ic True Sight

[Thevshi]

It was shortly after classes had finished the day several of the students had been presented with several ethical questions during philosophy class.  Veronica Danger was walking at something of a brisk pace through the Quad from the main classroom building, trying to catch up with one of her fellow students, Abigail Storm.  The weather was still warm enough that the teenage Danger was dressed in her typical cargo shorts, this time a brown pair, with a red T-shirt over which she wore a short sleeved tan button up shirt that she wore unbuttoned. 

 

"Hey Abby!"  She called out as she started to draw near the other girl, which allowed her to more easily catch up with the other teen as she stopped to see who had called her name.  "Hey, just wanted to see if you were okay."  Veronica said as she drew up alongside Abby.  "You seemed to get a bit frazzled toward the end of those questions in philosophy."

[April]

Abigail looked back in the direction of where she was going before Veronica stopped her, to give her time to think about a response and also to see who was around.

 

"Oh, I'm fine," Abigail lied, tilting her head slightly to indicate that they should keep walking.  Despite nobody being immediately around them, some conversations Abigail simply didn't want to have out in the open.  "I just lost interest," she continued, which wasn't a lie but wasn't quite the truth either.

[Thevshi]

Veronica

 

If Veronica had a hint that Abigail was not being entirely truthful, she did not let it show, instead giving a small nod.  "Yeah, the questions were starting to get rather tired as they went on.  Though, some of the debate on the issues were interesting.  It seemed like most of the groups had things get tense at least part of the time during those questions."

 

The teenage Danger had not yet started walking, instead she glanced across the Quad toward the front entrance to the school. "So, I don't know about you, but I have a bit of time before I have any commitments.  With the campus being open to the surrounding area for the next couple of hours, you interested in heading to the coffee shop just off campus?  We have not had much chance to talk outside of class since school began."

[April]

Abigail gave a sidelong in the direction of the library and then shrugged.  "Sure, I could use a cup of coffee," she said, giving Veronica a faint, if guarded, smile.  "You know, I heard that one student a few years ago actually had a coffeemaker in his dorm room."  She started walking, assuming that the other girl could keep up.

 

"Could you imagine, especially after the first school assembly, the headmistress allowing anything like that?"

[Thevshi]

Veronica

 

Veronica smiled slightly as Abigail talked about a former student who had a coffee maker in his dorm room and what the current headmistress might think of that, starting off alongside the other girl at an easy pace.  "Oh, I don't know," the teenage Danger replied, "a coffee maker seems rather harmless compared to some of the things our fellow students have in their rooms even now.  Between Janus and I our room has a number of sharp or pointed objects."

 

"I learned to help make coffee or tea on a camp stove or just an open fire years ago."  Veronica then added as they drew close to the front entrance to the school. 

 

"So, this is your second year at Claremont, right?"

[April]

Abigail nodded once.

 

"Yes, this is my second year at Claremont," she answered.  "Before that Nicholson."  It should be safe to mention that school, she reasoned, to someone that is attending Claremont.  Maybe.

 

"I do not think Elizabeth has any sharp objects hidden in our room," the young mage continued looking thoughtful.  "I do not.  Books, certainly, but those are to sharpen the mind.  Which, one could argue, is more deadly."

 

"Survival skills are good to have," she offered.  "Considering your surname."

[Thevshi]

Veronica

 

Veronica chuckled slightly at Abigail's comment about the usefulness of survival skills.  "Yeah, my upbringing certainly lived up to my family name.  I never knew when I would be climbing a mountain, hacking through a jungle or riding across a desert.  Loved every minute of it to be sure."  She replied with a grin.

 

"But I certainly agree a sharp mind can be equally as useful."  She then added.  "I have never been a great collector of books, but certainly have read as many as I could.  I have a pretty good memory, which makes needing to keep too many on hand a bit less necessary.  I have built up something of a collection of journals I have kept over the years, with sketches and pictures and notes about the various places I have been, things I have seen and people I have met."

[April]

Abigail thought of her early life in the Netherworld and her own training, how the fear of dying was somehow less compared to the fear of failing mother.

 

"That sounds fascinating," she said, genuinely interested.  "I would like to see some of those journals, if you're OK with that," she added.  "I enjoy learning about new places."

 

Makes it easier to go unnoticed if you don't appear to be a tourist, like you belong.  The young mage's hand reached out and opened the door to the coffee shop, holding it open for Veronica.

[Thevshi]

Veronica

 

"Thank you."  Veronica stated as Abigail opened up the door to the coffee shop for her, making her way inside and waiting for the other teen before they moved into the line for the counter.  "Oh, of course, I would be happy to let you have a look at them."  She replied as Abigail asked about looking at some of her journals.  "Part of them is to have a reference for others to see when I talk about places, as opposed to truly reminding me of them."

