Aito glanced around, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Hey, Author, got a minute? I couldn't help but notice how you detailed yesterday's escapade with Maria."
He chuckled, leaning closer as if sharing a secret. "You really went all out on that description of the park scene."
"But seriously, do you mind giving me a heads-up next time before you make our moments public?" He winked, breaking the imaginary barrier between the story and the storyteller.
Aito then turned to the page, eyes wide. "Hey, author, you're really enjoying playing with fire, huh? That little park rendezvous with Maria yesterday was something else."
"We're talking, but come on, you know I didn't expect you to actually write that!" He grinned, leaning in closer to the invisible barrier.
"Though, I must say, it did add an unexpected twist. But seriously, what's next on your surprise list?"
"Ah, Aito, my dear character," the author replied with a chuckle.
"You know I can't resist throwing a curveball your way now and then. Keeps things interesting, doesn't it? But don't worry, I promise no more unexpected smooches in the park... unless, of course, you'd like a repeat of that performance?" The author winked playfully, knowing full well the character's reaction would be priceless.
Aito's cheeks flushed crimson as he sputtered, "Wha—no! I mean, come on, author, you can't just keep throwing these twists at me! I-I don't know how to handle all this... excitement." His eyes widened, a mix of flustered embarrassment and a hint of excitement dancing in them.
"Just promise me, no more surprises like that, okay? I need a break from this rollercoaster!"
"Okay, okay, I hear you," the author replied mischievously. "But no promises! Who knows what adventures lie ahead for you and Maria? More kisses? Less? I'll leave that to the unpredictable whims of storytelling fate. Enjoy the ride, Aito!"
Aito's eyes shot open, and he sat upright in his bed, breathing heavily. "Nooooo!" he exclaimed, the echo of the dream fading.
He blinked a few times, the memory of the park and Maria's unexpected kiss flooding back, turning his cheeks crimson.
"She... she kissed me," he muttered, stunned, as one of his dorm roommates, someone he'd barely spoken to since arriving, peeked up from their book, an amused glint in their eye.
"Well, well, well, look who's blushing like a tomato," his roommate teased, grinning knowingly. "Got a little secret, Aito?" They chuckled, clearly enjoying the rare opportunity to catch Aito off guard.
Aito slowly glanced up at the boy who spoke, finding himself in a cluttered dorm room illuminated by the soft glow of late morning sunlight filtering through dusty windows.
The room bore the marks of college life—piles of textbooks strewn across desks, posters haphazardly taped to the walls, and mismatched furniture occupying the space.
The boy who teased him, Ethan, leaned against his bed, sporting a casual, well-worn hoodie over a graphic tee.
He had tousled sandy blond hair and piercing blue eyes that sparkled with mischief. He was of average height with a lean build, an air of easy confidence surrounding him.
To Ethan's right sat Marcus, taller with a sturdy frame, his dark hair cropped close to his head.
He wore glasses that perched on a slightly crooked nose, and his hazel eyes flickered with curiosity as he observed Aito, though his usual demeanor seemed reserved and contemplative.
On the other side of the room, slouched in an armchair, was Noah, the quietest of the trio.
His raven-black hair fell messily across his forehead, complementing his piercing green eyes that often seemed lost in thought.
He was dressed in a simple tee and jeans, his laid-back appearance belying a sharp intellect.
Aito blinked at the trio, momentarily taken aback by their scrutiny.
Despite their varied appearances and personalities, they each seemed to share a subtle camaraderie that he hadn't noticed before.
They were a stark contrast to his solitary focus on training for revenge, and their presence in his life was an unexpected puzzle piece he hadn't anticipated.
"Whoa, hold on a second, guys," Aito stammered, his hands flailing in denial as he tried to compose himself.
"There's no secret, no way, not at all!" His black raven hair fell messily across his forehead, his cerulean eyes darting around the room in disbelief.
Ethan smirked and nudged Marcus, winking conspiratorially. "Come on, Aito, the blush on your face says otherwise! Spill the beans. Who's the lucky girl?"
Marcus adjusted his glasses with a knowing smile. "I don't know, maybe someone's been moonlighting when we weren't looking. Any love letters stashed away?"
"Noah," Ethan turned to the quieter roommate, "you've been quiet. Got any guesses? Someone's got our stoic roommate all flustered."
Noah shrugged, a playful glint in his eyes. "Could be anyone. Maybe he got a secret admirer."
Aito shook his head vigorously. "Guys, seriously, there's nothing going on! It's just... a weird dream or something!" He protested, his denial only fueling their teasing.
The trio exchanged amused glances, clearly enjoying the rare opportunity to rattle Aito. "Sure thing, Aito, whatever you say," Ethan said, suppressing a chuckle. "But mark my words, we'll crack this mystery wide open!"
