Hero

#StillNotBitten [Invite Only]

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_{Location: Rushford, Ohio -- Jenkins' Diner}

Date: May 15th, 2019

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Not one to argue (at the moment) Isla nodded, standing up and grabbing her backpack. Right, best thing to do was stock up on stuff. She followed the dude into the food storage (wait he called it dry storage or something, right?) and opened up her backpack. Canned stuff was good, right? She figured taking as much as she could squeeze into her bag was good enough, though she took a second to put a majority of her belongings on the outside pockets. She had no idea if anything she had was useful, but she wasn't going to abandon anything except for the textbooks weighing her down.

Once she made the space, she went about looking around for what to take. Having to pick and choose was hard, but it was needed. Food was important but for someone who was used to ramen noodles and sleep for dinner with the occasional mass eating of sweets, she didn't really know what was best or lasted longer or whatever. Now she wished she had paid more attention in health class, but she just started grabbing things and stuffing them carefully into her bag.

"Anything we should be prioritizing?" She ended up asking out loud, hoping for a little guidance.

Of Blood and Magic

Belated Introduction

_{feat. Max @Scribe of Thoth}

Eris fished through his pockets for the right dorm key, half wondering if he could have left it at the Sinnenodel dorm. He was normally more careful, but he hadn’t had a chance to organize himself due to a certain redhead. After a few minutes he finally found it, though he paused before opening the door, staring at the lock and unimpressed with the simplicity of it. He stopped his search just to test it, gripping the handle as he pushed on it and listening for the wood creak. Clucking his tongue in disapproval, he wondered how much of a hassle it would be to get a better lock. Throwing money at the problem usually solved it, but this was Noila territory, so he knew he shouldn't be too surprised if the request was declined. For now, he complied, unlocking the door and stepping into his home-away-from-home.

He was unimpressed the second he closed the door behind him. Granted, he had the same thoughts when he had initially stepped into the Sinnenodel dorm, but he supposed the judgement was harsher now that he knew this was where he'd be retreating to. The choice of wall and flooring was awfully boring, the interior design generic. Just because the school decided to accept the rabble didn't mean everyone had to suffer. If anything, upping the ante would give them goals to stride for. He cared little about the kitchen, but the living room and dining room were dull for his taste.

Speaking of dull, now was as good a time as ever to have the overdue talk. It would have to be brief; classes started at nine and it was already ten minutes past eight.

Strolling over to the closed bedroom door, Eris lifted his hand to knock, then paused. Fuck, what was this kid's name again? Maximus? Macron? Alderman was definitely the last name, or at least he was a good eighty percent sure of it. He took a second to make his best guess, knocking sharply on the door.

"Hurry up and finish brooding, I need to talk to you," He ended up forgoing the name for the moment, stepping away from the door to go take a seat on the couch.

There was a brief groan from inside the room, but the door promptly opened, revealing a groggy-looking Max in the middle of putting a T-shirt on. At least Eris had the decency to knock. The mage yawned dramatically and leaned against the doorframe once he was fully-clothed.

“What’s up?” He questioned nonchalantly, not quite awake enough yet to throw in any quips about Eris’ doubtlessly eventful and probably very gross night.

Eris' mouth opened, but not before checking the time. There was the tiniest possibility that he could have been mistaken, but nope, he was right. How was this kid just waking up now?! His hair was often a mess but he just assumed that he didn't know how to properly brush his hair or something! The actor's lips were tightly shut as his eyes widened in what could've been panic. There was a lot more work to be done than he thought.

Where would he even start, though?!

Eris finally composed himself as a small bark caught his attention, but for now, he ignored the pup. "Good grief, you're just naturally a mess," He muttered, collecting his thoughts as he looked Max-something up and down. There was a tiny groan that got caught in his throat, but if he focused too much on the wardrobe, they were going to be there all night. He was going to have to tell Feliks that things were worse than he thought.

"Just--ugh," Eris let out his disdain, throwing his arms up in defeat as he let himself into the room. "How are you still asleep? Don't you take time to clean yourself and get dressed?"

“Yeah, like ten minutes.” Maybe a whole half hour if he felt like sitting in the shower and staring off into the abyss for a while, but Eris didn’t need to know that. Max doubted Eris went anywhere without spending five hours ‘freshening up’ in the bathroom, but he couldn’t even fathom what the vampire would be doing in there for all that time. He was partially surprised he hadn’t seen a full makeup crew walk through here yet.

“By the way, some guy on the bus took a picture of your new rat to put up on his blog. Your name wasn’t brought up, but I dunno how deep your rabid little fans like to dig.” Worst case scenario, Max would just have to hunt that guy down and tell him to take it off the site. “Figured you’d enjoy the free publicity either way.”

"Publicity is a tool to be used, not just given away," Eris replied, confused by Max's earlier statement. He wasn't expecting anyone to find out about Maxie, but he supposed it was bound to come out sooner or later. "Everyone's going to assume it's your dog now, so have fun with that."

He took another second to look the mage over, pinching the bridge of his nose. Ten minutes, so what, he just rolled out of bed and threw on whatever? The thought made Eris shudder. "Right, then, you're going to need more than ten minutes to get ready for the day, I prefer to feed once I get up--and that requires you to be fully clean," Eris said, rummaging through his pockets again. "Before or after classes is ideal, gets it out of the way so the rest of the night is free. Believe it or not there are some things I prefer to be subtle about and feeding is one of them considering I like to feed from the femoral artery."

Once he found what he was looking for, he pulled out the FitBit he had been wearing the night before, presenting it to Max. "Going forward you'll be wearing this at all times. Don't take it off unless you're going to shower yourself, otherwise I won't get accurate readings," He informed him. "Any questions so far? Or do you need more time to clear the gunk out of your ears to understand me?"

Huh, so Eris was more than just a simple attention whore. Max didn’t know whether that was better or worse. “I don’t really care what random people think; if they wanna be wrong, that’s their prerogative. But I’ll keep that in mind.”

The femoral artery bit was a little disgusting, but he figured he should’ve expected as much. Blood was blood, did it really matter if it came out of his leg or not? Eris was clearly toying with him. Not that it really mattered in the long run, it wasn’t like Max would be keen on being bitten regardless of location. And apparently everyone else in this school was trying to get his pants off too, might as well let Eris have the prize. Disgusting.

“Yeah, actually I do have a question or two. What’s the watch for?” Max asked as he took the FitBit from the vampire. Looked like some kind of exercise thing, probably a measure of blood quality. Another annoyance, but he’d already be lugging a focus around on his other arm, so he doubted he’d even notice it was there.

Well, at least he was paying attention. He assumed the first would have been about his feeding method, but Max went for the watch first. "It'll help me monitor your health, I'd like to bulk you up some," He said, taking his phone out of his jacket. "I'll be planning out a diet and exercise regime that you'll be following, and if I can track your progress, it'll make my life easier. Unless you actually want me hanging around you every time you eat and work out, but I sincerely doubt that: if corrections need to be made, fine, but I'd rather not waste my time and you'd rather dwell alone." He really didn't want to babysit the kid, a (hopefully) mutual feeling.

"That does bring up an unfortunate point, however," He frowned at his phone. "In addition to your arena classes, I'd like you to use some of your spare time with me so I can see what sort of sword arm you have."

Diet, exercise; this was shaping up to be so much work. Max was hoping he’d get to slide by on daily blood donations and the occasional menial chore. Though, he supposed it would make sense if Eris was intent on working on the mage’s swordplay. Kind of a weird thing for an actor to be harping on, but Max wasn’t going to complain. It’d play nicely into his affinity, in any case.

“How hard can it be?” Max really had no idea how to use a sword, but the concept seemed basic enough, “I’m a metal mage, so I’m sure I’ll figure out something that works.” He threw those desks easily enough, tossing swords around like a very violent tornado shouldn’t be too complicated. Did that technically count as swordsmanship? Max thought it did.

Eris opened his mouth and then closed it, shaking his head. "I'm going to assume that means you have no actual formal training. While I'm sure the Academy's lessons are...adequate--" A word he used very loosely in all honesty. "--I think at the very least instilling some additional knowledge would help more than harm. Probably. It's always handy to know how to swing something just in case. If anything, knowing how your opponent's going to swing his sword helps you stab them with their own weapon easier." He shrugged, sending out an email before pocketing his phone. Metal, huh? Convenient, at the very least it wasn't a completely lost cause. He could think of quite a few uses for it, but time was ticking and he had more to cover.

"This is all your personal responsibility, by the way. I'm sure you can handle it and your studies without any issues," As much as he adored Varis' methods, Eris just didn't have the time to psychologically torture his new mage. Not yet, anyway. "That said, three simple rules to follow if you want to keep me happy: do what I say, don't piss me off, and last but not least, keep yourself out of trouble. Eventually I'll see about giving you actual things to do, but there's about a hundred different things I need you to change before that happens."

Max found rules one and three easy enough. Rule two might be a bit of a chore, if Eris kept up his usual antics. He couldn’t argue with the leech’s logic on swordsmanship, at least, and it could tie into his usual magic practice easily enough that he doubted it would be a burden. At least, that was how he was going to rationalize all of this to himself to make the situation sound less grim.

“Yeah, whatever. One more thing,” Max leveled a more focused gaze on the vampire now, all traces of his prior sleepy haze discarded now that he had a serious thought in mind, “I don’t really care, but it’ll help me know how to act going forward; what’s your deal with Count Cinnamon? You trying to fuck him over or just fuck him?” He resisted the urge to shudder at the end. He really didn’t need to be thinking about that, but some things just had to be asked.

Eris quirked an eyebrow at Max, though he didn't respond right away. He was just full of surprises, wasn't he? The possibility of possibly underestimating him came to mind, but he debated on how to respond.

"Firstly, it's 'Sinnenodel' not 'Cinnamon'," He addressed that part first wearily, even if a slight chuckle did escape him. "Both are a mouthful, but one of them is more liable to choke you in your sleep than the other. Secondly, you'll learn quickly that I don't have to 'try' anything--I just do. If you really want to know, the Sinnenodel dorm is where I spent the entirety of last day, so have fun with your imagination going places you don't want it to with that." He did give Max a cheeky grin, visibly entertained as he waved his hands around. Kid had some awareness, but that too could use some work. But unlike everything else, that would be fun to help with.

Eris' expression fell into something more neutral as he debated on how to actually answer him. "Count Sinnenodel is to be respected--for all intents and purposes, any orders from him should be taken as orders from myself. That said, even if I wasn't in my current position, the Sinnenodel House isn't one you want to go making enemies of," He supposed it wasn't an adequate response, but he wasn't about to go spilling his secrets just yet. "I'd sincerely think twice about giving him a smartass remark like you did earlier again: that also falls under the 'don't piss me off' rule."

Oh, right, he needed to administer a proper punishment for that. Eris clicked his tongue, wagging a finger at Max. "Speaking of inadequate socialization, I have some bad news for you. You and Sunny over there are going to have to get along. I know, the thought of having to actually talk to anyone is abhorrent and gives you anxiety--actually, no, I think you're just moody--but we'll be attending events together and be at the Sinnenodel dorm more often than most, so make sure to put on your big boy pants and learn to tolerate Sunny's existence sooner than later."

That sounded like a copout, but it answered what Max needed to know. Eris was cozying up to Varis for some purpose or another, but his ego wasn’t quite inflated enough to try anything bold yet. Or he was just really, really horny. He was pretty sure vampires didn’t actually have friends, so the only positive relationship he could fathom between the two leeches was either political allies - though, what could a noble want with an actor on a political scale? - or a weird sex thing.

Him being stuck on playdates with ‘Sunny’ was far less entertaining to think about. “No Noila dog gives me anxiety, Eric, I’m not twelve. He’s just an annoying chore to talk to. And his friends are even worse.” At least he was more well-behaved around his leech. Max could hover around Varis if he really needed to; he had a feeling the Retriever would stop barking promptly.

He almost hedged in an apology for his little blunder last night, but he decided against it. He wasn’t giving Eris anything else to be smug about after that little show he did of airing his dirty laundry from the night before.

"Too bad, I need the two of you to actually get along," Eris replied, shaking his head. "Only sixty five percent of the students attending this place have any real potential in setting up future partnerships, and ninety percent of them are annoying as all hell. Believe it or not, what I'm about to tell you is being said with complete and total sincerity: everyone is a pain in the ass. Get used to it now, because it never ends. Believe me, I've been around much longer than you have and it doesn't get better. I'm sure Sunny isn't as bad as other people, he just has the Noilan-bred stick up his rear. Tolerate him and whoever is in your study group; if you can at least mind them, I won't have to go finding friends for you. You don't want that, I don't want that." It didn't really occur to him that they had a little bit more in common than he assumed at first, but he wasn't going to fall down that slippery slope.

