[IC] Closed

[Zelosse]

---

Welcome to the Elemental Academy IC

---

The academy is defined as the pinnacle of harmony and peace to those who have come and gone from this world. Those taught speak of it as a shining example of tolerance and understanding, a home for the soul. Your thoughts carry on in the famed halls long after you have graduated. The laughter of children and adults alike are the music that follows you down every hall. Branching from this school is a small city, the labor of thousands turned to beauty. Styles and architecture from around the world are scattered through its bustling streets.
Every last soul can feel the undeniable thrum of power and energy released from their neighbors, from the river flowing through the city, from the rustle of the wind billowing through the forest canopy, and the sun peaking over the tip of the mountain, as it has done every day.

The city has no name. Nobody has tried to name something so unique, and thus it has always been referred to as 'the academy'. All who have the gift or respect the ways of nature are welcome to this home with open arms. Those who prefer seclusion have found homes on and around the mountains vast cliffs, some even claim the cave systems as their home with a bustling community thriving even there.
Technology has been limited but not by a wide margin. People own computers, television sets, cellphones. Electricity is readily available thanks to the contributions of the Techmentals. Generators made from the modern methods have been fitted with a powerful core, a secret refinement technique developed by the first generation of Techmentals nearly five decades ago that triggered an explosive burst of growth to the community as the way of life reached another plateau.
From that point on the march of progress from the outside worlds influence, experienced builders, craftsmen, anything under the sun, changed the wooden thatch-roofed homes into concrete buildings of beauty. Every aspect of life changed to better suit the modern ages.

But at its core is the keen respect for our mother earth and her beauty. Many aspects of life, like plumbing and running water, have been developed in the same harmonious way the town was constructed. Elementals made way for the march of man willingly, content to become part of something greater. To allow growth of those who praise every grain of sand and every blade of grass.

It is at this town the students are settled. Temporary housing was given to new arrivals from the lands far away and fed with kindness and affection, ever eager to aid the next generation in their new adventure through the academy. These Men and Women offer to the first years bits of advice over etiquette, attire, healthy eating, and the ever constant reminder to feel the pulse of their new home and join it. To be in sync with that feeling of connection to the mountain rising high into the sky.
The rules of the village are simple to understand and mirror the outside world similarily.

Theft or vandalism is treated as an offence deserving of Exile.
You are not to wander far from the city without someone of authority knowing. For your own safety.
The mountain is home to wild life just like the forest. Be respectful to its denizens.
Use of elemental powers is prohibited in excessive levels outside of the school grounds.

The first day of the academy has begun with an assembly outside of the central building, a gargantuan structure made of naturally shaped wood and stone melded in a dizzying mosaic of craftsmanship and skill rarely seen in other cultures. Gazing upon its high walls is to know natures infinite perfection as the roots snake through and around the stone, giving the entire structure the appearance of a colossal tree when stared at from a distance.
from the first floor of this spire branches the more expected square buildings that are the various classrooms used for standard lessons.
Math, Literature, Science, Machinery, Practical First Aid, and many more.
Students have no say in the standardized curriculum and are required to participate in the fundamentals of learning in the mornings. After 12pm it is the chance for students to wander the seemingly endless paths of the academy grounds and its different zones.

Some of these include a series of waterfalls, rivers, a small lake, and an underground hotspring.
Dense forests dot the mountainside close to the academy and swarm with wildlife such as exotic birds, wild boars, foxes, rabbits, snakes, and many other unique creatures.
A much longer hike will bring you to what the teachers refer to as 'the molten frontier'. Past the forests and beyond the lake, down a series of tunnels, is a lake of molten rock teeming with flaming spirits. This is far from a natural volcano and is quite safe for students, as it is more of a tourist attraction than a place of learning or fighting.
Tunnels spread out to every inch of the Academy and the city, connected by a tram system that was designed and created by the first Techmentals. It is entirely powered by their strange energy cores, making it similar to the vehicles on the surface that do not require gasoline or other harmful fuels.
Vast cliffs about the mountains offer those attuned to the ways of the air to experience it firsthand via controlled freefalls. The most widely used area for these daredevil leaps into the open sky are done atop the waterfalls, where a safe landing is assured in the refreshing waters far, FAR, below. Teachers often frequent this area to keep a close watch and advice less experienced students to learn how to glide before outright stopping themselves mid flight.
Many other wonders have been shaped from this paradise to suit the individual interests of nearly every student.

The bell has rung all about the Academy marking exactly noon. The sun is high in the sky without a cloud in sight, yet the temperature is mild. The afternoons here are dedicated to students free time and exploration of self, surroundings, and their own powers, under the ever watchful supervision of the teachers.

