ic Everyone’s An Art Critic IC

[Thevshi]

Riverside

Freedom City, New Jersey

Tuesday June 11, 2024. 7:00 PM

 

Jack and Lynn had communicated via text over the last few days after meeting in Liberty Park and Lynn having to take a rain check on buying Jack lunch. In that time, lunch had changed to dinner, and Lynn suggested meeting in Riverside for the open houses put on by local art galleries on the second Tuesday evenings of each month. This choice certainly made sense, given they both had an interest in art.

 

So, Jack was waiting on the sidewalk in Riverside where Lynn had indicated as a meeting place, near the start of the various art galleries. Jack had not yet really spent any time in this part of Freedom City, down near the bay and the famous Sentry Statute. In addition to various residential neighborhoods with small, well-kept apartment buildings and rows of townhomes, in addition to art galleries, it was filled with restaurants, coffee shops, bookstores and a number of other small boutique businesses.

 

---------------------------------------------------------------- 

 

Ever since it had been decided that he would begin attending Claremont Academy in the fall,

Eòghann Soillearsgian had begun making some trips to Freedom City to acquaint himself some with the city before he began residing there. During his last visit, he had learned about this regular event hosted by various art galleries in one of the city’s neighborhoods. So, the young prince had once again traveled to Freedom City and was walking down a sidewalk in Riverside, headed towards a street that boosted a large number of galleries.

 

As he walked along the streets, he found them busy with all manner of people. There were couples, groups of friends, individuals and families. While young adults seemed to easily be the most common age group he had seen, there were certainly other teens, and plenty of older adults (in addition to children of various ages among the families).

[Jack]

Jack flipped open his phone for the fifth time to check the time. He had not wanted to be late today and it was an almost six mile walk from where he lived in Southside to the spot Lynn wanted to meet, so he had left about 3 hours prior and enjoyed a mostly pleasant walk along the South river, stopping only to prevent a mugging near Letterman and Adams.

 

The crossing of South river over the Pramas Bridge had also been uneventful, but he had been treated to a nice view of the bay where the South river and Wading river intersected. Once over the bridge it had only been about a mile to Riverside Park and the meet up spot. Jack had found a nice light pole to lean against near the statue and had been there for the last thirty to forty minutes. He checked his phone again, then checked his attire. 

 

He wasn't entirely sure what he was supposed to wear to a lunch-turned-dinner, but his wardrobe was fairly limited to begin with. He had found his best sleeveless shirt, cargo shorts and flip flops and hoped he was presentable enough. Fashion was not something he ever really paid attention to.

 

He checked his phone for the seventh time and it was just now seven pm. It was almost time to meet up.

[Thevshi]

Velocity

 

As Jack check his phone, again, a grey BMW iX electric SUV had pulled onto the street a few blocks away and was heading towards where he was waiting. Seated in the passenger seat, Megan Howell-Harrow looked over to Lynn, who was driving the SUV and gave the teen a small smile. "Nice job Lynn. I told you driving a car was not really that different than piloting."

 

"Except for all the traffic." Lynn responded as she began to slow down some as they drew closer to where she had told Jack to meet her to look for a place to park.

 

"Well, at least there was only the one time you almost gave me a heart attack." Megan replied.

 

"There's Jack!" Lynn stated, Megan noticing a slight hint of exactment in her voice.

 

"You were not kidding when you said he was built like a lineman."

 

As Lynn managed to pull into a spot along the street a short distance past Jack, Megan looked over at the blonde teen. "Are you sure you are up for this?"

 

Lynn was quiet for a moment (which seemed to last an eternity to Megan), her hands slightly tightening on the steering wheel despite the SUV being stopped. "Yes." She finally replied, though it sounded a bit like she was trying to mainly convince herself. "I start at Claremont in less than three months. How can I expect to be ready for that if I cannot handle an evening in Riverside?"

 

Megan looked at the teen for a moment before given a small nod. "Well….if you are sure. But, if things get too overwhelming, text me. I will be there in a moment." She then gave the teen a warm smile. "Well, let's not keep him waiting then."

