Mana Academy (IC) (Open, Fantasy)

[Luminesa]

Soleil waited outside of the dome to see if Alphonse might have been weakened by his attack, but then the fiery dome around him expanded. He was molding the dome like clay in his hands, allowing it to bend and bloat at his will. If Soleil could exploit the weaknesses in the dome and perhaps strike him from within again, maybe he could sneak some sort of smaller attack and hit him that way...or so he thought. As soon as he floated a little closer to examine the dome, the fire from the same construct shot into the sky like magma out of a volcano. "...Wh...Wha?" he exclaimed, as the fire exploded.

Of course, what comes up must come down. As soon as the fire flew up toward the sky, it started to shoot back down toward Soleil in the shape of a sort of fireball-shower. The fireballs were too close and condensed, and he would not be able to dodge them. Thinking quickly, he created a large shield of wind in front of him, and he whirled it so that it spun at a high speed. The fireballs hit it, and he got back as he saw the shield take the pressure. He grit his teeth as the shield cracked, and then moved away so that the fiery explosion would not hit him.

Some of the fire shot through, however, and he blocked his face with his arms, causing himself to be burned. Oddly enough for anyone watching, he did not shout in pain. Yet Shaun, and possibly the twins, would know why. Being burned and healed over and over had caused his body extensive nerve damage, especially in his arms and back, thus he could not feel the pain there as much. Nevertheless, he knew that while his clothing was damaged and his skin would have more burns, he did not take the time to try and focus on them. He threw off his Venta cloak to the ground below, and he looked below to the dome. Flying low, he decided to try and take the dome himself. The wind within the construct was still his own Magic, and so he fought to separate the Wind Magic from the Fire Magic. Alphonse would feel the construct unraveling around him, and Soleil felt his confidence rise slightly. Maybe I can actually hit him now...If he tries to hit me, I can just strike with a big ball of wind!...I think... he planned.

[Kingdom of Irhk]

Soleil waited outside of the dome to see if Alphonse might have been weakened by his attack, but then the fiery dome around him expanded. He was molding the dome like clay in his hands, allowing it to bend and bloat at his will. If Soleil could exploit the weaknesses in the dome and perhaps strike him from within again, maybe he could sneak some sort of smaller attack and hit him that way...or so he thought. As soon as he floated a little closer to examine the dome, the fire from the same construct shot into the sky like magma out of a volcano. "...Wh...Wha?" he exclaimed, as the fire exploded.

Of course, what comes up must come down. As soon as the fire flew up toward the sky, it started to shoot back down toward Soleil in the shape of a sort of fireball-shower. The fireballs were too close and condensed, and he would not be able to dodge them. Thinking quickly, he created a large shield of wind in front of him, and he whirled it so that it spun at a high speed. The fireballs hit it, and he got back as he saw the shield take the pressure. He grit his teeth as the shield cracked, and then moved away so that the fiery explosion would not hit him.

Some of the fire shot through, however, and he blocked his face with his arms, causing himself to be burned. Oddly enough for anyone watching, he did not shout in pain. Yet Shaun, and possibly the twins, would know why. Being burned and healed over and over had caused his body extensive nerve damage, especially in his arms and back, thus he could not feel the pain there as much. Nevertheless, he knew that while his clothing was damaged and his skin would have more burns, he did not take the time to try and focus on them. He threw off his Venta cloak to the ground below, and he looked below to the dome. Flying low, he decided to try and take the dome himself. The wind within the construct was still his own Magic, and so he fought to separate the Wind Magic from the Fire Magic. Alphonse would feel the construct unraveling around him, and Soleil felt his confidence rise slightly. Maybe I can actually hit him now...If he tries to hit me, I can just strike with a big ball of wind!...I think... he planned.

Alphonse Baskerville

Strange... The fireballs hit, but I can still sense him coming... Well, time for blunt force then.

He could sense the strength Soleil ripping his dome open: a smart yet dangerous tactic, as flying straight to Alphonse wasn't a safe decision. His initial tactic could've fooled someone, leading his opponent to think he was a defensive type of fighter, when he was just the opposite. His defense was wisely created to lure his target closer, in a range where he could unleash a flurry of attacks. Letting the dome go, he had a clear vision of Soleil, and the trap he devised came in hand.

With one swift motion from his hand, the whip came out of the ground, restraining Soleil's movements, and with a brutal movement, Alphonse threw him to the right before retracting the whip, made of a solidified yet extensible fire. Unclear to many, it had a small degree of his family's Dark Arts, which caused more pain than the usual hit of the element, while helping it to stabilize.

"You got me out of the dome, Mr. Rise. For that I congratulate you. However I must inform that it hardly means the end of your problems."

[Luminesa]

Soleil felt himself getting thrown to the ground, before he could even realize what had happened. Getting too close had been a bit of a foolhardy move, but he had planned to try and be quicker on the draw. However, he had left himself too open, and now he felt the dull sting of dark fire on his skin, and then his head and back skidding against the grass. He tasted blood in his mouth, and his wings broke.

John kept a cool face as he continued to call the time. "Two minutes!" he yelled. He turned and looked over to Cecily, whom he sensed had become suddenly tense as Alphonse had attacked. "...You okay?..."

"...Yes, I'll be fine..." Cecily had picked-up the presence of Dark Magic immediately, but she said nothing. Even though she knew this could be another case of a hostile force invading the school, she could not simply stop the fight without raising suspicions. Thus she stood back and watched carefully.

In the meantime, Soleil struggled to sit upright. He coughed a little blood, and then stared up at his opponent. Now he had a chance to attack him, while he was gloating. Forcing himself to continue through the pain, he held a hand toward Alphonse. However, his attack did not appear in front of the potential Dark Mage. Rather, a silent growl sounded from above him. High in the air, a large orb of wind had formed into the shape of a fully-grown lion, which dropped like lead and held out its paws to pounce on Alphonse. Knowing Alphonse would have to dodge, he rolled away while he was distracted.

He was still too close to Alphonse, however, and his back ached. He could not simply rely on his wings, not when he felt he might not have enough Mana. He glared at his opponent, and hoped his lion would be able to create some distance. In the meantime, he created a wall-shield out of light, and kneeled behind it. He could only hope Alphonse would not be able to escape to get him from behind.

[Kingdom of Irhk]

Soleil felt himself getting thrown to the ground, before he could even realize what had happened. Getting too close had been a bit of a foolhardy move, but he had planned to try and be quicker on the draw. However, he had left himself too open, and now he felt the dull sting of dark fire on his skin, and then his head and back skidding against the grass. He tasted blood in his mouth, and his wings broke.

John kept a cool face as he continued to call the time. "Two minutes!" he yelled. He turned and looked over to Cecily, whom he sensed had become suddenly tense as Alphonse had attacked. "...You okay?..."

"...Yes, I'll be fine..." Cecily had picked-up the presence of Dark Magic immediately, but she said nothing. Even though she knew this could be another case of a hostile force invading the school, she could not simply stop the fight without raising suspicions. Thus she stood back and watched carefully.

In the meantime, Soleil struggled to sit upright. He coughed a little blood, and then stared up at his opponent. Now he had a chance to attack him, while he was gloating. Forcing himself to continue through the pain, he held a hand toward Alphonse. However, his attack did not appear in front of the potential Dark Mage. Rather, a silent growl sounded from above him. High in the air, a large orb of wind had formed into the shape of a fully-grown lion, which dropped like lead and held out its paws to pounce on Alphonse. Knowing Alphonse would have to dodge, he rolled away while he was distracted.

He was still too close to Alphonse, however, and his back ached. He could not simply rely on his wings, not when he felt he might not have enough Mana. He glared at his opponent, and hoped his lion would be able to create some distance. In the meantime, he created a wall-shield out of light, and kneeled behind it. He could only hope Alphonse would not be able to escape to get him from behind.

Alphonse Baskerville

Again, Soleil used the animal constructs as a way to hit his foe. Wolves, lions, the wings of a butterfly: It was clear that Soleil got his inspiration from the things he saw around him, unlike most mages who thrived using abstract forms in their constructs. Rolling to the left, Alphonse saw the lion landing and roaring fiercely against him. Silently placing a fire spike behind him, he awaited for the animal to jump again, before he jumped out of the way and extended the spike, impaling the construct.

Now Soleil was his target once more. The wall offered frontal protection, but there always a way to go around the protection. Quickly, Alphonse extended his whip once more, launching it in the direction of Soleil, the tip cracking against the shield before snapping back and creating a cloud of fire that obstructed Soleil's vision. With a quick motion of hand, the whip hit the ground and like a cable went underground, before appearing behind the French mage. After a quick pull, the whip flew straight, destined to hit Soleil's back.

[Luminesa]

Soleil felt himself getting thrown to the ground, before he could even realize what had happened. Getting too close had been a bit of a foolhardy move, but he had planned to try and be quicker on the draw. However, he had left himself too open, and now he felt the dull sting of dark fire on his skin, and then his head and back skidding against the grass. He tasted blood in his mouth, and his wings broke.

John kept a cool face as he continued to call the time. "Two minutes!" he yelled. He turned and looked over to Cecily, whom he sensed had become suddenly tense as Alphonse had attacked. "...You okay?..."

