Welcome to Gaia! ::

It began slowly. A bank of dark clouds came scudding low across the sky, the promise of rain clearly evident in their puffy gray mass. With the dense clouds came a dwindling of the light, casting all into deeper shadow. A chill wind blew from the east, and the sun disappeared. The shades seemed to gather together, centered around a small valley between two crested hills covered in scrub brush and knotty pine. The shadows seemed to leech the color and vitality away from all they touched, and the thin grass grew brittle and yellow. Pine leaves fell to the suddenly dry ground, even as swaths of bark sloughed off like a lizard's skin.

Only after the plant life had succumbed, did the earth itself begin to rumble and roil, the surface breaking apart into a mass of freshly turned dirt. That soon gave way as well, before the inky blackness from before seemed to rear up like a snake, spreading out until it had become a large disc floating in the air. Within that disc, it's center seemed to stretch away into the horizon, into infinity. And within that deep shadow, something stirred. A shape seemed to detach itself from the inky abyss, before it dragged itself out of the disc itself, to collapse on the ground.

Keishi looked up at the sky, not blinking. She'd done it! It had been a long and strange journey, but she had finally fought her way back to the living world! She was dead, she knew there was no changing that. But her spirit had been strong, strong enough to survive the ordeal. At least that was what she had believed. And now, she had discovered firsthand that it was the truth. She still wasn't alive, but she was back! She leaped to her feet, before stretching her arms out toward the sky and screaming, letting her voice cry out far past what a living creature's lungs could sustain. Miles away, wild animals shuddered in their burrows, and human babies broke out into bouts of crying.

It was so intense! Life, all around her! She envied them their lives, she wanted her own life back. But she knew that was not to be, she couldn't simply take another's life. Even if it was possible, she couldn't have countenanced it. It was her personality and spirit that had enabled her to come back; she couldn't just discard her morals so easily! But all the same, she envied the life for what it possessed. Life, all around her. Large and small, of all sizes and strengths.

She shook her head, trying to snap herself out of her flight of fancy. She hadn't come back to life for such a purpose! No, she had come back to experience life, to rediscover what she had lost! She had died young, and had deeply regretted it. Now she had seized a chance to make up for that loss, to go out and act like she was alive again! Like she was a person again. She couldn't face her parents, not after they had been put through her death once already. They had hopefully found peace by now. No, she had to take a new life for herself, a new personality. Though she would keep her name. It was all that she had taken with her to the other world, after all.

She had experienced a lot in that world, the world of the dead. She had discovered truths about herself, and about the universe. She had come to grips with her death, and she had discovered what she had wanted out of life. And she had learned how to fight. She had learned how to fight well. With that in mind, she became aware of her body, of her accoutrements. She had brought her tools with her from the other world? Amazing! She hadn't thought that possible! She had learned to use them well, as extensions of her body. To have to replace them would have been a great blow. To realize she had kept them a special moment of joy. With them, she could fight. But still, she would need to learn anew. She knew that fights in the real world were different from the other world. She would have to learn an entirely different method of fighting, in order to do well here. And she didn't want to return to that other world, not just yet.
[741 out of 2300 ]

"Oh yes.. Yes I am very happy that Momma let me come train."

Annie said skipping to the academy. Her eerie yellow eyes started to beam when her mother told her this would be the year that she would be allowed to train. She had been punished for many other years for either operating on cats, dogs, or other larger to smaller animals. Annie had been fascinated with playing operations and genetics since her birth. Her doctor saved her life and she thought she owed it to him, and she had to be the best possible. She only looked up to the sky.

"Hmm? Oh I don't know supposedly he died. I know it is always sad to think about him that way. That he died. He was one that saved us. Well maybe part of his soul is inside of me huh Mister B."

She looked up to the sky again. Nothing hanging over head. She only brushed her dress off again. As she got happy looking down at her pretty dress. It was the most beautiful dress that money could afford. But then she cut it up and restitched it herself. She made her mommy mad sometimes when she did that, but it was fun. Her mommy loved to buy her things but she liked it better this way. She looked up in the sky again as she scratched her head a bit with a needle.

