AN: Stupid little AU one-shot. That is all. No relation to To Rebuild a Kingdom. Except for characters. Anyways…ASHER, DISCLAIMER!
Asher: Huh? Oh, uh…Magma does not own Terraria. Any products, movies, shows, etc. referenced also do not belong to Magma. No copywrite is intended.
"The Shroud War was not about Shadow Boxing!" Pip scolded, Reginald shrinking down in his desk. He wore the standard uniform, a powder blue, short-sleeved dress shirt, medium blue vest with a golden insignia over the heart, and dark blue pants with black shoes, though his were not shined and in place of a dark blue tie he wore a golden chain with a pendant.
"W-well…then why was it called the Shroud War?" Reginald asked.
"Does anyone know the answer to that?" Pip asked. He wore the teacher uniform, which was exactly the same as the student uniform, though he also wore a red hat atop his head.
Asher eagerly raised his hand, wearing the same uniform, his shoes shined and tie on.
"Asher?" Pip asked.
"It was named that so that it wouldn't be confused with the Shadow War, which was a similar war that took place a millennium before the Shroud War." Asher told him.
"Very good, Asher!" Pip praised, then walking back up the aisle, to the chalk board.
"Teacher's pet." Reginald mumbled, Hannah, who sat behind him, kicking his chair forward so that his gut was forced into the desk, hurting him.
Hannah wore a similar uniform, though over the pants she wore a dark blue skirt that came down to mid-thigh, the standard for women.
"Now then." Pip said, picking up his pointer and pointing to the board. "The Shroud War lasted from…?"
Asher raised his hand.
"Put your hand down, Asher. I know you know the answer." Pip told him good-humoredly, Asher putting his hand down sadly. "Sparkle, do you know?"
"Huh?" Sparkle asked, looking up from her notes. Her uniform differed in that her tie was a dark blue bow instead, and her pants were dark blue shorts, rainbow socks stretching to her knees.
"When did the Shroud Wars take place?" Pip asked her.
"…" She got a panicked look on her face. "Uhm…"
"…Are you doodling again?" Pip sighed.
"Leo's a bad influence!" She said, pointing next to her, where Leo sat, wearing the proper uniform, though he wore his dull red hat.
"Hey! I still take my notes!" He told her.
"Sparkle, you shouldn't blame others for your actions." Pip chided. "One trait of psychopaths is doing just that."
Her tanned skin paled, and she slid down in her seat.
"Now then." Pip said again. "Who, aside from Asher, can tell me when the war took place?"
Sarid raised her hand, wearing the boy's uniform, her true gender unknown to her classmates.
"Sarid?" Pip asked.
"It took place from 234 to 237 in the Settled Years." Sarid told him. "Though Julo only fought in it for two years, since it had yet to reach our boarders and we had not the resources to assist the neighboring countries."
"Very good!" Pip told her.
A bell rang, everyone putting their notebooks away.
"We'll continue the lecture tomorrow." Pip told them. "Have a good day!"
They shuffled out of the room, other classes letting out, Sarid walking down the hallway, leather bag on her back and walking with brisk strides, standing straight, though she was still short. Her next class was chemistry, taught by Merlyn. She ran the notes from the day before through her mind, remembering the formulas and vocabulary.
She heard an oof, making her stop and look back.
Asher was up against the wall, holding his bag to himself, Lance in front of him with his two cronies, Drew and Crew on either side of him.
She rolled her eyes, walking toward them.
"Well, well." Lance said condescendingly. "Look who still struggles with their balance."
"I-I'm not…growing like I was." Asher told him. "I have better balance now."
"Not from what I just saw, giraffe." Lance told him.
"Lance." Sarid said, Lance looking at her. "Just because he's taller than you doesn't give you the right to push him around."
"I'm not pushing!" Lance said innocently. "I saw him trip on his own foot!"
"Right. And Grass is purple." Sarid told him.
"Are you calling me a liar?!"
"Can we skip the part where I thrash you and you just go to the headmaster's office?" Sarid asked, Lance's face flushing red with rage.
"You do not thrash me!"
"Please, you still have a partial black eye from last week." She told him. It was true, too, his right eye still had some yellowed skin around it, very slightly squinted.
"You-!" He swung his right arm, Sarid blocking, and kneeing him in the gut, her arm sliding down his arm and she raised her other arm, grabbing his shoulders and pushing him back onto the ground.
"What's going on here?!"
Sarid looked, seeing Merlyn rushing toward them, wearing the teacher's uniform, a pointed, purple hat with stars on it atop his head.
"It's just Lance and I, Mr. Merlyn." Sarid told him, he stopping.
"Oh." He said plainly. "Drew, Crew, take him to the doctor's office. Sarid, come with me."
Drew and Crew did as they were told, helping Lance up and Sarid walked with Melryn, Asher rushing to catch up with them.
They came to his class room, Esmeralda and Danel already there, sitting at their station and talking. Danel wore the standard uniform, as did Esmeralda, though she just wore the skort version of the skirt.
