smashacademy | 01. I'm home [Text]

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01. I'm home [Text]

[[OOC: If the involved players would like her DR post to be canon, then this journal post can come after it. I'd be happy to finish those threads there.]]

Hello everyone. For those of you who may not know me, my name is Chiyo and I'm a Vaporeon. I first arrived at Smash Academy two years back and spent, according to the time here, a year away on an unexpected break. If by chance you may be curious as to where I've been, I was away traveling through a few worlds before I was able to find a portal to return here. Speaking of which, portals can be rather complicated to understand and use, so please be careful when you see or plan to use one, okay?

That aside, I'll be in college this year! I'm greatly looking forward to studying, spending time in the library and greenhouse, swimming, and hanging out with friends again. Although I'm saddened to have discovered that several friends I knew have left, I still look forward to making new friends and hope we'll have a pleasant year together.

In the meantime, I'll be taking a walk around the school and will be looking to reunite with some friends. If you'd like to meet or text me, please feel free to do so. I'll have my phone with me and will answer any texts as soon as I'm able.

Again, it's nice to be back. I hope I didn't cause too much trouble when I disappeared. If I did, I'd like to make it up to you. Other than that, hope you have a great day!

Private Text to Mondo:

Hello Mondo. If it's alright with you, could we meet? I'd like to talk to you. If not, then... I'll understand.

Sincerely,
Chiyo

[[OOC: Feel free to make action threads if you'd like to interact with Chiyo on campus.]]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[He blinked at her response. She could tell him he looked nice, but perhaps he wasn't meant to say the same in return. What did one say to that normally anyway? He didn't know, because no one really ever said that to him. Furiae once or twice and he could easily deflect things back onto her. And she never seemed to notice.]

Hm...

[Where to take a young lady. He had not been prepared for this pop quiz and he wasn't even the student.]

Well, you have only just returned. Perhaps there was someplace you wanted to see. I cannot say how much will be too... enchanting. Winter tends to kill everything.

[She simply smiled at his comment about the coldest season.]

While that may be true about winter, I'd also like to think that it's the time for nature to take a rest as it waits for the warmer days to come. When Spring arrives, they all wake up and blossom with new life again. I love Spring for all its blossoming flowers, but I also love Winter for its snow. The purity of its white color and the crisp, cool air almost makes one feel like the world has been made pure again... Almost brand new....

[A pause. Hopefully that little spiel about nature wasn't off-putting. She tended to ramble when it came to such a topic as it was something she loved dearly.]

But, um, it's too bad there isn't any snow today. The weather is nice though! So maybe... [Where was a good place to walk through and around on campus? Chiyo was always okay with strolling through the forest, but she couldn't imagine Caim enjoying the sight of dead trees.

...Then an idea hit her. She wouldn't have considered it if she were walking alone, but since she had company... she was a little more willing to go to there again. It was also the only other place she could think of to go to that might not potentially bore Caim.]

Perhaps the city? Though it's alright if you'd rather not go. [She added that last part quickly in case if he felt displeased by the idea.]

[His response wasn't immediate. Mostly because he didn't know what to make of her words. Her explanation had logic to it, he supposed. A romantic sort of logic. The kind that a princess should have thought of the world and its intricacies. But in the same respect, Caim had to wonder how Chiyo could see so much beauty in a world, or in people who weren't beautiful at all.

In the same way she thought he looked nice. For when he saw his reflection, all he saw was an infinite amount of bloodstains. And he had resigned himself to just such a fate.

Yet he was thankful when she continued, because nothing he had to say would have been particularly useful or appropriate with regard to whispered sweet nothings about winter and springtime.]

The city is fine. [He nodded to her reassuringly.] It was your idea to begin with. Consider me your escort, if you prefer. [Because truth be told, Chiyo seemed like she could use one and considering he was the best swordsman at the school, Caim was probably the perfect person to protect her.]

[Saying that he'd basically be her escort, her protector, really warmed Chiyo's heart. She found that it showed a kind aspect of the swordsman and she appreciated him for it.]

Thank you... I feel like I'll be in good hands, but for today, we're simply taking a walk through the city as friends. So, I hope you'll enjoy your time in the city. [She began walking at a slow pace until she was sure he was moving alongside her.] Is there anything you fancy there? Something you'd like to see or visit?

[While he was used to always being in front, he didn't dare take the lead. At least, not at the present moment. He was still trying to figure out what exactly he was doing and he didn't have a simple answer to that. He did, however, opt for staying beside her, thinking that an even more foreign feeling than most of whatever else they had on their agenda.]

