"Tellekeeneesys?" The word was long and foreign to her tongue. To have the ability to move things with the power of thought alone sounded amazing, and seemed to match what happened. "All Akira have to do is attach invisible string to item with mind? Then tug or push on it and it moves?" Pausing in her tracks, the young kitsune set her sight upon a white stone with a nearly opaque appearance on the ground. Within her mind, she tied a little string around it, attempting to pull it. Nothing happened. Pushing at it had no effect either. Before the child could complain, however, Nerine continued on with her opinions as to why Akira could hear pain.

However, the words did not flow easily for the child. Strong mind and pure heart? What was that? Selfishly, the foxling was helping only to get their pain to stop screaming in her sensitive ears and give her a headache. Though, wasn't there someone who once told Akira that it was better to think of others, not just oneself? Celeste once mentioned that it was far better to pay attention to one's surroundings and ask what one can do to assist, rather than focus inwardly. Yet, the elf had a distant look afterward which made Akira wonder if the woman was actually talking about herself. This was the reason that she was adopted by the couple in the first place, wasn't it?

"Like Wolf! Black and gold writing on fur. So cute, yet scary when mad. Kyu getting big. Already stand this tall!" Akira lifted her hand about at her lowest rib. Of course, she meant the pup's ears when he was standing still. Her hand was released, yet Akira didn't notice as her hand fell limply to her side. She was distracted by the huge buildings before her. There were so many! Mutely nodding, feet slowly followed the Rosenite through the school. So many people, too much to look at, and wide golden eyes tried hard to do so.

Blinking, the child darted forward to close the distance between the pair. "Nerine, everyone here does magic? Akira not know so many had gift." Even at her age, she knew that such power was a gift, one that could be easily taken for granted, or abused. Celeste had insisted on it being cherished, and used with the knowledge that things can return ten fold. When asked, the elf had explained that if Akira hurt someone, it could be ten times worse for the child once she receives the consequences. Karma, she called it, the balancing of the universe. Reward the good, punish the bad. Honestly, it instilled a bit of fear into the foxling.

Neera had been spying from the folds of Akira's clothing. "I wonder if there are any other pucas here…" "Think Kyu could take lessons here?" Giggling and dismissing the idea as an impossibility, the child knew that Larka was doing a marvelous job at training Kyu to control the lightning. "Nerine… Someone help teach Akira to better use water, to heal?" She was led to a grand room full of books on large shelves that reached up toward the ceiling. The child was in awe. Never before has she seen a room with so many books. Excitedly, she ran to the nearest shelf and pulled one off, flipping through the pages before placing it back.

Several more books she did this with, appearing as if there was specific information sought. "This place amazing!" What she wasn't saying was she could barely even read a single word. Celeste and Larka began the lessons, but the child had a lot to learn. The foxling pulled on a tome from a shelf a little out of comfort range. It was so big, it nearly crushed the puca against Akira as she leaned back, supporting most of the weight on her chest. Staggering over to a table, the tome landed with an echoing thud. With curious, eager eyes, the child pulled open the cover and several pages. Displayed was a beautiful picture of a woman surrounded by several children. "I know these…" She had seen something similar in malachite splendor when she went to the ball in Zets'ki Cradle. It was Reverie and her children, yet Akira had no knowledge of who they were.

The child excitedly began telling her about her pet, but her attention was soon drawn to the inside of Iria's mage academy. That wide-eyed wonder, looking from side to side as so many people of all backgrounds and races mingled in the halls was something she could understand. When Akira asked her if everyone they were passing by knew magic, the scholar gave the fox child a nod. "Yes, everyone here is talented in magic. Some more than others, but talented all the same." When the child expressed her surprise, she replied: "It certainly does look that way doesn't it? If you have a single person with this gift out of every ten or twenty, it might not seem like much. But when you bring them all together, their number becomes clear." The puca who had accompanied the girl was having fun seeing the inside of the academy as well.

