[@liferusher] [center][img]http://orig04.deviantart.net/7cd8/f/2016/179/1/5/kano_hargor_by_zelosse-da7xiiu.png[/img][/center] [center][color=004b80][h1][b]π’¦π’Άπ“ƒπ‘œ π»π’Άπ“‡π‘”π‘œπ“‡[/b][/h1][/color][/center] [quote=@liferusher] [center][color=8dc73f]"Nooooooooo, Yoshino isn't made for hard labour."[/color][/center] Drops of tears fell down her face as she spoke. She took it harder than expected. Well she wanted as less problems as possible of course. [center][color=8dc73f]"B-but I understand -sniff-. I didn't do good so have to be punished -sniff-. Do whatever you wish to me."[/color][/center] [/quote] It was hard to take the girl seriously when the slightest idea of punishment seemed to invite the waterworks from her eyes. [color=0072bc][i]What a shame her element is earth. She would never want for a water source.. [/i][/color] Kano kept that thought to himself for the sake of the conversation. The girl was blubbering and pleading to do whatever he wanted. Some with less pure intentions might have taken the phrasing as an invitation to do something terrible or make her suffer in a humiliating way, but the headmaster was not the type. Nor had he ever been. On rare occassions there had been teachers, and students, who had tried to do less than appropriate things on the schoolgrounds. One such incident had taken place near a student hosted dance. His long time friend, the other headmaster, had walked in on the scene as it unfolded. There were probably still burn marks on the hallway now that he thought about it. Kano patted the air calmly as he spoke. [color=0072bc]"Now now, let us not be so overdramatic. Secretary work is just running a few errands I do not have the time for, and maybe a bit of help organizing my paperwork. If you do not wish to aid me for a short time I'm sure the cafeteria could use a dishwasher of some sort. We host a variety of fine eateries." [/color] Actually.. The girl was still afraid of him and unfamiliar with the school. Her assistance at the current time would not be beneficial, as he would still need to guide her around the school anyways. [color=0072bc]"You have a week to make a choice. Please, consider my offer as a chance to experience more of the school rather than having to help and old man like myself. In the meantime, as I have already sent Luke and your friend off, I will escort you personally to the cafeteria. The dormitories are not far from there." [/color] Kano glanced at the mountain of paperwork on his desk and resisted the urge to simply destroy the pile. Thankfully, resisting the urge for violence was normally pretty easy. Standing up from his chair and coming around the desk, he motioned for Yoshino to follow, and proceeded through the familiar corridors until they reached the long path leading to the cafeteria and dormitories. [color=0072bc]"right down that road. You have already been assigned a room so simply talk to the dorm head at the entrance."[/color] -------------------------------------------------------- [b]A week later![/b] -------------------------------------------------------- (morning. Before classes) Classes had progressed at a steady pace. The new students were adaptive and receptive to the lessons, even some of the stranger ones that involved not attacking your classmates. Memories of those damnable hall monitor reports came to mind forcing Kano to frown. Not that anybody ever saw anything but his eyes with all the shadows clogging his hood. Just how he liked it. The clock was ticking on the first years to make a good impression tonight, every minute that passed brought them all closer to their first real taste of power and danger. The C.E.T. Combat Efficiency Test. Every elementalist learned to control their powers to a point where they could be used not just to honor them, or manipulate them, but allow the students a way of defending themselves against the very real threats of the world. Not all the regular humans were peaceful against our kind and a greater number of elemental spirits were lashing out against the natural order. The true duty of a practitioner was to destroy these spirits so they could be returned to their natural forms. The test itself had been given as a warning to every first year student. They would be leaving the dormitories at 7pm when the sun had set, and approach the base of the mountain. It would be an hour walk from the dorms to the designated meeting place. The gaping maw of the mountains pass, a tunnel stretching the entirety of the mountain in a straight line used primarily to transport goods, also served as an entrance the belly of their home. Lit with a strange glowing Lichen the tunnels were dangerous and often barred off thanks to the earth elementalists. Tonight the doors would be opened and the first years cleansing would begin. The objective of the test was to see if the students were capable of using their powers in a way that was not only capable of defeating a foe but to see if they could overcome their own fears for the good of harmony. There would be beasts warped by the influence of strong energies and even core elementals that had taken a corrupted solid form. Each one of them had to be destroyed. If left to fester it would spell disaster for everyone. First years were not the only ones doing the cleansing. Third year students did routine sweeps and some even took residence in the maw, dedicating themselves to the practice, while others went in with groups to distribute supplies and goods or replace others. Second years went in regularly to offer assistance and train with the third years. Those who did not wish to partake were allowed to do regular classes with the teachers. A few others with the knack were allowed to help build the city to gain knowledge in other fields such as construction. Some even went to the techmentals to help keep the lights on. First years were untrained and often undisciplined. They were rash. They made mistakes. But they all had the potential to learn and would from here on be finding themselves at the entrance to the maw on the regular, if only for a few hours. Of course if they took a liking to it they could frequent the nightly patrols and learn from older students, but only with express permission and a supervising teacher. Third years or not, safety could not be guaranteed and precautions needed to be taken. ------------------------------------------ (After lunch class) Kano stood in the fields near the pools he had been using for training. His students showed excellent growth in controlling the once raging pools, now finally calmed and inviting to those who had earned the elemental trust needed to allow such an unruly spirit to aid them. That alone was a feat of great skill. Besting it in the dragon form had earned Luke more credit with the spirit than he knew. To Kanos knowledge there were few patches of nature inhabited by a strong elemental spirit like this so training near it was quite interesting. Glancing at the sky he watched the sun begin its gradual dip behind the mountain. Six hours until the C.E.T began. Students would be showing up for the afternoon water classes soon but Kano had no intention of pushing them today. It would be a simple class, one aiming to develop just a bit more combat readiness. That was all he could do. [b]Hopefully other teachers would be doing the same.[/b]