Rishi and 8th Day at Earthgang College of the Arts

It was a bright and sunny day on the campus of Earthgang College of the Arts—what may have been a wonderful day anywhere else was met with a simmering dread around the campus, especially from those who wished to enjoy the sun themselves. Dread because of him: the one constant of the Earthgang college experience. Today, like every other day, he would be out in full force, empowered by—

“Aaahhhh~, the beauty of the sun!!!” A large plump man strolled out into the campus grounds, bathing in the light shining on his lavishly garish suit as rays reflected off of pinks and greens. “Truly, this is fitting for one such as me~—for who else would the skies unveil their wonder except for the pursuer of all that is Beautiful, 8th Day!!!”

Nearby students rolled their eyes at this display from the College Head, and faculty members quickly found interest in objects far away from the man’s blissful gaze. 8th Day’s sense of wonder at the day was soon replaced by gleeful interest, as he spotted a student lounging on a rock, being painted by his fellow. “Ohohohoho~!!! I see I am not the only one enjoying this joyous day!!!”

The artist groaned as 8th Day made towards the art site, hand gripping harder onto her brush. “離れろ [hanarero], sir,” she huffed, settling her palette down to adjust her smooth hair, so that it flowed behind her back and away from the paint.

“Oh~ what lovely Japanese, Miss Miyashita!!!” the head grinned, the student's irritation flying straight over his head as he settled beside her and twirled his well maintained mustache. “I came over to peruse the talent of my student body!!!”

His attention switched between the sitting student and the art before him as he took in the piece of work before him. “Mhmm, mhmm~: fascinating!!! While it is certainly missing the finishing touches, the figures in the image are clear!!! You have gracefully captured the boy in his uniform posing on the rock as in real life. Behind him however is the soul of the piece!!! That figure to his right, that slender scarlet knight, truly must be an artistic representation of one piece of the boy’s heart — perhaps a deep rage or a righteous anger!!! Oh but its posture suggests the role of a guardian, a truly kind heart indeed!!! I…ah, am not sure about the figure on his left: the outfit brings me to mind a dancer perhaps? However, the detailing on that arm is truly wondrous!!! If I were to see such an arm before my very self, I would surely mistake it for a sculpture as sturdy as metal!!! Indeed, my great eye sees Beauty!!! Do you have any insight you would be so kind as to offer?”

“...” the girl stared at the artwork as 8th Day finished spouting artistic insights. “What can I say, I paint what I see,” was what she settled on.

“Wonderful~!!!” 8th Day beamed, “What a great talent to have!!! One day you shall reach the great heights of art where I myself reside, I’m certain!!! Ohohohoho~, yes you shall one day be able to mingle amongst the real movers and shakers of this town, my girl!!! In fact, this art has inspired me for next week's uniform palette!!! Ohoho—oh~? What an interesting sculpture!!!”

The students watched as their shining college head left to pursue another piece of art, the boy sighing in relief. “Oh I am So glad that he’s in a good mood at least,” he remarked, his Stand continuing to pose beside him, before calling down behind the rock. “You can come out now, Rishi!”

A black crown of hair poked out from behind the rock, gray eyes as if between a field of wheat as their owner scouted the area before popping the rest of their hair out. “I don’t see what’s so bad about him,” Rishi noted, rolling a black sleeve over his mechanical arm as it fiddled with the pale brown tips of her hair. “He just seems so happy!”

“Yeah…” the girl sighed, returning to her painting. “Javed is right though: 8th Day can be absolutely foul if he wishes. I heard that other day he ranted at some poor girl’s lunch because a single herb was in the wrong place—her lunch! I’d say it's like he thinks he runs the city, but he honestly believes it.”

“I see…that’s not nice :(” Rishi hopped up onto the rock, twirling his lower body so her legs were in front before planting bare feet onto the grass.

“Trust me, Saori knows,” the boy called Javed chucked, stretching his arms before a friendly but firm glare placed him back into his pose. “8th Day is a frequent visitor of her gran’s hot springs, and he tries to talk to her family up in Halogen all the time.”

“Well, he enjoys the beauty in life—like me! That doesn’t sound like a bad trait.”

“Rishi, Rishi, Rishi,” Saori shook her head. “You love the beauty of life, but he’s obsessed with it. It’s all he talks about: and he sees himself as the peak of that beauty. I’m surprised that twisted passion hasn’t awakened a Stand in him.”

“Wait, the uniforms changing colors isn’t his Stand?” Rishi sputtered, as Javed started cackling beside him.

“Nah, that was a thing well before him from what I’ve heard. Besides, his watermelon-looking ass could Not survive a Nightbloom trial!”

Saori winced, as she put down her brush and inspected her work. “Please never say that again.”

“It’s true! He wouldn’t last a second in Bedtown looking for his ‘Beauty’!”

“...fair. The Vultures would get to him.” She concurred, a wicked grin flashing on her face. “彼は断片に過ぎないだろう. [kare wa danpen ni sugi nai darou u]”

Rishi nodded, glancing at the ground. “To shreds you say…”

“Glad to see you’ve been learning your Japanese,” the painter’s smile shifted into a more natural form. “You wanted to look into my ancestral home’s dances, didn’t you? I think we can do that instead of language this week.”

“Yes!!!”