Progress

[majestic_keiki]

1
[Following a certain conversation with Kagura a while ago, Kei could regularly be found doing what appeared to be studying various subjects on her own from an assortment of textbooks, spending a lot of her free time on it. And today she can be found handing over a thick envelope over to the mail staff at Fort Alhambra, moving with uncharacteristic confidence.]

I guess I'll see if the Major was right.

2

[A short while later, she's heading towards her room carrying some sweets and a cup of tea and all that confidence has vanished.]

Hopefully they'll take it seriously and not just use me as a mascot or trophy and try to fix things like they do for athletes.

Comments

1

[herodrawing]

Hey Kei! What are you doing?

[Izuru notices the envelope.]

Are you going to have your own manga published?

Re: 1

[majestic_keiki]

No, it's my application for medical college after we're discharged from military service.

[herodrawing]

Medical college? You're going to be a doctor, Kei?

[Slowpoke is slow.]

[majestic_keiki]

Yes. You didn't notice I was looking them up until now?

[herodrawing]

Ah. I didn't know you were serious about it...

[majestic_keiki]

Because people usually spend a lot of time reading university material just for fun.

But, yes, I'm going to become a doctor once we're done here.

[herodrawing]

I don't know, different people find different things fun.

But, that's kinda cool.

[majestic_keiki]

I wanted to get away from the military, but still do something helpful.

[herodrawing]

Is it about what Major Kagura said? How we can't just fight all our lives?

[majestic_keiki]

Yes...But I knew that already. I'm not going to let the way we were born control me forever.

2

[cloningblues]

Do you think that might really happen? That because we're celebrities, the PR means we could get into any school we want?

Re: 2

[majestic_keiki]

What's that supposed to mean? I think I'm good enough, I'm just worried what they're going to do.

[dignity_kept]

Those smell good. Give me one of them. I would like to try them.

[There's a ladylike voice near your feet, Kei. And its owner, a large white cat with rather striking amber eyes, is looking at some of your sweets very intently.]

[majestic_keiki]

I didn't know cats liked sweets. [She still opens her bag of skittles to toss a few to the cat.]

[cloningblues]

I know, I know. If you're not good enough, I doubt any of us are going to be.

...I'm just thinking aloud about what I'm worried myself, I guess.

[majestic_keiki]

Right. I hope they'll take it seriously, I'm applying for one of the more prestigious departments, so they have more to lose if I don't measure up or get a poor education.

[herodrawing]

That was a good line. And I know what you mean Kei! That's why I started to draw my pictures too, remember?

[dignity_kept]

[Amber bats at the skittles curiously for a few seconds before lapping them up and eating them. She seems satisfied. As much as a cat can look satisfied, anyway.]

These are good. Where did you get them? How could I get more?

[The cat moves closer. She's not as fluffy as Skald, but it's still nice as she slithers around Kei's legs. Then she looks up, though]

You're worried. Are there no more of these left? [As animals usually do, Amber can tell when someone is sad or worried. As cats usually do, though, she's not the most empathic creature about it]

[majestic_keiki]

Right. But it's probably a good idea to think about a job too.

[majestic_keiki]

You'd have to pay and the only place to get them on base is a vending machine that wasn't made for cats.

[No immediate comment on Amber's perception, if she doesn't care, why should Kei tell her?]

[herodrawing]

I want to explore space.

[An immediate reply.]

[majestic_keiki]

...That's really cool. Even if it sounds pretty dangerous too. [She's actually sounding worried here.]

[dignity_kept]

[Amber looks confused as only a cat can]

Pay? What is pay?

[This is a millenia old cat that hails from a weird magical utopia, Kei. She's not clear on the concept of vending machines.]

[herodrawing]

It's not more dangerous than what we're doing already. And I want to see it - the planet Hetepheres is from, and many other places.

There's a lot of great stuff out there in space.

[majestic_keiki]

Giving people money in exchange for doing things for you. Or in this case, putting coins in the machine.

[majestic_keiki]

That's true. I'm just worried about you being in danger even when we're done here.

[herodrawing]

There's no need to worry all the time Kei. After all...

We're heroes! Or, that's the idea.

[majestic_keiki]

Right...But we don't need to risk our lives forever.

[herodrawing]

Yeah, but, I don't think it will be that dangerous. We have space travel down pretty well and it's safe, it's just that there's a lot of dangerous people in the way.

Besides if something happens to me, you'll use your doctor skills to fix me up, right?

[majestic_keiki]

Right. I can do that...And, yeah, we've gotten used to space. [At least locally, exploration meant going far away from everything, but no need to ruin the mood again.]

[herodrawing]

Right! I'm counting on you, Kei.

If you put your mind to something there's no changing it, so I'm sure you'll get into that medical university too.

[majestic_keiki]

Right. And I'm sure you'll get to see what space is like.

[herodrawing]

I'll make sure to bring a gift back from Geb.

[majestic_keiki]

Wouldn't an explorer go to unexplored places, not a planet we have diplomatic relations with?

[herodrawing]

Oh, yeah... But, no humans were to Geb yet, right? So it counts.

[majestic_keiki]

I guess...

[cloningblues]

Well. If they don't take you seriously, you can always talk their ears off until they do.

Besides, you're two steps ahead of me. I haven't applied to any school yet.

[majestic_keiki]

And what's that supposed to mean?

[cloningblues]

Just thinking about that time when-

...Nah, don't mind that. It'll be fine, I'm sure.

[majestic_keiki]

Yes, it will.