I... The city is... fine. [Which was almost like a code for saying Caim didn't really go to the city if he could help it. If he went, it was usually to the tavern for an occasional drink.] If you like looking at the garments, there is the department store. Jewellry stores, if that is your fondness. Places for food, if you feel hungry.

[Basically, it was whatever she wanted. Without him needing to say so.]

[She hummed quietly as she thought about her options. It took her a little while since she tended to feel anxious with the responsibility of making decisions involving other people. Sometimes, she had enough problems making decisions for her own self.]

Regarding clothes and jewelry, while I do like them, I'll probably refrain from buying any today. [While she believed Caim could be patient, she doubted he'd enjoy standing idly by as she shopped for herself. That is, unless if he'd like to partake in the shopping, but she didn't image that'd be the case and didn't wish to find out either in the event she was right in the first place.] We could go for food later. A snack, maybe? Or stop by a cafe to relax a bit after walking around.

[She paused briefly to see if he made any reactions towards her suggestions. Even though she had already gathered the hint he'd be willing to do whatever she decided, she still wanted to be sure that he'd be okay with it and would hopefully be interested in it. It also helped her to find out more about the man himself.]

I've heard the city has a bookstore and that's the one place I would love to visit the most. I hope you won't mind if I indulge myself in there for a little bit. Would you happen to like books too, Caim?

[He nodded to her suggestions for food later. In fact, the cafe didn't sound like the most horrible idea ever either. The idea that she had some direction about where she wanted to go and what she wanted to do let him rest a little easier. He didn't have to take charge or listen to orders be barked at him. In hindsight, Chiyo's companionship was probably some of the best he'd had in some time.

At least extensively so. The adventures under mistletoe hadn't been completely horrible or fruitless, after all.

It was only when she addressed him so directly that he actually looked over to her with his blue eyes.]

Books... Hm. My sister was more fond of tomes and their tales. That is not to say that I have not read my share. I suppose I would find familiarity with war stories. [He idly tapped at his chin while he thought about it.] I have like spent more time with my sword than I have with any one book, however... What was it that you were hoping to find there?

[War stories.... Well, she supposed it was normal for men to generally like that genre. Occasionally she'd read one, but they tended to depress her so she refrained from reading them. That is, unless if they included romance and had something akin to a happy end.

Speaking of book elements... Caim's question had her feeling embarrassed. Somehow, she found that her tastes in books might come off as childish....]

I... [No. She was not going to make mention of fairy tales. Not if she could help it. It would be especially embarrassing since she'd often think of him as having the characteristics of a dashing prince out of a storybook.] I'd like to find books about fantasy and adventure. A-And romance. [She cleared her throat and thought to add in another suggestion based on what he said.]

If you'd like, how about we also stop by a weapons store? They'll surely have swords there and I wouldn't mind taking a look at what they have. I wouldn't buy any, but I do like to appreciate the craftsmanship and design of some weapons.

At the very mention of swords, Caim got incredibly enthused and couldn't help whipping out his.

[The prince of nothing paused somewhat briefly. Fantasy, adventure, and romance. Sounded like things he was accustomed to girls finding interest in and there was nothing wrong with that. A little strange for him to be hearing it, but not as weird as it could have been.

He gave her a sidelong glance once more and nodded slowly.] So I see... [Merely observation only, and nothing demeaning about his response. Chiyo was permitted to like whatever it was she wanted to like. In fact, Caim thought it was rather... normal of her, something that solidified the possibility he wasn't as clueless as he thought he was.

Her invitation to a weaponry shop won some intrigue from him as he found his left hand settling over the hilt of his sword. Not his original, but a nice one all the same, though he rarely used it unless he was training by his lonesome. For he certainly couldn't use it in demonstrations with his students.]

If that would not bore you, then yes. We may do that as well. The bookstore first, however. If you would like, I will look at some of your books with you.

It won't, and well... I hope my books won't bore you... since they may not be to your tastes.

[If it were Jon or Red, she could imagine she'd happily share all her favorite stories - even tell them all about her favorite princes and princesses. However, with Caim... she could only find it embarrassing. It would be like telling a prince how awesome princes were (and little did she know that would be the actual case). She was glad, though, that he took interest to the idea of the weapons shop. That felt like a little success.

