Nightshade Academy | Episode 10 | Be Stupider (Audio)

I vowed to support my fellow Guardians for We Are One Yoshi said his tray on the table and took a seat across from Val he had arrived at the dining hall so late that she was nearly finished with her lunch thank you for earlier it's nothing Pinto's your friend I owed it to you what do you mean Val took a hasty bite of her bread roll and looked away she seemed uncomfortable so he changed the subject uh how are you feeling headache a headache that's all she nodded you well I'm feeling okay after a nap but I was miserable earlier I should be grateful though pencil hasn't much worse I suppose some of us are luckier than others it's not completely luck reactions are based on various factors like what height weight genetics Fitness how much food is in the stomach food in the stomach the more you eat beforehand the slower the serum absorbs and the milder your symptoms huh so I assume you've finished your breakfast before drinking I stuffed myself you know a lot about this kind of thing fell stabbed her fork into a piece of chicken and with a few rushed bites finished her food she was heading for the door before Yoshi had even touched his plate wait Vel stopped but didn't look back what are you planning to do you know with your day off I'll be outside I still can't make a horse trot whoa could I come with you Val turned around you already thanked me what more is there to say I mean there's always more to say isn't there yeah she stood from the table and joined her he didn't have much of an appetite anyway as they left the dining hall together a strange sense of unease settled in Yoshi's stomach but he pushed it aside he and Val didn't speak a word to each other as they made their way from the main building to the stable at the end of the outdoor pathway after preparing their horses they rode them side by side at a walking pace Yoshi no longer feared falling after several afternoon riding lessons but the effects of the dose revived his nervousness his vision blurred with every blink the rains trembled in his grip and the humid heat devoured him he started to sweat which made him stressed and being stressed made him think of the personal essay he was so obviously procrastinating on is something wrong Let's Race to the Courtyard what you heard me aren't you dizzy I'm not that dizzy I couldn't possibly win well you could try yeah she urged his horse forward for the light kick he sent the animal into a trot relishing the sensation of wind against his face the anxiety he had felt about the program had clouded his perception of the Academy's Beauty but as he looked across the field he saw every detail with clarity the elegant architecture of the main building the neatly trimmed grass and the Bold statue of Emperor vikoi left him awestruck once again Val's horse trotted up behind him and let out a soft nay give this go faster then Yoshi logged his eyes on the Statue of Emperor vikoi and brought his horse into a gallon as they neared the courtyard his gaze drifted to the woods where he spotted a familiar face staring at him he gasped and pulled at the reins causing his horse to come to a jagged stop with his breath clogged in his throat he made eye contact with Cal avarium don't you have a paper to write cow spoke as though she were right in front of him not across the field and when he realized this her figure flashed forward and appeared by his side her Crystal eyes pierced through him but he feared looking away more than maintaining eye contact I'm taking a break winners don't play two games at once winners are focused her expressionless face distorted into Yoshi's first split moment before reverting back she was grinning now you're not real leave me alone Val's horse came to a stop where Cal was standing replacing her now she scanned the field but cow was gone what's wrong sorry I just I thought I saw something you're still intoxicated no more racing he was quick to agree yeah okay they turned their horses away from the courtyard and headed back toward the stable his heart started to beat quieter and his breathing studied yassi yeah why are you here at the Academy well it's hard now here with me are you still mad why would I be mad because of the bread you're still thinking about that I assumed you were still mad you thought I was mad about the bread now we're talking in circles I'm just trying to clarify her Knuckles turned white as she clenched the reins if I knew I'd have to face you every day at the Academy I wouldn't have done it is that why you help Pinto because you felt guilty she looked away on our first day here I lied to you about liking sourdough well it is my favorite but that's not why I stole the bride was for my mother my family hasn't been doing too well I'm sorry to hear that but I really don't mind about the bread yeah she squinted in the brutal sunlight as their horses walked in a steady rhythm his cheeks were on fire and he feared the sun was burning his face what's her mother like her eyes snapped back to his why do you ask I'm just curious those shoulders loosened as she released a breath that she'd been holding she's going through a lot right now but she still does everything she can to make us laugh I don't know what I'd do without her a smile tugged at the corners of her lips what about your mother do you miss her too I guess she fell sick during the atheros War I don't even remember her Val briefly glanced at her hands she was sick not horribly but it did get worse my father thinks she could have recovered with medical help early on but the war wasn't the best time to get sick hospitals were packed that's horrible no really it's okay no it's not the sharpness in her voice made Yoshi flinch sorry I'm just it's really sad to hear that no one should ever have to experience what she went through something about her words struck a chord with him his brows furrowed as he concentrated on deciphering what it was exactly and when the answer cemented in his mind his excitement was uncontainable that's it why haven't I thought about it before thought of what now she galloped toward the