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Legend of Lunaria Captain
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 Posted: Tue Jul 20, 2010 9:41 pm
This thread is only for those trying for the male Noble Retainer. If you do not want the boy, then please do not post here.
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Posted: Tue Jul 20, 2010 9:43 pm
The Prompt
You're at the Academy; the great, impressive, enormous Academy. And you're new. Everything around you seems to be rushing at a great speed. Or is it slowing down to a crawl? How do you feel? What sorts of things are running through your minds? How do you interact with the others?
** This is beginning prompt. There will be changes as you roleplay. **
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Legend of Lunaria Captain
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Legend of Lunaria Captain
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Posted: Tue Jul 20, 2010 9:44 pm
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Posted: Sun Aug 01, 2010 6:41 pm
At home, it had been rare to find oneself really and truly alone. The family had always been a unit, even in separate rooms of the house, or out in the fields, they were still together mentally. Doing chores for each other, calling out to each other, thinking about each other, no matter what it was, the family was never far from any individual member. Quy had been the best at distancing himself from the effect, perhaps because of how his mind worked. Idealistic and self centered, he strove to define himself as apart from the family, rather than a part of the family. The idea of spending his entire life working for a unit didn't appeal to him in the slightest. Lien, however, had always been the most involved in the family lifestyle. For him, the presence of the family was something comforting, something that gave him a meaning and work to keep himself busy. He immersed himself in the family, and the few times he did find himself really and truly alone, he was always on the family's land, staring at the stars from the back of a family water buffalo, or wading in the rice paddies that he was going to harvest later. For Lien, alone time was only possible to achieve when he was really and utterly alone.
That was in the West Farmlands, where he was born and raised. Now he was standing in front of the Academy, taller and grander than any building he had ever seen before. People pushed past him as he stared up at it, and after one particularly large boy buffeted him, he startled, glancing around for Quy.
Quy had already gone in. Surrounded by people who he didn't know, people who paid him as little mind as they might a gnat, Lien felt one of those rare pangs of solitude even though he was surrounded by people. Rather than let yet another person shove him aside, he finally stopped staring at the outside of the Academy and walked in. It was time to tackle city life face on.
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Posted: Sun Aug 01, 2010 9:02 pm
Moving through the students wasn't difficult; it was like dancing. Amane wove in and out of the streams of other Academy-goers as if he was just participating in an elaborate dance which made him change partners often, his body twisting and darting, weaving and turning. He tried to empty his mind. It would do no good to worry about the mix of Legion and Nobles in this Academy; it was supposed to be neutral. So long as no one impressed their views upon him, Amane would do his part to keep the peace. Although he was destined to support the Noble cause, he saw no reason why he should start conflicts in the place where he wished to study. He hoped the others saw eye to eye, but he somehow doubted that life would be that convenient. No matter; he would not the possible future conflicts threaten his peace. For now, he was new, the Academy was strange, and there were possibilities to discover. If he could only find his way to his first class, he would probably be right on his way to said possibilities. At least the crowds didn't make him nervous; small blessings.
While he concentrated on emptying his mind, he simply continued to move around the hallways. Somehow, he ended up back at the entrance. Despite his careful planning, perhaps he hadn't figured his path out as well as he had thought, initially. Amane sighed, pressing the back of his hand against his cheek. His hand was much cooler than his face, and it calmed him, though he was hardly ruffled at all. It was simply pleasant to feel the differences in temperature.
He had grown up without siblings, so he really wasn't certain what to expect. Thankfully his parents had taught him to remain calm regardless of his location, which let him assess the situation with a clear mind. What had his parents taught him? Observation of detail. So when the other boy walked in through the doors, despite the others around him, Amane knew he was not like the others. What was it, exactly, that made him feel that way? Amane could not yet tell any differences about his background, but the way he carried himself made him seem new as well. That comforted Amane. Perhaps he if he had to figure out what was going on, companionship would be wisest. A team could better utilize many skillsets to be prepared for many situations.
