It's time to begin

Cole shook his head, he didn't want Jack to go out there. What if he gets frostbite? It has to be colder now. He wiped his tears away, and fell down on his back. He starred at Jack, trying to figure out if he was nice, or just putting on an act. When Aethra came back in her maid outfit, Cole made an attempt to smile. He got up, and walked over to her. He opened his mouth, now was a big chance to ask her again for the massage. He closed it. He didn't feel like it now. He took a mug from the tray, put on a big smile, and said "Thank you." He returned to his corner, and the smile faded. He took a couple sips, and set the mug down in front of him.

Jack was about to explain his gift but he was interrupted when he saw Aethra in a maid outfit, holding a tray with two cups of steaming liquid. Before he could help himself, his mouth dropped in a very obvious manner, staring at the girl in silence. It was not an everyday thing to see a person dressed up in a fairly nice outfit, especially if the person was of the opposite gender. Why was she doing this anyways? Was it a family tradition or was it for her own amusement? He couldn't quite figure her out yet. After realizing how rude he was looking right now, he blushed slightly and looked down. "Thank you," he muttered as he took the mug away from her, "That's very nice of you." He sipped the cocoa and smiled slightly, despite his embarrassment. It was good, really good. It had the right balance of milk and chocolate.

Looking away from the two as they took the drinks, Aethra replied, "It's nothing, not too hard to stir up." Taking her own mug and taking a small sip from it, the lady-like way and in the thoughts of making sure not to make it spill, the girl realized she was just simply there and not being a very great host. Getting up from her place and grabbing the platter, she headed back into the kitchen before looking through the fridge, looking around to see whether or not there were any delicacies they could have that belonged to her. How silly of her, she had baked a numerous amount of sweets to donate to a bakery, but had made more than they needed. There were the spares she had. Quite the baker herself, the Spring came back with all sorts of sweets - cookies, cupcakes, muffins, brownies - anything you could think of. Placing the tray down onto the table, she smiled before saying, "Enjoy, I have plenty to go around."

Remembering that they had been wondering about the maid outfit, or from what she assumed, Aethra added on quickly, "I come from a royal family - it doesn't seem right to serve without uniform."

Cole looked back at them. He set aside the mug, and pushed the mug over, spilling the rest of his cocoa on the floor. "Oops." he whispered. He watched the drink spill out, making a small puddle on the floor. He put his finger in the cocoa, and started to spread it around on the floor. He hoped he could make it a little wider before they noticed, after all Jack was taking Aethra's attention. He kept swirling it on the floor, looking back every now and then to make sure Aethra didn't see him.

Jack looked up from his drink, only to see Aethra carrying a tray of new goodies: treats. "Wow Aethra, thank you," he said gratefully, reaching over to grab a brownie, "They look delightful." Taking a wide bite out of the chocolatey goodness, he enjoyed the treat in silence, savoring the moment in each bite. Well, if there was one thing he knew about the girl so far was that she was an excellent cook. As for Cole though...well he was just as confusing as Aethra. All Jack knew about him so far was that he had a strange way to express his motions. What was Cole doing anyways? Glancing over, he saw Cole swirl his finger around the hot chocolate puddle, making motions as his finger slid along the liquid. What in the word was he doing? Trying to get a clue on what was going on, he glanced at Aethra, only to turn back to Cole. Ah, he understood now. Cole was trying to hide his mistake. Well then, Jack just had to act like he didn't do anything. Turning away from the boy, he focused on his brownie again, eating it slowly.

