"Taking a break?" Asch says as he jumps over Spin while he tries to remember his name. He easily sidesteps a pillar as it appears and uses another as a spring board to jump over a crack in the ground as it shoots up underneath his feet. He makes a tight corkscrew in midair to keep his balance he then lands in a crouch to absorb the impact.
As soon as he lands he kicks off in a sprint again he notices the stone just to the left of him he cuts hard to the left and reaches for it as he feels the cool stone against his palm he closes his hand into a fist trapping the stone. He then drops low and slides across the floor as a pillar angles out at waist height.
Ephebe closes her eyes for a moment as the exercise begins and then takes off after her pebble, jumping light across cracks and chasms and walking right through columns as if they weren't there. She made a quick grab through a rock face and smiled as she grabbed her purple pebble.
"Very good class! I think this is the first time we've made it through the opening exercises without a trip to the infirmary. I see I'll have to step things up for you."
She gestured and the floor smoothed out, cracks resealing and column retreating back into the earth.
"Let's test your reflexes now, shall we? Each of you stand well away from your fellow students. And don't get hit. I'm told it hurts."
Once each of the students found a spot, she raised the earth they were standing on well above the level of the floor. After making sure no one had fallen off their column she started pulling boulders of varying sizes and shapes from the floor and walls and sent them careening around the room.
"Very good class! I think this is the first time we've made it through the opening exercises without a trip to the infirmary. I see I'll have to step things up for you."
"Very good class! I think this is the first time we've made it through the opening exercises without a trip to the infirmary. I see I'll have to step things up for you."
"Let us move on now, shall we?" Yasui's soft voice is like cannonfire in the overwhelming silence of the Deep Meditation classroom. Nasima and the other five students are looking around, blinking, their faces free of the masks of emotion they wore upon entry. All had devoted the entirety of their minds to the task at hand, but it took considerable effort to focus that much on something so mundane for so long, especially for a high-schooler, and the group seemed as exhausted as they were focused, despite not having moved for the last minute.
The teacher continues. "Your focus on your pebbles was commendable. I shall step things up for you, and add a distraction. I must beg your forgiveness." The Master then scatters a handful of sand and small rocks over and around each student's pebble. "This will test your reflexes, the reflexes in your mind. Keep your eyes away from your fellow students' pebbles and focus. Begin."
Determined to make a better showing than he did with the pebble, Spin stands ready for anything. Eyes alert, knees bent, dancing lightly from foot to foot.
And he's totally ready for the first boulder, smoothly pivoting to let it pass horizontally in front of him to smash against the far wall. And from his new perspective, he makes eye contact with a cute red-haired girl, whose horns barely detract from her shy cuteness. He grins at her, smiling, and begins to wave and a part of the ceiling smashes into his arm, sending him spinning over to the other side of his raised platform...
... where he is plastered by a third ginormous rock, which sends him flying across the room to smack - hanging upside down, spread-eagle against the wall - before gravity slides him to the ground.
After going over paperwork with the administrative staff, checking class availability (and signing off on all of the classes his 'sponsors' have forbidden him from taking), the new student is given a hall pass and sent on his way to join his first available class - Advanced Drawing and Painting.
He attention is disturbed by the shaking of the ground outside the gymnasium doors. He peeks through the window, puzzled at the goings-on inside, before moving on.
Ephebe focused on standing as still as possible. She couldn't possibly avoid the boulders so she needed to keep her stone swimming ability active so they would pass right through her.
She gasped in horror as Spin got smacked twice, and ran over to him, checking him for injuries.
"It's okay," she said. "I'm sure it looks worse than it is, and I can have you patched up in no time. Really."
She directed the rest of the flying boulders away from the injured student while Ephebe healed him, leaving a small bubble of space without flying rocks in it.
Sinh stares judgmentally at the 'object' shifting in the floor. Since no students are around, he laughs at what must be a prank on him or an exotic pet... Incorporeal dog poop? I haven't seen that one in years.
Sinh destroys it with a blast of trans-dimensional acid before resuming his duties, tracking down the elusive slime creature. His search takes him towards an older part of the school - near the locker rooms and gymnasium.
DAM:
Asch settles into an easy stance and easily glides out of the way of the first boulder that comes at him. When the second boulder comes flying at him it clips his shoulder knocking him to the ground. He then quickly kicks his feet up and backflips with his good arm to avoid the last of the boulders. He lands back up on his feet with a cocky grin.
She grimaces as she examines the crushed bones, but decides it's better not to tell Spin how bad the damage is. Her hourglass pendant flips over as she runs time backwards, returning Spin's damaged body to the point in time just a few moments ago before he was injured.
"I guess that's one way to heal someone." Asch says as he pulls his shoulder forward and the pops his shoulder out straight by rolling his arm in and then flinging it out straight making a sickening crack as he relocates his shoulder.
"I guess that's one way to heal someone." Asch says as he pulls his shoulder forward and the pops his shoulder out straight by rolling his arm in and then flinging it out straight making a sickening crack as he relocates his shoulder.
