The Academy: [GECKO] Yo, dad.

Peyote was out of place.

He stood on the edge of the academy, staring into the gardens and beauty. The place exuded serenity, peace, and knowledge-- it was almost a tangible thing, hanging in the air. While Peyote wasn't necessarily at odds with any of these powers, he certainly didn't resonate with them, and to feel them, so physically, was disconcerting.

It was throwing a serious thorns in his plans.

The second he had heard about Gecko's presence in the academy, a plot had begun to form in his mind. He would finally get a chance to see his father, who was so close. And he would do it with his usual flair and style-- he would trot right into the Academy, head held high, and rock the place up a little. Have a bit of fun, and all that.

Yeah, that was easier said then done. What most people found incredibly stimulating, Peyote found oppressive and uncomfortable. He almost wanted to turn around and run back to Ni'srilan, and hide in the shadows from which he crawled.

But no. That wasn't his style. Peyote snorted, shook his head, and arched his neck slightly. He had pride. And he had a goal, which was to meet his father. He was far too close to that to back off now.

So he took a step into the academy, and then another. He tried to hide his nerves from view, the smile on his face only slightly more subdued then unusual. At his feet, small puddles of water opened and then closed again, betraying his unease-- that was a habit he'd done since he was a small foal, because he found water as soothing as his mother did.

It wasn't just the academy that caused his unease. The palpable aura of the academy
unnerved him, but there was also the fact that this was an incredibly important moment for him. His usual ego and confidence had been hung at the door- Peyote didn't care what very many people thought of him, but he did care what his father thought. The young stallion had no idea what he would say to Gecko, or even if Gecko would like him.

Vaguely, he missed his normal confidence. The urge to turn and run back to the desert was strong, but he ignored it. He didn't shout, or call his father's name-- he just kept his head up, looking around, as if he could spot the other stallion amongst the flowers. How he would recognize Gecko, he didn't know. He just hoped that something, something would tip him off.