Fuego went the way of everyone else who visited Sanctuary these days: he, too, bonded himself a dragon-friend, and picked up a second dragon-friend in the bargain. Sentio had never met Earth Omnigeno and Earth-Fire Minuo-- they had come to the bondings after he had already chosen and moved on, and he didn't see much of the non-bondeds, spending as much time as he did with the rest of his odd little "family"-- but from the sound of things, he wouldn't have spoken much with them, anyway. He was just glad that no further eruptions of jealousy and defensiveness occurred on Cacopheny's part, despite the additional times they'd been in the same general area together, and even despite that he, Onis, and Aeta had stolen the rest of the household for an afternoon of swimming.

The fifth ceremony of bonding occurred, Fuego moved on, school picked up again, and things seemed to calm down in the little two-storied house on the edge of the Watcher suburb-village. Everyone settled into their new routines for the new house: breakfast together around the table, those of them who ate breakfast anyway; walking together to class with everyone in the morning, where Cacopheny continued to struggle towards being able to read-- he really was getting better at it; a quick bite of lunch together in the bonding complex kitchens before Cacopheny and Akija went to Akija's house for her magic lessons or artifact-making sessions, and Sentio, Chario, and Kenjista stuck around for their afternoon classes. There was homework or fun when they got home, depending on everyone's mood and the amount of work they had; dinner together, for even Cacopheny and Kenjista both ate dinner; reading or a game or puzzle before bed; and then a warm summer night's sleep. It was, Sentio thought, a good sort of life, even if Kenjista was still every bit as much of a pill as she was a year ago, his bond was still psychotic and introverted, and he still didn't see much of his parents. He had a new sort of family now, as odd as it was, one which was always there, and he liked that.

Best of all, however-- because he'd sprung up another several inches over the summer, and doorways were starting to become a hazard-- as September came, Sentio finally learned the trick of shape-shifting! He made a very pale, blonde, and somewhat gawky human, but he didn't care, because now he fit again. Cacopheny seemed to have a little trouble adjusting, always seeming surprised to see him, as if he had still expected the furry and four-footed version, but it wasn't really in a bad way. At least he never didn't realize who he was or got so startled that he lashed out!

They didn't get very many visitors at the house, though: just Aeta and Onis now and then, once Cacopheny had apologized for frightening them anyway, the Watcher parents once or twice a week for a shared dinner, and sometimes one or both of the Canarics when they were in town to pick them up for dinner at their place, which had enough room for everyone. Sentio didn't really mind; he wasn't a particularly social sort, quite content with the friends he had and the times they shared. He could even escape to privacy in his own comfortable, familiar room when he felt the need to. Cacopheny certainly didn't mind, for the fewer people he had to deal with, the better for him!

It was something of a surprise, then, when, after the whole fivesome plus Aeta and Onis had settled in for an afternoon of homework-- for those who actually did homework, anyway; Kenjista and Akija never did, keeping themselves occupied in other ways-- someone did knock. It was overcast and slightly chilly outside, with the onset of autumn, or they would have been out on the lawn. It made the living room rather crowded, but only Cacopheny even seemed to notice, and he made up for it by making himself as small as he could in a shadowy corner with the book he was attempting to puzzle through. Sentio didn't have to be next to him to help him, thankfully; he'd just ask a question and project an image of the word through their link. Akija and Aeta had basket-chairs, chatting about their own respective lessoning in magic and genetics, while Sentio and Onis were sprawled on the floor and Chario had taken over the couch.

The knock made several of their number jump, and the rest look towards the door. Chario and Akija exchanged frowns and possibly silent words, and Sentio heaved himself up off the floor, expecting to answer it. "We weren't expecting anyone for dinner, were we?" he asked.

"Nope," Akija replied, apparently as baffled as he was, and she hopped up curiously to follow him. "How excitin'! Wonder who it is?"

Sentio opened the door to blink at the very unexpected pair who stood there: short, furry, Air dragon Enyi Credensin with her slightly gawky-looking, grinning, human-formed grandfather Aedelian Landwerlen. Sentio knew the former briefly from the two weeks or so they'd been in the bonding complex together, and though he'd never met the latter, his description was unmistakable: after all, he knew both second-hand, from Cacopheny's experience.

