[Memory] Future Foundations

[Muse]

36th of Yaris, 2716
BRUNNHOLD CAREER & INTERNSHIP FAIR

An early Autumn chill hung in the evening air as the sun began to set and the phosphor lights across all of campus slowly flickered to life. Students were just getting out of dinners, the unlucky Sixth Form students still entangled in their formal dinner with the faculty and Headmistress even as the doors to the Library were opened again and the second evening of the Annual Brunnhold Career and Internship Fair began.

Nestled in the main room of the Library and spread throughout the various meeting rooms attached to the library proper were representatives of careers from all across Anaxas—an AAF Corporal, the Captain of the Services Division of the Seventen, an Everine, a plantation owner from Brayde County, a handful of factory owners, a few artists and authors, and several other professionals from all walks of galdori life—but the headlining visitors for the evening were a pair of Incumbents, flown fresh from Vienda by airship just for the night.

Geminia Ourun and Hadrian Siordanti were often considered political rivals, for Geminia fancied herself a progressive, hoping to bring about more equality among the races and pushing the boundaries of acceptance through any legal means possible. She was often out-voted, and the older woman whose red hair had faded but whose green eyes remained sharp was as determined as ever. Incumbent Siordanti was known as a fierce traditionalist, conservative and strong-willed against any such notions, and he was even credited with the pushing through of legislation that tightened the requirements for Writs of Residence in Vienda proper. Rumor had it the imposingly tall, white-haired fifty-something galdor had actually wanted Writs repealed entirely, but he'd been forced to compromise.

Today, however, the two Incumbents sat together in overstuffed leather chairs and shared smiles and laughter, two bander wolves pretending to wear kenser clothing for the sake of the Brunnhold student body. At least, on the surface, anyway. Geminia was dressed in a conservative sage-colored dress reminiscent of the uniform she once wore herself, decades ago, and her hair was up in the latest of fashions, complete with a bejeweled hairlip to compliment the braids that held her faded locks in place. Hadrian was bold as usual, his maroon suit a stark contrast to the sea of Brunnhold green that flowed around them, though his cufflinks sparkled and his bright copper cravat brought out the remnants of red that clung to his overly bushy eyebrows.

"You know, Incumbent Ourun, your position would be much stronger if you bothered to back it up with, you know, what's the subject, oh—science. At least Charles Holst's work is a firm foundation for our understanding of why the lower races deserve their position below us." Hadrian smiled warmly from over the rim of his tea, his sea glass-colored eyes full of mischief before they darted away from Geminia's freckled, well-aged face and explored the crowd of students, hoping for at least a few young minds to come and provide them prospective interns for next year's summer programs.

"Oh, do you really believe that genes prove one race inferior to the other? Please, Incumbent Siordanti." She paused to push her round spectacles back up the bridge of her nose properly, "You're so stuck on last century's model of mortal development."

Older students from fifth form up filtered through the Library and wandered past the carefully curated tables and stalls set up with information on future careers, their requirements, and also next summer's internships. The competition was often very stiff, and so the Career and Internship Fair was held in the winter in advance, giving every young galdor a chance to apply and battle with their peers for just the right position that suited their interests.

[Palis Ainu]

Brunnhold | Yaris 36, 2716

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Palis picked absentmindedly at his neglected dinner plate. His attention was instead on the jumbled, hand-written mess of notes spread across the tabletop. The flesh of his nimble hands was marred with the suddenly starting and abruptly ending red trails of paper cuts, rite work by the countless times he had passed the cards by his hands that day alone. Now and again his wide eyes surged over the tumultuous sea of green uniforms to check the time displayed in the face of the ornate wall clock, and he counted down the minutes until the end of dinner.

The information on the cards was nothing new or unfamiliar to Palis. He had thoroughly outlined the only subject that interested and stuck in his dull mind— politics. The dark ink, smudged here and there, held a detailed review of Incumbent Siordanti’s actions and votes of the last year, as well as the man’s greatest quotes, full platform, and political goals. Yes, Palis could easily recite one of the man’s speeches from heart, but the boy still poured over his own transcripts feverishly, his legs bouncing nearly uncontrollably beneath the table.

Palis has just turned to read over his notes on Incumbent Siordanti’s known habits outside of politics when the chorus of the building’s many clocks waking up to greet the hour marked the end of the dinner period. Palis, with a wide sweep of his short arms similar to the motions child would perform when creating a snow angel, gathered the papers quickly. He tapped the pile on the surface of the table until it straightened out, then, rising from the table, slipped the neat stack into the satchel at his hip. He weaved his small body deftly through the slowly shuffling crowd of students. The halls of the building, congested, were not satisfactory for Palis’ need to hurry, and he cut quickly to the outside of the building, where
he’d be able to scurry uninterrupted beside the stony walls of Brunnhold to the next door in order to cut off the crowd, or at least most of it.

