The weather outside was not helping Jace's mood. It was chilly, something he hated about as much as he disliked when it was hot, causing him to keep his limbs as close to him as he walked to keep some semblance of heat in him, though he feared he would soon freeze up and perish in that manner. "Why is class not cancelled for the day..." He said to himself quietly, not that anyone was near him to hear in this weather. It was raining heavily, his only defense against it was his umbrella...which while beautiful, could not cover him as much as he would like. That, coupled with the wind...He was both trying to keep his umbrella from flying away as well as use it to protect against the rain that seemed to be every shifting to sneak past it and get Jace wet. Had he felt people knew him for who he truly was, he would have said someone was doing this deliberately to him or he had angered some god somehow to be the focal point of their wrath. Still, he was making progress at least...and his boots meant that the mud was only an issue in terms of appearance there. Despite the misery of his travels, he found his thoughts returning to his snake and all he had to do for it...understanding why he did not have a pet at his home, though one of the servants may have been better suited in raising it...Yet oddly for all he had complained about it earlier, he found himself disliking the thought of another raising it. There was a strange kinship there...He shook his head. "Or perhaps i'm developing the sentiment of the more common folk...I was warned such a thing is dangerous..." He said to himself, but not really believing the words or meaning it as an insult. He had met a few people thus far...that while he was unsure if they were not nobles...were kind at the least. And whose compassion had saved him a lot of trouble.
Distracted by his thoughts, he found himself rather suddenly at the entrance to the class. He sincerely hoped they would not be running around outside again, as he was fairly certain he would not survive this time. Opening to the doors, he found to his surprise class had already started with Gin at the front taking lead, and the words 'street smarts' on the board. 'It must have been later than I anticipated.' Jace thought to himself. It did not help he relied on the sun to wake him, so with the rain...he didn't have his usual cue. Giving a deep bow to Gin as he entered, he cast a glance about the room but did not see the instructor who took offense to his greeting Gin as such and not her, not quite understanding he had no clue she was the teacher. Seeing her not here brought some measure of relief. Jace did not speak, but did offer an apologetic look to Gin and mouthed the words sorry as he closed his umbrella and searched for a seat...He found Tala who seemed to be surrounded by others, and the girl who had offered him a drink of water before when he was dying from last class. She seemed sick currently, with a new person he had not seen offering her a handkerchief. Looking between the groups, he would take a seat just behind Tala, offering him and the tohers accompanying him a nod of greeting if the man noticed his presence. Otherwise he remained silent as he looked towards Gin, curious on what was happening now as he set his own belongings aside and listened intently. ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄ ▄ OOC: Post may be intermittent from me since I have a midterm this week. Just a forewarning.
The_littlest_dragonfly
BIueEssence
Tala Maxwell
Voice of Aegis
NDG Void
Annabelle Wolfe
Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2018 9:09 pm
╒═══════╕ ℕ𝕠𝕣𝕒 ℙ𝕒𝕣𝕜 ╘═══════╛
Nora was surprised to see a high-energy girl grinning widely as she handed Nora a handkerchief. Surprised, Nora took in her hand and smile politely at her before trying to speak. "U-Uh thanks," her voice came out hoarse so she coughed once more to clear her throat before trying again. "Thank you. I think I'll be okay though. Um, I'm Nora by the way... Are you new?" She attempted to clear her throat again but it seemed like her voice would be somewhat hoarse today regardless. Standing up and giving the girl a smile as she neatly folded up the handkerchief before giving it back to her, Nora went to sit near Tala and the rest of the other students that came in, giving them all a smile and a wave as she sat down with another fit of coughs. Groaning internally, Nora took out a black facemask from her pocket and put it on in an attempt to keep her classmates from catching her cold.
Once Gin started writing on the blackboard Nora turned her full attention to him. Nora pondered Gin's question for a bit before raising her hand and speaking. "Well, street smarts are things you learn from real-life situations and not from reading a book or something. So I guess it's like natural things that most people should know when they start learning to fight like dodging and when to attack and stuff like that?" Nora looked at Gin to see if her answer fit the one he was looking for. Her head still felt pretty hazy, but at the moment her train of thought still made sense to her. Hopefully, it made sense to the others.
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✦Profile ✦Elementor | First Year ✦Combat gearFace mask ✦Abilities | 0 hrs used ✦Cooldown | 0 minute rest | 5 hrs left ✦OOC: Posts might be slow Monday-Wednesday because I have tests but I'll try to reply as much as possible!