 

Jack had spotted the grey SUV as it went by and thought he had had seen Lynn inside. A few moments after it parked a short way past him, the doors opened. The passenger door was the one most immediately in Jack's view, and for a moment he thought it was Lynn that climbed out of the SUV. But at a second glance, he realized it was a very attractive woman that appeared to be in her thirties (though she could probably easily pass for late-twenties).

 

The resemblance to Lynn was plainly obvious, the same hair, same nose, but what really drove the connection home was the older woman's eyes. She had the same bright blue (grey to Jack) eyes that seemed to burst with energy. She was wearing dark blue jeans and a tailored blouse that complimented her slim figure as she focused her gaze on Jack.

"You must be Jack." She stated with a warm, friendly smile, moving towards him and holding out her right hand. "I'm Megan. It's very nice to meet you."

 

"Hi Jack." Lynn said as she came around the back of the SUV from the driver side door, managing a faint smile. The blonde teen was wearing a blue summer dress with small orange poke-a-dots. Other than two thin straps, the dress left her shoulders bare.

[Jack]

Jack saw the fancy SUV pass by and was pretty sure he saw Lynn inside. He watched it park, picking up the little framed board that had been leaning against the light pole. Jack raised an arm to wave and was about to greet Lynn when he realized that it wasn't  Lynn. Jack awkwardly put his hand down as the woman approached, her eyes as distinct as Lynn's. The resemblance was unmistakable.

 

"Oh...hullo miss Megan" Jack said with a pleasant, if uncertain, smile as he gently shook the offered hand. "Yes, I yam Jack. And it is wary nice to meet yous as vell. His smile grew ever so slightly as Lynn rounded the SUV and said hello.

 

"Hullo miss Lynn." His eyes took in her outfit. "You look fantastic..." He looked sheepishly down at his own outfit with a soft chuckle. "Sorry I do not look as good as yous." He ran a hand through the back of his hair, which Lynn might remember seeing him do when nervous. He suddenly seemed to remember he was holding something.

 

"Oh! Uhm..." He holds out the laptop sized chalkboard to Lynn. On it is a detailed chalk drawing of her smiling. "You said you 'ave hard time seeing positive things sometime...so I thought maybe this vould help...plus yous did such nice picture for me." Jack gives a small smile as he paraphased her words back to her. "Never been much good at pencil and paints, but I do like chalk."

 

He suddenly remembered Megan was there and shuffled a bit awkwardly.

Edited June 15 by Jack

[Kaede Kimura]

Harlequin

 

Eòghann wandered amongst the crowd, wearing the face of a human, as well as a lovely forest green doublet with subtle leaf patterns, over which he wore a dark brown leather jerkin. To complete the outfit he wore a pair of breeches that matched his doublet, a pair of riding boots and a pure white cravat. He had relished the chances to visit the City of Freedom, especially after he had convinced his mother and father to allow him to do so without escort to test his new human identity. So far he had mostly wandered the neighbourhoods to get used to the terrain, with the only truly notable thing being the proprietor of spirits informing him that he was too youthful to purchase wine, which was an odd occurrence.

 

But this time would be different. Today he was here to sample the fine arts of the City of Freedom, the truest way to gaze into the heart of a culture, with no sneering mentors looking down their noses at the 'meagre' efforts of people without innate access to magical enhancements. Personally he was quite excited to see just how far these people had developed art without such boons, and so his heart soared as he passed a trio of Humans, one a clear mother-daughter pair and the other a large muscular man(?) who looked to be here to do the same thing. "<A good afternoon to you!>" He proclaimed to them, confident that his magic would render him understood as he passed by towards the gallery.

Edited June 16 by Kaede Kimura

[Thevshi]

Velocity

 

After shaking Jack's hand, Megan stepped back slightly, just observing as Lynn made her way around to the sidewalk. Doing her best to hide a slight smile at watching the slight awkwardness between the two.

