Re: Symphonia

[Kiana Black]

Sierra smiled, shaking her head. "It seems I'm saying this a lot," she said with amusement, "but thank you again." She hid a sigh as she headed in the direction Raine pointed. Closing the door gently behind her, she nearly groaned at her reflection. Crazy bed-hair that desperately needed a brush.

She opened the cupboard door under the sink and found a small hair brush. Perfect. Taking the elastics (her hair was thick so she needed two) from her hair she tugged the brush through her tangled strands. Wonder if they have a spare toothbrush? She shrugged and spotted toothpaste. She could just use her finger until she found a place to buy toothbrushes. She pushed it from her mind.

So. Daily schedule? School with Raine and Genis, meet Lloyd and Colette probably, then job searching with Genis? That should be fun. She had no job experience whatsoever, other than working with special needs kids for a school bus. She'd done that for about a year, but she hardly thought that would qualify for a job in Sylvarant. Shit. She'd figure something out. Maybe, hopefully.

She finished her business in the bathroom, feeling a lot better after brushing her hair, teeth and washing her face. She definitely looked better. She wished she had a change of clothes, she thought in dismay. Soon. She found Raine waiting downstairs and forced a bright smile to her face as she stared at one of her favourite characters from the game. A video game. Holy shit.

[Glyphhunter]

Raine nodded, standing from the table and holding out one of the bags, "Class starts at nine and ends at three," she started as she headed for the door, "the schedule varies throughout the week. Genis should be able to help you if you need it."

[Kiana Black]

-- You spelled schedule wrong, silly.

---

It was Sierra's turn to nod as she took the bag from Raine's offered hand. Classes. Right. Sure. She hadn't done school for over a year now - it was going to be difficult to get back into the habit. Her eyes widened for a moment as a thought hit her. Wouldn't she be expected to know things about Sylvarant? If she was to help in a classroom full of students learning... what if someone asked her a question she had no idea of the answer to?

Hopefully it would be about, say, the geography of the world? She would know at least a bit of that, unless things were different. No use worrying about it now, she told herself as she walked out the door behind Raine. The half-elf didn't bother to lock it, and Sierra assumed that in a place such as Iselia, robberies were rare. The walk to the schoolhouse was done in silence, with Sierra lost in her thoughts and Raine studying a book in her hand. The older woman seemed to have no problem reading while walking and Sierra envied her briefly.

She wondered if she'd meet Lloyd and Colette today, and what she'd do. Colette should be easy to get along with, if she was anything like her game character. Easy-going, clumsy, too-kind-for-her-own-good Colette. Sierra looked forward to meeting her. Lloyd... she had no idea what to expect. With a character like his, it'd probably depend on his mood.

She'd find out soon, for they were almost there. Her stomach clenched with familiar anxiety at meeting new people, and she nervously stuck one hand in her jeans pocket. Her free hand clutched her paper lunch bag tightly. Act normal, and you'll be fine. She almost snorted aloud at that thought. Yeah right. Normal - sure.

[Glyphhunter]

Most of the students were outside when they approached the schoolhouse, either sitting in the shade or taking in the morning sun. Raine nodded to a few of the older students as she closed her book and stepped inside. "We have about 10 minutes before I have to ring the bell," she said, "until then, can you put some of these on the six desks in the back?" She gestured to the tower of books next to the door of the classroom.

[Kiana Black]

Sierra nodded, grabbing the texts and holding them precariously. She made her way to the desks and did as Raine asked, thankfully not dropping any of the books and making a fool of herself. Once she was finished, Raine went over the basic rules and told her what they were currently studying. Sierra had no idea what most of it was, so she nodded and pretended she did. Hopefully, no one would notice.

Maybe I can just clean... and stuff... she thought, without much hope. She was pulled from her thoughts when Raine announced it was time to ring the bell.

[Glyphhunter]

"I'll be right back," Raine put down the notes she was reading and headed for the door. She turned to Sierra before she left, "stay by the front, alright? I'll introduce you to everyone once it's calmed down."

