Young Writers Society

The jingle was followed by footsteps and percy turned to the sound. A girl stood at the end of the hall. "Hi! I'm Kay" she spoke before continuing, " i think there's a teacher coming, so I'd really like to use whatever's behind that door to hide. Would you mind? I won't take long".
Percy eyes studied the girl and moved left to let the girl, Kay, in. He followed behind her quickly closing the door as the sound of poised steps rang just around the corner of the hall. He leaned on the door taking in the rooms he found. It was a relatively small room around 8 feet wide 6 feet long and the roof stood like any of the other rooms in clockworth, tall and mighty. It reminded him of a common bedroom. The girl, Kay, stood inches from Percival.
"I'm Percival Steele. Call me Percy or Civ. May I ask why a maiden such as yourself was running from a teacher? Did you do something wrong?" Percy spoke with proper tone. She smiled lightly. " You can speak normally. I'm middle class." Percy nodded lightly and turned to the room. It looked well taken care of, but was very clearly unused.
"oh wow" Kay's voiced. Its design was beautiful. It held a mechanical look with gears, cogs and other parts showing in the walls. A small fireplace, clearly mechanical as it didn't have a chimney, was unlit and unused as it appeared like the rest of the room. There were chairs around the fireplace and a small table. To Percy it looked like a meeting room, a lodge of sorts, for something. Maybe one of the older groups of students had once used it.
To Percy's amazement the room was truly worthy of being called magnificent. The magnitude of creativity it would tale for a mechanic to build this room. The floors had little rails built in that seemed to connect to the furniture. A sudden loud sound of the door creaking caught Percy's attention. Not unlike Percy, Kay heard it to following Percy's eyes to the door. They both quickly hid and watched from under the dainty table as a pair of expensive shoes walked through the room.
The person stayed for a few minutes scoping the room before leaving. Percy waited a little long before drawing out and looking to kay. "That was close. Now can I ask why you were hiding?" He studied he face watching her expression. Had she done something wrong already? Percival grinned at the thought. This girl would be fun, Percy knew this much.


"Why I was hiding?" Kay thought for a moment. "I guess I didn't want to make a bad impression on any teachers before class started. You see, I was-" She broke off abruptly, remembering what her roommate had said about not underestimating anyone. But... lying didn't come naturally to Kay, and she'd already started telling the boy what she was up to. She shrugged and continued talking.
"Well, I was looking for my roommate's name. I was hoping it would be in a classroom somewhere, but the one I tried was locked, and I didn't want to seem like I was trying to break into a classroom... And to be honest, the teachers kind of scare me." Kay smiled wryly. "Oh, thanks for letting me in here, by the way! It's nice to meet you, Civ."
The grey-eyed boy nodded. "Likewise. And I appreciate you talking to me normally. Its a first".
"Of course! Talking formally all the time must be exhausting." Kay looked around the room again, more slowly now that there was no immediate threat of discovery by a teacher. She stood up and started examining the fireplace. "This place is awesome... There's no way the door to this room was just open. How did you manage to unlock it?" Kay tried rotating the various gears attached to the fireplace as she listened to Percy's response.
"I grew up with machines and secret rooms, and I've always liked exploring. I could tell that door was made by the inventor Emmeline Wraithwood, meaning there's a trick to opening it." Percy smiled. "All I had to do was flick a lever!"
"That's neat!" Kay was about to say more, but just then, there was a click!, and the gear she had been turning started to move. Kay raised her eyebrows and watched as it started a chain reaction, with larger gears rotating until the fireplace eventually split down the middle. The two sides turned inwards with twin creaks, revealing a cobwebbed passageway.
Kay turned to Percy. "Did you know the fireplace could do that?" She immediately peered into the passageway, trying to figure out where it might lead. "It's too dark... Hold on." Kay scanned the room, looking for a portable light source. The light fixtures on the walls probably won't move, and I don't see any candles... Suddenly, her gaze landed on a small box next to the fireplace. She opened it and found a lantern, which she prompty lit using the matches that had been next to it. That's very convenient. It seems like someone's used this passageway before... But considering all those spiderwebs, it's likely fallen into disuse. So it should be safe enough, as long as the ceiling doesn't fall or anything...
Kay held the lantern so that it illuminated the beginning of the passage, and glanced at Percy. "Well then. I'm getting incredibly curious about all these secret mechanisms, so shall we go see where this passageway leads?"


Percy's eyes caught kays for a second before speaking. "More exploring? Lets go!" He took a large step into the passage. Walking side by side with Kay the once dark passageway illuminated. Cobwebs hung low in percy's face and brushing one away he spoke, "How long do you think its been since someone used this passageway? It must have been a while".
"Definitely... There seems to be a whole colony of spiders in here." Kay eyed the walls with distaste. Percy followed her eyes and nodded for her to see. "But besides the spiders this is very cool".
The hall seemed to never end with few turns until they came upon a three way split. " Which way?" Kay spoke looking at the different halls."May I get the lantern for a second?" If there was one way to find their way it would be to find the flow of air. Every passage like this would have one. Kay handed Percival the lantern and he opened the doors one it.
His eyes ranked the flame as he began to flow to the left.. "we go that way it will lead outwards." Kay's eyes widened giving her a confused look but Percy quickly learned it wasn't A confused look, it was more of a surprised and awed look, when she spoke.
"Where'd you learn that?! That's almost as cool as the secret passageway behind the fireplace." She questioned. Percys eyes shifted as to avoid the question. " it probably leads out and that's where we need to go". He took large steps down the hall. It was much short of a walk and ended at what looked to be the back of a painting. Kay quickly went up against it pushing her ear close.
"sounds empty where ever we are" her words softened before ahe pushed the painting to the side. It appeared to be a hall in the dorm area. Not far from where Percy and his roommate were placed. He felt relief seeing the bland halls and normal doors. Its large walls and clear glass in the windows helped him forget what had happened not long ago. He looked at Kay before turning to a window.
It was slightly darker that earlier, meaning a good amount of time had passed. It wasn't much he inquired from the sky.