With that in mind, Amane made his way down the hall to the other new boy. When he walked, it was like he was a secret well kept, or an icy breath exhaling down the hall: the others didn't part for him, or even really turn their heads. But there he was, moving with a singleminded purpose, his attention fixed. He dug his nails into his palm and smiled, feeling a flush of joy. "Hey there," Amane said, with a wave, crescent marks visible on his palm from where he had just dug his nails in. They were slight, more a little reddening than a real injury. He nearly blushed, but retained his calm exterior and lowered his hand again, resting it firmly against his thigh. "I couldn't help but notice that you seem to be new, as well."
Amane tilted his head, his pale eyes surveying the stranger. His smile was gone now, the pain ebbing away. His expression returned to its usual complacence, or indifference, depending on who was doing the naming.
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Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 4:34 am
Lien had not gotten very far into tackling city life head on when someone came to tackle him head on. With a quiet "Ah," he turned around, looking the newcomer up and down. This was no West Farmlands boy, for certain, but his directness was a relief to Lien. There was something comforting in being spoken to, it dispelled some of the melancholy he had been steeped in and made him focus his mind on replying. It felt more like home when someone was expecting something of him, and the relief at having a purpose was obvious in his posture; Hunched shoulders relaxed slightly, and his frown shifted to a more neutral expression.
"Is it obvious that I'm new?" he asked carefully. Quy had told him terrible stories about student hazing the night before, but Quy did plenty of things to try to get a rise out of Lien. This made it sometimes difficult to perceive the truth value of Quy's remarks. Briefly toying with the idea that it had all been true, he wondered if perhaps he should try to disguise his status, but the boy's tone didn't sound accusatory and Lien didn't think that he could act any more confident than he already was in this new place.
Having already run out of observations to make, he bit his lip. He was reluctant to make his only conversation partner bored of him already, so after some thinking, he offered, "I'm Nguyen Lien," The family name always came first, just like the family itself, "I would like us to stay together for now."
This was stated bluntly and concisely. Lien wasn't much for words, but he needed company on his first day. Now that this boy had come and offered some, he wasn't about to chase him off if he could help it.
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Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 7:00 am
The Academy was an intimidatingly large and impressive abode, that was for sure. Liu didn't really know what to say as he strode into the school, a gulp lying at the bottom of his throat. Oh yes - he was nervous. There had been a bit of a problem, seeing as he had rejected any offer of friendship from people of his age for the last few years, and sadly, he didn't have social skills in the slightest. Liu's mother had encouraged him though, and seeing as he was here, it was obvious he'd gotten over his slight fear.
Liu was worried. About everything. Making friends, where to sit at lunch, hell, the building was scaring him to death! What if it was too large? What if there were too many people? What if ... what if on the first day of school, he ended up turning a corner and finding himself in some abyss of time and meeting his grandfather as a teenager? Oh dear ... the horror. He shivered, but started to make his way around, looking to and fro with an intense interest. In the end, the building was to Liu's taste. It had a nice space to move around, not much hostility, and a sense of peace that Liu hadn't felt in a long time. Seeing as that had been confirmed, there was only one last thing to make sure of before he knew that the Academy would be good enough for him.
Uncaring of the fact that there was a rather large amount of people walking through the halls, Liu dropped onto all fours and stared at the floor, narrowing his eyes. Lowering his nose to the tiles, he rubbed his sleeves (oh dear, his mother would be mad tonight) across the floors - ignoring the fact most students had started to snicker and point. Finally, after a period of approximately half a minute, Liu sat up and crossed his legs together, scrutinizing his silk sleeves. They were spotless.
The final level had been passed! Liu grinned this time and threw his hands up into the air. This would be a good stay at the Academy, that he was sure of. Living in a dirty place was one of the greatest sins, and Liu was quite assured that the Academy was exceptionally clean.
