[color=lightgray][right][sub]Collab with [@Viciousmarrow][@LovelyComplex][@WriterRaven]
[i]Sometime after 12...[/i][/sub][/right]
[center][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/220902/503cdba0998530552caede41e0d824eb.png[/img]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/uE1QSet.png[/img]
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[img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/220902/cef72c939ba2c2776a2ca5aa98b199fc.png[/img]

[img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/220902/c8049501318295d0e7af8bdae7df578a.png[/img]
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[indent][indent]Sylvia’s lithe form sauntered into the Quad with the attitude of a bored celebrity, garnering a few concerned looks from a few passersby. It wasn’t exactly a secret that she had a penchant for being abrasive, as at least a few of peers found out last year. Nothing but her attitude was cheap. And her honesty? Well, that came free. 

Her expression glowered as she passed by the first few stalls, silently judging each subject she came across. Chess club? Now, that was for losers. Hiking club? No. That was for idiots that wanted to fall into a ravine and die. Book Club? Yeah, she’d rather die than pick up a book ever again. The Outsiders was the last book she’d read, and Sylvia certainly wasn’t going to be subject to the fictional matters of a greasy kid named Ponyboy ever again. 

Huffing away from the disappointing array of options in front of her, her emerald eyes caught a curious, yet not uncommon sight: a fairly attractive blondie floating down from the heavens on the actual wings of an angel. Nonplussed by what Sylvia would describe as “attention-seeking behavior”, the redhead rolled her eyes and strolled over to the girl as she landed.

[color=FDEF88]“What do you think you’re doing, angel girl?”[/color] Sylvia asked, her tone slightly annoyed. Her lips started to move again, as if to say more, but then something truly horrible wandered into her eyesight that caused her to stammer. Behind the angel girl, what Sylvia could only describe as a true goblin with messy hair and dressed in [i]overalls[/i] walked. Instinctively, one hand from her right hand flew up horizontally to silence the angel girl, if she had decided to talk at all, and her left hand pointed at the newfound goblin.

[color=FDEF88]“Hey, excuse me! Curly Hair! Yeah, you with the overalls! Get over here. I’ve got to have a chat with the two of you.”[/color] The redheaded menace called loudly to the cryptid creature. Sylvia couldn’t help but stare. It was very rare that you saw someone dressed so nightmarishly and be unashamed of it. It was basically her civic duty to help this poor lady and to help angel girl understand become less of a show off. Yes, yes! This would be a good start to a new start. 

There was a delayed response from Illuria when she found herself staring at the moving crowd, caught in a daze. From when she left her mother’s side to her standing in the center of the quad, deciding where she should go, she lost track of time. She couldn’t remember the last night she caught a decent amount of sleep. Classes kept her blood flowing, all the teachers from the ones that came from Crestview to the ones that have been working at the Academy for years kept her on her toes. 

They were all so different and eccentric, especially her Introduction to Psychology teacher, Professor Nikolaevna. She was a weird one and had a tendency to get into random philosophical tangents like her perception of being a bad person. There was Hitler and then there was everyone else. Everyone does bad things, that’s just the way of life, but what defines a bad person, well it’s the one that refuses to lament on the bad shit they do. 

Basic psychology was mandatory for freshmen because it prepared you for sophomore year’s class, The Mind of a Villain. Also taught by her. She liked her honestly. Irina Nikolaevna made it seem like the world wasn’t as black and white as they tried so hard to make it. Ria was given a sense of relief that both monsters and ghosts were real. They lived inside of us. In each and every person: in this Quad, at this school, and somewhere far, far away. Sometimes they win, sometimes they don’t but you can’t say a bad attitude isn’t one hell of a drive. Professor Nikolaevna was badass. 

When she registered the two girls, Ria looked from side to side to make sure [i]she[/i] was the one that the redhead wanted. The stranger’s face said it all: duh, you! Unaware of who any of these girls were, Ria shuffled toward them, hooking her thumbs into her overall pockets. Her body language showed the lack of confidence that she had in social situations. Charisma was something she believed she lacked. And never would obtain. It was hard being a lady. 

Hanging her head down, she put one foot in front of the other, counting the steps it took to get to her destination. Even her walk dragged. Ria took tiny steps, avoided making eye contact with anyone and everyone, and had absolutely no swagger. The littlest Crowne struggled to get past the crowd so after a long, tedious minute, she found herself out of the sea of people, united with the girls she didn’t know. [color=008b8b]“Hello…?”[/color]  

Meanwhile, Lisette, having just landed in one of the few open spaces amid the crowds of people, was taken aback by a ginger-haired girl with a scowl on her face approaching her and demanding what she was doing here. Immediately self-conscious, and without Alia there to support her, she folded her wings tightly at her back and stood straight, doing her best to avoid showing any signs of embarrassment. Internally, though, she was panicking. Was it the flight? It [i]had[/i] been the easiest way to get to the Fair, even if it undoubtedly made folks stare at the white-winged blonde sailing the skies. Wasn’t the first time that had happened, but here... here was different.

