Chapter 2

**Chapter 2** is the third chapter of the first season and the third chapter overall of *Sweet Elite*. It was released on June 4, 2018, and was developed and published by Dulcet Games Inc.

## Summary

After rushing through their morning routine, Scholar sprints off to their first class. They are only stopped by the realization that they have no idea where it is being held. Since they will be late anyway, they decide to go to the Cafeteria for some breakfast and, hopefully, directions. Luckily for them, they come across a sleepy student named Axel, who guides them to the correct classroom before leaving them on their own.

Scholar's attempt to stealthily enter the classroom fails. They garner the attention of the class and Ms. Maria Rodriguez, the maths teacher. She overlooks their tardiness only this once, then announces to the class that Scholar is one of the academy's newest scholarship students.

For most of the class, Scholar converses with some of their classmates, during which they learn that Axel is a bonafide rockstar. Once the period bell rings, they decide to roam the halls to look for Axel and try to build a few friendships with some of their fellow students. Their wonderings lead them to meet Tyler Williams, a laid-back student who was not present yesterday on account of an unspecified event. Scholar also bumps into Raquel Pereira-Carmago, who invites them to an illicit homecoming party she is hosting that evening.

In the Dorm Bathroom, Scholar finds a deeply distressed Karolina Nováková. Karolina brushes off Scholar's concerns while making it clear that she wants nothing to do with an upstart like them.

The altercation leaves Scholar upset, and a conversation with Neha Rao in the Second Hallway does not help much; apparently Karolina's been acting strange lately, though her distaste for scholarship students is not anything new. Neha admits that she does not share Karolina's attitude, but she also does not want Scholar to be overly friendly with her either. Scholar accepts her reasons, hurtful as they are.

Once the school day ends, Scholar returns to their dorm. They decide to attend Raquel's party. Whatever fun they end up having quickly dissipates when Karolina faints out of nowhere. Scholar helps Neha bring Karolina to her and Neha's dorm, where they lay her on her bed. Despite Karolina's rude behavior towards them, Scholar still feels concerned. After Karolina wakes up, she demands that Scholar leaves. They do, but not before giving Neha a parting glance of understanding.

Back in their own rooms, Scholar muses over what they have been through just today. They already feel overwhelmed by everything, and their intuition tells them that this is just the beginning.

## Plot

After speedily dressing themselves and brushing their teeth, Scholar dashes out of the dorms and towards the school's main building. They make it as far as the Main Hallway before realizing that they do not know where their first class is; they were so busy yesterday that they completely neglected to check their schedule. Slapping their forehead, they take out their phone and look up at their schedule. They now know the room number, but the school is so big, they do not have any clue as to where it could be. Sighing, they decide to see if there is anyone they can get directions from. Since they are already late, they figure they could at least get some breakfast first.

Making their way to the Cafeteria, Scholar goes up to the counter and orders some food. While being handed their breakfast, Scholar notices a napping student at the far end of the room. The student has dyed hair and piercings. Though intimidated by the boy's appearance, Scholar does not see anyone else they could ask.

Scholar walks over to the boy and gently shakes his shoulders. They explain that they need to ask him something, but the boy only moves his position. Feeling awkward, Scholar shakes him harder and speaks louder, reiterating the urgency of their situation. This time, they are successful, but the boy is far from cheerful; he groans before opening his eyes, shooting Scholar a glare that makes them gulp.

The boy complains that he just got back and he does not want to give out any more autographs. Scholar pushes aside his confusing words to repeat their explanation, even showing him their schedule. The boy takes a brief glance at it then wonders aloud if Scholar really does not want an autograph: he *is* Axel after all. While the name rings a bell, Scholar does not have the time to guess why.

Prompting Scholar to follow him, Axel shows Scholar where their first class is. Scholar thanks him. Glad to be of help, Axel excuses himself before walking back towards the cafeteria. As he leaves, Axel casually mentions something about a "world tour", which catches Scholar's curiosity. It lasts but a moment; shaking their head, they remind themselves how late they are and enter Classroom 1.

Their heart pounding in their chest, Scholar sneaks into the room as quietly as they can. Unfortunately, their every movement is magnified by the large room's acoustics. Within seconds, they become the object of everyone's attention. Embarrassed, they wish they could leave and crawl back into bed.

The maths teacher, Ms. Maria Rodriguez, does not recognize Scholar until she looks at her class list. She says Scholar's name and basically announces to the class their scholarship status. This factoid gets the class to start whispering, much to Scholar's shame. The teacher silences them all with an order before asking Scholar for their excuse. With so many gazes focused on them, Scholar's nerves make their voice come out weakly as they explain that they got lost. Giggles follow from the students. While understanding, the teacher gives them a stern warning; she does not put up with tardiness and any excuses will land them right in detention.

She tells Scholar that there is an empty seat available. Scholar looks at the back of the class and spots the one she mentioned. On one side is Tadashi, who gives them a small wave, and on the other is Karolina, who is applying some lipgloss.

