CTU: Clock Town University

[Jens]

Arélana

The campus of CTU was teeming with life as the first wave of the new batch of students started populating the previously abandoned part of the dorms. It was still more than a week before classes started, but the fresh blood would not want to miss the renowned Week of Welcoming. Getting to know your fellow students, learning about the university’s rich history, exploring campus. All the essentials to help prepare for the ultimate Clock Town University experience.

There were definitely no crazy parties that influenced the WoW’s popularity. At least, that’s the idea that the officials try to sell to the students’ parents. If her sister’s stories were anything to go by, Arélana was to assume otherwise. Not that she would want to spend a week partying her ass off, even with Marelle’s constantly assuring her that she would love it.
Even now, as she is moving into the dorm room she is going to call home for the foreseeable future, Arélana has to make great efforts to tune out her sister’s blabbing about what a great time she was going to have here. Not that she had a lot of opportunity to focus on that. Her brother was a bit too overzealous in not letting her do any kind of lifiting.

“Here Lana, let me take that from your hands too.”

Arélana reluctantly let go of the box she was carrying. She knew Valvius meant well, but she did not like being treated like a fragile doll. Even though she had lost strength and feeling in one of her arms and therefore lifting things wasn’t ever going to be easy for her, she had always been someone who would do as much as she could without help. She decided to let it slide, however. Arélana wanted her first day at her new habitat to be a good one. Just one day without confrontations, without drama. Only a day of space to breathe would be enough to create a tiny, little zen garden in her head and be able to take on the weight of whatever the rest of life had to offer. And thus, she let her big brother do his thing. It probably made him feel better as well.

Arélana looked at the middle aged couple standing in the doorway of her dorm room. She gazed at their faces, trying to find out what they were feeling. The results of her analysis was that she couldn’t tell for sure. From logic and prior experience, she could deduce that it was probably some mix of happy and sad feelings. Some pride, some sadness. Her father’s sharp face was ever the epitome of stoicism, and Nayru knows whatever her mother’s ever-present half-smile indicated.

“Ari,”, her mother started, with a tone that evoked…concern? “Are you still sure about…Well, this.”, she said as she made a circular motion with her arms, pointing towards Arélana’s upper body. She was going to assume that her mother was hinting at the top she was wearing.

“You know I don’t like sleeves.”, she replied, trying to mask the mild agitation she felt.

“Yes, of course, but…”, her mother replied, playing with a strand of her long, blond hair. A sign of nervousness, Arélana knew. “People can see.”

“I don’t think I mind. Someone is going to find out eventually.”
She looked at herself in the mirror. All the features that made her Arélana Athryn where there. Thick wavy dark brown long hair, pale skin, green eyes, no sleeves, and a nasty scar on her left shoulder.

“I’m sure I’ll be reminded of it no matter what.”

---
Randio

First day on campus. Not the first day of classes. Randio was not thrilled. He didn’t even want to show up for the Week of Welcoming. But that bastard of a butler Biron had to convince him to have “some more fun in his life” once again. And Randio listened, because it wasn’t like he really had a choice. Better to agree immediately than have Mr. Blackpool come up with some crazy plan to make him go anyway. In the end, he would have to go if he wanted to make any friends. He had made some progress in that regard in the last year of HySchool high school. Still, they were baby steps, and he had learned that he had a lot of things to process before things would be as they were again. If ever. The most important thing was that he was working on it.

And here he was, sitting in a large expensive car driven by the family butler, ready to take his first baby steps into what would be his life for the next couple of years. He looked to his left, where aforementioned butler was sat, his hands on the wheel, staring ahead, wearing a smile that was the second most regular occupant of his face (the shit eating grin being the first).

“You’re gonna love it, Master Randio.”, he said in the most terrible impression of… some posh British accent.

“I thought you had stopped that.”

“Stopped what, Master Randio?”

“You’re not Alfred Pennyworth, Biron.”
“
What do you mean, Master Bruce?”

“I will friggin’ punch you, Blackpool.”

“Just trying to get one more rise out of you while I still can, Randy. You’re not gonna be sharing a building with little old me anymore. No, no. no. Instead, Master Randio is going to share a building, and much more, with a buncha hot-“

“Please don’t finish that sentence, Bi. I’m here to study.”

“Of course, kiddo.”

As the car neared the parking lot of the campus, Randio started to feel more and more anxious. He could see the people staring at the car. This was one of the moments he wished he wasn’t loaded. Sadly, he didn’t get to pick the car this morning.

“Can’t we park somewhere where there are… you know, fewer people?”

“You wanna haul all your shit over a bigger distance? Be my guest. And you do understand you can’t avoid being seen, do you? And you do realise that wearing those shades aren’t going to make you stand out less, do you?”

“Fine.", Randio sighed. "Let’s get started then.”

