Fuyuu Gakuen no Alice and Shirley:Volume1 Chapter1

Status: Incomplete

The Floating Academy City

Part 1

The first day at a new school, 7:22 a.m.

Masaki Landed at Canaan, the floating academy city.

"Phew, it's so hot..."

As he walked out of the train lobby through the automatic doors, and out of the air conditioning, the hot air instantly travelled down the nape of his neck.

When he looked up at the sky, the sun was shining so brightly that he seemed to hear a dazzling sound.

Because the island was floating, it looked like one could almost touch the clouds.

"As expected of a floating city!"

Canaan was a huge town, floating 1000 meters up in the sky.

The entire area was said to be 24 square kilometers big which is almost the size of one wards in the Tokyo Metropolitan area.

The only way to get there was by taking an Air Train.

In front of the main gates of the train station, there was a plaza, in it’s center was a water fountain, and beyond that there were department stores, restaurants and recreational buildings. It was a place that bustled business, and a happy aura hung in the air.

The second floor was composed of nothing but walkways and plazas, while the vehicles moved about beneath them on the ground floor. The walkways and roadways were completely separated from each other; which was a rare cutting-edge design in this era.

––A cool cup of ice tea would be great.

No, it's nearly time.

Masaki resisted the temptation and after doing some quick sightseeing of the area in front of the station, He began to look for the meeting place.

"Erm...was it a triangular monument?"

He couldn't find it.

The person he was trying to meet up with was his childhood friend.

Seven years ago, before she changed schools, they were in the same class in elementary school. They had played together a lot.

The girl who was better at climbing trees than anyone else, who was a faster swimmer and would get into a fights with boys without any hesitation; she was now a high school student.

When he thought about how her feminine charms must have blossomed since he last saw her, Masaki began to feel embarrassed, This complicated his feelings about about meeting up with his childhood friend again. After so long, How would he greet her?

The sound of running footsteps approached him.

"Hmm?"

"Masaki–––!!"

His field of vision was covered in white. Something soft was touching his face.

A cushion?

Big, soft and round.

And the weight of it completed covered him.

After regaining control of his mind, Masaki finally noticed the person that was hugging him tightly.

"I can't...!?"

"Funyaa!! It's the real one alright. It's definitely the real Masaki!!"

"Pa, painful..."

"This smell, I miss it sooooo much!"

"Bre, brea...?"

"Huh? What's wrong Masaki? What'cha trying to say?"

"I'm gonna die......"

"Ehh!?"

She finally let go of him just as he was about to collapse.

His face was released from the amazing softness that covered it, and he could now breath again.

Masaki let out a deep sigh.

"This air sure is amazing"

"Ah, yeah it is. It's because the academy floats above the sea, and cars that emit exhaust fumes are prohibited."

"That wasn't what I meant, but. Haha...I'm relieved that you haven't changed any more than I thought you would. It's sure been a long time, right Shirley."

"Nihaha, long time no see, Masaki! But I don't think that there's a single part of me that hasn't changed. Look at me, there's a whole bunch of stuff that's completely different.”

She stuck out her chest proudly in order to show it off.

A wide tie and a short sleeved blouse with a large collar, as well as a red-checked pleated skirt, it looked like a school uniform.

Her hair which she used to keep short, now flowed down her back, her eyelashes were long and her arms and legs were petite.

Above all else, the size of her chest was overwhelming; a voluminous bulge that called attention to her and her feminine charms.

The amount she had changed was like an impact to him.

Was it because of her family heritage?

She was called "Sakurazaka Shirley", and I’m pretty sure her mother was an American.

"...Well of course you’ve changed, you've grown up after all."

"Isn't that right!? I'm 30 centimeters bigger now!"

"E, even if you say centimeters, I wouldn't know."

"Hmm, now I'm about 159 centimeters tall, I think. What about you? You're taller than me now, aren't you?"

Shirley reached out to pat Masaki's head.

He realized that he completely misunderstood her and involuntarily blushed.

"Ah, yeah, our heights! That's right, we were talking about our heights, yeah."

"Hmm?"

"My height–"

While they were walking.

Shirley told Masaki about the town that she had lived in for seven years, as they made there way towards there school.

Well, this is the Floating Academy Town Canaan. So they quickly reached the school. Masaki and the other people around him faced one of the huge school buildings that were in the town.

Part 2

He took the automatic bus from the station plaza and fifteen minutes later he got off at <Alrescha> bus stop.

With his arm linked with Shirley's, Masaki was forcefully dragged along.

"Look, we're here–"

He was in close contact with her softness and body heat, so he couldn't relax.

"I, I got it. I won't get lost. So I'm fine."

The area was overflowing with students heading to school. They were all wearing the same uniform as Shirley.

Since he was new and his arm was intertwined with Shirley's, everyone's attention was on him. "Masaki, have you heard about the classes yet?"

