Inuyasha Fandom

At the knock on the door, Alice rushed into the restroom, leaving Rhea the answer the door. Alice was only half dressed, after all. And she was putting on another school uniform. She hastily buttoned up her shirt and didn't tuck it in. She left her hair down, after combing it out. She saw Takeo standing there chatting with Rhea, with the new girl. "Alice, this is Mary. She's the new girl. Maybe you remember .... her..." Takeo realized where Alice had seen her, he fell quiet. "Yes, I remember seeing her. It is nice to have a proper greeting." Alice held out her hand, as a token of friendship. "You are one of us, correct? It is always nice to see more students." Mary took her hand, though there was something..... charged about her. Alice saw the static, the smell of ozone. However, nothing dispatched between their touch. But there was a definite feeling of compatability between them. But, it wasn't like that exactly. More like... energies being conducted between the two. Looking up at Mary, bewildered, Mary seemed to share the same thoughts and feelings. "What the hell was that?" Takeo asked, snapping his fingers. "Hello? Earth to the ladies... Earth to the ladies..." Snapping out of it, the two looked at Takeo, and said together, "What?" "You two totally zoned out. Are we back now?" Rhea looked over the two, and smiled. "Well, so you are. Come on, let's go have dinner." With that, the four of them walked to the cafeteria where dinner was just starting to get done. The smell was actually mouth watering, much to Alice's relief. She moved over to the line that was starting to form, and she could see a number of lovely treats awaiting her. She grabbed a cheeseburger, some fries, some chicken wings, a fish sandwich a bottle pf apple juice, and a chef salad. For dessert she had grabbed a cherry bread pudding.The worker for the cafeteria stared as Alice walked off, the others right behind her. Alice sat down at a table and the others one by one joined her. "Hungry much, Alice?" Takeo asked, laughing at the sights on her tray. "At least you like a variety." "Wait until I get them to make German foods." Alice said in response, taking a bite of the fish sandwich. It was good, very good. Surprisingly, much of the food looked as if gourmet prepared and in rather sizeable portions. Perhaps dinner was made especially to be comforting... and relaxing. "And you're not one to talk." Alice gestured to his own tray. "You have as much if not more than me."

Alice observed the nun, unsure of what to make of her. She didn't overly stand out, but there was just something different about her. "Rhea... do you sense something's off with that nun?" "There's a lot of things wrong with a lot of people. No more no less with her. Maybe you're just nervous because it's yet another nun." "Nuns do not frighten me. Most would not have the spiritual power needed to affect me." Alice smiled, and leaned forward. "Maybe we can make a new friend?" "Suit yourself. I'm not feeling particularly friendly. Jensen seems to believe that my little stunt was uncalled for. He's wrong." "Little stunt?" "His mouth will probably get him into a lot more trouble in the future, but now he's just becoming boring. There'll be no use in even dealing with him soon enough. Hmph." Jensen looked over at Rhea's back, as it was to him, glaring at her as if insulted by being called boring. "Anyway, Alice, I think I'll go ahead and just go back to the dorms. We have our assignment, so why not?" "Yes... I think you are right. But, we should introduce ourselves to the sister before we go." "Sure, I can do that. Let's go." Rhea and Alice stood up to leave, and walked to the front of the classroom. Alice nodded her head when the sister turned to look at the two. "Yes? Can I help you, ladies?" "No, Sister, but thank you. We simply came up to introduce ourselves before we left to do our assignment." The sister was visibly shocked by the voice that came from Alice, but composed herself quickly. "And who might you be?" "I am Alice Vanderbelt, and one of your students." "Rhea Tallows. Nice to meet you. Now, Sister, if you will excuse us, we'll be going to do our assignment as well as change our clothing. I'm rather tired of wearing my swimsuit." With a smile and a wave, the two girls walked away. On entering Alice's room, the two girls sat down, Rhea making Alice sit down on her bed and handing her the book with the information about Alice's mother. "So, you read some more of that, and I'm going to go change. The books I need are already here, so I'll be right back." "Alright, then. See you in a few moments." Rhea left the room, and Alice was left alone with her thoughts. The scare earlier had its upside, she'd learned about one of her powers. The ability to breathe water must have been awoken when she'd nearly drowned. Perhaps all of their abilities were somehow tuned into their survival... or maybe the bonds that bound them didn't quite extend to the point of their lives being endangered. Numerous theories abound, it didn't really matter why she had come into some of her power while not in contact with her sword, just that it did return to her however briefly. She had her powers to thank for her life. Alice's gaze shifted down to the book upon her lap, and at it's cover. The cover was ornate, the watercolor painting on the cover beautiful to behold. It looked to be an ancient well, with a woman sitting and gazing into the water. Her attire was flowing, almost like the water the woman looked upon. The woman's dress appeared to be oriental, though she couldn't be sure. her robes were done in hushed tones, though it was obvious she was a woman of immense stature. Alice could see her head piece, adorned with lilies and ribbons. Jutting from her head piece were two triangular prong like things, each with a golden chain and various decorations dangling from them. With startling clarity, Alice realized this was just some random picture of an even more random woman, but a picture of her mother. A knock on the door drew Alice's attention away from the book and to the sound. "Come in. The door is unlocked." Rhea entered the room, freshly changed and with dry hair. "So... shall we get started finally?"

