InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "I missed you. Prove it."

Ariana Isolde Marian Elizabeth Dumbledore (untamed_magic) wrote in indarkness_logs,
@ 2010-10-09 20:46:00

Entry tags:

!complete, 2032 10, ariana dumbledore, rock lee

RP: Where's Lizzy?
Characters: Ariana, Lee
Time/Date: late morning, October 9
Location: Lobby, registry
Warnings/Rating: None
Summary: Ari searches for her friends
Status: Complete

Ariana had developed something of a pattern over the past month or so. She'd wake up and shower, and then she'd read a bit in the magic books. It was hard work and slow going, but she thought she was learning a lot. She wasn't quite ready to start in on actual practice (though she didn't think she would ever feel ready; maybe if Severus or Magius approached her, she'd be convinced to try ... but she'd developed a case of shyness in regard to approaching them), but she was getting a good feel for theory.

After her morning reading, she'd go down to Lizzy's room to see what she and Ches wanted to do for the day. Sometimes they walked around outside. Sometimes they raided the stores for fun. Sometimes they went to the mall, or played games in the rec room. Sometimes they didn't do much of anything and Ari just listened to Lizzy talk.

This morning, however, Lizzy wasn't in her room. Ariana knocked on the door and called her name and fretted a little ... but Lizzy wasn't in. There was no nameplate on the door, either. So what did that mean? Ariana knew that sometimes people went away. There'd been one time that someone had changed rooms. Maybe that was what had happened?

Ari turned away and headed for the stairs. She trotted down them to the lobby, heading for the directory. Opening it to the first page, she started to look through it slowly, sounding out each name she came across in the hopes she'd find Lizzy or Ches -- or both -- in the big book somewhere.

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green_beast
2010-10-11 01:49 am UTC (link)

Lee knew that he did not look his best. He and Miss Trini had been running laps all morning, but before they started on their jump ropes, he said that he would bring them some water. He had not intended for the errand to take him very long, but he had also not counted on the vision of loveliness that he would encounter on the way to the kitchen.

She looked like an angel, sent down from heaven. Yes, that was what he had told Miss Sakura, too, and even if it was no less true in her case, it was no less true in this girl's case, either. She was reading the book of names, and she looked a bit sad. Perhaps this was not the best time to ask her to be his girlfriend, or offer to protect her with his life. He could always do that later.

"I am sorry," he said quietly, stepping closer. "Are you -- all right?"

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untamed_magic
2010-10-11 02:17 am UTC (link)

Ariana glanced over her shoulder to the boy, and she shook her head slightly. "I think they took Lizzy away," she mumbled to him. She didn't know him from Adam, but it didn't matter to her just then. "She wasn't in her room, and her name wasn't on the door and I don't see her yet in the book."

She, however, could not read very well and she was having a little bit of trouble with some of the more complex names. Which wasn't really an issue, honestly; she'd recognize Lizzy's name, or Ches' name and the other names didn't matter, but she wanted to be extra careful. If Lizzy was short for "Elizabeth" for example, she wanted to make sure she didn't miss that.

So each name received careful scrutiny and a mental sounding-out. She was already halfway through the names though, and was significantly less than hopeful.

While she did have manners, and did recall them, she was -- at the moment -- too agitated to properly introduce herself. Instead, she turned her blue eyes back to the book to continue her slow search.

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green_beast
2010-10-11 03:04 am UTC (link)

"Lizzy," Lee repeated, stepping closer again, but just a tad. He was sweaty and he probably smelled. If he could, just then he would have performed a genjutsu to make himself look, and smell, normal. Then again, maybe he would not. It did not seem fair to trick the girl that way.

He did not remember seeing many names on each page, but the girl was going very slowly between pages. Could she not read? She seemed to be a little old for that, but ... if she had come here from a place or time in which literacy was not common, it was possible.

"Can -- can you read?" Lee asked, very quietly, taking another step closer.

