Heavenly ★ Branches [IC]

[Clown_of_God]

Not even the first week, or even the first day for that matter, had passed and the mental exhaustion was already starting to settle in. Not only were they reviewing topics from the previous year, but the upcoming subjects were going to be twice as in-depth and twice as boring.

 

When the bells chimed for the evening, announcing that the students could go on break and eat lunch, a young girl with practically white, mid length hair that contrasted with her Amber eyes and dark skin, let out a heavy sigh as she began walking down the halls and towards the cafeteria.

 

"We just started the first day of the new semester and you're already like this? You aren't going to make it through the year, are you?"

 

"Not at all... I'm surprised I made it through last year."

 

"Shall I aid in tu... tor... ing... what is it?"

 

Making her way towards the nearest window, the girl looked out towards the courtyard and off into the distance. Behind her, and closing the distance, her female companion with seemingly violet-red hair flicked the long locks over her shoulder as she moved around the former and peered out the window as well. Sure enough, there was a commotion going on amongst the new shipment of students and a teacher had to step in.

 

"Heehee, almost reminds me of the time Karna nearly turned our group into a barbecue."

 

"I had singed hairs and a smell I couldn't wash out for the longest of time after that. First time in a while I had to cut it up to my shoulder blades."

 

"But you looked super pretty with your hair short like that. Of course, it took away from that regal look you always strut around wi- Oh, that boy and his girlfriend are heading towards the fountain. You did the same thing."

 

"I didn't rush, but I was curious as to what I was currently capable of at the time."

 

Standing there, the two took a moment to watch in silence as the boy seemingly began to dance around the fountain, his arms flailing about similar to a conductor until something happened and the pipe within seemed to explode, sending the marble head flying into the air before landing a few meters away with a thud. Not wasting a moment, the white haired girl slung the window open and began climbing through it, pausing when she felt a hand grasp her wrist and looking back.

 

"Sienna, what are you even doing?"

 

"I'm going to meet him. Wanna meet in the cafeteria at our usual spot? Oh! If you see Karna, tell him I'm playing with the new kids, okay?"

 

"I might, but I won't make any promises regarding him."

 

"Violet, please?"

 

Having to look away, Violet tried to ignore the expression Sienna was currently making before heaving a sigh and loosening her grip, eventually dropping her arm down by her side. With a click of her tongue, Violet crossed her arms over her chest and took a few steps away.

 

"Only cause you asked. Don't do anything too rash o... kay? Why do you do that?"

 

Without even waiting for Violet's complete answer, Sienna had already launched herself from the window and into the air, where she seemed to hover for a moment before coming to a soft, rolling land, springing up to a wide stance and arms spread over her head like she had just made the best landing. While dusting off her back side, Sienna approached the fountain and looked at the aftermath.

 

"Wow, five minutes, roughly, of dancing about and flailing your hands through the air, now we have a broken fountain... again. It was certainly entertaining, though, like a drunken sailor dancing during a storm... unless you were supposed to be conducting. If that's the case, then you'd be a poor conductor, not gonna lie... Anyway, I'm Sienna Brunilda, a second year and one of your seniors, welcome to the academy!"

 

Spinning around with her arms stretched high above her, Sienna felt accomplished with her introduction, with a grin practically stretched from ear to ear. Once her small performance was complete, she dropped her arms back down to her side and then pulled them behind her back, cuffing her left wrist in her right hand.

 

"Sooo... lunch is just about to start and I wanna go meet the other new students, so I'll hear your names in the cafeteria. Well... unless Dr. Robinson finds out... then it might be later this evening... but it was nice meeting you two!"

Edited April 20, 2016 by zakku_uchiha

[TehUltimateMage]

"Lunch is my favorite class," Flint exclaimed after a yawn escaped his mouth. The two hours of the combat introductory class passed quicker than he thought they would. Lunch would also be luxuriously long, according to the schedule, and then it was back to the relative normalcy of sitting around in class all day. Honestly, if they were training to fight, he didn't think he would need to find the length of the third side of a right angle triangle...

 

The line for food was already a little long for his taste, since he and Antonio had taken their time to get to the dining hall. Through the stone building's large windows he could already see many people inside, many of which walked with the confidence of second years who knew the place like the back of their hands. Even though he saw the interior yesterday, it was still a little underwhelming that Heaven's Gate looked like a regular high school, if one didn't count the fact that they were in the middle of nowhere.

 

Slipping through the doors, Flint had taken one of the plastic cups from the cafeteria and had filled it with dirt from one of the planters outside. Might as well get to work. He sat down at a table and stared at the cup intently with the focus of a savant, furrowing his brow while he lifted it and examined the cup of dirt from below, then stood up to view it from above. The earth felt damp and yielding when he gave it a few curious prods, yet it crumbled to bits when he rolled it between his fingers. His task, as assigned, was simple... yet infinitely complex in the sense that he didn't know where to start.

 

He took a pinch and tasted it. His nose and tongue immediately recoiled, and even though he spit it out he could still feel the grit of sand between his teeth.

 

"Don't thry that," the young man spoke through his tongue, glaring at Antonio. "Tastes exactly like you would expect."

 

((The Dining Hall has been added to the list of unlocked locations. You have a little bit of time to interact. According to Spyro, Lunch is Spaghetti today.))

Edited April 20, 2016 by TehUltimateMage

[MrSpyro]

((And there's garlic bread))

 

Dimitri wolfed down his lunch, not even taking time to savor the garlic bread, because he just had to learn how to control his element before anyone else. He shoved everything except his water down the garbage can, (safety first) and went to work. Dimitri plucked his Branch out of his hair and stared at it. He stuck his index finger out and a fuchsia flame, the same color as his Branch, appeared a centimeter the tip. Wow, that was easy, he thought to himself. And a little underwhelming Dimitri tried to make the flame bigger, but it only became the size of a ping-pong ball before sputtering out. He tried again, and the flame stayed. It actually looked pretty solid, and Dimitri was tempted to touch it. He gave in to the temptation, and cupped the flaming orb in his palms for a few seconds, until it became hot, causing Dimitri to reflexively drop it. The ball bounced off of the floor and sizzled out after hitting the wall. It left a small scorch mark, but Dimitri pretended not to notice and crossed his fingers that nobody would see it.

[Thaelasan]

There was a silence as Will stood in front of the decimation he had caused, Freyja rubbing his shoulder comfortingly. This isn't what he had meant at all. No... this wasn't the water he wanted...

A voice knocked him from his thoughts and he looked up, forlorn.

"Wow, five minutes, roughly, of dancing about and flailing your hands through the air, now we have a broken fountain... again. It was certainly entertaining, though, like a drunken sailor dancing during a storm... unless you were supposed to be conducting. If that's the case, then you'd be a poor conductor, not gonna lie... Anyway, I'm Sienna Brunilda, a second year and one of your seniors, welcome to the academy!"

Will sighed, breathing out loudly, depressed.

"Are ye here just to... make fun o' me?" Will asked, no longer interested in starting something. He was more sad than angry, but a slight spark of irritation showed in his eyes.

There was a long, awkward moment where he didn't speak, Freyja looking at Sienna angrily, making her understand she wasn't wanted.

Sooo... lunch is just about to start and I wanna go meet the other new students, so I'll hear your names in the cafeteria. Well... unless Dr. Robinson finds out... then it might be later this evening... but it was nice meeting you two!"

"Right... nice...." Will sighed, rubbing his face. He'd have to tell Doctor Robinson. He just couldn't let this go. It wasn't right. Hands in his pockets, he looked utterly broken.

"Don't ye think that was right harsh?!" Freyja said, hands on her hips. "Really now, rubbing it in?! Where do you get off doin' that to Will?!"

Her tone was obviously annoyed, her face showing the full extent of her anger.

But Will piped up, surprising Freyja.

"....Where is Robinson's office?" he asked Sienna. "I... need to tell her about this. It ain't right to hide it."

[Coryn02]

Matthew normally wouldn't have cared, but being outright told by a teacher that he wouldn't stand a chance against two other students in a fair fight was a bit of a downer.

