Always{Seldom}Scared{Hopeful}

[Tiffany]

Belle shivered as she closed the door to her room. She stared absentmindedly at the stark bareness of the unused room. It didnt seem that she had a roommate as of yet. She quickly drug her bag to the bed on the right side of the room. She sat next to it and studied the colors and furniture that adorned the semi-small space that she would call her own. She didnt dare touch the other half even though it could partially be called hers too at the moment. She did not know how lucky she would be, or rather how long she would be in the room by herself. She was almost positive that she would recieve a roommate that would annoy her. She prefered to be alone, but knew the school would assign an unlucky soul to share the room with her. If they know what is good for them..they will stay on my good side..If it is possible, being in direct contact with me.. She shrugged and turned to the daunting task of unpacking the loathesome bag she had to carry the rest of the way to the building. She felt the pull of the book in her pocket, the weight that seemed to push itself into her conscience..begging her to open it and read it. She had once opened the book in the short time that she had it, and was appalled. She took out neatly folded kimonos and sundresses, and the occasional shorts and pants. She studied the bathing suits that she had brought..only two..but she had heard that there was a pleasant pool near the school that she intended to visit. She had truthfully told Jaden that swimming was on her favorites list. She paused at the thought. She could no longer contain herself and her restraint slipped through her fingers like grains of sand. She sat down and pulled the book out of her pocket. "The History of Blood". The title itself sent a chill down her spine. She opened it up once more to the familiar sight of the first chilling page. A spot of blood adorned the corner, with a name under it..apparently the name of the victim to who the blood once coursed through his veins..the blood that now sat dry and slightly browned with age on the page. "How long ago...did you kill him?" She whispered to no one in particular. "How long have you been homicidal..a lunatic? How long has Jaden been stuck..a prisoner inside the mind of someone as heartless as you Zefrum?" She wiped away the tear that slid down her cheek. Jaden seemed so sweet and innocent compared to the ruthless and cold-blooded aspect of his personality. Belle prepared herself mentally and turned the next page. Again, there was a similar spot of blood. "Oh now I get it...History of Blood.." She muttered purely in an epiphany that meant something only to her. She read the name and frowned. She flipped back and forth between the first two pages. "Same last name.." She read the writing below the second one. "Son...guessing some relation..what did Zefrum say his last name was?..." She looked up contemplating and trying to think back on the hot retort that he had slung at the group that Kenny had belonged to. Her eyes widened in horror as the realization hit her like a slap in the face.." That was his father and brother! And he killed them! " She hurriedly flipped through the pages and her horror built within each passing page. The cold and detached manner of which he spoke of his victims..It was...inhumane...wrong..and Jaden....He had to witness each massacre of humanity that Zefrum wrought upon his victims. It was not fair! Belle began to get angry at the unjustice of it all. She slammed the book shut, unable to read anymore. She wiped the tears from her eyes and slung the book onto the side of her bed and stared at it. She felt the sudden urge to burn it. She stopped herself and with a shake of her head picked it up and shoved it back into her pocket. She didnt think that if she did get a roommate, that the book was something that they would like to find. She definitely didnt want them to think that she was a murderer..Not good for a first impression.. Belle sighed deeply at the trouble that she had managed to get herself in. She would bet her life on the fact that Zefrum was extremely angry with her. She was sure that she would have to keep a constant eye out for him. She didnt want to have a blotch of her blood to be put on display in his book. She shuddered and took a final look around her room. She nodded in satisfaction at the temporary arrangement of her stuff and heard her stomach growl. "Hmm I need to get my mind off of this..at least long enough to get something to eat.." She smiled sardonically as she opened up the door in search of the cafeteria.

[Chibi Ryuzaki]

~Alastor explored the hallway. Well, half explore half lost anyway. He had only just arrived in Cassis, he had seen some of the people who lived here, but could sense almost all of them. ~ "Where is my room?" ~He held a slip of paper in his hand with his room number scribbled on it, but addmistration hadn't bothered to have anyone show him the way.~ "It must be around here somewhere." ~is stumach let out a monstorous growl, which didn't seem to fit his small stature.~ "I need to get something to eat soon, but I need to change this shirt first." ~His shirt had a hole in the bck of it. I happened whe the bolt of lightning hit him the night before durring the storm. It was thanks to his ability that he survived the lightning strike, his back healed the hole left there in a mater of minutes.~ "Well it looks like this is the right floor atleast." ~ He continued to walk down the corridor not looking infront of him, but at the numbers abouve him, until he collided with a girl that had just walked into the hall.~ "Oh, my I am oh so sorry. Are you ok?"

