The grande schools! [JinmeiXaolung x lil angel]

Chloe's chest was still lifted, her posture still straight and tense. "Of course, thank you very much, that's very emphatetic of you to say." She smiled overly politely, though it was vastly different from her previous expressions. She then quickly looked over to the girl she know knew was Miyabi. "Thank you, Etoile, I'm incredibly honoured to have received this tour, it was truely wonderful." She bowed again, her hands's knuckles slightly white from the tight grip she had around her folders. They probably were tensing up because of the whole situation.

As Terra drifted off, Chloe shifted towards Miyabi. "That'd be very nice, Miss Miyabi. Please, if you like, I'm Chloe. Of course, only if you prefer to losen the formality a little, I'm more than happy to adjust." She smiled nicely and positioned herself ready to leave. "I'm very excited for the ceremony, I imagine it will be extraordinary, given the stunning campus and your wonderful school's status." The brunette was highly complimentary and meant it - her behavior seeming accordingly sincere.

Miyabi nodded a bit as she lead the girl down another cobblestone pathway, letting out a small chuckle, "Of course, Chloe it is. Im sorry if I intimidated you back there, in all honesty it wasnt my intention. However, If I'm not strict with our Etoile, she has a habit of trying to shirk her duties." She started to explain herself a little. She stopped moving for a moment, a fingertip placed on her chin as her amber eyes moved to lock onto Chloe's, "But...I will say this, for a moment there...it was almost like Terra had returned to her former self...I havent seen her smile that sincerely since she--no, it's not really my place to discuss it with you yet. She has to be the one to tell you about that day." She murmured softly, shaking her head a bit before continuing.

A smaller structure rose up at the end of the pathway, while still grand in architecture, in size it was the size of a small mansion. The Saint Miator Dorms. These dorms had been here ever since the school's original construction and have been kept to the top standards that beset Saint Miator all these years. Miyabi stopped short of the main doorway in and faced Chloe once again, "Now, tell me...which dorm are you staying in?" she blinked a bit, awaiting the young transfer's response.

Chloe listened carefully, being intruiged. The Etoile was such a high position to fill, Terra's incredible personality being the cherry on top. Naturally, the girl would be on the edge of her metaphorical seat to hear more about her past. However, she more than understood why Miyabi didn't choose to share any further information and wanted to let Terra speak for herself. In all reality, despite her disappointment, she commended the girl for being so respectful.

As they walked side by side, Chloe once more admired the architecture, though it didn't make her quite as giddy as it had before. She was wondering why her feelings where so different all the sudden. Of course, it could be Terra's absence, but Miyabi was nice to her as well... right? So why did she miss the Etoile's presence so much? That feeling of importance? Mhh... no, usually Chloe wasn't the girl for such things. As they stopped, the brunette had to put her thoughts on hold. "Oh, uh... I believe it was Room 042, but I'm not entirely sure. I was told it might change on the fly, as there's some organization going on and I insisted to be put low on priority. I wouldn't want an important guest or a loyal student to be inconvinienced because of me." She smiled friendly and warmly, as if to apologize for her semi-cluelessness.

Miyabi nodded a bit more as she pondered for a moment, 042? That would be on the first floor. She gave Chloe a light chuckle, and motioned for the girl to follow her, "Don't worry, we'll get you to your room. I'm assuming that you applied for a single room?" She spoke softly and her eyes softened a bit at the new girl. Something seemed off about her now, that sparkle in her eyes seemed to dissipate the longer she was away from Terra. She shook it off and started to make her way into the dorms. It looked like a hotel inside, chandeliers and various plants decorated the halls and very many doors lead down either hallway. Miyabi stopped outside of dorm number 042 and turned to face Chloe once again, "Well, here we are miss Leon. Please take your time getting ready, I can come back and take you to the entrance ceremony in about an hour." She smiled and handed Chloe her key to the dorm before starting to make her way back down the hallway.

Chloe performed some sort of half-curtsy, along with a smile. "That'd be incredibly kind of you. I have this bad habit of declining such generous offers, but I think I can't afford to mismanage time on such an event, now can I?" she said rather light-heartedly. "I'll be ready by then. Thank you again, I really appreciate it, Miss... Miyabi, right?" Again, a lovely smile flared up, directed at the short-haired girl. But that sincere... core of her happiness seemed to lack. The girl gratefully took the keys and opened the door, letting herself fall onto her bad. She was going to have to settle in rather quickly, it seemed, so she went to open up her belongings as fast as she could and tried to provide at least a basic, homely feel, quickly undressing herself to get a shower in before the ceremony.