[Kiana Black]

Sierra nodded, leaning against the front wall, hoping she'd be out of the way enough, and clutching her stomach. It always got all jumpy at the prospect of meeting new people. This was a little different though. She was meeting new people who weren't exactly new. The only ones that really mattered were going to be Lloyd and Colette.

This is kind of going to be like the peer tutoring class I took in grade twelve. She had to help out with the grade nine geography class. The only difference? I'm in a video game instead of the real world, and I'm pretty sure getting a passing grade isn't so important right now. Oh man.

She had just forced her hands to stop fidgeting when Raine came back, a few kids - Lloyd, Genis and Colette included - following behind her.

[Glyphhunter]

Genis was chattering about their guest as they walked into the room, Lloyd and Colette listening intently. Raine gave a calming smile to Sierra when she saw her against the wall and approached her. "Just relax, alright?" she said, "I highly doubt that there will be any mishaps today."

[Kiana Black]

Sierra returned the smile, adding a small nod in understanding. She listened absently as Raine did the morning ritual of attendance. It was funny how some things are so similar to the real world. Should she even be calling it the real world? Maybe it was just... another dimension or something? It was kind of scary to think about. She hid a sigh, shoving such irrelevant thoughts from her head just as the sound of her name rang through her mind.

Oh man, everyone's eyes are on me! Sierra forced a timid smile, trying to appear as friendly as possible. Raine nodded at her and she took it as a sign to speak. She cleared her throat nervously, rubbing her arm slightly. "Ah... my name is Sierra Reynolds. Um, I'm eighteen. It's nice to meet you." She added the last bit as an after-thought, her smile brightening as she forced the nerves away.

She sent a questioning glance at Raine, wondering if the older woman wanted anything more for her to say. Sierra never was good at the whole introductory thing. She was usually a student when she had to do it. Even then it was just to say her name and maybe where she was from.

[Glyphhunter]

Raine nodded then turned back to the rest of the room. "Sierra will be with us for a while," she started, "if you have any questions you think she may be able to answer and I'm unavailable, please don't hesitate to ask, understand?" A chorus of, "Yes, Professor," rang through the room and Raine smiled.

"Alright then, on to the first lesson of the day. Seniors, yours is in the text book on page 47. I will see to you after I'm through with the younger students," she picked up a small pile of papers as Lloyd groaned, Genis and Collette giggling.

[Kiana Black]

The day passed too slow for Sierra, whose nerves had finally quieted completely. Every time a student approached her, it was to ask her questions about herself. Where she was from, why she was helping the Professor, why she was living with Genis and Raine, how'd she gotten amnesia, how long she'd be there. They were sometimes challenging to answer and took a lot of patience on her part. She'd been asked the same questions all day.

Raine had always stopped them from asking too many, usually saving Sierra from answering. Sierra knew it wasn't over though. Kids would keep pestering her until they got their answers. It wasn't like she could blame them though.

The day finally ended to Sierra's relief and Raine's dismay. Raine really did love teaching. It was obvious to tell. And it wasn't a bad day overall. It was pretty funny to count how many times Lloyd got hit with something by Raine for not paying attention. Raine actually chucked a textbook at him during the final hour of class. Sierra had struggled not to laugh, even as she wondered whether Lloyd would get a concussion. The poor boy.

She was just stacking the last of the textbooks in a neat pile when Lloyd, Genis and Colette approached her.

[Glyphhunter]

"Hey, hey! New girl!" Lloyd ran up to the other brunette, stopping just before he ran into her. "Why are you really here?" He stressed the word. "Genis wouldn't tell me and neither would the Professor," he pouted slightly while Colette smiled beside him.

Genis sighed with annoyance, "I told you I found her by the ranch."

"But surely there's more than that," Colette said, watching the shorter girl curiously. She then tilted her head in question, "Why were you by the ranch?"

