"Saffire wasn't a mutation." Michael replies quickly. "He is a completely new creature. I had an idea of what he could do, but that was just speculation."
Aananda let up on the barrage slightly to give Fei some breathing room to recenter himself and then increased the rate at which she was throwing rocks substantially.
Fei is (thankfully) not as taken by surprise as he was earlier, stopping several rocks to form a temporary 'wall' as he repositions himself again.
This time, he attempts to use the energy he has already built up to pulverize the rocks as they make contact with him in an attempt to keep his view and range of motion unhindered.
[smaller][smaller]
His focus once again compromised for some reason, Fei takes a boulder to the knee and goes down as the discharge knocks his leg back and completely out of stance.
As the rocks pile up at a frightening rate of speed, the harried monk quickly gathers his strength to hold the increasing weight at bay, then tries to focus the energy in the same manner he had to when the protean creature had grappled him in the Cafeteria.
[smaller][smaller]
There is a bass rumble from the pile of stone that gives Aanandareavekki enough time to react as the rock shatters and rockets out in multiple directions. While most of it has been reduced to small gravel and/or dust, there are a few rocks that are still a dangerous size...
"Saffire wasn't a mutation." Michael replies quickly. "He is a completely new creature. I had an idea of what he could do, but that was just speculation."
"And this is exactly why you shouldn't use yourself as an experimental subject! You get so caught up in what you're doing and you don't really think about the consequences. I think you're an amazing alchemist, I really do. I just want you to practice safety protocols and stop and think about what you're doing instead of just rushing in willy-nilly. You don't even fully understand how Saffire works yet and you're already getting caught up in plans to make improvements...slow down a little!"
"I'm not working with anything dangerous and, if I was, I'd be in the lab with all the necessary precautionary equipment. You want me to slow down but I wasn't going fast. There are already spells and formulae that do the 'improvements' I was thinking about. I'm being careful so the plan can be successful."
Vai smiled weakly when the Professor checked on her, trying to get up before Aananda told her to take a break. She slumped, laying completely back on the cold stone floor, taking deep breaths.
Then the racket started. Vai watched the barrage wide-eyed, full of concern for Fei. Then suddenly Fei is being buried under the rocks. Seconds before Vai could call out to the Professor to stop the pile suddenly started rumbling, then exploded, sending shrapnel flying. Seeing a sharp rock the size of a fist heading towards her, Vai instinctively raises and hand and suddenly the air shimmers. The rock audibly bounces off a barrier, and clatters to the ground. Vai looks astonished at her hand.
Fei rises from settling dust at the center of the debris field, the wound to his leg aleady healing. Reduced to a more manageable level of energy, he renews his (dubiously successful) efforts to remain injury-free. :P
He notices smaller rocks scattered throughout the chamber, but neither the sabumnim nor Vai appear to be injured (though she is looking at her hand in some manner of shock).
Seeing a sharp rock the size of a fist heading towards her, Vai instinctively raises and hand and suddenly the air shimmers. The rock audibly bounces off the a barrier, and clatters to the ground. Vai looks astonished at her hand.[/i]
"Very good Fei. Your control is improving." She noticed Fei's look of concern towards Vai.
"Vai, are you okay? I'm sorry, I should have thought to make a barrier for you. I'm used to training with the advanced class who can handle flying rocks," she said, a bit sheepishly. "I forgot."
Despite the disappointment Khassar feels when he finds out that this skirmish was not the same one he was in, he realizes that he rather enjoys this class. Spider riding mites, yes he could see that for an encounter within an enclosed space. Swarming over the ceiling, dropping down silently and delivering a poison with no one the wiser, even using the spider silk itself as an early warning system. As he is well aware, several races hardly ever look up, until its too late.
"I... I'm okay Professor, though I don't know how." Her face is flush, adrenaline coursing through her. She makes the same motion with her hand, obviously trying to recreate the barrier, but nothing happens. "I..." she starts talking, then stops again.
Vai stands, legs still a little shaky but they're holding her. "Maybe I can do it again."She breaths deeps again and focuses on Aananda. "Not a big one please."
Aananda nodded. "Okay, we'll try just one," she said, lifting a rock the size of a baseball and throwing it at Vai.
Vai stands watching the rock rise from the ground. She can feel her legs shaking. It's going to hurt. Or is the shaking from fatigue? No time to think now! The rock flies at Vai, and her hand flies up, her palm spread wide open. A moment of worry crosses Aananda's mind, but then the barrier forms itself, right at the last second, deflecting the rock away. Vai's face is set in an intense look of focus, and the barrier shimmers momentarily before reforming.
"Very good, Vai," Aananda says warmly as she reaches out to steady the slight half-elf girl. "Hang in there, it's okay. Let's get you sitting down again. Training is good, but we should definitely stop short of putting you in the infirmary." :)
Vai relaxes and the barrier vanishes. When Aananda's hand steadies her, she very slightly cozies up to it. She smiles weakly when Aananda mentions the infirmary, "But, I haven't been there in 2 days... what if they miss me there?" she jokes, but moves slowly towards the wall to the side of the room to sit down.
