Kids Camp

[The Tenth Doctor]

The man waited until Nathan was far enough away, sitting at the bench, before turning to Koschei.

"A bit of advice, kid....you shouldn't be talking to him." He nodded in the direction of Nathan. "He's lower class....and you are in the upper class....your social status is above his. You should be choosing friends in your own class."

He could tell that Koschei was in a well off family, judging by the way that Koschei both carried himself and the clothing that he was wearing. The registration papers only confirmed this, stating who his parents were and what house he came from.

"Now, tell me, child, do you have any medical issues?"
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Tyler continued to walk in the direction of the library.

[Meta Crisis]

Koschei snorted at the man; of course he didn't have any medical issues..he was perfectly healthy. Besides, he could make friends with whomever he wanted. He considered telling the man so, but remembered he was only here for registration. It would be embarrassing to his family if he got booted out of something as menial as the registration process of the Academy's camp for cheek.

"None whatsoever." He replied. "My medical records are attached. I've a clean bill of health."
______

Rodaj walked alongside him, looking around the Citadel in wonder. "My name's Rodaj." He said in excitement, introducing himself as they headed towards the library. "What's yours?"

[The Tenth Doctor]

As they continued to make their way to the library, Tyler answered Rodaj's question. "Tyler....well, my full name is Tylerelrug, but you can call me Tyler.....my dad and brother do, and I prefer it to my full name."

"Rodaj? That's a cool name...." he smiled at his friend. "I wonder if we'll get to meet any others at the library or anything. Maybe we'll run into some important people...they all use this library. I just don't want to talk to anyone on the High Council."
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The snort didn't go unnoticed by the man. Assuming that Koschei was snorting at the fact that his "friend" was lower class, he smiled smugly, thinking that he had helped the child see things the "proper" way.

"Very good, Koschei....you would normally be assigned into...Krysta's group. But if you would prefer, I could put you with Emmehuijdat. He's going to be leading a group this year."

Emmehuijdat was a distinguished member on the High Council, and someone who it would look very good to be in a group with. The man was more then willing to move the child into that group -- his parentage certainly made that possible. He looked to the child to decide.

[Meta Crisis]

"We might run into someone..." Rodaj blinked at him. "The High Council? Would they do something to you?" He asked, curious as to his friend's apprehensive attitude of them. He couldn't think of any reason why a child like them would be afraid of the High Council...well, apart from the fact that they seemed intimidating as anything.
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Koschei stared up at the man for a long moment, as if deciding which group he wanted to be in. He knew the answer already: it would be Krysta's, without a doubt. He had made a friend already, and wasn't too keen to lose him. Besides, he'd meet the others in Emmehuijat's group later, if he felt like it.

"Krysta's group will be fine."

[The Tenth Doctor]

Tyler looked back at Rodaj as they finally reached the library. Tyler stared at the beautiful concrete steps that were always polished and kept clean -- the outside steps that led up all the way to the library front doors. He'd never had the opportunity to count the steps, but he knew that there were a lot.

He then glanced back at Rodaj, processing what he had just said and thinking up an answer. "Well, I really don't think that they would do anything to me -- maybe just yell at me and tell me to get out of the way...although...although when I was a baby, Emmehujidat hit me and just wasn't very nice...and he....he kidnapped me....and made my father regenerate. I saw the whole thing because of where he had me....but I haven't told anyone that I remembered it...."

He shuddered at the thought. "But I don't think he'd really do anything to me now....I really hate him, though....he's mean to my father, and mean to my brother and I."

Thinking about that incident -- when he had been viciously kidnapped and then forced to watch his father being killed -- and then regenerate -- he remembered another person who had regenerated at the same time. A woman who everyone was mean to and spit on -- one who tended a garden and couldn't speak correctly.

With one more glance at the library, he turned to his friend, "Hey....maybe we can go visit someone. I know a woman who gets lonely a lot--and people are really mean to her....people don't come to visit her much. Want to come? We can see the library again later. She doesn't live very far from here."

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The man registering Koschei rolled his eyes. "Fine then....that'll be all. Make sure you come back to this area by 7:00 PM."

[Meta Crisis]

Rodaj nodded. "Of course." As he said this, he silently processed what he had just been told and quietly swore to himself to not tell anyone else. He respected Tyler for telling him something like this, and smiled, glancing back at the library's numerous concrete steps once more. They would be back many times once they were in the Academy, he was certain, and maybe even later today, if there was still time before their groups met.