Being a big analyzer who paid attention to so much detail into everything, it didn't take very long for Aethra to notice the chocolate puddle. Besides, she had heard him whisper the "oops" as well, so that just gave away everything. Turning to Jack with a quick bow of gratitude and acknowledgement to his own thanks, the Spring sighed, grabbing her fan and heading over to Cole, smacked him straight in the head with it. She had made sure not to hit too hard, but not too soft. "Be careful next time - I'll go make you another one after I clean up this mess," she said sternly, bothered that there was such a puddle in the room that she and her dorm mates had worked to keep neat and tidy. A mess like that wouldn't be any good. Heading back to the kitchen and returning with a sponge and glass of water to soak it in, the girl had simply gotten on her knees without another word and started to absorb the hot chocolate up into the clean supplies. Whether or not she revealed unnecessary parts... was another case that she didn't exactly pay attention to, too concentrated on getting rid of the mess in front of her. Getting up after some time and heading back with a premade hot chocolate that simply needed to be heated up, Aethra handed the cup over to Cole, gently giving it to him, saying, "Don't do anything that would ruin your chances of staying in here. I don't know how long this blizzard is going to last, and it might mean you have to stay here. You wouldn't want to be kicked out now, would you?"

"Ow!" he knew he deserved that one. He didn't care though. "I might, why not? What happens if I die Aethra? What's the point?" He asked. He felt lost without the box in his suitcase. The box held something inside that he didn't want to lose. Then it hit him. What if someone picked it up and put it somewhere safe? No, that couldn't happen. He crawled back up in the fetal position, rolling around on his back again. I hope it's safe. Please god let it be safe.

Before he couldn't help himself, he found himself chuckling as Aethra hit Cole with her fan. Jack's humor was rather strange, for he found satire humor the funniest. He quickly hid it though, by taking another bite of his brownie. He took another bite and another and the next thing he knew was that he was finished. Sighing, he reached for a cookie, looking at Cole thoughtfully. Why did the boy look so distressed? Surely, it can't be because of the hit; it wasn't even that hard. Was it Aethra's threat to kick him out? Nah, he had just mentioned that he didn't care if he died. Well, not directly of course but it sounded obvious that he was implying it. "Cole, don't think like that," he said seriously as he set his cookie onto his napkin, "You don't know how hurt it makes people when you say that." With that, he picked up his cookie again and took another bite.

Ugh, he's going to get fat if he kept eating like this.

But then again, the 5 feet 7 inches boy was at a healthy 135 pounds so surely, one junk food day wouldn't hurt. After all, people do it all the times when they're depressed or stressed. "Are you sure you don't want me to go grab your suitcase?" he asked, looking at Cole with knowing eyes, "Because I'm pretty much immune to the cold." Despite Jack being a generally blunt person, he wasn't telling the entire truth in that sentence. He was immune to the cold...if he transformed into the air itself.

Suitcase? Oh! Aethra looked back to the kitchen real quick, deciding not to do anything for the time being before saying, "There isn't any need." Jeez, this boy was pretty... girly. He cried and got into fetal pathetic positions for no reason, and whatever happened to the biased "cool guy type" that almost every man was expected to be? Come on! Show some courage in front of a lady, would you? Though, she wouldn't dare say it out loud, considering her own calm demeanor and unlikeliness to be as rude as that, pointing out the worst mistakes and flaws someone could find in another. There wasn't any need to go out there. Not at all. Getting up from her spot, ignoring things, she went back towards the counter, taking the case that Cole had handed to her at the beginning, asking, "This would be it?"

Cole got up and ran over to Jack. He grabbed Jack, and said "Are you really? Please get it!" he said. If the case he gave her was so special, he probably wouldn't have of forgotten it. Aethra Was holding a case that had nothing, and didn't mean anything to him. He turned to Aethra "Aethra, just throw that thing away, I don't care what you do with it." He turned back to jack, "So, can you really do that? You don't even feel it?" he asked. He couldn't help it, he needed it if he was ever gonna act normal again. It was all he had left to remember her. He didn't want to lose it, not now. I'm gonna get it back! I can't believe my luck! Maybe I might have to massage him?

"N-no, not at all," he muttered, looking out the window. Did he really have to say that? It looked so cold and unwelcoming out there; the thought caused him to shiver. But it wasn't like he was having second thoughts of anything....okay, maybe he was. "I don't mind." Tugging his jacket's collar towards his throat, he stood up and finished the last of his cookie. "Wish me luck?" he joked lightly as he made his way to the door. All he had to do is run to the gates, find the suitcase, and then run back right? Not too hard.