Max let out a puff of air that might’ve been a sigh. He couldn’t really say much to that, as long as the vampire was being candid with him, he supposed he didn’t have much room to complain. This wasn’t even one of the harder chores he’d been assigned, just tedious. Even then, he had no doubt Aaron would tail him like a sick puppy any time they were locked in proximity to each other. Not to mention, he was stuck in a group with his two little admirers for Treaty Law. Flower Boy especially seemed to have some boundary issues.

“Come on now Eris, you’re already trying to marry me off to the royal pet family?” Max draped himself melodramatically against the doorframe again, bringing a hand up to his forehead like an overacting princess in some bad movie Eris would no doubt die for a chance to audition in. He dropped the act just as quickly as he started. “I’ll play your game. He hasn’t cried yet and he keeps following me around so I doubt I can do anything at this point to really get him to avoid me. The study group is… well, I’m forced into interacting with them anyway. Not that I really care about my Treaty Law grade,” Seriously, what a useless class, “but Cinnamon would bully poor little me in front of the whole auditorium if I failed.” He was keeping that name up even if Eris killed him for it.

"Oh please, don't flatter yourself," Eris scoffed loudly. "If I was going to offer up anyone to marry off to Sunny, it would be Ismene." Not that he was planning on letting her go if it could be helped. But at the very least they seemed to be on the same page, which was a massive relief. Now he could focus on more important things, such as making sure the sight before him was one that would never be repeated for the rest of Max's mortal life.

"Right, then...I'm going to get ready," Eris turned to leave, stopping himself. He couldn't really hold himself back anymore, spinning on his heel to face Max again. "I'm making an appointment with Feliks Vasiliev to redo your entire wardrobe by the way. This...this sight disturbs me," He wrinkled his nose at Max's clothes, scooping down to pick up Maxie and bringing her with him as he left the room.

Solo

“Oh, sing sweet nightingale
Sing sweet nightingale
High above me
Oh, sing sweet nightingale
Sing sweet nightingale…”

The melody came out effortlessly as Lilie set about sweeping the floor. At first, it had been a question of whether or not she should; apparently it was 'up to her' if she actually wanted to clean, but despite her initial excitement in learning magic, dulling schoolwork was still dull schoolwork. And so she decided to refresh herself by doing a few chores. She didn't really have a passion for cleaning, but she did like everything nice and neat.

Truthfully, the dorm still felt like a super nice hotel instead of her place, but admittedly, Aaron’s whole “everything belongs to your vampire” thing that he said made her uneasy. But even vampires liked clean homes, right? She hoped so, she wasn’t entirely sure how she would handle a messy roommate. But at the very least the cleaning had left the place spotless, and as she put everything away, she took another look around the dorm. The place was too big for just two people. Or one, since she was by herself.

Scratching the back of her neck, she wondered why there was something about the dorm that made her feel weird. Everything was in its place and was beautifully well-kept, but it still didn’t feel like home. Nothing she could ever afford for decorating would probably even look right here. She frowned as she crossed her arms, leaning back against the table. Actually, everything was well decorated, all that was really missing in her opinion was a nice vase of fresh flowers.

Or maybe fake flowers.

Her eyes lit up, and she was already sprinting to her room by the time she started getting ideas. She pulled out a small case and a binder, running back to the dining room and placing both on the table. She pulled out a multitude of colored paper out of the binder and a pair of scissors out of the case and put herself to work. After cutting, folding, pressing, and a few mistakes, her work was done. She searched the kitchen for a small vase and placed a dozen origami flowers in it. The colors were probably a little too bright, but she genuinely liked it, placing it front and center for her to admire.

“Perfect,” Lilie couldn’t help but compliment herself, leaning back in her seat. She tapped her hands against the table as she looked at the binder filled with paper. She loved paper folding crafts, glad that she was able to bring one of her favorite hobbies along with her. Taking out a few other colors, she folded a few other flowers for fun, looking up occasionally at the bouquet. Maybe she could swap them out every day, or just have a ton of vases with paper flowers all around.

She sat up as she looked at the combination of colors, wondering if it was a noble thing or academy thing. Putting down the flower she was working on, she looked up the gold and white colors, though it turned out that they weren’t anyone’s colors; the closest were the Noila colors in gold and blue. Did the nobles have their own colors? Turns out they did, each house having their own. Interesting. Apparently the Eve colors were blue and green, and out of sheer boredom, she ended up making another paper bouquet with those colors.

Before she knew it, five different bouquets lay before her representing each house: blue and gold Noila, blue and green Eve, black and silver Sinnenodel, purple and green Marivaldi, and red and black Astorio. After a few seconds of staring at her handiwork, Lilie set about cleaning up the mess she made. Now that she thought about it, though, having the other houses’ colors was probably weird. Oh, she could give them as presents for the picnic! Perfect!

Pulling out her phone, she gave herself a reminder, going over her plans once again. Hm, she should make sure Salem brought over some tea, she had genuinely enjoyed the mix he had given her. She sent him a text and waited, though after a moment she realized he wasn’t going to respond since he had his extra class. Oh, right, there was no one to text right now. Cassandra was busy, Aaron was off doing whatever with his vampire, and Max could only be bothered if it had to do with any group projects, and even then it was if he felt like responding with anything more than a single word.

The silence was deafening as Lilie remained seated, a chill draping itself over her. She sat there for a while, though the stiffness in her legs prompted her to get up. Right, she needed to finish cleaning. Picking up the broom once again, she continued, eventually wrapping up as she put everything back in its place. She sunk into the couch, frowning to herself. This dorm really was too big for just two people. Or just one in her case.

Her phone chimed, prompting Lilie to jump in place unexpectedly. She sighed, pulling out her phone as she looked at the notification. Her favorite aunt had tagged her in a picture. Against her better judgement, she opened it, revealing a picture of an infant swathed in a soft-looking blanket. She was looking elsewhere, but it was obvious she carried the same bright, blue eyes the rest of the family did. To her, she looked beautiful, but it broke her heart to see her in a picture instead of seeing her in person. She left a short comment, the little girl’s name followed by her namesake and a variety of hearts: Daisy.

Lilie didn’t know how long she spent on the couch looking at different pictures of Daisy, feeling bad that she wasn’t there with her. Truthfully, she should have muted the notifications a long time ago, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it. She felt like it was all she had connecting her to her past life, and it was a struggle to leave it all behind. There was a dark truth she had yet to properly confront, and she wasn’t intent on doing it anytime soon. For now, she could pretend she was on a really long vacation. She’d get to see them again sooner than later, at least.

After a while she put her phone away, walking over to Mariette’s door. Knocking a few times, Lilie called out, ”Hey, are you there?” and waited. It didn’t look like she was around, though. That, or she was doing an excellent job ignoring her. She sighed, deciding to take a nap to kill her loneliness.

Cat and Mouse

_{Lilie and Eris}

“You are just the most curious little thing, aren’t you?” Eris asked Maxie as she looked up from the leaf she had been looking at. Normally, he left walking her to Alderman, but Eris decided to take her out on a whim. The buzz around him had mostly turned into more of a lull, finally giving him the ability to walk out on his own without getting mobbed. As contrary to his usual nature as it seemed, it got old anytime he decided to visit the library and was asked to leave because of the rowdiness the crowd usually displayed. On the plus side, there was a nice picture of him reading floating around.

And so there he was, happy to walk the pup in peace. She was still a little skittish being outside, keeping close to him to the point that he wondered why he bothered with a leash. Still, she seemed to be enjoying it, stopping occasionally to look at something new. The pomeranian only pulled when a melody filled the air, though Eris was happy to follow her to it. The sound of the cello playing seemed to please Maxie, with her stopping at the edge of the Sinnenodel property with her tail wagging as she looked in the direction of where the song came.

After a few seconds Eris figured it was a good time to start heading back, only stopping as he noticed a mage standing in front of the Eve mailbox. She was also looking at the Sinnenodel dorm, wide eyed and entranced. The streak of white was familiar, though it took him only a few seconds to realize that it was none other than ghost girl in the flesh. He never would have guessed that he would have seen her around here of all places, his initial thought being that she was doing a poor job of stalking Sunny.

As his eyes looked at the mail in her hands, however, the realization hit him, and he had to bite back a laugh. No, the Eve house couldn’t possibly be so downtrodden to have that as its mage? Either she was more than met the eye or the Eves were just spiraling downhill in the princess’ eyes. Wow. No, he was jumping to conclusions, but now he needed to know for sure.

Eris strolled up to the still girl, Maxie’s bark snapping her out of her trance, and he was met with wide, blue eyes. If it wasn’t for the hair, he would find her absolutely adorable; she had the perfect youthful-looking face he liked in mages, her pale complexion giving her a particularly ‘pure’ look that he did like. But why in the world did she decide to do that to her hair? It wasn’t any trend he knew of, nor was it one he would endorse by any means. Speaking of trends, her clothes weren’t much, too plain to even be considered boring. To add insult to injury, they did a poor job hiding what was a less than impressive figure. He was pretty sure he had seen notebooks with better curves.

There was too much about her to properly digest, but even then she had one thing over his mage; she didn’t look like she had just jumped out of bed. But unfortunately for her, she was not his mage to fix. Taking a break from mentally trashing her, Eris put on a smile as he waved, pleased to find her eager to see him. “Good evening!” He greeted her warmly.

Lilie’s thoughts promptly exploded, frozen as she realized whose dog had just barked at her. Vampires always had this supernaturally enhanced good looks, but Eris looked like he had just hopped off a runway. His gaze was a little intense, though; she felt like he was looking right through her instead of at her. She felt like that was something she should get used to sooner than later, but she put on a polite grin, her excitement returning.

“Good evening!” The high pitched squeal was barely contained by her words. Her gaze lowered down to Maxie, who remained where she was, though after a few seconds she approached the girl and sniffed her shoes. “Your dog is so cute!” She cooed.

Eris kept on a polite smile, watching Maxie’s tail wag. “You think so?” He asked.

Lilie nodded, kneeling down as Maxie sat again. “Yeah! She’s so fluffy and small!” She replied.

“Bet you’d be an expert in all things small and cute,” Eris decided to lay on a bit of charm, giving her a wink.

Lilie was surprised at the compliment, feeling all too giddy as she straightened up. “Thank you! I’m really glad you think so,” Lilie bit down on her lower lip to prevent herself from giggling too much.

Cocky little thing, wasn’t she? Eris could have been impressed if it was literally anyone else, but he almost felt insulted, his jaw dropping slightly. Wow, he could field insults from any number of petty nobles, but a little hick from some backwater place managed to get him. Mortals were just another league of their own. He contained his groan, instead deciding to get right to what he wanted to know. “So, this one’s your dorm?” He gestured towards the Eve mailbox.

“Oh, yeah. I live here now, I guess,” Lilie nodded, a little confused as her answer seemed to delight the vampire. “...why?”

Eris mirrored her nod, taking a look around the cul-de-sac. “Lucky you! Getting paired with a noble house,” He nudged her with his elbow. “It’s like you’re that peasant girl that went from rags to riches in that one story with the glass shoes. Sin...something.”

Lilie’s expression dropped as she scratched the back of her neck. “...Cinderella?” She slowly suggested. That wasn’t right, was it? Then again, his observation was kinda accurate. Rags might have been a little exaggerated, but she wasn’t poor. But she also couldn’t really compare to Salem or Aaron or...any vampire, so his comment was painfully accurate.

Aww, she was insecure! That made him feel better, finding that the crestfallen face suited her much better than a confident one did. “That’s the one,” He snapped his fingers as Maxie barked. “A real Cinderella story. Coming into a world of glitz and glam and everything sparkling off of everyone. Exciting, right?”

“Well...I guess,” Lilie shrugged, frowning. “I’m not really sure about...anything, but…”

Eris quirked an eyebrow at her, realizing he had unintentionally invited her to start talking about herself. He could either side step the discussion and leave or he could zone out for a few minutes while she babbled on about whatever. As tempting as either option was, however, it would be good to have an inside look at whatever was happening in Evesville. And that meant he couldn’t quite dismiss her.

“But?” He prompted her to continue.

Lilie opened her mouth to respond, but promptly closed it. The last thing she wanted to do was to scare him away by opening up too much--how Aaron hadn’t gone running for the hills yet was a miracle in itself--so she shook her head, putting on a smile. “I just have to get used to things,” She replied cheerfully.

