Beyond the barricades.

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Jiri

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Culver held the sheet of paper in his hands, the time has arrived. After spending years in the school learning about spells, creatures and the different subjects that were taught in normal schools too, it's finally time for them to start thinking about the path they want to go upon finishing the last school year. All the students in the graduating batch had to choose between being an educator or part of the military, then choosing a sub-path from there on. For Culver, he had decided that he wanted to be a researcher ever since he joined the school, though the path of hunter sounded tempting for the male too. Shaking his head, the black-haired teen put the form into his folder neatly. He held the frame of his black-rimmed glasses with his fingers and pushed it up before letting it settle on the bridge of his nose again.

Always studying even in his free time, it was only natural for the male to excel in the theory topics. Though he was good at magic that could be used for combat too. Culver seemed almost perfect, if not for how quiet he was. He hardly speak up, even if he did talk, it would be just a mumble. Not to mention that his eyes were almost always hidden behind his fringe, it's a miracle how he could see through that curtain-like hair. He didn't had much friends either, except for that one guy he grew up with - Rory Chase. Come to think of it, he should probably ask the other about the path he wanted to choose. With that in mind, the black-haired male got up from his seat and approached his friend, who was in the same class as him.
 
Rory looked up from his schedule – was it really their final year already? It felt like they had just started their studies in magic – blowing his fringe out of his mismatched eyes with a huff. It would soon be time to pick the fields they would go into after graduation. Rory hadn’t decided quite yet. Although he was sure it would be in the Military branch, he wasn’t sure if he wanted to be a Hunter or a Medic. He was gifted in Combat Magics, something you had to be good at to be a Hunter, but he was also good at Earth-based Magics like Medics should be. It was confusing. He should probably talk to Culver about it. Culver was good at helping Rory figure things out.

Looking around the room, the auburn haired male spotted Culver already coming toward him. While Rory knew almost everyone in their year and the one below them, Culver was one of his only real friends. “Hi,” he said with a wide grin as the other male sat down next to him. “How are you? Have you decided what you’re gonna do after school yet? Of course you have. You wanna be a researcher right? I haven’t; I was hoping you could help me. I’m stuck between two and –” he stopped, realizing he was rambling. While Culver didn’t talk much, Rory never really stopped talking. People had a hard time believing they were friends, let alone that they’d grown up together.
 
Culver showed a small smile as he approached Rory and sat down next to him, muttering a soft greeting. Listening to his friend's rambling, the teen realised that he wasn't the only one having trouble deciding on a path to go. Culver blinked as the other stopped speaking halfway through. He had always enjoyed listening to Rory ever since they were kids, even though he could be a little too talkative at times. The black-haired male, on the other hand, hardly speak at all. Sometimes he just couldn't help but to wonder how did the two even became friends in the first place? Their personalities and behaviours were pretty much the opposite from each other, perhaps opposites do attract.

"It's either a researcher... Or hunter." He muttered, adjusting his glasses. "I couldn't decide either." The black haired male then let out a soft sigh, he was hoping that Rory could help him figure out what to do upon graduating, but instead the both of them couldn't make their minds up. "What do you want to be ?" Culver asked, raising his gaze to meet the other's. He knew Rory would definitely choose military and seeing how the other was good at both combat and earth-based magic, he'd most likely be either a medic or hunter. That's just his guess, though.
 
“Hunter or a Medic.” Rory said, leaning back in his chair with a sigh. “Dunno which though. Both sound good to me.” He looked his friend over, “Researcher would be a good choice for you. Not that I’m saying you wouldn’t make a good Hunter, you would. It’s just…” he made a motion like he was trying to grasp something out of the air. “Urgh I dunno, I’ve always seen you as more of a Researcher then a Hunter I guess.” He shrugged, trying to seem nonchalant.

The idea of Culver out on the field as a Hunter made Rory’s heart stop. He knew the black haired teen was a skilled fighter, but he worried every time he was in a fight. Even if it was just a simple and easy sparring match. Rory didn’t know if he could handle it if Culver became a Hunter. But he wasn’t going to tell his friend that. Culver was a big boy; he could make his own decisions even if Rory didn’t like them. “It’s up to you in the end though, ain’t it?”
 
"Mm..." Culver hummed in reply. So his guess was right, he thought as he glanced at the other. "Yeah... I thought so too." He muttered, looking down at the table. It was probably impossible for him to be a hunter, a job which required teamwork. A researcher would be more suitable for the quiet teen no matter how one looked at it. Even so, the black-haired male just couldn't make up his mind yet.

