Horatio~

Korrynn and Daniel finally come back from the woods, ending a tense silence that was starting to get old. Part of me wonders exactly what happened back there, but honestly I couldn't care less about investigating someone's reasoning behind running off into the Nepalese wilderness. Or at least, I'm too tired to.

I stand up, yawning loudly. "Well, I think that's about enough excitement for one day. I'm hitting the sack."

"That would be wise," Wei nods. "I want everyone to be at their maximum potential tomorrow and that won't be easy without a good night's rest."

The guy sounds more like our coach than our classmate. I'll admit, though, he has a way of convincing the masses. Most of the other students say something in agreement and start to head for their bedrooms.

"Alright," says Ripley. "That's all well and good, but who's going to help me with all these dirty dishes?"

I freeze on the staircase. "Um." My classmates spend a good fifteen seconds looking haplessly at one another.

My finger shoots to my nose. "NOT IT! Okaybyegoodnighteveryone." I hurtle up the stairs and into my room before a single indignant protest can be uttered.

~~~

I lay in bed, reading texts from Isabelle. They're mainly messages passed on from my other friends back home, friends I didn't get to say goodbye to.

I left in a hurry. 

My introspection is cut short by a sudden blast of Shining Spectrum, one of my cheesier songs that I've forgotten to remove as my ringtone. The reason being, of course, that barely anyone ever calls me. 

So who could this be?

I quickly answer it and am greeted by an all-too-familiar grumble. 

"Horatio."

"Logan?"

I can almost hear the steam coming out of his ears from here. Although, if he actually managed to call me without incinerating his cell phone, I can at least admire his self-control. 

"Listen close, moron. I'm not letting you off the hook any time soon."

"Oh yeah? Is that so? Then why are you talking to me right now?"

"Don't interrupt me. Look, I just wanted to say, while you're out there..."

There is a pause. The sound of a deep breath? Wow, Logan, you're really growing as a person. Color me impressed.

"...While you're out there, run circles around those squares. For me and the band."

I smile into the darkness. "Will do."

~~~ 

So on Saturday I will probably move this to a new day and have the start of the initiation test. Trust me, it'll be fun.

But you guys can post until then, as long as you don't change the day before I do. I know Marilyn was gonna go back into the woods and investigate but obviously she doesn't have to do that on this same night.

Millie~

Of course, we had to get dishes duty.

After Horatio's speedy departure, the rest of us quickly tried to follow suit. Sadly, Rainey and I were standing too close to Ripley, and she grabbed us before we could escape.

Rainey hands me a plate, her hands red from the hot water and dripping with soap suds. She wrinkles her nose and fake glares at me, and I return the look while I wipe the plate. I can tell she's exhausted, a feeling that I can understand.

Finally, we finish the dishes. Rainey and I say a belated goodbye to those who are left downstairs, then head to our rooms.

My room is green toned, with paintings of bamboo forests on the walls. Soft rain sounds play from some sort of hidden speaker system, giving thr room a calm and welcoming feel. I'm glad to see that the lighting is good, and there's enough open space for me to do my stretches.

I'm just beginning to unpack my things when I hear the door opening.

It's Rainey, her luggage clasped in her hands. 

"Hey," she says, moving into the room. "Help me move the bed in."

I nod, glad that she felt the same way I did. Ever since we were small, we've slept in the same room. Even though we sometimes fight and being in the same space can be hard, I can't imagine falling asleep without knowing Rainey is there.

I help her move her bed from her room to mine, trying to make as little noise as possible. Eventually we get it in the right place, and I'm glad to see that the room is still pretty spacious. 

After changing into my pajamas, I turn off the lights and climb into my platform bed.

A few moments later Rainey speaks, her whisper barely discernable over the rain sounds.

"Millie?"

"Yeah?" I mumble sleepily.

"What do you think we'll have to do for initiation? Do you think we'll fail?"

I roll over to face her, her outline barely visible in the darkness.

"Failure is not an option." 

