Playing with Illusions

[Nadia Donovan]

Ienzo handed Nadia Alias. She stared into the cat's eyes, absent mindedly stroking it while been entranced by the bright blue eyes which showed surprising intelligence.
"You never told me your name, I suppose you got mine from the tree?"
"Actually i did mention it, it's Nadia," She re-immersed herself in the cat. She had always wanted one, even though she loved dogs too, but with her mum and brother being allergic and also the fact that they had a dog prevented NAdia from ever getting one. Then the modellilng academy didn't allow pets.
She sighed, "I've always wanted a cat... oh... how do you spell Alias... in my head I've been spelling it A - L - I - A - S. Is that wrong? Just for reference." She snuggled the black kitten further intonher arms. Ienzo was, well seemed to be, she corrected herself, pleasant company. "What year are you in?"

[Ienzo <//3]

Ienzo watched as the girl became entranced by the cat, His blue eys had captivated hers. Ienzo let his illusion fade away and his ears sank back into his head and his eyes reverted back to normal.
"Ahh, sorry. The memory isn't so good anymore. Hasn't been as far as I can remember....Which isn't very far." he said with the beginings of a scowl.
"Cats are wonderful creatures. Ah, Its like my name, pretty strange A-E-L-E-U-S. It suits him I think. Soft and Gentle, but sorta strong"
Ienzo took in the scene of his dark little kitten snugling into Nadia arms, It was heartwarming.
"Year below you I think. I'm only 16. You seem a tad older than me"

[Nadia Donovan]

"Ahh, sorry. The memory isn't so good anymore. Hasn't been as far as I can remember....Which isn't very far." he said with the beginings of a scowl which Nadia only caught the very end of when she tore herself away from the cat's gaze.
"Cats are wonderful creatures. Ah, Its like my name, pretty strange A-E-L-E-U-S. It suits him I think. Soft and Gentle, but sorta strong" Nadia thought that the name really suited the cat. Ienzo was right, soft and gentle but definately a hint of strength.
"Year below you I think. I'm only 16. You seem a tad older than me"
"Yeah... his name suits him. Well I'm actually in lower sixth... My birthday's in July. So I'm old for my age... unless you are old for your age too?"

[Ienzo <//3]

"Actually, I have no idea when my birthday is. I just sort of get to the end of the year and know i'm a year older... I don't even know my real age, I sorta guessed. 14 just seemed about right at the time, now its two years on and i'm supposedly 16." Ienzo smiled sadly, It hurt him allot talking about the missing chunks of his past. Not knowing made him feel vunerable, small. Ienzo reached out and stroked Aeleus, Gently massaging behind the cats ears, a satisfised purr escaped the cats throat.

[Nadia Donovan]

"Actually, I have no idea when my birthday is. I just sort of get to the end of the year and know i'm a year older... I don't even know my real age, I sorta guessed. 14 just seemed about right at the time, now its two years on and i'm supposedly 16." Ienzo smiled sadly, it pained Nadia to see him sad... she realized at that point that that probably made them friends. She didn't have many friends at Orchid as she was still new but she kept on making more.
Ienzo reached out towards Nadia and stroked Aeleus, he was gently massaging behind the cats ears, which produced a satisfised purr. Nadia laughed, the sound filling the forest. She didn't even know where they were. She hadn't come by any particular path and she was guided to that spot by the tree changing colour.
"What year are you in then...?" Sh epaused before continuing as another question came to her, "What powers do you have?" She blushed again, realising that it was a bit presumptious of her to ask that.

[Ienzo <//3]

Ienzo smiled, "I take classses in both 5 year and lower sixth, I also have to take some other classes from lower down the system to help me with them."
Ienzo looked up at the sky, a smile on his face.
"No one ever seems to care about my powers, its nice. I can create illusions, I have a heightened sense of smell, so I knew you were comming and, well i'm not sure if its really a power but i'm extremely light on my feet, I can sneak up on most people pretty effectively. You?" Ienzo said looking back on Nadia.

[Nadia Donovan]

(ooc - couldn't allow the look down on Nadia... she's got to be taller
Ienzo smiled, "I take classses in both 5 year and lower sixth, I also have to take some other classes from lower down the system to help me with them."
Ienzo looked up at the sky, a smile on his face.
"No one ever seems to care about my powers, its nice. I can create illusions, I have a heightened sense of smell, so I knew you were comming and, well i'm not sure if its really a power but i'm extremely light on my feet, I can sneak up on most people pretty effectively. You?" Ienzo said looking back on Nadia.
"Is it quite difficult being with people who are way younger than you? I think I would find it hard to be honest. I take it you're new to Orchid? I'm new but I have to say I don't have the added pressure that you do, and I am glad about that. I don't think I could cope to be honest." Nadia really looked up to Ienzo. He had obviously been through so much and he was still not bitter, on the outside anyway, a little depressed perhaps, but really very good.
"Those are cool, mine are a little weird, as you know I can change the colour of anything at all like the sun (now changed to blue), or I can use it to blind people by obly letting them see one colour like this (everything went white). It can be useful sometimes. To be honest, when i saw the tree first of all earlier, I thought I had lost control, which is why I changed it back. My other powers are perfect recall - I can remember anything I ever saw, heard, touched etc; and my third power is that... I actually don't usually tell people this one but I can get a read on people - like if they are lying. I'm not so good on the other features. That's why earlier I was so surprised that you were being honest. It's really nicea actually. Thanks." Nadia blushed again, though this time she wasn't entirely sure why. Maybe because she was being completely honest for a change? SHe didn't know.

