Lomachislots War - Lost Childhood (Original) ~

[Kasawa Lanford]

The twins looked at each other before heading into the room. A cold chill ran through the room, causing Anise to shiver. "You really shouldn't have left the room without putting some cloth's on," she said, commenting that Anise was only wearing a night gown.

"I was worried that you might blame yourself, and I was right," Anise said. Not turning toward her sister, but instead, staring out the window.

Rin stared at the ground, not even noticing that Anise had grabbed Rin's sheets and covered herself with them. The two stayed silent for some time until a student came in and told them that classes would be starting in just five minutes, the twins looked at each other and smiled. "We.. probably should be going..." Anise said and got up.

"Not in that outfit your not," Rin said and opened her school bag that was lying up against her bed. She pulled out another pair of the field trip uniform and helped Anise get dressed.

Once the two were dressed they left the room and headed to the dining hall. "Rin, think later tonight we can talk?" Anise whispered to Rin. Rin nodded, "sure... but are you sure you'll be fine? After last night?"

"I'll be fine ok?" Anise said cheerfully.

Rin stopped, causing Anise to also stop but she didn't turn toward Rin. "You're lieing... deep down inside your in a lot of pain..."

"What do you expect?" Anise said, she sounded a bit upset now. "I saw something... something that I shouldn't have seen.. at least that's what the nurse said," she said and turned Rin, tear's running down her cheeks.

Rin shook her head and stuffed her hands into her pockets. "Don't force yourself ok?" she told her. Anise, still choking back tears, nodded. "Go back to the nurse's room, talk it out with her ok? I want you to be happy and cheerful, not hiding your pain or your hurts..." she said to Anise.

The young girl nodded and hoped some distance away before turning toward Rin, hands clasped behind her back. "Then promise me that tomorrow... tomorrow we'll play together during free-time ok?" Anise said.

Rin gave her a thumbs up before watching her twin sister run off. She stood there and sighed, "she's still hiding her pain..." she said and headed for the dining hall. She found Phineas and Andy sitting at a table, but before she could go to them a teacher called her over to talk to her.

[Director of Music]

Phineas and Andy watched as Rin was coming toward them, then getting stopped by a teacher.  They looked at each other, shrugged and continued talking.

[Kasawa Lanford]

Rin sat at the table and listened to the teacher drone on about being responsible, she had her arms folded over her chest and was partly looking outside. Stupid teacher... most of our teachers understand... but this screw ball doesn't she thought as she continued to listen.

Finally after what seemed like forever the teacher told her he was done. She got up, pushing the chair back and then walked back into the dining hall. She clasped her hands behind her neck and went over to the table that Andy and Phineas were sitting at and took a sit on the other side of them. "I hate that teacher," she said placed her arms on the table and rested her head on them. "Always goes on about responsibility this and responsibility that... we're kids for pete's sake..." she grumbled.

[Director of Music]

Andy grinned while Phineas spewed out his drink.  They had never heard Rin talk like that about a teacher.  Andy commented good naturedly, "Well, no one likes that one anyways."  He got up and grabbed a couple of napkins and handed it to Phineas.  Who, slightly embarassed, cleaned the table.

There was an awkward silence at the table as Andy strove again for some kind of conversation.  "You doing okay?"

[Kasawa Lanford]

Rin smiled weakly. "I'm doing fine... just annoyed is all. Everytime I'm not around Anise when something happens to her that teacher get's on me, I mean... I respect every teacher at our school but.. that one... I don't know.. I get a very odd and pershaps fearful vibe from him.." she said and sighed before burying her head in her arms. "Ugh... this was supposed to be a fine field trip," she said.

***

In the nurse's room Lorea and Yoko sat waiting for Anise to come, which as luck would have it, was right after they had arrived. "Anise, how are you?" Lorea asked her.

"I'm doing ok, still feeling it from last night though," she said and flopped down onto the bed.

Yoko got up from the chair and sat on the bed. "You want us to block that portion of your memory?" she asked her.

"No... you do that and when I do remember it'll be a repeat of what happened earlier today and last night.." Anise said.

