NationStates Jolt Archive

Rei sighed; Vex did raise a valid point as much as she hated to admit it even though she certainly didn't trust the strange girl; something about her just set Rei off and she didn't believe a word she said even if she was telling the truth. Vex however she did trust and she hated to admit it but he was right. Raf though a utterly horrid individual may be innocent of this and they only had Sibs word. Rei told herself if she was going to hurt someone; damn well make sure you hurt the right person.

"Well whoever did it" she began; "and I will find out; will be on the end of my wrath" Rei finished simply taking a sip of her water and nodded with Elario; "We got your six Hon" she said with a smile

Sibeoci brightened up a bit and finally said something that he would think of "blowing it" ten minutes later in retrospect. After all, he was somewhat disturbed about all the horrible things they were saying about him...even if most of them didn't know if it was him. He thought to himself...

"I didn't even do it on purpose...I was aiming for that other kid. Everyone knows he's scummy and he's a Draco, so if I tell them the truth, they think it's ok. No. They won't. They'll skin me alive. I can't tell the truth. Can't do it."

In all honesty, Sibeoci's Draco was somewhat scummy. He was notoriously known as a kid who would deserve getting hit by twelve stunning spells, but even so, Sibeoci didn't want to tell the truth.

"No. The truth can't help here. It can't help. I need to keep lying."

He gave an interesting look toward everyone else. Completely unknowing that Elario had already caught on, he started talking again, somewhat casually.

"Well...even if Raf did do it, which I'm not saying he did or didn't, it might be possible it wasn't on purpose. I mean, he might have been trying to do something else and that happened, or maybe he was aiming for some different who probably deserved it like that scummy Draco near to him or something...I mean, I'm making pretty ridiculous theories, but even so, I don't think it's fair to make a judgement about him until we have all the information. Plus, I don't like talking poorly behind people's backs anyways..."

Sibeoci gave a tiny smile to top his last sentence off.

Alex came back into the hall, after resting for a while in his room. He glanced around at the Draco table, watching them suspiciously for a moment. He noticed one or two of them glance over at Sibeoci. Right. He walked over to Sibeoci and the others and smiled "You appear to have made a few new friends" he pointed over at the Dracos who quickly turned around to avoid their gaze.

"Yeah, those are some pretty ridiculous theories," Vex piped in again as he closed the small, leather encased book and swung his legs over the bench. He didn't bother explaining that one didn't just randomly cast a spell like that or that Raf too was a Draco who wouldn't attack his fellow housemate with such ferocity if at all. Or about how they already had a lot to go on about Raf and how it made no difference whether the person you were talking about was present or not.

None of it really mattered or interested him much. He wasn't there for it, he didn't care about it, and he would put it out of his mind. With five minutes left until lunch ended and the conversation seemingly going nowhere, Vex waved a quick goodbye to the friends he had been sitting with, particularly those he liked more than those who bothered him a bit, and headed off through the large dining hall door.

What was bound to be a small class for Unknown Magical Studies, both because it was a hard and often off-putting subject and because you needed to test into it, was located in a mostly obscure part of the school. It wasn't hidden in the dungeons or in the highest tower like some rooms, but it was in a corridor few ever found the need to wander through because it didn't lead anywhere...

When Vex opened the door into the empty and small classroom, he noticed that it was significantly different than most others. It was dark, adorned with strange objects and writings that he had never seen before, but stranger were the flashes and swirls of colored light that seemed to dance through the room on occasion. It was certainly not a normal presence. Deciding to simply wait and watch the light show, Vex grabbed a seat in the middle and waited. He was the only one there at the moment, partly because there were still a couple minutes until class began, but he doubted there would be many more students joining him one way or another...

After a few steps towards the large doors, Kira stopped in her tracks. What's my next class? She completely forgot to write down the schedule or memorize it fully. Cursing her own shortcoming, Kira brooded for a few moments, unsure where to go next.

~ Elario gave a nod of respect and friendliness towards Rei for her addition to his comment about sticking by Nicole.

Friends have to stay together here ...

He had eaten a little bit of food (personally, he prefered his own cooking), drank more of the pumpkin-tasting drink, and finally pushed both his plate and goblet away.

Deciding to move away from the troubling events from the last class, Elario started to talk about the future ... well, the very near future anyway.

" So, what's everyone got next? I believe I have Basic Potions ... so degrading, they make me a Fifth Year and put me in Doubled-up classes to try and catch me up. It's hard enough getting used to some of this stuff, let alone learn it ..."~

Nic smiled slightly as Rei and Elario gave their re-assurances of sticking with her, but she felt a twinge of fire burn in up in her gut at the same time. Because of Raf-or whoever, as Vex had been logically sound in his arguments-she was portraying a somewhat weak outer image, not something the daughter of a football player and soldier liked to convey to others. She was physically and mentally tough, and whoever had snuck up on her with the Stun attack had knocked that exterior down a few pegs. Though Nicole didn't show it outwardly, that behind-the-back action infuriated her-she would have barely even been offended if they did it to her face, but she had only a split-second of notice to the assault.

The proposal Rei had was intriguing-private tutoring, essentially, to improve magical skills-but once again, pride was too much a factor in Nic. As much as Rei's offer was certainly a generous one, Nic felt like she'd be almost exploiting Rei, someone who Nicole thought was one of the people who had really opened up to her in what was technically only her first year, despite being ranked a fourth-year by status and age. Nikki already had a hard kernel of magical strength within her, and the way she was able to flex her magical muscles was something different...unique to her. She liked it that way, and as much as she liked Rei, she wanted to continue her schooling under the teachers, or risk blowing up Titan house...and that wouldn't be good for the Leviathan reputation.

"I appreciate the offer, Rei," Nic said, smiling. She was sincere in that-she just thought it for the better of everybody that she continued for the moment watched by teachers. Though, she suddenly began reconsidering...she liked spending dinner out and about with all the other people, but at night she wasn't really doing anything.

"I could do it at night," Nic said, "Though dinner's never great, it's fun to be out and around with everyone. I wouldn't mind occasionally at dinner and more often at night."

As she replied, Sib was making up wierd stories about the class incident. She had seemed so confident it was Raf at first and now...what was going on?

"I don't think Raf would intentionally attack another Draco," Nic frowned, "I already know he doesn't like me-he doesn't like people who don't have the whole 'pureblood' thing, and I don't have any magical blood period..."

Sibeoci took his first bite of food at his new school. It was a rather plain sandwich that was thought upon rather poorly by the students. But to Sibeoci...it was wonderful. The very fact that it wouldn't make you gag made Sibeoci's eyes almost water. His eyes opened in shock. In a way, it was kinda sad, since it wasn't a very good sandwich. It was barely average. However, to Sibeoci, it was delightful. After taking one slow painful bite (as he was expecting far worse) he managed to cram the sandwich into his mouth in only a few bites and consume it in less than a minute.

"Oh my god, this stuff is amazing!"

He quickly decided to take five more and started gorging on them. Yes. Five more. They were disappearing off his plate extraordinarily fast. Sibeoci was never actually able to eat satisfactory food before, so he was amazed at the sandwich. He managed to quickly swallow another sandwich and reply to Rei.

"Oh...yeah...you're probably right."

He started thinking. Alright, it's fine, I'll continue to blame it on Raf. If we all think it's Raf, things will work out. The only way to fix a lie is with more lies. Yes...

He spoke after a short pause.

"I guess it makes sense. Told you my theories were ridiculous."

Sibeoci gave off a smile that nobody knew was fake except him.

~ Horrified at Sibeoci's unrefined palate, Elario could barely contain a shudder when he called the sandwhich "amazing".

