Academy of the Rose

Oooh puppies. I get it. ^^ Well it's good that they didn't bark.

~~

His words about meeting others outside the whole were what caught her attention and gave her an idea. "Do you think that, maybe, you might introduce me to others that aren't at this school, if you know any I mean, I wouldn't want to bother you? I mean, I want to spend more time trying to understand you and your kind." Alandria asked, looking at him with wide eyed curiosity. She didn't point out that it would also get her out of the house more and give her a chance to get to know him more.

She pushed hair out of her gaze and leaned back to look up at the sky. She knew her break was getting near the end, but it didn't seem to matter to the young woman who sat there. She liked his company, even though she barely knew him. She closed her blue eyes and relaxed back in the sun. If only she could control water, then maybe she could live here and not have to be at home.

"I'll keep it in mind Kyle. I owe you and I won't forget it," She whispered softly.
 
"Sure, if you want I know a pair of siblings, elementals like me but with fire and air control, I can also draw out a vampire after sundown and an elf," Kyle said, sorting through his friends out side school that lived in town. "This elf isn't your normal Tolkien elf though, she's a scandinavian female elf associated with mist and has strong magic." Maybe it was better to start out slow as well Kyle thought, he did know some other creatures in the city, at least they lived in the city last he talked with them, but they were of a darker and more evil kind that had a harder time fitting into today's society. That could wait untill Alandria was more comfortable with the more well known races.

He looked up at the sun, letting it warm up his closed eye lids, taking adeep breath he could smell warm earth and roses a typical afternoon air though it had an undertone of something else, maybe something Alandria had on her then. "If you feel like it sometime I aslo know some of the darker creatures that used to go the this academy one or a few years ahead of me, but it may be better to start out small" Kyle said, opening his eyes to look at Alandria. This was only the third time they spoke yet he felt comfortable in her presence even when they were both silent and he took it as a sign that they would get along well.

--

Well, two 4 month puppies and eight adult dogs:)
 
Oh wooooow. :o Full house. I've got my hands full with a spoiled fat cat.

~~

Alandria had turned to stare at the young man as he rattled off different people he knew that he might be able to get her to meet with. If she hadn't been so focused on playing it 'cool', then she might have started to gape wide mouthed at him. Instead she started to grin and then looked at the grass around her. "You are a strange young man you know that Kyle? Not even a day and we are hanging out by a pool talking about meeting supernatural beings that I only believed were legends up until yesterday evening," she drawled as she ran her right hand through the grass they sat on. "You've saved me twice and refuse to accept a reward of some kind. You are not treating me like an outsider. It's like you are aiming to be the white knight or something like that to the damsel--"

She got cut off when voices could be heard from the other part of the garden around the bushes that hid the pool. Her back stiffened and she looked over at the bushes. She was not supposed to be here. Nibbling her bottom lip she made a choice and turned to Kyle. "When can you get off campus next? I have a place I'd like to show you. It isn't far from here and I think you might like it. It's got a beautiful lake and everything. Well it's tad bit from here, a twenty minute bush ride out of the city, but still," she said, hurriedly as the voices neared.
 
Kyle could understand Alandria thinking of this as strange but to him meeting supernatural creatures was an everyday thing, but he admired her cool about it. She got cut off in her sentance by voices closing in, almost just as well in his eyes, Kyle didn't think off himself as a white knight exactly he just did what felt right not really caring about what was right in others eyes. "I'm free now actually, my classes are over and I don't have any homework today either," okay he did have homework, but it was for his elemental class and that he could train on wherever he was.

"It sounds like a great place Alandria," he said, already painting a picture in his mind. "But come we should hurry before the persons see you here, Henry holds much respect here but he isn't one of the leaders and he can't protect you if too many sees you."
 
Alandria looked around and sighed, "I can't right now. I have to return to work. I still have an hour left I think. Can you meet me after, or would that be too late for you?" she asked, pushing herself to stand behind one of the bushes that would hide her from sight until the others were almost on top of her. She nibbled her lip some more and then pulled out a small book she carried in her pocket. As quietly as she could she pulled a piece of paper out of it and then fished in the same pocket for a pen which she pulled out and wrote some directions on it. "If you can, here are the directions there. I can meet you there later, if you want, I mean."

Her voice was soft, but kind. She was fidgeting with her pen and booklet as the voices moved passed her hiding spot on the other side of the bush. She found herself holding her breathe.
 
