perfect day

[areyna]

Nami nodded at her new friends answer stroking her chin before revealing her favorite season.

“Ya I guess autumn is ok with all the color changes and stuff.” She agreed. “But I adore spring no question!” She bent down plucking a daisy from its home holding the delicate flower to her nose then giving it to Chasity. “This is the reason. I love the bright variety of color flowers posses!”

She giggled like a little girl picking another daisy placing it in her hair.

“Alright then. Question 5. Umm…..” What else do I want to know about her? She looked over to her strangely quiet friend.
Actually, he’s been so quiet that she forgot about him. “Hey, Shadow!” She decided to use the nick name she gave him.” Do you want to ask a question?!”

Skyler’s eyes widen taken aback the sudden request of participation in their game. He scratched the back of his head, thoughts scrambled from being called out. The girls waited patiently, mostly Chasity than Nami, for him to respond.

“Uhh….what’s your favorite color?” he asked.

Nami put her hand on her hips and laughed. “Way to be simple Shadow!” Skyler shrugged at his lack of creativity, Nami putting her concentration back on Chase. “You heard him, what’s your favorite color? Oh, and tell me your favorite color combination!” she added.

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His eyes were closed while standing in the middle of the grassy plain. The wind whipped his long black hair in every direction leaving behind its cool touch. He let his mind drift with the breeze, life as he knew it a distant memory, every second savored. Unfortunately his perfect moment couldn’t last. He expected as much, such a rare moment would be disrupted, wouldn’t last. If only, just once could he be left alone. Dried leaves crunched as the unwanted quest neared him, Areon had no other choice but to look and his guess was proven accurate. The student, who introduced himself as Kendryek, chose to continue following him finally catching up. Kendryek spat out Areon’s name asking if he were correct. Without words Areon simply nodded eyebrows furrowed together. His mysterious dark appearance was meant to drive away than to attract. To Kendryek the act seemed to take the opposite effect. How annoying.

“What do you want?” He asked bluntly an edge of irritation in his voice.

Areon didn’t join this little expedition to explore or socialize. His plan from the very beginning was to escape reality, but this one student hindered him. There was always something or someone getting in his way.

[Oren]

Chasity laughed at Nami and Skyler. They were both quite funny in their own little way. They were also quite different. So was their other friend, the one Kendryek had followed. What was his name again? Areon? Oh well. She'd ask later. Skyler posed his question. It was a typical 'get to know' question, but that was okay. Some of those were on a need-to-know basis. This one wasn't, but that was also okay. Colors come in handy when picking out presents and other things like that.

Looking up at the sky and pondering the question, she got the answer in her head and smiled brightly at Nami. Spreading her arms and spinning in circles, she giggled. Then she looked at them, bright-eyed. "My favorite color is... Scarlet!" She put a finger to her lips playfully in a motion to keep something quiet. "Kendryek likes black, or makkuro, as he puts it, but don't tell him I said that! He would never admit to having a favorite color unless you guessed it, and you wouldn't guess it unless someone told you, so don't ask him, okay? He's pretty particular about who knows of his personal likes and dislikes."

She walked back to where she had been standing, fully enjoying this game now that it was started. "Next?"

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Kendryek raised his eyebrows. What did he want? He looked up at Areon and said, "Hm? Oh, nothing really. You have a curious character so I thought I might get to know you better."

Then, as an afterthought, he added, "If you need reasons to accept my offer of friendly terms, I can give you quite a few."

He doubted that reasons would do anything to persuade Areon, but it was better to not say all that you were thinking; if you were wrong it would be obvious and could even work to your advantage. It was something to keep in mind when talking to someone. Sadly, he forgot every now and again. It was a shame really, the forgetfulness that came with old age. Of course, he wasn't forgetful at all when compared to air-headed people, but everyone forgets things.

Speaking of forgetting things, how was Chasity faring with the other two teens? Hopefully she was handling them perfectly. That other girl, Nami, was it? He hoped the hyper thing would improve Chasity's mood. It wouldn't do for him to return and her to still be just as mad.

