Fieri looks askance at Yu. "Are you even....do you even have a dad? Or are yo u like some sort of sentient machine or something? Because that gobbledygook that you were speaking before sounds like something I'd hear in the mechanics lab......not that there's anything wrong with being a sentient machine, sorry Jim, didn't mean to imply that. If you are, then Jim's the guy to talk to. Since he is one. And....have you tried looking up social conventions in the library? I know plenty of students who were used to being alone all the time that needed a little help with figuring out how social stuff works. It's just...walking up to people and being overly familiar....asking how their powers work and stuff....that's likely to anger someone at some point."
Dylen's eyes widen at Fieri's frank tone and honest assessment of Yu's presentation of himself, though she was still polite Dylen looks anxiously at Yu to see if he is offended, worried there might be a confrontation.
Yu's eyebrows shoot up, but he does not appear to be upset. "Ah. I apologize. I am sorry. There is...machine in me, you have guessed correctly! I do not wish to cause to anger. I can be silent if you wish. I have so much to learn." He nods deferentially to Fieri, and promptly clams up, though he continues to smile at anyone who looks his way, including passersby. A couple of younger kids walk by and are obviously creeped out by this.
*sighs in relief*
The Angel moves through the halls of the Academy with a liquid grace seldom seen in the natural world. An easy smile lights his face as he memorizes the layout of every corridor and room he passes though, his keen intellect absorbing every minute detail and analyzing it for all possible future advantage
He stands over seven feet tall, his figure statuesque, his form perfect. His features have a precise symmetry and glorious proportion that no mortal face could ever hope to match and his beauty is such that no human artist could ever conceive of it, even in their wildest fantasies, for the mortal imagination is incapable of painting a picture so pure. Golden hair pours down his back all the way to his waist and frames his face like a divine halo. It has a color and a life that only his emerald eyes, of all the gorgeous things in the world, can match. He appears mostly human in form, his flesh hard and bronze with the single exception of the glorious ivory wings erupting from his back. As he moves they frame his figure like an animate cloak, one seemingly designed for the duel purposes of protection and balance.
When one lays eyes upon him one realizes the truth: He is not a man of exquisite beauty, he is exquisite beauty bound in the form of a man.
Finally reaching the end of his journey he approaches the Headmaster’s office and raps once upon the door.
The door opens and the Headmaster gestures for Roland to come in a take a seat.
"Well, if you are here to enroll, you'd be the second one today. I am Headmaster Antairus. What is your name and how may I help you?"
The door opens and the Headmaster gestures for Roland to come in a take a seat.
"Well, if you are here to enroll, you'd be the second one today. I am Headmaster Antairus. What is your name and how may I help you?"
His wings folding over him like a cape Roland enters the room and turns around the chair in front of the Headmaster’s desk before sitting down. Crossing his arms over the back of the chair he gives the Headmaster a soft, welcoming smile, as though the Headmaster were an honored guest being invited into the Angels home, as opposed to the authority figure that must be petitioned for entrance into the esteemed Avalon Academy.
“Greetings Headmaster Antairus.” The Angel says, speaking in a voice so melodious the words seem a soul wrenching song building in crescendo to an apogee of lyrical enlightenment rather than the crude artifice of harsh animal barks that embody the speech of mortal man. “My name is Roland Agape, and I am here seeking entrance into your school.”
"That can be arranged. May I ask why you want into the school? Most come here to get powers and abilities under control. A few even seek sanctuary from people who would harm them because of their differences."
"Hmmm. How about you just watch how we interact for a bit. You don't have to be silent. I do think, however, that letting Jim check you over might not be a bad idea."
"That can be arranged. May I ask why you want into the school? Most come here to get powers and abilities under control. A few even seek sanctuary from people who would harm them because of their differences."
An expression of thunderous anger crosses the Angel’s face and he stands, turning to face the wall and staring at it like it were a window, one through which he can see the past and the events that enrage him so.
“I have been everywhere in this multiverse!” He declares with an orators’ volume. “From the Heights of the Heavens to the Depths of the Hells! From the formless Chaos of Limbo to the Perfect Order of Mechanus! I have traveled through depthless oceans to cities of diamond, through worlds where bliss falls like rain and into black realms where your nightmares are more real than you are! I have done this because I am searching for something…something simple, something precious.”
