Forum Thread
Chimaera Academy w/ Immortes & Xinbean
Forum-Index → Roleplay → Private RP → Chimaera Academy w/ Immortes & XinbeanHis parents had tried their best to act excited for him, but Eli knew what he had already figured out. He was going to get eaten alive, either by the courses or the students. He kept his head down, trying to take up as little space as possible. Looking at the time Eli scowled. He still had a few minutes until the first class started. Great, just what he needed. He had honestly hoped to arrive just before school began so he wouldn't risk upsetting anybody. He didn't doubt that some if not most of the students here would be able to ruin his and his family's life if they really wanted to. Eli gripped the straps of his bag tighter. He could only hope that maybe he was thinking too irrationally.
|☆|
A familiar face near the door made Fenrys’s eyes widen in surprise. Though he was not surprised to see Eli Vanto here, since he’d presumably applied for the school. If so, then why did he look so anxious? With a chuckle and shake of the head, Fenrys entered the two large doors, hailing his friend, “Eli! You’re here too?”
|☆|
"Yes, I see."
"Oh, the usual. It's school after all."
Fenrys breezed past his friend, trying to convey a gesture of well-meaning while saying little. Fenrys was, by no means, soft-spoken, much unlike his quiet sister Aaralyn whose likeness surely showed between them. He fastened a hand on the great gilded door and tugged it open, peering into the cavernous depths in front of him. It was a grand sight. This school was decidedly one he had heard about in heresay and incidental meetings, absent moments where adults thought wrongly that he wasn't listening. Fenrys always listened, whether to satisfaction or detriment, and his ears weren't the kind to un-hear things. So now, he stood here, soon to be joined by others of the social and political elite. Vertical flicks of the eyes told Eli that not all the memories were pleasant, perhaps filled too much by the hoity-toity and saccharin airs of those who should join him. Stolen looks and asinine innuendos, or so he was willing to assume. The whole system was biased, the system dangerously weighed down by money and coins, which considering Fenrys's whole ambition of returning here as a well-educated scholar, had to be put to the wayside.
"Just be yourself. I know things can be stressful on the first day, but you're new and different from all these people. Play your cards right, and by right I mean close to your person, and you'll find yourself a member of the social elite." Fenrys clapped Eli reassuringly on the shoulder, offering a more solid smile to Eli's dramatic one, "For your own sake, stop your fretting. People here will consider it quite unbecoming."
There was always some fascination, some intense scrutiny of the mystery of the new arrivals. People flocked to them like a sheep to a shepherd. It was only a testament to how Eli would handle this newfound popularity. And whether or not he would be able to balance these newfound connections with his true friends. (How selfish of Fenrys it was to say that!)
Fenrys also knew that Eli wouldn't be in the worst trouble if he screwed the first day up, but he prayed he didn't all the same.
The black haired boy walked inside with the dutiful air of someone who knew exactly where he was going and with purpose, but a few moments he turned back, perhaps fancying his friend's uptight dramatics over those of his politically savvy classmates soon to come. Eli was a grounded person, free from coy smirks and secretive smiles. Nowhere could Fenrys see the irregular cadence of hidden scorn shuffled away between breaths.
Not he. Things were different here, so much tucked away beneath well-meaning facades and invisible veneers. So he tossed a sweet statement behind him at his friend, one of those secretive smirks on his face now. A mask of an actor of a righteous royal theatre. Unreadable and welcoming at the same time, essential for such a political environment.
"Besides, our education comes first, wouldn't you agree? Just focus on that."
[ 501 words ] jeez
Eli had truly wished he could have felt relaxed by his friend's words, and honestly they had eased him up for a brief moment. Brief being the key word, for the moment Fenrys had opened the door Eli immediately felt the urge to look down and- oh. That didn't help. A single tile on this floor was probably worth more than him and his family's entire shipping business.
Eli quickly looked back at the black haired boy in front of him, nearly giving a small laugh as his friend called him out on his worrying. He supposed a little more confidence wouldn't land him in any sort of trouble. Silently taking a deep breath Eli tried to ignore the feeling of eyes on him. Fenrys was right, his education took priority over anything else. It was the same as when he went to school over in Lysatra. Just filled with more entitled kids. He could handle them.
Letting out another breath, Eli allowed most of the tension to leave his body. "So, are you in any interesting classes this year? I noticed there was quite the selection."
|☆|
'Well, I can't follow him like a dog, but if he fails his classes because of this, I'm never speaking to him again...Our education is worth much more than any of them put together.'
Fighting over a wave of apprehensions, Fenrys nudged his friend casually with a shoulder. "Look, I admire the school's architectural selections as much as anyone else, but I don't think we came here to study the floor."