"Who is she, then, this woman we're visiting?" He asked curiously, following Tyler as they walked away from the library.
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Koschei smiled to himself and nodded. "I will." He turned away from the table and made his way over to the bench that Nathan sat on, joining him. "Busy day so far..." He remarked, grinning as he looked around. "Are you alright?"

[The Tenth Doctor]

Nathan looked up as Koschei came and sat down next to him. "Yeah, I'm fine...just a little tired."

He didn't want to tell his new friend about the braces just yet, but he planned on telling him later. "Hey, do you want to go walk in this one garden that I know? Has lots of flowers and stuff....."
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Tyler looked back at his friend. He hadn't thought of asking Rodaj not to tell anyone. If he had thought of it, he definitely would have asked him not to say a word to anyone. Instead, though he sat down on the steps of the library.

"Well, I don't really remember how to get there, but I'm sure that we can figure it out. It isn't too far from where we're at now...I don't really know who the lady is -- she's a friend of my dad's or something....I don't remember everything that happened...but they don't really talk to each other at all, and he's never really mentioned her. I don't know if he's allowed to see her anymore or whatever....and she can't really talk....so I don't know. We probably shouldn't ask her, because no one knows that I remember. I never even told my brother...."

[Meta Crisis]

"Oh.." Rodaj's eyes widened slightly and he sat down beside Tyler, nodding as he listened. "Really?" His voice was soft with wonder. "Not even your own brother?"
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Koschei tilted his head. He'd never really been all that fascinated by gardens and botanical things...but, Nathan seemed interested enough...besides, it would get them out of the bustle around them for a little while. There wasn't much else for them to do around here until 7, anyway. He certainly didn't want to sit around in the library for the next few hours. He nodded and hopped off the bench with a smile. "Sure!"

[The Tenth Doctor]

Tyler shook his head at Rodaj, "No.....I never told him about it because he wasn't there.....he wasn't kidnapped....with me...I don't know where he was, but he wasn't with me at all. Maybe he was kidnapped somewhere else....I can't remember. I never told him about it because I didn't want him asking my dad about it....I feel weird remembering it...and....I don't know....."

He paused for a moment before continuing, "I....I don't know how he would react...he was with my mum when she died....and didn't regenerate....." Tyler looked away, fighting back tears.
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Nathan smiled, "Okay, then....let's go....maybe the adults won't see us.....I don't really know who lives there....but I don't know if they'd like us being there...so we'll have to sneak. Are you okay with that?"

Nathan loved a little adventure, especially when there was risk at getting caught -- and he did really like nature. The combination was irresistible to him, and he was glad that Koschei didn't just want to sit there.

Getting up from the bench, he grinned at Koschei. "Allons-y....my dad says it sometimes...I don't really know what it means..."

[Meta Crisis]

Rodaj bit his lip and laid a hand gently on Tyler's shoulder, frowning. He'd never experienced anything quite so tragic, but he wanted to show Tyler that he did care, and that it was alright to cry.

"I'm sorry..." He murmured, giving Tyler's shoulder a comforting squeeze.
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Koschei grinned in return and laughed. He didn't mind sneaking at all....in fact, he quite enjoyed it.

That and running; he loved to run, especially through the fields of red grass at his father's estate. He smiled. Maybe this garden thing wouldn't be so bad after all.

"Brilliant. Let's go!"

[The Tenth Doctor]

(we're going to need Scarlett for the Librarian's part...but we can definitely get them there In the mean time, if there are any adults or other children you want to make, go right ahead)

Tyler, taken completely by surprise by Rodaj's empathy, just sat there and started crying. He'd cried about his mother's death before -- how although he hadn't been there when she'd died, he had seen her body and seen the result of it just shortly afterward. He was only five months old when his mother had died, and didn't really remember what she looked like. However, he wished that she hadn't died at all.

Then, just a few days later, he'd been kidnapped and watched as his father had been killed -- but thankfully, he'd regenerated. He didn't really remember what his father had looked like before the regeneration, but he had been very afraid.

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Nathan grinned, having already started walking in the direction that he'd remembered the garden being in.

"I don't know what flowers or plants are in season right now, but the garden is always nice."

[Meta Crisis]

(Okay Awesome.)