"huh? Oh what Mister bee? Oh no there is nothing to be scared of..after all if they get to scary.. you can just step on them. Then we can take all the pretty blood and make some science with them. Okay? So Don't worry Mister B.. if they make you cry we will make them kiss the angels."

Annie said with a smile. She dragged her feet a bit as he sat outside the academy. It didn't take much for her to understand the basics of ninjutsu, and genjutsus. She learned so much with understanding how to contract her titan; Mister Bee. However, Mister Bee was so scared of going out in public. He always felt that they were jduging him. However, he followed her. He followed her no matter where they went. She would always make sure that she was okay. Annie always made sure that Mister Bee was safe as well. They were all each other had in the world.

"Yes Mister Bee. I promise to keep you safe. huh? Aww? really? I would love for them to see you though. Aww!!! Fine. You are being such a baby today. But If I get in trouble are you going be there to help huh huh huh Mister B?"

She sat there and waited for the answer. However, She only turned when she saw one of the academy instructor waving at her. Annie looked back up to the sky again. She only folder her arms and stomped off. She turned her head slightly and stuck her tongue out. Annie skipped to the instructor who politely introduced himself.

"Hello you must be the young girl from Hidden Tree they told me to be expecting. Jeez they are starting them earlier and earlier. I don't quite recognize your clan name though... You guys must be new. Anyways Annie I am your trainer... you can call me Yana. I seriously haven't seen a ninja as young as you in a while. Who are you talking too Miss."

Annie looked up to the sky. She twisted her hair a bit. She didn't know exactly who she was talking about. She looked up to the air and gave a bit of frown. Her voice almost started to crack but it had a bit more of a whine to it. Her little pale yellow eyes started to fill up with the clear salty tears. She didn't know what exactly to do until she blinked and tears started to pour down her face.

"who are you talking about Yana? There is nobody out here besides me and you. Are you making fun of me? That's not nice Miss yana.. I thought you were going to train me not try and hurt my feelings.."

Yana looked at the little sutdent and waved her hands back and forward. She couldn't deal with student this young. She didn't know how. She was more sue to beating her students into submission rather then hold their hands. She never wanted them to feel good about themselves. However feel terrible until they started to do better. However this idea didn't work for those that were under age. She only placed her hand on her head. As she looked to see Annie's eyes were even more filled with tears. She blinked and they just started to fall. Yana waved her hands faster and faster.

"Wait wait wait. That's not what I meant at all. Why would you think that huh? Come on instead of spending our day at the academy. How about we go get some ice cream instead. Doesn't that seem like a better way to spend a suny day like today. Isn't that better than spending all day kick and punching. we can just have such a good day. Ice Cream the park... I can give you a couple of scrolls and you just learn on your own accord. You seem smart enough."

Annie smiled politely and bowed. She turned her head nad the tears were gone from her pretty little face. Her bright Yellow eyes only looked at her trainer politely. She locked onto the m with the promise of icecream. She clapped a bit and grabbed Miss Yana's hand. She gently clinched on as she looked up to her.

"Oh that sounds great Miss Yana. I am so happy that we are getting ice cream."

Miss Yana brushed the embarrassed sweat off her head. She couldn't help, but think she might have been conned. But she couldn't be known as the instructor that made little babies cry. How would she ever live that down? she did what was easier. Bribe the little kid and hope for the best. Miss Yana took her to the small icecream shop. They walked together through the park. They watched the small butterflies and the small animals that ran through and played at the park. Annie looked up to the sky once more. She looked up to Mister Bee.

They played together for the rest of the day. Miss Yana walked Annie back to the academy grounds. She was happy to end this day. But for Annie this had meant the world. She gave a polite smile and she walked away. She turned to look up her giant. Even though she had such a great day with miss yana. It all meant so much more when she was together with Mister Bee.

