currently

[αEyota]

Novais felt half-way guilty over leaving Ayumu alone; but, she really needed to practice and Ayumu was currently occupied with the problem of Koray and some paperwork that he needed to fill out for some reason or another. She wasn't sure what the paperwork was for and whether or not it concerned her. However, she knew that this time was as good as any for getting some practice in with her element without causing her rider to freeze up if she set anything on fire on accident. The Celestial really did not have any control to it beyond on and off, and the amount of power she put into her powers. Nevertheless, she would work to change that, especially if she was going to protect her rider from the Taints and hold her own in a fight with elements.

Currently, the dragoness was in a low-leveled flight, gliding on the warm updrafts around the Academy. She wasn't going far from the Academy, going to the Fields where she felt there would be enough room with the possiblity of someone stumbling onto her down enough. The Parade Grounds would be too crowded around this time of day and crystals! She did not want anyone to get hurt or burnt or blinded if something funky when on while she was practicing. It would help to maybe have another dragon with her to give her advice; but, she was currently on her own with this and she did not know if any of the other Celestials or dragons had time to help her with her problem right now.

Landing in the Fields, she choose a clear area with few flowers as not to destory any life unneccesarily. There was a stand of trees some dragonlengths away, but far enough that they wouldn't catch on fire if she was careful about the amount of power she put into her element. Bronze-gold scales shone with their own light but also, with the light of the sun as it was shining at the moment with scattered clouds here and there. Making her first attempt, Novais's breathe emits a small beam of light, which blinded her because she had not checked its intensity first. Turning it off, she felt half-way dizzy. "Taint it!" she swore, frustrated. This wasn't getting any easier....It was getting worse!

[ΩMoonlitwings]

Ah, it felt so good to be flying. Though she'd have to go down soon. She was flying just a little too high, and the air was starting to get thin. But she loved the view, the scarce clouds in the sky not blocking her view of the ground below. They shone with reflections of the sun's light, brilliant with it at this height. So far down below, the rolling hills covered with trees, she could even see the river from here. The small squares of the Academy's farmland, just now starting to be planted, as winter leaves the lands and spring brings life to the forsaken and cold dirt.

And the Academy itself, up ahead. She always found it amazing, how small things can seem from up here. The massive building complex stretched nearly for miles, yet she could see all sides clearly. She marveled at how near it was to being completed. She had taken some time to visit Septys, far far away on his island, though the trip couldn't be long, unfortunately enough. She couldn't risk arousing suspicion that she might 'disappear' again. Short trip, yet so much seems to have been completed in the meantime. They were even in the process of restoring the glass roof to the hatching grounds! Oh, that brightened her day by far, how she had missed her dear home.

Running low on air, she began her descent towards those buildings far below. Even having to come down from such a glorious view could not lower her mood now. It all felt so good, to see the place rebuilt. And from the looks of things, they made some positive from all of it. Doubtless they took the new chance to make the place even better, restructuring some areas, and adding on new sections for the expanding population. And leaving areas for them to expand later, without compromising the efficiency of the main structure. And doubtless with better dormant defenses to the place. No, this Academy will not fall as easily as it's forefather.

Nearing the building, she soared over the fields, still at some height. Spotting another celestial out so far from the building, curiosity got the better of her. Viewing the building can wait. Turning herself towards the dragon, she instantly recognized Novais. Her gold-bronze scales were quite the beauty on her. And most definitely healthy in color, which made her quite proud. Ayumu is a great rider for her.

Slowing herself down carefully, she came to a calm, and nearly silent landing next to the other dragon, padding around them only to see a quite distinctively burnt patch on the ground, nearly turned to glass. At that sight, she couldn't help but smile. She had seen many of her breed have trouble getting the light frequencies right. It had been too long, unfortunately enough, for her to remember much of when she was still learning. Unfortunate, since she would love to remember her own follies in learning. But at the least, she can help the little one learn her own way, that is, if she wants help. Turning her head towards the bronze-gold lady, she asked, "Do you want help with it, or are you wanting to try it on your own?" She said kindly, not wanting to get in her way.

[αEyota]

She shook her head to clear it, not wanting to be any more dizzy than she had to. Luckily, no spots or afterimages of the bright flash remained in her green eyes and that would have meant some effect on her eyesight, due to her carelessness. Novais would have to make sure to doublecheck the power she put into the beam if she wanted to use it again anytime soon. And of course, she had come out here to practice and that was what she was going to do! She shook her head again for good measure and still no spots or any such afterimages appeared in her vision. Great, she was ready for another try if she wanted to! The dragoness inhaled and exhaled slowly, in an almost mediative but certainly relaxing method to prepare herself for another attempt.

But, the sound of a dragon landing caused the dragoness to pause before doing anything else involving her element. Novais was firm in her belief that safety came first before she did anything that involved praticing and she had enforced that belief upon Ayumu quite a few times, although it had been through some fights and general stubborness and glares. Anyways, she averted her own head towards the direction upon which the noise was coming from. Vivid green eyes came to gaze upon the sight of the eldest dragon and Celestial she knew of, who anyone knew of: Kazuko. The presence of the other and more exprienced female calmed her frustrations down somewhat. If Kazuko could master her element, couldn't she? And if other dragons could do it as well with different elements, wasn't it highly possible she could do it as well? Both of those questions Novais could easily anwser an "Yes" to as the other Celestial spoke.

When the silver dragoness was finished, Novais nodded as she responded, "I would appreciate the help, Kazuko." She paused before she said anything else, considering what the best description of her problem would be. The Celestial began with, "It seems as if I have no more control over this than a newborn hatchling." The dragoness then added, "Sometimes, it varies as if I had more control over it than other times. But it is hard getting it under anymore control than simply on and off and the amount of power I put into it." With that, she waited for the elder dragon to reply to her and maybe offer her some advice before Novais attempted to do anything with her element again.

[ΩMoonlitwings]

Kazuko smiled. "Well, I can say this, on and off, and amount of power is pretty good to start with. I've seen some who could only turn it 'on and off' as you say, and they... had a lot more trouble. The first step, is to limit the power that you are using. One doesn't first learn to swim in the ocean, without swimming in some small lakes first. The more power you use, the more difficult it is to control it. Consider it like the waves of the ocean. With a lake, it has waves as well, but they are negligible for the most part. You get a bigger body of water though, and it is affected more by things around it, thus the wind creating sometimes even massive waves. Learning how to swim in those waves is just going to get yourself or others hurt, or worse.

"So instead, try to use the smallest amount of energy. Just enough to cast light, but not effect the target. Controlling the outflow of power may be difficult, but the more you let out, the more wants to come out. So work with a little bit at a time, and go from there. Once you have mastered how much comes out, we can then work on affecting your power once it has separated from yourself. It's a much more difficult task, and most celestials forgo trying it, but I find it helpful for many other things than fighting, and if one is creative, it can make you more effective at fighting. That, though, is not our goal right now. Try letting only a little bit out, in that direction," She very pointedly pointed away from herself. Empress forgive how the other dragoness may react to accidentally singing her ancient counterpart. "Not enough to effect the target. Don't aim to destroy, don't aim to burn, simply cast light on it. A bare trickle of power, and then cut it off."

That huge speech stated, the dragoness laid herself down a bit more comfortably to watch, hoping she wouldn't have to repeat herself. That was quite a bit to say, but it needed to be said.