"What happened this time?" Merlyn asked, leaning against his desk.
"The usual." Sarid told him. "He targeted Asher for his height."
Merlyn sighed, rubbing his face.
"I swear, that boy is nothing but trouble!" He said. "Yesterday it was that Reginald couldn't tie a tie! Last week it was Danel's accent!"
"He's just jealous!" Danel said.
"He just thinks anyone who isn't him is all wrong!" Merlyn said, going around his desk and sitting down.
"Am I in trouble?" Saird asked, Asher getting worried.
"Oh, no." Merlyn told her. "Everyone knows all you do is stick up for whoever he's giving a hard time. He's the one who starts the fights."
"Thank you." Sarid told him.
"Now…just go to your station, I'll handle everything with the headmaster."
"Thank you, Mr. Merlyn." Sarid told him with a polite nod.
She went to her station, Asher following her, as he shared the station with her and Hannah.
"You're always so cool whenever you deal with Lance." Asher told her.
"Thank you." Sarid told him, sitting on one of the stools and storing her bag.
"I mean, you always know just what to say and do, and…man, I wish I knew how to fight like you do." Asher told her.
"I could show you, if you like." Sarid told him.
"R-really?" He asked, looking up at her.
"Yes. Commander Flint and I always spare after school, so if you like, you could join us." He'll be happy that I finally appear to have made a friend.
"W…the headmaster?!" Asher asked. "You spar with the headmaster?!"
"Yes." Sarid said plainly.
"…" Asher sat in shocked silence.
"Asher!"
They looked up, seeing Hannah rushing into the room.
"Are you okay?!" She asked him.
"Y-yeah, I'm fine." He told her, she hugging him. He hugged her back, Hannah looking up at Sarid.
"Thank you for defending him."
"It's no trouble." Sarid told her. "Lance is just a pathetic person."
"Agreed." She told her, she and Asher separating. The rest of the class trickled in, Merlyn closing the door and going to his desk, getting a stack of papers.
"I hope all of you studied!" He told them, holding up the papers. Reginald groaned, Sparkle tensed and Danel grinned.
Merlyn went around, handing out the tests, Sarid getting hers and looking at the problems.
What is the formula for dynamite?
C3H5(ONO2)3
What is the formula for sugar?
C12H22O11
She finished the test, second to Asher, going up and handing it in. Going back to her seat, she sat down, getting out a notebook and opening it, showing architecture designs. She continued working on one, when she felt something hit the back of her head.
She moved her eyes, then her head, looking behind her to see Lance, who had come in during the test with Drew and Crew, held a straw in his mouth. Drew and Crew were clearly unnerved by how she had moved her head, though Lance merely smirked. She went back to her work, glancing up to see Merlyn sitting at his desk, going through papers and wearing his glasses. A spit-wad hit the back of her head, then again, and a third time, she counting in her head the time between them.
She moved her head suddenly, one flying past her and hitting Merlyn's glasses. He jumped some, looking up and over at the direction it had come from, seeing Lance with the straw in his mouth and his eyes wide.
"LANCE!" He yelled. "Come here!"
Lance scrambled out of his stool and rushed up to him, straw still in his mouth, which Merlyn snatched from him, bending it up and throwing it in the trash. He grabbed Lance by the arm, pulling him out of the room, closing the door behind him.
"…Sooo…anyone know the answer to question 12?" Reginald asked.
"Contrail homogenitus." Asher told him, Reginald writing it down.
Sarid leaned over to Asher.
"Isn't that a type of cloud?" She whispered.
"Shhh…" Asher sounded.
One by one, people finished their tests, going up and handing them in. Merlyn returned, going and sitting down. After a time, the bell rang, Sarid gathering her things and leaving, Asher hurrying to catch up with her.
"H-hey, d'you wanna sit with Hannah and I at lunch?" He asked.
"Are you sure?" Sarid asked.
"Yeah!" He told her.
"…Very well." She told him.
Later…
They sat outside, under a tree on a blanket, eating.
"So, Sarid, what's your favorite subject?" Hannah asked her.
"I like them all." Sarid told her. "Knowledge is power, and the more power I have, the stronger I am."
"Yeah!" Asher told her. "…Well, school is all I'm really good at."
"That's not true!" Hannah scolded. "You won first place in the master archery competition last year!"
"Well, uh, aside from that…" He said, Hannah sighing.
"You're also a good cook." She told him. "You need to give yourself credit for what you're good at, and broaden your horizons."
"…" He sat for a moment. "So, uh…what are you good at, Sarid?"
"I'm rather good at architecture and drawing." She told him. "I've also taken up piano, and I seem to be doing fine in martial arts."
"More like doing excellently." Hannah told her.
"Yeah! You beat up Lance all the time!" Asher agreed.
"Don't let him hear you say that." Sarid told him. He and Hannah laughed, Sarid confused, as she had said nothing humorous.
"Oh!" Asher sounded. "Hannah, Sarid invited me to learn how to fight!"
"That's wonderful!" Hannah said. "Who taught you, Sarid?"