A tug at her sleeve came from the young child, who asked the scholar if she could have someone teach her how to better use her talents. Soon she was distracted by the library, and as most children were wont to do, began looking through them like their first visit to a sweets shop. "I know these…" Looking over Akira's shoulder, Nerine saw the picture on the page she was reading. "You've seen this before Akira? That is Reverie, the celestial who created the world as we know it. Long, long ago she was married to the sun. She had two daughters, which are the two moons in the sky. Legends say that the ground that we stand on–Revaliir itself–was made from her body. She was the very first mother." Watching the little fox admire the pictures, the scholar said to her softly. "I can teach you how to better control your abilities using water. Would you like that? I may not be the best in healing, but I know other ways to heal without using magic." The scope of her knowledge wasn't the same as some of the learned sages here, but she was willing to teach the fox girl what she knew. After all, she had a heart that was willing to learn. In a way, it reminded Nerine of herself as a child.

At a young age, she displayed a talent with the elements. Digging small holes in fertile soil, she planted fruit seeds and looked after them day by day. One time she almost spilled the watering can she was carrying, and reached out to catch the water with her hands in vain. To her surprise, the water moved and floated instead of splashing onto the ground. From then on, she gained a fascination with the natural world and how magic interacted with it. 

She listened to the words about the picture, learning about Reverie and her connection to the world. The first mother. Did she give life to all the people, or just the land and plants? Daughters lived in the sky as the moons. If the moons and the world had a part in the tale, what about the sun? Was there some special meaning behind it? Learn one piece of information, and a hundred questions pop up. There was no limit to it, and up to the receiver whether or not to yearn for more.

”Akira saw statues in snowy mountain, at dance ball. But Akira don’t understand. What is sun? How is Reverie first mother? Why become world? Did she create us?” Carefully, she turned the page. A gorgeous tree, very tall that one could not possibly hope to climb to the top, was depicted. ”This was on wall at dance ball. What is it?” Surely it was something special to appear in several places of wonder and knowledge.

The thought of learning some magic, or at least elemental control from a different aspect of what Celeste could give her gave Akira pause. Maybe Nerine had some knowledge the elf did not? Or a different way to describe things to help her understand? Her mother clearly stated once that she had never had to teach anyone how to do something, so it was difficult for her to find the right phrases, especially at an elementary level such as Akira’s age could comprehend.

Hesitantly, the foxling looked up at her from beneath long lashes. ”They have place of water to practice? Akira would like assistance. Maybe… Akira can make Mama Celeste proud.” Little did she know that Celeste was quite proud of her regardless. Not many six year olds could be on their own and survive, or have the insight as Akira. She was even more mature than most her age, yet as highly inquisitive of the world around her.

"The sun is what makes it bright during the day. It gives light, and makes daytime warm." The child had a great desire to learn about everything she didn't understand, and soon she was at a page depicting a great tree. "This was on wall at dance ball. What is it?" Nerine leaned closer to look at the words beside the page. "This is the very first World Tree, Onnen. From him, came the two World Trees that are in the two continents. Sadly, there is only one of them left. The tree that used to reside in this continent was cut down, because it became evil." It was a simpler way of describing complicated topics like corruption, and the gradual downward spiral of the deities the Parvporan tree Verya had chosen.

Akira asked if there was a place for them to practice her water weaving skills. Nerine gave a nod, and smiled. "Yes, there's a little rest area with a fountain. It's a quiet place were we could practice. Here, I'll show you." Holding out her hand for the fox child to follow, she would lead the girl to one of the little open areas within the academy. It was a small garden with running fountains powered by pumps and mechanisms fueled by alchemy. Waterfalls with tangles of ivy and creeping vines draped the walls, and stone benches were present for visitors to take a seat. A cobblestone floor of smoothed stones gave it a comforting yet natural atmosphere. Looking around, Nerine was reminiscing on the time she had come to sit and read in this very place. She could spend hours sitting and watching the fountains cycle, and talk with the plants growing in the light.

