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Hey guys! Sorry for not posting in a while. School has started again and…. well…. let's just say it's been a bit of a rough transition. So, yeah, sorry.
Jela~
Jela, Caden, and Zan lay on the roof, panting.
Jela relished the sound of her breath echoing off into the cerulean sky. Free. Unrestricted.
A few moments later, Zan sat up. "So, what now?" Jela barked out a laugh. "What do you mean what now? We almost died. We leave. This place gets sued, shut down, whatever." She pushed herself up onto her hands and found herself staring into Caden's disbelieving face. "Leave? Why?" Jela felt her jaw go slack. "Seriously? Are you kidding me? Did you not just hear what I said about the whole dying thing?" Zan fixed her strange eyes on Jela too. "Don't you understand? This is the only place where we can be ourselves. The only place where we can discover the things we can do. If you left, you'd deprive yourself and others of that opportunity." Zan gestured with her hands to the school that sprawled out below them. "Isn't that something worth risking death for?"
Jela was about to say no, say that she didn't care about potential or saving the world or any of it, when she paused. Did she really not want to know what she could do? Was she not the slightest bit curious about what her powers held? Did she truly not want to experience the joyful hum that filled her chest when she fully listened to the world around her?
Was it something worth risking death for?
Jela closed her eyes and let the sounds crash into her. She breathed in the chattering of distant students, the chirping of far away sparrows, the quiet orchestra of sounds that made up their world.
And she decided that it was.
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Sorry that was kind of short. Post more later.
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Hi Autumn! Good to see you!
I'm having trouble with restarting school again too. We have our first essay due this week, and I'm kind of nervous, since I'm pretty sure our teacher reads them in front of the whole class. So far, during discussion/unstructured debate, I've been one of the few ninth graders to tentatively state my opinion, sometimes in the face of opostition. So far, I've been supported by other classmates and haven't been completely wrong yet. When I can just get past the stressfulness of being in a class with 10, 11, and 12 graders who know what they're doing and who are all watching me to see if I can't take the difficult course, I love school, and my new class is SO AWESOME! I love my teacher too. And I got assigned to sit between a sweet dancer and a real artist. Yay! We're like the artsy table!
Okay, sorry, to writing!
Adrian~
Notices flicker across the screen as my fingers whiz across the keypad. I'm following a trail, trying to track what happened to our systems. I know this much: something stole our video feeds, and hacked into the main system to cause chaos in order to cover it up.
A stream of seemingly random letters and symbols show up on the screen and I scroll through them quickly. Great. I don't recognize the coding. This is a dead end. I squeeze my fingers into a fist. NO ONE and NOTHING gets past my security like that.
"Sasha? Adrian? Everyone here's okay. A little sandy, but hey, Aim's got a token!" Winston's voice buzzes from the headset on my desk. Scraping it up quickly, I fumble with the tiny microphone, doing my best to speak in its general direction while jamming in instructions for possible decoding across the keyboard.
"'Kay, good. I don't have video feed, so I don't know about the others, hey—"
"Cabriole's fine. Scared us with accounts of an errant electric wire, but everyone's okay, thankfully. I don't know, here hold on, I have to—"
"The other group just came down to meet us. They're all right too. And they're carying…is that a coin?" An unfamiliar female voice interjects. I say something really computer-geek worthy, like "ummm…"
"I'm Treena. I came here to audition, and apparently…" Her voice trails off into static. I hear my name, then Sasha's clear, crisp voice intervenes.
"The situation is under control, Adrian. Although this is a warning of what can happen. Now, we must proceed with our evening activities. You have Myra on the job, right?"
"Myra…evening activities…OH RIGHT! MYRA!"
"Adrian? Adrian?" I throw down the headset, and Sasha's voice fades away. I'm not the only reasonable technological genious on campus. Maybe Myra can help. Now what did I have her do? Oh right. Videos. Blindfolds. Our "Jedi" training for after supper athletic hour.
Pushing my chair back, I jump up to leave. The computer flashes a warning sign. "Hang in there, I'm not finished with you yet."
~
Is it okay if I include Myra in the text chat?
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Yep, totally.
-Myra
Adrian comes rushing toward me just as I start leaving to try to find him. "I need your help. You have the activity done, right?" he says.
"Almost done. I can step away from it. What happened?" I respond.
"Someone hacked into our video feed. Everyone's okay, but I'm trying to figure out who it was."
We reach his office and he pulls something up on his computer. It looks to me like a bunch of code. I study it, trying to figure out what language it is.
"I don't know very much of this code, but it looks like here it's putting random text on your screen, and here it's grabbing your video feed, and down here it's doing something else, something involving getting files from your computer, but which files?" I say, thinking out loud, "Do you have any files named N5267 and A2645?"