"Oh yes I did have fun with Miss Yana.... huh.. yes the book is helping. But I knew most of this after learning how to create you. This stuff is for kids. Huh? Oh no I forgot to bring you back something to eat. Maybe next time ey?"

She said with a giggle.(x2)

Daidouji rushed in to close the distance, seemingly not worried by the fact that her opponent had just drawn their weapons. She came in a headlong rush, before ducking low and swinging a tightly clenched fist high in a powerful uppercut. It didn't actually hit Rin, but the force behind the blow was such that it still knocked her back several meters, her feet skidding on the grass until she came to a stop. She spun on one foot before whipping one of the Windmill Shuriken at Daidouji, the blades glinting as they created the illusion of a solid disc of spinning metal, the revolutions enabling the blade to actually maintain it's flight. It scythed through the air almost completely silently, aimed directly at Daidouji. It was dodged without any real effort, as well as the second Windmill Shuriken an instant later, from where it had been hiding in the first's shadow.

Daidouji took a moment to taunt Rin then, waggling a finger at her. "You'll have to try a lot harder than that, that trick will never work on me!" She rushed forward in an explosive burst, grass and sod torn up in her passing as she dashed toward Rin. Her surprise blitz was successful, as well as the ensuing shoulder blow that knocked Rin sprawling head over heels in a rapid tumble. She didn't wait to give Rin a chance to recover, either, running along right behind her and lashing out with a savage kick that brought Rin's stunned form up to eye level with the taller Daidouji. A feral grin split her face as she pivoted on her lead foot and throw a right hook, a powerful blow that knocked Rin's head back even as her back bowed from the impact. Her momentum was instantly aborted and redirected, before she was sent flying to the left, bouncing several times against the unyielding ground.

She staggered to her feet a moment later, spitting out a bit of blood from where she'd bit her cheek. Her outfit was scuffed now, and stained with dirt and grass. But she was still capable of fighting, and far from finished. She held both hands out, palms facing Daidouji for a moment, before she closed them into fists and pulled them back and up. She shared a special connection with her Windmill Shuriken, and could make them do things that nobody else could. Like she was doing now. They were still spinning, long after they had missed Daidouji, and now they spun back, as if following an invisible circuit in the air. They were still virtually silent, spinning rapidly as they zeroed in on Daidouji's back. They would strike almost simultaneously, in a blow that could well leave Daidouji crippled if she was caught unaware.

She almost was. At the last instant, something she saw in Rin's eyes made her realize what was about to happen. Perhaps she saw them reflected in Rin's eyes. She dove forward, but it seemed her frantic effort was too little, too late. Only until her body, now embedded with the blades of the Windmill Shuriken, disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving a log in its place. Daidouji appeared a short distance away, frowning as she realized how close she had come. If she had been even an instant slower, it would have been too late. Her fists tightened, even as she began to prepare for another attack.

"You're still too slow."

She froze as she heard Rin's voice, hot against her ear. She swung her arm back in a vicious backhand blow, but it met only air. She had already moved away, and was standing back where she had been before, in the center of the field. Rin completed her taunt when she beckoned Daidouji to come at her again. Daidouji knew she was being baited, but she was also getting mad, making it a bit harder to think clearly. Even so, she knew another head-on attack would fare no better than all the others. That was how she had lost, all those other times. She had tried to simply overpower Rin, and couldn't keep up with her speed. That had led to her defeat, each and every time. So she forced herself to remain where she was, and sharpened her senses to be ready for any further shifts on the battlefield. There! She couldn't see or hear it, but she knew that the Windmill Shuriken were coming for her. Call it instincts, if anything. Rin wasn't holding them, therefore they were still a valid threat. So she spun around and jumped to the side, a smirk glinting for an instant even as she felt the passing of air as the two Windmill Shuriken passed through the area where she had been standing just an instant ago. If she would have tried another frontal attack, it would have been likely that she wouldn't have had the attention to spare to realize they were coming again.

