Thought is the Wind, Knowledge the Sail (BlueSlime) GMed by Takimaru

[Takimaru]

Re: Thought is the Wind, Knowledge the Sail (BlueSlime) GMed by Takimaru

"I'm glad," replied Wenille to Hiri's remarks regarding the delinquents. "I'm kind of embarrassed to even go to the same school as them. Believe me when I say that not ALL of the boys at the Royal Magic Academy are as self-entitled as those guys. Most are actually pretty nice," she added, trying to adjust her tone to be more cheerful towards the end of the sentence. "Actually, maybe I could introduce you to some tomorrow night, if you're free? I know it's just your second day and all, but it's kind of a nice thing that you came in towards the end of the week. This way you can meet all of the people who are actually going to graduate from the RMA--y'know, like us."

Naturally, the other Wind Major appeared all too happy to oblige when the newcomer made her request. "Of course! It's pretty easy to get lost around here, so I wouldn't mind showing you the dorm areas for a bit. I know it can be kind of confusing, since the residential areas all pretty much look alike. Gotta make sure you don't wander into the boys' dorms--I accidentally did that on my first day. Would help if they labeled them better!" she rambled on while leading Hiri and Eilinor towards the dormitory buildings. They started with a structure that looked almost exactly like Hiri's own residential block, save for that it was on a different part of campus.

"So, as you probably know, they're divided by gender, and there are four buildings for each. This one is Lugus Hall, one of the boys' dorms. You can tell by the nameplate," she said, motioning to a plate not too far from the main entrance that had the buildings' designation engraved into it and a coat-of-arms. "Though this is the one I accidentally wandered into on my first day, 'cause there was some overgrowth covering the sign, ahheh," said the other Wind Major, idly straightening her hair.

"A-Anyway... even though we're separate, it's not like you can't bring a boy over to your own building or vice versa. If it is against the rules, then nobody enforces it, I hear. So long as you don't do anything -too- freaky in public, the monitors won't be able to say much. Besides, they're pretty much all graduates from this place, and I just KNOW that they've been through the same thing, so it'd be pretty hypocritical of them to judge you for stuff like that... I think," commented Wenille with a shrug. She wouldn't wait long, however, before moving on, naming the other three boys' sections as they came across each one in order: Gofannon Hall, Bragi Hall, and Janus Hall.

"I'm not going to take you inside for now, but they shouldn't be too hard to navigate since they're all built the same, with the bath areas all on the first floor and so on. So, moving on to the ones we might know!" A bit further of a walk took them back to somewhat more familiar territory for Hiri. The first three girls' dormitories were called Themis Hall, Ceres Hall, and Eirene Hall, the first of which was identified as where Wenille herself stayed. Finally, they came across the Talean's own building, which she knew the name of: Athena Hall. "Aaaand last, but not least, this one's Athena Hall--where you just moved in, I'm guessing? Looks like you've got a little bit of a walk, at least to our homeroom building."

"This is where I live, too," Eilinor chimed in, with a somewhat more upbeat tone than usual.

Wenille only gave the Fire Major a momentary glance before carrying on. "But that's all for now. There are some other places that I can show you tomorrow, but I guess we can worry about it later," she concluded. "Well, have a good night. I'll see you two in class tomorrow!" With a smile and a wave, the wind mage gave her farewell for the time being and headed off in the direction of her own dorm, Themis Hall.

Eilinor's body language hinted a bit more towards relaxation once Wenille left, though her voice didn't get any louder--it seemed that she was naturally soft-spoken. "I live in 207," said the dark-haired girl. "Thank you... for earlier today. I really, ah, appreciate it." Unless Hiri stopped her, however, she would simply manage a smile before retreating to her room with books held tightly to her chest.

This left the Wind Major free to return to her own room, which she would find to be, again, rather plain. There was still some unpacking to do. She did have a few hours before bedtime to chip away at the task a bit more, but from the looks of it, she wouldn't be completely done until tomorrow. Still, there was a desk at which she could study and a cozy bed for her to sleep in, which was more than some had to work with, as Hiri knew from her time in Talea. Each dorm even had a large bathing area on the first floor; a luxury that only the wealthy could normally afford, as the less affluent still had to resort to bathing in lakes and rivers or dumping buckets full of water over themselves in order to wash.

~~~~~​

Regardless of what Hiri chose to do that evening or how late she opted to stay up, the morning of the next day came again. Whether she was tired or ready for what would look to be a busier schedule than yesterday, she'd have to face it head-on.

When she arrived to class, she would find Professor Averill at her desk, on time--and looking quite pleased with herself for it. Even then, her hair was still slightly disheveled, with an odd strand or two seemingly unable to join the rest. It wasn't long before others began to filter in, familiar faces included; Wenille, Eilinor, Alahan and finally Cleff, who had several visible bruises and bandages on his face, presumably from the previous day's incident.

"A... Alright. I-I think we're ready to start now, aren't we?" The redheaded woman stood up from her desk, adjusting her spectacles--which had a habit of sliding crooked upon her face. "Today we'll be reviewing Gate Theory. Turn to page 131 in your textbooks. Uhm... hm. Right. As I've mentioned before, the ability to create gates takes a lot of practice, so don't feel too bad if you're having trouble--based on recent quiz scores, it seems like everyone has a bit of a challenge with it, m-more or less, save for a select few. But, err... regardless, you'll still have to do your best to memorize as much of these maps as you can. You won't get very far in gate theory, or in this Academy at all, w-without learning these by heart."

A good look at the designated page showed Hiri an extremely complex diagram which looked somewhat like a map of sorts. At the top read 'The Fire Plane', and as she might have guessed, the Wind Major was completely unfamiliar with it. The maps of each plane had their very own styles and lines; squiggly for Water, angular for Earth, and so on.

"When... when you open a gate, you aren't simply making water or fire out of thin air, despite what many commoners say. You're conjuring it out of its very own plane, you see," stated the instructor, moving to the chalkboard and sketching out a diagram of one part of the Fire Plane's map.

Despite her strange manner of speech and apparent airheadedness, she did demonstrate an impressive degree of skill in reproducing the models shown in the books.

"And you need to have a good mental image of exactly where in the plane you are reaching into. O-Otherwise, you risk compromising the stability of your gate, and it could lead to a rupture--that is, spell failure. You have to know exactly where you're going. I know this is a lot to stomach for some of you who have only seen these maps a few times, but as you continue to learn here, they'll become more and more familiar to you. Erm... I-I hope. Now, I want all of you to review Area 1 of each of these elements, and up to Area 2 of your specific Major. You'll at least need to have a good idea of the latter to be able to open a gate and keep it that way for any amount of time."

Finally, Hiri turned to the page entitled 'The Wind Plane'. Even if she hadn't explicitly viewed such a diagram, something about it felt... familiar to her. She could look at the lines and with her eyes closed, be able to reproduce them as well as the 'feel' of the different elevations they were supposed to represent. The sections of the map entitled 'Area 1' and 'Area 2' were already parts she could navigate in her sleep, and she would find that she could even go beyond those without much of a problem.

"It, well... it might be a bit much to ask, w-w-what with it only having been part of a quarter or so, but does anyone care to reproduce Area 1-2 of any element on the blackboard?"

Complete silence resulted. Even Alahan hesitated, looking down at his text as if to double check that his memory served him properly regarding his mental picture of his own plane.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Thought is the Wind, Knowledge the Sail (BlueSlime) GMed by Takimaru

"That sounds nice," Hiri said when Wenille offered to introduce her to some other students on the following night. "I think I'd like that. Count me in."

She walked along, letting the green haired noble's daughter play tour guide. She was satisfied just to take in the campus an commit the grounds to memory, or at least a sketchy beginnings of what would no doubt become familiar territory in the years of study to come.

"Accidental? So that's the story you're sticking to? Some overgrowth covering the nameplate?" Hiri closed her eyes and tilted her head back with a teasing smile on her lips. "Sure you weren't hoping to bump into a cute guy? Have him escort you back to where you needed to go?"

Hiri actually raised a brow in surprise when Wenille told her no one prevented boys and girls co-mingling at each other's dorms.

"Oh? And what sort of freaky things should I avoid doing?" Again, she bit her lip in a cheeky grin at Wenille, seeing if she would stammer or even offer a serious answer. "Don't be afraid to mention details, I've lived my life around sailors. Even if they did clam up their talk around me, it's not like I didn't eventually hear the bits and pieces of their saltier stories."

When they'd reached Athena Hall, the Talean smiled. "Yep, home sweet home. Oh, and you're my dormmate, Eilinor? I guess we'll be seeing a lot of each other then."

Hiri waved farewell to the Wind Major. "Okay then. See you tomorrow for class. And then tomorrow night too. Looking forward to it!"

Eilinor visibly relaxed after Wenille had wandered off, and this didn't escape Hiri's notice. In the back of her mind, she wondered why a cheery girl like Wenille would spook the quiet girl so much.

"207? That's down the hall from me. I'm in 219. Feel free to stop by. Open door policy and all that. And hey, don't mention it. But if those clowns bother you again, you stick close to me and the others okay? They won't bother you if you're not by yourself. My father's warned me about those types, they're cowards when they can't outnumber you." Hiri offered a sympathetic smile while leaning to one side with a fist on her hip. "I'll see you tomorrow too. We'll walk to class together, okay?"

Bidding the fire major a good night, Hiri retired to her own room and after filling out an entry in her diary, decided to retire early and get a good rest. On the following morning, she got up with the break of dawn and went down to the baths to wake herself up and get refreshed and ready for the day. She was excited for her first day of spellcasting. A bit nervous too, when she considered the other elements, but she had the benefit of knowing she was capable with her chosen major's basics. She could open a gate so she wouldn't be useless.

She slipped into her uniform again, deciding to were a dark hose underneath the skirt. She adjusted the mantle and the shirt, fussing for a long time in the mirror until she was satisfied. She normally wasn't so worried about how she looked, but the uniform was a lot more formal wear than she was used to, and it made her more aware of the expectation to look the part of an RMA mage in training.

Wrapping her books with a leather strap and buckle, she hoisted them over her shoulder and waited by the entrance of Athena Hall for Eilinor. If the girl was showing signs of being late, she would even knock on the door to 207, to make sure that the Fire Major got to class on time with her.

Professor Averill was already there, and looking pleased as a sailor on shore leave about it. Hiri and Eilinor arrived earlier than most and took their seats in the same spots as yesterday. The other classmates eventually wandered in as well. Hiri waved to Wenille if the other gave her any sign of recognition. Then class was underway.

Gate Theory. Page 131. Maps.

What the hell were these? Hiri felt immediately out of her depth. First there was the fire map, with its wavy, flickering, chaotic arrows always flickering upwards from the same focal point, as if opening a fire gate were like invoking an explosion from another plane. On the following pages were the water element, spreading, curving arrows, swirling about and around one another. Then the harsh, abrupt, jutting earth map. After that came wind, and despite the arrows still being an alien concept, a short study of the layout managed to strike a chord with her. The motions they indicated were familiar, even though the two dimensional representation did not do the practical effort justice. She could tell immediately that memorizing this map alone would not teach her how to open a gate, not without a lot of practice and trial and error. You had to have a feel for it, a timing, and eventually, a flair of your own to bring the gate summoning to life.

She was coming to this realization after some time of review when Professor Averill made her request for someone to try writing out a representation of Areas One and Two of their majors. Hiri glanced around at the rest of the class, seeing their hesitation.

Really? No one?

She waited a few more moments, then biting her lip, raised her hand slowly. If Averill called on her she would stand up.

"I'll give it a try," she said quietly, then advanced to the board. She took the chalk in her hand and closed her eyes to remember the movements that she could already do in her sleep. When she was confident she had it, she would begin drawing the arrows and lines, starting with what was apparently Area 1, and moving quickly on to area two. Unfortunately for Hiri, once she'd started, she was unable to refer to her books still at her desk, and wasn't sure exactly when to stop. Compounding with this was her need to convert what she had already learned into the lines and arrow notation. Again, she stopped, and had to act out her opening of an extremely simple gate just to get the smaller details right.

In the act of acting it out, she inadvertently caused a brief, sudden breeze to float across her, which fluttered some of the papers on Averill's desk onto the floor.

"Oops, sorry," she said, cutting off the gate abruptly and then quickly scribbling a flurry of arrows and lines. By the end, she had the odd feeling she may have written a bit more than Area 1 and 2, but she didn't know by how much. Shrugging she put the chalk down and turned expectantly to the teacher.

 

[Takimaru]

Re: Thought is the Wind, Knowledge the Sail (BlueSlime) GMed by Takimaru

Upon hearing Hiri's acceptance of her offer, Wenille's eyes lit up. "Great! I'm sure we'll have a great time," she replied cheerfully, her giddiness almost infectious from then on.

She let out a slightly nervous laugh upon hearing the half-Talean girl's joking response to her story about the nameplate. "It's the truth, I swear! I mean, while I'm sure there's quite the selection in some dorms, stumbling into them by yourself for THAT is just... iunno, awkward, don't you think? But I'll tell you what--we'll never have a shortage of eye candy going to the right parties." The other Wind Major gave a rather impish looking smirk. "And I know all of them."

Wenille was about to give another straight answer when Hiri asked her about the 'freaky' things she should avoid doing, but she stopped herself, managing to catch on to her classmate's sense of humor by that point. "YOU know what I mean, then! I'm onto you," she warned playfully.

While the verbal portion of Eilinor's expression of thanks remained short in response to the other girl's reassuring words, her rare smile said much in reassuring the Academy's newest student that her offer for assistance was greatly appreciated. She was still fairly quiet, especially when compared to some others like Wenille, but it looked as though Hiri did more than enough to earn a favorable impression from the dark-haired Fire Major.