Looking at Areon, he shrugged. "You like to be alone." It wasn't a question, but the young dragon would probably take it as such. It was always bothersome how people didn't understand what you were saying some of the time. They always messed up the mood when they did that.

[areyna]

Nami giggled jumping up and down as Chase chose an interesting way of telling her favorite color. The excitement in her twirls was contagious to Nami excitement of her own bubbling up inside her. Scarlet? Scarlet was her favorite color. What an interesting color to chose! It wasn’t ordinary like blue, green, or orange but something different. Nami enjoyed the unordinary, they make life worth living! Everyone knows a normal life is just plain boring! Then Chase made a gesture of secrecy instantly catching Nami’s attention, Skyler also listening. She stated how Kendryek preferred black over the colors yet Chase told them not to tell him she said that. Nami clapped rapidly putting her index finger and thumb together running them across her lips as if zipping them shut.

“Your secret is safe with me! You to Shadow!” she pointed her finger at him.

Skyler threw his hands up in the air. “I won’t say a word.” He confirmed.

Now continuing with the routine Nami in return thought up of her adored color. Funny how such a simple question turned out to be harder than the others in choosing. She has to have at least one favorite color but what is it? In answer to this question her usual reply would be any bright colors yet she wanted to be specific in this matter.

“Ummm……” for the first time this evening she was lost for words.

Skyler on the other hand decided to add something of his own. Something he remembered relative to the topic. “Speaking of colors, Nami gave us our own individual color to represent us.” He shrugged. “She was bored in science class.”

Nami perked up her struggle for a color long gone. “Oh ya! I almost forgot about that! Hey chase would you like to hear our designated colors?! When I get to know even better maybe I can give you one!”

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Just as he said to himself earlier Kendryek was drawn to him only by the dark character he possessed. Strange, he was the second not to shy away from his presence, with the exception of Nami. She had broken the barrier he put up between himself and others. Yet, sometimes he was tempted just to secretly lay a few bricks. He ignored Kendryek’s offer of reasons. He’d rather not waste time with unnecessary information. He was here now and Areon would just have to suck it up and get over it.

“You like to be alone.” the student observed.

“Well isn’t obvious?” Areon simply responded. “Then tell me, if you knew as much then why bother me with your company?”

So much for getting over it, but Areon did want to know. Something to at least entertain him for the time being.

[Oren]

Chasity smiled. "Ya'll have your own colors? Sure, I'd love to hear them!" He smile grew as Nami continued. "My own color? That would be amazing! Oh, and how about you ask my favorite subject, school or other?" There was nothing wrong with helping the girl out. She could have come up with so many questions. It wasn't extremely hard when you weren't the one asking. When you were, though, it was a different story.

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Kendryek chuckled at Areon's words. Yes, it was indeed obvious. The young dragon also wished to know why he was here if he knew it was bothersome. It was a legit question. Typically, when someone sent off this 'leave me alone' aura, people left them alone. It wasn't normal to follow that person, asking to be friends. He might not have asked to be

"Well," he began, "Even those that wish to be alone enjoy a small bit of attention. I'm sure Nami gives you quite a bit, but variety is a good thing. One tends to becomes clingy if they only have one friend." He hesitated before continuing his explanation. "In all honesty, I thought that maybe you might want a sparing partner every once in a while, and I know I've missed having one, so I figured I'd at least offer."

He didn't say anymore. If Areon wasn't willing to at least have a relationship that benefited him, he'd have to think of another reason to befriend the boy. His 'curious character' wasn't a good enough reason. People just didn't like it when someone said that they thought they were interesting and that was why they wanted to be their friend. It was... rude. He stood there, waiting for Areon's answer. There was no way to know what the teen would say.

[areyna]

"Hmm..." Nami studied Chasity up and down while different colors tried to claim her personality. She was pretty spunky, not as much as Nami but who knows what Chasity will reveal during their path of friendship. Chasity mentioned options of questions for Nami to ask yet Nami put the suggestion aside focused on her color gig.

"Well. " she began. "My color would make alot of sense if you ask me! I'm yellow!" she pointed to herself. " A bright vibrant happy color full of energy!!!"

