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Astrosa
Allyson
Chapter Six
Astrosa had a large problem with pride. She wasn't truly mad at Neal anymore; the week since their fight had calmed her down. But Astrosa had never had reason to apologize to anyone before, and she saw absolutely no reason to do so now. Apologizing would involve all those messy things like feelings and embarrassment. Astrosa wasn't good at those things.
She went to class; grateful Neal wasn't in Magic Control. As soon as she walked in, Master Derrick popped up in front of her. "Astrosa, don't do anything magical for a minute, alright. Just watch, ok?"
Astrosa glared at her teacher. She couldn't believe he was still freaking out over that little thing, no one died. "Ok class," Derrick said, "I'm going to give you basic exercises and you'll practice them by yourselves. I have a special project." After his basic exercises, Derrick walked up to Astrosa. "Ok kid, we're working on your control. It has one problem."
"And that would be?" said Astrosa, arching her eyebrows.
"You have none," he said. Ignoring Astrosa's glare, he continued. "If you plan to be a mage, you have to know what you're doing, and when to do it. Or in your case-" he said with a Look, "when not to."
Astrosa narrowed her eyes, and her voice grew cold. "And how am I supposed to know that?" she asked.
"If you're not trying to use your magic, and you wind up with someone suspended in midair, then it's not a "When not to" situation." Derrick said. "What I mean is just making sure your magic isn't connected to your temper. Making sure you can use power while exercising some control over how much."
For the next hour, Astrosa worked on basic control exercises with Master Derrick hovering and commenting. "That's not right," he said solemnly as Astrosa was working. In frustration, Astrosa magicked a vase on his table and sent it flying at his head. Derrick halted it in midair, and placed it back on the table.
"That is why you need to know control. Now if I wasn't a mage, that could've killed me!"
"What do you think I meant to do?" Astrosa said, giving Master Derrick a withering look.
"Amusing," he said wryly. "But in all seriousness, if you can't separate your temper from your magic, then you'll just have to control them both." He sighed, and then looked Astrosa straight in the eye. "Do you want to go back?" he asked.
"Of course not!" Astrosa said sharply, although her voice trembled slightly.
Seeing the fear she was trying to hide, Master Derrick's eyes softened. "Well, if you remain so wild with your magic, there may be no choice."
"You're just trying to scare me!" Astrosa said with a glare.
"Do you really believe that?" he said softly, looking into her eyes.
Astrosa looked flustered, and glanced away. She focused again on her control exercise, sweating in concentration.
While Astrosa worked on her control, and continued to avoid Neal; he was dealing with their fight as well.
"I just don't understand it!" Nealan of Queenscove said, banging his head on the mess hall table. "Why won't she speak to me? I was only trying to help!"
Akilah of Heathercove sighed. For the past week, all Neal had done was rant about his fight with Astrosa. Akilah was trying to hold her tongue on the matter so as not to take sides, but it was becoming increasingly difficult.
"I was just trying to help! She knew that!" Neal continued, throwing out his arms dramatically.
"Yes she did." Akilah said shortly, glaring at him.
Neal blinked for a moment. "What do you mean Aki?"
"If you're too stupid to figure out what she's feeling, I'm certainly not going to tell you." Akilah said firmly, rolling her eyes at the stupidity of the male gender.
"Can you tell me then?" Otto said. Because I don't understand either. Akilah rubbed her temple and wondered why she hung out with these morons to begin with.
"For the same reason that you won't apologize for patronizing her. She's too proud!"
"You mean, she wants me to apologize?" Neal exclaimed in shock.
"Yes!" Akilah yelled. "She wants you to apologize!"
"But it's her fault!" Neal said indignantly. Akilah sighed, and rubbed her temples.
"Go apologize now!" Akilah said firmly, pointing to the door.
"But-" Neal started to say.
"Now!" Akilah said firmly, and a dejected Neal walked out of the mess hall.
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