The wind outside had calmed down to a gentle breeze; the snow had piled up around the lodge but was low enought to where the staff could easily shovel it away.

Anise just laid her head on the pillow and soon fell asleep. Lorea and Yoko watched, "you think we should force wipe their memory? If only for the rest of the field trip?"

"Anise's? No... but Rin's... it might be a good idea," Lorea said, prompting Yoko to turn toward her with a confused look on her face. "Why?"
Yoko asked.

"Because out of those two, she's the most hurt.... and if we don't-" Lorea said before Yoko stopped her. "No, I may not understand it, but Anise would hate us if we erased her memory," Yoko said.

"If we don't then-" Lorea said and shot up from her chair, but Yoko's expression caused her to stop talking. "Fine..." Lorea said angerily and walked out of the nurse's room. Yoko sighed and soon followed suit.

[Director of Music]

Andy half heartedly said, "Well, it certaintly has been eye opening..."

Phineas groaned at the remark.  Leave it up to Andy to try and ease up the mood in the worst possible way: Making a very corny joke.

[Kasawa Lanford]

Rin groaned and sat there until a teacher came in. "Ok everyone, we'll be starting classes in just a bit. Head to lobby and get with your respective groups!" she shouted.

"Well, I guess I'll talk to you whenever we have free time," Rin she said and forced herself to get up. She looked at the teacher who had scolded her and just shook her head before leaving for the lobby.

[Director of Music]

Andy sighed heavily and patted Phineas on the back.  "Let's go, bud.  Don't wanna stir up anything now, too much has been happening anyways..."  Phineas got up slowly and walked with Andy to their group.

[Kasawa Lanford]

Rin stood in the lobby and glanced about. She soon found her group standing near the entrance to the girl's dressing room, one of her friends waved at her and she walked over. "Morning Mira," Rin said and walked up to her, "how are you?"

Mira shrugged her shoulder. "I'm doing ok, let's get dressed before the instructor comes in and tells us to," she smiled.

She quickly got dressed and was ready before anyone else, standing near the door that led out onto the snow. She gripped her skie's with both hands and waited. I wonder if Andy and Phineas are ok... she thought as she watched one group leave the boy's dressing room, but Andy and Phineas weren't apart of it

[Director of Music]

As the rest of their group hurried into the changing room, Andy and Phineas lagged behind.  Andy tried to make the mood around them lighter, but both boys could feel the tension in the air between them.  As Andy grabbed his equipment, he glanced at Phineas.  The darker haired boy was in deep thought.  Of course, that was usually normal; Andy however could feel a change in Phineas.  He wondered if Phineas thought that about him too.  They seemed distant, not at all close as they were, just days ago.

Phineas remained silent as he grabbed his items.  He knew Andy was troubled just by the look on his face.  What the heck is he worried about, why doesn't he just mind his own business.  His mind was having a conversation with him.  A part of him didn't know why he was acting this way towards Andy.  Another part of his mind was jealous of the handsome face looking at him. He's my best friend....always the best at everything....he's helped me through a lot....thinks he can get away with anything...  Phineas slammed the locker door, startling Andy.

Andy ventured a question.  His voice light, but his eyes troubled.  "You okay, Finny?"

Phineas grimaced at the nickname.  He wondered vaguely why it bothered him so much.

"Fine." He answered curtly.  "Let's go."  The boys now quickly grabbed their stuff and went out, trailing behind their classmates.

[Kasawa Lanford]

Out on the snow bank, Rin and Mira had been listening to the instructor as she instructed them on safety procedures, after a ten minute lecture the fourth graders made their way over to a ski lift and went up the mountain to the practice course.

Once up top the instructor took out a clipboard and asked each student to practice what he had just taught them, making sure that everyone understood her safety instructions.

[Director of Music]

The instructor slowly made his instructions clear on what he wanted everyone to do.  Andy lost interest in the instructor talking, for he had troubles of his own.

What's up with Phineas?  He's acting so...cold toward me...did I do something?  Andy looked up at the sky, sighing loudly, and not realizing it.

