Courtyard (North)

[-ProcrastinatingSpazz-]

Hideki smiled warmly at her, and it somehow seemed to grow even broader as she admitted it was pleasant. "I'm glad," he grinned, bobbing his head up and down, much too enthusiastically. He was just very happy she seemed to be cheering up, after the extremely down expression he'd seen her with just a bit before. He hated seeing people get depressed. His tail was wagging rapidly, thumping between the bench and his own leg.

His eyes started to glance around the courtyard just for a moment, but snapped instantly back to her as he felt her sliding closer. He blinked once, tilting his head curiously as she began leaning against him as well. He moved his arm up, placing it around her almost without realizing it. He looked almost confused for a second, staring at his arm that seemed to mvoe on its own, but then shrugged it off.

He glanced back down at her as she spoke, head still tilted questioningly. "Umm..." he began, trailing off as he thought to himself for a moment. He'd never had a girlfriend. Honestly, he'd never really been around people that much at all, until coming here where he suddenly found himself surrounded. He frowned in concentration as he tried to come up with an answer and then faced her again.

"I'd say... Well, I'm not sure if it has an exact name... But it's supposed to be comforting, I guess?" He blinked again, looking uncertain. "It think it's comforting. But it can also be friendly or.. affectionate." He paused, then nodded his head once to confirm what he was saying. He probably wasn't the best to ask this sort of thing though.  

[Celestial Lullaby]

Coletta let a large, happy grin slip through her defences, her lips peeled back from her teeth, her eyes almost glowing. "Comforting, I like the sound of that." Cole had read about being comforted in lots of books, after somebody died or a relationship ended, but had never experienced it, it felt nice.

"Hey Hideki.." Coletta trailed of, unsure if what she was about to ask was a really weird question, but her curiosity took over, and she raised a petite, white hand to push back her silver hair from her gray eyes. She then looked up at the wolf-boy and asked in her hesitant voice again, "is it hard to be happy?"

So many of the people she had grwon up with had never been happy, and she had begun to think it was really hard to be happy, it frightened her, because Cole would work hard to avoid being beaten by her father, or work hard to get good at dancing or playing the flute, but working hard to be happy, well she didn't know what happy was, and couldn't think of it as much of a reward.

This comforting thing was really nice, but slightly dangerous, she felt Hideki's warmth against her, felt like there was shield between her and the world keeping her safe, but most of all it worried her because her long built up defences were crumbling like sandstone.

Coletta felt regretful, but she forced herself to pull away and duck under hideki's arm, hoping her wouldn't take it too hard, but she couldn't let her inhibitions fall apart until she was sure she could trust these people.  

[-ProcrastinatingSpazz-]

Hideki looked down at her and then smiled in return to the one she was giving. Yeah, it did feel nice... He blinked as she said his name and tilted his head again, waiting for what she was going to say, his tail still wagging happily. "Yeah?" he asked softly, during the silence following his name, and then gained another slightly confused expression at the question.

"I guess it depends on the person, or their background, but I think everyone can be happy if they try. It's not too hard." He paused, considering his own words for a moment and then pointed at himself with the arm that wasn't around her. "Like me!" he continued cheerfully. "I didn't have the best history in the world, but I'm alright."

He felt her starting to slide away again and simply allowed it, still smiling at her. He had to admit, at some points it was a little hard to keep his spirits up, but he'd always managed in the end. The worst was when he'd had to leave his first foster family. He'd been with them for four years, and then suddenly kicked out. He was with the rest for one, maybe two years, before they did the same. But he'd always been able to keep his hopes up, and now he was experiencing some of the best times of his life.

"You just... have to stay positive," he added quietly.  

[Celestial Lullaby]

Coletta noticed she liked the sound of this boy's voice.. she hadn't talked to anyone, really talked to anyone since to investigator, he had been a nice man, but he was talking to her just to get information, not because he liked it.

After Hideki's response, Coletta had an urge to simply ask even me? but had the sense not to, she was already as short as a child, she didn't need to ask questions like one too. After mentioning that he didn't have the greatest past, Coletta perked up and looked at him, genuine interest on her pale face. "Oh? What happened?"

