Chapter 158
Lamberton Dormitory Building, Cornell Academy, City: Three Pronged Fork, Republic of Shantu, Continent: Barat, the Year 2041, Planet: Grimoire
This was a landmark day for Grifton, Firenze, and the eight siblings. They were set to move their belongings permanently to one location for the foreseeable future. Once again, the day was drizzly and gray, the visibility low, and misty fog drifted throughout the valley.
However, Grifton was somewhat startled to hear that the eight siblings were splitting into different buildings. "Interesting. I thought for sure that they would want to stick together in the dormitory building at least," he commented.
Firenze heard that and shook his head. "Nah, when I first enrolled in Fang's Cliff, we weren't given the choice." He caught Grifton's shocked expression and smiled ironically. "Sounds familiar right?"
Grifton nodded since that was basically what he'd gone through while on the streets. Then again, that was what he'd endured throughout his years in the Orphanage. So they had much more in common than he'd initially believed.
Firenze picked up where he'd left off: "We were all shoved into one dormitory and told to survive." As he carried more boxes to different rooms, Grifton drifted alongside him so that he didn't miss a word.
When he reached the bedroom they shared, Firenze set the boxes down. "That first year was a living hell," he said, making a sour face and grunting. "It was only after meeting you and others living on the streets."
Grifton didn't see how that would make a difference. However, he was hearing something from Firenze that was truly frightening to realize: What brutal academies there were. The fact that only a decade and a half later, the truth of the horrible living and surviving rates of the students' lives was seeping out of the shadows was even more remarkable.
Firenze exhaled. "That I began realizing there were other choices that I could only dream about at the time." he shrugged wryly when Grifton shook his head in disbelief.
"I probably wouldn't have been so hostile or nasty if I'd known the truth." Grifton sighed when he recalled the misunderstandings and misconceptions between him and the others.
"Eh, how could you have known?" Firenze smiled faintly. "It was through your example that a few others and I started to see what it took to transfer between academies." He sighed. "Well, that and I wanted to get closer to you." His admission made Grifton flush.
"Yeah, at the time, I wasn't receptive to that type of feeling, unfortunately," Grifton recalled how mean he'd been to Firenze and the others.
Firenze laughed. "Well, it wasn't as if we'd done anything to make you trust us." the fact that he wasn't taking offense made Grifton feel somewhat better.
Then Firenze added to his surprise. "I didn't blame you for avoiding us for the first couple of months." Grifton nodded because he'd not received a reason to avoid them until a few weeks later.
That's when Firenze mentioned what finally broke their hostility: "I do recall that continued until we made a point of showing up at the unofficial sparring events."
Grifton rubbed his jaw. "Yeah, I do recall that first time." He laughed in recollection. "That was quite a surprise since I used to do things solo." He still hadn't made any real friends, though he'd been in his third or fourth year? Something like that? Grifton needed help remembering. "I only know that my siblings had already started their merchant company without me, and I was still upset about the forced separation." He shrugged. "I also hadn't known about the blackmail going on either."
Firenze nodded. "So yeah, all those events finally led us to work together even if we hadn't wanted to."
He and Firenze had formed a group with Troy, Molly, and many others. To think that only Gladys, Troy, Molly, and Firenze were left. It hurt, but that was the reality of their world.
Firenze sighed. "I think the point I'm making is that I didn't want to be in my twin brother Chester's presence any more than he wanted to be in mine." He shrugged. "We desperately wanted to gain our own identities." Firenze rolled his eyes and made Grifton laugh when he told him. "I just happened to go down the delinquent path that led to me being disowned and removed from the registry of the Jesso-Carabine elite members of Bellonia."
Grifton made a wry observation. "That was until Chester decided he didn't want to be left alone in an envoy delegation going back to Bellonia, or was it Galos?"
Firenze scowled. "Don't remind me," he stated flatly. "I'm going to do my best to return here before the month ends." His complete disinclination to remain as an envoy was very obvious. "I don't care what anyone says."
Grifton winced. "Well, at least try to do the bare minimum," he suggested to Firenze.
"I think I understand your point now." He put away his belongings with Firenze's assistance after thinking about it.
Firenze blinked at him. "Oh really, so what conclusions have you managed to catch?"
Grifton sighed because he saw in his reflection how his siblings had reacted to having a disabled and useless sibling dragging them down. "It made sense that they didn't want to be cooped up together." He didn't see that happening with the eight siblings.
Firenze nodded. "No doubt they had their own history." He also remembered what happened with Grifton's siblings. However, since Firenze had yet to encounter them beyond that one point where the first reunion had occurred, he wouldn't judge them by the standards he'd had with his sibling and cousin.
Grifton finished his thought with a statement that truly reflected what he'd noticed of their personalities: "They probably had diversified interests that wouldn't suit them to remain in one place, even within the Academy's enormous complex."
Firenze smiled. "Yep, that does make sense." He paused. "So I think we're done moving boxes into the bedroom?"
Grifton looked around. "Yes, we are." It was time to take a break. "I made some food and drink. We can sit on the balcony if you'd like." While not spacious, it wasn't cramped like the other one.
"Sounds good," Firenze agreed.
They put their belongings to one side and sat down on the two chairs and table that Grifton had set up first. That's when Grifton laid out the minor feast he'd made to celebrate the midpoint of the unpacking. "I have something else prepared for when we've completed the remainder." He smiled at Firenze's startled expression.
They settled down to eat enthusiastically.