Titus Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 Titus was getting tired of dealing with students.He was sitting on his desk, as usual, tie loosened and the sleeves of his white dress shirt rolled up to his elbows. In one hand he was doodling aimlessly as he talked, eyes flickering around the room but always settling on Swara Ann.Swara Ann was a mystery and a headache, especially in light of the troubles weighing him down, of the impending spirit-hunt and Alessa Johnson. Swara Ann was always quiet, reasonably respectful (when she could be bothered to speak) and capable enough when she bothered to tune into what he was saying. This was by no means a regular occurence.Today her mind was definitely elsewhere. She picked at the threads of her dirty shirt, her ankle frayed jeans were stained by grass, eyes watery and blank, face crumpled and unhappy.Titus did not like seeing people look like that. He tried to remember what Swara Ann might have after his class, but his mind turned up nothing. So when the bell rang and she began gathering up her things, Titus ambled over to sit across from her on the top of another desk. His forehead was creased, grey eyes dim and murky behind his round-framed glasses. "Mind if we talk a moment, Swara Ann? I'm not sure you got the lesson today," he said in his quiet way. Something about it seemed a little flat to Swara-Ann, though he certainly wasn't hostile. Maybe he was bored? Was this something he was supposed to do?Or maybe he was just having a bad day.Click to reveal.. (23:35:43) ChatBot: (Titus_Eaten) rolls 4d10 and gets 4,2,6,5. Titus fails at empathizing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave ST Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 Eww. Eww, eww, eww. Okay, stay calm. Just explain you're saving yourself for marriage and you don't need the extra credit that badly. Which was a lie for the disheveled young student. Swara-Ann, Swara to her friends (if she had any). Her grades were atrocious lately and her sleep cycle was so messed up that the poor girl literally had bags under her eyes.She'd lost quite a bit of weight since she started in Titus's class in the beginning of the semester. In fact Titus remembered the young country blond student was the picture of beauty and vibrance several short months ago. Now she was a wreck. Barely any energy or desire to put forth any effort whatsoever. Her grades had plummeted and her appearance, well, although she was still quite striking, it just seemed like she rolled out of bed came right to class.He noticed her clothes looked second hand, several new seams had been sewn all over her pants and shirt, and a few different colors of thread betrayed that it had been done more than once."Um, I-I got it Professor Lindholm." She shyly lied. "Really, it wasn't too bad. You didn't babble... well, too much."She winced and took on an apologetic tone. "No, um, see, I meant that uhh... well... I should prolly get going." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Titus Posted January 31, 2009 Author Share Posted January 31, 2009 Titus chuckled. "Oh, that's alright," he said easily. "I babble all the time." He tried to adopt a serious expression. "But your inability to concentrate today is just one instance in a long line of 'em. Your grades have been sliding steadily downhill for the last few months. You know you can do better than this, don't you?" He probably didn't mean to sound critical...but he did.And was he staring down her shirt?Surely not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave ST Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 Oookay... seriously... do you think I can't see you? She clutched her books close to her chest, obstructing his view. Honestly she was a bit flattered, but she wasn't that hard up for friends. The guy was like 35, practically in his grave. "I-I know... I'm just, having a tough time right now. Track practice n' all. You know."What Swara didn't know is that Tidus was aware that she was removed from the track roster a couple months ago for missing practices."I'll, uh, see ya around Professor Lindholm." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Titus Posted January 31, 2009 Author Share Posted January 31, 2009 "You aren't on the track team," Titus said rather cooly. "You were removed for missing practice. I'd call that another symptom, wouldn't you?" He sighed, taking his glasses off and polishing them on his shirt. "I don't mean to be a bastard, but you are not acting in a way conducive to confidence. I mean...if you suddenly decided you'd rather play video games or help out in your local church than stay on the track team, that is understandable. But you got here on a track scholarship." