The Dusk Paradigm | VOCALOID AU | WITH OCS

Chapter 18: Violet

"Hey Len, isn't today Fukase's big one-o?" asked Rin. He nodded. "Yeah, it is. You know, he'd be in grade five along with all the others, but this specific academy originated in Japan, following the Japanese system." he yapped. Rin lit a cigarette. "I never asked." "Yeah, Yeah, shut up." he said, cutting her off. Rin dragged off the cigarette and nodded.

28 January 2005.

-

Fukase's tenth birthday was today. He stopped having parties after turning eight, so birthdays didn't have much meaning to him anymore. It was eight in the morning.

He got out of bed and went out in the hall to see Henry in his office. He heard him and turned around. "Morning. Happy birthday, kid." he said unethusiastically. Fukase sighed. "Thanks, Papa." said he, making his way downstairs. He found a carton with a vanilla cupcake in it. Next to it was a post-it note.

'Happy 10th Birthday.

--Dad'

He sighed and put the cupcake on the counter for later. He got two pieces of bread and popped them in the toaster. As he waited, he went back upstairs to get his uniform on. 'Today is gonna be another boring one.' he thought.

-

The classroom smelled clean. It smelled of lemon and poppies. Manny tapped over to Fukase. "Hey, happy birthday, Fukase!" he wished. "Thank you." he said. Sadie nudged him. "It's your birthday? I didn't know that. Happy 10th." she said softly. "Thanks, Sadie." he smiled. Katie walked up to Fukase and messed up his hair. "Awh, does Fukase think he's special today?" she teased. He rolled his eyes. "Not today, Katie." he said in annoyance. "What do you mean? Everyday is the perfect day!" she giggled. Mr. Rob finally walked in the classroom.

"Silence!" he yelled, "Get in your chairs." Katie rolled her eyes before flicking Fukase's head and sitting down with everyone else. Mr. Rob got to the lectern. "Good Morning, pupils. Today is going to be a little different. We'll be having a new pupil. I want you to be on your best behavior for her since she's new." he said sternly. "'Her?'" whispered Manny. Sunshine looked at Katie, since she definitely knew something about her. Sadie nudged Fukase. "On your birthday too, dude." she joked. Fukase nudged her back playfully. "Shut up!" he whispered, holding back a giggle.

-
She walked down the big hallways. Room after room, her Penny Loafers clacking on the floor loudly within each step. She scanned the structure of the academy, how old yet modern it looked at the same time. The huge library, the lunch halls, the classrooms, and her reflection on the shiny floor, not to mention the glass ceilings. She finally reached year four, room three. She stood there for a minute, hesitating to knock.

"Year four room three is right down that hallway there!" she recalled the staff informing her. She hated people. She hated everything. She didn't want to do this, but she had no choice.

-
Mr. Rob was talking to the class before he heard a knock on the door. "That must be her. Settle down, class," he said before opening the door. The class shut up real quick. "Ah, here we are. Come on in, I'm Mr. Rob." The girl walked in the classroom. She stood infront of the lectern. "Tell us about yourself." said Mr. Rob.

Fukase instantly held his head up, staring at the girl. She looked at everyone with a unamused scowl on her face. "Uh, hi. My name is Vanessa, I go by Flower."

She stood at exactly 152cm. Her hair was tied into a split high ponytail. It was snow-white followed by bright violet eyes. Her skin was nearly translucent, it was so pale. Her long bangs fell on her face, they had purple highlights in them along with some highlights in her ponytail as well. With the standard uniform, she wore a black open-front sweater over it.

Mr. Rob nodded. "Anything else?" he asked. She shook her head. "Good. There's a empty seat next to Grace over there." he said. Grace was a girl with black long hair and emerald green eyes, she waved to her. Flower nodded and made her way to sit down next to her.

Fukase couldn't help but stare at the girl. She her cheeks were a natural soft pink color on top of her pale skin. He rested his head on his hand and looked at her from afar. His partner nudged him. "She's pretty." Sadie whispered. Fukase didn't answer, he just nodded, still staring.

-
During freetime outside, Delaney was walking back from inside the building, only to bump into Flower while fixing her tie.

"Hey-- watch it!" she snapped. Delaney bowed slightly in apology. "I'm so sorry! Oh, you must be the new kid everyone's talking about." she said with a kind smile. Delaney was older than everyone by a year or two being eleven, one grade above the others. She's mostly just known for being Manny's overly-polite sister. Flower rolled her eyes. "Clumsy ass." she murmured before jabbing her in the arm and walking away. "Ouch--!" she whimpered, holding her arm.

Delaney watched the girl walk off. She saw Katie walking past her. "Katie, she's in your class right?" she asked. Katie rolled her eyes. "What about it?" "She seems to be having a bad day. Poor sweetheart."

Katie let out a chuckle and put her hands on her hips. "She's just mad that she's albino!" she exclaimed, making sure Flower heard that across the yard. Katie turned and walked away with a proud mean grin on her face. Flower clenched her fist. "Asshole." she said as she leaned against the wall gates.

"Mate, did you see that?" asked Sunshine. Grace nodded. "She's odd. Not to mention, apparently the new girl knows Katie?" "I didn't know that. Delaney is like- one of the sweetest kids in the school. Literally everyone is nice to her. Even Katie and Amelia, but that's only because she's Manny's sister." she said.

"She has bloody attitude for what I've seen! I wonder what's up with her." she said, glancing at her from across the yard. She caught her and made eye contact. Grace looked away immediately. She covered her mouth and shook her head. Sunshine giggled. "Isn't she just a ball of joy?"

Grace pushed her black hair out of her face. "I wouldn't say that." she said, looking over at Fukase- who was under a tree reading a book. "Isn't today that kid's birthday?" Sunshine nodded. Grace walked over to him. "Hey, today's your birthday, right?" she asked. "Oh yeah, it is." he confirmed. "Happy birthday! Are you doing anything?" Fukase shook his head. "No. I don't really celebrate." "Oh mate, that's sad." she said with a smile.

Grace pointed to Flower. "You heard what happened in the hall with her?" she asked. He nodded. "Yeah, she might be going through something. I get what it's like being in a new place." he said. Grace rolled her eyes. "She's just pissy." Fukase tilted his head at her mean remark. "Just leave her alone." he said. Grace waved him off and walked away.

Flower overheard the whole thing from afar, the distance between the gate walls and the tree was only a good 80cm. She crossed her arms and stared at Fukase with a blank expression.