 

Lynn blushed slightly at Jack's comment about her outfit. "Thank you." She replied.

 

When he seemed a bit uncertain about his own clothes, the blonde teen glanced off to the side a bit awkwardly as she replied. "Oh, don't apologize…there is no real dress code or anything." She said as she looked back to Jack.

 

"You look just fine Jack." Megan interjected, giving the tall teen a friendly smile.

 

A look of surprise came over Lynn's face when Jack presented her with the chalk drawing he had done. "Wow….this is really beautiful Jack." She replied, looking up at him and managing a slight smile. "You really didn’t have to, but thank you."

 

"This is really Amazing Jack." Megan added as she looked at the drawing as well. The older woman then reached out to take the chalkboard. "I can take it back home if you like, so you don't have to worry about it getting messed up all night." She looked down at it again and looked with a wide smile. "Sides, you walk around the galleries with this and I imagine there would be more than a few offers to buy it."

 

It was then that a teenage boy with long blond hair walked by the trio, offering a friendly greeting as he passed.

 

"Good evening." Megan responded with a friendly smile and a quick glance before looking back down at the chalk drawing.

 

"Oh, hi." Lynn said in response as she also looked over at the blond teen as he walked by.

 

Megan looked back up at the two teens. "Well, I should probably be heading home. You two have fun." She said with a wide smile before heading over to the driver's door of the parked SUV.

 

Jack heard the greeting from the stranger as well…only, he was certain the boy had spoken to them in Ket.

 

As Alden walked past the trio, he looked down the street to see several galleries ahead, each of which seemed to be drawing a number of visitors, as he could see people making their way in or out of each as the sidewalks around them were even busier with people that the parts of Riverside the young prince had already visited.

[Jack]

Jack visibly lit up when Lynn said she liked the drawing. He had hoped she would like it, but to see her smile over it made his day. "I yam glad yous like." Jack nodded when Megan offered to take it home. He had put a protective coating on it, but hadn't really thought ahead about Lynn having to carry it around all night. 

 

Jack's ears perked up when he heard a greeting in his native language. He turned to see a well dressed teen presumably their age headed to the art galleries. He raised a hand in greeting. <"Hello Comrade."> Jack said back in his Native tongue, but the boy was already moving on.

 

He turned his attention back to Lynn as Megan departed. "Yous mom seems wery nice."

[Kaede Kimura]

Harlequin

 

Eòghann smiled and waved to the trio as they returned his greeting (Although he had to admit 'comrade' was a strange turn of phrase) he continued on with a bounce in his step, frequently greeting others as he passed, a large grin on his face. He had never seen so many humans before! The largest villages he had visited had scarcely hundreds, all huddled behind palisades against (him and) his people, his efforts as Harlequin may have lightened the burdens his own lessons imparted and raised their hopes, but they still existed within the shadows of dark mountains and grim forests.

 

Here though! This was truly the City of Freedom! No walls to keep the night at bay, children wandering the street unafraid! At this point nothing could dampen his spirits as he approached the galleries, concentrating so that his magic would translate the signs. Which one should he go into he wondered? The words washed through him and he could feel his interest rising. How might this 'Modern' art gallery differ from traditional contemporaries? Perhaps it dealt more with the wondrous technologies these humans had access to, like the 'Cellular Phone' he had paid a whole Noble for- He had thought he had offered some grave insult with the way the Shopkeep's face had grown pale, but the young man had seemed quite happy to accept it after conversing with his 'Manager'. Still, he had yet to quite figure out it's many riddles- That could make it difficult to interpret without the familiarity that was evident amongst the crowd, but his determination was unshaken, he would learn of the art.

 

But perhaps he should take a more oblique approach. If subtleties might be lost upon him, the large man(?) he had seen earlier was presenting the pair he had seen with a (very nice) drawing. Clearly an artist of some kind, so he might make an excellent mentor on the subtleties of the displays. Perhaps some of his pieces might be on display here? That would be most excellent. He turned to try and spot the trio, before pursing his lips. He could not see over the crowd, and had no idea where they might have gone. How did humans find their way in such large crowds with such tall folk?