Oh hey, Alta! Lon time no see! :) *Welcome back hug*

Thanks!*hugs back*

Horatio~

The next morning, we all try to get up early like Cortez said. Well, some earlier than others. Wei is already downstairs doing isometric stretches by the time most of us crawl out of bed. What is he preparing for, a war?

There isn't enough time to make a big breakfast, so most of us just grab some cereal from the kitchen, and head outside.

Once again, a crowd has gathered in the courtyard, composed of the other first year classes for a total of about a hundred students. Most of them are facing away from the school, seemingly gawking at something. And when I see what that something is, I can't blame them.

The hill that we climbed yesterday to get to the school is now covered in a maze of walls, pillars, and other obstacles. They set up all this overnight without us knowing? They must have some pretty gnarly powers working for them.

I go to say something to Rainey, but nothing comes out when I open my mouth. In fact, the whole crowd has suddenly fallen silent. Oh no, I've spontaneously gone deaf.

Wait, no, it's just Mute Button. She stands at the entrance of the school with all the other staff members, smirking at us. That power of hers is at least useful for crowd control.

After our attention has been successfully diverted to the teachers, she speaks.

"Congratulations on waking up." she says, amplifying her voice. "I'd love to chat, but there's someone you should all meet."

An elderly man makes his way to the front of the teacher group, clad in an orange robe and holding a wooden cane. Even with his short stature, I instantly know who it is.

Master Pahada! I was wondering when the geezer was going to show up. He looks a lot frailer in person, but he could probably still beat any one of us into oblivion.

Someone hands Pahada a microphone, and he addresses us in a calm, patient voice.

"To be accepted into this school is a monumental accomplishment in its own right. By simply doing that, each one of you has already proven yourself to be far above average. But you did not come to Candrama to flaunt your skills. You came here to hone them. Do you truly have what it takes to survive in such a harsh world as our own, a world that does not care how high your GPA is before it devours you whole? That is what we are here to find out."

Pahada extends his cane outward, drawing our attention to the barriers on the hillside. 

"Today's initiation will be a simple obstacle course. Make it from here to the bottom of the slope, that is your task. You will each be individually graded on your speed and technique, and you will be held at that standard during your time here at Candrama."

Several people sigh in relief at this seemingly painless task, but Pahada's eyes narrow. He's not done yet.

"Do not mistake simplicity for ease, young students. Did you think you would only be facing stationary obstacles?" Pahada hands the mic to one of the other staff members, who steps forward.

It's a man who barely looks like he qualifies as a teacher. He's wearing a sweater and jeans, has disheveled hair, dark circles under his eyes, and a grin that looks almost sadistic. But wait, do I know this guy? Yep, he looks exactly like Vestige, one of the most controversial superheroes of our time. Of all the heroes in the world, I'm surprised they chose him to work here. 

"From the looks on your faces, I can see some of you already know who I am." his voice is hoarse and gravelly, almost as if he has a cold.

"But for those of you who don't, allow me to introduce myself." 

He suddenly does a backflip off the top of the stairs into the courtyard, surprisingly graceful for someone who looks like he got forty minutes of sleep last night. Students scurry out of his way as he walks to the center of the plaza.

"I'm Vestige, and I will be your Advanced Strategy and Tactics teacher at this institute. But right now, I'm just here to make this test a little more... interesting."

Vestige kneels down onto the pavement and places one finger on the ground. A look of intense concentration comes over his face, as if trying to recover a distant memory. Then, his fingertip begins to glow a vibrant scarlet. Several meters away, a patch of ground glows the same color, before cracking open as a rocky beast bursts out of the soil. Even though it's made of earth, I can still clearly recognize its shape as a bull-like Exofauna. It stares at us with unseeing eyes, grunts, and then charges. Several people assume a defensive stance, but before it reaches the crowd, Vestige snaps his fingers and the creature disintegrates back into a pile of dirt and pebbles.

"I can create clay replicas of any foe I've defeated in the past." Vestige explains. "They'll fight for me, and I can control the exact point where they spawn, as long as I can see it. Obviously they won't be as sturdy as real Exofauna, but they still pack quite a punch. I can dissolve them with a snap if things get out of hand. Now..."