"Commander Flint." Sarid told her.
"The headmaster?" She asked.
"Yes."
"Wow…" She said.
They finished eating, going back to the school building, and going to their math class, Mortimer sitting at his desk, wearing his signature light brown hat with the white feather.
"Afternoon!" He greeted.
"Good afternoon." They three said in unison, sitting in their seats. The rest of the class trickled in, Lance coming in with his cronies, giving Sarid a dark look, though she ignored it. After the bell rang, Mortimer started class, teaching them calculus, until the bell rang and they left. The last class was English, which they sat through until the final bell rang, all of them leaving, some to go home, some to their clubs, but Asher and Sarid went to one of the gyms, mats rolled out on the floor, the headmaster standing off to the side, stretching. He wore a white, sleeveless undershirt and the school uniform pants, his feet bare.
"Commander Flint." Sarid said as they neared, he looking up at them, Asher tensing.
"Ah, Sarid!" He said, going to her and clapping her on the arm. "So glad you're here! And who's this?"
"This is my classmate, Asher." She told him. "Asher, this is the headmaster, Commander Flint."
"Just call me Mr. Flint, son." He told him, extending his arm.
"Y-yes sir." Asher said, shaking his hand.
"Well, I take you're here to join us?" Flint asked.
"Yes sir!" Asher told him. "I-I wanna learn how to fight!"
"Excellent!" Flint told him. "Just get ready and we'll start!"
"Yes sir!" Asher said. "Uhm…how do we get ready?"
"Just do what Sarid's doing." Flint told him. He looked to see Sarid had set her things on the bleachers, and had removed her tie and vest, as well as her shirt to the sleeveless white undershirt she wore. He rushed over and did the same, removing his shoes and socks, walking barefoot across the gym floor, when movement caught his eye. Looking, he saw some faces looking though the gym door windows, which disappeared.
"Uh, there are…people, out there." He said.
"Oh, that's normal." Flint told him. "The young ladies just love watching Sarid show off."
She rolled her eyes, sitting down and bent over with her forehead touching her feet. After they stretched, Flint began an introduction with Asher, having Sarid run through katas. It was obvious that he had taken a shine to Asher, and after club time was over, they finished.
"You did very good today, my boy." Flint told Asher, who laid on the ground gasping for air.
"R…really?" He asked.
"Really." Flint told him, then offering him a hand. Asher took it, and Flint pulled him up, he still a bit disoriented. "Not used to working out?"
"No sir." Asher told him. "The most exercise I get is archery."
"Oh, you'll have to tell me more about that when we warm up tomorrow." He told him.
"T-tomorrow?" Asher asked.
"Yes, we do this everyday after school." Flint told him.
"…Oh." Asher said.
"What do you normally do after school?" Flint asked him.
"I, uh, go to the library…and study."
"Good lad." Flint told him, smiling fondly. "Well, I'd best let you get back home. Take care, now, and I'll see you tomorrow!"
"Y-yes sir!" Asher told him. "You have a good day too!"
He got his things and put his socks and shoes on, then left, carrying the rest of his uniform under his arm with his bag.
"He seems like a nice young man." Flint said.
"He is." Sarid told him, wiping her head with a towel.
They dried themselves with the towels, getting their uniforms back on and going out into the afternoon sun. The trees were turning at the top, telling of the early fall that they were enjoying. A carriage was waiting for them, they boarding it and riding it out away from the school.
"So, how was your day?" Flint asked.
"It was normal." Sarid told him, looking at her history notes.
"You seem to have made a friend." Flint told her.
"It's too early to tell that." Sarid told him.
"…I suppose." He sighed, Sarid inwardly tensing.
"…Forgive me, it's just that I'd rather focus on my studies that anything else." Sarid told him. "I don't intend to…disappoint you, I just…"
"Sarid, I'm not disappointed with you." Flint told her, she looking at him. "I'm proud of you. You're second only to Asher in your class, you're a skilled fighter, you're taking up a new hobby to broaden your horizons…I'm just worried. I don't want you to grow old alone."
"…" Sarid watched him a moment, then looked out the windows, thinking about what he had said.
The next day…
Sarid sat down in her seat in History, everyone else trickling in, Asher coming in, seeing her and smiling.
"Sarid!" He said, going over to her.
"Hello, Asher." She greeted.
"Did ya hear?" He asked. "Lance got suspended!"
"He did?"
"Yeah! Mr. Flint was fed up with him, so he's been suspended for a week!" Asher told him.
"Really?!" Sparkle asked, everyone having listened in.
"Yeah!" Asher told her.
"…CELEBRATORY PARTY AT MY PLACE TONIGHT!" Sparkle said, everyone cheering.
It's a good thing it's Friday. Sarid thought.
"Good morning, class!" Pip said, entering.
"Good morning!" Everyone greeted, in a much brighter mood than before.
"Well, I see all of you have heard the news!" Pip said. "So, let's take that positive energy and put it into doing well today, alright?"
