Will here be better?

Xanyu stood outside the castle in which she was to stay for a while. The size of it was daunting. She thought to knock on the door then decided not to thinking no one would hear anyway. She opened the door and walked in. The room she stepped into seemed even bigger than the castle itself to her. She walked to the center of the room and pondered on which way to go.

Xanyu gave up after a moment and just sat down on one of the steps of a staircase. She sighed quietly, today had been just too much for her and she was tired. First, her father's friend who had seemingly ignored her most of her life, takes her away from her home. Then she is flown to another country only to be met by rainy weather. Then her father's friend gives her the necklace her father always wore and puts her in a boat with a grumpy Scottsman. The boatride to the island was silent and awkward and the walk to the castle was grueling. She was utterly exhausted, clueless of where she was, who she'd meet, and what she'd do. Her lips turned up slightly for a second, it was almost like a normal day at home..At least...the exhausted part.

Xanyu held up the necklace she was given. She wanted to give it back to her father but she had no idea how. Not only that, but...it also seemed to endearing to give back anyway. Mr. Narving had given it to her. Yes, he did kidnap her away from home, but he did it for her. He was the first person in years to show her any love at all. She took the necklace and clasped the two ends around her neck.

Leon decided he'd begin his exploration of his new prison, walking into the huge vestibule of the castle. He had taken his sterling silver cross from around his neck and now spun it around his index finger as he walked. The long chain provided for seven loops around his finger before he had to change direction and spin it the other way.

Walking further into the vestibule he saw... something sitting on the stairs. The sight of him/her/it made him lose focus and he hit himself on the knuckle with the cross. He was almost tempted to turn right back around and walk out the door, already having had enough of the strange creatures that seemed to inhabit the castle, even though the one at the stairs now was the only really strange one he'd seen.

He figured there'd be more, but he'd have to get used to it either way. So, instead of changing direction immediately, he walked directly towards the creature and stopped in front it. He didn't want to squeeze by its wings (chiken wings in his opinion) to get up the stairs. From this close he got a sense that it was female, but didn't want to make any assumptions.

Xanyu sat on her step, trying to figure out a way to get to her dorm. Her thoughts wandered into a dreamless sleep. What felt like hours later, but only being a few minutes later, Xanyu woke to the presence of someone nearby. She looked up slowly to see a black-haired boy looming over her. It took her a moment to fully register that this was a person and one she definitely didn't know.

With that realization, she quickly jumped up from the step and quickly moved to one side of the staircase, bumping into the railing. Questions ran through her mind; Who was he? Why was he standing in front of her when she woke? And, Why is there railing there when I don't want it there? She then realized that this was he first person she met, it must seem rude to treat them like a moldy sandwich. It wasn't really the fact that she found people disgusting, just that they were, well, quite a bit scary.

She stepped foreward tentatively. "H....Hello....." She looked down trying to think of something else to say. She both shuffled her feet and clenched her hands together. "A....Are you a st...student here?"

Leon turned to face the creature, still twirling his cross around his finger. Hearing her voice he was now certain she was female. "No, I'm here to bring this place down," The thought was only partially sarcastic, so the sarcasm in the sentence was practically undetectable.

Now he looked her over. Grayish skin, backwards knees, chicken wings, horns, eyes that seemed to be just one huge pupil, some kind of funky tail, and he didn't even know how to describe her ears. She seemed to be a combination of nature's worst.

His eyebrows furrowed, "What the hell are you??"

Xanyu flinched slightly as he asked his question. She was never asked a question before. She was only ever told what to do. She searched her mind for a bit. "....um...Father said I was a Draco Homo-Isoptera...at least that's what the bandits that stole me told the black market dealer that sold me." She looked down a moment before adding, "He told me that meant I was part dragon, part insect, and part human..."

Xanyu looked at the boy in front of her. His short black hair, his blue eyes, his tan skin. Overall, he looked pretty much human, like her father. She envied him, she could only look slightly human through magic she had learned in her early, happy years. She then remembered the first thing he had said. "Wh...why would you want to destroy this place?...I...it's very pretty here."

