Viridian Dreams Forum

Othello gave a big nod and a smile to Greg, letting Shannon introduce him before jumping back into the conversation.

"Yeah, just give people enough time and I'm sure we'll all be a little more friendly." Othello said with a small smile, before grinning over at Max. "Hello there Max, nice to see you again!"

"And my name's Lily. Good to meet you Greg."

"Perhaps a little," Kirana concedes cheerfully. "It is understandable, though; poor Ancell seems to have decided on petrified shock instead."
She reaches out and gently touches the back of Ancell's hand.
"Ancell, are you all right?"

Ancell starts slightly at Kirana's touch. "Huh? Yeah, yeah. Fine." He still seems a little disturbed by the events that just unfolded. "Just...didn't expect that."

*....I will not let that happen again.*

"Yes, it was most unanticipated," Kirana agrees. "I shall have to speak with Shawn about this later... but enough of that! Benjamin, would you mind telling me about these games you like to play? For instance, what is 'Shadowrun'?"

Benny smiles widely, and begins to describe the various games he plays. In depth. Excruciating, exacting depth.

Kirana listens with apparent interest, occasionally asking questions, smiling happily at having found a topic of conversation.

Breakfast conversation is interrupted as a commotion runs up a few tables away. Sounds of two boys shouting, what looked to be a Gurkha and a Kashmiri in a tussle, sending plates scattering as people moved to get out of their way. The Kashmiri managed to knock the other boy to the ground and was kneeling above him with a curved knife when his look changed to one of pained surprise, and keeled over to the floor. The Gurkha, his front now covered in something red and wet, took a different curved knife and severed the head of his opponent.

The crowd of people had edged back several feet from him, so when the bolt of lightning descended it only killed the survivor and blackened the area immediately around him. That was enough to snap most people out of their shock, and more than one person lost their breakfast at the sight of the charred corpse lying next to the headless one. Before pandemonium could take hold, however, someone with a dyspeptic look on his face dressed in black scholar’s robes strode forth. “This is unacceptable behavior! You will be held to a higher standard than this. Any student found murdering another” he steps over the bodies without breaking his stride “will be severely reprimanded. Class. Now.”

Everyone filed out of the hall in an orderly fashion, the staff member and the two bodies given a large berth. There was still talking, but the whispers and mutters were a different sort from the cheerful banter earlier. As you file out, you hear an upper class British boy, one you think you saw last night with two goons, speaking about how it wasn’t the two boys’ faults that they were killing each other. “That’s just the way those people are. They’ve probably been killing each other off for centuries.”

A fat kid with a bit of vomit still on his chin was ignoring him. “…j-just killed him, just like that. Died. It was horrible, nothing like what you see in movies…”

“…of course, the Spartans got punished to, if they were caught stealing bread.” This time a girl was confiding to herself as she readjusted her bag. “No, that can’t be right.”

Kirana stares blankly for a moment. Then she blinks slowly, turns her eyes away, and rises, adjusting her satchel. Turning to Benjamin and Ancell, she smiles brightly and says, "Well, we should get going. We do not want to be late for class."
She then starts walking in the direction of class.

Shannon rests her elbows on the table, holding her head with her hands covering her ears and clutching at her hair. Her eyes screwed shut as she focuses very hard on breathing, not throwing up and not freaking out.

'You'll need to keep your hea- oh bloody hell, I did not just think that.'

Othello himself dipped his hat down a bit, nervously tugging at his scarf as he took a series of deep breaths. Of all the things Othello did not want to see on the first day of classes, that was certainly one at the top of the list. Perhaps what he could only assume to be the teacher had only time to come at the end of the fight, but he couldn't help but wonder why no one had broken up the fight before one boy murdered the other.

At least then the boys could've been separated with a severe warning instead of both now being dragged off. Othello shuddered at the thought, feeling truly, deeply sorry for the two young men. After all, he might've been treated to the bad imagery, but those two... those two are the ones who ended up dead. That thought didn't quell the sickness in him, it did put the whole scene into perspective for him.

His ears perked up at some of the conversation being thrown around, even from the other part of the group's table from the girl, rather uneasy, bordering on appalled, at how easily some were trying to pass off two people being killed in front of all of them. Still, he noticed, it wasn't as if everyone was accepting the fact so easily.

