This is how it always starts. [p]

Thread in 'Ramathian Scrolls' started by Beast, Apr 4, 2013.

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  1. Tria 47, 81381.
    ((If that timestamp's too old, we can move it forward a little. I just didn't want too much time to pass between their first meeting & this. :3))

    Ah, the odor of children learning. It was quite a distinct scent, pungent in the quivering, lightly-flared nostrils of Darwing Lerepton, and he grimaced as he walked past a classroom and caught another great whiff of it. It was like smelling burning hair. And it lingered in the back of his throat like an overcooked marshmallow.

    But he wasn't here just to smell that odoriferous odor, no. He was here on a mission: to produce that odor himself. He wanted to learn – a little of this, a little of that, mostly how to use Fronima without singeing his eyebrows off so frequently. And he knew just the little lass to teach him: Jaceen, the butterfly girl he'd met in his front yard the day that Gardenbot died.

    So that's where he was going now, to Jaceen's classroom. She was a professor at this smelly school; this much he knew, and this was the easy part. But now he had to find, in the multitude of classrooms and lecture halls and hallways and bathrooms and closets and such, where exactly she taught. And this would be hard.

    But of course, being Darwing, he was going about it in the most convoluted, unnecessary way conceivable. Army crawl past doorways where classes were in session, shimmy into any and every tight “hiding place" available, eavesdrop on student conversations to “harvest intel" – Darwing was beginning to seriously alarm the students, the faculty, and the small dark insect that had recently taken up residence in the hair of his left ear.

    He'd spent the last eleven days of his waking life in this manner, slinking about the campus in his grimy labcoat and too-short pants, and he was started to get a little tired of it. And those signs he'd seen around campus were beginning to hurt his eyes with their outrageous colors – the ones that read, “CAMPUS VISITOR?! INQUIRE IN THE FRONT OFFICE FOR A TOUR OF JANARDAN OR OTHER ASSISTANCE!"

    Darwing would have given up if not for the fact that he needed the help so desperately. Something about the demise of Gardenbot had awoken a degree of sympathy in him, and he wanted his next baby to live past three months of age.

    So here he was again, day twelve of the search. The morning air was yet a bit nippy, and groggy-eyed students were just beginning to shuffle about campus and cast fearful stares at the fiery-furred inventor. He felt certain that he must find Jaceen today, right NOW, or give up forever. The intense energy required for the search was just taking too much of a toll on his health, he thought. And lord knows, he cried inwardly as he darted behind a trashcan, Without my health, I would be nothing.
     
  2. ooc - That works just fine. ^^

    Jaceen hid a yawn behind her soot dyed left hand. She knew that she really ought to be paying attention, but today for some reason, Hart Demori's voice was so mundane and droning that it was putting her to sleep. Of course, this faculty meeting had been going on for a few hours now – everyone was getting tired. A lot of important things had been discussed, from financial spending, to, well, whatever it was they were discussing now.

    “Right, Ms. Lapices?" came Hart's authoritative voice from close beside her. Jaceen, startled by the words directed at her, sat straight up in her chair.

    “Well, ah..." stammered Jaceen. What had they been talking about? Hart wanted her confirmation, and generally Ms. Demori's opinion was a very well thought out one. Whatever it was, it was only natural for Jaceen to agree. “Er. Yes," the thill answered blindly.

    Smiling, albeit somewhat wanly at Jaceen, Hart continued. “Yes. Of course, the student's safety is our first priority. So it's about time that we crack down on these strange reports – forcefully if we have to. Nothing bad has happened yet, but with these types of individuals, I think it's really only a matter of time."

    A green light lit up in Jaceen's mind. So they were talking about those reports being made about a strange, potentially dangerous, figure lurking around Janardan. Usually these types of things were dealt with quickly and easily, but somehow this person kept on thwarting their security personnel... which was a really bad thing for Janardan's reputation.

