@ERodeCLIFFSIDE COTTAGE
Upon reaching the other side of the portal, all would come into vision immediately. It was a sunny day, and from the view of the cliff directly in front stretching off into the great blue horizon, the scene felt like painted perfection. Crystal blue waters crashed against the rocks below, and seagulls sang their crooked songs off into the clouds as if to complete the idea of a photographer's paradise. Behind the clockwork contraption was, plainly and simply, a cottage. Raja walked towards it with the uncaring saunter of an individual that had danced this dance many times, Gulliver slung over her shoulder and still out cold.
Smoke emerged from the chimney, and torchlight could be seen from one of the windows. By all accounts, if this was within the borders of the Union, it was intentionally humble. With more of a look around, it seemed as if the cottage, and this whole cliff by extension, was in some kind of carved out piece of land that dwelt below a vast, cavernous overhang. It was a place that civilization had not touched with its corrupting hand, still free to exist in exile, either in defiance of loud bustling streets or simply in indifference to them.
Raja would knock thrice upon the door with her body leaning over, clearly unenthused at having to lug an unconscious student around. Three beats later, as if she were expected in advance, the oaken door would creak open to reveal a
sickly-looking gnome man. With a single glance at Raja, it was as if he knew why she was there, and begrudgingly stepped aside to let her in - his gaze wholly focused towards the principal, addressing her more as an intruder than a welcomed guest.
"I can't keep doing this. You know I can't. It's going to burn out," the gnome would finally blurt out in a wheezing voice as Raja cleared the doorway and entered into a humble living room, complete with a burning fireplace and multiple sofas.
"That's just the price you'll pay. We can't afford to worry about such mundane problems. Can you do it again, or not? If not, you know that-"
"I know. I know, every time. You don't need to talk me into it. I've already let you in, haven't I? Set him down," the gnome would cut her off, his sentence ending with a sharp cough as he gestures towards a sofa near the fireplace and limps to sit down on it. All the while, Raja is looking about the room as she slowly wanders over, eventually setting Bronsteel down next to the gnome.
@AThousandCursesLIBRARY
"Hey! Hey, hey, hey!"
Emelie bolted out of her chair and stormed towards Chunji, side-eyeing for a while before completely blowing her lid the moment she saw the boy tearing into himself repeatedly. Her face was the very embodiment of concern, hands on hips as she loomed over him like an angry mom. She pointed first at his scalpel, then at his hand.
"This is still a public place! You can't just... I dunno, hurt yourself over and over like that! That's just not how you're supposed to do it, it's more..."
Finger to chin, swaying side to side in thought to find the right words, before the metaphorical lightbulb arose in her mind. Looking back at him, Emelie would appear disturbed. There was an air about her, as if the entire scene made her deeply uncomfortable. The realization struck her all at once.
"This is your first time trying to learn Heal, isn't it? Your first ever casts? Normally, the rule of thumb is to start by practicing on injured animals rather than actual people - or, Astra forbid,
yourself. It's utter insanity, and it's only good if you plan on completely screwing up how your subconscious mind takes in essence."
Taking a seat next to him at the table, she leaned back in her chair, waving her cane around in the air haphazardly and aimlessly. Her eyes focused on something far away, perhaps a memory rather than an actual physical place in the library, as she released a deep exhale. There was apprehension in her body language, as if this were a familiar sight to her.
"If you spend too much time associating healing with self-harm and focus too much on the desperation over feelings of warmth or empathy, your mind will eventually twist that, y'see. Irreversible change, such that you'll only see helping others as transactional at best and a burden at worst. I've seen it before, people who try to rush these things. There are consequences for advancing so rapidly in something that's intended to take time, trust me. The prodigious and the desperate each suffer worst, in a life of study."
Turning to Chunji, Emelie's furrowed eyebrows would burrow into him, wondering if she'd gotten her point across. There was no way to know how the boy would react to this, seeing as how they barely knew one another, so the pale girl's azure eyes remained trained firmly on the self-harm healer, taking in his every movement and expression to determine what sort of person he was.
@Estylwen@Sifr@Psyker LandsharkGIRLS' DORM
The hooded Undermage raised her eyebrows with a little nod of acknowledgement towards Hildegunde, eyes still firmly shut as her lips curled upwards. If there was a way to properly show respect to a high society wizard, it'd be to give them the honor of speaking aloud their full name and title; it seemed that such respect was given back, the head advisor looking very pleased with herself. It was an arduous thirty year journey to ascend from Undermage to Arcmage, after all, and regardless of the point of said journey she was at, every day would be a struggle of the self.
"A strong introduction begins and ends with respect to the details and commitment to rapport. In that regard, thank you for making use of my full name, as it is exquisite to hear sing from the mouth of another. For now though, child, you may call me Nicole. I was informed by Principal Raja that such a compromise would be preferred by most."
Nicole would lean forward on her desk, hands clasped in front of her in thought as she allowed the trio to speak their minds and make their case. With a more stoic expression than moments prior, she would point at each of them one after the other in quick succession before placing that very same finger to her forehead in thought, an idea clearly coming to her.
"You were not all placed on a brigade in advance, were you? That was not to happen until later. But between names like Valen Leuvalt or Gulliver Bronsteel receiving special treatment from Raja, I suppose it could be expected that others would be privy to unique circumstances. This is a concentrated
hub of unique circumstances, after all."
Her closed gaze turned to each of them after a moment, taking them in and pondering something.
"No, I suppose not. As a collective, the air of a well-acquainted group does not suit you. The winds paint the aura of near strangers, rather, and yet the compatibility of your prime essences with one another is unarguable. Very unusual."
The levitating scroll and quill at her side would begin to move around the three girls, the quill beginning to write various words at a rapid pace as it passed by each of them, pausing a moment as it hovered near each. If any of them looked at what was written on the scroll at any time, it would become obvious what it was.
Emotions. The quill was taking note on the scroll, with masterful penmanship, the emotions strongest at the forefront of each of their minds as it patrolled the room. With each word written, Nicole would either give a small nod in the scroll's direction, or a muttered, "Hm." It wasn't long before the scroll and quill had made their trip about the room, and returned to her side. All of the emotions were on full display for everybody present to review, and Nicole would raise a finger to the list while maintaining her closed gaze on the trio.
"You will need to convince me that it would be a wise choice to make. Sell me on the idea, I want to be talked into it. Given that you are not in the same brigade, the argument of bettering your teamwork would fall utterly flat, as would the idea of bonding with friends - something that this school was not founded with the intent to take on as a priority. And do tell me how the words on this scroll might perhaps alter your plans, if at all?"