They went through the day as normal, Sparkle making up invitations during class and handing them out at the door, everyone – except Drew and Crew – in the class getting one, Sarid's especially nice.
"Why is mine nicer?" Sarid asked her, Reginald putting an arm around her.
"Because!" He told her. "It's thanks to you that Lance got suspended!"
"Yeah!" Sparkle agreed. "As such, you're the guest of honor!"
"Forgive me, but I'm not much for parties." She told them.
"But you have to come!" Esmeralda told her.
"Yes!" Danel agreed.
"Yeah, we wanna thank you!" Autumn told her. She wore a normal uniform, Xanos, the exchange student standing next to her, he having been another one of Lance's main targets.
"Yeah! Lance is horrible!" Xanos told her.
"…I'll think about it." She told them, which they took as good news.
She thought about it through the day, remembering what Flint had told her yesterday, about his worry for her.
I should try to ease his worries. She thought, walking with him to the carriage, which waited for them outside in the usual spot. They got in and rode to Flint's estate, Sarid going to her room and putting her bag beside her desk. She looked at the invite again, seeing the party lasted from six to midnight.
I doubt I'll stay the whole time. She thought, putting it away and going to her wardrobe. Opening it, she looked over her clothes, wondering what was appropriate to wear to such an event.
The invite said casual, but…what is casual?
She looked at her clothes a bit longer, then looked up at her clock. Closing the wardrobe, she left her room and went down to the dining room, sitting at the table to the left of Commander Flint, who was reading the evening news.
"Still in your uniform?" He asked, he having changed into civilian clothes.
"I…don't know what to wear."
"You've never concerned yourself with that before." Flint told her, surprised.
"I…was invited to a…party."
"Really!" Flint said happily.
"Yes sir." Sarid told him.
"Well, did the invite specify what kind of clothing to wear?" He asked.
"Casual." Sarid told him.
"Well, then after supper why don't we have Mrs. Lee help you pick something out?"
"Yes sir, thank you." Sarid told him. Supper was served and they ate, Sarid returning to her room to find Mrs. Lee waiting outside of it.
"Good evening, Master Sarid." She told her. "Are you excited about the party?"
"Not really." Sarid told her, they going into her room. "I'm mainly going to ease the commander's worries."
"Oh…" She sounded sadly. "Well, either way, I hope you have an excellent time!"
"Hm." Sarid hummed.
"Now, the dress is casual, yea?"
"Yes ma'am." Sarid told her.
"Well, let's get something simple then." She said, opening Sarid's wardrobe. "Hm, not that, no not your suit, no, hm…no…Ah!"
She pulled out a pair of medium blue jeans, and then a navy crew-neck t-shirt. She laid them on the bed, then went and got two black leather bands from the shelf above the clothes, getting Sarid's black combat boots as well.
"How about this?" She asked.
"…Very well." Sarid said, taking the shirt off the hanger.
Later…
Sarid stepped down out of the carriage, wearing the clothes and the bands on her wrists, a small bag attached to her belt, containing a few items. A sigh escaped her, looking up at the mansion Sparkle resided in with her parents, then upped the steps and came to the door, knocking on it.
A butler opened the door, a very professional look on his face.
"Ah, you must be Master Sarid that Miss Sparkle spoke of." He said.
"That's correct, sir." Sarid nodded.
"Very good. I shall show you to the pavilion where the party is occurring."
"Thank you, sir." Sarid told him.
He turned and Sarid followed him through the mansion, to the back patio, around the pool and down a path, to the pavilion where music was playing and the guests danced.
"Enjoy yourself, sir." The butler told her.
"Thank you." Sarid told him, approaching the pavilion. There was a table with food and a punch bowl and string lights strung this way and that. I could probably run back to Commander Flint's estate.
Nevertheless, she approached.
"Sarid!" Sparkle exclaimed, seeing her she wore a light pink, short sleeved shirt, magenta denim vest, magenta skirt, beaded bracelets of all colors, and her signature rainbow socks and magenta sneakers. "Welcome to the PARTAY!"
"You mean party?" Sarid asked. Sparkled ignored this, putting a silver-colored crown on Sarid's head.
"The guest of honor has arrived!" Sparkle announced. People cheered, crowding around her. They welcomed her, pulling her out onto the dance floor, where people danced around her, Sarid feeling stiff and awkward among the dancers.
"Sarid!" She looked, seeing Asher dancing beside her. He wore an off-white v-neck shirt and a green, hooded vest, jeans on his legs and brown shoes. "I'm glad you're here!"
"Thank you." Sarid told him.
"Well, come on and dance!" He told her.
"I can't dance." She told him.
"You can't?" He asked, stopping.
"Well, I know the waltz, but the Commander said that any gentleman should know how to dance the waltz."
"Oh…well, uh…how do I explain this?" He asked, thinking.
"Just go with the flow!" Reginald said, having overheard their conversation. He wore his gold chain and medallion, dark red shirt, grey collared vest that came to mid-thigh and jeans, black shoes on his feet.
"…Right." Sarid said, then looking around.
