(( goodbye with a smile ))

[Centrinity]

Up, down, up, down. Something so simple, yet so difficult to master for many. Posting. The soft one, two beat of Imp's hooves beat the ground in perfect rhythm. A soothing rhythm. She fell into sitting, moving in time to stay still in the saddle. The slightest pressure, her leg going back just a tad and the gelding rocked back onto his haunches and shifted smoothly into a canter, beat switching to a one-two-three through the grass. Then, three, two, one and they soared, the beats stopping for a moment as the hanoverian leaped over the three foot vertical, Ace following him, hands letting go of the reins, eyes closing, small smile on her face as they flew. It ended all to soon when his foot hooves hit the ground and she was jolted back to reality by the fact she hadn't been focusing on balance. Only a quick reaction to grip a fist of mane, a hand shoved against his crest to push her upper body up, saved her from the fall, and she regained her posture quickly after that, though the horse below her slowed. He'd felt it, he always did.

It's alright, boy. Nothing to worry about.

Her voice came in a soft murmur, and he seemed to understand, ears flicking back to catch the words, then forward again, his head dipping into a frame, his back popping up and rounding, carrying himself again. She gathered the reins, though left them loose, just letting him run. It was only five minutes later that she slowed him, pulling him back to a trot, a walk, and cooling him out. School started the next day. She'd was out here trying to avoid the rush of students returning from the summer, the chaos of new students making it worse than it was already bound to be. She glanced up at the main building, noticing the mill of students, too far away to tell if she recognized any of them. But, they weren't coming this way, so that was good enough for her. She guided the gelding out of the arena, opening the gate from atop his back and closing it again, before heading to the barn, hopping off just outside the door and taking the reins from over his head and leading the black horse in.

She slipped his bridle off and his halter on, but didn't hook him to the cross ties. He wouldn't go anywhere, not unless someone spooked him, and he would have just broke the cross ties if that had happened anyway. She grabbed the water bottle from in front of his stall, unscrewing the cap and taking a couple gulps before closing it up and putting it away again to take her helmet off. She slipped the hair elastic out, letting her hair fall free again, and put the things aside. Then, she moved to the gelding's side, undoing the girth and slipping the saddle off. He shook a bit and she smiled at him, grabbing his tack and putting it in the tack room. Then, she set to brushing him and rubbing him down, taking her sweet time doing so. She wasn't needed anywhere, after all.

[Flame]

A tall boy with dark brown eyes and blond hair (with dark roots) was wandering. He'd already settled in Sheridan Hall (It had been to easy, nothing had left since he had spent the summer here in Colorado City). Walking next to him was a long cat. Generally the gray striped cat stayed in Hunter's room but today he wanted to go with his friend. So Hunter and the cat walked around, ending up at the Barn.

Lao Tsu streaked off to find other cats and Hunter stopped at a horse, his hand reaching out to stroak the gelding. He was in jeans and a t-shirt, undistingishable from the thousands of other blonde boys out there. Even if his was dyed that way. He'd been doing a summer project and had needed to look a little different. He sighed as the horse begged him for a treat. "Sorry lad. I d'n't h've ahnyth'ng four yah." his scottish burr coming through thick. Usually he had better control over it, but he figured he could relax around the horses, who seemed to list his home accent better than his slightly stilted words.

A noice caught his attention, and he turned to look. Another student, with a horse. Probably her own. He half nodded to her just as his leg was attacked by a gray stripped furball. He knelt and scooped up his cat. "Naow Lao. Wha' 'ave we t'lked 'bout?" the cat meowed at him for that.

