The day that everyone was waiting for finally came, the day of the exams. Ash woke up extra early and dragged Lynx along with him. They walked through there town and Lynx looked over to tall greased color, yet somewhat shiny old buildings. The building were in all shapes and sizes and was greeted closely together, he also could see the buildings were connected by large circular pump looking contraption. They stood at the border waiting for it to open along with many, many other teens. Parents stood by their children, and other parents cheered them on and hoped for the best. Wester blended in the crowd and watched as his son and Lynx stood close by. The anticipation and excitement overwhelming presence could be felt as they all wanted and was engage in excited chatter.
After an hour of waiting the borders were lifted and stairs appeared from the main city that folded out stretching and connected to the lower classes of Skyland. Hundreds of teens steadily walked up the stairs a feeling of thrilling exciting buzz that quicken there heart beat, as their love ones chanted good luck behind them. Ash only turned his head slightly and made eye contact with his father who only smiled and Ash couldn't help himself but smiled in return. As they walked up the stairs there were four guards at the top, two on each side who scoffed as they saw the teens.
The teens were in awe as they crossed over to the other side of the marvelous City. The City was clean and the air was super fresh, they could feel their lungs relaxing within their chest. They looked around taking in every corner of the view, when they were all gathered on the other side the stairs slowly broke away from the Lower Class of Skyland and retreated vanishing beneath the main city of Skyland. A man then caught their attention when he shouted, all the teens looked at him and went silent. The man immediately stated the rules and the penalty of breaking them during the journey. They were aware that no one from the main city liked them as they were beneath them, so they dared not to complain. The man continued onto calling their names one after the other as the individuals boarded the bus.
When the boarding section was completed the man spoke again,
"Gen 5 boarded and ready for leaving" and the small device on his left shoulder responded in notice.
After about another hour of waiting the bus slowly started moving and hovered above ground, as they drove off they saw other buses heading the same direction as they were. They couldn't help themselves but to look from the windows to admire the sight below, never had they been so high above ground and the view was breathtaking and they haven't even reached the main city as yet. They finally reached their destination and the bus came to a stop. They were ordered off the bus and as they slowly descend from it and there were more chattering and the fresh air, they couldn't help themselves but breathe it in as if it was going to disappear. All the applicants were on the same platform that was hovering above, but the applicants from the main city stayed on one side from the others from the lower class. The platform was filled with all kind of conversation but then the gates opened and someone voice echoed cutting their conversations short.
"Welcome to the Robotic Core Academy Entrance Exam" A man exclaimed happily as he stretched his arms out. " As you all enter these gates you'll start your future. Hold your head high and go all out, fight because you are the nation's future and if you don't fight no one else will do it for you, only you can create the future you desire" the man said with a loud encouraging tone. The applicants from the lower class cheered after his speech and the one's from the higher class listen intently and smiled to themselves and clapped, step by step they climbed the stairs and the chattering resurfaced once again.
"I'm so excited" a girl squealed.
"I know right"
"I'm definitely going to pass"
"By the way what was that guy's name that just spoke?
"I don't know he didn't introduce himself"
"To be mixed with these flies is unacceptable" a boy from the main cursed amongst his peers.
"It happens every year man" one of the added feeling the same way.
"Did you hear how load he was?"
"I bet his special ability has something to do with sound"
"I bet"
"That's cool"
" Wonder if I'll have an ability"
The chattering continued until everyone was inside, they all stood waiting for further instructions and then a loud voice echoed the room that silenced them.
"A pleasant welcome to you all. My name is Carlos Lint and the man that welcomed you outside and forgot to introduce himself is Kelk Stone" Carlos said as he side eyed Kelk. "We expect great things from you all that will enter this Academy, well most of you" The man said dragging the last sentence as if he knew who wasn't going to pass. " Go all out as your grades depend on it, you life depends if it. Robotic Core Academy do not accept failures. With all that said let's cut the chase and get down to real business. On your armband your candidate number is displayed and if you swipe your finger over it you'll see a letter that indicates which line you'll join. If you see 'H' it means you're from a High Class, 'M' middle class and 'P' meaning poor class" the main spoke and said the last part with disdain in his voice and other applicants who realized chuckled.
