Rallying his draining social battery, he picked a person on the fringe at random, in this case a faunus girl with dark blue eyes, black hair in ponytails, and cat ears and said, "Hey, how's it going?" Ok, maybe it wasn't completely random, he admitted to himself, but we're both cat faunus, right? So maybe it'll be a good starting conversation topic? Maybe?
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Sapphire didn't directly look at the cat faunus, her eyes did move towards him, but she kept her head facing forward. She didn't recognize him, definitely not a student from signal. His posture was wrong, and he gave off the air of someone that had yet to receive formal training. She sighed internally. She had hoped to stave off from conversation for a little while longer, but it looks like she would have to say something now.
"I am well....." Her voice was soft and quiet, just a little louder than a whisper. She said nothing else for a few seconds, as if that was all she was going to say, but suddenly continues "I do not recognize you, you are not from any of the combat schools are you?"
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Forest had to strain a bit to hear her, but he did. Her whisper was almost a put-off as, with all the noise the crowd was making, one would need volume to really match it. Then again, he hadn't taken off his headphones so he couldn't really say he gave the impression that he was giving the stranger his full attention.
He plowed bravely on though saying in what he hoped was a normal voice, "good to hear." In the silence, he scrambled at something to say. Before he remember that he was going to talk about them both being cat-like faunus, she had continued speaking and he hurried to respond. "Yah, I, uh, didn't go to a combat school." Forest had no idea how she was able to tell that by just glancing at him. Was it really that obvious. However, it was a conversation topic that he could work with. "Did ya, I mean, you go to one? Was it good?"
Inwardly, Forest groaned. He was probably coming off as a real idiot right about now. Thank goodness I didn't talk about being faunus, he thought, at least fighting schools is interestin'.
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Sapphire finally turned her head towards him. She looked him up and down, deciding what to think of him for now. Her blue eyes then locked onto his, like two deep pools of twilight water. She was doing her best to read him, while she wasn't much of a talker, she had learned to read a person fairly well. It was clear he had yet to receive formal training, yet he still managed to get into Beacon. Or did he? Did someone pull some strings so a child could live his dream, or wad he actually a brilliant fighter that had caught the attention of the teachers here. Only time would tell.
"Yes, I went to Signal, you know where that is yes?" Her eyes continued to stare into his for a while longer, before she instinctively pulls her massive overcoat more towards her as he almost steps on it. She frowns a little but says nothing about it, mostly used to people not watching out for it.
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That's her semblance, he attempted to joke with himself, she can cow them jus' by starin' at them. Forest knew that it was, overall, unlikely that it was her semblance, but he didn't fully rule it out. At least he could continue the conversation.
"Ya, I've seen it a couple a times while trekkin' the streets." As she moved her coat, he realized he'd almost tread upon it and rushed to apologize. After doing so, Forest further realized that he just gave away where he lived, Vale. He began to wonder what'd she think about him not going to any combat school, despite living in a place with one. No good thinkin' about that, he chastised himself, gotta just keep talkin'. "What was it like there? Good classes, fun battles?"
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So he came from Vale at the very least. If he had made it to Beacon cause of natural combat prowess, wouldn't she have heard about it? She wasn't sure, but she had a feeling that perhaps he didn't get here through legit means. She couldn't really decide on that until she saw him fight, but she had a hunch.
"No worries. And yes there were good classes, I learned much about the history of the world and the concepts of Hunter's, Grimm, and even more powerful beings. I have fought a few Grimm and other students at my time there, though nothing major, I have a feeling the time at Beacon will be much harder.... Where did you live?" She thought about his accent. He definitely did not come from a rich part of Vale, and he was obviously in walking distance of Signal. That left either middle class resident, or a street urchin.
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She had dropped the question. Alarms blared in Forest's head and he considered his options. He was no liar, that had always been Aoi's or Onyx's or Thatch's job. No, he was the powerful one, the one that lead and helped keep the family together, and one of the skilled stealers. That skill set lacked anything regarding a silver tongue. Sure, he could say the right things to make peace or tuck a kid into bed, but lie, not usually. Forest felt he couldn't risk the truth yet. What if she just walked away knowing he couldn't even afford to come here without scholarship, or even own the headphones on his head. Worse, what if she spread it around and he was ostracized on his first day. Just as problematic, he couldn't talk about his own combat prowess as it usually involved illegal street fighting rings, street fights without the rings, and multiple memories of standing victorious with palms bloody with blood from someone else.
