Arise and go now

Lotharingia

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Sep 16, 2018
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Euphemia never considered the possibility she'd live to hear her final orders.

"Stay here. Learn how to live your life."

They had left in the dead of the night, bringing only a small bag which, Euphemia discovered later, only contained a few pairs of clothes and some cash. The rest of her equipment she'd usually bring on assignments were left abandoned. Euphemia didn't question the oddity, however. She'd never had any reason to question Father Jakov before.

"I...do not understand."

The older man put a hand on her shoulder and gripped it tight. She didn't recognise the smile on his face when he looked at her. She'd never been given one filled with such sadness before.

"I know you don't, but one day you will. I...I want you to forget about me, about the church. There's a school here that'll be taking you in. I've already seen to the arrangements."

"Will you be returning soon?"

He shook his head and squeezed her shoulder again.

"No, you'll be staying here for the foreseeable future. One day, maybe you'll leave of your own will. Even then, if I've done everything right...you'll hopefully never see me again."

He stood up, and with one final nod, turned away and left the girl alone.

Euphemia hadn't stopped thinking about this conversation as she walked in the direction Jakov had given her, towards the academy. Her robed figure a solitary presence in the evening. She walked with the same poise she always did, but her eyes seemed glazed, unfocused.

All her life, she had been given a single purpose. The purpose decided by the Church. The purpose that justified her existence. But with a few short words, that purposed had been taken from her. She wasn't angry, or upset. She'd never felt those emotions before.

For the first time in her life, Euphemia Dvorak felt lost.
 
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EmiRose

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It wasn't a good sign that Xavi had started becoming more apathetic. He knew that. Xavi had a lot to do now that he was in college and running the drama club and though he needed to have his head in the game everything seemed to go past him as a blur. That wasn't good at all, and yet...Xavi couldn't do anything about it. His sister needed him. So he would continue going down this path until she was okay again.
Even if Xavi had to keep torturing himself.

Xavi was walking in the campus, running some drama clubs errands in the chilly night. The errands really weren't that urgent, but Xavi needed something, anything, to fill his time. Thus he hoarded responsibilities. Though if he continued going on like this his professors would forbid him from returning assignments weeks before the deadline.
Xavi was in his own thoughts, there were few people around anymore. Which was perhaps why Xavi so easily spotted a lone figure, wandering around. Xavi stopped and looked towards the robed person, he had seen stranger outfits on the island so that wasn't really anything that would've pushed him away. Rather Xavi felt drawn to the person, they seemed to be walking aimlessly and seemed a little lost. Xavi, looked around, he was the only person close-by. He looked back over to the person, and made his way towards them. Perhaps they needed directions.

Xavi carefully approached the person from behind, and when he got close enough he cleared his throat a bit and peered at the person with concern and slight curiosity.
"Excuse me, are you lost? Can I help you somehow?"


@Lotharingia
 

Lotharingia

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Sep 16, 2018
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"Ah."

Euphemia had been so lost in thought that she hadn't even heard the young man's approach. As soon as he spoke her back seemed to tense, her footsteps coming to a sudden stop. Her reverie had been brought to a swift end.

With nothing else available to her, Euphemia fell back to her training. She was in unfamiliar territory, with no option but to adapt. She would need to take stock of her surroundings, find out what the locals were like, and find a new course of action. She didn't have time to be so distracted.

She calmly turned around to face the newcomer, focus returning to her eyes.

"Yes, I believe I may be a bit lost." She spoke, her expression neutral, her voice seeming to hide any feeling. "Might I ask if you are familiar with Starlight Academy? I was told it would be in this direction, but I am unsure."

While she speaks, her eyes quickly look up and down the unfamiliar stranger, silently taking in every detail she can.
 

EmiRose

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The person seemed to tense when Xavi spoke to them, and Xavi carefully took a small step back. He must've surprised them, he should've known better than just suddenly approach them from behind.
"I'm sorry if I surprised you, you just seemed to need help. Did I misunderstand?"
But soon enough the person, they seemed to be a girl around Xavi's age or maybe a bit younger, turned around and said that they indeed were a bit lost. Xavi observed the girl, her expression or tone didn't tell him if she was in distress or otherwise flustered by her situation, but he knew better than anyone else that sometimes you hd your feelings from others. So when she asked about Starlight academy Xavi smiled gently and gestured a bit towards a large building some ways from them.
"You were told right, it's right over there. The main entrance is over in that direction."
Xavi pointed to where he had been going. He didn't know if he was imagining it but Xavi felt like the girl was analyzing him, and he adjusted his posture just a bit
"Um, if you'd like I can show you the way? I was going to the same direction. If you're a new student I can point you to the faculty office, they should be open all the time."
 

Lotharingia

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Her assessment of him ended as quickly as it began. Euphemia felt satisfied that the young man wasn't any sort of threat, though the tension in her body didn't seem to go away, even as her face gave away no real change.

