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

The ride into town was rather uneventful, much quieter than the rest of the orientation had been thus far. The bus itself was, as expected, a luxury model with leather reclining seats, personal control AC vents, and a small tablet that could be pulled out of an opening in the chair arm. Music played softly in the background. A few others were on the bus, mostly filling out once it stopped at the dorms before it took a left out onto the main road. Only one other person remained on the bus, large over the ear headphones plugged into something in her bag, and she danced in her seat to whatever she was listening to. 

The trip itself only took about ten minutes, cutting through the forest and opening up to reveal the small town. Only having a single cross road and a single traffic light, the entirety of the business area was visible from the bus stop. A general store was immediately next to the stop followed by a diner and a bookshop. Across the street, a tattoo parlor covered in various styles of street art sat next to an art store followed by an alchemist’s shop. A chalkboard sign between the art shop and the tattoo parlor acted as a temporary armrest for an older guy, arms done up in full sleeves, who nodded as he listened to a woman with an apron embroidered with the art shop’s name gestured wildly. The girl on the bus shifted her bag and pulled her headphones down around her neck, rap spilling out of the headphones, and cross the street, waving at the talking pair before joining in. A few bits of their conversation drifted across the street, mostly about how piercings and tattoos has recently become more popular with the student body within the past few years, but otherwise the town was quiet.

Joryldin wondered how such a tiny town subsisted itself entirely off of the academy’s students coming in and out. Most of the students seemed to be fairly wealthy, but with himself and the other girl being the only visitors at the moment, could they possibly get enough business to survive? Pulling his hood up over his eyes, the freshman stepped off the bus with little ceremony. Trying to look as casual as possible, he stuffed his hands into his hoodie’s pocket as he glanced into the various windows. 

He never was big on reading, but the bookshop seemed nice enough and the art store would be a good place to stop by and grab some decorations to make his cookie-cutter dorm have a bit more personality. The book store had several displays in its window, primarily revolving around a book titled “Magic and Fashion”. The cover showed a mage seemingly conjuring clothes from thin air. That sounded like a dangerous and hilarious game. The idea of a spell wearing off during the middle of the night, leaving some poor mage in their underwear during class, amused Joryldin to no end. 

The vampire was hesitant to engage the group in conversation just yet, as he didn’t know what to expect. He made a quick glance in their direction while scanning the stores to figure out which these folk were, mage or vampire. The girl from the bus was clearly a vampire from the way she managed to just barely avoid making eye contact, and the other two were mages. This was pretty much the perfect situation for Joryldin. The other vampire from the academy had already begun chatting with the locals, so he could anticipate that it wouldn’t be too out of place for another to join in. He removed his earbuds and double checked that no cars were on their way through the crossing, then strolled over to the group. The freshman gave a soft smile and polite wave.

[color=fff200]“Well hello there! Aren't you a new face!”[/color] The woman spoke loudly as Joryldin caught her attention. She stood a few inches shorter than the vampire and wore a bright yellow dress under her apron. The guy sent a nod his way and the girl waved back at him. The girl wore a cop jacket and short shirt with running shorts and her hair was tied back messily. An empty spray paint holster was strapped to her thigh.


“[color=0072bc]G’morning.[/color]” He kept his tone soft and gentle, working to maintain a laid back appearance. “[color=0072bc]Sure is a cute little town you guys have going here,[/color]” Taking notice of the other vampire’s getup, he assumed they possessed a penchant for street art, and hazarded a guess. Gesturing to the wall of graffiti, he asked, “[color=0072bc]Some of this wouldn’t happen to be your work, would it? I love your color choice.[/color]”

[color=f26522]“Hell no it ain’t!”[/color] The man barked out a laugh while the girl glared at him.  [color=f26522]“Evalyn here is just startin’ up. Like hell I’m letting her experiments on my shop.”[/color] Evalyn let out an irritable huff and crossed her arms.

[color=39b54a]“Most of the designs are senior students at the Academy but I swear mine’s making it up there by the end of the year!”[/color] Evalyn said, determined. [color=39b54a]“Ignoring this old geezer, the name’s Evalyn. sophomore at the Academy. I take it you’re a first year?”[/color]

“[color=0072bc]Yup, and it’s been a pretty wild first day so far. Honestly, I’ve got no clue what to expect from the future. I’m Joryldin, by the way. Nice to meet you all. Mind telling me a bit about your shops? I’ve got a feeling I’ll be stopping by often.[/color]” The easiest way Joryldin had found to get someone talking was to ask about their work.

