Hedgesville, West Virginia
Harbinger Academy
Saturday, August 17, 1996
7:25 AM

What the hell? A look of frustration was on Jennie’s face as she tapped her pencil repeatedly against the test papers. There are how many types of demons? Did Janiston even tell me that? I don’t remember.
Scanning around the room, Jennie looked at the other students. Her eyes widened. Animal. She caught sight of a girl with a pair of giraffe ears protruding from the top of her head. Right…and…and?
Zombie? Repulsion filled her as she saw a boy that appeared to have his jaw hanging from his face. Or was it undead…? More like just disgusting…
Swiftly she looked away to find herself staring at another boy with long, elf-like ears. Elf! That’s three so far. And Rem is an esper, right? Which makes four. Is there anymore?
A long sigh escaped her as she stared down at the question. It was only the second one on the list. I can’t get past the second question. Not even sure I got the first right.
Who is the king of Mid Caven? And all she could write was ‘Yaoi-shoes Shiny’. I think that was close to what it was. Maybe. Odd name if you ask me.
Oh well. She marked down ‘four’ on the sheet for the second question and moved on to the third question. She stared at it for a moment. What is the name of the goddess?
The goddess, the goddess…
Jennie sat up in the desk and looked up at the ceiling. She remembered the deity being mentioned before in the studies the day before, but couldn’t remember the name being said. A tense pain was beginning to form in the back of her head.
I really don’t want to go to this stupid school.
Slamming her hands down, she startled the other test takers. She even found Reiyl staring at her from across the room. A forced smile stretched across her face as she looked back down to her exam.
Name of goddess… With a glance down to chocolate snack she brought with her, she shrugged and scrawled ‘Reese’ over the paper. You never know…
Answering more questions down the list and getting more and more perturbed, Jennie began to chew on the pencil. Then a light went off. What kind of animal is the king? I know that. He’s a dragon!
A smile spread across her face. Can a stainless steel blade permanently harm a demon? Nope.
Yeah, now we’re talking. How many forms does an animal demon have? Three. Reiyl told me that. She looked up to Reiyl to find him sitting back with his pencil down on the desk. He’s already done? Damn. I’m not even half way yet.
“Okay, pencils down.” Jennie stilled as she glanced to the front of the room to a young woman who had been the one to hang out the tests. “Make sure your name is on the top of each sheet and then please pass up your test to the front of the room. I hope everyone did well on their assessments. By Monday you should know which grade you’ll be placed in. You may leave.”
Sitting completely motionless with her jaw open, Jennie stared at the woman while clutching her half-finished test. When she felt someone tap her on her shoulder, he looked behind her to see dark skinned boy with olive green hair and pale gray eyes.
“My test,” he said, holding up paperwork.
“Oh,” she whispered, “yeah, sorry…”
Passing both tests forward, Jennie looked down at her desk and sighed. She grabbed for her candy bar and squeezed it forcefully. I hate this damn place…