Justin is in a familiar pose for him at the Diner: sitting at a table, bent over a book, writing with quick accurate scratches of his quill, an open inkwell, a pot of tea, and a selection of pen nibs in front of him.

Robin wanders the Diner listlessly, occasionally drifting into the kitchen to make unenthusiastic dishwashing noises. She emerges with a watering can and makes a circuit of the main room, watering the chairs. Each time she passes Justin she runs her fingers through his hair, and each time his stripe emerges as a different color. It is currently a fetching pink. Qinuhai bobs after her, zooming in on everything she picks up as though she wanted to be fed.

There's rummaging going on in the kitchen, and Danny emerges with food, which will come as a surprise to no one. He's gathered some creme fresh and a variety of vegetables, as well what appears to be a pesto-like sauce and a loaf of bread. "Still chronicling?" He sets everything down on the counter and adds, "And do you want a sandwich?"

Miki is curled up in a chair near the fire, in one of the bonelessly flexible poses available only to cats and the young. Oestensibly, he's reading a book-- *The The Musketeers,* actually-- but in reality, he's staring out the window with a faraway, contemplative, heavy-lidded look.

Serendipity slips in with even less fanfare than usual, which is to say, none. He looks, actually, somewhat preoccupied, though he stops a couple steps into the room, taking in the current population. "...nice t' know I haven't lost my touch for findin' the most happening' place in town," he remarks, and flashes a quick, bright grin of greeting to the assembled before heading on toward the kitchen himself.

"No thank you, I'm not hungry," Justin replies absently to Danny. "Still chronicaling. Always chronicaling. I can stop once things stop happening." He glances up at Ren, smiles vaguely at him, and bends his head back to his work.

Out back there's the thump of hooves on snow and earth, a sharper rap against the doorstep, a moment's sense of something very large stepping inside, and then Ruth steps out into the warm, firelit room, shakes snow from her curly hair. She brings the scent of pine and snow, leather and horses with her.

Your chronicle is going to be three feet thick before you can put your pen down," Robin says from the region of the floor as she kneels to water Justin's chair. "You know, there's a spell my grandmother once told me about, something about connecting the end results to the subject's moods..." She stands up and looks speculatively at the pink streak in Justin's hair.

Danny glances up at Ren, then turns to grin a hello to Ruth. He gets back to his sandwich prep, slicing off several pieces of bread and cutting up the vegetables. He pauses to dip a mushroom in the pesto and dispatches it in a few, quick bites.

Miki looks away from the window and around at the room, blinking at all the people who have arrived so suddenly. He shifts a little in his chair, tucking his feet more firmly under him and slipping the unregarded though open book into the crook of his elbow. "But things will not stop happening," he points out, after a moment.

Ruth has a determined look about her, she's at the counter gathering winter apples and bread for her pack before she glances at Danny, quirks a corner of her mouth up. "Hey," she murmurs. Then, after a moment's quiet. "Some trouble's back at the mountain. An old man with a sword. That kind of trouble." She frowns. "He killed something on the mountain's south flank. I don't even know what it /was/."

Without noise or even much disturbance of the air, a unicorn suddenly exists in the Diner. It is large and muscular for a unicorn, weirdly of a "cold-blooded" appearance, with a generous mane and feathers about plate-sized hooves. He is rather cramped by the ceiling, and has to hold his head at an uncomfortable angle to keep his horn from punching through to the outside. He looks around the room. *Who's the Chosen here?* he inquires somewhat grumpily.

"Doom," Robin comments. "Hello, Ruth, hello, Ren. Hello, sir. The 'Doom' did not pertain to you." She sets the watering can down on an empty table and wipes her hands on her pants while Qinuhai buzzes up to the unicorn and gives it a cheery salute. "I'm the Virgin."

Justin may be about to reply to Robin, or Ruth, or Miki, but the unicorn gets bumped to the front of the queue. Justin flinches in surprise, his pen leaving a big black blort of ink on the page. "Hellfire--" He sets hastily to blotting it, even as he says, "Uhm... I am, sir?" rather uncertainly to the giant unicorn.

Danny starts at the sudden presense of the unicorn, and grabs the counter for support. He can't restrain a concerned glance at Justin.

Miki stares. The book on his lap, finally completely ignored, slides out of his grip and hits the floor with a heavy *thunk.* He doesn't even blink, looking up at the unicorn with an expression of amazement; his mouth opens, but no words emerge.

Ruth looks up from stuffing a loaf of bread into her satchel. She furrows her brow, then sets her hands to lacing the battered pack shut. "Right," she murmurs.

"Things better =not= stop happening," Ren remarks, returning from the kitchen with a plate of various things, "or-" He breaks off at the appearance of the unicorn, blinks once, and gives it a light salute as he heads to take a place at the table where he can see what goes on nice and easily.

*Hmph* the unicorn grunts, looking from Justin to Robin, then scanning the room. *Where can I find the third, then? It's time for the Convocation.*

Robin makes a delighted squeak. She dances across the room to get her bag, pointing at the flabbergasted Miki as she goes.

Justin blinks at the unicorn, and then hastily closes his book, rolling up his cloth of pen materials and capping the inkwell and stuffing the whole bundle into his backpack. Standing up, he nods at Miki with a grin. "That's him. I think he's a little overwhelmed..." He picks up his backpack and staff.

"Where is it being held? The Fire unicorn said we could go and watch," Danny says, his sandwich quite forgotten.

Ruth looks over at Danny, brushes locks of snow-damp hair from her eyes. She opens her mouth, then closes it, shoulders her satchel.

Miki, curled up in a chair, is not precisely a prepossessing figure. He gives Robin a slightly betrayed look, then reluctantly uncurls himself and slides to his feet.

