"Ceremony?"
I responded while tilting my head. What ceremony? I thought to myself, genuinely confused. The girl standing before me looked irritated, her brow furrowing as she responded.
"Yes, the welcome ceremony for the new students at Nerissa Academy."
Her tone suggested this should have been obvious.
"Ah,"
slipped out of my tongue, a weak attempt to cover my cluelessness. Her eyes widened in disbelief.
"Wait, did you forget about the ceremony?"
I don't know why she started to laugh all of a sudden, her irritation melting away.
"Haha! Sorry, I thought there wouldn't be someone as forgetful as me!"
Before I could fully process what was happening, she grabbed my sleeve and started running, pulling me along.
"We're being late! Let's run to the ceremony hall!"
She yelled out excitedly, her earlier annoyance completely forgotten. As I was being pulled like a ragdoll through the unfamiliar corridors of Nerissa Academy, a sudden, sharp pain lanced through my head.
The world around me began to blur, and I felt a strange sensation washing over me. Something was happening again, something I couldn't quite explain. In a flash, that familiar, dark space invaded my memories.
A mirror appeared, just like before. And once again, I saw that same person I'd glimpsed in previous visions. This time, they were standing on a podium, their features indistinct but somehow familiar.
The pain in my head intensified. I could hear a voice, as if from far away.
"My name is Aidan Geraldine, and I am honored to be the represent—"
UGH!
"PLEASE STOP!"
I cried out, unable to bear the pain any longer.
The girl skidded to a halt, turning to look at me with concern etched across her face.
"Were we running too fast?"
I clutched my temples, trying to steady myself. She came closer, peering up at me. Too close, I thought to myself, fighting the urge to step back.
"You're looking pale. Should I take you to the nurse?"
She seemed genuinely worried, but I was more concerned about what I'd just experienced. What was that voice? The voice that spoke at the podium—was that me? Do I have some kind of ability to see the future?
The questions swirled in my mind, adding to my growing headache.
"Uh, miss, let's keep going. It's just a headache."
I managed to say, not wanting to draw more attention to myself. Her worried expression softened into a smile.
"Heh, why so formal? Just call me Vivi! Alright, let's get going. We might have already missed the headmistress's speech, heh."
We walked this time, my head still throbbing with each step. I took the opportunity to glance at Vivi, taking in her appearance properly for the first time. Hmm, she's short; I couldn't help but think.
Are we the same age? She must have sensed my gaze because she looked up at me. The height difference between us was comical—there had to be at least two heads' worth of space between us. I couldn't help but smirk at the sight.
"YOU!"
She stopped abruptly, pointing a finger at me.
"You were thinking about me being short, right?"
"No,"
I lied, trying to keep a straight face.
"Then why did you smirk when you looked at me?"
She demanded, her eyes narrowing suspiciously. She got me. I tried to avoid her sharp gaze, but it was useless. She saw right through me.
"Humph,"
she huffed, crossing her arms.
"I will forgive you this time, but remember, I am still growing."
We continued walking, an awkward silence falling between us. I was grateful for the quiet, as it gave me a chance to ponder the strange vision I'd experienced earlier.
Was it a glimpse of the future? And if so, why was I seeing these things? My thoughts were interrupted as we rounded a corner and nearly collided with someone. I looked up, startled, and found myself face to face with a striking figure.
She had silver hair that seemed to shimmer in the light of the corridor, and her eyes were an unusual white-gold color that pierced right through me. Her gaze was sharp and intimidating, causing both Vivi and me to stop in our tracks.
As soon as Vivi saw her, she instantly ducked behind me, using my larger frame as a shield. I could feel her trembling slightly as she gripped the back of my uniform. Her piercing gaze swept over us, her expression unreadable.
"Hm, what are you both doing here? You should be at the ceremony."
She said, her voice as crisp and cold as a winter morning. I opened my mouth to respond, but no words came out. Who was this person, and why did she have such an effect on us?
The silver-haired woman's eyes narrowed as she spotted movement behind me. It was Vivi, trying to make herself as small as possible.
"Vivienne Celeste Ashworth, step forward!"
The woman commanded, her tone brooking no argument. I felt Vivi flinch at the use of her full name. Slowly, reluctantly, she emerged from behind me; her earlier enthusiasm completely evaporated.
"Y-yes, Professor Silverstone,"
Vivi stammered, her voice barely above a whisper. Professor Silverstone. The name sent a chill down my spine, though I couldn't explain why. There was something about this woman that set me on edge, beyond just her intimidating presence.
"Explain yourselves," Professor Silverstone demanded, her gaze flicking between Vivi and me.
"Why are you not at the welcoming ceremony with the rest of your classmates?"
Vivi looked up at me, panic clear in her eyes. I realized she was silently pleading with me to say something, anything, to get us out of this situation. Taking a deep breath, I stepped forward.
"I apologize, Professor. It's my fault we're late. I... wasn't feeling well, and Vivi was kind enough to offer to escort me to the nurse's office. We got turned around in the hallways."
It wasn't entirely a lie. My head was still throbbing from the earlier vision, and we were indeed lost in the maze-like corridors of Nerissa Academy. Professor Silverstone's eyes narrowed further if that was even possible.
For a moment, I was sure she was going to call me out on my half-truth. But then, to my surprise, her expression softened ever so slightly.
"I see,"
she said, her tone losing some of its edge.
"Are you feeling well enough to attend the ceremony now, Mr....?"
"Geraldine,"
I replied, a chill running through me as I remembered the name from my vision.
"Aidan Geraldine. And yes, I believe I can manage the ceremony now. Thank you for your concern, Professor."
She nodded curtly.
"Very well. Follow me, both of you. I'll escort you to the ceremony hall to ensure there are no further... detours."
As we fell into step behind Professor Silverstone, Vivi shot me a grateful look. I managed a small smile in return, but my mind was racing. The name I'd given—Aidan Geraldine—was the same one I'd heard in my vision and the one on my ID card.
But how was that possible? I couldn't remember my name before that moment, and yet it had felt so natural to say it. The corridors seemed to blur together as we walked, Professor Silverstone's brisk pace forcing us to hurry to keep up.
Finally, we arrived at a set of large, ornate doors. Even from outside, I could hear the muffled sounds of a large gathering on the other side. Professor Silverstone turned to face us one last time.
"Remember, you are now students of Nerissa Academy. Conduct yourselves accordingly."
With that ominous warning, she pushed open the doors. The noise hit us like a wave as we stepped into the grand ceremony hall. Hundreds of students in crisp uniforms turned to stare at us, their conversations dying down to curious whispers.
At the far end of the hall, on a raised platform, stood a line of what I assumed were professors and other staff members. And there, right in the center of the platform, was a podium.
My heart started racing as I remembered my vision. Was this the moment? Was I about to step up to that podium and introduce myself as Aidan Geraldine?