Th, 4/7

Th, 4/7

Thursday, April 7th/ Morning.

We arrived to MOS after a fairly quick bus trip, so we have a lot of spare time before classes start today. Students are all talking about yesterday’s news about the crime on the jewelry store, some people really sound upset about the store owner but some others seem more concerned about the store closing down. The term “Acts of Violence” seems to have been adopted by the whole student body, prompting everybody to formulate theories and assemble conjectures about what might be causing them. To be honest, none of them sound really convincing.

“Ugh, can you believe this people?” Yang asks as we walk down the hall. “I mean, have some dignity. Sheesh.”

“Well, what else can we do? It isn’t exactly something that can be ignored. People are just curious.” I say. In all honesty, I am really curious about all of this. That is something I cannot help myself with; when I discover something, I need to look at it closely to understand it, and sometimes… well, let’s just say I wasn’t getting near cats for a full year because of my curiosity. Oh the irony.

Back to the present, I also knew that this was something way out of my league. If I’d tried to get closer and find out more about these Acts of Violence, it was probably that I’d get into trouble, or worse. I could be called many things, but “reckless” isn’t one of them.

We reach the “corner” of the school building and just stand there until it’s time to go to class. There’s another group of theorists nearby having yet another debate about the Acts of Violence. Among them, was a first year girl with short, orange hair and turquoise eyes, who was heatedly discussing with one of the two guys.

“I’m telling you, man. Aliens are washing people’s brains on their sleep to make them attack each other, so that they can take over the world! Divide and conquer!” The girl rants frantically, making over exaggerated gestures with both arms.

“Get real, Valkyrie. Aliens ain’t real.” The other guy says. “I think it is an experimental drug made by terrorists to make their enemies fight each other, and we are their guinea pigs.”

“Oh yeah? Then why does the police report that all suspects have been found clean?” Valkyrie retorts back.

“Because it is all a conspiracy!”

“Guys, come on.” The second guy says. “This is clearly work of evil spirits. The town was settled over ancient, sacred lands, and now we are receiving the spirits’ vengeful wrath!” At that, the “Conspiracy Guy” bursted laughing.

“Ghosts? Really? Man, that theory is even dumber than Nora’s!”

“Hey!”

“Dude, who’d say that it isn’t pos~.” The “Spirit Guy” trailed off and looked down the hall. I follow his gaze and see a tall student walking this way. He has short, black hair and a single pink lock of hair on his left bang and equally pink eyes. He didn’t say a word, he simply walked past Yang, I and the other group without giving a single glance. I see the two guys averting their eyes anyway, while “Nora” just had this confused look on her. Only after the other guy left did they relaxed.

“Jeez, that was close.” Conspiracy says.

“Yeah, a little more and we received the Lie ‘Buzzkill’ Ren treatment.” Spirit adds. “What’s his problem?”

“Beats me.” Nora quips.

First term is about to start, so everybody heads to their classroom. I sit on my desk and wait until Ms. Goodwitch arrives. Weiss also sits down, and this time she’s just ignoring me. I guess that’s better than being glared on. Jaune enters the room and approaches both our desk. “Hey Ruby! Ms. Weiss.”

“Hi Jaune. How are you?” I ask. I notice that Weiss didn’t even acknowledged Jaune’s ‘hi’. “You got home safe?”

“Yeah, no problem. I’m a little shaken up though. All of this is ‘murder talk’ is making me really uncomfortable.”

I nod. “Tell me about it.”

“Yeah. Although, you’ll never believe what I found out about yesterday.” Jaune leans closer to whisper. “They say that the perp was~”

“Please sit down, Mr. Arc.” Ms. Goodwitch says from the room’s door, making Jaune bolt back up and into his desk. Professor Goodwitch then walked to her podium and called out to everyone. “Attention students! I was told to inform you that your classmate, Mr. Thrush, who skipped class yesterday, has been arrested under the charge of murder.” Everybody starts whispering among themselves --Jaune told me that that’s what he wanted to tell me-- before the professor spoke again. “If you must know, I’ll tell you that Mr. Thrush was the person involved on the jewelry store incident you all heard about. He’s yet to face trial for the deed, but it doesn’t affect our lessons program in the slightest.

“Which reminds me: Tomorrow is the Welcoming Ceremony, so I expect that all of you assist to it. It also means that classes will end early, so you’ll have more than enough time to do this week’s assignment.”

There was a collective groan among some of the students, but my mind goes back to the incident. This is really beyond my understanding, but each time I hear something about the Acts of Violence, I can’t help but wonder what is causing it. I decide to pay attention to today’s lesson and keep my mind busy.

Thursday, April 7th/ After School.

I go to the front courtyard after classes end to wait for Yang and go home early when I’m approached by a second year student. She had long black hair that she tied on one side with a bow-shaped hair clip, and beautiful golden eyes; she wore a black sweater over her uniform and had a digital camera hanging around her neck.

“Excuse me,” Says the girl, “are you Xiao Long’s sister?”

“Um, yes?” I answer hesitantly. She then handed me Yang’s backpack.

“Your sister forgot her things in the classroom. Can you give them to her?”

“Sure, thanks.” I say to her as I hang the backpack on my shoulder, I carry my things on my hand anyway. “By the way, do you know where she is?” I ask after realising I don’t see Yang anywhere.

“She must be in judo practice; she’s the team captain. I would go home if I were you though, nobody can enter the gym once they start.”

“I see.” I mutter as I look at the GYM building, then turn back to see the girl walking to the main gate. “Wait! I didn’t heard your name.” The girl turns back and just stares at me for a moment.

“I’m Blake.”

“Ok, thanks Blake!” I tell her back. She nods once before crossing the gates and heading toward the town. I decide to go home on my own after sending a text message to Yang to tell her that Blake gave me her backpack; I do have homework to do.

Thursday, April 7th/ Evening.

After getting home, I get down with the textbooks until I finish most the assigned chapters. I start watching TV before going to my computer to begin the written assignment. Ms. Goodwitch insisted that submissions should be sent virtually, so its due date is this sunday rather than monday. Dad sits with me and together we watch a marathon of this cartoon about two “losers” that are struggling to become superheroes. It isn’t that bad, though I don’t understand some of the jokes. Yang arrives by the time the marathon ends.

“Hey guys!” She greets. She is wearing a grey workout suit and her hair looked a little damp.

“Hey there, sunshine.” Dad greets back, getting off from the sofa.

“Hi Yang. Did you get my text?”

“I did! Remember me to thank Belladonna tomorrow.” I notice she didn’t call her by her first name. Then again, Blake didn’t either.

“Aren’t you two friends?”

“Not exactly,” Yang says as she seats on one of the couches, “we get along, but she isn’t the most talkative person. She’s usually spends time on her photography hobby. I think she once said that she was training for journalism or something.”

“Wow, that’s kinda cool.” I remember that she had a camera hanging on her neck, so she probably was headed to take some pictures of… the jewelry store.

I mentally groan as I try to forget the incident for a third time today.

Yang is doing dinner tonight, but she won’t tell me what she’s doing nor letting me peek on the kitchen. I decide to go and begin the assignment, from which I make a pretty huge progress actually. Just as I finish for today, Yang has the food ready: tonight we have tacos for dinner. I am a little wary this time, since I don’t do well with spicy food, at least we have milk ready on the table, just in case.

After the painful experience with the chillies, I go to my room and rearrange my things for tomorrow, since we’ll be leaving MOS before lunch. I get ready to bed and poke my mom’s nose as I turn off the lights, giving her her “goodnight”.