Andrea
*The wind gently rustled through the garden, causing the leaves on the trees and plants to sway and rustle softly. The air is cool with the breeze, maintaining a very comfortable temperature. A boy sits in the corner of the garden, half obscured by the shade from an overhang. He sits at the edge of one of the plant beds, leaning up against the slanted wall. The stone was rough but the angle made it a fairly comfortable place to rest. In his left hand Pythia idly spun a small white rod. The pattern was complex, and his fingers constantly seemed to be one step ahead of the rod, always moving into the next perfect position. The physics of pen spinning was pretty easy, at least with his sight. He placed a soft focus on the pen, his eyes locked on his hand while his mind was left to wander. He didn't move his hand consciously, more so just let his body move with his own shadow, following its trail perfectly.* 

*Inside his head his thoughts were jumbled. He had just arrived at the Cradle and had spent all day unpacking and setting up his room. Apparently he had a contact here, but he had yet to meet them... So he was feeling increasingly anxious about that. He had spent the entire plane ride here talking to Elizabeth (his therapist), and after hours of convincing, she had finally managed to get him to leave his room and just... Exist outside somewhere. She let him pick where, and she said that he didn't even need to talk to anyone. He just had to go outside and stay there for at least an hour. It is a nice day atleast... Pythia wore a fairly simple outfit. He had on a pair of tight fitting borderline black jeans that hugged his slender legs. He also wore a soft black tshirt that was atleast three sizes too large for him. The shirt extended far below his waist to around mid thigh, and the neck hole showed a fair bit of his shoulders. The T-shirt had a graphic of white and crimson flowers. His attention is locked in his own mind, making him oblivious to his surroundings.*
Diana
*You could say that the girl who starts approaching the garden was led here from the winds, but it was more likely that she was attracted here because she felt the presence of real plants, haha.
The girl isn't much to look at, the most interesting part about her is what seems to be her nearly pink hair that could snap someone out of a regular Thousand Yard Stare.

Her shadows are surprisingly simple compared to other people. She's pretty simple compared to others. There's only the options where she leaves because she saw a person, or she continues forward to the garden and messes with the plants, most likely taking care of them*

*Her pink jacket is a little odd or e here when it's not really that cold, but she looks like a more typical schoolgirl, so it's probably for comfort for her*
Andrea
*Pythia has yet to notice the new girl walking into the garden, but she would certainly notice him. His clothes may have blended into the shadows, but his hair and eyes... Those were impossible to hide. His hair is a bright white, bordering on the color of snow, while his eyes are a deep silver that seem to almost sparkle and shine... Like he can see something beyond what is normal. The breeze gently ruffled his hair, which came down to his chin. The pen spun through his fingers and seemed to dance around his hand as he focused on the small rod of metal. He had yet to notice Penelope, allowing her to approach him however she wished.*
Diana
*She found the white hair and silver eyes to be quite odd, even for the school she now is in, and the fact that her own hair looks completely unnatural.
This doesn't stop her approach, it in fact makes the walk more determined and curious as she approaches in front of the boy with white hair and sit in front of them, her jacket rustling loud enough to most likely make him notice Penelope*

*Oh, right- She did get a bit too close for comfort, just 4 feet in front of him. Normally she would be a little closer when meeting someone, but he seems like a shy boy, and she doesn't want to immediately scare him*
Andrea
*Pythia sees the stranger approach... Well, he sees the cloud of dark shadows that swallows them approach... Or atleast he sees it out of the corner of his eye but is still so focused that he doesnt notice. That is until she gets within five feet of him. Instantly, it is like someone turned out the lights. Penelope immediately saw his eyes dart around, and the metal pen fumbled in his fingers and dropped into his lap. He looked around, without looking at anything... Almost like he was blind. Panic shot across his face as it lanced his mind... But after a second he remembered how to breathe. He took in a sharp breath, closing his eyes and focusing... When he opened his eyes again he activated his abilities, and the cloud of possibilities collapsed into a few. He finally saw Penelope for the first time, and looked her straight in the eyes. He looks at her as if seeing her for the first time, even though at this point she had been sitting infront of him for several seconds. A light blush colored his pale face as he pulled his knees up tight against his chest, hugging them as he watches her. She looks... Interesting. Her hair is the first thing to pop out at him, a bright pink almost shone in the light of the sun. After a few seconds of just staring at her, he shoots his eyes away, looking down at the ground. He should say something... But no words seemed to come to his lips. He was painfully aware of how awkward he looked, and his mind began racing to imagine up countless possibilities of what she thought of him.*
Diana
*She noticed how panicked he looked when she got even somewhat close to him, and she quickly scooted back to give him some space and, unconsciously, letting him see without him needing to use any skills, since she's now six feet away*


