[IC] Knight in Shining Armor (KiSA) [Private]

[TentacleLord]

Jonathan Maxwell-Courtyard of Saint Valerius

Summers at Saint Valerius were always a time marked by their surprisingly warm and sunny weather, markedly different from the usual storms and rain that pelted the area.

In one of the many courtyards that were hidden around the castle-inspired school, a lone young man lay stretched against the lovingly tended grass that made up the center of the walled-in territory, happily basking in the comfortable sunshine.

The surprising warmth of the day was mirrored in Jonathan's careless, cat-like smile. He'd moved up a year a few days prior, making the welcome reprieve of a few days break all the sweeter. He never had time for his simple pleasures in the rush of his schooling. It was always work, and barely ever play.

But this...? This was good.

Perhaps his family should have spent their money on this sort of relaxation process, instead of the millions his mother had poured into the private masseuses and trained professionals that littered around the main household for whenever times got too 'stressing.'

He arched his back, letting the cool grass rub against his back as he felt the exceptionally pleasing contrast.

Maybe this could get Cyrus to stop having such a stick up his ass.

Jonathan snorted quietly to himself, amused at the fantasy image of Cyrus' laughing face. Like that'd happen.

The lazy noble's thoughts darted away again, too far gone to toy with any of the ideas that required heavy thinking or deep contemplation.

Perhaps Ken'd know what to do about that, the guy always had some sort of idea about 'treating people right.'

His sleepily lidded eyes flickered open as the thought of his friend surfaced, Jon's brow furrowing even as the warm air threatened to lull him back to sleep. With a heavy sigh, the man sat up and blinked blearily in the golden sunlight, turning his head to stare forlornly at the eastern entrance to the courtyard, a single thought now glowing on the forefront of his mind.

They're late.

[HylianRose]

Cyrus Mitchell || In Town (Berwick)

Irritating...

That was all she could think while she followed the two childhood friends around the stores. She had a constant sour look on her face despite the happy air around them. Besides, the warmth of the sun on her back was beginning to irritate her even more. It was hot and these two idiots didn't seem to even notice. With a puff of hot air, Cyrus turned away from the two and made her way to the train station to get back to the school. The fare was free because of her affiliation with the school, all she had to do was flash her ID to the screen and it blinked green, letting her know she could get on. Nevermind that the ID was still her brother's in reality. That was the plus of being fraternal twins, no one could tell the difference between you when there weren't any.

She sighed as she sat down by herself in the relative middle of the train cart, her eyes trained on the town she was going to leave behind. Admittedly, the town was cute, quaint. But she couldn't get her mind off of Jon. If something happened to him, it'd be her head, no... her brother's head. She couldn't have that. She closed her eyes as she felt the soft purr of the train engine starting and the sudden jerk as the hunk of metal began to move toward the school. Opening them again, she reached for a set of headphones and pulled them over her head, plugging them into her smartphone, paid for by Jon's family. Soon, soft piano music began to play, drowning out the noises around her. There wasn't really anyone else on the train save for the few like her, straddlers not really wanting to talk to anyone.

For the moment, she could pretend she was back at her old school, in the music room, her hands on the piano keys. A smile graced her lips as she lifted her hands and pretended to play Canon in D, making the motions with her hands as her head slowly swayed to the song. This was her peace, this was her place. It was where she belonged. It was what kept her going. After all, this was where her brother belonged and she needed to protect that, his future.

Soon, too soon for Cyrus, she felt the jerk of the train stopping and she opened her eyes as the main melody of Ave Maria began to play from her phone. Sighing, she pulled the headphones off her head and placed them in her bag carefully. She was careful to stop her phone from playing the song and turned the MP3 function off. Getting up, she made her way off of the train and down the long walk back to the academy. Their things were already all put into their rooms, today was simply a lazy day. Though, Cyrus honestly felt she'd be better off spending it training. Maybe that was what she'd do. Head inside and get changed to go to the gym. But then dinner... She swallowed as, as if on cue, her stomach growled. With a sigh, she continued on, eventually making it to the gates of the school.

Upon arriving at the gates, Cyrus looked over to see, you guessed it, Jon laying in the grass, taking what seemed to be a cat nap. The nerve... She attempted to calm herself down and walked over to Jon, her face nearly emotionless. "Afternoon, Sir." She greeted him, her voice a bit gruff to hide her gender, though it wasn't much. She'd only been working on it for a few weeks. Right now she just... sounded raspy. She didn't really know how else to do it... She needed to look it up... The internet had everything, right?

[Mayadere]

Ken Winwroc // Town (Berwick)

Its hot. Sticky. Forgot something. Tired.

The words practically floated around Ken's head at this point, in a small circular motion, taunting him as he leaned back into the train seat with a soft groan. It was hot outside, and even inside the air-conditioned train. It was a very short ride over and he was slightly irritated that Cyrus had slipped away and left without Nolan and himself. But at the same time he couldn't blame him, either. As usual, anytime Ken managed to slip into town without a goal set in mind, he ended up talking with everyone. The shop owners, managers, fellow shoppers, their children, even the rare few dogs that were around. And once he got talking with people, it was hard to get him to stop. If Nolan had not lightly nudged him along, he likely could have spent the rest of the afternoon chattering away with the local icecream store owner.

"Nolan, when we arrive, please tell me." Ken murmurs in a soft, rather sultry voice. Slowly he lifts a hand to lightly rub at the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes as he visibly relaxes, at least for the moment. He never truly seemed to relax, at least not in front of friends or anyone else. But it was alright with Nolan. He could let his guard down and retreat into his head for a few precious moments of internal peace, he did not have to be himself for a short while. When relaxing and letting his guard down, even in the slightest, Ken was fairly defenseless. He hardly heard anything, barely felt the bounce of the train, nor the rather welcomed chill of the high-powered AC that kept the insides of the metal construction decently cool compared to the blazing heat outside.

He wasn't fully sure if he was ready to return to the school, but he knew Jonathan was waiting for them, now along with Cyrus. Already his mind was whirling with the apology he was going to have to give them both, especially Cyrus. His previous minor irritation was already gone and now he merely felt like he had wasted the young Knight's time, and as he had been raised... time was important and should not be wasted. From there though, Ken's thoughts sort of drifted off to the events of the day.

