"Hello Kitty," Jaoquotl said glumly.

Kitty's mood brightened at once.

"The drink's on me," the barmaid said, refilling both Kitty's and Jaoquotl's glasses.

"You don't like your name? It's pretty," Kitty said.

He shrugged. "Well, you don't know what it means."

"What does it mean?"

"Little Bird."

"Oh." Kitty turned around in her seat. "Anyways, when do you start your training?"

"...." said Jaoquotl.

"Are you going to be Elemental?" Kitty asked. If a summon stuck to one particular element, it said a lot about them.

"Maybe."

Kitty smiled. "I like you, Jackie-Cootie!" she exclaimed, choking him in a one-armed hug.

"Ack- you're chocking- me- ack!" he croaked. Kitty giggled and let go.

He fell back onto his chair. Shrakeris winked. "I knew you'd be friends. Hello, madam, can I help you?" she asked an Ice Fey who had collapsed onto the table.

Usually the Ice Fey looked like an exceptionally tall human. Their skin was blue, and their hair was either light-blue or pure snowy white. But Kitty liked their eyes- little blue-green-silver-white-opal worlds within the dark outer parts of their eyes. But this Ice Fey was exhausted- her eyes were dull gray, and she looked.... Melted. Really melted.

"Anything with sugar, please," she gasped, using the slang for energy.

"Okay!" Shrakeris exclaimed, using a set of her arms to mix juices while her other arms poured in spices and glittery powder.

"Want to go play outside?" Kitty offered.

Jaoquotl nodded but said nothing.

Shrakeris waved with one free hand. "Stay out of trouble, you two!"

----------------------------

"There's another one!" Kitty exclaimed, pouncing on the fish as it passed through the gutters. She caught it with a giggle.

They were playing catch-fish in the sewers. It was just a yard below the streets, and you could find all sorts of interesting little objects in the water. It was Kitty's favorite coin-collecting spot- all sorts of summons dropped the little metal disks, which rolled down to the sewer. It wasn't really a sewer- summons never made waste, and lavatories were actually just there for decoration.

But today she was just playing- she had bought Jaoquotl along too. They were catching the fish-like creatures that swam across the sewer. The current was pushy but not rough, and the sun was shining. It was a wonderful day.

"Owow!" Jaoquotl cried as he fell down with a loud splash. His feathers were plastered to his body as he rose out of the water. "He got away," the feathered boy said dejectedly.

Kitty examined her fish. It wasn't really a fish, just a magical creation to mimick parts of the human world. It started up with curious eyes. The summons that had created the almost-human parts of the Ether had been careful in designing the organisms to imitate their mortal counter-parts in almost any way imaginable. But there were conflicts too- there was a great dispute lead by the eagle summons to whether or not birds of prey should be included in the magical crafting. In the end, the creation group got approval, as long as nothing could hunt the likeness of the predator bird summons.

"It's not really a fish!" Kitty exclaimed, holding it up high and giggling. "But it feels so much like one!"

Jaoquotl looked up from where he leaned foward. "That's the point. It seems like one."

Kitty looked up, her eyes sparkling. "Why?"

Jaoquotl shrugged and shook himself, crystal droplets of water flying everywhere. "Well, if something were made toimitate another, would it make sense if it didn't look it it?"

Kitty thought. This Jaoquotl was more profound than she thought! "Well, I guess."

All of a sudden, a minotaur's voice blared across the sky. They had voices like boulders, but a properly trained minotaur could sing like no oneelse could. Plus, they could hold a lyre and play instruments with their horns.

"Newly named Six-years must report now for their training!" he roared, his voice shaking the stone walls and sending ripples through the water.

Kitty giggled. The vibrations echoed all the way up her spine.

But at the same time, she was afraid. Afraid of what her training might be.

"Let's go, Kitty," Jaoquotl called, waving his green feathers and flying away. Kitty followed.