Sanctuaire Estrange IC

Duke lay in a state of conflict between his innate teenage propensity to sleep all the hours circumstance would allow, and his over-anxious defensive perception which made him aware of his sister approaching. Unbeknownst to him, of course, the magic in the house gave a tip in favour of the former, and it was only when his shoulder was nudged that his eyes finally opened and his conscious mind caught up with the stimulus of Abby's voice in his ears.

He groaned and stretched, rolling over and deliberately edging Abby off the bed in doing so. Eat? Oh yeah, he wanted to eat. School? Not so much. It had been months since he'd been expelled from school back home...and that was a school he'd actually cared about at some point. Why should he be in any hurry to get to class at this school? Because the mayor troubled himself to get them enrolled. Ch'yeah right, like that was such a big task in this two-bit backwater. Actually scratch that..."backwater" suggested a place that had resigned itself to it's own unimportance. This was more like Pleasantville.

However, the following sensory stimulus was just cause to sit upright...the smell of fried breakfast.

"You cooked?" he mumbled half-coherently. He wasn't surprised, Abby was always the one who cooked back home. But he'd come to associate her cooking with the consequences of her not cooking, and perhaps had subconsiously imagined that it'd be different here; that she wouldn't have to. But who else was there to do it? Duke himself couldn't so much as fry an omlette. Even the idea of having to unwrap something made him think twice about preparing it himself.

Dragging his hand down his face as if trying to scrape off a film of lethargy, he swung his legs out and planted his feet on the floor. He couldn't deny that that was the comfiest bed he'd ever slept in. Everything about the house was nicer than he'd ever known before. It all seemed a bit over the top in a way. All they needed was a place to crash until James came back with some money and a half-decent plan about what the three of them would do next. But this house...the school...everything. Was the town so lonely and inbred they had to pursuade people to settle down by being so accomodating?

"Alright...." he groaned, "I'm up."

Grabbing some cargo pants and a check shirt which he didn't bother to button up, he stumbled down the stairs following the salty fragrance of smoked bacon. His nose did not fail him, and he found his way to the dining table, where to his surprise there was a black cat padding around disturbingly close to the food.

"Abby!" he protested with as much energy as he could muster, "What's with the animal? Man, it's probably licked everything. How'my supposed to eat now?"

The wind caressed her face as Echo leaned against the windowsill which was beside her bed. Her blanket was still draped over her lower half, and her rather large t-shirt was askew, hanging dangerously low on her right shoulder. Her snowy white hair was a birds nest atop of her head, and even now she was trying to run her fingers through it without much progress being made. For the young pixie, she awoke with the rising sun. She needed no alarm clock, no knock at her door. The first few rays of sunlight that peaked through her blinds and warmed her milky mocha colored skin was enough to awake her from her rather light slumber, and dreams of flying and the wind blowing through her hair.

It was the same dream every night. A dream that made her smile as she slept, but left her tangled and trapped within her blanket and sheets. She in fact had spent the last 20 or 30 minutes freeing herself from it's tight embrace, before leaning against the windowsill and looking out the window, looking over the town of Sanctuaire. She smiled. Sanctuaire had it's own smell, it's own movement of wind, of life, and that was what she loved about it. The aura of the town could be described as peaceful and relaxing. And perhaps that was what she liked about it.

With a grin, she tossed her blankets off of her and rolled out of bed. Her tiny, bare feet hit the cool hard wood floor and shivered for just a moment before she went on her way, her movements fluid and silent. She made her way over to her bathroom, which was located right inside her bedroom. Closing the door behind her, she took a quick shower letting the water wet her hair and warm her skin. Once she was finished she dried off and wrapped the towel around herself before looking at herself in the mirror. She reached for her brush and comb and after a few choice words, managed to comb comb out her hair. Smiling she quickly brushed her teeth, and then reentered her room. With a flick of her dainty wrist, the rest of her windows opened and the wind flowed through.

With a simple move of her arms she began to dry her hair, whilst trying to figure out what she was going to wear today. The wind lifted shirt after shirt, before sending it back to it's original spot. Once her hair was dried she dropped the towel to the ground and allowed the wind to dress her. When finished she sent it away and stood before her full length mirror, examining herself. She wore a black tank top and a pair of tan shorts to match. A steel gray cargo jacket covered her arms, the sleeves rolled up a little ways past her elbows. Converse adorned her feet and to finish it off a small blue jewel hung from around her neck. She smiled and after running a comb through her now straight hair, grabbed her backpack and made her way downstairs to find her parents seated at the table. Her fathers face was hidden behind a newspaper, while her mother sat across from him a smile on her face.

"Good morning to all!" she said, as she made her way over to the fridge. She reached inside and pulled out an apple, quickly biting into it as she kicked the refrigerator closed.

"Can you not kick the fridge?" her father said from behind the newspaper.

"Sorry pops." Echo said as she took another bite out of her apple and hugged her mother. She then made her way over to her father and hugged him as well, noticing the small grin that played across his face. As stern as he was, he still loved her and only wanted the best for her. With a quick wave she bounded out of the house and onto the street. She took in a deep breath before setting off down the street in the direction of her school. All ready, her excitement was getting the better of her. They would be here today. The humans that she had heard so much about. Of course with them came a whole knew slew of rules she was going to be forced to follow. But she refused to change her hair color, or cast an illusion so her slightly pointed ears became round. She refused to do so.

Grinning she took another bite out of her apple. She could easily just say that it was a condition and leave at that. Yep that worked just fine for her.

