Chapter One
Enter the Lion’s Den
“So you’ve got everything you need?”
“Yes.” She had everything she needed in her pack.
“And you’re sure we don’t need to stop and get anything real quick? You know we can, if there’s anything you need… Or forgotten… Or want.” Honestly, Miguel could be such a worry-wart. …Or would ‘mother-hen’ be a better term? Well, either way he had been fretting the entire way here... And it was a long way to the Heart of Terra no Solis from a Border Town.
“I’m sure, Miguel-san.” Herai smiled gently at him, hoping that Miguel would calm down a little. Herai… Yes, that was her name. Well, not officially. She’d given herself that name. Having no identity and being called ‘girl’ or ‘child’ all the time could be a bit bothersome, so she decided to fashion a new identity for herself. One that was worth remembering.
“Man, would you lighten up a little?” Adrien, of course, was completely composed. He always had a bit of a drawl in his voice and strutted around like he was King of the World whenever they walked around town. “And stop coddling the girl. She’s got to be strong in a place like this.” Of course, he took everything for granted and was never impressed by anything, which could get rather annoying after a while.
Miguel, on the other hand, took everything out of proportion and could be a little gullible. “And that’s exactly why I’m worried.” Black eyes glared at Adrien, using his patronizing ‘I-know-better-than-you’ voice again. “She’s just a little girl, and the Heart of the Empire can be a very dangerous place.” It was amusing to watch them argue. ...Just like watching an old married couple, when you thought about it.
But the Academy, huh?
It didn’t sound all too frightening. From the way Miguel talked about it you would think it housed the Devil or something. Well, to be honest, she thought it would be rather exciting to go, to see the truth of the matter for herself. It would be an adventure, wouldn’t it? Like in the novels she’d been reading these past few months. So many different tales… So many different paths… It was a wonder how the Heroes all found the right path. ...Books were fascinating things… They were able to take you to far away worlds, to help you escape your own life, even if only for a moment. Yes, she was sure that as long as she had her books to escape to then she’d be able to survive whatever challenge the Academy was.
Herai turned to watch the scenery go past the window as Adrien and Miguel fought.
It was a nice sunny day… Not a cloud in the sky. The snow was very nice, she supposed, but she hated walking on it. Walking on the snow broke it's the perfect image. She hated that. It was better here in the Heart of Terra no Solis. It was much warmer, so hardly any snow was left. …Maybe Spring was on its way? Herai had read a lot about how beautiful and green it was, and of endless fields of flowers. She wondered what it was like in reality… Well, she supposed she's seen Spring at least once before. It was annoying that she couldn't remember it.
Well, aside from the warmth, there was one thing about the Heart of the Empire that she didn’t like. Well, two things. One, it was much more densely populated, so there were paved streets and impressive buildings. There was hardly any room for the grass to grow in the sidewalk. Two, it was much louder than the Border Town had been. All of the people, the hustle and bustle of daily life…
So this was what a city was like…
The carriage was now traveling down a path away from the city so she could breathe again. In the distance she could see the dark shadow on the horizon. The Academy, perhaps? She hoped so. She could only stand their bickering so long.
Herai focused on the faint mirrored image in the window. It was a little hard to see, but the young auburn haired, green eyed girl in the window was nervous. Her expression rarely shifted from the slight smile she had now, but it was in her eyes. Herai was nervous, though not really afraid. She just wasn't sure about this... Change. Sure, she'd made the decision herself, but she also would have been perfectly happy at the Border Town for the rest of her days. But then... What would become of her story? She didn't want to just be a damsel in distress, like a lot of the Heroines in her books were. She wanted to find her story herself. She couldn't wait for it to simply come and find her...
The carriage had pulled up to the large iron-wrought gates of the Academy, and Adrien and Miguel had stopped fighting long enough to fix themselves up properly. Herai waved off Miguel, who wanted to make sure she looked presentable enough. It didn’t matter how she looked. As long as she preformed well the Teachers could have no complaints against her.
Herai waited in-between her two guardians as a man in plain grey robes came to open the gate for them. He looked fairly middle-aged, like Dr. Molohov had, although his black hair was cropped short and graying around the edges. His wrinkles made worry lines on his forehead, which made him look a little stern. …If he had a long grey beard and a staff she could have assumed that the man was a Wizard. “Welcome,” The man said. His voice was smooth, like he knew how to talk to people. Like he knew how to control them. “I am Chancellor Anyon, Keeper of the Academy. I oversee the children’s education and well-being.” He smiled, but Herai couldn’t feel anything behind it. “And you, my child, must be Yukari Herai.”
“I am Herai, but I’m not yours.” Herai stared up at him blankly, watching the man’s smile falter.
The man caught himself instantly, securing his false smile. “Ah, yes, of course. But you see, my dear,” There he went again, with the possessive pro-nouns, “You are no one’s, so it is my duty to take charge of you.” And what if she liked being no one's? He looked up at Adrien, smile composed. “I suppose I have a Finder’s Fee for you gentlemen, don’t I?”
Miguel looked on, astonished as the man pulled a bag from his robes and tossed it to Adrien. It jingled with silver coins when he caught it. “Adrien! We’re not selling her off like some... Farm animal!”
“What?” Adrien raised a brow at him, “She needed the place to stay. We needed the cash.” He tossed the bag in the air and caught it again, grinning. “I say it’s a fair trade. Just think. We can buy a pack of cards that aren’t all torn up, and maybe some tape for that mouth of yours.”
Herai laid a hand on Miguel’s arm before he could make a retort. “It’s alright, Miguel-san. It doesn’t matter now.” He stared down at her for a moment, but calmed down quickly, more than a little embarrassed. To be told to basically ‘shut up’ by a seven year old, and in front of a man of Status as well… Well, let's just say it did nothing for Miguel's image.
They said their good-byes quickly and the two men left, carried away by their carriage and most likely quarreling all the way. She felt sorry for the driver…
The man, Chancellor Anyon, took Herai and led her inside the walls of the Academy. The wall surrounding the Academy was alabaster, reaching at least seven feet in height. She caught sight of another gate on the West wall… So a gate for each wall, then? The walls of the Academy were also of alabaster, and she could only hope it wasn't as plain on the inside as it was on the outside.