Soon, the city would be in view and the closer they got to it, the more Chiyo slowly felt anxiety bubble up within her. The last memory she had of FDC was of her getting surrounded by a group of hooligans and gut-punched. Not the best of memories. But she supposed the city could change for the better after a year. Otherwise she was sure there'd be some unpleasant rumors flying around about the place. Caim probably would've also said something so she tried to ease her worries with these facts. Once they'd enter the city, she'd unconsciously draw closer to Caim and glance around a little nervously.]

My sister had a similar taste in books. [It was meant to be reassuring, but he imagined he didn't know how to sound in such a fashion.] It is not foreign territory to me.

[He was content enough to stay in some form of silence. At least initially. Most of his thoughts were on how he was presenting himself and what, exactly, he was doing. That had quickly been followed up on why it was important to him. Why he was even trying. What he was hoping to accomplish.

Questions he didn't answers to.

In the city, when she neared him, he took note of it, but didn't say anything to begin with. At least until he could feel his own kind of anxiety come up from it. Personal space and what not. As he gave an investigative look around, he settled his gaze back onto her.]

Nothing is going to happen. You will be fine. [But hesitantly he lifted his arm, just in case she felt she needed him to protect her.]

[The reassurance in his words reached her and she felt glad to know that he wasn't going to be terribly bothered by her choice in books. Even his next statements were comforting. However, now she had something else to be more nervous about.

Was he... offering his arm to hold? Would it be weird to ask? It seemed obvious that he was. She felt incredibly shy and worried that if she took too long thinking about it, it might send the wrong message that she didn't want to touch him. Which then she had to ask herself why it terrified her to simply touch his arm?

Tense, hesitant and with a shaky hand, she slowly reached up. This was normal, she wanted to tell herself. It only made sense to accept this sort of offer. Women normally accepted the arms of the gentlemen who offered it to them. At least, they did in the romance novels she read.

But this wasn't a romance novel. This was real life! She hadn't even had any romantic thoughts about anybody... Never considered to think about it until now... Taking in a deep breath, she finally gently rested her hand on his arm. The surprise jolt of nerves she experienced made her fingers, ears, and tail twitch, and she suddenly worried if she made the right move. Her heart was beating fast and she kept her gaze low. There were no words she could say at that moment and she really hoped he wouldn't take her action negatively.]

Edited (Because grammar TvT) 2015-01-20 04:35 (UTC)

[She thought she felt awkwardly out of place. That idea that she took his arm—obviously with some hesitance—had been something he wasn't expecting. In fact, it made a wave of cold wash over him. For what seemed like more than what was probably necessary, Caim hadn't been too keen on personal contact.

Well. Physical contact. Emotional contact, too. But Caim didn't exactly know how to open up doorways to emotional intimacy. It had never really been his forte and it certainly wasn't in the present. He had given a kiss during the mistletoe fiasco. Two, actually, and that was awkward as well.

Having Chiyo on his arm felt like something he should have been familiar with and to a degree he was. It wasn't necessarily foreign. Just a kind of nostalgia that he hadn't been particularly expecting. And he willed himself just to act natural. How hard could it have possibly been?

Incredibly. He just wasn't going to say it.

Somewhere in the midst of it all, he did find words, however. As if speaking might actually allow him to forget what she was doing. Not because he didn't necessarily like it, but more or less because he didn't know how it was supposed to make him feel or how he felt in those moments.]

What happened here that would make you nervous?

[And he knew it was a prying question, but Caim had always held a degree of observance about himself. Even if he didn't always display it.]

[The question had her slowing down into a halt. Her hand still remained on his arm because, though it made her nervous, it was also strangely comforting in a way. After a moment passed for her to collect her thoughts, she finally spoke in a soft voice.]

It... was during the time there was a lot of fighting here in the city - when humans didn't take kindly to... to non-humans. I found someone, another Pokemon, in trouble. [A pause and her fingers tensed lightly.] So I helped... at least I tried to. [She frowned. The memory of all the men. Their words....] I got hurt, but a Pokemon trainer came and helped us escape.

[And then it hit her - the silver linings - and to her surprise, she didn't feel completely bad about it anymore. She even managed to work up a minuscule smile at Caim.]

Actually, it was after that incident that I got to meet you in the hospital, Caim.

[He remembered the happenstance. He didn't participate, but he knew it was happening. He and Furiae had been separated during the situation and it was her that he'd been looking for at the hospital. Instead, he found Chiyo. And after that...

Well.

There was prom that year. Caim danced with Chiyo, which he never forgot. And there was the time she was rendered mute and went to him for assistance. He had to wonder if she remembered those times as well. How had he managed to make himself something of a reliable part of her life at the academy? It must have been fortuitous for them to meet again, considering he was still there when she made her return.

