saviorgoddessastrid:

fleet-admiral-red‌:

The professor’s remarks only added to Yellow’s confusion. “Personalize my…what? No, it just…came to me.”

A moment of holding the mandala-shaped Ward passed before she let it fall, the elegant pattern dissolving into fading golden sparks.

She’d briefly slowed her perception of time to analyze the script lining the mandala. Sanskrit. Why was it in Sanskrit?

Knowing that the Professor was still near her, the world then snapped back to real time for Yellow as she blinked. “Thank you…you’re too kind, Professor.”

“Not at all a problem.  What was your name again?” the Professor asked.  “This is our first practical lesson together, so I’d like to know what your name is.

“Amarillo, Professor.” Yellow responded promptly, using the pseudonym she’d made as an Adventurer and applied to study under.

Casting another Ward to let her partner test it’s strength, the healer observed the mandala’s patterns again. “I’ll be honest, Professor, I wasn’t expecting…this. But the flow of it, the equations and this display…it feels natural.”

She didn’t know how else to describe the way the Arcane Magic felt as it imposed itself upon reality. Comforting, maybe. The warmth and golden glow reminded her of a fireplace.

saviorgoddessastrid:

fleet-admiral-red‌:

“Um…alright then.” Lumi said, wishing to move on from this awkward topic for the angel’s sake.

Thankfully, Hope had the same idea, nodding. “We’ll keep that in mind. Thanks for answering, Lady Ilta. That’s all I had for questions.”

“Alright then,” Ilta replied.  “I’m here if you ever have any questions of me.  I suppose I should get back to work and continue my duties for Lady Astrid.”

The two cruisers made their own noises of acknowledgement, and as Ilta returned to her duties Hope resumed her nearly finished novel.

Once again, she leaned her head into Lumi’s shoulder, the older shipgirl letting her sister be as she read through the new mythology tome.

A soothing silence fell over them, and before long both had finished their respective books. Deciding that it was time to move on, the sisters soon left the Temple Library, wishing Ilta a warm farewell at the entrance as they did.

secondshipgirlsquadron:

fleet-admiral-red:

secondshipgirlsquadron:

“Fifteen years of that, huh?”  Tempest murmured. “I get the feeling that might get old. Although it might be nice to have someone looking out for you like that…”

The elder gave her two sisters another light, affectionate squeeze.

“That’s enough for now, Akemi.” She decided.

A cheerful beep was what Tempest heard, and moments later the door slid open with a soft hiss, revealing a surprised Aegis.

Who, judging by her casual wear and slightly damp-looking untied hair, looked like she’d been fresh out the shower.

“Tempest…? Um…hi there!” Aegis replied, with a smile and a slight blush of her own. “Nice to see you again! What brings you here?”

“I, uh… I just wanted to chat with you for a bit. Is now a bad time? I mean, I can come back later if you want.” Tempest stammered.

Perhaps now the realisation was dawning on her that she had not thought this through, showing up without a plan. She had no idea what she would do or say, and the butterflies in her stomach were not proving to be of much help.

Given how free she tended to be, Aegis wasn’t one to pass up such opportunities to socialize. She swept a loose bit of hair behind her ear, gesturing into her quarters.

“It’s fine, Tempest, you can come right in.”

In her ear, unheard to all save Aegis herself, Serina’s digital whisper was gentle. “Don’t worry. You’ll be alright, both of you.”

Hearing the hypermind’s reassurance, Aegis felt warm and tingly simply seeing Tempest’s blush.

The Titan stood to the side, letting the carrier see her quarters’ interior, and also hoping that she didn’t notice her own blush deepening ever so slightly.

saviorgoddessastrid:

fleet-admiral-red‌:

A feeling of awkwardness came over Yellow. Despite her biologically youthful appearance, chronologically she was around the same age as the professor.

Yet Yellow was very much aware of the professor’s attention on her. The healer breathed slowly, calming herself. Worrying about her performance would not do her any good.

Her partner for these back-and-forth rounds turned out to be a different student, another female. Yellow nodded to her and gestured to let herself be the one making the shield, running the equations for the Ward spell through her head again before casting an open palm outward to form the Ward itself.

But she hadn’t expected what came next.

Golden light, bringing with it a comforting warmth, weaved and traced itself into multiple layered circles interlaced with almost geometric patterns. Script she somehow vaguely knew to be of ancient Earth origin inscribed itself in the thin layers between circles.

Even in her sudden surprise and confusion, she recognized it immediately. A mandala.

“What the…??”

The Professor noticed Yellow’s confusion and approached, analyzing what was going on.  “I was not aware you already knew how to personalize your spells,” he commented.  “Still, this is pleasing to find out.  Perhaps you will be one of the more advanced students we have.”

