//Closed//March Registration

Another month, another batch of students and teachers. With the way people came and went, Gunnar sometimes wondered if the University should just install a revolving door. Heck, some people might not even stay long enough to escape out of the spinning door. Once again, the young man in charge of Registration was missing, so it was up to Gunnar to fill in for the truant. Unlike the last time, the ex-ranch hand had expected the task, so it wasn't interrupting a nap.

The metal of the door handle scraped across his calloused fingertips as he turned and opened it. His other hand,groping at the wall, proceeded him into the room and flicked on the lights to banish the darkness. As the fluorescent lights burned the shadows with their glow until the darkness creeping into crevices and alcoves scattered about the room, the gunslinger glanced into each visible recess. In Caislin Hallows, it was hard to tell what might be lurking anywhere, regardless of the space or light. Gunnar's hand dipped from the switch to the holstered revolver at his side, ready for anything, as he finally stepped into the Registration Office.

The dull thud of his boots carried him across the room, over stone and carpet, until finally he was behind the desk for Registration. Just as neat as when he'd left them about a month ago, was a stack of registration forms on clipboards--for both students and teachers-- resting on the counter top. There wasn't a whole lot of explanation required, more of that he just had to point them to the forms and answer any questions they might have. Judging by the last month, Gunnar figured he was in for a long, slow day.

When Neihem tapped on the door, he found that it was not latched closed and swung open at his touch. He stepped into the office and regarded the much younger - yet grizzle beyond his years - human sitting behind the registration desk.

"Mr.... Sigmund, is it?" he ventured. He had heard much of this human cowboy's tales from the farming family who had pointed him to the school. They had held him in very high regard. Neihem's voice must have sounded very alien to the human, for he started when spoken to. "I believe you were expecting a new teacher today," he said with a smile. "I wanted to discuss quarters and classroom locations. On my way through your beautiful castle, I was drawn toward a particular garden that appears not to be in use. The one with the greenhouse? I do not wish to impose if this particular location is taken, and I do not require use of the greenhouse; as a satyr, I'm sure you're aware that all of nature is my greenhouse," another smile, this one a tad self-satisfied. "All I would ask for is wherever the foliage is the thickest, for bright light does disturb these old eyes." The childish twinkle in those eyes said that they weren't as old as he claimed. The air Gunnar sensed from this satyr was one of mirth and joviality, not the typical satyr contempt and cruel humor. Yet there was still something held back, withdrawn, that he would not show. Those eyes masked much.

He withdrew a beautifully carved wooden flask out of his satchel. The leaves and small branches covering it seemed to rustle in an autumn wind as he uncorked it and took a small draw. Heaven in a bottle. "You'll have to excuse me, as my manners will take some time to adjust, as I have been traveling alone for many years with little contact other than my good friend Ashuur." He gestured to the small black gryphon that had just prowled around the doorframe and wound itself around his legs. With a mighty push from its hindquarters, it launched itself upward and alighted on his shoulder. "Would you like some wine? I came across a family with a fine vineyard on my way here. Their daughter had taken ill and I nursed her back to health. As a sign of their gratitude, they bestowed upon me some of their vintage. My, but it does help to dampen the fire of old wounds, both mental and physical." As he chuckled at his own wit, the larger sack he carried over his shoulder clinked with the sound of glass bottles.

The clip-clop of hooves on stone roused the ex-ranch hand from his doze. Straightening in his seat, he glanced around the office and then focused his perpetually half-squinted eyes on the door. “If one of them students are playin’ a prank, I’ll have their hide,” grumbled Gunnar beneath his breath when the hoofbeats halted in front of the door. By the time the portal swung open, he was halfway to his feet. Instead of the long face of an equine though, it was the horned visage of a satyr that greeted him. It was enough to startle even Gunnar, causing him to slump back down into the chair so that the wood groaned in protest to the sudden weight.

“Yes,” he answered after clearing his throat. The gruff sound of his own voice reassured him that he was in fact awake, that the creature before him of myth was not just conjured up by a weary mind. As the satyr launched into his request for the greenhouse and explanation of said request, Gunnar looked up at the creature from his place behind the desk from beneath bushy eyebrows. It was hardly an unexpected request that a creature of his kind might request something more familiar. “Yah want tah bunk in the greenhouse? Teach yer class there, too?” clarified the administrator as he reached for the of the clipboard at the top of the stack. The ex-ranch hand flipped through the papers attached to the board as he wrested the pen from its niche. Waiting for an answer, he held the tip of the pen to the page.

“Nah, I try not to drink while it’s my watch. Thanks though.” Gunnar’s eyes while he spoke followed the flitting form of the tiny black gryphon as it settled on what he could only assume was its master’s shoulder. “Pet of yers?”

Neihem took the strange human writing device in his hand and signed as best he could. His name, written in his own tongue, flowed across the page, appearing more as branches and leaves than actual alphabetical characters. "I suppose by normal standards Ashuur would be considered a pet, though he is much more to me. He has been my boon companion since we met. He is my friend, my ward, and my protector."

