[Finished] Where our eyes will lead us

Iza shrugged her shoulders, getting the snow off of her cape, at the same time carefully looking around. She and Nami somehow gotten through the forest, main yard and up to this hall without meeting anyone- teachers and students alike were absent from their surroundings. Elder twin frowned, gripping onto her bag's handle.

'I don't like this...'

'Most people are probably in the dorms or taking part in the lessons right now.' Nami reassured, mirroring her twin's action and looking for a possible living being to greet. 'We just need to get to the Lyra's dorm and then you'll probably want to exploe the school on your own anyway.'

'Of course! I don't need anybody as my tour guide, thank you very much! Now, where did I put that letter...' muttered older twin, searching her pockets. She was looking for a letter they got from the school, with the academy's rules and minimap on its backside. With that, they wouldn't need anybody's help with getting to the dorm...provided she could find it. Nami looked at her sister for a moment before deciding to once more scan their surroundings in search for well, anybody, really.

"If nobody turns up soon" she thought "and Iza won't find the map, I'll start walking and just choose a random door to check out."
After all, who said they needed to get to the dorm first?

    "Hey! There's two of you." The tall, wiry blonde known as Arwen Kalevere approached from behind the twins as if she had been deposited there herself in that very moment. Her black attire showed signs of wear and dirt, even her arms showed evidence of scrapes and roughness, not counting the harshly tanned skin of her forearms, but she walked with nary a sound. At her back, a beach ball sized metallic structure followed, aglow with crimson plasma that betrayed no heat. Both circled around the twins from opposite sides as if trapping them in, but Arwen held no predatory sharpness in her gaze or gait. "I wonder if I'll get paid double for today. Ah, what am I saying? I'm on salary." 

    With a dismissive shrug - the hovering contraption coming once again to her side to position itself slightly behind her - Arwen addressed the pair once more, "Mawari, yeah? Well, we'll get you somewhere to offload, then let you run wild, hm?" She turned then, without waiting for confirmation from either girl, to lead the way further into the vast halls of the Academy. The object, constantly rearranging itself in size and angles, but not quite shape, followed obediently. "Classes are in. You won't have to worry about joining them until tomorrow, though."

'Sis...'
'Yeah...' Iza answered in a whisper, slowly turning back towards where the woman and her...thing went, coming out from the instant back-to-back position with her sister. The second she noticed the woman and the black-red thing circling them, she turned to have an eye on the black red something, trusting Nami to watch the movements of the other newcomer. 'I didn't notice her appearance, too.'

And that was saying something, with Nami's sensitivity to the air changes, and Iza's natural wariness... even if it was focused on her bag at the time. She closed it with more force than required, identical thought appearing in the sisters' mind.
"She's good."

Nami made a hesitant step in the direction of a walking woman, but Iza grasped her wrist, eyes distrustfully watching the adult.
'What do you mean by "somewhere"? And, since you seem to know us, who are you?' she asked, taking a step forward and in front of her twin. She disliked the slip about double payment the woman did; even if Foresta have its security system...

'If we may ask?'

Iza fought down the urge to facepalm. Trust her sister to polish everything into a polite question...


(OOC: sorry for being so  late with answering!)

    For a moment those leaden amethyst eyes pinned Iza down with unrelenting scrutiny, drinking in the pair's appearance without roaming or searching. Unwavering eye contact alone could be a useful intimidation tactic, but Arwen's gaze still lacked the expected sharpness to go with such a ploy. Satisfied with Nami's amendment, a wide, cheerful grin broke out, "I'm your assigned Guidance Counselor! Arwen! Kalevere! Miss!" With that dealt with, she turned to begin leading the way once again, shifting back into a more relaxed tone, "It's good to be wary, what with our history, but I wonder what you would do if I had been hostile, hm? Anyway, we'll get you to Lyra, settled in, maybe introduce you to the House Leader if he's around."

     "What do you girls do for fun, hm?"







(OOC: No worries. A little brief on this one, but I felt it necessary to let you choose their cooperation or lack thereof.)

It was... unexpected, to say the least and Nami tugged at her sister's hand to make her move. Iza was pondering on the first question and the answer she came to wasn't pleasing her, it seemed. She gritted her teeth, letting her sister lead her to follow a newly introduced counselor.
"If she was a foe, the most I could've done would be creating fire barrier, or stalling her long enough for  Nami to come out of the shock; she always is so surprised whenever anybody attacks her in any way...and then we would have to run, since our opponent seems stronger than both of us... Provided Nami wouldn't have a plan, but it is unlikely, neither of us have an idea as to just what in the world is this thing behind her back. Which means I am a hopeless protector..."

