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The school hadn't changed much over the summer. Of course, then, why would it? He stood at the very end of the sidewalk, staring toward the large glass building. The sunlight gleamed off the glass, reflecting into his sunglass covered eyes. He took a deep breath, looking around at all of the green surrounding him. It was a large stretch from Australia, minus the fact that they were both islands and they were both incredibly beautiful. But, if he had to choose one, he would still choose Australia. Everything was set out to kill you there and it made it more interesting to live there, which is why he loved it so much. People here sometimes set out to kill you as well, but they were not nearly as dangerous as some of the creatures he had seen before. Taking a step forward, he began walking forward. He carried a black and grey backpack on his back. He had his thumbs shoved underneath the straps and his burn scars were visibly noticeable from anyone who would look at his hands.

Though, if you wanted to look at something more interesting, you would stare at his back. His backpack moved and shifted. Something wriggled inside, something alive. The zipper began to move down as the wriggling became more intense and a small gap formed in the back of his pack. Something suddenly pulled at his back, making the gap much larger than anticipated, and a furry head popped out of his backpack, peering over his shoulder toward the large school. The wolf's brilliant blue eyes, ones that matched her owners, stared out at this new world in wonder. She had not gone farther than the forest back home. At least, Sebastian had never taken her farther, and now she was out here. It was slightly overwhelming and she whimpered a little bit.

"Welcome to your new home, Flame," Sebastian murmured to the poor orphaned wolf cub in his backpack. She let out a small yip and rested her chin on his shoulder, her pointed ears perking up at the sounds of the train and the cars in the distance. She had heard the sound of the ocean before, over in Australia, so that was something that she was used to, but these new sounds were amazing. He smiled and stroked her ears, deafening her slightly to the sounds. He walked toward the front of the school, smiling at all the other students that were beginning to make their way there. He nodded to those just getting off the train as well. It was easy to tell the difference between the Maebies, the Pre-Stars, and the Starborns. He had been one of the Starborns only last year. He walked straight in through the front doors, carrying his duffel bag in his hand, and he turned to head toward the Dragon House.

The boat from Australia to the main port in Tokyo was a fairly long one. He preferred not to fly, especially since he had Flame with him and he was NOT going to put her in a crate and send her here. He had heard the horror stories about pet cruelty on flights and he did not want Flame to go through that at only four weeks. He kept her with him at all times on the boat. The train was honestly the easy part of the entire journey, even with the high security. Getting a cab to go to the train station was harder than getting through security. He has been going to this school over the past three years, so a lot of the security guards already know him. He got his keycards and Queue Device no problem, considering the fact that most of them already knew he was the new Orion in the Dragon House after the old one graduate last year. He smiled at the thought. An Orion... It was a great honor to be one in the school. It meant that you had the most skill with your power out of anyone in the house. He and Choi were pretty close on the Orion, but he managed to pull ahead, considering he was a year older than her and had a bit more training.

His footsteps echoed off the tiled floor as he made his way toward the Dragon House, his tennis shoes squeaking every now and again. Flame was beginning to get restless and she began to shake in the bag. She pushed at the edges, jumped for the sides, tugged at the straps with her teeth, and made it difficult for him to stay balanced and keep walking. He growled in frustration and stopped, setting down his duffel bag. He pulled his backpack off of his back and set it down, opening it up so Flame could climb out.

The little pup was only four weeks old, Sebastian having found her only three weeks before. Her mother had been caught in a bear trap, not far from where he had found Flame. From what it looked like at the scene, her mother had her neck snapped in the trap, and it looked like Flame had been her only offspring. Not wanting to leave a pup to die, Sebastian cared for the poor creature, creating a nest for it and bringing it food every day. Soon, he just brought her home with him, named her Flame, and kept her as a pet. She was a small thing, a runt. She would not be very big when she was grown.

The little thing was teeny, but she could move fast. The instant her paws touched the slippery, tiled floor, she took off from beside the bag, running back in the direction that they had come. Her nose lifted to the air, she managed to make her way out by following the scent of fresh air, salt water, and car fumes. Her little toenails click-clacked against the floor and Sebastian let out an exasperated breath, slouching his shoulders. He should've known that she was going to do that after being cooped up in that bag for so long.

Throwing his duffel bag and backpack to the side, trying to keep them hidden behind a post near a window, he ran back outside as the small grey cub ran. The grass was so tall, though, that Flame was easily hidden among its green. Sebastian narrowed his eyes and scanned the ground looking for the pup. Flame didn't move; she stared at her master with wide eyes, hidden among the stalks of grass. Her tail just barely flinched, but Sebastian noticed the movement out of the corner of his eye. He took a deep breath, knowing what would come next was going to be immensely painful. The only way to get Flame to come back to him was with fire. She was scared of the stuff and he was her safety.

