Walking through the campus of Akarnae, Ash couldn't help but think how big it was, students everywhere in summer clothes smiling and laughing, all of them looked so happy. The crystal lake looked more incredible this way before continuing into the grounds of the academy, there were no curious looks from the other students walking past them. Looking around Ash could define that this school had been around for a while give or take a couple millennia ago or something. It looks like a cross between medi-evil and the future mixed into one.

The boys were leading Ash to the big 'U' ; fewer students were to be seen in this part of the academy. Looking back at the campus behind her, there was a feeling in her that wanted to run across the campus back to the forest to the spot where she had walked through to the doorway and tell her dad what had happened. Pushing that line of thoughts away and went to catch up with Landon and Ez as they were about to enter a staircase but just before reaching the first step, a hand latched onto her shoulder and turned her around. It was a man, he wore all black with a belt around his waist with daggers and small pouches with who knows what had in them. He had short-cropped black hair on his head but there were a few bits that looked like they were going grey, a strong locked jaw and dark eyes to sum up everything he had a cloak that was… well black but with a shimmer of another material that lined most of it. His eyes locked onto Ash's and she felt as if hunted. The man just kept looking into his eyes for a couple of minutes, a few times he had left looking at her eyes to the grounds and the rest of Ash trying to work out something about her.

A thought came into Ash's head, what if he was reading her thoughts seeing that she was for Earth -er- Freya. Only to her relief did a familiar voice come from the staircase.

"Um, Hunter, is everything OK?" Landon said curiously what was happening and was a bit surprised. Ez was there with him equally the same only he did a lot better at hiding his surprise but it was all the same by the look in his eyes. The man- Hunter finally let Ash go looking at the two boys, straightening his cloak addressing the two boys, in a low dangerous tone,

"Landon Bailey and Ezran Stirling, why am I not surprised that you two are bringing unauthorised people onto Akarnae's grounds?"

Landon cheekily replied,

"Well you know that I'm just that guy always looking for trouble or really in this instance a hot girl like this one you were just admiring yourself," Ash couldn't believe Landon just did that. Ez looked like this the normal between the teacher and them, but then his casual look turned into assumed when looking at Ash and her gobsmacked, mirth swirling around his eyes. Even Hunter had a spark of amusement in his eyes with a twitch of his mouth. Ash still couldn't believe what had happened now glaring straight at Landon, his eyes filled with mirth and mischief. Chuckling, he gave her a wink and blew an overdramatic kiss at her. Which she gagged in response.

"I think that's enough Landon, or I can organise to do some extra credit… with Karter," Hunter exaggerated the last two words as a clear. Landon smirk faded, with some of the blood draining from his face and wide eyes. Hunter's amusement had returned for only a couple of seconds before turning back to Ash a bit more relaxed than before when creepily staring at her,

"What is your name," said Hunter, his voice suddenly as dangerous as when he first started to talk.

"Ashlyn James," she simply said, his dangerous tone didn't scare her, it was intimidating but it didn't take anything from her. As soon as she said her last name Hunter's eyes widened in surprise, turning back to Landon and Ez,

"You bring an unauthorised person onto the grounds but fail to mention she's Freyan?" The sudden realisation that he knew shocked Ash so much that she flinched. Looking at the three of them Hunter sighed realised that none of them was going to answer,

"I say that you are going to see the Headmaster find what he could do to take Ashlyn back to her own world."

Knowing there was no point trying to hide it since the teacher had basically just said everything that was about to happen Ash just sighed nodding muttering a 'yes' seeing her friends were doing a little less dramatic than her. Nodding along with them the teacher tilted his head to the stairs and walked toward them.

Walking up the stairs, realising that they walking up the 'U' it was practically a small mountain since a had already walked up seven flights of stairs seven only add another on that made eight at the end of the eighth set of stairs Ash had muttered under her breath if this world was so much more advanced than hers why didn't they have an elevator, there was a holt in front of a door with a sign that said 'Administration'.

Hunter opened the door, telling the three of them to walk through the door and into what was an office. On the right wall, a neat bookshelf with a pot plant on the under shelf was small but it was vibrant with life that made something in Ash to relax. A pair of sliding doors to the left, the glass in the frames were transparent giving the room privacy.

A glass onyx coloured desk sat in the middle of the room like any office; a floating chair sat behind the desk; the slightest bobbing movement had made it clear. A simple pencil holder was in the left corner of the desk; turning to see the rest of the room, Ash looked at Landon and Ez. The question was clear in her eyes and face: what were they doing here and is someone supposed to be here?

Catching her question Ez just gave Ash a calming look and motioned for her to take a breath and just wait to see how it would play out. Looking behind her friend she could see that Hunter had now joined them in the room, closing the door behind him and standing in the shadowed corner.