The instructor however, did.  "Hey!"  He glared, "Tune me in, please.  This is for your safety!"

Andy nodded slightly, and the instructor contnued on.

[Kasawa Lanford]

Rin skied down the hill with ease, it wasn't much of a problem for her but that was only because the hill was only partially slanted.

"Good," the instructor said and placed a check mark by her name. She just ignored her and walked over to a snow pile and sat down, looking up at the endless blue sky.

She was so deep in thought she didn't hear the instructor call her name not once, not twice, but three times. Finally the instructors head appeared above her, with the instructor saying her name for a fourth time. "RIN!" she shouted, prompting Rin to literally jump in shock..

"H-hai?!" she said, staring at the instructor, her fellow students laughed. The instructor sighed and gestured to the hill, "we are going for another run, get your ski's on and head up with your classmates to the top," she said.

Rin nodded and reattached her skis to her shoes and then followed her classmates back up the hill.

[Director of Music]

Andy skiied down expertly down the slope with the instructor somewhat annoyed, somewhat astonished at Andy's graceful movements.

"Right." The instructor looked down at this list.  "Next..Phineas Williams." 

Phineas stepped forward with his teeth gritted.  The instructor saw this, "Don't worry about it, son.  Just relax, and remember what I've said."

Phineas faltered slightly as the instructor had said "son"  He hoped no one had seen that as he made his way to the starting point.  Of course, Andy had and his frowned deepened as he watched his friend questioningly.  He watched Phineas go down the hill easily and he turned his attention Rin, who was walking with her classmates.

[Kasawa Lanford]

Rin glanced over at Andy, but for the most part ignored him. She turned her attention back to the instructor who had called for Mira to go down first, her friend made it look like an art as she dodged a tree along the path, the same tree that the instructor had told them 'not' to go for.

As the instructor scolded Mira on her lack of safety, Rin herself made her way down the slope. "Why am I getting such a tense feeling whenever I look at Andy and Phineas..." she asked herself, avoiding the same tree that Mira had and making it down to the bottom. This time it was her turn to be scolded.

[Director of Music]

Andy mumbled slightly as Rin also ignored him.  Frustrated, he yelled out, "WHAT THE *%^& HAVE I DONE?"  Phineas, who had climbed back to the top, stared at Andy, shaking his head.

The instructor looked astonished at the boy. He walked over and grabbed the collar of Andy's jacket.  He pulled him over to the side and began furiously talking to him.

[Kasawa Lanford]

Both Rin and Instructor turned toward the group of boys. Rin was surprised, if not shocked, to hear what Andy had just said.

Her own instructor stared toward Andy and the instructor scolding him before she turned her attention back to Rin.

[Director of Music]

The instructor crouched down to Andy's level, making sure he was making contact with the young boy.  The instructor kept his voice calm.  "Andrew.-"

"It's Andy."

The instructor took a deep breath.  "Right.  Andy.  Listen, you just can't say those things around here, buddy.   It's very rude.  Your parents would be upset if they heard that, wouldn't they?"

Andy growled.  "How would you know what my parents think?!"

The instructor held a hand up. "Cool down there buddy.  I'm just giving you a warning, but next time, I might have to send you home.

Andy briskly turned his back and ran toward the lodge.

[Kasawa Lanford]

Rin watched Andy, shaking her head in the process.

Inside, nurse's room

Anise was staring out the window, much like what she always did when she couldn't sleep. The nurse was working on a journal writing, but she couldn't help but notice that Anise seemed worried.

Another room

Lurea was sitting on a bed, stroking Yoko's hair, the girl was fast asleep on Lurea's lap. Lurea herself was worried about her little sister, but her attention had begun to turn toward the slow increase in magical power in the area around the lodge, "someone here is not able to control their magic, I just hope that the military doesn't get wind of it like they did with Ranmaru..." Lurea said worriedly.

[Director of Music]

Phineas watched Andy run inside.  He stared after him for a bit, then returned to the slopes, trying to forget Andy, at least for a little while.

Andy, inside, was breathing heavily.  He glared at the fireplace, his mood, furious.