<span style='width:100%;font-weight:bold; font-size:10px'>Out of Character</span> <table class=ooc><tr><td>Eep. I think I got a little carried away with this first post. o.o Who- Tesreail (me) and Schism (Fused Eidolon) What- Planned thread Where- Courtyard at the Janardan Academy When- Just after lunch Tessera 11, 81378</td></tr></table> The courtyard was, as was usual at this time of day, quite busy. Young pendragons wandered about the green expanse of the lawn, and a few more adventurous souls climbed on, and sat in, the few large trees that dotted the landscape, providing shade from the merciless autumn heat of Redveja during Tria and Tessera. It was between one of these trees and the wall of the main building that a lanky male hid. Soft, blood red fur was hidden by an overlarge black hoodie and knee-less black jeans, the only visible features being a lupine muzzle sticking out from beneath the shadows of the hood, and the long tail lying limp in the grass. A small pair of black sunglasses rested halfway down his nose, the round lenses pushed down, as their owner didnÂ’t need them in his current hiding place. Tesreail resembled a featureless black blob to the casual observer, hidden in the dark shadow cast by the behemoth of a tree that his feet were currently resting on. His ever-present backpack was being employed as a makeshift pillow, cushioning his shoulders and neck as he leaned against the cool brick siding of the academy. In his present position he was slightly cramped, forced to sit with his legs up and his knees pushed back towards his chest. Although uncomfortable, it did mean that he could use his knees as a sort of table to steady his journal as he absently scribbled in it. He was currently engrossed with his newest sketch; drawing a small yellow flower that was growing out of the turf against the tree. It was a miracle it had survived this long, what with the lack of sunlight and the ever-present danger posed by the feet of the uncaring student populace. Maybe later this afternoon he would come back and pick it, and press it into his journal so he could keep it until it eventually crumbled away to nothing. Wisps of black hair fell forward from the recesses of his hood, falling in front of his eyes. It obscured his narrow line of vision, blocking his one good eye. With a half-hearted sigh he set down his pencil and lowered his hood long enough to tuck the rebellious strands back into his loose ponytail. His silver eye, with the soft red corona around the outer and inner limits of the iris, was tired. The muscles around his eye were straining to constantly make up for their unresponsive counterparts in his left eye. With a tiny sigh, he rubbed his forehead, feeling the beginnings of a small headache setting in. Tesreail hunkered over his beloved notebook, not feeling up to finishing his drawing. His last class, Dark Sorcery, had tired him out more than he though it would. His constant practicing seemed to have paid off. His teacher had informed him, as he had been packing up to leave, that she thought he was making great strides in his progress. <span style='color:gray'>"At least IÂ’m not failingÂ…"</span> he muttered quietly to himself.
<blockquote><font color=white face=georgia size=1><font color=gray>out of character</font> Very nice post. Har, I think I went overboard with this one. xD <font color=gray>in character</font> Lunch. Always full of pendragons darting to and fro, looking for some matter that could attract their attention for a longer period of time than two seconds. Of course most around here couldn't focus beyond what was right in front of their faces. "Thinking to the future" was something that had never been a pressing issue for them. Unlike the Sunhawk, who was already grown, as far as the Tribes were considered. Tomorrow was her eighteenth birthday. She wasn't really all that excited. So far she hadn't even gotten to the point where there was anyone around here she would spend such a special time in her life with. Eighteen. How the years flew. Before she knew it, she would be thirty, with seven kids trailing her. The mere thought caused a slight grin to curl her lips. If she ever had children, it would probably be a miracle. That was assuming they survived. Such a rebellious and daring mother would certainly give room for some unique babies. Of course it was a future that she didn't anticipate. Love wasn't on her agenda. Nor was anything, really. How boring. Then again, everything was. Routine and dull around here. That was what she had wanted whens he joined. A bit of order to balance the chaos within her. Right now, though, it didn't seem like much of a good thing. Her backpack strap was pressing into her shoulder and the clothing she had chosen to wear was attracting a bit of unwanted attention. A couple of guys actually came close to approaching, but a single glare from the strange-eyed lady sent them skittering back to wherever they had started from. Well, that hadn't been her intention when she wore this. She actually didn't want to be observed right now, for once. The pendragon tugged at the sweater wrapped loosely about her hips and shrugged her backpack off for a moment, pausing and setlting it on the ground. Schi' pulled the loosely fitting hoodie over her head and shoved her arms through their appropriate holes. The front had the Janardan logo, grasped in the claws of an actually Sunhawk. The hoodie had been one of many early presents from her relatives and she already appreciated this one. There wasn't anything she could do about the jeans, though. Earlier they had hung loosely enough that the slightest bit of her stomach was revealed, but now that was covered by her hoodie. They were tight, though. It was comfort that mattered, though, and they had that, too, strangely enough. At least they were black, so they matched her red hoodie as well as they had matched the olive green shirt she was wearing underneath it. Fingers reached up, gently entwining with rogue locks of hair, pushing them behind her ear. Silently, the girl appraised her choices. There were a lot of places to sit and work on schoolwork (or something else, if she so chose), but there was a particularly shady spot that looked abandoned. Except for an ill fitting shadow that seemed to be reclining. Well, there was at least enough room back there for two. Besides, company wasn't necesarily a bad thing, as long as they didn't gape at her as if she had just fallen out of the sky. Increasing her speed, the Sunhawk easily reached the tree, then slid between wall and trunk, ending up on Tesreail's right side. Rather close, too, though that wasn't on purpose. She sort of stared for a moment, eyes locking curiously on the boy, as if he had been the one to fall out of heaven. In her opinion, there was something cute about the way he had his head tilted, the way his legs were aligned, the way he had his hand... eh, well, she did appreciate a good artist. Or writer. Both were very opposite from her, which was why they intrigued her. <font color=gray>"Hey. Hope I'm not intruding. I can go..."</font> She said, rather politely, fingers loosely wrapped around her backpack, which she had slid down her arm so that it was in her hand as she entered. Schism gave a small smile, feeling a strange sort of increase in her heart's beat. Obviously she found herself attracted, despite the fact that she had only just met him. Well, that was typical. Physical attraction didn't mean she was going to fall head over heels, though... Did it?
