Kings and Queens (OPEN)

[kiera]

Kiera Fernidge

"You know you did it
I'm gone
To find someone to live for
In this world
There's no light at the end of the tunnel tonight
Just a bridge that I gotta burn..."

"What can I get you miss?" Kiera's attention snapped back to the smiling girl behind the counter. She looked like she could have been fifteen or sixteen, obviously still excited at the prospect of employment. She had her head tilted to one side slightly, her eyes expectant. Kiera smiled at her, glancing up at the headboard that detailed the different drinks one could order. Mango Surprise...I wonder what the surprise is. Better to be safe. She looked back down to the girl and smiled again, her voice was quiet when she spoke.

"Banana Smootie please, and could you add a bit extra of those protein seed things?" Kiera wasn't sure why, but she had been craving protein lately. She had meat piled in the freezer in the apartment she shared with three other students. They had learned to accept that quiet nerdy Kiera had an affinity for meat, more so than they could have ever guessed. Kiera had always blamed her meat cravings, and other quirks, on her wolf form. In a lot of ways, it was just easier than trying to admit she just might be strange. She may have been a shifter, but she liked to believe that in most other things - she was just like everyone else. There was a certain comfort found in uniformity.

"Sure thing! That will be $3.50 please." The cheery barista's voice dragged Kiera from her thoughts once more. She blinked for a moment before digging around in the pockets of her jeans. She knew she had a $5 somewhere, she had stuck it in her pocket before leaving the apartment. Stopping at the cafe was her regular ruitine, so she always had money on her. Her fingertips brushed paper and she pulled out a crumpled bill. With a sheepish smile, she passed the money to the bright eyed barista. The girl took the money, handing Kiera back her change and the cold banana smoothie. Kiera took it with a nod and a soft smile.

Turning away from the counter, Kiera walked towards one of her favorite armchairs near the back of the cafe. It was situated next to a window, yet lodged in a snug corner. Kiera enjoyed drinking her smoothie while either flipping through whatever novel she had picked up from the University Library or simply watching the people walk by. The Cafe was always a busy place and Kiera was bound to recognize a face or two amongst the crowds. It was rare that she uttered a word to anyone besides the barista, however. Kiera was, above all else, a painfully shy young woman. She craved company, yet was too quiet to find it for herself. So she waited for someone who would take a chance on her.

She sat, her seat warmed by the sun streaming through the window. She absentmindedly sipped on her smoothie, her thoughts roaming - as they often did - to the previous night's activities. She had caved again, driving out to the forests outside of the city and relinquishing to her shifter form. Her lips curved up in a smile as she remembered the feeling of losing her human skin and slipping into the body of a wolf. She had run, though she didn't have to go far. Her pack was waiting.

Her pack, they weren't shifters like herself. They were full blooded serious wolves. She had discovered them at a young age, or more correctly they had discovered her. After the grueling rituals of acceptance, Kiera had become part of the pack. They recognized her, accepted her both in human form and in wolf. Though she was almost never within a mile of her pack in human form. She sighed wistfully, letting the melody of the pack's song drift through her head as her eyelids drifted closed. She hummed softly to herself, her smoothies clasped in one hand while her unopened book lay across her lap.

"...You were wrong
If you think you can walk right through my door
That is just so you
Coming back when I've finally moved on
I'm already gone."

Character: Kiera Fernidge
Tagged: X
Word Count: 791
Listening To: Gone - Kelly Clarkson
Comments: X

[Sky~]

"Close your eyes and
pretend it's all a bad dream,"

Her walk was one of a distinguished sort; a saunter, one that implied she was a daring young girl. The devilish gleam in her eye was the only thing a stranger could recognize; no one saw past the composure, the guarded countenance of her disposition. It was the look of someone who played with fire, and was determined not to get burned. Sure, she was a risk-taker, with nothing to loose -- something of a loner, but always drawing in the attention; thanks to her mysterious ways.

It was only a two way street with Arabella. You either loved her, or hated her -- rarely something in between. She just commanded that sort of personality. But, so careful of strangers, she tended to avoid their attention.

Still, something of a reckless risk-taker, she couldn't help but occasionally make conversation. This was one of those days. With a brush of ease, she gently pushed in the door to the cafe, brushing back her dark locks as she paused, eyes scanning the booths and small tables, smiling faces and all. Something akin to resentment flickered in her deep, blue eyes as she let out a sigh, walking towards the counter -- eventually, as she waited for her Coke, she allowed her eyes to slide along the customers; leisurely eating and drinking.

