Banquets and Faces (Argence)

**Description:** With an empty stomach, Celina joins Aurelia and some new faces in the dining hall.

**Banquets and Faces**
The cafeteria, rather the 8th floor, was already teeming with new arrivals pushing through lines and filling up tables by the time they arrived. The moment the two girls passed through the hall doors, a collective aroma of the feast washed over their senses. Just the slightest whiff was enough to wet Celina's mouth.

As Aurelia led her through the aisles bodies and tables, Celina's eyes jumped from plate to plate. Roast beef, barbecue ribs stir fried lo mein, spicy curry: the list went on. She restrained her urge to jump into line and beat down anyone in her way. Noticing the change in her demeanor, Aurelia shot her a sideways glance. Luckily, she bought the forced grin etched on Celina's face and continued on none the wiser.

"Aury! Over here!"

*Aury?*

The call came from a joyful girl with green hair in pigtails across the room. She waved vigorously with her hand high above. Smiling, Aurelia led Celina far across the dining hall towards the strangers. The eccentric four of them encircling the table stood out even in the sea of students. A cowboy, the mossy-haired girl, a dignified blonde, and a smirking athlete.

"Hello again, Rosie. I see you've made some new friends," Aurelia commented, gesturing to the apparent newcomers of the group. As if on cue, the dusty haired boy stood up and tipped his hat.

"Howdy ladies," he drawled. "Call me Dally, at your service."

Aurelia curtsied in response evoking a giggle from Rosie. Celina opted to smile instead. The athlete quickly followed up with his own.

"I'm Price. Runner, parkour enthusiast, and all-around great guy." His flirtatious wink was met with silence. He followed with an awkward grin and sat back down.

"Ylisse Aberforth. A pleasure to meet you both," the elegant blonde laid out curtly.

"And I'm Rosie!" the green haired girl chimed. Celina was almost blinded by the smile accompanying the introduction.

"Glad to meet you all. I'm Aurelia Riore, and this is Celina..." Aurelia furrowed her eyebrows towards her friend, realizing that she never asked for a last name.

"...Cavell," Celina filled in, reluctantly.

The group nodded to one another as Aurelia and Celina took their seats at the table. For a brief moment, their eyes darted upwards as if trying to recall a thought. Dismissing it, they collectively broke out into conversation as they waited for the meal lines to die down.

"So Vacuo, huh? You didn't mention that before." Rosie settled her chin on her hands, gleaming at Dally with glittering eyes.

"I reckon y'all would've figured it out eventually. I know this coast of Sanus got its own farms and countryside, but nothing so...dusty." He lifted his earthy hat and tousled it a couple times, and the table watched in awe as the dust collapsed off. "Believe it or not, this thing was black when I got it."

"Oh! Oh! Lemme see!"

Dally casually tossed it across the table. Rosie snatched it from the air and peered into the brim alongside Price.

"What about you guys?"

"I grew up in Brookes on the south coast," Ylisse said, and raised a finger towards Price. "Alongside that numbskull there."

"You know, at this point that's a compliment," he mumbled with his face inside the hat's crown.

"Make that three," Rosie piped in, tearing the hat away and flinging it back to its owner.

"Actually, four." Aurelia raised a hand.

The table's eyes turned towards Celina expectantly.

"Sorry to break the pattern. I'm from Brunus."

"Across the sea?" Ylisse's eyes lit up. "I'm kind of jealous. I've heard it's beautiful over there."

"It is, well, when you get used to the air. It gets rough smelling like sea water all the time."

Rosie leaned across the table and sniffed at her, turning away with a jovial *yuck*.

"Well, the freshwater falls here are certainly nice."

Celina was beginning to enjoy herself. They brought nostalgia of her friends at Hope Academy, yet also a twinge of sadness.

As time passed, the long lines began to shorten, yet the piles of food stayed the same height. Chefs continued to scurry left and right to keep the trays stocked up. With her stomach now yowling at her, Celina brought up the notion of food and everyone unanimously stood up.

*Great. I'm literally starving.*

"Wow, take a look at her," Price cut in.

The entire table's eyes turned across the room to find a short purple-cloaked girl trudging through the aisles. While she didn't seem to stand out on her own, the four stacked-to-the-brim plates she struggled to balance in her hands drew attention from all around the hall. Despite the nonchalant look in her eyes, the girl created an almost palpable tension in the air as the pile of edibles swayed to and fro. She approached an unattended table with her arms shaking from the weight. As she finally sat down with her miniature mountain of food, the group let out a collective sigh of relief.

Price and Rosie leapt up and made for the seafood line with gusto. With contrast, Dally and Ylisse picked themselves up slowly and elegantly made their way across the marble floors, leaving Aurelia and Celina behind.

"What are you getting first?" Aurelia asked.

"Oh, don't get me started."

The rest of the evening passed by without much excitement. After bloating their stomachs, the group dispersed as night fell on the campus. Ylisse, Aurelia, and Rosie left to check out the hanging gardens, as Dally and Price left for their own misadventures.

Celina allowed herself to wander across the campus, exploring at her leisure. She grew accustomed to the soft stillness of the evening air, the constant stream of water falling, and empty walkways, wondering what it would be like when the semester began. At long last, the sun began to set over the horizon. A cool breeze blanketed the school in a serene calmness, and the unveiled stars shined brightly.

Feeling the tug of sleep, Celina hurriedly picked up her bags from the arrivals floor. Unzipping one of them, she pulled out a large compacted weapon that appeared like a bladed shield. Her mind flashed back to tumbling down without it. Sighing, she promised to herself that she'd never leave without it again and made her way towards the great hall.

She returned to the third floor ready to quickly set up camp. Stepping through the Main Hall's gates seemed to transport Celina into a different world. Despite the great hall's generous size and width, the chamber was packed full of the 240 or so freshmen sprawling from end to end. Panning over the sea of students, Celina managed to spot a small vacant cove across by the stairs. She began her journey through the maze of bodies and sleeping bags stretched across the marble floor. Several boys wrestled with one another, shirtless, perhaps in hopes that their antics might attract some female adoration. On the other end, several girls shrieked at one another without regard for the other students in the hall.

At long last, she arrived at her compact sanctuary. She found that her sleeping bag barely fit in the narrow crook, but snugly and without issue. Finally set, Celina propped up a pillow against the wooden wall of the stairwell. She rested her back against it before rummaging through her backpack, finally producing a book. She ran her fingers across its purple cover. She never tired of the tales no matter how many times she read them. Cracking it open, she sat in silence and felt herself melt into the pages.

As time went on, the lights grew dimmer and most of the freshmen fell into slumber, preparing for the initiation in the morning. She laid down on her back, listening to the murmurs of her future allies and rivals travel around the hall.

Pulling out her scroll, Celina typed in a message to her old group chat from Hope Academy.

*I made it to Ardent. Miss you all lots.*

Her thumb hovered over the Send button. For several agonizing seconds, she brushed it against the cool glass in a trance. Deciding against it, she furiously mashed the backspace panel and deleted the text. Maybe she would tell them... after tomorrow after the initiation... with her place in the school secured...

Feeling the gentle grasp of sleep pulling at her, Celina closed her eyes and allowed her mind to drift into the waiting waves of unconsciousness. There was a lot to be done in the morning. She would need her rest.