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untamed_magic
2010-10-11 04:03 am UTC (link)

"Not very well," she admitted quietly. She felt no shame in the admission. If she'd been sent to school properly, she'd know how to read. She would have been taught before attending. As it was, she knew what Abe and Albus and her mother had taught her, which wasn't nearly enough for her tastes.

"I've practiced a little since I've been here," she continued. "I've been reading Magius' books to learn about his magic, but it's very hard work." Her fingertip trailed down the side of the page, pausing as she came to a name. She sounded it out, her lips moving as she silently spoke the name. It wasn't Lizzy, or Cheshire, or names that could be abbreviated into either.

With painful determination, Ariana continued to go down the list. "You can help, if you wanted," she said softly. "Lizzy Miles and Cheshire Cat are the ones I'm looking for."

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green_beast
2010-10-11 06:02 pm UTC (link)

Lee nodded and stepped closer again, now that he had the girl's permission. "I will see if I can find them for you," he said, scanning the pages she had the book opened to, just then. "My name is Rock Lee," he added, turning his head briefly to give her a reassuring smile.

No Lizzy Miles, or any Miles, on the first two pages, and no mention of a Cheshire Cat, either. Or on the next two pages, either. Or on any of the pages, from his starting point to the end. This was bad. When he had finished, Lee opened the book to the beginning and started over, just in case, but he could not find them in the previous pages, either.

"I am sorry," he finally told her, shaking his head, once he had reached the pages where he had started again. "They do not seem to be here."

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untamed_magic
2010-10-11 07:57 pm UTC (link)

"Ariana Dumbledore," she reported when he introduced himself. While she wasn't surprised by his findings, she really was saddened by them. She'd been rather fond of Lizzy and Ches, and really, they'd been the closest things she'd had to friends her age here. She wasn't mature enough socially to interact with the older kids, and it was kind of ironic that the only other people who could be considered friends were ... significantly older than her.

"Thank you for helping me look," she added softly. "Are you new here?" She didn't think she'd seen him around, but she rarely noticed new people. She tended to drift away to her own world, especially when her magic was buzzing louder than usual. It was just ... easier to go inside herself and ignore the outside distractions.

It wasn't healthy, no doubt, but it was simply how she coped with everything.

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green_beast
2010-10-11 08:42 pm UTC (link)

Ariana. That was a pretty name, for a pretty girl, but Lee did not think this was the best time to tell her that. He nodded to her thanks, and answered, "I was happy to help."

Well, not happy, since he only had bad news to deliver, but still -- she had needed help, and he could provide it. That had to count for something, did it not? Then he started to say that he would always help her, if he were able. Before he had the chance, however, Miss Ariana asked if he was new there.

"I guess I am pretty new," he answered, tilting his head with a shrug. "I have not been here for two weeks yet. Is that considered new?" For all he knew, new people could arrive daily, and if so, nearly two weeks was likely old by comparison.

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untamed_magic
2010-10-11 09:26 pm UTC (link)

"I don't know. I guess not. I've been here for ... a long time. Over a month." Maybe it was going on two. It probably was going on two. She wasn't really good at keeping track of time. "The people who've been here the longest have been since June. It's October now," she shared, perhaps a little pointlessly. What did it matter to him how long the longest people had been here?

Still, it was a long time for someone to be away from home. She missed her brothers, and now she didn't even have Lizzy and Ches to spend time with.

She guessed she could go find Tyler and see if he was up for entertaining her for a bit, but she hated to bother people.

Maybe she'd go read some more. That wasn't going to bother anyone. "Have you made a lot of friends here?"

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green_beast
2010-10-11 10:39 pm UTC (link)

Lee listened and nodded. If people had been here for four months, then he was new. Even compared to Miss Ariana, he was new, which also meant he had a lot to learn.

"I have made a few," he answered. He started to ask if she had made many friends, too, but if she had just lost a couple of them, that might not be a good idea. He did not want to make her even more sad. So instead, he decided to ask something else, even if it was related.

