"Tris, I just don't understand!" Pulsatilla groans, resting her head on the table. "He's doing fantastic in training! Top of the charts! But at any given time, he's somewhere by himself. I can't even tell he's trying to make connections and associations!"
"Have you considered maybe he just doesn't belong? He was a lower bred Maiar after all." Her red haired sister sips her tea with an amused glance.
"No, that's not it. He belongs. He's stronger than his peers on the spells despite looking like it just exhausts him. It's just..." She looks up. "Have you even seen him talk to anyone that didn't talk to him first?"
"Well, consider his background. Frigus is an arse to the bone. Probably drilled it into his head with a mallet."
Pulsatilla sighs and leans her head on her hand. "But how do you think we can fix that?"
"Put him on an assignment with Calandra." Trisopia then grins.
"Calandra? Why Calandra?" She looks at her. "What do you know that I don't?"
Trisopia takes a mirror from her pocket and waves her hand over it. The glass vaguely glimmers green before she hands it over. "Take a look at that. Tell me if you notice anything interesting."
Pulsatilla watches the mirror and sees Vasco sitting alone in a corner of the dining area with a small bowl of soup. There is a group of girls off to the side making their plates, Calandra is in the middle of the line. Suddenly, one of the girls in front of her slips and her bowl of soup is airborne above Calandra's head. Vasco stops mid bite. There is a quick glimmer of scarlet around Calandra. The bowl and the soup land around her and not a drop touches her. Vasco finishes his bite without another glance. Calandra and her friends laugh about how lucky she must be for the soup to have missed like that as they go to another table. Vasco smiles a little, his eyes briefly glimmer scarlet. A cookie floats from a platter some steps away and silently sits itself on Calandra's plate.
Pulsatilla blinks and hands the mirror back. "That happened last night?"
"Lunch today." Trisopia grins. "Bertramus apparently is just shy. His low confidence levels make him scared to approach her so he silently makes her life a little easier."
"And that must be why he's always so tired during his trainings." She sighs. "I'm so oblivious."
"You just didn't know what to look for. You're still pretty new at this yourself, Lia. A couple hundred years doesn't make you an expert."
"But what do you suggest I do about him?"
"Take him to the side, tell him women like confidence, and send him on his merry way. Then we sit back and watch if it makes any changes. If all else fails, you should pair them and send them on a research excursion."
Pulsatilla sighs and picks up her tea cup. "But maybe just telling him about the confidence will promote him to try talking to her at least. I doubt she even realizes he exists."
"Today is the big shift, right?"
"You mean the night they see what other form they naturally shift to? I had thought about it. Do you think they're ready?"
"I think in the case you need to send shy-boy and miss pris on an excursion they need to know their main shift to conserve energy." She quickly sips down the rest of her tea and gets up. "You want to ring the bell for training?"
"Of course I want to ring the bell, why would you even ask?"
Trisopia smiles to herself. "Because watching your excitement over something so simple never gets old."
————————
"Today we will discuss form shifting. Can anyone tell me the three types of shifting?" Trisopia looks at the younger wizards. "Calandra, if you please."
Calandra thinks for a moment. "Main, auxiliary, and emergency?"
"Well, close. The last is called mortem, but generally if you must perform a mortem shift you are probably in an emergency situation." She chuckles. "I know each of you has been trained on typical auxiliary shifting. It's time to discover what your main shift is. Can anyone remind the class what a main shift is? Bertramus?"
Bertramus looks over from where he had been watching Calandra. "Main shift is the least taxing form shift, usually as a means for faster transportation than just regularly walking. Unless you are like Erlenmyus whose main shift was into another wizard with a completely different personality named Fernachus."
"Exactly." Trisopia sits down on a mat and motions for the students to do the same. "Now I want you to close your eyes and relax. Think of what qualities make you you. When you feel at peace I want you to start shifting, but keep your mind empty. Let your instincts take over the shift." She says before shifting herself into a quetzal bird and watches her students. "When you feel brave enough, open your eyes and look at the mirror Pulsatilla has set before you."
Bertramus opens his eyes and looks into the mirror and feels his heart fall into his stomach. The black feathers, sharp silver beak...a crow. An evil little crow. He wonders if a crow can cry as he feels the head rise in his face. He hears the murmurs of the other maya around him.
"See! I told you! He's evil!"
He shuts his eyes and flies out of the room. The door shuts behind himself.
Pulsatilla gasps, but Trisopia only tilts her head. "I don't understand? What is so bad about ravens? It fits him." She murmurs and looks at her sister. "You handle them, I'll go talk with him." She then gently flaps from the room after him.
She finally finds him in his quarters, packing a bag. "Bertramus?"
