^^ White Dragon Lance Bamboo ^^

— Alice —

I woke up in an instant, feeling revitalized, and grinned slowly. "This... is going to be so... awesome!!!"

Zara startled awake, and yawned widely, her yet-again increased size easily visible. "Mm... Zara Prefers sleep. Go magic, but out of Zara's bed." She sighed, and nuzzled my hip, before nudging me roughly off the bed and curling up again on the warm spot I'd been sleeping on.

I laughed and kissed her forehead, now bigger than mine. "Alright, Alright, get some sleep, but be up and ready in time for breakfast, no excuses!"

She grumbled at me and stretched one of her small wings over her eyes cheekily, just in time for the sun to peek out from over the horizon, and shed light into the room.

I smiled and walked down into my lab as the door was opened, admitting Victor and Adrian, as well as Besan again. "Hello!!! Good morning, all!!!" I placed my sunglasses on, then rearranged my armor into a set of simple robes, like a monk, and sat down on a set of cushions I made from the air around us. "Sit, sit, would you like some tea?" I asked, conjuring a kettle and a few tea-cups, along with a tea-table to set them on. Water gathered from the air around us, purified, and then settled in the kettle to brew on the little fire I was making with my other hand.

Some tea-leaves grew from the vines that laced the ceiling, (no doubt an accidental extension of my abilities or Zara's while we slept,) and I plucked them while giving the vine a gift of Mana for thanks, then began brewing the Magical Herb, which was a type of Ghost Grass.

Adrian raised an eyebrow at the display, and nodded slowly. "Yes, I'd love some tea, actually, thank you." He sat across from me politely, while Victor and Besan took a few other cushions.

I brewed the tea calmly, taking my time, and poured the four cups of Mana-infused tea. "Well, yesterday was incredibly action-packed, I got so much done and I learned quite a bit! That lady, Minuet, she's very intelligent, I look forward to her class, and of course, the Basic Magic Class was adorable, but unsurprisingly I had learned everything in that class by the age of nine, so I imagine I'll have to suffer through it until such a time as I can enter the more advanced classes. Basic Fencing was Bracing, and I admit that I was unenthused at first, but feeling as revitalized as I do today, I can't help but look forward to it!!!" I rambled a bit, watching the pot brew.

Victor raised an eyebrow slowly, and sniffed the tea in his hands. "How many cups of this have you had?"

"None!" I laughed, and sipped the brew, then screwed up my nose. "And it needs some work... too bitter. Note to self; Ghost Grass Tea needs a strain of... Hmm... add in Honey-Leaf, and maybe some Sugarcane." I nodded, and the appropriate plants grew nearby, so I added them into the kettle, pouring my own cup back in.

"Hm... I agree, but I was attempting to be polite, if it was a blend you liked." Adrian grinned guiltily, handing me his cup.

I shrugged and tossed the contents into a nearby bush, (there were several of them around, I realized belatedly,) and then poured him a new one, once the brew was finished. "I'm always trying new brews, because honestly, Tea is such a kaleidoscopic subject; every culture has their own, and each is incredibly diverse! And, of course, there's thousands of plants that make viable tea when brewed, so it's a matter of creating blends that are tasty, and carry the proper effects!"

"That is true..." Besan nodded calmly, still drinking the first blend. At my curious glance, he smiled. "I happen to enjoy Bitter Tea. Regardless, you fixed that blend rather swiftly, do you have a special interest in Tea?"

"Yes I do! I plan on making all my medicines into Drinks, you see, because no one dislikes drinking things, (so long as they do not taste bad,) not even children, so it isn't the type of medicine they'd refuse on principal. Feel free to critique my blends at any point, please; I really do like to continually improve them, so any compliment or negative review is monumentally important!" I explained happily, sipping the new concoction.

He smiled warmly at me. "Well, that is most assuredly a worthy goal! On that note, however, I'd like to apologize for my rudeness yesterday; I was not as gracious a teacher as I should have been."

