Feather Dusting (Jess!)

[Eckhart_Von_Musel]

"I want to go home..."

Susie Rainfeather groaned as the morning bell rang, pulling her sheets over her head. The girl's first night away from her parents hadn't been a fun one. Her school pajamas were itchy, her bunk was cramped, and her pillow was far too stiff. She'd only managed to get a few hours of sleep before the sun rose, having spent the majority of the night tossing and turning. Why did they have to get up so early?

After a few minutes, the redhead managed to pull herself out of bed. Her dorm-mates had already woken up and left, seemingly having gotten more sleep than she had. She stumbled to her dresser, rummaging through the drawers until she found her school uniform. Hastily getting dressed, the girl grabbed her book bag and thrust herself out the door, scurrying down the hall anxiously. "I hope I'm not late for breakfast..." she thought, feeling a twinge of panic in her chest. "What if I am? Will I get in trouble? What if- oof!"

Susie turned a corner without watching where she was going slamming into another student. With a cry she fell over, dropping her books on the floor. "Ah! I-I'm so sorry!" she squeaked, scrambling to pick up her things. "A-are you okay? I'm sorry..."

[Sarang]

Not happy. That was pretty much the whole summary of what Ryana felt ever since she had left Jadenshire on the behest of her parents to visit this bloody Academy. It was ... bleak and weird and the people here - she didn't know anyone. But she knew her parents knew people here, that was part of the issue.

At first, when she heard about Wyrdwood the hope that it would be a place where she could finally be herself had come up, but it was crushed almost immediately by her father's proud tales of acquaintances who would help her development. So even now, not knowing who was part of that clique, that group of people, she had to be careful at any given moment. For the 13-year-old girl, nothing could be worse.

Carrying the bundle of books and scrolls with her, she made her way past one of the other dorms when the boulder hit her. Or rather another student. She felt the air leaving her lungs with na 'UFF' sound before she tumbled one or two steps backward seeing someone falling with a cry, while she herself clung to her books like a protective shield.

Her instinct told her to jump to the girl's help but she called herself back in the last moment. Keep up the front. "Ash and fire, watch where you're going! You could have injured me."

Ryana brushed her hand over her front as if to wipe away dirt and dust and shook her head. "Look at that you wrinkled my robe." Not that it was a bad thing. That thing was ugly and uncomfortable. Blue was not her color unless it was the same as her eyes. What a clash.

[Eckhart_Von_Musel]

"O-oh..."

Susie stared at the girl she'd knocked over, a mortified expression on her face. Could you get in trouble if your robe was wrinkled? She looked down nervously, finding that her own robe had been sullied as well. Her eyes began to water. "I-I didn't mean to!" she exclaimed, lips trembling. "I-I just had to- and, and it was an accident, and..."

"Great going, Susie." said a voice in her head. "You can't do anything right, can you?"

Susie sniffled, tears beginning to roll down her freckled cheeks. "I'm really sorry..." she said softly, voice quivering. "I shouldn't even be here..."

[Sarang]

Ryana stared at the other girl. Her initial instinct was to hurry to her and check if she was alright, reach out a hand to help. She already lift said hand when her inner monologue began unraveling once more.
'What are you doing? You can't be that weak little thing you want to be. They would never allow it. You know that it would get you into a lot of trouble. Keep your act up if you want to live in peace.'

Peace, what peace? She had felt peace only a few times and that was when she had been able to drop the act and be herself. Ironically that were the times when her parents believed her to put ON an act to look normal to the others in the area.

So she dropped her hand and her mind reeled on what to do now, how would she react if she were who they wanted her to be? "Obviously." Beat. "Why don't you go back home and cry there?" 'Sorry, sorry' she whispered in her mind.

"Can't even speak full sentences and you think you should be in this kind of school?" She shook her head and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "So why did you run into me like a bull into a wall?"

[Eckhart_Von_Musel]

"Why don't you go back home and cry there?"

It was at this point that Susie broke down. Tears flowed freely down the girl's face as she sobbed quietly, eyes fixed on the floor. "She's right, Susie." the voice in her head chided. "You don't belong here."

Suisie shut her eyes tightly, struggling to find the words to say. Were there any? "I-I overslept..." she blubbered, picking at her fingernails nervously. "I'm g-gonna be late to breakfast..."

[Sarang]

'Oh great... now she's crying even louder. You did a fantastic job there Ryana.' That inner voice was not getting tired of narrating the obvious and it did not help at all to keep that facade up. The Selerian wanted to hug the girl, tell her that it was all okay. But she couldn't do that.

"And make me be late as well." she said with a hint of annoyance in her tone, she didn't mean. Eventually, she stepped forward, grabbed the girl's upper arm and pulled her back to her feet. "You're ruining the sight by sitting there like that." she quickly added and let go of Susie's arm.

[Eckhart_Von_Musel]

Susie squeaked in fear as the girl grabbed her arm, instinctively pulling away. "I-I'm sorry!" she cried, eyes nearly as wide as dinner plates. "P-please don't hurt me!"

"What's going on? Are you two alright?"

Flinching, Susie turned to see a monstrous looking old woman had emerged from a side corridor and was now walking towards them. The girl instantly recognized her as Professor Fen-Breath- the new Magister had given a small speech at last night's opening ceremony. The teacher was much more frightening up close than she was sitting at the staff table, however, and Susie found herself taking a step back. "I-I'm f-fine!" she stammered, tears still rolling down her face. "Just- just late!"

The hag raised an eyebrow, turning to look at Ryana. The woman's eyes were a sickening yellow, her nose grossly misshapen. "And you? Are you 'just late' as well?"

