The once clear forest once again covered in fog and mist. Temperature dropping, the chills started to crawl back. Silence fills the forest, only the sound of footsteps can be heard now. The difference was so striking that it feels like a dream.
The captain stopped the group and grabbed his map from his briefcase. He scanned his surrounding, trying to find his bearing.
Arthur, idling at the moment suddenly asked, "So, is the city big, miss?."
Aileen noticed the curious gaze of Arthur, can't believe what she heard, "Y-yeah, it's filled with a sort of a lot of things and lots of people." Aileen answered.
"Do they really have cars, trains, and airplanes, oh, and big buildings too?" Robert just as curious as Arthur asked another question.
"Y-yes, but only a handfull of people own's a car, airplanes, and big buildings."
Aileen trying his best to answers all of Arthur group question was flustered by the bombardments. Still, she tried to answers most of it with her realistic view of the world.
The group finally got out of the misty forest. The sunlight once again lit up the surrounding, the warmth tingles the skin. A dirt road greets the group, military cars were lined up to pick up the group. On the side of it, two golden wings image can be seen, with the motto 'Non Nobis Solum Nati Sumus'.
"Not for ourselves alone are we born." Annie mumbled in a small voice.
"WHOAAAAA! A REAL CAR! MILITARY GRADE AT THAT!!" Robert excited to see the lump of metal in front of him.
Arthur ignored Robert yelling and heard Annie mumbled and asked, "You can read Latin words Annie?"
"U-um. I-i learned it recently." Annie nodded.
"Then why didn't you study magic more? If you want I'll teach you about it." Arthur said cheerfully.
"Dipshit, stop trying to hit Annie." Elizabeth annoyed by Arthur remarks, scolded in her usual tone.
"Wha- That's uncalled for. And what do you mean I'm hitting Annie!" Arthur retorted.
Envy filled his eyes, Robert that heard the conversation, rushed and asked for confirmations, "Arthur, why didn't you teach me and Jack magic? Isn't that right Jack!"
"A gentleman needed not magic to prove his point." Jack said, denying Robert intentions.
"What do you mean I didn't teach you guys magic! I tried to teach all of you magic but you always have the perfect excuse to dismiss it completely! Not just me. Even you all ignored what aunt Phiria teach! Only Annie that tried to stay even though she didn't know anything about it." Arthur berated.
Annie heard all of that, even though she was happy but at the same time was disappointed by what Arthur said. She dropped her feline ears and sulked at the remarks. Elizabeth and the rest except Arthur noticed the changes.
"Arthur, you're full of shit. Come here Annie." Elizabeth hugged Annie with her unemotional face, relieving her disappointment. The rest berated Arthur after.
Don't know what to do Arthur just accepted his fate and apologize to Annie even though he thinks that he didn't do anything wrong.
The Captain and the rest of Hermes Wing group just watched all that happen and amazed by it at the same time.
A small conversation just broke into a verbal fight, but they seemed to arrive at the same conclusions, they know that the kids were really close and treated one another like their own brothers or sisters.
EHEM
The Captain tried to calm the situation.
Arthur and the rest stopped their useless banter and look at the Captain.
"*Ehem* From now on we will go into our separate destination. If you need to say your goodbye please take your time, and after that please get in your respective car guided by your aide." The captain explained.
Arthur and the rest looked at each other eyes and nodded at the same time. No turning back now. One by one they enter their car.
Arthur propped himself on the back seat of the military car, Aileen comes after and sat beside him while closing the car door.
Brum Brum Brum
The sound of car engine fills the forest, the metallic beast can drive in many terrains, covered with anti-magic plates, state of the art durability enhancements, interchangeable hood frames to fit a machine gun or even portable missile launcher. It can contend against mutated wildebeest and come out unscathed.
Many countries trying to snatch the metallic beast, offering lots of riches and magical artifacts that can make a man not worrying about his seven generations. But in the end, the organization refused it, saying that their technologies only meant for the successor and nobody else.