"Turning your back on your enemy? You're getting sloppy, too..." Daidouji felt a pair of arms wrap around her neck in an iron grip, applying pressure directly to the front of her neck. She didn't know the exact numbers, but a hold like this was designed to knock someone out in mere moments. Already, she could feel her body growing heavier, and her vision was beginning to gray out. She'd only have one chance to get out, before her strength would have degraded too much to avail her. So she used the Substitution technique again. The Substitution technique was a very useful jutsu, it enabled one to escape an attack. What it could not do, however, was let the user escape from a grapple. Instead it would take both people to whatever the destination was. She had felt Rin's grip on her neck tighten at the same moment that she used the Substitution jutsu, to ensure she wouldn't be shaken off too easily. Luckily for Daidouji, that wasn't what she had planned.

Instead, she had chosen to move to a place immediately in front of a tree. The instant she appeared, she was already shoving herself backward with all of her strength. Rin had realized what was happening, but not quickly enough to both release Daidouji and make her own escape. She was crushed between Daidouji's back and the solid tree, gasping as the breath was forced from her lungs in one great exhalation. They were both left reeling after that. Daidouji from Rin's chokehold, and Rin from being crushed against the tree.

They both managed to recover at roughly the same time, before facing each other with renewed determination. They had both been wounded, this fight was about to get serious. So they rushed to close the distance once more, before beginning to fight in earnest. A rapid fire series of blows came from both of them, individual strikes parried or deflected in an increasingly manic display of prowess. Neither could block everything, however, and ultimately they had to break apart. Both bore fresh wounds, bruises and contusions, signs of their recent flurry of activity.

Daidouji suppressed a groan as she breathed deep. She'd bruised a rib, at the least. That would limit her mobility, especially in regard to any punches she wanted to throw. She'd have to act fast if she wanted to use her trump card. She could tell that Rin had been put through the wringer as well, her own blows doing a lot more damage per hit. But if she knew her senpai, that would not be nearly enough to stop her. And sure enough, she could see Rin's eyes were still alight with determination and inner fire; she wasn't about to give up. In fact, it seemed Rin was finally getting serious. An instant later, she had clasped her hands together in a quick series of hand signs, before she performed a different jutsu, creating multiple copies of herself. Numbering at least a dozen, they all looked virtually identical, even down to the fresh series of wounds and bruises. All but one were a fake, and would be mostly unable to hurt her, but Daidouji couldn't afford to ignore any one of them. She would have to act now, before she lost the chance.

"I'm putting everything I have into this, Rin-senpai!" She raised a fist, before concentrating and gathering her chakra and internal energy into it. Her hand began to glow a bright orange, before she threw a punch at the army of Rins. The energy exploded out in a shockwave, a sphere of chakra that resembled a roaring lion's head, rushing at the clones. It was followed by a successive volley of the same, a massed assault of shockwaves in a barrage that spread from the center and extended to either side of the area where the clones had been preparing their own attack. "Dorya!"

The results spoke for themselves, a series of explosions heralded the destruction of at least a majority of the clones. If she was lucky, she would have also managed to hit the real Rin. But she didn't expect that. Instead, she was expecting that Rin had used her mobility and speed to use another Substitution jutsu, to escape just before the shockwaves hit. As such, she didn't even wait to see the results of her handiwork, and turned, preparing to meet the expected strike. And sure enough, there was Rin, a look of surprise on her face. Daidouji grinned, before lashing out with one final punch, putting the last of her strength into it. A final shockwave hit Rin at point blank range, creating a blast of such force that it nearly knocked herself off her feet, despite having braced herself before throwing the blow.

The clone burst in a puff of smoke, and Daidouji realized she had been tricked. She tried to turn back to where the rest of the clones where, but before she had finished her turn, she felt a sharp blow to the base of her neck. As everything went dark, she wanted to curse. Beaten again! Damn it, she was going to defeat her one of these days!

