The day marking her leave had finally and swiftly arrived, Crusch had spent the few days left to it under Redfields bonus lessons and short sparring sessions. She'd increasingly became more nervous as the days shortened and time seemed wholely centered over not allowing her much to recollect a few of her nerves, although Redfield had assured her that with the training and practice that she'd perfected and endured was there no task needing a wand and some Witt's that she couldn't handle. The advice was a little heartwarming but only barely managed to calm her down.
She'd be facing against other contenders who she doubted had skipped out on a single day of preparation and training either, so, in actuality, there wasn't much of an advantage she held and although that's how the rules would've intended it to be, Crusch felt as though the lack of some kind of edge made her far more prone to failure than anyone else she'd be facing. Abssynia and Beryl however seemed to grow restless in excitement, the two, she'd noticed, were battle hungry freaks when it came down to it. Crusch had figured that it came from the fact that they were, by human standard and also by their own; beast's, but they seemed especially excited over facing in actual battle. It was the most amicable and friendly she'd ever seen the two, neither seemed to argue over each other and continued to fester and salivate over the up coming trials.
'I wonder if they've forgotten who's having to physically do all the work…' Crusch muttered in her head.
The morning the day had arrived was fruitful and enjoyable (if she somewhat strayed from where she was going next), Melissa seemed especially doting that it felt almost unnerving.
'Does she not realize the death flags she's planting over me by treating it as though it's the last time we'll meet?!'
However, that guess wasn't wrong. Attendant's, siblings and so forth weren't allowed to come with; something about not risking sabotage or cheating along the way. Her parents had also adopted an even deeper air of affection and motivation, by now was it clear that Crusch had decided to go and so all was left was their unwavering support. The rest of the household surprisingly weren't exempted from such behavior but they were definitely not as overly zealous as her parents and Melissa, still surprised that she had the talent let alone the courage to go.
Redfield seemed the most normal out of everyone that day but there was definitely a more friendlier atmosphere when she'd approached him in the snow covered yard of their estate, seated on the same log as per usual with a smile that now felt less chilling than ever before, because for once; there was no harsh training session afterwards!!
"Ah, the hardships of any instructor" he shook his head as she trekked closer, "Letting go of good pay…"
Crusch stopped and stared with wide eyes as Redfield laughed and then shrugged.
"Honesty and you were a good student, so I guess it wasn't all the money that kept me here" He responded to her shocked expression as Crusch lowered and shook her head.
"To think I came here to give some heartfelt speech about how grateful I am…"
"You still can" he laughed as Crusch scoffed.
The trials were lasting a good two weeks, taking place in the city central which was a long journey for some however in actuality were the trials a four day activity. Melissa had packed her a small briefcase of clothes while her parents had given her robes that they'd bought a few days prior to her departure as a good luck present.
Redfield seemed to smile and stood to give her a firm pat on the shoulders, Crusch realized that this kind of setting somewhat matched those back in the pieces of fiction in the books she'd read where a student had gained the appraisal of their teacher and felt a little giddy to finally be experiencing a normal fantasy trope.
"By all means, don't disappoint me out there"
"Right!!"
The participants were picked up individually, around 11am. Crusch, her parents and Melissa were waiting and exactly a few minutes after the allotted time frame did a vehicle arrive to greet them by the front gate. It was sleek black with wide headlights, a large grill and a long body. The air around her seemed to grow stiff as the vehicle idled towards them and her parents gripped her hard on both shoulders, though unlike last time was there any emotional tear jerkers, if Crusch had assumed that her departure today would be a sore and odd experience of having to discern and suppress her new body's emotions while trying to reassure them that she'd be fine then this was surely a surprise. It seemed as though they'd had their fair share of preparation, perhaps steeling themselves the night before in what was an impressive showing of emotional control.
Melissa took her bags towards the car as Crusch turned to her parents and gave a thumbs up, a good part of her decided against using words as a parting goodbye, her parents seemed right on the cusp of eroding whatever walls they'd setup to endure this that using them might just speed up the process. She crossed the short distance to the vehicle and met up with Melissa halfway who didn't hesitate in giving her a tight hug.