She saw Hannah, who wore a green, sleeveless dress with a brown belt around her waist, a white mock turtle neck under the dress. On her feet were green flats, showing she wore no socks.
As well, there was Leo, wearing white collared shirt over a red tank top, the front of his white shirt unbuttoned, jeans covering his legs, brown shoes on his feet and his signature hat on his head. Danel danced beside him, wearing his gold and purple bracelets, his hair held back by a golden ornament, he wore a rich blue vest with a purple tank top under it, dark blue jeans on his legs and red sneakers on his feet.
"I love parties!" He declared. "So many beautiful colors and happy people!"
Sarid looked around again, seeing Esmeralda wearing a purple dress with blue skinny jeans under, black heels on her feet. The rest of the class was dressed casually, Sarid standing among them as they danced, not sure how to dance.
"Look man," Reginald said, dancing over to her, "just take in the music and move to it!"
"…" Sarid stared at him, then thought back to her martial arts moves, wondering if those would pass.
She jumped, landing in a front stance, doing an upper and down block at the same time, spinning and holding her arms up and out, then dropped into a horse stance. As she did this, they rest of the class danced around her, and she began to feel a light inside of her, her lips twitching up into a smile.
Asher suddenly ran into her, and she caught him, pulling him up in a way that they spun, Asher grabbing her hands to keep from falling over, his legs not stopping so that they kept spinning. They slowed for a moment, then Asher laughed and kept the spinning going, Sarid surprised, though she found his laughter contagious and smiled, spinning with him. A new song started to play, singing:
"What is love if it's not with you?
"I know when you're alone you feel it too!"
Sarid looked up, seeing Asher's smiling face with the lights spinning around them, and she smiled, she and Asher spinning away from the crowd onto the grass, where his hand slipped out of hers and they fell to the ground, she still holding onto one of his hands, and he still laughing.
They lay on the grass for a bit, Asher calming a bit.
"Oh man…No Lance for a WEEK! Oh, this is gonna be great." He said.
"Agreed." Sarid said. "My fists will finally have some rest."
He laughed.
"What's so amusing?" She asked him.
"What you said." He told her. "Especially how you always beat him up."
"…I do, don't I?" She asked, looking up at the sky.
"Yeah…uh, thanks for that, by the way." He told her, looking at her. "If it weren't for you, I don't know if any of us could stand school."
"Evil is only allowed to persist so long as good people do nothing." Sarid told him.
"Yep." He agreed. "But man, I mean…you're just so cool about it though! Like…you know just how to rile him up and you can beat him even though he's bigger than you, and…"
He sighed.
"You're not scared of him."
"You are?" Sarid asked.
"…Yes." He admitted. "I mean…he has some ideas on how to fight, and I…don't."
Sarid watched him, then looked back at the sky, squeezing his hand.
"One day you won't fear him." Sarid told him.
"Really?" He asked, looking at her, making her look at him.
"Yes." She told him. "Lance is merely looking for power and influence anyway he can, even the wrong ways. He wants to be feared by any means possible, and is a manchild about it."
"…When you put it like that, he sounds kinda pathetic."
"Oh, but he is." Sarid told him. This amused him, and he looked back at the sky.
"Oh!" He sat up, looking at Sarid. "D'you wanna come over to my house tomorrow night and stargaze? I just got a new telescope and I'd like to try it out and tomorrow's gonna be perfect for stargazing!"
"..." I should ease Commander Flint's worries. "Very well."
"Great!" He said. "C'mon, let's get back to the party."
"Very well." Sarid said, getting up and releasing his hand.
Later…
Sarid stepped down out of the carriage, tired from the party, though she felt strangely good. The valet drove on to put away the carriage and horse, Sarid entering the estate building, seeing Commander Flint sitting in the foyer chair, reading a book and dressed for bed, his robe on. He looked up at her, a smile appearing on his face.
"Ah, Sarid!" He said. "How was the party?"
"It was nice." She told him.
"Did you dance at all?"
"I more did some martial arts motions, but yes sir, I did."
"That's great!" He said. "Did you make any friends?"
"Uh, well…" She shifted awkwardly some. "Asher, he uh…invited me to his home to do some stargazing tomorrow night."
"And?"
"I accepted."
"Excellent!" He praised. "He's a fine young man, isn't he?"
"…Yeees…?" Sarid asked.
"Well, it's late and we'd best turning for the night. Sleep well!"
"Yes sir, you too." She told him.
The next day…
Sarid opened the door to the estate, panting and sweating, having just come from her morning run. She went to her room, getting a towel and wiping her face, then went into the bathroom and laid down on the cold marble floor, goosebumps rolling over her skin, though it felt good anyway. Lifting her arm, she looked at the hand that had held Asher's last night, wondering why it felt like it tingled.
It's been doing that ever since last night. She thought, turning her hand over. Especially when I think about it.
She let her arm rest back on the floor, then closed her eyes and relaxed, breathing evenly, absorbing the coldness of the floor.
A knock sounded, her eyes opening.