Amada reaches to try to straighten out his should for him but it was too late. He already made the horrible popping sound and Amada couldn't help but grit her teeth in aversion to the sound.
"B-b-baby, here let me help you with that."She stops for a moment and felt her face go green.
"I-I'm going to be sick"
Amada could handle blood, entrails becoming ex-trails , vomit and so forth. Yet the sound of Asch's cracking and popping shoulder sent her into a nauseated abyss. She quickly rummaged about her bag in hopes of finding her water bottle. To her relief she finds the bottle and quickly guzzles the water down in hopes that it will help her not be so sick.
"Wan's sowm wawa" She babbles as she gulps the water down at the same time.
"Are you alright my love?" I didn't mean to make you sick. "You going to be ok?" He asks as he rubs her lower back.
"Are you alright my love?" I didn't mean to make you sick. "You going to be ok?" He asks as he rubs her lower back.
With a groggy voice she smiles and says
"As long as you never do that in front of me again, well that and pop your toes"She couldn't help but giggle and wrap her arms around him. Any time he popped his shoulder or cut his toes it would send chills down her spine.
"Ok baby." He says as he kisses her forehead. "Here baby go stand over here so you don't get hit by any of the boulders." And I can still talk to you from over there. He thinks to her with a smile as he kisses her.
Spin sits bolt upright and looks around, then shakes his head. "Yowza! That hurt." He looks around, seeing only a couple of other students on the ground, "So, that was bad, right?"
He checks over his body, obviously surprise at the low level of damage. When Ephebe mentions her concern for his broken bones and how she 'fixed' the situation, he laughs, "Well, I only have the bones I choose to have, and if they break, I can just re-form them. But I appreciate the concern." A sly smile crosses his face, "You're imprinting on me, aren't you? Aaaawwww, you DO care."
Spin sits bolt upright and looks around, then shakes his head. "Yowza! That hurt." He looks around, seeing only a couple of other students on the ground, "So, that was bad, right?"
He checks over his body, obviously surprise at the low level of damage. When Ephebe mentions her concern for his broken bones and how she 'fixed' the situation, he laughs, "Well, I only have the bones I choose to have, and if they break, I can just re-form them. But I appreciate the concern." A sly smile crosses his face, "You're imprinting on me, aren't you? Aaaawwww, you DO care."
She just stares at him for a second, not quite comprehending and then her eyes go wide with shock as the enormity of what he just said hit her like a ton of bricks. And then she got up and sprinted from the room.
"Damn it I'll get her." Asch says as he slips into the shadows and reappears in front of Ephebe. "What the hell happened in there?!" He snaps as he reappears in front of her as shadows pull away from his body except for one that coils around his body in the form of a serpent its ruby red eyes glowing as it studies Ephebe its tongue flickering in and out tasting the air.
She bursts into tears.
"S-s-spin....." She shook her head, unable to talk and cry at the same time.
Vakkler sits in his office, preparing the lessons. He pulls out a red box and sets it aside.
She bursts into tears.
"S-s-spin....." She shook her head, unable to talk and cry at the same time.
Amada runs over to Ephebe unsure what just happened.
"I-I know i don't know you well, but if there is anything you need, you let me know."
Amada gently puts her hand on Ephebe and rubs her shoulder in a reassuring manner.
She bursts into tears.
"S-s-spin....." She shook her head, unable to talk and cry at the same time.
Amada runs over to Ephebe unsure what just happened.
"I-I know i don't know you well, but if there is anything you need, you let me know."
Amada gently puts her hand on Ephebe and rubs her shoulder in a reassuring manner.
Ephebe hiccups as her sobs start to slow down.
"I....I'm sorry," she said, trying to get her breathing back to normal. "Sh-shouldn't have...run....just....too m-m-much...."
Before Amada had a chance to think it over, she gave Ephebe a quick hug.
"It's ok, I understand. I promise you will always have someone to talk to with me"
Amada gives her a deep genuine smile. She wanted to see Ephebe smile again. She couldn't stand seeing anyone upset around her.
She tried to smile through her tears, but it didn't really work.
"Just...so many emotions...how do people deal with all of this?" she asked plaintively.
She tried to smile through her tears, but it didn't really work.
"Just...so many emotions...how do people deal with all of this?" she asked plaintively.
Amada's felt her heart sink at the sight of Ephebe crying. She felt so bad that she felt like crying herself.
"My dear, sometimes its too much and we have to let it out. Like I said, I may not know you well but I can tell you are strong person and you will make it out alright."
Amada remembered she had some candy in her purse that she bought and never touched. She thought of all the time candy made her feel better and quickly dug around in her purse. When she found the candy she plucked it out and offered some to Ephebe with a smile.
"It always makes me feel better when I eat something sweet when I'm upset. A little sweet helps the bitter times."
She eyed the candy and sighed.
"Well, it can't make things any worse."
"Sorry, didn't mean to sound ungrateful. Thanks. Really. I'm just....Terrified mostly."