 

"I will probably be showing Danica some of them soon, as she was interested in seeing some of the pictures I have of some tortoise I have seen during a trek across the Sahara."  The teenager Danger added with a smile.  "You are more than welcome to join us, or we could always find another time."

[April]

"Sure, I'd like that," Abigail answered.  Her demeanor subtly shifted as they had left Claremont and entered the coffee shop.  Veronica could she was still guarded, but it seems that what she was guarded about shifted slightly.

 

"I like to draw too," she added.  "At first it was just a means to replicate some things I had see, transferring them from one book to another.  But later it became just a fun way to pass the time."

 

She looked thoughtful for a moment.  "I had thought of putting a sketchbook and a few markers, pens and such in the common area.  So could all draw or write something and kind of commemorate the year."  But she shook her head, "Too weird though, right?"

[Thevshi]

Veronica

 

"Yeah, I sort of started some of my sketches for the same reason.  I mean, it is perfectly easy to take pictures of things, places, people, and I have plenty of them.  But there is just something about drawing out something for yourself, taking the time to capture all of its intricacies and details."  Veronica replied when Abigail explained how she had gotten into drawing.  "Also, something about it just seems so 'traditional' to me, reminding me of some of the field journals I have seen of my grandfather and great-grandfather’s explorations." 

 

The pair reached the front of the line and placed their drink orders before moving over to wait for them to be made.  When Abigail mentioned her idea for a sketchbook in the common room on their floor, Veronica brightened up slightly at the suggestion.  "Too weird?  Not at all, I think it could be a wonderful idea."  The teenage Danger replied.  "I suppose it would not be for everyone, but I imagine that plenty of people might be interested in adding something to such a book."

[April]

"I will do this then," Abigail said with a determined nod, causing her pendant to glimmer in the florescent light.  She leaned against the counter, watching the coffee shops lobby and keeping Veronica in her peripheral vision.

 

"You and yours seem very well traveled," she said trying to make it sound as casual as possible.  "What's the most interesting thing you've personally come across?"

[Thevshi]

Veronica

 

Veronica noted as Abigail's pendant caught some of the light, but she was not quite ready to discuss the symbol on the pendant just yet.  Instead, she collected her drink when delivered and made her way over to one of the seats toward the back as Abigail asked her question.

 

"Wow, that is a tough question."  The teenage Danger replied with a small smile.  "I have been so many places and they all had something special or exciting about them so it is hard to really pick just one."

 

She took a sip of her drink as she thought a moment, then continued, "but, if I had to pick one, I would say it is probably Egypt.  Whenever we went there it was always to some archeological dig or another.  The amount of ancient structures that fill parts of the country is just astounding and I have had the opportunity to go through a number of them."

[April]

"Egypt sounds nice," Abigail said, casting a long and thoughtful look out of the coffee shops window.  "I've never been, myself, but it sounds fascinating."  She'd read a bit about Egypt, and seen some artifacts in her father's sanctum that she was certain came from that ancient land.  But her guardians never allowed her to travel that far.

 

"I've read about it, and my .. my father had a few objects that I suspect are from there," she confided to Veronica.  "Maybe one day I will get to see it, and other places with my own eyes."

[Thevshi]

Veronica

 

"Well, I am sure you will get a chance to see Egypt and many other places you want to go someday."  Veronica replied with a reassuring smile.  "I do not know when I might make another trip there, but if I do while at Claremont, maybe we could try to see if you could come along as well?"

 

The teenage Danger then went quite for a moment, glancing casually around them to make sure there was no one too close or that seemed to be paying any particular attention to what they were discussing.  Satisfied that there was none listening in on them, Veronica focused back on Abby.  "But what I really was wanting to talk to you about was the Modrossus you wear on your necklace."

[April]

Reflexively Abigail reached up to cover the medallion.

 

"It was my father's," she said after a moments hesitation.  It took an act of willpower to unclench her hand from the Modrossus, and return it to her mug of coffee.  She made it almost seem natural and unforced, but there was a stiffness to the young mage's actions.

 

"He passed, and so it passed to me," she continued, eyes downcast.  She shook herself, looked up at Veronica and put on a little smile.  "What would you like to know?"

[Thevshi]

Veronica

 

"I am so sorry."  Veronica said softly when Abigail mentioned her father had passed.  "If you would rather not talk about it right now I would understand."  The teenage Danger offered, but when Abigail indicated she was okay talking about it, Veronica continued.

 

"Well, mainly I wanted to let you know I recognized the symbol, although that may not be that unusual at a place like Claremont."  Veronica stated, pulling out a small silver chain out of one of her pockets from which hung several small charms of various symbols from around the world, including a Abbridon, Ios and a Modrossus as well.  "I have one I have picked up in my travels myself."