The Baku that would rather say it is big-boned rather than obese, huffed softly to itself as a brush swept over its pale pink fur, easing some of the ache in its muscles. A rumbling purr of contentment escaped its throat and it forgave its mistress once more for the impromptu journey it had been forced out of its warm stable to make.Maimai herself was unaware that her Baku had such issues with the not too long journey they had made this afternoon from the alchemy school to the beast taming school. She hadn"t thought much about it at all. After all, a Baku mount was meant to be ridden, not meant for lounging about in its stable munching on sweets, which was what the Baku had become accustomed too. In fact, since coming to the school, the Baku felt that it had had more exercise than it ever had in its life! This was not actually true, it was just that before, the moment her Baku seemed out of breath, Maimai would cut her light rides short and return to the stable to pamper the beast. Hence what lead to its... big-boned situation.
However when a journey has a purpose, there maybe short cuts, but there are no cutting rides short. Maimai needed to come to the beast taming school and the Baku was expected to bring her here. And that was that.
Her purpose was one the not very successful alchemist was actually quite pleased with; she"d finally fulfilled the request she had been working hard on for the last two weeks. Having created the last couple of pills required to fulfill the request, she had gathered up the form, pills and potions and ran all the way to the stables that she might deliver them sooner.
A loud yowling from a stable block close by startled her and she turned around to notice that a familiar face had just left the stable, bucket in hand and an enthusiastic canine leaping about his legs. "Long time no see!" Maimai called out happily.
The tall boy"s eyes widened and his lips curved slightly, but Maimai couldn"t help but notice that his dark, blue eyes darted from one side of her to the other. It had certain, honed senses tingling. "It"s just me," she said, casually and gleefully noted the disappointment in his face, before sighing inwardly. As if to confirm her suspicions she wondered aloud; "Who were you looking for?"
Tor scratched the back of his head and had the decency to look a bit guilty as he answered honestly; "I thought Leo would be with you."
"Why?"
"Well are you two not joined at the hip?" He retorted. Sure enough, rumours about the small alchemist and one half of the alchemist school"s twin lotuses had travelled beyond the boundaries of their school.
Maimai huffed, blowing a loose curl from where it strayed upon her face. "You shouldn"t listen to rumours, Leo is my best friend, nothing more," she told him, tartly. "That and you must have heard that he is Teacher Sagi"s student now." Tor hesitated, before nodding in agreement. It"s not that he had not heard, it was just that Teacher Sagi had a bit of a reputation of being eccentric in his choices of Students. None of his students, past or present, had been considered outstanding or worthy of note and even now none of them could be said to be famous. However, there was also no foul rumours regarding them either; they seemed to have not risen, but not fallen either. Tor did not know whether this was a good thing or not, but he understood the implied meaning; a direct student had little free time during the week.
And yet it seemed Maimai was not finished with her subtle complaint; "And if he is not running errands or being taught by his Teacher, he is with Jin Li! How can this one"s company compare to one"s boyfriend!" It wasn"t as if she wanted to take Leon away from Jin Li for some "girl" time, she would be content being their third wheel!
Tor"s expression became quite stiff. "Boyfriend?" He recalled the man who seemed to have a possessive regard towards the small alchemist and his stomach felt quite sour.
In truth, Tor"s own feelings regarding the alchemist were complicated. In the beginning, he felt nothing for the youth, just seeing an obstacle in Caprian"s way that made the fat fool take his anger out on his subordinates, him included. Leo upon the brink of death was what opened his eyes to his own idiocy, frightening him, making him question what he was doing and then only relief was felt when he found that Leo had survived.
The next time they met was after Caprian had been accepted into the inner school and his own mood had been unpleasant having realised that the person he"d been told to follow had dropped him like useless waste when he was no longer required, all previous promises empty and disregarded. And even though he"d been responsible in part for what happened to Leo, there was no anger in the youth"s heart, his expression had been clean and innocent... and cute! Tor had felt shaken, more so as Leo trusted him to take him to the Beast Taming school that time and later forgiven him for his part in the bullying. Some new emotions had begun to swell within Tor, but there had also been a fair amount of guilt.
Still, though his feelings had him seek out Leo with his eyes whenever he came back to the alchemist school, guilt had him suppress the budding blossom. And now, like a rose experiencing a sudden frost, the blossom began to wilt. Leo had moved even further out of his reach.
The yowling of a Coeurl sounded out once more and Tor glanced in melancholy at the empty bucket he"d used to carry the beasts food to them. Xiao Xiao yipped and growled, expressing some silliness, as if the cooshee was telling him that the felines were so greedy and ungrateful! Tor laughed, easing the ache in his gut as he bent down to bury his face in his partner"s soft fur.
Ah, the lesser Male leads seldom grab the attention of the main shou, Maimai murmured to herself, before a vision in blue caught her attention and she cheerfully rushed forward to affectionately attack her best friend. Leon managed to not fall into the dung he"d just avoided when he caught her. "What are you doing here?" She asked, her eyes sliding over to where Tor was still kneeling with his cooshee partner.
"Ah, d-d-didn"t kn-know the gr-griffin would fly here!" He mumbled with a slight pout. He didn"t travel to and from town by Griffin very often and so didn"t know that there were a few different beasts travelling back and forth from each school. When he had disembarked, he"d enquired the tamer how to get back to the alchemist school, that man had simply shrugged and suggested he come to the stable, see if he could hitch a ride. Who knew Maimai would be here?
Suddenly a bolt of black and blue fur leapt at him and yipped happily. Leon chuckled and greeted the enthusiastic cooshee, before saying his h.e.l.lo"s to Tor. He noticed the other"s eyes were slightly red, but he didn"t inquire. Tor looked disconcerted, his smile a bit false, but his voice did not waiver as he covered the awkwardness with a throwaway comment; "Are wooden charms all fashionable now?" He joked, he"d known that Leon seemed to like them in the past and that tall, arrogant youth had one as well. Now Maimai"s sash also adorned one.
"Leon made this!" Maimai gushed, showing off the crane talisman at her waist. "Isn"t it cute?" Tor nodded amicably as Maimai turned to Leon and offered him a ride home.
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