Vestige crouches to the ground once again, this time placing all ten fingers on the pavement.

"On your marks."

~~~

Oof, this took a while to write. Hopefully it was worth it! 

Toppity top!!

I'll post after my homework is done =p

"On your marks!"

I pull the hood of my black hood up and am suddenly glad for my long bootcut jeans, they will do a splendid job at hiding my transformed legs but there is nothing I can do about the way my legs bend* when I'm in my half breed form. 

"Get set!" 

I take a deep breath and harness the power that allows me to transform, hoping that no one will notice how my hands suddenly change to a purplish black and my tail tucked into my hoodie.

"Go!" 

Suddenly beasts erupt from the ground, some exofauna, some normal creatures, the rest of the students charge forward and I have to run with them in order to not be trampled. Some students take to the air but are chased by Bird exofauna.

I run past a boy that kicks a creature so hard that it crumples into dust on the ground. Korrynn is transformed into a large beast that I can't name, twin girls are fighting their way through the exofauna by turning inyo eachother to confuse them, the boy who refused to help with the dishes, what was his name, Horatio? Is glowing with a menevolent light as he dashes twards the end of the obsticle course.

There are others too but I can't see them because a concerete monster bursts out of the ground infront of me. I swerve to avoid it but it grabs my hood and I cry out in alarm as it tears the hood from my head revealing the slender horns protruding from my head. I slash at the creature and dash away as it's hand crashes into the ground behind me. I dash, not caring that anyone can see what I am, I just want this to be over.

Go go go go go go go go go Faster, FASTER

I sprint twards the finish, most of my class has finished already including Korrynn. I just want it to be over. I just want it to be done. I stumble as a giant crystal bursts through the ground behind me, impailing a clay creature and a girl runs by me. I put on a burst of speed and we reach the end at almost the same time, I turn back as quickly as I can and pull my hood up.

This isn't good. This isn't good at all. 

~~~

I'm baaaaaaaack

*They bend forwards instaid of backwards so that might be a good detail for someone else's post

Horatio~

The test starts sooner than I was expecting, but I still sprint into the course like there's no tomorrow. They didn't give us one second to prepare, which means they're probably trying to see if we can come up with a strategy on the fly.

Almost immediately after we reach the edge of the course, Vestige's fallen enemies burst from the earth, reborn and ready to murder us all. This causes some students to falter, but I keep up a steady pace, passing most of them. All that endurance training that stuffy prep school made me do is paying off.

Not everything is peachy-keen, though. This test seems to be suited towards people with powers they can use to either defeat the monsters or easily evade them. I have neither. Since they don't have eyes, I can't even use my signature blind attack. For now, I just try to stick to the sidelines and avoid the creatures, only dealing with the obstacles that won't try to kill me.

People start to catch up, growing more confident in their abilities. Wei in particular is slicing and dicing his way through hordes of monsters, fighting with the speed and precision of someone with decades, no, centuries of combat experience. I have to think of a plan, and fast, before I'm left in the dust.

"HEY! EVERYONE, LOOK OVER HERE!" I bellow out. A good chunk of people swivel their heads in my direction, and barely catch my smug grin before I flash my entire body for 0.3 seconds at over 10,000 lumens. They crumple to the ground, clutching their faces and briefly incapacitated. Just like that, my competition is cut down greatly.

But I'm still not in the clear. Even if I have the energy to pull off two flashes like that in a row, I doubt anyone will be dumb enough to fall for my little trick again. That means I have to take advantage of what time I bought myself and end this, right now.

I sprint the last leg of the course, lunging over a hurdle and across the finish line, almost landing on my face. I made it, certainly not close to first place but better than most. Not bad, Glowstick.

I wipe the sweat off my brow and watch the last students finish the test. I notice Daniel in particular seems to be awkwardly running and holding his hoodie over his face. Is he hurt?

Before I can say anything, there is an ear-piercing shriek from the sky.