Walking to the seat, Scholar takes their place at the desk. When Tadashi notes how obvious it is that Scholar is struggling, Scholar blushes and responds. They chat, during which Tadashi explains that he has often had to use force to get Alistair out of bed on non-training days. Alistair objects, pointing out that Tadashi usually sleeps until the early afternoon on weekends. Tadashi justifies this by saying that he helps run this school, which takes a lot of energy. Raquel scoffs: unlike Tadashi both she and Alistair have to partake in the Athletic Department's mandatory morning training, which usually starts around four a.m. Under those conditions, they learned to cherish every moment of sleep they can get, a claim that Alistair completely gets behind.

Ms. Rodriguez calls out the two of them for speaking, inviting either of them to share their conversation with the rest of the class. Raquel makes an innocently sarcastic remark that Scholar finds amusing. When Ms. Rodriguez levels her gaze at them both, though, Scholar quickly adopts a more neutral expression. The teacher matches Raquel's sarcasm with an underlying warning. Raquel gets under Ms Rodriguez's skin one last time before being threatened with detention for her smart mouth. This time Raquel simply nods in response.

As the teacher turns back to the blackboard, Karolina rolls her eyes and sets down her lip gloss. She criticizes Raquel for her handling of Ms. Rodriguez, offering some unwanted advice; she should have said that she was asking Alistair about the homework instead of being overly enthusiastic. In this way, she would have given the teacher what she wanted to hear and gotten her own way as well.

Alistair and Karolina get into a short-lived spat about this obvious manipulation tactic. Tadashi snaps at them to knock it off; Axel's return has made his already stressful job even more stressful and he does not need them to add more to it. Karolina blushes fiercely, even clutching her make up case and looking slightly weak. Scholar idly wonders why his words affect her so, when Raquel speaks up. Both she and Alistair are exited to hear that Axel's back. Tadashi is not so enthusiastic, since this means he will just have more work to do.

Scholar remembers the boy they met in the Cafeteria. They describe his appearance and Raquel confirms that that was indeed Axel. Staring at Raquel, they ask if he really is famous, earning them some funny looks from Alistair, Raquel, and Tadashi. Confused, they explain to Scholar that Axel is a bonafide rock star, not to mention incredibly popular. Raquel even shows them proof via a concert photo in which Axel is playing a guitar in front of a massive crowd.

This news catches Scholar off guard; they knew that Arlington was filled with rich teenagers, but not celebrities. While Scholar is thinking this, Tadashi points out that Axel still needs to finish his schooling. This gives Tadashi extra work, due to Axel's halfhearted attitude towards school and having to deal with his fan girls. Scholar does not pay attention to Tadashi; their too fixated on the fact that one of their classmates is actually famous.

Karolina assures Tadashi that Axel is no match for him, an observation that Tadashi bluntly accepts.

The school bell rings, signaling the end of class. Raquel is the first one out of the room while the rest of the students are still packing up. As they gather their supplies, Scholar realizes that Axel's mention of a world tour, the assumption that Scholar would ask for an autograph, and his sleepiness had all been hints as to his celebrity. They chide themselves for being so dense despite being a scholarship student.

Scholar notes that Axel seemed happy to talk to someone who was not a fan for once. They decide to go find him and check to see how he has been holding up. While they are out and about, Scholar also figures it would do them some good to find some of the students they had met yesterday: the sooner they can make a few friends, the better experience they will have.

Walking outside to the Entrance, they run into Tegan Novák talking to a student with partially dyed hair. The student reminds Tegan that he was not at school yesterday due to having a *thing*, and that he just arrived this morning. Tegan points out that he still has to ask Tadashi to arrange for him to get his picture taken, and Tadashi is already in a sour mood. The student guesses that the cause is Axel, which Tegan more or less confirms. The student says he will bring popcorn to their next fight and its a this point that Scholar steps in.

Tegan greats them and the student asks them why he has not seen them before. Scholar explains that they are new to Arlington and introduces themselves. The student says his name is Tyler, proclaiming himself to be the academy's resident art genius. Tegan quips that he is modest as well which Tyler follows up with an reiteration of his perfection.

When asked what they are up to, Tegan states that Tyler is only interested in partying. Scholar parrots him which prompts Tyler to explain that there will be a homecoming party this afternoon, held in the dorms. Tegan implies he would rather play *Fortday* than go, which makes Tyler a little disappointed. However, when Tegan reminds him that his sister will be there, Tyler admits that he has a point.

The Friendship/Romance buttons will appear. Afterword, three dialogue options will appear. During one of them, Scholar learns that Karolina is the sister Tegan was referencing.