Fei watches from the other side of the chamber, glad for the momentary respite to gather his thoughts on all of this.
Despite the sabumnim's assertions to the contrary, it seemed too dangerous for anyone else to be in here when he was training. He could not let what happened to his master happen again - he swore he would not.
He quietly sits back down in the center of the debris field to attempt to regain his focus.
"Avalon sounds like a weird place, with teachers throwing boulders or giving you bad potion recipes." Anthony says as he sits down to eat. "I don't think I'd like it there."
"It can be a pretty cool place, sometimes. Plus, I know a mermaid that might think you're cute -as impossible as that is- and start flirting."
"Now I know you're lying. What would mermaids be doing so far inland?"
"Working at a seafood restaurant." Michael replies with a grin.
Vai relaxes and the barrier vanishes. When Aananda's hand steadies her, she very slightly cozies up to it. She smiles weakly when Aananda mentions the infirmary, "But, I haven't been there in 2 days... what if they miss me there?" she jokes, but moves slowly towards the wall to the side of the room to sit down.
Aananda chuckled as she helped Vai over to a good resting spot a little more out of the way.
"You're as bad as Ephebe. There was a couple of months there recently where it seemed like she was going to take up permanent residence in the infirmary.""Alright," she said, making a wall in front of Vai to protect her from flying rocks, "let's get back to work. And no guilt trips allowed," she added sternly. "Nobody got hurt, so no harm done."
"Avalon sounds like a weird place, with teachers throwing boulders or giving you bad potion recipes." Anthony says as he sits down to eat. "I don't think I'd like it there."
"It can be a pretty cool place, sometimes. Plus, I know a mermaid that might think you're cute -as impossible as that is- and start flirting."
"Now I know you're lying. What would mermaids be doing so far inland?"
"Working at a seafood restaurant." Michael replies with a grin.
"Well, at least if Anothony-kun was there that mermaid wouldn't spend so much time flirting with Michael," Kitty said thoughtfully. "I like that idea. You should at least come for a visit once in a while." ^.^
Aananda chuckled as she helped Vai over to a good resting spot a little more out of the way.
"You're as bad as Ephebe. There was a couple of months there recently where it seemed like she was going to take up permanent residence in the infirmary.""Alright," she said, making a wall in front of Vai to protect her from flying rocks, "let's get back to work. And no guilt trips allowed," she added sternly. "Nobody got hurt, so no harm done."
Fei slowly rises from his kneeling position with a long, centering breath.
"Yes, sabumnim," he intones with a bow as he resumes his stance.
"Don't tease him! What would Shiela want with a twerp like him?"
"I'm not a twerp! And you're a nerd, what would she want with you?"
"I'm a nerd with good looks though, just ask Kitty."
"She's on your side though! She'd side with you!"
It's starting to look like this could go on for a while...
Kitty sighed and rolled her eyes.
She reached out and grabbed the ears of both Michael and Anthony and twisted to get their attention.
"Enough! Geez, you're as bad as little kids!"
"What's your point?" Michael asks. "We're brothers."
"Why did you have to go and ruin the arguing? It's one of the few things I can actually beat him at!" Anthony complains, trying to get free.
"No you can't."
"Yes I can!"
"Augh!"
"Fine! You two argue. I'm going for a walk so I don't have to listen to it!"
"What fun is it to argue if there isn't anyone around to witness my victory?"
"Your victory? Oh no, little brother, I won that argument. Isn't that right, Saffire?"
"Meep!"
"Oh come on! He's on your side too!"
"Which is why I'm winning. I have more people on my side then you!"
Michael laughs, ducking a thrown fork as he puts his plate and Kitty's away to be washed later.
"You need to work on your aim."
"It's still better than yours."
"Prove it then. Let's go hunting. I won't even let Kitty and Saffire help me."
"You're on!"
"After lunch then, since I want to go walking with Kitty."
"Alright," she said after a few more minutes practice. "Fei, you need to go discharge your cuffs. You're making good progress though."
"Vai, are you feeling better? You did well today, but we still need to do a lot of work on your endurance. Still, it's a promising start."
Kitty scampered across the branches, enjoying the early morning birdsong. She was definitely a fan of this roads through the trees business.
"Someone's used to the branch roads already." Michael says as he lands on a branch to her left and matches her stride. "Just stay away from branches without leaves. Those are dead and more likely to break when you step on them."
Upon rounding the corner, Aananda sees Vai asleep, her head leaning against the wall.
"Someone's used to the branch roads already." Michael says as he lands on a branch to her left and matches her stride. "Just stay away from branches without leaves. Those are dead and more likely to break when you step on them."
"Good to know. Actually I think the branch roads are even easier to navigate than rooftops. I've always liked heights. There's something so exhilarating about seeing the world from up high."
"So, you decided to take a break from fighting with your brother long enough to come for a walk with me?" she teased.
Upon rounding the corner, Aananda sees Vai asleep, her head leaning against the wall.
Aananda chuckled and shook Vai's shoulder gently. "Time to get up, sleepyhead. You'll be late for your next class."
