((OOC: Tria 12th, 81378 (4) Continued from The Courtyard. Sandwiches and such... Last post: ~*~ "I guess i'm not the only hungry 'dragon around here" he laughed, smiling back. "To the dorm it is. Hopefully I won't act like a complete nimcompoop. Or a lovesick nioti for that matter...", thought Nub, as they both entered her room, paw in paw. ~*~ BIC...)) Katrina laughed, rubbing her stomach a bit and letting Nub's hand slip from her own. After leaning her kitara against the wall, she made her way over to the table and hastily gathered the notes, letters, and various other papers that littered its surface. Kat then set them all in a less-than-neat pile that already held a thick stack of papers. The table was not the only thing that was cluttered. Bottles and potted plants covered the window seat that otherwise would have been a very nice place to sit and read a book. School books stood piled near the foot of her bed and a few more were strewn on the couch. "Things are a bit messier than usual today," she said with a smirk as she motioned him into the kitchen. It was slightly cleaner than the rest of her room, but only slightly. More bottles sat on the counter and there was a pot filled with some herbal concoction on the stove. The spice rack on the wall was probably the only thing that was kept neat. Everything on the little wooden shelves were labled. Of course there were the normal things one would expect to find on a spicerack: Hymai, fusaj kjatt, fhaus, cammarill, julgiahzdn, scree... Then there were a few that were simply labled by colored stickers. The top rack had a lid that fit over it with a lock in the center. Overall, a very neatly kept little collection of herbs. "Is there anything in particular you wanted to eat?" she inquired while peeking inside of her refridgeraor.
As soon as he found himself in the dorm, Nub was instantly drawn to the myriad of different potted plants, some maimed, some recovering nicely and others which looked perfectly healthy, but he suspected, had also seen their share of healing. He didn't really take notice of the mess, for he was used to far worse. His room mate and him weren't exactly the tidiest of 'dragons, and, due to one particularly unsuccessful experiment, his precious ukep had also left it's permanent mark. "Fascinating..." he let escape from his lips as he followed his new friend into the kitchen. "Is there anything in particular you wanted to eat?" "You mentioned sandwiches? I you get us those, perhaps we could have some water cress with that. I could make a dressing with some hymai, gaggaj and... Do you have lanym? Even I can' mess that up, I think" he added, laughing. As a matter of fact, Nub was a pretty good cook. Cooking and alchemy weren't all that different.
Maybe he couldn't mess up simple cooking recipies, but Kat sure could. Her mind was set on the logical, precise way to use plants. In all honesty, blending flavors was just something she hadn't spent much time practicing on. "Lanym?" she questioned, poking inside the fridge once more and coming back up with a bottle in her hand. "Only the juice, if that's alright." Kat set the little bottle on the counter and went back to searching through the food. After a moment, she extracted a package of meat and some sauces. She stepped over to a cabinet and pulled out two plates and a bowl, for whatever concoction Nub was going to cook up, before placing everything down on the ledge. Taking out some a knife, she began to make the only food she couldn't ruin with her cooking skills or lack thereof. "Feel free to look through the fridge for anything you need Nub'n-.. Nub." What was wrong with her? They had just met and she was about to add a silly little endearment to the end of his name. ((OOC: Do they have cheese on RaL? I wouldn't think so, no other animals on Earth eat other animals' milk. I doubt 'dragons would... oh well, no cheese for us.))
OOC: No cheese? But, but, I'll... Die. J/K, you're right, they probably wouldn't use another animal's milk... But wait, bread is made with milk, no? Hmmm... BIC: "Thanks, that'll be perfect Kat" he said, grinning as he poured a little lanym juice into the provide bowl. Cooking, like alchemy seemed to produce similar effects on the youth, because, to him, making a salad dressing was pretty much like an experiment, the aim being to attain the perfect texture and taste and the methods and apparatus slightly less dangerous. Fully absorbed, he methodically proceeded to adding pepper and honey to the mixture, all the whiles tirring with his spare paw. As engrossed as he was however, he didn't fail to notice the mention of his name and the endearing suffix attached to it. He smiled slightly, but let it go, and, instead, reached to open the fridge, in the hopes of finding some mustard. The dressing done, he proceeded to washing and drying the cress before pouring the dressing on top of it. "I've finished with the salad, how are you doing? Is there anything I can do?" he asked once he was done. Then, willing to start a conversation, he added, "Do you have any room mates? And if you do, do they mind your experiments? Mine drive my friend crazy. Some people will never understand... "
((OOC: We've invented a cow-type thing called a Whackow on the shoutbox. There's a sketch of it on my DeviantArt account.. I'll have to submit it sooner or later so we can have some milk.)) Kat sliced the completed sandwiches neatly into halves and placed them onto plates. "All done," she said with a grin, placing Nub's plate in front of him. Bending over, she opened a drawer and dug through it, procuring two forks. "I knew there were some clean ones... Anyway, my room mate left the school last year. I'm all alone with my plants." Katrina shoveled some salad onto her own plate and started over in the direction of the table. "My experiments used to annoy her though. She kept complaining about the window seat." She waved a dismissive paw over to the plant-covered ledge as she set down her plate.