"I thank you for your kindness in opening your doors to me; it isn't often that our kinds mix well. But based on what I've heard of Caislin Hallows, I believe I have found a place where I can make a difference without harboring any notions of violence, nor even bitterness. Should you require my assistance, you will find me in the gardens preparing for my classes to commence." With a deep bow and another clinking of the bottles hanging down his back, Neihem turned and swept from the room, the black shadow of the gryphon Ashuur just behind.

The road was long and...gravely. She only knew because the taxi driver kept telling her so. She sat quietly in the backseat, her staff at her side and all her luggage sitting next to her on the seat. She was laid back, her head inclined back to look out the back window and up at the sky. It was cloudy, and breezy, especially breezy for March.

It seemed like hours she traveled in the back of that taxi. Sitting. Waiting. Sitting. Waiting.

When the car finally stopped in front of the large school, it took her a moment to realize that she was there. Or here. So this was the school that Nana had said would help her. She forced herself not to look yet, to calmly get her luggage and pay the taxi driver and watch him drive away. Her last chance to leave was gone. There was no turning back from here.

So, with all the confidence that she could muster, she turned around, holding only her staff and her one suitcase in her hand, and she let herself look. Her crystal eyes opened a little wide. She had expected a castle, but this...was a manor. It was huge. Larger than any place she'd ever seen. She swallowed hard and stood there, frozen for a moment. And then a cool wind blew, ruffling her white hair, reassuring her in some way. She shifted slightly, straightening up. This was what Nana had wanted her to do. This is what she wanted to do.

Without another thought, she quickly moved forward, heading inside. There didn't seem to be any signs, she noted as she walked forward, heading in the direction she thought the office might be. Once she was deep enough inside the school, she heard voices, not loud, but male. She headed towards that, thinking that she could at least ask directions to the office for registration. It was only once she was in front of the open door that she hesitated. She didn't know anyone here, what if they didn't like her? She shook her head. No. She would not think like that. This was not a normal school. There were other people here like her, or at least...they were different like her. So she, inhaled silently and moved inside the office and stood quietly. She would wait until it was her turn to speak.

She wasn't oblivious to the Satyr. She smiled sweetly, only catching the end of the conversation. The mention of a pet being much more to the Satyr than what normal standards dictated. Quietly, she sat her suitcase down and held onto her staff and she waited.

The smile of the young girl who entered the office took Neihem aback, just as the nonchalant manner with which Gunnar Sigmund had dealt with him had. In his travels throughout the Eyreland, he had been not so much accepted by the sparse human populace of the wilds, as he had been tolerated. Sure, some families welcomed him with open arms when he healed their sick or helped them with their failing crops, or drove off hungry packs of beasts that threatened their peace and livelihood, but during times of plenty and times of health, he had always been looked upon as something... well, different. Some even greeted him with outright hostility.

Here, it seemed he had found a place where he would not be subject to such mistrust or violence. He smiled back at the maiden as he passed, touching her lightly on the shoulder. "Ah, it seems we have another eager mind awaiting enlightenment," he said aloud. To her he lightly whispered, "I sense the gift in you, young one. I do hope to see you in my classes."

He knew the girl felt the nature touch as he brushed her shoulder; who wouldn't feel the calming peace that the great mother brings? He paused once more to turn to the cowboy behind the desk. "Mr. Sigmund, I understand that you also have students of the vampiric persuasion at Caislin Hallows? While their nature (he chuckled to himself at this) would not seem to be very compatible with those of satyrkind, I would like to see some in my classes, if any are interested. I have greatly wanted to study the affinity they seem to have with the children of the forest."

Ashuur gave a sound somewhere between an eagle's screech and a cat's purr and brushed against the girl's legs as the two made their exit. Yes, if the gryphon accepted her, she could do great things.

She shifted slightly, her head tilted to listen to the Satyr. Sensed a gift in her? She continued to smile though, inhaling deeply when he touched her. The peace Mother Earth gave her was the best thing for her right now, calm and soothing at the very least. As an Elemental, she was more in tune with nature than most 'normal' people. Of course, the definition of the word normal was always open for debate. Whenever she'd needed to feel peace when she was with Nana, she'd always sit outside on the roof or in the park and meditate. Peace always found her then. Perhaps meditation would be good for her now. Maybe she should have meditated before she even came in here. Her eyes shot around the room for a moment, looking for a window, but her concentration was quickly broken when the Satyr began talking again, this time addressing the rough looking man behind the counter.

She eyed him carefully. He was a rough looking man. Often times though, they were the biggest push-overs, she reminded herself. However, she had a very difficult time imagining him as a push over.

She nodded to the Satyr when he expressed his desire to see her in his class. Classes. Learning. Part of her groaned. She'd hated school back in the states. It was bland and boring. It very much reminded her of robots, going thru the same process and motions everyday. Would this school be the same? She sorely hoped not. She'd just gotten here...she didn't want to have to leave so quickly? And where would she go anyway?