"...Yes, I'll be fine..." Cecily had picked-up the presence of Dark Magic immediately, but she said nothing. Even though she knew this could be another case of a hostile force invading the school, she could not simply stop the fight without raising suspicions. Thus she stood back and watched carefully.

In the meantime, Soleil struggled to sit upright. He coughed a little blood, and then stared up at his opponent. Now he had a chance to attack him, while he was gloating. Forcing himself to continue through the pain, he held a hand toward Alphonse. However, his attack did not appear in front of the potential Dark Mage. Rather, a silent growl sounded from above him. High in the air, a large orb of wind had formed into the shape of a fully-grown lion, which dropped like lead and held out its paws to pounce on Alphonse. Knowing Alphonse would have to dodge, he rolled away while he was distracted.

He was still too close to Alphonse, however, and his back ached. He could not simply rely on his wings, not when he felt he might not have enough Mana. He glared at his opponent, and hoped his lion would be able to create some distance. In the meantime, he created a wall-shield out of light, and kneeled behind it. He could only hope Alphonse would not be able to escape to get him from behind.

Alphonse Baskerville

Again, Soleil used the animal constructs as a way to hit his foe. Wolves, lions, the wings of a butterfly: It was clear that Soleil got his inspiration from the things he saw around him, unlike most mages who thrived using abstract forms in their constructs. Rolling to the left, Alphonse saw the lion landing and roaring fiercely against him. Silently placing a fire spike behind him, he awaited for the animal to jump again, before he jumped out of the way and extended the spike, impaling the construct.

Now Soleil was his target once more. The wall offered frontal protection, but there always a way to go around the protection. Quickly, Alphonse extended his whip once more, launching it in the direction of Soleil, the tip cracking against the shield before snapping back and creating a cloud of fire that obstructed Soleil's vision. With a quick motion of hand, the whip hit the ground and like a cable went underground, before appearing behind the French mage. After a quick pull, the whip flew straight, destined to hit Soleil's back.

Alphonse was more than athletic. He was a predator. Nothing Soleil threw at him fazed him, and he was running out of ideas. He needed a way to beat Alphonse, but nothing came to him, and he could not get close or he would be burned. He simply continued to hide behind the shield, waiting for inspiration to come to him. His lion was impaled by Alphonse's attack, and thus failed to make a comeback. As the wind and fire clashed and exploded, he winced and held his shield upright as much as he could.

Unfortunately, too much stress caused for the shield to crack and break like solid rock, when it was hit with the fiery whip. Burning dust and smoke popped and crackled in front of him, and he had to pull back. It had become a sort of mace, and now he was defenseless, as he covered his face with his hands. Alphonse was able to move behind him, and he cracked the whip. Before Soleil could recover from the first attack, he felt his back screech with pain. He yelled himself, and the force by itself was enough to cause him to fly across the battlefield. He rolled in the grass, and had trouble getting to his feet.

In fact, he had trouble getting up at all. He clenched the soft grass in his hand, and felt the dull burning on the skin of his back. "...Ngh..." He felt blood dripping down the corner of his lip, but did not have the strength even to clean his lip. He just laid on the ground, in pain. "...Something...please...something..." he whispered. He closed his eyes, and tears fell. He began to try to make an image in his mind to summon as a construct, but he did not have enough Mana.

"...Please..."

[Serah]

Following the end of his fight, Oliver found himself with nothing to do. His former group having seemingly disappeared from his sight and as far as he was concerned, from existence itself.
However, there was still a bistro opened up with the food they had made, although to him it like look like a posh cafe mostly because there was no alcohol. And though there wasn't anything that he would've found interesting initially, he figured that he would still enter it. So as to check things out at least.

As he entered, the fresh smell of tea and cake filled the air, which, unfortunately for him made the air quite heavy as he had an unnaturally developed sense of smell; Said sense of smell couldn't be accurately compared to a dog's, but he could somewhat easily figure out how certain foods were composed and/or figure out where a smell was coming from. This helped him countless times, but also enforced a rather strong olfactory memory.
It sometimes was more of a disservice to him than anything else.

The tea grabbed his attention, then Ambrosia. And of course, Amanda.

"Hello there." He spoke up.

"If you could get me tea, that'd be lovely. I need to be awake for the rest of the day.
Haven't slept well last night."

[Kingdom of Irhk]

Alphonse Baskerville

Again, Soleil used the animal constructs as a way to hit his foe. Wolves, lions, the wings of a butterfly: It was clear that Soleil got his inspiration from the things he saw around him, unlike most mages who thrived using abstract forms in their constructs. Rolling to the left, Alphonse saw the lion landing and roaring fiercely against him. Silently placing a fire spike behind him, he awaited for the animal to jump again, before he jumped out of the way and extended the spike, impaling the construct.

Now Soleil was his target once more. The wall offered frontal protection, but there always a way to go around the protection. Quickly, Alphonse extended his whip once more, launching it in the direction of Soleil, the tip cracking against the shield before snapping back and creating a cloud of fire that obstructed Soleil's vision. With a quick motion of hand, the whip hit the ground and like a cable went underground, before appearing behind the French mage. After a quick pull, the whip flew straight, destined to hit Soleil's back.

Alphonse was more than athletic. He was a predator. Nothing Soleil threw at him fazed him, and he was running out of ideas. He needed a way to beat Alphonse, but nothing came to him, and he could not get close or he would be burned. He simply continued to hide behind the shield, waiting for inspiration to come to him. His lion was impaled by Alphonse's attack, and thus failed to make a comeback. As the wind and fire clashed and exploded, he winced and held his shield upright as much as he could.

Unfortunately, too much stress caused for the shield to crack and break like solid rock, when it was hit with the fiery whip. Burning dust and smoke popped and crackled in front of him, and he had to pull back. It had become a sort of mace, and now he was defenseless, as he covered his face with his hands. Alphonse was able to move behind him, and he cracked the whip. Before Soleil could recover from the first attack, he felt his back screech with pain. He yelled himself, and the force by itself was enough to cause him to fly across the battlefield. He rolled in the grass, and had trouble getting to his feet.

In fact, he had trouble getting up at all. He clenched the soft grass in his hand, and felt the dull burning on the skin of his back. "...Ngh..." He felt blood dripping down the corner of his lip, but did not have the strength even to clean his lip. He just laid on the ground, in pain. "...Something...please...something..." he whispered. He closed his eyes, and tears fell. He began to try to make an image in his mind to summon as a construct, but he did not have enough Mana.

"...Please..."

Alphonse Baskerville

"I think someone should help Mr. Rise. I believe he is quite tired from our fight, which was fruitful for my training. I guess I can count that as a victory. Have a nice day, Mr. Rise."

Dispelling the fire whip and slightly relaxing his posture, Alphonse clearly was worried in keeping appearances up, projecting the image of someone who was simply a reserved man, that rarely talked about his personal life. A trained eye probably could see through the curtain he lifted around his personality through softened and polite words.

"Teachers, anything else you need?"

[Luminesa]

Alphonse was more than athletic. He was a predator. Nothing Soleil threw at him fazed him, and he was running out of ideas. He needed a way to beat Alphonse, but nothing came to him, and he could not get close or he would be burned. He simply continued to hide behind the shield, waiting for inspiration to come to him. His lion was impaled by Alphonse's attack, and thus failed to make a comeback. As the wind and fire clashed and exploded, he winced and held his shield upright as much as he could.

Unfortunately, too much stress caused for the shield to crack and break like solid rock, when it was hit with the fiery whip. Burning dust and smoke popped and crackled in front of him, and he had to pull back. It had become a sort of mace, and now he was defenseless, as he covered his face with his hands. Alphonse was able to move behind him, and he cracked the whip. Before Soleil could recover from the first attack, he felt his back screech with pain. He yelled himself, and the force by itself was enough to cause him to fly across the battlefield. He rolled in the grass, and had trouble getting to his feet.

In fact, he had trouble getting up at all. He clenched the soft grass in his hand, and felt the dull burning on the skin of his back. "...Ngh..." He felt blood dripping down the corner of his lip, but did not have the strength even to clean his lip. He just laid on the ground, in pain. "...Something...please...something..." he whispered. He closed his eyes, and tears fell. He began to try to make an image in his mind to summon as a construct, but he did not have enough Mana.

"...Please..."

Alphonse Baskerville

"I think someone should help Mr. Rise. I believe he is quite tired from our fight, which was fruitful for my training. I guess I can count that as a victory. Have a nice day, Mr. Rise."

Dispelling the fire whip and slightly relaxing his posture, Alphonse clearly was worried in keeping appearances up, projecting the image of someone who was simply a reserved man, that rarely talked about his personal life. A trained eye probably could see through the curtain he lifted around his personality through softened and polite words.

"Teachers, anything else you need?"

Soleil needed help to get up, despite his desire to get to his feet on his own. Quickly, Cecily ran and helped him to his feet, examining him both for physical damage and for damage to his Mana System, which was known to be fragile. She kept herself from looking toward Alphonse, who gave her bad vibes, and she felt Soleil’s wounds. “It’s going to be okay, I’m here,” she assured him gently, as she put pressure on his back and arms to check his pain. “Where does it hurt worst?”

