Chapter Text
Back home, Green had always heard that “the early bird catches the worm.” Their folks probably never meant it in the way the proverb is usually understood — fortunately, Green had always been too respectful of their family to tell them otherwise.
(And saying “so we better keep the birds away” was too funny to be lost forever for petty reasons.)
Even so, their parents actually do have a point. In both meanings, that is.
As soon as Green finished middle school, they figured that would be their last year of schooling. Now it was time to take the lead on the farm and make every penny count.
It should have been a reason to celebrate that they'd made it this far — most kids on the farm barely made it to fifth grade. So, whoopee, Green; for being the family’s prodigy.
The problem was that they really, really wanted to catch that worm. To Green, a free entrance exam for a private school was simply a matter of waking up before the bird.
It was a fancy letter that stood out in their mailbox. Shades of navy blue with brass accents. Green never knew paper could be pearlescent. Something about learning something new every day made their stomach do twenty somersaults. Green had never held anything so carefully — not even their cousin’s newborn. Their steps were stealthily quick as they headed toward their room.
The envelope almost glowed. Perhaps it really did have a subtle sheen hidden in the silver details. Trembling fingers reached for the wax seal; its perfectionist design made it seem as though the slightest sound would snap it in half. The rustling of the letter against the paper was deafening.
Their eyes instinctively skipped through the “Dear Green” bullcrap. They didn't know whether to breathe again or hold their breath a little longer.
The first thing Green did was stare into nothingness. They fixed their gaze on a sock lying on the floor. What a lovely stain of juice carton.
The letter was sealed only loosely. Green could count the fibers from the fingernails that had brushed against the paper. One more quick peek — just to be sure.
Then they closed the letter, again. That bird could catch the worm right out of their mouth if they wanted to.
You've been accepted.
In bold.
The last thing the whole house heard was a sound similar to that of a backhoe reversing.
-
Their father’s pickup truck makes a strange noise when the engine starts. Green says it sounds like a mix of rocks hitting plastic amid their auncle's snores. Usually, everyone gets it right away.
It’s funny because they can remember exactly when the truck started doing that. The blazing sun still burned. Droplets from the plastic pool still dripped under their nose. It’s almost as if it were yesterday.
And then there it was — the sound. Just as they were about to head out to get ice cream.
It became part of the family. Getting into the Ol’ Mudsy meant spending five minutes of the trip just turning the engine on and off.
It was that same rumbling that brought Green back to reality. An ironed shirt, plaid tie and pants… there had never been a time when they thought they'd have to dress like this. They wished they'd discovered sooner just how comfortable loafers are.
Green had been awake for over an hour, trying to look somewhat neat. After all, this is Skeld Preparatory — you can’t just show up there in a sweatshirt and cargo pants. Besides, pants are expensive. Loafers even more so.
“Greenie, are you ready, hun?!” Their mother was outside, already in the pickup truck.
“Yep!” They quickly grabbed their backpack and their cap from the nightstand. It found its way onto their head before they even realized it. “Comin’!”
Green looked at themselves in the mirror one more time. They forced a smile and tightened their tie a little more. This was finally happening.
They finally rushed through the entrance door and sat straight onto the passenger’s seat.
The grass slowly gave way to tall buildings. The cobblestone pavement no longer jolted the pickup truck — it hadn’t been cobblestone for quite a while. Meanwhile, the birdsong was quickly drowned out by the music on the radio.
A sparkle lit up their eyes.
Skeld Preparatory. Right in front of them. Green made a point of giving themselves a little pinch. I mean, wow. Skeld Preparatory. Wow.
Starting today, their future begins. A leader, someone trustworthy, the future-
“Oh, Greenie! I’m so proud of you!” Their mother ruffled their hair. “You go there and you rock, okay?”
Green gave a choked chuckle. “Oka- okay! I will!”
They grabbed their backpack and opened the door. Green could hear the splashing of water. Kids complaining about the heat. Taking a deep breath, they stepped forward.
Ol’ Mudsy’s loud roar startled Green for the first time in ages. As they slowly minced toward the great gate of their future, the rumbling faded into distance.
-
If Green thought the farm was big, then the grounds of Skeld Preparatory were massive. Certainly more hectares than the worm farm had ever even dared to dream of. Staring at the sun glinting off the fountain’s water, they pulled down the brim of their cap.
It was silly to think that arriving half an hour early meant they were early. As far as the eye could see, there were more people just at the entrance than at all the family reunions Green had ever attended.