Just then a man walked through the sliding doors into the room, he looked like he was in his late forties early fifties, tall with a button-up grey shirt with a casual pair of jeans. Straight dark brown bushy hair sat on top of his head and looked like it was a couple of days overdue for a cut. The man had a little bit of facial hair on his face, the dark line ran down his jawline and to his chin where it made a semi-circle around his mouth. He had a pair of circular reading glasses on his face with his head in a book, before noticing he had company. The man looked up to see who was here, his eyes were a warm brown with a spark of humour to see Landon and Ez standing in front of Ash, but mostly to Ez though. Giving a nod to Hunter who was still in the corner, the man's eyes finally went to Ash. The spark of humour changed to surprise, hints of curiosity and what looked like love. The type of love for a family member.

"Ashlyn James," the man said. His tone was kind as he said her name as if they had known each other for years.

"Yeah?" Ash replied to the thought of this man knowing her name. He had never seen this man before in her life, but there was something about him that was… familiar.

"I'm Administrator Barnold Stirling, but please call me Bear," the man- Administrator Bear said with a genuine wink.

'Stirling huh?' Ash thought of stealing a glance at Ez, who was doing his best not to notice it.

"Please take a seat, there's no point in standing," he said, placing the book on the desk moving around the chair.

"A seat?" Ash asked since the office only had the chair, the one behind the desk.

But as soon as she looked around to see that there was a chair sitting behind her it was a simple white chair with a comfy-looking cushion on the backrest looking to see that both Landon and Ez had the identical one to her. Taking the chair leaning back into the cushion resting her legs from the big mountain, climb up the stairs. Hunter took that as his cue to leave.

"So, how much do you know about where you are right now?" Administrator Bear asked Ash.

"Well, I know that I have somehow travelled to a different world, one that is parallel to Earth -um- Freya but is different from having been much more advanced and has more than one race. Also, that Akarnae is the school for the gifted, humans that have an inhuman ability," she answered she had learnt the first part from Landon and Ez, the part about Akarnae she had half-known half guessed having a theory. Everyone had looked at her in surprise when she mentioned what Akarnae was about clearing up that she was right.

"How do you know that much about Akarnae, we just told you that it was the school for the gifted, let alone tell you what that means," Ez said, jumping in before the Administrator Bear could say anything.

Ash just shrugged not wanting to explain, being that her mother was the one who made up the stories about a world of fae just like this, pushing that trail of thoughts to the back of her head with a small shake of her head. Knowing that she wasn't going to answer the Administrator sighed looking at Ash carefully because what he said next was so unexpected and so quiet,

"I'm sorry about your mother, Ash."

What he said made her flinch hard, but she kept the tears in her eyes trying not to make a scene but also there was a lot more behind those words that anyone could know. Ash just nodded letting her action speak volume. The boys took one hand in offering some support. She barely knew her new friends for less than a day and Ash knew they would always have her back, and she also knew that she would their's. Gathering herself Landon gave her one last squeeze of her hand when he and Ez knew that she was looking back up and had a stronger hold on her emotions only that did was she able to say a proper thank you to Bear telling him to go and say what he was going to originally say before her moment. Not bothering how he knew about her mother since he knew more about her than anyone she knew but her dad.

"Akarnae is the school for the gifted as you already know, it is where they master the skills of the gifts they have. But also learn other resources like, self-defence, chemistry and others that I will let you see for yourself. But for now, I will explain something a bit more major," Bear explained before looking at what look menu to press on of the circles and then nearly immediately a lollipop appeared in front of him on the desk. Raising an eyebrow in question, only to raise the other when he handed it to Ash.

"Go on, it's the potential test,," he simply said with hints of amusement by the look on her face.

"This world, I mean what the heck," Ash murmured, unwrapping the candy and putting it into her mouth. As soon as the candy touched her tongue there was flavour. It was like a party in her mouth, apple, watermelon, grape, it was the ultimate fruity tooty. Stratified, Bear took it and started.

"Now, Akarnae has five years of learning starting at the age of fourteen and finishing at eighteen, unless you get accepted for an apprenticeship then you have two more years on top of that. You will have age-based subjects and potential based classes, the lollipop is the test given on many different boring things that I now know that would put you to sleep-," pausing to give a pointed look to Ez, who had to look down at his shoes trying not to laugh. "Again I will let you see for yourself what those classes are. Now am I right to say that your fifteenth birthday is in the next couple of months?" he asked, she nodded hoping that the months were somewhat the same.

"Perfect, that means you with being in the same age-based level as Landon and Ezran I'll make sure that you are as many of the same class together to make sure if anything needs to explain or handled that you can get the meaning as for your potential I can't do anything, but we will just have to wait and see what the result are, speaking of that the are stages that we have, Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta and Epsilon, given your potential is given a level and you will train and work to improve," he said but left it at that he seemed distracted going through a couple of drawers as he went through the last one, he pulled out a small sealable bag placing the desk and just sat in his chair waiting for something.

Finally able to crunch through the lollipop gathering the last of the fruity taste before it was all gone. Taking the stick out of her mouth Bear motioned for Ash to put her stick into the bag. Sealing the bag she placed on the desk waited a couple of seconds before the bag had somehow turned into two small pieces of paper. Mouth slightly opened and wide eyes staring at the small pieces, she heard her friends try to hide their mirth at her expression, even Bear had a hard time keeping the grin off his face with clear amusement before looking at the first piece of paper amusement turned it to surprise and expectancy muttering under his breath something that sounded like 'Just like her mother'.