He stared at her for a second, fingers tapping his hip as he contemplated his next step. His gaze lowered down to Maxie, who had decided to take a seat on Lilie’s foot. Oh, he knew what to do.

“Don’t we all?” He finally responded as he looked up. “Say, I know you probably have your own things to deal with, but I couldn’t help but notice that this little one here’s taken a liking to you. Maybe once in a while I can bring her over and you can...have a little playdate.” He gestured between the two.

“Playdate…?” Lilie had no idea how to respond to that, looking down at the pomeranian. After she looked back up at Eris, she tried to recover. “You mean you want me to play with her? Or look after her? ‘Cause I’m not...I’m not a dog.”

No, but she would make a cute pet. With better clothing and a cute little collar, he could think of a few people that would be interested in having her around. But she wasn’t his, so he dismissed the thought. Eris chuckled as he reached over and ruffled her hair. “Of course you’re not a dog! You’re a little girl-mage,” He grinned.

Lilie’s jaw dropped as she gaped at Eris. “I--I’m not a little girl,” She stuttered out her response, inwardly flinching at her hesitation. “I’m eighteen, I’m an adult.”

“Really?” He looked her up and down, making sure she noticed.

Yes, really! The white haired girl bristled slightly, clearing her throat as she remembered her manners. Man, why the heck did every vampire she meet end up being a total weirdo?! “Yes, really,” She recovered.

“I honestly never would have guessed, but I believe you,” Eris grinned, barely containing his laughter. Her unimpressed look caused him to backstep for a moment, giving her a more sincere-looking smile. “Anyway, can I count on you?” He asked, nudging her cheek as he gave her a hopeful look.

She took in a deep breath, pursing her lips as she crossed her arms. “Sure,” She reluctantly agreed.

Eris clucked his tongue at her downer expression, pinching her cheek. “Now, now, pouting is going to make people think the wrong thing,” He scolded her lightly. “It’ll be fun, the two of you will be the best of friends.”

“What? I’m not--I said I wasn’t a pet,” Lilie reiterated. “And I said yes already, so...”

“That’s the spirit,” He ignored most of what she said, throwing her another wink. “Come along, Maxie, we’ll play with the Eve mage some other day.”

Maxie? Lilie stared at the dog as she followed Eris obediently, too shocked to properly respond. Maxie. Like, Max. That was a coincidence, right? Did Eris name his dog after his mage? She slowly sighed, realizing that it was quiet. Great, she totally missed the rest of the cello practice. With mail in hand, she decided to go back into the dorm, shaking her head in disappointment.

Candles on the Terrace

_{feat. Kanalie @Achronum}

Clouds peppered the sky that Thursday night, stars winking in and out from behind them. The forecast suggested little possibility of rain but many students still sported umbrellas as they meandered the post class campus. The day had been uneventful, no impromptu charm fights or significant unrest between vampires and mages. A few fights had broken out the past couple of days but the older students went around their business as usual unless they were egging the poor freshman on. The Arena being roped off on Saturday morning was the hot topic of discussion during the evening. Every student received notification and bulletins were posted everywhere inside the Arena.

However, Kanalie waited in a small clearing just off the campus bound. Although still safely within earshot of the campus guards, it afforded just enough privacy that students could pretend to leave their life behind for a time. Kanalie called it the “Oak Terrace”, a nickname given by the students. A beautiful ancient oak tree stood in the center of the man made clearing, leaning over a small brick patio with twenty lanterns radiating soft candle light. A soft breeze wound its way through the forest and the lanterns barely swayed. Kanalie sat at the table set under the tree, a basket sitting at her side as she tapped away on her phone and bobbed her head along with whatever played in her headphones.

The place was easy enough to find, though Lilie was surprised students were allowed off campus at all. She guessed that maybe it was close enough, though a tiny thought in her head wondered if maybe she was just ignorant to what was okay and what wasn't okay. For now, she put the thought away as she spotted Kanalie, happily hopping over to the table. She took a quick look around, admiring the scene for a moment before plopping down across from her and waving.

“Oh, hey!” Kanalie beamed, pulling out her headphones and tucking them neatly away. “Welcome to my favorite spot! Isn’t it a cute little thing all tucked away? Anyways, Alexander made us some sandwiches and snacks before him and Declan headed out, so feel free to dig in and then tell me how your first week is going? Having a good time learning magic?” the girl asked, wiggling her fingers at Lilie.

Kanalie's enthusiasm was infectious, Lilie's spirits happily lifting as she spoke. She brought snacks, too? Shoot, maybe she should have brought something, too. The older girl was nothing but kind to her so far, so much so that their little meeting had been something she was more than excited for. She had to admit that she really liked the spot, taking another quick look around. At the question, Lilie nodded, clasping her hands together.

"Yeah! It's nothing like I could have imagined," She replied. "But I mean, it's magic! And from everything I've learned so far, I have my own theories I wanna try." She patted her chest as she spoke. "Honestly, if it was up to me, I'd take nothing but spell theory: trying to crack the code behind magic and what makes it work is super cool."

"Spell theory, really? Not that it's a bad thing! Most people take time warming up to it since it's slower than affinity mastery and magic is what makes all this worth it." Kanalie commented, waving in the general direction of the school. "I'll admit, I had you pegged for affinity mastery but I guess I didn't really have a reason. Maybe I'm just biased because I help in it." Kanalie chuckled with a shrug.

"So, how is the vampire situation? Are you new to all this or does a vampire have your family?"

"I love affinity mastery, but I've always liked knowing how stuff works," Lilie admitted. "I was actually going to go to college and get a degree in psychology--trying to understand how or why people do the things they do." She waved her hand around as she spoke.

The girl twirled a lock of her hair behind her ear, frowning slightly at the other question. "Yeah, this is all new to me," She said. "So I'm just...going along with whatever until someone tells me otherwise."

"Yeah, that's how it was for me at first too. Everything here seems crazy." Kanalie sighed. "I got lucky. My best friend since I was a kid was invited too so it made everything a little easier. My one piece of advice for this? Find some good friends. I'm not sure how different the Nobles are though but that's what gets everyone else through this… experience."

"Psychology huh? You still could. You'd have to focus a little less on magic but they do have plenty of academic routes you could go, you know." Kanalie suggested. "But, magic kinda makes everything look boring almost. Not quite that but nothing nearly as cool."

Lilie looked down at the table as she frowned. She thought making friends was the right direction, too, but she wasn't expecting the noble circle to be that different. Aaron and Salem were on a whole other level with their experience and she wasn't entirely sure she could read Cassandra well. She just hoped the little picnic she organized brought them closer. Her nails tapped the table, wanting to move on from the subject as she decided to take advantage and ask the older student something. "Magic is definitely super interesting! I guess I'm still getting used to the idea that I can actually do it, so I guess I'm still in disbelief or shock or something," She admitted, pausing just a second. "I mean, even if I'm with a noble, I still wanna try all sorts of magic. Maybe I'll change my tune and end up liking affinity mastery better after all."

Her tapping was a little more noticeable before she asked, "Is...it really different? Being with a noble compared to other vampires, I mean," She asked slowly.

“I’m honestly not sure. I mean, the Nobles have all sorts of weird formalities and stuff. Alexander and I have Declan and his family is well off but even at his dad’s “formal functions”, there aren’t any more rules than be polite. It just depends on the vampire at our level.” Kanalie offered. “But I get you on the magic. I was terrified of my magic for the first two months here, it took me so long to get comfortable enough to actually do something. It’s pretty amazing, doing things you only really ever heard of.”

Kanalie's uncertainty did make Lilie a little nervous, but she brushed it off for the moment. If she started letting her imagination run wild she'd just give herself a pointless panic attack. Instead, she decided to focus on magic as the topic again, this time waving her hands as she spoke. "So it's not just manipulating the elements, right? I used to see a lot of stuff on TV like clothes changing color that I thought was neat," She said. "What other sorts of stuff can we do?"

“Plenty of things! So, the other part of magic you’ll learn is arcane magic. You take away the elemental part of magic and make it do things it couldn’t normally. They bunch arcane magic into majors and each major breaks down into a bunch of specializations from there. Charms, which has color changing and some limited teleportation, and evocation, the art of blowing stuff up, are the most popular but we also have protection, conjuration, mental, and transmutation.” Kanalie listed, counting on her fingers as she went. “I went the protection route since Alexander went Evocation. We make a pretty nasty doubles team in arena competitions. Was there one you were interested in?”

Lilie would have to take back what she had said about spell theory: nearly everything Kanalie talked about captured her attention. Color changing? Teleportation? Blowing things up?! If her eyes could get any wider with awe she was pretty sure they were going to pop out of her head. And learning that there were arena competitions just put the cherry on top of the beautifully sculpted magical sundae. It took her a moment to realize that she had been asked a question, the white haired girl slowly sinking in her seat. One? Just one? Could she do them all? But specializing always paid off with dedication. How in the world could she actually choose, though?!

"I...did not know there were different types," She admitted slowly, trying to keep it cool for all of three seconds before leaning forward in her seat. "So, when you say protection, how many different kinds? Protection from physical attacks? Magical attacks? Magical physical attacks?! Do you fight as well? Do you find protection magic helps or hinders your fighting capabilities? I've always heard the best offense is a good defense but personally I feel like I would love all out offensive magic!" She fired off question after question without realizing it, practically bouncing in place.

Kanalie burst out laughing at the barrage, grinning at the younger girl’s enthusiasm. “Protection encompassess all types of defensive measures, ranging from temporary shields to massive protection wards like the Arena’s. It also technically encompasses construct magic, weaving pure magical force into a quasi-real form. There is some mental shielding but instinctive stuff comes from the Mental major and some of the advanced stuff can suppress magic altogether. It’s pretty big stuff.” Kanalie explained, her fingers drumming on the table thoughtfully. “I focus in combat magic so it’s a lot of creating small shields with a lot of power behind them rather than blanketing an entire area or you’ll lose your stamina pretty quick. There are a lot of tricks to learn too. Normally shields are visibly off color but you learn to make them translucent so your opponent can’t tell when you put one up. Let’s you force an opening against stronger opponents early on but they tend to get wise to it pretty fast.”

“Offensive magic comes in a variety of different forms too. The base is simply turning your magic into heat and light and then slamming it into other people. Everyone learns that one but advanced Evocatin students can create several of them and let them just sit in the area, holding them until they need to force their opponents off balance. Lots of explosive energy in that school too and the better someone is, usually the more bolts they can suspend at once. Unless of course they just decided to hit you with everything they’ve got and they blast you, your spells, and the damn building behind you.” Kanalie said ruefully. “Pissed off one of the seniors my second year here and let me tell you, getting blasted halfway across campus is not fun when there are a few water features between you and your destination.”

That all sounded amazing! She wanted to learn it all! Lilie hung onto Kanalie's every word, listening like she was hearing a fascinating story for the first time. Choosing just one specialization was going to be incredibly difficult for her, ideas already bunching around in her head as she imagined herself using the spells Kanalie described. She then frowned as she remembered the professor's lecture on the first day about primary affinities having a harder time with arcane magic, her enthusiasm deflating slightly. No way she could do it all, she'd have to actually sit down and pick one specialization.

"They both sound so cool," Lilie said wistfully, though she did perk up. "You think maybe some time I could come and watch you? If I have to pick just one kind of magic to do, I'd like to see the options in front of me, you know?"

"Of course, you can come watch whenever. We usually practice twice a week, or three times if the Arena isn't booked or Declan manages to sweet talk. Generally, it's Wednesday from 4 to 6 and Saturday from 1 to 5 but shoot me a text so we can show off a little for you." Kanalie winked at her and giggled. "Unless you want to practice some hand to hand. We practice non-magic fighting daily downstairs so you can just come find our names and poke around."

"Really?!" Lilie squeaked out her response, catching herself and giving Kanalie a sheepish smile. "I mean, that would be great! Yes! I'll try to make time soon!" Not that she had a lot to do, but between the extra studying she was doing and trying to keep up her own fencing, things were starting to pile up. It was actually nice to feel a little busy, she was starting to feel like she had an actual routine again.

Feeling completely at ease, she finally decided to take Kanalie up on her offer and gently plucked a sandwich from the basket. As she nibbled, a thought came to mind. "So, there was something I wanted to ask since we first met," She felt comfortable enough to ask. "Your vampire got two mages?"

