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Ender Quix

If I don't need to do something, then I won't, and if I have to, I'll do it fast.

0 · 1,015 views · located in Cypress Academia

a character in “A Man-Made Love”, as played by Jedly

Description

[img]CHAR%20NAME[/img]
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"If I don't need to do something, then I won't, and if I have to, I'll do it fast."



Full Name: Ender Quix
   
Gender: Male
   
Age: Seventeen

Nationality: English with a dash of Turkish.

Playlist:
Orangestar - Life Source
To The Moon OST - For River



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Hair Color: Dark Red
   
Eye Color: Crimson-brown
   
Height: 5'8"
   
Weight: 131 lbs.
   
Scars:


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Personality:
{Reticent, Indifferent, Attentive, Stoic, Sporadic}
Not everybody runs on all cylinders throughout the day. Actually, one of Ender's policies is to cautiously use the least amount of energy required during his excursions at wherever. Even when he is following his passion, meticulously typing away behind a computer screen, he even seems dispassionate about the progress he is making. It's as if he's lacking a driving force to propel himself through the mundane days. He may not come to terms with it, but this paradox may be one of the reasons he put bouts of effort into the project. To synthesize the component meant to fill the empty space within his core.

Still, after the project's undoubted completion, he still comes off as distinctly apathetic. Dozing off in class is an extra-curricular activity he excels at, yet with his unfairly gifted mind, he still manages to remain near the top of his class. Of course this lack of balance between effort and reward rub his classmates the wrong way. But they never have any time to confront Ender about it, given his evasive nature. Sticking to his first and foremost policy, he rarely sticks his head out of the shroud of anonymity, with an existence only recalled when his name comes up in an assembly announcement about some strive he made.

The boy shows a keen eye on his friends. When they're in a pinch, he tries to help them out in any non-physical way he can. And if he does have to step into the warzone known as 3D, the student would do something along the lines of hit and hide for dear life. Ultimately, Ender keeps up a taciturn demeanor, and only breaks into laconic speech.



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Hobbies:
  • Robotics
  • Jogging
  • Forum lurking
  • Stomping arcade champions
  • Taking strolls
      
Habits:
  • Food - One of the few things that can shatter Ender's stoic character is starvation.
  • Twiddles his fingers while mulling.
  • Stares off into empty space.
     
Likes/Loves:
  • Tea
  • Novels
  • TECHNOLOGYYYYYYYY
  • Scarves
  • Books
  • Music
Dislikes/Hates:
  • Cold baths
  • Being forced to do something in public - "As the phrase goes, 'Don't notice me senpai.'"
  • Germs
  • All-nighters
  • Commercials
Strengths:
  • Closed book - Not easily read, nor gives a lot for people to go off of.
  • Silent - Good for when you only need somebody's presence.
  • Aware of his surroundings
  • Evasive
  • Decisive

Weaknesses:
  • Public eye
  • People full of energy
  • People in general
  • Frigophobia
  • Extremely ticklish




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History:
There's no such thing as a right answer, so why bother asking for one?

The first vivid memory Ender has is freezing. The numbing sensation draining the application of any senses.

Ender lacked the upcoming prodigies were usually gifted. Rather than being raised in a controlled environment, within a bubble of serenity, the boy with dormant capability was born into rags. He was at least given the courtesy of having both a mother and a father, god forbid if he would ever be stuck with only the latter. The family was always managing to just get by, albeit it was by only a sliver, they still fared economically well in comparison to other families within the neighborhood. To clarify, they had enough money to suffice the needs, but were unable to branch out into facets encompassed by the category "wants". Thus, a set of morals and necessities were impressed upon the young Ender, in the case he would ever have to fend for himself. Although he walked to school on his own, independently finished his homework and studies, and learned to navigate the town without guidance, his parents were always there to tuck him into bed at the end of everyday.

Until the day he came home, and the house was uncharacteristically empty. It would continue to remain that way.