"Of course not. Punctuality is a wonderful quality." Alice chided. They swam for about an hour, happily chatting away and timing one another on who could get across the pool the fastest. Alice won nearly every time, and was underwater almost the entire trip. "Wow. Alice, you can hold your breath for a really long period of time." Takeo marveled. "That was longer than most Olympic swimmers." "I have always been able to hold my breath for long periods of time while underwater." Alice smiled, and dived under again, moving quickly through the water to surface near Rhea and Takeo. "It is a talent that I have always possessed." she said, and smiled. "I can hold my breath longer, even. Would you like to time me?" "Sure, let's see how long you can hold your breath." Takeo said, looking at the clock on the wall at the far end. "And... Now!" Alice dived underwater, moving freely, more like a fish than anything else. she swam and swam and swam, twirling, whirling, and flitting about like a minnow. Finally, she felt she needed air, and came to the surface in the deep end of the pool. Treading water, she called over. "How long was that?" Rhea and Takeo stared at her. "Five minutes." Alice knew quite well that even the best swimmers often could hold their breath for only two minutes. Alice had doubled that and better. "Well... I think we discovered one of the benefits of being half demon." Rhea shook her head. Let's get back to laps." Alice nodded, and dived underwater to meet them. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw something, though when she looked to see what it was, it was nothing more than light reflected underwater. She looked down into the deep end of the pool, and saw something glittering there in the suction pump. Curious, she swam toward it, and saw that it was a beautiful necklace. It was a single, beautiful pearl attached to a silver heart shaped piece of metal, and then that was attached to a fine silver chain. She swam to it, and tried to dislodge it from the grating. But, it proved to be a strenuous ordeal. She was using oxygen at a rapid pace trying to get the necklace free. But Alice knew that If she let go of it now, she would lose the necklace forever to the suction of the pump. Letting out a cloud of used air, she could see bubbles racing to the surface as she felt her body grow weak and sink to the bottom. She held her breath for as long as she could, before taking in a breath that would have sealed any other's fate. But even as the water rushed into her lungs, she did not feel her life ebbing away. Instead, she felt her power surge. She gasped aloud, screaming in the water unheard and unnoticed. The pain as her body became reaquainted with her power was paralyzing. Not to mention saving her life from drowning. The surface of the water rippled and surged, exploding outward from Alice's submerged body, throwing Rhea and Takeo from the pool. They landed on the tiled floor, and looked into the mad waters of the pool, terrified and amazed. "Alice!" Takeo screamed, his breath catching in his throat. "Oh my god, Alice! Where are you?! Alice!" Rhea's eyes were filled with tears, she fearing the worst for her new friend. The water burst up, forming a pillar of water where Alice had been under the water. There was a visibly dark figure in the pillar, surrounded by an aura of shimmering silver and purple energy. "A-Alice?" Takeo called, unsure of what was going on. As if it were a request, the water pillar separated into miniature waterspouts, revealing the figure inside. It was indeed Alice however changed. Her eyes had become solid black, with purple pinpricks of glowing purple light, and they wide and unseeing. She seemed to have manifested a plated, ridged helmet of some sort adorned with water lilies. Her hair flailed around, as if commanded it. Her body was quaking with the surge of demonic power, her face frozen in a scream. It echoed through the school, sending chills down the spine of any who heard it. After an eternity, her eyes returned to normal, and she went limp and fell into the water. She didn't move.