 

I'll not let myself be pushed aside that easily. I'm going to prove I can be as good as everyone else.

 

As Dr. Robinson went on a little bit about the elements, Will ran off upon hearing that a Branch had to be in arm's reach to be used and employed the elements in the user's surroundings, with Freyja following close behind, presumably to try and keep him out of trouble.

 

I'd try a leash, Freyja Breckenridge. Will's too reckless for his own good. He's probably going to try and bend something... Can't say he's the first to be excited. Dr. Robinson had to fix stuff broken by the students, so there were lots of them. I should be careful, then.

 

The homework assigned was to achieve very basic control of their element without a Link in two days. Simple enough, and engaging in a manner that ensured Matthew would not let it wait, as he was already looking forward to trying out.

 

He had no other thoughts about it whatsoever, as an explosion was heard in the distance. He honestly couldn't tell what the cause of it was- though he could guess it was a student trying to use their Branch.

 

Matthew went to check out the damage, and within a few minutes he'd arrived at the fountain in the courtyard- or what was left of it, anyways, as it now seemed to be in pieces with water spraying everywhere.

 

Matthew was completely surprised to see Will and Freyja there. William looked absolutely miserable, whereas Freyja was trying to comfort him. Presumably, this meant he was in fact the reason the fountain was now in pieces. Will was remorseful enough, as he wanted to report what he did to Robinson immediately.

 

Making no effort to show himself, Matthew spoke to the two of them from behind them:

 

"Dr. Robinson is still in the courtyard. If you hurry back, you might still find them... Though I'm sure she will notice what's happened soon enough."

 

Another student stood out very strikingly due to her appearance; she had dark skin, but deep yellow eyes and white hair. That combination was too strange to not be artificial, but Matthew still felt like she was someone he'd want to get to know. After all, looks don't say everything about a person, and her air of confidence suggested she knew the place better than they did.

 

"Hello there. I'm Matthew. Are you a senior student? You seem much more at ease than the other students I've met." He said, briefly waving his hand in a gesture of casual greeting.

Edited April 21, 2016 by Coryn02

[Clown_of_God]

Just as Sienna was about to reassure Will that she meant no ill will and provide an answer to his question, there was a low voice in the nearby brush that responded instead, saying that Robinson was still in the courtyard with some of the other students. Tilting her head, her eyes widened a bit as if finding a nice new toy to play with and waved back at the boy, but held off on answering immediately.

 

"Bin Bin likes to disappear and reappear with little to no warning at all. They might have been in the courtyard, but it's highly likely they returned to their office up near the front entrance or it's possible they went back to their room to take a nap. Bin Bin can be lazy like that sometimes."

 

Smiling reassuringly, she then took a moment to step back and bow slightly at the hip and then standing straight before adjusting into a more comfortable position. Knowing she probably came of snarky with her earlier comments, Sienna figured it was best to apologize sincerely and get in a more positive relation with the two students he had just accused.

 

"Anyway, my sincerest apologies for making such a rude remark, I hope we can get off to a better start our next meeting. After all, we're all here for one primary reason, right? Destroy the demons before they can destroy our home."

 

Again, Sienna grinned from ear-to-ear and then turned her attention to the other boy, who had introduced himself as Matthew. For a brief moment, she looked him over and then an aura of glee seemed to rise into the air around her. To answer one part of his question, Sienna formed a small bubble of air beneath her, essentially creating a cushioned platform that she then took a seat on as she rose up off the ground slightly and crossed her legs.

 

"I'm Sienna Brunilda, second year student and, as you can probably tell, I'm an air user. Now, now, how was your first link? Did you find out a lot about your partner or... did he seem a bit closed off?"

[ValidEmotions]

"Dae-Sung. Pleasure."

 

Thel smirked as the boy introduced himself, withdrawing into his vest as best he could. Once the Link broke, both males were back in their normal clothes. Idly straightening out his school uniform, Thel continued to grin at Dae-Sung. "Guess I'll catch you later, hot stuff," he cooed, walking away to mingle with others as a confrontation began to occur. He paused to watch, a frown wiping the smirk away. The obnoxious water boy was getting ready to throw a punch but Dr. Robinson quickly intercepted, a brittle wall of earth rising up to meet the fist. Impact caused the barrier to crumble and the would-be victim to fall back.

 

With the situation handled, Thel continued moving through the gathered students, eyes roaming until they landed on a peculiar sight. Was that... a girl crying? Curious and concerned, the young man strode towards the short, plump looking child. "Sweetheart?" he called softly, stopping in front of her and crouching enough to be more at her height. "Are you alright?" he questioned.

 

~~~~

 

Beaming at the comment, Latoya smiled at Aria. "Thanks!" she replied, growing a little shy in the next moment. As she accepted to try Linking again, the other girl grabbed her hand. In a heartbeat, their outfits were changed by a wash of light and Latoya was covered in frills. Green and red made up the color scheme of her armor, a breezy yet weighted article of clothing. Pieces of metal glinted at her from among the skirt frills with more metal layering her sides and arms.

 

Glancing over at Aria, she noticed that the girl's clothing wasn't as poofy as hers. She looked like she wore street clothes, actually. "The scarf is a really nice touch," Latoya commented. The style was great, actually, and she started to wonder about whether her own armor was actually conventional or not for battle.

 

Her thoughts were derailed by the sound of angry shouting, following by the rumble of earth. Turning on her heel, Latoya gasped as something was destroyed and people were thrown aside. When the dust cleared, it appeared like no one was hurt. Still, Latoya fretted and looked to Aria for any idea of what to do.

 

Dr. Robinson was moving on, however, and issued everyone their first homework assignment of the year. Try to get basic control over their individual elements outside of a Link. That didn't sound... too, hard? Latoya felt it was going to end up more challenging than it sounded. Soon enough, the bell rung, freeing the students for lunch. Stomach rumbling, Latoya broke her Link with Aria, finding herself back in her school uniform. "Are you hungry? Let's get lunch!" she suggested.

 

Before Aria might possibly be able to answer, she grabbed the Fire Stem's wrist, lightly tugging her along to where the cafeteria should be. It took a bit of searching (during which she let go of Aria's wrist), but they eventually found their destination. The line was... Well, it was busy. Spaghetti appeared to be on the menu and Latoya helped herself to a single serving, grabbing a cup of water while she was there. "Where do you want to sit?" she asked Aria, glancing at the other girl.

 

~~~~

 

Antonio watched the events play out with a frown, not sure about the individuals involved. At least Dr. Robinson resolved the issue quickly without anyone being injured. Fortunately, too, Flint didn't make any sort of joke about it. He did, however, make a comment about using abilities when not linked up. Antonio blinked. He had noticed that being the cased but didn't exactly register it until the other boy confirmed it to be so.

 

And there was the homework. With that, the students were released on the tolling of a bell throughout the school. Simply because it was easier to stick with someone you already knew than go around trying to find someone else, the two boys stuck together and seemed to mutually agree on having lunch together. They were in no rush though, arriving at the cafeteria whenever they did. Flint grabbed a cup of plant soil alongside his meal though.

 

Seated, Antonio was about to eat but Flint's motions made him pause. The boy was inspecting the soil from all angles, eventually grabbing a pinch between his fingers to feel and then taste the particles. As would be expected, Flint's face scrunched up from the bad taste. "Don't try that. Tastes exactly like you would expect."

 

He pressed his lips together tightly, the thin line twisting into a crooked smirk. As he lifted a hand up to smother his mouth, a snicker then a snort began to escape. In a few heartbeats, Antonio gave a short laugh, the sound quickly dying as he shook his head. "Well, what did you think would happen?" he questioned, a chuckle rising past his lips.

 

Drumming his fingers on the table, he pointed at the cup. "Mind if I borrow some of that?"