She got up, going to her door and opening it, seeing Mr. Lee.
"Mr. Lee." She said.
"There's a phone call for you, Master Sarid." He told her.
"Yes sir, thank you." She told him, stepping out of her room and closing the door. She followed him down the hall to where a phone sat on a small table, the receiver laying next to the base of the transmitter.
"It's a Mr. Asher."
"Oh…thank you." She told him, her hand tingling again. Mr. Lee nodded, then walked on down the hallway. Sarid picked up the receiver and transmitter, holding the receiver to her ear and the transmitter to her mouth.
"Hello?" She asked.
"Sarid!" Asher exclaimed on the other end. "I was just wondering when you'd wanna come over. Like, uh, d'you wanna have supper with us, or something like that?"
"…" She thought for a moment. "I'll speak with the commander. Please wait a moment."
"Alright!" He said. Sarid set the phone down and went to Flint's room, knocking on the door.
"Come in!" He called, Sarid opening the door. A maid was making the bed, Flint standing by one of the French doors, holding a set of weights over his head. He smiled at her, then lowered the weights to his chest, then set them down on the padded floor, stepping over it and walking to her.
"Enjoy your run?" He asked.
"Yes sir." She told him.
"Good, good…Burns make you a filling breakfast before you go?"
"Yes sir." Sarid told him.
"Good, good…now, what can I do for you?"
"Would it be alright if I joined Asher for supper tonight?"
"But of course!" He told her.
"Thank you." She told him.
"He's a fine young man, isn't he?" Flint asked her.
"…Yes sir, he is…" Sarid told him with slight confusion. She heard the maid giggle, glancing over at her to see her suppressing a smile.
This confused her, but she left, closing the door and went back to the phone, picking it up again.
"Asher?" She asked.
"Yes!" He said.
"The commander said I could come for supper."
"That's great!" He said. "I'll see you tonight, then!"
"Very well. Enjoy your day."
"You too!" He told her. She hung up, going back down the hallway to her room, going into it, her hand tingling.
Later…
Sarid stepped down the porch of the estate, going to the carriage waiting for her, Commander Flint standing beside it with a smile.
"Have a good time, Sarid." He told her.
"Yes sir." She told him, adjusting the book under her arm. Stepping up into the carriage, she pulled the door shut behind her, looking at Flint through the window, to see he was smiling fondly at her.
What's he smiling like that for?
The carriage started away, Sarid looking over the estate's lake that had a beautiful sunset coloring it, the sun throwing it's last rays of light over the distant mountains. She arrived at Asher's home after sunset, the western horizon still having a burning orange edge, though the sky overhead was dark with stars appearing. Stepping down out of the carriage, she heard a door open and she looked up to see Asher coming down the front steps.
"Sarid!" He said, running up to her and hugging her, much to her surprise. He stepped back then, hands on her shoulders. "I'm glad you're here! C'mon, supper's almost ready."
"Very well." Sarid said, following him up the steps and into the mansion. He showed her to the dining room, which was well-decorated and elegant, a swing door going into the kitchen. Hannah sat to the right of the table's head, Asher sitting to the left with Sarid beside him. At the head was someone reading the evening news, they lowering the paper to show the school's doctor.
"Dr. Washington?" Sarid asked.
"Hello, sonny." He told her with a smile. "Glad to have you here."
"Thank you for having me." Sarid told him.
"What's that book you've got there?"
"Oh, it's on the constellations."
"Ah, good!" He said. "I'm glad to see Asher's made a new friend."
"Uncle." Asher said, somewhat embarrassed.
"What? I'm allowed to be happy for you!" He told him.
Supper was served then, they talking over it. Dessert was served after, and after that Asher took eagerly showed her up the stairs to his room, which was packed with books.
"You really like to read." Sarid noted.
"Oh yeah!" He told her, then getting sheepish. "It…it's all I'm really good at.
"Hannah said you do well at archery and cooking."
"Well, yeah…" He said, holding one of his books to him. "Anyways! Let's go look at the stars!" He told her, rushing over to the one of his bookshelves and grabbing a couple books and then rushing past her, grabbing her wrist and pulling her out of the room. They went up another set of stairs, and down a hall, up more stairs and into a room.
It had a star globe with the constellations on it, beside a desk and a window on each wall, a telescope at the eastern window. There were star charts all over the walls, a bookshelf with books on planets, astronomers and all sort of books on astronomy and astrophysics.
Asher went to the desk and set his books down, opening them up. Sarid went to his side, he flipping through the books until he found the page that he had been looking for, Sarid setting her book down on the desk. Asher went to the light switch and turned it off, leaving them in the dark, then going to the desk and turning on a lamp, light pouring over the books and casting heavy shadows. Sarid walked over to the telescope, looking at it.
"This is a rather impressive scope." She told him.
"Oh yeah!" He told her. "Uncle got it for me for making a hundred on the last history test!"
"Just for that?" Sarid asked.
"Where do you think I got all my books?" Asher asked her.
"…Oh." She went.