"No, but I think you should tell me where the staff room is when we're done. Or maybe I should say that I haven't heard anything. I was given some papers but even though I took a quick look at it, I didn't understand anything."

"Alright. Our class is Year 2 Class A. It's on the 45th floor..."

"Seriously, the 45th floor!?"

"Uh huh. Alrescha goes all the way up to the 60th floor. The cafeteria at the top and has a really good view."

Masaki looked up at the building she pointed out.

A glass skyscraper towering over its surroundings. The first floor had an entrance way, and was connected to the 2nd and 3rd floors in a step-like manner. From the 4th floor up it was all glass.

"Is it all classrooms!? I thought this was a corporation building, not a school."

"Ahaha. From the 1st to the 29th floor there nothing but special classrooms, from the 30th to the 35th are the teacher's rooms, then up to the 40th are the 1st year classrooms, up to the 45th are the second year classrooms and up to the 50th are the 3rd year classrooms."

"Woah~...what about from the 51st floor to the top?"

"The cafeteria!"

"That's quite amazing!"

"I feel the same way I did when I started primary and middle school. Even though I was surprised that I had to change schools, I got used to the idea almost immediately."

"That okay but...by the way, Shirley, shouldn't we separate our arms now?"

"Why?"

"Well...isn't it a little embarrassing? Everyone's looking..."

She gave a carefree smile.

"Nihaha, don’t worry too much about it Masaki!"

"Re, really?"

Masaki wondered if he was being too self-conscious.

"Now, let's go!"

"A, ah!"

They passed through the entrance and into a passage that was wide enough to be called a station concourse, and again they went through a large hall. This seemed to be the heart of the skyscraper. In the center of the hall was a wall where a curve was drawn, or maybe it should be called a round pillar. Many elevators were lined up, and on the wall where the words <<ELEVATOR PILLAR>> was written.

One by one, the students went inside them.

"There's a lot."

"But wouldn't there be a long wait? Especially when it's lunch."

"Is it because there are a lot of students?"

"Since there are elevators all along the circumference of the big pillar, everyone will line up in one direction and on the opposite side there will be no one there."

"Hahaha...I see."

"Are there stairs as well?"

"Yeah, there is. What floor is the staff room on again"

"The 30th floor–"

"No, no, that's completely wrong."

"Erm, there are two sets of stairs on the school's east block and west block."

"Why does it seem like you want to use the stairs!?"

"Eh? ...Because the stairs are there?"

"It isn't mountain climbing you know."

While they where standing there talking, somebody at the back loudly exclaimed "Wha–!?" in a sharp voice.

As soon as he turned around, he saw a man's eyes widen in shock.

The man seemed to have a well-built physique, had short evenly cut hair and had a square-ish face, all of this together gave off a grim impression. Everyone's eyes were turned towards Masaki and Shirley.

He talked like he wanted to wring every last drop out of Masaki.

"Sa, Sakurazaka-san! Who is that guy!?"

"Hmm? He's Masaki."

It was an unenergetic answer. Since she didn't use a lot of words, Masaki decided to add to it.

"I'm Kusunoki Masaki. Today is my first day at this school."

"A transfer student? Then have you just awoken? This guy is entwined with Sakurazaka-san's a, arm..."

His shoulders started shaking.

"Who...is he?"

"This guys name is Ishounuma, and he is classmate to me, and now you. That's all."

"Sakurazaka-san, that isn't all, right?"

"That is all there is to it."

"Hmph, you're as cold as ever."

Ishounuma acted friendly towards Shirley but had a sense of strong hostility towards Masaki. It seemed like he was ready to attack Masaki at any moment.

"––And? Who are you to Sakurazaka-san?"

Even though this was his first time meeting Masaki, he acted really aggressive towards him. Masaki shrunk back.

"We're only childhood friends....Hey, Shirley, as I thought if we're like this, people will misunderstand."

He softly unlinked their arms.

She looked disappointed while she followed what he said.

However, even that didn't settle Ishounuma's anger. Instead, his eyes became bloodshot.

"Yo, You're not using honorifics with her name...!? Hey, you! Even though you've been Sakurazaka-san's acquaintance for some time, it doesn't mean that you can act over-familiar with her right!?"

"I didn't mean to do that."

"Sakurazaka-san too! Don't act friendly towards some low level guy who just awoke."

After hearing Ishounuma's words, Shirley had an angry look on her face.

"What was that? Isn't it strange to choose who you will be friends with by their level alone!?"

"Heh!?"

"Let's go Masaki. I'm fine with the stairs."

"I guess it's no use."

He found it hard to get into conflicts with other people. It might have seemed hard to go all the way up to the 30th floor using the stairs, but Masaki chose to do that because it was easier then arguing with Ishounuma.

Ishounuma ground his teeth loudly.

He kept on glaring at Masaki until he had left his line of sight.