Stimulus strikes suddenly, as Rohan feels a hand placed on his shoulder, prompting an immediate wake, for it was unexpected and caused a rush of curious anxiety from within that required only instant response.
Rohan's face was at first peacefully at rest, his muscles relaxed, his eyelids shut with only a slight part in his lips to allow for casual breathing. However, that peace breaks from the tap, as his eyes shoot wide open at an instant's notice, and his facial muscles immediately grow presence through tension.
Rohan propels himself off of his arm which he had been utilizing as a pillow, and he turns to the direction the hand came from, his hand gripping the window as an attempt to hold himself steadily, for he was aware of his lack of stability.
However, his expression immediately shifts from that of anxiety to a calm familiarity, as he finds that it was simply Dexter who had tapped him, and the two were still inside the pod, where they were before Rohan's nap.
It wasn't anticipated that he would fall asleep on the ride to the college, as he had thought he had adequate energy, and yet he still felt mildly tired after the rest.
Rohan takes his arm off of the window, and he promptly rubs his eyes with his two hands, trying to gain enough energy to properly function. As he does, he lets out a long yawn, signifying his drowsiness, which was most inappropriate for the occasion he was soon to face.
While rubbing his eyes, he inquired to Dexter, "What is it?," for he wasn't sure why he had to be woken up, as he was still recollecting himself.
Dexter puts his hands on his lap, and he then turns ahead of himself to face the windshield one more time, as though to confirm his response. He then turns back to face Rohan, and he answers, "We're here."
Rohan finishes rubbing his eyes, and he lets his hands drop down to his lap as well. He then blinks twice upon the response, and then immediately turns to his side window, looking out with wider eyes and an expression of shock.
One word escapes his mouth from the sudden epiphany: "What?"
His eyes gaze out the front windshield of the pod as he finds himself no longer viewing his hometown from above in the aerial roads, but instead he finds himself staring at two large silver pillars on each side of the road, with the pillars having a simple yet elegant design as they curve upwards. The pod also seems to now be closer to the ground than before, only hovering a few feet off of the gray road, for it seems that in reaching its destination, it no longer required to stay at such altitudes.
Between the two pillars seems to be a red divider similar to a gate, with an intricate series of vertical poles, which rise up towards the center as a wave arcs over the poles as part of its design. The energy gate stands right in front of the pod, but beyond that is much more.
Far beyond the gate are a set of grand silver buildings, with several of them being as tall as skyscrapers, with a grandeur both expected yet astonishing all the same. Some of the lower yet visible buildings seem to vaguely resemble office buildings, curved and built as works of prestigious architecture that only could have come from the finest of construction.
There are a few trees behind the gate on the side of the road to give a sense of scenery, and to show that regardless of the urbanization of the college, the university has managed to sprinkle some natural life. The trees also help to cast disclarity on the buildings behind, creating a greater sense of mystery to the university, as it is almost ominous in some ways, for the scope of the campus is still not entirely known, even when so close.
The ominous aspect however wasn't all positive, as it aided to the sense of anxiety entering the university, for it was widely known that this was one of the most difficult schools to go to, as the acceptance rate was the lowest of any other college around the state.
On top of that, very few were awarded scholarships to the university, as it was so difficult to be awarded one that many simply didn't attempt to, as it seemed like a waste of time and credits.
On the bright side however, success in The University meant a guarantee of getting into a strong occupation, one that would pay far better than most first jobs that a standard citizen would have to endure. Especially with the Young Union program, graduates were instantly funneled into roles in the workforce, meaning there was no period of lostness, and so those who thrive in the university will be able to thrive past and far.
That is, if one can thrive.
And most of all, that is if one can even graduate in appropriate time.
The deep contemplation becomes interrupted by the sound of a formal woman's voice, coming from the front of the pod, which attracts Rohan's attention away from the window. He then sees that his father was speaking to what seems to be the gate itself, which has a woman speaking through its pillars.
The female voice informs, "Okay, all of the given information seems to check out. Rohan, incoming freshman; Dexter, incoming freshman. Welcome, and I hope you have a good time at S.A.T, Superversal Academy of Tomorrow!"
