Shiro Academy

Roleplay Library
,
1

— Begin quote from ____


The 1 Infinite Loop government established Shiro Academy in 1783 to serve as its general staff school. But each branch of the 1 Infinite Loop armed forces abandoned the academy over the next 150 years out of a desire to operate its own separate war college. As a result, the 1 Infinite Loop government transformed the academy into a public research university in 1953, allowing only the small Looplite Space Force to continue using the Cupertino campus.

Despite its mostly civilian status, Shiro Academy bore the brunt of 2003 Pax bombardment of Cupertino as a result, and relocated to Garneldo, the capitol of the Tilden Isle territory of the Federated Alliance, to continue operation during the reconstruction of the original campus. The 1 Infinite Loop government reopened the Cupertino campus in 2010 but decided not to close the Free Pacifican campus out of a desire to increase revenue without raising tuition.

Shiro Academy thus continues to operate a second school far from its original home at Tilden University. Constructed during the 1980s to become the school of the children of elite Free Pacificans that’d become rich from the technological boom, Tilden University collapsed in the early 1990s, when the tech bubble burst. From 1992 until 2005, when Shiro Academy negotiated to rent the large majority of the campus, only 1% of the campus was actually utilized. Nowadays, Tilden University only uses three buildings, while the rest of the 50+ structures are maintained by Shiro Academy.

A combination school, Shiro Academy has programs for elite high school students, regular college students, regular graduate university students, and military cadets. Regardless of program, those enrolled at Shiro usually live in the same dormitories, and often take courses taught by the same world-renowned professors.

The dormitory that serves as the setting for this story is commonly known as the Wachin Dormitory. A five story structure, Wachin Dormitory is the Southernmost residence hall on the Shiro Academy campus, the closest to the Pacific Ocean, and it faces South towards the ocean. The dormitory features a bath house, located in the courtyard formed by the “L” shaped dormitory, and a parking lot on the North-Western side of the building. A circular driveway is located on the North-Eastern side of the building.

((Please note that the above image is of the fifth floor, where our characters are all going to happen to live. The first floor features a lobby instead of the kitchenette, bathrooms, and communal area. To make up for this, the first floor also features a small computer lab where several rooms would be located, and a small lounge in the place of several other rooms.))

— End quote

"For what it’s worth, I’m going to start my story in the first person. Although I guess there isn’t much point worrying about how I explain what is going on.

Who am I? Does it matter? I’m just an ordinary student in the campus of an ordinary university.

Actually, I lie. I’m not ordinary. And this is not an ordinary university.

I’ve spent several months recovering in a hospital trying rebuild my life, both in a physical and psychological sense.

My long time on the run from the authorities has left me almost penniless and cut off from the outside world.

Luckily for me, that is now over. But I still have a long way to recover.

My mind is still shattered from the confusion and lies people have been feeding me for years. I don’t understand what is going on. I can’t find the one whom I call my ‘little sister’ And even my own identity is but a haze.

But I won’t stop fighting. I need to know the truth. Maybe one day, it will finally make sense. And then I can stop running away.

Not from the authorities. They’ve stopped chasing me now they realise there is no point.

I mean stop running away.

From myself.

From life…"

Sah’mahn’th Gah’tahr looked up from what she had scrawled on the diary page. She sighed and closed it up. She looked around the campus gardens, seemingly lost in thought. Several students passed her by, happily chattering away about their classes as they did so. Sah’mahn’th ignored them and sighed again.

“Wish life could be simpler…but…” she muttered.

It had been a few days since she reregistered to study at Shiro. She was now having second thoughts though. Last time she was here, she frightened several students with a total mental breakdown. She wasn’t sure if she could keep it from happening again.

