Moonlit Reflections pv Meiyu Xiang Finished

LOCATION | Great Lake Hogwarts DATE | 12th November 2024 INTERACTING | @Elena Clark

1,034 | WORD COUNT x| OUTFIT no escape | SONG

Tuesday's had become mundane during Meiyu's time at Hogwarts. Typically, on Tuesday's she would send OWLs back home, although the last few weeks she had barely done so. It had been a week since she sent her last OWL, her conscience questioning whether she would be able to resume doing so, although the day had passed, her opportunity to send one this week being put to a halt with curfew soon approaching, highlighted by the silvery glow casted over the Great Lake. The change in season had significantly changed the ambiance of the lake, becoming more peaceful with the stillness of the early night, accompanied only by the slight breeze.

With an exhale, Meiyu rested along the dock by lake, her arms wrapped around her raised knees. The breeze had not been as harsh tonight, yet enough to send a chills down the spines of those who had not dressed adequately. Two months had passed and this night being the first the young lioness had been able to truly bask in the beauty of the Highlands. Escaping the city of Oxford had been the breath of fresh air she had desperately searched for at times, her own anxieties loomed over her head, fearing the contents of this weeks OWL, questioning why her frequency in responses had died down, whether she had been up to no good, none were true of course. Meiyu had always moderately struggled to regulate her own emotions, in spite of recent events, particularly the incident in the courtyard and a later missed opportunity at the gala a few weeks ago, her intrigue in a certain figure only grew with her moments of solitude. Had she been in the comfort of her own home, her mother would likely suggest therapy again, fearing her daughter had was amidst another withdrawal from society, the mere thought of enduring a session once more was enough to cause social suicide.

The short-lived solitude had been enjoyable, Meiyu's ears almost perking up at the sound of leaves crushing nearby, causing her to divert her fixated gaze from the lake to the source of the sudden sound, revealing a feline? A feline followed by a mysteriously suspicious figure, oddly enough, it was the blonde from the gala. Instinctively, the lioness fixated on her eyes on the feline in a silent game as though asserting dominance against the feline, whom she presumed to be a Siberian based on the fur length. Admittedly the cat was cute and seemingly friendly, her eyes moved to the girl who smiled in response, as though unsure of Meiyu's motive, despite the pair intruding on her solitude. "You're saying he likes me?" She questioned, raising from her previous position which had brought her a much desired form of comfort, noting the height difference between them, the lioness being on the slight taller side amongst the pair.

Animals had always been somewhat odd to Meiyu, their character judgement intrigued her, albeit she had not grown up surrounded by animals, though her youngest brother Bomi had practically begged their parents for a pet dog to protect them — from what, was beyond the girl. Naturally, his request had been refused. "Meiyu, Meiyu Xiang." She introduced, her expression not faltering, remaining still as though she was uninterested, her main pique of inquiry was to why the girl had intruded on her, with a feline she learned to be named Cosmo, of all things. Allowing the creature to bask in her scent, which had unfortunately for him was likely to be leather given her attire of the evening, Meiyu tilted her head to a modest degree, her own feline like eyes fixating on her girls own navy blue eyes, appearing as though the stillness of the night resided within her blood, perfectly complimenting the starry skies.

Meiyu nodded in response, the lake had quickly become a place of comfort, escaping to the somewhat private location whenever she had desired, whether it had been in between classes or after dinner. Alas, she had no right to claim the private property as her own, during the day in earlier months, peers surrounded the earlier, basking in the warm sunlight. It was the season change which resulted in almost familiar faces opting to find new gathering locations, within the castle, searching for warmth as though a mere change in clothes would not have sufficed. Meiyu would never complain, the lack of people had been comforting, particularly on days like these, when she desperately sought an escape from any form of responsibilities, even if it came in the form of escapism of mere letter writing. "I saw you at the gala," Meiyu began, her tone indifferent to the previous she used earlier, continuing with "Surprised you didn't recognise me sooner, clearly too preoccupied." She scoffed her bitterness evident, though the sudden shift in her demeanour had not been due to the stranger, more so the recollection of the events of the gala, which had contributed to her escape to the lake.

It had begun with the hyperbolic vixen, Oakleigh, her theatrics at the gala and the events in the corridor, followed by the missed opportunity with a person of intrigue, unfortunately a snake who had intervened with Elena's dance partner of the night a few weeks prior, when he had come to her rescue. Perhaps the events of the last few weeks occurred much quicker than she had wanted, two months flew by and she had nothing to show for it, other than tormenting snakes and the occasional housemate. She ignored the biggest change of all, as though it was an elephant in the room, her own internal conflict, prompting such a change from the girl who first arrived at Hogwarts. Though what would the girl who stood across her know, she was a stranger who had also been subjected to Meiyu's infamous glares, primarily at the gala, she owed her no explanation. Not at this moment in time, she was too untrusting of others, questioning their motives as she had done since her sudden intrusion, admittedly doubting that someone with bad motives would hide behind a feline.