[TentacleLord]

Jonathan Maxwell - Courtyard of Saint Valerius

Jonathan's pale eyes lit up behind his slightly crooked glasses, lighting on his rapidly approaching guardian with undisguised glee. He leaned back onto his elbows as he let his gaze wander down to the Knight's unscuffed shoes, marveling to himself that the slightly younger man hadn't got them dirty in the slightest, barely hearing the utterly standard greeting that Cyrus tossed his way.

"Afternoon, Cyrus~." Jon responded, letting his words trail off in a seemingly mocking sing-song tone, surrendering his concentration to muse on his newly acquired companion.

He honestly couldn't recall a time when the dark-haired boy had smiled, despite the few weeks he'd known him. Always with the stony stoicism and judgmental gaze, followed up by a 'Sir' that was more obviously an insult than a compliment. A man who's fairly androgynous face was constantly marred with some varying degrees of a scowl.

Jon again snorted quietly to himself, turning back to his relaxation.

If he loosened up, he would be such fun.

His sly smile returned, spreading over the rich noble's face like overly-sweet syrup. Jon fell back against the ground once more, letting himself melt into the refreshing feeling of the freshly pruned grass.

Then perhaps some... loosening should be implemented?

"Care to join me?" The young man's voice drifted lazily up to his Knight, patting the cool grass next to him.

[HylianRose]

Nolan Winters || On Train To Saint Valerius

"Nolan, when we arrive, please tell me." She heard Ken say as the train really started going. She turned to see the male already leaned against the chair, his eyes closed. He always looked really peaceful like this. It was moments like this that made her wish they could go out like this more often. He needed the break from constantly having his guard up. Besides, that was her job.

She resisted the urge to ruffle his hair, remembering her place. Not only was she his Knight but he was older than her. Where did she get off treating him like a kid? But... She sighed, leaning back into her own chair seated across from him. But that was what she wanted to be for him. The person he could act like a kid around. Then again, maybe she was being selfish.

Nolan turned to look out the window, her eyes narrowing over the horizon as the trees quickly passed by. After a few seconds, she turned back to look at Ken, her eyes soft. She'd like to believe that it was only in these moments that she showed this, but even she knew she couldn't control when she did this. Eventually, someone would find out wouldn't they?

Another sigh...

Nolan closed her eyes and willed the look in her eyes to go away. She didn't really care if they thought she was gay and into Ken, she just didn't want that image to hamper Ken's ability to deal with other Nobles. He was pretty charismatic but people could be mean, as they were. A very faint smile appeared on Nolan's lips as the train stopped and she yet again gave Ken another nudge.

"Alright, sleeping beauty. Time's up." She told him, her voice deep from years of training. It would probably be harder to sound like a girl later on. She might not ever... sound like a girl again. Ignoring the thoughts, she focused on the task at hand, making sure Ken was awake and getting off the train. If they waited too long, the train would close up again and they'd have to wait out another round of it. Which... Didn't sound all too bad...

---

Cyrus Mitchell || Courtyard of Saint Valerius

"Afternoon, Cyrus~."

Cyrus straightened herself a bit at his snort, irritated with him both because of his tone and his way of dealing with her. He was a brat to say the least. She'd only known him a few weeks, but she already knew why her brother had attempted suicide. The guy was a pain to deal with. She watched, her anger rising, as he fell back against the grass.

"Care to join me?"

"You know very well that I don't really have a choice. You know..." She began, trailing off a bit as she thought about what to say. "You know, I don't appreciate you laying out here in the open, ready for someone to attack you. Cat naps are all well and all, but you could get me expelled just by being out here like this. What if someone decided to take the opportunity to attack you? What would we do then? Oh, right. You'd just get a new Knight." She explain, not taking a single moment to catch her breath. It all spewed out like wildfire. It wasn't the first time she'd lectured him either and it probably wouldn't be the last.

She let out a loud aggravated sigh and sat down next to her spoiled prince with a 'Thump!' She glared out at the wall, trying not to hit the poor bastard. Definitely not something a Knight did to his Noble. Yeah, probably not. Still, she couldn't stop the scenarios running through her head. Images of Jon laying on the ground, begging her to stop hitting him.

...Am I a sadist?

...When it comes to this guy? And most of the kids here? Yeah, probably.

[Mayadere]

Ken Winwroc // Exiting train - Train Platform at Saint Valerius

While it felt like it had only been a few seconds that Ken had his eyes closed, he grudgingly opened them, with a soft smile upon his lips. It was in that exact moment he realized that he truly was not ready to go back, the temptation of just staying on the train for another ride to the city and back smacked him upside the head like a bag of bricks. But with another nudge from Nolan, a soft sigh escapes him.

"Time is always up." He manages out with a bit of a chuckle, pushing up from the seat slowly, stretching a bit. He moves both of his hands to his hair, carefully pushing the blond locks away from his face for a couple of moments... before he suddenly starts to squish his cheeks together, making a fishy-face at Nolan. "I should see if Jonathan wants to come with us, the icecream parlor is going to be adding SIX new flavors sometime next week. Cyrus too, obviously. Maybe he will crack a smile this time, I felt a bit bad for having just dragged him along for me to go talk with people... But those kids really did like that icecream I got them."

A bit awkwardly he lowers his hands from squishing his cheeks, suddenly shaking his head rather roughly. It was almost as if he was trying to stop himself from being in too good of a mood, years of having it beaten into him, he knew no one really liked when people were too excited over something they did not care about. And none of the other nobles that Ken had much to do with would be as excited as he was about having bought a bunch of children icecream. Sucking in a sharp breath and slowly exhaling, he quickly exits the train.

Just from stepping off of the train, Ken had changed his stance greatly. Shoulders squared, head lifted, looking utterly refined even in his 'common' street wear. But now with his new stance, the clothing seemed painfully unfitting. An expensive suit or something else would have been much more fitting. A smile still managed to form onto his face as he turns to look towards Nolan, ever-so-slightly bowing his head. "I must apologize to Jonathan and Cyrus. Not only did I leave Cyrus alone to the point he managed to leave before us, we are also a bit late because I was talking needlessly. But I feel there is a lot of tension between them, something I am not sure if I can help remedy or not."