The unicorn eyes Miki, then nods, very slightly. *Good. Didn't want to go hunting you all up and down the countryside.* He turns toward Main Street, his body suddenly shimmering and slightly transparent, and his horn passes through the ceiling without damage. *If you can keep up, boy, you can come. We go up the mountain.*

Robin nudges Miki with a grin. "If he couldn't find you, the next candidate would be Ren. Do you really want to give up your place to Ren?" She plucks the Turtlebean out of the air and turns it off, then tucks it into a padded corner of her bag. A tiny silver rod pokes its tip out of Robin's hair so that Qinuhai can see what goes on. "How are we getting there, sir?" Robin asks the unicorn.

Justin grins at Danny. "He can keep up," he answers the unicorn. Robin's asked the pertinent question, so he waits to hear that answer.

Danny nods smartly in agreement with Justin and steps around the counter. "As long as I don't need to fly to get there," he clarifies.

Serendipity sticks his tongue out at Robin, without any real rancour, and remarks woefully, "Miki doesn't wanna give up his =anything= to me, dammit." Alas! Alackaday.

Ruth looks over at Justin. "I can carry you."

Miki blinks at Robin, then gives the unicorn another sideways look. "You are right," he murmurs, looking a bit more cheerful. He glances back at Ren over his shoulder, with a wry twist of his mouth, but thinks better of whatever he was going to say and returns his wary attention to the unicorn.

The unicorn snorts. *I'll carry you. Why else do you think they sent me?* Did the unicorn just flex his muscles? It doesn't matter, since he follows the comment by walking through the wall to the outside. *Hurry up.*

Serendipity sighs long-sufferingly. "See? Always a bridesmaid, never a bride," he laments, and pushes his plate away, rising to his feet and trotting toward the front door.

Justin looks wide-eyed at Ruth, eyebrows up. "I suppose that answers that." He obediantly follows the unicorn outside, his backpack slung over his shoulder.

Miki walks to the door like one in a trance, steps onto the wet mat, then looks down at his feet. Oh. He returns to his chair, hastily pulls on his boots, grabs up his cloak and follows Justin outside.

Ruth snorts, flares her nostrils wide. "Right." She walks outside. In the moment between the lintel and the road, footfall turns to hoofbeats. /I/ can keep up.

Robin bounces as she follows. A quick twitch of Ren's collar as Robin passes him, and he's got his wish--he's a bride! The white satin of his princess-line gown is dramatic against his dark skin and black hair.

Danny trails the group, stretching his arms and his neck as he goes. He shifts as soon as he's clear of the Diner and shakes vigorously, tossing his mane about.

Serendipity stops short, looking down at himself, and bursts out laughing, gathering up the skirts of the gown so he can still get some decent speed going along. "Hey, this better come with Wedding Night included," he tosses after her, and then catches sight of his reflection in the window, "...heh. Not a bad look, act'ly..."

The unicorn turns in the street to watch the mortals emerge. At the approach of the Chosen, he rolls his eyes and kneels. Just as well, really, since it becomes clear that he really *is* the size of a draft horse, with a back so broad the trio can nearly sit cross-legged on it and play cards. *Don't worry about staying on. Leave that to me.*

Justin gives Ren and Robin, a truly dubious look. It is perhaps fortunate that he doesn't know his white streak is currently pink. He slips onto the unicorn's broad back, with a grimace--he isn't used to riding horses quite so wide.

Eshu's Daughter stretches her neck out and whinnies, a rough-edged laugh. She raps a hoof on the road, through ice and packed snow, holds her head high. She is dark and scarred, her mane swirls about. Ready, it looks, to outrun a unicorn.

Robin turns back with a skip and fiddles with the wedding dress's neckline, and now Ren is wearing a truly fabulous white mink coat to match the dress. "Talk to the unicorns," she suggests with a sparkle in her eye. She considers the unicorn's back, then settles in front of Justin.

Miki looks at the enormous unicorn with something approaching trepidation, then takes a deep breath and climbs up behind Justin.

Thundersnow nervously shifts his weight, occasionally prancing about and snorting. Al-chem-ist is pretty with pink hair, he observes.

Serendipity smirks at Robin, checking out his new coat. "Hey, assuming I get there, I just might. Shame to waste all =this=."

The unicorn rises smoothly to its full height and shakes its mane. He looks back at his passengers, and they suddenly feel that their seats are extremely secure. So secure they're not sure they could remove themselves from his back if they tried. With a final glance at the two Perunka, he begins a surprisingly light, quick trot up Katahdin Road.

Eshu's Daughter turns her head about, arches her neck to regard Serendipity. She snorts, burrs a laugh out between her thick lips, then curls a leg up and lowers her head in a jaunty bow. Well, now.

Miki puts his hands on Justin's waist, pressing downward in an attempt to shift his weight. He can't. "I... I am stuck," he says in a low voice, leaning forward (as much as he can). The fact that the unicorn is trotting, of course, only makes it worse.

Robin grins and barely restrains herself from beating a tattoo on the unicorn's sides with glee. Danny's comment reaches her in time, and she cranes her neck to survey Justin. The fact that this puts her face inches from his doesn't seem to occur to her; the important thing is the hair. She runs her fingers through his hair again, and now the streak is back to its usual color. "Can't have you clashing at the Onvocation," she says.

Eshu's Daughter stretches her muzzle out and thumps Serendipity on the shoulder. You won't get those shoes wet on my back, or your tack. Come on.

With a swish of his tail and a whinney, Thundersnow follows the unicorn at a respectful distance.

Justin sets his hands on Robin's waist, and blinks at her as she runs her fingers through his hair again. "Sorry?" he says, blankly, then the unicorn is trotting and the experience of riding a horse without doing anything himself is simply too weird for further immediate conversation.

Serendipity grins at Ruth and dips a deep curtsey at her bow -- something about her body language successfully gets through, apparently, as he comes closer and puts a hand on her neck, leaning to address her with extra-solemn respect, "...may I?"

The unicorn's trot shifts to a rolling canter that somehow eats ground while feeling like a merry-go-round ride. One ear twitches back toward the riders, but he doesn't say anything. Within minutes, they reach the upper reaches of Katahdin Road. Then the unicorn is taking on the steep mountainside with almost no discernable effort -- only the flexing of giant muscles indicates that he is doing real work to gain altitude.