She waited patiently, giggling softly when the "pet" she'd heard about before suddenly appeared, and brushed up aganist her legs. She grinned now, wondering if she'd ever see the creature again. "Pets" of any kind were fun for her. She shifted again though once they were gone, the anxiety of where she was again hitting her.

Her heartbeat drummed in her ears for a moment and she stepped forward to the counter, her crystal eyes uncertain. "I'm here to register for classes sir. Did I come to the right place?" she ask him quietly, gripping the staff at her side so hard she thought her hand might split open. She swallowed hard and exhaled gently, attempting to calm down, awaiting an answer.

As Gunnar watched, a branch of black ink grew across the top of the page, sometimes dangling leaves below the line, other times sprouting shoots above it. It was hardly the signature that the ex-ranch hand had expected, but he wasn’t about to mention it. As distinct as it was, it wasn’t like he’d confuse it with someone else’s.

“Uh-huh,” clucked the administrator as Neihem gave his answer regarding the pigmy gryphon. Given the satyr’s explanation, he would not have been surprised if there was either a spiritual or telepathic link between the two. It wasn’t that uncommon among a certain class of mages, in fact, there was a term for such an animal companion among them: familiars.

To Gunnar’s misfortune, it seemed that the new professor wasn’t going to fill out the rest of the forum—he wondered for a second if the satyr could actually fill it out, in any way that another might comprehend the words at least. With a grunt, Gunnar nodded his farewell to the latest addition to the academic staff.

Before the clip-clop of the satyr’s hooves led him out of the room though, a girl entered to interrupt his exit. As the two started a conversation, Gunnar picked up the discarded pen and clipboard with its attached forms. The tip of the writing utensil scratched across the papers as he scribbled in the required information, skipping what he’d have to get from Neihem. He’d save what he could for another time, when the professor had settled in at the school. There wasn’t much reason to trouble him with documentation when he was eager to get himself set up in the greenhouse. Not to mention that as soon as their conversation ended, Gunnar would have the young woman’s paperwork to worry about.

Hearing his name, Gunnar was surprised that the Satyr hadn’t tarried long with the gal. “Do what I can,” offered the mage with a shrug of his shoulders as he lowered the board and pen onto the desk. When the young woman approached, he gave her as gentle a smile as his leathery face could manage. Years under the sometimes brutal sun had done their damage to his skin, tanning it to a toughness usually reserved for animal hides and carving wrinkles into his flesh like canyons eroded by the steady trickle of water over the years. His eyes were equally aged, having lost their innocent, youthful sparkle decades ago—perhaps a few years too early.

“If yer a new student, then yes, yah did, Miss,” he answered. Reaching for another clipboard from the stack with clean forms still pinned to it, he asked, “What’s yer name?”

Angelica shifted, a little uncomfortable. She wished the Satyr would come back and lay a hand on her shoulder. At least then the comfort of Mother Earth would help her calm down. But that wasn't going to happen. It was all her now. She was on her own.

She swallowed hard and loosened her hold on the staff. She let out a deep breath too, like her hand and her lungs were connected. There was no reason to be afraid. These people were not going to hurt her. The Satyr had proved that. This cowboy type person behind the counter didn't seem put off by the forest creature, so why should she be any different?

"Lillith Angelica Johnson." she told the man behind the counter, when he ask her name. "But I go by Angelica, or Ang." she added quickly. She did NOT want anyone calling her by her first name. It was a terrible name. Perhaps one day, she could get rid of it. Then again, it was the only thing that connected her back to her parents in the states. She could always figure it out later.

She leaned up a little to see the form a little more. "And yes, I'd like to be a student." she told him. She tilted her head a little, white strands of hair falling over her shoulder. He had tried to smile. At least, that's what it looked like to her. She calmed down a little more, a more confident shine to her crystal eyes.

She already felt more at ease, standing here talking to this man. He was...nice. Tired looking, but sweet. She examined his face curiously. She wondered if he'd had a hard life? She'd noted that it didn't look very sunny here, and she hadn't heard a lot about Ireland being a very harsh landscape. He couldn't be from here...especially not with that accent.

She shifted again and smiled this time. "Would you like me to fill out the paper work? I can answer most of the questions..." she did not want to make his job any harder than what it must already be.

"Oh, and I can I register for a room here too, or is that another office?" she ask him, still smiling.

A young gentleman slowly opened the doors. A tall, well-dressed man with black hair. His back was to them as he pushed on the doors. His right hand hanging at his side with a pet carrier. Inside, yellow eyes scanned the area, quiet, just like his owner. In his left hand was a rolling suitcase. By his knee was a secure holster, easily carrying a piece. He turned around, inquisitive green eyes looking from behind small, rectangular frames to the two in front and the man behind the desk. His face showed a confusion as well as awe. Eyes darted to the walls and corners, allowing the environment to sink in.

