The Initials | Nanowrimo 2023

33| Silver Oak Academy

Cloud carries his plastic tray in one hand as he removes his headphones from his ears, letting them sit around his neck as he turns to face the rows of wooden tables where the students all seem to have found their cliques.

The mix is rather limited, with the factions pretty much sticking to themselves, and whilst there are some pockets of mingling between the water and nature factions as well as the Osirion and metal factions, those are few and far between.

Cloud realises he's holding up the line of people waiting to get their food so he treads lightly across the study floorboards of the canteen, peering up at the large stained-glass window on the far wall with an image of two beings with giant wings holding their hands up to yet another Phoenix.

His parents used to take him to church every Sunday for a while but of course, with his rocky relationship regarding the church, that didn't last very long.

Even without his history, he never really took a liking to the idea of worshipping something he couldn't actually see with his own eyes but Cloud did always enjoy the art in the windows and how they could tell a story without any words.

Eventually he finds himself a table with only one student seated and it's a familiar face. "So I'm guessing this is like the designated fire nation right?"

Antonio Navarro lifts his head, tearing his eyes away from the table opposite them with a frown etched on his face.

It takes a second for him to recognise Cloud but once he does his features soften. "You would be correct."

Cloud scans around the room, wondering where the rest of his future dorm-mates could be but the truth becomes painfully obvious after a while. "Is it just us?"

"Just us." Tony replies, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand after taking a giant bite out of a chicken burger.

"Well damn." Between the two of them, they're going to have to fight every first year who wants to move on to Eden, and although naturally gifted in his channelling and evoking abilities, he is acutely aware of the skill gap between himself and the kids who grew up knowing exactly what they were. "So are you any good at fighting or...?"

Tony chuckles, washing down his meal with a tall glass of water. "You should worry about yourself, boy on fire. I heard a rumour going around that there's double points for taking down a Head Acolyte."

"Ignore him, he's just trying to scare you." Sky utters, appearing with her tray in hand alongside Neith. "Are these seats taken?"

Cloud shakes his head, suppressing a grin as he removes his bag from the seat next to his so that she can sit.

Neith takes the seat on the opposite side of Sky after playfully ruffling his hair like an elderly sister would, except she's like five foot four and born only a month before he is. "I guess I'll be the first to admit that I'm surprised you made it this far without injury Jefferson."

Cloud feels himself frown, looking up slightly as he tries to figure out if that was a compliment or a dig. "Yeah?"

"I mean the whole boy on fire thing is a bit much." she teases, smiling when she gets a tired laugh from him. "Oh, I didn't know you could still do that?"

"What?"

"Quit being edgy long enough to let yourself laugh." she retorts, giggling as she catches the ball of scrunched up foil that he aimed at her head.

Cloud groans, simply rolling his eyes. "Can't you step off my neck, god, why do you hate me so much?"

"This is me loving you buddy, take it or leave it."

"Buddy." he echoes, scoffing as he throws a few fries in his mouth, his brief moment of embarrassment vanishing as soon as he catches Sky trying not to laugh. "You too?"

"No, no, I'm not laughing! I swear!" she yelps, almost choking on her food as fresh tears spring from her eyes.

Cloud lets her squirm a while longer before chuckling himself, offering her his glass of orange juice when he notices she doesn't have a drink to wash it down.

"Did you guys just zap each other?" Sammy inquires, catching the interaction as she takes the seat next to Tony.

"A little." Sky confesses, brushing her hair behind her ears as she gracefully accepts the beverage.

"Where's that guy you're usually with?" Tony asks, moving his tray out of the way to make room for her.

"Oh, you mean Justin? I think he went to the bathroom, he said he wasn't feeling well."

"Well that checks out."

Sammy flutters her lashes. "Why, what am I missing?"

"Well he's an Osirion right?"

Sky can see the culture barrier happening so she steps in to help before Sammy considers taking off his head. "What he means is that Osirions are often also Sensitives. They observe and interact with reality a lot differently from the rest of us and sometimes that can cause complications."

"Complications? Complications like what?"

"Diarrhoea, projectile vomiting, audible and visual hallucinations, weaker immune systems, insanity, paralysis, I mean the list goes on." Neith replies, earning her a disappointed head shake from Sky who wishes she could have let her deliver the news in a gentler way.

"But that's only if an Osirion isn't taught how to properly control their abilities. Since he's an Outworlder it'll be a lot harsher on him but the sickness should pass given a few months here." Sky adds.

"You'd think that would be on the pamphlet." Neith mutters, spooning the trembling red Jelly out of her tray without a care in the world.

"So Sensitives are like...?"

"Initials who can sense magic through one or more of their senses." Sky explains, informing her of an entire workforce of people who use their gift to discern whether or not food prepared for the Crowns is poisoned.

"Oh like how I can sometimes hear some of my spell?"

"No, not exactly. Most of us can sense the magic of Channelers and Evokers, even Arcanist to an extent, but for Sensitives I've read it's a lot more intimate."

Sammy chooses to pivot the conversation, feeling a little ridiculous for even considering herself anything other than ordinary. "I've been meaning to ask? Are you two Outworlders or Edenborn?"

"Well yes and no. Neith was born in Eden but I was born in another world called Sirenia."

"Uh huh." Sammy hums, attempting to absorb as much information as possible but already feeling her mind exploding. "But haven't you known these guys since forever?"

Cloud flutters his eyelashes, not having expected her firing range of questions to roll onto him. "Since we were like four." he says after giving it some thought.

"Yeah some Initials choose to integrate themselves into human society here on Earth."

"Let me guess. It's all part of some secret mission to take over the planet." Cloud jokes, half expecting the idea to be true.

Sky laughs at the absurdity. "God no. It's to help aid the Initials that are born on Earth, like you guys."

"Well I'm adopted so who knows, I could be the first Initial from krypton."

"Oh you mean Arthur Branfoot?" Neith utters.

"You can't be for real."

"Of course I'm not." she laughs, scrunching her freckled nose. "This guy really thinks we're aliens or something."