Just then, the gates in front of the pod promptly vanish as the red energy dissipates with a soft whooshing effect, creating a safe opening to continue down the road now that the two students has been properly verified.
The father turns back ahead of himself, and he begins driving the pod ahead, driving past the gate and guiding the two new scholars towards their new home.
Rohan turns to Dexter, and he scratches the back of his head, still trying to regain full control while reciting all he needed to know for the day.
Still, he felt dumbfounded, and required assistance, prompting him to ask "So, what is the schedule?"
Dexter turns to Rohan, and he nods his head, answering "Well, today we're just getting into our dorms first and getting adjusted. Later tonight is our first meeting in the main hall where the president of the school will address us and talk to us about getting started. Then for the next few days we have the tour of the campus, and sometime during that I think we get our schedules. And yeah, I heard as long as you join the official SAT app on your Connect, it's a lot easier to know where you're going."
Rohan puts his hand down, and he nods his head back, somewhat understanding what he was just told. He sighs to himself, realizing how ready he got in the morning, taking a fresh shower and putting on a presentable wardrobe, and now he felt as though he was in limbo between the conscious and unconscious, with his body held together with few strings.
He responds, "Got it, I already have that and logged in so I guess I'll use it."
He then stretches both of his hands and lets out another yawn, this time greater as though putting his own energy to it, as though pushing out as much as he could into the single yawn. He then brings his arms together and puts them to his side, and turns back to face Dexter.
He then asks, "From a scale of 1 to 10, how dead do I look?"
Dexter stares at Rohan for a few seconds, analyzing his face and posture with a blank expression. He nods his head slowly as if processing, and even puts his hand under his chin to exaggerate his thinking.
He then lowers his hand, and responds with a sarcastic smile, "Like you're already on finals week."
Before Rohan could respond with a disappointed sigh at the chance of him losing his first impressions on the people he would no doubt run into later on, the pod comes to a halt, and both Rohan and Dexter turn to face their father in the front.
The father leans back on his seat as he looks on ahead, seeming to have finally come to where he needs to stop, as they've truly arrived at their destination. He keeps his hands on the wheel, and keeps his eyes ahead on the continuation of the road while speaking.
He announces, "We've arrived. Come on, there are other pods behind us."
Rohan turns to face the window behind him, and sure enough, there are two pods waiting patiently behind, likely with parents and students eager to begin moving.
He then turns back to face his father, and he nods his head.
He promptly answers, "Yes, we'll do that now. Thanks for bringing us, goodbye!"
The father gives a soft sigh, and he turns to look at the dashboard of the pod. He stays in silence, as though he wouldn't say anything back.
Dexter frowns from the silence, and he turns back to face Rohan. He nods his head with a smile, trying to stimulate a brighter mood, as it seemed not even the ending would show a high note for their father.
He says with a lighter tone, "Come on, let's get our stuff! We don't want to keep these other guys waiting anyways, do we?"
Rohan sighs, and he turns to face Dexter. His face was more serious now, but he could tell Dexter was trying to be brighter. He nods his head in agreement, and says "True, let's go."
Dexter and Rohan both turn separate ways, and they tap on the walls of their side, causing openings to form in the wall, acting as a door to let them leave. Once the openings are made, the two get out of the car simultaneously, leaving the father in the car alone.
The two openings then close as the walls reappear, blocking the excess light that had temporarily grazed the pod's interior, and leaving a coldness inside once more.
Both Dexter and Rohan stand up straight at once, and they look at one another from across the pod. They then both walk towards the back of the pod to take out their luggage.
As Rohan approaches the back, he allows himself to get a view of his surroundings, to which his eyes immediately shoot wide open from getting his first closeup taste of the campus. His head slowly angles upwards as he gazes in disbelief at four silver towering buildings in front of him, all of them being so tall that they don't even seem to have a ceiling, as though they're rods that stick out all the way to the cosmos above.
