"The leaves in my clothes are annoying..." I whine between my chitters, walking this otherwise empty hallway. Mostly, anyway. Still, guns or not, they won't risk firing in here for their sadistic 'jokes.' A tree getting a bullet hole is one thing, the indoors of the school itself is another thing that will lead to another kind of fire... Loss of job kind.
I snort at the idea of it and carefully eye some of the classrooms and lecture halls. Everyone the moment they spot me refuses to leave the doorway, otherwise blocking them all until I pass. And with each door I go on by fully, I get the lovely gift of whispered insult after whispered insult...
All on the way to reaching where I want to go, where the map tells me.
"And as you can see from the diagram I have posted..." a teacher was in the middle of saying to the students in the hall. He stops, that initial feeling of 'Who's late to my class!?' becoming something much more vile. An awkward stare-off ensues, leaving me still and his class disrupted. His blank expression flash burns, turning into complete and utter disgust without even a blink passing on by.
He gestures quick and swift with a force that seems like it would make for a better punch. I look the way of the very corner of the room, an obscure seat that only slackers would typically look out for. Up the steps and at the top of the slope. So, I guess everyone in this classroom is a dedicated student. Or, at least I've certainly encouraged everyone to do better.
Still, I comply without issue regardless of it being my only option. It's a corner that's nice and tucked away from everyone. So, I shouldn't really hear any gossip whatsoever, and anything chucked at me will lose its force. The extra legroom is certainly appreciated, too!
Soon enough, I look on with curiosity at what is being shown. I obviously can't read any of it, neither the finely written equations or something or the more casually scribbled notes. But, from what I'm picking up from some bits here and there and that diagram at the centre... It's about magic and the magical aura that comes from it?
I look to my dominant claw, quickly looking over the scar Waionr gave me and then to the magic I project. Rose-sweerui or Vapooliar, one of the two, one of them mentioned something called Internal and External magic. I at least know that. And thanks to Vadei, I can understand what the teacher is explaining, so I can at least write notes down.
Certainly could be easier... These abandoned bits of stationery are not made for osibindah claws. No tool is, really. Still, with enough careful jotting down and my homegrown knowledge of Tobaballian, I should be able to piece it all together later.
"Gods above this is awful..." I remark so very quietly because these claws really, really are not made for writing. I've not had handwriting this bad since I was four or something. Back when a crayon breaking was just something that happened rather than an intentional action.
Actually, in fact, I might as well go through with my latest contemplation. Just use the ends of my claws to write, like a finger on a steamed-up mirror. This magical clay won't destroy my carapace, and it'll certainly be easier than using these... Hammers and chisels, whatever they're properly called.
A sigh breaks open my mouth, and my chitters snap it shut. Slabs of earth and stone to write on, whatever happened to good old paper? Very magical stone, I'll give it that much with how it's helping somewhat to form shapes. Though, I could do without this spell or whatever trying to convert what I can read in Tobaballian into Jhermonikran or whatever it's called.
Spending more damn time going back over my notes to make sure they're native-tongued and the teacher is still carrying on with his lesson and... Blegh.
"Gods above even more so... Maybe I'll learn to write in this damn language." I practically mouth as some of my digits flick away from my forehead.
"You! Stop interrupting my lecture," the teacher snaps down at someone in front. Yet, no noise follows, and I look up from my note-taking. I find a whole classroom of eyes on me. All bearing that damn smile... To make things worse, the timing couldn't have been better because there's a group of students coming in, actually disrupting the lecture.
"Stop. Interupting. My. Lecture. Freak." the teacher repeats as the new group join in with no indicators needed. Abuse the bug. That's the unspoken rule of this damn school.
"I'm no-"
"Do not speak back to me!" the teacher interrupts, snapping loud and fierce.
"I'm not..." I repeat under my breath as my eyes roll away along the hallway, out of Academy grounds and all the way down the mountain.
He sighs with such dramatic exacerbation, placing his face against that palm of his, "Well, let us see if you have been paying attention. What is the difference between External-Magic and Internal-Magic?"
I stay quiet, considering his words as I think I know this quite easily, yeah, I think I should, "Internal-Magic is what your body holds while External-Magic is..."
I find myself at a loss for technical words as I gesture around me. My observations are pretty clear to anyone, yet they all start laughing. It makes me stop, even though I know I'm more or less right here. It's in the name, Internal, External, magic stuff and the like.
"Can I now have an answer from someone who is not clearly younger than twenty?" he sneers out to his laughing audience, yet, I'm a bit confused by the remark. Twenty...? Why Twenty? By circumstance, he's not far off at all, I'm twenty-two or about there.
I was twenty-one before the New Year's festivals when I left Tobaballe... I've lost track of time completely, so I think giving or taking the timeframe for my birthday is a given. I should be twenty-two right now. Yeah, give or take... I think.
"He's so stupid... Look at how confused he is!" one of the students snaps out as the teacher gestures for them to simmer down. I blink with actual confusion and shake my head at the easy answer. Cruelty for the sake of cruelty.
"Yes, Lecturer Brutano. The difference is, simply put for our learning disadvantaged students, is that one is magic stored within the body to reinforce its structure, while external-magic is what it lets out and controls. With there being a distinct and noticeable difference between what is external-magic and what, in turn, is the magical aura," some girl answers, her voice insufferably full of haughtiness.
"Thank you!" this Brutano says, clapping away and encouraging others to join in. He comes to a stop with the others following shortly after. He stares at me and then the people who came barging into the lecture and still even now continue to disrupt it properly.
He turns my way fully...
"Get out of my lecture," he then demands of me.
I blink and shake my head. Going along with it without verbal complaint. One arm takes everything up as a regard for the sanctity of others' belongings is no concern right now. The other stays locked onto the supporting handlebar as I descend the classroom steps. There are many legs sticking out, intentionally moving near my legs as I move.
One catches on me as I try to walk on by, staggering me down a motion... The laughter breaks up, and my eyes kind of go straight and blank. But my grip on the handlebar only continues to grow in strength.