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave ST Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 She froze only three steps away from him. The rest of the students had filtered out leaving the two supernaturals alone to hash out was getting to be a very tense moment.Her unkempt hair swished over her shoulder as she spun on her heels to face him, the few beads on her moonstone necklace rattled slightly as it fell in place upon her collar bone. The look on her face was not a pleasant one."What makes you think I'm confident, Professor? The venom laced upon the final word took him by a surprise a bit. "You don't know me, you know nothing about me. If I get kicked out, fine. I don't- I don't care anymore, so just leave me alone."Click to reveal.. Unseen Sense: Something mystical is in the air, and it not you or Swara. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Titus Posted January 31, 2009 Author Share Posted January 31, 2009 Titus cocked his head to the side, letting the world in all its magickal splendor swim into view, overlapping and enriching the mundane. Something was at work here. He just couldn't tell what."I'm afraid I must have misspoke," Titus said calmly. "I meant to say it is difficult for me to be confident that you are pursuing what you really want when you do not seem to enjoy the results. Why don't you care anymore? You did. You may not want to talk to me; that is understandable. Is there anybody you'd like to talk to?" His tone was soft, like he'd heard him in class when dealing with something particularly stressful. He always got softer-spoken when he got irritated. But there was a genuine note of concern in his voice, and he had a kind, open sort of face.Click to reveal.. (19:35:42) ChatBot: (Sad_Sad_Titus) rolls 9d10 and gets 5,9,2,9,1,6,5,7,9. For Supernal Vision(19:36:01) ChatBot: (Sad_Sad_Titus) rolls 7d10 and gets 7,10,8,1,1,9,4.(19:36:12) ChatBot: (Sad_Sad_Titus) rolls 1d10 and gets 6. For empathizing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave ST Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 She sighed. He was only trying to help after all. She clenched her fists and said a silent prayer for Jesus to calm her nerves. Aw always, her Lord and Savior provided."I'm sorry, I'm just really stressed Professor." She hugged her books tight, readjusting their weight. "I'm just, kinda... really going through some weird changes right now. I didn't mean to snap at you." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Titus Posted January 31, 2009 Author Share Posted January 31, 2009 Titus nodded slowly. "Weird changes can be a bummer," he said, the slang rolling off his lips awkwardly. It was a surprise enough that he'd said bastard. His vocabulary usually brought to mind some sort of Leave it to Beaver for the Thinking Man. "But, you know...if the changes are sufficiently weird as to cause all these troubles for you...you shouldn't have to go it alone. Right? You don't have to talk about it. Just saying it might help." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave ST Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 The air grew thick and heavy as the room about him seemed to blot out slowly leaving only the two of them standing in a small area still lit by an unseen source. Their location hadn't changed, but the Supernal Resonance told Titus that something dark and sinister was now in the room with them. What, however, he did not know. For that, he knew, was pest left to other, more specialized Arcana.He eyes seemed vibrant and suddenly full of life as her hair danced elegantly around her shoulders on an unseen, unfelt breeze.Do not allow him to sway your thoughts my dearest Talini. He, like all the others, only seeks to betray you. They lie. All of them lie. Listen not to their words, but see their hearts. Married, soon to be father... yet his thoughts are on you. Desirous, lustful thoughts to sate urges he no longer can sate with his wife. He is a liar, Talini. You. Are. Mine."Thank you, Professor, really." She seemed sincere, but the stammering in her voice told him she was suddenly very frightened. "I, I appreciate the concern... but seriously, you couldn't begin to imagine the weirdness in my life right now." She took a few steps back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Titus Posted January 31, 2009 Author Share Posted January 31, 2009 "What are you so frightened of, Swara-Ann?" Titus asked quietly. "You weren't a moment ago. Something has changed. Whatever it is, please, don't let it hold you. If you can't talk to me, if this is too...private, make sure you talk to someone. Someone you trust. Understand?" He paused, looked around and sniffed. "Is there a gas leak?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave ST Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 The dark resonance faded, leaving the room lit again.Her eyes moistened. "There's no one Professor." She turned and walked away, and heard something about 'purgatory' and 'death', but she was mumbling well enough to mute her entire phrase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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