[Regitnui]

Zeke was following a sunbeam. This wasn't particularly odd. He'd only made it through the assembly by watching the sunlight reflect off the blonde hair of the girl in front of him, and he was hardly in the mood to sit still now. The sunbeam led him through the halls, until he stopped at a window looking over the mountains.

The stones shone in several variants of peppery grey, and he lifted his camera to photograph it. He looked down at the picture. It was wrong. He made a little sound of frustration, then held his camera up again. It can't catch the pepper stone. He zoomed it to the maximum, and that only barely managed to get the hint of it.

Pouting, he folded his legs and sat. Using the camera's image as a reference, he started to draw. Streams of colour followed his finger. First he got the broad shapes of the mountains. That was easy. He'd drawn them so many times. The green base he created by passing both hands across the bottom. That wasn't important.

The stones were halfway up, between a jagged shadow-coloured crag and a lone swathe of matte sand. They were flat across the top, angles gently changing the shade and quality of the grey and pepper. This would be the hard piece. He held out his index finger, then decided to use his pinky. With the caution of a ice fisher in summer, he began to add the many, many, dots that had drawn his attention.

[Lord Orgasmo]

At last the bell had rung, and the day had ended. "And that concludes today. Have fun everybody! I'll be on my office if any of you need me." Walking out of the classroom and to her office, several sights could be seen on the way. The mountains were of course the most impressive. That's when Monica noticed a boy sitting down in front of a window, painting with light. Adorable. But, she needed to get going.

Stepping into her office, she flopped down into her chair. For the first day, it was pretty tiring. She hadn't talked that much in years! On her desk lay scattered medical records and other various papers that needed to be signed, approved, and who knows what else. Time to get to work. With any luck, a wandering child would step in to see what this room was and provide a momentary distraction.

[Carlyle]

Maelyne Dinsmoore
^{Current Location: The Academy (Academy -> City Streets)}

After the assembly, her school day had ended, and Maelyne wasn't sure where to go next. She was informed that the school had many places and locations to visit, but it was a long list and hard to choose from. Luckily for Maelyne, the academy did have a few places to offer that were different than what she grew up seeing on the English countryside. The city surrounding the school also had communities and various businesses from all the around the world, which was surprising to the student. Pondering on where to go, Maelyne eventually caved into a now rumbling appetite for some regular food from her native country. By the time she left the school grounds, it was a few minutes after noon, and Maelyne was as hungry as a horse.

Walking through the streets of the city after a quick tram ride, Maelyne's eyes darted around the streets. She was trying to find an English restaurant, but Maelyne only found restaurants from foreign countries. There was Hacienda Fuentes, clearly a Mexican restaurant by the food that dotted their sign, and there was a Japanese restaurant by the name of Osaka, yet despite the multicultural streets, there was no English restaurant in sight. Her stomach growled, which caused some passing students to glance back at Maelyne, but they paid her no more heed. She glanced at the Japanese restaurant, and figured that it would be best to go ahead and get something to eat here instead of continuing her search and starving in the streets. After all, the Japanese had tea and other delicacies similar to English cuisine.

As she entered and waited for seating, a young and slim man had approached Maelyne. "Sorry for making you wait, miss. Right this way." Following the waiter, she took her seat and gazed over the menu. Reading the menu in Japanese would've been hard for Maelyne, but because they had translated everything in English, she was able to settle on some daifuku and green tea. The tea was hardly different from what she would have experienced back at home, but the daifuku was odd to Maelyne. The pastry was odd, consisting of rice and red bean paste, but in the end, it was a sweet pastry. Shrugging her shoulders, Maelyne went with the taste and continued to fulfill her hungry appetite.

Priscilla Dinsmoore
^{Current Location: The Academy (Assembly -> Stargazer's Office)}

Priscilla listened to the assembly with wide open ears, and drew all useful information from the teachers and staff that spoke to the students. However, she did feel uncomfortable as the assembly dragged on, and Priscilla wished that it would end soon over and over. The girl preferred silence and solitude, yet the assembly had none for Priscilla. Her sister, Maelyne, had tried to calm her fidgeting with a quiet hum of an old childhood song that their mother used to sing, but Maelyne's efforts were all for nothing. Well, they did work, but Priscilla was the intelligent child out of the twins. She valued her sister much, and for that reason Priscilla kept her act to continue to hear the hum of joy come from Maelyne. Her hums were heavenly to the bookworm, but Priscilla was too introverted to admit such an opinion to her sister.

