Chapter Text
The Serentia Central Academy is known as the most popular institution of education in the whole Serentia. Only the picked students from different regions are allowed to enter the academy. It just so happens that Mira received the e-mail from the academy at the brink of sunrise.
You have been chosen to attend the central academy of Serentia. We are honored to have you here!
A message like that along with the location address, school rules and regulations, directory and requirements were enough to make Mira joyed. Anyone chosen by the academy would be overjoyed like her, she thought. It was as if she was dreaming awake. All those research about the school, all those studying to pass the entrance exam, and all those efforts of going to such a far place really paid off.
She thought of sending a message to her father or her mother, but closed her laptop anyways. "Nevermind..." she muttered. She stood up from her bed, as she walked outside her room. She lives in the house of her late uncle that has been passed onto her. As far as she has heard, the house that she has inherited was passed down from generations to generations. She found that interesting yet unnerving, but she could handle it.
She did her daily routine: eating breakfast, taking a bath, running on some errands, and stuff like that. It was afternoon before she decided to contact the school. She managed to get the call of a staff member of the academy.
"Hello? Serentia Central Academy Teacher June Alenger is on the other side. How may I help you?"
"Um... My name is Mira Taer. You see, I've received this e-mail about entering the academy and... I was wondering if I could know the further direction to the school?"
"Ah, Miss Taer!" the voice of June Alenger was flowing with happiness. "You do not have to! You've given us your address in your registration form, so the school vehicle will pick you up tomorrow!"
Mira's eyes widened. It was a shock to hear that the school vehicle would pick her up by the next day. What will they think about her? She must be prepared by tomorrow. Serentia Central Academy was also known for their students, either high-ranking, popular or excellent in competencies. It would be humiliating if they saw her looking like a careless anthro-cat girl who doesn't care about her surroundings. It was quite obvious to see, judging that she hasn't cleaned up the mess in the kitchen when she cooked for the neighbours in an event recently. "W-wait, what time does the vehicle come around?"
"Hmm... about 5 in the morning?"
After having a conversation with the teacher, she hung up. She was sleepy and tired, but she needed to make the house look presentable for tomorrow. 'Five o'clock in the morning!?' she thought. Despite her laziness, she kept cleaning every inch of her house, making sure not a single dirt was left and not a single insect woud survive. She packed her things. Maybe a teacher would come... or maybe the principal! The sheer thought of the school principal or teacher coming made her nervous enough to get the cleaning job faster. She wouldn't get tired easily, would she?
*ding dong*
The same ringing sound has been repeating constantly. Knocks were also heard from the front door. Mira, sleeping on the living room floor hugging a broom woke up from the noise. "Wha...? Who is it...", she stood up to open the door. As she swung the door open, came the most embarassing scene in her life.
An anthromorphic rabbit stared at her, blinking a few times before gulping. Mira didn't like people disturbing her sleep, so she kept a glare. She looked at the boy from head to toe, until noticing the crest on the boy's uniform.
She froze. She couldn't speak either. In front of her was a student from Serentia Central Academy!
"H-hey, wait--!" Due to immense panic, she slammed the door closed. "I-I'm sorry! Please wait!" she shouted. The rabbit walked a few steps back, unsure how to react to that. He came to pick her up. As the student council president, it was a part of his duty.
Mira looked at the clock. 'F-five fifteen!?' she shouted internally. It was 5:15, and the assigned time was 5:00. Could it be that the student has been standing there for the whole fifteen minutes!? She ran around the house, dashing quickly as she gets prepared.
After 20 minutes, Mira came out of her home, carrying her bags. First day, and she probably has a tardiness grade already. She looked at the anthromorphic rabbit with an embarassed expression. "I... am so sorry," she apologized, as she bowed with respect. This made the rabbit feel uneasy. "N-no, it's fine!" he said with such a bright smile, as if it was the sunlight of the world; that's how Mira saw it. And this was another thing about SCA. Half of the academy's students are good-looking and well-dressed. A thing that she couldn't catch up with.
"You're Mira Taer, right?" he asked, as he carried some of her bags. A gentleman, indeed. Mira nodded.
"I'm Hugh Brown. I'm the president of the student council in SCA," he introduced himself cheerfully. The words "president of the student council" echoed around Mira's head. The boy she made to wait for 35 minutes, the boy carrying her bags right now, and the boy who went all the way here to pick her up is the student council president!
