Alina knocked at the door quintuple times, meekly waiting for the door to be opened. No one answered, thus knocked again, but no one answered. Alina stopped knocking and shouting.
"Fler!" Her tone reached to high levels enough to be heard upstairs.
"What's taking him so long?" Kyria, who stayed behind Alina the whole time, asked. The two have prepared their destinations to play and hang out with Fleisher just as they promised when the two encountered Kyria. Alina wore a brown blouse and shorts. Her hairstyle changed into a ponytail. Kyria wore a green t-shirt and a brown skirt.
After minutes of waiting, the door opened, only to show Charlotte. "Oh, Alina! How may I aid you?"
Kyria tried to peek at what's behind Charlotte to find Fleisher, but she couldn't find him. "Um, is Fleisher here?" Alina called for Fleisher, Charlotte flinched.
"He hasn't notified you?" Charlotte replied as Alina and Kyria became more confused. They both of them shook their head in unison. Alina's expression went from smile to shocked.
"O-oh... well, what are you going to go on today?" Charlotte pleaded with sweating forehead.
"I alleged us to go to the plaza! And further than that." Kyria butting into the conversation.
"You look familiar. Are you the offspring of Alexis?" Charlotte placed a finger on her chin trying to remember who her father was.
"YEP! That's my dad!"
"I see. Nice meeting you. Now, I'm terribly disappointed our son hasn't updated you yet, and we thoroughly thought that he told you about his departure." Alina is startled after hearing what Charlotte said, notably the latter. Her cheerful aura around her vanished without a trace. The firm posture she once had is gone.
"W-wait, what d-departing?" Alina hardly can make her words due to utter disbelief. Charlotte saw the massive drop of Alina's emotion. She looked at her with empathy. Charlotte prefers to make up a lie to ease them up, but it wouldn't last long-term and make more damage. She figured out the best thing to do is, to tell the truth.
"He just took off the village and migrate to Liberty School early in the morning." Charlotte was hesitant to answer it, but she pulled it off while not establishing eye contact with the two.
It disappointed Kyria that he broke his promise, while Alina frustrated and gloomy that Fleisher didn't even bother to say it to them.
"W-why would he not inform us earlier? We were so happy and keen to play, I and Kyria arranged it to make this day to be an unforgettable time of happiness, but he..." Alina clenched her fists, tears develop in her eyes. Charlotte kneeled to her level and comforts her.
"I realize how familiar you are to Fleisher, and I recognize you have built up quite the feelings for him, but he's still a child to recognize it... rest easy because he won't be away for so long, and as his mother, I can guarantee it."
After that, Charlotte wiped the lingering tears from Alina's eyes. "I may not know Fleisher that much, and wanted to make this time where I could learn more of him, but he shattered the plan. However, I felt how considerable you care for him just by watching at your eyes and look when you're near him! I doubt Fleisher is that dull to just ignore you. Maybe he's just in a rush, and forgot. He'll come back for sure!"
Alina ceased howling, she laughed after receiving her friend's and Fleisher's mother's comment. "Thank you... Kyria, even for a hyperactive person like you, you are understanding, and it surprised me you could pull off a speech like that. Haha." Her voice, however, is still mixed with despair.
Kyria pouted at Alina's comment and replied. "If I cannot comfort my friend who's in misery, then how can I call myself a companion?" Kyria stated.
Charlotte stood up and invited them to go inside, however they declined, and rather go back home or go on with the day with the two of them. "Very well, be careful on the way you two." Charlotte waved goodbye as she closed the door.
"Well, let's continue this day together, Alina."
"Yeah.... I just wanted him to stay beside me."
Back to Fleisher, the man then left the stadium after the speech. His face became grumpy and complained, "Man, that welcoming speech took so long I almost fell asleep."
Next, another guy rose to the stadium. "Please, no more lengthy speeches." Fleisher prayed to whatever god there was that the never-ending like speeches would end.
"The Try-outs for the newcomers will begin in 15 minutes! Please prepare!"
The entire room then became full of chatter. Fleisher doesn't recognize what the guy meant to be prepared, but just in case he checked his belongings and himself. "Okay, okay, I don't perceive what try-outs there will be, but I know it's PROBABLY going to concentrate on magic! Thank you students for sharing crucial intel!"
He inhaled and exhaled to concentrate and ease himself up, but his overthinking made his nerve decrease. People have also started communicating with the others while he was alone and abandoned.
A new guy approached him. He wore quite the fancy clothes than Fleisher. His white short hair swayed each time he takes a step. His face looked feminine to Fleisher's thoughts. The youthful guy is first to greet, Fleisher did the same. Both ended in an awkward cut off between the two until the youthful guy broke the silence.
"I'm Crystal. May I ask for your name?" Crystal told, asking for his name. Fleisher had a visible confusion written all over him; the though of him having a name, body, personality that emits girlish vibe; notably his high pitched voice. He narrowed his views at Crystal.
Fleisher dismayed the possibilities of Crystal being a reverse-trap. He's still young so it's not weird to have such baby voice and body. He noticed that Crystal who's been standing for minutes now, tilted his head a bit, he was confused by Fleisher's long pause and still awaiting for answer. Breaking the pause he told his name,
"I'm Fleisher, nice meeting you Crystal." After the mundane introduction the two then again stuck in a stalemate of awkwardness.
He was about to destroy the silence once again, the bell rang. "What does that mean?" Fleisher asked.
"I think Try-outs are starting. I heard we should head to the door just next to the stadium." Crystal informed Fleisher; immediately leaving him.
"Bruh... well, looks like I have to follow random people, again..." Fleisher let out an agitated sigh and blended to the others.
After what sounded to be an eternity, he and throngs he followed entered through the door. Sighing in relief that the door wasn't narrow. Vast crowds entered and gathered inside a large room. He had heard somewhere that 200 people enrolled this year—200 people!
"This place is huge, bruh..." He murmured under his breath.
The room is spacious and empty other than chairs and 3 metal gates are on each side of the wall totalling 6 gates. A familiar man with black hair and white eyes visible from afar walked to the centre.
Sweat drips down in Fleisher's forehead as he gulped. "If I'm not mistaken—that must be Austin." He whispered. Fleisher converged his eyes to make sure it was him while sweating lots.
A black coat with brass large buttons, white long sleeve polo, a black necktie, a green belt with a black outline and a brass buckle, a black garrison cap, an aiguillette, and notably two silver stars.
Fleisher's eyes widened, and his spirit cracked. He now knew Austin is a Major General rank. His behaviour back then made him realize he made massive mistakes and bad impressions.
He glared at his palm before slapping himself.
"Okay... calm down now. There's no way he would fail me just because of that. A Major General knows better than that." The scene he has caused to himself made other people besides him looked dumbfound at him.
Fleisher now knew what situation he was in, and with his paranoia kicking, it made the situation even worse. To break free from this predicament, he has to give it his all, both behaviour and skills. Taking one massive inhale and exhale. He listened and observed Austin. Clenching his fists, Fleisher's breathing became sharp, and his careless look and behaviour whisked into a massive turn.
He now has steeled his resolve and determined to complete this once and for all.