A/N Ello! so I'm finally back and unfortunately didn't get to right the full life chapter like i wanted, but I figured that I needed to get back into writing and posting, otherwise I would just stay at a standstill here. I still have all of the planning I did for the chapters, but because of life changes that significantly alter my schedule, I will be trying to write in a different format. Here goes!
(Schnee) Arc:
Ch. 19: A Cold Start
-Waa-How dare you! We adhere to a strict code of honor unlike you, you dog!-
1
Heiter's Pov
I watched as Weiss left the room, uncertain of what to do. She didn't call my name so… Do I still follow Rita around? I look to her and watch her pick up the cup Weiss drank from, the kettle that carried her 'coffee' and put it on a silver tray , which she lifts with both hands before looking across the table to me.
"I'll return,don't worry. Stay here, ok Heiter?"
I nod. Somehow fastening myself to the chair even more as my feet sway.
"Splendid. Feel free to walk around the room, no need to bolt yourself to the dining chair. Just be sure to wait for me before you go anywhere."
I nod again. I relax a little and grab my hot chocolate, enjoying the warmth in my hand. I take a sip and set it down in my lap.
"Oh keep that on the table when you're not drinking please, wouldn't want any accidents."
I look over my shoulder to the left and see Rita at the double doors that were left open. She keeps eye contact, maintaining a gentle look on her face.
I nod again and raise my cup onto the table. I will hold it when I'm drinking. Accidents are bad.
"Good, I'll be back."
I look back to the left at the door and watch her leave, sure on her feet as she balances the things on the tray.
How do you carry a tray and the things on it? I'm afraid it would slide around…
Actually why does it slide around? I look down at the silver table. I lightly tap the bottom of my glass that had water in it and watch it slide for a moment.
I mean it happened here…
…
Why does it slide?
Why doesn't it slide for her?
...
I don't know the answer to why… and I can't ask.
A warm feeling makes itself at home in my stomach, and it isn't the same feeling I got from the hot chocolate. It feels like my stomach is getting crushed by… itself?
I felt like this earlier...
The memories of class come to mind. I shiver at the partial feeling of uselessness that came from some of them. I need… I need to be able to stay here otherwise…
The situation up in the sky with the empty building come to mind.
This building… I look around the room. It has people. Some are 'maids', 'butlers' ,The only thing I can tell is they wear matching clothes... and then there is Weiss!
Who is… upstairs… doing her thing, while i'm here…
So i'm in a building with people, but not with people…
Well… I get time to be with people! Though… Weiss acted differently…
Did I do something? I lean back against the chair, wondering… Well I did get in trouble with Mr. Laufer earlier… But I met Rita again because of that… and she was kind. Made things better in class with the teachers… Specially the older lady. I had her for two of my classes… I didn't do… good there.
Well it's just temporary… I smile. I'll be able to read and write… soon.
Then I can do well for these kind people who are helping me!
I look down to the cup of hot chocolate, then the stone floor on my left, then the open door.
I pick up a cup and take a sip, enjoying the warmth that works its way through my throat, feeling like it expands my chest a little. Oh there it is! I spot the bottom of the cup and see a darker thing at the bottom of the cup. It sticks to the sides , different from the hot chocolate despite looking similar to it.
I finish the cup and debate sleep. I'm warm on the inside, but I'm cold on the outside. I purse my lips and puff my cheeks as I deal with the slight throbbing in my lips. Sleep would be nice. Can I fall asleep in a chair?
No. Rita said she would be back… I look at the floor, it looks comfortable...
No. I… I don't want to walk around, but I can't leave… Can I just sleep… no, I can rest?
Well I am resting right now… I stretch with the thought and close my eyes.
…
Its bright… red… I open my eyes and see the windows with the blue drapes…
…
I close my eyes again and cover my eyes, noticing the dimming of the red light when my hands shield me from it…
This isn't comfortable…
I scoot out of my chair, but struggle to move it.
My pants slip against the seat of the chair and my hips slide forward, putting me in an awkward position.
