Year 945, day 221, Elfen City, Elfen Basic School, 9 am.
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A large bell rings to commemorate the freshmen entering the Elfen Basic School. The site has a diameter of approximately two and a half kilometers, divided into very well organized sectors, namely: market sector, education sector, culture sector, bedroom sector and leisure sector; having in the center of everything, a tower with a big golden bell. The exorbitant size is due to the fact that all children in the city are enrolled in it, regardless of their social status. This very large school is built almost like the rest of the city: by a smooth, clean and uniform rock; besides the architecture — windows, corners, etc. — rounded. Its difference from the rest of the city, is the richness in details of gold and marble of different types.
The leisure sector contains several sports fields and a large grassy free area, full of trees. In this place is Agnee, playing ball with his hands next to his colleagues in a field, being part of the team of "with tunic". The objective of the game is to hit the ball between the opposing team's goalposts — they call this goal — and each team has seven players, one of whom is the defender who tries to prevent the ball from passing through the goalposts. In the two teams, team with and without tunic, the eye colors of all children are quite varied; blue, gray, green, brown; has a little bit of everything and everyone has fun playing together.
Everyone in the match is dirty with dirt and some children surround the field to watch the game, as Agnee skillfully uses her powers on the ball, throwing them with absurd force or bending them at impossible angles for the goalkeeper to catch.
— Is this kid really a sophomore? — Comments one of the children who surround the match.
Agnee is in the opponent's field, surrounded by 5 other players. To get rid of his opponents and receive the ball, he jumps two meters from the ground, emitting a strong downward current of air. The child raises his hand and yells without looking back:
— Pass it to me, Rapha!
Even though she can throw the ball to the other children who are free, Rapha makes a strong throw to her friend in the air, who easily catches and throws into the goal with all her strength. On the way there, the ball curves right and down, passing very close to the post and entering the goal, leaving the goalkeeper without reaction. As soon as he falls to the ground after getting the point, Agnee runs to his teammates and all seven embrace.
After the game is over and having already changed clothes in the nearest locker room, the children say goodbye and Rapha goes with Agnee to the freshmen welcome hall. The two friends chat as they walk through the leisure sector towards the culture sector. They wear Elfen's sophomore school uniform, a suit, with purely white trousers and jacket and a white vest with gold accents — but only Rapha wears black gloves.
— Dude, you are very good at hand! That windy jump of yours would never imagine that you already have power at that level. While I can't do anything right with the stone ...
— Calm down ... You soon get better soon. You can't compare with me. I train every day since forever.
— Yeah, I know, but ... I wish I could do something like that too!
— Ah, that you will achieve. What you will never achieve is to be better than me. Since I'm awesome. — He says, laughing.
Laughing even more, Rapha replies:
— Truth!
Trees and grass begin to lose space for the solid, smooth stone floor. A huge building is surrounded by other small buildings around it. Between two marble pilasters — fifteen meters high and four meters wide — is the entrance gate.
Arriving in the hall, the two sit in the last row, far from the stage, to watch the presentation of the new children. The row they sit in is empty, but the hall is full of students, some in the same uniform as the two, others in completely white uniforms and others in more golden uniforms.
— Just remembering is embarrassing! — Rapha exclaims.
— Truth! You were the representative in our first year ... Of that huge group of us, there are only us left. Sad...
— Stop talking like they died! You stopped talking to them because you wanted to! I play with them every day normally.
Agnee looks down, thoughtful.
— It is strange to continue talking to someone who is not in your class. It seems wrong, I don't know ...
— Sometimes I forget how strange you are, Agnee. If I go to another class next year, will you think I died too?
— There is no reason for me to think about it ... We will never be in different classes! As my father says, it is destiny!
— Oh, sure.
An old man's finger pokes Rapha's back. Looking back, he sees that his teacher is asking for silence. The gray-haired teacher wears a gray suit and a black uniform shoe, as do all the male and female teachers.
— Be quiet, you two! The presentation will start in a few minutes. — Says the teacher.
The vacant chairs around the two friends, in an instant, are filled by other children in the same uniform as the two. A girl with short, brown curly hair, shoulder-length, sits next to Agnee, leans forward — entering his view — and says:
— How long, Agnee!
The child is slightly startled by the surprise and replies:
— Sarah? — Upon seeing Sarah, his old friend, the boy looks around and recognizes many faces. — Patrick? Drigo? Drey? what are you doing here? All together like this. — Says Agnee, looking from side to side.
— We never stopped walking together. You who abandoned us, donkey. — Drigo says, sticking out his tongue.
Embarrassed, with red cheeks, Agnee replies:
— For us, it's not on purpose.
With an insightful and sarcastic look, Rapha replies:
— Um ... So it's not on purpose, right?
— But leaving that aside, what have you been doing, Agnee? — Question Patrick
Laughing, Drey adds:
— It's Agnee, tell us what our noble friend has done!
— I am noble too, see? — Adds Drigo.
— To your surprise, I have just been training and coming to school. Last month I went to the city of Mercy with my family, but other than that, I did nothing.
