to blink the spots from his eyes, looking inside the envelope to make sure that there was an actual letter in it, which there was. Taking it out, Susila read,

"Dear Mister Flores,

This is a gift from me to you. I was supposed to wait for your answer, but I like you, so I decided to give it to you regardless of whether you were going to work with me or not. I had my Aranean friend make it, so it's top of the class. I hope to see you again soon!

Best Wishes,

Melissa"

Above the name Melissa were the four gestures that Photine had made when she had introduced Melissa to Susila, though they were obviously much smaller, as if the bee had dipped her four hands in ink and then pressed them on the paper. The monitor was surprised to see her name at the bottom of the letter, but quickly realized that just because she didn't speak didn't mean that she couldn't write.

Looking up from the letter, Susila examined the tux before him. It was expertly crafted, yet simple in design. A tuxedo jacket the same tan color as the monitor's scales covered a white dress shirt. There was a handkerchief in the breast pocket with the initials SF on its corner in an elegant cursive. The pants were also tan, and in its pockets were two white gloves. Under the pants was a pair of black leather shoes, tailored for a monitor's long-toed feet, including holes for his claws to slip through comfortably. All in all it was a wonderful piece of craftsmanship and was the first set of nice dress clothes that Susila had ever received.

"Would you like to try it on?" MADAM asked once Susila had finished admiring his new outfit.

Susila looked down at himself, noting that he could use a shower. "After I wash up," he answered, taking the hanger and heading to his bathroom. He stopped at the door, blushing.

"Um, MADAM?" he began, "Would you mind if I left your ring in my room?"

"Whatever for?" the AI asked, then realized why on her own, "Oh! Of course."

Relieved, Susila took off the ring, placing it on his bed, along with the tuxedo. As he took a few steps away from the ring, the air around him suddenly cooled ten degrees. He had forgotten that the AI was regulating the air temperature around the ring, and felt a shiver run up and down his spine at the sudden temperature change.

Susila showered quickly but thoroughly, making sure to scrub every inch of his body. He didn't want to sully his new tuxedo with dead scales. Finishing within a few minutes, he dried himself off and looked at himself in the full body mirror on the bathroom door. He checked his tan hide for loose scales, satisfied to find none. He stopped for a moment when he noticed something odd about his figure, though he couldn't quite place it. He looked himself over again, taking note of the lean muscles that were plainly visible under his skin. Despite working in construction and deconstruction for so long, the constant exercise never caused him to bulk up, his stubborn muscles remaining leanly toned, at best, though he was still quite strong. Yet something seemed different about his figure.

Shrugging it off as his imagination, Susila wrapped his towel around his waist as he opened his bathroom door. Being a reptile meant that he had nothing "down there" to see, but he was still modest, especially around women, even artificial ones. Dressing carefully, so as not to reveal anything below his waist, Susila put on the tuxedo. Finding it to be perfectly tailored, despite Melissa not having taken his measurements, he stepped into his restroom to look at himself.

Susila was surprised to see how well he cleaned up, though he mostly credited the expert craftsmanship of the tux instead of his own figure. As he looked himself over in his new formal attire, he made up his mind.

"MADAM?" he called out to the ring on his bed.

"Yes, Susila?" MADAM responded.

"Tell Lord Grentail to expect a guest soon," he stated.

"Wonderful, Susila," the AI said, "I shall inform him immediately.

---

When MADAM dropped Susila off at the main entrance to the manor, Photine was already waiting for him at the door. She looked approvingly at the tuxedo that the monitor wore. The majestic bird stepped forward, saying, "Welcome back, Mister Flores. I see you got Melissa's gift. She will be quite pleased to see you wearing it."

The last part almost sounded like a warning, though Susila could understand why. He grunted as he lifted his baggage. Photine approached him, offering to help, but Susila shook his head and said, "It's fine, Miss Emberplume, I've got it."

"I insist," Photine stated, taking the heaviest bag from the monitor and lightly placing it on the saddle on her back. The way she handled the heavy bag made it look like no more than a downy pillow. "Now please follow me, and I will show you to your new quarters," the bird ordered, turning around on one claw and marching into the manor.

Photine's professionalism made Susila wonder if he was going to have to start acting like that when he worked here. He then thought back to the jovial cook and dismissed that worry. He would probably be allowed to act as he pleased as long as he got his work done. As Photine escorted Susila through the manor, he was better able to take in its wonders this time.

There seemed to be a recurring theme in the manor. Statues of dragons and peacock-like birds lined the main hall, each with a large G engraved on their pedestals. The ceiling of the main hall was a stained glass window depicting dancing dragons and red peacocks and coloring the walls and floor with prismatic light. Susila wondered what kind of history the Grentail and Emberplume families had to warrant such a dedicated motif. As they neared the back of the manor, statues gave way to portraits of dragons. The family resemblance was incredibly obvious, though as they moved down the generations the paintings showed larger, more rotund dragons. When they reached the end of the hall, there was a painting of a dragon that Susila recognized; Lord Grentail, in all his glory, and beside him was a painting of Photine at the very end of the hall.