"That's what they got? How on Earth did they figure out our file-naming scheme? Those are the two most important files in the whole database. But the database is protected! They must have had really good hacking skills to get in."
"They did. See that phrase right there? That looks to be what got them in, and it's really mysterious. It's not a common code, which means they aren't a common hacker."
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I hope that works okay with the story! Those files can be anything, which is mostly why I gave them mysterious names.
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Top! Sorry, I'll try to post tomorrow. In the meantime, check the Text thread! I updated the Text thread!
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Top! Top! Top! Who's been stealing the files? Any ideas? It could literally be anyone. Although I've tossed a few hints out as to who the main villian could be *text message thread hint hint hint.* Although, perhaps the students are hiding secrets too…mwahahhahahah!
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Sasha~
Treena helps me round up the students. I make a mental note to hire her right after I make sure everyone's alive. Finally, with all students, teachers, and a good deal of staff members gathered around the fountain (which peacefully bubbles lava), I take a deep breath and call everyone's attention.
"I am very sorry about this evening's malfunction, and I can assure you it will NOT happen again. You have permission to go to your dorms and rest or clean up before supper, and a social activity." The sentence hangs at the edge of my mouth; uncertain period wavering in the air. "Oh I'm so glad you're all safe," I breathe.
"What about the tokens?" Jela asks, holding up her clenched fists.
"Yes! Tokens! Each team, hand them into me." Jela, Drew, and Carly push through the buzzing crowd. All carefully hand in their tokens. I press my thumb into Aim's, first, prefering to do things in alphabetical order. Instantly, the blank gold face converts into a glittering "A."
"For absolute determination; 1 point for Aim," I announce, holding the token high. I do the same to the Build token.
"For teamwork and trust; 1 point for Build." Last, I press my thumb onto the Cabriole token's cold, metal surface.
"And for resourcefulness; 1 point for Cabriole. Tokens will be hung on the walls of the auditorium to keep track of the points throughout the following weeks. Thank you, you are dismissed."
Slowly, the students disperse, chattering steadily and laughing nervously. Lizzy and Winston turn to leave, and Treena prepares to follow them.
"Wait," I say, "you have a job as my assistant, if you so desire." Great, I sound like Lizzy.
"Thank you, I…accept," she answers; hesitating slightly.
I watch everyone disappear into the dorms. The courtyard is empty. Slowly, too slowly, I make my way back to my office and into the shadows.
"Sasha," comes a voice, and a shadow, making my heart leap up in suprise as I whirl around.
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Veryveryvery short post:
-Myra
I join the crowd of students and staff clumping around the fountain. Sasha says something about being sorry, and go back to your rooms, and there will be an evening activity. Yes, there will be an evening activity. I have made sure of that. But my mind is not on the activity. My mind is busy trying to figure out who would have stolen the files.
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Sasha~
My racing heart jerks to a sudden halt, then gradually slows back to normal as I face the unfamiliar man behind me.
"May I help you?" I ask. He smiles, flecks of grey glinting in his brown hair.
"I see 3 years can be a very long time for some people," he says, his voice amused, but face unsmiling.
And then I knew.
He had aged much more than possible in the last 3 years, but he is the same person. The shadow of my nightmares; the darkness always lurking at the edge of a dream.
I stumble backwards, and the heel of my black shoe catches on the edge of the sidewalk. He reaches out to grab my arm, and I picture my very skin racing away from his touch.
The ghost.
His fingers feelt cold on my arm.
I should feel more surprised. I just always new he would come back.
"Y-you have no p-place at this s-s-school," I spit out," you…y…you are d-dead to us." Instead of answering, he surveys me up and down. My breath catches in my throat and I choke on my own lungs.
"You're terrified," He states. This time he doesn't sound amused, but rather disgustedly disappointed, like I am some great person gone to waste. Or perhaps I am.
"This isn't the Sasha I knew."
"You took that person from me!" I exclaim, kicking him in the shins and trying to twist my wrist out of his hand.
"I'm willing to give her back," he says softly, "I never meant any harm. This is my proof. All you have to do is help me again. We can become a team and run this school together. Three years ago was a misunderstanding. Trust me, Sasha. After all, I taught you everything you know. I made this school, Sasha. I made it to teach and to train and to achieve great things. Those acheivments are still in sight, trust me."
"I will NEVER trust you!" Even with my voice shaking, I'm surprised at how brave I sound.
"Ah. Perhaps I pushed the negotiations too far. Well, we'll start with a simple agreement. You let me work towards regaining my old prestige, and turn the other way whenever I take my rightful data files or videos—"
"The malfunctions were your fault then! And if you think I'm ever going to—" He stops me with a wave of his hand before continuing.
"And in return, I'll help you get your powers back. That's right, Sasha, you can be the best architect of your wildest imagination—yes, I know all about that little daydream—and the bold genious you always were meant to be. I'm not harming anything Sasha. I never meant to. Let me help. Then Griffenfeather School can be everything it was always meant to be; with John Griffinfeather at the helm. Think about that. I'll meet you in the usual place tonight."