[Tiffany]

Belle gasped and backed up a step. "Oh..Im sorry..I wasnt paying attention..Sometimes when I'm hungry, my stomach makes decisions for me..and my brain doesnt have time to react!" She said laughing. She was jittery and nervous from her meeting with Zefrum and it showed terribly. She was talking way too fast and her hands moved widly when she talked, like she was trying to express herself by throwing her arms about. She stopped and blushed."I cant believe I just said that out loud.." She muttered as she turned away. "No need to be sorry..Im sure it was my fault..the floor really gives no warning to people walking in front of me and I am afraid it was the floor I was looking at.." She looked over at the person she had collided with. "Im fine..are you okay?" She asked, a hand extending toward him cautiously, but falling back down to her side. "Im Belle..I know this is a weird way to make a first impression..would you like to get something to eat? I was just headed down to the cafeteria.."

[Chibi Ryuzaki]

~He rubbed his head and gave a weak grin,~ "It is nothing that won't heal with a little time." ~He picked himself up and dusted off his cloak.~ "That would be nice, but first I need to find my room, it is somewhere on this floor." ~He picked up his bag, and then handed her the sliver of paprer, in the hope that she could be of some help.~ "Can you be of any service?"

[Tiffany]

Belle giggled but took the paper. "I do believe I am just as lost as you I am afraid!" She laughed but to her suprise she did have a clue as to where it was. It wasnt far from her own. That is why she had no roommate, this was the section that was left to be filled for the students that began later on in the school year. She smiled brightly. "I think I can be of service! Follow me.." She turned on her heel and began to walk farther into the building, away from the section with the cafeteria. Her stomach growled in protest, as if it knew she was heading away from instead of to the cafeteria. She patted her stomach, "Ill get there soon enough grumpy.." She whispered with a small smile. She turned back to see if he had heard her talk to her stomach, but shrugged..not like she cared. She found the room quickly and handed him the paper back. "I recognized the first number of your dorm is the same as mine..thus..same hall..then it was just a matter of going through the numbers! Easy.." She stepped back and let him get to the door. "So what was your name again?"

[Chibi Ryuzaki]

"My name? It is Alastor Evans." ~He held out his hand~ "And what is yours?" ~He took the parer ack from her. He walked with her, staying slightly behind her.~ "How long have you been here? I just arived last night." ~He said to her keeping his eyes torwards the floor.~ "I have never seen such a place in all my years." ~He then stopped infront of a door looked at his parer and back at the door, this must be it. Arigato." ~He said to her with a slightly warm smile.~

[Tiffany]

Belle laughed at the cute little kid. "Silly..I already said my name is Belle.." She shrugged. "I have only been here for..oh..a day.." She laughed out loud like it was a personal joke. She was releasing all of her nervous energy. It was refreshing being around someone that didnt want to kill her. A small smile crossed her lips as she thought about that. It was replaced by a shudder. "Your welcome, Alastor! Now you want to throw your stuff in there and grab a burger or something from the cafeteria?" She asked with a bright smile plastered to her face. The foreboding thought of Zefrum still being outside convinced her that taking the long way around maybe wasnt such a bad idea.. She shook her head. "Let me know when you get done and we can go..its my treat! " She turned around and contemplated the best route around Zefrum. She did not want to expose Alastor to him. That thought made her wonder why the little boy was here in the first place. She would ask when they got to the cafeteria..or if she stayed true to form, she would get too curious and ask on the way there...besides..how would he know that she was leading him the long way to the cafeteria? He was just as new here as she was..but she was a fast learner. She smiled when she remembered seeing one of the diagram "You are here" maps on the wall, like you would find at a mall. It was a big school. She had studied it for a good while, so she had a clue which way it was.