After the his parents' untimely demise in an accident at work, their profession young Ender never took the initiative to pry, the boy was soon adopted by relatives. There aren't a whole lot of events worth noting, his life up until this point has been fairly anticlimactic and monotonous. That is, up until this current point. As a member of the Gentleman's Club at Cypress, and frankly more of a spearhead than anything, he and a couple other individuals ended up making a breakthrough that would ravage the very fundamentals of the robotic community. But it's better to keep alarming things such as sentient technological lifeforms, or more shortly christened "Roboticas", Ender ended up finding himself in a relationship with one of the fruits of their efforts.

As for his current status with his better half, the boy is slightly more expressive around her, but still requires some effort to elicit an emotional response.



Face Claim: Yashio Kaito || Robotics;Notes

So begins...

Ender Quix's Story

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Ender Quix Character Portrait: Alessandra Heathrowe
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#, as written by Jedly





”Why’d it have to snow tonight?” The unvoiced question was met with nothing but his breath. His eyes were locked on the ground, his feet to be specific, it was his only way of remaining remotely calm. Although it was only a light snowfall, he personally perceived it as a sub-frigid maelstrom. But he staved off any sense of deviation and gulped down fear, continuing to the monotonous melody of feet digging through the snow. He had five layers on for god’s sake, yet flurries like this were enough to make the guy overreact. He hated it. It was the only illogical and inexplicable aspect of him, and he truly loathed it.

Ender would have hazarded to break into a sprint if it wasn’t for the other person on his back. Well, person may have not been the correct word, but there really wasn’t much evidence to state otherwise. The currently lifeless figure was a bonafide, genuine human. ”...Maybe I should have installed a heater?” If she was to awaken right now, the wave of emotions that would run over her would be insurmountable. But luckily she was deactivated at the moment. Only a few more blocks, and they would be at his relative’s house. House was an understatement. Ender didn’t even know he had relatives swimming in so much green, but after a series of unfortunate events, they popped in his life. And on paper, Allesandra also beared some relation to them. That’s what he decided to call her, Alessa for short. Elegance with a tint of brilliance. ”Defender of mankind.”

Suddenly his ears picked up the humming of his cellphone. He instinctively reached for his pocket, removing his arm from supporting the girl. The equilibrium of the weight on his back instantly shifted to his side, nearly making him topple over. It’s not that she was heavy, he was just weak. The boy managed to produced his cellular device and catch himself and the girl from falling into the dusted sidewalk. Ender took a few moments to catch his breath before he glanced down at the caller ID. ”That Guy.”A sigh escaped his lips as he removed his arm once more, answered the call, and placed the phone in his shirt pocket.

”What is it?” He questioned in his monotonous voice as he paced onwards. The voice on the other side was in a panic. Ender was also able to hear a very faint hissing. ”...Gods take me now.” He would have rubbed his temples if his arms were free. After hearing out the caller’s issue, he paused for a moment and mulled. The snow had only increased in intensity and was now falling in clumps. ”Oh, it’s probably her main core. Check her central compartment, probably a few cogs aren’t completely locked into place. You know where to find it.” The boy wanted to add an ”... I hope” to the end of that sentence before he made progress with the trek. Then another complaint arose, this time the voice was extremely flustered. ”What are you talking about ‘A maiden’s purity’? Don’t worry, trust me. It will probably be the first and last time you undress her.” The joke may have had more potency if it wasn’t made with such an emotionless tone. Or maybe that just made it all the more brutal.

”Anyways, I have to go. I can’t reach the phone right now. Would you mind hanging up?” The caller could have taken the chance to get back at him for that low blow. But thankfully, he gave the guy a friendly farewell, ending off the call with a well-needed ”Stay warm!”

”You don’t need to tell me.”

The intimidating gothic gates autonomously opened, giving access to a driveway somehow not caked in white. The colossal house was a mixture of old styles and avant-garde. Basically his relatives’ way of saying ”We maintain our origins, while being modern.” In other words, they’re just plain rich. Ender shifted his standing and eased the girl off of him, keeping one of her arms around his neck. He gave off the appearance that he was helping her walk, and then proceeded to the front stoop. The student opened the door and helped Alessa inside. Ender, dear, welcome ho-” His adoptive mother began to shout in her iconic endearing voice as she rounded a corner, but then stopped at the sight. ”Oh my wo- is she alright? I didn’t even hear the cab!” She instantly hurried over to them and took the girl from him, giving the boy leeway to take off his shoes and his two external layers, leaving his school uniform and undershirt.

