Chapter Text
Eden’s Garden Academy’s Fall 2024 Talent Showcase.
It was a much-anticipated biannual event held in the middle of the fall and spring semesters, slightly closer to the end of the fifteen weeks than the beginning if you were to be precise about it. In all honesty, precision was the best thing one could have when considering the immaculate and prestigious showcase. Only the best of the best were selected, la crème de la crème— usually one representative from each class of talented individuals. Joyous as one should be for getting picked, this endeavor was certainly no walk in the park for the chosen representative, no; once the honor set in, the pressure was on. Yes, the immensely talented representative had the choice of what they wanted to do for the showcase, whether it be a performance or piece unveiling for the more artistically-driven, demonstrating a near-impossible skill for the athletes, or holding some sort panel aimed at showcase attendees for other skills, but it needed to be absolutely perfect in order to illustrate how their talent had festered and shone throughout their time within the academy. It was no simple task, and the selected ultimates most definitely had their work cut out for them. One would need to be focused, passionate, and exude more drive, more sheer talent, than any of their fellow classmates in order to be considered. You wouldn’t want to make a fool of yourself— as well as a fool of your peers and professors— in front of such a large audience expecting nothing but pure greatness.
This was exactly why Wolfgang Akire smiled to himself on that fateful morning. He sat patiently at his desk, ready for their professor to show up and for class to begin. Professor Tozu would be announcing the representative that day, and Wolfgang couldn’t have been more confident in himself and his abilities as the Ultimate Lawyer. The Talent Showcase was something he’d been working towards for what felt like his entire life. He’d surely put in more effort than any of his classmates (beloved as they were to him), becoming a hard-working class president and an integral asset to the school’s worldwide esteem. He put his heart and soul into all of the business done in the name of Eden’s Garden Academy. Really, whom else could they have even selected? Wolfgang lived and breathed everything the academy sought in an ultimate student. Professor Tozu seemed to think so too, often ranking him as the highest performing in their class.
Wolfgang had a splendid idea of what he wanted to do for the showcase. He would take stage and host a question and answer-type presentation regarding his talent and experiences. The idea was practically set in stone. Now, he just needed Professor Tozu to stand at the front of the classroom and make the big announcement. Glancing around at his fellow classmates, Wolfgang tried to gauge their interest in the upcoming event. From what he could hear, no one spoke about it at all, their conversations ranging from hair dye to whether or not they failed last week’s poetry analysis exam.
“Damon’s not a natural blonde,” Kai’s voice rang out among the chatter. “He’s actually a natural brown. He gets brown roots.”
Damon protested Kai searching through his hair for the aforementioned “brown roots.” If anyone were to be saying something about the Talent Showcase, it would have been Damon; he was going on and on just a few days prior about how certain he was that someone with a talent like his should be represented in the event. Apparently, there were enough sports-related and arts-related ultimates already. Wolfgang only slightly agreed, but this was the kind of thing you should never mention out loud… apparently, Damon either didn’t understand this or didn’t care.
Professor Tozu entered to find the class in a state close to his personal definition of chaos. It took no time for him at all to start berating everyone for their choices… not Wolfgang, though, who was doing exactly what he should be doing.
“Everyone, in your seats!” he demanded. “There’s no time for nonsense today… We’ve much to discuss.”
It was finally time. All of Wolfgang’s efforts were going to be met with the utmost praise, the utmost glory granted to a student at Eden’s Garden Academy. Wolfgang bit his tongue as he waited for the rest of his class to follow Professor Tozu’s orders. Things were taking much too long. He wanted to know right then and there what the selection would be.
“Kai Monteago, have you learned NOTHING?! ” shouted Professor Tozu at the last few stragglers. “In your seat now!”
“Sorry, sorry, jeez!” grumbled the influencer.
Wolfgang, confident as he’d been that he would be the chosen representative, took a moment to consider his competition. The students Professor Tozu was often at odds against could be easily removed from his list: Kai Monteago for his frequent talking and phone use, Cassidy Amber for her loud nature and inability to take anything seriously, Ulysses Wilhelm for his tendency to fall asleep in the middle of class (how he still received such high grades, Wolfgang had no idea), Grace Madison for her unfortunate attitude towards their professor, and then Jett Dawson and Mark Berskii, the two young men who appeared to have no interest at all in their courses save for whispering amongst each other. The rest were possibilities, though likely not nearly as skilled as to threaten Wolfgang’s position. No one had put in the amount of time he had. No one would dare to claim his spot as the most ardent student.
“As you all are very well-aware, we have the exciting Eden’s Garden Academy Talent Showcase coming up soon,” began Professor Tozu, writing out the long title on the chalkboard meticulously. “I am happy to announce that your fellow professors and myself have made our selection as to who will represent your class for this festive, immeasurably important event. I can only hope you all are as ecstatic as I am!”
Whispers came from every direction. Wolfgang couldn’t focus on the quiet voices, his attention strictly on that of Professor Tozu’s torturous announcement. He was more than ready to be stared at intensely by the gazes of his enthusiastic classmates with a cool attitude and professional posture at his disposal.