Edited April 21, 2016 by Narvix

[HomeForFlowers]

The kid wasn't much of a talker but Alistair didn't really hold it against him. After all, walking out of a helicopter crash didn't exactly set the mood for polite conversation. With Sol off watching the new kids, Alistair had no reason to stay and watch the miraculous failures that were first time Links although he was a bit sad he was going to miss them. The way to the office wasn't too far from the courtyard at least, not very far. As class was in session, Alistair didn't see many seniors wandering around the school, a small reminder that both Alistair and his friend were skipping class to see the freshman goof up. Alistair, of course, didn't leave just so he could see the impending failures of the first years. He had a special little plan in mind, a plan that could potentially get him, and everyone involved, into a lot of trouble. The prospect of getting expelled had long ago lost the spark of terror that came along with the thought of leaving Heaven's Gate for good. Alistair had pissed off too many faculty, broke too many rules, and nearly died too many dies for silly consequences to bug him. Yes, he had a grand scheme in mind of which the likes that Heaven's Gate had never seen before. All he had to do was drop off the kid and he'd be ready to begin.

 

Pushing his way through the office doors, Alistair strode up to the nearest counter and tapped upon it, clearing his throat for good measure, to get the secretary's attention. The lady at the desk turned around, grinning as wide as her job description demanded, and began to speak in a cheerful tone.

"Hello! How may I- Oh, it's you, Alistair," the woman's voice lost all of it's cheer as soon as she realized who she was talking to. "You didn't set anything on fire already, did you?"

"Don't you mean, 'You didn't set anything on fire again?'" Alistair asked with a sly grin. "Because I've already met that quota for the week." The secretary glanced dully up at Alistair, a look of pure disappointment in her eyes.

"How charming," she sighed as she massaged her temples.

"Anyway," Alistair began as he nodded towards the boy he met earlier. "I'm not here for me. This young lad just walked out of helicopter accident a little ways off. He didn't get his Branch so he was wondering if-"

"Excuse me, did you just say a helicopter accident?" the secretary asked in shock as she covered her agape mouth in horror.

"Yea, ma'am," Alistair said with a dip of his head. "I assume you're going want to talk to him about it. I'll just get out of your hair then." Giving the boy a finger gun, Alistair walked out of the office, stopping a few feet outside with his hands in his pockets.

 

"Is the class over already?" Alistair asked as he looked over at Sol who was doing her best "mysterious cool girl" pose a little ways from where he was standing. Sol slowly rose off the wall she was leaning on and began walking towards Alistair with her arms folded firmly across her chest.

"Yeah, it's over although I'm still not sure why you dragged me out of class for it," Sol admitted with a shrug of her shoulders. Alistair wagged a finger playfully at Sol as he gave her a crooked grin.

"We're going to host a little club," Alistair claimed as he dramatically placed his hands on his hips, his chin tilted upward. Sol raised an inquisitive eyebrow but didn't speak. "You see," "Alistair continued as he began to pace back and forth, making a dramatic show of his hands as he spoke. "We're going to pluck a few of those freshmen out of the nest and start to meet up with them regularly. Oh, I'm sure the school has plans for them already, but what's the point of just having them learn like we did? It took so long for us to get a hang of our powers and it was incredibly boring to boot. We need to take matters into our own hands, y'know? Give these kids a chance to be something." Alistair raised a hand into the air, closing it into a fist as he closed his eyes and theatrically brought the fist to his chest in an attempt to show just how moving his plan was.

"You didn't come up with this just now, did you?" Sol asked with a knowing look.

"My motives do not matter, Mrs. Wilds," Alistair countered as he pointed a finger at Sol. "All you need to know is your assignment for the day: find some interesting freshmen and send them a cryptic message, collage letters and all, and instruct them to meet up in the science room after school."

 

"The science room?" Sol asked with a funny look. "Why the science room of all places?"

"The Bunsen burners are in there," Alistair said in a falsely hurt tone as though he was shocked Sol had to ask. "That and I can stand in a dramatic pose or something in the back of the room so I pop out of nowhere once everyone's gathered. Now shoo! I've got places to be and you got people to see!" Sol, who simply shrugged in acknowledged turned and began to casually stroll away. "Oh, and if you see any cool seniors and want them to join, send them my way!" Satisfied, Alistair began to casually walk down the sidewalk, whistling to himself as he did so. It didn't take very long for him to bump into another student. Normally, he would just wave and say hello, but this student was someone he know quite well. "Caspian darling, how are you?" Alistair called happily as he walked up to his friend, smiling from ear to ear. "What brings you and your lovely face out here at this time of day?"

Edited April 23, 2016 by Doctortear

[Thaelasan]

Will nodded obediently and waved to Sienna half-heartedly as he walked off in the direction of the courtyard.

 

There's only one other thing a man has, son. That's integrity, and doin' what's right. If ye get out there, and ye make a mistake - own up to it. Don't hide what ye done.

That's never good. It only makes it worse.

 

He sighed as he remembered those words with sadness. But it was the right thing to do. Still, this would probably mean he'd get kicked out of the academy.

The thought loomed heavy on him. Loss of his Branch. Loss of a link to Freyja. He'd tell her to stay but he wouldn't mean it. She deserved this. He didn't now. He had already almost caused a fight. Now he'd blown up their property.

He wasn't fit for this sort of thing. He was just... too overpowering. He'd have to go back home to his father, tail between his legs, sheepish and exiled. The Prodigal Son.

He felt close to tears but fought them away. Never let them see you cry.

 

Soon he'd come back across the courtyard somehow through all his wandering. Many of the students had wandered off about their business. The huge bustle of people only moments before had been replaced with wind and a few people strewn about. Freyja held his shoulder to comfort him as they looked for Robinson. Matthew had been wrong. Sienna had been right. They weren't here.

Will put his hands through his hair, forlorn.

"Oi. It'll be alright. If ye get sent back home, ain't right if I stay, right?" Freyja said, almost reading his mind. "Jus'.... tell 'em the truth and hope for the best, aye?"

"....Aye..." Will stretched out his arms. He still didn't feel any better about delivering this news.

 

----

 

He walked through the school building, avoiding the dining hall. He didn't feel hungry right now. He just wanted to get this over with. The pair stepped through a few students, and - after asking several where Robinson could be - they directed them to their office. A few more hallways, and Will was standing outside the room of his ultimatum.

ROBINSON. The plaque almost seemed damning. Will could have sworn he heard screams. He held up his hand nervously. A few students seemed intrigued by his action.

"Ye can do it, Will. If ye don't, they'll find out evenchally, right?" Freyja said, trying her best. "Ye gotta do it."

".....Iffin' they do send me 'ome, Freyja, stay here and become a hero for both o' us." Will demanded, looking at her with a stern face. "It ain't right for ye to suffer too."

".....I dunnae know if I wanna do it without cha." Frey replied, uncertain. "It jus.... wouldn't be tha same."

"Ye always wanted ta fly, Frey. This is yer chance. If I ruin mine, don't ruin yers." Will patted her shoulder. "Please."

She couldn't respond flatly, unable to decide. Before she could say anything further, Will knocked on the door.

Knock.

Knock.

Knock.

He let his hand fall to his side, his anxiety growing to unreasonable proportions. He had to be sweating, right? He felt it. He'd never really been afraid of much in his life but this was scaring the hell out of him.

[TehUltimateMage]

After a long pause, the door clicked open, and the instructor was at the door. The room behind them was peculiarly white -- white floors, white desk, white chair, white walls... -- save for the colorful books siting on bookshelves on one end of the small room. Everything appeared neat and orderly, even the sheets of handwritten notes pinned meticulously straight on the walls.

 

For a split second Robinson's expression showed surprise at seeing their guest, and then it returned to the doctor's usual expression as they looked up at Will and Freya right beside him. The look of defeat was plastered all across William's face, as if he had committed some great atrocity. Robinson was intrigued, and raised an eyebrow. What could possibly have made him so upset on the first day? Had Winters insulted his accent again? "Oh. It's you again. What's the matter, Edwards?"

Edited April 22, 2016 by TehUltimateMage

[Thaelasan]

William had his hands by his sides, his face grave, his voice solid and unwavering as best he could.

