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 Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 6:47 pm
Poison? More mused at the boy's interest. It didn't exactly shock or horrify him, but the other was the first student he had met who didn't focus on medicine and experiments. Well, science students, that is. More vaguely recalled how Dr. Manneth express his concern over the department having a major designed specifically for the study of poison. More wasn't sure he agreed on Lorioth's stance. There could be so many uses with poison...the Aliens did poison the humans in a way, and what would be a better way to fight back with the same method?
Before More could voice such opinion though, the other boy changed subject. The young man blinked once or twice, then smiled, shaking his head. "I'm not a magic student. Actually..." More hesitated a little, trying to find the right way to word what he wanted to say. "You can say I'm not really a student, since I don't exactly go to classes or study like the others."
More folded his hand in front of him and set his chin comfortably on them, then smiled again at the other boy, turning back the conversation.
"So what kind of poison are you interested in?"
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Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 7:05 pm
Thankfully the other didn't seem all too fazed by the prospect of poison study. Experimentation, chemistry, mixing things. It was all a simple matter of opinion. All you had to do was make sure you knew what exploded and what didn't. Unfortunately, when Nathaniel was much younger, the word 'combustible' hadn't meant much. Which explains why he was never allowed to do his near alchemic mixtures in the house again. Luckily he hadn't yet tested the radiating one... that would've been a disaster. He feared his aunt might have very well assigned him to be a cook for the rest of his life.
Not that that would've been a bad thing, but it was certainly less interesting and less helpful. You couldn't quite choke an alien to death. You could poison his food though. The talent went hand in hand, and he was quite good about the entire thing. Nathaniel watched the musing in the other's eyes after he'd finished his own lines of thought, and then frowned in confusion. Not a student? No studies? Just as he opened his mouth to politely ask a question, the other continued speaking and it simply wasn't his style to interrupt or ignore the question.
Perhaps he would get another chance later. Right now, his sly new friend had changed the subject back to him. Now that he was comfortable though, and he knew the other wasn't traumatized by the topic, he seemed to launch into a mode of brilliancy and began to proudly talk of things he knew. Of course, he had to start modest at first:
"There's no specific type. I enjoy studying it's chemical structure, it's hazards. Solubility. Texture. That kind of thing. I love learning about the effect is has on people. My current research is dedicated to the poisons that deaden the nerves. Certain alcohols contain traces of these in the form of drugs, which are all essentially poisons." He paused, looking thoughtful and then disdainful. "It would be better if we had one of those aliens as a test subject though... that's what I really want. A way to destroy their system..." The words seemed vicious, nearly unlike him, or perhaps... too much like him. Like the sticky center behind the sugar coating. Nobody ever said the truth had to be nice.
And then he realized he said too much, and put his hand to his mouth quickly, flushing and looking away embarrassed. "I apologize. Forgive me for being so outspoken." Something wanted him to keep his sanity around More. He kind of felt like this was the sort of person he wanted as an ally. Most definitely.
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Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 6:58 pm
The blonde listened quietly in all earnestly. As Nathaniel talked, a small smile curved up on More's face. It was of admiration. Look at the other boy, full of knowledge and technical terms in his mind already! And he was so young...It was not the content that interested More, but rather the way the other talked. He could sense so much passion within the boy, like everyone else in the school, everyone seemed to have something he liked, and would devote his energy and soul into.
Everyone except him, of course. For More, he was still at the stage of searching, not for something he liked, but rather himself...of who he was, and where he should have belonged. Without it, the young man realized, he was only part, and could never devote as much as the boy that was talking in front of him.
When the boy abruptly stopped, More was slightly disappointed. He did not let this show, however, as he proceeded to reassure the other that what he had said had indeed drawn his attention. More smiled and shook his head.
"No, not at all. You sound so passionate about what you want, it's a good thing." The young man replied cheerfully, then sighed a little to himself. "I wish I could have something to talk about like you..."