And with that, Ken starts to walk off towards the Courtyard, eyes set forward. Any trace of him having been tired before now gone.

[TentacleLord]

Jonathan Maxwell - Courtyard of Saint Valerius

Jon's face turned to one of passive acceptance at the sound of Cyrus' "lecturing" voice.

"Oh don't worry about it~." The rather annoying tone returned as Jon brushed off Cyrus' lecture, waving his hand dismissively. He'd heard it several times before, and the content hadn't changed in the slightest. Always 'Do this' or 'don't do that'. It was like the dark-haired boy was broken record, stuck repeating the same phrases over and over.

Or like a rather angry parrot.

"I'm sure that someone who wants to attack me will do it in broad daylight, in the middle of a heavily guarded school." The young man's voice was sarcastic and playful, ignoring the pointed comment at the end of the lecture(As usual). "Really, Cyrus, it's like you don't like having fun."

Jon shook his head, still laughing quietly to himself at his own joke. He glanced again at Cyrus, watching the other man's forehead crease in obvious signs of frustration and annoyance. He really needed to learn how to joke.

...Maybe he needed a little help?

The blonde boy's arms snaked out, closing the distance between the two with startling speed, carelessly disregarding personal boundaries as he placed two hands on either side of Cyrus' head. Still grinning like a madman, thumbs pushed on either side of Cyrus' lips, forcing a sort of 'smile', unwillingly exposing teeth. Jon's resulting laughter was accompanied by a short sentence, said in pure honesty.

"See, smile! It'll make everything be better.'

[HylianRose]

Cyrus Mitchell - Courtyard of Saint Valerius

Cyrus let out a frustrated groan at Jon's words. Don't worry about it.

"I'm sure that someone who wants to attack me will do it in broad daylight, in the middle of a heavily guarded school." He said, sarcasm dripping from his mouth. "Really, Cyrus, it's like you don't like having fun."

I'm going to kill him...

Her eyes shot open as his hands came to her face, she half expected him to kiss her which sent her heart racing. It wasn't that she liked him or anything... Definitely not. She was just... shocked. Definitely shocked.

"I'd weawy appwecaithe ith ith you'd thop."[I'd really appreciate it if you'd stop.] Cyrus said through Jon pushing on her lips, her cheeks growing red. This was what she hated... He was so oblivious, as if he didn't have a care in the world. She found it rather irritating that one could be so careless. She'd much rather have a Noble like Ken who knew better. Jon thought he was invincible and Cyrus swore that if it didn't kill him, she would.

She pulled away sharply, a scowl on her face. "Knights and Nobles shouldn't be so familiar with each other." She told him curtly, turning her head away. As she did so, she noticed Ken and Nolan walking their way. Why had she even left them in the first place? To get irritated by Jon? She should just let him get his just desserts. He deserved it after all...

---

Nolan - On Way To Courtyard of Saint Valerius

"Time is always up."

Nolan gave her poor friend a soft smile as if to apologize. She felt so bad for him... for the both of them. How badly she just wanted to tell him to sit back down... That it was okay if he wanted to go another round but... She let out an almost inaudible slow sigh, her heart aching.

When her eyes finally went back to Ken, she let out a loud snort of laughter at his face.

What a child!

"I should see if Jonathan wants to come with us, the icecream parlor is going to be adding SIX new flavors sometime next week. Cyrus too, obviously. Maybe he will crack a smile this time, I felt a bit bad for having just dragged him along for me to go talk with people... But those kids really did like that icecream I got them."

Nolan couldn't wipe the smile off of her face as he said this. It was as if he knew her heartache and how to cure it. The bastard. She didn't need anymore reason to fall for him. He needed to stop being so damned adorable. Especially since she knew the moment he got off of the train, a dramatic change would occur. She always hated that... Still, he'd already made her feel better. She just wished she could do the same for him. Maybe she'd steal him away tonight and they could watch the stars together like when they were kids. He'd always seemed to like that.

A small noise came out of Nolan's mouth as she agreed with him, a soft, warm smile plastered on her face. "I don't think Cyrus would have a good time anywhere we took him. The poor guy's such a... stiff." She explained as she stood.

The smile faded as she noticed Ken's face, his determination as he quickly turned and got off the train. With wide eyes, Nolan quickly followed. "You shouldn't do that! It's a bad habit. Always let me go first. I'd rather I see the bullet or gun first rather than the back of your head as you fall back onto me from some attack." She told him, her voice firm.

"I must apologize to Jonathan and Cyrus. Not only did I leave Cyrus alone to the point he managed to leave before us, we are also a bit late because I was talking needlessly. But I feel there is a lot of tension between them, something I am not sure if I can help remedy or not." He told her, turning to face her for the moment before walking off. As if he hadn't even heard her. She let out a bit of a frustrated groan and followed, trying to keep up with his pace.

As she walked next to him, her eyes were set on their surroundings, on alert now. She didn't honestly believe anyone would be after Ken but it was a good habit to form. She'd hate to be lost in her thoughts when someone decided to attack him. There were a group of girls just a few feet away from the gate, walking towards the school. She gave them a nod of her head and then attempted to go inside before Ken, only to get right beside him.

Damn his pace... He knows I can't keep up.

As they entered, she noticed Cyrus and Jon, both in the open area between the school at it's walls. Putting on a soft but reserved smile, Nolan waved at Cyrus who seemed to notice them. "Glad to see you made it back okay." Nolan greeted them as she and Ken walked up.

[Mayadere]

Ken Winwroc // Courtyard of Saint Valerius

He knew better than to get off of the train first, or to get out of the car first, or to even enter a room first, at least if Nolan was not at his side. Rushing out of the train like that could have been fatal, but he had a good feeling that no one knew he had actually left today. He was supposed to be studying the entire last two weeks before school returned, mainly for his advanced classes and other studies 'requested' by his family. But he had taken many breaks, even if he had not left the school as often as he had hopped, studying was boring. Plus, he knew Nolan wasn't overly fond of sitting around for hours on end while he had his nose deep in books, papers, and computer screens.