Rory nodded happily. She was glad the girl was friendly. While the orange-haired optimist had little reservation when it came to making friends, she knew from experience that this was not always the case with other people. Most of the people she had met in her own age group were the children of nobles. It wasn’t often that she met other children at all, but there had occasionally been a few at her parents’ stuffy parties. Unfortunately these meetings had been stifled by a cloud of formality. Having seen the elaborate and rich-looking outfits of her classmates the previous day, Rory had subconsciously expected to be brushed off for being overly-cheerful as she often was by her prior acquaintances. But it seemed she would not have to worry about this. “Nora”, as the girl called herself, seemed to be a perfectly friendly person. Rory smiled, but was struck with a sudden hesitation when Nora asked for her name. She looked around in search of something to write on.
There were plenty of benches around the classroom, but paper was scarce. Of course, there probably wasn’t a lot of writing involved in a combat class… The frail girl gave a slight frown. She didn’t want to be rude, and it certainly wasn’t an unreasonable question. But how was she supposed to answer without opening her mouth? A flash of lighting struck outside. Rory looked up a bit started, but at the same time was struck by an idea. She pulled her assignment from the previous day out of her pocket. Last night had been so crazy, she had forgotten to start on it. Perhaps that was a blessing in disguise though, as t would certainly serve her purposes now. The pale student turned to Nora, pointing at the top of the page with a bony finger. Right where she was pointing, the word NAME: was printed.
R-O-R-Y
She wrote slowly, keeping her paper slanted so that Nora could see what she was writing. Then she moved her finger, pointing it back at herself. Hopefully the message was clear. Rory would have loved to talk to her for longer, but it seemed there was no time. Other students had begun pouring into the room. First there was a blonde-haired boy who must have come in while Rory was communicating with her new friend. After all, she hadn’t seen him enter. It was strange though… why did he go all the way over there? Did he want to sit by himself? She knew that some people were predisposed to this, but had personally never understood it. She hated being alone. It was so quiet and boring. How could anyone like that feeling? But the boy did look content over there in his corner, so Rory decided against running up to introduce herself. Her boundless energy had made enough bad impressions that she knew not to interrupt someone when they seemed to enjoy solitude.
The next person to enter seemed to have no such reservations though. A pretty girl with a bounce in her step that rivaled Rory’s own burst through the door and took a seat beside the blonde. She smiled at him warmly. The hazel-eyed girl looked intently at the pair, wondering how the boy would react. Would he be visibly annoyed at hi classmate? Would the happy girl notice if he was? Yet the boy did not seem to mind. Perhaps the new student was simply overthinking. She would have to go meet the pair later. Suddenly she found herself stricken with guilt. She hadn’t meant to make assumptions about her classmates so soon. The boy could just as easily have been lost in thought, but here she had already decided that he was unfriendly. Rory couldn’t stand it when people made assumptions about her, and this sort of behavior in herself was completely unacceptable. She would make friends with that boy. And the smiley girl too.
Her troubled thoughts lifted though as another student entered the room. It was the elegant woman! They had met only briefly the previous day, but Rory had already developed a sort of admiration for her. She looked so pretty and strong, and she carried herself in such an elegant manner. This classmate was like the maiden Rory’s noble parents always instructed her to be, but without the inherent corruption and hypocrisy she saw everywhere in her own family. And on top of all that, the girl had been genuinely friendly. She’d even gone as far as to compliment the orange-haired wreck, calling her “pretty girl.” The frail student watched eagerly as she entered, wondering if the elegant woman would remember her. She did! She waved! Rory waved back a bit over-enthusiastically.
She would have run over to greet the new arrival, but at that moment the teacher came into the training hall. At least, Rory assumed he was the teacher. He looked rather young, but so had the professor yesterday. Besides, the man had several tattoos and what at first glance appeared to be a missing eye. It was the appearance of a battle-hardened adult, though she of all people knew that appearances could be deceiving. This one seemed like a safe assumption though. After all, everyone was listening to him as he made his way toward the board. Nora got up to join the seated group, so Rory figured she should follow suit.