Suddenly realising it was rude to ask such a question, especially after having it pointed out that it wasn't the greatest memories, Coletta once more got a pink tint to her cheeks. She looked down and fiddled with the hem of her skirt, muttering quietly, "I mean, I'm just curious, you don't have to if you don't want to."

In reality she really wanted to hear what went wrong in her life, not to compare scars or anything, just so she could relate to him, understand this wolfboy. And maybe, if she decided to trust this nice boy, perhaps she might tell him a little about her past, and the reason behind her 6 year long self-inflicted house arrest.  

[DeeMac61206]

Etty stood five feet infront of the bench quietly watching Coletta and Hideki in wonder.As Hideki hugged her a small smile crept onto her face, it was warm and soft and seemed to accent her face.Raising her hand, she delicately placed it over her mouth hiding her smile.A chilling wind blew by, causing her hair to shift to the left.A few leaves twirled up behind her and Etty bit her lip.Watching Hideki act so caring towards some one he just met was..different.Every one always seemed so complicated to her, having all these secrets and feelings you weren't aware of.Hideki on the other hand, was sweet and pure, like he didn't have one amount of doubt or anger in his head.Etty seemed to be growing found of his gently, cheerful, nature.

She kept silent as they talk, they seemed to be cuddling at one point.It wasn't has if she was jealous...she accually found it cute.She figured Coletta already fanced Curran and could tell she wasn't doing anything iffy like Matt would.The thought of Matt suddenly appeared in her head.'What a strange man...'Shrugging her shoulders slightly, Etty brushed her hair out of her eyes and slowly moved over to a tree.The tree was only 15 feet to the left of the bench, just close enough so she could watch.Sliding down the tree truck, Etty folded her legs to the side and began to fiddle with her compass.

Coletta seemed very confused about things.So caution towards strangers but hostile towards her brother.She really hadn't be outside in six years.Etty knew how that was, she had never been close to her 'parents' so was often locked up in her room forced to study and secluded from using her powers or seeing her friends.Rubbing her arm from the coldness, Etty glanced back over at the bench watching Hideki and Coletta once again.  

[-ProcrastinatingSpazz-]

Hideki looked down at her again, simply smiling when she questioned about his past. He'd half expected it, so it didn't bother him at all. Besides, he was used to it. "It's fine," he nodded with a chuckle, and then tilted his head back so he was staring at the sky. He watched a random cloud drift by as he began to speak. "Actually, I've never know my real parents. I was found by a human couple less than a year old, so they took me in. Everything was normal until I was four. That's when I accidentally turned into a wolf."

He grinned, glancing back down at Coletta while tugging on his own tail. "This never would disappear again, so my family put me up for adoption again. I went to another family for a few months, and then another for half a year. From then on, I just kept being passed around everywhere." He shrugged his shoulders, leaning back against the bench. "It's fine though. I met a lot of interesting people. I was homeschooled though... I think because schools were scared to accept me."

He was curious about her own past, but he had a feeling she wouldn't reveal things as easily as he did. So he kept himself silent, simply smiling. He noticed Etty had moved away and glanced over at her, grinning as he held up one hand in a half hearted wave before dropping it to his side again.  

[Celestial Lullaby]

Coletta was a little disapointed, it was a really unfortunate past, uncontrollable by the one experiencing it, but Cole realised she had hoped for something really dramatic so that her past was insignificant in proportion. "Sometimes it's better not to know your parents," Coletta had said this in a very quiet voice. In truth she had nothing against her mother, maybe a bit neglectful, but she worked hard, supported Cole and never expected anything out of her reach, her father was different.

Feeling like she owed him a bit, Cole decided to let him know a couple things about her, but she still didn't feel comfortable going in to details. "When I was small," Coletta began in a steady, but still soft voice, "my mother was married to my father. My mother was and is the owner of a large multi-national company and was and is away a lot, she comes home maybe a week out of the year. But my father, well he was different."