Sebastian stared down at his thin hand, looking at the X mark in the direct center of his palm. That was his payment every time he used his "gift". The X was getting bigger... more prominent every time he used his power. He took a deep breath and looked toward the grass again. Flame didn't see her master's eyes. Instead, she was focused on a small mouse that scuttled in front of her. Her tail twitched again and Sebastian gritted his teeth, lifted his hand, and shot a small flame toward her. The grass behind her caught fire and Flame let out a yelp, running immediately out of the grass and into Sebastian's arms. Sebastian grabbed her quickly and lifted her up, running forward to stomp out the flames.

"See what you made me do?" Sebastian growled at Flame. Flame whimpered and Sebastian sighed, running his non-injured hand through his hair. He transferred Flame from one hand to the next, staring down at the hand he used to cause the small fire. The X hand new red on it. The skin was shiny and puffy and he sucked in a breath as he clenched it into a fist. He walked back into the school and walked over to his bags. He place Flame gently back in the backpack and zipped it up, pulling back onto his back. He picked up his duffel bag once more and headed to his quarters. He walked into the Dragon House, smiling at the familiar surroundings, and headed immediately for the boys' quarters. He tossed his duffel bag onto the bed, and pulled off his backpack. He pulled Flame out, setting her down on the bed. She sat perfectly still, making sure not to run off again.

"I think this is going to be a good year, Flame. I really do." He petted her ears and suddenly she zipped off the bed and sprinted out into the hallway once more. Sebastian looked after her and just shook his head, clambering to his feet once more. She was probably back out in the hallway by now.

Well this school year was already starting off great.

---

"Ahh...it's great to be back" Edmund took in a deep breath of salty sea air, something that he had missed during his summer vacation. "It almost feels like an eternity ago I was here. So strange" his shook his head, bemused as he made his way to his dorm. As he walked through familiar ground, Edmund thought back to his first (and last) year here. He remembered how nervous he was, yet also excited. It was a rather strange contrast of feelings. Despite never having an particular fondness for school before (though that's not to say that he hated it either), he found himself having the time of his life. Maybe it was because he was learning how to use a power that could literally save lives, or maybe it was that he was living on an island surrounded by ocean, and thus sea life, but something about this place was just enjoyable.

He found himself coming across several familiar faces on his way to his room. While he hadn't met anyone he felt confident in calling a friend (something that he, admittedly, wasn't too happy about) he ended up on friendly terms with most of the people he met here. Whether that was because he was friendly and outgoing, or because he had been named an Orion (which he was immensely proud of), he couldn't say. However the why didn't really matter that much to him. What was important was that he had a lot of friendly faces to say hello to on his way to his room. It felt good coming to a place where most everyone knew your name. It made Edmund feel welcome.

Once he finally reached his room, he set his luggage on the floor before getting on the bed to lie down for a little bit. "It's nice to get off my feet for a little bit. The trip out here was longer then I remembered. I wonder why. Oh well, it's not a big deal. After a few minutes on his back relaxing, he got back up to his feet. "Well, I think that should be long enough. Time to go out and great as many new house members as I can." He said to himself as he walked out of his room to prowl the Horse House in search of any new faces. While being an Orion didn't come with any extra responsibilities, Edmund still felt obligated to go out of his way for his house. He also understood how daunting going to a strange boarding school could be for the first time "I bet they could use a friendly face to make them feel at home" he said to himself

"That's it! The primal force of the cosmos! Come on! Let me have it!"

"You're pushing the boy too hard!"

"Nonsense! This is nothing compared to what's to come!"

Jin rolled out of bed, and the sound of his forehead hitting the floor woke him. He roused slowly, his bleary eyes opening to the steady, blue light of his monitor and the faint stream of sunlight sneaking in from the crack in his heavy curtains. Jin slowly sat up, still rubbing his eyes and smacking his lips. Eventually he decided to open his eyes again, groggy and contemplating going back to sleep. He shrugged off that thought, though, and rose to his feet. Untangling himself from his bedclothes, Jin went about his morning routine; brushed his teeth (though his electric toothbrush scared him), combed his hair (though it got stuck in his matted curls), and washed his face (though the water was cold and unpleasant). He then wormed his way into the nearest hoodie he could find and pulled on a pair of shorts that seemed clean. Set and ready for the day.

