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 Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2008 6:15 pm
The muscular demon was almost done with his work out, and was on his seventh pull-up. One armed. He was a very strong man, even if he rarely used his strength against other beings. The tall redhead had been at the gym almost two hours now, and was planning on finishing up with a few laps in the large pool.
Gideon Mattias was more than pleased with what he found on the school grounds. First the bath house, now a state-of-the-art gym? It was almost as good as being home, if a little more interesting. Just like his father before him, the professor worked out almost everyday, and wasn't about to change that habit simply because he'd come to a school to work in the magic department.
Both departments needed discipline, physical, mental, and emotional.
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Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 12:20 pm
Scyeth had been cooped up too long. And while the youth usually didn't have any issue wallowing in his own misery, he could only do so many push-ups before it got old. He could do it on one or both arms, even on just a few fingers if he really tried. But it really only did so much, and he should really keep working out, even if he was refusing to visit with anyone at all. It wasn't like there was going to be anyone at the gym, anyways. Not with Greg gone.
The blond grabbed his skateboard on his way out. Why waste time where people could find him?
A few minutes later, he rolled down to the gym, leaving his board just inside the door. The youth was half-way through pulling off his shirt (it didn't matter if he took it off, there was no one here to see), when he noticed there was someone else here.
"What the hell!?" the fiery teenager demanded, blue eyes narrowing. "I thought-"
Was that the demon from the open house?
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Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 6:17 pm
Gideon, clad in a well-fitting black tanktop and matching shorts, raised an eyebrow at the exclamation, dropping down from his pull-up bar to sight the blonde demon. His expression of surprise become amused, and he ran a hand through his hair. "Well, I'll be. Scyeth Akazar!"
The older demon wasn't sweating [both of the males had a high level of endurance, after all], and so he had no qualms about holding out a hand in greeting as he strode to meet the student. Once Scy got done fiddling with his shirt, that is.
"Gideon Matthias Burdock." He wider smile. "I hope you remember me? Head of Magical Research, now." Lucky for the redhead, he hadn't taken the position of anyone Scyeth was close with. "You seem surprised to find someone here." The boy must've wanted to work out alone. Gideon usually chose to do that as well. Working out around humans meant he generally had to hold back.
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Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 6:30 pm
He remembered his name? Puzzled, Scyeth dropped his defenses and took the hand the older demon offered (once he had stopped pulling off his shirt, that was). Oh, right. He was a demon. Scyeth was not the only demon here anymore. "...I do," the blond replied, tipping his head to the side. "I see you've...got the job. That's good, I suppose," he added. The youth had never been terribly invested in the magic department; the only person he cared about that might have been involved was Dante.
"I'm usually the only one here, I guess. I mean, Alex stopped coming and Greg left." Scyeth was fairly impressed he got the second half of that without a hitch. It must be getting easier, being left behind. Suffice to say, he was starting to have other things to think about again. The youth shrugged and looked back up at the older demon.
"...so. Can I touch your ears, Gideon?"
Half of Scyeth still didn't believe they were even real.
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Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 6:37 pm
A low chuckle came from the redhead's throat, and he seemed to consider, before nodding and bending down a bit. [Gideon was, after all, quite tall] "Go for it. Please don't pinch. I can show you my wings, too, if you'd like, or even the rest of my tattoos." Was he seriously having to prove his pedigree? It seemed so. That probably meant that Scyeth hadn't had the opportunity to interact with many demons.
"Do you keep your ears pointed to make a statement, as I do, Scyeth, or is it for another reason?" Did the boy know how to hide them...? Gideon, if he chose, could appear completely human. However, he wasn't the hiding type.
"Greg Larine, no? I've never met him, but I have heard of him. He has a very good reputation." Gideon seemed perfectly willing to let the subject drop. He was aware that some students were probably attached to the tachers that had left, and if he remembered correctly, Scyeth must've worked with Greg at some point.
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Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 7:08 pm
Scyeth was flabbergasted. He would never let anyone touch his ears. (Except maybe RuiZhi. Maybe. They weren't on fantastic terms right now.) But nonetheless, the youth leaned forward and ran his fingertips over Gideon's ears; he had to keep his jaw from dropping. They were real. Eventually, he drew has hands back to his side and fixed his gaze back on the professor's face, giving him a curt nod.
Oh, he would die to see his wings, though. (He was ashamed to admit he'd never actually seen a pair.)
"I...kept them pointed because I had to," the youth admitted. His father wasn't much of a teacher; he had kept his son cooped up in the Australian Outback, after all. "But now, I wouldn't hide them if I knew how." It was time the rest of the school woke up and smelled the roses. Though, that didn't matter so much. There were other demons here.
"I've never really met a lot of other demons. I can't recall any in particular. I mean, I saw a few of my father's associates in passing, but..." The youth shrugged. That was all. But back to the previous question. He really wanted to see those wings.
"Show me what you've got."
Curiosity killed the cat, didn't it?
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Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 7:29 pm
The demon nodded with approval. He didn't think their people should hide, either.
Gideon had given the warning because he'd had more than one child tug a bit too hard. And Scyeth seemed the... Playful type. Now though, he seemed to be enjoying himself. The redheaded professor pulled off his tanktop, a crease appearing on his brow as he rapidly grew his impressive wings. It was an act of will, really. Just like hiding them.