*She watches him pull his knees up to his chest, but instead of looking weirded out or anything, she looked sympathetic and sorry for them, as she's seen this before*

"I'm sorry, did I get too close for you? I didn't mean to, I just wanted to introduce myself to a new student."
*She spoke softly, like someone talking to a scared puppy*
Andrea
*He whines softly, watching her. But as he does, she may notice that his eyes seem to constantly flick ahead of her... Looking at where she will be in about a second or two. It is... Slightly offputting.* "Y... You're... F... Fine" *He says, his voice fairly high pitched and meek. He speaks with a slight stutter, fumbling over his words. As he does, his blush seems to deep a few shades. He keeps his eyes near her. He doesnt look into her eyes, but he always keeps her close to his center of view, watching her almost like... Well a scared puppy. But... The way she acts is.. Nice. She speaks with a gentle tone, and is careful with how she acts... She reminds him of Elizabeth in a way*
Diana
"I can tell you're pretty nervous, but I will assure you, I won't hurt you. I'm going to stay back here, I hope it's enough space for you. My name is Penelope, what about you?"
*Honestly, with the things she's seen, the eyes flicking ahead thing is probably just a little thing with his powers, and it's probably something about an aura, she thinks as she puts her hand on her chin in a thinking position.*

*To inject a bit of comedy into this, he can see her going to realize how much of a dumbass she looks like in that position, and she will cover her face in embarrassment*
Andrea
"P... Pythia" *He says simply, watching her. She doesnt seem to shocked by anything... But that made sense considering that everyone here was supposed to be able to do something weird. He found himself wondering about what her power could be... And if it was as much of a curse as his own. As she settles into a fairly ridiculous thinking position he giggles softly, but quickly shuts himself up when she covers her face in embarrassment. He looks to the side, quietly muttering* "Y... You looked l... Like Le Penseur" *He says softly, trying to make reference to the famous sculpture.*
Diana
*Well the shadow definitely wasn't wrong! She does do what it predicted, and yet she doesn't judge you for gigging from that stupid position*
"H-Heh, I'm surprised you know that statue's real name! A-And you have a nice name, Pythia! It's too bad my name is pretty boring..."

*She huffs a little from embarrassment and she puts her arms down, showing her blush*
Andrea
*Pythia lets his ability drop, and closes his eyes. He doesnt think that Penelope will hurt him... And... It is easier to just close his eyes. When he looks into those clouds of possibilities he feels... Scared. There are so many possible futures it is overwhelming... Closing his eyes is just easier. It was something that Elizabeth had taught him.* "I... I read about it..." *He says quietly.* "A... And P-penelope is a very nice name." *He tilts his head down slightly, his eyes still closed tightly as he leans his head against his knees. His spinning rod had fallen from his lap and sat beside him.*
Diana
"Hey, I can tell you're a bit overwhelmed right now, I can back off and mind my own business if you need me to, I just want to make you comfortable..."
*She picks up the little spinning rod and gently puts it on top of Pythia's knees, symbolizing that he had the option to go back to his activities*
"Just say the word and I will leave you be. We could always try to meet another time in some better conditions."
Andrea
*Pythia perks up at the option... But thoughts of Elizabeth flash through his mind. She wasnt pushing him to make friends but... It was what she wanted. He didnt say anything just yet, and let her place the rod onto his knees. He didnt ask for her to stay or anything... But he didnt ask her to leave either! So... Progress? He reached up with one hand while keeping his eyes closed and pockets the rod, not yet opening his eyes or moving from his seated position*
Diana
"You know, I'm not sure if anyone has ever told you this, but you look so cute when you're in this position... Just all curled up, and with your beautiful white hair, you just look so cool yet cute at the same time."
*You can tell that she means every single word, not a single one is disingenuous. She has started getting closer, thus entering his blindness radius, but it seems like it would be at least good for him now*
"I'm going to get a little closer now, just so you know..."