“...Ummm...m-my back...and shoulders...Th-thank you...” He tried not to complain too much and grit his teeth. With everyone watching, he wanted to look strong. He gave her a pained smile, and with her help he wobbled to his feet.

“I’ll heal you up and you’ll rest on the sidelines, okay?...You did a good job, both of you,” she comforted him.

John, on the other hand, wasn’t as sentimental. He was aware that Alphonse wasn’t a nice person, and now his suspicions grew. He heard the venom behind the thin veneer of politeness, and he stepped toward him. “...No. Nothing else you need to do. You did good, like she said,” he answered calmly. He would confront him in private, but for now he had to proctor the rest of this exam.

[Saleon]

Amanda Stradt
The Storyteller
Outside Courtyard

---

---

Following the end of his fight, Oliver found himself with nothing to do. His former group having seemingly disappeared from his sight and as far as he was concerned, from existence itself.
However, there was still a bistro opened up with the food they had made, although to him it like look like a posh cafe mostly because there was no alcohol. And though there wasn't anything that he would've found interesting initially, he figured that he would still enter it. So as to check things out at least.

As he entered, the fresh smell of tea and cake filled the air, which, unfortunately for him made the air quite heavy as he had an unnaturally developed sense of smell; Said sense of smell couldn't be accurately compared to a dog's, but he could somewhat easily figure out how certain foods were composed and/or figure out where a smell was coming from. This helped him countless times, but also enforced a rather strong olfactory memory.
It sometimes was more of a disservice to him than anything else.

The tea grabbed his attention, then Ambrosia. And of course, Amanda.

"Hello there." He spoke up.

"If you could get me tea, that'd be lovely. I need to be awake for the rest of the day.
Haven't slept well last night."

Amanda lowered her newspaper, beginning to glance at Oliver. She sized him up, as if a mob goon taking note of the customer. She then punched a few keys into the register. The teacher lowered her feet from the top of the counter and adjusted her glasses, "the lemon tea is free, but we also have a variety of other teas that you may like as well. Though, I'm more of a coffee person. If you want some pick-me-up for the rest of the day, hmmm.... maybe some peppermint tea? Well, I do have a certain tin of wake up tea."

She hops down onto the ground and then strolls over to a cupboard. She hops up, jumping futilely. Then, Virgil snuck up in the cupboard and handed to her from above. Amanda smiled a little, "thank you." Virgil was adept at hiding from students.

Amanda then walked back to the register and slammed a large tin of "Wake 'the F#ck' UP" tea. She clears her throat, reading the back of the box, "this brand of 'wake up tea' is an orange fruit tea, flavored with dried apples, blueberries, grapes, oranges, hibiscus. Good for a quick wake up, this black tea (meaning it is more flavorful than lighter teas) is both sweet and packed with energy. It is strong and will leave you without any 'coffee' jitters. Recommended with a bit of honey. Steep for 5 minutes--" she then puts it back down-- "or so it says. Would you like some Wake 'the F#ck UP' tea, or regular lemon?"

---

Alphonse Baskerville

"I think someone should help Mr. Rise. I believe he is quite tired from our fight, which was fruitful for my training. I guess I can count that as a victory. Have a nice day, Mr. Rise."

Dispelling the fire whip and slightly relaxing his posture, Alphonse clearly was worried in keeping appearances up, projecting the image of someone who was simply a reserved man, that rarely talked about his personal life. A trained eye probably could see through the curtain he lifted around his personality through softened and polite words.

"Teachers, anything else you need?"

Soleil needed help to get up, despite his desire to get to his feet on his own. Quickly, Cecily ran and helped him to his feet, examining him both for physical damage and for damage to his Mana System, which was known to be fragile. She kept herself from looking toward Alphonse, who gave her bad vibes, and she felt Soleil’s wounds. “It’s going to be okay, I’m here,” she assured him gently, as she put pressure on his back and arms to check his pain. “Where does it hurt worst?”

“...Ummm...m-my back...and shoulders...Th-thank you...” He tried not to complain too much and grit his teeth. With everyone watching, he wanted to look strong. He gave her a pained smile, and with her help he wobbled to his feet.

“I’ll heal you up and you’ll rest on the sidelines, okay?...You did a good job, both of you,” she comforted him.

John, on the other hand, wasn’t as sentimental. He was aware that Alphonse wasn’t a nice person, and now his suspicions grew. He heard the venom behind the thin veneer of politeness, and he stepped toward him. “...No. Nothing else you need to do. You did good, like she said,” he answered calmly. He would confront him in private, but for now he had to proctor the rest of this exam.

Amanda watched the fight between Soleil and Alphonse intently. It was subtle, but she could feel dark energy packed within the blows. Magic like that could be ruthless, especially on a younger person's body. Alphonse had a particular aura as he fought. Unrelated to his magical aura, Alphonse seemed to exude a kind of 'dominance' in battle. She surmised this was intentional, Alphonse's ruthlessness was as much to strike fear as it was to break wills.

Amanda put down the newspaper, having been attempting to stay in touch about the apparent war that had begun for a number of royal houses. She had been unawares of it having only recently re-awoken. She quickly brewed a small tea mixed with a couple of rare magical plants. She then whispered a small word of power. She wrote a quick note to Soleil. After which, she whistled for Virgil and handed him the packet of herbs, a small cup like used for cough syrup, and the note.

Virgil jumped down, carrying all of them in his hands as he scurried over to Soleil and Cecily. He placed it in front of Soleil and Cecily. It seemed to be a small tea used for purification. There were also instructions for Cecily on how to brew and steep it. Ambrosia was not the best at herbal magics, but this was a simple remedy. If consumed, it would help cleanse out any stray dark magic.

"This should lessen damage to one's bodily mana," the note to Soleil says. Virgil then darts away back to the bistro.

Amanda then pulls out her 'special book.' As soon as it was pulled out, the hairs raised on the back of each student's neck. It was a cursed book, to many of the students. She marked one of the students into it, intending to see them later.

[Serah]

Amanda Stradt
The Storyteller
Outside Courtyard

---

---

Following the end of his fight, Oliver found himself with nothing to do. His former group having seemingly disappeared from his sight and as far as he was concerned, from existence itself.
However, there was still a bistro opened up with the food they had made, although to him it like look like a posh cafe mostly because there was no alcohol. And though there wasn't anything that he would've found interesting initially, he figured that he would still enter it. So as to check things out at least.

As he entered, the fresh smell of tea and cake filled the air, which, unfortunately for him made the air quite heavy as he had an unnaturally developed sense of smell; Said sense of smell couldn't be accurately compared to a dog's, but he could somewhat easily figure out how certain foods were composed and/or figure out where a smell was coming from. This helped him countless times, but also enforced a rather strong olfactory memory.
It sometimes was more of a disservice to him than anything else.

The tea grabbed his attention, then Ambrosia. And of course, Amanda.

"Hello there." He spoke up.

"If you could get me tea, that'd be lovely. I need to be awake for the rest of the day.
Haven't slept well last night."

Amanda lowered her newspaper, beginning to glance at Oliver. She sized him up, as if a mob goon taking note of the customer. She then punched a few keys into the register. The teacher lowered her feet from the top of the counter and adjusted her glasses, "the lemon tea is free, but we also have a variety of other teas that you may like as well. Though, I'm more of a coffee person. If you want some pick-me-up for the rest of the day, hmmm.... maybe some peppermint tea? Well, I do have a certain tin of wake up tea."

She hops down onto the ground and then strolls over to a cupboard. She hops up, jumping futilely. Then, Virgil snuck up in the cupboard and handed to her from above. Amanda smiled a little, "thank you." Virgil was adept at hiding from students.

Amanda then walked back to the register and slammed a large tin of "Wake 'the F#ck' UP" tea. She clears her throat, reading the back of the box, "this brand of 'wake up tea' is an orange fruit tea, flavored with dried apples, blueberries, grapes, oranges, hibiscus. Good for a quick wake up, this black tea (meaning it is more flavorful than lighter teas) is both sweet and packed with energy. It is strong and will leave you without any 'coffee' jitters. Recommended with a bit of honey. Steep for 5 minutes--" she then puts it back down-- "or so it says. Would you like some Wake 'the F#ck UP' tea, or regular lemon?"

Oliver listened to the speech given by Amanda, hailing the tea as one of the most efficient things to wake up with.
However, he did steal a few glances at Ambrosia. He wasn't quite sure if she had fought yet, and if she did, how the fight had gone down.
Due to him training both Soleil and Ambrosia to some degree, he felt like it was his responsibility to make them win or hold up in front of everybody else.
The limited training he managed to dispense put him on edge, he felt as if he let them down.

But maybe that wasn't the case? Who knew. He'd have to ask.

"Either peppermint or that, whichever you feel is better." He answered shortly with his best impression of a light smile that almost didn't look forced.
Yet, while he was doing absolutely nothing on the sides, he watched Soleil fight.
And of course, being who he was and generally having a better grasp of magic than most others, he felt what had gone on with Alphonse. Albeit he didn't think much of it at first, it started clicking together afterwards.

