First year student orientation at N’rellia was pretty much as it was with most institutions. A student was required to spend two full days and parts of two others (night of the first day, morning of the last), in an environment where new students would intermingle, tour the various buildings on campus and locate their future classes, while at night… party, getting acquainted with one another.

The overall purpose was to remove the apprehensiveness associated with the first day of matriculation, with a side benefit of creating new bonds that might well last a lifetime, quite important at a school with a fixed class size of five hundred, aspiring for careers in an industry where connections could mean the difference between success and failure.

M’traliel was on the cusp of her fourth year as a N’rellia student. As such, she was eligible to serve as a guide through the whole of the orientation session. There were no formal hours of work for guides – they were just students who loved everything about N’rellia, and they willingly gave all of themselves until they reached a need to crash. Until then, they interacted for whatever length of time the inclination led them.

Having just finished what might best be described as orientation for orientation guides, M’traliel was ready for the influx of The 500. These young adults were potential future movers and shakers of the Arrhazon musical world, and in time would become part of the unofficial elite. A few milked that for all it was worth, but others – the vast, vast majority of students and alumni – accepted the responsibility that came with their achievements and success.

M’traliel was one of 50 students tasked to interact with the incoming class; regular N’rellia staff handled the usual behind the scenes work necessary for the efficient functioning of any organisation. Bored with the brief down time between the last training meeting and first influx of new students, M’traliel sat idly in the bright light of day, sometimes listening to the chatter of friends, sometimes zoning out, away from their conversations while meditatingly thinking of nothing at all.

Students were to report to the student congregation building, one that housed a hodge podge of services and material things designed to satiate most of the enrolled student desires. “Our first charges are here, M’traliel” Kurhael called out, having spoken her name twice before M’traliel actually realised she was being called back to the here and now, and to begin her assigned duties.

Smiling but not replying, M’traliel reached down for her backpack and dutifully moved with Kurhael towards the new arrivals. They introduced, they hugged, and they chatted, reaching out to the students, making them an immediate part of the exclusive N’rellia community.

Within a few hours, the full 500 were in attendance – not one of the new students failed to show, undoubtedly recognising their good fortune in being one of a small percentage of applicants actually admitted to the prestigious institution. Each student guide had charge of 10 students. M’traliel gathered her assigned charges and trod off toward the school commons, a large expanse of wooded green space located in the middle of the school campus.

Finding a suitable shading tree from amongst the many located in the greenspace, they gathered in a small circle, settled comfortably on the ground, and began to morph from ten somewhat apprehensive individuals and into friendships that would last a lifetime.

M’traliel wrote down the names of each student: Elrhessa, Ssoshha, Saeshi, Arlbria, Dehnova, Khahishra, Llhaesa, Ubraesha, Khairl, and J’haliel.

Writing out the names, M’traliel tried to think of some small way to associate each name with student. She skipped the seventh name; this one would be easy to remember without the need for any additional tool.

One look at her eyes – deep into her eyes – left M’traliel with no doubt that there was a whole lot of depth there, a compassionate, evaluative intelligence, stirred with a whole lot of complexity, ranging from almost pure empathy to a quiet and graceful confidence in her ability to accomplish and to lead.

M’traliel these traits were unusual, amazing actually, to see in someone on their first day in a setting completely foreign to them. She would never forget this person, of that point M’traliel was quite certain.