"I'm late I'm late I'm late I'm late!" Reimu Hakurei ran down the stairs in front of the sacred Hakurei shrine, jumping the last ones, before speeding up her pace, fixing her hair, she kept running across the streets of Gensokyo, the major city in the country and state, taking sudden turns around corners and running through alleys for shortcuts. "I can't believe I'm late for my first day of school!" Reimu said to herself, annoyed. Now it was a straight race against time, looking at her watch: It was 8:53, and classes started at 9:00 AM!
"You're late Reimu!" Reimu only saw a blurred image of a blond girl in a bike pass by. Marisa Kirisame had just passed her. In a bike. Laughing at her. Reimu growled, more than angry, and somehow sped up her running, closing her eyes. When she opened them, she was panting for air, finding herself inside the complex. And only one minute and a half had passed. "Phew, lucky" Reimu cheered herself up and removed her tennis and opening her shoe locker to take out her other pair and putting them on
"Oi Reimu, you're late" Marisa was in front of her, snickering
Reimu sighed, annoyed "I don't want to hear that from you. You're the one who is always late" Reimu gave some final touched to her appearance before stepping out of the wooden floor to the tiles. "Well, I'll go check out my classroom no-"
"Just now? I already checked them." Reimu gave her a sly smile before heading to the stairs. She wouldn't let Marisa get away so easily after she had passed her with that bike, instead of offering her a ride. Reimu walked through the hallways, going to the classroom with the sign of "2-C". She took the seat, next to the windows and in the middle of the row, like she did last year. She sighed and took a look around her: new faces. All of them were new faces… except for one rather loud girl, with black hair and red eyes.
"My papers will win this year's contest!" Aya Shameimaru, the gossip girl of the Touhou Academy, said out loud
"Yeah, that's what you said last year, and you lost" A male oni chuckled, before being glared at by Aya. "This year will be different, and you'll see it!" the tengu girl said with confidence. Reimu rolled her eyes; she always had to be so noisy. She looked outside the window, looking at the campus. The HUGE campus. The Touhou Academy was known for being one of the biggest educational facilities in the whole country: kindergarten, elementary, middle, high school and college, all in one. Touhou Academy was the example for all other schools, the top school; the number one and perfect school. And it was all managed by a principal in each section but these principals were headed by a higher authority: Yukari Yakumo, founder of this school.
"Yo, Reimu" A voice broke Reimu's daydream. She looked up, only to see Marisa leaning in her desk
"Don't tell me we…"
"We got the same classroom again! Isn't that awesome-ze?" Marisa grinned… This was going to be a looong day for Reimu. She just sighed and checked her watch, it struck 8 AM. The bell rang, Marisa took the seat behind Reimu and the door slid open
"Okay class, take your seats" A young blond woman, with deep blue eyes walked into the classroom, closing the door behind her and going to her desk "I'll be your homeroom teacher, and I'll be teaching you English, math, and Home eds." She began to write in the chalkboard her name, in perfect, roman calligraphy. She turned around after finishing and look at the students "My name is Alice Margatroid. I'll be looking for a great year of classes with all of you" she finished introducing herself
"Whoah…. She's pretty…" Marisa whispered to Reimu, to what she just ignored her "Now class, why don't you introduce yourselves one by on-"
"Marisa Kirisame! Clerk at the Kirisame Magic Shop, the anything goes shop!" Marisa had jumped up from her seat, raising her hand.
Everyone stared at her, but Reimu, who just felt bad for her. Alice couldn't help it but to giggle "Well, aren't you an eccentric one Miss Kirisame. Well, since you started, we'll go to the person behind you, and so on" Alice sat down. Reimu sighed a bit relieved, meaning she'd be the last one, and kept on her daydreaming. Marisa paid attention to the rest, unlike Reimu. There were oni, tengu, ghosts, youkai, humans, magicians and half breeds. "The always pure and honest, Aya Shameimaru: the fastest in Gensokyo!" Aya jumped up and stood up in her seat. Alice raised an eyebrow "Yeah, now, if you please, take your seat" she ordered, before Aya went down again. Reimu had diverted from her daydreaming at Aya's loudness, but kept on in her own world after she was done, the rest being rather normal.