Kanalie followed suit, picking up a sandwich after Lilie and digging in with hunger fillies gusto. She paused at the question, another laugh following it. "Honestly, I'm surprised you didn't ask before. It's normally the first thing anyone comments one. Vampires get all jealous over Declan having two mages and other mages get equally jealous. One vampire means split attention and split feedings and all that. But it's… quite a story. I was Declan's original partner but Alexander, the best friend I mentioned, basically barrelled into that partnership. The night we met our partners, Declan approached us as we were comparing photos and laid it on pretty thick. It was more than just a little off putting. It was down right horrifying, suddenly belonging to some guy who make it very clear he wants you in bed." Kanalie rolled her eyes at the memory, pausing to take a bite out of her sandwich and chew.

"Alexander's temper got the better of him and Declan started hitting on him too which just upset me more and pissed him off, even if he was mildly attracted to Declan. It was a whole ordeal. After that, Alexander basically pushed his way into our partnership anytime his "Declan senses" tingled and he was a pretty semi-regular fixture in our dorm honestly. All the while, Alexander's vampire just disappeared and fell asleep in random places. Alexander only meet up with him to feed him and that was that. Light, Limber, something or other was his name and he was absolutely disgusting." Kanalie shuddered at the mentioned, mock retching to make her point. "Anyways, fast forward three semesters and Declan gets me and Alexander into our first competition. The other vampire didn't bother showing up for our first match and Alexander was so frustrated with him, he just came back and passed out in Declan's bed. We found out the next day that the stupid vampire fell asleep on top of one of the buildings and by the time anyone got up to help him, he died."

"After that, the Council tried to take Alexander away but Princess Ryner wouldn't let them on campus so as long as he didn't leave, he was safe. She personally followed him around for the first few nights and then gave him a special guard unit for a while. After a few weeks, he was cleared and they were going to pair him with a vampire whose mage "quit" unexpectedly but Declan got his father and a few dukes and duchesses to intercede on Alexander's behalf and Ryner let him stay with us permanently. I personally don't think it needed to be that complicated but vampires, what can you do." Kanalie shrugged as she finished her sandwich.

"And now some rumor floats around every now and then that Alexander is a vampire killer so I give up one of my date nights for the first few weeks until his nerves are back under control." Kanalie sighed but beamed at Lilie with her next sentence. "Which makes me appreciate you inviting me out all the more!"

Lilie had stopped chewing about halfway through the tale, partly fascinated and partly horrified. She just thought maybe the vampire asked for multiple mages, but she never imagined there was a story attached to it. How do you even respond to that? After finishing up her sandwich, she laughed a little, shaking her head. "Sorry, I wasn't expecting that," She apologized. "But wow...that's a great story to share."

After a few seconds she seemed to recuperate, giving Kanalie a bright smile. "I'm happy to hang out! I've made friends with some of the noble mages but I feel really out of place," She admitted, though she didn't seem ashamed to say it. It was nice to meet new people and get out of the dorm, anyway. "I'm sure once things pick up you'll be busy studying, so I'm glad we get to hang out."

“Yeah, it was a wild wide through the whole damn thing.” Kanalie laughed at Lilie’s reaction. “You aren’t wrong about how busy it’ll get. We use to practice every day and now all we get is two maybe three days. Not that it’s crazy yet but in preparation. It’s kinda weird to think this is the last year here. We got dragged out of our old lives and thrown into our new ones here and then we’re just going to leave it behind. Such a weird feeling.”

“But! That is not today and today is not for being sad!” Kanalie clapped as she said it, her brightness returning in full force. “You said you’ve managed to make some friends with the other Noble mages? Oh tell me about them! Most of them have had actual noble experience, right? Especially… Was it Andrew? The Starag kid? Man, you’d think I’d know considering the buzz about the lunchroom incident. That Sinnenodel is a right piece of work. I wasn’t there for it but I feel awful for both of them, the girl he apologized to and the Starag. I’d say I would have intervened if I was there but I probably would have been holding Alexander back from setting the vampire on fire.”

Lilie was grateful for the change of topic, but as her father always warned her, it was easy come, easy go; off of one sad topic to another incredibly awkward one. Word had gotten out really fast about that one, though it looked like Aaron had been the one to take the brunt of the blame. She dropped her gaze onto the table for a moment before looking up at Kanalie. "That was actually me," She clarified quietly. "And it wasn't Aaron's fault. I still don't really understand what the apology was all about, but...I don't know. The whole thing was weird and uncomfortable and he then apologized after for that but it wasn't his idea and--" She cut herself off, catching herself as she got flustered that her poor friend was the target of gossip (again!).

"I don't understand why but it was some sort of punishment...and as selfish as it sounds, every time Aaron does something like that, I get really nervous about messing up in front of my own vampire. If someone who was literally raised to serve nobles messes up, then I'm already sunk." She placed her head on the table with a small whine. "This place is going to give me a heart attack at the ripe old age of eighteen."

Kanalie gasped at Lilie’s explanation, hand flying to her mouth in horror. “I’m so sorry for bringing it up! I didn’t know! From what I understand, the whole thing was absolute garbage; the Sinnenodel just used the situation to humiliate the poor kid. You just got caught in the crossfire.” Kanalie patted Lilie’s head comfortingly. “The Sinnenodels and the Astorios aren’t exactly known for their kindness towards their mages. Aaron—that’s what you said his name was right?—is probably just eating the brunt of Varis’ twisted amusements. You’re willing and excited to learn; there’s no way someone wouldn’t love to have you as a partner! Just steer clear of the poor guy’s vampire and you’ll be fine!”

“So, awful vampire antics aside, how are your fellow noble mages? Everyone treating you right?” Kanalie asked. “I bet one of them can help you navigate the craziness that it the nobles.”

"The most helpful one is Aaron, but he's always at the beck and call of his vampire, so we usually just text each other," Lilie muttered, frowning as she kept her head on the table. "Salem's a sweetheart, but when we're together, I feel like I'm a normal person again. And he's...as much at a loss as I am." She didn't want to tell Kanalie about the consistent injuries sustained from his 'lessons' every night. "Cassandra's nice, too, but I'm not sure if she likes to hang out with me. She's kind of aloof...but she's never turned me down when I ask to hang out. So I think we get along. Hopefully."

She lifted her head and placed her chin in her hands, letting out a sigh. "I like everyone, I really do. But it's obvious that I'm the odd one out," She admitted. "I'm hoping I can just focus on studying and keeping my head down."

Feeling a few dark thoughts popping up, Lilie put on a smile as she looked at Kanalie. "And of course making friends along the way."

“That sounds like a good plan. Friends will make everything more bearable. That and kick ass magic skills so when people get too much, you can put them back in their place.” Kanalie mimicked Lilie’s positions. “And my dorm is always open if you ever need an escape. You got my number. Don’t hesitate to use it!”

“Oh! That reminds me. Are you a dancer? For the Revel this year, a bunch of us reserving one of the smaller ballrooms and doing a big concert thing on the second day. There will be alcohol but we already asked the campus guard to throw out anyone with drugs. Alexander and I are one of the performances so I’d love it if you’d come see us!” Kanalie gushed over it. “If you already have plans though, that’s fine! I’m not sure if rock is your style?”

A concert sounded like too much fun to pass up. Lilie nodded excitedly, probably jumping the gun on agreeing, but she couldn't turn it down. She didn't have a lot of experience with drinking but she didn't have a problem with it, and she wasn't going to decline the chance to have fun. "That's so cool!" She returned Kanalie's enthusiasm with her own. "And yeah, I'd love to go! What do you guys play?"

"I play guitar, Alexander sings. It would be great! I'll text you the details once we finalize everything!" Kanalie said excitedly. "What do you normally do for your Revel's back home?"

“I used to get together with friends until it got late, then I had to tag along with my brother if I wanted to stay out longer,” She rolled her eyes as she mentioned it, though she had a grin on as she spoke. “We had a lot of mutual friends so we ended up at the same party anyway, but he always wanted to keep an eye on me, saying it was his brotherly duty or whatever. He’s kinda overprotective.” More like super overprotective, but she had gotten used to it a long time ago. “The Revel is the one time of the year where all the farmers and workers all had off and celebrated, so it was like one giant party all around town. My dad would prepare a bunch of stuff for the bakery and sell it for cheap in the morning, and once everything sold out, he’d close up and have fun with my mom. Some years he’d stay open and I’d help him out instead of going anywhere, but it was still fun. And I’d have money from tips to spend on whatever.”

“That sounds really fun! Our town always encouraged smaller affairs but we definitely had a few days of city activities. It wasn't anything particularly special though. Just the same old, same old every year." Kanalie finished off her sandwich and rested her chin on her hand again. "So overprotective brother, huh? I'm an only child so I've always been kind of envious of people with siblings. Parents decided one troublemaker was enough around the house! Are you close with your family then or are you glad to be out from under their thumb?"

"I think I'm closer to my brother than my parents, but I don't know," Lilie shrugged slightly. "I was planning to go to a university in the city to try to strike out on my own, try to gain independence." Boy, did that ever backfire on her. "But I guess you don't appreciate what you have until you don't have it anymore."

Her fingers tapped the table, though she quickly pressed on to avoid getting herself upset. "Apparently I've always stuck to my brother even when I was little, but he didn't always like it. He used to try to run from me and I always cried because I wanted to be with him. Typical sibling stuff. But when I was like...six? Seven? I can't remember, but apparently I followed him and his friends without anyone knowing, and they were all daring one another to cross this old log across a river. It was entirely reckless, but to their credit, they all did it. And then, of course, I tried." Despite knowing the seriousness of how it sounded, she couldn't help but laugh. "I fell in. And my brother jumped in and pulled me out, started yelling at me for always following him around and I just cried. And we both got into a lot of trouble with my parents since I got really sick after that. Of course, that's when he changed his tune completely, and thus Overprotective Ren was born." She grinned.

“Aw, that’s both cute and mildly terrifying at the same time. Falling into the river must have been so scary!” Kanalie exclaimed. “I would have been screwed; I don’t even know how to swim. Good thing I lucked out with air and not water. But it’s awesome you have someone rooting for you at home. My parents are… less than pleased with basically my entire life since my Awakening so I don’t really go home much anymore. They’ll get over it eventually and then we can have a big make up reunion or whatever.” Kanalie chuckled a little dryly at the thought.

“Well, that’s not a problem for here or now though!” Kanalie waved off the mood and nudged Lilie with her elbow, a wicked little smile taking over her face. “So, anyone special in your life? Leave behind anyone?”

Lilie's mouth formed a small 'o' before she shook her head, waving off the question with a hand. "Oh, no. No, no way...the drama surrounding my ex-boyfriend made me wonder why I bothered at all," She said, exasperated. "I just want to fall in love with a nice, handsome guy who will take care of me when I need him. Someone romantic and sweet who pampers me with affection without caring what anyone thinks. That's not too much to ask, I think." She grabbed another sandwich as Kanalie gave her a teasing grin, and the two continued to talk happily.

Fashion Forward

_{feat. Amaris @WeepingLiberty}

Amaris smiled lightly to herself as she stepped out into the open air, the night having taken a crisper turn on campus. It was the perfect weather for an evening out, though having already sent Cassandra off to enjoy herself meant she would likely be spending it on her own. While she didn’t exactly mind, Amaris found herself wondering if maybe she should try expanding her circle a bit.

As much as the thought intrigued her, Amaris doubted she would be able to find someone that didn’t have some sort of ulterior motive. She knew, realistically, that not everyone was out to get her or her family, but it was more emotional labor than she was willing to put forth in ensuring the authenticity of a friendship. Some might have thought her outlook rather bleak, but Amaris took it in great stride as she clicked her way down the path toward the campus library.

The night’s outfit had the countess rather proud as she had actually spent extra time earlier in the evening selecting; ten extra minutes to be precise. Of all her options, Amaris had settled on a rather simple fall design consisting of a skirt, sweater, and a sheer pair of tights. The skirt was a black, high-waisted piece that stopped around the middle of Amaris’ thigh and was of a thicker material so as to give her legs a more slender appearance. But the real eye catcher was the maroon sweater she had selected to go with the ensemble. It was cropped shorter so as to give the full effect of the high-waisted skirt and paired well with the warm tones of her leather, heeled boots.

She had started the evening with her hair tied back, but a tiny surge of self confidence had pushed her into freeing the lengthy locks. With the breeze sifting through the strands, Amaris settled into a comfortable walking pace and wandered off into her own thoughts.

Down the block from the Marivaldi heiress was a tired-looking Eris, stifling a yawn while he let Maxie scamper about the area. It took him a little more effort than usual not to doze off while standing still, his attempt at keeping himself awake by going over Maximillian's diet plan failing as his phone nearly slipped out of his grip. His request for a new bed had come, but it would take them some time to set up. He figured he could take Maxie for a quick walk and they'd be gone by the time he got back so he could collapse into bed and get maybe an hour of sleep before Maximus came home and they'd go over what he learned from Sunny.

