A Goodfellow's Irony

[Puck]

Puck looked at her in even greater surprise than before. "Really? Now that is interesting. Perhaps you'll find out someday soon. Mysteries tend to get revealed at this school," Puck, giving a bit of a serious frown.

"As much as I hate to admit it, Grell is...one of nearest family ties I have at the moment. But don't tell him I said that," Puck laughed. "He sort of helped me out awhile back, and so we're pretty close. But I don't really need any other family, come to think of it. My real family is just one other person," Puck smiled, giving a faint blush as his thoughts went back to the gypsy.

[Moppet]

"Oh I certainly hope NOT! I don't want to know my parents and I don't want anyone else to know either!", she said with a jolt of energy and vehemence. It was terrible to think that anyone else would know about her parents. Moppet could only guess what kind of terrible things her Father must have done to have to hide from the rest of the world and stalk his own Daughter.

[Puck]

Puck blinked in surprise at the girl's sudden vehemence, surprised at how quickly her attitude had changed. She apparently was against having anything to do with her parents, whoever they were.

"Alright then," he said after a moment, unsure what else to say. "It's your life, they don't have any say in it, I suppose. Just...trust me, if you ever get a chance to meet them, take it. I know what it feels like to not have parents that care," Puck added, a bit softer and more serious than before.

[Moppet]

"Thanks.", she said sighing. Thinking quick so she could change the subject to something a bit happier, she asked, "So when is your birthday? Or do you not do anything special for it?". Birthdays were important to her but not to some people and she hoped he was not one of those people.

[Puck]

"Birthday?" Puck raised an eyebrow, a bit surprised by the random question. Oh well, he supposed hat she just wanted to know his age. "May 12th," he smiled. "And yes, it is quite an event, in my opinion. May is one of the most religious months of the year for me, so I usually just spend it alone or with my brothers. It's usually when I honor the gods."

Of course, Puck had a completely new set of friends this year, along with a significant other. He might celebrate it completely different as well.

[Moppet]

"Oh, that's good, I think.", she said with a confused look. Moppet was utterly baffled by this boy. He was charming and and a gentleman and so open about everything, but at the same time he was a complete mystery. He was just one big surprise! She thoroughly loved him for that.

"So how much farther is it to this restaurant? I'm starving."

[Puck]

"Actually, we're just about there," Puck laughed, pointing ahead of them to a small little building. The time had passed rather quickly while walking with Moppet, and Puck found that rather interesting. She seemed like a rather good friend, despite the fact that he'd just met her a little while ago under some uncomfortable circumstances.

"Let's go on inside then," Puck nodded, smiling as he led the other to the entrance. "I think you'll like this place. It's got some really good food."

[Moppet]

"Excellent! I can't wait to try it.", she said as she followed after Puck. He was an interesting person and a good friend. Come to think of it, he was the best friend she had ever had. She had never been close to anyone at any of her old schools, they all had their clicks and she wasn't in any of them. But that was fine with her. They were all selfish, self-centered, social climbers and she wanted nothing to do with them.

Moppet suddenly realized that all those memories and emotions had flowed through their mental link to Puck and she was suddenly embarrassed as she tried to lessen the link. She just hoped that Puck didn't pity her for having to spend most of her life isolated form other people.

[Puck]

Puck paused for a moment, furrowing his brow in confusion. He felt someone...strange. Rather, he had thought something strange. Something about friends and social climbers and ridiculous social cliques. Shaking his head in confusion, the boy smiled and continued on with Moppet into the restaurant.

A waitress led them to a table, where they were presented with a menu. Puck smiled at Moppet, browsing through the menu curiously. "What are you going to have?" He asked. "A word of advice; the mixed vegetables are excellent."

[Moppet]

"Mmm, that sounds excellent! I think I'll have that with some fried rice and lo mein. How about you?", she asked, trying to make polite conversation. "Oh, and I'm so sorry about the mental link thing a moment ago. I accidentally let down my boundaries that keep my memories and emotions from flowing to you. I wont let it happen again.", she added in a firm reassuring voice.

[Puck]

Puck stared at the girl, jaw falling open at her sudden and quite blunt explanation of what had happened. "Wait...you what?!"

Before the boy could say another word, a waitress arrived at their table. Puck stuttered out their orders, unable to focus on what he was trying to say. When the waitress had left, Puck turned back to Moppet with a confused and...almost angry expression. What the hell had she done to his mind?!

[Moppet]

Opening the bridge between their minds a little wider, Moppet spoke to Puck through the mental link in their minds," Please don't be angry with me Puck. I haven't done anything to your mind. When I told you that I could read your mind I thought that you understood what that implied, but apparently I was wrong." Moppet sighed and continued, still talking to him in his mind,"When I read others' minds I am extending my consciousness so that it encompasses all of the consciousnesses around me, then I can sense if any of those people are assassins, magicians, or people with ill intent. It's a sort of insurance and all magic users are trained to do this, as well as guarding your mind. When I spoke to you in your mind earlier, like I'm doing now, I did nothing more than established a link, something kind of like a bridge between my mind an yours, which allows us to communicate,weather it is through words, images, sensations, or memories, without others intercepting it. When I said that I let my boundaries down I meant that I accidentally widened the link between us enough for you to sense what I was thinking and feeling, or in this case, remembering."

Moppet fell silent as she waited for Puck to respond.

[Puck]

Puck gripped the edge of the table, the flood of unfamiliar thoughts suddenly infiltrating his mind again. Listening carefully to what Moppet had to say, or rather, think, Puck nodded slowly, beginning to understand now. He still wasn't too sure if he was okay with the idea, but at least she wasn't controlling his mind or anything.

"Okay...I think I understand now. I guess that's why I was suddenly so hunger awhile ago," Puck laughed. "But I guess this means that we'll have to be careful what sort of situations we get into from now on. Our own thoughts and feelings could affect each other in negative ways," Puck said, thinking.

[Moppet]

"Yes, I think you're right. And now at least I know what I'm going to teach you first. Thanks to this little incident I now realize that I need to teach you how to guard your mind from others, how to read and make contact with other people's minds, and how to recognize who people are by the way their mind... feels.", Moppet said to Puck, still in his mind.

Then the waitress reappeared and Moppet withdrew most of her mind from Puck so that they could no longer think to each other. "Thank you!", she said to the waitress. When she was gone she continued to talk to Puck, but not through the link. "So do you still trust me now that you know exactly what I was doing in your mind?"

[Puck]

"I....think so," Puck said slowly. "But I'm still not so sure about this. I mean, we just met!' Puck said incredulously, sighing. "But...I suppose that I don't have much to lose in all of this. And there's sure to be a way to reverse this, if the time should ever come when it's needed."

Pausing, Puck grabbed his fork, and started to eat, but then stopped, staring at Moppet's food for a moment. Looking back up at her, he said, "Alright, one problem. I'm a vegetarian...I better not have the urge to eat meat like this!" Puck laughed teasingly.