He drops my wrist and strolls away, leaving me to fall against the wall of my office building, staring into the distance.
~
Drew~
I am going back to my dorm. The day's events pound through my brain, giving me a headache. I am too tired to think, so I decide to do my thinking tomorrow.
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HA! I was right! It was Griffenfeather! But, um, what is he doing? Presumably there's backstory that you might tell us? Please?
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Yup. I'll go into flashback mode next post.
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I'm working on writing a lot of little backstories (is anyone of the opinion that I have to many characters? If so, there's no limit. You can have more).
I know this is the samey old excusith, but I do have a large amount of homework. Any Geometry masters out there? I need some serious help with my proofs. I miss Somebody, our math expert!
Okay, back to the subject at hand, which is…I forgot. So, yeah, backstories coming soon for everyone. Feel free to post your own texts on the text page! I'll try to upload that. I came up with some more hilarious ideas with Elizabeth.
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What grade are you in (as in what math do you need help with)?
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9nth grade. Geometry. Proofs. *Sigh.*
I need Adrian and Mrya to come numberize my innumerized life 🙂
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Myra is much smarter than me. :(.
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Is it too late too join? This RP looks AWESOME!!! I read it all, just so you know, Rose bud.
Farren~~~~~
I fall back onto my dorm bed, brushing my light brown-streaked blond side bangs out of my face, the afternoon's events whirling through my head. The letter. The snowstorm place that they called Narnia after the book series. The "malfunction". I pull the letter out of my pocket and read it over again. I kind of wish I'd gotten into Aim instead of Cabriole. Miss Brunn is so overwhelming to my introverted self. My mirror gleams from where I left it in my suitcase. On a sudden impulse, I pick up the mirror and glance in the reflection. A fair-skinned but not pale face greets me, the light brown-streaked blond hair falling into my face. Gray-blue eyes with gold rings around the pupils stare back at me. I sigh, and slip the mirror back into the suitcase. It's been a long day. Lights out should be soon, thankfully.~~~~~~~
Sorry for the short post! I didn't have much to write about, really.
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And Farren is a girl, FYI.
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Hi Shade! Great job introducing your character—that's exactly how I wanted the exercise to work! You can check out the GSD text messages (if you haven't already) too, and post their as well. Welcome to our fantasical world!
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Sorry, not the big flashback scene. Blame RWBY. I've been watching it instead of writing 😛
Sasha~
I walk to supper shivering.
Somehow I manage to direct everyone to their seats. To moniter the noise level. To choke down a few mouthfuls of something sweet and sticky.
I notice frosting on my fingers.
Oh, so it was a cupcake. Am I supposed to laugh?
The students head out for recreational activities. I can hear them laughing and chattering and yelling something about blindfolds from behind the gym (which is also the classroom for Aim, of course).
I lean back against the wall and close my eyes, trying not to think.
Not to think
Not to think at all
Wind rustles a few small strands of my hair.
I feel the uneven bricks under my fingers. The dining hall. Right. I'm outside the dining hall on the opposite side of the auditorium.
Now that it's over, it feels so much scarier. I shouldn't be afriad. I am afraid. I shouldn't be. These kids who think that the world will come to them after they learn and progress to adulthood have it all wrong because we never learn enough. We never stop fearing. I find myself walking. One high heel wobbles on the sidewalk. The one I caught in the crack earlier today; trying to get away.
Today.
Away.
I find myself in my office. The leather chair folds beneath my weight. I sit for a moment and stare at the ornate gold pen.
My phone buzzes. A text from Winston, saying; "I am one with the force and the force is with me." Of course. The blindfolds. It was only yesterday we were the ones laughing and chattering on the first day of school. Everyone said; Winston and Sasha; what a team. Everyone said; I wish I could have friends like that. Everyone said; They'll always be friends. He was funny and smart.
I was cold and brilliant.
What happened? What changed? I know the obvious answer; but it still feels wrong. Winston and Adrian. Adrian and Winston. Everyone says: what a team. Everyone says: I wish I could have friends like that. Everyone says: they'll always be friends.
We put so much value in the word friends. And we tease and we joke.
Some things shape us.
Some things scar us~
Sorry y'all. I'm kind of tired. This is more like a poem than an actuall post 😛
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Okaaay, somehow I didn't count right on the quiz before, cause I got 2 a's, 2 c's, and 1 b. So do I just get to choose between Aim and Cabriole, Rose bud? I'll go with Aim if that's okay, so forget what I wrote earlier about being in Cabriole.
