[hr][hr] [centre][h1][color=Goldenrod]Alan Southern[/color] and [color=#DB7093]Adeline Wilson[/color][/h1] [img]https://i.imgur.com/Wuf5kQJ.gif[/img][img]https://i.imgur.com/hxk6pRk.gif[/img] [b]Location:[/b] The Front Gates; The Academy. [sup][b]Interacting With:[/b] Each other.[/sup][/centre] [hr][hr] [color=#DB7093]“..h-huh..?”[/color] Her attention drawn by the sound of an unfamiliar voice, Adeline stood frozen in place, her soft pink lips parting, her bright blues full of surprise as she stared blankly over towards the direction she could hear it coming from. S-Someone wanted to talk to her..? No… more than that... A [i]boy[/i] wanted to talk to her..? Was she dreaming..? No… if that were the case, she would be able to see who it was; even if it was just her subconscious making it up on her. The sound of what she believed was gunshots, and then a crash filling the air from behind her, she flinched; the quick and tight strain against the leash causing her to stumble as she did everything she could to keep a hold over it. Was… was everything okay..? No one been hurt, right..? Hesitating, until she felt the pull of the leash let up, Adeline eventually and visibly relaxed, a gentle sigh falling from her lips before she broke a single hand from the leash; her touch almost feather light as she ran the tips of her fingers over her forehead, using them to brush some of her long and wavy bubblegum pink locks back, neatly tucking them behind her ear as finally, she responded, her voice barely audible and clearly nervous as she spoke, answering his question. [color=#DB7093]“..Ce-... Ce-Jay…”[/color] Shifting slightly over the spot, she brought her hand back down to the lead, her cheeks taking on a soft tinge of red as she put herself out there, putting herself way out of her comfort zone, [color=#DB7093]“..h-his name is Ce-Jay…”[/color] [color=goldenrod]“Ce-Jay.”[/color] Alan repeated,, keeping his eyes on the dog as he continued to rub his ears. The lab’s ears perked at hearing his name, his head turning to look back at his owner, though the added stimulation of Alan’s attention had his tongue lolling to the side. [color=goldenrod]“Such a good boy - God I love dogs - then again I’ve never actually owned one. I bet they’re a lot of work. I think the fireworks might have spooked him a bit, but he seems to be doing alright.”[/color] Running his hands over the dog he rubbed Ce-Jay’s head a few more times before looking up at the owner and giving her a sheepish smile. It hadn’t occurred to him until just then that what he had done might of come across as rude. They didn’t exactly teach things like proper etiquette in the circus. [color=goldenrod]“I’m sorry.”[/color] He breathed out a laugh and stood himself back up, extending a hand out for her to shake. [color=goldenrod]“I lose myself sometimes around animals. My name is Alan.”[/color] [color=#DB7093]“..Alan…”[/color] Repeating the name softly, a small though shy smile playing over her lips, Adeline let her mind focus on that little bit of information for a moment before she continued, this time reacting to what he had said as she shook her head, the action causing her long hair to fly back and forth behind her, the young woman trying her best to reassure him that he had done nothing wrong. At least… he hadn’t done anything wrong in her eyes… [color=#DB7093]“..o-oh; no, please… it’s okay… you-... you have nothing to be sorry about…”[/color] Not really sure why he was apologizing in the first place, though having deemed it necessary, she lifted her hand up, brushing it off before introducing herself, her hand returning back to the lead, [color=#DB7093]“..m-my name is Adeline Wilson… it’s-... it’s very nice to meet you, Alan…”[/color] Wilson? Alan stood up a bit straighter. He knew that last name… he just couldn’t think of why. Smile faltering for just a moment, Alan looked down at his hand, gone untouched by the young girl. He slowly dropped it down back to his side and stuffed it in his pants, his shoulders slouching a bit. It wasn’t until he really began to feel foolish did he look at her; [i]actually[/i] look at her. The bubblegum pink hair was obvious - he saw that straight away. But now he was able to see the way her cheeks rounded out, the way her soft pink lips seemed to naturally pout, the dull, glossed-over daze in her eyes. [i]Oh…[/i] She was blind. Now it all started to make sense - why she didn’t think he needed to apologize for petting her dog, or why she hadn’t shook his hand. She didn’t [i]see[/i] any of it. Alan chanced a look around. Was there anyone here with her, helping her? He looked down at Ce-Jay, who found his privates to be more entertaining than waiting for more pats on the head. There was no way that someone just dropped her off here with a - no… he wouldn’t even call it a seeing eye dog. [color=goldenrod]“So… are you waiting for anyone here? Could… could I help you to the school?”