2022-09-03: Extracurricular Study
- Log: 2022-09-03: Extracurricular Study
- Cast: Ai Martel, Emilia Eschonbach
- Where: Martel Estate, Nagoya, Area 11
- OOC - IC Date: 3 September 0096
- Summary: Emilia goes to Ashford's newest history professor with a request for tutoring.
<Pose Tracker> Ai Martel has posed.
Martel Manor is, truly, a relic of a bygone age. Built in the late 19th century AD, it weathered war and disaster mostly unscathed, and with much of its glory intact--an ageless stone among a sea of shifting sand.
But now, at the close of the Universal Century's first hundred years, it's clear that the abode of House Martel has seen better days. Here and there, moss and vines crawl spiderlike up the brickwork, crowding out mortar and threatening to pry out stone; even where the growth is absent, it casts its shadow by the damage it has left behind. A few windows are still frosted with dust and weather-grime, and a thick layer of moss clings to the roof-tiles. From an unseen side of the house, a ladder clatters against a wall. The manor's restoration, it seems, continues apace.
Emilia is greeted upon arrival by a pretty redhead in a butler's jacket and slacks, and led through the house to the yard. Inside, it feels... empty. Warmly lit, beautifully decorated... but this house feels home to more ghosts than people.
It seems Ms. Martel is in the gardens; sure enough, at the far end of the property, at the end of a lily-lined path, a red parasol beats back the sun's rays, its owner stood before a large, Roman-style marble building. It shows its age about as much as the house does, weatherbeaten cracks cutting across the columns flanking its entrance.
<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.
Emmy has never been this close to proper 'old money' before. She's also never been so close to a house she would consider haunted before. I mean it's obviously not, given a living human being opens the door and guides her through.
She thinks the pretty butler is living, at least.
And yet despite it's age, the manor has a respectability- or perhaps an authenticity that her grandfather's house lacked.She follows the butley quietly, still in her uniform. This is school business, after all. Or study business. Or study.
When she's guided to the Professor, gazing at the building, she stands silently for a while in case the butler is going to introduce her and also because she doesn't want to interrupt. Eventually, she speaks up. "Um, g-good afternoon, Professor Martel."
<Pose Tracker> Ai Martel has posed.
The butler waits a few moments, evidently not wanting to interrupt either, before speaking up. "Lady Martel? Miss Emilia Eschonback is here to see you."
Ai turns around, her expression brightening into a smile as Emmy greets her. "Emilia! I wasn't expecting you quite yet..." She gives the butler a questioning look, and receives a nod in return, the woman's eyebrows raised a little. "Ah, I suppose I lost track of time... right, then! That'll be all, Madeline." The butler smiles and nods, making her way back into the house.
Ai looks to the building. "Rather unprofessional of me, isn't it... I was caught up in the past, I suppose." She rocks the parasol side-to-side on her shoulder for a thoughtful moment. before looking away with a chuckle. "Well... you aren't here to watch me ruminate."
<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.
Emmy is secretly very glad that Madeline says something as well- she has some very firm images of what being perceived as rude gets you. She knows Ai's not like that. Or rather, she knows Ai's not like that at school... And in their other guises...
When Madeline has left sufficiently, Emmy gives a small curtsey, her bag of schol materials hanging off her shoulder. "I-it's okay." Emilia responds quickly. Too quickly, maybe. "Th-thank you for agreeing to... t-to tutor me." She's had so much nervousness about all this.
There's so much she needs to learn about these recent years- about the people in these recent years. And so much anxiety about the idea. That's why she's asking Ai, and not searching on her laptop. That's why the phone her grandfather gave her has tape over the microphones. That's why she's only using pen and paper. But she has to know.
<Pose Tracker> Ai Martel has posed.
"Of course," beams Ai, turning back and leading Emmy along the path to a small bench, overlooking much of the garden. Flowers gently sway in the wind, vibrant and alive. "Though, it was a surprise to hear you were in need of tutoring, Emilia. You're doing quite well in class..."
"Is there a particular period or subject you're in need of help with?" she asks as she sits, closing her parasol and setting it across her lap. "Or do you simply want to study something in more detail than we're able to go into during class?"
<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.
Emilia follows Ai closely, easily led. Her eyes settle on Ai's long blonde hair for a little too long before the professor's words snap her out of it. "A-ah, that's..." She stumbles over her words, for a moment, while Ai sits. After a few moments, she looks to the space on the bench next to Ai. "M-m-may I?" She asks, starting to answer Ai's question either way.
"I-it's, um..." Ai lays out options. It helps. "Th-the latter. A-and I guess th-the former. I, um..." She stops, breathes, and starts again. "I-I-I want to kn-know more about. Th-the One Year War." She pauses. "The l-lessons I got at my old sc-schools were b-brief. I w-want to know why it happened... a-about the p-people involved. And, um... i-in particular I want to know about th-the Britannian front and h-how that all... happened."
When she finally says it out loud, she tenses slightly. Even with someone like Ai... She's still nervous. The topic was utterly forbidden in her Grandfather's house, so she knows so little. "I-is... Is that okay?" Try as she might, she can't hide the tremble of fear in her voice. Even if she's safe.
<Pose Tracker> Ai Martel has posed.
"Please~" comes Ai's reply, and she gestures at the spot next to her. She follows Emmy with her eyes as the girl moves to sit, listening patiently. She detects that fear...
"Ah, of course. A very dense period..." She looks up at the sky for a moment, looking half-over at Emmy again as she comments, "Its scope was unprecedented. The Unification Wars were large, as was the Second World War, but... nothing before had ever consumed so much of the world in conflict at such a pitch as the One-Year War did." She speaks casually, as though this topic forbidden to Emmy is trivial... or, relatively so, at least. It *was* the bloodiest conflict in human history up to that point.