Two gigantic birds swoop overhead, stirring up the dust with the sheer force of their wingbeats. My heart falls into my stomach. Those are... Exofauna. Real Exofauna. Thinking back to my Exofauna Studies class at my old school, I remember the name of this species. Gymnogyps Aliena. The Terror Condor. 

This whole campus is supposed to be protected, so where the heck did they even come from?

"Is this part of the test?" I hear someone ask nervously. 

The clay creatures that still remain on the obstacle course suddenly crumble into dust. Vestige must have been distracted. Sure enough, one of the Terror Condors has reached the entrance of the school, and the teachers are preoccupied with it. The other bird is circling directly above us, ready to strike at any moment.

And there's no one to help us. 

The initiation may have been competitive, but this... this is real.

"Guys," I say. "We have to beat this thing. Together."

Korrynn~

The Terror Cindors circle overhead. I study them closely. Suddenly, black feathers cover almost all of my body, excluding my head. A hooked black beak forms on my face where my mouth an nose were, and my eyes turn easy and small. After a moment's hesitation I lift my wings an take to the air. The other Condors take notice of me and screech.

"Welcome, sister. What took you so long? Ready to feast?" One squawks evilly. Below, the rest of the students are huddled together, hopefully cracking an actual plan.

"I have spied in the imbeciles. They seem to be less tasty than they look. Mostly bone, not much meat. I could use one for a beak-picking bone, they're so scrawny. Besides, these particular ones seem more powerful than the ones we're used to, you know, the fatter ones? These ones seem to have more training with their inferior strengths than usual... See, look!" I screech back. The other Terror Condors cock their heads to look down, and I close my eyes, hoping that Horatio, that glower guy, notices. Apparently he does, because a blinding flash of light cuts the air.

~~ 

Rainey~

The earthen exofauna erupt out of the ground quicker than I can say shoot. Next to me, Mille mutters a curse in spanish as Vestiges smiles maniacly and claps his hands.

"On your marks..."

I'm off before he can say go, Millie following directly behind me. The only way to beat everyone is to get started before everyone.

The obstacle course is rough on it's own, but the deadly monsters at every corner make it almost impossible.

I dodge a swipe from an ape-like exofauna and keep running, jumping over a log that rolls towards me. I hear Millie yell at me to shrink, so I do, feeling my body decrease in size and height. I'm just in time, the claws of another flying exofauna grasping at the air above my head.

I near the end of the obstacle course, Millie running right beside me. I'm breathing heavily and my muscles burn, but I'm glad to see that Millie and I aren't in the last group of people.

Suddenly, without warning, the clay monsters again erupt out of the ground. A piece of earthen debris hits me on the shoulder, and I stumble and cry out from the impact. Millie turns to see if I'm okay, but I wave her off and keep running.

I hear Horatio scream for everyone to look at him, but I ignore it, having an idea of what he is going to do. Sure enough, a few seconds later a bright light erupts from where he was standing, causing several people to clutch at their faces and fall on the ground from the intensity.

Millie and I leap over the final obstacle and reach the end of the course. We're not first, but we're not last either.

The last people reach the end and I begin to think that initiation might be over when two piercing cries split the air. We all duck and look up to see two Terror Condors flying towards the entrance of the school.

Millie turns to me, alarm and surprise written on her face. I know what she's thinking without her saying anything. Isn't the school supposed to be protected against exofauna?

Someone asks if this is supposed to be part of the test, but no one answers. One of the condors starts to dive bomb the teachers at the entrance and the other turns to us.

"Guys," Horatio says, loud enough for all of us to hear, "We have to beat this thing. Together."

Almost immediately Korynnn leaps into the air, transforming into a Terror Condor as she arches above our heads. She goes to join the other Condor and seems to start communicating with it.

I understand what she is trying to do as the real exofauna turns towards us.

"Horatio!" I yell, trying to be heard over the condor's shrieks. "Shine as bright as you can! Blind it!"

He hesitates a bit before glowing almost as bright as the sun. The Condor screams loudly as it looks at the full force of Horatio's power.

