Chapter 456: Block D

“Not a ghost,” argued Jen pulling the door farther.

“Chill,” whispered Leonard hiding the phone, “-you’ll break the damned door.”

“No, hell no,” she waltzed across to pull his cheeks, “-is that you, Igna?”

“‘eah,” the reply came with mispronunciation with her continuing to pull. “Please stop.”

“I’m glad you’re alive,” nodded Lampard with a load off his shoulders, “-I really thought you died there,” he held out a hand, “-since we’re going to share a room, let’s be friends?”

“Sure,” the firm grasp shone a flicker of relief across their faces. Rena didn’t seem all too pleased. She remained by a bed unpacking her backpack without care of what happened to the left.

“I’ll take the bed by the window,” voiced Igna, “-it’s better this way.”

.....

“Won’t you get cold?” wondered Jen seeing the discrimination of the placements. The bunk beds were farther inside and kept warmer while the fifth bed laid rested against the corner. Windows would always be kept open unless rain.

“I’ll be fine,” came a soft response, “-look at the time, we have to meet with the Dorm-lady.”

“Alrighty everyone,” said Lampard with chest, “-let’s head to the cafeteria.” Hence was room 60 of block D. Between the chatter and unpacking, time passed quickly. Rena and Jen were yet to engage in conversation. Rather, Rena grew acquainted with Leonard while Jen took to Lampard. There was no reason for a grudge. Seeing the atmosphere lightened, Igna retreated to the given blankets with a book in hand.

19:25 came as a shock, “-guys, we need to go, RIGHT NOW!”

“Why are you in such a hurry, Lampard?” wondered the nonchalant Leonard.

historical

“Can’t you see we’re speaking?” voiced Rena harshly.

“Don’t care about the conversation,” he took her hand, “-we have five minutes to reach the cafeteria!”

“Don’t...” the harshness turned into a mellow sigh of discomfort; her cheeks reddened slightly. Jen noticed to then hide her laughter using a pillow.

‘She’s so in love.’

“COME ON,” urged he physically pulling.

“Let’s go!”

19:29 – the run down the stairs wasn’t pleasant. Elevators took longer to climb and descend. A tingling sensation numbed the legs. Sprinting down wasn’t advisable, ‘-who cares,’ thought they finally sat at the cafeteria. A lady in a warmly colored dress stood behind a counter with steaming hot food. The tables were filled one by one by other students. The guard of earlier arrived with a message. The lady nodded to what he said and bowed.

“I see that we have new students joining Block D,” she emerged out of the shadows of the kitchen. A massive lady with a hardened face of strictness. The forehead was riddled with wrinkles giving the impression of anger. The brows were no longer a thing of care, it grew to be stern. Her small walk ended towards the front as shown by a holographic display on the wall. News and music would play at lowered volumes. “Before the food is served, there are a few rules that need to be heard. We don’t condone violence or harassment of any kind. Be an asshole and bet I’ll have you skewered the next day. Block D is a place of learning, understanding, and eating good food. There are a free meal and a paid menu. If you got cash to spend, we’ll be happy to take ’em. The first week will be more tiresome than the rest of the year. Be prepared now, else, things might get tough.” Her words came stiff as a drill-sergeant. Ladle in hand, the lady returned – leaving a taste of concern in their mouths.

“Don’t worry about her,” said a girl across the table, “-the Dorm-mother might seem big as a bear, but she has quite a soft-heart.”

“WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO TO THE SAUSE!” her muffled screams snuck inside with cutlery being thrown.

“Soft-hearted?” mumbled Rena, “-I beg to differ.”

“I’ll keep my mouth shut,” chuckled the girl nervously. And so, after the kitchen grew silent – food was served. Unlike other dorms, there wasn’t a set time to return, wake up, or sleep. They were free to do as was pleased.

The wind blew harshly, the light from the academy village was a pleasing dessert to the sight. ‘What a place,’ thought he stood over the edge of the building. ‘Tomorrow is the start of the journey here. I wonder what sort of people I’ll meet. There’s the matter of being a vampire...’ Curiosity was a demon by itself, ‘-I want to know more.’

“Hey,” the metal door slammed against the concrete wall, “-what are you doing up here?” asked Jen struggling to walk on the gust filled roof.

“Stargazing?” he returned with reckless abandon.

“GET OFF THE LEDGE, THE WIND’S GOING TO PUSH YOU AWAY!”

“It’s fine. I have a strong grip here. It should be fine,” not bothering to face she who had come, the moving lights of the train carried into the night. The part, all be it a small patch of land from this height, had ant-size people taking long and romantic walks. Towards the left, the stair leading up from the station was massive and not well-lit.

“Can I ask you something?” she swam across the ocean of wind.

“What is it?”

“How did you have the strength to fight earlier?”

“I don’t know really,” he skipped off the ledge, “-I saw him approaching and figured if someone could turn the tide of battle, it would be you.”

“Is that right,” her face didn’t seem pleased, “-how did you know?”

“If I remember correctly, you said you were going to protect me? The armed escort for my items. How could I let that opportunity go by, if you died, I’d have been next. One instead of two is better in every way possible. I didn’t do it for favor or gratitude. I barely know my past and my purpose, there’s nothing deep about my words or action – it’s just the rambling of a Kinless boy,” he stopped a few steps later, “-how could I let my first-friend die?”

“You’re an idiot,” she ran to jokingly slap his back, “-anyway, thank you for that.”

Wednesday 3rd of December rose with the screeching of an obnoxious alarm. “Shut it down,” voiced Rena buried into her pillow, “-SHUT IT!”