[color=fff200]“Oh marvelous! Curious and polite, I like him! My name is Amanda, sweet pea, and I run this lovely little artist boutique back here! Brushes, spray cans, canvases, pens, markers- If you need it, I’ve got it! I even have a cute little section with all these bright colored desks and chairs and wall decorations, a few fake plants too! Helps keep those poor mages from losing their minds until they acclimate to the change.”[/color] Amanda said. [color=fff200]“I remember my years at the Academy. Goodness, the first few months were down right gloomy without the sun!”[/color]

[color=f26522]“Jacob.”[/color] The man nodded at the vampire. [color=f26522]“The tattoo parlor is mine. I do piercings too, if you’re interested. It's the hip trend in the vamp crowd right now since tattoos are a bitch and a half and hurt three times as much for them.”[/color]

Joryldin’s eye twitched at the mere mention of piercings and tattoos. “[color=0072bc]Yeaaa… as much as I could use every little thing I can to help fit in; thanks for the offer, but I’ll take a hard pass. If I got a tattoo, I’m pretty sure my mom would find a way to make me wish I wasn’t already dead.[/color]” He shook that bit of [i]primal fear[/i] out of his head, opting to further entertain the idea of the craft shop. “[color=0072bc]So, Miss Amanda, do you mind if I stop by to look around? I’m looking for some decorations and knick-knacks. The dorms are kinda barren... [/color]”

[color=fff200]“Of course, sweety!”[/color] Amanda beamed, waving goodbye to the others, and walked back into her store. The shop inside was long, full of several rows of art supplies,and a large open section in the back with various drawings desks, chairs, and several bean bag chairs. She took Joryldin to the back section and one wall was dedicated to various decorations. Fake flowers, lamps,fairy lights, small white boards, a few wall decals, and several picture frames hung from the wall and sat on shelves. [color=fff200]“This is about all I have in stock right now but I have a catalogue you can order from too! Anything specific you want, darling?”[/color] 

“[color=0072bc]Hmm… I’m a sucker for an ocean theme.[/color]” He glanced around the room for shell motifs or light blue colors.

[color=fff200]“Ocean theme, ocean theme…”[/color] Amanda tapped her cheek thoughtfully before snapping and pointing towards a few sections. [color=fff200]“We do have a few cute seashell desk chests and a few student paintings if you are interested. I have a few bean bag chairs in back stock with wave designs in the back from the summer. Oh, and a lamp with seagulls and boats painted on it. Ocean themes are just out of season but let me pull out that chair and I'll come around with the catalogue!”[/color] Amanda hurried off, leaving the boy alone for a few moments as she disappeared through a door in the back.

There was a reason for his odd preference. Some of Joryldin’s best memories were from the beach. Down the road from his home was a private beach owned by a vampiric gentleman that Widow Nailo had a bit of a crush on. He had the appearance of an old man, which was uncommon for most purebloods, but the sort of sophisticated and sharp old man who looks like they have a million and one stories to tell. Being unable to do so himself, the gentleman let Joryldin sit on the beach and watch the sunrise and sunset almost every day. Gorgeous strands of pink orange and blue filled his memory for a moment. Missing that view was one of the hardest parts of the past two months, almost more than the cannibalism. He would have to deal with it like everything else. At least the homely atmosphere of the academy would make acclimating easier. 

He began to check the price tags on the items Amanda pointed out. The student paintings were incredible, and captured the beauty of that sunset better than he ever thought possible. Joryldin’s eyes turned yellow as a bright sunflower. As he awaited the owner’s return, the fledgeling made himself content to simply admire the artwork on display.

The paintings ranged from 75 dollars to just shy of 600. The desk chests were ten dollars even, a little diorama of the beach glued into the inside of the top and fitted behind a plastic screen. The desk lamp Amanda mentioned was just as described, a blue lamp with white seagulls and red sail boats dotting its surface. 

With a bang Amanda returned from the back, pushing a small cart with two bean bag chairs.
One was massive enough to sink into while the other one was a bit sturdier and modeled roughly into the shape of a chair. The larger of the two was the same blue as the lamp and had a wave pattern around it. The chair shaped one was a lighter blue designed with waves lapping at the bottom. She held out a thick catalogue she fished out from her apron pocket and flipped in open to a heading that said “Summer Styles”. 

The vampire heard her returning from a good deal away. Heightened hearing was a perk he had come to enjoy. He continued to admire the artwork with his back turned to the store’s lovely owner. “[color=0072bc]I’ve never seen talent like this before… Can you tell me anything about the students that made these?[/color]” Joryldin casually gestured to a gorgeous landscape of a beach at dusk.

[color=fff200]“That student…”[/color] Amanda looked at it for a long moment. [color=fff200]“Elizabeth Harvey. Sweet girl. A bit airheaded but what artist isn't? Made a big fuss anytime someone so much as hurt the hair on anyone's head around her. She graduated last year and put this up before she left. Last I heard, she was accepting commissions between restoration work at a museum.”[/color]

“[color=0072bc]Are fights really that common around here? Actually… Don’t answer that, I’d rather not know. Anyway, I love the piece. Without a doubt I’ll buy it.[/color]” Joryldin turned around with a content grin. He fished the wallet from his back pocket and cupped the cheap leather in his palm. “[color=0072bc]You mentioned a catalogue, right?[/color]” He saw Amanda already sorting through it. “[color=0072bc]Oh, it looks like you’re a few steps ahead of me already.[/color]”

[color=fff200]“Here you go, sweet pea. Take a look yourself and we'll get this painting taken up to the front.”[/color] Amanda said as she picked it off the wall and headed to the front. [color=fff200]“Did you want to take it back now or have it sent over to the dorms for you? It'll reach you tomorrow morning before class.”[/color]

“[color=0072bc]Having it delivered would be best. I don’t want to risk accidentally damaging it on the way back[/color]” Joryldin took a peek at the catalogue while Amanda walked through the aisles, calling out a greeting to another customer browsing paint brushes, and laid it carefully on the counter. 