Student council presidents were the powerful ones amongst the powerful bunch of student council members. And to make such a powerful student wait outside this early in the morning was unacceptable. And he was also so kind. How can she have done this to such an innocent being?
"I'm very sorry!" Mira shouted again. Hugh laughed softly. "No, it's fine! You're a new student, so you're probably not used to this yet, am I right?"
An angel. It was what Hugh was. Such an understanding young man. Mira thought.
After having a short conversation, they entered the fancy-looking van with the SCA crest. Hugh placed her bags on the seat behind them. Silence filled the car, unnerving Mira to start a conversation. "So, um, where are the other students? Well, those who are also chosen?" she decided to ask, noticing that it was only her, Hugh, and the driver in the van. She stayed calm, even though the current scenario was making her think that this was fake or a scam of some sort, and the real SCA service already left beforehand while she was still sleeping.
"Well, the other members of the student council and some staff members are out picking up the other new students..." Hugh replied, as he looked at his phone to check the time. "...we don't get that much students every year, you see..." he continued, as he put his phone back in his pocket. It wasn't a surprise that they didn't have much students, since only the lucky ones and the talented ones get to enter the academy.
"I can see why," Mira said. "SCA students need to be amazing! I don't even know how I got in..."
Hugh laughed. He sat straight, and fixed his seatbelt. "What do you mean?"
Mira looked outside. She shrugged. "I don't know... you guys are featured on TV everyday, the school is part of huge foundations... everything about SCA is amazing," she said as she daydreamed of the thousand things that could happen in the academy. Hugh looked at her, then looked ahead. "You know.... it's not as amazing as you think it is.." he murmured softly, but enough for Mira to hear.
"What do YOU mean?" Mira asked, curious. Hugh shooked his head, and smiled. "Nothing..." he said.
After that, the car wasn't as quiet as before. They would talk about school-related stuff, sometimes even personal interests. "What are the students like?"
Hugh pondered for a while, before opening his mouth to reply.
"The students are very unique in their own ways. Usually parted up into after school clubs. I have a few friends and some who catch my interest in other clubs...", he replied happily. Mira's ears perked up. "After school clubs?"
"Yes," Hugh replied, as he pulled out his phone. He swiped to his gallery to show a picture of him with different people. He pointed at the fox anthro standing still forcing a smile. "This is Falaos, he's the president of the Sports Club. Even though he may be serious and hot-headed at times, he's a very nice guy. He shows understanding to anyone, and it may not look like it... but he's a real energetic person!"
He pointed at the white haired human girl who, no joking, was really beautiful. "Momo's the Gardening Club president. She has a strong bond with flowers... some may even say that she can talk to them! She's a very kind person, and very caring to those around her," he went on.
He pointed at the innocent-looking anthro wolf who seemed to be hugging a cello. "This one's Fionn. He's the president of the Music Club. He's a real sweetheart and very pure, I tell you... he's very friendly and trustworthy young man..." he added. They all looked so nice and considerate, far from Mira's imagination of being surrounded by mean students or bullies who go "goo-goo ga-ga" over their pride and mock it all over her face. She took notice of two young men out of place amongst the interacting students in the background.
"Who are those two?", she asked, pointing at the two boys.
Hugh stared at the two young men who were distant from the crowd. He pointed at the black haired boy covered by his blue hoodie. A dark atmosphere seems to surround him. "This is Dark Harss. As far as I've learnt, he's from a wealthy family who led some sort of organization protecting the people around the cities and towns. Despite all the nice things about him... he's the leader of a deliquent gang..."
He then placed his thumb on the other young man. He had white hair with black glasses, walking distant from the crowds of people. He had a strange yet cool aura surrounding him. "This one is Liam Jordan. From a once known family, it's said that he left home to live on his own. He refuses to join any club, and is practically a loner... we try to understand him, but that's a thing about him. We can't comprehend him..."
Mira stared at the two boys, then at the group where Hugh is in. "Do you guys talk to them?"
Hugh scractched the back of his head. "We try, when we get the chance..."
Hugh sighed, as he kept the phone back. "...but we fail, everytime."
Mira let out a small 'huh'. She has already learnt a few things about SCA students. Each of them are different.
And so Mira hoped to also be unique from other students.
The van stopped moving, startling Mira. She looked outside the window to see huge gates with fancy outlines and details. Ahead of the road were a number of vans driving on towards the academy, as the gates opened to let them enter.
She was finally in Serentia Central Academy.