Nolan made him feel safe though, at ease even when he was under threat of danger. And always, always, Nolan just seemed to make everything easier. That certain look that filled his eyes when he glanced his way, the light nudges, that laugh. And here he was, being somewhat rude by just walking off in such a way, even after hearing the words spoken. But maybe it was not rude, exactly... a bit spoiled, maybe? Because he knew Nolan would be there, even if he had taken off running.

"Ah, Cyrus! Jonathan!" Ken starts, waving towards them as he approached at a more steadied, dignified pace. He had given a faint smile to the girls near the gate with a light bow of his head, but he did not speak to them. He speeds up his pace a bit, to meet them just a bit quicker. A smile forms onto his face, before he begins to apologize.

"Please forgive my lateness, Jonathan. I was having an interesting discussion with the local icecream store owner... did you know he is going to be adding six new flavors next week? You should join us next time, even if you do not like icecream greatly. We could always go to another store after the icecream, though." And with that, Ken quickly turns his attention towards his new Knight, Cyrus. The smile is still on his face, but his squared shoulders slump slightly and his eyes take on a truly apologetic look.

"And to you as well, Cyrus. I am very sorry for having dragged you along with Nolan and myself today, when all I ended up doing was talking with everyone. It was, and is, still rather hot outside and I can imagine it was not very comfortable to be sitting outside most of the time either. Though I would like for you to join us next time we go to the town as well! Possibly we could do some shopping? For games, or cloths, or whatever you three would like." And that summed up what Ken thought about the whole 'Knight and Noble' relationship, much to the displeasure of his kin. Everyone was a person in his eyes, no one stood above the rest while they were on even grounds like this, and even when the ground was not even, Ken had no problems lowering his head to even it.

[TentacleLord]

Jonathan Maxwell - Courtyard of Saint Valerius

The young man's broad grin only grew wider at his Knight's apparent discomfort, whistling softly through his teeth as the other boy's face turned into the signature frown that colored all of the duo's interactions. He simply couldn't resist another snarky comment, barely holding back laughter at Cyrus' crimson-tinged face.

"Aw, that's no fun. What are we, if not friends?"

As if to save the poor man from further teasing, the calm and collected voice of Ken cut through the air, alerting Cyrus' tormentor to his friend's arivall.The pale eyes, parcially concealed behind the thickly framed glasses, lit up with delight at the sight of his friend coming to meet them.

"Ken!"

He raised his hand in greeting, saving his words until the other noble and his knight finally approached, quite happy to listen to the other noble

Without getting up, Jon patted the grass on the opposite side from Cyrus, waving his other hand dismissively. "It's fine, it's fine. Ice-cream sounds good, too." The dignified young man was a good friend and an old one. He'd be excused for the apparent rudeness of being late, if only due to lack of care on Jon's part.

"Anyway!" Much like his previous conversation with Cyrus, Jon ignored what he felt he didn't need to hear(All of Ken's gracious offers, the other young noble was always saying polite things). "Come, sit! I've got an idea for what to do with the rest of our break~! And it requires but a small portion of your time."

Jon's sly smile changed into something seemingly nicer, a charming one that he reserved for asking favors and convincing others that he was innocent of whatever he was accused of.

"It'll be awesome."

[HylianRose]

Cyrus Mitchell - Courtyard of Saint Valerius

A Knight and his Noble. What else?

Cyrus shook her head slowly at Jon's response, still turned toward Ken and Nolan. She still didn't quite know what to think of the two. Ken was like Jon in that he was friendly he just did it in a more... sophisticated way. And Nolan... He followed Ken around like a little puppy dog. He wouldn't be Jon's friend if Ken weren't so friendly with him. It's like the guy existed just for Ken. It was kind of... disgusting, in a way.

Still... Cyrus straighten herself a bit and gave a small bow to Ken and Nolan. "Same to you. I apologize for leaving so abruptly. I must have worried you." She told them, her face stoic and cold. It one didn't know, they'd think she didn't mean a single word she said, as if she was just acting. Which... wasn't far from the truth. She was acting, pretending to be someone she clearly wasn't. Yes, she was rather... calm in her own life but... She at least smiled then... But now... She felt no need.

This was business... This was war and she needed to be on high alert. At least until her brother regained consciousness... She didn't say anything further to anything Ken had said, preferring to keep to herself. While she liked Ken, she disagreed with his views on Knight and Noble relations. She'd much prefer to keep Jon by her side physically but at arms length mentally. She already have enough going on, she didn't need to worry about Jon trying to get into her head.

She turned to Jon when he began talking about an idea. Her eyes narrowed glaring at him. "And what, pray tell, is this idea of yours?" She asked, a scowl on her face. she remembered his last idea and she also remember what had happened to her in the end. Mainly, being left behind. That wasn't about to happen again.

---

Nolan - With Everyone

A soft smile on her face, Nolan simply watched with a distanced expression. While she didn't exactly agree with everything Ken said in apology to them, she did agree with Cyrus. It was more his fault for up and leaving without telling them. She hadn't yet voiced it, but she was more than angry with the male for leaving their side so abruptly. Ken would probably push it aside, easily forgiving. Nolan was... not so forgiving of her roommate, or anyone else for that matter.

With Ken, he could do no wrong. But others... They pissed her off more than she could count. Though... She had to admit that she did like Jon. He was a nice guy if... a bit naive at times. But everyone was entitled to that. Nolan honestly envied him, being able to sit around lazily, not a care in the world. What she wouldn't give to go back to those days. Though, the last time she remembered doing that was a very, very long time ago.

Jon's voice pulled Nolan back from her distance memories, her eyes lighting back up. This could be good for Ken and bad for him as well, depending on what Jon was planning. "What do you mean?" She asked, a worried look in her eyes. She'd known Jon for a good while and she knew how unpredictable he could be, someone that moves on his own whims.