OH! I notice the difference underneath the table. I slide along my pants and back until I just flop out of the chair. I bump my tailbone against the floor as my black topsiders slider outward across the floor.
Now underneath the chair I notice something. A white… Oh that's the napkin. That… goes in the chair…
After tenderly placing it down I stretch out underneath the chairs and close my eyes… It's not the grass, or my bed, but I can't leave room and it… works…just fine.
I can't fall asleep…
The floor is uncomfortable, hard, cold…
Haa…
I sit still and place my hands under the bottom of my polo and on my belly, where it is warm. I empty my thoughts and sigh as I make the most of it. The chair is uncomfortable to rest in, the floor is cold, hard, but it is flat. My back can rest against the surface.
I move my shoulders as I try to get comfortable. The floor digs into my back with the cold.
Events earlier today come to mind with me lying down, wet and trying to dry in the cold wind against a hard, gritty stone.
I move my hand against the smooth, polished stone. It may be cold, but I'm not wet… so if I can rest there then…
I get comfortable at last and close my eyes.
I see a darkness and a dim red at the edge of my vision on the right.
The sun… slipping under the table through the window.
I hear… a humming… I don't know what it is. It reminds me of the things that sprayed water earlier…
When that mental image comes up I rise and see the table coming closer to my face. I stop, but then realize there is plenty of room for me to crawl on my legs.
I reposition myself to where I'm on my knees. Very much awake after getting mentally splashed, I crawl forward, then turn to the left and come out between my chair and the one next to it. The cold floor is strangely comfortable against my khakis. That moment is short though as I make my way out and stand up. Now curious about something hanging in front of me.
It's a portrait. Framed within a portrait is a painting of five people. Three younger people are in front, angled center. Two adults are in the back, positioned between the younger ones and angled to the center. A boy sits in the middle and… Almost everyone in the picture has white hair…Blue eyes are everywhere... Wait… OH!
That's Mr. Schnee on the in the back! And Weiss sitting on the right!
…
Who is the young boy who looks my age in the center or the older girl on the left? Everyone seems to wear White, blue and… black shoes.
"That would be a painting of the Schnee family… Two years ago?"
I look to my right and see Rita had returned. Her warm green eyes studied me, then the portrait. She closed the door as she began to speak.
"Mr. and Mrs. Schnee are in the back.
Miss Winter is on the left. Mr. Whitney is in the center and the young miss is on the right."
I point to the boy. Then look questioningly at Rita.
"Mr. Whitney is being taught back in is only 8 years old so Mr. schnee doesn't want him traveling much." Rita began walking from the door towards me.
Where is Atlas? Is it nearby? Is that a building I don't know?
Arg another question…
Hmm. I gaze back at the portrait. I have a hunch who the other girl is… Weiss's big sister… I forgot the name…
I struggle to remember as my recent memories consist of math problems. I smile at the familiar fun of multiplication and division.
"Miss Winter."
I look at Rita as I point at the portrait again.
"Yes that is Miss Winter"
Oh right! She just told me. Pay attention… though… I'm tired of that... Rita stops next to me and gazes to the picture. I look at her, then the portrait.
"She… looks a little different in this picture, but she has grown in the last two years. Outside of the Schnee family. The young miss looks up to her."
I nod as I remember how much she mentions her, specially at the tower.
OHHHHH… thats what i was forgetting!
"You missed meeting her since she dropped by for her birthday in December, during winter break when she turned 16. You will probably... meet her when the young miss has her 11th birthday In February. "
I smile at the idea of meeting more people. It's true that the classes were hard, but I met miss Rita because of it. Then things got better. A clap pulls me from my thoughts.
"Now then! The young miss is studying. We should get you started as well." Miss Rita walked past me and to the other side of the room as I began to follow her. She opened a further down the wall that…
I looked over my shoulder. The door here is positioned like the other, a walking distance from the silver table, with the family portrait in between…
…
I sigh.
…
"Heiter?"
I turn in response to the question. Rita is waiting, holding the door open. Oh right. I can start with some math exercises when we get… wherever we are going…. Unless that isn't the plan.