A quick, joking flap or two, and he raised an eyebrow at Scyeth. "Have you ever seen a pair? I don't suppose so, as it's not exactly kosher in mixed company." With humans, he meant. "You were raised with humans, weren't you?"
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Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 7:37 pm
Scyeth shivered, completely enthralled. "Uh, no. And yes. My father was only around now and again. I went to schools with humans until I got too old for that, according to my father. He-" The teenager paused, trying to figure out how the word it. "He decided I would be safer holed up in the Outback. And then I came here. And apparently...they've had bad run-ins with demons here."
Slightly surprised he just spilled his entire life story in a good three or so sentences, Scyeth bit his tongue and gave Gid one more once over (and wondered vaguely if this was inappropriate or completely normal) before pulling off his own shirt. He motioned to the tattoo on his shoulder (no, he couldn't just roll his sleeve up, the fabric was too thick). "This is the only one I have...I think." A frown. "My father never told me how to alter my appearance."
Sometimes Scyeth wasn't even sure if he had wings.
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Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 7:48 pm
Gideon nodded. "Your father is an interesting demon." He felt no need to use common terms like 'man'. Why not be honest about what they were? "I cannot ever remember hearing of a one-winged demon, however, I'm not about to say they do not exist."
A pause and the tall redhead spent some time rubbing at the stubble along his jaw. "You are in the Science and Technology division, but there is no denying the magic you are capable of." Gideon allowed his wings to retract back into himself. "Perhaps private lessons or tutoring is in order."
He pulled on his tanktop, gaze moving once more to Scyeth's tattoo. "I could look into the history of the variability of wings, as well as... Your father. If you desire." That was said in a lower tone. His death, he meant.
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Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 8:11 pm
"My father was a dickweed." If they were going to be honest, Scyeth was going to be really honest. "And I hated him. Hate him still, even." The youth couldn't deny there had been some mourning, and some sense of shock after his death, but he also couldn't deny that he never felt sorry for it. For the death. He was getting disowned anyways, what did it really matter?
"But I would like private lessons." He was going to do something similar with Dante, wasn't he? "When the school was on fire, the flames around me..." Scyeth trailed off with a shrug and pulled his shirt back on, taking care to smooth out the ruffles before glancing back at the older demon. "...so you think I only have one wing?" he muttered, rubbing his arm. He had never even considered that. He just meant he only had one tattoo; did that mean he was some sort of defect?
Gideon's second offer stopped Scyeth's train of thought dead in his tracks.
"Yes. I want to know."
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Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 8:29 pm
"Not necessarily. It's just something for me to ponder." A slow smile. "Do you remember getting the tattoo?" Gideon's were a sign of his magical abilities, as well as traditional. "I'll lend you a book on our history. It'll be delivered to your room possibly tonight or tomorrow. That'll be your first assignment, to read it."
The school had been on fire? That hadn't been widely spread. Gideon would have to look into that, as well. "When I have the information about him, I'll send you a memo to come to my office." His father, he meant. It went unsaid.
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Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 8:56 pm
"...um, no. I don't. Should I?" Scyeth wasn't sure he liked that smile. "Should I have others?" He was fairly certain demons had a good deal of tattoos, usually to show off some social standing. Or something. His father had a lot of tattoos. (Yes. He would know. His father didn't wear shirts on very hot days.)
...another book. Excellent. Scyeth was going to have a collection, at any rate. But who was he to deny learning about his true heritage?
"Alright. Both sound fine, I think." The youth shrugged and looked around, rocking back on his heels. "But send the memo to RuiZhi's room," he muttered. He rarely went into his own dorm; he might not get the note for weeks on end. But please, Gideon, don't make odd comments over it. "Just stick it...uh...seal it and stick it under the door, or something."
RuiZhi didn't need to get involved in this mess.
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Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 9:19 pm
Gideon simply shrugged. He wasn't answering anymore questions now, it seemed, and he also didn't seem to care where the note was sent. "I'll have the book sealed in an envelope and sent to his room. The memo will be delivered directly to you." A laugh. "Don't worry that it'll spill your business to the world, Scyeth. I have a slight amount of decency."
A pause. "There may be some magic in the book I send you, however, I suggest you don't attempt it until we meet again."
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Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 9:27 am
"Alright. I can do that." He already had Dante's book of spells, after all, he could avoid anything in the book Gideon was going to send him. Scyeth tipped his head to the side and brushed some hair behind a pointed ear. "So that's that?" he asked, observing the professor quietly. That was rather uneventful, especially considering that was probably the first time he'd ever had conversation with a demon, other than his father. (And that didn't count.)
"Aw, damnit. I should probably actually work out, while I'm here."
It was that whole soldier-in-training thing.
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Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 10:21 am
"Just one more thing." Gideon's usual good-humor disappeared, and his face was somber as he met the younger demon's blue eyes with his black ones, voice quiet. "You and I are a part of something huge, Scyeth, which may not be altogether clear to you. I know you realize that somewhere inside that head of yours." He looked away, toward one of the large windows in the gym. "Be careful, in the next few months."
Suddenly, he was grinning again, and cracked his knuckles, stretching. "I should probably hit the pool and finish my workout. Nice seeing you again, Scyeth!" The tall man nodded firmly before heading to a separate part of the gym.
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