Reaching down, she dipped her hand into a pool and pulled it back. A current of water began to follow it, and she swirled it around into spirals and spinning orbs. Water weaving had an almost tranquil aspect to it. Watching the fluid move was calming and had helped her improve her focus in her time as a student. She wasn't sure how others did it, but to her having a clear and calm mind made working with it easier. She moved her hands slowly, then returned the water to the pool. "Akira, can you show me what you know? I'd like to see what I can teach you." There wasn't any reason to show the child what she had already learned, so she wanted to focus on teaching Akira new things.

Nerine gave her the obvious answer as to what the sun does, but not who it was. Surely, if their world had a name, a woman’s body forming their land, then the sun had to be the same? Yet, the answer of the tree was more in depth, closer to what she was originally seeking with her answers. World Trees sounded important, though it was sad that only one of them was left.Why would it become evil? ”Akira would like to see World Tree. Where is it?”

Eagerly, the child put her trusting hand in the scholar’s waiting hand, allowing herself to be led out to an open area. The garden was beautiful and green, with calming water noises filling the surrounding air. Someone took water and vines and painted every vertical surface they could with it. This setting was setting some deep, subconscious ideas into her sponge-y mind.

Akira watched wide-eyed as the woman pull out the water and controlled it. Nerine’s control and finesse matched Celeste’s own. The sight never ceased to amaze the child. With a nod, her expression turned serious as Akira turned to the water. She held her hand out and concentrated, silently begging the water to flow to her hand. What she accomplished was something very different. Well the water did move, it was more like a small drop bouncing up only to fall back down and create a ripple.

The child sighed with defeat and sat down on the bench. Disheartened, she was unsure what she was doing wrong. ”Akira no think, water does. Akira try, water refuse. What I do wrong?” If it was an injury, she could heal it without blinking, figuratively speaking. Yet, something as simple as water manipulation alluded her.

"The World Tree? I'm afraid it isn't here anymore." Nerine shook her head. "Even I haven't seen it myself. That was a long, long time ago. The one that became evil was cut down because the people didn't want to be hurt by it anymore. The other tree disappeared. Who knows where it went?" Watching as Akira did her best to work with the water, she noted how she was frustrated. This gave her something to reconsider. Perhaps the way it worked for Akira wasn't the same as she had first learned? Instead of displeasure or disappointment, the scholar's eyes had curiosity. "How interesting! Maybe it does work differently for you. Instead of calling it to you, you ask it to come. Or perhaps it's a subconscious thing? It seems like you already know how, but putting it into words and ideas is another thing." Taking a few minutes to contemplate what this could all mean, she turned to the fox child.

"Akira, when you were able to use water to heal the man earlier, do you remember how you felt or what you were thinking at the time?" Maybe it was too soon to start with cut-and-dried lessons. Everyone learned in differing ways, and no two people with the same magic used it in the same way. Nerine believed Akira actually understood more than she thought she did. It was a natural reaction, like second nature in how she was able to locate and heal the points of injury. Nerine would have had to spend a few more minutes determining what was broken and how, and she was still amazed recalling it. "Don't be upset, sometimes learning takes time. I'm sure you'll find a way that works best for you." 

Half of what the older mage said made sense, yet she cocked her head at the word “subconscious”. What did it mean? Subconscious…. Unfortunately, Akira had absolutely no idea how to deconstruct words to figure out the meaning. In fact, the whole idea of deconstruction of words was a foreign concept. She was barely able to write out the basic alphabet, with no knowledge of how to spell her own name. However, Nerine unwittingly, or maybe deliberately, put it in a whole new set of words that the child did understand.

Studiously, Akira took a deep breath, releasing it slowly. The child recalled the accident, the scream of pain both physical and mental, and the man. ”Worried. But… Calm… What that word? Con… Conf…” Her brows scrunched up as she tried to remember the correct word. She has heard so many things, and pieced together what much of it meant, but using it was harder.

”Akira felt Akira can do. Don’t know how, but can do. I heard the injoory. Water is soothing, calm. Calls to Akira.” It was like a gentle whisper, tracing its way down to her hand and guided her. Every time, she surrendered herself to the feeling, allowing it to fill her, trusting it to help her do what needed to be done. As she spoke, a perfect sphere of water rose from the surface, hovering inches above.