the song remains the same

[Jefferson Soul]

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     They were a bit overwhelming, his pack. Jefferson didn't mind it; now that Miriette and a few other faces had ventured away with the flow of time, Phoenix Valley had reached a point that lacked any sort of tension. His members were welcoming, smiling incessantly and greeting strangers and friends alike as if they were related by blood. It seemed he was the biggest outcast now, their stony leader. The cyclops maintained a loose control on his pack when it was unneeded; they had their freedom and were grateful for it, and when the time came, he was summoned or attended to the many duties he was responsible for. Jefferson couldn't afford to be full of smiles and butterflies with the workload he bore on his shoulders, especially now that DaVinci had parted ways. Then again, Jefferson had never been much of the welcoming type in the first place, but that was beside the point.

     The Patriarch was taken aback by their promptness. It appeared they had developed companionships with each other in his stead, as the cyclops had unconsciously maintained a level of separation from those in his pack. He was a leader: he couldn't afford to get too emotionally involved with the many creatures he was responsible for. However, after each new face arrived and earned a nod of greeting from the beast, his one-eyed gaze always flicked back to Geneva, even if just briefly. Jefferson was faced with a number of the same questions; he hadn't realized his members were so unfamiliar with the concept of leaders howling for their attention, but he hardly dwindled on the thought. For the most part he said nothing but a few hellos despite the questions, maintaining a calm, earthy expression all the while. "To answer your questions, yes, I howled," the cyclops smirked as they began to settle. "There's a few things we have to talk about. Let me start, and then you all can introduce yourselves to each other." Lysander and Faler in particular, of course, since the two were not as well known.

     He rolled his shoulders and felt a natural smile lighten his face; strange, how much easier it was to smile suddenly. "Today is Phoenix Valley's first birthday... though none of you was around for the founding, and myself included. Those of you who have been around a while, though... can look back and remember the many faces that have come and gone." His mind searched back, browsing over a dozen different names and faces that were long gone. Iskata stood first and foremost... and his smile faded when DaVinci came next. "Unfortunately, we have to add DaVinci to that list... I'm afraid he's moved on to better things." Or so I hope. The ex-Savant had been miserable. Slowly but surely, misery was stirring anxiety and change in his heart. He had not been the same, free-spirited idiot Jefferson had first met. Green eye glanced briefly at Geneva. "Logically speaking, that puts Geneva as my second-in-command. You'll respect her as you do me... even if she is nicer." He scratched at his neck and allowed them to absorb that material in the meantime.

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