The professor’s remarks only added to Yellow’s confusion. “Personalize my…what? No, it just…came to me.”

A moment of holding the mandala-shaped Ward passed before she let it fall, the elegant pattern dissolving into fading golden sparks.

She’d briefly slowed her perception of time to analyze the script lining the mandala. Sanskrit. Why was it in Sanskrit?

Knowing that the Professor was still near her, the world then snapped back to real time for Yellow as she blinked. “Thank you…you’re too kind, Professor.”

saviorgoddessastrid:

fleet-admiral-red‌:

While seeing Ilta being flustered was admittedly a bit amusing to Lumi, the angel’s remarks on parentage had brought back memories.

Over 4 decades ago, back when they were still alloy-hull ships, she and Hope had emerged from the same shipyard. Their time together had been short before being split up across the Navy. Her own fate, she knew painfully well. In time, her sister had outlived her.

No wonder Hope had wanted to be close when they both returned in their current human forms, and had fallen for her as hard as she did.

“-mi…? Lumi? Sis?!”

Lumi blinked and had a slight jolt, realizing that she’d lost herself in reminiscence. Hope had been very lightly shaking her arm, looking concerned. “Huh? Ah! I’m…I’m sorry, Hope, Lady Ilta. I just…well…memories.”

“It’s fine,” Ilta replied, though she was still blushing quite a bit.  “Just…please don’t think of me as Lady Astrid’s daughter.  I am her adviser, first and foremost.”

“Um…alright then.” Lumi said, wishing to move on from this awkward topic for the angel’s sake.

Thankfully, Hope had the same idea, nodding. “We’ll keep that in mind. Thanks for answering, Lady Ilta. That’s all I had for questions.”

saviorgoddessastrid:

fleet-admiral-red‌:

Having seen how a Ward spell was cast, Yellow noted it down mentally.

A small gesture, enough to satisfy the somatic motion requirement of most Arcane spells. The magical barrier appeared to be brief, looking similar to her Valkyrie suit’s personal shields.

With that, the healer nodded to herself. This she could handle.

“Now then, you’re going to break into groups of two.  You will take turns casting spells at each other and blocking it with your ward spells.”  The instructor gave a look towards Yellow, specifically.  “I should hope that we can all perform as expected.  Remember not to overdraw your mana on either spell.”

A feeling of awkwardness came over Yellow. Despite her biologically youthful appearance, chronologically she was around the same age as the professor.

Yet Yellow was very much aware of the professor’s attention on her. The healer breathed slowly, calming herself. Worrying about her performance would not do her any good.

Her partner for these back-and-forth rounds turned out to be a different student, another female. Yellow nodded to her and gestured to let herself be the one making the shield, running the equations for the Ward spell through her head again before casting an open palm outward to form the Ward itself.

But she hadn’t expected what came next.

Golden light, bringing with it a comforting warmth, weaved and traced itself into multiple layered circles interlaced with almost geometric patterns. Script she somehow vaguely knew to be of ancient Earth origin inscribed itself in the thin layers between circles.

Even in her sudden surprise and confusion, she recognized it immediately. A mandala.

“What the…??”

saviorgoddessastrid:

fleet-admiral-red‌:

“Mm, I…I see.” Lumi murmured after hearing that. So Ilta was really young, younger than herself even, if one went by her original ship-self’s launch date.

A small squeak by Lumi’s side as Hope raised a hand. Lumi wondered what her sister wanted to ask, and so fell silent.

Hope blushed in mild embarrassment as she looked at the angel. “Well, since Astrid created you, Lady Ilta…do you, um…do you see her as your mom?”

At the question, Ilta seemed to get flustered.  “W-Well, I mean, L-Lady Astrid did create me, s-so I guess that would make her my mother, b-but I’m supposed to be her adviser, not her daughter, s-so I try not to think about that.”

While seeing Ilta being flustered was admittedly a bit amusing to Lumi, the angel’s remarks on parentage had brought back memories.

Over 4 decades ago, back when they were still alloy-hull ships, she and Hope had emerged from the same shipyard. Their time together had been short before being split up across the Navy. Her own fate, she knew painfully well. In time, her sister had outlived her.

No wonder Hope had wanted to be close when they both returned in their current human forms, and had fallen for her as hard as she did.

“-mi…? Lumi? Sis?!”

Lumi blinked and had a slight jolt, realizing that she’d lost herself in reminiscence. Hope had been very lightly shaking her arm, looking concerned. “Huh? Ah! I’m…I’m sorry, Hope, Lady Ilta. I just…well…memories.”