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[ it's raining, but alisaie does not mind. she likes the rain. it brings to mind peaceful, private moments, times during her childhood when she would be left alone and unbothered. it reminds her of calm, and tranquility, and safety. it's also an excellent time to read a book, one of her favorite activities. the steady fall of rain beats down on the roof and against the window on which she is leaning back, comfortable on her bed, shoes off and legs tucked up beneath her.

alisaie, unsurprisingly, has been here for a few days already, having arrived early to give herself time to unpack, decompress, and adjust to the space. she'll have a roommate this year, something she is not at all excited about, but it is what it is. given her family's influence, she could have gotten a single room, but that would've made her stand out even more and so instead she has chosen to attend normally, and bring no more attention to herself than necessary. even if it means having to share her space. with any luck, she'll land herself a social, popular roommate who is never in their room unless absolutely necessary, and she won't have to worry too much about feeling cramped.

while the space looks lived in, there's still a few boxes on her desk left to unpack, her suitcase half-full and leaning against the closet, but her books already sit in her shelves, filling every possible space without spilling onto her would-be roommate's side, though fitting them all has certainly been.. a challenge. her desk, too, is piled with notebooks, binders, textbooks, alchemy supplies, mining samples.. look, she's taking a lot of classes?? like, every class. notably, too, her rapier and crystal focus lean against the wall beside her bed, well polished and sharpened, cared for, and a cup of tea sits cooling on her bedside table, atop, you guessed it, more books. it's a theme.

when you are deep into a book, however, time tends to slip away from you, and alisaie has not noticed how much time has passed until suddenly the doorknob is turning. her breath catches in surprise, and she sits up straight in bed - gods, is it already late afternoon?? she didn't leave herself any time to mentally prepare to live with a stranger!! ]

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[ To be fair, Prompta left herself plenty of time to prepare to live with a stranger — it's partly why she got here so late — and she still isn't ready, either. She isn't ready for any of this, being away from home at a school that she definitely feels underqualified to attend, but it's as exciting as it is anxiety-inducing. There's so much promise here, but so much to be afraid of, too. If she hadn't already thrown up in the bathroom on the airship ride here, she would now.

With any luck, her roommate will turn out to be the worst of her worries. If she can make a good first impression and not make a total fool out of herself, she'll consider it a grand success. It won't be that bad! It's only the person she's going to be sleeping in the same room as for the next year...

Deep breaths. She's got this.

Pushing open the door and pulling her trunk of belonging behind her, Prompta steps into the room, speaking before she even has the chance to think better of it. ]

Uh, h-hey! Sorry, I got held up at, uh, the airship landing, before...

[ But she trails off as she spots Alisaie cross the room on her bed, meeting her gaze, her brows snapping up in surprise. No...no way. It can't be...

Can it? ]

...Alisaie? Is that...you?

[ Gods, it's gonna be super awkward if it's not! ]

[ whomst the fuck is alisaie??

just kidding, good thing for them both she is alisaie, who is looking as if she swallowed a bug. she wasn't ready!! but then the mystery roommate says her name, and alisaie squints - there are few enough people who would recognize her here, so the familiarity is unexpected, but it only takes a few moments for her to hazard a guess.

those freckles, that wild hair, and those big blue eyes, hopeful and trusting and naive - but it's been years.. ]

Poppy?

[ err.. maybe too many years to be using a child's nickname, especially with such familiarity. alisaie flushes, and quickly corrects: ]

Um - Prompta?

[ Oh, god. There's a brief moment where Prompta is sure she's misidentified the other girl, that she isn't someone she knew so very long ago, and for all she has a photographic memory, people change. They grow. This girl looks like a grown-up Alisaie, but why was she so certain?

But before her heart can truly fall in her stomach, the other girl responds with a nickname she hasn't heard in a very long time, and rather than look put-off by its use, she looks elated. Her smile is wide and warm, and she already is letting go of her trunk to rush over to Alisaie's side and pull her into her arms. ]

It is you! I can't believe it! How long has it been?!

[ Too long, by any count. ]

O-oh --

[ that is. a HUG. alisaie immediately flushes pink and stiffens, her hands raised and open as if she does not know what to do with them, because she sure doesn't. when was the last time anyone hugged her?? ]

A.. a long time indeed..

[ she says, through a breathless sound like a thin laugh. ]

[ Ah, yeah, he can kind of hear a note of exasperation in the other girl's voice, and she probably wasn't quite expecting the hug attack, so Prompta doesn't make it last unnecessarily long. Stepping back a moment later, her arms fall to her side, but she still can't seem to hold still, the excitement of this unexpected reunion running through her like kinetic energy. ]

It's been, what...almost fifteen years? Can't believe it...and we're roomies? What're the odds of that? Ha!