"And I was not the best student; my impatience was no reflection upon your method, but rather my own imbalance which I hope will eventually be corrected by my continued self-improvement." I responded graciously, and sipped the tea again, enjoying the feeling of the Mana slipping past my vocal cords and into my stomach, where it warmed me like alcohol as it slowly slipped into my veins.

I felt a mild buzz building, and hummed in concern, accidentally forestalling his response. "This Herb induces Intoxication... non-lethal, but assuredly Alcoholic in Nature... this blend is better suited for Spirits, not Tea." I made a note, and a page of my grimoire turned on the floor next to me, the words writing themselves down.

"Spirits?" Besan asked slowly, thoroughly confused.

"A colloquialism; Spirits, when used to refer to a beverage, means a substance that contains in any part Alcohol, or produces in those who partake of it any alcohol-like effects." I explained.

He nodded slowly. "Ah... Yes, I imagine on a child's system, even one as strong as yours, this amount of Mana would Intoxicate."

I hummed and examined his system, and nodded slowly when I saw that he had absorbed far less mana than I had. "Or, my stomach and Kidneys are more suited for properly digesting Liquids and Mana, given my unique diet." I remarked amusedly.

Victor chuckled, understanding my point instantly. "Yes, I imagine that's correct... today's lesson, by the way, is from Adrian, but it will be Adrian attacking Besan, while you observe. I have matters to attend to, unfortunately, and cannot stay for long... I will finish this cup and be on my way."

I nodded, and finished my own cup of tea, setting it aside. "It's nice to relax a bit with a cup of tea. You're welcome anytime. I will be here at every break, relaxing or working, but you may use this room as a bit of a reprieve from your duties, if you like." I smirked at Adrian's wide grin, and Besan sighed.

"Well, at least I'll know where to find him..." he muttered.

Victor chuckled and nodded, setting his cup down. "Well, I appreciate the offer, and will definitely return... if you could grow some White Dragon Lance, I'd happily pay to drink the tea made from it."

I hummed slowly, searching my mind for that herb. "I've never seen that one, is it not available in Grand Pillar?" I asked.

He grinned a little, scratching his cheek. "Ah, right... I should've thought about that more. It's a rare Herb from my homeland, very rare. Very expensive."

"I see... If you've got a sample, I can make you some quite easily." I held out a hand expectantly.

He hummed, and then reached into his robes, pulling out a small bag of tea leaves. "I... hesitantly, trust you to not destroy what amounts to two hundred and seventy gold coins worth of this Herb..." he cautiously handed it to me.

I chuckled and took out a single leaf of the twenty-seven individual leaves, examining it and then sticking it into my mouth, as he flinched and took half a step forward. It was dried, unsurprisingly, likely for the long transportation method, and had a salty aftertaste, like it had come across an ocean. "Hmm... different continent, huh? Is the Price from tariffs and transport, or some magical effect?" I asked, spitting the bitter herb into a pot of dirt nearby.

"Uhm..." he reached a hand out slowly, looking pained.

I handed his bag of leaves back casually, and then waved a hand over the pot. A small plant appeared instantly, and I grinned, realizing why it was called 'White Dragon Lance'. The plant was bone-white, and the stem was conical/cylindrical, exactly like a bamboo. "It's a cousin to bamboo, I suspect?" I asked, examining the plant as it grew a bit more.

"Yes, a magically altered version of bamboo from our homeland, all three of us. It only grows in Dragon Lairs, and is Fed by their excrement. Any other soil doesn't... work?" Besan tilted his head at the blossoming plant.

"Dragon poop has lots of mana in it, and more metric tonnage of raw nutrients and minerals than any soil rightfully should. I'm feeding it raw mana and nutrients, and therefore simulating the effect, though it is mildly draining on me."  I explained, and plucked one of the leaves, handing it to Victor. "That'll be... ten gold pieces? That's adjusting for the ten I owed you for the leaf I took."

He fished around in his robes instantly, and handed me twenty gold pieces absently, more focused on examining the leaf closely. "That is amazing..." he breathed softly.

