[u][center]Rathel & Coco: Fallenreaper and Frettzo[/center][/u]

Gently, Rathel had lead Coco towards the Student Gardens and place he knew she would've enjoyed the scents. Most the staff had been out tending to the public vegetables. Their figures hunched down and rakes or shovels which piled on more enriched earth to the growing plants. In a little over a month's time, they all would be able to harvest, plow and once more seed the ground next spring. Rathel enjoyed it here as it was one of the more comfortable paths he would find himself wandering. 

"How has your time here been so far?" Rathel popped off the question causally. 

"Short, casual and very exciting." Coco replied, walking besides Rathel as she listened to the sounds the staff made while tending to their crops. "Maybe too different from home and the Great Tree, actually. What abour your time here? How long have you been here? How long do you plan to stay?" She asked, eager to make some conversation.

The scents caught her attention somewhat, and half of her just wanted to carefully observe the way the staff handled the crops. Coco did, after all, find a lot of things related to food to be interesting.

Rathel chuckles a little, his voice light hearted as his scent, Coco's answer honest at least. When they reached a small apple tree, , he motioned for her to sit and soon followed when she did. "I've been here as long as Khan has. Mainly cause a familar demon usually follows his demonomancer. Besides, we have a very close bond after all and I think he would tend to forget to take care of himself. Currently it's been pleasant. Though the College tries to treat everyone with respect, there are still a few teachers, students and staff which believe Demons are mere tools of Demonomancers." 

He paused for a moment and then his curiousity got the better of him. "What is the Great Tree? You've mentioned it before and now, I can't help but wonder about it." 

There was nothing Coco could say to Rathel's comment about Demon discrimination, so she had chosen to listen to the rest of what he had to say, and she noticeably perked up once he asked about the Great Tree, her leaves puffing up a tiny bit as she sat up straight.

She put her right hand against her chin as she thought on how to explain it, and after a few moments, she finally spoke. 

"The Great Tree, or the Tree of Origin, as the Early Memories name it, is the only true purpose in any Foreas' life. Can you imagine being able to access a vault that keeps millions of memories safe, and being able to experience any of those memories yourself?" She said with clear excitement in her voice. "You could experience killing a beast, saving a sapling and maybe even the First Foreas' scent!" 

"I... Know that some fleshlings dislike the fact that I ask so many questions the first times I speak to them," She commented, relaxing somewhat, "It's just that the more questions I ask, and the more I learn, the less chance that any other Foreas will have to ask the same things. Most of them don't understand us plants, you see."

Rathel listened to her joy about the subject he picked. She seemed excited and rather glad to confine the details about the thing called the Great Tree as he learned it was some sport of memory vault where Foreas fill up and share. In his mind it sounded like a library but much more aligned with psychomancy then just written words. An experience which could be replayed at will and watched over again from others eyes. A wonderful thing if such a possiblity could exist for the rest of Tiien, sadly it seemed only the Foreas would be able to enjoy it. 

When she commented on her habit of asking questions, Rathel could sense her relax once more and mentioned how not everyone understands plants. "It's not hard but it is reasonable to say most don't think about it. That's after all how conflicts arise is through different views about the same subject. One group believes there's only way to see things while the other thinks theirs is the right way." 

He let a little time tick by before he continued. "As for the too many questions, being interested in knowledge isn't a bad thing. Though it's rather hard to get to know the true you if all I get are questions." 

His tone held a hint of mirth, emphaised by his scent, at the last bit. 

Coco's scent got lighter and more neutral, in sync with Rathel's mirth as she lightly hugged one of his front legs. She couldn't laugh, but she could surely communicate that the joke was not lost on her. 

"I was far too excited last dawn and sunset, I'm sorry about the questions." She said, releasing her hold on Rathel and retaking her relaxed sitting position, with her back against the tree's trunk. 

"Who do you think I am, Rathel? From the glimpses you've gotten... Who do you think I am?" She asked calmly.

"That, Coco, is not a very fair question after having only known you for a short time. However, I think you're a gentle, curious and very pleasant Foreas to be around. Not to mention sweet smelling." Rathel said, tacking on the last bit. 

His arm still felt warm from where she hugged him, faint with that strong coco scent which now mingled in and out of his own woody one. It was interesting to see how easily they got along,still slightly surprised she wasn't pushed away by his looks or current race. Then again, it was likely he was the only demon she had official met at the College. That notion made him inwardly shudder. 

"You know, Coco. Not all demons are trustworthy, even here, and some might attempt to trick you into less then savory things. Can I ask you to do me a favor?" His voice was gentle, yet there was some hesitation on what he was about to ask her.

Coco could notice the hesitation and overall tone, and it wasn't giving her the good feels. Even his scent had changed slightly to match, and a dreaded curiosity filled her chest, pushing her towards nodding and prodding him to continue. 

"Sure, what is it?" She asked, head facing his way intently.

He tried to calm yet he couldn't, the next request was important and critical. Though it also seemed he didn't trust the staff to do their job and keep the small Foreas safe. He had opened the can of worms now, and it was time to finish what he ststarted. "Just be careful who you trust completely. Some might take advantage of you and I don't want you to be hurt because of it." 

"Oh-" Coco whispered, relaxing once more. "I didn't come out of the pod last dawn, you know? But... Thanks for the concern." She said, hugging Rathel's leg one more time. "Wait..."