Finally, the man's appreciation paused as his manners regained their senses. He smiled to them all. "Oh, my apologies everyone." His accent placed him to Britain at least. It was obviously English. "I'm afraid the air, the art, the essence of this place captivated me to the point of forgetting my manners. "

He nodded his head in a form of greeting. "I'd offer my hands but as you see, I'm a bit full." He brought his attention to the man at the front, walking forward and standing in line with the other two. "Forgive the interruption. I'm here for the librarian position. I'm Ravnos. Celestine Ravnos. This is my cat, Poe." He turned his head to the two to either side, "Pleasure to meet you all.

She nearly jumped out of her skin when the door started opening. She held her breath, and tried to look relaxed. This was the registration office, she told herself, people would be in and out of here all the time. She quickly let out a deep breath and held her staff a little closer. Her own suitcase was still over by the door. She would have made to get it, but it didn't seem to be in this newcomer's way, so she stayed where she was, in front of the cowboy figure behind the counter/desk.

She smiled at him when he turned to face them, her crystal eyes taking note of his demeanor and the way he moved. He seemed...graceful. She felt a pang of jealousy. She wasn't anywhere close to that graceful. Especially with both her hands full. When her eyes fell on his piece, she shifted again. Violence couldn't be the answer, to anything. Ever. And this man wasn't a staff member yet. She looked back to the man behind the counter and wondered if they did background checks on these teachers. She seriously hoped no one would be killing anyone else. She continued to smile though.

Maybe he had powerful enemies? She bit at her. This was a good place. No one here would hurt her. No one here would throw things at her or laugh. That year in high school had been a tough one, and she still had a hard time getting over it. She turned back to the newcomer, and looked down at the cat in the carrier. How cute! A kitty! Her crystal eyes lit up, looking down at the cat and grinned. She liked cats.

She tore her gaze away from the cat, and this newcomer, who was to be the librarian, and back to the man behind the counter, wondering if she should wait until the new staff member was done with his registration. He was a little more important than herself. But she'd wait to see what this man wanted to do. If he wanted to register the new staff member first or herself, and she'd go with that decision.

Celestine let the man take his time and occupied some time with the young lady there. He gave her a kind smile. The young woman appeared nervous though not out of place. He took her posture mean she was shy and possibly insecure. It was easy in the world where everything was different. Where walks of life compared themselves to everything else. He hadn't been immune. His first personal experiences in college after finding out that mythos had been based on reality had left him with a feeling of disassociation and separation of the world.

He saw her eyes drop close to the floor and the sight of fear and shock though slight. She might not have known her own expression and then excitement. "He's a pretty kind cat. Temperamental sometimes. You should have seen me get him into the box. He was pretty adamant about it at first." He turned his body to hide the piece on his leg so he could let her focus on Poe. He released his suitcase and put the cage down. Coing down on his knee, he scratched Poe behind the ears through the front bars.

"Poe, be good and say 'hi' to the nice lady. Maybe she'll tell you hers." Celestine smirked at his cat and wondered if the young lady would be kind enough to tell him her name.

She turned back to this newcomer, her head tilted when he spoke to her. The man behind the counter was obviously busy, trying to get things in order. Somewhere in the back of her mind she wondered if this was his normal job...something told her no. He was a little too rough looking to like paper-work.

She shifted to rest her weight on one knee, bent down to better see the cat. She wasn't tall in the least, barely standing over 5ft 5in. when she was standing straight up. So she really disappeared behind the counter when she bent down. She gave the man a friendly smile, and laid down her staff.

"I can, personally, understand any animal being hesitant to get into a cage." she commented, her crystal eyes lit up with the excitement to touch something familiar. Animals didn't care what color you were, or what you looked like, or even if you had some freaky special power. They just wanted the attention and love you could provide. Perhaps she should get her own animal..? She shifted and sat down on both her knees to face the cat.

"Poe? What a cute name! Like Edgar Alan Poe. Are you a poet?" she giggled softly, her sole attention on the cat. When he said something about her name, she blinked and looked up. A faint blush spread over her pale cheeks.

"Oh, I'm Angelica. I'm registering. I'm a student." she smiled, her crystal eyes watchful of him. She held her hand out to shake. She was dressed normally, in a white short sleeved shirt, and blue jeans. Comfortable. She had very few clothes, and she liked to keep things simple. She didn't bother with a coat...Summer was coming and she wouldn't need a coat. Right now was perfect for her. Breezy with a little chill.

She looked up at him still, and then back to the cat, grinning childishly. "Poe, you are just too cute!" she exclaimed softly.

It all went as Celestine expected. Observation was powerful indeed. He looked into the woman's crystal eyes. Captivating. He wondered if all the girls were pretty at the school. "Very good! To be honest, I'm not so much a poet but more of a scholar, Angelique."