[Centrinity]

She had been lost in her thoughts rather entirely until she heard a voice, though she managed not to jump or flinch, having been hidden behind Imp's sixteen point two hand tall body. She continued what she was doing a moment, discretely peering what little she could over the horse's back without out right standing on her toe tips. Then, he glanced up and spotted her, her eyes meeting his for a moment and she bristled, outright looking away, brush strokes quicker and she finished up the calming task faster than normal. The gelding was used to this, though, and didn't complain as she backed him up a few steps, opened the stall door and then slipped off his halter before he walked in on his own. She closed the door, sliding the bolt into place, and moved to the tack room with the rest of her things, slipping her purple leather jacket on.

She decided she'd come clean the tack later, when there wouldn't be anyone here, and put it in its place, covering the saddle before she closed the wooden locker door. There were no locks on any of them, and they were more to segregate the different tack and brush sets. It wasn't like the students and teachers here couldn't pick locks or whatever, so there was no point with pretending. At least, she was pretty sure that was the philosophy. From there, she hauled herself up into the hayloft, opening the door in the floor that was closest to Imp's stall. Out of plain common courtesy, she called out the usual warning, although the last word was left off for convenience.

Heads!

The bale came flying down to smack against the floor a moment later. That was when normal barn behavior slipped into spy behavior, for she lowered herself down through the hole, managing to close the trapdoor as well, without pinching her fingers. Well practiced, from the year before, it had taken months to master, but no one needed to know that. She landed on top of the bale and stepped off, pocket knife whipped out to cut the twine off before she tossed half the bale into Imp's stall, carrying the rest down to the other horse in, the one near the Scottish boy who looked vaguely familiar, but she couldn't place a name to him, nor did she care to. The hay was dropped into the stall uneventfully, and she took a moment to brush the bits and pieces off her shirt, though she didn't say a word to the boy, breezing past him to grab a broom to sweep the floor clean. No one ever said she was particularly polite when she didn't have to be, though she did take the kindness to avoid stepping on the cat. After all, she trusted animals. She didn't quite trust people, though, and that was perhaps the problem here.

No, scratch that. That was definitely the problem.

Once the sweeping was done, she put the broom away, hopping up onto the stall door, still thoroughly ignoring the other human being. It was hardly polite, and she doubted her mother would approve, but that didn't matter anymore. Not like her mom was here to scold her. Someone else had made sure of that one.

[Flame]

Hunter saw the brunnet and smiled just a little. Hey even in his mourning, he could smile. Hell he didn't even really know how he felt. He should have been crying, but he wasn't. Which still bothered him. The cat meowed again, and the boy sighed. "I knaw laddie." he half grumbled, as he gave the cat one last pet and let him down. The cat and the boy both jumped back at the word Heads!" both instinctively knowing when something was coming at their head. The dust covered them both and the dignified way the cat spazzed out then started cleaning himself made Hunter laugh softly.

He glanced at the girl again, as he knelt beside the cat to pick him clean. The cat meowed, but reacted in no other way, as he let the long fingers of his friend help him get cleaned off. Hunter glanced at the girl. "I haven't seen anyone do that in a long time." he said motioning towards the trap door. "It's a tallant I still haven't figured out." He said softly.

[Centrinity]

She didn't glance over to see the motion, but she knew what he had been talking about. The trapdoor. What else would he be talking about? Everyone swept floors and fed hay. Not everyone would exit a hay loft in such a way, though. So, obviously, that would be the thing he was intending to be talking about. She shrugged with her right shoulder, fingers still loosely gripping around the stall door. They let go as Imp came over, too large a mouthful of hay getting chewed slowly into mush he could swallow and digest. The gelding lowered his whole neck to lay his head in her lap and one of her hands rested on his neck, the other on his forehead, two fingers making gentle, massaging circles, following the swirl of fur. His ears flopped out to the side a bit like a donkey, finally bringing a small smile to her face. Then, she finally spoke, smile falling away into the usual, antisocial frown.

It takes practice, as does everything. There's nothing natural about it.

