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Fort Nelson Academy High School, September 9, 2015, 1000 hours:
During breaktime, Alisia was, as usual, sitting on the corner, eating what seemed to be the same food menu from yesterday and just minding her own business, keeping that straight and boring face, when all of a sudden, Miyuki approached her with a smile on her face. "Konnich- I mean, morning! Mind if I sit here?" She asked in a cheerful and polite tone.
Alisia looked up at Miyuki, staring at her for a few seconds before nodding and breaking eye contact, feeling a slight discomfort. Miyuki then placed her tray on the table right in front of Alisia. "Ne... Alisia-san—I mean.. Alisia, uhh.. How are you?" I asked Miyuki as she started eating.
Alisia swallowed the food inside her mouth before she answered without looking. "Hmm."
Miyuki nodded. "Ehh, I see." Miyuki kept her eyes on Alisia, wondering what topic she should bring up to talk to her about. Alisia felt Miyuki's stares, increasing her discomfort, before then bursting out.
"What are you even trying to do?" Alisia stared up at Miyuki with an annoyed look, her tone full of anger yet still low. "Just eat-"
Alisia was interrupted when Lily arrived with her own food tray, and with a tired voice, she asked. "Mind if I sit here?" In a tired yet still polite tone.
Alisia looked up at Lily. "Sure, I don't mind," she said, looking back down at her food and continuing to eat while still keeping a straight face.
Lily sat down right beside Miyuki and started eating without much sound, with a tired look. Alisia looked at her with a little concern on her face. "Still tired?"
"I hate waking up at 7 AM in the morning." Lily yawned before she unwrapped the spork and began eating.
"As always, huh? Well, what do you expect from private schools?" Said Alisia before sighing and continuing to eat her food.
After a few minutes of silence, Miyuki, wanting to really open a conversation, then decided to speak up. "So.. who's joining tankery?" she asked.
Lily swallowed her food before she answered. "I don't; my parents prohibited me... Because I'm weak. I can't even wake up by myself. I might as well fail in life." Lily yawned, her eyes half-closed.
"Na, I see." Miyuki nodded, sighed, and began talking. "Adapting to a new life is hard... No longer living in a familiar place." Miyuki released another heavy sigh.
"Well, at least better than being neglected by their own parents and relatives you lived with for most of your life." Said Lily as she continued eating, and continued. "Although it's more parents having no time, they still love you."
"Eh? Who? You?" Miyuki asked with a curious tone.
"Ehh, no. It's the one in front of you." Lily pointed her spork towards Alisia, and Miyuki then switched her attention to the direction, which is Alisia.
"Oh, I see." Miyuki nodded before she continued eating her food.
A while later, just a minute before the school ended, the PA system roared to life with a ping as a voice began broadcasting through. "Attention students, whose names are mentioned in the following list, are to head to the school's old garage. Starting from... Remi Levesque, Antoine Gagnone, Amelie Dubois, Alisia Harlington, Miyuki Anderson-"
As the PA continued to announce the names, Alisia wondered inside her mind. "Is this about tankery?" she muttered.
The announcement continued for over 5 minutes, announcing around 30 names, now approaching 36 students. "Jack McCain, Finlay Stewart, Anoki Starhawk, William Turner, and lastly, Daniel Foster. Oh my, what a long list! Anyway, said names are to head towards the school's old garage after school; the headmaster will be briefing regarding the tankery club." The announcer released a small cough before the PA went off; now there is only silence. The bell rang as it was time to go home, besides the names mentioned by the PA before who were told to go to the place it mentioned.
"Alright then, students, you all may go now. Good day." The teacher started to pack her things to leave, followed by other students also packing up their belongings.
"Well, I'll get going then." Lily stood up as she finished packing up her things.
"Oh, well, see you later then." As Alisia said her farewell to Lily, she then walked out of the classroom to head towards the old school garage, as the PA had instructed.
Miyuki approached Alisia from behind, leaning down on her slightly. "Well, I wonder if it's about tankery."
Alisia ignored Miyuki and continued to walk. Miyuki tried to interact with her, yet no response was given.
After they walked for a while, they reached the old school garage, where other students were also seen, all waiting near the old garage's large metal door. The headmaster was also spotted, with the student council's president holding a tablet in her hand. The headmaster began to speak to the students. "Good day, students. Now, as you may now wonder why we are called here, it is for me to welcome all of you into the tankery club. Quite a simple ceremony, I know." The students looked at the headmaster, their attention now given to him.
The headmaster continued. "This is the first tankery club in Canada after 30 years of it being absent. This is very important, as you all will be the first people to restart it. The first generation in 30 years will spearhead Canada's future national team. Who knows, maybe they will be the first to retake Canada's throne on the world stage. Now, without further ado, today we will determine who will be the club's leader." After that, the headmaster pulled out what seemed to be an old pencil. The students looked at it, and many discussed what the pencil was for.
