Hubert sat, his back against the brick walls of the building and the shadow cast over his head. The place was quiet, and the breezing of wind and the rubbing of leaves became his friend. The ground on which he sat was his companion.
He was alone, since the start and even now.
"I know… But why…?" he asked.
The exhibition, a place for many, but not him.
Everywhere he went, everywhere he placed his foot down and everywhere his presence was noticed, he was discriminated upon and drove away. Apples were thrown, along with curses of various names.
"I thought they… accepted everyone, but not me, apparently, huh?" Hubert questioned, reminded of the first place he went to.
The fourth booth.
Then the first booth, where he was interested in learning the way of the sword. Yet, as he expected, the people there too drove him away, chanting for him to leave. He did so and even when he left, people cursed him.
The second booth, same thing.
And the last, the third booth, the place where he felt like he belonged the most but was the only place that kind of accepted him. Where the students, seniors, and instructors all touched and poked at him for their interest in research.
He soon left the place of his own volition after feeling like he got molested.
Now, he found himself, once again, lonely.
"Ha…" Hubert sighed, exhaling his breath, knowing not what to do as he sat there alone.
"Will I… get expelled?" Hubert asked himself, he knew of the rule and knew that he was powerless against it.
His stare was blank, and as the freshness of the wind struck his nose, he sat in silence with an empty mind.
"Why do you think that?" a familiar voice came from the corner of the building, where a head with gleaming red hair peeked out.
"Nurse Ivanna…" Hubert called her name, and however delighted he was in her presence, he understood the calling of a more important thing, the mission, and its risk of failure.
"Hubert, nice seeing you here!" the nurse greeted excitingly and as vibrant as ever. Her smile was beautiful and full of warmth as she approached Hubert.
"Nice seeing you too…" Hubert replied, his tone indifferent.
"Mind if I sit here?" Ivanna asked politely, the smile etched on her face unchanged.
"Sure…" Hubert answered, his tone stagnant, naught of emotion.
"Ah, it's nice finding such a nice spot," Ivanna said, relieved, as she dropped down closely beside Hubert.
Perhaps, too closely.
"Ehm…" Hubert groaned, he wanted to ask something, but his voice was as if blocked by something.
"Shh… Let me just enjoy the quietness, okay?" Ivanna hushed.
The two sat, quietly, enjoying the sea of trees in the distance.
Hubert felt weird. A battle raged inside of him. The relieving presence of Ivanna, someone who took care of him on multiple occasions, fought against the grimness of uncertainty.
Though it was clear, he liked not being alone.
"Nurse, may I ask you something?" Hubert asked, his hand hanging loosely on his knees.
"Sure," Ivanna answered anticipatingly.
"What will you do if your occupation is threatened but in one way or another, you can't really do anything about it?" Hubert asked, his tone slightly pressed and his voice almost shaky.
"Well, if I can't do anything, then I suppose I will need to find a new job as soon as possible? But…" the nurse stopped her words.
Hubert turned to her, his brows almost frowning.
"But what?"
"I guess there is almost no way I would find myself in that predicament, I'm the best nurse after all!" Ivanna proudly mentioned.
"Ha, of course, you are the best nurse," Hubert said, praising after chuckling.
"Well, I think you are the best student as well. I really doubt you would find yourself expelled from this place," Ivanna added, as if reading Hubert's plight.
"..." Hubert replied in silence. He realized what the nurse had meant. Because of that, truly, he felt that, at the time, the nurse, the only one who came and found him, was his only friend.
Though hesitantly, his throat itched as the words yearned for freedom.
"You know, nurse," Hubert began opening up.
The nurse listened intently and attentively.
"I'm confused with my body, it's as if… As if something is in here, something that affected me, something that despised me that made me go through all that misery. I don't know why, but I felt… weird," Hubert said.
"An-an-and everyone thinks that too! I know nothing of myself, but they hate me, they cursed me and talked of me. They called me all kinds of names, one that even I won't call upon my worst enemy… Now, I don't even know what to do, none of them would accept me, not even my friends, whom I thought were people that would let me lean to," Hubert continued.
He was desperate, his thirst unquenched, his thirst for warmness and acceptance from people.
"And even I know, in the end, I have only myself to blame," Hubert said.
