So, I've noticed that there are a bunch of fics out there that have AUs of High School settings, and I really like the idea so I wanted to take a shot at it.

This is my attempt at ToS High School AU, and I hope you like it.

This is going to probably end up an Emil/Richter fic... I hope. That's what I'm aiming for, but while I'm writing the chapters, that may change. So for now, Emil's the only character category I added. Either way, it will be a shounen ai pairing with POSSIBLY limited smut, so if you don't like the genre, I have warned you.

This isn't going to be the typical High School AU stuff that's out there though. It won't contain just a pairing or a dew roadblocks. This will be full blown scheming and hate between the characters, love, obsessions, and of course, a tragic and scarring past. Sound Interesting? Then read~

Obviously, this is the first chapter so the story line isn't very sturdy right now, and I doubt it will be for a few chapters, but if you think my description above and the following chapter sound intriguing enough... then just bear with it for now.

Before I let you read, I'll add a disclaimer. I do not own these characters or the game from which they come in. I do however own the idea of this fic, the idea of Symphonia Academy, the last names of a few characters that I did not know so I made up, and POSSIBLY a few OCs later on. But I don't like OCs so that's a maybe.

Anyways, I should shut up now. Enjoy~


Emil Castagnier stood awkwardly at the front of the cherry wood desk.

"Here is your schedule for the year," the lady sitting at the said desk said, handing him a freshly printed sheet of paper. Emil took it out of her hands hesitantly and mumbled a 'Thank you' as she proceeded to speak. "I do hope you will get situated to this school as soon as possible. After all, Symphonia Academy is a proud institution and I hope we do not let you down. Just come to the office if you have any questions at all." She spoke, about to send the lone blonde out into the halls.

The door to the office opened.

"Hi Ms. Lualdi, can I be of assistance?" the lady raised an eyebrow at someone behind Emil. The boy turned behind him and looked at the girl.

"I just came to lead the new student around our school." The girl said.

"That's great!" The woman at the desk exclaimed. "Just what I'd expect from our freshman President representative. Well, I hope you have a wonderful year, Emil." She said before waving her goodbye.

"I'll make sure he does. Bye Mrs. Martel!" The girl said happily before grabbing a confused Emil by the wrist and dragging him out of the administrative building.

"E-excuse me." Emil managed to squeak out after a few moments of following the girl, or rather, being pulled along by her.

The girl turned around and looked at the blonde, giving Emil a chance to examine her. Her hair was light brown and tied in two ponytails, adorned with giant white flowers. Her big blue eyes looked at Emil with apology. "Oh, I'm sorry. I've been dragging you around haven't I?" She laughed a bit embarrassed, letting go of the wrist she had been holding. "I'm Marta Lualdi." She smiled, now holding out her hand.

"H-Hi. I'm Emil." Emil stuttered, extremely nervous at talking so casually to someone new. He hesitantly held out his hand, but before it met with Marta's, both of her hands clasped around his outstretched one.

"Ooh, I can tell we're gonna be great friends!" She said in a fiery passion. She then spun around again and started talking nonstop about nothing in particular, not that Emil was paying any attention. He was busy looking around Symphonia campus.

A loud squeal got both of their attentions, and Emil looked towards the source of the sound. Marta visibly scowled.

"I-is something wrong?" Emil asked, concerned for not only Marta, but whoever had screamed.

"It's just the Vanguard." She said bitterly.

"The… Vanguard?" Emil asked.

"That's what they call themselves at least. Two girls and two guys that are worshipped by half of the student body."

"Who are they?" Emil asked as he saw the group of so-called Vanguards cross the campus. It was a bit easy to spot them considering how everyone around them nearly bowed down to them.

"Alice Le'Valdi. Her father's apparently a known franchise owner in France, but the student's don't know that he's really just a lowlife black market dealer. Decus Kneight. Completely and so blatantly obsessed with Alice. No one knows what he's wealthy for, but everyone does know that he's a rich kid who'll do anything for Alice. And lastly, Richter Abend. He's not wealthy as far as I know, nor does he have noble status, but apparently he's known the other two since anyone can remember."

Emil observed the Vanguard as Marta gave him a summary of each member. Alice was a pale skinned beauty with fiery golden eyes, her light blond hair curving in at the ends to frame her perfect face. She was dressed in ripped white short shorts and a skin tight pink tank top, a creamy yellow cardigan with pink lace hung loosely at her shoulders. Her, no doubt, envious to all the girls', outfit was completed with shin high woven boots with flecks of pink ribbon here and there.

Decus had deep purple hair that dropped down in spikes. His long mane was controlled by a low ponytail. He was wearing black jeans and a black shirt. A purple tie drooped messily from his neck and a white jacket with black fur trim was draped onto his shoulders.

Richter was more formally dressed than the other two members, clad in black slacks with slight purple lining and a black vest with the same purple trim. Under the vest he wore a simple white dress shirt, making him look more professional than intimidating. His sharp emerald eyes were a quite a contrast to his more-red-than-pink hair; which was unbelievably long and draped his shoulders.

