Wei~

My jacket clings tightly to my upper body, making every small movement more uncomfortable than necessary. Father's doing, of course. He always buys my clothes smaller than my actual size. I know exactly what he'd say if I complained about it now.

It's all about looking professional. You'll never be able to become as great as your sister with a baggy uniform, now will you Wei?

My palms are empty; my luggage has already been delivered to my dorm as part of a pre-arrangement with my parents and the school. Despite that, I'm still bearing a heavier load than most of these other students. I look at them, strolling carelessly up the winding path towards the courtyard, laughing without a care in the world. Would they brush me aside, or would they expect me to be like Lin? Either way, it only means that I need to work even harder to be better than all of them.

This is what they want. Everyone is counting on me to succeed.

But is it what YOU want?

My eyes dart to my shoulder. The chain whip slung over it is levitating ever so slightly away from the dark blue fabric. Jingchen is listening.

I did not grant you permission to speak to me. 

The spirit laughs sadistically, but the whip returns to its original position, indicating his compliance. Still, he's been getting more and more unruly as of late. Bolder. In the early days, he would obey my every command without so much as a single defiant quip. But now, he's sensing the doubt in my mind. He's sensing my uncertainty. And he knows that if he takes advantage of it he'll be able to take over.

I can't let him get inside my head. He's looking for an opening, but he won't find it.

And that's why I'm going to be the best. 

Dariya~

"Thirty minutes until we touch down," crackles the pilot's voice over my headset. I still find her voice surprisingly low, though maybe that's because she hasn't spoken to me since I boarded this helicopter a few hours ago. "I have a few things for you, you might want to look them over."

Eyes still focused in front of her, she reaches for a stack of papers with one hand while flipping switches with the other. When her arm swings around in front of me, I take them, slipping their binding rubber band off. "One's your class list. Tells you what homeroom you'll be in. I don't know much about it, I'm just the pilot, so don't start grilling me," she adds, reading my mind. "All I know is you're going to look like an idiot if you don't even know your homeroom's name. There's also a pamphlet in there, give it a read."

"Yeah, um . . . " I swallow the urge to ask a billion questions. Not a friendly pilot, remember. "Thanks."

She doesn't reply, only keeps focusing in front of her as she makes a gentle turn.

The first piece of paper says I'll be in Class Everest. I count fourteen other people in it, same as all the others. I'm dying to ask the pilot whether I'll have all my classes with my homeroom, or just homeroom with my homeroom, or if she knows anyone on the class list, or how the classes even work, but I bite my tongue. Instead, I scan through the pamphlet. It has some basic information about the teachers and the school, but nothing I didn't already know. I sigh and toss it aside. Are we there yet?

The chopper's path shows no signs of touching down soon, so I glance out the window instead. At least the view is getting better. The mountaintops have started peeking through the clouds. It's rather nice, actually.

"Are you buckled in? We're beginning descent."

"Oh, cool. Yeah, I am."

She doesn't reply, just begins bringing the helicopter down. When it lands, I barely have a chance to glance at the school before she's shoving my luggage at me. I sling my bag over my shoulder, popping the handle of my suitcase. She's already halfway back into the cockpit by the time I'm done. "Hey," I call. "Thanks for flying me over here."

She stares at me for a moment. "It's my job."

I shrug and turn away. I want the full experience for my first sight of the Candrama Institute.

And the full experience I get. A path leads up to a cluster of pagodas that seem to rise imposingly over even the taller mountains around them. The largest seems to overtake them entirely, stretching up into the sky. A smile twitches on my face when I see the decor they've put up: lanterns and banners line the path. I wonder if they're always there.

Here we go, I suppose. I take a deep breath and start towards my future.

Ayelet~

The veiw is stunning. Massive, snow-capped mountains rise up all around us. Students stream out of helicopters, walking up, up, and my eyes follow them until they reach the school. Beautiful brown pagodas, each with many layers, until, one by one, each is capped with a brilliant blue dome, the tallest rising into the clouds so that I only get a glimpse of blue tiles every once in a while. I stand there for a minute, awestruck, acutely feeling the mountains all around me, the cold wind buffeting me, a bit of snow blowing about in the breeze.