*She sounds hesitant with that last sentence, like she's not entirely sure that this would be a good idea for his mental state*
Andrea
*Pythia blushes a deeper, deeper and deeper red... And he lets out a soft eep when Penelope calls him cute. He pushes his face further against his knees, his silvery white hair cascading over the tops of his knees. As she gets closer, he can tell that his vision goes away... But... It isnt super scary. Most of the time when he would have a session with Elizabeth he would end up sitting inside of her shadows. It allows him to focus on his other senses more. Pythia still looks like he flinches a bit when she speaks... But he doesnt pull away.* "I... Its o... Okay" *He says, trying to assuage her fears.*
Diana
"M-May I sit next to you? I don't want to invade your space..."
*He can hear some small plant-like crunching now that he's deprived of sight completely, able to hear better*
"I hope I'm not making you too uncomfortable..."
Andrea
*He scoots over to the side, opening a place where Penelope can sit next to him. Both of them are tiny, so it isnt very hard.* "Y... You are f... Fine" *He says quietly, his pale face still a furious red. As penelope gets to sit next to him she can get a clear side profile. His face is as red as a cherry, and that looks rather cute considering how his snow white hair is falling infront of his face.* "I... Im... F-fine" *He says softly. It is weird being this close to someone else, particularly someone actually close to his age.*
Diana
*As she sits next to Pytha, she notices that he's blushing intensely, and she's a bit curious why... But- she realizes- that's not something she should ask about. So she doesn't.*

*Instead, she favors gently laying her hand on his back and gently rubbing them up and down*
Andrea
*Now that is a bit father than most others have gone. Pythia flinches visably as Penelope goes to rub his back and his eyes shoot open. He doesnt move his head just yet, but his eyes open into darkness. Penelope sees him look around without really seeing anything. His breath catches in his throat and he slowly starts shaking gently. He doesnt move away but... He doesnt exactly look the most comfortable.*
Diana
*She very slowly and carefully takes her hand off of Pythia's back and she sets it in the ground as she starts speaking softer than before*
"Do you need be to back off again..? You don't seem comfortable... I will say that you look cute when you're blushing like that..."
Andrea
*No one had ever really called Pythia cute before... And it affected him way more than he expected. His face flushed a deep, deep crimson as she called him cute again, and when she pulled her hand away he seemed to calm down slightly. He stopped hyperventilating, and would slowly start shaking. It doesnt look like he has any traumatic experiences from being touched he... Is just not used to it and panicked slightly. He could hear his heart hammering in his chest as he hugged his legs tightly.* "I... Im f... F-fine" *He stutters*
Diana
"D-Do you want to calm down a little? I-I can grow a plant that releases a calming chemical into the air... It seems like you might need it, too..."

*She speaks softly, trying her best to get him to a somewhat calm and conversateable state*
Andrea
*He looks up at where the voice came from. He ends up looking around where her cheek is, since he is blind* "S... Sure?" *He says. His voice has a strong hint of curiosity as he wonders if this is her power... And if it is then what does it do. His curiosity causes him to come out of his shell just a bit, and begins focusing to attempt to see*

*His eyes focus suddenly, and he focuses on Penelope's face.*
Diana
*I give a nice little wave to him as I see him finally focus on my face* "Can you see me now? G-Good."