Both post for the collab equal to 2088 words 😂😇🖐

Tev had signed about maybe just a thousand and a half papers. Or at least, his hand felt like it, fingers tense and sore. Absentmindedly massaging his hand, Tev waited for the secretary to return with his room key. They said he’d been placed with someone named Lenon. Or… Leonard? He wasn’t sure. Names were all starting to blend together when they had spouted about two dozen different classes and teachers at him.
But at least he wasn’t roommates with that ‘Arc’ character. Tev wasn’t one to believe everything someone told him, but the “Wraith”--as he called them internally–had known who he actually was. Maybe they were an agent of the Outlaws? A helper, sent to make sure he got settled. That did seem a little unlikely though. How would he never have heard of them before?
Tev shrugged it off and flexed his fingers just as the bony secretary shuffled back with a small key ring. She smiled warmly at him, and handed over the ring. Along with a key, there was a small plate inscribed with a 3-09.
“There you are, darling. Don’t you worry about orientation, it’s mostly drivel anyway,” she gave a conspiratorial wink, “Just get settled in your room.”
Tev found himself smiling back, “Thank you. Er… have a good day!” He said, turning away. The old woman nodded and then hurried off to do some other task. Tev walked down the hall quickly, feeling as if the eyes of the few people left in the halls were on him.
Finally, after a troublesome walk up a flight of stairs, Tev reached his room. The door was rather exquisite compared to what he was used to. The handle was even carved metal, woven in patterns. He stuck his key in the lock and fiddled with it a moment, until the door finally swung open. Tev held his breath, expecting to see someone else in there.
He released it when there were only a few items of luggage. Evidently, Leonard had already been here, but was probably at orientation with the rest of the students. Hopefully, he would be a pleasant roommate. Not that Tev had really had a roommate before. Except Araden. He’d technically been his roommate. Even if… he was half dead…
Tev shuddered, and finally dragged his bags inside the room, plopping them on the side with the unclaimed bed. He laid down with a relieved sigh, surprised to find the bed was all too comfortable. In fact, it was unbearable. Tev stood up and shivered, quite unaccustomed to such softness.
Then the doorknob rattled and Tev panicked. Finally, he just sat on the bed and tried to look as casual as possible, despite his beating heart. A boy, similar to Tev’s own age, walked into the room. He looked distracted until he saw Tev, when–presumably–Leonard smacked his head into the wall as he jumped back.
“Uh, hello? Are you my roommate?” he said, holding his bruised head, and sounding very confused.
Tev swallowed and tried to sound calm, “Uh, yeah, I’m Araden. Araden ald Scopulus.”
Internally, he cringed at the snottiness seeping from his voice, but it was all an act anyway. The boy blinked for a moment, expression unreadable, “Ok... I’m Leonard. But uh, my friends call me Arc.”
Tev froze, staring at Leonard, who looked increasingly uncomfortable.
“Nice… Nice to meet you,” he couldn’t stop his voice from catching for a moment. Behind Leonard, or Arc, a figure appeared, still cloaked.
“Oh… Well, it seems you didn’t need my heads up. Just uh… Don’t touch the rings,” Then they disappeared again. Leonard didn’t seem to know they were there, and looked around, trying to figure out what Tev was staring at.
“Er, how was Orientation?”

“Orientation? Oh ya it was great, fun, uh sorry you missed it.”

Leonard cringed, great fun? He thought, what was he talking about? He was overwhelmed and confused and his rings were giving him the distinct feeling that someone was behind him, the feeling passed before he could react though and he collapsed onto his bed.

In moment he sat up, his head ached but besides that he felt alright.

“Ow” he touched his head “sorry, I was a little surprised, uh actually orientation was pretty boring it wasn’t really necessary. But wait, why didn’t you go? I thought it was mandatory or something?”

104 words

Tev Ilidar

“Ow”, Leonard touched his head “sorry, I was a little surprised, uh actually orientation was pretty boring it wasn’t really necessary. But wait, why didn’t you go? I thought it was mandatory or something?”
Tev shifted uncomfortably, “Well, I kind of got to the school a little late, and this lady at the front… I mean, uh, it’s none of your business, you nosy twerp!” Tev started feeling nauseated. He couldn’t tell what exactly from, if it was Arc, or the strange person only he seemed to see, or his own forced arrogance.
Leonard was taken aback. It wasn’t the first time, and Tev was sure it wouldn’t be the last. He’d have to watch himself carefully around his roommate. One slip up, and Tev could be put before the dreaded Inquisitors.
“Uh-” Leonard started, but Tev cut him off.
“Oh, by the way, who told you you could just waltz in here without a simple knock on the door?! What if I was changing, you unobservant swine! You might have seen things, and for that, I’d make sure my father would have you hanged!!” Spittle was flying out of Tev’s mouth as he sunk deeper into the persona of Araden. It was like a warm blanket, and Tev knew he’d done it again.
His power was certainly illusions, but whether they were for everyone else and not him, he wasn’t so sure. Leonard looked scared as Tev stood over him. Tev realized he had made the illusion of Araden grow ever so larger, and get a darker appearance.
Oops…
Tev blinked, then looked around.
Arc was mumbling an apology, but Tev said his own and rushed out the door before he could hear another word from his roommate.

***

Tev had not yet returned to his dorm by the time that the sun had sunk deep into the mountains. A dark red and purple shimmer covered the sky, becoming an artist’s fever dream.
“Sky is a beautiful thing, ey?” that voice said.
Tev didn’t even jump.
“Eh.”
Enigma–as Tev had begun to call them– sat down by him on the roof of Clockworth. The massive clocktower was not far away, and he could hear the swooshing sound as the pendulum swung back and forth.
“Oh c’mon. It aint that bad. You had to be a prick to another kid. Get over it,” Enigma said, though their voice had a comforting tone. The copper roof of Clockworth was growing colder by the moment, though they did not seem to notice. Tev simply made himself warm with an illusion to his body.
He couldn’t see Enigma’s eyes, but he felt them. “Aight, look, you can’t stop now. Not yet. You’re starting to lose trust in everything, in yourself now. But trust me, you’ll make it through.”
Tev finally glanced up.
“Who are you?” he asked, simply.
Enigma shrugged, ratty cloak shivering in the wind.
“Ever read “A Holiday Hymn”? With the old lady and the three spirits? Well, I’m all three of ‘em. Past, present, future. Nifty little gift, I think.”
Tev’s eyebrows furrowed, “So… you can… travel in time?”
Enigma laughed, “No, no, nothing quite so extravagant. I can simply converse with the past. People, animals. Doors, if I’m feeling adventurous.”
Tev snorted, “Never seen a door talk.”
“OI! ARE YA’ JUS’ GON’ PRETEND LIKE I DON’T EXIST?!” a voice suddenly yelled near them. Enigma didn’t look surprised, though Tev jolted, and nearly slid all the way off the metal roof.
“What the-”
“AINT SEEN A DOOR TALK?! WHY, YOU… YOU…” the voice burst into a strange sound that Tev soon identified as a coughing fit. He looked around for Enigma, but they had disappeared again.
“Typical…”
“...you…” the voice finally started to stop coughing. Tev glanced around wildly, trying to figure out who was talking.
“Dimwit,” the wall next to him said.
Tev jumped again, and realized he’d been sitting against metal shutters of a large window. Apparently, they could talk. The window adornment creaked slightly in the wind as it shifted into a face–well, more of just a general feeling Tev got from it–of indignation.
“You been sittin on me for the last hour, an’ ya can’ even say hi?” it said.
Tev had heard of the talking furniture at Clockworth, but always passed it off as some gossip about a story that had gotten out of hand.
“Uhm… Sorry… Nice to meet you?”
“Ya don’ sound certain ‘bout tha. How’d ya even git up here tho’?’”
Tev winced, “No, no, it is nice. I’ve never met talking shutters before. And, well, I’ve always had a knack for climbing-”
“SHUTT’RS!? Lad, I’m a door. Throu’ and throu’”
With a cringe, Tev apologized again. He cut himself short as he heard voices from somewhere nearby. Adult voices, presumably not belonging to should-be-inanimate objects.
“Well, kid? Ya just gon’ stan’ there?”
Then the metal shutters squealed as they opened, revealing a dark passageway into the academy. Tev stood shocked, not comprehending what was going on.
“Move yer arse!” The shutters' muffled yell finally put Tev into motion as he climbed into what he had originally thought was a window.
It was… supposed to look like a window?
His confusion was replaced with horror as the door closed behind him, leaving Tev in utter blackness. Through the door, he could hear dulled sounds of people walking. Their shoes echoed on the hard metal of the roof, until they reached where he had been.
“....something around here, I swear!” one voice said, barely reaching through the wall.
“I…nothing up….get back inside!”
Then they walked away, and Tev was left wondering.
“Adults… don’t like them much,” Enigma’s voice echoed through the pitch black hall.
Tev yelped this time, “GAH! Why do you keep doing that?!”
“Oh cmon, ya baby, keep your voice down.”
Tev took a few calming breaths then felt around for the wall and leaned against it.
“Why’d you even get me in here? It was your comment that got me to say the thing about the door, and so then-”
“Shhh! Not important. Just follow the sound of my voice. I’ve got some people you need to meet…”