Dragon, human, insect. It seemed Leon's guess was correct. A combination of Natures, except for maybe the dragon, but especially the human. Insects he was indifferent to, dragons he'd always held a symbol of power, and humans, humans were insultingly oblivious to the point where he couldn't even force himself to associate with them, though it had been his life before Lillegard came into the picture.

"It was sarcasm," He said with a flat face, "Though, I don't know what you think is so pretty about it. It's full of freaks. Like you." To emphasize the point, Leon summoned energy into his hand, the one he was spinning his cross around. The dark, flame-like wisps engulfed the cross and spun with it. "Like me."

Xanyu frowned. She was hoping that Mr. Narving was right. That she'd be treated better. But it seemed to be that she would be treated meanly. She had hoped to make friends, but that may be impossible since she looked like what she was....Though the flames that wrapped around the croos he was spinning surprised her some.

Xanyu just stared for a bit before saying, "I....i think it's pretty here....the castle was pretty. The forrest was pretty....I haven't met many people...'cept you...so I don't quite follow you...." She looked towards the fish tank in the middle of the large room. "I....I also think those fish are pretty...."

Leon followed her gaze to the large fish tank in the middle of the room, "Yeah, well, I guess Hell has some nice decorators after all," he looked back to the creature, he didn't even try to repeat whater it was she actually was, knowing he'd say it incorrectly, "No matter how you paint it, though, it's still hell."

He yawned, bored of the topic. He never really like talking abut "pretty things" to begin with. He stopped spinning his cross, using his other hand to put out the black flame, and replaced it around his neck. It was about time for him to get going.

Xanyu lowered her ears slightly, "I....I thought hell was just a metaphorical place..." She stood there quietly, unsure what else to say. He didn't seem interested in the current conversation, and she wasn't sure what he'd be interested in. She wasn't sure about alot of things. Being kept in a dungeon, cut off from everyone else, didn't help her one bit with her anti-social skills. This was the first person she had ever met outside of her father's social circle, so she wanted to try and get along.

Xanyu had been lost in her thought, when she noticed him put out his fire. She felt the tiniest bit disappointed. The flame gave her a slight comfort. It had been the only reason she had that kept her from shutting in completely. It almost seemed like he was planning to leave. She stepped foreward quickly but stopped just as quick, "U....U...Um...D...Do you like fire?"

Leons eyebrows furrowed. He couldn't stand stuttering. He hated people like this. Awkward people were so incredibly hard to communicate up to the point where it made them seem almost incompetent. Add in the terrible stutter and it made it like pulling teeth.

He hardly let her finish her question before jumping in, "Would you just figure out what you're going to say and say it?"

(Sorry it's short)

Xanyu stiffened, "Yes sir, sorry." She almost seemed like an army recruit. She stood abit straighter and her voice rose just a bit. Her face lost all sign of emotion, except her eyes that shown slightly with uncertain fear. As he had barked the order a sudden vision of the hostile doberman that had guarded her cell, flashed before her eyes. Her strange behavior didn't last very long. She relaxed but only a little. Yet her face retained the same expression. "I guess that means you don't like fire then."

Inside, Xanyu felt deflated. This boy seemed like a younger version of her father. She had hoped he'd be different. But he was just as mean. She felt if this kept up, she'd just try her hardest to avoid him.

The girl seemed to be interested in the fire, and Leon found his mood begining to get better. He summoned the enrgy back to his hand, and made an attempt to form it. He was out of practice with this as he rarely ever found the need to do it, but he managed to make it take the loose shape of a fish from the tank. He had it facing downwards so he could direct the flames into the fish's tendril-like fins. He didn't look back up at the girl, instead focusing on keeping the enegy in the shape of the fish.

Without looking up he asked, "What's your name, anyway?"

