The kitchen was busy that morning when Lalaine entered. It was already warm inside, what with all the cooking and cleaning and sweating that was going on inside. She sighed and rolled up the sleeves of her novice dress, expecting to be just as hot as the other girls in a few minutes. The Mistress of Kitchens would set her to work just as soon as she saw her enter. Lalaine had come to expect that too. Briefly enjoying her last moments of freedom before being plunged into a soapy sink, she looked around to see if she knew any of the novices that were already working. It was rather disappointing that she did not. Lalaine had hardly met any of the novices in the Tower yet, even though she had already been in Tar Valon for some time. She would have been happy even to see her room mate, Nina, though the other novice hadn't come off as particularly friendly when they had first met. Lalaine found herself wishing that Sloane had kitchen duty as well, but she wasn't even sure that soldiers had work in the kitchens. She had certainly never seen one in there. What did she know about it anyway though?

It was a short period of time before the Mistress of Kitchens came to swing her spoon at Lalaine, pointing to an open sink with a pile of dirty dishes next to it. Lalaine nodded and dropped a small curtsy before scurrying to her sink. She was not in the mood to be sent to the Mistress of Novices office for being too slow. She had seen some other girls sent there for just that reason. Lalaine didn't plan on joining them, so she'd dutifully perform her chores without sighs and without complaints. Dipping her hands into the sink, she began to scrub the pots by her side. This is going to take forever...

((OOC: I would have gone way longer, but my mom wants the computer soon, and I was running out of ideas... Sorry!))

It was about mid-Morning by the time Hanajima walked into the kitchen. Already she was starting to regret it. Out of all the things novices had to do cleaning dishs was the worst.She had gotten so sick of it when she was living ather aunt's, but trying not to think about the past, she thought back to the future and her tasl of cleaning dishs. Looking around the kitchen Hanajima didn't see the Mistress of Kitchens. All she saw was the well worn table, a few piles of dirty dishs, and some pots and pans still on the stove, but her gaze did stop on another Novice. Hanajima didn't really know her, and hadn't seem her around much. Before Hana could take another step the Mistress of Kitchens came back out and motioned to another pile of dirty dishs. After dropping a quick curtsy Hana rushed over to the pile of dishs. She had not been sent to the Mistress of Novice yet, and didn't plan to go now. Rolling up the sleeves of her novice dress all Hana could think about was how much she had to do dishs at home, how much she hated it, how long this was going to take her and how her and Sota use to have so much fun doing the dishs when her parents were still a live.. It was at that instant that Hana relized how much she really did miss Sota and her parents. She hadn't felt homesick until that instant. Not wanting to think any more Hana turned her head towards the other Novice.
" Hi. I'm Hana. Who are you?" She would have offered a hand to shake but she didn't want to be caught slacking by the Mistress of Kitchens, and she had bubbles all over them.


((OOC: This may not be very long, but I was running out of things to put. I think this is the longest RP I've ever done.:P))

((OOC: You'll get the hang of it. :) Don't worry. It's a good start.))

Lalaine was no noble. She had done dishes before, and she knew she had several long years ahead of her of doing them, if not decades. Lalaine had found that several of the Aes Sedai did dishes for penance. It was a strange thought to her, that an Aes Sedai could be reduced to doing dishes... But she supposed it went to show that even a woman who could make kings bow was still low enough to do dishes. As she scrubbed at a particularly greasy part of one pan, she daydreamed about when she was back at home, doing the dishes. When she had been younger, she had merely dried the pans that her mother cleaned. Lalaine had never seen cleaner dishes than her mother's. Some of the Accepted girls could scrub like madwomen, but the dishes they came out with just didn't sparkle like her mother's used to. They had always had a good time scrubbing dishes, laughing about something one of her brothers or her father did. Her father had been happy then. Even dishes with her grandmother had been pleasant enough. Her grandmother had always been a kind woman, if a bit sharp.

At home was different though, after her mother died. Her father changed, and so did her brothers. Lalaine had done all the dishes by herself then, and amidst the fighting, she buried herself in trying to make the dishes and sparkling as her mother had made them. She had never been able to do it, but at least it passed the time, usually while her eldest brother had been screaming at their father. Her brother had left them though, left her and Sloane to themselves. Lalaine understood his reasons, but she knew that it angered Sloane. It was the kind of anger that wasn't going to be overcome, she knew, at least they were far away now... Truth be told, Lalaine would have understood if Sloane would have left too, but she was glad he didn't. Sighing, she tried not to think about him, wonder what he was up to in the Tower... She missed him. His channeling was probably going fine. He didn't have a block... What if he became Asha'man, and she stayed as a novice forever? Foolish thoughts. They were absolute rubbish.

No, now what needed concentrating on was her scrubbing. Now it was just a chore. There was no danger here, and no need to worry about such things. She would improve. Somehow, she would break her block. There were many Aes Sedai who had broken theirs before her, and there was no reason why she couldn't. Except for I'm me... she thought bitterly to herself. For about the millionth time since leaving home, she wondered if she had killed her father. The sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach returned, but Lalaine tried to ignore it. Sloane promised that I didn't... She couldn't have, could she?

