Straightening up a bit in mild interest, Ania made a slightly greater effort to peer into his book. The only time she had been able to pay attention in history was when her teacher spoke about the ancient empires. Her attention was caught when he looked at a small watch. Was she being that boring? Maybe she would have to try harder to be interesting. "Oh, that's neat! What made you interested in the Roman empire? I'm reading a .. Uhm... I ..." Blinking rapidly, Ania had forgotten what her book was about. She had been so curious about this very attractive stranger, she hadn't remembered a thing. "I forget." Staring down at her book in dumb wonder, she flipped open to the inside of the dust jacket to find the brief summary. "Oh, it's a collection of stories about people who are changed by chance encounters, missed chances, and random twists of fate."
dear life // open
- Thread starter Fidget
- Start date
<div align=center>Hadrian pushed the book over a little so Ania could look at it a little easier, he had to think about her question for a little while, he just thought it was exciting. It was brutal and scandalous and above all, elegant. Hadrian loved elegance. "The Romans were powerful." He stated, a very slight hint of enthusiasm in his tone. His eyes flickered up to meet hers, and he held her gaze for a moment or two, not in an unfriendly way, in fact, it was more or less the opposite. "Not to mention they had some of the most incredible culture in history." Hadrian had been there a couple of times, though he'd slept for a week and a half after he'd come back to present time.
"That's interesting." He noted, nodding once, though from a rich background, nothing that interesting had ever happened to Hadrian, nothing along those lines anyway, it wasn't true to say his life had been uneventful, it wasn't every day someone birthed a child who could travel back in time. Ania hadn't been boring him, he'd merely wanted to check how long he had before he should go home. The boy didn't live on school campus, his parents had bought him a small house in the city, somewhere he could keep that strange pet of his without anyone complaining. "It's strange how a certain event can destroy or make your life, isn't it?"</div>
"That's interesting." He noted, nodding once, though from a rich background, nothing that interesting had ever happened to Hadrian, nothing along those lines anyway, it wasn't true to say his life had been uneventful, it wasn't every day someone birthed a child who could travel back in time. Ania hadn't been boring him, he'd merely wanted to check how long he had before he should go home. The boy didn't live on school campus, his parents had bought him a small house in the city, somewhere he could keep that strange pet of his without anyone complaining. "It's strange how a certain event can destroy or make your life, isn't it?"</div>
After hesitating for a moment, Ania moved a bit closer to see the pictures. The illustrations were bold and vibrant, spinning a tale of bravery and a willingness to live. She had to agree that the Romans were powerful. They wrestled lions, after all. "They... Had funny hats, didn't they? Speaking more or less to herself, Ania remembered the funny little broom hats that she had learned about. She had always been curious about their reasoning behind the design of their armour. A small smile appeared on her face; he seemed quite fascinated with the Romans. Perhaps he was a history nerd. A cursory glance upward reminded her that he looked nothing like a nerd.
"Yes, it's funny how events or people are brought together to create something either wonderful or terrible." It was strange to say the least, not knowing who could be the next person to turn your life upside down, who would make you happiest and who would make you saddest. Her thoughts took a rather dark turn, and she shook her head to get rid of them. "It would have been fun, I think, to watch one of the gladiators fight stuff." Extremely messy, and something that would probably give her nightmares, but fun nonetheless. "Do you think that people reenact the battles? Though, it might just be a with a man in an animal costume." A sly smile appeared on her face when she pictured a little man in an animal costume dancing with a gladiator's plastic spear.
Lifting up the edge of Hadrian's book slightly, Ania noted the title in her mind. It was an interesting subject to think about, a book she would have to look for.
"Yes, it's funny how events or people are brought together to create something either wonderful or terrible." It was strange to say the least, not knowing who could be the next person to turn your life upside down, who would make you happiest and who would make you saddest. Her thoughts took a rather dark turn, and she shook her head to get rid of them. "It would have been fun, I think, to watch one of the gladiators fight stuff." Extremely messy, and something that would probably give her nightmares, but fun nonetheless. "Do you think that people reenact the battles? Though, it might just be a with a man in an animal costume." A sly smile appeared on her face when she pictured a little man in an animal costume dancing with a gladiator's plastic spear.
Lifting up the edge of Hadrian's book slightly, Ania noted the title in her mind. It was an interesting subject to think about, a book she would have to look for.
<div align=center>Hadrian wondered how old Ania was for a brief moment, she looked younger than him, but he had absolutely no clue, looks could be misleading. They... Had funny hats, didn't they? He laughed, and nodded, "you're right," he answered, "the Romans stole that idea from the Greeks, the variations helped show rankings and unit identification," he told her, frowning at the way he sounded, he knew far too much about this, he'd been back there far too many times, "plus, it made you look taller." He added, as a side note. He supposed if you looked taller, people were less likely to want to fight you, it was a pretty good idea, really. Hadrian nodded, she was right, it was strange, though he had never been through anything like that.
