The pilot looked behind and said, "Feeling nervous?"
"A little." said Fedyenka.
"Well no matter how much powerful you are, a rookie is a rookie. Be careful over there."
"I'll try."
The pilot looked forward and got busy with his work again whilst Fedyenka was eating her fill with her favorite food, pizza. It didn't take them much time to reach their destination.
The place was filled with joyous people and reporters waiting for the trainees to arrive. There were a lot of black suited men who look just the same. They were stopping the reporters from rushing towards the trainees. Just like everyone, Fedyenka started walking on the blue carpet. A big guy bumped Fedyenka. She was on her guard so she didn't move an inch and looked up to see the big guy's face. He was staring at her with rage and said, "Can't you walk?"
"I was walking you are the one who bumped me." said Fedyenka calmly.
"Walk behind me. I don't like seeing small fries like you being in front of me."
"Do I seem to care?"
The guy was going to punch Fedyenka. One of the men in black suit grabbed him from behind and said, "Sir, you cannot do it here. Save your hostility for the fight."
The big guy slowly left, staring at Fedyenka like a hawk as if she is a prey. She didn't pay any heed to his behavior and stared at him calmly with her big eyes. The guy was wearing a pair of gauntlets and had a punk mohawk haircut. He seemed to be a melee to Fedyenka at first but seeing his gauntlets, Fedyenka changed her mind. Either way, she thought that using a shield would be the best choice for her since she isn't so used to fighting with real people instead of robots. After she entered the door, she looked up and saw various creatures flying. Some of the flying creatures came to her and togged her out with some devices. Some white rays came out of those device and made a suit on her. Like Fedyenka, all the other participants were wearing the same dress. She looked at the device on her chest and wondered if they are or will be recording her blood pressure and physical changes. The counselor came and started giving a speech.
"Students and children from all over the world, I am who you all know as the counselor. I hope every gentle men and women are having a wonderful evening along with the participants who are both eager and excited for the seminar. This occasion was first held in this same place a thousand years ago. It is still a regular occassion we arrange every year to test the future heroes of OUTE. Let the feast and fight begin from now on. Cheers!"
The counselor raised his glass of wine with all the other leaders and sages. There were both Miss Charlotte and Mr. Spencer. Yuri was no where to be found. Everyone cheered and said, "Let the feast and fight begin!"
Fedyenka didn't cheer along with them. Along with many people howling like wind as if they know nothing else but joy, Fedyenka didn't move a little from the place being the mountain. Everyone stared at her awkwardly. When she got back to her senses she stared at them with the same cold facial expression. She kept questioning herself again, "What will happen when I know the truth?"
She started walking towards the place where all the participants gathered and cheered with the glasses given to them by the men in black suit. She didn't take a glass to feast with them. A woman shouted and asked,
"Why aren't you feasting little one? Lost hope of life?"
Fedyenka isn't someone who stays silent when someone makes fun of her. She shouted and said, "I read in a book that drinking something while standing is bad. You seem old enough to know that then why ask something like that?"
Hearing her silly answer, everyone laughed. In the middle of the laugh, a man shouted to her, "You got squished, Lily. Ha ha ha."
The counselor in all of a sudden shouted with the mic on, "QUIET."
Everyone in the hall silenced in an instant.
"All participants, please go where the marionettes lead you."
"So the men in black suit are called marionettes. Why call them with so many names when all of them are robots?" thought Fedyenka.
Two marionettes came towards Fedyenka and said, "This way."
They led her to her room. The room was ordinarily white and black with an elegant touch. It didn't feel like home to her. The marionettes told her that there are dresses in the closet for her, every participants has to wear the dresses that are given from here. She quietly listened. After the marionettes left she went out side. While she was taking a walk outside, she met a girl. The girl had a pink short and bottom with a pink hairband and brown hair. Her cupid lips and flawless skin made Fedyenka thing that she is a robot. The girl said hi to her. Fedyenka simply nodded.
"You are THE Fedyenka right?"
"Um...yes. Mind to tell me your name?"