They walked through a large court yard, filled with various trees and even a small pond or two, before reaching the immense building itself. There were a couple of Koi fish circling in the ponds, and leaves were begging to bud on the limbs of the trees… Herai supposed the garden would look very nice in Spring.
The Chancellor decided to ‘talk’ to her as they roamed the halls, touring a bit of the bland Academy building. The electrical lighting gave his skin a pale yellow cast.
“So your parents, I take it, live in that Border Town with those other two?” …Did he not read her Profile?
“Lived," Herai corrected. "Father was a Doctor, but ended up dying of sickness.” How ironic. “Mother died in child birth.” Of course she would remember the things that she’d fabricated herself. It was silly to question her over it, but if that was what he wanted to do…
“And you were an only child?” Duh. Didn't 'died in child birth' mean anything to him?
“Yes.” And why was he even feigning any interest anyways?
They passed by several large rooms which the Chancellor introduced as the Cafeteria, Gymnasium, and the Kenjutsu Arena. He was even nice enough to pause in his questioning for a moment or two. …Wait a second. Kenjutsu… As in Sword Play? As in there were Tournaments? How interesting... Maybe Miguel had been right after all.
Alas, silence was not meant to be. The Chancellor pulled out some sort of file from his robes, probably the Profile she'd filled out, and looked it over before speaking again. “I take it you were born on the twenty-first day of Taurus, Year of the Dog?”
“Yes.” She supposed she’d actually gotten close enough on that one. After talking it over with Dr. Dolohov they actually managed to come up with a date that sounded convincing. After all, people seemed to say that a child’s personality was dictated by Astronomy, and their Calendar was based upon that Astronomy.
The Chancellor nodded, seeming to approve. They turned down another corridor and the Chancellor looked down at her, smiling that snake's smile again. “This is where all of the Dormitories are. You will be sharing your room with three other girls.” He continued when Herai simply gave him a questioning look. “These girls will be your Team-Mates, your Companions. You all must learn to live and work together during your time here in the Academy. They are your life-lines, so depend on them.”
Depend? On simple girls her age? On any unknown human?
Why would she want to do that?
The Chancellor handed her a small key and left, supposedly on official adult matters that she 'need not worry about.' Fine. Herai didn't think she would like the Chancellor. He was kind of smarmy... But he didn't matter, as long as they kept out of each other's way. Herai put the smarmy man out of her mind and unlocked the Dorm's door, hoping that her supposed 'room mates' would be out doing something or other.
Herai quietly pushed the door open and stepped inside, closing it behind her. There were two bunk beds standing against the walls, tucked into their corners to make room for other things, like a desk with papers scattered across it, and a bookcase with only a shelf or two filled. There were chests at the foot of each bed, though she didn’t know what they were filled with. A single window lit the room, showing one of the Gardens outside. When she looked around Herai found her gaze met by a pair of glaring amber eyes.
Ah... One of the supposed 'room mates.' Joy.
"And who're you supposed to be?" The girl with the amber eyes was definitly older, and much taller, with cropped black hair that went only an inch or so past her ears. The girl was fairly tanned, with long arms and legs… And Herai had the sneaking suspicion that this girl was no stranger to the occasional fight. The muscles on her arms were well defined for a girl of her age. The amber-eyed girl folded her arms, obviously expecting an answer. …She seemed to be a demanding, pushy kind of person. “Well?”
“I’m Herai,” She met the girl’s glare steadily, “Herai Yu-“
“Hold it!” The girl cut her off rather abruptly, “We don’t have family names here. Your first name’s fine.” The amber-eyed girl cocked her head to the side a little, looking appraisingly at Herai. Herai just raised a brow at her. Somehow she just made her feel a little… Tense. Somehow she might, just might, be hoping for the girl’s approval. ...What a strange feeling.
The girl met Herai’s gaze again and finally nodded, muttering a soft, “You’ll do.”
Do what?
The girl smirked a little, putting her hand forward. “Shana. Welcome to the team, Herai.” Herai reached out to shake her hand, but Shana grabbed it and pulled her forward, clapping her on the shoulder. “You’ll need some Trainin’ up, but we’ve needed our fourth member for a while now.”
“Um… Okay.” Herai was a little… Well, shocked, really. She hadn’t expected to be accepted this easily. It had taken a week or two to fit in with the Civilians in the Boarder Town. It was nice, but… Strange.
“That bed’s yours,” Shana gestured to the lower bunk of the right bed. “Make yourself at home, ‘cause you’re gonna be here a while.”
Herai nodded, muttering a small ‘thanks,’ and sat on the bed.
So…This was going to be her room now, huh? It had more personality than the rest of the Academy, that was for sure. The walls of the Academy were empty and blank, save for the ocassional door or window, and the white walls made it feel like a hospital. This room had random splashes of color across the walls, as if they'd fought over how to paint it. Splashes of red, blue, and lavender crossed, blended, and over lapped. ...More red and blue than the lavender. It wasn't hard to see who won the paint battle. There were a few drawn pictures and a poster or two on the walls as well. Apparently someone was into some teen pop star... And someone else was more into a martial arts champion.
This was nice… She could live here, possibly.
“Hey, Sleeping Beauty,” Shana leaned over the bed across from her, shaking whoever was in it. “Get up! It’s nearly noon, or are you gonna sleep away all your Saturdays?” The girl in bed muttered something, probably something like ‘five more minutes’ and rolled over. Shana huffed, annoyed, and grabbed the girl’s purple blanket, dragging it, and the girl clinging to it, out of bed. The girl landed on the floor with a whirl of long lavander ahir and a thump, followed by an avalanche of stuffed animals.
“Shana…!” The girl whined, extricating herself from the bears and bunnies. “You do this every day…” This girl was rather… Surprising. The most notable thing about her was the light lavender shade of her hair, and the deep purple of her eyes. Odd colors like these weren't seen all too much in the Border Town, but they seemed more popular here...
“Not every day. Just the ones where ya sleep in.” Shana lifted her chin a little, turning to smirk at Herai. “This little Princess is Violet. More trouble than she’s worth, this one.” She scoffed, folding her arms back over her chest. ...Arrogant or defensive posture?