Alright, now he needed something to wake up. Hitting the remote to his stereo system, a soft groove played through his dark, dusty room at a gentle volume. He made his way to his mini-fridge, stepping gingerly over piles of comic books, food scraps and wrappers, and assorted computer parts scattered about. The fridge was EMP-shielded, a job Jin had quite proudly done himself, keeping his food safe if he suffered bouts of power incontinence. Jin rummaged through it, looking for some kind of sugary, caffeinated beverage to start his morning. Unfortunately, there were none to be found. Jin groaned in a deeply disappointed sort of way. This meant that he would have to leave his room and see people. He had scarcely left his room through the entirety of the summer, and he wasn't eager to go out and have to look and be looked at by anyone outside. Not that many people roamed the school during the summer; most went home. Jin was one of the few students that stayed at Star Ocean over the summer months, not having any home on record to return to. He had roommates throughout the bulk of the year, but had free reign over the dormitory room during the summer months as they lived with their families.

Either way, Jin had to begin the arduous task of leaving his sanctum to venture out for supplies. While he was at it, he made a note of what else he needed. Microwavable pasta, triple-A batteries, and bath salts were all in short supply as well, it seemed. Nothing that couldn't be righted by making a short trip over to the shopette. Most students received an allowance from their parents to afford such amenities. Jin was not so fortunate; rather, he made his pocket money by manipulating the value of certain online cryptocurrencies, and then laundered them into more worthwhile tender through a series of commodity investment funds. When he wanted something expensive or if the market was bad, he scrounged up cash by working as an internet psychic, but he preferred not to prostitute himself in that manner.

Jin pulled on his usual pair of ratty Chuck Taylors and made his way out of the dormitory building, locking his door behind him with his cardkey. The sunlight was as oppressive as ever at this time of year. Jin pulled up his hood to shield his eyes from the sun; the heat he didn't mind as much as the brightness. He also sunburned easily, given that his complexion could be easily described as "whole milk." The island seemed unusually populated as well. Was there some kind of special occasion today? Jin was clueless. All the more reason to keep a low profile. Jin sunk further into his hoodie to hide his face, and scurried along to the campus shop to get his shopping trip over and done with.

"Whew, the summer is ending and now I have a lot of light novels to read. Heck, a total of 50 or so books could be overkill, but where's the point in buying them if it doesn't seem good? I could give a series to someone if I ever think a book is not suited for me anyway, and I could say I bought enough books to not go out and buy another for at least three months. Anyway... Why is the train car filled with boys? Some boys look intimidating just like the bullies..." The black-haired boy looked around the train car he was in, filled with boys just like he stated. He could see the sun shining brightly and acting as an antithesis to the boy's somewhat negative emotion while the sea attempted to reflect his emotion by looking like it's blue even though it's not - an almost replication of the boy's mood, if not for the fact he actually had a minor negative emotion. Not only the car was filled with boys, but also his summer break - or time to buy various stuff that might or might not be used, as how he used the time.

During the summer break, Mizuki headed back to his home in a city in western Tokyo, not affiliated with most of the city hijinks in the eastern part of the metropolis. While some people would see it as a win-lose situation as the metropolis were more active than any other part of Japan, the boy saw it as a win-win situation, as the author of one of the light novels he has read was born there, and the city wasn't shy about promoting it. Additionally, he could see all the animes he were interested in there, making it a nice place for him to call as a home, with the added advantage of Akihabara being in his reach.

"Anyway, let's go back to the school, and maybe beat some people up with my hands while getting all the girls... just like a protagonist of one of the light novels I read." Mizuki thought to talk to himself inside his head as the train came closer to the island, which meant that he would be learning how to use his ability for the second time while romancing some of the girls that looked pretty to him - which meant most of the girls to him, since he had a wide defence range for girls.

Once the train finally arrived at the station, Mizuki got off the train just like the others, creating a tide of people heading to their dorms, which meant trying to attract a girl would end with a lot of girls and other boys staring at him. "Anyway, let's see what The Whales got - and get some of them if it's possible. Regardless of their status: newcomers or not, it doesn't matter, as girls are mostly friendly to me." On his way to his room after the tide has split to at least four, he could see some familiar faces overtaking him regardless of the gender. While his behavior ended up turning some girls off, he did not care as they aren't the only girls on the school, so they could be ignored.

After having to ignore several nice-looking girls to not stop the tide, he finally managed to reach his room before putting the paper bag near his bed to use as a bookshelf, just like other books he bought. "Guess I should get a proper bookshelf." He started putting some of the paper bags near the bed under the bed, before walking out of his room. "Anyway... my romantic story begins here; Let's search for the girls to date. It's not like I'll be in this school forever, so let's do everything before it ends." He said to himself as he started his search.

---

Nagitano walked up the nine stairs leading away from the anchored vessels, behind him was several students laid out, groans of pain and curses leaving them. He could hear the shifting of their clothing as they attempted to claw at him. He held tight to the collar of the unlucky kid that was left standing when the others had fallen. The air felt especially nice; it made him feel invincible.