And it wasn't as if Caim had never thought about her. It had only been that up until the present, he had not known too much about how she ended up in the hospital.]

I see... I remember all of that well. Nothing of the sort has happened like that since. Not since the man who had a hand in it gave a bitter parting.

[Seth Richardson died, only to come back as a creature named Warren. But Caim thought it best to keep that to himself.]

It will not happen again. And this time I am here.

[She remembered all of it, the good and the bad. Even while she was away, she hung onto those memories. Coming to Smash was a turning point in her life and a place she left a part of herself she wanted to overcome.

So she never forgot Caim, or anyone else for that matter. It was impossible to forget Caim, especially since he was the image of what she imagined a mysterious prince to be. Going to prom and being mute were unforgettable experiences.

When she was in Akaneia, saw swordsmen, and heard of princes, she thought of Caim. It had her wondering if he had ever been through war. The idea that he had would not surprise her. And now with his kind, determined words, she wondered if he was a protector of sorts. A knight, mayhaps.]

I'm glad to hear that things have been calm. [She smiled from the comfort his words brought her.] Though, I have to admit I didn't know someone was behind it all. [She refrained from asking who since she thought it best not to know. It was in the past now and with how things were going, she was finally moving on from it smoothly.]

...Thank you for coming to the city with me. [She felt bashful for saying it, but she grateful for his company and willingness to protect her.] Shall we continue on now?

[Caim shook his head as he heard her, blissfully oblivious to the rest of her thoughts. That was probably for the best, too. He didn't make his position a public conversation topic. Come to think of it, he was pretty certain the only person at the academy aside from the Headmaster who knew was Mac. And even that had taken Caim some time to tell him.

And if he recalled correctly, he was pretty certain Mac about lost his jaw on the floor.]

You can assume if something like that arises, someone is usually behind it. Or something. Regardless, in the future if something should happen, just come to me.

[Because at least then he could use his sword and give his arm a work out. When she thanked him, he reached over with his other hand and drew her arm more properly about his. The real way a prince would escort a lady.]

We can continue when you are ready to, Lady Chiyo. I am in no haste today and you should not be either.

[The spike in emotions she felt when he readjusted her arm nearly made her heart explode and her face go up in flames. To top it off, he addressed her as "Lady Chiyo" again which made her lips tremble and words jumble in her brain. She didn't think she'd be able to walk properly - she was such a bundle of nerves!

Ch... Ch-Chiyo. Just... Just Chiyo, p-please. N-Not that I dislike the title, but... [She couldn't think quickly enough of a sensible reason to give him, so her mind just skipped over it and moved on to the next topic.] A-And okay. No haste. None at all.

[Uwaaaaah. This setup... it was as if she was being treated like a noble lady of prestigious backgrounds. Or even more grand, a princess. She was also surprised at how Caim seemed to be handling all of this calmly, like it was in his nature to say and do all these things. She had never been treated in such a way and didn't know how to begin handling it. If she even could.]

C-Caim...? H-Have you... Do... Do you often go on walks like this? [With ladies? she thought she muttered but didn't.]

[He thought about asking. Wanted to. But if she wasn't a princess, which she must not have been, then it was likely a little overwhelming to be treated with the same courtesies as one. When he thought about it, he still called Samus 'Lady Aran' from time to time. Old habits died hard, he supposed. But women were mostly deserving of respect, except when they were trying to eat him.

Most of the blood on his hands was that of young boys and men. And a goddess. And they were all 'necessary.'

Caim found himself facing forward again, his pace a little more casual instead of so rigid as it had been prior. His sword lay in its sheathe, seemingly forgotten—at least for the moment. He shook his head once more.]

No. I did when I was younger, in my homeland. In the academy, most of my free time is spent either working on class curriculum or training in the coliseum, or other grounds. Taking more would like not be hazardous to my health. It seems to be something you enjoy, after all.

I. I enjoy it. [And unlike Caim, her pace was much more rigid and less casual.] Very much so. Especially through the woods and out by the lake. They're, they're even nicer in the company of friends. [Mmm... That might have been one of the few, if not the first, times he's made mention of his youth and homeland. It had her curious to learn more about him if he was willing to share.] Can I... Can I ask what your homeland is like?

Edited (Again. Grammar.) 2015-01-20 10:26 (UTC)

The woods and the lake. [Where the kraken had been before Caim had brutally cut that thing into pieces. It was another year where he spent the first day of it sitting at the lake and offering the closest thing he could to a memorial. Slightly out of regret, he supposed.] Both of those sound well-suited to you.

