Mirrors and Clocks

"I actually want to get a little more food first..." Alyss jogged to the buffet and grabbed a cup of pudding, then chugged the whole thing while racing back to the table. Tossing the cup onto her tray, Alyss said, "Okay... I'm done. Where should I put this?" She gestured to the tray of food scraps.


Dominick laughed slightly. "Okay, let's go. I think it's a toss-up between going to the board or the cafeteria first, because there's usually a mob around the board which makes it hard to shove your way to the front, but if you wait for the mob to leave there're no good jobs left. We could get some breakfast to-go at the cafe, the head to the board if you want?" He sat up, then walked to his luggage and put on an already neon blue jacket, turning it another shade brighter.
 
"Just over there on that conveyer belt" Largo answered. She forgot this girl was new, maybe she wouldn't know her way. While Alyssa what putting away her trey, Largo walked over to the lime head. "I feel like I've seen you around before, but I can't place it...Probably just the corkboards.." She thought it was maybe in a class or perhaps a mission, but if it was it was a long time ago. "You can call me Largo either way though." She offered with just the slight curve of the lips while pulling on the sleeve of her white sweater. She wasn't normally this outgoing, but it would be in her best interest to form a new group.


((I forgot to mention Dreambleed, that your writing for your intro wasn't awkward. It was quite well done and I enjoyed reading it. :P ))
 
It would seem that the number of people passing through the courtyard was increasing. Probably between the mix of new students like Ryder himself, and those from within the building. The most frequent stop was the cork-board mentioned within the paper. With a couple groups constantly idling around it, there was never really a break in the commotion.


Pushing himself up, Ryder walked towards the board. He did not intend to take up a job right away, at least not before he even visits his own room. Though the information gathered through bothersome banter like this could turn somewhat useful.


With dull hazel eyes, he looked over the various papers along the board whilst listening to those near him. Surely the jobs ranged from simple work like mowing a lawn to even hunting. Groups were probably the best way to go about doing things as the payout did increase with the risk.


The thought of groups was somewhat like a crushing blow. That meant Ryder would need to gain friends, which was a little troublesome. Not in the sense that he didn't want one, but when his power was thrown into the equation, things could become troublesome. "Well this might be annoying.." His voice spoke out with no intention of holding back despite the presence of others. And with the feeling of eyes catching him, he could only glare back. "I can only be of use if they are in pain after all..."
 
"Really? Now that you're talking about it you sorta do seem familiar, but I can't place you" She did seemed somewhat familiar to her but she didn't really knew who she was "Ah, I'm Julia" She said and blew the hair out of her face as she stood up from the table after she finished her oats.


(Phone mode ><)
 
(Lol phone mode^)


"Well I'm glad to make your acquaintance to say the least, I didn't think I'd get the chance to do a group mission today. Let's get moving then if you're ready." Largo said in a cheerful tone after Julia stood up. She turned on her heel to lead the way, oblivious as to whether the two were actually following behind her or not. She was determined to find a good job for her newly formed group; no looking back to those guys in her past! She proceeded past halls of mirrors, while eerily, none reflected her image. An echo of ticking in all different pitches endlessly resonated in a way that could drive a person mad. Largo glanced at the times on each clock, she always tended to do so, curious as to what place each one led- for she'd never be able to visit them all.


When she wasn't clutching to her sleeve as they walked, she was pulling on the long ends of her pinkish, auburn hair, it was a bad fidgeting habit she had. The numbers of the mirrors descended as they walked from 10, to 5, to 2, and when 1 was within sight, she increased her pace to a jog and back down to walking once she entered the blaring light of the courtyard. For the first time, she turned around to see if her companions had followed her, one arm over her forehead to shade her eyes as they adjusted.
 
"While your being nosy, I'm going to go check out what kind of jobs there are. See you later, sis" He dug into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. "Pst, do not forget, if you get lost." He waved it in the air.


"Pshh! Who says you wont get lost?" She said, clearly irritated. He was always accusing her of being somewhat of a half wit. He scoffed and rolled his eyes. He turned away and waved back at her.