Still, here she was now. And she was determined to make the best out of a bad situation…

2

Lena was excited! She had just had first classes of her new semester here at Shiro. She wore a pair of low-rider jeans and a black t-shirt. She hummed a little tune as she walked through the campus gardens. She wore a pair of sandals as well. That was when she saw a student she had not seen in a long time. She remembered her as being the girl who had gone crazy when Lena first came to Shiro. But, Lena wasn’t someone who looked on others and she was pretty sure that, the girl, Sah’mahn’th she believed the girl’s name was, looked lonely. “Well, I got a lot of free time. And besides, she looks like she could use some company.”

Lena walked over and politely introduced herself. “Hello, I’m Lena Elene. Do you mind if I sit with you for awhile?”

3

One Bai Lungese student said to the other about the upcoming visit of Stephen T. Ding, the highly controversial former Conservative leader:

Bai Lungese student 1: ‘Did you hear that Stephen T. Ding is coming to Shiro and promoting his free market views.’

Bai Lungese student 2: ‘He is a bit of a nut isn’t he? He thinks everything can be solved with the so-called free market. That parents should have the choice to pick a school for their children. That government should have no role in anything other than the military and police. He’s a loon as far as I’m concerned.’

Bai Lungese student 1: ‘You’re right.’

4

Tink. Tink. Tink.

The sound of metal striking stone echoed softly across the gardens. Ola was embarrassed. She walked as softly as she could, but couldn’t help noticing the indirect stares coming from the students she passed. She sighed.

She loved the gardens. Rarely had she seen so much color and plant life in the Pax deserts. She took in the smells and the sights. She even stopped to listen to a bird chirping overhead. She smiled.

She was dieing to reach into the Hive to map the school. She was hopelessly lost. Having most of her destinations at hand for he entire life had left her with almost no sense of direction. She was actually looking for a bathroom when she stumbled into the gardens. Damn the overlord. What was he thinking telling her that she needed to keep her hive use to an absolute minimum? What was she going to do when she was bored? She had heard of the lesser cultures “TV” but had her doubts about it.

Her ears twitched at the sound of someone talking behind her. She straightened her tail, and headed out, confident in her ability to get absolutely lost before she gave up and went home… Probably getting lost then too.

730×1000 504 KB

Ola in war gear from her middle school training.

5

“Hello, I’m Lena Elene. Do you mind if I sit with you for awhile?”

Sah’mahn’th turned to face whoever spoke. Nothing. Not even a bird. The bench she was sitting on was empty. The weather had suddenly turned incliment as well. Only a few seconds ago, it was sunny and warm.

“What…?”

Sah’mahn’th looked around in confusion. There was a horrible sound of metal on stone coming from somewhere. Whatever it was, it was getting closer…

TINK TINK TINK.

Sah’mahn’th started to panic. The sound reminded her of something. Something familiar. Something very bad.

TINK TINK TINK.

She looked around in a panicked state. No one was in the campus and there was no place to hide. And whatever it was came closer.

TINKTINKTINK!

Then a blood curdingly roar as Sah’mahn’th turned around to see what it was. One of the creatures that attacked her homeland. And her sister. And all she could do was freeze in horror…[hr]Lena looked on as Sah’mahn’th seemd to not respond to her greeting. Which was odd as earlier she was reading her diary. The moment Lena sat down next to her and tried to engage in conversation though, Sah’mahn’th seemed to freeze up in a catatonic state. Even waving in front of her eyes seemed to do nothing…

6

“Um…Are you okay? Hello?” Lena began to get worried. “Oh this isn’t good. I’m taking you to a doctor or campus police, now.” She picked up Sah’mahn’th and her stuff and began to carry her. “Good thing I keep myself in shape.” Lena went to the head of security as fast as she could. She knew the head of security would help her out.

7

OOC: Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m sure you aren’t supposed to move people in a catatonic state for concerns you could injure the person with the catatonia and the person doing the carrying…mind you I’m probably wrong about how catatonics react. :lol:

Sha’la Hasegawa-Am’ara sighed as she reclined back into her chair in the office. It had been several months since she took up her new job as head of security at Shiro Campus. Technically she was still an officer in the Dannistrian Army but since taking up the new job, she had to be moved to the army reserves. As much as she loved being in the military, a lack of any real action recently bored her. Moving into the private security sector changed that, with something happening every night, even if it was mostly drunk students. Or the occasional scrap metal thief when there was no students on campus.