The cool of the autumn evening cleared his nerves and clouded head ever so slightly, and Palis slowed his gait nearly imperceptibly to allow himself even a few more seconds of calm. The cold air carrying the smell of the metamorphosizing Yaris leaves was faintly sweet and earthy in his nose, and the smell so familiar in many a memory and dream comforted him.

It’s just another leaf to add to the pile, no matter what colour, he thought, pleaded for a moment with his little, childish wisdom. He ran his hand lightly across the wall of the school building, stopping his quick shuffle only as the texture below his fingers changed from the rough and berating feel of tiny stone mountains to a smoothly polished feeling of wood. He pulled open the door, and, with a few large bounds down the hall, he was in Brunnhold’s library, a place taboo and unfamiliar to Palis despite his eight years there.

Though he had beat many of his peers into the library, the room was quickly filling with older students. Palis pushed his way to the back of the library, however, bypassing the little stalls and tables that enticed his contemporaries. He knew where he wanted and needed to go, and he wouldn’t let his infamous lack of attention soil his plans today. He forced his head to refrain from swiveling to observe the displays from the other parties at the Career and Internship Fair. Instead holding his head high as he searched for sight of the Incumbents through the crowd. He took a deep breath, and imagined himself pushing a lever forward that controlled his cool comfort and charisma. First impressions mattered, of course, even from afar. A confident and casual smile grew on Palis’ face as he spotted the overstuffed chairs his treasures sat in as they chatted. In his mind, he recited the very tone and enunciation of the words he’d say. Everything had to be perfect, no matter how much the chained hounds of nervousness, fear, and anxiety in his stomach pulled on their chains.
“Incumbent Siordanti, Incumbent Ourun,” he began to call their attention as he noticed a slight break in their conversation. As he spoke, he addressed each with a nod. “My name is Palis Ainu, and I’d be lying if I said my biggest dream wasn’t to one day work in government alongside the two of you.”

“I’ve studied each of your styles and platforms diligently since I was young, especially yours,” he finished, giving Siordanti a knowing smile. What he knew in his smile, he wasn’t sure, but he felt it was the appropriate smile. A twang of rehearsed maturity clouded his boyish voice before he awaited the answer of the folks he had dreamed of speaking with for 18 years. He did his best to remain calm, placid, and attentive even as his legs threatened to shake with fright.

---

[Muse]

36th of Yaris, 2716
BRUNNHOLD CAREER & INTERNSHIP FAIR

Incumbent Siordanti laughed at his opposing Incumbent's last comment, waving a delicate hand that had probably never seen more than a moment or two of hard work in the taller galdor's entire nearly six-odd decades of life and rolling his sea glass-colored eyes, ignorant of the small young student's approach,

"Oh, please. Me? Ignorant? That's your youth speaking, Geminia, honestly, are you sure you and I attended the same—" A hesitant voice attempted to make itself heard between Hadrian's breaths and both politicians shifted their focus away from the argument of superiority, genetics, and the gods to the nervous fellow and his knowing smile.

The boy's compliments drew smiles from his prestigious audience as any ego-stroking words would to those used to living their lives wielding their egos like weapons,

"Ah. Hello, Mister Ainu." Incumbent Ourun offered quickly as if to cut off Hadrian from speaking first, as if to deny him the more pointed compliment that Palis ended his introduction with. Hers was a very customary and reserved sort of bow from her seat, straightening her skirts with her hands.

"Well, thank you. And it's nice to meet a young man as curious and committed as yourself." The elder Siordanti smiled, choosing instead to stand and offer the boy not only a warm, firm handshake but also his seat, "Please, sit. I've been sitting long enough already. Join us."

Geminia did her best to withhold a smirk at Hadrian's casualty with the student, perhaps finding the friendliness too much for the moment. Still, she leaned back in her chair with a cross of her legs and let her smile grow a bit less stoic,

"Tell me, young man—Palis, then—what is it you're studying here in Brunnhold and what year are you?"

"Yes, since you know so much about us already, let's start with you." Hadrian agreed, realizing that already himself and his well-known rival were beginning to compete over the attention of the lone student who'd thus far been brave enough to join them. While the Incumbent hoped that engaging the youth would attract a few more, he found himself for a moment curious about the young man's age and whether or not he'd get a glimpse of his own son at the career fair or not.

