"I am glad that everyone is here." Zoe looks at the other members of their organization. Kieran was standing near the target range space where he was throwing daggers as usual. Tehmo is sitting on top of the platform while playing with his sword. Cael is on the floor holding a spiked ball mace. Kassandra is the only one seated on the long couch holding a piece of sweet bread which is gave by Alyza.
Zoe who is standing in front of everybody took a piece of paper from his coat pocket. "I have important news to announce. So please guys, listen carefully." Zoe paused for a moment to check on them if he was able to catch their attention. Luckily, he succeeded.
"Yesterday, the student union called the president of each recognized student organization in the Noel Academy. They hold a meeting regarding the Countdown Party of this year. Every organization was assigned a specific task for the party. Together with the Glazing with inferno, we are assigned as the food committee."
"What!? Are we going to work with that stupid Phyro and his bunch of idiotic people?" Cael cannot hold back his disappointment.
"Well, we couldn't do anything about it. But luckily, I have managed to not work directly with them." Zoe calmly said to his team.
"We are listening. Continue." Cael said while spinning the mace up in the air.
"Phyro and the Glazing with Inferno voluntarily gets the responsibility of preparing all the main dish, including the appetizer and drinks. What left for us is the dessert buffet."
"I am very excited to hear that. Can I suggest on what dessert we must prepare?" It was Kassandra. She is currently eating sweet bread.
"I guess sweet bread is on your list." Cael is obviously mocking Kassandra.
"Well, you could include ice cream sandwich on her list." It was from Tehmo.
Everyone was surprised at his comment. Kieran's dagger missed the focal point of the target. The mace that Cael was playing with, dropped on the floor. Zoe released a soft laugh.
"Can I also include that?" Kassandra was oblivious of what just happened.
"Actually, the Glazing with inferno already gave us the list. So, I'm sorry if we could not include sweet bread and ice cream sandwich on the dessert buffet." Zoe looks at Kassandra.
"No worries. I could eat ice cream sandwiches again once I get my allowance." Kassandra gives them her sweetest smile.
Everyone melted because of that smile. It was the first time they saw Kassandra smile that sweetly. Most of the time, Kassandra wears the usual poker face or the oblivious childish face whenever she was eating. They can't get enough of how beautiful she is. Kieran's dagger again missed the center of the target. Zoe cannot help to smiles back at her, while Cael's mouth left ajar. Luckily, the mace is already on the floor. On the other hand, Tehmo accidentally let the sword go.
"Cael, Tehmo's sword is falling." Zoe gets the attention of Cael Gestus.
"Oh, right." The sword did not hit the floor. Thanks to Cael's Aero-Telekinesis.
"What happened?" Kassandra asks the group.
"Nothing. The sword just slips from Tehmo's hand. Zoe, I think you are about to enumerate the list of desserts we need to prepare." Cael is signaling Zoe to make it fast.
"Ah about that, they were expecting us to prepare ten kinds of Christmas desserts. Number one on the list is gingerbread men cookies, two, holiday rum balls mixed with sugar plum Christmas candies, number three is the classic yule log. For number four, spiced fruit cake with brandy, then traditional triple, mini Christmas pudding, baked Alaska, the ultimate sticky toffee pudding, Christmas Stollen, and last but not the least, chocolate candy cane cake. Any question so far?"
"Where are we going to prepare that?" It was Kassandra. "Also, I don't know how to bake, so assign me on buying stuff. I don't want to ruin everything."
"Kieran, Mr. K has a house near the Academy, right? Could we borrow it just for this activity?" Tehmo asked.
"I will talk to him. I will tell you the result this afternoon." Kieran replies.
"Great! If not, we could go to the nearest rest house of Cael." Zoe suggested.
"Ok. Not a problem with me." Cael stood up. "Tehmo, could I sit on the couch? I can't feel my legs now. I need to stretch."