Slowly, the warm morning sun rose, sending rays of light through Dawn's curtains as a cool, morning breeze rolled it's way in through her window and seemed to caress a unmoving body on top on the colorful comforters. The figure was female due to the tanktop and panties she wore, her milky white limbs were long, half hanging on the bed as a messy head of hair seemes to mask her face as it stayed buried in her pillow. It seemes as if the female was in a deep, undisturbing sleep, which most likely was, but as goosebumps rose across her skin from the cool breeze, her eyes fluttered open.

Silver, gray eyes sleepily swept her room as she was met with black and purple funiture as she took in what seemed to be the start of a messy room. With a huge yawn, the female slid out of the bed just as there was a knock at her door, revealing her brother who's identical eyes stared into her sleepy pair. He gave a tiny smirk, knowing just how his sister was during the mornings. "Need to move faster then that or we'll be late to school" His smirk widened with the response he got was a sleepy, agitated growl as she made her way to the bathroom.

"Well, I'm just saying, those humans are coming to school, remember?" He said. A shocked squeal erupted and the sounds of rapid movemeny could be heard as his siter came speed walking out, trying to tame the wild beast that was her hair as she hurried to her closet. "I completely forgot!" She exclaimed from the closet, where he heard the clatter of hangers rattled around as she jerked clothes off of hangers. In record time, she stepped out in her usual attire; A flowy, sundress the color of lime greens and blues, with matching wedges that clashed beautifully with his sisters curly purple hair, which he noticed was neatly in two, wilds pigtails.

Her brother smirked as he turned and hopped downstairs, taking two steps at a time. "You betrer grab some breakfast before I eat it all!" He called up to her, only to see a purple blur as she rushed down to grab herself a bowl of cereal an toast. As she wolfed down her food, her brother was set to remind her of the rules. "Remember, there are humans, so behave yourself and keep your ears and tail retracted." He said, giving Dawn a look as she chuckled with a eolled of her eyes. "Yes Mr. Sharpe" She said mockingly as she downed the milk from her cereal, wiping a hand across her mouth to rid herself of a milk mustache as she stood tall, smiling. "Come on, I wanna be one of the first to meet them" She spoke as her brother stood and let out a dramatic sigh, Oh boy..

A long, pale figure appeared at the sleepy but otherworldly town's edge, wandering down the still quiet streets as if in a dream. And, given the most bizarre and peculiar nature of its denizens, it may as well have been. Aoi Mac Ollamain's red converse clad feet trailed behind him with every step, reluctant to go on and yet continuing as if by some hopeless urge. The bluish, skeleton of man's clothes were in disarray, black jeans and dark red shirt riddled with holes and tears that revealed the sharp outlines of bones. Yet still his lips bore a sort of bewildered and mischievous grin as he ran a hand through his perpetually spiked red hair and held it up to the waking sun to examine the bony extremity as if it were the most uncanny thing. A faint sun beam shone down, the pale light playing with the smoke from his hollow eyes and causing the Banshee's teeth to glisten. Ai shuffled on with still a sense of life, only a block from his modest home and a block on from that the human visitors but he cared not to cover up his peculiarities. He had forgotten they were here after a night's work keening for the dead.

While foolish enough an endeavor for Aoi to be considered accountable it was not by his own volition or an idea of his that he attended. That is not to say it was a task enforced by any being, save himself, nor was it precisely an obligation. Although, that term was perhaps the most likely to do it justice. It was like a cold, silver wind playing around the cavity that once housed his heart, teasing the strings left there so as to bid him to his duty. Had he any sufficient cause to rally against it Ai could most certainly have passed the responsibility, which maybe school the next morning was, however he had no true objections. The job suited him, and he it. He had been molded for it, after all. He let out a slight, rueful chuckle that was as fleeting as its inspiring emotion.

The Banshee abruptly stopped but a metre from his front door. "What regretful fortune is this?" He muttered, voice like a song. There was something strange sitting on the willow in his backyard. Not something strange in and of itself, mind you, but rather something peculiar to see loitering in his tree of all trees here. It was a raven. Perhaps this does not seem so unusual a sight but given the nature of Ai's diet, well... Such birds normally steered clear of his property and indeed there was a flock circling above crying warnings to their foolish fellow, "A cry that you should have heeded..." Only a sort of personal disgust gave Aoi reason to pause; the deed would satisfy the hungering of his belly but empathy for the victim would prove less filling. The quivering of his hands would not wait, "Then let this sin be found fair, however foul!" Ollamain spat, erupting into an angry mist that lunged for the tree. It swirled and tightened around the quailing bird but constricted before it could think to free itself.

Aoi held the screaming raven his his bony hands with a remorseful sort of satisfaction as his fearsome jaws widened. The daggers there glistened with saliva and just as they were to clamp down the position of the sun caught his eye. By his reckoning it was almost time for school to begin, "Again I am proven time's fool!" The banshee sighed and glared at the bird for a moment, he could eat later. "And so, being like you, the foolish shall now fly free..." He released the bird, it flapping frantically to escape as he rushed through the cracks of his back door as a smoke. Wasting no time Ai picked a dark, black and gray plaid suit from his closet as well as a red waist coat, suspenders and tie. In a few minutes he had managed to change clothes; he stuffed an assortment of tissues down his shirt and headed out of the bedroom. Ollamain took up his satchel and stuffed certain papers and books he would need for the day ahead, rushing to the door and taking up his guitar case. He went for the handle when he remembered the... 'disfigurements' of his face, snatching an enchanted ring from the table and slipping it on his index finger.

Finally, Mr, Ollamain left the house and launched into an energetic sprint for the school, manically excited to meet the new students and forgetting his hunger almost entirely.

