Ark Academy

[LadyCrowsong]

((This is but a little piece I'm doing to simply put characters I've grown attached to to use. I don't expect it to be very worthy of much, but if you enjoy reading it, great!))

((Also, I can't imagine comments all over any manuscripts of mine, and I'm sure this counts as a manuscript in my mind, so please comment on the characters page here. Thank you. ))

Ark Academy

During the rein of the human race many changes were made to the world. Animals of all kinds witnessed these changes and were forced to adapt to them. Some animals, mostly but not solely pets, adapted in a way such that their behavior began to change and they took on roles and duties of their human couterparts.

Though the human race ended, they left a legacy that lived on with the animals. These animals began acting excatly as the humans had, and they all decided to attempt a language all of them could speak. After many, many generations the animals had successfully become like one species: all walking upright, forepaws like hands, one shared language, and even an interest in hair-styling. But they had also taken negative characteristics from humans, conspiracy theories included.

Ark Academy was based on the theory that this race, self-dubbed the "Anthro Race" from the human usage of 'anthro', will one day come to an end as well, but a complete end can be avoided. Two of every origin species of Anthro is accepted into this school and taught all they will need to survive an apocalypse and repopulate the world in case the perceived end is soon to come.

[LadyCrowsong]

A group of males sat near each other on the ground. Sprawled out in plain clothes they were simply taking part in a ring-tailed lemur morning ritual that had been in place before the Anthro Race had risen: morning sun-bathing.
It was a strict schedule: every morning they would wake up, dress, and come out and sun-bathe. After, they would go to their work stations and tend to the plants and invertebrates they ate, taking a few for breakfast.
The females lived in the other half of the village, a separation also dating back to pre-Anthro days. Instead of tending to meals they tended to clothing and youngsters, the youngest of which clung to their mothers as they worked.

“Well, lads, I’m warmed up!” one of the older males declared.

The youngest of the group sighed, “Not yet, let’s hang out here a bit longer.”

“Come now, Pierre, you never want to work,” another of the males reasoned.

The youngster, Pierre, sighed, “Well, I don’t like it. Why are we still acting like our ancestors? The world has evolved and so have our bodies, and so, why haven’t our ways?”

The other males in the group collectively sighed. Most of them ignored Pierre and got to their feet, moving on towards their work places. Pierre closed his eyes and remained in the grass, black hair dangling from his head, bangs tickling his nose.

“When are you going to grow up?”

Pierre opened his eyes and saw an older male staring down at him, arms folded.

“Grow up? What do you mean? I am grown up; I act-or try to act anyway-how every other kid my age in the world acts!” Pierre defended himself, “Its you all who won’t change when you’re supposed to! You’re all still acting like we’re animals and we’re not, we’re anthros now!”

The adult sighed, “Honestly, I thought you had been raised well….”

Pierre winced. In a more submissive manner he said, “Dad, don’t play that…don’t say…I-I’ve been….” But Pierre noticed his father’s gaze was averted; no words could change his mind. Giving in, Pierre got to his feet and pulled his hat, which had been tied loosely around his neck, over his head, tilting it slightly over his face. He then followed his father to where they worked, tending to crops.
The sun reached its highest and the other males cleared out of the cropland for lunch. Pierre sat under a young tree, not wanting to join the others. He knew they’d only be gossiping about him and his presence would make things awkward.

“Pierre”

The juvenile looked up at his name. It was the eldest male in the village; the lemur who was above everyone but the alpha female.

“Yeah?”

The elder wrinkled his nose at Pierre’s reply, obviously wishing to be treated with more respect. “You shall be leaving the village.”

Pierre jumped to his feet, “Its about time!”

Anger flashed in the alpha’s eyes. “You shall not be abandoning our ways though. You and a female your age shall be attending the world renowned Ark Academy. You must live on campus and you will be surrounded by others of different backgrounds, but you must represent our village at all times.”

[LadyCrowsong]

Pierre gazed into the ocean that was so close. He was sitting on a piece of wood in the small boat, his arms clutching a bag filled with his belongings: a few simple outfits, a hat, a pillow, and a small blanket.

Next to him sat a girl whose short grey hair was pulled into a tiny ponytail and who wore a yellow outfit with a pink piece tied around her waist and pink hat atop her head, ear pricked curiously through the earholes of the headpiece.

“I wonder when we’ll get to the mainland,” the girl, Corinne, said, her voice quivering in excitement.

The adult on the vessel, tending to the sail as needed, replied, “Not anytime soon. You two’ll be sitting there for a while yet.”

Pierre sighed and rested his head on his bag. Hours more of the Corinne’s constant babbling….

***

Pierre laid on the bed, exhausted. It was like nothing he had ever experienced before, but he was too tired to marvel. The moon had begun to set by the time they reached land, and from there he and Corinne had to navigate a town and an airport, all the while ignoring their hunger, tiredness, and Corinne's excitement. She had yet to stop chattering.

"How can you even think about sleeping?" Corinne asked, "Look at this place!"

Pierre clenched his eyes shut. He knew enough what the place looked like; it was a room with everything he needed and a kitchen that connected to Corinne's room.

"Go away already," Pierre mumbled, "I need to sleep."

Corinne hadn't heard him, "I can't wait for classes to start! I wonder what the others will be like...."