"At this time, Matt was unknown to me, an illegitimate child of my mother, living with his father. Anyways, my father liked to drink, and when he was drunk he got violent. Since no one else was there, the maids mostly preferring to be in different parts of the house, his only target was me. I lived like that, being abused by my father until I turned ten. My mother came home unexpected one night to find my father doing something really bad to me, immediately she took action."

"My father was issued a restraining order, and then divorce papers. He's in jail right now. Anyhow, My mother took a couple weeks off from work to get us settled in to a new house, and had brought Matt to come live with us, his father had died a couple months back. I had met Matt a couple times at parties, and so knew him well enough. As soon as my mother saw that me and him got along fine, she went back to work."

"My brother Matt, unlike me, had friends he wanted to see. He eneded coming home maybe once a week to get clothes, say hi to me and then he was off again. After living without my mother for the first decade of my life, this didn't affect me much. But after everything with my father had blown by and my life slipped in to a routine again, I ended up staying in the house, always finding an excuse to miss parties, leave rehersals and performances early and stay inside. I just ended up staying inside."

Coletta knew it sounded like a stupid reason, but she couldn't help it, it she went into all the babble her psychiatrist drilled into her brain and added her personal thoughts, well Hideki might think her crazy. Coletta looked down at the ground again, unsure how to react to the situation.


Matt had had a power nap, and then finding his sister's stuff still packed, he sighed and came to look for her, instead he found the woman he had stolen the kiss from, in return for her stealing his hat. Matt sat down beside her, one knee bent, his elbow on that knee. A cigarette was in his hand that was on his knee, his hat pushed down over his eyes as he leant against the tree, just hearing the end of his sister's sap story.Matt was surprised at her, she had never told anyone.. not that she really had anyone to tell.. but it was still weird.  

[-ProcrastinatingSpazz-]

Hideki turned his attention back to Coletta again, at the comment about parents. He just shrugged, mostly to himself, and looked towards the sky again. He'd be forever curious about his parents. What were they like? But most of all, why had they left him? He used to be angry about it, but that had passed quickly. He began making up reasons, some more dramatic than others. Maybe they simply didn't have a choice, or thought he'd have a better life with humans?

He pushed away the thoughts as Coletta began speaking about herself. He blinked once and looked back at her, looking a little surprised at first. He really hadn't expected her to say anything. But now that she was, he listened attentively. His eyes widened slightly when she said 'something really bad' but he didn't question it and instead listened to her continue.

He watched her for a moment longer and then smiled lightly. Instead of questioning more about what had happened, he slightly switched the topic, thinking she might find that more comfortable to talk about. "Rehersals?" he asked. "With your flute?" He blinked once, and then looked over again as the scent of smoke reached his nose. He wrinkled it almost without realizing and stared towards Matt for a second before looking back at Coletta. He was fighting back the urge to start coughing.  

[DeeMac61206]

Seeing Hideki waved to her, Etty exchanged a smile and slowly waved back, to even trying to make a big movement.Hearing a slight movement beside her, Etty looked over to see Matt.Her sharp green eyes narrowed as she watched him sit.She was slightly mad at his earlier actions and was constantly confused by him.One moment he was a gentlemen, the next he was uncaringly teasing, and now he was quiet and distant.

Pretending not to notice him, Etty looked around the courtyard.Obviously she had seen him, who wouldn't have seen some one then sat only inches away?No one was that good at blocking out the outside world.Looking down at her hands, she slowly trailed her finger along the edge of the compass.As her eyes shifted up, they suddenly widened at the cigarette in his hands.She really didn't approve of people smoking, let alone being around some one who was smoking.Well he wasnt smoking now...so maybe she should just forget it.Even mentioning it to him could lead to another weird experience.Giving a blink she suddenly found herself starring.Quickly changed her glance back over to Cole and Hideki a small hint of redness tinted her cheeks."Why do you always wear that....."Etty said, trying to start a conversation but not bothering to turn her head.She was infact talking about his hat.He seemed to be very attached to it and she wanted to know why, simple as that.