[color=00aeef]“I beg your - hey!”[/color] She cut herself off when she found herself talking to a hand. That was just rude. Mama and [i]O-kāsan[/i] had made it very clear before packing Lisette off to Crystal Peak that a first impression was everything at a new school, and this girl was certainly giving her one. While she was being pointedly ignored, she turned and craned her neck to look for a familiar face in the throng of students. No sign of anyone she knew... she resigned herself to a lecture from a stranger, but if it was going to be especially harsh, she had a few choice words of her own on the tip of her tongue.

Sylvia beamed at the two shanghaied girls, as if they were her own proteges. Her hands clasped together excitedly, and her focus went to the angel girl first. [color=FDEF88]“Hi! My name is Sylvia Vargas, but you know, I feel like everybody knows that. Anyway. Look, I know how hard it is being new and all, but…”[/color] Sylvia waved her hand at the crowd around them. [color=FDEF88]“It’s cool you have wings and all, but I don’t know. Maybe don’t be a show off? Just try to be humble, okay?”[/color]

Her visage then turned to the tiny goblin girl, still wearing a maybe too wide of a smile. [color=FDEF88]“And you, my dear… uh… whatever your name is! You can’t wear that. Never. You just can’t ever, ever wear whatever you’re wearing right now. They’ll eat you alive here, okay?”[/color] 

[color=00aeef]"I... what do you mean, show off? It was either walk and take far longer, getting lost along the way, or fly from a third floor balcony and know where I'm going."[/color] Lisette furrowed her eyebrows, liking this Sylvia girl less and less by the second. First impressions and all. [color=00aeef]"And what do you mean, she can’t wear that? If it’s comfortable for her, that’s what matters, right?”[/color]

[color=008b8b]“Uh,”[/color] Ria was a deer in headlights, looking between the blond and the redhead. This was like one of those bar jokes where three vastly different people find themselves in the same place, at the same time, and are presented with a situation. Rather than acknowledge the diss toward her attire, she muttered, [color=008b8b]“Vargas? Like… you’re related to Dr. Elise Vargas?”[/color] One of the main directors that decides all things hero schooling throughout the world… Vargas. Also the woman her great uncle kept talking about ever since she made a generous donation because of how tragic! There was a fire… Vargas. Illuria wasn’t surprised at the name drop, she simply was reiterating her knowledge from being considered an ‘elite’ family member as well. It was weird, what money and fame could do to a person.

Sylvia’s smile began to wane quickly as neither girl gave her the expected reaction. She was expecting them to be thankful that she was trying to help them, but nope! Angel Girl gave her excuses and tried to be a white knight, and Goblin Girl was over here talking about [i]mom[/i]. She winced visibly at the name of Elise Vargas, but tried her very best to remain calm, cool, and collected. Try as she might though, it really wasn’t working. [color=FDEF88]“Okay. So clearly I did something wrong. One, don't ever talk about my mom again, and two, I’m just trying to help the two of you because it’s [i]extremely[/i] obvious that neither of you know anything about anything here.”[/color] Sylvia took a deep breath and did her best to reset this conversation.

[color=FDEF88]“Let’s try this again. I’m Sylvia Vargas. I don't like when people talk about my parents, so please don’t. May I [i]pretty please[/i] make your acquaintances and have your names?”[/color] her tone was forced and generally didn’t seem sincere. Sylvia still wore a fake smile, but now it had the afflictions of rage and annoyance. 

Illuria glanced over to the ‘Angel Girl’, pursing her lips as she kept silent. She didn’t know if she felt comfortable saying her full name. There weren’t many Illurias that existed in this world, so like, it didn’t feel right to bring it up. She could say her nickname. Maybe that would satisfy the pretentious princess. Still, did she really owe her name to a girl that didn’t like her outfit? She was worried she’d run into the fashion police and here she was, running into the fashion police.

Lisette was just confused. Of course she didn't know anything about Crystal Peak or its people, it was her first week here. She hadn't even finished unpacking her books! ... Okay, there were a lot and she had gotten sidetracked with everything else going on. While Sylvia's request was amenable, her tone was not. She sounded as though she would just get angrier if the conversation continued. If introductions were just going to annoy her even further...

It didn't help that the other girl, the even shyer one than herself, didn't look like she wanted to talk either. What was the best course of action here? She didn’t want to excuse herself on her own, that meant leaving the shy girl alone with Sylvia, and that was almost definitely a recipe for disaster. Would she be comfortable if Lisette steered her away from this angry redhead? Anxiety twisted itself into her guts.