"Dr. Robinson, I destroyed a piece of archeytecshure outside on the courtyard lawn, the.... the fountain." Will started, shifting slightly. "I... I wanted to try ta use mah water power and....and I did... and then..."

He recounted the tale as best he could, trying his best to convey the emotion.

"I.... I felt like I was pulling water from the water itself, bringin' images to life... and I couldn't stop... And.... and it..."

"It exploded, Doctor." Frey piped up, moving to stand by Will. "Whatever power he wrought, it done caused it to explode. The pressure was too much. It just ....."

She held out her hands, mocking an explosion.

"Boosh!" she exaggerated. "Stone and fragments everywhere."

Will nodded, head low.

"If I'm to be punished or even arrested ...I understand. And if I'm to be sent back home... I... I understand." he said, his voice full of sadness. "I jus... I jus wanted to know if I could do it... and now I did somethin' worse than jus a fire..."

[TehUltimateMage]

A snort came from Dr. Robinson, like a mix between a snark and a held back laugh. Seeing the pair's utter look of defeat... "It's like the fourth time that thing's been wrecked. Normally I'd fix it myself, but there's this really eager kid..." Actually, he was older than Robinson, but he sure acted like a kid, so Robinson called him kid. "Find him in the art room, upstairs. He's kind of a dopey guy, about 5'10, bright blond, kind of melancholic. You have him for Art later this week. Mr. Knight, right? You should probably apologize to him, if anything."

 

But, it wasn't just the broken fountain or the tendency to cause trouble that alerted them to keep an eye on Will. "You have a gift," said Dr. Robinson after a pause, putting a hand on the student's shoulder. Their compliments were never given out lightly. "If you speak the truth about what you have managed to do with the water, you truly do have a gift. Perhaps my instinct was right." For once, they added to themself. "A lot of people lose control of their powers at first, but with some fine-tuning, I believe you can do something great."

[Thaelasan]

Will had to struggle to contain the sudden change from depression to euphoria as the Doctor spoke to him. Yes, he still needed to apologize, but ... a compliment?

He'd never expected that. When he was younger, his mother and father had always made sure he had known he would be punished for something wrong he did. He didn't do much that could be considered "bad" but he didn't have a perfect record either.

But to suddenly be PRAISED for something? His GIFT? He couldn't help but be happy again. But he still felt bad.

"Then.... I guess my way of makin' up for it.." he said, nodding. "Would be ta take it slower than that. LEARN it. It won't happen again, I swear to ye. I'll start with somethin' small. Like... bottled water, aye?"

He nodded again, more to himself. This would be a good way to make up for it. Learn to control that power rather than let it be released whenever it wanted to be. He needed to tame this mighty ocean.

He - and Frey - had noted the cleanliness of Robinson's room. Frey just chalked it up to the fact the male/female was orderly but Will suddenly had some form of idea...

"Because... that's what ye value most, right Dr. Robinson?" Will suddenly said. "Balance? Equality?"

His words trailed off for a moment and he shook his head. Waving, he began leaving the room.

"I'll go find Mr. Knight then, Doctor!" Will said, grabbing Frey's hand. "Sorry for botherin' ye!"

With that, Frey waved back as the two of them left the room, heading up the stairs nearby.

[Lady_Lunevis]

♣ :: Dae-sung

 

Dae felt a rushing sensation through his body, gone all too quickly as the surprising Link disappeared. His energy evaporated from his body as if the winds themselves had carried away a piece of his conscience; despite himself, his heart drummed a steady beat-beat-beat against his chest with all the flutter of a bird to escape its cage.

 

It was as if their transformation had been his awakening, yet with all epiphanies came an unraveling. The Asian boy hummed a response at his "partner"--perhaps moreso an invader of personal space--as the other walked away, seemingly without a care in the world.

 

He was about to say something after other--what, perhaps? A demand for an apology? Wishes to know more? He felt power during their brief surge, an internal fire that roared within the frigid interiors of his mind, and he wished to know more.

 

However, before he could intercept the flirtatious boy, Dae's attention was caught by what appeared to be a spar in the making. A boy who could be little more than a child--and pray tell, who allowed children on the battlefield? Was it not well enough to deprive them of their childhoods, but to grow up with the sing of an axe; it was almost as if one had not long to live, to choose such a career.

 

And perhaps he did not, for he cared what little happened. The teacher in charge--Dr. Robinson, he remembers briefly, a flashing memory previously hidden by the surprise of earlier's events--intercepted the duel just as it was about to set forth. The teacher bent down just as the earth before them roared to life, an impressive wall bursting from the bristling grass. It caught the other student's punch, throwing all participants off balance, and Dae adjusted the tie at his throat in awe of such power.

 

He listened closely, the event having perked his interest. Duels? Memories of long nights spent training at the studios burst forth, his mind cleared of all troubles as he wiped sweat from his skin, the marks of bruises a warrior's pride and his own fists, knuckles tightly wrapped yet bent every which way, clenched so tightly that his arms trembled from--fear? Exhaustion? Excitement?

 

He could not deny that he felt he hailed from a place of battle, that to fight was of the highest honour. After all had abandoned him--he had television remedies and rumour magazines and classics, but what good would storytellers be, if only to entertain a public? He worked with his hands, the same way silvertongues crafted their words; he channeled art into his battles, and he loved every single challenge the same way a hand clamping around his neck brought about a rush of adrenaline no other could match.

 

He wished to choke again, if only for the rush that came from survival. If he needed to find a partner to link with . . . so be it, but he would optimize his search. Mutual benefit dictated the rules of a match, and Dae could not stand the thought of letting down one who had placed his faith into him.

 

With that thought engraved into his mind, Dae cleared his throat and headed towards the general area of the cafeteria. All thoughts astride, he could only focus on his hunger. The link had taken more than he would have considered out of him, and he was eager to replenish his energy if only to continue his efforts.

 

Briefly, he glanced down at his wrist. A shining stone, set deep within the curving, elegant metal that surrounded the entirety of his wrist. It was absurdly beautiful, in the way all things were--almost too good for his existence, as the mountains of the great wilderness outclassed all the turmoil that escaped their blinded watch, as the festivals, complete with bright lights and pearls of laughter were back in his hometown.

 

Feeling a sudden rush of euphoria for the place he had once deemed home, Dae slipped seamlessly into the line of students eagerly awaiting food and planned out his choices, his long, calloused fingers stroking the edge of his wrist.

 

♠ :: Caspian M.

 

He had slept for most of the morning, the lady behind the counter giving him a sympathetic smile beneath her cherry-red lipstick. She told him gently in a voice that referenced both a tone one would use with a small child and that of whom knew about his condition, that no, a package had not come for him, but if he wished to make a call to his home she would not neglect his necessities.

 

He had made the call in shame, head bowed as wispy strands of white-pink hair danced between his eyes. His dad answered with surprise, internally marveling at the choice of his only son calling him so soon after the beginning of another year, yet once Caspian explained the nature of his telephone visit his dad grew far more quiet and far more caring.

 

It was strange, the feeling of being entirely comforted and yet so alienated. He was not afraid of the word family, for family meant neverending loyalty and blood before all, yet the word friend was strange on his tongue--did a friend look away, remember his mother, remember failures of so-called modern science at the mere mention of an innocent name?

 

It was strange to be aware of one's fate, yet stranger still to pretend otherwise. He agreed on a time for his medicine to be shipped, accepted the bottle of painkillers dug out of nowhere by a kindly onlooker, and closed his eyes.

 

He feared not the dark, only waking up. It happened easily enough, and Caspian wondered if he was being melodramatic--he was an actor, dancer, performer above all, even if sometimes his joints felt as if they did not quite slot directly into their assigned sockets. That was fine with him--his entire life had been a series of not quite fitting in, but there was wonder to be found outside the norm. For one, he thinks he would not have contracted demons should he have lived beyond the age of twenty. And while he could spend his time wishing on the maybes of all the lives that still had yet to be lead, he felt it best not to dwell entirely on wishes.