~~~~~​

After figuring out her morning ritual and getting herself ready in just about every way she could manage, Hiri stood outside Athena Hall for several minutes, which felt somewhat longer than they really were. When she made her way to Eilinor's room to check if her somewhat awkward classmate was alright, the door opened just as she raised her hand to knock on it. There she was, considerably less presentable than Hiri herself, with the fire mage's mantle a little lopsided and her hair in slight disarray.

Unlike Professor Averill, however, whose general look seemed to be a static one, Eilinor was in the middle of making attempts to straighten her attire and brush away any stray locks that might have fallen into her face. "Good morning," she greeted rather abruptly, in a voice louder than her usual volume. That was all she would say, however, before following Hiri along to class and taking a seat beside her after they arrived. Cleff didn't arrive until just before class started, with a few bandages covering the cuts, but not the bruises, on his face.

And when the class's newest Wind Major, of all people, finally made the offer to answer the question with a raised hand, the red-haired instructor immediately looked over in her direction, blinking a few times, and gave her a nod. "Hiri, g-go ahead," she pronounced. It caused nearly the entire class to turn at once, and suddenly everyone's eyes were on Hiri. It was nerve-wracking, to say the least, but even the added pressure of everyone watching wasn't quite enough to make her magically forget everything she had learned about Wind Magic. If she had only been studying it for a few weeks, like the others had, she might have--but the experience Hiri possessed with the Wind Plane was real, deep, ingrained into her being.

Even then, due to the expansive nature of the maps, it did take a few minutes to recreate the first two areas. Perhaps this was part of why nobody bothered to answer. Whenever she paused, some of her classmates would nod to themselves. After all, she had already done as much as anyone else knew by that point. It was Averill's fault for expecting students in their first quarter to be able to reproduce all of that... wasn't it?

But by the time the half-Talean girl finished, it was clear that she was ahead of the class, at least when it came to her own element. The students' blank stares shifted to looks of astonishment, and some of them began to whisper amongst each other.

"T... That's... perfect," remarked the teacher, herself having been so caught up in Hiri's sketched out diagram that she hadn't even noticed the fallen papers until later. "You can return to your seat now." After collecting her notes off of the ground, Professor Averill made a few extra ones with her fountain pen before taking her position in front of the class once again. This left Hiri free to return to her seat, where Eilinor gave her a soft smile and Wenille, even from her fairly distant spot towards the center of the group of desks, could be seen giving her a sly grin.

"I see you're no stranger to the layout of this plane, H-Hiri," said Averill as she surveyed the map that was drawn out, tucking a few unruly locks behind her ear as if it would help her disheveled appearance. "Which is good, m-mind you! Shouldn't have a um, h-hard time at Spell Application today at the range... I-I think. At any rate, THIS along with area 3 is w-what I would hope for each of you to have down by the end of next quarter, at the latest. By the end of your first year, you should know areas 1 through 4 by h-heart." Despite the professor's somewhat scatterbrained appearance, her standards for performance were still fairly high, if the students' muted groans were any indicator.

She went on to review the first areas of each element. Naturally, the others paid more attention to those in which they majored, but Hiri remembered that graduates of the Academy were said to be able to at least cast the 'basics' of every other element... though what that meant wasn't quite clear to the new student just yet. Either way, she was given ample time to copy down the notes, despite the instructor being difficult to follow at times. Eilinor could be seen squinting at the board from time to time, while Alahan turned back towards Hiri for just a brief moment to give her an impressed look. An hour later, they were even given time to break for lunch, though it was much less eventful than the previous day.

After the conclusion of Averill's review of the last plane for the day, the Lightning Plane, class came to a close. "T-That's all for today," she stammered. "But remember that some of you have uhmm... spell application, later on. You only really need to know the c-core of Area 1 in order to make a simple gate, but just keep... w-working on it. Both theory and practice are important to be a good mage," she explained. "Just ask Professor Cendricks if you n-need any help." Her suggestion triggered a set of murmurs from the class, and not particularly positive ones at that. This 'Professor Cendricks', according to Hiri's class schedule, was the one who ran the Spell Application subcourse.

"And, there's another day in the books," commented Wenille, approaching Hiri and Eilinor where they sat as the others funneled out of the classroom. "At least she didn't forget to give us a lunch this time," she added in a whisper. "So, should we go on ahead? We have enough time to stop for a snack if you're still hungry, but if you're still worried about doing badly--which you shouldn't--maybe we could get some practice out of the way first for a few minutes."

Eilinor's mouth crinkled as she leafed through her notes repeatedly. Hiri would note that they were written very neatly, even if the order was somewhat peculiar. "I'd like to practice a little, first," she said quietly.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Thought is the Wind, Knowledge the Sail (BlueSlime) GMed by Takimaru

While on the walk to class, Hiri tried a little to engage Eilinor in conversation. She asked if the odd fire major had gotten some good sleep last night, and how she was feeling this morning. Was she ready for spell application this afternoon? Was she worried about it? Simple questions that might evoke a response and possibly an exposition about her feelings on any one of those subjects. Hiri saw in Eilinor a girl who was inside of herself, and while she didn't want to make the girl feel bothered, she did want to bring her out of her shell a bit.

That line of thinking made Hiri smile to herself, imagining Eilinor as some sort of tortoise with a fiery red streaked shell. Furthing this flight of fantasy, Hiri imagined herself as one of the zephyr falcons that were indigenous to nearly all Talean ports, and in her mind's eye she had landed on Eilinor's shell, curiously giving it a few pecks to see what would happen.

It had all the beginnings of one of those fables that Nana had used to tell her when she was a very young child.

---

At the head of the class, as she worked, Hiri's confidence grew a bit. At least with the plane of wind, she was competent enough for this level of the school. That put a big check mark next to her first goal in this new environment - don't be utterly useless. She didn't look forward to having to learn the other elements in such an alien and unnatural manner, but at least with this one specialty, she could rely on her years of practice and her mother's private tutelage.

She finished and put the chalk down. Gave Averill a slight nod, and returned to her seat. A small amount of color formed along her cheekbones as her eyes met with her new friends' smiles of approval, but when she got to her desk she kept her gaze focused downward, not wanting to seem at all like she was preening or trying to throw it in others' faces. She now wondered if she had in fact been showing off too much. Maybe what she had done would make those who hadn't studied as long start to resent her? She frowned at the thought and fidgeted with her fingers in the meantime. She wished she had something else to occupy her, like a piece of rope to tie or a blacksmith's puzzle to tinker with. She enjoyed those, and her papa had a large collection of them in his captain's quarters on his flagship.

Instead, she pulled out her notebook and decided to copy down the other element's layouts. She started with Fire, then Water, then worked her way to Lightning. By the end of the hour she had just put the finishing touches to the Earth map of areas 1 and 2 when it was time for lunch.

Wenille stopped by her desk and made her comments on what they could do. While the idea of eating was appealing, Eilinor's quiet request for a little practice was enough to make Hiri put that thought on hold.

"Okay, let's go practice a bit. Where's the best spot?" She said, recognizing Eilinor, but directing her question at Wenille, who probably would have answered anyway. Wherever the wind major suggested, Hiri would agree to follow.

"So why did everyone groan at the mention of Professor Cendricks? Is he a tough teacher?"

 

[Takimaru]

Re: Thought is the Wind, Knowledge the Sail (BlueSlime) GMed by Takimaru

"I normally don't get too much sleep," answered Eilinor in an oddly straightforward manner. "The visitors make it... difficult. But I do feel good today. Thank you for asking," she added after a brief pause. It was perhaps the most verbal she had been since 'introducing' herself to the Academy's newest Wind Major. However, it was still more than Hiri had seen the girl say to anyone else, which did say something about the comfort level between them--at least when Wenille wasn't around.

