Orange Pekoe Academy, Shirogane ~ A Lazy Afternoon
Perspective - Porom Garnet
Technically speaking, the archway above the Academy's front entrance was off-limits. It was a fall hazard, and even though pretty much anyone who enroll as staff or student was sturdy enough to take the fall (I mean, they wouldn't be here if they couldn't, right?), it was more to cover the Academy's rear end should someone ever get mad.
That meant, of course, that no one actually ever followed that rule, myself included, lying face-down and facing inwards towards the central courtyard. In fact one of the more popular outdoor lounging spots. For good reason too - it provided a view of the road and onwards towards the main ferry to Kugane, and also to the beach behind the Academy, then also a view of the courtyard where students and staff would practice their techniques.
Today's practitioner was Fuyuki, a fellow healer and a good friend from a long long while ago. Back when the Eorzean beast tribes were summoning their Primals with reckless abandon, she and I were part of what was known in the Academy as the 'Clear Team'. Our most seasoned of vanguards. But now that things have settled and our focus shifted to assisting as a token force in the East, the need to be so sharp seemed to have diminished.
Well, diminished, but not ceased. I continued to push my Astromancy, but Fuyuki...veered into a different direction. How she even got her hands on the basics for the spell, I don't know and I really don't want to know. But after a few mishaps, it seemed like her research was proceeding. No, even picking up faster and faster.
Several small objects - trinkets, scraps, and machina - were strewn all about the courtyard amidst several archery targets, laid horizontally, with the white-haired woman standing in the center of it all. Lazily, I watched, my tail flickering in morbid amusement as I watched my friend focus her aether on one object, making it glow pale blue before turning into a pale blue mass of aether then bursting into nothingness, only to have it appear atop one of the nearby targets with a similar gust. And so the process repeated itself, a new object a different target, though not always hitting the mark.
"A gil for your thoughts, Pompom?"
I mumbled a bit as an initial response to the voice behind and to my right. It was Kisusu Kisu, another healer of the old Clear Team, and based on where her voice was coming from, she was likely sitting on the highest end of the arch.
"I am watching forbidden magic being practiced before my eyes, and the strongest reaction I have is..." I trailed off as I stretched, my tail rising before falling back down to the arch with thumb. "A resounding 'meh'. Discuss."
"Said forbidden magic is only a risk to myself."
Despite the winds from her spellcasting, Fuyuki apparently could hear me from the courtyard and shouted her answer, even as she kept teleporting items around.
"Counterpoint: we try to teach our students to minimize risk," I shouted back, sitting up properly.
"Counter-counterpoint: one of our graduation criteria is having a student take a hit to ensure a spell is cast successfully."
Fuyuki shouted in response. But before I could reply, Kisusu had cut me off.
"Addendum: ...we're on the bloody entry archway."
My mouth was already half-open, but all I could manage was a huff as I laid back down again, my tail flickering in mild frustration. Fuyuki seemed to have decided she had enough and started to walk towards the arch, looking up to me as she spoke.
"Besides, Pompom, you've pulled some risky things with your Astromancy, dilating time and such."
"And Headmaster Lanford's swords...like half are cursed," Kisusu added before both of them started to bombard me with more examples, taking turns.
"Keirra runs around with a fragment of Ifrit's power..." "An and his Abyssal powers..." "Sev and her rifle's modifications..." "I am pretty sure Mixxis has a gem of Shatoto..."
"Okay, okay, I get the point..." I finally interjected, deflating atop the tile. "You'd think rules were good things."
"Oh, they are, but..." Fuyuki started before she herself started to glow blue for a moment before disappeared in a gust, reappearing to my left in another rush of air, sitting down opposite from Kisusu
"We didn't get this far following the rules, did we?"
I looked side to side between the Plainsfolk and the Raen, who also looked at each other with grins. In unison, we nodded, then all chuckled softly at the absurdity.
