"Was that supposed to be a joke?" scoffed Azalea. "I got in through the Cup of Dreams ceremony. So I have even more of a right to be here than some whose parents actually did the bribing."
"That's just crazy, bribes or not I still have the grades to be here. Let's not forget the rumors swirling around you back then," Carlisle lowered his voice. "Your family told everyone that you got kicked out of those three academies because of low mental powers but that was just an excuse. Tell anyone on campus that I had my folks bribe my way into Mercy Academy and I'll tell them the real reason no other academy would dare to accept you!"
Azalea did not cower; she held her head high in the face of Carlisle's implied threat.
Having dated Carlisle on and off she knew that even though he acted tough to the outside world he was a very sensitive soul.
Under constant pressure from his parents to perform well, he was willing to do anything, even sell his soul if it would make his parents proud.
"Sorry, I took so long," interrupted Lana. "I pulled out one roll and then the whole shelf of tissue rolls came tumbling down and I had to restock the bunch. Who's this?"
Carlisle wrinkled his brows; he didn't like their conversation being interrupted and he could tell Lana had low mental powers too and was of inferior stock.
Hanging around them could tarnish his image that he was working so hard to build his popularity.
"No one important," answered Azalea. "Just someone that used to attend Meadowbrook High with me."
"He didn't know you got accepted into Mercy Academy? Come to think of it, I don't recall seeing you at the Cup of Dreams ceremony either," said Lana thoughtfully.
"That's because I was specially invited here by Mercy Academy," said Carlisle pompously.
"It doesn't matter to me. I can see that you're nothing special," retorted Lana.
Carlisle's face turned a mottled red, before he could rebuke Lana's statement, the cashier prompted him to action by asking, "cash or card?"
"Yo Carlisle, what's taking so long?" shouted his friend from the entrance.
Sporting an aggrieved look, Carlisle quickly scooped up his groceries into the shopping bag, then whispered sternly, "remember what I said and there won't be any problems."
After Carlisle finished speaking, he caught up with his friend and left the mini mart.
"What is it with everyone thinking you don't belong here," muttered Lana.
"It's because I only came into my mental powers recently so many think my father bribed my way into Mercy Academy."
"It's a pity they didn't see how you lit up that scanner that Professor Blythe had but there is something else that bugs me about that day."
"What bothers you?"
"Why is it that your sister dresses like a top model that just landed from a fashion runway while you looked like the fanciest place you've ever shopped is the local dollar store?"
"Is it really that obvious?" asked Azalea quietly.
"Pretty much," implied Lana. "The difference between you both is like oil and water, you just don't mix."
Azalea patted Lana affectionately like a little puppy.
"Lana, you have the makings of a true friend, I hope you will be my eyes and ears from now on."
After they paid for their groceries they walked back to the dorm together in good spirits.
It felt good to see Azalea being a lot less stiff around Lana and she wondered at her good fortune to make a friend already.
When they returned to the dorm, they decided to prepare dinner instead of ordering takeout.
They prepared a simple meal of spaghetti and meatballs and to Lana's surprise Azalea immediately took out some beginner books on the classification of mental powers.
Thinking of herself as a normal human lacking mental powers, she consciously did not learn or take her studies seriously through elementary and high school.
Basically, the gist of what she read was that usually mental powers were fixed at birth.
Only the few known as the gifted can tap into these powers from an early age.
Everyone else waits until their eighteenth year to tap into their mental powers because doing so before that maturity level can be fatal or send the user insane.
The Cup of Dreams ceremony provides the candidates with a stimulant that boosts their powers.
Instead of going to the regular colleges or universities like normal humans, those who pass the test are sent to academies.
To be taught how to use their powers and function in society.
No one knows why but sentries are naturally stronger than conduits.
Since sentries are more prone to mental collapse they cannot function properly without conduits.
Mental power levels of sentries and conduits are ranked in the five orders of A to E.
Of course there are a few exceptional talents that surpass the A rank and are categorized as S ranked and above.
In Azalea's case she would have been considered gifted but for unknown reasons her mother had sealed her powers from within the womb making her powerless until her 18th birthday.
The next day Lana and Azalea joined the lowest ranked class where they met the other conduits in the same ability bracket.
Of course, their classmates were already familiar with each other and did not hide their curiosity about Lana and Azalea.
Lana, always the outspoken one, took the initiative to introduce themselves. "We're roommates, I'm Lana and this is Azalea. Please make us feel welcome."
Azalea nodded in agreement and remained silent since she didn't have anything to add.
Professor Lane marked their names on the register and told them to sit in any of the empty seats.
"Everyone please call out your mental beasts and introduce them to Azalea and Lana," instructed the teacher.
Excited, Lana quickly called her mental beast out to play, a fluffy white rabbit with a pink nose and crystal blue eyes that was very friendly.
The class immediately gathered around the two newcomers and soon other mental beasts came out to play, a few birds, a huge green turtle, a yellow snake etc.
An offensive type conduit named Garth even had a jellyfish that floated in the air above him.
Garth explained, "Galatea is pretty to look at but don't touch her unless given permission as her sting will send you to the infirmary. Everyone's mental beast is out except Azalea's, why haven't you let your mental beast come out to play with us?"