The word of the day was Street Smarts. It was an interesting concept, though Rory had little grasp of it. “Street smarts” had always had a bit of a negative connotation around the Harperion household. Her mother had once referred to it as “knowledge claimed by the uneducated to make those above them look foolish.” But Rory knew better than to give that as an answer. As she pondered the words scrawled across the board, another boy entered the room. This man also had an air of authority about him, but he bowed respectfully to the presumed instructor. Rory shook her head, trying her best to avoid the distraction. She looked at the board again, recalling her mother’s words. What Nora said made a lot more sense, and sounded a lot less condescending. Rory nodded along as the sickly one gave her answer.
BlueEssence
TalaMaxwell
the_littlest_dragonfly
NDG Void
Voice of Aegis
Ghost254
Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2018 2:50 pm
Tala Maxwell ~ Beginner's Combat ~
Although he'd been quite deep in thought, Tala's attention would snap from his wonderings as someone crossed his line of vision and the Shadowmancer would lift his gaze before watching as Eyrli sat down beside him - shooting him a warm smile before getting out her notebook, "Hey," he would try to give her his best smile and a brief wave in return before turning as another voice greeted him - this time with his name, "Camilla," his smile hopefully staying put long enough, he would nod in acknowledgement of her greeting before casting a glance around the room as it started to fill - With students starting to arrive, it meant there was only a little more time before things got started...
As Gin made his entrance, Tala would listen to what he had to say in regards to his lateness before watching as the Wolf Shifter picked up some chalk and began to write something upon the board. Street Smarts? Oh! He would be good at this one... His mind immediately thinking back to when he lived with Baba in the forest, running 'potions' and other items to and from the nearby town for her clients - all the while avoiding the guards who were always looking for something they could nab him for...
His attention would draw once again from his thoughts towards another late comer - his eyebrows raising as he recognised Jace, watching him bow respectfully towards Gin before making his way over and sitting on the bench just behind. It was so hard not to want to twist round and ask the Shifter how his little companion was faring, but like his own creature, Tala hoped it was perhaps sleeping in his room, safe and sound... He also didn't want to risk getting in trouble for disrupting the class and instead gave the male an acknowledging nod before returning his attention towards the front of the class - at least until Nora decided to join him on the bench - What was going on? He suddenly felt quite popular with so many people sitting around him - something he was certain he'd not felt before, but the Elementor felt it best not to draw attention to such and instead ensured they had enough room so not to physically connect before turning to watch the new female who was perhaps considering making her way over to join them?
Tala would listen with interest as Nora volunteered herself to be the first to answer Gin's question regarding "Street Smarts" - and to him, she wasn't wrong either! It was from as early as he could recall that he'd learnt how to escape the guards who often liked to think they 'had him cornered' - It was important to know all the little Nooks and Crannies where one could slip inside in order to evade capture, it also helped to have something one could use as a distraction - like his Shadows! Many a time, he'd cast a creation in the opposing direction before watching as the guards followed blindly, allowing him to escape unseen... Some of the men were a little more intelligent and there were times where they'd 'learnt' his tricks - but it was down to his 'Smarts' that he was able to adapt and tweak his methods so he could continue to evade them...
Annabelle Wolfe
BIueEssence
Ghost254
The_littlest_dragonfly
NDG Void
Voice of Aegis
Quote:
Profile Location: Beginner's Combat Clothing: As Seen With: Rory, Nora, Eyrli, Jace, Gin and Camilla Feeling: Lost in thought OoC Tala be all popular...lol*
Nora’s coughing fit was a concern – if she was ill, then she shouldn’t be in class, she should be in bed, resting. Despite her illness, Nora’s answer was pretty good. Nodding at her words, he leaned against the desk and crossed his arms over his chest. “Good answer, Nora. Street Smarts isn’t something that you can teach in a classroom - ironic I know. Some people can learn how to live on the street the hard way, but in my opinion you either have the instincts to survive or you don’t.” He explained, looking around the room and then back at Nora. “By the way, if you need to leave class to get some rest, feel free. Your health is more important.” That being said, he got back to the lesson.
“Shifters have natural fighting instincts – at least most of us do. It’s called survival instinct. But each of us has some instinct. When you fall, you put out your hands to brace yourself, you don’t think about it, you just do it…Street Smarts is like that but applied to a more dangerous environment.” Thinking of a good scenario, he nodded a little.