It was like seeing a castle from an animated movie in real life. Their smile was just like princesses’. They spun around as if they were twirling their dress — though they just wanted to see how much the treetops covered the concrete.
There must be carts piled high with chairs that have to come through the main door. Green can’t think of any other reason for the door to be so tall except for that. And the pillars alone must support the entire building — as wide as a tire laid on its side.
Their hand hesitated before reaching for the silver doorknob. Green nearly choked when the door opened without them even touching it. They didn’t know that sensor technology worked on doors that weren’t sliding ones.
Green blinked a few times after a pompous figure emerged from behind the door. Doorknob in hands.
“Hi! Welcome to the Skeld!” The figure practically jumped in their face. “I knew you’d try to get in early!”
They stumbled back. “Oh! Hi! How… how did you know I was coming in right now?”
“A hall monitor’s secret must never be revealed.”
“Oh.”
“I’m Orange, and I’m in charge of giving you the school tour!” They said, spreading their arms wide allowing Green to look inside the building.
A staircase that split into two flights caught their attention, along with a large bulletin board in the middle of the hallway. There were a vast number of portals leading to long hallways that Green could see just from standing outside.
Green couldn't help nodding along. Orange radiated through their smile.
“I’m Green! So you’re the peer mentor here?” It was an honor to meet someone in such a position at the school right off the bat. And to get a personal tour from them? Amazing!
They let out a little chuckle. “That, among other things.”
Orange cast a quick sideways glance, a twinkle lighting up their eyes. They couldn’t help but let a broad smile spread across their face.
“But don’t think of me as the vice president from the student council…” They narrowed their eyes and leaned in. “Think of me as your new friend from the student council!”
“Wow! Thanks!”
“This is the part where I would normally hand you the trust ball, but I can't find it for the life of me…”
Orange — their new friend from the student council — pulled a clipboard with a pen attached from their backpack. They clicked it a couple of times before jotting something down on a piece of paper. The pen had a gold tip and scribbled smoothly. Green pulled their shoulder straps tighter as they scanned the back of the clipboard from side to side.
When they seemed satisfied with their report, Orange hummed and clicked the pen one last time.
“May we start the tour? Trust me, you won’t wanna miss a single thing!”
Green let go of the straps of their shoulders and clenched their fists. “Yes!”
As they simply smiled and led the way, Green took an unsteady step into the building. A carpet of long, soft fibers welcomed their white loafers. Several statue busts looked them up and down.
The hallway seemed even longer from the inside. More doorways leading to even more hallways came into view. Their eyes scanned the hand-painted frames, one after another.
Landscapes from all over the world covered the walls. Their slightly ill-fitting pants sagged down to their heels.
“Oh, right. No hats allowed inside the buildings!”
Green stopped. “Oh. Sorry.”
“Let’s head to the first stop: the restrooms!” Orange power walked down one of the hallways.
Their cap slipped into their backpack. Green simply zipped it shut and stepped off the carpet.
-
First days of school were never White’s favorite. It wasn't entirely because they marked the end of summer break, it was more because of the way everyone showed up with a new hairstyle. Or unruly backpacks. Or because they had to listen to the same old trivial stories over and over again from all social cliques.
Like, okay — you went to Rome. Big whoop.
Of course, seeing old acquaintances is always nice (and having someone to talk to besides house servants is even better), but… something about this new algebra teacher didn’t sit right with White. They wear their shirt completely untucked, and their tie doesn’t match their shoes. How can you expect to teach when you can’t even dress properly? It’s bare minimum.
The teacher quickly told all the students to sit down, and White found themselves in a seat at one of the desks in the front row. It was simply a matter of convenience, after all. Front rows are a quick way to the trash can.
They tapped their fingers lightly on the desk, their head resting on their wrist. The temperature this time of year is pleasant. Polus was never very hot to begin with, so getting used to the sun was the only — minor — obstacle.
The squeak of the marker on the whiteboard made White cringe. First day and the marker’s already out of ink? Pathetic. They’re letting just anyone into Skeld these days.
The good part is that algebra is easy — it always has been — so it doesn’t really matter what the teacher goes over. As long as the textbooks have enough exercises, their incompetence won’t be much of a hindrance.
White clicked their pen with a faint click and scribbled down the date. Several colored markers left marks in their notebook; small stamps adorned the pages. Their hand had already reached for the textbook while the teacher chattered on about the guidelines and content that would be covered throughout the year.
