Sakuramoria

Relieved that, at the very least, there were no non-humans present, Fortis greeted his nearest neighbors with a handshake, though they were sitting far away from him – a simple wave of his hand would suffice. Shaking hands with the entire crowd seemed excessive, but it was worth putting himself in a position of equality.

“Well, guys,” said Miho, the organizer of this event, “maybe you can tell us a little about yourselves? How did you end up in Sakuramoria?”

“Well, my whole family is involved in military affairs. My uncle suggested I apply here. So, I had a choice: study here, join the Order, or work until the end of my days. But I wanted to continue the family tradition, and the first option seemed both more appealing and more prestigious.”
Fortis spoke slowly, but without being overly familiar, simultaneously assessing the people who had gathered. The one with the bangs was clearly in charge: so much in charge that even the senior student didn’t come to the meeting. Perhaps he had more important things to do, but what could be more important at the beginning of the first week? So, Miho was in a special position among the senior students. He seemed like a decent guy, not arrogant or boastful... The others were a mixed bunch, and it was hard to tell what they were like at first glance, except for James and Neidge, who were strikingly similar in their bold expressions, like two brothers – bandits and acrobats – even their clothes were identical: hooded vests and cloaks. Even their names were similar. The other newcomers, of course, stood out even more, and Fortis prepared himself to listen to their stories.