As she let the warm water run over her body, her mind went back to Terra. She was so kind, so energetic. And beautiful too. No wonder she was the Etoile, Chloe thought. She embodied the perfectness that role requires to a tee. Embarassment crept up in the fragile brunette's body. She had been so... normal with her. Terra didn't seem to mind it, but maybe it was a test of some sort? The whole conundrum made Chloe feel stressed out again, as she stepped out of the shower and wrapped herself up in her long, fuzzy, white towl.

Terra stood behind the large curtain of the main stage, a soft breath escaping her lips as she leaned against a wall behind her. She still couldn't get her mind off that beautiful transfer from earlier, Chloe. She closed her eyes for a small moment, letting the image of her smile flood her thoughts, that wonderfully innocent smile. She felt her body fill with a very unfamiliar warmth as a hand found its way to her chest and she clutched her uniform tightly. Students were already filling the auditorium even this early in hopes of meeting their Etoile. In all honesty, there was only one thing on Terra's mind...and the familiar sting of pain as her status was revealed. She let out the breath she had been holding as straightened herself out, it was nearly time...

Miyabi had finished changing herself into the formal uniform and had begun to notify students still within the dorms that it was a half hour until the ceremony began. As she drew closer to Chloe's room she stopped for a moment, knocking on the door.

Chloe had just completely emptied out her baggage and put up everything neatly. She had dried herself off and made up her hair, which now had a very pretty, smooth looking shimmer to it as it flowed down her back. Much like Terra had guessed earlier on, Chloe's uniforms were actually custom-tailored, so she had handled them very carefully, as she didn't want to cause unnecessary wear on them. But now, she was dressed up quite formally and nicely, a pretty little ribbon now worked into her colar and hair, giving her a girly, yet proper appearance. "Comin'!" she sing-sang as she hurried towards the door and opened it with a smile.

"Right on time!" she said happily. "Thank you again, I really appreciate it." she said with a little nod, motioning towards the hallway, as she closed her dormroom behind her. "Shall we?"

Miyabi took a moment and looked Chloe over, nodding in approval at her change in uniform, "Very nice, you look wonderful." She smiled softly, stepping aside as the new girl stepped out of her dorm. Miyabi then took the lead as she made her way back to the dorm entrance and started on her way towards the gathering hall where a very distracted Terra waited to greet the new students of the year.

As the duo walked, Miyabi turned her attention to Chloe again, "So, how long did you attend Le Rim for?" She asked, her straps slowing to give the other girl time to answer properly.

Chloe smiled, appreciating the approval and made sure to flatten out her clothes once more before following the short-haired girl. "About 16 months or so. I came in two years ago, but my family had a very tough time at home... I just had to come back and support them in any way I could." She seemed a little sad remembering this, but she upheld her polite smile as they walked. "I had very supportive teachers, luckily. So, by some miracle, I managed to provide enough results to pass in about four months worth of school. Then, I just attended normally over the last year. I've been very fortunate to receive such a supportive group of people in Le Rim. And..." She smiled cutely, nodding towards Miyabo, to symbolize her admiration for this school. "I'm just as fortunate to have the opportunity to learn and study in such a wonderful environment." A speech worthy of a beauty peagant. "What about you?" she asked, sounding politely yet genuinely curious.

Miyabi gave a faint smile in response, "Me and Te--I mean, the Etoile started school here at the same time. We're in our third year now, both of us will be fully graduated...it's been a fun few years..well, we've had our UPS and downs, the Etoile more than any of us." Her smile wavered a little as she shook her head slowly, "But, today isn't the day for bad memories, but to look forward to the new ones you will make alongside your classmates." She finished her small explanation on a high note, not wanting to bring any further stress to the poor transfer. She did however have to wonder how the fabled Etoile was doing on her own though.

"I see. I'm sure you and the Etoile will be severly missed by the students." Chloe replied in a sweet tone. Could she ask Miyabi? Or was that inappropiate? No, it was most certainly inappropiate, but it unsettled Chloe so badly. "Miyabi?" she asked, her voice purposely sweet and unassuming. "I understand if it's none of my business, but... does Te... the Etoile show around new students regularly? I must admit, I was very ashamed to not recognize her, that was inexcusable on my part. But it really was a wonderful tour. Our Etoile is such a wonderful personality." Mhh... personality. That's all she saw in Terra, right? An admirable, great person... Nothing else.

Miyabi let out a small chuckle as she shook her head slightly, "You know, I don't remember the last time the Etoile went out of her way like that to welcome a student personally. But yes, she certainly does live up to her title of Etoile. However, that has come at a bit of a price for her, most people see her as intimidating because of her status and just as many avoid her out of fear that they just aren't good enough to be associating with her. And I know that sort of thing hurts her deeply." She looked over at Chloe again, her amber eyes softening into those emerald ones.