-------------

Daidouji opened her eyes, before levering herself to a sitting position. She had been knocked out, she knew the feeling too well to not recognize it. Looking around, she realized that she was still in the field. Rin was still there, too, and was already holding out a hand to help her up. She hesitated only an instant before accepting it and pulling herself up. She didn't hate her rival, she never had. Envied, sure, but not hate.

"You're getting better, Daidouji."

"But not good enough to beat you, right, Rin-senpai."

"No, not yet. But you'll get there. I look forward to that day." Rin smiled before turning to look out at the world beyond the Academy. They had both been here for some time, honing their skills and testing them against each other. In their class, nobody else could compete against either one of them. They could only teach each other so much before they would begin to stagnate. There was only one solution. She turned back to face Daidouji. Her kohai was still growing stronger by leaps and bounds, and soon enough she could well finally overcome her. She had no intention of making that any easier than it had to be. They would both need to become stronger. "Daidouji. I-"

Daidouji cut her off with a slight gesture. "I know what you're going to say. It's time to move on. We'll meet again, and when that day comes, I'll finally defeat you. Don't you dare lose to anyone else!" She grinned then, a big smile that showed a hint of mischief. She had yet to let go of Rin's hand, and took advantage of that to pull sharply on it. The surprise attack caught Rin unaware, and she found herself being pulled overhead in a wide arc. She responded quickly, though, and when Daidouji released her hand, she didn't let go in turn, and instead pulled Daidouji along with her. They both went sprawling, before sharing a laugh. After something like that, there wasn't anything more to say. So once they both regained their footing, they simply nodded to each other before taking their leave.
[2054 x 2 = 4108 + 1360 = 5468 out of 2300 ]

It only took a moment of him standing still and staring, as the female he was trying to gain the notice of as well as get a better look at simply walked by him without a word, continuing on and not even giving him a glance or an answer. Raz slowly frowned as he rose a hand and brushed it underneath the mask he wore, pushing the mask upwards and out of his face. What a terrible person, not even giving him the time of day! He sighed as he slowly turned and began walking away in the hopes of finding a training ground or something similar that he could at least get some fun in on. After all he was here to learn, and a good way to begin learning was to actually get some decent training in. He had gotten around to doing the whole tree climbing thing, and the water walking thing wasn't all that hard either. Now all he really needed to do was strap on some weights and begin sparring in order to gain the fundamentals of a decent battle. What was he, as a puppet master, going to do if he couldn't handle himself in a battle of whits and fists?! Raz chuckled to himself as he neared the location of what was soon going to be his place of battle. There were a few shinobi sitting around and minding their own business. No real spars going on, that was for sure. The lack of sparring in the area actually set him off a bit. He was here in this area to train! Train! Not sit around lazily and do nothing! What did these shinobi think they were? Nara clan members?! He growled lowly under his breath and approached the closest shinobi he had lain his eyes on. The black haired male before him tilted their head upwards to look at him as he approached with the full bravado of someone read to fight. "Hey! Ki-" <******** off, queer. I'm trying to concentrate here.." The male says before he could even pull off a full challenge, Raz' eyes grew slightly wide as he looked at the male, before they hardened and he casually shifted his hands together into his sleeves. His head cocking slightly to the side as he frowned momentarily. "Excuse me? I was going to challenge you to a friendly duel to get some decent training in... But it appears like you've got some obvious issues to deal with." The male didn't seem to pay him much attention for the moment, and then they slowly turned their attention back towards Raz once again. Their eyes blinking, and a single tomoed sharingan forming within their gaze as their face contorted with annoyance. "This is the last time I say anything, f*****t. I'm busy, find someone else's d**k to try and suc-" The unexpected backhand to the face would send the male directly off the table he was sitting on and towards the sand pit of a sparring arena. Raz lowering and adjusting the mask over his face as he slowly began walking forwards and slipping his arms back within the sleeves of his clothing. "I don't like that mouth on you... And since you're not willing to nicely spar with me, we are going to do things the hard way." He would say, as he stepped into the pit, slowly taking the time to grab and adjust weights onto his waist, legs and arms. These weights significantly slowing him down as he attempted to situate his body with the sudden additional weight he had gained from them. The Uchiha had by now risen to his feet, holding a hand to his face as he glared angrily at Raz.

