Idols and Fans

Annabelle collapsed in a heap when she heard the voice announce that they had all passed.

'What in the world? I know I didn't complete the required number of laps. What's with this lame test anyway? From what Cass, Marc and Jazz were saying I thought that this was going to be a super difficult task. Also, why didn't I see Dora, I thought she was supposed to proctor the physical test.'

She was deep in thought when Kirsten came up from behind and tapped her shoulder.

"You ready kiddo? The final exam is going to start soon, please actually pay attention this time, it's the one that dictates whether or not you actually get in, all other tests aside, if you fail this next one you're going to get booted."

Kirsten threw an arm around Annabelle's shoulders. "I don't know what god of luck you prayed to, but for Ashley to get put in charge of keeping records of the laps run instead of Rou or Dora, you struck gold."

Annabelle turned tomato red when Kirsten brought up paying attention to instructions, but nodded her head in agreement, silently swearing she would walk around in circles if need be.

As they followed the other attendants and examinees out of the room and into yet another hallway, Annabelle started wondering about the next test.

'The physical test was super easy, it was almost as if they didn't care if anyone got cut or not, how hard could this next test be? Also, it's specific to our program of interest? Please don't be that we have to attend formal dining or interact with each other. I don't think I'd survive if I had to interact with the other examinees, especially not after they all saw me fail the easiest physical exam in the world, just because I slept through the explanation of the test…'

Annabelle dragged her hands down her face, looking around she saw a few attendants talking to their examinees, once and a while a few would look back towards her with incredulous faces.

"Did the other attendants not know about me falling asleep?"

"Nope, the only examinee we get information about while you are in the test, is the examinee we are assigned at the beginning. Though the examinee can choose to tell us what happened when we come to pick them up. Which is why my classmates are now looking back here as if you've grown a second head. I really can't believe you fell asleep and slept through the announcement for the test." Kirsten looked at the young girl beside her, not exactly sure what to make of her.

"I didn't mean to fall asleep; I just closed my eyes for a few seconds and next I know the announcer for the test is calling me out, and the physical is about to begin. By the way, why was the physical test so wimpy? I mean I kept hearing it was going to be this big ordeal, and all we have to do is run a certain number of laps within a limited time frame?"

"That's because Dean Acott was in charge of them this year, he said that diplomats don't need to be physically fit to the extreme and so he made the test easier than Dean Fresor would."

"But why would Dean Fresor make it difficult? Scientists don't need to be combat ready or anything like that."

"You say that but sometimes research materials can only be found in hazardous areas. Right now, a group of alumni are back in the city, they're legendary for finding hard to access materials, everyone in the research program worships the ground they walk on."

"You don't sound too impressed." Annabelle noticed that she spoke about the research program's worship of the alumni sarcastically.

"The alumni were always causing trouble while they were still students. Apparently one-time Professor Naet caught one of them trying to falsify grades. Plus, nowadays when they get in trouble it's the diplomacy program's alumni that have to bail them out."

"That sounds awful." Annabelle had a very bad feeling. "What are their names?"

"The team's name is Gem, there are three members. The leader Jazz Walker, he's also an ace pilot. The lead scientist position is held by Marc Pool, and his younger sister is the technician, and backup ace pilot, Cass Pool. They're great at what they do, but they tend to attract trouble."

"Hahaha." Annabelle laughed nervously. "So, the students in the diplomacy program dislike them?"

"It's not that we dislike them, it's just that since we don't worship the ground they walk on, the science students tend to get angry with us. Afterall we treat their 'idols' as if they were normal people. It's not our fault that the research department is practically filled with psycho fans."

"Oh…"

'So, it doesn't matter if the diplomacy program finds out that those three are my 'guardians', but I need to make sure the science departments never find out.'

She shuddered at the thought of the supposedly overzealous fans finding out that she was in contact with their obsessions.

"Alright, we're here, good luck kid." Kirsten left Annabelle alone in front of a closed door. When she looked back the way they had come she could see that the other examinees were standing in front of similarly closed doors, waiting for them to open.

"Everyone should be in front of their own doors. In a few minutes I will unlock them, you will enter and complete a task given to you. This is the last test, if you pass you will be given the right to enter your program of choice, if not, you will be asked to leave school grounds immediately. For those of you hoping to enter the research department, you will be given a time limit to complete the assignment, all equipment needed is available within the room."

"For examinees who want to become diplomats, your task is not timed, but if you do something incorrect you will fail in that instant. Please keep these rules in mind."

"Researchers keep an eye on the time, if you get something wrong you can retry, if you still have a few minutes. Diplomats take things slowly, you are not being timed but one mistake will fail you, so it would be in your best interest to take it slow and think about your options carefully."

A second voice came over the system. "Alright, now that you've all been coddled to the extreme. BEGIN!"