As usual, the schedule for the semester’s final exams had already been set, with the topics for the coming weeks marked on the calendar. White simply jotted everything down on the first page of their notebook and waited for the actual class to begin.
That was another downside of the first few days of class: most of the time was wasted on introductions — even though everyone had known each other since elementary school. They simply gazed at the clear sky through the window while background noise went in one ear and out the other.
“Now, who’s the class rep?” The teacher scratched their throat.
White didn’t even think before raising their hand. “That would be me.”
“White, is it?” Their nod was quick. “Could you guide the new student through the textbook? I need to know where they left off in the material, and you’d be of great help.”
A new student? Well, it stands to reason that some people would join the school at the start of high school. It makes sense that someone might have transferred to Skeld or come from homeschooling.
They ran a finger through a strand of hair, which fell gently behind their ear.
“Of course. Where can I find this new student, so to speak?”
Beside them, two pairs of eyes waved in their direction. A shade verging on caramel, or somewhere between almond and chestnut.
“Well… I’m new and I’m a student. So I guess that’s… me?” The voice cracked and was slightly off-key, accompanied by a forced smile.
“Oh, how convenient. You’re sitting right next to me.” Their eyes fluttered uncomfortably fast. White simply looked away. “I suppose I can help you with the material.”
“Awesome!” They almost jumped at them. “I mean, spectacular!”
A silence settled over the invisible barrier between both of them. Just a friendly smile facing the worst posture White had ever witnessed.
“So, uh… do I? Bring the desks closer?”
“Huh?” White got their thoughts back on track. “Oh, well, yes. If it’s a one-time thing, then I guess there’s no problem.”
The other student moved their chair closer, their desks almost touching. White squeezed their own thighs together and peeked at the new student’s desk. A black pencil case with two pens.
“You’re a minimalist, I see.”
“Huh? What, me?” They gave an awkward laugh, their gaze following White’s. “Well, not really. I just- I guess, actually- there’s no reason to carry too many pens. I just need two.”
“Oh. And you don’t get… lost?”
“Two colors are enough for me!”
White muttered. Usually everyone carries at least one highlighter with them. You know, to underline the important parts. How do they know what really matters?
“I see you have a heck ton of colors!” They almost lunged at the notebook.
They pulled back a little. “Uh, yeah. Some of them are from last year. Had to do some last-minute shopping.”
“Neat!” The new kid picked up a black pen and popped the cap off. “Page 34?”
With a nod, they both opened their workbooks. White read the first paragraph and grabbed their mechanical pencil to scribble in their scratch pad. They pursed their lips and glanced to the side.
They still seemed to be reading, squinting. Do they need glasses?
“So, do you remember any of this stuff?” White twirled the pencil between their fingers.
“Not really, no.” They bit the inside of their cheek. “I don’t know how to do this part.”
“Oh. Quadratic equation?”
“Yeah.”
White hummed. They're probably homeschooled, then. No self-respecting school would pass a student who doesn’t know this material.
Well, it doesn’t hurt to teach them. They can do this with their eyes closed.
“Basically, you just use the quadratic formula and solve for the discriminant.” White watched the other kid’s face as they simply nodded and pressed their lips together. “So when the discriminant is greater than zero, there are two real solutions, and so on…”
“Uh-huh. So this one-” They pointed to an equation equal to zero. “Would have two real solutions?”
Silence and a stern expression took their place. “…This one has one real solution.”
“Oh.” They blinked slowly. “I see.”
“Look.” White looked straight ahead and wrote down some numbers. “You take this and put it here, so you just calculate it keeping the discriminant in mind. You can also remember it with the mnemonic, though I don’t think it’s necessary.”
“Mnemonic… got it.”
White smiled. “Great! Good to see you’re catching up.”
They went back to scribbling with their pen in some corner of the notebook. On the same page where they'd written the content?
“Uh, don’t you want a pencil to do that?”
“Pencil?” Their gaze darted to White’s hand. “No, no, no, when I use erasers my hands get too rough. Thank you, though!”
With a ringing bell, the end of class was announced. The teacher stood up and picked up the handout, offering their final remarks to the students. White began packing up their supplies for the next lab class. They didn’t want to leave anything behind or — God forbid — be late. That would ruin their academic record.
“Well, I guess that’s it. I’m glad to be of help, uhh…”
Saliva caught in their throat. “Green! My name is Green.”
