Leriana smiled at the class as she followed her art teacher inside. She had a free time slot, and when her art teacher had asked the class for volunteers to help teach the more advanced first year art students Leriana had instantly volunteered. Of all her classes art was her best (although only by about 5 marks, than again her lowest score was a 90), and she had often tutored other students back in high school. This was all combined, well with the fact that she was one of the few students in her class that the teacher trusted to not 'corrupt' the first years, to make Leriana the best choice for the role as a teachers assistant for the teachers first year class.

Ok class I'd like you to meet Leriana, one of my second year students. She is here to help with any student who wants to go a little bit further than the standard class curriculum and who is trying to get the best possible grades. As long as you are prepared to work for it of course.

Leriana smile broadened for a moment at the teachers introduction, and she looked around the class as it settled down and started. She waited for a few minutes before starting to walk around, having a look at each student's work and waiting in case a student asked a question while the teacher was busy handling the more troublesome students that would be the majority of the class. That was what all of Leriana's classes were like, and she doubted this one would be any different.

Laele Was probably the only one in the room not in the school uniform. she had been given exception as it was her first day and they had not gotten her uniforms finished in time for her early arrival though what she did wear was quite like a school uniform of some sort. the white and black dress accented only by the orange ascot like garment she wore around her neck. her and on the brush and the brush to the canvas her eyes wandering between the window outside, the people within the room and the palette of various oil colors many of them made by her right then and there. on the canvas laid what appeared to be an odd scene, a mixture of night, some students painting and odd eyes watching from the forest along with a snake slinking back into it. she didn't know where the idea for the snake body came from, more than likely something her subconscious had caught outside that her consciousness missed entirely. nothing seemed too detailed but, since the class had just begun it was an impressive beginning to say the least even if she had just begun adding to the pencilled idea.

"Hmmm... I could use some fresh yellow..."

Leriana's attention shifted to a student not in uniform, normally this simple fact would have sent her into a, mostly hidden, rage at someone's blatant disregard for the school, and by extension the teachers. But the teacher had mentioned they had a new student in their class and wanted Leriana to pay particular attention to her to see just how good she was. Since everyone else was in, technically at least, school uniform she guessed that this would be the new student.

Leriana walked up behind her, smiling warmly as she did so. She looked at the pencilled in outlines with amazement. This student was definitely good, very good. Excuse me Miss, would you be Laele Azure Zazel by any chance? Leriana asked politely, her expression warm and friendly.

The black haired student took several moments to take her mind off her painting to look to the girl that was addressing her. Her crystal blue eyes passed over her and she nodded quietly to her without a word at first. her mind was stuck in the art for the moment. she added a few more minor details to the work and placed her brush down to soak for a few moments on the side of the easel.

After a momentary sigh as she looked over her own work she would turn her gaze back to Leriana.
"Forgive me for that moment of silence miss. I was a bit busy with my piece. I tend to focus on my work a little too much sometimes. Is there something I can do for you?"

her voice held no malice, no insolence no trouble with authority at all she would just smile faintly to the girl hands resting now just in front of her skirt like a proper lady.

It isn't a problem, and please call me Leriana, or Leri if you prefer. I was just wondering if you are the new student here, and if you needed anything, either in this class or just in general. The teacher asked me to pay particular attention to you to make sure you don't get left behind in class, but I can see quite clearly that if anyone is going to be left behind it will be the rest of the class. Leriana's reply was warm and friendly, as was her smile. Leriana always acted that way until she learnt more about whoever she was talking to, and even after she did she would normally continue with that behaviour. She was still irritated at Laele's lack of a uniform, but she reminded herself that it hadn't gone through administration just yet and the lack of uniform wasn't Laele's fault. None of that showed on her expression or in her eyes of course, that would ruin the entire effect.

If I may ask, what did you use for inspiration for that piece? Leriana pointed to the work Laele had been painting.

