<div class="floatright">(http://i.imgur.com/euZTDTE.jpg)</div><br/><strong>"I'd love to join you,"</strong>the elf maid said perking up,<strong>"Just let me throw something on."</strong><br/><br/>She hustled over to her bunk and opened the drawer below her alcove and drew out what looked like well worn leathers and began drawing them on.  A simple pair of cotton panties went on first before leather leggings that rode low on her hips and laced up the sides.  Thankfully the laces didn't need to be adjusted.  Then she stepped into and pulled up a dress of wool and leather, snugging it around her breasts, and tightening the laces in the back.  Vania spoke as she dressed,<strong> "I'm just so glad to have someone to talk too, I guess I was the first one here, been here for three days now.  I've seen one or two other contestants in the dining hall, but none in our bunk yet.  They said it will be another few days till everyone is here and they can begin our training.  There hasn't been a lot to do honestly, I've been practicing and exercising on the sparring grounds, but it's rather boring to do by yourself.  Explored the temple a bit, got a chance to see the magical Ætherstation where they receive the waves from the eyebots and re-wave it out to the rest of the world.  But all of that was way over my head.</strong><br/><br/>She bounced up and drew a long staff from her alcove,<strong>"Ready ready!</strong>" she said chirping with delight.  They started to head to the dining hall and Vania kept talking,<strong>"I'm an 'adept' if you know what that is?  No?  Well, we have a little bit of magical talent, and training using our bodies as weapons, though I prefer to use a staff, because sometimes hitting wooden training dummies with your fists, palms, and feet all day long tends to hurt after a while."  She frowned, "I guess I'm not a very good adept, or I wouldn't say that.  But oh well."</strong><br/><br/>She gestured to her garments,<strong> "They also said that the tailor can make us new clothing, but hasn't arrived from Paricum yet.  I guess whatever we need they will provide for us, but you want to get any orders in right away, because there's only one for fifty or more girls.  Oh, and you can only keep what you can fit in your drawer below your alcove, or on the shelves inside it.  The big cabinets are for storing temple property and they said not to put any personal belongings in there.  Did they give you that rundown yet?  No, well, they will.  Probably when you have your meeting with the headmistress.  Huh?  Oh, everyone does.  She always meets with every contestant."</strong><br/><br/>Then in a conspiratorial whisper she leaned in and smirked and said,<strong>"She said I might be one of her favorites!"</strong>Then shrugging her shoulders she laughed,<strong> "Who knows what that means, right?"</strong>They arrived at the dining hall as Vania kept a running conversation going, not necessarily dominating it if Pipa spoke.  She let the quarter orc talk, but if there was more than a few moments of silence the lithe elf filled it quickly.  She was up beat, perky, positive, and affable.  Not the kind of person Pipa generally was used to dealing with if truth be told.  Still, it was hard to dislike the friendly elf, and thankfully when their breakfast arrived, she did not have the bad habit of talking while eating.