"Hoo, they work you hard at the stables, don't they!" she sighed. "Well, you know what they say. 'Every novice must take a turn at even the most menial chores.' But ick. Mucking out stalls... How was meditation?"

"Fine," Shira replied as she folded up her meditation garb. She was now wearing the slightly worn dress, leggings, and vest that made up her daily outfit. Her hair was coiled in a tight bun.

"Discover any abilities yet?" Lindsey's voice had a slight teasing tone under it.

"What if I said I had?" Shira asked. She put the folded clothes onto her folded pallet and tied her two silver pieces into her handkerchief.

Lindsey opened her bright blue eyes and sat up suddenly. Her curls bounced. "Did something happen?"

"I didn't discover any abilities." Shira tied the handkerchief under her vest.

"Something happened, though, right?"

"One of the mages talked to me afterwards."

"Ooh! Were you scared?"

"No. But I was still wearing meditation garb. And my hair was down."

Lindsey fell onto her pallet, laughing. "One of the mages came to see you and you looked like a little girl searching for a husband!!!"

While Lindsey was calming down, Shira untied her hair. She coiled the chord neatly and placed it on top of the clothes. "The mages are making me leave the school," Shira said quietly.

"What'd you say?" Lindsey asked as she swallowed the last of her giggles.

"The mages are making me leave."

"WHAT?!!!! But you always follow the rules, even when they're stupid, and you are always meditating and…"

"But I've been here two years and I have found no abilities. Besides glowing."

"But you've been trying! You meditate three times a day outside of the regular meditations and…"

"Lindsey."

Lindsey's eyes opened wider. She was subdued. "I... I hadn't realized it has been almost two years for you."

"You know how rare it is for anyone to find abilities this long after they start meditating."

"I know." Lindsey stretched out along her pallet. "I'll be sorry to see you go. You really wanted to be a mage someday, didn't you."

"I'm going straight to the recruitment office in town," Shira said.

"Oooh! Better be careful that they don't put you in a fighting legion! If you've been a novice, they'll let you work with the medics. Do that! It would be horrible if you had to fight, with a gun!"

Shira made no reply. Lindsey lay back on her pallet. They were silent for a moment.

"There'll be good parts about leaving the school, though," Lindsey said."I mean, you'll be allowed to yell at people if you're mad at them. And you'll be able to laugh if you think something's funny, without worrying about a mage overhearing... I miss that. And you can dress any way you want and maybe you'll even find a husband! And if you want you can even start writing in a journal, just for yourself. I did that before I came here, you know. Remember how the second week I was here, they found my journal hidden under my pallet? Oooh, they were mad them. You won't have to worry about the strict ol' mages ever again."

"Goodbye, Lindsey." Shira quietly let herself out of the door.

"Miss you, Shira! Goodbye!" Lindsey sat up to wave Shira off, but the room was empty. "Hope you have fun," Lindsey said to the air.