Rodaj frowned even more and stroked Tyler's back comfortingly as the other boy cried. It hurt him to see others - especially friends- in pain, regardless of whether it was physical or emotional. He didn't know precisely why, though. Perhaps he was just extremely sensitive to these sorts of things...

"It's alright..." he said softly as he scooted a bit closer, offering Tyler a literal shoulder to cry on if he felt the need for one, and he decided to verbalize the promise he'd made to himself earlier. "I won't tell anyone, I swear. You can tell me anything."
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Koschei caught up to him easily. This was something new an exciting, and he was eager to take a peek at this garden, regardless of what was currently growing in it. He smiled and looked at Nathan for a moment, as an image of the fields in front of his family home came to mind.

"You should come to my house sometime." He said out of the blue, a big grin on his face. "My father's got a big plot of land with nothing but red grass, as far as the eye can see." He laughed happily. "It's such fun to run in..."

[The Tenth Doctor]

Tyler looked up from his crying, starting to cough a bit. Wiping away the tears, he was grateful for a friend that would listen and wouldn't tell anyone. He whispered to Rodaj , "Thank you...."

A bit surprised by this gesture of kindness, Tyler hadn't really known what to do. However, he could tell that this boy was trying to comfort him, which he appreciated. "Thanks," he said softly, again.
_______
Nathan grinned at Koschei's invitation. "I'd have to ask my dad....but I'd love to come over. Fields of red grass you say? I'd like that a lot....my brother's allergic to grass, so we always have to be careful when we play in it."

Nathan then glanced down at his legs. He would have to tell his new friend about them sometime -- maybe he could tell him once they reached the garden - a place that he found comforting. Even if his new friend laughed at him or told him he didn't want to be his friend anymore, he'd still have the plants to look at.

Finally, after a little walking, the garden came into view. When Nathan saw it, he picked up his pace slightly. Pointing to it, he grinned, "And there it is."

[Meta Crisis]

Rodaj smiled softly. "You're welcome." He said, settling his back against the step above him. Curious about what Tyler had said, but not wanting to cause him undue distress, he tilted his head.

"Who..." he sighed gently. "Who kidnapped you?" He blushed slightly and twisted the fabric of his robes in his hands. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to.." he added. "I'm sorry; I shouldn't have asked."
__________

Koschei smiled brightly as he stood beside Nathan. The garden really was nice to look at, he admitted to himself. He grinned and took another step nearer the garden.

"Shall we go in?" He asked, peering around to try and find a spot to slip through.
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Drashytonytanmarenolda walked up the steps of one of the government buildings in the Citadel, carrying a sheaf of accepted registration forms in her arms and flipping through them with half-hearted interest.

She had come here earlier in the day to get a feel for prospective students, but found that task irksome as the day wore on. She had never been very fond of the annual camp the Academy held before initiation; there were far too many children here for her liking.

[The Tenth Doctor]

Without even looking at Rodaj, Tyler replied, "Well, it was a long time ago...I was an infant, so I don't remember all the details. I just know that Emmehujidat was there....and I don't know who else...I guess maybe some other people on the Council. He really hates my father...my whole family."

He shrugged, "I don't even know what it was about....I don't know why the Council hates my father...or at least some on the Council do."

Concerned for the first time that maybe someone on the Council wouldn't let him into the camp, he let out a sigh. He looked up at Rodaj and saw that his face was slightly red. Tyler shrugged -- maybe Rodaj was getting sick or something.

Tyler asked his friend, "Hey...are you okay? Your face looks a little red..."
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Nathan grinned at Koschei, "Oh yes.....!!"

Hesitant about the owner, he quickly entered the garden, glancing at one of the fountains and several of the plants. There was a secret spot that he liked to go to -- a spot that was hidden from the eye when looking at it from the outside, but was a wonderful treat to find. It was a clearing -- a small meadow amongst some trees near a path. Nathan liked to bring a book there and sit under one of the trees and just read. There was also a stream passing near the house.

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Emmehujidat, having been in the Citadel for his duties with the camp, had gone to one of the government buildings to process his paperwork. After just leaving the building, he noticed Drashytonytanmarenolda ahead. Seeing her brought a smile to his face. After all, she was a well respected professor at the Academy -- one that shared similar views as himself.

Approaching her, he said nothing. He liked to be acknowledged first before speaking. It made him feel superior.
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