I stare up at the man and frown, standing up without having to be forced to. Just great! It's like I just have bad luck wherever I go! I swear, I move to a new school and get into a fight the first day and I go here and get into a eerily familiar situation. This day couldn't possibly get worse. I straiten what I deemed as my front and back strips at what I interpreted as a dress. This uniform was made to move in. The more I thought of it, it reminded me of some Kung Fu attire I seen while touring Beijing with Dad when I was 7; But that was 9 years ago..
"Where am I going?" I ask nervously. Something about a tall mysterious man walking down a dimly lit corridor with no explanation where I am going just makes me uneasy. I'm fearful that this tall nearly 7 feet tall man will reveal his huge bat wings and tear me limb from limb painting the corridors with my blood. I shudder as he doesn't respond right away.
"Excuse me? I'm not talking to a ghost, I want to kn-"
"Sarcasm arrogance will not get you far here and destruction of property is not tolerated here at the academy Miss Statera."
"I suppose bullying is on your okay list as well?" I ask so sarcastically it oozes.
"What is this bullying your speaking of Miss Statera?" he asks casually almost in a British tone. I don't like his emotional detachment because I feel he isn't taking me seriously. I feel tension settling in my jaw as we took a left turn walking down what I assumed was the Fire Academy wing as fire lit torches lined the walls as we walked deeper down the corridor.
"Kota, and his three friends, they instigated an altercation with me. First by belittling me and then by challenging me to a duel." I say almost feeling tears in my eyes and I have no idea why.
"Then what happened?" he says in the same casual tone.
"Then what happened?! I accepted his challenge and he humiliated me! Made me the laughingstock of the whole academy! So I opened the flood gates." I say annoyed at feeling not being taken seriously.
"You opened the flood gates Miss Statera?" he asked with that same casual tone but slightly more curious turning around and eyeing me.
"Go and see for yourself." I say done talking to this annoying old man.
"I'm afraid my feet are aching and it is a decent walk back to the Water Wing. I would be much obliged if you told me exactly what you did."
I look at him confused.
"I boiled all the water in the courtyard to the point of evaporation, busting the fountains in the process."
My tone goes casual as the mans
"Do understand, Kota has special..requirements. He likes attention, hence the group of friends you mentioned. His family is also notorious and wealthy. He is a very prideful and arrogant but passionate about his studies nonetheless. You, on the other hand, are a prodigy Luna."
My mind skips a little at being called a prodigy. I mean come on, I'm a complete algebraic failure. Being labeled this could definitely give me good marks with the academy.
"How am I a prodigy?" I ask looking at the back of the man's head as we continued walking down what looked like the corridor to the Headmistress' study.
"The power you demonstrated today at the academy. Destructive, yes, wrong, yes, but powerful. You my young lady are going to be specially trained. The Headmistress will tell you more. She is expecting you."
I nod and continue down the hall to the great bald eagle who just simply opens the door right as I approach it. Slightly creeped out but still equally impressed.
"Hello my dear Luna," she said smiling as she crossed over her mahogany desk.
"I'm in deep trouble aren't I?" my tone takes on a worried one as I sit down in a soft vintage chair that matched her desk.
"Well, if you were any other student you would be expelled but your not like any other student aren't you Luna?" Headmistress asks in a serene curious way that made me get the impression she had all my personal classified info in her desk. I don't do too well being interrogated
"Why do people keep telling me that? Why am I special? What is it you know about me?" I ask almost sounding like i'm demanding answers. I struggle greatly but I manage to retain a casual tone.
"I have had dreams of you Luna, and you are to be great, but you have to crawl before you can run." she paces around my chair making me feel uneasy because for one I hate others being behind me in situations like this. I look right at the full moon outside and suddenly feel at ease and like my skin was vibrating ever so slightly. Tingling.
"You know the moon was the first one to control water? Since the ancients observed the push and pull of the waves eventually the moon bestowed knowledge to those she deemed worthy. I believe that you are Acror's next Water Academy Prodigy. I myself am a Water Academy graduate."
"I never thought of that..So what is this special training that tall creepy guy was talking about?"
Headmistress waves her hand and laughs lightly.
"Oh that's just Rave. He's head of the Air Academy. He may seem sketchy but he is nice once you warm up to him. He's had his more than fair share of bad tempered children. As for your special training, straight and to the point, I like that," she turns and sits back down behind her desk. My eyes follow her as she does so.
"Your power, your gift of destruction..we plan to hone that into something good and useful for the benefits of the Academy and knowledge itself. It seems based on what I heard from you and Rave's conversation, that your gift is tapped into upon great amounts of stress or anger. I plan on helping you hone your gift so you can tap into it without negative means."
Headmistress turns the moon and speaks while still observing it.
"Being from the element of water your powers are at their peak during a full moon. Your inner strength comes from the moon, Luna. Can't you feel it's energy?"
I'm not sure to think this woman is crazy or just downright weird.
"Yes, I can, I can feel it tingling my skin and I feel relaxed when I peer at it."
"You see? Even I don't feel a direct connection like that, I just feel its gentle rays casting light where there is darkness."
I sigh, beginning to think it was a waste of time coming here.
"Okay well, it was nice watching the moon with you," I say sarcastically kind as I stand up to exit the headmistress' study.
"Hold on a moment, you need to sign up for classes as well as the special electives I have set forth for you. Your special training in other words. Master River is expecting you back at the Water Academy he will give you further instruction. Do take his work seriously he does not tolerate immaturity. Good evening Luna."
I exit the study and walk down the dark corridor alone heading to Master River's direction; wishing I would've said good bye to mom before I boarded the bus.
The walk to the Water Academy wing was tiring, lonely and musty. They totally need central heat and air. As I approach the Great Moon seal, I am greeted by a smiling Kirra.
"Oh you should see what they've done to the courtyard! The Academy staff are just fantastic!"
As we enter and walk past the waterfall entrance, it's almost like nothing happened. All the water fountains are perfectly in tact water is flowing everywhere. As Kirra and I enter the courtyard I spot Kota talking to one of the staff members, shaking hands. My eyes narrow at him as I approach one of the staff members.
"Where can I find Master River?"
The man looked at me like I was crazy but responded.
"Master River only accepts special students, and if I remember correctly this is your first day? I do not recognize your face in any of my classes."
"Yes, but headmistress said he's anticipating my arrival," I say nicely but slowly beginning to get the idea to ask someone who will give me a direct answer.
"Oh in that case you will find him through there," the man points towards the great waterfall about a football field in front of the courtyard.
"Ugh how do I get past the waterfall?" I ask like someone had just asked me to jump into a great white feeding frenzy dressed like a seal to see if I got mauled to death.
"You move it of course, it'll come to you. Good luck!" I wave the man off and Kirra approached me from behind.
"So are you going to see Master River? I knew you were special in some way, he only accepts specially gifted students. I never could get in because I can just read minds." she said happy then downcast about how she wants to be more greater than she already is.
"Kirra, I would give anything in the world to be able to read minds. Just because I can splash some water around doesn't make me special. Just think about it, you could never be fooled or tricked because you can tell when someone is playing up to you. I wish I can have that gift." I say comforting Kirra on the shoulder.
"Plus your a healer, I never met a water healer before. Don't ever think your not good enough because the person who thinks that is the person that doesn't want know you at all."
"yeah yeah, mind reader and healer, very impressive." Kota's cocky voice sounds from a couple several feet behind me.
"Hate to break it to you sweetheart but our rematch will have to wait." I say with a smirk on my face as I walk to the giant waterfall's direction.
"I'm looking forward to it." I hear just as his tone was drowned out by the sound of the cascading waterfall.