Having been brought up in a country and a household where food was more than just a means of living, it was an expression of cultural appeal, creativity, traditionalism, and so on, Elario could let the event pass. Even so, he knew one thing was for certain: he had to start cooking his own food.

Elario was also taken aback by Nicole's comment as well.

" You have no magical blood whatsoever?"

Even though he himself had been called a Muddled-Blood, he couldn't help but find this curiously strange. But to Elario, it wasn't a bad strange: it was, in fact,exciting. Exhilirating, even.

" That's amazing! You can just ... do magic?"

Personal question you idiot he reflected harshly to himself as soon as the words escaped his mouth. Elario felt like hitting himself, but, to avail, he recovered quickly, adding, " I'm sorry, you don't have to answer if you don't want to, I just find that ... intriguing."

His smile dawned back over his face again.~

Nic first was taken completely by surprise by Sib's bizarre appraisal of the food. Nicole wasn't a big fan of the stuff, but she enjoyed the atmosphere of the meals in the Great Hall, which is why she kept coming down here. However, this was just wierd...Nikki didn't want to look hostile to Sib, but the strange comments Sib had kept coming up with were just getting wierder, and the habits were just as bizarre.

However, Elario's comments broke the ice that Sib seemed to have projected.

"I have potions too next..." she mentioned.

Elario started to hit up the question of her heritage-and as she figured, being one of the "genetic mistakes" was another thing of curiosity. Nic found it unique-it was something that made her different, something she could stand on-but apparently it was a downright oddity around the Magical community.

She nodded to his first question before replying: "It just came up apparently as some sort of biochemical or genetics thing with me, all my ancestors have been fully entrenched in the normal world, and it's pretty well known. Not like we're big names or anything, just the lineage can be traced through normal lines. I'm just the wierd one in the family I guess," she ended with a shrug.

~ Elario shook his head back and forth.

" Not wierd, just ... different."

He could feel sympathy for her: he really could. He knew what it was like: to be outcast, to be wierd, to be ... a freak, really. Of course, her situation was a little different, but still: growing up in what Elario had started to call the " Real World" while being a Wizard or Witch was no easy feat.

Assuringly, Elario continued,

" Different doesn't always mean bad: it just means different ... I know, trust me."

It felt good to have someone to talk to about stuff like this: almost everyone else that Elario had met had either avoided ancestry altogether or had proclaimed to be a Pure-Blood. Here, though, was Nicole: someone who, like himself, came from a Non-magical family, in a Non-magical town, and was raised like a Non-magical child ...

His eyes were open like a book: anyone who looked into those soft, jade green spheres could tell that Elario was reaching out to her, telling her with his eyes, " I know what it feels like."

There was a moment where Elario met Nicole's gaze, and held it just long enough for her to get the message. Finally, he turned away, not quickly and not rejected either.

Even though Elario had met people who he had already deemed as friends, he felt a certain closer bond with Nicole. They had lived almost the same life, they had shared probably the same moments: whereas others learned to lift things with wands and soar on broomsticks, he and this girl learned how to count to ten on their fingers, how to ride a bike ...

Before he realized it, Elario caught himself feeling a slight burning on his cheek: he had turned a slight shade of red. Embarassed, but still maintaining his confident composure, he tried to pass it off as though nothing had happened.

To the close on-watcher, though, one could see that Elario was starting to harbor feelings a little stronger than friendship towards Nicole ...~

Rei smiled "Great!" she said a bit to enthusiastically perhaps for her own good; Rei was genuinely happy; she honestly loved to cook and she liked to teach and she knew the risks especially with Nicole's magic being emotionally driven like her own. But that was a Risk Rei was more than willing to take; that was something she'd do for any of her friends that was a part of who she was. "The great hall is certainly fun but the food sucks. Vex and Elario are welcome to come too tonight for Dinner I honestly love to cook but teaching I'd rather do one on one", Rei explained and one should not the invitation was not extended to Sib.

"Maybe after you can help me with one of my pet projects" Rei said giving Nicole an option to repay the favour she suspected that Nicole was going to turn her down by changed her mind and also suspected this was a pride thing. Rei knew that well mostly because she was the same and offering Nicole a way to repay the lessons would hopefully satisfy her pride enough so that she didn't feel like she was getting charity merely hospitality.

Sib's lies were coming apart at a mile a minute though Rei didn't let on she had her own suspicions that Sib was the one responsible but she wouldn't act without proof; she smiled as Nicole explained about her power and Heritage. "Well I think its cool and being different ain't bad" she said with a beaming smile and a nod.

"I grew up in Japan to two magical parents; I was different not only because of the family business but also because my skin is slightly lighter" she said holding up her slightly pale olive hand lighter than most Asian Skin tone but more Asian than most Europeans. "So I was called the Half Witch; by my mortal school friends", she explained.

"See the family business is…well lets put it this way we offer magical services - no endless purses, love potions or other forms of entertainment. But if you need a demon slayed, a soul saved or a loved one found we're your people" she said in a tone of voice that let people know she'd had to practice that motto a lot like a mantra. She picked up on the slight blush and look Elario gave Nicole; Rei's own eyes took on a light pained look or maybe a hint of jealousy for a fraction of a second before it vanished beneath the Vail of an illusion as her eyes turned a slight shade of silvery grey the magic being active.

Sibeoci was rather surprised. These people weren't so different. His eyebrows especially rose when Rei talked about Japan and when Nicole talked about being of non-magical birth?

Sibeoci smiled.

"Hmm...well, I think I'm not the only one. Is it that strange to be of non-magical birth? I'm almost certain that I was of non-magical birth...so you're of non-magical birth to?"

Sibeoci directed his comment toward both Nicole and Elario.

Sibeoci thought about it. He wondered if he was of non-magical birth. He had always assumed so and never thought twice about it. And how could he been of magical birth? The way he grew up...no pure-blood wizard would have grown up like that. It's not possible.

Even though he thought he was of non-magical birth and he grew up in a non-magical world, he still felt a great distance between him, Elario, and Nicole. He didn't get to learn how to count to ten on his fingers. He never got a bike. Did he even really have a childhood?

His interest turned toward Rei. So she spent time in Japan to? He bitterly muttered to himself.

"Hhmmp. Family."

Sibeoci also wondered a bit more about her. He might even be...curious. He turned his head and talked to Rei.

"So...you grew up in Japan to...?"

Sibeoci did not have a Japanese name, making it obvious he was not Japanese. He did look very oriental, but that did not change anything. His English had absolutely no trace of a Japanese accent. It would be surprising to see that phrase from Sibeoci.

"Which part? City, prefecture, district, etc."

Sibeoci did not know if he should...or even could talk about his heritage. He worried about it. He thought he shouldn't tell them, but part of him wanted to tell it. He just hoped he wasn't directly inquired, because he probably would spill something, though not much, if he was asked directly.

(Bad post, but it gets me into a conversation)

Aaron was walking by Rei, Nicole, and Sibeoci when he started hearing them talk about Japan. So he approched Rei.

"You came to this school all the way from Japan? That's amazing! Anyway, I'm Aaron"

Nic just slightly smiled to Elario's musings on the subject of blood and heritage, but she saw a flash of color go to his face...she didn't know he felt like that. She gave him a quick wink, small enough to avoid the glaces of the others, if for nothing more than re-assurance. She didn't want Elario to think that she was offended or anything. He had proven to her that he was a friend and had her best intentions in her mind, unlike Raf...and didn't have the shifty personality of Sib.

Nicole was about to keep talking to Rei when Sib began making some odd statements and muttering to herself. What was up with the girl? Nic was perplexed by her antics...more and more, it seemed Sib was hiding something from all of them, and just getting into conversation to try and make things look normal on the outside. Nikki could see she was trying her best to make it look normal...but even the best liars couldn't conceal the occasional unnatural flick of the eye or strange glance then and there.