"There's only three." Emil stated, confused. Marta had said that there were two girls and two guys, which would add up to four.

"Oh yeah, one of the girls' quit." Marta said distantly.

Emil turned his gaze over to the brunette and saw that she was staring ahead at the campus.

Without warning, she snapped out of whatever daze she had been in and smiled brightly. "Time for the tour!" she exclaimed, once more grabbing Emil and tugging him along.

A nervous Emil walked alongside Marta as she pointed out the buildings to him. "Over there are the guy's dorms, and next to them are the girls. But, the two genders are separated by an iron fence, so no naughty thoughts of sneaking in," she winked while Emil visibly blushed at the thought. He wouldn't dare ever to be so bold to do that.

"The administrative offices are in the building we just left. The counselors, principal, vice principal, and student body government offices are there. To the right of the school are the sporting areas. The pool, basketball court, track, and just about anything athletic are located there. The sports clubs also have club rooms scattered in that building. Other than that, there's just the school and a small shop built in to the cafeteria that sells pencils, textbooks, and other school supplies." She finished grandly, stopping at the brick lining that encircled the dorms. "I can't go any further than this because of the dorm, but I should give you a few pointers before I take off."

Emil listened attentively to Marta, content with not having to speak too much, as his nervousness didn't show unless he started sputtering.

"Students can leave campus only once a week, and you have to get a leave pass from the office before you do. If you get caught without a pass, it results in a week of detention, and you can't leave campus for that period of time. I'm sure you'll do fine, so just try to find me if you need any more help. But, I have to take off now, so I'll see you around. Bye Emil!" She smiled as she waved goodbye and started heading out in the opposite direction.

The blonde watched the girl leave, his own hand waving a slight goodbye. "I-I didn't even get to say goodbye to her," he said quietly to himself, a bit disappointed at his extreme shyness.

Shaking the thought off, he headed into the dorms to unpack. When he had first arrived at the academy, someone had took his bags and placed them in his room so he could talk to the principal without the trouble of them.

He made his way to room 221 in the freshman dormitory and opened the door. Letting out a breath he had held in, he was relieved to see that his roommate wasn't in yet, and that he would have more time to prepare himself before greeting another new face.

His bags were neatly placed on the unoccupied bed and he walked over to them. Opening the first case, he began to take out his clothes and sort them in the provided dresser. This school is so big, he thought, a bit downcast. He'd never been the social one. Especially knowing his past.

He stopped his sorting to glance out the window at the vast campus. He could see all of the buildings and gardens from a clear view point, as well as the many student milling about.

It's nothing like home. He thought, picturing the oceanfront view that his room window had at his own house. Before my parents ran away. He thought sadly.

Replaying his past in his mind, he continued to start out of the window.

"Emil! You're going to live with a family starting today!" A voice chirped happily. A six year old Emil's green eyes widened with excitement.

He left the orphanage in high spirits, in the company of a man and a woman, a newlywed couple that loved kid, but were unable to have any of their own.

His parents were kind, and through the years, Emil came to love them as if they were his birth relatives.

Then one day, he came home from school, only in sixth grade then, to find them gone. The house was empty, only a note lying on the floor waiting for him.

Emil had read the letter, and had dropped it right afterwards, not believing what he had read. They had run away. Unknown to Emil, his foster father was a gambling addict, and had lost all of his money to a loan shark. They had sold everything to pay it back, but it still wasn't enough. Even twelve year old could understand what was going on, and it filled his heart with sadness.

His parents had arranged for him to be taken in by his foster aunt and uncle, who quite clearly despised him. It was after moving in with them that Emil had become so shy, always afraid of speaking and getting yelled at. It marred him.

So, two years later, after going through those torturous years to finish middle school where he got picked on and bullied for his sharked parents, and working odd jobs that only young teenagers could, he had saved enough money to at the very least move out of those wicked relative's house and attend a boarding school located on a small island.

He sighed, his gaze still fixed. But he promised himself to forget about his past and the painful memories that came with it.

"Hey, are you my new roommate?" A voice asked from behind him.

Emil spun around and gulped, having not prepared anything to say to the new face.

"Hey aren't you...?" the brunette standing at the door started.

Oh.

Oh.

Oh.

What in God's name did he do to deserve this? Emil visibly shrunk back.

"Oh this is rich! The shark boy's here!" An oh so familiar voice taunted.

Emil thought back to middle school. His years of pure hell because of the debt his parents left. Bullied relentlessly from his peers. But, there was only one boy who would stop at nothing to make his life even more miserable. And that boy was standing in front of him.

"L-L-Lloyd Irving?"


I deeply apologize for making Lloyd sound mean. BUT, Emil has a grudge against him, remember? So a little something was necessary. Though, in this fic, it'll actually be Lloyd and not Decus in disguise.

I really hope you liked this, and I'll try to update soon while I'm still inspired. Otherwise I lose the will to write and I stop and one chapter, never to update again... I'll try not to let that happen though.

Review Please! I love them~

xoxo

Mi Chan signing off.