 

After assessing that it was indeed lunch hour, Caspian stood and brushed off all other concerns, smiling at the office to let them know the gesture was well appreciated. He made his way out, bursting into the clear morning sun, and the pink-haired boy raised his face to the rays and let himself be bathed in the heat for just a precious second. It was enchanting, the feeling of the sun running through his body, and he shivered despite the heat in awe of the midday horizon.

 

He wondered how orientation went. No doubt about it; he was certain Alistair would be there, and he knew Ally well enough to think he must've messed with the newcomers in some way or the other.

 

Caspian jumped when a voice suddenly called out to him, spinning around in surprise. His ponytail, come loose during his brief retire, curled inwards, sticking onto his clothes as the boy took in who had called him.

 

Ally approached him with all the readiness of an old friend, a smile curved onto his mischievous features. The pastel-haired boy relaxed, a similar expression mirroring Ally's easygoing persona beginning to take over his worries.

 

"Ally!" he greeted, perhaps a little too eager--but all in good faith, he considered, and let the momentary embarrassment pass--stopping in his walk. He laughed, if not a little abashedly, at the other's words--shaking his head.

 

"I hardly think 'lovely'," he quoted back, but a smile was on his lips nonetheless. "I'm taking a walk--I thought I'd detour to catch up on scenery before going for lunch." He remembered how lovely the school really could be, and his natural internal lust for both adventure and a place to call home took him places again and again. Whereas most would begin to tire of being on the move, Caspian only flourished from seeing different places, experiences, with all the kindness of meeting an old friend. And perhaps it truly was--for he was not adverse to the existence of a deity, nor that of a cycle, and he felt sometimes as if his wanderlust gave way to a larger movement that had been set in motion so many years ago.

 

"What about you?" he questioned, forcefully drawing himself from his thoughts. No, it would be rude to ignore Ally and walk away not, and especially not after not seeing him for the entirety of the summer. "How was the incoming class this morning?"

 

♦ :: Elliot Charlebois

 

A proper gentleman was never late--he was just . . . not on time.

 

Well, in all fairness, it technically wasn't his fault. He had a hair-retouching appointment earlier today, to clear out any dark roots that may be showing and to get rid of the rather unpleasant orange shade the very tips of his hair had been taking on lately. Really, dyed hair was so troublesome. The blond sighed, once again faulting his genes for things he could not control, and self-consciously ran a hand through aforementioned locks before his mental reminder snapped that it would mess up his features. Right, that would be bad--the first impression was always the most important, be it securing a business deal or venturing into the unknown to battle demons. He would not falter in his actions, and neither would his reputation.

 

He'd landed by jet, the whirring of the machines all too much for his sensitive ears. Elliot scowled, a brief displeasure marring his features before they smoothed out, his eyes covered by large sunglasses that seemed to frame the entirety of his narrow, elfish features. He stepped out delicately, almost as if afraid the dirt would be too much for his designer shoes, and then glanced briefly back at the staff taking his luggage out of the jet--really, that thing was too small, his father would be outraged--before casting a glance ahead.

 

What happened here? The ground was ripped into shreds, and Elliot bystepped a stray pebble with a curled lip. A battle so soon after orientation? Really, these people . . .

 

Briefly, he wondered about the other inhabitants of the school. What were they like? Elliot had one goal, and a Charlebois never failed when it came to goals--he wanted to find "friends", and have a "sleepover".

 

"Perhaps we could do taxes and discuss business revenue," the blonde mused to himself, walking briskly ahead as he left a trail of suitcases behind.

 

It wasn't long before the blond realised he was, only slightly, a little bit lost. He hadn't seen the school before arriving, and it was larger than he expected. Adjusting his sunglasses, he gazed around.

 

((i hope this was ok for elliot's intro!! i saw he was added to the characters so i went ahead and plopped him in but omg if he should be held back or he's not ready i have no problem either!! ))

[HomeForFlowers]

Caspian, most likely lost in his thoughts, gave a startled jump when Alistair called to him. Being as he was, he was quick to recover and return the greeting in kind with a smile on his lips. Alistair couldn't help but be amused by that. Caspian's ability to adapt was one of the qualities Alistair loved about him and, to be frank, there was a lot to love about Caspian. It was hard not to get along with him once you got to know him. Such a fact made Alistair regret their original animosity for each other all the more. Had he not been so narrow minded, he might have just befriended the boy sooner. Perhaps then he could have avoided nearly a year's worth of insults and unneeded negative feelings. Alistair had to shake the ill memories out of his mind. There was no need for him to reminiscent over such atrocious things. The present was about enjoying life as it came and he had just ran into an old friend he hadn't seen since before summer. They had a lot of catching up to do?

 

"How am I?" Alistair said, rephrasing Caspian's question. "Well I'm just fine and dandy, Casp. How could I not be? It's hard to feel dreary after seeing your radiant self." Moving towards Caspian's side, Alistair wrapped his arm around his friend's shoulders and pulled him a few inches closer. Alistair preferred to be up close and personal to his friends and Caspian was no exception. Physical contact just made the conversation all the more intimate and the more intimate the conversation was, the more exciting it got. At least, that's what Alistair thought. "I presume you're talking about the new blood and not the class I skipped this morning to see them?" Alistair asked with a playful wink. "But of course that's what you were asking; you know me far too well to not suspect I would sneak out of class like the little rebel I am. Oh, speaking of which..." Alistair removed his arm from Caspian's shoulders and moved in front of him. He clasped his hands on his friend's shoulders, mustering the most mischievous face he could. "How would you like to hear in on my secret plan?" Alistair asked in a hushed voice as though he were expecting someone to be listening in on him. "Sol and myself are going to be hosting a club after school. We're going to have invite a handful of the freshmen to teach the ropes and such. To be perfectly honest I don't have much planned up, but it'll be fun for sure!" Removing his hands from Caspian's shoulders, he placed them on his hips. "So, how do you feel about joining us in this adventure? I can't guarantee that it'll last the year. Heck, I'm not sure we'll even get past the week without getting caught but hey, it's the gang is all back and I figured this was something we can do. Y'know, to help out the younglings and spend some more time together before I inevitably burn the school down. So? What do you say?"

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Thankfully, the dispute ended quickly enough and Robinson handed out the homework for the week: practicing with their element until they had some control over it. Opal had no idea how she was going to move water. Was she going to have to move the water with her mind or something? How did they expect her and everyone else to move elements around? Rubbing the last of her tears away, Opal sniffed as she folded her arms across her chest. She was still startled by the fight that broke up and the fear that came with attending Heaven's Gate with no friends was still ever present, but Opal was sure she could muster her courage and walk to lunch without bursting into tears again. Before she could leave however, a boy walked up to her, asking if she was alright in a sympathetic tone.

"Oh! I-I'm fine!" Opal asserted as she swung around and faced the boy with wide eyes. "Everything i-is alright!" The fact that the boy crouched down didn't help at all. It made her feel so small and insignificant. "I'm fine, really! There's no need to w-worry," Opal insisted, trying to wipe away the remainder of her tears with her sleeves.

[senyi]

When the bell rang for lunch, Trent was more than ready to eat. After sitting through the student orientation, food had been on Trent's mind while one of the teachers lectured on the purpose of the Branch students were instructed to wear on their clothing. Lunch had always been one of his favorite classes - brunch and going home were tied at second. There were several students that were ahead of Trent received a cardboard tray divided into portions of spaghetti, slices of fruit, and a piece of garlic bread.

 

It looks pretty good.

 

After getting his lunch, Trent grabbed a packet of plastic utensils and a cup of water. He placed the items on his tray and started searching around the dining hall for a place to sit. To his dismay, Trent realized that the dining hall was mostly filled. Trent wasn’t sure where the other first years sat and throughout the rows of students, Trent failed to see a recognizable face. He sighed. The boy was used to eating at school with his fellow gaming enthusiasts. He was starting to miss his friends.

 

I wonder how Claire’s doing?

 

The last time he saw Claire was when he boarded the ship to the Academy. Trent recalled waving to his family and promising them that he’d keep in contact with them while he was at school.

