{Melisa}
[Okay, this one!] Melisa thought, trying to inject some energy into her steps. [This will be a better day, I'm sure of it!]
The academy loomed just up ahead. After contemplating that attack at the conference for a while, Melisa pondered if, perhaps, the best thing to do might instead be to just remain out of the spotlight for a time. Take the simple, but likely effective, strategy of "screw it, let them figure all this out themselves". So, today, she looked to just sort of... chill for a bit.
That didn't happen. Melisa heard the protest before she saw it. The shouting echoed across the academy grounds, bouncing off ancient stone walls and making its way right to her eardrums.
"NO MORE NIM IN OUR ACADEMY!"
"PROTECT OUR CHILDREN!"
"GO BACK TO WHERE YOU CAME FROM!"
Melisa cringed, smiling wryly.
[... I live like three or four streets over, you idiots.]