[Ienzo <//3]

“It’s fine, they think I’m their age. I do look rather young so I can pass for one of them. It not that bad, but sometimes I feel like a fish out of water, even with the lower 6th It, I don’t know, just isn’t right. I think maybe I might be older inside and this is my body’s way of telling me I guessed my age wrong, but that’s maybe just me.” Ienzo said, a hint of sorrow tinged his face through his smile.
Ienzo blinked with shock as everything went white for a few seconds. As the world faded back into view he smiled, “Ahhh, what a helpful skill. You’re like a human lie detector and a Lexicon/diary/dictionary sort of thing then? I wish I had your recall skills, I have a really bad memory problem, I can’t do much on my own or I get lost, To be honest, I was hoping someone would come across me cause I have no Idea how to get back…..That’s how bad it is.“ Ienzo muttered, a similar blush to Nadia’s creeping across his face. Taking a few steps closer to Nadia and walking round he looked down the path she had come from. As he passed close to Nadia, Aeleus leaped from her arms and landed on Ienzo’s shoulder, wrapping himself around the boys shoulders. The sleek black cat nuzzled his head into his masters neck and purred gently. With an absent hand Ienzo rubbed behind the cats ears. "Good we have you here, or I'd be stuck here all night." Ienzo grinned back at her over the cats slender black shape.

[Nadia Donovan]

“It’s fine, they think I’m their age. I do look rather young so I can pass for one of them. It not that bad, but sometimes I feel like a fish out of water, even with the lower 6th It, I don’t know, just isn’t right. I think maybe I might be older inside and this is my body’s way of telling me I guessed my age wrong, but that’s maybe just me.” Ienzo's face had a tinge of sadness traced on it.
“Ahhh, what a helpful skill. You’re like a human lie detector and a Lexicon/diary/dictionary sort of thing then? I wish I had your recall skills, I have a really bad memory problem, I can’t do much on my own or I get lost, To be honest, I was hoping someone would come across me cause I have no Idea how to get back…..That’s how bad it is.“ Ienzo muttered, a similar blush to Nadia’s creeping across his face. He was certainly being complementary to Nadia and she liked it.
Ienzo took a few steps closer to Nadia and walking round he looked down the path she had come from. She hid a blush as he came closer. Nadia didn't know what was with herself... She wasn't usually like this...
As he passed close to Nadia, Aeleus leaped from her arms and landed on Ienzo’s shoulder, wrapping himself around the boys shoulders. Nadia felt a pang of jealousy. She loved that cat. Soooooo cut....
The sleek black cat nuzzled his head into Ienzo's neck and purred gently. Ienzo absent mindedly started stroking Aeleus.
"Good we have you here, or I'd be stuck here all night." Ienzo grinned back at her over the cats slender black shape.
"Yeah, lucky for you,"
Nadia started back the way she'd come, got to the bit where she sawthe tree changing colour, and came to a stop...
"Ummm... yeah... my recall only works if I... um... if I actually notice what's going on... and... um... I was... um... daydreaming while walking and I have no idea where I came from...." Nadia was highly embarrassed by this and blushed again at her own stupidity.... not risking a look back at Ienzo.

[Ienzo <//3]

Ienzo looked back at Nadia, She doesn’t even know the way back? d**n, I really don’t want to act like sniffer dog in front of my only friend. Friend? Guess I count her as one now. Wonder does she count me as one? Hell, this isn’t the time to be thinking of that, Its nearly sundown and We’re stuck here, If worst comes to worst I guess I’ll have to. Being stuck here all night isn’t my idea of a fun night out.
“Well, from what angle did you see my pretty old tree? That’ll give us a direction to go in” he said, a grin gracing his elfin features and lighting up his dark eyes.
Aeleus let out a small mew and turned his blue eyes to Nadia, his piercing blue eyes watched her, taking in all her blushes and stammers. The cat knew what was going on better than the humans did.

[Nadia Donovan]

“Well, from what angle did you see my pretty old tree? That’ll give us a direction to go in” Ienzo said this with a smile that for some reason - unknown to Nadia - set her heart running a little faster. Aeleus mewed but Nadia hardly noticed. She was oddly fixated on Ienzo. She smiled back before moving closer before turning to face Ienzo's tree. She took a moment to position herself right.
"Ok I definately saw it from this perspective... yep... definately." She looked behind her at the path she had probably taken... She decided not to mention it now but, well, she had been known to circle a bit when day dreaming... her path most likely wasn't straight. Not all the time though... but certainly most.
She decided not to say this to Ienzo as she didn't want to worry him about getting out before the sun went down... hmm Nadia wondered if there were any scary creatures in the forest...

