~Capree

Tori © Toriren

Sergals © mick39

Vilous Story & Lore © kiki-UMA

Oh, yes. I'm back.

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Earnest, Tori was trying to do his best to explain. The puzzled expression of Gekko and Raph were beginning to become an entertaining sight to him—both the Nevrean and the Agudner couldn't quite wrap their head around what their teacher was trying to say.

"You two are old enough now to grasp war and death," continued Tutor Toto. "And although neither of you were alive during the great war, part of why Gold Ring never succumbed to General Silves' conquests was because of both the environment of our treasured city and the duration of the war. Vetla, my homeland, was never capable terrain for the Great General to stage her armies, and so much of the soldiers who poured to conquer the city came from Reono. But thanks to the deserts and the vigilance of the defense committee, Gold Ring was spared the onslaught; as the war went on, death and disease flourished, until many Northern Sergal close to the General decided to choose their people over her bloodlust."

Although the two inscribed a look of attention to Tori, who sat placid upon a stool with his back to the wall, ever on the occasion gesturing to a detail-lacking map he had commissioned a cartographer to create for his students, they occasionally drifted their attention down to their desks, jotting notes where they could.

"Why couldn't the Shigu Kingdom launch from the West and East?" Joji asked from the back. Tori's eyes raised, leaking over the rim of his glasses, to fix their attention to the young sergal. He had always found him mischievous, but his earnest curiosity in his own personal background was, as ever, smartly intertwined into a proper question about their subject matter: the Great War of Tal.

"Well," began the Western Sergal, lofting himself up from his stool to rest his hand against the map of the world. "Although there were Shigu forces stationed within Vetla from the beginning of the 33rd Year, many of the soldiers there were brought back North to be redeployed East. Vetla has the unfortunate habitat of dense forest, making navigation difficult without a local guide. The Nevrea Mountains, just here," he gestured, "also make a physical deterrent between where many soldiers were stationed and the Sailzane. Native Nevreans are a particularly closeted people, and they are quite protective of their lands. Therefore, the Great General deployed most of her forces from Reono, but that didn't entirely spare them from the dangers of the desert.

Despite the personal weight of today's subject matter weighing on his shoulders, Tori Toto could not hide the smile catching his lips. The confused sight of some his student's faces lit up the room more than the sun, Vilous, did. "You needn't worry about that in your quiz, however! I won't be testing your history knowledge on troop placements—just information on how the war ended and for you to list what reasons contributed to it.

If the chime that rang through the assembly didn't draw him away from his words, the half-interested harumpf spiking from Gekko's mouth might have. Regardless, Tutor Toto had timed himself well; as soon as the chimes of the period sung through the classroom, many of his students, all mix of species and genders numbering a dozen, flourished to their feet, conversed among themselves, and made their way out of the room while Tori navigated himself back to sit on the side of his desk and watch them go. "Remember, the quiz will be tomorrow morning's first task! Remember to add it to your agenda list, and study before you sleep!"

In his heart, he couldn't help but feel the tinge of envy lurking beneath his keel—he was never afforded the same luxury to know of the past of his people outside from his own father, but to be able to tell these fledgling adults of the turmoil that had rocked the foundations of the world, and even their very home city, brought him a steady euphoria that rose even when the last feathered tail stalked out of his room.

He was certain that these tests of history and stories of the past would help these young souls to learn from the mistakes of their ancestors and to sculpt the world into a better place, and he hoped deep down he still had the captivation of attentiveness and respect he had gathered from the younger generation just like when he sat and looked after the most youngest of children in Jechi and helped teach them the most basic of words.

He was certain most of them would, that is ... except, perhaps, for Joji, the young budding Easterner who lurked behind, notes and bag in hand, waiting for the rest to leave.

When they met eyes? Tori couldn't help but sigh and smile.

"This is starting to distract your studies, Joji."

"We've got an hour and a half until next period."

Shifting his frame off of the side of his desk, the Westerner tucked his hands into his blazer pockets and fixed his gaze to the door. Even the young Easterner could see the hesitation lurking in his Tutor's eyes, but they dashed away with a charming grin and loft of his mitt to the exit.

"I suppose that'll be more than enough time to satiate you. Come on, then."