However, a student walking past took Nic's mind off of Sib.

"Hi Aaron," Nicole said brightly, "I'm Nicole. This is Elario, and Rei," she said, indicating the two. She noticeably "forgot" Sib, but didn't intend on killing the kid's retinas right off the bat.

~ Elario gave a small wave towards Aaron, and motioned for him to have a seat.

He caught Nicole's wink, and could only guess that she had noticed his slight change in skin color. Somewhat embarassed and annoyed that he had lost his composure so easily, but also happy that Nic wasn't shying away from such a display, Elario was able to slip back into normalcy in no time, letting a small grin out directed at her.

However, Elario's ears picked up on something that his mind couldn't help but be drawn to: Rei had said the words "Elario", "welcome", and "cook".

Food was a passion for him, and though his rigorous life and rather high metabolism allowed him to eat quite a bit and still maintain a fit figure, Elario tried to sample absolutely anything and everything.

" Thank you for inviting me, but if you'd rather save your energies for teaching Nicole, I'd have no problem cooking tonight ...?"

He left off on a question, waiting for a positive response from Rei so it didn't seem like he was imposing himself. Besides, Elario took pride in his cooking: any Nitalian, male or female, young or old, did so, and with gusto as well. To cook for friends is an honor, and, though he was lacking in magical ability, Elario knew he was a damn good chef.

Patiently, he waited on an answer.~

Rei Considered ignoring Sib for a moment but choose that it was unfair to be rude especially when she had no proof yet she was the one that attacked Nicole; but things were certainly getting stranger by the minute with that girl. Rei nodded "I was born in Osaka; but moved to Tokyo when I was 6 with my parents" Rei replied in a simple manor that was neither aggressive nor passive just matter of fact. In all honesty Rei wasn't a mean person but Sib creeped her out on a level that few people did; she wasn't being mean to be mean but something just wasn't right about the girl and the lies were starting to grind on Rei's nerves even though all she had was her suspicions. "your From Japan?" she asked finnally at least making an effort to be nice.

To Aaron the newcomer she smiled and nodded "Yup; born and raised" she said simply with a more cheerful tone in her voice now.

Rei turned her attention to Elario; "Its fine I love to cook" she said with a grin; "Your welcome to help though; but I give fair warning I can be kind of bossy in the kitchen its one of the few places I'm very assertive" she nodded; "But if your willing to put up with me being a bitch your welcome to help out with the cooking"

ooc what class is everyone at now?

~ Elario gave a short laugh as he waved a hand dismissively towards Rei.

" No, no, I don't mind 'putting up' with you. Truth is, my mother's the same way: Lord help anyone who went near her while she was cooking ..."

A memory of home, and then it was gone, just like the second it lasted. Still, he was pleased that Rei allowed him to join her in the kitchen: he just hoped that the old phrase of "too many cooks spoil the soup" wouldn't apply to tonight ...

" So, what do you plan on making, anyway?" Techniques, flavors, ingredients, all of these things fascinated and enthralled Elario. However, he added on, " I'm sorry, first I should warn you: my culinary experience doesn't stretch out too far from my homeland's traditions ..."~

Sibeoci smiled off sadly into the distance. Tokyo? He was partly raised in Japan, but he definitely wasn't born there. The question is...how did he get there? He could never answer that question. Tokyo brought no good memories. He didn't like the place. He hated it. He was exuberant when he got out. He couldn't not answer her question. Something inside him compelled him to just answer truthfully and just stop lying. He really hated lying, but he thought he had no choice.

"...I guess. Tokyo's a big place...I lived there as well...unsurprising we've never seen each other...it's a big place. And plus, there's no chance of you ever seeing me, I guess I kinda lived in both Kabukicho and Yoshiwara, and I doubt th-"

Sibeoci stopped himself. He knew he said too much. Everyone in Tokyo, and in most of Japan, knew what Kabukicho and Yoshiwara were. It's not POSSIBLE to live in Tokyo and not know what they were. Part of him thought he had said too much, but the other part wanted to keep...talking. The former part won out and he stayed silent. But perhaps the latter part did have an effect. He spoke completely clearly. He was somewhat shocked at what he said and clasped his right hand on his mouth.

Crap, I knew I said too much. Why the hell did I keep talking? It's because I want to tell the truth. Wait, no I don't, what the hell am I thinking? Maybe I should tell the tru- NO. Bad idea. I need to stop this. These truths are tearing apart my webs of lies. I can't allow it to continue. But perhaps I co- NO. I can't. Do I really want to kee- YES. I need to. Yes. That's it. But...there's really no way out of this one...wait...I have an idea.

Sibeoci meekly spoke up after that.

"Um...can...I help out with the cooking to? I've never um...really eat- I mean seen uh...food being cooked before...if you don't want me to get close to the food, can I just watch at least...?"

In all honesty, he did kinda want to see it. He had never really seen food being cooked, nor had he ever eaten cooked food. He was bloody good at scavenging food from wherever he could find it...but he couldn't cook. And how could you expect him to cook? His words sounded off. It didn't have that usual...flair to it. He sounded a lot more fragile, vulnerable, meek, and unsure than normal. He had always learned to want to cook, but he felt that if he asked her to teach him, he'd be flat-out rejected. Because of that, he refrained from asking it even if he really did want to. He desperately wanted Rei to just offer to teach him for reasons he couldn't explain, but he also thought it was impossible. Strange how people often desperately want things they think are impossible to have.

Suddenly, everything seemed to become much slower, as if time itself came to a near standstill. All sounds from the Great Hall, students chatting, forks clacking against plates, the sounds of foot steps emptied from the air. Kira was isolated, the only one who seemed to move normally. Her violet eyes darted from person to person, stunned at what she saw. Panic came over her as she darted for the door but a lone figure emerged, almost in a haze. The figure was drabbed in a long black dress with a hood. Delicate fingers emerged from the sleeves and pulled the hood back, revealing the face of...her mother.
"Mom!" Kira shouted instinctively, tears instantly forming around her eyes. A torrent of emotions overcame her, seeing the sight of her dead mother. Is she a ghost or is she real? Her first thought was to run straight into her arms and never let go but something held her back.
"Kira, it is I, your mother. I am very much alive, sweetie." Beatrice reassured Kira with a gentle warm smile.

Kira ran straight towards her mother but passed straight through her. Startled she turned around.
"Do not be alarmed. I cannot be her in person right now" Beatrice replied "But you will see me soon enough, child. I have for you a gift." Her mother opened up a side to the cloak and pulled out a black leather bound book.
"Is that your book?" Kira asked, eyeing it. Beatrice smiled.
"Yes, but it is yours now. I want you to take it and learn what others shun. This book will help you see both sides of magic." The phantom hand stretched out, holding a very real book. Kira stepped forward and clasped it tightly and brought it to her bosom. She was on the brink of tears.
"Hush, sweetie. It will all be better soon" and Beatrice gave one last tender smile. The ghost stepped forward and bent her head down and kissed Kira on the forehead and disappeared. A cold yet inviting feeling came over her as everything returned to normal. No one seemed to have noticed but she grasped the book protectively. She had much reading and learning to do, she knew her mother was skilled in the dark arts and this was ehr chance to make her mother proud.

Alex noticed Kira andsaw she was holding a rather large black book "You okay, Kira?" he asked, concerned. He was seeing in her emotions that Kira Blackwater would have bent over double not to let anyone see, yet here she was...on the brink of tears "I mean, are you really okay?"

OOC: The books not really that big, but no big deal. It's like a journal.

Reality snapped back and Kira turned around, feeling different. Alex stood behind her, a concerned look upon his face. Her mind stalled, searching for an excuse to give him. It wouldn't be that easy to say she saw her mother and gave her a dark magic book.
"Uh-I'm fine, Alex" she uttered, brushing a tear from under her eyes. "It's nothing, really" Kira dismissed her emotions.

