Angel's Society - Chp. 1

[TokyoRain]

Hey guys thought I'd post my newest fiction (it's originally from my tokoypop page TOKYOPOP :: Leading the Manga Revolution for 10 Years and Beyond! ::. It's called Angel's Society. If you could please tell me how it sounds since I haven't done a story like this a LONG time.

I think that if we had gone to any other city, any other town, any other school for that matter I may not have been so, for lack of a better word, afraid of my first day of school. But I guess that is what every kid says when they move and they are faced with another normal school. Yet I just couldn't manage to shake the feeling the moment I got up this morning that The International School of the Arts was not a "normal" education establishment, nor was Craneven, Germany a typical city.



I'm pretty sure it all began with the uniform, not just any uniform or some bland skirt and sweater vest, no, this was the all important uniform that spoke of your status everyone I went within minutes of dawning (right word?) it. Everything about the ISA uniform screamed high society, the perfectly cut white blazer, the long sleeved silk shirt in the color of your year, in my case light blue for 3rd years, the custom tailored white slacks with tan and off-white leather belt, and the flawlessly shined black shoes. In fact, it was so perfect that it made me want to scream, to throw on my best beat-up sweater and hole ridden jeans for the shear thrill of the rebellion, but no, I couldn't bring myself to do that not with my first class in an hour and a half. With a finale sigh and glare at the elite ensemble, I trudged into the bathroom and brushed my teeth before combing the long brown locks of hair that hung to my shoulders back into a neat over-the-shoulder French braid. Emerging from the bathroom the uniform didn't look any less untouchable, like something that should be hung up in one of those fancy white bags and kept just for a decorative piece around the house.



"Better get this over with," I heard myself say in a little less than calm voice, there was still some edge of nervousness evident from our tour of the grounds earlier in the week. I wrapped my slender fingers around the hanger giving it one last look as it was removed from the hanger. Ever so carefully I unbuttoned the gold fastens on the blazer and the white knobs on the silk shirt only to slide it onto my muscled shoulders and refasten it. Different. Yes that was it, I had never felt the light pressure of silk before in my life, it felt unbelievably foreign on the sun tanned shoulders of ranch life. As I reached for the next layer my heart seemed to skip, this didn't feel right, again that foreign feeling. With one sharp gulp I threw the blazer on my body in buttoned it in one swift movement. The slacks and shoes were the easiest I had to admit, at least I didn't have to wear a skirt and heels. With long strides, a habit of my height, I moved over to the mirror. I sure wasn't expecting what I saw, a tall girl, brown hair fastened over her shoulder, brown-green eyes, and not looking half bad in the somehow rich colored uniform of high society. I was expecting more of a "rancher in a farerri" comparison. "Well hello there Ashlynn Keating, welcome to your new life," I said to my reflection with more than a underlying tone of awe present.



"Hey Ash!" Bryan's voice carried up the stairs and to my room. "Breakfast is ready, you better hustle if you want to get to school on time." I smiled to myself. Most sisters I knew constantly complained about their siblings, but not me. I loved Bryan to death, we practiced together actually. He'd play his cello and I'd paint whatever images came to mind when he did so, it was a very interesting experience and I always did my best work when he was playing. Lately though we had both been doing sad pieces of art, with our parents halfway across the world from us and hoping that we could make the month's board. Oh well, it would work out. It really was just as he always said, we were given this life because we are strong enough to live it....



"Coming Bry-bry." I laughed starting down the stairs as the scent of pancakes and fruit salad connected with my senses. I could just imagine Bryan grimacing at his pet name, the very reason that it was his.



"You know I hate that Ash," he said with mock hurt as I sat down at the table and grabbed some juice before digging into my pancakes. It took me a minute to realize that my brother was looking at me and another to finally look up.



"Yes? Something wrong?" I asked momentarily worried as his abnormal expression.



"No, nothings wrong to looking at you. You look good Ash, the uniform is very flattering. A bit different and more, pampered, than your riding jeans don't you think?" Bryan finished with a warm smile and a glint of his mischievous nature shining through in his eyes.



I smiled around a mouthful of blueberry pancakes, "You too Bry, a little different than your helmet and motor-cross uniforms correct?" It was true, we did both look different. He looked a lot older, much more than his 15 years. I had a feeling that the girl's would love my muscled, blond haired, blue eyed youngling of a brother.



"You ready?" Bryan asked after a few minutes for silence. I looked at my watch, wow time had flown by we only had 15 minutes to get to our new school.



"Yeah, I guess......." I dragged on the last bit as I got up and grabbed my jacket since it looked like it was attempting to rain. Very uplifting, I thought to myself.



"Gee, don't sound so exited." Bryan joked crushing me under one arm and laughing, although he was 2 years younger than me he cleared me at 6'2". "Come on Ash, it's the first day of school were all we study is art, in a beautiful new country, and no rules for what we are allowed to do after school. You should be thrilled."



