Dragon's Curse (Nemo & Joan)

[Nemopedia]

Dynalight;Mate;

Louelle Huang

The fire surrounded her, roaring and blazing. It was as if the flames were angry at her, or at least the source behind it. Without forming any words Louelle understood that she was told to stay away, far away from the fire and the shadow behind. Not because it would hurt her, but because she wasn't meant to trespass. Beyond the flames there was a danger ahead. A terrible secret that she wasn't supposed to approach.

This time the female decided to do things differently, however. Testing the flames she realised that the blaze was cool to touch, gentle and nurturing. As if the inferno belonged to her, as if it had been her creation.

Words welled up as she squinted her eyes to look past the blaze of orange and red sparks. Taking another step Louelle decided to push through, to find out what was beyond.

With a start she woke up. Her tabby cat hissing as she quickly released her grip.

"Sorry," the dark haired mumbled dazedly watching the ball of orange flee. Her hand that had gripped the tail was tingling, as if she had accidentally touched a shock cord instead.

That dream again.

---

"You would manage to dry out a cactus," her friend scoffed when Louelle showed her the keychain, a sigh escaping them both.

Cecilia wasn't happy. Her friend had been so convinced that the live cactus would be the only plant that she could --would-- keep alive.

However, the dreary result showed otherwise. The plant looked as if its life had been sucked out of it. A feat that Louelle didn't quite held for possible. Dried out and frail it just loomed forward, waiting for certain dead to come.

Another sigh escaped her and the female went on her way to the campus. She didn't have time to worry about dumb little plants stuffed into even smaller spaces of glass hanging onto her keys. Especially not if she couldn't water the cactus.

"Whatever," Louelle bristled, stuffing the keychain back into her pocket. The dream still in the back of her mind as well. Cecilia's laments about the cactus went ignored.

@Joan

 

[Joan]

Andrew Mavlin​

---

Andrew walked down the sidewalk, both his hands shoved into his hoodie pockets. For the past year, he had been gathering clues and tidbits of information. From what he had heard, he figured that the sorcerer's descendant would be young, and that their magic would not go fully unnoticed. The rumors and clues he had gathered had led him here, to this city. He'd been here for a day or so already, and he hadn't found anything yet. He would have to be patient.

"You would manage to dry out a cactus."

Andrew raised his head and looked toward the two young women coming towards him on the sidewalk. He could see the keychain, and though he couldn't make out details, as the girls came closer, he could make out the small cactus. He watched the pair as they passed him, his mind racing. The girl with the keychain looked to be about the right age, and that dead cactus...it reminded him of the stories he had heard as a child, of the sorcerer being able to pull life from things and gift that stolen life to others.

He turned to follow them, making sure to stay a safe distance back. When he saw them heading onto a college campus, he nodded slightly to himself. That confirmed her age, unless she turned out to be a teacher, and she wasn't exactly dressed like one. Satisfied on that aspect, he followed after the pair, keeping a careful distance from the girl with the cactus.​

 

[Nemopedia]

Dynalight;Mate;

Louelle Huang

"So, other than sucking cacti dry, what have you been up to?" Argie teasingly questioned the female. Louelle's black fingers of death were the joke of today, it seems as even sensible Argie felt the need to take the mickey out of her.

Cecilia and Louelle had met their friend in the atrium of the campus, crowds of students surrounding them slurping their morning coffee and heavy books surrounding them with breakfast served right next. The dark haired female never liked the atrium, as big and crowded as it was. It just felt too dense. Of something, but Louelle wasn't sure what. Yet here she was. Out of kindness mostly. As per usual their peer was running behind on schoolwork, having had another late shift last night and he had begged them for help.

Rolling her eyes Louelle slammed her books open. "Haha, I'm a plant vampire," she honed before flipping over to the homework of today. "Granter of good notes, guardian of your dignity," she continued to smirk as she handed over her notes to the eager ginger. "Now sacrifice to me another one of your plants."

"You will run me out of business," the male quipped, gratefully copying her notes of the class he missed. How he managed to pass his exams with his bare minimum attendance was beyond the female, but she granted the honour to her diligence and kindness.

"Well, there is more happening than drying out plants. Look at that," sharp as ever Cecilia pointed into the crowd, eyes zooming in on a particular stranger. Argie ignored her, knowing that with the brunette it was always boys or gossip.

"Oh, a boy," Louelle quipped sarcastically, lowering the hand of her friend. Pointing was rude and whatever gossip was to follow Louelle did not want to make it obvious to the stranger. She didn't understand the fuss as there were so many strangers on the campus. Cecilia's claims that she knew everyone was frequently doubted.

"Man, and cute and I don't know him. Yet," the brunette corrected her friend, getting up to wave him over. Surprised, Louelle tried to stop her, half-dangling onto the arm of her friend as she stumbled after the brunette towards the stranger.

"No, Ceci. It isn't even ten am," Louelle whispered feeling mortified ss they drew closer, but it fell deaf. Finally giving into defeat she gave the male a better look, wondering who and what had caught her friend's eyes.

Fire flashed in front of her eyes again and a feeling of dread plummeted down to her stomach. A reptile-like eye stared her down before morphing into the man in front of them. Fair skinned and green eyed, a brunette whose hair almost seemed a flaming red.

"Awestruck, Lou?" Cecilia humoured herself with the joke as she beamed at the other. "I'm Cecilia and miss gawking over here is Louelle."