She threw here arms to the sky screaming the last word to prove her point. Letting another girly giggle slip she composed herself waving a hand towards Skyler.

"Now with Skyler I had to find a gentle color despite his temper." Nami explained, "I needed a cool, collective, laid back color. Cause that's basically you right!" She turned to him.

Skyler smiled raising his arms resting them behind his head. "If you say so Nami. " He agreed in a way. "In the end she assigned me with the color silver. " He went on.

Nami added. "He's got a special color cause he's a special person! And silver seams to fit his personality right on the dot plus it matches his unique eyes. Warm and soft." She ended the stament peacefully, her voice as if in a daze. "Anyway on to my somber angel! Areon's is absolutley obvious! I mean with an attitude like his black would definetly fit! Black is dark, black is unknown, black is mysterious, and most of the time intimidating. Hahahaha! It's perfect!!! Now then, when im familiar with you I'll give you a color but for right now your under progress." ;D

She paused for a moment letting the random information sink in before remembering the earlier suggestions once more. Guess its time for me to get back on track. I hope im not moving to fast for her. She cleared her throat proposing question number 6. "Alright, switching to the interrogation Chase. What's your favorite subject?"

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Areon reluctently listened to the nonsense coming out of the students mouth. Obviously, Kendryek didn't know a thing about him. Clingly? He has never clung to anyone or shown such sign of valnurablility yet the kid was just making assuptions. No need in wasting energy on pointless matters, though he was right about all the attention Nami so willing gives him. Areon wondered if she was the reason he preferred attention from no one other than. Whether she throws so much at him to the point that he couldn't handle an ounce more from others. Why he needed to get away. Just to breath.
Kendryek's abrupt offer as a sparring partner snapped Areon clean out of his trance. What kind of game was he playing exactly? How would he know my profession in martial arts? Is he just being random? Why would he do that? Where had that come from? He gazed at him for a long while though not really looking just collecting his thoughts, black eyes blank with questions.

"How would you know about my interest in combat?" He decided to ask. "Have we met before?" Areon still had no recognition of the teen while he dug up every sinlge memory present.

[Oren]

Chasity watched Nami with a smile on her face. It was nice to see the young being young. Once you were older you didn't seem to find as much enjoyment in such things as personal colors. Chasity knew that it was a fun concept for the girl, but to her it wasn't as thrilling as it would have been if she had been younger. She felt like she was being childish. She was more mature than this, wasn't she?

Oh well.

She laughed when Nami used her suggested question. "I like science, biology mainly. That and oceanography. Paleontology is interesting too. But as I said, I enjoy biology the most, and in biology, I like studying how single celled organisms work and how every singe cell in a multi cellular organism works. Like cellular division and the Krebs cycle.” She paused before smiling. “Hehe… I tend to go on and on when talking about things I enjoy. It’s kind of like what Kendryek does…” Her voice trailed off and she thought it best to leave it at that.[/size]

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Areon definitely had no interest in Kendryek. He wasn’t even listening. How rude. It was offensive, no doubt, but it showed something of this dragon’s personality. He needed something interesting.

Something like Kendryek’s offer of a sparring partner.

It hadn’t been intentional bait, but it had turned into an attention grabber. He almost smiled to himself. See what honesty brought? Success. He needed to remember that more often. It wasn’t like he lied, but he hid the truth and avoided questions that he didn’t want to answer. That probably needed to change in the near future.

Shrugging at the teen’s question, he fingered the shuriken in his hand. Holding it up for Areon to see he smiled. The gesture was completely non-hostile and it didn't quite register that the other dragon might take it that way.

“It takes a fighter to know one, and you definitely have that spark in your eye. If we have met before I have no recollection of it, and you’re young enough for me to have remembered meeting you, so no, we have not met before.” He let the words settle in the air for a moment before adding, “And I just tend to know when someone can fight well. Instinct is what I believe it is called.”