After the assembly had ended, Priscilla searched for a quiet place to make hers. She had been separated too long from her book, and Priscilla was itching to read more. The bookworm wandered the academy hallways, and she even received a few curious glances from interested students, but Priscilla refused to meet their gaze. Priscilla knew exactly what they were looking at, and it was her odd eyes. The only person that she felt comfortable with bringing up the topic of her heterochromia was Maelyne, but Priscilla's twin wasn't here at the moment. Priscilla began to feel anger rise in her chest when she heard a few students gossiping about her, but they were saved from Priscilla's wrath when she found an empty room.

Or so she thought. Priscilla hadn't noticed Monica until she had already laid back on one of medical beds in the room connected to the office. Her teacher appeared tired, and Priscilla figured that she probably wouldn't get yelled at for wanting to read a book in a secluded place from a sleepy person. After all, reading was educational, and Priscilla was learning from the tales and stories of young and old. What reason was there for her to get in trouble? It couldn't be sneaking around in places they weren't supposed to be. The staff had given the children permission to explore the school, and that was technically what Priscilla was doing.

@Lord Orgasmo@Regitnui@Zelosse

[Lord Orgasmo]

Monica hung her head in tiredness. At least an hour had passed, and she hadn't made to much of a dent in her paperwork. So much reading. She needed her secret weapon. Reaching into her purse, she pulled out a small can of Monster Energy™. Slugging it back, she could immediately feel the rush of sugar going through her veins. God it felt good. Re-energized, she dug once more into her paperwork. Yet she then heard the squeak from the leather of the medical bed. Looking up, she saw a small girl with a book sitting down. She looked... Troubled. "Oh hello. I didn't notice you come in. Do you need something? I'm afraid I only have some minor painkillers right now, but I should be able to get some more meds soon enough. Or maybe..." She looked at the girl's book. "Were you looking for someplace quiet? There's generally not to much commotion here. Just the never-ending sound of me scribbling away on these papers. Well, that and the occasional child trying to get sent home."

[Hammerman]

"So this is the Academy. Hmm, not bad, not bad at all! Just as you would expect from a town built by elementalists, I suppose."

Those were the first words Kanako spoke when she first laid her eyes on the city. If she were more of a honest girl, she would've had her eyes sparkle with excitement. It was far different from any place she had ever stayed in her entire life, and she had lived in a lot of places, thanks to those ignorant non-elementalists driving them away. But now, in a city of elementalists like this, she finally had a place where she belonged, with her own kind.

The city was truly most impressive, but the Academy on the mountain beyond was most impressive of it all. And tomorrow, she would start her first school day there, and she was certainly excited in the prospect. Finally, she could learn more about what it entailed on being an elementalist. Sure, there would still be your usual non-elementalist classes like Math and Literature but she could easily manage those classes as her grades before coming here had been stellar.

As she departed from her bus, she was immediately greeted by the couple that would take her in for the night. The city had people offering their dwellings for new students to the Academy before they were sorted to their boarding rooms, another display of the kindness overflowing in this place. The couple that took her in was quite an old one, so she greeted them respectfully just like her parents would want her too.

"Ah, you must be Kanako, am I right?" the old man said.

"She must be, dearie! She's just as pretty as her picture looked!" the old woman continued.

Kanako blushed. She wasn't used at all to her appearance being complimented like this. Even when her own mother called her pretty, she still felt a tad embarrassed by it.

"That outfit looks really good at you indeed!" the old man said.

Kanako looked down on herself. She didn't think her outfit was anything special. But if it pleased the two, she would gladly receive the compliment.

---

The trip to their home didn't take long at all, as there were barely any traffic jams, if at all. Most people travelled via the train system after all. Their car looked to be an old model, but it was certainly taken care of well. Must be an antique they were really fond of, Kanako presumed. And it was actually a convertible, so now she could feel the gentle breeze of the wind caressing her face and hair as they drove onward.

Their house was quite an ordinary-looking one, though they looked just as clean and neat as their car. It was a simple two story building painted white, with a little balcony in the front. And to her surprise, she was actually going to be given said balcony room. They said the room had been empty ever since their daughter left, so she could feel free to use it like her own room. She certainly felt a little awkward thanks to this revelation. She didn't want to replace their daughter's presence, so at first she politely declined, only for the two to insist. In the end, she relented.

The room she was given was quite spacious. And windy too, as she soon found when she opened the windows. But that's just as she liked it. She was a Wind-elementalist after all.

That day, she didn't go out to explore the city at all as she was tired from the journey to the city. And so, after a nice little dinner of the local delicacy, she slumbered into dreamland; her dreams the most peaceful that they had ever been.