"Ne... Sore wa ittai nani o suru nodeshou ka?" Asked Miyuki as she tilted her head in confusion. Alisia was also left wondering, but she just waited for what the headmaster would do next.
"Alright, wherever this pencil points, that person becomes the leader." Said the headmaster as he looked back at everyone, showing it to everyone.
One of the students, Isabelle, complained, "Determining the leader with a pencil? Are you serious, Mr. Headmaster?" The other students started to talk to each other, many confused by the headmaster's picking method of using a pencil. They looked at the president, asking and demanding an answer. But she just raised her shoulder.
"A pencil? How silly." Alisia looked at the pencil. But then she felt a wave of uneasiness and discomfort shadowing over her head. Feeling afraid, there is no way she would be chosen, right?
"Hold your horses back, students; this pencil picks better leaders than most elections back when tankery was still a thing in this school." The headmaster explained.
The president remained quiet; the students began asking her for more, but the president just raised her shoulders yet again. "Not my thing; my job is only to assist. Not complaining about some silly tradition."
"But... Isn't that a bit—no—way too ridiculous?" Isabelle asked with a confused look,
"I know what you're thinking, Ms. Lambert, but... Do you believe in God?" The headmaster asked with a stare. Isabelle fell silent, unable to answer the headmaster's question.
"Or perhaps you are..." Just as the headmaster was about to finish his question, Miyuki interrupted.
"A-Ah! Sir! Perhaps we should continue? It is getting a bit hot!" Miyuki requested.
The headmaster looked at Miyuki; he thought for a while before replying back. "Perhaps we should, Ms. Anderson. Ms. Lambert, meet in my office after this; I have many questions to ask, with you and your parents, of course."
Isabelle gulped, nervous; before then, she nodded. The headmaster then looked back at the rest of the students. "Alright then, without further ado, those who are pointed by the pencil shall be chosen as the leader and commander of the tankery club."
The headmaster then dropped the pencil. As it then fell to the ground, it bounced for a milisecond before it started spinning on the ground, and as it was about to stop in front of Alisia, Alisia moved away from the pencil's tip, but then the wind came and spinned the pencil a bit more, as if it were following her direction. Alisia started to panic; she moved away more to the right, but the wind continued to spin the pencil to move in Alisia's direction. Some of the students were confused, and some giggled.
"Oi, Missy, where are you going? Running away from a pencil?" One of the students said as he giggled.
"Ehh, poor Alisia..." Said Miyuki as she giggled in a small voice.
Alisia continued moving further, but then the headmaster ordered. "Ms. Harlington, stop moving."
Alisia got more nervous, now getting pressured by an elder who is the headmaster, who is above her. Unable to resist orders, she stopped and closed her eyes in an act of giving up on her fate. The pencil eventually stopped and pointed directly at Alisia. Some of the students then burst into laughter, but then the headmaster interrupted.
"Alright, quiet down! Its nothing to be laughed about!" The students continued to laugh, and the headmaster then had enough and decided to raise his tone and speak in a stern way, "QUIET DOWN!"
The students fell silent, as they're now scared by the sudden, raised voice the headmaster has just unleashed upon them. The president, meanwhile, had her ears already covered, with her eyes shut, ignoring the explosion that was happening in front of her.
A few seconds passed, and the headmaster looked at the student, still looking angry, before then taking a breath and continuing. "There is nothing to be laughed at about becoming the leader of a club; it's as if Ms. Harlington is a clown in here, is she?"
The students remained quiet, some nervous and scared; never before would the headmaster release such a high voice. Then the headmaster resumed after he regained his composure. "Sorry, it seems like I'm a bit moody today. Now, Ms. Harlington, you are now in charge of the school's tankery club. You are allowed and must appoint people and organize the club. If you have any requests regarding equipment, funds, and other things, discuss them with the president. Now I shall go. Oh, and one more thing: instructors will arrive tomorrow to help you with the things I just said. Now you're all dismissed. Ms. Lambert, come with me."
The headmaster left, leaving Alisia, who's left nervous and confused. The other students grabbed their things and started to walk home, with the exception of Isabelle, whom the headmaster had called earlier. Then Miyuki approached Alisia and tapped her shoulder. "Ne... Daijoubu ka?"
Alisia flinched and looked back at Miyuki with an angry look on her face. "Don't touch me!" She glared into Miyuki's eyes.
"A-Ah, gomen!" Miyuki flinched back, surprised by Alisia's reaction.
Alisia continued to give a blank stare; before then, she shook her head. "I'll just go home..."
Alisia went to grab her bag and started to walk back home. Miyuki looked at Alisia with a worried look. But then, not wanting to bother her, she decided to just go home. Meanwhile, a student was looking at Alisia with a glare, staring with such ferocity, with anger building inside him. His fist clenched. It continued for a while until Alisia was out of sight, before going home.