Welcome to Gaia! ::

”Tuesday? Ok! Um.” The little fae dug through her small hip bag, producing a small memo pad and a pencil. Probably all she’d need for the first day of classes, but she’d likely be needing a proper bag going forward. Sliding the supplies over the table to Ethan, dark orchid eyes had a sincere look to them as the girl asked, ”Write time place? Bad if not remember.” It didn’t seem like just a polite gesture. The flower fairy was actually curious and she’d certainly show unless there were extenuating circumstances. If she learned even old things, she would seem like an expert, right? The daydreaming in her head was that one day she’d speak the language fluently and she’d know fact even others didn’t, and she’d be a knight, and no one could look down on her ~

It wasn’t exactly the thirst for discovery that Ethan would probably hope from in a new recruit, but only time would tell if the fae could find enjoyment in that type of thing. She’d never tried anything like archaeology before, after all.

With that topic falling off, Iridis took to chewing on her lip as she thought about going to class alone. It was so weird to be around a lot of strangers… it was yet another thing she hadn’t experienced much in her life. She’d kind of hoped that Ethan was taking the same class as her, but when asked, he said he was in the next class up. R-right, he was a second year. ”Really?” Waxy wings fluttered a little, a smile taking back to the girl’s lips. He’d help her with the class?? Iridis liked to think she’d be a natural, after all, fae were known for magic, right? She had one whole spell under her belt as well! The option of help still sounded very nice though. Just in case. ”Thank you! Can grow you flower~” She said happily, as if that was some kind of equal exchange.

After asking Ethan what kind of flowers he liked, Iridis found that she’d finished breakfast. She didn’t have the first class of the day so she had some time until magic theory. She wanted to explore! ”Not seen all school. Want look before class.” Petals raised happily as the girl took hold of her tray again, glancing around as she’d seen some people putting them away. She was pretty sure she knew what to do with it! ”Nice meet you Ethan. See again soon! Unless want come?” With a bright smile, the girl invited the boy to explore, though since he was a second year, she imagined he must have seen all the things.

With or without Ethan, Iridis would take her leave from the cafeteria and start to wander about the halls of the school. So many of them looked so similar! She was scared she’d get lost… she did try to keep track of the numbers and names of rooms, but even a little while after, she wasn’t sure she remembered. Eventually, the Fairy wandered outside, following along pathways to view the sculpture and plants that decorated the outside of the academy building. This wandering led to the garden, which Iridis gleefully ran along the path into. ”Aaa!” A happy sound escaped her as she knelt next to this patch of plants or another, making a note of each kind as she worked her way towards the gazebo. Seeing someone inside have her pause, thinking of how she’d approached that mean man yesterday and he’d been so nasty…. This girl was enjoying the garden though, so she couldn’t be bad, right? ”Morning!” The fairy decided to greet her, waving hello. ”Enjoy garden?”

With a sleepy energy that might well have been the exact opposite of Iridis’s, the brown eyed girl had turned to look at the fae. Dark orchid eyes looked back with a hopeful caution as little hand lowered from wave, coming to rest against the silken cream and green cloth on her chest. Smile became a bit smaller as moments ticked by, Iridis’s little heart fluttering faster than the nervous movement of her waxy wings. D-did the girl dislike her? The flower fairy had had this idea in her head that after she’d learned the transformation spell to take this form, and she arrived to this academy, no one would look down on her. They’d be kind and wonderful and she’d fit right in, having an amazing school experience while she transformed into an amazing knight the other kinds of fae would have to recognize as significant.

It was a silly day dream of a girl with her head in the clouds, that had been set to wobbling a bit around the edges after the thorny human of the prior day had taken a stab at popping it all together.

Iridis feared further barbs when standing alone, meeting someone new, but this did not end up being the case~! Smile bloomed back sweetly as the other girl got a bit flustered, stammering an apology before looking away. ”Is ok~” Awe, her blush was cute! Was she shy? Iridis could recall from of the children she played with back home being timid. Hmm, let’s see, how had been the best way to approach them? The fae interlocked her fingers behind her, meandering a bit closer to the gazebo, glancing out to the pond the other girl had been looking at. ”Mmm, is peaceful. Remind a little of home. Hehehe, maybe bumblebee visit here.” Did this campus have an apiary? She’d love to visit~ Iridis really was a fan of the fuzzy pollinators.

Instead of entering the gazebo, Iridis sat down on the steps leading into it, trying not to be overly energetic in case the girl really was timid. Maybe she could try and have a cool vibe like Sena! It probably looked a little silly, the flower fairy trying to sit up prim and proper when it was clearly not her norm. How did Sena make it look so effortless??? ”You here to this place often? My first time! Second day to school.” Trying to cross her legs in a way that might seem dignified, she looked over her shoulder towards the other girl. ”Oh, am Iridis~ First year.” She’d learned from talking with Ethan that that was a valuable piece of information to share, but she didn’t realize there was probably also significance to clarifying ‘high school’ or ‘college’.