---

The next morning, after she took her bath, she dressed up in her old school uniform. She knew that the Academy didn't really require its students to wear uniforms, but it just felt wrong for her to show up in her casual attire. And when she went downstairs for her breakfast, once again, the couple praised her looks, which she replied by another blush. After that, they took her to the station, where she could take the tram to the Academy. This was where she first found other students like her. Most of them seemed to be wearing casual clothes, though some of them wore uniforms just like her. She didn't bother chatting one up however, as she preferred to keep to herself, disliking idle chatter. After she sat on her seat for a short while, she heard the announcement saying that all first years that just arrived should depart on this stop. Nice for them to do that, she thought. She could imagine the chaos that could ensue if you got lost here as the Academy was quite large after all.

After departing from the train, someone from the Academy immediately gathered them all and told them to make a line before following him. They were really supervised well, Kanako thought. He then brought them to outside of the central building, an impressive piece of architecture combining stone and wood, making it look like a giant tree when viewed from a distance. That could only be possible by the power of the Elementalists, Kanako convinced herself. No way it could be made with your ordinary and crude architecture methods.

The assembly ended at noon, and now the students were free to go wherever they wanted. Kanako decided that she wanted to see the top floors, as she was told by her parents that wind users would study there. And so she began to climb the long winding staircases upwards. On her way upwards however, she noticed a boy sitting on the middle of a hallway, looking at the mountain beyond the window he was staring into. He seemed to be... drawing? But not in a canvas or anything like that. He just did it in mid-air with his fingers.

"A... light elementalist, are you not?" Kanako blurted out as she stood right behind him, looking at his drawing over his shoulders. "I've never seen one before but I guess that's your affinity."

"A-ah, I'm sorry if I have interrupted you. My name's Kanako Nagasaki, and I'm a Wind Elementalist myself," she added hurriedly.

@Regitnui

[KRAZY J]

Jake was restless in his seat through out class. He did not like being in one place for too long or siting still. As soon as class ended Jake jumped out of his seat only stopping on his way to the nurse's office for a moment to text Shizhen "Hey I'll be at the nurse's office if you want to meet me there we can explore the grounds. P.S. there's this guy in the hallway drawing with light maybe you should talk to him before meeting up but be warned there's a hot chick talking to him so you might have some competition ;P." Jake chuckled a little bit while reading his message over in a whisper before sending it and then continued his adventure and soon arrived at the nurse's office.

At this moment the peacefulness would be stirred in the nurse's office. Jake opened the door ran and jumped on the bed closest to the nurse laying down. "Well hello nurse" Jake then looked at Priscilla. "And nurse's assistant?" Jake then noticed Priscilla's eye's "Your eye's are awesome I wish mine were two different colors." Then he turned back to Monica "I hear your a blood elemental. Maybe I could get some private lessons on healing wounds and other stuff." Jake laughed at his last statement "Just kidding. On the other stuff that is but I would like to get some training from a master if you don't mind miss Stargazer."

[Pseudo Stygian]

There was a beauty, a pleasant sense of freedom, to The Academy that Lyra could not remember from the city where she came from. She spent the classes thinking about it. Was it the air, the trees, the leaves? It was cleaner here, for sure. Not a trace of pollution in the air, and there was always a gentle breeze flowing. But that wasn't all There was a hum in the earth, a kind of natural rhythm that in other inhabited places, Lyra thought, would be obscured by the sounds of civilization. But there were people here too and there were plenty of technology. Hmm, so what was it?

Either way, she loved it. She loved, especially, how pleasantly sound carried through the clear air of the school grounds. Her father had told her playing the violin requires a room with good acoustic, but here she was, right outside the central building on the grounds where they had assembled in the morning, and the music was flowing out of her. She was absent-mindedly playing some tunes, improvising here and there, while gazing at the outside walls of the building. A mosaic of wood and stone, it was beautiful and strange and oddly transfixing. The materials that made it out interlocked with each other with precision that Lyra found pleasant to guess at.

[Ayame]

Fallon tries to stay by Kane's side the whole day. She was terrified of the new surroundings. She was always scared of new things. It brought back bad memories of people trying to separate her from her twin. Kane hugs Fallon close, as she cuddles close to him, neither saying a thing. The bell had just rung, and they were finished for the day. Their first day of this new school made an impression on Kane. He thought it was all so interesting.

Kane looks down at his little sister. "Did you enjoy today?" he asks gently. He never raises his voice when she's around, in hopes of not scaring her. Fallon nods.

"..It was interesting..." she whispers. "...I want to know more on how to control them..." He nods.

"I know, Fal. Nothing will separate us here." Fallon looks up at Kane.

"...Can we sleep together at night?" she asks softly, her dark blue eyes wide.

"I don't know. We'll have to ask if we can share a room." Fallon clings to her brother tighter.

"I don't want to be separated from you!"

"I'll make sure you're not."