"What the heck are you all talking about? Trust me, nothing happened yesterday," Aito exclaimed, his frustration evident.
Ethan stood up, raising an eyebrow. "Yesterday? I thought it was just a weird dream, Aito."
Marcus chimed in, furrowing his brow in contemplation. "Wait a minute. I recall seeing you in the school hallway. You were following behind a Latina girl with blue hair, heading towards the arts and craft hall."
"Latina? Nah, no way," Noah interjected with a smirk. "Aito snagging a Latina? Unbelievable."
Aito threw his hands up in exasperation. "Guys, come on! You're just making wild guesses now. I don't even know anyone with blue hair!"
But his protests fell on deaf ears as the trio continued, now delving into even more outlandish speculations, leaving Aito feeling utterly helpless as their playful banter spun further out of control.
They were relentless in their pursuit of unraveling the mystery, leaving him in a state of befuddled disbelief.
"Wait a second," Marcus interrupted, a sudden realization dawning on him.
"I remember now! I saw you at the park with her too. And didn't you wake up earlier, muttering 'she kissed me'?"
The trio's eyes widened simultaneously, their expressions shifting from playful teasing to sheer astonishment.
"Oh my god!" Ethan exclaimed, his voice escalating in excitement. "It all adds up!"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Noah joined in, an incredulous grin spreading across his face. "Are you serious right now? Aito, tell me all the details!"
Before Aito could even react, the trio surged toward him, yanking him out of bed. He was still half-asleep, disheveled and complaining about the early hour.
"Guys, it's just 5:00 in the morning!" Aito protested, wearing mismatched pajamas that looked like they hadn't seen a washing machine in weeks.
As they clustered around him, the trio bombarded Aito with questions and excited exclamations, their voices overlapping in a chaotic symphony of curiosity and disbelief.
Aito, caught in the whirlwind of their energy, could only gape in astonishment at how a few words had sparked such uproar in his dorm room.
As the chaos settled, Marcus cleared his throat, attempting to bring some order to the frenzied scene. "Guys, hold on a moment. We've been looking for a reason to talk to Aito for ages now. Ever since he arrived, it's been all training and zero socializing. Look Aito- This... seeing this side of you, it's kind of refreshing, man. We just had to take advantage of it."
"Yeah," Ethan chimed in, grinning. "You've been this mystery guy since day one. We wanted to crack that tough exterior, get to know the real Aito behind the training regime."
Noah nodded in agreement. "You never gave us a chance before, man. It's cool to see you flustered and, well, human."
Amidst their conversation, the room buzzed with their voices overlaying each other, the clatter of books being moved, and the distant hum of the waking world outside their window.
The sunlight cast a warm glow into the room, illuminating the eclectic mess of posters adorning the walls, the cluttered desks, and the haphazardly arranged furniture.
Aito, still in his rumpled pajamas, looked around at his dorm mates—Ethan's sandy blond hair, Marcus's contemplative expression framed by dark hair and glasses, Noah's relaxed posture and raven-black hair. Each had a distinct presence that Aito had never taken the time to notice before.
Feeling the weight of their words, Aito's defenses softened. He couldn't help but appreciate their genuine interest in reaching out to him.
For the first time, he saw beyond his singular focus on revenge, realizing that perhaps connecting with these guys wouldn't be such a bad thing after all.
"Guys, I'm sorry," Aito began, a hint of sincerity in his voice. "I guess I've been too caught up in my own world. I didn't mean to shut you out."
He hesitated for a moment before continuing, "So, what are your Paragon abilities? I've been so focused on training, I never really got to know anyone's powers around here."
Ethan chuckled. "No worries, man. We get it. As for me, I've got telekinesis. Can move things with my mind." He flashed a quick grin.
Marcus adjusted his glasses. "My ability is astral projection. I can project my consciousness outside of my body and explore other realms."
Noah shrugged casually. "My ability is Teleportation. I can pretty much go to anywhere at any time I want, but the longer the distance the more essence it costs"
As Aito processed this new information, he furrowed his brow. "By the way, how many year groups are there here with Paragon abilities?"
Ethan nodded, explaining, "There are seven year groups in Bright Academy, much like our Lumina Novices group which spans from ages 15 to 25."
Ethan then pulled out a sleek, futuristic device from his pocket, a small holographic projector.
With a few taps, a translucent hologram sprung to life in the air, displaying a list of the year groups at Bright Academy.
"Aether Apprentices (ages 25- 35), Celestial Adepts (ages 35-45), Empyrean Scholars (ages 45-55), Radiant Virtuosos (ages 55-65), Elysian Maestros (ages 65-75), and Apex Paragons (ages 75-85)," Ethan narrated as the holographic list hovered before them.
