In a relatively lonesome corner of the campus lay a youth slumped relaxedly on a bench, in a manner most carefree as he put an elbow over the back rest. Utterly still, such that he was just as part of the scenery as the walkway, the nearby tree, and the bird that sang within its branches, he appeared to be absorbed in a small book that he expertly held with just one hand. The only perceptible movement he made was the unconscious traveling of his bright green eyes, and when they had exhausted one, the flick to another page would reset them to the northwesterly position they had grown familiar to.

[i]"You haven't eaten lunch yet,"[/i] came the thought, powerful and stark to the native processes of his mind. [i]"Does this literature truly warrant such fixation?"[/i]

And at that, the youth stirred for the first time in many minutes, moving his feet and arms and letting the blood circulate to refresh them. He blinked once, and removed a stray lock of his short brown hair away from his face with a perfunctory swipe of his hand. Noticing a sudden blurriness to his vision, he also adjusted his glasses up the bridge of his nose. But all the while, he never took his eyes off of the book, and by the time he returned his elbow to the back rest, he was flicking another page.

[i]"It's interesting, Cadwal,"[/i] [url=http://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/78873-alma-mater-maximus/char#post-2531095]Timothy[/url] answered simply, within his mind.

[i]"More interesting than lunch?"[/i] the ghostly knight pointed out. [i]"This cannot be healthy."[/i]

Timothy then took the can of Nescafé sitting happily next to him and took a sip, though he was genuinely surprised that the liquid was lukewarm when it met his lips.

[i]"Coffee is not a substitute for lunch,"[/i] further admonished Cadwal.

[i]"And what do you know about coffee, ser knight?"[/i]

[i]"That it isn't pottage or pork cutlets, that's for sure."[/i]

The youth did not reply immediately to his ghostly companion, although this was characteristic of him and no cause for concern. Cadwal had learned to become patient with this trait, although the fallen crusader was mildly surprised when his charge actually closed the book, decisively so with a clap from the meeting stacks of pages.

[i]"I appreciate your concern for my health,"[/i] concluded Timothy. [i]"Fine, I'll go to the cafeteria."[/i]

[i]"That's a good lad."[/i]

And with that, he stood up, stretching languidly before walking to the building and tossing his empty can of Nescafé somewhere along the way.