Nami decided to take on herself the burden of the talk.
'For fun? Probably learn new things, that's  sis' forte. I'm more of an artistic type, according to what our tutors said. But why ask that a Lyra student?Actually, why were you assigned to us?' she asked, tilting her head. 'No offence meant to you, miss Kalevere, but you look more like an adventurer or hunte-erm, huntress?- rather than artist...'

    Although denied a verbal response to her mostly rhetorical question, Arwen let it slide easily. She would get to see what the pair could do, what their behaviors might tend to, in the future. Personal experience, in her opinion, told so much more than words. The other matter, though, seemed a bit more pressing. "Hm, hm," She murmured in thought, "You're right! I'm not here to teach you art. Why do you think you're here anyway?"

    At the foot of a length of stairs, the older woman turned to address the pair in a more direct fashion. Quickly, she whipped out a small card, clearly a cut down and folded brochure, which she had hidden away on her somewhere (pockets seemed to be rarity with her outfit), "Welcome to Foresta Academy!" She began with a lilting tone as if about to start a presentation, "A safe haven," A quiet scoff, "for Gifted individuals seeking to pursue their academic and artistic inter-" She cut herself off, giving the wrinkled bit of paper a very accusatory glare, as if it had personally betrayed her. With a toss over her shoulder Arwen rid herself of the evidence, which was further done away with when the crimson vortex behind her subtly shifted into place to more or less eat it.

    Unsatisfied, Arwen shifted to cross her arms under her chest, exampling absolutely nothing of a feminine physique. All the while, her mechanical familiar hovered just behind her right shoulder, as if peering over to observe the students for itself. "Never mind all that. You're here because you have Gifts. This is Foresta, not some art school. I am here because you need me to be. You," She spoke with emphasis, "were assigned to me because I am the best there is." The firm pride of her tone shifted to one of sheepish acceptance, "Also, I only have one other student to look after and the rest of the staff is swamped."

'So we're basically a leftovers assignment.' concluded Iza, and it was Nami's turn to fight the urge to facepalm down.
'Sis, you're not helping...'
'I didn't intend to.' announced elder twin, watching both the woman and the thing hovering behind her with reluctance. 'I don't really like beating around the bushes, and you know that, Nami.'
Younger twin sighed, but kept her mouth shut as Iza once more took over the talking.
'So, you name that thing-' she created small, reddish flame in her right palm. '-a Gift. Then you shove the fact we're not normal into our faces. Then, you say you're the best, but what does it really mean? What do you do to make you say you're the best possibility for our Counselor?'
She extiguished the flame and looked into other blond's eye, trying not to be intimidiated by the look of woman's eyes. The silence that fell afterwards was broken only by the troubled, if not a little embarrassed tone of Nami.
'Actually, what does the Guidance Counselor do?'
Iza blinked and looked at her twin. Now that she thought about it, she didn't knew, either.

Not being able to go to normal school really did strip them from the knowledge of such mundane things...

    The woman of questionable talents (and ethics) continued to observe the pair before her with a quiet interest. Amusement, more than anything, sparkled in her eyes when their attention did not rest wholly upon her. That the more direct twin would be so dismissive of her presence as to speak with such challenge felt like a joke to Arwen. Had she not just established that she could be a potential threat? She had. She had noted their reactions. So now it seemed a question of if the twins felt like adhering to stubborn wariness. Which was certainly fine, she supposed, safer than blind trust but certainly more tedious.

    "I'm your personal problem solver! A friendly face you can rely on!" A reassuring grin gave her formerly apathetic expression a peculiar brightness even as her posture relaxed and her tone evened out, "Have problems with classes? Powers? Students? Maybe you're a big scary vampire and need special accommodations. You talk to me. Like I said, I'm here for you.

    "We also recently instated Dorm Leaders in case talking to another student is less harrowing for you. I think that's mostly the rest of the staff offloading their responsibilities, though. As for the rest of it - you girls ask a lot of questions." She complained, gracing Iza with an unhappy, pointed look. "Well, the short of it is, I'm a jack-of-all. I've lost more Gifts than you've grown. Handled every element. Faced off against dozens of Gifted enemies in life threatening battles. I am the single most experienced individual at survival. At the end of the day, that's what really counts.

    "And, this?" Pointing a thumb at the hovering device behind her, "Is my friend. Gear." In comprehension, the gyroscopic array bobbed low in the air before rising to its former position, as if a buoy on the surface of the ocean. 

'I have doubts in regard of that friendly...ack! Nami!'
'Nice to meet you, too, mr Gear.' cheerfully announced younger twin, not too subtly massaging the elbow she just thrust into her twin's side.
'How come you even know it is a "he"?!' Iza hissed, but the pointed look of her younger twin told her all she needed to know.
"You've had your time to dispell your doubts. It's my time to talk. Besides, I just know."

