[hr][hr][indent] The mood of the classroom had shifted, for better or for worse. To his credit, Lysander [i]did[/i] warn him ahead of time of it, but Tomai thought it would be jitters. Derec looked just about ready to pass out. Clarissa, the straight-laced student, outright [i]walked out[/i]. Crests being a touchy subject was more widespread than he expected. Still, Clarissa returned, Derec was upright, and there were questions asked that required answers. He decided to go in order. Rudolf's question was easy enough to answer, thankfully. [color=red]"Ungoverned has been universally been observed to be those who possess the Crest of Seiros outside of the Adrestian royal family,"[/color] He answered. [color=red]"There hasn't been any outside of that jurisdiction; any abilities that seem ungoverned are usually particularly stubborn or difficult to control autonomous abilities."[/color] Lysander watched the classroom, albeit Lienna's question seemed to have made him a little uneasy. Once Tomai finished speaking, he felt he couldn't let any assumptions like that pass. [color=plum]"While the unit is a passion project of sorts, it is a social experiment,"[/color] He would admit that much. Looking over at Lienna as well, Tomai lightly tapped chalkboard. [color=red]"Both autonomous and independent have a 'prompt' of sorts, but without knowing what it is, anyone's ability can go out of control and cause injuries,"[/color] He explained. [color=red]"Should someone's Crest give them enhanced strength, they may unintentionally break something or injure themselves. As we will be moving into more practical use, accidents are bound to happen."[/color] Turning to Imogen, he needed a second to process what she said. After coming to some basic understanding, he continued, [color=red]"We'll be going over the details next class, but as I mentioned to Rudolf, it's about finding your Crests' prompt. Once you recognize it, it's akin to exercising a muscle; the more you practice, the better you get at it. Granted, the difficulty varies from person to person, but I have the utmost confidence some of you will excel."[/color] He let silence drop for a second as he flipped the board over once more, drawing makeshift borders around some of the Crests. A few, such as Charon and Daphnel, were in more than one group. [color=red]"There have been many attempts in the recent century to give Crest abilities some sort of rhyme or reason, but the powers widely vary. The most common agreed-on theory is that the power depends on the individual, not on the Crest itself,"[/color] He stated. [color=red]"Charon and Daphnel are proof enough of this, as both appear across both the Leicester Alliance and Faerghus."[/color] [color=red]"With that in mind, Crest abilities are commonly sorted into categories,"[/color] He explained, tapping the Blaiddyd Crest. [color=red]"As I mentioned, King Aaron's ability was considered to be [b]combative[/b]. My own ability is considered to be [b]enviornmental[/b], though I believe this name is currently under review in favor of 'sensory'. Those that affect the things people say or feel are considered [b]social[/b]. Then there are abilities like Michail's that are in the category of [b]survival[/b], though any that are self-sustaining fall in that category."[/color] He put the chalk down and crossed his arms. [color=red]"As I mentioned before, Crest abilities are activated through inner prompts. What that prompt is depends on the person; some are stress-related, some can be easily tapped into like flicking a switch, and others can only be lessened,"[/color] He frowned at the room. [color=red]"For some of you, this will be easy. For some, you might never truly be able to turn it on or shut it off. It takes time, diligence, and inner reflection to master your Crest ability...and more often than not, some people are simply more talented than others."[/color] He stopped speaking to let his words hang for a moment. [color=red]"I reckon that'll be it for the introductory course. Though I'll also take any lingering questions."[/color] Veronica let out a small sigh of relief; Goddess above, she was about to fall asleep. Still, she supposed she really only had one question, and now was as good a time as ever to ask. She raised her hand and waited until Tomai nodded at her. [color=lightsalmon]"What can we expect of this class going forward?"[/color] She asked. [color=lightsalmon]"You mentioned that it'll be up to us, but we can assume we'll get some sort of guidance, no?"[/color] [color=red]"You won't be in this class every day,"[/color] He replied. [color=red]"We'll spend the first few classes trying to gauge the categories you're all in, and split you up from there into smaller groups. While I have the most experience, both Professor Kalonics have Crest experience and will do their best to assist you where they can."[/color] Out of the corner of his eye, he saw another hand raised. Derec somehow managed to move, even if he looked like he would lose his lunch any second now. Tomai held back a sigh and motioned for him to speak. [color=turquoise]"Can we opt out of these classes?"[/color] He all but blurted out the question. Michail gave Lysander a weary 'I-told-you-so' look from across the room. Lysander had to ignore him for the moment. [color=plum]"I don't recommend it. If your ability gets out of control during a battle, you could very well lose your life,"[/color] He pointed out. [color=plum]"Why don't we speak after class?"[/color] Tomai closed his eyes for a moment, though once he opened them, he gestured to the door. [color=red]"Go ahead and speak now, the class is basically over,"[/color] He pointed out. Derec sprang up from his seat, immediately heading to the doors. Michail opened his side without hesitating, though after a moment, Euphemia followed suit. Lysander looked uneasy, but he quietly followed Derec out of the classroom. [/indent][hr][hr]