Lucky Rabbit

Thaniel had only missed three days of school, but it seemed that the teachers were stepping up the difficulty-level after the festival. Which matched up to Gacha Love, actually. Tutorial mode, complete.

Thanks to Augustus’s intervention, Pandy missed Homeroom, but Thaniel looked a bit shellshocked when he emerged. Geraldine was assuring him that it really wasn’t that hard to write four paragraphs – a minimum of twelve complete sentences – and Abbington was nodding along. Pandy hopped up to join them, and Thaniel looked very glad to see her. He scooped her up and rubbed his cheek against her side, breathing a soft sigh into her fluffy white fur.

Augustus was absent from lunch, but his aunts weren’t. In fact, Lady Francess sat in the seat of honor, with Lady Arabelle to her right, and Ms. Davenport to her left. The hall supervisor’s face was utterly impassive, but she was almost as obvious about not looking at the two women in ‘her’ place as Isidor was about avoiding the rest of the children. He still sat at their table, but he addressed himself to his plate with the kind of focus usually dedicated to performing brain surgery or piping decorations on cakes.

In Combat Training, Thaniel and Abbington were both paired up against new partners. The students had been given shields, and one partner focused on attacking, while the other defended. They had a set series of strikes to perform, and then they traded places. As usual, Sir Harriet worked her way through the field of sparring children, catching stray weapons and correcting stances or grips.

The other children had already had a few days practicing this, but Thaniel was awkward, dropping his shield almost every time his sparring partner’s weapon struck it. Sir Harriet calmly showed him what he was doing wrong and told him he’d improve quickly, but Thaniel only looked more despondent as he trudged toward the stables after class.

“Shields’na bad,” Abbington said consolingly. “Ah’ll help’a.” Thaniel looked at his much taller and sturdier friend and sighed.

Horseback Riding was better, since Thaniel had a chance to sit on the side and watch while the instructor showed them how to guide their mounts to walk backwards, turn, and head in a different direction. This went together with slowly guiding the horses over a low obstacle, but several children were still having trouble getting the horses to obey, rather than just going around, so Thaniel wasn’t alone in his failure.

Governance and Leadership was actually the most difficult, however, because now that the students had a little experience running two conflicting ‘countries’, they’d been merged into one again. This time, everyone got a job that was best suited to their own skills, rather than a random one.

Thaniel’s new title was Minister of Public Welfare, which was far less interesting to him than the Minister of Elemental Affairs or the Minister of Military Affairs would have been. In fact, Thaniel’s foe, the erstwhile ‘King’ Micah, now controlled the military, and Thaniel was definitely unimpressed with Mrs. Lovett’s choice, though the other boy had mellowed significantly since the beginning of the year.

In Small Group, Pandy was surprised to see Lady Frances waiting for them, rather than Ms. Davenport. Thaniel looked nervous, but not startled, so someone must have told him about the change when Pandy wasn’t paying attention.

It was a nice day for autumn, with the leaves just beginning to turn red and orange, and a light jacket was still sufficient to hold off the slight chill. The lady sat on one of the stone benches, her dark green skirts protected by the thick, warm blanket on which she sat. She didn’t smile as the children gathered around her, but she did nod in satisfaction.

“Good,” she said briskly, producing a steaming teacup from somewhere within her skirts. “Go ahead and take three laps. Thaniel, if you feel the slightest bit ill or weak, you’re to come back right away.” Her gaze fell on Pandy. “Animals too, if you please.”

And that was how Pandy found herself with her first school assignment in well over six years. Gym had been her least favorite class, since she was always the one who tripped over almost nonexistent cracks, or was dropped eight feet to the gymnasium floor when the climbing rope suddenly came unmoored from the ceiling. If she stayed long enough at any given school, the gym teacher eventually got tired of her constant SNAFUs and had her sit on the sidelines. Of course, even that couldn’t save her, as one teacher discovered when a literal sinkhole opened beneath the school, directly below Pandy’s usual seat.

But now, Pandy ran alongside Thaniel, while Brook paced Abbington, her gallumphing gait reminding Pandy that capybara were most comfortable in water. Still, the elemental creature gamely joined in, her usual serene expression never budging from her adorable face. Not surprisingly, there was no sign of Miss Cupcakes, and while Pandy knew Tempest could definitely keep up with them, Lady Frances apparently didn’t, because she never insisted that Isidor take the tortoise from his pocket.