Xanyu blinked at the boy's sudden change in mood. He seemed somewhat happier. Had her obedience helped? She relaxed a bit more, smiling slightly at his attempt at making a flame fish. She was pretty surprised he could manipulate flames like that as well, but it seemed he wasn't as experienced. She thought about making her own flame drawing, but quickly dismissed the idea due to the fear he may accuse her of showing off.

Xanyu blinked. Did he really want to know her name? Not many people she had met before ever wanted to know her name. They usually called her "thing" or "it". She stood there, mouth open but no words came out for a minute. She shook her head a moment and smiled, "My name is Xanyu...What's your name?"

Leon was losing the form of the fish so he brought his other hand over to provide backup. The eyes were the hardest part. He couldn't make the flames indent where they were so instead he made them go outwards, making it look almost like an angry angelfish. Ironic.

"Leon," he answered. Once he got the form under control he tried to add another smaller fish coming off the main fish's dorsal fin. He wasn't able to hold it and it disappeared quickly.

Leon realized how distracting the act was and made a mental note of it. If he was ever bored he could mold his energy, and, if he got good enough at it, he may even be able to use it for his methods.

Xanyu stepped abit closer. She watched as Leon attempted to give the fish eyes but ended up with ones that popped out. She frowned a little when he failed at making a second fish. She felt somewhat sorry for him, but he seemed to be having fun. As he spoke his name, her ears perked, "That's a nice name." She was feeling somewhat envious of him and his flame fish. She decided just to make something and hope he wouldn't get offended.

Xanyu crouched, her first knees almost touching the ground and breathed out a small stream of fire. It hovered just above the floor and as she pointed to it, it would follow her finger. She then picked up the flame and played with it as if it were clay. After a moment, she began to form a small dove shape, using that flickers of flame as the feathers on the wings. She looked at it a moment before squishing and pulling it into a simple spiral.

Wandering about the castle after having set her bag down in her room. Xena practically glided into the area coming up behind the two that happened to be there before her. Her sharp eyes surveyed the scene and decided that it was safe enough to get close without having to show someone what she could do.

"Hello," she hissed softly, her pentagram necklace bounced softly against her neck as she stopped moving only a few feet behind them. Xena wondered if either would actually jump, as that was actually her full intention of getting so close before making a noise.

It seemed like they were having a magic-off, to her, the fire seemed a bit amateurish, but that was thanks to the fact that she had spent most of her time playing with the creatures of hell. She thought of pulling out a match and showing off, but it wasn't worth the effort, besides, it would make her look weak for having to actually start the fire with a match.

Leon extinguished his flame energy and turned to face the new arrival. She'd approached quietly, not making herself known until she was already too close. Leon already didn't like her. She could get herself hurt doing things like that.

It was always things of this nature that ruined any traces of a good mood he had. Now he was back to being suspicious, completely forgetting he'd been in a good mood in the first place. Now he was back to his oridinary ritual: look over the new arrival, search them for gold, show no emotion.

He didn't say anything. He had nothing to say to this girl other than to demand a reason fro she snuck on them. He figured rather than snap and potentially lose his temper, he'd allow Xanyu to respond first. It would be best to use her to get an impression out of the new girl.

((Here's Leon already finding ways to use Xanyu XD))

Xanyu had been spinning the spiral, getting sucked into a sort of trance that took her to a blank little world. She snapped out of it once she heard a voice address them. The flame spiral flickered out and she looked up with a tired, out-of-it expression. "Hu?" She shook her head abit, then looked at the new person. The girl looked less human than Leon, but still very human like. Again she felt the pang of jealousy she felt when she saw Leon.

Xanyu quickly stood up, backing away in just the slightest. "Hello." She nodded her head as a slight bow. She felt shy again and wanted to hide behind Leon, but didn't because she knew he wouldn't like that. She stood there awkwardly, gripping the straps of her shoulder bag as if were the only thing to keep her from falling over.

"No need to have such a sour expression." Xena said pushing her glasses up looking at over Leon for the moment. She gave a slight laugh, which easily could give someone a chill down their spine. Her hands were behind her back, just under the small bag that she had brought with her, having two backpacks was usually quite the way to keep from having too much in one, plus it kept everything nice and organized.