Herai glanced between them, comparing her two room mates. Where Shana’s features were sharp, even hard, this girl seemed so… Delicate. Like a little doll with porcelain skin. And, unlike Shana, this girl felt like she could never even harm a fly. She just had this… Air of innocence about her… Herai felt like this was a person to be held and protected, kept safe from the World.
She… Wanted to protect her? Strange…
Violet blinked, surprised when she saw Herai, seeing as she hadn't even known someone was there. "Oh!" The girl blushed, embarrassed, and glanced away. She ran her fingers through her hair, trying to straighten it out before wrapping a strand of hair around her finger, twirling it as she ranted. "I'm so embarrassed. I didn't even see you there! I mean, I was having this really good dream about being home, and Dami was there, and my Mom and Dad were there, and Dad was just about to make us all a cake, celebrating cause me and Dami would never have to come back here again when I heard Shana's voice and knew it was all a dream, and I just didn't want to get up, but I mean... I'm up now... You must think I'm a lazy idiot. I don't really sleep in all the time, I promise. It's just I wasn't expecting us to get a new Teammate today, or else I would have cleaned up the room, and made myself look more presentable, and made sure Shana was nice to you. Was she mean to you? Please don't say she was. She can come off as a bit... Well. Scary. But just at first! Then she's just a big softie, really. Right, Shana?" She said this all very fast, still whirling her hair around her finger. ...Did she have time to breath, through all that?
"Ah! I'm so rude. I'm Violet Cho, Libra, from the province of Konsetsu. Damien Cho's little sister. It really is a pleasure to meet you, by the way..." Violet tucked the strand of hair behind her ear and held out her hand. She smiled in an embarrassed way, unaware that she had just given away too much information.
Violet yelped, rubbing the spot where Shana had smacked her head. "Stupid! We're not supposed to give out our family name or Province!" Shana scowled, shaking her head. "Geez..."
Well that wasn't very nice. Herai narrowed her eyes at Shana for a moment, displeased, before she smoothed her expression out again. "It's alright Shana, but please don't over-react. We're supposed to be Teammates, after all, and I wouldn't tell anyone." Shana turned away, muttering something about Freshmen not knowing anything. Herai took the opportunity to help Violet up and whisper to her. "Herai Yukari, Taurus, of the Mamoru Province."
Violet just stared at her, surprised, and broke out into another embarrassed smile. "Thanks..." She started twiddling her thumbs, and looked like she was about to go off into another rant when the door was suddenly slammed against the wall, making everyone jump.
"Maa-an..." Another girl whined, walking in with a light blue towel and yawning widely. "They need another bath in this hall. All these chicks kept yammering at me, whining that I was using up all the hot water. Stupid Commoners..." This girl was... Definitly different from the other two. She had the longest blonde hair she'd ever seen on a person, and it was obviously well cared for, even if it was rather damp at the moment. Her skin was fair as well, but had less of Violet's doll appeal.
"That's 'cause you take so long washing that mat of hair!" Shana growled at the other girl, scowling. "Why do even bother with that mess anyways? All it does is get in the way."
"What? And cut it all off, like your rat's nest?" The blonde sneered at Shana, seeming offended, "Why don't I just shave it all off and be done with it?" It was obvious that she would never do something that 'degrading.' It was in her voice. The blonde smiled a little sadistically. "But who knows... You might like longer hair yourself, if you'd just take the time to care for it properly. Maybe someone would actually look your way without sneering in disgust."
Shana was shaking, clenching and unclenching her fists. "And turn into an obnoxious little brat like you, Akira?" She snarled, "I think not."
The blonde girl chose to ignore Shana now, which just pissed her off even more, and turned to look at Herai and Violet. Her light blue eyes were laughing. "Ah! Well who do we have here?" She grinned brightly, all of the condensation gone now, "I'm Akira Hayase, expert Gymnast, and the Leader of this Team!"
"Yeah right!" Shana had walked up behind Akira and put her into a choking headlock, "You're nothing but a spoiled little demon-monkey from Jiman Province!"
Now, while Shana and Akira were locked in a vicious struggle, Herai turned to Violet, who had chosen to cower behind her when the fighting began. "Does this happen often?"
"Sadly... Yes." Ah... Well now she knew who had the red and blue paint earlier.
Well, Herai had to admit, her Team was certainly a lively bunch. She'd spent some time unpacking, with Akira rifling through her things, asking her if this was really all that she had. Akira had obviously been expecting more. They made some space in their closet for her clothes, and Herai took advantage of the empty bookcase for some of the novels she'd brought along. Shana had left to get some air and cool down, apparently too worked up to stand being with Akira for another minute, and Violet took the time to explain how things worked here in the Academy.
First of all, why Shana had been so worked up over giving out proper introductions. Here in the Academy, you weren't supposed to have a Past. ...Well, that worked out well for Herai, didn't it? She hadn't been able to remember a bit of her Past since she'd woken up in Dr. Molohov's office. Anyways, there were certain beliefs and stereotypes on families, and Provinces, not to mention Birth-Dates. For instance, people from the Province of Jiman were from Upper-Class families, used to the wealth and splendor of the Upper-Class World. So, naturally, they were thought to be very snooty and condescending. Obviously Akira ft the profile very well. So, the Chansellor thought that if one didn't have a Past then they could keep the Prejudices from hurting a Unit's teamwork. Of course, people could easily guess at those kinds of things like Shana did, and they're usually right.
Stereotypes existed for a reason, after all.
"So... Are you really from Jiman, then?" Herai glanced over at Akira, who was lounging on the bunk above hers, her curtain of hair draped over the edge.
"Of course," She huffed, "Jiman means Pride for a reason, doesn't it?" Pride, huh? The bed creaked a little as Akira moved, the curtain of hair flipping over, and she looked down at them. Akira looked a little funny, being upside down and grinning. "And what about you? Vi's easily from Konsetsu, the 'Kindness' Province, but you're a little different."