Eshu's Daughter rolls her large, dark eyes. I can't even /see/ the others anymore.

"Nnnothing," Robin says innocently. She leans against Justin for warmth, enjoying the ride. *Sir, if asking for your name would be rude, amy I have an appellation?*

The run along the road presents no difficulty, but as they reach the mountainside and begin to climb, Thundersnow lengthens his stride and sweat forms along his flanks. He paces himself, allowing his following distance to grow as long as he can still see the unicorn.

Serendipity climbs on swiftly, though it isn't the best thing that ever happened to a dress, and holds on. At least it isn't the first time he's ridden bareback.

Miki leans forward, pressing the side of his face to the side of Justin's shoulder, so that his voice can reach Robin as well. "What is nothing? Do you think we will be taken to a... one of the places where all the unicorns have been staying? Or perhaps the Convocation will be here, on the mountain?"

It's fortunate the scarred mare has the gift for holding a rider in place, fortunate as well that there are stirrups and saddle to find purchase on. As soon as the princess swings up onto her back, she's in motion, her stride lengthening, a gallop that rings out along snow and stone. She races up along the road towards the others and the unicorn.

The unicorn climbs steadily, galloping when he can, forging upward at his best speed. Trees whip past. He grunts a negative in response to Robin; his attention is apparently on his job. At higher altitudes, he breaks a trails through thick virgin snow, sending it flying in a spray all around him. It is a long ride, even at his speeds.

Robin sighs at the unicorn. "Nothing is nothing," she calls back to Miki, resigned. "I'll explain later. Do you think maybe where they're holding the Convocation, it's Spring?"

Justin, with one arm around Robin's waist and the other on both Miki's arm and his staff, looks slightly dazed, and doesn't have anything to say.

Thundersnow follows the unicorn's broken trail, his footfalls strangely silent for the amount of effort he's putting into them. The gap between himself and the unicorn has stopped growing, and he runs along the slope of the mountain with a familiarity born of long practice, sweat flying back from his neck and sides.

Eshu's Daughter doesn't always keep to the road. Where it turns, where it would slow the pace of her hooves, she hurls herself into the forest, raps sharp hooves against wood and earth and stone. Somehow, she doesn't trip. It may even be attractive, a dark horse running through a birch-pale wood, Serendipity's dress and coat flowing back with the wind. Just, also, dangerous.

Miki continues to peer around Justin's shoulder in an attempt to see where they are going. "We can hope?" he replies to Robin, his voice making it a doubtful question. His arms around Justin's waist are there only because he's being affectionate, of course; they have nothing to do with the fact that they are being carried off at high speeds to an unknown destination by a powerful creature to a destiny uncertain. Indeed not.

Serendipity holds on tight, leaning aerodynamically against the Perunka as they careen along. Judging by the sound of his laugh, he's rather enjoying it, danger or not.

The unicorn breaks out of the trees, galloping upward along the bare slopes. The freezing wind pierces through his riders without mercy, streaming his tail out horizontally behind. In this place, where the snow still lies on the ground but has been scoured to a shallower depth than it is below, he has apparently chosen to run atop the icy crust, his enormous hooves not even scoring the surface. And at some point that seems exactly like any other, he slows to a stop and stands still, waiting for the Perunka to catch up.

The pace of the mare's breath changes with the angle of the road, muscle bunches beneath dark hide. She slows a step, then another, but the ground still rolls quick beneath. Soon enough she's drawn close enough to the unicorn and his riders to catch the sound of hooves on ice. She doesn't follow his steps, though, races out along a ridge where wind has worn the snow away. Sweat flecks her flanks as she slows, tosses her head.

Thundersnow's hooves crunch the ice quietly as he flies up the slope and the wind sends his long, full mane and tail billowing about wildly. He isn't too far behind now, and as soon as he sees the unicorn has stopped, he slows his pace and shortens his stride.

Robin lets out a slow breath in wonder.

Eshu's Daughter casts her breath out in long, billowy clouds, draws in great draughts of the frigid air. She steps high along the edge of the bowl, stops to look towards the unicorn.

"Why have we stopped?" Miki asks, trying to peer around Justin's other shoulder. "Oh," he says, catching sight of Katahdin's peak.

Justin, moving carefully and creakily with the cold, unwinds himself from Robin. "I think we're here," he replies to Miki, and slides off the unicorn's back, landing in the snow with a grunt of pain. "Ow." He straightens up with an effort, and blinks at the surroundings. "It's beautiful."

Miki slides down after Justin, landing lightly in the snow. "But so cold," he says, pulling his cloak more firmly around him.

Thundersnow trots is a wide circle, blowing out breaths and cooling himself down slowly. On a turn that brings him near Justin, he nibbles at his kumimate's hair amiably as he passes.

Serendipity slips off of Eshu's Daughter's back, landing lightly on his feet (thank goodness he still has his boots) and giving her another curtsey. "Thanks for the ride," he says cheerfully, and takes a good look around.

For long, cold minutes, there is nothing but the howl of the wind. Then, high on the peak of Katahdin -- near the Window of the Sun, for those familiar with the lay of the land -- a white gleam flashes brilliantly, and a river of pale bodies pours forth, rippling down the side of the mountain like a flash flood. Those with keen hearing can hear something that sounds like bells in the distance. As the vanguard surges closer, it becomes clear that not all the bodies are white -- there are all colors of the rainbow scattered within -- and that the sounds are growing louder. Above the torrent, an enormous shape rises up from the mountain itself, with stars for eyes and nebulae for mane, watching the Convocation gallop to where the judges stand. The river of unicorns breaks around the judges and their friends, flowing to surround them, their hooves striking a deafening cacophany of bells. As far as the eye can see from this place, there are unicorns, their horns rising in hundreds of golden, silver, and other colored spires, hides steaming gently in the cold. The peak of Katahdin still looms darkly above, and the unicorn in the heavens looks down benignly.

