6 year old (February-SY102)
Today is the first day of school. There would be no normal class though, it would be more about welcome addresses by the headmaster and student representative or student council president, as well as class introduction in each classroom.
...
In the noisy auditorium some time before welcoming address by the school headmaster.
"Sena~"
"Huh??"
I suddenly got hugged from behind.
"R-reo..?" I turn my head trying to look behind.
"So we are going to the same school after all~ Exactly like my prediction."
Hmm? Did she make prediction like that before?
"Get off. You are heavy."
"Muuu, you are rude. Don't say a girl is heavy. As punishment it's tighter hug~"
Reo starts hugging tighter while leaning herself against me. She is actually a little bit taller than me, so it is my body supporting hers.
"Fine fine, you are not heavy at all. So please get off. Look, it's going to start soon."
We sit on chairs next to each other during the whole welcoming speech.
Parents are to sit in separate section behind student body seats.
...
Now some explanation about the academic system in this academy.
First, a class consists of up to 15 students having the same age at the time of starting day of academic year, that is February 1st. Each class have their own classroom with a teacher in charge of it. Also each class are named with the name decided by the class teacher.
Rather than class, it's more apt to call it a same age study group with the class teacher acting as some kind of advisor. There is no such thing as moving up a grade in this academy, so you are stuck with the same class, classmates, and class teacher for the whole academic life. It's said that the philosophy is for everyone in the class becoming something like family with class teacher as the guiding parent.
The main class activities starts at 9 in the morning and ends at 12 noon. Further divided into 3 periods of 45 minutes class time plus 15 min break.
The first 45 mins class usually reserved for something called homeroom class. Students are expected to take on some tasks during this time like cleaning, day duties (like organizing classroom, watering plants, or feeding class pets), taking attendances, and organization of some class events or maybe intra-academy events with other classes. Though it's all really depends on the class teacher discretion.
The next 2 periods are for classes in math, English, science, or social study like in typical school. One thing different would be that the content level in the academic periods usually adjusted depending on the class' students ability.
Compared to typical schooling system, this system may seem short and insufficient. That's because outside of these 3 periods, there might be more classes assigned by class teacher. Usually classes like arts, physical education, family sciences, world languages, and others are assigned outside of hour 9-12 period. Though this is also with class teacher's discretion.
There are a lot of discretion on the class teacher part. They are highly responsible nurturing students growth in this academy, so I guess if something goes wrong, they are the first to be blamed.
...
After the long welcome speech, the student body is told to go to the respective classroom. New students like me are told to stay in the auditorium so our class teacher or senior classmate can fetch us.
"Umm... are you two Reo and Sena?"
A girl with blonde long hair around our age approaching us1My image of her character is someone like this character.
"You are??" Reo asked the question first before me.
"My name is Vivian Eiselstein of 6 year old class Gabriel. I'm asked by the class teacher to guide you two to our class."
"Ah, my name is--" "Wait. Let's go to the class first. We will have to do self-introduction later anyway. So let's do together in the class later." Vivian cut short Reo's introduction.
...
Guided by Vivian we arrived at our classroom. Above the door into the classroom there is a sign "6Y-Gabriel", I guess it refers to the class students' age of 6 year old and the class name "Gabriel". Waiting for us three inside are 9 other kids our age.
Inside the classroom is quite big and colorful, there are 6 big tables each with 4 variously colored chairs, so there should be enough for 24 students2My fuzzy image of the classroom is something like this. There should be at most 15 students in each classroom according to school regulation (read a bit before), so there will be at least extra 2 empty tables.
"Ah, Vivi, welcome back. Are these two the last ones?" Said a pale-blonde haired girl in twintail approaching us.
"Yup. Then Reo, Sena, let's wait for the class teacher to come."
While me just glued to reading, Reo started chatting cheerfully with the 2 girls as well as several more girls. Some boys aside of me also seem to be having their own discussion.
Waiting for a while until the teacher arrive.
...
Soon after a young woman enter the classroom and stands in front of the class.
"Okay everyone~ Be quiet please. Especially girls over there. We are starting class soon."
"Yeeess~~" reply Reo and her group of chatting girls.
Everyone then starts sitting down on their own chosen seat. Reo herself sits next to me with other 2 empty seats in the same table filled by Vivian and the twintail blonde haired girl.
"Nice. Then let's start the introduction first. Though some of you probably already introduced yourself to each other. I am Greta Ficcini, class teacher of this Gabriel class. My hobby is cooking, so maybe sometime I will share my cooking with you guys and girls, please give feedback okay~?"
"Teach's cooking is delicious and she always make a lot, so don't be reserved having a second everyone." said one of the boys.
"Ben is the one eating it the most though. So everyone else can never have a second." said Vivian towards the boy.
"Hey Vivi, that's not my fault. Everyone just eat too slowly."
