Cain yawned and laid back on the couch, looking around at his other classmates. His button-up shirt was open, revealing his personal mark as a Shifter: the emerald pawprint and date on his heart. He'd gotten it at Kari-Bliss's request, not long after she herself got a tattoo.

Speaking of his twin, Cain looked over at her. Unlike most of the 'special' class, she was one of the few that actually sat in a school desk, listened to their teachers, and studied the material. Kari-Bliss was always trying to make everyone happy, and she actually enjoyed going to school. As if she could feel his gaze, she looked back and grinned, making some of her off-red curls fall across her forehead. Cain sighed and shook his head at her, then looked around the room again.

And at his sister's current 'project'. If he got annoyed by her upbeat attitude and love of schoolwork, he was downright furious with the way she was always acting like a role model/ mother to the freaks, like Bran Draven. Everyone just saw how sick, how antisocial he appeared; Cain only saw The Beast inside him. It was no secret he openly despised Bran, or that he didn't approve of Kari-Bliss's affection for him. But no one else knew just what he would do if he ever got the chance to take down that... monster... He frowned in disgust and looked away.

Faroak Mossbone was problably in the handful of people Cain would be willling to help out, if he could. There was nothing right about him; but there was nothing really wrong with him either. As far as Cain knew, Faroak had just had bad luck with his family's death. But now he was part of Riveridge, and he was fairly accepted.
---
Kari-Bliss was actually slacking off today, for once. Instead of taking notes on how Riveridge was founded, she was doodling little birds in her notebook. She'd tried to stay out of her twin's way today, because of how sour he'd been lately; but obviosly she couldn't avoid him in class.

When she'd caught him staring at her, she'd smiled, but as usual, he'd just been a moody killjoy. That was fine with her. It's not like he doesn't act like that everyday.
"... And this brings me to the big announcement, children," Kari-Bliss looked up at her teacher, "As some of you may know, this is no ordinary class. We've been training you few, specifically, to help Riveridge since you were born. And the time has come, now, to utilize your talents. Charles Dellacoure, one of the world's most influential men and a well-known Witch, has been overstepping borders lately. We can connect at least twelve seperate murders to him; and it's time he re-learns our laws. You will all be specially outfitted and be sent to re-enforce our laws to Mr. Dellacoure, and you're trusted to take care of yourselves.

"Because you need some order, Cai has been chosen to head the mission," She nodded at Kari-Bliss's twin, "And you are all expected to follow his orders.

"You'll be taken to your first checkpoint, where you'll be outfitted with your equipment, tommorow morning. We need all of you here no later than 9."

Kari-Bliss's jaw literally fell open.

As was his usual custom in these classes Bran took a seat in one of the back corners where he could relax and avoid the stares of most of the class. It was no secret that many of the people here did not care for him, especially the high and mighty Cain.

As he sat there minding his own business, absentmindedly polishing his steel cane, he could feel Cain's intense stare on him. Rather than give the boy the satisfaction of acknowledging the glares he just continued to polish his cane, daydreaming about how good it would feel to smack Cain across his blond head.

Bran glanced up only briefly at the teacher's call of an announcement, but kept his ears open and listened more than usual. He had read about Mr. Dellacoure in several of the business magazines available in the school library, the man was rich and powerful, powerful even without magic, even more so with it. That they were expected to "teach him a lesson", 4 kids with odd abilities, and in his condition was more than ridiculous. He found it hard to hide his outrage at the teacher calling on Cain to lead this mission, it was practically suicide, but if they had to take orders from Mr. Stuckup himself it would be doomed to fail even more miserably than it already was.

For the time being though Bran held his tongue, not wishing to start an altercation in class, and especially in front of his twin sister. She was, after all, one of the few people around that treated him worth a damn.

Faroak Mossbone was laying on the floor staring at the ceiling just half-listening to the teachers lesson. He was thinking about how after school he would explore the town as a dog after class and look around. He had just recently arrived in the town and it was still kind of new to him. He was enjoying his little day dream when he heard that mans name.

Charles Dellacoure? He had only heard about him in stories where he used to live, his overprotective parents shutting him out on the dangers of the world. He pricked up immediately and listened intentively to what she was saying.

