Nebula's Search

Nebula yawned loudly and scribbled something else down on the piece of parchment. She traced the edge of the paper with her fingertips and finally stood up. She staggered sleepily to her bedroom, and fell asleep as soon as her face hit her pillow.

Groggy. Still tired. She cursed the sunlight that dared to wake her. Putting her pillow over her head, she tried to go back to sleep but her stomach roared. She groaned and sat up, sitting on her legs. She stayed there for a few minutes, trying to rouse herself more into walking around. When she finally got off the bed, the powerful sunlight warmed her whole room. Shards. She was hot enough as it was. She wanted cold. Even if it was too cold. She wished it would rain. Sunny weather made her depressed.

Nebula washed and dressed slowly, not at all eager to get to her morning class. Her hair was a tangled mess. Water wasn't helping at all. It stood on end and looked odd. Her lacking height made it even worse. She looked some some mischievous forest imp. She tried to arrange her books in her haversack so they wouldn't be as heavy. It didn't work. She didn't think she had time to grab breakfast, but she stole into the kitchens quitly. A warm morning pastry and a mug of klah was her morning meal. She walked to her class, munch on the remainder of the pastry. When she opened the door, the room was full of the low hum of chatter. Class hadn't started yet, but the room was usually quiet before it. Extremely odd. She took her seat and whispered to her friend who sat next to her. "Seems like Nebbie the Genius isn't so intellegable this morning." Nebula aimed a playfully punch at the boy. "Shut up deadglow. Tell me," she hissed. He put on a look of mock terror. "Okay, okay. Some say that Searchriders are coming today." Nebula sat back in her chair as a grin spread across her face. "Maybe I'll stay awake for that," she chuckled. Soon after class began, the most tiring time of Nebula's day.

For once Nebula was early to lunch, and was actually able to sit in the Dining Hall. She napped through it mostly and didn't eat her whole tray, being so used to eating a quater of a meal everyday. When she woke, the lunch was over. Her friends nudged and told her about the annoucements. Most of it was the small boring crackdust. Someone ran down the hall yelling out something about Search. "Really? Searchriders are coming? Excellent... !" Her nearest friend said they'd be coming at around dinner. Feeling quite tired, Nebula tried to sleep, but she was too excited. She tried not to be. She wasn't the type who got excited about things. The only excitement she knew was drenched in sarcasism. She wandered about her room until the sky was dark and the dinner bell rang. She began to hurry out of the hall but slowed down. She had a reputation to hold.

Shards. They weren't in the dining hall yet. Somehow Nebula found herself outside waiting for them. She wanded about shifting from foot to foot, becoming bored. Facing the wall, Nebula heard a loud thump behind her. She would've thought she was hearing things until she felt the ground move too. She spun around slowly. Two great beasts and their riders landed. They spoke for a while until the blue craned his neck and looked about. The bronze did so too. They felt something. Nebula's heart pounded in her chest as she looked about to see if anyone was about. The blood throbbed in her ears, her stomach lurched about and she felt sick. She forced away the lump in her throat and tried to act casual. She was trying so hard, that she hadn't noticed the Searchriders coming towards her. She leapt with suprise when one put his hand on her should. "Our dragons choose you, girl. What is your name?" The thump had risen again. She tried to force it down, so they riders wouldn't lose interest and try somone else. She managed to choke out her name. They riders and their dragons smiled. "Good. G'rel, was that our fastest Search or what? We barely landed!"