I ground myself and begin to walk. The hill is steep, but at least it's warming me up. I don't get cold very easily, so I'm still wearing my skirt and flip-flops, with my hood down and my jacket open, but climbing a hill defenitely helps. I look around to see people from all over the world heading in the same direction as me. The knowledge that they all must have some great power intimidates me, but also I feel a sense of belonging grow in my chest, something I haven't felt like this before. All of these people are like me.

I finally reach the top of the hill, panting a little. I look around and see students milling about, socializing, trying to find their classes. I remember the pamphlet the pilot gave me, which I had promptly forgot about after the sensation pf seeing the school in real life for the first time. I lean against a big rock adorned with a lantern to read it, then scan it, trying to find my class. There it is. I scan the list of names and notice that someone in my class is related to Lin Youling, on of the people my moms were always showing me visoes of. That must be so cool for her... brother? cousin? who's in my class. My eyes rise to the class name. Class Everest. Named for the tallest mountain in the world. I commit it to memory and scan the crowd.

Eryn~

I stare out the window and have to stop myself from bouncing up and down in my excitement. My mind keeps circling through the information I read on the pamphlet the pilot handed me. He isn't too talkative, but seems nice enough. I'm super excited to meet all my classmates. I'm in Class Everest with fourteen other students, all of whom have powers, just like me. I'm the only person I know who has special abilities, so it's not like there's anyone I can ask about it. That's why I'm so excited to be going to Candrama: I can learn the answers to everything that I've always wondered.

I hear the pilot's voice over the headset.

"We're landing soon, so get your luggage together," he says. I do as I'm told, pulling my suitcase closer to me. We start to descend, and I can't help myself from smiling. I'll never get tired of the feeling of flying. I think I prefer airplanes, though. Helicopters are a lot noisier. We near the ground, then touch down. I grab my suitcase, open the door, and jump out of the helicopter, calling a thank you to the pilot over my shoulder. When I see the school, I stop in my tracks.

It's beautiful. Snow-capped mountains surround the school, which is made up of blue and brown pagodas varying in heights. There's a path leading up to the school, lined with pennants and lanterns. I assume I'm supposed to follow this path, so I climb. The air gets cooler, but my Candrama jacket keeps me warm. I soon reach the school, and wonder If I'd be allowed to go running in the village I saw. I'd have to ask someone.

I see lots of other students milling around in the courtyard, some talking, some standing and waiting. One boy appears to be talking to himself. I tug my suitcase along behind me, and wonder where it should go. I decide to keep it with me for now. As I walk toward my (hopefully) future friends, there's a skip in my step. I'm actually here.

I nervously pull my gray jacket even tighter over my body, stepping out of the helicopter with my white and black striped bag. I clutch my sketch pad and flute in my right hand, and hot pink pen and a black folder full of papers in the other. My older sister, Rihanna, steps out of the other side of the helicopter and gives me a secret smile, walking away to find her home room. She was here last year, too, and unlike me, she’s excited to be back. On the other hand, the only thing I know about my new school is from a yellow sheet of paper handed to me by the pilot. Rihanna tried to tell me about it on the flight up here, but all I got out of her stories are what not to do. Which doesn’t help much. I glance back down at the pamphlet, the butterflies in my stomach feeling more like elephants. I already know that this will be hard for three reasons. One- I’m younger than everyone because I skipped first grade. Two- I’m a girl with a boy’s name. How hard is that? And three- I’m the first person in my home room, Class Everest, when you go alphabetically by last name.

