Welcome to Gaia! ::

They forgot how much they hated school. Rozenne had spent his entire summer in complete bliss, running through the fields and catching those cute bud familiars, soaking up the sun and doing whatever he pleased. He had spent practically from dawn until dusk exploring the outside world, navigating every nook and cranny of the Academy grounds and the surrounding area. He had lived every moment like it might be his last without really understanding why. As soon as the new school season had started, Rozenne was suddenly all too keenly aware of why he had enjoyed his summer with such abandon.

School sucked out his life force.

It wasn't that Rozenne was stupid, or that he struggled to form friendships, or that his teachers called him a "difficult, troubled student". Rozenne just didn't fit the school template. He didn't learn well in a class room setting, struggled to work in groups. He needed to use his body to in order to learn. His physical form needed to be involved in some way. Yes, his grades were bad, and yes, Rozenne was prone to fighting with the other children in his grade. It was draining. Exhausting. And now ...

Heh. This was Rozenne's first year in an assisted learning class.

Rozenne didn't feel like he belonged. Then again, the hybrid didn't feel like he belonged in the other classes either. Perhaps that was why Rozenne had squirreled himself away, hidden under the stairs to get away from the teachers, his new classmates, and the caretakers fussing over him. He didn't want to be found. He didn't want any more attention on him today. Rozenne already felt terrible enough without the adults trying to make sure "he was adjusting well to his new schedule". It was like a kick in the ribs. Rozenne wasn't stupid. He knew what was going on. After all, he was in his last year before his junior years would begin. Rozenne was at the age where children started to question and second guess adults. And Rozenne was questioning everything.

Resting his chin on his knees, Rozenne fiddled with the dampening charm around his neck, a subtle blue flash spreading across his skin, adding moisture to his naiad scales to prevent them from drying out. How long could he keep hiding? How long would it take for a caretaker or some other student to find him?

Rozenne could feel his whole body freeze up as he saw the glowing green of an eye appear at the opening under the stairs, the brilliance of of what looked like purple fire. The boy sucked in a sharp breath as a chill ran up his spine in terror, a scream dying in his throat as the entity got closer, squishing their way under the stairs with him. Rozenne was at a complete loss for words, his limbs locking up in fright. The boy was convinced he must be in a nightmare. But as the seconds passed, Rozenne felt his shoulders relaxing and his arms drooping back to the floor, no longer clamped tightly around his knees. In the darkness Rozenne watched the flickering fire, his eyes travelling upwards as they landed on the face the glowing eye belonged to.

Oh!

It was just another kid. A hallowed one, at that.

Rozenne let out a breathy, quiet laugh of relief, but quickly the boy slapped a hand over his mouth as he heard the clicking sound of heels on the floor. They stopped right infront of their hiding spot, and Rozenne -- without asking permission, which he really should have -- grabbed the other child and pulled them in closer. If the adult saw their glowing tendrils or the toxic green gleam of their eye, Rozenne would be busted.

It wasn't until the feet started to move again and the clack, clack, clack of their heels were far enough down the hall that Rozenne let go of the other student.

"Phew!" Rozenne welcomed the moment of reprieve, letting their relief show plainly in their voice. "Sorry to grab you so suddenly. I wouldn't have done it if I didn't think I had to. Hopefully I didn't freak you out?"