((Dinner be back soon!!))  

[Celestial Lullaby]

Coletta couldn't help but grin as Hideki wrinkled his nose and glanced at her brother, "You look adorable when you do that!" It was true that Cole could be a child, but still seem so mature at others, it was a controversy, but easily explained. She had never experienced what most kids do, and was therefore seemingly still a child, but the abuse had made her grow up fast.

Cole smiled and shook her head. "Not just flute..." Suddenly a thought flew into her head, following her rush of happiness by just talking to Hideki, she stood up and assumed a ballet starting pose. A wind full of shadow whipped around her body, causing the tree's leaves to rustle. When the shadows dropped and sunk into the ground, it revealed Coletta dressed quite differently.

Her silver hair was put into a tight bun, wrapped with a black ribbon. Her Body was simply clothed in a not-so simple tutu. Black, ribbon-like fabric wrapped her body, ending in puffy sleeves and a fountain skirt that stopped at her knees. It was adorned in white gausy lace and pearls the dropped of the end of the skirt, held by triangles of fabric. She had on white panty hose and black ballet slippers. On her white face was black eyeshadow and mascara, making her eyes look big and doll like, her lips neatly covered in charcoal black lipstick, her cheeks tinted with red color. All in all she looked like a mischeivious doll, even her shortness accenting this.

Coletta then began to dance, weaving music with just her body. Her small frame flowed into the jumps and twists, somehow making her look tall and elegant when she was in fact not. After a bit, Cole stopped and walked back to Hideki, curtseying low in front of him, a small smile full of mischief. She then straightened and spoke in such a velvety voice, it was enchanting. "Non, monsieur, C'est la dance!"


Matt didn't even move to look at Etty, though a smile did decide to adorn his lips, knowing she was uncomfortable. "Parce Que, Madame, it is a keepsake from my late father." Matt removed his hat and gently traced it lovingly with a finger, it reminded him of his kind father even after six years of complimenting his own head.

Matt slipped it back on his head, finally deciding to address Etty to her face. "Et toi Madame, can I ask why you are so fascinated with that compass?" It was not just a payback question or a means of continuing their conversation, he actually wanted to know.  

[-ProcrastinatingSpazz-]

Hideki blinked, and then rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "Adorable?" he repeated with a laugh, shaking his head. "No, no... I just don't like smoke." He grinned back at her thought, seeing that her mood seemed to be improving. He'd found that people tended to laspe into odd silences after revealing their unfortunate pasts, but Coletta didn't seem too phased at all. He took that as a good thing.

His eyes followed as she stood, blinking once again when she said it wasn't just the flute. She can do more? he thought, pretty amazed. The flute had been extraoridinary just on it'd own, but she could do something else as well? He stared openly without meaning to as she took the starting pose, and then a strange shadow overtook her. When it fell away again, Hideki's eyes widened even further.

Colette's outfit had entirely changed, and she'd even gained make up as well. Hideki stared in shocked awe, not moving one bit, even as she began to dance. He was absolutely stunned and just sat there, dumbly watching. Though, he was greatly impressed. He could hardly believe what he was seeing. When she approached him again, he blinked several times to snap himself out of it and then smiled a bit uncertainly, not knowing what she'd said. "Uh, that was amazing," he nodded, still looking a bit confused, but sounding completely awed still.  

[DeeMac61206]

Slowly looking over at Matt with a blank face, Etty shrugged as if she didn't know herself."My grand-mère sent it to me four years ago....I've just...always had it..."Looking back at her compass, she covered it with her palm.In reality the compass reminded her of family, especially since she thought she had none.

Every month since she was seven, Etty would receive a letter from her grandmother.It was always slipped under her door, late at night at exactly ten fourteen o'clock.She had always wondered who had put it there, but always figured it was one of the servants or chamber-maids trying to help ease her loneliness.The letters always contained long pages, talking about how much her grandmother missed her, that some day Etty would know the truth to everything, how great it would be when Etty found out, and how she could never show this to her parents.Always instructed to burn the letters and not try to contact or write back to her dear grandmother.As instructed she had burned every single one.Four years ago, the last letter came, containing the emerald-lined compass she now gently covered with her hand.The letter had explained how the compass would help Etty and all the usual caring words.Then...the letters stopped.Had her parents gotten to the letters before, who ever it was that gave her the letters, got them?Was her grandmother even alive?Or had she just stopped caring...