[color=39b54a]“Holy shity guys!”[/color] Evaylin burst into the shop at a dead sprint, barely catching herself before crashing into Joryldin. [color=39b54a]“Someone leaked the [i]Queen[/i] is visiting campus today!”[/color]

A mix of excitement, anticipation, and sheer hopeless terror washed over him in an instant. Joryldin had no clue what to make of this news. “[color=0072bc]You’re kidding, right? I thought the academy was the Princess’ thing. What’s the Queen coming here for?[/color]”

[color=39b54a]“I don’t know! You can count the number of times she has [i]ever[/i] visited the Academy on one hand. Rumor has it she is bringing Lady Sinnenodel too but my source on that one is really unreliable.”[/color] Evelyn paced in front of the counter as she spoke. [color=39b54a]“It’s so exciting! I’m going to do my damnedest to see her! Mom would be so excited if I got her a picture!”[/color]

[color=fff200]“Now, now. Calm down dear before you give me a heart attack.”[/color] Amanda said, chuckling. [color=fff200]“And you won’t be allowed on the grounds while she’s here. You’ll have to be in one of the halls or your dorm. Don’t go sneaking around either, young lady. You cause enough mischief as it is.”[/color]   

“[color=0072bc]We should probably head back and get out of the way soon, then.[/color]” He closed the catalogue and pulled out his card to pay, but a bout of curiosity struck him. “[color=0072bc]Who’s this Lady Sinnenodel? Another noble? I never payed attention to any of the houses besides the royal family.[/color]”

[color=39b54a]“Another noble? She's the matriarch of House Sinnenodel!”[/color] Evelyn said incredulously. Even Amanda sent him an odd look. [color=39b54a]“She gets carried around by her mages all the time. People say she's so old, her skin is too hard to move. I just think she's a pretentious bitch like the rest of her house.”[/color] 

[color=fff200]“Language, Evelyn!”[/color] Amanda said as she finished Joryldin's transaction and passed him a form to fill out. [color=fff200]“Address and dorm number please, dear. Have to make sure it gets there safe and sound!”[/color]

A slight smirk crossed Joryldin’s lips. “[color=0072bc]If it’s nobility we’re talking about, then that sounds pretty accurate.[/color]” It only took him a moment to jot down his info and pay for the wonderful painting. “[color=0072bc]Still; all the more reason to stay out of the way, and all the more reason not to care about them.[/color]”

[color=39b54a]“Come on, it'll be fun! Then you can brag you snuck around campus to see [i]The Queen[/i].”[/color] Evelyn said as she started heading out. [color=39b54a]“Either way, let's get to the bus before they stop running it!”[/color] She waved goodbye to Amanda.

“[color=0072bc]I’m already dead enough, Evelyn.[/color]” Joryldin chuckled, “[color=0072bc]I don’t need to get myself properly killed on my second day here.[/color]” He turned around to face the store’s owner, giving her a friendly smile as he backed out the door. “[color=0072bc]Thanks for everything Miss Amanda! I’ll be sure to come back soon with my partner; I bet she’ll love this place.[/color]” With that, he followed Evelyn out to the bus stop.

The pair made it to the stop just as the bus pulled up and the driver explained to them there would be no more buses for the rest of the day. Evelyn sat in the first row and patted the seat next to her expectantly.

[color=39b54a]“Since you don't want to have some fun, what are you going to do?”[/color] Evelyn asked as the bus pulled away.

“[color=0072bc]I’ll probably head to my room and get ready for my first day of classes.[/color]” Joryldin unceremoniously dropped himself into the seat and pushed back his hood and hair. “[color=0072bc]If it’s not too close to morning we can hang out and maybe play the newest Mortal Kombat. I lucked out and got an early access key![/color]”

[color=39b54a]“Oh, worm? Sounds like I've got to kick your butt at it then.”[/color] She grinned but immediately sighed. [color=39b54a]“Actually, can I take a rain check? I promised my partner I'd help his friend group out with a design. But we can trade numbers so I can kick your butt later!”[/color] She held her phone out to the other vampire.

“[color=0072bc]Them’s fighting words if I’ve ever heard them.[/color]” He laid back in the seat and slipped his own device from his pocket, exchanging their phone numbers in anticipation of what would most certainly be the battle of the century if her confidence was anything to go off of. “[color=0072bc]You guys have fun with that project, and be sure to tell me how it turns out![/color]” 

The bus dropped the pair off at the dorms and Evelyn waved goodbye before dashing off back towards the Academy, leaving Joryldin alone once more.