Alice had long since parted with Kaiel as she'd long since gotten bored with the books in the library. She'd been sitting and reading for only an hour and a half on her own mother when Rhea came storming in. To say that she was upset was like saying that the Atlantic Ocean was damp. "Rhea?" she called over, and Rhea came over to the table and flopped down in a chair. "Hi there. I hope your day is going better than mine so far. A sparring match... ruined! Egotistical bastard!" "Rhea! We're in the library!" Alice hissed, and Rhea nodded. "Yeah, I know. I'm sorry I raised my voice to you. You weren't meant to be on the receiving end of my little rant. But I'm glad I ran into you before I blew something up." Rhea took a deep breath, knocking her head back. "I could seriously use a drink. And not milk or juice." Rhea mockingly 'hmphed' and smiled tiredly. "Then again, juice and vodka sound like a wonder pair to meet right now. So, what are you up to?" "Reading about my demon parent. It's fascinating. I have learned that she was the Lady of the Lake in the King Arthur stories." "Really? That does sound kind of cool. Your mom's famous in the human realm. Mine just has a thing for plants. And playing games." Alice smiled. "Maybe you can learn more about your parent soon enough." "I'm itching to play with her. I think that's how I'll get to know her better. She strikes me as the type to cover her tracks when it comes to her personal life." Rhea smiled. "Ah well. I guess that's what's bothering me. I don't know what game she's playing. Jensen isn't helping matters much either." "Oh? What did he do? It can't have been anything too drastic. You're in one piece." "Defending him are you?" Rhea asked dryly, her eyes wandering over to meet Alice's gaze. "He decided to let me hit him." "I thought you liked to hit things." "Yeah, I do. But I don't care for the disrespect of not having a serious match. What an asshole. Just for his self serving goal of 'being better'. I'm not interested in a guy who wants to spar just to get hit because he has a pain fetish." Rhea vented her frustrations, furious about the match. She didn't care what kind of excuse he gave her, she thought they were going to have a serious match, not an insult to her integrity. "A sparring match is meant to put your all into a fight, and get better, learning to take the blows as well as dish them out." "I agree with you. But you know, he might not have those same views as you do." Shrugging, Alice leaned forward as Rhea continued. "Yeah, well, I was enjoying myself. Until that little stunt. I'm not one for second chances. He blew it by letting me take that blow. I know for a fact he's not that slow as to not be able to block something that obvious headed into that big of an opening." Rhea hit her elbow in the edge of the table, still angry. She shook her head, exhaling a breath. "What about you and Takeo? You two seem to be getting along nicely." "He's nice. We're having dinner together later." Alice smiled shyly. "I think it would be nice to be friends." "Hm. I'd say so. You're looking a little pink in the cheeks there, Alice. You like him?" "What? No! Erm..." Alice stumbled over her words, blushing. "Well... maybe a little." "That's what I thought. Go for it, girl. You mind if I join you for dinner tonight? It's not like there will be anything else to do." "I don't mind. And I don't think Takeo will, either." "We are teammates, after all. It would be nice to get to know him a little better." "Sure, I don't think that would be much of a problem." Alice closed her book. "Would you like to go to the swimming pool with me? I would like to take a swim before dinner time." "Isn't that near the gym?" Rhea sighed. "I really don't want to even look at Jensen right now." "Then don't. There's a side hall leading to the pool area from the locker room. We just walk through there and not worry about him. I think you have a swim suit in your room closet. I know I did." "Sure thing." Standing to stretch some, Rhea caught sight of Takeo. "Well hello there, cutie. Alice and I were just about to go for a swim. She was nice enough to say I could eat dinner with you two, so maybe you could join us for our swim." "After that shower earlier?" he asked, his bright smile banishing some of the embarassment of earlier from Alice's face. "I'm sorry, that I was not aiming to do." "I know. But still, It was rather refreshing. Sure, I'll go swimming, though after I do a favor for Jensen." "Then catch up with us. I've dealt with him enough today." Rhea growled. Takeo looked to Alice for answers, and she only sighed. "It is a long story. I will see you at the pool." Alice and Rhea walked off, Alice deep in thought. "Shall we change into swim suits in my room or yours?" "How about in the locker rooms? Where is your room, by the way?" "Right here. I'll be right back after I leave this book in my room and grab the bathing suit." Alice was in and out of her room, as was Rhea with hers. Alice could only guess the school had picked them out to be neutrally colored. They were a dark blue, and unobtrusive. As Alice undressed in the locker room, Rhea stood behind her, undressing herself. The two put on their swimsuits and then wandered into the pool hall and waded into the pool. It was nice being in the pool, the water was just perfect for them to do laps. Alice noted the lack of the smell of chlorine, and felt better about that for some reason.