[Truth be told, Caim didn't speak of his homeland mostly because no one asked and he had no intentions to part with information like that willingly. And it helped that he didn't know who might be used against him. When Ai had been exploited after telling Majima of their closeness, Caim had drastically wanted to keep his list of allies short.

Having weak points in his so-called armour made it difficult for him to act on the things he wanted to. At least at that time. Majima was no more, unfortunately, and Caim didn't have any other threats in his way. It was probably the most peace he had experienced since eleven years prior.]

Mm. Caerleon seemed a bit like desert, but not quite. Flowers were infrequent, though, so to pick any, you would have had to travel to the outskirts. The kingdom itself was somewhat small in comparison to some others. There were a good number of noble houses and it was a lively land. [Until the Empire came with the Black Dragon. But he wasn't going to go into all of that.]

Yet Caerleon was just one part of the world. Far from it was the elven village, Niflheim. There were forests with faeries, lifeless sands and temples, oceans. Plenty to see, but I think not many were adventurers. At least not in Caerleon.

[And he couldn't blame them. If things hadn't happened as they had, he probably would have spent his entire life there. The only princess Caim had ever heard of was Furiae, and they likely would have betrothed him to a woman of a noble house. Or one of Furiae's handmaidens. Like Shirley.]

Wow! Elves and faeries! That's so fascinating. [She almost couldn't contain her excitement of wanting to learn more.] Have you ever met any? I've always wondered what they'd truly be like. Deserts, too. I've never been to one, so I can only imagine what it'd be like from pictures and books.

[She tried to picture everything about Caerleon with the details Caim gave her and grew to be mighty curious about his world. It sounded a lot like a fantastical place. It never occured to her to think that anything tragic could have happened there though. She also didn't imagine that her next question would potentially be a prying one.]

You mentioned a kingdom, so there must be a royal family, right? In one world I visited, they have many kingdoms and royal families. It has a rather complicated and long history, but, well, I'm hoping I can manage to find a way to learn more of it. It was quite an interesting world full of different species, like dragons called Manakete, for instance.

[Caim nodded at first, though it was a bit on the slow side. Sometimes he thought a lot about Arioch and Leonard, even knowing that their fates were unhappy ones. Yet Seere had been with him for a time, which meant that if it was possible for Furiae and Seere to deny death, then it was entirely possible that one day he would see Leonard and Arioch again.

Not that they hadn't been in Acheron. Just... things had infinitely been different there.]

The elves acted as a neutral land. I suppose that would make them more diplomatic than people of Caerleon or the other regions. Somehow I am under the impression that books may not always reflect reality appropriately. I imagine your books on faeries were quite a bit different from what I have observed.

[Leonard's faerie had been... Well. A pain in the ass and irritating. About on par with Verdelet, really.

As she continued, he found himself looking over to her. And he nodded once more.] Caerleon's kingdom was led by a great man in my youth. King Gaap. Charismatic, diplomatic, he was able to turn enemies of war into allies. Even arranged the betrothal for Furiae to one of our formerly enemy households. He was everything a king should have been.

[Caim almost wanted to burst with pride. He never talked about his family. But he loved his parents. He idolised his father and wanted to emulate him in every way he could. Yet revenge had taken its toll on the prince and even in the present, he would never become what Gaap had been. All he had left were the memories of father and son, and greedily, those weren't enough.]

[She hummed as he described more about his word. It would make sense for elves to be neutral - they were commonly depicted that way and she could see it being in their nature to stay out of conflict. However, he didn't mention much more on faeries so it made her wonder if they were actually unpleasant and unfriendly.

When he spoke of the king, it was easy for Chiyo to pick up on his respect and love for the man. It made her smile, thinking how wonderful it was for him to have been blessed with a great ruler. But then... something didn't... quite make sense?

Furiae's bethrothal? ..."Our formerly enemy households?" Her eyebrows furrowed a little and she felt uneasy. If she understood the words she heard correctly, then... well.]

Caim...? A-Are you? [She wasn't completely off the mark, right? Kings, from what she learned in texts, would normally arrange betrothals for their own daughters. Nieces too, maybe? Sisters? She almost couldn't find her voice to finish the rest of what she wanted to ask. Simply looking at Caim took a lot of nerve.] Are you related to the king?

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This is not a real tag. Also, I'm sorry.

And now. A real tag.

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She exploded.

kaboom

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