Hoping to break the silence, Susila asked, "So, who does your paintings?"

"I do," Photine said, leading Susila up one of the flights of stairs that flanked the main hall, "I have done all of the paintings in the Great Hall, and some of the paintings in the living quarters. Work here for long enough and I will do one of you, as well."

Susila was impressed. "Do you do paintings of all your workers?" the monitor asked.

Photine shook her head, her crest waving hypnotically. "No," she answered, "Only those who have worked for Lord Grentail for at least two years."

"Oh," Susila said, feeling disappointed, "I see." After a moment, he asked, "Does Melissa have a portrait?"

Photine nodded. "She has worked for us for nearly a decade, now," she stated, "I have also painted our night watchman, who you will meet this evening, and our gardener, who you may or may not meet for a few days"

Susila remembered what MADAM had said about the gardener. "MADAM told me your gardener is a bit eccentric," Susila said, "What did she mean by that?"

Photine stopped, cocking an eyebrow as she turned to Susila. "Did she really?" she asked.

Worried that he might get someone in trouble, Susila quickly said, "I don't think she meant it as an insult, Miss Emberplume. It was more of a statement of endearment, really."

Photine nodded, smiling. "That does sound like MADAM," she admitted, turning to continue leading Susila to his room. Seeing this as an opportunity to learn more about the AI, Susila was about to ask about her when Photine stopped in front of one of the rooms. "This is your room," she said, opening the door.

Susila gasped as he saw the immense bedroom. This one room was bigger than his entire house, with a large opulent bed against the back wall, a side bathroom that was bigger than his old room, a grand wardrobe bigger than three refrigerators lined up side-by-side beside his bed opposite the bathroom, and a closet the size of his old living room, though it was currently empty. Photine stepped inside and placed Susila's bag beside the wardrobe.

"Please get settled in," the bird said, "You will start work tomorrow. The main course tonight is smoked ham glazed with honey. If you get hungry before then, ring the bell above your nightstand and either MADAM or Melissa will provide you with food."

"MADAM is here?" Susila asked.

"I am distributed throughout the entire manor, Susila," MADAM responded, her voice seeming to come from the walls themselves, "It is my job to make sure the functions of this manor run smoothly by relaying information between each of the manor's servants, including you. I also regulate the manor's environment, adjusting for each occupant's personal preferences."

Susila was thoroughly impressed. "And here I thought you were simply a chauffeur," the monitor said, "But you really are a marvel, MADAM." The AI said nothing, but the walls seemed to redden slightly.

Photine laughed for the first time that Susila could recall. It was a wonderful sound, like a band of flutists warming up for an historical performance. "Mister Flores," she giggled, "I do believe you are the first person I've met that has managed to make MADAM blush."

"I am not blushing," the AI protested, "I merely thought that Susila would appreciate a redder hue of wallpaper."

Photine shook her head, smiling. "I'll leave you to get settled in, Mister Flores," she said, still giggling as she closed the door behind her.

Susila put his luggage down next to his new wardrobe, deciding to wait for a moment before unpacking. He wanted to explore his new room. He first tested the mattress, finding it to be luxuriously soft. Not wanting to fall asleep, he didn't risk lying down in the bed just yet. He walked into his new bathroom, feeling as if he had shrunk because of its size. The bathroom had both a bath and shower, though the bath seemed to be more of a spa and the shower looked like it was large enough to lie down in. He then investigated his closet, finding shelves for pants and hangers for shirts.

Satisfied, Susila went to his trunk and bags, starting to unpack. "What do you think you are doing?" MADAM suddenly demanded, causing the monitor to jump.

Susila looked at one of the walls, confused. "I'm unpacking, MADAM, like Photine asked me to," he answered, irritated by the AI's sudden outburst.

"Photine told you to get settled in," MADAM corrected the monitor, "Not to unpack."

Annoyed by the AI's apparent lack of logic, Susila demanded, "How am I supposed to get settled in without unpacking?"

"Simple," MADAM answered, "By letting me unpack for you."

Before he could ask how the AI was going to unpack for him, his luggage suddenly came to life. Opening on their own, his bags emptied their contents in midair. The clothes flew into the closet, the pants folding neatly into the shelves and the shirts hanging themselves on the hangers. At the same time, the wardrobe opened seemingly of its own will, allowing Susila's collection of sunglasses to hang from small hooks on its doors while his coats and jackets hung themselves on hooks in the main body of the wardrobe and his shoes in boxes along the bottom. The activity paused for a moment as his collection of books was unveiled from their bag. Without a bookshelf, Susila wondered where MADAM was going to put his books, when in a flash of rosy light, a grand bookshelf appeared beside the wardrobe, whereupon the books situated themselves by author alphabetically. His empty bags then flew into the closet and came to a rest at its rear.