Fortunately, that seemed to do the trick. Eli took a deep breath, exhaled, and straightened up. Good timing; all the students had become aware of the strangers in their midst, and were turning around to look. Dozens of eyes focused with unwavering intensity right on the pair. Ignoring the stares, Fenrys gave his companion an encouraging nudge. 'Just keep walking.' The black haired boy's carefully unreadable eyes belied his underlying relief. For most, Eli straightening up didn't count for much - the black haired boy was fully aware of how uncomfortable his friend was when the entire school stood gawking - but compared to his earlier insecurities, Fenrys felt gratified. He hummed thoughtfully when Eli started speaking again, bringing about a welcome change of topic.
Enough about social nonsense indeed.
'At least his mind's diverted now.' Fenrys mused as he paused to take out his schedule from his bag 'Besides, what's the worst that could happen anyways, someone steals his lunch money?'
"Well..." Fenrys said slowly, carefully pondering his words as he peered down at his schedule, "I have US History, Trigonometry, Earth science—" He scowled. What use was earth science, anyways? "English, and... His face brightened upon looking at the last two classes on the list, "French and... art!" Now those were classes of culture! Art would be extremely fun as well, the thought of painted mediums blooming across a blank page erasing the last of his misgivings. (Already much chased away by the appearance of his friend.) "I think that it's a decent selection. I'm really looking forward to French. I'm assuming you picked something relating to math?" Eli may be quiet, but Fenrys knew better than to underestimate his friend's skill in numerical computation. Clearly helping out at the family shipping company made the tan boy extremely well-versed in math.
Eli was wicked sharp. It would be a shame to let it go to waste.
'Focus on your strengths when your flaws stare you in the face.'
[ 613 words ]
Eli and everyone else around him knew of his affinity for numbers, something he contributed to his family's business. You had to be good with numbers or you could lose out on any sort of profits. And while his upbringing certainly helped make him who he was today -someone he was mostly quite pleased to be- he wasn't quite sure he wanted to work for the said business. He wanted to move around more and see more things, or maybe he just needed space from his family. He wasn't quite sure what he wanted yet, but he did know that his best bet to making it in the world was by sticking with what he knew. Numbers.
"Besides that I'm taking US History, Astronomy, Physics and..." Eli wrinkled his nose, "Humanities, I think. Mostly just focusing on getting the necessary credits out of the way for graduation. Your schedule sounds pretty neat though! When do you have US History?" The tanned boy questioned his friend, the smile on his face growing more and more genuine as he spoke. This conversation really did well to distract him from his previous worries.
Honestly he was getting more hopeful for the school year as he spoke of his classes. Sure, half of them had been selected on a passing whim, but regardless most of them seemed useful and interesting. It was almost easy to forget he was in some high and mighty school when he was talking to Fenrys about such simple things.
|☆|
'You're that modest, you mean ...I guess one summer away didn't change that about you.'
"You are when your test grades consistently rank above everyone else in the class. Not that - y'know -" He briefly flailed for words, aware that his previous sentence likely sounded accusatory, "it's a bad thing. I'm not saying that." Fenrys replied with equal jest, lips curling up in a well-meaning smile — a rare sight for a normally stoic and frowning boy. "Let's face it. Even though the people here really suck, I think you're right where you want to be. Academically at least." Just as Shar'ack was renowned for having an especially vibrant art program, Chimaera Academy was known for its scholastic prowess. If only the students were more cooperative.
Fenrys pocketed his schedule while Eli read off his own list of classes in a clear voice.
Fenrys hummed thoughtfully at the last one. Out of all the classes offered this year, Humanities was one of the few that sounded absolutely pointless. Key-word, sounded. Humanities was a general cover-up term, implying many different courses in one. "Wow, you're really packing everything into one year. Don't over-book yourself. You need those free periods to do homework." Just like Eli to go above and beyond. "Did they specify what you were going to be studying in Humanities?" Fenrys inquired curiously, cocking his head with a thoughtful frown, "It's an umbrella term; what may seem boring on the surface could mean many different things." 'Not that I'm interested in finding out.' "Believe me. You think Humanities is bad: earth science is going to bore me to tears. But maybe if I do well enough, I can transfer to Chemistry. I'm glad you landed Physics, though."
By now, most of Eli's misgivings had dissolved like salt mixed in water. When their two eyes met, the tan boy no longer looked anxious and nervous. Words tumbled freely from his mouth, and his eyes shined with the eagerness to learn.