A lap followed the outermost path circling the commons, and they ran past several other Small Groups, all of whom paused to watch the four children and their ‘pets’ run by. A few even waved to Thaniel, and he waved back, though he never slowed. Mad child that he was, he actually looked like he was enjoying himself, grinning with the glee of someone who has far more energy than they know what to do with.

Isidor and Abbington both ran easily, but with fixed, determined expressions, while Geraldine huffed and puffed, hauling her skirt up as high as she dared. With the cooler weather, the children had switched to their winter uniforms, and her skirts almost reached her ankles, though they were far less full than those of most adult noblewomen. The boys wore long pants rather than the knee-length shorts they’d worn in the warmer months.

By the time they finished the last lap, Geraldine was walking, but she made it, and Lady Frances gave her a satisfied nod as she handed each child their own cup of what looked like water. “A notable improvement already, my dear,” she told the girl. “Females must be as strong or stronger than their male counterparts, for we bear the weight of Fashion upon our shoulders.”

Since Lady Frances’s own dress was made of layers of fabric, with at least three petticoats peeking out from beneath the hem, it was clear that she took her own advice quite seriously. Her clothes were far less elaborate than the ones Lady Reedsley and Geraldine favored, reminding Pandy more of what Queen Louisa had worn the one time they met. There was a kind of very expensive elegance about them that Pandy found Very Impressive, which probably meant they were working as intended.

“Now, what have each of you come up with?” she asked, raising her brows in a way that reminded Pandy rather forcefully of Augustus.

Geraldine and Abbington looked at each other, and the girl cleared her throat, stepping forward slightly. Raising her hand, she glared at the palm, heavy brows beetling as she concentrated. A small flame burst forth, hanging in the air, and Geraldine grinned triumphantly. Beside Pandy, Miss Cupcakes began to purr, and Pandy realized that the kitten had conveniently reappeared now that the exercise portion of the class was over.

“Very good, Geraldine,” Lady Frances said approvingly. Glancing at Abbington, she said, “Now, put it out.”

Abbington nodded and leaned in, staring at the tiny flame. Behind his glasses, his bright blue eyes seemed to flash, and a thin stream of water formed from thin air, dousing Geraldine’s fire and filling her palm. She grimaced and flicked it away, but their teacher just nodded.

Rather than turning to Isidor, Lady Frances then focused on Thaniel. “Pick up your elemental, if you would,” she told him. When he did so, she nodded and, to Pandy’s great surprise, spoke directly to her, asking, “Your name is Bunny, is it not?”

Before Pandy could decide if replying was the right thing to do, Thaniel said, “Yes!” and Lady Frances gave him a gently chastising look.

“I didn’t ask you, young man,” she told him, and Thaniel shrank back, biting his lip.

When the woman repeated her question, Pandy looked from her to Thaniel, who was still staring down at the top of Pandy’s head, and nodded hesitantly. When she was in this shape, her name was Bunny, but she had so many names and so many shapes that she was beginning to get a bit of a complex about the whole thing.

Lady Frances bowed her head ever so slightly and this time included Thaniel in her words as she said, “I am Lady Frances, and I shall be leading your Small Group for the next few days, at least. I understand that you… struggle with magic, and therefore you,” this was definitely meant for Thaniel, “are not allowed to use it.”

Thaniel nodded silently, still not looking up, and Lady Frances’s voice grew gentler. “Don’t worry, child. I know several people who have little magic, and have gone on to do great things. Though I don’t believe that a lack of magic is causing your difficulty.” She raised her brows in question, waiting.

Eventually Thaniel looked up, saw the expression, and all but whispered, “No, ma’am,” while pressing Pandy so hard against his chest that she could feel his heartstone against her side. Really, how had she ever managed to miss it?

Lady Frances nodded, not even seeming to notice Thaniel’s misery. “Well then, rather than focusing on your own power, we shall depend instead on your furry friend.” Thaniel’s head came up, as did the corners of Lady Frances’s lips. “While it can be challenging to form a contract with an elemental when you have little power yourself, once the bond is made, their magic is effectively your own.”