1028 Words in Total

Kay

As the sky darkened outside, Kay looked around at the dorm hallway she and Percy had emerged from the secret passageway into. 308... 309... it looks like we're on the third floor of a dorm building. And we started in a classroom, so that passageway must connect multiple buildings. How does that work? Did the original creator have some kind of space-manipulating Knack? That would be incredible! Are there any other passageways like that?
Kay couldn't help but feel excited by the prospect of exploring Clockworth Academy more, despite what her mother said about "growing up" and not running through dusty passages. I mean, I won't go exploring every day... just once in a while, she reasoned to herself. But Kay didn't know how she would manage to limit herself like that when she could see so many doors that could lead to interesting places. For example, there was that small door on the opposite wall that seemed to lead to a closet, and a painting of a horse next to the door that might conceal another secret corridor.
Kay was about to pull back the horse painting to check when she glanced outside again and realized the sky was almost completely dark. She sighed and turned to Percy. "It's getting pretty late... we should probably get back to our dorm rooms. Is yours nearby?"
Percy nodded. "I think it's just around the corner."
"Nice! Mine is on the fourth floor... so many stairs," Kay groaned. But she looked back at the painting covering the secret passageway and brightened. "It was fun exploring, though. And it looks like there's a whole labyrinth of hallways we can check out, not to mention that fancy room. In fact, um, what do you say to meeting back at that room sometime and trying those other two forks in the passageway?"
Percy grinned and said, "I'm always up for exploring! What about tomorrow, after classes?"
"Sounds good."
Percy stuck out a hand and they shook on it, then prepared to go their separate ways. But before Kay could take more than a few steps, they heard the sound of a voice, and it was quickly growing louder. It seemed to be... complaining about something?
"--Ey! There's no need to hurry me like that. I'm sure the people I'm supposed to meet can wait a few minutes-- Stop shoving me!"
Kay watched in astonishment as the horse painting across the hallway rippled a bit and slid to the side to reveal a well-dressed student who seemed to be arguing with air. He stopped mid-sentence when he noticed Kay and Percy.
"Uh... Hello." Kay stared at the boy. "Who are you? And who were you talking to?" She craned her neck to peer behind him, but all she saw was a dark passageway that looked somewhat smaller than the one she and Percy had walked through.
Next to Kay, Percy examined the newcomer curiously. "Were you exploring Clockworth too?"
The young man cleared his throat and seemed to stand a little taller. But before he could utter a word, the door to room 309 opened, and a dark-haired student stepped out.
The student from 309 winced and rubbed his temples. "Sorry to interrupt, but my head hurts, and you all talking so loudly doesn't really help..." He subtly touched a pair of rings he was wearing and asked, "What's going on out here?"

(567 words)

Linda Markev

Linda walked down the hallway, munching on a dinner roll while reading the scroll in her other hand. Quite an unprofessional look for a teacher, she knew, but she just didn't have the time to sit down and eat at the dining hall today. She had to make the rounds among the talking furniture to figure out which students had gotten a head start this year. The principal was on the lookout for promising recruits and Linda had been charged with finding talented first-years. She sighed. I don't know why Gregory or Marina or one of the History of Espionage teachers couldn't have done this... I know I enchant the furniture, but really, they'll talk to anyone. Linda finished off her dinner roll and adjusted her glasses. Oh well, I'll just get it done as soon as possible.
First up was the administration office mirror. Linda walked briskly into the office and dismissed the attendant behind the desk with a smile. After a quick sweep to make sure she was alone, she locked the door (it was always better to be discreet about things, even if the mirror would technically talk to anyone). Linda faced the floor-length mirror and said, "Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the cleverest one of all?"
The mirror's surface shimmered. "Hello there, Professor Markev. Let's see now... there were quite a few students who entered the administration office today. Here are the highlights."
In the center of the mirror, a scene of a student sneaking in through the window played. It must have been during lunch, because the attendants were on break and there was no one at the desk. The student in the scene glanced stealthily around and snuck behind the desk into the back room of the office, where all the files were stored. There was nothing important there, of course-- the office would be better secured if there was. Still, Linda watched with interest as the student rummaged around for a bit and eventually exited with another student's file clutched in his hand. Interesting. Sabotage, perhaps? Or intelligence-gathering?
Out loud, Professor Markev said, "Thank you, Mirror, but could you switch to grid view please? I'm afraid I don't have the time to watch everyone one-by-one today."
The mirror obliged and Linda's gaze flickered over the sixteen new squares that popped up. Some sweet-talking of the attendant there... always amusing to see how that turns out... Ah, this girl must be a new one. No subterfuge at all, though her reluctance to use her ability is mildly intriguing... And there's the usual group of confused students trying to get directions...
The clips drew to an end and Linda jotted down a few notes on the scroll she was holding. "Thank you, Mirror. That will be all." Linda turned on a heel of her boot and exited the office, unlocking the door and waving the attendant back inside as she left.
Next, she turned towards the library and conversed with a knight figurine on the librarian's desk. It's always nice to see students stocking up on scrolls and books to learn as much as they can, Professor Markev thought with a smile.
After that, Linda quickly spoke to a bench in the courtyard, then a doorknob on the first floor of a dorm building, then the door at the top of the dorm building. "Someone called you a pair of shutters again? I'm sorry to hear that," Linda sympathized.
She finished up with a few windows in the classroom buildings and dining hall, then retired to her rooms to finish writing up her report for the principal. She tapped her quill against her teeth thoughtfully as she listened to the clocktower strike eight. The clock's been going steady for decades... I hope the Maintainers are wrong about the twelfth chime being late last night, or that it's simply a minor problem with a gear or something. Professor Markev pursed her lips and shrugged. Well, no use worrying about it until we get more news. She turned her attention back to the names of the students she'd written down and started thinking of groups for the first group assignment of her class-- securing the small rebellions in the lower districts.

(705 words)

After mumbled apologize from both, that were equally unnecessary Araden left the room, the clocks rang out that it was one ‘o'clock moments later signaling that it was time for Leonard to get to his first class, as he walked the halls he found that he was glad for the excuse to leave the room, Araden had simply left either for his own reasons or because he too had found the whole scene awkward, Leonard wasn’t sure which, but he had never felt he could leave a room or conversation like that, hold you ground, and never be the first to flee when life gets hard, his father had always said, the memories of his father raised his spirits a bit and gave him some much needed confidence as he came to the door to his class.