Wolfgang was prepared. All he wanted to hear was his name bellowed out and echoing throughout the classroom.
“It was a difficult decision with many aspects of your performances taken into consideration,” said Professor Tozu. “We truly hope you realize that every single one of your talents have truly flourished within your time here, and we are so grateful as professors to have been granted the opportunity to grow alongside you, yada, yada, yada…”
Professor Tozu sighed, turning around to look at the anxious group.
“Enough of that scripted slop!” he exclaimed. “Repeating it every semester is oh-so tiresome. You all just want to discover the selected representative, don’t you, my beloved students?”
A few of them nodded. Wolfgang was one to stay motionless.
“That’s not to say our wonderful Talent Showcase is anything to scoff at, no, no, no!” continued Professor Tozu. “This semester’s event is looking to be truly magnificent, and I am honored to be standing here at this very moment, revealing the identity of our representative to you…”
“Just get on with it!” Grace shouted, causing Wolfgang to gasp.
“Ms. Madison!” he half-whispered.
“Shh!” Professor Tozu held a finger to his lips. “I’m taking my precious time! My goodness, such impatience! The mastery of dramatic effect is such a lost art these days…”
His hands resting behind his back, Professor Tozu sighed once more, stepping out from the front and closer to the rows of seats.
“Without further ado…” he started. “Your representative for this semester’s Talent Showcase is none other than…”
The moments leading up to the reveal felt as if they were taking years. His body ready to stand up and accept the praise and applause of his fellow classmates, Wolfgang held back a smile. This was it. Recognition awaited him. In a mere few seconds, Professor Tozu would announce his name, and he would be revered as the face of talent in their class of skilled individuals. Oh, what an honor it would be…
Heart and soul flying higher than the sun, Wolfgang had to close his eyes, the anticipation becoming almost too much to bear. Grace was right— Professor Tozu really did need to “get on with it.”
How would the public react to his question and answer session? What could he expect the crowds to be like? With loads of attention on the school due to its new, famous prodigy students, there were bound to be eyes unlike any other year previously. As class president, it was his duty to demonstrate the shared talent found within their bond— the talent seeping through their veins! All he required was for Professor Tozu to let the decision escape his stilled breath.
“… Mark Berskii!”
The shout that erupted out of Wolfgang could not have been stopped; it happened naturally, entirely out of his control.
“ WHAT?! ”
Professor Tozu extended a hand in the direction of the leftmost corner of the classroom. The entire class turned to look at the student sitting in the very back, their gazes met with Mark’s wide eyes nearly hidden under his hair and beanie.
“Huh?” Grace scoffed, interrupting the silence. “Him?”
“Wait, really?!” added Kai. “Damn! Congrats!”
“Congratulations!” said Professor Tozu. “You, Mark Berskii, have been selected to represent the class! What an accomplishment! You should be very proud of yourself!”
Jett started clapping loudly, accompanied by a cheer that did nothing but somewhat annoy Wolfgang. He couldn’t think about this horrendous situation clearly with all of the commotion Jett was causing.
“YEEAAAAH!” he shouted. “That’s amazing, broskii! You did it! You really did it! That’s my man!”
Jett wrapped his arms around Mark’s shoulders, pulling him into a tight hug that Mark appeared too shocked to fight. Mark couldn’t form any words and stammered quietly.
Respectfully, how on earth did Professor Tozu expect Mark Berskii to represent the class in the Talent Showcase?! Mark barely ever put any effort into anything, apparently preferring to spend all his time gallivanting around with that Jett of his or sassing his classmates to no end! Mark represented none of the interpersonal skills that their prestigious academy so intensely encouraged! How did this happen?! Why did this happen?!
Wolfgang told himself to calm down. He couldn’t possibly lose his composure… not at a time like this. Even as the rest of the class began to clap along with Jett, kindly congratulating the man who should have never been considered in the first place, Wolfgang forced himself to participate by allowing a (strained) smile in Mark’s general direction.
“Wow! Congratulations, Mark!” Diana said happily.
“Nice job, brother!” Cassidy added. “Couldn’t have asked for a more perfect rep!”
More and more congratulatory sentiments came from various other students, doing nothing to calm Wolfgang’s growing rage. This simply could not be happening. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. Wolfgang’s name should have been called, and he should have been the one to take the role of class representative for the showcase. There must have been some sort of mistake— some sort of miscalculation on the part of school staff.
Really… Why Mark Berskii, of all people? He didn’t respect his classmates, and he certainly didn’t respect his professors. The only person he seemed to “respect” was Jett, which in itself was questionable considering the rumors of romance between the two. What could he even do on stage, anyway? Play a song? Wolfgang had a better idea than that. It would have been insightful, and it would have encouraged audience participation… Besides, Mark likely didn’t even want to do the showcase if his incessant stammering was anything to go by!
That was all there was to it: this simply couldn’t be happening. This wasn’t happening. This was not happening at all. Professor Tozu had gotten it all wrong. There was still a way to fix things. There had to be a way to fix things. Wolfgang would see to it that the mistake was corrected. His deserved title would soon be granted to the rightful candidate. Something would be done about this, and Wolfgang was determined to make this something happen.