stable leaving Val behind yasi thank you Val after securing his horse in the stable Yoshi sprinted across the field through the common room and up the staircase to the library he slapped a blank page onto a table and began to write about his mother's passing during the atheros war when Yoshi paused to read over his words he realized that his memories of his mother were limited to what his father had shared with him at the time of her death he had not yet turned four he had no personal Recollections of her the weight of never truly knowing whom he had lost weighed heavily on him he tightened his grip on his pencil and began to craft his concluding paragraph her pointless death moves me to earn a spot in the garden force and prolong our average peace on the island no one should ever have to experience what she went through he couldn't help but think of the countless others who had been lost and forgotten in the depths of time though he would never truly know his mother he chose to honor her memory by fighting to prevent such a tragedy from happening again as Yoshi sat down his pencil and read over his full essay he couldn't shake the feeling that he had written a beautiful piece of fiction not a paper based on reality but he was tired of his endless questioning getting in the way of his success so he read his essay again and again and again and at some point the Lines Blurred together and everything became real after completing the rewrite Yoshi lay on the library floor and gazed at the ceiling for hours determined to formulate a plan to excel in the program exhaustion eventually overtook him when he retreated to his quarter he managed to block out Pinto snoring for a few lucky hours of rest before the morning bell rang through his head despite the awful wake-up call he opened his eyes with a wonderful sense of clarity the program constantly outsmarts and surprises me it's about time I make the first move as yaji prepared for the day he noticed that Pinto was still in bed restlessly adjusting the strap of his eye patch he assumes Pinto wouldn't be attending any classes today either Pinto nah nah oh what do you want me to bring up your breakfast tray Pinto didn't open his eye no thanks are you sure he turned onto his side and pulled the blankets over his head just let me sleep please arrived in the dining hall Vel was already seated he grabbed a tray and joined her you weren't at supper yesterday listen I've been thinking about the program just the way it's structured and the filtrations and I realized that we should help each other we are competing for five spots not one this doesn't have to be a game where everyone fights alone we have our second phase tomorrow I'll help you practice later during Recreation time in your current state I'm bruised not paralyzed Phil took a bite of eggs what's in it for you yesterday's filtration came out of nowhere and you were the only one prepared yeah she grabbed his pinless collar my sparring matches have been far from impressive I know you can fight just tell me your plan he leaned toward her I'll help you get your PIN then after the sparring filtration is over you'll share your medical knowledge with me she studied the other boys in the room while Val's medical knowledge was unique Yoshi was not the only trainee with combat experience this was obviously a better deal for him than for her but she had isolated herself from the other boys and Yoshi was the only person offering her a deal she met his gaze with a nod I'm in thank you after completing their classes for the day Yoshi and Val stood in the training room together tell me what's my biggest problem you are too smart I'm talking about combat I am too what do you mean I'm too smart I noticed on our first day here we volunteered to spar against Quacks you try to analyze your opponent predict the next move and it makes you freeze up once you're in your head you've already lost she narrowed her eyes how do I fix it be stupid Yoshi raised his hands and Val mirrored him there's actually a game that helps with this a game what I don't play games trust me it'll help my father and I came up with all kinds of training games together we had stop and go to practice counters and slow motion for technique this one's called Quiet Mind Yoshi nodded for Val to make the first move she hesitated before throwing a slow Jack which he leaned back to dodge what are you thinking that I can't fight well stop it though through a faster punch this time but she failed to extend her arm properly Yoshi grabbed her wrist and pushed it back causing her arm to bend at the elbow and her fist to hit her collarbone proving her weak form what are you thinking that the last time I punched in a sparring match dice put me in an arm lock he let go of her wrist forget about that this time Yoshi threw a jab at Vel but she quickly stepped aside disappearing from View when he pivoted to face her she landed a swift kick to his stomach he staggered a few steps away what are you thinking that whatever I did kind of worked Yoshi closed the gap between them fell ducked under his punch encountered with a jab to his side before darting away she was fast on her feet and struck her boot against the back of his knee before he could prepare his next move he fell backward onto the black Zone and the impact knocked the air out of him what do you thinking they'll laughed as she offered him a hand nothing Belladonna book one Nightshade Academy written and narrated by Mel Torre Franca produced by Mel Tori Franca and Wilson Hensley edited and Mastered by Juan Pablo Diaz [Music] cover art by mad Studio score by G depita azri theme song composed and produced by James Sinclair stodd starring Jason Brown Anthony Andreas echeveri Philip kryianov Melissa white Alex Bowie Patrick virsba Julia risto David John vores Connor Blanc Cody Keel Ellie Chua Ben Autry Walter Mack [Music] Sky we Ed with us if it's really true [Music] featuring the voices of Gwyneth Evans Jeff Rosenau Lucas Hensley Levi Titus Angie Eggers Willem dagar Allison Prophet Maria palmo Nightshade Academy is produced in association with Lost Island press