[center][h2][color=#c9a0dc]Ankaa Liu[/color][/h2][/center][hr][right][color=gray]Interactions:[@Blu][@Matsuri][@Chezka][/color][/right][hr]
Ankaa shuffled onto the train with the others, marveling at the interior. She had only heard of trains, but hadn’t ever actually seen one. It was quite something to take in. She strolled along the carriage, noting all the little details. Midstride, she took out her journal, making some quick notations and sketches at the back of it. 

Involved as she was in her activity, she missed much of the ongoing commotion, startled out of her reverie only when their instructor suddenly yelled at them to sit down. Liu blinked at the order, noticing that most of the other students were already sitting down. She joined the table seating Sanhan, Kress, Blumenthal, and Misaiya. Mandi was pestering the Lady of Thorns, but before Ankaa could intervene, Misaiya was the one to put an end to it.

Shrugging, Ankaa stared out of the window for the remained of their journey, captivated by the view. She stopped only to eat, finishing her home-made lunch. However, she did order some things to refill her lunch-box with, just in case she’d need it for later. She studied her journal, observed the students, stared outside the window, and even napped a bit to spend the time.

When they finally arrived, it was to an abandoned station outside of Genelogia. Ankaa actually appreciated the rural site they journeyed across, the nature giving her a feeling of home, even if it was fairly different. However, they soon noticed an odd sight – trees yellowed and reddened with late autumn. The problem being, [i]it wasn’t autumn.[/i]

Ankaa frowned at the foliage, trying to get a read on the mana. But she couldn’t see anything strange. [color=#c9a0dc][i]Subtle. Powerful?[/i][/color] Their professor informed them that it was the work of magic, possibly temporal, but even he had difficulties figuring it out. [color=#c9a0dc][i]An experiment? Or a natural occurrence?[/i][/color] The martial artist would sooner bet on the former, but it wouldn’t do to fixate on one idea, especially not when the clues were so scant.

Liu was deep in thought as they walked. The village was surrounded by the autumn trees, and Ankaa bit her lip. [color=#c9a0dc][i]Not a good sign.[/i][/color] And lo’ and behold – as soon as she thought that, the appearance of the physically-altered villager confirmed the suspicion. [color=#c9a0dc][i]Is that…some sort of magical tumor? A curse? I’ve never seen an affliction like that…[/i][/color]

She may not have seen it, but Ankaa was determined to get a closer look. [color=#c9a0dc]“Professor, I would like to inspect that person and his malady up close,”[/color] she murmured. 

She looked at the other students. [color=#c9a0dc]“We should find out how many are like this and if anyone spared of [i]that[/i] knows anything,”[/color] she said to them as much as she did to Nyx. Then, her gaze was drawn to two specific students she thought might be able to help the situation most directly.

[color=#c9a0dc]“Yvaine, does this seem like something you could heal?”[/color] she queried, working on the assumption that interfering and attempting to cure the condition they observed was the best course of action. 

[color=#c9a0dc]“And Blumenthal, since your magic has to do with plants, would you say this is likelier to have originated from a mage or from a natural source?”[/color]

She then turned to Nyx, as another question had occurred to her. [color=#c9a0dc]“Professor, do you sense the same temporal magic interference as you had before, sir, or is there something else involved as well?”[/color]

Finally, Ankaa’s restless gaze wandered to the dazed villager. She was concerned how he might react to the presence of strangers – would he be aggressive or would he not notice at all? Perhaps he would even act almost normal. She’d have to observe carefully, but as soon as she had the teacher’s permission, she’d approach the man – unless the villager came over himself, that was.