"Again!" Mr. Kessinger ordered.

Madison sighed, her tired eyes looking up at her teacher begging him to let her take a break, but she wouldn't tell him that, not when it made her look weak. Her messy hair was tied back in a ponytail but small strands had fallen around her face. Her body was overheating at this point, especially working with fire for this long.

"From the beginning?" she asked, hoping for an answer she knew she would never get. He simply nodded and she once more started her routine for him to evaluate and criticize whenever he deemed necessary. Madison turned away from Mr. Kessinger and took a few deep breaths. Without warning, she threw two fireballs into the air then pivoted on her right foot, making a downward slash motion with each of her arms to change their shape into something resembling a crescent moon. That same powerful force sent them flying into the intended target, or so she thought.

"STOP!" 

Madison turned to look at Mr. Kessinger, then back at the targets.

[i]Damn![/i]

"Good job, you've managed to kill an innocent bystander," he said, adding insult to injury. Madison was tired, that much was true, but she was also borderline mad with today's lesson plans and how hard Mr. Kessinger was pushing her. She had been a good student, or so she hoped, and he was treating her like she was of the worst. That's how she felt, anyway.

"I-I'm tired! My body's sore, I'm sweating like crazy, and now I can't even concentrate! Please, can I just go and rest in the shade for 10 minutes? I just need some water..." 

He remained silent, although he appeared to be contemplating her statement. "Sure, go ahead and take a break," he said after some time.

"Really? Thanks! I promise I--" 

"If you want to die," he interrupted her.

"Excuse me?" 

"Madison, out in the battlefield you won't get a break..." 

"But-" she tried to get a few words in

"And the C.E.T.'s a few hours away. So quit complaining, focus on your target--and nothing but, and finish...this...routine. You've already shown me you can handle yourself doing everything else, so do it right this time and I'll let you go."