"Of course," Kyle said accepting the paper from Alandria. "I'll be there in about two hours." He said in a hushed voice, "if you wait here I'll go ahead and lead them away so you can return to your job." He waited for her answer before firing off a smile and walked off in the direction off the voices.

It was only a couple of students heading off campus, exchanging some quick words Kyle headed back towards his dorm building. Spending over an hour in the living room with some other students watching TV and joking around. Remembering the time Kyle went up to his room and checked to see if his house plants lived and also took the rose with him. Walking off campus Kyle headed for the correct buss stop and payed for the ride, spending the time going through some school work in is head but without his concent his thoughts kept coming back to Alandria, her scar, her bruise and tense posture when her father called, he wondered what problems she had. Despite their short time knowing each other he had gotten attached to her, feeling like they'd been friends for a longer time than two days but it was still a lot of mystery about her and he was determined to find out her secret one day.

Hopping off the buss at the stop Alandria had written down Kyle headed down a dirt path, thick woods around him and a smell of earth and pine wafted through the crisp evening air, glad for his sweater and jeans against the cold that promised to come later into the evening. The sight that met him as he emerged from the forest was breathtaking, a crystal clear lake spread out before him. Kyle smiled to himself, already loving this place.
 
Alandria had watched him go and a strange happiness at him having said he'd meet her there at Her spot took over. She rushed through the last hour of her work and ran to the bus stop. On the bus ride to the forest she called her mother and told her not to expect her home for dinner and to tell her father that her cell phone was going to be off and to try not to call. she knew this was a stupid request. He would call, she would not answer, and they would, if she wasn't careful, have another altercation resulting in more makeup the following day.

After her phone call was done she sat, looking out the window, thinking of the young man that had so quickly come to her aid and for lack of a better term, became her friend. She smiled as she remembered the gentle rain falling over a bush--the kindness she had seen on his face as it had happened and she hid from view; the excitement she had felt when he said he knew different people she could meet that had powers. She almost missed her stop because she was day dreaming of meeting such people.

She checked her phone one last time before turning it off. Then she took off her shoes and held them in her right hand and pulled her skirt up enough that she could run. Giving a joyous laugh at being alive, she ran down the path, only to stumble to a halt when she saw that Kyle had managed to beat her there and was standing overlooking the lake. She let her skirts drop so that they covered her legs again and walked to stand next to him. "Kyle," she said in way of a greeting as she stared down at the lake that was at the bottom of the hill. The lowering sun reflected off it wonderfully at this time.

"So what do you think of my little hideaway?" She asked, her voice filled with awe. No matter how many times she saw this beautiful sight, she never could find a way to explain the awe she felt each time.
 
"Alandria," Kyle answered, turning slightly to look at her as she came up beside him, barefoot and with a smile on her face. "I've never seen anything like this before, it's amazing," he admitted sincerely, admiring the lake, coloured by the sunset. The gentle slope down to the lake seemed inviting and soft with grass, Kyle's inner water spirit was overjoyed at all the crystal clear water, if possible he could be here for hours. "Thanks for showing me this place, I'd really like to come back her as well, it's amazing that a pure place like this exist so close to the city."

The sinking sun played with Alandria's brown hair, painting it gold and fire, she looked beautiful especially with that smile on, though he felt very comfortable with her and like he really could trust her he felt no love for her, it was too soon for that. And it was that bruise she his with make up, he wanted to earn her trust and strong friendship so he could find out the truth.

"Do you come here often? It must be a great place to relax." He said, his eyes travelling back to the lake and started heading down the slope eager to get a feel for the water, all water felt the same sure but something about each water source felt different depending on where it'd been and what kind of place it rested in.
 
Alandria followed after him after she had finished taking in the scene before them. "As often as I can without getting into any trouble. Some of the times I come here to just relax; other times I just come out here and read or do a little of this and that," she answered with a smile. She didn't wait for him to make it down to the end of the slope. She threw her shoes down the slope and let herself fall onto the ground and roll the rest of the way down, coming to a stop just before she touched the edge of the water.

Alandria couldn't help it. she had always found rolling down that hill to be the best part of visiting this place. She was curled up in laughter when she finally came to a stop, holding her stomach with hands that shook. She had made a total fool of herself just then, she realized, but she really didn't care. If he didn't like her because of that, she couldn't really trust him, or count on him to be her friend now could she? She pushed herself up and wiped her eyes which were tearing up from the laughter, smudging her makeup even more. Then she walked to the waters edge and dipped her fingers in before splashing her face with it, grinning as she felt the makeup--the disguise--away, leaving simple Alandria there. She turned when she was refreshed and looked around to see if she'd scared away the young man, a relaxed grin still on her face.
 