The topic of the upcoming session following homeroom caused her to frown slightly. "Spell Application is... somewhat difficult. Though it shouldn't be, but the teacher makes it hard for me. Especially when he yells so loudly, which he does a lot. And then he talks about how we could die, or suffer in the future whenever someone misses the target or fails to open a gate properly. I'm not even applying for military applications, and yet he still acts like I signed up for it," said the dark-haired girl with a sigh. "I can only hope that he doesn't treat you as poorly." Unless Hiri had any other input, that was all she would say before they reached the classroom. Still, it was clear that the 'turtle' had peered out of her shell and then some, which was as good a start for the curious Talean as any.

~~~~~​

"Prolly the best place... or the only place, really, is the spell range," said Wenille in response to Hiri's inquiry about the most suitable area for them to practice in. "It's where class starts in a bit, but people usually don't come too early if they can help it. The two hour period before our Spell Application class is called 'open practice', where just about anyone can come in and try their hand at the gates. I'm still pretty full myself, so we can go ahead and check it out. We still have a few minutes at least," she remarked, steering Hiri and Eilinor outside and towards an impressively large wedge-shaped building. It was made from the same immaculate white stone that the spires were fashioned from, and a single door was located on one side, towards the lowest point of the structure. "As for Cendricks... well, he's kind of a blowhard. You'll just have to see for yourself."

After entering, Hiri walked straight into a lobby of sorts, with benches, a few tables, and usable lockers identical to those filling the halls of the other buildings. A blue-haired man, perhaps only a few years older than Hiri, sat at a nearby desk, handing out locks and checking people in. One visible hallway led to restrooms, as could be guessed from the familiar 'men' and 'women' icons carved into the stone above the entrances, and the other to the main practice area, which consisted of roughly twenty long 'lanes', with short dividers between the start of each. Unable to help but notice the half-Talean as she walked past, the attendant at the front desk gave her a smile. However, Wenille wasted no time, leading her to the entrance of the range, where the words 'spell rooms' were engraved just above.

It was fairly busy when they came in. The familiar sights and sounds of spells being cast could be seen whizzing downrange. The ceiling sloped upward towards the end, allowing some leeway for avoiding ricochets, or so that the few made would harmlessly deflect into the ground. At the other end of the range, past barriers that were meant to keep students on the 'safe' end, stood several magic-resistant targets; stone structures that were covered in arcane engravings and a few ribbons, just as the walls and ceiling were, so as to prevent them from being destroyed by higher-level spells. Most of these still bore the signs of wear and tear and repeated use upon them, though there were still a few lanes whose dummies were in good shape. At each ten-meter mark, a taller target stood, so that one could aim their spells past the shorter ones at a higher point if they wanted to set their sights higher.

However, nearly all of the stalls were full. It took a few minutes to finally spot an open lane, though the other Wind Major was the one to do so.

"Oh! Found a good one! Lucky us," remarked Wenille, taking quick strides towards one that had just been vacated by two girls who seemed satisfied with their practice for the day. "This is how it works. For each lane, you can only have one spell flying downrange at any given time, but since it's pretty packed in here right now, we can take turns with this one. So, who wants to go first?"

"I will," volunteered Eilinor, who took her place at the stand and began to focus, chanting ever so quietly. If Hiri looked carefully, she would notice the other girl grimacing and squinting heavily as she took aim. She placed her hands together, forming a gate with rather impressive ease. Out came a ball of fire, which burst out in a straight line towards the stone standing at twenty meters, hitting it slightly down and to the right. While it wasn't the furthest target, it was still a nice display of competent and timely casting, accentuated by Wenille's apparent astonishment.

"You know, no one would ever guess 'cause of how quiet you can be, but you're really good at this speed thing, Eili!" exclaimed the Wind Major cheerfully. "Alright, my turn, I guess? We'll save the best for last," she added, winking at Hiri.

With that, Eilinor sheepishly took a few steps back, eschewing a response to the other girl's comment as she did so. Wenille took her place to try her hand at casting. The green-haired one took a deep breath, assuming the proper casting position with both hands and made a louder spell chant. At the end of her recital, there came a long pause. The beginning of a gate to the Plane of Wind was opening, but it was doing so terribly slowly... enough so to make it even a bit awkward for the other girls watching.

Finally, a gust of wind came bursting out from the gate as it fully opened, striking the target waiting at 50 meters away. The ribbons wrapped around the stone danced, showing that her casting was right on the mark. All in all, it was an accurate cast, though the time it took was certainly worrisome if viewed from an instructor's perspective. How Hiri chose to comment, if she did, was up to her, however.

Then, it was her turn. She could choose any mark, starting with the most abused one sitting at 10 meters, or she could look at the furthest, waiting at 300--though nobody in the building appeared to be even close to hitting anything at that range. Understandably so, as Hiri had never even heard of anyone throwing a cast that far, except perhaps in old fables and legends. Still, perhaps it was for the purpose of aiming high, in the hopes that one day, gate magic would advance to such a level. Distance, accuracy, or a mixture of both? When it was Hiri's turn to take the stand, the other girls looked up to her expectantly.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Thought is the Wind, Knowledge the Sail (BlueSlime) GMed by Takimaru

Hiri followed her two new friends to the spell range, keeping silent any thoughts she had about this Cendricks fellow that Wenille talked about. It seemed useless to speculate if she was going to meet the man for herself in a few hours. It sounded as though as long as she could whip out a quick wind spell, she should be able to satisfy the military-minded man.

Eilinor's demonstration of her fire gate gave the Talean some reason to hope that she might soon gain some ability with a different element. Surely if Eilinor had mastered that sort of swift fire creation, she could tell Hiri how to do it?

"Great job Eilinor!" Hiri said, clapping her hands together and giving the quiet Fire Major an impressed look. "That's the first fire spell I've ever seen. It was so fast and booming... and right on target too."

She smiled down at Eilinor as she stepped aside to give Wenille some room. Now Hiri could observe for a different reason - to compare herself to a real peer. She was curious if there would be a radically different style or technique between what her mother had taught her and what an RMA student learned out of the books. She stared intently, her eyes darting between Wenille and the targets, then back to Wenille.

There was a long moment of silence and inactivity. Then Hiri thought she could sense Wenille doing something, but it seemed very, very slow. Agonizingly so. Was she weaving her energies in the wrong direction? Was she just hesitating? It wasn't entirely clear to her.

At last, with a sudden gush, the gate to the plane of Wind was opened enough for the element to come rushing through. To Wenille's credit, she had aimed the spell well, and at a good distance.

"Ooh, nicely aimed," she said as the other Wind Major stepped back. She decided to diplomatically avoid pointing out the obvious. Wenille didn't need her to say it aloud. If she wanted to bring it up herself, then that was okay, but Hiri probably would have been feeling defensive about such a slow gate.

When she stepped up to the front of the casting range, Hiri had an idea of what she wanted to do. She would open three gates, one right after the other, attempting to aim them in quick succession at the 20, 30, and 40 meter targets. She'd be simple and efficient. No bells and whistles, just three gusts of wind to make the flags blow.

She calmed her self with a deep, exhaling breath, and focused on what she wanted to do. She wouldn't do this quickly, since she didn't want to contest with the speed of what Eilinor had done. She simply lined up the three individual threads, whirling the elemental adjustments in echoing patterns. She had done this in practice while bored during the long voyages across the ocean, and had gotten proficient at it. It was similar to juggling in a way. You throw one ball up high and catch it. Easy. But you can throw three balls up high and catch them too, it just requires a bit of practice and coordination - what it all boiled down to was consistency in your casting. There was no way she could be this fast with a more complex weave - not at this point at least, but with simple wind gusts, she felt confident she could accomplish her goal.

Opening her eyes, she sized up her targets, and then did the final series of unwinds on her Wind Gates.

*Fwoosh*

*Fwoosh*

*Fwoosh*

The flags on the 20 meter target fluttered as intended, then a second later they were joined by the fluttering of the 30 meter target, and finally, much to Hiri's satisfaction, the 40 meter flags kicked up as well.

"I used to tease some of the sailors as they climbed up the topsails with that trick. But my mother would scold me if she ever caught me doing it."

 

[Takimaru]

Re: Thought is the Wind, Knowledge the Sail (BlueSlime) GMed by Takimaru

The corners of Eilinor's mouth turned upward ever so slightly in response to Hiri's compliment, and she lowered her head to hide a faint blush, shuffling away as Wenille took her place. "Thank you," was all that she said in a barely audible voice, having withdrawn into her shell once more thanks to the green-haired girl's presence. While it was certainly possible to get some tips from her, given the Fire Major's apparent fondness for Hiri, the time to do so would have to wait.

Wenille, in sharp contrast, was much more animated in her reply to her fellow Wind Major's comment. "Woo, thanks! I actually used to miss a lot more," remarked the girl with somewhat forced humility while carrying an upbeat tone nonetheless. "But I've been practicing really hard on hitting it every time just this past week. Hopefully it'll keep Professor Cendricks from yelling at me this time! So, looks like you're up." It was almost as if the delay in time had never occurred to her; the focus was entirely on making the most accurate shot possible. Her aim was indeed precise... if nothing else.

Then, it was time for Hiri's display of magical prowess. The two kept their gaze glued on the Talean import as she stepped up to the designated casting spot, no doubt expecting great things from her. After all, she had just mapped out two areas of the Wind Plane from memory--on her second day of class, no less. There was the possibility that Hiri was a booksmart type and only that, but either way, any doubts they might have about where she stood would, in theory, be cleared after seeing her cast for the first time.

Not only was her first casting reasonably impressive, but her second and third ones came in quick succession. It was almost unheard of for an Academy student to be able to open and maintain multiple gates simultaneously while allowing elements to flow through, seeing that control over just one gate took an immense amount of concentration. However, Hiri had managed to make it look like as much by opening one, releasing a burst of wind, then another just as the previous one closed, and yet another after that. While it wasn't an impossible feat by any means, it was impressive nonetheless. Her shots were just accurate enough to cause the ribbons to dance, and while the opening of the gates clearly weren't as quick or rushed as Eilinor's, she still didn't take nearly as long as it did for Wenille to make a single gate.

Where Hiri stood amongst the three was fairly clear after that. The real-world experience she gained learning from her mother and spending time on the ship as a functional mage set her apart from contemporaries to no small degree. Provided, she still had much to learn in the other elements, but as a first-year, she hadn't disappointed her teachers nor her peers... yet, anyway.

"G...Geez, are you sure you shouldn't be in second year?" Wenille finally commented after taking a moment to gawk in astonishment. "That's amazing!"

Eilinor simply smiled, seemingly less surprised with the result than the other girl, but pleased to see it nonetheless.

While there were dividers between the designated casting spots, the range itself only had lines drawn between each lane. Apparently, someone else had seen Hiri's impressive display. She heard a few steps behind her, turning to see none other than Harell, the silver-haired delinquent who had been picking on Eilinor the day before. Two of his peers walked alongside him, one to each side.

"Wow... not bad, for a first-year," said Harell with a smirk, causing Eilinor to back a few steps away from him, moving closer to Hiri. Wenille averted her gaze, as if embarrassed to even be involved in such a situation.

However, that was all he said before giving her a knowing look and taking his leave from the range.

"Surprised that somebody like him actually bothers with practice," uttered Wenille in a lower voice, waiting until the fox-eyed one was long out of earshot.

It wasn't long before those currently practicing, which were mostly second-year through fourth-year students, began to filter out of the range, one or two groups at a time. Replacing them were several first-year students, many of whom Hiri recognized from her homeroom, including Cleff and Alahan. The latter offered her a polite smile and a nod after entering.

Her eyes brightening, Wenille was quick to respond to the handsome Earth Major's gesture with a wave.

They began to line up, sitting on the benches to the opposite wall.

"We should do the same," suggested Eilinor quietly after the majority had fallen in.

While the sounds of mild chatter were ever present with the first-year students' entry, it all came to a halt in an instant. One more glance to the entrance to the range would explain why. A man, easily over six feet, with the short haircut typical of a member of the Elynsorian Army, walked on in, taking several steps before coming to an abrupt halt. He scanned the line carefully with narrowed, icy gray eyes. Making a mental count in his head, then spotting Hiri as if she were some anomaly in the system, he cleared his throat before continuing.

"Ahem. I see everybody's on TIME today, at least, which is better than can be said for the past few weeks. Remember, this isn't a portion of the course you should be taking lightly by ANY means. From now on, if any of you are late, I'm taking it off of your grade. You might have homeroom every day, but nothing prepares you for the real world than actually learning how to cast. All of the books in the world won't do you a damn drop of good if you can't actually apply any of it! Now, let's begin!" he barked, earning a few subdued looks from much of the class, especially the girls.

He eyed Hiri for a moment. "Either you're in the wrong damn class, or you're new here. I hope it's the latter, in which case, I'll recheck the roster and talk to you in a moment. And if it's the former... I think it goes without saying that you need to leave, since practice time is over."

"She's in the right class, Professor Cendricks," chimed Wenille, raising her hand as she did so.

"Did I ask you?!" yelled the man, seemingly offended that someone would speak out of turn on his time. "And did you forget how to address me already?!"

"N-No... sir," replied the green-haired girl, bowing her head and looking more frightened than Hiri had ever seen her.

"Well, I guess that just means that you'd like to start first, doesn't it? That's good of you, considering how bad your aim was last session. Hope you actually took the time to practice this instead of sittin' around on your ass and talkin' about boys all week, 'cause we're grading this! Consider it a pop quiz for all of you!"

A few muffled groans and sighs could be heard from the row of students.

"What're you whinin' about? Do you think everything's gonna go according to schedule in the REAL WORLD?! If you do, I promise you, you've got another thing coming." Cendricks turned back to Wenille. "Don't just sit there, get up to the stand! Seeing as you're a Wind Major, you -should- be able to hit the 30 meter marker with no problems, so aim for that. I'll tell you when to start casting," he ordered.

The normally outgoing girl went quiet and grimaced a little, shuffling to the designated casting area located towards the center. All of the students sitting along the back wall could see her performance from here, but even the pressure caused by their collective gaze would not compare to Cendricks' careful scrutiny, from the looks of it.

"Alright, start casting in 3, 2, 1! Now!"

Wenille took a deep breath and raised both of her trembling hands directly in front. Then, whispering the spell to herself to help with focus, she began to weave the energies needed to open a gate. Just like before, she appeared to be taking her time--that, or she simply couldn't cast very quickly. On average, it took at least three to five seconds for someone to open a gate. However, during this most important of trials, five seconds passed without incident. Those quickly became ten.