I follow Rita out through the is a door across from me that leads to the glass room, but that's not where i'm going. I turn to the right and begin to walk back toward the stairs that lead to my room.
"Heiter."
I stop and turn around.
Rita beckons that I go the other way.
Oh so we aren't going that way. I speedily walk back to her and walk on ahead. I had wanted to see the glass wall again, or is it one giant side room that has a glass wall that I can see into?
…
Oh! Wait! I haven't been here before!
I stop. Do I… go here? I mean Weiss…
"Heiter?"
I notice Rita had stopped next to me. She had a questioning look on me. Like the one most of my teachers did. Well I suppose teaching a… mute… that was the word they use. Right? It might be hard and I'm thankful they are helping.
"Heiter?"
Right. Focus. I'm supposed to follow her.
I do just that. Follow till we turn a right at the end of the hallway ,follow her down the next shorter hallway, follow her around the left corner, ignoring the large glass doors on the right that lead to the courtyard. After that left, I follow her down an even shorter hallway to double doors that lead to.. A long hallway with large double doors on the the left and right. There is a regular door across from me, but we take the left and walk down the hallway in silence. Once we pass through the double doors I finally recognize a fourway and the stairway on the left section. So that means…
I watch Rita walk straight , not entering the door on the left to the doctor's room three fourths of the way to the fourway, passing through the fourway…
We are going to the study?
2
When we do enter the study, I spot the binder Rita had gotten for me during the first class in 'Word Study' with the older lady.
I run past rita and slow before stopping and looking over my shoulder to Rita. A question hangs in my mind.I thought this folder was in my room?
A look of understanding came from Rita. "I had them brought here, homework shouldn't be done in your bedroom. Your workplace will be here."
I nod.
"Now I would like to cover what happened earlier. In your word study class with Ms. Pisets, we ran into an issue where… you can't read."
I give an embarrassed look to the ground.
"Because of that I have been thinking of some methods that would allow us to study."
She puts her hand on a pile of small papers… or are those… really small rectangular pieces of paper?
"I had some note cards printed and brought so that I could reader them off and then you would pick a word I previously told you. It's not the best thing, but given your situation."
OH!
"Well no worries" She returned the smile that I had on my face. "It seems you're happy with this method so then!" she gestured to the chair "Take a seat and I will start."
I moved to sit at the chair. As I did, Rita moved around the desk as she flipped through several of the note cards.
"Ok then are you ready?"
I patted the desk with excitement. I could learn despite my limitations.
"Now then. Analyze. To examine carefully or study closely."
She placed down a card in front of me. "This is the word Analyze. If I asked, what is it to examine carefully or study closely, I want you to tap this card. Understood?"
I nod. I look at the odd mixture of symbols. I do recognize the A in it, but aside that… the rest looks wierd to me. So this is the word Analyze.
"Now then the next word is Anticipate. It means to look forward to, to expect."
She places down another card. Again I recognize the A's, the C and… That's it. Ok...
"Next is Beneficial. It means something is helpful."
I point at her, then tap my two cards.
"I'm glad you find this beneficial to you. now you can be beneficial to yourself by learning these words."
I nod eagerly, then watch as she places down the then reads the next.
"Chronological. To be arranged in order of time of occurrence. I have arranged your class folder in order of when you have each class during the day. Word study comes before art, which is before, political science, which is before mathematics. Understood?"
It did.
She gave a look of approval and then placed the Chronological card down. I could see the C's, the lone A, and… nothing else, but I knew this was the word Chronological.
I looked up to Rita.
"Compare. To examine and note the similarities or differences of. These cards are all made of paper, but they have different words on them, which you will learn in time."
I'm noticing that I'm seeing the C and the A alot...
Miss Rita doesn't place another card down.
The cards are spread out in a horizontal line before me.
"Now then we have these five note cards, each with a word. We have Analyze, Anticipate, Beneficial, chronological, and Compare. I will say a definition and you will pick the word I'm describing. Ok?"
It was a gentle question. One that had an easy answer.