”Not surprising, it only got to the gate. I arrived at just the same time, so I guess the stars aligned. Jet lag must have hit her.” He provided as an explanation before he hung his coat and hoodie. ”Well, I’ll check on her and tuck her in, still have to finish packing though. But make sure you fill Alessandra in on everything tomorrow.” Her worried gaze shifted over from Alessa to Ender, quickly scrutinizing the boy. Even though he was within a heated house, he was still shivering like crazy. It would take a few minutes before he completely warmed up. ”Get yourself settled too.” Ender silently nodded and ascended the stairs to his room.

Later that night, who knows at what hour in the morning, Ender initiated the activation process. She was already tucked under the covers, completely stagnate. He was surprised his mother didn’t notice the fact that she wasn’t breathing, but there were a lot of things that slipped past her when she was in packing mode. The boy sat down on the bed and eased the girl onto her side, then pressed on the nape of her neck. A faint light scanned over his hand, then the compartment decompressed and gave him leeway to a bright red button. Out of all the intricacies put into the roboticas, this was the simplest. He simply pressed on it, and waited for the girl to come to life.

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Ender Quix Character Portrait: Alessandra Heathrowe
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"Student exchange program?"


That was the furthest Alessa could recall about her first night in the huge mansion. It was snowing all the same and yet she didn't feel too cold. At least, not to the point where she would've been disturbed by it. Three years seem to pass by quickly. A light breeze caused her to stir a bit, disturbing the hem of her skirt and the locks of black hair framing her face. Soon, she would be resuming school; somewhere fancier this time, unlike the sorry excuse she once attended back in the day.

"Come to think of it, it was much colder back in that house--"

An old memory. From what she can recall though, they weren't much of a family to her. Her father had a difficult temperament making their stay in that old house a waking nightmare every moment. Her little sister--as much as she would've loved to believe they cared for each other, ran away once the opportunity presented itself. Unless--her father had some involvement in it? Did he kill her? She wouldn't know and at this point, she doubts if she will ever find out. And her mother? Her mother--

"Mother..."

Memories of her mother were not there. The face of the woman who supposedly gave her her life failed to register in her memory. What did she look like? Did she bear any resemblance to the daughters she raised? Did she die? Or did she leave? What role did she play in their whole family affair?

A face she can't remember. A woman who was never there. In her real family, there were only three of them. Her, her sister, her father and--nothing. There were no memories to recall. Everything was just a complete blank. Any attempt to remember results to--

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!"

Alessa immediately bolted up screaming from pain and aggravation due to memories she can't seem to recall and faces she can't remember. She bolted upright on the bed, grasping the sides of her head which was still a bit throbbing from some residual pain. The only person sharing that room with her right now is one of her distant relatives...Ender, if she recalls correctly. Hopefully, she wasn't loud enough to disturb the others.

Her new relatives; the people who took her in were much more amiable, as far as she can recall. Although, it also made her feel uncomfortable at times. Feeling indebted to some people causes one to feel a degree of hesitation when asking things and asking for things. Also, this branch of the family was very distant from her own; what other reason could they have for taking her in aside from kindness? So as much as possible, she avoided asking for too much and refrained from causing any trouble for them, even with the most trivial of things.

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Amira Nelson Character Portrait: Ender Quix Character Portrait: Tomohisa Akehoshi
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tomohisa*akehoshi
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- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I’M JUST A MOMENT, SO DON’T LET ME PASS YOU BY ✖ ✖ ✖
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"Ender, you have to help me!" The distress in his voice was clearly evident as he turned on the fan in his work laboratory. The room was half the size of his father's but it was his own space and his family acknowledged that. It was a luxury that was financed by his parents money and their desire to see their son excel as much as them. Little did they know that that same son had used his talents to make himself none other than a robotic prom date. Who was currently short-circuiting on the floor of his laboratory. Fuck. "There is smoke coming out of her ears; and I mean this literally!"