"Sort of." Michael admits with a smile. "I told him we can settle who has the better aim with a hunt after lunch."
"I don't think I'd like rooftops over trees branches. Not nearly as much spring." He jumps then, landing almost on the end of a branch. It gives under his weight just a bit before springing back up and launching him into the air. He lands softly and looks down at Kitty with a challenging grin. "If we had P.E. in these trees, you would be the one wondering how I can keep going for a whole period."
Kitty laughed. "See now you just need to figure out how to use that knowledge in other terrain." She scrambled up to a narrow branch, lightly balancing on it as it bent under her weight and, grabbing on to a sturdier branch with her tail to be safe, leaned over and kissed Michael lightly before running off, laughing. She looked back over her shoulder, expecting him to catch up with her easily.
"Whu?" she sits up, wiping a bit of drool away from the corner of her mouth. She looks up at the Professor, a little embarrassed. "Is class over already? I thought we just started." she looks confused, but gets up, stiff.
"If the other terrain was as springy as a tree branch, it wouldn't be a problem!" He calls after her, just a few branches behind her. He jumps down to a lower branch and uses it the bounce from it to catch up to her, kissing her as he passes by. "Tag, your it!" He says as he falls back down to the lower level.
"Whu?" she sits up, wiping a bit of drool away from the corner of her mouth. She looks up at the Professor, a little embarrassed. "Is class over already? I thought we just started." she looks confused, but gets up, stiff.
Aananda smiled. "Endurance is definitely something we're going to have to work on with you. But for your first session you did remarkably well. Get cleaned up, grab a quick lunch, and get to your next class, dear. I know you're tired, but if we don't continue to push your limits then you can't expand them."
"If the other terrain was as springy as a tree branch, it wouldn't be a problem!" He calls after her, just a few branches behind her. He jumps down to a lower branch and uses it the bounce from it to catch up to her, kissing her as he passes by. "Tag, your it!" He says as he falls back down to the lower level.
Kitty springs up to a higher branch and runs and leaps onto another branch and so on, moving quickly to get ahead of him before jumping down, nearly missing catching the branch she needed, teetering for a minute before she got her balance and jumped down again right into Michael's arms.
"Yeah, you're right, the springiness takes some getting used to," she said breathlessly before kissing him and running away again.
"Already out of breath? I haven't seen that before!" Michael laughs as follows. This was felt so good. To be back home in the trees instead of surrounded by stone. Okay, so he was starting to be okay with stone, but it was nothing compared to 'walking' through a forest. He could feel the air, hear the animals... He skids to a stop and listens intently for a minute.
"No, it couldn't be..." He said when he heard it again. "Hey, Kitty! Stop for a minute!"
Aananda smiled. "Endurance is definitely something we're going to have to work on with you. But for your first session you did remarkably well. Get cleaned up, grab a quick lunch, and get to your next class, dear. I know you're tired, but if we don't continue to push your limits then you can't expand them."
Vai shakes her head, trying to clear the foginess of sleep from her mind. The shaking causes her wave locks to fall in front her face. She brushes them back and looks up at Aananda. "Thank you Professor." Vai hugs Aananda, squeezing her tight and holding on longer than strictly nessecary.
Once the hug is done, Vai will curtsy in a manner reminicent of Fei's bow and leave the classroom, heading for the cafeteria for some lunch.
Kitty stops and looks back at Michael expectantly.
"Alright," she said after a few more minutes practice. "Fei, you need to go discharge your cuffs. You're making good progress though."
"Vai, are you feeling better? You did well today, but we still need to do a lot of work on your endurance. Still, it's a promising start."
"Yes, sabumnim," he replies, bowing deeply before heading down to the workshop to discharge the energy cuffs, then heads to his Alternate Health and Medicine class.
Michael motions for Kitty to come closer.
"I'm not sure if you'll hear it or not, but just listen for a moment, okay? It's not something you usually hear in a forest, and it's supposed to sound different to everyone. I hear it as a cross between a flute and a harp for instance."
Kitty stood and listened, a slight frown of concentration on her face. "It sounds like chimes," she whispered. "What is it?"
Michael smiles happily.
"So it wasn't my mind playing tricks. If you promise to leave any weapons you have up here, I can show you. We can't get close enough to see otherwise."
Kitty swiftly pulls out more shuriken than it should be possible for her to have hidden away, tying them into a bundle with an extra 'sash' she just happened to have that looked a bit suspicious around the edges and then tied the bundle to a branch.
"Okay," she whispered, "that's everything that's explicitly a weapon anyways."
"You don't have to whisper. If the stories are true they already know we're here. Follow me."
Michael takes a wicked hunting knife out of his sleeve and sets it next to Kitty's bundle before jumping down to the lowest level of branches and then making force fields for them to get down to the forest floor. He takes a moment to look around and then gestures toward what looks like a herd of horses at first glance.
"Alacorns." He says when light bounces off the pearl horn of one and another ruffles it's wings. "No one in Anderail has seen them in centuries. Tapio be praised, this is a wonderful sight."