NISA School for the Magical Artes (11/24 Tuesday)

[Empty Overture]

"Fortinbraz's class for control and application I think was the name?" Leyka answered."

"Alright, let's look around and see if we can find it." Emilia suggested with a smile.

[JerichoDeath]

Selene finally walked up to the doorway, unsure of what to way, but she had heard enough.
"... Rin... and Acch- Alana..."

Selene spoke in a small voice.

Naomi stood several paces behind her.

---

"I'm quite sure this shall be entertaining, regardless of the outcome." Pierce reinforced. Lose horribly, and it might be fun to see how you react. Provide a challenge, and it might be quite fun to triumph. "Ah, yes. Another... rather optional aspect of these kinds of games... many people tend to converse while playing such games." he informed. He moved one of his pawns. "So then. I realize you were created recently, however you two have more personality than the rest of the batch. Personally, it'd be nice to get to know who's working for me."

Ekaterina nodded while moving her own piece.
"Master... what is that you would like to talk about?"

[vampko]

"And.. I guess they are pretty cool," she stated, looking at her hand imagining what they looked like, "They might even prove to be practical later down the line." she smiled, obviously in a much better mood.

"We'll both go. Even though I'm really good at it, I'm sure I can learn something new, since everything I learned was self-taught," Rin returned the hug.

Selene finally walked up to the doorway, unsure of what to way, but she had heard enough.
"... Rin... and Acch- Alana..."

Selene spoke in a small voice.

Naomi stood several paces behind her.

"Selene! Then you made up with Naomi!" Rin smiled and ran up to Selene.

"Alright, let's look around and see if we can find it." Emilia suggested with a smile.

"Wait, what if he doesn't have a class today? We should go check with information just in case," Leyka stated.

[Empty Overture]

"Wait, what if he doesn't have a class today? We should go check with information just in case," Leyka stated.

"...ah, that's probably a good idea." Emilia said in agreement. ...it's going to suck if we came all the way out here for nothing... well, maybe we can drop by the town for a bit if there's really nothing to do today... "C'mon, let's get going." she said, starting to head for information.

---

Ekaterina nodded while moving her own piece.
"Master... what is that you would like to talk about?"

"Let's see... introduce yourself again. Then, tell me a bit about yourself." Piece suggested. He moved another piece.

[MizuMikomi]

"And.. I guess they are pretty cool," she stated, looking at her hand imagining what they looked like, "They might even prove to be practical later down the line." she smiled, obviously in a much better mood.

"We'll both go. Even though I'm really good at it, I'm sure I can learn something new, since everything I learned was self-taught," Rin returned the hug.

Selene finally walked up to the doorway, unsure of what to way, but she had heard enough.
"... Rin... and Acch- Alana..."

Selene spoke in a small voice.

Naomi stood several paces behind her.

"Selene! Then you made up with Naomi!" Rin smiled and ran up to Selene.

I can do this-- the fact they are down here must mean something. Alana held back the anger that was welling up inside her, "M-Morning you two," she smiled, and waved. Just... keep your mind off that stupid letter-- that's all I've got to do...

[JerichoDeath]

"Selene! Then you made up with Naomi!" Rin smiled and ran up to Selene.

I can do this-- the fact they are down here must mean something. Alana held back the anger that was welling up inside her, "M-Morning you two," she smiled, and waved. Just... keep your mind off that stupid letter-- that's all I've got to do...

Selene looked at Rin.
"Well, yes... I suppose..."

"Conditionally."
Naomi interjected from the background.

"A-Anyway..."
Selene quickly changed the subject.
"I was listening for a while there, and... well, Rin, You're wrong. The reason I was upset with Naomi... had nothing to do with you. I was upset with you because you told someone after you promised that you wouldn't. You broke our promise. That's why I was upset with you. Promises between sisters, between friends... in that kind of situation... they are some of the most important things of all."

Naomi looked at Selene worriedly, and she moved into the conversation.
"Rin, the fight between Selene and I was entirely my fault. If you had not told me that Selene knew, it's possible that we could have split apart completely. For that, I have to thank you."
Naomi bowed to Rin while Selene looked embarrassed.

"Um um... yes. Good morning, Acchan~"
Selene steered clear of addressing Naomi's speech, now that she knew how Naomi felt about her.

---EDIT---

"Let's see... introduce yourself again. Then, tell me a bit about yourself." Piece suggested. He moved another piece.

