Chapter 4: She’s the Protagonist [3]

[Academy Stadium]

[August,1st, 8:49]

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The students who were floating in heaven at his smile fell abruptly down to earth at his words.

You could see the Year Ones in the crowd shivering.

"I-I didn't sign up for this."

"Is death that trivial?"

"Erm, m-maybe it's a joke?"

"Joke? a joke?!"

"Or maybe a test?"

"What kind of-"

"Silence. The Academy isn't the only MEI, your dissatisfaction is of no meaning to us, so you will keep shut, as we continue with the Ceremony."

Elliot wished to say more, but he didn't want to be outrageous, so he only stopped at that. He wondered what use there was in even having an opening Ceremony. Those meant to die would die. The Old Man was still soft-hearted.

Concentrating on the ten Vault tokens arranged in front of him. He started with the Year Ones, whose exam results, practical in particular, determined their ranks.

"Starting with the Year Ones. Rank 1, Levi Lachlan."

Throughout the proceedings of the Year One awardings, Elliott's mind wandered off, he didn't really pay attention to them, they were still hatchlings, nothing impressive.

Instead he wondered why the Principal was giving the top five students access to the Academy's Vault. Based on standard operations, the Vault was only opened for students during graduation.

He heard that there had been sightings of Humanoid Monsters at the Outer Wall's borders. It seemed something big was going to happen.

Speaking of 'monsters', he looked at the list of Year Two's Alpha students. This was really the Golden Batch.

"Rank One, Aiden Wyatt."

The person called stood up, and with that constant child-like smile on his face, he walked up to the stands, nearly skipping. His story was really as cliche as it was unbelievable. 

When he first entered the Academy, and they discovered his origins, which was the South Sector of the Outer Circle. They all knew how the story went. A country bumpkin coming to the Core with dreams and hopes, only to have his aspirations shattered in pieces, and sometimes even dying in the process.

Though things happened as they all expected, he was at the bottom, weak and isolated, he didn't even understand his own supernatural ability! But their standards were overturned in the following days to come.

Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months, he was soaking in everything taught like a sponge, and climbing up the ranks steadily. He didn't turn complacent with the progress, and continued to trained like a maniac, and by the 1st semester exams, he came out 3rd rank, joining the Alpha Class.

And here he was now, still smiling with a face that radiated innocence, seemingly unaware of the darkness hidden beneath the lights in this part of Citadel.

"Here, Congratulations."

"Ah, thank you. I'm very grateful."

He replied with the traces of his Southern origin in his accent, and moved to his seat scratching his dirty-blonde hair, all the while ignoring the glare that seemed intent on boring holes into him, and smiled wryly when the person glaring at him was called to the stands.

Lucas had always found one way or the other to compete with him, he never knew why he was so obsessed with number 1, and when he asked about, he discovered that he was the heir of the Karma Guild, one of the only three Platinum ranked guilds, and the 2nd rank when it comes to power and influence, with the Tarani Cadre 3rd rank and Titan rank 1st rank.

At the thought of the Titan Guild, he glanced at the Year Three on stage, and then Aaron who was speaking with Lesley and had a random thought. If they were brothers, why did one have flowing hair with the other spiky.

 While he was in contemplation, a shadow was cast over him, and he looked up to see Avery and her squinted eyes.

"Oh, congratulations Avery!" At his commendations, her serene smile widened by a few inches, and her voice was soft and lulling as she replied, not at all infected by her counterpart's enthusiasm. 

"Well, thank you, and congratulations to you too."

"Hmph!" It was Lucas. She didn't bother to glance at him, but Adrian the everybody-guy turned to him and said words that he didn't know only further angered the poor rival. It was amusing for Avery and Maia to watch every time.

"Don't worry Lucas! I believe in you, you could be Rank One next time!"

"You!!" Lucas's scowl only further deepened at his words, even if Aiden didn't know that his words sounded like mockery, he just couldn't help getting angry at the intended encouragement. Anger that all but faded away to nothing when Elliot Stetson, the Student Council President, reached the last name.

"And for Rank 5, Neesha Karr."

"..."

"..."

"Pfft... hahaha!" While Avery's amusement only showed in her eyes, Maia chortled from the sidelines. The face Lucas made when he was reminded of the fact that the true Rank 1 was their number five was just too cute.

She was the only one that didn't seem to care about anything or anyone. While the whole Stadium was silent at the mention of the Silver-Devil, Rank 7 was still giggling, the contrast between her dark skin and canine-sharp white teeth was a feast for the eyes.

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Neesha's icy gaze from afar fell on her for a moment, before the wheelchair rolled out of their section to the podium.

Elllot looked at her stoic expression, and was about to present the token to her when it floated out of his hands and onto her lap.

Her wheelchair spun, and rolled to return to where it came from when it stopped with a screech. Neesha was frozen in disbelief and surprise, pleasant surprise.

At that moment, when Neesha saw that face, everything else zoned out of existence. She didn't know how exactly Meredith changed five years ago, that she suddenly desired to see her often. It wasn't like she didn't desire to meet her when they seperated those years, but something in Meredith, something that was only just present five years ago, attracted her like moth to a flame. And like that moth, she didn't care if she got burnt.