[ Oh, she'd been so, so nervous to find out who she's living with, but to find that it's a long lost childhood friend was never an outcome she could have expected. Maybe...the both of them have changed, and Prompta will get on Alisaie's nerves now, but in the moment, she can't help but be anything but elated. ]

[ what are the odds indeed. alisaie thinks of prompta occasionally, but it has been years.. so long that alisaie had forgotten the details of her face. though now the memory is surging back, clear and crisp, though she has certainly changed. grown. she's..

ahem. alisaie smooths her skirts and clears her throat. ]

Indeed..

[ she's shy, but alisaie still manages to muster something of a smile. ]

It is good to see you again.

You're tellin' me!

[ That's right she's changed! She's not the pudgy little girl with glasses that Alisaie remembers from her childhood. She's grown and thinned out with lean muscle, and yeah, she has boobs now. Sorry, Alisaie, but your new roommate is kind of a babe.

Chuckling sheepishly: ]

Sorry, you were, uh, probably in the middle of something, huh? Guess I got a little carried away. We gotta catch up, but whenever you've got time.

[ Prompta did just straight-up interrupt her there, old friends or not. ]

[ she sure is a babe!! alisaie has definitely noticed. but thankfully she's more concerned with seeing prompta again than she is with her new jiggle physics, so, she's not distracted. ]

Oh, no, I was just doing a little light reading..

[ the book in question is like, 6 inches thick.. she sits at the edge of her bed. ]

But, I'll give you space to unpack.

[ LIGHT reading, she says...that book looks like it could kill a grown man with enough force behind it. Prompta only lifts an eyebrow in amusement — it seems as though Alisaie's studiousness hasn't changed at all over the years. It's really not a surprise at all that she's at school here. Prompta is the real odd woman out, and she certainly feels out of her depth, but...nervous as she is, this was too good of an opportunity to pass up.

Only time can tell if that was a mistake or not, but so far, things aren't off to a bad start. ]

Oh, don't worry, I got plenty of room if you wanna hang around for a bit!

[ If she wants to go, Prompta won't stop her, of course, but she also wants to make herself clear. She'd much prefer it if Alisaie stayed.

Alisaie...she still can't believe it. What are the odds? ]

[ well she definitely doesn't want to go anywhere, that sounds even worse than hanging out with a new roommate.. except this roommate is somehow, inexplicably, prompto. probably the only person she can easily tolerate as a roommate at all.

granted, it has been some time.. maybe she's changed. maybe she's loud and messy and mean, now. maybe she snores, and likes to cook fish in the microwave. who knows? they were kids when last they met, anything could have changed. alisaie.. has certainly changed.

still, she's hopeful. it could be much worse. ]

No, um, do you need help bringing anything in?

[ That's just as well for Prompta, then. She'd prefer the company, nervous as she still is. This is at least familiar company, even if Alisaie could be an entirely different person than the one she remembers. But even so...Prompta has a good feeling about this. ]

Nah, this is all I've got! Not much, but, uh, means lots of room for souvenirs!

[ A single trunk is all she needs, and throwing it up onto her bed (with those lean muscular arms of hers), she opens it up to start unpacking her belongings. Unsurprisingly, photos come out first. ]

You mind if I hang some of these up? I'm kind of a sap...

Oh, no I don't mind.

[ photos, huh? prompta used to enjoy drawing a lot, didn't she? it was so long ago.. but she remembers how she would doodle her friends all the time, how she even drew alisaie once, in red crayon. she must still be just as sentimental as she was then.

alisaie has nothing to do, however, so she just.. sits back down on the end of her bed, watching while prompta unpacks. and she sure has noticed those arms of hers!! put some sleeves on!! ]

You aren't supposed to put holes in the walls, but I won't tell.

[ If she put sleeves on, she couldn't show off these guns?! Please. As she starts to pin up photographs on the wall above her bed, Prompta chuckles, casting Alisaie a glance over her shoulder. ]

Heh, appreciate it! Guess there's probably a way I could magic 'em up, but I dunno anything that good yet.

[ Or anywhere near. Prompta didn't come here to study magic, she came to learn to be a machinist, but there's general courses everyone has to take, of course... ]

So...how's your family 'n' everything? I wanna know everything.

[ yeah well!! put the guns away please this isn't a peep show!! good thing alisaie isn't all gross yet, so it's perfectly tolerable, even if she can't help but notice how cute prompta has become. but alisaie thinks girls are pretty all the time. it's meaningless. thank the gods she's somewhat demisexual, unlike a certain someone who may or may not get crushes at the drop of a hat. ]

Oh, they're, you know..

[ she waves one hand dismissively. ]

.. the same as always.

[ even when they were young, she found her family exhausting, always trying to fit her into boxes, fancy clothes, good manners. alphinaud was a little shit then, too, and the golden boy. not too much has changed. ]

How about you? I wouldn't have expected you to come to a place like this.