Regardless of your choices, Tyler will text Raquel to say that he cannot come. This makes Scholar wonder to themselves if Raquel is in charge of the party. Tegan reminds Tyler that he needs to text Tadashi too. Tyler does not think this a good idea; the first week of classes are always so rough on him. Scholar chimes in with their own thoughts and after a brief conversation, Tyler remembers that there was a specific book that they were assigned as summer homework. Tegan wryly remarks that Tyler does not even know the title and yet he expects to read an entire book within a few hours. Tyler brushes him off with optimism and reminds Tegan that he has a photographic memory. Tegan complies with Tyler's ridiculous plan, saying he will lend him his copy. Tyler chuckles then says goodby to Scholar, who returns his farewell.

In the back of the Gym, Scholar sees Alistair lifting a pair of dumbbells. When he spots Scholar, he stops what he is doing and waves. Scholar walks over and asks him if he does this each day. Alistair states that he works out a different part of his body each day so as not to put too much stress on any one part. Scholar marvels at his dedication and Alistair remarks that he needs it if he ever wants to get into the Olympics.

They chat a little longer about his goals when Alistair's phone vibrates. When he reads the text, he breaks out into laughter. When asked about his mirth, Alistair explains that his little sister got a phone recently and has been constantly sending him messages regarding their family's daily activities. And since they are five of them, there is naturally a lot to share.

The Friendship/Romance buttons will appear. Afterword, three dialogue options will appear.

After a brief discussion about his family, Alistair mentions that he too is a scholarship student. This gladdens Scholar, feeling less alone now. Alistair admits that he had difficulty adjusting to the school, but he had Tadashi to help ease the transition. He reassures Scholar that making friends at Arlington is not has hard as it seems, something that Scholar hopes is true. Alistair adds that not everyone at this school has lived simple lives; despite the differences in social standing, they are not as intimidating as they first appear. Scholar blandly accepts his advice, though they are not that sure of it.

Alistair states that he still has to complete his workout routine, so Scholar says goodbye and leaves the Gym.

Upon entering the Main Hallway, Scholar crosses Tadashi's path. He asks Scholar if they have seen Axel.

Two dialogue options will appear. You can tell Tadashi the truth or you can lie to him.

**(If you tell him the truth...)**
Scholar explains that the last time they saw Axel was in the cafeteria. That is where they found him this morning.

Tadashi is surprised that Scholar was not snapped at, which they correct. Upon waking, Axel assumed Scholar was a fan asking for an autograph, something does not surprise Tadashi.

He thanks them for their help but before he can leave to go to the Cafeteria, Scholar asks him why it is important for him to find Axel.

Tadashi sighs, explaining that- due to Axel's celebrity status- the school has to deal with paparazzi. He knows from experience that talking to them does nothing; they will not leave until they see Axel. As much as he might like the attention, the paparazzi are still Axel's responsibility. Additionally, Lady Arlington's been hounding him about emphasizing the importance of responsibility to the student body.

Scholar understands what he is talking about, but they are not sure why the school has not taken any action against the paparazzi. Tadashi explains that they have, but nothing they have done has worked expect for letting them see Axel. Hence his mission to find the rock star before the media breaks down the gate.

Tadashi thanks Scholar for the information before leaving, with Scholar bidding him goodbye.
**(If you lie to him...)**
Scholar will say they have not. Tadashi warns Scholar that he can tell when someone lies to him. He believes that Scholar does not understand the situation both Axel and himself are in, so he explains.

Axel has a habit for breaking rules and attracting unwanted attention on the academy. Not helping matters is Axel's celebrity status, which brings the paparazzi to the school's gates. The school board is putting pressure on Tadashi to find Axel and have him deal with the paparazzi. As such, he does not have the patience to deal with Scholar's lies, even giving them a menacing glare.

Intimated, Scholar readily tells Tadashi that they last saw Axel in the cafeteria. Now placated, Tadashi thanks them before quickly walking off.

Scholar regrets how they handled the conversation. Here they are, trying to make friends and instead they only ended up making the number one ranked student angry at them. Sighing, they decide to continue their walk around the school.
Their next destination is the Cafeteria, inside of which there are already a lot of people. Scanning the room, Scholar hopes to find Axel, but he is nowhere to be seen. Scholar sees what Raquel meant when she said that he was good at hiding.

As if the thought summoned her, Raquel appears, teasing Scholar about being Ms. Rodriguez's favorite novice. Apparently, Ms. Rodriguez is usually merciless regarding new students, scholarship students especially. When Scholar wonders why they were not given disiplinary action, Raquel theorizes that Scholar's expression made her relent. Scholar rues their malfunctioning alarm. Raquel offers Scholar an opterunity to save face by inviting them to the homecoming party.

Scholar is amazed that the academy allows its students to throw dorm parties. Raquel quickly corrects this misconception: the school *does* host a homecoming cocktail, but it mostly consists of speeches, reminders, and Lady Arlington getting overenthusiastic about Mozart. Basically, everything that is apporpiate for an academic setting. As such, the more rebellious students have a dual homecoming party in the dorms while the teachers and president are occupied. Of course, there are plenty of more rigidly traditonal students in the school, but they are not invited.

