Chapter 5: Friends and Enemies

1 Disclaimer: *tape recoding* Everything belongs to Tamora Pierce except for the characters you don't recognise. They belong to me. Don't copy. Beep beep beep.

Liana groaned. Someone by the name of Locke had just emptied a whole jug of water on her. She sat up, staring at him. "What in the name of the mother did you have to do that for?" she asked, sleepily. Locke grinned, smiling cheerfully. He saw no reason to apologize.

" Time to wake up! Get dressed, make your way down to your first lesson, I'm your sponsor, so I have to show you there." He smiled at Liana, who was struggling to pull a brush through her hair. She had slept the night in her clothes for the next day and did not have to change. "You might want to consider the fact that your hair will be as messy as when you end the day as when you start it, so don't get into that habit." He added. Liana stole a glance at him. He had not combed his hair at all. Not giving her time to reply, Locke dragged her to the class. With a parting "Have Fun!" he left.

Liana looked round her class, surveying the scene. There were at least twenty students in the class, some of them as old as she was, and others a lot older. At the front of the class, there stood a young lady whom Liana identified as Karin. So she was teaching her sword fighting! Liana stood at the back. Karin spotted her anyway. Calling to Liana, Karin walked over to her and *dragged* her to the front of the class. "Class, I would like to introduce our newest member, Liana. I hope you'll help her as much as you help each other!" Karin called to the class, smiling. (A/N: () Liana blushed slightly. She hated being the centre of attraction, preferring to blend in with the crowd. Suddenly, she heard a voice.

"Well, well, a little midget joining our class. I'm *sure* she will be such a wonderful student." Sneered an older student. Liana immediately looked up. The girl who had said this was a tall, lanky student, who tied her hair up in a short ponytail. She did not look good with it but obviously thought she did. At this moment she was looking down at Liana with extreme hatred. (A/N: think CSY acting posh. Giggle.) Karin immediately contradicted her.

"Suyih, you might also considering improving your stance. Also, you were no hot shot when you first arrived. If you have nothing good to say to a person, don't say it." Karin almost shouted. Suyih looked down at Liana again. It was clear to her that she had made her first enemy.

The rest of the drills in swords passed by quickly. It was then time for the two hours of hand fighting. Liana had just walked out of the class when she bumped into Suyih. Suyih stared down with so much distaste that it was clear to Liana that she would have to stay out of her way. Liana walked on quickly and bumped into another person, Locke. Looking at Suyih's back, Locke shook his head. He turned to Liana." Hand fighting next! Come on, I'm with you for this. Oh, and that girl you bumped into," He said, steering Liana to another place, "She's equivalent to a half decaying lump of rat meat. Ignore her." He finished as he led her into a huge open room.

"Starters at the front." He smiled cheerfully as he left to talk with Ziran, who was also in the room. Liana made her way to the front of the class, and was standing right between a girl and a boy of the same age. The girl smiled cheerfully and began to talk.

"Hi! My name's Gilinhu, 'cept everyone who knows me calls me Glin. What's your name?" She asked. Liana smiled and told Gilinhu her name. They seamed a lot like each other. Just then, the boy spoke up.

"Look, I don't care who you are, but you mind being so kind as not to shout in my ear?" He asked in a very sarcastic tone. Gilinhu stuck out her tongue at him. "Also please refrain from looking at me like that. I don't fancy it, brat." As soon as those words were out from his tongue, Gilinhu and Liana jumped on him. Hard. He was down on the floor when a voice called out.

"Gilinhu, Emekien and you. Please stop fighting unless I tell you to. Get off the floor." Boomed out a voice. It belonged to a tall man at the front of the class. Gilinhu whispered something to Liana. It sounded like 'teacher, shang panther' Liana got up, letting Emekien out. The man scrowled. "You will do what I tell you to and not do what I do not say." A voice came from the back of the class.

"So we don't breathe just 'cause you didn't say so?" Liana identified it as Locke's. She half grinned. Gilinhu grinned as well. The Shang panther frowned.

"Locke, I will see you after lessons. It may be quite some time before you have another free day." He half shouted, half scrowled. After that, the lesson continued as normal. Liana had some thoughts about the Shang panther, but apart from that, she just fought. It was evident that she now had two enemies. Suyih and the boy Emekien. At least there was Gilinhu. She seemed a jolly type. The class was over, and she left for the half hour break with Gilinhu. Locke winked at them and Gilinhu winked back.

"My brother." She mentioned. Liana stared. No wonder Gilinhu was so loose tongued. She shook her head and went for break. The rest of the day, she just listened and learnt, thinking about the three new people she had met that day. Gilinhu, Suyih and Emekien.