— Wow, what a painful life. — Makes fun of Drigo.
— You guys are still boring, right? — Says Agnee, smiling.
Of Agnee's old friends, only Sarah has the blue eye. Drigo is metamorphic, so he has a green eye, just like Drey. Patrick has a gray eye, as do many other children in the room.
Again, the teacher fights with the children again.
— Silence, second year! It's about to start.
First-year children go on stage, nervous and shy.
— Remember us there? — Asks Agnee.
Later that day, after the presentation of the first year, the children leave the presentation room together, talking while they go down the grand staircase.
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— The presentation of the freshmen was cool! The rep was so cute. — Says Sarah.
Drigo jumps in front of his friends and says happily:
— Tomorrow we will know which class we fell into ... I hope we will be together again!
With a sad speech, Drey replies:
— The sad thing is that one of us will end up alone this year ...
Sarah argues excitedly trying to improve the mood:
— Teachers know we are friends, they will not be so cruel!
"I wait..." ,thinks Sarah.
"It will be so cool all together again ... I forgot how I like my old friends. I think that because Rapha was always here, I ended up not missing the rest." ,thinks Agnee.
Agnee raises her arm and asks a little embarrassed:
— Guys, how about reading some comics? The culture sector library has many comics! I found that out last year. On the fourth floor, near the stairs to the fifth floor, there is an entire corridor just for comics!
All children are perplexed. Sarah supports Rapha's left arm and Drey's right arm, and asks questioningly:
— Ohoho ... So now the nobleman also likes comics? For this I did not expect!
Agnee looks up for a moment, thoughtful and then says:
— Sorry people, but actually I can't go anywhere today. My mom comes to get me! You know she never came for me so ... I can't miss it.
Friends rejoice at the novelty and look at each other's faces.
— I never thought that the end of the bet would be so soon! — Sarah exclaims.
— Finally we will know who will win ... — Says Drey.
— I'm still sure that his mother is a bizarre dragon! She will land here any minute and take Agnee away. However, before he goes he will destroy the school and kill us mercilessly. — Drigo comments, looking at the clouds.
— I think she is a normal and very fragrant mother. — Says Patrick.
"Very fragrant? Why did I say that? Aaah ..."
Around Agnee, the air is distorted by heat. The edge of his sleeves starts to singe slowly. He looks down in a rage and asks:
— Guys ... What the fuck are you talking about?
The friends start to laugh seeing the reaction of Agnee.
— Take it easy, mommy, it's our bet. We never saw your mother so we created theories hahaha! Relax, just play. — Says Sarah.
A carriage passing by the smooth stone street, in front of the staircase where the children are. The carriage is blood red, with golden wheels and guided by two well-groomed and strong horses.
The elemental butler who guided the horses, gets out of the big carriage and opens the door for a beautiful blue-eyed lady to descend. The elegant lady wears a dark red low-cut dress, next to a matching robe with yellow edges. While walking wearing a sneaker, her long, wavy blond hair, almost silver, reflects the strong sunlight. The beautiful woman raises her arm, delicately calling for little Agnee.
Rapha pats Agnee on the back, saying:
— Run there! We know how happy you are with this!
With the slap, he propels himself emanating wind from his body and, in a single jump, lands in front of his mother.
— I really am! Even more people!
The simple lady waves to the children as she turns to enter the carriage with the child.
— Mom! — Agnee hugs her tightly with a big smile. — I'm very happy you came to get me! I love you!
She looks at her son affectionately, stroking his head. The two enter the carriage. Then the butler closes the door and takes the horses' reins.
As he sits down, Agnee is surprised by a hard slap on the face, given by his mother.
With his eyes already filled with water, he asks:
— Why did it?
The fury on his face makes the child shiver. She brutally grabs Agnee's cheek, pulls her face close to hers and replies:
— I thought it was just a mistake, but are you really hanging out with these people? In fact, not only walking, you are a friend of scum! Mom is very disappointed in you ... I always said! Always said! Don't befriend the scum! They are not worthy of our family. Were all these years in vain? Didn't you learn anything, son? What I do — Agnee cuts her off, answering:
— I'm sorry mom! Don't talk like that!
— Silence! We will talk to your father.
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Year 945, day 226, Elfen City, Elfen Basic School, 14h.
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Professor Anny had explained the role of each member of the class in a large-scale war. The teacher before her, explained how Elfen's agriculture works and what to do if they come to work with it. The classroom has twenty students, separated by individual desks, among these twenty students is Agnee, Sarah and Rapha, all in silence paying attention to the class. The side wall is almost entirely made of glass, as well as the ceiling that contains large windows, all for good lighting; the floor of the entire school on all five floors, consists of a white marble floor, always well polished and clean.
With the bell ringing, the teacher says:
— Time to go! See you tomorrow, dear ones.
Agnee gets up and goes to the exit door of the room, without speaking to anyone but the teacher. Upon seeing his friend leaving like this, Rapha and Sarah call him worried:
— Agnee!