The way Terra smiled with you...I want to see it again, even if its a faint glimpse..I want to see the old Terra return. Is what Miyabi wanted to say, no beg from the bottom of her heart, but she knew...she knew she couldn't ask such a thing of a new transfer. She neither had the right to ask, nor the nerve. Instead, she lead on and within a few short paces, the gathering hall came into view. A grand combination of architecture from all three schools, decorated in the flowers of all three as well in botanical harmony. This is where the official introduction into the school year would begin.

Chloe's heartrate seemed to go up as she took in Miyabi's words. Maybe... maybe she did wrong in treating Terra so distantly respectful when she learned of her position. Her palms started to feel sweaty as she gauged the situation and was made painfully aware that soon, the ceremony would begin. "Mayabi?" she started up, rather weakly, as if she was still reluctant to ask. "I... I really don't want to overstep any boundaries but... do you... do you think it'd be possible that... That I should... not treat her so... you know... so distanced? She... She had a very captivating quality to her, I really enjoyed her company and I was more than happy to... well, I can't tell for sure, but I felt like she enjoyed mine as well... Do you think... it'd be acceptable of someone like me to... to reach out for her?"

The brunette immediately felt like a giant idiot. Here she was, stumbling over her word and asking advice of someone who had no reason to care for her whatsoever. And for what? Friendship? With the Etoile? How arrogant of you, Chloe, she thought to herself. But... what did she even need advice on? Why was she so upset at her behavior?

Miyabi's face softened visibly as she stopped just outside of the entrance to the gathering hall and looked over at Chloe, "I don't honestly know, Miss Leon. That all depends on your heart and what you feel you should do. You have a good head on your shoulders, Chloe...you being here today is proof of that. Now it's time to think with your heart." She gave the transfer a reassuring wink before pushing open one of the heavy oak doors to allow the both of them entrance into the hall.

One never would have expected it from how quiet it was just outside the door, but the hall was packed full of students of all ages and years. Miyabi pointed out a few empty seats in the front row, well practically the entire front row was empty as noone wanted to attract the attention of the Etoile herself, "Chloe, I have to check up on a few things backstage, make sure our seniors are ready for their performances as well. Have a seat in the front row, will you? It's far less crowded there!" She tried her best to talk over the volume of students, praying Chloe understood her as he pointed to the front row again. Then, she started to make her way towards the stage, slipping behind the curtain and disappearing from sight.

Chloe felt like she might have messed up. Not that Miyabi seemed to give her an angry or a discouraging reaction, but the whole mushy preaching made the brunette feel like this might have been the 'proper' politically correct answer. Chloe hoped that the girl was sincere in saying that, 'cause at the moment, all her heart suggested was to treat Terra normally. She nodded and smiled friendly towards the girl's voice, though it was hard to make out the words. "Yeah, of course! Thanks again!" she replied as she realized Miyabi was about to leave. She eyed the seats. The entire front row essentially abandoned, which confused Chloe. She contemplated searching for a seat further behind, so she wouldn't attract too much attention from anyone, or seem needy, but then she figured she might as well. The transfer student slowly walked into the middle of the row and sat down, trying to zoom out the noise in the room, so she could stay calm. Her heart was racing. 'What is wrong with me?' she thought, not for the first time today...

Miyabi soon took her own seat in the front row, looking along the seats in her section for that little Chloe. She let out a soft sigh upon realizing she didn't hear her instruction correctly and was sitting in one of the further rows. Well, maybe she'd make a friend or two up there, who knows? Suddenly the lights dimmed and a spot light appeared on the stage just as the curtains began to pull back.

There, in the center of the stage stood a podium, and standing directly behind that with a smile as radiant as the sun itself was Terra. She skirted around the podium with a few confident strides, folding her arms infront of her and giving a low bow to formally begin her welcoming ceremony. She straightened after a moment, moving back behind the podium and gently resting her hands on the corners of it, "Hello students of Astraea, it's wonderful to see so many intelligent young women here today. I know that for a good majority of you, today is your first day on these grounds, and Im want to be the first to say it; Don't be ashamed of getting lost. It happened to all of us, even myself more times that I'll ever publicly admit." She started off with a light laugh, easing some of the tension in the audience, especially of the newer students who seemed to all breathe a collective sigh of relief. She placed a hand on her chest and continued, "Now, for those of you who don't know me or what I do for Astraea, allow me into introduce myself formally. My name is Terra Nouva, Im the elected Etoile for the next two years. It's my job to see to the affairs of all three of the Astraea schools, and set the example for what a young woman can become here. From Ceremonies to Festivals, I have to organize and plan them all out alongside members from the various school committees in order to make sure things go safely and smoothly. I look forward to working with all of you this year as well!" She gave another bow before straightening herself again.