Albeit they were alone, she refused to give the girl any form of satisfaction.

NOTES Meiyu giving nothing...as usual..

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The other girl's attitude reminded Elena of a hissing cat, an image that Cosmo seemed to share, given how wary he looked. A strange fight for dominance had settled between the two living been - a fight none seemed ready to loose. Elena felt half guilty for disturbing that girl's peace like this, but Cosmo had a mind of his own and seemed pretty determined in standing his ground. The girl's sudden rise destabilised him for a second, allowing Elena to pick him up again. Gently rubbing his furry head, she kept a firm grip on that slippery devil, not yet knowing how the girl would react. Um, no. "I... wouldn't say that," she hesitated in response to her question. The sudden height of the girl forced her to slightly tilt her chin, a movement the other seemed to appreciate. Yet another fight for dominance, Elena noted. Amused, she trailed her gaze down her new acquaintance - something seemed to have triggered a flight or fight response, the latter being the obvious choice this redhead made. She looked ready to punch anyone that might step too close, an assumption that didn't scared Elena. Cosmo didn't seem to like nor hate the girl, he was simply being defensive in his curiosity. "He's more likely to be curious about you." The name didn't ring any bell to Elena's memory. Meiyu Xiang. It had an aristocratic conotation to it, one that was clearly visible with the girl's attitude. She didn't seemed mean per se, but definitely knew how to defend herself, both physically and verbally - and wasn't afraid to do it. Far from scaring her away, it made the blonde hair girl both intrigued and eager to pierce through her defences. Her half verbal responses only nurtured her curiosity, as Meiyu admitted coming here often. Strangely enough, it was the first time Elena saw her, despite being a fervent admirer of the place. She couldn't remember the first time she wandered next to the shiny mirror, reflecting the moon's peaceful course throughout the skies. Her gaze fell on the letter resting next to the tree the girl had chosen - letter writing ? at night ? Yet another question added to Elena's already overwhelming list. Cosmo, who had jumped out of her arms a few minutes ago, was now wandering around that tree. Suppressing a smile, Elena decided to let him be (not that he'll obey if she decided otherwise). Meiyu's next sentence shifted her focus back to the almost feline girl, causing a frown to appear between her eyebrows. "At the gala ?" She repeated, dissecting her memory. The ball was a distant memory, slightly blurry on the edges. The investigating game that had followed was far more memorable, even if Elena was quickly eliminated. As the redhead kept going, making it sound as if they had clearly met, a spark of worry grew beneath her surface. Maybe we already met and I don't recall ? That would be awkward. She yet couldn't ignore the hint of vanity hidden behind the girl's words, as if everyone present at the gala should have noticed her. Elena had positively never met her, despite her bitter assumptions. "Clearly too preoccupied" ? What was I doing that caused her to be so resentful ? Avidly searching her memory, she tried to recall what had happened during the ball. She clearly remembered her dress, an absolutely marveling piece with black lace layers and a red corset, embroideries and stones woven through the fabric. What else- oh. The only notable event Elena had suffered been through was the acquaintance of an insufferable lion, event she had quickly cast far away from her memories. Unfortunately, fate seemed to have other plans for her, as she found herself to be that same lion's herbology tutor only a couple of days later. Despite that, Meiyu was not someone Elena had spotted while lazily gazing at the ball's participants. "I must apologise," she smiled. "I don't seeing you before." That girl - a lion, if Elena guessed correctly - seemed to gauge her reactions, her feline eyes searching for an underlined motive. Her internal turmoil reflected a inner conflit Elena was curious about, her caretaker instincts begging to take over. "Are you certain we have met ?"

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LOCATION | Great Lake Hogwarts DATE | 12th November 2024 INTERACTING | @Elena Clark

772 | WORD COUNT x| OUTFIT no escape | SONG

Felines were odd creatures, particularly to Meiyu, who shared an uncanny resemblance with them. She had always presumed those small animals to shy away from people, having some type of sixth sense when determining one's true nature, yet the blonde girl's cat showed indifference to Meiyu, her eyes almost gawking at the feline in her arms who had been scooped up as though he were a misbehaving child. Though, she did not care for its approval, regardless if it prompted the young girl to begin questioning once more on how she was in a frequent state of limbo, torn between the laws of human nature, unfortunately resonating with evil much more in light of recent events.

