Ah, you must be Mr. Yeager," she said, voice smooth and professional. "Welcome to Vanguardaum Academy. Please fill in your name on this form."
Clover took the pen, glancing down. Uncle Shage… I'm glad he's here, he thought, a faint smile tugging at his lips. The thought of Shage waiting somewhere in the academy gave him a quiet reassurance.
Elara Talon leaned closer slightly, her expression softening. "Don't worry about your uniform yet. That'll be ready for you later. Just get the paperwork done first."
Clover nodded, pen poised. Inside, Aurora flickered faintly, sensing the new energy of the academy and the subtle undercurrents swirling around him.
As he filled in the form, the distant sounds of students calling names and laughing reminded him: this was only the beginning. And somewhere, Uncle Shage was waiting.
"Alright, Mr. Yeager," Miss Elara Talon said, gesturing with a smooth sweep of her hand. "Let me show you around before you settle in. There's a lot to take in.
Clover followed, hands in his pockets, eyes scanning every corner—students chatting in clusters, training in small groups, and others rushing between halls. Aurora twitched inside Aetherfang, trying to get his attention.
Clover… Clover… you need to hear this!
"Not now, Aurora," Clover muttered under his breath, shifting slightly to block her soft light from glowing.
But Clover—!
"Nope. Not today," he whispered firmly. Aurora huffed, blinking in exasperation, failing to get the words out.
Miss Talon paused mid-step, cocking an eyebrow. "Are you… talking to yourself?"
Clover froze, turning wide-eyed. "N-nooooo! Not at all!"
Elara gave a faint smile but didn't comment further, leading him through the winding corridors of Vanguard Hall.
"Your room is 601B," she said, pausing near a staircase. "It's a double, but you won't be sharing with anyone for now."
Clover jotted it down in his mind. Then she added, "You didn't bring any clothes, did you?
He froze, eyes widening. "Ha… I… uh… I forgot.
Elara Talon's lips twitched as if she was holding back laughter. "You forgot your clothes?
"Well… I mean… I packed, but I forgot… the essential part," Clover muttered sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. Aurora blinked rapidly inside Aetherfang, letting out a small sigh that only Clover could hear.
"You did forget, yes," Aurora whispered, her voice almost a groan.
"NO! I said nothing," Clover muttered, glaring at the sword, but failing to hide the blush on his cheeks.
Elara Talon let out a quiet chuckle, shaking her head. "I'll have the uniform sent to your room later. Don't worry about it."
Clover exhaled, Aurora muttering inside Aetherfang in frustration. "Next time… next time I'll get my message across…"
"Next time, you better not talk to yourself in public," Talon added, walking ahead. Clover just nodded, smiling faintly, shaking his head at the strange mix of nerves, humor, and excitement.
And as they moved down the hallway, the hum of Vanguard Hall life surrounded them, students passing, laughing, training—every corner brimming with the promise of challenges, friendships, and secrets waiting to unfold.Clover collapsed onto his bed, eyelids heavy. The day had been long, the halls full of curious glances and endless distractions. He let out a deep sigh. Finally… some sleep…
Barely ten minutes later, a knock echoed sharply on the door.
"Hey, Yeager! You've got a class!" Miss Elara Talon's voice rang out, crisp and no-nonsense.
"Am… coming… thanks," Clover mumbled, barely lifting a finger before flopping back onto the pillow. Five minutes later, the knock came again.
Yeager. Seriously. Get up."
Clover groaned, pulling the blanket over his head. Ignore… ignore… ignore…
The third knock came—harder this time, followed by a faint whoosh sound. Suddenly, Clover felt the blanket lift gently, as if being peeled off by invisible hands.
"Huh?!" he yelped, blinking as theblanket floated aside. Miss Talon stood just outside, arms crossed, a faint smirk on her lips. "I suggest you get up. Class doesn't wait for sleepyheads."
Clover rubbed his eyes. "Uh… okay, okay… I'm… mmm…
Before he could finish, his backpack hovered from the corner of the room, sliding neatly to the floor by itself. His textbooks followed, landing in a neat stack on the desk. Clover stared in shock, blinking.
"You—wait… what?!
"Miss Talon," he muttered, flopping back on the bed, "you don't have to—"
"I do," she interrupted, her voice firm but calm. With a subtle flick of her wrist, Clover's shoes floated out of the closet, landing perfectly beside the bed. "Kinetic Redirection, Clover. I can move things around, yes, but I prefer efficiency. You've got ten minutes before we leave for training exercises."
Clover sat up slowly, a mix of amusement and exasperation on his face. "Okay… that's… actually impressive…"
Miss Talon's eyes softened slightly—but only slightly. "Impressive isn't going to pass your first day. Move. Or I'll make your alarm clock float off the building."
Clover groaned, flopping again, then muttered, "Seriously… she's… scary and efficient…"
Aurora inside Aetherfang blinked, letting out a tiny groan. Finally… someone who gets results.
Miss Talon tilted her head, noticing the slight movement of the sword inside its sheath. "Talking to yourself again?"
"Uh… nooooo…" Clover said, wide-eyed
Elara gave a small, almost imperceptible grin. "Right. Then move."
Clover laughed faintly, shaking his head, finally swinging his legs over the side of the bed. "Fine, fine. You win, Talon…"
Miss Talon didn't reply. Instead, with a simple gesture, the door swung open for him, textbooks in hand, shoes perfectly aligned on his feet. Clover chuckled softly. This is going to be interesting .Classroom Chaos
Clover stepped into the classroom, expecting a quiet start. Instead, he froze mid-step. Ty, Rina, Jax, Kade, and Lila were all there, lounging in dramatic poses as if the room belonged to them.
Ty leaned toward Jax, whispering loudly, "This kid? He's gonna be trouble. Watch him, boss will love this." Jax smirked, rolling his eyes.
Before Clover could process, a loud, high-pitched voice erupted from the front.
"Ah! Welcome! Welcome! Settle down, settle down! Today we explore the art of influence!"
Clover blinked. There, pacing like a caffeinated peacock, was Lionel Hawthorne, Civic and Government teacher—hands flailing, combing his own hair mid-sentence, and occasionally pointing at a globe like it was a magic orb.
Miss Elara Talon, standing beside him, pinched the bridge of her nose. "Lionel… please. Just introduce the student."
"Ah, yes! Of course! New student! Clover Yeager! Eyes like… hmm… a calculating mind! Excellent!" Lionel flung an arm toward Clover with dramatic flourish. "class, behold!"
Rina giggled, Ty muttered something under his breath, and Jax leaned back in his chair, smirking.
Clover coughed politely. "Hi."
Miss Talon continued, trying to regain control. "Clover, these are your classmates. Everyone, introduce yourselves quickly."
Students began giving one-liners: Ty with his smug grin, Rina with a teasing curtsy, Kade with a lazy wave, Lila silently observing, and Jax puffing out his chest.
Meanwhile, Lionel wasn't done. "Ah! Influence! Persuasion! Observe the world! Feel the power of your words!" He spun around, accidentally knocking over a chair, then flopped into it dramatically.
Miss Talon groaned. "Lionel—please."
Just as she turned, a shadow moved at the doorway. All eyes flicked to the entrance.
Note : Characters Introduced
Lionel Hartwhone age 29 essential manipulator Civic tongue