"Because I know you." He chuckled walking away coolly. He turned around and looked at his sister one last time. She was standing their with her hands on her hips glaring at him. She yelled something at him but he didnt make clear of it as he turned into a long hallway. He was pretty sure she called him a Baka. He walked down the long corridor to what seemed like a court yard. It was trilling and chattering with life. Students can be seen and their voices could be heard from every corner. He noticed a small crowd gathering in front of a cork board on the (west?) side of the wall. He made his way over there to see what the commotion was about.. He looked up and saw the word "Jobs" bannered over top.


"Well, this might be annoying..." He heard some blonde guy say loudly. He smirked. He walked up to the board and stood beside him.


"Cha! Right?" He smirked as he looked over at the blonde.
 
(( nikki- yea not that much has happened u'll be fine ^-^))


Alyss followed Largo to the board, breaking into a jog as they neared the mob of students. "Whoa... a lot of people. Is it always like this?" She tried to shove her way to the front, getting irritated looks from those who were shoved out of the way. Alyss glanced at the board, overflowing with requests, old and new. A few titles she caught said, "Hamsters in need of milking", "Ghosts infested in garden", and "Enchanted wolves attacking village". Then Alyss was shoved out of the way by another eager student. She rejoined Largo and said, "Hm. Do you just pull a request off the board?"
 
Lula's eyes widened in fear. Oh boy.... If she wanted to get her bag back she was going to have to make herself visible... fun.... She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and then released the invisibility, popping herself back into sight right in front of the intimidating girl. "Um... hi..." She spoke in her mousy voice, "I'm sorry, but that's my bag..."


She's so scary... Lula thought, What if she decides she wants to keep my bag? Or, or what if she decides she wants to beat me up and then keep my bag!?


"Sorry to bother you..." She practically whispered, holding out a shaking hand for the bag.
 
After putting on the jacket, Dominick grabbed his key and walked to the door, saying, "I'm going to the cork-board..." Then, without turning to see if they were following, Dom walked out the door and down the hall. He flipped on his phone to check the time. It was still early, but there was bound to be a mob by the board anyway. Dominick began jogging toward the board.
 
Nezumi jumped and dropped the duffel bag.


"What the-" She tilted her head and looked at the strange little pinkette girl who suddenly appeared in front of her. She stepped back for a second and took a quick deep breath. She smiled warmly at the girl. Obviously, she was scared. Nezumi didnt want to alarm the girl anymore than she already was. She noticed her reaching her arm towards her. She grabbed it quickly and shook it hard.


"Hi, I'm Nezumi! I'm new here" She giggled still shaking the young girls hand. "Sorry about the confusion, I thought it was abandoned so I was going to take it to the office. What's your name?"
 
Lula jumped as well when the bag hit the ground. Lula's mouth curved into a tiny smile when the girl smiled at her. Oh good, she's not going to hurt me! Lula was shocked when the girl suddenly grabbed her hand and started shaking it, but now that she knew the girl was nice she shook back. "Hi, Nezumi... I'm Lulabelle. But you can just call me Lula, I like that better anyway." She giggled, then released the girls hand.


Feeling a bit more comfortable now that she was sure this Nezumi girl wasn't interested in causing her bodily harm, Lula asked "Would it bother you if I came with you to the office? I'm new here and I think I'd feel safer with someone tough-looking like you!" She smiled.
 
With a voice responding to his actions, Ryder felt somewhat relieved. Though his composure would never fade from that awkward seriousness. And though someone at least found him approachable, he could not help but think that this guy had no knowledge of what he meant. The question was, did he actually feel annoyed with the boy, or were his negative emotions being amplified on him.


Either way, the situation was bad. When new students enter an academy like this, they begin to form friend groups right away. And it is with random encounters like this that one can be pulled into one. "Really annoying..." His weakness was too accessible at this point in time, so it was probably best if he avoided the board for now. If he was adopted into a newly formed group, it may just become a daily pattern. "I must not appear weak..."


"It nearly sickens me..." Again he spoke, not really minding his volume. As suppressing negative outbursts could very well only make them grow. Ryder turned, digging his way back out of the crowd that was quickly growing. Finding himself with a little more elbow room, he began to calm down. If everyone in this small area were to turn with negative emotions, surely something would go wrong with his power.