The four buildings all seem to stand at the corner of a large open field, which is the size of several city blocks, for it's able to hold such behemoths all in one place. There also seems to be other buildings around the field, however they're noticeably smaller, likely not even being over one story tall.
The four colossal towers appear similar to that of a hotel that would be seen from an urban city, but even a building with such grandeur would be hard to find. However, it clicks to Rohan immediately that it is no hotel, nor is it an apartment, for such luxurious buildings have to be the dorms.
They are far more beautiful than the typical college dorm, but it only makes sense for the prestige the school held, as the whole area seemed to give off a strong sense of luxury. The buildings are so high it is impossible to see the top from the minimal distance Rohan was from the walls, as though they are great pillars connecting the surface to the skies.
There is a sense of enclosure which could provide a sense of closeness and safety, however the towering nature of the dorm's heights also led to an imposed surrounding wall that seemed to stare down on those in the middle.
Rohan stops at the back of the pod alongside Dexter, and the two stare at the back. Dexter then puts his hand on the back, causing an opening to appear from the dematerialization of the trunk door, revealing the small black trunk of the pod, which has two small bags which appear in size and shape similar to that of a knapsack, although with clear differences.
The bags appear to be strapless, as they seem more like large bundles than anything, with metallic streaks and different linings that went both horizontally and vertically, which juxtaposed the black body of the bag. The bag on the left had red linings and the bag on the right had blue linings, and each bag also had a few other differences in shape, however for the most part they were similar.
Dexter looks at the bag on the left, and he pulls it out of the pod and throws it behind himself.
The bag suddenly gravitates towards Dexter's back, and it attaches onto the back of his body, as though held by an invisible strap. The bag was rather secure as well, with no sort of shake or instability, and Dexter turned to Rohan before giving a nod.
Rohan grabs his own bag as it was the only remaining left, and he throws it behind his back, causing the bag to gravitate to his back and latch on similarly to Dexter's.
He then turns back to face Dexter, and nods his head, having all the luggage he needed.
For all the necessary tools to thrive for five years, their bags were intriguingly compact, for it seems far too minimal to contain the supplies necessary for such a venture. And yet, it seemed that at least to the two, the bags were adequate.
Especially for the fact that it seemed the other students, who were roaming the field confused as they struggled to find where they were to go, were carrying far more than the two; some of the students even seem to walk beside large hovering flatbeds which accompany them, carrying large equipment such as coolers and multiple heavy suitcases while moving on their own.
Rohan steps away from the pod, and he turns to Dexter, who also takes a step away. The two then look at the pod, and the back materializes once more as a means to close the trunk once again.
Rohan opens his mouth to speak, but before he could, the pod begins to drive off and down the dropoff zone, seeming to be leaving the entrance of the college.
The pod drives off and away, leaving both Rohan and Dexter standing in the road, somewhat startled by the immediate departure. The two just watch the pod drive to the end of the dropoff lane and make a turn, leaving their sights and heading to the exit road.
Inside the pod, the father keeps his hands on the wheel, his eyes ahead as he departs the college. His facial expression was stoic, as his body barely seemed mobile if not for the minimal arm movements on the wheel.
His eyes sat behind his glasses, staring through the reflective lens, seemingly hardly open at all. The back of his head rested softly on the headrest of his seat, his short gray hair sitting on his head yet not hovering his forehead.
He sighs to himself as he drives off, not having given a formal farewell to his children; he turns to the dashboard and watches live footage from the back camera, showing the two boys standing in the road, staring at one another before walking off the road to allow for another pod to drive forwards.
The father wears a flat expression, although there was a hint of what just slightly appears to be a downward curve on his mouth. He watches as the two boys continue walking towards the field before completely vanishing from the view of the camera.
He then turns away from the dashboard, and takes a deep breath. He reaches the end of the dropoff region, and begins taking the loop back to the exit road of the university. He knew he had made a rather bold decision to say nothing, and yet, he also knew that he had to be truthful in what may be their final moments.
To himself.
And to them.