Eshu's Daughter lifts her head as the unicorns flood down from the window of the sun, watches with wide, dark eyes, one hoof raised as they flow down into the bowl, around everyone. She snorts, turns her head towards the unicorn above. The wind catches her mane, whips it about. /* De nada, */ she says to Serendipity, as he slips off her back.

Justin, stunned, can only stand there and watch the unicorn river, his breath shallow and his eyes wide and overbright. After the unicorns still, he swallows silently, and does what's worked with unicorns in the past: he bows to the assembly, deep and formal.

Miki freezes in place, staring at the avalanche of unicorns flowing over the mountain, then raises his hands in a gesture of wonder and laughs with delight as the tide breaks and flows around them. He can't seem to decide where to look-- there is too much, everywhere.

Thundersnow whinneys a greeting at the approaching unicorns and darts back towards the judges, coming to a stop just behind Justin as they are surrounded. He watches the unicorn of the sky loom overhead and he shudders, prancing nervously but ducking his head in deference.

Robin slides down blindly, too enthralled with the unicorn of stars to have a care for where her feet fall. As she lands, her plain woolen clothes change to white robes with hanging sleeves embroidered in silver. She pays no attention to the sea of unicorns on the ground, staring up at the stars.

His current attire notwithstanding, Ren makes a deep bow to the unicorns as a group and the star-unicorn in particular, then rises, and grins, waving a princess-of-the-parade wave to all and sundry.

The sussurus of unicorns -- their breathing, their small movements, their hooves ringing softly against the stone -- slowly dies down. High above, among the clouds, the star-eyed unicorn seems to focus its attention on the judges. *YOU ARE HERE AS JUDGES FOR THE CONVOCATION* it says in a voice that rattles from front of skull to back of throat and forward again. *ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH THE VENUE?* The wind, howl as it might, does seem to be broken by the sheer mass of mostly-equine-bodies, and there is something like warmth starting to penetrate this 'clearing' at the center.

Miki tilts his head back, staring up at the apparation in the sky. He swallows several times, opens his mouth, then just nods. After a moment, he seems to regain a bit of his composure, and he answers, "It is beautiful, the mountain. I could not be not-satisfied with it. It is perfect."

Robin nods silently, eyes still fixed on the star unicorn. She doesn't seem to be registering the mortal world at all.

Justin, for a split second, as that voice booms within him, looks as if he might bolt like a startled horse, or pass out, or something. It's only a split second, however, and he replies dizzily, "Quite satisfied, my lord," tipping his head up to look at the celestial unicorn, and leaning heavily on his staff.

There are so many unicorns about that a straight path to her companeros is not possible. So, Eshu's Daughter walks with the flow of the gathered unicorns, out along the edge of the bowl, then back towards the others. Her flanks twitch, she tosses her mane, glances up towards the celestial unicorn again.

*VERY WELL* the star unicorn says. *YOU HAVE TWO SIMPLE DECISIONS TO MAKE.* It nods, very slightly, and a thin, coltish unicorn steps out of the throng, apparently exchanging places with the unicorn who fetched the judges. The youthful-seeming beast shivers and takes on a human form, fortuitously supplied with a heavy black woolen robe like a scholar's and a round, flat-topped hat. He draws a scroll from his sleeve, swallows hard (his prominent Adam's apple bobs), and opens it. "Both decisions, oh, Judges," he reads in a slightly tremulous voice, "deal with the territory of this place called Ktaadn, the mountain and its environs, which holds a high place in the pantheon of centers of magical might. The first decision is this: shall a single unicorn call this place -- the mountain and its environs so far as a horse may gallop in three days in any direction -- its own, or shall a group of unicorns share it equally among themselves?"

Eshu's Daughter lifts her head and looks towards Danny. She doesn't have to say it to-- say it. What?

Miki tears his gaze from the group of unicorns, the unicorn of stars, and the unlikely transformation which just occurred in front of them, and looks at his fellow judges. "A group," he says without hesitation. Rather eagerly, in fact. "It is a magical place, it deserves to be shared." He chews on his knuckle, then: "And we have got used to having lots of unicorns around," he adds confidingly.

Justin slides his hand up Thundersnow's neck, warming his fingers in the stallion's thick mane. "How would these two situations differ?" he asks the young scholar unicorn, with whom he can relate. "What are the advantages and disadvantages of either?"

The attentions help assuage the last of Thundersnow's nervourness, and he makes a low, happy sound and settles down. One ear flicks at Ruth, but he has no answer for her, and merely swishes his tail. He doesn't understand the question.

As the star unicorn nods, Robin follows his eyes, and startles as she sees the gathered masses. She gazes about her in astonishment and momentary panic before fifteen years of training rise up and quash her stage fright. She draws herself up formally and bows to the assembly, then to the scholarly unicorn. When she straightens again, she shoots a look at Miki and says, "Upon the unicorns as well as upon the mortals and the land."

The youth clears his throat nervously. "Um. Well, there would be only one unicorn to protect the territory. One argument for a single guardian is that there are several very powerful beings here under consideration, and they are not used to sharing. However, even the most powerful being may be overwhelmed or surprised, and therefore there is the argument that a group would be more appropriate for defending such a well of power as this. For the mortals, well, there would -- or should," he corrects himself, "be very little effect, except that, again, a single unicorn makes for a single defender, or single point of assistance in the case of those mortals chosen to protect this place, whereas a group would provide the assets of a group. Of course, there is the possible difficulty of a group having to reach a decision about some change or action, while a single unicorn would make its decision alone and possibly more quickly." He looks up at the star unicorn questioningly, and receives a nod. "There is the fact that at least one power well here already has multiple spirit defenders. You could take this as a pattern to follow, or a pattern to break, of course. You are the judges."

Miki listens attentively to the scholarly little unicorn, then folds his arms over his chest and gives a complex, arrogant shrug, which says as clearly as words: I already made the right decision. He doesn't look at Justin or Robin.