The pale kid, who wore a now tattered blue gakuren, clawed at his grip. His fingers raked down Nagitano's naked arm and wrist, leaving a red trail where his nails had been.

Nagitano harshly pulled and pushed the kid back and forth with his collar, jumbling his brain a bit and calming him down. As he took the last step and looked on at the colorful crowd of students, he smiled.

“Do you see me, shitlords? Can you taste fear? Can you feel my power? I'm godly.” His words were low but the crowd was so quiet, that they heard him clearly. The various clothed students parted with his path. The stuttering breaths of women, the heavy despair of men. That was the reaction he loved the most: the end results of domination.

He paused his track in the middle of the crowd, a circle formed around him. He dropped the kid to the ground mercilessly. His head bounced as it hit the ground. Nagitano looked from side to side, his brows furrowed and a faint grimace on his lips. “Listen up, from here on out I'm the lord of the Maebys … or whatever the fuck that is. You'll all listen to me and do as I say, if anyone objects, step forth and get beat the hell up!” he demanded.

Silence permeated the early air. The first bell hadn't even rung yet and he had already conquered the first years. The others would be a cake walk. For all the seclusion and secrecy, this school was just like any other he'd been too. Just a bunch of sheeps waiting to be led.

“Good, you all learn quick. Now someone explain to me what the hell a “Maeby” is?”

---

As the day was dawning in full glory, sunrays warmed up the buildings and parks on the campus, beams of light seeping through the windows of the different Houses. A delicious smell filled the Whale House, which originated from the shared kitchen. Elisa stood at the stove, chopsticks in one hand, whilst holding a frying pan in the other. She was preparing her first meal of the day: an omelet filled with rice and vegetables. She felt that a good start of the school year should be accompanied with a proper meal.

Although she had returned here at Hoshinoumi Academy almost a week ago to make some preparations, it was still weird to realize that classes were starting again after the long summer break. She had gotten a lot less done during her time off than she had wanted to, spending most of her days lazing in the garden back home. She had intended to make lots of trips through the area surrounding her hometown, read up on the books that had caught her interest throughout the previous semesters, work on her drawing skills, and maybe practice a bit at the end of the holiday in anticipation of the new year. Now at the end of her lazy days, Elisa had made a few small trips, read only one book, and had practiced two, maybe three times.

At least she had had a great time with her family though, who she had not visited even once since she enrolled. She had especially been thrilled to see her sister Rina back, having missed her presence at the academy. Secretly she had hoped her younger sibling would have developed some kind of power during her absence so she could join her, but sadly this was not the case. Elisa had proposed her sister could enter as a Maeby, but Rina seemed to not like the idea too much; it was not like she didn't want to spend more time with Elisa, but she deemed it a waist of her time when it wasn’t even sure whether she had potential.

Elisa awoke from her train of thoughts when she noticed a dark flash in the corner of her eye. She turned her head to figure out what was going on only to find an empty hallway. Very quickly things became clear though as one of her housemates slipped out of his room. Famous for trying to pick up girls, Elisa figured that was exactly what he was set out to do, especially after catching some words of his murmuring. She could not help but shake her head, chuckling inwardly at the boy who sounded just like a romantic hero from a dating sim game.

The girl then returned her attention to her dish, flipping the omelet once more and pressing down on it for a bit with the chopsticks. She skillfully scooped it out of the frying pan, placing it onto the plate next to her. After cleaning up the cooking utensils, she took her breakfast along with a cup of tea to the large table in the center of the room.

It was quiet in the House and hopefully things remained like this for a little longer; Elisa wanted to avoid having eyes gaze on her and having to endure awkward silences. Sitting down on a chair which was placed opposite one of the windows, she took a sip of her drink; green tea with a hint of citrus fruits, one of her favorite tea flavors, which she thought contrasted well with the saltiness of the eggs. Tearing off a piece with the sticks, she took a bite. "Well done, Elisa, well done..." she nodded, approving of the soft and fluffy texture.

A warm, late-summer breeze gently swayed the light curtains and brought along the salty sea smell which was so familiar to the Academy. Elisa smiled as she inhaled deeply, taking in the scent; it was one of the small things that made her glad to be back. She was definitely looking forward to her classes as well though, retaking some basic classes in order to really master them, but also a bunch of new ones as she was advancing quickly. If only making contact would be as easy... She sighed slightly at the thought, but not wanting to get herself in a sulky mood she quickly shrugged off the comment and gobbled up the rest of the omelet. With a few gulps she downed her drink, finishing up her breakfast in the blink of an eye. "Alright, time to get going," she decided, standing up resolutely.

