Alana was now in her sixth year. She had a late birthday so she was seventeen and would turn eighteen much later on.
She sat in her secret messings with Sous sitting on one of the empty desk. She kept her eyes on the water that was before her, thinking of the time she had activated her seal when she was dragged down below. In her hand was a hackey sack ball that she threw into the air, something she kept on her person when she was bored. Little baby basilisk still hung around her neck but not during classes. He was just getting so big but still so cute. He was also becoming more independent as time went on.
Alana looked at the snake and stopped writing whatever she was writing. She looked at Sous and leaned back in her chair.
"You know, I think maybe you should take an internship at the basilisk conservatory just outside of Vania. Or another zoologist," Alana suggested. "I don't think its ever been placed on record that someone manged to tame a basilisk. It could help find a way to turn those from stone back to their original species."
Sous threw the ball into the water and then used her wand to retrieve it back. One of her goals was to make the dueling team but the more she thought about it, the more she was unsure she would have time on her schedule.
In the first semester was sparring and then the second was agility. If she took up dueling then it would take place in one of the semesters. So she would be double busy either way.
Once she retrieved the ball and squeezed the water out, she glanced at Alana and sighed. "I don't know. I was thinking of taking an internship in Dimona."
"Why?" Alana seemed a bit confused.
"Don't you remember that favor you owe me for that witch?" Alana was quiet and turned her body to face Sous directly. "The goblin blood...that's used to make the regeneration potion." Alana nodded her head, remembering now.
She seemed uneasy and Sous saw her go through her paperwork.
"Alana?"
"You're asking me to take you to a slaughter house."
"What do you mean?" Sous asked.
"Sous, the potions are made out of goblins' blood. How do you think we get that blood?"
Sous was unsure of what she was hearing. She rubbed her hands against her pants, under the impression she was going to hear something disturbing. "I-I just assumed that-that they took a needle and got some blood."
They were quiet for a beat. "Sous...we kill them."
Sous stared wide eyed at Alana. Her mind going back to all the images of innocent people whom she knew getting killed and here it was again. Alana admitting before her they were killing goblins just for their blood.
"Sous...Sous!"
Sous jumped, feeling herself about to cry. She wiped her eyes. She was just so emotional recently. She shook her head, speechless. She took her wand and placed the hackey sack down on the desk. She jumped down from the desk.
"Sous-"
"I gotta go," Sous said, staring through Alana, white, colored completely drained from her face. "I gotta go."
"Sous!"
She was in such a worry to get out of there, she was suffocating. She didn't want to hear anymore. She knew she would have to but right now, she just didn't.
Sous bumped into Pixie Boy after drying herself off from visiting Alana. She hadn't seen him and was going to apologize but he was already mouthing off.
"Where's Makala?" He asked.
Sous didn't like his tone, not with how aggressive he seemed. His voice cracked and he too was getting taller. Soon to turn fourteen.
"I don't know, Pixie Boy."
"Don't call me dat!" He yelled getting in Sous' face.
Sous pushed him back. "Dude, what's your problem? Chill out!"
"WHERE THE FUCK IS MAKALA?"
"I DON'T FUCKING KNOW!" Sous was in his face now, bearing her canines. Students stopped to watch what was going on between the two.
Sous had just got the news on what went down with the goblins in Dimona and now here was what supposed to be a friend up in her face, aggressively.
They glared at one another until another student who apparently knew Pixie Boy placed his hand on his shoulder, and gently nudged him away. Sous watched the two walk away and quickly went to her dorm to change into her sparring uniform to get to practice.
Sous stared up at the sky while she set on the first bench. Prior to becoming officially on the team, they had to take a few exams which she had past. Her first fight would be in a couple of weeks and second years would be fighting in judo and tai chi. It was said these two were the first martial arts to be taught due to how minimal they were in movement. Judo was about throwing one's opponent and tai chi was about using one's force against themselves.
Her clothes were disgruntled and she was sweating profusely even after sitting out for a few minutes. She heard the crunching of grass and looked to see Instructor Song coming her way. He sat next to her on the bench. He was one of the few humans at Hacate. He was lean, slender. His hair was dark along with his eyes. His skin was a bit tan and he had small eyes with mono eyelids.
"You learn quick."
His words were direct. "I grew up having to," she answered simply.
Instructor Song didn't mention aloud but he was confident Sous and Faye would be his top second year students on the team.
After he had left, Faye came to her and handed her a towel, practice was over.
"What's up?" Faye asked.
Sous shook her head. Still not wanting to talk about anything that happened earlier that day even the interaction with Pixie Boy.
"How's Kara?"
"Her birthday was a couple of days ago." Sous answered. The two got up and began to walk toward their dorms to change for dinner.
"Oh yeah, what'd you get her?"
"I got her a picture of us. A shirt-"
"A shirt?"
Sous laughed. "I got it because of my scent."
Faye nodded her head, understanding wolves had a great sense of smell.
"I want her to know I'm always with her." She smiled at Faye, probably the brightest part of her day.
"HEY!"
Both girls looked up and saw Pixie Boy walking to them. His hands balled up into fist. He headed toward Faye and punched her square in the jaw. Faye fell onto the ground, the other sparring students ran to their side, helping Faye up. She rubbed her jaw, feeling its sting.
"WHAT THE HELL!" Sous asked.
"Makala is with you twenty-four seven. I hardly see her anymore!" He accused the priestess.
Faye got up and shoved Pixie Boy, picking up by his shirt, twisting her hip, and threw over her shoulder and on his back. The air went out of him.
While Pixie Boy laid there on his back, unable to move. Faye walked away, not saying anything. Sous was unsure of what to do. Both were her friends even if Pixe Boy was being an asshole but when she looked at him, she saw only his eyes and head moving. He screamed out, claiming to not be able to move while Instructor Sang calmly walked to him.
"I'll take him to the infirmary. He's paralyzed." He said, throwing the boy over his shoulder.