1 After the flames, before the blood. [Nova|Izumi|Fuyuko] Mon Feb 12, 2018 2:52 am
Nova Makato
A-rank
Nova sat in her favorite chair at Cloud Nine, a cafe that had become her designated spot for reading, sipping tea, and eating baked goods. Its overstuffed cushions were printed with an orange and teal paisley that she could see from the doorway, sitting besides it a slightly wobbly three legged table with a doily that reminded Nova of a spiders web of intricate lace. Almost every morning she found herself here, a book in one hand and a steaming cup of lavender tea in the other. Besides her was a pastry, though what it was changed daily as she had decided to work her way through the cafe/bakery's extensive menu, all made fresh each morning. This morning it was a simple doughnut, its perfect top iced with pink and dashed with rainbow sprinkles, the book in her hand another romance novel, and her tea the usual lavender and honey that was her favorite. As usual she had arrived early in the morning before the sun had fully risen, the sun just now starting to emerge from the horizon. The air had been brisk and she enjoyed the air on her skin, though she had wished she had thrown on a pair of leggings under the soft knit dress that she wore. The material was a deep crimson shade that made her skin look even more fair than she was, it's deep V-neck exposing most of her chest. It's hem dusting just above her knees, it had long loose sleeves that hung to her fingertips.
This morning the cafe was relatively empty. Nova assumed that people were out watching the trials that remained, there were not many days left until they must all be completed. The other participants seemed to be on edge too as the final trials were far more difficult. There had been a small number of participants who had completed all three of their trials, Nova being among them. There had been four others, two of which had been her team for the last one. She had tried watching the other trials to learn about her opponents but the second and third trial had left her feeling drained and stressed, more from the emotional wounds she had suffered through than physical. She felt as though her biggest competition might be the fire-wielding woman, Izumi. Not only had she completed her first trial before anyone else, she had worked with her as well, the woman's quick thought and actions helping secure their success.
She had been here in Kumo for almost a fortnight, now having completed all the trials to qualify for the exams themselves. Her last trial had not gone without several bumps, and Nova was grateful she was paired with Izumi and Hanza who had really been the only reason they had won. Gently prodding and her palm, she felt the scabs that covered almost all of it. A reminder of her third and final trial, she had decided to cope with the pain for the time being, and heal the wounds the night before the first combat portion of the exams. Her knees were marked with the same wounds from her fall, and she wore bandages wound tightly around her ankle as she had twisted it that same night. Her limp was more prominent now with her wounded ankle in addition to the prosthetic one, its mahogany surface still slightly scorched and battered. Still she wore the Kiri headband tied around her knee, the cloth singed as well, and it every so slightly slid down to reveal her Suna headband plate that had been mounted into the wood kneecap permanently. These wounds were part of the choice to wear a dress this morning, pulling something tight over the scabs was not an ordeal she wanted to cope with that morning. Nova stood up for a moment, stretching her sore joints and yawning before settling back into the seat. She flopped her legs over one arm of the chair and her head up on the other, balancing the book on her knees with one hand and flipping the pages with the other. Her waves of auburn hair fell like a waterfall over the edge, teal tips almost brushing against the aged carpet. Eyes flitting across the page, Nova was entirely immersed in her book.
[725 Word count]
This morning the cafe was relatively empty. Nova assumed that people were out watching the trials that remained, there were not many days left until they must all be completed. The other participants seemed to be on edge too as the final trials were far more difficult. There had been a small number of participants who had completed all three of their trials, Nova being among them. There had been four others, two of which had been her team for the last one. She had tried watching the other trials to learn about her opponents but the second and third trial had left her feeling drained and stressed, more from the emotional wounds she had suffered through than physical. She felt as though her biggest competition might be the fire-wielding woman, Izumi. Not only had she completed her first trial before anyone else, she had worked with her as well, the woman's quick thought and actions helping secure their success.
She had been here in Kumo for almost a fortnight, now having completed all the trials to qualify for the exams themselves. Her last trial had not gone without several bumps, and Nova was grateful she was paired with Izumi and Hanza who had really been the only reason they had won. Gently prodding and her palm, she felt the scabs that covered almost all of it. A reminder of her third and final trial, she had decided to cope with the pain for the time being, and heal the wounds the night before the first combat portion of the exams. Her knees were marked with the same wounds from her fall, and she wore bandages wound tightly around her ankle as she had twisted it that same night. Her limp was more prominent now with her wounded ankle in addition to the prosthetic one, its mahogany surface still slightly scorched and battered. Still she wore the Kiri headband tied around her knee, the cloth singed as well, and it every so slightly slid down to reveal her Suna headband plate that had been mounted into the wood kneecap permanently. These wounds were part of the choice to wear a dress this morning, pulling something tight over the scabs was not an ordeal she wanted to cope with that morning. Nova stood up for a moment, stretching her sore joints and yawning before settling back into the seat. She flopped her legs over one arm of the chair and her head up on the other, balancing the book on her knees with one hand and flipping the pages with the other. Her waves of auburn hair fell like a waterfall over the edge, teal tips almost brushing against the aged carpet. Eyes flitting across the page, Nova was entirely immersed in her book.
[725 Word count]