“Anyone ever walk through the city at night? Sometimes, you get the feeling youre being followed, or that you might be in a bad area – that’s instinct. That’s your street smarts telling you to be cautious and to proceed with care. If you dontget that feeling, you might walk right into an alley and get mugged. Some people think its paranoia, but its more like self-preservation. Does anyone else have an example of ‘Street Smarts’? Maybe a real world experience?” Looks around the room at the students.
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Wolf Shifter & Reluctant Oracle ||Gin Kuroko Acckerman
The next day came, and with it returned the weight of regret that Rin continued to feel. She still was not entirely sure how she was going to cope for the next month with that constant reminder of her recklessness that day. And this was only the second day since then! She still had a couple weeks to endure. She got dressed in her travel clothes and went downstairs for breakfast... Turns out she was going to have to stick with her brother today. Then once they were ready to leave the Shifter girl pulled the blue hood over her head and rushed alongside Gin to the Academy and through the heavy rain. She would rather have stayed indoors but did not argue the case... last thing she wanted was more problems right now.
Her clothes were mostly soaked by the time they reached the classroom her brother was supposedly assisting. Shuddering and shaking herself off, Rin hesitantly entered the room behind the older sibling. Rather than follow him to the front or take a seat the Shifter would transform into her Husky form. While not exactly drying her off, the thick fur of this form was far warmer than her clothes. The white and brown canine curled up in silence in one of the corners of the back of the room, head resting on her front paws as she focused her gaze towards the front where her brother started to teach the numerous students. Hold on. Wasn't he an assistant? What about the actual Professor? Well, perhaps he or she is running late too with the horrid weather, not that it mattered to Catherine as for the day she planned to just stay where she is and watch... And maybe even take a nap, rather that than even acknowledge anybody in the room.
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OoC: Posted on Behalf of Voice of Aegis
Mood: Tired Company: Gin/Class Wearing: Rainy Day Clothes Form: Human
The mute waved her hand in Tala direction when he spoke. He certainly seemed distracted for the moment and so she refrained from trying to converse with the boy. A couple seconds later they heard another voice, it was Camilla! Eyrli turned to her and smiled, waving back before listening to the her question about her absence. Eyrli gave a slightly more nervous smile as she started to write down on her notebook before handing it to the Enhancer.
"I guess I have been a little under the weather, I'm fine now though!
Her bright eyes moved back and forth between Camilla and Tala as she noticed them briefly acknowledge each other. Eyrli then pointed one finger at Camilla, another at Tala before swapped which hand pointed at who, as if asking if they know one another. There wasn't quite enough time for her to get an answer though as she heard the Assistant entered the room. Eyrli was curious as to where the Professor was though. Maybe she'll show up later? If so then for now everybody would be listening to Gin as he started to write on the board and talk about "street smarts." While not heavily experienced Eyrli, she did wonder if the lifestyle she had to live with counted at all. Being unable to speak certainly came with its difficulties in the world, sometimes leading to the false impression that she was just being rude, or others making fun of her for lacking something most people had. Before she learned of how her raiment worked alongside her temper she had a relatively short fuse around such people, sometimes even getting into fights. But it was one mistake she made when her abilities blossomed, that she knew she had to change. I do hope that boy is doing okay now... Maybe someday I can try to apologise to him. Her mind wandered a little to the past, her silly grin fading into a more... Serious, regretful expression.
Like what his teacher Jei Chiba had once said, meditation was key. If one were to meditate on their emotions, their actions, the environment around them, the very nature that they reside around, and the internal nature that is within. Last time Azura would meditate in class, he accidentally summoned his raiment and covered himself in the armor without his control. it would prove to be dangerous, as it would mean that Azura might let his raiment control him instead of him controlling it. Azura awoke to see him not only soaking wet, but the fact that the black smog nearly engulfed him. It made Azura wonder what else can he do if he were to completely let go of the raiment as his first teacher instructed against. Dammit, I must be late anyway! Azura said, as he got up off the wet floor and would rush off towards the inside halls, tracking rain water. As he neared the classroom, he stopped and took a deep breath. Gin must be in there being completely angry as usual. As he would open the door, Azura realized he was completely late as everyone was on and about in class for lessons. I'm so sorry I was late. I was idling too long on getting ready... Azura said to gin with an apologetic bow. Azura didn't like being near him, but if he were to be in a better combat class and learn to surpass his mentor as well as be a Court Mage, he needed to do this.