"I suppose you felt it as well? What Alphonse mixed in with his attacks." He started. "He's a natural at this, dominant position, strong mana, and a doctrine of attrition behind it all. If I was any less trained, he'd be the incentive for me to start up again. But-"

He looked back outside, at Soleil, then briefly Ambrosia; Somehow he felt like those two needed protection the most, their grasp on their own powers was low, and while they could learn... He found his gaze fixating Alphonse's mannerisms, and unbeknownst to him, a disgusted snarl formed and disappeared as quickly as he turned back.

"-He's unnerving. He sounds, talks and acts like a noble. Accursed backstabbing bastards is what they are." He sighed, and sat down, looking in the distance.

[Saleon]

Amanda Stradt
The Storyteller
Outside Courtyard

---

---

Amanda lowered her newspaper, beginning to glance at Oliver. She sized him up, as if a mob goon taking note of the customer. She then punched a few keys into the register. The teacher lowered her feet from the top of the counter and adjusted her glasses, "the lemon tea is free, but we also have a variety of other teas that you may like as well. Though, I'm more of a coffee person. If you want some pick-me-up for the rest of the day, hmmm.... maybe some peppermint tea? Well, I do have a certain tin of wake up tea."

She hops down onto the ground and then strolls over to a cupboard. She hops up, jumping futilely. Then, Virgil snuck up in the cupboard and handed to her from above. Amanda smiled a little, "thank you." Virgil was adept at hiding from students.

Amanda then walked back to the register and slammed a large tin of "Wake 'the F#ck' UP" tea. She clears her throat, reading the back of the box, "this brand of 'wake up tea' is an orange fruit tea, flavored with dried apples, blueberries, grapes, oranges, hibiscus. Good for a quick wake up, this black tea (meaning it is more flavorful than lighter teas) is both sweet and packed with energy. It is strong and will leave you without any 'coffee' jitters. Recommended with a bit of honey. Steep for 5 minutes--" she then puts it back down-- "or so it says. Would you like some Wake 'the F#ck UP' tea, or regular lemon?"

Oliver listened to the speech given by Amanda, hailing the tea as one of the most efficient things to wake up with.
However, he did steal a few glances at Ambrosia. He wasn't quite sure if she had fought yet, and if she did, how the fight had gone down.
Due to him training both Soleil and Ambrosia to some degree, he felt like it was his responsibility to make them win or hold up in front of everybody else.
The limited training he managed to dispense put him on edge, he felt as if he let them down.

But maybe that wasn't the case? Who knew. He'd have to ask.

"Either peppermint or that, whichever you feel is better." He answered shortly with his best impression of a light smile that almost didn't look forced.
Yet, while he was doing absolutely nothing on the sides, he watched Soleil fight.
And of course, being who he was and generally having a better grasp of magic than most others, he felt what had gone on with Alphonse. Albeit he didn't think much of it at first, it started clicking together afterwards.

"I suppose you felt it as well? What Alphonse mixed in with his attacks." He started. "He's a natural at this, dominant position, strong mana, and a doctrine of attrition behind it all. If I was any less trained, he'd be the incentive for me to start up again. But-"

He looked back outside, at Soleil, then briefly Ambrosia; Somehow he felt like those two needed protection the most, their grasp on their own powers was low, and while they could learn... He found his gaze fixating Alphonse's mannerisms, and unbeknownst to him, a disgusted snarl formed and disappeared as quickly as he turned back.

"-He's unnerving. He sounds, talks and acts like a noble. Accursed backstabbing bastards is what they are." He sighed, and sat down, looking in the distance.

Amanda yawned a little, "I dunno. Tea isn't my thing." She shrugged, half-disinterested, and then just picked up the Wake Up tea, "I just read what was on the package. You are trying this one now." She went over and grab a fine teacup with a golden band around the rim. After placing a little bit of honey in the cup, she placed a teabag in the cup, then poured some hot water in the cup. She then let it sit for a bit while she held it in her hand and placed in near the register, "two silver." As it turns out, the wake up tea was actually cheaper than peppermint.

As they waited on the tea, Oliver seemed to strike up a small conversation.

"I suppose you felt it as well? What Alphonse mixed in with his attacks." He started. "He's a natural at this, dominant position, strong mana, and a doctrine of attrition behind it all. If I was any less trained, he'd be the incentive for me to start up again. But--He's unnerving. He sounds, talks and acts like a noble. Accursed backstabbing bastards is what they are."

"You have a good eye, kid," Amanda says, taking a small sniff of the tea. She gave it a small stir to make sure the bag stirred in all the way, "I don't condone his behavior, to be sure. He will get chewed out for his little 'act' during this spar."

She then pulled out her notebook, writing down another name in the book, seemingly on another section. It still had the effect of making others shake a little in fear.

"He isn't just about domination. He is about breaking wills," Amanda mentions. In her eyes, it was better to say he was like a torturer refined in their craft. "I've said to much. Either way, it isn't uncommon for nobles," she adds, clearing her throat, "the ones who think they are made to be above others. Maybe even more for mages."

[Luminesa]

Cecily did not immediately notice the tea packet or the note which Virgil brought to her. However, as Soleil finally stood next to her, she looked down and saw the magical mouse and his gifts. Leaning over to pick-up the note and the packet, she read the note to herself and then looked to Soleil. “...Professor Stradt wants me to brew this for you. Come over here by her...um...cafe?...I’ll make you a cup,” she urged him.

He followed her, and sat in a chair nearby to rest, as he waited for the tea. He noticed Oliver, and also Ambrosia, who was still hungry for more cakes. The latter noticed Soleil first, and grinned. “You did a good job! That was cool, how you summoned a lion! You’ve never summoned that before!”

He blushed. “...I-I was...waiting to be able to...summon the lion...I was excited. It was...something different...it just wasn’t enough...” He frowned and sighed, saddened that he could not finish his quarterly exams on a strong note. Just then, Cecily came back with the brewed tea, and handed the little cup to Soleil. As he smelled the sweet, fruity, blueberry aroma, he liked the drink already. “...Thank you, Nurse Cecily...Wh...What was it for?...Did the n-note say?”

“It’s for your Mana stream. It’ll cleanse you and make you feel better. So drink it all down!” Cecily instructed him. With a smile she added, “And you did fine. Both of you did fine. Don’t be so hard on yourself.”

He decided to take her advice, and smiled back. He then blew the steam hovering over the tea, and took a sip. The drink was still hot, mild, and had a couple drops of honey. The scent was comforting and rejuvenating, and he felt peaceful. “...This is...very good...I-I...need to thank Professor Stradt...” he muttered.

[Serah]

Amanda Stradt
The Storyteller
Outside Courtyard

---

---

Oliver listened to the speech given by Amanda, hailing the tea as one of the most efficient things to wake up with.
However, he did steal a few glances at Ambrosia. He wasn't quite sure if she had fought yet, and if she did, how the fight had gone down.
Due to him training both Soleil and Ambrosia to some degree, he felt like it was his responsibility to make them win or hold up in front of everybody else.
The limited training he managed to dispense put him on edge, he felt as if he let them down.

But maybe that wasn't the case? Who knew. He'd have to ask.

"Either peppermint or that, whichever you feel is better." He answered shortly with his best impression of a light smile that almost didn't look forced.
Yet, while he was doing absolutely nothing on the sides, he watched Soleil fight.
And of course, being who he was and generally having a better grasp of magic than most others, he felt what had gone on with Alphonse. Albeit he didn't think much of it at first, it started clicking together afterwards.

"I suppose you felt it as well? What Alphonse mixed in with his attacks." He started. "He's a natural at this, dominant position, strong mana, and a doctrine of attrition behind it all. If I was any less trained, he'd be the incentive for me to start up again. But-"

He looked back outside, at Soleil, then briefly Ambrosia; Somehow he felt like those two needed protection the most, their grasp on their own powers was low, and while they could learn... He found his gaze fixating Alphonse's mannerisms, and unbeknownst to him, a disgusted snarl formed and disappeared as quickly as he turned back.

"-He's unnerving. He sounds, talks and acts like a noble. Accursed backstabbing bastards is what they are." He sighed, and sat down, looking in the distance.

Amanda yawned a little, "I dunno. Tea isn't my thing." She shrugged, half-disinterested, and then just picked up the Wake Up tea, "I just read what was on the package. You are trying this one now." She went over and grab a fine teacup with a golden band around the rim. After placing a little bit of honey in the cup, she placed a teabag in the cup, then poured some hot water in the cup. She then let it sit for a bit while she held it in her hand and placed in near the register, "two silver." As it turns out, the wake up tea was actually cheaper than peppermint.

As they waited on the tea, Oliver seemed to strike up a small conversation.

"I suppose you felt it as well? What Alphonse mixed in with his attacks." He started. "He's a natural at this, dominant position, strong mana, and a doctrine of attrition behind it all. If I was any less trained, he'd be the incentive for me to start up again. But--He's unnerving. He sounds, talks and acts like a noble. Accursed backstabbing bastards is what they are."

