The next day, Ione was unpleasantly surprised when Coranne told her that she would be going to the older girls' class, effectively skipping grades. Ione questioned the nun, but even she had no idea why there was a change. The white-haired girl wasn't even in school for a week before things were being moved around.
She quite liked having Amahn to herself. Coranne was right, it was like having a private tutor and she was going to miss that advantage.
It wasn't until they had actually arrived at the new class when Ione thought of what Amahn had said to her before she went for a nap yesterday; ‘so if you would like to go to bed you can, I must speak with Mother Belan anyways.’
Ione switching classes must have something to do with their chat. She wished she followed Amahn, but after what she had learned, she did need a good sleep. Ione knew the sister liked her, or at least tolerated her, and it was Belan who had pushed for segregated classes, so Ione could only assume that Amahn had good intentions in pushing for her place in this class.
Soon, Coranne had left, and Ione was left standing at the front of the room where Amahn introduced her.
“Hello, class. I know this may come as a surprise, but a new student will be joining us today, please welcome, Ione.” Amahn gestured towards the young girl.
She knew the song to this dance, and so, took a step forward, hands behind her back. “Hi, my name is Ione, thank you all for welcoming me.”
Short, sweet and concise. Ugh. I’m going to hate this.
The stoney faces that stared back at her didn't seem to appreciate it. In fact, it seemed as though some were disgusted upon looking at her, and Ione couldn't tell if it was due to her age, or race. Either way, the welcome was not warm. It was cold, in fact.
There were a few empty desks at the back of the class and Ione sat down at the one closest to the window.
Amahn gave a small smile, “okay class, looking at my notes…”
Ione drifted off, lost in her thoughts. She wasn't really enthused about being in a room full with near teenage girls. She knew it would only be a matter of time before the comments would roll in. The jabs. Their expressions didn't really scream ‘nice’, ‘kind’ or ‘welcoming’.
Disgust, consternation, constipation, and fearfulness were thrown her way throughout the day. That last one would have been surprising, if not for the war between Elves and Humans, and the perception of elves bordered on bogeyman levels of terror. Information courtesy of Coranne.
However, the day went well overall. They had talked about the infamous war, the very topic that pushed people towards the anti-elven sentiment or strengthened their already developed prejudice. It was revealed that the crusade, aptly named "War of Whispers," started roughly 200 years ago, in the year 505 due to humanities migration outside of the Valley. The need for more crystals grew, and the elven settlement lived right next to a large mine. Consequently, a deal was made, and while the relationship was distant, it was respectable. That is, until the elves had apparently reneged on their word and slaughtered the village that was expanding outside of the valley. Now, there was a giant gate at the mouth of the canyon, barricades expanded outwards and inwards; to keep elves out, and humans in, save for a lucky few who had the means to leave, whatever that meant. The land past the barriers used to be lush, green, thriving, full of sprawling trees and flowers, but now was full of carnage. Bodies, mud and war memorabilia littered the landscape for miles. The forest that can be seen in the far distance housed the elves, vicious beings that had limited numbers, but were strong due to their vastly different biology, born with attributes that surpassed humans. There were also additional creatures helping the elves, tree-like beings and unknown animals that also helped in their ongoing conflict.
Ione suspected that wasn't the entire truth and decided to ask some questions.
“Why did the elves go back on the deal?”
Amahn peered at her. “Because they did not wish for the mines to be used anymore.”
“Okay, but wasn’t it beneficial for them too?”
“It was, but they did not like to have human culture grow into their own community. Humans and elves were intermingling, and the influence of human ideals proved too much.”
Ione thought that sounded like baumshit. It became very clear that Amahn genuinely believed what she was saying, but she gave two different excuses. The young girl knew it was most likely due to propaganda. She wouldn't discount the idea that elves had a part in the war, but she knew there was more to the story than, ‘they just decided to massacre a village because human culture is bad.’
The white-haired girl decided to drop it. She knew that nothing would come of it, and would paint her in a bad light if the only elf in class was showing something resembling a pro-elf attitude.
Despite her initial misgivings about going to a class filled with other students, she enjoyed the atmosphere it brought. Bright sunlight filtered into the long room, and the desks were different on account that they were spacious and Ione could place her school supplies wherever without worry of them falling off.
As time went by, and Ione learned more about the world, she became increasingly puzzled.
If the Book of Mauvah and the tutorial was the only records to survive after a Renewal Period, what was the point in wiping out all other man made documents and structures of civilization? Nobody knew. It is known that each racial group is given a tutorial and a Book of Mauvah; that information was shared in the little time elves and humans had known peace. Yet, why were races separated in the first place? If the locations are arbitrary, which was implied, then how come elves and humans were separated? There were more races, Ione knew this deep in her bones, there was no way there were only two. So where were they?
With each question Ione asked, 10 more were asked by her peers. Amahn seemed delighted by the renewed interest in her students, yet, unfortunately for Ione, this prompted some of the other girls to start with name calling as Amahn bestowed rare praise onto the white-haired girl.
Outside of the classroom she heard whispers of, ‘Knife ear,’ ‘flowerblood,’ and ‘herbivore,’ which Ione laughed at.
This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.
The young girl didn’t particularly care about making friends with these peers. In fact, she didn’t care about making friends at all. The path that she was setting for herself would be long, prone to risk and full of death. She had Coranne and Fellis to care for and protect, they were enough for her.
She was going to save everybody, but that didn't mean she had to personally like them.
What she needed were allies. Which would come naturally after she escapes the orphanage.
The girls’ could call her whatever names they liked, she didn't care. What she did care about was when they got physical. That fabled day happened a few months after her arrival into the classroom.
