[Open] Another day where I think I'm giving up the fight

[shiningkindness]

Who: Fluttershy and anyone who happens to be around
When: Mid-April
Where: Anywhere on school grounds
What: There's a duel happening, and Fluttershy is trying to keep tabs on it.

While it seemed like a normal day at the academy - as normal as a school of magic could be, anyway - every once in a while some students may feel a slight rumble through the ground. Or they might hear the faint clang of metal against metal, or catch sight of a tail or dorsal fin before it disappears back under the ground.

Some rather unlucky students might even be startled by the blade of a sword or the point of spear suddenly jutting up from the earth nearby, but those too disappear back underneath the earth.

And as quickly as the moment comes it's gone, and the grounds are still once again, for the moment at least. But soon after they might come across Fluttershy. She seems to be making her way quickly, though stops every so often to glance around.

And when she notices someone nearby, she heads over to ask, "E-Excuse me...I don't mean to bother you, but...have you seen a whale or dolphin pass by?"

Comments

[afterthemoon]

She's not bothering him, though his default expression is stern enough that you could possibly think otherwise.

"A whale?"

There's a note of mild confusion in Isa's voice, though it's confusion that passes quickly. He's seen strange enough things in this school by now, and knows of even stranger things back home that the idea of a whale swimming through a school is probably only slightly strange at best.

"No, I haven't seen a whale or a dolphin..."

[shiningkindness]

Though she was glad that he didn't sound annoyed at least, she couldn't help a disappointed sigh, glancing around the area.

"Where could they have gone...?"

[afterthemoon]

"... Do they belong to you?" He replied, a sympathetic look on his face.

[shiningkindness]

She glanced back at him, a bit apologetic about how distracted she seemed. "W-Well...only the whale, and I wouldn't say she belongs to me, exactly. She's my familiar, Ballet."

[afterthemoon]

"I see."

His familiar was just a simple fruit bat, he didn't realize... land whales... were an option.

"I'll keep an eye out for her... I'll also tell my friend Lea to keep an eye out too."

[shiningkindness]

That had her pause momentarily, looking toward him again.

"O-Oh...you're friends with Lea?"

[afterthemoon]

"Yes, we've known each other since we were children."

[woo_oo]

Whale + Fluttershy = Ballet!

"Is Ballet in trouble?" Webby asked, turning her head - she thought she heard something off, but hadn't been entirely sure given that the academy itself was... well, weird.

[shiningkindness]

"I...I'm not sure yet," she admitted. "Ballet was practicing her swordsmanship when her rival, Tango, suddenly appeared. They started fighting, and are around somewhere..." A low rumble spread throughout the ground, as if proving her point. "But I'm not exactly sure where."

[woo_oo]

"... Your sword-fighting magic whale has a rival?"

Dang, Webby LOVES this place.

"I have to see this!"

[shiningkindness]

She nodded. "Apparently. Tango is a land dolphin, and I guess they've had this rivalry for a while. When I asked about sword-fighting before, it was because Ballet had gotten word that he was coming, and wanted to prepare for his arrival. We thought there was more time, but then he showed up today. And I lost track of them when they started fighting, so I'm not really sure where they are."

[woo_oo]

"In order to catch a sword-fighting magical land dolphin, we have to think like a sword-fighting magical land dolphin."

sentences I never thought I'd write for $200, Alex.

"Hmmm... since Ballet is so huge, Tango might try to capture them in a small space to limit his mobility."

[shiningkindness]

She blinked, a bit surprised. "Really? I hadn't thought of that. But they can both move through the ground like regular whales and dolphins do in water. So where would Tango try to lead them that's small enough when they have all of underground to fight in?"

[talkyourwayout]

Louie jumps when he hears Fluttershy's voice, only so easily startled because he just had to dodge a dorsal fin - a familiar one, too. Hopefully the girl can forgive him for looking frazzled, even irritated, as he turns to her.

"You mean your familiar? Yeah. I think I just did."

[shiningkindness]

She definitely didn't take it personally, looking a bit frazzled herself.

"Did you happen to see which way she went?"

[talkyourwayout]

At first, Louie just points down a hallway, but then - with a sigh - he leads the way down where he saw Ballet swimming toward. He is getting really sick of wanting to do good things, but in this case, Fluttershy is just so nice. It feels weird not to return that kindness.

"Come on, she went this way."

[shiningkindness]

With a nod, she hurries to follow him. "Thank you," she replied. It was clear that she was quite worried, whatever was happening.

[talkyourwayout]

As he trudges on, he gives her a nod and - once he's calmed down a bit - asks, "So what's going on with her, anyway?"

[shiningkindness]

"Oh...she's having a showdown with her rival, Tango the land dolphin," she replied.

Because that's a normal sentence.

[nomoremistergneissguy]

Once he realizes who it is, Cliff can't help but chuckle. "I don't think you could bother me, Fluttershy--but you look bothered. Are you okay? Is Ballet okay?"

Though he realizes also that no, he hasn't seen the land whale anywhere about, which is questionable in and of itself, but--"Dolphin? I haven't seen a dolphin or Ballet at all..." That makes him frown, then.

"Is she in trouble?" Darn it, he liked Ballet, and he didn't want Fluttershy to be troubled either. "How can I help?"

Rounder, who had been spinning calmly nearby up to this point, tugged first on Cliff's robes, then on Fluttershy's, and pointed to himself, clearly indicating that he'd help, too!

[shiningkindness]

"I-I'm...not sure yet," she admitted. "Her rival, Tango the land dolphin, showed up, and now the two of them are fighting. They're underground, though, so I'm not sure exactly where they are."

[nomoremistergneissguy]

Oh. Well, that certainly wasn't good. Cliff's brow furrowed, but then Rounder tugged on Cliff's robe again, and he looked down.

Much gesturing ensued, and instead of furrowing further, Cliff's brows nearly hit his hairline. "You can do that?" he asked. The response seemed to be affirmative, to judge by Rounder's flailing.

"He says he can try to follow them underground, but if he runs into rocks he might get slowed, because he has to drill...drill?" The familiar's thumbs-up gesture was unmistakable.

"I can't exactly track him, but...he can try to get our attention if he finds them..."

[shiningkindness]

It was certainly better than nothing, and Fluttershy looked to Rounder hopefully. "R-Really? If you wouldn't mind doing that, I'd be so grateful."

[nomoremistergneissguy]

Rounder just gave her a thumbs up. Hey, he liked her a lot, even if his doofus of a master had difficulty summoning up any coherent words around a lady. And then he...disappeared, not really dove, into the ground, being a sphere.

"I think his plan is to go find them, and then try to lead us there, if he can. I think he would've tried to say more before then," Cliff said. He felt pretty lame at that, but there wasn't much else he could do at the moment.

[shiningkindness]

Even so, she smiled. "I really appreciate the help," she said. "I just hope he'll be okay too."