'She's here? But why didn't I know? Was she the rumoured new Instructor? Sh-she's looking at me! Ho-how do I react! I thought I still had time to create a more natural meeting!'

Her thoughts were stopped when she noticed that it wasn't the nostalgia and recognition she expected to see in Meredith's eyes, but scrutiny.

'She...she doesn't remember me? N-no. No. M-maybe s-she just doesn't know it's me. After all it's been ten years. Yes, that's it, that must be it. Otherwise...' Her eyes were turning misty and turbulent. The only thing that saved her from spiralling into the most unspeakable of thoughts was a clearing throat from the only other person on stage.

"*Ahem*...Neesha Karr."

The call reminded her of the time and location, and she regained her composure, her eyes reverting back to it's calm and tranquil black.

Without glancing at the Teaching staff's Section a second time, she rolled down from the stands. But not before glowering at the curious eyes all around, as if daring them to ask.

Throughout the rest of the Ceremony, her attention was absent, though she wasn't the only one. The stunt she pulled was seen by everyone, and while some wondered why she showed a huge reaction, others were wondering what Meredith was doing in the Academy, because she was known for only coming to the Core a few times, virtually making the Outer Circle her home.

 After the Ceremony, the crowd poured out of the stadium and moved to the main building, with the year Ones having reduced by a third.

The structure was a monstrosity that could be seen even from afar. You'd mistake it for a layered cake if you were in the sky, albeit a metallic one. It was made up of four pentagons stacked upon one another, the ground pentagon was the largest, up to the fourth, which was the smallest pentagon. Only the Council's Tower surpassed it in grandeur, with the Association HQ a little behind the mark.

The ground floor was the largest, and encompassed the school library, the cafeteria, and classrooms for all regular students of Year One to Three. The first floor was meant for Alpha Classes, and had state-of-the-art training facilities and simulation rooms.

The second floor was meant for Evo-Crafters and other non-combat courses, also including offices and optional accomodations for instructors and Academy Staff. And the enigmatic top pentagon was off limits to everyone, the only thing known about it being that the Principal's office and the Vault was there.

Ding!

The elevator opened on the first floor, and the Alpha students went into their respective classes.

Class 2-A's door slid open to reveal what could be summarized in one word-ultramodern. There was a spherical holographic projector at the Instructor's stand. The ten seats were in two rows and five columns, with a glass-topped hi-tech table for each seat. Alpha Class's preferential treatment was evident.

Neesha rolled to the leftmost seat at the front row, and lifted herself onto it. Now that she had settled down, she took a deep breath and thought over what just happened this morning.

It was still vivid in her mind, the moment she met Meredith twelve years ago, she was still five at that time, locked up, living no worse than a hamster in a cage, and spent each day going through what could only be regarded as torture. The only reason she didn't break immediately was because she was a Savant. And she would have lost it, if Meredith didn't spend those days with her, anchoring her to reality.

Those dark nights they spent when they only had each other, the times that were her darkest, and ironically her best memories. Were they just some other childhood event for Meredith?

She met Meredith, but Meredith didn't remember her, she was heartbroken and crestfallen. All this time, she had been anticipating their meeting, and it turned out depressingly anticlimactic. Was this the case that Lesley was talking about, unrequited, unrequited...what again? 

What about their promise? Did Meredith still have her other bracelet half? Was she that paranoid? Why was she already just drawing conclusions? It wasn't like they had really met face-to-face, it was just eye contact. She couldn't give up like that! Nay! She wouldn't give up! So what if she even forgot her. It also had it's own silver lining.

As she continued down that trail of thought, her previously dim eyes brightened.

'Yes! A chance for a fresh start, after all the circumstances of their first meeting those years wasn't exactly desirable to speak of. But how should she approach? Student? Fan? Maybe-

Poke.

"..."

Poke. Poke. 

Neesha sighed. As much as she wanted to beat Lesley up, she couldn't, it was Lesley's mom who took her in, and they had been living like that for eight years now. So she gave in and turned back.

"Lesley, what do you want?"

Lesley chuckled and patted her cheeks before proceeding. "Oh! Nothing...just wanted to ask, what's with your reaction? Have you both met?"

Neesha knew what she was talking about and ignored her. Lesley snorted.

"Fine. Ignore me all you want. And her I was about to introduce you to her."

That caused Neesha and the rest of the class to perk their ears for any information. The blondie puffed her cheeks and beat her chest.

"Hmph! You may not know it, but we're like sisters," she saw that she had Neesha's full attention and clasped her hands together.

"Just imagine it Neesha. You meet, and hit it off like bam! Picture it, all those fantasies becoming reality." Neesha scowled and turned back forward, she knew this pervert wasn't to be trusted.

"Get your mind out of the gutter Lesley. I know nothing of the fantasies you speak of." 

"Hehe, denying now are we? I'm serious here! Just visualize it. Fueeeh, burying your face in those huge, soft bosoms," she clasped her hands and was about to continue when she happened to glance at the open classroom door by chance and spotted a figure standing there. Lesley saw the 'bosoms' she was fantasizing about, and turned rigid, her previously misty green eyes cleared, then she slowly but eventually raised her head to see an expressionless Meredith staring at her.

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