I gave a smile and swung my feet with excitement in the chair. My shoulders rocked as I almost hopped out of my chair.
"Now then, before we start. I want you to tap the words as I call them out. Beneficial."
Beneficial beneficial… I think that's the only word that starts with a B here so… I spot the card that meets that condition and put my hand on it.
"Good, now which word is analyze?."
A-n-a-lyze. There should be… two A's right? OH wait she said that before Beneficial soo…
I tap the card on the far left.
"Good, now which word is Compare?"
Com-pare… Well it's not the really long C word so… on the far right.
"Chronological?"
Oh umm There's the other C word… Weiss I'm so glad you taught be a little bit before I started having class. Those few sessions were helpful, even if I did want to sleep.
I find the card and tap it.
"Anticipate?"
A-n-a- wait no. that doesn't sound right and I think I tapped this card before. Right it was on the far left so… A-n-t-i.
Anticipate shouldn't have the second A i'm hearing in so soon… so it's the second card?
Wait… does that mean this second symbol is the letter that sounds like N?
"Good! Now then I will start by giving a definition. Answer by placing your hand on the word I describe. When something is arranged in the order of time of occurrence, it is?"
…
Chrono… Chro… just remember the word…
I…
Haa…
…
Chronological... and it starts with a C so…
I find 3 cards that fit that description.
Oh wait there is the one. Recognizing it isn't a problem.
I tap it and look up.
"Good, now what is to examine carefully and study closely.
Ah right. Analyze!
That is… I tap the card on the left.
"Good, now what is helpful?"
…
We covered it… I stare at the words before me.
Haa… beneficial? So thats a B word…
Well there is a B worded card , which is beneficial so.
I tap it.
" what do you look forward to, or expect?"
… I don't remember this one.
I frown as I stare at the cards.
I dig deeper in my memory and for once don't feel pain. Visual images of Rita placing the cards and accompanying sounds come forth until…
Anticipate.
I tap the card she placed.
"Good now what is to examine and note the similarities or differences of?
I did into my memory again and find rita describing compare.
I find the card and tap it.
"Very good. It appears this method will work for now, though there are some problems."
I tilt my head.
"Now then five more words and we will stop for now. I do plan on reviewing this later today with you."
I nod.
Ok now contrast. It is to show differences when compared.
I frown. Isn't that like…
I look at the table of cards before me. I find and tap compare with the help of my memory, since I can't fully read these words.
"... good of you to notice this, the precise difference between compare is that you note the similarities and difference, and that contrasting is when you note just the differences."
Hmm. ok. I nod.
"Now Describe. It is to give a description of, for example, how was your hot chocolate? It was warm correct?"
I nod.
"Was it brightly colored?"
I shake my head.
"Those are descriptions. Now elaborate. To work out in detail. You can make elaborate descriptions where you tell me even more , or have an elaborate drawing with many details. This can apply to plans. I remember you had trouble with this word in class with Ms. Pisets?"
I slowly nod my head.
"Well to elaborate on the concept. You went shopping with Mr. Laufer recently right?"
I give a quick nod as I watch her.
"Well if I asked you to elaborate on what happened there, you would tell me where you went, what you did, and about anything that caught your interest."
The tower, shop, and fish place come to mind.
"You might also tell me about the trip to Flachland and back.
Oh right the … the garage and the person… and the blocky person… and… the lady we talked to when nearing Flachland!
"It seems you have a better idea of the word?"
I gave a quick nod.
"Good, now explain. to define. If I were asked to define work, I might say that it involves physical or mental effort, for a purpose or result. Right now we are working so you can do better in class."
I understand that…
so...
Oh!
I point at the cards in her hand, then those on the table in front of me.
"..."
Rita contemplates what I'm trying to say, then she speaks after I see her brighten up.
"Yes. these vocabulary words are all definitions. That's part of the difference between define and words such as explain and elaborate."
She flips to the last card in her hand.
"Now the last word you had trouble with was evaluate. It is to judge and examine carefully. When I met you in the doctor's office, he was evaluating your health. The teachers have been evaluating your educational limits to figure out where to start for you. That is partial to why today was rough for you, but also because…"
I gulped. Rita's eyes softened before continuing.