After she had deposited of her dirty dishes, Elisa entered her room only to grab her bag which she had packed the evening before and flung it across her shoulder. She then scurried down the stairs and left the building. When she glimpsed down on her Queue Device she slowed down her tracks however, as she still had little less than half an hour to go. She figured she might as well take a small detour then, taking the route which led through one of the island's gardens, rather than the main road which was most likely overflowing with students by now.

---

Soo-Jin was not thrilled at the least to be back at Star Ocean Academy, she enjoyed her time in California too much to even wanna endure another year of campus life and other students. Who, by the way, she hasn't bothered to get to know yet. Just arriving from the train and walking the long path to the entrance of the school, she sniffed around, she hated the salty sea smell that the school was surrounded by and the sun was blinding. Sure the campus is beautiful and the people are beautiful but, if you're Soo-Jin and you basically only like the easier and comfier things in life then you'd complain to yourself too. Looking around at the crowds of new and returning students like her she felt at ease, nothing like a crowded area where no one knows you, avoiding anyone bumping into her and grazing her by mistake she finally walked into the building and headed to The Dragons side of the campus.

She had her brunette hair in a messy bun and was already wearing her uniform, since she knew she wasn't gonna want to change in it later. She had all her things in one backpack and, while walking down the hall she could see a tiny little puppy ... or wolf? She looked at it for sometime and shrugged it off, maybe pets were now a norm for the Dragon house and she wasn't in the mood for what was to come if she found the owner who owned this little animal. She had finally made her way to her dorm room and opened it walking inside, she smiled to herself and inhaled a nice amount of air before breathing out Isn't it great to be back~ I can still see my body imprinted into the mattress She said to herself as she dropped her bag to the floor and hopped into the dented mattress. She kept her door open and felt her stomach, she only ate kale and carrots before she got here and half her food was put to waste when her venomous fangs ruined her food. Lifting up from the bed she groaned and got up, she reached for her backpack and pulled out raw broccoli and celery sticks and began munching on those. Mmm~ I wonder what kind of people have been here at this house? She said again to herself while munching, she was curious of who she'd meet since she wanted to talk to people this year.

She walked back out into the hallway eating her snack, this time listening to music with her earbuds in. She looked around while slowly walking, she tried to notice if anything changed and she wanted to know if that little wolf-dog was reunited with its owner, Soo-Jin was actually looking forward to another school year now that she ate something and relaxed a bit, she was eager to better her powers and since she recently learned about her venom she was hoping that as she grew in her powers she'd find more surprises with her ability. As she walked down the hall and back a couple of times while listening to MGMT she ran out of food to snack on and groaned again to herself, eating was her thing, though she knows that her ability has nothing to do with her veggie eating, she still had that kid like hope that if she ever stopped she'd lose her enhanced biting that she'd grown to love. She had went back to her dorm and yanked her backpack while falling onto the bed, she picked through her bag of goodies and ate Brussels, popping them into her mouth and happily looking up at the ceiling while jamming out to her tunes.

On days like this, Kassandra considered herself lucky.

She leaned on the railing of the ferry, inhaling the scent of the ocean and letting the spray settle on her skin. All around her was beautiful blue-green sea, and ahead of her another school year at Star Ocean Academy. Kassy pushed her white hair back from her face, tying it back with an orange ribbon that matched her sundress. The ferry horn sounded, and she knew she'd have to get off soon. Oh, if only the trip could take an hour. With a faint sigh, Kassy put her sandals back on and grabbed her belongings.

Disembarking was always a bit of a hassle. New students and old students mingling, people trying to find their way around the massive campus, the 'house elves' trying to round people up. Kassy hoisted her large suitcase on one shoulder and waded through the crowd. Once she received her Queue Device and course schedule, she made a beeline for the Whale House dorms.

It was like coming home. The Whale House dorm was more comfortable to her than any place she'd known in her life. It had taken most of her first year to stop being afraid of the other students. Having spent so long under her aunt's thumb and influence, she was far too used to sneers and derision. Eventually, though, she realized that outright hatred was something that many of the students had to deal with at one point or another. That understanding changed her. She had started to become her own person within the school. Not 'Kaia's daughter', not 'that fat freeloader', but just Kassy.

Getting to her room, she unlocked it with her Queue and dumped her things on the bed, immediately kicking off her sandals and taking a deep breath. Safe at last. After getting her bearings and a glass of water from the bathroom sink, she looked at the uniforms that had been laid out on her bed. There was no reason to delay it, so Kassy undressed and redressed in uniform.

“Oh, this is a problem...” She stared at herself in the mirror. The waist of the skirt and most everywhere on the top were tight and uncomfortable, almost painful. Apparently she'd gained girth during the break.