"Oh my GOD. You are her! Your eyes are crimson, they were right! Ahem...The name's Ae-Ri. You can call me Ae if you want."
"Ae...the name is cute."
"Aw thanks really? All the people here are pretty hostile. You are the only friendly one here. I bet my life."
"Wow, you bet your life for that?"
When Ae-Ri finished her words, a young boy came towards them waving his hands with a friendly smile.
"Uh...excuse me? I am Kaiko. Can I talk to you two about something?"
Ae-Ri stared at her with an awkward smile and said, "Do I have to give my life now?"
"Oh course not, I didn't take the bet in the first place." said Fedyenka.
"WHAT IF GOD TAKES MINE?!?" said Ae-Ri.
"I don't think God is that cruel."
"Um...What is going on?" said Kaiko.
"Nothing, don't mind her. So, you need anything?" said Fedyenka.
"Uh...just a friendly conversation I guess. Most people are really hostile here."
"Yeah."
"How is you two's preparation going for the DPS check tomorrow?"
"SO THE DPS CHECK IS TOMORROW!?!?"
"Um...Yes. Why are you so stirred up? Something wrong?"
"YES."
A man shouted from far away, "Why are you kids shouting? Shut up!"
"Sorry." said Kaiko.
"Perhaps, we should go and talk somewhere else. How about the field in the northern side? That part is pretty empty right now because most people are practicing with dummies right now."
"Sounds good." said Fedyenka.
"Let's go." said Kaiko.
They followed Ae-Ri to the northern side of the training ground.
"So, Ae are you an old participant?" said Fedyenka.
"Yes. I came here before. I'm senior to the both of you I guess. None of yours faces are familiar to me." said Ae-Ri.
"I am a rookie indeed." said Kaiko.
"What? You gotta listen to me then. Um...okay my firstly, answer me this, how is the DPS check done every year?"
"Well it has an unbeatable dummy. It will shoot missiles if we get too close to it."
"Oh no...This time it is Phantom!"
"What?" said both Kaiko and Ae-Ri.
"Yeah."
"Let's just hope he will act like a dummy." said Kaiko.
Fedyenka silently stared at the fountain near her and looked at her reflection. She thought, "I have no idea what is going on. Hope isn't can't make something come true. I at least have to try."
"Ayo, Fedyenka. Spacing out a little?" said Ae-Ri.
"Are you alright? Wanna grab a drink?" said Kaiko.
"No, I'm fine. I just ate pizza a while ago." said Fedyenka to assure them that she is fine.
"Maybe we should go and practice now. We don't have much time before the main part starts." said Kaiko.
"Hm." said Fedyenka.
Fedyenka head to her room. While walking she saw someone going by her side wearing a white jacket and glasses, short haired with bangs. The moment she saw him he knew who he was. She was going to call out but she didn't because of the hunch she was getting. She got a hunch that maybe Yuri is hiding from her for a reason.
"All the people present might think that they are being biased to me if I let them know that I am familiar to them. A person like kaiko is complicated. I still don't know how powerful he is. Him and I are both rookies so there is a chance that I will be fighting him." thought Fedyenka while walking away from the way where Yuri went. She went back to her room. She tried to sleep a little but she couldn't so she got up and went to the northern part again. When she went there she saw Ae-Ri unleashing a powerful magenta strike from her sword. She walked towards her.
"What is it rookie? Impressed?"
"Yeah."
"Ha ha. You are straightforward. Want something from me?"
While practicing, Ae-Ri seemed like a totally different person.
"Yes. Can you teach me how to make a shield?"
"Hm...do you have any idea how to make one? If you do then try at first."
Fedyenka gathered all her strength and fancied a shield. She unleashed her power. Ae-Ri protected herself with a shield from the white burst unleashed from Fedyenka. She looked at her being amazed.
"What beast has they created?..." said Ae-Ri with a whispering voice.
Fedyenka looked at her, the sun was setting behind her. A gentle breeze flowed. Her burst burned the things around her to flames. Some of the flames were still burning.