CAMADA'S POINT OF VIEW.
"Of course I'd want to make a positive impression…"
Taki mutters in an annoyed tone,
I shrug as I tie my hair in a bun
"I'm just saying…are mage applicants worth your hassle?"
My tone is matter-of-factual-
Taki looks at me quizically, then she walks to my bed and slaps my hand away from tying my bun,
" Hey ,what was that for?!"
I snap in protest, she shakes her head and releases the rough bun I have just made.
"First impression matters a lot Camada, and that's why I'm taking the trouble of styling my hair"
She is doing my hair while talking,
I am silent;
-It never really was about appearance where I come from, it was more about what you actually have to offer and that's why I've probably never assessed a reflection of my features-
"There!…just like I thought, your green hair looks much better this way" she intones satisfactorily.
She turns my face to hers, and smiles.
"I wish you could see how good you look, then you wouldn't scowl so much my good friend!"
Come to think of it,
-Have I ever had a friend?-
Loud ringing of a bell breaks into our rendezvous,
-It's time-,
Taki and I glance at each other
-We both sense each other's nervousness-
"Let's go" Taki intones.
************
Right at the center of the hall is a conference table, and on this table is seated the 'top brass' of the Mage Guild as Taki explained to me,
No idiot would think wrongly of going into the hall right now,
-Even from a distance, I can sense just how tense the atmosphere is-
Deep deliberations are going on.
And I busy myself with watching in interest
-These are the highest in the hierachy of Mages and Reverreds-,
I smile to myself;
-My spot someday-
"Camada…look"
Taki whispers while nudging me, she points to the other extreme end of the hall,
We see a large group of people there,
There's something that feels common with us and the other group,
-Naivety, nervousness and…-WEAKNESS-,
The meeting seems to have come to a close,
We are all motioned into the hall by Rev Netyisha,
- I am careful to avoid Rev Netyisha's eyes-
However, one single glance at her, meets me at the exact moment that she calls to me.
I walk towards her stiffly
-Hoping I am not in trouble-
As I get closer, to where she solely stands in a corner of the hall, I realize that; Rev Netyisha is even more intimidating up close.
"You are?" she asks flatly as I arrive and bow curtly
"Camada ma'am…" I say quickly,
My head is down but I know that she is sizing me up.
-I am absolutely terrified as questions as to why she's called me storm my brain-
I can't seem to tell what trouble I've caused, except if it's because of...that...
"I wanted to say..." her pause is suspenseful
"…Good work, on your Screening exercise, I'm impressed what you were able to do with flames…I'm Flame-core you see, so fire is me", she states playfully.
I look up in surprise,
-Thankful surprise-
"It'd be nice if you were a Flame-core too…I'd like to see where you're heading" her tone is good-natured,
-Tears of appreciation well up in my eyes; I'm not in some kind of fix-
She pats my back and walks off;
-This encounter has changed my view of her completely-
I turn to walk back to the mingling crowd as well,
I see Taki at a distance calling out to me,
I smile at her awkward expression and run to her
-I'm not just running cause I feel like, my soul has considerably been uplifted…this is sort of a joyful dance for me-,
Suddenly, in my rush I accidentally bump into someone,
I nearly fall to the floor and I look up to see a frowning face,
I frown;
-What's with this murderous look just for a bump?-
CAMADA'S POV END.
**********
THE HOODED ONE'S POINT OF VIEW.
From my uplifted seat, I look downward observing;
-The idiotic, boring mingling-
Then l watch as a small commotion unfolds,
Apparently someone has bumped into Rave and he is leaking of;
-Rage-
I shrug,
"He'll be fine" I mutter to myself, my eyes roam around;
-My attention is caught once more-
As I recognise a vaguely familiar face in the crowd of teenagers.
I know that many people from different backgrounds are mixed up here right now, but...
-Isn't the Prime Minister's daughter supposed to be missing?-
She has taken the trouble to cut her hair short, in an attempt to slightly change her appearance, but I can still recognise her quite easily.
I search my brain, trying to remember what her name is;
Then it comes;
-It's Takinari-
THE HOODED ONE'S POV END.