"It is fun, if you've got the stomach for it." He replied, pushing his hair back, "some of the fights I've seen have been uh... Brutal to say the least." If he thought about it, the practice was disgusting, sitting here now, he didn't understand how fighting two fellow human beings to the death could be classed as entertainment, but when you were there among the crowd, it was completely different, his mind set was completely the opposite. Humans still ran bull fights today, didn't they? That was just as brutal, a living creature was killed for entertainment, he noted, how was that any different from watching gladiators fight to the death? He considered her question, he'd never heard of any reenactments, but he didn't doubt they existed, "I think a reenactment would be funny to watch." Especially after you had seen the real thing.</div>
"It is fun, if you've got the stomach for it." He replied, pushing his hair back, "some of the fights I've seen have been uh... Brutal to say the least." If he thought about it, the practice was disgusting, sitting here now, he didn't understand how fighting two fellow human beings to the death could be classed as entertainment, but when you were there among the crowd, it was completely different, his mind set was completely the opposite. Humans still ran bull fights today, didn't they? That was just as brutal, a living creature was killed for entertainment, he noted, how was that any different from watching gladiators fight to the death? He considered her question, he'd never heard of any reenactments, but he didn't doubt they existed, "I think a reenactment would be funny to watch." Especially after you had seen the real thing.</div>
Ooh, so the strange hats had a purpose. She had always thought that it was perhaps a cleaning technique or something odd like that. She admired him, though, for all his knowledge of this stuff. She hadn't met someone who knew so much about history. Ania giggled a bit when she pictured big strong Roman men wearing their broom hats to look more intimidating. If anything, it only made her want to touch it more.
"I think... It would give me nightmares. It would — ah! You've seen some of the fights? Like ... Reenactments?" Extremely curious, Ania wondered if he had ever been to a fight with the plastic swords! "I want to go! I want to see them, too!" A bit more excited, Ania bounced before clinging to Hadrian's arm hopefully. "Yes, let's go see a reenactment! I want to see the broom hats!" Oh, that would be so much fun. Perhaps they even sold the little hats, too. Not that she would wear it too often. Maybe. No, it would be fun to wear in public.
"I think... It would give me nightmares. It would — ah! You've seen some of the fights? Like ... Reenactments?" Extremely curious, Ania wondered if he had ever been to a fight with the plastic swords! "I want to go! I want to see them, too!" A bit more excited, Ania bounced before clinging to Hadrian's arm hopefully. "Yes, let's go see a reenactment! I want to see the broom hats!" Oh, that would be so much fun. Perhaps they even sold the little hats, too. Not that she would wear it too often. Maybe. No, it would be fun to wear in public.
<div align=center>"Ah, well." It was a little strange explaining to someone that you'd seen the real thing first hand, he could take other people back with him, though he hadn't really tried it with anyone but Altair. He wondered where the animal was, no doubt prowling the forest somewhere, either that or he'd found a sunny spot and fallen asleep. "Not quite reenactments." He smiled just a little when she clung to his arm, twice in one day, what has happened to you? He asked himself, though pushed the thought from his head a moment later. He could more or less definitely get her one of those funny little hats, a real one.
He was searching for something he could compare his powers to, "I suppose, I'm kind of like Doctor Who but without the funny box and without the aliens." He couldn't go forward in time either, sometimes little visions of the future came to him, but they were rare. "I can only go backwards in time, though, and back to the present." He didn't think he could regenerate either, he was pretty sure that if he died, that was it, he was dead. He didn't want to find out. "In short," he paused, looking down at Ania, "I can time travel."</div>
He was searching for something he could compare his powers to, "I suppose, I'm kind of like Doctor Who but without the funny box and without the aliens." He couldn't go forward in time either, sometimes little visions of the future came to him, but they were rare. "I can only go backwards in time, though, and back to the present." He didn't think he could regenerate either, he was pretty sure that if he died, that was it, he was dead. He didn't want to find out. "In short," he paused, looking down at Ania, "I can time travel."</div>
Tilting her head, Ania wondered how he could have seen the fights if he hadn't ever been to a reenactment. Maybe he was crazy old, but aged really well. He didn't look like he had any wrinkles on him. If anything, he looked the same age. Maybe he found the fountain of youth or something.
Doctor Who? Maybe this person was a time traveler. Wouldn't that be funn-- oh. Oh! Oh so he was a time traveler. Horribly confused, her eyebrows knitted. "Time travel?" After a moment of silence, Ania decided that this was a very neat power. "Ah! That's really neat!" So that's why he knew so much about history. Another thought struck her in that instant. "You've seen the broom hats! Are they soft? They look very soft!" Maybe he had even worn one. Or been in a battle. He didn't look very big, like the gladiators, but maybe. New curiosity sparked in her, and she stared at him with much admiration. "Is it fun? Time travel, I mean. It sounds very fun! Have you seen dinosaurs?"