'Tomorrow? Us?' he thought. He couldn't beleive it. He was both thrilled and frightened. It sent a chill up his spine and rush of adrenaline through his head.

'Maybe I wouldn't be so shut off from the rest of the world he thought. Living 8 years at home, secluded in his room. 7 years with the animals in the forest. I've seen so little. Maybe this is a good thing.'

Kari-Bliss gulped, her face heating up, "M-me too?"

Their teacher smiled kindly, "Of course you. You have powers, don't you?"

"That I can't use without passing out or getting sick," She slouched a bit, looking at her desk, "I'd just slow everyone else down..."
---
Cain rolled his eyes and stood up, "Well, if she's going to spend another class complaining about how weak she is, I'm leaving. I'll be here tommorow," He looked at the back of his sister's head, "even if it means coming alone."
---
Kari-Bliss pulled her shoulders up at her brother's disapproval and winced when he slammed the door on the way out. She sighed a bit, "I'll come... But... I'm only going to get in everyone's way..."

Faroak didn't like the way Cain just put his sister down like that. He should have encouraged her. That was uncalled for.

"Well, that wasn't nice. But hey, brothers and sisters do that you know. If I were you, I wouldn't listen to him. In the end, I think he'll approve of you no matter what like he should."

Kari-Bliss sighed and nodded her head, still hiding her face in her arms. Truly, though, she didn't trust what was said: Cain was stubborn and stuck by his choices, even if he knew they were bad.

"Doesn't matter, I'm used to it..."

Faroak turned his head and looked down at the floor. He remembered the arguments he had with his parents before he ran away. Kari-bliss and Cain reminded him of badly it hurt.

He stared down at the floor, becoming oblivious to his surroundings, stuck in his memories.

Bran shook his head as he got up, his long hair falling more into his face as he hobbled by on his cane. He stopped for a brief moment to speak to Kari-Bliss, "If you think you're going to slow everyone down imagine how I feel, I can't even walk across the school without this cane, and even then I get short of breath."

What he really thought he didn't dare speak aloud, It seems obvious to me that this death mission is a way to get rid of us all, the school is clearly more interested in focusing on younger more promising students...

Kari-Bliss looked up at him and frowned when she saw the doubt in his eyes, but didn't ay anything. "Thanks, then... But really, this is just Cain's way of trying to protect me." She glanced at Faroak and decided it best to leave him alone.

She stood up and held out her arm to Bran, "Need some help? I don't have anywehre to be right now, anyway."

Bran shook his head again, then moved some of the hair away from his face, "I don't need any help, thank you though, I have to learn to manage on my own." Realizing he may sound rude he adds, "But I suppose if you want to walk with me I can't turn down the company."

Kari-Bliss blinked a few times, then smiled warmly. "Of course, I'd love to walk with you..." She dropped her arm and looked back at Faroak.

"I guess we'll see you tommorow, yeah?" She shrugged, then headed for the door.

Feeling another cough coming on Bran turns away from Kari-Bliss and rushes to cover his mouth as the horrible hacking he's had to endure since he was little started again. He always hated these coughing fits, they interrupted everything from conversations, lessons, and even books. Once the coughing finally stopped he wiped his hand off on his pants, slightly disgusted that he had to do it.

Taking a brief moment to catch his breath again he sighs and apologizes, "Sorry about that, I still haven't managed to get that under control even after all these years." He pushed more hair out of his face, tucking it behind his ears, and added, "Thank you for walking with me though, but you really didn't have to..."

"It doesn't bother me, your coughing," Kari-Bliss just smiled again and looked at him, her curls falling into her eyes.

"And I want to walk with you. Believe it or not, you're one of my favorite people here." She blushed a bit and scratched the back of her head, stammering, "B-but I don't mean anything by that!"

Bran walked on, his cane clacking against the tile floor as it always did, he said nothing to the last statement, merely shrugged it off sensing that saying anything more would only serve to further embarrass her.

He turned away again for another quick cough, then rounded the corner in the corridor that would lead him to his own personal hide away, the library.

Kari-Bliss continued following him, looking away and thinking.

"Why do you think my brother doesn't like you?" She asked off-handedly, still absorbed in herself, "It's not like you ever did anything to him. The only thing I can think of is me, but it's not like you like me like that. And I don't think you've ever done anything bad to him..."