At the thirteen-second mark, Cendricks slammed his fist against one of the wooden dividers next to Wenille. The loud noise generated as a result startled her enough to break her concentration, and the beginning of the gate that she had worked so hard to form dissipated altogether.

"What in the VOID is taking you so long?! This isn't like you, Wind Major! You were much faster last week! Provided, your aim was garbage, but NOBODY should ever take this long!"

Finally, Wenille huffed, daring to show a speck of protest in her response to his criticism. "I just needed to concentrate a little more, sir! I can nail it perfectly if I'm given a little more time, I swear..."

"A little more TIME? Time is the most crucial thing for a mage, especially one in the military! Enemy arrows won't wait for your to finish your spells! If anything, they love to find the faces of mages that hesitate! Take all the time you need on the battlefield, and I promise you, it won't end well."

"But I'm not even signing up to be a military mage," she whimpered.

"You mean to say that you are studying to become a MAGE, an elite intellectual of the Kingdom of Elynsor, without preparing to be called upon by the King when our nation needs defending against enemies both foreign and domestic?! Tell me this has to be some kind of joke! Or are you just going to cower in your home and wait for the invaders to arrive on your doorstep!? Trust me, you won't enjoy what a band of marauders like those from the Faust Mountains would do to a little tart like you!"

Wenille shuddered at the thought.

"And that goes for all of you! Only a fraction of Elynsor's army can use magic worth a damn, but those who do are indispensable. Our great nation exists BECAUSE of its military might and that alone! Remember your role in life now that you are training to be a mage. It is NOT to be taken lightly," he reminded the class in a harsh tone.

After seeing the green-haired girl's trembling form, he grumbled. "Go back to the bench. NEXT! You," he ordered, pointing at Eilinor afterwards. "Fire Major. 30 meter marker. I want this done in a TIMELY manner."

Eilinor's response and demeanor was typical of her usual behavior, as she skittered towards the casting area with her gaze upon the ground. This time, however, she actually had some reason to be timid, given the instructor's merciless attitude.

"3, 2, 1. Now."

The dark-haired girl's cast was quick, almost impressively so. In a span of just over two seconds, a Fire Gate opened from right in front of her palms, and a fireball identical to the one she produced in practice launched itself towards the target. However, where her spell hit low and to the right for the 20 meter marker in practice, this time she missed it altogether, albeit barely; again, down and to the right. The target standing at 30 meters was left unscathed, save for a few scorch marks upon its edges.

Cendricks' brow furrowed as he squinted to see the results of Eilinor's attempt. "Well, at least you actually made a cast, but you're gonna have to hit the damn thing next time. Do you know why it's important?"

Eilinor shook her head slowly. "... No, sir."

"In military formations, mages stay towards the back. You might have dozens of our own brave soldiers in front of you while you cast OVER their heads at the enemy beyond. If your flames are any lower than they should be... you're not helping our army, but hurting them! Keep that in mind for next time." Raising the clipboard at his side, he made a mark upon it. "You may return." At his order, the Fire Major returned to her spot beside her friend, sighing.

Then, Cendricks looked towards the class's newest student. He raised a brow, glancing back down at his roster momentarily. "Hiri, was it? Looks like you belong here after all. But now's the time to show whether or not you really belong, so to speak. You might be a late arrival of sorts, but I hope you know how to cast, because I'm not going to go easy on you. Standards are standards for a reason. Now, as you saw your classmates do, I'll need you to hit the 30 meter mark with a Wind Gate."

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Thought is the Wind, Knowledge the Sail (BlueSlime) GMed by Takimaru

Hiri was happy if Wenille was happy when the other Wind Major took to her compliment and ran with it. It was refreshing to have someone who focused on the positives. It was a good trait, in Hiri's opinion, and reminded her of the culture on the rural north islands of Talea, where her papa's family was based.

The philosophy there was to not dwell on the negative or dark aspects of life, and to be generally giving in nature. Though her father and grandfather had been hardened a little by life at sea and in the merchant business, Hiri's mother claimed that it was her father's giving qualities and hidden sensitive soul that made him such a great guy, so much so that she chose to sail away from her life in Elynsor with him. Her papa would joke and deny this, suggesting that it was his natural charm, amazing looks, and big ship that allowed him to steal away the greatest jewel in the west. This would usually end in her mother slapping him with a gust of wind, or attempting to push him off balance with a current of air - and then he would fight through the wind and hug her mama with a triumphant cry. Hiri, as a child, would have giggled with glee at the sight, and her papa would turn and scoop her up in his arms as well, blowing air into her face, claiming to be as good a wind mage as her mother.

The memories made her happy, and she tried to emulate her parents at least in that respect, even though she was a bit more cynical than either of them if she were being honest with herself.

"The practice shows then. It was a good shot," she said, as she moved past Wenille, not failing to notice the expectant looks on both Eilinor and Wenille's faces as she prepared for her first casting at the range. Fortunately, all went well with her multiple gates and her aim, and by the way they reacted, Hiri couldn't help but feel some pride welling up inside of her. It felt good to know she was impressing them. Maybe being at this school would turn out all right?

A certain, familiar voice called out behind her, and she turned to see the sly eyes and grinning face of Harrell, the spiky, silver-haired youth that had been the leader of the group who bullied Eilinor. His compliment sounded genuine, but for the low-cunning in his eyes that made her suspicious. On the face of things, she might have actually accepted his remark if it weren't for the reactions of her two friends. It didn't seem right to even begin to associate with a boy who could obviously offend her two companions with his presence alone.

Hiri kept a stiff upper lip as he passed, holding her breath as she kept level with his knowing look. Should she say something? Taunt him? Should she have even been acknowledging him at all? What did he want with her anyway? What was he up to?

These thoughts and more raced through her mind until mercifully he had turned away and walked off with his two lackeys in tow.

"If he didn't practice, I'd be less worried about him, to be honest," Hiri said once Wenille had felt safe in talking again. "Let's just forget about him for right now. Seems like a few more first years are coming this way."

Sure enough, more and more of her classmates began to file into the spell range in preparation for the Spell Application class. She saw some other familiar faces, like Cleff and Alahan, the latter of which gave her a familiar nod. She still didn't really know how she felt about the Earth major. He seemed nice, but he had a polished look that felt too artificial for her tastes. She was so used to sailors who didn't put on airs around her. Anyone in a good suit was more than likely trying to sell her papa something for double market value, in her experience.

When everyone started to line up and stand at attention, Hiri fell into line, not wanting to stand out or seem like she was bucking a custom. If she was confused about the need for this, she soon discovered the reason, and it was in the form of the tall, clean-cut, no-nonsense professor who marched down the spell range with all the seeming of a general in front of his troops. It took only a half minute of listening to him speak and address the class to see that Professor Cendricks "Sir" was all too keen on presenting himself off as such a highly ranked individual. What was a man like him doing in a school like this she wondered?

When his gaze and questioning statement fell upon her, Hiri felt herself mentally go blank, unsure if she should speak or wait until he cleared things up himself after addressing the class. Instead, Wenille somewhat bravely came to her defense, trying to speak on her behalf and getting in trouble for it, though Hiri couldn't imagine what Cendricks had found offensive about the young Wind Major informing him of the situation.

The awkward situation that followed made it more clear to Hiri just why her friend had been practicing so much on hitting the target. It was clear that Cendricks had chewed her out last week for one problem, only to have poor Wenille completely ignore quick casting. She had moved from one extreme to the other. As the seconds stretched out, Hiri could see what was inevitably coming.

Cendricks' limited patience gave out like a splintered gate under a battering ram and a torrent of vitriol and condemnation poured forth at the meekly protesting Wind Major. Hiri found herself looking away and feeling embarrassed for Wenille. It was an awful situation. Her father could be a disciplinarian himself sometimes when necessary, but this sort of tongue lashing seemed totally uncalled for. It was clear Wenille was trying, and she was just starting to learn the basics. Why should he be harping on about real life when school was meant to be a preparation for the real world and not the real world itself?

Still, Cendricks was an intimidating authority figure and Hiri couldn't fathom a way she could speak out against him and come out ahead. So she shut her trap and waited as Wenille was put back in line and Eilinor was trotted out to show what she could do. Hiri was a bit more hopeful for the Fire Major, as she knew Eilinor was a quick gate weaver and relatively accurate.

The result was mixed, with the shot placement not being the best. Cendricks still managed to have something to say about it, and Hiri rolled her eyes in exasperation as he managed to say something that made Eilinor feel bad about herself.

After that, Cendricks' eyes fell on Hiri, and the Talean reflexively clenched her fists, trying to remain calm. She felt defiant in front of this man, just as she'd felt defiant in front of Harell and his delinquent friends. She couldn't imagine her mother putting up with his attitude and she felt her father was a better commander of men than this guy could ever be. She wanted to just hit the target so that he wouldn't have anything bad to say.

Without saying anything she moved to the front. Gave herself another deep breath and tried to concentrate. His count down began and once he'd gone past one, she began her weave. She didn't feel like being impressive for this man. She just wanted him to have nothing to say. So she didn't put any frills on her cast. A simple wind gate, a simple aim at the thirty meters.

A simple mistake. Cursing, she knew as soon as she cast it that she had hurried too much, and her desire to shut him up had cause her aim to go to the right, missing the target. Instead of waiting on him to say something deriding, she huffed and opened another gate, striking the 30 meter target more squarely the second time around.

"There. I hit the stupid target," she muttered, then turned to walk back to her spot on the wall, not at all happy that the man's presence had caused her to make her first mistake at the school. She'd been feeling so good not long ago, and this teacher had gone and spoiled it. Spell Application was quickly becoming the annoyance to her that it was to everyone else.

 

[Takimaru]

Re: Thought is the Wind, Knowledge the Sail (BlueSlime) GMed by Takimaru

With his clipboard raised in one hand and a pen in the other, ready to make the appropriate marks at any given second as if doing it in a timely manner was that crucial, Cendricks stood perfectly still, turning his head ever so slightly towards Hiri's direction as she began her cast.

The pressure of his gaze proved far more potent than she expected, perhaps making the otherwise simple task a much more challenging one. Something like this should be easy enough; after all, she could pull it off without a hitch by herself or even in front of a crew of fifteen. And while the class was about twice that size, it was hard to imagine the silent tension being quite as great if someone like Professor Averill was in his place to do the grading instead.

Regardless of the vast difference in atmosphere between practice and the classroom tests under this instructor's stern watch, Hiri had to execute anyway. And for the first few seconds, she appeared to. Her cast was done well enough, the weave coming together much faster than Wenille's, almost on par with that of Eilinor's in terms of sheer speed. However, the Wind Major's haste and relative lack of focus proved to be her undoing, and the displacement of sand that came up further downrange and just right of the target itself signified an obvious miss. Wenille raised her hand to her mouth, her eyes slightly widening in disbelief. The green-haired girl knew what a result like that would mean in terms of earning Cendricks' usual vitriol.

But before the man could get a word in edgewise, Hiri restarted her cast, doing enough the second time around to strike the target squarely. While the decision had proven her capable, at least in the eyes of the class, her apparent disrespect for the rules, at least in Cendricks' view, caused him to narrow his eyes.

"Didn't I explicitly mention that it would be one cast only? I've already told you the very important reasons as to why a REAL mage should not miss, so I hope I won't have to be repeating myself for any of you." A quick recollection of the class session thus far would tell Hiri that he didn't quite spell out that it would be one cast only, that it was more of an implied rule, but nobody would speak up to argue the minor detail, given how quick the man was in shooting such points down regardless of who was actually right. In this class, he was always right, so it seemed.

He couldn't help but take notice to the comment Hiri made as she returned to her seat. "I see you lack discipline. While the right mindset is crucial everywhere, it's even more important should you ever think of applying your skills to the military, be it the Elynsorian Army or even the Navy--though I doubt you'd be the one to take the honor of being the first woman on a ship in the latter, especially with that attitude. Keeping rank and file and not doing so many things out of line... that is what's going to keep you and everyone else around you alive," he remarked firmly. And while Hiri certainly had the seafaring credentials to arguably qualify as a proper sailor on many a ship, to Cendricks she was but another girl--and those were bad luck to keep on board an Elynsorian vessel.

The teacher could be seen making a few quick notes on his clipboard before turning back towards the rest of the class. "So, any volunteers for who is up next? Otherwise I'll pick the rest of you at random. We won't be going on any particular order today, as I expect the lot of you to be prepared no matter what."

For the first few moments, the class was predictably silent. After all, it wasn't difficult to see why anyone would hesitate following Cendricks' verbal decimation of the previous three students. But there were many more to go, and each and every student would be subject to his 'critiques' before taking a seat again.

Seeing that no one else would step forward, Alahan took a deep breath before raising his hand, to which the professor showed a hint of an impressed smirk. "Finally. Someone with a sense of initiative," commented the instructor before waving his hand in the direction of the designated casting spot. "Since you are an Earth Major, the requirements for you is half that of the others, but I expect a timely and accurate cast regardless. I'd like you to create a wall right in front of the 20 meter marker, perfectly in line with it. I know you can do that much," said the man.

Alahan simply nodded and began to concentrate. It was a longer cast than what Hiri and Eilinor did, but not unbearably so, and the result was, admittedly, fairly impressive. A shard of earth jutted up from the sand, nearly matching the profile of the magic-resistant marker stone. Cendricks then made a few marks in his clipboard, showing the Earth Major a firm nod. Another quick moment of focus from the caster and it descended back into the ground.

"Excellent. Good to know that at least someone in this class can follow directions AND execute," said the teacher as Alahan quietly moved back to his seat. While Hiri had pulled off much better and quicker casts than him nearly countless times on her own, the Earth Major apparently was able to perform well in this instance. It was good for him, even if she knew she was a more competent caster in the back of her mind.

Next up was Cleff. "30 yard line! Let's see if you've actually learned anything this time," barked Cendricks. The blonde-haired Lightning Major seemed more determined than ever to get things right this time around, his expression deadly serious. He strode up to the casting area, planted his feet, and put forward not two hands in the traditional manner, but just one. Was he seriously going to cast with only one hand? Provided, it was an entirely possible feat for fully fledged mages or professors to pull off, but definitely not for first-year students from what Hiri had seen of them, let alone Cleff. But the look in his eyes showed that he would not be deterred from such a challenge. Naturally, Cendricks raised a brow at this, but instead of saying anything, simply remained silent and allowed the student to proceed.