Robin's forehead creases as she considers this. "Who would the guardian or guardians be?" she says, folding her hands in her sleeves.

Justin waits for this answer before giving his own; he does give Miki a fondly exasperated glance, though. His hand remains on Thundersnow's neck.

"That," the unicorn scholar says with a nervous smile, "is your second decision."

Miki's eyes open wide in a look of stunned astonishment. "Our decision?" he asks. "Of all... the... unicorns who are here?" His glance around at the vast crowd of unicorns is eloquent.

Robin laughs. "Ah." She looks up at Justin, then over at Miki. "I hate committees, but on the other hand, even a minor spell can overcome a unicorn if it's done at just the right time. And we certainly do have an overflow of doom." A look of Aha! passes over her. She turns back to the scholarly unicorn. "Humble apologies for my ignorance, sir, but what, exactly, do unicorns defend?"

Since Robin is asking all the good questions, Justin remains silent, absently scratching Thundersnow's chin as he listens.

Thundersnow leans against Justin and nudges him, heaving a sigh of happiness. His tail flicks to his sides on occasion, helping dry the last of the sweat from his flanks.

The young man in the robes laughs at Miki's question, sympathetically. "No, no. There are only a few who have put themselves forward as candidates, having either no territory of their own or feeling crowded in their extant territory. We have eliminated all but the candidates we feel to be the best possibilities." To Robin, he says, "Unicorns defend the land from depredation, the people from slaughter, and the centers of power from destruction, theft, or corruption. We work on a more spiritual and, sometimes, abstract level than do Gaia's own mortal defenders. That is an element of our... well, our individual births. We are born or created into an aspect, you see, and we do our best to embody it while still acting as guardians. Does this help?" Again, he glances upward, as if afraid he has said too much. The star unicorn does not react.

"That is very helpful indeed," Robin says. She nods her thanks and waits to hear what question Justin will come up with.

Eshu's Daughter stands near the others. She is not near enough to touch yet, there are unicorns between, but her head is held high and the wind sweeps her mane and tail about. Dark eyes watch the gathered unicorns, the one above, the fellow in the robe.

"Are all unicorns guardians?" Miki wonders, but shakes his head quickly, realizing that his question is not really germane to the matter at hand.

Serendipity absently fluffs out the skirt of his dress, watching the proceedings and looking rather decorative. He scans the crowd of unicorns, idly looking for the one he's met, and generally being remarkably well-behaved. What a good boy.

A unicorn near Serendipity noses the fluffed skirt of the dress curiously. *That is a mortal wedding dress* it comments softly. *From this land. Did you think you would find a mate here?*

Justin contemplates the answer for several minutes. It seems to satisfy him, although he's still thoughtful. He glances at Robin, saying, "Yes, that is most informative. I think I am ready to give my answer on this issue."

The scholar inclines his head to Robin and, apparently at pains to make sure that no question goes unanswered, says to Miki, "Yes, we are, in some manner or other. I, for instance, am guardian of a land with an ancient monastery, known for learning and scholarship." In response to Justin, he merely bows, produces a quill made from a peacock feather, evidently, and poises himself to scribe the answers on his scroll.

Robin beats back the demons of curiosity on the theory that there will be an after-Convocation party. She straightens herself and says, "A group."

Miki eyes the scholar-unicorn with some interest after this pronouncement, then glances aside at Robin and Justin. "I already said a group; I have not changed my mind."

Justin nods, saying quietly but clearly, "A group of unicorns." He can't help but smile at the scholar unicorn and his quill.

*SO BE IT* rolls the thunder from the sky. The scholar scribbles mightily for several moments. Then he sighs -- in fact, there seems to be a collective sigh, and in one way, some of the tension releases. In another, there is new tension in the air. *NOW* the star unicorn says *VIRGIN GIRL, WORLDLY BOY, MAGE. YOU MUST CHOOSE THE GROUP OF UNICORNS THAT WILL BE GUARDIANS OF THIS PLACE FOR ALL TIME.*

The scholar sets his quill aside and smiles nervously again. "Do you have any questions before I present your choices?"

Serendipity glances down at the unicorn addressing him, and grins. "It's courtesy of local comedian the Virgin, there," he replies aside to his questioner, indicating Robin with a tilt of his head, "...but I look pretty hot in it, so hey, can't not gonna rule it out. Plus, not likely to happen again, me not bein' the marryin' type. And a guy," he adds, as an afterthought.

Eshu's Daughter whickers, laughter caught up in the wind. She turns a dark eye towards Serendipity.

Miki flushes at being addressed by the star unicorn, and looks down at his feet. When he looks back up, he asks the little scholar, "Will we have to choose a, a leader for the unicorns?"

Robin's shoulders tense with the new wave of anticipation. "And why is there no guardian presently?"

"Why is there a need now, when there has been need before yet no unicorn to guard?" Justin adds his own question.

The scholar blinks in surprise. "Why, no. Choosing a leader rarely works well. They must decide that for themselves. If," he adds, a little wryly, "they choose to have one at all." To Robin and Justin, he replies, "There is no guardian because the mountain has been quiescent for a long time. It had a guardian, long ago, but it sleeps now, like most of the other ancient spirits here, and will not likely awaken. It has been foreseen," at this he casts a look upward, "that this place is awakening and will awaken further into a... a nexus. I keep saying 'power' but that really is what it's all about. It will come to the attention of many, and will be threatened by more than a few. Until now, the threats have been miniscule. But it has the potential to throw the balance of the world off again, if the wrong hands took control of it. Do you see?"

See, and have seen, Thundersnow whickers in a low voice meant mostly for himself and Justin.

Robin mouths, "Miniscule?" She tosses Miki and Justin a dubious, worried look and, in animal speech, adds, Doooom.

Miki nods thoughtfully and gravely at the scholar-unicorn's words. "We have already seen things happening here, it is not a surprise to hear that the Mountain is waking."