Dareon was hiding behind the corner, his fist clenched and his teeth gritted. Then he ran away.
Upon the last word escaping Hubert's mouth, Ivanna swooped in with her hands and grabbed Hubert's naked hands.
Hubert's eyes widened from the sudden movement, at first, his muscles tensed and bulged, wanting to free himself. Yet, as time went on he relaxed himself as he enjoyed the comfortability Ivannage provided.
Her touch felt gentle and warm, her fingers delicate and tender, and her hand soft and uncalloused. The texture of her palm was as if she had the capability of gluing both of their palms together.
"You know, my mother always said that whenever my father is stressed upon something. She would grab his hands and he would feel comforted by it, as if all his problems had gone away… I hope the same too," Ivanna told, her face in slight blush.
"Thank you, nurse," Hubert responded, his tone full of gratitude and his muscles leisured. It was as if all his problems had been lifted off his shoulders.
"You don't need to… I too enjoyed this," Ivanna mentioned.
Hubert's face turned a slight pink as the two enjoyed the feeling of belonging that they provided to each other.
"Nurse… I think this might be the last time we meet…" Hubert said, now, with a clearer conscience, he had decided to give up.
"Why?" Ivanna asked, her brows frowning, her eyes glowed, as if wanting for him.
"There's nothing I can do in this place, no one would accept me, they all fear my power… Sooner or later, I will be expelled for not managing to find a learning hall," Hubert vented, his voice now filled with acceptance rather than the previous desperation.
"No, Hubert. I accept you and I don't fear you at all, There's gotta be a way for this, there will be a way!" Ivanna replied, her tone desperate and in search of a solution.
"Nurse… I appreciate your concern, but, this send off is the best you have provided for me, there is no other wa-" Hubert's words were suddenly interrupted by his own memory.
"Be m..my dis…disciple,"
His memory was blurry and the voice that rang was shaky.
His head hurting and pressured, as if a balloon at risk of exploding at any second. His grip over Ivanna's hand loosened as he placed his hands on his ear holes, covering it, relieving himself of the high pitched ring.
Yet he wasn't successful.
"Wh..what i-is y.yo.your a…nswer?" the voice rang again.
"N-no! Wh-who are you?!" Hubert shouted, asking at the voice that was inside his head as the pressure peaked.
"Sana Hoc Domine!" Ivanna stood up and casted upon his head her healing magic.
"..." and the voice was nowhere to be found.
The pressure dissipated and the jolts of pain disappeared. His lungs gasped for air as his eyes were exhausted, convulsing in and out of his socket. His body drenched in sweat, that trickled down from his face to his hand.
"Are you okay?" Ivanna called, her eyes attentive at Hubert's every state, her tone worried.
"I'-I'm fine, I thin-think someone was calling for me," Hubert answered between his gasps of air.
"Who?" Ivanna asked.
"I… I don't know, bu-but the voice… is familiar," Hubert said, his sweat drying off and his gasps lessening.
"Long range communication? Who would have done such a thing on a second-grade student?" Ivanna questioned, her voice slightly pressed as she clenched her puny fist.
"N-no, it's from my memory," Hubert answered.
"Your memory?"
Ivanna's eyes widened upon the sudden revelation. Yet she dropped herself beside Hubert and grabbed his hands once again.
"Close your eyes, Hubert. I will guard you while you get some much needed rest," Ivanna commanded.
Hubert, without answering, lightly nodded and closed his eyes, where his vision then turned black and void.
The sun that was once above their heads now gave away its last orangey sun ray, overcasting form behind the building. The bird gawked in the rows of trees in front as the soft and light grass breezed from the east wind.
Hubert slowly opened his eyes and rubbed them while his vision was still blurry. He realized of the evening sun as he yawned.
His hand moved as his forearm muscles worked. Searching for the comfortable and smooth grip of Ivanna's hand. Yet, he was greeted by the crumpling sound of paper.
He looked downward, hoping for the last time for the hand, but was ultimately disappointed by the letter that was left in it.
"I'm sorry, Hubert, I can't guard you because there was an emergency in the exhibition. But I'm glad that I could accompany you until you fell asleep in my presence. Also, don't give up! I know that this will not be the last time we meet," the letter read.
"And call me Ivanna next time we meet," the letter ended.