Camilla watched the group grow without end. First came Gin, who she smiled and waved at. He began instructing them so she took a seat amongst the others. She sat more towards the front of the group. She wasn't exactly friends with anyone but Eyrli so she didn't wanna crowd anyone. She didn't get the chance to answer Eyrli, but she would after class. Tala and she have shared the same class for some time, so they knew one another by name and face. But they have never hung out outside of class. Looking over to the pretty girl from her knit class she smiled as she watched her talk to one of the kids she knew from only combat class. It was good that she was making new friends so quickly. Being alone was scary when you were in a new environment.
Not long after Gin wrote 'Street Smarts' on the board, another student entered. It was the same noble looking one that was late last time. Apparently, he had not learned his lesson. As Nora had answered Gin's question to the best of her ability, Camilla pondered the question to herself. She wasn't sure if she had this thing called street smarts. But if it was akin to having instincts then she must have it. One thing that helped Camilla get through her trials at home was the fact that she had good instincts. She didn't constantly have to think about what she was gonna do next in combat, she just did it. If the opponent swung wide, Camilla's body would react and strike where they were open without a thought. It was part of the reason her dad pushed her training so hard. Shaking her head Camilla did her best to not think about her family. It was a sore spot she'd rather leave alone.
Not a moment after Nora gave her answer another walked in. This time it was Azura. Rare of him to show up late from what she could tell from previous classes. Smiling to him she gave a small wave before looking back at Gin who was looking for a volunteer to share an experience that went with the theme of the class. Raising her hand she cleared her throat. '' I think I have one. '' She stated. '' When I was training at home with my family. My father thought it best for me to try and hone my instincts and other senses. Said it would save my life. '' Camilla's voice was an octave louder than normal. But she wanted to make sure whoever was listening could hear her. '' So he took me to the forest and left me and a squad of highly trained soldiers in the forest. He told me I had to defeat all of the soldiers or make it out of the forest. So I was trapped in the forest for several days with these men actively hunting me down, hunting for food, finding water. I could only rely on my instincts because my brain didn't always give me the answers. '' She said calmly.
'' They would try to bait me with good food, water, supplies. But these were obvious traps. But when you've been up for forty-two hours and haven't eaten you don't care if it's a trap. You just want whatever it is so very bad. '' She said her tone becoming much more serious. '' But if I didn't have my instincts telling me to stop and run, I might have gone running to them immediately. '' Camilla said laughing a little. '' But, I ended up defeating them, without using my raiment, and I made it out of the forest. And it took almost two weeks. '' Camilla said as she finished her story. '' Again, not sure if that really applies here. But you said instincts is the same as having street smarts, so I just thought I'd share since you asked. '' She said smiling to Gin. She didn't realize that her story might sound completely insane to the others in her class.
Jace was thankful that Gin seemed to be in a merciful mood today, not pausing class or calling him out for being late. 'Perhaps the instructor for this class is particularly cruel?' Jace pondered to himself as he was safely seated in the class. So far many others had been late in his time here, him unfortunately included, but Gin seemed to be of the understanding sort in the matter unlike the usual instructor here. 'It still would not do to be caught in this situation again. There must be a better way to keep track of the time.' Jace pondered to himself. Seeing Tala return his greeting with a silent nod did also help his mood after braving the weather outside. He was glad he was still on good, or at the least neutral, terms with the other. Though he himself only had a small glimpse of the little creature Sir Tala had acquired, it had indeed been a cute sight. He hoped it was faring well, though he was curious if he had perhaps snuck the animal in again. Jace himself had been tempted to do so, but refrained due to the weather and not fully knowing what to expect with the primary instructor. 'Will she have to do all those exercises for being absent?' Jace thought to himself. There was no malice felt towards her, he understood the value in punishment so that students would refrain from doing so in the future...but he did want a little karma for her, direct or indirect. She had brushed Gin off as someone that shouldn't be given the same level as respect as her, in terms of who to address, which didn't fit in Jace's mind. 'Especially now seeing as he is the instructor.' Jace reasoned to himself. It could also have been a mere mistake of the words, her perhaps implying that she should receive it as well but understandably annoyed at the prospect, and mispoke as a result. But Jace had not attended before, so he had no clue she was the instructor. Words were weapons from his upbringing, and you had to be careful with which ones you chose to say.
