Beacon Academy - Amphitheater - Monday Noon

[@FateWeaver][@jman221][@Bigg Slamm]

All Cyra could do was stare up at the empty stage, her face ashen, deaf to Orlan's words. [i]Everyone is... sleeping together?[/i] Panic closed off her throat, and she shoved her hands into the pockets of her hoodie to keep them from shaking. [i]He was joking, right? That was a joke. We're not actually all sleeping together in one room.[/i] Even as she told herself that, her eyes becoming glued to the floor, she knew that it was no joke. His voice had been the most deadpan thing she had ever heard, not the sound of someone who often said something in jest. There was no way she could do this. Ears could be tucked into a sleeping hat, a tail hidden inside a shirt or a pair of pants, but her? It would become blatantly obvious to every first year in the school that she was hiding something. Someone would ask what she was doing, other people would notice, a crowd would be drawn, they'd start talking, and then someone might-

She shook her head violently, driving off the image. [i]No, no, don't go there. Don't think about it, just don't. It's a big place, there must be plenty of little hiding places around the ballroom. Surely they wouldn't notice one person not there.[/i]

Movement caught her attention, and she looked at the new comer apologizing to Orlan. "Ugh... I'm Liam. Liam Yugure." She stared at his extended hand as if it was from another planet, then quickly averted her gaze, keeping her hands firmly planted in her pockets. It was probably rude, but she wasn't about to take the chance that he was one of those friendly people who would clap you on the shoulder while they shook your hand. "C-Cyra." She sneaked a glance up at his face, noting his oddly large eyes were each a different colour, one yellow, one red. He also towered over her, almost two whole feet. Not for the first or last time, she silently cursed her stature. 

Another man was approaching from behind Liam, who appeared equally tall and clean shaven, his head decorated with what looked like tattoos. If he got there, she would be practically surrounded. The air was suddenly hot and stifling. She needed to leave, needed some air, space to think clearly. There was an opening to her left, and she took it. "I-I-I need to go!" Grabbing the handle of her suitcase, she half walked, half ran through the crowd and out into the courtyard.

Beacon Courtyard

The wheels of her suitcase clattered across the paving stones as she ran into an empty area of the courtyard. The cooler air was soothing to her throat after the heat of the amphitheater. Ahead of her was one of the small circular flower gardens, perfect for what she needed. Dropping her suitcase, she fell to her knees in front of the flowers and reached her hands in, digging her exposed fingers into the loose dirt. Closing her eyes, she took deep, slow breaths, concentrating on the cool soil. After a few seconds, her shoulders sagged as she visibly relaxed, feeling all the worries and concerns that Ozpin's and Glenda's speech had incited in her falling away as that cool sensation filled her up. She felt vast, her very self extending into the ground beneath her feet, far far away from the academy. Behind her scarf, a small smile graced her lips.