Alice had long since changed her clothing and had since grown antsy. She closed the book she was reading and silently left her room. She hesitated for a second, though dinner time was a few hours away. The thought of dinner with Takeo set her heart aflutter. She'd never had dinner with a boy. Was it a date? Alice heard the melodic noted of a violin drifting through the hallway and remembered Takeo had told her he played various instruments. Thinking she'd get a performance from him, she hurried down the hallway and followed the music. She paused outside of the auditorium, unsure of what the piece being played was. She quietly opened the door, and walked into the dimly lit room. She spotted the tiny red glow of the cherry of a cigarette. Venturing closer, she realized it wasn't Takeo playing, but Jensen. He didn't seem to notice her, and while the music was beautiful, it was also sad. Not wanting to disturb him, she turned and tried to walk away without being noticed. "Alice, how nice to see you." The music stopped, and there was a dull thump as Jensen jumped down from the scaffolding. "I thought you were with Takeo." Alice cringed some, turning around. "Um... You have quite a talent... I didn't mean to eavesdrop." "It's no problem. At a school, it's only a matter of time before someone wanders into a room like this." "I am inclined to agree." Alice held her book up to her chest, and Jensen glanced at it. "Mermaids, huh? Into that kind of thing?" "I like to read all kinds of things. The more I read, the more knowledge I have. Uneducated people tend to make poor decisions." "Like that little tantrum in the classroom? The singular focus could have gotten you seriously hurt, or worse." "And some are slaves to emotion." Alice raised a hand to push her glasses up the bridge of her nose. Her band moced to the side, her pointer finger touching the left leg of her glasses. "These are very important to me. I am afraid that I lost my temper when I lost them. Large time." "The phrase is 'big time,' Alice." Jensen smiled. "You speak English well, though you get a few things wrong from time to time." "I speak four languages, Jensen. And fluently, might I add. You'll have to forgive me if I am not on par with the slang terms and contractions." She smiled slightly, and spoke again. "My temper, when I lose it, is something I inherited from my birth mother." Jensen chuckled, and placed his violin on a seat next to him before taking one of his own and lighting up another smoke. "So, you're here, now. A half human girl in a world of crazy. You have a good heart, I can see that easily. Of course, I'd never want to make you angry. That little episode in the classroom was proof of why." he chuckled again and Alice took a seat across from him. "And you like to play the violin. It's quite pretty." she retorted. "Thank you, though I'll wager you didn't sick around just to compliment my violin." "No, I did not." Alice looked away from him and to the stage. "So, tell me, how old are you, Alice?" Jensen sized her up, taking a drag from his cig. "You can't be older than twenty." "Eighteen, actually. Didn't anyone ever tell you it's rude to ask a lady her age?" Alice cocked her head. "So, you're here with the rest of us. One of us, as one would say." "And you're pretty nosy." Alice looked down at her shiny black Mary Kays. "I... I just... I wanted to talk. I am to guess that each class is a team of some sort. If we are to be team members, I need to trust people." Jensen gazed long and hard at Alice, inhaling another drag from his smoke. After what seemed like forever, he spoke. "You're a sweet, kind, and foolishly nice girl. Too nice for your own good. Why should we trust one another, when we can't trust ourselves? We don't even know who or what we are." Alice stood up, and her small figure seemed to sag with her sorrow, However, she still seemed to have a noble countenance. "That is a good question. But, I will ask you something in return. Can we afford not to trust one another at this present time?" Alice reached out, her small, delicate, and almost fragile hand touching his face. He flinched some, and there was wariness in his eyes. Alice looked into his eyes, her purple ones filled with innocence and wisdom beyond her years. "We all know who we are. There is no textbook explanation of what we are. That is something each of us have to learn to live with." Alice's hand moved down to his chest, her palm flat over his heart, her paper fine skin cool to the touch. "It is what is in here that matters most. The ice that keeps your heart hidden and protected has to melt sometime." With that, Alice picked up her book and walked away and out of the Auditorium, troubled by what she had been asked. She walked back to the library, and took a seat near the section on demons. Kaiel was there, sifting through the many books on the table in front of her. After a few miinutes, Alice worked up the courage to go over to talk to her. Not even glancing up, Kaiel spoke. "What do you want?" Alice fingered one of the books, labeled 'The Guardians of Hell' and spoke quietly. "If there's some kind of information you are looking for, may I possibly help? I do not even know who my demon parent was... so there is no point in looking for that as of yet." "Do you think I need your help?" Kaiel asked, her voice letting Alice know she was suspicious and a little agitated. "N-no I-I didn't think that. I was just offering. But if you don't want my help I'll just go." She closed the book she was reading and picked up her own. "I'm sorry to have bothered you." Alice turned away and moved to leave, but Kaiel called out to her. "Wait." Alice turned to her, undure of how to react. "Yes?" "I'm sorry. Today's been... rough. The last few days have. You really want to help me?" "I thought maybe it would help to be friendly with my classmates." Kaiel smiled warmly. "Fine then. I can use some help. And I'm sure you could, too. Come on, sit with me." "Yes, of course." Alice sat down at the table, and smiled. "So, what information are you looking for? "Anything related to Akeene, the Wolf. She's the guardian to the gates of hell." "Is that related to Cerberus? Perhaps another relation?" Alice grabbed the book in front of her and blew the dust from the cover of the musty tome. She coughed as it drifted up and everywhere. "Well, no one has looked at these in a long while." she commented. The two girls chit-chatted a bit, making small talk for a little while before Kaiel popped a question. "So, Alice. What do you know about your demon parent?" "Her name was Camille, and she had quite a temper. From what I do know, she willingly gave me up, but I don't know why. And that was all my Mother told me." "Camille, hmmm... I think I read that name somewhere in one of these books..." Kaiel flipped over books and then with an "Ah! Here it is!" held up a black, leather bound book. "Daemons of the Water Element." "Water demons?" Alice took the book held out to her, and Kaiel smiled again. "Yeah, I remember now. I paged through that to see if my mother had any allies. I can't say I found anything relevant to that in there, but it was more interesting." "How so?" Alice inquired, looking over the table of contents. "Camille was also known as the Lady of the Lake." "King Arthur and Merlin? Camelot? That's who my mother was?" "Yeah. Interesting stuff on your Mom. At least your reading will be more pleasant." Kaiel grinned. "But, let's get back this mess." "Yes, I said I would help. I can always read this later."