"Good luck" Crusch nodded, the emotions inside stirring but somewhat suppressed as the driver exited and opened the second door for her. Melissa glanced back, then at Crusch with a small grin, "Don't keep us waiting for the good results"
The rest happened in a daze and Crusch had seated herself in the seats of the car, door closing shut next to her and he parents and Melissa waving as the engine roared to life. Obviously this wasn't a goodbye but she very much felt her stomach tie up in knots, an unpleasant feeling she felt was brought up by her bodies emotions that flared with more intensity as she took more time into suppressing and shackling its reactions.
She wasn't supposed to be feeling sad and deflated, she thought to herself. If anything(although fearful of the trials ahead), wasn't this a sense of liberation? She was finally going anywhere that wasn't inside the walls of her abode and the snowy fields of her estate, it was exciting and that's all that mattered. Crusch reminded herself that attaching too closely to her new body's family was a dangerous thing to do, they were a family that weren't her's; if they knew she wasn't really Ludmilla, would they accept her then? She knew the answer well, they most definitely wouldn't, hell, neither would she if she were in their shoes.
"Hello~, are you listening?" In her seat of thoughts did Crusch not realize that she'd been in the car with someone else, startled by the hand waving in front of her.
"Are you quite alright? You look worse for wear, my dear" The person spoke as Crusch turned towards them apologetically.
"Sorry, distracted" She smiled wryly.
"Oh no, nervousness is very normal" They leaned a little closer to her, "I half didn't want to come, the newspapers have been awfully demotivating with all the chances of getting into an academy then also surviving!"
Crusch had barely been reading the newspapers as the days had drawn ever nearer to doomsday, though she didn't figure they'd be demotivating.
"Really?"
"Oh, yes! It seems as though they've taken a great step into culling the younger of us with the idea of joining" She half chuckled as Crusch nodded, then realized she was sitting in a car leading to the preliminary trials with a complete stranger who was seemingly speaking of the subject and frowned.
"Are you a contender as well?" Crusch scrutinized as the woman turned to her wide eyed then laughing.
"I am joining the trials, but a contender? Forgive me, you must be the very skeptical kind" She smiled as Crusch continued to scrutinize.
If anything she seemed of nobility, just like her current self, wearing a deep navy trench coat to long and dark leggings with wedged shoes. She was taller than her, long silk blond hair flowing over slender shoulders. Crescent shaped earrings dangled on her ears and her eyes were quite the dazzling and deep navy blue, she seemed at least four years older than her current body. The woman outstretched a hand which Crusch nearly didn't realize in her state of analysis but quickly shook it.
"Ronvel, Ronvel Van'heer" She beamed, Crusch finding the name a bit odd but smiled back.
"Ludmilla, Ludmilla Von Vladalina Ludunhime" Ronvel's gaze widened and she seemed to stare at her in shock.
"The secluded hermit? Dear me, you're a lot livelier than the rumours suggest!"
Crusch felt a pang as though ran through with a sword, how far does my reputation go exactly? She mused inwardly, embarrassed and also nervous.
"I was…, under strict training" she replied after a moments silence to which Ronvel giggled.
"So I've heard, four years, correct?" Crusch nodded, setting her sights outside the car window to avoid having to stare into her eyes while also searching for a different topic to switch to.
"I–"
"Are all the contenders taken in pairs?" She asked.
"Contenders? My, comradery goes a long way in the trials but yes" Ronvel nodded, "A sense of getting to know each other"
Crusch felt that counterproductive if the trials were so perversely known for its tight competition, still drifting over the sweeping constructions, there were people who pointed over at them, the celebratory decorations and felt even less unsure over her decision.
"I heard there are handsome rewards for the most impressive aspiring mage's" Ronvel suddenly interrupted her train of thought as her ears twitched with curiosity.
"A…reward? I thought getting accepted into an academy was rewarding enough?"
"Oh no, everyone loves expensive items!"
'They're just asking me to do my best!!!'