As the orientation session concluded, the new students were asked to stay behind and the majority of the second-year students vanished, leaving only a small group of five second-years lingering behind. A tall, confident student from the group stepped forward and cleared his throat.
"Hello, first-years," he began with a friendly smile. "I'm Richard, the Vice President of the Student Council. We're here to provide you with a bit of guidance now that the orientation is over."
The first-year students exchanged curious glances,
Richard continued, "Firstly, we want to familiarize you with some essential rules and guidelines for living and studying here at Valorius Academy. Secondly, this is a perfect opportunity for you to explore the campus and get comfortable with your surroundings."
One of the first-year students raised their hand. "Um, what kind of rules are we talking about?"
Richard nodded in approval at the question. "The rules here are pretty standard for a prestigious institution like Valorius. Things like curfew, academic expectations, and other general guidelines to ensure a smooth experience. Don't worry; it won't be too complicated."
With a polite smile, he added, "And don't forget, you can approach any of us, the Student Council, if you have questions or need assistance."
Richard gestured towards his fellow Student Council members, "Now, let me introduce you all. This is Emma, our Treasurer, Mark, our Secretary, Sarah, our Public Relations Officer, and Mike, our Event Coordinator. Together, we're here to ensure your time at Valorius is memorable and successful."
The students gave polite nods and exchanged smiles with the Student Council members.
"Now," Richard continued, "I'll need all of you to divide into groups of seven students each. Each group will follow one of our senior members here for a campus tour during which we will brief you about rules and you can ask questions if necessary. "
The first-year students quickly organized themselves into groups, each one surrounding one of the experienced second-year students. With a smile and a nod of approval, Richard watched as the groups formed, and finally, all of them dispersed.
The one guiding group in which Ahiro was Sarah. She was a striking girl with long, flowing pink hair that caught the light in a mesmerizing way. Her eyes were a shade of vibrant green.
"Hello, everyone," Sarah began. "I'll be your guide for today. I'm excited to show you around and answer any questions you might have. But before we begin, how about we get to know each other a bit? Can you all introduce yourselves?"
Ahiro glanced at his group members and decided to go first. "I am Ahiro Fate" Ahiro smiled, feeling a bit more confident.
Melvin waved enthusiastically. "Hey there! I'm Melvin Goldbell. Nice to meet you all. "
A girl with long black hair spoke after him. "I'm Emily." her voice was barely audible.
Then the two who seemed like twins spoke. "I'm James, and this is my twin sister, June. A pleasure to meet you all."
The final two members of the group, Ethan and Sia, also introduced themselves by just speaking thier names.
Sarah continued "Thank you, everyone. Now, let's start our tour."
As Sarah led the group on their tour of Valorius Academy, she explained various locations of the academy. The academy in itself was a state of art,
"Alright, everyone, our first stop is the training grounds," Sarah announced as they walked past a massive outdoor area with various training equipment and obstacle courses.
All the students looked in awe at the massive field.
Sarah continued, leading them to the impressive library and research center. They both were huge buildings that looked like a dream for academic scholars. The main focus of Valorius Academy was mainly regarded as inclined to combat ability, but it does not lack in academic side of studies and hosts state-of-the-art academic facilities as well.
As they made their way toward the academic center, Sarah pointed out various buildings, including dormitories and recreational areas. "Now, here's the academic center. This is where you'll have most of your classes. We've got state-of-the-art classrooms and meeting spaces. It's also where you'll find the offices of our esteemed faculty."
Finally, they reached the cafeteria, a bustling place filled with students enjoying their meals. Sarah paused, looking at her wristband, and then tapped a few buttons.
Ding! Ding! Notifications chimed on the wristbands of all the students in the group.
Sarah smiled. "I've just sent you the Academic Year Form. This is where you'll fill in your subjects for the year. You'll have three mandatory subjects that everyone has to attend, and you can pick elective subjects based on your interests."
As Ahiro and his companions examined their holoscreens, they found a list of subjects they could choose from.
Sarah interpreted thier chain of thoughts "Alright, everyone, take your time to decide. You have until midnight tonight to make your choices, so there's no rush. Enjoy your meal and get settled in your rooms, and then you can finalize your selections. Remember, these choices will shape your entire year, so choose wisely."
Taking thier senior's advice the students closed thier holo screen and decided to focus on the academy's cafeteria, which was nothing short of impressive, offering a wide variety of dishes from all over the world.
All the other groups had also reached the cafeteria and sat with thier respective seniors on a table and helped themselves to a hearty meal, savoring the flavors of their first dinner at Valorius Academy.
After finishing their meals, Sarah turned to the group with a warm smile. "I hope you all enjoyed the great meal the academy has to offer. It's one of the perks of being here. Now, before we disperse for the evening, does anyone have any questions or need further information about anything?"
One of the twins, a girl with a curious expression, raised her hand and pointed towards Ahiro.
June said, "Miss Sarah, why is that boy's logo a different color than the rest of us."
Ahiro glanced down at his emblem, the copper Valarious Academy insignia now replaced with an iron hue. He had noticed the change earlier but hadn't had a chance to ask about it.
As Sarah looked at Ahiro, "Oh, we have someone with an iron badge among us, don't we? Your name was Ahiro, right?"
Ahiro nodded, a little taken aback replied "Yes, that's me."
Sarah's smile widened as she addressed the group. "Well, everyone, you would have known about it during your first class but no harm in telling you now I guess. Ahiro here has a badge with a rank above all of you."