    Before long, though in Jaceen's opinion, it was after long, the meeting was wrapped up. The key faculty members filtered out of the board room, returning to their various posts and positions. Jaceen gave Hart a small wave before scampering out of the room. It was Fidpui after all. The day before the paquitten. While Jaceen's schedule was rather light, she too looked forward to a relaxing weekend. First though, she had a short class to attend to. The thill wove through various students, light on her feet. Although the day was still young, Janardan was starting to wake up, and with each passing moment, more and more students could be found in the hallways. Again, Jaceen hid a yawn. While Hart's meetings were completely necessary, Jaceen didn't know why they always had to be held so damn early.
     
  3. Darwing paused behind his trashcan, completely unaware of the stir he was causing for the campus authorities, and consulted his watch. It was a decrepit old timepiece, much like himself, crusted with various strange substances and worn thin around the notch he tightened it to. The face was clouded and barely readable, hands crooked and inaccurate. He squinted at its numerals, decided he couldn't read it anyway, and tugged his sleeve down over it. Oh, well -- he knew it was morning, and that was enough.

    Peering out cautiously from one side of his trashcan "defensive boundary," oblivious to the fact that he was exposed on the other side, he observed the students and faculty that drifted past in a ponderous stupor. Ah, morning. Ah, school. Ah, sleep deprivation.

    But -- oh! Just there, a flash of yellow! And some red, some black -- Jaceen, perhaps? The figure sporting these vibrant colors was certainly small enough. Darwing stood excitedly, pulling his labcoat tighter around himself, and took a few steps into the hallway, territory of the general populace.

    "Who's that creepy old guy?" he heard someone whisper loudly.

    Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. Slinking back behind his trashcan, he decided that a more subtle approach was necessary -- hiding and darting and perhaps some secret messages. It was clearly too dangerous to simply walk amongst the students here, so he glanced quickly out from behind the trash, spotted a pathway he could take toward the short, bright thill, and decided to run for it.

    To the doorway, to the water fountain, to the next trashcan, to another open doorway: Darwing flashed from hiding spot to hiding spot, slowly moving in the direction he'd seen Jaceen go. Any moment now, he expected to come upon her, and he planned to whisper, "The flaming gaukh burns tonight" as a sort of secret-code message when he caught up. Why, exactly, and what did it mean? He wasn't sure. But he figured she'd realize that he needed her help: for Gardenbot, for himself, and for the whole of 'dragonity.
     
  4. "Miss Lapices'ba! J-Jaceen!" Cried a hurt voice from behind the sun painted teacher. Jaceen stopped abruptly, only to get shoulder-clipped by a passing burly arden. With her balance thrown, she nearly toppled over, but steadied herself by planting a hand on the nearby wall. When she looked up, the arden who had hit her was already long gone. Jaceen sighed. It seemed like it was going to be one of those days. Before she had turned around fully to see who had called her name, a small hand gripped the sleeve of her shirt.

    It was Dakel, one of her sorcery students. It took Jaceen a moment to recognize him. The little nioti's face and the lengths of his arms were singed black instead of their usual soft tan. It looked as if he had been the victim of an explosion. He didn't appear to be injured... but still.

    "Dakel, let me get you to the nurse's office," Jaceen said as she immediately took hold of the nioti's hand. However, Dakel had other plans. He planted his feet firmly on the ground and pulled his hand out of Jaceen's soft grip.

    "No. I'm fine." Dakel said firmly. Jaceen looked at him with questioning eyes. Dakel generally wasn't one to defy her.

    "At least tell me what happened."

    "I had an um... accident. With my homework. It kind of exploded," the nioti offered a little lamely. Jaceen knelt down and grabbed onto both of Dakel's wrists, she then turned them both palm up. She could feel the residue of Fronima on Dakel's forearms. It was a darker sort of magic, and not at all what they had been practising in class.

    "I wish you wouldn't lie, Dakel. Regardless, if you don't want to go to the nurse's office, at least go and get yourself cleaned up a little before coming to class." Jaceen let go of his wrists and stood up. Dakel, feeling properly ashamed, averted his gaze.