He watched her try to compose herself "You sure? You look like you've seen a ghost" he noticed the book she was holding and he suddenly frowned "Where did you get that book from?" he asked cautiously, not taking his eyes off it for even one moment.

"I'm fine!" Kira raised her tone. Alex's questions began to eat away at her patience. Usually she didn't mind talking to him, Alex being one of the few people she could stand and even liked. But something was coming over her, a new feeling began to take hold...a darker feeling. He made a comment about the book, she looked down at it then back up at him. "It's nothing really, just my journal" Kira lied.

Alex knew, from the look she was giving him, that this conversation was over. He shrugged "Just wondering. What class have you got next?" He kept glancing at the book in her hands. Journal she had said? It didn't look like a journal from where he was standing. In fact, it was making him feel quite cold and shivery. Even so, Kira wasn't a little girl and he trusted she knew what she was doing with it. "Never mind" he said and walked out of the hall. He couldn't stay in the vicinity of that book any longer. It gave him the creeps.

Her fingers tapped against the black leather. The book gave her a surge of energy, she was eager to explore its' secrets and increase her knowledge and come closer to her mother. Kira sensed the uneasiness in Alex's heart but strangely, didn't care.
"I don't remember what class is next" she replied quickly.

Rafzekael was still plotting with the other Dracos. He stood up and and said, "Listen, I know what to do. When we go to Erming, I´ll show you." He stood up and walked out of the hall.

He walked past Kira, but suddenly stopped dead in his tracks. He looked at the book she was carrying and stuttered, "Where... Where did you get that?"

"Hi Aaron," Nicole said brightly, "I'm Nicole. This is Elario, and Rei," she said, indicating the two. She noticeably "forgot" Sib, but didn't intend on killing the kid's retinas right off the bat.

"Hi Nicole, Elario (he nodded to him), and Rei." Which classes do you have next?"

Then he noticed the book in the girl's hand.

He turned back to them and asked,

"Who is that and where did she get that book? She wasn't holding anything a second ago "

Rei smiled and held out her hands closing her eyes like she was imitating a swami she sniffed the air mockingly and grind…"hmmm I smell…Pasta" she said; "and Mince meat; mushrooms hmmm some garlic maybe; Some Tomato's and some Pasta Sauce and some Cheddar topping"; she grinned.

Sib spoke up and Rei gave him a glance; she really wasn't getting the fact she wasn't invited and one of Rei's pet hates was someone inviting themselves into a group they weren't invited into or welcome. Never the less Rei wasn't a mean person and went out of her way not to hurt people where she could and she picked up on the slight…fragility in sibs voice; asking to watch her cook may have been the first damn honest thing Sib had said in a very long time. Before she gave an answer however she gave a look to Nicole that said if she didn't want Sib there that Rei would flat out turn her down it was one of those looks that only a girl would really pick up on; Nicole specifically and the ball was now firmly in her court…

~ Elario could taste the aromas already, although one thing had struck him as peculiar.

Cheddar? That's a little odd to go with Pasta ... Then again, try everything and anything, right?

" Sounds like lasagne," Elario had caught on to the ingredients quickly: a little layered pasta, mix the meat, mushrooms, and garlic, some ricotta (or, in this case, a melted cheddar would probably work better), and then repeat until you filled a good-sized pan. Serves as many people as you could possibly want, and is pretty good to boot. " Or a Baked Ziti, something along a 'layered'-type dish anyhow."

Of course, these were both said in suggestive tones: Elario was not trying to be head chef, and he knew that whatever was the outcome was Rei's decision, not his, so he willingly conceited to her dominance of the kitchen ... of tonight anyhow.~

Kira watched Alex walk away and felt detached from his departure, it didn't matter to her, she had the book now. The secrets contained, the curses, the spells, the encantations held within the black leather thrilled her, causing her fingers to tingle.
"It's just my journal" Kira dismissed towards Raf.

Rei smiled; "Cheddar goes on top of the Ensemble; shredded usually and sprinkled on the top before the dish is baked; trust me its good if somewhat untraditional; its kind of like lasagne. Cook and Mix some Pasta Shells with mincemeat in a separate dish with all your other ingredients; then bottom out a dish with flat pasta; pour your mix in then another layer of Pasta. Then more mix then a top layer of Flat pasta with some chopped Tomato and shredded cheese; then leave to bake for 40 minutes" Rei explained her recipe

"It's hardly traditional Italian but its good"; She added with a smile; "Wish I had some Red Wine though but I don't think they'd let me have any of that from the kitchen", Rei said with a slight sulk. "Though if I can get some Blue Cheese and Large mushrooms I could do Cheese filled baked Mushrooms; which are really good as a side dish and feel free to add any dishes to our little Banquet I want everyone to have fun" she said with a smile letting him know she wasn't a complete dominatrix

She picked up on Aarons Question; "thats Kira; she's a bit of an ice queen; hard to get close to; we share an amicable understanding; we like each other in the loosest posable terms and we're polite but we're not what you'd call friends nor are we eneimes as for the book; Probably just something she had in her robes; Kira's a book worm" Rei explained;

She picked up on Aarons Question; "thats Kira; she's a bit of an ice queen; hard to get close to; we share an amicable understanding; we like each other in the loosest posable terms and we're polite but we're not what you'd call friends nor are we eneimes as for the book; Probably just something she had in her robes; Kira's a book worm" Rei explained;

"Okay, just wanted to know," Aaron told Rei. But he was still suspicious, "Ill just let it go," he thought.
"Yeah, I think I smell the Italian too, mmmm..... smells so good."

Alex walked over to Elario and, after a greeting to others sitting around him, asked in a quiet undertone to the group "Have you ever seen that sort of book before?" he was worried, that book gave him the creeps and he wouldn't rest until he knew what it was.

Nic stared in almost disbelief Sib's way...did she say he had never seen food cooked before? Nicole thought she'd seen that probaly before Age 1...how could the girl have not have seen food cooked? Was her family some trash-sifting homeless group searching for leftovers out of the homeless shelter? What was really behind Sib...how'd she really grown up? The last comment she'd made revealed eons more about her than Nic had thought before hand...never seen food cooked. Nikki'd have to keep more of an eye on Sib to find out more.

Nicole caught Rei's glance shortly after, the kind of eyeing as if she wanted Nic's input to Sib trying to get in on the fiesta/kitchen thing. Nic simply shrugged lightly, out of the glance of Sib's stare. It wasn't her choice, really-she was Rei's guest, and it was Rei's choice as to who did and didn't come.

Unknown Magic Studies, though sounding like a promising class with its test-in feature and mysterious topic, began slowly. No doubt in the future as they learned more and got more in depth it would become interesting, but the first day was an introduction to the class, the professor, and the topic in general - something that was very hard to discuss without much knowledge of it. In fact, it would seem impossible to discuss and learn the unknown, but the professor reassured them that the class would not be a waste of their time.

However, that's what it felt like for the hour that they sat there. It was Vex and two other students: a rather rotund, seventh-year girl from Leviathan and a rather pretty sixth-year girl from Draco. At first, when the professor had them introduce themselves, Vex thought it would be a very long year with a Titan, a Leviathan, and a Draco in the same class, but surprisingly, it was the Leviathan who was slightly colder than the Draco. In fact, the girl from Draco was actually nice and outgoing, while the girl from Leviathan was kind of cold and introverted. It certainly seemed unnatural, but being in that dazzling class talking about the topic of study put it into perspective, and maybe it actually made sense.