*She faces forwards and starts growing a plant in front of the two of them, and it's a beautiful blue color. He can notice the outline of big thick vines surrounding and wrapping around her back*
"This is my ability... I can control plants..."
Andrea
*His face is still covered in a deep blush, but it is slowly starting to fade. He looks over at the plants infront of them, watching the plants blossom and grow remarkably fast. Not only that, he can feel her ability to control the plants since they fall under her influence. He watches the plants and their pattern of movement, looking to Penelope like he was staring into the space just ahead of where the plants grow*

"W... Wow..." *He says quietly, watching with a small smile growing across his lips*
Diana
*Her movements are very fluid, and the way that the plant grows, slowly leaning to the left or right, slightly follows Penelope's movements. Soon the flower starts blooming and releasing the said chemical from earlier*
"You should start feeling a sense of safety and calmness"
Andrea
*He watches the plants grow and move, transfixed bu their movements. When the bloom and release the chemical he doesnt resist the effect, curious to feel the effect... He is also a bit naive to the fact that he may be a bit too trusting in this case. He closes his eyes and drops concentration on his own ability for now*
Diana
"Just let all the thoughts of harm and worry about me just slip away as you breathe in the calming chemical... Just be in the moment and stop worrying about what I might do."
*She risks rubbing his back again, thinking that it's safe now that she's got a calming agent in his system*
Andrea
*Pythia feels... Strange. He isnt new to medications, though in the past he had mostly taken antipsychotics that were not healthy for him. These felt different... Really different. A light kinda fuzzy sensation... A small smile spreads across his face, and while he keeps his eyes closed Penelope can see him relaxing. He takes slow, deep breaths and doesnt flinch, but he still feels very tense*
Diana
*This feels different from any other medication he's taken, antipsychotics or antidepressants, doesn't matter, this feels different... It's more subtle than he realizes, the fuzzy feeling is there, yes, but it also feels like his emotional sensitivity has been turned down, and his anxieties about Penelope are starting to disappear*
Andrea
*The sensation is... Strange. Different from anything else that Pythia had ever tried. The warmth is there, a light and fuzzy sensation that almost buzzed... But it was muted, very muted... And in its normal place was a new sensation, a feeling of pure calmness as his anxieties slow. He leans forward, resting his head onto his knees as Penelope continues to rub his back... And for the first time since arriving at the Cradle, he actually starts to relax.*
Diana
"Just let your worries slip away and just relax, you're safe at newton's cradle. And I want you to feel safe with me. I won't guarantee that I will do this every time we meet, but just give me a call when you need it."
*She writes down her number on a scrap of paper she had on her, and she sets it near Pythia*
Andrea
*He nods softly, turning his head as she writes. He opens his eyes to darkness, and seems to look in the direction of the sound without seeing its source. When she puts the scrap of paper down he gropes around with his hand, eventually finding it an pocketing it. A small smile crosses his face, as his blush has slowly started to fade. His breath now comes in long, deep movements, a symbol of his relaxation.* "I... W... Will" *He says softly, smiling with such genuine appreciation that it melted Penelope's heart.*
Diana
*The little smile does what it's intended and melts Penelope's little heart, finding that little smile just adorable, and being the first "Maybe friend" That Pythia has, all of it culminates in Penelope letting out a little "Aww..."*

