[R] New Year, New Student (Ainsley/Istas) FIN

[Appeal]

The holiday break was over and Ainsley had finally settled in. A lot had happened to her and Octavian Oswald, a lot of which the small child probably would be addressed as an over imaginative child if she told others of her tales. She had moved, met her sister, got a snow globe that seemed to almost talk to her, met snow dancers, met an ice princess and now Ainsley faced the most troublesome of all events: starting school for the first time in a new home. She was not alone though, like she always did, Octavian Oswald was by her side -- or rather, in her arms.

There was chatter in the room behind the door which Ainsley stood beside. She leaned close to the door as she curiously tried to listen for anything, but it was hard to make out anything other than the sound of rambunctious children. All she got was her braided hair swaying from each side of her head as she moved this way and that, and the small click of her shoes as they hit the waxed floor below her feet. She tried to wait patiently but she had mixed feelings about the whole event that the child would wait for a couple moments and then quickly move before pausing soon after. Just where had that teacher gone?

Finally there was the click of the door and a teacher soon popped his head out of the classroom and opened it for Ainsley. He held the door and only closed it after she had been past him before he proceeded to close it. He waited a moment as the class had yet to simmer down from the early morning chaos to even notice the small child who had entered the room.

"Aaah-hem," he said. "Class. I'd like to introduce you to our new student and your new classmate: Ainsley McMahon."

He gave Ainsley a small push forward, nudging her to introduce herself and say hello to the class. The small child looked around at the class, who were suddenly all quiet now minus the whispers... and all staring at her. It was weird to get a new student half way through the year. She held the white bunny plush Octavian Oswald in her arms and raised him up to her face level.

"This is Octavian Oswald," she introduced before peeking her head out beside him and saying, "and I'm Ainsley! It's nice to meet you all."

 

[LP]

Istas sat at her usual seat, they were assigned so it was kind of hard not to. With little colorful name tags on the desks and the cubbys even had name tags.

She was coloring while waiting for the class to start. Others were being rowdy a few were trying to pick on her. She sighed at the whole thing, trying to shoo the boys off and frowning. "Stop it, you're messing me up." She almost whined when she went out of the lines for one of them tugging at her curls.

That's when the new student came in. Everyone seemed to get really quite when the teacher spoke. Everyone had hustled to their seats. They were all sorta interested a few cracked chuckles 'cause she brought her stuffed animal to school. Mainly the boy's though as they seemed to be 'too mature' for such things.

Istas greeted Ainsley and Octavian with small smile and a wave. They seemed to be all assigned seating by last name, so Istas was unsure of where Ainsley'd be sitting.

However the other girl did pique her interest.  

[Appeal]

The boys were awfully rowdy, nothing like Senri at all. There was absolutely no comparison! Although her thoughts rushed to Senri, Ainsley still noticed the wave from a curly-haired girl, and waved back. Did she make a friend already? This thought excited the child but she remained calm about it, keeping her posture straight and her expression serious, giving a small wave to the other girl as she held the plushie in her arms. With introductions done, the teacher addressed Ainsley.

"Now Ainsley, until I have a chance to find you a permanent seat when I rearrange the seating, I'd like for you to take the empty seat over there." He said as he directed her to the empty seat next to Istas Holywell. He went with her and soon he was looking down at Istas, directing her. "Please be so kind as to show Ainsley around the school during break and make sure she's not having trouble following along." He covered his bases, not familiar with what the child may or may not be capable of. She was from an entirely different state after all.

The teacher went back to the front of the classroom, leaving the small child to take up the empty seat next to Istas Holywell for now. She did this carefully, adjusting her skirt as she sat down, dropping her plushie on her lap. Her eyes eventually looked to the side, falling on Istas. Noting the teacher hadn't started anything yet, she whispered to Istas.

"Hello," she greeted. "My name is Ainsley, what's yours?"

 

[LP]

The child watched as the teacher brought Ainsley over. Istas shifted softly, oh why was she chosen to show around the new kid? It wasn't that she didn't want to, but the boys were already so mean to her, Istas heard a few snickers and turned to see who it was.

Looking unimpressed in the direction of Billy Snide. He was trouble, and she hoped that because the teacher had put Ainsley with her, that there wouldn't be more trouble. She'd hate for the new kid to be picked on, though even as a sailor scout it was hard for Istas to stop the fact she constantly got bugged or 'attacked'.