With a quiet "thanks", Arabella drifted towards the edge of the cafe, the windows beckoning her towards a small, empty booth. Normally, she despised being amongst humans. She'd much rather be among her own kind; Shifters, but, even with them -- she could be shifty and silent; too untrusting to offer anything but sly, sarcastic remarks on occasion.

But now, now it felt nice to escape the body of a fox, and relax as a human. Acting human -- well, that was a different story.

Nearly smirking to herself, she allowed her gaze to linger upon another young woman sipping a smoothie -- looking quietly reserved by herself. Something about her had caught Arabella's attention -- and, she was even a little curious -- perhaps she was a Shifter? Well, that would make her little visit to the cafe a little less intolerable. Only one way to find out.

Arabella's slender legs carried her towards the stranger, and, offering a small smile of greeting, brushed her dark hair over her shoulder, "Mind if I join you?" she asked, though her eyes remained guarded -- quiet and secretive in her own way. Still -- maybe she was on the verge of discovery.

"That's how I get by."

[kiera]

Kiera Fernidge

"You know you did it
I'm gone
To find someone to live for
In this world
There's no light at the end of the tunnel tonight
Just a bridge that I gotta burn..."

"Mind if I join you?" Kiera's head snapped up and her eyes locked on to the dark haired woman standing before her. For a moment she said nothing, just matching the woman's gaze evenly. Yes, No, Maybe so... Kiera hesitated before nodding silently. She looked away from the woman. Her heartbeat had quickened slightly and she returned her gaze to the window. Something about this girl was disconcerting, perhaps her confident swagger or the look in her eyes that seemed to say "I know something about you". She breathed deeply. Company, real human company. This was what she had wanted, craved. She would not turn it away now.

She turned towards the girl, smiling and setting her smoothie on the small coffee table between them. She extended her pale hand. "My name is Kiera, I'm a student here." She motioned to the chair opposite herself, still smiling softly. Her voice was quiet. "Who might I have the pleasure of speaking with?" Her smile broadened. She had always had a habit of speaking as if she was from Victorian England, but it was rare that anyone even heard her speak. Despite herself and her nature, this woman interested Kiera. Her dark ebony chocolate hair tumbled down over her shoulders and Kiera ran a hand through it, pushing it behind her ear impatiently.

There were so many humans here. Some of them may have been shifters, but Kiera could never tell. You couldn't exactly parade around shouting your identity, nor could you outright ask someone. Her eyes flicked regret before being masked again. She had always yearned for the days her parents had told her of, days when shifters could walk freely, no matter what form they took. Kiera would have liked that. Ideally, she imagined a life where she found a man - another shifter like herself. In her fantasy, he was a wolf. He would join her pack and they would live in a beautiful cabin in the forest. They would marry and spend their time raising beautiful shifting children and forever being with the pack. He would understand her need, her fierce love for her pack.

That was the worst part about being human. Humans didn't have packs. She was alone here. Everytime she made the bitter seperation from her pack, it was as if she was torn away from her family. She was thrown into the cold, alone and frightened. She felt hunted, cast out. One of her fellow roomates was a shifter, the other two were human, but even her fellow shifter didnt understand. Jessica, her roomate, shifted into a finch. A finch, she could flit away whenever she wished. No one would question a small bird hopping along the sidewalk. But if a wolf, a full grown wild and proud wolf, walked down the sidewalk - she would be shot more than likely. No, life wasn't fair and it never had been. But here life was making a first feeble attempt at an apology. They had sent her companionship to do with as she pleased.

"...You were wrong
If you think you can walk right through my door
That is just so you
Coming back when I've finally moved on
I'm already gone."

Character: Kiera Fernidge
Tagged: Arabella/Open
Word Count: 650
Listening To: Wherever You Will Go - The Calling
Comments: Kind of short!

[Sky~]

"Close your eyes and
pretend it's all a bad dream,"

Arabella quietly studied the stranger, trying to figure out whether her hunch had been correct. It was hard to tell -- but, then again, she might even be turned away. While waiting for the other young woman to reply, she busied herself by studying the new face, trying to extract some familiarity from it. She could see, yes, yet again, her aura of secrecy had prevailed upon the stranger; a young woman about her own age. Seemed quiet, shy even . . . but then again, looks were decieving. She should know that better than anyone.

