"After I ran away I wandered around for a while, but I kept getting into trouble because I didn't really know how to act around people, and because I kept having to move to keep ahead of the ones my mother sent after me to catch me and bring me back. And then I met someone who had an invitation to come here and tagged along. It hasn't exactly worked out great for me so far, but it's still better than being out there."
"You only did what you knew. It's not entirely your fault, I suppose, and once you realized status quo for home isn't acceptable behavior here, I'm sure that was a good start. I guess a good question would be 'Where do I go from here?' or 'What do I want out of my time here?'
Then you make it happen. Well, not make it happen like compulsion...besides there are plenty of ways to get people to do what you'd like without magical compulsion. I'll help in any way I can, if you'd like."
"After I ran away I wandered around for a while, but I kept getting into trouble because I didn't really know how to act around people, and because I kept having to move to keep ahead of the ones my mother sent after me to catch me and bring me back. And then I met someone who had an invitation to come here and tagged along. It hasn't exactly worked out great for me so far, but it's still better than being out there.""You only did what you knew. It's not entirely your fault, I suppose, and once you realized status quo for home isn't acceptable behavior here, I'm sure that was a good start. I guess a good question would be 'Where do I go from here?' or 'What do I want out of my time here?'
Then you make it happen. Well, not make it happen like compulsion...besides there are plenty of ways to get people to do what you'd like without magical compulsion. I'll help in any way I can, if you'd like."
"There you go making excuses for me again. Stop it. I'm not that nice. This is my second year at Avalon. I spent the first one taking control of my fellow students and getting played like an idiot by someone with a grudge against someone I thought was a monster. Turns out I'm more of a monster than she is. That's a lot of time to figure out that what I was doing wasn't acceptable behavior here. All I want is to get free of my mother and the archaic system that...." she stopped trying to get her emotions under control before she could continue talking. "I'm tired of being around monsters with pretty faces. Fey are pretty enough on the outside, but the winter court is all rotten on the inside. I'm not as different as I wanted to think I was when I left."
"There you go making excuses for me again. Stop it. I'm not that nice. This is my second year at Avalon. I spent the first one taking control of my fellow students and getting played like an idiot by someone with a grudge against someone I thought was a monster. Turns out I'm more of a monster than she is. That's a lot of time to figure out that what I was doing wasn't acceptable behavior here. All I want is to get free of my mother and the archaic system that...." she stopped trying to get her emotions under control before she could continue talking. "I'm tired of being around monsters with pretty faces. Fey are pretty enough on the outside, but the winter court is all rotten on the inside. I'm not as different as I wanted to think I was when I left."
"Scorpions aren't nice when they sting things, it's just what they know, Nala. It's not making excuses."
He looks exasperated for a second...then"It's not like I'm trying to make you sound less 'bad' for my own benefit here, to justify my spending time with you. I'm probably not the nicest guy in the school, either...I didn't ask you out on a dare, or on a bet to turn you into a nice person."
"Do you know what the duties of the winter princess are, Ryuzo? If you don't I'm sure that there's a book somewhere in the library that can tell you. I was six the first time my mother decided I should fulfill those duties. I was stupid to think I could ever escape. This was a mistake. This whole thing was a mistake. Excuse me," she said standing up abruptly, turning her face away to hide the tears that wouldn't stop no matter how much she wished them to. She headed for the exit, which was a lot more difficult than she wished it were through this huge crowd.
Ryuzo doesn't let go of her hand, and instead ports them to the hall outside her room.
"I'm sorry, I just wanted you to have fun, and I pushed it too far, I think. Too much at once, I guess. I'd like to talk more, without all that noise. I don't know what pressures you are under or what your place as a princess means, but I'd sure like to hear it from you instead of from some book.
I had no expectations, other than to try to find out more about you, and see if "we"'d work.
But, if I totally blew it, I can accept defeat graciously." He smiles warmly.
"Have a good night, Nala. I hope to get a second chance sometime." he kisses her hand, bows and turns to head back to his room.
Ryuzo doesn't let go of her hand, and instead ports them to the hall outside her room.
"I'm sorry, I just wanted you to have fun, and I pushed it too far, I think. Too much at once, I guess. I'd like to talk more, without all that noise. I don't know what pressures you are under or what your place as a princess means, but I'd sure like to hear it from you instead of from some book.
I had no expectations, other than to try to find out more about you, and see if "we"'d work.
But, if I totally blew it, I can accept defeat graciously." He smiles warmly.
"Have a good night, Nala. I hope to get a second chance sometime." he kisses her hand, bows and turns to head back to his room.