She turned her attention to the teacher immediately when he came over. "Yussir." She said nodding, with a smile, the way the desks were situated the class was in clusters of four. Istas had put up her coloring books, however she wondered why he asked her to make sure that the other wasn't having trouble following along? She looked at him her buttery yellow eyes were curious. How would she know, she wasn't the teacher, but she could try though she supposed.

Istas' eyes followed Mr. Whitesmith back to his desk, before she heard Ainsley speak. "Istas Lulu Hollywell." She replied, with a pause, "If you have a hard time saying Istas you can call me you can call me Lulu."

Suddenly there came a call from behind them, "Hey Rabbit," A pause and when the desired effect seemed not reached the voice called out again, "Pssbbtt Hey Curly Rabbit Ears."

Istas rolled her eyes, "What Billy?" She hissed turning around looking at him she really wished he'd stop.

"You both have something in common you're a stinky rabbit and she has a stinky rabbit too!"

Istas' face twitched as if she might cry, however after a second she scoffed and turned back around trying to not let the fact that actually hurt show. Boys were stupid...  

[Appeal]

Ainsley smiled a little more as Istas introduced herself and she replied with a gentle, "Hello Istas, it's really nice to meet you," having no trouble saying her name. She was used to being around adults, and her aptitude for speaking was stronger than a normal child her age, although she still stumbled over words when emotions were involved. Of course, then there beautiful bonding moment was interrupted by a dirty, stinking boy. She would have ignored him, had he not brought bunnies into it. She gave a quick glance to Istas, wondering why she had been addressed as a rabbit. Was it her hair? It did kind of look like rabbit ears. Curly ones.

The teacher didn't seem to be paying attention at all as he addressed the paperwork on his desk for the day while Ainsley listened to what the boy had said. He had just insulted her dear prince and the child had to do a double take. Wait, did he just... he just. The child grasped the bunny in her arms, her face changing into an empty expression. It wasn't sad, she wasn't even upset. Her icy blues eyes just shot a cold look at the boy named Billy. The look said it all, the look said silence. They weren't even worth opening her mouth for. She knew Octavian Oswald wasn't dirty and that's all she needed. Her attention went back to Istas. She smiled, and decided she'd try and make Istas feel better. That was worth words.

"I like your hair," she said. "It's so clean and shiny -- the style is so cute too!"

 

[LP]

Istas' face twitched as Billy and his small group were discussing in whispers now about the two girls. She closed her eyes and sighed shaking her head, what she wouldn't give to be able to transform in front of them and send them screaming home to mommy because there was a skirted terrorist in their class.

However the child wouldn't be so silly. She only eventually smiled again, "Hehe thanks, try to ignore him, he's a bully sorta. The whole table is." She said softly with a frown.

"Should've never said my name means snow rabbit, he hasn't shut up with the dirty rabbit comments since."

Istas didn't have a plush toy with her, but in one of the colorful cubbyholes there was a back pack in the shape of a teddy bear with a bow around his neck. Above it held Istas' name. "You'll prolly have a cubbyhole before too long." She said softly, "You may want to keep Octavian in there, then Billy can't be mean to him."

She'd seen how Ainsley reacted towards the dirty rabbit comment. She knew how the girl felt however since then she'd stopped carrying actual plush animals to school. It was just safer that way, "They tend to be... a little too mean to stuffed friends..." She whispered and cut herself short remembering what had happened to one of her elephants.  

[Appeal]

Ainsley didn't mind the boy's comments towards her bunny plush, he was a prince and those comments certainly didn't bother him... but the ones about Istas were the intolerable ones. How could they be so mean to a little girl? She didn't understand. Not even when Istas told her that her named meant Snow Rabbit did the child see why. It sounded like a wonderful name to her. Ainsley didn't think her name meant anything special, but the name didn't make her who she was. Istas' name didn't make her who she was either.

"I love rabbits," she admitted happily. "I love all animals."

She loved all animals, but she loved bunnies especially. They were just so cute with their floppy ears and tiny little tails. She was listening to Istas, who was telling her about something about cubbyholes now? Ainsley had never had a cubbyhole before, but it certainly didn't sound very pleasant. She decided. Ainsley wouldn't ever put Octavian Oswald in a cubby. How could she just abandon her prince in a hole for a day. It was too cruel. He needed be with her, to protect her. Ainsley could care less about the boys in the class, and they were certainly below a prince. If she couldn't protect him then how could she live up to Gwenliana's expectations of her as a wonderful princess?