Grinning, he turned and started walking, prepared to whistle and then - oh dear, not again.
Liu barely felt the floor this time, seeing as he was much too used to falling and tripping and in the end, spending a lot of his time on hard surfaces. Stumbling around in his effort to get up, Liu barely saw his victim's face before stuttering and trying to apologize as fast as he could. "Sorry, sorry! I was not looking, and I am a bit clumsy, oh dear, please forgive me -" The rest was a ramble that nobody (including you, dear reader) would want to hear - but the only thought running through Liu's mind was that he had tripped. Again.
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Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 8:45 am
Under Lien's gaze, Amane stood motionless and unblinking. He allowed his acquaintance to look him up and down, though the gesture made him a little uncomfortable. He simply pressed his palms to the sides of his thighs and maintained eye contact. Amane eased up a little when it became more clear that Lien was happy to have someone to talk with. Neutrality, he decided, was better than the frown which had been there moments ago. Amane thrived on harmony and balance, so restoring his acquaintance to a neutral place made him at ease, as well. The best he could manage of it was the tiniest hint of a smile, however sincere it was. It showed more in his eyes than his mouth.
"Not obvious, perhaps... but I am new as well, so I think that seeing you struck a chord in me, you understand?" Amane's shoulders were pushed back; even when he was unsure of himself, he maintained the rigid posture which was best for his balance. He didn't even shift his weight to one foot or the other. It made him look at odds in the motion of others. "Although I suspect our origins are vastly different, I think that we can relate to the confusion of being in this Academy." Amane blinked, suddenly; he was doing it again, 'speaking weird' his mother always told him. Ease up, before he thinks you're an old man in a kid's body, Amane reminded himself with a sigh. He looked to either side briefly, at the students around them.
Amane was surprised and pleased when the boy offered his name. With a bow devoid of his usual flourish, Amane offered his own in return, though he simply used his given name, "You may-- I mean, my name is Amane." Amane bailed on his initial sentence structure. He thought that You may call me Amane was perhaps a little more formal than required for the situation. He really didn't get out much, or interact with anyone but his parents and their friends, so this was trying at best. He'd never seen so many people his age, and he couldn't remember the last time he'd talked to one.
Amane was even more surprised with the boy's blunt request. However, it was also a pleasant surprise; Amane saw the value and agreed with Lien's request. It made sense. He inadvertantly said so, too: "It is only logical for us to stay together; a better arrangement for two people who don't know their way around yet, I suspect. Now if only we could find someone who does know, our triangle would have a higher aspiration." Amane, although he was joking, didn't smile or laugh. The closes to it was a glitter in his eyes. He apparently had a sense of humour, somewhere in there. "What class do you have first? Hopefully we have the same."
Amane was turned to the side a little when someone collided into him. He wasn't even budged. In one fluid motion, he bent at the hips and reached for the stranger's hand. "It's alright, just come up off the floor." Amane's glittering smile was replaced with a wall of calm. His eyes seemed to have no depth, suddenly. It was that fast for Amane to change his disposition. Lien was no longer a stranger, so Amane could be himself -- to a degree. If the stranger accepted his hand, he would swing him to his feet with little effort. It wasn't about raw strength, it was about the position his feet were planted in, the momentum of the motion. Amane was good at motion; he knew how his body moved and how it could move, the power of such grace. Despite his stiff personality, he was physically graceful.
"Well, Nguyen Lien, perhaps we have found a different third member than I initially proposed," Amane looked up at Lien and gave him one fleeting smile. It, again, lingered in his eyes long after his lips had ceased to react.
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Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 10:09 am
Kiran strolled toward the Academy. He no longer felt intimidated by the large scale of the place, though there was still a lingering impressiveness about it. He took his time, hardly feeling the rush to get there. He had given himself enough time to arrive to his first class of the day on time, even if a little distraction popped up along the way. As he reached the Academy, Kiran noticed a surprising amount of new faces and whistled lowly to himself. Did he miss some kind of memo here? Or maybe he simply hadn't cared enough to pay attention when they announced an influx of new students.