There was a vaguely aloof, uncaring tone to her voice, though at the same time it was knowledgeable. Of course it was. Even before she was accepted, she'd visited Wicker before. After all, her grandfather had been the head of the Wickervale Academy Project. Her mother had never wanted the life of a spy, but Ace had taken after her grandfather. Or maybe her father, for all she knew. It wasn't like she knew who the man was. Of course, her grandfather was part of the reason she avoided people here. She was a legend before she made herself a legend. She wasn't "Ace", she was "Agent Kerry's granddaughter". She loved the man, but she hated the reputation he'd earned her. She didn't want it, didn't like it. At least, in the look department, she took after her mother, and not him. Most couldn't label them as related unless they were actually standing next to each other, or she let them know her last name(well, to a degree, her first, as well, since she came here).

[Flame]

Hunter patted the cat who stayed at his side, as he stood up and looked at her. "And it's a skill I don't have. So it's nice to see someone who can do it, and do it well." he said simply with a grin. "And you've got to have SOME tallent in being quiet to do that well." he added. As a junior he had been here two years (Tecnically this was like collage, he'd already finished highschool) and knew a great deal. But he wasn't to happy about driver's Ed. Being that He liked horses, and buses better. But he'd do it, and do it well.

"I'm Hunter. Who's he?" he asked nodding to the horse as he moved closer towards the animal, but slowly. The black and gray cat moved with him, almost like a shadow, not making a sound but his yellow eyes watched all.

[Centrinity]

She shifted away a bit as he came closer, edging to the far side of the small door. It was not an invitation for him to join her, though it could easily be mistaken for one. Imp was far more friendly than his owner, clearly, for at the sound of the voice coming closer, his ears perked up and he stretched his nose out for a moment before pulling back again and hovering in front of Ace. Seeing as he could easily ask anyone else who hung around the barn who the horse was, she didn't bother holding the information back.

Mission Impossible, or Imp.

He snorted softly at the recognition of his name, bumping her knee and glancing at her expectantly. She hardly thought as she drew her hand back and into her jacket pocket, holding out a single, perfect sugar cube. He lipped it up carefully, whuffing softly as he chewed at it, then turned his attention away from the humans and back to his hay. Clearly, food was far more important at this particular moment of his life.

[Flame]

Hunter sighed slightly as the cat jumped up on the stall door and meowed softly towards the horse. His paw went out trying to pat the horse. Hunter absently reached out to pet the cat, who meowed at him, but he was still watching the horse and his rider. her body language told him to stay away. Interesting.

"Helllo Imp. I'm Hunter, this is Lao Tsu, now if only you could talk to tell me your mistresses name." He smiled a little to himself as he turne dhis brown eyes from the horse to the girl. "I could ask you, and it would be easy, Or i could go look it up in the office. One way is painless." he said simply, not exactly a threat, but he was in no mood to cat paw around her. No he was definatly not in any mood for that.

[Centrinity]

She looked over at him at that point, eyebrow raised, clearly confidant despite the fact she was only paying him as much attention was needed. It was not a confidence issue that caused her to withdraw within herself. Just a trust problem. In fact, there was currently a little smirk on her face.

Oh, they're both painless for me. Though, one could be concerned as to why you care so much. And I highly doubt you would get enough out of the head office to satisfy your curiosity; it would be much more sensible to ask the other sophomores.

Okay, that was a bit of a bluff. But, still. the office would be worried about why he was asking about any student, particularly one with her ancestry. She knew full well about the current threat to school security, though they hadn't told her. Her grandfather had. He shared lots with her. After all, she had clearance for a lot of it. She wouldn't be here if she didn't. Neither would anyone. The teachers just didn't want to panic the students, so few, if any, knew. She chuckled softly, glancing away again, though her body stayed turned in his direction a slight bit.

Suppose if you must know, though... Alexxandria Kerry.

[Flame]

He kept his face neutral at all of her words. Something he'd been schooled in. He was entirely to open emotionally. He was always willing to open up and tell all. And he'd gotten special training to not do that. So even now in his slight annoyance he kept it down. And his only reaction to her name was to stop petting the cat for half a second. "See. Easy." he said simply.