She shook her head to Istas, and hugged the bunny plush to her chest.

"I can't put him into a hole," she said with firmly as she nodded. "I'll protect him."

She couldn't help but wonder though and soon the child found herself with a few questions for the new girl she had met. How did she know if they were mean to stuffed animals and why didn't she have a stuffed animal with her, she seemed to like them! Her eyes fell to the teacher for a moment, who was now up from his desk and writing something on the whiteboard in a black dry-erase marker. He was still preparing.

She turned her head back to Istas and opened her mouth to ask all the questions she had. They came out all at once: "Do you like bunnies? Do you have a bunny? Do you like bunny plushies? Do you have any plushies? What kind of plushie? If you like plushies, why won't you bring a plushie to school? Is it because of the boys? Why do you let them pick on you?" She added a side comment, "You deserve better than that," before she asked her last quesiton, "How come your hair is curly?" It was so different from Ainsley's hair, which was straight as can be.

 

[LP]

Istas smiled at the girl as she was putting away her coloring book. It seemed class might start soon, seriously why did the teacher always take so long?

"I love animals too, spiders are kind of scary though." She said with a pause thinking about the spider monkey she'd ran into when she met Perseus... that was the sailor's name right? Istas paused in her thoughts to frown, she hadn't seen the sailor in a while.

"It's not an actual hole, it's a place to keep things safe." She said pointing over to the cubbies on the wall. "Once you have one no one else is suppose to touch it and can get in big trouble." She said with a nod.

She curiously watched the writings it looked like their spelling words were first today. The barrage of questions however seemed to be a little much as Istas stared at Ainsley wide eyed as they spilled over her ears.

"Uh... well yes, no, yes, yes, lots of different ones...." She paused trying to keep up was hard her mouth hung agape when she could no longer answer the questions as fast as they came out. She was trying to sort out what was most important and that she could answer quickly.

"Well.... I mean it's third grade, it's weird to bring plushies to school unless it's show and tell..." She paused touching her fingers together in a nervous fashion. "That and the last time I brought a plushie to school he got torn up and wreaked so bad mommy couldn't fix him so I figured it was safer to leave them at home and let them have tea parties."

She gave a nod, "I don't let them pick on me...." She started before growing quite and not saying much more. "Iunno Ainsley it just is." She replied one last time before pulling out a book and starting to copy the words in a purple glitter pen. "You should maybe start copying the spelling words.... you have paper right?" Istas really didn't like being questioned about being picked on.  

[Appeal]

Ainsley still didn't like the idea of putting her dear prince into a hole, but she didn't say anything as she listened to the other child speak to her and answer the questions she had asked. She had remained quiet until Istas had said it was weird for her to bring plushies to school. How could it be weird! She brought Octavian Oswald everywhere. There was nothing weird about him. His fur was clean and fluffy, his bow was neat and tidy, and his ears were nice and floppy!

"There's nothing weird about it," she mentioned before making a quick 'ah' to her question about her paper. She seemed to have completely missed the comment about Istas not letting them pick on her as she dug into her bag for a small duotang with a Hello Kitty's Cinnamoroll sticker on it. She smiled at the cute puppy that resembled a bunny with its floppy ears for a moment before she placed it on the desk and then dug into her bag for a matching Cinnamoroll mechanical pencil.

"Yes, here we are!"

She looked at the board, and then to Istas. She smiled, "Do you like?"

 

[LP]

Istas paused, "Not to us..." she sighed in reply to the nothing weird about it, "But to the boys... there is something weird with it. I just don't want your Octa---ivan hurt." Istas thought maybe the best way to show that she cared for the rabbit instead of trying to convince her otherwise. She had a bit of trouble saying his name though, wrinkling her nose as it was unsatisfactory.

She watched as the other pulled out hello kitty stuff, Istas frowned. She hoped Billy wasn't going to find a new target in the new kid, she really did. Mostly because both of them would be tortured to no end, and she wasn't sure Ainsley could protect them both, after all Istas was suppose to be the senshi.

The child could only try not to let out a frustrated sigh at herself as she scribbled down the spelling words. Fifteen of them, some of them looked really hard. "Oh, you might want to make sure you leave room for their definitions." She said after a second remembering that the teacher loved to make them do that, "Two or three lines is normally enough.... depends on how big you write." If she was going to be helpful she might as well give Ainsley some ideas of what the teacher expected.  

