Zephyr was looking at the campus map in an app the dean told him to install on his comm. Currently he was making his way to his assigned dorm room.
The dorms, located in the uppermost right corner of the campus, were divided by class year and gender. Built from reinforced concrete, they resembled stacked cubicles, much like an apartment complex.
Left of the dorms were the mech hangers where students either kept their personal mechs, or where the academy stored their own mechs.
Inside, the main floor was spacious and well-furnished, a stark contrast to the plain exterior. Zephyr checked his comm to confirm his assigned room and took the elevator to the fifth floor. He passed several students, who glanced at him briefly before continuing on their way.
After walking down to the end of the hall, Zephyr arrived at a room labeled 508.
'This is my room right? I was told that everyone has a roommate though.'
It would be awkward if it was someone he couldn't get along with though.
He took a deep breath before knocking the door twice.
"Hello? I'm going to be your new roommate starting today."
There was no response. Puzzled, Zephyr knocked on the door again. Once more, no response.
Finally, he opened the virtual key sent to his comm as he heard the electric lock twist open. He opened the door slowly as the full room came into view.
There were two desks placed against the walls opposite of each other. It was the same for beds. The curtains were open resulting in a flood of natural light to permeate throughout the room. In the short hallway that led into the room was a bathroom on the right.
Certainly it was a room for two, but there were no signs of the room being used at all recently. There was no luggage, and quite honestly, the furnishing was basic and untouched.
'Did I get the wrong room?'
Then again, maybe because it was due to his late enrollment that he got a room without a roommate?
If so, he was in luck.
Zephyr quickly threw down what little belongings he had on one of the beds before taking a moment to look out over the entirety of the campus. Students were now exiting the dorms one after another as classes were soon about to begin.
'I guess I should head out now too.'
Not knowing what to bring, Zephyr decided to only take his comm. The teachers or other students will tell him when he gets to class right?
Ten minutes later, he made it to his first class. Surprisingly it looked more normal than he expected.
Once inside, a few things stood out.
Firstly, everyone's attention was focused on him. They were obviously unsure of what to do with him, or why he was there. Originally, the class was filled with the sound of people talking, but the second he arrived, silence permeated through the room.
A week had already passed since classes began and just as Zephyr was about to ask for the instructor, a tall kid, maybe a head taller than him walked towards him staring him down. His build was a bit lanky for his uniform, his brown hair slicked back with an excessive amount of gel.
'Dude, your breath stinks,' Zephyr thought, resisting the urge to say it aloud.
"Which class are you from? I haven't seen you around here before." The boy snarled as he leaned his face closer.
Maybe because it's been a while since Zephyr had interacted with kids his age, the boy in front of him seemed awfully…immature? It was different to how he interacted with customers in the workshop.
'Let's just ignore him.' He decided. It would be a waste of time to talk to him.
As he was about to walk around him, the tall kid moved to block him.
Zephyr met his mocking gaze with a calm expression. It wouldn't be good to pick a fight on his first day right?
'Let's be civil,' Zephyr thought, irritated.
"Move. You're kinda in the way."
The tall kid snickered.
"Make me."
Zephyr glanced behind him, the other students were giggling while watching the situation unfold. It didn't appear like anyone had any intention to de-escalate the conflict. Did they see him as a source of entertainment?
"I'm a new student here, I just enrolled today," he tried to explain.
"New student? Don't lie. Cut the crap and leave our class."
"I'm telling you it's true."
Now everyone was looking at him suspiciously. First day of class and he was already on the path of being an outcast.
"Let me pass."
"Make me."
So he did. In an instant, the tall kid was on the floor, flat on his back from a swift kick to the chin.
"My apologies," Zephyr said evenly, stepping over the tall kid as the rest of the class watched him in shock.
'Now I've done it.'
Although he sounded calm, internally he was sweating bullets. Now Zephyr could only pray that his sudden impulsiveness wouldn't draw too much attention to himself. The more he thought about it, the more worried he grew.
The snickering in the class ceased as he took an open window seat in the second-to-last row. After a moment, a girl stood up and yelped.
"Someone get a teacher!"
"Wait, shouldn't we help Yensen first? He just got knocked out by this self-proclaimed new student!"
"So what! Yensen deserved it. Don't tell me you aren't tired of his attitude."
"Well…"
Zephyr looked out the window no longer paying attention to his classmates. His academy life was looking bleak.
Not that it mattered much. He was here to study! Even if it meant having a nonexistent social life, if he didn't catch up with the rest of his year soon, he would be expelled unless he dominated the mech duels!
The class was a little different from what he expected though. If he had to guess, there would be at least a hundred students sitting in the lecture hall with small clusters of friend groups scattered around the room. It was not the small classroom setting he was used to in virtual academies. It felt more like those college level classes he's seen in dramas.