Blinking a few times, Jace realized he had gone far too lost in thought on that issue for no apparent reason. He had missed what Nora had said regrettably, having been so lost in thought, and only snapping out as Gin began to speak. Remaining calm, but forked tongue slipping out briefly in irritation at losing focus so easily, he refocused on the class itself. Gin began by saying she was correct, and this so called street smarts was a survival instinct. Saying shifters had natural fighting instincts...was slightly discouraging for Jace given he had next to none as far as he knew. Sure, the natural tendency to stop yourself from a too damaging fall was there...but nothing in the realm of fighting as far as he knew. Then again, he had never been in a fight before. There was never that type of exposure in his youth, nor real danger despite his outings to the marsh. He feared if this was a trained or developed skill he may be lacking it. Hearing him give more examples, ones he had yet to feel yet as he had never been in the city at night, he then asked for an example or real world experience. Jace remained calmly in his seat, having no intention to speak on this subject. He had no experiences of the sort, and as such he could not contribute much. It was then there was an interruption from the entrance of the room, and turning his head to the source, Jace saw another man enter the room. He tilted his head curiously for a moment, eyes studying him, as he heard the man apologize for being late. He was surprised he did not blame the weather, and instead it was on idling too long.
He hoped Gin would be as nice about it as he was for Jace, as Jace turned his attention to a nearby woman who began to speak. Briefly remembering seeing her last class, but not knowing who she was. As she began to recount the story...Jace could not hide the surprised expression on his face. 'Her father sent her to the forest with highly trained soldiers...to have to escape...and she stayed there for two weeks...' He repeated in his mind, still not quite believing such a thing were possible. Why any father would do such a thing, even if it were to hone her instincts and senses. He had not thought someone such as her temperament from what he had seen had gone through such a thing. Before he could stop himself, though whispered so low that no one may hear it were they not listening from his immediate group, Jace would speak. "I'm sorry you went through such a thing..." Shaking his head slightly, his expression having shock on it before, he resumed his polite and neutral demeanor. He had an appearance to at least attempt to maintain. He had to keep his mind focused and clear, his parents would berate him for being so careless and unobservant. Thinking on her words, he recalled her father left her with highly trained soldiers... 'So she is either of a family of power, or her father is military in some way, if not both. If I can learn her name, that may clear that up.' Jace thought to himself. Though there was always a chance she could be a noble his family did not know, and thus wrongly label her should he ever find out, it would be good to try and have an idea of the person. If not ask them directly, but that all depended on how things went in the future. Looking to her again briefly, seeing her still in relatively high spirits...Whichever she was, she was more than she would seem to be by appearance alone. Jace would remain silent past that and focus on class. ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄ ▄ OOC: Though none of us are men, Jace refers to others as such unless they are particularly young (medieval time period and all). *Takes notes on why Tala is so popular*
Gin was getting really tired of students wandering in late for class. Did they all over sleep? Did they think this class wasn’t important? It was irritating and rude. Unless they were ill, then there was no real excuse and even then, Nora had still been on time despite her sickness. He gave Jace a little nod, and then another to Azura, making a mental note to address their tardiness after class. Huffing a little, he turned his full attention to Camilla as she spoke. The things she spoke of…they reminded him of his former clan’s treatment of Rin, so much so that he felt some of his past ire rising. No one should be treated like that…
“What you experienced is more like ‘Survival Instincts’, but you are right, Camilla. You were thrust into a situation where you needed to trust yourself despite the situation and the odds. I’m truly sorry that you have to go through such harsh treatment – in my mind, it’s unacceptable really, but it’s not my place to chastise your father for his parenting techniques, although I wish it was.” He stated as he held her gaze, completely serious. Camilla seemed unphased by the story, which was mind-blowing to him.
Looking around the class, he took in each of the students and their expressions. “These instincts aren’t something that you learn from reading a book…you learn them by experiencing the world around you. When you get into your first or any fight, you might freeze, or you might feel a burst of adrenaline that pushes you to act. Either way, at the end of the experience, you’ve learned something about yourself, and that is the point. This class will put you through trials to engrain those instincts into you – not only to make you better fighters but to help you survive in a harsh world.” He said without any humor. “Up until only a handful of years ago, Valor and Trendel were at war. In all honesty, if not for the peace treaty the majority of us in this room would have been forced to join the war effort on either side – instead of meeting here in the classroom, we could have faced one another on the battlefield…” It was a dire thought, but a true one.