"You have a good eye, kid," Amanda says, taking a small sniff of the tea. She gave it a small stir to make sure the bag stirred in all the way, "I don't condone his behavior, to be sure. He will get chewed out for his little 'act' during this spar."

She then pulled out her notebook, writing down another name in the book, seemingly on another section. It still had the effect of making others shake a little in fear.

"He isn't just about domination. He is about breaking wills," Amanda mentions. In her eyes, it was better to say he was like a torturer refined in their craft. "I've said to much. Either way, it isn't uncommon for nobles," she adds, clearing her throat, "the ones who think they are made to be above others. Maybe even more for mages."

Oliver pulled the two coins out of his pocket and flicked them across the table to Amanda.

"Sure hope it's not my name you're writing in there. Wouldn't want to deal with the demon writer herself." He faked a chuckle, and grabbed his tea.

Again, he seemed to be hitting a low point. But really, what did it matter? He simply hid it from everyone as per usual. The usual mask never came off, not for anyone.
That mask of his only seemed to show cracks, fixed hastily with duct tape. People could figure out something was wrong, but they could never quite see just how bad things were really going.
Loneliness, as much as he liked it, was not something he managed to get used to. There was always this lingering feeling of longing, of not being able to do something that he didn't even know he was supposed to be doing.
It became a dull pain, one that grew and diminished over time. One he wasn't sure why it was here, or how it came. He just accepted it as a part of his life, however bad it could get and moved on.
All things have a breaking point though, and it would only be a matter of time before he'd either implode or explode.

Looking at Soleil, he felt a mix of both pride and light frustration. Mostly at the notable lack of knowledge he squeezed before the actual test.

"Hey, Soleil, you did good out there. If you manage to make the lion faster, I think it could become one of your staples." He started, tilting his cup towards the student. "However, you let yourself panic at the end and pretty much gave up. Knowing when to give up is one thing, but panicking is another. You should work on that next time."

Of course, he took into account the fact that Alphonse used dark mana to fill his blows; It would've been unfair not to do so.

[Luminesa]

Soleil smiled at Oliver, as he sipped the tea Amanda had given him. He felt his body relaxing and recovering, and he closed his eyes for a moment. “...I tried...I...haven’t...practiced summoning my lion recently...but I felt he would be helpful in the fight...Maybe you’re right...I should practice more...” Of course, Soleil spent most of his time outside of class training in the woods. He rarely allowed himself to totally rest, even when he would benefit from taking a break.

And yet for all of my practice...my Mana reserves are still limited...I haven’t been able to tap into all of the Mana I could use...and I still...get tired if I use a certain amount...Am I training wrong? While he did not try to argue with Oliver about why he had panicked at the end, his brows furrowed and he knew why he had struggled to finish the fight. He wished he knew a way to increase his available Mana supply during a fight. With a sigh, he took another sip of tea.

“...You’re right...I...I should have been calmer...Maybe...I could have lasted longer...I could have...forced a draw at least...” He wondered if he really could have lasted for another three minutes, but now he wanted to go back into the battlefield. He wanted to finish the fight. For the first time, he felt his blood rumbling with the desire to continue fighting, and not with a desire to run away. Yet he squelched this desire, knowing nothing productive could come from wondering what could have been.

[Luminesa]

Timeskip-Two days later.

The exams finished, and the class was graded based on their tests and their performance. Some were glad to see their grades, others were disappointed. After a day of rest, classes continued, and the students got back to their classes. The weather continued to get colder, and the first snowfall of the year dusted the school early in the morning.

The cold weather made getting out of bed a little harder, and Soleil was no different. He laid in bed and slept through his alarm, almost uncharacteristically running late for class. He was used to cold weather, having lived in the mountains for much of his life, but Wisconsin weather was frigid even in October, and he was wrapped under two blankets. He also had a large blue, hoodie-sweater-printed with a cute puppy-over his body, and when he finally crawled out of bed, he did not bother to change into his uniform. He put on pants, a scarf, and some shoes, and he huddled out the doorway around 6:57 AM.

Ambrosia liked the cold even less, but got up early to go find food in the cafeteria. She made a stack of pancakes and drank at least three cups of hot chocolate, careful not to get it on her white, faux-fur coat and lavender dress. She arrived in class at about 6:50, in Professor Sleipnir’s Magical History class.

The classroom was warm, and full of the pulsing beauty of life. Long vines and mosses covered inexplicably covered the classroom’s walls, along with flowers such as honeycups, honeysuckle, and sweet pea. A pool of water circled the middle of the classroom, and koi swam in circles peacefully in the middle. Birds often flew in and out of the room, and had over the years made nests in some of the tree-branches in the corners of the rooms. They would probably be back in the spring, along with the sweet chirping of new babies. The room was definitely the strangest and coziest in all of Mana.

Soleil enjoyed this classroom, and was soothed by the presence of nature in the classroom. The flowers made for a sweet, wild scent that gave it a certain freshness that did not always inhabit other classrooms. And being someone who preferred being outdoors, he was able to best focus in this class. Ambrosia enjoyed the classroom as well...as long as birds did not poop on her clothes. “Morning!” she greeted the teacher, as she plopped into a desk. “Good morning, Professor,” Soleil whispered, as he sat and took out his notebooks a few moments later.

[Serah]

Timeskip-Two days later.

The exams finished, and the class was graded based on their tests and their performance. Some were glad to see their grades, others were disappointed. After a day of rest, classes continued, and the students got back to their classes. The weather continued to get colder, and the first snowfall of the year dusted the school early in the morning.

The cold weather made getting out of bed a little harder, and Soleil was no different. He laid in bed and slept through his alarm, almost uncharacteristically running late for class. He was used to cold weather, having lived in the mountains for much of his life, but Wisconsin weather was frigid even in October, and he was wrapped under two blankets. He also had a large blue, hoodie-sweater-printed with a cute puppy-over his body, and when he finally crawled out of bed, he did not bother to change into his uniform. He put on pants, a scarf, and some shoes, and he huddled out the doorway around 6:57 AM.

Ambrosia liked the cold even less, but got up early to go find food in the cafeteria. She made a stack of pancakes and drank at least three cups of hot chocolate, careful not to get it on her white, faux-fur coat and lavender dress. She arrived in class at about 6:50, in Professor Sleipnir’s Magical History class.

The classroom was warm, and full of the pulsing beauty of life. Long vines and mosses covered inexplicably covered the classroom’s walls, along with flowers such as honeycups, honeysuckle, and sweet pea. A pool of water circled the middle of the classroom, and koi swam in circles peacefully in the middle. Birds often flew in and out of the room, and had over the years made nests in some of the tree-branches in the corners of the rooms. They would probably be back in the spring, along with the sweet chirping of new babies. The room was definitely the strangest and coziest in all of Mana.

Soleil enjoyed this classroom, and was soothed by the presence of nature in the classroom. The flowers made for a sweet, wild scent that gave it a certain freshness that did not always inhabit other classrooms. And being someone who preferred being outdoors, he was able to best focus in this class. Ambrosia enjoyed the classroom as well...as long as birds did not poop on her clothes. “Morning!” she greeted the teacher, as she plopped into a desk. “Good morning, Professor,” Soleil whispered, as he sat and took out his notebooks a few moments later.

As the exam finished without the climax he had expected, Oliver retreated to his room and locked himself up for the next two days. He had done enough socializing for the week.
The teachers generally knew that when he locked himself, it was for a good reason, which made most turn a blind eye to his sporadic presence sheet.
He used to justify it by the fact his grades never dropped, and they never did. But now, as people grew to accept it, they paid no mind.

He actually did very little in his room, he played retro games as usual, strategy games, made Austria a powerhouse again and grumbled over the inevitable fall of Yugoslavia.
One would've expected him to train a bit more, but he did nothing of the sort. No, he waited and let existential dread and regrets wash over him. Those feelings needed to come out every once in a while, so as to not make him too empty or too jaded, it had happened before. And in retrospect, it felt like someone going through a teenage rebellious phase masquerading it as depression.

As usual, he waited for the days to end, so he could reasonably fall asleep again. His food had dwindled, eating less was necessary after all.

As the two days of respite he allowed himself to have ended, he learned of his grades and was thoroughly unimpressed. As usual, nothing had changed. Mediocre in theory, but proficient in practice.
His magico-history grade had remained the same, too. He knew what he was talking about, he just didn't expose it in a way that would be acceptable academically. It became a cycle after a while.

"Did it work?" No, of course it did not. "Figured as much." was the train of thought. It never changed, no matter how much he tried to format himself academically.

Petting Begnion, who was thankfully still around made him work a smile, a genuine, albeit crooked smile.
It was better than nothing.
He looked at the door, then the time. 6:45.

He came out of the door with a now full flask in his hand, and a faint smell of mint in his mouth.
The way to the class he was supposed to have wasn't long, after all, he had gotten used to not eating.

Looking out of one of the windows that gave way to the outside world he hadn't seen in two days, he saw the white sheet of snow covering the ground.
This was the first time he spent winter away from Europe. It was an odd feeling, but he waved it off as he entered the class, giving a nod to the teacher as his form of salutation and sat near the back of the room.
Sleipnir was the teacher's name, he taught a plethora of things regarding the Fae and general history. Probably owing to the fact he was one.