Celestine was tempted to let Poe out for a bit but decided against it. He didn't know how the other man would feel about a loose pet. "Why don't you come by the library after you're settled. I let Poe wander about. He keeps an eye for me, or so I like to think."

She pet the cat playfully, scratching behind the ears and under the chin. She grinned playfully, happy with such a sweet animal. The cat purred and rubbed aganist her. She never took her eyes off the sweet creature. She defniately needed to get one. Maybe a white one, or perhaps a black one to contrast with her always wearing white.

She barely noticed when he called her Angelique, instead of Angelica. She went to correct him, but decided aganist it. She would correct it later, when she had the oppurtunity to do so.

His invitation to the library did not go unnoticed though, she nodded, and pushed strands of white hair behind her ear, revealing a pierced ear with a single crystal earring stud. It almost matched her eyes.

"I would be delighted to visit Poe," she reached down to scratch behind the ears again, giggling. "in the library." she nodded. She shifted so that Poe could be easily captured again, to be placed in the cage. She hated to see him go in there, but it seemed necessary now, and she understood. "Of course, I'd like to get my things into my room, if I can get one. I do hope I'm not too late." she nodded. "I'm sure they are very busy here...I hope I'm not imposing." she looked sad at the thought that she might not be able to stay here. She desperately hoped they could find room for her here. She liked it.

"Just wonderful. Wonderful indeed." He exclaimed. Not as many people visited libraries as they used to or so he personally believed given the advent of technology, though paper always smelled better.. Regular company was never bad. "Paper...paper." He muttered suddenly. Something about paper triggered a thought in his mind. Something about paper.

Without warning, he pounded his fist into the palm of his hand. "Oh that's right! The reason I had to come by!" Kneeling down again, Celestine opened his rolling suitcase. Reaching into one of the pockets, he pulled out a manila folder. "I knew there was something I had to do. Here we go" He placed the folder on the counter, waving to the busy man, "I'm sorry to come and go so quickly, but I've already filled out the sent paperwork. If you have any questions, just ask."

He turned from the counter back to Angelica, his focus now changed as he realized he didn't have to wait, "Sorry I can't stay and chat longer, Angelique, but I need to set up shop so to speak. It was a pleasure meeting you so feel free to come by the library when you get a chance." He closed his suitcase, and clasped it shut, holding onto the handle as well as picking up Poe's cage.

"Poe will definitely look forward to seeing you. Take care of yourself," He gave a brief smile before opening the door to the registration building. The door clicked as it closed after Celestine, sounding off the exit of one other.

Celestine has left the building.

“Sure thing, Ang,” muttered the man behind the desk after she had specified a nickname. The pen scratched across the page, scribbling her full name and preferred nicknames.

Next, a soft chuckle slipped from his lips. “Like tah be?” he repeated, giving a shake of his head. It was as if she thought she might be forced to be a teacher instead. “Student’s just fine,” he answered and then, hearing her offer, he slid the clipboard and pen across the desk to her. “Go ‘head, makes things easier on me. And yeah, that can be done ‘ere, too.” He added after a brief pause, “Just holla if yah need anything.”

For a few moments, Gunnar watched as the girl was interrupted before she could even start her paperwork by a young man—at least Gunnar thought it was a slip of a man. Sometimes, it was hard to tell with the trends among the youngsters in the current day and age. Gunnar gave the man a nod after his introduction, realizing that he wasn’t as young as the ex-ranch hand had originally guessed—not if he was seriously applying for a staff position. The former hunter waited as the pair chatted, it was only right that newcomers get a chance to socialize as soon as possible. It always helped them feel more at home. And just as soon as he’d arrived, it seemed the Englishman was gone.

Before Gunnar could speak up though, a soft chirp stopped him. The sound was vaguely electronic, though just as insistent and persistent as a cricket. Gunnar shoved a hand into the front pocket of his jeans and flushed out a cell phone, its front screen flickering with a ‘New Message’ notification. Opening the device, he perused the screen a moment before looking over the young girl awaiting registration. “I haftah attend tah some mattahs, somebody’ll be in to help yah out in a minute or two,” explained Gunnar as he rose to his feet. The thick soles of his work boots thudded across the floor as he exited the office on urgent business.
[Exit]

*It had been almost a year now since she had graduated from high school. Her time was spent trying to sell the house from hell she once lived in along with other little things she was trying to cope with. Seeing spirits was relatively new to her and it was not something even she could believe. When she would go to church they would always talk about spirits and going to heaven or hell, how some stayed behind to be guardian angels and others were bound to the world for a reason only they knew, stuck there until they were able to find peace. She had never believed in this, how could something that wasn’t alive and had no bodily functions actually be real? Sure vampires were considered dead, but something about it all just seemed creepy and now right here in front of the school she was faced with her next fear. The light March breeze danced about her. Making the knee length shoulder cupped dress she wore tickle along her knee caps. It was a nice deep purple satin dress, simple and hugging just lightly to her tall body. She stood almost a towering six foot, but felt like a small ant staring up at a house trying to figure out where to get in to find sweet food to take back to his colony.*