“Eoana’s very own Captain of the City Guard fought one of his fellow guards face to face on the battlefield. They both lived…but one came away worse for the experience. Now? They’ve met again and are working together toward peace. While I hope that none of you ever have to fight on a battlefield against the friends that you have made here, the skills you acquire could save your life one day…” Another harsh truth, but one that he wouldn’t shy away from…
“Dismal thoughts for a dreary day…” Gin said with a small scoff and a shake of his head. “I want you all to think about what I have said. Think of your past experiences and if you don’t have any, contemplate how you might react if thrust into a life or death situation. Would you run? Fight? Beg for mercy? These are not questions to be taken lightly and I expect your answers next time. Class dismissed.” Looking to Azura and Jace, he cleared his throat.
“Jace, Azura, a word?” Once both were close enough, he looked from one to the other. “You two need to figure out your schedules – your constant tardiness won’t be tolerated. If you show up late again, both of you will be asked to select other electives – I’d rather have you not show up at all than show up late. You are setting a bad example for everyone else. Am I clear?” He said, looking pointedly at Azura, whom he knew was trying to slip into the Advanced Class even though he couldn’t be bothered to show up to the Beginner’s Class on time.
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Wolf Shifter & Reluctant Oracle ||Gin Kuroko Acckerman
Waving back at Camilla who had acknowledged him entering, Azura would have a smile to her as he would take his seat. Hearing Camilla's story just seemed somewhat.... Profound. How was anyone able to live like that without having their own mind be at risk? Then again, it was somewhat the same for Azura. After witnessing his parent's execution, he was the least normal. When hearing what Gin would say in terms of the trust between kingdoms, Azura would know by first hand how all that was going. Still, all it had done was made him think more and more about those who feared him, the knit he carries, and the one who thrusts him into this mindset of vengeance. All Azura would like, is nothing more than to see the King of Valor's blood on his hand for what he did to the world, as well as his life. And just like that, the class was over. Yes? Azura would respond as the other student's would take their leave. Azura and the other known as Jace had been called up for their tardiness. In truth, Azura wanted to be a court mage, and he wanted to change this world for the better instead of the grudge holding world he lived before. He can't take the short road when it came to obtaining the strength he needed. Yes sir. Azura would ask, as he would take his leave. If he were to meditate on his powers, he would need to do so in a place where he can use them in a hands on experience. That was when he would go to the training grounds. ((exits to training grounds))
Nora smiled at Gin as he spoke to her "Yes sir, but I'm fine right now. It's a good thing we don't have to train today." She gave a small laugh as she placed the mask back over her mouth. As Camilla shared her experience of fighting to survive and her jaw dropped in both horror and amazement as she spoke. "She must be strong, but it's awful that she had to go through that." Nora thought as she adjusted the mask over her face. She then turned her attention back to Gin who gave each student food for thought on how they will react in times of need. Nora already knew her answer: She would fight tooth and nail to protect her loved ones and the friends she's made here at Eoana.
When Gin dismissed the class, Nora stood up and stretched her arms when she noticed the man she had met before the one who was panting under a tree after the 10 laps they had to run. Nora opened her mouth to say something to him but stopped when the teacher called Azura and him over for a word. "His name must be Jace." Nora thought as she watched the two boys approach the teacher. "Maybe I'll get an opportunity to talk to him tomorrow during the festival." She pondered before walking towards the door. "See you all at the festival tomorrow!" She said as she waved goodbye to her classmates. As she left the room, Nora wondered what she should wear for the festival tomorrow. "Maybe I should buy a new outfit for tomorrow...Hopefully, I'll be feeling better by tomorrow." She thought with a smile.
((Nora exits))
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✦Profile ✦Elementor | First Year ✦Combat gearFace mask ✦Abilities | 0 hrs used ✦Cooldown | 0 minute rest | 5 hrs left ✦OOC:
The class progressed...in a rather negative tone after that. What began as that horrid tale of how Camilla was treated turned into more dismal thoughts of the current state of things. Of how they all would have likely been made to battle each other had there not been the peace treaty between the nations, of how they would not be here as friends, no matter how loosely that may be applied as he hardly knew most of the people here, nor for that matter if he could truly trust all of them. Going on to say the war may reignite at some point and them to face each other again... 'This is combat class and not war preparation correct?' Jace questioned in his mind. He had come here mainly to master some style of weapon, preferably a sword to fit the knightly vision he imagined he could project in the future, rather than the rest of this. Though, he supposed, this may all indeed be necessary to reach that end. Trying to place these survival instincts into them as Gin was saying would make sense if it were as important as he had placed it to be. His homework posed to the class was to reason whether they would run, fight or beg for mercy. Thinking on it, having no prior knowledge, Jace honestly did not know which he would do. He'd never been thrown in such a situation before, yet he could see merit in all answers. Mercy meant a chance to survive at a cost, running away would mean risking a priceless escape but a greater chance of death and stain of honor, and fighting was the honorable route...but in his current state he doubt fighting would ever favor him. The other two less noble paths would...He didn't know if his noble image would proceed survival instinct honestly.