He placed the small star back in his pocket and leaned against a tree. Staring at Areon, he waited for the reply. Some part of him wondered how this was going to end, but then he remembered that it wouldn’t. Not today, at least.[/color]

[areyna]

Areyna walked with a look of distress calming her pounding heart. She took in the grassy landscape, behind her a mesh of trees from which she emerged from. Scanning the new area she slowly backed into the shadows of the woods after coming to the conclusion that no one else was present besides her. She took note of the sparkling lake glistening from the sun's rays while holding a small piece of paper in her hands. She rechecked the sheet once more, "Sorry for suddenly abandoning you(it was against my will and I'd rather not pick a fight with Nami) but don't worry, meet us at the lake when you get this. I promise we'll still be there." Areyna stared at the white flimsy rectangle reminiscing to about 20 minutes ago. She had been so scared when she realized her friend and cousins weren't waiting for her like they usually would after her last class. She panicked at walking the halls and campus alone. Yet, the sheet in her hand brought a slight comfort although panic started rising once more. She was lost and she knew it. Completely lost her sense of direction, but there the lake lay in front of her. However, where are her companions? She took a deep breath reaching into the pocket of her small purple purse-like bag pulling out an aqua blue cell phone. She flipped it open dialing the first number coming to mind. It rang and rang and continue to ring till the voicemail was reached. A tiny whine of desperation came out as she hung up and dialed the second number. Anxiously, she waited her heart picked up while the ringing dragged on, until, on the very last ring a voice spoke up.

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Nami's eyes widened just a little at all the "ology" spilling from Chasity's mouth. Skyler chuckled at his friends changing expression leaving behind a smile. Nami couldn't help but smile herself.

"Wow seems you really ARE into science." she restated and complemented, "That's cool you know so much about that stuff. Now for my turn. Let's see......"

Instead of stroking her chin while pondering she twirled a strand of her bangs around her finger. The loose piece of hair formed perfect curls once she removed her finger. She placed her fists one her hips, mouth twisted the side.

"Ya know, I never really thought about this, but if I were to chose one it would beeeee-"

She was interrupted by music coming from behind her; she turned around to find Skyler fumbling through his back pocket flipping open his silver cell phone bringing it to his ear.

"Hello? Areyna?" Pause. "Are you alright?" His eyebrows pulled together.

"What's going on? Is Areyna ok?" Nami asked

Skyler held up his index finger, brows relaxed and his tight lips loosened into a small grin. "Oh, your lost?" he failed at the attempt of hiding the amusement in his words. Typical Areyna behavior.

"Don¡'t worry, I'll find you." His held a soft soothing tone full of comfort and ease. Nami herself felt peaceful listening to him speak.

He bit his lip this time, replying into the communication device. "No, he's not with us...........he's close by..........I'm coming now, just hang tight."

Nami glared at him, eyes full of questions insisting for an answer.

Skyler shrugged. "Areyna's lost and I'm going to find her. You two continue with your game and fill me in later, alright."

With that he disappeared into the trees waving as he was engulfed by green quickly changing into the wingless, serpent-like dragon form. Nami turned to Chasity blinking, just blinking.

"Soooooo......next question?!"

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Areon watched the foreigner carefully tilting his head somewhat to the side an eyebrow raised as Kendryek grasped something with his fingers. Areon's eyes narrowed again yet in more of a squinting manor as the shuriken reflected a beam of the sun's light glaring into his eyes. Thankfully, small movement tossed the glare away within the next second. He outlined the weapon listening to the student go on about his "instincts" connecting the fact that Areon was a fighter himself. He fretted on whether to believe such an explanation or not though a violent vibration distracted his train of thought. He let the weird sensation of the vibrating phone continue in his pocket. For a change, he considered answering would be rude while he and his "companion" were conversating but the expecting look on Kendreyk's face told him otherwise. Areon dug into his pocket a bit too late missing the call checking to find out who it was. His hands tightened when he figured out he missed Areyna. Of all people to ignore. Within 20 seconds his phone vibrated once more revealing a text message. He opened it reading, "Skyler's coming to get me so everything's ok. Continue what you're doing with ease. I will arrive soon, hopefully. " He gave a puzzled look at his phone; Skyler's coming to get her? Sighing he imprisoned the phone into his pocket bringing his attention back to Kendryek with a what-other-surprises-do-you-have-for-me look. With any luck maybe a few more distractions can occur. This was supposed to be his tranquil day, no need to fuss over anything even though his day was anything but tranquil. Areon crossed his arms gazing at the grass and fallen leaves.

