Wren stood in front of Anastasia completely silent. He didn’t know what to say. She was fuming. Her bright blonde eyebrows knitted in anger, her fists bunched at her sides, her eyes boring into the forest. He didn’t know if he should have just left her and return to the central campus as all of the other boys had, but his circumstances were a bit different to theirs. He hadn’t been the one to use an ability on another recruit outside of lessons. He figured it was his responsibility to give some sort of explanation for the events that had just taken place but he didn’t want to open his mouth in case she blew off at him.

She took a deep breath, visibly calming herself and flexed her fists. Deep marks were left in the palms of her hands where she had been clenching them so tight. Wren hadn’t known that she was such a stickler for the rules that it would bring her to this sort of state.

“What happened?” She said slowly.

“We were fighting, and then I thought we’d settled things and then you saw what happened. You probably saw better than me to be honest.” Wren replied.

“And why were you fighting?” She asked.

“I don’t really know to be honest. Have you heard the rumours going around of me cheating in the physical tests?”

“People will always be jealous of someone performing better than them.” She said nodding.

“He said that him and his family have a duty to make an example out of cheaters.”

“His family? Did he use those exact words?”

“I think so, it was a bit heated at the time you know, him trying to beat me to a pulp and all that.” He said. He cocked his head sideways looking at her curiously. “What’s so important about that?”

“He shouldn’t be able to talk to his family. Communication with outside of the academy is forbidden, even if his family is on the surveying council. Also I’ve met Hiram Pound, he wouldn’t care about a bit of cheat—”

“I didn’t cheat!” Wren interrupted.

“I know I know, I was there, I would have been able to tell if you did. And you’re fight there just told everyone that your speed is all natural. Even if it was a movement ability you wouldn’t have been able to keep it up that long.”

“Wait. How long were you watching?” Wren said, catching on to that morsel of information she’d dropped.

Anastasia blushed a little, clearly caught out, the dead grass beneath her feet suddenly became infinitely more interesting than the conversation they were having.

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“A little while.” She murmured.

“And you didn’t think to intervene a little earlier?” Wren complained.

“You had it handled. If it makes you feel any better I was very impressed, you could do with some improvement though, a lot of wasted movement there.”

“Oh thank you, that would mean a lot if I hadn’t known you just stood there and watched someone TRY TO KILL ME!” He exclaimed.

“Calm down, if you were in any real danger I would have intervened like I did.” She told him.

“Speaking of. Why didn’t you? Why only intervene when he used his abilities?”

She didn’t answer him straight away, instead looking at the twin suns on the horizon. It was late and they needed to get back.

“I’ll explain on the way back to main campus. We shouldn’t be out here after dark.”

She took off in the direction of the forest with Wren close at her heels. He wasn’t expecting an ambush from Chadwick and his friends but all the same it was reassuring to have the instructor with him. The forest was dark in the evening, not much light breaking through the canopies, so they had to watch where they stepped, making sure not to trip over any loose rocks or hidden roots. Every so often a streetlamp like they had on the main campus would illuminate the path but they didn’t span the entire journey.

“As instructors we’re told not to intervene in fights between recruits. It supposed to help build character and instigate rivalries between recruits which will then push you on to do better and be better. That was why I didn’t stop your fight.” Anastasia told him.

Wren returned her explanation with a sceptical look, questioning the morals of his instructors.

“Look at it this way. You only learnt the open palm thrust today right?” She asked, to which Wren nodded in response. “Through your fight today you were able to incorporate that move and assimilate it into real life experience. Do you think you could have done the same thing with just routine practice?”

“No I guess not.”

“Don’t get me wrong, practice and training is good and the recruits who go about their lives with just training are useful. But the real stuff, the things that makes you stand out from the rest, that comes from real life experiences, from you putting your life on the line and learning from it. That is why I didn’t stop your fight. You wouldn’t knock a baby down as its learning to walk.”

“I don’t like you using a baby as an analogy for me.” Wren said.

“Tough.” Anastasia said chuckling.

“So if that’s the case, why’d you stop the fight when Chadwick used his ability?” Wren asked.

Anastasia’s face turned hard and stony, clearly irritated by the memory.

“Two reasons, the first is just he was being an asshole, attacking with his opponents back turned, that’s bad form and should be beaten out of him. The second, at the end of the day, you’re still recruits, and as much as we’ll let you fight as much as you want, that will be without abilities, not with. We’re one faction and we won’t have you pointlessly killing each other off. That’s why elemental fights are forbidden out of lessons and will be punished severely if caught.”

“Really? Then what’s going to happen to Chadwick?”

Anastasia sighed heavily.

“Probably nothing. I’ll inform Director Newman, but I doubt anything will be done. Chadwick’s parents will probably sweep the entire thing under the rug.”

Wren was silent as they continued walking, finally reaching the central campus.

“Must be nice having mummy and daddy to back you up.” He mumbled.

“Must be.” Anastasia agreed.