[Thevshi]

NPC/Lynn

 

Lynn had given Jack a slightly curious look as he had responded to the blond teen's greeting in a language she did not recognize. But before she could ask about that, the large teen turned to her and commented about Megan.

 

The teenage girl's reaction was not what one might expect. From the look that came to Lynn's face, one would have though Jack had physically struck her. But the expression was only there for a brief moment before the blonde seemed to quickly close her eyes and take a deep breath. When her bright eyes opened once more, her expression was again more neutral, if a bit melancholy.

 

"Yeah, she w…is." Lynn replied as she turned to look down the street where the SUV was still just visible. "A little bit over protective…but just a little."

 

A little further down the block, it took Eòghann a few moments, but he was able to pick out the towering young man he had seen despite the crowd. As the crowd shifted, giving him a clearer view, he saw that the mother was nowhere to be seen, and it was just the tall young man and the blonde girl.

[Jack]

Arctus/Jack

 

Jack noticed the shift in her demeanor, mostly because he was looking at her when it happened. He was curious why a simple statement would hurt her...but Lynn didn't offer an explanation and Jack wasn't the type to pry. He nodded to her words. "Da, my grandparents were a bit over protective...especially after almost dying." He let out an easy going laugh. "But guess cannot really blame them for that. Never had to worry if day loved me or not..." the smile faltered for only a fraction of a second as he thought about his parents, but the smile returned as he looked to Lynn.

 

He tapped his stomach. "Must warn you I 'ave developed appetite of bear while waiting for dis rain check..." He gave her a giant smile. He was mostly kidding. "Hope yous picked out yous favorite place...or is ve finding new place tonight?"

 

Off in the distance Jack's eye caught a glimpse of the fancy teen in green that had greeted him in his language.

Edited June 17 by Jack

[Kaede Kimura]

Harlequin 

 

Eòghann quietly thanked the machinations of fate that the person he had sought was tall even by the standards of this crowd. Hits eyebrow quirked as he wondered where the young lady's mother had gotten to. Clearly they trusted the big man(?), a point in his favour in his mind.

 

He briefly considered how he might approach the pair, what tricks his teachers would tell him to use, or if approaching them at all was necessary, rather than staying hidden and listening in on their discussion before shaking his head. He was not Eòghann the Prince here, nor was he Harlequin the Trickster, he was Alden Underwood the human. He could simply... converse. Honestly. 

 

It felt wrong to think it, years of training in the courtly ways rebelling at the idea of an honest approach, especially when he wanted something, but he made his way through the crowd towards the pair, even as his thoughts chased themselves around his head.

 

Alden stopped a respectful distance from them, suppressing the urge to run his hands through his hair nervously. <Ah, pardon the interruption, I was looking at the galleries and found myself realizing that I might be out of my depth, I am not familiar with the modern art movement.  I could not help but notice your lovely drawing and was wondering if I might accompany you two, that i might be able to ask after your expertise?>"

Edited June 21 by Kaede Kimura

[Thevshi]

NPC/Lynn

 

Lynn gave Jack a sympathetic look as he mentioned the traumatic attack he had told her about days before at the park and how that had made his grandparents somewhat overprotective as a result. "Yeah, she has good intentions, and understandable reasons, as well." The blonde teen paused, seeming uncertain about something herself before Jack changed the subject to food.

 

His comment about building up an appetite earned another slight smile. "Oh, that won't be a problem. There are a number of good places nearby that I thought we could consider." The blonde teen stated in response. "But in the meantime, there should be plenty of appetizers at the art galleries so we can start with a few of those."

 

It was then that Eòghann had approached the pair, politely interjected. Lynn looked over at the blond teen who was about her height. For a moment she seemed slightly at a loss for words. "Oh, hello." She finally managed to reply. "I…don't really mind, if Jack doesn't." She added, looking up at the tall teen.

