Settled In

[Anastasia Noldavir]

Ana didn't allow herself to wander around too much before she found her room in the female dorms. The tall girl passed by more than one teen along the way wearing a silver and ruby amulet, similar to her own. She tried to tell herself that there was nothing wrong with them, or herself, but the recent trauma she'd experienced was louder for the moment. Thus the girl had bowed her head and hurried past, praying no one attempted to talk to her. She just wasn't ready to try and socialize with anyone right now.

The teen finally found the door that had her name on it. She discovered with a somewhat sinking sensation that her name was not the only one there. 'Gabrielle Fortunada' would also be using this room it seemed. Anastasia allowed herself to droop slightly with that for a moment before she shrugged and entered the room, closing the door behind her.

Her roommate must have an extremely light touch, or not at the school yet, because the dorm room looked empty and un-lived in. Ana double-checked the small dressers but both of them were empty. The pale girl finally just chose a side and began putting her things away. She hesitated as she pulled out a framed picture of her parents. The young vampire sighed somewhat forlornly, her long nails tracing her mother and father's faces until her eyes watered and she couldn't see it clearly anymore. Finally she forced herself to set it down and move on.

Ana lifted the books she'd been given and stared at them for a moment before she set them aside, promising herself she'd look at them later. But not right now. For now she got dressed in a pair of comfortable draw-string pajama pants and a spaghetti-strap top, and then laid down in the bed. She hadn't slept well in nearly four days, and suddenly the girl was feeling absolutely drained and exhausted.

Despite this, Ana lay awake for quite some time, staring at the wall of her unfamiliar room and wondering where her life was going to take her next.

[Headmistress Briarthorn]

Several hours later, a latin teen, around Ana's age, walked into the room with a pair of suitcases. She was fairly pretty despite her unhealthy palor, but what stood out the most about her were her solid black eyes, sharp teeth, and longer than normal, pointed nails. Her hair was dark brown, and cut so short it almost looked like a boy's.

"Oh, hello. My name is Gabrielle Fortunada. I am your room mate." She said in moderately accented English.

The expression on Ana's face was both startled and unnerved.

"I am sorry if my appearance upsets you." She said calmly. "But I mean you no harm. I can look into new room if it is an issue. My...perhaps mother is the term...is a teacher here. Talon is her name. Perhaps I can look into a different room."

[Anastasia Noldavir]

Ana felt her face heat a little with embarrassment, not having meant to be so overtly rude. The last thing she wanted was to make an enemy her very first day. Let alone an enemy of the daughter to the creature who had saved her--not to mention one that was, as far as Ana's paltry skills were concerened at the moment, near god-like in power.

The pale teen sat up from her bed, long hair curtaining her narrow shoulders. "N-no please," she called, her voice ringing with it's melodic accent. "That . . . that is not necessary. I was only . . . I don't mean to stare," she finally finished somewhat lamely.

The attractive girl barely bat an eyelash, merely came forward and moved over to the other side of the room. Despite the face that she was still feeling rather exhausted, Ana didn't feel as though she was going to be able to sleep. At least not right now. Somewhat uncomfortable in the heavy silence, the blond girl fidgeted with her amulet for a moment before she sat up a little more and reached for one of the manuals she was supposed to read before tomorrow. All the while she kept one eye on her new roommate, half in uneasiness, half in curious wonder.

I wonder how she got to be like this? Ana thought to herself, thumbing through the pages without really reading them. She mentioned that Talon was her mother, but Talon is Asian, not Latin. Does that mean that Talon was the one that turned her? She didn't seem like the type to force that on someone. I wonder if she wanted to become like this? Why would anyone want to do that?

This and many other questions chased themselves around her head for several minutes more, while Gabrielle kept to herself and got herself settled as quickly and silently as possible.

[Headmistress Briarthorn]

When Gabby was finished settling herself in and after she had been reading for a while, she turned to Anastasia and said, "I am getting a bit hungry. Would you like to come with me to the cafeteria?"

Ana gave her a confused look. "But I thought we don't eat food anymore."

Gabby nodded. "Yes, but I believe they have some blood there for us as well. Probably a few different varieties. I would stick with pig, though. It tends to go down easier than cow or chicken blood."

At that she looked embarrassed and uncomfortable. "I'm not sure I could...eat in front of people."

The black-eyed vampire gave her a slight smile and put her hand on Ana's shoulder. "Do not worry. I doubt we will be the only ones drinking blood there. We are not the only vampires in the school."

Ana gave her a small, somewhat sheepish smile. "A-ah, thank you for explaining. U-umm...I suppose I should get dressed, then."

"I will read while you do so." Gabby replied.

She opened the rulebook and continued to read while Ana threw on her uniform. Then the two vampires made their way to the cafeteria.