The worst part was that she didn't even have proof that the lady in the letter was in fact her grandmother.Still...she was the closest person to Etty and she treasured the compass dearly.

Smiling once again, Etty looked over at Matt."Its complicated.No big deal."Her voice quivered slightly as her accent faded.Trying to get off the subject, Etty looked down at the cigarette in distgust."Can you put that out?...I'd rather not fill my lungs with second hand smoke...."She blinked with a straight face then raised an eyebrow, as if to urge him.  

[Celestial Lullaby]

Matt smiled at Etty, patting her gently on the head as her voice quavered, "Course not." she then mentioned his cigarette. Matt amazingly pulled out a completely childlike and innocent face and looked at Etty then at his cig. "It's a chocolate cigarette!" He said it with perfect sincerity, looking as if he really believed it himself. Matt then tapped off the ashes, took a long drag, then encased the cigarette in ice and flung it at a far off casually, not even twitching as it shattered into a million pieces.

"Is that better madame? Though I swear it was chocolate." Matt grinned cheerfully at Etty and pointed at the compass. "It's a very pretty compass, I'd say custom made, for a very expensive price." Matt hadn't been around jewelery in a long time, but he could tell that that was no fake.

Coletta only barely managed to keep from laughing. She turned and sat down beside Hideki, her skirt bending nicely, unlike most tutus which would fly up in a most undecent way. "And yes, Adorable."

Cole smiled prettily at Hideki, saying in a mesured, but still musical voice, "Well when you stay inside and don't have any friends for 6 years you tend to get good at some things. I'm glad you like it. My brother can dance as well, but he doesn't like to, so in most performances he goes down with the orechestra."  

[-ProcrastinatingSpazz-]

Hideki's golden eyes followed her as she sat down beside him again and he blinked a couple more times. "Ha, ok..." he laughed, shaking his head slightly. Adorable? He didn't think so, but then again, it might've been a bit weird if he did. He looked back at her, returning her smile with a bright one of his own, as he nodded slightly before glancing curiously at Matt. He suddenly wanted to see him dance as well. Maybe a sibling preformance? Like when they'd both played together before.

He looked away from Matt and back to Coletta again, his smile softening a bit. "That must be nice," he began. "Doing that with your brother..." That was probably the one thing he wanted most, a real family that wouldn't get sick of him after a year or so. Even if things hadn't gone too well with her, she still had a brother who'd accompanied her to the school. That would've been more than enough to please him. The consistancy of his tail's wagging had slowed just slightly, a hardly noticable change.  

[DeeMac61206]

Etty rolled her eyes playfully as Matt try to convince her it was a chocolate cigarette.She knew he wasn't being serious but to say it was chocolate was just plain ridiculous."Choclate.....riiiiight..."Etty smirked sarcastically as she watched him place the cigarette in his mouth and inhail another drag of smoke.'How distugsting...'Yes, she hated how people could be addicted to something so distgusting...something that could kill you and others around you.Still..she mentioned nothing about it after that and suddenly jumped up.

"Its real.Custom made?...I'm not positive.I'm sure there are tons of others out there...just lined up in jewelry stores.Only thing custom is my initals on the back..."Holding it in between her thumb and index finger, she slowly ran her thumb along the back.Her comment about it being custom wasn't true, though she didn't know it.The compass was made especially for her and bought by her grandmother and sent carefully to her.

Shuffling her feet to the other side of the tree, Etty held her compass tight with one hand and slowly made her way up the tree with the other.She soon found herself sitting on a sturdy branch above Matt.Her body against the trunk, both knees bent and stretched out along the bratch and one hand holding on to the bottom.