"So there should be a constellation visible already." He told her, going to the telescope and maneuvering it so that it was in position.
She watched him, the smile on his face and the moonlight reflecting off his hair.
She shook her head, snapping out of it.
"Here it is!" He exclaimed, then looking up from the telescope and looking at her. "Here, look!"
He stepped out of the way, Sarid stepping into place and looking through the telescope. Before her were a pattern of stars, making the arachnid constellation.
"Ah, the arachnid." Sarid said.
"Yeah." Asher told her. "Oh! There's another one, let me show you."
She suddenly felt him around her, she looking up to see that his chest was to her back, arms around her to reach the telescope.
I have conflicting feelings about this.
Part of her felt a light in her, while another part of her was screaming in what felt like panic.
"Can you see it?" Asher asked. She looked through the telescope, seeing the constellation that looked like two people dancing.
"The lovers." She said.
"Yep!" He replied, his hand on her shoulders. "That one's actually my favorite."
"Really?" Sarid asked, looking back at him.
"Yeah…" He said, staring out the window. "Can you imagine getting to dance with the one you love for an eternity?"
"…" Sarid watched him, recalling the story of the constellation, of how two people loved each other so much that after their deaths, the very stars arranged in their images so that their love could live on forever.
She looked back at the telescope.
"Yes, it is touching, I suppose." Sarid told him.
"I hope I can find someone like that one day." He told her.
"…" Sarid was quiet, an image of her and him dancing passing through her mind, through she shook her head, getting rid of it. None of that nonsense.
They kept stargazing, until a cloud covered the sky at an alarming pace.
"Is that a storm?" Asher asked, Sarid looking out at it, when rain came pelting against the windows.
"Yes." Sarid told him.
"Aw…" He sounded, they then hearing someone coming up the stairs. They looked, seeing Dr. Washington standing on the last few stairs.
"Is it raining?" He asked.
"It's pouring." Sarid told him.
"But is the old man snoring?" Asher asked. Washington laughed, Sarid's lips twitching up.
"Ah…well, I don't want you going home in this weather, so you and the valet are staying here tonight." Washington told Sarid.
"Yes sir." Sarid told him.
"Well, come on. I'll call Flint and tell him." He told her. "Asher, could you show Sarid to the guest room?"
"He can stay with me." Asher told him.
"Uh, well…" He said.
"I saw that he had a sofa in his room, I can sleep on that." Sarid said.
"Oh, uh…" Asher sounded, Washington smiling.
"If that's what you want to do, that's fine." He told her. "Come on, let's find you some pajamas."
Later…
Sarid laid on the sofa in Asher's room, staring into the dark while rain pelted down on the roofs and outer wall.
"If you get uncomfortable, you can come get in my bed." Asher suddenly said.
"I'm fine, thank you though." Sarid told him.
"Okay." Asher said.
While the bed was certainly big enough for both of them to not have to touch, and Sarid knew Asher was oblivious to her true gender and that he was not that type of person, the idea just didn't sit right with her due to her gender.
Asher suddenly made a loud snoring noise, followed by a series of "mememe…"
Sarid contained a laugh, listening to him continue to do so.
When he paused for a breath, she made a loud snoring sound as well, followed by making a "haaaahn…" noise.
Asher laughed in the dark, listing to her for a bit, then making up another outlandish snoring sound. She did the same, and they went back and forth until they both fell asleep.
She woke up to see light streaming through the French doors, Asher still asleep in his bed, and she got up, going into the bathroom and changing, though leaving her shirt off to show her undershirt, then slipped out of the room and house to go for her morning run. When she got back, the house was still asleep, much to her surprise. Nevertheless, she went into the bathroom and laid down on the floor, soaking up the coldness of it to help her to cool off. After a bit she heard a shuffling, sitting up to see Asher getting out of bed and walking sleepily over to the bathroom, when he saw Sarid on the floor.
"…" He looked at her, half-asleep and half confused.
"I got up and went running this morning." She told him. He nodded some, then yawned, running his hands through his messy hair.
"Why though?" He suddenly asked, as if he had just processed the information.
"To exercise." She told him. He nodded, and she got up and stepped out of the bathroom, allowing him to step into it and close the door.
Later…
Sarid entered the mansion, Flint sitting in the foyer chair and reading the morning news, looking up at her when he entered.
"Sarid! Welcome home!" He said.
"Hello, commander." She said.
"How was it? Did you have fun?" He asked.
"Yes sir." She told him.
"That's good." He told her. "He's a fine young man, isn't he?"
"…As previously established, yes." Sarid said, confused. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to study for a history test tomorrow."
She went to her room, closing the door behind her, thinking of Asher and her hand and back tingled.
Great. Now it's worse, whatever this is.
The next day…
Sarid stretched in her seat, having just finished her test, then got up and handed it in, going back to her seat and sitting down. She pulled out her architecture notebook and began working on her next project, doing it from a bird's eye view three-point perspective. She worked for a time, when the bell rang, she putting her notebook away. Getting her bag she started toward the door, seeing Asher waiting for her.