The Friendship/Romance buttons will appear. After you choose one, two dialogue options will appear. After a brief discussion, Raquel tells Scholar that they can attend the party if they so wish, adding that she hopes Axel will come.

Three more dialogue options will appear. After some more conversation, Raquel mentions that the dorm party starts at the same time the cocktail does. Since the location is in the dorms, Raquel just tells Scholar to follow the music in order to find where it is.

Raquel looks at her phone and gasps at the time: she will be late to afternoon training if she does not leave soon. Inhaling her lunch, she offers Scholar a hasty goodbye before dashing out of the Cafeteria.

Continuing onward, Scholar meanders from the Cafeteria into Classroom 1. At the back of the room sits Claire, having what seems to be an upseting conversation over her phone. When she spots Scholar, she stops the conversation, saying goodbye before hanging up.

Upon inquiring if Scholar needs any help, they explain that they had been walking around the school in order to find someone to talk to. Three dialogue options appear and a brief exchange will follow, after which Scholar asks Claire about herself. Claire does not believe herself to be all that interesting, but she will try to answer anything Scholar asks.

Two dialogue options will appear: one regarding Claire's interest in the school's medical herbs, one regarding the phone conversation Scholar interupted.

**(If you ask about the medical herbs...)**
Claire explains that she wants to be a neurosurgeon, since the human mind fascinates her. To this end, she volunteers at the local hospital every weekend. Her hope is to one day be in a position where she can help save lives.

Scholar believes she will, which make's Claire smile and blush at the same time.
**(If you ask about the phone conversation...)***To be added...*
Claire says that she still has some homework to complete, but she liked talking to Scholar. Scholar bids her farewell before exiting the classroom.

When they walk into the Dorm Bathroom, they hear the sound of someone sobbing. Walking closer, they hear Karolina muttering to herself. Tears in her eyes, she harshly criticizes herself for being useless.

The sight concerns Scholar, who did not believe Karolina to be the type who is easily shaken. When they speak up to ask after her condition, Karolina immediately dons a cold mask. Her sharp reply leaves Scholar momentarily speechless, and when they try again to inquire about her state, she steps closer to Scholar with narrowed eyes. In no uncertain terms does she make it clear to Scholar that she is not interested in befriending a talentless nobody like them.

Stunned into silence, Scholar cannot believe that their scholarship status is leading Karolina to treat them so poorly. It also puts the moment where Karolina and Alistair butted heads earlier in a new light.

Two dialogue options will appear: one where you can stand up to Karolina or one where you make another attempt to ask Karolina why she was upset.

**(If you stand up to Karolina...)**
Scholar points out Karolina's judgmental attitude, even going so far as to say that they would rather die than be friends with someone so narrow minded.

Instead of getting angry, Karolina is impressed by Scholar's backbone. However, her condescension rears its head once again when she basically states that she is too good for them, which just makes Scholar more upset.
**(If you ask her why she was upset...)***To be added...*
Picking up her cosmetics bag, Karolina warns Scholar to steer clear of Neha and Tadashi before leaving the bathroom.

Hurt and angry, Scholar is disgusted by Karolina's behavior. More than that, though, is the disturbing notion that she is not the only one who is like this; other students might not want to befriend Scholar for similar reasons. To all of that, Scholar can only give a disheartened sigh.

Trudging onward, Scholar makes their way to the Second Hallway where they find Neha, sketching away in one of her notebooks. Though Karolina's warning is still fresh in their mind, Scholar ignores it and approaches Neha anyway. At first startled by Scholar's sudden appearance, Neha quickly explains that she is busy and returns to her sketchpad, her manner more aloof than it had been yesterday. Scholar wonders if Neha shares Karolina's attitude regarding scholarship students. However, they realize that assuming such things will get them nowhere, so they inform Neha about Karolina's condition and ask her if she knows why.

At the mention of Karolina, Scholar immediately gets Neha's full attention. Though initially hesitant to say anything, Neha sighs then explains that this is not the first time Karolina's acted strange. She has tried to get Karolina to open up to her, but so far she remains resolutely silent. Most concerning is Karolina's apparent declining physical health, more specifically how she seemingly trembles randomly and has difficulty remaining awake. Neha thinks it may be due to stress caused by upcoming photoshoots of high importance. Whatever the case may be, it makes Neha worry either way.

Three dialogue options will pop up. A brief conversation will follow after each one.

Neha asks Scholar if Karolina told them anything, which makes them pause. They contemplate whether or not to discuss their confrontation with Karolina, ultimately deciding it may help. They summarize the interaction by stating the main points: Karolina made it clear that she wants nothing to do with Scholar, and that she even warned them to stay away from Tadashi and Neha, all because of their scholarship status.

This takes Neha aback a bit, but at the same time, she is not truly surprised. She has known for some time that Karolina has a bone to pick with people she does not consider worthy to be apart of her life, scholarship students included. Scholar points out the absurdity of that ideology, but Neha counters that, with her past experiences, Karolina cannot afford to make any mistakes.