Maxie pulling on the leash snapped him back to reality, the Pomeranian eager to meet the newcomer. Eris worked an eyebrow at Amaris, though he made no effort to hide his unimpressed look. Everything from the tights to the sweater was so dull he almost fell asleep just looking at her. What, was she afraid of choosing a color that didn't blend into the crowd? Calling it playing it safe would be a damn lie with how unimpressionable the outfit was, the vampire already forgetting about it even as he looked at it.

He bit back a groan, placing a hand on his hip. "You truly can't buy style despite having all the time and resources available to you, hm?" He commented, warily gesturing to her entire appearance while Maxie approached her excitedly. "Just because the school accepts commoners doesn't mean you have to dress like one, Countess."

“Hm?” Amaris hummed, sensing someone was addressing her but still dazed from her wandering thoughts to immediately recognize who. She had to fight a scowl from forming as she realized who it was who was speaking to her, rather at her in this case. Her expression was easily swayed with the approach of Eris’ companion, her eyes sparkling for a moment before she turned a questioning gaze back at the actor.

“What’s wrong with the way I dress? And what do you care anyhow?” The countess couldn’t help but to cast a worried glance down at her own appearance, now second guessing the choices that had sparked her perked mood. This wasn’t the first time Eris had had something to say about her appearance, and while she doubted it would be the last, she still couldn’t figure out why it would matter so much to anyone. Her clothing choices were about her, and this one just so happened to be comfort. Was there really something so wrong with that?

"Well, 'care' is a very strong word," Eris admitted, shrugging one shoulder as Maxie took a seat in front of Amaris. "The issue comes from the fact that you look like one of those middle aged mages with six kids and no time to properly dress herself. You don't even look like a countess." As much as he despised the nobility, the least they could do was show off what they had. His eyes flickered over her figure and he stopped himself from rolling his eyes. He couldn't tell if it was the outfit or whatever she had under but she looked much too young in whatever she called that ensemble.

"You remind me of my mage with that hair, too--and he outright admitted he just rolls out of bed every morning and goes on with his day," He sounded exasperated as he spoke, his sentence punctuated by a small bark from the Pomeranian. "What's wrong with a nice updo, or having a little elegance? Simplicity can be very flattering if there's effort put into the details." He added in case she decided to inform him that she wasn't a fan of 'flash' or 'looking good'.

Amaris couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at a few of Eris’ remarks. She had to admit, she wasn’t particularly offended by any of it but she was rather surprised by the assessment. The actor didn’t seem to feel the need to hold anything back reminding her of a certain mage she knew.

“I have never understood that phrase of not ‘looking’ like a countess. The title does not change because I chose to wear pajamas in lieu of a ball gown.” There was another moment of silence while the countess considered his words further. Eris was a person who spent the majority of his life in the public eye while she maintained her father’s wishes of relative invisibility. It shouldn’t have been any surprise that their opinions on image would differ so greatly, but perhaps there was something to be learned here.

“Well, since you seem to be so full of ideas, how might you have done this differently.” It was Amaris’ hope that by humoring the man a bit she might garner a few quick tips that would keep him off her case, at least for a little while anyway.

Eris was always full of ideas for nearly every student he passed by (some more than others) but he wasn't going to focus on that. For the countess that didn't seem to know how to dress herself, he would have to start from the top of the list. "For one, that outfit is clearly for someone who's an Autumn--and you're a Winter," He still couldn't help but point that out even though he figured she probably didn't even know what he meant by that. "Second, if you must wear tights, they should be completely opaque. Thirdly, accessories make or break an outfit. So in the impossible scenario in a world where I would have even thought about an outfit like yours--I'm talking about one in a billion chance--then a nice necklace or scarf, better boots, and a loose bun or braid would have been my personal additions."

“A… winter? Are you trying to insult me?.” He had only spoken a few words but the countess already found herself quite lost. Since when did the seasons become describing factors for a person? Redemption came from his second and third points, however, Amaris at least understanding the words he chose this time around.

“But I do see your point with the accessories. I’ve just never been much into jewelry aside from the family crest. Is tethering my hair absolutely necessary though? I much prefer to wear it down.” Amaris couldn’t stop herself from reaching a hand up to caress the silky strands protectively.

Eris had to stop himself from rolling his eyes at her initial question, closing his eyes as he smiled to himself. Being accurate assured him, strangely enough, though as he opened his eyes he slowly nodded at her words. "Are you saying your family doesn't have a multitude of jewelry with the family crest?" He asked, genuinely surprised. There wasn't a single event he could remember where someone belonging to one of the noble houses didn't brandish their crests on nearly every inch of themselves that they could get it on without seeming ridiculous. "Even a pair of silver drop earrings or a pendant or something."

He dropped that part for the moment as she focused on her hair, with him brushing his over his ears. "Okay, that doesn't mean you can't have a hairband or a comb or have it pinned back. Even if you choose not to have anything in it, having it half up and half down makes a world of a difference," He moved his hands around as he spoke, getting a bark of protest before only waving around his free hand. "You ended up with a female mage, didn't you? If it seems like too much work, have her do your hair for you."

Amaris took pause at Eris’ question about alternatives to the family crest. She hadn’t really given it much thought before, most of her prominent memories consisting of books and endless scrolls of long forgotten material. While it was likely they did have something along what Eris was describing, it wasn’t something that ever concerned her.

It seemed the topic wasn’t much of a priority in the end anyway, as she found herself mentally rushing to catch up to his breakdown for her hair. She considered Cassandra for a moment, imagining the pair sitting together trying to pick the best hairstyle based on weather forecasts as if it were some sort of zodiac reading. The scenario was so ridiculous that Amaris burst out laughing, attempting to regain control of herself as quickly as she could before responding.

“That’s alright. I think I might just handle it on my own if that’s okay.”

Eris took half a step back when the countess suddenly burst out laughing, highly concerned. The only thing that came to mind was that the mage was probably just as hopeless as the countess. Figures as much, the princess did a fine job embarrassing the current nobility attending by making some asinine pairings, but he had assumed it was only to the failing Eve house. It was actually quite amusing, if sad.

He decided to go back on topic, slightly tugging on Maxie's leash to prevent her from sitting on the freshly mowed grass. Right then, now was as good a time as ever to try to connect, even if he would rather maintain his distance there was never any harm in establishing some sort of rapport. Who knows, maybe he could pull some strings and get something out of her if needed. "There are plenty of videos and magazines that could probably go into more detail, unless you'd actually want more personalized advice," He said, taking out his phone and presenting it to the Marivaldi. "I'm sure we can set up a time and place at your leisure, if that's something you're interested in."

With a great deal of hesitation, Amaris accepted the device and stared down at it. She had been hoping for maybe just a tip or two, but it was becoming increasingly clear how out of her element she was. Any tips he would have would fall short of the mark simply because she didn’t understand what he was talking about. Being friends with Varis also meant that he would likely want something in return at some point but she found herself unconcerned. Advise on clothing was only worth a low tier favor no matter how you spun it.

With a renewed determination, Amaris smiled and supplied Eris with her contact information before handing the device back. A quick dial had provided her own device with his contact ensuring that Amaris would recognize any messages sent from the actor.

“’Interest’ is a strong word, but I learn best with what I can interact with. It would be unwise to pass up such a gracious offer.” The countess responded, mirroring the man’s chosen language light-heartedly.

Now it was Eris' turn to raise an eyebrow at her. That was surprisingly painless, he expected more of a fight than that. That said, it was probably going to be more work than expected, but he needed something to pass the time whenever he got bored, he supposed. Who knows, maybe he could attract other unfortunate souls and do what he could for the part of their society that desperately needed it. Maxie sat patiently as she looked between the pair, walking in a small circle before looking at Amaris.

"Call it due diligence. There's no reason we can't all play nice while we're here," He replied. "Her Highness went out of her way to bring us all together for a reason, the least we can do is keep the peace."

“It would be nice if more people shared that ideal; would certainly make this whole experiencel a lot less exhausting. And please forgive me but I absolutely cannot hold out any longer.” Amaris stooped with the brightest grin, wiggling a single finger at the tethered animal. “What’s your name you little cutie?”

Eris wasn't surprised at the countess' enthusiasm; despite certain opinions claiming that the pup was pointless, any juvenile animals were often considered extraordinarily cute. It helped that he had specifically picked out this puppy in particular for her appearance. "This is Maxie. Maxie, this is Countess Marivaldi," He introduced the two, placing his free hand in his pocket as the dog stretched, tiny paws scratching against the concrete. He decided to test the waters as he then said, "You'll probably see more of her soon, I've asked the Eve mage to look after her whenever my mage can't. I wouldn't have any issue doing it myself, but there are only so many hours in the night and she requires a lot of time and dedication. I'm only one vampire, after all."

"A pleasure to meet you Maxie." Amaris cooed, the countess perking up a bit as Eris mentioned the Eve representative's mage. An image of white hair hastily retreating from a conflict against the wishes of her partner filled her mind. It was the same girl that Cassandra had seemed to be bonding with from her classes… quite the serendipitous opportunity to say the least.

"Oh, well it would be such a shame to constantly bother the poor girl. I’m sure Eve wouldn’t want her mage falling behind on her studies. How about Cassandra and I give you a hand with Maxie as well? I’m sure she would love the opportunity to spend time with such an adorable ball of fluff.” It would also give Cassandra more opportunities to bond with Lilie without the hassle of interacting with her partner.

He would have to shower Maxie with a good belly rub when they returned. Eris slowly nodded as he feigned having a thought. ”That wouldn’t be a bad idea,” He agreed, looking down at Maxie. ”Two more playmates would make her very happy.” He knew next to nothing about the Marivaldi mage, so he could probably get away with getting a little information about that as well in case he needed it.

But for now, he was content on playing nice. ”But I’ve taken up enough of your time, and Maxie needs to eat,” He replied, seemingly apologetic. ”For now, I’ll bid you a pleasant evening--we’ll be in touch, Countess.”

“I certainly look forward to it.” Amaris smiled, standing back up to her full height after supplying Maxie with a quick scratch behind the ear. “You two enjoy the rest of your night.”

Eris nodded, whistling for Maxie to follow him as he continued on the walk. As much as Varis had ridiculed his decision, bringing the little pup along had worked out in his favor after all.

Happenstance

_{feat. Victor @ReusableSword}

Rolling her shoulders, Lilie wondered if maybe she had too many books. The backpack seemed to bite into her jacket, and she was pretty sure it was going to leave a mark whether she wanted it to or not. Thus was the price of being the ever faithful, studious girl she was. Hard work always paid off, and she didn’t end up the top of her class doing nothing. Magical or mundane, if she didn’t end up the top of her grade, then she was clearly doing something wrong.

Invigorated by her own thoughts, Lilie marched through campus, mentally mapping out her study plan for the night. As she walked down the path, however, she thought she saw someone sitting on the grass instead of walking along like most people did. Turns out she wasn’t seeing things,doing a double take and spotting Count Astorio sitting on the grass in plain sight. He wasn’t moving, being completely still with his eyes closed.

Lilie fought with herself for a moment, wondering if he even noticed she was there, but after a few seconds she made up her mind. "Count Astorio?" She asked, hesitant in case she was bothering him.

It had taken him quite a while to find a peaceful spot to meditate on the school grounds. It was nice to change your location occasionally hearing different sounds and the occasional odd footsteps. A slight breeze almost masked the approaching footsteps of the mage that decided to come and chat with him. The slight twitch of his ear giving away the fact that he could hear her coming before she spoke. “Yes, Lillie?” his voice didn't portray agitation or annoyance simply monotone.

The girl jumped in place, not expecting such a quick answer. Oh, so he remembered who she was after all. She recovered quickly, giving him a wave before realizing he couldn't see her. Clasping her hands behind her back, she cleared her throat. "What are you doing?" She decided to ask.

He didn't move, not really anyway. Sitting on his knees with his head bowed down and hands clasped in front of him. The girls question seemed to catch him off guard for a moment, “I am meditating. It helps me think and sometimes remember.” he spoke bluntly but still did not move. Turning his head slightly to look at the girl he sighed. In the starlight she certainly did remind him of her. “Why don't you come and sit?” moving his hand to a large rock across from him. “I think we should chat for a little while since we are alone.”

