In Their Shadow
Chapter 2, Numb
After the matches class proceeded in a blur. Blair was still shocked that he had won, and it was not like class actually lasted long enough for him to get ahold of himself. Since this was the first day of classes all today's activities were merely housekeeping, no notes or homework or meeting any teacher other than the homeroom one. That suited everyone just fine, especially after the matches. Just from all the energy exerted it made the entire class exhausted, audience included. They had all been on the edges of their seats watching incredible battles when some of them had never even participated in a single one in their life. They were eager to try, but not against today's competitors. It became really clear quite fast who was going to be at the top of this class.
"I believe this brings our time to an end, class," Mr. Deron finished, motioning towards the door, "But I need to see class officers before they go."
With that it was like a dam breaking as all the students filed out the door, but the class officers were not the only ones left. No, Kirill was here, glaring daggers at Blair no less, and August with the company of Florence had made it over to Nikkita. Blair rolled his eyes as he trudged his way over to Mr. Deron, hoping that August would make his little visit short so he could leave and throttle Kirill where there were no teachers looking. His hopes were not exactly answered, but it worked in his book when he realized that Nikkita had followed him to their teacher's side.
"What do you three need?" Mr. Deron asked, glancing at the other students from his desk he had taken a seat at.
Surprisingly, Florence was the one that spoke up, but she could be barely heard, "Nikki and I walk to the dorms together…"
Nikkita nodded in agreement, "She is my roommate, so she is just waiting on me."
Kirill jumped at this excuse, "And that one is my roommate. I cannot leave him here, can I?"
Blair found himself biting back a retort about how he did not need to be led around like a toddler and how Kirill should not let the door hit him on the way out, but he managed to keep his cool, "Oh? I would hate to trouble you, Kirill. By all means, leave without me."
The death glare that was sent his way rivaled some Pokémon moves Blair noted as Mr. Deron's gaze shifted to August, "And you?"
"I wanted to stay with Nikki and Florence. We all live close to each other in the Azel region, so we kind of stick together." August explained, not caring if it was a proper excuse because every word he said was true and they all knew it by this point.
Mr. Deron seemed to catch some kind of justified aura radiating from August since he just nodded, opting to leave it alone, and then focused his attention on the class officers, "I said I could not really explain class officer, but I will try: basically, an errand runner with entitlement. You will be the closest to the staff and student council, which you can still run for by the way, because you will do any jobs they require of you. That is power in of itself for brownie points, but the main form of power is in that of special privileges you receive to do your errands."
He shot a glance at the three others listening in and sighed, "We are very strict about watching over our students for their safety, which the regulations have a lot to do with the controversy over allowing them to travel at this age. That is why we venture into both sides to keep political peace. You two are the travelling side. Unlike the rest of the student body you are allowed to travel the school grounds during certain hours. You still have a dorm curfew and blocked off areas, but other than that you are free. In all actuality, you can gain permission for blocked off areas or to violate curfew rather easily, usually. Not even the student council has any of that. But, as said, it is a lot of work because there are so few of you. This really is a very tiny school, so few classes and fewer officers. We purposely are vague with the position because we want people to enjoy the position, but not to abuse it."
By the time Mr. Deron finished his explanation Blair was wondering just how he was going to sleep tonight. After hearing all of that, Kirill was certainly going to try and kill him if he had not already been planning to. Still, he did not regret receiving the position in the least. He felt a little guilty for keeping August away from Nikkita, but not too guilty since August could be friends with anyone.
"So what about the student council?" the words brought Blair right out of his thoughts as he watched Nikkita continuing, "When do we settle that?"
Mr. Deron smiled at this, "You are a clever one aren't you? You are right to be suspicious; these competitions today were also for us to pick the student council nominees. I will not bore you with all the details, but this is just one part of that. Your applications, achievements, past, and even bloodlines are being considered and we will announce what the facility has chosen tomorrow. The student council is another one of those things that we are specifically vague about."