After washing her hands in the nearest bathroom, she was faced with a group of girls that had started the name calling: Daniah, Trikka, Osmen, and Kraylin. They entered and stood in front of the exit, blocking her way.
Ione quickly dried her hands with a wind crystal and smiled. “Please move.”
Daniah laughed. “No.”
Osmen chimed in, “Oh, the knife-ear wants to leave,” as she mocked a sad face.
“Listen, I just want to get back to class, I took a hot shit and it’s stinking up the place.” Ione said, telling the truth.
Their faces changed from eagerness to scandalized.
“What the fuck?” Kraylin wrinkled her nose.
“Yea, lunch wasn’t good, don’t eat the yaka fruit, I think they’ve gone bad.” Ione tried to supply helpfully.
“Oh, she thinks she’s funny,” Trikka said.
“Yea, and no ones laughing,” Kraylin spat, “shut up, you stinky elf. We don’t give a fuck about the yaka fruit. We give a fuck about you being in our class.”
Ione doubled over in laughter, repeating ‘stinky elf’ until her sides hurt. Kraylin rapidly blinked.
Daniah, obviously the most physical of the bunch, stepped forward threateningly, “oh, you find that funny, huh?”
The laughter bubbled away, leaving Ione to reply with, “yea, c’mon, you would have laughed too. That was pretty good.”
The black haired girl looked at her other cohorts in consternation, apparently not understanding why Ione wasn't afraid of the clearly bigger and visibly stronger looking girl.
Osmen stepped beside Daniah, closer to Ione, “do you really want to do this?” she shook her head. “Just, shut up. We’re tired of hearing your voice, herbivore, we’re sick of hearing you speak everyday in our class, as if anything you say matters. Your kind are killing us. Your kind killed my family!” Her voice rose.
“Yea mine too,” “Killed my parents,” “my dad left and hasn't come back,” the rest of the girls supplied.
“Did your dad leave to grab milk and never came back?”
Kraylin shook her head, “I don’t know what you're talking about. He’s a soldier. Was, but now he’s dead. Cause of you.”
“I mean, you guys realize I'm human too, right?” Asked Ione
“Doesn't matter,” Osmen huffed, “You’re still an elf, through and through. Violent. Ugly. Aggressive. Rude. You’re all killers, all of you.”
Pot, calling kettle. I could say the same thing, you little turd.
“Well,” Ione spread her arms, “if you really believe that, then kill me.”
That pulled them up short. There was a resounding silence as each girl looked at the other.
“C’mon, kill me!” Ione repeated, louder.
Daniah rushed forward, getting into her personal space, “you have a death wish?”
“I don’t,” The white haired girl said simply, “I just want to see if you’ll actually try.”
Osmen whispered in Daniah's ear while looking at her, unfortunately, Ione heard them. “Just, I don’t know, rough her up a bit? I just want her to stop talking. Make her afraid to talk. Please.”
That ‘please’ grated on Ione. She did understand, in a way, how the trauma of losing your parents to beings you’ve been repeatedly told are monstrous could result in this behavior. Ione was the only elf they had access to. She was the proverbial punching bag for these hurt feelings, and having the punching bag speak up for itself was aggravating to those festering wounds.
Trauma was a helluva thing.
Yet, that didn't mean it was right.
“Listen. I didn’t have a single thing to do with your families. In fact, I don't have one either. My mom died in child birth and my dad fucked off to do whatever. I don’t know what his deal is. I get that you all are hurting. I understand it. But, please, listen to me when I say I had absolutely nothing to do with your families. I wish they were here, too.” She took a breath, “what I don’t deserve is getting the shit beat out of me because of what I was born as. Just as easily, you guys could have been born as elves too.”
Osmen and Kraylin studied her while Trikka looked away.
Daniah had other ideas as she reared back her fist. Ione saw the motion as though it was going through jelly, her body twisting as determination filled her face.
Well, I tried. Kids can be dumb.
Ione heard a short, “Daniah, stop!” As the older girl hurled her fist towards the white haired girl's face. She promptly dropped down, ducking under the punch as Daniah stumbled upon the force of her own strike, and Ione speedily dashed around the girls, making her way to the exit using a combination of [Running] and [Jumping].
DING! You’ve earned the general skill: Dash Tier 1 LVL 1. Check the status page for more information!
Fuck yes!.
It was something for Ione to experiment with later; she had used most of her skills at once before and hadn't received new ones, but only using two in combination netted her an additional skill?
Back to the matter at hand, all 4 girls turned around to see Ione standing nonchalantly at the exit.
“Unfortunately for you all, I'm going to talk to Sister Amahn about this, and fortunately for me, Sister Amahn likes me.” Ione’s lip curled, extremely pleased, “You could try to beat me up again, of course, but you’d have to catch me, though. Think you guys can do it?”
Before she could even see their reactions, she walked away, whistling a tune that she’d remembered from her time on Earth as she’d heard them filter out of the bathroom. Watching.
“She’s bluffing,” Daniah huffed.
Osmen responded, “Shut up, Daniah. She made you look stupid.”
“Did you guys see how fast she was?” Trikka asked, ignoring the other two.
Kraylin was silent.
Ione knew that probably wouldn't be the end of the bullying, but she’d surely have fun with it while it lasted.
Despite what happened in the bathroom, Ione decided to give them three chances before she told Amahn what was happening. She wanted to see what they would do when they realized that Amahn wasn't going to do anything on account that the nun wouldn’t know, and then decide on how she would go about teaching them that fucking with her was a truly idiotic thing to do.