“I was lazy with my swim practice during vacation.” Kassy frowned at her reflection and turned herself this way and that, trying to check the fit. “I'll have to get remeasured... how embarrassing.” She tugged at the sleeve caps that were squeezing her upper arm, and realized that there was something there on the uniform. Turning to the mirror, she ran her fingers over a shiny embroidered crest with the image of a whale on it. Underneath was written “Orion”.

Kassy surpressed the urge to groan. She'd forgotten all about last year. At the end of the term, she and three others had been named the top students in their houses, Orions. She had not liked being singled out and put on display, even though it was for something positive. Now she realized it wasn't something that was going away. She wasn't entirely sure she wanted that kind of attention.

Putting a thin sweater on over her straining uniform top, Kassy headed back out. Maybe she could get the request for new uniforms put in before things got too busy. She let her eyes sweep over the scores of arriving students, able to tell new from old with a quick glance at their expressions. Freshmen looked somewhere between terrified, elated and nauseous. Everyone else looked more relaxed, and usually more positive. Her gaze stopped when she saw something out of place.

“A dog? Here?” Were they even allowed pets at the school? She'd wanted a beta fish for a long while, but had been denied. Perhaps this was the year? Slowly approaching the animal, she leaned down and held her hand out, palm up, for the animal to examine. “Hello, little thing. How did you get here?” Once she determined the puppy wasn't hostile, she took off her sweater and used it to gently scoop up the animal. Protecting herself from it's small but sharp nails, she held it close and looked around for someone who could help her.

The spires of Hoshinoumi Academy loomed over Cheng, who stood at the entrance to school grounds. They were a familiar sight to the Orion of the Squid House, but this year, they seemed to stare down at him with the weight of responsibility. Not only was Cheng part of the academy's mentor program, but he was also being screened for the possibility of staying as faculty, and on top of that, he'd been selected as an Orion. It was a fair amount on his plate, and he briefly wondered how complicated it'd make his last year. Nevertheless, he enjoyed the prospect of developing his powers, and that's what made him decide to help others do the same.
Cheng straightened the armband pinned to his sleeve, admiring the golden squid that had been affixed to the fabric. He had to admit, he enjoyed the prestige such a position came with. He'd worked himself hard the previous year to get himself listed among the names for consideration. When he'd told his parents the good news, he couldn't help but allow himself an intake of pride. Remembering the moment the badge was presented to him, Cheng smiled as he made his way into the school grounds.
"Yo, Cheng!"
"Ohayo gozaimasu, Koizumi-sama!"
"Hey man, you ready for our last year?"
"Jóusàhn, Cheng!"
Cheng's fellow Squid House members echoed greetings as he arrived at the central wing. He'd forgotten what an increase in publicity his stature would earn him. Not that he minded the extra attention, but at the same time, he momentarily worried whether it would be overwhelming in the months to come. For now though, he returned his classmates' greetings in kind with a wave of his hand and a warm smile.
"Cheng!"
Another voice called his name, but Cheng recognized its familiarity. Turning to his left, he saw an old-time friend, Neil, jogging down the hallway.
"Hey dude, how've you been? Can't believe it's already our last year, huh?" Neil said.
"Hey buddy! I've been well, thanks." Cheng's accent lined his words, although he'd improved considerably since the start of his career at Hoshinoumi.
"Check it out," Neil blurted, fumbling through his phone before handing it to his housemate. On the screen was a photo of a brand new R/C car, its paintjob clearly a custom, and very well done.
"Damn, It's beautiful. Did you work on it yourself?"
"Well, I'll admit I had some help from the guys getting the color done, but I put the thing together myself. We'll have to see if it's good enough to keep up with yours!"
"I wouldn't bet on it!"
The two of them exchanged words over how their summer had been, unpacking their things and making themselves at home in their rooms. After Neil parted to catch up with another classmate, Cheng kept his eyes peeled for a certain someone he'd been meaning to say hello to; a particular girl with a reputation that was rough around the edges.

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Daniel stood in front of the dragon house and sighed. Finally found it. The boy had gotten of the train an hour ago but it took at least five different set of directions to find were he would be staying. He found his way to the dragon house and walked tot he boys quarters but stopped when he saw a puppy down the hall. He did not quiet know what to do, he could leave the dog here or just wait for its owner who could not be far. Awwwwwww! But it is so cute I can't leave it. But he needed to put his stuff away, also his arm was starting to hurt due to his bags. Daniel only had three; one green backpack, that was full, with all the extra pockets on it, a green rolly suitcase with a white Bellfower on the front, and a green duffle bag. The first two were very light, only containing clothes and whatnot, but the duffle bag had dirt in it. Before he left he did not want to be home sick so he thought of taking a piece of it with him. So Daniel filled the bag up with dirt and put small snips of his favorite plants into the bag. The lady at the Russian airport looked at him funny when she saw the scan of his bag going through, all Daniel could do was blush and attempt to explain himself.