As the morning sun rose up over the obstacles on the horizon, and its gaze illuminated the town of Sanctuaire, falling last on the house at the far edge, through the black silky curtains, shining on emerals green eyes within, Thomas Aquinas rose to his feet. He had been sitting, as if in trance, on the edge of his bed, the blankets impeccably straightened, pillows perfectly fluffed, like they had never been touched. Indeed, at least for this past night, he had not slept. His gaze had been fixated on the small gap in his black curtains, of his victorian windows on his victorian house, painted a stark white, ivy-vines creeping up the sides of the house, reaching the second floor windows. And finally, the sun had found its way through that gap, to his calmly anticipating eyes.

He was already dressed, wearing a white hoodie with a black, Chinese-styled dragon writhing its way up and down the torso, white cargo-pants, and a green tee that clung tightly to his slim figure. He walked slowly over in front of his mirror, a full-length, gold framed, ancient piece of history, examining himself. This body was most definitely his best looking. It was of a young man, perhaps eighteen or nineteen years old, by Overworld reckoning, fair, perfect complexion that was pale, but that added to the intrigue of Thomas Aquinas. His long, pitch-black hair hung below his shoulders, a single braid hanging along the left side of his face, held together in three locations by emerald beads. His eyebrows were jet-black lines above his eyes, and his eyelashes seemed like they were extended and darkened, far out of the norm for a male, but that also added to the image that he delivered everyday. Every hole in his ears was filled with more modern piercings, all silver in color, glittering just as much as his brilliantly green eyes in the faint sunlight coming from behind the curtains on the other side of the room, and the wavering candlelight that was always all Thomas ever used.

The room itself was filled with fine tapestries, the sheets on the bed of silk, as were the curtains. Ancient works of art adorned the walls in various places, often depicting scenes of raging oceans or seas, ships struggling to stay afloat. One particular set of three pictures, set up next to eachother, starting from the leftern-most picture, showed a ship with sails risen high, overcoming a mighty wave, amidst a constant barrage of similar towers of water, beneath a blackened sky, lightning lashing out at the world below. The second picture shows that same ship, at the very top of the wave's crest, just about to plummet downwards, falling back to sea level, but the ship is ablaze. A lightning bolt is still seen striking in the center of the ship, just next to the mast, and the silhouttes of men can be seen against the brightness of it. The terror they must have felt could only be imagined, because none of them survived what is shown in the third picture.

The ship has fallen, engulfed in flames, down to sea level, another wave soon to come, the one they conquered long gone. Except, that ship never sees the second wave. Instead, a massive creature is rising up from beneath the ship, mouth opened wide enough to swallow a dozen ships of equal size to the one, a fiery glow emitting from the creature's throat. The length of the creature's body extends far off the canvas, only the very front of its head is revealed, rather accurately actually. These pictures were painted by a mortal that worshipped the creature, one whom the creature had once allowed to see it.

Thomas walked down the stairs slowly, taking his time. Everyone else was sure to be eating something at the moment, but not him. He walked through the dimly candle-lit house, to a small table just next to the door, and reached out his hand. Though it could not be seen in the darkness, a large white boa slithered forward from the table, onto Thomas' arm, then up around his neck like a scarf. With a satisfied smirk, Thomas stepped through the front door of his house, every candle within immediately extinguishing, almost of their own volition. He walked steadily down the street, in the direction of the highschool, the white boa resting it's head on his shoulder, facing forward, as if to see what the day would bring. Hopefully some excitement. Some beginning.

"Mia!"
Mia lifted her head up from the rim of the bath and glanced towards the door, perhaps if she was quiet they'd go away. Silence.
"Mia?"
A few droplets trickled down Mia's arm landing back in the water with a pleasant sound.
"MIA!"
"Yes. Yes- what is it?" She asked dosily stretching a leg up like she'd seen those seductive actressess do in bath scenes.
"Get out of the bath. You're not the only one in the pod" Snapped Angela her oldest sister of 30.
"You've been in there for hours" came an added youthful whine from her 14 year old sibling.
Mia smiled to herself. She was fully aware her older sister and two younger ones were waiting impatiently outside. "I haven't the foggiest what you're talking about. I haven't been in here for more than 5 minutes" she mused listening to the way her voice resonated off the bathroom tiles with a metallic edge.

"You've been in there for hours selkling. Time for others to have some quality time with the bathroom" Her father called through the door. 'Oh' she didnt realise they were all waiting outside. With a sigh she searched over the bath rim for a towel and wrapped herself up. It was such a pain being in humanoid form sometimes. Like the fact they always had to cover up unless you wished to seem obscene. Selkies were not supposed to wear layers of cloth. They were put on this planet to live fresh and free in the sea.

That was most definitely off limits now the Humans were in town. What was the point in coming here if they were going to allow Humans to come in willy nilly. Was the whole point of this town not to let the humans in?
Sliding the bolt across the bathroom door opened and in flooded all 3 of her sisters and her unfortunate father who became caught in the stampede. He gave her a stern brow and she smiled apologetically. All was forgiven within an inch of her smile.

"Schools in 20 minutes you best get your flippers on my girl- and dont wear anything revealing-!"
"I know i know" Mia sighed making her way down the hallway. "Goodness knows what the humans boys are like these days right?"
"Thats right!" she heard him call before turning to her sisters to inforce the lecture she'd endured last night. Her father was particularly strict about this entire welcoming humans into the community situation considering she was in the same year as these 'Humans'. Personally she believed it was all an over-reaction. How bad could a powerless boy be when she'd had to endure all kinds of hints from various male races who could lift up cars and belch fire.

