From: notvanilla_chai	Date: 08/28/2007 12:15:10

Chai was on his way home himself. A brief jaunt, check in with his grandmother - this time he remember to bring her fresh vegetables so she wouldn't yell - and then back out, this time to the infamous Graves Hall. But right now, he was heading through Salem.

There were people milling about; some smiled at him, some gave a hasty wave, nervous about his Official Uniform. He greeted them in turn, eyes falling on a girl who looked near enough his own age. He gave her a little wave as well. She looked vaguely familiar; he might have seen her around before.

	From: demonicdesires	Date: 08/28/2007 12:20:14

Bethany's shoulders slumped just slightly as she walked along, mostly only paying half-attention to those around her. She was thinking about Jones, and about how he was the first one she had met. It took her all these years, but she had finally met someone who was at least somewhat like her.

Her eyebrows arched and a smile tugged a bit on her mouth as she waved at the man in the Official Uniform. He looked... "Do I know you?" She stopped walking, and Sha-Sha did as well. "You look really familiar to me." Her eyes went over his face, and if she was bothered by the uniform, it didn't show outwardly.

	From: notvanilla_chai	Date: 08/28/2007 12:26:41

"I was thinking the same thing actually. My name is Chai. You are...?" Chai furrowed his brow, trying to place the girl. if she was just from the area he might have merely seen her in passing. If her name struck a bell, then he must have met her before.

He glanced at her familiar, a rather interesting looking dog-creature, and back a her, curiously.

	From: demonicdesires	Date: 08/28/2007 12:30:56

"I'm Bethany," she tilted her head a bit and wondered if she just saw him walking around Salem or something. When he looked at Sha-Sha, the hell hound gave him a "what's your problem?" sort of look, snorted, and rolled his head away to look at something more interesting down the street.

"Did you go to the Academy?" She was ignoring her familiar for the time being, her bright blue eyes focused intently on Chai.

	From: notvanilla_chai	Date: 08/28/2007 12:37:24

The name didn't ring a bell, but the Academy did. "That must be it. Yes, I did. I was worried for a moment I met you and was so rude to have forgotten when and where." Chai blinked at the hound and shook his head. "I left about six years ago. Are you still attending?"

	From: demonicdesires	Date: 08/28/2007 12:45:27

Another smile tugged on Bethany's lips and she reached up to push some of her bangs out of her eyes. "Oh, I don't think that would be rude at all. Everyone has terribly busy lives, after all." She nodded, and at those words Sha-Sha let out a grumbling huff before flopping down to the sidewalk. Her eyes shifted briefly to her familiar, who she wanted to kick at the moment, before shifting back to Chai.

"Oh, then you're a few years older. I probably saw you in the halls or something. Yes, I'm still attending." She nodded, and then motioned to his uniform. "But you seem to be doing well for yourself."

	From: notvanilla_chai	Date: 08/28/2007 13:37:35

"Very true," Chai responded. "I actually left just before Upper school, but I'm sure we've seen each other in passing there." He smoothed down his uniform, fingers running over the badge that marked him in particular as a Law Enforcement Official. "Oh. Yes. Well, I thought I could do some good joining the ranks. The Law is a fickle interesting thing, and I'd like to do my best to make things flow as smoothly as possible for everyone, not just for Parliament."

He glanced at the hound again and almost smiled. "I don't believe he likes me very much."

	From: demonicdesires	Date: 08/28/2007 18:21:47

Bethany nodded in agreement to the idea that they had seen each other in passing at the school. It was possible, of course. Her eyes shifted towards the badge before her eyes shifted back to Chai's face...And she basically stared at him as the dribble came out of his mouth. Oh, she tried to not look bored, it just didn't work so well. "Are you serious?" The words came out before she could stop them, and for a moment she bit her lower lip. She pulled that smile on again, though, and cleared her throat. "I just think that making things smooth for everyone involved is quite the impossible task. There's always going to be some group that ends up unhappy."

Sha-Sha lifted his head when he was being spoke about, and it very nearly looked like he glared up at Chai before flopping his head down over Bethany's feet. Bethany gave a slightly apologetic smile. "I think it's just because he doesn't know you. He's actually a really great companion." Bethany's comment made Sha-Sha give another snort.

	From: notvanilla_chai	Date: 08/28/2007 18:36:36

Chai shook his head. "I never said it was easy. It's a never-ending task. It's why I still have a job," he said, and it was partially a joke. "Maybe I have high unattainable hopes. But it doesn't mean I'm going to stop reaching." That partw as said with complete sincerity.

Chai gave the hound a thoughtful look. "No, I think he thinks I'm a bit of a bore and taking up your time." He looked apologetic. "And he's probably right. I should let you get on your way, shouldn't I?"

	From: demonicdesires	Date: 08/28/2007 19:22:00

She stuck her tongue up between her teeth and her cheek while he spoke, and grinned ever-so slightly when he made the joke. Other than that, she wasn't terribly impressed with what he was saying to her. Maybe there was a reason they had never spoken before. "Well, some people must reach for the stars, right?" She gave a bit of a grin and did her best to keep from being rude. She doesn't know why but Chai is kind of rubbing her the wrong way without barely doing anything at all.

"He's just grumpy because I was lecturing him for being rude to someone earlier." Sha-Sha immediately rolled his head up Bethany's leg, thus slobbering all over her skin. "Sha-Sha!" She grumbled, and when Chai said that maybe Sha-Sha thought he was taking up too much of Bethany's time, the hell hound gave a bit of a rolling bark. Lifting her eyes to Chai again, she offered a bit of a smile as well, trying to look apologetic. "It's no trouble at all, Chai. It was nice meeting you, though!" She gave a bit of a wave as she nudged Sha-Sha a bit with her foot before she turned and started heading home again.

	From: notvanilla_chai	Date: 08/28/2007 19:31:54

"Defintely. Who knows. Maybe one day we'll reach them." Chai gave her the closet thing to a smile in return, and it remained when the hound barked an affirmative to Chai's earlier statement. "Ah, I thought so. In that case I won't keep you. Have a good evening, Bethany." He watched her and the hound leave and the turned and headed his own way, completely unaware of Bethany's feelings toward him.