"No. My job right now for instance is to evaluate your needs and to tend to them. Mr. Clutch has evaluated the situation and concluded that despite the correctness in the young misses statement regarding phones, you need someone who is trained to tend to individuals and that such activities for the young miss would detract from her education."
I frowned as I tried to understand…
"To evaluate is to carefully judge something. For example. The weather outside is cold so something warm will be needed if we were to stay outside for a long period of time."
OHHH! That was an example!
"Oh? Understanding are we?"
I nod. It just means to take time before deciding on something right?
Rita cleared some of the… oh the older cards from the table and spread out 5 before me.
"Now we will quiz on the last five words. First i want you to tap the words as I call them out from left to right. Contrast. Describe. Elaborate. Explain. Evaluate.
Each time she called a word, my hand would move one card to the right.
"Now then. To carefully judge is to?"
Evaluate.
My hand taps the card it currently rests over.
"To compare the differences of is to?"
Compare is different from contrast ,which is just the differences so… my hand moves all the way to the left.
"To work out in great detail is to?
Right,right. Elaborate! Right?
I tap the card in the middle.
"To give a description of is?"
That would be… to explain!
"And to explain would be?"
To describe!
When she stopped, Rita paused for a moment before taking up all but two of the cards.
"explain and describe seems to be giving you trouble so we will try again. Description and describe. When I say something is to give a description of you can hear the word descri-ption. If you break down a word you can find meaning in it, however since the two words of describe and explain are similar we will try something else."
Rita pauses for a moment before continuing.
"To understand what explaining is, you need to understand what to define is. more defining features in the areas of meaning, content, and information. To describe is to give a detailed account of something. To define is to describe or state the exact nature or meaning of something. To descriptions have more details than a definition. A definition will give a general meaning and the basics that identify the defined thing. A description will provide more details, while a definition will provide a general idea. A definition could be used to group something, while a description is individual."
Rita picked up a thick book from the corner of the table.
"A cat, when defined…" she flipped through pages. "May be described as a small domesticated carnivorous mammal, kept as a pet and catcher of vermin, and existing in a variety of breeds. When described we may talk about its physical appearance, behavior, or history."
I…
I lean back as I frown. That isn't different. You're still telling me about something.
"The primary difference is what you say, and how you say it."
Oh! Well that makes it simple.
"This can be a hard question so let's try again… to describe is give some characteristics of the item defined. To explain is to give reasons for why the item is what it is or does what it does; provide more complete information. To not confuse with elaborate, elaborate is to go into even more detail.
lets talk about the common cold. When explaining, describing, and defining.
When Defined, a cold is a viral infection affecting the nose and eyes and ears.
When described. it make your nose run and may also include a sore throat and congestion in your head.
When explained, you can catch colds from others if good hygiene is not observed, because viruses travel in sneezes and used handkerchiefs. They can last up to a couple weeks and may cause a fever.
There are differences, descriptions can answer questions. Who, what when where, or describe what you feel through the 5 senses of sight, touch, hearing, taste, and smell. To explain something is to answer the questions of how and why. To describe you need to see something, to explain you need to see and understand. Now then. Lets try again.
To tell why you had trouble in class you will need to what?"
… it answers why so… I tap explain.
"To tell me what color a stone is you will?"
What… Describe?
"Good, just remember the definition of explain is to provide an answer to the question of why. To describe is to cover what,who something is, and when , where it occurred as understood by you"
I nod.
"Now… Normally I would have you do this again, but aside those last two words, you seemed to do quite well."
I practically floated as a good feeling ran through me. I sat straighter, smiled, and looked the maid, attentive.
She stared at me for a moment, she tapped her cheek as she spoke, while looking up. "Synonyms may be a better start…" She looks down to me and reaches down with the same hand and takes up everything. She places them in a stack and then grabs another stack. ( will use cards with visual aids)
"Now, let's review what Ms. Pisets covered in political science."
