Solivigant

Selcouth

Selcouth:
unfamiliar, rare, strange and yet marvelous

The pungent smell of smoke and fear. Burning. Everything was burning. Ablaze in white flames, a scene of ruin reflected in a puddle of red.

"Elysian!"

Ely snapped out of his thoughts, blinking rapidly against the wind of an open window. He turned his head in the direction of the man seated in the driver's seat in front of him. They made eye contact, Ely holding the man's tired gaze monotonously.

"We're here." The man - Aizawa, he remembered - rumbled as the car skidded to a stop.

How had he ended up in a car with his teacher?

Ely pondered over it for no more than a second, then, as he ducked out from the car, he remembered the reason with slight amusement. He couldn't make it to school, his caregivers too busy catering for their oldest son, so the school had sent Aizawa to bring him. Due to the sudden request, they were now late.

He was led down several hallways, students chattering excitedly as he passed through their view. There were a few unfriendly remarks, snickers and loud prods at his unusual appearance. Ely ran a hand through his hair, the silky strands displacing messily with the movement as they stopped momentarily outside a door. Adjusting the white medical mask that rested upon his face, covering his thin lips and small nose. It was a reminder; a clear reminder to remember his own place in this society and to keep his walls up.

'1-A'.

He followed Aizawa inside and instantly, the class fell silent, their eyes burning holes into him. Ely made no attempt to look at his classmates, instead studying the floor, his fingers tapping the familiar sequence of chords against his thigh. The atmosphere was heavy, wrapping itself around him suffocatingly. He risked a glance at Aizawa, his teacher was watching him expectantly.

A spark of recognition. It was the look that all his previous teachers had given him every time he had transferred.

They were waiting for him to introduce himself.

Ely looked up, making eye contact with his new classmates. He froze, mouth half open under the mask he wore, prepared to speak. His fingers curled at his side as emotions flowed into him; suspicion, shock, anger. The emotions stayed within him, stagnant. Ely closed his mouth and observed the class, pinpointing the emotions. A somewhat familiar pomeranian bristled with rage.

He shook his head, clearing his mind from the confusion as he knew full well that he would have the time to answer his very own questions at a better time. He looked around aimlessly, no longer interested or wanting to introduce himself and the arrogant action led to Mr Aizawa sighing and grumbling.

"Please take a seat, Elysian." The statement came out tired and unwanting, but you could tell the man had patience from the years of teaching.

The short boy listened and moved to the seat that sat in the far corner of the room directly next to the window and behind a tall girl with a large, ashen black ponytail. A silent room made everything seem so much smaller; so much louder to Ely and he cringed at the scraping of the chair against the floor. A sharp, sucked in breath entered his slightly parted lips and he nestled himself down with a straight back and tensed muscles. He had to be ready for anything. Ely could feel it. Feel the mental stares from everyone within that classroom; no one was looking, but he knew they were thinking. Thinking long and hard, questioning the new boy with strange looks who entered the Hero Course well after the start of term. It was always the same. Every single class he had started late thought of him in the same way; a mystery.