She guessed it was just her father. Her mother didn't seem to be as fussy about the entire affair. Perhaps she knew Mia could hold her own. A selkie punch was similar to the hefty swing of a seal tail plus the boys would never be far away, baring their nashers at anything wearing trousers. Her father just had it built into him to fuss. He did have six daughters. The largest over turn of female gene in the entire pod. Most families had sons but not this family. The Lakes were ruled by the females.

Mia pulled the scrunchy out of her hair and let her snowy tresses fall down in a wild but silky mess. Moving over to her drawer she pulled out a creme, cotton dress that hung nimbly at the thighs and strappy at the shoulders. It was a reasonably choice and floated just inbetween the lines of unrevealing and complimentary. Picking up a cutely sized, brown hide rucksack decorated with a few earthy coloured beads after she was dressed; she slung it over one shoulder and jogged down stairs.
"Dont forget Mia! Touch my hide-"
"I damage your pride. I know. I know!" Mia yelled up the stairs at her dad embarrassed at such a ridiculous rhyme before worming her way through the down stairs hall and out behind the shop counter where her mother stood serving early morning customers.
"Dont mind your father and have a safe day at school" her mother murmured pushing back her thick wig of curls to plant a kiss on Mia's forehead.

"I will" Mia murmured before hopping out of the shop and onto the street opposite the dock. The house turned shop didnt look big on the outside but inside it was a muddle of stairs, floors and halls. Glancing up at sunny sky the scent of water was carried on the breeze and she inhaled gratefully. This morning she had Mr Ollamain- nothing quite like a spot of poetry to start off the day.

Duke hobbled over to the table, glowering in the direction the cat had run. He lowered his face to his plate, as if he expected he'd be able to tell by sniffing it whether the cat had touched it. Instead, all he got was the compelling smell of the food itself, inciting his hunger and persuading his inhibitions to relent. After all, the cat would surely have run off with the bacon if it intended to taste it, surely? Not just licked it.

"N'y'alright." he grumbled in answer to his sister's directions. "I'll sort something out."

He waited until she was gone, then bounded over to the cupboard where he believed the bread was kept. Glancing back to look out for Abby - who would unlikely approve of the slovenly eating method he was about to employ - he grabbed a single thick slice, and returned to the table. Holding the slice in his hand, he forked as much of the food off the plate as he could onto the bread, and folded it into a makeshift sandwhich. Without hesitation, he bit into it, leaning forward over the plate so that it could catch the inevitable spatters of egg yolk which spilled from the back end of his wrap. (Abby's protests at unecessary mess-making simply weren't worth the trouble.)

Greedily, he gobbled the rest of it down without even taking a seat, then grabbed a dishcloth off the counter and gave his hands a rudimentary rub-down to remove most of the grease. Not half bad, he thought. He hopped up and down on the spot a few times and stretched out his arms, working his muscles into full readiness for the day. How strenuous the day itself would be...he had doubts. When Abby returned, he saw that she was carrying his bag all prepared with everything he'd need for school. He guessed that meant it wasn't worth trying to get out of the first day. Never mind...he'd humour everyone for now.

"Yeah I'm good." he said, "so you know where we're going? I don't remember the way to the school at all."

He pushed the front door open and nearly clipped the cat which was waiting outside. There was something about that cat which seemed...disgruntled. Sure, cats were usually a little snobby, but with this cat it didn't just seem instinctive. It seemed to glower with intent. Taking a few steps down the path he looked back at the door and wrinkled his forehead as he noticed the size of the flap.

"You reckon they always had a cat at this house?" he mused, "Coz that looks more like a dog-flap."

He shrugged, realising as he heard his own words that it really wasn't a very interesting or profound observation. This town had proven quirky enough. But perhaps one of the strangest things of all was that so far everyone had seemed to make a concerted effort to keep the number of residents Abby and Duke had actually met to an absolute minimum. But how was that going to work today, with the two of them going to school? Perhaps that too would turn out to be nothing. But on the other hand, perhaps it would turn out to be something vaguely interesting...something to break the inevitable tedium of the perochial routine he expepected the locals to observe.

Quite suddenly, a long red streak of nothing shot past the two disadvantaged humans, very nearly crashing head on into the brother. Fortunately Aoi managed to steer himself halfway clear, merely inflicting a glancing blow to the boy’s shoulder which would feel little more than a feather’s touch given his lack of mass. However it did answer the question of the way to get to school. "Most sincere apologies are to be extended - When I have more time!" The Banshee called over his shoulder with an insane laugh, sorely tempted to stay and observe these new attractions or better yet talk with them. He almost certainly would have, in fact, had he not felt the furious power that was Sebastian's hateful gaze. Even Mr. Ollamain was not quite so foolish, at least not whilst in such a dire a hurry. The creature sprinted off with his gate somewhat lumbering, due in part to the weight of his guitar and the lankiness of his limbs, but more invigorated in pace by the threat of an angered, old wizard.

Aoi's mind burned with curiosity regarding the humans he had just accidentally assailed as he made a valiant attempt at fixing his tie one handed. He had not conversed with live ones for too many years to count and the dead he had seen were never particularly intriguing. They were always too busy with that whole 'I'm dead'-angst and coming to terms with their being completely wrong about what that meant. Profoundly boring after the first hundred or so ghosts keened over. No, living ones must be much more fun. He was sure of it. Mr. Ollamain passed a few more students wandering towards the school this time with more luck in dodging them. The excitement of meeting humans seemed to be just as strong, if not stronger, in their minds as they appeared less sleepy and zombie-like than usual. Even the actual undead, to an extent. He was less excited, however, about the staff meeting this morning. The student body had endured similar yesterday, the principal terrifying the majority of them into agreeing to hide how… odd this establishment really was. Now it was the teachers’ turn for torture.

