Chapter 2: Infiltrating the Academy

•National Science Academy, 1st Ward

Ana

Anastaise stood face-to-face with the large gates of the 1st Ward's Academy. An Academic Institution reserved only for the brightest and the best. Passing the exam to get in is hard enough but what makes the academy really exclusive is the fact that the exam is only open to the residents of the 1st Ward or those from other wards with a special scholarship.

Children of powerful politicians, rich companies, famous scientists, and influential people flock to this academy each year in hopes of passing the entrance exam.

The students from the academy are given full internships in laboratories all across the sanctuary as early as their first year

Most students graduate and become famous prize-winning scientists. "I heard graduates from the academy get discounts everywhere they go! It's such a prestige!" She heard someone mumble from behind.

Ana stepped inside the giant cobblestone gates that marked the start of the academy grounds. She felt her heart thumping in anticipation as the leaves crunched beneath her feet as she walked. On this autumn day, her thoughts turned scarlet and gold, welcoming in the fresh cool air and fragrance of the season. She looked up, at the red and orange hues of the leaves, the foliage above could be my infinite dreams of scarlet and gold, playful in the soft light, colors ignited for all who care to see.

In short, it was beautiful, it gave her hope that perhaps things would go smoothly for her. The academy's buildings featured Victorian architecture, with shapely windows, painted iron railing, colored bricks, and octagonal towers and turrets to draw the eye upward. It was a magnificent sight to behold as if she was transported to the 1800s.

The official classes will be starting tomorrow, but some students have started gathering to prepare for the new school year and settle in their respective dorm rooms.

She looked at the class schedule she received from RAQCI. They had pulled some strings and made sure she was in the same classes as her target. Going as far as being in the same dormitory building.

"Alright! Let's do this!!" She whispered to herself as she made her way towards the main building. "Class 1- E" Her schedule read. She breezed past the 1st year classrooms but didn't seem to find her class.

"Excuse me, do you know where Class 1-E is?" She asked a girl who happened to pass by. The girl looked at her with disgust. "Class El? The class for losers?! Do you think it would be on the same floor as our classrooms? It's by the annex building." The girl briskly walked past her as if not wanting to have anything to do with her.

"But where is the annex building?!" Ana tried to ask but the girl was already out of sight.

Class for losers? Why would the son of the most powerful person in the sanctuary be in a class for losers?

She pushed the thought away and decided to look for the administration office instead to pick up her school uniform and school ID. 

She walked through the halls, towards the administration office. Along the walls, she couldn't help but notice the vast array of paintings that lined the walls.

Paintings were a rare sight to see these days and each of them cost a fortune. The people of the sanctuary seemed to have long abandoned painting and other forms of art for science and engineering.

These days, art was solely computer generated. They were programmed and calculated, losing the soul and ornate allure of true art.

She glanced at the different artworks decorating the walls, as she passed, each of them coated with a thin, bubble-like substance that keeps the painting inside from eroding or damaging in any way. It keeps the artworks in pristine condition for the years to come

It was interesting how the scientists formulated something so amazing. Things corrode when rust reacts with oxygen. Thus, eliminating its oxygen supply keeps the artworks in pristine condition.

She soon reached the admissions office. Contrary to her expectations, only robots populated the room. A robot half her size approached her and started scanning her from head to foot.

"Ms. Anastasia Moreau, Class 1-E, Dormitory Einstein, room 307" It announced in a mechanical tone. "Follow me." The robot ordered and started walking to the side of the room.

Ana followed and stepped onto a platform with a full-body mirror surrounding her. Except, Ana in the mirror was wearing the school's uniform. A white button-down blouse with a black necktie and a black skirt to match. Instead of a blazer, she wore a white lab gown reaching her thighs.

As if magically, the platform around her started to shine. 2 Robot arms projected the uniform from the mirror onto her body, and instantly her clothes transformed into the school's uniform with her nameplate on her left chest.

"Anastasia Moreau of Class 1-E you are to wear your uniform at all times while you are on school grounds." The robot stated as it gave her a tablet. "You will have 4 more pairs of uniforms in your dorm when you arrive and you can access the resources for class on that tablet."

"You will be staying in room 307 on the 3rd floor of the Einstein building. Please follow your respective dorm rules and avoid staying out after curfew." The robot announced as it guided her towards the exit.

"That will be all for now. Congratulations on your enrollment here at the National Science Academy." And the robot pushed her out of the room in a hurry as if it had something more important to do.

"Well, that was quick." She said to herself as she stood outside the door flabbergasted. It didn't even take 5 minutes.

Despite the Victorian architecture, the inside of the building was filled with the best technology. As expected of the best academy in the sanctuary.

***

She walked towards the Einstein building. Now with the help of the school map on her tablet.

As she passed, she couldn't help the scrutinizing gazes of the students. She wondered if there was something on her face.

Upon closer inspection, she noticed that, unlike the other students whose name plates were carved in gold, hers was in silver.

'It must be because I'm in Class E. The girl from earlier did say it was a class for losers' she thought to herself. She couldn't help but find the thought immature. 

She started hearing hushed whispers about her. Ana ignored them and continued walking. She couldn't care any less about them talking behind her back. This was not part of her mission. She shouldn't waste needless energy on such trifling matters.