Remember? Lilie thought it strange, but living longer probably meant more experiences and the like, so it probably wasn't that strange. Truthfully she was a little more surprised that he wanted to talk. But she did approach him, and declining would be rude, so she gently dropped her backpack on the grass and carefully took a seat on the rock where he had indicated.

"What did you want to chat about?" She asked curiously.

He looked up at her his eyes the same calm they had been for some time now. “I apologize for flinging you across the room. I didn't do it to scare you or hurt you. I was simply trying to get the others to see me as a stupid Astorio brute. I hope that you will be able to forgive me.” A simple apology for him but now that he was sure his father could not spy on him he had little caution for rumors of him being soft with mages.

Her own eyes widened, clearly surprised. He wanted people to think that? Why? She tilted her head slightly, not quite understanding, but after a few seconds she shook her head. "Oh, that. I mean, it wasn't too bad," She said, even if her whole arm ended up aching something fierce afterwards. "You don't have to apologize, it's the first time I've ever tussled with a vampire, something crazy was bound to happen." She assured him.

Victor slowly changed his seating from his knees to his legs crossed in front of him now more interested in talking to the mage in front of him. “You remind me of someone who was once very dear to me.” he paused for a moment thinking of how to continue, “Actually you look almost exactly like her. She was a mage too, a water mage. The difference between you two, you both have beautiful eyes, But she held fire in hers, a raging inferno that the oceans could never quench…” He seemed to trail off for a moment and look away from her. “How long have you been fighting? I noticed your footwork was rather good.” He complimented her while his eyes continued to watch her.

The Count was full of surprises; getting complimented was probably the very last thing Lilie expected. He did manage to get a bashful smile out of her, though she was interested in learning more about the other mage when he asked about her fighting ability. "I've been swinging something around for almost a decade, though I still have a lot to learn," Her bruised ego showed itself, preferring to be more humble this time when she spoke about what she was capable of. "My mama always warned me that I should take practice more seriously, but now I have goals to strive for, at least. And magic, of course."

He smiled at her when she did but seemed more interested in learning more about her and getting away from the girl he had mentioned. “So all you have learned so far is how to use a sword? Hmm...well, Salem has his etiquette class after our classes end so for that hour if you like we could meet here.” He seemed to pause for a moment as he articulated his words. “I could help you with fighting, add some unarmed combat to your fencing skills and show that boy a thing or two. I could also teach you how to concentrate a little more, perhaps it would help with your spell casting.” Again he smiled at the girl, letting her see a side of him he keeps hidden away. “It would only be for an hour and we wouldn't spar or hit each other, just practicing forms.”

Practice fighting with a vampire?! Lilie's eyes lit up at the opportunity, her hands tapping her knees. If she could get lessons from a vampire like Aaron did, then maybe she could get on the same level. Or at least close the gap between them. The offer was tempting, with the girl genuinely deliberating. It wasn't like she had anything to do until Salem came out anyway, so she really couldn't find a reason to say no. His smile was reassuring, and she ended up returning his with one of her own as she clapped her hands together. "I mean, are you sure? I wouldn't want to trouble you," She asked, though there was no masking the hopefulness in her voice.

Victor reached his hand out to her with the same soft smile, “Then it's a deal. Meet me here while Salem is at his lessons and I'll put you through some training sessions. If you like you can even join Salem on his morning and evening workouts. I'm sure he will try much harder if you are there.” He laughed. Salem was certainly the stubborn one like a weed growing in concrete. “For now if you'd like, I can teach you some meditation techniques. I know for some mages it does help, and patience is a good skill to learn.” Again he smiled at her as he waited for her answer.

Salem works out? Huh, she didn't know that. Still, staying in shape is always important, so for the moment she would agree, shaking Victor's hand. She was pretty sure Mariette wouldn't care, so at least she didn't have to worry about that. "So, what, you just sit there and concentrate to meditate?" She asked him, interested.

“Essentially meditation is clearing the mind. What you will find with a lot of mages and some of the vampires here is that they have too many minds, too many thoughts. When in combat some pay too much attention to themselves, the crowd around them or those watching, even their enemy. No minds, clear your mind and focus solely on the blade or your magic as an extension of yourself.” The large vampire resumed his position on his knees and took a deep breath. “This exercise helps with concentration: real battles are long, tiring, and distracting. You need the basics because without a strong foundation, even the strongest and tallest buildings will fall and crumble.” Victor closed his eyes and began to focus on his breathing. “Close your eyes, do not worry about the world around you. Clear your mind and focus solely on your breathing. Once you have cleared your mind start listening for the little things around you. Become aware of your surroundings but focused on your breathing.” He began to do the same thing that he was talking about. “Listen for small sounds and try to figure out what they are, don't let your mind and imagination play tricks on you. Control your heartbeat, control your senses, control your mind. And remember to breathe.”

Lilie got up from the rock, kneeling down and sitting on her legs as she placed her hands in her lap. It reminded her of the exercise her mother used to have her do to focus better in combat, though she did have a bad habit of tunnel visioning, so she was eager to try. She mimicked him, taking in a deep breath as she closed her eyes. Focusing on breathing was a little harder than anticipated, seeing as how the quiet of the night was more distracting than anything; people walking by, the occasional sound of a crack through the air...she opened one eye to look at the count, finding him still. Okay, she could do this. It was literally just focusing on breathing. That wasn't that hard.

“In through your nose out through your mouth. Focus on the rhythm, you close your eyes so you don't get distractions.” He didn't have to open his eyes to see what she was doing he could tell by her breathing and heart rate that she wasn't entirely focused just yet. “You don't have to sit on your knees. Just sit in a way that's comfortable and take deep breaths until you can clear your mind.” Again a few more tips, this wasn't something she would pick up in a day but at least the next half hour or so would help.

Lilie jumped again in surprise, shoulders sinking slightly at getting caught. Was it that obvious? Vampires must have some weird sixth sense or something. She wished meditating would come more naturally, but sitting still for too long always got her antsy. She looked down at her legs and adjusted slightly, more relaxed with her pose as she tried again. In and out, breathing was easy, ignoring everything else was the hard part. Still, it was more relaxing than she thought it would be, so at least that was a plus. Just unwinding after a long day of school with a ton of homework left to do later.

No, that wasn't mediating, that was breathing and thinking. She mentally scolded herself, doing her best not to think of anything at all. In and out, in and out. Clearing her head wasn't too hard, at least, but stifling a yawn broke her concentration. "I uh...think I was getting it before that," She sheepishly said. "Sorry, I'm still getting used to the time change. Being up all day and suddenly having to stay up all night is challenging."

This one will need work just like Salem. He slowly stood up and smiled at her, “Come on.” He said, holding his hand out to help her up. “A lot of these teachings you will have to practice on your own but maybe if you work it out with Salem you two can figure out a time where you can both go through my teachings together and not just the workouts.” Victor waited for the girl to grab her things and smiled at her. He did manage to take a small swig from his flask while he waited. “Lets go pick up Salem from his daycare see how he's doing.” Honestly he didn't think he would have to try very hard to make this one laugh.

Lilie took his hand gratefully, stopping only to grab her backpack off the ground. She'd have to work on it in her free time, she supposed. Maybe it would be easier to do in the dorm with no other distractions. Though she was grateful, it looked like Victor was a lot nicer than she initially took him for. She nodded in agreement, laughing a little at his joke, though she frowned slightly. "I hope they weren't too hard on him tonight," She said, rubbing her eye.

Lilie's Practical - Water

_{feat. Esi}

Lilie’s letter, addressed from the student director and informing her of a mild schedule change for that night with instructions to leave all her belongings behind, led her out past the normal bounds of the school and down a well lit path through the forest. The sound of ocean waves lapping at the base of the cliffside Lilie’s path followed. Only the periodic greeting from a passing guard, the crunch of her footsteps on leaves, and the squeaking of a bat were the only other noises breaking the steady whispering of the ocean. The path wrapped around to the end of the cliff and stopped at the top of a slippery set of stairs carved into the cliffside. A handrail followed the stairs down and stopped as the stairs met the sand, cooling rapidly in the night air. A crescent moon shone brightly above but a few torches set into the cliff helped illuminate the small beach. The letter’s instructions told Lilie to wait for her instructor at the edge of the water, shoes off and feet submerged. The water here swirled oddly and seemed to ignore the gently waves further out.

Part of her felt like it was an elaborate treasure hunt or some kind of secret passage, or at least that was how she felt as she went down the path. At first going alone made her feel incredibly uneasy, but as soon as she saw the beach, she visibly relaxed. She paused for a moment just to admire the scenery, taking her time and taking off her shoes slowly. She had always been to the beach during the day, but there was something about seeing it at night that felt a little more mystical. Or something, it was hard for her to describe.

Approaching the water slowly, Lilie looked around for the instructor. Funny, she could have sworn that the letter said to be here. Dipping her toes into the water, she let the weird feeling of the warm sand underwater shift under her feet. She watched the swirling of the water with a small frown on her face. It reminded her a little of a whirlpool--maybe she should be careful, the last thing she wanted was to get pulled into the current.

Nothing happened for a few seconds until the water pulled away from Lilie for a moment, returning to swirl at her feet once more. The water in front of the mage rose in thin strands, moonlight and torch light glittering along them as they wound themselves into each other and formed a humanoid shape. A complex pattern peppered itself across the center of the water, several tiered circles with archaic writing inside each level, but another layer of water covered it and darkened significantly. As more water rose to meet it, the mass became more and more human looking with details etching themselves into the colorless shape until it all fell away and a naked woman stood in the water. Her hair was let loose, wild and curled as she appraised Lilie with striking green eyes. She blinked, frowned, and let out an exasperated sigh as she made a gesture with her hand and more water rose to wrap itself around her, a swim suit forming much like she had.

“Sorry to make you wait, darling! A calf got separated from its family while I was on my way here so I had to help it find its way. Lilie, right? Aren’t you a pretty sight for salty eyes.” The woman explained. “I’ll be your Affinity instructor for the next few years so hopefully we’ll get along. My name is Esi. Don’t bother with the proper titles or anything. We’ll be spending too much time in the water for that nonsense.”

Lilie should have probably had a little more tact, but she had been so distracted by watching the entire process that she didn't realize that she was essentially staring at the naked woman until she had sighed, at which point the girl's face turned red as she looked away. She snapped to attention as she was spoken to, grateful that a swimsuit had given her some modesty.

"Um, thank you!" She blushed as she nodded, though her excitement came back. "It's nice to meet you! I'm really, really looking forward to learning from you!"

“Good! Eager students are such a pleasure to teach. So a few questions before we start with some basic stuff. I’ve read your file but I like to hear it from the horse’s mouth so to speak. Firstly and most importantly, do you know how to swim? It’s an important skill for a water mage; your magic can get you out of a lot of tricky situations but never rely on it 100 percent.” Esi walked along the surface of the water, letting herself sink ankle deep once she reached Lilie. “And I believe I saw a mention of an early magical incident? Tell me about that.”

Lilie watched Esi walk on the water, her excitement spiking considerably, though it all came crashing down once she had asked about an 'incident'. For a split second, she was a little confused, but there was really only one thing that could be referred to as that. Her gaze dropped for a moment, contemplating, but if she had a file, then it was bound to get out sooner or later.

"Yeah, I know how to swim," She decided to answer that first, a small smile on her face as she remembered going to the river with her brother and his friends. The smile faded as she hesitated again, though after taking a long breath, she slowly spoke. "And the incident was...um, right before my birthday. There really aren't mages at all where I'm from; the Awakening ceremony is kinda like a boring assembly to us since it never lights up but everyone had to do it anyway. So mine was supposed to be the next day, but uh…"

She scratched her cheek, wondering if she should explain the entire situation. Then again, most of it wasn't even related and admittedly just high school drama, so she decided to spare her the details and stick to the magical part. "There was a fight between my two best friends, and then I got into it, and I remember getting really mad, and uh…" She waved her hands around as she tried to explain herself. "Well, sorry, I'm not making a lot of sense. I'll try that again."

Clearing her throat, she tried not to get too into detail, thinking that Esi was more interested in the magical aspect. "So, there's this old quarry close to the dam that people like to hang out by. My two friends had been arguing for a while because of...my ex-boyfriend," She slowly explained. "It's a long story, but basically I heard from one of them that they were going to confront one another, so then I went, and then there was a fight that ensued. I got really mad because the whole thing was so stupid and I couldn't believe they'd let some guy get in the way of our friendship--anyway, so...there's these water towers that go along the dam, and apparently I somehow yanked one right off and it fell on the dam and then it broke and everything just...got bad." She dropped her arms, lowering her gaze again.

