The weekend passed quickly for Alix as she was completely immersed in the world of her magic. She didn't even leave the room to eat the food Hedgie cooked and instead opted for the woman to bring the food to her room.
All that to say Alix felt refreshed. She had been deprived of magic for so long at this point that she didn't know what she was gonna do but all is well now. She walked to class with a pep in her step that she didn't have before.
"You sure are happy that ya got all that done." Mo commented. Alix shook her head.
"It isn't about the success. I just missed the feeling of making sorcery spells. The feeling of all those theories racing through my mind and thinking about how they could work for a spell. The strain that I feel in my wrist from writing for so long. Even the sweat dripping down my face from me straining to collect mana to activate the spell."
"It's all so wonderful!" Mo stared at the girl amazed. Her enthusiasm for magic always made him feel this way. Whenever Alix was on a, "magic high" she'd become so whimsical that she felt like a different person. Mo sighed thoughtfully.
"I'm glad yer happy, Lexi." Trouler squeaked in agreement bring a small smile to Alix's face and she raced along. There was still a whole day to get to after all.
...
'That didn't last long.' Alix thought to herself as she was badgered by Alisa. All of her earlier joy and whimsy was gone and it was all due to none other than this girl. Alisa waited for Alix after each and every one of her classes and would follow her and speak random facts at her during the entire walk to her next class.
"Hey, mom. Do you know about wheatgrass? And no I don't mean the normal use for it. I'm talking about how it has this hidden effect that makes it poisonous to monsters in great amounts while also enhancing regeneration."
"Isn't that soo cool?!" It was incredibly annoying and nonstop. After Alix trained with Bizen and Vance. After they attended Inengway's class. After Alix's general physical strengthening class.
There was seemingly no end. Which brings us to her current location.
The library.
The one place that she discovered she was free of Alisa's bothering. Why? Well because the girl was banned from entering the establishment due to an event that Alix knows nothing about except that half of the books in the building lost all of there content because of it.
Long story short, Alix can enjoy some peace and quiet. Not even Denver bothered the girl today as he could tell that she had a rough morning thus far. While Alix sit reading away about the Theory of Mana Incongruency between certain elements, a shadow suddenly blocked the light as someone stood over her.
"What're you reading?" A feminine voice asked. Alix did not answer the question and just tried to focus on the book. "I-I'm sorry, am I bothering you? If so just say the word and I'll leave. This can wait for some other time." Suddenly realizing that this person had business with her Alix looked up at her.
"Oh, it's you." Alix recognized the girl as Stella Epedia. The daughter of the owners of the Crystal Marigold Merchantry that was kidnapped by the Djinns a few months ago. Alix had heard that she moved out of Nogreni a bit after the events of that night but she had no idea that she had come here.
"Hey! It's been a while hasn't it?" Alix nodded with a affirming grunt.
'Yo, Lexi." Mo called within Alix's mind. 'She was standing behind that bookshelf for around fifteen minutes before walking over here. I think she's nervous about talkin' to ya?" Alix glanced at Mo out of the corner of her eye.
'Is that all?" Mo saw the girl's disinterested gaze and shrugged.
'I guess so." Alix refocused on Stella who was standing with hands clasped together having thumb wars with herself.
"What do you want?" Stella was caught off guard by Alix speaking.
"Oh! Um, I just w-wanted to say thank you! You know, for saving me a few months ago and all that." Alix frowned at the girl.
"You came all the way here and interrupted my precious reading time for that?" Stella opened mouth slightly to speak but she was so appalled that it took her a second to get the words out.
"I mean, it may not have meant a lot to you but you saved me from those freaks. I never thanked you for that because my family moved before I went back to school so I thought I would never get the chance. Then we moved here, my parents signed me up for the Vocational Uni and I remember talk about you attending this place from Angie."
Stella started to feel more comfortable as she continued to talk. Even pulling up a chair and sitting in front of Alix. "And can I just say, it's been a week since I started looking for you and I could not find you!"
"I asked everyone in the Magic Uni about you and no one knew you. Not even the teachers which was weird to me because you were the freak in Nogreni that loved magic more than I think her own mother sometimes."
Alix nodded unprompted to Stella's remarks about her love for magic. If she had ever gotten the chance to wish for anything in the world, Alix would wish for magic to grow and flourish far before anything related to her mother's well-being.
"Anyway, eventually I run into that Denver kid over there and he tells me that you spend your free period here. Girl, that was such a relief for me. I thought I was gonna miss my chance to thank you and show you appreciation like the trauma therapist that my parents got me told me to. I mean visiting the place I used to live helped a bit as well but if I missed my chance to thank and apologize to you...I don't know what I would have done with myself."
"You have a personal trauma therapist?" Stella waved her hand and scoffed at Alix's question like the girl was naive.
"My folks are rich girl! I had a trauma therapist by the first time I stubbed my toe." Alix rolled her eyes. Whilst rolling them she noticed the clock in the library indicating that it was time for her to go to her next class. A wave of emotions washed over Alix in the order of shock, rage, disappointment and resignation before she stood up from her seat.
"I have to go." Alix said to Stella who also stood.
"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't know you had a class after this? Thank you again for saving me and I apologize for all the things Angelica did to you and that I said about you behind your back. If you ever need anything my family's shop is next to the Pier. See ya!" Stella waved goodbye and left the library.
Alix felt as though she had been freed from the bindings of conversation, returned her book to its shelf and headed to finish her day. Though, throughout her last class Alix couldn't seem to focus. This was due to Nuka's heartstring.
It had not grown any brighter ever sense Alix's memories of the little bird returned. This worried Alix. Now, it wasn't like she didn't think about it before but something about today just made her think about her old friend more than usual.
'Is there something that I need to do for you, Nuka? If so please say something?" Alix sent a message through the string like she had done so many times at night but never received a response and that fact didn't change today. Alix left the class completely focused on Nuka's string.
She couldn't get the idea that Nuka was in trouble out of her mind and it was making her feel guilty. What if Nuka was in some sort of terrible situation because Alix had scared her away in her rage? Alix clenched her fist tight at the thought.
'Lexi, hey!" Mo's call snapped Alix out of her stupor but she was still very wistful. Mo frowned at the sight. 'Is yer old friend's string botherin' you today too?" Mo asked in concern.
"Yeah." Alix said in a soft voice. Mo was shaken by the sight. He had never seen his friend this saddened by anything. Mo steeled himself and lifted himself out of his fishbowl.
"Lexi, let's go somewhere."
"What?" Alix turned to the fish confused. "Why?"
"We need to get yer mind off of that stupid string! It's depressing ya! And I can't have my best friend feeling all depressed because she's lost in her own mind!"
Alix stared at Mo in awe. She had no idea that her mood had affected him to this extent and one quick glance at Trouler was enough to let her know that he was the same.
Alix smiled at the two. "Alright then, friend. Then where do you plan on taking me?" Mo dropped back into his bowl and shook his head.
"Hey, I'm not from this place and both me and Trouler are just monsters. Yer gonna have to figure that part out by yourself." Alix scoffed. She should have known that Mo hadn't thought that far ahead.
Alix started to think about places they could visit when something Stella said appeared in her mind.
'...visiting the place I used to live helped a bit aswell...' Alix pondered on this idea. Going home helped Stella overcome some of her worries, huh? Alix nodded.
"I know where we can go!"
"Where?" Mo asked.
"To my old house!"