[ prompta had never much seemed interested in the aetheric arts, though the studium has certainly grown into far more than that, she supposes.. ]

[ The same as always...yeah, she can picture it. Idly, Prompta wonders if Alphinaud is here, too. It wound seem fitting, for the both of them to attend together. From what she remembers, Alisaie and Alphinaud were as different as night and day, but still, it wouldn't feel right if one of them were here without the other. ]

Heh, I know, right? I can hardly believe I'm here, either! Buuuut as luck would have it, I'm here to learn to be a machinist! Think it's gonna suit me...

[ What she doesn't mention is how he's now somehow best friends with the Lucian princess and that Noctissa definitely pulled some strings to get Prompta admitted. It's hardly an opportunity she deserves, but really, she can't wait to get started. She's had some experience with firearms, and this will give her the opportunity to take those skills to the next level, and one day, maybe even make weapons of her own. ]

So, what're you studyin'? A little bit of everything?

[ oh alphinaud is definitely here.. a fact of which prompta shall no doubt become aware of soon enough. stupid popular alphinaud being well loved by all and the best student (followed closely by her, but that marginal difference is the absolute worst)..

anyway!! her eyes follow prompta as she pins up her photos and continues to unpack. she's still feeling nervous and awkward, but.. talking to her feels easy. it had when they were children, and it still does, now. prompta was a lot more shy then, but she had always been warm and sweet; somehow she seems even brighter now, like a light in the room. ]

Oh, yes.. [ basically every class possible.. ok hermione ] .. with a focus on aetherology and arcanima. Maybe more red magic soon, too..

[ a faint smile tugs her mouth. ]

But, a machinist? I can't say I would have guessed it, but.. I think that would suit you.

[ Ah, what a nerd...seems little has changed in that regard, then. Prompta hardly knows the first thing about aetherology or arcana...aramalama, but it seems like a natural fit for Alisaie. Even in at a young age, she had been basically a genius.

As she finishes hanging her pictures, she next starts to unpack her clothes, sorting them into the dresser across from her bed. ]

You really think so? [ Her expression is bright and hopeful. She highly values Alisaie's opinion, after all. ] I hope you're right! Seems real exciting, and I've got a bit of practice...

[ But she doesn't want to make it sound like she's bragging if she brings up the fact that she is a member of the Lucian royal guard. She's here to hone her skills, to even better be able to protect and serve the princess. ]

Well, it's not as if I've seen you shoot a gun..

[ they were babby back then, so it's not like prompta was packing heat back then, but it still seems a suitable vocation for her. the machinists at the guild, have a sort of, uh.. energy. ]

.. but I think you will fit in well there.

Yeah?

[ Though she tries to keep her relief in check, it's pretty evident in her posture and expression. Perhaps even more than doubting her own capability to succeed as a machinist, she doubts she can fit in, that she can make friends or form bonds. She's always been a bit...awkward, even now, after she's put so much work into making herself better. The fear still lingers, that one wrong move is all it will take for everyone here to realize she doesn't belong.

Even the thought of it makes her stomach twist, but Alisaie says she'll fit in, and that means the world. ]

...Thanks. I better make sure to prove you right then, huh?

[ despite herself, alisaie finds that she is smiling. ]

Yes, you must.

[ if that's what it takes to get prompta motivated then, well, she'll take it. alisaie stands from the bed again at last now, however, and slips her feet into the shoes beside her bed. ]

Anyroad, I've a meeting with my white magicks professor to discuss my upcoming workload, so um..

[ it's still weird to think that she won't be living along anymore, and she'll come back to a space that's shared but, well, time to get used to it. ]

Do you.. want anything while I am out?

[ that's what people ask their housemates right ]

[ If it's a weird thing to ask, Prompta certainly doesn't know it, because she's never had a roommate either. Instead, she's touched by Alisaie's thoughtfulness, smiling though she shakes her head. ]

Nah, think I'm okay for now. But if you find any photo-op worthy spots around the school, let me know! Can't wait to start snapping pics of this place.

[ As she says this, she unloads her camera from her trunk, place it with reverence on her nightstand. ]

I'll, uh, make sure to have everything put away by the time you're back! Don't wanna leave a mess, or anything.

[ She's not necessarily the most orderly person, but she doesn't want to give Alisaie the impression she's a slob either! ]

[ oh good, alisaie didn't really want to like, go to starbucks.. what a relief. she shoulders her heavy bag. ]

Don't worry about it. I'll probably be awhile.

[ and it's clear she's not like.. super neat anyway. the room isn't a mess, but her books are in an untidy pile on the desk, her bed is unmade, and there's a pair of socks on the floor. oops. ]

All right, well, don't wait up.