[Jack]

 Jack's stomach growled accent at Lynn's suggestion about the appetizer. It was only then that he realized he hadn't actually eaten in several hours. He had been so focused on making it on time and keeping the drawing safe that he had forgot to stop and get snacks. He could feel his body complaining and beginning to show symptoms of withdrawal. He hid a yawn with his hand and then smiled.

 

At that moment the fancy teen approached them, which made for a good distraction from his stomach. Jack got a distinct odor from the teen that immediately piqued his spirits interest. It wasn't an overtly bad or good odor....just...different. Jack had never smelled someone like this before. "Da, is fine vith me..." He switched to his native tongue. <"It isn't often I meet someone who speaks the mother tongue."> This teen piqued his interest on a couple levels.

Edited June 20 by Jack

[Kaede Kimura]

Harlequin 

 

Alden smiled brightly as the pair agreed to allow him to accompany them. That was most excellent, as the ideal people to guide him through the intricacies that doubtless he would see in these galleries would be an artist and a fellow young adult, one aware of the minute details of the artistic expressions, the other of the cultural movements of this era.

 

He truly had lucked out. 

 

The comment about speaking the 'mother tongue' piqued his interest. Was it that they had identified him as foreign and were glad he spoke their language? No, then it wouldn't be a rare occurrence. Clearly they were foreign themselves. Fascinating! In the interest of not trying to claim kinship with them he decided to hedge his bets in terms of language. He was trying to be honest after all. 

"<It is not my birth tongue, but I have been told I speak it well! It is nice to get the chance to practice it. May I ask what brings you two to this fine city?>"

Edited August 22 by Kaede Kimura

[Thevshi]

NPC/Lynn

 

Lynn once again regarded Jack as he spoke in a foreign language, which the blond teenage boy seemed to understand, as he responded to whatever Jack had said, clarifying that it was not his native language. The blonde girl seemed about to say something, the stopped, her bright blue eyes narrowing ever so slightly.

 

But that was only for a moment, before a more neutral expression returned. "Well…we were just about to start with one of the galleries." She said to the newcomer. "I'm Lynn, and this is Jack." She stated by way of introduction and pointing down the block to one of the stores nearby.

 

Now that he was closer to the pair, Alden could see that the blonde girl that seemed to be a mix of various conflicting emotions (not exactly an uncommon thing among humans of this age). However, what was perhaps a bit different was that she seemed to be working very hard to keep in an overwhelming sense of sadness.

[Jack]

Jack

 

Jack smiled warmly, extending his hand to Alden. The larger man's grip was firm, but he did his best to not crush the smaller man's hand.

 

"Vanya Davydov," he said, his deep voice carrying a hint of his Russian accent. " Everyone call me Jack. Did not catch yous name..."

 

Alden's question about what brought Jack to the city stirred memories of the move. Jack's gaze drifted for a moment, recalling the whirlwind of changes that had led him here.

"My parents got jobs in city," Jack explained, his words carefully chosen. "We moved from Russia few months ago." He paused, considering how much to share. "It was big change, but good opportunity for family."

 

Jack thought back to the day his parents had broken the news. He'd been in the middle of the Siberian wilderness, camping with his grandparents. The call had come as a surprise, interrupting their peaceful retreat. At first, he'd been resistant to the idea of leaving his beloved forests and the life he knew. But his parents' excitement had been contagious.

 

"I miss home sometimes," Jack admitted, his eyes refocusing on Alden. "But city has its own kind of beauty. Different from nature I grew up with, but still fascinating."

 

He glanced around to the galleries, taking in the vibrant artwork adorning the displays. It was a far cry from the rugged landscapes he was used to, but he was learning to appreciate the urban environment.

 

"Vhat about you?" Jack asked, genuinely curious. "'ave you alvays lived here?"