"Well, my Master, my name is Ekaterina, and I am pleased to serve you, and your son, as your property. I have no particular likes or dislikes in every day life, as I have yet to experience enough of it to form proper opinions on the subject. Your son is very nice to us... I... like him."
Ekaterina was slightly confused on her last sentence, and she ended up making a bad move in the game.

[Empty Overture]

"Well, my Master, my name is Ekaterina, and I am pleased to serve you, and your son, as your property. I have no particular likes or dislikes in every day life, as I have yet to experience enough of it to form proper opinions on the subject. Your son is very nice to us... I... like him."
Ekaterina was slightly confused on her last sentence, and she ended up making a bad move in the game.

Hm? My boy, huh? Look's like she made a mistake while saying that... Pierce moved his next piece. He was preparing to start taking down Ekaterina's pieces. "Quite a nice change of pace, if I say so myself. That boy doesn't appear to like very much these days." he replied. "So, you have no particular dislikes, but one of the things you like is him? Hm.. interesting."

[JerichoDeath]

Hm? My boy, huh? Look's like she made a mistake while saying that... Pierce moved his next piece. He was preparing to start taking down Ekaterina's pieces. "Quite a nice change of pace, if I say so myself. That boy doesn't appear to like very much these days." he replied. "So, you have no particular dislikes, but one of the things you like is him? Hm.. interesting."

"It- It is interesting, Master?"
Half of Ekaterina's mind was consumed by the topic of conversation while the other half was analyzing the game thus far. It seemed as though she would lose, but she now knew why. She would not make that mistake again.

"Master... I have a question... for you too, if I am not out of line."

[Empty Overture]

"It- It is interesting, Master?"
Half of Ekaterina's mind was consumed by the topic of conversation while the other half was analyzing the game thus far. It seemed as though she would lose, but she now knew why. She would not make that mistake again.

"Master... I have a question... for you too, if I am not out of line."

"We're having a conversation, not an interview. So I would gather that it is not out of line." Pierce replied. "Feel free to ask." he stated, observing the board.

[JerichoDeath]

"We're having a conversation, not an interview. So I would gather that it is not out of line." Pierce replied. "Feel free to ask." he stated, observing the board.

"Very well, Master. Then, could you, perhaps, tell me about yourself in turn?"
Ekaterina moved a piece, playing more cautiously.

"Oh, a-and why was the previous information interesting, Master?"

[MizuMikomi]

"A-Anyway..."
Selene quickly changed the subject.
"I was listening for a while there, and... well, Rin, You're wrong. The reason I was upset with Naomi... had nothing to do with you. I was upset with you because you told someone after you promised that you wouldn't. You broke our promise. That's why I was upset with you. Promises between sisters, between friends... in that kind of situation... they are some of the most important things of all."




"Um um... yes. Good morning, Acchan~"
Selene steered clear of addressing Naomi's speech, now that she knew how Naomi felt about her.

As I thought... it was just the promise, she's not mad anymore... so there's no need for me to get angry again. She felt all the pent up anger fade away.

Alana approached Selene, "Look-- Selene, I.. I'm sorry for how I treated you yesterday-- i-it's just...when it's regarding Ricchan-- I-it's embarassing b-but... I take offense to it." she explained, blushing a bit.

Man... now I feel like crap, I treated her so poorly last night...I just..., "I..I hope you're not mad, I mean-- I really did treat you like crap," she bowed, "I'm sorry for getting so pointlessly worked up over the whole thing. P-please, if you can find it in yourself-- forgive me." She apologized.

[Empty Overture]

"Very well, Master. Then, could you, perhaps, tell me about yourself in turn?"
Ekaterina moved a piece, playing more cautiously.

"Oh, a-and why was the previous information interesting, Master?"

Pierce didn't look very pleased. He gave Ekaterina a blank, yet menacing look. After a few moments, he began to laugh. "Oh, I'm sure that'd be just fine." he replied, seeming genuinely amused. He moved another piece. It appeared as if he were ready to counter whatever move was taken next.

"I am Pierce Cerezus, your employer, or as you would say, your master. I run this company, and my son is the current heir." Pierce explained. "I tend to enjoy various forms of entertainment, and intellectual games, such as this." he said, "There's a bit I dislike, though the biggest things... I quite hate being disappointed. Failure is not something to be tolerated, nor is disrespect." he added.

"As for why I found that interesting is because it wasn't quite something I expected. My boy's usually pure business. He doesn't seem to have the time to be nice, it seems. It's interesting that you've taken a liking to him."

[JerichoDeath]

As I thought... it was just the promise, she's not mad anymore... so there's no need for me to get angry again. She felt all the pent up anger fade away.