Unfortunately, the blinding was only temporary. The Condor again starts to dive at us only moments after it recovers.

We all scatter, taking cover under the pieces of the obstacle course. I huddle with Millie under a large hurdle and watch as the Condor tries to snatch at the others under cover.

Fear courses through my body as the beast turns its beady eyes on us. It advances towards the hurdle that we crouch under, closing the distance with a few flaps of its wings.

In one movement it snatches the obstacle from over our heads, exposing us to it's claws and beak.

I scream as it shrieks at us, quickly shifting my skin to the same as the rock man who instructed us on the first day as I brace myself for whatever happens next. 

~

Sorry this is so long. 

I was tempted to write an account of all the scenes I'd missed, but I'm tired and want to just get something up. So congrats, guys, you were saved from a wall of text.
(Dariya HATES British couisine now, though.)

Dariya~

An obstacle course . . . where we have to fight Exofauna.

Nobody else seems particularly intimidated as I glance around. I guess I'm the only one who hasn't been raised practicing her powers.

It's okay. I can do this.

I hope.

"GO!" shoutes Vestige, and my reflexes kick in as I sprint from the start line. It's now or never to show off my powers, I suppose.

I aim for the middle of the course. Some are going for the edges - the one I notice is Horatio - and I must assume that they're the ones that don't have powers that will give them a fighting chance. I feel a sudden surge of gratefulness that I'm not one of them. After all, the whole point of this exercise is to show off your skills and prove that you're worthy of your spot in Candrama.

As I approach my first Exofauna, I conjure up a hammer and swipe it at its legs. These things don't have eyes, or really any good fighting chance. I suppose it's hard when you've got to control so many of them at once, like Vestige is doing now. I shoot a couple of spikes of Spectrulite at two Exofauna approaching me, then smash a third in the head. This is almost too easy. Isn't there another element to this?

"HEY! EVERYONE, LOOK OVER HERE!"

Instinctively, I glance to where the voice is calling. Before I can avert my eyes again, Horatio has lit up like a thousand tiny suns. I can see spots before my eyes as I crumple onto the ground. That dirty cheater! We're graded on this individually! Oh, I am going to have his head once this obstancle course is over.

Before I can stand up again, I feel a crushing blow to my own head. I roll over and open my eyes to see an Exofauna staring at me: one of those big, bear-ish ones with the GIGANTIC fists. It's getting ready to punch me again. I conjure up a Spectrulite wall in between us, scramble up, and run away. I'm not in the mood to fight anymore. I just want to finish this stupid thing.

As I clear obstacles, I create walls of Spectrulite to block the Exofauna from coming near me. By the time I make it to the finish line, it looks like the whole slope is glowing, and I'm feeling a little dizzy. I forgot to relinquish control over my creations. I make all the walls vanish, then practically collapse. Thank goodness it's over.

Or not.

"Is this part of the test?" I ask, as two very real Exofauna begin to circle us. A few more are already attacking the teachers, who have their hands full. Probably not, then. I thought Exofauna couldn't get into Candrama!

Luckily, my classmates are more quick-thinking than me. Korryn transforms into a Terror Condor and flies up to join them. Before I can even register that, she's attracted their attention to Horatio, who releases another of his brilliant flashes.

That halts them for a moment, but not as long as anyone would like. The two swoop towards us, and we all dive away from the line of fire, seeking different pieces of cover. I lose track of one, but the other has spotted two girls hiding behind a hurdle. As I watch, helpless, it breaks the hurdle, exposing them.

It's going to kill them!

In a panic, I stand up and extend my hand. A thick wall of Spectrulite surrounds the two girls. There aren't many things I'm confident about, but the Condor not being able to penetrate my unique element is one of them.

How long I'll be able to keep this up? That's a very real worry.

Toptoptop

Hey everyone, especially J.B.E, I have a friend who may join us on Cricket soon. I read to her an RP post from this RP and now she's been asking about it. I was wondering if she could join with a charrie in another class...?