The Academy

[Diana]

After dodging cruiser after cruiser and almost throwing up in the sky, we finally arrived at the Federal Academy of Cragholven.

"Alright, get going," Alexei landed his bike on one of the many hover-pads that lined the imposing structure.

I hopped off, "See you later Alexei!" I said as I waved and ran into the building.

The academy is the most prestigious in Crusavia and ranks third in the galaxy, many students have applied but only a few ever get in. The reason for its success and acclaim is the quality of its education and the fact that students who pass their entrance exam don't need to pay any tuition fees. Hence why most people call students from the academy "National Scholars," since the academy is funded and maintained by the government. I was one of the lucky ones since I barely passed the exam, but that doesn't mean I'm stupid or mentally impaired. Only a select few who apply and take the entrance exam actually achieve the top 3 positions, those who do however, receive a generous allowance for their first year in the academy and specially selected tutors for the duration of their selected courses.

The academy's design was inspired by Crusavian wind-collectors and is, itself, a gargantuan wind-collector. The building collects the energy and momentum of the wind and uses it to power the entire structure. Aside from that, the academy makes use of solar panels and a crystal reactor which powers majority of the building.

The once busy halls were almost empty with only a few students roaming about and teachers headed to their classrooms.

"I'm so dead," I thought to myself as I raced to my classroom. The worse part was that my classroom was at twentieth floor and Alexei dropped me off at the ninth floor, so I have to climb 11 flights of stairs. By the time I would have reached my class, the teacher will already have started her lecture.

"Why couldn't they have invested in elevators or something, not those useless escalators," I said to myself as I hiked my way up the stairs.

~o0o~

By the time I reached floor 20 I was already out of breath and ready to collapse. I panted all the way to my classroom, Room 204. I knocked on the door before entering and to my surprise the teacher hadn't arrived.

"I told you she'd be here first!" A boy at the back hollered, "Give it here."

The guy seated next to him gave him two bills, his face twisted with pain at losing a bet.

A few people greeted and waved at me and I greeted back at them before heading to my seat.

"For a second I thought you'd be absent today," the guy next to me said.

I chuckled, "In your dreams Bertie."

I got my bag off and laid it on the floor.

"So, how long have you guys been waiting for Miss Wurtbon?" I asked.

"Almost 15 minutes actually," a blue-skinned Svaltese replied.

"She's never been this late," I powered up my Holo-band to browse the net while we waited.

As I scrolled through different articles, mostly about the Imperial Tour a few weeks from now, the classroom door suddenly burst open. I quickly close my Holo-band, while my classmates scrambled back to their seats as the teacher entered the classroom, her heavy footsteps echoing across the walls.

"Well, it seems you idiots had some fun while I was gone," she sneered as she laid her bag on the teacher's desk, "Right, get your textbooks out and turn to page 175!" She powered glass board behind her and began writing her lesson for today.