S.H.I.f.T

Catalysts for change

That afternoon, Nagisa messed with the tight knot at his throat. He hated ties! This one was even more stupid as it was maroon with grey stripes. It was supposed to match the school uniform. He snorted, yanking on the woolen vest he was forced to wear over top of a dress shirt. The schools maroon jacket hung on the back of his desk chair. Akara walked in. She wore an identical outfit, except with a grey pleated skirt instead of grey slacks.

"This sucks! I hate being a Romanari!" Nagisa whined.

"Why?" Akara asked.

Nagisa lowered his hand from the tie. He kicked the chair around to sink down into it. Placing his elbows on his knees, he looked up at her. She stood with her red hair pulled back, the black streaks almost hidden under the flame color.

"Ever since I can recall, it was pounded into me that I was a Romanari. That we were the best. The best hunters, the best family, the best men, that people all over the world looked to us to lead them. That we had this..." He held his finger and thumb less than an inch apart. Closing one eye, he peered down at his hand.

",,, small line we could walk. We were hunters first. We followed the code of the hunt. We stayed in the lane we created." He huffed, lowering his hand as he looked up at her.

She held her hand over her mouth, shoulders shaking in silent giggles. He snorted as he stood up. He flipped the jacket around, making sure it struck her arm. Smirking, he slipped it on.

"You get it?" he smiled.

"You are not like that." She snickered.

"Not at all." He fixed his collar. "Because of that, I'm seen as the outcast. I have always voiced my disdain for my family, the rules, this horrible way they make me live." He picked up a bundle of notecards.

"Now they want me to be the perfect son, to give a speech to all the academy, the board, all the powerful families of each nation, because I am a Romanari and we created this stupid machoistic class system." He huffed.

"Are you..." She paused, looking him over. He looked nothing like the boy she had first met here.

"... going to do something with teen angst or rebellion?" she asked.

"That is what they all expect from me." He winked, walking away. She hurried to follow him out.

On the path before the dorm stood the three tall males who seemed to always be around the small vampire. Ryu, by far, towered over the other two. His darker hair and skin making him look like a tamed beast in the schools uniform. Akara was surprised that the seams weren't straining to rip apart. Next to him was the pale lanky form of the vampire.

The auburn hair glinted in the sunlight, shooting streaks of lighter red throughout it. It was cut to a nice, respectable length. The wind teased at the front flop that he must have used a lot of gel to keep it out of his emerald eyes. He stood with one hand in his back pocket. The other was reaching toward the stout muscular wolf beside him.

The wolves thick muscled chest was bound in the same maroon/ grey uniform. His bright blue eyes danced with mischief as he swiped away the vampire's hand. His blond hair had grown since he began to attend school. It was now long enough to pull back in a neat little bun. Ryu flicked it to stop the two slap fighting each other.

"Enough!" Nagisa cried. He looked more like his father than anyone there would tell him. His scowl in place, he glared at the triple set of boys.

"We have places to be." He had an air of prestige around him as he turned with his head tilted back.

"Damn, I have never seen you act more like a Romanari..." Collin's voice stopped as he caught the side eyed look tossed at him. The borne vamp smirked.

Together, they headed down to where the first building that had been built for the school. It was a castle like outer appearance. Inside, most of the space was off limits to students. Various outside organizations had offices here, like the archivists. The main ballroom was decorated in the schools colors. Tables and chairs set out in a pattern of maroon and grey cloths. Each one was filled with some pompous head of some elite organization, each one having originated at the school during the time the founder attended the academy.