*Her stomach seemed to turn suddenly as the butterflies fluttered even faster, the taste of bile rose to the back of her throat causing her to heavy in a cool crisp breath and just hold it until her lungs burned to release. She let out a long exasperated sigh while tilting her head back. Dark blue gems mimicking the dreary day, watching thick gray clouds glide over tree tops. They whizzed in the breezy letting off a soft ruffling noise with their newly blooming flowers and sage leaves. Her heightened sense of smell picked up the cafeterias lunch menu of the day. This just made her want to get sick even more, she was so nervous. Vassalisa had NEVER been anywhere this big before with this many people. Why did her mother make her go here? She was going to be miserable and alone, how would anyone be able to understand her? She was told they would that they understood the best, but she was so use to keeping secret about her abilities that this seemed utterly impossible.*

“A voice whispered in her ear so lightly it made her squeal and jump about five feet in the air. “Don’t be afraid.” She glanced around with haste, her torso turning as she was looking for the person that said it. In the distance she finally saw it, a light shimmer of a spirit smirking back at her. It’s voice sang in the wind “Go on child, don’t be afraid.” She could tell it was an older lady in a long gown hovering over the grass, she seemed to be floating. Typical of a spirit of course. She glared at the spirit before using her right hand to raise up to her loose thick dark brown locks of hair. Her digits pulled the short wavy strands back behind her ears and out of her fair face. Vassalisa finally began to move her sandaled feet down the walkway up to the school. She felt like she was having to trudge through mud with cinder blocks on her feet, her body did not want her to go.*

*She had to keep telling herself to breath, one deep breath after the other, just concentrate on something other than the horror of starting a new school all on her own. She closed her eyelids, thick lashes brushing her cheeks and then just as they fell opened them again, stood up straight and took the path with ease. She could do this, she would not throw up! The pathway seemed like it went on forever before she finally made her way into the university, it was huge and she had no idea where to go. There they were, the signs leading to the registration office, before closing the doors behind her, she looked over her shoulder and glanced back to where he encouraging spirit had been, of course she was gone. Taking another long sign she pushed herself on. Lugging her small suitcase in her right hand now, her left latched to the cross at the end of her purple gemmed rosary that laced around her small wrist. She could feel the cross digging into her palm, gave her something to focus on as she felt her knees shaking. Her small heeled sandals echoed as she walked down the hall the short distance to the office she needed.*

*Letting go of the rosary it dangled at her wrist while she switched her suitcase into that hand and was about to open the door when someone quickly exited, she just slipped into the shadows hopefully not being seen and letting him march off. She blinked, watching him for a second, wondering who he was before she slipped through the closing door, inside the office just enough for the door to latch shut against her back. She jumped a little while her blue eyes were a hue lighter since it was a little brighter in here than outside. She bit the corner of her bottom lip seeming to loose her voice, those butterflies fluttering up once again, eyelids wide, she looked like a cornered cat in an ally not sure where to go to escape. “H--hello?” Her voice was low and child like with a hint of sweetness lingering through it. She glanced around, had she come to the wrong office? She felt so small right now, it was the nerves. This was crazy! Why was she here? She began to panic silently in the confines of her own mind, seeking out someone to point her in the right direction, she didn’t want to look stupid though for being at the wrong place. She would just hang out here for a moment longer and see if anyone was still around that could help her. *

Angelica smiled to the cowboy, her head tilted slightly. "Sure, the forms are no problem." she shifted and left the staff on the floor. Once she took the clipboard she moved to sit down on the floor, her legs curled underneath her. She quietly filled the forms out, her head bobbing with each answer she could put down.

The form ask for her social security number, and she sat, staring at the page for a moment, a little stumped. She couldn't remember. It specified that only if she had been a US citizen should she list it. She sat, lost in thought for a moment. She then moved on to the next question, easily filling out the other questions. She couldn't remember, and even if she could, she wasn't sure she would put it down. Nana had said that the government would come looking for her if she ever went back to the US or if she wasn't careful with her abilities and someone saw her. It was best to leave it blank.

Once she was done with the form she stood up and put the clipboard on the counter and sank back down. She was alone now, at least she thought she was. If she hadn't heard the faint "hello" she might not have looked up. She grabbed her staff and stood up, her crystal eyes sharp. "Hello?" she called back. She let out a deep breath and forced herself to relax.

The silence didn't stretch long enough for her to say anything, before another woman entered. She took note of the way she walked, the air of confidence, the way she walked like she owned the place. She'd never been so jealous in her life, and here she was, feeling another pang of jealousy over the way this woman walked and talked. She looked over to her, and then at the clipboard, and a smile spread across her face.