((sorry about the delay, a bit busy for one reason or another))
"Well if would certainly be an interesting development if I did leave the rest of the class behind. I am older than any of them I'm almost entirely certain. As for my inspiration Leriana? Hmm... I'm not sure I usually draw whatever I see or things that pop into my head. Not sure where any of these popped into my head from though."

She said simply tapping her finger against her chin slightly for a moment or two shaking her head gently before offering a bit of a half smile to the higher year student. she adjusted her outfit a little; it was a sort of uniform certainly even if it wasn't THIS school's uniform. She took several moments of silence before speaking again.
"I do admit thought that this gives me a bit of an odd ominous feeling though..."

she pointed to the serpent like thing that she had sketched leaving the woods of her painting.

<Not a problem>

Leriana also regarded the snake like thing creeping out of the forest, but she simply shrugged. Sometimes something just feels 'right', even though you have no idea why or what it is. No doubt it is there for a reason. Leriana had heard the rumours of tentacle monsters roaming around the isle, raping any student who caught their fancy. Almost every student did. But the teachers denied it, so it must simply be a prank the older students played to scare the new students. That sort of thing had happened to Leriana in high school a lot, and as such any rumours Leriana heard she asked a teacher about first before believing them.

Don't make the mistake of assuming just because you are older you are better. Of course all you have to do is look around ... Leriana trailed off as she looked around at the other student's work. and you see that you are probably the best in this class. I'm quite impressed by what you have managed in such a short amount of time.

"Oh you misunderstand me I thought I'd be worse than my peers given my age. It did take me much longer to even decide to bother with college. And given the reputation of this one I am quite surprised they allowed someone my age to be a freshmen student."

She offered a subtle laugh to the other woman as she shifted to a detailing brush as she'd continue to work now drifting between conversation and work.
"I do thank you... for the compliments however. very nice of you Especially since this is my first day here I didn't expect a single kind word."

She was being honest given how she felt being here new and older than most of the other students in the school, well she thought so anyway.

Leriana blushed a little when Laele explained her statement, although when Laele laughed Leriana followed suit. Why would they reject someone as skilled as you? And why wouldn't you expect kind words? People here are ni ... Leriana's voice was cut off by a paint brush flying past her and hitting Laele's picture, the murky brown on the brush splattering across the canvas and almost certainly ruining it. Most of them are nice. Please excuse me for a moment Laele.

Leriana turned slowly, her eyes sweeping the room. She could guess just where in the room the brush had came from, and as she focused her glare at the four girls sitting over there, all apparantly diligently working on their own paintings, her eyes narrowed. A quick glance at the teacher confirmed she had not seen the brush at all. In fact she was still trying to help another student with some basic concepts.

Leriana walked to the teachers desk, the room a lot quieter all of a sudden. No doubt a number of student's had known what was going to happen, and now were waiting to see what she would do. Leriana had no intention of running to the teacher however, and simply opened a drawer and picked up four slips of paper. She checked them against the roll on the desk, writing a name on each, before walking over to the four girls who could ahve thrown it.

Did any of you see who threw the paintbrush at Laele's work by any chance? Leriana asked politely, her hands held behind her back. When she didn't recieve a response she sighed. Than I will have to assume you all did, shame. 1 Demerit for each of you, and a Detention each to go along with it. She placed a slip in front of each student, and as she turned to walk away paused for a moment. Oh and if you skip that or are late you will find your punishment doubled, and I will personally find you and drag you down to the basement.

With that Leriana walked back towards Laele. I'm sorry that your work was ruined. If you want I can get you a blank canvas? The stern voice and pose vanished as she spoke, her tone light and friendly.

Laele spent several silent minutes just glaring at the blotch of brown on her canvas. she wasn't sure how she should react to it. In the end when Leriana returned she just sighed softly.
"Oh... hmmm... no I'd hate to waste materials. I can work around a minor nuisance like this."
She sounded a bit off but she simply covered the brown blotch with a bit of off-white paint to mask the damage. Canvas she knew could be quite costly and she would hate to waste school funds.
"Thank you for offering though, quite decent of you Leriana. Unlike those girls there... don't even see why they're taking an art course if they do things like that to peers."