Kiran weaved his way through the crowd. He was greatly adept at slipping by unnoticed when he wanted, like when he was observing a possible target of his next scam and didn't want anyone to realize what he was up to. His eyes darted about, taking in all the new students filling up the entry way. Well, maybe they weren't all new. But he didn't recognize most of their faces. Then his gaze landed on a trio of new students standing about. A tiny grin flashed upon his face as he made his way over to them.
"Oi, oi! You're blocking up the hallway standing around like that," Kiran said rather loudly. It wasn't true at all since he had plenty of room to get around, slipping in and out of the crowd. But he liked to draw attention to himself, and this seemed like a perfect opportunity. He had missed most of the conversation among the three, having been too far away and the hallway having too much other chatter for him to really focus in on their conversation. "A different third member?" Kiran question with an arch of one brow. "What are you looking for members for?"
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Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 11:02 am
The vast entrance to the academy loomed up ahead of Duan like some vast temple of learning. Inside the ornately decorated walls she would learn many things and no doubt meet many new people. All schooling that she had received up until now would be relatively useless; everybody could do sums, or read poetry or write essays on abstract pieces of literature. The grades that she had once proudly boasted to her maids about were worth near to nothing here. Would they help her improve her fitness so she could outperform her classmates? No. Would they help her block a punch and retaliate with her own strike? Most certainly not. All her skills were about to be stripped away and cast aside like useless flecks of knowledge and she was going to be thrown into a class of people who she didn’t know and would probably be most better than her. But was she scared? No.
In fact, a smile was across her features as she flounced up the steps and through the entrance. As she passed by groups of students she gave a cheery grin and even a wave to those that reciprocated her friendliness. It wasn’t in her nature to fret and worry. She had put herself up for this and she could only view it as a variety of fresh opportunities. New knowledge; she had learnt the basics about magic from what she could get her family to buy her in educational scrolls and the hand signs and technicalities of it excited her to no ends! New friends; having been home schooled the only opportunity to make companions was through her ballet... This experience at the academy would be perfect for meeting new people. Joining a faction would mean allies to, and they would have to work with her and hopefully they would find common interests.
Squishing her dainty dress she paused at the sight of someone crouched on the floor, an accident occurring before her eyes. A little mortified she clattered around them on her wedges and she went to offer a hand to one boy who seemed to be reeling off a thousand and one apologies but found that the other male, whom he had crashed into, was already doing that leaving her smiling awkwardly and not knowing quite what to do with herself. She was unaccustomed to dealing with males (as already mentioned... most of her socialising happened at ballet... in an all girls class) and so she did the politest and most acceptable thing expected.
“Are you ok?” She glanced at the floor where he had slipped, wiggling a foot over the floorboards in an inquisitive manner. “Was it slippery?” Chirpily she glanced around at the other onlookers. They were all students too no doubt. She wondered if she would share tuition with them...
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Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 4:05 pm
"I understand." Lien replied perhaps as solemn as Amane's tone was formal. Questions were things Lien was good at, so long as they were straightforward. Being asked things helped him settle down, for him, having something to do was of the utmost importance. Working, whether it was working at a conversation, a lesson, or a chore, was how Lien chipped away at a new world until it became familiar to him. Now that he had started to work on this one, he seemed to be more complacent than the moment before, when he had been gaping at the Academy doors.
Surprised to receive a bow, Lien attempted to imitate Amane after he had done it. He hadn't expected to be greeted so formally by someone who seemed to be about his own age. All his siblings were incredibly informal to each other unless there was a family event that called for stiffer behaviour. "Glad to meet you," Lien said simply, bobbing his head again just in case.