Which made what he was about to say a little harder. "I think I have it second block - which is in like ..." He checked his watch, "Six minutes." Screw it, he really needed to move, unless he wanted to be late. For now, they had different classes. "Apparently, we have different classes this block, so we both ought to get going. Teachers appreciate punctuality." The ravenette shrugged apologetically, wishing that he could extend some sort of reassurance to Eli. The hallway was deserted. The students that gawked and whispered when Eli appeared already departed for their various classes. No one liked to be late. Nevertheless, he could feel slight stirrings of anxiety breaking through Eli's previous confidence. Fenrys fixed him with an earnest look, trying to instill some form of confidence in his companion. "There's no need to be nervous. Just be yourself and don't do anything stupid."
He turned and loped down the hall - making for the stairwell he knew to be at the end of it. If he was lucky, he would be able to appear at the door before the bell rang. The science wing was upstairs on the east side of the building. One flight of stairs up.
"Good luck!"
600 words
He bit his lips at the familiar words. Mom already went over it with him several times, but still there was a quiet sigh at memories of materials pouring in way too fast for a boy lacking academic experience from his previous...school--not a proper one yet short of anything but fond memories. One of which was the gentle pat on his shoulder and soft, warm words of encouragement that he would be doing great! in high school. Yes, sir, I will.
Hobbes folded his schedule carefully along the creases, three times, tucked it back into his pocket, shifted his backpack a little, and checked the time on his phone. His lean figure shuffled through the humming crowd, left hand clutching the strap.
Soon, the destination was in sight: Physics classroom. Gingerly walking in, Micah chose the remote corner as an escape from a room of eyes. He settled down; a brief glance around, and he noticed a boy sitting right near him. They saw each other.
“Uh, hello. I'm Hobbes, Micah Hobbes. I-it’s very nice to meet you.” Maybe it was too rash, but that was not on his mind. His only thought, at the moment, was hoping to cheer up a...friend.
"Did they specify what you were going to be studying in Humanities?"
Eli almost snorted, shaking his head. "Not really, or at least if they did I wasn't sure where to look to find any descriptions of the class. I mostly just picked ones that sounded useful." He rubbed the back of his head, letting a soft puff of air leave his mouth. "Maybe I'm judging the class too early."
He listened as Fenrys complained about Earth Science, lifting am eyebrow in a teasingly suspicious look. "Why would sign up for the class if you hate it so much? Unless you actually liked it?" He said with a small huff of laughter. "But seriously, I bet you can do it. I've heard Earth Science is one of the easier science courses."
The conversation seemed to be going well, at least on his end, until Fenrys looked at the time. Six minutes to get to class. Shoot. Holding his rather worn schedule in hand, Eli quickly memorized the room number for his Physics class, the tanned boy darted in the direction of his class. He quickly arrived in front of the door, lightly panting. Eli stood outside the room for just a moment to collect his breath before entering into the classroom, taking a seat near a corner of the room.
Sitting his backpack close to the foot of the desk, Eli took a quick glance around the classroom, slowly noting his surroundings. As his eyes began to swivel back in front of him he met eyes with another student who seemed to be just as nervous as he.
"There's no need to be nervous. Just be yourself and don't do anything stupid."
Fenrys' parting words wiggled their way into the front of his mind as he introduced himself. Micah Hobbes. Eli mentally repeated the name as to not forget before pushing aside his worries to muster up a smile. "It's nice to meet you to. I'm Eli Vanto."
|☆|
She paused at an intersection. Trying to stay as close to the wall as possible, she slipped the backpack off one shoulder, and repositioned it to access the front zipper pouch. Angel drew out her schedule and unfolded it, and then turned to look at the map beside her on the wall. Looked like her next class was right around the corner. Angel refolded and replaced the schedule, then pulled her shoulder back through its strap.
After a deep breath, she walked around the corner and entered the Creative Writing class just as the bell rang. Quickly, she found a seat in the back, and brought out the materials she thought she would need. It wasn't until she turned her attention to the front of the classroom that she realized the teacher was late. Surprisingly, everybody was sitting patiently, waiting. At her last school, everyone would have been jibbering, jabbering, and spitballing until the teacher arrived. It was actually kind of refreshing to see mature behavior.
When the teacher hadn't arrived after a minute, Angel opened one of her notebooks and began to doodle.
Adrik Volkov
Adrik had arrived two hours ago. No, he was not lying. He had arrived two hours early by a long shot. Heck, you could've tacked on an extra half hour almost. He was just by the back doors, huddling between two trash cans, doing his very best not to throw up.
Squeezing his eyes shut, he thought back to how he had arrived here.
He woke up at 4 in the morning. Nothing like arriving ridiculously early with an overextensive hygiene rinse down! He slipped out of his apartment at around 5 and proceeded to go to the entrance.
Cue two hours of extremely awkward silence.
At about the half-hour mark, he had snuck in the back window. Unfortunately, a janitor had been there and mistaken him for a burglar.
And landed himself here.
In the dumpster.
He was in a dumpster.