Blair's eyes flickered hesitantly between his teacher and Nikkita. This was not where he had expected this conversation to go at all. First he was granted all sorts of freedoms by a vague position and then he is being considered for an even vaguer position without his consent, each strapping him with untold amounts of responsibility. It felt like he never had a choice in these matters at all, which left a slightly nasty taste in his mouth. However, as he looked at Nikkita's stoic face, he could taste her bitterness from sight alone, far more engulfing than his own. The power of it almost made him choke and he honestly could not even understand how he knew she was frustrated about this. Whatever the case, he assumed the girl valued her freedom in every aspect, possibly more than life itself.
"So we are up for the positions, too?" August asked, breaking the tension, much to Blair's relief.
Mr. Deron nodded, once again refocusing on Nikkita as he spoke, "The positions in the student council—president, vice president, treasurer, secretary, and various other random positions generated from year to year are all up for grabs for any student attending this academy, technically. However, the faculty assigns these titles however they so choose, including giving more than one title to the same person. It is the way it has always worked here. Now, if that is all for questions, you two are dismissed."
Blair let this sink in a moment before he realized that Nikkita had already grabbed her things and was heading out the doorway with Florence by her side. No one else must have noticed her either since Kirill and August were just now starting to scramble over to her. He pondered for a quick moment on whether he should race them, but decided against it as the four slipped out of the doorway. At once he felt tension overcome the room once more as he looked back at his teacher, shuffling through papers.
"Mr. Deron?" he began rather softly, not finding the strength to keep the words down any longer.
His teacher merely glanced at him as a sign of paying half attention.
"I know this place is nothing like other schools, but this is going a bit far. None of you know these students. Even I do not, and I grew up with most of them." Blair continued, his voice growing in strength, "What is the point in representing both sides, when it is crossing the boundaries on separate extremes as well? I cannot fathom how a top rated school like this can afford to do all of these things."
Once Blair was finished, he was given the shock of the day when his teacher started laughing. This was just not regular laughing either, he was cracking up.
Once he had gotten control of himself he turned his full attention to his student with a soft smile, "I cannot agree with you more, and we did not start out with these extremes. We actually had to come up with them to accommodate the parents—your parents in particular. Or should I just say your family in general? I know you do not know Nikkita well, while I am at it I should probably say the school knows more about each of you than you would think, but her father and yours are the main reasons the students are so restricted and the class officers have all those freedoms. I am sure you saw it, the smoldering contempt in Nikkita's eyes, when I explained her lack of choice in these matters. She very clearly values freedom, don't you think? Well, the same can be said of her father. As for yours, I know you have heard him speak of keeping children as children and had very little freedom at home yourself. Surely, you know how influential your father is, so it should be no surprise to learn that Nikkita's is just as well."
It took a moment for this to sink into Blair's mind. Admittedly he had always been a little shocked that his father even let him attend this academy, although he had not so much as admitted it to himself. As it sunk in further, he found himself unable to comment on what he had said, but he had not answered every question posed.
"What about picking the positions for us? What good does that do when you do not know us? You may know our parents and our history, but we are a completely separate matter." Blair insisted, mind still rather rattled.
Mr. Deron's face grew pained for a moment before his soft smile returned, "I know, but what are we to do? It may seem stupid for us to rush this, but have faith in us like we have faith in you all. We will give the positions to people we are sure can handle them, and even if they cannot, it is not the end of the world. After all, we want you to learn here and be productive as well as safe, but we also really want you to enjoy yourselves. It would be such a waste if you did not. So, I will leave you with that, Blair. I know it is confusing and can be scary, but try to have fun, and get to know your cousin better while you are at it. It seems she is in high demand."
Blair sighed, watching as his teacher once more began paper work. He really had no clue what to think anymore. First he was late, then he met the hero's heir, then there were Pokémon battles, class officers were named, the student council was explained, he was just told that the academy's strange rules were all his father's fault, and now he was pretty sure Kirill was lying in wait in their dorm so he could murder him. All in all, if there was a guy in a clown suit waiting outside for him he would not question it, for this was just the type of day it was. And he had a sneaking suspicion he would have a lot of days like this being here, and he was not really sure what to think about that either. So, for the first time in his short life, Blair's mind went blank and he thusly made his way numbly back to his dorm.