Dinner after the Welcoming

[Kovach Twins]

Jalora dragged her uniformed brother into the cafeteria. "You have to eat."

"I doubt their food is any good sister..." He grumbled still fidgeting with the uniform that his sister guilted him into wearing. Of course he wore the tie loosely and looked as dishelveled as possible, without looking like a hobo at least. He made sure to wear his amulet in plain view of everyone, while Jalora liked to keep it hidden under her uniform.

Jalora looked about to try and find them seats, it wasn't until she heard a girl call out that they had seats that her eyes lit up. Juraj rolled his eyes as his sister pulled him towards the circular table. Jalora smiled to the small group and forced her brother down into a chair. She placed her hands on his shoulders as she spoke to the members of the table. "Hello, I'm Jalora and this is my brother Juraj. We're honored that you'd allow us to eat with you. Please excuse me for a moment I have to get our meals." She squeezed Juraj's shoulders a little for a warning that he had better stay put while she was gone. And just as quickly as she had introduced them Jalora was off to get into line for the food.

[Prince Adashan]

Prince turned from maintaining a watch on Grove, to greet the newcomers.

"Hello, I'm Prince. You my or may not have heard of my father, Lord Dartan Adashan. He's fairly famous in most Mage circles."

He turned just a bit more to look at Juraj.

"And my greetings to you as well. I do hope your sister explained what happened at the assembly. You missed a terrific dose of Magic. Most aren't nearly that flashy." A stray odor chose that moment to cause him to sneeze."Some exemptions do apply."

He sighed, as he leaned back in his chair, polishing his spoon to try and use it to get a look at his now crystal clear hair and eyes.

[Kovach Twins]

Juraj gave the Prince character an odd look. Never had he ever seen someone's hair color and eye color change with a simple sneeze. Just what strange people did his sister sit him down with? He sighed slightly, just thinking that perhaps if he had watched his sister closely enough this wouldn't have happened and he wouldn't have to be in a school full of weird people. Eventually Juraj just smiled slightly as politely as he could muster.

[Peony]

Peony hearing the whistle turned and looked. She saw the fairly cheerful looking girl and figured she would accept the offer. She made her way to the table and smiled at the group. "Hi, I am Peony." Carefully setting down her tray she perched in an empty chair not needing more of an invite than had already been given.

[Grove]

Grove bidded his time, poking at his dinner more than he ate it.

All he needed was a moments distraction to sneak away. He eyed the pepper shaker, but doubted that one of Prince's changes would be enough at this point.

He started muttering under his breath, doing his damndest not to get dragged into the current conversation.

A glance at Ethan, and that Juraj kid assured him that at least, he had company in his misery.

What he wouldn't give to be alone in his room right now.

[Ethan McCordy]

The wolf in Ethan was growling constantly, low and steady.

Unsettled. Restless. Edgy. It sensed the two other Weres at the table easily, and it was anything but comfortable with that knowledge. The wolf needed to dominate, to feel strong and superior, in order to feel safe. It was an animal's logic, uncomplicated and somewhat brutal in that simplicity.

And for a usually faint-hearted nerd of a boy--one who had only very recently learned to accept such fantastical things--the whole experience was more than a little freaky. He had no idea how to handle the strange, compulsory sensations any more than he knew how to stop it. The only thing he could think of was getting away, even though the wolf snarled and snapped with displeasure at the thought of acting so submissively as to run.

Aw, to hell with you, Ethan snapped back--as if the duality in him were actually a separate being and could understand him.

The thin, redheaded Scot managed to shovel down his food in record time. Though he wasn't outright rude or mean to anyone, he rebuffed any attempts at conversation, remaining quiet and withdrawn. At times with a strangely alert sort of stillness, like a wild thing that had been bitten one too many times in the past, now too shy and fearful to trust.

At the soonest opportunity he shot to his feet and beat a hasty retreat, tossing his tray into the garbage and near-flying out the door. The farther he got away from the others, the more the wolf settled down. Grumpy and displeased to be sure after such an ungracious exit, but calmer at least.

Something had to be said for that.

[Mattie Sykes]

"And there he goes," Mattie trailed, somewhat amused, as the rail-thin nerd-boy near ran from the table toward the exit. Her blue eyes danced with innocent humor rather than any real malice or sneer. "I'm surprised he stuck it out that long."

Kate seemed to slump a little in her seat for a moment as she watched Ethan dash out of the doors, and Mattie detected a definite pout to her lips for a moment or two. Causing her match-making instincts to perk up to high alert. But then the charismatic were-cougar was back to enthralling half the table with her charm once more.

Mattie herself set about finishing her dinner, laughing and taking place in the conversation when an opening arose. Careful to keep her new friend Rose from fading too far into the background.

[Prince Adashan]

If Grove still had any feelings left other than rage and anger, he'd probably thank Ethan.

As soon as all eyes had turned to watch him bolt, grove slipped from his chair, making a quick exit of his own.

He stashed his tray, the took off back to his room. He wasn't sure what he was going to do, but it had to be better than the forced Socializing. He'd be getting enough of that during classes anyway.


* * *

Prince watched Grove slip away while he pretended o watch Ethan's exit with the others.

He felt for the boy. He really did. But all this melodrama was really a bit much. You'd think he whole family had just died or something.

Well, if Grove was going to have any chance at making friends, someone was going to have to force him to quit being so moody.

But, he couldn't do it all on his own. He'd definitely need some help.

But who?

[Peony]

Peony watched everyone around her. It seemed pretty much like normal school. Everyone finding their own group to fit in with. Those who were not popular seemed to flee off. Peony wasnt sure where she stood or where she honestly cared to stand.

But she did know she wanted at least one friend so she attempted to chat up the other girls at the table. "So how old are you?" She asked of girl who commented on the boy's fleeing.