<span style='width:100%;font-weight:bold; font-size:10px'>Out of Character</span> <table class=ooc><tr><td> Meh... I think this post is icky :\ </td></tr></table> He had been discovered. Tesreail had been zoning, his mind a million miles away, when the unfamiliar ‘dragon had seemingly appeared out of nowhere. The mere presence of another person automatically set his nerves on edge. His jaw clenched slightly, and under the dark fur of his muzzle his face blanched. A wave of chill fear rolled down from his shoulders and spread down his spine, urging him to run away as fast as his legs could carry him. His head snapped around quickly, and his eyes wide with surprise. And then things got worse. If there was one thing that set off his shy side, it was the fairer sex. And guess who the intruder was? His face became an odd blotching mix of red and white, as a furious blush crept up onto his cheeks. His brain instantly froze, every thought and process in his mind going from a thousand miles an hour to barely three. To say he wasn’t good around girls would be the understatement of the millennium. If it weren’t for his cramped position, he’d politely excuse himself from the situation. But no, fate had decided to play yet another cruel trick on him and thrown yet another obstacle at him. Why did this kind of crap have to happen to him today? He really felt too out of it to deal with the mental trauma induced by being forced to deal with random people who probably didn’t give a second thought to his existence. Even if this random person seemed to have a strange allure to her presence. In any case, there was no way he could get way now; not without looking like a total spaz anyway. Tesreail did his best to mentally steel himself before he spoke.<span style='color:gray'> “It… It’s no problem."</span> He said softly, attempting to edge a little over to the left to give the girl more room. His attempt got him next to nowhere, although deep down, he wasn’t so sure that he actually wanted to move away from the female. Past the point of wanting to draw or write, he carefully closed his journal, tucking his pencil into the pages to mark his place. <span style='color:gray'>“My names Tesreail…"</span> he said quietly, slipping the journal into his backpack behind his head. The second the words slipped from his mouth he mentally kicked himself. Why had he told her his name? She was probably just looking from some shade, not a converation with a freak like him. She wouldn’t care. Would she?
<blockquote><font color=white face=georgia size=1><font color=gray>out of character</font> Wow. This weekend's been busy. -dies- <font color=gray>in character</font> She felt shy. One of the few times in her life that Schism had. It was a foreign reaction to this sort of thing. The tribal 'dragon tucked her knees closer to her body, as if that might help the close proximity of their two bodies. Of course it didn't. The boy was still just as close as he had been a minute ago. Inwardly, she was rather annoyed at herself for being so stupid about this. It wasn't as if he had said anything that should draw her into such a strange state. No, he had done absolutely nothing, yet here she was, acting like a nervous puppy as she watched him. Though her eyes didn't betray her thoughts. The pupiless one never had, but right now, the other was just as blank. Which probably made it even more obvious that she was hiding how she felt about this sudden encounter. It hadn't been planned by either party, but there didn't seem to be much coincidental about it, from what she could tell. Schi' eyed Tesreail strangely for a minute, then turned her gaze away from him, recognizing all the signs of shyness without needing to look too long. Her chin rested on her knees, eyes focusing on a thin crack between tree branches that revealed a lovely pair of pendragons walking pas. There was a strange, quiet little smile on her face for a minute, but it vanished quickly. She had always despised the love that couples shared, as she had never experienced it. Sure, Schism had dates, but they were rare, and those had been more for "play" than anything. Nothing serious. No one she would ever commit herself to. Because no one could understand and let her be who she was. Part of that was her independence and so far she hadn't met a male who could deal with that. Or with whom she would care to tone her rebellious nature down with, just because of their presence. So far she hadn't found "him", therefore, the male who would last a lifetime. Her heart was thumping awkwardly right now, though. She had never felt this way before. But it was probably just hormones, right? He was rather cute, after all. As he replied to her, she turned her strange gaze back to him and was a little bit surprised to notice that his eyes were - interestingly - somewhat like hers. A deep grin planted itself on her face, then, just for him. The sort of grin so few saw. Roguish and yet bursting with energy and attention that was devoted only to the male before her. A brilliant sort of twitch of those lips that none had a chance to appreciate. Except Tesreail, right then. Fingers loosened themselves from her knee as he spoke, giving his name. They were preparing themselves to be extended for a handshake, but she decided against it, pulling the other hand away as well, then sitting up straight. One set of digits did reach up to brush back bladed locks that tumbled into her eyes once more, though a single strand remained just above her eye. She left it, as it wasn't bothering anyone. <font color=gray>"I'm Schism... it's a pleasure, Tesreail. What were you writing - or drawing? - before I came? Err, you don't have to answer, of course... I was just... curious, s'all."</font> She sort of stumbled there, knowing she might be intruding, but daring to speak, none the less. That was something she definitely was: daring.
