Alpha & Beta

Location: Western Academy.

“Why? Why did it have to be this way?”

“This may be how we are fated to be.”

“But… but I wanna be with Anna!”

“Gwen, I’ll be fine.”

“What if that cow beside you tries something weird? Like yesterday?”

“Cow?!”

“Just shut your trap and hurry up! Or we’ll get late for class.”, Lilly dragged away a desperate Gwen by her collar as if she were some luggage bag.

“No, no, no! Annaaaa!!!”

Gwen’s voice faded as she was dragged away further from us down the hall.

No later we ourselves were in the hall way. Our classes started from today onwards. And as expected, everyone had been divided into four classes. The thing was that we hadn’t been informed prior, what our classes were. So the only way we could find out was today, by checking the name lists that hung on the front of each class. Mine and Sophie’s turned out to be 1-B. Gwen and Lilly seemed to be in another. **I hope they fall in the same class**.

There were other students hanging around, some in the corridor. It felt like students were just super bowled into classes instead of using the already available hierarchical system, which I was still to know about.

“Shall we?”, Sophie said from behind, pointing towards the classroom.

The class looked like a small theater. (A lot smaller than what you just imagined.) The seats were placed in a way that the one behind was higher than the one in front. That way you didn’t have to worry about someone taller than you blocking my view by sitting in front. **Neat, wonder who came up with this idea**.

In the very front of the classroom was a big writing board, and a slightly elevated platform with a table by it’s corner.

"Grrrr-roooosss! That half breed’s in my class..."

"What's she even doing here in the first place?"

"Pour soul, just 'cause she passed the entrance exams, probably by coincidence, she thinks she can go in par with us.... Hahahaha!"

"Hey look at her badge. It's blank!"

The ramblings started, much to my expectations. Trying not to give a damn I opted to find a suitable place for me to sit. And a place did I find. A row to the very back right of the classroom, close to a window, my seat glittered under an imaginary spotlight. **Sweet.**

< < > >

"Alright everyone, please take your seats. We’ll be starting soon", said a bearded man dressed in a white shirt. He was evidently the teacher assigned to our class.

We obliged and took our seats.

He put down a book on his desk, then laid his hands on it. He smiled at us as he turned its pages, simultaneously scanning through the whole classroom.

"He looks so hot! "

"Right? I’d definitely smash..."

I heard some girls squeal.

“In case you aren’t aware, I'm just as new here as you. So let's not get shy and get ourselves introduced.”

**New huh?**

“I'll start. My names Napoleon Whirlwood”, he said with his palm embracing his chest. “I was an ahem, former Knight of Heaven.”

What’s a Knight of Heaven doing here? I was sure I had never seen him before. I guess none of us have.

“No way! The Legendary Napolian?! The one that defeated a dragon almost bare handed?” One boy shouted much to his surprise. So did everyone else.

“Hmm Hmm”, the teacher nodded in response.

Everyone including Sophie who was sitting next to me, let out sounds of excitement. Guess I’m the only one that couldn’t identify him.

“Enough about me. Now tell me about you. I’ll start from the first row. You there”, He pointed towards a girl who was sitting in the right corner of the very first raw.

.

.

.

“…, and I hope we would get along well.”, saying so Sophie sunk back into her seat, smoothing her skirt down.

I didn’t realize it was already my turn to introduce myself. After looking around for a brief moment I gulped down some of anxiety and stood onto my feet.

“I’m Anna Spineswood”, I continued. “I’m half elf, and I love trees. Umm.. thank you… **I guess.**”

I sat down. I think I had a blank expression on my face. Suddenly the class began pouring with laughter.

“Seriously? Trees?” Sophie asked with a confused look.

“Yes. Any problem?”

I still don’t get why liking trees isn’t normal. They are really amazing, you should know.

The teacher smiled looking in my direction, then moved onto other students.

Finally after the introductions were done, the teacher took another look at us once again.

“Quite an interesting class I’ve got”, he responded with a satisfied look on his face.

“Ok then, let’s see… looks like you’ve got Alchemy.” He looked at time table pasted on the top right corner of the board.

“Ah, that’s my subject. I’ll be your alchemy teacher too then”, he said smiling whilst scratching the back of his head.

**Just how much did he smile? He might be a really cheerful guy**.

“And the more we get to see you… hehe…”

I heard some girls who were in front of me openly fantasizing about our teacher. Nothing to be surprised since he does seem a good looking fellow. **Ugh them and their fantasies…** I’ll never understand these things.

“Since today’s your first day, why don’t we skip the class and I’ll explain you about how things run here?”

Saying so he picked up a piece of chalk and drew two circles on the board. One he labeled as ‘ALPHA’ and the other ‘BETA’.

“Some of you may know this, but for those who don’t”, he pointed with the chalk to the circles. “These two are constitutes that this school’s entire hierarchy of students is based on. Alpha & Beta. Now take a look at the badge you’re wearing”, he now pointed the chalk to us. “One of the two words given here may have been imprinted on it.”