Oliver had mixed feeling about them, he had acceptable experiences of them from a trip to Scotland, but generally remained distrustful of their kind, due to another trip to Ireland that ended remarkably badly for a lot of people.
That said, he couldn't deny that the room was calming.
His empty eyes scanned the room for details that he missed previously, and for people arriving.
Shortly after he made his entry, Ambrosia entered, Soleil following some ten minutes later.

[Khasinkonia]

Corentina-Elouana Koaduuiueg

The overnight journey from France to this unspecified school somewhere near the Canadian-American border. At least I’d managed to get a decent sleep on the plane, and they let me shower before the next leg. It’d taken less time than I’d expected, actually. I was in time for the first class. How delightful. At least my luggage was going to be taken care of. So my first class was “Magical History” taught by a Professor Sleipnir. The gates of the school weren’t out of the ordinary, at least, but surely there was more to it. I couldn’t have been taken out of school after that incident for no reason. Magic was real, apparently, and I had it. I’d never gotten a clear explanation on whether other people with magic had the same innate abilities as me. Perhaps my peers would clarify it.

I looked around, and then checked the time on my phone. 6:58 in the morning. I’d best find my way soon unless I wanted to be late for my very first class at a new school. It’d make a bad impression. Luckily, there seemed to be relatively few students here, and if I followed one maybe I’d find the right room. I fixed my coat, which was cerulean in colour, and double-breasted skirted at midi length in style. I ought to try to make a good impression.

There was boy who seemed to be going in the direction of...somewhere. Might as well follow him and see where he was off to. As luck would have it, the building and room he headed into was exactly where I needed to be. Professor Sleipnir was the name on the door, at least. Looking into this room, was this a garden? Plants all strewn about on the wall...and...stepping further in...a pond?!? What sort of school has a pond in the history classroom? Evidently, a magical one does.

I sat next to a fellow who was, for the moment, rather quiet. Although, come to think of it, it might be wise to introduce myself and see if I could tease out a bit of information. It’d been a while since I’d spoken English properly, so hopefully I wouldn’t butcher it all too much.

“Uh, excuse me,” I said, turning to him, “I’m new here...what is magical history, exactly?”

[Serah]

Corentina-Elouana Koaduuiueg

The overnight journey from France to this unspecified school somewhere near the Canadian-American border. At least I’d managed to get a decent sleep on the plane, and they let me shower before the next leg. It’d taken less time than I’d expected, actually. I was in time for the first class. How delightful. At least my luggage was going to be taken care of. So my first class was “Magical History” taught by a Professor Sleipnir. The gates of the school weren’t out of the ordinary, at least, but surely there was more to it. I couldn’t have been taken out of school after that incident for no reason. Magic was real, apparently, and I had it. I’d never gotten a clear explanation on whether other people with magic had the same innate abilities as me. Perhaps my peers would clarify it.

I looked around, and then checked the time on my phone. 6:58 in the morning. I’d best find my way soon unless I wanted to be late for my very first class at a new school. It’d make a bad impression. Luckily, there seemed to be relatively few students here, and if I followed one maybe I’d find the right room. I fixed my coat, which was cerulean in colour, and double-breasted skirted at midi length in style. I ought to try to make a good impression.

There was boy who seemed to be going in the direction of...somewhere. Might as well follow him and see where he was off to. As luck would have it, the building and room he headed into was exactly where I needed to be. Professor Sleipnir was the name on the door, at least. Looking into this room, was this a garden? Plants all strewn about on the wall...and...stepping further in...a pond?!? What sort of school has a pond in the history classroom? Evidently, a magical one does.

I sat next to a fellow who was, for the moment, rather quiet. Although, come to think of it, it might be wise to introduce myself and see if I could tease out a bit of information. It’d been a while since I’d spoken English properly, so hopefully I wouldn’t butcher it all too much.

“Uh, excuse me,” I said, turning to him, “I’m new here...what is magical history, exactly?”

Oliver had noticed the person walking behind him, but generally paid it no mind. For a brief moment he thought of them as a possible assassin, but when no attempts had been made on his life during the entirety of the trip to the classroom, he figured it couldn't have been that.
No, indeed it was just a student. One he hadn't seen before, and could only figure was a transfer student, but a student nonetheless.
Come to think of it, didn't he get something like a paper mentioning a new student. Something along those lines, but realistically he probably forgot about it under all the alcohol.
It wasn't that bad for him, any kind of social interaction was good for him, and with his shell slowly breaking down...

Now was not the time to think of it.

"The cynical answer is regular history, but flashier. The other answer is the explanation for why most unexplained things happened in the regular world up until post WW1 if I remember properly."

His eyes had lit up a bit more as he turned his head to look at the newcomer.
He looked at her clothes and mannerisms, so as to figure out who she was, or where she came from.
Unfortunately there was no plaque highlighting her name on her coat, but given how confused she was at something that was the very basics of mage knowledge, he figured she was from outside.
Maybe even from Europe.

"... You're not from here, are you?" He asked, after a pause to figure out her accent. "And given what you asked, I don't think you've been raised like a mage in the slightest... I would guess that you were sent here after either you or someone else caused a fuss that awakened your powers, or at the very least make you realize you had them." Oliver continued, and stretched.

"Well, even if I'm wrong, if you need any help, call Begnion, he'll lead you to me if I'm not in the usual places. I'm usually in the Solum dorm or at the back of the classes.
I'll give you pointers for this class and pass my notes to you, if you need them. If need help for the other classes, you can ask me. You wouldn't be the first."

[Khasinkonia]

Corentina-Elouana Koaduuiueg

The overnight journey from France to this unspecified school somewhere near the Canadian-American border. At least I’d managed to get a decent sleep on the plane, and they let me shower before the next leg. It’d taken less time than I’d expected, actually. I was in time for the first class. How delightful. At least my luggage was going to be taken care of. So my first class was “Magical History” taught by a Professor Sleipnir. The gates of the school weren’t out of the ordinary, at least, but surely there was more to it. I couldn’t have been taken out of school after that incident for no reason. Magic was real, apparently, and I had it. I’d never gotten a clear explanation on whether other people with magic had the same innate abilities as me. Perhaps my peers would clarify it.

I looked around, and then checked the time on my phone. 6:58 in the morning. I’d best find my way soon unless I wanted to be late for my very first class at a new school. It’d make a bad impression. Luckily, there seemed to be relatively few students here, and if I followed one maybe I’d find the right room. I fixed my coat, which was cerulean in colour, and double-breasted skirted at midi length in style. I ought to try to make a good impression.

There was boy who seemed to be going in the direction of...somewhere. Might as well follow him and see where he was off to. As luck would have it, the building and room he headed into was exactly where I needed to be. Professor Sleipnir was the name on the door, at least. Looking into this room, was this a garden? Plants all strewn about on the wall...and...stepping further in...a pond?!? What sort of school has a pond in the history classroom? Evidently, a magical one does.

I sat next to a fellow who was, for the moment, rather quiet. Although, come to think of it, it might be wise to introduce myself and see if I could tease out a bit of information. It’d been a while since I’d spoken English properly, so hopefully I wouldn’t butcher it all too much.

“Uh, excuse me,” I said, turning to him, “I’m new here...what is magical history, exactly?”

Oliver had noticed the person walking behind him, but generally paid it no mind. For a brief moment he thought of them as a possible assassin, but when no attempts had been made on his life during the entirety of the trip to the classroom, he figured it couldn't have been that.
No, indeed it was just a student. One he hadn't seen before, and could only figure was a transfer student, but a student nonetheless.
Come to think of it, didn't he get something like a paper mentioning a new student. Something along those lines, but realistically he probably forgot about it under all the alcohol.
It wasn't that bad for him, any kind of social interaction was good for him, and with his shell slowly breaking down...

Now was not the time to think of it.

"The cynical answer is regular history, but flashier. The other answer is the explanation for why most unexplained things happened in the regular world up until post WW1 if I remember properly."

His eyes had lit up a bit more as he turned his head to look at the newcomer.
He looked at her clothes and mannerisms, so as to figure out who she was, or where she came from.
Unfortunately there was no plaque highlighting her name on her coat, but given how confused she was at something that was the very basics of mage knowledge, he figured she was from outside.
Maybe even from Europe.

"... You're not from here, are you?" He asked, after a pause to figure out her accent. "And given what you asked, I don't think you've been raised like a mage in the slightest... I would guess that you were sent here after either you or someone else caused a fuss that awakened your powers, or at the very least make you realize you had them." Oliver continued, and stretched.

"Well, even if I'm wrong, if you need any help, call Begnion, he'll lead you to me if I'm not in the usual places. I'm usually in the Solum dorm or at the back of the classes.
I'll give you pointers for this class and pass my notes to you, if you need them. If need help for the other classes, you can ask me. You wouldn't be the first."