[Emily]

🎶  This old warship has wounds and
It won't sail for nothin'
An old sailor said to me 🎶

The sleepy mid-day silence was broken by a muted hum heralding the passing of a small electric car zipping over a lakeside road. The titular lake was a large, unbroken mirror reflecting the upper-class housing on the far side and the sky above it, pure and placid and unfettered by the stress and depression of its beholder. Would that she could take some of that tranquility for herself, but that wasn't to be today.

It was the earliest day she could move into the dorms at CTU, and her mother had strongly recommended it. Her car couldn't fit most of her belongings, so she only had a small trunk in the passenger seat, but as soon as her mother was off patrol, she'd be bringing the rest in the family car. Her radio, louder than the car itself, projected across the nature trails and parks of this area the deepest feelings of sadness and portrayal that she could manifest.

🎶 And I was foolish not to listen
And paid such close conscription
All the lies I believed 🎶

She made a right turn onto the road that would lead her to the school. The family home was a few streets back from the lake, cheaper to own than the bougie-ass "lakeside estates" but still within walking distance of all her favourite trails. Fortunately it also wasn't too far away from the campus, so if she needed to she could go back home and spend some time with her mother. The roads here were nice, larger than the lakeside district but still retaining some of that feeling. Some of the trees were already being wrapped in fairy lights, which would later during the holidays travel further along the trees, crossing over the road entirely.

Through the open windows, she could smell the fresh air. It had a slight bite to it, but it was hardly more than light jacket weather - if even that. The sky was overcast but not threatening rain, just a pleasant day overall.

And she hated it.

🎶 "but if you lend me some more labour
And put your name on paper
We just might catch a breeze" 🎶

She began driving through the campus itself, a meticulously-manicured series of gardens and ancient trees, around which aesthetically-pleasing buildings popped up seemingly at random. The controlled chaos of the campus was supposed to promote higher thinking, creativity, and introspection. But it sure made driving a bitch. She wound around roundabouts and down different one-way corridors before finally arriving at the back parking lot of her dorm, pulling into a spot next to a charging station and-

🎶 I know now he was not a captain
Now because of all my actions
I grow alone with- 🎶

-turning it off.

She got out of the Renault Twizy (she had demanded an electric car and her mother found the cheapest one on the market) and stretched, looking at the building in front of her. Pretty standard, though there were already some open windows and flags covering others. Impressive that people were moving in so quickly... though she supposed it had been accepting move-ins since early that morning. Regardless. She slid her phone in her pocket after plugging in her headphones, then placed them over her ears and grabbed her trunk from the passenger seat. Better get to it. The entry room was fairly standard for a dorm, but had the unfortunate addition of an incredibly chipper looking RA at the front desk.

"Ooh," she said, "another redhead, I can already tell we're going to be friends. What's your name so we can get you to your room and you can sit that big ol' trunk down?" In response, the girl leveraged the trunk against her belt, holding in place with one arm as she pulled her student identification card out from her back pocket and flashed it at the woman.

"Arylle Harutyunyan. Harutyunyan? Am I saying that right? Anyway, I'm Quetzal. So nice to meet you! Looks like yoooooooou're..." the other girl looked down at her clipboard, flipped a page, then smiled, holding up a key. "Aha, here it is. You're in room A104, just down this hallway. Congrats on getting a first-floor room, that's so lucky, especially in your first year!"

Hardly. Rylle followed her down the hallway, where Quetzal stopped and used the key to open a door. "You have a roommate, but she hasn't arrived yet. If there are any problems, just let me know, my room is at the end of this hall, next to the common room. Do you have any questions?"

Rylle shook her head.

"Alright Arylle, I'll put this key on this table right by the door aaaaaand... welcome to Clock Town University!" Quetzal beamed before walking back to the foyer to greet whatever next unlucky student happened to walk through. For her part, Rylle entered the room, pushing the door shut behind her with her foot, and sat her trunk down with a relieved sigh. Finally. She took the opportunity to look herself up and down in the mirror, just in case anything had become dishevelled. Her Bikini Kill shirt just needed a little smoothing, but the black jeans with shredded knees and her converse were totally fine. She adjusted her glasses before pulling out her phone and starting to play music by which to unpack.

🎶 Once there was an old ocean
Where anyone who saw it
Grew old with the sea 🎶

((I will get a post with Lana's roommate up soon, I promise. I'm waiting on someone to give me something their character would do before I fill out that post and I should get that response soon.))

[Emily]

"It's really just a blight upon the family name is all, to be placed in-"

The door to Arélana's dorm room swung open, and behind it came a waifish young woman carrying a box of belongings. She was tall, approximately 177cm, and much too thin for that height. Black hair hung over her right shoulder in a loosely-contained ponytail, framing a thin face with a small, pointed chin. Her eyes were dark as well, and mirrored a sort of exasperation that could only come with years of dealing with something problematic.

The man who came in behind her was even taller, with sharp, judgemental eyes and a severe air of class. He carried nothing but disdain, spread evenly as he sneered over the room. "-a cell."