The phrasing and tone of Neha's counter-statement almost sends shivers up Scholar's spine. The more acquainted they become with Arlington Academy, the less they feel like they belong there.

In a moment of vulnerability, Scholar asks Neha how she feels about the fact they are a scholarship student. Casting her eyes to the floor, Neha seems to struggle for an answer for a couple moments. Once she has one, she admits that she personally does not have an issue with it. However, Karolina means to much to Neha for her to ever see her best friend upset, especially with whatever is troubling Karolina now. As such, Neha asks Scholar if they can keep their distance from her whenever Karolina is around. While Neha makes it clear that it is not personal and they understand, Scholar still feels the sting of rejection.

Scholar wonders aloud if this means they cannot be friends, to which Neha points out that she has not exactly known Scholar long enough to say for certain. That said, if they can help her find out what has been eating away at Karolina, then she may be willing to consider Scholar a friend. Scholar pledges to help out however they can, and Neha warns them to be subtle.

With that settled, Neha states she should be off, mentioning that she has a pre-orders to fill. Interested, Scholar asks if this means she sells the clothes she makes. In the blink of an eye, Neha dons a businesslike demeanor, stating the terms in which she will accept transactions. The rapid change startles Scholar, who bids Neha goodbye before entering the Main Hallway.

Checking to their class schedule, Scholar walks to Classroom 2. At the back of the class is Ellie and the robotics club. Ellie states that they will be out of Scholar's way soon, but Scholar informs her that they were just exploring. Given the go ahead, Ellie finishes reminding her club about the competition deadlines before dismissing them. As the rest of the club files out of the room, Ellie writes down some notes.

Scholar notes Ellie's apparent enthusiasm about the start of the school year. She admits that she likes learning and absolute defeat of her opponents. More specifically, the annual robotics competition is coming up soon, and she is excited about her and her club's participation this year.

The Friendship/Romance buttons will appear. No matter your choice, three dialogue options will pop up. A conversation will follow each one.

Ellie points out that lunchtime will be ending soon and she still has preparations to make for the next meeting. She mentions that she might not be able to attend Raquel's party tonight, an event that had slipped Scholar's mind. Internally, Scholar wonders who will show up while out loud they tell Ellie that it does not matter as long as she has fun. Ellie agrees then bids Scholar goodbye.

Back in the Main Hallway, Scholar realizes that their attempt to find Axel lead them to everyone else expect him. A part of Scholar wishes they had found them, still feeling grateful for his help that morning.

Knowing that the end of lunch bell will soon ring, Scholar grabs some items from their locker before heading to their next class. However, a confrontation between Axel and Tadashi erupts. Tadashi demands Axel to do something about the paparazzi then head to Lady Arlington's office, but Axel refuses to comply.

While the argument unfolds, Scholar notices Raquel, Alistair, and Karolina within the gathering crowd, each one looking concerned. The argument continues, it grows more heated, earning the attention of nearby teachers. Not wanting either of them to get in trouble, Scholar takes it upon themselves to deescalate the situation. As if sensing Scholar's mind, Karolina shoots them a warning glare, but Scholar ignores her for now.

Three dialogue options will appear. You can either defend Axel, defend Tadashi, or tell them both to knock it off.

**(If you help Axel...)***To be added...*
**(If you help Tadashi...)***To be added...*
**(If you knock some sense into the both of them...)**
Scholar pushes their way between Axel and Tadashi, pointing out how ridiculous it is for them to get so heated over some paparazzi. Turning to Tadashi, Scholar understands the stress he is under, but that does not excuse him lashing out on Axel.

To Axel, Scholar points out that the paparazzi are here because of him. They even support Tadashi's point that his celebrity status does not mean anything when it comes to being a student at Arlington.

Both Axel and Tadashi stare at Scholar, who cannot help but wonder if the two appreciate them stepping in or if they are angry at them for getting involved.

As the crowd disperses, Axel agrees with Scholar's point that getting in trouble because of the paparazzi is absurd. Talking out his phone, he explains that he will contact his agent and have him work something out with the media. Another flinging of insults almost restarts the argument, but Scholar speaks up once again, informing Tadashi that teachers are on their way. Spotting Ms. Rodriguez, Axel hastily makes his exit, disappearing before Scholar's eyes.

With the crowd mostly gone, Scholar sees Raquel and Alistair giving them a nod of approval. Karolina, on the other hand, is glaring daggers at them.
As the bell rings, Scholar rushes into Classroom 2. During class, Scholar tries and fails to focus on taking notes. Already, they feel like they deserve a vacation despite only having arrived not even two days ago. Their thoughts drift to their father, how he had heard that most people at the academy are not kind towards scholarship students. While Scholar is aware that that mindset is not universally shared, they cannot help but be worried that they may not be able to fit in. Still, they are not willing to give up just yet; there are people who will not care, it is just a matter of finding them. And they cannot think of a better opportunity to do so than by showing up at Raquel's party.