-RIDDLES AND ILLUSIONS-
Prof. Eckendorff von Jantoll

Read the sign on the door. Iit was wooden and carven with various designs both beautiful and horrifying, castles and angels, demons and shipwrecks, the carpentry was intricate and well done to say the least, and Leonard spent a whole five minutes examining the art -which appeared to depict a far fetched story of some kind- and then proceeding to try and fail to pronounce his soon to be teachers name.
Only when he heard the scuffle of more students behind him in the halls did he remember what he was there for. Walking in he found he was in fact the first person there, the room was rectangular with a teachers desk at the end nearest to the door, and what Leonard guessed to be 30 or so smaller desks and tables for the students.
Not one to be the center of attention, Leonard decided to take one of the seats nearest to the opposite end, walking down there he suddenly realized something.
If he ran his hand along the walls he found that the right wall of the room was the longest whereas the opposite wall which from the door and teachers desk had appeared to be the same length was actually very short connecting to the long wall at a diagonal, and it appeared that one of the chairs and desks for the students was painted into the diagonal wall. His head swam just looking at it. From what Leonard was calling the front of the room, where the door and teachers desk was, the room appeared to be a normal rectangle when in reality it was some odd asymmetrical polygon, and if he stood on a chair he found that the ceiling wasn't flat either, but it seemed to arch up, Leonard couldn’t tell how tall it was, but from the ground when he couldn’t reach it the ceiling it just looked flat and normal, the whole thing was fascinatingly complex so much though that Leonard feared his head would begin to ache as he tried to wrap his head around the possibilities.

Soon though the students he had heard coming did in fact come and so did the teacher who once again Leonard worried would ask for the students to address him by his full name, one that Leonard had no clue how to start pronouncing, luckily however he did no such thing and introduced himself only as so.

“Good afternoon students, to say I am surprised at your punctuality would be an understatement. Ahem, my name as seen on the door is Professor Jantoll, if you are one of the rare persons in the world who can detect such things and properly use your mind as the tool it is you will have noticed the ‘J’ is indeed silent, the reason is only apparent to myself on a personal level that I will not discuss however you will address me as such, if not I will ensure your stay here is short and painful.” he paused his accented and oddly emotionless voice for a moment before continuing. “Ahem, please sit. Thank you. Now I ask only that you are silent and do what is directed in your -oh my profuse apologies you have not found your books, it is to be expected, of course, they are in your desks,” the student succeeded in finding their books, Leonard noticed that some students had differents books, he could not see what was inside of them but his and most of the other student's books had black covers with only a gold design on the cover, where some students had blue or white covers with various symbols. This, and the way those other students were looking at their books as though reading the covers, led him to assume that the gold design was some kind of writing, perhaps in another language.
After all the students had gotten their books out, Prof. Jantoll continued again with little to no emotion or feeling in his dry accented voice “good, now as before, complete silence. Open your books to the first page, do as directed, and if you have a question, rather than pestering me, consider asking yourself, it is after all far more efficient.”

And so they began, the first page was blank, and so Leonard flipped to the second one, this however said only

Write answer to question 1, (why the comma? Leonard wondered) here _________ before continuing

Leonard considered turning the next page, but not wanting to get into trouble flipped back to the blank page, to examine it more closely. While examining it closely he found that it smelled of Lemons? He nearly said aloud, this gave him an idea, it was somewhat risky to say the least however he had what some would call a hunch that it was right, He called it his rings. He remembered there were some other things in his desk when he had got his books out and when he looked. Yes, he thought, a small lighter, after some difficulty he succeeded in producing a flame from it, folding the book so only the blank page was on one side he held the lighter underneath, after finding no large lemon juice words in the middle of the page as part of him expected he was a little disappointed, however he soon found something very intriguing, the only writing on the page was in fact in lemon juice but it was small and at the bottom right corner of the page. two? Thought Leonard, why? He assumed this was a page number, but, isn’t this page one? He thought, wait, if it isn’t page one then, the cover is! The gears were turning in his mind and at last they were coming together perfectly, if the blank page was page two then the cover was page one meaning that was where the question was, and after pondering the strange design, and checking for lemon juice he found that the strange gold symbols seemed to be letters, only every letter was mirrored and backwards beside eachother meaning at first glance they look only like odd writing. After finding a presumably spare piece of paper in his desk, gosh this desk is useful, he thought. He wrote down the numbers and then underneath the corresponding letters of the alphabet, for example one was A, two was B, and so forth, Leonard had some previous experience with a similar puzzle. After some work he found the letters wrote.


s sm sfl nfrmtn, th nxt pg s l tht y shld gnr, ls, mk sr t brng yr pncl t th tchr

It made little sense to Leonard, he looked up to see what the other students were doing, he had been so focused on the problem, indeed he felt almost as though someone else had been thinking for him, that he had not noticed what the other students were doing, some of them were sitting at the desks still working on the problem, while others had brought their books up to the teacher's desk.
After taking a deep breath, -his father had always said ‘when a problem becomes too difficult take a break, take a breath, and if it's still hard then it really is too difficult’ looking at the sentence again he decided to try something, he didn’t know why, for once again he wasn’t sure whether he’d had the idea, or someone else thought it for him, but the thought was that the sentence seemed to have no vowels, and after a quick check he found that it indeed didn’t, this gave him some courage and he preserved through the hard work of adding vowels through trial and error before coming to a complete conclusion.

Is some useful information, the next page is a lie that you should ignore, also, make sure to bring your pencil to the teacher

Upon inserting this into the blank space on the next page, or rather, writing it underneath, how could anyone fit the entire answer into such a small space? He wondered.
And so at long last, -for it had been two hours at this point, he had the complete sentence on the second, or third, page, it read.

Write answer to question 1, here Is some useful information, the next page is a lie that you should ignore, also, make sure to bring your pencil to the teacher before continuing

At last understanding, he felt it would not be wrong to see what was on that next page. There were several mathematical and logic questions of varying difficulty underneath all of which was a sentence.

Bring your books to the teacher's desk when finished.

Uh oh, Leonard thought, looking at the pile of books on the teacher's desk, he noticed that all of the students with different coloured books, and some with black ones like Leonards, hadn’t brought their books to the table, presumably, they too had solved the correct puzzle.

After bringing his pencil to the table, and once the class was dismissed Leonard returned to his room -or rather Aradens dorm- he no longer felt it was his room, it couldn’t be, he reflected, whenever he was there he felt only that this was Aradens room, Araden the mysterious stuffed up rich kid who probably hated him, and the one who -if his rings could be trusted- was hiding something, how could he feel comfortable in a room that made his head throb, and his fingers hurt? He wondered.

After lying on his bed pondering these thoughts his headache finally became too much for him and he knew he had to find somewhere else to live, where?

He didn’t know yet.

1763 Words

Percy enjoyed his time with Kay. It started slow and turned into an amazing adventure. Tomorrow would invite classes and new people into his life. It could change his world. He hoped that one person would except him as a true friend.

Classes ment slot of work and sleep would have to be included to keep going. So that where Percy went after finishing with Kay. To his dorm.

The next morning came quickly and Percy wondered if he would have classes with Kay or anyone he knew. Maybe his distant roommate would ease up on him. When he rolled out of bed he found an empty room. It was quiet and Percy felt a slight uneasiness roll down his spin. Was someone watching him? Another bug?