His friend didn't even sound the least bit fazed when he responded. At least he managed to calm the frazzled teenager into a more logical state of mind. "Shoot, why didn't I think of that? Thanks." Tomohisa leaned over to his desk computer and accessed the Robotica blueprints, making his modified BB-8 droid run a projection on the wall directly in front of his Robotica. He stopped dead in his tracks as he realized what he'd have to do in order to access the central compartment.

"I have to open her up in the chest area?" You could practically hear the blush in his voice. "She's a pure maiden! It was different before since they didn't have faces yet. Now they do and -" Ender cut him off before the brunette could complain any further, brutally taking the heat out of his engine, so to speak. "Harsh as always. Fine, I got it. Get home soon and warm up!" With that, he pressed a button on his watch, ending the call so they could both focus on the task at hand.

Golden eyes looked to the blueprint, then to the girl, then to the curtained glass walls of the hallway. She isn't human, she's just a robot. She isn't human, just a robot... It was a mantra he silently repeated to himself over the next few hours as he got over his initial embarrassment and set to work.

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After making sure he stored away the project files, Tomohisa lifted the dead weight of Amira up the stairs, thanking his lucky stars that his father was at work for the night and that the opposite laboratory was empty of the man of the house. The carpeted floor made no noise as he dragged her to the living room, setting her slight form so that it would appear she'd simply fallen asleep on the couch.

Her classically beautiful features almost looked out of place in the modern design of his house, with its glass windows and sleek interior. He almost forgot the time, getting a jolt out of his reverie as his BB-8 droid blared an alarm to remind him of the task at hand.

For all the trouble they'd gone through to create the humanoids, turning them on was as simple as pressing a button accessible only to each one of them. His gold eyes darted towards her still form, his hands fiddling the droid in an effort to hide his nervousness.

When Amira finally opened her eyes and met his gaze, his usual enthusiasm was gone and in its place was a tension he was unaccustomed to. "Morning to you? You seemed really tired so I just let you sleep it off."


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Character Portrait: Ender Quix Character Portrait: Alessandra Heathrowe
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#, as written by Jedly
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Was the resurgence of her memory that startling? She definitely succeeded in catching Ender off guard, who was just blankly staring at the girl moments prior until she jolted to life. After she let out a cry, the eyes of the person who was in the midst of rest frantically darted around the room, trying to grasp their current situation. Ender almost stretched out a hand to quell her, but by then she had already calmed down and began to cooly analyze the room. Alessa then scrutinized the boy while coalescing her prewritten memories, trying to make out what this kid meant to her. The laxing of her timid demeanor implied that she had dug up where Ender was in that brain of hers. But now they had ran into a roadblock. It was dead quiet in the room, or rather, the whole entire house. The only audible thing was two sets of breaths.

Breaking the silence, Ender started, ”Don’t worry, my mother’s cab is long gone. My father is also away, so nobody will be storming into this room,” He paced his way over to the girl and placed his palm against her forehead, ”You passed out right after you were dropped off. Wasn’t sure whether you caught a cold or jet lag broadsided you… Seems to have been the latter.” He let out a sigh of relief and took a step back, ”Carried your luggage up as well. Looks like there wasn’t a lot of home to bring for the flight.” Ender nodded his head in the direction of her single suitcase, filled with essentials, outfits and a few personal belongings. It was unsettling how knowledgeable Tomohisa was about women’s attire, especially in the underwear department. But Ender wasn’t one to question when he was graced with a co-worker who saved him a lot of time.

”Um… yeah.” It was evident that the boy wasn’t labeled as a conversationalist. He turned away from the girl and made his way to the other side of the room, then parted the curtains to the outside world. The snow was now heavily falling in clumps, caking the streets and sidewalks. From the safety of a heated house, it was an almost soothing sight. Moonlight leaked through the windows and filled the room. Ender stared up at the orb high in the sky for a few moments before looking back at his guest. ”Your name is Alessandra, right? Mind if I call you Alessa? Would save me a couple syllables.” He fully faced the girl, standing there with his emotionless expression.