He turns his gaze towards the Headmaster, his eyes burning with emerald fire.
“Wisdom.”
He looks away once more.
“I speak not of the lore of ancient dragons or the mutterings of visionary oracles, but of a simple wisdom, a common sense, that I have found lacking no matter where I turn. This multiverse is saturated by power, beings with reality altering might stride its many worlds and create, clash, and destroy. Everywhere there is strength, but as equally omnipresent is the pettiness that binds that strength into uselessness, Good fights Evil, Law fights Chaos, Dragons are set at each others throats. The power to accomplish nearly any task imaginable is within the grasp of innumerable beings yet each of them has the exact same pointless, fruitless obsession: Ascendancy for themselves and their faction!”
His anger seems to drain away and his eyes fill with a deep melancholy.
“You don’t know how crushing it was for me to find out that the Gods themselves are often motivated by nothing more than the same base drives that fill the vermin crawling through the trash on a million worlds.”
The Angel bows his head and closes his eyes.
“I live in a world of strength but no meaning...I was at my wits end, ready to retreat completely from a world I had become disgusted with… but then…”
He opens his eyes and looks sideways at the Headmaster.
“I heard of a school, hidden away on a world I had never before been to, where the rules of common sense held sway. A place where beings of all different origins and powers learned to work together and truly better themselves. A place where the obvious logic of overcoming the differences you have with your neighbors and combining your efforts to build something greater than any one of you can individually achieve is not only understood, it is put into practice! In this fantastical realm who you are counts for more than what you are.”
“I knew then that I must see it for myself!” The Angel shouts, making a horizontal cutting motion with his hand that turns his body towards the Headmaster as his wings unfurl behind him to fill up much of the room in a wall of shimmering ivory feathers.
“That is why I wish to join your school Headmaster, because this is, and has always been, the place that I belong!” The Angel declares, looking Ryo dead in the eye.
"Elegant." The Headmaster says simply. "Rather dramatic as well. Well, what are your interests then? Philosophy and Meditation may help you find what you want."
"Elegant." The Headmaster says simply. "Rather dramatic as well. Well, what are your interests then? Philosophy and Meditation may help you find what you want."
As his passion bleeds away the Angel adopts a self deprecating half-smile as he sees what little effect he has had on the Headmaster.
“That would be excellent.” He replies in his sing-song voice, sitting back down. “My mother often commented that my sorcerous abilities should be much more advanced by now than they are but I have never put a lot of effort into strengthening them, I think now might be a good time to start, can you help me with that?” The Angel asks, the strange, lyrical twist of his speech making it sound like he is rhyming every other word he speaks.
"We can start you in Basic Arcana and Mathemagics. Since you are new here, History of Agartha is also a required class, as well as P.E. Basic to start with and Advanced if that isn't enough. Sound like a good idea?"
"We can start you in Basic Arcana and Mathemagics. Since you are new here, History of Agartha is also a required class, as well as P.E. Basic to start with and Advanced if that isn't enough. Sound like a good idea?"
"Whatever you think is best, Headmaster." The Angel replies.
Roland flashes Ryo a winning smile that displays teeth so white they are almost luminescent.
"I think it is best to get the student's opinion before I place them in a class, no matter how bright their smile is."
"I think it is best to get the student's opinion before I place them in a class, no matter how bright their smile is."
The Angel laughs, a fey sound reminiscent of silver bells rung on the holidays, both in tone and in the joy it conveys.
Roland makes a rolling gesture with his left hand that ends with his palm open and facing up, signifying ‘Ok, you got me, I just can’t get one past you.’
“Honestly, Headmaster, that sounds good.” He says.
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"Very well then." He says as he hands over a scroll. "I'll finalize the schedule and have it in your room by morning. That scroll is a map of the school. If you get lost you can also touch the walls and state your destination; Arrows will appear on the wall for you to follow. I've taking the liberty of getting you a room by yourself for now, and it's marked on the map. Have you any questions, Mr. Agape?"
"Very well then." He says as he hands over a scroll. "I'll finalize the schedule and have it in your room by morning. That scroll is a map of the school. If you get lost you can also touch the walls and state your destination; Arrows will appear on the wall for you to follow. I've taking the liberty of getting you a room by yourself for now, and it's marked on the map. Have you any questions, Mr. Agape?"