”Not here yesterday, festival?” Dark orchid orbs looked back at Euphie in surprise. ”Awe, was fun~ Sad you miss.” The flower fairy had arrived the night before the festival, so today was the first time she was exploring anything besides what had been part of the festival grounds. Well, she had also explored the buildings a little. She’d found her class, although she’d been super nervous about being late to it!

”Euphemia.” The fae sounded the name out slowly, letting it roll around her tongue, smiling as the girl came closer. ”Such pretty name~ Nice meet you to!” Wings fluttered slightly, casting a slight breeze on Euphie’s face. ”Aaa, have such pretty face, go well with pretty name.” The girl gave the compliment unabashedly, taking a moment to admire the taller girl’s face now that she was closer. Euphie’s eyes were such a warm brown! They reminded Iridis of a cozy wood, or a shiny chestnut. ”Hair so shiny~ Can touch?” Petals atop Iridis’s head rose slightly, like perking up with interest. ”Can touch mine. Not grow like yours.” The last bit was said with a pout, lower lip jutting out a bit as she ran a hand over her petals. She was jealous of fae that had long silky hair… it was so pretty and… and feminine!

”If not go festival, not join club?” Iridis asked conversationally after either getting to touch Euphie’s hair or not, not realizing that the girl was actually missing a club meeting this moment. No, no, it was her own club that was on her mind which had proven the catalyst for the question. ”I join gardening club yesterday~ Think will get chance work this place.” Purple hands gestured to the space around them, ruffled sleeves animating in response to the movement. ”Think tall flower, like sunflower, be pretty near gazebo, like spring from it.” With a dreamy sigh, the fae leaned back on the step she was on, bouncing a leg absently.

Oh, but then there was another club to think about. Blinking, Iridis tilted her head, petals gently shifting on her head as she did so, perhaps more similar to feathers than hair. ”This morning, was invite to see arc… archology club? Study old thing.” She meant archaeology, but she still struggled a bit with the word. ”What you think of old things?” Did Euphie think it was cool to know about old things? Iridis was still considering that it was perhaps something that would make it so that mean people like that guy from yesterday couldn’t…. look down on her for things like not being the best with the language.

A bubbling giggle filled up the space between them, the fae wearing a mirthful expression at the returned compliment. Or, perhaps, it was in response to the Euphie doing her best to color up a rosy blush? Most likely it was both! ”Thank~” Iridis mused, playing with the ruffles on her dress maybe just a little shyly. It was so strange but honestly kind of wonderful, to have people be interested in her appearance. It wasn’t like the Flower Fairy was considered ugly back home. Nothing like that but… she was pretty much ordinary? She’d been called cute before, not really considered to look grown up enough to be ‘pretty’. Here she was more unique than just being a ‘cute kid’, and the little fae, eager for recognition and validation, couldn’t help but enjoy it.

The girl’s spent a little time admiring each other’s hair. Iridis had to scoot a little closer, moving up a step, to reach out to brush her fingers through Euphie’s silken locks. ”So soft.” The flower fairy breathed, mouth in a little ‘o’ as dark orchid eyes focused on the way the strands slipped through her fingers. ”Hard care for?” She wondered, having heard that it could get tangled or maybe even caught in things. Not something the fae had ever had to deal with herself. Not to mention care didn’t require any product, just washing and being sure to get between the petals.

”Yes, that!” Even though the fae had struggled with the word, she felt proud that she’d remembered it well enough that Euphie still understood what she was trying to say. ‘Archaeology’, the girl tried to sound it out in her mind and commit it to memory. ”Like this building?” Iridis’s gaze floated to the castle-like structure of the academy. She’d read about the founding of the academy and well, it was a pretty old building, right? ”Is so much stone.” A fact that was apparently strange to the fae.

Euphie’s sudden explanation was met with a wide-eyed expression from Iridis, whose arms reached out towards the girl instinctively when she stumbled. Not like Iridis could actually catch her, so it was lucky that Euphie managed to stabilize herself on the railing. ”Ok??” The fae asked with a little concern, even though it didn’t look like Euphie had managed to hurt herself at all. With a flutter of her wings, the girl stood up, fist coming down onto open palm as a look of familiarity crossed her expression. ”Oh! Tea club. Make friend yesterday, she join~ Maybe she there?” It would be very exciting to see Sena again! Iridis didn’t know anything else about the knight-in-training’s schedule so… she wasn’t sure when she might run into her. During a class? She hadn’t today.

”You know where is?” Asking the question with a little tilt of the head, before looking back to the school building, Iridis’s heart sank just a little bit at the sight of it. It was just so much to navigate, she feared getting lost in there one day. Shaking her head to shake away the thought, the flower fairy decided she couldn’t think like that. She would master those halls as part of her great school life! Eyes settled back onto Euphie with a cheery smile, ”Enjoy tea much? Not know was amm… much important here.” Tea was kind of a big deal in this realm, huh?