"When you pass the exam the device on your wrist will make a sound that will indicate whether you pass or fail. If you swipe your finger over it, it'll show the color green and the word 'Accepted' written which means you passed and if it shows red that indicates you fail. The exam is a duration of Five days, there's combat, written and then results. You need a sum of 150 points to pass the overall exam, 120 for Combat and a grade of 7.30 to pass the written. Missing even one point means failure and there's no makeup exam or anything like that. More information will be given as you move forward. I wish you all the best and thank you for your attention" The man closed the conversation and walked away.
The applicant will be doing 10 set of papers and need a 75% pass mark for each, but if they get below 75% and still get the 7.30 they are still accepted. The grades are then added and divided by 100. The man then walked away and soon after some square like equipments with people in chairs flipped from beneath the ground rising to the surface.
"Please look at your armband and join the corresponding line" a voice echoed through speakers. The room got busy as everyone made their way to their line. Lynx and Ash was close by as Ash was still watching over him as his father asked.
"Well I know which line I should be in" A boy spoke without checking his armband obviously trying to show off.
"Yeah same here" a girl that was close by responded with a light laugh.
Lynx followed instructions and checked his armband, he wasn't sure what letter it was so he looked above each desk until he saw the similar letter, Ash didn't even check his armband and simply made his way to desk letter P.
"Aren't you going to check your armband?" Lynx asked as he noticed Ash making his way to a line without checking his armband.
"Of course not idiot, now let's go" Ash said with slight irritation as he grabbed Lynx's collar and pulled him along with him to the line. They both reached the line and Ash placed Lynx before him, Lynx mostly remained quiet observing everything and Ash just looked forward and took a step forward each time as someone left the line. They finally reached the front desk area and the receptionist who was a male asked for Lynx's name.
"Name please" the man asked with a flat tone not even looking up from his screen.
"It's Lynx"
"Lynx what?" the man asked with his head still looking at the screen before him.
"I..." Lynx paused and had to think for a second. He was only used to having one name, but ever since he got to Skyland they always asked for a second name, so he was a bit lost. Lynx eyes scanned over the room until he saw the words 'Robotic Core Academy' he remember Ash always reading things with those words and so he was familiar with them. Lynx was lost in thought and didn't even realize he was taking up time and soon a commotion was slowly building up behind him.
"Hurry up man we don't got all day!" a boy shouted from behind
"What's taking so long!?" another person shouted.
"Just say your name and get on with it!"
Lynx was standing there in a slight daze as he was trying to figure out a second name and the applicants behind him started to complain, soon there line got attention as applicants from other lines noticed them and started in there direction. People from the higher class only chuckled as they didn't expect anything from those with no class. A boy behind Ash took a step to the side to get a better view and the other applicants in the back started shouting to kick him out of the line. The boy that was behind Ash decided to drag Lynx out of the line as there was no need to take so long, but as he took a few step forward and was about to pass Ash he turned his head and spoke.
"Touch him and I promise you'll be taking this exam armless" Ash said in a low cold and threatening tone. The boy stopped in his tracks and gulped as he met Ash's eyes and retreated back to the line. The others that were complaining then fell silent as Ash looked behind him from the corner of his eye and glared at the others. Everyone who saw his eye could only silence themselves. Ash then turned back to Lynx who was still deep in thought and spoke.
"Hurry up" Ash said in a low voice that brought Lynx from his thoughts.
"Maybe I should use your name next name" Lynx spoke.
"Hell no and it's a surname" Ash answer instantly. The receptionist looked tired and didn't even say anything he just wanted them to hurry so he could finish his job.
Lynx finally came up with a name and finally answered. "My name is Lynx Ro"
"What an unusual name, as if the first one wasn't unusual enough. Anyway spell it"
"I.." Lynx then paused once again, but before he could take another century to answer Ash butted in.
"It's LYNX RO" Ash said spelling the name and hoped he did so correctly.
Lynx was finally finished and stepped from the line, he followed the others and walked to a straight lightly lit passage that everyone was entering. Ash finished registering without wasting a second and followed the passage that had walls enclosed on both sides.