There was a certain art to being a sleazebag. It wasn’t just something you could do when you felt like it. Too many people had them ‘good consciences’ or whatever. You just felt downright dirty when snagging some richy’s wallet. Or ignoring a beggar.
Not me. I have a heart blacker than the coal lining the slums’ alleys.
Maybe it came from being one of them beggars once, or maybe it came from having to pay for things too much. Capitalism? Who wants it. Not for me, no thank you. I like to consider myself a ‘Socialist Capitalist’.
What are ya gonna do with all that money anyway? I thought as I slipped a man’s watch off. It was great for a pickpocket to not be felt. Quite the gift. Ohhh, maybe that explains some things. Yes, I have one of them fancy gifts. Nothing too special, I just can’t be perceived through touch or–this one’s a real dud–smell. I mean, unless I want them to.
So maybe I can’t feel anything, because others can’t feel me…
Nah. Too heartfelt.
I’m just an arsehole.
The name’s Archibald Augustus Badger, and it’s certainly not a pleasure to meet you. Whoever you are…?
Alright, keep your secrets.
I have plenty, of course. Like where my house was. Which I’m going to right now. Walking these crowded streets of Pipemire, I slipped my hand this way and that, snagging coins, or jewelry.
Finally, when my own pockets were bulging, I turned onto the next street and slipped into a grimy alleyway. There, I glanced around. Can’t have nobody watching you count your rightfully borrowed items.
One necklace, maybe diamond, but probably fake. Not terrible, could get a nice set of drinks. A fancy shmancy pocket watch that looked to be made of real gold.
I bit into it, of course.
“Well, would ya look at that…” I said to myself.
It was gold. Whoever that guy was, he had to have paid a pretty penny for this little shiner.
“Yes, it does look quite expensive,” A voice said at the opening to the alley.
Archibald just stared blankly at the man that stepped from the shadows. He was skinny, with sunken cheeks and a hollow look. But he wore a rich vest, with equally overpriced trousers. And that leering grin was unmistakable.
“Basten. I would say it’s nice to see you again. But most religions teach that we shouldn't lie, so I won’t,” I said. Yes, I see the irony. But lying was a whole other game, ya see?
“Badger,” the bony man said with a nod, “How very pious of you. I presume, then, that those items are all for the church?”
I put on my most serious face and turned to him, “Yes. Donations. Sister Bigmouth fell down the stairs and accidentally cheated on her husband, so he left her. She’s got barely a penny to her name, and these here are all from all too kind people chipping in to get her dinner.”
Basten cackled, making me cringe.
“One hell of a dinner. You know, Badger, I miss your jokes. You coulda stayed with the Exiles, you know. Still can. We’ll never refuse ye.”
I turned back to counting my stolen property, “Yes, well I’ll refuse you. Get into enough trouble already. Don’t need the Inquisitors breathing down my neck more than they do.”
Hm, a few copper coins. None that looked to fit my collection, but still, it was worth a shot.
“Ah, Badger, we loved you so.” Basten was inching closer to me and I could feel my hair standing up.
“What do you want me to do, you ba-”
“Ah, ah, language,” he said, a smirk on his face.
I cursed him several times just out of spite.
“Such a foul mouth! How did you ever get into church?”
“Basten, I am not a dimwit. Tell me what you want me for.”
He pulled out a cigar and a match from his vest, lighting the cigar in one fluid motion.
“We’ve got a Clocky. All the way inside.”
Finally, he’d surprised me. I jerked up and stared into those smirking eyes.
“How?”
“He’s one of them illusionists. Like his daddy. That ain’t important. The kid is posing as the Scopulus’ kid. I need ya to keep an eye on him. Oh, and apparently there’s some kid with ‘sentient rings’ or whatever. Sound familiar?”
Again, I nearly felt something akin to a drop in my chest. But of course I didn’t, because I don’t feel things.
“Why would I keep an eye on some twerp, just for you to fail at ‘unifying the classes’ again? And deal with Gwenaëlle’s kid? That’s just a bit much.”
“Yet, I’m sure you knew I came with equal recompense.”
I took a deep breath. I was sure of it. As sure as pigs couldn’t fly. Well, other than Aunt Tess’s pig. But that was a long story.
“Fine. What’s in it for me?”
“Well, first o’ all, you can get into Clockworth of all places. I know how much you’re just itching to get your hands on one of them legendary Wraithwood cogs. And second, I’ll give you all the trinkets of the Scopulus family,” Basten blew a puff of smoke confidently after he’d finished tempting me.
I knew I’d take it, but part of me wanted to refuse. That part knew I was diving into a rabbit hole. But so often, rabbit holes were just too enticing...
“Deal.”
Basten leered–maybe grinned, who knew with him–and handed me a folded parchment.
“All the details are on there. Best o luck to ya. I hear some of them students have funky powers.”
With that, Basten Sootcloud spun on his heel and sauntered out of the alleyway and into the mostly empty street beyond.
I looked at the parchment in my hands and sighed.
Here we go again…

983 words

Leonard sat above the gargoyles looking out over the courtyard below, he’d found the attic of the dorm building and was sitting outside a round window protruding from the roof. When he ran into all those students, they’d all been somewhat surprised, and after realising Araden was there, probably doing something wrong, and since no one else seemed sure what was going on, he’d run off up the stairs, now he was here.
Since finding out that the door was alive he’d been taking any chances he got to try sticking up a conversation with seemingly inanimate objects, so far he’d found nothing, which only made it easier to talk, the knowledge deep down inside that he was a fool and they wouldn’t hear or answer made it easier. And so to take his mind off things he was recounting his previous exploration of the city to the gargoyle.
He soon finished though and after realising he was talking about his fears and Araden and school, in general, he stopped abruptly, he did not want to talk about that.


Climbing back in the window he decided to go on a spontaneous walk, maybe he’d go to that bakery, he said goodbye to the gargoyles and hopped back into the attic, he was thinking about moving his stuff up here, it was a large area, and as long as he did a little dusting it wouldn’t be that bad. As he was heading down the steep stairs, a creaking sound brought his attention back to the window where two gargoyles were crawling in the window.

“Hey, kid, next time you come, bring something else to sit on, my back ‘ll be aching all night because of your tiny feet '' one of them said -Leonard couldn’t tell them apart.

Grabbing the flimsy rail and subsequently the floor when the rail collapsed, in shock, Leonard answered in mumbled broken words “Um, Okay -sorry right -stool or -something, um wait why didn’t you answer?”


“Eh, you were talking I didn’t wanna interfere”

“Oh, alright then” and he left somewhat frazzled.

The Marketplace was buzzing with activity, located in between the top two of the three levels in the city the market was a large square sunk into the middle level with stairs connecting the top streets into the more residential areas of the middle class. Leonard had wondered how to get to the bottom level, so far he’d found out that the top level of the bridge city was where the richer folk lived as well as where the best shops were, the middle level was for the middle classes and was mostly houses with some pawn shops and other less lower-quality shops. And so he’d assumed the bottom was where the poorest lived, however once again he was thinking of how to get down there. Yet after some more exploring, he’d still found nothing, and the smell of fresh-baked pretzels and scones drew his thoughts away and he found himself thinking only of what he would get, last time he’d had a croissant and he was now debating between the pretzel and a cinnamon bun. Upon finding that he couldn’t afford the bun he decided he decided on the pretzel.

“Um, by the way, I'm kinda new to the city,” he asked the baker while making his purchase “how exactly do you get to the lower level?”


“The third level?” The baker looked confused and a little scared “well, why’d you wanna go down there?”