"Now, Astraea has been known as the top academy to get into all across the nation because we do put a lot of stress on our academic achievements. However, I believe that what we do as an academy only accounts for a small portion of it. Our students are what make this academy such a great place. Everywhere I turn, I see friends laughing, pushing each other forward and enjoying life together. I've seen smiles, I've seen tears and anger, sorrow and despair...and yes, I've even seen love blossom here in the academy. I've always been proud to be a part of it, and I hope that in the coming years, all of you will be able to feel that way as well! Without any further delay, I'll welcome the chairman, and head founder of the academy onto the stage." She bowed again, though this time when she straightened she let her eyes scan the audience, as if searching for a specific someone. She felt her heart sink a bit, from this distance, she really couldn't tell the students apa--Her eyes widened as they met a pair of beautiful emerald eyes in the middle section of the audience and she knew immediately that she had seen who she wanted to see since her departure - Chloe.

Chloe had been listening, sucking in every last word of Terra. For one, she was just curious what the Etoile had to say, she wanted to memorize every sentence and set a good example, make a good first expression. She clapped, much like the rest of the students once the stunning blonde was finished and they welcomed the founder. As Terra got herself ready to leave the stage, the brunette focused down on Terra, hoping she'd see her - And she did. Did... did Terra's eyes widen a bit? No... she must have imagined it, someone as collected and calm as her... But... what if?

What if was something Chloe didn't want to risk in this moment. As the students still upheld their united applause, Chloe raised her hand a bit and waved towards Terra, with a slightly insecure but sweet, genuine smile. She was praying the Etoile wouldn't be offended at her antic. The last thing Chloe wanted, was to give the girl the impression she didn't respect her position enough - she did. But, afterall, Terra herself spoke of all these wonderful things - helping, loving, friendships... It couldn't be so bad... could it?

That small gesture was all it took to make Terra's heart leap. she bit her lip as her cheeks turned a crimson shade and she waved in response. A small, subtle wave - but it was still there. She stepped back behind the curtain, immediately pressing her back against the sturdy wall for support as she struggled to catch her breath. Tears welled up in the corner of her eyes as she smiled to herself, that pounding of her heart such a welcoming sound in her eardums as the only thought that rushed through her mind was, She waved to me. She smiled at me...! D..does that mean she won't be afraid to talk to me anymore? She tried to calm herself down, tried to weigh in the "What if" possibilities as well. But, just knowing that Chloe was waving to her, even if it was just for that moment was enough for Terra. After a few moments she was able to collect herself again and start making her way back out of the gathering hall once the main performances were over, with any luck she might run into Chloe again....

Miyabi watched her Etoile's carefully, smiling to herself as she watched the visibly flustered Terra walk off the stage in as calm a manner as possible. Maybe she looked calm to the people around her, but for someone like Miyabi who had been at her side for years, it was easy to tell she had gotten very excited about something. The rest of the performances were nice, a song by the choir club and a few skits and improvised scenes from the drama department. There were even a few beautiful musical numbers written and played by the various musicians around the campus. All in all, it was a nice entrance ceremony and Terra had done her job well. Though, knowing that girl, she had already left the building as soon as the last performance ended.

Chloe's face had lit up once she realized Terra had seen her and even mirror the gesture. The girl was incredibly relieved to see that the Etoile seemed not to be offended whatsoever. A sense of fondness was in her motions, making her every move seem springy and engerized. The brunette felt surreal. Not only did she run into the Etoile on her first day, no...she seemingly had become her friend. Her heart felt heavy, but in a good sense, like it was loaded with joy.

Once the performances were done with, Chloe politely clapped alongside the other students, but then quickly rised from her seat, trying to scan whether or not Terra had come on stage for the final round of crediting applause. No sign of her. She felt a little bummed out, though of course, she understood the demanding scheduele for someone like Terra. A little disappointed, Chloe made her way through the students that were still clapping and talking. Though she didn't exactly feel depressed, she didn't feel too happy either and wanted some alone-time right now. Chloe headed towards the exit, not paying much attention to where she was going...