"So, did you enjoy Saturday?" He asked her.
"Yes, I did." She told him.
"That's great!" He said. "If you like, we can do it again sometime."
"That sounds nice." She told him.
They arrived at chemistry, going to their station where Hannah was already sitting. The rest of the class trickled in, everyone sitting in their seats, Merlyn striding in with a smile on his face.
"Good morning, class!" He greeted. "It's a wonderful day, isn't it?"
"Yes sir!" The class agreed.
I should get Lance suspended more often. Sarid thought, seeing her smiling classmates.
"Now, I want all of you to group up with another station for today." Merlyn told them. "We're doing an experiment!"
"Hey!" Autumn said, Sarid, Asher and Hannah turning around to look at her. "You guys wanna partner with us?"
"Is that alright with you two?" Hannah asked them.
"Yes." Sarid said.
"Yep!" Asher said.
They pulled their stools to their station, getting set up for the experiment. Along with Autumn was Xanos and Faye, her long green hair braided and a pink flower pin on her tie.
Merlyn passed out the instructions with the materials, everyone getting to work pouring, measuring, weighing, and the like.
"So, did you guys enjoy the party Friday night?" Autumn asked.
"Yeah!" Asher said. "It was great!"
"I had a good time." Hannah agreed. "It was a great way to kick off a week with no Lance."
"No Lance for a week!" Xanos said, excited. "I don't have to put up with him treating me like an armrest or footstool for a week!"
"Next time he does that, come tell me and I'll set him straight." Sarid told him.
"Thank you!" He told her.
"Uh, Faye?" Hannah asked. "Are you sure this is right?"
"Uh…admittedly? I'm more into botany than chemistry."
"Oh…well…" Hannah said, Asher pouring tow of the components together. "Wait, this makes…"
Her eyes went wide.
"GET DOWN!" She yelled, Sarid seeing the beaker start to fizz and she grabbed Asher, throwing him to the ground, and jumping on top of him to shield him as the compound within the beaker exploded, the beaker falling over into the floor and shattering.
"Everybody stay back!" Merlyn said, rushing over and looking at the scene. "…Okay, it should be over. Get up carefully and watch for the glass shards."
Sarid started to push herself up, then becoming aware of the fact that Asher had hugged her in his panic.
It felt nice.
His arms around her, able to feel his heart beating, inhaling his scent…
She then threw herself back, landing on her back, staring up at the ceiling.
"Sarid?" Asher asked.
She raised her head to look at him, seeing he was doing the same.
"…Are you okay?" She asked him.
"Yes. Are you?" He asked.
"Yes." She told him.
"Okay." Asher said.
They got up, Sarid not able to look at him.
What was that? She wondered.
"Alright, let's get this cleaned up and get back to class." Merlyn said. They did so, careful with the shards and using cleaner to get up the residue from the compound that had exploded.
Class carried on, everyone finishing the lab and cleaning up, the bell ringing and everyone walking out to go to lunch.
"Wanna eat with us again?" Asher asked Sarid.
"Very well." Sarid told him, walking with him to the tree where Hannah sat on the blanket. They sat down and began to eat, talking as they did.
"Thanks for pulling me out of the way of the explosion earlier." Asher told her. The memory of his arms around her came to mind, and she felt strange.
"Don't mention it." She told him.
"I vote we be more careful with Faye and chemicals." Hannah said.
"Agreed." Sarid told her.
"Hear hear!" Asher said.
"I HEARD THAT!" Faye yelled through the trees.
Hannah and Asher laughed, Sarid smiling. They spoke more as they ate, then getting up and going back to the school building, going through the rest of the day. After English, Asher and Sarid went to the gym where Flint was waiting for them.
"Hello!" He greeted.
"Hello!" Asher greeted back.
"Well, let's get to it, shall we?" Flint asked as they got ready. They started stretching, Flint and Asher carrying on a conversation about archery. After they stretched, Flint and Asher sparred as Sarid worked with a bo staff. After that Flint had Asher take up one and ran through drills with them, until it was time to go. They then went their separate ways, Sarid and Flint going and getting into their carriage.
"Well, how was your day?" Flint asked.
"It was fine." Sarid told him.
"Merlyn told me about what happened in the lab." Flint told her. "And how you jumped on Asher to protect him."
"…" Sarid stared forward. "…May I tell you something?"
"Of course."
"…I…I enjoyed being so close to him."
He blinked with surprise.
"I…as well…at the party. I held his hand at one point and…whenever I think about it, my hand tingles."
"…Well." Flint told her. "You don't have feelings for him, do you?"
"What? No!" She said. "I…at least I don't think I do…which would be wrong, I barely know him…"
"Hm." Flint hummed. "Well, you're not a very…you don't touch or have expressed any desire to be touched. It could just be your reaction to suddenly having physical contact."
"…That…makes sense." She said.
"Good." Flint told her.
They rode in silence the rest of the way, Sarid looking out the window, deep in thought.
AN - I lied. Apparently this is going to be its own little story. WHELP.