"Of course he is." she whispered softly, moving slightly closer to the mysterious girl, the silver moon providing enough light to make out her features, much clearer, her previous intuition on the girl's identity instantaneously proven right. Yet, the girls pique in Meiyu only encouraged the burgundy haired girl to respond more selectively, paired with the fact she had yet to introduce herself adding irritation to the mix. She had never been one to nitpick others, or demand all around her to be familiar with who she was, hiding under the Xiang alias was enough of a shield to escape any she may have come across during her grandmothers galas. What had now felt like distant memories surrounding the gala, only fuelled her irritation once more. Paired with the lack of enjoyable time spent at the pathetic excuse of an event, it was no question why Meiyu chose not to linger around the halls longer that night.

Her eyes followed the girls gaze, which unfortunately had fallen on the letter she had discarded. Another failed attempt at writing. The girl's sudden intrigue in what Meiyu was doing only bothered the girl more, her brows immediately furrowing in disapproval. "Nosy, aren't you?" she snapped, not caring whether she sounded harsh or not, it was rude to poke noses where it did not concern you. Manners clearly went out of the window with the girl, she failed to maintain her own pet, letting it run wild over the grounds, where anything could of gotten to it, potentially harming the feline.

With a scoff, she turned back to where she had previously sat, swiftly walking back to where she had left her belongings, crouching down and picking them up and quickly shoving the items into the bag she brought along with her. The last thing she needed was a random nosy girl going through the contents of the letters she wrote. It was private. Though, at times, she felt like it was a journal, writing away to her family, only to discard the parchment, not satisfied with how much information she was willing to share with her family. It didn't take long for the girl to reply, Meiyu's previous comments on where she had seen her before prompted an idiotic response, a slight smirk forming on her lips when she repeated the comment she made. Each moment that passed, made it clear that the girl was in the beginning stages of whatever was going on between her and the blonde lion. Yet, her ignorance that she chose to feign was not a game Meiyu was interested in playing. After all, it would not benefit her.

"I never said we met," she reiterated her tone oozing with laced irateness, rising once more before turning back to the girl, her eyes slightly narrowing as she examined the girl as best as she could with limited visibility due to the darkness of the night. "Perhaps, if you paid attention more to your surroundings, you would not be out here in the first place. It's no surprise you didn't notice how your mere dance with the blonde boy caused heartache, even less of a surprise your own pet wandered off." Meiyu huffed, the painful reminder from that evening returning once more. She missed her window of opportunity, wasting time to console a filthy mudblood who acted like a child because she didn't get what she wanted and who she wanted. It was a humorous juxtaposition, her own view on the vixen who's dramatic night would not leave Meiyu's mind, only bothered her more than she wanted to admit.

Naturally, she owed the girl no explanation to her sudden harsh words, her inquisitive nature, ownership incompetence and overall ignorance subjected her to it. Of course, she wouldn't detail the exact situation with the vixen, it was too soon to use weak ammunition.

Besides, it would not benefit Meiyu in any way, shape, or form.

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Having a father that was quite fond of board uknowingly shaped Elena's mind for challenges, particularly puzzles. Elias indeed played often, sometimes creating his own games - each more complex than the last, sole product of his overwhelming brain activity. It seemed to calm him, ground him, and the laughter and chatter they sparked amongst his wife and daughter sufficed to give him a reason to continue his creations. One, in particular, was the trickiest of all - a bomb defusing game, that test not just patience, but quick thinking and a particularly acute way of analysing people. One wrong move and the party was over, every decision carried weight. This stranger before her reminded Elena of that very bomb often placed at the center of the wodden table - a beautiful, yet deadly object that threatened to errupt in your face at any given moment. She resembled a dagger, smooth and beautiful and pure yet lethal if wieilded with the right intention. But Elena did not care for burns, nor cuts. As she was a moth - irrestibly drawn to the flame that might burn her, aching to unravel the layers of silky bitterness, the thornes that ensnared this girl's heart. She never knew why those that pushed her away captured her interest the most, never knew why she strived so hard to win them over. This burgundy haired girl, sharp yet wary like a feline, had sparked that interest by her distrustful, slightly aggressive behavior. Her guarded stance reminded her of a hissing, cornered cat, watchful, calculating, ready to bite at any sudden move - she needed to act carefully, letting the lioness approach her on her own terms. And she did, taking a slow, hesitant step towards the honey haired girl, brown eyes detailling every aspect of her stance in a judgemental look. Far from flinching and cower away, Elena simply smiled, pleased to see her presence wasn't this much repelling. The girl's sudden harsh tone caused a tension to settle within her limbs, as her eyes narrowed slightly. Yet she knew better than to meet fire with fire, and forced herself to relax. "You're right." she said softly, the moon's peacefulness transcending her tone. "It did seemed like an intrusion." Her eyes went back to the torned, scribbled letters that held whatever was going on beneath this fierce exterior - things too raw, too heavy to remain on the page. "I was curious," she admitted, her tone even and sincere, as if offering an olive branch. "Curious about what thoughts couldn't stay on the page." Her gaze clouded, thoughts trailing back to the earliest days of her life. Torned pages had once scattered her own room, letters she couldn't send. Couldn't show. Maybe the two girls had more in common than what either of them cared to admit. She snapped out of her reverie as the girl's sharp words bit her again. Eyebrows furrowing by the newly found agressiveness in her tone, she was left to make sense of the word's meaning. Heartache ? This girl did not seem like the type to lend a shoulder to cry on, but whatever she was talking about had visibly let a mark on her - though the sole idea of this fiery creature trying to console someone seemed to be rather impossible. "I'm afraid Cosmo has a mind of its own," she carefully replied, trying to ease the tension that had risen. "I think you can relate to that." A soft smile curved her lips as she gently bent down to scratch the furry ear of her companion, earned a set of purrs in response. Her expression shifted, a mix of curiosity and concern woven into it as she darted her gaze back to the redhead. "Heartache ?" she echoed, her voice quieter. "I fail to see how a conversation I didn't even enjoy might have caused heartache, but I assure you it wasn't my intention." She marked a pause, trying to see if her words had only managed to anger the lioness further or if an amelioration was visible, searching for a flicker of emotion beyond the irritation. She was hard to read, as she possessed well guarded edges, sharp thornes one might cut themselves on. Elena shifted her weight sligtly, resisting the urge to fill the silence with anxious chatter. Instead, she tilted her head once more, and simply...waited. Patience would work better than brute force, that she was sure of it. "I didn't quite catch your name," she said, after a few seconds. "I'd like to know it, though." The words rose in the crisp air, an invitation rather than a demand. She glanced at the moon, peacefully watching over the two girls, then back at her. "If you don't want to tell me, that's alright," she added, her nose wrinkling softly. "I'd understand if you'd rather keep your distances." Her navy gaze flickered over the girl's porcelain face, trying to see past the cracks. "But.. I think names matter. They're not just a label we give ourselves, they're who we are." "And I'd like to know who you are."