Anyway, when class was over, he was glad to get out of there and back to where there was more sensible noise and people - talking rather than whizzing noises, and crowds of students rather than Vex and three strangers. Exiting the hall devoid of people, he made his way through the throngs to the classroom that held his next period, Magic Theory. Having not had the chance to check with anyone else what their schedule was, he could only sit and pray that there were people he knew and liked with him class...

Kira watched Alex walk away and felt detached from his departure, it didn't matter to her, she had the book now. The secrets contained, the curses, the spells, the encantations held within the black leather thrilled her, causing her fingers to tingle.
"It's just my journal" Kira dismissed towards Raf.

Raf smiled. "You can´t fool me, I know what that is. My father has a copy of it as well. The question remains however, how did you get that book?"

Alex walked over to Elario and, after a greeting to others sitting around him, asked in a quiet undertone to the group "Have you ever seen that sort of book before?" he was worried, that book gave him the creeps and he wouldn't rest until he knew what it was.

The bell to shift classes sounded off, and as Elario grabbed his supplies to make his way towards basic potions, he gave a shrug towards Alex.

" Can't say I have, though I didn't get too good a look at it," he stated in a sorry-I-can't-be-of-help tone.

Thinking back on his first experiences with magic in his house, he added, " My father had several books like that: they're spellbooks, aren't they? I learned a few things from his, but only simple stuff, like Levo and the like."

He shrugged, stood, and placed a friendly hand on Alex's shoulder.

" If Kira won't tell you what it is, I doubt any of us might be able to squeeze it out of her. All things in due time, though: she may let you in on her little secret yet," he tacked on the last bit with an optimistic aire, though Elario knew, even from his small experience with Kira Blackwater, that there was no getting any information that she didn't want to give. Hell, it was a workout just trying to get her name!

Still, with his free period over (which he had spent in the cafeteria), it was time to make way towards Basic Potions, which Nicole had said she would also be attending. Turning towards Rei, he gave a nod of approval for her dish.

" Sounds really good, kind of like half-Latino, half-Italian. Nitalian cooking has a lot of Spanish accents, so it's something I'm actually used to. I'll see what else I can think of, and if I can I'll try and grab some ingredients along the way. We'll talk more about it later."

Finally, he gave Nicole a nudge, alerting her that it was time to leave for the next class. Elario held out a hand to help her out of her seat while he asked,

" Mind if I walk over with you? I'm still getting used to the layout of this place ..."~

Alex watched Elario walk off and sighed deeply. He was right. If it was a simple spellbook, then he was fretting over nothing. He turned and walked towards Advanced Curses, his next class, unable to shake that image from his mind 'it looked so familiar...'. He walked as he thought, trying to place that book in his mind. It wouldn't come, no matter how hard he tried to place it in his memory. He attempted to clear his mind and refocus for the difficult, but enjoyable, Adanced Curses class.

A feeling of regret came over her suddenly. she acted so cold towards Alex just for being curious, it was unnatural for her to act in such a way towards one of her few friends. Despite this, she was undeterred in her quest to learn more; however, she had more classes to attend to and one more thing...Raf. Something about him made her become more guarded and suspicious. He was a pure blood and proud of his "superior" heritage. Kira rarely dealt with him before but watched him, like all the others, from afar. She went on the defensive, evening her tone and devoiding her face of any notable expression.
"It's a journal passed down by my mother" Kira annunciated the last two words to get the point across. "It's contents are none of your business"

"It's a journal passed down by my mother" Kira annunciated the last two words to get the point across. "It's contents are none of your business"

"Thats funny. Looks like a spellbook to me, and I really doubt my father would have a copy of your journal. I know what that is, and I will find out how you got it." Rafzekael walked away, leaving his last sentence lingering in the air.

"Something like that," Vex replied casually and kindly as he looked up from the palm sized book and pulled out his schedule from an inner robe pocket. Glancing it over quickly, he noticed he had an annoying three more classes that afternoon. With eleven classes on his schedule, he would have five classes one day and then the other five the next day; the eleventh class, Advanced Curses, which he was not even sure there were any other students in, unfortunately met everyday starting tomorrow. It was probably the school's way of stressing the dangers and care necessary to learn and safely handle the class.

After lunch he had Unknown Magical Studies - one of the test-in classes - followed by Magical Theory and Restoration to cap off the day (though in the future he would have Advanced Curses after it before dinner). It would prove to be a year of work...

Upon confirming that he had at least thirty minutes before Unknown Magic began, he returned to his book and continued reading the tiny font. However, when he heard the comments about the events of Defensive Magics class, it momentarily peaked his interest and he decided to pipe in. "Don't you think you're giving him a little too much credit," Vex commented as his eyes momentarily glanced up from his thinking, wondering if anyone would challenge his thought.OOC: Advanced curese is inhabited by fourteen other students, of varying ages, who have either made it through on the entry tests or by simply VERY well in the other normal level Curses class, which is hard to get in as it is.

"Sure," Nic said with a smile, turning slightly to Elario. "Good knowing there's somebody I'm familiar with in my next class."

In truth, Potions was something Nicole was looking forward to. She was more of a practical, logical person-and Potions was something more akin to chemistry than to magic and wands. It was something that Nic felt she could achieve better at than the moderate success she'd had in her first two morning classes-even though she'd done fairly well, the incident in Defensive Magic a notorious exemption. However, what could honestly go wrong in Potions? Nikki wasn't having a bad day...it was just going a little to and fro.

She trooped down towards Potions with Elario, feeling significantly better about Potions coming up next.

[OOC: OOC thread, check it...]

Her eyes narrowed, intense with a burning desire which she held back. At this moment she felt a violent desire to do harm to Raf, anything she could do to cause him injury or harm. He was clever, like a snake. A snake best described him. She felt backed into a corner, desperate to escape and breath again.
"I'll be waiting" she threatened subtly then trudged off to her classes, sitting amoungst the students, faining interest. During those classes, only the book occupied her thoughts.

Rei cursed under her breath; she'd spend her free period talking instead of going to the library like she'd planned to she dug around in her bag for the white piece of paper that held her classes. She read off it silently; "hmm seems like I got Transfiguration next; then Magical Theory; then I'm out for the day" she said with a smile; "Nic; think you can come up about 5:30pm to 6pm ish?" Rei asked quickly, knowing they had to leave for class.

Picking up no resistance from Nicole she turned to sib; "sure I guess" she said taking that old saying about keeping friends closer and all that to heart. Rei's eye twitched almost noticeably on Elario's last words about escorting Nicole and for the first time in all of her 5 years here Rei wished she were attending a potions class. Rei felt like something had just broken inside and she knew it wouldn't be coming back and she was fighting desperately to regain her composure. "Put on your happy face and smile for the crowd"

"I got to jet guys; Classes and all that", she said her voice barely cracking as she left the group. Rei quickly walked down the hall with her knapsack on her shoulder as she entered the Girls bathroom and locked herself in a stall sitting down not bothering to undo her robes. She pulled her knees up and cried uncontrollably but softly and quietly her illusions falling away leaving behind a vulnerable young girl. It took her a few minutes to shake off her emotions. Deciding to actually use the bathroom she undid her robes and quickly went before heading out for Magical Theory class…

As Rafzekael walked towards his next class, Potions, his mind was split. The first being surprise at Kira Blackwater holding the same book his father had shown years ago, the other was how he could work this to his advantage and read that book.

There were a few ideas floating around in his mind. Cursing her, using paralysing charms, and then there was actually attempting to be nice to the girl. He had throttled that one immediatly, it would be too obvious and wouldn´t work. He walked past Alex, not even stopping to antagonise him.

At about 6:45 the Head Master had made his first appearance since the start of the school year in the Great Hall as he had been busy laying strong protective enchantments throughout the grounds to protect it from the growing danger of the world outside the protection that the school has due to the strong concentration of powerful wizards and witches which exists in the school.