[Kaede Kimura]

Harlequin 

 

Alden hesitated at how easily the pair offered their names. They had to know that was dangerous, or were they false names? No, that did not make sense, Jack had offered both a casual and true name without a hint of the hesitation one would have if they were coming up with aliases. Perhaps it was a gamble? No wordplay could be used to easily steal their names like this so they were betting on not meeting a fae or magician strong enough to take advantage? That seemed more reasonable, but something ringed false.

 

He would have to get to the bottom of this new and interesting mystery without raising their suspicions about his own nature. He could not exactly ask them why they were willing to just give him their names. Then they would wonder if he was dangerous to give their names to. No, best to get to the heart of the matter more subtly. He took the big man's hand after a brief moment of hesitance.

 

"I am called Alden Underwood. It is a pleasure to meet you both Lynn and Jack." He nodded along with Jack's explanation amiably, even as he ticked his estimate of his age down slightly- although it was still a few years above reality. He could certainly relate to his love of the country and awe of the city. Alden would have to find some way of contacting Jack in the future while he was at Claremont, he seemed a kindred spirit. "<I am not from this city, my parents have sent me to be enrolled in a school here, the Claremont Academy so I am familiarizing myself with the city. It is truly a wonderful place, I have never seen so many people!>"

Edited August 22 by Kaede Kimura

[Thevshi]

NPC/Lynn

 

Lynn seemed more than willing to remain more in the background (so to speak) once the introductions were done and Jack and Alden began talking about being new to Freedom City. She walked along the opposite side of Jack from Alden, following along with their conversation.

 

But when Jack mentioned missing home sometimes, the blonde girl seemed to stiffen as she looked away from the two for a moment. As the trio came to one of the galleries, she had focused back ahead of them.

 

Inside, the trio found a small crowd inside a large open room from which there were a few doors leading to side rooms. The faint sound of music could be heard over the various conversations of the various groups spaced throughout the room. A number of paintings were displayed on the walls of the room, and up along the back wall of the room was a large table set up with various platters of food.

 

When Alden mentioned he would be attending Claremont Academy in the fall, Lynn turned to focus on him, for a moment seeming as if she were considering something. "I will be attending Claremont in the fall as well."

[Jack]

Jack

 

Within the art gallery, Jack observed a modest gathering in a spacious area, with several doors branching off to side rooms. The soft strains of music threaded through the chatter of different clusters scattered throughout the space. Numerous paintings adorned the walls, and a large table laden with an assortment of food platters stood against the back wall.

 

Jack's stomach growled louder than he'd hoped, causing him to glance around sheepishly. His eyes locked onto the table at the back, laden with an array of appetizers that promised relief from his hunger. He was about to suggest they grab some food when Alden mentioned Claremont Academy.

 

"Claremont?" Jack asked, curiosity piqued. "I've never heard of it, vhat kind of school is it?"

 

As they continued walking through the gallery, Jack couldn't help but steal glances at the food table. The aroma was irresistible, and he finally gave in.

 

Jack piled a plate high with assorted snacks—tiny sandwiches, cheese cubes, fruit skewers—anything that looked remotely filling. Jack absently began eating several cheese cubes, then he looked to Lynn and he felt his cheeks warm slightly. He was forgetting his manners. It had been a long time since he had been on a dinner date….well come to think of it he had never really been on a dinner date before.

 

"Sorry, miss Lynn. Vould you care for tiny sandwich…?" He relaxed slightly and flashed her a small apologetic smile. He might be stuck with a bear spirit, but he should probably try not to be an animal…at least around Lynn.

Edited June 28 by Jack

[Kaede Kimura]

Harlequin 

 

Alden blinked in surprise at Lynn mentioning that she was also going to be attending Claremont Academy, returning her own focused gaze with a considering look of his own. Was she a powered individual? One of these 'superheroes'? He knew what his parents wanted him to do, what his instructors would expect. She had already given him her name- unless she had not truly done so. Had his cover already failed and she had been here to intercept him before the year started? Surely not so soon. Still, Eòghann had to find out, but a direct approach would only serve to confirm his identity if she suspected. He was about to ask when Jack spoke, asking about the Academy. 

