Stupid Old Fart Returns! [Train, Solo]

It was a crisp day on The Plains today, and Asha felt slight chills with each new breeze as she sat on the grass and began to draw another part of the landscape--this day she would attempt to draw whatever animals managed to stay still in her vision long enough to get a rough sketch down. To no avail, she continued to draw a third, or an eighth, or one sixteenth of an animal before it scampered off, leaving her frustrated and turning the pages of her journal in vehement agitation. When it became clear that unless she forced an animal to stay still, she wouldn't be able to draw anything today, so instead she decided to wait until sunset and draw it then, as that would last just a bit longer than the few seconds Asha had for the various kinds of animals that roamed The Plains. So, she waited, thinking about life, the classes she'd been half-heartedly attending, and her time at Magnostadt. She reminisced about one of her first substantial memories in Magnostadt, and stealing the old man's staff right from under his nose. She chuckled a bit at being so mischievous, and 'patted herself on the back' for a job well done. Asha laid back, closing her eyes, and thought about all of the other annoying things she's done when a figure stood over her, blocking her light.

"What a surprise. It's the cheeky girl who stole into my belongings and took something that did not belong to her. You're an interesting specimen to watch, dear girl, and considering I have spied on you enough, I thought it time to introduce myself formally while you sit here lolly-gagging about in the grass. Do you have no motivation or ambition at all?" A voice boomed near her. Asha opened her eyes in fear, and shot up from her spot, grabbing her staff and pointing it at the figure's face, until she realized it was the ol' Slumbering Sage (as she calls him) himself, standing above her, his simple attire and large hat appearing majestic before her, as if the magnitude of his appearance instilled fear, and awe, in her.

"Aa-aaah! It's you! I thought I would never see you again! You're so...old..." She stammered, standing upright, and brushing off whatever got on her clothes off her body. She kept her staff at the ready, just in case the old man attempted to try anything.

"Oh put your staff down, imbecile. I have no intention of punishing you because you stole one of my old trinkets. Shouldn't you be in class, young lady? Although, judging from the frequency of your time outside, you either were kicked out of the academy, or you are tremendously more irresponsible and stupid than I thought," He scolded, looking down and addressing Asha sternly. Her face tensed up, and while she clutched her staff tightly, just enough to ensure she felt pain from all the pressure, she didn't dare try and hit him, despite how much she wanted to.

"It's a free period," She replied, looking to the side and scoffing at him, "As if you would know I had class. You're just some strange old guy trying to give me advice!" Asha wanted to take none of the old man's crap. She thought him so rude, but he just stood there--not offended, not budging, like a...boulder.

"For heaven's sake...listen. If you're going to behave like this, then I will take that staff back. But since I am old and have no need for such frivolous things, I want to help you, you rambunctious little thief. Come, show me what magic you can do, I want to see if you are fit to be a student of Magnostadt," He said, holding his own staff and challenging her. Wasting no time, Asha held her staff firmly in her hand, and focused magoi releasing a vine straight for the old man's head.

"Alright you stupid geezer. You asked for it! Alsif Krmah!" She yelled, whipping a vine around at impressive speed toward the old man. Without hesitation, the old man lazily brushed his staff to his left, igniting the vine effortlessly and chuckling quietly as Asha's vine burnt to a crisp.

"You have potential, that much is clear, but you lack any skill. Meet me here, tomorrow, after your classes, I'll be waiting." He said, and in a flash, the old man seemed to disappear. Defeated, ego-blown, and a little dumbstruck, Asha gathered her things and walked back to Magnostadt, lazily plopping down on her bed.

"Well...tomorrow then..." She said, closing her eyes and falling asleep.
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The next day came, and while Asha was tempted to just blow it off and go wandering like she always did, she would feel a little guilty if she didn't go today at least. So, Asha grabbed her things and attended class. It was a welcome change for her professors, and her classmates looked at her with very confused, yet understanding looks as she took her seat and continued her studies. Despite her thoughts on going to class, and her attendance, Asha was surprised to see how much she learned by actually going. Not that she learned everything she missed, and is probably at a severe disadvantage still, but she did start to appreciate the process of going to class and learning more and more about magic. The classes went by, and after rigorous and copious notes, packed up her things and went back to the spot the old man found her, and waited. A few hours passed, and the old man didn't return yet, so Asha continued to wait, pouring over her notes and the rest.

"Oh ho ho! It seems I've lit a fire under that derriere of yours!" The old man joked, arriving at the scene, "Do you now appreciate Magnostadt and going to class?" Asha refused to dignify his question with a verbal response, so instead she just nodded and stood up. He smiled, his face brighter and more jolly as his beard made him look like some goofy old person.

Despite what she felt before, and her previous relationship with the old man (read: she stole from him and they never spoke again, until now), and learned more over these two days that she did than her first few weeks here at Magnostadt. With this, Asha felt as though she understood more about magic, her powers, and the process of becoming a magician in itself.