Kyle, first slightly thrown off, not by her behaviour but of the fact that she was so carefree around him and he couldn't hold back a laugh, not at her but with her. Curious he threw himself down and attempted to roll down, it was for sure not as easy as she made it seem like and he landed a bit away from her and half into the water, lucky for him it seemed to be shallow. He'd been laughing on the way down but the water shut him up, he glanced at Alandria, she was laughing so hard she cried but soon sat up and went over to wash her face. Standing up Kyle motioned with his arms in a smooth wave away from him and the water on him went back into the lake leaving him dry again.

"You have a fun way of coming down the hill," he said and pulled his shirt so it hung straight again, not caring to check for grass stains.

It's very nice water here, it has a good, pure feel." He said and met her grin until he noticed she'd washed off her make up. In a way he actually liked her more in this way, Alandria looked very good without make up on, he as a guy couldn't understand make up nor did he like those that made themselves look like dolls but Alandria used just enough. Now he saw her scar more clearly and her bruise as well, it covered her entire cheek and still looked very fresh, only a day or so old. It didn't look like something she could have made herself with an accident and he was willing to bet that was caused by a fist. He said nothing, leaving her to decide what to do but his eyes narrowed slightly as they fell on her bruise, resembling cold steel.
 
Alandria smiled as he got up out of the lake. She had done that first few times she had come down the hill and almost wished that she had had the ability to dry herself like he had. "I don't feel like I have to hide anything here, even the fun, almost kid way of coming down the hill. The trek up will be a bit longer but it's the fun that count's no?" she asked before turning to look back out at the lake after seeing the coldness in his gaze. She didn't like that--she didn't like being looked at like that at all.

Alandria knew where he had been looking. It was where everyone that saw her looked. Maybe she shouldn't have washed her face. She looked up at the sun and closed her eyes, debating what to do. She had brought him here why? Because she owed him for saving her and she had thought he would like a place like this? She felt the sun warm her face until she started to rock back and forth on her feet from a balance that wasn't all perfect. taking a step back to steady herself, she opened her eyes and looked over at Kyle. He looked so at home here near to the water. In her minds eye she could almost see him living by a place like this in an old-fashion mansion. She blushed a little and looked away. Her writers mind was getting carried away there, she thought to herself before grinning out at the lake.

"This place is an amazing to go swimming too. During the summer that is. Maybe when it gets warmer we could go swimming sometime," She tried to sound cheerful but being reminded of her bruise had brought her happiness down a bit. It had been such a long time since her father had hit her. She had tried so hard to be the perfect daughter and last night she had made a mistake. Instead she took a few steps into the water, letting the coolness of it lap at her ankles and then her thighs before she stopped. The bottom of her skirt was getting wet but she didn't mind. It felt amazing to have the water surround her feet. If she had known she would have been coming here, she would have brought her swim suit for she loved to swim no matter what time of year it was. She grinned as she felt small fish nip at her ankles, wondering what this strange peach colored flesh was and if it was edible.

"You should come in, the fish are amazing," she teased, turning though she didn't move her feet. She was glad that her hair fell forward over the left side of her face so that he could no longer see the marks of her past.
 
"True," he answered. "What's the point of life without fun after all." Kyle saw her discomfort as well and decided that if she wanted to say something that was her choice not his and if she never opened up then he'd jus have to live with it. He himself had no real traumatic happenings though some of his past where not spotless and he wasn't so sure he'd like to talk about them openly so he looked at her without acknowleding her scar and instead focused on her eyes and smiled instead of frowning.

Looking out over the water Kyle knew he would not mind living like this, or at least have this kind of nature available, "swimming would be fun." Kyle said, and grinned at her. "I could fix large waves as well, plus you'll see just how much fun I can do using my water manipulations in water." He wanted to get her smiling again as his stare seemed to have lowered her mood. On his way to the water he kicked off his shoes and socks, pulling up his jeans before stepping in, the water felt cool and the fish were amazingly unafraid of humans prescence as they continued swimming around their feet, their fins gently hitting him as they turned or as they nibbled for food on his skin. Motioning with his hand he prepared to pull upp water but instead of lifting it up her waited, like a hunter for food, but Kyle weren't interested in harming the fish. Quickly he snapped up his arm and a large uneven sphere flew up and he kept it in between his hands to keep it from falling apart, the sun reflecting off the surface colouring the fish that swam around inside, seemengly at peace in the suddenly smaller space.