 

“I’ll eat lunch in the courtyard where the fountain is then,” Trent muttered to himself.

 

It didn’t take long for Trent to reach the courtyard. To his surprise, the water fountain was broken. Chunks of stone littered the ground and the previously grand fountain was reduced to a sputtering mess.

 

“What happened here?”

 

When Trent arrived to the campus earlier in the day, the fountain was in better condition – did someone misuse their magic? Trent frowned and set his tray on one of the drier areas away from the fountain. He took his phone out of his pocket and snapped a photo of the fountain. After selecting Claire’s contact info, Trent sent her a text.

 

On 4/12/16, at 12:xx PM, Weijie wrote:

> [ image ]

> day one at school...look at what someone did to the fountain !!

Edited April 24, 2016 by XiaoChibi

[Coryn02]

((Horrible post is horrible.))

 

As she replied to Matthew, the girl who'd introduced herself as Sienna seemed to sit on empty air, and then floated on the spot in the same position.

 

While he was impressed with the mastery of the Branch magic she exhibited, Matthew couldn't help but feel bad for William's destruction of the fountain, however accidental it had been. He and Freyja walked away, presumably to find Robinson.

 

Well, I guess it's like I figured before: he's not the first, and as long as he comes clean he shouldn't be punished too badly.

 

Sienna then asked Matthew about his first link and what he knew about his partner. He did remember that Robinson had said the strength of a Link was directly dependent on the bond between the Stems, but why was that important? Besides, it wasn't like they had much time to socialize, they were learning.

 

"I didn't get to know my Link partner very well. We exchanged names, but I was more concerned with what we were being taught. And since our homework is to practice magic without a Link, I guess that's not a problem for now, right?

[KuroKishi]

(( Woot! First post ))

 

Now I'm of consenting age to be forgetting you in a cabaret,

Somewhere downtown where a burlesque queen may even ask my name...

 

The song of a relatively old band began in the young man's ears as he lay still in his bed, covers wrapped around his sleeping form but only partially to allow his shirtless form to enjoy the cool air outside of them. Strands of black slid from the red earbuds in his ears and reached the phone he was still holding in his hand since the last evening, when he had taken it and the earbuds to hear some tunes before going to sleep. His face was calm and yet tense, whilst his usually ruffled white hair seemed like even a bigger mess on top of the pillow his head was. His whole pale appearance would pretty much blend into the bed, if it were not for the crimson lines below his eyes that gave them a strangely interesting finish.

Although he was a senior and obviously had to attend lessons today, it was clear that he had missed them. The alarm in his phone had by now rang out multiple times, but because it was mixed in with his other tunes, it did nothing more than let him further slip into his blissful sleeping condition, and the sun shining warmly outside was unsuccessful in waking him because of the lowered blinds that kept it hidden away. Only when trying to turn in bed and promptly snagging the wire of the earbuds enough to pull them out of his ears did he suddenly resurface in a flash, his red-laced eyes opening up widely in a panic the moment he felt the sun's rays tingling his leg with warmth. A shudder coursed through his body and almost threw the cover off his body as he rose to a sitting position, then promptly slammed back down on the bed with a bounce from the soft mattress below.

 

"Oh god..." A mutter escaped the young man's lips as he shut his eyes, lifted the hand that did not hold his phone up to his face and sighed into it. After moving it and rubbing at his eyes for a moment, he ran the same hand through his platinum white hair and let it drop down once again to his side. Pulling out the set of buds and quickly bundling them into a loop, he threw the whole thing on his end table and then lifted the phone to his face to check the time. Cool blue light bathed his pale and tired face as he stared into the screen for a moment, then recognized the numbers on the center of the screen and slightly frowned. 11:41, they beckoned.

"I missed all of the morning lessons..." His unenthusiastic voice spoke with a heavy tone as he moved his hand to place the phone down on the aforementioned end table, then stood in silence for a couple of moments with it draped over his moving chest. Breathing in and out calmly as he stared at the creamy white of the ceiling above him, he weighed his options on how to resolve this issue later with the teachers. Perhaps he could tell them he felt sick in the morning? Or perhaps he should instead just say the truth about sleeping through until the afternoon?

"I'll figure it out later..." The man muttered with a light, grouchy voice as he lifted himself up, rising off with his upper body whilst simultaneously moving his legs off the side to allow gravity to bring him to a seated position. A few seconds passed as he allowed his dizzy head to regain his feeling of balance, then let out a yawn and stretched out. Pushing himself to his feet, he lazily moved around his bed and to the bathroom to prepare for the day ahead.

 

--------------------

 

It was around fifteen minutes later that Karna finally finished preparing for the day. After a quick morning routine, some stretching exercises to ease his stiff body and a few moments to fix the mess his room was, he pocketed his phone and other usual items and then walked out whilst holding his keys in one hand. Locking the door to his room, he pocketed the bundle and then stepped off down the corridor and toward the cafeteria. Lunch was being served by now, so it would be a good idea to stock up on valuable calories before going to talk for a few hours on just why he was absent this morning - at least, that was what was last on his agenda before a sudden burst echoed out and was then followed by a crash. The sound reverberated through the corridors as he came to a standstill and blinked in silence. Though the man was surprised, only his eyebrows rose in reply to the ruckus occurring outside as he realized something was definitely damaged.

"And what's going on now, then?" he spoke to himself with a shake of his head as he stepped more quickly down the corridor, the thought of the first-years having done something problematic floating in his mind during the entire moment - of course, although it wouldn't be something he would readily admit, this was because he himself had lost control of his flame powers on the first days and scorched both the luggage and some of the students at the event. He remembered being chewed out by both students and teachers for a couple of months afterward, but in the end, the event had left him with a few cheesy nicknames such as 'Scorch' and had allowed him to more easily settle into the new school.

Smirking slightly to himself as memories of his time with the teachers flooded into his mind, Karna walked more hastily in order to reach where he assumed the sound had come from. A quick turn to the right met him with a lengthy corridor, which he followed to a set of stairs on his left. Quickly going down to a lower level and then walking forward before taking a right and then slipping through automated doors into the courtyard, the young man glanced forward and spotted what he assumed was the reason for the loud sounds early in his morning.

 

Surprisingly, what the senior found as he walked onto the courtyard and let the doors behind him slide shut was two newcomers. One of them was knelt in front of the fountain, obviously having previously been manipulating the water within to do... whatever he had done, whilst the other stood above him. Both had relatively bright complexions that still did not hold a candle to his almost cream white skin, but were still really pale on their own. The guy was relatively interesting, with dark hair wrapped into a ponytail and facial hair he couldn't even rival, whilst the lady above him and her red-brown hair reminded him faintly of Northern Europeans.

Standing silently and crossing his arms over his chest as he stared at the two first-years in front of the fountain, he spotted the extensive damage on the piece and the remains of the completely destroyed statues splayed around the fountain, as well as the sprouts of water that still emerged from the system below the installation. His gaze settled on the knelt young man and stared at him, then blinked after noticing how he stared in disbelief and simply was unable to realize what he had done. Shifting to the young woman above him, he eyed the pair for a few moments and settled on the decision they were close friends or actual partners - something that was not necessarily seen very often among first year students.

As he was about to step up and comment on the two's work himself, Karna felt someone else's presence approach and quickly pulled backward to lean beside the doors. A few seconds passed as he awaited, unsure where the other person was approaching them from. Lifting his gaze up once he recognized a sound coming from the upper floor, he spotted a familiar figure floating above him and slightly smirked to himself. What he saw was a well-rounded image that he'd most likely log into his memory banks for as long as he lived. Shaking his head slightly as Sienna landed in front of him, he let her introduce herself with her enthusiastic voice.

His head moved to the side with a blink as the young man replied with a strangely depressed tone. Though it was clear to him since the first moment that he was really troubled by the mess he had made, he could tell that the young man was taking it a bit too much to heart - after all, things like this happened almost every year, so the staff was used to it by now and the students were more than glad to see something interesting happen in the school every once in a while anyways.