[Chibi Ryuzaki]

~He let let out a week chuckle, small smile and rubbed the back of his head~ "Oh yeah I forgot sorry." ~His stomach then let out another monsterous growl. His smile faded he looked doen and rubbed his tummy. He hadn't eaten in two days.~ "Thank you, I will just me a moment or two." ~ He walked into the room and shut the door behind him, and then placed his back to the door, letting his head sink. At that time a few tears struck the ground. He then looked up and whipped the tears from his eyes and looked around the small room, it was a single like he requested, there was a bed, small desk and a dresser. He walked over to the bed, sat his backpack down, opened it up and then pulled a black shurt out.~ " I'll put my stuff away later." ~He pulled off his cloak evealing his burnt shirt with the hole in the back of it. He pulled off his old shirt, revealing a cross neclace, it looked very old but well kept. He then sat on the bed, and put on the new, black one and then his cloak. His cloak was like his security blanket, he hardly went anywhere without it. He then made sure that there were no signs of the tear that had streamed down his cheaks only a moment ago, and then walked out the door.~ "I'm ready Miss Belle, please lead the way." ~He said with a slight smile.~

[Tiffany]

Belle waited patiently as he walked into his room. She belatedly realized that there was a rather large hole in the back of his shirt. She frowned but said nothing as he walked into the room. She leaned back against the wall while she waited for him to finish. She closed her eyes and chewed thoughtfully on her lower lip. She had many thoughts running through her head. One..not least of which, was about what Alastors powers were. He seemed like a nice kid..not at all harmful to her..but that hole..it was jagged and looked like it had burnt edges.... She pushed up against the wall with the tips of her fingers when she heard him come out of the door. He had changed his shirt..she didnt blame him..the breeze must not have been too pleasant. She smiled at the thought. She took off walking at a rather slow pace, so that Alastor could keep up. "Miss Belle? Please..just call me Belle.." She walked with her hands laced behind her back, bouncing on her lower back with each step. She turned and looked sideways at Alastor. He seemed timid..shy..but polite.. She couldnt help but ask what had landed him at a place like this. "Umm...what are your powers exactly Alastor..If you dont mind me asking?"

[Chibi Ryuzaki]

~The question had caught him a little off guard. No one had never asked him that before.~ "I...I don't mind you asking me, it's just that I'm hardly ever asked that." ~He paused for a moment to think and then replyed with.~ "I guess I have two"~He held up two fingers~"I can sense other people with abilities and the other is kinda hard to explain or believe.~ He tapped his head with his index finger and thought for a moment or two."You saw the hole in my shirt right? ~Belle nodded~ "I was struck by lightning last night in that huge storm while I was in the forest." ~He then imited a lightnign bolt.~ "He left a big hole in my back, but I'm fine now." ~He then rubbed the back of his head waiting for her reply.~

[Tiffany]

Belle stopped in her tracks and gazed upon this seemingly unapposing figure. "You cant be hurt?..." She leaned down and examined the boy. Her head tilted from side to side as she studied his face. "That....is....so...cool.." She said it in short bursts as the thoughts ran through her head. She burst out laughing. She placed a hand to her mouth and blushed at the sudden outburst. "Im sorry.." She said through gasps of breath. "Its just...I had a run in with a really bad man..And I wanted to take you the long way around to the cafeteria because I thought that he would hurt you for being near me.." She paused as she thought about it. "Or just because.." She shrugged her shoulders as she looked back down at her young companion. " That is a great power you have there. And you can sense other peoples powers? Well.." She smoothed her kimono underneath her legs and she leaned down to face Alastor. "I want you to focus..Tell me if you sense someone..really..really bad.. His name is Zefrum.. Do you sense him? Well..stay away from him..no matter what your powers are..I dont want you going near him okay?"