~ Elario was a little nervous about going to potions: he was never rather good at combining things, but, then again, wasn't making a potion just following a recipe? He could do that, quite well actually.

The twinge of fear that had struck him vanished almost immediately once Elario thought of the class in terms that he could comprehend.

That's the trick to all this, isn't it? Think of magic in normal ways, like stuff back home.

In all honesty, Elario was actually enjoying his time at the school so far: two days in the building and he had already found a group of friends he fit in with, had displayed an uncanny familiarity with magic (some of which even he couldn't explain), and now he was walking next to the one thing in the entire world that was more intriguing to him than anything else he had ever encountered.

Elario didn't know why he was drawn to Nicole, and he didn't ask to understand it either: he had only spent a few hours with her, and she drew a smile onto his face with just a glance. He had experienced crushes before, as anyone has, but this was ... different. A better different.

He was positively beaming with a radiance surrounding him that blanketed the area in a warm, joyful feeling.

" So, it's been an interesting day, hasn't it?" he queried in a mellow voice, " Truth is, I could get used to this ..." as they made their way towards the door (just where was it anyway?) Elario stole one more look over at Nicole, " Couldn't you?"~

Ryan walked into Potions. He saw Elario and went to go sit by him. "Hi," he said.

"Interesting's a good word for it," Nic laughed. "At least Potions is less of a 'point and shoot a spell' class and more 'normal'" she said, waving with her wand. "But it's been fun for the most part so far. Still got this and Magic Theory today before things wrap up...sounds good to me."

Potions seemed to be a good deal away and through the school, as they were still walking and hadn't seemed to have found the class yet. She didn't mind it-took her mind off other things-and at least Nic was walking with a friend and not someone like Sib who just seemed to hang around for kicks and shits.

~ Swearing to God that he thought that the next door on the right (after another good few minutes of walking) was, indeed, the potions room, Elario slowed down a bit, not entirely eager to start another class.

" Magical theory, eh? I've got ... Jinxing, next, I believe."

So far, no one he talked to had even mentioned that class, so he was unsure of what to expect. He knew that Advanced Curses would be the last class for some, but, as this was Elario's (technically) first year, he would only be in the regular Curses course ... for now.

" Truth be told, I actually kinda like the ... what did you call it? 'Point and shoot a spell class'?" He gave a small laugh, trying to ease his way by the event of earlier today, knowing full well that it, at the time, wasn't really a laughing matter.

" Still, it's all fun to me too," he continued in his same, light-hearted voice. Now was a time for taking things easy: being a little lax wasn't going to hurt anyone, especially him or Nicole. " I'm just wondering what I'm going to be doing after dinner: I'm kind of a slight insomniac as of late," he shared with a mild resignation.

Mild indeed. Just admit it: you've been having horrific nightmares for the past few days, even before you came to this school, and you know damn well that they are too real to just be dreams ...~

Ryan walked out of Potions, he was done. He went to the staffroom, where he hoped to run into a teacher.

As soon as the four o'clock chimes sounded, a relatively tall woman with medium length brown hair, pulled back so it hung just below her shoulder line, entered the room and stood behind the desk. Obvious as it was, Mrs. Hoffman introduced herself and had her name magically appear on the board behind her.

Class, like many of the others that day, began slow and mostly consisted of an introduction to the course that year and the topic they would be studying as a whole. Luckily, as the drivel unraveled, it became more apparent that this class would be related in subject matter and discussion to the previous period's class, Unknown Magical Studies. While not the same thing, the two classes definitely shared a bond about the more intellectual and conceptual sides of the potentials of magic.

But soon too Magic Theory came to an end and the students filed out of the room. However, there was a different feeling to this exit. The all-coveted dinnertime at five came next and after that only one class remained for the day. Vex walked through the corridors, following the mass of people towards the dining hall...

As soon as Magical Theory concluded, Kira bolted out from behind her desk and into the hallway, past other students and into the girl's lavatory. It was empty, suiting her needs perfectly. Inside the end stall, which hugged the stone walls she locked the wooden door and sat with the book in her lap. Her fingers glided against the black lether and eagerly opened the journal. With it open, her eyes became enveloped and totally concentrated. There were a few lines on the front page which seemed very old. To understand day and night, one must experience both. That was the line written. SHe flipped the page and saw all the text, handwritten. Kira's eyes widdened as she began to dwell into the night...

"Hello?" Ryan called into the staffroom. "Hello?"

After a few minutes Kira reluctantly closed the book and tucked it into her robes. The first few pages were nothing special, but interesting enough. It spoke at first, of the justification of learning dark magic and bringing it to the knowledge of others. She eagerly agreed and thought of it a shame that it was scorn by the establishment. The book was inviting and sentamental. Kira stepped out of the lavatory, feeling different. A smile curled her lips for a second then returned to her normal stoic expression.

Alex left Potions feeling quite relaxed as he always did. Potions was not a subject that came naturally to him and he had had to work a lot on it, but now he felt more at ease within the classroom and his grades were coming up, always a good sign.

As he walked he noticed Kira coming the other way and raised a hand in greeting "Where have you been?" he asked casually "You missed Potions"

Kira froze, hearing Alex's voice behind her. I missed potions?! It hardly occured to her that potions concluded, it seems she spent more time reading that book than she originally believed. The book seemed to consume her entirely, devoting all her energies to it.
"I-I was feeling ill. Must've been lunch" Kira replied with a slight smile putting a hand over her stomach. "How was class?"

Alex looked suspicious for a moment before shrugging "Nothing much, nothing that can't be caught up on" he smiled. There was something fundementally wrong here but he couldn't put his finger on it, even so it didn't feel right here. He sighed to himself and looked at Kira again "Any more classes today?" he asked

"I don't think there are anymore classes today. Of course, I could be wrong." Kira smiled quaintly. The day seemed to drag on and she was eager to conclude. Other students flowed past them as the two stood in the corridor. It was an interesting day and the rest of the year seemed just as promising, now that she had the book.
"Uh, what are you doing later?" she asked with another fleeting smile.

Alex shrugged "A HELL of a lot of homework I'm afraid" he said sadly looking at her "It can't be avoided and I'll be roasted if it isn't done by tomorrow. Sorry" he said by way of apology and slid off. Damn! he thought why couldn't I just do the 'important' homeworks and endure the punishment? he knew the answer to the question before he'd even asked it. His father had been a great believer in home testing and there was too much of his father in him to ignore. He sighed again "Better get to it" he said to no one.

Serros was hungry like nobody's bisness he had missed breakfast and hardly had anything for lunch. So when dinner time came around he headed strait to the dining hall and ate the first thing he could find. By the time he got through his thrid prok chop he realsied there where other people in the dining hall and his maners where less than astronomical. Pulling himself back together he adressed everyone and no one at the same time "Sorry about my manners, but I've had nothing to eat all day." with that he continued to eat but now in a more civilised manner.

Composing herself and burrying her emotions wells, as usual, Kira nodded and gave a shrug and an exhausted smile. It was a demanding day, she admitted and everyone had much work to do in preperation for tomorrow.
"I have some work to do as well, Alex" Kira replied finally. For a fleeting moment, she wanted to ask Alex if he'd like to study with her but that moment quickly passed with a chill up her spin, the book demanded her attention. She fell into step with the books beat easily. "Right, see you later" Kira said, her voice drifting as she slowly turned away and walked back towards the Leviathan Dormitory for a much more private and indepth reading of her mother's journal.

Jinxing after Potions had been an alright class, but compared to the thrill (and danger) of the morning, the afternoon classes had been downright boring. Potions had some upside, but day 1 had been fairly dull. Jinxing, by its name, sounded something akin to Defensive Magic, but had, at least this first class, been notes and bookwork. Nic had her optional classes the next day, but the mandatory classes had been hot and cold. Potions clearly had potential to be good. Defensive Magic would've been excellent had everything not gone haywire. Charms and Jinxing, on the other hand, had been mostly dull.