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Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 11:25 am
The boy with dark honey brown hair and emerald green eyes looked away for a moment, pondering this boy's situation. He'd been clearly too outspoken for a moment, letting the conversation work it's way up into a passionate speech which his well-mannered tongue could not keep from spouting. So fiery about the subject was the young British boy that he could not answer the other for quite a few moments. The silence fell between them like an awkward curtain and finally Nathaniel snapped back, as if he had just heard the other's words.
More didn't seem to be the normal kind of student. The science student felt something coming off of him that could be no less than desire. There was nothing else in the other's life that he could be passionate about. He had no goals or dreams. He was not a student, so he had less opportunity. Who was he really? An alien himself? No. He didn't think that was possible. The pathetic creatures had long since gone.
He sighed a little himself and locked his acid eyes back onto the other, the mask of politeness taking over his face to cover up his current insecurities and make his prior shame disappear. "You have things you want, don't you? A reason to be here?"
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Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 2:37 pm
More watched as the boy fell silent. He sighed a little and smiled, shaking his head as a self-mocking measure to show that he could not possibly compare to someone like Nathaniel. That passion, that clear determination, that kind of interest...things that the blonde could not have without really knowing himself. For a moment he was at a lack of words also, for he was almost certain the boy had lost interest in him. There was nothing he could tell Nathaniel about himself. Not his age, where he came from...nothing other than his own name.
More gave a small chuckle in an attempt to resolve the silence, but at the same time the other boy also started to speak. He looked up and tried to absorb Nathaniel's question.
"Things I want?"
I want to start anew, either that, or know who I am.
"I'm not quite sure. " More shook his head, "I'm torn between two seemingly opposite goals. As for a reason to be here...well, this is my only home. I think it'll be more strange for me to be at any place other than here." More smiled, "I can't possibly imagine being at other places, in fact. Shinkami is a very nice place, and full of kind and interesting people."
I like it here...so I want to blend myself in.
"...I guess you could say I want to be a member of the family, the Shinkami family, if you know what I mean."
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Posted: Sat May 17, 2008 7:55 am
"The Shinkami family?" Nat repeated unconsciously. Was that what people considered this strange band of students? A family? Never once in all his time here had he ever considered these people family. Family were trusted people that could be counted on. They looked after you, took care of you. They didn't need to be blood bound, but they had to have a connection. The only connection the British boy had with any of these people was that they were all studying for their own goals. However, Nat figured his goal was far different than a normal persons.
But the family thing? Impossible.
Nathaniel didn't have a family anymore. Even his dear Aunt Clara and Uncle John who had sent him here all the way from Australia were not his family. Perhaps once, a long time ago, he would've considered them such. But he'd learned quickly at a young age that it did not pay to get so attached to people. They could leave, die, betray you. And then they would leave a large empty space in the heart of the one left behind. Nat had enough holes, and currently he only had one more that he had brought upon himself willingly: Jaden. Nobody else would make anymore. Not even his real family.
He shook his head a little, not quite understand why the other would want such a thing. Still so childish in so many ways.
"I can't say I quite understand that. Wanting a family. But I will agree that Shinkami is very interesting, especially with all the subjects they allow people our age to learn." He gave a small smile, keeping up his guise. Despite his best efforts though, he could not keep his eyes from clouding over and darkening a shade. The whole thought about his family made him uncomfortable to say the least.
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Posted: Sun May 25, 2008 8:30 am
The young man was a little taken back by Nathaniel's words. Or rather, he was confused by it. The other boy was perhaps the first person he had met (after he had lost his memory...which wasn't too long ago) who did not seem to be enthusiastic about family, further more interactions. Perhaps this was what fate had intended, exchanging the boy's will to socialize for his brilliance. More decided to not go any further into the family issue. Nathaniel just had much right as him to hold on to his believes. Instead the young man smiled and proceeded to respond to the boy's other comments. More nodded in agreement. "True. Dr. Manneth showed me some of the classes offered in the school. I'm not sure what level it is, considering I don't remember going to school at all...but the good doctor said it was something supposedly offered in universities. Considering they are letting you taking it at your age, it must be quite a challenge." More played around with the book in his hands, trying to put himself in the other boy's position to think about the situation. He didn't know Nathaniel, but one thing's for sure. The boy was a genius at whatever he would be doing.