The Uchiha male would rush forwards, his hand shifting behind his back and drawing a kunai outwards in his hand. Brandishing the kunai in front of him now like the weapon that it is, he would reach Raz and lash out with the kunai, frantically slashing at Raz's chest with anger showing all across his face. Raz dodged backwards, the kunai sliding through the clothing wore across his body. Continuing backwards a few more steps, Raz flicked a hand outwards and a set of chakra strings connected with a nearby training dummy, the training dummy itself coming alive and bounding forwards towards the back of the Uchiha male. With a few flicks of his fingers, the new puppet he had took control of would thrust a single fist forwards towards the male's back. The hit striking them in the back and sending them collapsing to the ground at Raz' feet. Raz shook his head slowly behind the mask as he looked down at the male before his feet as he takes a few more steps back, the training dummy moving and stepping into the way between himself and his opponent as he slowly rose and adjusted the strings he formed with his other hand. "Are you done already? You're a Uchiha right? Terrible..." Raz sighs and shifts his hands a moment as he looks down at the cut clothing he was wearing. The Uchiha male slowly rose to his feet and moved his free hand behind his back, pulling out a second kunai as he threw the second one towards Raz and rushed the puppet with his first kunai. Raz shifted his hand to the side, the puppet moving and throwing itself into the kunai before rushing forwards in order to attack the male before it. A single arm raising and thrusting it forwards like a punch, and yet the Uchiha would duck to the side as the single tomoe spun in their gaze. Raz's head tilted to the side in order to see passed the puppet's moving body, his gaze watching closely as the Uchiha shifted in stance and came running forwards, in an attempt to bypass the puppet completely and get within range of Raz. Raz flung his hands to the sides and then pulled them back, the puppet drawing itself backwards and being sent towards the Uchiha's back once again as Raz pulls himself backwards and away from the Uchiha. As the Uchiha gets close, he flings the kunai in his hand forwards towards Raz, something that Raz was incapable of dealing with at the current time. His gaze snapping to the kunai as it slams into his mask, cracking and breaking it with little difficulty due to the mask being made out of nothing more then plain wood. He growled angrily as he moved backwards the puppet moving forwards and leaping into the air, a spinning kick being sent towards the Uchiha as the Uchiha turns in order to attempt blocking the new attack from the puppet. A single arm raised up to block the attack, but instead of correctly blocking, Raz pulls hard on the strings of his puppet causing the force of the attack to nearly double. The puppet's leg cracking against the Uchiha's arm, shattering over the male's head and sending him flying to the side and across the ground. "Well.. I think I'm done here.. Doesn't look like you're going to get up. Evil never wins after all! And your words were certainly a shining example of a small evil." Raz turns and begins walking away, the chakra strings dissipating into the air and causing the puppet itself to collapse onto the ground. His golden yellow eyes looking from one side to the other, as he shifts his hands into his belt and heads away from the academy, he had learned enough of what he needed to, it was about time he headed to Hidden Sand and began what he could of his own personal adventure.

[1289 x3 (3867)
+ 806 + 818 = 5491

Leaving the Academy ]

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Korren entered the Academy with a certain level of skiddishness. While she had no doubt in her mind that she could easily pass whatever trials awaited her here, she dreaded the idea of showing her face in broad daylight. Fingers trembling ever so slightly, she tightened the back of her wine colored scarf so that she could feel it secured against her so tightly that her nose would break before the scarf could fall away. It was her only layer of security here. She was sure that she was a vision of terror without it, and it quite simply wasn't fair that she should have to bare this burden among so many other beautiful girls. She was nearly 17, and though her ninja skills were superior to most girls her age, she was still bothered deeply by such trivial things as boys, popularity and beauty. Yes, Korren was aware that to a shinobi these things were luxuries and perhaps even more so aware that her interest in them disappointed her superiors, but she could not shake the innate urge to feel accepted by peers.