An audible crackle could be heard as a gate opened just inches from the Lightning Major's hand. The other students stared on in astonishment--even just the proper formation of a spell gate was apparently an unexpected event. Better yet, he had managed to sustain and hold it open. One of the common mistakes that new casters made was right after the initial opening, where a momentary loss in focus, perhaps due to the surprise that they had managed to make it, would cause the gate to rupture and fail. But Cleff grit his teeth as he continued to stare intently at his spell. Several seconds had passed with it open, and though it was a legitimate Lightning Gate in shape and form, nothing had actually been expelled from it. But instead of interrupting like he did with Wenille, Cendricks continued to watch, curious as to how much improvement had taken place.

Finally, a large bolt of lightning shot out, taking a dramatic arc towards the ground. It didn't even move past the 10 meter marker, though the impact it left behind was notable.

"Damnit!" cursed Cleff, kicking the ground in front of him.

Cendricks sighed deeply and put forth a disappointed look. "Better than last time, I suppose... but you're still going to have to practice more than that to get any kind of meaningful score on these live tests. You really can't be letting the girls in this class get the better of you," said the professor. The delinquent simply marched back to his seat and grumbled slightly, looking at his hand. Oddly enough, Cendricks opted not to put salt on the wound of the Lightning Major's disappointment.

With five of the students having finished the 'pop quiz' of sorts for the day, the stern teacher proceeded to test the others. None would be spared from his watchful eye, even if not all of them earned a mouthful of criticism. It was mostly the males who were spared from it, for the most part, not that there weren't exceptions either way. If Hiri's excellent show in Averill's class put her on a pedestal of sorts, she had been taken down from it just as quickly here, with Alahan having outperformed her.

He wasn't the only one, thanks to her rookie mistake. There were a handful of others that also did well enough to actually earn some reluctant praise from Cendricks: Ralf, a dark-haired Fire Major who carried a constant smirk; Breius, a seemingly air-headed Lightning Major of large build and short, fuzzy hair; and Jeanna, a somewhat standoffish Water Major. Their performances were good enough to spare them from Cendricks' sharp tongue, and while Hiri might have been sure that she was probably better than all of them, it certainly didn't show today.

Finally, class came to a close. "That's it for today," said Cendricks. "I expect improvements on everyone's part by next week. No exceptions," he concluded, before adjourning the session. As soon as he did, everyone was quick to leave, not a single student staying behind to bother chatting or discussing anything with the instructor.

Once they were a safe distance away from the man, Wenille placed a hand on Hiri's shoulder. "Whew! Glad that's over with. Hope you see what I mean now, at least. Just knowing that he's looking at me gets me all screwed up, every time! Even if I've done it perfectly practicing by myself. I mean, even if I told him how awesome you did, minutes before he got there, he wouldn't believe me. He's sort of a... yeah. At any rate, I'm sure you want to blow off some steam tonight after that. I sure do! No class tomorrow, so let's relax for once!"

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Thought is the Wind, Knowledge the Sail (BlueSlime) GMed by Takimaru

"You failed to mention that while I was here, sir." Hiri interjected immediately, as he stated his absurd policy on one shot casting.

As if Hiri wasn't annoyed enough at her own initial miss, this man had to go an find fault where there was none. When he commented on her lack of discipline, she didn't bother looking at him. And his rank and file comment struck her as just odd. She'd seen sailors do remarkable acts of bravery to save their shipmates from accidents, and that wasn't found in any drill she'd ever heard of. She found herself wishing her father was here right now. He'd know exactly what to say to shut down this drill sergeant's argument. Unfortunately, Hiri was at a loss for the right words and she doubted, from the way he had slid that sexist comment into his diatribe, that anything she told him would register.

She settled back in line besides Wenille and Eilinor, gave them each a shrug and a look to see if they were offering sympathy or sharing in her annoyance.

She watched as Alahan went up and performed his earth magic with enough skill to earn himself a congratulatory commendation from the teacher. This rankled her further, because her second cast had been more impressive. She grit her teeth and scowled at Alahan for being a teacher's pet and she immediately felt sorry for thinking it. She didn't want to come across as being full of herself, and she didn't want to simply hate Alahan for being liked by this ass of a teacher. She looked away before Alahan could see her face and tried to settle herself down.

Next in line was Cleff, who started off well and seemed to at least be looking the part, daring to take a one-handed stance, but in the end it was too much. The lightning major was punching above his weight and the spell shot off target and down into the dirt well short of the 10 meter mark. This led to Cendricks' most sexist comment yet and she clenched her hands into fists, glaring daggers at him.

In Talea, because women casters were so common on ships, they were well respected for the good luck and skill that they brought to the vessel. In addition, the way her papa had always treated her mama had always left Hiri with the impression that men were supposed to treat women with respect, or at least those men who were well-bred. She just couldn't fathom that someone intelligent enough to be a caster would have such a neanderthal view.

The minute class was over, Hiri was out of there with Wenille and Eilinor. Being around Cendricks would just make her blood boil.

"Yeah. I totally get it," Hiri said, crossing her arms in a huff as Wenille summed up her own frustrations with Cendricks. "I can't believe he talks about girls like that, as if we're second class citizens. And as for being in the Elynsoran military, they couldn't make me even if they begged! I'll sail the Talean flag anytime anywhere."

She set her jaw and mentally put her foot down on the subject. She'd have nothing to do with the Elynsoran military.

"Yeah, I really could do with some time to just relax. So what do you want to do for fun? And where are we going tonight?" Hiri let herself be distracted by happier thoughts. "Do we have to wear these uniforms or can I go get changed first?"

She glanced around to see if Eilinor was still with them as she waited for Wenille's answers.

 

[Takimaru]

Re: Thought is the Wind, Knowledge the Sail (BlueSlime) GMed by Takimaru

"I did? I figure you'd be bright enough to at least notice that the girls who went before you each had a single cast, whether it be a hit or a miss," retorted Cendricks flatly. It looked like he wasn't going to let Hiri or any other student have the last word with him if he could help it, and such was his determination in the matter that he would not remain quiet until they did. The Talean girl did herself a favor by opting to remain silent, as she was spared from further direct comments by the professor--all of which were practically guaranteed to be infuriating for the already frustrated Wind Major.

Her almost late attempts to hide her anger at the way Cendricks coddled the male students came just in time; Alahan glanced idly over at Hiri right when she turned her head. Cleff was too busy grumbling to himself to even notice anything around him. His own gaze had fixed down and towards the air in front of him as he opened and clenched his fists, trying to mentally figure out what had gone wrong. Likewise, the others were so concerned with their own performances that any reactions the new student showed were easily missed.

Luckily for her, it passed before too long, and the relief that came with the class dismissal was unlike anything Hiri had experienced at the Royal Magic Academy thus far.

Wenille shook her head. "I know, right? He's always like that. It's one of those things you just have to see, er, hear, to believe. Stupid chauvinistic... hmph. But don't let him ruin your opinion of the Elynsorian military. There are a lot of great mages and knights out there doing us proud without necessarily being such hardasses about it! And also ones that aren't too hard on the eyes, either." Her lips curled upwards ever so slightly into a dreamy smile.

"And, I don't know, but we could go looking around the city or something. Tonight, we're headed to one of the gathering places in Bragi Hall. Remember where it is? I showed it to you yesterday. If not, I can always meet you at the entrance to your dorm building. Anyway, I guess the monitor there is an alumni of the Academy and pretty cool about holding parties in the main lounge, so that's where a lot of students go to mingle once the weekend starts! And since it doesn't start until late, you don't even need to wear a uniform around campus or anything. Hope you packed some nice clothes with you! But even if you didn't, we could still go shopping around for some." Hiri remembered from the school rulebook that uniforms were to be worn at all times during school hours--that is, from morning up until dinner. After that, students were free to wear whatever they pleased.

"Should still be fine for now wearing our uniforms around the city though--I find that it helps in keeping out of trouble, actually. Not that we'll be venturing outside of Elynsor City's inner circle anyway." The 'inner circle' of the capital was known to be its more affluent district, while seedier establishments stayed towards the outside. The two zones were separated by a prominent white wall, which both literally and symbolically divided the upper and lower classes living in the city.

"So, what do you think? Want to head out to the shops for now?" asked the green-haired girl. "Then depending on when we get done, we can stop by our places real quick then meet up just in time for the get-together!"

Her brow furrowing, Eilinor hesitated. "I'm... not very good with crowds. I might have to pass on that. Sorry..."

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Thought is the Wind, Knowledge the Sail (BlueSlime) GMed by Takimaru

It made Hiri feel good to hear Wenille complaining about Cendricks, and she could tell more or less that a lot of the students felt the same way about him. In this respect at least, she was not an outsider.

"Oh, I don't think all Elynsoran men are like him. My mother is Elynsoran after all, and she said that her father was in the navy. He died long before I was born, so I never met him, but from what my mom says, he was nice and kind. But still, if joining the Elynsoran military meant having to deal with Cendricks, I'd rather be tied to a mast in the middle of a cyclone."

Hiri chuckled at her own mental image of being tied up to a post on a ship tossed on waves, with Cendricks yelling at her from the distant shoreline about how she needed to have more discipline.

"Anyways, if there are any handsome military men around here, they can come sail with me to Talea. Nicer weather there." Hiri said, walking along with the two girls back to the dormitories. The sky above them was cloudy and grey, but not enough that it would rain anytime soon. Judging by the wind, Hiri reckoned that the rainclouds would turn north of the city itself, meaning that walking outside this evening shouldn't be a problem.

"Yeah, I wouldn't mind shopping. All I have beside my uniform is my sailing outfits which aren't very flattering, and one traditional Talean dress, that my mother made me take for special occasions. I don't think tonight qualifies for that however and besides, I have an allowance through my parents, I might as well spend it on something. You can show me some Elynsoran fashion."

She nudged Wenille in a chummy manner, but when she heard Eilinor murmur about her hesitance around crowds, she lost her smile for a moment.

"Oh? Well, it's no trouble, Eilinor. Maybe we could go shopping some other time when there's not too many crowds. Are you going to be all right tonight? What are you planning on doing?"

Assuming that Eilinor made no alarming revelations about her evening plans, Hiri was ready and willing to go out with Wenille to see the sights, shop for a new outfit, and hear some tales about what awaited them tonight. Hiri was happy to relax and hopefully start to make some more friends.

 

[Takimaru]

Re: Thought is the Wind, Knowledge the Sail (BlueSlime) GMed by Takimaru

Hiri's joke about Cendricks earned a giggle from both girls, showing that she was certainly not alone in her sentiment about the stern professor.

"Oh, right! You did mention that your mother went to school here, didn't you? I almost forgot about that! Hmmmm..." Wenille held her gaze on Hiri for a just few seconds, as if inspecting the other girl's features, before turning away, trying her best to remain discreet about it. "So, is she from the capital then, or a different fiefdom? What's her family name, if you don't mind me asking?" She awaited an answer with no lack of curiosity, her eyes sparkling. Just from hearing a family's name in Elynsor, one could usually tell whether or not they were a noble, and to what degree. The highest tier of noble families in the capital had names that were practically known by all, while even the middle and lesser nobles' surnames were still recognizable by those who kept up with the gossip. Judging from her interest in Hiri's Elynsorian side, Wenille seemed to be the type to keep updated on such news.

"I really wish I could see Talea," she went on to say. "It must be bright and sunny all the time! Beaches of white sand and blue water... that's what I hear," added the other Wind Major dreamily, sinking back into her fantasies about travel and foreign lands. Wenille only reverted back when Hiri began to list off her current fashion inventory, and at that she put on a bright yet smug look, as it was as good an opportunity as any to display her knowledge in the area. "Ooh, yes! I'd be glad to show you some of the clothes here in Elynsor! Imported Honrainese silk is making a comeback this season. Though the Queen's Birthday is coming up soon, so we can definitely check out the parade and festivities that go along with it, along with the dresses the nobles might be wearing. They practically define the latest fashions every year--definitely not something to miss if you haven't seen it before. Still, I'm sure we can find you a nice set of clothes that'll last you at least about a year or so. Shall we?"

It was then that Eilinor voiced her concerns about crowds, with Hiri giving a sympathetic response. "Yes, maybe another time..." replied the Fire Major quietly. "I'll be fine. I, ah... n-nothing. Studying or reading," she added hesitantly after being asked what her plans were for the night. "Have fun." The dark-haired girl bowed her head towards the two before shuffling off in a straight line towards the general location of her dorm.

"Mmm..." Wenille said aloud once Eilinor was out of earshot. "She's always been like that, honestly. A little strange, which is why plenty of people in class don't bother trying to deal with her. Nice of you to actually try and break her out of her shell, though."

As the two left the academy gates, Hiri saw a tall white wall just a few blocks down, one she knew to separate the 'inner' and 'outer' parts of Elynsor City. The Royal Magic Academy itself was naturally placed firmly in the former, but even then, it wasn't terribly far from the symbolic (and literal) boundary between the upper and lower classes. Pubs, coopers' shops, smiths' forges and other common artisans' establishments waited beyond the wall. But today, they would be shopping within. Wenille reminded Hiri of this plan by steering her towards the side routes, where more specialized stores were lined up. Trinkets, accessories, potions, magical items and of course fine clothing were amongst the many goods sold here.

A quick check of her purse would show the half-Talean that she had 200 gold to spend for the time being, lest she wanted to return to her dorm and get another hundred that was specifically saved for emergencies. Besides, even 50 could take someone a long way in a single day, and in Talea it made you worthy of robbery.

While Hiri might have started her own mental list of places to visit of the various ones they passed by, Wenille beat her to a verbal suggestion of the first place they should visit. "Ooh, wait, I want to go to this one," said the green-haired girl aloud, motioning towards a shop whose sign was decorated in vibrant greens and golds, in noticeable contrast to the simple wooden signs usually protruding from the stores run by commoners. On it read "Arsdelia ~ Fine Threads" in an elegant, flowing font. Inside was a selection of fine clothing on both racks and stands. The fashions were certainly different to Hiri, but not to a degree that they looked so alien to her. They certainly didn't look that way to Wenille, whose eyes lit up at the various sights within.

A young man with light brown hair was working the counter. He seemed out-of-place given his somewhat awkward demeanor, but he was well dressed for his part. "Welcome! Is there anything I can help you with?" said the clerk in greeting.

"Oh, we're just looking, but we'll be sure to bother you if we need any help!" replied Wenille cheerfully.

The shopkeeper turned his head to the side in a poor attempt to hide a blush forming upon his face and nodded. "R-Right," he answered. "I'll be here if you need me."

With that, the two ventured deeper into the store, which was apparently quite spacious on the inside. As she moved along, Hiri spotted a much older lady emerge from a back room near the main desk, dressed in dark purples and decked out in the latest of fashions. Despite the signs of age showing in her features, she had done quite a bit to cover them up with makeup and the like. She turned an eye to the young man and frowned, before saying in a low voice (but apparently not so low as for Hiri to miss it):