It was probably pointless to argue with her sister at this point, even if she still didn't completely decide her attitude towards their Counselor. Meanwhile Nami looked at the adult with innocently wide eyes. Iza hoped her sister didn't go into her blonde cutie state she used to annoy people trying to put blame for accidential floods on her. As an addition it annoyed Iza, as well.

'That must've been pretty intense life, miss Kalevere. It might be irritiating, but I have one more question.' Nami said, then asked, tilting her head. 'Are survival skills that important at Foresta?'
"Thank gods, it's not the cheerful cutie tactics..." thought Iza, deciding to observe Gear behind their Counselor's back. Now that she focused at it, it looked quite interesting....

    There were always so many things to witness anew. The Labyrinth had been a long lasting home for just a bit too long. Appreciating the wide open world with its vast, expanding skies and myriad of soulish beings remained a persistent interest these days. The castle might be a bore, once you explored its halls nothing really changed, but the people brought such curious delight in the way that they behaved towards one another. So many surprising little features about a person would often change how someone else would treat them, almost exclusively the result of the features of their own persona and image. With each's history taken into account and the uncountable possibilities of crossed paths, there would never cease to be something to observe. The Labyrinth may always have been changing and alive, unlike this castle, but the creatures within it had been consistently predictable.

    So here we are, pondering the very threads which have woven these two together, while our beloved sends out waves of agitation, impatience, and unmistakable pride. And while the significantly more stoic of the pair radiates a dismissive attitude, it quickly switches to indignation at the other's insistence and eagerness. There is such trust there. And affection. We cannot help but to be thoroughly pleased by the display, only overshadowed by our surprise at being addressed directly. In full appreciation, for both the honor of acknowledgement from such usually-self-absorbed entities and the shared honor between the two, our form shifts in pleasure.

---

    With the right of eldest, Iza clearly insisted on being the protective sibling. Although the byplay may not be entirely lost on Arwen, she never had that kind of relationship with anyone she can remember. The small interaction brought a more subtle, genuine smile to Arwen's features, not that she ever bothered to make an expression without some truth to it. Even the indiscreet elbow jab from Nami displayed their relationship beautifully, but Arwen's interest returned to the matter at hand rather quickly. No one ever saw fit to address Gear directly.
     As the array aligned multiple arms together it bobbed once more in the air, giving a solid attempt at an appreciative bow for such an ambiguous form. Obviously, it could not very well maintain the inactivity, so it readily resumed its lazily rotating pace as each arm found their own rhythm. Well, Gear certainly seemed to be enjoying the attention.

    "Oh, no. Of course not." Arwen assured, returning to the topic at hand and completely ignoring the unusual interaction, "But they are in the real world. And who knows what might find its way here..."

    "So, that's it? Good. I suggest you familiarize yourself with the castle as quickly as possible. The Dining Hall, Library, and most other specialized rooms are on the first floor. Meals are whenever you like, food is always prepared. As for the outside, beware the forest. Especially at night. It is wild." The momentarily serious look dropped for one of joviality, "Great! On to the second floor, where nearly all of your classes will be held!"

    For a very brief moment she eyed the pair for further questions, but promptly ignored them in favor of stepping backwards into the suddenly widening expanse of her strange companion. The ethereal red glow embraced her without pull as her voice continued carelessly, "Meet you at the top!" At once wider in radius than Arwen was tall, Gear collapsed in on itself to the size of a basketball before ascending the stairs in a rush. Some might suggest she were showing off, but in reality the combat instructor was just exceptionally lazy about stairs.

    Without even waiting for them to properly catch up, she was deposited from the device as if in mid-stride at the top of the stairs, no hint of lost momentum or push, "Nurse's office is around here somewhere," She eyed the pair dubiously for one last evaluation, waiting for them to catch up, "In case of illness or injury. Feel free to contact virtually anyone you see if that's the case." She turned abruptly, leading a short way down the hall, "To the Student Lounge!"

The same thought appeared in the twins mind, but only Iza voiced it out.
'Show-off.'
'Well, at least we get a guide.' Nami turned from her position few steps head of her sister and extended her hand. 'Iza?'
Older twin grinned and grasped offered palm, with ease matching her sister's steps. They were together, so she wasn't going to whine.
Besides, Nami was right-they had a guide, and interesting one at that. Iza did want to protect her sister from any danger, and if that was possible, keep her as happy and innocent as possible, but really, that didn't mean she couldn't have an interesting things happen in her life. If things at Foresta were as unique as their Guidance Counselor, she would manage to both keep Nami safe and enjoy her life. Her twin, judging by the small smile on her face as they climbed up the stairs to catch up to Arwen, had similar thoughts.
Somehow, coming to this school turned out to be much better idea than they predicted.



(thank you Scribe for the start of twin's adventure, and I'm sorry I couldn't respond as quick and as good as possible...)