Lifting his hat slightly he noticed Shannon sitting there, clutching at her head as her breathing took on a very tense pattern. Othello frowned; on the one hand he was glad that he wasn't alone in registering just how horrible that event was. On the other hand, a nice young woman was now on the verge of a panic attack. That simply would not do.

"Shannon." Othello began, lightly reaching over with his own hand, shaking slightly as he lightly patted her on the arm. "Its... well, no, its not okay. What just happened was horrible, and tragic and God in Heaven someone should've stepped in sooner to stop it. Two young men should not have died." Othello said, taking a deep, shaken breath as he did his best to smile for the young Australian woman.

"B-But, if you're scared that something like that will happen to you, to us, don't be. We're all here, we're all friends. We'll look out for each other, make sure we don't do something so... brash. Shannon, I'm telling the honest to God truth: bad things might happen, but we'll be okay. You don't have to worry, I swear."

Really, it seemed like an easy swear to hold onto. These people around him were good and decent people. They wouldn't do something so brash that would get them or anyone in the group in trouble. Even if they weren't all quite friends yet, as far as he was concerned, it was a matter of time.

And in Othello's mind, a group of friends like these would be able to keep each other okay.

Benny has his head between his knees, taking in deep breaths to keep his gorge from rising and having him revisit his breakfast. 'They... And the teacher... and some of...' His thoughts were a whirling maelstrom of confusion, panic and a bit of terror, but he struggled through them, reaching the calm eye of the storm. And there the only thought he had was 'A crew. Mutual protection and safety. Covering each others backs and weaknesses. Keeping each other safe.'

As he brought his head up, there was a determined gleam in his eye that contrasted sharply with the sickly pallor of his skin.

Clara gently wrapped her arm around Shannon in a one armed hug, "I shudder to say this, but I agree with Othello. I promise I'll protect you, okay Shannon?"

She felt uneasy at how at least some of her 'group' were taking the murders so easily. She'd keep her eye on that one. Mostly though, she was focusing on not looking where the boys had killed each other, because it was making her sick.

All the more reason to get home to her parents.

Lily stared for a second and licked her lips. Severely reprimanded? If that was a severe reprimand, she'd hate to see what real punishment looked like. A few words from Othello snapped her attention to Shannon. Poor dear. That wouldn't do.

Lily slid over and began rubbing Shannon's back. Lily started to speak softly. "Shannon, listen to me. It's OK. Just focus on your breathing. When you feel like you can stand, let me know, and I'll lead you to the bathroom, and then we can go to class, OK? I'm right here. You're going to be fine. You're not alone. Just focus on your breathing, and your friends, and everything is going to be OK."

Max looked up at the sound of the lightning bolt, before rubbing at his face.

"They're bastards like that. They like to make exaples of what the rules are by making a show of it rather than letting everyone know from the start."

He shook his head before sighing and spotting Shannon in distress. He wasn't very good at comforting people. So he did the only thing he could.

"Shannon. I spoke to Mother, she will be keeping an eye on your family. Don't worry, I promise I'll help keep you safe until you can go back to them."

Nikola is mirroring a few of the others reactions, his eyes screwed shut and his hands clenched into fists at his sides, his face giving off a terrified and sick expression as he almost chants to himself hysterically.

"sem storil ne le videti, da. sem storil ne le videti, da."

Oog: he is basically saying, I did not just see that, over and over.

Elizabeth had watched the entire fight and unblinkingly stared at the two bodies, her book long forgotten on the table. She remotely noted the reactions of some of the people around and filed it away for later as her thoughts spun into silence. She saw the blood still spilling out of the boy's neck, pooling around him. Her eyes tracked the blood seeping into the indents and cracks of the flooring. She could smell the blood's copper tinge in the air, taste it on her tongue and she remembered the look on the boy's face before he died, her great memory now a boon. The smell of burning flesh was everywhere and she wondered if he would be like the kalbi at the Korean barbecue restaurant her parents liked to go to, if the smell would seep into her clothes and skin, oh god. She felt the sudden urge to go take a shower, but the man who murdered the boy said to go to class and she knew the Headmaster said classes were optional but he said nothing about staff murdering students, he said nothing about it, nothing.

