As You Fade Away

4. Digging Old Gold

"It was an accident!" Lumine was desperately trying to prove her innocence. 
"You sprayed water on your teacher and almost caught the school on fire trying to dry him." Katheryne raised an eyebrow at the blonde. "Using elemental powers against others is strictly prohibited." 
"I know, but Professor Azar said he would send me back. I can manipulate elemental energy without a vision, and he demanded me to prove it." 

The vice principal sighed. "I'll talk things through. Since it is your first day, you would not be suspended, instead, you would have detentions. Meet me after your classes are done today."

Lumine thanked her and left the office. She sighed as she headed back to her elements class. 

Im doomed! Detention on my first day of high school, what will Aether think? There will be no end to my embarrassment, she thought. When she got up some stairs, nothing felt familiar. The corridors looked different. Lumine paced from corridors to stairs, asking janitors for directions, but they hadn't a clue of where her class was.

The period would end in five minutes, so she thought she could wait for other students to get help. She leaned on a wall, humming a tune to pass the time. Without warning, she was startled by the sound of a door opening next to her. Her heart skipped a beat as she instinctively took a step back. 

A pair of fox ears turned towards Lumine as she sighed in relief. The black-haired boy standing in front of her was puzzled as to why she was there. 

"Lumine, what are you doing here?" The fox boy asked.
"Tighnari," The girl chuckled. "I got a bit lost. Could you guide me to Collei's elements class?"
"I thought your travels around Teyvat would have helped you here with some sense of direction."
"Well, I was preoccupied when I was taken to the Vice Principal." Lumine scratched her head in humiliation. 
"Ah, don't be bothered about it. In this school, such accidents are as frequent as sprouting leaves. Mistakes happen all the time." Tighnari patted her shoulder gently. 
"Now listen carefully: From the T straight from here, take a left. Then your classroom should be on your right. The third door, I presume." Tighnari directed. "Come with Collei for lunch. There is a quiet spot we usually occupy."

Lumine thanked the black fox and went to her class. The moment she opened the door, the bell rang. All eyes were on her again and she could feel the heat rise on her face. She stood aside for the others to file out. Collei and Sucrose came out last.

"What did I miss?" Lumine's energy was gone.
"Nothing, really. It's all basics you already know: summoning your strength from within, clearing your mind." Collei rolled her eyes. Tighnari must have already helped her learn all this.
"And to breathe." Sucrose ended.
"Why did you suddenly lose control of your powers? I mean, you used to have no problem with it." Collei wondered as they headed to lunch. 

Lumine had already thought about this. She did not consume anything that could change her abilities. Maybe there was a leyline seeping Elemental energy nearby? But then it should affect everyone here and not just her. 

"I'm not sure," Lumine admitted. 
"In the course of the next few days, let us inspect. Stay vigilant and keep an eye out for anything different in your body. I could take some blood samples to check too..." Sucrose went on about the experiment. 

They reached the mess hall to see the whole school gathered to have their meals. Some brought their lunch boxes and began to eat on benches, while others stood in queues, chatting away.

Lumine thought the moment she reached the counter, lunchtime would be over. But Collei tugged at her sleeve and motioned her to follow. They took a door and exited to a green lawn. There were students playing football and badminton all around them. 

Lumine was led to a group of boys. It was Cyno, Kaveh, and Alhaitham, sitting on a bench with brown paper bags with meals for everyone. 

Cyno was wearing his typical apathetic face, which was his way of showing pleasure. His white hair was covering his right eye as usual, but today he had a green hairpin on. Alhaitham had his headphones on and was reading a physics book. Both guys had a cold atmosphere around them, but Lumine knew they meant no harm unless she broke the rules, which she did today.