"Hi, I'm Hana. Who are you?" asked someone next to her. Lalaine looked up, blinking in surprise. She hadn't realized that someone had joined the sink next to her, obviously at the Mistress of Kitchens prodding. Lalaine waited until the woman passed before she got a better look at the new novice next to her. Though the novice was a little bit taller than she was, Lalaine would have guessed that she was about her age. That was a relief to Lalaine. For the most part, all the novices seemed a few years older than her, and the eldest ones might have been her mother. She could tell by looking at her that Hana wasn't from Arad Doman, not to mention her accent was different, but Lalaine wasn't sure of where she could be from otherwise. Her education wasn't quite that good. She gave the girl a small smile, relieved that someone had taken interest in talking to her, for aside from just missing Sloane, she was lonely. "My name is Lalaine," she said. "Nice to meet you."

She figured it would be nice to make some sort of conversation. Though Lalaine was quiet, she had learned how to speak. Her grandmother had made sure of that. Lalaine knew the Domani's ways, even if she did not use them often. "Have you been in the Tower long?" She supposed not, judging by how young the girl looked.

As Hana waited for the girls rsponse She found herself looking at the dishs she was cleaning. How do these get so dirty? she thought Well I guess they aren't half as bad as the dishs my aunt made me do... "My name is Lalaine, Nice to meet you" The girl said, interuppting Hana's thought. "Have you been in the Tower long?" Lalaine asked. Hana thought about this for a moment. How long had it been? She couldn't quiet remember. Somehow between classes and chores she had forgotten " Umm... alittle, not long though." She replied not knowing quiet how to word it. " You?" Looking at Lalaine Hana noticed a few things. For starters Hana was taller then her. Her nationality also seemed to be different, or so it seemed coming from her accent. But Lalaine did seem to be the same age as herself. [i] maybe I'll finally get a new friend. Hana thought. Ever since arriving at Tar Valon, and The Tower Hana had kind of avoided the other novices. She could think of a big reason, she just thought they may be like her friends at home. Maybe I should open up more... I mean I have kinda kept to myself...maybe I was expecting them to be like Tohru, Dela, and Arisa...man I miss them.. Hana thought wiping away a tear forming in her eye hoping Lalaine wouldn't notice she didn't want to be caught crying while doing dishs.. I think too much when doing dishs... I really should find something else to entertain myself when doing dishs. Relizing how much she had be 'out of it' Hana looked over to Lalaine, hoping she hadn't said anyway. " Umm did you saying anything?" Hana asked feeling like an idiot. " I was kinda lost in my thoughts." Hana had felt so weird saying that, back home this would never happen.. It was in that moment that Hana relized what her problem was. She had being thinging so much about her home and comparing it to the Tower, so she couldn't fit in. I MUST start thinking positive, if I want to fit in. Now that may be an easy thopught but it not the easiest(sp?) thing to do. Rel again how she had wondered of in her thoughts, she looked back to Lalaine. By the way she looked Hana could tell she had said nothing...yet.

((OOC: Could have done more but I have to go.))

“Umm… a little, not long though,” was Hanajima’s reply to her question. Lalaine wasn’t really sure how to judge that, since novices were novices for Ages. In comparison, three years might not seem like such a long time, compared to the Accepted who had been training for thirty years. Nevertheless, Lalaine figured that Hanajima could not have been at the White Tower all that long, since she seemed to be about the same age as her, give or take a few years. Lalaine hadn’t seen many novices younger than the two of them. “You?” the other novice asked there. Lalaine dried off another dish and gave a shrug. “Awhile.” She certainly hadn’t accomplished much in that “while.” She hadn’t learned to channel yet, what with that bloody block, and she hadn’t made many friends to make mention of. She certainly hadn’t seen Sloane enough to comment on. No, it seemed to Lalaine that all she had really done while at the White Tower was clean dishes and dust off bookshelves. Somehow, the Tower had enough of them to make her run all day, and keep all the other novices busy. She wondered if Sloane was put to the same sort of treatment in the Black Tower. Pushing thoughts of her brother, she told herself that it wasn’t doing her any good to miss him. He probably had just as much work as she had.

Glancing at the other novice, she saw her rub at her eye a little. Lalaine frowned, suspecting that it might have been a tear the girl was pushing away. Looking back at her own dishes, she wondered what was bothering the other novice. Lalaine had a sort of empathy for judging how people were feeling, and it seemed to her that something was wrong. Then again, she could have just had an odd view. Perhaps Hanajima had just gotten something in her eye. It was easy enough in this kitchen, what with soap suds flying all about. Besides, she figured that a kitchen was hardly the place to talk about anything emotional, what with the Mistress of Kitchens able to swoop in at any minute, able to hit them on the heads with her spoon for talking while they should have been working. Lalaine kept her mouth shut and realized that she shouldn’t worry about her own problems so much. Other novices were struggling too.