"You could stretch your legs better when you are just standing there right?" Tehmo replies while looking on the blade of his sword.
"What a possessive jerk," Cael said to himself. Tehmo heard him but just ignore his statement.
"By the way guys, I want to introduce someone to you." Zoe beckoned to someone standing outside.
A short-hair student enters the room. All eyes are focus on her. Kassandra got shocked but eventually regain her composure when she remembers their last encounter. She did not want her to be rejected again in front of everybody.
"Hi. I am Chloe Bion of II-Class A. An earth bender but has a secret ability on metal bending. I know you never heard of it, but metal bending is a specialized sub-skill of earth bending that allows an earth bender to Ferro Kinetically bend processed metal in a similar fashion to bending regular earth."
"Oh, that is a kinda unique talent. You said it is a secret, so the school director doesn't know about it?" Cael is intriguing the new member.
Chloe just shakes his head as her response.
"And you expect us to believe you? Oh c'mon." Cael threw the maze to her.
Everyone did not expect what Cael did. Of all the people inside their studio, he is the most gentleman. He cannot make a move against a woman.
Luckily, Chloe is very calm and focused. She was able to catch the mace and prevent it from hurting her face. Everyone looks at her hand, she is holding not the handle but the ball.
"Cael! Are you mad?! Why did you do that?!" It was from Zoe. It is obvious that he is furious about what Cael did.
"Relax, Mr. President. That was just a test. And look, the new member is fine. She was able to metal bend the spike. It's gone."
Zoe looks at the ball part of the mace. Cael is right, the spikes were gone. That was fast. Chloe did that for just a blink of an eye.
"I'm fine. You don't have to be so serious about it." Chloe softly uttered.
Kassandra, on the other hand, was very nervous. She thought that the mace hits Chloe's face.
"See no one is hurt. So, can we move on to the next topic." Cael shrugged.
"Ok then, Chloe you could take your seat beside Kassandra."
Chloe did not answer. While walking to Kassandra's location. She throws the mace back to Cael.
The mace almost hits his face. Luckily, he was able to stop it with the use of his air bending ability. He was totally shocked; the spike was just a centimeter away from his nose.
"Oops, the mace slips from my hand. My bad." Chloe said while taking the seat beside Kassandra.
"You!" Cael was about to throw the mace again when Zoe froze it and breaks it into pieces.
"Enough Cael. Stop playing around. We are not done yet." Zoe is now serious.
"So, you are on her side. I will take note of this." Cael is not happy. He sits on the floor while he crossed his arms in front of his chest.
"Aright. Moving back. Our next topic is the count-down party costume. The student committee gives a specific criterion about it, and it is limited to Christmas Symbols only."
"Zoe, can you explain it further? What is with the costume." Kassandra has no idea because it is her first count-down party in Noel Academy.
"Oh, I forgot this is your first count-down party here."
"Actually no. This is my first ever party." Kassandra took the last bite of her sweet bread.
"Alright, here is the thing. The committee requires everyone who will attend the party to wear a theme-specific costume. Last year, they require us to wear anything white. Just white. No other colors, this is in accordance with last year's theme which is White Christmas. So, this year, they want everyone to be in costume representing any Christmas symbol."
"Oh god." It was Kassandra.
"Why? Is there a problem with it?" Zoe asks her.
"Are you stupid Zoe? Kassandra hates Christmas." It was Cael.
"Cael, we know that her last name is Grinch. But it does not mean that she hates Christmas. Am I right Kass?" Zoe looks at Kassandra's direction to formally get her approval.
"Actually, you're wrong. Grinch is not my last name. I don't have a last name. I don't have a formal name. I just pick Grinch because that is just my only identity." Pain is reflecting on her beautiful face.
Tehmo felt her loneliness. There is this feeling inside him that he wanted to comfort her.
"Well, if you have problems with what to wear at the party, why not we all go outside the Academy and go downtown after school? We could help you with choosing your costume."
