A familiar scene plays as Melody waves goodbye to her friend, actively running away from him as she'd like to lessen her chances of running into Sam as much as possible. Melody finally turns around a corner and is properly separated from the entrance courtyard; here, the sun seems to shine brighter, and the air billows cooly around them, throwing the long and beautiful hair of most students. The light seems to shine off of everyone's teeth and jewelry.
Melody hates the glare and cool air, it reminds her of relaxing, and relaxing is decidedly not Melody's style.
Striding past the stopped and beautiful students, Melody can't help but giggle as she imagines Mason absolutely detesting how this side of the school is.
"Man, they really care that much about how they look on the Blessed side of school?"
His words peck at her and the other Blessed. Melody bounces along, skipping through the crowds of Blessed to get to the building where her second-year classes will be held. Continuing into the building, the Blessed students file into one proper line. Slowly but surely progressing into the enormous and dignified doorways, swinging wide to let everyone in.
"Guuuuh."
Melody notably hates this part of the morning routine and has ever since their first year. But then, Melody has always had a certain impatience with the ways and rules of the Blessed. Her annoyance definitely shakes the prim and proper students around her, settling in for another day at school.
Melody hums along and stares at the upper floors of the building, noticing a few students laughing with each other in groups by the windows, she averts her eyes quickly. Staring off into the hallway leading into the building now, Melody always did appreciate the veritable art gallery that is the Blessed half of Masquerade. Here, the lights seem to shine a bluer shade, the floors squeak of a clean and tidy setting, and the students are as mild-mannered as you would expect of the rich and naturally "good-hearted"; the common misconception Melody loves to find in the Blessed.
Melody passes a pack of girls, none of them looking at the next, only into their pocket mirrors- applying makeup or fixing themselves up a touch before class. One of the girls peeks out of the side of her eye to the keenly watching Melody, noticing quickly and reacting with a disgusted face.
"Feh."
Melody scoffs, caring little for the opinions of these people. Further walking into the school, Melody knows to head up to the second floor where all of the Second-years are stationed this year.
"Hey, that's new."
Melody expresses to herself, walking up a newly finished staircase, grandiose and enriched. Quite the contrast to the seemingly slapped-together school building the Cursed are given. A clear bias perhaps by the higher echelon of Masquerade. Based on descriptions from Mason and Sam, Melody feels a bit of anger at the clear divide. To her sides, the lockers seem to be spacious, the doorways to the rooms look larger and made of carefully decorated wood and pristinely finished.
"Hmph."
Passing by the hordes of students and teachers, Melody bounces her way down the hall. Hands down at her back and held together, she skips along and tries to land on every other green tile lining the floor. Few others notice, and the rest don't care, but suddenly Melody looks to land on the next tile and sees too late that it's occupied.
BOOMP
In her daze to connect with the tiles, she failed to see Emily, a... smaller girl who isn't fond of Melody- because once upon a time the two of them shared the same bra size, but soon after Melody's change, Emily found she didn't care much for Melody and her gifts. Emily spins on her heel holding her fists at her hips and quickly reddening in fury.
"You idiot! Watch where you're swinging those things!"
Emily points out Melody's developments and smirks- she swears to insist that they must be annoying to have and that she would rather be small-chested. A passing crowd forms, glancing over at the sudden yelling. Melody doesn't grasp at the side-eyed insult and only apologizes.
"Heh heh. Sorry, Emi!"
Melody, whose face is made of smug, rolls forward, lowering her already generously low-cut uniform shirt with a deep bow. Her fingers point off from her cheek and whisper down to the cherry-red-haired girl. Emily's face glows red, in anger, jealousy, and embarrassment.
"It's Emily! And get out of here!"
Emily throws herself forward, aiming to shove at Melody's shoulders, but Melody's considerable strength makes it so nothing happens. Melody is bigger, after all, so Emily finds her arms shoved back at her, quick to drop them to her sides in a loud pout.
"Nrghhh."
Emily turns away, almost admitting defeat and letting Melody walk on her way.
"Okay! See you in class, Emi!"
Melody raises back up, disappointing the few stopped boys who were watching her bow over; another reason why she knows not all Blessed are so virtuous. She knows their gaze.
BRIRIRIRIRIRIIRIRIIRIRIRIIRNG
"Okay, see you!"
"Good luck today!
"Bye, I'll miss you!"
A hum of nice words flies around the hallways as classes rush into their rooms. Friends group up and sit in their crowds as ever, ready to begin their new year. The classroom slowly fills and Melody is casually moved in now too. Looking around for any familiar faces, Melody quickly realizes no one she got acquainted with in the slightest is here. Melody stands beside a random desk and then sits down, alone, dropping her bag beside her feet. As the short time passes, whispers begin to float and fling.
"Isn't that the girl..."
"She was the one, right?"
"She said 'bye' to a Cursed."
"A Cursed? You're kidding?"
Voices begin to hum, softly they reach into Melody's head and tickle at the walls of her thoughts. Melody closes her eyes to let the voices visualize and become lonesome mouths, floating in the grey and black space of her mind. A shared trait among the Blessed, Melody can acutely hear the thoughts of those around her. These hushed tones and soft rumors fall in a fog around Melody.
Trying to shut them out now, Melody only focuses her eyes forward, waiting for their teacher to arrive.
"She's such a disgrace to all of us.."
Melody can hear them perfectly, she wishes that she couldn't, but being gifted the way she is has its drawbacks. And that might be the worst part of it, that they must know she can hear them, just as they can hear her, or... maybe not.
Blessed are... well, blessed with a gift of being able to hear one's thoughts. But- the connection isn't always two-way. Normally, you have to have a strong enough connection with family or even friends to be able to hear them and have them hear you. Melody is only a bit more capable than her classmates in this, and it's unlikely that they understand that she can hear them.
When thinking about the Angels of lore, a common thread is portrayed. The listening of humanity's prayers - hearing their thoughts and wishes and bringing them up on high for the greater being to answer in some majestic and subtle way. When the Blessed of Masquerade manifested their abilities, this trait found its way into their power sets. A real gift. The Blessed have this natural affinity, like the Cursed with being able to withstand incredible heats.
Anyone smart enough, capable enough, or willing enough, could do some terrible things with this power. Being Blessed definitely lends itself to a lack of people who would abuse the power, but it's never a complete zero amount. Melody is a smart enough being that she would never outright abuse her power, but she's not above using it to serve a short-term purpose.
Melody sends out a message, not of any words, just a feeling.
"Shut up... or you'll see that even a Blessed can act a little Cursed..."
Continued in PART XI...