“I was just wondering”

“Huh, no need to, nothing down there could be worth it, I couldn’t tell you anyway, there isn’t an official way down, I guess clockworth wants to keep the rats down” Leonard wasn’t sure if he was talking about literal rats or the poor, or maybe both “I’ve heard there's just the occasionally ladder in some alleys where nobody’ll find a hole in the street. Well here's your pretzel, and I wouldn’t go looking for a way down if I was you, you may not get back up”

Leonard left the bakery with only more questions than he’d begun with, one being. Who was actually in charge of the city? The baker and most people seemed to refer to the school, they just said ‘Clockworth’ but, was there some kind of city council? Or was the headmaster just in charge of everything, he shuddered at the thought, he’d only heard rumours but the headmaster did not sound like a nice person, then again, would a nice person cut off the low level?
Leonard found himself back at school once again, he hadn’t meant to go here, he’d just been wandering and now found himself in front of the gate where he’d met the sentries.

The sentries! He thought he could ask them if only he could find them.

“Hey door!” he asked, it opened and he entered with a thank you “but I was actually going to ask you something,” he said

“Oh, well shoot away, I'm just sitting here” the door answered, apparently few students came back to see him after they’d enrolled

“I hope I don’t seem disrespectful, you're a really nice door, but um what happened to the sentries? Are they still here?”

“Eh” answered the door with a slight creak that Leonard took to be a shrug “if they're still employed there probably in maintenance, ask a janitor next time you see one, tell em the door sent you, they can be a little harsh, but me and em are on good terms”


“Oh, why would they be harsh?”

The door creaked another shrug “not sure, they might have something against the headmaster, most of them are from the low level, and they're not paid much, they stay mostly for the food and lodging”

Leonard thanked the door again and headed to the cafeteria, it was nearly lunch.

980 words

Kay

Kay shifted from foot to foot, looking at the others who were clustered in the dorm hallway. The boy who'd come out of room 309 had glanced at the student from the horse-painting passageway, then mumbled something under his breath and rushed off upstairs. Kay wasn't sure what to make of that. Was there something to explore upstairs, other than more dorm rooms? Anyways, now it was just Kay, Percy, and the boy from the other secret passageway.
They eyed each other for an awkward moment, then Percy broke the silence and said, "As much as I'd like to explore that passageway, we have classes tomorrow, so... I'd better get some sleep. Um. See you later?" Kay nodded and waved goodbye as he turned the corner to his dorm room.
Kay stood there for a second longer, trying to memorize the location of the painting, then nodded at the stranger and said, "Well, I'll be off now too. See you in class, maybe!"
She walked down the hall to the staircase and eventually arrived at her own dorm, huffing and puffing after the climb. Once Kay was inside, she glanced at her roommate's sleeping form on the other bed and realized she still hadn't found her roommate's name. Though I guess I might find out tomorrow, if any teachers call attendance. With that in mind, Kay drifted off to sleep.

Kay yawned. When she'd woken up in the morning, she'd been able to remember fuzzy dream-fragments of some massive clocktower jutting up to a stormy sky, tolling incessantly. It would've reminded her of the one at Clockworth, except the hands in the dream version were moving much faster and the tower was cloaked in shifting shadows. Kinda creepy, now that Kay thought about it, but oh well-- it was probably just nerves. She sighed and tried to shake the images out of her mind, instead focusing on the middle-aged teacher shuffling back and forth at the front of the classroom.
"...the history of espionage is long and complex, involving much, uh, stabbing of backs and keeping of secrets. Well, also leaking of secrets, but that is, um, beside the point. Or is it? Hmm yes, yes, it's actually quite relevant, now that I think about it. Oh, but what I was going to say, or my point is..." The teacher droned on, tapping a fancy metal ruler against the wall every now and then but generally lulling his students to sleep with all his backtracking and tangents. Kay sighed, wishing she'd gotten the other History of Espionage teacher. She'd heard from the student next to her that the other teacher often took the class on field trips to city landmarks, and though she had no idea if it was true, it sure sounded better than sitting in this dusty classroom for another hour.
Kay propped her chin in her hands and looked around the room. There wasn't anyone she recognized, though that didn't say much, as she could count on one hand the number of people she'd properly met so far at Clockworth (and that was including the talking door). Well, perhaps I'll get to know more people at lunchtime. Which is in --Kay squinted at the bronze clock on the far side of the room-- forty-seven minutes. She groaned softly and slumped down onto her desk, stifling another yawn.

Rap rap rap! Kay jolted awake and looked up to see the teacher-- she hadn't caught his name (oops)-- frowning down at her with his ruler in hand. Uh oh. Kay smiled nervously and eyed the gleaming edge of the measuring implement. But the teacher just looked at her with a displeased expression, then walked back to the front of the classroom, smacking the ruler against another sleeping student's desk as he went. Phew... I do feel rather bad for sleeping in class, though. That's never happened before. But on the bright side, only thirteen minutes until lunch...
Thirteen excruciating minutes later, Kay stood up from her seat with a sigh of relief and followed her fellow students out of the classroom. She glanced back for a moment at the teacher and stopped short. Kay could have sworn he was holding a sword of some kind. Wow, that looks really sharp. And wait, what would a teacher need a sword for? But then she blinked, and it was just his ruler again. Strange. But I suppose I won't think of it now-- it's time for lunch!

(746 words)

This morning was relatively uneventful but Percy couldn't ignore his feeling. When he had awoken this morning he felt uneasy and like someone was watching him. He had spent time wondering if anyone noticed and observed the students in his classes. None had seemed uneasy or looked concerned in all. By the time lunch rolled around he was puzzled. He wondered if bringing it up to Kay would be worth the effort. Maybe someone else... Like the boys from yesterday.
He wondered if the teachers were watching them or maybe an outside power. Percy's thoughts were muddled together and his sight began to fade from the world outside his head. He began to question the simple things before hearing a voice next to him.
"Per- Percival! " the soft voice of a girl rang thought his ears. With a startled feeling he jump from n his thoughts. To his left stood a small girl. No not just any girl Luna the girl he had met on his first day. Percy turned to face her with a slight angered look. "Luna. Hello. Yes?" He spoke in a tone which only true masters of emotion could depict.
"Look. I'm sorry for yesterday. They truly didn't mean for it to be as rude as it seemed." She fidgeted ever so slightly when speaking. Percy's eyes met hers before looking around the classroom. He noticed her sisters and Moore standing just by the door. They were in cahoots clearly. But he needed to know why they had been following him.
"ill fallow you but if any of you try anything it won't go well". He stood from his desk and followed them out of the class and down the hall. As they walked Percy noted the bell for lunch go off and the view of Kay as he walked away from the cafeteria. He noted the pth they fallowed and quickly noted it down in his mind. They soon stopped at the halls end and turned to percy. " there are things at this school you don't understand Percival Steele. And until you figure it out we'll continue to watch you". Percy watched Moore as he spoke. " I think you'll find I understand more they I let on. And I know someone put you up to this. Moore you wouldn't be following me with your team if someone hadn't told you to".
His words seemed to surprise the group and Moore's eyes shifted. Towards Percy's hands. Percy clutched his Hands tighter trying to control his power. No one here needed to face his power yet. But if it came to that he would. As the opposing group caught onto Percy's struggle they tried to back away but Moore stood taller and stared down Percy.
"As much as I would love to continue to stand around with you all I would like lunch. So I'm leaving... Good bye" Percival turned away from the group and began to walk away. " You don't know what's really going on! Somethings coming! And no one will be ready for it!" The tone Moore gave startled Percy but he continued down the halls away from them and towards the cafeteria.

(528 words!)