Alice looked down at the books she had selected, looking at the titles. "A Beginner's Guide to Roses" "Micheal Weston: A Love Unyielding" "Mermaids: Stories of the Women of the Seas" "I am unsure of what it is you want to know." Takeo shrugged. "I just want to know more about Alice." "I'm... not good at talking with boys." Alice smiled nervously. "Where to start?" "How about with Germany? I've never met someone from there." "Germainy... The Motherland, as people back home refer to it." Alice sighed. "I suppose I am lucky to have had the life I did. My mother, may she rest in peace, adopted me and gave me a good life. German was her second language, as English was my second. It was difficult at first to communicate, though I suppose language barriers can eventually be overcome with enough perseverance." Alice paused, searching for something to say next. "It was quite fun to be able to speak two languages with my Mother. Sometimes, after a few years of learning the languages, we found ourselves talking in two different languages, and holding a normal conversation." Alice smiled remembering her mother. "My mother was a good woman. She brought me to this country when her job required her to come back." "It sounds like your Mom was an amazing woman." "She was... But she is gone now." Her smile faded, remembering the event that had brought her to Cross Academy. "But, that is my problem and I shall deal with it." Takeo shrugged. "Okay then. So, more about Germany?" Alice inhaled a deep breath and spoke. "The food was much better. I wonder of the cafeteria could make some borscht for me." Takeo smiled and held up his hand, pointing at the ceiling. "Maybe, but how about you make some? I'm sure the teachers and cafeteria ladies wouldn't mind if you made some food from your country. Besides, I want to try some new foods, and German food is something I hope you'll make for me." He crossed his arms and said, "Though, you'll be making it out of school food... so that might not be the best. I wonder if we can get city passes and go out and get foodstuffs for ourselves." Alice nodded, and returned in kind. "I would be happy to share some of my heritage in the form of food. However... Don't think it will be anything of ... how do you say, fancy feast? I'm afraid that I'm not a world class chef." "Please, I'm sure that it'll be tasty." The two had managed to find their way to the dorms, and were coming up on Alice's room. "I would like to chat more, but perhaps we can sit together at dinner time? I would like to change my clothes. I believe I have exposed myself enough for today." "What? OH!" It dawned on Takeo what Alice meant, and he smiled. "Sure, I'll see you at dinner time then."

Alice sighed, and fell back onto the floor. She stared into the mess of the classroom, wondering why she had to be the daughter of some demon. This was all so unreal. Takeo came over to her and smiled, holding out his hand to her. "You okay?" "Yes... I'm fine." Taking his hand, he marveled at how delicate it seemed, as well as the ease with which he was able to help her up. "Alice, I think these belong to you." He removed her glasses from his pocket, and held them out to her. Taking them, she placed them upon her face and blushed. "Thank you. I thought they had broken in the commotion." "Well, maybe something is looking out for you." Takeo looked around, and then down at his feet, partially nervous, and partially not to look at Alice's bra. "Would... would you like to explore the school with me? I thought it might be more fun with someone." "I would love to." Alice replied, "Thank you again for finding my glasses and keeping them from harm." Takeo and Alice walked from the classroom, and down the hall, she covering up her now see-through shirt. "So, why are those glasses so important to you? If they broke you could just get a new pair..." Alice regarded him with a shy smile. "They were given to me by the woman who adopted me. She knew who my mother was, and I guess knew of my mother. She had talked about my mother once with me." "Was she keeping that from you?" "I suppose that's possible. But, she never hid anything else for me. These glasses.. They are more of a representation of a promise I made to her. And now that my mother is dead, I must honor it more than ever." "Oh? What was that?" Alice sighed, remembering it well. "My mother told me to always think clearly before throwing a punch. When I wore these glasses, she wanted me to be gentle, and take great pains to control my temper. I try not to fight when I wear them." Alice smiled even though her vision was blurring from tears. "My mother... she had tole me of my real mother's temper, and of the things she was capable of when so enraged. I did not want to become that kind monster, enslaved to my anger." "Looks like you didn't quite master it. But, that's okay, it leaves room for improvement. Not that you need much of it." Alice only smiled, her eyes hidden by the light reflecting off of her glasses. "Takeo, do you know where the school library is? I was hoping to find some books." Takeo cocked his head. "No, but that's why we're exploring the school, right?" Alice smiled and nodded. "Right!"