The bell rings, signaling the end of the school day. Gathering their things, Scholar heads to their dorm to get ready for the party. Once inside, they flop onto their bed. They have the next couple hours to themselves before the party starts. As they look around their room, they are chagrined to see how messy it is, but they cannot even think about picking it up; their first day at Arlington has drained them of any energy. The most they can bring themselves to do is put together a party outfit.

The thought of the party heightens their anxiety. Scholar wonders what they are even thinking, attending a party filled with rich, talented teenagers, one of whom is apparently a celebrity. Regardless, they spend the next hour or two carefully piecing together a perfect ensemble. They become so engrossed in the task that they failed to notice the sound of loud music emanating from beyond their door. Once they notice it and realize how late they are, they rush out their dorm room.

The Dorm Hallway is crowded with students who were not able to fit in Raquel's dorm. Raquel herself is in the hallway, enjoying the music with a drink in her hand. Scholar makes their way to Raquel who is happy to see them. They mention being surprised at how many people there are, but Raquel informs them that there are less people here this year than last. Scholar can only marvel over the fact that they somehow managed to not get caught.

That is when Scholar catches a whiff of alcohol coming from Raquel's cup. When Scholar asks Raquel about it, she indirectly confirms their guess by making a shushing gesture and stating that it is just fruit juice.

A cheer begins to sweep through the crowd when Axel shows up; he is taking advantage of the fact that Tadashi is at the cocktail to enjoy the homecoming party. He, too, notices the scent of alcohol. Upon inquiring how she got it, Raquel only gives a vague response, but she does clarify that there is not enough to get anyone drunk, just buzzed. If he wants some, she directs Axel to her dorm where the spiked punch-bowl is.

At that moment, Axel finally notices Scholar and the topic quickly turns to them. As Axel chats with Scholar, they notice a couple nearby students glaring at them.

The Friendship/Romance buttons will pop up. No matter which you pick, three dialogue options will appear. A brief conversation will follow after each.

A new song starts playing. Axel recognizes it as one he wrote when he was thirteen. He asks Scholar for their opinion, but Scholar does not immediately answer. Instead, they mull over the confrontation between Axel and Tadashi, taking long enough for Axel to prod them into saying something. Deciding to treat Axel like they would anyone else, Scholar honestly states their opinion: that the song is not bad, but it hardly stands out.

While Axel processes this information, Scholar internally pleads with him to not get angry. Thankfully, Axel agrees with them. While he understands that he works in an industry, he also dislikes how music is treated more as a business than an art-form unto itself. He also knows that the price for fame can feel superficial.

Karolina agrees, seemingly appearing out of nowhere. While Scholar recovers from a near attack, Karolina makes a little speech about how to change that. She makes a little dig at Scholar by the end, that really does send a chill through them this time. Even still, Scholar refuses to be intimidated.

Axel compliments Karolina while also throwing shade at Tadashi's apparent obliviousness regarding her feelings for him. Karolina cannot even make a witty retort at that, instead blushing profusely. As Scholar puts two-and-two together, Karolina tries to defend her and Tadashi, but Axel has- and will remain- apathetic on the matter.

He deftly shifts the topic to Neha, who turns out to be his personal stylist. Karolina says that she is busy talking to her parents, but Neha- also appearing out of nowhere- informs them all that the noise from the party would make such a phone call pointless.

At this point, Scholar notices that Raquel's eyes seem to be glazing over from boredom. She points out that they are here to party, not talk business, which Axel agrees with. Axel goes to join some students who are busy dancing to his song, Raquel following after.

Despite Neha and Karolina still being near them, Scholar feels abounded. Karolina's eyes drift to their outfit, and Scholar cannot help but notice that she looks worse now than she did several hours ago. Their attempts to find out the cause are completely ignored. Karolina states that she is going to get something to drink. Neha beings to point out that consuming alcohol in her weakened state is a bad idea, but Karolina interrupts to clarify that she is only going to get water. As Karolina and Neha walk into Raquel's dorm, Neha shoots Scholar a worried look over her shoulder. It is clear to them that Neha wants help, but it is also clear that Karolina profoundly does not want it.

Two dialogue options will appear. You can follow Neha and Karolina or you can join Axel and Raquel.

**(If you follow Neha and Karolina...)**
Though Scholar unwilling to help someone who has been so rude to them, they nevertheless follow Neha and Karolina into Raquel's dorm. As Karolina pours some water into a cup, she spots Scholar and gives them a glare. She is displeased that Scholar did not take the hint, but they point out that it was hardly subtle. Even if it had been, they are disinclined to take advice from her.

Karolina mockingly asks if they are here to take her picture. Scholar corrects her assumption, saying that they can tell she is seconds away from passing out. When they mention Neha, Karolina interrupts to say that she did not hear Neha ask for their help. Neha jumps in, prompting Karolina to move to a different location.