Oh! The lesson about… I pause for a moment as I raise my hands and make a rectangle that I had in the class, but then lower it abruptly, as I remember the response for interrupting.
Rita pauses.
Oh… I did it again…
She motions for me to continue, not giving the same response as the teacher. "show me what you thought of."
I look at my hands for a moment, then raise them and make the rectangle again.
"Is that… a building?"
I nod.
"I see, would it happen to be this building?"
Rita brings forward one of the cards and I recognize a series of white, box shaped buildings,those in the center are tall, with shorter buildings seemingly buried in the ground. several other rectangular segments are nearby on the sides. The defining feature of the central building is both its height, and that is has two… points on either side that extend further into the sky. Several white boats with wings seem to float above it.
"Yes the Atlas Academy, one symbol of government that represents the current peace we have."
Rita picks up another book from the table and sits down across from me after grabbing a chair.
She brings out a folder of other cards, they are handwritten in 'english' and indecipherable for me except for the occasional series of letters. 'broken english' I believe Ms. Pisets called it.
A whistle snaps my attention back to Rita's green eyes. She smiles then points her hand down to a stack of cards. No wait. It's those things called pictures. She hands me one.
"Today I will recap on the subject of the Polis, for reference look at the photo of Vale."
Vale?
I have a blank face, uncertain of the meaning of the word, but I follow instruction and look down to the very realistic painting.
I do so and see… wow… my mouth drops as I feel a smile begin to express my wonder.
It's huge… and I thought Flachland was big! from where I stood at the top of that ramp it had definitely been , but this place! This place was huge beyond my imagination! Colorful, and it ran all the way from the water to a castle on a cliff. It was like I was a bird looking down and over this place. The picture had some issues, as there were dots of varying colors everywhere, almost like it was a patchwork of leaves.
…
"The city of Vale, the center of the Kingdom of Vale."
My ears perk up at new word, I had been hearing about Atlas all day and it was… bright, with buildings looking similar to those I had seen here at the Retreat. Something I felt I was familiar with, oh, but Atlas actually had people…
My hand traces over the amazingly realistic photo, looking for someone. These… cities that are centers… Atlas, Vale, are...does that make them kingdom centers? Do people make these amazing paintings of only kingdom centers? Or…
A memory of a painter telling someone I … think I knew to hold still for hours as they dabbled with their paints and put their likeness on the massive paper with painstaking care. The person sitting in the chair and said something.
"Heiter?"
I perk up at my name, looking up from the painting I Rita looking towards me, her eyes patient and waiting.
?
"I can't have you daydreaming just yet."
I pout. It was an important memory… well any memory is important... "Yes I know." I exaggerate the pout, remembering the one I had seen on the child in the chair.
"I know, you're absolutely adorable, however, that won't stop me from teaching you and it won't stop Ms. Pisets from giving you a quiz."
I sigh and look back down to the painting, rubbing the corner between my thumb and index finger. The paint has a weird texture. Ah! Don't touch! It might smear somehow! I hold the painting between both hands as i carefully balance it and now search for any people.
…
I sigh, unable to find anything between the random pieces of color that are on what remind me of the main street in Flachland. Maybe they are all… inside? Hmm that must be it. It's a of the city of Vale, not it's people so everyone must have gone inside!
I nod to myself, proud to have figured that out without needing to ask something awkwardly… actually that's another question I can't think of how to ask. "Where are the people?"
…
I need to learn to write. Soon.
…
…
…
?
I look up to Rita and notice the same look from her. "Ready?"
I nod quickly and jerk before I slow down and place the painting gingerly in my lap. "Great! Now let's get started.
Now a Polis is...
A/N Ello again! The other reason I chose to switch to this smaller writing style is that i hope to write more compact chapters so it doesn't just go on, while I was away I had thought about large chapters versus many smaller ones and had tested that in the last one with the numbers I placed to serve as a marker. I have been out of practice so it may take me some time to get back in gear, but I think I'll work my way up to a more modest word count and just write chapters as I have plenty of ideas. looking forward continuing the evolution of my writing style and to being my first reader, take care!