<span style='width:100%;font-weight:bold; font-size:10px'>Out of Character</span> <table class=ooc><tr><td> Sorry for the delay and the short/icky post, life and all that junk are being a pain ><; </td></tr></table> Tesreail opened his mouth to answer, but all that ushered forth from his mouth was a sort of squeak. His mouth and throat, all of a sudden, were very dry, and his tongue felt heavy against his pallet. He had to swallow twice before he felt capable of understandable vocalizations. <span style='color:gray'> "I… was just drawing that flower." </span> he whispered, his voice quieter than he had intended it to be. He nodded absently in the direction of the golden bloom that he had been so distracted by earlier. His heart was hammering in his narrow ribcage, from a combination of irrational fear and… something else he couldn’t quite put his finger on. When Schism grinned, he felt a sudden burst of happiness, like he had been privileged in some way. He felt his own lips curl into a quiet smile, a tiny grin that was almost unnoticeable. Tes absently fingered the laces of his hoodie, picking at the fraying ends of the thick black strings. He tried to keep his gaze fixated on his hands, although he found his eyes wanting to wander in Schism’s direction. Tesreail quickly glanced over, taking a deep breath and mentally steeling himself. <span style='color:gray'> “You can call me Tes if you want too…"</span> he said softly. His nerves were still making him jittery, but there was also something else, that same odd feeling that made his heart skip a beat at the sight of Schism’s smile. Tesreail’s head was spinning, what he was feeling was more than the usual meekness around girls… <span style='color:gray'>It’s probably just a physical thing…</span> He reassured himself, after all, he was a teenaged male, and Schism happened to be a rather attractive female...
<span style='width:100%;font-weight:bold; font-size:10px'>Out of Character</span> <table class=ooc><tr><td>Pssh. That was a lovely post. And... yeah, sorry about the delay. Found this after searching for it. Sometimes I can be so forgetful. xx;</td></tr></table> <font face=georgia size=1 color=white><blockquote>Schsim didn't even quirk a brow as he gave a strange little squeak. It wasn't a thing that he had intended to do, of that she was sure, and she saw no reason to accent the fact. Just a soft little smile on her lips to indicate that it didn't make him look stupid, though she wasn't sure if he would realize that. Just that the smile was there at all indicated warmth, though, something that she rarely gave to anyone without good reason. So far, Tes' hadn't done anything to gain her trust, but she felt as if she could give it to him and she would be perfectly safe. Of course it was a foolish thought. She couldn't trust anyone just because they seemed trustworthy, after all. <font color=gray>"It's a lovely flower."</font> Schism assured him, though not really intending to. Beacuse she was telling the truth. Geez, was she going soft? Schism felt her heart flop awkwardly at the thought. That one glance could have sent her into such a state was amazing. It truly was one of those things that her fellow Sunhawks simply would have never beleived of her. Not that she would have ever told them. Because it was probably one of those weak moments that one kept to themselves. Except she found herself drawn to this male, to this "Tesreail" who so readily found himself the keen point of her interest. And then he spoke. Let her have a nickname for him. After such a short period of time, this seemed an amazing feat indeed. Bi-colored eyes stared silently at him, then a huge grin cracked across her lips, fingers twitching gently, as if hoping to reach for his, then remaining where they were originally. <font color=gray>"Only if you call me Schi."</font> The Sunhawk replied with a bit of mischief sparkling in her eyes. It was just one of those little "requirements" that really weren't. If he refused, she might just call him Tes anyway.