"Now, effects? I did eat some of it, so I'd like to know if it's a narcotic?" I raised an eyebrow at them expectantly.

"No, no, nothing like that, just a very rare herb that stimulates and increases the natural healing abilities of those who drink it; like Vampire Blood, it is an ingredient that can be distilled into Elixirs." Besan assured me calmingly.

"Ahhh, I see... I'll grow a crop of it in Blue River. Lots of dragons there... is it an Invasive Species?" I asked, watching it extend a tendril and touch a nearby vine, recoiling instantly.

"No, but it does try to steal nutrients from other plants, so it could be called Parasitic." He explained.

"Mm, I see. Then I'll grow it in a Pocket, like my Heart, and just buy the Crap from Blue River. Better that way. Now I suppose you have work to do, so come by tomorrow for a cup; by then I'll have enough dried leaves for a few, I suspect." I nodded, and sent the plant into the Plane of Holding, next to the bars of metal and crystal I had soaking in mana there. It had its own bubble of nitrogen and carbon-rich air, as well as a crystal that gave off sunlight, feeding it a carefully balanced diet.

"But there's no air in Pockets? Or sunlight?" Besan asked slowly.

I smiled at him indulgently. "And why are you sure that that is the case? Because you've never tried it? Or because you've never succeeded?"

He frowned, thinking deeply, and Adrian patted his shoulder. "And again, the Student Teaches the Teacher... I think it's better to call you two colleagues, because otherwise your Ego will simply wilt. She's not someone most can best easily."

"Or at all." I added absently, and grew a variety of medicinal plants from the seeds stored within my Vines, setting them into pots and sending them away into the Holding.

"I believe you're correct, Sir Adrian..." Besan stared at the spot between my hands, where a portal was swallowing the last pot.

"Now that that is finished, and we've drank our tea, the lesson can begin, yes? What is today's lesson?" I asked, looking between the two remaining men as Victor teleported out of the room.

Adrian, reminded of his purpose, grinned. "Ah!!! Yes, thank you, today's lesson is on the various types of Elemental Swordsmanship, as well as Combat-Specific Barriers!"

"So basically you want to beat on Besan's wards until you're tired and you need an excuse, such as teaching Elemental Swordsmanship to someone who's already an Elemental Swordsman, and Barrier Magic to someone who can already use Barrier Magic." I replied dryly, and conjured Besan's Square Barriers around him, encasing him in a cube of golden light.

He swung his fist casually at one of the walls, apparently expecting it to shatter with no effort, and a tiny crack appeared.

I frowned and sealed him in there in the same way as I'd made the Silver Tubes for my Hydrogen Containment, kinetic absorption and redirection at full power, which turned the squares pitch-black, the geometry swiftly applying sigils between the lines. After a moment, I felt a tap on my shoulder, and looked at Besan.

"You may want to let him out before he gets angry... or runs out of oxygen." He shrugged.

"Oh he won't, there's an oxygen supply being provided, as well as Sunlight. Would you like to see?" I made the walls translucent, and revealed a sitting Adrian, slowly tapping his fingers against his sheathed sword. He raised an eyebrow at us slowly, and then mimed the box opening firmly.

The box opened, one section of wall disconnecting and swinging up on an invisible hinge, and he stepped out as it closed again, then disappeared into the Holding.

"Okay, color me impressed... instead, we'll work on your sword form, which I believe you said was good, but lacked practice against live opponents?" He asked, stretching and cracking his neck slowly.

"That is Correct." I nodded, and summoned my sword from the Holding, where it had also been sitting, gathering power.

He narrowed his eyes at the blade, and tilted his head a bit. "How did you empower that blade so quickly? Stuff like that usually takes a few decades at least..."

"Trade Secret of a Craft-Mage." I shrugged.

He nodded slowly. "Yes, I was unaware that you had that SubClass, but that would explain a great many things..."

"Wonderful. Shall we begin?" I drew the sword and allowed my armor to turn into its normal form, a full-body sheath of leaf-like scales, leaving only my head visible, with the circlet and invisible Helm holding my hair out of my face.