“That does sound like a predicament." Esi said sympathetically but she shook her head with a half smile. "But it happened and we can't change that. What we can change is your capacity to ensure it never happens again!" Esi made her way next to Lilie, looking out over the ocean. The breeze swept low around the cliffs and caught the pair as they stood.

"What is important for a water mage is to learn to accept and direct her emotions. Water flows and changes, swirling around with no need for help and reacting to even the smallest changes. Our magic mirrors that and reacts to the smallest change in our emotional state. Whenever we use magic, we have to consider those feelings." Esi explained as a stream of water flowed up from the ocean and pooled in her hand. "Our first exercise is very similar to your exercises in the classroom. Calling water takes little energy and works like a current. So even if you are upset or frustrated or excited, your magic will move past it like a pebble in a stream. All it takes is letting your magic flow into the water and calling it back. It's harder with moving water so try it with the pool on my hand."

Was this a bad time to admit she was trying to bottle everything up? Probably. Lilie bit her lower lip as she looked at the water, clearing her throat as she nodded. She probably should have mentioned the initial difficulty she had with the awakening crystal, but if she could overcome that, she could do this, right? Right. Maybe. Hopefully. She did admit, however, that Esi’s explanation did give an explanation: if water was easy to pull, then that’s probably how she managed to get to much of it at a time.

“Okay!” She psyched herself up, encouraged by Esi’s words as moved her fingertips in anticipation. There was a tiny pause of last-second hesitation before she mentally pushed herself, remembering Kanalie’s advice. She seemed a little frightened as she made her first attempt to pull the water to her, slightly bracing herself. There was the tiniest reaction, the smallest drip of water popping up, much to her delight. Oh, come on, she could do better than that!

“Um… that...that didn’t count,” Lilie muttered, shaking her head as she took in a deep breath. It was just water. No one was going to drown, no one was going to get hurt. She had been looking forward to this, and now that it was in front of her, she was chickening out! Riling herself up, she took the opposite approach, widening her stance slightly as she narrowed her eyes. Pull, happy thoughts, focus on it, and then just do it.

Lilie’s second attempt was more visible, and the girl froze in disbelief. For some reason, despite knowing she could do it (and having done it to disastrous results prior) actually seeing it completely blew her mind. The shock caused her to drop whatever she had pulled, the water dropping into the ocean, but the young girl’s grin was so wide anyone would’ve thought she had perfected it on her first try.

“Wow…! Sorry, I know that’s not even a lot,” She apologized as she caught herself, giving a giddly giggle as she hopped in place for a second.

"You just did magic! Be excited!" Esi responded in kind, beaming back at the girl. "It'll take time, just like building up your strength or your endurance. We repeat this until you do it without a second thought and then we keep moving up and up and up until finally…" with a flick of her wrist water appeared from the air itself, settling itself in the shape of a crown on Lilie's head. "You'll be doing this in no time. By the end of the semester, we should have you pulling water from active bodies or, if you really push yourself, maybe even holding it in small shapes. Ready to give it another try?" The crown lept into Esi's hand, turning into a still pool after the overflow ran over.

Encouraged by Esi's matching enthusiasm, Lilie nodded feverishly. The feeling of magic was unlike anything she could even try to describe, taking a second to stare at her own hands. After a few seconds she gave the water her full attention again, eyebrows furrowed as she concentrated. No need to be scared, it was just water. She repeated her own motion from before, but she didn't stop as she watched it move. She was actually doing that! Gaining a sudden burst of confidence surging her excitement, Lilie pulled what she thought was more, only for a majority of it sent flying somewhere over her head. Lilie froze again, the drops coming down until they splashed on top of her head, as if punishing her.

"...I feel like getting too excited seems to be a problem that keeps popping up for me," Lilie told Esi nonchalantly, ignoring her dripping bangs.

Esi let out a loud laugh at the display, dropping what little remained. “Well, at least you don’t struggle for lack of that. Lots of students do, between the new nightlife and regular feedings, and they struggle to do much more than wiggle some water until they adjust. It’s better to have more than less in this situation.” Esi grinned, pulling the water off Lilie and flicking it back into the ocean. “And even if you do get a little more than you thought, don’t let it go. Keeping moving until you can put it back where you got it. It doesn’t matter here but when you start calling large bodies, you could do a lot of damage suddenly dropping half a river on something.”

“Why don’t we try this. Let’s close the distance and make it follow you instead.” Esi suggested, refreshing her pool and dipping her fingers in it. After a moment, she drew her hand back slowly and the water reached out to meet her, five little tendrils following her fingers as she moved. “When you dip your fingertips in, let your magic flow just like before and keep that going as you move your hand away. Even if you take too much, keep pulling until you put it in your hand or the ocean.”

Dropping a river?! Lilie's jaw dropped at the thought, her fingers lightly touching her head. She was amazed that her hair was completely dry, but equally horrified at the possibility of using that much water. She frowned at the thought, crossing her arms for a moment. Well, that wasn't really a bad thing, was it? If she was the one in control, anyway. The idea wasn't as frightening as she thought, though she couldn't really picture it. Not yet, anyway, but it was certainly a tempting goal.

She shuffled closer to Esi, watching her movement. The woman was so graceful, the water following her obediently. Once Esi invited her to try again, Lilie nodded, cautiously dipping her fingers in. Too much was okay, she just had to keep pulling. Mimicking Esi's movement, Lilie concentrated, pulling the water along slowly. For a moment she was once again amazed that it just listened as she pulled it along, the water wavering slightly. Focus, focus, focus--she took a step back, her other hand outstretched as if she thought she could catch any water that fell. The movement was nowhere near as swift or smooth as Esi's, though Lilie was trying to concentrate fully. It was a lot harder than she thought it would be, finding that while it certainly didn't look like much, pulling it all out of Esi's hand took more effort than expected.

But she was still having a blast, letting out a slight yell as she dropped it instead of gathering it into her hands. "Oops," She giggled, wringing her hands. "I kinda forgot I was supposed to keep concentrating, I thought it would just...do it by itself. Can I try again?"

There were a few more tries after that, with Esi patiently pooling the water every time she was asked. Lilie's attempts became somewhat consistent, even if they usually ended the same way, but she was having too much fun to be concerned. Truthfully, she had been too nervous to try before, but now that she had someone looking over her shoulder, she felt much more comfortable with it. She was definitely more relaxed, if slightly wound, but she put every ounce of effort she had into it, repeating the movements and remembering the feeling.

"I think...I'm getting the hang of it--" She muttered, eyes narrowing as she carefully pulled the last of the water out of Esi's hand. She held her breath as she watched the water, leaning back slightly as she gathered it again. Holding it still felt like it was more work than keeping it moving, the pool in her hands seeming more like a wobbly blob than anything. She somehow assumed holding it with two hands would be easier, but it didn't seem to help.

“Look at what you can do when you set your mind to it!” Esi cheered, pulling the water back and depositing it into the ocean once more. The mage took a few steps deeper into the water, sitting down in the water. “We can try some more in a moment but for now, come and sit with me. There is a fun little exercise that you can do in almost any body of water that’ll help relax your magic. I always recommend at least a swimming pool but it can be done in something as small as a glass of water. But before we send ourselves out into the depths, why don’t you tell me a little of what you want out of magic?”

Lilie looked down at Esi for a second, wishing she had thought to wear a swimsuit, too. She took a second to tie her blouse more closely to her and rolled up her sleeves, carefully following Esi's lead and taking a seat across from her. At her question she frowned slightly, a little unsure. What did she want out of magic? "...I don't know," She said slowly, shrugging. "I mean, I didn't even know I could do magic, so it's not really something I gave a lot of thought to. But I like learning about it! And actually getting to do it is really cool."

“It is.” Esi chuckled at her enthusiasm. “Magic allows us to be greater than what we ever envisioned for ourselves. While you’re here with us, keep that question in mind. There will always be more to learn, more to experience, but without direction, you may find yourself pulled beneath the waves.” Esi rolled her shoulders and stretched before putting her hands back in the water.

“Now onto our lesson. If you recall, I mentioned that water mages are most at risk of emotional interference in their magic. There will be times you can’t help it, when everything is so overwhelming that it may burst without your will or completely shut down no matter how much you work at it. Luckily, we have an easy way to collect ourselves.” Esi’s eyes closed and she relaxed a little more into the water. “Just like with calling water, send your magic out into the ocean. But not just some of it. Cast out all of it. Cast all of your magic into the water and then follow it with your mind, like a string in a maze. Follow it and then just relax. Don’t try to do anything, just float. Once you’ve reached that, nothing from above will reach you. No noise, no pressure, no worry. The water doesn’t expect you to perform, doesn’t make demands, doesn’t hurt you. Its safe and serene, the perfect place to relax and unwind if even for a moment.”

Esi went still after that but a familiar presence brushed against Lilie’s magic and then slowly floated out to sea, Esi’s voice echoing beneath the water.

The ruined dam was proof enough of what Esi said, but Lilie nodded in understanding. She was eager to put a cap on things, straightening up as she listened carefully. It sounded really nice, letting herself just go with the flow. She looked down at the waves gently lapping around them, taking a second just to appreciate the scenery. She’d be lying if she said she didn’t miss the morning sky, but the night had a way of being weirdly soothing.

Shifting slightly in her seat and patting her clothes down again, Lilie closed her eyes as she took in a deep breath. Relax. She can do that. She can relax. The water felt nice, the air was crisp and inviting, and it was just her and Esi on the beach. Breathing in the salty air, she wasn’t entirely sure if she was doing it right, but she did feel relaxed. No noise, no pressure, no worries.

It was a weird but not entirely foreign feeling. Actually, for some reason it felt familiar. It was like being underwater with her facing the surface, the warmth of the sun on her. If she opened her eyes, she could see the blue sky above her. She wasn’t drowning, somehow, but she could feel the water around her, aware of every drop moving in unison. Just floating around and letting the current pull her away. Everything was clear and calming, but at the same time she felt like she needed to go up and break the surface. She felt like she could reach up and take the hand reaching out towards her--

Lilie jerked in place as she gasped, arms raised as her eyes shot open in surprise. Her heart was racing in her chest, only soothed when she looked around and confirmed that she was on the beach with Esi. Was that a memory? No, it couldn’t be. At least, she thought so? Running her hands over her face, she inhaled deeply as she shook her head. Man, that was weird.

“Feels like you could just get lost in the water doing that,” She murmured, rubbing her eyes.

“The comfort of being part of something larger than yourself, of being greater than the sum of the whole and existing in perfect unity, content in the knowledge that you have purpose along with those around you is a siren song that little can compare to.” Esi spoke wistfully as she stared out over the ocean. “Water always returns to the greater whole, never alone or stranded for long. In water, we find a reflection of what we should be for ourselves and what we should be to those around us. In water, we learn that change is an inevitability and rather than fighting such a change we should accept it. In water, we learn that everything is at once in conflict and harmony with itself and each other and that is the way of life.”

“It is important for your development that you understand the fundamental truths of our element. That something can be at peace and war all at once. That change is inevitable and all we can do is learn to adapt to it. That we are never alone and even if we feel that we are, we all return to one another eventually. Sometimes we just need to see beneath the surface of those around us to understand.” Esi sighed, running her hands through the water for a few reflective moments. “As you learn these, through introspection or experience, you will see your affinity grow in leaps and bounds. Ah but enough of this woman rambling. How do you feel now? The water does make everything seem a little easier, no?”

Lilie stared at Esi with wide eyes, her gaze slowly turning to the ocean as she listened. Her lips parted in awe for a moment, though her expression turned solemn for a second. Esi was right, accepting change would make things a lot easier. And despite feeling that too many things have changed, going along really was for the best. It sounded silly, but she felt oddly enlightened, the previous unease deep in her heart assuaged.

"It does," Lilie admitted as she looked back at Esi. "I feel like...like things will be okay if you don't fight the current." As bad as the water pun was, she felt it was good timing. "Water does have that mysterious aura. I guess I underestimated it a little!"

"It's easy to do." Esi said simply as she turned her attention from the ocean to Lilie. "Now, we'll work on calling for the rest of the lesson and then I'll get you dried off before our lesson this week end, okay?" Esi scooped up water and held it out for Lilie to start their calling exercise anew.

ＦＩＮＡＬ ＦＡＮＴＡＳＹ Ｘ｜Ｖ： Ｔｈｅ Ｂｌｅｓｓｅｄ Ｔｗｅｌｖｅ

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_{Region: Thanalan}

Location: Western Thanalan - The Silver Bazaar

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One interesting carriage ride later...