"Didn't I tell you not to allow foreigners into this store?" said the woman with a sharp scowl.

"Well, she's from the Academy, so I just thought..."

"Hmph. I shouldn't have to repeat myself on such matters. At least keep an eye on her, will you?"

The youth put on a frown. "I will," he responded. His haughty employer gave the two girls a sharp look before retreating into the back room once more to resume whatever business she was attending to. Despite having agreed to a closer watch over Hiri, however, the clerk merely smiled in her direction before averting his eyes elsewhere. He was making a conscious attempt not to be rude or unjust, at the very least.

Past several of the clothing stands, Wenille spotted a group of four girls, all of whom were dressed in Academy uniform. The clique was composed of three Fire Majors and one Earth Major, the last of which stood out the most by virtue of her beauty and composed demeanor. She had long, strawberry blonde hair and piercing blue eyes, along with a noble air of sorts, a presence, that would stun most and intimidate others. Still, Wenille wasted no time in approaching them with a familiar smile. "Oh, hi, Edalia! Fancy seeing you here. How've you been?"

The three Fire Majors briefly exchanged looks while Edelia, apparently the most popular of the four, looked to Wenille with a calm smile. Hiri might have found the smile slightly unsettling with how opaque it was... it could be seen as warm, but not quite--this girl was truly hard to read. She couldn't tell if this Earth Major saw Wenille as a little sister of sorts or was simply reacting with manners that were practiced over and over again. "Hello, Wenille. I've been doing quite well. I'm having a look around. Though the prices have been oddly high as of late, don't you think?"

The green-haired girl replied with a nervous laugh. "Ahehe, y-yeah, I mean, what's up with that? Oh! Um, this is Hiri. She's from Talea, just joined our class!"

"I see," replied the Earth Major. "Interesting. Nice to meet you... Hiri," she added with a smile and a polite bow of her head.

But that was about as much attention as Edelia would pay Hiri for the time being. Making a thoughtful look, she glanced over to the nearby racks of clothes. "I was hoping to find a proper dress, or at least an accessory, in time for the Queen's Birthday. My family is having me go once again--just as they do every year. And yet it's just more spending on something that will likely go out of fashion in a season or two. It can be such a hassle, don't you think?"

"Are you kidding me? You're so lucky to be able to go up there with the few REAL noble houses of Elynsor... I actually really envy you," said Wenille in a notably submissive tone.

"Oh? Perhaps we should switch roles sometime, then," responded Edelia with a small laugh before finally spotting a garment she appeared to like--a silky green dress that, if Hiri bothered to conjure such a mental image, would look quite appropriate on the noble beauty.

"This is quite nice," she said softly, earning a few nods of agreement from the Fire Majors following her. However, once she turned over the price tag, her expression faded a notch. "Unfortunately, I don't feel as though the price is even remotely justified." Upon taking a closer look, Hiri would find the tag to read '800'... as in, 800 gold! Edelia was right. It was a small fortune in the outer parts of Elynsor, let alone Talea. And there it was, in plain view. To grab and hide it while the clerk's back was turned would be so... easy. But a second look would show that his attention had been drifting between Hiri and Wenille.

"Mm, actually, I can see that the clerk over there hasn't been able to take his eyes off of you and your friend, Wenille," suggested Edelia, giving a quick sideways glance at the gawking shopkeeper. "Why don't you talk to him?" she urged.

Wenille bit her lower lip as nervousness took over. "R... Really?"

"I have a good sense for these things," insisted Edelia. "Having someone like that around your finger could certainly help in the fashion department, don't you think?"

"Oh! Eheh, you're probably right... but I mean, you're so pretty, you're probably used to having every boy wait on you everywhere, huh?"

Hiri wasn't as blinded by Edelia's lovely mask as her fellow Wind Major. She did know that successful thefts were best made with a distraction. Was Edelia trying to recruit Wenille to be this 'distraction' while she lifted an overpriced dress from the shop? Ultimately, whether or not Hiri cared to interrupt or say anything about it was, of course, up to her.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Thought is the Wind, Knowledge the Sail (BlueSlime) GMed by Takimaru

Hiri blinked a bit under Wenille's sudden scrutiny, turning her head side to side as her eyes followed the squinting look of the other wind major.

"Um... I think she said she was from the capital, she never told me exactly where. In truth, I've never met my grandparents on my mother's side. I don't even know if they're still around. My mother is Hana Leamoss. Her parents are Roland and Patricia Leamoss. Does that ring any bells for you?"

She'd listen with interest to anything that Wenille could reveal about her maternal family line. Mama never talked about them all that much, and when pushed about it, she'd said simply that her father didn't like her sailing away with Hiri's papa. She had never expressly said it, but Hiri had gotten the impression that her mother had eloped with her father, and that she'd never properly been back to visit them. The only person her mama ever visited on their stops in Elynsor was her best friend, Jesika.

"Maybe after we've graduated you can take a trip with me to Talea," Hiri said, light-heartedly. "You'll be a proper wind mage by then, so you'd be able to help with the passage. You may even be able to get hired on a ship if you're really good. It's a really well-paid position, and you'd get to see the world like you say you'd wanted to do."

The subject of conversation eventually turned to fashion, which the Talean could tell was a particularly favored subject for her talkative friend. Hiri listened to the descriptions of Honrainese silks, of the Queen's Birthday celebration, and of the parades and masquerades that the nobles would attend, donning all the cutting edge dress styles that would trickle down into the gentry levels, becoming all the new rage among the courtiers. Hiri liked looking good, but she didn't think she could ever be as obsessed about it as her friend was.

She was a bit sad to see Eilinor go off by herself, but she didn't press the issue. The fire major was a solitary sort and not a fan of crowds. There was no reason to make her uncomfortable by forcing her to shop with them. She waved goodbye and turned to Wenille after she had left.

"Eilinor seems very nice, and besides, she sits next to me. It'd be more awkward if I ignored her everyday for the next year." Hiri explained, rather practically. "She's also in my dormitory, she clearly has a handle on her fire spells, so she could probably teach me a thing or two. Plus, I used to be a bit shy like her, until some sailors taught me how to climb up really high on a ship and tie all sorts of knots and read the wind to get a ship going the right way. I was a lot more talkative once I felt confident. Maybe it'll be the same for her."

The two girls left the Academy grounds and headed out into the inner city streets, walking among the upper class shops and beautifully constructed buildings, all within the shadow of the Royal Palace and the Cathedral of Erion. Hiri smiled and took in the sites, glancing around at the light skinned people. She felt acutely aware now that she was a minority, noticing lingering looks upon her wherever she went. Not all of the people here had seen someone as dark as her before.

Nowhere did this feeling of being an outsider become more apparent than when they entered the dressmaker's shop. The clerk at the desk seemed nice enough, noticing her odd coloring but smiling at her all the same and welcoming her to the shop. She'd simply let Wenille do the talking and had bobbed her head at him, but as they were walking away, she'd spotted the old woman, and soon enough had overheard the distrusting commentary. It made her feel hurt inside, that she should somehow be considered untrustworthy because she was a foreigner. If anything, she understood the troubles of a merchant more than most, having had one as a father.

Doing her best to shunt the feelings of unease to the side, she walked down the aisles of the shop, trailing behind Wenille. She was so preoccupied with the shopkeeper's comments that she didn't realize her friend had stopped in place, and bumped into her as she had just been about to open her mouth to say hi to the earth major with the strawberry blonde hair who was also browsing the shop. Hiri muttered muffled sorry to Wenille and stood to the side, listening with only mild interest to the interaction between the two of them.

When she noticed the price tag on the dress, she let out a low whistle. "That IS ridiculous. An entire roll of silk is only worth 3 or 4 gold in the Jangdao market, maybe up to 6 if it's been a particularly bad year. Even with delivery costs and mark up, what they're charging for the labor here is a king's ransom. Wenille, are you sure this is the shop we should be in? It's not like you or I need to meet the Queen or anything."

She looked at her friend doubtfully until Edalia suddenly became very interested in having them go 'talk' to the clerk. Something in the way she said it seemed off, and got Hiri thinking about the real possibility of theft. Was this rich noble going to steal the overpriced dress? It wasn't that Hiri agreed with the price tag, but stealing it didn't make sense to her either. Someone had spent a lot of time and money making that dress, and it would have to be bought at some point. If the price was too high, they'd eventually mark it down, for certain.

"Maybe we could ask him for some suggestions?" Hiri said, while her eyes stared directly at Edalia. "Or we could have him take our measurements? What about you, Edalia? I'm sure if you dropped your name to the shop owner they might bend over backwards to make you a sale. After all, seeing that dress on you at the parade would make this shop much more money from this single purchase alone. Perhaps I could show you how to haggle like a Talean, hm? Might be fun."

She left that last line in there almost as a challenge. If Edalia was a high Elynsoran noble and willing to steal, then it was clear she was some sort of thrill seeker. Perhaps if Hiri offered her a different thrill, she'd avoid committing a crime.

 

[Takimaru]

Re: Thought is the Wind, Knowledge the Sail (BlueSlime) GMed by Takimaru

"Oh, the Leamoss clan! I'd never have guessed you to be part of such an old family," remarked Wenille. "No offense or anything, of course. If I remember right, they have a lot of history with Elynsor. I think they even have lineage going back to the original lineup of the kingdom's first noble families! Well, I'm not totally sure, but I swear I've seen the last name engraved on some monuments in town or something. Maybe I can look for it again. Anyway, no one really hears too much from them anymore, though now that you mention it, I guess it's because, ah..." She paused, realizing the awkwardness that what she had left unsaid might cause. It made sense. Most likely, Hiri's father was the reason for staying out of the public eye. Gaining the acceptance of a high-blood family was no easy task, especially for a foreigner.

Hiri's mention of a trip to Talea was just what the green-haired one needed to help stray from the increasingly troublesome topic. "Absolutely! I'd love to go to Talea!" Her expression lit up once again. "Nothing's quite as motivating in terms of finishing these studies as a literal trip to paradise. I would even put up with another year of Cendricks' crap if it meant the chance to see some beautiful places!"

As the subject moved to Eilinor, she responded with a rather indifferent look and a shrug. "I guess you're right," said the other Wind Major. "Awkwardness isn't really something I'd want to put up with every day in class. I must've just gotten lucky with the whole seating arrangement thing. I mean, you have that other guy next to you too... Cleff, was it? Yeah, he's also a little... different. If only you ended up next to me instead, things would be so much easier," she lamented aloud. "But seriously, you were like that? No way. I'd have to have seen the you from back then to believe it! Besides, being shy is one thing, but talking about... 'visitors' and stuff is... well, nevermind. I get what you're saying. But it's cool that you can be so understanding, honestly! I wish I was as nice as you."

When they moved on into the shop, Hiri's collision with Wenille prompted a few giggles from the girls in front of them. Other than causing a small, polite inquiry on Edelia's part, it didn't cause too much of a disturbance.

"Mm. Is your friend alright?"

"Oh, yeah, she's fine! It's just her first time here, so, you know."

After their introductions were made, the other girls couldn't help but hear Hiri's own appraisal of the prices at the store, as well as her comparison to those in Talea. While the differences appeared to fascinate Wenille, the invisible social rift between Hiri and Edelia only seemed to grow.

"THREE gold, as in three pieces?! Seriously?! I mean, even six here is literally a steal! That's... wow, it's even more reason to visit Talea! So is this how your father makes bank? Anyone who knew what they were doing could be so rich with a bit of travel!" Of course, to the green-haired girl, it all sounded so easy and wonderful. Hiri, on the other hand, was far more familiar with the harsh realities of sea travel, as well as the hassle of trading and conversion.

"If it was just about money, things would be so much easier, don't you think?" Edelia mused aloud, her seemingly 'wise' remark earning visible agreement from her clique.

But when Hiri made her suggestion to have the man take their measurements in response to what seemed like a subtle attempt to get Wenille as an unwitting accomplice, the Earth Major exhibited a barely noticeable look of surprise. While one of the wind mages was easily fooled, it seemed that the other was not. She was quick to recompose herself, however, and washed it over with a smile, though her tone lacked a tinge of the graciousness that it had before.

"Mm... right. That would be nice, wouldn't it. So you are from Talea? We don't, really... ah, haggle, here in Elynsor. Certainly not in the capital's inner circle, anyway. Though that method should find you some success in the outer markets, I'm sure," remarked Edelia, her words now laced with condescension. The suggestion looked to be a solid one to Wenille, from the way her expression perked, but the earth mage appeared less than thrilled about it.

"Well, I suppose we should be off to take a look at some of the other shops," she added after a pause. "See you around, Wenille... Hiri," said the noble in farewell, nodding to each in turn, before strolling out alongside her friends.

If Hiri's goal was to deter the Earth Major from stealing, then it was successful in a sense. She had kept her from making a successful heist, at least from this particular store. Edelia seemed to catch the hint that the tan-skinned girl was very much onto her, and so with her cover blown she chose to depart for the time being--presumably to find another place to sate her thrill-seeking ways. But by doing so, she had likely earned the disdain of an apparently popular noble. It was something of a bittersweet victory, if one could call it that.

Meanwhile, Wenille appeared confused by it all.

"Oh, uh... bye, Edalia!" She gave an awkward smile as the group of girls took their leave, glancing over at the clerk afterwards. What just happened? She couldn't make left from right of it.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Thought is the Wind, Knowledge the Sail (BlueSlime) GMed by Takimaru

Hiri took on a quiet look as Wenille mused upon the reasons for the Leamoss clan dropping out of the public eye. Thankfully, the green-haired girl seem to pick up on this and realize the awkward subject matter before she entirely blurted out what was best left unsaid. Hiri's mother had likely run off with a foreigner, against the wishes of her noble parents. Had her Elynsoran ancestors despised her father for his heritage? Would they look at Hiri and find the small signs of resemblance as a mockery of their bloodline? Her mother had sung her Elynsoran lullabies - would the people who taught her mother such kindness be so hypocritical?

These were uncomfortable questions to which Hiri didn't particularly want answers. She knew that her Talean grandparents had accepted her. Her grandpa Doni was a jovial man who was proud of his son and prouder still of his granddaughter. The old, crinkled joker who was the patriarch of a trading fleet dynasty had gladly ignored work to go and play with Hiri as a child - the point where her papa claimed he was spoiling Hiri rotten.

If one group of grandparents could be so loving, it was hard to imagine that another might be distainful of her. Maybe the Leamoss' wouldn't be that way. Maybe they'd be as loving of her as the Lei Tan's were. But the thought of hateful rejection, of them maybe blaming Hiri as the reason their daughter ran away from them, Hiri didn't think she could handle that well.

Eager to get her mind off that topic, she talked with Wenille about Talea, and that happily moved the green-haired girl onward to flights of fancy, and after that, onto the subject of her views on Eilinor.

"I think you're nice," Hiri answered. "Let's face it, you're the only one who really approached me, offering to show me around, trying to get me familiar with people and places, warning me about Cendricks, practicing spells with me -- all of it. And I didn't ask you to do that, you just wanted to."

The Talean shrugged with a quirky smile. "And I appreciate it. Others are looking at me because I'm some kind of oddity. You're going shopping with me. It makes me feel normal, and that's worth a lot to me."