Justin leans his head against Thundersnow's neck for a moment. "Miniscule," he mutters, with half a breathless, strained laugh, glancing over to meet Robin's eyes. "No, it's not a surprise," he agrees with Miki. "That answers my question, thank you. It is not reassuring in the least, but it answers my question."

The unicorn over near Ren nibbles daintily at the hem of the dress. *Ah, yes. It tastes of normal clothing. I see. Why does being a 'guy' have anything to do with it?*

The scholar bows. "Shall I introduce the candidate groups then?"

Miki nods, wrapping his arms around himself under his cloak and stepping a little away from the other two judges.

Justin glances at Miki, worried, but nods to the scholar unicorn.

"Please," Robin says, eyes alight with expectation.

The scholar nods and unrolls his scroll again. "At the first, we have the ancient and powerful pair who aspect Death andLife."

One unicorn glides forward, glowing like moonlight on a bleached and windpolished bone. It is curiously immobile, without vitality. Its skin is translucent at times, allowing the skeleton to show through. The second unicorn that materializes from the crowd is indistinct with a glow that reaches beyond normal human senses and seems to strike directly at the base of the skull with something between panic and fascination. Unlike its brother, its hide is starlit and its mane the color of night, and wings seem to flicker into view over its back from time to time.

Serendipity reaches down and gives the unicorn's mane a little pat, just because it's there. "Well, in these parts, guys don't usually wear dresses. We're s'posta wear the bifurcated stuff. 'specially for ceremonial stuff like weddings," he explains, still quietly cheerful.

Miki stares at this pair uneasily, then nods to them in courtesy, perhaps apology. He doesn't look at Justin or Robin; instead his fascinated gaze flicks between each of the first pair of unicorns presented.

Robin grins. "Gentlemen."

Justin pushes his glasses up his nose in a slow, dreamlike motion, then bows his head to Life and Death.

Even the scholar seems a little nervous with this pair. He shifts his weight uneasily and continues. "At the second, we have four unicorns, each of whom has represented an aspect of a season for... uh... a very long time."

Four pale, moonlit unicorns step out of the crowd, at least one brushing against Ruth in passing. They stand shoulder to shoulder, gracile creatures, their eyes and a few other features the only variance between them. One is silver-eyed, one golden-eyed, one green-eyed, and one black-eyed.

"Gentlemen and madam," Robin says, grinning even more broadly. She bows to them, with an extra nod for the golden-eyed one.

Justin's eyes widen at the sight of the Summer unicorn. His gaze jumps to Spring, though, and then to Robin.

Miki blinks as he recognizes this group, and a slight color-- only faintly visible in the moonlight-- stains the tops of his cheekbones. He nods politely to them, with a sort of awkwardness of not really knowing what to do in *this* social situation.

The scholar smiles slightly and goes on. "At the third, a team of four youthful aspects of the classical Western elements."

A little black unicorn with a generous mane steps forward first, and a dark red unicorn, mane flickering with flames, steps up beside her, dwarfing her. On another side of the group, an inky shadow melts into the open, sea-green eyes glowing with interest. It passes casually around the judges to join the other two. Finally, two small, gangly, winged foals tumble into the space next to their group, one standing perfectly still, the other apparently vibrating with energy and good humor.

Miki offers this group a strained smile and a nod, with perhaps a slight deepening to his blush.

Justin considers the group of elements with a faint smile for the one he's met, the cuddly fire unicorn.

Robin smiles fondly at the foals, then even more fondly at the black unicorn. She raises an eyebrow and with a faintly incredulous why-didn't-I-think-of-that expression, her lips form the word, "Earth?" Pinking, she says, "Gentlemen, ladies..."

Serendipity looks rather impressed by the fire unicorn, and grins at the foals in recognition, inclining his head to them a touch, solemnly respectful for the so-still foal's benefit.

Thundersnow neighs a soft greeting to the sea unicorn and paws at the ground absently.

"And finally," the scholar concludes, "at the fourth, an assemblage of four aspects of wind that varies in age."

Four truly odd unicorns emerge at this. While all are equine in shape, there is a variation in motion and mannerisms. One is tiger-striped and distinctly feline in motion, with three-toed feet that end in claws. One has a somewhat canine face and an odd lope, with gray coloring and a neck-ruff of thick fur in place of a mane. Another is almost draconic, with long, serpentine neck and tail, but still having a silky coat of horsehair. The fourth is heavy, thick-boned, and dark, broad of neck and also having three-toed feet.

Miki nods to this new assemblage of unicorns, then regards his feet solemnly.

Robin also nods, then affects a grave and distant air that covers reasonably successfully for the fact that she wants nothing more than to stare.

Justin considers the unicorns, nods to them, although he doesn't recognize any of them, and glances curiously at Robin and Miki.

*THESE ARE YOUR CHOICES* the voice from the sky booms. *YOU MAY CONSULT IN PRIVATE* A sudden deadening of sound settles over the judges and their friends, apparently the star unicorn's means of ensuring that nothing they say will be heard by the unicorns.

Miki reaches up and touches his ear, shaking his head, then glances over the four groups of unicorns again, his expression distant, even blank.

Justin flinches at the Voice, followed by deafening silence, and looks at his friends and fellow judges in something of a bewildered state. "Uhm, well."

Robin bows deeply to the star unicorn, then turns to her friends. She is stately and composed, the very picture of a serious-minded and responsible woman. In a voice composed of gravitas made into sound, she says, "Did any of you schtup anyone in the last group?"

Miki blinks at Robin. "What does that mean?"

"Sleep with," Justin clarifies for Miki, coloring faintly. "Not I."

Serendipity snirks at Robin's question, and looks briefly annoyed at discovering that he doesn't have pockets for his hands at the moment. How annoying. "...don't worry," he says consolingly to the judges, "y'might still have a chance."

Robin draws a closed fan from her sleeve, swats Ren over the head with it gravely, and returns to the issue at hand. "I don't recognize any of them. Complete unknowns."

"I have not met them either," replies Miki, looking away from Robin.