"I suppose, challenge is always a good thing to you, am I right?"
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Posted: Sun May 25, 2008 9:09 am
It was row upon row of endless information piled in a single coordinate spot, all for Nathaniel's viewing pleasure. Nothing was more appropriate than this. Nothing meant as much. The whole world outside this island, the island that this school was situated on, was not a world he cared about. His world was in his mind, in his notes, in his work and in space. Space was where he could have his revenge. It seems such a shame that they didn't have an alien specimen for him to experiment with however. He'd have loved to watch it suffer and contort, just like they had probably done to his parents.
For now however, he was simply content with this small conversation that had no weight in the scheme of things. People were dolls. Conversations were plays. If acted out properly, it was a masterpiece. A small slip could be a disaster. But Nat never slipped. His mask was comfortable, and he had forgotten how much he'd liked it. Jaden or not.
"Challenge allows for discoveries," the British boy said with a small polite nod, looking pleased. His emerald eyes, still slightly dark, shimmered slightly. "It expands the understanding that humans can comprehend."
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Posted: Sun May 25, 2008 9:51 am
Oh goodness! Now the boy was talking like a philosopher! More listened intently at Nathaniel's remarks, nodding as the boy went along. He wasn't sure he had gotten what the other was actually saying, but it sounded reasonable. Soon the young man realized that it was not what Nathaniel was talking about that made him listen, but the way he talked, the way he talked with such pride and maturity. More felt as if he was talking to some wise man who had lived on this earth since the very beginning. Compared to him, the young man was nothing more than a toddler, still had so much to learn ahead of him.
More smiled to himself and eyes Nathaniel with an inspired look. Indeed, the boy had inspired him to become better and test his own capacities. When his mind landed on the word "capacity" however, it also sparked a daring thought. The young man's smile dropped a little as he hesitated, trying to find the right word to start.
"This is truely interesting...may I ask a question?" More eventually said meekly. The words sounded stupid no matter how he tried to think about it, and eventually the young man gave up.
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Posted: Fri May 30, 2008 5:03 pm
For a single solitary moment, Nathaniel glanced down at the book he had in his hands. At the notebook. At the notes. At the pencil. At himself. All of it seemed to embody him. This was what he was. It was his everything and everything was his. This whole thing was about him and what he wanted. He wanted knowledge, so he had it. He wanted science, so he learned it. The book in his lap contained his life and for a moment he just wanted to reassure himself of it's existence.
For a moment, he felt more grateful for it's empty pages than he'd ever been. It allowed him to continue his research unperturbed. Upon seeing More and his sort of lost attitude, he was grateful to have a path and actually found himself wishing the other well truthfully. It only succeeded to prove that Nat was not truly a hurtful boy, just a selfish and lonely one.
"Go on," he answered kindly, all manners and the epitome of a British aristocrat.
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Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 6:36 am
The young man scratched the back of his head, trying to make his question sounding not so personal. He had actually wanted to ask Nathaniel about his strange, near superhuman abilities, but there would be no way that the boy would be able to know. He was smart, alright, but not a mind-reader nor a past/future seer.
He coughed slightly, "urh. This may sound strange to you, I suppose...how far do you suppose a human can go?" He paused, trying to explain further, "As in, what is the boundary of our abilities? If we try really really hard, will we really able to do anything we want? Is everything possible?"
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Posted: Sun Jun 08, 2008 12:11 pm
Up till that point, the facade of attention had been purely that: a facade. An act. But now, his eyes narrowed and became visibly more focused. The green sharpened like daggers in the pupils of his eyes. The color seemed to radiate like his specialty and a slow smile crept across his lips. Naturally, he was curious as to why the other had asked this question. The smile wasn't a sly one either, it was genuine, as if he really appreciated the high standing pedestal he'd been placed on in order to be asked such a thing.