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LOCATION | Great Lake Hogwarts DATE | 12th November 2024 INTERACTING | @Elena Clark

997 | WORD COUNT x | OUTFIT no escape | SONG

Very rarely did things terrify Meiyu; fearing irrational things such as cows and wood splinters. The barely visible smile, which had only grown, followed by a slight step forward, was truly terrifying. Immediately forcing Meiyu's eyes to widen in horror, suspecting a devious attempt to get closer to her. More often than not, Meiyu chose to maintain distance with her peers, preferring solitude than companionship. Accrediting the fear to how eerie the girl appeared; her features highlighted by the moonlight which glazed across her perfectly, as though the moon had personally graced her. Meiyu's position only heightened her senses, attributing to the sudden rash fear of the stranger, being approached eerily after shoving her belongings back into her bag rather quickly. She felt cornered and simply hated the fact she had fallen into such an obvious trap.

The shift in her demeanour — swiftly moving from one of an imposing nature to a peaceful one, eased Meiyu's shift in emotion; the change becoming rather typical of her behaviour by this point. Previously never questioning why her mood would sour so quickly, a brief thought crossed her mind; had the change in environment — more-so her arrival at the fortress, contributed in any way to the mood changes? "It's nothing that concerns you, specifically, or anyone." She responded with a softer tone compared to their entire interaction. "Never heard the phrase, curiosity kills the cat? Sometimes, it is better to mind your business, especially if you don't understand." Meiyu continued with a weak attempt at maintaining her previous vocal tone, despite the harshness that bit with her venomous words.

Naturally, Meiyu did not expect anyone to understand the expectation that came with the wretched sorting; the requirement to provide updates on how schooling was going along with who her friends were. Most of the time, she lied, although, she refused to submit that information to a singular living soul. Fabricating the truth would prove to be the better option, sparing the lioness from her mother's prying eyes and snitch like behaviour, desperate to appease her own mother, Agatha, with little anecdotes to how the eldest Xiang had been performing. Another obvious attempt to shift her own failures onto her own daughter, though, a Ravenclaw placement evidently was better than a Gryffindor placement. Even if never outwardly admitted by her family, at least it wasn't Hufflepuff, Gryffindor on the other hand, that was what dug Meiyu's own grave — unfortunately for her, it would not be in the family cemetery. That was excluded to those who fulfilled their basic duty; receiving a Slytherin sorting.

As the mysterious girl's attention diverted back to the feline once more, Meiyu was unable to prevent the head tilt which followed suit. Of course she had a mind of her own, did this girl take her for a sheep with a hive mind? The thought only resulted in her expression morphing into a scowl, discontent with the connotation her mind concluded to. Yet, the almost mirrored expression, relaying that of confusion insinuated that the other girl shared similar conflictions. At the very least, similar confusion; at what, she was unsure of until she resumed speech.