Yeah right.

Looking over at Cole, surprised he would use such a tone at her while she was generously allowing them to stay with how she worked to make them comfortable, then just command her, and act like such a girly person, begging for someone else to go out into the storm to get something that he had forgotten. Oh, this was ridiculous. Absolutely, ridiculous. Yet, Aethra still refused to lose her calm, though it was a bit noticeable that she was annoyed. Glancing at the case, the Spring was to be honest, a bit curious about what was inside. The only way to know was to experience firsthand, no? It was a dangerous way of thinking, but something surely can't hurt her from opening a simple case. Lifting the box up, it revealed itself to be...

Empty. Completely empty. Staring down at it for a moment, wondering what and why this was just given to her. Turning to Jack, Aethra shook her head. "If you wish, I can get it." Without waiting for an answer, she sprinted out the door, past him, two tails appearing as she got out of view. It's been awhile since she had used her two-tailed fox form, but it was convenient with the blue flames always surrounding her, allowing her to stay warm at the most. When she had reached the entrance, the suitcase surely was just there. Grabbing it by using a tail, wrapping around the handle, hanging it above her. By the time she had gotten back to the dorms, the Spring was back into a human, the case in her hands. "Done."

Handing the luggage over to Cole before walking over to Jack, standing a few inches away from him before leaning in to the side of him, whispering, "It would be best that you did not get it. Trust me on this." She had a feeling the moment the black-haired boy came back with the suitcase, he would easily be requested to receive a massage. On the other hand, she had deducted reasoning to know that, if she had gone out to get it, Cole wouldn't dare ask her for one again considering her making physical attacks at him.

"This blizzard... is familiar."

Cole opened his bag, and pulled out a cardboard box. He opened the top, and pulled out a smaller wooden box. He opened the box, and starred at it for a while. He smiled, How could I think it would just break? He put it back in the cardboard box, and closed the box. He got up and hugged Aethra "Thank you." He took the suitcase and went back to the corner. He started to mess around with the things he had taken with him.

Despite feeling grateful that Aethra had taken his place, he couldn't help but feel guilty. After all, Aethra was the one who had offered them a shelter to stay in and not only that, she was also the one who served delicious food. He felt so...useless. "Oh um, yes. Thanks," he merely muttered in reply, looking down. If there was one thing he was going to do before getting out of this blizzard, it was going to show some respect. Looking back to Aethra, he looked at her curiously. "What do you mean? It seems like any other blizzard," he asked, not paying any attention to Cole and box. He glanced outside and saw the normal: falling snow that was slowly building up. The glass pane has been slick with icicles and snow now, almost blocking all possible view to the outside world. Well, at least the top part was okay. Finally turning around to face Cole, he found himself not being very surprised. Cole was in the corner, building some box. Go figure.

Okay, no. Just no. She barely knew what a "hug" was, let alone receive one. It really did tempt her to kick Cole out of the dorm at this point, but it was just too impolite and rude for her liking. Giving a small nod that was barely visible to show that she heard his thanks and was acknowledging it before hearing what Jack had asked. The blizzard... prepare for a backstory. Maybe. To be honest, Aethra let out a sigh, "If I could remember it better, I would tell you, but... I cannot." Turning away, realizing how the blizzard just kept building up more and more. It was definitely that blizzard those few years ago - it had to be. It was too familiar and didn't help - at this point, she had completely disregarded Cole - with the fact that it had to do with her... powers. That's it! Her gift had been causing this and yet she failed to realize until now. "This blizzard... it's all a mirage," the girl whispered quietly before raising her voice slightly above normal volume, "It's fake!" And the moment it was said, the blizzard automatically vanished and looked as if it was never there. The sky was clear once again and any traces of snow was gone. It all was just an illusion... And she had caused it.