'Man! This whole running thing is a real workout! Wakes ya right up! I can see why ya do it every mornin'!"
"Your sarcasm astounds me Mo." Alix says sarcastically. She was currently testing if the image transmission part of her ability worked both ways and Mo was the willful observer.
A choice that she was regretting now but it wasn't like she had any other options.
'Hey! Seeing you run through the streets is very exhausting I'll have you know!" Alix rolled her eyes and at this point was shocked that she hadn't gotten dizzy from all of the eyerolling she's been doing recently.
'Just tell me what you see. And be specific!" Mo finally stopped joking around long enough to actually do the experiment. Which was great because Alix really needed something to distract her from the fact that Trouler was not currently running by her side.
Sadly, it seems that her connection with those contracted to her weakens the further away she is from them which is bad because this is a big city. That was also the reason that she had so much trouble finding Nuka in the first place. It didn't help that their connection was already faint.
After listening to Mo mindlessly name streets and random landmarks for thirty minutes Alix decided to end her run. Her test provided her with an affirmative result so she should feel rather happy.
'So why do I still feel like I should be looking for Nuka and Trouler instead of completing some useless experiment?' She ran back to the tavern lost in thought. She didn't snap out of it until she had already made it back to her room and started changing clothes.
Mo watched as she dressed herself in her normal efficient way. She never wore any beauty products but did make sure to take care of her skin to avoid any discomfort. Though, again, it wasn't much.
She didn't even seem to care much about her hair as she absent-mindedly brushed it. Mo couldn't help but shake his head. A gesture that caught Alix's eye.
"What is it now?" She questioned fully putting the brush down now. Mo could no longer hold in his own opinions.
"Why do you seem to care so little about the hair on your head?" Alix was caught off guard.
"Why do you suddenly care so much about what I do with my hair?"
"This isn't something that I've just now noticed it's something that's been botherin' me for a while now. I mean, look at my scales..." Mo floated out of his fishbowl and displayed himself before Alix. He even positioned himself so that the light could accentuate his form.
"This seems like a waste of time."
"Of course it would seem that way to you." Mo scoffed. Alix was getting tired of the fish's constant games but still played along and started to analyze Mo's scales.
At first sight all she saw was the pink scales but now that she was getting a chance to closer look at them she noticed a few minor details that never seemed to stand out. Like how lustrous his scales were, she had never noticed that they had that shine.
She also discovered that despite the scales appearing rough and hard they were actually much less rigid and compact than she thought. His underbelly was white, which she had noticed, though it seemed to have somehow received some sort of sculpting treatment.
'What in the world?' Alix didn't know whether to be astonished or just confused. It didn't help that she was only just now noticing that Mo's scales had a slight tinge of black at the end of each one.
All in all, Mo looked beautiful.
"How in the world did you even manage to do this?" Mo gently dropped back into his bowl.
"i thought I told ya that I work hard to look this good? Were ya not payin' attention or somethin'?" Alix shook her head.
"I listened...I just refused to take you seriously. You are a fish after all so I just thought you were messing with me like always."
"Well I wasn't!" Mo shouted with his fins crossed. "So I would appreciate it if my captain actually tried to take care of her look!"
"That sounds like a meaningless hassle. What's the point of changing how I do my hair?" Alix started to pack the rest of her supplies while talking. Mo fin slapped his cheek...it's the closest that he could get to his forehead don't judge him for his unnaturally round body.
"It isn't just your hair girl its everything! Hair, clothes, shoes and even just your skin care routine! I just want ya to take care of yourself instead of just throwin' on whatever's 'efficient' or wearing your hair down just because it's a bit easier that doing it up!" Alix grabbed her bag and slung it over her shoulder.
"That is very interesting, Mo. How about you do my hair in the mornings? Oh wait, you don't have hands!" Alix's sarcasm was not lost on Mo but it wasn't appreciated either. Mo finally gave up.
"Fine~ Ya look good anyway so I guess I can't have too much of a problem. But if a day ever comes that I happen get my fins on some hands then you can bet that I'm gonna clean you up something dazzling!" Mo smiled at the thought of fixing up his friend's look while Alix rolled her eyes.
"Sure, whatever." She picked up Mo and left her room for another day at Marconix When she arrived on this day, however, there was a sign at the front gate."
"Please report to the Triade's Core instead of class this morning. There is a very important announcement that all facilitated with the school must hear!"
Alix let out an exhausted sigh when she finished reading the sign. 'Of course there's something like this first thing in the morning. As if my life can not be any more annoying."
'I think that we've already covered that it can always be more annoying and saying that it couldn't only provokes Daligo, God of Trickery, into making it worse!" Alix let out a resigned breathe.
'Yeah~ That sounds about right."
As much as she didn't wish to attend the ceremony Alix didn't like missing out on information so she trudged along to the center field in between the three schools also known as the Triade's Core. After a few minutes of walking she returned to the field that had once been used during orientation.
Though in comparison to that day it seemed that the entire student body was actually here this time. So the field was much more crowded than last time. Though the stage was in the same place and there was still that old podium on it so, at least not everything is different. Alix breathed in deeply.
'A field that I wished to see again. Oh wait, no I did not." Alix looked around the field searching for some sort of escape route when she locked eyes with none other than Alice.
"Hey mom!" The girl greeted while waving her arm energetically. Alix wanted to ignore her but she still needed to talk with the girl about her plans.
'Maybe I should have just turned around when I saw the sign?"
'But then you would be willfully skipping this little congregation! And that doesn't seem very Lexi at all!" Mo proudly explained to Alix's deeply annoyed face. 'Besides, I don't know what yer so upset about? They didn't even say what this thing's about yet. Shouldn't you be filled with anticipation like everyone else?"
Alix breathed in deeply and looked up to whatever divine being may be looking at her during this very moment. She took a relaxing breath out before looking back at Mo stone-faced.
'No." She said flatly.
'Well, alright then." Mo decided that he best stop trying to get Alix to be more excited about this oddly timed presentation. Alix noticed that Alisa seemed to be waiting for something with a smile on her face.
'This kid.' Alix very unenthusiastically waved for Alisa to come. Alisa's smile grew bigger as she pushed through the crowd until she was next to Alix.
"Hey mom! Didn't expect to see you here?"
"You expected me to not attend this event that the entirety of Marconix was told to attend? I am beginning to question the sort of opinion that you have of me." Alisa suddenly felt like she made a mistake and tried to explain herself.
"O-Oh, I a-actually just meant that with this big crowd of people that I just didn't expect to be able to find you." Alix stared at Alisa in silence for a few moments making the girl question if her reasoning made any real sense.
"Oh, okay." Alix turned away from Alisa letting the girl finally breath again. "What do you think this whole thing is about, Alice?"
"What'd you say?" Alisa looked up at Alix.
"I asked what your thoughts are on the purpose of this presentation. Do you think it is some silly second week check-in or something actually interesting?" Alisa frowned at Alix's inquiry.
"You don't know?' Alix turned the girl appalled.
"What do you mean, 'You don't know'? Do you know?"
"Of course I know. So do Nasak and Denver, that's why I'm wondering how you don't know?" Alix immediately realized where this conversation was going and couldn't help slamming her palm in her face.
"Do you perhaps know because of your long term residency in these school grounds?" Alisa thought for a second before realizing what she had done and making a goofy but apologetic face.
"Sorry." Alix looked at the fool's face for only a second before turning back to the front. Alisa fixed her face and stood in awkward silence.
...
"Do you want me to-" Alix cut her off before the half-elf could even finish speaking.
"No need. It seems like things are about to begin."