“A few more years of this and I might be able to get a permanent residency permit for the FPS,” Sha’la thought to herself. As she checked the CCTV camera system on her computer, there was a knock on the door.

“Yeah? It’s open!” she chimed.

8

Lena swung open, carrying Sah’mahn’th into the office. “Sha’la! Thank the Den Mother you’re here! Sah’mahn’th went into shock or something, and I didn’t know what to do, so I thought you might help! Your office was closer than the infirmary. I don’t know what happened. I remember hearing something that sounded like metal across ground, and that’s when she became like this!”

9

“Sah’mahn’th?” Sha’la stood up from her chair, “Didn’t think they would reenroll her that quickly. Last I heard she was being treated at a hospital,” she said as she vaulted over the desk and started checking Sah’mahn’th’s eyes with a small flashlight.

“Did you see anyone else out there, Lena?” Sha’la asked as she checked for Sah’mahn’th’s pulse and grabbed her two-way radio from the desk, “Could be a Pax student going by. Some have extensive cybernetic implants that can rattle a bit…I’m guessing some sort of PTSD but I’m no doctor so I’m not sure…”

Sha’la noted down some details on a notepad and used the radio to call for support.
“Sierra Alpha One to Charlie X-ray Five, over.”
“Charlie X-ray Five, go ahead over.”
“We have a medical code nine. Please send first aider to the security office, Wachin Dormitory ground floor. Over.”
“Copy that. They are on the way. Please stay with the casualty. ETA five minutes. Over.”
“Copy that. I’ll let you know if there is any change, Sierra Alpha One out.”

Sha’la turned to Lena.
“First aid is on the way. For now, can you help me sit Sah’mahn’th down on the couch?”
Lena and Sha’la both carried Sah’mahn’th over onto a couch in the corner of the office. Sha’la checked her again for signs of conciousness.
“Seems to be out cold…can’t see much else…need to wait until Nee’la shows up. Hopefully it will be her as she is the the most experienced person around here in these matters.”

10

Lena listened to Sha’la as she helped her friend put Sah’mahn’th on the couch. “Pax? I know about it, but I’m not familiar with them. And why would Sah’mahn’th have PTSD involving the Pax…oh wait, wasn’t there an incident involving the Pax and Kaidran a couple of years back?” Sha’la nodded. “Are people from Pax dangerous?”

At his new apartment on campus, Dr. Hemleich Crane was extremely nervous. It had been quite easy getting a job here as the new cybernetics and biomechanical engineering professor at Shiro. However, what was making him nervous was the possiblity of someone finding out about his past. He had covered his tracks and triple-checked everything and anything that might expose him. He had even done plastic surgery to keep anyone from recognizing him. He had altered his voice, fingerprints, and even his DNA as added precautions. It was impossible for anyone to uncover who he really was. The only way someone could find out was through sheer dumb luck.

Dr. Crane hoped the brilliant minds at Shiro would help him with his research. He pulled the plastic synthetic skin off of his right hand. On the palm was a tattoo of a split bag of thirty silver coins…

11

A student stuck a tall, brightly coloured poster in the Communal area. It was a piece of billingual advertising, promoting the visit of the former Conservative leader Stephen T. Ding. An unabashed hyper-capitalist, Ding will turn up at the Academy for a 2 day (Corporate) speaking tour at a cost of BL$100,000 a pop.

MY MARKETS, MY LIFE.

STEPHEN T. DING, FORMER CONSERVATIVE LEADER SPEAKING AT SHIRO CAMPUS.

10TH-11TH JULY, 9AM -5PM.

ONLY $25 ENTRY FEE PER STUDENT! $100 PER STUDENT FOR FRONT ROW SEATS!

