Interacting with: Kaya Rose Bennet @Linda Ramirez
Elias signing: #84774d
Elias writing: #6591ad
Thoughts: Italics
Others: Bold

Elias took a deep breath. After going to New York with the wizard who had come and told him he was magic, riding on a bumpy train full of kids, and coming up to a castle where he was apparently supposed to go to school now, he was quite befuddled. One could even say bamboozled.

Elias stood in the Great Hall among other students. He saw their mouths moving but of course no sound ever reached his ears. The air simply vibrated with what he had come to recognize as noise. The hall itself smelled like cleaning solution, lemons, and stone. Yes, stone had a smell. His blue eyes searched for the wizard who he knew had answers, but to no avail. The man was gone.

Dangit. Elias looked around, trying to figure out what he was supposed to be doing. There seemed to be an end goal in the minds of the people around him. If only I knew what that was.

What's happening now? he signed to the boy next to him. The kid gave Elias a look, then walked away. Double dangit! He was so used to being around people that at least knew a little sign that he had begun to take it for granted.

Reaching into the satchel he now carried, a simple Muggle thing from his dad, he brought out his brand new slate gray notebook and a black pen. Where are we going? What are we doing? he wrote, before flashing the page to everyone he could. Since he didn't know how to use his voice, this was largely ineffective.

Lucky for poor Elias, someone did notice his confusion and question, and was about to answer them.

Interacting with: Kaya Rose Bennet @Linda Ramirez
Elias signing: #84774d
Elias writing: #6591ad
Thoughts: Italics
Others: Bold

Elias looked at his savior with thankful eyes and quickly signed his gratitude. He watched her write, her hand moving quickly and far down the page. Long note.

He felt a little chilly. Looking around again, be noticed people were moving. Turning his attention to Kaya Rose Bennet, be read the note carefully, signing out the words in small motions. The Elias equivalent of people whispering while they read.

He scribbled a note back. Thank you. Could you walk with me there? I don't want to get lost. My name is Elias, by the way.

He pressed the notebook back into her hands as well as the pen. He looked down at his cranberry red suit jacket and straightened it out as best he could. Elias liked the blue of the uniform, it reminded him of the ocean or the sky in the mountains, both things he adored. He wasn't fond of red, however, as it was often associated with anger. He figured it made an unpleasant sound. He would've much preferred yellow, like a duck. He liked ducks.

After Kaya would act, Elias would jolt back into reality and be ready to do whatever came next.

OOC: I give you permission to RP Elias reading the note and walking with Kaya

Interacting with: Kaya Rose Bennet @Linda Ramirez
Elias signing: #84774d
Elias writing: #6591ad
Thoughts: Italics
Others: Bold

Thank you, Elias signed before they set off. He stuck close to Kaya, his eyes darting to her every time the warmth from her body lessened. His already keen senses were heightened, every color seemed exaggerated and every shift in the air was like a gale-force wind to the boy. He held the notebook tightly, not wanting to drop it and risk loosing Kaya.

Until she needed it, of course, to write what she could not sign. He tilted his head in confusion at her sign. Wait for what? Then he read her note. Taking the pen, the wrote, Thank you for your help. You're a lifesaver. He offered a sweet smile before putting the notebook back into Kaya's hand.

There seemed to be a commotion as fellow first years surged forward to a platform-type thing surrounded by four statues. One resembled a bird, another a cat of sorts, there was also a snake with a horn, and one that sort of resembled a goblin from a storybook (if goblin's had bows and arrows, that is). The wizard from earlier came up next to Elias and signaled for the boy to watch as a girl was chosen. Elias made a mental note that he would have to watch each carving to make sure he didn't miss it.

After a few more people, it was Elias' turn. The wizard beckoned him up and Elias stood in the exact middle of the Gordian Knot.

Four seconds on the cat. Four seconds on the goblin. Four seconds on the snake. Four, three, t- The bird flapped its wings. Elias looked towards the wizard who was smiling and gesturing for him to come back down. Thunderbird, well done, he signed.

Thank you, Elias signed back, grinning. He looked for Kaya, wondering if she had seen what had just happened.

Interacting with: Kaya Rose Bennet @Linda Ramirez
Elias signing: #84774d
Elias writing: #6591ad
Thoughts: Italics
Others: Bold

Elias beamed when he learned he and Kaya were in the same house. That's amazing! he signed enthusiastically. He was grateful to know one person in his house, and someone so nice as Kaya. It was really sweet, how helpful she was being even though she had just met him. I wonder if all Thunderbirds are like this?

On his feelings about Thunderbird, Elias couldn't elaborate. He didn't really know the difference between the houses besides their mascots. He flipped open the notebook and wrote.

It took a little bit, and his hand was shaking with adrenaline so he had to go back and rewrite several words, but eventually he showed his message to Kaya. I'm very excited, still just excited to even be here. I still can't believe magic is real. I don't really know much about it, or much about how the houses work, but I at least like the name Thunderbird. And the carving looks so cool. It must be really great house, if the people in it are like you!

He noticed that people were lining up at a different door. After Kaya would read his message, and he would read her response, should she choose to write one, he would point at the line with a questioning look, and sign What's that? His large blue eyes would clearly communicate bewilderment and his face would clearly show confusion. Facial expressions were and integral part of sign, and Elias' expressive features certainly helped him out.

Interacting with: Kaya Rose Bennet @Linda Ramirez
Elias signing: #84774d
Elias writing: #6591ad
Thoughts: Italics
Others: Bold

It's so cool we're in the same house! We can hang out all we want! he signed, hoping that Kaya knew what he was saying since she had used most of those signs before. He really was excited, especially since Kaya was his first friend. At least, he considered her to be a friendly acquaintance, if not already friend.

Elias had never really considered himself "adventurous," per se, but he had been told he had a lot of soul or spirit. So he supposed it made sense, especially since he wasn't a scholar or a healer or a warrior.

He hadn't even begun thinking about a wand yet. In all honesty, he had forgotten about that. He wondered if wands were needed for all magic. Wait... Don't you have to speak to cast spells?

He thought for a moment before writing down his concerns. I still need a wand, yes, but don't you have to speak to cast spells? That's how they do it in the movies, at least. I can't talk well at all, and it takes a really long time for me to learn any new ones. An effect of being completely deaf from birth was that he had never heard anything before. He had learned some things, like "help" to say out loud, or noises like a laugh or shout, but anything beyond that he had struggled immensely with. Even then, it had taken at least six months before he got to where he could say "help" perfectly every time.

He showed his message to Kaya, glancing fervently at the departing first years. I have to go soon...