”Erm… Welcome home, Alessa.”

It may have sounded more cordial if it was uttered in such a monotonous voice, but that was the extent of Ender’s facial capabilities. At this point, at least.

It was already late, and school was only a few hours away. But he didn’t want to abruptly leave during this moment. Not like he needed sleep anyways.

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Character Portrait: Ender Quix Character Portrait: Alessandra Heathrowe
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As if the boy in the room had sensed her very thoughts, he spoke up. ”Don’t worry, my mother’s cab is long gone. My father is also away, so nobody will be storming into this room,”

"Is that so? Odd thing...leaving in the middle of the night." Alessa felt her forehead, checking to see if she can feel any residual pain and was slightly relieved that she wasn't feeling any.

”You passed out right after you were dropped off. Wasn’t sure whether you caught a cold or jet lag broadsided you… Seems to have been the latter. Carried your luggage up as well. Looks like there wasn’t a lot of home to bring for the flight.”

"Thanks. Though--" It was then that Alessa strangely felt odd. Had they gone somewhere? She couldn't really recall. He mentioned something about flying. But from where? She was about to implore further but it was then that she recalled that her adopted family did have a penchant for traveling. She may have gone with them although the novelty of such trips were slowly starting to wear off. "Never mind. I doubt anything relevant happened there."

”Um… yeah.”

"Hehe..." Alessa let out a small chuckle, not even considering the possibility that his words weren't a response to her statement just now. She gazed out the window for a moment, observing the falling snow. Back then, she would suffer severe colds as she tried to make do sleeping in a house with no heater for the winter. Now, she didn't really feel cold at all, being in a much warmer house with a relatives who, for all intents and purposes, chose to take care of her for once. A different kind of cold swept her though as deep inside, there was that nagging feeling of never truly belonging in that place.

”Your name is Alessandra, right? Mind if I call you Alessa? Would save me a couple syllables. Erm… Welcome home, Alessa.”

The boy sounded a little stiff at first which Alessa found strangely intriguing. Turning to face the boy in the room, her eyes caught his for the first time. Somehow, her knowledge of who this boy is was starting to kick in her mind. He was adopted...probably around the same time she was. Maybe a little earlier. God, their relatives were sure kind. Although, aside from her and Ender, she doesn't recall seeing any other children around so maybe that was why? But, weren't they a little too old? Alessa wondered. Probably. Though it may seem a little rude to pry any further.

"Alessa...Haven't I always gone by that name?" She paused to see if he was still listening before carrying on. "My father, my little sister... they all call me Alessa. And now there's Aunt and Uncle. It was always Alessa. Never Alessandra. You're the first person who's ever mentioned my full name. And probably--" Alessa trailed off there, starting to feel a little uncomfortable. "--my mother... The woman who was never there." Then again, she doesn't recall having interacted with Ender much back when she first came in to live with them. To her, this was the first time they're actually speaking.

Alessa sighed. It wasn't good to keep dwelling on these things. Right now, she was alive thanks to this family's help. And she recalled that she was now to start school after being away for some time.

"Hey? Cypress Academia--what kind of place is it? Entering through an exchange program in the middle of the semester... Do you think I'll be able to fit in there? Are the people nice?" She implored about the school she was about to attend. It was still a few hours away but she didn't really feel sleepy and talking about present matters may help distract her from the cloudy memories she can't seem to recall.

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Character Portrait: Ender Quix Character Portrait: Alessandra Heathrowe
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#, as written by Jedly
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”Well, I was just going off of the paper. Human nicknames are always more difficult to pinpoint.” It was rather ironic, given the tone lacking any stacatto he spoke in. The robot was more human-like than the actual one standing in the room. Alessa seemed to have eased up at this point. Her shoulders and overall composure had notably relaxed, a stark contrast from the terrified stature which was screaming in shock a few minutes prior. Ender took the spectacle to heart. Wasn’t really much of a heart to go off of in the first place. The only people who designated by her nickname were the relatives who truly knew her. That was what the programming dictated, at least. He was a bit lax when it came to coding her backstory, and purposefully left a plot hole or two. Like the good scientist he was, he intended to monitor how she adapted and compensated for what wasn’t there.