“Sorry about that,” said Igna ambling across the room with a change of clothes in hand. The items given by the dorm were basic to start living with. Each floor held a shower-room and toilet for differing genders. ‘Today’s the day,’ thought facing the mirror. A shower later took the grime of yesterday away, ‘-the scars have healed.’ *thud,* the impulse of thirst crawled outwards, ‘-not again...’

“Hey, Igna, are you ok?”

‘What’s Lampard doing here this early?’

“Yo, dude, where are you, is everything ok?” the voice echoed farther.

“I’m fine, don’t worry.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah.”

“Alright, man.”

‘Just go away, I can’t have people seeing me in this state.’

Time showed 04:30, ‘-I have to get to the central cafeteria before 05:00. That’s what lady Haru asked.’ The climb up to the academy vexed he who had barely slept. The rumbling of engines grew apparent the higher he walked. Trucks were parked with people unloading vegetables and supplies.

‘That must be him. Mr. Leko, the master-chef of the Trader’s guild. It says here that he has restaurants in the major cities.’

“Yeah, put that one over there,” said the man to the workers.

“Excuse me, but are you, Mr. Leko?”

“Yeah?” not obvious from far, the chef’s face was young, very young. Neatly cut brown hair, square glasses, and clean-shaven jaws. The uniform was white with ‘chef’ embroidered. “Who’s asking?”

“Mr. Leko, where should we take the meat?” asked another worker.

“The refrigerator, where else?” said he sarcastically.

“Sorry sir,” bowed the man in embarrassment.

“Are you perhaps the young-one lady Haru allowed to join the Trader’s guild?”

“Lyoko Igna, sir, she told me to come to meet you.”

“I see,” arms crossed, the face remained level to the truck. Supplies were taken inside one by one, “-I’m sure this was said before. The Trader’s Guild is a place where one has to learn and become proficient in multiple areas. I see that she saw fit to have you train by my side for a while. Listen, boy, today’s going to be a test. Cooking is a skill taken for granted by the populous. The culinary arts must be respected,” he began to walk without warning, “-I’ll teach you the ropes to be better than average. Tis you that must strive to become better. Techniques can be learned; skills can be mastered. The application comes with experience.” They walked outback of the Gymnasium to climb to the third floor.

The ruffling of people moving about, the sizzling of food being cooked, the dampness in the atmosphere, they had arrived at the Academy’s kitchen. A place where masters and novices worked alike. “You’ll wash the dishes for today,” said Leko. “-I don’t want any stray to be dirtied – keep them clean as if it’s the last thing you do!”

“Yes sir.” An apron laid beside the cleaning station, those in the kitchen gave side-eyes to then continue cooking.

“Hey buddy,” came a boy with multiple platters, “-I know you’re new and all, the kitchen here is a nightmare. You best do as the Chefs says.”

“Sure, thanks for the advice,” he smiled.

“I’m Bobby, everyone calls me Bob. Nice to meet you, man.”

“Lyoko Igna, call me Igna.”

“Alright man, good luck,” the orangish hair with freckled nose soon dashed to Lord Leko’s side.

‘Time to clean,’ and so, training to become a Trader started.

Jen and Rena awoke at 07:00. Leonard was nowhere to be found. “We have class at 10:00, right?” wondered Rena yawning down the hall.

“Yeah.”

Military-arts wasn’t time-consuming a subject. Strategies and ways of command were self-explanatory. The newest students were given more free-time to digest and assimilate the subject.

“You guys finally woke up?” jested Leonard in the company of Lampard.

“What are you two doing here?” they pulled a seat inside the cafeteria.

“Having breakfast, what else?”

“Ha-ha, very funny,” grimaced Rena, “-where’s the weakling gone?”

“No idea,” shrugged Lampard, “-I checked on him earlier this morning, well, I tried to, he just ended up vanishing.”

“Maybe he went back home,” laughed she, “-there’s no way he’ll survive in a place like this,” she took turns biting and drinking.

“The Adventuring class is going to get the Guild-Tags today, are you excited?” wondered Jen.

“I’m very excited since we’ll head for the Azure wall as soon as the registration is done.”

“Nice,” smiled Rena, “-show them who’s going to be the next Hero.”

In an instant, the group split into their differing spots to work. The trio of Jen, Rena, and Leonard, were given quite a rough time on the first day. The other groups seemed to have spread rumors of nefarious origins.

“They say the Rena girl is actually a whore who sleeps with the boys in Group C.”

.....

“Disgusting right?”

“No, hear this, I heard Jen is actually a boy.”

“That’s so mean.”

“It’s common, just ignore it,” said an upper-classman facepalming at the spark of youth. “It’s going to go away sooner than you think.”

Class ended, “-isn’t that Lampard?” pointed Leonard through the hallway windows. The Adventuring class was headed for the Guild.

“Man, how lucky are they to have the opportunity to fight so early,” gossiped across as if a whiff of odor.

“Rena, are you ok?”

“No...” she stuck to the glass pane, “-why is Lampard at the back of the line. He’s normally first and speaking proudly.”

“What does that have to matter with anything?” said Jen.

“You don’t understand!”

“I do,” she tapped her shoulders, “-come on, else they’ll think you want to kiss the window.” The harshness of the Academy was yet to be seen. Slivers of the displeasing truth couldn’t be but thrown aside to conform to the norm.

The clock struck 18:30. For a day without rest and food – Igna returned to dive head-first on the bed. Chef Leko allowed breaks, yet, Bob refused to give leeway. He remained adamant and kept on sending dirtied utensils. None really paid attention since the Chef left three hours later.