"Shannon get up, we're going to be late you dunce!" echoed a girl's voice from the almost empty ballroom.
"Five more minutes Lyla~" Shannon groaned, turning to her other side as she began to doze off again.
"This is why I told you not to watch cat videos on your scroll before bed!" Lyla groaned back as she made her bed.

"She's still not waking up is she?" Grace asked as she walked into the room. "Nope. It's almost 10:30 and initiation starts at 11! If she doesn't get up in five minutes I'm gonna drop a baby Ursa on her head!" Lyla said as she shook her head in frustration.

"Uhh.. do you really think that's the smartest idea? This is Shannon we're talking about.." Grace cautioned her. "I'd rather deal with a cranky Shannon than risk getting kicked out of the school before the year even starts!" Lyla pouted, crossing her arms to her chest.

"Do you forget what happened last time you woke her up?" Grace asked as she lowered Lyla's arms. "How could I forget how she nearly took a guy's head off for looking at her wrong?" Lyla laughed,
"You never mess with that fiery red head."

Right on cue, Shannon sat up from her sleeping bag, and yawned: "Good morning guys~" as she stretched out her arms.
"GOOD MORNING?! ITS ALMOST 10:30! WE ARE GOING TO BE LATE YOU IDIOT! YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE ENOUGH TIME FOR BREAKFAST!" Scolded Lyla as she rushed Shannon to get up and get ready. "JEEZ! OKAY! OKAY, I GET IT!" she shouted.

"We have to hurry okay?! I want to make sure the three of us get on a team together! We've been together since Signal, and I'd hate to split that up." Lyla reminded the two of them.

"I know, I know. It's not exactly easy to forget years of memories, especially when I've had to deal with you for the last 6 years of my life." Shannon said as she wrapped her arm around Lyla's neck, proceeding to mess up her hair. "STOP IT." She screamed as the other two laughed. "Shut up, you love me." Shannon laughed as Lyla pouted.

"Haha, you two are adorable. I'll go ahead for now, I'll catch you two later okay?" Grace laughed.
"Yeah!" Shannon smiled back.
"Sure thing!" Lyla added.
The three nodded at each other as Grace made her way to the ballroom door.

Opening the door, she turned back to wave goodbye. As she made her way through the door, she collided with a girl who was reading as she walked. The girl dropped her book as they bumped together.
"I'm sorry!" they said simultaneously as they both reached down to get the book, colliding heads. "Ouch! I'm sorry again!" Grace said, cringing in pain. "No, no it's fine!" the girl said rubbing her head as she motioned for Grace to go ahead.

"I'm sorry again!" Grace apologized as she began making her way out.
'Jeez Grace, why the hell do you have to keep making a fool of yourself in front of others? You almost got your ass handed to you yesterday by a self-righteous prick, and now you bumped a poor innocent girl' She thought to herself as she shook her head, hurrying her way down the hall.
"Wait... THE LOCKER ROOMS ARE THE OTHER WAY!" Grace screamed as she realized her mistake, scurrying the other way towards the locker rooms.

'Alright, let's make this count' Cyril thought to himself as he drew the golden hilt of his blade, the Radiance Edge, out from its sheathe. It's blade was engraved with etchings of beauty and patterns of grace. His hilt's centerpiece glimmered in the beaming light of the sun; the half Sapphire, half Ruby gem seamlessly glowed as if it produced its own light. The sword reflected the sun's gaze onto the ground, releasing a rainbow pattern onto one of the school's many courtyards.

Pulling off his hood and releasing his cape that was blue as the sky above, Cyril took his battle stance. "Don't hold back, got it?" Cyril smiled, preparing his lightweight blade to strike.

"Wouldn't dream of it." The blonde haired girl smiled as she twirled her Crimson, double headed spear around, readying her weapon. As she released her short hair from a ponytail, she charged at Cyril with a full fledged assault. "HHYUAAH!" Screamed the blonde as she leaped above Cyril. Bring her spear up, she lunges it forwards, aligned with her arms, attempting to impale him into the ground.