Aito's eyes widened in surprise at the advanced technology. "Whoa, this is..." He trailed off, momentarily speechless, his gaze fixated on the floating hologram.
Ethan grinned, nudging Aito playfully. "Cool, right?" he quipped, clearly enjoying Aito's reaction to the cutting-edge device and holographic display.
As the holographic list displayed the age ranges of each year group at Bright Academy, Aito furrowed his brow. "What the heck?" he muttered, eyes darting between the ages listed. "Why are they all so old at the end? Shouldn't they be younger?"
"Each group progresses through 10 years of training and challenges to advance their abilities within Brights system."
Ethan then leaned in, a knowing grin on his face. "Oh, that's because the average Paragon lives for about 400 years, bro."
Aito's jaw dropped in disbelief. "400 years? That's..." He struggled to comprehend the idea of such a prolonged lifespan.
"But what about the younger years? Below 15?" Aito questioned, his curiosity piqued.
Marcus chimed in, "It's very rare to awaken your Paragon abilities below the age of 15 or over the age of 25. However, there's something like a pre-school for that," he added, "an introduction to the main school for those early bloomers and late bloomers."
Aito's eyes widened. "I actually awakened my abilities at 8 years old," he admitted, surprising the others.
"Wait, what? Eight?" Noah exclaimed, clearly taken aback.
"Yeah," Aito confirmed. "But I wasn't in Found and never got brought to Bright. I have no idea why."
Interested in learning more about his roommates, Aito turned to them. "How long have you guys been at Bright?"
Ethan grinned. "Just finished my second year."
Marcus adjusted his glasses. "This marks my third year."
Noah nodded. "Same here, three years for me too."
The room hummed with a mix of disbelief and intrigue as they delved deeper into the intricacies of Bright Academy and their own Paragon journeys.
The holographic display remained suspended in the air, casting an ethereal glow over the room as they exchanged stories and details about their extraordinary lives as Paragons.
Aito leaned back, processing the revelation. "So, in eight years I'll be an Aether Apprentice"
Ethan nodded, trying to ease Aito's tension. "Hey, it's not that bad. At least you get to form stronger bonds with people, right?"
Aito shook his head, a hint of frustration evident. "But I've missed out on 2 years of foundational information let alone what I could've learnt at brights pre-school... It feels rushed."
Concerned, Noah jumped in, eager to offer insight. "Well, there are international ranks that measure a Paragon's strength."
Aito's interest was piqued. "Ranks for a Paragon's strength?"
Noah nodded. "Yeah, there are twelve ranks based on a Paragon's strength and abilities. It's an international scale used to classify and gauge Paragons globally."
Aito's curiosity surged. "What are the ranks?"
Noah took a breath, preparing to explain. "Alright, the ranks go from Novice, Apprentice, Adept, Virtuoso, Elite, Master, Champion, Legend, Ascendant, Supreme, Transcendent, to Apex."
As Noah listed the ranks, Aito's mind raced, picturing the scale of power and ability within the Paragon world.
Each rank represented a pinnacle of strength and skill, painting a vivid image in his mind.
The room buzzed with excitement as the holographic display projected a visual representation of the ranks, outlining each tier's significance and prowess.
Aito marveled at the complexity of the Paragon hierarchy, envisioning his own journey through the ranks.
"Each Paragon rank has sub ranks you should surpass before advancing," Marcus added, gesturing with a flick of his hand.
The sunlight streamed through the window, casting warm beams that danced across the room.
"These sub ranks are pretty uniform across the board: Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, Expert, and Master." As he spoke, the soft rustling of the leaves outside and the distant chatter of students carried through the open window.
Aito, intrigued, leaned in, his eyes intent on Marcus. The room carried a faint scent of freshly cut grass mingled with the crisp morning air. "How strong should each rank supposedly be?"
Marcus adjusted his glasses, the sunlight reflecting off the lenses. "As Paragons surpass their ranks, their abilities get augmented or gain special traits."
He paused, allowing the sunlight to create a play of shadows on the wall. "The higher the rank, the more complex and powerful their abilities become."
The room was filled with the subtle sounds of nature and the distant hustle of the academy's daily life.
"But advancing in rank is no easy feat."
"How do you increase your Paragon rank then?" Aito inquired, absorbing the information while the sunlight illuminated the room, creating a vibrant ambiance.
Suddenly, Ethan blurted out, "Fuck, it's 7:04!" Panic ensued as everyone scrambled—papers shuffled, chairs scraped, and footsteps echoed. Class starts at 7:15, and the realization sent everyone into a frenzy.