As the cold morning air rushed past Ai’s gaunt cheeks and through his hair its lively sting stirred a happiness. Had he a heart it would be pounding but nevertheless, it made him feel alive. And in this mad dash he forgot, briefly, what he was late for even as he leaped acrobatically over the school’s fence. The sensation was all that mattered. Aoi over shot the staff room by a good 10 metres before it dawned on him, stoping so fast he nearly fell flat on his face. He turned without really pausing; arms flying forward inhumanly like a puppet on strings. A twiggy hand lenged for the door knob and burst through it, tripping on his way and landing on the guitar case. “Speaking of not drawing attention…” Came the vice principal’s droll, bemused tone from the other side of the room. The other teacher’s were just barely containing fits of laughter as he picked himself up from the floor. “Should I risk asking why you’re so late?” He inquired, Ai seeming a little more concerned about the well being of his instrument for a few moments, “Probably best you don’t but whilst we’re on the timely subject…” He began, a grin growing with fewer teeth than they were accustomed. “It’s a most interesting and amazing tale, in tru-“ A thunderous voice cut him off, “That’s enough of your prattle, Mac Ollamain. We have business to attend to…” The principal crossed her arms, somebody covering his mouth before he could launch into an argument as the room became deathly silent.

The narrow streets were abundant with various students moving at their own paces in the direction of school. Mia had never seen an odder sight than the one that greeted her as she mingled amongst the crowd. Everyone appeared so visually bland. Usually the street was alive with mystic pranks and colourful faces.
The blandness was due to the humans presence and that concerned her. If everyone had to convert to 'blandness' in order to accommodate the humans...how bland were humans. She'd devised some form of false belief that humans were something enthralling after hearing snippets of chatter here and there from wiser students. She sure hoped she hadn't deluded herself.
After all, Mia didnt trim her whiskers for just anyone.

Tossing her hair back and giving it a shake she hitched her bag over one shoulder a little more securely before making a bee-line for school not wishing to become ensnared in the early morning crowds.

The hallways were lodged with kids of all shapes and sizes fiddling with their lockers whilst others stood hundled in groups of friends all with similar expressions plastered across their mugs. The whole school was intrigued by the two new students whether it was harmless curiosity or something a little less innocent. Mia could even imagine some of the teachers to be hooked on the new arrivals.

Crusing down the walkways she searched for her locker. It wasnt difficult to locate- out of the few postered lockers Mia's locker stood out a mile off with bright white stars printed down the entire length. It helped her locate it in a bustle considering she was missing a foot or so when it came to height and most of the students here. Pulling it open she retrieved some books.
On pushing it shut Mia jumped at the sight of a burly werewolf. Hayden.
His lips stretched in a wild grin. "Mia. Your daddy must have been a hunter because baby you're a fox!"
The selkie female did her best to appear ignorant as she turned on her heel and began to move away. "Actually i'm a seal" she muttered.

Doing her best to put distance between herself and the mutt she had the instinctual feeling they were tailing after her. 'They' meaning Hayden and his friends- adolescent werewolves never ventured anywhere alone. "Hey Mia, You've got 206 bones in your body, want one more?" came another cat call. Or should she say dog call.
"No." Feeling her stomach roll at the implication she stayed focused on making it to her first lesson.
"Oi Mia my magical watch says you're not wearing any underwear!"
Tugging at the bottom of her dress she hauled her bag up her shoulder some more. "Oh i think i am." She called back.
"Oh you are? Must be an hour fast!"
"Give me a break" Mia drawled skirting the corner to make it into Mr Ollamain's room. Would there ever be a day where she could just- lesuirely walk to her locker and first class without being hounded by some masculine life form. She'd even had a few Fae's have a bite at the bone! What was it about Selkie's that gained attention.

Mr Ollamain wasnt quite present yet so Mia moved inside the classroom and sat down at one of the table running up against the wall. There were a few other students already inside flicking through their books. Placing her own book on the table her shoulders tensed as two werewolves flew past the door on scooters. "Mia i've got your hide!"
Sending a hand to the front of her hair she shrugged off her bag and discretly felt inside. Liars.

Dawn stretched her long arms high over her head as her and Daniel walked the crowding streets towards school. She happily waved and called her 'Hellos' and 'Good Morning' to Adults and kids they passed on their way to school. She had noticed Daniel was silent most of the way there and gave a slight nudge of her hip into his, almost throwing him off blance as she hid a little chuckle behind her hand.

"Geez, i thought you were suppose to be more graceful then that, hm?" She teased as Daniel tried hard to push back a blush from his pale cheeks. "I am! You just caught me off guard!" He huffed as they entered the school and made a bee line towards their lockers, getting there supplies as the siblings heard very crude jokes down the halls as they rolled they're eyes simutaneously and hurried to their classes before the bell rang.

Dawn bounced in and towards her desk before reconizing the voices in the hall and turning to smack one of the werewolfs. "Hey! Leave the girl alone! Geez!" she called as they hurried to their desk, sending a tiny smile to Mia. "Sometimes they make me embarassed to be the same race" she said with a slight roll of her eyes, "If they bother you again, just let me know and I'll get them or my brother will" She explained, pointing back at her brother before smiling and making her way back to her seat.