"I uhm...I filled out all the paperwork. I just need class assignments and a room." she smiled, still holding onto her staff. She tilted her head to look over to the other woman. The need to introduce herself seemed...strong. She didn't make a move to offer her hand, she just looked over and smiled. "Hi. I'm Angelica." she nodded, watching her. It was like looking into a mirror. A very tall mirror. This must have been what she looked like when she first came in. The look of terror, right down to the eyes. It was nice to have someone welcome her, the way the Satyr had.

She smiled at the girl, hoping she'd say her name, or calm down a little. She didn't have the slightest idea what was so "unusual" about her, she looked rather normal to Angelica. But then again, she had once looked normal too. Until her eyes changed colors and her hair had gone solid white. It was such a long time ago...or it seemed like it was.

So she stood there, waiting for the confident woman behind the counter to advise her on where to go, but looking at the new comer. "No one here will hurt you..." she told her softly, smiling still.

*Those petrified crystals of hers glanced slowly around the small cluttered room with all the papers and writing utensils scattered about the desk. This reminded her of her first visit to the principles office, she felt about the small too right now. Her mother had came hurdling through the principles door like a freight train, a rather small one, still the lady was as scary as ever, especially to Vassalisa because she knew what was coming next. She would take the licks from the principle to just avoid her mothers wraith. It was a cold winter day, Christmas break was coming up and all she could think about was playing in the snow and hot chocolate with her mother. It was a wonderful time, she enjoyed up until this very day. Her mother hurtled through that door and screamed out to her “Vassalisa Arleen Castelle what in gods name did you do!” Even thinking about it sent chills down her spine.*

*The principle began to explain, but he was cut short by her mother “I want to hear it from her Principle Romaine” those eyes glared down at her like daggers, hands on her mothers hip with that tapping foot demanding her daughter to speak. Lisa had cleared her throat and in a raspy voice spoke in a low whisper, staring at the floor like she was now. “I let Amber cheat off me….she said I wouldn’t get caught and that if she got a good grade she would give me her presents….” She was so young then that presents seemed like a million bucks to her! Oh that scolding she got from her mother after the licks she got from the principle kept her from letting anyone cheat from her again! Suddenly she jumped noticing someone pop up off the floor. “Oh my!” She meeped out not realizing she had completely dazed off for a moment there, shocked she didn’t sense her before hand. Her heart pounded from the scare jumping up and nearly out of her chest. Her free hand with the rosary attached to it‘s wrist reached up and touched her collar bone. *

*Maybe if she would breath and not be so scared she would’ve known someone was hiding in here. Well surely she wasn’t hiding, none the less Lisa didn’t notice her. About that time she went stumbling away from the door. That was a stupid idea! Who in their right mind stands in front of a door especially with someone coming through it on a mission. She was quick on her toes though and was able to avoid the majority of the impact. She slipped out of the way before she was ran over and just blinked at the lady clanking in with those high heels. Lisa peered at her own heels and thought they were high, but those….yep they would defiantly cause her to break an ankle. Then she had to smile faintly at herself for if it broke it wouldn’t take her much time to heal it.*

*Hearing the young lady introduce herself she stopped chewing at her lip, which she now felt the taste of metallic from the inside bleeding some. Within seconds it healed itself right up so all she was left with was an aftertaste. “Hello, I am Vassalisa it’s nice to meet you” shrugged “Lisa is okay though.” Then she looked back to the lady she expected to be in charge, considering how she held herself. She wasn’t jealous, she was actually in awe at this lady. In her small town she came from no one dressed that way, now her mother carried herself just the same which sent a wave a pain through her, she erased it though, knowing this was not the time to hurt and just swallowed the knot in her throat down so she could take, her back seeming to straighten up as well, copying the lady without really realizing it.*

“I am here for registration….” She didn’t know what else to say or do besides take a few steps closer incase she was handed some paperwork, which by what she noticed with Angelica that was indeed what would be happening. Nodding to Angelica she spoke up in a low voice that she was always yelled at for speaking in “I am not afraid of being hurt as much as getting lost…this place is extremely large….” Finally, Lisa could feel her muscles relaxing little by little, those butterflies they were still fluttering about but at least she wasn’t looking for the closest trash can anymore. “I have never been to a place so large.” There were probably more students and teachers here than in her home town times two. What if they found out what she could do? Would it be like that butcher? She was hoping she wouldn’t have to let anyone know anytime soon, she did not want more blood on her hands.*

She watched this confident woman behind the counter. The air around her was over-powering. It was like one couldn't help but feel at her mercy. There seemed to be a tightness behind those brown eyes that warned that she could lash out and kill someone at any moment. But Angelica was sure that she was just imagining things. She watched her pull out the older key and she smiled. Without wanting to seem to anxious, but a little unable to help herself, she reached out for the key.

Her crystal eyes fixed upon the object. It was a simple key. One that led to her very own room. Something she hadn't been blessed enough to have in a very long time. A room filled with her things. She shifted a little, the wide smile on her face easy and happy.