The Leviathan common room was fairly quiet as Nic finished up what work she had left to do. Not much homework had really been assigned, and she was fast enough at finishing the like up, anyway. None of it was particularly hard, but she was still adapting to the relative lack of technology present at the school. Nicole doubted the professors would exactly like it much if she wrote out her homework in pen. She hadn't been able to smuggle in any of the pleasures from the outside world either, especially since they required electricity to run for the most part. Good luck finding that around this place.

However, she wasn't complaining. For the most part, there were good people here-the Dracos being notable exceptions, along with the few odd folks. There was one who Nikki had only seen a little of, who was also in Leviathan...Kira, was that her name? A bit anti-social from that one, absorbed in books. Books couldn't teach much-at least, that was Nic's view. You could read about how to run, or you could go out and start running-which was more effective? In Nic's mind, action, rather than simply posturizing, was a far more effective method.

Finishing her homework, Nic walked up to the dormitories, sticking her things by her bed, before coming back down to the commons of Leviathan to relax before what Rei had planned for the night came around.

~ While the afternoon classes had passed by without so much as a single disturbance (which Elario really didn't mind), only the upcoming dinner possessed Elario's thoughts. As soon as his last class before dinner let out, he had waved a friendly good-bye to Nicole, informed her he would see her at Rei's little gathering, and began to gather supplies.

Coming to the school and being unfamiliar with its cuisine, Elario had no choice but to bring a few reminders of home. One of these was a small, simple, brown paper bag containing an odd-yet-familiar-smelling substance that was as yellow as the sun on a bright day. It was gritty to the touch, and, at the moment, somewhat unpleasant to taste, but Elario knew that when prepared right, polenta was one of the most delicious things to be created.

Tucking the small bag into a pocket, he was just about to start heading to meet Rei when he felt a sharp pain in his chest. These pains were a reoccuring moment, and, until now, they were merely a nuisance. This time, it flat-out knocked the wind out of him, and Elario had to grab a nearby wall to steady himself.

Trying to regain control of his body, which tried to shut itself down whenever something like this happened, Elario was surprised at how ... brutal ... this was. Unawares of why such a thing had happened, all of a sudden Elario was even more shocked as a vision of his mother flashed before his eyes. Before he could even react to it, it was gone: just a fleeting memory from home.

As the visage vanished, so too did Elario's pain. Troubled, for he usually felt pain for unexplainable reasons when something terrible had happened, he shook it off quickly and made off to go find Rei or Nicole.~

Ryan walked down to the dining room. He immediately started to drink something red out of a flask he had, but he didn't take any food.

The good thing about the dining hall was that you could choose whatever your portions were, and for Nic, who anticipated that they would probaly eat something at Rei's party, this was a good thing. Nicole hadn't loaded up, simply gotten down to the dining hall, sat at the Leviathan table as she ate for ten minutes in small proportions, then had gotten up and left. She didn't really plan on sticking around-Leviathan house was good, but Nic was slightly regretting that she hadn't been placed in Titan with Rei and Elario. They had quickly become the group of friends, and she was split from both them. She had nothing agaisnt Leviathan; she liked being in it. However, for social nets that primarily were in a different house, it wasn't for the best.

Getting her things together back in the Leviathan commons, the quietness of the room was unnerving to Nikki. She liked being talkative and with plenty of people around-and few people were around in the Leviathan house at this time of the day and early evening, with most at dinner. At least the evening class was her off-period, so she could have plenty of time with Rei and Elario tonight. Rei and Elario were two different friends to Nicole. Rei was more of the "bff" type with Nic, it seemed, outwardly friendly, open. Elario was a bit darker, but closer to Nic it seemed to her, someone who she could really confide things with and be ok with the decision.

Leaving the thoughts behind, Nic picked up her bag-considerably lighter after off-loading various books and supplies-and headed off towards the Titan common room to meet up with Rei.

Rei's classes went by without incident with her spending time generally zoned out; the body was there but the mind and soul as it were; they were far away. Transfiguration was one of Rei's favourite classes in fact it had been one she had opted to take this year; changing something from one thing to another was her speciality after all but today she just…didn't have the heart for it. Magical Theory passed much the same way. She looked at the grand clock in the hallway; it was an aged Grandfather clock probably centuries old it chimed for dinner.

Rei filled off to her dorm room and packed away her class things; quickly changing into something more comfortable or in this case a pair of hip huggers and a Crimson red tank top. She shook off the bad emotions of the day; opening one of her cupboards that she'd enchanted to keep food fresh and cold she took out all the ingredients she'd need for dinner and headed down into the Titan common room kitchen to cook. Cooking was always relaxing for Rei; no matter what her problems and was something learned to do and love at an early age. Rei hoped one day to open a restaurant or café; nothing big or fancy just somewhere she could cook.

Her mind raced over the many thing that had happened today with Vex; her smitteness with Nicole; her pseudo Rivalry with Elario; the downright oddity of Sib and the Dreams that plagued her sleep…it had been quite a day. Rei sighed mentally she knew one of her big problems was that she forged emotional links far to quickly with other people; she looked up almost pryingly; "Why can't I just be like other people?" she asked with a sigh.

Rei knew she was different; she thought different; acted different; her preferences were difference all she wanted to be was like everybody else but she couldn't deny who she was; that wasn't her style.

Rei waved and smiled as Nicole walked in; Rei was already half done with the mixing of ingredients for the meal and so far Sib hadn't shown up; for that she was thankful

(ooc: Deepest appologise for this being late; its been a busy week; AB - "Bff"? )

Ryan went up to the Titan common room to do his homework. He saw two girls there and said, "Hello."

OOC: I started a Quidditch Thread (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=535863)

Vex followed the torrent of students into the main hall where the dining facilities had been set up for the dinner hour. However, unlike previous years, dinner would not bring a relief to his day's work; he would still have two classes everyday after dinner, plus some homework, especially from Advanced Curses, which he fully expected to have a minimum of an hour a night every night.

But for now all he had on his mind was stomach-pleasing food. Grabbing a pair of plates, he filled them to a decent level with the wide selection of food prepared for dinner. While breakfast and lunch were obviously important meals, it seemed that they always did a little more work in preparing the food for dinner, making it better, nicer, and in greater variance.

However, when he sat down at the Titan table, a quick scan around the room and at the door with his eyes revealed that none of his usual friends were about. Perhaps they are just running late...? he thought, though it was strange for all of them to be missing. It wasn't a big deal though, he still had work to do, classes to prepare for, and most importantly his schedule to figure out. While the class periods had all been worked out by the school for him, there was a great skill that some students had in figuring out when one could do their work, during which classes, and how long - it was time maximization and work minimization.

Pulling out various pieces of parchment - some with notes others with schedules and classes - he stuffed a little food into his mouth and began staring, seemingly blankly, at them all. After a few more bites he began writing with his inked quill; he'd stop, cross something out, stare blankly again, and then write some more...

It continued for about twenty minutes until - what one would have thought to be an extremely messy, cross-out filled paper - the parchment was left with a schedule of classes every week with little tags under each for the homework he was planning to do in them. Some of the time maximization came simply from being a good student in some classes, but then the "test-in classes" balanced that out. However, with eleven classes taking up forty-six of the week's forty-eight periods (leaving only two free periods for work and relaxing) and some thirty-plus hours of homework per week, time could have been very scarce this year.