Daniel strolled in after his bouncing sister as they made their way to Mr. Ollamain's class. Her spotted Mia at her desk being harrassed by a couple of guys but Dawn reacted beore he could and watched as Dawn spot to her. It was until he notice his sister pointing at him that he snapped out of it. He blushed when he realized he was staring and hurried to his seat next to Dawn by the window.

Girls made him nervous sometimes which is why he stays near his sister seeing as he's calmer when he's near a familiar female. He didn't listen much to his sister's bablinhg and she must've noticed because she turned to bable to a neighbor who engaged in conversation with her. He simple turned and stared out of the window, waiting for class to begin as he wished he was at home asleep or out in the woods training.

Thomas walked down the street at his slow, careless pace, the boa slung around his neck simply and staring at everything and everyone they saw along the way to school. Several students seemed to be slacking in their duties of keeping their unnatural aspects hidden, which brought a devious smirk to Thomas' face as he walked down the last street before the school. Not to his surprise, he soon heard the familiar voice of Sebastian barking orders at unruly students, and the voice was getting closer. Thomas sighed as the black cat came running by, yelling at him about the relevance of having an Albino Boa Constrictor, and then, to his delight, threatening to eat it.

Thomas smirked gleefully at the tension within Sebastian, who was already at the end of the street and entering the school, likely to lecture some more students or teachers. He simply rubbed the snake's head, which was still lying lazily on his shoulder, flicking it's tongue out every now and again, but showing little interest in anything. It's tail flicked precariously on Thomas' opposite shoulder and it tightened its hold on its master's neck. "He's too little to eat you, don't worry." Thomas said in a reassuring tone, then finally made it to the school, walking through the hallway. He felt disappointed having still not seen one of the humans, but sooner or later, they would provide some lucrative entertainment. Their simple presence in the town had caused amusing reactions from all the residents. School was sure to produce much more extreme effects.

Just as Thomas thought, he heard Sebastian's voice within the teacher's lounge, delivering harsh words to all the staff. He giggled a little under his breath as he walked to his locker and spun the lock to the magical numbers before it clicked open. "Hey Tommy!" Thomas' eyes narrowed to slits when he heard the greeting while he thought, Oh, no... This idiot again? He reached into the locker and pulled out his math book before looking up at the fool that thought they were friends, Andrew. He was also a Demon, albeit much lesser than Thomas, though Andrew had no idea of the green-eyed devil's true being.

"I told you not to call me that. It's belittling." Thomas said in an aggressive tone to Andrew, a fairly tall, shaggy brown-haired, brown-eyed troublemaker. He had no real talents, aside from exceptional strength which was reduced to mere human level strength in the Overworld, but always claimed to be an heir to a powerful Demonic family... Which Thomas had never heard of.

"Belittling? Tommy, I can't make you shrink!" Andrew laughed, entirely serious about his comment... And yes, the thing that vexxed Thomas the most, Andrew was a complete idiot.

"Go away." Thomas said with a straight face, then turned to head to class, his Boa hissing slightly at Andrew.

"Seeya at lunch Tommy!" Andrew shouted after him and then ran off in the other direction, a stupid smirk probably still present on his stupid face.

Thomas sighed into his seat, then flipped to the correct page for the day in his text, and began fiddling with his one braid, hanging down on the left side of his face. Everything seemed rather ordinary today, aside from all of the students not having all their inhuman extremeties revealed, much to Thomas' disappointment. And then, Sebastian, little cat-eyes shining yellow for an instant, strode into the room and lept up onto Thomas' desk. He was obviously more than a little irritated at Thomas, because this was now his second warning. “Really? You think normal humans gallivant about in such a manner? Who do you think you- MEOW.”

Thomas' eyes had been on the door the entire time Sebastian was talking, and, much to his delight, the human girl came walking in right at that moment. Thomas closed his eyes to snake-like slits, the Boa wrapped around his neck simply disappearing into thin air, and he smirked down at the cat in front of him, reaching out a hand and stroking him behind the ears. "Nice kitty." Only a hint of deviance could be detected in Thomas' voice as Abby came and sat in the desk next to his.

As Echo neared the school, she was immediately bombarded by teens fiddling with their clothing and hair, muttering to themselves about what they were being forced to do. Still their were others who could careless about hiding their more flamboyant features. And she was one of them. She had had a long bitter debate with her parents about dyeing her hair. They'd suggest all types of colors, brunette, black, sunny brown. Bleh. She hated all of them. She had no idea how anyone could hide their most unique and interesting features. Her hair was something she couldn't part with and if Sebastian had the nerve to come towards her and reprimand her, well he'd be a flying kitty before he even finished his sentence.

As she arrived at school the excitement and discomfort was palpable, and yet there was no sign of either humans. She cursed underneath her breath, frustrated with the fact that she had just missed them. She frowned and quickly made her way to her locker, decorated on the outside with silver graffiti. Without lifting a finger, the lock began to turn and enter the combination. It popped off and she reached for it, and pulled open the locker. She pulled out her math book, tossed it into her backpack and then closed the locker behind her, sliding the lock on effortlessly. Sliding her hands into her pockets she made her way towards her math class, the teacher still absent for the most part. As she entered the class she was bombarded with a few hellos from her friends, their eye brows raised at her white hair.

"Echo, don't you look summery," her friend Jessica piped up, her usually multicolored hair now a dark brown.

"Why thank you," she said with a playful bow as she made her way towards her seat, her eyes immediately falling upon Abby.

