Quatre Raberba Winner; Arrival at Oxford.

[notesdemusique]

He wasn't sure where he was. He could only gather so much information about his surroundings by looking around. It was Earth. But this wasn't the Earth he was familiar with. It was... so different. It reminded him of pictures of the past he'd seen in old books. It lead him to believe he'd somehow ended up in the past. Poor Quatre was entirely

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[the_raven_boy]

((I hope you don't mind me dropping in at least briefly))

Having finally been found by the porter just outside Camilla's room, Bran had been introduced to his own, down the hall a way. He and Gwenno had settled in for the evening, people watching from his window, getting a feel for the place and the mannerisms of the people. The new day, however, he and Gwenno had both been a little stir crazy. He couldn't just wait for Lord Asriel to call him. Bran was a growing boy and a curious one at that. He and Gwenno were now romping a bit on the grassy courtyard, his dark clothes and pale features almost blurring as they ran cheerfully along. Gwenno bounced and bounded around him, the sounds of cheeful laughter and playful barks drifting around the mostly quiet courtyard. They'd been at it for a good half an hour to forty five minutes now and finally they began to settle. Still walking, they left the courtyard and moved through more of the college archways, panting a little and trying to catch their breaths.

Rounding a last curve, Bran collapsed on a nearby stone stairway not at first seeing the other pale boy nearby. His cheeks were still flushed below the line of his sunglasses and he was still feeling heady from the exertion, Gwenno settled next to him, her head in his lap where he ran his fingers over her head. "Iechyd da, Gwenno!" He gave a heaving breath that was more of a sigh. "Pa bryd y daw?" He finally took more notice of his surroundings and saw the other boy. It took him a moment to gather his wits and switch back to the proper language. "Ahh, hello, sorry have we disturbed you?"

[notesdemusique]

Quatre could hear the sounds of footsteps on the cement, and the language he didn't understand made him realize someone else was there. Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see the man dressed in all black sit on the steps. Like just about everybody else -- with Wufei as the only exception -- he didn't recognize him. Again, another person with an animal familiar.

He looked back down at Brienne, watching the feline shortly until he heard the unknown man speaking. Quatre turned his head, blinking softly as he watched Bran. "N..no, you haven't disturbed me, it's fine." He smiled softly.

[the_raven_boy]

((edited to fix dumb errors))

Bran took advantage of the time it took Quatre to realise he was being spoken to to observe the young man. He actually looked about Bran's age, and with the pale hair and blue eyes he reminded Bran of Camilla. When he finally gave what seemed to be a shy answer, Bran nodded. His breath was finally beginning to catch back up, and his chest stopped heaving quite so much though there was still a fine sheen of dampness across his forehead. He'd have to bathe before he went for any meals. The boy had the air of someone a little lost, though he seemed content to sit on the steps and take in the world around him. An observer.

"My name is Bran, I'm new." he stretched out a hand and Gwenno shifted to lift her head off his lap so he could reach easier. "And this is Gwenno." He was careful not to let on that he was not from this world, it would be enough to hear the accent and know it was foreign. New of any type could easily be passed off. Speaking of accents, this boys was definitely not something he recognised immediately. "You're not English?" He asked rather bluntly, though not unkindly. Just youthful curiosity.

[notesdemusique]

Quatre smiled softly at the others introduction. He held his hand out, shaking the others hand firmly as he shifted slightly to reach better, and see the other easier. "My name is Quatre. I'm new, too." He said, the polite smile not once leaving his face.

Brienne stayed on the side of Quatre that was farthest from Bran and Gwenno. Probably because Gwenno was a dog, and she herself was just a cat. There was no shame in being cautious. "My name is Brienne," The Daemon said, before Quatre got a chance to introduce her. She sat up straight, watching Bran and his Daemon.

The blond shook his head. "I'm not. I'm Arabian, and a..little bit European." He brushed his bangs out of his eyes, glancing straight ahead at the roads before he looked back at Bran.

[the_raven_boy]

If Bran was surprised that this pale blond could be Arabian he did not let the surprise travel to his face. Afterall, he did not know this world nor how people from different places ought to look here. He nodded a polite welcome to Brienne. "Good to meet you both." Gwenno's nod almost looked like a bow.

"Well welcome to Oxford, you're even farther off the beaten path than I." Bran said amiably. "Tidy place to get your education, they say. I'm still regularly getting lost." He scratched his nose and then pulled his sunglasses off to gaze at Quatre with tawny golden eyes.

[notesdemusique]

Brienne seemed to gather up some courage to get a little bit closer. She moved up onto the blond boys' lap, still keeping her golden eyes on Bran and Gwenno. It was his European genes that left him with blond hair and blue eyes, and even some of his sisters'. Though, only a few of them out of the twenty-nine had been as lucky as he.

"Ah, I've just arrived here, you could say." He smiled. People would probably think he were crazy, if he said he was from a world with computers, colonies in outer space... It was probably best to pretend he just fit in. Like he'd moved there. He was good at the whole incognito thing, as the rest of the pilots were.

"I hope I don't get lost," He voiced, out loud. He probably wouldn't. Doubted he would. Quatre was good at finding his way around when he was in a new environment.

[the_raven_boy]

Gwenno's silver eyes followed Brienne but she did not make any threatening moves, simply sat gazing docilely. "Just arrived then? Have you met with Lord Asriel yet?" Bran tested waters carefully but schooled his voice to a tone of polite disinterest.