"Uh, hi," he said blankly.

"Hi, Sentio," Enyi replied, seeming a little smug that she'd surprised him. As he recalled, Enyi was a little weird, even for an Air.

"Aaah, you must be the pup who chose Cacopheny," Aedelian smiled. "I don't think we've met: I'm Aedelian, Enyi's grandfather."

"Yeah, I've, uh, heard a bit about you," Sentio nodded, feeling awkward.

The Air didn't take any offense, but amiably pumped his hand a few times before turning a jaunty gaze on a bemused Akija. "And who is this?"

"Akija Watcher," Akija answered, sticking her own hand out. Aedelian shook it with even more vigor he'd shaken Sentio's.

"Pleased to meet you! Aaaah, and there he is! Good afternoon, Cacopheny."

The half-demon had come up behind them all in the entryway, quietly, at the sound of familiar voices at the door. "Aetelian?" he asked, sounding somewhere between pleased and amazed. "Enyi?"

"In the flesh!" Enyi chirped.

"I am-- surpriss't!" Cacopheny admitted, though he looked pleased, as well.

"Still haven't lost the accent?" Aedelian interjected with a little disappointment.

"Sse rest of yourr kift isssss. Vorking fine," Cacopheny promised with a hint of amusement. For Akija's benefit, he added, "Akizja, Aetelian Landverlen issss sse von who put ssse drakon lang-- lang-- vords off sse drakons. In my heat. It hurt," he added, giving Aedelian a hard look.

"Well, I didn't have any other option at the time," Aedelian said unrepentantly. "You simply weren't picking up enough, otherwise-- and it only hurt until you slept it off, anyway."

Cacopheny actually smiled at that, as if it were some kind of joke between them. "Trrrrrue."

"Wouldja like t'come in?" Akija asked, now looking something more like amused.

"For a few minutes, perhaps," Aedelian nodded, smiling at her warmly. Sentio opened the door wider, and the small audience from the kitchen-- Aeta, Onis, and Chario-- all scattered back to give the newcomers room. "We're really just passing through," Aedelian continued. "I came to take Enyi back to her mother, but I thought we might stop by and see how things are going."

"I didn't find anyone I wanted to bond," Enyi explained. "Midsummer was my third, and they kick you out after three." She slid fluidly past Sentio and Akija, not giving them more than a glance and a half-lidded grin, to bump up against Cacopheny's hip. "Long time no see, demon-guy!"

"I tidn't know you vood vant to," the "demon-guy" replied, and patted her on the crest.

"Grandfather must be deaf; you talk much better, now! Of course I'd want to, you dolt! Nobody else in that whole complex was nearly as interesting as you are."

Cacopheny's only response was to chuckle and pat her crest again.

The pair ended up staying longer than a few minutes, joining the briefly enlarged "family" for dinner. Introductions were made, conversations started, and meal served. Enyi made a point of sitting with Cacopheny, exchanging childlike inside jokes, though she was friendly enough to everyone else. Sentio was actually amazed to see her so open and non-mysterious. Aedelian was delightful, despite his tendency to read people's minds and act on what he read there as if it was spoken. Akija seemed to find Enyi's interest in Cacopheny highly amusing-- and Aedelian's nosiness less so, though she was amazingly restrained after her third psi-allergy twitch when she finally told him to keep his mind to himself. Nothing seemed to offend Aedelian, though, and he merely smiled, apologized for causing her any discomfort, and then continued with the story he'd been telling. Though Akija twitched no more, Aedelian didn't seem to have changed his habits with anyone else at the table.

When they finally departed, Aedelian with smiles and handshakes-- or paw-shakes, for Onis, who could not yet shape-shift-- all around and Enyi with solemn nods for everyone except Cacopheny, who she half-tackled with a furry, wing-including hug, the group attempted to settle down to finish their homework again in the living room. Attempted being the operative word, as the first thing out of Akija's mouth was: "So who were they, exactly?"

Cacopheny chuckled and set about explaining, while Sentio struggled to get through his algebra before bed. It was a losing battle.