OOC: omg the poor classroom... Leave it to us to trash the classroom on our first day of class. Claw marks, few if any intact desks, and broken lights... and now this Lets all have an OMG moment, shall we? Alice took in a deep breath, finally having a chance to do so now that the hobgoblins had been forced away. She was far more aware of every breath she took, feeling the moisture in the air. It gave her renewed life, more energy, she savoring it as it seemed the water vapor in the air offered her its power. And so much power there was to be had. She took it in, drinking deeply of the power of the water around her. As she exhaled, her breath was visible despite the air temperature in the classroom. She could feel her power, growing inside of her and threatening to tear her body apart. Her nails, usually filed short, grew pointed and sharp, and she could feel her canines lengthen. "It's overflowing..." she said, her voice barely above a whisper. She looked to her classmates, observing each briefly. Even the most minute of motions attracted her eyes, nothing escaping her notice. Rhea was jumping back and forth, looking almost like a gymnastic if somewhat reckless ballerina. Her movements were elegant, though fun. She seemed to be having a good time, what with her many moves. She was a genuine heart, with nothing to hide. Takeo... so sure of himself, so admirable and noble. There was a deep sense of duty about him, of loyalty. No wonder Alice had liked him at first glance. Yet, in his innocence was he the most vulnerable. Asher seemed like a sad soul, trying to show his smile through the darkness. She had for but a fragment of a second, seen something there with him, he freezing for but a split second. It had been too fast, though he was reaching... for something. What, she couldn't tell, he was facing her so she didn't see. It seemed in that even in death something still guided him along the path of the light. Kaiel was angry. She used that to fuel her strengths. But, there was something different to her anger, it was gentle somehow. Kind, even. Alice could see her fighting, with a look only of annoyance. Obviously, this wasn't a challenge to her. So far... Jensen alone had failed to win her over. She leaped punching several hobgoblin out of her way to get to him. "Something I can do for you, Alice?" "You remember my name, I am flattered." She hauled off and punched another hobgoblin away. "Yeah, it stuck thanks to that accent of yours." He kicked a hobgoblin over Alice's head, she grabbing it to deliver a piledriver wrestling move. She stood once more, smiling. "Can you dance?" Alice asked, lifting her foot and whirling around to send a hobgoblin flying. "What...?" He looked at her blankly. "Dance?" "Yes. I wish to see how you dance. I believe it is called... The Sadism Tango?" Alice smiled, her deep purple eyes alight with excitement, believing be able to be at least friendly with him by asking him to fight with her. Granted, her expanded knowledge of random things and only half understood references might have made her come off as strange in the first place. "I am asking you to fight along side me, and offer a respect in kind." "Hmph. Fine. We can dance." He held out his arm, and Alice took it, his strength alone enough to support her as she used it to swing her foot into yet another onslaught. She felt him grab her wrist and then spin around, to use her as a means of a knock-down tactic. She twisted around, flexing her body in different mannerisms to get her feet to connect in various ways and once cleared she used her feet to grab a hobgoblin to knock down several more. "Well, you're not too bad." he said to her. Alice allowed him to spin her, she kicking out and breaking the chest bones of a hobgoblin and then spun back into him. "And you could use some refined movement in your dancing. But, I can honestly say the same of you in return." She smiled and winked at him. "Make sure to cover your ears." With that, she summersaulted away across the classroom leaving him to look after her shaking his head. "Everyone! Cover your ears!" she yelled out to everyone else, raising her nails. Her classmates looked over at her and instantly realized what she was about to do and heeded her warning. Alice raked her nails across the chalkboard, letting an ear piercing shriek ring throughout the room. Only one of the hobgoblins, one that been coming to attack her, was smart enough to cover his ears. The rest were stunned, they having not been able to cover their ears fast enough. Alice jumped over the teacher's desk, landing on the edge and seizing the hobgoblin by the neck with both hands. and jumping over it, twisting to land with her feet pointed away from it. Using strength alone, she vaulted the hobgoblin through the air. Its foot apparently knocked one of the sprinkler heads for fires off. A catastrophic flood then sprayed into the room, raining down from overhead. Poor little Alice... She could only stare, slack jawed and wide eyed into the free shower she was giving everything and everyone. Even those who did not speak German knew what exactly what she said, judging from the dumbfounded tone in her voice and stare of disbelief. "Was habe ich nur tun?"[i] "What did I just do?"[/i]

