Time Warp:There are ducks a'swimmin (Carter)

[Aryana Darcy]

April 20th, 2009

Warmth. The most prevalent difference between Kocher and the Hammel Institute. The sun brushed Rya's skin with a gentle caress as she stood in front of the pond, her eyes trailing a Koi swimming from one end of the pool to the other. Her gaze was only broken when it disappeared behind a rock.

It had been a few days since she had arrived in America, and she hadn't made any friends. It was hard, trying not to be friendly to everyone she met. It was natural. The girl was a smiling ball of sunshine as her dad called her, however, that's exactly what she was trying to get away from.

Her lips pressed into a hard line.

Her manifestation was interesting to say the least, though it involved a secret coming to light that Rya never wanted to know. She never wanted to see. Honestly, the Brit didn't even know how she did it. Her arm moved in the air as she concentrated on the water, but it only made a ripple, and then her hand jerked back suddenly as she felt something nip at her neon green socks.

The water splashed up at her, and it left her bare legs wet, and her long sleeved green and gray t-shirt touched with water. The girl whipped around, only to find a nibbling at her sock. Immediately, her hardened lines softened and she moved away from the duck, who then proceeded to follow. She grabbed a cracker from her nearby backpack (she always kept it in case of duck emergencies), and threw the crumbs of the crushed up saltine so the animal would leave her be.

Rya's blue eyes fell to her backpack once more, and her eyes locked onto the sketchbook. God knows how many drawings she had in there that had to do with some sort of duck, but one more wouldn't hurt? Right?

The Brit gave in and grabbed the book and flipped to a free page.

She had a duck to draw.

[Carter Chevalier]

Carter was drawn to places like the pond for different reasons than most. He kicked off his shoes and allowed his bare feet to wander across the dirt. Try as he might, he was still so slowly getting attuned to the way it all felt. The vibrations underneath the surface were most distracting - when people walked nearby, it was like he felt it within himself.

But it was definitely strange to take in the sight he was seeing - the way a girl was... Interacting. With a duck? The older twin raised his eyebrows at the fact. Was she serious? He wondered for a moment if this was some kind of power-based... Thing. He'd certainly met some strange individuals in his short time here at Hammel.

Carefully, the bright eyed boy made his way over towards her, curiosity getting the better of him within the moment.

But before he managed to open his mouth, Carter closed it again. He realised then that she was drawing. Clasping his hand behind his back, he opted to stand a little way away from her and watch what was going on. This place was ridiculous. He'd learned that already, but this was definitely new to him.

[Aryana Darcy]

It wasn't necessarily just ducks that held her fascination, but they did hold a special place in her heart. She used to go with mum every day to feed them. From an early age, the Brit adored ducks. So why should she just stop just because she was in another country?

What really held her fascination were semi-aquatic animals. The fact that they could feel so at home in the water, but feel equally comfortable with their bodies on dry land;it almost reminded Rya of herself. Though most people wouldn't consider that when seeing her sketchbook.

As she glanced upward at the view, she noticed a boy in her line of sight. A person, an actual person, was standing there looking at her like she was...crazy?

"What, You've never seen a girl sketch before?" Rya tried not to flinch when saying that. That was rude, Rya, she reprimanded herself. But even still, she didn't take the statement back. There was no reason to. He had heard it.

[Carter Chevalier]

Finally, she seemed to notice Carter. But she was looking at him like he was looking at her like she was crazy. Crazy? Was that the right word? Carter dropped his hands into his pockets.

Her question threatened to pull a laugh from him - if only she knew who she was talking to. Not because he was a Chevalier, but because of the way in which he spent his time in the summer. Art school was incredibly important to him.

"Admittedly, I've never seen a girl lead a duck before." He replied in time, his eyebrows raised. "So I watched."

[Aryana Darcy]

"I didn't lead the duck," Rya defended, closing the sketchbook and placing the materials flat on her lap. He was French. That much was clear from the accent. He seemed a few years older than her, too. But he was obviously more developed in places that were physically appealing to the eye. He'd be a great person to draw...

But she wasn't paying attention to that. Or at least, that's what she told herself.

"The duck followed me. I threw it crackers so it'd get away." That was the truth, though not the whole truth. She did want it to follow. It was adorable, and it reminded her of home. The past few days she had been at Hammel had been easier than in Kocher. At least here they spoke English well.

[Carter Chevalier]

My my, wasn't she defensive? Carter had to wonder if this was a strand for all the girls he was destined to meet. He could clearly tell she wasn't American - she wore a different accent, just as he did. Still, given how simply he'd spoken, he wondered what warranted such a seemingly harsh response.

Couldn't people be hospitable to strangers?

"Ah, I see. My mistake then." He replied, glancing at the book she'd closed. It was clearly a sketchbook, but he paid no mind to that. It didn't matter. "From where I stood, it looked somewhat different. I'm glad you cleared that up."

The corner of his mouth pulled into a smile. Truly, he found her amusing. Even if she didn't see it that way. "For what it's worth, my name is Carter. You didn't ask, but I find it's strange not to offer my name when a conversation breaches idle small talk." And really, this conversation was anything but ordinary.

[Aryana Darcy]

"Don't be so quick to make assumptions," The girl muttered, idly fiddling the pencil in her hand. She decided to simply put the book away for the time being, but kept the wooden writing instrument to keep her fingers busy. Ever since manifestation, Rya had been keeping her hands busy because if they didn't have something to grasp onto, she typically --though unknowingly-- grasp onto the water that surrounded her.

