(OOC: Gonna go ahead and keep this moving.)
Seeing the students well under way towards setting up the camp, Budonoki confirmed that everything they would need was in the supply drop and then began making a few preparations himself. Seven small nondescript pouches were taken out and placed atop the crate, and following that the old Faunus waited, observing. When everyone had their tents set up -- or seemed ready to give up trying -- he spoke up.
"Gather round, students." Sitting cross-legged with his staff across his lap, he gestured to the pouches. "As you know, this isn't simply a recreational camping trip -- out here, among the amber leaves, I'll be working with you all, both individually and as a group, to help you develop into the Hunters I know you can become. Our first exercise is a group one. Each of you, take a pouch -- gently -- and then find a spot nearby on the grass."
When everyone had their pouch, the doctor took the last remaining one and opened it. Inside were an assortment of raw crystals, uncut Dust in each of the four core elemental varieties: fire, ice, lightning, and wind. "We know Aura as a manifestation of one's soul, of the spirit within lending its power to the body and to whatever tools we wield. An awakened Aura, however, is merely the first step -- diligent practice makes using it second nature, but the path to unlocking the fullness of power within each of you is not down to simple repetition. You must know yourself, deeply and truly, just as you each know the weapons you wield. This is the work of a lifetime, a long and twisting road which no one can discern except you... fortunately, there is some guidance I can offer you."
"Dust, in its base forms. Simple. Elemental. Primal." He held up the blue crystal, letting it sparkle as it caught the light of the sun. "Our Auras can awaken the power sleeping in these stones, as you know... but have you truly considered what that means? The power within us, and the power within Dust, respond to each other. It's easy to take for granted; in the modern age all you need do is pull a trigger or exert your will, but the first peoples who discovered Dust surely did not find it so easy. No convenient technologies, no schools or experts to train them in what to do -- it was trial and error from the start. But there is something for us to learn from the crude methods they must surely have employed."
"Here, then, is the exercise. Clear you minds and, one crystal at a time, slowly, in the smallest degrees you can manage, direct your Aura towards the Dust -- not enough to cause a full reaction, but just enough that the crystal begins to glow." He smiled softly. "It may take several tries, but you should notice that one of the four is easier for you to connect with than the others -- one element that hardly takes any effort whatsoever. This natural affinity towards one of the four elements reflects upon the nature of your Aura, your soul, who you are as a person. What you discover may surprise you; I was around your age when my teachers in Mistral first had us perform this exercise and fully expected that my affinity would be towards the wind Dust, given my deep connection to nature. However..."
Closing his eyes, Budonoki breathed slowly in and out -- at once, the blue Dust in his hand began to glow with a brilliant cyan radiance. Eyes opening, he smiled at the familiar light. "Mine was ice. It took me some time to understand what that said about me -- at first I was convinced that it was a mistake, but when I stilled my mind and let Aura and Dust connect naturally the result was always the same. Some of you will get exactly the result you may expect, others may be like me. In either case, you will have something very important to think on as we go about the rest of our trip's lessons." Letting the light from the Dust fade, the teacher placed the Dust crystals back in his pouch and set them to one side.
"You may begin."
(OOC: Minor tweak to the Dust types to better reflect the known info -- I had them somewhat inaccurate in the initial post. Sorry about that.)