<span style='width:100%;font-weight:bold; font-size:10px'>Out of Character</span> <table class=ooc><tr><td> Hmm... I should check out the shoutbox... Whackow sounds interesting, I just hope it doesn't involve wacking the cow or any such bovine abuse (; </td></tr></table> Getting himself some salad aswell, Nub was quick to join her at the table. "Annoyed? I drove my room mate seriously insane. He's been having homicidal thoughts of late, and claims that if I continue my nocturnal experiments, he will fling all my stocks of Ukep out of the window, though his most recent threat was that he'd pour, in his words, "ma nasty nasty evil concoction of Doom" over my head when I wasn't looking." Nub laughed. "But he's only just joking. I hope." he added, taking a small bite of sandwich. "Mm, the sadnwiches are lovely by the way." he said a little later, then, scanning the dorm, "I like your room. Plants an all. They make the place look nice and... Well, green." "Nice and GREEN?! What kind of idiotic nonsensical statement was that?"
A grin spread over her face again as she chuckled slightly. "Thank you, the salad is probably better. I guess the 'decorating' is quite nice in here. It gives off that foresty glow." Taking a bite of salad, she decided that she had been right. The dressing was sweet and rich, but light on the stomach. "This is delicious," Kat said with a mouthful of salad. Swallowing, she added, "I hope he doesn't dump any of that ukep over your head though. This place needs as many intelligent 'dragons as it can get." She thought over a few of her friends. Most were just silly school children who were more concerned with social relationships than actually learning. Then still more others were so focused on Warrior Training, that there was no room in there schedule for anything else.
"She's smiling again. I made her smile". he thought happily, this time without any rude interruptions fromReason, though it had to struggle not to blurt out how silly it thought he was. Had it not held it's tongue, it still would not have been able to wipe the broad smile that now crept into his face, or the descrete dimples at it's edges. Nothing could. As they say, the Heart has it's reasons that Reason knows not. He had made her smile. And she liked his salad. Taking a mouthful of cress himself, he was pleased to find that he quite liked it. It wasn't half bad, and that was saying something, for such a perfectionist as he was. Satisfied, he took another bite of his sandwich. "I hope he doesn't dump any of that ukep ofver your head though. This place needs as many intelligent 'dragons as it can get." Nub all but beamed at this. "Well I'm not sure it wouldn't be an improvement. Though of course - as you put it - my brains might be damaged, and I would be clinically dead without having perfected my Ukep, or gotten to know you better. The latter, being the sadder consequence of course."
"Of course," she said with the same smile. Wait, was he flirting with her? She played the conversations over in her head. Maybe... Oh well. She could not help but hope that there could be something between them. Kat munched on her sandwich, taking an occasional bite of salad. Her mind and stomach were finally content. The only thing that seemed to crave more was her heart. It kept jumping everytime he spoke and it kept futtering everytime he looked at her with those wonderful green eyes of his. Katrina finished up and let her fork hit her the plate with a clink. A satisfied sigh escaped her as she leaned back in her chair, eager for conversation. "So what are you studying? Obviously alchemy, but what else?"
<p align=justify>"...The latter being the sadder consequence of course." Was that really what his mutinous mouth had just said without giving prior notice to his brain? Had he, The Alchemist, just flirted?! Had he been any other than himself he would have laughed his furry head off at this point, but, being none other than himself, he only smiled faintly, now ascertained of one thing: He was officially, undoubtedly, and irrevocably, insane. "What else? Well, my primary trade is actually Aerobatics, though I believe I am more interested in my secondary trade which, as you have guessed is Alchemy. I have tried my paw at many other things aswell, such as Ramathian, Healing and Literature, yet those two are my principal interests.", he explained noticing not for the first time how intriguing her hazel/green eyes were, And yourself?"</p>
She leaned foreward on each word he spoke and ended up with her elbows on the table and her head in her hands. Aerobatics? Really? Well the way he was hanging out of the tree before, it shouldn't have surprised her. It was fascinating though. Perhaps if she learned a few aerobatic moves it could help her in her fighting... Karina made a mental note to ask him about it tomorrow at the tsupeon. "I suppose what you see is what you get with me. I'm training to be a warrior for my primary trade, and then healing is what I took up second. I guess I like my second pick best as well." She gave a faint laugh and thought. "I was going to go to afteschool band practices, but that never worked out. I guess I really just don't have time to devote to any particular groups." "Although I have all the time in the world to devote to you," she added to herself. "But playing music really helps me relax... that and mixing herbs, although that usually only tends to excite me." For the first time since she had met him, Kat really let herself look him over. Rich, dark fur. Bright green eyes, which she could not help but want to gaze into for hours. Hair that contrasted nicely with the rest of him, giving him some personality to his appearance. He was tall too, which never hurt. Then of course there was the fact that science intrigued him as well as being athletic in his own way. All added up, it equaled one very attractive 'dragon in Kat's mind. A slight sigh parted her lips and she realized she had been staring. Sitting up, Kat tried to pretend that she was not up to anything inside that little brain of hers.