At the sudden reply, Arabella's dark blue eyes returned to Kiera's, returning the smile offered towards her, and quickly shook hands with the girl, her own eyes gaining a look of quiet kindness. Sure, sometimes it was all an act. But today . . . today, she was feeling sincere. The formal way of salutation she recieved didn't exactly surprised Arabella, instead she nearly laughed at the irony. She too, often times spoke with an air of formality, though it was not as common as it used to be -- not since she'd changed into a more daring, rebellious individual of her former self, "Arabella Chase. Nice to meet you," she replied, lowering herself to take the empty chair besides Kiera, crossing her legs as she set her Coke down on the table.

"I'm a little surprised I haven't seen you before. I'm a student here as well," she laughed at the irony and offered a smile, before she took a small sip of her drink. Now this -- this was a glimpse of the old Arabella, the one she'd been . . . before. Before the betrayals and the accidents . . . before everything had turned for the worst. Stifling a sigh, she distracted herself by attempting to start a worthwhile conversation. After all, she still had some detective work to do -- it was bound to be exciting.

Her deep, blue gaze flicked towards the window as she eyed a few of the humans, huddled close, and talking together -- one glanced at her; a young man with a rugged, harsh appearance . . . almost suspicious. Nearly rolling her eyes, she knew she hadn't been caught. Yes, she'd shifted within the city limits -- but in Central Park, well within a huddle of trees, with the double assurance of being alone, before she'd went human. There was no way they could know. Just a few of the rare breed who actually believed in Shifters. Though they weren't as ignorant as the skeptics . . . they troubled her. "Do you come here often?" her easy confidence made conversation effortless; and now that the detective work had begun, she couldn't feel anything but interest.

As a shifter, as well as a human, she was very much alone. Foxes were loners, and her disposition tended towards the inclinations of solitude, though in fact, when she wanted -- she could be charming company. Whether she was acting or not, that was the mystery.

"That's how I get by."

[kiera]

Kiera Fernidge

"You know you did it
I'm gone
To find someone to live for
In this world
There's no light at the end of the tunnel tonight
Just a bridge that I gotta burn..."

"Arabella Chase. Nice to meet you," The name wasn't familiar to Kiera. To be fair, though, not many names were familiar to Kiera. She stuck to her roomates and the rare person that happened along her and decided to stick around for a while. She wasn't the type to search her friends out. Like her pack, they came to her. Kiera turned her attention back to Arabella. The girl had taken the seat that Kiera had gestured to and now sat cross legged, looking as relaxed and confident as Kiera often wished she was. She was talking again though, the words tumbling from her parted lips. "I'm a little surprised I haven't seen you before. I'm a student here as well," Kiera shrugged and gave a small smile in return. That comment, she actually had an answer to.

"We are but two of hundreds, what are the chances we would see each other on a regular enough basis to have formed memories or even an unlikely friendship?" She smiled back, finding that she was quickly adjusting to Arabella's easy company. Kiera had always tried to make a point of having equal numbers of friends who were human and shifter. Arabella would make a womderful addition to her human side of things. Plus, it would be nice to have a friend outside of her roomates. "Do you come here often?" Kiera grinned and pursed her lips to keep from laughing. Her eyes glittered, and she found herself relaxing in Arabella's easy company.

"Did you just hear yourself?" She imitated Arabella's higher voice, adding a dramatized flirtatious tone. "Do you come here often?" She laughed again, unable to hold it back this time. "You have to admit, you do sound a little like you're trying to hit on me." She waggled her eyebrows for good effect. She wasn't sure where this teasing light-hearted side of her had come from. Something about Arabella made her smile, made her feel open and less like a piece of prey she hunted with her pack. In fact, she was only ever this playful with her pack. Her smile faltered slightly and she turned to look out the window. She shifted slightly. She had shifted just last night, but thinking of her back made it seem like so much longer. She pushed down the rising craving in her body, squashing it and secreting it away. She swallowed and answered Arabella's question.

"Since you asked, and because I presume you won't use this information to stalk me," She was teasing again, but it wasn't as light-hearted as before. "I usually come here every morning before classes. I like to sit and read, mentally preparing for the day." She turned back to Arabella, offering her another small smile. For a brief moment in time, minutes, Kiera had opened herself. She had smiled, she had laughed, unconcerned about what others might think. She had teased, not stuttered. Now that time had passed and she slowly withdrew once more.

"...You were wrong
If you think you can walk right through my door
That is just so you
Coming back when I've finally moved on
I'm already gone."

Character: Kiera Fernidge
Tagged: Arabella/Open
Word Count: 650
Listening To: The Anthem - Good Charlotte
Comments: X[/quote]