" 'The Soliloquy School of Academic Excellence'. " Kathy read aloud as her feet touched dry land for the first time in just over an hour, "Got quite a ring to it if you ask me, don't you think?"

She looked up at the giant school before her. Perched on a rocky hill; an ancient castle, surrounded by a tall stone wall, stood magnificently against the bleak grey sky. The surrounding beach was flat and lifeless with scummy waves lapping up against the shore. The students piled out of the ferry and onto the half-mile-long concrete causeway that led to the school. It appeared to be the only modern thing in existence.

"It was built by the Nazis when they invaded the island during the Second World War," Sherlock explained, even though Kathy had not asked where the long ma-made jetty had come from, "They took over and ruined most of the traditional landscape with concrete and metal. They didn't care about preserving the ancient building for future generations to enjoy."

"It doesn't look too bad," Kathy said, as she and Sherlock fell to the back of the large group. They lingered by the large, decaying sign that had once displayed the school's name in beautiful gold lettering. Now, the salty sea air had worn the paintwork away, so only a shadow of the writing remained. It was still able for one to read it - but only if they were relatively close to the sign.

"Hmm." Sherlock answered expressionlessly to Kathy's remark. He tightened his scarf around his neck and tucked his book safely away in his satchel. The wind was harsh out by the sea - sharp and cold and searching - so even under his thick coat Sherlock found himself shivering.

Kathy, on the other hand, wore nothing but a baggy old hoodie - and she appeared unaffected by the strong breeze. She was enjoying it, even; her blue hair whipping about in the breeze as she admired the dreary horizon.

"Oh I love this place already!" She said over the roaring of the wind and the crashing of the sea as the students were marched up towards the school, "It's so historical! There's just a good air about it, don't you think? I feel so freeeee!"

She twirled around in circles with her arms outstretched and felt the breeze beneath them. She was completely carefree and happy - so much so that she nearly lost her footing and would have plummeted to the rocky floor below had Sherlock not grabbed her arm before she fell.

"Would you stop being so reckless?" He hissed, "You could have gotten yourself killed!"

"Oh don't be such a spoil sport!" She laughed, linking arms with him, much to his annoyance, "I was just having some fun."

"Get off me!" Sherlock snapped, shaking her away and hunching his shoulders ever higher. Kathy tilted her head to one side again and looked at him. She was certain he was using the collar of his coat to try and hide the blush rising in his cheeks.

"Alright, Moody," She muttered, with a smirk, "Someone's got their knickers in a twist."

He huffed in his annoyance but said nothing. Even though he had found the last half hour of the journey very mentally stimulating due to Kathy's presence, Sherlock still thought the girl was a little...what was the expression ordinary people used...? "In-Your-Face"? What annoyed him most was that he found her excruciatingly aggravating, but every now and again she said something that made him agonizingly curious about her. He wanted her to leave him alone, but at the same time he wanted to spend more time with her so as to figure out how her brain worked. She was a puzzle that he hadn't as of yet been able to solve - and Sherlock Holmes was never a boy to give up on a puzzle.

So, despite his best efforts, it appeared that this McKenzie girl was here to say.

Might as well make an effort, Sherlock thought.

But of course - being Sherlock Holmes - he did not.

If anything, he just made it even more difficult for her.

After walking along the causeway; past the abandoned church that stood on a high, lone piece of rock; past the worn-down rubble houses to its side; past the concrete Nazi bunker; through the small field with the concrete paved path and up the creaky wooden staircase that led to a metal gate, the large snake of children and guiding teachers arrived within the high stone walls of the school. The gateway that they were led through was made of strong steel; pointy and sharp at the top to ensure it was almost impossible for anyone to climb over - and Kathy flinched away when it was slammed shut behind her by the groundskeeper: an old, miserable man with a face that showed he didn't love a single soul on the earth.

"Well isn't he a bundle of joy," Kathy said sarcastically, as the old man snapped the locks shut on the gate.

"That's Mr Fung," Sherlock said, sounding bored, "Ignore him. He's a miserable old man. I don't believe we got off on the right foot when I first met him."

"How so?"

"Well let's just say he wasn't happy when he discovered I'd managed to pick the lock to that gate and went for a stroll around the island when the tide was out."

"You should definitely teach me how to do that," Kathy grinned.

"Maybe," Sherlock answered, "But not today. On the first day of term everyone is given time to unpack their things and make themselves at home again. I've never understood why. It only takes me about ten minutes."

"Ten minutes?" Kathy laughed, "You don't have much stuff, do you?"

Sherlock looked at her, blank-faced, not seeing what was so funny.

"No," He answered, "I don't."

Kathy's laughter faltered until only her smile remained. Sherlock looked at her, for some reason incredibly aware that she was looking at him. It was a strange feeling that surged through him - something he had never felt before - and the obscurity of it confused him.

Sherlock Holmes did not like being confused.

"Stop it," He snapped, crossing his arms over his chest tightly.

"Stop what?"

"Just...just leave me alone!"

With a deadly scowl, Sherlock strode off; heading up towards the castle while the rest of the students pretended to listen to what the teacher was saying to them. The courtyard they were stood in was vacant, and had once been the market place for the residents of the tiny island. The sharp breeze whistled through the large open space, rattling the open doors of the surrounding buildings - what Kathy could only presume were the classrooms, judging from the many desks she saw inside.

And no one questioned it when Sherlock drew himself away from the crowd, and his figure began shrinking in the distance as he made his way up the grand stone staircase to the entrance of the castle.

His shoulders were hunched, his collar was high, and his stride and scowl showed everyone that he was in a bad mood.

But Kathy couldn't stop staring at him. She found him fascinating - absolutely fascinating - and even though he was the most confusing and complex person Kathy had ever met, she still couldn't help but admire him for his undeniable intelligence and individual personality.

Not to mention those luscious curls. And full lips. And amazingly sharp cheekbones that could surely slice paper...

Wait. What was she saying? This was her first day of school - not even that; her first morning. And already she was falling for the talk, dark, mysterious boy that stood out from the crowd when all he wanted was to blend into the shadows.

She sighed.

Well, Kathy thought, Typical me, I guess.

And, even though Sherlock would tear his hair out in his confusion if he found out, Kathy had not been hurt by his sudden outburst of rage. Kathy changed her mind and her mood all the time - if she judged others for being critical, then that would only make her a hypocrite.

In the wide courtyard, the teacher continued to drone on; her feeble voice lost in the force of the wind. Kathy gave up trying to hear the words being said, and instead found her eyes sliding up to the castle once more.

Her breath caught when she saw that boy at the top of the steps, staring down at her.

Their eyes met for a split second, before he turned his back and disappeared into the darkness of the school entrance.

Mystery at its best.