Rioma Ekitzen, at Teen Academy

It was a beautiful winter morning. Before nature removed the misty cover from the world, a fair boy rose from his bed and looked at the world outside, with wide eyes and a fresh mind swallowed with excitement. The wide, open windows gave a vague view of the distant hills which were almost completely hidden under the mysterious fog. No sooner had the little glimpse of sunlight made him realize that it was dawn, his anxious mind was flooded by a flow of joy.

The fair boy then jumped from his bed and walked towards the open windows. A light gust of cool air made him chill up. He could not wait to take a bath and get into the warm clothes. After having a cool shower, he dressed up and made his way towards the dining-parlor.

Truly, it was the dawn of a new era.

"Good morning, Rioma," said Mrs. Ekitzen as Rioma sat down near the fire.
"Good morning," her son replied without the least bit of excitement in the tone.
"Are you ready to go to the Teen Academy?" Mrs. Ekitzen asked curiously.
"I bet Bro is all set up and ready to go," Rioqa answered instead of his brother.
"Have you packed your bag yet?" Mrs. Ekitzen asked again. To this, Rioma's reply was simply "Yes"

Mrs. Ekitzen placed a steaming hot bowl of coffee near Rioma. "You must be very excited about going to the Teen Academy. It's quite lucky, isn't it, to be selected by Teen Academy?"
"What's so special about this, anyway," Rioqa asked casually.
"Good morning, Rioma," said Mrs. Ekitzen as Rioma sat down near the fire.
"Good morning," her son replied without the least bit of excitement in the tone.
"Are you ready to go to the Teen Academy?" Mrs. Ekitzen asked curiously.
"I bet Bro is all set up and ready to go," Rioqa answered instead of his brother.
"Have you packed your bag yet?" Mrs. Ekitzen asked again. To this, Rioma's reply was simply "Yes"

Mrs. Ekitzen placed a steaming hot bowl of coffee near Rioma. "You must be very excited about going to the Teen Academy. It's quite lucky, isn't it, to be selected by Teen Academy?"
"What's so special about this, anyway," Rioqa asked casually.
"Good morning, Rioma," said Mrs. Ekitzen as Rioma sat down near the fire.
"Good morning," her son replied without the least bit of excitement in the tone.
"Are you ready to go to the Teen Academy?" Mrs. Ekitzen asked curiously.
"I bet Bro is all set up and ready to go," Rioqa answered instead of his brother.
"Have you packed your bag yet?" Mrs. Ekitzen asked again. To this, Rioma's reply was simply "Yes"
Mrs. Ekitzen placed a steaming hot bowl of coffee near Rioma. "You must be very excited about going to the Teen Academy. It's quite lucky, isn't it, to be selected by Teen Academy?"

"What's so special about this, anyway," Rioqa asked casually.
"Very few children get the chance of reading there. Unlike other modern schools, Teen Academy gives equal importance in education, sports and mental enjoyment. It's quite tough to be chosen by Teen Academy. This institution is specially set up for teenagers, like Rioma. But, the unlucky thing is that Rioma have to lodge far from home," Mrs. Ekitzen said with a deep sigh, "By the way, how long will it take to get there?"
"As far as I know, it will not take less than 10 hours to get to Port Anne by ship" Rioma answered.
"That's an awful long time!" Mrs. Ekitzen exclaimed, "Let me make a meal pack for you". By the time she had completed preparing it, Rioma's breakfast was over and he got ready to leave. At this moment a half-awake girl came walking dizzily. "You are already leaving, coz?" she said to Rioma.

"Why shouldn't I" Rioma asked back.
"No, just asking," she replied.
"Alright Rioma, it is time for you to go. Don't forget to contact us regularly and I wish you good luck. Bye," Mrs.Ekitzen said. And with the rest of the family bidding farewell, Rioma paddled away silently on his bicycle.

