I woke up when the sunlight gently hit my face, making my check feel warm. I groggily opened my eyes, looking at the alarm clock that was placed on my bed stand next to the bed. 5:30 A.M., it read as I woke up and went to the bathroom. I then made my way over to my drawer and pulled out a fall/winter uniform.
The uniform was white with purple trimming, and the short-sleeved shirt was a side button up with a collar. The collar was pure white and the skirt was a pleated purple skirt that was mid-thigh length. We also wore stocking or some girls preferred leggings as long as it was the required color of white or purple. The shoes we had to wear were school shoes and we also had to wear a beret to class.
This beret was also the symbol of our school for we had as many as 6 buttons on the outer rim of the hat. The first pin is in the shape of the last weapon we used before we get promoted from elementary school. We receive it when we pass elementary school to choose which career path we want. It starts with Explorer, Knight, Mage, Warrior and Engineer. Afterwards, we progress to middle school, where we enhance our skills and promote to the higher levels. Explorers graduate from Gunslinger or Treasure Hunter. Knights progress to Guardian or Templar. Mages are either Bard or Sorcerer, and Engineers change to Meisters. Warriors are promoted to Warlords or Bladers. When we graduate from middle school that is when we receive our second pin in the shape of our exam item that we needed in order to pass to high school. The third pin is received when you are promoted to high school, where the classes promote to a higher, more enhanced, stage of their career path. Gunslingers become Duelists, Treasure Hunters become Ruin Walkers, Guardians become Saints, Templars become Holy Orders, Bards become Minstrels, Sorcerers become Elemental Masters, and Meisters become Engistars. Bladers are promoted to Striders and Warlords are promoted to Dragoons. When we graduate from this, we would get our third pin, in the letters of IL, in order to represent Iris Livier, required in order to pass high school.
But, there was another section of high school as well. This section is called the SS section, or known as Sub Section. Only a few of the most skilled people ever reach this level and excel. The special thing about SS was that the students within this class could use their major's weapon, or another weapon. Saints are able to use 2 gloves known as Psychic Hands and are called Psykickers. Holy Orders promote to Terror Knights and use a huge glove known as a Gauntlet. For Ruin Walkers, they were able to use 2 small daggers, one of them being a Rouge Knife and another of their choice, and change to Rouge Master. For Duelists, they are able to use a blade which shoots out bullets, known as Gunblades. Striders can change to Sword Dancers, using two swords that magically floated in the air named Psionic Sword. Dragoons can change to Highlanders and they used a huge four pointed star called a Spiral Sword. Elemental Masters can change to Phantom Mages and use scythe-like weapons known as their Battle Staff. Minstrels can change to Maestros and use a Rod. As for Engistars, they change to Star Seekers that use a magically floating call called a Guardian Ball. Our fourth pin is in the shape of the weapon that we use.
I looked at my pins, having five of the six pins, I looked at them intently. My first pin was in the shape of a staff, blue and purple stripes running across the tiny pin. The second pin was a Harp that I earned from battling against a huge turtle boss that ran rampant inside a dungeon. My third pin was a guitar, black and blue with stars gleaming across the bottom part of the face of the guitar. As for my fourth pin, I it was a silver and blue musical rod to signify that I was part of the SS class. I looked at my fifth pin, in the shape of a Phoenix.
As for the fifth pin, it was when you achieved a title within the top 50 of the class, known as the SS Brigade. The SS Brigade was made up of the top students that constantly made top marks and were specially equipped with some extra "perks" such as later curfew hours, immediate entry of dungeons, and special privileges of allowing them access to anywhere within any of the buildings.
I thought about the sixth pin that was nonexistent on my beret, and shook it off, adjusting my hat on my head, and walked out of my room, towards my first day of class after a year.