Day: 16 Season: Dyo Year: 81378 <span style='color:green'>Pushing aside one of the great wooden doors, Shaolin stepped into the hall, toting a long wheeled suitcase and matching shoulder strap bag. Emerald eyes peered through the vast space, examining the high ceiling and marble floor, the smooth stone walls, the neatly labeled office doors. Her deep gray fur looked almost black in the dim entryway lighting, dripping with the rain that poured down outside. Shaolin hated the rain. Shaking the water from her fur in the most polite manner possible, she attemted to dry herself before entering the hall before her. She glanced t the waterproof envelope in her left hand, protecting her identification, registration papers, medical records, a letter from her father, a wealthy lawyer in Ajita, and from her grandmother, vouching for her previous education. Shaolin ought to take it straight to the office, ought to seek out the headmistress and introduce herself... but her heart wasn't in it. Shaolin didn't feel ready for this. Her brothers had all left school to aquire their masterships, and she was entirely in the company of complete strangers. The part that bothered her the most was the thought of sharing a dorm room with someone... she hadn't shared a room since before Shar's accident. But now, Shar was in a hospital bed, and Shaolin slept alone. It had rained on the day of the accident, and Jinsai had said that she sky was weeping for Shar. Sometimes, Shaolin could feel hints of emotion from her sister, less like telepathy than simple twin connection. Mostly fear. Sometimes anger. Frustraition. Hopelessness. Despair. It grieved Shaolin to know that Shar was in pain, that her mind was locked away somewhere, unable to reach her body. Even the sky cries for her. Parking her luggage before the main office, Shaolin dropped her envelope in the tin mailbox on the headmistress's office door. She didn't have the heart to talk to anyone just yet. Shaolin wandered farther into the foyer, past the office doors, neatly lined up like orchard trees, their informative plaques greaming by the light of two great chandeliers overhead. Slowly she continued down the hall, gathering her black hair over her shoulder and wringing the water from it. Shaolin wiped the rain from her face, her small paw slowing as it passed over the scar, the grade that she wished to heaven she didn't have. To be reminded of that day in every mirror... it was something she would not forgive Jinsai for. The matriarch had intended to bless her with a boon, had instead cursed her face forever. Adjusting her trendy black wire glasses, Shaolin pushed these thoughts aside, and returned to the main office door. Hart Demori. The name sounded imposing. Oh, go on with it... With a sigh she rapped on the door three times, and then stood back, waiting for acknowledgement. </span>
<blockquote><font color=#331123 face=tahoma>Class had just ended, early, for Xerxes. It had been a final exam today and he was exempt, given his A+ grade average, and the fact that no one could contain him for those blasted tests. They were just practice, really, for the ones that mattered. The ones you had to pass in order to go up in rank on a trade. Xer had never had much trouble with those, given the fact that he avidly studied up on all of the subjects that interested him. The photography and tattoo artist ones were mostly simple, anyway, and, for the most part, hands-on. He just had to impress the tester as far as his skills went. Usually, for tattooing, there was a tablet, of sorts, made by a mage that was exactly like the pelt of a pendragon. Except that it wasn't actually on a pendragon. That way, if someone botched their tattoo, they weren't permanently marking a real person who would be upset. It could also be cleared once the tattoo was complete, unless it was a Master test, in which case it was given to the passing Artist to keep. At least that was what Xerxes had heard, he didn't know for sure. Some pendragons did the tests a bit differently, too, elsewhere. Xer yawned laxly, running a set of charcoal fingers through similarly colored blades of hair, allowing them to fall gently back to where they had been before once he was done moving them. There wasn't much to do. All of the other pendragons were in the middle of classes. At least the students. Some of the staff might be doing other things, though he knew for sure that Hart Demori had gone to attend one of the classes. Healing, if he remembered correctly. She was doing one of her routine visits to make sure that the children were learning. The elderly 'dragon always seemed to have the best interests of her students involved. Going so far as to waste most of her time here. Though there were few who might "go out" with a widow like her (especially given her age), there had to be friends that she spent little time with because she was here. At the office, constantly. Maybe she didn't have any left since she had become Principal and there was no longer any time for her to "hang out" with anyone. That was only to be expected, though. Surprisingly, Xerxes looked almost presentable today. Though he was still wearing earrings in each of his piercings and black was the main color, at least there wasn't an abundance of chains or other such "punk" things that might make him look more like a rebel. Which he was. It was merely that he had chosen "nicer" clothes for the day. A shirt with Janardan colors and the mascot emblazoned on it, then a pair of black cargo pants. Though his arms were still decorated in a dark array of bracelets in various shapes, sizes, and colors. Most were of darker colors, though there was an occasional neon one among them, just for an added touch. Walking casually toward the front doors, Tenor was surprised to see someone standing in front of the Principal's door. Presumably she had just finished knocking. At least that would be Tenor's guess, given her position. There was no one in there, though. Some staff might be around, but they were unlikely to have realized that there was someone here who needed them. Pssh, adults. Xerxes put on a friendly smile and walked over to the newcomer, extending a hand in jovial greeting. <font color=black>"Hey, there. I'm guessing that you want to register? Demor- err, the Principal, is currently attending one of the classes. To make sure the teacher is doing a good job, y'know. I'm Xerxes Tenor and if you do want to register, I can get you the papers."</font> Tenor commented with all the sincerity in the world.
