Inside>Out! Ch1 Fed Up! pt2
Distraught over the new developments of his morning, Shinta slowly dragged himself to a tree on the edge of the Practice Area and crawled onto one of it's stronger branches. It had never bothered him that canines rarely climbed trees, and it certainly wasn't on his mind now. Closing his eyes and sighing, Shinta tried to maintain his composure. After a while, his thoughts began to drift. Eventually, they worked their way back to earlier this morning, just after his master had informed him of his impending confrontation with Leo in front of the whole school. He could picture Iwako excitedly heading toward her first test, her silvery tail with it's tiny tip of white moving about happily in the morning breeze. He had been too distressed to notice earlier, but he recalled it now. It was the last thing he thought about before...before...
"No! Don't touch it!"
"But why not?"
"Shinta! Wake UP!" Shinta awoke to feel someone's paws yanking on his tail. Looking down, he saw Iwako standing on the ground beneath him, her face showing the look of annoyance that he knew so well. "Shinta! You're gonna miss your Spell Inspection!"
"Nnnnn...I'm up....I'm up..." He stretched just a bit, adjusting his tail so as not to give her further access to it. It was time for him to get the first test out of the way.
Minutes later, Shinta was standing in the Inspection Area. The proctor stood before him, clipboard in paw.
"Given your past records, the administration has asked of you only this today: perform a Wind spell of B-Rank or above." Ears perking at this, Shinta became excited. He could demonstrate a new technique he created that he had been hoping to showcase for a while. The Principal himself might even be witness to it.
Wasting few seconds to ready himself, Shinta gathered the winds about him, lifting himself off the ground. Spreading his paws wide, Shinta declared the name of his spell aloud for added effect.
"Crashing Air Wave...HA!" Upon the last sound, he brought his paws together in a mighty clap, sending razor-sharp rings of air in a spherical field out from his body. As the waves hit the dirt of the field, it caused gauges to appear and kicked up the dirt. Floating back to the ground, Shinta exhaled deeply.
The lookers on gradually began to clap. The applause began to rise higher and higher. It warmed Shinta's heart with a feeling of accomplishment--something he felt so very rarely. But a brutal chill returned to him as he heard a voice crying out from the audience.
"We'll see just how much of a genius you are when the Striking Test comes along, you filthy, half-blood freak!" screamed Leo. The clapping stopped instantly, and Leo, along with his followers, stalked off to a nearby exam area.
****The Strength and Striking Test*****
"I still can't believe he had the nerve to do that to you! And just when you thought you would finally get some respect at this place..." Iwako fumed, clenching her paws in anger.
"It's ok. Wind is his favorite element.. He probably felt inadequate when he saw me." Shinta responded, looking at his paws on the ground.
"That's no excuse and you know it!" Iwako said. As she did, the proctor for the exam appeared.
"Shinta...it is time." Rising to leave, Shinta began to walk away from the bench.
"Shinta! Wait!" Iwako called to him. "I..." He looked back at her, a sullen look in his eyes. Seeing his response, she quieted, and let him go.
"This test is to determine whether or not the students involved have mastered their skills to a degree in which they can continue their education," announced the proctor. The audience fell silent, intent on seeing their favorite fighter walk away in triumph. "Let the battle..." The proctor raised his arm. "BEGIN!"