"And there are ways to get around the office. Did it first year i was here." he said thoughtfully. Of course he'd done it becuase a friend had been in trouble and he'd needed to know WHY to get him out of it. Hadn't worked... but he could do it. He wasn't to fased that she had the last name as one of the founders of the school. He didn't actually care. He wasn't one for fame, or money. (Obviously because all of his clothes were bought at wal-mart). He was more worried about people, and getting the job done. oh and animals.

[Centrinity]

Not a wise idea.

She murmured, eyes narrowing slightly as she turned back to watching him. He seemed harmless, geeky, but that didn't mean anything. He was here, after all. Half of them were deceptive in some way or another. She didn't expect him to be any different. Don't judge a book by its cover and all that. She was almost more distrusting now that he'd said that.

At least, not nowadays.

Her legs swung around and she hopped off the stall door, landing quietly on the cement floor, eying him once more, seemingly concerned about something. Then, she slipped past him, slipping out of the barn with a confidant bounce to her step, shoulders back, head held high, though her senses were primed to listen for anything of importance. Soft murmurs she wasn't meant to hear, him following her, anything.

[Flame]

Hunter shrugged. "It's always a bad idea. Unless you are part of the facalty, there's really no point. Plus interrogation is easier." he said truthfully. The cat jumped down and wandered out the door, and he turned fully towards her, a little amused. "I wouldn't have you know. I probably would have asked anybody and they would have told me." he called after her, watching her leave, and her butt. He was male. Give him a break. he'd been polite the entire time.

Her words bothered him. And as he patted the black horse, before following her out, he out two and two together. A harty laugh, one that was born in Scotland slipped out. "Lao. Guess who I am?" he asked as the cat jumped up on his leg. Hunter whinced and picked up the cat, and put him on his shoulders. "Silly me. I'm to smart for mah owne goohd. Arn't Ah?" he asked the cat, who rowled at him and he shook his head, easily spotting the girl. He wondered if he shoudl follow. Well they both were going in the same direction, so it was easy to do. With a gray cat a scarf he walked easily following her, but not. He was weird that way. His face fell a bit as he was suddenly reminded of his mother. He'd seen a white rose. She'd always loved those.

[Centrinity]

She kept moving as she heard the voice following her, the feet in the grass. He couldn't leave well enough alone, it would seem. She scowled, turning towards Kerry House. He couldn't follow her there. She drew up short, stopping dead in her tracks, as she heard the excited squeals and screams, literally wincing. So much for that option. That was worse than a war zone. She wasn't near bold enough to go there, and this was not a mission she had to undertake either. And so, she turned further, heading towards the booby-trapped woods.

She slipped into the shade, pace slowing down considerably, though she knew a safe path to one spot in particular. She followed it, placing her footsteps carefully to avoid trip wires and such things before climbing up on tree, neatly avoiding the camera that was there, and slipping up to the small platform that could be used for observation by an agent, though it wasn't used often by anyone other than her. She sighed, happily. Yes, this was better. Quieter.

[Flame]

The boy saw her turn towards Kerry, and shrugged, as he turned towards Sheridan. But then she stopped, and turned around, heading for the woods. Interesting. He stopped and watched her. "She's hiadin'." He said thoughtfully to the cat. Who jumped down and headed for Sheridan, not carring to much. Hm. Hunter wanted to follow her, but what should he do? Finally he sighed, turning away and following the cat. He some how managed to slip past the other teen boys, rough housing in the halls, greeting one another.

He slipped into his single room (No roommate. Thank god. He'd have killed himself if he'd had to share) and sank to the floor beside the door, making it nearly impossible to enter. Even at six foot four he was 200 pounds. Nothing was getting through the door with out him knowing. That meeting with the girl hadn't helped him. Now he just felt like shit and wanted to cry. Lao was in his lap purring insantly.