Now that she's was facing him a few more details would become apparent, her arms were crossed in front of her, holding a small, but fullly packed bag. Her face was pale, oddly so, as if it hadn't seen the sun in a long time.

"I believe I am to be attending the school starting tomorrow, yes." She explained. "I do not wish to inconvenience you, but if you were willing to show me the way, I would be greatly appreciative."

She ends her sentence with a brief, formal bow of her head.
 

EmiRose

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Xavi felt like he was talking to a business acquaintance rather than soon-to-be schoolmate. The way the girl spoke was formal and tense, much like herself. She had little on her, though that wasn't surprising, many students came to the island with almost no personal belongings. Xavi and his sister had been like that, picked up from the street owning nothing.
"Ah, don't worry, I'm not in a hurry so you're not inconveniencing me. Come this way."
Xavi had a friendly smile on his face as he gestured for the girl to follow him towards the main gate.
"Do you know which grade you're going to be in?"
Xavi attempted to small talk a bit until they got to the main gate and he could start maybe showing where what was.
 

Lotharingia

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"Many thanks."

She smoothly resumes walking next to him, matching his step as they continue on towards the school.

"I believe I am to be in grade 11, however I...I am unsure this is correct, I was not given many details of my assignment here. In fact, I only discovered I would be in attendence at this academy earlier tonight."

She gives a very slight frown, the first sign of anything resembling real emotion she's shown at all this whole time.

"I must confess there is much I do not know regarding the operation of any academy like this. I have never attended any proper schooling either. I am hoping that if any of the faculty are present at this hour, they will be able to enlighten me."

Her handlers explanation of the academy itself was brief, he gave her very basic details before telling her the rest would be handled by the staff. He seemed to want to keep their last moments together brief, as if it were painful to him.
 

EmiRose

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Xavi listened to the girl's words with intrigue, she seemed to be from a militaristic or at least strict background judging from how she talked and how she mentioned an assignment. She certainly didn't talk like your usual 11th grader, but that wasn't unusual on this island where a 1st grader could talk like they were centuries old. Xavi glanced at the girl, noting the frown. That was first expression of emotion from the girl, and Xavi felt sympathy towards her. If she was left here abruptly and without much explanation she must've been so confused. She was keeping herself together very well, Xavi was impressed. He smiled a bit and slowed his steps so he could walk alongside the girl, not too close though.
"Don't worry, this place is hospitable, and the faculty will surely explain how the academy operates better than me. There are teachers around, I am doing an errand for one right now. There are classes at both day and night since there are nocturnal students too."
Xavi tried to sound and look reassuring, and he looked forward when the two arrived at the main gate and walked through it. The academy gardens spread in front of them and the campus buildings could be seen ahead.
"Welcome to Starlight academy. I hope you'll find a place for yourself here. I'm Xaviosz, by the way. You don't need to tell me your name if you don't want to."
 

Lotharingia

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The little frown seems to disappear almost as soon as it appeared, her face returning to its neutral rest moments later.

"I am sure my concerns will be ultimately unnecessary, but I cannot help but prepare for the worst. Still, if you say the school is hospitable, I see no reason not to take your word for it."

She comes to a stop briefly as they reach the front gate to the Academy, letting Xavi walk a little bit ahead of her. The same analytical eye she had viewed him with earlier was turned to the building itself. She took in its structure, looked for obvious points of entry, gazed further to seek out any souls that were still inside late that night. This was the building she would be spending her next few years in, she would need to make sure she knew it inside and out soon.

Her short analysis comes to an end once the young man speaks again.

"Ah, my apologies, it was rude of me not to introduce myself earlier."

She gives another polite bow of her head.

"My name is Euphemia, it is a pleasure to meet you."

She looks back up at him, the critical gaze seemingly missing now. Her guard hasn't been let down, but she seems calm, or at least, she doesn't seem to suspect Xavi of anything untoward.

"You said you were running an errand for one of the teachers. Am I correct in assuming that you are a student here as well?"
 

EmiRose

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Xavi deemed the girl a hard nut to crack, although he wasn't trying to particularly crack her or anything. He just kept smiling a little when the girl decided to take his word for it.
"I'm honoured. You'll see it for yourself soon, the students here are friendly for the most part."

Xavi continued walking for few steps before he noticed the girl had stopped. He stopped as well and observed as she took the building and academy in. Xavi imagined under her stoic shell she was perhaps awing, or bit overwhelmed by the size of it. Xavi had been, after spending most of his life living a rather humble life in lust hell.

The girl introduced herself as Euphemia with a slight bow of her head, and Xavi instinctively answered the nod bit stiffly.
"That's a beautiful name, if you don't mind me saying."
With a small friendly smile Xavi gestured towards the road spreading ahead of them, it would take them across the academy gardens to the building itself.
"Shall we go on? Although I understand if it takes a short while to take it in."

If Euphemia wanted to continue walking Xavi would resume his slow steps, heading towards the academy buildings. Euphemia asked him a question, and he nodded a bit.
"Yes, I'm a student. In college, performing arts general department."
 
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