Corentina-Elouana Koaduuiueg

The fellow I’d asked gave me a suspicious look at first, but seemed to lighten up as he mulled me over. Then he seemed to get an idea of who I was, it seemed. Could he be somewhat clairvoyant? I nodded as he suggested that I wasn’t from around here and wasn’t a mage. He got the gist correct, so it was a distinct possibility, although he may very well simply be good at reading people. Perhaps I’ll find out soon enough, as he did offer to aid me.

“Thank you,” I replied. “And I am new here. I’m a transfer student from Huelgoat, Brittany. My name’s Corentina-Elouana Koaduuiueg, but most people just call me Elouana. What’s you name, and, also, what do you mean by ‘solum’?”

[Saldinado]

Shaun Calhoun

The exams were finally over. But it didn't really make any difference to his mood once he received the results of his work. Except maybe added a little bit of a boost to his ego. But now that it was over, all Shaun wanted to do is just rest for the remainder of whatever time he had left before some other event was bound to happen; but while the wait continued, he as well continued to start something new with his daily life. Now that the weather was changing-even though he was use to this sort of weather, the fact that it was cold in general wasn't something that he was too fond off-this meant a new wardrobe of attire. More sweaters and cardigans during the day and sweatpants and socks during the night.
He even stopped working out for the next month or so mainly because he was too cold (and lazy) to go out and preform his usual routine before classes began. So to past the time, he would just go out and speak to the other students, spent time in the cafeteria eating, or simply stay in his room listening to music and building up any skills or hobbies of his.

Yet...as much as he had time to keep his mind and body free from getting bored, there was still something, rather someone, that would always flood his mind and fill his anxieties. Knowing that there was an unknown war going on somewhere else involving Allistor as well as Rabbit and the others made Shaun feel and scared every day that passes; not a word from either one of them, as well as the fact that there isn't much, if any, announcements about their absence made the school feel somewhat emptier. Each passing second he thinks about the dread of having someone come over to him and pulling him from class or from having a conversation, only to hear those despair-inducing words. He didn't know if he could bear listening to it again. He doubt that he could even live with himself knowing that it happened; and with those thoughts came nights where sleeping in bed was less than peaceful. Tossing and turning, waking up with pillows damped in sweat and pains in his stomach. And soon he began to face another war, this time with himself.

Two days have passed after the exams. Everything continued the same as it did the last few days. Wiping the sweat from his face, he sighed and got up to prepare for the day. Wearing some jeans with a grey t-shirt with a black peacoat and shoes, Shaun left his dorm chewing his favorite gum and looked at the courtyard. A light blanket of snow covered everything as it continued to softly fall down upon the ground. He shivered a bit and grumbled to himself in annoyance before beginning to walk to class.
Reaching the destination, Shaun looked around in disbelief as he observed the classroom of Magical History. The name itself sounded kinda interesting, although the view of the classroom itself made it sound better than it was meant to be. It was like a garden inside there, even equip with its own koi pond. Although quickly he began getting too warm and took off the coat before walking in and kneeling down in front of the koi pond in amazement. "How is this possible?" He said quietly to himself as he became entranced with the swirling of the fish around the water. "All of this inside of a classroom? The budget for this school really is something else."

Dominique Corleone

Finally it was all over. No more exams, and also a rather nice grade boost for him. But in all honesty, he couldn't care less about it. But now that it's finally over, he quickly went back to his room and without even switching out of his clothes, collapsed on the bed and took a best nap that he had in months.
It seemed that if you wanted to get some of the best sleep in the world, then coming to Mana and enduring all the things that the students and staff have to endure will be the best option. Give or take some emotional scarring, but that's treatable.

Over the next 3 days, life turned back to normal. Everyone were their usual cheery, introverted, or melancholy selves. It worried him about just how many people here were so down and in such depressed or near depressed states once you truly get to know them.
But as a friend, he wouldn't mind listening to people vent and tell him about their days and such and offering advice about their problems if needed. Or even just playing a simple song on the piano or saxophone, or maybe just cooking up a nice dinner for one as he sat down and talked. Even if at the end of the conversation or day he felt like all he wanted to do is talk and sleep.

But along with the cold emotions came the cold weather. He hated every second of the coldness. Even though he was from New York and dealt with stuff like this, he never liked it to begin with. And even then, the winters further up North were much brutal than the ones on the Coast. He would constantly huddle up inside either his room or in the school where it was warmer, hoping that the coldness would go away soon. He would drink hot chocolate filled with coffee and whipped cream to keep him from falling asleep due to the warmth of the room and wear nothing but either hoodies and sweatpants with several other layers of clothes underneath. Luckily Prince was there to help him warm up during the night by being his own personal body warmer.

But now it was time to go back to class. Which meant getting back into the routine of things, as well as dealing with the cold. Once it was morning, Dominique groaned and resentfully got out of bed and tried his best to get ready for the day, albeit slowly. Once dressed in the usual hoodie with jeans, he walked out of the door and watched the snow-covered field. Even if he did hate the snow, at least it made up in beautiful creations and landscapes. Smiling tiredly, he let suddenly let out a long and heavy sigh as he watched the heat of his breath rise up in front of his face like a dragon. It always made him chuckle when he was able to do things like this. Now it was only a matter of time before it snows more and even more fun ensues. But for now, he must bare with it. The few joys he got from dealing with the cold.
Walking to class, Dominique began to think more about what type of class it was. "Magical History." He suddenly said out loud to himself. It quite honesty sounded like it was going to be boring as hell. He just wanted to go right back into bed or just go to the rec room and watch movies and eat snacks while drink hot chocolate. As basic as it sounded.

Finally making it into the door classroom-not before making a detour to the cafeteria to get some coffee and hot coco-Dominique looked at the clock at the end of the hall: It was just a few minutes after 7. This made him rather irritated to some degree, but either way he had to face through it. It was only until walking into the classroom that he saw what he would be dealing with. His eyes lit up in shock as he observed the classroom. It was like he was in some sort of dreamscape. Birds flying high and gracefully above them, vines and flowers growing bright and beautifully as they were outside. A small pond in the center of the classroom where koi of all sizes and shapes swam around peacefully. Their bright oranges, yellows, and golds danced around in circles creating a fireplace within the center of the room that remained lit below water.
"What is this place?" He said suddenly before walking into the room completely and sitting down in a desk with a perfect view of the koi pond right in front of him.

"For a subject with a boring name as Magical History, this classroom sure is beautiful." He simply said to no one in particular while continuing to observe the room.

[Serah]

Oliver had noticed the person walking behind him, but generally paid it no mind. For a brief moment he thought of them as a possible assassin, but when no attempts had been made on his life during the entirety of the trip to the classroom, he figured it couldn't have been that.
No, indeed it was just a student. One he hadn't seen before, and could only figure was a transfer student, but a student nonetheless.
Come to think of it, didn't he get something like a paper mentioning a new student. Something along those lines, but realistically he probably forgot about it under all the alcohol.
It wasn't that bad for him, any kind of social interaction was good for him, and with his shell slowly breaking down...

Now was not the time to think of it.

"The cynical answer is regular history, but flashier. The other answer is the explanation for why most unexplained things happened in the regular world up until post WW1 if I remember properly."

His eyes had lit up a bit more as he turned his head to look at the newcomer.
He looked at her clothes and mannerisms, so as to figure out who she was, or where she came from.
Unfortunately there was no plaque highlighting her name on her coat, but given how confused she was at something that was the very basics of mage knowledge, he figured she was from outside.
Maybe even from Europe.

"... You're not from here, are you?" He asked, after a pause to figure out her accent. "And given what you asked, I don't think you've been raised like a mage in the slightest... I would guess that you were sent here after either you or someone else caused a fuss that awakened your powers, or at the very least make you realize you had them." Oliver continued, and stretched.

"Well, even if I'm wrong, if you need any help, call Begnion, he'll lead you to me if I'm not in the usual places. I'm usually in the Solum dorm or at the back of the classes.
I'll give you pointers for this class and pass my notes to you, if you need them. If need help for the other classes, you can ask me. You wouldn't be the first."

Corentina-Elouana Koaduuiueg

The fellow I’d asked gave me a suspicious look at first, but seemed to lighten up as he mulled me over. Then he seemed to get an idea of who I was, it seemed. Could he be somewhat clairvoyant? I nodded as he suggested that I wasn’t from around here and wasn’t a mage. He got the gist correct, so it was a distinct possibility, although he may very well simply be good at reading people. Perhaps I’ll find out soon enough, as he did offer to aid me.

“Thank you,” I replied. “And I am new here. I’m a transfer student from Huelgoat, Brittany. My name’s Corentina-Elouana Koaduuiueg, but most people just call me Elouana. What’s you name, and, also, what do you mean by ‘solum’?”

The mention of Brittany made Oliver raise an eyebrow.

"France, huh." He muttered. Seemingly going into his own thoughts.

It had been a while since anybody had mentioned France around him. The seat of power of his family might've been in Strasburg, but he himself didn't come from it.
He came from further south, near Vienne. That said, he probably passed through the place during the bus trip to Scotland. He did have to go to Belgium to board the boat.

