Episode Three

Twin Dragons

As Neru finished eating lunch, she was strolling across the hallway until she found a huge crowd gathered for something that she was unaware of.

"'Scuse me, you mind telling me what's going on here?" Neru asked a senior student who seems to be a staff about the whole ordeal

"Well, today is the day where electives are revealed for students of every year to choose for the registration day. People here like to plan everything beforehand, you see."

"From what I've seen Millennium seems to be a sciency school, so is every elective some sort of science stuff as well?"

"Oh no no, there may be a lot of scientific electives such as additional chemistry, physics, and biology but most of the electives serve to lessen the stress of Millennium students."

"For example, there are electives for music, game development, and poetry to lessen the stress of having science every class."

"Gotcha, this was mad helpful, so big thanks."

"No problem."

Neru then made her way through the crowd to take a peek at the list of electives that are available for first years. There were many options that ranged from extreme cases like 'Olympic Pre-calculus' to softer ones like 'Cooking for fun'

However, Neru was disappointed that sport electives such as baseball and football were pretty much snuffed out or weren't even about playing the sports.

"Damn, If only Utaha was here to help me choose, I don't wanna be alone…" Neru laments about how she was mostly alone by herself in middle school.

Since the electives are at the end of the week, she took a picture of the list with her phone to decide what to choose later, as she had time after all.

After she was done with electives, Neru found her way to the next class of the day: Gun maintenance and repairs. She was joined by nearly 30 other students who have their own firearms, but she doesn't, which caused her to be called out by the teacher.

"Mikamo Neru! Where is your firearm?"

"I don't have one teach."

"How do you not have a gun? Everyone in Kivotos has one."

"I just don't use one."

"What do you mean you don't use one? How have you been surviving without a firearm to protect yourself?"

"In my hood, we mostly throw hands or use blunt weapons. You'll see a gun here and there, but it's rare where I'm from."

The dumbfounded teacher sighs upon hearing about Neru's situation.

"Since this is a special case, I will help you build your own gun. Everyone give me a moment please." The teacher asks the class to wait while he focuses on Neru.

"Now Neru, since this is going to be your first gun it's going to be the most important choice. What type of gun do you want to use?"

Neru then asked the teacher. "Is there a type that you recommend?"

"Well, everyone has their own fighting style that corresponds with the gun they use, so how do you prefer to fight?"

"I wanna move freely and fast, while also being able to respond rapidly."

"Hmmm… Then I would recommend submachine guns for you."

Neru then picked her design and started the assembly process.

"I want everyone's attention please. If you open up the manual book you will find the assembly section of your weapon, please disassemble your weapon and reassemble it according to the manual."

"I will be inspecting your progress and helping you if you ever get stuck on certain points."

Everyone then began disassembling the guns according to the manual, with the tasking being harder for those with more complicated firearms.

Neru then glanced over at the manual to begin assembling her submachine gun. The task wasn't too complicated as it has pictures detailing the procedure, but it still took her quite a while as it is her first time assembling a gun.

"Very good Neru. Normally people would struggle on their first try but you've managed to do it without outside help."

"Say teach, can I make another one of these? I think it's gonna suit me better if I have two."

"Uhhh sure there's still time left so if you can do it fast enough i'll let you."

Learning from the experience of assembling the first one, Neru quickly worked on her 2nd submachine gun with precision and speed, just in time for the class to be over by the time she's done.

"Damn I should paint these.. I'll call em Twin Dragons I guess."

As there were no electives yet, the following two hours were free so Neru started strolling around Millennium to look around at the scenery that she would've never been able to see in District 23. She then bumped into Utaha who also just finished her class.

"Oh hey Neru, how's it going?"

"Its fucking exhausting mate, never thought it would be this rough."

"I mean this is the elite science school of Kivotos after all, you know? It's not surprising that it's going to be rough."

"Ya but still. I don't understand shit about physics at all throughout those 3 hour lectures."

"You'll get used to it in due time."

"Oh ya Utaha, do ya know where I can paint my gun? I want to decorate it with some dragon art."

"Oh sick, you got those freshly made from the Gun maintenance and repairs class right?"

"How'd you know that I just made these?"

Utaha scoffs. "I pay a lot of attention to details you see, and I know that you don't have those when I first met you."

"But don't worry, I know a person who can help you with decorating them."

"Of course that would be me."

"Damn Utaha, you're so reliable not even gonna lie." Neru was glad that she's friends with Utaha.

"We just need to head over to the workshop. They let Millennium students use it for free and they probably have materials for it."

"How the hell do you know all this information?"

"They have all the information about this on the school website you know, just look into it if you want additional info."

The duo then made their way towards the workshop that is managed by a senior student that is currently reading a manga without a care in the world.

Utaha then approached the 3rd year student.

"Excuse me, can I rent a workstation?"

"Just sign these papers here with your name and the current time and that's all. Then you can choose whichever workstation you want to use." The upperclassmen replied.

They both then chose a station and proceeded to begin the painting process.

"So Neru, do you have any idea in mind about what type of pattern you want on your gun?"

"Lemme think.." Neru pondered for a bit then came to a conclusion.

"Yellow handle and stockings with a dragon pattern on the barrel."

"Dragon pattern? That's a bit complicated since we're going to need to use vinyl wraps for that one."

"Neru, can you choose the dragon pattern you want? I'm going to go prepare the printer." Utaha then walks to the printer and begins activating it.

"Ight bet." She then found a good looking transparent dragon pattern image on Google and stole it for her guns.

It took an hour of precise paint job and placing to place the patterns on both submachine guns, but it was done and the patterns look fantastic.

"Thanks mate, I couldn't have done it without you." Neru begins expressing her gratitude for Utaha.

"It's no big deal really, plus I was also planning to paint my gun too anyways so I might as well do it with you."

"But still, look at them! It's so cool!" Neru could not get enough of the submachine guns, she is obsessed with dragons after all.

"Anyway today's class is done so what do you wanna do afterwards?" Utaha asks Neru.

"I think I'mma head home now, since my parents probably need help with the restaurant."

"Wait, you're going back home? I thought you said it's on the outskirts!"

"Yeah, why?"

"It's really far away, you should just live in the dorms like the rest of us do. I'm from district 5 and even I live in the dorms because my home is so far away."

"It only takes around an hour for me to get from home to the school, it's fineee."

Utaha is clearly surprised at this reveal. "It only took you that long? I expected like 3 hours max, how did you cut the time?"

"Well it was chaotic but I had to run on top of roofs to cut the time and make it as fast as possible."

"You didn't even ride a bus?"

"Why do that when I can just run?"

Utaha cannot find words to refute anymore so she just gives up.

"Well you certainly are unique, but I must say as a friend I suggest you rent a dorm here."

Neru then bid farewell to Utaha and took a bus back to her home as she was too tired to run all the way back. It took nearly 4 hours to finally get to her home where she was greeted by a busy restaurant.

"Neru-chan dear you're back! Can you come lend us a hand? We're a bit busy with a lot of customers."

"Alright." Neru then quickly took on an apron and took over the role of the cook.

To be continued.