We all got up early that morning, excited and nervous for the challenges new to come. "We're done for. So you better get all you can so that were screwed less" was basically what Ariana had driven into our heads the day before. Nevertheless, we all took our things including our enrollment fee, five gold coins, each. Pretty expensive, if you ask me, not even counting the uniform, which was about 30 silver coins in all. We split up in groups of threes;
Kyle ,Shane and I,
Vince, Josiah and Ash
Jennie, Jenna and Oliver,
Kainan, Albert and Jerome,
Lily, Clara, and Omar,
Sasha, Sam and Sulai,
Ava, Mia and Zoe,
Lily, Lucas and Liam,
Mason, Noah and Becky
Jack, Clara and Stephen
Lola, Jamie and Ariana
Jaden went alone. He opted, we definitely did not 'politely ask him'. He was the strongest mage we had, so we figured he'd be fine.
The enrollment started at 9:30 pm. That meant to like total strangers, we had to go in at different times. Half of us went in at 9:30, and the others went in at 9:45. Jaden went in at 10:00.
After we all paid, we all signed a contract. I remember things well, so I was sure that I saw something like 'you are responsible for any damage taken outside of controlled circumstances, other than prompt unforeseen situations' at the bottom of the page, in a small print. You could feel their triumph in getting us to sign that, because all the guards had a busy time laughing, giggling, chuckling and all of the sort. After that, we were assigned number tags, all 1000. Strange.
We made sure to keep each other in our line of sight, incase our instructors fancied a pop test. We sure were right on that one.
Not a long while after our signing, we were ushered into the candidate hall, were they would 'count our number, and check us for contraband'. Out of all the lies that they could have come up with, this was way too white.
It was a wide field that was so large, that even me, with years of experience regarding distances, could not fathom. As soon as everyone entered. The massive gates behind us shut and like magic, walls sprouted from the earth below and formed a dome around us. Then before us a hollow image of a man appeared, high in the dome.
"Welcome, aspiring students of the Yulo academy, where the strong thrive and the weak cannot survive! And of course, what welcoming ceremony would be more befitting for such an occasion, than a test?! he said with a large grin.
All around you could already hear complaining.
"For your first test, you will be facing these men here, in a classic game of rock, paper scissors. If you lose, you will get hit. Either take a hit without passing out, or beat them at the game to pass!! Good luck!!"
Then as the hollow image appeared, 200 of them, but then they gradually turned into people, as the took weird stances.
"I can do this, this is nothing!!"
One person walked up straight toward one of them and threw his hand on his palm. Sure enough he lost. As quickly as lightning, he was punched so hard he flew into the dome wall, he hit it so hard, you could assume he was dead. He did not move. And so everyone stared at the instructors, until the hollow image appeared again. This time, he seemed even happier.
"Since none of you has the stones to go up, the instructors will call a random number, each"
Everyone was in visible agony. The instructors were getting a good laugh, as they called and punched.
"You do realize that they have patterns right?" Venus said.
I was not about to interrupt her, now that she was actually helping out.
"What do you mean? I replied, confused.
"Take a look at them. when ever they play scissors, their legs are held close together, and they stand straight up. When they play rock, they slouch and smile. When they play paper however, they clench their teeth while playing. And to put the icing on the cake, it stacks in that order, so if they're gonna play rock, they'll stand then slouch, and etc. Its so unfair, because it was well thought of" she explained.
"Cadet number 101, step forward" I heard. That was my badge number.
I stepped up, and he was only standing straight. He was going to play scissors. I had this in the bag.
BOOM
BOOM
BOOM
That was the sound the other cadets heard that second. They looked toward the direction where the noise came from, and were understandably shocked.
A cadet took not one, not two, but three hits from an instructor. "What sorcery is this? No, he must be a demon!" was probably what went through each of their minds.
"Cadet number 101, you are disqualified on counts of rigging, overzealous behaviors, and an attempt to belittle our academy's rules. You will now be escorted out of the academy by force. Any retaliation will be subject to self defense!"
"Wait instructor! What did this cadet commit?" the hollow image appeared and spoke once more.
"You insolent idiot! You knew that it was scissors. Why did you do that? Do you like getting beaten? Is it something you enjoy?! ANSWER! It was clear that Venus was smoking mad. Who wouldn't be?
My foolishness is definitely curated, but not at that level. I smiled, because, I played a move that the instructors, the administrators, or even Goddess would understand. Am I just that far ahead?
"Cadet 101, you'll have to follow us."
I looked around for Ariana and when I saw her, I noticed her barely holding her laugh. Could she have understood what I achieved? While watching her I was forced to behold her beauty once again. "Was life always this beautiful?' I asked myself.
Being around people that I know accepted me. They did not make of me, not for my skin, or the way I talked, or my level of understanding. They were my true family.
I winked back at her, and notice her look away, red and embarrassed.
"I truly came a long way from that dark cave"