He nodded at Rory's words, then let out a soft huff as he thought about the other's choice. A hunter was definitely a more dangerous job than a medic and the last thing Culver wanted was to have his friend working in an environment like that. Though being a medic would require them going out of the barricade at times, which was almost as risky as being a hunter. It wasn't as if he doubted the other's skills, but no one could predict the future. "There's still a few more weeks for us to decide..." He said, not wanting to think about the topic for now.
 
“You’re right! Let’s talk about something less –” Rory paused, trying to think of the right word. Depressing wasn’t right. Neither was worrisome or bothersome. Picking your field wasn’t supposed to be bothersome or a cause to worry, it was supposed to be something exciting. “Heavy,” he finally decided. “Something less heavy.” That was a good word to use, right? Picking your field decided what you did for the rest of your life. If that wasn’t a heavy subject, Rory didn’t know what was.

“I can’t believe it’s our final year.” he continued a second later. “Doesn’t feel like it. Feels like we just started here a few weeks ago.” He made a face, “Even though I know it’s been years since we got accepted here and not weeks and Gods, can you remember what we were like when we started here? We were so short and small and, and, and I’m rambling again aren’t I?” He glared playfully at his friend. “You promised you’d stop me when I did that and get me back on the point.” He blinked, “Uh, what was the point? I can't remember” he said, grinning sheepishly with a slight blush on his cheeks.
 
Culver nodded at the suggestion, it's definitely a better idea than to keep thinking of depressing thoughts. It's a pretty heavy topic indeed, since you couldn't change your field once decided, so one has to make sure there's no regrets in whatever they chose. Rory and him had talked about lots of topic, although it was mainly his friend who was speaking, of course. He liked listening, since he doesn't know what's there to talk about. Besides, Rory always seemed pretty passionate about the topics, he couldn't help but to get drawn in by the other sometimes.

The male nodded once again, remembering the times when they just started attending school. How nostalgic. He should probably stop his friend from rambling, but sometimes he just couldn't since Rory seemed all into it. "Sorry." Culver managed a small smile as he apologized. "I think you were talking about our final year ... ?" He reminded, his smile grew wider as he noticed the other's grin and slightly reddened. Sometimes it was as if Rory didn't even have to try to make him smile, just being with him would automatically boost his mood, perhaps it was due to how long they had known each other and Rory's cheerfulness. "Time's really passing by fast, though." He added quietly.
 
“Right. Final year.” He said with a nod. “Can you believe it? I never thought I’d make it past Year Two let alone be ready to graduate in a few months.” He smiled widely at Culver. It was really all because of him that Rory hadn’t flunked out. Without him he would have failed most of his classes by now. Rory had some trouble with some subjects, whether it’d be focus or actually understanding the work. Without Culver’s help studying, Rory would never have passed.

“I’m glad it’s our final year, but at the same time, I wish it wasn’t y’know?” He sighed and flopped forwards, draping his upper body over the desk. “The thought that we’re almost done here and nearly considered adults is scary. I don’t feel ready for that at all.” he mumbled, hair falling in front of his eyes. He glanced at his friend. “How ‘bout you? Do you feel ready?” While Culver seemed more mature, much more mature then Rory was at face value, the auburn haired male knew Culver was just like the rest of them and unsure. He just handled it better.
 
"But you made it." That's all Culver replied as he ran his hand through his hair. He's glad that they're graduating, that's for sure. But at the same time, he wanted to just stay in the way they were right now - being in class everyday, learning new things and practising spells. He knew he would miss studying with Rory once they had graduated from school, besides, the two of them were choosing different paths to continue on.

Rory's words made him realised that he wasn't the only one who wasn't anticipating the arrival of adulthood and all the stress of working, even though they're going to be in a path they chose themselves. The teen hesitated, but eventually shook his head in response. He was always deemed to be more mature than those in the same age group, but after all, he's still a teenager. The thoughts of working, having to see his friends heading off to different places each and some being in dangerous situations had scared him. Culver doesn't show it but he really felt as if he wasn't ready at all. "... Still, we had to be, I suppose." He mumbled, then swiped the hair out of the other's face.
 
Rory made a face and stuck his tongue out at Culver with a grin when the other moved his hair out of his eyes. “Gee, thanks mum.”

He let out a sigh. “I don’t wanna be an adult yet.” he wined, pouting. He tugged at his hair, thoughtful. It was long, not as long as some other people had their hair, but it was still long for Rory. “I was thinking of getting it cut soon, whatd’ya think? I’m kinda fond of it, but I think I’ll have to cut if I become a Hunter. At least for the training bit.” he continued, “Once Hunters are trained though they can keep their hair any length, right? So I’ll grow it out again then.”
 
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