She wouldn't question the class that they gave her. Beast handling and nature empathy. What a fantastic combination. She was thrilled. She wondered for a moment if that was the satyr's class, and then it became obvious. It had to be his class. Who else would be so in-tune with Mother Earth? As an elemental she might be closer than most people, but she would never be as fine tuned as that Satyr was. She turned to the other woman though, breaking her own train of thought.

"It's okay. It is really huge. I could wait for you, if you want. That way if you get lost, you won't be alone. We could be lost together." she was trying very hard to push away the remains of her own fear. She was considerably more at ease now than she had been when she'd first came to the school though. The people were very nice, extremely friendly.

When the woman behind the counter offered to take them both to their rooms she nodded in agreement. "I really don't mind to wait. Besides, I don't want to get lost either." she laughed softly, it was an earthy sort of sound, a little rough though, like she might not have laughed in awhile.

She moved now though, to give the other girl some time to get registered. The paperwork wasn't terribly involved, normal things to ask, so she was sure it wouldn't take long. She idly wondered to right outside the door, where a bulletin board seemed to be posted. There was a sign-up sheet for the beast handling and nature class, a roster for an Astrology field trip. That seemed interesting. She wasn't wearing a watch, but she'd like to go out for a little while, check the grounds, find a good meditation spot. Perhaps this could reveal something like that.

She smiled and nodded. She'd make an appearance then, a quiet one. She didn't want to become too involved in a field trip when she wasn't part of the class. She shifted a little, waiting to be taken to her room, a little too excited for her own good now.

*While neither of them knew it, Vassalisa began to let down her guard enough to relax and begin to concentrate on one of her easier abilities that came along with what her mother called “Spirit.” It was an ability that focused more on mental and spiritual aspects rather then physical. This one was aura reading, if she wanted to know what sort of energy a person used or what their demeanor was like all she had to do was focus on the light that encased each person. No colors were the same she found out and this is how she learned a lot about someone. This wasn’t something a person could turn off or on or even try to block someone from seeing. It was something most could not see that belongs with each person like their shadow, except this shadow encased the person and was all sorts of colors. It took no effort for her to find the strings of the two ladies and see what the aura’s held for her.*

*She was a little throw off at first, she never realized just how much a non-mortals aura could change. Mortals of course didn’t hold any power to them what so ever. This was a lot different these too held colors that bewildered her. The woman handing her the paperwork to filled out, now scared her. She didn’t see anything that made her a killer or anything of the sort, but the shades of red meant a lot to her. All the colors flaring off of her, Lisa noticed the red most of all, the dark reds for strong-willed and survival, orange-red was a sign of confidence, which her eyes saw that without the aura and then she blushed at the clear red fuming from her. The earthy undertones must of meant she dealt with the earth elements and the small shimmers of violet meant she was magical. That was a color Lisa knew she would be seeing a lot around here.*

*Her eyes glanced over to Angelica and she gave her a small smile while taking in the colors of a new school mate. This was an obvious observation as well. Lisa knew just by the color of Angelica’s hair and eyes what her aura would read. It would be less work for her to read auras if one’s appearance gave a hint to the aura. Lisa on the other hand, gave no sort of hint to what she was. In school she ran track, was the best in the school too and that was because the increased speed from her vampire father. Her hearing and eyesight was much better as well along with stamina. Sometimes her friends never knew how she could go so long without crashing. She was so use to hiding it that even now she didn’t blurt anything out, just was quiet and said enough to not seem rude and to get the job done. Anyways, back to Angelica’s aura, it was laced with all sorts of blues and golds, the dark blues told her she was sensitive and caring, very spiritual and the next blue, a more turquoise color made Lisa shocked. Another healer? Not the same as Lisa surely, Angelica couldn’t see ghosts like her, did she? Lisa was very curious now. The other colors almost didn’t mater to her*

*Like mentioned she had violet shimmering through the other colors for her magical abilities and then some golds for hopefulness, inspired and genuine. Lisa was interested in getting to know her knew school mate even more now. She didn’t think another healer could possibly be out there. Although, she was sure that Angelica hadn’t done what Lisa did, which she was sure led to her ability to see ghosts. Her mother told her it was a new awakened gift she would learn to love and find to be very useful. What was useful about seeing wandering lost spirits that were only here for some horrible reason. Sighing a bit, she took her forms and placed her suitcase down by the seat she sat in, taking a free hand to brush under her to straighten out the purple dress she wore. Locking her left ankle behind her right, she began to concentrate on her forms. Looking up from the tops of her bushy long lashes, crystals glancing between the two she murmured.*

“I will wait as well, it would be foolish otherwise.” That would only be stupid on her behalf. With that she looked back down to the papers and began to fill them out as told, it didn’t take her long, a little shuffling, some digging in the side of her suitcase pocket to find a few things she needed and she finished. Standing up, she stretched over to the desk and handed the stuff over. The rosary on her wrist sparkling in the light beaming through the window and casting light beams from the wall, her fingers wrapped around it once noticed while she took a step back and waited for her next task.*