All this happened in under a minute, leaving Susila in awe of MADAM's efficiency. The monitor had to shake himself out of his dazed admiration of the AI before he could say anything. "Thank you, MADAM," Susila said, "You just saved me a lot of work."

"You are most welcome, Susila," MADAM replied, "Now that the unpacking is taken care of, would you like to customize your décor?"

"Décor?" Susila asked.

"The style of your room, Susila," MADAM explained, "I can change your wallpaper, modify the style of your furniture, and even alter the environment within your room."

Susila considered this for a moment then asked, "Could you give me a demo?"

"Certainly," MADAM replied. The wallpaper then turned into a sunny beach, complete with an animated ocean with the sound of crashing waves. His dresser and bookshelf became ocean-themed, with waves and seashells engraved on their surfaces and his bed became a hammock hung between two palm trees. All this was topped off by a cool ocean breeze, complete with fine ocean spray, though thankfully none of this came near the bookshelf or wardrobe.

Susila was impressed yet again by MADAM's versatility. He knew he was going to like it here. "Thank you, MADAM," he said, "But could you change the room back, now? I think I liked it better with the simple design."

"Of course," MADAM answered, the room returning to normal. Susila took a moment to consider what to do next. Dinner wasn't for another couple of hours, so he decided to seek out Lord Grentail to let him know that he had settled in.

"MADAM," Susila began, "Where is Lord Grentail?"

"Lord Grentail is in his study," MADAM reported, "Should I let him know to expect you?"

"Yes, please," Susila answered.

"Very well, I shall inform him," MADAM stated, "I shall also guide you to the study." The bedroom door opened and a rosy pink line appeared on the floor, an arrow periodically flashing down it.

Following the arrow back out and down the first set of stairs, Susila was led up the eastern stairs and into the Esterwing. At the end of the Esterwing was a set of spiral stairs curling up into the tower that was the study. Starting to get winded from all of these stairs, Susila panted as he climbed to the top of the tower, and by the time he was at the top of the tower, Susila was panting profusely, his legs and sides aching. He took a moment to compose himself, happy for once that he didn't sweat, otherwise he might have completely soaked his new suit. When he was no longer panting like a dog in the heat of summer, Susila knocked on the door to the study.

He was surprised to see Photine open the door, though he quickly realized that as Lord Grentail's butler, it made sense that she would usually be near him. Something about that fact caused an odd pang in Susila's chest, though he had no idea why.

"Ah, Mister Flores!" Grentail said, "I see you've received Melissa's gift. Be careful when she sees you at dinner!" The dragon laughed heartily. "Please come in," Lord Grentail invited.

Susila entered the strangest study he had ever seen. Odd metal spheres floated in midair, revolving like a solar system around the room. There were books and scrolls filling the shelves and those that couldn't occupy the full shelves were stacked in impossibly high piles. In the middle of all this sat Lord Grentail at a desk covered in books and scrolls with strange symbols adorning them, a smile on his face and a pointed violet hat on his head. It was then that it clicked.

"You're a wizard!" Susila exclaimed, finally putting all the pieces together.

Grentail chuckled jovially. "That I am, Mister Flores," he agreed, "One of the leading minds in my field, in fact."

Susila shook his head, feeling rather slow on the uptake. "Here I thought that you were just a hobbyist tinkering in minor spells," the monitor explained, "But you're an honest to goodness conjurer, aren't you?"

Grentail nodded, the tip of his clichéd hat bobbing with the gesture, along with his pudgy cheeks which were squished up in a jovial grin. High magic was a rare and valuable commodity in the Esterlind, which explained the Grentail family's vast wealth. Low magic, like illusions and simple evocations, was quite common, even mundane, but high magic was one of the most sought-after services in Anthropomorphic lands like Esterlind. Susila had been fascinated by magic since childhood, but could never afford to learn anything about it. He had to know more about Grentail's work.

"What kind of wizard are you?" the monitor spoke quickly, almost frantically, "Where did you learn? Is it hard? Does using magic hurt?"

Grentail held up his claws, laughing good-heartedly. "Whoa, there, slow down, Mister Flores!" he laughed, "I can see that you are a man of arcane interests, but you look like you're going to have a heart attack if you get any more excited!"

Susila stopped and took a few deep breaths, calming down. "There, that's better," Lord Grentail said, snapping his fingers. At the sound, the clutter in front of his desk cleared itself neatly onto the bookshelves, an opulent chair appearing in their place. Indicating the chair, the dragon said, "Please have a seat, Mister Flores. It's always a pleasure to discuss the fine details of magic."