NO REFUNDS IF LATE!

There was the obligatory small print located at the bottom of the poster.

12

Lieutenant Li Chan-wook stared at the poster for several seconds before continuing to gulp down his lunch. The commons was empty except for himself and a ticking clock. He sighed. Being one of the few Bai Lungese who was a naturalised citizen of Dannistaan, he was not keen on people who were determined to rock the boat. Stephen T. Ding was one of those people.

“Where were you when Chen was around oppressing my family?” he muttered angrily as he scrunched up the sandwich bag into a ball and threw it into a bin, making sure it bounced off the poster, leaving a stain in the process. He then calmly walked out as another student walked in and put another notice on the board next to it. Li read it just before he left. It was a diatribe decrying war criminals, specifically unethical scientists, from some nation that Li had never heard of, nor did he make any effort to read the notice in more detail. He didn’t care. He encountered several unethical scientists before in Bai Lung and he didn’t care. He had to attend class ASAP…[hr]“I wouldn’t say they are dangerous, not all of them anyway,” Sha’la said as she checked Sah’mahn’th’s records, “But many have been fearful of them due to their overpowering military and the fact that they seem to be obsessed with ‘assimilating’ others. That is, installing cybernetic machinery and converting others into Pax drones. Sort of like interlinked cyborgs from that sci-fi show, Cosmos Quest. I think…well, something like that. I don’t like sci-fi anyway but I digress. It might not be the Pax specifically that triggers a PTSD flashback but something like an action or sound they make that triggers the flashback. I’ve seen war vets in the Dannistrian Army who lose it simply because a door latch closing happens to sound like a rifle reloading mechanism at that moment. And suddenly…” Sha’la snaps her fingers, “…That’s it. They are suddenly back at that moment on the battlefield and they start physically reliving some horrific moment. It’s horrible.”

There was a knock on the door.
“Yes?”
Nee’la Nakamura-Dam’acie entered. Her tail swayed slowly, causing the large jingle bell tied to it to ring slightly as she walked in.
“Ah Nee’la! Glad you arrived promptly!” Sha’la beamed, “I’m sorry to bother you but Sah’mahn’th here seems to have gone completely catatonic for some reason.”

Nee’la nodded.
“I see. I didn’t think Sah’mahn’th would be readmitted to Shiro that soon.”
“So did I. But here she is and now she needs help.”

Nee’la nodded again and started examining her.
“Pupils barely responsive. I think we will need to take her to the campus infirmary and keep her under observation. I’ll get a ambulance here ASAP. In the meantime, can either of you tell me exactly what happened?”

Sha’la pointed at Lena.
“Lena knows more than me on that front.”[hr]Colour Sergeant Luh’ciia Imahara-Con’tii walked around the gardens trying to find something to sketch for her art classes. She was growing restless as there was little interesting subject matter. As she was absent mindedly walking bout, she bumped into what appeared to be a Pax Neko drone.

“Oww! My apologies! Didn’t see you there!”
Noticing the Pax lady was lost, she tried to be friendly, “Is there something I can help you with?”

13

It wasn’t long until another student vandalised the poster that advertised the speaking tour held by Stephen T. Ding. He held nothing back in his contempt for the former Conservative Party leader who was caught CHEATING IN THE LEADERSHIP ELECTION. He first attempted to write down 'DOWN WITH CAPITALIST PIGS LIKE DING". The writing was very faint, he decided to cover the poster with white paint. To make matters worse, it was the paint used to coat your walls, not the artistic kind, making the job of removing it extremely difficult.

Li watched the student fly by him before anyone could easily identify the perpetrator.

Li Chan-Wook: ‘Jeez…what was that all about?’