Probably they don't want to be here, but something is forcing them. Either that or they just enjoy making other student's lives miserable. The other prefects did warn me that first semester students were always the worst behaved. It seems they were right. They should get a lot better within a few weeks. Are you sure you don't want a fresh canvas? It really isn't a problem, and it would be a shame for such a masterpiece of work to be ruined so early because of a minor act of vandilism.

Leriana spoke the truth when she said it wasn't a problem, ever since the recent prom, an event that Leriana had missed because her history teacher had asked for her help with something, and had ended up asking her for a lot more than help with school work for most of the day it had been on, the school's budget had been huge. They had surplus supplies of pretty much everything, including disciplinary tools, and Leriana had heard talk of expanding the school, discussing the possibility of expanding the buildings and growing the school. Replacing a single canvus because of a splotch of paint was no big deal, at least when she considered the quality of the painting.

"If you so insist that I have a new canvas then I have no choice but to accept it though I doubt I'd be able to repeat what i've done here. so hard to duplicate a work for me."

she said simply brushing her skirt down slightly glancing to the clock with a bit of a dismal expression seeing that the class was nearing an end much sooner than she had hoped for it to.
She took her brush and cleaned it off a little making sure it was ready to begin again. worst case scenario she'd finish during the next class.

"I'd like to ask why you're assisting the new students though this day. do you do it for fun, duty or punishment Miss?"

a simple random curiousity of coure.

Leriana looked apologetic as Laele said that Leriana had been insisting that she start on a new canvas. I am sorry if it seemed like I was insisting. I appologise, I had assumed that your statement of hating to waste materials was the reason you didn't want a new canvas. I simply wanted to point out that such concern was not neccesary, if you would prefer to keep going, and not simply because of concern over wasting materials, than do not let me tell you otherwise. If the student truely wanted to start from scratch Leriana would fetch her a canvas, if not she would not comment.

A quick double take, after all Leriana did not want to force a student who was doing well to have to start from scratch because of another student's actions. Mentally Leriana put another mark against those four girls, of which one had thrown the paintbrush. She would make sure they suffered in detention, hopefully in person. If not ... Leriana had worked out from one of Katya's other prefects which rooms were the most punishing ones to send student's too.

Leriana's concentration returned to the present just in time as Laele asked her why she was helping her, and the teacher. I am a prefect, and I was granted this position as I was considered a model student. This sash means more responsability, and it also means I am expected to help the school in anyway possible. When the teacher asked for volenteers for this in my class of course I offered to help. What about you? Why did you choose to come to Shokushu?

"Oh I wouldn't have time to start from scratch, I should finish this; the most beautiful things are flawwed anyway."

she would offer a nod to the prefect as she continued coloring the sketches stippling a little bit near the grass and trees to make the effect and shape stand out well.
"Why did I choose to attend shokushu? I'm not sure actually... I am starting late but... I will admit it might be a little because of the reputation... and a bit because older students usually don't apply. I thought it might get me a bit of respect from my peers the age thing at a prestigious university. Afraid I was wrong though."

She would shrug slightly cleaning her brush as she began to think on what she should do next with the painting.

Leriana smiled at Laele's descision to keep going, and her statment that the most beautiful things were flawed. That was something Leriana disagreed with, but she knew better than to get into such a debate with another student. Doing so would acomplish nothing but distract the student from what was still a rather impressive piece of artwork, despite the blemish. Leriana wanted to spend the rest of the class watching Laele's painting evolve, watching it grow as she added each layer of detail.

However Leriana had the rest of the class to worry about. She hadn't been asked to assist her teacher with just a single new student, but rather a group of them that the teacher was normally unable to really help. Since it was quite clear that Laele didn't need any help Leriana would be better off moving to one of the other students.

Have you had a tour of the campus yet Laele? If you want I would be happy to show you around after class. Assuming you don't have another class afterwards of course.