He nodded and waved Besan forward. "One of your Barrier-Dummies to spar with her, please?"

Besan nodded and wove an intricate spell -which I instantly recognized from his stolen knowledge, something I was happy about,- and an emerald golem made entirely of glowing green barriers slowly built itself up. A sword and shield appeared in its hands, and it moved with a clean, fluid grace, readying itself. "It won't harm you, but it will attack and defend with all of my skill." He commented.

I nodded slowly. "Okay... that's awesome... almost as good as mine." I altered my Illusion Me's, the Illusion/Barrier Magic that I'd used to study Adrian's movements originally, and created a shell of sorts that was made of my black Barrier, turned perfectly translucent. The Barrier would absorb the entire impact, then redirect it back, plus some extra Elemental Swordsmanship oomph that would come from my own magic.

As I summoned eleven of them with no visible spell-casting, he frowned, examining them. "That... that's cheating! How could you have possibly-... oooh, you're using a Template? But that's such advanced magic, Templates aren't meant for such things, the required Mental Acuity alone would fry most people's brains..."

Adrian laughed softly. "As we already said, Besan; 'Most People' doesn't apply to the Taurus Clan."

I stepped back, leaving an Illusion in my place perfectly in sync with my turning invisible, and then teleported up onto the landing, with no flashy magic or anything of that nature, watching from above as the now-twelve illusions charged the single green Barrier-Golem.

"No, don't cheat, get down here; you need the muscle memory of fighting yourself." Adrian snapped at me chidingly.

"There were no set rules, so I am not cheating!" I huffed, hopping down and dissolving eleven of the twelve illusions.

Besan flinched, realizing I hadn't even been there, and frowned. "The Point is to train you, not your Illusions."

"I can absorb the muscle memory of the Golems, so long as they're anatomically Correct, and they are, so while I understand your concerns, I do not risk my life needlessly." I raised an eyebrow at them and waited as they considered the situation with the appropriate severity.

"Well... if you can do that, why-... that's why you had your Shade fight me like that, yesterday. You were learning." Adrian laughed suddenly, rubbing his temples with both hands.

I smirked. "Gold Star, Sir Adrian!"

"Alright... but how much did you learn? You're sparring me again; no illusions, and I won't hurt you; I'm sure we both agree I'm good enough to beat you without harming you?" He asked.

"I agree that you're indubitably better than me, but I guarantee it won't be a bloodless victory. Try me." I leveled the rapier, eating a swift early breakfast and injecting mana into my muscles, then my Barrier into my skin and armor. The armor accepted it greedily, gaining a clear pattern that mirrored the sigils, -as did my skin, to my surprise, reminding me of Lady Dewan's White Tattoos.

He raised an eyebrow at the sudden tattoos on my face, and nodded. "Impressive... Alright, let's do this, then!" He drew his sword in a smooth arch, clearly removing his greatest ability, the Quick-Draw he was famous for.

I narrowed my eyes and looked through my Scrying Eye, speeding up my perception to 22,000 frames per second, instead of the human norm of 120, then sprinted forward, surprising myself with my speed. He saw this, and backed up to give me time to adjust, but then his form blurred, and went invisible to my normal vision, but the Scrying Eye could still see him as he sprinted around me.

Instinct had me ducking, and I kicked backwards with all the force I possessed, then instantly created a second-skin of hard air to surround my body and deflect incoming attacks away.

As I suspected, the actual attack came from in front of me, as he'd managed to move back to the front while I was still turning to look backwards, so the sword that was pointed forward shot forward, using the platform under my kicking foot for extra forward thrusting power, and fluidly stabbed the shoulder of the now-confused Kensei.

He didn't bleed, but I heard the solid sound of it pushing his shoulder nearly out of socket, and he looked at it with a surprised grunt, then grinned widely as his shoulder visibly righted itself. "Well done!!! Now let's kick things up a notch, yes?" He asked, sprinting around me again.