"It's a pleasure to meet you both," Xena replied with a slight glint in her eyes. They looked they belonged on a dragon or another creature than in her head. She didn't bow, nor make any movement to extend a physical gesture, she really didn't like being touched, and they would constantly mistake her dislike of such actions for being OCD. To her there was quite the difference between her touching you and you touching her, which seems to happen quite often when someone grows up with practically a princess position.

Xena's eyes jumped to Xanyu for a moment, and realized that she was really nothing, special, the way she stood suggested shyness, and perhaps a little bit of fear, not to mention, when she was in the middle of her fire control she seemed to be at a complete loss to the world, which was very dangerous, especially where Xena came from. A tiny part of Xena wished to change right there to see the look on the girl's face, but there was no reason for anyone to know what she was just yet.

The woman's eyes moved back to Leon and she studied him once again, with a nice cool smile lifting the corners of her mouth.

Leon respond to the girl smiling at him. He continued to keep his face expressionless. The girl was creepy with the way she spoke and laughed, smiled. She was smiling at him. Leon got a sense that this place was truly weird. Back at Rosewood County, Leon had a reputation that made those stupid not even want to be caught looking at him, much less smiling.

The girl didn't seem to want trouble but Leon remained wary. She held her hands behind her back and there was no way of knowing whether or not she was holding something in them.

Xanyu hadn't said much but it still had the desired effect of making the new girl talk without him having to say anything. He thought about what he could say now, but decided to remain silent. He still had nothing of warrent to say to the girl. Now all he did was straight into her trying to see into her mind.

"Very nice to meet you too." Xanyu smiled a moment but it went away once she saw she was being ignored. It didn't really bother her. Being ignored was common. For years she had pleaded and was unanswered. At least, she wasn't being mistreated. But the silence did make her uncomfortable. Even when looked in her cell she had the sounds of the doberman growling and her father's laughter as he conversed with his friends. Now there was only the sounds of soft breathing and that was hardly noticeable.

Xanyu didn't like the quiet so she decided to say something. "What's your name? My name's Xanyu..."

---------
sorry it's short, but I couldn't think of much else.

She looked over Xanyu, "My name is Xena," the edge of her mouth twitched upward. "So, does your friend talk?" She asked shifting a little, "And does he have name?"

She looked over Xanyu, "Not to be rude, but what species are you?" she asked looking over Xanyu, "I don't seem to recognize your species." She now made a motion to circle the girl, getting the sense that the boy was a familiar, not as in they met before, but in the feeling that she knew many like him, but she seemed interested in the pair of them at the very least.

((sorry its short))

Leon's face adopted an angry expression. She was asking Xanyu if he could talk. He quickly got rid of the expression.

"Nope!" He said simply to answer the question. Then he walked past her up the stairs, resisting the urge to shoulder bump Xena on the way. Sneaky, snarky and smart. He already didn't like her. As for Xanyu, she had a weak mind. He thought that he may want to see her again.

((Sorry too many threads ^^; ))

Xanyu ooened her mouth to answer, but closed it as Leon answerd the question. She blinked, confused by his answer since she knew it was wrong. She watched him worridly as he climbed the stairs past Xena. "You leaving?" She looked down a moment before looking at Xena again. "His name is Leon...and he does talk...I don't know what he's mad at though." Her tail twitched anxiously.

"My father told me I was a Draco Homo-Isoptera. That's what the black market dealer told him. He told me that meant I am a mix of dragon, human, and bug. I don't know what kind of bug though. He didn't tell me that."

"Goodbye then Leon," she called after him, a light laughter in her voice. She watched after him for only a moment, before turning back on Xanyu, "Very interesting friend you got there, perhaps he's just a little shy, or mad because I prevented him from making a romantic move on you," she laughed again.

"It sounds like a very interesting combination Xanyu, you are quite the beautiful creature," she reached her hand out to pet Xanyu, hoping that she wouldn't flinch away when she tried to touch her.