The door opened just then, saving Herai from having to wonder if Mamoru would seem right or not. Shana leaned against the doorway, arms folded across her chest. "Come on, kiddies. We're being called in for Lunch, and we don't want to loose our spots again."
"Ah, right!" Violet stood quickly, looking embarrassed for some odd reason, twiddling her thumbs. "Sorry, I mean- I was just so tired, and the Teacher was just pushing us so hard. I didn't mean to pass out, and you didn't have to try to wa-"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, alright. Got it." Shana cut off Violet's endless apologies and grabbed her arm, ushering her out the door. "Let's just get there quickly this time." Akira hopped down from her bunk and pulled Herai along too, telling her exactly what had happened before in extreme and exaggerated detail.
The Cafeteria wasn't far from the Dormitory Halls. It was very large, auditorium styled, with a small wall and a few small steps between each of the three levels. Circular tables were scattered throughout the room, and at the far side of the room was a line, probably for serving meals. Herai followed her team down to the line, keeping an eye out for the other children here. It started with a few, but more of them were coming in by the minute. They came in all types, in all ages. It seemed like a collection of all the people of Terra no Solis. Most of the young ones seemed quite pale, apart from those of African or Hispanic decent, but the older children all had fine tans and well muscled frames. Obviously they were going to spend quite some time working outside...
Shana snapped her fingers in her face, pulling Herai out of her thoughts, and made her focus on the food instead. Violet had already filled her own plate and was waiting for them on the second level of the Cafeteria. Herai and Shana quickly followed after and met Akira at one of the tables. She was... Talking with some boy. He was defiantly a year or two older than them, and seemed a little familiar somehow. When Violet saw him she seemed to brighten and ran over to them, calling out, "Dami!"
The boy turned to them and grinned, "Hey, little Vi!" Well, now she knew why he was familiar. Dami... Her brother? He looked like it. HE had the same porcelain skin, but his hair was more purple than lavender, and his eyes seemed to be a dark red. ...But Dami couldn't possibly be his real name.
As soon as Violet laid down her food tray she jumped up to hug 'Dami' around his neck. He caught her and spun Violet around, laughing. Herai ignored the sudden surge of jealousy that rose up in her. No, she had no reason to be jealous at all and it didn't make much sense, so she pulled the feeling back and packed it into a little box. It was a relief to be rid of it.
Dami set Violet down, seeming to have spotted Herai, and grinned. "Hey, this is a new face. Finally got a full Team, huh?"
Violet nodded, smiling happily, and would have probably introduced Herai if Shana hadn't shoved past them to reach her seat at the table. Herai inclined her head, fixing her gaze to her tray. "I am Herai. It's very nice to meet you-" She jumped a little when a hand tapped her head, ruffling her hair. She glanced up at Dami, surprised.
"Hey, no need to be so formal, girl," Damien smirked down at her, amused. "Name's Damien, Trick Master."
Someone behind them snorted, making Herai jump again. "More like the Master of Migrains." Herai turned, seeing three more older boys striding up to them. The one who had spoken seemed to have short, wind-blown blonde hair, and was surveying Damien with critical golden eyes. Beside him was a boy with raven hair and dark grey eyes, merely giving the others a sweeping glance before resting his gaze on Damien. They weren't as pale as Damien, but the black haired boy could give him a run for his money. The third boy trailed behind them a little. He was shorter and had strawberry blonde hair with sea-green eyes. ...He seemed to give off the same feeling that Violet did. The boy gave Herai a small wave, nearly dropping his tray.
Damien laughed, streching his hands behind his head. "Yeah, that's just one of my many gifts Dakota."
Dakota just rolled his eyes and went to take his seat at the table. The raven haired boy stayed close to his side, even as he gave Damien a small sneer. "Oh really? And I suppose your other gifts include the gift of the Oblivious Buffoon and a taste for Detention?"
Damien scowled at him, and was about to send back some scathing retort when the smaller boy stepped up, looking like he was stepping into a battlefield. "Maybe so, but..." He hesitated, trying to think of something before looking up brightly, "But it's always fun in class, and stuff... A- And wasn't it awsome to see the look on the Cook's face yesterday?" The boy relaxed as his two friends started to smirk, obviously remembering an inside joke or something. Akira and Shana started laughing and Violet just looked a little uncomfortable.
"Um, what... Happened?" Curiosity gripped Herai. It was an emotion she couldn't lock away.
Akira, giggling like mad, grabbed her arm and pulled her down into an empty seat. "Okay, okay, get this. So Dami, and Shana, and I come down here after curfew for a little fun. The Cook had been messing with our meals, see, and we wanted a little pay-back. So we grabbed some sacks of flour, and," Akira started giggling so much at this point that Shana had to smack her on the back of the head to continue. "Ow!" Akira gave Shana a glare before leaping back into the story, "So we grabbed some sacks of flour and bashed them open. White stuff everywhere, like snow! Then we grabbed some ketchup, made it kinda watery, and spilled the 'blood' on the floor, making a trail to the back where they, like, butcher things." Akira made a small disgusted face, "Then we rigged it so that this cow body-thing would, like, 'attack' whoever opened the door next!" Nearly everyone burst out in laughter. "Breakfast was priceless!"
...Herai didn't get it.
Dakota seemed to be the only one who wasn't amused, giving Damien and Akira a patronizing glare. "And a bloody mess it was, too. Do you know how much trouble you guys would be in if they had caught you? They could expel you for something like that."
"They're welcome to!" Damien scoffed, "I'd be ecstatic, overjoyed! Sides, they need to be taken down a notch sometimes, isn't that right Kaito?"
The raven haired boy shrugged, but somehow his eyes seemed sharper. "The stupid Adults get too arrogant, too comfortable. If we don't keep them in line, who will?" Dakota gave Kaito a bit of an admonishing glance, but didn't challange him. Kaito looked over at the small green-eyed boy and lifted an empty cup, holding it out. "Ryuu, I'm thirsty. Get me some water."
"Sure," Ryuu smiled, seemingly happy to have a task, and took the cup back down to the Lunch Line. By the time he came back everyone was chatting away about classes, what Damien did to one teacher one time, and trying to get Herai to be more involved. It was... Nice. Maybe she could get used to this. ...Just maybe.