He approached his room and walked in. The place was cozy, he set his bags down and opened the duffle bag and smiled. This our new home for a while so don't take the place over. He said to the plants kindly. Then started to put his things away, when he was done he stepped back outside. Something inside of him scream to go find someone to socialize with, plus he wanted to make sure the puppy was safe. Daniel made his way back down the hall to make use of the little free time he had left.

Alexi being a new foreign exchange student from Sweden stares at the Star Ocean Academy, she then sighed. " Great another school with students who are just gonna judge the way I am." She then shook her head, walking through the main gate. Alexi had a map of the academy in her hands. "Well, I guess first things first, time to head to the Dragon's side of the campus." She started to make her way to her destination, during her walk of solitude. Alexi comes upon a dead bird. Closing her mad, she bends down to examine the corpse. "even when birds die, their corpses remain graceful and free. she said to herself, now seeing the bird's spirit perched upon a tree. "Now that your dead little one, you more free than ever."

Alexi lightly stroked the corpse with her finger, as if she was caressing it. "Sleep well my little beauty, for you may now dream forever, so keep your dream as sweet and as fun as possible." After giving the bird the respect it deserved, she continued making her way to the Dragon's side of the campus.

-

The buzzing of chit chat and laughter brought Ailís’ attention back. Her section of the room was finally complete, dry and barren, mind you, but complete nonetheless. The cream bed sheets she loved were tightly strewn over the mattress, and her pillow was fluffed perfectly. Standing against the wall beside her bed was her sleek, ruby red cello case, Gersvinda tucked inside. Any shelves she had were bare except for a small stack of etudes and concertos Ailís brought for her cello. She knew if she needed anything, there was always the library for her reading needs. Hiding beneath her bed was a small stash of wrapped candies she had managed to sneak past her parents before coming. While the blonde teen’s parents didn’t agree with her love of sweets, Ailís couldn’t live without a cavity-inducing, sugary treat.

Ailís’ hands flattened her crinkling, paper-like sheets on top of the stiff mattress she would spend her nights in for the next year. A summer away from the Horse House of Star Ocean Academy had been spent practicing her abilities, and she was only slightly proud that she could finally make it through an entire night without sleepwalking (a bad habit she had gotten into while at the school a year before). Perhaps this year, the young junior would finally be able to open up to others. While helping people was always her priority, she often cowered away from real friendships and relations.

I wouldn’t like someone who invaded my privacy either, Ailís thinks to herself before bending over to grab a sucker from her stash. At least sweets had her back. Without a second thought, she shoves a big handful of shiny wrapped goods into her pants pockets before heading out of her room. People smiled and waved at each other as they passed, old friends exuding joy. The feelings made Ailís smile as she hovered over to the common room of the Horse House, admiring the pure colors that highlighted their halls ensign.

Ailís’ steel-plated eyes skittered over the people bobbing by, and she noticed the new Orion, for their house this year. Edmund, was it? She didn’t know many people, and he was no exception, but Ailís stared at him carefully. What had he done to earn this position? Was he as selfless as the other candidates? Though Ailís knew the system worked fine, she knew how students often viewed the Orions. Would this stranger abuse that?

-

Cheng laughed at Hanare's comment, watching her run her fingers across his Orion badge. She toyed with it with a longing in her eyes that didn't go unnoticed by its wearer.
"I shudder to think what you'd do if you were wearing it instead," he teased. "And what you'd make me do." Cheng rolled his shoulder to divert her attention from the trinket. He turned towards his housemate, admiring her appearance briefly before continuing.
"If you're that keen on trying one of those meals, you know you can just ask me, right?"
Cheng had seen the special lunches that some of the women in the food staff prepared for Orions during his first three years at the academy. Regular lunch, although was pretty decent in itself, was nothing compared to what the badge-wearing students walked away with. Thinking about it made Cheng's mouth water, and he pushed it from his mind so he wouldn't have to bear with the longing during class time. He knew that Hanare especially lusted after them, and he wouldn't mind placating her by sharing. It just might save his rear in the future.
Then the intercom blared, the voice of School Official Morgana filling the hallways. Cheng paused his conversation with Hanare to listen to her announcement - something about a World Journey and directions to find their house elf.
As the announcement came to a close, Cheng noticed a circle of younger students in the corner of his eye. They were looking Hanare up and down with barely-restrained stares and whispering among themselves; clearly nothing good. With a cough from his chest, Cheng shot them an appalling glance. Startled from their fantasies, they grumbled and moved along.
"You seem to be turning a lot of heads already," he mused. "Seems like nobody's forgotten your first year. Oh, and before I forget myself-"
Cheng reached into his pocket and procured a small, ovoid stone. It was a deep amethyst in color and reflected the light from the hallway's overhead lamps in a spectacular pattern. He'd not forgotten her attraction to particularly lustrous things.
"That's for you, free of charge. Should we go find our elf?"