"Do you know where you're headed? I might be able to help you find the way." In truth he didn't have much hope for it on his own, but if there was a person they'd met already, Gwenno could pick up a scent and manage to get them there. He thought it only polite to offer his help. "But it is nice out here today." He closed his strange eyes and sniffed in slowly, holding his breath and letting the scent of cool stone and fresh cut grass settle inside him, sunlight warming his skin. He let out the breath and opened his eyes finally smiling at Quatre. "The good weather has made me lazy today. Gwenno and I have had a bit of a frolic on the quad and I think I will sleep well tonight."

[notesdemusique]

Quatre shook his head at the others words. "No, I haven't. I haven't seen many people here, yet," He said, with a kind smile as he lifted his hand to pat Briennes' head softly. She purred under the touch, tilting her head slightly.

"Hm, I'm not sure where I'm headed.." He turned his head skyward, looking up at the clouds. "Maybe I've started off lost; that sounds a little strange, though." He laughed, leaning forward on his elbows. He was careful of Brienne, making sure he left room for her on his lap.

At the others last words, it reminded Quatre that he had no where to sleep that night. He didn't know where he was, it was an unfamiliar place. In an unfamiliar time. He sighed. Well, when the sun went down, he'd cross that bridge, then.

[the_raven_boy]

"I don't think it sounds strange," Bran responded simply. "very nice, poetic license-like." He wiped a forearm across his forehead and looked up at the clouds with Quatre. He couldn't read Quatre's mind and was mindful that Quatre was being just as evasive as he was. "I think you should probably speak with Lord Asriel as soon as you get a chance. He can set you up here, explain how the... em... exchange program works. At least he did that for me. It takes a little bit of getting used to." He chuckled to himself. "Or in my case, a lot."

[notesdemusique]

A light laugh escaped Quatre. Poetic license-like. Yes, he supposed it was. He looked over at Bran again with that same soft, friendly smile that never seemed to leave his face. "Maybe that is a good idea. Though, I'm not sure where I would find him..." Then again, perhaps in the college? It made sense. That's where Wufei had gone(though Wufei said he hadn't known anything; so maybe that didn't count).

"I.. think I could get used to this." He could get used to many different situations. If Quatre could get used to twenty-nine sisters, two wars, going temporarily insane, and then adapting to a peaceful life, he could certainly adapt to this new world.

[the_raven_boy]

Bran looked back at Quatre, unblinking. "He does research at Jordan College. Usually you don't find him, he finds you. But he'll have the porters getting a room for you as soon as he knows you're here. He's very efficient, that man." He pushed a hand through his hair and glanced back the way he'd come. "Just back that way a bit. I'm at Yaxley Quad and I understand they're trying to keep those of us visiting unexpectedly, in the same general area." He gave a wry smile. "Not sure if it's just to keep track of us."

He gave a sigh at Quatre saying he could get used to this. "Hmm, you've got a leg up on me then. The whole Oxford thing has been a little difficult to take in. I suspect I'm just being stubborn though." He ignored Gwenno's look of 'at least you admit it'.

[notesdemusique]

He listened, understanding. "I see," He smiled. Maybe it would be better to let a Porter find him when he went inside, or this.. Asriel man. He was unsure who he was, but he didn't sound so bad, so far. But people could be deceiving; he'd learned that in the war.

He laughed softly. "Well, perhaps soon, you will be used to it." It would be more convenient than not, if they were stuck here. He didn't think they were(he hoped they weren't; he had family, and the Maganacs). But, incase, it would be better to be used to it than not. "It doesn't seem like such a bad place, though."

[the_raven_boy]

This soft spoken boy was as difficult to read with his eternally kind smile, as Bran was with his expressionless face. Bran found himself feeling adrift and finally understanding a little bit, Will's discomfort with not being able to place Bran's intentions.

Bran was also unsure if he wanted to be used to this place. In some ways it was so much better than home. But for as many people at home who made his life difficult, there were those on the farm who he already missed. And of course Will but he only saw Will once a year. "Perhaps." He responded quietly. "I have only been here a day, so I can't tell how good or bad it is. From the things I heard, there are as many problems here as there were where I am from. But some of it truly is wonderful." His hand found Gwenno's head again, and he was petting her with slow even strokes. He laughed quietly. "And after-all, it is Oxford, you can't do much better for educational knowledge. They have an amazing library we have access to, I understand. And I have been free to move about as I choose."

[notesdemusique]

An amazing library? He decided, then, that he would have to look into that. If he were to find a way back home, a library was a good place to start. History texts could help him understand just where he'd been thrown in, and he could go from there. Perhaps with Wufei's help.

But he liked how this place didn't seem to have the mounds of technology that his world did. No colonies, for one thing. He could tell just by the atmosphere that this, certainly, was a more olden-day time. It would be a little relaxing, if not enjoyable.

"I'll have to do some exploring, then." He smiled, glancing down at Brienne, who was now curled up contently in his lap and appeared to be sound asleep with her paws kneading at the side of his leg. Freedom, and a nice environment like this... It was almost like a vacation. A strange vacation.

[the_raven_boy]

Bran shifted on the step and moved to stand. Gwenno adjusted next to him, glancing up and waiting patiently. "You seem comfortable out here, I think I'm going to head back inside the college, I've still some exploring to do today." He was already replacing his sunglasses, shrouding his eyes from view and glancing back the way he'd come. "It was nice to meet you, Quatre."

He did not move away just yet, waiting for acknowledgement from the boy. He assumed the boy was planning on staying outside a while longer and his daemon looked quite comfortable. But he did not want to leave until he was certain that the boy had no plans of coming along.