 

Another blink appeared on Karna's face as he stared at the young lady over the guy, who turned to Sienna with a relatively harsh tone and direct annoyance that bordered anger because of the senior's words. It was interesting to see, however, how the young man took initiative and asked for Robinson's office, effectively pulling his colleague - or partner - off Sienna before he had to get involved. Glad that the issue was going to be resolved soon, the young man prepared to push himself off and join his partn-

A sound from the bushes near the fountain caused Karna's gaze to switch toward the left just as the others also glanced in that direction. What appeared was a young man that appeared younger than the two at the fountain and the seniors, yet clearly seemed to fit with the other company. His messy blonde hair moved slightly as he spoke to them of where Robinson last was, to which Sienna replied properly that he was most likely back in his office by now. The pair at the fountain seemed to begin moving after that remark, and soon enough they disappeared around the corner and toward the central courtyard.

Now that only the new guy - Matthew, was it? - and Sienna were left, Karna silently pushed himself off the wall and stepped toward them. Letting the young woman in front of him cover his approach as she rose up on a bubble-like platform of air and now covered his body completely, he slipped quietly on whilst Matthew replied about his first Link and asked her a question - one he could answer for her.

 

"Hey," Karna suddenly popped up from around Sienna with a light poke at both her sides, hoping to cause her to shoot up with the pulse of tickles, and turned to the young man with blonde hair with a slight smirk. Crossing his arms over his chest as he stood next to the young lady and still stood almost as tall as she did with the platform below her, he gave the youngster a slight bow with his upper body and smirked at him.

"You shouldn't really worry about links just yet - after all, it usually takes a few weeks to a few months for some of our slower students to form permanent pairings or group-based Link partnerships," the man spoke calmly, his slight Russian slipping through here and there but only serving to intensify the easing effect of his voice. The man drew a quick breath as he realized something.

"Oh, sorry - almost forgot to introduce myself. Name's Karna Korolyov, but feel free to call me Karna," he said as he slightly smiled, the pearl white of his teeth almost blending with his skin and his hair. Dark blue orbs looked down at Matthew's brown ones, holding a feeling of serenity set deep within his red-laced eyes, as he also quietly examined the young man's appearance and Branch for a moment. Although the cinnamon orange color reminded him of the Earth element, he knew some Branches were not really related to their elements, so he left his guessing for now and instead decided to let Sienna and Matthew answer. Unconsciously, he quickly slipped an arm over the shoulders of the lady next to him and watched with a slight smirk, wondering what Matt would think of the new arrival he was.

Edited April 26, 2016 by KuroKishi

[TehUltimateMage]

Achievement Unlocked! He finally made the guy laugh -- even if it lasted a whole of two seconds -- and out of small talk, word play, and being half naked, literally eating dirt did the trick. He'd have to remember that stunt for next time.

 

Shrugging, he pushed the cup of dirt across the table, over to his partner. Like Antonio, he tried to hide his smile, but his attempts only made his expression look overly smug. "Don't drink it all."

 