[Raptra]

The ambiance of the entire place was refreshing, and almost surreal to the well-off city girl. The urban features of the small town blended well with the natural landscapes, the balance of both being just right so that it did not exactly come off as a shock to Vera, and at the same time also intrigued her sufficiently. The first-day orientation that started outside the school's central building was another fascinating experience. Marveling at the unique architecture of the school, she couldn't help but think about SnuqHomes, her family's business. She could just imagine it releasing collections of furniture and home decorations inspired by nature or the design of the academy, even though she was certain that her parents wanted nothing to do with the place. It was her who was there now, however, and it was time to put her parents' feelings and priorities behind her, for she had things to learn and friends to make.

After the noon bell had rung, Vera walked along the path the new students were guided through once again, familiarizing herself with the important areas of the school and at the same thinking about what to do for the rest of the day. She could check out the tram system, since her family rarely took public transport anywhere. Besides, it would be less of a hassle now that she didn't have all her luggage with her. Thankfully she could leave her bags at the academy for the time being.

A faint tune then caught Vera's attention as she exited the central building. Glancing in the direction from where the music came, she spotted a redhead girl playing the violin. She looked like student, but why was she playing out there? Vera made her way up to the young violinist out of curiosity, lightly clapping her hands as she got closer.

"You have some talent there, love," Vera began, addressing the girl. "I'm certain that many of us appreciate good music, but this seems to be a rather unusual place to be playing, isn't it?"

@Pseudo Stygian

[Regitnui]

The light changed, and Zeke tore his attention away from his project. He looked around. And there was a person standing behind him. He started, jumping away from the girl. Unfortunately, that reflex sent him through the picture he had painstakingly made. He looked at the gap where his body had broken the image. "Noooo..." He cried, fumbling for his camera. The rock was still OK, and he quickly took a photo before it dissolved completely.

It was the only way he could keep his drawings, and though this one was torn, he still had the rock. "Who are you?" He asked, looking up at the girl, whose hair blew without wind. He picked up his camera again taking a photo of how the blue strands fluttered in the breeze. He couldn't feel a breeze. He held his hand out, close to her skin, and felt the breeze. "You make air," he said. He walked around her, crouched and looked past her to the window. He pouted when the light went straight through without changing.

He sat on the floor and started looking through the pictures. The second one being the broken painting, his face clouded over. He looked up at her, pointed a finger, and accused. "You made me break my picture. Say sorry!"

@Hammerman

[Carlyle]

Maelyne Dinsmoore
^{Current Location: The Academy (Osaka -> City Streets)}

Maelyne had fulfilled herself on foreign food, but she wasn't done ordering. After finishing the daifuku and her tea, she beckoned the waiter over to purchase some delicacies for Priscilla. It was noon, and she must've been hungry for lunch as well, but Maelyne's twin took off somewhere in the massive labyrinth that was called the academy. "Here you are, miss. Thank you for your business today." The waiter replied, and handed Maelyne a sack after she paid for the food that she had ordered. "You're welcome. I had not known that Japan had such wonderful tastes." Maelyne smiled back at the waiter, and took her leave in search for her twin sister.

Feeling that she hadn't gone far, Maelyne bent her neck backwards to gaze up at the towering academy in the center of the city. She felt that the academy was taller than Big Ben, a massive clock tower back in her homeland. It certainly had to be as the very tip of the school appeared to reach the sky, where as Big Ben was only around the height of most buildings in England. Glancing back at the sack carrying Priscilla's lunch, Maelyne quickly shook off her mesmerized daze and jogged off towards the direction where the underground tram was located. She hoped she wasn't late for the tram to make a stop at the city, otherwise it would be quite an embarrassment to give Priscilla cold food.

Priscilla Dinsmoore
^{Current Location: The Academy (Stargazer's Office)}

Priscilla opened her book as she laid back on the pillow, only to close it again when a voice had spoken to her. Glancing around the room, she looked for the sign of the voice before finding that it was one of their teachers, Miss Stargazer. Her teacher seemed to be tired, as if Miss Stargazer had a rough day. Behind her, the energy drink on Miss Stargazer's desk was more than enough to confirm Priscilla's suspicions. Without a word to her teacher, Priscilla nodded as a response to the latter of her questions. The academy was bustling with activity, and the girl wanted to find somewhere quiet. Miss Stargazer's office was a possible choice, and Priscilla had hoped that her teacher didn't have problems with her staying in the medical bay reading.

Not long after their awkward conversation (if you'd call it a conversation), a red-haired boy disturbed the peacefulness of Miss Stargazer's office as he came inside. Priscilla tightened up, pulling her legs closer up to her chest in hopes that the boy wouldn't see her, but he already had. Forced into another conversation, Priscilla shook her head as to reply no to his question. She knew a little about medicine from her studies, but it wasn't enough to make her an assistant. When the boy complimented Priscilla on her eyes, she blushed, taken aback by his words. To hide her obvious embarrassment, she hid her face behind the book Priscilla was reading. Many people were curious, but the only person to ever compliment Priscilla on her eyes was her own family. It was unusual for someone to say such things, especially a complete stranger.