<span style='width:100%;font-weight:bold; font-size:10px'>Out of Character</span> <table class=ooc><tr><td> Oh gaaaaawd... so sorry for the huge abscence! >< !!! </td></tr></table> The tiny smile from before grew slowly into a nervous grin. His heart was still hammering in his chest, but now it wasn’t quite so urgent, less painful. Tesreail turned slightly, so he could get a good look at Schism. <span style='color:gray'>“Sure thing, S-Schi."</span> He stumbled slightly over the nickname, as though his tongue was unused to speaking such a word. It was a fact, that he had never offered his nickname so freely, and had never received another ‘dragons in response. If felt… odd, to call the female by anything other than her full name, but it was strangely comforting, as though he had been accepted, in some small way. Without realizing it, his grin grew more confident, and his posture became more relaxed, shoulders no longer tense, joint no longer stiff. He mentally repeated her nickname a few more times, with each inner repetition his demeanour growing less defensive. When he spoke next, it was in a careful, uncertain tone. Tesreail was no conversationalist; his was far to introverted most of the time to learn the ins and outs of social etiquette that most others his age already knew backwards and forwards. <span style='color:gray'>“What… what classes are you taking?"</span> It was something he had heard often during those rare times he eaves dropped on others, and seemed to refer to the special classes ‘dragons signed up for outside the regular curriculum. He prayed silently that this assumption was correct, and he hadn’t just asked something stupid. He chewed the inside of his bottom lip; drifting over the last time he had exchanged words with another his age. Then, he had been nervous as well, but had not dwelt on the possible interpretations of his words as much as he did now. Mentally berating himself, he rationalized that it was because the last ‘dragon had been another young male, and that Tes’ had never been good with females.
<font face=georgia size=1 color=white><blockquote>Schism relaxed a little bit more as she saw him gain confidence, glad that they weren't going to have some awkward, muttering conversation the entire time. She wiggled a little to get more comfortable, tipping her head to the side, a sign that she was quite interested in what Tes had to say. Of course he probably wouldn't know that little quirk of her personality, but few did. They mostly assumed it was just an inquisitive little look that she got when she was focusing. Perhaps that was also right, but it was slightly off to the side from what she considered it. From what it usually meant. Then he asked a question that made her hunch her shoulders a little, head going upright again as she pricked her ears. Had he really asked about that? Usually it wouldn't bother her, she would just snap back with an explanation that she was taking classes for Hunting and added in one of her other Mastered trades as a sidenote of sorts, so that it would seem that she was perfectly normal. With him, though, she didn't want to lie, and that would be lying. The Sunhawk furrowed her brow and sighed, lightly. Then she gave a little smile, figuring she should explain so he didn't think that she was disappointed or overly distressed in what he had said. <font color=gray>"It's complicated. I come from a Tribe outside of regular society, so I have ranks acheived there that I can't claim here. I'm just at Janardan to prove that I really deserve them, but Ms. Demori won't let me complete my studies until I'm grown. So I'm just taking Hunting classes for now. Hmn. Maybe that doesn't make sense, but I can explain it in more detail, if you'd like."</font> She said with another grin, before nodding and going on. <Font color=gray>"But tell me about what you're taking, first."</font> An eye for an eye, a question for a question.
<span style='width:100%;font-weight:bold; font-size:10px'>Out of Character</span> <table class=ooc><tr><td>>.< Library is bleedin' hot right now. Bleh.</td></tr></table> Tesreail listened attentively, nodding slowly to himself. From a tribe? His blood-parents had been tribe-dwellers, but that was thanks to Dhruv’s harsh climate. It was hard to build a house there, or any modern building, thanks to the ground's tendency to sink if the permafrost melted. Lack of technology drove out the weak and left only the hardy, to scrap a survival via the hunter-gatherer way of life. Of course, that was just his heritage. Tes had been raised on a farm, with his adoptive mother, far from the chill winds and seas of ice his ancestors thrived in. He had been taught about the care of animals, and how to grow crops, but never really considered any of that a life skill. For the first part of his life, he was raised off the land, and shown the world by his slightly over-protective mother. You could ask him when a specific plant was in bloom, when another was safe to eat and when it was toxic, or when some vague species of bird was nesting. Nothing that would have helped him in real life. <span style='color:gray'>“I’m taking Dark Sorcery and Daemon and Darkness Lore. They’re harder than I though they’d be, but I’m hoping to achieve master rank someday…"</span> He trailed off, once again fidgeting with his clothing. Tes didn’t keep his trades secret, but this was the first time he had even gone off and mentioned his hopes for the future. In some strange way, it felt like some large weight had been lifted from his chest. He smiled, releasing the fraying string he had been worrying at. <span style='color:gray'>“I think Elris wants me to go into botany like she did, but it was just something that never appealed to me." </span>There he went again, nattering on about his life, like Schi’ would actually care. She was probably bored out of her mind by now. <span style='color:gray'>“What trades did you master in the tribes?" </span> he asked cautiously, moving to tug at the bag behind his head. For a moment he considered pulling out his journal again, but instead pulled out a single unsharpened pencil. He stuck the eraser end of the yellow-orange painted stick into his mouth, playing with the metal end with his teeth and tongue. Old habits died hard.