“Green. If you have any questions, just ask me. I’m the class representative, anyway, so you can always come to me for help.” White slung one of the backpack straps over their shoulder and stood up. Green was quite short.
“Thank you!”
“You’re welcome.”
Green looked back at them, the sunlight hitting their back. White hadn’t even noticed that they had dyed hair at the ends — they were probably too busy with algebra and all that school stuff. Maybe radical haircuts weren’t so bad after all.
“So…”
“Oh- yeah! Class!” They gave themselves a little tap on the head. “See you there, uh…”
“White.”
“Yeah, White. See ya.”
White tapped their feet lightly on the floor. Their loafers scraped against the hardwood floor as they rubbed their fingernails together.
Green. Huh, so that was something. At least White managed to teach the homeschooled student something new. Point for them!
The teacher suddenly caught their attention. Sunlight was the only thing illuminating the room. White blinked two or three times at the horizon.
The next class. Right. White strode purposefully toward the science lab, their mind still on the first algebra class from the first day of high school.
-
Choosing where to sit has always been harder than choosing what to eat. The range of options in the cafeteria line always comes down to two things: salad and pizza. As for the tables, there are more variables than Green can count. Near the door or near the window? Round table or rectangular table? And that’s not even considering the groups already seated — which complicates things even further.
And Green wasn’t about to fall into the cliché of the new student eating alone in the bathroom.
Although… there are hardly any empty tables, and they didn't want to interrupt someone’s conversation and ruin the mood at the table. And sitting down without asking permission is a violation of basic common sense.
With every passing second, the restroom seemed more inviting. And there are plenty of napkins there!
“Yahoo!” Green tensed their muscles when they heard the clinking of metal coming their way.
They glanced back briefly. A long skirt almost dragged along the floor; colorful embellishments filled every available space on that figure. That was what was approaching, accompanied by a gentle smile.
“Namaste.” They bowed, crossing their legs. “I’m sooo sorry I followed you, but I saw you leaving and… I couldn’t help but sense your aura.”
Green let out a choked laugh. “My what?”
“Your aura. I’d never seen an aura so intense before, so I had to come talk to you.”
“Oh. Thank you?”
“No, no. Thank you.”
Green’s face remained frozen in that same confused smile for an indefinite amount of time. And the other person kept radiating flowers right in front of them.
“I was wondering if you’d like to sit with me and my friend; I’m very interested to know where such strong energy comes from.” They clasped their hands together. Their tone was serious yet somehow cheerful.
So much for carefully choosing a place to sit, the opportunity to not face a decision was right there! “Well, what the heck, sure! Lead the way.”
They made their way through the crowd of teenagers and crowded tables, Green still carrying their tray behind the bouncing figure. The further back they went, the less crowded the place seemed. Only one person sat there, poking at a piece of lettuce.
“I’m Cyan, by the way! What’s your name? Oh- you give off Veridian vibes, or Emerald!”
They let out a choked laugh. “You were on the right track. I’m Green, nice to meet you!”
“Green! What a beautiful name!” Cyan sat down at the table. “So, what year were you born in? And what time? Natural birth or C-section?”
“Want their credit card number, too?” A monotone voice dripped with sarcasm. Cyan scowled.
“These are important questions!”
“Sup, I’m Black. Cyan said you matched their frequency. Or whatever that means.” They sucked up every last drop of their boxed juice.
Green’s eyes widened. “Wow! Is this good?”
“Very! Now, I’m sensing Scorpio. Am I right?”
“How did you know that?!”
“Had a feeling. Plus, Cancer and Scorpio are bound to be a great duo! Am I right, Black?”
Black pushed the tomato to the other side of the tray. “Ever since I let you make my astral map, that’s all I’ve heard about.”
Green could hear their own laughter as Cyan and Black became background voices. They didn't even notice whether they were sitting by the window or by the door. The sound of the bell ringing came too fast for Green to realise it happened.
“It was a pleasure to meet you, Green! I knew my dream meant something good.”
“Oh, what was it about?”
“Well, you see, I was walking my pet iguana and suddenly-”
Black cleared their throat. “Sorry to interrupt the oh-so-very-important chatter, but they’re going to close the cafeteria in like, one minute, and I’d like to get to class on time.”
A soft chuckle echoed. “Sorry! We’ll see each other around!”
“Bye!”
Green watched as Cyan and Black disappeared behind the large door. Somewhere between astrology and pet iguanas, the cafeteria had emptied out.