Tev

Tev didn’t know why, but the moment he saw the girl from last night, he disguised his face. She probably would have confronted him, right? Who wouldn’t want to know about some Ald climbing out of artistry and talking to no one.
He silently cursed himself as the History teacher rambled. Who was he talking to? The class, or himself? Tev could wait though. He was good at being patient; he’d gotten that skill over years of waiting for something to happen to him. Now it finally had…
Then again, it was all fake. He wasn’t ‘Araden Scopulus’ about as much as he wasn’t a ghost-talker. Yet both of those mantles seemed to have dropped on him.
“Mr. Scopulus. Any thoughts you’d like to share?”
Geez, he even reprimands in that monotone voice-
“Uh, no.”
The teacher frowned at him. Perhaps he’d already taken a dislike to him. Then he realized that the professor was actually frowning at the girl behind him. The one he ran into last night. She was sleeping quietly, in what looked to be a rather uncomfortable position. Tev quickly jerked back to looking at the front of the class, afraid to look at her for whatever reason.
In a moment, she was woken up, and the droning continued. Maybe the teacher had a Gift, Tev thought.
A Gift to bore people to death.
But Tev was patient.

****

Even the cafeteria was fancy. The tables were all made of steel, and engraved with exquisite patterns. It would’ve been grander had the hordes of children not been there. Tev stayed pressed up against the far wall, staring wide eyed at the amount of people passing by him.
He’d dropped back into the illusion of Araden, though he figured Araden wouldn’t be so adverse to a crowd of harmless people.
Harmless? He thought.
Any one of them could have a knife, or some magical ability, just ready to zap the soul right out of my body…
Tev shook himself. He was being paranoid again.
With a deep breath, he stepped into line for food. They were all given ample portions, served on actual silver platters. Today’s special was a dish he’d never heard of before, something called a sand-witch. Maybe it was made by some crazy lady in the desert.
He got his plate, and it was in fact not desert themed. It was a clean looking slice of bread, topped with meat and what looked to be… fresh vegetables? That was new. All the ones he’d ever eaten were old, and rotting.
Tev nearly murmured a ‘thank you’ to the cafeteria workers, but thought better of it at the last second. Araden wouldn’t have been grateful. It was their job to give him food.
Now the next challenge:
Finding a place to eat that food.
The tables were crowded with groups of friends, some with girls giggling and chatting, others with boys sticking things in their noses. At others, there were people sitting primly and eating quietly. Alds or Bers he guessed.
Perhaps he should try to sit with them… yes, that was a good idea.
Tev walked over to one empty seat with an air of confidence and sat down–though everything in his mind screamed to run away.
The well dressed, well mannered students all stared at him.
“Good afternoon. The name is Araden ald Scopulus, I thought I should like to join you today,” he said it all a little faster than he meant to, but it all came out smoothly.
The boy next to him nodded, and held out a hand after wiping it on a napkin.
“Sigurd ber Treston. Pleasure to meet you.”
Tev was then introduced to all the others at the table, finding most were Bers, with two of the six being Alds. One of the girls, Ashlin, began to speak.
“So wh-”
“Mr. Scopulus?” a voice said behind him. It was a teacher, or at least she looked like that.
Tev swallowed the lump in his throat.
“Uh, yes? That’s me,” he said, internally cursing as his voice broke on the last word.
The woman looked down at him with a smile, “Your father is here to see you.”
Tev blinked.
“What?”
“If you could come this way, please. Your father is waiting.”

****

As he’d left the cafeteria, Tev had spotted the two people that had seen him last night. He didn’t think they’d seen him, but he wasn’t sure. He was too nervous to care, anyway.
Father? Tev didn’t have a father, not anymore.
Oh, right, Araden. Araden’s father was beaten half to death inside the room next to Tev’s old place. Or rather, Araden’s room, he supposed.
The teacher–Linda, she’d said–opened a door into a comfy looking room, where several people waited inside. Two looked to be administrators, both grinning and chatting with a third person. He was tall, with a large black coat that went to his ankles. It looked expensive. Especially with that golden chain hanging out of one of the pockets.
Linda cleared her throat, “Ahem. Mr. Scopulus.”
Tev looked at her, then realized she meant the other man. She had to repeat herself before he looked up.
It certainly wasn’t anyone that Tev knew. Not Araden’s father, not his own ‘father’.
“Ah! My boy!” the man rushed forward, and before he knew it, Tev was wrapped in an embrace. But the only way he could tell was the man wrapping his arms around him. Otherwise the hug was weightless.
Strange…
The man suddenly whispered in his ear, “Just play along.”
Tev shook himself from his shock, and gave an uncomfortable hug back. The stranger finally stood, and smiled warmly down at Tev.
“Sorry, ma’am. I was just getting introduced to your fine coworkers over there,” the man grinned, and then waved back to the two admins.
Linda didn’t look amused.
“You have until the end of lunch, then Araden has to get to Tinkering.”
The woman left the room, after a quick glare at Araden’s ‘father’, who sat in one of the chairs and motioned he do the same.
He talked out of the side of his mouth, “Can you change what they hear? With those illusions?”
Tev’s heartbeat got a little faster. He felt exposed, but then remembered that this man had to be with the Exiles.
“Uhm. Yeah.”
“Good, do it. Make it generic, I don’t care. Unintelligible whispering or whatever.”
Tev focused for a moment, then felt a tingling feeling through his body.
“Done.”
The man grinned, “Neat. That’s a nice trick you’ve got. Probably Ber level, even. Shame you’re an anarchist and all.”
Tev wrung his hands, “Well you know a lot about me. But uh, I don’t know you.”
“Oh my, you’re right. I’m sorry. The name’s Badger. But you’ll call me dad. Pops. Papi. Just not daddy. Some lady called me that once, and lemme tell ya, that relationship did not end well.”
Tev cringed, “Uh, yes dad.”
“Mmmm, try father.”
What?
“... yes, father?”
“Is that a question? Because I ain’t your priest, kid. I’ve got payment for this, and so you better not mess it up. You haven’t been arrested on your first few days yet, so that’s promising.”
“Er, yeah.”
“Get rid of the ers and the uhs, those aren’t something a snobby aristocrat with gold piling out o’ his a…ears, would say. Act the part, don’t just look it.”
He’d known that one for a while, but it was just how he talked, and so he could never quite get rid of it. At least not yet.
“Yes… father.”
“Good. Anyway, I just wanted to let you in on the situation. Speaking of, how’d this happen? Clockworth shouldn't have been tricked by just one kid with a disguise kit. How’d those a-holes you call parents get you in here?” Badger leaned in close, and Tev grew uncomfortable. He could see a gold tooth in the man’s mouth, shining up at him.
“Uh, I mean, I don’t know, father.”
“Hm. Shame. Don’t matter to me anyway. There’s plenty o’ shinies with or without a stable government, ain’t that right, kiddo?”
“... yes, father?”
“No questions! Anyway, time's nearly out-”
The bell chimed as soon as he spoke, signaling the end of lunch and beginning of the next class. Badger nodded, and smiled at his own timing. Then he stood up, winked at one of the administrators, and strode out of the office with his chin held very high.
Tev released the auditory illusion and nervously edged his way back into the ornate halls of Clockworth Academy.

1,429 Words (Phew...)