"So, drilling down on a single front, and onto the names... well, that helps quite a lot. I've done some research on the Britannian Front already, but..." She half-grins, looking over at Emmy. "I've missed a *very* eventful half-century. So much to catch up on, only so many hours in the day..."
"But I would be delighted to teach you, Emilia." That grin grows into a sunny, warm smile.
<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.
With explicit permission, Emilia walks over and sits herself. She listens very attentively as Ai muses about the situation, and nods. "Y-you know the c-curric--ulum more th-than I do. B-But... G-Grandfather is not likely to let me take more history than. The school r-requires." Especially on this topic.
Ai's concerns about time start to weigh on her. She is still surprised she hasn't been pulled out of Ashford. The relative silence since DecuFes has been... unsettling. "A-ah, if i-it's too much t-t-trouble-"
But her words are stopped dead by that warm smile gazing down at her. It reminds her of something lost long, long ago. Something she can never have again.
But it's close enough for that sunny smile to cast light on the darker parts of her heart.
It takes Emmy a few seconds to respond. "R-Really? Th-th-th-thank you!" The girl is a sudden burst of trepidation and excitement, a long unanswered question on the brink of getting answered. But that has given a momentary confidendce. "I... r-r-really want to kn-know about... how th-things got to th-the battle of N-N-New Yark. And wh-what actually h-happened, but... I'd n-n-need to understand more th-than th-that, wouldn't I?"
<Pose Tracker> Ai Martel has posed.
Ai's eyes half-lid. "Well... it'll be our little secret from him, then, won't it?" She winks and taps the side of her nose once. "And it's no trouble, really. These are things I want to learn more about anyway, myself. And being able to share it is a gift."
She nods slowly to the question. "Well, of course. To understand how it happened, what happened, and who it happened to, you need context."
She lifts her umbrella from her lap, tracing out the vague shape of a 'V' in the air in front of her. "So we cut a slice from the web of connections. It needn't be a broad slice, in our case--the Battle of New Yark was a small one for the impact it had, and it revolved around a clash between some of the war's most prominent personalities. But they deserve study, before we dig deeper in."
<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.
Emilia's fear comes back for but a moment, as Ai talks about it being their secret. Her secrets have a tendency of being found out. But... She may be on limited time anyway. Risks, however small, must be taken sometimes. She gives a small, nod and puts a finger to her lips, implying her own silence.
She once again follows Ai's words and movements. Emmy is a quiet girl, but an astute listener. "O-o-okay." There's one person she wants to know about more than the rest, but that's too obvious. So she'll go at Ai's pace- especially since Ai knows about both sides of her, and can act appropriately.
She looks up at the Professor, her green eyes gleaming with determination, her hands clasped tightly on her lap. "Wh-wh-when can we st-start?"
<Pose Tracker> Ai Martel has posed.
Ai pauses a moment, thoughtful.
Her lips turn up in a smile. "Give me tomorrow to get my materials together. We'll begin as soon as possible." The lady's gaze goes a little distant after a moment, as she takes inventory of what she'll need for their first lesson...
"Yes. Thursday it is. I should have the materials I need on hand for that!" Her eyes are alight with excitement--and really, who can blame her? She's fond of Emmy, and digging into the complexities of history is something she adores. Teaching for a class is wonderful, but... really, the classroom overviews barely scratch the surface. There's never time for things like *this*. Digging deep, exploring...
<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.
"I c-can work with Th-thursday!" It might mean rearranging a shift but... She's not missing this chance for the world. She stands up, and curtseys to Ai. "Th-thank you s-s-so much!" Ai is not the only one excited.
This is finally her chance to find out about him- and not in that soul crushing museum. The man her mother love was more than just a propaganda tool who died ignomiously. He had to be. And Ai... She trusted Ai. She wouldn't steer her astray- especially as this might be her first deep dive. Emilia's heart was beating out of her chest.
She looks at the sun. "I-I... should g-get b-back to the d-dorms. I'd b-be okay if I-I'm a-after curfew b-b-but." She pauses, trying to let her mouth find the words. "...I d-don't want to g-g-give Grandfather's p-people a reason." The sun will be setting soon, and Area 11 can be dangerous- they would know, they're part of the reason it's dangerous.
<Pose Tracker> Ai Martel has posed.
Ai claps her hands together, "Excellent! And you're more than welcome, dear... ah, as for going home..." She chews her lip a moment, thinking. "Why don't I walk you back to the dormitory? It can't hurt to be careful, even before sunset..." She stands, not allowing Emmy the chance to protest as she makes for the house.
"Madeline, I'll be accompanying Emilia home," she calls out once she's inside.
Madeline pokes her head out of a room off to the side of the main hall, nodding. "Of course, ma'am," she says with a smile, before returning to whatever it is she's up to.
The walk back is uneventful... though the way Ai wields her umbrella, she seems prepared for any trouble that might have come their way.
How, exactly, she would use it to subdue an attacker, is another question...
<Pose Tracker> Emilia Eschonbach has posed.
<poem>
Emilia doesn't even realize she's not been given the choice, as she follows after Ai, trying to keep up with the older woman's pace. "Oh, th-thank you."
Emilia's not particularly talkative on the way back, but it's not out of any standoffishness. She's just a bit caught up in the thrill of knowledge to come. But this is the first time she's been escorted to school by anyone who was not doing it under orders.
She does look up at Ai every so often, and catches herself staring. For some reason... Emilia feels like she is getting something she missed out on earlier in life.
Safety like this- knowing you are being protected- is still an unfamiliar feeling.
Especially when it's due to an adult in her life.