The student may have not fully come to terms with it, but he didn’t want Alessa to never find out the truth. As his adoptive father once told him, ”Women always find the truth.” Even the robotic ones. And he sure as hell did not make his better half a dunce. But technically, this was a fresh start. For the both of them, albeit Ender was given a bit of a head start.

And then the girl questioned how well she would fit in. He didn’t blame her for being anxious, but it’s not like Ender was the best source of reference on how to coax oneself into a community. The student never really made it a point to follow trends many of his classmates were adamant about, but after factoring in Alessa’s personality, he made a deft nod. ”You’ll be fine. People there are… manageable.” He left off the sentence with a bit of suspense before shutting the blinds, ”As for the academy itself, it’s definitely a sufficient place to cultivate young minds. Even though many don’t exercise their capability when it comes to resources, if you strive, your efforts will be rewarded as such.” Ender didn’t want to spoil all of the school’s facets. That would be an experience left for tomorrow. With a quick glance at the clock resting on the night table, he decided to make his way to the other side of the room. ”Speaking of which, schools is in a few hours. I’m sure, unlike me, you need your sleep.” He turned the doorknob and began to open the door, ”If you need anything, feel free to wake me up. My room’s right across from yours. Get some sleep.”

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Character Portrait: Ender Quix Character Portrait: Alessandra Heathrowe
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”Well, I was just going off of the paper. Human nicknames are always more difficult to pinpoint.”

"Human nicknames...? Indeed. Sometimes you go by a name for so long that it becomes more real to you than your true name. Becomes your true identity, somewhat." Alessa mused to herself at the thought. Alessandra...no matter how she looks at it, it really was too wordy. Still, she was fascinated by the thought of whoever gave her that name. It wasn't her father for sure; the man lacked any form of appreciation for the complex. Her mother probably? The notion gave her some small hope that even if she doesn't seem to remember her, if her mother took the time to name her something like that, their relationship was at least positive.

"You’ll be fine. People there are… manageable. As for the academy itself, it’s definitely a sufficient place to cultivate young minds. Even though many don’t exercise their capability when it comes to resources, if you strive, your efforts will be rewarded as such.”

"Almost all schools say the exact same lines. Work hard and you'll be rewarded. Strive in order to succeed. A reward for the winner...and a punishment for the loser. I suppose it'll be easier to fit in--if there's a familiar face around..." Much of the lines she uttered were for her though the last one was intended for the boy in the room. Knowing someone will ease the transition period. As far as she's aware of herself, she wasn't really sociable. "People will find it hard to believe we're related though..." Alessa muttered, taking note of the difference in name and features.

”Speaking of which, schools is in a few hours. I’m sure, unlike me, you need your sleep. If you need anything, feel free to wake me up. My room’s right across from yours. Get some sleep.”

"Is that an order?" Alessa attempted one last shot at a question but the boy had left the room before she can turn around to face him again. She knew she needed rest yet she didn't feel the slight bit sleepy. On the contrary, she felt like she had just woken up from a long sleep like some animal who just finished hibernating. She wasn't even sure how she was able to make that connection.

"And why did I ask about orders?" Alessa recalled. It wasn't something intentional. Rather, it was something she said on instinct. A spur of the moment thing. It probably stemmed from past memories, she reasoned with herself, as she shifted a little more to the center of her bed. "I think I'll just find something to read to pass the time..." She reached for the copy of her application form for Cypress which was placed on top of a book on the bedside table. As her fingers swiped the documents off, she caught a glimpse of the book's title: The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren.

"Life...purpose..." She muttered the words to herself. It was as if her dictionary had just been updated for the first time though the meaning of these words typically fall under common knowledge. "What exactly is my purpose in life? What did I come here to do? Back then, I could've just given up. Yet something forced me to struggle for my life against my own father. My father..." Alessa got back up again, now sitting upright on the bed. She read all the fancy spiel that came with her application form. A standardized curriculum that helps their students achieve what they want most out of life. The words came calling out to Alessa.