Thaniel started to speak, and the woman held up a gloved hand. “I am aware you haven’t formed a contract, which is as it should be, given your age. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t access your elemental’s power, simply that the elemental must decide to give it. Now, look at Bunny.”

Pandy looked up, meeting Thaniel’s eyes. He smiled at her, looking more uncertain than she’d ever seen him.

“Some people claim they can actually communicate with their elementals, even without words,” Lady Frances said quietly, “though I have no personal experience with that. You may attempt it at another time, but for now, simply ask her if she is willing to perform some magic for you.”

Thaniel’s voice squeaked slightly, and his cheeks were pink, but he managed to say, “Would you do some magic for me, please, Bunny?”

Pandy nodded, her chest tight. Why hadn’t she thought of this? She’d cast spells on and around Thaniel, but never thought of putting him in charge. In Gacha Love, Clara could actually use her elementals’ power as if it was her own, but even if that was how it worked in this real world, it probably wouldn’t be a good idea. Thaniel’s heartstone didn’t seem to like it when he used any kind of magic, and it probably wouldn’t matter if that magic belonged to him or Pandy.

They both turned to look at Lady Frances, who actually chuckled slightly. “I don’t know what element you and Bunny have,” she told them, “though I can make an educated guess. I had the others try to use the power of their elementals, and I’m giving you the same assignment. Before the end of the week, find a spell you and your elemental can cast while working together.”

Well, that explained Miss Cupcakes’ self-satisfaction. Geraldine must have figured out how to cast a spell using the kitten’s magic, and if it was little more than a sparkle in her palm, that was all right, because it meant the furry little Fire elemental was actually using her power for once. Pandy had never seen the feline do anything particularly elemental-like, so this was an interesting development.

Lady Frances clapped her hands together lightly, standing as the first dinner bell sounded, letting them know it was time to go inside and get cleaned up. Her cup was gone, as was the blanket on which she’d been sitting, and when the children handed over their own empty glasses, those, too, vanished into the folds of her skirts.

“And with that, I shall leave you,” she said. “I’ll see you back here tomorrow, unless it rains, in which case we’ll meet in the music room. Please focus on bonding with your elementals, and learn what will help them, ah, share their magic most willingly.” Her eyes twinkled, and once again, the family resemblance to Augustus was marked. Geraldine squeaked, jumping slightly, then looked down to see that Miss Cupcakes had her small, pointy teeth pressed lightly against her stockinged ankle.

“Naughty kitty,” Geraldine said, crouching, but there was a kind of fondness in it that was new and different. Where before the girl mostly acted like her kitten was a normal – albeit frighteningly intelligent – feline, now she crouched down and spoke to the cat exactly as she would a person. “Yes, you’ll get part of my dinner. I promised.”

Pandy’s ears went up, and she looked at Thaniel, who was watching this with some bemusement. As if feeling her gaze – or perhaps the brush of her eartips against his neck – he looked down at her and laughed. “Would you like that, too, Bunny?”

She nodded with great enthusiasm, then had the horrible realization that she wouldn’t be eating dinner with him tonight. There was no way people would miss Thaniel’s rabbit, exiting from the dining hall all by herself, so she’d have to stay in their room and suffer the pangs of an empty… Well, not stomach, because her innards were as much a mystery as ever, but definitely an empty palate. Could a palate be empty? Was palate even the right word, or was that a part of the mouth? Which would also be empty, so perhaps that was the right word after all.

But Thaniel had already moved on, his usual sunny attitude mostly restored by the idea that he would be able to do magic after all, even by proxy. Lady Frances had departed as soon as she said her farewells, heading back toward the classrooms, while the children made their way to the door leading to the kitchen hallway.

Pandy’d never really thought about it before, but whoever had designed the school really should have put a door in at the end of the hall containing the students’ rooms. Though then the boys would have to walk past the girls’ rooms to reach the steps up. Unless they put in another set of stairs just inside, but then someone would have to monitor those stairs, so maybe the lack of a door was intentional after all, not an oversight. If the students needed to get outside quickly, they could probably go through the windows, though the boys on the second floor might-

Somehow, they were already at Thaniel’s room, and Pandy was going to have to shift so she could explain, and as long as she was at it, she might try to feel Isidor out about going to Kestrel… Except that he grabbed his toiletry bag and left the room right after they entered, leaving Thaniel and Pandy staring at the closed door.

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