It was a risk. And she decided to take it. [color=00aeef]"My name is Lisette. I’d love to stay and chat, but my friend and I were thinking about signing up for some clubs together. Please excuse us."[/color] It was a classic way to get away from an unwanted conversation, one that Mama had taught her: pretend you have a friend nearby and engage with them. Stepping past Sylvia with a smile of her own, she put an arm around the third girl’s shoulders and began to lead her away from the seemingly irritated redhead, aiming to lose her in the crowds.

Before Ria realized, she was already going back into the fair, without a goodbye they were off. As they walked away, Ria looked over her shoulder at Sylvia, wondering if this would piss her off even more. She didn’t like the idea of having an enemy already at the school. Then again, there was part of her to be relieved to not be in such an awkward conversation. Now, here she was, walking somewhere, or well, being led somewhere with the girl that introduced herself as Lisette. [color=008b8b]“Maybe she meant well?”[/color] Ria’s voice went up an octave, no longer mumbling but still ever so timid. [color=008b8b]“I’m Illuria, by the way. I’m pretty sure we’re the same year, since we have gym together. It’s hard not to notice someone as pretty as you.”[/color] 

[color=00aeef]"Um, thank you..."[/color] Lisette couldn’t help but blush a little at the compliment. Then it clicked where she’d seen Illuria before. [color=00aeef]"Right, of course, I remember you from gym class. That was tough for a first go at it."[/color]

She glanced back behind the two of them, just in case Sylvia was following. [color=00aeef]"I’m sorry for dragging you out of there like that, Illuria. But honestly, that girl talks like she wants to be friends while her actions say, [i]I don’t like you[/i]... um, truth be told, I have no idea where we’re going. Just away from her."[/color]

[color=008b8b]“Well you have someone to meet?”[/color] Ria tilted her head, curious if Lisette wanted to hang out with her or not. To be honest, she was losing wind already, feeling the day catch up with her. Would it be rude to ditch her and the fair and lie to her mom saying she signed up for the music club or something? That interaction with Sylvia, as short as it was, was a lot. And her mother wanted her to go to the party too. 

[color=008b8b]“Because I promised a boy I’d meet him!”[/color] Oh that came out horrible, as if Ria had a love life. Ha, ha… yeah. Funny. Her and a love life. [color=008b8b]“Whose a friend… a guy, dude. Friend.”[/color] Word vomit. This is why she kept to herself. This is why she would ditch the angel girl like they ditched the redhead. Save herself from putting her foot deeper in her mouth. She didn’t even know what friend she was talking about; she didn’t have any. [color=008b8b]“He said he’d meet me over… over there.”[/color] Ria squeaked, her voice getting even louder as she pointed in a direction. And yes, she was pointing at a boy far, far away. Squirming out of Lisette’s arm, Ria cleared her throat, [color=008b8b]“I’ll, uh, see you later?”[/color]

[color=00aeef]"Oh! Well, if you have someone special to meet, you’d better go."[/color] Lisette disengaged as soon as Illuria showed signs of wanting to be out from under her arm. [color=00aeef]"I’m supposed to be meeting my mentor somewhere... right, yes, hopefully see you soon."[/color] She gave Illuria a wave as she stepped away, then pulled her phone from a pocket and texted Alia. [color=00aeef][i]I’m at the Fair. There’s way too many people here. Where can I find you?[/i][/color]

When Lisette walked away, Ria gave the deepest sigh of relief. She was [i]free[/i]. That was the longest five minutes of her life. [color=008b8b]“Alrighty then,”[/color] The brunette gave a shy wave goodbye before going into the random direction she pointed at, choosing it would be best to not look behind her or to the side of her, where Lisette was heading and where Sylvia was left behind. She likely already ruined her chances with both of them as friends so there was no use in dwelling. Onward and upward, her sister, Callie, would say. 

There was a strike of panic that shook the redhead when Lisette made it known she was leaving this conversation. A hand feebly reached out, and Sylvia’s feet nearly started to follow the duo as they left, her mouth left agape. [color=#FDEF88]“Hey, wait…! I’m -”[/color]

[color=#FDEF88][i]Sorry.[/i][/color]

There was a glacial feeling that went down her spine and it felt like a gaping void opened up in her chest. Guilt. Loneliness. Things she’d felt time and time again, but was never able to shake their spectral, icy hands. She wished her uncle hadn’t forced her out here because this is [i]what always happened[/i]. She wasn’t good at talking to people, and deep down, she knew that. Everyone was pushed away like she was a huge magnetic force field. Why was this so difficult? Sylvia cursed her existence silently and ground her teeth. She had thought she was doing something good, but apparently, she’d ruined everything. Nothing new there.

Running a tense, frustrated hand through her locks, she went the opposite path that Lisette and the Cryptid had and melted back into the crowd. The bored gleam in her eyes was now a vacant one, matte and hollow. 

It was gonna be one of those days. 


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