u/NatureNut49

Exactly what it sounds like - the first day at Jade Mountain Academy in 5155 AS.

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Lemming walked behind his brother, Graupel. Well, this was it. They really were in the Sky Kingdom. They really were at Jade Mountain Academy. He had to admit, he was surprised. He didn't really think of himself as the brightest of IceWings, and neither did Graupel. And yet he, of all dragons, was one of the 6 IceWings chosen to go to JMA.

The Gold Winglet. He'd heard it had a... rough start - one flat-out dying, 3 running away, 2 being sent off to heal, only their SeaWing stayed at school. But that was over a century ago. Since then, the Academy had found its feet, and became Pyrrhia's greatest academic center. And Lemming was about to be a part of it.

"Lemming?" Graupel spoke. Lemming perked up, focusing on his elder brother. Graupel stopped in his tracks, sighed, and looked to the younger. "For the love of the Great Ice Dragon, please don't do anything stupid. Or at least don't tell me. I want to be able to sleep tonight." Lemming couldn't help but snort slightly at that.

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Solid rock felt weird under Mudskipper's feet. She'd spent her entire life beforehand in a swamp, swimming in the mucky water and plodding through the mud. Sure, she'd been on rock solid ground a few times, but never for long. But it was far from the weirdest thing about the situation. Everything was, in a word, new.

It was the first time Mudskipper hadn't been with her sibs. Hickory, Reedgrass, Sienna, Hazelnut. 3 sisters, one brother. Yes, she'd actively made an effort to apply to come to JMA, but she didn't really think about none of her sibs coming until she was already on the way. She missed them already.

The other weirdest thing about being at JMA was the company. Princess Dotterel and Prince Bulrush, dragonets of Princess Spoonbill of the MudWings, sister of Queen Autumn herself, were in the Jade and Quartz Winglets, respectively. It was weird to think about, that she'd meet them face-to-face.

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Diligence cautiously approached a rather large IceWing. "Excuse me," they said softly, the IceWing turning to face them. Their wings tensed slightly before them. "Do you know where the Gold Winglet should be? I-I'm with them." The NightWing held up a flyer, showing the dragons of the Winglets, and there, under Gold, was Diligence.

The IceWing squinted at it for a second, then pointed to his right. "Ya see that MudWing?" he asked in a rough voice, gesturing to the mocha-colored dragonet. "That's Mudskipper. She's in the Gold Winglet too. She should know, and if not, ya found one of 'em." Diligence nodded, said "thank you" so quietly it was almost inaudible, and dipped.

"Are you Mudskipper?" they asked, just to be sure. The MudWing nodded. "Sure am." Diligence sighed with relief internally. "Do you know where the Gold Winglet should be?" Mudskipper gestured with a wing indoors. "We're all gonna gather in the Great Hall, we'll be herded into groups later."

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Tamandua was a RainWing of several words. Calm. Cool. Collected. None of which were inaccurate. He grabbed one of the bananas lying about up for grabs, peeled it, and began to eat. Eating a banana is a little hard while actively walking, yes, but it wasn't really a problem in the grand scheme of things.

Tamandua looked down at his claws, a streak of yellow shooting through his purple scales. He liked playing around with his colors when he had nothing better to do, whether that was waiting to fall asleep during suntime or anticipating something big. And the first-of-the-year welcoming ceremony was certainly something big.

He noticed Diligence pass by. They weren't friends, per se, but not enemies. He'd seem them around the Rainforest many a time in his life, and they'd had a few conversations. From what he knew, Diligence's loudest voice was a whisper, they had no gender, and they were kinda scared all the time.

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Sunstone was practically skipping through the sea of dragons, tail held high. To attend Jade Mountain Academy, was, in his mind, was the greatest academic honor a dragon, especially one of his station, could receive. And guess who's bajillions applications to come were answered? Sunstone's!

Admittedly, it was a little claustrophobic, but every closed structure can be. He never thought he'd be anywhere but the Scorpion Den, but look where he was! He literally gasped slightly as a purple, blue, and pink RainWing passed him by. He'd never seen a RainWing in person before, and underestimated how pretty they'd be.

"Are you in the Gold Winglet?" he asked the RainWing eagerly, practically leaping to catch up with them, then trotting alongside them. "Yep. Name's Tamandua. You?" Sunstone beamed. "Sunstone! Nice to meet ya! We're in the same Winglet!" Tamandua nodded affirmatively. "Cool." he stated simply.

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Marlin near-imperceptibly sneered as he squeezed past a baby blue SeaWing, nearly wedged between two larger dragons for a second. His pea green scales felt almost dirty, having just rubbed against a blue dragon, and he flapped his left wing as if shaking off dirt. He was, in short, not having a very good day.

He didn't even want to be here. He didn't even know he'd been signed up until a month before it was time to go. He'd never hit his dad, but he'd come rather close when he found out. Marlin wasn't exactly an academia-fixated dragon, and now he had to suffer here for 6 months or so.

Even worse, he'd have to mingle with his worst enemies - blue dragons. He'd had his family's mantra drilled into him since he was a hatchling - the true color of dragons is green. The only good SeaWings are green. SeaWings of all other hues were worthless, and non-SeaWings, even worse.

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Inselberg made a beeline for the 5 dragons sitting in something of a circle. The rest of the Gold Winglet. A shining white IceWing, a mocha MudWing, a slightly lavender-tinged NightWing, a purple-blue-pink RainWing, a fallow SandWing, and a rather grouchy-looking green SeaWing.

"Heyyy! I'm Inselberg!" the bespectacled SkyWing beamed, the others' heads turning to her. She had red scales so dark, they were nearly black, with bright amber eyes. "We are going to have so much fun here!" she chirped. Save for the SeaWing, the others nodded lightly in agreement, the SandWing especially.

"Sorry for gushing, but like, this is all so new!" she exclaimed. "I've spent 5 years in a canyon with my brothers and sister, this is my first time out!" The MudWing chuckled slightly. "I know the feeling. I live in a swamp." The two dragons laughed together. Inselberg could tell they'd be like two peas in a pod.

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"I feel we should get to know each other's names." Sunstone remarked.

"I am Lemming."

"I'm Mudskipper."

"Diligence."

"Name's Tamandua."

"I'm Sunstone!"

"Already told you."

"Marlin..."

And with that, the sound of a great gong echoed through the hall.