The campus is mostly rolling green fields, lightly spotted with small groves. Flagstone paths wend this way and that, preferring to go around hills rather than over, connecting buildings that are never more than two stories high and always nestle snugly into the terrain. There's the library, cafeteria, dormitories, lecture halls, gymnasium...

Pretty! Not quite as confusing as Merrin was half-hoping, so they probably won't get very lost before it's time to head to the cafeteria, but they can explore the pretty grounds. Is there anything to stop them wandering off the path occasionally to get a better look from the top of a hill? 

Nope! Kait seems a little hesitant to step off the path, but Nira grabs her hand with a smile and pulls her along.

"This place is so pretty."

"It is! I love it. C'mon, let's see what the view's like from the top." 

"Are you sure it's okay to walk on the grass?"

"It's not like there's a sign or anything."

"That is true..."

"Even if it's not allowed, no-one told us, and it's our first day. So the worst they'll do is tell us off," Merrin reasons. "But you can wait here if you're worried about getting into trouble." 

"No, I'll go," she says quickly.

"That's the spirit!"

Onward and upward! Merrin hums under her breath as they stroll up the hill, a tune she half-knows but can't remember where she heard it. 

The sky above is clear and bright. A large tree, branches heavy with wide green leaves casts a puddle of shade on the crest of the knoll.

This was the best idea.

"This was the best idea!"

"You can see for aaages," says Nira, gesturing out to where the rolling green fields meet the horizon off in the distance, beyond the campus.

"Yeah." 

But at some point they should probably start meandering back towards food, so they don't miss dinner. 

Sounds good.

"I was kinda thinking there'd be more buildings and stuff."

"Yeah, so was I." Merrin isn't sure why she had any expectations at all for the academy, but apparently she did. 

"This campus does seem pretty small, if it's training magical girls from all over the galaxy. Maybe a lot of teaching happens outside or something? That would be nice." 

"Oh, um, I read something once that said the Academy was first built during a period of eco-conscious architecture and a lot of it is underground so as not to disturb the landscape."

"Cool! I guess that explains it." Merrin looks around appreciatively. "Looks like they didn't want to mess with perfection." 

"I wonder if there are secret tunnels!"

"There might be. They'd probably be pretty hard to find, though, if they're meant to be secret." 

"So we can make it a long-term project."

"Maybe."

Food?

Food.

The dining hall is back near where they started. It's self-serve style, with food stations around the perimeter and seating in the center. There's a frankly bewildering variety of galactic cuisine on offer, everything from marh chips to Bourghillei brisket.

Merrin will start with things she recognises—oh, but she'll try a bit of this, and that...