<font face=georgia size=1 color=white><blockquote>She liked hearing him talk. It was rhythmatic, soothing, almost hypnotic to the young Sunhawk. Schi leaned back a little, eyes half-closed as she listened, letting it all soak in. It was so nice to feel comfortable around someone. So comfortable that she actually wanted to just completely let go and just be herself. Perhaps even go so far as to sit close to him and make avid comments. Like she never had. Never had she spilled her heart and soul, bared it all to anyone. Despite how much she loved Yin and Yang, even they didn't know everything. Then she heard his responding question and she opened her eyes fully, tilting her head as she chewed on her lower lip. They didn't name them the same as those in the main groupings, but she had come to give them appropriate trade-names so others understood. <font color=gray>"Elemental Sorcery, Shapeshifting, Fighting, Tracking. We're supposed to have more than the regular two trades, but I went a bit, er, far. I learned a little bit of Dark Sorcery, but it wasn't really my thing. I'm very... keyed in, you could say, to the elements, I guess. That was what the seers said, anyway. They recommended against pursuing the darker aspects further."</font> She grinned, then, mischeviously. There was more reason than just her lack of talent in that part, perhaps she had been too talented and that had scared them. Whatever the reason, they had started moving her away from even thinking about it and, too busy to really care, she had let them. And never gone back. Didn't much care for Dark Sorcery ever, anyway. <font color=gray>"I'll bet you can make it. Mastery isn't as hard as it sounds and, really, those are neat trades to be learning in. Plus, you can learn a lot of stuff in one class that crosses over into the other one, right?"</font> She said with a slight nod, tilting her head and knowing that she was rambling.
<span style='width:100%;font-weight:bold; font-size:10px'>Out of Character</span> <table class=ooc><tr><td> -.- icky post. apologies. </td></tr></table> Tesreail nodded, crunching down on the pencil, feeling the thin metal on the end bend under the pointed tips up his teeth. A pale red tongue flicked out, running over abnormally large canines and then his lips. Tes shifted, worming his outermost leg away from the tree the held it up. A few more moments of squirming, and his foot popped free. Given more room to move he stretched the freed limb, wincing slightly as it tingled with pins and needles and the calf muscle began to spasm. <span style='color:gray'>“That’s an impressive résumé."</span> He smiled, reaching down to rub feeling back into his leg. He could tell by the lack of feeling in his other limb that it too had fallen asleep. <span style='color:gray'>“Yeah, I guess that makes sense. Dark Sorcery is like… an anti-element I guess, negative energies."</span> Tesreail muttered, sinking his molars into the soft wood in his mouth. One of Tes’ bad habits was chewing pencils; well, actually it was more like decimating the innocent writing utensils. His mom had always told him not to, warned him that he’d get slivers. Bah, if it happened, it happened. Tes sighed softly, flexing his foot and ankle. It wasn’t surprising that he was cramped up; he’d been in that same spot for nearly an hour now. <span style='color:gray'>“Schi, I think I need to stand up and move around a bit. I’m getting kind of stiff, and I think if I sit here much longer I won’t be able to get up at all. Do you want to walk around for a bit?"</span> he plucked the pencil from his mouth, his cheeks growing warm once again. It hit him like a smack to the face, he had asked her to accompany him, without thinking about it. A major first in the young male’s life, and he had done it without stuttering. Definitely a first.
<span style='width:100%;font-weight:bold; font-size:10px'>Out of Character</span> <table class=ooc><tr><td>Pssh. You need more self-esteem. That was good. :]</td></tr></table> <font face=georgia size=1 color=white><blockquote>Schi' was still thinking, a bit, about dark sorcery. Wondering, silently, what sort of pendragon that made Tes. Of course it probably meant nothing, in the end. There were plenty of good "dark" sorcerers, after all. Otherwise it wouldn't be legally taught, would it? There was something tainted about the energies gained and used, but that was just the way she had felt it. Her energies remained with the elements and that had always seemed cleaner. The recoil lighter than that received from dark sorcery. It was probably just her, though. And, besides, Tesreail seemed nice enough. More than nice, really, he was quite pleasant to be around. Even if he did chew pencils. Actually, she found that endearing, the way that it wasbveing crunched in his mouth and warped entirely away from what it used to be. Well, one thing was for sure, no one was going to be asking him to borrow his pencil. Except, perhaps, her, just to be a strange creature. She didn't care what the eraser was like, anyway, she rarely used the things. Unless she was drawing, but that was a rare occasion indeed. Not really her "thing", too much sitting. Which was bugging her, actually, sitting here for so long. It would have bugged her more of Tes wasn't there. His words caused her to smile, a little, almost teasingly, but she nodded, then stood. She waited a minute, making sure that he had gotten the "affirmative, let's walk" out of that, then walked around to the front, waiting patiently for Tes to appear before talking. <font color=gray>"Alright, then, Tes, you should lead the way. Got any particular place we're going or just walking? When's your next class, anyway?"</font> She said, suddenly worried that their conversation would be cut short by a bell for him to scurry off to a classroom.
