Luck be Damned

20

^^ 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?"