[Milayou] [i]“Same Tanis,” she said again, this time with a little, breathless sigh. “I don't know why I let you get away with it. Any other man who refused me like that would have died on my sword.”[/i] [i]Wow... she's so... uncaring. How did they ever get together like this? She's so...[/i] A small pat on Milayou's head brought the world back into focus. The sound of air whooshing past the car grew quieter and quieter. Milayou thumbed the page, and gently lifted her mother's hand off of her head. “Millie, we're almost to Skyline! I think we're just a few turns away.” The radio in the car continued barking advertisements for a “people's court” show. [i]“And I told him, [b]told him[/b] to write it down! But did he follow those instructions? [b]No[/b]!” “Next time, on Judge Janet. The writing's on the wall...”[/i] “Milayou, I've looked up some things about this school. About Skyline Institute” Milayou quickly shifted her look to her mother, surprised at her suddenly serious tone. [i]Oh no. Did she find about what had happened to the previous students?[/i] “Yes, Mom?” Her mother's face still carried a smile, but wracked with an air of wistfulness. “I heard... that it could be a potentially dangerous place to be. I know... you're looking for answers, asking a lot of the same questions I asked when I was your age.” “Yes...” The car came to a stop. Milayou's mother put on the parking brake, and pulled the key out of the ignition. All was silent again. “I talked to the staff here and... they were not very helpful. Boorish, even! They remind me of the eggheads your father used to deal with!” Her mother gave a slight chuckle. “They say that they can't tell me what goes on in the school once classes start. No-one aside from the school staff can contact anyone outside. But... I don't think I need to worry. I know you'll do well.” A smile popped up on her mother's face once again, with the tenacity of the coming spring. They exited the car, and unloaded her single suitcase. “Stay safe Millie. I know you can make it through the year!” She smiled back, and hugged her mother one last time. Milayou felt a small droplet hit her hair. But she was certain that it wasn't raining. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The car pulled out of the lot, and disappeared into the distance. [i]A new school... new classmates...[/i] Milayou turned away, towards the gates and began walking- “Watch where you're going.” -straight into a guard. “Ah... sorry! I didn't mean to...” Her sentence was cut short by the the guard's austere glare. A glare that seemingly tried to -and was almost succeeding- in cutting her in half. “Little lady. The gate is a foot to my right.” “Ah, sorry, sorry!” “Move. [b]Now[/b].” Milayou sheepishly moved her gaze off of the guard and to the path in front of her. A path with quite a considerable distance. Stepping gingerly to the left, she began walking down the path- [i]What a mean guard... Couldn't he-[/i] -and suddenly arrived at a field track. “Auh, what?” Milayou glanced around her. Students were milling about, some forming loose lines at a set of tables, near the track. Official-looking persons sitting at the tables were handing out envelopes to the students lined up. She looked behind her, only to see an endless field. The gate, and the path she was just walking on was nowhere in sight. [i]Aaaauh, what is going on?[/i] She squeezed her eyes closed, and shook her head. [i]Nevermind that... I'm still at a school... it's still the first day, right? I should go... and receive my room and class assignments.[/i] Milayou joined the line of students, and not before long, reached the front of the line. A short-haired woman sat at the table, looking intently into the filing boxes surrounding her. Without sparing a glance, and without missing a beat, she called the next person in line forward. “Your name?” “Uh, Milayou Riviel.” The woman squinted over a box to her side, and pulled out an envelope. A “1” was marked on the otherwise blank envelope. Handing the envelope to Milayou, the woman gestured behind her. “You're in Class 1, in the building north of here.” With a silent nod, Milayou took the letter and headed towards the building.