Alice gasped in a shallow breath when one of the hobgoblins came charging at her, tearing up two wooden desks with its claws to get at her soft and supple flesh. She'd left her sword in her room, though it seemed the teacher didn't want her to use her weapon in the first place. Dodging at the last second, her desk splintered into a thousand pieces, raining down on her. Looking up, she could see it bearing down on her, claws raised for the kill. Shrieking, she rolled away and saw the claws of the demon slice into the linoleum tiling of the floor. She kicked out blindly, her eyes clenched shut. "Get away from me!" She felt her foot connect, and she heard it fall back and away from her. She clamored to a standing position, and looked at the damage she had caused. It looked like she had successfully broken it's nose. Something it didn't appreciate. It came at her again, this time leaping at her through the air. She ducked under a nearby desk, flipping it up into the demon to block it from getting to her. "This is insane!" she cried. "Alice... Behind you." came the teacher's voice. Her eyes wide, she turned to see what was coming at her, though she was too late to completely avoid the attack. On instinct alone, seeing the claws coming for her face, she twisted out of the way, her motion as fluid as water. Her glasses were not so fortunate. The claws swiped them off -centimeters from her eyes- sending them to some unknown corner of the classroom. "My glasses!" Alice screamed, rage blossoming within her like a water lily in full bloom. She bared her teeth, seething with anger. "My mother gave those to me!" she screamed. Alice charged at the hobgoblin, lashing out with all her strength. She brought her penny-loafer clad foot up into the jaw of the monster, knocking it on it's backside. She jumped onto it, straddling the abdomen and punching with the force of a ton of bricks. Again and again, she slammed her fists into its head, and in her rage she paid no heed to the sounds of breaking bone and squishing brain matter. Tears flowed from her eyes as she whammed away at it, blurring her vision. Another attack from the side caused her to go flying into another desk, the force of both the blow and the desk breaking enough to allow her to regain her senses. She looked at the hobgoblin coming for her, it not even pausing to glance at its fallen brother. Alice lifted herself up and over another desk, using it to catapult herself across the room. Using what appeared to be a wrestling move, she clotheslined the hobgoblin with her right arm directly in its throat, crushing its windpipe and bringing it crashing back down to the floor. Heaving her foot at it, it whirled out of the path of her lethal kick, instead grabbing her by the ankle and throwing her across the room head over heels through the air. She slammed into the cement block wall, and saw stars; though they were far from a beautiful blue, they were a hellish red and threatening to explode. The impact had also served to knock the wind out of her and cause her to lose her bearings. Her vision was blurred now by her head hitting the wall, not tears. Unable to see clearly, she couldn't make out what was happening. "I can't see!" She shouted. "I need some help over here!" No sooner had she gotten out the words then she was broadsided by a fist borne from the demon currently attacking her, knocking her down and she rolling to meet whatever was coming at her. It seemed now it was her turn to be viciously attacked, she waving her arms blindly to try to defend herself as the demon swiped at her, its weight immobilizing her from the waist down. "Someone please help me!"

Alice nervously smiled, unsure of how to react to Rhea. She easily distracted herself with the introduction of Crowley and Asher. It would seem their inner monsters were non judgmental in who they killed. Visibly, they were shaken up by what they had done, especially Asher. Possibly, psychologically, they were all suffering from post-tramatic stress disorder. It wouldn't be surprising. What was this other side to them? To her? Was this other side of Alice just as much of a monster as the others' demon sides? Or worse? Alice knew full well she'd be learning all too soon. Alice looked out of the windows of the classroom to the sky. On the horizon, she could see towering thunderheads rolling in. There would be a torrential rainstorm later. Alice's brow furrowed. Her mother had often loved to sit and watch a good storm. "Rhea? Do you believe in heaven?" "Well, there's demons, we're proof of that apparently." "I see. Do you think... my mother is sending me a message?" "Demon mom or human?" "Human." "They say our loved ones never really leave us. I wouldn't know." Rhea shrugged, looking out to see what Alice was looking at. "A storm, huh? I always liked storms. They can be so... cleansing. And the plants are usually in need of it when it does. Do you like to garden?" "I... I had an herb garden." "See? that's something we have in common. I love to garden... I can show you how to grow more lively and colorful plants." "Would you? Thank you very much." Alice smiled a little, and returned her attention to the other students.