[/color] It was a strange situation. He had only just met the girl and he was already feeling a slight amount of responsibility on his shoulders - or was it protectiveness? He wasn’t entirely sure. He just knew his inner conscious would never allow him to just leave her there, unattended. He-... He wanted to help..? [i]Could[/i] he help..? Biting down softly upon her lips, the surprise that had been lingering over her features disappearing as she turned her head down, Adeline stared unseeingly at her hands, her fingers picking at the leash held within them. She still wasn’t sure what she wanted… whether she was going to stay and actually go to the academy, or if she wanted to turn around and run… to go back home where her parents were waiting if she changed her mind- where they would welcome her back with open arms… [color=#DB7093]“..I-I, uh… n-no…”[/color] Head shaking, her hold over the leash tightening, she shifted slightly over the spot in which she stood, her stomach once more twisting with nerves; the feeling seeming to worsen with each moment her mind lingered on the thought of what to do, [color=#DB7093]“..n-no one is coming for me… my parents couldn’t make it, and-... and I d-don’t know if I can do this… I-... I-I think I just want to go home…”[/color] Alan’s head tilted slightly, blue eyes looking the young woman over once more. She was clearly feeling uncomfortable, perhaps even unsafe. His heart went out to her. He didn’t even have to change his vision to know that she would have changed from a blue hue to white. He still wasn’t entirely sure what white meant, but usually it meant that he needed to do something for them, that either he needed them or they needed him. [color=goldenrod]“Is this your first time away from home?”[/color] Was it that obvious..? She supposed it must have been. Keeping her head lowered, her eyes lingering in the direction of her hands, Adeline hesitated in answering. She was all alone… this had never happened before… It was her first time away from her parents- her first time out of San Francisco… They couldn’t be there for her, and while she understood that, she missed them… so, so much already… Her shoulders curling over, back hitting lightly against the gate behind her, she nodded her head slowly, her voice soft as she spoke, [color=#DB7093]“..y-yes…”[/color] [color=goldenrod]"Hey... no worries. I remember the first time I left home - not all that long ago, either."[/color] Alan smiled, not able to help but reminisce his first day at Xavier's school. But more than that… part of him thought he remembered the day his mother dropped him off with the Carnies. [color=goldenrod]"It's a big deal, and everyone reacts differently. I think the Academy is probably the best thing for people like us, now that Xavier's school is no more and the other schools are struggling. A lot of powerful people are putting their time and effort into this place and I'm willing to give it a chance. But if you want... if you [i]really[/i] want... I can take you and Ce-Jay back home..."[/color] Really quickly, too! Pausing, realizing just how weird that might have sounded, Alan let out a small laugh and ruffled his fingers through his hair. [color=goldenrod]"I... uh... I fly..."[/color] It felt so weird to explain; to so freely be able to tell someone what he could do. Someone, he felt, that wouldn't judge him for it. A year ago he wouldn't have been able to tell her anything about himself. He really owed Xavier a lot. [color=#DB7093]“..I-I walk through dreams…”[/color] She had always been taught never to speak about her abilities… about what she could do to anyone who asked; but… but this was different, right..? Alan wasn’t some regular person, he was special, like she was; maybe not exactly like her, but they both had powers. Both her parents had always told her that what she could do had to be kept a secret… that in order to be safe, she couldn’t tell anyone… but he had told her what he could do; and it wasn’t like this was a normal school… it-... it was meant to be safe here... [color=goldenrod]"That's... actually really cool!"[/color] Alan tried to think on it. It didn't make a whole lot of sense, but really, neither did his color-coded vision. Neither did [i]any[/i] ability, really. [color=goldenrod]"How does it work, exactly? Like, you can control your own dreams all the time?"[/color] [color=#DB7093]“..y-yes…”[/color] Nodding softly, confirming his thoughts, Adeline took a moment, allowing her mind to focus on her ability and what it was she was actually able to do. It was… hard to explain; not that she had ever truly had to do so in the past… While he was correct in assuming she could control her own dreams, it wasn’t nearly as simple as just that… at least… her father didn’t seem to believe that it was as simple as that, anyway… [color=#DB7093]“..but-... but I can also control other people’s dreams… not just my own…”[/color] Pausing, her gentle features scrunching up slightly, she tried to think of the best way to try and explain it to him without much confusion, [color=#DB7093]“..I, uh… I can walk through them… and talk to people… I can see them… change them… I can help people by giving them really nice dreams, and-... and sometimes I can give them really bad nightmares too…”[/color] [color=goldenrod]"Wow."