[Ienzo <//3]

“Right, That way it is then. Here, do you think you took any turns? Cause if you did we might need to veer about a bit.” Ienzo said staring down the path round Nadia. Ienzo hoped to all higher powers that Nadia wasn’t one to veer about. If she was, well, He was going to have to embarrass himself.
Aeleus sat up on Ienzo’s shoulder and hopped up onto his head.
“WHAT ARE YOU DOING? You are such an EEJIT! Get off my head!” Ienzo yelped, flapping, in vain, at the cat on his head, this was a recurring thing with Aeleus, he loved sitting on his master’s head, but always at inconvenient times. Aeleus mewed and his face broke into what looked like a grin at his masters insane hopping and flapping about. Ienzo gave up trying to push the cat off and tipped his head upside down, Aeleus tumbling to the forest floor with a yowl.
“Ragin’! Serves you right to be honest” Ienzo said as he stood up straight, his hair a mess and a cut down the right side of his face where Aeleus had tried to save himself from the fall. Ienzo shook out his hair and tried to right his fringe, with no luck.
“Don’t happen to have a mirror do you? I bet I look an utter state with my slightly ‘morning after’ hairstyle.” Ienzo smiled at Nadia his head tilted up into the rapidly fading daylight, his eyes glowing a bright blue as the light struck them.

[Nadia Donovan]

"Veer about a bit... that's a bit of an understatement I'm afraid... I mean I don't always veer off but usually..." Nadia wasn't actually that embarrassed anymore. In a way, getting lost might be a bit fun.
It was then that Aeleus decided to mess the modd a little. He proceeded to make his way on top of Ienzo's head, where he was clearly not welcome. IEnzo immmediately started a funny little dance trying to get the cat off of his head. It was a bit hilarious. Ienzo was screaming at the cat but to no avail.
Eventually Ienzo did the sane thing and turned his head earth-wards, tipping Aeleus off. Unfortunately Aeleus didn't appreciate this and Ienzo got a scratch on his face by way of thanks.
Again Nadia couldn't help but laugh. Ienzo and Aeleus were like brothers - fighting and shouting at eachother. Well Aeleus was yowling, but it all amounted to the same thing.
When Ienzo asked Nadia for a mirror, as a way to fix his hair, she burst into hysterics before managing to get out that no, she didn't have a mirror on her... she couldn't stop laughing though.
She only managed to stop when she noticed the scratch on Ienzo's face was starting to bleed. She hoped it wouldn't leave a scar... She walked over to Ienzo and took out a tissue before wiping the blood off his cheek.
"Hold the tissue in place will you. It might help it to stop bleeding."
Nadia bent down and stroked Aeleus and proceeded to start laughing again. Aeleus looked so outraged at being dumped unceremoniously from Ienzo's head.

[Ienzo <//3]

“Uhm, If you veer about a bit, then It seems I’m going to have to use my skills.” Ienzo turned a shade of pink as he said, “Uhm, I’m going to have sniff the inside of your elbow to get your scent. I know it seems rude, but it’ll help us get out of here.”
Ienzo stared up at Nadia, “Does my misfortune amuse you? Sometime I really can’t stand that cat, sometimes I just can’t live without my closest little friend.”
“Could you fix my hair please, Just part it to the right ” Ienzo said as he lifted Aeleus up of the forest floor placing the cat gently onto his shoulder,
“Behave you” he said sternly to the cat.
As Nadia was wiping his face Ienzo looked up at her, “You would be better just leaving it. I’m covered in scars, one more wouldn’t hurt. I’ll just cover it up with illusions like the rest of them.” Ienzo said, a smile gracing his face, though the sorrow could be seen under it.

[Nadia Donovan]

“Uhm, If you veer about a bit, then It seems I’m going to have to use my skills.” Ienzo turned a shade of pink as he said, “Uhm, I’m going to have sniff the inside of your elbow to get your scent. I know it seems rude, but it’ll help us get out of here.” Oh. That certainly calmed Nadia a bit. A little embarrassing but well, she'd embarrassed herself a lot already.
“Does my misfortune amuse you? Sometime I really can’t stand that cat, sometimes I just can’t live without my closest little friend.” It was just so cute.... definately brothers... or best friends... so cute.
“Could you fix my hair please, Just part it to the right ” Ienzo said as he lifted Aeleus up of the forest floor onto his shoulder.
“Behave you” he said sternly to the cat.
"Even if you cover it up, the blood will keep coming. Better to stop it sooner than later." Nadia took a step back to look properly at his hair.
"Yeah, I don't think I can do much, but I'll try my best..."
Nadia told Ienzo to bend his head forward so she could see better. She parted it to the right like he'd asked but it just wasn't sitting right. His hair was really soft... so soft. She blushed again... her heightened colour of cheeks was starting to get really annoying.
"Aeleus could probably do this better than me... I can't get it right."
Leaving his hair as best she could, Nadia stepped back at stood looking at him for a minute, a half-smile on her face, before holding her arm out towards him.