20 Chapter 18: Those Who Live. (1/2)
”Oh thank god you're alright!” Analise hugged me tightly when I reached our dorm room.
I still felt uneasy being hugged by a girl. I mean, I'm a girl, but I'm also sort of... still... a boy.
”I survived.” I faked a smile and pushed her aside gently.
”Hmm...” Lucy only expressed her boredom.
”Who did this to my bed?!” I was utterly shocked by the new bed in front of me.
A pink coloured bed will fluffs and frills covering from head to toe. Why am I being cursed by pink color! Considering my tired self, it looked like heaven, but inside, for some reason I felt blood boil to my brain.
”Hahaha...” Analise gave out a dry laugh, proving herself guilty, ”Your... welcome?”
Her expression showed symptoms of anxiety and guilt.
”Whatever.” I mumbled and sighed, giving up to her, without a fight.
”Its useless to fight with a girl, much less argue with Analise... they always end up crying...” I thought to myself, as I laid comfortably on the soft bed with a bedsheet wrapping myself in it.
”Good night!” Analise exclaimed with a cheerfully goofy smile that resembled Carmine.
”Mhm.” I could just nod and turn to face the wall, still feeling slightly homesick.
_______
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The next few days passed by quickly while I was adjusting to the new life at campus. It was quite boring when classes ended because being in school again seemed more like being back in prison.
During the times when I was alone, Analise would always come, chat with me and tire me out. It was exhausting!
But thanks to her naturally-born gossiping ability, kinda freaky if you ask me, I was able to get a lot of information out of her. Apparently, Analise's element was sound. In other words, vibration, to be precise.
Sound has been known as the 5th elemental, but always shrouded in mystery. Most of this element was only written in ancient books and till this day, no one knows the 5th elemental's exact usages. So people simply don't value the Sound element anymore.
”What a waste...” I often wondered, ”but, may be I could help her some way... after all, I am used to sound equipments very well...”
”Ah, but a dual mage, huh? How lucky~” I thought to myself, feeling a pinch of jealousy, ”Water and Sound are nice combinations...”
”Did you know?” Analise continued, ”The new dorm head selection is going underway... and best of all!!! Get this! I applied to be a candidate!”
”Oh, I see, congrats.” I tried to avoid an utterly boring subject, yawning even.
”Hehehe...” Analise produced an evil smirk, ”Then did you know that you've been randomly selected to be a candidate too?”
”Stop kidding.” I rolled my eyes, still yawning and stuffing my mouth with that horrible bread from the canteen.
”Yuck.” I carelessly thought as I chewed.
”You have it so easy.” I heard Analise mumble and then sigh.
Her face was like a sad young maiden you'd see often in black and white movies back in Earth.
”Well, I have afternoon classes,” I tried to dodge the seemingly heavy topic, ”See ya, 'kay?”
I left in a hurry.
”Oh gosh this dorm is so noisy,” my head ached.
As my gaze shifted, the corner of my eyes caught the attention of a poster. ”Vote for Gloria, The Unbeatable Champion and Troublemaker!!! She's always up to something...”
As I strolled casually towards the poster, the entire mob of talkative students in that hallway, simmered down. Only whispers were thrown back and forth.
I stared at the poster for five seconds and held in in my hand.
”OMG,” I thought to myself, still keeping a poker face, ”Analise wasn't kidding... these pathetic bunch of cowards... there's no way I wanna be their boss!!”
I sighed and crumpled the poster and threw it in the bin next to me.
I turned back to glance at the people behind, another sigh, and I left upstairs to M:709. It was annoying, what else was I supposed to say?
”Ah, you're back?” Lucy asked, holding a book in her hand.
”You're finished with the old book?” I asked, curious.
”Yeah. It was not bad. I like this one though...” Lucy was about to continue her lecture, but I stopped her before she had the chance to begin.
”I just came here to pick some books.”
”Want me to vote for you?” Lucy asked with a sly smirk.
”I don't care either way.” I nonchalantly replied, paying no value to anything.
”Fine, fine,” she seemed delighted, ”But remember to practice well for the mana test coming up soon... hear it's gonna be tough this year.” she reminded me just as I was about to exit the room.
”Yeah.” I replied without turning back as I shut the door behind me.
In truth, my mind just exploded.
”Oh no,” I thought to myself, ”not the mana test! I'll seriously be in a pinch if they find out about this... I do not want to stand out right now. My plan's gonna be ruined!! I have to talk to the principal and escape this...!”
< Secretary Jo Lin's POV >
”That damn girl!” I cursed her with every bit of hatred, ”What a pest to this beautiful school! She'll ruin the reputation and glory... first a teacher and now this!”
Gloria Gale Windstorm, a cunning and devious little mischief maker. A troublesome brat that does not know her place!
”Miss Lin,” a familiar voice called out to me, ”You seem under the weather, everything alright?”
”Wh-what?” I grasped hold of the current situation, embarrassed by my lack of concentration, ”I'm extremely sorry, Miss Principal, it seems I do have a problem, actually.”
The teachers and the principal looked at me seriously, with great expectancy now.
