It was another early morning lab and everything Professor Golenza said was pissing Stormy off beyond belief. Professor Golenza taught a class on geology and its significance in environmental magic, which included a lab. Now, Stormy loved her powers. She loved weather; she loved the power of storms and was fascinated with how they formed. But she hated labs of any kind (even meteorology ones). They gave her anxiety attacks and fits of agitation and downright rage. It helped to have Icy in the class with her, but more often than not she would leave without a word and not come back.
Stormy had a furious inner commentary going on and was tearing down every word of Golenza's, trying to stifle the urge to blast every single glass bottle in that room with lightning. She settled for scribbling furiously on the lab report rubric, tearing into it like she was trying to slit someone's throat, or her own wrists. She needed the grade, but white-hot fury at the entire goddamn motherfucking sonofabitch world, including herself for her constant fucking up, was pumping through her veins. That was it. She was already jiggling her leg, tapping the desk and breathing rapidly, and she was time to get out. She politely excused herself to go to the bathroom through clenched teeth and headed out, ignoring Icy's expression of worry, then immediately took off running, and soon, flying.
She was out over the forest, and the cold wind was refreshing, although she knew it would get unbearable soon in her skimpy outfit. She flew as fast as possible, and finally landed in a small clearing where she sometimes hung out. She had already set up some things, almost as a sort of self-care station for when school stuff got unbearable. There was a camp chair, which she would settle in after she had gotten her anger out, a dummy with a photo of Musa's face on it to beat the crap out of, and some snacks and drinks. There was a pile of dry wood and a fire pit and she often went there to burn tests and returned papers when the grades were not to her satisfaction. Looking around, her head furiously whipping from to side to side like that of a scared animal, she honed in on the dummy and punched it hard, a furious uppercut that left her own hand hurting. She proceeded to kick it in the gut, digging the heel of her shoe in for emphasis, and then spin around and strike it with lightning, leaving its fire-resistant material singed. Finally, with a primal scream, she gripped its shoulders and kneed it in the gut.
Stormy stood still, panting, and then finally grabbed a drink. She wasn't particularly in the mood for alcohol, so instead she settled for some lime soda and a chocolaty treat, collapsing on the camp chair. She sat there and gazed out at the sky. It was overcast, and likely to rain. That would be nice, just a good hard storm to wash the filth and stress from her body.
She didn't know how much time had passed sitting in the camp chair, but suddenly she received a text message. On her phone she saw a message from Icy.
"Where are you? I have the notes, food, and ice sculptures for you to break back in the room."
Stormy considered not responding, instead just laying out in the chair forever and staring at the clouds, but instead she hauled herself out of the chair and flew slowly back to Cloud Tower.
Icy was alone in the room, as it happened to be Darcy's office hours. Stormy came in and curled up on her bed, shutting her eyes and letting out an exasperated sigh.
"You alright?" Icy said, with genuine concern on her face.
"Yeah, I went out to the woods and de-stressed."
"All right, well, the offer still stands. Are you sure you don't want to talk to the professor?"
"What does it matter anyway? I'm a fuck up, and I'm not going to be using any of this bullshit anyway, so what's the point? I know what I need to know"
"Fine, be that way. See if I care."
Stormy laughed and cracked an eye open. "I know you care. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone that the big bad Ice Queen of Cloud Tower is nice to her little sister sometimes."
Icy shot her one of those looks that just said "I'm done with you" and reapplied her lip gloss in front of the mirror, pointedly ignoring Stormy, who was still chuckling as the rain began to fall.