[center][h1][color=0072bc]Joryldin Nailo[/color][/h1][/center]


Fully expecting a mile-long line, Joryldin trudged over to the collection of councilors only to find most of them sitting bored at their respective tables. The older vampires were making themselves look busy; tidying their station and waving pamphlets at passing freshmen. Some of the younger staff sat idly playing on their phones. Ironically, most of the purebloods blew off Count Alder's advice and went their own ways. To his dismay, Joryldin found himself and a handful of other Embraced freshmen to be the only students up on the stage. 

He made sure to avoid any sort of eye contact, but as he approached his designated councilor, Joryldin could physically feel the headmaster staring him down. Dressing like a bum proved to be less than optimal, and putting himself on the headmaster's shitlist at first sight would be a nightmare to deal with later. 

[color=a0410d]"Don't mind him, sir. Alder doesn't seem to get that there's a world outside of high society. If you ask me, the old man needs to spend less time in his coffin."[/color] This voice, full of lighthearted humor, came from his councilor; a gentleman aged only slightly more than Joryldin himself.

He was shocked to the point where all formality went flying out the window. [color=0072bc]"Sir? Who're you calling sir? You're probably like two centuries older than me."[/color] What surprised Joryldin more than the assumption was that calling him such implied some level of respect, or at least common decency.

[color=a0410d]"Looks like we both shot way too high, I'm only fifty, dude."[/color] With a fang-filled grin, the councilor leaned his plastic chair back and put his feet up on the table. He was a handsome fellow. Well toned muscles fought against his tight t-shirt, something from the academy's gift shop by the looks of it. He had a chiseled jawline and a pointed goatee that was all the rage right now. [color=a0410d]"Name's Teddy,"[/color] Count Alder shot the both of them another icy glare. Both for the jab at himself, and the informality of their attitudes. 

[color=a0410d]Ugh, fine... 'Sir Theodore Ashley'."[/color] Teddy rolled his eyes and waved his hand in the air; a sarcastic display meant purely to piss the headmaster off some more. [color=a0410d]So, tell me 'bout yourself! The more I know the easier it is for me to help you get started! Wait... Lemme check my list real quick... Nailo, right? Didn't know she had a son... Oh!"[/color] The councilor's eyes lit up with surprise for a fraction of a second as he reviewed a bulky packet of documents, [color=a0410d]"Welcome to the cool kids club!"[/color]

The greeting stung like a brand, but he couldn't object. [color=0072bc]"Thanks... how the hell did you know all of that just by looking at me"[/color] In his pockets, Joryldin tightened his fists. People had been reading him for the past two night straight, but this was a new extreme. He would have been livid were it not for how genuine and well meaning Teddy was.

[color=a0410d]"These guys are crazy, man. They've got everything! Check this out, they even gave me your old blood type! What am I gonna do with that?"[/color] Teddy laughed aloud, much to the flegeling's discomfort. He sat straight in his seat and showed Joryldin the papers. The academy had collected records of virtually his entire life. Every homeless shelter he stopped by on his travels, every coffee shop he earned a few bucks from for cleaning up; everything short of the few years with his birth parents. That wasn't surprising, though. After all, people don't die for speaking out against a noble house, they disappear. The school could have at least have the decency to put down his original name, though; rather than erasing who he was.

Joryldin heaved a sigh of defeat. The whole point of being here was to kill the human he used to be. It was like the nightmare all over again; undeath was welcoming him with open arms whether he liked it or not. [color=0072bc]"That's wild. Can't they give a kid a little privacy?"[/color] A halfhearted chuckle prompted another smile from Teddy.

[color=a0410d]"Well, they totally leave out personal interests, the one thing I can actually make use of."[/color] Teddy stuck his tongue out at the headmaster, then returned his focus to Joryldin. [color=a0410d]"Tell ya' what, lets clear out of here and head to my office. Everybody's starting to leave anyway so we might as well chat somewhere with actual furniture instead of whatever this thing counts as."[/color] The councilor rocked back and forth in his seat to prove his point, only to have the legs of the cheap lawnchair snap underneath him. Teddy would have wound up flat on the floor, but Joryldin caught his hand before he went down.

[color=0072bc]"I think I see what you mean! Let's go."[/color]

The two of them headed down the halls to Teddy's office. To account for the lack of windows, the walls were decorated with ornately carved wooden molding and all sorts of murals; most of which were made by previous alumni. Joryldin and Teddy chatted about hobbies, favorite shows; all sorts of mundane things. It was hard for Joryldin to open up about how he felt since most of his opinions were the sort of things that would get him in trouble, but Teddy provided valuable insight on what little he could share.

[color=0072bc]"I know exactly how hard humans can have it. I have everything a man can ever dream of now, but it just feels like I'm pissing on my own grave..."[/color]

[color=a0410d]"I know that feeling, dude. It was killing me for the longest time. You know how I got past it?"[/color]

[color=0072bc]"Well, no. We literally just met two hours ago and unlike you I don't have a giant cheat-sheet."[/color] The both of them had established a mutual love of sarcasm at this point, and the quick joke helped lighten the mood.

[color=a0410d]"I sat down, and I said to myself, 'Teddy, you've got eternity ahead of you, and not a worry in the world. What should you do with it?' And eventually I realized, if I already have everything, doesn't that just mean I have that much more to give those that don't? If there's one thing I want you to take away from this, it's that you've got the time and you've got the strength, so put it to good use helping people in the sort of trouble you were in."[/color] Joryldin sat silent, nodding as he took the words to heart. [color=a0410d]"Now get out there and enjoy yourself, ok?"[/color]

Joryldin got up and smiled, fangs gleaming. [color=0072bc]"Will do, Mr. Ashl-... Teddy, will do Teddy. Thanks for everything."[/color]