"Do you want me to step away for you so you can see again?"
Andrea
*He shakes his head* "Y... You're o... Okay... The shade i... Is nice sometimes" *He says. It was curious. Sometimes the darkness that cloaked everyone else could feel so hostile. It felt like it was tearing away at the world, removing it from Pythia's perceptions... Othertimes it was comforting, it represented a break... A pause from the constant vision. He both loved it and hated it... But right now he was okay with it.*
Diana
*After a few moments of silence from Penelope, she wraps her arms around Pythia for a nice warm hug, and Penelope isn't afraid of showing her emotions with this cute little nervous boy*
*The lack of vision surely helps him feel the genuine care practically radiating from the hug*
Andrea
*Pythia does flinch slightly, not expecting the embrace... But he doesnt pull away from it. Im that moment, even though Pythia is two years Penelope's senior... He feels so much smaller, so much more vulnerable. He lays his head down against her shoulder, feeling her warmth as the two of them hug in the garden... After a few more moments he even stops hugging his legs... And after a few moment more... He hugs her back*
Diana
*Penelope holds Pythia in the hug for what feels like forever, closing her eyes and being happy with the fact that she could help someone overcome their anxieties, albeit with some help from a nearby plant*
Andrea
*Saddly, in the long term nothing is so simple. This was wonderful, so wonderful, but the feeling will not last forever. But, if atleast for this time of peace, Pythia was allowed to rest. He smiled softly, gently hugging Penelope back.*
Diana
*As the hug continued for just a few seconds longer, Penelope started to turn down how much of the chemical the plant is releasing, which also makes it so that Pythia would start having his anxieties and worries back. And she knows this, but she hesitates on letting go again... This is the first time she's hugged anyone like this in a while...*
Andrea
*Even as Penelope weaned off the flowery drug, they were already hugging... That helped the anxieties lessen, as being close to someone... The constant sensation... It helped distract his mind from the thoughts. They wre there, but he could supress them... And so he did. He would tense slightly, his relaxation wavering... But not going away just yet*
Diana
*Penelope would feel the tenseness starting to come back, and then her own worries started seeping in... She's not a worrisome person, she at worst worries about the small things like how she looks in a dress, but... She's never worried about what people think of her socially... Hugging the new shy kid this much for this long, it does plant a seed in her mind...*

*But that shouldn't matter for now, she's just gotta enjoy the moment and- oh wait! Perfect timing, a rose is starting to grow on one of her vines! It's one on her back, do Pythia can feel her jacket starting to move and adapt to something new under it*
Andrea
*Pythia starts feeling something under Penelope's jacket and she can almost feel the confusion. It was strange, but the distraction did help... Well... Distract him from his anxieties. He opened his eyes and began to focus...*

*Penelope could feel him wince as he immedietly shuts his eyes again. Since he is already consumed by the shadows they dont overwhelm him but he does get a bit of a headache.* "W... What are you d... Doing?" *He asks instead, the pain from failing his powers quickly fading*
Diana
"I-I'm not doing anything... Why, are you feeling something back there? I did feel your wince..."
*She sounds worried, as she has no clue if her powers are on the fritz again*
Andrea
*He pokes at the... Thing moving underneath her jacket. His face scrunches up as he tries to activate his powers again.*

*His eyes focus as light floods his vision once more. He looks down at Penelope's back, wondering what he was feeling.*
Diana
*It looks like a flower, but with how puffy the jacket is, it isn't able to be identified clearly*
"D-Did you feel one of my vines move back there?"
Andrea
"Um... Yea. Its like... Grown? T... Theres a big lump in your jacket" *He says quietly, watching it intently. He sounds confused... And also curious* "Do you... H... Have like vines a... All over your body?"
Diana
"Well... Yes, I do have vines on my body, but only in some spots, if you don't mind me showing you..."

*Pythia can feel Penelope let him go, starting to take off her jacket*
Andrea
*He legs go of the hug, pulling back with obvious curiosity. But.. The strain of using his powers is starting to set in so he closes his eyes. He drops the ability and as Penelope takes off her jacket, he tries to reactivate it.*