"Hey! Excuse me! Wait!" A voice called from behind her. Ana wasn't sure if the girl was talking to her so she kept walking.

"Wait!" This time, Ana turned around. But as she did the redhead tripped causing the cup of coffee on her hand to spill on Ana's newly obtained uniform.

"I'm so so so sorry! I wasn't looking where I was going and you suddenly stopped. And then I tripped because I'm such a klutz and I'm so sorry!" The redhead rambled as she tried to wipe off the stain with her sleeve but it only made it worse.

"It's fine hehehe," Ana replied. It really was, she had another 4 pairs of uniforms back in her dorm room according to the robot and getting the stain from her uniform off wouldn't even take a minute if she went to the school's laundry room.

"How about you, are you alright...miss Liliana?" Ana asked, looking at her nameplate. It was silver just like hers. It must mean Liliana was in Class E as well.

"Oh yes, I'm fine. This happens all the time. You can call me Lily by the way or Ana or Liliana. But Lily is shorter so that's better HAHAHAHHA I'm sorry I ramble a lot when I'm nervous" Ana couldn't help but smile at her cuteness.

"I'm Anastaise. Call me Ana. Are you on your way to the dorms? We can go together if you want."

Lily nodded fervently and they pivoted toward the Einstein building together.

"I'm so glad I met someone from Class E! The people here wouldn't tell me where the classrooms or dormitory or cafeteria or admissions office was!"

"Really? Why do they have something against us?" Ana asked, genuinely confused.

"They have this superiority complex over people from our class. The classes are based on your rank during the entrance exam. Meaning those on the top are in Class A and us at the bottom...well we're in Class E. They think we don't even belong in this school."

"I see, so there's discrimination based on academic intelligence here?" Ana couldn't wrap herself around it. 'Why were people being belittled just because they didn't score high on the entrance exam' she thought to herself. 

"Yup! But the Class rankings change every month. Sometimes Class B becomes the one on top. The school thinks it's some sort of healthy competition among students but it gives way to a LOT of bullying"

They reached the entrance of the building and were about to enter when water splashed onto them from above. Ana clenched her firsts in surprise and annoyance. They looked up and they saw a group of girls chuckling at them.

"Losers like you don't deserve to be here. Just drop out!" One of them yelled.

Suddenly eggs and tomatoes bombarded them from all sides. 'Did they just wait here to attack people from our class? Well, that's impressive,' she thought. 'To have that much determination…just how long did they stand there carrying a bucket-'

Her thoughts were cut off when she noticed Lily trembling, clearly about to cry.

A blonde-haired girl suddenly appeared from inside the building. Her golden hair appeared to sparkle when the sun hit it and her ocean blue eyes seemed to glow under the sunlight. Despite her dainty appearance, she wore an arrogant smirk on her lips. 'She must be those typical Queen Bee characters I read in novels!' Ana thought to herself.

"Now, now," she started. "We shouldn't say such mean things to these poor academically challenged students. Their inability to grasp basic concepts must prove to be quite a big hindrance. HAHAHAHAHAH" she laughed maniacally.

Ana stared at her dumbfounded by how immature her words sounded. To be honest, she had quite high expectations for students from the National Academy of Science, it was after all, the most prestigious school in the sanctuary. Now, she was just disappointed.

"Annika, look at those poor girls. I don't think their tiny brain understood a word you said" Another girl with raven hair called from behind. 

"Oh you're right! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Let me translate it for you idiots to understand: you're stupid!" The blonde–apparently named Annika explained. 'Wow, how immature.' Ana thought

The blonde walked toward her, egg in hand. "Leave before I make your stay a living hell"  She looked at Ana from head to toe in disgust before hitting her head with the egg, causing the yellow yolk to drip from her hair to her face.

SLAP

The sound of flesh getting hit was so loud it resounded across the building's front yard. Ana slapped the blonde across her face.

"Oh! I'm sorry my hand slipped" Ana chuckled, giving the blonde her prettiest smile.

"Y-you! HOW COULD YOU?!" The blonde fumed. "MY FATHER IS THE MINISTER OF CIVIL AFFAIRS! HE WILL HEAR ABOUT THIS AND-"

Ana stopped herself from pushing things further. She was supposed to be undercover, after all. Standing out like this would be bad. 

"I really do apologize, my wrists have been hurting lately. I don't know what happened! But you're right." Ana said in a warm, comforting voice.

"What?" Annika asked, her hand still nursing her swollen cheek. 

"An idiot like me is extremely lucky to be here." Ana explained.

"You got that right! You don't deserve-" the raven shouted!

"Yup! I really don't."

"You shouldn't prance along these halls pretending like you're one of us!" Annike screamed. 

"Won't even think of it."

"Well, uhm…at least you know your place!" Another girl shouted.

"Mhm! 100%! " Ana said with a smile.

The girls looked at her with a mixture of confusion and uncomfort as they started to scutter away. 

"Emily would have done a better job at this" 

"Why did she have to go on vacation? We don't know what to do without her" The girls whispered as they left. 

'Emily? Who goes on vacation at the beginning of the school year?' Ana shook off the thought and headed inside the dormitory.

'no distractions'