 

~~~

 

To be honest, she was looking forward to a fight between the two, if just to figure out their strengths. Aria did not side with either party, though she thought that the bigger guy -- Will, was it? -- was a fool for taking the obvious bait. If this were any other school, he'd be slammed for being the first one to show aggression. She kept those pieces of information in mind: hairpin-branch guy's stuck up demeanor, and sailor man's mood swings.

 

She also categorized Latoya's constant optimism and boundless energy as annoying, but tolerable. The other girl didn't know how to react at the fight that nearly happened, but Aria was starry-eyed at Robinson's display of magic. She was still thinking about it, as well as the assignment, even as Latoya followed the crowd and dragged her to the dining hall. In line she was silent, and even when she was asked where to sit; the fire stem didn't go very far and simply sat at a free table near the exit to the outside.

 

"You really think we could do something like that?" she finally said, plunging a fork into the pasta. "Like what the doc--" Aria paused abruptly.

 

Not many people seemed to notice -- nor particularly care, as if this was a daily occurrence -- as a whirring noise consumed the dining hall for half a minute. Startled (enough that she stood up) and perhaps a little paranoid that something major was about to happen, Aria looked up at the ceiling and then quickly glanced around the rest of the room, until her eyes settled on the windows facing the courtyard.

 

A personal jet was parked in the middle of the field, a little way away from where their lesson was held that morning. In a grand display to honestly no one but maybe her and the few students who happened to be looking that way, the door of the jet slowly slid open and out walked a tiny blonde kid in designer shades, followed by a couple butlers carrying a huge suitcase. It felt incredibly excessive to her for this pipsqueak to be flaunting his wealth on the first day, and after being tardy, too. "Wh-who lands a jet in the middle of a school?!" she exclaimed, indignant.

 

"What, have you never seen an air boat before?" said the kid who told her to chill earlier that day, from the next table over. Aria recomposed her expression so that she looked less stupefied, and shot him a glare. He wordlessly returned to his food, the young man being honestly confused why someone would make such a big fuss over a simple airplane.

[Clown_of_God]

Sienna's lips had just started to part when she heard a familiar voice respond to Matthew's question, simultaneously having to suppress the urge to shout out from the pokes that had caused her to tense up and straighten. While Karna spoke to the new boy, having moved to her side by this point, Sienna couldn't help but glare irritably at her elder, and taller, partner. Yet, the notion didn't last long as she sighed and relaxed, looking between the two males as one laid out an explanation.

 

When Karna formerly introduced himself, Sienna began to smile just as an arm wrapped around her shoulders, leaving her somewhat befuddled for a second. That's when it became clear to her what exactly was going through Karna's mind and she smirked. So, that's how he saw it.

 

Dipping and then twisting, Sienna freed herself from the arm and was now mostly centered between the two individuals, the smirk still evident as she began walking in small circles. That had been a display of dominance, conscious or subconsciously, Karna probably felt threatened by this new individual and now Sienna wished to tease him to the ends of the earth.

 

"Thank you for that, Karna, it seems you have been paying attention in class... somewhat. Anywho, I'm gonna take him to eat before lunch ends, I heard they're serving spaghetti today and my stomach's beginning to grumble. You may join us, if you wish, but don't make it seem like you're trying too hard."

 

Sticking out her tongue, Sienna proceeded to grab Matthew's hand and lead him towards the cafeteria, which was at the opposite end of the courtyard. As for the plane that had landed just a few moments ago, such a sight would be the least strangest thing that would occur at the academy. What with demons and the odd classes, the Branches themselves, and the fact that the fate of the world rested on the shoulders of a bunch of teens... yeah, not as surreal as one might think. Pausing after a few paces and turning back to look at Karna, picking up a soft backwards glide, Sienna pointed at the top of his head with her free hand and giggled slightly.

 

"Also, you missed a spot, Mr. Unicorn."

Edited April 26, 2016 by zakku_uchiha

[MrSpyro]

After a few minutes of just sitting there doing absolutely nothing, Dimitri decided it would be best to head somewhere else so that he wouldn't get in trouble for that burn mark on the wall. Dimitri ended up outside, and saw Matthew with two other students, just sorta talking. One of them was floating in mid-air, and he assumed she was an Air stem. Or a witch, Dimitri thought to himself, cracking a small smile. Although, to be fair, she does look like she knows some kind of magic.

Anyways, not knowing what else to do, he walked up to Matthew and said, "Hey, Matthew," vaguely aware that he was probably interrupting a deep conversation, "Uh, thanks for siding with me on the whole duel thing, I guess. On an unrelated note, what's with the fountain?"

[KuroKishi]

A secluded grin of pearly whites spread on Karna's face as he watched Sienna out of the corner of his eye and mentally made a note of trying to surprise her like he had done previously more. Though it would eventually grow irritating and he'd have to cease it, he was pretty sure she was more of a ticklish person, which would make the idea that much more hilarious and pleasing to see. Leaning a bit more on the shoulders of the lady next to him as she stood on her air platform, the young man was about to turn back to Matthew when he felt how his companion suddenly began to slip downward and away, obviously in an attempt to free herself. He did not understand what the reason for it was, but his reactions proved timely as he twisted with his falling body, using the momentum created to spin and bounce slightly off his left leg into the air and then land by the end of the spiral-like move.

"That... was unnecessary, darling," he commented as he glanced at her, noticing the smirk spread on her face and watching as she looked at him and grab Matthew's hand. Quickly rattling off a thank you and then directing his attention to the lunch he himself had been seeking before coming here, the female turned away and began walking with Matthew, but not before saying words that made his eyebrows rise along with his gaze.

"Huh?" He muttered as he glanced up, trying to spot what he had missed, but after not managing to see it at his fringe realized it was probably at the back of his hair. Nodding to himself and pulling the phone out, he left the display dark and checked its reflection. Once he located the issue, he quickly and expertly ran a hand through his hair, reverting it from its problematic state to the usual spike at the top of his hair. Letting out a sigh, he placed the phone back in his pocket and then turned to look at the two in the distance.

 

"Alright, now... trying too hard, huh...?" Karna muttered below his breath as he watched the two walk slowly and waved quickly at Sienna until she turned away, then processed for a moment before smirking to himself. Was she trying to tease him because she thought there was something more to that gesture from earlier, then? It was only a guess - one that could very well be wrong - but there were ways for him to check, right? Perhaps... perhaps he'd feign for now.

Waiting for a moment to make sure the two weren't looking in his direction, he began walking after them, his increased height making him naturally gain in on them without putting in too much effort. Raising hands to his face once he was sure their eyes were not focused on him, he pinched at his cheeks, bringing a faint sheen of red to his clear white skin that he could use for the scene. Finishing by slightly puffing out his cheeks, he then sprinted up to Sienna's side and completed the mask with a slightly worried expression on his face.

"H-hey.. think you could help me with some Branch practice? Like... now, or after lunch - whenever you'd like..?" Karna naturally laced his voice with worry as he walked next to her, whilst his body remained on edge to further signify his 'worriedness'. Avoiding her gaze mostly but sneaking in a glance every now and then, he would smirk slightly to himself everytime he glanced away and take a moment to keep his white cheek canvas painted with red. It was most likely easy to tell for Sienna, but... perhaps the two could play around with Matthew?

[Thaelasan]

Will knocked once on the door as Freyja stood with her arms crossed, impatient.

"Let's hope he's one who accepts apologies too." Freyja said, tapping her foot. "Otherwise..."

Before she could continue, a single, quiet voice came from behind the door.

"Come in."

Will opened the door and let Freyja head in first before he shut it behind them both. The room they entered was covered in statues, busts, pictures, and sketches. A wall was shrouded in photographs of classes with statues they had worked on - at least, they could only be assumed to be that. A desk, absolutely covered in pencils, paper, and unfinished carvings sat at their left, at the front of the room. There were no desks or tables of any sort - only tarps on the floor.

On the center of the largest tarp, one foot behind his back, standing perfectly still, there was a man. Dressed in the smock of an artist, he was balancing what appeared to be a pillar upon his head, and on that pillar was a book. His hair was blonde, over his ears yet cropped before the shoulders.

For a moment, no one spoke. Then Freyja held up a finger.

"Uhhh..... sir-"

"Shush!"

The man held out his hand, eyes closed, his body completely still. He breathed in deeply, then spoke again.

"Do not speak to me with words but with your element." the man whispered, pointing with his hand at his head. "Remove this book from my head without disrupting the pillar."

"....What?" Will asked, concerned. "We're... just here about the fountain-"

"I already know about that. I'm very powerful you know." the man smirked.

"Oh, really?" Will asked, intrigued.

"Nah I'm messin' with you. This classroom has a window." the man gestured with his thumb out at the courtyard below. "But now that you've spoken your piece, do me a favor and do as I've asked. Otherwise, we don't need to talk further."

"But I just wanted to apolo-"

"Apologies without work are meaningless." the man instructed. "So show me whatcha got. If you could blow up a fountain, moving a book is easy in comparison, right?"

Will frowned, holding out his hands while Freyja scratched the back of her head awkwardly.

"Uh... where is 'e gonna get tha water from?"

"There's a bottle over on my desk, I guess." the man shrugged.

"Oh, by the way, yer Mr. Knight, right?" Will asked.

"Oh god, call me Randall, please." Randall shook his head slightly, but not enough to upset the balance of his items. "I'm only 20. I may be a teacher but I ain't old."

"I see... Mr... Randall."

"Just Randall."

"Got it." Will said. "But I dunnae know if it's safe fer me to use..."

"Let me guess - you blew up the fountain, so now you're scared of your own abilities?" Randall asked, opening one eye. "How nuts is that? Calm down. So you let it get out of control ONCE. Big deal."

"But I-"

"There have been kids who blew up walls in the school. Hell, I know a few who caused half the school to sink under the ground as a PRANK. Why do you think we're so hard set on warnin' you kids?" Randall asked, switching his legs. "It's because happens."

"Uh..." Will began. "But.."

"You really like that word, don't you? Stop contradicting and focus on DOING." Randall stated, rolling out his shoulders. "Come on. Show me how much you want to become better. If you keep beating yourself up and treating this as some kinda ultimatum that you shouldn't use your skills, then you may as well pack up and go home. You wanna stay here right? With that girl?"

"Yes!" Will said firmly.

"Then do it. Learn how to use your powers the right way. And get this book off my head. Take your time. I don't have a class for another three hours." Randall replied, moving his arms slightly into a yoga pose. "No rush. Just concentrate. You too, wind girl."

"Oi, my name is FREYJA." she said, grinning. "And I like a challenge."

"Then do it. Beat him to it. First one to get this book off my head gets ... I dunno, a pudding or something? What do you kids like these days?... Anyway, just do it."

"....Alright." Will agreed, nodding to Freyja. He held out his hand and began to focus on the bottle.

This time, he'd do it right.

[Coryn02]

((A bit late, this.))

 

The other boy who'd been there, the pale one with pale skin, similarly white hair, and wearing eyeliner, had appeared and responded to Matthew's comments in saying that early on, permanent bonds with other students were not yet necessary.

 

Matthew had no time to say much of anything as he was pulled away by Sienna, presumably towards the school cafeteria, given that she intended to take him to lunch.

 

"Um, okay..."

 

He was first pulled along at the very length of his arm, but then started walking faster to keep up.

 

Sienna and Karna know one another, that much I am sure of... But I think something else is going on here.

 

Indeed, Sienna seemed a bit too eager to drag him off, teasing Karna as she left on a single tuft of his hair that refused to be styled properly.

 

As they walked, Matthew was going to ask about how Sienna knew Karna until the latter had caught up with them. He seemed more worried than he was before, his face now having a more reddish tinge. Sounding genuinely worried, he asked Sierra if he could get some practice with his Branch with her at some point.

 

Now wondering exactly why he was asking, Matthew found this somewhat suspicious. If a student usually had a permanent Link partner later on, who was his and why didn't he just practice with them? Unless Sienna was his Link partner, in which case he'd probably not need to ask.

 

"All the seniors should have Link partners, like you said. Wouldn't it be more worth your time to practice with them?"

Edited April 27, 2016 by Coryn02

[Clown_of_God]

As Sienna turned to face Karna once more and remark on his rather embarrassing charade, another one of the new students had approached them and began speaking with Matthew. Figuring it was one of his friends, Sienna released her hand from his and began walking towards Karna, waving at the boy with a smile spread across her face.

 

"Hope to see you again! You take care and try not to do anything rash in your... practices."

 

At this point, she had walked past Karna, almost making a beeline for the cafeteria, clearing her throat each time her stomach grumbled to mask the noise it made. Spaghetti was supposedly on the menu today and she needed the carbs if she was going to perform well in the evenings training sessions. With a skip, she twisted in the air to face Karna, maintaining her backwards hop, but focusing her gaze on the taller individual following behind her.

 

"We're you getting jealous that I was playing with another boy?"

Edited May 9, 2016 by zakku_uchiha