She ran her tounge across the smooth backs of her sharp teeth, now clenched from stress and discomfort. Nobody was looking her way. Good. that meant she was fitting in. Cautiously she took a seat in the back corner, so that she could have a better view of the room. It was set up like a lecture hall, with long rows of desks tiered so that the back row could see over the heads of the rows in front, and there was a 10ft black board on the fore wall, covered in white chalk residue and thus she deduced that it hadn't been cleaned in a long time.

Other students steadily filed in around her, so many that there was no chance the seat beside her would remain empty. Pity, she had so hoped she's have been able to take comfort in that. Oh well, there were more important things at hand, like scoping out her competition. There appeared to be a blonde girl to the middle left hand side of the room with a zeal like Korren had never before experienced. She seemed to be talking to another pair of students playing chutes and ladders. She knew that game from somewhere, but couldn't quite place where she knew it from. She had many moments like this. She would remember the object or place, sometimes even something more, but then it would vanish just as quickly as it would come and she would get a sort of throbbing in her temple. Typically the pain would subside in moments if she were patient and let it pass, but if she tried to focus on the full memory it would grow stronger and stronger until she were forced into a violent frenzy.... She wasn't very proud of those moments. She usually ended up killing someone. In resignation she sighed and leaned back in her seat, one arm slung over the back idly as she slouched her torso forward.

She continued her crowd watching trying to look as common place as possible. She noticed a handsome looking fellow and his friends talking in a group near the front of the room. No doubt they were the local popular boys, as no girl entered without first looking on in their direction and giving a sort of subtle swoon. She longed deeply for that sort of attention. Intrigued by their tom foolery, she continued to watch them interact, subconsciously moving a hand to the back of her neck and playing in the short hair at it's nape. When se first woke up on the operating table, her hair had been very long and wavy, and her nervous habit would be to twirl it around her finger or stroke it close to her face, but after she'd been awake a little while and gained some independence, Roku- her trainer, convinced her to cut it all off so that it could not distract her any longer. She liked it better long, but it was ok now too; boyishly short and platinum white, the front barely long enough to tuck behind her ears.

Out of the corner of one yellow reptilian eye she caught movement, and sharply turned her head to face it. Some one in the class was waving up in her direction. She furrowed her brow and tilted her head slightly. 'Is he waving at me? do I know him?' Furrowing her brow confused, but admittedly somewhat excited that somebody had taken interest in her she hesitantly raised her hand and waved back, in a sort of slow unsure way. To Korren's surprise, the boy came racing up the stairs towards her row in the back with a very appealing friendly look on his face. She smiled behind her scarf trying to look as agreeable as she could muster when suddenly he stopped and took a hard right into the row in front of her! Thoroughly embarrassed she quickly put her hand down and started twiddling with her thumbs as the boy took up conversation with a pretty brunette in front of her. 'Jeez, I hope nobody saw that.... How silly of me to think he would have been waving at me.... so very silly indeed...' she sighed and slyly continued to watch him. He didn't appear to have seen her wave or even notice she was there, and neither did anybody else in the room. Dodged a bullet there, but man she'd come awfully close to humiliation in the first thirty minutes of her first day.... She decided she better keep her guard up against things like that, she didn't want to chance it again.....

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Total Words: 956/900

Possible last words?: "What use is a clone? I need to brew."
Mood: Disinterested [from lecture]; Fulfilled [from meeting a need]; Unfulfilled [from unfulfilled needs]; Entertained [from story]; Mentally Disheveled [from daydream]
Condition: Mental [Perfect]; Physical [Perfect]; Vector Control [Inactive]; Barrier [Inactive]
Location/Availability: Academy:: Unavailable.
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