“Dammit, Flame!” Sebastian hissed under his breath as he began the search for his wolf once more. He had quickly changed into his uniform earlier, his new Orion armband around his bicep as well, and was now searching the Dragon House for his pup. Dodging around, checking under the couch, in the beds, he finally gave up on the inside of the House and hurried out back into the hallway which he had come. In his rush, he accidentally crashed into a young woman @xXSINXx making her way in. The startling encounter caused his power to accidentally go off and Sebastian hissed in pain as another mark on the X came about. He stared down at his palm for a brief second, the X flaring red for a moment before receding back to skin color.

“Sorry,” he muttered unemotionally to the girl before taking off down the hallway, not even bothering to see if she was okay. He really needed to find Flame before the damn cub got into any more trouble. He ran outside, his eyes scanning the area, until he found the cub with ease. He let out a sigh of relief when he saw that Kassy had her. At least the pup wasn’t getting into any trouble. He hurried over to Kassy. He smiled at her and said, “Thanks for keeping track of her, Kas. I owe you one.” Right then, the microphone came on and Sebastian looked around. Once the commission was over, he looked at Kassy.

“Well, this was a brief meeting,” he joked before taking Flame out of her arms. The happy pup was so excited that she climbed up onto his shoulders and sat there like a parrot. Sebastian just shook his head and went to go find his house elf, waving goodbye to Kassy as he did so.

But before he did that…

He hurried back inside and looked around for the girl@xXSINXx he ran into earlier. He hurried over to her and walked right in front of her again, hoping to stop her in her tracks. “Hey,” he said. “I wanted to formally apologize for my behavior earlier. I had lost Flame and I was really worried. Sorry about running into you.” The pup yipped in his ear and he stroked her ears. He smiled at the black haired girl and said, “My name’s Sebastian. Sebastian Williams. And you are?” He held out his hand for her to shake.

---

"The World Journey...sounds amazing! I can hardly wait" Edmund was feeling really excited. He had never heard of this World Journey thing, but it sounded like a lot of fun "I wonder what we'll be doing, and how long it will last. Edmund pulled out of his homemade biscuits (or cookies, as those silly Americans called them) from a paper bag he had with him, and started snacking. "Yummm. Got it just right on the first try. I'm so happy I picked up the recipe for caramel shortbread. It really is the bees knees it is."

Because he was so preoccupied with his treat, he failed to notice the girl with yellow hair that he bumped into. "Eh!" He stumbled back, as she fell on the floor. "oh dear. Terribly sorry Miss. I really should have been watching where I was going" He held his hand out to her to help her up. Suddenly, he had an idea. Before she could take his hand, he put it into his paper bag and bulled out another biscuit, which he then held out to her on his once more outstretched hand "take it as an apology please"

---

Soo-Jin got up from her bed and threw her bag onto the floor, she took her hair from the bun and shook it wildly as it unraveled messily. Shrugging and pulling a wedgie from her skirt out she took her earbuds out and placed them in her bag before walking out into the hallway.Annoyed a bit she closed the door behind her and finger combed her hair. What the fuck have I gotten myself into? I literally cannot stand people ...AHHH! she thought to herself as she walked down the hallway to get some fresh air, passing up any one in the hall without trying to be seen as she reached into her skirt pocket and took out floss. She flossed any pieces of food from her mouth and kept walking once she passed up the others in the hall.

She wasn't even sure why she hadn't had friends yet ... maybe she owned a mean face? Either way she couldn't think of it any longer since life is better than a friendless high school experience. As soon as she got outside she almost regurgitated, she had forgot how much sea water made her nauseous, maybe she was getting sickened by other things than bacon this time. She backed right back into the house and sighed to herself,she'd have to get over this new disgusted feeling whenever she set foot outside, she can't feel like this all the time. She kept flossing her teeth till every inch of food was gone, afterwards she used one of those tooth brushes with tooth paste already in it and brushed her teeth. Waiting for those gremlins ... or elves to get there assess here she just stood there and waited. "I'm seriously gonna kill myself~ this is by far a stupid ass day ... I regret everything. Hopefully this World adventure could be exciting ... I wish my friends from Korea had abilities~~" She said underneath her breath while looking down at her feet. Deciding that the elves had been taking to damn long she went off on her own and followed behind others, she covered her nose with her hand and just walked.