Rohan and Dexter turn back towards the open field before beginning to approach it, looking around at the towering dorm buildings, and then at the hordes of other lost students strangled with their heavy equipment and luggage, burdened with the lack of understanding as to where to go. There are many of them, far more than Rohan was ready for, as many of them seem to be of similar age to him, but of different gender or color. While they were all different individuals, they were now all together, all collectively confused as to where to go.
It seemed there were certain hotspots of students in the different corners of the field, as the new students were divided into smaller groups in order to better maintain them, as having everyone together would lead to chaos and disaster.
However, due to the enormous size of the field, the other students were hardly visible and were completely inaudible, as they were so far away from the group the two were dropped off by.
Rohan turns to Dexter, confused by the cattle of confusion, and he asks, "Wait, aren't we supposed to just go to the dorms? Why is everyone out here waiting?"
Dexter turns his head to Rohan, and he shrugs his head, answering with nothing but theory, "Maybe we're supposed to wait before going in? I mean, there could be someone who's supposed to take us in?"
Rohan hums to himself, and he turns his head to look at the circles. He tilts his head, able to tell Dexter's uncertainty, and attempting to figure the best course of action. He then turns back to Dexter, and nods his head with an idea in mind.
He proposes, "Let's just ask them, someone has to know, right?"
Dexter tilts his head both ways, weighing the options, and ultimately deciding he didn't really have any of his own. He sighs, and responds "Okay, I guess we can try."
Rohan smiles, and he straightens his neck. He then begins approaching the hordes of people, his backpack clinging to his body as Dexter's, and he leads Dexter towards the group as well which stands relatively central to the field.
As Rohan approaches the disfigured groups of people, who seemed to be scrambled with multiple circles of exclusivity or crowd, Dexter kept a close trail behind, seeming to assume a more quiet stance and allowing his brother to guide them in the necessary conversation, for he was never particularly skilled socially.
The people standing around were clearly of similar age, which made sense as upperclassmen would most likely not run into the same naive predicaments. Some of them were taller than others, as there were a few larger men who may have come for the sport programs.
Some of the groups seemed to be better accustomed to its makeup, with the individuals speaking with a perfect smoothness most normal amongst friends. They didn't seem to hold a hint of concern or confusion, although it was hard to tell if that was a simple distraction or purely due to the fact that they knew exactly what they were doing.
Either way, it seemed inappropriate to intervene, as while Rohan was better equipped socially, he still felt uneasy breaking into a party uninvited.
Instead, he opts for one of the more jumbled groups, which appeared less of a group and more of a scrambled mess of individuals trying to stick together for better survival rates, although even with their strength combined they collapsed by the mere wind.
One of the groups was perfect, a set of four people who stood in a square, with their hands pocketed as they seemed to refuse securing eye contact.
One of the students does seem more confident however, a tall yet skinny boy wearing a nice dark yellow jacket with a collar. He stands casually without too much concern, both with an inviting and level headed aura, and thus is the perfect candidate for a potential guide.
Rohan waves his hand as he approaches the group, and targets the formal individual, guessing he was the best to ask for information. He wears a soft smile, not too overwhelming, but preventing a monotone aura.
The skinny boy, who had his eyes gazing on his surroundings, catches the incoming traveler, to which he wears a similar smile, and turns his body to show attention.
Rohan stops in front of the boy, and he puts his hands by his side, sitting in the middle of bold confidence and quiet shyness, and behind him lingers Dexter, who watches the conversation, waiting for the results.
Rohan introduces himself, "Hello, my name's Rohan. You?"
The boy nods his head, and he keeps his hands beside him as well. His body was slim, as while it wasn't particularly athletic, it was clear he was mindful of his dietary, a respectable discipline.
He responds, "Hi, I'm Ara. You wanted to ask something or you're just searching for company?"
Rohan lets out a soft chuckle, as it seems most likely that the people on the field are simply searching for either answers or the warmth of the public, so much so his moves were predictable.
He nods his head, and answers: "I was wondering if you knew what we were supposed to do. I'd have thought we were to go inside the dorm building and find our room, yet it seems everyone is outside here...is the door locked perhaps?"