"Yes thrilled." I answered as I tried to twist from his grip, it didn't work and only made him laugh harder before letting me go and walking out the door.

[TokyoRain]

I rolled my eyes at him, I wasn't sure at times what my little brother was feeling. If he was joking and having a good time, sincerely, or if it was a shell to cover something different, something he didn't feel he could talk about. It scared me for more than on reason that I couldn't help him, it scared me even more that I had known him his whole life and still didn't quite know what went on in his head. Oh well, that was a matter for a different day, one when I didn't have a knew school stabbing me persistently in the arm with a pencil.



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *



As Bryan and I got on the bus that would take us to school I added a quick glance about the crowd as we sat down on the seat in the far back. It was definitely obvious that this was the bus going to the ISA, since everyone on the bus had either a canvas, a gym bag for dance, or a instrument case sitting within arms reach of them. I watched with feigned boredom as a lanky young kid, probably a little younger than Bryan, bumped into an acoustic guitar case and possibly the most handsome guy I had ever seen turned to look at him.



"Hey watch where you're walking. I doubt you could afford the cost of damages on this baby if you damaged her." The guy said patting the case of the guitar and straightening the case back into it's original position. The under class man lowered his eyes and a little bit of color rose to his face, "Sorry Andrew" he managed to whimper before darting to the back of the bus and sitting in the seat in front of us. My eyes still were glued to Andrew, he had dark red spiked hair and was wearing a black sleeveless shirt with wrangler jeans and black boots. From what I could see of his eyes as he gazed out the window they where black with red flares in them, very charming even if his character wasn't. Musicians, honestly.



"Who is that guy?" I heard Bryan asked as he leaned over the back of the seat in front of us and whispered the unfortunate kid who had bumped into his "baby".



"Andrew H. Maxwell, he's the acoustic guitar player for all the top bands, he's a 6th year and doesn't mind reminding everyone of it, and the rank that comes along with the seniority, every chance he gets. He's also the club leader of the Angel's Society, the luckiest bunch of guys in the school. All the girl's swoon over them." The smallish boy replied looking up into my brother's cheerful face, he seemed relieved that someone didn't take advantage of him, I had the feeling that they did a lot. "I'm Simon by the way, I play harp."



Bryan nodded as he took everything he had just been told in before introducing himself. My brother had always been the more......socially skilled.....of our little duo. I tended to sit back and wait until I felt comfortable before putting any input into the situation. My family always hounded me on that, it was actually pretty funny that they thought that knowing a lot of people made them your friends. "Hey Ash, get out." I heard Bryan's voice next to me as he nudged me half-heartedly. I blinked as I came back and noticed that people were filing off the bus.



"Oh, sorry." I said standing up and grabbing my bag and my canvas. Well here goes, I though as I proceeded down the stairs. What I saw when I got off the bus I don't think NASA could have prepared me for. Before us was at least two acres of gardens and fountains that were arranged in a very modern-yet-zen manner. Further back towered the school, its four stories looming over the crowd that migrated toward the massive front doors and the day's classes.



"Jeez, they weren't kidding when they said 'a musical kingdom', were they sis?" Bryan gasped as he stopped beside me. I simply nodded still taking in the scene. "Shall we?" he asked taking a few steps forward. I followed as I looked around the gardens preceding the building, everyone was either talking to friends or striding into the school building. I suddenly felt very out of place among all of these eloquent people and the sophisticated scenery.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *



When I walked into my first class, there was yet another surprise set up for me. Our subject today was anatomy and the models were two people, one guy one girl both well built, posing in the front of the room. Naked. Oh, boy....this will be good, I thought as I took a seat in the middle of the class and took out my canvas and painting supplies. Well, this would be something new, in all consideration that I had never had the opportunity back home, mainly because they didn't want to "corrupt those of non-legal ages."



"Okay, class. We seem to have a new student joining us today. Why don't you stand up?" a tall blond with black eyes and a skirt so short it was probably against school regulations said with and big smile as she gestured to where I sat. I got up and looked about the room before I introduced myself.



"Hello, I'm Ashlynn Keating from Wyoming USA, I'm 17." Despite my attempt to sound as non-self conscious as possible a little bit off doubt still found its way into my voice. There was a few mumbled greetings around the room as I sat down and attention was brought back to our teacher.