"Do you have a boyfriend, Miss Ariana?"

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untamed_magic
2010-10-11 10:48 pm UTC (link)

Blue eyes widened and she flushed slightly before she quickly shook her head. The idea of one hadn't really occurred to her, either. Lizzy had really been too young to explain much about that sort of thing, and it wasn't as though she could ask Severus or Magius about it.

She knew some people here had boyfriends, but that had been a little out of the question for her. It still was, as far as she was concerned. She didn't think Abe or Albus would appreciate her having a boyfriend when they weren't around to supervise. She very nearly told Lee that she was too young to consider having a boyfriend, but if he'd asked about it, he clearly thought she was old enough to have one.

"I barely had friends," she admitted in a soft voice. "Let alone a boy friend."

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green_beast
2010-10-11 11:25 pm UTC (link)

Miss Ariana was even prettier when she blushed like that, but somehow Lee did not think it would be a good idea to tell her so. "I am sorry if I have embarrassed you," he said quietly, shaking his head. But then he stood a little taller, striking his nice guy pose.

"If you would like another friend, I will be a friend to you," he told her, with a grin. "Or if you would like, I will be your boyfriend. Either way, I vow to protect you with my life." Then he gave her a thumbs up and winked.

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untamed_magic
2010-10-12 12:08 am UTC (link)

"I'm not embarrassed," she protested. "I was just ... startled, that's all."

Ari wondered if that was how people made friends normally. Did they just decide to be friends? Maybe that was how it had happened with her and Lizzy. Lizzy had just decided that Ari was her friend. It wasn't as though Ari was going to protest that.

"I don't think my brothers would approve if I had a boyfriend," she finally decided as diplomatically as she could. "So you will have to be my friend."

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green_beast
2010-10-12 01:29 am UTC (link)

Well. That was better than being called a weirdo, Lee supposed, but ... not much. "Are your brothers here?" he asked. Perhaps he could talk to them and show himself worthy to be dating their sister.

But in the meantime, he smiled and answered, "I would be honored to be your friend, Miss Ariana." He would still protect her with his life, and perhaps -- someday -- she, too, would consider him worthy.

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untamed_magic
2010-10-12 01:51 am UTC (link)

Ariana shook her head sadly. "No," she admitted. "I'm the only one of my family here." She sighed. "I'm the only one of my year here." She was the only a lot of things here. The only witch who couldn't use magic. The only girl her age who couldn't read. Even Lizzy had read better than her.

She did manage to drum up a smile for him. Was she supposd tos ay something in response to that? "Thank you," she finally settled on. It was polite and acceptance, and that was what she was going for, right? Was she supposed to say she was his friend too, now? Her brow furrowed slightly and she decided it was a given that if he was her friend, she was his friend.

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green_beast
2010-10-12 02:15 am UTC (link)

"Your ... year?" Lee asked, not quite following what she meant by that. Her own age? The only person from the same time period? Those seemed the two most likely answers. Her smile was lovely, even if still a bit sad. Still, Miss Ariana's thanks made Lee's heart soar.

It was only then that he remembered his errand. He was supposed to be getting water for Miss Trini. He would have to run as fast as he could all the way back. "I am sorry, Miss Ariana," he told her shaking his head. "I have to leave now, because Miss Trini will need her water. But I will talk to you later."

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untamed_magic
2010-10-12 03:12 am UTC (link)

"The year I'm from. Everyone's from years and years past that time," she clarified, though she supposed he might have worked that out eventually.

"All right," she agreed. "Thank you again for your help," she continued as she gave the book one last longing look before turning away.

Maybe it would be like before. Maybe now Lizzy was the one who would be missing for four days, and she'd come back with no idea she'd ever been gone. It had happened to Ari herself; why not to Lizzy?

Lifting her hand in a wave to Lee, Ari started toward the stairwell. Apparently, she was in for a day of reading and wondering about her missing friend.

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