Raising his arm, the black spheres began to appear once again, though limited to the space around it. The numbers were slightly greater than earlier, but it seemed that positive emotions were the main thing brewing within the crowd.
 
Natalie gripped her luggage as she walked down the hall, glancing from the number's on the door to the key. Suddenly, she stopped in front of the rightful door. "Oh Jolly, Home Sweet Home." Tali exclaimned, thrusting the key into the lock. Twisting it side way's, The doo r gave away as she stepped in. The First thing she noticed ws another set of bags. (Alyss) Natalie tossed her bag's onto the vacant bed and began to ruffle through them. Her smile was short, as she had to do this once again.


Tali pulled her Ipod from the small compartment and plugged in her ear buds. She clicked the music player on as an old song buzzed to life. "Savin' Me," By Nickleback echoed through her mind as she unpacked. The surrondings around her faded away. "Show me what it's Like, To be the last one standing..." She mumbled the word's of the song, before twirling and placing the clothes into her drawer. Tali faced her bag and reached in. "Heaven's Gate's won't open up for me, These broken Wing's I'm Fallin'..." Her voice cut off, as she retrieved a photo. Damn, she though looking it over.


The Photo was faded on the right corner, Black and white. Three people were in it. Two Children and a smiling mother. The Framed picture had identical four year old's nose to nose in this picture. Smiling as one had her two front teeth missing. Her dark hair aluminated in the picture. She wore her wavy hair with a hat sitting backwards on her hat. She had a tank top and a pair of jean's, holding up a peace sign. The other girl, looked more girly. Her hair was up in a ribbon. The ponytail drooped down in the back. She smiled with perfect teeth, A cute Light colored dress that was also tied by a dark ribbon. The two were obveously nothing alike.


Tali sighed as she sat the photo down on the dresser. She finished unpacking, as she slipped a hoody over her head. Tali shoved her bag under the bag, before slipping the key around her neck, on her chain necklace. Her hat sat plumply on her head. Tali walked outside of her dorm, and down the hall, mumbling some words from Guns'n'Roses, "Paradise City." "Take me down to the Paradise city, where th grass is green and the girl's are pretty." She said, but it sounded as though she was talking to herself more than anything.
 
Roo nodded. He turned to Vivi and gave her a little smile. "Carry me there?"


"Half of the money goes to Irina, Yua, and I for the next mission."


"No way, but I'll buy you something you want later on..." Roo sighed. Why did he even bother... He was sure Yua would carry him, though.


The two bounded down the hall, passing Dominick quite easily. They had only based their navigation on the description from the school paper given to them, so basically they were adjusting their speeds throughout to turn corners and recall where to go. Soon, they arrived at the cork-board. Just as Dominick said, it was filled.


"Not a problem. Get out of the way!" Roo had stopped on the wall right next to the mob, while Vivi pushed through with great force. She arrived at the front of the board pretty quickly and plucked the first job she saw from the board. She returned to Roo with the note. "Need to safely move a hostile bear near our house... Two hours blah blah blah... Thirty dollars... Clock 201..." Vivi mumbled, " Oh... And difficulty 2... Psh no problem! I can take a bear!"
 
Nezumi smiled at Lula and laughed hardily.


"I'm not tough.. I'm a big softy." She chuckled. I wonder if I do look scary? She thought to herself "Alright Lula, we shall go together." She said happily as she grabbed the young girls hand and led her quickly to the office. "Wonder if we could be roommates? I can tell your a nice person! I can sense it." She winked at her as they entered the funny little office.


Dmytri noticed the young man walk away. Now, Dmytri wasn't one to extend his arm an extra inch for a complete stranger but this guy seemed different. Dmytri retreated slowly out of the mob.


"I'll come back later..." He grunted as he pushed his way out. He was finally out of the mob when he looked around and seen the mysterious blonde guy. He walked up to him.