"There are always eyes at such events, you should know this, by now, at the very least." She nodded with a lighter tone, indicating she would be willing to converse, for once. Rising from her previous position to directly face the girl, Meiyu ensured to retrieve her bag, briefly checking the internal contents to mentally confirm she had retrieved all her belongings from her letter writing charade. "Besides, it isn't me you need to convince," she began once more, slowly moving closer to the girl to finally break the rather large distance between them; only then noting her appearance in more detail. Her hair cascaded down with hints of gold, beautifully entwining with the blonde she supported; her eyes — a muted dark blue, reminiscent to the ocean at night. Meiyu was unable to blame the fellow lion for his infatuation. She was beautiful, moulded with alluring features as though she had been created by a doll-maker.

"Not that I even care, let alone don't believe you, it was just... an observation I made." She bit her tongue following her response, the thought to expose the vixen passing her mind. Exposure of the girl and her feelings would prove to only be fruitless, simply serving Meiyu absolutely nothing, had she chose to elicit further on a matter she no longer cared for. A silence finally following, freeing Meiyu from the breath she unknowingly held, a light exhale parting her lips enabled her to regain composure; forcing a small smile in further response.

"Spare me the philosophy, Meiyu, Meiyu Xiang," she began once more, quickly growing irritated with her own sudden desire to engage in chatter. "Pleasure to meet you, despite the unfortunate circumstances, apologies for my behaviour. After all, you did intrude." Meiyu continued with a rather genuine tone, a first for the young lioness. Besides, she was involved with the lion who came to her defence, had it not been for him, there would have been a significantly higher likelihood Meiyu would immediately leave in horror. Despite merely sharing a similar acquaintance, the girl's persistence and ability to read Meiyu, had served enough for the young girl to give her a chance, though, immediately denying friendship with her.

Her previous response which hinted at an unpleasant encounter with the lion in question, had only piqued Meiyu's intrigue in the overall situation surrounding the crybaby vixen. "Riddle me this," she perked with an almost devious smirk, "what happened for you not to enjoy the controversial conversation?" Being almost an avid gossip enjoyer; naturally accredited to her mother, of course, Meiyu had rather enjoyed the outburst of the vixen. Yet, significant information had been excluded, leaving Meiyu feeling discontent with the evening herself, desperately seeking the cause — minus the slow dancing, behind such matters that would only lead to embarrassment and ultimately, demise.