Terra rounded the corner from the side of the building and towards the main entrance for the Hall when she nearly bumped into a familiar figure. She took a quick glance and blinked a moment, then she felt a smile cross her lips as she regained her own balance rather swiftly, "Chloe....?" she spoke in a soft voice, just loud enough for the other girl to hear her. Then she saw the girl's eyes and knew she definitely bumped into the right girl, "You know, sweetheart...if you want my attention you don't need to run me down. Simply calling my name would suffice." she teased, placing a hand on her hip in a bit more of a relaxed posture. She shook her head, trying to keep any negative thoughts from entering her mind and then brushed a few bangs away from her face, "How has...er...well...Were you able to settle into your dorm okay?" she tilted her head abit, sapphire orbs keeping a genuinely interested look behind them.

Chloe immediately stopped and lifted her head, her large eyes widening even further as she realized whom she had almost run into for the second time now. "Terra!" she said, unintentionally excited. 'Sweetheart'... Chloe's heart sunk as she heart Terra call her that. What the everloving hell was wrong with her? She blushed, her untanned skin showing that quite quickly. "I'm... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to... I..." She fumbled over her words, not knowing what to say. Everything seemed either like it wasn't enough or like it was too much. "Yeah, thank you... it's... very beautiful there... I like it a lot. The whole school's just... wonderful... I've..." Her mind raced - Should she give this a try? "I've actually had so much inspiration, I started up a painting already..." A weak smile formed on her lips. She had no idea if Terra was appreciative of art, but it was worth a try... right? "If you like... I could show you..." Her voice trailed off, becoming quieter and quieter. "Sometimes, I mean... I know you must be... very, very busy..." Chloe added, in an apologetic tone.

Terra couldn't help her smile as she listened to the flustered young woman. She let out a soft chuckle and nodded, "I would be honored to see it." Her voice was soft and reassuring, like a warm blanket on a cold day. As she looked at Chloe, it was almost as if everyone around them had disappeared, she couldn't care less about what anyone else thought or said at that moment. Then, as if she were trying to further reassure the poor girl she took out a small paper with her checklist of things to get done before the night was over, she paused as she let her eyes scan the paper before folding it neatly and slipping it back into her skirt's pocket, "And I do have a fair amount of downtime. Would...it be an imposition to ask that I spend it with you?" She felt her own cheeks growing warm again, though she tried to downplay it as much as possible. Her voice had softened at her previous question, almost taking an embarrassed and shy tone with Chloe. It was certain that she did want to spend her time with Chloe, but...only if the girl wasn't so intimidated by her presence...

Chloe had fixated her eyes towards the ground after her last sentence, expecting rejection and feeling embarassed by her foolish invitation. As Terra exclaimed that she'd be honored to see it, Chloe blushed further, her face feeling hot. However, when the girl explained that she was free and would indeed like to spend time with Chloe, the brunette's head went up, quickly, her eyes large and her mouth slightly open in surprise. "Really?" she asked, like a stupid, astonished child. "I mean... yes, of course!" she now happily replied, feeling excited and giddy, her face lighting up with an incredibly warm smile. "I'm... very happy! And of course, honored..." the last sentence was true, though it was a conflicting one. Her tone implied she meant it 'cause Terra was the Etoile, but in reality, she simply was happy this wonderful person seemed to like her back. "Sh... shall we?" she asked, wanting to get out of sight of everyone but Terra. She felt a strong urge to be alone with the stunning blonde, wanting to be her friend and not just some shy, dumb girl for once.

Terra held out her hand for Chloe, nodding an agreement as she smiled brightly, "Sure thing, lead the way~" she chirped. It took everything she had in her to keep from jumping up and down with the glee that was now surging through her. Someone was actually going to just hang out with her, just to spend time together. She couldn't have found the words to express her joy even if she had looked in a hundred dictionaries. This was a truly ground-breaking moment for her. For Terra, leaving this crowd behind couldn't happen fast enough...she wanted the chance to be alone with Chloe and her mesmerizing emerald eyes. She decided to gently slip her hand into Chloe's, gently intertwining their fingers with a satisfied smile, "You're in the Saint Miator dorms now, right? Which room?" she purred softly, cheeks still a little flushed, but more from the fact that she couldn't stop smiling.

Chloe couldn't stop smiling herself, her green eyes lighting up and looking livelier than ever. She took in a deep breath, bracing herself to start their walk, as Terra's hand touched hers. She gasped a bit, the touch making her shiver, but in such a good, pleasing way. After her initial surprise, she relaxed and squeezed Terra's hand a little bit, as if she was trying to make it clear she never wanted to let go. "Mhm, that's right. 042, it is." She pulled Terra, fearing she seemed to inactive. Nothing Chloe did seemed good enough to her, but she was sure as hell trying to be normal and fun to be around for the gorgeous blonde. "It's still a little bit messy though... Just a heads up warning." she said, smirking cutely and light-heartedly.