We looked at our badges. Some smirked, as if knowing what it meant.

“Look Anna mine’s Beta.”, Sophie said showing me her badge.

"What's your…s?"

Her face changed into a whole exclamation mark when she saw the blank badge that hung on my blazer. I did notice this before and thought it may have been a mistake. So I didn't think much about it. I should’ve.

"Why isn't there anything on it?"

"Maybe they gave me a dud? It's normal for one or two to be forgotten with such a large amount made, right?"

"It is but. You know what let’s ask Mr. Napolian."

"No wai-"

"Sirrrrr, excuse me! Our Anna here has got a blank badge!" Sophie shouted through the classroom.

Everyone looked at us, then her, then me. Everyone looked at me. **Why do I keep attracting so much attention all the time!**

"Ah I was waiting for you.” **There he goes with that smile again**. “I'll explain why it's blank.” **Does he seriously have an answer for everything?**

“But before that I’ll tell you why and how you have been divided into two types”, Napolian sensei said after giving me a slight glance.

"Wait. So does that mean it's not a defect?", Sophie hushed to me as she sat back down.

"We’ll find out soon", I replied. It wasn't like I cared much for it.

"This system of dividing students had been first introduced by the third god of heaven, Mego Megotron. It’s a system created to separate the weak from the strong, though it doesn’t judge whether you’re good in academics or not. It’s solely based on how much mana points you’ve gained during the entrance test. I think you’ve already caught the wind of that by now.”

To enter this college you must at least have a mana intensity over a 100. It’s the method used to measure ones ability in using spells and the sort. Then that means…

“Those that are marked Alpha”, our teacher continued. “Are those that scored a mana intensity above 500. All others bellow, fall under Beta. I’m sorry to say this on your first day but, only Alpha are allowed to participate in inter-school competitions. There will also be many more Alpha-only clubs like the Knights of Heaven club and the student council, to point out.” Everyone looked really invested in his words, including myself.

“Fear not for those who have been marked a Beta. You have many more opportunities too. You will able to participate in school tournaments, just not inter-school ones. Now don’t get upset either, as I said earlier it’s just based on the division of mana strength.”

This didn't seem like a hierarchy at all. Even though it was, when it came to using magic and physical strength it didn’t seem that the school would be treating us unfair. Based on the classification it merely consisted of a few restrictions I guess. We still had all our dorms together.

I remember Gwen had something starting with “A” written on her badge, making me automatically assume she would have been an Alpha. **I would be surprised if she wasn’t one. I wonder what badge Lilly got**.

“Oh I almost forgot. Hey you, girl with the blonde hair?” The teacher reached out to who probably I assumed was me. “Curious to know why your badge’s blank?”

“Who me? Uh-”, I asked back pointing a finger towards my self.

“You should know you’re the only one having a blank badge not just this year, but in this whole school. All of you should be really lucky to be in the same class as her”, he said proudly looking around.

“This girl here scored above 1000mana points. That’s not even her exact score either. How was that not possible you ask? Because the mechanism used to measure mana broke apart.”

Every one looked at me once again, this time dumbfounded rather than irritated. Sophie too joined them with her jaw hanging.

I recalled the day of the test. The moment I placed my palm on the big white crystal, it shattered into pieces. I really tried my best to hold back, but I couldn’t. **That thing was so fragile...**

“Were you the one that broke it? No wonder my test was postponed”, Sophie uttered in amazement.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to”, I replied.

“Oh no no no problem. Heh heh heh,” she giggled anxiously. “I got some more practice time anyways.”

“Her badge defines she’s neither an Alpha nor a Beta.”, Napolian sensei firmly concluded.

What does that even mean? I guess I’m unable to join any clubs as I’m neither of them. So much for school

“I can’t accept this.”

“How could a lowly half blood be so strong.”

“This has to be a scheme.”

“I heard she’s from the Spineswood family…”

“Really? Aren’t they like bakers?!”

I didn’t know whether they knew or not. But elves have exceptional hearing. So I could hear everything they were whispering. It sometimes gave me headaches.

Among the growing hate, it was good to hear some appreciations here and there.

“Hey isn’t that cool?”

“I would like to be friends with an elf.”

“Never seen one before.”

“She seems so tall even girls would fall for her.”

“Yoo dude look at them big boo-”

**Oh-kay, that’s enough! Uhh... I’m going to get a headache.**

“Right children, that’s all for today. Guess it’s almost time for your next class.”, Napolian sensei looked at his wrist watch. “Any more questions you want to ask before I go?”

“Um sir.” A short haired girl in the middle row spoke out. “You said you were new here right? Then how come you know so much about the system?”, the most obvious question we all had.

“Oh well”, Mr. Napolian put the chalk he held, on the desk. “This was my alma mater.”, he said with a smile that flashed his teeth.