As Susila sat, Photine turned Lord Grentail. "If you'll excuse me, my Lord," she said, "I will prepare the dining room for your guests."

Grentail nodded to Photine. "You are excused, Miss Emberplume," he dismissed his butler with a smile.

Photine turned to Susila. "Mister Flores," she nodded to the monitor, and then left the room, closing the door silently behind her.

Susila's disappointment was almost masked by his eagerness to learn as he turned back to Lord Grentail, who had pulled out a long pipe and was lighting it with a small flame at the tip of one of his claws. When the pipe was lit, the dragon drew a long breath from it as he shook the flame out on his claw, breathing out a long trail of deep red smoke. Strangely, the smoke smelled exactly like roses.

"Now," Lord Grentail began, "As you may know, low magic, or Arcana Minor as it is known in the field, is easy to learn and simple to use, taking very little energy to cast. But Arcana Major, high magic, is both difficult to master and physically taxing on a caster without a bit of reserves to draw from. This isn't just for show, you know," the dragon patted his ample midriff, "Of course, most wizards store energy in gems for later use. But such a process is long and time-consuming, and time is precious to me, so I go the old fashioned route. A route that Melissa is happy to expedite!" Lord Grentail laughed again, not seeming to mind the state of his body at all. In fact, he seemed to almost enjoy his large frame.

Susila wanted to learn more, so he asked, "But what about actually using magic? What's it like?"

Lord Grentail took a long draw from his pipe, the rosy smell filling the air again as he exhaled, considering his answer. "When you use Arcana Major," he began, speaking slowly, "The energy that fills you is exhilarating. There is a rush unlike anything you will feel any other way. But it leaves you drained and exhausted when you first start learning how to use it. Drawing from an external power source instead of your body's own reserves lessens magic fatigue. That's where this comes in handy."

The dragon swung his tail up onto the desk, indicating the emerald-like scales that adorned it. In fact, now that he got a better look at it, Susila realized that the tip of the dragon's tail was actually clear like a gemstone. "This," Lord Grentail put a claw on his tail, "Converts this," he gave his belly a shake, causing it to jiggle voluminously, "Into arcane energy, or Mana as is more commonly know, whenever I need to use Arcana Major. It is a trait that runs in my family, though only one Grentail in a generation is born with it. We call it an Emerald Focus, and it is the source of my family's fortune. It is also how we got our name; Green Tail, you see?"

Susila nodded in comprehension. "Can you teach me how to use magic?" he asked, before remembering that wizards are often reluctant to take on apprentices, but was surprised to see Lord Grentail's face light up at the question.

"I would love to pass on what I know," the dragon said, "Of course, I would have to teach you before you began work each day. Learning magic requires a fresh mind, so you would have to get up early to study with me. You will also need to gain a little more..." Grentail paused, considering how to word his statement, "More padding to draw from."

The realization hit Susila like a ton of bricks. He would have to sacrifice his figure in order to properly use magic. Unless he used gemstones, he realized. "What about infusing crystals?" he asked.

Lord Grentail nodded. "I suppose that would work, as well," he answered, "I could show you how it is done, though you would have to do it in your own time afterward. I feel I should warn you, though, that infusing a crystal with energy is just as exhausting as using Arcana Major and only half of the energy expended actually ends up in the crystal. Still, there is no limit to the energy a crystal can hold, so you can keep repeating the process indefinitely."

Susila suddenly remembered something. "I've also heard that you can use spirits to increase your own power," he stated.

Lord Grentail's face suddenly darkened, the expression foreign on the normally jolly dragon's face. "What you are talking about," he began, speaking slowly and deliberately, "Is a process called Binding. When a spirit is Bound to your soul, its nearly limitless energy is indeed at your disposal, but the process is dangerous. Improper Binding results in the spirit taking over the body, or worse, both minds must constantly struggle for that control. And trust me when I say this; it is very easy to make a mistake in a process as complex as Binding. Though it is not a forbidden magic, I must ask that you not resort to such a cruel magic, as Binding all but destroys the mind of the spirit that is bound to you."

Susila nodded, not wanting to sully the dragon's mood further. Lord Grentail seemed satisfied with the nod, taking a small puff from his pipe before continuing. "Summoning spirits, on the other claw," he said, his expression much brighter, "Is something that I both encourage and recommend, as they can be both remarkably useful and great fun to be around. Although, you have to know what kind of spirits to Summon, as some are more moody than others. Death spirits, for instance, aren't nearly as happy to be summoned as nature spirits. Though now that I think of it, there was that one death spirit." For a moment the dragon seemed to be lost in reverie. Before Susila could call the dragon's attention back, there was a knock at the door.

"Lord Grentail," Photine said as she entered the room, "Your guests will be arriving shortly."

Lord Grentail snapped out of his reverie. "Oh, yes," the dragon came to a realization, "I almost forgot to mention that some of my colleagues would be visiting this afternoon for dinner. Good thing you're already in your formal attire, Mister Flores. I am afraid we will have to postpone this conversation until after dinner."