~~~

Later on, in the highly overpriced dress shop, Hiri found herself growing more and more certain that Edelia and herself were not destined to be friends. A noble who was obviously one of the few people who could actually afford these exorbitant prices and still she felt she needed to steal.

For a moment, Hiri had recalled the attitude of the shopkeeper, and her dim view on foreigners. If it were just that lady who would suffer from Edelia's little scheme, Hiri might just let the crooked noble get away with her heist. But that wasn't going to be the case. The shop attendant would be punished, and Wenille and herself would likely be blamed as accomplices, unwitting or not.

Hiri wasn't planning on getting incarcerated for someone else's crimes on her second day of school. So she altered the course of the plan as best she could without outright coming out and accusing Edelia, which would be a step too far. It was good enough just to see the back of the Earth Major and her Fire Trio as they made their way out the door.

Hiri then double checked that there hadn't been any dresses gone missing, nor anything incriminating placed on her person or Wenille in an act of spite. She definitely didn't like the change in Edelia's tone, figuring that she might have just made an enemy. Not that it bothered her much, but she was worried about Wenille. The girl seemed way too starstruck by the well-off girl.

"She's a bit much, isn't she?" Hiri said after Edelia had gone. "I agree with her that the dress is pricey, but trying to use us as a distraction so she could steal it? Tsk tsk."

Hiri was very prepared for Wenille to be flabbergasted by the very thought of Edelia stealing something.