Still entrapted in her hazel green gaze, he absently wished he had been born a poet, for poets had a wonderful gift - that is, being able to describe anything and everything with the right wording. But he was no poet, and consequently, could find to no single word to describe the way her eyes mesmerised him to no end, or how he head would be envelelopped in a warm and far from unpleasant dizzy haze when he heard her voice. Not to mention the satisfaction he felt when he could speak to her about his experiments without having to simplify anything or the frustration when his mutinous mouth would say something silly or incoherent. "Music?" Well he had noticed the Kitara lying besides her whenhe had been dangling from the tree but hadn't paid much attention to it. "So you play the Kitara then? I myself am useless when it comes to anything musical." "But I would be delighted to hear you play." he added to himself. "But I would be delighted to hear you play. Uh oh. His mouth was being it's obnoxious mutinous self again.
Katrina laughed off his request. "I'm not really all that talented," she said with a quiet laugh and another dismissive wave. Most 'dragons that she knew would probably disagree with her statement. It seemed as though her fingers were meant to press on the strings and produce the lovely sounds that they did. Kat did not want to play for him at the moment anyway. It did not seem like a very polite thing to do. "Hm... now that lunch is over, what do you propose we do?" she questioned, trying not to stare again. Now that it had been decided, she could not help but think of how handsome he was. ((OOC: Alright, NOW I'm done with this post. Leaving for vacation tomorrow. I should be back on the 30th or so, but then school starts... Pooey, and I still have summer homework... Stupid IB program...))
<span style='width:100%;font-weight:bold; font-size:10px'>Out of Character</span> <table class=ooc><tr><td>You back? ^^</td></tr></table> <p align=justify> "I'm sure you are. You're just modest, is all." he interjected softly, smiling. But it was obvious she didn't think it fit to play then so he didn't press her. "Hm... now that lunch is over, what do you propose we do?" He grinned, grateful that they wouldn't have to part just yet. In fact, he didn't want to even think of when he would have to leave her to return to what he would now refer to as his solitary and lonely life. He still marvelled at the feelings and actions that he had not known to be his. Since when did he, the Alchemist, fall in love? Or grin so widely? It was a common fact that The Alchemist did not smile, he smirked. But now.... How was it that he could so enjoy the company of another 'dragon, when usually he far preferred the company of substances and inanimate objects in lab? Well he didn't have to search very long to find the answer, for in stood right in front of him. "Kat..." How had she managed to change him thus, and so rapidly? "Well that's easy, she's talented, smart, not to mention beautiful, and to sum it up, you could pretty much say she's just... Perfect." Realising that she was probably expecting an answer, he quickly shrugged the thoughts away. Hmmm... What could they do? "It's still bright outside, and it shouldn't be crowded at this time... But then again we could also go to the Tsupeon and you could show me your fighting skills? Of course, another, more adventurous alternative would be to go visit my secret labs in the basement levels..." he thought aloud. "... It's perfectly safe, of course." he added, "But not exactly legal", he thought, slightly sheepish at having suggested something against the rules. "Any suggestions?" </p>
((OOC: Yup, been back.)) Katrina smirked. She knew very well what marvels the basements held. It had been a long while, but she had explored briefly. Showing him what she had learned in the art of fighting did not seem much better than showing him what she knew in the art of music, so she thought it would be a better idea to see these labs of his. Honestly, the prospect fascinated her. Besides, she would been in a dark, secluded basement wth Nubajek. It sounded like a plan to her. "Actually.. I would like to see what you have cooking down there," Kat said eagerly. There had to be all sorts of nifty things down there right? The 'dragon picked up the dishes and plunked them in the already filling sink, telling herself she'd get them later. She returned in a flash and stood fidgetting before him. Sad thing was that this was normal behavior for Kat.