"You are the one eating too much."
"Now now... no fighting in class first day. Let's move on, who want to introduce yourself first?"
"Then, please let me, Ms. Greta." the pale-blonde twintail girl welcoming us in the classroom raising her hand.
"Okay Mari, go ahead."
"My name is Marielle Anna Crawford. Please call me 'Mari'. My hobbies are..."3My image of her character is like this character
Like that everyone start introducing themselves.
If only it's just that, it would be fine. But I notice some names in the class appeared in character biography in the game of previous world. The game centered around the protagonist and his comrades aboard a new federation (space) battleship with new experimental prototypes of ANGEL MECHA. Some of the said protagonist's comrades' names are in this class roster.
First is Vivian Eiselstein, she was one of the ace MECHA pilot of United Earth Federation military. She is, coincidentally or not, also the main heroine in the game. Being the daughter of a military officer, she adored her father and enter the military school to follow her father footstep. There she meets the protagonist.
Then, the one first welcoming us and introducing herself in the class, Marielle Anna Crawford. Best friend of Vivian, she also enter military school together with her best friend. In the game, she was medical doctor active on the vessel her best friend in.
Another one is...
"Hello everyone~ I am Reo. Reo Leyford. My hobbies are eating sweets, hugging Sena, playing with my little sister, and swimming. Let's get along everyone~"
Hey! Only the last one is a legitimate hobby you know. Also please ask permission for the second one.
Yes, Reo Leyford. The girl clinging close to me since the first time we met. She also happened to be a daughter of the influential Leyford Family. In the game, she acted as one of the ship bridge officers before becoming the ship captain later on in-game. But still, it's a little bit strange. In the game, her character was supposed to be quite strict and cold yet...
*nudge*
"Mm?" I got nudged by Reo.
"Sena it's your turn."
"Ah, sorry."
It seems I got a little bit lost in thought again. I stand up and start introducing myself.
"My name is Sena Rayfield. My hobby is reading, especially something related to MECHA and prototyping. My dream is to build my own really cool MECHA one day. So I'm studying hard to do that."
"What will you do with the MECHA once you build it?" Asked one of the boys.
"Ride it, of course."
"Oh so you are going to be professional MECHA Suit pilot?"
MECHA Suit or MS, is a term for manned usually humanoid MECHA often of 5-25 meters height.
"I have never thought it that far, but maybe I will."
"Maybe...? So you just want your own MECHA Suit? Can you just buy it?"
"That won't do. I want the coolest MECHA in the world. Ordinary ones won't do."
"Ooohhh, I want to ride the coolest MECHA in the world! Let me ride on it once you build it!"
Like that our introductions end, and we start making class organization, like who is supposed to be the class representative also schedule for the day duties. There is also welcoming party for us who just entered the class.
Originally there were only 5 students in the class including Vivian, Mari, and the apparently glutton boy called Ben, who entered the class at the same time the class was formed a year ago. So we are organizing welcoming party for the other 7, including myself. Little time left is for cleaning up the classroom.
...
Since it's first day which is supposed to be introduction only, we are allowed to go back home once we are done with cleaning. Though we are told to come back here later at 13.00 for the welcoming party.
But before going back home, I need to go to Ms. Greta.
"Hmm? What is it Sena?"
"Ms. Greta, when can I take graduation exam?"
Like its name, graduation exam is what you take if you want to graduate from the academy.
"Huh??? So suddenly?? You want to graduate already?? Even though it's only one day. Can't you enjoy staying here a little bit more?"
Though graduating is the main and usual goal for graduation exam, there is another use of the exam.
*shake shake* "Un~ it's not like that. I want to take courses from affiliate college."
"Ah, I have heard about it, but Sena is really a diligent boy. If that's what you want then, I will ask the headmaster when the next exam period is."
"Is it still long? I want to quickly learn how to build real MECHA."
Since all this time I have only been playing with miniatures and prototypes.
"Oh it is about your dream isn't it?"
"Un"
"Although you can't gain the course credit, if you like how about auditing the course instead?"
"Auditing course?"
"Yes, while there are limits to what you can do in audited course, you should still be able to learn something. If you like I can write a recommendation for you to the teaching professor. Your entrance exam grade is really satisfactory too, so there is no problem with one or two recommendation letter. How about it?"
"Then Ms. Greta, if you please."
Like that I'm getting one step closer to realizing my dream.
.
.
.
"By the way, our academy also has its own MECHA club. Would you be interested in joining?"
"Eh?"
...
(1)My image of her character is someone like this character
(2)My fuzzy image of the classroom is something like this
(3)My image of her character is like this character
I am a little scared and really curious about the reason why Reo is cold when is more old. I can't help but think it's because the character Sena has taken the place dies and turns her heart cold. I thought of that because it's highly possible that the main character / protagonist exists just like in the game world and will encounter MC and the girls.