Justin shakes his head. "I've never met them, either. I, uhm." He's trying not to look at the summer unicorn. "I've met Fire, and of course Summer, and Autumn... so I know the seasons best, and, well, in the environ we live in, the four seasons seem to be thematically appropriate."

The tiger-unicorn fell from the tree, Thundersnow supplies with a swish of his tail, and is very old. It told me about the judging. It did not seem like a wind-unicorn though.

"The first pair would be... appropriate," Miki replies to Justin, "if we were going by their, um, aspects alone."

Serendipity sticks his tongue out at Robin again, rubbing his head where he was hit, and then grins at her, with a little shrug. "Too bad you guys can't ask =them= questions too, huh?"

"And the unicorns of the seasons are powerful," Robin says. "Ancient, and powerful. Of course, Spring is also traditional, set in his ways, capricious, murderous, and given to fighting with Winter. I have most of that from his own mouth." She nods at Danny. "That's one I.D., then. And Earth didn't seem like an elemental unicorn, either... Miki, what's wrong?"

The scholar is very carefully not craning his neck to see what progress is being made. However, five hundred other unicorns are staring almost fixedly at the judges. Except for the unicolt, who has apparently found that forcing his nose into the snow and ice gives a peculiar sensation.

Justin's mouth thins. "I haven't met the Life unicorn, but the Death one..." He shakes his head. "Oh, God, I don't know." The fixed eyes of the amassed make him not fidget in a very determined sort of way. "I think, perhaps, any of the groups would serve us well, but I am disposed towards the seasons, or the elements."

Miki glances over at Robin, his gaze shuttered and distant. "Wrong?" he asks. He adds nothing else to the discussion, for the moment. "We understand the seasons and the elements, maybe. Better than the others." He stares back at the unicorns, quite at ease, strangely, under their gaze.

"You looked away from me," Robin says. "...Never mind. I met the Life unicorn; he was... weighty. Polite and pleasant enough, but too large for human society, in the same way that the Death unicorn is too strange for human society. We are going to need guardians who can work on a more human level." She steps closer to Danny, moving so that he blocks the stares of at least two hundred unicorns. "The elemental unicorns fit wonderfully with humans--Earth reads the newspaper--but perhaps they are too close to us? And I have doubts about the foals."

Thundersnow noses Robin and nibbles at her hair. Unaga do not learn and grow if they are not given a chance to, he says absently.

The Life and Death pair have remained perfectly motionless throughout. The Seasons are fairly relaxed, although they don't look at each other and remain standing side by side. The Elements seem nervous, with the Earth and Fire unicorns apparently conferring quietly, the Water unicorn scanning the crowd, and the Air unicorns occupying themselves with fairly quiet pursuits. The Winds are reclining in ways that seem to reflect their bodies. The young scholar has given up pretending and is peering at the judges from time to time.

Justin catches the scholar's eye and gives him a sympathetic half-grin. He sighs and leans against Thundersnow like another horse. "All right. I believe my choice will be the seasons, because of the wild nature of Katahdin; it lives and breathes seasons more than elements or the winds. And, because, they are not too strange. They are, in their way, very...human."

Eshu's Daughter is still save for when the wind catches her mane and tail, her head held high, her dark eyes watching. Even when one unicorn brushes past her, she doesn't do more than wheel about to make room, the curve of her neck, the tension of her muscles in turn illustrating her own desire for space. Then, perhaps with Justin's decision, some cloud passes from over her eyes and she steps across the snow to stand near her friends. She snorts. I knew there were unicorns on the mountain, not that all of them were on the mountain.

Miki nods. "Yes, the little ones are very young to guard. Also, they might be in danger, if the unicorns had to... defend the Mountain." He glances over at Justin, and nods gravely. He's still standing somewhat apart, his hands cupping his elbows under his cloak.

"That's true," Robin says to Danny, extracting her hair. "And it might make more sense to give a developing region developing guardians. But like Miki said, they're not ideal guardians now, and now is when we need them." She presses her head between her hands to stave off the onrushing headache. "On the other hand, the unicorns of the seasons are not quite as human as they seem. Winter would rather study ruins and graves than meet living people, Spring has warned me that he's dangerous and that he doesn't care for mortals, and Summer and Autumn--" She flashes a smile at Miki and Justin. "--would you call that sort of power human?"

Miki shrugs indifferently. "They are not humans. They are unicorns."

Justin shakes his head. "Oh, no, they are not, and never will be, and it would be dangerous to treat them as such. Yet..." He pauses, thinking. "They are not inscrutable, perhaps is what I mean." He shrugs a little, wryly.

Above, the stars shift slightly.

Robin grins. "This is true." She starts to look over at the groups, but catches herself and scans the firmament studiously instead. "What we really need is to keep the seasons until the worst of the danger is over, then scoot in the elements." She groans. "But we're deciding for all time! How are we supposed to know what the elements will grow into?"

When are we not making choices that will change the world? Eshu's Daughter whickers, whisks her long, coarse tail.

You do not know. Isn't that the point? Thundersnow's skin shivers and he shakes himself. You don't know what will come of Cousin-Katadhin either.

"Say you want 'em both," Ren suggests, "...I mean, what's the worst response you're gonna get for that, 'no, you have to pick one'?"

Miki glances involuntarily at the peak of the mountain, as though he might have understood at least that reference in Danny's speech. "Justin is right, Katahdin is tied to the seasons."

Justin grins a little at Ren. "I don't think that there'd be a proper synergy, if we had two groups."

Robin points at Ren. "Stop making sense," she says sternly. She sighs. "But they said that whomever we pick will guard the area for all eternity." She picks at a nub of silver embroidery on the edge of her sleeve. "Earth told me that Spring fits into the area 'with an audible click.'"

Miki walks away from the group, towards the unicorn-scholar. He holds a hand out in front of him, as though he expects to feel it when he passes the barrier of sound. "After we choose a group of unicorns, will no other unicorns ever come here?" he asks the humaniform unicorn in the black robe.