"Wait!" she yelled after him. "Just...just wait. I...I'm not ready to talk about it. I don't know if I'll ever be ready to talk about it. Go read the damn book okay? What she did to me was bad enough. I will never forgive her. But what she wanted me to do....I had to run away. I had to. And then maybe I can tell you why the whole thing with EJ was so painfully ironic. But please, please don't make me relive all of that."
He turns back, looking kind of embarrased, and a little shocked.
"I..I'd never wish to cause you pain, Nala, that's not my intent. I'll head over to the library and read up on it, so I at least know what you're talking about, I guess. Least I can do, really.
I hope you realize, though, this heavily implys a second date" He smiles, slyly.
"A date with homework!" he mock exclaims, smiling.
He turns back, looking kind of embarrased, and a little shocked.
"I..I'd never wish to cause you pain, Nala, that's not my intent. I'll head over to the library and read up on it, so I at least know what you're talking about, I guess. Least I can do, really.
I hope you realize, though, this heavily implys a second date" He smiles, slyly.
"A date with homework!" he mock exclaims, smiling.
She half smiles as she wipes away tears. "Fine, I guess it won't hurt to go out with you again."
She half smiles as she wipes away tears. "Fine, I guess it won't hurt to go out with you again."
"How about lunch tomorrow, then?"
"How about lunch tomorrow, then?"
She half smiles as she wipes away tears. "Fine, I guess it won't hurt to go out with you again."
"I'm pretty sure I have an opening in my schedule," she said dryly.
"I'm pretty sure I have an opening in my schedule," she said dryly.
"Well, then pencil me in. Ok, I'll be here. See you then!"
He bows again and heads off in a good mood
Vai is surreptitiously looking around, making sure she didn't attract any untoward attention with her little stunt.
Ryuzo will head to the library to look up all he can about the winter court...
"Do things like what happened yesterday with the Tech-Zombies happen often?"
"There were tech-zombie? Never heard of those before. What were they like?"
Ryuzo will head to the library to look up all he can about the winter court...There is an old volume in the library detailing the customs of the winter court, including the ritual hunting of intruders to their territory, human sacrifice, and other pleasant things. It speaks of the knights, champions of the Winter Queen chosen from the cruelest among the mortal races. There is a single short chapter about the winter princess.
** spoiler omitted **
"There were tech-zombie? Never heard of those before. What were they like?"
Well, it appeared that some sort of technology had taken over bodies. In fact, some almost infected me. I could hear them in my head, chattering away. In any case, they were dealt with, as far as I can tell.
"I have to admit, Jim, that FAIN isn't that bad." Taron says with the required amount of not-quite-mocking inflection in his voice. "They seem to be liked."
Well, it appeared that some sort of technology had taken over bodies. In fact, some almost infected me. I could hear them in my head, chattering away. In any case, they were dealt with, as far as I can tell.
"Amazing. Technology used to animate bodies... I could see that being similar to mechanical limbs and implanted enhancements. Are there any remains left?" Curiosity gleams in Alton's eyes.
It's possible, but I wouldn't be the one to ask. Once they took control of a body, it appeared that they degraded it's biological components until it simply wouldn't hold together once the controlling aspect was destroyed. Most of the ones I fought didn't hold their shape once destroyed.
"Huh, never heard of something like that either. Wish I could have seen them. Figuring out how they are could be a big leap forward in technology, even for Avalon."
"I have to admit, Jim, that FAIN isn't that bad." Taron says with the required amount of not-quite-mocking inflection in his voice. "They seem to be liked."
"Just you wait, bro. This is only their first performance. They'll be keeping you guys on your toes from now on. Fieri's perfectionist nature won't accept anything else." ;P
"Pursuing perfection is what will keep her from keeping us on our toes, I think." Taron replies. "Still, not bad for newbies."
The music paused as they switched between songs and the silence stretched out.
"Thank you all for giving FAIN such a warm welcome for our first performance. I've made a little change to our playlist. I've been working on writing this song all week, so I hope that you like it."
There was a distinct lack of visual effects as the music started and there was something different about it, that became more apparent as Fieri started singing. This song wasn't nearly as technically perfect as the previous ones, but it had plenty of raw emotion, the kind of sound that reached out and drew the listener in.
"Pursuing perfection is what will keep her from keeping us on our toes, I think." Taron replies. "Still, not bad for newbies."
"You still don't know my girl very well," he said, amused, as she introduced the song. And then fell silent so he could enjoy the song. When she stopped worrying and really put her heart into it, it was a whole different ballgame.
Vai jumps back and stares at the dragon, dumbfounded. Holy crap, that thing is here to kill me for using my wings! Aegythrax must've sent it![/i] she thinks, but isn't running away just yet.
"That's not good." Taron forms Ammy into his pistol form and fires at the metal mockery of his kind, a burst of purple energy flying through the air to strike it's head.