Enter the Lion’s Den
“So you’ve got everything you need?”
“Yes.” She had everything she needed in her pack.
“And you’re sure we don’t need to stop and get anything real quick? You know we can, if there’s anything you need… Or forgotten… Or want.” Honestly, Miguel could be such a worry-wart. …Or would ‘mother-hen’ be a better term? Well, either way he had been fretting the entire way here... And it was a long way to the Heart of Terra no Solis from a Border Town.
“I’m sure, Miguel-san.” Herai smiled gently at him, hoping that Miguel would calm down a little. Herai… Yes, that was her name. Well, not officially. She’d given herself that name. Having no identity and being called ‘girl’ or ‘child’ all the time could be a bit bothersome, so she decided to fashion a new identity for herself. One that was worth remembering.
“Man, would you lighten up a little?” Adrien, of course, was completely composed. He always had a bit of a drawl in his voice and strutted around like he was King of the World whenever they walked around town. “And stop coddling the girl. She’s got to be strong in a place like this.” Of course, he took everything for granted and was never impressed by anything, which could get rather annoying after a while.
Miguel, on the other hand, took everything out of proportion and could be a little gullible. “And that’s exactly why I’m worried.” Black eyes glared at Adrien, using his patronizing ‘I-know-better-than-you’ voice again. “She’s just a little girl, and the Heart of the Empire can be a very dangerous place.” It was amusing to watch them argue. ...Just like watching an old married couple, when you thought about it.
But the Academy, huh?
It didn’t sound all too frightening. From the way Miguel talked about it you would think it housed the Devil or something. Well, to be honest, she thought it would be rather exciting to go, to see the truth of the matter for herself. It would be an adventure, wouldn’t it? Like in the novels she’d been reading these past few months. So many different tales… So many different paths… It was a wonder how the Heroes all found the right path. ...Books were fascinating things… They were able to take you to far away worlds, to help you escape your own life, even if only for a moment. Yes, she was sure that as long as she had her books to escape to then she’d be able to survive whatever challenge the Academy was.
Herai turned to watch the scenery go past the window as Adrien and Miguel fought.
It was a nice sunny day… Not a cloud in the sky. The snow was very nice, she supposed, but she hated walking on it. Walking on the snow broke it's the perfect image. She hated that. It was better here in the Heart of Terra no Solis. It was much warmer, so hardly any snow was left. …Maybe Spring was on its way? Herai had read a lot about how beautiful and green it was, and of endless fields of flowers. She wondered what it was like in reality… Well, she supposed she's seen Spring at least once before. It was annoying that she couldn't remember it.
Well, aside from the warmth, there was one thing about the Heart of the Empire that she didn’t like. Well, two things. One, it was much more densely populated, so there were paved streets and impressive buildings. There was hardly any room for the grass to grow in the sidewalk. Two, it was much louder than the Border Town had been. All of the people, the hustle and bustle of daily life…
So this was what a city was like…
The carriage was now traveling down a path away from the city so she could breathe again. In the distance she could see the dark shadow on the horizon. The Academy, perhaps? She hoped so. She could only stand their bickering so long.
Herai focused on the faint mirrored image in the window. It was a little hard to see, but the young auburn haired, green eyed girl in the window was nervous. Her expression rarely shifted from the slight smile she had now, but it was in her eyes. Herai was nervous, though not really afraid. She just wasn't sure about this... Change. Sure, she'd made the decision herself, but she also would have been perfectly happy at the Border Town for the rest of her days. But then... What would become of her story? She didn't want to just be a damsel in distress, like a lot of the Heroines in her books were. She wanted to find her story herself. She couldn't wait for it to simply come and find her...
The carriage had pulled up to the large iron-wrought gates of the Academy, and Adrien and Miguel had stopped fighting long enough to fix themselves up properly. Herai waved off Miguel, who wanted to make sure she looked presentable enough. It didn’t matter how she looked. As long as she preformed well the Teachers could have no complaints against her.
Herai waited in-between her two guardians as a man in plain grey robes came to open the gate for them. He looked fairly middle-aged, like Dr. Molohov had, although his black hair was cropped short and graying around the edges. His wrinkles made worry lines on his forehead, which made him look a little stern. …If he had a long grey beard and a staff she could have assumed that the man was a Wizard. “Welcome,” The man said. His voice was smooth, like he knew how to talk to people. Like he knew how to control them. “I am Chancellor Anyon, Keeper of the Academy. I oversee the children’s education and well-being.” He smiled, but Herai couldn’t feel anything behind it. “And you, my child, must be Yukari Herai.”
“I am Herai, but I’m not yours.” Herai stared up at him blankly, watching the man’s smile falter.
The man caught himself instantly, securing his false smile. “Ah, yes, of course. But you see, my dear,” There he went again, with the possessive pro-nouns, “You are no one’s, so it is my duty to take charge of you.” And what if she liked being no one's? He looked up at Adrien, smile composed. “I suppose I have a Finder’s Fee for you gentlemen, don’t I?”
Miguel looked on, astonished as the man pulled a bag from his robes and tossed it to Adrien. It jingled with silver coins when he caught it. “Adrien! We’re not selling her off like some... Farm animal!”
“What?” Adrien raised a brow at him, “She needed the place to stay. We needed the cash.” He tossed the bag in the air and caught it again, grinning. “I say it’s a fair trade. Just think. We can buy a pack of cards that aren’t all torn up, and maybe some tape for that mouth of yours.”
Herai laid a hand on Miguel’s arm before he could make a retort. “It’s alright, Miguel-san. It doesn’t matter now.” He stared down at her for a moment, but calmed down quickly, more than a little embarrassed. To be told to basically ‘shut up’ by a seven year old, and in front of a man of Status as well… Well, let's just say it did nothing for Miguel's image.
They said their good-byes quickly and the two men left, carried away by their carriage and most likely quarreling all the way. She felt sorry for the driver…
The man, Chancellor Anyon, took Herai and led her inside the walls of the Academy. The wall surrounding the Academy was alabaster, reaching at least seven feet in height. She caught sight of another gate on the West wall… So a gate for each wall, then? The walls of the Academy were also of alabaster, and she could only hope it wasn't as plain on the inside as it was on the outside.