@KRAZY J, @Lord Orgasmo, @Zelosse

[Stern Algorithm]

"Hey I'll be at the nurse's office if you want to meet me there we can explore the grounds. P.S. there's this guy in the hallway drawing with light maybe you should talk to him before meeting up but be warned there's a hot chick talking to him so you might have some competition ;P."

@KRAZY J

ShiZhen's phone buzzed as she wrung out her hair into the bathroom sink, making her thankful that she had recently started taking precautions to waterproof her electronic devices. It had been an exciting and stressful few days traveling to the Academy and getting situated, but what she was least prepared for was not being in the same classes as Jake. He had been her pillar since she discovered her 'gift', a gift that had manifested at the end of her last class. Her body had suddenly started collecting moisture from the air, nothing flashy like a tiny raincloud or anything, but as she sat there, she simply got progressively wetter until she was dripping onto the floor. She didn't speak up out fear of embarassment and the teacher didn't seem to notice, but she heard some fellow students snickering behind her and calling her 'Otter's Pocket'. She didn't know what it meant and wondered if otters, like kangaroos, had pouches.

After drying herself sufficiently, ShiZhen took out her phone and texted Jake back, "I'll see you in the Nurse's office, then." She took out her campus map, noticing it pick up residual moisture from her hands, and looked for her destination. With her nose buried in her map, she quietly made her way to the infirmary, avoiding all contact with others, including the pair Jake had mentioned. It wouldn't do make an ass of herself and butt in to someone's conversation. Besides, the boy had raised his voice and ShiZhen was too shy, too non-confrontational and too mentally overwhelmed to get involved right now.

Arriving at the Nurse's office, ShiZhen said, "...p-please p-pardon the intrusion, I'm not ill, just meeting up with a f-friend..." Turning to Jake, she said, "We really shouldn't be bothering the nurse if we're not feeling unwell, J." Looking over to the other girl, ShiZhen did a quick, subtle double-take and quietly nodded in greeting, assuming the mismatched eye color was just a magic thing.

---

Catherine packed up her notes as the students flooded out of the classroom. She then rang up the janitor to come clean up the large puddle that had collected under the desk of a particularly introverted student. Instead of leaving through the door into the hallway, Catherine threw open the large windows and gracefully flew out into the enormous school grounds to keep an eye on students practicing their talents. Lowering her altitude, she hovered just out of reach, but was ready to be flagged down by any students seeking guidance.

[Pseudo Stygian]

Lyra heard the claps first, and then the voice, which sounded like a curious sort of compliment. It took her a couple more seconds before she noticed that they were for her. Blinking, she struggled to take her eyes and mind off the stones that was a mosaic that was a wall, just enough to see the girl who was now next to her. She was blonde, and seemed to be her age. That surprised her, a bit. She thought the compliment sounded like something from an adult. Or a fine lady.

"Oh, ah. Thank you," Lyra said. There was another thing the girl was saying aside from the compliment. A question? Something about the music. Lyra took the bow of her violin off the strings, so she could take a look at it. She couldn't really remember what prompted her to bring the violin out. "Ah. Hmm. I don't know. I'm not sure what I was playing, really."

She turned to the girl. There was something bright about her, not in a happy or cheerful sort, although she does look happy, but just bright, like the sun is bright. A student in an elemental academy who looks bright. Ah. "You're a light elemental, aren't you?" Lyra asked curiously. "Are you a student here too?"

She did not at all notice that the violin was still making faint music, as if humming, even after she'd stopped playing.

[Hammerman]

@Regitnui
Kanako flinched when she witnessed the boy crashed into the image he had made, breaking it in the middle. She certainly didn't mean to startle him like that.

"L-like I've said, I'm Kanako Nagasaki," she answered when the boy gave him his question. "Wind elementalist. And you haven't gave me your name yet."

But the boy didn't. Instead, he seemed to be observing her, staring at her as if she were a piece of painting or something. He even snapped a photo of her with that camera of his.

"You make air," Kanako noticed him saying as he brought his hand close to her.

Make... air? Kanako pondered. She then realized that her hair strands had been moving around without the wind actually blowing. She didn't remember ever experiencing this before, she thought. This should be because of her wind manipulation ability but usually she had to use it consciously for it to take effect. After focusing herself, she indeed felt a light breeze flowing around her.

"You made me break my picture. Say sorry!"

E-eh? was the first thing that came into Kanako's mind when she heard his accusation. She certainly didn't expect him to become so aggressive all of a sudden.