"Really? Can we all do that?" Kassandra is getting livelier.
"Yes, we can do that. Right Tehmo?" Cael looks mischievously to Tehmo.
"Oh. Yes. I think we could do that. As a team. We could go there all together." Tehmo was caught off guard.
"Ok. That's would be like a bonding activity of our organization. Everyone is expected to join. Even you Kieran."
"No problem." Kieran monotonously replies.
"How about you Chloe?" Zoe asked the new member.
"That would be a great help to me. I don't know what to wear either."
"So, all is set. See you at the front gate at around 5 pm. I will personally get our gate pass so everything will go smoothly." Zoe volunteers.
"No need for such a thing. Kieran and I have a special gate pass, we could go out of the Academy anytime we want." Tehmo informing the group.
"No Tehmo, let us do the proper way so Kassandra and Chloe will get accustomed by it." Zoe suggested.
"Alright. If that is Mr. President wants"
"Ok. Let's go back to class first. The meeting is adjourned."
----------------------
"Hi Kassandra!" It was Mraz. They met in the hallway going to their classroom. Tehmo is walking behind her.
"Hello Mraz." Kassandra greets him.
"Are you two together during lunch break?" Mraz whispered so Tehmo doesn't hear him.
"Yes. Our organization president met us regarding the count-down party." She responds and continues walking when she noticed that Tehmo has passed them.
"Oh, I see. We also had a meeting earlier. Our organization, The Clairvoyant Eye will provide a fortune-telling service. How about your org, what task was assigned to you guys?" Mraz asks her while keeping to her pace.
"Oh, nice. Fortune Telling. Who will provide that? By the way, we were assigned to prepare the dessert buffet."
"Do you remember Aelian? The one we met when I accompanied you to the Night Grand Quarters?"
"The one who called Chloe freak?"
"Unfortunately, yes. But you know she is kind. She is just a bit tactless. But overall, she is nice."
"Ok. So, she could read the future?"
"Not literally, but she could read someone's memory. She can manipulate minds. You know, some capabilities of the mental manipulators."
"Really? She could read memories? Even those memory during childhood?" Kassandra can't hide her interest. At last there is a hope that she could at least be able to know her past.
"Yes. Are you interested in our service?"
"Very. Tell me about it. I need to get that service from your org."
"Ok, I will get the details. I will inform you once it has been finalized." They were already in the classroom.
"Thanks, Mraz." Kassandra said to Mraz before she takes her seat beside Tehmo.
____________________
"Aelian." Professor Aerea call her sister who is about to take a step on the stairs going to the second floor.
"Yes Prof. Aerea? What can I do for you?" Aelian calls her professor since they are on the school premises.
"Our parents requested our presence to the count-down dinner party in our mansion on the last day of this month."
"I can't. I have an important duty on the Academy's count-down party. I can't miss the party here."
"But that dinner is also important. The Ignatius Clan is expected to attend the dinner party as well."
"Is it about the engagement between the two families? Why not attend it yourself? Why do I have to marry that jerk? If you really want to make our parents happy, I guess you must be the one to marry into that family." Aelian left without hearing her sister's response. She is really annoyed.
"Aelian. If only I could save you from this curse. But your elder sister is incapable of such a thing." A tear escaped from her left eye. Aerea immediately wipes it before she left the building.
Aelian stops when she felt that Aerea left already. She gets the white medallion from her pocket. The medallion that holds the Light Element Crest, their Clan's crest. She brings the medallion inside her pocket every single day. Hoping that someday, she could finally give it her fiancé.
The truth is, she really likes her fiancé. Nobody knows about this, even her own sister. When the time comes that he finally confessed to her, she will give it to him as a sign of acceptance of the marriage between them. However, she knows that it is impossible to happen. Because her fiancé likes somebody else. Thanks to her mental manipulation ability. She was able to predict that truth. That's why she wanted to show to everyone including their family that she really hates this engagement.