I’m glad that Rihanna gave me her gray Candrama hoodie from last year, because it makes me at least look like I fit in. Everyone is wearing a jacket or other Candrama merchandise, with the exception of a few. One boy seems to be talking to himself, and another girl is putting on makeup. I smile, in an attempt to at least look like I’m happy to be here, and head inside, noticing two girls who are most likely twins giggling together. Another problem? Everyone knows Rihanna. Literally everyone. Looking up at the sky, I stop in my tracks. What is up with me today? I’m usually such an optimist. I smile, this time for real, and make a plan to turn this day around. When I look at the school this time, I don’t see Rihanna’s shadow. I see my future. And it’s bright. I draw a pair of goofy sunglasses, will them to life, and slip them on, grinning. I finger my star-shaped necklace for extra luck, then walk inside, happy. I’m already loving my new school. I find my locker, and set to work decorating it with stars I draw and other cool things I bring to life with my sketch pad. As I’m turning a hot pink lettered sign with my name on it into 3D, a girl stops at the locker next to mine. I watch other kids using their powers, and for once I feel a sense of fitting in. Everyone here is like me! Back home, I was the only person like this. Besides Rihanna, there was no one I could talk to, and Rihanna was always too busy to notice me. I wave at the girl next to me, and strike up a conversation, my usual positive attitude back and glowing.

Horatio~

As soon as I reach the courtyard, I feel a vibration against my leg that almost makes me jump. I forgot I even brought my phone! I yank it out of my pocket, and I'm greeted by a new message across the screen.

sup loser. Logan's finally calmed down a bit. Let me know if you get this

It's from Isabelle, our lead singer. I can't decide what's more amazing, the fact that a place like this has reception or that she bothered to text me.

Logan hadn't taken my decision to leave the band very lightly, regardless of it being a temporary change. In fact, he'd stopped speaking to me ever since I got my acceptance letter and, according to Isabelle, set his entire garage on fire. Whether intentionally or not, I can't say.

Isabelle was a bit more understanding. She knows about my problems better than anyone else, that leaving the country was my one and only option for a multitude of reasons. That doesn't mean she didn't get a little upset herself, though.

I shoot her back a quick 'K' and turn off my phone, pocketing it. My old friends can wait for a few hours. I'm at a new school in a new part of the world, and right now my top priority should be making as many new ones as I can. Starting with... the two girls who are standing the closest to me. Sure.

"You know," I say, loud enough for them to hear me but still trying to look as nonchalant as possible approaching them. "This place is really giving me some inspiration for my next album cover."

The girl with shorter hair turns around, a smile still on her face from an apparently hilarious conversation. She seems to look me over, clearly going to comment on my sweet guitar.

"Aren't you kind of cold?"

Close enough. 

"Cold? I'm in the hottest indie band west of the Mississippi, yo! Well, was in it. These days I'm more of a solo artist." I stick out my hand. "Horatio."

She shakes it, with a surprisingly strong grip. "I'm Rainey. Oh, and this is Millie, my twin." The girl with longer hair nods at me, acknowledging my existence.

"Interesting." I narrow my eyes and stroke my nonexistent beard with exaggerated mock suspicion.  "So, are you guys really twins or is there just one of you using some sort of cloning power?"

Rainey giggles. "No, there's definitely two of us the last time I checked. And forget cloning, we have something much cooler." She suddenly turns away from me. A slight smirk appears on her sister's face.

"Uh, do you have the power of ignoring me? Because if so you're grea-"

She whirls back around just as suddenly, and greets me with... a different face. My face.

"I'M A SOLO ARTIST!" she shrieks in a perfect impression of my voice, before returning to her original appearance. "What do you think?"

I swallow, trying to hide the fact that I almost got shocked off my feet for the second time in five minutes. "I'm kind of weirded out, but I won't lie. That was definitely... a thing."

"Rainey," Millie abruptly speaks up, though clearly her words are not meant for me. "We should try and find other members of Class Everest. You heard what the pilot said."

"Hey, you guys are in Everest too?" I ask. Millie looks slightly dejected that I interrupted her, but says nothing. For twins, they aren't very alike.

Before I can say anything else, the main entrance opens and out steps a man who's dressed like a drill sergeant and has... rock skin? He blows a whistle around his neck, silencing the masses and nearly defeaning us in the process.

"FIRST YEAR STUDENTS! REPORT TO YOUR HOMEROOMS IMMEDIATELY FOR DORM ASSIGNMENTS! CRIMSON IN 100, LEOPARD IN 200, EVEREST IN 300! LET'S MOVE, MOVE, MOVE YOU WEAKLINGS!"