*He opens his eyes, and focuses on what she shows him. He is so curious about what her powers manifest as that he doesnt even consider his own anxiety... The thrill of discovery is more than enough of a distraction*
Diana
*He can immediately notice a giant snake-sized vine that wraps around her left arm and to her wrist, where it shrinks to it's tip*
"Well, this arm is only one of a few vines, and probably the smallest..."
*She says as she reaches into the back of her shirt akwardly, trying to grab something back there*
Andrea
*Pythia gapes at the plant, watching its as it moves with her arm. That! Is the smallest??? It is like the size of a snake! Much bigger than a normal vine* "H... How? What?" *He asks, stunned for a moment... He then approaches slowly, reaching out to try to poke the vine. He watches its futures, seeing if it just moves with Penelope or if it takes its own action*
Diana
*The poor vine is completely stuck to Penelope, it can't move on it's own. It's like, completely attached to her skin, so it just moves with her arm*
"Your guess is as good as mine, really..."
Andrea
"I... Incredible... Um.. Is it like... S... Stuck to you completely?" *He asks, not taking his eyes off of the strange vine. He reaches over to pike it, trying to push it off of her skin to see if it is really stuck to her skin or just like... Resting on it.*
Diana
*It doesn't move an inch when you touch it- it's stuck on there completely. Nothing really special about the vine otherwise*
"Yep, it's just completely stuck"

*She lets out an effort grunt before pulling her arm from behind her, showing a beautiful rose in her hand*
Andrea
*He whistles softly, gasping as the rose blossoms from the vine. He giggles happily, watching with child-like wonder as it grows with astounding speed. He is so obviously entranced by is magic that his anxieties have completely left him for the moment.*
Diana
*It stops growing in her hand the moment it hits it's most beautiful point, before she presents it to Pythia*
"You can keep it if you want! It will never die because of my power!"
Andrea
*His eyes light up, and he reaches over... But pauses as he gets close* "W... Wait um... W... Would plucking i... It hurt?" *He asks, obviously looking worried*
Diana
"What do you mean? It's already been plucked, silly!" *She says jokingly, not meaning for him to take it personally*
"It was growing on one of my back vines, and so I plucked it for you!"
Andrea
*He blushes slightly, seeing where her hand had obscured the stem of the rose. He takes it gingerly, holding it as gently as he can as a small smile crosses his face.*
Diana
"You look so cute with that smile! Keep it, I insist. Think of it like a token of friendship, hehe."
*She hugs Pythia gingerly for a few seconds before letting him go*
Andrea
*He starts coming back to reality, blushing even brighter as she calls him cute.* "F... Friend... Ship?" *He asks slowly, almost like he doesnt believe it. She gets the sudden and slightly painful realization that he hasnt had a friend in a long... Long time... Since he responds to even the idea of a friendship with a kind of reverence.* "T... Thanks" *He says softly, turning away and bringing his knees up to his chest to hug them again*
Diana
*Her expression softens in response, realizing how much of an introvert Pythia is to need to remind himself of what friendship is. And that, to be honest, it's really fucking sad.*
"Yes, Pythia, friendship. I'm going to be your first friend here at Newton's Cradle."
Andrea
*He hides his face behind his knees, but Penelope can still tell that he has a smile that spreads from ear to ear. But yes, years of isolation is indeed, really fucking sad XP* 
"T... Thank you" *He says, and even though he doesnt meet her gaze, his appreciation is obvious*
Diana
*She gently rubs Pythia's kneecap as he goes back to hugging his legs and hiding, now able to tell the chemical got out of his system*
"If you don't mind, I will leave you be for now. Just as a reminder, you still have my phone number~"
*She says while getting up and moving away to care for the garden, letting him exist without needing to collapse the shadows*
Andrea
*He nods, closing his eyes as she leaves and not watching her go. He had always had a hard time watching people leave... So it was usually just easier to either be the one to leave or not to look at them. He stood up quickly and walked out of the garden and back to his dorm. He gently held the rose in his left hand, his right reaching to grab the piece of paper in his pocket. He takes the piece out and opens his eyes to find the garden empty. A small smile lingers on his face as he keeps hold of the paper and sets the rose down. He brings out his phone and saves the number. When he finishes he brings up another number and calls it. He holds the phone to his ear, smiling as he picks up the rose* "Hey... I... I think I just made a friend" *He says as he lays back*
Diana
He made his first friend!