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Nightime was a quiet thing. A peaceful moment, stretching for what seemed like days until the first rays of sunlight pierce its thick darkness, velvet curtain pricked with distant stars, a light to faint to offer any real warmth. The world felt suspended, as if time itself held its breath, the air carrying unspoken promises, ones the brightness of the day tended to eclipse, turning them into mere whispers of a long-lost moment. A time for thought, one that had no place in daylight. But tonight, there was something else woven through the stilness - a tension, bowstring drawn slightly too tight, humming with the threat of realeasing. She could feel it in this girl, the way her sharp edges britstled even when she wasn't speaking, even when she was speaking. Elena had seen it before, people who curled around their wounds, forbidding anyone to step close enough to press against the bruises. Perhaps that was why she remained, despite the cleverly placed jabs the redhead seemed to relish throwing at her - not in a mean or degrading way, but rather in this same desperate attempt to guard her own heart. With barbed wires and wary glances, she was a fortress of her own making, with walls tall enough to scare anyone away. The raven tilted her head slightly, watching her with a patient gaze yet laced with insatiable curiosity, as if waiting to see if tonight was one of those nights - one where she could slip past the walls before they slammed shut once more. The rather unexpected shift in the lioness's behavior gave her the impression some cracks already ran across the walls of her fortress, cracks where she could hopefully catch a glimpse of the wounded soul running the place. Despite the agressiveness, though toned down, woven through her responses, Elena did felt slightly regreteful of intruding on her privacy like she had, unaware of the girl's attempt at finding quietness. Perhaps in another setting she would have been quicker to soften, less wary and defensive. "I can only agree and renew my appologies for the intrusion," she said with a contrite tone, eyes narrowing slightly as she found the other's chocolate gaze. Curiosity killed the cat ? An accurate choice of words, given the reason this encounter even took place, yet it only made Elena's smile deepen further. This part seemed to be the one remaining in everyone's mind, despite the rest of the sentence adding a particular twist to this moralizing expression - and satisfaction brought it back. "You're right," she continued, tugging a strand of golden hair behind her ear. "I probably wouldn't understand." Though her empathy allowed her to imagine and feel what her peers experienced during their difficulties, she had no doubt some would argue she could never understand what it felt to live through them - a statement she had trouble to confirm or deny. Some would find greater comfort in hearing the words 'I understand' than any other piece of advice, others would immediatly close upon hearing them. Struggling in placing this girl in either of those category, she decided to simply agree with her, until she figured out if it was the right path to walk down. Trailing her navy gaze up to the girl's porcelain features, she tilted her head. "But perhaps I could simply listen ?" She asked, her tone making it a rather open question, one the lioness didn't have to answer. The last thing she wanted was to make her retreat out of her reach, no, this was an extended hand she had the choice to take or ignore. It would always stay stretched. She did not shy away when the girl stepped closer, though she noted the movement - mesured, deliberate, as if testing the waters before fully sinking in. "There are always eyes," she echoed softly, the corner of her lips curling slightly, though wether in amusement or something else entirely, it was difficult to say. "But does that mean whe should always watch ourselves ?" There was no judgement in the words, no moralizing tone or bragging philosophy, only genuine, quiet curiosity. She had learned long time ago observation, as much as it was a tool for her, a window to other's souls, could be a backhanded concept - a cage, some shivering under the weight of other's gaze. Yet this readhead seemed to have a peculiar relation with this attention, unwilling to be scrutinzed or analysed, yet equally unwilling to be overlooked. Sure you don't, she thought with amusement. A quiet, airy laugh slip from her lips at Meiyu's exasperated remark. Spare me the philosphy. The golden haired girl could only agree she was being far to reflexive, in such a way it might have exasperated even herself. "Fair," she chuckled, pushing her locks behind her shoulder. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance as well, Meiyu." She had won a name. And an apology. Meiyu Xiang. Sharp yet elegant, much like the girl herself. The redhead's devious smirk, as if she could pick Elena apart with nothing but determination caused the raven's eyes to narrow slightly, bracing for the blow to come. The actual question took her off guard. "It wasn't much of a conversation to begin with," she admitted, glancing up at Meiyu with a small, yet somewhat irritated smile, as the memories of the evening came back, the familiar exasperation coiled itself around her stomach once more, sinking its roots deep as if it had never left. A muscle tensed in her jaw as she exhaled, forcing down the spark of irritation rising in her chest, as always when the infuriating lion was mentionned. She wished she could dismiss it without a second thought. Roll her eyes, scoff, brush it off with a careless hand wave, because really, what had happened ? Nothing of note. Just words exchanged in dim lighting, nothing that seemed good enough a reason for that annoyance fluttering within her stomach each time he was mentionned. Her lips parted, then pressed right back together, forming a thin line. It had started at the ball, a night Elena intented to make most of, twirling in laughing in her marvelous gown. She hadn't anticipated him - the golden haired, ever-smirking storm that had swept into her space with all the ease of someone who knew he belonged wherever he pleased. Spoken to her like they were already familiar, a simple and pure audacity woven in his every word. Familiar. There was something about him that tickled the edge of her memory, a whisper of a souvenir burried deeply within her mind, like she had met him in a dream she had long since forgotten. She hadn't want to talk to him, yet conversation seemed inevitable. An introvert's worst nightmare. She had felt cornered, forced to bite back, yet the more agressive and hostile she tried to be, the wider his smirk was. Biting her own tongue at the memory, she turned towards Meiyu, fingers twitching. "He's persistent," she finally sighed. "One of those people who doesn't take silence for an answer, or a scowl as a deterrent." Her lips pressed together. It's not that deep. "And I simply don't have the patience for insufferable charmers." Her smile returned brightly as she finally turned her gaze back to Meiyu. "But I suppose that's hardly interesting now, is it ?" she mused, tilting her head ever so slighlty. "Or is gossiping one of your many passions ?"

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LOCATION | Great Lake Hogwarts DATE | 12th November 2024 INTERACTING | @Elena Clark

1,503 | WORD COUNT x | OUTFIT no escape | SONG

At times, Meiyu despised those who were in range with their emotions, freely expressing how they truly felt, showing genuineness through their words and truly able to apologise. In this chase, Meiyu's sharp ear was able to immediately note the shift in the girl's voice, tossing a genuine apology her way, despite her guards raised with the sudden intrusion. Feelings were always complex when it came to the young lioness, being the eldest had always forced her to disregard her own feelings for the benefit of others, playing coy in her two younger brother's pleas, happily playing along in the portrayal of a picture perfect family during the elaborate events hosted by her maternal grandmother; who was far too concerned with public image. Yet, her arrival to the castle forced the young girl to reckon with what was once suppressed. Faced with newfound freedom and spared from the scrutiny of her family, the overwhelming idea of developing any kind of relation outside of anything that she'd deem as mutually beneficial — a mindset ingrained into Meiyu, curtsey of her dear grandmother, Agatha.