She smiled, and made her way over, running a few fingers through her hair as she took her feet in front of Thomas. She set her back on the floor and turned around, her silver eyes flickering between Abby and Thomas. Within Thomas's grasp was none other than Sebastian. She smiled playfully at him, fully aware that the wizard was suppose to be a simple a cat, and she knew that he would blow a gasket by seeing her this way. She gently reached over and petted Sebastian before she pulled her hair behind her ears, turning to Abby a smile on her face.

"Ah, so the rumors are true, we do have a new student," she began, "I hope everything's working out for you today. Oh and I'm Echo by the way. If you need help with anything, you come talk to me. And watch out for the boys, the tend to be a bit...forward."

Her eyes darted over to Thomas, "Well except for Thomas, here. I doubt that you'll have to be worry about him."

She shrugged her shoulders a bit. her eyes resting on Thomas who was missing his signature boa. She raised an eyebrow and simply let it go.

Duke became less attentive the closer they got to the school, easily slipping into his own daydreaming. In truth he was daydreaming about being back in bed. Being in this town should feel like a holiday, he thought. Just getting away from it all, not having to worry about anything. Isn't that why they'd run away in the first place? Instead...ugh, school.

He didn't see the incident that Abby referred to with the boy on the bike, but when she spoke he did notice how they were getting some particular attention. Maybe it wasn't that surprising. A small, out-of-the-way town like this probably didn't get a large turnover in it's population. Newcomers were bound to drew attention. Perhaps the fact that his hair was currently a bright cobalt blue was also a bit of a draw to many eyes. So he just shrugged.

When they got to the school and Abby handed him the schedule, he sighed and shook his head. He often felt like this around her; caught between a genuine sense of gratitude for the trouble she went to to make it as easy as possible for him to do the right thing (in this case, actually go along to his class), and a sense of weariness that her efforts obliged him to actually follow through and do the right thing.

"Yeah." he grunted, with a nod of acknowledgement. "Yeah I'll get there OK. Um. Thanks. Hope your class goes well. Catch up with you at lunch?"

As they parted he scanned the schedule to see where he was meant to be going. He did't really look as he walked, relying on people watching out for him and moving out of the way. What he didn't expect was that he would be so successful in not bumping into anyone. In truth, people were moving out of the way....almost everyone noticed him coming. Many people looked, nobody said anything. He frowned a little. OK, he knew this was a small town, but he was starting to feel like an alien from outer space. If it continued like this he'd have to ask the next person to look at him if they fancied being probed.

Looking back at the timetable, he located the first period and groaned audibly. Poetry? You've gotta be kidding. Mr...Ollamain....room.....ok got it. Just the next right. The corridors became emptier as the other students all filed into their respective classes, and Duke felt like he was pretty much the last one out in the halls by the time he finally reached the room. Surprisingly, he found the classroom fully populated with students, but absent of any teacher. Was this town really that back-to-front? Pupils on time, teachers tardy? 'Hah,' he thought to himself, 'I'll soon reverse that trend.'

Wordlessly but not particularly quietly he opened the door and entered, closing it behind him. He scanned the room as numerous pairs of eyes turned to examine him. And for the first time that morning, he felt genuinely uncomfortable. Mainly because he couldn't just walk past and ignore everyone...he actually had to find somewhere to sit. Fortunately there were plenty of spare seats. Unfortunately, they were all slap-bang in the middle of the room. 'Oh well' he thought, 'if I've got to be a freak show I might as well take centre-stage.'

So, nonchalantly, he stepped up to a desk where a rather lanky, nervous looking boy with unusually large eyes was already sitting and slid his bag under the chair before sitting down. He gave his desk-partner the most minimal of acknowledgements, before setting his eyes to the front of the class. Maybe having poetry first period would work out for him after all...perhaps Mr Ollamain would be one of those artsy fartsy teachers who employed dramatic teaching methods....like not turning up with any luck.

Now that'd be a kind of poetry Duke could learn to appreciate.

Aoi shot Sebastian a dubious look as he materialized at the Elven principal's side, thoroughly amused that whilst he was berated for being late the perpetually disgruntled wizard could simply barge in. Or teleport in, rather. His mirthful smirk could almost be spotted behind his college's gigantic hand which the banshee promptly slipped through, evaporating momentarily and reconstituting himself a metre or so away. His eyes were once again hollow, a slight clang indicating that he forgot to take the ring with him whilst traveling as smoke, "Ah, I see things most clear and true now..." He sighed smoothly, just loud enough for the old cat to hear, "One must be of a senile and pompous disposition before the right to prattle perceptibly late follows." He grinned, letting him continue with his warnings and associated threats as he fumbled for the ring. Ai slipped the silver band back onto his finger. He quite enjoyed annoying the sour, magical 'human' and did so on a fairly regular basis. He thought it funny and, to be frank, a little irritating that Sebastian thought himself so much elder. Even more so that he believed that gave him a right to be so condescending; a true mark of immaturity. That and he had the most satisfying look of indignity when he got under his skin. Arguments with him were always sure to be amusing.

"You are all responsible adults.” Sebastian glared at him whilst clearing his feline throat to which Ollamain responded with a look of mock indignation, thin hand at his pale mouth in 'shock'. Feeling in a rebellious mood, he took it as a compliment. "So act as such and conduct yourselves as though you are the mighty beings born with comparatively impressive powers. You have full control of your abilities, now hide them….”The little wizard made a sort of dramatic move to turn away before adding a characteristically touchy, “Or ELSE.” Aoi spluttered, finding it hard to take him seriously with so much melodrama from one small mammal, "Or else he'll get cranky from missing a nap. But I do suppose those little scratches are dastardly irksome..." The banshee picked up his guitar case, checking that the precious contents were unharmed and nudging his friend Bartemius, a demonic art teacher, in the ribs lightly. It was strange seeing him devoid of horns. "So, 50 dollars says their brains are irreparably cooked by weeks end. Any takers?" Bart snorted, "I'm not that crazy, Ai."