A few minutes later a slender gray haired man entered the room. He appeared to be anywhere in his mid-forties to early fifties. With a tablet in hand and a military coat draped over his shoulders, his presence easily took up the attention of the class.
"Everyone, take an open seat. I have an announcement to make today."
He didn't shout, but due to the numerous speakers in the room, his voice was clear to even those sitting in the back.
"We have a new student joining us today. Please come to the front, Mr. Vael."
Everyone's attention locked onto Zephyr once more, their expressions failing to conceal their disbelief.
He could almost hear their thoughts running along the lines of: 'This guy was serious?' or 'There must be a mistake!'
Letting out a sigh, Zephyr walked to the front of the class, standing next to who he assumed was his instructor.
"Go on, introduce yourself." The older man gestured after giving him a long look.
His gaze swept through his classmates calmly before clearing his throat in an exaggerated manner. His earlier worries were unfounded seeing how his presumed instructor didn't seem to care about the condition of the tall student from earlier.
"Hello everyone. My name is Zephyr Vael, a new student joining you all today."
He glanced at a group of girls chatting in the very back of the lecture hall. In fact, several groups were ignoring him after their initial surprise, chatting with each other paying him no attention.
'How carefree.'
"First things first, as long as I'm here, I will take the top ranking spot in mech duels."
The chattering stopped.
'That got their attention.' He smirked.
"I had high expectations for the students of this academy. Supposedly, you all are the best the Republic has to offer! If this is the standard of attitude that represents the best, I'm disappointed. I for one do not plan on losing to a bunch of rich kids who rely on their parents to get a headstart."
For a moment, the room was silent. But as Zephyr walked back to his seat, insults came hurling his way like a broken dam.
"Who do you think you are!"
"For someone that got in through connections you sure sound arrogant. I'll crush you in next week's duels if you dare accept!
"Crazy bastard thinks he's special because he was able to knock down Yensen."
The insults continued for another twenty seconds or so before the instructor interrupted.
"Silence!"
Turning his back towards the students, he turned on the monitor that took up the entire wall with a lesson plan for today.
"We will now begin today's lesson. Do not speak unless called upon."
***
Around three hours later, Language and Mathematics were finally over. Students one after another stood up from their seats and began to leave, and just as Zephyr was about to do the same, the instructor walked towards him.
"Zephyr, you will be staying here with me."
Furrowing his brows in confusion, Zephyr sank back into his seat.
"Why sir? The rest of the students are leaving."
As he watched the last student leave, the instructor continued.
"For someone who had the gall to speak so arrogantly during your introduction, you sure are uninformed."
Next on his schedule was the mech piloting course. Wasn't mech piloting the most important course in this academy? Zephyr still had no clue why his instructor was stopping him.
"We had a mock test today Mr. Vael. One you spectacularly failed. In both Mathematics and Language, you scored less than ten percent. It's really quite baffling how someone like you managed to slip in our academy. So late as well."
'So this is what he was getting at.'
Zephyr wasn't stupid, however his instructor clearly thought otherwise. He had already expected to fail his basic classes, at least in the beginning. The difference of upbringing was too large to put simply.
"Sir, I realize my scores are less than ideal, however isn't this academy that emphasizes pilot skill? If I don't take the mech piloting courses how will I improve in that aspect?"
The instructor sat down next to him before speaking again.
"We value mech pilots, that much is true. However, we are an academy that trains officers. Those who cannot even pass the basic level courses will not be allowed to take mech piloting courses until their grades improve. You will take supplementary lessons until your grades match those of your peers. If they don't improve on time, your enrollment here will be terminated."
'That old hag!' Zephyr cursed. 'She said nothing about this!'
"The choice is up to you. You will still be allowed to participate in the mech duels, however I doubt you will have what it takes to win against your fellow classmates without proper instruction. I'm also told you don't even own your own personal mech."
Although Zephyr didn't believe he would lose even with such a handicap, not being able to accustom himself to the academy's mechs was a huge drawback. In addition, he wouldn't be able to observe his classmates' skills in person and come up with a strategy to counter. The only opportunity he would get, is during the duels itself which were only held once every two weeks.
'That's not enough time!'
No matter how one looked at it, he was at a disadvantage.
"What about outside of class time? I saw on the campus map that the mech hangers are always open."
The instructor rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"I'm not too sure. Since I'm not in charge of the hangers, you will need to ask the lead mechanic there on your own. If he allows it I have no complaints."
Just as Zephyr was about to celebrate internally, the instructor quickly added:
"I almost forgot. Just because you missed the first week of class doesn't mean you get a free pass for all the assignments handed out during that week. I'll send them to you later."
'I'm doomed.'