He concentrated on the feel of the water and the movements of the fish but he couldn't hold that amount of water up for long when there was soemthing inside, slowly he lowered his arms and the sphere merged with the lake again, the fish joining the others again. "It's much harder controling water when you lift it from its source, somehow it takes more energy." Kyle explained looking up at Alandria again, she had seemed interested earlier so he felt like explaining what this manipulation was all about.
 
Alandria had been about to reach out and touch the floating ball with the fish in it when he lowered it. She blinked and dropped her hand quickly to her side. A look of wonder and delight--like a child seeing a circus for the first time, or going to an aquarium, or getting praised--had been on her face though she quickly hid it. "Maybe it's because the water doesn't want to separate? I remember somewhere in chemistry class that it was very hard to separate water bonds, maybe it has something to do with that?" she suggested before looking over the water.

She really wanted to go swimming now that the water was touching her and she'd seen such a beautiful display of magic. If only, Alandria thought, she hadn't worn a white top. The skirt would be fine when wet for it would only go a darker blue but the white shirt would become quiet see through should it get wet. "I'd like to see that--you making waves sometime. This lake is always so peaceful it would be kind of funny to see it like the sea once," She said, And I'd get to meet you again. The only person that hasn't pressed me for details; a friend.

Why was she so afraid of losing this young man as a friend and not seeing him again? She'd only known him for a day. But at the same time he had never pressed her for information. Everyone else that had seen the scar or the bruises had pushed and pushed for answers. It was nice to finally meet someone that hadn't. Could that be it? Could she really consider this young man a friend and not worry about what lay at home? Grinning, the young woman looked at him.

"Say, if you can get the water to go off you, like you did earlier, do you think you could do it for others, or is it simply a single person skill?" she asked.
 
It made sense to him actually, though chemestry wasn't his strongest subject and he tended to forget what he learned as soon as a test was over. "Sounds very likely actually, I've never really thought about chemestry and physics when I use my powers but if that's true then a lot makes sense." Kyle said, glad she looked happy again, though she hid the feeling from her face, he'd never liked it when people looked or was sad or upset, it usually brought down his own mood, that was why he used his water manipulation to make people feel better, though of course not on humans that were not in the loop.

Enjoying the cool water gently lap against his legs and the sand beneath his toes, it must be incredible luck that left this little heaven on earth alone from others, many came to lakes and the sea littering the beaches and being loud and crowding the areas so they either destroyed the nature or made it uncomfortable and annoying to go to the beach. But this lake with the surrounding forest must be isolated enough for people not having an easy time finding it. "Alandria, how did you find this place. It seems so isolated, the road is quite easy to see yet no one seems to come here, at least no one that destroys the nature."

"Yes, I can move pretty much all liquids no matter if they are on me, another person or on the ground," he answered, raising an eyebrow as he looked at her, her question was quite random and he was curious to see what she meant.
 
Alandria blinked and looked at the young man and then up at the sky. "How did I find this place?" she asked the sky, recalling just how she had found it, though she wondered if she aught to tell it or not. "Well, it was the week after I started high school. My dad had gotten into the alcohol again, and like I said last night, he and I are like fire and water. He was yelling and I just ran. I got on the first bus that I came across and just road it until I didn't know where I was any more. I ended up at the bus stop by the road a little after dark and decided in all my infinite wisdom that it would be better for everyone if I just got lost in the forest and didn't return. Silly of me, but I was sad and my dad had said a few hurtful things and i wasn't really thinking straight," She said with a small, embarrassed smile.

"I ended up following the trail though and came out on the hill just in time to see the moon rise up over the lake. Kind of cliche I guess, but this place helped me calm down. Got a cold from staying out all night and not returning until the next morning, but nothing could be better than watching a lake at night under the stars and moon." She stepped a little bit further into the lake, the water going up to cover a few inches of her dress.

"If I were to swim right now Kyle," she said slowly, turning to stand with her back to the lake and the sun. "Would you be able to make my white shirt dry should I come up above the water? I don't really care about the skirt. It'll dry, but as you probably know, white material and water doesn't really go together. I don't mean to be a bother really. If you'd rather not that's fine. I'm just really, really having the urge to swim right now."
 
Kyle listened quietly to how she found this place, how her father and her had argued and she'd ran and ended up here, he didn't really know what to say and he was going to keep his silent promise of not bringing up her past. "Ihope I didn't bring up some bad memories," he said as she finished, he didn't want to lay burden to her troubles. Then he continued, not sure what more to say about how she found the place.