With these thoughts chasing themselves around Forest's head, he vaguely responded with a random address he remembered stealing cash from, hoping it would satisfy her. He then quickly flipped back to the topic of her education and asked, "sounds pretty' thorough. Wat, I mean, what did you enjoy the most?" He wondered if he was sweating.
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She didn't believe the address he listed, the street was way to high class for someone like him. Even if it wasn't that high class she couldn't believe him, he was way to nervous, and seemed almost as if he was about to pass out from anxiety. The thought 'maybe its cause I'm a pretty girl to him?' crossed her mind but she quickly dismissed it. She currently had no interest in that kind of thing currently, more likely it was cause he made an obvious lie. Regardless, she decided not to press the topic.
"It was. Honestly, I enjoyed the combat the most I think, sure the history and the anatomy and sociology was very interesting and enjoyed it, but I went there to learn to be a hunter.... Where did you learn to fight if not a combat school?"
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Forest's relief until she asked her next question. Seriously, why did I let the conversation stay on combat schools! he thought, of course we'd get to fighting and where I learned it because, if you don't go to school, it's naturally odd!
He was silent for a few seconds, before he came up with a surprisingly decent blend of falsehood and truth. Perhaps he pulled it off because there was more truth than lie in the first place. "Yah, I agree, combat is the best. With me an' learning, it, uh, came from my parents. They really got me kicked off if ya get my meaning. Taught me a bunch, but, after awhile, let me find my own way. Develop my own way of fightin. Just sort of carried on until I got here and I wouldn't be here without them." It was true, in a twisted sort of way. Karen Thorn and Cobalt were both his major inspirations throughout life and he considered them the parents he never had, despite never getting to know Karen. He gave Sapphire a smile, perhaps his first genuine one to her. Bright and happy like a blooming daisy. His friends would often remark that it was his best smile.
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She would finally smile, it was more of a smirk, but still. It made sense to her, a most likely poor family would have to teach their kid how to fight if they were going to survive in that kind of world, indeed, she had a minor respect towards it.
"I see, it must of been pretty good training if it managed to get you into Beacon. After all, Signal is a very rigorous school for the inept, and in order for you to get invited, you have to showcase quite the skill... I would love to see you fight sometime, maybe even fight against you." She had a full blown smile now, it was one of those 'cute and innocent' smiles. Yes, she was very interested in what this guy had in store. Whether he got here legit or not, coming from that kind of background straight to Beacon made her very interested. What kind of weapon did he use? What was his fighting style, what was his semblance? She didn't want to ask outright, in a way she wanted it to be a surprise, though she wouldn't mind knowing now.
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"Likewise!" he said quite cheerily, relief and conversational success bolstering his voice and bringing his accent fully to bear, "I'd love ta see what you've got." She's got a nice smile when she wants it, he thought, hope that means we're friends. Or at least comin to be friends or something. Then he realized something so simple and obvious, he almost smacked himself in the forehead with his palm. Forest didn't know her name. Correcting this mistake, he said, "I'm sorry, I shoulda said this straight out. I'm Forest, Forest Thorn. It's a pleasure to meet ya! What's yours?"
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"Most don't. And It's Sapphire." Forest. She wasn't sure how she felt about that name, it was an apt description of him so far. Wild, green, lively. She mused about the similarities for a while before returning her attention back to the world, and looking ahead, seeing how close they are to the orientation room. "Looks like we're here."
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He spun his head, and indeed, their conversation had carried them to the entrance itself. Pleasantly surprised, Forest was now eager to get inside and get started. But he didn't miss her first words: 'most don't.' What could that mean? he wondered, sure, the conversation was awkward as all heck at points, but it ended up alright in the end, right? She seems pleasant enough once ya get past the initial bit. He worry about it later. There were other introductions he'd no doubt have to muddle through before the day's end. So he just smiled and said, "so we are."