ECA Bonus posts

Hi all!
Sorry I missed last week's post. There was a midterm in physics and I was drilling practice problems all weekend (with a few games of League in between).

Lulu from League of Legends.

Honestly I think I'm obsessed with League haha. I main Lulu support. Lulu is a yordle, which I've already mentioned is the definition of adorable. The little demon butterfly at her side is Pix, who is also her passive ability. I have played her AP (mage) as well, but usually prefer to build support roles as I don't seem to do very well in damaging roles. And today I played AD Lulu (fighter version).

Enough on my little spiel on Lulu and League.
Onto ECA! This is the final ECA post! :D There also might not be another post next week, but I hope I write something post-worthy. Maybe another one of the River Windrose description scenes? Something short, probably. I don't want to disappoint again.

For this post, the comment blurbs are put after each individual post. Please enjoy!

PREVIOUS SET (92-100)

11 deleted: 33%

“We don’t have to do everything as a group,” Elysia unlaced the hairdryer-rod. “And we don’t have to make a decision yet, do we?”

“I guess not,” Arlin lied back on her bed, her hair leaving watermarks on the sheets. “But it’d be more fun if we did!”

“Either way, 33% doesn’t make a majority.”

“Well…” Celestine wrung out her hair nervously.

“Celestine hasn’t decided,” Arlin piped up. “Celestine, please….”

“I-um-but…You could just go alone, Arlin…” 

Arlin’s expression was thoughtful as she began braiding her hair. “I could, but it’s not so fun with only 33%”

Changed to this, with a switch to RFA instead of ECA. ECA debates whether to join the Campus Beautification Project. This one was a little trivial, given that the CBP didn't end up playing that big a role anyways. Yay the various methods of drying hair!

19 deleted: Tears

“…You’re that thief guy.”

“Huh. Yes.”

Arlin concentrated on her sphere. She wanted to use the new spell from Elements to water the plants. “Aldis Maur, was it? You stole from some campus stores.”

“Yes.” He was quicker: his spell cried fertilizer and water that soaked into neglected soil. “What’re these?”

“…Carnations.”

“…Admiration?”

“What?”

“Symbolism. My step-sister’s a flower fanatic; I should know this.”

“….sister?” 

“Fiana..” 

Arlin remembered the crying girl.

Aldis turned to the ferns. “Fascination, right?”

“I don’t know,” She turned away from the thief almost arrogantly. Stealing was evil. She should not associate herself with evil.

This was the original version of the theme, where Arlin and Aldis meet for the first time. I enjoy symbolism, so I stuck this in there, but upon rereading, it was just so awkward and random that and changed it. I really like the Celestine version a lot better.

 Arlin's lines are: "You're that..."/ "Aldis Maur, was it?..."/ "Carnations."/ "What?"/ "sister?"/ "I don't know."

53 deleted: Future

“Need something?”

“I”m delivering these to Professor Krahn Ecline? From the tech classes?” Elysia scrutinized the unfamiliar boy. “You his aide?”

“Oh—uh, no. I’m a…future student.”

“Future?”

“Studying abroad this year.”

“You’re…?”

“Uine Efaram Enelaizon Hazun” The name jarred her memory—where?

“No, I meant…year?”

“Sophomore, you?”

“Freshman.”

“No, I meant…name.”

“Elysia Intana Kieran.” 

“Nice to meet you.” They shook hands. 

“You’re a musician? What do you play?” Elysia finished unloading the boxes with Uine’s help.

“Just about anything. You?”

“Music’s not my forte”

“Funny.” They swapped grins. “Hey, so if I need a tour…”

When I wrote this I realized it was wayyyy too random and removed from the story proper. Elysia goes to deliver something to the music professor and runs into a “future student”: sophomore student Uine (YOU-eyne) Efaram Enelaizon Hazun. He sounds familiar….bonus points if you can figure out why. ^.^

UEEH: Need something?

EIK: I’m delivering…. You his aide?