Her eyes flitted up to Ken, gauging his reaction to Jon's words. Excitement, tired, irritated...? She didn't know. She just knew that he was indeed tired and he probably wouldn't voice it to anyone. Depending on the idea, she might have to bullshit a way for them to get out of it because she knew he wouldn't dare.

[Mayadere]

Ken Winwroc // Courtyard of Saint Valerius

Only a small bit of relief hit Ken as Jon and Cyrus both accepted his apology. Jon's he was less worried about than Cyrus', as he knew his dear friend would not care that greatly about half an hour, especially on such a day like today. But his Knight's was another story, entirely. Though he knew that sort of thing was what he expected, it bothered him still, the huge emotional distance that Cyrus was putting between himself and everyone else, even Jon. And even though Cyrus had accepted the apology, it felt horrendously fake. Having grown up around high class politicians and world leaders of the economy, he knew fake well. Slight panic struck Ken as he looked at Cyrus with an unintentionally worried look.

"Well of course, what if something had happened to you and we were out of our reach to help?" The words slipped out rather easily, with genuine care on a nearly delicate sounding tone. But just as fast as it had been said, since Cyrus had not said more to his apology, he turned his attention back to Jon. And there was his sly grin slowly changing to one more innocent seeming... A soft laugh suddenly escaped Ken before he moved over slowly and plopped down in place where the other young man was patting on the grass. He crossed his legs and shove his hands into the large jacket pockets as he grinned softly towards one of his dear friends.

"Something exciting, hrm? I'm all ears." Ken nods towards Jon, slowly removing one hand from his pocket before resting an elbow upon his right knee. Quickly he then leans forward, resting his head against his hand, leaving him hunched over while he stared at Jon and Cyrus with look of complete interest. He did toss a quick glance towards Nolan, one that held only a small bit of tiredness, before he looked back to Jon. He knew Nolan would find himself a good spot to stand, or maybe even one to sit, he didn't have to worry about that. He sort of figured that him leaning against his hand like this though would indicate to Nolan that yes, he was in fact tired, but no longer willing to go rest as he wanted.

Especially now that Jon had suggested something exciting with that look he had that made people believe he was innocent, even if he wasn't. And Ken really could not complain about it, as long as he had that smile, Ken would simply believe him, no matter the story he told. Buuuut he had a feeling Jon already knew that. And probably Nolan and everyone else, too.

[TentacleLord]

Jonathan Maxwell - Courtyard of Saint Valerius

"I'm getting to that, I'm getting to that." He again dismissed both Knights' worries with a wave, clearly ignoring the annoyed tone of Cyrus' and Nolan's more reserved concern. The redheaded young man was much more accepting of Jon's ideas than his own, grumpier companion, despite Nolan's rather obsessive nature toward Ken's safety.

"So, here's the thing." The blonde young man's shortly cut hair floated around his head as he turned to look at Ken fully, certain to keep his most charming persona up as he began to voice his idea for the remaining daylight. "Cyrus here-" Jon reached over quickly, placing his hand on top of the dark haired man's head, making sure to slightly tousle the well-cared for mop. "-Doesn't know many of the Knights too well." With his free hand, he reached into his pocket, withdrawing a cell-phone from the depths.

"And that leaves me in a bind when asking for favors. So I had the most brilliant idea ever. Let's do something that every single of us nobles need practice in. Something they don't teach in these expensive classes the teachers like to brag about."

Jon's eyes flashed as the sly grin returned in full, quite happy with how he'd decided to word his idea in a convincing manner. "It's networking, networking. Me, and you, then we get some of the other people we know that are in the same situation, head into town and build some relationships for the future. Then they'd bring their Knights, and we get the best protection money can pay for! We build future business partners, Cyrus gets to get used to everybody, we get back before the last train stops. everybody wins!"

He waved his hands excitedly, blurting out the last part with renewed vigor. "It'd be later tonight, so we'd have time to prepare before we go and have some fun with the last part of our little break!"

Jon sat back, satisfied with his explanation, already checking the aforementioned cell-phone for his roommate's contact information.

[HylianRose]

Cyrus - With Everyone

At this point, Cyrus was tired of fighting and simply let Jon ruffle her hair, as irritated and... embarrassed it made her. If she tried to stop him, she'd end up hurting him in someway and that wasn't her place. All she could do was yell at him... Though, how badly she wanted to give him her 'what for.'

She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. Her cheeks were still red and her eyes didn't make contact with anyone around her as Jon spoke.

"And that leaves me in a bind when asking for favors. So I had the most brilliant idea ever. Let's do something that every single of us nobles need practice in. Something they don't teach in these expensive classes the teachers like to brag about."

Cyrus perked up a bit, Jon's hand still on her head, her hair was now in her eyes but she didn't care. Her eyes narrowed at Jon, trying to see what he was getting at.

"It's networking, networking. Me, and you, then we get some of the other people we know that are in the same situation, head into town and build some relationships for the future. Then they'd bring their Knights, and we get the best protection money can pay for! We build future business partners, Cyrus gets to get used to everybody, we get back before the last train stops. everybody wins!"

With a huff of air, Cyrus turned back around. So, that was what it was about. Meeting other Knights. Cyrus didn't see the point in it. If she was going to fight them eventually, she didn't want to meet them, much less know their name. That made it so much harder to attack them. She didn't have to kill them but she still didn't like attacking people she knew, it made it harder. She didn't know if she'd be able to attack Ken or Nolan. Experiences with other people made it harder to attack them unprovoked. Jon on the other hand. She'd... Could she honestly? As much as she thought about it, she honestly didn't think she'd be able to honestly hurt him Knight or not. Annoying as he was, she couldn't deny his kindness.

"It'd be later tonight, so we'd have time to prepare before we go and have some fun with the last part of our little break!" He spoke after waving his arms around a bit. Cyrus rolled her eyes, his hand still on her head. It was warm and... oddly comforting. It irritated her. She was supposed to make him feel safe not the other way around! She pulled her head away a bit forcefully and moved a bit away from Jon, looking in the other direction. Having nothing to say about it, she simply sat. She didn't have a choice in the matter anyway.