"Alright," says Rainey, getting a good grip on her luggage. "Guess we'll see you in class." 

His last name shall be Zarleen

~~~

I'm shaking, and it's not because of the cold.

I feel some other student's stares bore into my back as I look up at the school where I might learn to control my power, but only if I tell someone what it really is. It's a gamble. A risk. I don't like either of them.

I walk to Everest, biting the inside of my cheek. What if they hate me? What if they figure out my power? What if- No. It'll be fine. I hope...

I bump into a girl "S-sorry." I apologise quickly as I look up at the girl, she is quite beautiful with green eyes, a smattering of freckles across her face,and brown hair with sea green tips. I then hurry away,her reply being lostto the howling wind. 

~~~

I guess that's a ship then! 

Korrynn~

Everest Class. Interesting name. It fits well with our surroundings. I smile. While I admire the architecture, a boy accidentally bumps into me. I turn around to face him. He’s scared. I can see it in his eyes.

”S-sorry.” He stammers. I wave a hand nonchalantly.

”You’re good. What’s your name?” I reply, but the ambient noise around us drowns my words. He walks away, but just as I turn to go find my dorm, he turns back. Head bowed, he comes back over to me.

”Sorry. I didn’t hear you’re reply.” I smile forgivingly.

“I said you’re good.” The boy smiles weakly.

”Which class are you in?”

”Everest.” His face lights up.

”So am I! Oh... I’m Daniel, by the way.” I stick a hand out to shake his.

”Korrynn. A pleasure to meet you, Daniel.” Daniel’s smile broadens.

”The pleasure is mine, Korrynn.”

~~

Cool. 

When you accidentally delete your entire first post

Ripley~

The safety belt and the air pressure are the only things keeping me from bouncing out of my seat as we circle above the school high in the himilayas. From above the buildings look sturdy and symetrical, yet elegant, and I'm happy to be in the mountains. Maybe it'll feel like home. I knock my heels against my chair, thrilled to finally be starting school. Candrama Institute. Where heroes are made. Defenders of the small, protectors of the weak, brave and noble in all things... my uncle's lilting voice echoes in my head. I'll be one, too, onkle. Just wait, you'll be telling stories about me one day. 

"You'll probably want this," the pilot remarks, tossing me a thick blue coat. "It's pretty cold out. Now, remember what class you're in?"

"Class Everest," I reply promptly. "But I've already got a coat. I don't think I need this one." The pilot shrugs.

"I don't know. Might be a good idea to wear it so you fit in and everything, yeah?"

"I guess so," I say, pulling my arms through the sleeves, "What should I do with the old one?" 

"Take it with you! I don't want it. Now hold tight, here we go!" He lowers the plane to the ground and the noise of the blades going around slowly quiets. I unbuckle and stand up to peer out the window. So many people! I wonder how they'll train us all?

The pilot hands me my bags with a gruff, "Good luck, kid." I thank him and he nods tersely, then plants himself front of his helicopter, watching as I run up the snowy slope to where the rest of the class is waiting. Students are talking excitedly, breath mingling in clouds before them. I squeeze my way into the sea of navy blue jackets, searching for a friendly face. But before I can start a conversation, a piercing whistle sounds above above the class, silencing everyone.

A deep voice thunders, "First year students! Report to your homerooms immediately for dorm assignments! Crimson in 100, Leopard in 200, Everest in 300! Let's move, move, move, you weaklings!" 

Is he speaking another language? I wonder as I am ushered in with the throng of people. I thought I was fluent in English, fluent enough to go to an English school. I heard Everest, but what am I supposed to do in 300? Three hundred what? Minutes? Meters? I tap someone on the shoulder, a kid in a baseball cap over messy brown hair.

"Hey, do you know what's going on? Where are we supposed to be going?" She looks at me as though I just asked something somewhat ridiculous.

"Weren't you listening? We're going to homeroom. I they'll probably tell us what to do when we get there." I must still look puzzled because she adds, "Y'know? Homeroom? He gave us the numbers already. I'm in class Everest so I'm in room 300."