Hopping off the carriage with wobbly legs, Lyveva nearly drops to her knees as she hangs onto a nearby post. She mutters something about a bad trip, straightening up shortly after. The Silver Bazaar is surprisingly bustlling at this time of day, with people scattered about in almost every direction. A pair consisting of a Roegadyn and a Lalafel are conversing while a Hyur pours out water in a trough for a chocobo to drink from, though the majority of people are gathered near the center of the hamlet, with a few perched up on the well waving around products to sell.

Despite barely hanging on the post and looking remarkedly pale, the Hyur made an attempt to lead the way. "Alright...this...is where I had heard...excuse me," Lyveva let herself sink to the floor, shaking her head. "Ugh. Okay, I think it's gone..." She forced herself to her feet, fanning herself with a sigh.

She cleared her throat once again. "Ahem. Alright, I heard a peculiar rumor that an auction for a 'valued home' was going to take place here. The man who stole the title was a Highlander named Otkar," Her voice shook slightly but she powered through. "He was wearing a fake Flame sergeant uniform when he came to the house. I remember noticing two scars on his face--one over his nose and a tiny one on his left cheek--but he didn't really stand out otherwise."

She then gestured towards a small campfire nearby. "If anyone's going to be buying property, then Spotted Meadow would definitely be one of the first to try to snatch it up." The Hellsguard Roegadyn mentioned stood away from the well with a pair of women, eyeing the crowd through a monocle before speaking to one of the women.

"I wanted to ask Galfridus if he knew anything, but he might be away fishing." Lyveva looked towards the port, but she didn't seem to see the Hyur. "Fafafono might be willing to help, but he'll probably want something in return." The blue haired Lalafell scoffed at the crowd, crossing his arms as he muttered something to the Hyur tending to his chocobo.

After taking in a few long breaths, Lyveva steadied herself, dropping her head. "I still feel a little dizzy...but no matter--" She stopped as she noticed one of the items being sold looked awfully familiar. The tome was a dark blue in color, the seller boasting on its craftsmanshsip. "Oh no oh no oh no! They started taking things from our home, too?! And that's one of--uh, uh, let's split up and search, okay?! I have to try to buy everything back! Lyveva went running into the crowd without another word, hurriedly waving down the seller.

---

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ＦＩＮＡＬ ＦＡＮＴＡＳＹ Ｘ｜Ｖ： Ｔｈｅ Ｂｌｅｓｓｅｄ Ｔｗｅｌｖｅ

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_{Region: Thanalan}

Location: Ul'dah - The Quicksand

---

Oh, she was losing traction very quickly. The thought didn't seem to deter the girl as much as it should have, taking in whatever questions were thrown her way very seriously. She crossed her arms, expression concentrated as she considered an appropriate response. Well, it looked like there were a few charitable if concerned souls willing to help out, so worse case scenario, they could get the title back and she could pay them for their kindness. She nodded to herself, brightening up once again as she decided to field some questions.

Her eyes darted to the side as she let out a nervous laugh when asked about any healers. "We do!" Lyveva replied hurriedly, trying to ignore the pit in her stomach. "We have an excellent healer for that!" She stopped talking as the door burst open, with a Miqo'te and books spilling on the floor. "...and I'm sure she can heal that, too!" She rode off the wave, giving the poor girl an apologetic smile, realizing it might have come off as a little mean spirited.

The other Miqo'te helping her with her books asked about the FC's current members. "We technically still have about ten members," She brandished the fact somewhat proudly. "Some people we just haven't seen in a while. They still count since everyone else handed in their resignations. Suki, Koko and I keep things afloat--well, mostly the other two, this recruitment would be my first official order of business if I'm being honest!"

As the rest of the room cleared, with those who remained (or were still on the fence) Lyveva did a quick head count, apparently satisfied."This will do nicely. Momodi! Put everything on my tab, once I return I'll make sure to settle it!" Lyveva said cheerfully, snapping her fingers as she pointed to the exit. "We've no time to waste! To Western Thanalan--the Silver Bazaar's tavern awaits!"

---

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Of Blood and Magic

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Lilie waved sheepishly at the receptionist as they were greeted once again. She wasn't sure if it was a good or a bad thing, but it definitely painted them as freshmen. She decided to let Salem ask what he needed to, deciding to take out her phone to occupy herself. She had somehow missed getting Kanalie's text, probably more occupied with talking to Salem and Aaron, so she decided to get back a response right away. She was really starting to lose it, barely stifling a yawn as she typed out her reply.

Text to Kanalie

>It's okay! And that sounds perfect, I'll make sure to follow up! :D

Once she pocketed her phone, she frowned at the conversation. Oh yeah, he's the one that got Eris Samael. The excitement died down almost immediately as he spoke, scratching her cheek as she watched him talk rather rudely to Aaron. His earlier comment cemented her opinion, and she crossed her arms as she listened. Why the heck was he so mean, anyway? She was momentarily distracted by Salem's wince, giving him a concerned look.

Despite knowing it wasn't any of her business, she bristled slightly at Max's tone. Reminding herself to be cordial, she tried to be more optimistic. Maybe he just had a bad day. She waved to the small dog, who seemed to be having a good time under Max's arm. "We're just tagging along with Salem," She decided to reply pleasantly in Aaron's place. "I didn't know Eris Samael had a dog." Maybe she was recent? He hadn't posted anything to any of his social media about getting a pet. Then again, he didn't post anything about coming to Noila Academy, either.

---

Interacting with: @Trainerblue192@Obscene Symphony@Scribe of Thoth[@Achronum

ＦＩＮＡＬ ＦＡＮＴＡＳＹ Ｘ｜Ｖ： Ｔｈｅ Ｂｌｅｓｓｅｄ Ｔｗｅｌｖｅ

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_{Region: Thanalan}

Location: Ul'dah - The Quicksand

---

The miqo'te's cheer had a positive effect, the blonde haired girl nearly driven to tears. She managed to keep herself together, arms pumped as her eyes shined with vigor. At the Padjal's question, she hesitated for a second, debating inwardly for a moment. After dropping her arms, she took in a deep breath and put on a smile again, this one looking much more genuine.

"Oh, yes! Of course," She replied, her hesitance melting away to pure enthusiasm. "You see, I've had something very important stolen from me. And if I don't get it back, then we'll probably lose our home."

Lyveva seemed a little nervous, finger tapping her cheek as she bit her lip. "You see, a few days ago we were informed that the tax for our home in the Goblet was due. At first Suki--one of our members--had the paperwork all drummed up, so all I had to do was bring it here to Ul'dah and make sure everything was sorted out," She sighed as she paused, shaking her head. "And apparently there was some sort of mixup--some people thought the company had been disbanded, and several people had started bidding. They said that all I had to do was give them the title, so I did, but when I went back to the house, there was someone outside asking for coin for our taxes! And apparently they were official, not the person I had given the title to! It was fraud!" She huffed, riled up momentarily as she remembered the details.

"I have to get that title back so we can keep our house!" She said, stomping her foot. "Suki's counting on me to get it back, and if I don't, then--" She let out a small squeak, clearly panicked. "It'll be all my fault that we lost everything!"

---

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Legends of Carnation Island (SHELVED)

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Having to bust her ass to hurry up and set up wasn't the hard part; at this point the employees were well versed in getting their shit done quickly and quietly. What was difficult was trying not to trip or run into people.

Farah lost count of how many times she had nearly gotten hit with any props, focusing more on getting herself ready. Apparently the old stereotype of hard-drinking party animals still rung true, moreso for the people that Rachel had invited. No judgment, just an observation, but it wasn't really any of her business anyway.

What she did make her business, however, was the same hot guy from before sitting nearby.

The blonde raised an eyebrow--a happy coincidence. They called him Theo if she remembered correctly, though she put down the glass she was cleaning to watch him for a second. He was talking to Rachel Ashford herself, though he seemed a little exasperated. Farah didn't notice she had been staring, though she managed to snap back to attention in time. When she dared herself to look again, she thanked whatever luck she had to see him walking to the bar. Alright, then, time to see if she could get to know him a little more.

"If you spend too much time at the bar alone, people are gonna get the wrong idea," She teased him lightly as she placed her elbows on the bar, perching her chin on her hands as she looked at him.

---

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_{Interacting with: @spooner}

ＦＩＮＡＬ ＦＡＮＴＡＳＹ Ｘ｜Ｖ： Ｔｈｅ Ｂｌｅｓｓｅｄ Ｔｗｅｌｖｅ

_{May you ever walk in the light of the crystal}

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_{Region: Thanalan}

Location: Ul'dah - The Quicksand

---

The streets of Ul'dah were quieter than usual, a rare lull in the usually bustling city. It was the time of day where most mercenaries and adventurers were still out hunting, hoping to accomplish their tasks before the sun completely dipped into the horizon. Within the Quicksand, adventurers from all walks of the world were taking seats and ordering their drinks. Momodi cleaned her bar without a care in the world, only ocassionally tossing a glance to the blonde haired girl seated before her. On the cusp of adulthood, the Midlander bore tanned skin and golden eyes that were determined to keep staring down at her lap. The beige shirt and white shorts gave her a casual sense of dress, balanced out by leather thigh-high boots and gloves. She could have looked just like any other adventurer, if a bit on the young side. Once enough people had gathered, she had decided to stand, leaning back as she scanned the place for any familiar faces. The disappointment wasn't obvious, but she did focus on keeping on a nervous smile.

"Presenting all by yourself?" Momodi asked her curiously.

"...unfortunately," She let out a tiny sigh, her grip tightening for a second before loosening. "But..." She trailed off before letting her head hang for a few seconds. It didn't last long, the girl bringing her head up despite her nerves. Without a care for her actions, the blonde turned around and leapt on the counter, ignoring Momodi's protest as she steadily turned to the small crowd. Fortunately, the buzzing stopped as all eyes were on her, though the sight nearly paralyzed her.

Gathering her bearings, she took in a deep breath before putting on a much more convincing smile. "Many warm greetings to all, and thank you for taking the time out of your busy days to come today," Lyveva's voice came out clear as she spoke, a practiced speech on the tip of her tongue. "I am Lyveva Gwennael, current leader of The Blessed Twelve. Your interest is most appreciated, but before I continue, there is something I feel you should know. The truth is that this Free Company is in dire straights."

She probably should have paused, but she forced herself to continue. "Once upon a time, we were known far and wide, our numbers easily reaching triple-digits with quite a few accomplishments under our belts. But after the Calamity, after Aidric--" She cut herself off as she squeezed her eyes shut, pushing away a painful memory before she continued. --after a majority of our company went to the Battle of Cartenau and lost their lives, our numbers dwindled. Three--six of us remain. So...if you're looking for fame or glory, you won't find it here. In fact, I actually need help from you today to reclaim something that was taken."

"If you find this unacceptable, you can go with no hard feelings. But if you find it in your hearts to stay, then I'd certainly appreciate it!" She finished, clasping her hands behind her back as she grinned.

---

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ＦＩＮＡＬ ＦＡＮＴＡＳＹ Ｘ｜Ｖ： Ｔｈｅ Ｂｌｅｓｓｅｄ Ｔｗｅｌｖｅ

Last reminder that CSs won't be accepted after today!!!!

#StillNotBitten [Invite Only]

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_{Location: Rushford, Ohio -- Jenkins' Diner}

Date: May 15th, 2019

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I wonder if this is a good time to admit I don't really know the area.

The thought came to the young woman as her green eyes followed the ranger's finger. Sure, she had gone out with the team and was a social person, but it wasn't like she was an expert. Such was the curse of a college student in a situation way out of her league. At least she was alive, which was more than she could say for anyone unfortunate enough to have gotten caught by those freaky monsters out there. Yup, the world was going to shit and they were all probably going to die. Whether it be from getting ripped apart or shot or even just starving to death, things looked really, really bad.

At least the burger she was finishing off was amazing.

After carefully wiping her mouth, Isla licked her lips as she turned in her seat, left hand tapping the table as she looked outside. She wasn't entirely panicky, but she figured it was because the heaviness of the situation hadn't hit her yet. Or that was what she told herself, her leg jittering as she tried to think of what they could do. And here she thought she wanted to be captain of the team, but shit, she wasn't really good with responsibility, was she?

"I wonder if it's, like, any noise that attracts them," She spoke up as her gaze was at something outside, not really looking at anything in particular. "Because maybe trying to sneak out to the car would be easy if we timed it so that the noise from the announcements could cover our tracks. Or something, I dunno." She shrugged at the end, perching her chin on the palm of her hand as her eyes widened.

---

@Kuro