"Doesn't that mean I shouldn't trust you completely just yet? You're a plant, you certainly can't mean any harm to me, right? Humans and half-snakes I understand, but plants are good."

Rathel, his selfishness peered up a bit, wanted to tell her she could but than what about others like him? Not all demons looked human or even part, he wasn't the only plant demon within the Inferno or likely the whole College. How could he explain that to her? The question rattled around in his head like a marble, around and around until finally he shook his head free of it. 

"I understand that. However, you forget. I'm not just a plant but also a demon. Demons, after all, are evil acts commited by mortal creatures and are given life within the Inferno. In my case, my sin was so great it consumed my soul. So I'm not like other demons as I feel regret for what I've done." Rathel was slightly worried what Coco would think of him now, his voice quieter as he added something else. "I hope this doesn't change anything." 

Coco remained quiet for a few minutes as she digested the information. She had been spending time with a criminal so deviated that his very [i]soul[/i] was consumed by his acts. But was that really a bad thing? He mentioned he was regretful, but does that make him good all of a sudden? She didn't know what to feel. 

"W... What did you do that consumed your soul?" She asked hesitantly, pose now stiff against the tree and scent changing to match her current mixed emotions. 

The demon sensed her worry and started to emit a scent which would help her enter a calm state. It was sweet and weet and spicy, even if it was still his own type of scent, while he ccontinued. "It's a past I rather not remember and something I want to make up for. The main reason I'm with with Khan is to ease his pain and ensure he doesn't repeat my sin. My point is simple: some demons have done worse and while some will try to make up for it, not all will. Demons take on many forms from plant to animal, and even humaniods. Just because a demon looks like a plant doesn't mean he is, it's more about the individual then the group. Am I making sense?" 

He had hoped to spare this but now, there wasn't anyway for him to undo it. What was done had been done. He could only hope for the best sitaution to come from it, despite if she never trusted him again then at least she would be safe from others. 

"I do understand, it's just that... Ugh... I don't know how to feel about it." She said quietly, leaves flattened against her skin as she took a whiff of Rathel's scent. "How is it even possible that a being without soul smells so good, anyway..?" She whispered to herself, then stretched her neck and back and got into a serious posture. 

"As long as you promise not to teach anything about your soul consuming sins to any sapling, I won't dig deeper into it. My future sapling doesn't need to know anything about his father being a Demon. Can you imagine how judged it'd be? The others might not even let it near the Tree if they knew!"

"I'm not sure myself, likely cause I was Herbamancy in my last life and took on trait of my Blood. Fitting considering my past." He bitterly mused while he moved on to answer the last part. "As for my soul consuming, it wasn't my choice but I'll keep it from happening to your saplings. I won't wish it on any living creature as my experience was rather...painful in the mildest of terms." 

He took a deep breath then changed the topic. "Have you made any new friends? I noticed you've already met the rather jumpy Naga but is there any others you've enjoyed their company?" 

The change of topic was welcome. Coco could not have been more glad when Rathel willingly walked away from his soul chatting, and her scent showed it as her mood once more stabilized itself. "Well, let's see... I've met Tyrael, Lucilia and Clima, Colette who has a bunch of cute bats, Rocky, uh... I mean, Ponders, Mar, Alaira and... Ssarak, uh... Dyrreckthernos?" 

"Yeah, I've met a few." She mentioned, tucking one leg beneath the other. 

"You're becoming well established and that's a good thing. Though the more students you meet, then likely the better as you'll learn all sorts of things. Most students come from all walks of life within Tiien and likely from places you've been. Besides, having more friends is always fun." Rathel commented as he noted the cheerful mood Coco had at the change in discussion. 

His eyes narrowed into the distance while he simple enjoyed the sound of the staff tending to the plants which surrounded them. Each one seemed very well adapted for the task and joined into the harmony, Rathel's scent started to shift between several different scents as if he was humming a tune with them instead of his voice. It was a soft, gentle melody suitable to lull her into blissful relaxation. 

The scent changes were perfect. They reminded her of spring time and saplings who had no set scent. It sent her for the nearest warmth source, which was Rathel, and made her lightly press her body against his side, relaxing in the moment and focusing on the little sunlight that she could actually get in this place. 

"You know... I have to take you to the Great Tree someday... We can ask the sages about a way to let you into it and check a few memories out..." 

"I would like that...very much."

Rathel smiled, or at least his scent made it seem so, while she settled against his side. Her nose slits took in the scents and now they both bathed in the scene, the time ticked by until finally the Demon spoke again. "It's about time you should be getting to classes soon?" 

"Right!" Coco replied, scent slowly turning back to normality as she used Rathel as an aid to stand up. When she finally stood, she stretched a bit and put her arms around Rathel's waist, pulling upwards. "Come on! I need a guide so that I don't get lost!" She said in a hushed tone, trying to get Rathel to stand up just as she'd get a leaf pup to stand up.

Not denying Coco her enjoyment, Rathel was easily pulled upright with her arms still wrapped about his larger one. His scent told her all she needed as it became sweet and strong. "Very well then, I shall lead the way then. I know exactly where Serge's classroom is." 

Rathel began to lead the way, their two figures vanished into the College's stone halls and made way to the Electromancy classroom.