Photine made her way to Lord Grentail's side, moving gracefully through the clutter of the room. "Shall I escort you and Mister Flores downstairs, my Lord?" she asked once she had reached the dragon.

It then occurred to Susila that Lord Grentail must have had trouble getting up the stairs. In fact, the door to the study didn't even seem wide enough for the dragon's nine-foot girth. Just as the monitor was starting to wonder how Grentail had even entered the study, the dragon said, "Of course, Miss Emberplume." Lord Grentail then stood, placing a claw on Photine's left wing, which curiously remained tightly folded at the bird's side.

Photine addressed Susila. "Place your claw on my left wing, Mister Flores," she ordered.

Susila got up and did as he was told, wondering that Photine didn't simply reach her large wing to him instead of making him stand and move to it himself. He also wondered why she suddenly wanted to guide him by claw, or rather, by wing through the manor.

As he placed his claw on Photine's wing, he noticed that it was almost uncomfortably hot to touch. When the monitor had his claw firmly on Photine's wing, Lord Grentail winked to him, saying, "Hold on, Mister Flores."

Before Susila could answer, there was a flash of light and heat, as if he were standing only inches from a bonfire, and a pulling, twisting sensation that ran through the monitor's body. An instant later, the three were standing in the dining room.

Feeling slightly disoriented, Susila took his claw from Photine's wing and placed it on the chair in front of him, steadying himself. When the world had stopped spinning, Photine was setting the table and Lord Grentail had already taken his seat, looking as though he was waiting for the monitor's obvious question.

"What was that?" Susila asked, not trusting his legs enough to support his weight.

Lord Grentail chuckled. "I am not the only creature from the Sotherlinds in this manor, Mister Flores," he said cryptically.

Before he could consider this revelation, there was a sudden, high pitched squeal of delight. As he looked towards the sound, Susila was knocked off his unsteady feet by what seemed to be a large cannonball. Looking up at the creature that grasped his chest firmly, the monitor recognized the round form as Melissa, though he wondered how the voiceless creature could have squeaked as she had. As she pulled away from Susila, Melissa made several quick gestures with her four claws, speaking unexpectedly.

"You got your suit!" the bee exclaimed happily, gesturing frantically as she spoke, though her mouth didn't move as she did, "I'm so happy it fits! Well, it resizes to fit the wearer, so I really shouldn't be surprised, but still, it looks simply marvelous on you! Do you like it? Oh, please tell me you're not just wearing it to be polite!"

"No, no, I like it!" Susila assured her as he stood, "Really, I do. But how are you speaking now, when you couldn't yesterday?"

Melissa grinned as she gestured. "Do you like my new voice?" she asked, her voice seeming to emanate from the center of her quick gestures, high and buzzing with enthusiasm, though not unpleasant. It suited her perfectly as she continued without waiting for an answer, "Lord Grentail made it for me so you wouldn't need a translator around me."

Susila nodded. "I think it suits you, Melissa," the monitor said.

Melissa clapped her hands, grinning widely. "Thank you, Mister Flores!" she said, "I have to finish making dinner now, but it was nice catching up. See you later!" The bee buzzed happily back through the doors at the south end of the table, which were wide open, revealing the kitchen.

Susila couldn't help but smile when he was around the happy cook. He looked to Lord Grentail, having forgotten what they were talking about. "Is she always so happy?" the monitor indicated the bee that buzzed cheerily in the kitchen, flitting from one pot to another.

Lord Grentail laughed heartily. "Always, Mister Flores," the dragon answered, "Though considerably more so when she is cooking. Like most of her kind, Melissa is never happier than when she is, well, busy as a bee!" Grentail laughed at his own joke as the sound of a bell rang through the dining room.

"Lord Grentail," MADAM's voice rang through the room, "Lord Fierhorn has arrived at the gate. Shall I escort him to the main door?"

"Of course, MADAM," Grentail responded, "And the other guests when they arrive, as well, before you ask."

"Very well, Lord Grentail," MADAM said.

A few minutes later, there was a ringing sound. "That'll be the door, Miss Emberplume," Grentail said.

"Yes, my Lord," Photine went to the large dining room doors and swung them open, held in place by their own weight. She then disappeared down the hall.

Wanting to be helpful, Susila turned to Lord Grentail. "May I escort the guests in, as well?" he asked.

Lord Grentail considered, and then nodded, smiling. "I suppose it would be good for you to learn from Miss Emberplume the finer points of being a servant in my manor," he said, "Go ahead and catch up with her, Mister Flores."

Susila nodded, and then paused. "Yes, Lord Grentail," the monitor said, feeling slightly silly as he bowed to the dragon.

