Mitch's gut unclenched a little when someone responded: Male, warm, had been eating a few seconds before speaking, and named Nolan. A mental "check" went off next to "don't accidentally address the empty air in front of other students." She hoped she had not frightened him- The cough had taken her off guard. Apple, as far as she could feel, was still attached to his harness, and likely not stealing food. Another mental "check." 

[color=#006666][b]“Thanks, Nolan. It's nice to meet you,”[/b][/color] she said, giving him a grateful, closed-lip smile. She leaned in an inch or so toward the table, enough to feel the edge of it brush against her hip, and set the plate down before reaching a hand out to the side to find her own seat. Whatever it was felt leathery. [color=#006666][b]“And I'm Mitch. Well...”[/b][/color] She sat and folded her hands in her lap, fiddling with a loose string on the side of her tan skort. [color=#006666][b]“Properly Leila, but really just Mitch. Leila Ingram, but my family's not really very magick-y and whathaveyou, and I've never been much for, um... Well, yes. But just Mitch, really.”[/b][/color] 

As if sensing his master's impending death via awkward trail-offs, Apple gave a soft chitter from where he sat beside her feet. His fronds piqued forward to peruse the table, and the sluggish arm of his inner mouth plopped itself up next to Mitch's plate. [color=#006666][b]“And this is Apple! He likes to be pet, but only when his vest is off.”[/b][/color] Prodding about the plate with a fork, she located a piece of cantaloupe and slid it toward the edge of the table.

Like a harpoon, Apple's pharyngeal jaws shot forward through the fruit, and yanked it back into his beak with a sharp [i]snap[/i]. 

Mitch unfolded her napkin and placed it across her lap. 

[color=#006666][b]"So... What do you do? With your magic and the like, I mean.”[/b][/color]

[@Prosaic]

[hr]

Before Larke could slide into his seat, a third addition to the conversation was placing a finger to her lips and sliding up behind Dawn. The bright hue of her hair was certainly unique among the gathered students, but Larke was more interested in... Other features. She had a delicate face and soft, lovely curves that showed all the more as she bent to cover Dawn's eyes, all leading down to legs that just [i]kept on going.[/i] 

Maybe this place wasn't [i]so[/i] bad. 

He took it all in within about two seconds, quick to move his gaze to the table as he set his plate down. Dawn seemed to know her, which made Larke all the more curious as to how he had managed to miss crossing paths with the striking young woman. Serenity, Dawn said- Lovely name, lovely girl. Fitting.

[color=#336699][b]"Larke Sterling, as Dawn said,"[/b][/color] Larke said with a warm smile, pulling out another chair beside Dawn's before offering his hand. [color=#336699][b]"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Serenity."[/b][/color]

Before he could further the conversation, one Percival Pelacour was bounding across the room in the most Percival Pelacour of ways.[color=#336699] [b]"Hey, Percy!"[/b][/color] he greeted, reciprocating the tap with a friendly clap on the back.  [color=#336699] [b]"Yeah, man. Go get some food- I'll catch you around!"[/b][/color]

Returning his attention back to present company, he furrowed his brow a bit toward Serenity. [color=#336699][b]"It's crazy, that we know so many of the same people, but not each other. Do you kind my asking where you're from?"[/b][/color]

[@echoicchamber] [@Akayaofthemoon]

[hr]
[i]"You look well,"[/i] Hilda said. The self-righteous, Scandanavian cunt.  

Maeve shook hands with Kora, giving an encouraging nod as she did so. [color=#cc3300][b]"I do teach combat,"[/b][/color] she replied, [color=#cc3300][b]"and if your grip has anything to say, I suspect you'll be a strong melee opponent. But I will be needing you to come by my office and register all of your weapons with me before the day is out."[/b][/color] She looked toward Hilda and her partner, with an apologetic (but not at all sorry) shrug. [color=#cc3300][b]"Just policy."[/b][/color] 

She gave Hilda a final clap on the arm; a normally friendly gesture that would indicate absolutely no thinly-veiled animosity, and nodded to Kora. [color=#cc3300][b]"If it's all quite well, we may as well walk you up to the assembly, Miss Kora. Lovely to see you again, Hilda."[/b][/color] It was lovely, really, in the same way that cleaning the shower drain of a girls' communal bathroom was lovely: A long affair of pulling up things you had almost forgotten existed, and then remembered in one nauseating sweep. 

She stepped back so that Kora could hug and gather her things, and then proceeded to lead her up the stairs. As soon as the elder vikings weren't looking, the smile dropped and Maeve was back to fiddling with her shirt cuffs in an effort to restore circulation to her hands. She said nothing as they ascended the steps to the common room. 

There was, naturally, some concern as to Kora's reaction when she found Sterling up there, as well, but Maeve sincerely hoped the girl would have more restraint than her father. 

Hope, however, was not the same as confidence. 

[@VitoftheVoid]