Cracking The New Kids Shell

[Where am I? How did I get here?]

[Where do I belong? What is my purpose?]

Julian: That building... It seems as though fate wants me to go to that building. Like theirs, something there for me

[The moon shines brightly in the night. Julian stares at the moon with resentment]

Julian: No longer will you be my "guiding light"

The students return back on campus enjoying their time off from class. They soon receive a message that a new student will be arriving at the campus

Nadia: I wonder who the new kid is?

Grace: I think the new student is gonna be really cool

Nadia: You think so sis?

Grace: Yup

Erica: Hopefully they'll be a worthy challenger

Emmanuel: Does it always have to be about sparring with you?

Erica: You got a problem with that?

Lionel: Well you do crave confrontation, which explains your aggressiveness

[Erica grows agitated]

Erica: No one asked you Wildcat!!!!

Garvis: Settle down students, settle down. I know your all anxious about meeting the new student but he hasn't arrived yet. He'll be here later this afternoon

Elaina: So it's a boy

Emmanuel: Hey, the more the merrier

Nadia: Hopefully the new kids a good person

Lionel: He's probably a zodiac

(Huh?)

Emmanuel: What makes you say that?

Lionel: Look around, every single one of us is zodiacs; won't be surprised if he is one too

Nadia: You do have a point there

[Knock, knock!]

Elaina: Someone's at the door, I bet it's him!!!

[Professor Garvis goes to answer the door]

Garvis: Hello? Oh you're here; we've been expecting you

Julian: Huh!? Who me!?

Garvis: Class, I'd like you to meet the new student; say hello to Julian

[Hi]

Julian: Um, hello, nice to meet you all

Erica: He looks like a wimp

Grace: That's not very nice

Emmanuel: That was uncalled for

Erica: I'm just calling it like it is, right Lionel

[Lionel staring into space]

Erica: WILDCAT!!!

Lionel: Huh, oh the new kids here. Nice to meet you, I'm Lionel

Julian: I'm Julian, nice to meet you

Nadia: Well he seems nice and well mannered

Grace: So Julian, where you from?

Julain: Um... Well...I'm not from around here

Erica: Neither are any of us. We were all gathered around to come here

Garvis: Now settle down class, there will be time to get to know about the new student. For now, let's focus on our work

[Julian takes a seat in the back row. Lionel contemplates about the new kid's demeanor]

Lionel: Hm, he seems very flustered on his first day

Elaina: Wouldn't you be on your first day at school?

Lionel: I guess, but not the way he is. Like nerve-racking, jumpy flustered; like he's keeping us in the dark

Elaina: Maybe you're just overanalyzing the situation

[School bell rings as lunchtime begins. The students make their way to the cafeteria. Julian becomes overwhelmed by the crowd.]

Julian: So many people... Where do I sit?

Elaina: You can sit with us Julian

Julian: Huh, Elaina is it?

Elaina: Yup, me and Lionel sit over there. The rest of the gang will join us shortly

Julian: The rest of them... I'm not sure about that

Lionel: I get it, not used to large crowds are you?

Julian: Yeah... you can say that

Lionel: No worries, you'll get used to it. Guess your mentor didn't spend much time teaching you about hiding your powers amongst the public

Julian: Huh!!!!

Elaina: Lionel, how did you know!?

Julian: That's what I want to know

Lionel: It took a few observations but I was able to put two and two together. First I noticed when nervous your skin gets dryer and begins to harden. At first, I thought it was a condition or maybe some defense mechanism but then I also noticed your backpack has stickers of crabs all over it. Another coincidence that I figured you were a crab lover but what really sealed the deal was your left shoulder. You seemed injured at first but really you were hiding your mark of the crab. The sleeves are kinda see-through if your wondering.

Elaina: Wow, you managed to get all that before lunchtime

Lionel: Hey, I'm an observant person. Theirs more than meets the eye

Julian: It's true, I am a zodiac and I am cancer

Elaina: There's nothing to be ashamed of. We're all zodiacs

Julian: You are?

[Lionel and Elaina show their insignia's to Julian]

Julian: Than we're very alike

Elaina: Exactly, but why try to hide it?

Julian: Cuz... I'm hiding from my mentor?

"Huh, what do you mean"

[Lionel leans in]

Lionel: Who is your mentor?

Julian: Her name is Serene; the moon goddess

Elaina: I've heard of her, her work coincides with Apollo. 

Lionel: Not sure I follow

Elaina: Apollo is the sun god so he rides throughout the day as daytime while Serene rides through the night to control nighttime.

Lionel: Makes sense, so why hide from her?

Julian: Serene found me as an infant, shortly after my mother passed, she took me in. From there, we formed a contract that would make me a zodiac. But instead of helping control my power Serene has forced me to suppress it. I spent my days trapped within the bounds of my home

Lionel: Well that's not a fun way to live

Elaina: Why would she do that?

Julian: She fears that I'll lose control and go rampage. One day I went outside to the park and walked past a cemetery. There I noticed two people defiling various tombstones. When I went to stop them I noticed they were defiling my mothers and that's when I blacked out. Serene later told me that those boys were killed and the cemetery was destroyed only my mother's tombstone remains intact in that area. Since then I never made contact with the outside world.

Elaina: Oh Julian

Lionel: But you left, you realized that was no way to live

Julian: Huh

Lionel: I completely understand the pain you felt seeing your mom being disrespected. Though it didn't give you the right to kill them anyone who loves their mother can sympathize.

Julian: Lionel...

Lionel: Serene decided that the best option was to hide you but how can you improve as a person if you're secluded? The fact that you're here shows that you're improving. Your past may haunt you but they do not define you. Remember that

Elaina: He's right, you can't dwell on the past

Julian: You two speak with great confidence, the confidence I may never obtain

Lionel: Bullcrap, it's already in you; you made it all this way here shows that you have confidence. You just need to find out what do you want to fulfill in your life

[Tears trickle down Julian's face]

Julian: Your words have moved me, Leo, I am grateful 

Lionel: Hey, that's what friends are for

Julian: Friends?

Lionel: Of course, from here on out you and I are friends and I'll help in any way I can

Julian:...

Julian: Thank you

[Nadia secretly eavesdropping in the corner. A smile grows on her face after hearing Lionel and Julian bond]

Nadia: Well that's Lionel for you, somehow he leaves you feeling secure like things really will get better

[The rest of the gang make their way to the cafeteria]

Emmanuel: Boy I'm starving, what's for lunch?

Lionel: Who finally showed up for lunch?

Emmanuel: Aye, Lionel, and Elaina 

Erica: And Julian is with them

Grace: Let's join them

[Julian feels the warm embracement brought by the zodiacs. The feeling of having companions alongside him is nothing that he's never felt before]

Julian: So this is what it feels like to have friends... I like it