Lord Grentail laughed. "Now you're catching on, Mister Flores!" he chuckled, gesturing dismissively, "Go on, Miss Emberplume is already considerably ahead of you."

Susila nodded, jogging out of the room. Grentail was right; Photine was already nearly halfway down the hall. When he was halfway caught up to her, Susila called out, "Miss Emberplume!"

Photine paused, turning around. When she saw Susila, she waited for the monitor to reach her before asking, "Is there a problem, Mister Flores?"

Shaking his head, Susila answered, "No, there's no problem, I just thought I should help escort the guests in. If I'm going to work here, I want to be as helpful as I can."

Photine nodded, smiling. "I'll show you how to greet the guests this time, and you can greet the next," she said, turning to continue toward the door. When they reached the door, Photine turned Susila and instructed, "Stand up straight with your claws clasped at your waist or behind your back. Keep your tail from waving beyond either shoulder as you walk. Address all guests as Lord, Lady, Sir, or Madam, as appropriate. When you greet a guest, offer to take their hat if they are male and wearing one. Maintain eye contact when you greet a guest, and speak only when spoken to."

When Photine opened the door, there was a towering dragon waiting outside, standing nearly twelve feet tall. True to his name, Lord Fierhorn had fiery orange horns jutting forward from his brow like a bull. Above his horns was a black stovepipe hat, which matched the black tuxedo he wore. His suit and hat weren't nearly as dark as his scales, however, which hardly seemed to reflect any light off of their dull surfaces, despite being highly polished.

The dragon smiled, nodding to Photine. "Good afternoon, Miss Emberplume," he greeted the butler.

"Good afternoon, Lord Fierhorn," Photine greeted the dragon in kind, inviting him in. When Lord Fierhorn was inside, Photine asked, "May I take your hat, my Lord?"

"Of course," Fierhorn answered, taking his hat and placing it on Photine's saddle.

Photine looked to Susila. "Mister Flores, would you hang this on the stand while I escort Lord Fierhorn to the dining room?" she asked, indicating the stand to the side of the door.

Adopting an air of professionalism, Susila answered, "Of course, Miss Emberplume." He took the hat from the bird's saddle and placed it on the rack. When he began to follow them, Photine shook her head slightly, indicating he should wait for the next guest.

Disappointed that he wouldn't be accompanying Photine, Susila waited by the door. He jumped when he heard MADAM's voice saying, "I will alert you as the guests arrive at the door." The monitor kept forgetting that he was never alone in this house. It then occurred to him that he would be being watched by MADAM when he bathed, a thought that unsettled him.

He pushed the thought out of his head, reciting everything that Photine had instructed him with silently. After a few minutes, there was a ring and MADAM said, "Lady Kyubi is at the door, Susila."

Susila stood up straight, put a hand behind his back above his tail, and opened the door. Waiting for him was a Bestiamorphic fox with white fur, standing just under two feet tall at the shoulder and almost three feet in length. Her most striking feature was the set of nine tails that grew from her rear. The fox wore a white dress, cut so that it did not drag the ground on its quadrupedal wearer.

"Oh, good afternoon," Lady Kyubi said, seeming taken aback, "I was expecting someone else. You are?"

"Good afternoon, Lady Kyubi," Susila greeted the fox, "My name is Susila Flores. I'm new to the manor." Susila invited the fox in, feeling self-conscious.

Lady Kyubi smiled warmly. "Good for you," she said, wiping her bare feet before entering. Susila led the fox to the dining room, seeing Photine come out of it as he made his way there. When they passed each other, Photine nodded to them, saying, "Mister Flores. Lady Kyubi."

And so it when on, Photine and Susila each escorting a guest to the dining room as they arrived. There was a honey bee drone, a black Anthropomorphic cat with glowing golden eyes, and an Anthropomorphic snake. Susila was starting to get winded from walking back and forth when he led his last guest into the dining room. He was relieved when Lord Grentail said, "I think that should be everyone, Mister Flores. You may be seated." The dragon indicated the seat to his left, opposite Photine's seat.

Thrilled to be sharing a meal with Photine, Susila made his way around Lord Grentail and to his seat, his feet feeling like they let off steam as he sat between Lord Grentail and the black cat. The monitor noticed that Lady Kyubi was seated next to Photine, the two women deep in conversation, and he wondered if they knew each other. As he did, Lord Grentail cleared his throat, quieting the conversations around the table.

"Welcome, friends," Lord Grentail announced, "To our annual little meeting of the minds. As some of you may have noticed, we have a new employee here at the manor. Mister Flores, will you please stand and introduce yourself?"

Susila stood obediently, his slightly sore feet protesting at the action. "May name is Susila Flores," the monitor said, "Lord Grentail hired me to expand the eastern wing of his manor."

"Thank you Mister Flores, you may be seated," Lord Grentail clapped his hand on Susila's shoulder approvingly as he sat, "I would like my friends to introduce themselves, as well. Let's start with you, Lady Kyubi, and go around the table."