A voice within her spoke up. However Louelle was rooted, fighting whatever was blubbering within her.

"You aren't one of us."

The words had passed her lips before she even realised them herself and earned a hit to the arm from Cecilia. "Rude," the brunette whispered harshly and Louelle agreed. That was rude, but for some reason the truth?

 

[Joan]

Andrew Mavlin​

---

It was easy enough to blend in among the others on the campus as he followed the girls. It was a large campus, meaning nobody knew everybody, and he was the right age to be there. He did catch a couple students looking quizzically his way, but as he stared quietly back, they shrank away and went about their business, leaving him to go about his.

The girls met up with a red-haired man who seemed to be there to copy the cactus girl's notes. He lingered a short distance away, trying to eavesdrop without drawing attention to himself. This proved futile as the second girl spotted him, pointing in his direction before getting up to wave him over.

Deciding to take the opportunity to get closer and potentially speak with the girl with the cactus, Andrew made his way over, noting with some amusement that she seemed to be trying to hold her friend back. Nevertheless, they both made their way over to him, and he smiled as the brunette introduced them.

Cecilia and Louelle. Interesting.

"And I'm Andrew." He could see that Louelle was frozen in place, apparently shocked by something, and he raised an eyebrow at her. "What's wrong? Do I have something in my teeth? I mean, I ate quickly today, but--"

"You aren't one of us."

Andrew blinked, smile faltering and fading into a more serious expression. He cocked his head to the side slightly, studying Louelle, before shrugging. His smile returned, a bit more forced this time as he wracked his brain for an excuse.

"No, I suppose you're right." Swallowing his pride for a moment, knowing he would need to to get closer to them, he added, "I'm new here, actually. Family moved, parents are paying for college...you know how it goes." He shrugged again, almost apologetically. "Nothing's final yet, but they're particularly interested in this one, so...don't suppose you're able to show me around?"

As he spoke, he kept his eyes on Louelle. He didn't particularly care if either of them noticed. The brunette, Cecilia, seemed like she would just take that as a sign of interest, and Louelle...well, if she was the person he was looking for, he wanted her to know that he had an eye on her.​

 

[Nemopedia]

Louelle Huang

An awkward silence fell before Cecilia turned and slung her arm around the newcomer.

"Don't mind Lou, she is kinda," the brunette fell silent for a second as she looked for the right word. "Uppity," she decided before throwing her friend a look. Louelle tried to ignore it, shuffling her feet as she tore her eyes off Andrew. Trying to look into another direction the female prayed to herself that Andrew wasn't the type to hold grudges.

"Anyway welcome, Andrew. I sincerely mean it," Cecilia boasted a smile as Louelle sighed at herself. At least her friend made an effort in being likable. Though, when Louelle dared to peek back at the male she quickly diverted her eyes elsewhere, feeling blood rushing towards her cheeks when she found that he was still staring at her. Was this payback for earlier?

"Sorry about that," Louelle mumbled, carefully peeking back over her glasses. Of course none of that escaped Cecilia's attention, who quickly threw the other an all-knowing smile. Quickly Louelle pointed at the table Argie was still sitting at. The male was decidedly ignoring them, pouring himself over his books as he penned over the answers given.

"Argie is st--"

"We can show you around. Argie won't go anywhere and you have your first class with him anyway," Cecilia interrupted, twirling away from Andrew to throw her arms around Louelle. Another meaningful glance was exchanged with her friend. One that would often have been enough if it wasn't for a flare of stubbornness. As helpful as her friend was Louelle despaired over the brunette, today was definitely not the day where either of them had learnt to read minds.

"Don't you have a quiz today?" Louelle pointed out hastily, grasping onto all straws available. Trying to give Cecilia a look the brunette paused for a moment before a realisation dawned upon her. A realisation that Louelle would soon come to regret as her friend's eyes lit up in that characteristic and mischievous way of hers that could only mean that she had a plan and terribly misunderstood the situation.

Mouthing an 'oh' followed by an inconspicuous wink the brunette turned around one last time towards Andrew, twirling her hair and smiling apologetically.

"I mean, Lou will gladly show you around," she exclaimed as Louelle mentally facepalmed herself for this grandiose miscommunication. "She is such a dear, she even offered me her notes for the quiz of today, right?"

Defeated Louelle threw her head up, praying towards the ceiling of the school why and how she was stuck with this friend again. "Sure, fine, it is in my bag." Deciding not to fight the other she waved towards the table they had left.

"Sorry about Cecilia." She felt it only right to apologise as Cecilia skipped off after her goodbyes. Louelle straightened up, an awkward smile plastered over her face as Cecilia threw her another look and gave her a thumbsup. "She is quite a handful," Louelle huffed, though her smile was fond. It was useless to dissuade her friend now. Not without being rude towards Andrew, who really didn't deserve to be in the whole mess. Saying their goodbyes Cecilia mouthed a 'good luck' before smacking Argie over the back.

"Well, shall we start the tour?" she announced, shrugging her shoulders before spreading her arms. "Anyway, this is the atrium. Crowdy and big where we have our breakdowns and catch up on meals." Halting herself Louelle took in another breath, closing her eyes for a second. Of course this was the way she chose to start the tour.

"It really isn't as bad as I make it sound. Anyway were you interested in seeing anything in particular?" Calming down the female shrugged her shoulders once more, feeling a little silly for getting all worked up over giving a tour. Andrew honestly seemed nice enough, the unsettling feeling ignored and set aside.