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Coming from http://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?t=4614407

Edward shook his arm free of Hanille's grip, and rushed towards where the explosion had orignated from. A quick glance around the corner of a building revealed a woman standing, uneasily, in front of the VAL building with wisp of smoke dispersing overhead. Casually, Edward stepped around the corner, "What was that all about?"

Jedrek had been as astounded as Miné to hear the rather calamitous sound erupt from outside of the castle. As with many of the students, his thoughts regarding study times for non-magical self defense fell by the wayside as many students ran out to see what the cause had been. He had grabbed Miné's hand and jogged quickly alongside several other students just in time to see the rather large inferno fizzle out, it's goal apparently accomplished. He held Miné a bit tighter, worried about the way the fire might affect her.

He reminded himself that he would need to discuss practice sessions with Hayana later, but for the time being, he chose to infer as to what the large explosive of fire entailed. Joining a group of students already in the area, he noticed someone new. She seemed fairly young, but he was somehow certain that she was not exactly a student. She carried herself with a certain maturity that belied the fact that she just might be a professor. He studied her long, dark hair and grey eyes as he just caught the end of her question.

"Fire?" he questioned carefully, his unusual accent playing with the word delicately. "Is this to be an elemental magic class, then?" He finished off his thought as he continued to look toward who he assumed to be the newest professor. He certainly hoped it was a fire class as it was by far his strongest gift.

As more and more students began to gather around the new professor, Hanille felt herself growing more and more uncomfortable. Nervously, she began to make her way towards the back of the crowd, soon finding herself near Niira. She glanced at the elf that had so far shared every one of her classes with her, and hoped that she was not in this next class as well.

Truthfully, Hanille was really hoping that she would make friends here. After all, these were people just like her, so why wouldn't she fit in better with them? So far though, the only friend she seemed to have made was professor Seccina. The elven girl nearby seemed far too secretive to be trusted, and Edward seemed to just be a plain a**. She didn't really know any of the others, and by the way things were going, she didn't really want to get to know them either. Her eyes focused on the professor. She carried herself well, and her face seemed to be one of kindness. Was this just the face outside of class? One of the priests she knew back at the temple, Vlad, had been like that. He appeared to be a good man to the outside world, but he was the one who scolded Hanille the most.

The girl shuddered gently as her thoughts traveled back to some of her beatings.

"No..."

With great mental force, she pushed them out of her mind. This professor reminded her somewhat of an older man that used to visit her temple. He was a kind hearted man, and he smiled a lot too. There was something dark that he held inside of him though, and she wondered if this woman was the same way.

"Better save your judgements for later Hanille...'tis the best course of action..."

~~~~~~~~~~~

Alsiria found her mood brightening as several more students began to show up. The smile on her face never seemed to fade, nor did the gentle aura that she seemed to give off.

"Ah good, more of you have arrived."

She clasped her hands together, and placed them in front of her, "So tell me dears; do any of you know anything about elemental magic? I'm particularly interested in what you know about fire."

Miss Develuni's eyes fell on Niira, "You, elven dear, in the back; do you know anything about fire elemental magic?"

Miné was surprised to notice Jedrek, who was always invariably calmer than her, seemed much more worried about the explosion than she was. After rabid wolves, giantess professors, and booming, disembodied voices, it was going to take more than a few fireworks to frighten her. However, Jedrek was concerned enough to run to the source, something that made her wonder if it was something to fret about after all.

For the second time Miné found herself running with her hand in his, although the circumstances were much less ominous. She was not short by any means, but Jedrek’s legs were much longer and what he considered a jog was more of a dash for her. Her free hand held her skirts above her ankles as best she could so she didn’t get her willowy limbs caught in them and fall.

They arrived in time to see the remnants of the aerial blaze. As soon as the lasts wisps of flame got caught in her cobalt eyes, her stomach turned and her memories flashed back to her last night at the tavern. Miné took a deep breath. No. She would not lose her calm in front of the students. They already thought she was weak, as shown by how many thought they could defeat her in the last class. She refused to break down and prove it to them, too.

Her eyes shifted to Jedrek almost automatically. ‘I need you now,’ she thought, but before she could go to him, he came to her. Miné felt the strength of his arms as they encircled her shoulders and pulled her close to his chest. She sighed involuntarily, her knees nearly buckling as she placed her hand over his and leaned against him for support. She adored him for understanding, for knowing things before she could even tell him. It frightened and fascinated her at once and she didn’t want him to let ever go.

They stood towards the front of the group near the professor so she didn’t need to strain to listen. Miné faced the professor, listening in silence and absently stroking Jedrek’s knuckles with her thumb. When the professor posed a question asking if any of the students could tell her something about fire magic, she smiled resentfully.

“I could,” she murmured, laughing a soft, bitter laugh.

Upon learning it was a fire elemental class she wasn’t sure she would want to stay, or if she could even stand to. However, as the moments passed, the warmth radiating from the professor and the safety of being completely wrapped up in Jedrek made her want to stay. After all, this is what she most needed to learn the most and perhaps being subjected to fire on a regular basis would desensitize her to it. Miné sighed again, pulling Jedrek’s arms tighter around her and waiting for the class to start.

Alsiria narrowed her eyes momentarily as the girl's facetious remark reached her ears. The small glare quickly faded though, "Indeed."

Her eyes scanned over all of the students around her, and she smiled again, "Well then, perhaps it is best that we retire to the actual classroom. Alright then, if you dears will all follow me, we can begin class."

She turned and started to head towards the door to the V.A.L. building when she stopped, and turned on her heel, "Oh that is, for those of you who have chosen Elemental Magic as an elective. Come this way then, come, come."

((Aha at last! How about a little fire, scarecrow?!?!))

~~~~~~~~~~~

Hanille watched the professor's expression change for a moment as Niira spoke.

"So...there is more to this woman than meets the eye..."

Odd, though, Hanille thought, that the elf would talk to the professor in such a manner. Then again, this woman was only half-elf like her Herbology teacher, and Niira didn't mind giving that woman hell either. She could also feel Niira's feelings towards her in a sense.

"Hmm...best stay away from her..."

She slipped forward a bit. Now the professor was preparing to lead them inside.

"Come this way then, come, come."

As the students began to move towards the V.A.L. building, Hanille felt like she was going to be sick. This first day was not going well at all...just as she predicted...


((I will make the new post for fire elemental magic now.))