Eagerly listening, partly out of curiosity, though, to no avail. It was highly unlikely anyone would understand the predicament she was faced with at the mere hand of the Sorting Hat, reading Meiyu outright wrong. Defying the ideology of Godric Gryffindor and raised with the teachings of Salazar Slytherin, it was clear where she belonged, despite her initial recluse personality upon her admission to the castle. Akin to the fateful day she received that horrid OWL, her true nature broke free, the nature she had once suppressed for most of her youth with few exceptions which her mother deemed as 'incidents we do not speak of.' Furrowing her brows, her expression stilling despite the newfound softness with her tone, Meiyu began once more. "Of course you wouldn't and that's fine, I don't expect anyone to, nor do I expect your sympathy." She concluded with a light nod, despite the similarities most students shared with their heritage or the commodities found during their time at the castle, Meiyu was yet to come across someone who shared the similar complexity that chose to portray itself as her maternal family. Fortunately, such issues were not prevalent with her paternal side, likely for the better.

Despite the latter's attempt to play psychologist at the ripe age of eleven, the ordeal behind disclosing personal matters to someone who by this point, remained a stranger, acquaintance in better terms, seemed unfavourable in Meiyu's defence. More often than not, her previous friendship attempts left her untrusting of others, a consequence of her own actions; acting too differently to her peers, considered the notable 'black sheep' amongst those around her due to her vast mood changes and impulsive behaviour. Questioning the moonlit girl's intentions, Meiyu's lips remained sealed, her cat like eyes narrowing as her mind raced with questions, as though searching for faults with the girl, desperate to find something to dislike, yet, for once, it was difficult to come to such conclusion. In actuality, minus the intrusion and prying eyes, the blonde only showcased one trait that forced Meiyu to seclude herself once more; she was too nice.

With the step closer, she seized the opportunity to once more, search for faults, her brows furrowing once more as her pupils trailed across her face; one that reminisced a carving of a Greek Goddess. Though, her response amused Meiyu, her brows stilling as her face morphed into one of intrigue, her gaze softening as she attempted to maintain eye contact. "That's a question with a rather obvious answer, makes me question how exactly you were raised if your views differ." She scoffed, piqued by the question yet, in some disbelief that despite the curiosity almost laced with her words, she'd ask such a blatant question. Reminiscing to the Gala, it quickly dawned on Meiyu why the seemingly mellow girl would come to such a conclusion. As blurred as the memory quickly became, due to the lacklustre events revolving others, her involvement with the fiery blonde lion, as romantic as it portrayed to others, resulted in heartbreak, fortunately not her own. Yet, the laissez-faire attitude evident with the girl of the hour, only aided in Meiyu's reclusiveness towards her; seeming to only care about herself and the pestering feline that followed the girl around, though, by now their roles appeared reversed with how the feline took ownership rights over it's owner.

The eleven year old psychologist in making resumed once more, faltering the ominous facade for a brief moment once Meiyu finally introduced herself, her expression swiftly shifting as the topic moved to the matter of the Gala; finally, something worth engaging in conversation for, far more favourable than mundane introductions Meiyu never cared to indulge in, often making her presence known and settling it at that. Noting a small smile following the shift in topic, she couldn't prevent her lips curving into a small smile, noting the uncomfortable air suddenly surrounding them as though she wished for the grounds to swallow her whole. Her speculation was further corroborated by the notable clench of her jaw, content that she'd hit the mark, as though she were forcing her to revive horrid memories; another suffering being delightful in Meiyu's mind.

Cautiously listening once more, awaiting further information, her glare only intensified as Elena chose to finally confide in the girl, quite ironic considering Meiyu's lack of engagement with the beautiful blonde in earlier conversation. Much to her displeasure, the information she chose to share was lacklustre, outlining something rather evident. Yet, on the contrary, the blonde lion in question portrayed himself rather different in her own recollection, bounding the two together with a mutual respect and unspoken loyalty, accredited to the incident in the courtyard over a month ago. Irregardless, he was arguably a pleasure to be around, sharing similar traits with the angry lion who's attempt at physical altercation was almost embarrassing. Though, beside that day, most of their interactions remained minimal, perhaps too infatuated with the girl of the hour, the very same girl who had now faltered right before her, the mere sight alone, serving as a breath of fresh air following her frequent shift in mood every few minutes with the ongoing conversation, which had grown dull rather quickly earlier.

"Sure, but that was not what it looked like that night, I'm sure if you truly searched for answers, others would agree." Meiyu hummed, amused by the portrayal she morphed as reality, not entirely convinced with her chain of events, given Meiyu's own prying eyes that evening. Oddly, the boy whom they shared commodity with, played a significant role in both their evenings, Elena enticed by his charm, despite her rebuttal, whilst Meiyu searched for the snake who intervened during her first encounter with the blonde lion, the same lion who misled a vixen astray, the painful reminder of her outburst that evening souring her mood with the mere memory of the girl.