---

Nolan - With Everyone

She listened with mild interest as Jon spoke so passionately, snickering softly at Cyrus' reactions to it all. She'd like to say poor guy, but he honestly deserved all the teasing he got for how rude he was. She'd noticed Ken's look. It took a lot, but eventually she resigned to let him get himself out of it. Although, it didn't really appeal to her, she did see the benefit from Jon's plan though... how it was exciting, she didn't know.

Though, if it was something Ken was interested in doing, she'd follow like the good friend she was. And meeting some of the newer Knights might be good for her as well. Though, some of the older ones she had bad relations with. Mostly because they intimidated her... a lot. Still, Ken always had some way of calming her nerves. All it took was a simple touch, or a few words... "Do your best."

Nolan's head shot up as she heard people near them, half-expecting those girls, she looked over to see a couple random Middle Class walking back to the building. She kept her eyes trained on them, watching with sharp eyes. When they entered the building, she turned around and realized she had a scowl on her face again. Quickly adjusting, she put a soft smile back on her face, not wanting the others, mostly Ken, to see her that way.

Last year, Middle Class students had decided to attack Ken, wounding him in the leg with a rather large knife. Nolan had been too late to try and protect him, having been too far away. Within seconds, she was by his side, trying to see if he was okay and how to get him better. She'd completely forgotten to try and discern the faces of the students. But surely they'd done it for money from a Noble. Either way, they never found them and since then, Nolan has been ever so protective of Ken from people she didn't know well. She knew Jon would never attack Ken. However, she didn't know Cyrus. But she trusted Jon's judgement, even if he did play around too much.

---

Criston and Cain - In Criston and Jon's room

"Hey! Let's move that over here! I mean, then you can stare at her breasts all night long." Cain yelled from across the room, grinning like a school boy as he pointed at the poster on Criston's bed and then to the ceiling.

"I might be a perv, but that's gross, dude." Criston replied, wrinkly his nose in faked disgust. "Just kidding. It's perfect!" He continued, grinning in the same fashion.

"So... When is your roommate supposed to come back around here?" Cain asked, fiddling with a book from the shelf. He was seated in the large chair situated at the large window next to Criston's bed. He put the book down and pulled his hand through his hair, pulling red strands of hair out of his eye so that he could better see Criston. After all, he only had one eye that could see right now. Granted, the eye patch was more for training. He could see out of both eyes. He just chose to wear the patch to work on his senses. That way, if someone attacked from that side, he'd hear them before they even got close.

"Uhm... I'm not sure. The guy's an enigma." Criston replied, shrugging his shoulders as he put things away. The chain around his neck jingled as he placed boxes and opened them, sifting through the things. A few of the boxes needed to go back into the Kitchen area... "Hey, Cain. Mind putting these in the Kitchen?" He asked, turning to look at Cain.

"You're wish is my command, master. Want me to dress in a maid's outfit? Or, I could just slip into an apron." Cain replied, winking at Criston as he stood. He enjoyed teasing his white haired Noble, the damned playboy. Still, they were very good friends and messing with him was part of Cain's job. At least, to Cain.

"Knock yourself out." Criston replied, grinning in defiance.

"One day... I'll actually do it. And then you'll regret those words."

"Nah. You will. Because I really will knock you out. And then probably take you out to the front yard to let everyone see you like that."

"Noted."

[Mayadere]

Ken Winwroc // Courtyard at Saint Valerius

"Cyrus here-" Ken watched as Jon reached a hand over and messed with Cyrus' hair. "-Doesn't know many of the Knights too well." And then he watched while he pulled out his cellphone and continued to talk.

Ken was very quiet while he listened to Jon speak, his full attention drawn to the well worded plot of his friend. He had heard countless handfuls of ideas from him before, and Ken honestly felt that the wording got a bit better each time, not that he would admit it openly unless asked. But he could almost laugh about how easily he was drawn in merely by the excitement his friend was showing. And like he thought, though he had been tired before, he felt somewhat revitalized by such enthusiasm from someone else. Though it did not show greatly on his face, which currently held slight discomfort. But not from what he was listening too, having canted his neck in such a way for a few moments too long easily became uncomfortable when you were use to sitting straight enough that you could balance a pile of books perfectly on the top of your head without fear of them falling to the ground.

Quickly Ken raises his head up, straightening out his back happily as the all too familiar soft smile returns to his features, still listening quite intently. His attention was not even drawn as a group of people made their way back into the building. Or well, he was aware they were there, but he was not going to give them his attention unless called upon. He knew Nolan was watching vigilantly, as he usually did, especially since the incident with his leg. Even though Ken himself had brushed it off as a minor problem, despite now having a rather sizable scar across the side of his right thigh, he knew Nolan wasn't going to forget about it.

"It's networking, networking. Me, and you, then we get some of the other people we know that are in the same situation, head into town and build some relationships for the future. Then they'd bring their Knights, and we get the best protection money can pay for! We build future business partners, Cyrus gets to get used to everybody, we get back before the last train stops. everybody wins!"

"It'd be later tonight, so we'd have time to prepare before we go and have some fun with the last part of our little break!"

A bit of a laugh suddenly escaped Ken as he leaned his head back for a few moments, suddenly grinning. One that actually reached his eyes for once. With that, he quickly pulls out his cellphone from his jacket pocket, tapping the screen as he starts to speak. "I like your idea. I wish you had come up with it earlier this morning though before I left, I already spent quite a bit of time talking with quite a few people within the town. But I am sure they'll be excited to see me again, with more friends. I'll gladly introduce you to those I met and we can go around and meet with a few of the ones that I missed. I'll call Sam to see if he wants to go. Maybe Tarisa." Ken narrows his eyes for a few seconds before his features darkened a bit. "Maybe." But the darkness quickly vanished from his face as the smile was back in a flash, he did not even bother to mention the work he still had to finish before their break was over.

It was not often darkness shadowed over Ken's face, but Tarisa was someone he could not stand. The girl acted as if the world was wrapped around her finger and treated everyone like a slave, and if she did not get her way, she cried and pulled the innocent act. It only made him feel terrible for Sammuel, who was her Knight. But most people did not like to refer to Sam as her Knight, if anything, he was more of a punching bag for her bad temper.

