_Blu finishes his sentence as he watches over the rich girl in expectations for a plausible answer to his question.
A sign of unease could be seen over her.
She was shut silent, grasping the edge of her little skirt without an answer, her body trembled as she recalled over a not so pleasant past.
***
On the night of my birthday, I had just turned 10. It was a chily night, and a dry, powdery snow was falling outside. Even though it was not nothing special, it was quite a memorable night, because... My family died, burnt beyond recognition.
We were a family of four, my parents who were both proud members of the blue knight clan, my older brother and me
My father was a man for whom serving his country was a great pride. It seems like he wanted my brother to become inherit his seat as a member of the blue knight clan, like him.
To meet his expectations, my brother made sure to excel in his studies.
He was also the top of his class when it came to athletic performances.
It seemed like he would make a great ponifix in the near future.
***
"Brother, why do you look like a hero?"
"Hee... Maybe it's because you're a princess".
I was shorter and weaker than everyone else.
That's why I've admired anything strong and cool looking.
Sometimes glaring behind my brother, it seemed like he was a hero in my eyes.
"Brother, you'll definitely get the next top score in the ponifix exams, right?"
"Then, if you pass treat me to some snacks!"
"Ahahah... Isn't it supposed to be the other way around?"
I was proud of my brother. Though we never played much having little chats made me realize how much of a difference I was from him.
"Come on Alice, your brother is studying right now, don't disturb him".
"Ehhh... But I want to play with brother!"
"Now's not the time for such!"
I was quite a lonely child, even though I was born in to a fine family. My mother had always placed my brother above me, I didn't mind, rather I saw a different world.
It was...
A perfect father.
A perfect mother.
A prefect brother.
A perfect world beyond my reach... And within such a family I was nothing but a nuisance.
***
"Ah, Alice. There's a letter for you, I'm leaving it here".
This was a letter of acceptance.
"Ponifix academy".
A facility which selects students who are likely to have hidden talents from age 10-12, from different places all over the country, to train them as ponifix.
In order to enter the school, I ended up going to a selection program camp. Being the first stage in getting accepted into the academy. It was impossible to know what criteria were used to select the candidate since they were classified. But we were tested on knowledge, strength and special cases
Knowing there's no way a mediocre person like me would ever fit in such a place.
I wanted to take this opportunity to do my best to try to get closer to my brother, even just a little and show that I am not a nuisance.
***
Outside the training field, we were told to run laps. It seemed like we were tested on our stamina.
*Pant, pant...*
"Ahahah... Aren't you awfully bad at this?"
Hearing the sound of my own heart beating so loud, sweating buckets, and numbness I could only accept the words the strange boy as clear facts.
"Well yeah running... Isn't my thing... Haa..."
"Here! Take this."
_The strange boy passes on a bottle of water.
"Ah... thank... You."
"It seems we'd be chosen to be part of the group that focuses on spirit awakening."
"There are a lot of people so competition is fierce."
"This must be pretty tough for a girl... "
_Alice interrupts.
"I couldn't careless... "
Normally, I could simply let those comments slide, but I don't what to accept defeat for if I were to rebuke him for each and every word, my body would soon give out.
Even if people think I don't belong here I will fight my way in
Hey, you two its your turn to take the test
"Don't overdo it."
With the little passing words he gave out, I rushed over to the test site.
***
To me that was like a dream. I always wished one day I would be praised by my parents. Truth is I knew it very well that my efforts were meaningless.
"You did well. Then, next person!"
I had absolutely no talent.
I was inept.
I was nothing but a nuisance.
That was what I thought before it finally came.
*Crack, Crack, Fsshhh*
Red sparks lit up undulating like a blade hidden in the wind, and flushing through the air, with fiercely violence waves of flames.
'My very own power'.
_Flames gushed rapidly expanding as the instructors rushed in aid to put down the flames she caused.
Afterwards, during the winter following the end of my training camp and 1 year training.
I finally got accepted into the ponifix academy. It seemed the incident with my power awakening was a special case.
I received a phone call from my parents.
***
"Huh? Marriage!"
Apparently, it seemed the blue knight clan valued males than females. It was truly sickening being a clan member I was always looked at as a prized possession to them and nothing more.
Slowly but surely my life crumbled little by little over time.
Before I knew it, on my 10th birthday.
Our family house crumbled to ashes beneath my feet, without a single one alive, everything vanished.
All I remembered was a vague wish.
I wished.
I would always wish for someone to save me.
