<span style="font-weight: bold">"Welcome again, to the Monster Academy Ethardia, The Sanctuary among Humans!"</span><br/><br/>Emily lowered her paper and sighed with relief when the applause started. She turned to look at a short old man off to the side of the stage for approval, yet his subtle nod barely registered and his grunt of approval could barely be heard over the clapping. She bowed awkwardly as other teachers took her place to give further instructions and she scurried off stage to his side.<br/><br/>"Mr. Koseki, I'm glad you could join us for the opening assembly." she said with a smile.<br/><br/>"This is another of my duties, Miss Robertson." he grunted, "Looks to be a fine bunch again this year."<br/><br/>"Yep!" she chirped, yet her eyes danced over the crowd and her nerves took over. Ryu placed a firm hand on her shoulder as if to become the rock that supported her shaking frame.<br/><br/>"Relax, child." he said opening an eye. His beard shifted as he gave a slight smile, "You wont get eaten again this year. You don't have to be so nervous."<br/><br/>"Oh, um, yes." she laughed nervously, "I know that. I'm just a little.....um."<br/><br/>"Jumpy?" he finished, "You really need to learn to relax. It's not common knowledge among even the staff of what you are, let alone the students. You're just a monster like us who is really good at her Human transformation."<br/><br/>"I...I don't like lying to everyone." she whimpered.<br/><br/>"They are here to learn how to co exist with your kind. I would say you are here for the same reason, are you not?" he asked. She gingerly nodded, "Then we will both make it work regardless of what happens. Don't worry so much. You'll start getting wrinkles at around two hundred years old. It happened to me because I worry to much as well."<br/><br/>"We don't live that long, Mr. Koseki." She giggled, "But I see your point." Emily took a breath and sat down to listen to the rest of the speakers in turn. Hopefully this will be a good year.<br/><br/>-------------------------------------------------------<br/><br/>Cecilia nervously tapped her elbow, her arms crossed over her chest. The assembly seemed to take forever, but even though she had a decent amount of patience, it was wearing thin because she felt stressed. It was an odd feeling, one hard to describe. She was anxious for her first day of school, worried that her assistant was getting her dorm room set up correctly, and she was stuck sitting between some odd creature she had never seen before and the wall of the gymnasium.<br/><br/>She found herself staring. It was taller than her, obviously male, yet he sat in the small folding chair lazily, with his tail and wings hanging on the floor. His clawed, left foot was resting on his right knee and his arms were crossed over his school uniform. He looked like he was going to fall asleep at any moment.<br/><br/>"Hey!" she snapped in a whisper. He snorted and bolted upright, his chair creaking beneath him.<br/><br/>"Oh, what?" he replied, wiping the drool from his mouth.<br/><br/>"I'm Cecilia. What are you?" she whispered, "WHO are you! I meant to ask what your name is!" she turned red at the slip of the tongue and it sounded disrespectful but the winged creature beside her didn't notice, or didn't care.<br/><br/>"I'm a Gargoyle." he whispered, "The name's Drake Masters. Nice to meet you."<br/><br/>"Likewise!" she said with a smile, then seemed confused, "Aren't Gargoyles those statue things on churches and old buildings? I didn't know they were alive!"<br/><br/>"Most aren't." he simply said, "Some are just sleeping." he paused for a moment, glancing down at her over his thick arms, "What are you, if you don't mind me asking." Cecilia turned a deeper shade of red. She was good at hiding her wings and Holy aura, but she had been told that Angels were regarded as being quite rare on Earth and highly revered by most. She as on two minds about saying it.<br/><br/>"Me? Oh...not much....I'm just an Angel. Nothing spectacular." she said nonchalantly, trying to play it off but Drake's expression was frozen in was seemed to be an uncertain smile.<br/><br/>"No, really. What are you?" he asked, "I'm asking seriously. It can't be that bad. This is a place where no one is judged, right?"<br/><br/>"But I really am an Angel." she said. Drake's grey face seemed to turn almost a white color as he sank lower in his chair. He seemed to get nervous and kept staring at the girl sitting next to him, staring in disbelief.<br/><br/>"Father told me about your kind. Messengers of God and whatnot. One of the highest revered beings known to mankind." he whispered.<br/><br/>"Your Father told you about us?" She asked.<br/><br/>"Father. As in the Priest who raised me." he said. He lifted the crucifix off his chest to show her, a large smile on his face, "You could say I'm a big fan as well. This was given to me by my father, blessed by Angels to keep my curse at bay."<br/><br/>"Oh, I see." She said, somewhat flustered about having a 'fan', "What kind of curse? Are you sick?"<br/><br/>"No, it's a curse inherent to all Gargoyles. We turn to stone during the day." he said, "It's how we sleep. At least with this on, I can attend school and actually enjoy the sun. Most Gargoyles are nocturnal."<br/><br/>"I see.." She said somberly. She was gradually becoming more relaxed as they spoke, but she finally noticed people in the crowd were staring at them now as their chatter became noticed.<br/><br/>"We should talk again later." She said, "I hope to become friends."<br/><br/>"Likewise." he grunted.