As class ended however, with Jace pondering this very question, Gin would call both him and the other late student over. While Jace had thought Gin was letting them off earlier, it seemed he was mistaken as he had waited till the end of class to do so. He spoke of figuring out their schedules, that if they didn't arrive on time it would be better not to go to class and seek another elective. saying it was a bad example. Which didn't make sense in Jace's mind for many reasons, causing him to pause from mentioning why he was late himself. A thought was bothering him a little now though he masked it and merely nodded to Gin. "It shall not happen again." Jace would simply say as the other student which was called Azura by Gin agreed to the terms before leaving. Once gone, Jace would speak in a much lower voice to Gin though. "While I do understand I need be more attentive to arriving to class on time and agree, may I ask one thing? You say that we are setting a bad example, yet so far the professors have been missing class entirely a fair amount of the time so far. No disrespect to them, I am sure it was for important reasons, but at this point I consider you my professor for both classes due to the circumstances. Would that not be a bad example in and of itself? Also, could you tell me how you wake up so consistently even in this dreary weather? I am still becoming accustomed to the time and sky of this area, and while I usually awake by daylight, the storm from this morning left me unable to tell which is why I arrived late." Jace would speak and ask, maintaining a polite and formal tone as he spoke. He was not saying these words of malice, but of genuine curiosity as in his mind, the bad example stamp would more so fall on the teachers. He was also legitimately curious on how to wake up consistently at the right time when he relied on the light, so with the stormy morning he was not woken up with the usual cues. ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄ ▄ OOC: Sorry for the meh post, did it at the end of a long day because I needed to finish.
Tala would acknowledge Eyrli's question with a nod before opening his mouth to speak - perhaps to whisper in reply that they'd shared a few classes together - it was the arrival of a latecomer that stalled his reply however and he would watch as Azura bowed and apologised, then the Shadowmancer would turn his attention towards Camilla as she started to tell her tale...
As she finished, he couldn't help but wonder if he'd actually gotten off lightly growing up - sure, dodging more than a few guards here and there and evading Baba's wrath when he stepped out of line was one thing, but to have been deposited on her own in a forest with a squad of elites out to get her and expected to survive, he'd give it a shot, but doubted he'd be as successful as Camilla had been...
Gin would acknowledge the Enhancer's tale, mentioning her story was perhaps leaning more towards Survival Instincts before sharing his sympathy for what she'd gone through... He would then move briefly onto explaining the history about the peace treaty between Trendel and Valor and how two of Eoana's own guards had met on the battlefield - and then met once again in the Barracks, were able to bury the hatchet and work together to achieve the same goal protecting the City.
The Shifter's homework task for the class was to reflect on their past experiences - perhaps contemplating on how one might react if thrust into a life or death situation... Tala would like to have thought he'd never beg for mercy, sure, he might run...or go down fighting, but never beg...
At the summons of Jace and Azura, the Shadowmancer would realise the class had drawn to a close - and as he had places to be...and little beasties to care for, Tala would waste little time in moving to take his leave. It might have been nice to have chased the Shifter up on his own little pet, but as Gin had requested his presence a little longer, the Elementor decided retreating to his hopefully still tidy room was the best plan.
It was as he reached the doorway that Nora would pipe up about the Festival the following day... How had he forgotten? Tala would have paused to consider this for a moment, but as the other students began to make their way out, he decided it best to avoid the chance of physical contact and instead head on up the corridor back to his Dorm Room.
[ ~ Tala Leaves Combat Beginners for Day Flip ~ ]
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Profile Location: Beginner's Combat Clothing: As Seen With: Rory, Nora, Eyrli, Jace, Gin, Azura and Camilla Feeling: OoC