Upon looking up, he noticed a smile on his lips, which caused her scowl to deepen and her brow to raise. "I really don't see what's so amusing," Rya said, though her voice wasn't as harsh as she had intended. She was merely confused. Maybe it was the scowl that he was smiling at? Mum had always said she looked funny with a pout, mainly because she never really wore one. But.. he was just... She didn't even know.

"Rya," The girl said, careful to introduce herself as Rya and not Aryana. She didn't want to be associated as 'Aryana' any longer. "Just transferred from Kocher."

[Carter Chevalier]

"Says the girl who snaps at strangers." Carter interjected, refusing to match her muttering, quiet tone. If she had something to say, surely she could say it. He knew he could.

When she seemed to try to call him out, Carter simply nodded his head to one side, as if conceding to her words. "Of course you don't." He replied, not an ounce of ill feeling in his voice. It was a fact - people could rarely see the amusement they provided when they didn't mean to.

Because she offered her name anyway. Like he knew she would if he gave his first.

"Kocher. The school in Switzerland." He denoted, glad for the time being that his residential address was in America and not France. He'd venture to guess Hammel was better than Kocher, given idle things he'd heard. "Are you always so... Harsh?"

[Aryana Darcy]

Rya bit her lip immediately as he reminded her of the way she was acting. Of course she was acting this way, though now the reason didn't seem so important. He was an entire ocean away, and didn't have a passport. Allowing herself one friend wouldn't hurt her, would it?

That is, if he even wanted to be here friend after a display like that.

"No, not really," She admitted. "I guess it's the nerves from moving." That wasn't really the reason, she knew, but Carter didn't have to know that. Rya picked herself up, finding it to be increasingly difficult, and annoying, to have to strain her neck to look up.

"Are you always so... Calm?" She shot back, but instead of an annoyed scowl spoiling her features, a shy smile took it's place.

[Carter Chevalier]

Carter mused over the honest-feeling answer this girl offered him. She was defending her harsh approach, but not in a harsh way. It was the reason why he knew he could believe in what she was saying. "Moving has that effect on people." He reassured her with a nod. Given his accent, she could likely assume he'd gone through the same thing.

Truthfully, travelling was a way of life for him. But she didn't need to know that.

At the shy smile she offered, Carter smiled back. Slight, from the corner of his mouth. But it wasn't a grin, and that was rare. "I don't know, am I?" He asked genuinely, raising his eyebrows at the fact. "Maybe there's little point in not being calm, Rya. Why get mad at you because you snapped? It's nerves from moving."

He repeated that with purpose. If she wanted him to believe that as a fact, he likely would.

[Aryana Darcy]

"You're the first to think in such a way." He was definitely different, that much was obvious. The fact that he wasn't quick to anger was appreciated, even if she found it annoying in the very beginning. Everyone else she had met at Kocher, and the very few she met at Hammel, wouldn't even begin to deal with her lack of kindness. At first she felt it was fine with her, but this conversation made her realize how much she desired to have a normal conversation, if that is what anyone would even call this.

She wasn't observing him any longer, no, but upon looking down to grab her backpack, she took notice of the fact that he was also barefoot. Rya's brow raised, and her her mouth opened as if to say something, then closed once again as if she was second guessing speaking. But ultimately curiosity got the better of her.

"And your shoes? I couldn't help but notice you aren't... wearing any?"

[Carter Chevalier]

Carter nodded his head to the side, conceding to her statement. Of course he was different. He was a Chevalier, and she likely wouldn't find a damn person who could compare to him. Aside from the obvious choice - his brother.

He felt the way her eyes dipped down to look at his feet, and he rolled his shoulders idly in the break between conversing, his hands still comfortably in his pockets. It seemed as if she wanted to say something, but lost her nerve. He watched the somewhat strange personal altercation with raised eyebrows; he was curious.

And then she asked. She wouldn't be the first to. Nor would she likely be the last.

"Terrakinetic." He pointed out lightly. After all, she had no way of knowing that. "I prefer to feel the element. Most find it strange."

[Aryana Darcy]

Her head tilted back slightly, her mouth parting with an inaudible 'oh'. Terrakinetic. He could control Earth? Well, then that definitely made sense. The Brit felt most at home in the water, or at least beside it. She could always feel the water moving beside her or around her, and it was the most soothing feeling in the world.

Her hand twitched idly.

"Well, I found it strange up until you actually told me." She informed him. "I'm the same, except Water is my element. I'm a Hydrokinetic."

[Carter Chevalier]

Carter nodded once to the point she made; it was exactly why he said it. Of course she found it strange until she knew the fact. He was still learning a vast majority about his powers - why it was he could feel the rhythm and shake of the ground beneath his feet when nothing seemed to be moving. When someone took a step, he was sure he could feel it.

"And now I understand why you're here." He replied, glancing back out at the water on instinct. "What does it feel like for you?"

[Aryana Darcy]

"It feels... It feels like the stroke of a brush on a canvas every time the water moves, if that makes any sense." The brunette was still getting accustomed to the life of being this meta human. Water had always been a passion of hers, but now everything that she experienced seemed so drastically different. Showers, swimming, washing her hands... it all was like a new experience. She could feel the way it moved and gave itself life, and being able to manipulate it made it all the more fascinating.

"But it's weird because I can feel it everywhere, and sometimes it feels like I just can't get to it. Like in the trees, I know it's there, but if I try to grasp it, it's like trying to pull something with a numbed hand."