However, as Amane continued talking, Lien found his attention being pulled away from the conversation by a disturbance in the crowd. He tried to keep listening to Amane, but there was a boy on the floor, a boy... rubbing his sleeves on the floor? City life was turning out to be more complex than Lien had originally anticipated. However, he shook his head, and attempted to return his attention to his new acquaintance.
"...class do you have first? Hopefully we have the same."
"Cooking." Lien replied automatically. Lien knew recipes from home, but none from anywhere else, and his mother had requested that he send some back to them. Even if she hadn't, it would be useful anyway. Quy wasn't much good at cooking, and the only thing that he himself could make well was che. He could not live on dessert soup for the rest of his life, though he suspected his little sisters wouldn't mind trying.
While he was distracted with replying, short as his reply was, the floor rubbing boy had crashed into Amane. Before Lien could react, the newcomer began to spout out apologies at a speed that Lien hadn't heard since Hue broke a vase while playing. It was the first thing that had reminded him of his second littlest, and ostensibly favourite, sister that day, and his lips quirked into a barely-suppressed smile. The boy was still apologizing rapidly, so Lien attempted to treat him like he was Hue. Leaning over to help him up, he firmly stated, "Don't worry." Wisely, perhaps, he refrained from patting the boy's head as well. Hue might have appreciated that, but she was about seven, and also usually at home when she bumped into things.
He had missed Amane speak of members and groups, so he wasn't quite sure about what he meant, but he nodded more enthusiastically than before. The noisy third member of their group seemed to cheer Lien up considerably.
However, along with their third, they seemed to have attracted a group. Lien squared his shoulders somewhat protectively to give the third boy some space to get up in, but he really couldn't do much about it. He couldn't even answer the question of the first boy that approached them. At the girl's words, though, he felt the urge to answer. He looked their third member up and down for bruises before offering, "I think he is." He then fell silent, reluctant to offer more on behalf of the boy, even if he reminded him of Hue. The fact remained that the boy was not Hue, and although he seemed to be very repetitive, was able to speak for himself.
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Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 4:16 pm
Cooking? That would be unpleasant, Amane feared. He was methodical in his cooking, but if there was anything spicy involved, Amane's eyes would give him no rest. He liked being in the kitchen, because his parents prepared dishes in such synchronization that it left him in awe. Amane had no one to do that with, though, and there really wasn't room for a third member. Sometimes, left to his own devices, Amane could prepare tasty food for himself, but he could never replicate it. He didn't even get a chance to reply to Lien before the commotion started; it seemed as though they had attracted a group.
Amane had been too preoccupied with Lien and the boy who had fallen to even notice Kiran approaching. He had never seen him before, and felt somehow that was better for him. Already, Amane could feel the threat to his inner calm. Was it really so necessary to be loud? True, perhaps they were blocking the hall, but there was also plenty of space, and it wasn't the other boy's fault he had fallen. Amane, had he not already maintained his perfect posture, would have straightened himself up even more at that moment. He was claiming his space, feet spread wide, eyes clear and calm. This new person felt a little like his opposite. It did not bother Amane, yet, but he feared it might, so he kept breathing deep and even, thinking of absolutely as little as possible. "It is unpolite to force yourself into the conversations of others. However, since I am relatively unfamiliar with the Academy, perhaps we can try this again," Amane offered, his voice devoid of almost all inflection. The only thing it really communicated was his vast sense of calm, and beneath that, how much he wanted to keep hold of that calm. It really was a mystery to him as to why one must be so loud. "I'm sorry we were in your way, but we had an accident," Amane glanced at the boy who had fallen earlier, "And it was hardly on purpose that he fell, I'm sure. My name is Amane," devoid of most pleasantries, Amane couldn't bring himself to say that he was pleased to meet this new person. He refused to lie, even about trivial things, and this person had been a little too loud for him.
