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Visiting a new school was always an experience to raise stress levels, even moreso when one is the Crown Princess of Rokkenjima. Adriana knew that, on some level, she could never truly enjoy the company of peers unless she was in the company of royals and, despite the best efforts of her mother, she would never truly enjoy her youth as wholly normal. She hoped, however, that her time at Anson Preparatory Academy could perhaps be more normal than her experiences in Rokkenjima and Dartfordia where the expectations were that much higher, due to the fact that one day she would sit on the respective Thrones of both nations. If being a teenager was not stressful enough, having the expectations of your future to be so great only placed another layer atop that which was, to be honest, nothing she wished for at this stage in her life.
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Walking the halls of Anson Preparatory Academy with her guide, Professor Horace Campbell, was a pleasant enough experience. Naturally there were curious looks, the girl walking the halls with a security detail never far from her side, there would be no opportunities to lead a life in the background here. Finding their way to the library her face lit up, impressive in its appearance and rows of books, she felt a little closer to home. "And if you'll watch your step here," her guide spoke, pointing out a spot which wasn't quite so level due to settling, it happened: Adriana lost her footing and was most certain to enact a faceplant into the floor beneath her. Not only to be known as Crown Princess, now she would be known as the girl who, despite her security detail, met the floor with her face on her first pre-day at the Academy. Only it wasn't meant to be.
When the expected pain didn't grace the entirety of her face Adriana looked up to see a boy's eyes looking into hers, before being torn from his supportive arms by her security detail. "You may calm yourselves, I'm sure he's less a threat than the floor just was," she would say with a chuckle and a motion of her hands to indicate they should step down. Stepping forward she bowed slightlty, "I should thank you for your quick reflexes, they saved me from a good deal of pain and countless stories I'm sure. I'm Crown Princess Adriana, and what would the name of my hero today be?" she said playfully.
Adriana couldn't help but to let a giggle escape upon Phil's attempted apology, "I'm not sure if you're aware but apologies in Rokkenjima are about more than simply saying you're sorry. You see it's about politeness, letting others know that you've reflected on what was wrong, and that you're not merely working through the motions. With that in mind, perhaps a little more loudly, you may try again..." she looked at the tablet which Gemma had handed her a moment ago, "....Philip Lassiter, Earl of Cottonwood, son of Lord Jordan Lassiter, Duke of Cheswick. Ah, I see here that the dossier notes you like to go by Phil, so we'll keep it informal. Now that we're introduced the floor is yours, Phil," she said, withdrawing herself for a second while looking at him expectedly.
If he had wilted before he now looked as though he had seen a ghost, with the colour having effectively drained from his skin. He cleared his throat and turned to Tom, "Look I'm not good at this but Tom...." he said looking him straight in the eyes as loud as he could without shouting, "I was a dick, I'm sorry man, no hard feelings?" He turned to Adriana, "Is that better, I'm really sorry and I won't be a jerk to him again, I promise." "Better, yes, though you won't be a jerk to anyone. Each of us has the power to change the world every day, maybe not the whole world, but we can change the world for someone for better or for worse. Use your words and actions to change the worlds of others for the better, it makes Mundus a brighter place for us all. Can you try to do that for me, Phil?"
"I'll try, yes, Adri..." she shot him a glare, "Your Majesty." "You should eat your lunch before it gets any colder. Now if you'll excuse Tom and I we have a ship to catch, the waters of the Strait and the Bay are so beautiful this time of year, and I wouldn't want us to be late."
"Hey, that's what friends do isn't it?" she asked with a smile. "I saw many bullies throughout my schooling back home, as well as straight up jerks who think they can do whatever they want without consequence. Better that they're put in their place when they're young before they grow up to be monsters. Enough of that though, I'll see you in twenty."
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Austrana
It had been some hours since they touched down upon the Austrana which made its transit across the Strait of Arovium without issue. The usual flotilla of smaller ships were present as she entered Arovium Bay, "Has she lived up to your expectations?" Adriana asked. "Now obviously there's parts of her that I can't take you to, you know, national security interests and all, but she has all the comforts of home while her and her sister, Estvua, are always deployed so they may be used by the Empress as swiftly as possible, regardless of where she may be in the world. Planes are fine and all but this," she said looking out to the sea, "this experience can't be had on a plane. Just over there," she said pointing to a spot isolated from the beaches and activity of people ashore, "dad taught me to fish, it's his favourite spot for some reason even though we have some of the top fishing stocks just off the shores of Azukishima. Mum always gave him a hard time over the travel costs, but he always insisted on coming here."
She sighed as she turned away from the waters to face Tom, resting against the hand rails of the Austrana. "Whatever happened to my strategy of staying in the shadows? I nearly pulled it off after the fall but now....putting your bully in his place by making him apologize and bringing you along on the Austrana, I'm not exactly going to be able to keep a low profile now. Word will spread from him, his friends, everyone in the cafeteria and before we know it...."
"I know we see each other mostly in passing and we share a class or two, but I gotta know. What do you think of me, like who I am not my status, or the toys I have at my disposal? What am I to you?" she said with an innocent grin.