At that moment, both Scholar and Neha notice Karolina's hands shaking rapidly. Neha urges Karolina to sit down. Karolina emphatically insists that she is fine, but her voice fades drastically. Eyes rolling towards the back of her head, Karolina's legs give out on her. Neha manages to catch her before she can hit the floor.
**(If you join Axel and Raquel...)**
Entering Raquel's dorm, Scholar spots Raquel and Axel dancing away. Raquel invites Scholar who joins in, enjoying their infectious energy. Scholar even laughs a little out of sheer delight.

Their good mood is interrupted by a scream. When look to see where it came from, Scholar sees Karolina faint into Neha's arms. They rush to where Neha and Karolina are.
The action grabs the attention of anyone close by. Neha wonders aloud what they should do. Scholar checks to see if Karolina is still breathing. Once they have confirmed she just passed out, Neha suggests moving her to her bed.

As whispers erupt from the watching crowd, questions flit through Scholar's mind. They know for a fact that Karolina is not drunk, but they cannot think of any other reason why she would faint. Aloud, they agree with Neha's suggestion, and the two of them carefully move Karolina into her and Neha's dorm. They gently place her on her bed, Neha wishing Karolina would have said something. Scholar is not surprised that she did not say anything, thinking it against her headstrong nature.

This ordeal has taken the party mood out of both Scholar and Neha. Instead, they keep a silent vigil over Karolina to make sure her condition does not get worse. A couple minutes later, Karolina regains consciousness. She weakly calls out Neha's name, which gets Neha rushing to her side. Neha asks Karolina what happened, but Karolina cuts her own response off mid-sentence when she spots Scholar. Donning her cold mask once again, she curtly demands Scholar to leave. Neha's attempt to explain why they are there fall on deaf ears.

Karolina's attention shifts to any potential witnesses. Neha hesitates to give an answer so Scholar provides one instead. They do not get very far when Karolina interrupts them with a rude remark before repeating her order for them to leave. Knowing that not even Neha would be able to reason with Karolina in this state, Scholar flashes Neha a brief understanding look then exits the dorm.

The party is winding down a close. Scholar enters their own dorm, shutting the door behind them. The events of the day swirl around inside their head; after everything they have gone through in the past twelve hours, they feel more emotionally exhausted than they can ever recall being before. A part of them misses the simplicity of their former school and home life. They acknowledge that taking the easy route will not lead them to success, that they knew what they were getting into when they chose the academy. Still, something tells them that they have only seen the tip of this particular iceberg.

## Characters

* Scholar
* Main 10
	+ Tadashi Nakano
	+ Karolina Nováková
	+ Alistair Drew
	+ Raquel Pereira-Carmago
	+ Tegan Novák
	+ Claire Durand
	+ Neha Rao
	+ Ellie Collins
	+ Axel (debut)
	+ Tyler Williams (debut)
* Ms. Maria Rodriguez (debut)
* Lady Amelia Arlington (mentioned)
* Scholar's father (mentioned)

## Objectives

**Get some breakfast at the Cafeteria!**

Go to the Cafeteria.

**Follow Axel and go back to the Main Hallway!**

Go to the Main Hallway.

**Quick! Get into Classroom 1!**

Go to Classroom 1.

**Try to find Axel!**

This objective is combined with the one below.

**Explore the school and talk to your classmates!**

You will need to find the following characters in this order:

1. Tegan and Tyler are at the Entrance
2. Alistair is in the Gym
3. Tadashi is in the Main Hallway
4. Raquel is in the Cafeteria
5. Claire is in Classroom 1
6. Karolina is in the Dorm Bathroom
7. Neha is in the Second Hallway
8. Ellie is in Classroom 2

**Get into Classroom 2!**

Go to Classroom 2.

**Go to your dorm and prepare for the party!**

Head to Scholar's dorm.

**Go to Raquel's Party!**

Go to the Dorm Hallway.

## Dialogue Guide

### Key

* Green answers will raise a character's infinity. +
* Red answers will lower a character's infinity. -
* Blue answers won't have any effect on a character's infinity. =
* Black answers are unknowns; the affect that answer has on a character's infinity has not been discovered.

NOTE: The amount of infinity given/taken per answer can change between a friendship and romance choice.

### Notes

In this chapter, you can only get one illustration per playthrough. The illustration is dependent on a dialogue choice.

If you follow Karolina and Neha, you will be able to unlock their illustration. This will also raise their infinities and unlock the "Baby Steps" achievement during Chapter 3.

If you go dance with Axel and Raquel, you will be able to unlock their illustration. This will unlock the "Party Animal" achievement, but it will also lower Karolina and Neha's infinities during Chapter 3.

It is suggested that you follow Karolina and Neha during your first playthrough, then use a fun replay to obtain Axel and Raquel's illustration.