The diversion of the topic back to Meiyu forced her to react with a scowl, no longer intrigued with an interrogation at this hour, particularly following the intrusion of Elena and her feline who had a mind of its own, free-roaming the castle as though it desired death at the hands of a foreign foul creature; one of many housed on the fortress' grounds. "I'd save the psycho-analysing if I were you." She retorted, her eyes instinctively rolling with displeasure, once more pestering the young girl with trivial matters and mundane questions she wished not to entertain.

Gazing down to the bag, throughly checking once more to ensure she had collected all her belongings, turning back with narrowed eyes in futile attempts to search for traces of forgotten belongings; though, to no avail with the lack of visibility due to the darkness of the hour, the moonlight no longer serving its use as it once had. Meiyu turned back with a stoic expression, her eyes glaring through Elena, no longer believing the facade she attempted to portray herself with, faltering at the mere mention of a boy provided enough evidence that there was something underlying with the girl. As beautiful as she was, she appeared, almost broken. Hiding behind the nice girl image Meiyu deduced as her sole fault, she was adamant that through her persistent desire to delve deep into the unknown; which in this case, had the misfortune of being Meiyu, Elena hid behind something far more horrid and unspeakable.

"Once more, pleasure to make your acquaintance." she gritted through her teeth, momentarily assessing the girl once more, internally applauding the heavens for her cautiously curated appearance before she briskly walked past the girl, disregarding the question Elena threw her way.

"Get a leash for that cat of yours!" Meiyu called out, her gaze fixated on the path leading back to the castle, sighing with relief with the conclusion of the encounter, yet, curious but wary on the new acquaintance she'd made.

ACTION: Meiyu leaves the Great Lake and subsequently leaves the thread.

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Witnessing the lioness's attempts at keeping her walls high up might have been a tad discouraging to the raven, if she hadn't noticed the sudden hint of softness in the other's tone. She truly felt like a bird, perched atop of the lion's mane, singing lullabies amid the looming threat of claws. Her melodies, genuine and sweet, sounded like lies and deceit, too soft for a heart raised emotionless and amist appearances. Yet the bird still sang, hoping the honeyed notes might smooth the lion's wrath, even if it meant losing a few feathers in the process. Elena only nodded to her self deprecating conclusion - one she's heard many times before - knowing it would serve no purpose to push her farther to her limits. 'I understand' was often such misinterpreted words, not meant to diminish what the other's been through but to offer a companionship in adversity. She sincerely believed one could understand any situation, should they open their hearts to the other's pain and allow it to fully wash over. Yet no fool would voluntarily put themselves in such a painful situation, and that is why empathy has become such a rare gift. Elena, on the contrary, didn't mind suffer for a while if it meant make the other feel better. The only problem with her own understanding of human's emotions is she gets too far in the process, burying herself under layers of foreign emotions. They leave a trace on her, one that no water can wash away. Nonetheless, it was nothing besides the warmth that emanated from her beloved once they understood she was here. And on her list, dear, feline-like Meiyu was circled in red. Elena squirmed under her prying eyes, feeling like an insect pinned on a board. Fighting the urge to lock hands and anxiously twist her fingers - a habit she definitely needed to quit - she cleared her throat, tilting her head as her eyes narrowed in response to her next question. Without knowing it, this brutally honest girl had triggered a memory the honey haired girl had tried her best to keep buried. Despite having the most loving parents she might have dreamed of, a somber veil covered the frequent holidays the little family would spend at her father's family mansion. There, any unguarded expression might result in a lovely comment about the way she was raised, or the absolutely most interesting status of her blood, or even that touchingly low grade she had obtained the day before. Blinking twice to let the unwanted souvenir fade away, she once again allowed the serene smile to swallow everything else, as she responded with a light voice, Why, I do think the way we were raised doesn't have to dictate every choice we make. She decided to simply ignore every further mention of the lion boy, keeping her mind resolutely fixed on the conversation unfolding. Elena sensed Meiyu was getting bored, and knew it meant the conversation had to die in some way before she got categorised as boring, which would result in the failing of her entire objective - befriend the wary lion. The raven sincerely prayed the redhead was at least a tinsy bit interested in her person, as she knew far too well once one had set its mind on who you were, there was no changing it, and Meiyu seemed stubborn at heart. Her next sentence unfortunately confirmed her fear, and she internally flinched from deception. Returning her smile, she nodded back, feeling Cosmo intertwine its tail with her ankles, as if he felt she needed support in facing this fire-spitting phenomenon. "Pleasure shared, Meiyu." Watching her trail down the path leading to the castle, Elena couldn't help but feel strangely drawn to the lioness, as if the moon had meant for them to meet. "What do you think, Cosmo ?" She whispered, kneeling to scratch a furry ear. "Does she like me ?" The feline only blinked back, and Elena was instead met with a shout from the leaving girl, one she met with a clear, sincere laugh. "You bet !"

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