14

Everett Callahan also known as Sergeant Callahan walked the gardens holding a few school books and wearing an old t-shirt with his old unit’s crest on it before sitting down to study. He was taking classes on criminal justice and although with his prior military experience he could enter into the police force his real dream was to be a detective in Drexel back in Allegheny walking the big city streets solving crimes. His dreams and expectations of the job may have been romanticized but that didn’t deter him from pursuing it and to do that you needed to go to school before you could even be considered. With his military pay from his eight year contract stint in the Alleghenian Army he could afford any school in Allegheny but he wanted to go somewhere he wouldn’t recognized by old war buddies and other Army colleagues.

Everett had the standard issue Augmentations that were granted once signing your life away to the Army, his eyes had been replaced and now glowed a faint blue and his brain had been worked on but he tp have further augmentations added when his arms were blown off during the Iruk Campaign two years ago. He did everything to forget how many Vekaiyun rebels he had killed and the explosion that took his arms. In place of his organic arms were standard issue Concordance CyberArm prosthesis’s he had received free of charge through the Recycle Military Bill. Even two years from now he was still getting used to them, they weren’t skin colored like the ones people could buy these days, they were black and quite obvious if he didn’t wear long sleeved shirts. sometimes he accidentally broke glass cups or other fragile items with his powerful gip. It garnered him some stares, especially from those Anti-Aug types that were cropping up as Augmentation became more popular back home. For the longest time he wore long sleeve shirts but now he let them show when he wore t-shirts as he was no longer ashamed of his war injuries.

He wasn’t here to make friends and he had yet to talk to anyone other than the assorted staff and his teachers, but he could see himself warming up to a few people if it was absolutely necessary. For now though he was content on studying his textbook and enjoying the warm breeze through the campus gardens.

15

Ola continued to wander the campus with her nose seemingly buried in her map. Her lip began to quiver as ran into something. She looked up, and tried not to cry. The Pax would not cry.

  • "“Oww! My apologies! Didn’t see you there! Is there something I can help you with?”*

Ola looked the newcomer over. After about a second of thought, her ears shifted and it was obvious she was trying to keep her tail from wagging…

She began speaking rapid fire. “OMG yes! I am SO totally lost… Like, who designed this building? I can’t find a thing! Someone at the entrance, circled my room for me here, but I so can’t find it. Seriously, I can’t use the Hive to find my room. It’s a bummer. Sorry, you aren’t assimilated, and probably wouldn’t know. I would Love to be able to find my room, but seriously cannot think while it is SO quiet!”

Note: Someone circled the boys restroom on the map instead of her room. Also, she is an airhead…

16

Luh’ciia looked startled at the girls sudden rapid fire speech but managed to regain her composure.
“Whoa! Settle down! Don’t worry! I’ll help you out. Let’s see…”

Luh’ciia frowned. Someone had obviously thought it would be funny to circle the boys restroom on her map as a prank.
“Well, it looks like someone has tried to trick you. That is the gentleman’s toilet. Hang on…we’ll go to the reception and get you help there.”

As Luh’ciia led the newcomer to the main entrance, she started looking over her charge.
“Hmm…if you don’t mind me asking…you a Pax Neko? Guessing if you are, you must be having some separation anxiety from the Hive huh? I think there may be a few members of the Hive around as students and staff. They might be able to help you settle in. Even get you a limited connection back home as it were to help your direction finding?”

17

Warning: If the post is too much for you, skip this post.

The student who originally posted up the advertisement of Stephen T. Ding’s visit return to find his newly stuck up poster has been vandalised with paint.

Pro Ding student: ‘For Pete’s sake…’

He promptly removed the saturated in white paint poster from view and started to replace it with another fresh poster. As he begun doing so, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his head followed by his body collapsing in on the floor. It was the student who chucked white paint at the poster. The victim had his arms twisted so far that it would require doctors to fix it.

Anti-Ding student: ‘You f-ing traitor…’

The tall muscular anti-Ding student proceeded to pummel the slim build, glasses wearing pro-Ding student. He began the beating with a series of hooks on the pro-Ding student delivered to his face, destroying his eye wear.

Anti-Ding student: ‘You support this pig now?!?! You support him now?!?!’