"You shouldn't wind yourself so tight, its only the first day." He said coolly as he stood beside him, shoulder to shoulder. He looked out at the crowd as he crossed his hands behind his head. "It's my sister and I's first day. Could do without the mirrors and clocks on the wall but hey, somethings are beyond your control. I'm not gay... just putting that out there. I'm usually a bit forward with most people."
 
Ryder, hearing the newly familiar voice, dropped his arm along with the small trace of magic. Even though only his peripherals were picking up the shape of the male, it was easy to see this guy was bigger than himself. Though with Ryder standing at only 5'8'', it wasn't much of a competition in height. It was difficult to tell whether the words were meant to be heavy as some verbal assault, or light as some calming speech.


With mention of a sister, he could only be more certain that confrontation with this person would lead to some kind of group. But the situation was extending to unavoidable results, perhaps he had already failed. He even found a slight ease when a quick joke was made. "This is vexing.." With persistence it was obvious as to where this road would lead. He was caught, without any previous thoughts or preparations it would be difficult to escape.


"You can never have friends..." The voice quietly rang in his head.


"Perhaps." He muttered, not necessarily responding to anything the boy said at first. "Though, maybe one day your minds will change." By the sounds of it, the sister was not near. If she were, it could have been a plausible advantage, or a serious disadvantage. It may have been possible to distract them with an inner conversation. But one alone.. "Being straight forward is sometimes a needed trait.. As such, I should probably return the favor." His voice remained as always, not withdrawing himself in the slightest. "I can't have friends.."


The words could not erupt from his mouth so easily. Even if there were hundreds of different variants he could use to end this conversation. A short chuckle came, as he thought of himself as a type of masochist. "But perhaps it is more entertaining to leave with a scratch or two."
 
Dominick looked up in slight shock as Roo and Vivi passed him and Vivi grabbed a job off the board. She said something about a bear. Dominick had been bored alone in the dorm and wanted something to do; he hoped to go on a job with them, but if the pay would be too little when split amongst three Dominick might have to be booted out of the group. However, he had noticed that generally groups consisted of around six to eight people. If there were more in a group, the group would often split up for easier jobs and only go together for difficult, well-paying jobs. Dom raced up to them and said, "A bear? How much is the pay?"
 
Natalie walked down the dorm's hall's, listening to another song that she liked. Tali, as she called herself, Explored a little more as she stumbled apon a job board. She had noticed other's were around her, but they all seemed to be too busy anyways. Tali's ear bud's zoned out the noise of them anyways. She glanced up the job selection's, until one had caught her eye. Tali smiled gingerly.


She traced her finger across the word's as she read aloud, but mainly to herself. "Help Needed. Alligator Stuck in Family pool, Thirty dollar's per person per hour, Maximum Hour's Three. Mirror 702, Level of Difficuly... 4. That doesn't seem to hard." Tali mumbled to herself. Instantly, she pulled out a pen and wrote down the information for the job. his shouldn't be too hard. She had her hat after all.
 
Vivi turned to Dominick, referencing back to the paper. "Thirty dollars... Is that an eight? ..." Vivi squinted at the paper, turning it around to try and figure out the pay. "This is smudged... What the heck, did someone put their saliva on this thing?!" Vivi glared at the paper, than gave it to Dominick. " I don't know. It really looks like a three there, but I can't tell."


Roo stifled his laughter. "Really looks like a three? Pfft..."
 
( Lula and Nezumi's initial interactions made me laugh.. And sorry for the late posting--I was at work all day xD )


Largo stayed back as Alyss pushed her way through the group, she couldn't blame her new acquaintance, but she'd always had a distaste for people pushing and shoving their way to the board like invalids. "Yes it's always like this..." She let her voice trail off, knowing Alyss wouldn't be able to hear her anyways after slipping into the small mob. When Alyss pulled out of the group and asked her much expected questions, Largo answered, "Yep you just pluck one off--some of them are multiple listings of the same thing." She pinched a loch of hair that hung by her hip and started tugging it gently as she spoke, "It means it's competitive as far as the reward goes. Whichever group or individuals completes the request first gets the payout. Don't worry about walking into a portal and the job being done already though," She expected that this might be a worry for someone new like Alyss after hearing the previous information, "the notes usually vanish when the job is done. No telling who takes care of that..." It truly was a mystery as to who cleared off the old listings, maintained the grounds, or even cleaned the campus...Perhaps it was simply magic.