Aoi hastily gathered what else he had dropped and rushed out the staff room door, scrambling for his schedule as he stumbled through the hallways. It not so much to see what class he had but, rather, to make sure it was this one that had a human in it. Gaudy highlighting confirmed this and he smiled mischievously. Although he was struck by a notion of rebellion he did not fully intend to reveal any clue of his nature. Humans tended not to take that sort of thing very well and, from experience, pitchforks were quite painful to remove. That didn't mean he couldn't have a bit of fun, though, when the opportune moment arrived. He wondered if this one was humorous, skidding to a halt at the poetry room door. The teacher straightened his black shirt slightly in the glass's vague reflection and caught sight of his new eyes. "Most peculiar and familiar." He commented, unsettled and finding them still off from the ones he remembered.

Mr. Ollamain tossed open the door and stepped nimbly inside, just barely remembering to duck the top of the frame. Normally he simply turned the protruding regions of his head to a less substantial form but sadly that would be sort of inappropriate presently, "Ah! A grander turn out than I've seen you all privy to in many lessons past, I dare say! And more conscious of time, too." He chuckled slightly, tucking his guitar in a corner and setting his satchel down behind his desk, "I trust you are all rested, relaxed, recuperated and ready to vex me with petty annoyances." He winked at some of the more clownish students, sitting down with crossed legs a top his desk and ruefully noting that someone had left an apple there. Very funny, indeed. Ai saw the human male he had bumped into previously towards the centre, "Speaking of petty annoyances, I understand there is a new poet amongst us. One Drake Blackadder, I believe." He said checking the role to be sure, "I'm Mr. Ollamain, and will be filling that vacuous space between your ears with lively thoughts until you can stand no more. Probably not long, heh. So, while we were meant to be studying the rest of that Hamlet soliloquy today, I believe something in a lighter key might bore him less. Tragic, I know." He added with humour, leaping from the desk and approaching the white board.

At the top in his eloquent handwriting Ollamain wrote the words 'Shakespearean Insults' in large letters followed by assortment of 'f', 's' and 'c' words next to their recommended, Elisabethian counterparts. Several, immature giggles were elicited to his delight, turning and picking up the apple. He toyed with it as he spoke, bony fingers taking a pile of papers and handing them to the nearest student, "Pass those papers around: One to each head. They have some suggestions of phrasings and vocabulary for the less confident." He saw that some students were tempted to take more than one and smirked, "As it is, I believe, tradition to 'razz' the new student I might give that an interesting twist. Using only insults favoured by The Bard and similar you will do your best to irk and upset your neighbours. Partner with whom you wish and take turns." He walked up to Drake, "Allow me to demonstrate," He cleared his throat and placed a new copy of the required text book on the human's desk pulled from the depths of his suit, "Thou art the spawn of a poxy wench and less comely than a dog's body - To which the insulted rebut and so on and so forth. I'll give you all a goodly time and then you can try your wits at turning me shame-faced." He grinned, returning to the desk and tossing the apple up and down absentmindedly.

Thomas sighed in silent fury as Sebastian rubbed his fur all over his mostly white clothing, the black hair easily standing out on them. He looked up at the human next to him, his green eyes seeming to glitter as they locked onto her. She seemed fairly... small, for a human girl, but her size made her greatly stand out, over a foot shorter than Thomas. She was also rather pale, and had long, wavy black hair with blonde bangs and a couple streaks through it. Probably at some failed attempt to 'stand out' or something, though she didn't seem like the type to want to be in the spotlight. Her eyes somewhat reminded Thomas of seawater, murky and able to hide treacherous things beneath, and her face and composure complemented that. There likely was something that she kept hidden beneath those eyes, foresaking the ability to express all her latent human emotions through those vessels to the soul.

She finished speaking as he analyzed her, then he shortly turned away and responded, "What, that pest?" He made sure to speak loudly so that Sebastian could hear him, a troublemakers smirk on his face. He looked back up at her from his text on the desk after she had introduced herself, with pleasant etiquette, and Echo had made her debut. Echo was, as usual, her kind, flattery self, putting out the effort to reassure Abby that he was not like the boys. Thomas supposed, if he were of a slightly less diabolical nature, he would consider Echo as a friend, but such things were beyond his true self, which was kept well hidden from the other students.

"I assure you, the pleasure is mine." Thomas returned to Abby in a gentlemanly fashion, perhaps somewhat archaic for the time period, but old habits die hard. Unfortunately, he was unable to speak further, his eyes showing the faintest signs of interest in her, not due to the opposition of their sexes like the other males, but she might not have even been able to discern the difference in his gaze. He looked away and smirked when one of the slightly less sharp students commented on how cute the 'human' was. How long would it take before Abby realized just where she was?

Thankfully, the barrage of idiocy being flung at the poor human girl ceased upon entrance of their esteemed teacher as the boys went to their seats. Thomas sighed then looked over to Abby, asking in a polite, innocent tone, "Maybe Echo and I could escort you to your next class? And show you around during lunch?" Thomas adjusted in his seat, then pulled a few strands of his long hair out from underneath his hoodie, "If you would like, of course." His persona was perfect, and his image throughout the school impeccable. He was thought of as a polite, kind-hearted boy who happened to be a Demon. Sure, slightly contradictory, but everyone seemed to buy it. Sometimes, he actually had a hard time getting out of character.