Lady Kyubi sat up straight in her chair, being unable to stand bipedally. "I am Lady Kyubi no Kitsune, the eldest of the Kitsune people," Lady Kyubi introduced herself, "I am an expert at Enchantment and Illusion, and not too shabby with Transmutation. I hold a seat in the Sotherlind Counsel, but spend most of my time traveling. It is wonderful to meet you, Mister Flores." The Kitsune bowed her head to Susila, who returned the gesture.

The snake who sat next to Lady Kyubi rose up onto his coils, bowing to Susila deeply. "Good evening, Mister Flores," he greeted, smiling and revealing rows of needle-like teeth, but no fangs, "I am Seshiem, master Enchanter and Evoker extraordinaire! I am happy to make your acquaintance." Susila nodded to the snake in acknowledgement.

Lord Fierhorn sat next to Seshiem. "Hello, again, Mister Flores," the dragon rose as he spoke, "I am Lord Frederick Fierhorn, Pyromancer of the highest degree." Fierhorn bowed to Susila before taking his seat, the monitor nodding to the dragon.

The honey bee drone across from Seshiem then rose up from his seat, hovering higher than the cat's head so that Susila could see him. "I am Speaks from Nature, Bringing Her Power," the bee spoke, gesturing in the same manner as Melissa as he did, "But people call me Madhukar. As my name suggests, I am a Druid who specializes in Divination and Conjuration. It is good to meet you, Mister Flores." Madhukar nodded to Susila, who nodded in return.

The black cat stood last, locking his golden eyes on Susila and grinning widely, offering a claw, which Susila took, shaking it firmly. "I pleasure to meet you, Mister Flores," he said, "I am Lord Marvin Umbralhide. I specialize in magic which manipulates luck. But please, don't tell the casinos!" The whole room erupted in laughter at what Susila assumed to be an inside joke as the cat sat down, winking at the monitor mischievously.

"Alright, settle down, everyone," Lord Grentail chuckled, "We've come here to compare notes, Mister Flores. Since you have an interest in learning, I suggest you pay careful attention."

What followed was a blur of mathematics, theory, spiritual conjecture, and other things that Susila had never even heard of. The monitor took in as much as he could before he began to feel dizzy from the amount of information buzzing around the table. After what seemed to be several hours, though it was really only one, there was a ringing of a bell behind Lord Grentail's seat.

Lord Grentail's face brightened. "Ah!" he exclaimed, grabbing everyone's attention, "Dinner is ready. MADAM, tell Melissa that she may bring it in. Oh, and bring in a few trolleys yourself, I don't want Melissa to have to cart the whole meal in on her own."

A moment later, several trolleys carrying covered platters came in all at once, preceded by an overwhelmingly delicious aroma. Susila could see Melissa's antennae bobbing above the lead trolley on his side of the table. When she reached the head of the table, the bee rose up and curtsied to her guests before she and MADAM began to set the food onto the table. When all of the dishes were moved from the trolleys, their covers were removed.

Susila was amazed with the variety of dishes before him. There were baguettes and croissants and other kinds of bread; small pheasants and rabbits; a fruit bowl filled with bananas, oranges, apples, grapes, mangoes, and other fruits that Susila couldn't even identify; and at the center of it all was the largest leg of ham that Susila had ever seen, glistening with honey. When all was revealed, Melissa turned to Lord Grentail and asked, "May I be seated, my Lord?"

"Of course, Melissa," the dragon nodded, smiling. Melissa took her seat next to Madhukar and the two engaged in a silent conversation as Grentail said, "Everyone, dig in!"

The conversations around the table were mostly a continuation of the earlier magical debate, though Lady Kyubi and Photine had picked up their conversation. Not wanting to pry, Susila tuned them out by going over what he could remember of the magical theories that had been passed around the table. He was so deep in thought, in fact, that he completely lost track of how much he was eating.

"The magical output of gems directly correlates with the degree of the spell being cast," he recited under his breath, only vaguely aware that he had just finished his sixth pheasant and was moving on to his tenth croissant. "A higher degree of spell will consume proportionately less energy from the body than from a crystal...or was it the other way around?" he muttered, finishing the croissant and moving on to his third helping from the leg of ham which was still under half consumed. "If all the energy from a crystal is consumed before the spell is finished, the spell will draw from...SHH!" Susila hissed loudly at the stabbing pain that emanated from his stomach, drawing his attention to it and everyone's attention to him.

His belly was pressed firmly against the table, having extended beyond his lap. Thankfully his suit had grown with him, not revealing the scales that were stretched taught around his swollen midsection. Susila blushed deeply as he noticed that all eyes were on him. "I, uh, I need to be excused, Lord Grentail," he said, trying to act casual.