She hadn't informed Alyss, but she was reading the minds of the students in front of the board, essentially learning what the majority of the listings said all at once. Some, although huddled in from of the board--weren't even thinking about the listings which irritated Largo until a dark voice rang in her head... "You can never have friends." Although her expression remained unchanged, the eerie voice had surprised her and sent a rolling chill up her spine. There was no telling which person it came from when she'd had her mind open to at least 5 peoples thoughts at the time. She couldn't even see their faces. At the least it was best not to pry into peoples inner thoughts too much without permission, so she turned to Alyss and asked, "Did you find anything interesting?" and glanced around before adding, "and where's Julia?"
 
"I saw one that said something about fighting wolves... I forget what the pay is. And there was one for milking gophers." Alyss saw a group of three people looking at a request near them and apart from the mob. She said to Largo, "I thought Julia was right behind us..." Then Alyss peered over the shoulder of the guy who was reading the request and said, "Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's an eight." She didn't want to seem creeperish so she giggled and asked jokingly, "Did I scare you?"


Dominick watched Roo and Vivi peer at the number on the request form. He caught up to them and looked at it as another girl told them that it was an eight. "I can't tell... Yeah Vivi I think that is spit." He said frankly.
 
" That's just... Sick... " Vivi wiped her finger on her stocking, giving the paper a look. "Who the hell would be spitting on a paper? So no one else would take it or something?"


"That's probably the reason why. Well, atleast they can learn that they just can't use disgusting means to save jobs." Roo yawned. "So are we going or not?"


"... Have the others do it. I'm going to go wash my hands... " Vivi grumbled, suddenly disappearing from the scene.
 
Largo arched an eyebrow at Alyss, she was not milking Gophers today. "Excuse me for a moment." She uttered to Alyss, although the girl now seemed preoccupied by a boy. She smiled spitefully and focused her mind on a short tuft of hair in front of most of the other bodies at the corkboard. She blinked in what seemed slow motion, opening her eyes to the listings in front of her. She scanned the board quickly, double taking when she almost skimmed past the words enchanted wolves. This must have been the listing Alyss said she'd seen. She reached her hand out to rip the small slip from the tack, it split impeccably up the center as she did so. Her hand was much thicker and boyish, particularly with the lack of fingernails. When she turned to exit the crowd, she felt consumed by the resounding heights of the people around her. An anxious sweat broke out over her body as she pushed between people uncomfortably.


Finally she could see her real body before for her, she looked so much taller and twiggy from this angle. At this point she started to feel alarm rustling in the depths of this person's mind as they realized they weren't in control. She tried to soothe it by sending it messages of harmlessness, relaxation and patience before she looked into her own body's mind. In another blink her vision changed and she looked slightly down to the boy in front of her with a thin layer of sweat matted to his skin thanks to her. She peeled the slip from his outstretched hand as he regained his control.


"I apologize for using your body without your permission, and I thank you for your assistance." She said all together with a slight nod in reassurance. She turned away quickly in case he protested, looking down at the slip while she did so, in order to seem preoccupied. This was what it said:


Allotted time: 4 days​


Description: Enchanted wolves attacking village, killing young females in particular. Protect the villagers, kill off wolves. Possibility of Werewolf too.​


Payment: $900​


Mirror Number: 79​


Risk: 7​

She could see now why no one else was interested in this slip....There was only four days left to complete the assignment.


​
 
"That would be appreciated, forwardness is a dying gesture." He smirked. "Well anyways, I gotta get going." He patted the guy on the shoulder. What a strange guy, Dmytri thought. He took it as a cue to leave. He looked at his new acquaintance. "I'm pretty sure I left my bag in the foyer so I bid you adieu. See ya later." He did a half hearted salute and turned to leave. As he turned to leave, he turned too quickly, he ran into a girl with long pink hair. He grasped her shoulders gently and rebalanced her.


"I'm so sorry." He looked down at the girl.
 
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