3:00 PM • GYMNASIUM
"Are you sure we're allowed in here?" Darling asked as she follows Daniels into the gymnasium, where apparently the Physical Education Class is a joint class for all the Junior Levels. "If the Instructor asks, it's part of the tour", Daniels replied. Darling cackled tailing Daniels as she ascended the bleach isle. The pair sat on the other side of the gym across joint classes. Daniels was supposed to return Darling to the front desk for her documents and materials, but insisted on watching the PE Class before she send her home. "What is exactly the point of a joint PE class?" Darling asked. "To spar." "Spar? In wolf form?" "Oh no. We get to do that next year as seniors. But for now, it's mortal body spar." "Both sexes?" "Yes. There is the first division. Students were paired with the same sex as their opponent. Two pairs, male and female, spar simultaneously within forty seconds. The second division is male versus female, and the same rule applies," Daniels explained. "This happens every week?" "Oh no. Every other week. There is a lecture first, our instructor will demonstrate on the first day, and the next week we execute. Moves and attacks should be performed as instructed. You can be creative and clever about it but the main attack; defense and offense should be seen from the spar." Darling observed these matches. They were starting on the same sex, and her eyes landed on the Alexandra Sisters seated on the higher bleachers. "Will this be a disadvantage to the Hybrids?" Darling asked. Daniels pushed her temples forward into a frown, "Perhaps. But so far, they're fighting skills are average, just not on par with everyone else –," she shrugged. "– and as far as I'm aware, Warlock weapons are prohibited in campus grounds." Seven months ago, upon meeting the Alexandra Sisters, Martina Daniels spent her winter break learning and researching the peculiar case of Hybrids and Warlocks. She had learned a great deal about them and gained information that was not taught in class. She had thought that Hybrids were indeed freaks but could have so much to offer to the community and to the school. However, her niceness, resilient friendliness, and other star qualities could hardly puncture the thick walls that surrounded each of the Alexandra Sisters. Martina was unsuccessful to befriend either one of them before the summer break and she finally let it go. "Are there no Warlock schools here at Garden Gate?" asked Darling. Daniels shook her head, "None. The majority of these lands are Werewolf Territories. Golden Crown–that's us–from the North and Winter Star to the South. There is one Warlock School on the southwest beaches, three hours from here, Union Lake City," Daniels replied. Darling's curiosity peaked. She had never met someone so well informed of their geography, "You really know everything", she chuckled. Daniels smiled, "I tend to overstudy . . . a lot. One minute, I am on atoms the next nuclear energy and magnets," she cackled. Darling smiled softly. The Head Girl before her was as she suspected, and she had no qualms with it. A startling whistle pierced the air. It was now time for the opposite of the spar. Watching a previous spar, Darling had already deduced that these were not fair pairings. They were paired according to a shuffled card and whoever the instructor picked first. On some level, this would turn out beneficial as often times we are faced with giants and we must learn to tackle them alone, Darling thought. The first two pairs were up and on the court. "Do the Were-Witches win?" Darling asked. "Sometimes. Their Physical Education drags down their academic scores," Daniels said. "I guess Warlocks could only rely on their magics." Darling agreed and disagreed. She knew that Hybrids had more superior power than Werewolves or any other pureblood. She never quite understood the term "tainted" labelled amongst Hybrids as if it was such a bad thing. Two different bloods combined together do not make it dirty or evil, but what you do with the power that comes with it is what determines your fate. If the Father was pure Werewolf and the Mother was pure Warlock, the scion would not be mixed half and half, but the whole of two supernatural powers fused together, wouldn't it?This question caught Daniels off guard. She locked eyes with Darling, searching for a hint of judgement, a hidden demeaning reaction that supports the question, but she found none. It was a genuine, authentic, and curious question. Daniels was now contemplating for the right answer. But she found none. She asked herself why this new student, this transferee, was asking her such a question. "Why does it matter?" Daniels blurted out. Darling shrugged, "I just figured, as Head Girl, you would be impartial to all students. I just wanted to know if that is what you're all about," Darling said. Daniels was taken aback. Was she not impartial all this time? Was it because she had let her insensitive cousin to insult those girls? Did she not defend them enough? Hundreds of questions were raised from a single statement. Is this what she wants from me? Daniels asked herself. Daniels glanced at Darling, but the new girl was watching the spar attentively, with no emotions whatsoever. Daniels thought how dare she . . . questions her duty and responsibility to the student body. Even more, Daniels was questioning why such a simple statement was unequivocally riling her up. Darling glanced back at Daniels and her chest calmed. The new girl smiled sympathetically, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do that. I was just curious amd I realized I was wrong. Of course you can't be impartial to everyone if your beliefs didn't align with them," she said. What was happening now? Daniels asked herself. Why was she apologising? Why does it feel wrong? Daniels sighed, blinked away and sighed. She fixes her hair, her blazer, her skirt and even her high socks was not excused from the subtle nitpicking. From the other side of the court, a new pair has been called. It was Lucille Alexandra to spar with Matthew Daniels. This was something Darling had never anticipated. She had learned from before how Matthew Daniels loathed the hybrids. She feared that he might actually harm her way out of bounds. Darling sneaks a glance at Daniels. Her forehead sweated slightly. Darling was not biased, but she did have a problem with Daniels' impartial judgement regarding the Hybrids. However, she may have pushed it far. "Again, I apologise, I was just worried. I only wanted to know if I could rely on you. " Darling explained this gently and genuinely. Daniels smiled and nodded, "I understand. I apologise too. And to answer your question, no I do not share my cousin's hate for them. I'm only cautious." "Of what? I thought you were reassured?" Daniels sighed, shaking her head, "I do not know. I guess, I'm just intimidated is all." Daniels and Darling turned their heads to the spar commencing. Matthew Daniels had the body of a lean athlete and he stood 171 centimeters tall whilst Lucille was a petite girl who only had 160 centimeters in her height. Matthew taunted and teased Lucille, who was in a good fighting stance. The first offence was from Matthew, but Lucille blocked it tightly with her arms. The second offence was from Matthew, again jabbing her underside, and Lucille was slightly hit. Her sisters stood up, visibly worried, and yet calm. The third offence was from Lucille with an attempt at uppercut, but it was cut short when Matthew gained the upper hand, pulled a defensive hard blocking that ricocheted his body with Lucille, and managed to strike with an offensive jab to her right side. The spar ended at exactly forty seconds. Lucille's sisters rushed to comfort and cheer her. Matthew on the other hand was fed with ego and boast that the sisters could only choose to ignore. They went back to their places, and the next spar went on. "That was close, but good for her, right?" Daniels said that Darling could only nod. "Who's the oldest?" Darling asked. "Yvannia, then Leiyana, Nathali, Janally, Vittoria, Morgana and Lucille", Daniels answered. "All the same age?" "The first four are, the latters are only a year younger and only a month apart from Janally." "You've also memorized their student profile?" "Yes as it is mandatory for the Head Girl to do so," Daniels beamed. She stood up and fixed her uniform, "I should return you back to the main desk, there are still some documents that need your signature, and then you can bring your leather case home with all of your school items." Darling nodded and followed Daniels out of the back door.