They walked through a large court yard, filled with various trees and even a small pond or two, before reaching the immense building itself. There were a couple of Koi fish circling in the ponds, and leaves were begging to bud on the limbs of the trees… Herai supposed the garden would look very nice in Spring.
The Chancellor decided to ‘talk’ to her as they roamed the halls, touring a bit of the bland Academy building. The electrical lighting gave his skin a pale yellow cast.
“So your parents, I take it, live in that Border Town with those other two?” …Did he not read her Profile?
“Lived," Herai corrected. "Father was a Doctor, but ended up dying of sickness.” How ironic. “Mother died in child birth.” Of course she would remember the things that she’d fabricated herself. It was silly to question her over it, but if that was what he wanted to do…
“And you were an only child?” Duh. Didn't 'died in child birth' mean anything to him?
“Yes.” And why was he even feigning any interest anyways?
They passed by several large rooms which the Chancellor introduced as the Cafeteria, Gymnasium, and the Kenjutsu Arena. He was even nice enough to pause in his questioning for a moment or two. …Wait a second. Kenjutsu… As in Sword Play? As in there were Tournaments? How interesting... Maybe Miguel had been right after all.
Alas, silence was not meant to be. The Chancellor pulled out some sort of file from his robes, probably the Profile she'd filled out, and looked it over before speaking again. “I take it you were born on the twenty-first day of Taurus, Year of the Dog?”
“Yes.” She supposed she’d actually gotten close enough on that one. After talking it over with Dr. Dolohov they actually managed to come up with a date that sounded convincing. After all, people seemed to say that a child’s personality was dictated by Astronomy, and their Calendar was based upon that Astronomy.
The Chancellor nodded, seeming to approve. They turned down another corridor and the Chancellor looked down at her, smiling that snake's smile again. “This is where all of the Dormitories are. You will be sharing your room with three other girls.” He continued when Herai simply gave him a questioning look. “These girls will be your Team-Mates, your Companions. You all must learn to live and work together during your time here in the Academy. They are your life-lines, so depend on them.”
Depend? On simple girls her age? On any unknown human?
Why would she want to do that?
The Chancellor handed her a small key and left, supposedly on official adult matters that she 'need not worry about.' Fine. Herai didn't think she would like the Chancellor. He was kind of smarmy... But he didn't matter, as long as they kept out of each other's way. Herai put the smarmy man out of her mind and unlocked the Dorm's door, hoping that her supposed 'room mates' would be out doing something or other.
Herai quietly pushed the door open and stepped inside, closing it behind her. There were two bunk beds standing against the walls, tucked into their corners to make room for other things, like a desk with papers scattered across it, and a bookcase with only a shelf or two filled. There were chests at the foot of each bed, though she didn’t know what they were filled with. A single window lit the room, showing one of the Gardens outside. When she looked around Herai found her gaze met by a pair of glaring amber eyes.
Ah... One of the supposed 'room mates.' Joy.
"And who're you supposed to be?" The girl with the amber eyes was definitly older, and much taller, with cropped black hair that went only an inch or so past her ears. The girl was fairly tanned, with long arms and legs… And Herai had the sneaking suspicion that this girl was no stranger to the occasional fight. The muscles on her arms were well defined for a girl of her age. The amber-eyed girl folded her arms, obviously expecting an answer. …She seemed to be a demanding, pushy kind of person. “Well?”
“I’m Herai,” She met the girl’s glare steadily, “Herai Yu-“
“Hold it!” The girl cut her off rather abruptly, “We don’t have family names here. Your first name’s fine.” The amber-eyed girl cocked her head to the side a little, looking appraisingly at Herai. Herai just raised a brow at her. Somehow she just made her feel a little… Tense. Somehow she might, just might, be hoping for the girl’s approval. ...What a strange feeling.
The girl met Herai’s gaze again and finally nodded, muttering a soft, “You’ll do.”
Do what?
The girl smirked a little, putting her hand forward. “Shana. Welcome to the team, Herai.” Herai reached out to shake her hand, but Shana grabbed it and pulled her forward, clapping her on the shoulder. “You’ll need some Trainin’ up, but we’ve needed our fourth member for a while now.”
“Um… Okay.” Herai was a little… Well, shocked, really. She hadn’t expected to be accepted this easily. It had taken a week or two to fit in with the Civilians in the Boarder Town. It was nice, but… Strange.
“That bed’s yours,” Shana gestured to the lower bunk of the right bed. “Make yourself at home, ‘cause you’re gonna be here a while.”
Herai nodded, muttering a small ‘thanks,’ and sat on the bed.
So…This was going to be her room now, huh? It had more personality than the rest of the Academy, that was for sure. The walls of the Academy were empty and blank, save for the ocassional door or window, and the white walls made it feel like a hospital. This room had random splashes of color across the walls, as if they'd fought over how to paint it. Splashes of red, blue, and lavender crossed, blended, and over lapped. ...More red and blue than the lavender. It wasn't hard to see who won the paint battle. There were a few drawn pictures and a poster or two on the walls as well. Apparently someone was into some teen pop star... And someone else was more into a martial arts champion.
This was nice… She could live here, possibly.
“Hey, Sleeping Beauty,” Shana leaned over the bed across from her, shaking whoever was in it. “Get up! It’s nearly noon, or are you gonna sleep away all your Saturdays?” The girl in bed muttered something, probably something like ‘five more minutes’ and rolled over. Shana huffed, annoyed, and grabbed the girl’s purple blanket, dragging it, and the girl clinging to it, out of bed. The girl landed on the floor with a whirl of long lavander ahir and a thump, followed by an avalanche of stuffed animals.
“Shana…!” The girl whined, extricating herself from the bears and bunnies. “You do this every day…” This girl was rather… Surprising. The most notable thing about her was the light lavender shade of her hair, and the deep purple of her eyes. Odd colors like these weren't seen all too much in the Border Town, but they seemed more popular here...
“Not every day. Just the ones where ya sleep in.” Shana lifted her chin a little, turning to smirk at Herai. “This little Princess is Violet. More trouble than she’s worth, this one.” She scoffed, folding her arms back over her chest. ...Arrogant or defensive posture?
