Serah wrote:Luminesa wrote:Before Timeskip
Rabbit looked around him at Mana Academy. The beautiful, rolling campus, now with colorful leaves floating all around, was so peaceful and quiet in the early morning. When Henry, Rabbit, and Allistor returned, however, it would probably be covered in snow, over even flowers if it was spring. He had no idea how long any of this would take. However, Henry was right. The group did not have much time to wait. “...‘And miles to go before I sleep...and miles to go, before I sleep...’” he whispered, a piece of a poem that played in his mind for just a moment. He then turned toward Henry, and nodded. “Yes. Let’s get Allistor and get going. I hardly think we’ll have much luck if we have to chase down the plane,” he joked.
On the other side of campus, Oliver and Ambrosia continued their fight. Ambrosia persisted in rushing her opponent, flailing him repeatedly until she noticed the new magical circle. This time, she jumped away from the circle, knowing very well that she could not sustain another shot from Oliver’s hidden powers. Seeing him form the sword and cover it with wind made her gulp with fear, but his challenge re-bolstered her desire to strike back. “...Alright! If you asked for it! I’ll beat you into the ground!” Now she summoned a fiery whip with each hand, and she rushed toward him.
After Timeskip
With the two students and their teacher off the campus, the air did not initially change. Everyone had an exam to which they needed to look forward, and plenty of studying and training needed to be done. Of course, everyone would hope for the trip to return safely, and with one of their worst enemies-Blanchefleur Rise-vanquished. In the meantime, several characters were spending time together, working on honing their abilities.
Ambrosia flopped down on her back for a final time, the landscape around her torn by wind and fire. She was covered in sweat, dizzy, and ready to vomit. She had worked her heart out, and could only eye Oliver from her place on the ground. “...Darn it...darn it, darn it...ughhhhhh...” she mumbled, struggling to lift her aching limbs. Her hair was knoted and covered with twigs and leaves, and her stockings were torn and scraped. “...You’re really good...” she breathed, after trying-and failing-to pull herself to her knees.
After the fight, Oliver dusted himself off, as if generally nothing had happened.
He still had some wounds, but considered them minor if they didn't pierce him entirely, which there was.
In the last, desperate assault, he had gotten unusually careless and let himself be pierced by one of Ambrosia's whips. The wound was seared and essentially never even started to bleed, but it did feel bad to get his shoulder pierced.
Of course, it would get healed in a matter of minutes once he hit the infirmary.
"You're not that bad yourself. You did manage to pierce my shoulder and wound me here and there when I was actually starting to dodge.
I'd say this was productive." He squatted down to her height and smiled.
"There's no point in stopping there, so how about a deal? You train up on your own, spar with me every once in a while, and I'll let you join the little training group I've been constructing. Not that I really even tried to make it at all." Muttering the last part, he went to offer his hand, then pulled it away, realizing that she wouldn't be able to stand up on her own.
So instead, he did what an awkward and entirely blind to consequences man would do, and pulled her up and laid her accross his shoulder.
"Come on, you need to rest, and ideally not outside. Unless you're in the shade, you're never going to get any strength back."
Ambrosia stared up at him as he approached, and listened to him as he offered to continue training her. She let out of weak smile and nodded, before she realized that she could barely even move to answer him. She had been in the sun for so long that she was now delirious, and could barely make-out Oliver’s face. Fortunately, Oliver had decided to be a gentleman and to help her off the battlefield. Picking her up and laying her across his shoulder, she suddenly felt a little safer. She knew that he would carry her to safety. Her heart fluttered in her chest, but as long as she was in the sun she could not express what she was thinking.