Tesreail yawned, stretching widely in the warm light. Once again, his bag was in its usual position, slung over his shoulder and resting comfortably against his hip. As he stretched his legs, his necklaces tinkled softly, their quiet chiming muted by the cloth of his hoodie and the shirt under that. He sighed contentedly, brushing his bangs out of his eyes. Or rather ‘eye’; he didn’t bother moving the hair that covered his bad eye, preferring to leave his dark tresses hanging in front of it, masking it from view. He opened his mouth and inhaled, as if to speak, but whatever words he had chosen died in his throat. He turned quickly, whipping out his journal and opening it to a clean page. Crouching near the base of the tree, he plucked the bloom he had been sketching before, and laid it on the page. Arranging it quickly, but meticulously, he closed the book, pressing the flower between the pages. Standing quickly, he turned back to Schism, tucking his precious journal back into his bag. <span style='color:gray'>“I’m excused from classes for the rest of the day, our dark sorcery teacher just moved up the difficulty of out work, and it’s pretty tiring. Teacher said that he didn’t want us to be collapsing in math or something like that."</span> He replied, adjusting his shoulder strap. On impulse he pulled back his sleeve, glancing at a watch strapped to his forearm. <span style='color:gray'>“I guess I could feed Hoshiko a little early, if you don’t mind swinging by the dormitories."</span> He paused then added as an after thought. <span style='color:gray'>“She’s my harok, I know we aren’t really supposed to have pets in the dorms, but she’s quiet and clean, so I don’t think anyone would really mind all the much."</span> he looked to Schi, awaiting her response. Secretly, he was surprised she had stuck around with him this long, most ‘dragons would have become bored with him long ago and left by now.
<font face=georgia size=1 color=white><blockquote>Schism shifted her paws and adjusted the straps on her backpack, pulling on them so that they pulled more snugly around her arms. That way, she didn't have the problem of it slipping down all the time. Usually she liked to have one hand up, steadying the weighty pack, but today she would rather have her hands free. In case they had something else to do. She didn't know what they would be doing, but it seemed appropriate not to have her fingers always occupied by her bag. The Sunhawk grinned as he spoke, relieved that he wasn't going to go scurrying off on her. And he hadn't made up some stupid excuse about having a class, either, to get her off his case. That meant she wasn't being annoying. Good. <font color=gray>"Lucky. I need to design a live trap tonight, but I already have the design set up. I just need to test it, hm."</font> Schi' said, though she was sure he didn't want to hear about what she was doing for her class. Then she heard about the harok and her ears pricked. There had been pet haroks back at the Sunhawks, but there weren't many around these days. Pets, that was. All of the students seemed forbidden and most teachers were either too busy or just didn't care. The girl smiled, a bit, and nodded eagerly. She liked haroks. <font color=gray>"A harok? Cool. I've always wondered what it was like to own one. Are they fun? Which is, by the way, a 'yes', to going to your dorm and feeding Hoshiko."</font> Schi said with a nod.
Tesreail shrugged, setting off at a slow walk for the Dormitory building. One hand in his pocket, the other rubbing the back of his neck, he was more relaxed than he had been all day. He glanced at Schi, smiling to himself. <span style='color:gray'>“Yeah, they’re great. Or at least Hoshi is. I don’t think I’ll ever race her, but she’s a friendly git and that’s all that really matters to me."</span> Tes laughed nervously, popping his shoulder joint with a tiny wince, <span style='color:gray'>“I have another pet in my dorm, a little alugha female I got not too long ago. Heh, I hope you don’t mind snakes…"</span> He didn’t think mentioning Arry or Shaz would really make much of a difference. He had been given private falconry lessons by one of the adults at the academy, the creepy Poison’s teacher who had seen him moving Sliyv’s –his alugha- vivarium into his room. Shaz had been his first bird, a large female who acted more like Hoshiko -kreening for attention or perching on his shoulder to preen his hair- then the ruthless hunters her species were supposed to be. Arry was… grumpy. Mordraug had given him the undersized male as a hunter, telling Tes that the ‘over-fed chicken’ Shaz wasn’t a proper hunter and that Araciel would help him learn faster. So far Arry had improved Tes’ trisk handling skills, but it had also taught him to keep his hands clear of the feisty hawk unless wearing his thick falconers glove. The now eraser-less pencil bobbed in his mouth as he drifted back from his metal wanderings, once again returning his attention to Schism. She was a nice person, one of the few who had taken the time to talk to him, hang around. It felt nice. Sort of like a friend. Tesreail shook that thought away quickly. He didn’t /have/ friends, and soon enough Schi would be on her way; she’d return to her actual friends and forget the lonely boy in black she had met in the courtyard. For some reason, that idea hurt; made his throat tighten in fear. He didn’t want her to forget him, although why he didn’t know. He wanted to keep talking to her, hang around with her again, not just for today. Tesreail chewed his lip, gazing into space as his feet began to move quickly, carrying him automatically through the doors into the Dorms, pausing to hold open the door. <span style='color:gray'>“I’m room 2704, so we need to go down one floor I guess."</span> He nodded to the Sunhawk, snapping out of the terrible moment of worry. If Schism decided not to bother with him after today, then that was what would happen and there wasn’t anything he could do to change that. He’s take what was thrown at him with stoic indifference like he always had. At least, that’s what he told himself.
