Even though they called it the training room, it was more like training rooms. Clusters of private rooms so people didn't disturb one another while training. Though most use them to practice hidden moves.
Grant saw the familiar lobby of the training room. The standard hardwood floor of the manor covering the area. Several lovely paintings were displayed on the walls. Several rows of chairs were provided for people waiting for an opening.
He found that he knew some of them from before his plan.
'Is that Emers? Wasn't he at level one last time I saw him?'
He saw a young man with a green mohawk styled into a spiral sharpening his sword.
'Panzer?! What happened to her? Wasn't she too busy being in a relationship for extra training?'
He saw a woman practicing summoning and unsummoning ethereal claws with a determined look.
He turned and saw someone else that he knew.
'Oh, it's muffin.'
He saw a smol girl sitting in a wheelchair reading a book with a smiling train on the cover.
'Well, at least she looks normal. Wait a minute, isn't this where people in stories get proven wrong.'
It was then that a terrifying thought entered his head.
'Where the fudge is Kirby!?'
Grant looked around the room frantically. He checked the front, back, and sides but found nothing.
'Maybe he's fine? Wait a minute!'
He suddenly looked up and found nothing. It was just the ceiling.
It was only then that he breathed a sigh of relief.
He was about to continue on his way when he bumped into something and fell on the floor.
"Oof. Sorry about that I didn't see you..."
He trailed off as he saw that nothing was in front of him.
The air began to ripple as a large figure appeared.
"Ah. Invisible war bear, of course..."
He saw the bear growl at him and he started scootching away slowly on the floor.
*Growl...
He got to his feet and place both arms in front of him.
"Nice Kirby. Nice Kirby. Nice..."
The bear roared as it leaped towards him.
Grant instantly leaped to the side and rolled to a crouch as the bear landed behind him.
Adrenaline pumped through his veins again as he broke into a sprint towards the counter.
The bear roared with a force that shook the air.
He could hear it charge towards him. The pounding of the ground, the heat of its breath.
*BONG!
Grant turned around within the counter's barrier.
The bear had its face pressed against the glass and slowly slid down with a squeal.
It started to whimper as is circled the defensive shield.
He noticed that every person in the room was staring at his cloaked figure.
A voice spoke out from behind him.
"Ah! You're here. Don't worry about the wait. The patriarch told me you were coming."
She explained.
Grant nodded in embarrassment.
"Uh, thanks."
"Your room's down the hall on the right, room 508."
"Thank you again."
"Grant?"
His heart stopped, and he slowly turned around to see Muffin staring at him wide-eyed. A crowd of people stood behind her with hopeful eyes.
...
...
...
He sighed and took off his hood.
"Yeah."
He said self consciously.
He'd cut his hair short since the last time he had seen them. A large contrast to the luxurious mane he had before.
He used to have a look of burning determination that would send kids running. Now there were but embers hiding beneath the surface.
"You've changed..."
"So have you..."
He said, looking at Kirby pawing at the barrier.
"All of you."
He gazed at everyone in the room.
"Are you gonna leave us again?"
Grant crouched down towards muffin and raised a hand to tousle the hair of his biggest fan like he used to, and hesitated.
'I want to tell them, I really do.'
'I want to tell them that I'll always be there for them.'
'I want to give them a hug and say that I'll never leave again, that I regret leaving. That, that...'
He put his hand down and said.
"I'm sorry..."
Grant stood up and headed towards his room.
He could feel the stares of people following him.
He arrived at his room and pulled open the door, but turned back to look at them before he entered.
He saw that a number of people were holding themselves back from charging him through the barrier.
He saw that some were disappointed and sad. He saw that muffin was hugging Kirby's head as they looked at him.
He could see inside her eyes that she never gave up on him. She still doesn't believe it. He could see her looking for the man she respected before.
The man who despite all his faults would always make time for her. The man who, in her eyes, was the kindest person in the world.
He never existed. That's why he had to leave.
"I don't know."
"I'm trying to be better... in a different way. I don't want to lie to you. I can't promise anything, but I'm trying."
And he went inside.