"I would like to see what you have cooking down there" Nub smirked inwardly at that. So perhaps she wasn't the angel he had thought she might be. Good. "A rose with torns..." he remembered calling her a few hours back. "Quite fitting", thought the youth. Beautiful, but not harmless. Smart, yet adventurous. Both combinations pleased him to no end. "She really is perfect..." he mused, following her to the sink. On the surface, however, his eyebrows arched in mock shock , his eyes of emerald searching any trace of doubt or regret in hers. She did know what risks and consequences came with her words and future actions, right? "Really?" Nub asked, unable to hide a small smile, "So be it then. I can assure you, you won't be disappointed. It's a bit of mess though."
The young 'dragon chuckled lightly. Students had been poking their noses into the basement levels for years and all the administrators ever did was give a firm chastisement. "Sounds like this should be wonderful," she said with a grin. Truth be told, her mind was divided again. One part was pondering all the marvelous things Nub kept down in those labs of his, and the other was devising a way to spend as much time with him as possible. Goodness, he was wonderful, maybe... Maybe she could ask him that question that burned so fiercly in her mind. Maybe they could escalate this relationship so hat they were more than just friends... Oh, she was thinking such foolish thoughts, but who cared? All Nub could say was no right? But for now, she just opened the front door and stepped into the hallway.
Abandoning his mask of mock-shock, he allowed a devious grin to fill his dark features as he recalled the many nocturnal and secret visits he had paid to one of the deserted rooms he affectionately called "The Den" and the many hidden labs he maintained in secret. The basement levels, he felt, were a little like a second home to him, his territory. Of course, Nub wasn't foolish enough to believe he was the only one who frequently infringed the school rules and set out on forbidden explorations. Many a time he had seen the shadows and heard the footprints of other trespassing 'dragons. Yet all who ventured into the darkest parts of Janardan were aware of the unsaid law stating that each should be not only be left, but also keep to their own business. "Live, and let live." Of course there always were the occasional troublemakers, seeking nothing better than a fight. But they were usually dealt with swiftly, by those even more desperate than he to keep their shady business in the shadows. He briefly wondered for Kat's safety as he followed her out of her dorm, and, scanning her dorm once more, he began to wonder whether his suggesting that they visit his secret labs had been a mistake. Shrugging, he decided that only time would tell. Besides, should the need arise, he would protect her.
Katrina's tail flicked back and forth in excitement, the blade at the tip glinting with each movement. Maybe he would explain some things. Maybe he would show her marvels of science that no one had yet discovered. Maybe he would be willing to discuss these sorts of things with her and they could exchange ideas. Healing was a science afterall as well as an art form. "So..." she began, wondering what to talk about until they reached the place in question. "aside from alchemy, what do you do in your spare time? I mean... do you just sit around with friends? Or do you have anyone in particular that you go around with...." Alright, she definately had not meant to ask that in such a pleading, uncertain way. It was all her subconsious' fault, but her subconscious thoughts were now playing in a different level of her mind. The emotions that ran through her head were all just too much for her to keep in check. She kept thinking about his eyes, his nose, his words, and his wonderful ideas. Maybe it was only hormones that made him seem so perfect. Yet somehow the 'dragon doubted that was the case. In all her years, she had never thought of someone the way she had Nubajek. Kat found herself wishing she was touching him, but she waited for his reply as she shut the door behind them.
The Alchemist had very little friends, because he didn't need many, if any, let alone someone to "go around with". Or so he had told himself until then. But wouldn't it be nice to know he could see Kat more often? Lose himself in the beauty of her hazel gaze countless times, witness her wit and enjoy her company at leisure? Trust her with his deepest secrets, thoughts and feelings? Be there for her, always, for support, comfort and protection? Wouldn't that be perfect? "I'm getting carried away..." he thought to himself sternly, yet reluctantly, for he didn't want the pleasant images that now drowned his mind to disappear just yet. Kat smiling, her hazel eyes laughing at something witty he had said. Him, laughing too. Both of them, paw in paw... Images, simple in their innocence, yet cherished and precious to the dark youth. "Get a grip, she's just a little curious is all. Answer her." he scolded. "In my spare time? When I'm not brewing "ma nasty nasty evil concoctions of Doom" (he gave a small laugh) "I like to practice my Aerobatics if the Tsupeon is free, or explore the basement levels for new locations which could possibly be turned into labs in the future. As for sitting around with friends... As I quite enjoy solitude... But no, I don't go around with anyone in particular..." he finished weakly, fully aware that his literature teacher would have killed him had she witnessed his sentence' wonderful construction and logic or lack thereof.