Kay

The cafeteria was large, grand, and way cleaner than a school cafeteria ought to be (though Kay wasn't complaining-- just thinking of the sticky floors and grimy tabletops of her old school made her grimace). Kay tried to push those memories out of her head. Instead, she got in line and received a sandwich with some fruits on the side. Wow, this looks delicious. Like, seriously, how'd they get the bread to be so perfectly fluffy and the lettuce so crisp? This is a work of art!
With the silver platter in her hands, Kay forgot all about meeting new people. She sat down at the nearest open table and immediately dug in to the sandwich. Ah... Even better than I imagined. Hmm, looks like all the money this school gets might actually be getting put to good use. Kay took a moment to savor the combination of flavors: was that a hint of pesto? And lemon, which Kay wouldn't have thought would go well with the other ingredients, but which somehow provided just enough of an accent to bring the whole culinary creation together. This is absolutely scrumptious. In fact, it's so delicious that I bet they wouldn't be having those revolts in the lower sectors if they just gave them some of this sandwich bread. Okay, it's official, the food is my favorite part of Clockworth.
Kay was in the middle of chewing her third bite when she saw Percy entering the cafeteria. She waved him over, but as he got closer, Kay noticed that he looked a bit shaken. After swallowing, she asked, "You all right?"
"Yeah... just a run-in with some... slightly unpleasant people." Percy shrugged, then glanced at the lunch line. "Oh, I'll be right back, got to get some lunch."
Kay nodded and gave him an enthusiastic thumbs-up. "Ith reahly gud!" Then she winced internally, imagining what her mother would say to Kay talking with her mouth full. Oops... Sorry Mom. Gah, I think being at Clockworth is making me forget all my manners. Though that's not an excuse, nope, no ma'am!
Kay finished off the sandwich, trying to be a bit neater, and was starting on the fruits when Percy returned to the table.
"This does look really good!" Percy started in on his sandwich, and he and Kay spent the rest of lunch exchanging stories of first days of class and ideas on where to explore next.
In the middle of their conversation, Kay thought she saw the boy from the horse painting leaving the cafeteria with a teacher, but he was gone so fast that she couldn't be sure. Ah well. Maybe they'd run into each other some other time, especially if she and Percy were going to keep exploring.
Eventually, the bell signaling the end of lunch rang, and Kay headed off to her next class: Deception and Persuasion. Well, that doesn't sound concerning at all...

A drop of sweat rolled down the side of Kay's face. Don't call me out don't call me out don't--
"Bluff!" A light-haired girl across the circle smirked.
Kay groaned and swept the pile of cards towards herself, avoiding the critical gaze of the D&P teacher. Man, I'm making a bad impression on all my teachers today. But can I really help it if lying doesn't come naturally to me? And anyways, I thought being honest was a good thing. Kay sulked as the game continued. Her roommate, whose name Kay still didn't know and who shared this class with Kay, was solidly in the lead. Kay was extremely intimidated by her roommate's ability to keep a poker face and outright lie without a hint of nervousness. Top of the class indeed.
Kay was just holding on until dinner, when she'd be able to try more of Clockworth's amazing food. Alright, so D&P, Cryptography, and an hour of free time before dinner. I can do this!
Kay eyed her good friend the clock again, counting down the minutes until the end of D&P.

(669 words)

Kay

The Cryptography classroom was probably the most welcoming one that Kay had seen so far. The History one had been, in a word, dusty. (It had had a musty odor as well, and cobwebs along the dark ceiling corners. And now that Kay thought about it, it reminded her a bit of the old passageway she and Percy had explored the previous day.) The Deception and Persuasion classroom had been decorated in a gothic style, with red curtains and an ornate fireplace that did nothing to dispel the chill in Kay's bones when she looked at the intimidating D&P teacher.
But the Cryptography classroom had windows that let in the golden afternoon light, and even the complicated machines on each student's desk looked friendlier when draped in warm sunlight. Kay had gotten to the classroom a few minutes early, so she chose a desk next to a window and took a moment to inspect the other items on her desk: a textbook about information security, a smooth piece of parchment, and a quill with ink.
Once she'd admired the machine and writing supplies (the quill looked particularly fancy), Kay turned in her seat to check out the rest of the classroom. Hmm... The professor looks nice enough, and those silver glasses are super cool. As for the students coming in... wait a second, I recognize some of them! Kay watched as the stranger who'd come out of the dorm room the previous day walked in and took a seat, and a minute later, when she recognized Percy, she gave him a wave. Kay also noticed someone who looked like that other student who'd been exploring, but she couldn't get a close enough glimpse to be sure.
Eventually all the seats were filled, and the teacher rolled up the scroll she'd been reading. Without any further ado, she gave the class a smile, introduced herself as Professor Markev, and asked them to turn to page one in their textbooks.
Professor Markev eyed a student who'd ignored the instruction and was fiddling with their machine. "Excuse me, Mr..."-- she consulted her list of students-- "Anton, is it? Well, I know those cryptography machines certainly look intriguing, but I'm afraid we'll be starting with a quick reading from the textbook first. But don't worry, most of this class will, in fact, be hands-on. So if you could turn to page one for just a minute, I'd be much obliged." She gave the class another smile, then chose a student to read out the introductory passage from the textbook.
When the student finished, Professor Markev clapped her hands once and said, "Very nice. Now then! We're done with the textbooks for the rest of the day, so kindly set them on the floor next to your desks."
The students complied eagerly and for a moment, the classroom was filled with the sound of books thumping to the floor. When the cacophony died down, Professor Markev gestured at the machine on her desk, which was identical to the ones on the students' desks, and announced, "Time for the part I'm sure many of you have been waiting for." She winked at the student from earlier-- Anton-- and proceeded to explain each part of the machine to the class.
Kay examined her cryptography machine, noting the letter keys and the rotors and wires that allowed the machine to encipher messages. For the next hour or so, the class experimented with the machines and created coded messages under the instruction of Professor Markev. This isn't bad! Maybe I'll enjoy this class after all. At least, that was what Kay thought until she heard about the group project.
Professor Markev informed them of the project during the last ten minutes of class. "Now, class, you may have heard of the minor unrest in the lower districts." Some students nodded. "It's nothing to worry about, of course, but the Clockworth administration has decided that it may be a good test of your abilities to assign a group project to you all. Think of it as a test mission.
"The main objective is to gain information on the leaders of these unrest movements, and to appease any citizens if you can. Send whatever information you find back to Clockworth through encrypted messages, using a portable version of these machines, which you all will receive tomorrow. You will be working in the lower districts, meaning it may be unsafe at times, but please avoid danger whenever possible. That means no showing off-- I'm talking to you, Alds and Bers." Professor Markev eyed the wealthiest-looking students in the room, then rummaged around her desk for a scroll which she subsequently held up.
"The administration is aware that you all have varying ranges of strength. For that reason, we have organized you into groups with at least one powerful ability-wielder in each group. Now then, I'll read out the names, and you may all gather to discuss strategy for these last five minutes of class. The assignment will be taking place starting from tomorrow, from lunch until dinner."
While Professor Markev read out the names, Kay groaned internally. Group projects had never gone well in her old school (most students were a bit lackluster about the whole thing), and judging by the number of entitled students in this room, Kay wasn't too optimistic about this particular project either. Oh well... this is just information gathering, right? Hopefully it isn't too hard... Maybe I can ask that bakery owner, or other merchants, or people on the street?
Kay was pondering potential disguises (in order to not intimidate people with their Clockworth uniforms) when Professor Markev called out her name: "Kaolina Trelaine, Leonard de Gwenaëlle, Percival Steele, and Araden Scopulus." Okay... time to get to work!

(937 words)