Doing some quick calculations, Vex realized that if he woke up at seven in the morning, there would be about ninety-three hours of time awake per week (not including Sundays which he wished to keep completely free if at all possible). Breakfast, lunch, and dinner took up fifteen of those hours; forty-six periods of class took up another forty-six hours; and a generous five hours of homework per day took up another thirty hours. Doing the math, that would mean ninety-one hours of the ninety-three he had awake would be taken up; either he would be staying up past light's out or else he would get behind on work and also have to do some on Sunday if he wanted any free time during the week. And Lord help him if he ever got detention.

However... with his skill useful skill of time maximization and work minimization, he managed to work out sixteen hours of free time during the week, reducing ninety-one hours of scheduled time to only seventy-seven hours. Plus, he could always work during lunch and dinner to free some more time... especially if there wasn't going to be anybody with him like now.

Satisfied that he had done a good job working out all aspects of his year, Vex finished off his meal in peace and left the dining hall about fifteen minutes before the bell for his last class of the night rang...

The walk from the Leviathan commons room to the Titan one wasn't particularly far, and Nic didn't have much trouble through the halls. Being dinner time, the majority of students were still down at the dining hall, and the actual school itself was quiet and unoccupied. The quiet was somewhat comforting, yet somewhat unnerving to Nicole, but it wasn't a hamper in anyway. The suits of armor and pictures lining the hall were quiet this evening...the entire school, apart from the dining hall, seemed to be on sleep mode, and it wasn't even 6 yet.

The Titan entrance was also quiet, with no students around-better for her, Nic figured. Entrance wasn't much of a problem, and the door swung open for her. Nicole walked into the common room-slightly smaller than Leviathan's. It was cosier in a way, but less open, more of a "studious" space and something for calmer and closer relations, rather than Leviathan's larger room, fit for having a party. Both ways had their benefits, but with three people, Nic figured that Titan's room tonight would be just the fit.

Nic set her bags down on a cushion in the commons, smelling what seemed like food coming from somewhere around. Elario didn't seem to be around yet, and she guessed Rei was the one cooking. Leviathan's room didn't have much of a kitchen-more of a pantry kind of thing. Nicole could've used a fridge or a microwave...but that went under the "no electronics" thing that persevered across the school. It was a shame the whole magical world was under a technological spell that through it back a hundred or more years into the past-they could've used a lot of the spice of modern-day life and being.

Walking around the commons room, Nic finally spotted the kitchen area, enclosed and off to the side. Kind of a good set-up, and it provided privacy, she mused. Looking around the corner into the kitchen, she spotted Rei inside.

"Hi, Rei," she said cheerfully, eyes moving towards the ingredients. It looked half-done, which wasn't a problem-her evening was wide open.

AB, I don't think you can get into both the Leviathan and Titan common rooms.

"Hi," said Ryan as he read a book for Jinxes.

OOC: Technically, all you should need is the password, and apparently that's where tonight's fiesta is being held...

IC:

"Hi Ryan," Nic said as the kid she had overlooked spoke up suddenly.

She had remembered the kid's name oddly enough-surprising as she had only seen him once before right now. Another flashback popped up, and she remembered him putting up posters for something called "Quidditch" that she'd seen around. Having no idea what that was, she wanted to get in the know.

"I saw you putting up some posters about 'Quidditch'," she remarked, "Erm...what exactly is Quidditch?"

OOC: Technically, all you should need is the password, and apparently that's where tonight's fiesta is being held...

Technically according to Scand the entrances open only to members of that House.IC:

Ryan's face lit up. "It's the awesomest game in the world! It's played on broomsticks, with 7 players on each side. It's very complicated, but basically there's three hoops at the end of the pitch, which is usually very big. The hoops are up 50 feet in the air, and there's a ball called the Quaffle. Three players on each team, called Chasers, try to throw the Quaffle between one of those hoops on the enemy's side of the field. You get ten points each time you do it. A Keeper defends the posts for your team. There's also two Beaters, with bats, who bat two balls called Bludgers away. Bludgers are enchanted to chase after players and knock them off of their broom. That's 6 people. The 7th is the Seeker. He tries to catch a little ball with wings called the Golden Snitch, or the Snitch. The game is over when it's caught, and the team that gets the Snitch gets 150 points, so they almost always win."

VDB: For the sake of Sanity; just asume Rei gave her access; though I'll solidify that in the IC...

IC
"Hey!" Rei said with a grin now in a much happier mood; Cooking always cheered her up as she tried to hug Nicole without getting anything messy on her friends clothes; "I left the door open for you so you wouldn't have trouble getting in" she said happily.

Rei's mood was genuine hyperness as she was damn near bouncing around on the balls of her feet with glee; the fact Nicole actually came made her very happy a stark contrast to how she'd been in her afternoon periods. "I'm almost half done preparing this" she said as she used a Levo spell to bring something to her from across the small kitchen to her hand and poured it into the preparing dish.

The dish was already half full with Pasta, mince beef; mushrooms and Pasta bake mix; as she called it to absorb the water but not make it too dry. The fatal flaw with cooking this was getting it just right; cook it too much or put to little or to much mix in and you'll end up with a dry meal. On the opposite end you could end up swimming in it; oddly this sparked another thought in her mind; "if your not busy you want to go swimming on the weekend?" Rei asked as she filled in more ingredients in just the right proportions.

The boy; Ryan; she thought his name was; greeted them; her mouth said "Hi I'm Rei; how are you doing?" in a friendly tone. However the look said something more like 'fuck off and die before I tear out your throat with my bear hands and chop off your nuts with my kitchen knife' follow by a sweet innocent smile. "its like basket ball on broom sticks; though you wouldn't have been taught how to fly yet?" Rei asked Nicole

Foregoing a trip to the dormitory, deciding to return there after his last class of the day, Vex walked up the large stone stairwell until he reached the third floor. Restoration was taught in the first room visible once reaching the landing on the third floor. Having arrived fifteen minutes early, much earlier than usual, there was nobody in line for class or inside. Jut the same though, Vex took a seat in the back of the room next to the inner wall, so as not to be seen, and opened his book for the class: Healing Hexes, Curing Curses, and Fixes for Jinks.

Vex, like in so many other classes, was better than most at Restoration, though there was not quite the disparity between him and most as there was in the likes of Jinxing, Charms, and especially Defensive Magics. He could heal minor wounds easy and even some deeper ones, but some things were just beyond him like recreating bones or healing deadly poisons or dealing with a curse infliction.

He waited for class to begin, counting down from five hundred until the bell would ring...

Ryan backed up a couple of steps, sat down, and started to do his homework. The girl Rei was definitely creepy. He started to shake a little but managed to forget about it, ten minutes later.

bump

"Swimming sounds good," Nic said, "one thing normal to get back on track since I've been here."

As she said that, though, her mind towards more to this "Quidditch" thing. What Rei had said-"Basketball on broomsticks"-had piqued her interest. Nic had played basketball before coming to the magical world, and had been quite a good point guard, particularly on the perimeter. Basketball was always something she'd felt at home with, a natural, something to slip into and be easy with and to put away fears and stress. Basketball on a broom didn't sound bad, especially because she could associate well with sports.

"Haven't learned to fly yet," she said, "but basketball on a broom doesn't sound that bad. I mean, what everyday kid like me gets to learn to fly...and now I have that chance, coming from an everyday family that are out there in the hundreds of millions. That's something special."

The weight of Nic's own words hit her in the spiritual gut. She was just that-one in a million literally, a genetic oddity from the normal side of life, not from all the magical lineage that preserved such genetics. No, she had been a random freek of nature that had just so happened to catch the numbers right-or from something more than numbers-so that she had this opportunity. The other kids she'd known from middle school wouldn't have the chance to fly, and she would-that was something special, a gift she'd been given...something to cherish and use to make things better.

OOC: Was Ryan supposed to hear that? Cuz I could get her a broom.