Before Ash could ask what Bear meant by it, he handed her one of the small pieces of paper,

Potential test - Ashlyn Soraya James

Combat - Epsilon

Equestrian skills - Gamma

PE - Delta

Artery - Epsilon

Chemistry - Gamma

Looking at the piece of paper, look at what things to look forward to and what to prepare for. She wasn't too keen on seeing Equestrian skills, seriously, riding a horse necessary to a world that had the most advanced things she had seen in her life. Nor was she looking for PE, not that she didn't like a good challenge but PE wasn't that type. Combat however did have the challenge that Ash preferred, fighting armed and unarmed had been taught by her dad and has been a blue belt in jiu-jitsu, working toward her brown belt made it one of the things to look forward to. The other subjects she didn't have a problem with were just another subject to fill her day.

A chuckle broke Ash's line of thought to look at Landon, who was looking over her shoulder at her results, amazement written all over his face looking to the other shoulder seeing that Ez was also peering over at her test results just as stunned.

"This year is going awesome," Landon said the spark in his eye was all mischief and mirth, Ez nodding in agreement with the same glint in his eyes. Ash looked at the subjects marked Epsilon, thinking back to the explanation that Bear had given her about levels of potential. Thinking how he had said it, Ash sucked in a breath, releasing it when she had realised.

"Let me guess I got one of the highest or lowest levels graded for what my potential is?" she asked if getting a feeling about one of them was right. Bear answered,

"You got an average score for Equestrian skills and chemistry. A level higher for PE which most people sit on if they have a particularly good grade. As for combat and archery- Epsilon, you have reached a level that most kids dream of being in. Most kids who actually make it into those classes work for years to get in, let alone get it straight up on their first test. I only know one other person that made it into Epsilon like this and that was when I was a student at Akarnae myself. I remember the look on her face, priceless," he concluded with a short but heartfelt chuckle.

Ash gathered her thoughts, she had been training with dad for a while but she didn't expect that to come into her results, but she didn't tread on the thought for too long, thinking about it more would only make her feel more panicked.

"Ok so I'm Epsilon for combat and artery. Is there anything else that needs to be addressed, like me being from another world?" she asked

"Yes, in regards to your origins, it is not likely for anyone but the teachers to question who you are, they will be informed of who you are so do not worry." Bear paused letting it sink in before continuing.

"If other students do get curious of where you raised or why you came partway through the school year the most likely story is that you're a transfer student since there are a couple at the start of every year in the first and second year, some throughout the year as well," he concluded letting it all sink in.

"And plus, you've got us to help you, and if that plan backfires we'll just reveal the truth that you're an alien of a different planet and have come here to declare them all your subjects," Landon jokes. The spark of mischief in his eyes had grown with every word he said. Shaking her head, Ash knew how ridiculous that sounded, but she had to admit that would be the funniest thing she'd probably ever do. She was a terrible liar or her dad was a 'mind reader' (he always said at least), reading her like an open book.

"Let's just give transfer students a try, if it comes down to something like that you will come to see me about it before doing anything silly," Bear said with a stern look on his face making it clear that was never going to happen.

"Yeah Bear, don't worry we'll keep it on the down-low, no crazy ideas without you, I know," Ez said with his own look of mischief in his eyes. Bear looked at Ez looking like he was fighting the urge to roll his eyes, and a grin.

"Would it pain you just to call me Dad?" Bear asked. Ash wiped her head to the side to see Ez face flame up with embarrassment.

"Dad!," Ez exclaimed through gritted teeth. Ash could suddenly see how similar between the father and son, they had the same warm eyes, Ez's hair was slightly lighter than Bear's. If Bear took his glasses off they would be practically the same if Bear got a tan.

Bear chuckled at his son's embarrassing reaction. Even Landon had a little laugh at his mate too. Ash had a bit of laughter in her as well. Seeing how light-hearted it everyone was about it Ez loosened a little bit still spearing his father on more glare before saying,

"Since it looks like we're all done here we'll be heading off."

"Wait! It's nearly dinner and I know what teens are like when they get that way, just make sure you show her everything over the next couple of days then one night. Also Ash I've filled in your enrollment papers and your room is floor four room five." Bear said.

A snort came from Landon "Are you sure putting her with Faia is a good idea given everything?"

"I'm sure that they will get on just fine, just give it time to warm up," Bear encouraged.

What's up with my roommate? Ash thought, hearing the thoughts of the Administrator and her friends.

"Now go eat and rest, your class will start tomorrow is there anything else that needs to be answered, Ash?" Bear asked.

"Nothing that can't wait for another time," she replied.

"My door is always open for you to visit anytime," he said. while handing her another piece of paper he pulled out of one of the drawers on his desk. Tucking it into her pocket only to be dragged out of the office by the two boys getting in a quick 'Thanks' to Bear out of the big 'U'.

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