Exploration
Its been a few days since arriving at Solaris, I've grown more comfortable when being confronted by affluent and influential students, luckily I've had Klaus by my side consistently, so I can just allow him to lead a conversation when needed.
"Hey Kai," he came from the rooms towards the common room "the booths are opening today do you want to go see if we can find a club or something to join?"
I reluctantly agreed and waited by the dorm entrance at the decided time. But without wait as soon as I saw him he rushed down towards the familiar courtyard then dragged me from stall to stall weaving between rows of displays buzzing with excitement. Everywhere I looked, students milled about, signing up for clubs or chatting in groups, clearly relishing their first taste of Solaris life. Klaus, naturally, was animatedly pointing out every little thing, his enthusiasm practically overflowing.
I guess this school truly does aim to accentuate any skillsets the students have, there's a place for everyone here, I wonder if I should join a club-
"-Dude, this place is wild! I mean, look at this—there's a robotics club, a photography club, even a medieval combat club! We've gotta check some of this stuff out!" His energy was relentless, almost overwhelming, but in a good way. I admired it. Klaus seemed so at ease with himself, always ready to dive into new experiences.
I couldn't help but feel a pang of envy. He was so natural, confident in a way that I wasn't—at least, not yet. That's why I needed to improve at this. Making friends, getting my name out there. Maybe if I could just put myself out there a bit more, I'd feel more at home, maybe even as comfortable as Klaus.
As we continued walking, I spotted a girl standing next to a stall with a telescope. She looked different from the other students milling around—not just because of her calm demeanor, but because she seemed to radiate a quiet authority. She was talking to some students but glanced over as we approached, offering a welcoming smile.
"Hey, what's this one about?" Klaus nudged me forward, eager to dive into another conversation.
The girl turned her full attention to us, her smile never faltering. "Hi there. How are you guys finding the academy so far? Settling in?"
Klaus beat me to it, of course. "It's amazing! I mean, the campus, the clubs—everything is so... I dunno, larger than life. I didn't expect this much on the first day!"
I nodded, trying to match Klaus's enthusiasm. "Yeah, it's a lot to take in. I'm Kai, by the way. Kai Blanc."
As soon as the words left my mouth, I felt that familiar tug of insecurity again. Klaus made this look easy—talking to people, getting to know them. I needed to start pushing myself if I wanted to stand out, build my own confidence. This was exactly the kind of thing I needed to get better at—talking to people like this, building connections.
The girl extended her hand to me, and I took it. "Nice to meet you, Kai. I'm Maya Chen, fifth-year." Her tone was calm, friendly, but something about the way she said it made me pause. Fifth-year... Maya Chen...
Suddenly, it clicked.
I glanced at Klaus, and he looked back at me, his eyes widening as realization dawned on both of us. This wasn't just any student we were talking to. She was an Orbiter—Saturn, the Keeper of the Cosmic Rings. One of the elite students here at Solaris Academy.
Klaus blinked, recovering quickly. "I knew I recognized you from somewhere! You're one of the Orbiters, right?"
Maya smiled modestly, clearly used to the reaction. "Yeah, I am. But honestly, I'm just another student like you. I know the title can seem a bit intimidating, but I'm really just here to help out, same as anyone else."
I tried to hide my surprise, but it was hard to wrap my head around the fact that I was casually chatting with one of the school's top students. She didn't act the way I thought someone with her status might—there was no arrogance, no superiority in her tone. It was almost disarming.
Klaus, ever the social butterfly, immediately leaned in. "That's awesome! So, like, what's your advice for surviving this place? I bet you've got some stories."
Maya chuckled. "Well, it's not so much about surviving as it is about thriving. The best advice I can give is to find your circle, the people who'll support you. The academy's huge, but it gets smaller once you've found your place. And don't be afraid to push yourself. You'll grow a lot here if you let yourself."
Her words struck a chord with me. Finding my place, pushing myself—that was exactly what I needed to do. I glanced at Klaus, who was already grinning like he'd just hit the jackpot. He had this gift of connecting with people, and I wanted to have that too.
"Thanks, Maya," I said, trying to let confidence show in my voice. "I think that's what we're both hoping to do. Make some friends, learn a lot, maybe figure out where we fit in all of this."
Maya nodded, her smile encouraging. "That's a good mindset to have. And if you need any help navigating things here, feel free to reach out. I know it can feel overwhelming at first, but it gets easier."
Klaus couldn't contain himself. "Man, we're lucky we ran into you. Seriously, thanks for taking the time."
"No problem," Maya replied warmly. "I should probably get back to my club booth, though. But don't be strangers, okay?"
"Definitely," I said, feeling a sense of genuine connection forming.
As Maya turned back to her booth, Klaus and I continued down the path, the weight of the encounter lingering with me. I couldn't believe we had just met one of the Orbiters, and she had been so... normal. If anything, it made the whole experience feel more attainable, like maybe even someone like me could find a place here.
Klaus grinned at me as we walked. "Dude, we just talked to an Orbiter. This day keeps getting better."
I nodded, feeling a sense of accomplishment. "Yeah... I think we're off to a pretty good start."
As we reached a clearing near the gardens, the sprawling campus stretched out before us, bathed in the warm, golden light of the setting sun. Klaus stopped for a moment, taking it all in with a low whistle. "Man, this place is unreal. It's like... it just keeps going."
I stood beside him, my thoughts churning. The school was impressive, no doubt, but it wasn't just about the grandeur of Solaris Academy. Something was stirring inside me, something I hadn't felt in a long time. A drive to be more than just another student here.
"I don't want to waste my time," I said, my voice steady, more confident than I expected. "There's something bigger out there for us, Klaus. We didn't come all this way to just... coast. I want to make an impact here, to become something. Maybe even an Orbiter one day—or win a Stellar Prime. At the very least, I want people to remember my name by the end of this year."
Klaus looked at me, surprised for a moment, then broke into a wide grin. "Now you're talking, Kai! I knew there was something more to you. I like it—aiming high. An Orbiter, huh? That'd be something." He paused, rubbing the back of his neck with a sheepish smile. "Me? I've got goals too. Just gotta figure out what the hell they are first. But hey, if you're aiming to make a name for yourself, I'm right there with you."
We stood in silence for a moment, watching as the shadows of the academy grew longer, the sky shifting into deep hues of orange and pink. I could feel it—the shift inside me. This wasn't just about getting through school. It was about proving something, to myself more than anyone.
"Let's do it," I said, my voice firm. "No playing it safe."
Klaus clapped me on the shoulder, his grin infectious. "Hell yeah. No playing it safe."
With a newfound sense of purpose, we headed back toward the main campus, the path ahead still unknown, but for the first time, I wasn't afraid to chase it.
***
"What an interesting pair of individuals, I wonder what will come of them in the future. Declaring himself as a future Stellar Primus, I wonder where he got that ego from, speaking so openly about it too, arrogant little brat."
"Perhaps he is arrogant, but we all had dreams when we first got here, only some get to make it, others failed, and well, others were never destined to win. We both know that Aiden, watch him closely, don't risk where you've managed to get due to some no name."
"He holds the Blanc name, a no name now or not, we both know what weight that holds, that's why were here, listening to the boys speeches after all. Look at him he's already gained the trust and support of a Veridium, I saw Lilian speak to him before they were toured. We don't know whose supporting him in secret. We have to be careful, watch yourself Jove don't make the same mistakes as he did. Too much changed, your name doesn't hold the same value as it did back then."