"I'm from the Rhône, myself." He continued, remembering a few things he'd rather have forgotten. "I'm Oliver, or Alrick, depending on who you ask. As for the Solum question, it's pretty simple. There are four different dorms, and in those dorms are the four great elements. Earth, Air, Water and Fire, the official lingo for it is Solum, Venta, Aqua and... Something. I can't remember it."

He sighed briefly, trying to rack his mind to find the word again.

"Oh, yeah. Ignis. And it's not Aqua it's Aquo. You'll land in one of the dorms whether you like it or not, but they're comfy. Especially if you don't have to share, which is possible for you, since you're a transfer student."

[Khasinkonia]

Corentina-Elouana Koaduuiueg

The fellow I’d asked gave me a suspicious look at first, but seemed to lighten up as he mulled me over. Then he seemed to get an idea of who I was, it seemed. Could he be somewhat clairvoyant? I nodded as he suggested that I wasn’t from around here and wasn’t a mage. He got the gist correct, so it was a distinct possibility, although he may very well simply be good at reading people. Perhaps I’ll find out soon enough, as he did offer to aid me.

“Thank you,” I replied. “And I am new here. I’m a transfer student from Huelgoat, Brittany. My name’s Corentina-Elouana Koaduuiueg, but most people just call me Elouana. What’s you name, and, also, what do you mean by ‘solum’?”

The mention of Brittany made Oliver raise an eyebrow.

"France, huh." He muttered. Seemingly going into his own thoughts.

It had been a while since anybody had mentioned France around him. The seat of power of his family might've been in Strasburg, but he himself didn't come from it.
He came from further south, near Vienne. That said, he probably passed through the place during the bus trip to Scotland. He did have to go to Belgium to board the boat.

"I'm from the Rhône, myself." He continued, remembering a few things he'd rather have forgotten. "I'm Oliver, or Alrick, depending on who you ask. As for the Solum question, it's pretty simple. There are four different dorms, and in those dorms are the four great elements. Earth, Air, Water and Fire, the official lingo for it is Solum, Venta, Aqua and... Something. I can't remember it."

He sighed briefly, trying to rack his mind to find the word again.

"Oh, yeah. Ignis. And it's not Aqua it's Aquo. You'll land in one of the dorms whether you like it or not, but they're comfy. Especially if you don't have to share, which is possible for you, since you're a transfer student."

Corentina-Elouana Koaduuiueg

I once again nodded. It made sense; I’d been told I was to stay in Venta. I thought that was the name of the town or building, and the latter was correct. The Rhône rung a bell from geography class, so it seemed Oliver was also from France, or at least nearby.

“That’s fine. Thanks,” I replied, then clicking my tongue as I thought of something. I thought for a moment, assembling how exactly I’d phrase the question so as to avoid provoking any possible indignant responses.

“Are there any notable differences about the student community here other than magic, would you say?”

[Serah]

The mention of Brittany made Oliver raise an eyebrow.

"France, huh." He muttered. Seemingly going into his own thoughts.

It had been a while since anybody had mentioned France around him. The seat of power of his family might've been in Strasburg, but he himself didn't come from it.
He came from further south, near Vienne. That said, he probably passed through the place during the bus trip to Scotland. He did have to go to Belgium to board the boat.

"I'm from the Rhône, myself." He continued, remembering a few things he'd rather have forgotten. "I'm Oliver, or Alrick, depending on who you ask. As for the Solum question, it's pretty simple. There are four different dorms, and in those dorms are the four great elements. Earth, Air, Water and Fire, the official lingo for it is Solum, Venta, Aqua and... Something. I can't remember it."

He sighed briefly, trying to rack his mind to find the word again.

"Oh, yeah. Ignis. And it's not Aqua it's Aquo. You'll land in one of the dorms whether you like it or not, but they're comfy. Especially if you don't have to share, which is possible for you, since you're a transfer student."

Corentina-Elouana Koaduuiueg

I once again nodded. It made sense; I’d been told I was to stay in Venta. I thought that was the name of the town or building, and the latter was correct. The Rhône rung a bell from geography class, so it seemed Oliver was also from France, or at least nearby.

“That’s fine. Thanks,” I replied, then clicking my tongue as I thought of something. I thought for a moment, assembling how exactly I’d phrase the question so as to avoid provoking any possible indignant responses.

“Are there any notable differences about the student community here other than magic, would you say?”

"There's a slight rift between some people. Some of us have had difficult pasts, others have been born in privileged places, and some are just pompous bastards.
For the most part, everyone will welcome you without much issue. From what I know, I'm the only one that lets their pet run wild. That said, everybody knows him.
It's probably the one other thing I can picture being odd officially." Oliver stretched back for a moment, went into his thoughts for a second then immediately came out of them.

"... The main differences you'll see are from the people that had difficult pasts, unnaturally strong abilities, rare ones, that sort of thing. Other than that, social standing doesn't matter much here.
Mostly because nobody cares enough to treat you differently. So long as you're friendly, you'll do fine." However, a more somber look came on after that statement.

"That said, what applies here doesn't necessarily apply everywhere else. If you didn't know yet, this side of the world is cut in two very unequal parts.
The commonbloods and the noblebloods. You'll find your share of virtuousness in either just like you'll find insufferable trash. But no matter how shit a nobleblood treats you, if you didn't meet them here, see to it that you treat them well until they become openly hostile, even if you can beat them down, the rest of the family is sure to come to you. Frankly I don't like it any more than the next guy, but until someone strong enough upsets the balance, it'll work that way."

[Luminesa]

Corentina-Elouana Koaduuiueg

The overnight journey from France to this unspecified school somewhere near the Canadian-American border. At least I’d managed to get a decent sleep on the plane, and they let me shower before the next leg. It’d taken less time than I’d expected, actually. I was in time for the first class. How delightful. At least my luggage was going to be taken care of. So my first class was “Magical History” taught by a Professor Sleipnir. The gates of the school weren’t out of the ordinary, at least, but surely there was more to it. I couldn’t have been taken out of school after that incident for no reason. Magic was real, apparently, and I had it. I’d never gotten a clear explanation on whether other people with magic had the same innate abilities as me. Perhaps my peers would clarify it.

I looked around, and then checked the time on my phone. 6:58 in the morning. I’d best find my way soon unless I wanted to be late for my very first class at a new school. It’d make a bad impression. Luckily, there seemed to be relatively few students here, and if I followed one maybe I’d find the right room. I fixed my coat, which was cerulean in colour, and double-breasted skirted at midi length in style. I ought to try to make a good impression.

There was boy who seemed to be going in the direction of...somewhere. Might as well follow him and see where he was off to. As luck would have it, the building and room he headed into was exactly where I needed to be. Professor Sleipnir was the name on the door, at least. Looking into this room, was this a garden? Plants all strewn about on the wall...and...stepping further in...a pond?!? What sort of school has a pond in the history classroom? Evidently, a magical one does.

I sat next to a fellow who was, for the moment, rather quiet. Although, come to think of it, it might be wise to introduce myself and see if I could tease out a bit of information. It’d been a while since I’d spoken English properly, so hopefully I wouldn’t butcher it all too much.

“Uh, excuse me,” I said, turning to him, “I’m new here...what is magical history, exactly?”

The new girl was interesting to Soleil. Her odd appearance-long blue hair and mint-green eyes, along with a grey dress and red roses in her hair-caught his attention, and her polite sir made him blush. She also happened to be from France, Brittany to be exact. He had never been to that part of the country, but seeing another French person in class made him feel more comfortable. She spoke to Oliver, but he decided to pipe-in, to help her. “...W-We’re a small, close group. Like a family!” he exclaimed. He gave a friendly smile, wanting to make her feel welcome and less nervous. “A-And...we’re always glad to have more family!” he explained cheerfully. “Plus we’re...m-mostly safe from the wars across the ocean...though...some of our classmates are overseas. We just hope they’ll return safely. In the meantime, we’ll help you to...um...to feel at home here.”

[Frisct the II]

Sleipnir
Sleipnir had laid himself upon a cloud of mana that he used as a sort of floating hammock in his classroom. It was filled with nature and relatively warm, which was a massive plus for him. Some of the students got there a little early. They acknowledged his presence with general greeting phrases alongside small nods and some reactions to the appearance of his classroom. He agreed with most of the kids on one point though. Magical history does sound quite boring without a thorough understanding of its contents.

He decided that it may be fun to respond to some of the questions and statements that weren't aimed at anyone in particular. One student seemed truly shocked that the classroom was even possible for the climate and condition of the rest of the school. His voice was not overbearing, nor was it meek. It echoed through the room like a cool breeze on a warm summer day. "This room is my room. Fae are born of nature, and can control it however they see fit given they have enough control over mana to do so. It was less a matter of school budget and more about how I shaped the room over time." Another student that came in remarked that it was rather beautiful for a subject as boring as Magical History. "Your viewpoint at this current time is understandable, but I think you may find some aspects of this class to be rather interesting should you take the time to look at it."

Floating on his mana hammock, Sleipnier ascended a little higher into the air due to the increasing numbers of students entering his classroom. He wanted to be visible to them all throughout the class if he could help it. He raised his voice so that it would echo a little more in his room. "Is everyone here now? If so we can go ahead and begin class."