Adrik complanated crying. What? He was going to go to his first day of elite school smelling like moldy yoghurt and stale coffee grounds. Did he want to be the person who suspiciously maybe hid a murder weapon behind the school on the first day?
Oh god, what if there was a murder weapon here? What if he was going to be framed because he'd spent several hours here? What if he went to jail and had a criminal record forever, and-
"Oh. It's almost time for class."
Yes. That happened. Everything happened. This was going to be fine. He was not going to be considered the potential school murderer. He was going to go to class and be Adrik Volkov, school genius who- good luck with that- A DECENT HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT who did not just spend the last few hours behind a dumpster because he was terrified of a janitor with a broomstick.
"Yes! Class!" He clapped his hands together.
His elbow jarred the trash can.
Immediately an alarm started up.
Blanching, he scooped up his backpack in the crook of his arm and dislodged several more cans as he yanked the back doors open, slamming them shut behind him. He heaved a sigh of relief, turning around-
Enormous brown eyes met his.
Luther Waters
Luther had had a bad start to his day. Hot water broke? Check. Coffee machine sputtered all over his favourite band T-shirt? Check. Everything else that would've happened in the beginning of a bad fanfiction? Check.
He decided that remembering his fanfiction days was the worst of it.
Cussing like a sailor, he made his way to the back of the school. His water bottle had gone missing, in prime Monday fashion. And because today was that kind of day, he was certain that some dogs must've already marked it as their own. He cringed at the thought. Ew. That was gross, even for him.
Done with all of this, he cut off his search and instead proceeded to go out the back door. If he hurried, perhaps he could get one of those overpriced ones at the convenience store-
The door opened by itself. And someone who Luther had never seen before walked in.
The (other student?) stranger closed the door, heaving a sigh. Then, they turned around to face Luther.
He had to give them credit, if his face had lost all of its blood as fast as theirs did, he'd probably be very, very unconscious.
"A-Ah! What're you doing here? Another student? Student, yes- you're another student, here to check out the back of the school." The stranger chuckled nervously. Luther filed that away in his head. He did not want to be caught back here. "I-I'm here too- I just had to head out into the dumpster first! But not like, actually the dumpster-" If he thought his attempts at picking the yoghurt out of his hair were subtle, he was poorly mistaken. "Just the back alley! Had to grab something I stashed here earlier."
"Hey, no problem!" He gave them a broad grin. "Happens to the best of us! I'm Luther Waters. Whatchu called?"
The stranger blinked a bit, then straightened. "Adrik! Adrik Volkov." He chuckled a bit nervously. "Yeah... I'm sorry when I'm slow. I'm good with most abbreviations, but-"
"No worries," Luther cut him off. 'Adrik's' face and his obvious attempts at deflection made him curt. I already gave you your new conversation, moron. Do you have any social awareness at all? "Nice job coming here early." A flinch. Oh? "Wanna head to the front? We can get a glimpse of some of these 'elite' students." He rolled his eye.
Adrik's frown turned angry. Hold on, wai- "Please do not take disrespectful tones," he said quietly. "It- is offensive... to people."
Boiling hatred was coiling like a snake in Luther's heart. Oh? So he had something to say on that?
"Hey hey, no need to be so hostile. Say, let's go check it out anyway. Promise not to offend you anymore."
Adrik gave a deep sigh, but dropped the topic. The two of them strode through the hallways. Luther imagined it- two people, one a total imbecile and the other, a horrible, hateful person, both moving through the halls of an elite school where neither of them belonged. Anger festering in both their hearts, anger on behalf of oneself, and anger on behalf of others.
Luther already knew he'd hate it here.
But then again, how was that a surprise, if you knew him at all?
Arihnda Pryce
Arihnda woke up at a prim, early time, where she began her athletic training. Following that, she prepared a healthy breakfast which would prevent her from a calorie deficit and increase muscle mass. She then completed her rigorous morning routine which worked out her brain- something which, despite lazy student's insistent beliefs, was something that was just as easy to schedule in as her athletic training.
Afterwards, she prepared a bath and scrubbed herself to perfection. She put on her uniform, examined herself in the mirror, and decided that her haircut was efficiently able to scare off any small children who might dare to question her.
Starting off to Chimaera Academy, there were no unfortunate experiences. Some mud puddles from the day's previous rains, but her quick reflexes skirted her around them.
When she arrived, she was contentedly humming. Students were milling about, pouring in through the entranceways. Arihnda found the sound almost pleasant. So many students, as elite as her. Perhaps she could make some friends...
No. Companionships would be alright, but friends were not a requirement. She must be cautious and prepare her entrance with care. She must top all of these people; they were not equals, but people whom she must put beneath her in her growth.
Arihnda settled back and watched the music.