"Reimu Hakurei" Reimu just said her name and sat down "Well, Miss Hakurei, why don't you tell us what you did during your vacations?" Alice asked. Reimu nodded and stood up, but before she could talk, Alice spoke again "But in English. This is English class after all" Ugh… Reimu disliked English, and was horrible at it
"I-i… I…. Didn't… do not much…" Reimu tripped on her words. Alice raised an eyebrow "I see your English is quite good. Now, next person… Marisa: why don't you tell us what you did during your vacations?" Marisa nodded and stood up. "I didn't do much. Just a bit of traveling, finding some new items here and there for the shop." Her English was quite fluent and good, but not as good as the teacher's. Alice was quite surprised, and gave Marisa a smile "You have a very nice English there Miss Marisa" she complimented her "I hope everyone talks like that. If not, let it be your objective" Alice spoke to everyone in the class. "You're your pretty teacher's favorite student. Aren't you glad?" Reimu snickered "And what's wrong with that-ze?" Marisa didn't quite get the tease, instead thinking that it'd be good to have Alice on her good side. Reimu just sighed "Never mind" she turned back around. "Now, class, open your English textbook on page 3. Each person will read a paragraph out loud, and when the paragraph is over, the next person will read the next one" Alice put on a pair of glasses and explained the simple dynamic. Reimu grumbled silently, looking out the window, without noticing the pass of time. The bell rang for the change of class.
"Now class" Alice stood up, holding a bunch of papers "Before we start math, I'm going to hand out these tests" Many students complained, but Alice kept talking "Now, this test won't affect your report cards. It's just so I can see your skills at algebra" she explained, and began to walk by seat by seat, handing the tests. After she finished handing them out, Alice walked back to her seat and looked at her class "One more thing. I absolutely, won't accept cheating on my tests" her calm face suddenly turned dark "I'll know if you try to peek into other tests or take out a note" her face suddenly turned back into a smile "Now, start"
Reimu looked down at her test, taking her mechanical pencil and beginning to write. It was all stuff they had learned past year. Not too hard, not too easy. She had no real problems, but pondered now and then. But she felt Marisa had had a pretty easy time, turning over her test, finishing already. The classroom was in deep silence for a few minutes, before the teacher broke the silence: "Miss Shameimaru, I thought I was clear enough when I said no cheating in my test" Alice spoke coldly, and the tengu was frozen, reaching for her pocket to take out or note… or planned to. Reimu chuckled silently, but looked at Alice. Aya wouldn't get caught so easily, she was mostly silent and swift while "cheating" in her tests. Reimu looked around, until she noticed… Wires, all over the classroom, above them near the ceiling. Alice was using these almost invisible strings to check on all the students in the classroom; clever for the teacher. This was going to be an interesting year, she thought.
After a while, Alice stood up, clapping her hands twice "Time's up class" and with a flick of her fingers, all tests were pulled into her hands. Marisa's eyes wide opened and began to sparkle "O-ooh! Sensei! H-how did you do that? Magic?" she asked, excitedly. Alice looked at Marisa "No, wires" she said before turning around and returning to her desk. Wires? That's no fun, or so Marisa thought. "Well, while I check your tests, I want you to take out your math book" then everyone began to look in their bags and took out the math book "and I want you to answer from page 5 to page 12 by yourselves"
"Piece o' cake" Marisa said to herself and began to easily solve the small equations and problems on the book, soon finishing. Reimu sighed and did it at her own pace, from time to time checking out the rest f the class… Aya was having quite a hard time with math, like past year. Reimu chuckled to herself and kept on working.
"I have your tests ready" Alice stood up, with a sheet of paper with a list of every student in the classroom "I'll go start form the best grades to the lowest ones" she gave a little explanation "Marisa Kirisame, 100" "Yes!" Marisa whispered to herself "You amuse me Miss Kirisame. I thought you'd be the type of lazy student. I hope your grades are as good in math as in all the others" At this comment Marisa's spine shivered, being only good at magic, math and English. Alice kept saying out loud the grades "Reimu Hakurei, 84…" Reimu smiled, not too bad… "Aya Shameimaru, 65" Marisa couldn't help but to snicker at this. The list wasn't long after Aya, unfortunately for her. Putting down the sheet of paper, she held up her math book "And for homework I want the next 5 pages completed" she said "What? That's too much!" Marisa yelled out loud "Well then, 6 pages for Miss Marisa here and the rest of the class 4" At this some laughed, among them Aya and Reimu "T-that's not fair!" Marisa tried to defend herself, but Alice found herself chuckling "I'm just kidding, 5 pages for everyone. But five pages shouldn't be so hard for you, with that perfect score you got" Alice commented, and smiled at Marisa "Right?" The witch just silently sat down as Alice took off her glasses.
"Well, class is almost over, so before I forget, I have something to explain to you" Alice leaned on her desk "There's going to be a new class for all of you: the ASC, abbreviation for the Advanced Skills Class. It may sound "advanced", but it is pretty simple actually: everyone has different skills in the Academy, from magic, to elements-manipulations, ghost abilities and whatnot. The ASC just teaches you how to use your abilities, and how to use them at your full advantages" Reimu sighed, not having any skills… other than the powers of the Hakurei "Now, raise your hand all magic users" At this Marisa raised her arm, looking around. Only about two or three people rose their hands "All you four, will be assigned to me. We'll be having our class today at the chemistry lab" Marisa smiled brightly at hearing this "Now, all fire users, will be assigned to Mokou-san on…" Reimu's mind drifted off in her own dreams again
"Now that that issue is over, class is almost over, so go ahead, if you have any questions ask them. I'll be willing to answer anything" Alice nodded. A guy raised his arm "Sensei, I have a question" "Yes?" Alice looked at the oni "Where are you from?" Alice looked at him "I'm from Makai" Some students were surprised
"Sensei! You're new here, right?"
"Yes, that would be correct"
"Sensei! Where are we going to go in this year's school trip?"
"I… don't know"
Reimu smiled, and raised her hand "Sensei…. I have a question" she looked at Marisa with that sly smile
"Yes Reimu?"
"How old are you?"
At this question, Alice almost fell down from the desk. Marisa was also surprised by what Reimu had just asked. The other students also let out a chorus of surprised "Ooooh's"
"You did say you would be willing to answer every question, right?" Reimu looked at Marisa teasingly. Marisa just looked away, being annoyed
"I'm… not… much older than you kids" Alice said, trying to recover her cool "N-next question!"
Aya raised her hand, seeing how Reimu was playing with Marisa
"Yes Aya?"
"Sensei! Are you single?" Aya smiled, looking at Marisa
"W-what?" Alice looked at Aya, getting flustered "O-of course I am, so what?"
"Never said it was wrong" Aya smiled
"Well aren't you lucky?" Reimu whispered to Marisa "Not only she's young but she's also single"
"Reimu, shut up" Marisa said, grabbing Reimu's head and turning it around
"Uuu…" Alice recovered her posture "Reimu, Aya. No recess for both of you" she said coldly. Marisa snickered "And if I catch you outside the classroom, it'll be a week" she said, before putting all her things in her bag and leaving the room as the bell rang for lunch
"You guys deserved it-ze" Marisa smiled "Well, I'm not the one who has a crush on the teacher" Reimu shrugged and looked at Marisa with a mocking smile "Ooooh! Marisa has a crush on Alice!" Aya yelled out after she made sure the teacher wasn't around
"N-no I don't!" Marisa jumped up
"Then why're you making such fuzz about it?" Reimu asked, taking out a bentou box from her backpack
"I'm making a fuzz because you are! Who wouldn't?" Reimu shrugged, opening her lunch and beginning to eat "This is definitely going to the papers" Aya smiled, taking out a pencil and a notebook and writing "Do that and I'll Spark you to oblivion!" Marisa growled "That'd get you into troubles" "Then I'll do it outside school grounds-ze!" "You're too slow" Aya smiled in a mocking way "I don't think so!" "Well, I'm the fastest in Gensokyo! You're like a turtle compared to me" Aya's and Marisa's eyes collided into a fight, before the doors slid open, the eyes now looked at the person whom had opened them