[Mattie Sykes]

Mathilda turned to smile at the girl who'd spoken, her face open and friendly without an ounce of guile. "Fifteen, going on fourty. Least that's what my mom always says."

Though participating in the conversation, a part of Mattie was always watchful, her gaze traveling through the press of students. She couldn't put her finger on it, but for some reason she felt . . . anticipation in the air. A charged energy. As if something were about to happen. A slight smirk pulled at her mouth.

Maybe a food fight? she thought with an inward giggle. Now I bet that would be something to see. I wonder what a food fight would be like in a cafeteria full of magical people? Or how the adults would stop it . . . .

Always too curious for her own good, Mattie turned that idea around and around in her head, an amusedly mischievous gleam lighting her bright blue eyes.

[Peony]

Peony smiled at the girl. "I am as well. I am Peony, what is your name?"

Peony mostly picked at her food. She smiled to the other people at the table but kept her attention mostly on one who seemed most open to talking. Peony made the effort to seem interested but she was forcing it. It wasn't anything against the girl. It was just peony had been in her own bubble for so long it was hard to come out of it.

[Headmistress Briarthorn]

When Briarthorn and Michael entered the cafeteria, Michael, thankfully, was in mortal form. Which was like his normal form, except without the wings, armor, or sword. He appeared a boy of about sixteen or seventeen, dressed in a school uniform.

"That's her, then. Sitting with a group of other abominations..." He tensed. "That feral vampire has spawned more of her degenerate brood?"

"Her name is Gabrielle. You would do well to remember that these 'abominations' are still people, even if they aren't human anymore." Briar replied warningly. Michael ignored her.

"...Not a trace of corruption. Of course, I will be watching for corruption over my time her as her observer." The angel stated.

Briarthorn blinked, turned to him, and said, "What."

"I must make sure she does not become corrupted by her own power, naturally." Michael said.

Briar started to say something, stopped, seemed to grow increasingly irritated, and then replied, "You are not staying here."

Michael rolled his eyes. "Of course I am. Someone needs to make sure the Nephil does not get into trouble and I am the best candidate for the job."

The Headmistress sighed, defeated. "While you are here, you follow my rules. Do you understand? You also remain in mortal form unless there is an actual emergency. And make certain it is an emergency. No smiting the students."

"...Very well. You have your deal. ...must I attend class?" He asked hesitantly.

"Only if you want to keep an eye on Rose in it."

"...touche, abomination. Touche."

[Mattie Sykes]

With a start, Mattie realized that this girl hadn't been present when she'd given her introductions and laughed somewhat apologeticaly.

"Pleased to meet ya, Peony. My name's Mathilda Sykes, but everybody calls me Mattie." She turned more fully in Peony's direction, eyes skittering along the crowd behind her once again. Man, it almost felt like the calm before the storm in here . . . "I dunno why my mom decided to name me such an antiquated mouthful, the rest of the family have normal twentieth century names---,"

As soon as her gaze fell on him, her throat closed up with a snap, all talking--and even breathing for a moment--ceased. Mattie's eyes slowly widened to their limits, expression slack with shock. And wonder.

"Oh . . . wowsers," she breathed, almost pained.

Headmistress Briarthorn stood in the entrace to the cafeteria now, but the tall and elegant woman wasn't whom had garnered young Mathilda's complete and undivided attention. Rather it was the young man standing just to the side of her. Tall, lean, he looked perhaps a few years older than her if just from the straight-backed bearing of his stance. The skin beneath his green and red uniform was a flawless milk-white, his hair the same without even a hint of yellow. And even from this distance Mattie could tell that his sharp eyes were actually a dull, garnet red in color.

And he was . . . beautiful.

There just wasn't any other way for Mattie to describe it. And while she stared her fill, that charged energy that she'd felt gathering seemed to crackle and release like an arc of lightening, making her gasp aloud. If her reaction caught the others' attention, she didn't notice, still too enthralled by the pale-skinned teen to notice.

Normally talkative and irrepressibly sociable, Mattie might have bounded out of her chair to meet this mysteriously enthralling boy . . . and yet, in staring at him, the girl was struck with a powerful and uncharacteristic streak of shy uncertainty. So instead of getting to her feet she stayed right where she was, and when those garnet red eyes swung in their direction the girl hunched down with a tiny gasp, feeling her face heat to uncomfortable levels.

Lord, had he noticed she was gawking like an idiot? If so, she was going to die on the spot from mortification.

[Peony]

Peony smiled and opened her mouth to reply to Mattie as she followed her gaze. Peony saw the headmistress and the beautiful young man next to her. Peony blushed instantly and turned away. She hated boy's and not because they did anything wrong but because her reaction to them just frustrated her. She hated all these changes she was going through.

Wasn't it enough to see dead people? Why did she have to go through this weirdness with boy's as well. Peony picked at her food some more and let the conversation drop. Mattie's attention now elsewhere and Peony trying not to look her food suddenly became horribly interesting as Peony stared at it and nothing else.

[Prince Adashan]

Prince had been paying attention to the conversations around him with half an ear while he mulled over the Grove problem.

It was certainly going to be a challenging task. And oh, how he loved challenges.

The abrupt end to Mattie and Peony's conversation caused him to pay more attention. When he saw her suddenly look away from something, then start blushing, he quickly glanced over.

He was outraged immediately. Why, the stranger with Briar was almost unearthly beautiful. It just wasn't fair. Now he had actual competition!

At that moment, his nose decided to twitch just to frustrate him, and he sneezed.

He sighed dejectedly as his hair and eyes turned the darkest shade of black he'd ever seen before. It was so dark, he almost thought it was actually absorbing the light around it.

Life was so unfair.