Alice stood next, though she wasn't sure how to go about introducing herself. She didn't particularly want to think about how she had come to be here, she'd been trying very hard not to. [i]'Mom, give me courage from Heaven...'[/i] she pleaded silently. "Yes, young lady? You may go next." said the instructor -who she had already met- and Alice nodded. Speaking out her voice was soft and yet harsh. People's eyes widened with hearing her accent, as it was completely unexpected from the rather graceful and lithe young woman. "I am Alice Vanderbelt, and I am not a native of this country. I hail from Germany, though I was adopted at a young age from an orphanage and only recently brought into this country. Since, I have lived here in the city with my adoptive mother..." Pausing for a second, she took a deep breath and searched for some way to continue. "But I am here, now." She finished abruptly and sat back down. She looked down at her desk, fighting to hold back the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes once more. [i] "Come child, come inside. It looks like you've had a rough day." The man was gentle, putting his arm over her shoulders and guiding her into the building. She was initially stiff, and pulled away from him a little, not wanting to be touched. He opened a closet door and pulled out a blanket to wrap around her. It felt warm, something that made her eyes water. Fresh, warm blankets... that smelled of lavender detergent just like her mother had used. "I'm Christopher, one of the teachers here. And who might you be, dear?" He walked her into a large room that was obviously a school kitchen. "Alice Vanderbelt..." she said, her words coming out sounding hollow to her ears. It was mechanical, with no real emotion showing. "Alice, it's nice to meet you. I have a sister your age, you know. You'll be meeting her in class tomorrow." He placed a cup filled with hot chocolate in front of her, and he smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, It's not anything special, it's just instant. But it is hot. Drink it, and hopefully you might feel a little better." Placing her delicate looking hands on the mug, she brought it to her lips and sipped some. Her mother had often made this in the winter when Alice came home from school. Her inability to cry was fading fast, and a single tear fell down her cheek. "Momma..." She said, and clenched her eyes shut to not cry in front of the stranger. She trembled like a small child after having a nightmare, and she had to put the cup down in order not to spill it. "Cry if you want to... Tears can help you get it out. I lost my father last night..." His words were kind, though they were met with an outburst. "Crying won't bring my mother back! Crying won't solve anything!" she shouted, the floodgate suddenly opened. She hunched over and Christopher wrapped his arms around her as she sobbed into his shoulder. Her tough girl demeanor melted away as she cried and cried and cried, unable to hold back. She sobbed violently and uncontrollably into the man's shoulder, her shouts broken and heartbreaking. She cried out for her mother, and of the life lost. Eventually, her tears stopped falling and Christopher pulled away. "Come, let me show you to your room. You have classes bright and early, and it won't do for such a pretty girl to be seen like this." [/i] "Thank you, Alice." The teacher moved on to other students, while Alice looked around the classroom, and at the others. Her initial impression was that Jensen was the typical tough guy, or rather better put an asshole. She looked him over, judging him to be far more guarded than most people she'd ever meet. Instantly, she didn't like him. Takeo... he seemed... gooey. A real softie. But that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. She wanted to see him as a little brother already. And as for Kaiel, she seemed to be a nice girl, though was visibly disconcerted with her clothing the way she held herself. There were others, but they hadn't introduced themselves yet. OOC: Sorry, first impressions count ^^

Kris walked over to the rooftop's edge, peering down over the street. How often he had driven down this street, and parked caddy-corner from the school itself. A friend of his had lived at the house there, though she'd long since moved away. He could only hope she'd made it out of the city before the Infection had hit. Taking his cellular phone from his pocket, he flipped the Sony Ericson open and gazed at it. The power was at about halfway, though he'd long since lost all signal. Turning it off, he turned back to the news reporter. She'd long stopped sobbing quietly into her knees, and now was sitting up in the fetal position. She seemed to just lie her head upon her knees and remain quiet. "Anna... I'm sorry. I.. I don't know what to say." "There's nothing for you to apologize for." came her sullen reply. "You didn't take off with the only way out of this nightmare." Panning the view from where he stood, he could see the few Infected milling about the roads and nearby buildings. The flower shop down the street had collapsed into a pile of blackened and charred rubble. Other than that, there seemed to be no immediate signs of distress in the nearby buildings. He knew that to get out of here they would have to travel on foot almost ten miles to the next evacuation point atop one of the cities' major skyline aspects, two buildings resembling the twin towers that had fallen in a terrorist attack a few years ago, albeit on a smaller scale. Sighing he opened his backpack and looked inside. He hoped he had enough ammo and pipe bombs to at least get to the Towers Place, though with this woman and hopefully any other stragglers showing up he might have a better chance at making it. "Anna, we might be to get evacuated after all, though we'll have to move. I know that Towers Place is an evacuation point now, and we might be able to make it together." Looking up at him, Anna smiled sadly. "That sounds all well and good, but have you seen what those... those[i] things [/i]can do? We could get swarmed by those things... or worse." "Worse? You mean the Tank? Or the Witch? There's more, but I'd rather not jinx us and maybe come across them." Looking at the reporter, he could see that she was thinking of things she had seen. He began to tell her about the various Special Infected, and their various mutations. She listened intently to him, and finally asked, "How do you know all this?" "It's what apparently others like us, other survivors are calling them." "I see... I guess it's a good thing we met up then... I didn't know there were so many kinds." "Well now you know. Tell me, what all do you have for weapons? You might want one of these." Pulling out one of his pipe bombs and a lighter he handed them to her and she looked at them, realizing what they were. "Those will provide enough of a distraction to get by massive hordes of the infected..."

Yes, indeed I came up with this school based on our own that we attended. I tried finding something we could use, but google maps have some weird white buildings that weren't there a few years ago, as well as some odd colorations to the pictures of preexisting buildings. For everyone who wants a good idea about the overhead view of the school, google it. maybe you guys will have better luck than I did.