"Are you afraid you might have imprinted on Spin or just the thought that you could?" Asch asks as he leans against a wall as Ephebe and Amada talk.
"Are you afraid you might have imprinted on Spin or just the thought that you could?" Asch asks as he leans against a wall as Ephebe and Amada talk.
"The first. I....when I'm around him I'm different. More...normal. Which is great, but what if....what if I have? What if he doesn't feel the same way?"
She covered her face with her hands. "I'm such a colossal screw-up that's exactly the sort of thing that I would do, fall in love with someone who doesn't love me back."
She covered her face with her hands. "I'm such a colossal screw-up that's exactly the sort of thing that I would do, fall in love with someone who doesn't love me back."
Amada smiles and pats Ephebe's hand.
"You are no screw up. One will never know unless they try. Just ask him, I'm sure he will at least tell you the truth."
She shook her head.
"You said it yourself, Amada. You don't know me that well yet. You know what I did over break? Got stuck in a time loop. For three years. It's...it's a lot more complicated than that, but yeah...repeating my same mistakes over and over and over until I finally got it right...I'm not sure how I could not be considered a screw up."
Amada recoiled, a little stung by the sharpness of her response. She sat there and studied her face for a few moments. Amada's eyes grew soft and felt a deep compassion for Ephebe.
"I don't consider you a screw up. Hell my mom was a screw up, she gave birth to a child with horns!"
Amada tried desperately to get Ephebe to smile.
Amada recoiled, a little stung by the sharpness of her response. She sat there and studied her face for a few moments. Amada's eyes grew soft and felt a deep compassion for Ephebe.
"I don't consider you a screw up. Hell my mom was a screw up, she gave birth to a child with horns!"
Amada tried desperately to get Ephebe to smile.
Ephebe looked up, shocked. "That's..that's an awful thing to say! You're not a mistake! You're kind, and sweet, and who cares about horns? Says the girl with scales," she added with a self-deprecating half smile.
Amada lets out a giggle.
"Even if it is a small one, I got you to smile!"
She loved seeing her smile.
Asch stays quiet through the conversation well aware that he is out of his league on this one.
"And just what pray tell is wrong with scales? I have scales and I find them quite nice." Silver says in a mock serious tone from his position curled around Amada's neck like a scaly boa.
:: buh-hu-lorpNala-lorp aporp? ::
The Jello practices holding air in a pocket within itself and then slowly releases it... trying to mimic the sounds it has heard. Speech
The giant bat let's go of the rafter it's hanging from and swoops down, changing into a human as soon as it gets close enough to the ground to walk.
"It would seem, Mrs. Sunwake, that your first class has mixed results." Keaton says with a smile. He looks over his shoulder at Spin, a harsh look in the one eye Spin can see. "She doesn't understand that you were joking, young shapeshifter, and such jokes shouldn't be made anyway."
Aananda sighed. She could feel Ephebe's distress from here. As if her daughter needed one more thing pushing her towards a nervous breakdown. She glared at the young shapeshifter briefly. But right now she was acting as teacher. She'd have to wait to be the worried mother.
"Okay, class, obviously we're going to need to take a break. Take a breath, get some water, and we'll resume class in ten minutes."
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Spin takes Ephebe's emotional outburst, the bat-man's reprimand, and the instructor's cutting gaze with a definite deer-in-the-headights look. The impromptu break gives him a chance to track down his friends, and - more importantly - Ephebe.
When he finds her, seeming a bit brighter after talking to Asche and Amada, he walks up, a look of concern on his face, "Listen, Ephebe… I was just joking. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I'm sorry." He breaks eye contact, having a hard time looking at anyone, "I joke when I'm uncomfortable sometimes. Everyone seemed to be doing so good in class, and I kept screwing up. I guess I just wanted the attention somewhere else for a bit." He tries to force a confident smile, "Plus, a girl like you… you'll find someone really important and awesome to be with. I just know it… not some pebble-missing, giant-rock-eating, lame-joke-making loudmouth skinny-kid. I just know it."
Then he squeezes shut his eyes again, and Ephebe realizes she has zero time before he yells at her brain again.
Then his eyes open, and he reaches out to squeeze her hand, shrugging one more 'I'm sorry.'
"How many do you think are going to come back after ten minutes of thinking you're crazy?" Keaton asks with a raised eyebrow.
"… not some pebble-missing, giant-rock-eating, lame-joke-making loudmouth skinny-kid."
"Ha, it speaks sense finally." Asch says with a smirk.
Spin struggles to control his first reaction to Asch's words. His eyes narrow as he looks over, "Tough guy, maybe you could shut it with the attitude at least until Ephebe feels better?"
Vakler looks up, hearing voices.
"Damn it..." he growls. "Why does my room have to be so nearby that madwoman's?"
"Well seeing as humor has failed me. I'll just sit here." Asch says as he lifts his hands up in mock surrender. He makes shadows wrap around his hand and form into a blade that he flips from finger to finger on his right hand.