He clocking well hoped not, but still, the elder Siordanti couldn't help but wonder. He'd heard that his eldest son had chosen to remain at Brunnhold for graduate studies and had considered professorship, which was ridiculous for such a magical failure and a disgrace.

Shaking off the thoughts, the man reached for his drink and listened to the small-statured student,

"Since you know that Incumbent Geminia here is considered a progressive this Cycle, despite her rather old-fashioned views, tell me, what about her platform has interested you. And since you claim to be especially interested in my conservative ways, is there something in particular that I've been lobbying for this Cycle that appeals to your youthful imaginations?" The Incumbent grinned like a hungry shark who had smelled blood in the water, wanting already to pick the young man's brain apart just to see how it worked.

ABBC3_OFFTOPIC

Feel free to make something up that tickles your fancy. As a conservative, Hadrian tends to lobby for the status quo in terms of internal Anaxi affairs, but he has also been known to actually speak out against Old Rose Harbor's allowance of Hawke's out of control ... control. This is controversial because people have just come to accept the Underworld's economic prowess.

[Palis Ainu]

Brunnhold | Yaris 36, 2716

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As incumbent Siordanti’s hand extended to Palis, the boy took it in both of his own and shook it excitedly as if his very survival in that moment depended on how firmly he could hold on and shake the hand. It was a moment too long, though Palis didn’t notice. It was one of the most wonderful gifts offered by being a lummox: an obliviousness to every embarrassment causing detail in one’s actions. Palis instead busied himself with sliding past Siordanti to perch on the edge of the chair as his bag bounced across his leg.

”Thank you, both of you,” he sang as he settled himself, unable to stifle the bright and toothy grin spreading across is roseate young face. Their interest in him excited Palis, and he happily babbled away to answer each of their questions.

”Well, Incumbent Ourun, I’m in my eighth year here. I’m specializing in politics with professor Casey, but I’ve also been receiving a little extra help from a bright ninth form student- that’s Wendell Honeycutt- to keep me as sharp as possible,” he explained. He didn’t find it necessary for the pair to know that Wendell’s all-subject tutoring was actually mandated by a professor who had not completely given up on Palis’ academia. Besides, he had improved greatly since the beginning of Wendell’s help, now achieving nearly average scores rather than well-below average. If anything, it showed persistence, and Palis viewed that more important than his test scores.

Palis listened with a pleasant and attentive smile on his face as Siordanti began to ask him for his political interests in each of the politicians’ contrasting platforms. He crossed his legs, wrapping his long fingers around the knee of the superior one. He was overjoyed to give his opinion on the two of them, overjoyed for the opportunity to share his passion and knowledge with two people who he hoped would respect it. As Siordanti finished, Palis turned his attention back to Ourun, though he kept the former in his peripherals to catch any reaction from either of the two.

”Incumbent Ourun is a progressive as you mentioned, Mr. Siordanti, and, although she is primarily unsuccessful, she stays very true to the ideals of the progressive party and is growing in popularity as younger generations come of age. As a progressive, you believe strongly in equality of all races whether human, wick, passive, or galdor. Ourun, you’ve particularly pushed the legalization of interracial marriages and families, the opportunity of education for all citizens who seek it, and the funding and encouragement of business owners in the lesser- oh, sorry,” he caught his own inflection of opinion with a smirk, “I mean, the suppressed races. What interests me most is that you often put the well-behaved wicks, humans, and passives on parade to show how good of citizens they are, but you ignore the fact that our own government is primarily run by a murderous, drug-dealing wick. I think most of us can agree that much of the fear of wicks in our race as well as the other races stems from Silas Hawke’s reign, but you and so many of your allies allow him control.”He smiled politely at whatever reaction the woman had, instead turning most of his attention to Siordanti, hoping the man would be impressed as Palis reflected the elder’s opinions in his own.

”Mr. Siordanti, we all know you well as a very outspoken conservative. You believe strongly in the genetic superiority of galdori and our social responsibility for the suppressed races. You believe that, as it has always been, galdor blood should be encouraged to remain pure by the continued outlawing and discouragement of interracial marriages. Basically, you believe that Anaxas should primarily remain as it is and as it has been, but recently you have spoken out strongly for one change. You, unlike Ms. Ourun here, have strongly expressed your disapproval of the government’s submission of Silas Hawke’s hand in our government, and you wish to bring an end to the corruption, dishonesty, unrest, and violence he and others like him have weaved through all of Anaxas,” Palis finished, passion for the subject awakening in his young voice as he looked proudly up at Siordanti.

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