Lord Grentail had a concerned expression on his face, though he nodded anyways. "You may be excused, Mister Flores," he said.

Rising to his feet, Susila blushed more when he noticed that Photine was staring at his middle, the same unreadable expression from yesterday on her face as he made his way slowly around the table. He was relieved when he finally broke line of sight with her, though his relief was quickly replaced by anger.

"You did it again!" he scolded himself as he made his way up the stairs to his room, teetering as he walked from the extra weight around his middle.

"Susila, are you alright?" MADAM asked, and Susila felt the AI steady him when he reached the top of the stairs.

Susila took a few deep breaths, calming himself down. "I'm fine, MADAM. Could you please draw a bath for me?" he asked, not caring if the AI saw him naked at the moment, "Ninety degrees Fahrenheit, if you would."

"Of course, Susila," MADAM said, leading the monitor to his room.

When Susila began to undress, MADAM stopped him. "You are in no condition. Let me do it," MADAM said, her voice both concerned and adamant. Knowing better than to argue, Susila simply stood with his arms to the sides as MADAM's invisible power undressed him, revealing just how swollen he was.

Looking down at his midsection, Susila saw that it rolled out over a foot in front of him, its scales stretched so tight that he could see little slivers of skin poking through. He placed a hand on his belly, hearing the bathwater running in the bathroom. "Would you let me know when the bath is ready?" The monitor asked one of the walls as he lay down in his bed, rubbing his painfully distended stomach in an attempt to calm its churning.

"Of course, Susila, you need not even ask," MADAM said. Susila felt a pair of invisible claws start to rub his belly alongside his own, though they were obviously more experienced than his, almost immediately calming his stomach's painful roiling.

After a few minutes, the bathwater stopped running, and MADAM said, "Would you like me to help you into the bath, Susila?" The monitor only nodded, feeling MADAM help him up and guide him into the restroom. When he went to lift himself into the tub, Susila doubled over with the effort, clutching his stomach. "Here, let me do it," MADAM said, and Susila was lifted into the tub. He felt like a child, bringing on another angry blush.

His anger didn't last long as he settled into the seat of the deep, spa-like tub. The hot water felt wonderful on his stomach, aiding in the cold-blooded monitor's digestion. "Would you like me to turn on the jets?" MADAM asked. Susila nodded, dazed by the comfort and relief the water brought, significantly reducing the weight pulling on his stomach. The jets activated, massaging his stomach and further aiding its digestion. The combination of warmth, overeating, and the wonderful massage started to have an effect, lulling Susila to sleep.

---

There was a knock at the bedroom door, waking Susila. He found himself tucked in his bed, dry and dressed in a tan bathrobe. His stomach rose above him, partially blocking his view of the door. Sitting up, Susila hissed as his stomach churned, revealing that it had not yet recovered from his crimes against it. There was another knock.

"Mister Flores?" an unfamiliar feminine voice asked through the door, "Are you in there?"

"Who is it?" Susila groaned blearily, pulling his blankets up to his chest in an attempt to hide his stomach. He looked to the digital clock on his nightstand, which read 10:00pm.

"Its Tawny," he heard her say through the door, "I'm the night watchman."

Remembering what Photine had said earlier, Susila called, "Please come in, Tawny."

The door opened, revealing a small form in the doorway. Susila couldn't make her out in the darkness, so he reached over to the lamp behind the clock and switched it on.

"Oh!" Tawny exclaimed in the sudden light, "A little warning, Mister Flores!"

Confused, Susila looked at Tawny, and then felt guilty. The light revealed a little brown bat, barely four feet tall, squinting in the soft light from the lamp. She wore the blue outfit of a security guard, a tazer on one side of her waist and a nightstick on the other. Her uniform was tailored to allow the flaps of skin from her wings through.

"I'm sorry," Susila apologized, "I wasn't expecting you to be..." He paused awkwardly.

Tawny gestured reassuringly as she put on a pair of sunglasses. "It's quite alright, Mister Flores," she reassured the monitor, "I should have warned you, not the other way around."

Susila felt a little better. "What can I do for you, Tawny?" he asked, making to stand, grunting with the effort.

"Oh, please don't get up on my account, Mister Flores," Tawny stopped him, "I heard you overdid it at dinner, so I wouldn't want you to exert yourself. I just wanted to introduce myself and let you know that I sometimes come into people's rooms to check on them in the night."

Susila nodded, yawning expansively. "Anyways, I can see you're tired, so I'll let you get back to sleep, Mister Flores. It was nice meeting you." Tawny left, closing the door quietly behind her.

Susila switched off the lamp and settled himself into his bed, his belly blocking out the door again. He was too tired to care, drifting off to sleep only moments after closing his eyes. In his mind, he could see Photine staring at a massively obese version of himself in disgust, turning from him with disdain. Susila turned fitfully in his sleep.