### Scholar

**—**

* (I'm going to help Tadashi.) = (+ with Tadashi) (- with Axel and Karolina)
* (I'm going to help Axel.) = (+ with Axel) (- with Tadashi)
* (I'm going to knock some sense into both of them.) = (+ with Raquel and Alistair) (- with Karolina) **(Towards the "Alignment: True Neutral" achievement)**

**—**

* I should keep an eye on them anyway. = (+ with Karolina and Neha) **(Towards Karolina and Neha's illustration and the "Baby Steps" achievement)**
* It's best to leave it to Neha, I'm going to dance with Raquel and Axel! = (- with Karolina and Neha) **(Towards Raquel and Axel's illustration and the "Party Animal" achievement)**

### Alistair

「*That's what you need to be to make it to the Olympics.*」

* The Olympics? =
* Oh, cool! What's your sport? +
* ...Are you sure you're going to make it there? -

**— (Friendship)**

* F-five? Sounds like you were never bored! +
* Was it hard leaving them to come here? -
* Don't they get on your nerves sometimes? =

**— (Romance)**

* F-five? Sounds like you were never bored! =
* You know, I've always wanted siblings... +
* Doesn't it get a little overwhelming? =

### Axel

**—**

* I'll pass, thank you. Let's get moving, I'm Scholar by the way. =
* I'm Scholar, thank you so much! I can't believe I'm late to class on the first day here... I feel so stupid. +
* I'm not really interested, can we please just hurry? -

**— (Friendship)**

* Weren't you the one that was passed out on the cafeteria table this morning? I was almost worried about you! = (+ if you sided with Axel) (- if you sided with Tadashi)
* I can't exactly say the same thing about you, people can't stop looking. -
* Did I look *that* lost? +

**— (Romance)**

* I didn't expect to see *you* here. Weren't you passed out due to exhaustion this morning? +
* You're *still* down to party after all the whole paparazzi fiasco?! -
* Did I look *that* lost? +

### Claire

「*I'm not exactly the outgoing type.*」

* It's alright, I adapt! =
* That's an understatement, haha! -
* I don't mind that, I'd really like to be your friend. +

「*But ask me a question and I'll do my best to answer!*」

* Well, I was wondering why you were so interested in the school's medicinal herbs. +
* Well, you looked pretty upset earlier... On the phone... -

### Ellie

**— (Friendship)**

* Can you build me a robot that can do my homework, instead? +
* Already so involved with club activities? Chill. -
* Do you think you're going to win? =

**— (Romance)**

* How much do I have to pay you for a robot that can do my homework? +
* It's way too early to start working this hard, haha! -
* Do you think you're going to win? =

### Karolina

**—**

* (Still, I didn't want to let myself be intimidated by her.) + **(Towards the "Newbie Attitude" achievement)**
* (Still, I couldn't help but ask her why she was so upset.) -

### Neha

「*I'm really worried about her...*」

* How long has she been acting like this? =
* I am too... -
* It still doesn't explain her behavior. +

### Raquel

**— (Friendship)**

* I'm really glad! I hope I make more friends like you here. +
* I don't know... I'm a little scared of getting caught. -

**— (Romance)**

* I'm really glad you aren't like that, you seem really cool! +
* I don't know... I'm a little scared of getting caught. -

「*In any case, you're free to come if you want to! If we're lucky, Axel might even show up! That guy is great at parties.*」

* I'll think about it. =
* I don't know... What if things get out of control? -
* That sounds awesome! +

### Tadashi

**—**

* I had my schedule ready and I was sure I set my alarm yesterday! +
* I overslept. =
* I get it, okay? You don't have to rub it in. -

「*Hey, Scholar, I meant to ask you: Have you seen Axel anywhere? I really need to talk to that jerk or the school's staff will be chasing us both down.*」

* (Tell the truth) +
* (Lie to him) -

### Tegan

**— (Friendship)**

* *Fortday*?! Do you think I can join you guys? +
* You guys could also play after the party, right? That way Tyler gets to go and you get to play. - (+ with Tyler)
* Your sister? =

**— (Romance)**

* *Fortday*?! Hey Tegan, if Tyler goes to the party, do you think we can play together? +
* I mean, the party only happens tonight, you can play this game after. -
* You have a sister? =

### Tyler

「*I'll do it tomorrow.*」

* I think you should do it today. +
* Do what feels right to you! =
* Yeah, you should do it tomorrow. -

## Illustrations

Karolina, Neha, and ScholarAxel, Raquel, and Scholar

## Trivia

* *Fortday* is a reference to *Fortnite*.
* Before the April 2020 update, the characters who attend Raquel's party wore their school uniforms. This lead to a continuity error where Karolina, Neha, Raquel, and Axel were shown in their school clothes when their illustrations showed them wearing their party outfits.

## References

1. ↑ File:Chapter 2 Continuity Error 1.png/File:Chapter 2 Continuity Error 2.png. Dulcet Games Inc. Retrieved August 23, 2021.