<font face=georgia size=1 color=white><blockquote>Schism was quite interested in alughas, but they had never been allowed them at the Sunhawk tribal grounds. They were the key source-animal of another Tribe and to own one was grounds for being booted out of the sacred high caste, so no one dared. Of course Schi' would have, if she had gotten the chance to catch one, just for the sake of defiance. But she hadn't and now she felt much calmer, more appreciative for all that the Sunhawk tribe had given her. So if she ever got one it would be the sort that remained here when she left. Which would be no pet at all, resulting in her decision not to ever get one. Though she was allowed haroks, as the tribe that had adopted them as key source-animal was too low on the chain of Tribal community that it was amusing to own it, not improper. She would just have to make sure that some Sunhawks didn't get cocky and feed the Trisks with her pet. It was all hypothetical, though, she had made no decisions about pets and wasn't about to now. She liked being free to do what she wanted, when she wanted, and a pet would restrict that. The girl rubbed her arms, shifting the fabric across them with a gentle motion that was intended to warm, though she shouldn't feel cold. It wasn't that bad out here. Regardless, she felt rather indistinctly unsettled by all of this. It was weird for her to want to spend time with someone, like she did with Tesreail. There was something fascinating about him that kept her drawn, kept her there, near him, feeling as if she could reach out and touch him. As if he would let her. Most pendragons didn't like close proximity so soon after meeting, much less the other brushing against them for the sake of comfort or some sort of satisfaction. As if it would make her happy to feel the sleeve of his shirt. She noticed there was something unsettled about the way his face looked, too, and it actually settled her. So neither of them was entirely confident. That was good. She nodded at the comment about going down. <font color=gray>"2704..."</font> Schi murmured, lowering her head and silently repeating it once more, then looking up rather sheepishly as she realized how silly she must look, muttering his room number. <font color=gray>"Err, yeah, down."</font> She said, following him, blushing faintly. What was wrong with her today?
<span style='width:100%;font-weight:bold; font-size:10px'>Out of Character</span> <table class=ooc><tr><td> Wee bit of powerplaying here. o.@ If it’s too much, then let me know and I’ll change it. ^^; </td></tr></table> Tesreail made a quick right, heading for the nearest stairwell. Sure, there were elevators, but they were tight and confining coffins; all too often he found himself trapped in one with a preppy student who insisted on small talk. It always ended up with both him and the stranger falling into an uncomfortable silence until he reached his floor and escaped out into the fresh air. Plus there was the fact he tended to become paranoid and claustrophobic; his mind always conjured up grim scenarios where he became trapped in the elevator for hours at a time, or fire ravaged the building and he was engulfed in the flames. A tiny shudder ran through Tes’ body at the thought. He could almost smell the smoke, hear the crackle of drywall weakening and falling in on itself. Ugh. What a pleasant train of thought. Tes looked up sharply, the creak of a door badly in need of oiling grating through his skull. The small glass window had been marked with black letters: “Floor 2" and beneath that “2001-3000". Home. Once again in his mental wanderings he had lost track of where he was. Tes had manoeuvred two doorways and a staircase simply from memory, the pathway etched into some remote part of his consciousness. In his morbid musings, he had completely forgotten about his previous panic. The result was a moment of clarity, untainted by self-consciousness or regret. Tesreail stood a little taller, glancing back over his shoulder to glance at Schism. There wasn’t really any point in worrying about what would happen later, just here and now. If he kept acting withdrawn, he’d scare her off. Feeling marginally better, he reached back and loosely caught a hold of Schi’s sleeve, tugging lightly. <span style='color:gray'>“We’re close to my room, just a little farther."</span> He smiled, moving off down the hall with a bit more spring in his step. Tes was also more than a little happy to see his pets. Since he had arrived they had become his only regular social contact outside of classes. Tesreail had been told by countless individuals that his love for his pets was irrational, and that they could not return his feelings; deep down, he guess this to be true, but when he was holding Hoshiko, telling her about his day, he could almost swear there was some spark of intelligence in her large black eyes. That intelligence was what he held onto, what he craved. It gave him hope when there wasn’t anything else. It gave him friendship.