"Nice to have you join us, Ms. Keating. I hope you enjoy your time here at ISA. Now on to today's topic. Anatomy. As you can see there are two models up front, one male and one female. Girl's you are to sketch the woman and guys the man, we will switch subjects later in the week but I thought we would start out with something familiar to make things easier. Now I know I usually say to pay attention to details like shading and angle but for today I just want you to pay attention to the shapes that make up the subject and how to make everything flow together. You have till the end of the hour, approximately one hour and fifteen minutes, to work on your assignment. If you have any questions feel free to ask." and with that our teacher strode over to her desk and turned on a cd of Mozart. There was something that seemed very unnatural in this, not that subjects since they were obviously the most natural that was possible at the moment, but in being instructed to do your art a certain way. I quickly banished the thought as I began to sketch out the woman sprawled at the front of the room. I guess that it was just the contrast that I had never had any structure to my art, I just sort of did it.



By the end of the class period I thought that I had progressed pretty far and well. There was a series of slender flowing lines that outlined the female body and the beginning of work on the features of the face. It didn't look half bad in my opinion, a little bit awkward but by far not the worst in the room. "Well, you all know that the next period is an independent study were you can get warmed up for the rest of your classes, there are rehearsal rooms available in the back of the fourth floor, just put your name down on the list and come back when your time is up." I nodded as she looked at me to emphasize the purpose of her instructions. The first thing that came to mind was finding Bryan, mainly to see how his first class went and then to practice in one of the available rooms for the next period.



Much to my surprise and relief he was already waiting outside the door of the classroom when I had packed everything up and headed out. "So? How was it?" he asked peeking inside and catching the eye of the girl that had been modeling for us. I smiled inwardly at my correct guess to his looks and the reactions of the female student body.



"Interesting to say the least," I sighed readjusting the strap on my shoulder as we started towards the elevator. Normally I would take the stairs but since Bryan had his cello to bring I took pity on him. "How was your first class?"



"Boring....." he said with a fake yawn to top it off. "All we talked about was music theory this, music history that.....I don't think I ever want to go into a field like that." He said with a smile as the elevator dinged when it reached our floor. When we got of the elevator there was a completely different theme to the hallways. The bottom floor had been white and tan with seventeenth century art, this level was lots of reds and golds and decorated with Chinese calligraphy accompanied with the zodiac animals gliding along the walls. "Impressive." Bryan breathed next to me as we followed some of the upperclassmen to the lists for rooms. "How 'bout 9:45 Ash?" Bryan asked as he looked over the list for a practice room. I nodded my approval as he jutted down our names, "so what do we do for a half and hour?"



"Explore?" I suggested looking down the hallways, all of which had unknown destinations except for the one we had just come down. My brother pushed his cello down the hall to the left to begin our explorations.



Much to my liking the half an hour passed pretty quickly, we had stumbled upon a few lounges and the entry to the kitchen. There was also a two story school store that had everything I could imagine in it and a few different office for school clubs and organizations. Over all it was a pretty reassuring sight to see all of the different options available for us.



"What are you in the mood for sis? Classical, jazz, a little of both?" Bryan said as he set up in the middle of the room a few feet away from my canvas and chair that I had occupied.



"Surprise me." I smiled taking out my brush and getting my paints ready. They had increased in numbers over the past few years giving me hundreds of color combinations and thousands of options for shading and tones. I looked up from my paints and saw Bryan tuning his instrument. This would be fun, we hadn't sat down and done this in about a month since we had gotten here.

[TokyoRain]

And he did surprise me.



The first series of notes was slow and lengthly, filled with a deep tone that ate up any empty space in the entire room and vibrated the furniture. He quickly picked up into a more up tempo piece, a cross between classical and blues, it sounded like the Japanese compositions he had been listening to for the last few weeks. The piece was filled with ups and downs, lots of flowing notes that merged everything together and sang with a passion I hadn't heard in a while. It was very easy to find a theme to paint on my canvas as my brush started dancing to the notes of his melody. Somehow I chose colors for this, I didn't know quite what I was doing until it was done and I was staring at my best piece of work in a long time. The scene I painted depicted a lake filled with stars and herrings and a small girl dropping a red leaf, the only red I had used in the entire piece, into the lake and causing a ripple of discord among the stars. There were trees that had silver leaves and grey branches and hundreds of different colored angel feathers sprawled throughout the sky.



"Nice." Bryan said from over my shoulder as he stood to my left. "I think that's the best we have done in a while, by the way what did I play?" he asked with a smirk. I looked up at him to see if he was serious, that was something I could never understand about musicians, whenever they played something of their own it always seemed to slip their minds exactly what had been performed.



"You sounded amazing." I said with a smile of my own.



"I would have to agree." A voice filled with dark promises spoke from the door. "And I would also have to ask a favor of you as well."






Sorry that's so long.............enjoy! :P

[VampireGirl1314]

lol i loved that i wish i had as much talent as you and its not to long even though im a fast reader.XP cant help it i just love to read doesnt really matter what it is as long as i can read it.>^_^<

[MissMisa]

This first word you are looking for is 'donning' not 'dawning.'

I'll read the rest soon and post what I think ^_^