"This place must be truly beautiful at night," he said instead, not entirley sure how to act around subjects like these. "Maybe I'll spend a night here as well, though I'll dress warmly enoguh to not get sick," the last he said with a friendly smile to show her it was just teasing, though he truly meant the part about staying here one night, on a weekend when no school could shorten the time he could spend here.

He decided to leave the subject at that though and started on her question instead. "I can do that, when you get up from the water you'll be dry before you know it." He smiled askew, understanding her urge to swim, it was hard to resist this clear, albeit slightly cool water, and although it didn't bother him he could well see her uncomfortable position with a wet white shirt.
 
Without waiting for the young man to say anything else, Alandria's face lit up and she splashed out into the lake before diving under the surface. When she surfaced, she was grinning like a fool and shaking her hair out of her face as she floated a good ten feet out from the shore. The water was cold against her skin but she didn't care. She had once, when she'd tried out for a swim team before her father had put a stop to that, been told that she was like a fish in water.

She dove back under the water and swam to the bottom, testing her lungs. She reached out with her hand but when she started to feel the pressure of not breathing, she turn and swam the way back to the top. She gasped as she broke the surface. She reached up and pushed her hair out of her face and blinked the water away. One hand kept having to go down to keep the skirt's material from floating up around her, but she didn't really mind. It occurred to her as she was bobbing there that she had taken complete advantage of the young water elemental.

She spun in the water, looking towards the shore to see if he still stood there. Alandria hadn't wanted to do that! She wanted to apologize.
 
Kyle smiled as Alandria dove out into the lake, her joy clearly visible on her face and entire body language. Preferring to keep out of the water today Kyle enjoyed the remaining sun warming his face, looking up into the sky he still kept an eye on Alandria prepared to keep her dry if she lifted more than head and shoulders out of the water. The water caressing over his skin, the sun and the fresh air that blew slightly through his light brown hair, it was much better than the city air, even if the academy was large enough to avoid too much polution but it was still noticable.

He noticed Alandria dove under the water, staying under longer than he could from what he could judge without counting the seconds. Ironic that he as a water elemental had quite bad lung capacity when it came to holding his breath, he could press away the water from his face of course but that wouldn't really help as the air would quickly run out either way. Just as he started feeling slightly worried she broke the surface, pulling back her wet hair.

"Having fun?" He called out to her as he turned his gaze from the sky focusing on her, a smile playing on his lips, prepared to pull the water from her if she decided to come up.
 
THe young woman swam over, though made sure that her shoulders stayed under the water even when she could easily have stood up. "Kyle, please, I'm sorry, I didn't meant to take advantage of you like that," she said when she was near enough to sit on the bottom of the lake with the water still up around her neck. Her distress was plain on her face as she sat there, her cheeks brightening to a light pink.

"I shouldn't have asked, I should have thought--you've probably been practicing all day with water and here I am asking if it's okay if you waste more energy keeping me dry when I should have just been grateful that you came and didn't think I was weird." She was speaking quickly, not wanting to be misunderstood. That would be horrible. "I just got this overwhelming urge to swim and I haven't swam here in a month and, please Kyle, if you don't want to work with your gift that's fine with me, I'll just wait until you leave before I get out. I already told my mother I wouldn't be home until late so it's okay if I stay a tad bit later than normal to dry off."
 
"It's no problem Alandria, I promise," Kyle said waving his hands, trying to calm her down. "I love using my powers and with these easy moves I barely use up any energy compared to when I started. You should see me, I can stand by a sink manipulating the water from there for hours sometimes, trust me you are not using me. And in my eyes you are not weird, if you compare us two who is more weird honestly, a normal girl with great taste in nature or a guy who can control water with some concentration and a wave of a hand?" From his point of view it had always been him who was the odd ball, the one who was different as a child so in Kyle's eyes she was perfectly normal.

To prove she was not a bother Kyle put out his hadns a bit towards her and concentrated on the water surrounding Alandria, and then focused on how it was pushed from her, out of ehr clothes and away from her hair and skin. The whole though process took only moments and after a few seconds the water parted around Alandria leaving her dry and with the opportunity to walk to shallow water before he released his hold on the lake water. "See, if I was tired I wouldn't be able to move water in these amounts," he said. True to her theory of water molecules holding together tightly he had nowhere near the trouble to keep the water away from Alandria as he had with lifting water away from its source. "And just so you know I don't intend to leave before you do." He added with a smile, and jerked his head to the side slightly to remove his bangs from his eyes.
 
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