The car started moving, bumped up and down conquering the terrain. Even though from the outside the car was bumping up and down, the inside looked so stable, this is thanks to the flexible inside frame, stabilizing the inside.
Arthur looked out of the window, seeing the misty forest once again becoming smaller and smaller. Aileen trying to break the ice said, "U-um, so why didn't you guys said goodbye earlier?"
Arthur automatically responds with a "huh" while at the same time changing his gaze to Aileen.
Aileen finally saw clearly the handsome face of Arthur by sitting next to him, his fair complexion, and his near-perfect feature. If someone says that Arthur was an Elf or Half-Elf descent surely they will believe it even if it's not true.
'What a handsome man, is this what's called love at first sight? N-No! M-Must. Resist. The Temptation. Aileen, you better snap out of it! You're 22 this year. You're gonna be called a cradle robber when people knew you fell in love with a 16 years old.' Aileen broke out from her own spell. And asked the question again awkwardly, "U-um, y-yes, h-huh what is it again? Oh right! S-so why didn't you guys said goodbye earlier, ehehehe?" She said.
'Aileen, you're so stupid! You can't even complete a single sentence!' Aileen frustrated in her thought.
"Oh, that. Well because we have our communication device anyway, so no use in saying goodbye. And I'm sorry for not paying attention there." Said Arthur apologetically.
"O-Oh, r-right, you don't have to say goodbye when you have that, haha, ha, ha." Aileen keeps repeating her own words and letting out an awkward laugh, her mumble lasted for about ten seconds and she dropped her shoulders, feeling all of her energy just seeped out from her body.
'Keep yourself together Aileen. You're on a mission, not a date!" Aileen having a battle inside her thought.
Aileen was tense, cooped up in a car beside Arthur. She thought the mission was so simple, even though she's a newly promoted officer. But, the situation betrays her thought, and this situation was created by her own behavior.
"Whoa!!! Is that a city Ms. Aileen?" Arthur saw the city at the distance.
The group finally get out the forest trails and finally get on the asphalted road. Their first destination and the hub for their separation.
The capital city of France. Seine rivers spanned wide across the city, surrounded by beautiful parks and colorful buildings. Considered the heaven for artist far and wide. Although suffered damage from the effects of World War 2. Paris stayed strong and thrived on its own ways. The Louvre that holds the painting of the maiden elves Mona Lisa. The infamous Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile. And the architectural wonders, The Eiffel Tower, perfecting the charm for this city.
Aileen that were too occupied by her own thoughts were startled by Arthur question. She snapped back to reality and answered, "Y-yeah, that's the city of Paris. the capital city of France."
"Paris. I only know it by its description. It's so big and beautiful, right, Ms. Aileen?"
"Y-yes, it's not called the city of love for nothing."
"Where do you come from Ms. Aileen?"
Aileen not prepared for the question flustered, "Huh, Wha- Me? Oh! I'm originally from Scotland so probably you didn't notice Mr. Arthur, because as a job requirements I need to lose my accent, because you know, I'm working with Hermes Wing organization and that requires me to travel from places to places. But now I've been promoted and that is aiding you in Scotland, Mr. Arthur."
"Wow, if you didn't say that maybe I'll never know Ms. Aileen. You must have been to many countries then Ms. Aileen! And now, I think you must be happy for coming back home." Arthur gave out a smile that could make any girl faints.
'WHOAHOWHDOAHWDOA, CALM DOWN AILEEN! CALM DOWN NOW!" Her heart can't handle the stress. Blood keeps pumping to her head and could explode at any moment. She had a battle with her thoughts and blushed without her knowing about it.
Arthur, who have no knowledge whatsoever for the opposite gender, aside from his friends that he treats like a sister, puzzled he said, "M-Ms. Aileen? Are you okay? Your face looks red. Do you have a fever, Ms. Aileen?"
----
The group arrived at Paris and separated to their respected hub. Robert was arranged to travel using the train, while Jack, Annie, and Elizabeth arranged to travel using the airplane. Except for Arthur that was going for his destination using the military car.
The excruciating journey filled with awkward conversation continued till they arrived at the academies.