[Appeal]

Ainsley had met plenty of boys and none of them had any problems with Octavian Oswald. She merely shook her head, believing everything would be fine. She smiled though, Istas was so nice to worry. She noticed the child stumbled over his name and her lips moved, "Oc-tav-ian," of course, his name wasn't just Octavian, but Octavian Oswald so the child's lips also made a "Os-wald," motion as well. She smiled happily help the child with pronunciation.

She didn't get an answer about her pencil, or her duotang. Did Istas not like it? She thought Istas would like it, and she tried not to look disappointed when she looked at Istas when she was talking to her about their class procedure on writing habits. She nodded, making sure she left room between all of the definitions. Istas was nice, and helpful, but she couldn't help hold onto the lingering disappointment of the other child not liking her school supplies. Instead, she buried herself into the list of words off of the white board.

The words she copied down were:

Ducklings
Curl
Learn
Friend
Comfort
Pocketbook
Toy
Sleep
Because
Someone
Only
Bury
Defeat
Tears
Alone

She showed her the duotang again, this time to the open page where she had written out all of the words. The writing was medium sized, written rather fancy for a nine year old. It seemed like she had put in a lot of practice writing, perhaps she had been trying to impress someone? Each word had two lines between the other, enough room for the child to put in a definition if necessary. She smiled, hoping she did a satisfactory job and that Istas would say it was correct. She didn't want to have messed up the procedure already!

 

[LP]

"Octavian" Istas repeated a few times as she watched as Ainsley wrote down the words before going through writing them down on her own paper. Her things weren't as pretty, however the mechanical pencil she was using to write with was rainbow in color.

She paused when Ainsley showed her the book and the words. "It looks fine, but..." she frowned looking at the list one the paper then to the board. "Um... I think you wrote down some of the words a bit wrong... That first one is Hare, I think it's like another word for bunnies."

She was looking at the list again and paused, frowning. "That's okay you must have a lot on your mind. Tears is actually Sorrow, and Alone is suppose to be the bonus word." She gave a soft nod, "It's actually... A-band-on-ed... I think it means the same thing though....."

She seemed to stumble over the word despite having heard it before, "He likes to give us an even amount and then pull out a really big one for bonus words."  

[Appeal]

Ainsley nodded her head to Istas as she said Octavian several times, encouraging her as she waited for her to look at her vocabulary paper. After Istas had taken a look, she looked back to the board to see the spelling of the words she had said she written done wrong. She hadn't been expecting to make so many careless mistakes, and her face began to turn red from embarrassment. It was her first day and it didn't seem to be going very well academically, but at least she had made a friend!

"T-thanks," she said as she buried her face into the piece of paper as she began to correct them.

 

[LP]

Istas smiled, "It happens to all of us." She said softly as she finished her words, before pulling out a book that had lisa frank characters on it. Starting to work on the words before the teacher asked them to do it, using the ones she knew in sentences.

"He usually wants sentences for them after you have definitions. If you want though, you can start on the ones you know for sure." She hummed quietly as she worked.  

[Appeal]

Ainsley nodded to Istas and quickly began to write out the definitions of all of the words. Ainsley had been home schooled, so she hadn't had trouble doing it, even without a dictionary, at least until she got to the word defeat. She didn't understand what this word meant and even after she looked at the dictionary that she had gotten from her private lesson tutor before she had come here, she didn't like it. It was an awful word! She had to double and even triple check she was reading the definition for the right word. She was and with a small pout the child wrote that one word down with the rest except on the side of the margin beside it she wrote a note: I will not accept defeat! ♥

She took a moment to pause, looking at her new friend at her table. Istas was working hard and Ainsley couldn't help but smile a little. Perhaps Istas was really into vocabulary as well? Oh, she hoped so!

After the definitions Istas said to put them in a sentence? The child thought about it for a moment and then began to write out the sentences as a story that seemed to be driven by a fairytale writer: There once was two ducklings who would bury their sorrow in a pocketbook. Each had only one curl on their head and one friend who was a hare. The hare wanted to learn how to defeat the abandoned toy because someone told them it would help the ducklings free their hearts and become swans!

After she finished writing it out she immediately went to share it with Istas. It really was a rather strange group of sentences. It seemed Ainsley had read too many fantasy books.