After a moment, the novice spoke again. “Umm, did you say anything?” she asked. Lalaine gave her a puzzled look, reaching for another plate to wash. She shook her head as she dipped it into the warm water. “I was kinda lost in my thoughts.” Lalaine grinned and gave a small laugh, not audible over the clang of the kitchen. “No, don’t worry, you didn’t miss anything important,” she said quietly, warily keeping watch for the Mistress of Kitchens, who was currently squawking at another group of novices for giggling too much. Shaking her head, she said, “Light, it’s a wonder we even have time to think here sometimes,” keeping the mood light. “There’s so many chores and lessons, it makes my head spin.”

“No, don’t worry, you didn’t miss anything important,” Laraine said. Hanajima sighed. She really didn't talk much while cleaning dishs, she hadn't really opened up to too many novices. She seemed to think alot while doing chores, so she hadn't got use to the not think about something after everything you said. Slighy she swifted her weight to her other foot At least she isn't mad Hana thought It wouldn't be good to have an ememy with they first novice I've talked too. “Light, it’s a wonder we even have time to think here sometimes, there’s so many chores and lessons, it makes my head spin.” The novice said again. Hana held in a laugh, not wanting to be caught by the Mistress of Kitchens. Who was currently talking to a group of novcies for giggling too much. " Yes. I agree with you there. But it almost seems like I'm doing it for nothing. I swear I haven't done one thing with learning how to use the One Power yet. But it could be that I didn't know anything when I came here and have learned somethings... I don't know. But I think I'm going to confuse myself."Hana ended seeing as she had been rambling on. Reaching for another dirty plate to wash, Hana thought to herself I wonder how many plate's I will wash in my lifetime. Proably alot, at this rate anyway. Hana turned her head slighty towards Laraine " Have you ever wondered how many plate's you'll wash in your lifetime?" She asked looking down at her hands, which were becoming very wrinckly(sp?). " I swear my hands are going to stay like this forever."

((sorry kinda short))

"Yes. I agree with you there. But it almost seems like I'm doing it for nothing. I swear I haven't done one thing with learning how to use the One Power yet. But it could be that I didn't know anything when I came here and have learned somethings... I don't know. But I think I'm going to confuse myself." Lalaine smiled at the girl’s ramblings, agreeing with her on some points. The classes were interesting enough, but she was a novice, supposed to be becoming Aes Sedai, and she’d hardly learned anything in that respect. Aes Sedai were supposed to channel, and Lalaine hadn’t so much as touched saidar since coming. Looking at Hanajima, she realized that perhaps she was not the only one with a struggle, and it comforted her. Perhaps the Wheel takes more time than I would like, she thought to herself, hoping that the Aes Sedai were right, that she did have a block and would channel one day, once it was broken.

Hanajima looked at her and spoke, drawing Lalaine from her thoughts once again. “Have you ever wondered how many plates you’ll wash in your lifetime?” the other novice asked her. Lalaine giggled, though softly so as not to alert the Mistress of Kitchens to their conversation. The other novice looked at her hands. “I swear my hands are going to stay like this forever.” Lalaine’s own hands were already looking like prunes from the short time they had spent in the sink, and she had been building up calluses from the chores that she often did. There was one from dusting, one from sweeping… It was no matter to Lalaine. Pretty hands weren’t for novices, and she had done chores back at home.

She shrugged. “The Aes Sedai don’t have wrinkled hands,” she offered back. “So they must go away at some point.” She figured that all of the women in shawls must have gone through such brutal training, in order to become the hard, often times cold women that they were. Lalaine sighed, thinking about that, for she knew that it took an awfully long time to become Aes Sedai, or even Accepted. Especially if one cannot channel, she thought bitterly. As she dipped in the next dish, Lalaine realized that she was reaching the end of her dish stack. At last!

Waiting for Lalaine's respond Hana focused back on the dishs, out of the courner of her eye she saw Lalaine shrug “The Aes Sedai don’t have wrinkled hands, So they must go away at some point." Hana laughed softly. "Ya. I guess. But I wonder how long it will take for the wrinkle's to go away." She said. I'm probably overexaggerating but it's something to keep my mind focused. Hana looked over at her pile of dishs, to see how much was left. She was surprised to see very few dishs. Wow that went faster then I thought it would.

"Have you ever wondered what you would be doing if you didn't come to the Tower?" Hana asked. She, of course, had. The thoughts had always crossed her mind when she had to do chores. They were horrible, awful thoughts. She had once had a dream about what would have happened if she stayed at home. It was the worst thing she had been thought at the Tower, besides being away from Sota but that was a lot different. How come everything I think of I connect to Sota? Hana asked herself It's like he's on my mind all the time. I wonder how he's doing. I hope Aunt Catherine hasn't gotten a hold of him. If she has hurt him in any way she will pay! At the last thought Hana got very angry and suddenly relized she had a death grip on the plate she was washing. Lossening her grip Hana cleared her head for any thoughts that would get her angered. Carefully she finished the plate and set it aside.