Much unlike his usual conduct at school, Ken suddenly threw his hands in the air and flopped backwards with a loud huff before glancing towards Nolan, and then towards Cyrus, and then finally towards Jon. "What are the chances that if I just invite Sam that Tarisa will show up?"

[TentacleLord]

Jonathan Maxwell - Courtyard of Saint Valarius

Jon calmly let the hand get shaken off, snickering quietly to himself as his Knight turned red once more.

He shrugged at the mention of Tarisa. "I don't think that Sam'll leave her alone unless she promises to stay in, Ken. Kinda a pity, but it happens when you have a Knight." Jon glanced at Cyrus as he said so, flashing another teasing grin in his direction. "If Tarisa comes, I'll just get Annie to go too. Hopefully, the girls will cancel out. They both need to loosen up a bit, and I've been told by my roommate that he's a bit of a charmer." Jon gave a snort of laughter, gleefully giggling at the image that he'd just thought up. "Perhaps he really could give Tarisa a run for her money?"

Jon's snickers slowly died down as he began to type up a quick message to Criston, barely containing his chuckles at the thought of either of the two stuck-up nobles swooning.

He'd known Tarisa for a couple of years, but most of the time he'd spent with her had amounted to small talk and angry bickering. Of all the Nobles in his year, she safely took the second place of the person he liked the least(The first place winner riled Jon up so much that he couldn't stand to be in the same room for any amount of time). Even so, she'd calm down if he could convince Annie to come.

Jon had known the stoically mean Squire girl for much longer, and his relationship with her could be summed up in the simple phrase of 'If you don't bother me, I won't bother you.', forming a sort of uneasy companionship that both chose to avoid talking about if necessary. But, if nothing else, Annie could be counted on to follow through on her promises.

"Look, I'll contact Criston, see what he's doing and check out if he can come. Then it shouldn't matter if miss bitchy comes along."

Jon continued with his message, careless of the rather crass way he'd described Tarisa.

The message he sent read like this:

Criston! It's your roommate. Wanna go hit the town with me and some guys? Pick up some chicks, get to know each other? Dinner's on me. Bring your Knight if possible.

[HylianRose]

Criston and Cain - In Criston's Room

Buzz Buzz

"Hm" Criston mumbled, looking at his phone on the desk. He had a shirt in his hands, hanging it in his closet. After quickly doing so, he turned and walked over to his phone.

Criston! It's your roommate. Wanna go hit the town with me and some guys? Pick up some chicks, get to know each other? Dinner's on me. Bring your Knight if possible.

Criston chuckled, procuring a brow raise from Cain who was coming back from putting the box in the kitchen. "What is it?" Cain asked, tilting his head in attempt to look cute. Criston shook his head slowly, grinning.

"Looks like my roommate is too good to be true. Looks like you and I are hitting the town tonight!" Criston explained. "Hmm... I'll have to get dressed... OH! You too! Get dressed! We're going to kill some ladies tonight." He continued in a sing-song voice, twirling about the room, excited. Cain simply snorted at him.

"You're such a kid."

"And why not? At least I'm hot."

Criston hit the reply button on his phone and began to type out a reply.

We'd love to! What time and what's appropriate for dress? How classy are we talking? Oh, forget it! I'll just be a classy mofo.

He grinned and hit the send button, looking back up at Cain who was by now ignoring him, unpacking the rest of the books. Criston shook his head and went back to putting his clothes away.

---

Nolan - Courtyard

Watching Ken smile was enough to make this seem like an okay idea and was just another reason she liked Jon. He made Ken better and was good for him. She chuckled slightly, listening to Ken's words in response to Jon's idea. Yes, they would probably be happy to see him again. He was that kind of person. He had the charisma of any politician but... in a good way. At least Nolan would like to think.

Her smile faded when Ken brought up Sam and Tarisa. She'd honestly rather the female noble didn't come. She couldn't stand her or the way she treated Ken or herself. She treated Nolan like trash at it was hard enough not to attack the girl. Unlike other Knights, Nolan had no problems punching the lights out of a girl. She didn't discriminate. One of her finer qualities if you asked her.

Nolan chuckled at Jon's response about Sam and then Criston. It was true. Both she and Cyrus were glued to their nobles. It'd make sense that Sam would want to stay with her. It's what she would do. She had other things to do, and she knew Ken did as well but she was more than content to just stay with him. Perhaps it would be good for him. Plus, the thought of seeing Tarisa flustered by Criston made her chuckle more than it should have.

---

Cyrus - Courtyard

Bad idea...

It's just more work for me...

She rolled her eyes at Jon's glance, her heart racing again. She was irritated and mad and stubborn, all of which a bad combination. She didn't know if she was going to last a year with him much less the rest of the day. She just wanted to go back to her room, take a shower and sleep for the rest of the day. She deserved that much right? But she knew she couldn't she had to stay with Jon. With her oblivious Noble. He didn't understand her feelings or even try. All he did was tease her. She didn't know how much more of it she could take. She honestly wasn't cut out for this...

"Sis... I'm so sorry..."

Her brother's voice popped into her head as she stared down at the grass, picking at it absentmindedly. She slammed her hand down on the ground with a frustrated groan.

Oh, alright!

She turned with a sigh and moved closer to Jon, no longer keeping her distance. She glanced up at him, her face still showing her anger but that she had backed down, her stubborn side losing to her brother's wishes. She was still just picking at the grass, bored and out of her element. There wasn't enough time in the world to prepare her for this year.

[Mayadere]

Ken Winwroc - Courtyard of Saint Valerius

He wasn't sure why he had gotten the least bit angry at having to invite Tarisa, Jon seemed to have already thought of something in his stead and that worked out perfectly fine for Ken. As long as she was distracted, it would be alright. A bit of a smirk returned to his face as he quickly shoved his phone back into his face and began to tap away wildly at the screen. He had three people he was willing to text. First on the list... Sam.

"Sam. Heading to town with a few others, bring an extra shirt."