"I-it's your own fault! Y-you got surprised on your own!" she retorted angrily. She didn't like to be accused of something she didn't feel herself guilty for after all.

Then, she noticed something. The boy was still crouching on the floor, looking up at her with a pouting face. And her wind ability was still activating, and it actually was moving something else other than just her hair. The hem of her short skirt was fluttering upwards a little as she stood there with her hands on her waist.

Now it made sense to her why he was watching her so closely to the point of even taking a picture of her.

H-he was looking at her panties!

Kanako's face turned beet red in a flash as she pushed her skirt down with her two hands. Then, she said to the boy with a shaking voice, "Y-you took a picture of my underwear, d-didn't you? D-delete it at once!"

[Regitnui]

@Hammerman

Zeke fell backwards onto his bottom as she shouted, dropping his camera in surprise. Why was she getting angry? He'd just asked her to say sorry. You were supposed to say sorry when something bad happened. His picture got broken because she startled him. She should say sorry and then he could go back to painting and she can go back to standing. "Ah!" He picked up his camera and checked it. Dropping a camera was bad. He didn't want to break it.

When he looked back up, she had gone red. Zeke's eyes went wide. She had been so pale and now she was bright red! She was yelling something, grabbing her skirt, which he hadn't even noticed. Instead, he stood up. He reached forward to take hold of her hair, pulling it down across her cheek. She turned her head and he turned it back. The contrast between the two colours was interesting, and she didn't need to spoil it by moving.

"Uh-uh," he told her. Looking around, he pushed his camera into her hands, then started drawing again, trying to catch the same colours as her skin and hair. It was difficult, and he erased his first few attempts. "That's pretty. Keep doing it," He said, unaware just how close he was.

[Raptra]

A light smile crossed Vera's face as the redhead thanked her. When the girl could give no reason as to why she was doing what she was, where she was, Vera turned to the art on the walls of the building in front of them, possibly finding the answer to her own question.

"Lovely, isn't it? Very interesting, one can probably stare at it for hours on end," she commented to the other teen.

Vera was slightly surprised at how the violinist could so easily and quickly identify her as a Light Elementalist. Maybe her parents had been so impatient to send her away because they saw that something about her had changed after she had obtained her abilities, and were afraid that others might have seen it too. It might also be an Elementalist thing she didn't know about, or maybe this girl was just gifted in some way.

"Hmm? Is it that obvious?" Vera asked, raising an eyebrow. She then let out a chuckle. "I never realized, but you're absolutely right."

"And yes," she continued, answering the girl's second question. "This is actually my first day here. Is it yours as well? It's about lunchtime and I was hoping to find some people to go out into the city with, but everyone just cleared out so fast after the assembly, so I thought I'd take my time and explore the place a little more, maybe find someone to hang out with."

After she had spoken that much, Vera picked up a soft, almost unnoticeable buzzing. Sensing that it came from the violin the redhead was holding, her eyes shifted to look at the instrument and she enquired. "Umm, is it supposed to be doing that?"

@Pseudo Stygian

[Aiyanna]

Firiel watched as the sunrays danced on the glass windows made of finest gems, creating dazzling shapes and streams of light. Anybody else would have turned their gaze away. Who, in their right mind, would stare at direct sunlight for minutes? But Firiel had no ordinary eyes. She had the eyes of a fire elemental, thus able to let her adore the mother of fire, Sun, in all her radiant beauty. Her shining purple hair turned the rays back to the window and the sky.

The assembly had been horrible. Firiel had been barely able to listen the tedious speeches given by the teachers and other staff. It was as if she was drowning in the middle of a vast ocean consisting of people. Never had she seen so many young people gathered in one hall. Sure, enormous halls and hallways were nothing new to her, as she had been raised in a prosperous villa in Paris. It was the thought of hundreds of stares fixated on her. Truthfully, only one curious girl had tried to make eye contact with her. Her black velvet dress was bound to attract attention, she knew it. Having fled from Paris with nothing but a purse full of money with her, she didn’t really have a choice of outfits.

She had arrived in the city only the night before the assembly. She had followed the directions written on the small paper slip her foster father, Mr Franco Paolini, had given her. As it had been late upon her arrival, no stores had been open at that time, only a small grocery store near the train station. With her remaining coins, Firiel had purchased a notebook, a pencil, and some roasted almonds – her favourite snack. The cashier had noticed her shabby clothing and the dark circles around her eyes. She had been traveling all day, all night for months to get here.

She didn’t really understand what was going on. Ever since the accident months ago, she had been wondering. She had always known about the existence of elementalists. She had heard fantastic stories of them told by Mr Paolini.

