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Denia has finally arrived at Startorch Academy, she has been slowly trying to fit in with the different students. She tried to follow step by step the various guides the Fractsidus had given her. Smiling, waving when others waved at her, answering the questions the others asked and asking them back. Every little step was going perfectly fine. She even applied for the Photography Club, Phrolova said it would help her fit in, she even gifted her an old digital camera and a set of lenses she didn’t really know how to use.
The club started their activity in the afternoon after classes so she wouldn’t be able to skip any to her displeasure. “You shouldn’t skip too many lessons, they’re good for you” Phrolova insisted. She wasn’t really confident but anything would be better than being secluded in that cold room at the Fractsidus Headquarters. Answering questions which came from a robotic voice on a screen.
She spent the classes trying to keep up with the rhythm of the explanations and taking notes, well, that’s until she got bored and started drawing little doodles in her notebook. She really tried to show interest but some of them were too boring to her liking, she preferred thinking on how to beat a new record on Lahai-Roi Blocks at the school arcade, she had met some people by playing there.
Finally she thought when the bell signaling the end of her classes rang and everyone started packing their things up. She put away her books and notebook and made her way to the cafeteria. Some students said the food wasn’t too good and some even thought about complaining to the board to see if they got to put tastier food. But to Denia’s palate the food at the academy was a delicacy compared to what she had back at “home” if she could call it that, some canned food which seemed more fitting for a dog than a human with the exception of the delicious food Phrolova got for her from time to time.
“Here, have this but you have to eat it soon before someone comes checking the place and finds it ok? I will bring you some more next time, take care Denia” Her tone always seemed cold but she was all Denia had in terms of “people who worry about her”. For the rest she was but a vessel, a mere weapon.
While she was enjoying her lunch she dared to look at the sky, searching for the sun, for a ray of sunshine to come her way and tell her she would be fine, instead she was met by emptiness, a too familiar cold breeze. It was no use, no light would show up for her, maybe it was her fault, after all, she was nothing more than an empty vessel.
Paying the thought no more mind than she should, she decided to make her way to the first meeting point, the place where she would take her first photos, if she managed to understand how that thing worked. Phro didn’t have the time to explain much, she just gave it to her “You’ll learn fast, I know” she said. She looked at the Groupchat, the meeting was near the settlement the Roya tribe had established next to the academy. She started walking in hopes of not getting lost on the way.
After ten minutes she saw a little group of students together, she assumed it was the place and walked up to them putting on her best smile. Some waved at her, others asked her how she was doing, to which she responded positively as she had been taught. Now came the hard part, the student who was guiding the activity started giving instructions out too fast for Denia to catch up, everyone started searching for angles and the best places to take a photo of a group of Roya playing with some exoswarms.
In that short span of time, Denia found herself still figuring out how the camera worked, as simple as it looked on the outside the digital screen showed her one too many options, she started fearing people would look weirdly at her, how could she not get how a camera worked? She felt a finger touching her shoulder to which she flinched immediately.
“Oh! S-sorry I didn’t mean to scare you I-” A voice talked behind her, it was sweet, sweeter than any other she had heard before. Sweeter even than Fleet snowfluff’s. She turned slowly and was met by two curious emerald eyes, fixed on her. Orange, vivid orange hair made in a number of braids.
“I’m Sigrika, do you need help?” the orange-haired girl said pointing at the camera Denia was holding in her hands. Words got stuck in her throat, she felt as if she had been struck by lightning.
“Oh…yes please, I’m very new to…this” she said hoping the other girl wouldn’t laugh at her. Sigrika gently took the camera and started explaining to her what every setting did.
“Do you want to come with me? I know a few spots where your photos could be very good” The sun was slowly setting leaving an orange colour decorating the sky but Denia was too absorbed looking at Sigrika, at her hair, favoured even more by the sky at that moment.
“Here, try it like this” She let herself be guided through the activity, Sigrika’s fingers touching hers to maintain the camera at the best angle possible.
“Do you wanna try to take some alone and then we can show each other what we’ve done?” Sigrika proposed to her, smiling, always smiling, bright, sweet, her emerald eyes looking at Denia who felt her cheeks get hotter at some point. That was definitely not on the guides she had read and watched. It was a whole different thing.
By the end of the day, the students shared with each other the photos they had taken but Denia only dared to do so with Sigrika who complimented each photo while also giving feedback on how to improve for the next day.
When they finally had to part ways everyone said their goodbyes and Denia made her way “home” with what some would describe as a foolish smile decorating her face. She looked at the photos she had taken, the ones she had showed Sigrika and one last photo she had saved for herself.
Sigrika played with a Soliskin who had gotten lost and ended up in the group of students. The Orange haired girl was smiling and her eyes reflected the sunlight in a way Denia had never seen
“How was the photography club?” Phrolova asked her when she called.
“It went well, Orange is a pretty colour” Denia said without knowing at the time what this phrase implied.
“I’m glad, make good use of that camera”
“I will, thank you”
She would later then decide to print Sigrika’s photo for her to have in a future photo album. It was a memory worth keeping.