    "I will. Um... Jaceen? Be careful in class today." Then before Jaceen could squeeze an explanation out of the guy, Dakel had scampered off. Jaceen, thoroughly puzzled, ran her fingers through he red hair. It was through her tousled hair that she fleetingly spied a maroon and faded gold figure, skulking around in what could only be described as “really-bad-wannabe-commando-style." No doubt about it now. It really was one of those days.
     
  5. Darwing was so enthusiastic about his darting and skulking and hiding that he skulked straight past Jaceen, just as a young, hurt voice called out her name pleadingly. He didn't notice her or the possessor of the voice in the slightest -- even as he collided lightly with her shoulder, nearly falling over himself with the force. He just steadied himself, patted his gut in reassurance of his physical well-being, and continued on his merry way. Dart dart dart. Flit past and hide. Scan the perimeters.

    But she was behind him now, and the farther he went, the farther he got from his "target."

    After a moment (and after a particularly alarmed stare made him stop and think for a moment about what on earth he was doing), something about the waily pitch of a voice in the distance attracted his attention. Turning toward the noise, he thought he spied Jaceen's coloration again.

    Oho! he thought, So I have become too efficient in my darting, and I have surpassed her entirely. Perhaps I should dart back.

    And so he did, though with noticeably less enthusiasm. All the diving behind stuff and jogging around was wearing him out -- by the time he neared his destination for the second time, he was thoroughly winded.

    Wheezing loudly and moving as if trapped in a large vat of semiliquid jello, he trotted back and forth between the two nearest hiding spots. Please, he thought hopefully, clutching the stitch that was forming in his side, Notice me! Something prevented him from simply calling out her name -- the presence of the young student, perhaps, who now looked shamefacedly at the ground.

    Darwing darted for a few moments more, prancing uncertainly while he waited for Jaceen to notice him -- and then something seemed to snap in his left leg. The next instant, as his full weight bore down on it in stride, it gave out completely beneath him. He hit the ground; a strangled half-scream, half-whimper exploded from his throat.

    For a moment, he was stunned. Then he noticed that the student had run away.

    "Jaceen! Hello," he now dared to whisper rather loudly, glancing with suspicion at nearby students and faculty. "Would you care to help an old man up?"

    OoC; Ah, sorry. This is not the greatest post. ):
     
  6. ooc – Nah, I disagree. There's no such thing as a bad post with Darwing. :P

    Jaceen really hadn't been prepared for the sight of Darwing. In fact, she didn't feel as if she were prepared for the day in general. It was still morning, yet here she was, wishing that she could go back in time, start over, and try to get things to turn out right. Jaceen didn't exactly possess the ability to time travel though, so it was with grudging acceptance that she decided to make the best out of what she had been given... which now consisted of a dull meeting, a rather enigmatic student, and now a silly old inventor.

    When Darwing appeared to stumble, and then landed heavily, Jaceen made a pained grimace. Even though he was who he was, she wouldn't wish harm on anyone. What in the world was he doing here? Had he actually taken her up on her offer? Oh, who was she kidding? She hadn't exactly offered anything as she recalled. It had been he who had been so pushy-pushy and demanding.

    “Oh, Darwing," Jaceen said in greeting as she offered him her hand in order to haul him up to his feet. “By Fronna, what are you doing here?"

    She looked at him a little harder now, thoughts beginning to circulate in her brain. He looked even more dishevelled than she remembered him. His clothing was wrinkled, his hair was rather wild... and what was up with that funky smell? Had he been sleeping in a broom closet? Hit with the sudden realization that Darwing was most likely the “creepy guy" that the faculty had been talking about, Jaceen nearly broke down into a fit of giggles. Could it really be him? Jaceen neatly clenched her teeth in an attempt to keep a straight face. The idea really didn't seem all that far-fetched.
     
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