Wayne Academy

The Project, Part 1

In which Jaina gets beat up by inanimate objects.

September 15th

Jaina Proudmoore was furious. Absolutely livid. Classes had only started a few weeks ago and she was already being underestimated by teachers she thought knew her true potential. One of them was Kael'thas, for the Light's sake! She had never in her life been so in need of something to hurt, suddenly understanding why her father would go out to the training yards after long days when things kept going wrong. She wanted to hit something, and she knew where she could do it:

As the young sorceress stalked through the halls of the academy, her frustrated mutterings setting off small magical flurries, she seethed over the hated notice that had been posted. The students in their final year of schooling had picked their projects, and with those projects came the partners from the year below them. To think that she had been paired with that... that country bumpkin. Jaina just couldn't think of a larger waste of her quite frankly talents in the Arcane. To be paired with some farm boy? What could he possibly have picked for his project?

"Perhaps he wants me to water his crops for him," she growled, freezing a pot of roses with her icy tone. "Or maybe find a way to enchant his cooking utensils to give him an unending supply of fresh dinner from the kitchen."

So caught up in her frigid denunciation of the boy, the teachers, and the whole situation in general was she, that Jaina didn't realize she had reached her destination until she walked into a rack of armor, knocking a helmet from it onto her foot. She cursed frostily and massaged her foot, her face now flushed not just with anger, but embarrassment.

"Jaina? Is everything alright?" a tall, handsome boy asked.

"Does everything look alright, Arthas?" she snapped at him, finally losing control of her temper . She sighed then, feeling rather sheepish. This was Arthas, her very best friend, maybe more. He didn't deserve that tone.

"I'm sorry, Arthas. The helmet landing on my foot was just the last straw, that's all." Jaina set her foot down somewhat gingerly. Nothing was broken, but it still hurt.

"The last straw? Jaina, I've never seen you so upset, and I have known you since we were children. What's got you so angry?" Arthas held his arms out, offering what he hoped would be a comforting hug in spite of the breast plate he wore for sparring. A hug that Jaina gladly accepted, though she wrinkled her nose at the smell.

"You need to wash your gambeson again, Arthas." The smell, however, did not prevent her from cuddling into his strong arms.

"I wondered if I did," the prince laughed. "Do you want to tell me what's upset you so much? Or do you just want me to keep hugging you for a bit?"

"They just posted the graduate project partnerships."

"I saw. I got Varian, we are—"

"I got Raynor." Jaina cut in. "Jim Raynor. He's a farmer! What could he possibly need me for?"

"Do you know what his project is?"

"No, I came straight here, I was hoping you would show me how to hit things properly so I could take out some frustration!"

"You want to 'hit things'? You? Who are you, and what have you done with Jaina?"

"I'm serious, Arthas! I have never been so offended in my life! I want to hit something."

Arthas began to laugh. Jaina was really being unreasonable, but he wasn't going to tell her that right now, he knew better. Jaina glared up at him.

"Are you laughing at me, Arthas Menethil?"