Near Mint Mill

Orientation and the first month of University had been a whirlwind. Going from a small town to the second largest city in Scythera was definitely a shock. The two Universities in Navis were a big part of the city and were constantly busy with not only academia but also sports and social activities for the general citizens of Navis.

Even on this weekend when most students were cramming for midterms the Athletic Center of her school was a hive of activity, buzzing with people from all age ranges using its facilities.

“Hi.” Ivy smiled as she walked up to the admin desk. “I’m looking for room three twelve.”

The basset receptionist returned the smile and pointed back the way Ivy had come. “Up those stairs, third floor, hang a left and it’s at the very end of the hall.”

Ivy quickly looked where she pointed then back to the receptionist. “Perfect! Thank you.”

A few stairs were not going to stop a farm girl, even if she’d been off the farm for just over a month at this point. Ivy made her way down the hall past all the doors with little windows into their exercise rooms and to the lone door along the left wall at the very end and the only one without a window.. Ivy cast a quick look back down the hallway and knocked on the door.

“It’s open.” A new voice called out.

Ivy took a breath and opened the door. Inside was a fairly large exercise room, with lots of mats piled up along one wall. In the middle of the room stood two ladies. A casually dressed Zoe, Ivy not able to forget her from that first meeting, and a tall dark brown nef’ilvari dressed much more for training.

“Ivy!” Zoe beamed seeing the young lady. “This is Ani.” Zoe introduced the nef. “Our head Knight here in Navis, our best trainer and one of the Orders best snipers.”

“That stereotypical nef expert sharpshooter.” Ani joked, shaking Ivy’s hand. “I’m just really good at what I do. Everyone’s just so enamoured by the Big Twelve in Avador they think we all are all these big grand things.” She explained while teasing Zoe.

“You have powers?” Ivy asked Zoe.

“I do.” She nodded. “But that’s a surprise for later.” Zoe winked at her.

“So did she teach you?” Ivy checked.

“Ani did.” She looked over at the other Knight. “That longevity.”

Ani rolled her eyes. “I am good at what I do. And I enjoy doing it.” She explained it away. “Now Ivy.” Ani set her sights on the blonde farm girl. “How is university life treating you? Doing ok?”

“It’s…” Ivy had to pause as she gathered her thoughts. “Been a lot. Not at all what I’m used to. So just trying to keep my head above water.” Zoe and Ani both nodded in understanding.

“Guess it doesn’t help getting crammed into small corridors with so many people. How you handling all that? Everything under control?” Zoe asked concerned for Ivy.

Ivy laughed. “Well when you unintentionally break a boy’s arm, you learn control pretty quickly.”

Zoe furrowed her brow. “That wasn’t in your file.”

“What cocky twelve year old is going to explain to their parents and the doctors that they got their arm broken trying to beat up a girl?” Ivy countered.

“Is that how you discovered your power?” Ani asked.

Ivy shook her head. “No. That was a year earlier. I was helping dad put in new fence posts and the auger caught a rock so big dad got thrown right at me. I should have been squashed between him and the farm truck but he just hit me and dropped to the ground. I knew I had gotten hit but hadn’t registered what happened when mom screamed racing over. Dad was moving but when mom went to touch me to check on me I stepped back out of fear and when my back touched the truck I sent it’s backend sideways a meter or so.” Ivy explained. “One of mom’s brothers had married a nef’raza.” She said of another of Ani’s cousin nef races. “They came over and she put me through one of the tests the raza put their kids through.” Ani nodded knowing about the test. “And we discovered I could absorb physical energy.” Ivy paused for a moment. “She helped developed a work out routine to understand the power and now here we are.” Ivy finished explaining.

“And here I thought I’d have to teach control, but looks like it will be more about increasing and refining your level of control.” Ani observed.

“I’ve been acting for half my life at this point. Faking bumps and any form of contact just to keep up appearances and not freak anyone out.” Ivy told them. “I’ve gotten very good at controlling it all.”

“So what do you do with all the stored energy?” Zoe asked.

Ivy looked down. “Push it out through the balls of my feet with every step I take. Not a lot, but enough for each step to keep me from vibrating like a paint can shaker stuck on maximum.”

“Oddly specific.” Ani commented.

“Worked at a small town hardware store.” Ivy explained.

“Ah.” Ani nodded. “Well it won’t just be me helping you with your power. Exercising. Diet. Mentality. There is so much that goes into being a Knight.”

“It’s a lifestyle.” Zoe simplified.

“You’ll also teach me how to fight.” Ivy stated.

“I’ll teach you to fight.” Ani confirmed.

“Typically when someone throws a punch I just stand in the way.” Ivy said.

“Not really the best method.” Ani told her.

Ivy looked between the two Knights. “You are AWARE of what I can do, but you don’t KNOW what I can do. Which is going to require a demonstration.” Zoe had an amused smile as sh watched Ivy take over the conversation. “So I’m going to need one of you to hit me.”

That wiped the smile of Zoe’s face, though Ani showed no such hesitation. The nef reached back and aimed a punch right for Ivy’s cheek. The moment any sort of pressure came into being between Ivy’s skin and Ani’s fist the Knight’s arm went completely limp. With that sudden loss of that forward force, Ani stumbled into the prospective Knight. Again once a contact force had even started to be applied Ani lost all strength and slumped against Ivy. If not for the young lady’s hands on her hips Ani would have fallen right to the floor.

“The over commitment was unnecessary.” Ivy told her, turning them both. Zoe did a quick check of the room and took a long step out of the way. “Also. Sorry.”

Ani had just righted herself but looked down at Ivy’s hand on her stomach. A moment later, with no visible motion from Ivy, she was flung across the room and into that pile of mats Ivy had noticed earlier, for a soft-ish landing.

“Got some amplification going on?” Zoe asked Ivy.

“I don’t push out all my passively gained energy down through my feet.” She replied as she headed over to help Ani. “Not all fights are worth waiting for someone else to throw the first punch.

Ani groaned as she stared up at the ceiling. “Ok. I deserved that.” She agreed with herself.