UEEH: Oh, uh, no. I’m a future student

EIK: Future?

UEEH: Studying abroad.

EIK: You’re…?

UEEH: Uine

EIK: No…year?

UEEH: Sophomore, you?

EIK: Freshman.

UEEH: No, I meant name.

EIK: Elysia.

UEEH: Nice to meet you.

*Shake hands*

EIK: You’re a musician? What do you play?

UEEH: Anything. You?

EIK: Music’s not my forte

UEEH: Funny. *Grin* Hey, so if I need a tour…(you got me covered, right?)

57 alternate: Versus

Elysia didn’t care much about anyone else’s grades and she didn’t like other people knowing hers. That said, she enjoyed her rivalry with Vesper. But when her roommates asked, she handed over straight S’s (which came with a redemption certificate for an Athwart 6237 Inkspool laptop) and helped herself to some celebratory cake. 

Aside from math, Celestine just wanted to maintain her A average. She cut a slice and retreated to her bed. 

Eagerly comparing anything with anyone, Arlin thrived on friendly competition and the spirit of teamwork. She enjoyed winning herself, but she loved celebrating everyone’s success even more. 

Versus was an alternate theme for the Slow Down prompt. The scene itself was originally written to another prompt . I can’t remember for certain which one, but I think it was A Moment in Time (post 65). 

Of the trio, Elysia consistently holds the best grades, getting our equivalent of straight A/ A+ grades. (“I got an A- once…unforgivable.”) Arlin is next, though it really depends what subject. She wavers around the A-/B+ range, with the occasional B- if she really just messed up somewhere. (“I’m doing ok enough. The important thing is to learn and have fun with life, anyways.”) Celestine usually gets just flat Bs, with the occasional B- or B+ (“As long as I keep trying…I know someday I’ll get my A.”)

Elysia and Celestine aren’t really competitive (except Elysia does take her rivalry with Vesper very seriously). Arlin on the other hand, enjoys friendly competition and comparing grades with friends. She motivates herself through the competition, but the bottom line of it is the teamwork, not the end result. 

97 alternate: Lesson

As laser and clock collided, a second portal blazed into existence, revealing Aldis and Vesper, with reinforcement in tow: “Lyciar,” Vesper Aurigae Nox said cooly, his own staff brimming with months of stored magic. “Do you need another lesson since that one in our own undergraduate days?”Already slightly weakened from his fight with ECA, Lyciar—even in this possessed state— posed no match for Dr. Nox’s infamous knockout jinx. As he crumpled, a twisted smoke escaped him, hissing revenge. “We will pursue him later,” Dr. Nox consoled the students. “For now…the Ceremony of Rebirth is about to begin.”

I thought of the posted version literally the week before I posted it. This was the original, quite lame version with the deus-ex machina coming from Dr. Nox and the boys instead of the girls themselves. I wanted to make them realize they couldn't beat everyone, but having a minor character step in and clean up the match was just anticlimactic and completely underwhelming. I know that the current version isn't the strongest ending, but compared to this? You cannot imagine how pleased I am with the change.

Epilogue: Thief

Arlin sat on her bed, remembering when ECA had first cast the spell to levitate it. Boxes of belongings were already packed. Elysia had left that morning. Celestine was out with the pixies. Arlin was lonely. 

A knock at the door. Arlin opened it, wondering who was still here. It was the thief-boy, Aldis. 

“Hullo.”

“Hi,” she greeted. 

“I was wondering…do you want to go out tonight? Just…the two of us. See a play or something?”

She blinked. “Don’t you have anything else to do? Anything you want to steal?”

He shrugged. “Not really. Just your heart.”

This represents one of the cuter scenes I had in mind, and one that I really managed to illustrate in 100 words. (Hopefully?) I was going to use it for the final endings post, but I decided the end really had to be focused on the three girls from ECA and their bond. 

That's the conclusion of the ECA story! Hope you enjoyed it!
Comments very much appreciated! <3