The anti-Ding student followed this by giving his victim a series of headbutts, breaking his nose bone.

Anti-Ding student: ‘You gonna stop posting crap now?! You gonna fall into line like the rest of us?!’

The victim shook his head in defiance but his ferocious beatings to the face was only the starter. The bully began to press his thumbs into the eyesockets of his victim, causing a great deal of pain. He attempt to resist the eye-gouging by flailing his legs on his attacker in hopes to make him stop but to no avail. The bully responded by kicking his victim in the balls repeatedly.

Anti-Ding student: ‘CONSIDER THAT A WARNING! NEXT TIME, YOU’RE F-ING DEAD! SUPPORT THE COLLECTIVE ESTABLISHMENT!’

The bully finished off his brutal punishment of the victim by pouring red paint all over him before kicking him some more in the balls. However, Li witnessed the entire ordeal.

Li Chan-Wook: ‘Hey! Leave him alone! What has he done to harm you? He only has a view contrary to yours?’

The bully glanced up to see another Bai Lungese student. He initially thought that it was another pro-Ding student but one who is more feistier. No problems for him, he brought out his box cutter knife, ready to stab him.

Anti-Ding student: ‘C’MON! If you think you wanna take me on! I’ll stab and slash your guts!’

Noticing the medals and decorations on his would-be 2nd victim, he realised that his next target is Lt. Li Chan-Wook. Given Li’s superior combat skills, the bully would be put down in an instant, suffering worse injuries than his victim. He dropped the knife on the floor and began whimpering for his life.

Anti-Ding student: ‘NO! PLEASE! I DIDN’T INTEND TO…’

Before he could complete his sentence, he made a hasty exit from the Communal area before Li could attempt to deliver vindication.

18

“It would be nice to see some of my dronemates. I am not Neko, I am Vulpine. I was born in Vulshain. My assimilation is kind of a long story.”

Ola’s ears moved down and she looked like she was reminiscing.

“I am happy to be here though! If I could just find my room, and then friends, I may make it the whole semester.”

19

Despite the brutal and very violent ordeal in which the pro-Ding student had sustained, he did manage to get up by himself. What was even more shocking was that it wasn’t the first he suffered this level of ferocious beating.

Li Chan-Wook: ‘You OK?’

Pro Ding student: ‘Yea, I’m OK. I only got a few bruises here and there, plus I’m covered with paint. The damn coward. Why on did earth did…?’

Although the student got eye gouged by his bully, it wasn’t hard enough to cause irreparable damage, he immediately noticed that the student concerned about him was Lt Li.

Pro Ding student: ‘You’re that Li fella. I heard about…’

Li blushed slightly to prevent any past references relating to work.

Li Chan-Wook: ‘Don’t mention it. That’s the past. Are you sure you’re OK? You’ve got twisted on both arms, got nearly blinded, broke your teeth in several places and you’re covered with paint.’

Pro Ding student: ‘Again, I’m fine. This isn’t the first time I received a beating like that. I’m not the four-eyed, puny, weak nerd that I am. I am extremely proficient at hand to hand combat. It was that bully who sucker punched me while I was replacing that poster. That b@st@rd got me on five other occaisions. There was the one time were he dunked my head into the sink with his friends. Then there was the time when he strangled me in my restroom. He knows very well that he is a coward at heart, once someone like you turns up, he runs.’

Li Chan-Wook: ‘Next time he turns up, I might kick his rear end for you.’

Pro Ding student: ‘Nah! No need. He’s gonna get a plane ticket back to Bai Lung were his parents are going to ask him why on earth did he finish Shiro so early?’

20

The pro-Ding student receives a telephone call. He answers his phone.

Pro Ding student: ‘Hello? What? Mr Ding is not turning on the 11th? He cancelled it at the last minute? When is he going to come? He won’t say? OK, I will speak to Djou about it. Bye.’

Feeling dejected, he began to remove the replacement poster on the wall and didn’t say another word to Li.