Doctor Who? Maybe this person was a time traveler. Wouldn't that be funn-- oh. Oh! Oh so he was a time traveler. Horribly confused, her eyebrows knitted. "Time travel?" After a moment of silence, Ania decided that this was a very neat power. "Ah! That's really neat!" So that's why he knew so much about history. Another thought struck her in that instant. "You've seen the broom hats! Are they soft? They look very soft!" Maybe he had even worn one. Or been in a battle. He didn't look very big, like the gladiators, but maybe. New curiosity sparked in her, and she stared at him with much admiration. "Is it fun? Time travel, I mean. It sounds very fun! Have you seen dinosaurs?"
<div align=center>"I have seen the broom hats," he confirmed with a nod, "they're made from horsehair, so yeah, I guess they are pretty soft." He paused for a moment, staring down at her. She was so fascinated by him, he might even have dared to say she was cute. Hadrian had never been in a battle, the boy probably wouldn't have lasted more than five minutes, he was relatively tall, and well built, but well, he didn't stand a chance against a centurion. "I can bring one back for you if you want me to." He told her, he'd never really thought about bringing one back before, he did however, have a sword or two.
Hadrian shook his head, "I've never seen dinosaurs, unfortunately." He wished he could, "it's too far back, time travel makes me sleepy." He told her, going back to see the dinosaurs would most likely kill him, he didn't want that to happen. It was fun, providing nothing awful happened, you had to be careful so you didn't change anything drastic, stealing a few historical items didn't really matter, nobody would miss them, right? Nothing bad had ever happened to him from sneaking stuff back to the present time. He promised himself that he'd bring her back a broom hat the next time he went back.</div>
Hadrian shook his head, "I've never seen dinosaurs, unfortunately." He wished he could, "it's too far back, time travel makes me sleepy." He told her, going back to see the dinosaurs would most likely kill him, he didn't want that to happen. It was fun, providing nothing awful happened, you had to be careful so you didn't change anything drastic, stealing a few historical items didn't really matter, nobody would miss them, right? Nothing bad had ever happened to him from sneaking stuff back to the present time. He promised himself that he'd bring her back a broom hat the next time he went back.</div>
Ania seemed to grow an inch when he confirmed a broom hat sighting. Never had she wanted to touch one of those broom hats so. badly. Now, it was possible. "Yes! Bring me a broom hat please! This was so exciting! She had met a person who would possibly bring her a broom hat. Ah, but he would probably forget by the time he ever went back. That was fine, though. She could still enjoy the pictures.
"How far back have you gone? And how long do you sleep after you travel? Ania had far too many questions that she wanted to ask. She didn't want to bother the poor man, but she really couldn't help herself. "Ah, I'm sorry if I'm bothering you. You came here to read and-- have you seen the renaissance period?" What started as an apology turned into another question, and Ania's hand came up to cover her face. She felt a bit guilty for interrupting him, but not enough to leave him alone just yet. "Wouldn't it be neat to meet that lady, the one who posed for the Mona Lisa?"
"How far back have you gone? And how long do you sleep after you travel? Ania had far too many questions that she wanted to ask. She didn't want to bother the poor man, but she really couldn't help herself. "Ah, I'm sorry if I'm bothering you. You came here to read and-- have you seen the renaissance period?" What started as an apology turned into another question, and Ania's hand came up to cover her face. She felt a bit guilty for interrupting him, but not enough to leave him alone just yet. "Wouldn't it be neat to meet that lady, the one who posed for the Mona Lisa?"
<div align=center>"I promise." Hadrian placed a hand on top of her head, "and if I forget, I will bring you with me so you can remind me yourself." Besides, she'd look adorable in one anyway. "I think the furthest back I've ever been is... The Ancient Egyptians I suppose?" He thought so at least, he wanted to go and see the ice age, but he was certain that would kill him. He didn't mind her conversation at all, in fact he appreciated it, "if I go back to the Ancient Egyptians, that makes me sleep for about a week or two, depending on which era." His limit was about eight or nine thousand years, at least, that's how far he was willing to stretch it. "Ancient Egypt was about eight thousand years ago, think how long I'd sleep for if I went to see the dinosaurs, they were extinct sixty five million years ago."
"You're not bothering me at all," he reassured, he liked talking about history, and this girl was so excited by all this that he simply didn't want her to go away. This was the nicer, friendlier side of Hadrian, it was nice to see it once in a while. He had seen the renaissance period, though he hadn't met the lady who modeled for the Mona Lisa, "I've never thought about that," he mused, "perhaps I should go and look for her some time."</div>
"You're not bothering me at all," he reassured, he liked talking about history, and this girl was so excited by all this that he simply didn't want her to go away. This was the nicer, friendlier side of Hadrian, it was nice to see it once in a while. He had seen the renaissance period, though he hadn't met the lady who modeled for the Mona Lisa, "I've never thought about that," he mused, "perhaps I should go and look for her some time."</div>
Share: