[Dear Readers! Kyra here! I am in the process of editing/updating everything! PLease excuse the mess as I repost the old chapters to keep the story alive! hearts!]
-Welcome to Altus Axiom Institution-
Greetings and Salutations Future Student!
Thank you for your interest in Altus Axiom Institution for Gifted Individuals. As you may know our exclusive global contracts guarantee your safety and security in a stable, structured educational and enrichment environment. Rest assured that all of your needs will be met in terms of personal safety procedures as outlined in the enclosed enrollment dossier to include environmental hazards, on-campus living quarters, state-of-the art barrier protocols, and gourmet dining facilities to include local and exotic cuisine. Yes, here at AAIwe strive to provide the world's most gifted with the luxury and comfort they would normally find at home. Allow us to be your home away from home for the length of your college career and beyond!
Welcome and See you soon!
The High Council of Ooo
Pink fingers tightened their grip upon the stark white paper as light blue eyes scanned the words again and again. Nimbly they shuffled through the rest of the information dossier, the front cover adorned with gold leaf lettering: Princess B. Bubblegum; searching for something that would help the girl navigate to her destination.
Sigh. How am I already lost? I have only been here forabout ten minutes and I'm completely lost. The campus didn't look like anything special from the outside but, once I stepped inside…its massive…that must be the barrier protocol the pamphlet mentioned. Ballgunk.
A tallish, slender young woman wearing a light pink tank under a big collar relaxed t-shirt with long pink hair that reached her calves took a few more uncertain steps in one direction or another before sitting down on a near-by bench. She smoothed out the pink floral skater skirt that hung from her hips and began to rummage through the thick packet filled with brochures about her new college, paperwork that had yet to be filled out to finish her enrollment, pricing charts for various activities not included in her tuition and finally..
"Ahha! Campus map." She smiled triumphantly holding up the folded parchment, trying to orientate it to her current location. She shifted her gaze up and down the long lane that was lined with sidewalks, cherry trees in blossom, and waist high hedges that offered a dark green palette. Behind her was where she had entered the campus barrier, the outside world a blurred series of colors and movement that went on about its daily routine as if the enormous campus wasn't even there.
At the other end was a four way intersection with a few small shops on each corner. One shop was called "C. Goose Bookstore and Exotic Imports". The girl held up the map, glancing back and forth between the intersection and the map until she nodded in satisfaction, confident she now understood where she was. Studying the map a bit further, she determined where she needed to go next, which was the main office to turn in her enrollment paperwork, then onto her new dormitory.
Sigh. The dorm is all the way at the other end of campus. This is going to take all day…good thing I wore my tennis shoes!
With a look of exasperation she pushed the papers back into the dossier folder, not even realizing someone was looking straight at her. As she stood up from the bench, she almost ran headlong into the person who was standing not a few feet from her.
"Kwah!" The pink haired girl yelped out, taken by surprise and hopping a step backwards to avoid a collision.
The other person giggled quietly, smiling a gentle smile. "Hello, are you lost?" Her voice was just as gentle as the smile and matched her pretty face perfectly. She was slightly taller than the pink haired girl and seemed to be about the same age. She had long, light blonde hair that shone with a slight sparkle in the sunlight as it drifted and swirled around the girls shoulders. She wore a light blue sweater vest over a white button down shirt, black skater skirt, and street sneakers that were rainbow colored. The only odd thing was in the center of her forehead was a small, ivory white horn which only seemed to add to her cuteness and her skin was a slightly deeper shade of pink, enhancing her already dazzling look. The sweater vest had a coat-of-arms embroidered on the left breast, probably her sorority, the pink haired girl thought.
"Oh I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sneak up on you, but you were so engrossed in your campus map that I guess you didn't hear me speak first. Are you new here? My name is Nari, Nari Rainicorn. I'm part of the campus welcoming committee. I was supposed to meet a new student here so that must be you!" She smiled so brightly as she spoke that the pink haired girl couldn't help but return the smile. Nari reached out her hand.
"O-oh! Uhm sorry, my manners. I am Princess Bonnibel Bubblegum, of Candy Kingdom. And yes I am new here and I was somewhat lost but uhm…" She caught herself babbling and gently shook Nari's hand with an embarrassed blush.
"Oh my royalty? Hrm the committee president didn't mention you would be a royal, oh I am so underdressed!" Nari quickly curtseyed and bowed her head, her pink cheeks blushing.