---

”The ones who came before us; the ones who loved Mother Earth as a husband loves his wife. Strongly, passionately, but ever so gently. Even on this day, some of them still live among us. Those few, blessed with a thorough understanding of our world as it is. Many wars have been waged over the gifts of Mother Earth.”

”But father”, asked little Firiel with round eyes, ”isn’t that magic? How do you know about this stuff?”
For a moment, Mr Paolini looked unusually grim. As he noticed the tiny girl tilt her head in confusion, he quickly gathered himself.

”I have heard these stories from a wonderful person many years ago. You were but a small baby back then. As for magic – I do not really believe in such things. I believe it is the natural longing for an internal harmony with nature within a human soul. Many nations of the past have worshipped elementals as their gods and kings.”

Much later, Firiel had realised the person Mr Paolini had been talking about might have been either of her parents. Firiel secured her fingers around the rusty old clock in the pocket of her dress. A phoenix was carved on its golden back. It was the only thing she had left of her mother.

---

An unwelcomed racket stopped her musings. She heard two voices, male and female, heatedly exchange words behind the corridor. A quick peek showed a boy sitting on the floor with his camera. He was accompanied by a beautiful girl. Firiel felt her pulse rise as she was suddenly surrounded by all those voices. She left in search for a quieter environment.

Her steps led her to an empty hallway. Finally, she could sigh with relief. She leaned her back on a thick root embracing the stone wall. As she stood there in silence, she could feel a wave of heat crash through her. Although she had been experiencing that for months now, the feeling was still somewhat uncomfortable and unwelcome.

But with the heat came notes. As the wave left her body, Firiel could feel notes filling her heart. Many feelings she had confined in the depths of her mind. Now that she had a quiet moment just for herself, the feelings packed up and demanded being expressed. Before long, Firiel was singing a strong yet grieving melody. She could feel steam rising off her shoulders. With the steam went all her frustation and uncertainness. Firiel breathed in the song. Unconsciously, she began moving to her own music.

"The wings I once had in my back are now gone with you.
The memories of the days I was able to fly won’t fade away as easily as scratches.

”I will get you back.” That was all I ever thought.
It was all to prevent myself from being swept away by the rushing time.

Memories won’t speak to you. They win’t leave you with a rope to grab onto.
The tears I have left are so few. They probably won’t reach you.
The last drop falls.

Suddenly, the night was shattered. Light scattered all across the sky.
The freshly-washed sun is kindly lavishing its rays upon the two of us.
I will walk forward with you, arm-in-arm."

As the last notes fell to silence, Firiel found herself in Miss Stargazer’s office. Only she was not alone. There were three other students beside her. Firiel stood there, horrified. She had not meant to barge in an office room and interrupt a discussion in such a manner. She did not notice she had lit a strand of hair of hers in flame. Mortified, she took a step back, unable to utter a word.

---

Lyrics from 'Shizuku', Kemono no Souja Erin OST, NHK

[Lord Orgasmo]

Just as Priscilla had answered her questions, a red haired boy burst into the room demanding private lessons. "Uhh... well I don't know if-" Only then did another child step in. This one much more... Shy. "Oh, this is your friend? Don't worry he was jus-" Then, on top of that, yet another child had walked in. A girl with purple hair and earbuds in. She looked as though she had wandered in by mistake. Oh boy. Grabbing the remains of her Energy drink with a sigh, she chugged it down. Oh god that's so much better. "Okay. So, you, red haired boy. Private lessons. Can't do that now, but I might be able to something later. So, any questions? Anybody? Are you sick? Hurt? Bleeding?" All these children came out of nowhere. It was a bit overwhelming to be honest.

[Ayame]

Sitting outside, under a tree, Kane produces a small flame. "I can't wait to be able to produce a bigger flame," he smiles at his twin. Fallon nods.

"You're going to do great, Kane! I know it! You're smart, warm, funny, and bright! You can do anything!" she says seriously.

"You're the same, Fallon. Don't you forget that. You're my little sister. You're intelligent, sweet, and a little cunning too." Fallon pouts.

"I'm not cunning!"

"Fine. You're adorably cute, and you use it to your advantage." Kane grins at a memory.

--

"Miss...Can I have a cookie?" Five year old Fallon asks, her big eyes wide and innocent. Smiling at the cute little girl, the lady gives her a cookie. A scowling Kane tugs at Fallon's arm.

"Come on, Fallon!" he moans.

"Coming Kane!" she chirps, breaking the cookie in half, and giving it to him. He chuckles, shaking his head, eating the half of the cookie his sister gave him.

"You're too adorable," he sighs.

--

"That was only one time!" Fallon complains, a blush bright on her face.

"Not true! There was a couple of times when we were six, then another when we were seven... There was at least one incident each year!" Fallon pouts.

"You're being mean."