The Academy

[Raven]

Merce shrugged. "Yeah. But how do you know so much about everybody?"

[Gifted]

"What's your power, Mercucio?" Melody asked.

[Raven]

"That's something I don't disclose without some form of... motivation," Mercucio answered, grinning.

[Gifted]

"Well, why should I tell you how I gather my information then?" She asked. "I gotta be careful, especially with a gossip like you,"

[Raven]

Mercucio looked her up and down, looking more serious than anyone would have ever seen him. "Let it be understood that I will destroy you if you tell even one person," he finally told her, sounding surprisingly cheerful for his words. "I'll tell you when we're alone."

[Gifted]

"Alrighty then, Ill tell you then too." Melody agreed. Then sh started singing the theme song of another kid in the class, making him very uncomfortable and causing him to shoot glances at her most of the class.

[Raven]

Symphony was more than glad to have her major first thing in the morning. Everyone else might be tired, but just the thought of her music woke her up more than quickly enough. She got there around an hour early every day, and would begin practicing whichever of her instruments she wasn't using for her current project. It wouldn't do to lose her touch from neglect. When people started to arrive, she would put away her instrument, and wait to see if the teacher had any instructions. Then she would continue with the project she was working on for class. Last night, she had finished her project, and today they were supposed to be getting new assignments from the teacher. Symphony sat on the floor as the classroom started to fill up. When the bell rang, the teacher began explaining. "Since we have such diverse talent in this room, I've decided it would be best to partner the more advanced musicians with the students who are better composers." While there were some in the middle, Symphony was one of those people who knew exactly where she fit on that scale. Everyone else was aware of where she fit as well. "Partnerships are posted on the board," the teacher finished.

Symphony went up to look, but when she found her name, she scowled. Out of all the composers in the room, she had gotten him.

[Gifted]

Portia had arrived ten minutes early for class and sat in the same chair he'd sat in ever since he'd been moved to this music class two years ago. The only people in the room that were his age had music as their major, so it didn't really matter where he sat if he was looking for someone to relate too, and he didn't feel quite as awful at this class when he st with the seventeen year olds. He kept to himself, only speaking when spoken too until the class started.
"Since we have such diverse talent in this room." The teacher explained while Portia played with a pen. "I've decided it would be best to partner the more advanced musicians with the students who are better composers."
Portia smirked. He was definitely at the 'composer' end of that spectrum. "Partnerships are on the board." The teacher finished. Portia looked up, wondering what music nerd he'd been partnered with this time.
His pen hit the floor.
Portia's face turned pale. His name was written near the end of the list, coupled with the one girl he could not talk to.

Portia - Symphony

He looked across the classroom and found her face with a worried expression. He saw the scowl on her face. Of course Symphony was unhappy about this arrangement. She hated him. And with good reason.
He got up immediately as people started moving around the room to find their partners and went down to talk to the teacher. He had to put a stop to this.

((Notposting the whole convo, if Symphony comes down too I'll just post what she hears. If not I'll just have him head back up XD))

[Raven]

It took Symphony a moment to move. She didn't look for Portia, or even register when she stood right next to him. She wasn't going to work with him. There were other composers in this room who would be happy to take her, there was no way she was going to put up with him. He had a medal for murdering his mother hanging on his wall.

[Gifted]

"Look, is it really a good idea to partner two people together for a big project when one of us literally can't talk to the other and the other won't?" Portia was saying to the teacher, sounding frustrated. He knew if he sounded calm he'd probably get further, knew if he lied there were other, better angles to request from... he'd actually probably get somewhere if he pretended to be concerned for Symphony's grades, or his own. But he didn't act on it, speaking as much of the truth as he could, instead. He wouldn't go back to that. Especially not in front of her.
"I'm sorry Portia, but you're just going to have to swallow your pride and talk to her. You're not going to be able to pick and choose who you work with when you get out into the real world, you know." The teacher chided.
"It's not that simple!" Portia's hand slammed down on the desk and he stopped. He'd promised himself he would learn to control his temper. He sighed, trying to force himself to cam down. "You know what? Fine. Fine!" He turned to walk away and almost ran into Symphony. He turned back quickly. "You see? She doesn't want to partner with me either. Don't act like I'm the bad guy.


...You know what, nevermind. Bad choice of words." He went up to his seat.

The teacher sighed. "As I just finished explaining to Portia, all assigned partners are final Miss Symphony."

[Raven]

Symphony looked like she was going to cry, but when she finally spoke, all she said was, "Yes, Mrs. Leviticus." She went and sat at the piano bench, actually considering for the first time if it was worth it to flunk an assignment. Of course, in the end she decided it wasn't. She didn't have to like him, but there was no reason to suffer for it. She got back up and went to sit beside Portia, her face expressionless. How could he have done that to her, after pretending to be so interested? And what right did he have to request a new partner?

[Gifted]

Portia had actually been gathering his materials to go sit with Symphony, but when she came over he just nodded, avoiding eye contact. He cleared a space for her without a word.

[Raven]

"I can play anything you can write." It sounded like a challenge.

[Gifted]

"What would you prefer?" His was decidedly not challenging.

[Raven]

Symphony hesitated, and then did something that was decidedly unlike her. It wasn't something she would have done before her mother's death, and it was definitely not something she would do after. She met his eyes, and in her strongest voice, she answered, "My mother used to play the piano."