[/color] Alan nodded his approval, though stopped the second he remembered that she wouldn't be able to see it. This was going to take some getting used to. [color=goldenrod]"So you can, [i]see[/i] dreams? Yours and other peoples?"[/color] He didn't want to come across sounding insensitive, but his burning curiosity got the better of him. He couldn't imagine - being able to experience all the fantastical things and sights in dreams only to have it taken away in the real world. But then her latter words processed in his mind. She could give people nightmares, too. [i]Her[/i]? She seemed too timid and sweet to do something like that - to [i]anyone[/i]. Even an older brother that might have picked on her all the time. Well… [i]if[/i] she had an older brother... It was strange… even she knew that. Her own parents couldn’t even really understand what it was she could do; not that they hadn’t tried, and ultimately, it was the fact that the very details of her powers eluded them that had possessed them into allowing her to attend the academy in the first place. [color=#DB7093]“..i-it doesn’t really make sense… I know, I-...”[/color] Frowning, her features seeming to grow more troubled the more she thought on it, Adeline twisted the leash slightly between her hands as she continued, [color=#DB7093]“..I-I’ve never been able to see, but… but when I go into that world, I can… I’m not sure how it works… or why it happened this way, but I-... I guess I’m just used to it…”[/color] [color=goldenrod]"Hey... I've seen and been around a lot of things that don't make sense."[/color] Alan told her with a smile. [color=goldenrod]"Sometimes you can figure it out, but most of the time it just stays that way. And you know what? That's okay with me. If everything made sense, well... that would just make for a whole lot of boring, dontcha think?"[/color] [color=#DB7093]“..I-I guess…”[/color] Her voice trailing off, still unsure about a lot of things, Adeline thought over his words. He was right. If they knew everything, then what was the fun in life..? Nothing would ever be special… Shifting over the spot, Adeline turned her head, her unseeing gaze turning over to where she could hear the voices of others; the fear and uncertainty she had been holding back once more crossing over her delicate features as her mind was once again drawn back to the reason they were all there in the first place. The school… more specifically, the first day at school. She still hadn’t made the decision of whether she was going to be staying, or if she was going to leave and go home. Bringing her head back around, letting it drop as her shoulders curling over, she shut her beautiful cloudy blue eyes tightly; the young girl seeming to try and make herself as small as possible as her nerves once more began to overwhelm her. Alan seemed to pick up on her hesitation - it hadn’t exactly eased up any since he first found her standing there, unsure of what to do. [color=goldenrod]“If you need some time, that’s alright. It doesn’t look as though anyone has been let into the school yet. I can sit here with you for a bit if you want…”[/color] Lifting her head, her gaze lingering in the direction she could hear his voice coming from, Adeline stared blankly for a few moments, surprise mixing with the fear and nerves she already felt. Alan had been so caring… so encouraging… He didn’t even know her, and yet he was right there; willing to help, and to sit with her until she was calm enough and ready to make her choice. It-... It was like, for the first time in her life, she had a friend… one that her parents hadn’t chosen out for her… If she could do that, then maybe… maybe she could do this too... [color=#DB7093]“..n-no…”[/color] Fighting her hesitation, a single hand breaking from the leash, she bit down softly upon her lower lip, chewing on it a moment before she reached out towards him, trying to keep her nerves under control as she sought for his hand, [color=#DB7093]“..I-... I think I might be ready…”[/color] Unable to help the wide grin that spread across his face, Alan wanted so badly to exclaim his happiness at her decision at the top of his lungs, though thought better of it when thinking on what a random shout might do to her. He didn’t know [i]why[/i] he was so excited - he barely knew the girl. Perhaps it was simply that she wasn’t giving up, and that in itself gave cause to any sort of celebration. Reaching his own hand out, Alan took hers (albeit loosely) and made sure Ce-Jay’s leash wasn’t going to get them tangled. [color=goldenrod]“Alright! Well then we better get going!”[/color] It had been her idea; though it didn’t stop the gentle blush that chose to creep out over her cheeks as she felt the warmth of his hand resting in her own. It felt… nice… calming- it felt natural… Hesitating, allowing herself to wander over the thoughts that seemed to tug at her mind in the moment, Adeline took a single step closer, their sides brushing lightly against one another as she nodded, her features shy… nervous as she made to entwine her fingers in his own, [color=#DB7093]“..okay… l-let’s go..!”[/color]