"I am afraid I do not understand why you asked me this question. If you are seeking a factual answer, I do not have one. However," he paused, and looked more directly at More, as if staring right through him to everything beyond, "I believe, that we can indeed push the limits of practicality and destroy the rules of physics. Perhaps it is merely material we lack. Or maybe we really do not have the brain capacity for such things... but humans will do what they will do, and if they fail then it is merely another lesson learned. And humans will keep learning until there is nothing left to learn." He nodded approvingly. It was a kind of fantastical thing he thought of. And he'd had to think a long time before answering. The silence had only proved his seriousness in the answer he'd given.
Then the youth looked away with a sigh. Why had he gone into a philosophical rant like that? It certainly was very uncharacteristic of him. However, he felt he needed to be polite and honest to this boy. Maybe this boy, although nowhere near as useful to him as Jaden, could be one more person to allow on the fringes of his friendship circle. Just one. He'd been the only one that really merited an intellectual conversation in a long time. And he'd craved it, and was grateful for it. And in this, his respect for More was raised rather high.
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Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 5:51 pm
(( since the meta has past, just pretend this happened before it, okay? ^^; ))
"I see." More wasn't sure he had understood entirely what Nathaniel had said. It wasn't the exact answer he was looking for, but then again, the young man was not sure if he was looking for anything. He did, however, admire the other boy's speech. In a way, More felt better about himself, and some of his doubts were resolved. Perhaps he was one of those who never stopped pushing his limits, perhaps that was what he was doing now.
"Humans can do anything they believe in, am I right?" The young man smiled gently and made a final conclusion on the matter. If the humans continued to believe firmly in that they could defeat the Aliens, perhaps they really will when the time comes.
That's what this school is for, isn't it?
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Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 7:02 pm
"Well no, but humans will certainly push the limits of they think is possible until they're satisfied," Nathaniel responded thoughtfully. He definitely didn't think the whole 'If I believe hard enough, maybe I can walk through this wall' concept was practical. Humans could believe all they want, but that didn't mean it could be possible. He was pretty sure he hadn't said anything along those lines at all. Instead, he'd said that humans would keep trying until there was nothing left to try, simply because they were stubborn and greedy creatures that had nothing better to do except fight. And they'd keep on fighting all their lives, because that's what being human meant. Wasn't that right?
Nathaniel knew that perhaps, just maybe, he didn't have the resources to create the poison he wanted. And then again, maybe he did. But neither option stopped him or motivated him. He would keep learning for the sake of doing so. In the hopes that he'd find something to kill them. Something to wipe them all away and exact the perfect revenge. A bloody massacre that would make his heart soar. Isn't that what he was here for? Revenge? Yes. That was it. That was his everything.
Green eyes alight, he gave the blonde male a smile, shrugging it all off. It didn't much matter. People needed hopes and dreams right? So let them believe... maybe everything really was possible. "You are quite an interesting person," complimented the British boy after a moment's hesitation. It was being polite, like manners dictated it, but for once he actually meant it. More could certainly hold a conversation, albeit a very strange one. He took a look over his notes, and moved to pack them up; it was just about time to head back to his dormitory.
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Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2008 3:06 pm
"I guess so." More's expression dimmed a little at the other's objection. He wasn't going to argue, as the young man knew he knew too little to discuss such topic, especially with someone like Nathaniel, who More deemed a genius. There was so much he wanted to know, and so little that he felt he could... More felt as if he was pushing his boundaries every single second of his life, wanting to know about the world, wanting to know about himself. He could deny it, deny the fact that despite the current calm life, he wanted to know the past, the part where his mind refused to remember. There must have been a reason he was here, a reason why he forgot, and a reason why he must remember.
It was something he did not want to do, but it was not by his conscious decision to want to know. Like Nathaniel said, it was human nature.
Well, at least it made him more human.
With that thought, More's expression cheered up again, just in time to catch the other boy's comment. "Oh..." More started, needing just a split second to recollect what was happening. "Why, thank you. It is my pleasure to talk to you." The young man's eyes traveled to what the boy was doing and sighed softly. "I have learned a lot. Thank you."
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