Rioma was quite a strange kid. His wisdom, contentment and tenderness, contrasted with his bold, proud, arrogant and firm features, along with the courage, confidence and justice that he possessed made him a completely different character from most of the other boys of his age. His quickness of mind was like a complicated puzzle which most people found quite difficult to solve.
However, when Rioma reached Island Roose, where Teen Academy was situated, he was pretty tired. So he sat down and ate up what was left in his meal pack. Then he set out for the school buildings. They were surrounded by Mount Atlas and Forest Roose. The main building, a three-storey structure representing Japanese pagoda, was accompanied by a smaller building that looked exactly like a Malay temple. About 30 yards away, a two-storey student-lodge was built. Rioma stepped inside the smaller building. There was a young lady sitting behind a desk with a few equipment before her.
Rioma walked towards her. "I am here to enter the school."

"Your name, age and nationality?" she asked.
"I am Rioma Ekitzen and I am an American-Japanese. I am 13," Rioma replied.
"So which courses would you like to take?" she asked in a professional voice. Rioma, then, opened his back-pack and pulled out a sheet. "I wish to study the following courses," he confirmed, handing her the sheet.
"Alright," she typed something and then reported, "So here we are. You registered in the first week of last month. All your fees are paid up and you are permitted to join immediately."
"Thanks a lot. So, which way should I go now?"
"Wait for a sec. You need your identity card, library card, uniform, books, stationery and a few more stuffs," she said as she handed him the various things, "Now you just go to the dressing room and put on the uniform. Then go to the main building and our stuff will show you the way to your classroom."
Rioma walked towards her. "I am here to enter the school."
"Your name, age and nationality?" she asked.

"I am Rioma Ekitzen and I am an American-Japanese. I am 13," Rioma replied.
"So which courses would you like to take?" she asked in a professional voice. Rioma, then, opened his back-pack and pulled out a sheet. "I wish to study the following courses," he confirmed, handing her the sheet.
"Alright," she typed something and then reported, "So here we are. You registered in the first week of last month. All your fees are paid up and you are permitted to join immediately."
"Thanks a lot. So, which way should I go now?"
"Wait for a sec. You need your identity card, library card, uniform, books, stationery and a few more stuffs," she said as she handed him the various things, "Now you just go to the dressing room and put on the uniform. Then go to the main building and our stuff will show you the way to your classroom."

As instructed, Rioma dressed up in his new uniform. It consisted of a black coat and pants and an orange batch. He, then, approached the three-storey building which had looked like a Japanese pagoda. There he found a man who led him to a big classroom. As soon as he entered the room, he faced a terrible mess. He found all the students out of their seats and running around in the class room. There was no teacher and taking the chance of it, they were acting like nothing better than devils. Rioma had thought that he would have an opportunity to study in peace in this renowned institution. But what did he gain? A crazy group of classmates.
However, with silence, he occupied a seat in the last row. Beside him sat a blue-eyed boy, the only one in the class who was disciplined enough to sit back and relax a bit in this free hour (as it seemed like). "Hi," he said seeing the newcomer, "I am Fabiano. Fabiano Andrea. What's your name?"
"It's Rioma Ekitzen," Rioma replied calmly.
"Nice to meet you, Ekitzen," Fabiano said with a friendly smile.
"Same to you," Rioma tried to answer him with an artificial smile.
"Want to be friend?" Fabiano asked eagerly.
"I would be glad to do so."

Rioma was a quite ignorant boy. But to maintain courtesy he had no way to refuse. This new friend that he acquired, is a very talented boy, as we will see in the later chapters. So afterwards, Rioma realized that he was quite lucky to get such a friend. But after all, we must remember the old saying, 'Birds of a feather flock together.'
However, while Rioma and Fabiano were talking to each other, the door of the classroom suddenly flew open and a tall, handsome boy with specs appeared.
Seeing this boy, who is unknown to Rioma completely, everyone returned to their seats and transformed from lively devils to polished-mannered students. Rioma wondered, 'Who could be this similar-aged boy to him? And why is he feared so much? He can't be a teacher, can he?'
Little did he know that this unknown boy will help him a lot to acquire what he came here to do.