Alice frowned. There were a lot more people waiting at the front gate of the academia than what she hoped. Even half of the current number would make her feel less special, but this much? She had braved through an unknown nation where she got lost for a while, only to be shown that she was less special than the letter promised her to be. It dampened her mood somewhat, but she decided that perhaps the people there could be used as parts of her story. She brought her pen and notebook, and started her observation of the ruckus that was happening - which didn't last long as a mysterious fog rolled by. Unable to see as much as she liked, Alice let out an audible sigh, and waited patiently until something else happened.

The fog thinned not long after however, and the keen-eyed Alice noticed that it came from a gasmask-wearing person that was still surrounded in a similar fog now. Alice wondered whether she should approach that person, but with how someone else approached them, the girl decided to stay put instead, taking notes on how the interaction unfolded from her current position.

Of course, the peace of mind that would allowed her to write did not last long. The sun suddenly darkened as smoke covered it. A glimpse was enough to confirm that it came from someone else this time. The smoke then crashed into the ground, and in a blink, turned into doves that raced towards each of the kids around. Alice's reflex was to take off her jacket and used her ability on it, but instead of continuing, the dove turned back to smoke, dodged the attempted block, and the smoke then entered her.

She couldn't move. She couldn't do anything but be frozen in her place.

The feeling of vulnerability and powerlessness scared Alice as much as she hated to admit it. Soon however, the culprit decided to show himself. Tattoed short-haired man wearing a lab coat. Alice attempted to memorize that person's image with as much detail as she could. He introduced himself afterwards. This man was Jasper, the one that sent the letter to her, and presumably the other kids too. He explained how he had effectively poisoned every single one of them just so he could allow for a quick transfer of information. This man made Alice felt uncomfortable.

He soon said that he had selected instructors to show them around the academia however, and promptly disappeared along with the paralyzing smoke. Finally being able to move again, Alice attempted to catch her breath. Losing control of her body like that, no matter the reasoning, felt nightmarish. She thought that sooner or later, she should find a way to avoid being in the same situation. Soon a red-haired man entered the scene though, and asked them all to follow him for the first trial. Still shaking, Alice wore her jacket again, and dragged her luggage as she passed through the gate, following the lead of the man named Varus.

This wasn't what she hoped to be the start of her story.