"Oh please, Wenille. It was fairly obvious. Maybe she's used to everyone fawning over her so much that they don't notice her methods, but I can see it clear as day. She wanted us to go distract the shop attendant so she could make good her escape and leave us to take any blame. When she saw I'd made her, she scooted off. Good riddance."

Hiri crossed her arms and looked at some other dresses, seeing if anything here was more her style (and price range.)

"She may seem great to you Wenille, but for your own sake, you should be more careful. Anyways. Is there anything in here that you want? Or should we go find a better store?"

 

[Takimaru]

Re: Thought is the Wind, Knowledge the Sail (BlueSlime) GMed by Takimaru

Luckily, nothing appeared to be missing that Hiri could spot, nor was there anything planted on either girl's figure. She had even managed to avoid any suspicious looks from the cashier, who was so adamant on trying to be polite that he avoided eye contact a little too much--at least, for someone who was supposed to be attending a shop. As such, Hiri had served as the only true obstacle to Edelia getting her way. She played the part very well.

At the Talean girl's mention of theft, Wenille reacted predictably.

"What? Seriously?! There's no way! I mean, she could literally buy that shop if she wanted to. There'd be literally nothing for her to gain out of doing something like that," replied the green-haired one, utterly puzzled by her friend's implication.

Hiri was quite prepared with a very direct retort, however, to which the other Wind Major could only frown. "I... I guess. I just... I just don't see how anyone could do something like that. Especially not a noble with the rank that she has. It doesn't make any sense to me," she lamented aloud as she tried to make sense of the possibility. But Hiri seemed very firm in her supposition, enough to seem correct about the strawberry-blonde noble. Failing to find a proper counterargument that would hold up, Wenille put on a somewhat defeated look as she conceded the point.

Another quick look or two over the store's merchandise would show that while there were indeed some fancy styles, including a rare few that caught Hiri's eye, even the simplest designs here were in the triple digits, at 180 gold or so; practically what some peasants could only hope to make in a month, and the majority of her purse as it was. Then again, that very much seemed the entire point of some of these designs.

"Oh... uhm, yeah. We can look somewhere else if you want," responded Wenille, trying her best to seem indifferent about the choice, despite her relative haste in leaving the shop after the suggestion. The clerk seemed a little crestfallen at this, but he failed to utter much other than a 'thank you' to the two for having visited. It was still likely better than what his employer would have managed.

"Sometimes they have good stuff, but I didn't really find anything there today for some reason," commented Wenille after they had taken at least a dozen or so paces away from the shop. "I mean, for our event tonight, we're not exactly going to a ball or anything, I just think it'd be good to at least look nice, you know?" She seemed to avoid talking about the price at all, as if it were bad taste to do so. "At least there's still quite a selection on this strip, so I'll let you choose this time. Don't worry, we practically can't go wrong in this district. Only way we'd ever get looked at weird is if we wore a dress that was obviously made in the outer rings of the city."

Another block down, they spotted a line of other shops, each with their own styles. "Allisian Attire" seemed to have only black and / or white dresses, each with a high use of lace, in their windows. Another store called "Ophelia's Dresses" had products composed of brighter, pastel colors, some with floral print, for a more carefree feel. "Lin's Imported Fabrics" actually carried silk clothing as well, the dyes employed having deeper hues of red, green and blue. They seemed fairly busy inside compared to the other establishments. Finally, "Cisellei Gowns" had a selection of dresses in the window with a peculiar looking texture to them; most likely they were made with a type of fabric that the well-traveled Hiri would recognize as velvet.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Thought is the Wind, Knowledge the Sail (BlueSlime) GMed by Takimaru

"Let's look around somewhere else. Maybe we'll come back here later," Hiri said as they crossed the main room of the establishment and walked past the counter where the attendant was looking a little crestfallen at having lost his sale. "Assuming our business is still wanted in this store."

She let that be her way of letting the attendant know that she had heard his conversation with the old crone. That was mostly why she wasn't overly excited to spend her money in this store, not because of anything the young man had done.

When they were outside on the main street again, she let Wenille lead her down the lane, looking at the other shops. The dresses in the windows were elegant, stylish, and the sort of thing that Hiri had never really worn before. She felt like trying on all of them, and she told as much to Wenille, in an effort to cheer the disillusioned wind major up.

"Ciselli's Gowns seem to have velvet in stock. They look quite amazing. Have you felt velvet, Wenille? I think it must feel wonderful to wear - but it is heavy and more of a winter dress."

She mused in front of the window, then turned and moved toward Lin's Imported Fabrics. "Silk is a much more spring and summery material. Let's get something from here. They look busy too. Maybe they have good prices. We could get something in green, to go with our major's color."

Entering into the imported shops, Hiri would look to see if there were a nice green dress that would fit her well and compliment her figure. She was willing to buy something in the triple digits as a gift to herself, but she didn't want to spend all of her money on just one dress. She wanted to have the rest left over for meals and out of pocket spending for later in the week.

She would model for Wenille and also be as good a supportive friend as she could for when Wenille modeled dresses for her. If the shop owners in the imports shop were kind to foreign buyers, she'd be more inclined to give her business to them.

 

[Takimaru]

Re: Thought is the Wind, Knowledge the Sail (BlueSlime) GMed by Takimaru

The cashier put on a guilty look, but came up with no timely response for Hiri's casually delivered implication. He could only watch as Hiri and Wenille took their leave.

Her well-timed change of subject did well enough in getting the other girl's mind off of the troublesome topic of Edelia and her methods. Practically any talk of clothes and fashion proved sufficient in piquing Wenille's interest, and Hiri chose her words well. It didn't hurt that there were many enticing displays for the pair to look at as they walked along, providing extra fuel for the fire of their conversation.

"Velvet does look wonderful! I've felt it a few times before, and it does have a really different sort of texture. It does seem like something you'd wear in the winter due to its weight and stuff. Which is really kind of odd, considering that it originated in Deun, or so I hear! I mean, isn't it practically all deserts over there? Why would something so good at keeping you warm be invented in a place that's so... well... hot?" she asked aloud, putting some of her naivete about the world's biomes on display.

"Yes, silk is even better! I actually like how smooooooooth it feels," replied the other Wind Major when they reached the shop with the silk dresses. "I wonder what plant it's made from?"

Her eyes sparkled as she leaned ever closer to the window. Then, she couldn't help but grin upon seeing that business was indeed booming within the establishment. "Fufu, I wasn't kidding when I said silk was in season. Anyway, good call--let's have a look inside!"

Without further ceremony, Wenille ushered Hiri right inside, where about a dozen other girls, split into groups of two or three, were shopping within and having discussions amongst themselves. Since the half-Talean beauty already had a particular color in mind, it didn't take her very long at all to spot a group of dresses that fit her specifications.

"Wow, there isn't just green--there's tons of it! Jade, Celadon, Hunter, even Deunic and Ayonian Green! Though I think maybe we should stick with the first choice. What do you say?" There was also a variety of styles to choose from, of which Wenille appraised aloud. "Cleavage windows, huh... maaaybe something I'll stay away from, since I don't think I have the boobs for that kind of thing. But, a dress like this that shows a bit of leg might be okay, so long as it's not higher than what we normally wear. Ooh, what do you think of this?" She modeled a somewhat short, loose dress with a layered skirt and modest neckline. Still, it was accompanied by several nice, flowy lines, giving a very 'wind' like feel. "Very breezy and carefree, kinda like this season?"

"Or maaaaybe..." she went on, floating to a nearby rack, "...this." Wenille presented a rather tight-fitting article, with a high, enclosed neck, no sleeves, and a longer bottom. It was a bit more subdued than the previous garment, but would, without a doubt, hug the wearer's curves in all the right places without actually showing too much skin. "I think it looks good on you, actually. Makes you seem really tall and slender! Not that you like, aren't or anything I guess, just helps accentuate it real nice like."

"Oh! Or this one--silk AND lace put together in one package! Though uhm, there's pretty much nothing covering your back, but... some guys are into that, I hear. Could always accessorize with a light shawl or something. Oh look, there's one right here for just an extra 10 gold..."

Whichever Hiri went with, Wenille would pick one that complemented it well, with both dresses being some shade of green. The woman running the shop looked to be Honrainese, but polite enough to an extent that even the Talean didn't feel threatened or excluded in the least. Wenille made her purchase first, apparently having no qualms about producing the funds from her purse. Then, it was Hiri's turn. Luckily for her, she would find that the prices were lower... well, somewhat lower than the last store they visited. It was a total of 100 gold for her choice--a clear markup from what it would sell in Talea, but without a doubt a great price for anyone living in Elynsor, given the quality. However, if she felt so inclined, she could always attempt to haggle a bit with the owner.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: Thought is the Wind, Knowledge the Sail (BlueSlime) GMed by Takimaru

As they walked and talked, Hiri began to get a clearer idea of just how naive Wenille was about the world. It was a harmless naivete though, and even a tad endearing, if only because it seemed to Hiri that the idealistic Elynsoran was only suffering from a lack of education and experience, rather than inherent intelligence.

"I think it gets really cold at night in Deun," Hiri said, just giving Wenille something to think about, without trying to sound as if she were coming off as a know it all regarding the use of velvet in a desert. When the issue of silk's origins came up however, Hiri did allow herself a bit of a giggle. "Don't be alarmed, but that gorgeous material doesn't come from a plant. It's actually made by a worm."

At that, Hiri made a face and watched to see if Wenille would be disgusted by the idea that such a material could be crudely considered worm extract. "If it feels that good, I don't think many people would care where it came from. And hey, you're right, it is on sale. Let's go!"

Taking Wenille by the arm, Hiri made her way into the store, grinning at all the dresses and finery. The busy shop was much more to Hiri's standards and expectations. It was busy with potential customers, the shop keeper wasn't judging Hiri by her looks, and the prices seemed far more reasonable just at a cursory glance.

Over the next hour or so, she and Wenille modeled many different styles and cuts of dresses, always looking to buy within the color of their chosen field of study. Hiri was not opposed to Jade as their preferential color, so they stuck to that shade when choosing outfits. For the most part, Hiri deferred to Wenille in making the first choices and would gladly let the fairer girl model the dresses first, unless Wenille insisted otherwise.

"They all look nice, but I think we can stay away from cleavage windows. Not that I don't think we could pull it off but... I don't know, it seems something maybe more appropriate for an older person. You know, like someone in their twenties."

Hiri set aside that mentioned option and moved on to the others. "And oh yeah, this dress, with the slit all the way up to the thigh? Don't you think that sends out all the wrong messages? I mean, we're not manhunters, right? Although I've seen some amazingly gorgeous women in Duen wear some outfits like this, only the material was practically transparent. It was when my dad was trying to make a deal with a wealthy noble, who had invited us all to stay in his private residence. I think both my dad and the noble were embarassed to have my mama and me there. Er, mother.... Anyway, it was quite the revealing experience, if you know what I mean. The noble apparently thought that my dad's first mate meant his male second in command officer."

Hiri set the leg-revealing number aside as well after that tale, then weighed up the remaining options. "Although to be honest, it's not like our uniforms cover up all that much. I hadn't thought Elynsor would be so flashy, at least not from what all the women wear in the outer city. Hmmm... these last two are nice. The sleeveless one reminds me of the style in Honrai. The backless one though, wow, it really goes down a long way doesn't it? What do you think? I think that I'll hold off on it and go with the sleeveless one, though it is a shame. That shawl does look nice."

After dithering a bit unable to decide, Hiri eventually made a decision and went for the form-hugging, sleeveless jade colored dress that accentuated her tall, slim figure. She made sure to help Wenille find one similar to it but not an exact replica, so that neither girl was copying the other's look.

When they were satisfied, Hiri would make the purchase along with Wenille, and would happily scamper her way back to the campus.

"I hope everyone likes this dress. I don't want to screw up and make a bad first impression. You know, outside of class I mean."