"So how long have you trained in the art of fighting." He asked with the intentions of try to start a discussion.

[Oren]

Chasity watched as Skyler walked off slowly, only slightly confused. There was another person to this odd group of three? There were four of them? Well, that wasn’t too odd, was it? She was just too used to her and Kendryek being the only ones. Typical groups were at least made up of three people, if not four, right? Yeah, she could remember learning something about that…

Ignoring her confusing, she shook her head quickly and looked back at Nami, looking as if she had just come out of deep thought. “Sorry, I’m… I lost what was happening… other than that Skyler left for… yeah, didn’t get that part…” She blushed slightly. “Guess I was… dazing?” She really didn’t know. It was odd for her to space out like that, but… she hadn’t really spaced out. Had she really lost track of what was being said? Now that was REALLY unlike her! She talked so fast and so much that it typically took a lot to lose her. How had this happened? Sighing and shutting her eyes tight for a few seconds, she tried to clear her head.

“Hey, instead of questions, you wanna go swimming? I like water as long as I’m in this form, so… how about it? I’m sure the guys won’t mind, and it’s not like we’d actually take our clothes off!” she giggled at the prospect of going swimming in such beautiful water! It had been soothing earlier too, so she really hoped Nami was up to it! It was also a good way to begin making bonds, and Nami was the type that Chasity liked to hang out with! She had the feeling they were going to be best friends!

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Kendryek’s ears picked up the buzzing in Areon’s pocket. He smiled slightly, and when the teen didn’t answer, he raised his eyebrows slightly. Yes, it was rude to answer a phone when talking to someone, but this was different. If this guy had a cell and someone was calling him, it was probably important. It was the same with his self. If he owned a cell phone, which he didn’t, anyone who had the number probably needed it and would only call if in need.

Although Areon did pick up the phone, or at least tried to, by the time he retrieved it from his pocket, the call had ended and whoever had been on the other end was not receiving a message machine… that was what they were called, right? Focusing back on the teen as he put the phone back in his pocket, they stood there for a few more seconds, silence enveloping them. Another buzz from the cell brought it back out and opened before it was closed and replaced once more. At the teen’s question, he sighed deeply. To find out the exact years, he would have to sit around for a few hours recalling all the events of his life, so he just shrugged.

“For over six hundred years, closer to seven hundred, now.” Watching the dragon’s reaction out of the corner of his eyes, he could almost hear the light switch going off in his head. He was probably thinking something like, “So, this one is old…” Of course it wasn’t a strange thing, but it was just uncommon, so to speak. Most dragons in a place like this weren’t extremely old. There were oddities, to be sure, but it was still not normal.

But who was he that he should be normal?

"I've trained many good fighters, but as always, there is still more to learn. Because of that, I continuously look for someone to spar with, unless, of course I already have someone."

He hesitated. Should he tell this boy how he and Chasity had begun their relationship? Sure, he had initiated the conversation and tried to cheer her up by being romantic, but in the end, the thing that had kept them together, was the martial arts. It helped her to concentrate and deal with the pain she felt. It gave her self confidence and restored her strength. It was what she needed, and somewhere along the way, they had fallen in love. Indeed, she had been with him longer than he allowed anyone else to. Then again, she was a special case. Did he know he would have to give her up soon? Yes. Did he know anyone he would trust with her heart? Not yet, but that was one reason he had come here. She needed someone who wasn't him.

After a few seconds of deliberation, he decided not to. What was the point, anyway? It wouldn't help Areon's view of him, either.

Taking a small roll of shuriken and kunai out of one of his pockets, he tossed them lightly toward the teen.

"Care to show me your skill? If you can use them, that is. Many martial artists haven't learned this particular aspect."

Did he expect Areon to know how to use them? Yes, pretty much. Such a person should know more than just hand-to-hand combat, right?