<span style='width:100%;font-weight:bold; font-size:10px'>Out of Character</span> <table class=ooc><tr><td>Nope. That's fine. I sped up things a bit, heh, so that they were "there" 'n stoof.</td></tr></table> <font face=georgia size=1 color=white><blockquote>The girl followed Tes closely, glaring occasionally at other 'dragons who looked too long. Mostly because she hated their burning, gossipy looks. As if they knew more about what she was doing with the male than she did herself. The Sunhawk was tempted, actually, to slip her arm around her new comrade's or something just to send them twittering into giddy gossip. Of course it would be all around in the proper circles that she had gone downstairs with a guy. And, to them, that would mean all it needed to mean. Some people were so needy that they had to talk about the lives of others to be satisfied. She was slightly surprised as he tugged at her sleeve and she nodded to him as he spoke, refraining from telling him how nice it was to have someone so unreserved about touching. Most others she had met were so anti-touch unless they were bonding together as a couple. It was replusive, really, because then they couldn't keep their grubby mitts off each other. Then they felt the need to show absolutely everyone their love for each other. It was painful, almost, to watch them in the halls. As they got to his room, Schi' smiled slightly, and peered at the door thoughtfully, as if it would tell her what Tes was, who Tes was, if what she felt was more than just giddiness when she was around him. She had just met him today, but already she felt all shivery inside. <font color=gray>"I know this a really weird and random question, Tes, but do you have a roomie? Errr, wait, that sounded weird. I just thought it might be important. Don't want to wake your bud', after all, if they're chilling between classes. Especially if they're chilling with their mate."</font> Schi said, her voice lowering in almost-embarassment as her voice fell off. What was wrong with her? Usually such a bold statement as that would be nothing to her. Somehow, what Tes thought mattered, though.
Tesreail was oblivious to any looks they got, too wrapped up in his own little world. He rested a hand on the doorknob, searching his pockets for the key. On a whim, as he dug through his pants-pockets, he turned the knob. The door clicked open. Apparently his roommate had forgotten to lock the door. Again. With a small sigh of good-natured annoyance, he pushed his way into the room. As usual, his roommateÂ’s bed was empty, sheets pulled up and cover straightened. TesreailÂ’s side of the rooms was a little livelier; a small bookcase he has rescued from the trash held his textbooks and a few large tomes of literature heÂ’d steadily been ploughing through. A desk near the door held two large glass tanks, each holding a small alugha. One was busily exploring the top of the tank, looking for a way out, and it pulled back and assumed a defensive coil when Tesreail entered the room. In the other tank, a small female lazed on a heated stone; the calmer of the two, she barely twitched as he flicked on the overhead light. A rustling in the corner drew his attention. A small twitching nose pressed up against the smooth metallic bars of the cage, delicate forepaws digging at the floor of the hutch. Tesreail dropped his bag on the end of his bed, before walking over and unlatching the door of HoshikoÂ’s cage. The harok was more apprehensive than usual about leaving her hutch; there was an unfamiliar scent on her master, and in the fresh air wafting in from the hall. A few tiny baby steps out, and she was scooped up into the arms of her owner. Tesreail held the furry creature against his chest, stroking the downy fur of her ears. A small kiss was planted on the creatureÂ’s brow before he set her down on the floor. Turning to Schi, he gestured around the room. <span style='color:gray'>"IsnÂ’t as nice as the rooms upstairs, and itÂ’s a little small, but itÂ’s good enough for me. Make yourself at home."</span>
<font face=georgia size=1 color=white><blockquote>Schi' peered around with unhindered curiosity, taking in all of the little things that proclaimed someone's personality. It seemed to her that there was a lot around here that told one who Tesreail - and his roomie - were. Of course, given the fact that they lived together, it was really somewhat disjointed and not an easy thing to read. Not like some who she had met that lived alone. Their styles, likes, and dislikes were often boldly proclaimed by what they owned, little beknown to them. She peered quizzically at the snakes, watching the one trying to escape with silent interest, before moving her gaze to the warm, calm one. Wondering which was more regular. Her lips curled into a gentle smile as she gently shifted her feet, staying behind as her new friend approached his harok and let her out. It would seem that there was some fear in the little herbivore because of the fact that Schi was here and it made her feel bad. Maybe she should have hung back, stayed at the door, so that Tes would have an easier time feeding her. As it was, she didn't think that he had even thought about it. After all, that was the way that his mind seemed to work, in a straight line. <font color=gray>"It's really not that much better upstairs, from my point of view, but I'm not in my room much."</font> Schi said in reply, sitting down, slowly, on the floor, legs crossed as she watched bunny and owner interact.