It was almost with relief, then, that Amane turned to the girl who approached them. They were, however, growing in number around the doors. It was a good thing the Academy was so vast. He thought about excusing himself, but he'd told Lien they could stick together. Perhaps his new acquaintance would change his mind now, with all the possible allies. Since the girl had addressed the boy he had offered his hand to, Amane thought it would be rude to butt in. Instead, he sought out Lien and nodded to acknowledge his presence again, should he think that Amane had forgotten about him. Quietly, Amane addressed everyone that had gathered, trying to make eye contact with all of them, "We will almost definitely continue to be in the way, with our numbers, though... perhaps we should move in a little further; relocate, so to speak?"
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Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 4:37 pm
Lien leaned in to hear Amane, since their group was beginning to turn into a throng, and nodded briefly. Though it was barely perceptible, the shift in Amane's tone when he had addressed the newest boy, it had reminded Lien of Mei when she was trying hard to ignore Hoa pulling on her hair- so calm as to seem imperturbable, right up until Hoa pulled just a bit too hard. Lien admired how quickly Amane regained his composure, but perhaps moving inside was for the best. If the new boy kept bothering him, it might lead to a situation best avoided on the first day.
The group was large, but large groups were things that Lien was able to handle. He nodded at Amane solemnly, emphasizing his words by stepping in the middle of them all and bluntly stating "Let's go in." Looking at the floor rubbing, apologizing boy, he added, "Will that be okay?" He thought that Amane's idea had good sense in it, but he wasn't about to let the group move until he was sure it was convenient for everybody.
Unconsciously, Lien was treating them all like family, or perhaps very small ducklings. Now that he had collected all of these people, he wasn't about to leave one behind or make them inconvenienced, but rather, make sure everyone got fair treatment and no one fought too much. For now, that was his most important task, and until he collected too many people to organize or classes made them separate, it would stay that way.
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Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 7:41 pm
Cais was rarely frenzied when making his way to the Academy. It was a monotonous cycle. Wake, eat breakfast, and walk to Academy; that was his morning routine. This morning was one of the oddities, and one he wasn't glad of. Despite the blame resting on his younger sister he would have to wait until his return to scold her, hurrying along his path he was in a run. Zigging and zagging his way through the city he was finally in sight of the large doors of the Academy.
His breath was heavy upon entering into the main hallway. Looking forward to finding his chair at his first lesson he walked hurriedly... but was stopped by what seemed to be a wall of people. Frowning he jumped a few times to get a look around the growing crowd. It wasn't anyone he knew. Taking a deep sigh he squeezed in next to a girl, pushing forward through the pack of students.
"Excuse me, pardon me." He said, attempting to squeeze through two boys he was sure he never seen before. It was immediately that he fell, his foot caught by one of their legs, (admittedly it was his own fault, but he wouldn't be the one to say it). "Ow!" he exclaimed, twisting his body and hopping up, blushing in his own embarrassment and shame. "Uh, sorry..." he said with a shrug towards the group. He wasn't one to stop and chat when he had a mission. Turning away from the crowd he took another step towards his destination, unaware of any conversation or move he may have intruded on.
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Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 8:14 pm
The other brow lifted as he listened to what one of the new students was saying. Kiran wasn't sure he liked that tone - or should that be toneless? - of voice in which he spoke. He decided to just ignore that. It was early in the day, and he didn't feel like getting into anything confrontational so soon in the day. Plus classes would be starting shortly, and he didn't want to be delayed by an argument.
"Someone fell?" he asked, showing some concern. "Is he all right?" He looked for the boy that fell. Maybe that was why the little trio had formed here in the middle of the entrance? He hadn't noticed anyone fall when he was looking around at the crowd flowing into the Academy. But with so many people, perhaps it wasn't surprising that someone had ended up falling.
He heard someone behind him. Turning slightly away from the group, he discovered another boy who had fallen. "Are you all right?" Kiran asked, surprised that another boy had fallen. He rubbed his foot over the floor, but it didn't seem especially slippery to him.
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