Farren~
I wake up with a start, wondering where I am for a second. And then the previous afternoon rushes back to me. I slip out of bed. Everyone else is also climbing out of bed. One girl who's already dressed starts walking toward me. With a slight smile, she comes up to me. "Hi. I'm Carly. What's your name?" She asks, her smile broadening a bit. "Oh, um, I'm Farren," I reply, feeling slightly uncomfortable. Why, oh why can't I act normally in front of new people? "Nice to meet you. See you in class, then," Carly calls as she leaves the dormitory to head down to breakfast.~~~~~~~~~~~
after breakfast~~~~~~~~~
I fiddle with a strand of my bangs as I jog nervously down the hall to the gym. A boy(a side charrie) smirks at me as he walks past. I shoot him a fierce glare and try to calm myself before I walk into the gym. Everyone else is already there. Awwwwkwarrrd…~~~~~~~~~
Sorry I didn't write more, but I couldn't come up with anything else. @Rose bud, how do you find and use that avatar creator thing that you used to do pictures of Sasha and Lizzy?
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Yes! If you get a tie between classes, you get to decide. And I found the avatar creator by searching: mega anime avatar creator. I have to do one for Adrian sometime!
Also, has anyone noticed that Winston doesn't like to get up in the mornings and he occasionally appears lazy and sloppy? Ever wonder why on earth this goofball became a teacher? I'm going to reveal it in the next text messages (which you are all welcome to join!). I'm also working on Sasha's flashback post that tells the story of her and Winston's friendship when they were kids and their experiance at GSD.
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FLASHBACK SCENE PART 1
so sorry this took so long to finally get to~
Sasha~
I don't have to go, and yet I'm here.
Up two floors…three floors…roof level. I push open the door to the roof and the night air rushes against my face. A full moon. I always loved full moons. The Stone Element maze shares the flat roof; looming up beside me. I look out over the edge at the sprawling campus. The auditorium is lit up inside. I guess they got the projecter working.
Soft foosteps echo across the rooftop
"My top student." John walks up to stand beside me, arm extended in mock presentation.
"I'm a teacher now."
"No. You're still the same frightened girl you were when the school fell." I screw my eyes shut as his voice hits home.
"Just tell me what you want and GO AWAY."
"This isn't necessarily about me."
I open my eyes just in time for him to lock his gaze on mine. I feel a sickening twist deep inside my thoughts before I can turn away.
"GET OUT OF MY HEAD!"
Too late.
"You should never have chosen Skills over Powers…that's the second mistake I mean to correct…and the first is your convoluted perception of your new community. You don't have friends, Sasha. Remember?" His voice drags me away…far away…I try to resist the pull, but end up falling back through time and space anyway.
How could I forget he was a Thought Twister too?
~
The memories replay like a dream in which I hover over the scene, but can still feel what my 12-year-old self feels, staring up at the gates of Griffinfeather School for the first time. Past Sasha didn't feel excited or grateful, instead, all I felt was a cold, dark pride.
And then frusteration as the moment was ruined…
I take a step through the open gate. Griffinfeather School. Finally. It took me a whole 10 page application to get this far. They should have excepted me after the examination. This John Griffinfeather is picky…but one can never be too picky. Adjusting the straps on my satchel, I prepare myself to dominate a new world of challenges, but—
"Watch out! That ball's going to hit—"
"HEY!" Something hard strikes my face and bounces off into the bushes. Blinking furiously, I reach up as if to wipe away the sudden pain.
"Sorry!" Calls a voice. Looking down, I see a short, red-headed girl with two pig tail braids sticking out to either side in a rather unnatractive and immature-looking way.
"You aren't supposed to be here," is the first thing that comes to my mind…and out of my mouth. The girl laughs.
"No! But my brother is!" Turning around towards the bushes where the ball landed, my eyes are barraged with at least 6 more redheaded children.
"Tell your brother to throw the ball somewhere else." I say, turning towards the gates again. I force myself not to let out an exasperated sigh. Some children think they can do anything and get away with it.
"Where, exactly?" Says a voice beside me.
"What?" One of the boys from the group of children popped up in front of me, blocking my path. He was bouncing a tennis ball from hand to hand with casual confidence.
"If not here, where do you want me to throw it?" He asks. Okay…strange child…WHY can't he just go somehwere else?
"What about that window?" He presses, pointing somewhere in the air.
"Yeah. Wherever," I answer. He lifts the ball, aiming towards a tall building with a flat roof further onto the campus. In a blur of motion, the tennis ball rockets from his fingers, hitting the highest window. Before I can stop myself with a logical excuse, I allow my eyes to click into their architect mode. My brain begins translating the buildings into 3D images, as well as estimating distances between them.
"That's 114 feet away," I state.
"Yes. It is," the boy says proudly.
"You were excepted into this school?" I ask, trying not to let my voice sound impressed.
"Yes. I'm Winston. What's your name?"
~
AND THAT FOLKS IS HOW IT ALL BEGAN!