“None at all Headmaster! And I would just like to say: I think that this is the start of a beautiful mentor/pupil relationship, don’t you think?” Roland replies, as he stands and offers his hand to the Headmaster for a shake.
The Angel has a mischievous grin on his face that wouldn’t be out of place on something coming from a far lower plane than the one he hails from.
"Perhaps." Ryo responds as he uses his mechanical hand to shake Roland's. "I should also mention the wards that prevent you from causing harm to your fellow students and vice versa. And the smile does not worry me. Ask around about a student named Jiminy Sunwake and see what kind of stories you're told."
"Perhaps." Ryo responds as he uses his mechanical hand to shake Roland's. "I should also mention the wards that prevent you from causing harm to your fellow students and vice versa. And the smile does not worry me. Ask around about a student named Jiminy Sunwake and see what kind of stories you're told."
A thoughtful look crosses the Angel’s face, unrelated to the Headmaster’s dire warning(although he hears and listens to that too.)
“What I was saying earlier about really wanting to be here, I wasn’t putting you on Headmaster, I do think this place truly is unique in the multiverse. Thank you for having me.” Roland confesses sincerely, and for a moment his dynamic radiance itself seems to mellow, as if to emphasize his seriousness.
"There is far more about this world that makes it unique than this school, but thank you nonetheless. I hope you enjoy your stay here." The Headmaster gets a thoughtful look as well, then smiles slightly. "Perhaps tone down the whole radiance and perfection thing a bit, if you can.. There is enough distraction with one paragon among the students as it is."
"There is far more about this world that makes it unique than this school, but thank you nonetheless. I hope you enjoy your stay here." The Headmaster gets a thoughtful look as well, then smiles slightly. "Perhaps tone down the whole radiance and perfection thing a bit, if you can.. There is enough distraction with one paragon among the students as it is."
The Angel nods in acknowledgement. “I will try Headmaster, but honestly every time I’ve tried to hide my light under a bushel in my life that bushel has just caught on fire and made an even bigger light. But I promise to try my best.”
"Well, I'm not sure if it will matter after a few more days." The Headmaster replies mysteriously. "Dinner is still going if you'd like a bite to eat and to introduce yourself to fellow students."
Roland cocks his head to the side as he considers the Headmaster’s strange comment. He mentally files it away for future reference than moves on.
“Yes, I don’t really have to eat, biologically, but man do I like to. I will do that.”
The Angel waves goodbye to the headmaster than starts off for the cafeteria.
After arriving at the cafeteria and piling a huge amount of food onto his tray as well as grabbing several drinks Roland approaches where his fellow students are sitting.
"Hey, what's going on everyone?" He inquires over his giant mound of food stuffs. "Mind if I have a seat?"
"Ummm....hi. Nice wings. This is gonna sound kinda out of the blue, but do you sing? It's just, you have amazing tonal quality to your voice and..."
"Right. First things first. Hi. I'm Fieri Sunwake. You're new. There's no way I would have missed that voice. It's really unique."
"Ummm....hi. Nice wings. This is gonna sound kinda out of the blue, but do you sing? It's just, you have amazing tonal quality to your voice and..."
"Right. First things first. Hi. I'm Fieri Sunwake. You're new. There's no way I would have missed that voice. It's really unique."
Roland sets down his tray on the table than offers his hand to Fieri.
“Hi there! I’m Roland Agape. Pleased to meet you, Fieri!” The Angel says with genuine warmth as he smiles at her.
He gives a once over look, up and down, and his smile widens.
“Very pleased to meet you! Yes, I happen to be an amazing singer, or so I am told, thank you for complimenting my voice!”
As Roland approaches the table, he finds himself being watched rather warily by a creature that seems, at first glance, to be a quasit. There are, however, several notable differences. He is nearly twice the size of any quasit, and his coloration is all wrong. Instead of greens and blacks, his skin is all in shades of blue with a silvery sheen to it, and instead of black horns, claws, and teeth, this creature seems to have mithril horns, claws, and teeth. And perhaps the most noticeable of all, instead of faintly glowing red eyes, his pure silver orbs glow with a faint silvery light that seems a little more intense when his gaze turns to you.
As Roland sits, the strange quasit nods to him, but does not speak.
Yu smiles at Roland as he approaches and sits, but says nothing. He continues to sit and not drink his water.