[Chibi Ryuzaki]

"Well I can really just sense that they are in the area, the feeling gets stronger if ther get closer, but I will stay away from him the best I can, I promise you that, even though I heal from my injuries, I don't like being hurt.~He looked at her for a moment~ "Well, I can be hurt in the sense of feeling pain, but my body heals and I keep going like nothing happened. This one time when a village in France found out what I was they burned me, then there was the taown in Russia that hung me, but the only time I felt safe was when I first met another gifted, it almost felt like having a father again, then he was murdered." ~He played with the cross around his neck, remembering his past, a single tear runs down his cheek.~

[Tiffany]

Belle sighed as she stood back up. "Good..I dont want you to get---" She trailed off as she realized that he was so soft spoken that she had almost missed hearing him talk. She frowned as she listened to his stories. Such a young boy going through all of that.... Though I give him the part about the gifted being like a father to him and all..but the rest of it...he's just a kid.. She alsmost spoke her thoughts but settled for just a few questions while she navigated her way closer to the cafeteria. "Soo..you have been to France and Russia..and you have been burned and hung?....So..how old are you exactly?" At this last question she looked over at the boy and saw him fidget with his necklace. A tear rolled down his cheek and Belle felt a sudden pull of sympathy for the poor boy. She almost felt guilty for doubting him..but his storys were so farfetched..

[Chibi Ryuzaki]

~He had almost missed her question. He had been absorbed in his memories of the past. All the people he had know, the countless things he had seen.~ "If you had to guess how old I am, you would say ten right? I'm afraid you would be mistaken. Well I first found out about my gift when my village in Britain was raided by the invading armies ofJuleas Caesar."~ He paused for a brief moment." ~That was in 55 b.c, I was the only one who survived. I think that it was then that my gift truely awakened. After the invaders moved on I buried the villagers and left. I drifted from place to place, eventualy leaving Britain, making my way to near by France. I lived in a family in Paris, which had already been conquered by Caesar about a decade before. There was a accidant, I fell from a tree, and broke my neck, I awoke minutes later, I was in the arms of the woman who adopted me, she was crying, I was then burned at the stake later that day, and my body casted away. I can still here their screams, the satisfaction of seing me die, when I awoke my body looked as it did before, free of burns. I waited until night fall, stole some clothes and food, and left the city." ~He paused again taking a few breaths.~ "I stayed in France for many years moving from village to village, taking what I needed I then made my way to Isriel where I met a man who was gifted like my self. He could heal people with just a touch at times. He was a great man indeed. He and the people around him accepted me, even knowing what I was. I was so happy. I lived there for a few years following him to different places, until oned day, he disappeared, I later found him nailed to a cross." ~He was now gripping the cross that hung from his neck so hard that droplets of blood trickled from his hand,~ "After that I was broken, I stayed in Rome, for about a decade living on the street, taking what charity I could get, then I left, moking my way north torwards Russia, I stayed there for a long time, drifting as always never alowing myself to get attached. The people of Asia wern't to kind though, so I started my journey back east. I stayed in some of the same places, no one remembered me because it had been so many years since I had last been there. I went home every fifty years or so to visit the graves of my family." ~He remained silent for a nother moment or two aftee that and then continued.~ "I have seen many things, the cruelty of people through the ages, how those different of persecuted, and killed. That is why I am so glad to have found such a place as this, a friend like you." ~He then turned to her and hugged her.~

[Tiffany]

Belle gasped at the mention of 55 b.c. She stared down at the apparently not so young boy walking next to her. He was so soft spoken, yet confident, sure of himself and his biography. He told of her of places he had been, what he had gone through. Through it all she struggled against the tears that threatened to fall. So young..destined to never age..to never die? Had he ever been remorseful for his talent? Regret living so much longer than all of his loved ones? What happens when he is alone? When there is no one to guide him to the cafeteria..no one to talk to him..no one to tell his stories to..Her thoughts were interrupted when he hugged her. She leaned down slightly to his height and hugged his seemingly frail shoulders tightly. So young..but so old.. The wisdom of ages in eyes of a child. It just didnt seem right. But what was to be done about it.. He would go through life as a man, in a child's body. The mind growing and filling with knowledge, yet never reaching his potential as a man physically. She shook her head at the pain that had caused a lump in her throat. Her hand smoothed down his hair as she hugged him. " I am sorry that you have had to experience that..I truely am.." She said, choking back the tears. She stood up straight and cleared her throat. "But no more sad thoughts for the day okay? How about we get our food, head out to the courtyard and eat? That sound good? Its a beautiful day.." She trailed off as she tried to compose herself. She began to walk briskly , not wanting him to see the tears in her eyes. She didnt want him to think that he had caused them, it was not his fault. She wanted to enjoy the rest of the day, and possibly spend most of it with her new found friend.