Her hands shaking as she put her arms to the side of her head with hands intertwined on the top, she shut her eyes, started to breath in deeply and pushed it all to the back. In a few seconds, she opened her eyes and separated her still hands from the top of her head. She took the book from the table to put in her lap and turned to the rest of them with an impassive face. Her eyes flickered over each of them briefly, taking in their reactions. She stood up from her seat and walked to Nikola. She watched Lily and then did the same circular motions on Nikola's back.

"Just breath Nikola, breath deeply. Calm down. You're not alone." She said, in a soothing tone exactly the same as Lily's one. "We're here, you're going to be fine, breath in deep. All the way to your diaphragm. Exhale out. Breath in."

She looked up from her motions and stared off into the distance, thinking.

“Ah. Should we go to class?” Elizabeth asked. "If we are going to be late, it would probably be best to go as a group. It'd be harder for the teacher to make us an example like Max said."

Othello watched as everyone began doing their best to comfort each other, the young man not being able to help himself but to smile as he watched the scene. He'd been right about these people, something he was infinitely grateful for. He took a small breath, looking at each of them.

"We're going to be okay. We'll live, learn and see our families again. This I swear." Othello said, giving everyone a small nod as his smile grew some more. "When Shannon and Nik, is it alright if I call you Nik, are ready then we'll go."

"Holy $%*^!" Greg cannot help but yell as the student is killed by lightning.

He grips the table to steady his shaking.

We're prisoners here, they can kill us at any time.

Greg's eyes find the exits again, and a desperate part of his mind is screaming to make a break for it. Luckily he still has enough nerve to reign that suicidal instinct in.

Stay low, unnoticed. He looks at the the group around him. They're all looking for someone to watch their backs too. You will get out of this. Figure out this magic stuff, figure out the system and how things work around here.

"It's like juvee, but a lot worse." he says quietly, nerves still frayed but steady enough to get up with the others and go to class.

Shannon's breathing evened out as she waved them off, "'m ok, I'm just naus-" she covered her mouth with her hands for a moment, evidently still needing to focus before settling down with a deep breath, "nausious and horrified. Thanks, but I'm ok." She looked very pale. The girl met Max's eye for a movment and gave a small nod, they hadn't really spoken much but if he had taken it upon himself to look out for her family she figured she owed him. "Can we get out of here?"

Benny shakily pushes himself up from the table, grabbing the bag with a couple of bound notebooks and pen he'd brought down with him, and stood. "I... suppose we should go to class." He heads off, doing his level best to avoid looking at the bodies on the floor.

"Well, nauseous and horrified isn't exactly okay, but getting you away from here would be likely to help." Othello said, letting go of her arm as he stood up, adjusting his scarf slightly. "Now then, I do believe we have a first day of class to get to." Othello said, a smile on his face. "Let's see what exactly awaits us in these halls."

The lecture hall was well lit and airy, a jarring transition from the claustrophobic gothic corridor outside. Students filed in, grabbing seats near the front, near the back, by the exits, by the aisles, each with their own opinion of where the 'best' seat was.

A different facilty member came in from a door behind the podium. With a gesture, the chalkboard began writing on itself, proclaiming that this was Professor Pieatroff's Introductory Lecture on Sympathy and Cotagnation, and that they would be required to take notes during the enrirety of this class. "Not one of you wishfuls will be able to make much more than a spark if you cannot master these basics. If you do not wish to be *complete* failures, I strongly encourage you to pay attention!"

The lesson, summed up, was that all things were connected to various degrees. Professor Pietroff used the example of a voodoo doll being used to effect someone. "Naturally, there is far more theory behind the practice, but without the basics you will never amount to anything."

The lesson ended without any more casualties, the lecturer apparently not interested in three students who arrived late. According to your scheduals, you had no more classes that afternoon.

Benny immediately starts trying to get the group of people that he's become acquainted with rounded up together. After the display in the breakfast hall, putting forward the idea of becoming a crew has reached the utmost of importance. He heads for Othello first, as he's the easiest to spot. "Othello, can you do me a favor?"

Othello stood up from his desk, placing some papers he had borrowed from a few nice folks around him into one of his many coat pockets, popping a pen into another pocket into another. That lecture had proven itself to be, in his mind, interesting, something that he would need to keep in mind for later when he'd start practicing with illusions.

For now, it seemed, that would have to wait, as Benny came running towards Othello, the young man smiling slightly at the other.

"Ah, hello there Benny. What do you need?"