"I suppose it couldn't hurt to ask if we could have two groups?" Justin scratches his beard, glancing back at the patiently waiting unicorns. "Although, if Earth says that..."

"Earth says that," Robin mutters, "but that doesn't make him any less of a psycho."

Above, the stars shift slightly again.

Eshu's Daughter lifts her head to turn a dark eye towards the stars.

Justin tips his head in acknowledgement of -that- point.

Serendipity grins at Robin again, and acknowledges Justin's point with a light shrug -- they're the judges, after all.

The scholar steps forward to Miki. "The unicorns you choose would have this place as territory. Other unicorns could come, but they would have to obtain permission from all the unicorns in the territory. And unless there was a very good reason, they would not be likely to come at all to start with." He smiles, a little sadly. "We don't get out much."

Miki gives the scholar a look of sympathy. "Must we only choose one group?" he asks, for the sake of the debate he left behind him in the sound-bubble. He reaches up and pushes his hair out of his eyes.

Justin watches Miki talking to the scholar, waiting to see what comes of that.

The scholar draws in a long breath. "It would..." He glances up, and the stars twitch slightly, as if the star unicorn were flicking its hide to be rid of a fly. "Each group has negotiated a... cease-fire, you might say. Not quite an alliance, but an agreement, to work together should they be chosen. If two groups were chosen, the territories would be smaller -- and thus potentially cause conflict -- and further agreements would have to be negotiated. Overall, I think we would *prefer* a single group to be chosen. But if you cannot decide..." He shrugs sympathetically.

Miki listens to this thoughtfully. "They have probably decided," he reassures the scholar. "Thank you." He bows politely and retreats back inside the sphere of sound-blocking. "Did you hear what he said?" he asks the other two judges.

"I want to choose the elements," Robin says under her breath to Justin. "I like them. I want to give someone young and fresh the chance to shape this place. But if they fail, who knows what they'll take down with them?" She runs her fingers through her hair distractedly and scans the waiting groups. "The seasons have power, but Winter and Spring fight and Spring doesn't see anything good in mortals. Arrgh!" She flings her arms out, sleeves cracking. "Dividing the place into smaller territories isn't going to help."

The scholar withdraws politely.

Robin nods and waves her hands, looking frustrated.

Justin whuffs out a huge sigh, shaking his head. "No, it doesn't. One group, then." He looks sideways at Robin, brow furrowed. "I agree. And yet." He looks back at Miki, unhappily. "I don't think my choice is going to change. If what we need are defenders...well, we know that the seasons do well with that," he says dryly.

Miki listens to Justin and Robin debate, standing a little ways away. He doesn't say anything.

Thundersnow turns a dark eye on Justin. Are defenders all we need? Defenders come in many forms.

"What other forms are there?" Robin says.

Justin leans his forehead against Thundersnow's neck again, and sighs. "This is at once simpler and harder than I had expected," he says with a small, wry smile. "I am ready, though, to state my choice." Looking at Robin, he asks quietly, "Are you?"

Subtlety and speed can defend as surely as ferocity and strength. Thundersnow snorts and his mane twitches.

"True," Robin says. "The foals aren't subtle, though." She pulls out her fan and fiddles with it. "...I'm ready," she says. "The tiresome job of learning to like my choice can wait 'till later."

Thundersnow nudges Robin with his shoulder. Water is subtle. The colts have wings. They will be fast.

Miki shrugs; evidently he is willing to state his choice as well.

Justin looks over at the scholar unicorn and nods to him. It might be more effective to alert the starry unicorn, but at the moment, Justin's going with what he knows.

The starry gaze focuses on the judges. *ARE YOU PREPARED TO MAKE YOUR CHOICES?*

Robin looks up unwillingly and nods.

Miki looks up and nods solemnly.

The sound dampening drops and the scholar is there, quill and scroll in hand. "And what are your choices?" he inquires. There seems to be a breathless hush now.

Justin glances at Robin and Miki, yet again, then at the scholar unicorn. Quiet and firm, in the same tone he uses to command his magic, he says, "I choose the seasons."

Without looking at any of the groups, Robin says, "The seasons."

Miki, meanwhile, has been looking at the unicorns. After Justin and Robin speak, he glances over at the scholar, one eybrow slightly raised as though to question whether he needs to speak at all. "The seasons," he says without expression.

There is a sigh of released tension throughout the herd gathered round the judges. Life and Death vanish into the crowd. The Winds rise and saunter out of sight. Of the Elements, Earth nods, Fire sighs, Water relaxes, and the Wind foals wilt. Earth and Fire round up the foals and herd them into the the crowd. The Seasons stand still, and alone.

*SO BE IT* the star unicorn says. *YOU HAVE OUR GRATITUDE FOR YOUR JUDGEMENTS, MORTALS. IN RETURN, WHEN THE CONVOCATION IS OVER, I WILL COME TO EACH OF YOU AND YOU MAY ASK OF ME ONE BOON. IF IT IS IN MY POWER, I WILL GIVE IT.*

The scholar finishes scribbling on his scroll, then tosses the scroll into the air, where it disperses in a cloud of strange, glowing energy. "Thank you," he tells the judges. "We must reconvene now to decide on the territorial boundaries and other agreements. But we will return you to the place from which you were brought. And," he adds, glancing after the Elements, "there will be time, after, for you to say farewells, if you so care to."

Justin sighs, too, rubbing the back of his neck in relief, glancing in sympathy at the unicorn colts. He bows again to the starry unicorn, and to the others--and can't help, finally, looking at the green-eyed unicorn.

Thundersnow blows out a breath. You can ask it to make the plumbing work, he suggests to Justin. Hot showers.

Robin bows silently to the scholar and a little deeper to the judge. Her expression is sorrowful as she watches the elements recede into the crowd.

Miki merely bows his head and watches the unicorns leave.

The stars fall out of the sky just then, a dazzling shower of blue-white sparks. After a dizzying few minutes of flashing lights, all the mortals from the mountainside find themselves inside the Diner -- yes, even Thundersnow.