[Kiana Black]

Sierra smiled slightly before replying, "I was looking for my friend Vicky. She wasn't around when I woke up. I thought she might have been found by the Desians or something."

She met Lloyd's eyes as she answered his question. "I don't remember anything else. Raine and Genis are letting me stay with them for a bit. That's why I'm helping Raine here. I owe them both a lot." She rubbed her arm, a nervous habit she'd someday get rid of.

[Glyphhunter]

"That's great! It's nice of the Professor to do that for you," Colette clapped her hands together then held one out, "my name's Colette, by the way. It's nice to meet you."

[Kiana Black]

Sierra grinned and shook Colette's offered hand. "It's nice to meet you too, Colette." She's so friendly. The world needs more people like her... seriously. Though without the whole 'sacrificing themselves for the world' thing Colette had.

"My name is Sierra. Just in case you forgot," she added with a pointed look at Lloyd. She didn't lose her smile though. It would be more surprising for Lloyd to have remembered her name anyway.

[Glyphhunter]

"Right, I knew that," Lloyd spoke haltingly as Genis shook his head with a sigh. Colette giggled and rocked slightly on her feet. Raine came up behind the trio with a stack of papers from the assignment earlier that day.

"Genis," she said to gain his attention, "I have to go home and mark these. Take Sierra and show her around the village. Perhaps you can help her find some place to work." The young mage nodded and Raine nodded to the rest of them. "I'll see you all later, then," she said and left.

"Bye, Professor," Lloyd and Colette called after her as Genis waved.

[Kiana Black]

Lloyd accompanied Genis and Sierra on their jaunt around the village while Colette headed home to finish up her homework first. The trip didn't take long since Iselia wasn't that large a village but it was fun. She found a couple of promising places to work but it was the farmhouse that did it for her. She knew it'd be the perfect job for her considering she'd lived on a farm for three years. This farm had pigs too as well as chickens. She spoke to the owner and he agreed to hire her for ten gald an hour.

Needless to say, the journey back to Raine and Genis' house was pretty cheerful for Sierra, who was proud to have found her own job so quickly. I could get used to Iselia, she inwardly giggled.

---

TETHE'ALLA - SHEENA

"Sheena..."

She blinked blearily, Corrine's voice registering in her mind. Sitting up and pushing the covers off simultaneously, she glanced at her man-made summon.

"Morning, Corrine," Sheena mumbled, covering up a yawn. She frowned as her surroundings hit her. Why was she in an Inn? She surveyed the room and when she spotted the girl lying in the other bed it hit her. The night's events and revelations came back to her and she groaned. She'd been hoping it was a dream. Seriously, another world? Sheena's life and the world of Tethe'alla was a part of some sort of game? Who would want to believe something like that?

"Well, I need to get back to Mizuho today so I better get at it," Sheena spoke aloud to Corrine. "What should I do about her though?" she sighed.

Corrine echoed her sigh, "We can't take her with us. It's against the laws,"

"I know that," Sheena said almost defensively. She'd been thinking of the possibility though. "But I need to figure this whole... other world stuff out before I can do anything. May as well wait till she wakes up and talk it over with her, right?"

Her faithful summon agreed and Sheena resisted another sigh as she headed into the bathroom to wash up.

[Glyphhunter]

"We're back," Genis called as he walking into the house. There was an answering call from Raine who was on the upper level. Sierra and Lloyd followed him through the living and into the kitchen where he went to the fridge and pulled out a couple of apples, tossing one to Lloyd. "Would you like one?" Genis asked Sierra, holding up his own.

---

Victoria woke up to the sound of a door closing though she didn't move. She didn't open her eyes either. Instead, she started to slowly tense, trying not to freak out. She'd become an SI. And she told Sheena everything. Something that seemed to be an unspoken rule not to do. Her nose flared as she tried to breathe, her ribs hurting if she inhaled too much. Then she opened an eye slightly, the one that wasn't pressed into the pillow.