Bertramus looks over at her. His eyes are red and watery. "I...I can't stay here, madam." He croaks. "It seems fate has its own plan for me...And if I'm going to turn out evil, I shouldn't learn how to control my magic so I'm not as dangerous."
"Bertramus, is this about your shift? Ravens are not evil creatures." She sits on the edge of his bed, watching him. "They're symbols of wisdom, and good luck in many cultures. Have you ever seen how masterful a raven can be if it has a goal in mind? Very resilient creatures."
"It's...It's not just that. Everyone knows."
"Everyone knows what?" She tilts her head.
"That I like Calandra. She doesn't know, but they're making her life he'll because they know I'll go out of my way to intervene." His shoulders sag and he hangs his head. "I'm such an idiot."
"Bertramus..." She then sighs. "If you've made up your mind, I will not force you to stay here. But in the very least, you should tell her goodbye before you go. Better to have confronted one fear and flee the rest than to flee them all."
"I....I guess I can do that." He grimaces.
"Good." She pats his shoulder and gets up. "I'll go tell Pulsatilla. However, I'll give you twenty-four hours to fully decide, okay?"
Bertramus nods. "Thank you."
Trisopia nods and walks out, hiding a small smirk. "That boy isn't going anywhere." She mutters.
———————
Bertramus stops outside a corner room's door. He raises his fist to knock, but can't seem to force himself to follow through with the motion. He bites his bottom lip and instead drops his hand by his side and stoops down, sliding a note silently under her door. His eyes widen and he pales as the door opens and he finds himself staring at a pair of short black boots.
"Uh...hi?"
He slowly looks up and makes eye contact with the brow-raised boot owner. His cheeks start burning viciously. He opens his mouth to say something, but his tongue won't work, so he closes it again.
She reaches down and gets the note from his fingertips. "Were you sliding this to me?"
He nods, or he would nod if his head would cooperate. He can't stop staring at her which fuels his blush onward down his neck.
She then giggles, leaning against the door frame. "You can talk, right? You're in my classes...uhm...Berty? Bertramen?"
"B-Bertram-mus..." He finally stutters out.
"Oh right!" She nods and watches him. "So what's in the note?"
"Stuff..."
She raises a brow again. "Stuff, eh? My my my, how descriptive are we. Should I read it now?"
Bertramus manages to shake his head and looks away. "No...Not that it matters." He smiles a tiny bit and looks like he's preparing to flee. "Really, y-you can just throw it out."
"If it's trash, why don't you tell me the jist, then I'll decide if I think it's worth opening or not."
"It's stupid, spur of the moment, nonsense..." he slowly stands up.
"Is that so? Why would you be sending me nonsense?"
Bertramus starts taking a couple steps back. "Bye, Calandra..."
Calandra takes a step forward. "No, no, don't leave yet!" She grabs his arm and watches him turn from pink to red in the face. "Bertramus, what is it?"
"It's a goodbye." He then sighs. "I'm leaving tonight."
"Leaving? Where are you going?"
Bertramus shrugs and looks away. "I don't know...maybe if I plead enough my old boss will take me back...Or, or...maybe I can find some other out of the way jobs."
"But why?"
"Because apparently I'm just evil." He then spits out bitterly. "So why should a future villain stay here learning things he may use to hurt those he loves? No, it's better for everyone if I go."
"Do you really think you're evil?" She takes another step closer to him, but he avoids her eyes. "Because you don't look evil to me...I see a cute and caring misunderstood wizard."
Bertramus looks at her with widened eyes. "Huh?"
Calandra grins a little. "You seriously think I haven't noticed the little scarlet mist surrounding me all the time?" He starts to pull away as though ready to flee again, but she keeps a steady grip on his arm. "I don't want you to go."
"I don't want to hurt you..." The words slip out before he recognizes he's said them aloud and he presses his lips tightly together.
Calandra looks at him and manages to make eye contact. "Then don't go. That'd hurt me more than any prank the imbeciles pull." Her eyes shortly glimmer a rich indigo.
Bertramus finds himself unable to look away from her eyes. He slowly feels less tense though a strange feeling flutters in his chest. He then blinks as Calandra kisses his cheek.
"Let's have breakfast together tomorrow." She then smiles at him. "Promise me you'll stay?"
He looks at her, flabbergasted, but manages a small nod.
Calandra releases his arm. "Oh, one last thing. What's your common name? Mine's Estella."
"Vasco." He smiles slowly.
"Then I'll see you tomorrow, Vasco, and I'll read this little treat tonight." She winks at him and shakes the letter before going back in her room.
Bertramus stands there for a moment before walking down the hall back to his own room. He furrows his brow as he tries to make sense of what just happened. He opens his door, shuts it, and slides down it to the floor.
"Holy feathers!"
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