”Well, you see,” I cleared my throat and drunk gulps of water, easing myself, ”Dorm - A's new head is going to be decided in three days time and a candidate here...” I paused as I looked at the principal and then towards the paper on hand, ”simply bothers me.”
”Go on,” The principal stared into my eyes, evaluating my tension and not even glancing at the papers on her desk.
”Had she guessed?” I thought to myself, ”No, no. Impossible!”
”As it stands, I sincerely think and would like to point out that Miss Gloria Gale Windstorm is an unworthy candidate in this selection.” I continued, paying no attention towards the teachers who seemed to have an attachment to that brat, glaring at me, ”Miss Gloria is just a transfer student and has no idea about our customs. She is, but a first year student, not to mention... way too young.”
I paused once again, with a frown, clearly eyeing the other teachers.
Finally, Mrs. Stapleson, the mathematics teacher, stood up.
”Miss Principal,” she spoke with slight anger, ”Miss Lin here is discriminating a young fragile girl, a genius of the upcoming generation in fact, accusing her... instead of giving her a chance!”
At this, Mr. Frosters, mage of spells pointed out, ”Indeed, I second the opinion of Mrs. Stapleson. While I had been one-sided towards Miss Gloria in the beginning, she is in fact, outstanding and talented in magic! In her class, I believe she is the fastest learner...”
”But this does not mean that we can trust her with an entire building full of students...” Mr. Falwalk expressed his point of view, ”She is talented as an individual and has bravery and courage. Adding to her special background and age... but! The main question is, can you trust her with the lives of others?”
”Yes,” I thought with a wicked smile on my face, ”exactly what I wanted to hear. Now the bickering starts.”
...
”Silence! All of you!” Miss Principal declared, her voice echoing loudly.
The entire room of bickering teachers froze and sat down respectively. All, except me.
”Miss Jo Lin, please continue,” she sighed, touching her forehead.
”Well, what I am trying to say is simple...” I went on, ”I would like for Miss Gloria Gale Windstorm to be eliminated from being the candidate for Dorm-A!” I declared.
”But very few of the teachers agree with you.” Miss Principal pointed out.
”That's because I coaxed them, all except for Mr. Frosters, who is too focused on discipline and upright.” I thought to myself, ”It was already hard enough for me to make him agree with me previously when declining that brat's entrance application form...!”
”That is because they are too attached with a particular student and pity her. However, Miss Principal, I am thinking for those who are not as strong as Miss Gloria and reside in that dorm.” I insisted, ”What if she left those children behind and neglected her responsibilities? Just like the one before her... another chaos and this school will suffer it's reputation and the parents of students will lose who-knows-how-much.”
”Very well.” The principal sighed and agreed with me, ”The school must always come first. Besides, I cannot risk another disaster after the previous one...”
”Hehehe...” I secretly applauded myself as the principal changed to another topic, ”You are finished, little brat!”
< Gloria's POV >
”But what is wrong with me meeting the principal!” I shouted angrily at the damn Secretary, who kept on pushing me away.
”Ah?” she was ticked off even more now, though I'd give a damn about that, ”You are disqualified already from the head candidate list and you dare to meet the principal? What rights do you have?”
”Eh?” I didn't know that, but whatever, ”Who gives a damn about that shit! I just want to speak with her!! Let me through!”
I tried to force my way in, but then she just grabbed my collar and threw me towards the window and the sound that echoed in the silent hall was quite loud and yet... no one from class exited.
”Tch, a sound barrier, huh?” I whispered to myself.
The window was as hard as brick and it didn't even shatter.
”Another damned dual mage...” I thought, pissed off.
”Hmph. Ignorant and reckless.” she went on, ”Pathetic.”
But just as I was about to stand up and fight, she uttered some enchantment and chains of mana pulled me towards the wall and held me tight. The more I struggled, the more it tightened.
”You. Should. Learn. Manners. Brat.” her demon-like eyes seemed to penetrate me.
”Shit!” I was stuck in a jam, ”shit, shit, shit, shit!!”
”...”
A voice spoke from the hallway to my left, ”Miss Secretary, what are you doing?”
”Such a gentle, stern voice...” I couldn't help but think.
”You are-!” but the Secretary was stopped by the maiden.
”I thought you only punished kids with a ruler... not magic!” the stranger defended me.
She was an albino, softsilky hair and red eyes. Actually, if anything, she reminded me of vampires... but they might not exist in this world.
”This brat deserves more than a simple ruler, Miss!” the Secretary was hesitant.
”Oh? What has such a tiny kid done?” the albino girl casually and harmlessly asked.
”Hahaha... 'tiny,' she says...” I thought to myself, sarcastically, ”My pride...”
”She argued with me and then dashed towards the principal's quarters just to complain... she even threw a tantrum!” Jo Lin was covering up with white lies now.
I glared at her, but she glared back at me.
”Its just a kid...” the albino girl shed a few tears of pity, ”a detention is fine, right? Surely, you won't punish a silly little girl for something like this... especially with magic!”
”I-If you put it th-that way...” Secretary Jo Lin was silenced.
”Come on, child,” the albino girl helped me up, ”try and stand.”
”Really... 'child,' hahaha...” I thought to myself, couldn't help but feel my pride being shattered to bits.