[Kiana Black]

"No thank-you," Sierra smiled turning down the apple Genis offered. Lloyd collapsed tiredly into a kitchen chair while Genis lowered himself into one more calmly. Sierra smiled once more and considered joining them but decided to go find Raine instead. Maybe there was something she could help with?

She called out a greeting to the older woman as she ascended the stairs, wondering what room Raine was in.

---

Sheena absently grabbed a towel off the rack and was drying her face with it as she reentered the bedroom, wondering if Victoria was awake yet.

[Glyphhunter]

"I'm in here," Raine called from her room as she flipped the page of the essay she was marking. She looked up as Sierra came into the room, "What would you like?"

---

With a sigh, Victoria sat up and watched the blurry form of Sheena come out of the bathroom, not saying a word.

[Kiana Black]

Sierra stood in the doorway, leaning against the frame and smiled. "Just wondering if you wanted some help with anything," she murmured and then added, "Oh and to tell you that I found a job at the Robinson's farmhouse."

---

"Oh, good, you're awake," Sheena said noticing the girl now sitting up in bed. "Feeling any better?" she continued as she searched in her bag for a brush.

[Glyphhunter]

"That's good," Raine nodded as she underlined a sentence and wrote a comment, "they're good people." She paused in her marking and looked up at Sierra, "How are your language skills?" she asked.

---

Vicky stared with wide eyes for a moment as her head slowly tilted to the side. Then she started with a small sound, "Oh, yes, I'm fine. Just a bit sore." She looked to her legs as she tightened the muscle in the right one. Immediately she stopped with a grimace. "It'll be a bit hard to walk, though," she murmured.

[Kiana Black]

Well, I did pretty good at English in school? Are things similar in Sylvarant? Just to be safe Sierra murmured, "They're not bad. I can read and write pretty well and understand basic grammar." She prayed that their writing styles would be the same as English. She could understand them when they spoke to her, couldn't she? So she should be capable of reading their writing as well. She hoped.

---

Sheena smiled in silent triumph as she found the brush she'd been looking for. She looked up at Vicky when the girl answered, holding the brush in one hand and placing the other on her hip. She noticed the girl seemed tired. Did she need some more sleep? "Well, I can give you another gel. That should help the pain ease up," she frowned. "I was thinking of bringing you to Meltokio. There should be a doctor there who could take a look at your leg. When do you think you'll be up to travelling?"

[Glyphhunter]

Raine raised her brow, "Pretty well?" She waved Sierra over and pointed to the page in front of her, "What do you think of this essay, then. It's a comparative between the two novels Ender's Trade and Bid of the Tameless." She leaned away so that Sierra could see.

---

Vicky blinked and shrugged. "If I absolutely have to, I can walk," she said slowly, "I'll just need some thing to kill the pain."

[Kiana Black]

Sierra spent the next while looking over who knew how many essays. She'd even gotten the privilege to glance over Lloyd's and the result made her smile. He was so simple and there had been so many punctuation misuses and spelling errors. She pitied Raine and understood why Lloyd got hit with chalk so often.

Before she knew it, Genis had called them down for dinner. Raine and Sierra had hardly spoken during the hour or so they'd been marking, save for Sierra's few questions about how the Professor would handle certain errors. Only at the word 'dinner' did Sierra's stomach make itself known and she realized how hungry she was. She smiled in relief as she and the half elven woman headed downstairs for supper.

---

Sheena quickly tied her hair up into it's regular pony-tail behind her head before she rummaged in her bag once more. She chucked a bottle of Apple Gel at Vicky and then jerked a finger at the bathroom behind her. "There's a fresh towel in there if you wanna clean up. Might want to get rid of the dried blood on you, can't be too comfortable," Sheena gave a dry smile. "After you're done, if you're feeling up to it then we'll head into Meltokio later today."

She'd be skirting her duties by not heading back home to Mizuho but she figured it couldn't hurt to give this girl a hand for a bit. She'd get home once everything was settled.

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