Someone who would save me from this feeling of curse. Although, there was no such thing as a hero. I felt relieved, like I had been freed from a load weighing me down every where I went.
That's when I noticed that it wasnt a hero that saved me but a side of me I never knew.
That's why I ran away. I ran from that side of me, but no matter where I went like a running away from its shadows it'll always been by my side.
***
"Hey, penguin."
With the harsh treatment the commoner gave. Normally, I would have responded with rage at his comment, but I simply ignored his call with a simply pout.
Founding his call had no response he corrected himself.
"Forgive my rudeness, Mistress Alice".
"And what do you need from me."
Asking myself, How much pride does this girl have? Would be a very good response. Nevertheless, there is a lot of things I want to ask her so I would let it slide for today.
"Isn't it about time we head to the academy?"
"Hah?!"
"Are you an idiot? There is no way we can head to the academy in this situation."
"Why?"
I could only turn my head as I wondered what I did wrong.
"We're in a Grade-A barrier, communication with the outside is practically impossible, it's basically like we are isolated from the world."
'I see so that's why time hasn't been moving since so this is what a Grade-A barrier looks like, exciting'.
"Hey, penguin if I take down the rest of the bad guys would the barrier break down."
"Well... Yes... But no matter how it put it's impossible to defeat all of them".
"You would die!"
Sigh... I guess that's a reasonable reaction. Knowing am just a character playing out of his lines. I can't just leave things as it is.
In this world there's so many things I don't know about, Why people still fight the secrets behind this world?
But it doesn't matter now because I might eventually figure it for now becoming a ponifix would be first.
Though, it seems the fact that am helping out might be just me sticking my nose in something that doesn't concern me
I can't deny that but, but... Isn't it exciting.
Come to think of it isn't this the first time am talking to someone from another other than the sanctuary and we've been
Normally I would be nervous talking to her but it's surprisingly no different than talking to the kids...
"Hey, lorè! You haven't finished with the pick-up yet!"
The loud bold voice of an incoming person as he entered into the section.
"Huh... Where is lorè?"
_Sighting the Blu and Alice, the man in red drew his sword, and within a blink of an eye, Blu rushed forth, leaving an afterimage of himself with his sword raised slowly in attempt to delivering a flashing strike.
*Clang*
_Surprisingly, his strike was parried, sliding in the edge of a long sword, as a gush of wind flowed through.
"Heehh... Interesting". It was the first time Blu smiled, in a erring way as his body shivered in excitement.
*Clang, clang... *
Sound of the intense clashes of both sword, striking with different colors of iron clashing, before finally.
*Swwiisshh*
_Blu quickly leaped, landing a few meters back
[Command System].
*Fwish-Cling-twee*
Holographic circles of bright blue light displaying a set of symbols was brought forth, signaling the start of a system chant.
[Execute function].
*Crack*
Dust of tiny crystal icicles collided, hovered over his sword with a light blue glowing effect
[20% Release]
*Fwoooshh*
Breathing slightly, steams of cold air gathered around Blu forming an orb.
*Rumble*
Towers of ice spike rose up from the ground, every inch of his body, piercing holes.
Ice wave.
An exclusive skill that allows the welder summon towers of ice spikes from the ground up.
***
The splatter of fresh blood.
Its so exciting when this happens.
Th-this feeling its the same as before.
It feels like a mad demon is twisting and crawling in my insides.
Why... Why am I reacting this way?
Why is there music in my ears?
Why am I smiling?
***
Before I knew what happened, the sound kept playing on and on. Every swing felt like a piece of sound playing in my head, joined with the strange movements, like a ocestra playing each sound with a different tone coming together to form a single note.
As Alice stood, the sight of Blu, with a crimson red face, which had an obvious smile of captivation.
As captivating as she looked at the boy fighting his form that caught my heart. For every swing he gave, a red crimson pool was made with surprising excellent. And from every inch of his body was so fierce I could felt my body getting violated by his firing gaze. With eyes glinting a slight color of flame and swordsmanship like that of a dancer caught in the walls of a stage. And when the stage play ended.
Corpses laid like an ant hill, polished swords protruded from each side of it like a fallen crown. Red thick paint gleamed so vivid its shadow hid before it, awning with a strong smell of iron, that even a fully pledged ponifix would be frozen on sight. Despite the shocking pile of corpses, wasn't a devil neither an angel but a boy that stood atop it.
With a trembled my heart of love, every breath he took felt surprisingly awe as my heart beat felt like it could break out of my rib cage.
Ahhh... I have finally found him.
I have found my knight in shining armor.