"Ohh! They were room numbers!" Now the whole speech makes a little more sense. Baseball cap looks amused, but in a nice way. Like we're sharing a joke. "I'm Ripley, what's your name?"

"Eryn. Isn't this exciting? It's so pretty here! And we get to use our powers!" I nod in agreement. I can't wait to see what home-room is like. Maybe there'll be a kitchen.

That moment when you realize you totally butchered your last name on accident... See my RP post above...

Horatio~

Room 300 is on the fifth floor of the main pagoda. I get that we're here to get stronger, but would it have killed them to put at least one elevator in here? Maybe lugging a suitcase up several floors is our first test.

When I finally make it to the homeroom, it's already filled with chattering students, reminiscent of my old school. In fact, the classroom looks like it could belong in any ordinary highschool.

Seems I arrived fashionably late. There isn't a teacher here yet, but there's a holographic screen in the front of the room displaying our assigned seats.

"I request that everyone be seated."

A loud but paradoxically calm voice puts a swift end to the room's chaotic atmosphere. There's a woman standing at the front of the classroom who was not there a second ago. I was right next to the door, how did I not hear her come in?

Everyone, myself included, follows her command without question. There may some rowdy people in this class, but we all got accepted into Candrama, so clearly we're not savages. The woman studies us in silence, trying to get a read on the true nature of our psyches.

"Looks like everyone bothered to show up. No need for attendance then."

...Or maybe she was just counting us.

Someone speaks up. "Hey, aren't you Mute Button? The superhero?"

The woman smirks. "You aren't a completely clueless bunch after all. Well, if you know me then I'm sure some of you know that I can control the volume of sound waves. So don't go getting obstreperous on me or I'll quite literally shut you all up." I catch her subtly chuckle to herself.

My eyes widen. Is it really Mute Button? I didn't recognize her without her costume, but now that I'm looking for it, I can definitely see it's her. Is every teacher here an actual hero? If so, then this place is even more bomb than I thought.

"But in all seriousness," she continues, "Please don't use my alias. From now on, I am Ms. Cortez, and I will be your homeroom teacher." 

Mute Butto- uh, Ms. Cortez, strides over to her desk and starts rummaging through one of the drawers. 

"These are the fourteen other people you will share all of your classes with for the next few months. Now, I'm not one for icebreaking activities, but I suggest you get to know some of them."

She extracts a stack of papers from her desk, and starts placing them on our desks.

"What I'm passing out right now is your official class schedule and a map of the campus. Everest students will be rooming in the Sagarmatha Building, the easternmost pagoda in this complex. On the first floor, you will find a lounge area, as well as a kitchen stocked with every ingredient an aspiring chef could want."

There is an audible cry of protest from several students, and I don't blame them. No one told us we would have to make our own food, and I'm not exactly a five-star chef.

"Oh, grow up," Ms. Cortez chides. "An important part of being a hero is being able to provide for yourself and others. That includes being able to cook a decent meal. And we get fresh deliveries every weekend, so it's not like I'm leaving you in a cave with two sticks and a raw steak. I'm sure at least a few of you are capable of rising to the occasion."

Ms. Cortez finishes passing out the papers and returns to the front of the classroom. "Moving right along. As you all are aware, this is a very exclusive school, so you will all be getting your own rooms. There are three other floors in the Everest dorm, with rooms for five students on each one. I'll leave it to you to sort out who gets which room. Are there any questions?"

Several hands go up, but Ms. Cortez only smirks dismissively. "A true hero can figure things out on their own. Now then, you will have the rest of today to move your luggage into your dorms, go over your schedules, and orient yourself with the school. Be sure to get up bright and early tomorrow for your... initiation. I look forward to getting to know you all."

Initiation? Several people speak up, but she's already left the classroom. I guess I wasn't the only one who wasn't told about an "initiation". Clearly this school has a habit of leaving us in the dark.

Good thing darkness ain't a problem for me.

~~~

I've been so busy it's a miracle I even managed to write this.