[ smell u later nerd ]

[ The first few months of Prompta's time at the Studium is definitely eventful, to say the least. Her coursework is far more intense and demanding then she could have ever guessed, but really, that shouldn't be surprising. She has never exactly been an overachiever as far as grades are concerned, and even if she's trying her absolute hardest here, it's...a lot. Overwhelming. There's a lot of ups and downs, times when things click and times when she is close to tears trying to learn everything she needs to, but she doesn't give up. She can't. What would she do if she flunked out? Go back to Insomnia and work in a coffee shop for the rest of her life? (heheh)

So she keeps at it, much as it might exhaust her, much as it might cut into her social life more than she'd like. She's still pretty sure, but her friends are here, too, and Alisaie is her roommate. She would much rather be spending time shooting the shit with them instead of hunched over books until her eyes glaze over every night, but she's surviving. It'll get easier eventually, right? Once she gets more focused on her field of study instead of having to take a bunch of general required courses.

Even if working with machines isn't exactly a work in the park...yeah, she may be a little in over her head.

Which is why she can't turn down the offer to be tutored by Alisaie when she gives it. Prompta doesn't know how she does it. Alisaie has like double or triple the workload, yet still finds time to tutor her, and patiently, too. She's a saint, and while normal Prompta might have tried to refuse so as to not be a burden on her friend, in this case, she can't really afford to pass her up. Gods, she feels terribly guilty about it, because she'll surely never be able to offering Alisaie something in return for her efforts, but she can at least be as model of a tutee as she can.

It's late at night in the library as the two of them sit next to each other, Prompta's nose to a worksheet about aetherial something-or-others, her forehead in her hand, as she sets her pencil down. ]

Maaaan, I gotta say, I have a respect for people who can use aether more than I ever had before...

[ Because boy, is it complicated. ]

[ living with prompta has been both incredibly easy and, more recently, desperately difficult.

alisaie has never had a crush on anyone. not really. she's found people beautiful or attractive, sure, mostly girls, but it's one thing to find someone pleasing to look at, and quite another to develop a crush. feelings. she hadn't seen this coming. maybe she should have. prompta is beautiful, with her soft, freckled skin and big blue eyes, she she takes care of herself, that's for certain, but the studium is filled with beautiful girls. prompta is more than that. she's warm, she's kind and friendly and sweet, even when alisaie makes it.. difficult. though they're friends, alisaie is nevertheless a prickly person, especially when she is stressed, and more than once she knows she has taken it out on prompta, when she shouldn't have.

but she sticks around, not out of obligation, but out of genuine kindness and warmth. she's funny, she's goofy, and while she might struggle with some classes, she's much smarter than she thinks she is, she's certainly emotionally intelligent, she has sharp eyes, a good laugh, a wonderful smile..

gods, she's kind of the worst.

at first it was easy to ignore. it would go away in time. it's a crush, a rush of feelings borne of a sudden unexpected friendship - alisaie hasn't been close to anyone in.. well, ever, not anyone beyond her own family at least, so it must be that, right? that friendship crush thing that people say happens.

except it doesn't go away. and rather than a niggling feeling in the back of her mind that she has to swat away occasionally, it grows into something bigger, something that slowly but surely is beginning to sink its claws into the tender meat of her heart. alisaie finds herself looking into prompta's eyes for a little too long, or lingering near just to catch the scent of her skin, or going out of her way to make her happy, just to hear her laugh, or see her bright smile. gods, she's got it bad. but what is she going to do? stop being friends with her? ask for another roommate in the middle of the year, when things are going to well?

that would be too obvious, and the only thing worse than prompta not returning her feelings, is prompta knowing about her feelings. so alisaie has no choice but to button her lip and attempt to push it all down. it's so much harder than any courseload.

anyway, alisaie frowns in that teacher sort of way that she does, and taps the end of her pencil to prompta's worksheet. ]

Well, you haven't used it your entire life, of course it seems very foreign to you. Two more questions, pick that pencil up!

[ At least between all her schoolwork, Prompta hasn't had time to fawn over too many boys...not that it takes much for her to form a crush. It wouldn't matter even if she did develop serious feelings for someone. If she could even work up the courage to ask someone out, when would she even have time to date anyone?!

It's a nice excuse, anyway. But at least she isn't waxing poetic too often to Alisaie about cute boys?? But yes, Prompta remains painfully oblivious to Alisaie's feelings, if only because no one would ever like her in that way, and certainly not someone as talented and special as Alisaie. But she is a very attentive tutor, and groaning, Prompta picks her pencil back up, flipping back a few pages in her textbook. ]

Okay, okay...ice and fire are opposites, right? Soooo...ice is...umbral? And fire...astral?

[ It shouldn't be that hard to remember, but memorization isn't her strong suit. ]

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