Ara shakes his head, and he answers: "Well, the door isn't locked, but we're supposed to wait for one of the staff to come and introduce us before taking us inside for a short tour. I don't really see why we'd need it but I guess we're not allowed inside until told to follow. My brother is around here somewhere, I think he knows what time they're supposed to come."
Rohan nods his head upon being given the answer he desired, as now he was at peace with the understanding of the situation, and thus could finally rest knowing all there was to do was to wait for the school's personnel.
He turns back to look at Dexter, who was standing awkwardly behind, clearly intending to stay out of the conversation, as he kept distance from his brother as if to get rid of the implication of their alliance.
Ara, however, notices the awkward energy coming off of Dexter, which leads to the realization that he seemed to be tagging along behind Rohan, staying in place behind him and almost appearing to be patiently waiting for him to finish the conversation.
Ara tilts his head, and he turns to face Dexter, deciding to bring him into the conversation, as if to alleviate the possibility of anxiety amongst this confused boy.
Ara asks with a gentle and simply curious voice, "Hi there, are you with Rohan?"
Dexter blinks twice, and he turns to Ara, taken aback by the advancement. He nods his head, and scratches his hair as he musters up a response he wasn't expecting he'd need to ready for.
He tries to speak with better formality, however formality was never a strong suit, which is why he usually let his brother take over the conversation. Instead, what resulted was a loosely stringed set of words meant to act as a response to a rather informal question.
Dexter throws out, "Uh-, yes, I am indeed with him...for he is my brother, and due to the fact that we are not...aware of other students coming to this university...he is also my roommate."
Ara smiles, and he gives a chuckle, almost seeming to find Dexter's awkwardness humorous. He shakes his head and follows with another question: "Cool, and your name is?"
Dexter attempts a smile, but fails near instantly as it returns to a flat expression, as the awkwardness was too strong to mask now that he had already collapsed on a response.
He answers anyways, hoping the conversation would move off of him soon: "Oh, sorry, my name is Dexter. And yours is...Ara, right?"
Ara nods his head, and he gives a soft smile, as he seemed to show delight in Dexter's awareness, even if it wasn't directed to every field that could use it.
He responds, "Yes, that's me."
Rohan, feeling the powerful unease within Dexter, decides to move the conversation himself, taking Dexter's place in the conversation to relieve his brother while taking the weight of the interaction.
He interrupts, "Anyways, do you know anybody else at this university? Nobody from my old school seems to be going here, or at least nobody I knew of."
Ara turns to Rohan, seeing that he was taking charge of the conversation once more, as it was clear Dexter was exhausted and needed to be tagged out.
He thinks for a few moments, contemplating as he lowers his head down, seeming to be searching for the answer to the question.
Rohan turns to Dexter, and he nods his head, as though to try assuring him that he wouldn't have to suffer through such nerve racking challenges.
Ara raises his head upon arriving at his conclusion, and he looks at Rohan. At that moment, Rohan turns back to face Ara after the nod, ready to receive the answer.
Ara says with a smile, "Actually, I know a few. It's not like I know half the school but I'm not exactly alone either. But regardless, I'm sure you'll find friends once the classes start. If the stories about this place are true, you'll need people to work with, or you won't really get anywhere."
Rohan rolls his head from one side to another, juggling the legitimate possibility that he would find friendships within the campus, as he never really felt the need to quest for such luxuries, for he knew he was in the college to graduate and find a job, not find a squad to hang out with.
However, having people to talk to couldn't hurt, and he knew he was taking a different tree from that of his brother, meaning he wouldn't be able to depend on family blood for companionship most of the time.
He was more concerned with how his brother would survive in the climate of the school without him, as Rohan was still able to socialize if needed, as it was more of a toggle he preferred to keep off if unneeded. However, Dexter was always introverted and socially anxious, and so even if he required assistance, he would most likely refrain from seeking it.
Even though the two were roommates, it was known that they would spend minimal time in their dorm rooms, as the majority of their day would be spent in classes or study rooms such as the lounges and labs, with the exception of restaurants to grab food and go.