[Sarang]

Ryana was slightly surprised about the reaction Susie showed to her actually helping her to get from the floor. Hurt her? Yes, of course, she was rude, but hurt her? Why was she still crying? The Selenian felt slightly taken aback. At the voice coming from behind her, Ryana turned around and looked at the woman in surprise.

She had seen her once before at the opening ceremony but seeing her stand here now was a whole lot different. Ryana couldn't even say if it was because she looked scary or because she looked just... unusual. It took her a moment to find her 'role' again and she swallowed.

"I was made late." she simply stated as if to correct the assumption but nodded with the inclination of her head. "But alright, Professor." She paused. "I helped Susie from the floor and she was just startled a bit."

[Eckhart_Von_Musel]

"I see..."

The Magistrix gave Ryana a dissaproving look, seeming to take issue with her response. Looking back at the redhead, the hag's expession softened somewhat. She had known coming into this job that she'd likely frighten the younger students by accident, but this soon into the year? She attempted to give the student a reassuring smile, though her monstrous visage made it look more sinister than anything. "Well, don't let me keep you!" she said, an oversized hand shooing the girls's off. "You two have a big day ahead of you!"

Susie nodded frantically, hastily picking up her books. "Uh, um, right!" she squeaked, fighting back the urge to flee. She did not want to spend more time with the professor then she had to-even if it meant not telling her how mean her fellow student had been to her. "I-I'll be going then!"

With a small nod, the redhead began to sprint towards the dining hall once more...

[Sarang]

That morning could have definitely gone better. The breakfast went up in chaos because Ryana had to hurry or not eat at all. At least classes would happen now and those would be ordered and structured, right?

The first day of classes was mostly instructional and really boring. Nothing happened, they were introduced and that was it. Didn't they already know what the classes were? Why tell them more about it in a short period of time instead of getting right to the meat. The first was something about magic-related math or whatever. Ryana didn't really care. Math was for nerds.

So she went on to the next class and it was pretty packed. She almost thought she would get around this one but saw one more spot available. As she got closer to that table she sighed. If that girl started to cry again she would be out of here. Ryana took the chair next to Susie and shot her a side glance.

"Still here I see." It wasn't even meant in a mean way, but by the way, the girl had reacted and spoken earlier the Serenian wouldn't have been surprised to never see her again.

[Eckhart_Von_Musel]

Susie's first day of school was not going well. Late for breakfast, late for her first class of the day, and now...

"Y-you again?" the redhead squeaked, shrinking in her seat. "But... I don't want-"

"Ahem."

Susie immediately closed her mouth as a man in a long, spangled robe stepped into the room. His facial features were sharp and angular, causing him to resemble a large bird of prey. "Good morning." he said curtly, his voice oily. "My name is Professor Veilhart, and welcome to Astrology Level 1 If you could all turn to the student next to you, I'd like if we could all partake in a small... friendship exercise."

Small leaflets materialized onto every desk, one for each student. "I believe all of you are thirteen years of age, yes?" the professor said, crossing his arms behind his back. "Inside these you'll find information on what constellations were prominant in any given month thirteen years ago. I'd like you all to find out what signs your partner was born under, then write them down. Once you've finished, wait for my further instructions."

Susie hesitated before turning to look at the white-haired girl. Maybe they'd just gotten off on the wrong foot? She attempted to smile, though it was clearly forced. "Um... I was born in march..." she murmured quietly. "M-my name is Susie, by the way..."

[Sarang]

Oh great, her again, it was hard enough not to crumble when the girl cried. And now Ryana even had to work with her. She took a deep breath and turned to Susie. She had to try. She had to stay strong.

"Ryana N'vaar of the Jadenshine N'vaars. Yes _the_ Jadenshine N'vaars." She raised her snowy brows. "Susie huh? So... constellations." she pulled the leaflet closer and took a look. "March... thirteen years ago." she turned and flipped the charts, turned it upside down mumbling "This.. here it should.. no... " With a frustrated grunt she plopped it down onto the table. "This is stupid. Who needs stars anyway?"

[Eckhart_Von_Musel]

Susie's heart skipped a beat. "The N'vaar family?" she thought to herself, swallowing nervously. "Aren't they a really big deal?"

"Well, uh..." she sqeaked, trying to figure out how to properly address the girl next to her. "...Miss N'vaar, it's a privilege to make your aquaintance..." Did that sound okay? That was how Mistress Whitechalk want to be spoken to, and she was a noble. She slowly took the leaflet, trying to smile through Ryana's complaining. "And I... I suppose that's what we're here to learn, right? Um..."

Susie squeezed her eyes shut, than opened them again. "Right! Um, what month were you born in?"

[Sarang]

Ryana felt weird to be addressed like that. But if she felt weird it was possibly the right thing for her 'role'. After all her role was not her true self. So she nodded slightly, keeping her nose high. She hoped to have enough alone time in this school she looked to Susie who either understood that brochure or had a whole lot more patience then the Serenian.

"Early July." she said and leaned over to look at the brochure. "So can you actually see what that constellation would be?

[Eckhart_Von_Musel]

Susie stared at Ryana nervously, beginning to feel very small. Everything about the young noble was condescending, from her gaze to her posture to the way she did her hair, to...

"Oh! R-right, sorry!"

Ryana's voice snapped Susie out of her thoughts, and she hurriedly began flipping through the pamphlet. "July, July... here we go!" She pointed to an image depicting a man in a straw mask hunched over a cauldron. "Your constellation is the Shaman! It says that it represents, uh, wisdom and prophecy..."