 

Perhaps he was overthinking this.

 

Alden smiled at the giant, "<It is a private boarding school in the southern portions of the city. My parents enrolled me for the opportunities it would grant for the future.>"

 

He watched Jack pile a plate of the small foods with interest and concern. Surely there had to be some catch here. A trap perhaps. Those that ate the food were obligated to repay the host or be in violation of the laws of hospitality. That the large man didn't hesitate smacked of the naivety that might lead to his freely offering his name. Was that it, had he not learned of the dangers? It seemed to be the reasonable explanation. Alden would not fall for such tricks. He was quietly glad that Jack had not offered him the small mostly morsel, that would have made avoiding the trap all the more difficult without the bear of a man being able to leverage the same laws of hospitality against him.

 

Alden turned away from the table to survey the art and the crowd. It was not the ideal viewing angle or distance, but by observing the other groups he could at least gauge whether there was any aspect to engaging with the displays that required technological assistance and see if any pieces caught his eye. 

Edited August 22 by Kaede Kimura

[Thevshi]

NPC/Lynn

 

Lynn gave Jack a faint smile as he offered her some of the food he had gathered. "Thank you, Jack, but I am good for now." She said before focusing back on the nearest painting for a moment.

 

From where he was standing it appeared to Alden that the nearby groups of people were engaged in casual conversations about a variety of topics, while casually studying the art near them. The nearest paintings were rather eye catching, with large areas of bright bold colors (various hues of red, orange and yellow) with offsetting cooler areas (with shades of blue and white). One was of a path through a row of trees with a solitary figure walking along it, the other was a row of buildings along a city street.

 

"So, Alden, where are you from originally?" Lynn asked.

[Jack]

Jack deflated slightly as Lynn politely declined his offer of a tiny sandwich, and he rubbed a hand through the back of his hair with an awkward smile and nod. He shrugged it off, popping a cheese cube into his mouth. The rich, creamy texture momentarily distracting him from the awkwardness of the interaction.

 

"Sounds like a nice school," he commented, trying to keep his tone light and casual. His mind wandered briefly to the vast, open spaces of Siberia, where schools were a distant memory and nature was his classroom; where he never had to second-guess his place or his actions. Here, among people, everything felt more complicated. 

 

He glanced at Lynn, hoping she hadn't noticed the fleeting shadow of doubt and disappointment in his eyes.

 

Internally, Jack struggled with the realization that he would likely never attend a place like Claremont. It sounded like a school that would be very expensive, if Alden's wardrobe and Lynn's car were anything to go by. The thought weighed heavily on him, a reminder of the limitations he faced. Such a prestigious academy was likely far beyond his family's means. His parents worked hard, but private school tuition? That was a different world entirely.

 

While Lynn and Alden engaged in their conversation, Jack started to feel like an outsider in their world. Seeking a distraction, he turned his attention to the paintings adorning the gallery walls.

 

Jack wandered from piece to piece, hoping to find something that captured his interest. However, his color blindness rendered most of the artwork less engaging. The vibrant hues and subtle shades that others marveled at appeared muted and indistinguishable to his eyes. Each painting blended into the next, a monotonous sea of sameness.

 

He sighed, frustrated by his inability to fully appreciate the artistic expressions surrounding him. Jack glanced back at Lynn and Alden, still engrossed in their discussion. A pang of loneliness struck him, amplifying the sense of being an outsider in this refined setting.

 

Jack continued to meander through the gallery, his plate of food now forgotten. He longed for the simplicity of nature, where colors didn't matter as much as the raw beauty of the wilderness. In the embrace of the outdoors, he felt a sense of belonging that eluded him here, amidst the sophisticated art and cultured conversations.