It would be impressively lucky if they even passed each other consciously, as it was most likely that if both were in the room at once, one would already be asleep.
All Rohan could do was hope his brother would adapt to the climate rather than being consumed by the cold blizzard, and if need be, hopefully he could provide some level of aid for his brother.
Rohan nods his head, and he lets out a soft sigh, as after flirting with the idea presented by Ara, he ultimately found himself in agreement.
He gives the short response, "Well, maybe so, I should manage either way regardless."
Just then, in the dorm building in front of the crowd, an opening dissolves to create a doorway into the building, which already is enough to warrant surprise. Furthermore, a man wearing a black formal suit steps out from inside the building, emerging into the bright lights of the outside as he approaches the field, his hands behind his back to assume an authoritarian stance. The man's suit was well tailored and clearly expensive, as his pants and blazer complimented each other perfectly.
His black hair was well groomed as well, with a wave-like flow that rode over his head, and his eyes gazed upon the fragmented groups of lost students in front of him.
Rohan turns to face the dorm entrance upon noticing the change of mood amongst the group, as it seemed the sea of voices had all silenced at once, and everyone had turned to face their attention on a singular entity.
Rohan closes his mouth, as his conversation had ended promptly when the adult revealed himself, and he gives his full attention to the man who likely would be providing some necessary information, necessary enough to grab the undivided attention of many in the field.
Dexter also notices the man, as does Ara, however Ara steps away from the group, vanishing immediately as he disappears off elsewhere, leaving Rohan and Dexter among the rest of the confused students.
Rohan, Dexter, and the other individuals of the jumbled groups turn to the man, filled with anxious anticipation, ready to enter the building and get a tour of their home for the foreseeable future.
The man turns his head to look at the sea of students, and he clears his throat. Ready to address the students of the new year, he takes a deep breath.
The man then speaks to the students, his voice seeming to be amplified in volume through some sort of invisible speaker, carrying through the crowd to be adequately loudened.
He announces, "Welcome, year 1 students, to Superversal Academy of Tomorrow, or as you kids call it: SAT! Every single one of you is gifted, for each one of you was picked for your excelling academics, your shining athletics, and in general, your immense potential. And for that, you were elected to come here to receive the top education this world has to offer. Number one in STEM and arts. Top of the board sports teams with professional coaches of real teams from the big leagues. Coming here will guarantee you have a future wherever you want it to be, and I'm excited to follow you in that journey!"
As Rohan maintains attentiveness, he couldn't help but notice some quiet whispering beside him, as it seems that there were a few students talking during the speech.
One of the students whispers, "This is the most cliche thing ever, they really couldn't make anything better?"
Another student responds with their own whisper, "What can you expect from this place? Only the kids of the rich parents come here anyways, I'm pretty sure more than half of these kids paid their way into admission."
Rohan sighs to himself, and he returns to focusing on the man, as he didn't find value in the edgy comments thrown by the students who clearly were just trolling during the rather well structured speech.
The man continues, "Today, you will simply be situated with your living quarters, and tonight you will have your first meal in the dining hall, where you will be personally addressed by the school president, and he will give you a rundown of your first week on campus. This campus is large, and so we have a series of tours to give before we can let you start any classes. Believe me, you guys don't want to try finding the buildings yourself when you're timed. Anyways, let's begin, if everyone could just follow me we can begin the dorm tour."
With that, the man turns around, and he walks back into the entrance of the dorm building, walking through the doorway as he expects the rest of the students to follow.
Rohan turns to Dexter, and then to the other students, as he was puzzled for a moment, unsure if he was supposed to just pick his feet and follow into the building.
However, the other students around the two begin walking, passing Rohan as they head into the dorm building, following the tour guide, as it was clear that was what they were supposed to do.
Rohan sighs, and he follows as well, realizing his pause was rather mindless, and he allows himself to walk among the school to keep himself on the correct path. The students walk into the gaping hole that leads to the interior of the dorm building, as they enter the dorm, and thus they step foot in a new world.