"Oh no its fine its fine really! I am so happy I have a guide now!" Bubblegum waved a hand in front of her quickly. "I just want to be treated normal, like everyone else. Yes, totally normal college girl, that's me!" Both girls snickered then began to giggle quietly together.
"I see, ok then totally normal college girl Bonnibel Bubblegum, shall we head to the main office?" Nari turned on her rainbow clad heels, looking back over her shoulder with a wink and began her tour of the campus.
The two headed for the intersection and rounded a corner, Nari explaining that this was part of the Commons, an area comprised of everyday goods and services.
"Did you need to stop in here?" Nari asked looking back at her companion and motioning towards the bookstore.
"I don't know what I need yet but at least I know where this shop is now." Bubblegum smiled a 'thank you' as the pair passed by the rather strange looking store front. She happened to glance inside and stopped, looking at the odd assortment of items. A 'Genuine Monkey's Paw' on sale with only one finger left raised. A large crystal ball with swirling purple mist clouding the images that could possibly see. On sale in a 'Blind Luck' clearance promotion: a white rabbits foot 'Freshly Donated' and a four leaf clover 'Fresh from Ireland'.
As she peered past the window display she could see people, possibly students at a long dark oak countertop talking to the shopkeeper. A Goose? She wondered. Then something caught her attention, the sound of instruments starting to be played from within.
"Oh my Glob! Marceline is playing in here let's go inside!" Screed Nari as she quickly grabbed Bubblegum's wrist and yanked her inside the shop. The smell of dust and molded tomes pervaded the air and in the far corner of the shop was a tall woman with blue-gray skin and a huge mane of black hair. Behind her was a band set up with a drummer, a keyboardist, and a guitarist. The blue skinned girl sported a massive, four necked bass guitar and was beginning to strum it harshly as her head bobbed up and down to the rhythm of the music being played.
As the words being sung reached the eardrums of anyone within a four block radius, the sound of heavy bass and killer riffs penetrated the body of the young Princess, and she watched, awestruck as the siren floated about the small space. The music throbbed deep in her chest and she was hypnotized, unable to take her eyes off the lead singer. The dark eyed figure wailed out lyrics, keeping herself aloft about a foot from the floor, expertly playing a bass that was larger than she was, clad in a dark gray tank top that sagged enough to show a red sports bra underneath, dark blue jeans with the knees tattered and ripped, and black and red combat boots with the necks unlaced and folded down.
Bubblegum leaned into Nari and as loud as she could tried to ask who it was singing again. But Nari was screaming and jumping up and down, waving her arms and half dancing to the music, far too busy to hear anything but the beats. Suddenly she felt something press in behind them, and not just a single something, a small crowd had filtered into the shop, pushing the two girls closer to the makeshift stage, all of them screaming fans cheering for the dark idol. Obviously this was a huge deal, and the Princess soon found herself having trouble keeping from being trampled by the rabid fans clamoring to get closer to the band.
Bubblegum and Nari struggled to keep upright, pushing and leaning backwards as hard as they both could but it was of little use and quickly Bubblegum found herself stumbling forward, off balance, and right into the lead singer.
"Whoa!" The gray skinned girl blinked as a pink mass of college student came tumbling towards her. She let go of the massive bass and before the girl could hit the floor, had swooped under and picked the pink haired damsel in distress up off her feet. "Heh…" She smirked, holding the girl close with one arm, the other hand was flicking about, controlling the bass, commanding it to continue to play. Luckily it was a bridge, something easy to fake through that led into a drum solo.
Bubblegum had tensed, her fingers curled against the dark gray tank top, her face pressed against the girls breasts. She peeked up, turned bright red, and looked straight into dark red eyes looking back down at her.
"Eeeyah! I'm so sorry!" She cried out and tried to push herself free of the strong arm holding her in place.
"Relax pretty girl." The voice was gruff and completely different from the one that had been singing. "I got you. Look down."
Bubblegum looked and saw they were hovering a few feet above the floor which made her eyes go wide and quickly she clenched tighter against the gray body. "P-put me down please!" She yelled, but the music was simply too loud or maybe the singer ignored the request because in one fluid motion the siren shifted Bubblegum around and made her straddle the floating girl from behind, piggy-back style, retrieved her bass, and resumed the impromptu concert.
The fans below lost it. Screaming and crying filled the shop as both the girls and some of the guys cried foul of the display, but still, they ate it up, watching their idol give some pink haired girl a private seat. Bubblegum didn't exactly feel the same. She curled her arms tight around the girls neck and buried her face into the thick black hair.