The woman surveyed the room, noticed the things on Arélana's side, and quietly sat her box down on the opposite bed before straightening her clothing. She was wearing a simple white, hip-length blouse under  a black jacket that only reached her waist. A long black skirt extended from beneath the blouse to her stylish but clearly meant for comfort flats. She gave a calm, warm smile to her new roommate before holding out her hand. "Hello, I'm Serana Vuthlari. You must be Arélana."

The man would hardly let the other girl's response escape before beginning to dress down the entire establishment, even as two men dressed like servants came into the room carrying even more boxes and sitting them atop the bed Serana gestured to and leaving just as quickly. "Look at the size of it. There's not even any space to study! You really must have some standards. " He scoffed.

"I apologise for him," Serana would continue to Arélana. "This is Ythel. He's always like this, but I promise he means well."

"Like hell I do. Come now, it isn't too late. We can pay any fee to keep you from being required to house up with... people." Somehow, that last word was delivered with enough dripping scorn that a Disney supervillain would blush. He quickly stopped when she turned on him. "That's quite enough. You're being rude to my roommate now and I cannot allow that. Do you have anything more to contribute?"

"No," he said with a harrumph, straightening his tie and leaving. "I do not."

Serana followed him out into the hallway, "Ythel."

He turned, only managing to get out half of a "What is-" before she had wrapped her arms around him for a hug. They stood there quietly for a few seconds before she spoke again. "Thank you."

She knew what all of this was. Ythel was mean, sometimes even cruel to others, but it all came from a heart of gold deep within him, one that cared deeply for his younger sister, even if he could never admit it. He'd always been there for her, pushing away the things that he thought would hurt her in the end and watching over her when he thought she wasn't looking. He wasn't always right, but he cared. Serana let him go before giving him the smile she knew he craved. "You're my favourite brother."

He scoffed, but placed his hand on her head, trying to hide a smile. She had never referred to him as her brother before, at least in her memory. "I'm your only brother. Have fun with your new palace, Serana."

Ythel was already a few steps away before Serana realised what had happened. He had always given her insults instead of calling her by name. "Hey-" she began to call out, but he merely waved over his shoulder. Stifling a smile of her own, she re-entered the room and closed the door behind her. "I'm so sorry."

She crossed to the trunk she'd brought in, from which she pulled a small, framed picture of Faye and sat it on her study desk, then a small laptop to take a place next to it.

[Rea]

Jackie

The lounge room at the base of the building wasn't super crowded, but new and returning students kept coming and going enough that he found it difficult to focus.

And of course, he was focusing on none other than darts.

He pulled his hand back, and with an grumpy flourish, threw it into the ten point area.

Oof.

"You're gonna poke someone's eye out," came the annoying voice of his sister, who had already moved in and unpacked.

Jackie rolled his eyes and turned to her, saying in a gravely voice, "Then I guess it's a good thing YOU'RE here, huh?"

Rea flipped to the next page of her medical diary with a grin. "Yep!"

Jackie cooled off slightly. He didn't actually mind his sister being here. Somehow she always seemed to skate on by his bad moods like an ace. She was a freshman, and he was supposed to show her the ropes.

He guessed it could be kinda fun.

"I'm nervous about my date!" Rea exclaimed, kicking her foot.

It wasn't hard to imagine Rea already having a date. She was so bubbly, and let negativity roll off her shoulders like a waterproof parka in the rain. He looked at her deep red ponytail, blue eyes, and her unassumingly cute medical coat. Brains and beauty. He grimaced to himself.

She looked at him nervously. "Will you go with me?"

Jackie's face darkened, but he turned from Rea so she wouldn't see it. He twirled another dart in his hands as he considered how to get out of this subject gracefully. If it had been anyone else, he'd have snapped. Shouldn't they know better than to suggest I start dating again?! No! Never again! But this was Rea, and she didn't know everything. Finally finding his mouth, he threw the dart and said, "I don't think bringing your big brother on a first date will leave a very good impression."

"But it's my first date with a grownass adult!!" The high-pitched tone of her voice made him turn again. She was hugging herself, flushed almost as red as her hair. "What if it becomes something real?"

Jackie walked over and sat next to her, giving her a smile. "Now that's ridiculous. You just got here. Don't be thinking about walking down any aisles, alright?" He reached up and pushed a bit of her hair back behind her ear. "Have a little fun, will you, squirt?"

Her expression became less nervous, then she grinned. "Okay!" She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. He patted her on the back with a fond smirk--and then his eyes flashed across a new student with some bomb shades. He was carrying some boxes, and another guy followed behind him with even more boxes.

Rea let go to see who he was staring at. "He's cute!" she said.

He's loaded, Jackie thought, brains whirring in plots. He leapt off the chair and dashed across the room on the rich kid's heels. He reached him presently and took the top box out of his arms. "Hey! Need some help?" he said with his best friendly grin. "My name's Jackie. I'm a junior here. You?"