Team AERO: Chapter I

You are Aero Swann, one of dozens of new students at Shade. Your transport has just landed on campus. You check your scroll. Looks like you have about an hour before orientation. You don't want to be late, and you're not very familiar with the campus, but you should still let your parents know you made it safe.

<THIS DETERMINES CANON>
*[Call your parents.]
[Don't call your parents.]
[Your parents are dead.]

You move away from the docks in search of a quiet spot outside of ancient monument they call a school. You round the corner of the building and spy a peaceful little oasis. Plant life isn't exactly common in the desert, so you take in the tranquility and beauty of the greens. Spotting a bench, you plop yourself down and search your contacts for [Home].

"Hello?"
"Hey dad, I made it."
"That's great, honey. Thanks for letting us know. I know your mom can be a bit much some times."

*[I know, but it's ok.]
[Yea, thank god I'm not home anymore.]

"I know, but it's ok. She means well."
"She does. I'll let her know you called. Love you."
"Love you too, dad."

You end the call and make you way back to the entrance. Entering the building, you are met with a massive hall filled with your fellow students. This must be where the orientation will be.
Most of them seem to have already formed groups, but a few of them are just standing by themselves or playing on their scrolls. The first ones that really stick out are a boy leaning on a pillar near the entrance and a girl on her scroll not to far away.  You should..

[Pass the time on your scroll.]
[Introduce yourself to (the boy)/(the girl).]
*[Find somewhere to stand near the *(front)/(back).]

Roll: 3

You ignore the other students and make your way through the room. You're small stature lets you easily maneuver through the crowd until you spy a raised surface and a podium. You continue through the mass of bodies until you find yourself near the front. You check your scroll quick. About 10 minutes left. You notice that everyone around you seems to ignore your presence.

[Wait in silence.]
*[Play with your scroll.]
[Draw attention to yourself. (How?)]

You take out your scroll. A swipe and a tap later, you've loaded up Flappy Grimm. You tap away at the screen, trying to push your high score higher as the minutes tick by.

"Good afternoon."
You jerk your head up, slipping your phone away. A man about in his 50s towers over the student body.
"My name is Professor Alabaster. I am pleased to welcome each of you to Shade Academy. Before we get you started on your path towards being a Hunter, we're going to have to evaluate you all once more. While this won't affect your enrollment, we encourage you to do your best. Now, would all students who's last names begin with A through K please follow Professor DeFleur. The rest of you will follow me."

"A through K, this way."
Your head turns to the sound, curious to see your other instructor. Your eyes take in woman who hardly looks over 30, despite her pure, white hair. She begins leading her group down a hall that leads left from the main hall.

Turning back to Professor Alabaster, you move with the rest of the students heading right before eventually filing into a classroom.

"Take a seat."

You quickly take the nearest available seat before glancing down on the scroll sitting on your desk. The last person takes their seat, and Alabaster clears his throat to quiet the room.

"You have two more tasks before your education can begin. The first is this test. The next will be explained later. You may begin."

The screen lights up.

*[Do your best.]
[It doesn't count anyways, just blow through it.]

You hunker down and do your best to answer the questions. Most of them are easy, but you're sure you probably got a fair share of them wrong as well. When you answer the final one, the scroll shuts off.

You look up and glance around the room. Looks like almost everyone is done. You wait in silence for a few minutes until the last people finish.

The professor makes his way to the door as the final scroll turns off, "Everyone, follow me outside."

You file out with the rest of the group, trailing behind Alabaster as he leads the pack out through the main hall. He makes his way to the side of the building opposite the oasis, you and the students close behind. You hear a noise, and turn to see Professor DeFleur's group exiting the academy with her group.

The two groups meet and converge on the side of the building. The two teachers stand near the wall surround the school, with your groups in between.

"Students. This is your final exam for today."

Alabaster places his hand on the wall and it opens up to reveal the entrance to a maze.

"Reach the end of this labyrinth in the shortest time that you can. Students who take longer than two hours will be given a no-score. As before, this does not affect your admission to Shade."

"Begin."

*[Time to fly.]
[Pace yourself.]
[Fuck it, just get in and pass the two hours somehow.]

You immediately sprint into the entrance with your fellow students. The crowd thins with each and every turn. You turn left. Right. Right again. Left.
And find yourself at a dead end.

This happens a few times as you continue to rush through the twists and turns, doing your best to remember where you've already been.
As you backtrack once more, you notice someone jobbing with their hand on the left wall.
You immediately remember the trick, but wonder if it's worth the time.

[Just run. You'll find it.. Eventually.]
*[Completing it's more important than time, right?]

You put you hand towards the wall and begin jogging. It doesn't feel like you're making much progress at first, but eventually you find many new paths. It isn't long before you find yourself at the end of the maze. You exit and find the professors standing by with a pair of scrolls.

DeFleur begins texting notes as Alabaster holds his out to you.

"Your hand, please."

You place your hand on the scroll and your name and time pop up on the screen.
[Aero Swann : 1:44:27]

A little too close for comfort, but you made it, nonetheless.

"Please follow the path back to the school. Continue through the main hall to the cafeteria. We will reconvene in the hall at 6 PM."

You begin following the path and check your scroll. [3:57].
You make your way to the cafeteria. Most of the students are already eating, so it doesn't take long to get your meal. You shuffle through the line and find yourself looking for a place to sit. You don't see anyone you know, but the two loners from earlier are sitting by themselves on different tables.

[Alone.]
*[Sit with one of them (The *boy or the girl?)]
[Force your way into a group of people.]

You slide into the seat across from the boy. He looks up from his food.

"Uh, hi."

[Write in]

"Hey. I'm Aero Swann, new here and don't know anybody."

You extend your hand over the table. He reaches out and takes it as the two of you shake.

"Oliver Greene. Also don't know anyone."

"Having a good day so far?" You smile, ignoring your food.

"No complaints. Yourself?" He doesn't break eye contact, despite continuing to eat.

"I'm having a great day! I can't wait to get started tomorrow."

"Well, you should get started on your food. The team ceremony's in an hour." He gestures to your plate with his fork.

"Oh. Yea."

The two of you eat in relative silence until Oliver takes his empty tray and stands.

"See ya."

"Bye!"

You finish eating, then make you way back to the main hall.

You spot the girl from earlier on her phone again.

[Find a place to wait.]
*[Talk to her.]
[That high score though.]

You walk over to the blue haired girl absorbed in her scroll.

"Hi there!"

She doesn't look up. "Hey."

"I'm Aero Swann, nice to meet you." You smile at her emotionless face.

"Crystal Eton." She taps away at the screen. You can't see what she's doing from where you are, but you don't want to be rude. You frown a bit, but you smile again, ready for another attempt.

"How do you think you did on the tests?"

"Adequate." Her eyes glance at you for half a second, but you totally caught it. You're getting somewhere!

Alabaster's throat clearing cuts through the room.

"Students. We will now select your partners and teams. These are final, and you will be working and living together through graduation. So do your best to get along."

You listen carefully to all the names as he begins listing partners and teams. It doesn't take long for your time.

"Aero Swann and Crystal Eton."
Oh.
"Oliver Greene and Regalia Aracnera."
Oh!
"You will be Team AERO, under Ms. Swann."
Oh no.

------[End Chapter I]------