"Awesome! So what kind of music do you like? I prefer rock music the most, but I've studied a little bit of everything. I have a band. We're called FAIN. You're welcome to sit in on a rehearsal sometime."
"Oh, yeah, introductions. Well, a lot of the folks at this table are new here too. Dylen and Tamara and Maru and Gareth and Shara and I'm probably missing someone. And that's Yu and Jim Rivets.And Phaezeriel. And this is Krays."
“Feel free to relax friends.” Roland says, addressing the table in his warm, sonorous voice. “I’ll be upfront about it, I am an Angel, but I don’t have any of the baggage you may normally associate with that, you’ll get no grief from me, I promise.”
Yu arches one perfectly-plucked, elegant eyebrow, and makes a face like he's impressed, but remains quiet.
"Awesome! So what kind of music do you like? I prefer rock music the most, but I've studied a little bit of everything. I have a band. We're called FAIN. You're welcome to sit in on a rehearsal sometime."
"I love all types of music, if it's a good song, I'll listen to it and I will sit in every time you rehearse if you'll let me." Roland says, winking. "There is nothing cooler than being in a band!"
"I love all types of music, if it's a good song, I'll listen to it and I will sit in every time you rehearse if you'll let me." Roland says, winking. "There is nothing cooler than being in a band!""Awesome! So what kind of music do you like? I prefer rock music the most, but I've studied a little bit of everything. I have a band. We're called FAIN. You're welcome to sit in on a rehearsal sometime."
She grinned broadly. "Exactly! Well, I look forward to seeing you there then."
She picked up the bag of charcoal briquets and started munching again.
Staggers back into the cafeteria and plops down on the seat next to Krays, leaning her head against his shoulder.
"We have more new people. Hi, new people," she said half-heartedly, feeling drained after throwing up her dinner. "Krays, love, what are the chances you have that anti-nausea medicine on you?"
"As far as introductions go you all are my new classmates now, we are going to be spending a lot of time together so I would like it if we all became actual, real friends. Whenever any of you would like to talk to me just approach me and we will have ourselves a conversation and hopefully really get to know each other. My door, as it were, is always open." Roland pauses for a moment. "Er, unless I am with a girl, than please leave us alone."
Dylen, who had been staring dumbfounded at Roland's physical perfection, manages to break his gaze away long enough to look at Ephebe.
"Are, are you alright?" He asks, genuinely concerned.
She grinned broadly. "Exactly! Well, I look forward to seeing you there then."
"Oh, I wouldn't miss it for anything." Roland says sincerely.
Dylen, who had been staring dumbfounded at Roland's physical perfection, manages to break his gaze away long enough to look at Ephebe.
"Are, are you alright?" He asks, genuinely concerned.
She smiled weakly. "Yeah, I'm okay, thanks. It's a cruel irony that they call it morning sickness since it certainly doesn't confine itself to that portion of the day. But sadly I'm getting used to it."
"I'm getting restless."
"Center yourself."
"..."
"...I cannnn't! I need to do something!"
She smiled weakly. "Yeah, I'm okay, thanks. It's a cruel irony that they call it morning sickness since it certainly doesn't confine itself to that portion of the day. But sadly I'm getting used to it."
Dylen doesn’t seem to know what to say in response so he reaches up and pats Ephebe on the shoulder in a comforting gesture instead.
Yu watches the exchange between Ephebe, Krays, and Dylen with great interest and focus.
"Why, of course I do..." he says handing the precious decanter to his mate.
"Nice to meet you Roland."
Vai leads them both in awkward silence to the classroom they share for lunchtime training.
Fei enters the training chamber, the stark reminders of his condition (to his mind, at least) etched onto every wall. It does not seem the best place to have a conversation of this nature, but his judgment this evening is also not at its best, so he silently accepts this truth and continues.
Once there, Vai has several false starts before saying: "I'm sorry I put you in a position like this Fei. If... if you don't reciprocate, we can just pretend this never happened..."
The young monk listens carefully to Vai's words, his form still except for the occasional slow, rhythmic breath.
"I....do not understand why you should apologize for anything. You have committed no transgression that would warrant one - it would seem that Ephebe has done so, but not you, Vai..."
"Juco." Tamara adds when the firebird mentions she's probably forgot someone.
"Anti-nausea medicine? That sounds like one of the most useful things an expectant mother can have!" She says with a smile. "That, and whatever their c raving at the moment."