Alana approached Selene, "Look-- Selene, I.. I'm sorry for how I treated you yesterday-- i-it's just...when it's regarding Ricchan-- I-it's embarassing b-but... I take offense to it." she explained, blushing a bit.

Man... now I feel like crap, I treated her so poorly last night...I just..., "I..I hope you're not mad, I mean-- I really did treat you like crap," she bowed, "I'm sorry for getting so pointlessly worked up over the whole thing. P-please, if you can find it in yourself-- forgive me." She apologized.

Selene took Alana's hand in with her own.
"Acchan. I was afraid that I had lost you as a friend. Before coming to this school, we never had friends. I see now that friends are precious.
... and don't worry about what you said. You are in love. People who are in love sometimes do... things that they wouldn't normally do..."

Selene's face clouded as she glanced back at Naomi, and she let go of Alana's hand.

---

Pierce didn't look very pleased. He gave Ekaterina a blank, yet menacing look. After a few moments, he began to laugh. "Oh, I'm sure that'd be just fine." he replied, seeming genuinely amused. He moved another piece. It appeared as if he were ready to counter whatever move was taken next.

"I am Pierce Cerezus, your employer, or as you would say, your master. I run this company, and my son is the current heir." Pierce explained. "I tend to enjoy various forms of entertainment, and intellectual games, such as this." he said, "There's a bit I dislike, though the biggest things... I quite hate being disappointed. Failure is not something to be tolerated, nor is disrespect." he added.

"As for why I found that interesting is because it wasn't quite something I expected. My boy's usually pure business. He doesn't seem to have the time to be nice, it seems. It's interesting that you've taken a liking to him."

"I understand, Master. I will endeavor to always do exactly as you command, never fail to complete the directives that you give."
Ekaterina studied the board. The flow of the game was not in her favor. Therefore, she decided that an attempt to change that flow was the best course of action. It was in her nature; The Shattering, so to speak. Her other pieces were in danger, but the ultimate course depended on the King. So, that was the piece that she moved. Still, she calculated that she would lose in 5 turns, at this rate. The game was too far in, and she was trapped. She suspected, however, that her Master wished to crush her in the end, not to accept a forfeit. So, she played on.

"Yes... I see. So, it appears that I have taken a liking to the Young Master. Is there anything that you wish me to do, now that you have this information, Master?"

[Empty Overture]

"I understand, Master. I will endeavor to always do exactly as you command, never fail to complete the directives that you give."
Ekaterina studied the board. The flow of the game was not in her favor. Therefore, she decided that an attempt to change that flow was the best course of action. It was in her nature; The Shattering, so to speak. Her other pieces were in danger, but the ultimate course depended on the King. So, that was the piece that she moved. Still, she calculated that she would lose in 5 turns, at this rate. The game was too far in, and she was trapped. She suspected, however, that her Master wished to crush her in the end, not to accept a forfeit. So, she played on.

"Yes... I see. So, it appears that I have taken a liking to the Young Master. Is there anything that you wish me to do, now that you have this information, Master?"

Hm. Let's ease up. See if she takes the bait. Give her some hope. Pierce made an intentionally self-devastating move. "I'd imagine that Cero programmed you girls with a bit of free will, no? In all honesty, I don't particularly care what you do regarding my boy at this moment." he replied. "By the way, it is good to see your understanding skills are well enough to distinguish the difference between an unacceptable failure, and an acceptable one."

[JerichoDeath]

Hm. Let's ease up. See if she takes the bait. Give her some hope. Pierce made an intentionally self-devastating move. "I'd imagine that Cero programmed you girls with a bit of free will, no? In all honesty, I don't particularly care what you do regarding my boy at this moment." he replied. "By the way, it is good to see your understanding skills are well enough to distinguish the difference between an unacceptable failure, and an acceptable one."

With this, I am capable of taking his Queen, but it is unlike Master to move in this manner. It must be a test.
Ekaterina ignored the sacrifice Queen, which would have opened her King to check, and instead, she placed her opponent's King in check with a Rook. Now, she was being recklessly aggressive, completely at odds with her earlier play-style. Perhaps, if she continued to switch her style, Ekaterina could increase her life expectancy in the game... though unlikely.

Ekaterina addressed the issue of Reikail before moving on.
"I feel compelled to thank you, Master."
Having addressed Reikail, Ekaterina searched her memory for something good to say.
"I believe that an appropriate quote would be: 'an unwinnable battle is not the same as a lost one'."