The Academy of The Founder

Lady Jacqueline Arachne stepped onto the campus after having not been there for three weeks. She silently praised the Rulers for giving them three weeks off for winter break, before cursing them for making the students go through a second orientation once the new semester began.

The Academy of The Founder (nicknamed The Academy, or the ATF) worked like a restaurant chain, or that was how Jacqueline's older brother, Arthur, liked to describe it. It was an academy for Immortal Youth, spread around Existence, with multiple locations in every Universe. There were different versions of the school from primary to graduate. Jacqueline attended the high school version located in the Fourth Universe, considering she was only sixteen.

"Jackie! You're back! How was your vacation?" Marie Blossom, one of the Princesses of the Fourth Universe, exclaimed, rushing over to the youngest Arachne.

Despite being one year her senior, Marie was always one of Jacqueline's closest friends. Jacqueline had her doubts at the beginning of the friendship since Marie outranked her, but then she learned how influential her family was. The friendship consisted of extreme respect for the other's family, as well as fashion tips and hacks that will get you out of attending events.

"It was simply lovely! My brother had a friend who let us stay in one of their houses in London. We spent Christmas through Mortal New Years there. It was packed with people, but the majority of my siblings or their partners who came with us were extroverts, so they managed to get the introverts out of awkward conversations. What about you?" Jacqueline asked, jumping into Marie's arms once she'd offered a hug.

Marie shrugged once they'd pulled away. "Oh, I would hardly call watching my father argue with my aunts and uncles over Christmas dinner a blast, but Rosalie got a good kick out of it." 

Jacqueline offered her arm to Marie, who gracefully took it. As they walked into the Main Building, Jacqueline couldn't help but as the crowd, a sea of teenagers in ATF uniforms, seemed to constantly be scrambling to get anything that could be considered in Marie's way to the sides of the hall.

They approached Jacqueline's locker, where her girlfriend, Serena Staccarsi, was waiting.

"Alas, Jackie, this is where I must leave you. Felicity and I agreed to meet at the auditorium before Orientation. She says she wants me to help look for... someone. All she said was a troublemaker was caught trying to set up pranks there, and they lost him." Marie declared.

Jacqueline rushed over and lept into a hug with Serena, who told Marie, "You're not even school president, why are you taking up responsibilities when you don't need to?"

"One, I'm on the Senate, so it is part of my duties. Two, I care about this school. See you later!" Marie explained before running off.

"She cares about this school? I could never." Serena mumbled under her breath.

Jacqueline just laughed in response before opening her locker, taking off her coat, and storing it in her locker before grabbing her binder for AP Alchemy.

"So, how does this work?" Serena questioned, taking Jacqueline's free hand. She was enrolled by Arthur after having learned she wasn't given a proper education when she still lived in Heaven.

"We have about another ten minutes before we need to go to Orientation, which is in the Grand Auditorium and about three hours, and then we're given an hour to go and get to know our dorms, lunch, and if you're a junior or senior you can go off-campus for lunch, although there are plenty of shops on campus, our last two periods of the day, finally, dinner which is the same situation as lunch, and then whatever you want. All students must be in dorms by midnight." Jacqueline explained. They were walking down the hall now, where all the students seemed to be recovering from the commotion they caused upon seeing Marie. "They're pretty relaxed with the rules compared to Mortal schools."

"So, why are you bringing your binder to orientation?" Serena raised an eyebrow, almost chuckling as Jacqueline was clearly struggling to figure out the pocket situation of her laptop bag (which contained pockets for books and such).

"I'm going to study during that free hour and lunch, which is also an hour long. I have a double AP Alchemy period this afternoon, and my teacher always does a test at the beginning of the semester. And considering that I already know you're going to be my dormmate, I won't need to worry too much about introductions," Jacqueline replied, finally finding a place for her binder to go.

"Glorious," Serena mumbled. "What a lovely year this is going to be."

Jacqueline gave her a quick peck on the cheek before beaming while saying, "You have nothing to worry about, Rena. I think you'll actually really enjoy it here, but we should totally get you a map. You're a fallen angel, and I would prefer you stay that way. I have nothing against Lost Souls, but the last thing I need to deal with is you being moody."