Herai glanced between them, comparing her two room mates. Where Shana’s features were sharp, even hard, this girl seemed so… Delicate. Like a little doll with porcelain skin. And, unlike Shana, this girl felt like she could never even harm a fly. She just had this… Air of innocence about her… Herai felt like this was a person to be held and protected, kept safe from the World.
She… Wanted to protect her? Strange…
Violet blinked, surprised when she saw Herai, seeing as she hadn't even known someone was there. "Oh!" The girl blushed, embarrassed, and glanced away. She ran her fingers through her hair, trying to straighten it out before wrapping a strand of hair around her finger, twirling it as she ranted. "I'm so embarrassed. I didn't even see you there! I mean, I was having this really good dream about being home, and Dami was there, and my Mom and Dad were there, and Dad was just about to make us all a cake, celebrating cause me and Dami would never have to come back here again when I heard Shana's voice and knew it was all a dream, and I just didn't want to get up, but I mean... I'm up now... You must think I'm a lazy idiot. I don't really sleep in all the time, I promise. It's just I wasn't expecting us to get a new Teammate today, or else I would have cleaned up the room, and made myself look more presentable, and made sure Shana was nice to you. Was she mean to you? Please don't say she was. She can come off as a bit... Well. Scary. But just at first! Then she's just a big softie, really. Right, Shana?" She said this all very fast, still whirling her hair around her finger. ...Did she have time to breath, through all that?
"Ah! I'm so rude. I'm Violet Cho, Libra, from the province of Konsetsu. Damien Cho's little sister. It really is a pleasure to meet you, by the way..." Violet tucked the strand of hair behind her ear and held out her hand. She smiled in an embarrassed way, unaware that she had just given away too much information.
Violet yelped, rubbing the spot where Shana had smacked her head. "Stupid! We're not supposed to give out our family name or Province!" Shana scowled, shaking her head. "Geez..."
Well that wasn't very nice. Herai narrowed her eyes at Shana for a moment, displeased, before she smoothed her expression out again. "It's alright Shana, but please don't over-react. We're supposed to be Teammates, after all, and I wouldn't tell anyone." Shana turned away, muttering something about Freshmen not knowing anything. Herai took the opportunity to help Violet up and whisper to her. "Herai Yukari, Taurus, of the Mamoru Province."
Violet just stared at her, surprised, and broke out into another embarrassed smile. "Thanks..." She started twiddling her thumbs, and looked like she was about to go off into another rant when the door was suddenly slammed against the wall, making everyone jump.
"Maa-an..." Another girl whined, walking in with a light blue towel and yawning widely. "They need another bath in this hall. All these chicks kept yammering at me, whining that I was using up all the hot water. Stupid Commoners..." This girl was... Definitly different from the other two. She had the longest blonde hair she'd ever seen on a person, and it was obviously well cared for, even if it was rather damp at the moment. Her skin was fair as well, but had less of Violet's doll appeal.
"That's 'cause you take so long washing that mat of hair!" Shana growled at the other girl, scowling. "Why do even bother with that mess anyways? All it does is get in the way."
"What? And cut it all off, like your rat's nest?" The blonde sneered at Shana, seeming offended, "Why don't I just shave it all off and be done with it?" It was obvious that she would never do something that 'degrading.' It was in her voice. The blonde smiled a little sadistically. "But who knows... You might like longer hair yourself, if you'd just take the time to care for it properly. Maybe someone would actually look your way without sneering in disgust."
Shana was shaking, clenching and unclenching her fists. "And turn into an obnoxious little brat like you, Akira?" She snarled, "I think not."
The blonde girl chose to ignore Shana now, which just pissed her off even more, and turned to look at Herai and Violet. Her light blue eyes were laughing. "Ah! Well who do we have here?" She grinned brightly, all of the condensation gone now, "I'm Akira Hayase, expert Gymnast, and the Leader of this Team!"
"Yeah right!" Shana had walked up behind Akira and put her into a choking headlock, "You're nothing but a spoiled little demon-monkey from Jiman Province!"
Now, while Shana and Akira were locked in a vicious struggle, Herai turned to Violet, who had chosen to cower behind her when the fighting began. "Does this happen often?"
"Sadly... Yes." Ah... Well now she knew who had the red and blue paint earlier.
Well, Herai had to admit, her Team was certainly a lively bunch. She'd spent some time unpacking, with Akira rifling through her things, asking her if this was really all that she had. Akira had obviously been expecting more. They made some space in their closet for her clothes, and Herai took advantage of the empty bookcase for some of the novels she'd brought along. Shana had left to get some air and cool down, apparently too worked up to stand being with Akira for another minute, and Violet took the time to explain how things worked here in the Academy.
First of all, why Shana had been so worked up over giving out proper introductions. Here in the Academy, you weren't supposed to have a Past. ...Well, that worked out well for Herai, didn't it? She hadn't been able to remember a bit of her Past since she'd woken up in Dr. Molohov's office. Anyways, there were certain beliefs and stereotypes on families, and Provinces, not to mention Birth-Dates. For instance, people from the Province of Jiman were from Upper-Class families, used to the wealth and splendor of the Upper-Class World. So, naturally, they were thought to be very snooty and condescending. Obviously Akira ft the profile very well. So, the Chansellor thought that if one didn't have a Past then they could keep the Prejudices from hurting a Unit's teamwork. Of course, people could easily guess at those kinds of things like Shana did, and they're usually right.
Stereotypes existed for a reason, after all.
"So... Are you really from Jiman, then?" Herai glanced over at Akira, who was lounging on the bunk above hers, her curtain of hair draped over the edge.
"Of course," She huffed, "Jiman means Pride for a reason, doesn't it?" Pride, huh? The bed creaked a little as Akira moved, the curtain of hair flipping over, and she looked down at them. Akira looked a little funny, being upside down and grinning. "And what about you? Vi's easily from Konsetsu, the 'Kindness' Province, but you're a little different."
