Bow or Break.

Everyone turned their necks; somehow, the duo had managed to get their own stage. They pushed themselves to their feet, enduring all the stares.

"What are your names?" the Sapphire asked.

"Shade sir," Shade meekly answered with a military stance.

Dark instantly stole a glance at Shade.

Reading his expression he could tell that it was still an act. The Sapphire didn't matter to him in the slightest, as if he considered himself above even the number one student.

Dark smirked,

This guy is really getting on my nerves

"Dark" he looked back at the Sapphire, his smirk dwindling away.

"One is unkept, and the other is quite well. I don't understand what influences friendships nowadays." The sapphire tilted his head back.

"Your involvement is unnecessary," Dark replied.

He still wasn't sure of who Shade really was so he thought it best to have fewer people involved.

But his social skills were still crap.

"Oh heck," Dark muttered.

It came out all wrong.

The first years watched him with complex glances, some tilted their heads as if trying to remember who he was, or where they'd seen him.

Others smiled at him disturbingly,

"Wrong move, man," their gazes clearly read.

Abbot chuckled into the mic, gaining back all attention.

"I just delivered a whole speech on why you should submit to me. Can someone accepted into this school really be this daft?" He tapped his skull with two fingers.

"I apologise. Excuse me, I'm not feeling well." Dark turned swiftly, making his way to the entrance door.

A knife zoomed past his face, digging into the wall at the back end of the vast theatre. He felt a sharp pain on his cheek, touching it he found blood dripping from a clean cut on his left cheek.

"I'm not the kind your type walks out on, I'm not a fool kid." The sapphire snarled with a low gaze, his hands still remained in his pockets.

Dark stared at his bloodied thumb with little focus.

"Sapphire, that's enough. I don't need another situation on my hands." The principal commanded from the high table.

"This is just communication between students. It won't take long." the Sapphire reassured, still staring at Dark with empty looks.

"I advise you to stop this; the potential destruction is massive, and the safety of the students needs to be considered," the only female student present at the high table whispered to the Sapphire, her gaze emotionless in a way only too students mastered.

The Sapphire sighed, turning towards the female student, he said;

"You were always better at handling misconduct than I ever was, Student secretary."

"Alright. Sorry for getting out of line, everyone."

He gave Dark a glazed look,

"Come," he said, and straightaway the knife drew itself out of the concrete. It propelled itself backwards towards its master.

In a split second, Dark's hand launched at it, holding it in place. The theatre went quiet, the first years watched their fellow freshman go against the Sapphire once again.

"Come!" The Sapphire sneered and Dark's arm shifted towards him, the knife shaking aggressively as it tried to retreat. Again, Dark's arm shifted; he was losing his grip. Selfishly, everyone waited for the moment he would let go, so they'd see how the Sapphire punishes delinquents.

The Sapphire maintained his placid but strict look, waiting for Dark to give in and bow; this was his philosophy.

The shaking grew more aggressive, and Shade patted Dark on the shoulder,

"It's alright, you stood up for yourself enough,"

Dark rolled his eyes, he spotted a serious roommate, one he hadn't seen before. His eyes alone could make anyone submit though his aura was still well hidden.

"If I'm going to follow you —" he reached for the knife,

" — then I can't let you look bad."

He pried the knife from Dark's fist effortlessly, and the vibration stopped.

Dark stared at his fist. He was easily outmatched.

Shade pivoted his left hand on the seat before him, stretching his right arm back he easily turned the knife around so the blade would face the Sapphire.

"Almighty Sapphire, he apologised didn't he?" His hand came down, but the knife wasn't seen; his palm was empty.

"Don't pick on him then." he smiled, the knife struck the stage just before the Sapphire's feet. Piercing the stage, it stayed in a diagonal position.

Everyone turned towards the stage as soon as they heard the noise. No one saw it fly, very few saw it land. Shade placed both palms on his lap and then took a very low bow.

"Hahaha," the principal laughed.

"This set seems to have more fire than yours did. I'm glad." He smiled.

"He's okay with this?"

"How can he be happy right now?"

"I doubt the Sapphire would let them off that easily."

The first years' murmurs grew louder, they all whispered to each other, trying to predict the next action and by whom.

The Sapphire smirked, heading back to the high table behind him.

"Yeah, I found some really good ones," he said.

"Whoa, he actually let them off. Was it a test?"

"I would have failed badly." The whispers came back.

"Tch. I didn't need your help." Dark put both his hands in his pockets, continuing on his way out.

"Sorry, didn't mean to upset you." Shade smiled as he trailed after his roommate.

On the stage, the Sapphire casually walked back to his seat as though nothing had happened, while someone else took the mic, a teacher perhaps.

"What are your thoughts?" The student secretary asked him.

"I'm glad I voted for his enrollment. Everyone here just bows easily, I haven't had to humble someone in a while." He didn't smile, rather he just had saggy eyes which seemed like permanent parts of him.

"And his friend?" she picked up a thick-back note.

The Sapphire tilted his head, trying to relate,

"Oh the monster, I still don't know what his play is. I couldn't care less."

↑→↓←↑→

FIRST-YEAR DORMITORY.

Room 116.

Dark lay flat on his bed, watching the ceiling. The sunlight spilling from the window didn't reach him, as he was positioned above the window on the higher bunk.

Shade lay below, lying on his side, he watched the wall. Both of them were silent.

The room was of average size and setting: a bunk bed was positioned by the left wall, a medium-sized, wooden round table with two seats placed smartly by the window, with every other detail not seeming important or eye-catching.

"This place is shit," Dark cursed.

"It's only normal for the school board to see all first years as trash or a burden." Shade replied.

The room went quiet again.

Shade snuggled his pillow,

"If you have something to say, just come out and say it. I'm listening." Even his tone was serious.

"You keep playing dumb, you're not weak or regular — are you?" Dark, too, wasn't having a go at humour.

"No one at this school is weak; they all come from respectable families across the Reaper's Verse. This is the second highest ranking academy after all." Shade's voice vibrated through a pillow.

"I spotted thirty-six students giving you weird looks, nineteen avoided eye contact, and a whole lot more gave us about fifteen feet gaps at the entrance gate. Still think you're normal?"

There was no response for a while, and the room returned to its quiet state again.

Shade made a deep sigh,

"I thought I could start afresh when I heard you were coming in from Earth. Maybe I could have a true friend who had no knowledge of my history." Shade whispered— and for once, Dark sensed no lie.

"Won't pry into your past if you stay out of mine," Dark commented with a quick smile and Shade's expression relapsed.

"That reminds me," Dark's gaze suddenly turned curious. "—What's your special skill and soul weapon?"

No reply.

He grew a little impatient, so he bent over his bed only to see Shade fast asleep, snoring and everything.

Typical.

He retired to his bed and sighed.

I guess he'll open up on his own terms.

Dark reasoned. He snuggled his pillow and fell asleep.