"What I want--is to piece together my past. At least for now. There's just so many things confusing me at this point in time. The mere fact that I'm unable to remember faces that I shouldn't have forgotten is rather aggravating." With that, Alessa laid down again. Time feels fast every time she's lost in thought. "I doubt I can find anything by asking around. My adoptive relatives tend to go away for long periods of time and that boy didn't seem too entertained by my ramblings. Besides, if it concerns memories, you don't start by looking at what's there. You look for what's lost. After that connection's been made, I'll need to find the start of this story. Where everything cut off. Where there are loose ends to tie up. Now with all those things considered, there is only one place to go back to--" Alessa felt her resolve build up, even though she wasn't really sure she understood what she meant herself.

"I'll need to return to the ghetto. To the place I once existed."

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Amira Nelson Character Portrait: Ender Quix Character Portrait: Celine Cherie Character Portrait: Alessandra Heathrowe
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Dismissal time...

Alessa stretched her arms as soon as their last class ended. Overall, it was a rather smooth lesson though it could get pretty stressful for those who aren't as interested in the subject matter. She stood up and scanned the room, noticing that most of the people around have started to pack up and leave. The remaining ones tend to form packs of their own, chatting about nothing of particular interest, at least to her.

For a short while since her transfer, Alessa was the class' "shiny, new toy" and the topic of countless whispers and murmurings among the old timers at Cypress. No, it wasn't just her. As far as she recalls, two more names had been brought up at some point. One might expect the excitement to die down as time passed yet, somehow, people tend to notice things concerning foreigners better than they do the things around them. Just as she had started getting used to the place, talks about her and the boy Ender arose, where the general consensus regarding their relationship was viewed as "romantic". Nevertheless, the rumors that spread didn't seem to affect her negatively and she was able to go on her days without much interruption. It seems the people were more amiable than she initially though.

"As Ender said, the people here are "manageable"." Alessa quietly murmurs to herself.

"People like talking about the quiet ones; those who do not blurt out what's on their mind most of the time. Maybe they just find it alluring this, small scale mysteries lurking in their classrooms. More than mere curiosity, there is a romantic notion attached to it. No wonder why people want to see behind others' masks." Alessa typically chalked the rumors up to this rationalization. Rumors only live on for 75 days. By then, people gradually lose interest and turns their sights on something new. People aren't stagnant, Alessa realized. They're not the type who ponders on the past for too long and loses sight for the future in the process.

"But then, what does that make me?" Alessa wonders as she strolled past her classmates down the long corridor. "Someone who's devoted entirely to the past?"

She has tried to get out and pay the ghetto where she grew up a visit but, as soon as she finds the time, something always turns up, making her miss her own appointment. Be it schoolwork, helping around the house, research--whatever it is, it almost feels like some kind of force is conspiring to prevent her from finding out. However, these things hadn't dampened her spirits one bit as she continued keeping an eye out for the next opportunity to "slip out". Out of sight. Out of mind. Out of the watchful eyes of the boy who took her in.

Ring! Ring!

Glancing down at her phone, Alessa read a notification regarding a meeting of the Gentlemen's Club AKA the club her "other half" belongs in. She sighed as she proceeded to walk out the main building. The club rooms are just a short walk away, taking only a couple of minutes of brisk walking.

"If it's their club, then why do I have to go as well? What kind of activity requires my presence there anyway?" Alessa hesitated to go. She'd rather be out searching for her old house than standing by aimlessly at school. Unfortunately, security is rather strict and to leave by herself would certainly give the guards cause for suspicion for as far as they know, she always leaves with Ender.

"If it's a matter of grave importance, then they should find me themselves. Otherwise, I don't see the point of attending." With that, she decides to skip and head to the library instead. It was much more quiet and, the window side seats on the top floors afforded her a nice view of the school. She could see that the more athletic clubs were starting to finish up as well. Paying them no further attention, Alessa merely sat down with some random book she picked up to kill the time, reckoning that if her presence is absolutely required, someone will be sent to find her.

"Hiding out at the library will just make this a wee bit more interesting; this little game of hide and seek."