Vera Chapter 1: The Days Before
 

"You're hesitating...why?"
"I'm cherishing the moment."
"Do you have any idea how stupid that sounds? We don't even have much to cherish at this moment."
"Well, I'm thankful for what little we have. Besides, you're hesitating too."
"Well...I'm cherishing the moment."
"I thought you said that was stupid."
"It is...and so am I. You said so yourself, remember?"
"So..what are you thinking about."
"The old days."
"Ahh...yes...the old days."
"I wonder..what would have happened if..."
"Don't think of ifs...it's too late now."
"Right...we've got a score to settle."


In her time the Eternal Guardian Tomoe set up the Taez Academy, its purpose to train those who wish those who protect the world, as well as keep their students from straying into the dark.
Now, just after a thousand years after the demise of its founder, the graduates have continued to defend the world in her place, creating Tomoe's Order (named after the Eternal Guardian of legend), an official orginization that regulates the peace in Sul, seperate from both Church and State (though not without great influence).
Most cadets wish to to leave the academy one day and join the Order, but for now they can only train and get stronger until that day comes to pass. It is a long and tough road ahead for them, especially for the novices.
Luckily for the cadets, today is an off day, a time for most of them to rest.
Of course, since tomorrow is a big event, it would be best for them to take this time to sharpen their skills a little bit further, but what are the chances of that?

For Kith a day off didn't actually mean 'a day off'. He'd been helping clean around the academy ever since they had taken him in years ago. Just because he was a student now didn't mean that would change. Currently he was whistling happily as he cleaned off the cafeteria tables as breakfast had just finished. Most of the students were already gone, but a few sat about reading or chatting. A few were even playing a game of cards similiar to blackjack. They were obviously quite happy for their day off. Kith made small talk with them as he cleaned, as he did almost every morning.

"Hey, that last vera focusing test was pretty hard, huh?" He happily asked a female student in passing.

"You say that about EVERY vera quiz, Kith!" The girl laughed.

Kith replied, "Well, if they weren't all so hard, I wouldn't!" with mock indignation in his voice, and a smile on his face. The female student waved and giggled as Kith moved onto the next table, and he waved back. He loved the people around the academy.

Catenan was mopping the cafeteria. Not actually being a student, he was just here as a janitor so he could eat and have a place to stay. Most of the students got annoyed at Catenan, since all of the chains he wear's make a lot of noise when they hit against eachother and drag across the floor.

He however did not care, and usually forced kids who annoyed him to pick up their trash.

Over on the next table Ueleg sat tinkering insessantly with his staff as usual. He prodded over and around and through it with various tools. Completely ignoring the fact that his soup had been knocked all over the table in the process.

"And if I.... then maybe if I.... and here we go!" He said suddenly surging the machine with a peculiar flow of water. "Ah ha! it's finished!" He said triumphantly lofting his polearm. He spun it several times around and then accidentally hit the catch. A bullet shot off through a window.
"Damn!" He whispered and quickly scurried to the opposite side of the cafeteria and sat down next to kith. "So how goes it?" He said desperately trying to make conversation

Kith looked at the spilt soup and the hole in the window as Ueleg addressed him and gave a little bit of a half-sigh/half-chuckle and shook his head, as he cleaned off the table.

"Oh, it's always just fine... and at least I'm keeping busy, thanks to you and your toys." He smiled a bit and then glanced over at Catenan, "I'm just glad I've got some more help cleaning up after you."

(Edit: Just realized I left in a couple words after I changed that I was originally going to mention that Kith calls Catenan "Sir Apple-pie"... because I figured I'd see what he's like before I had Kith decide on calling him sir or his first name.)

"Ueleg!" Kane called. "Greetings my dear friend! I have a problem, and I think you can help me solve it!" Kane walks up to Euleg and puts his arm over his shoulders. "Y'see, I seem to be missing a large portion of sulfur and mercury. It seems that someone went into my room and took it so he could expirement with new methods of making gunpowder and sparking agents. You wouldn't happen to know where I could find this guy, would you?"

Ueleg looks indignant. "This is not a toy!" He says thrusting the blade at him. "This is a highly claibrated piece of artifice. I worked on it for a good long time and aparently it works quite well." He said gesturing to the hole in the window. "I just need to figure out how to work it properly." He said rather sheepishly, looking down at the floor.

"And Kane you know that I don't steal supplies. Anyway there's no way that stuff is as good as my new mix! It propelled the bullet all the way over..." He's suddenly cut off by yelling and swearing from the next tower. "...There." he says weakly.

OOC: Going by age (In our world), Ueleg would be a Junior in college hanging out with a Sophmore (Kith) in highschool...

IC:
Catenan sighed when he heard the window breaking. Slowly making his way over to window, he started to pick up the pieces of glass and put them on a nearby table so he could throw them away later.

Kith laughed a bit at the two's arguing and moved over to the table that Ueleg had just spilled his soup all over, and began to clean it up, still chuckling. It was just another day at the academy, although he didn't think Ueleg would get to enjoy it once the staff found out about that accidental gun shot. But then, Ueleg was always getting in trouble for that kind of thing.

Kith just chuckled again at the whole scenario and shouted over to the new janitor, "Where'd you put the broom? I haven't been able to find the cafeteria one lately. I'll help you with the glass..."

"Just to let you know, Ueleg, I was kidding about that supplies thing. But right now..." Kane whips out a spyglass and looks at the tower to see many perterbed people running down staircases "...I think I'll be heading on. Have a nice day, and good luck!"

Kane turns and heads to the firing range.