The child looks back with a drawn and tired face.
— I can't talk today. Excuse...
Sarah runs over to Agnee and, before he gets through the door, she grabs his arm and asks:
— What happened? Are you sick? We'll go with you to your uncle! Hold on to me.
— Let me go! — Agnee takes her arm out of Sarah's hands — Sorry. I can not talk now. — He says as he starts running.
Everyone who was still in the room was confused by what happened, especially the boys, since Sarah is one of the most beautiful girls in school, with her skin as dark as night.
— What happened? — Rapha asks.
Sarah remains silent, thoughtful.
Hours later, Agnee is already inside her castle, with a sad look and red eyes, meeting her mother.
In a flowery courtyard, maids water the land and care for the plants. In the center of the courtyard, Agnee's mother is drinking afternoon tea, wearing a simple white dress, very different from when she picked up her son from school. Head down, the child goes straight to talk to his mother.
— How was it, son? Did you find your friends?
— Two of them were there, Mrs. Carol.
— Did you play with them a lot?
Agnee lowers his head, shaking, and replies:
— No. I said I was busy and I came home.
She grabs him in an emotional and loving hug, saying:
— Very well son! I'm so proud!
The boy's sad, lifeless look dissipates with those words.
— Mom! — Says Agnee while hugging her mother in a strong hug.
Carol steps away, holding her son's shoulders.
— I am very proud, but still need to talk to your father every day, for classes.
— Teachers say different things to my father ... Does he really tell the truth?
Hearing this, Carol quickly turns around. She asks as she makes crying sounds, sobbing:
— You ... Do you doubt us, son?
Desperate, hearing his mother cry, Agnee exclaims:
— No mom! I would never doubt you! Teachers don't know anything. I'm going to see Daddy now, don't be sad!
His crying stops abruptly. She hugs him smiling, saying:
— Thank you, son. Now go with your father.
The child lets go of his mother and heads towards the exit, after being tapped on the butt.
The Fogo Family Castle is located on the edge of the city, so it has several exits, both inside the city and outside. The boy and his father, Wagner, find themselves on one of the exits out of the city. A few meters from the gate, the forest already blocks the view of the horizon. Both wear dark red wool overalls and boots.
— What are we going to do today, dad?
Wagner answers him seriously:
— To hunt.
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Year 949, day 230, City of Elfen, Basic School Elfen, 14h.
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On the first day of class, Professor Pite had explained about the geography of the continent and the basic history of each country. The teacher before him, explained how Elfen's sewer system works and how it was made. The classroom has 20 students, including Agnee and all of her friends: Rapha, Drigo, Sarah, Drey and Patrick. Agnee is sitting in the first row in the first row and her friends are sitting together in the middle row in the last row.
— Finally, in the last year, we are all together. — Says Sarah.
Drigo raises his arm, puts his hand on his biceps and says:
— It seems that the teachers finally gave the arm to cheer!
— Stop being shameful ... — Drey exclaims. You don't want to embarrass yourself even in the last year, right ?!
Scratching his head, Rapha comments:
��� Anyway, I'll try to talk to him today. Now we're all together, he's going to get excited.
Patrick gets up, and asks in disagreement:
— For what? Seriously? Last time he was super bad with us. Not so long ago ... I haven't considered him my friend in a long time, since his first breakthrough. If he returns to our group, I will leave.
All friends agree with what Patrick says.
— You don't have to be friends with him. I just want to see if he's back to normal.
— OK. — Patrick answers.
With the end of the discussion, the bell rings.
Rapha gets up and walks over to Agnee, who is still sitting with his notebook.
— Hello Agnee. How much time! — Rapha says, waving to his old friend.
— Hi Rapha! Good see you! — He gets up and responds excitedly. — See you later, I have intensive training today.
"Wow, I think he's back to normal ..."
— It's all right! I have to go home early today too, I'm going with you to school, okay?
Laughing, Agnee replies:
— Sure, let's go. Try to walk fast, I'm really in a hurry!
— It's all right!
In the hallways of the school, Agnee starts the conversation.
— Ah, Rapha, I'm sorry for not treating you with due respect that time. — Smiling, he adds. — I was confused and still didn't understand how to treat my elemental companions.
Before his friend could answer, when he turned at the corner of the stairs, an old acquaintance of the two bumps into Agnee. His name is Jadshi, a gray-eyed boy, who is in fifth grade, a year behind the two. Upon hitting the tall, thin Agnee, Jadshi apologizes by saying:
— My bad! Good thing we weren't running in! Haha ha!
The feeling in Agnee's eyes is palpable, a mixture of contempt and hatred. Enraged, he replies:
— "My bad!"? Don't you dare touch me and still talk to me, trash. Get out of my sight!
Shaking with fear, Jadshi walks quickly, with his head down.
— What was this?! — Rapha exclaims.
— It is not? There are people who don't understand their place. I'm glad I have a known Elemental like you to keep me company! Anyway, shall we?
"What the fuck is this? After all, am I still an acquaintance?"