A simple message, if not a bit more commanding than his usual tone. But you had to with Sam, otherwise he'd show up in whatever Tarisa had him dress in. And in all honesty, Ken did not feel like seeing the emotionless Knight in a bright neon pink jacket with green pants and shoes to match... not again. Ken suddenly shakes his head a bit, laughing softly at the memory. It had been the first time Ken had met him, too. But Ken had learned to move around Tarisa like this... if she was as distracted as he hoped, Sam could dress normally for once. And though the guy never voiced his own opinion, he knew Sam would be a truly great Knight. With the right person. That was not Tarisa.

"It is a bit bad of me to say, but I would rather like to see Tarisa flustered by your roommate." He continued to tap at his phone screen, now sending a message to Tarisa. "And since it won't be until a bit later, I think I'll head to my room for a bit to see if Cedric is around and if him and Ethan want to go."

"Tarisa. Heading to town with a couple of people, want to join? Annie might be there. Dont dress Sam funny, please."

Sent. And almost on que, as if Ken's idea to invite Sam and Tarisa was a terribly bad idea, his phone slips from his hands and promptly clonks him directly on the nose. A small yip escapes him, mainly from shock. But he quickly sits up and straightens his back, grabbing his phone to wait for the replies.

---

Sammuel Trunt / Tarisa Bell - Library

Ding-Ding-Ding

"Let me see your phone! Let me see it!" Tarisa demanded as she held out her thin, delicate seeming hands towards the tall figure that sat across the table from her. It took only a few seconds but the old seeming phone was place in her hands and the young woman giggled happy. But before she could open the flip-phone to read the message her own phone began to buzz. Carelessly she tossed the phone onto the table and she pulled out her own phone.

"Kenny sent me a text. He wants to go on a group date! A date! Sam, bag, books. We are going. I gotta' pick out your cloths!" Tarisa jolted up from her chair as she started to walk off rather quickly. But Sam had done this for a very long time. Before the words 'we are going' was out of her mouth, he already had her bag slung over his shoulder, four different books in his other arm, and even grabbed and flipped open his phone to read the message he had gotten quickly before shoving the phone back into his suit pocket. He followed after her, right on her heels like a well trained dog while they exited the library, tapping away on her phone to reply to Ken.

"Kenny-boooooy. I'll be there. Sam will be dressed fabulously, as usual."

[TentacleLord]

Jonathan Maxwell - Courtyard of Saint Valerius

He was quick to type a reply to Criston, happy that his social nature was paying off here.

Sweetness. I'd like to say that we'd head off in a couple hours now. I'm certain you'll look good in whatever, so it's up to your judgement.

The young Maxwell sat back again, scrolling through his contacts to reach Annie as he observed both Ken and Cyrus over the top of his phone.

Cyrus seemed to be over whatever fit of anger and disapproval that wracked him constantly, clearly disliking the direction the night was taking.

Cyrus'll be fine after some rest. He's got two hours, he should spend them easy if I just go back to my room.

As for Ken...

Jon glanced over at the other noble, quite happy that he seemed to be over his anger at Tarisa. Nolan'd protect him anyway, and he seriously doubted that the loud-mouthed female was the one behind the incident last year. Although... Jon's grin lost all humor as Ken mentioned a certain someone, his usually playful eyes turning dark and distrustful.

"Urgh." His face twisted into a rare grimace of disgust at the mention of his least favorite person in the academy.

Cedric.

For a full fifteen seconds, Jon typed a message to Annie in stony silence, before finally voicing his misgivings.

The noble's voice had dislike clearly running under his words. "Do you have to invite him?"

[HylianRose]

Nolan - Courtyard

Still standing near the group, Nolan was turned to face the gate, watching as groups came in in waves. She was listening to the others she just didn't feel at this point in time that she could say anything to input. She turn, however, when she heard Ken make a small odd sound. She turns to see him sitting up straight, phone in hand. She raised a brow at him, a small smile on her face.

What a smooth Noble.

She chuckled and shook her head again. She turned back around but this time decided to sit with her back facing Ken, content to just be near him for now. Though, from the way the conversation sounded, it looked like they'd be going their separate ways for a bit. She turned her head as Jon asked about Cedric. Her face was blank as she looked at him. She hated the guy and was almost positive he was the cause of all of their problems but Ken was convinced he could 'save' him or change him or something. Nolan simply let him, prepared for the moment she'd have to save him from danger. He knew what he was doing... mostly. Either way, she'd stand by whatever decision he made. That was her place, after all.

---

Cyrus - Courtyard

Cyrus looked up at Jon's words about the other Noble, a bit shocked. This was the first she'd heard of him not liking someone that much. Cyrus, to the others, looked much akin to a lost puppy right now. Her eyes watched Jon with a mixture of surprise, confusion, and worry. All of which made her seem like a very sad puppy.

"Why not?" She asked, her voice cracking slightly. She needed to work on that... They'd think she hated gone through puberty yet... "I mean... How bad could he possibly be?" She continued, having never met Ken's roommate. If she had she probably wouldn't be asking that question....

---

Criston and Cain

Buzz Buzz

Walking back over to his phone, Criston pulled it up with a smile.

Sweetness. I'd like to say that we'd head off in a couple hours now. I'm certain you'll look good in whatever, so it's up to your judgement.

Grinning, Criston turned to Cain who was now sprawled out on Criston's bed. A look of slight irritation crossed over Criston's face before he ran over and jumped on top of Cain, pushing the big brute off of his bed, though with no success. Soon, he was on the floor, his butt throbbing slightly.

"Hey now. No shoving. It's not nice." Cain spoke, his head over the edge of the bed to see Criston's face.

"Dude! That's my bed!"

"Yeah... And?"

"MY bed!"

"Yep. Sure is. It's pretty comfy too."

"Gahhh!"

"What'd Jon say?"

"In a couple hours..."

"Good... That gives me time for a cat nap." Cain finished as he turned over to sleep.

"And what am I supposed to do?!" Criston asked from the floor.

"Go watch TV or something." Cain mumbled, already trying to sleep. Criston let out a frustrated groan and fell back against the floor.