*Back In Mindoro*
It is the time of the tests, and a huge battleship is docked at the shore of the island. The crew along with a captain are making their way into the neatly paved streets of Mindoro.
The festive sounds surrounds the village of Mindoro. The streets are covered in a carpet of extravagant flowers along with green leaves, spread like a carpet decorated by nature itself at the entrance and bright lights, welcoming the people of Mainland.
There is a decent sized fountain in the middle of the junction, where all streets meet. The flooring of the fountain is a transparent glass filled with lucid water. Purple colored lights are fixed under the flooring glass and also in the fountain where the water comes out from. The water takes on a purple color with the reflecting of lights turning to a purple waterfall.
There are different sorts of food stalls that are opened on either sides of the streets. The smell of fried and grilled meat assisted by the sizzling sounds made by the meat on a grill added with vinegar, spices and sauces, making your stomach rumble the instant, you enter the street.
There are also hot brown perfectly made steaks served to you right next to the side of a road. What stands out most are large burgers with two patties and extra fillings with flavoured french fries served with ketchup and mayo. Lastly, the pork cutlet sandwiches welcomes your taste buds with the pork meat fried crisply until it looks golden colored, are present on one side of the street, totally opposite.
The other side is filled with different kinds of noodles to savour, Ramen noodles with pork slices, half boiled egg which is neatly cut in half, decorated with fish cakes, firmly boiled noodles all immersed in thick and rich hot broth. There are also dry noodles without soup but chunks of sliced chicken fried along with manchurian meatballs and also Pad Thai noodles fusioned with red Sichuan peppers. The street food stalls really looked inviting for the people that are passing by.
There are also streets that are filled with fruit vendors only to satiate your hunger. Most of the stalls are filled with fresh yellow ripened mangoes to lure the customer with just plump texture, the sweet tangy taste begins to linger on your taste buds and fills your nose instantly, with fragrance as soon as you step into that bustling street. All kinds of dragon fruits with their strange spiky outer texture and fresh ripened grapes are just a feast for the eyes of every bystander.
"Brrhahaha enjoy this all while you can boys! We won't get this devouring sight in our land. We only get this level of welcoming and respect in this island, wuhahaa." A man laughingly tells his soldiers.
"Wow captain Skiouros! We did not believe you when you said it. But it is so true! Ahhh we envy you captain. You get to receive this kind of treatment now and then. Why is it that only soldiers change every two years to visit the islands and not captains?" A soldier questioned his captain with the wish.
"Brrrhaha, become a captain and you would have the same privilege." Skiouros replies with his abrupt laughter.
Skiouros(35) meaning squirrel in ancient Greek is also a captain like Thorik and Shamian. He has a heavy middle aged body, blonde hair with ocean blue eyes, oval shaped tummy covered with loose clothes. He wrapped a scarf around his head that served like a cap and a cream colored cape. His clothes are brown colored with his shirt tucked in his pants with a cream colored belt.
Meanwhile the school that Faust goes to is in chaos and drama everywhere. "Woot woot! Aren't you all excited to see the soldiers and Captain Skiouros! Damn why do we still have school on this festival like day! Aren't kids supposed to go watch the carnival and eat food? I hate school!" A girl in Faust's class is annoyed while talking to her friends.
Every kid is having their lunch in the class with colorfully designed napkins spread on their desks. They talk about different things, discussing hot topics while eating.
"Faust! You are disqualified! Please try again after two years." A classmate of Faust yells out loud from a group of guys who are sitting in the middle of the classroom. He hides back into the group after saying the words.
Faust is sitting in the last row and last corner, just beside a window. He pretends like he did not hear the group even when he did loud and clear. He pulls down the left sleeve of his ash colored hoodie and covers his arm up to his wrist, in a worry that the group of guys might comment on the abnormal scars on his left arm.
"Ohhhh look! He is hiding his skin diseases. Yuck! Looking at it, killed my appetite." But a kid from the group noticed Faust pulling his sleeves down and bad mouths Faust.
The whole group chuckles at the comments and takes pleasure while Faust gets uncomfortable in his place.
Faust is having a hard time swallowing the food. He still keeps eating with an intention of ignoring the group. He doesn't want to pay attention to such comments and make the group think that he is hurt because of their words. That will just make them keep going.
The girls that were near the window talking about the carnival and the soldiers arriving, observes everything that is going on in the class. And suddenly one of the girl says "Ew Faust! Your teeth are all yellow. Don't you brush?" She adds fuel to the fire with an evil grin on her face covering her mouth with her left hand.
Faust pauses eating. He slowly takes his spoon out of his mouth. He pulls his lunch box closer to his body, bends his head down and eats slowly in a way that his upper lip doesn't expose his teeth. The words clearly hurt him and made him attentive of his body.
Faust's teeth are healthy and white, yet the girls leave an abusive remark. Taking this as an opportunity, the group of guys goes again at Faust "why are your teeth so nasty?" Says another kid and this time the whole class laughs at him.
"Your hair is so dirty, and what kind of hairstyle is that Dude!"
"Don't forget, he have skin disease. He doesn't brush daily. That's why he got skin disease."
The kids in his class goes on blabbering different things. About his hair, his habitual left hand as to why he does things differently with his left hand and the fact that he is smaller than all the kids in his class. He is seen as weak and became a target for everyone in no time.
Faust doesn't say anything or retorts back. He feels frustrated and the words and mocking laughs of his classmates become a ton of weight on his shoulders and unbearable. He eats fast, slides his box back in his backpack . Gets up on his feet avoiding eye contact with everyone and walks out of the class fast.