 

As he walked, Jack's thoughts drifted to the bear spirit within him, a constant companion in his solitude. The spirit stirred, a reassuring presence that whispered of ancient forests and snow-covered plains. It was a reminder that his soul was intertwined with nature's heartbeat, grounding him in a reality beyond the polished marble floors and pretentious chatter of the gallery. Even here, surrounded by artifice, he carried the wilderness within him, a sanctuary that no one else could penetrate. Jack clung to that inner strength, determined to find his place, even if it wasn't within the hallowed halls of Claremont Academy like his friends.

 

Jack looked back on his two friends again, and popped another cheese cube into his mouth with a small smile. 

Edited July 14 by Jack

[Kaede Kimura]

Harlequin 

 

Alden curiously looked over the painting of the figure walking the wooded path, the scene was familiar to his home, albeit much more vibrant. His homeland was nigh perpetually overcast or raining, the twisting branches of the trees blocking what little sunlight there was from under reaching the understory, where their twisting trunks and roots formed macabre shapes and his people worked to ensnare those who walked carelessly through the forest...

...Perhaps the scene was not quite so familiar. Still, it was quite lovely and stirred a longing in his chest.

Meanwhile a small corner of his mind was twisting itself into knots at the goings on of his companions, turning away hospitality and offering obligations. If he stayed with these two he might end up caught by the rules of hospitality or obligation through no fault of his own! But there was no way to extricate himself now without being suspicious, and worse, rude! He had trapped himself in this situation before becoming aware of how perilous it would prove to be. He had to find a way to avoid offense or obligation.

 

Alden pinched himself in the leg, recentering. He had trained his whole life to navigate the intricacies of the Unseelie Courts. He could survive the bumbling of two young humans. He regarded Jack as he wandered the paintings, looking lost. He was about to approach the man when Lynn asked her question. Thankfully he had an answer to this prepared. "<I am from a small community around the point where England and Scotland meet.>"

Edited August 22 by Kaede Kimura

[Thevshi]

NPC/Lynn

 

Lynn had glanced over at Jack as the large teen turned away to look at some of the paintings. She looked as if she were about to follow him when Alden responded to her question. The blonde teen turned back towards the teen boy. "I've been to London and parts of central England, never made it up towards Scotland. I hear it is beautiful." Lynn stated.

 

As the blonde girl spoke with him, Alden noted a man that seemed a bit out of place. He was a tall and appeared to be in good shape. But what really stood out about him was his attire. The man was wearing a green shirt with yellow sleeves and color and pants that were matching colors. In addition, he wore a black beret and dark sunglasses. His outfit might not have seemed too out of place, except for the fact that just behind him was another man identically dressed. The two seemed to be slowly scanning the crowd as they moved to stand near the doors leading to one of the side rooms.

 

A little ways off, Jack had finished off his plate of snacks when he noted another man dressed in the same green and yellow outfit, beret and dark sunglasses standing near the door that seemed to lead to back rooms. Standing next to him was another man, this one dressed in a dark suit with a top hat, although he wore the same dark sunglasses as the first.

[Kaede Kimura]

Harlequin 

 

Alden smiled slightly as Lynn replied, eyes still wandering the wooded painting, trying to place why it evoked such a longing in him. Perhaps he should purchase it so that he could figure it out on his own time.

 

"<It is quite lovely, if you do not mind the rain.>" He joked as the pair of oddly dressed men caught his eye. He was not an expert in the fashions of these modern humans, but even he could tell that was not an ordinary outfit. That and their careful watch upon the crowd told him that something was very wrong. He glanced at Lynn. She has claimed to be going to Claremont, that meant that it was likely she was a superhuman. This could be an opportunity to learn more of his future classmate. He carefully pointed to the men, adjusting his body to hide the movement from them. "<A rather interesting fashion statement over there. Do you think they're here to put on a performance?>" He kept his tone light, slightly amused and curious while leaving the statement itself open to interpretationas to whether he was genuinely asking or if he was euphemistically asking if they were super criminals. His eyes scanned through the crowd for Jack. If there was to be trouble then the large, strong man would be helpful for evacuating the crowd.

Edited August 22 by Kaede Kimura