The door opened just then, saving Herai from having to wonder if Mamoru would seem right or not. Shana leaned against the doorway, arms folded across her chest. "Come on, kiddies. We're being called in for Lunch, and we don't want to loose our spots again."
"Ah, right!" Violet stood quickly, looking embarrassed for some odd reason, twiddling her thumbs. "Sorry, I mean- I was just so tired, and the Teacher was just pushing us so hard. I didn't mean to pass out, and you didn't have to try to wa-"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, alright. Got it." Shana cut off Violet's endless apologies and grabbed her arm, ushering her out the door. "Let's just get there quickly this time." Akira hopped down from her bunk and pulled Herai along too, telling her exactly what had happened before in extreme and exaggerated detail.
The Cafeteria wasn't far from the Dormitory Halls. It was very large, auditorium styled, with a small wall and a few small steps between each of the three levels. Circular tables were scattered throughout the room, and at the far side of the room was a line, probably for serving meals. Herai followed her team down to the line, keeping an eye out for the other children here. It started with a few, but more of them were coming in by the minute. They came in all types, in all ages. It seemed like a collection of all the people of Terra no Solis. Most of the young ones seemed quite pale, apart from those of African or Hispanic decent, but the older children all had fine tans and well muscled frames. Obviously they were going to spend quite some time working outside...
Shana snapped her fingers in her face, pulling Herai out of her thoughts, and made her focus on the food instead. Violet had already filled her own plate and was waiting for them on the second level of the Cafeteria. Herai and Shana quickly followed after and met Akira at one of the tables. She was... Talking with some boy. He was defiantly a year or two older than them, and seemed a little familiar somehow. When Violet saw him she seemed to brighten and ran over to them, calling out, "Dami!"
The boy turned to them and grinned, "Hey, little Vi!" Well, now she knew why he was familiar. Dami... Her brother? He looked like it. HE had the same porcelain skin, but his hair was more purple than lavender, and his eyes seemed to be a dark red. ...But Dami couldn't possibly be his real name.
As soon as Violet laid down her food tray she jumped up to hug 'Dami' around his neck. He caught her and spun Violet around, laughing. Herai ignored the sudden surge of jealousy that rose up in her. No, she had no reason to be jealous at all and it didn't make much sense, so she pulled the feeling back and packed it into a little box. It was a relief to be rid of it.
Dami set Violet down, seeming to have spotted Herai, and grinned. "Hey, this is a new face. Finally got a full Team, huh?"
Violet nodded, smiling happily, and would have probably introduced Herai if Shana hadn't shoved past them to reach her seat at the table. Herai inclined her head, fixing her gaze to her tray. "I am Herai. It's very nice to meet you-" She jumped a little when a hand tapped her head, ruffling her hair. She glanced up at Dami, surprised.
"Hey, no need to be so formal, girl," Damien smirked down at her, amused. "Name's Damien, Trick Master."
Someone behind them snorted, making Herai jump again. "More like the Master of Migrains." Herai turned, seeing three more older boys striding up to them. The one who had spoken seemed to have short, wind-blown blonde hair, and was surveying Damien with critical golden eyes. Beside him was a boy with raven hair and dark grey eyes, merely giving the others a sweeping glance before resting his gaze on Damien. They weren't as pale as Damien, but the black haired boy could give him a run for his money. The third boy trailed behind them a little. He was shorter and had strawberry blonde hair with sea-green eyes. ...He seemed to give off the same feeling that Violet did. The boy gave Herai a small wave, nearly dropping his tray.
Damien laughed, streching his hands behind his head. "Yeah, that's just one of my many gifts Dakota."
Dakota just rolled his eyes and went to take his seat at the table. The raven haired boy stayed close to his side, even as he gave Damien a small sneer. "Oh really? And I suppose your other gifts include the gift of the Oblivious Buffoon and a taste for Detention?"
Damien scowled at him, and was about to send back some scathing retort when the smaller boy stepped up, looking like he was stepping into a battlefield. "Maybe so, but..." He hesitated, trying to think of something before looking up brightly, "But it's always fun in class, and stuff... A- And wasn't it awsome to see the look on the Cook's face yesterday?" The boy relaxed as his two friends started to smirk, obviously remembering an inside joke or something. Akira and Shana started laughing and Violet just looked a little uncomfortable.
"Um, what... Happened?" Curiosity gripped Herai. It was an emotion she couldn't lock away.
Akira, giggling like mad, grabbed her arm and pulled her down into an empty seat. "Okay, okay, get this. So Dami, and Shana, and I come down here after curfew for a little fun. The Cook had been messing with our meals, see, and we wanted a little pay-back. So we grabbed some sacks of flour, and," Akira started giggling so much at this point that Shana had to smack her on the back of the head to continue. "Ow!" Akira gave Shana a glare before leaping back into the story, "So we grabbed some sacks of flour and bashed them open. White stuff everywhere, like snow! Then we grabbed some ketchup, made it kinda watery, and spilled the 'blood' on the floor, making a trail to the back where they, like, butcher things." Akira made a small disgusted face, "Then we rigged it so that this cow body-thing would, like, 'attack' whoever opened the door next!" Nearly everyone burst out in laughter. "Breakfast was priceless!"
...Herai didn't get it.
Dakota seemed to be the only one who wasn't amused, giving Damien and Akira a patronizing glare. "And a bloody mess it was, too. Do you know how much trouble you guys would be in if they had caught you? They could expel you for something like that."
"They're welcome to!" Damien scoffed, "I'd be ecstatic, overjoyed! Sides, they need to be taken down a notch sometimes, isn't that right Kaito?"
The raven haired boy shrugged, but somehow his eyes seemed sharper. "The stupid Adults get too arrogant, too comfortable. If we don't keep them in line, who will?" Dakota gave Kaito a bit of an admonishing glance, but didn't challange him. Kaito looked over at the small green-eyed boy and lifted an empty cup, holding it out. "Ryuu, I'm thirsty. Get me some water."
"Sure," Ryuu smiled, seemingly happy to have a task, and took the cup back down to the Lunch Line. By the time he came back everyone was chatting away about classes, what Damien did to one teacher one time, and trying to get Herai to be more involved. It was... Nice. Maybe she could get used to this. ...Just maybe.
