The Misfit's Emperor (Revamped Edition)

Chapter 4 - Lux>:3

See the girl above? Luxanna Crownguard, that's me also known as Lux. Well, not exactly me anymore. Blonde used to be my thing, but hey, gotta look good for the Academy brochure, right? nervous chuckle Anyway, that's not why I'm here. Today's the day you get a glimpse into a typical school day for yours truly at the Academy. Speaking of the Academy...

RINGGGGGGG

Me: "Ugh, come on!" I bolted upright, hand flying out to smash the ever-loving daylight out of my alarm clock. It clattered to the floor in a dozen pieces. Groaning, I tried to bury myself back under the covers, yearning for just five more minutes of sleep. "can a lady get some more shut eye"

The door creaked open, revealing a rumpled Garen, my brother, holding a steaming cup of coffee. Not exactly high on the Academy brochure importance scale, but hey, family is family, right?

Garen: "Morning, sleepyhead," he drawled, a playful smirk on his face. "Can a lady also get a move on? The railcar leaves this afternoon, Lux."

Before he could finish his sentence, a rogue pillow whizzed through the air, smacking him right in the kisser. The metal coffee mug clattered to the floor with a loud clang, a dark brown stain blooming on the carpet.

Me: "Alright, alright! Geez, Garen," I mumbled, throwing the covers off and scrambling out of bed. "Just needed a few more winks."

Garen grumbled something about a new coffee mug and retreated, yelling back that breakfast was waiting. I stood up, opened my phone, and looked through my messages, seeing some from my friends.

[Ice Queen: "Lux, rise and shine, sunshine. I hope you're feeling alright. It's been a while since we last talked. I hope he's not bothering you."]

[Lux>:3 : "I'm alright, Ashe, never better. I'm just glad that's over. We can talk later when we get to the door, or we can video chat. But I'll be in the shower unless you want to watch me or something."]

 [Ice Queen: "You know voice chat exists."]

[Boomboom: "SUP FA- I'm not gonna say that but you know what I'm gonna say. When are you getting here?"]

[Pyke: "It's unexpected that you're early...or could it be because you're drifting again?"]

[Boomboom: "Shut up, Baldy's Basics. In the ancient tongue, they call me...homeless."]

I watched the chat feed get flooded with other members chiming in. It was the usual banter, full of inside jokes and playful insults.

[PAYN: "Guys, let's keep it down. Some of us are trying to work here."] 

[J-unnie: "Work? Is that what you call browsing memes all day?"]

I chuckled. Despite everything, these moments always brought a smile to my face. But I didn't have time to get sucked into the chaos. I closed the group chat and just messaged Ashe directly.

[Lux>:3: "Hey Ashe, can we talk for a bit?"]

[Ice Queen: "Sure thing. What's up?"]

[Lux>:3: "Just need someone to talk to. Everything's been a bit overwhelming lately."]

[Ice Queen: "I get it. Want to voice chat or meet up later?"]

[Lux>:3: "Voice chat sounds good. Thanks, Ashe."]

With a sigh, I tossed my phone on the bed and took a deep breath. Knowing Ashe had my back calmed the knot in my stomach a notch. A hot shower was exactly what I needed to clear my head before our chat. Stepping into the steamy bathroom, I peeled off my clothes and cranked the shower knob to the max. The morning chill clinging to my skin melted away as the water cascaded down. Just as I started to relax, a notification chimed, shattering the peace.