Cyril shifted slightly to swiftly bring his blade in position to redirect the strike's momentum off to the side. As Cyril's sword connected with his opponent's staff, he flipped the girl upside down and onto her butt.

"You'll have to try harder than that, dear." Cyril playfully snickered as he leapt back preparing a strike of his own.
"Don't you call me dear, darling." As she parried Cyril's blade with a blow of her own.

Getting knocked into the ground, Cyril, turned over and did a Chinese get-up readying himself for another attack. The two dashed and swung at each other at full force. Every slash and strike, the two matched each other blow for blow, creating a ruckus in one of the school's courtyards. Clashes of metal, grunts and war cries filled the air as the two dueled to exhaustion.

"Not bad." panted an exhausted Cyril, "Not bad yourself hot shot." Panted the blonde haired opponent. Cyril then straightened up and offered his hand out, "You fought well, thanks for sparring with me Krystal" He smiled as he lifted the girl up on her feet. "It's been my pleasure Cy." she panted as she put away her weapon.

"You're just as good as when we graduated Sanctum together, if not better." Cyril said to his surprise. "Well these good looks don't get you everywhere Cy." Krystal winked playfully, semi-mocking him.
"Yeah cause the only place those looks will get you, is the end of a Nevermore's beak." He shot back.
"WHY YOU LITT-"
"Hey Cy- Oh.. sorry am I interrupting something?" Amber asked as she cut off an enraged Krystal.

"Oh! Hey Amber! No no, you're not interrupting anything! We just got finished sparring, trying to squeeze in a little training before initiation yenno?" Cyril smiled.
"Which by the way, I totally kicked his ass" Krystal smiled as she pushed Cyril out of the way, "I'm Krystal by the way" she said as she shook Amber's hand.
"I'm Amber, I take it you're a friend of Cyril's?" she questioned Krystal as she gave a warm smile towards her.

"Yeah we're old pals from back in Mistral-"
"We graduated Sanctum Academy together." Cyril said smiling as he cut off Krystal.
"You idiot that's my line!" Krystal said, at tad frustrated.
"Haha! Well you two seem like an old married couple!" Laughed Amber.

"NO!" the two of them yelled simultaneously, "Eww that would be gross! Us? A thing? YEEAAAAHHH... NO." exclaimed Krystal.
"Yeah.. She's not my type." Cyril said scratching the back of his head in embarrassment.
"Okay~ whatever you say~" teased Amber.
"Oh no, he's all yours! You can have him, he's a real joy to have around" Krystal sarcastically said with a clear lack of subtlety.
Cyril rolled his eyes in distaste for the comment.

"Haha! Well if that's the case, I guess I should take him to Beacon Cliff for initiation!" Amber joked, "But seriously you guys, initiation starts in fifteen minutes. We should probably go" she stated as she pointed towards the cliffs.

"Agreed. Lead the way Amber!" Cyril said as the trio started making their way towards Beacon Cliffs.
Krystal then tugged on Cyril's cape gently, gesturing him to slow down his walking pace.

The duo made a small gap between them and Amber as they approached the main avenue. Signaling Cyril to bend over, Krystal whispers in his ear:
"You totally want her don't you?"
"SHUT UP YOU ASSHOLE!"
"Oh you totally do, you're totally into her~" Krystal teased.
"IM NOT!"
"Are too."
"IM NOT!"
"Are too~"
"IM NOT!"
"Bro, you're totally crushing hard, you're practically as pink as a-"
"I AM NOT TALKING TO YOU FOR THE REST OF THE INITIATION PERIOD!" yelled a blushing Cyril, frustrated with embarrassment. Krystal laughed then shrugged with a cheeky grin.
Amber obviously heard Cyril's remark as she giggled the whole time; the trio took their last steps to the cliff side.