A week has passed, the day had come...
"Calm down Miss Shia, I'll do it myself," Jack moaned.
"I wasn't able to focus on you last week, but today I won't let you out of my sight, now sit still," Shia said.
"I can dress up on my own," Jack retorted.
"No, I can't let you do that now, can I?"
"Actually you can."
"But you're my favourite professor, I can't let you do any work," Shia pulled a shirt out from her subspace ring.
"That's the costume?"
"I think the preferred term would be uniform," Shia shook it, pulling it open.
It was a plain white shirt, ordinary if you may but what made it stand out was the small black leather straps with silver buckles instead of the traditional buttons.
"Chop, chop," Shia playfully spread it around Jack. "Get in."
"Oh!" Jack's eyes gleaming, "what's my new name?" He slid into the shirt, the soft fabric sliding off his skin.
Shia began buckling each belt starting from below, "It's the best one, I thought long and hard about it."
"Long and hard?" Jack buckling the shirt from top.
"Templeton suggested I take it seriously, so I put it in my mind, and I found a name that matches you," Shia took a step back, satisfied at how Jack turned out.
"And, what is my new name that my new favourite boss wants to bestow upon me?" Jack said, his voice tinted with excitement, tugging at his collar while tucking in his shirt into the black trousers.
"It's the first I've seen you excited, well I'm not holding back anymore, feast your eyes... or ears on your new moniker, Jonathan Raosa."
"Raosa? I've never heard such a name, sounds good," he knelt down on one knee, slowly putting on a polished black shoe.
"It's because I made it up," Shia exhaled proudly.
"You made it up?" Jack shot her a look.
"You like it, don't you?"
"Whatever you say, principal."
"Stop calling with such authoritative titles. Call me Shia."
"That's too informal, besides even your assistant doesn't call you that."
"I let him, but he calls me everything except Shia."
"Then I can't call you Shia."
"Please, like I said, I want a friend, not another workmate."
"I'm not that comfortable with calling someone older than me by their name."
"I don't have a problem with it."
"But..."
"Call me Shia, Shia patted around Jack, pulling out another beige jacket, out of her subspace ring.
"More clothes?"
"Of course, so what do you think?"
"The jacket is good, is this the same from everyone?"
"Not the jacket dummy, I meant my name? Can you call me Shia, Mister Raosa?"
Jack quickly equiped the jacket, his look completed. The beige jacket perfectly complimented the white and black, the silver buckles of his shirt and the black belt adding the final touches.
"Jack, call me Jack," he said, flexing his arms and getting adjusted to the movements.
"I take it you'll call me Shia," she replied with a smirk.
"I'll try."
"You look good."
"It's a bit tight," Jack said.
"I got it at the exact measurements I took."
"It's alright."
"Maybe cut down on your belly."
"I thought you said you liked its softness."
"You won't let me atop you."
"I won't, I'm not a bed."
_________________________
The academy grounds bustled with people and children alike. Noble students dropping off with multiple luggage. Parents shedding tears for the children they won't be able to see for another year.
Finn walked through the crowd, donning a black suit, a white shirt on the inside along with a red tie.
"This sure brings back some memories, I can remember my first day a bit," Finn muttered passing the Nexarion garden.
Finn's appearance had changed in a week, his hair longer, falling below his shoulder, his build much better than a week ago.
The old man's technique let me pull myself together, now that I have split my single core into three I don't have to worry about anything.
The past week they were at Nexarion, jack had been helping Finn with his training.
Why didn't I think of it?
Finn continued walking aimlessly, he had no particular goal, he was just walking around.
By letting the shadow property fill my crown meridian, the frost into the heart meridian and a mediator core in my Dan Tian, I was able to obtain harmony among the energies.
"Excuse me, but when is the inauguration?" a boy asked.
"Oh, it's scheduled to begin at ten but I think it'll be much later," Finn replied with a smile, a strand of the hair falling forward.
"Thank you, I'll get going," the boy walked past Finn after bowing in respect.
Did he just mistake me for a noble? Finn thought as he pulled back the fallen strand of hair.
Must be a side effect of the cultivation technique, my hair has grown considerably long, it is also partially blue now, Finn took out a few blue strands hidden beneath his obsidian black hair.
"The longer hair looks good," a voice came from behind Finn.
"Good morning," Finn greeted the young individual that walked towards him, "Mr Templeton."
"Are you excited?"
"Not the right word, maybe a little nervous."
"You don't look nervous."
Finn chuckled dismissively, "Where is Miss Shia?" the two had gotten rather close the past week, Templeton often walking past the training grounds where Jack helped Finn with his core troubles.
"She's with Mr Jonathan, most likely torturing him."
"He has a way of bringing people to him, guess even Miss Shia fell for his charm."
"She sure did, she's been nagging about how she wasn't able to spend the days with him."
"You got her to work?"
"I sure did, it wasn't the most ethical method, but I got her to work her ass off."
Finn chuckled, "Seems like you're getting the hang of your work."
"Oh boy," Templeton said, rubbing his temples, "that woman is going to be the death of me."
"Mr Templeton, can you please come," a girl shouted, her uniform the same as Finn's but she sported a short skirt.
"I'll see you later," Templeton patted Finn's shoulders, before walking towards the girl, "Alice..."
Must be a senior, her uniform was black, so my senior I guess.
"Let's keep looking around, the mana around here is pure enough."
_________________________
"You ready sister?" Gabriel knocked on the door, waiting for a reply, his tone calm yet impatient.
"Almost, wait," Daniela yelled from the other side.
"Is Daniela ready yet?" a familiar voice echoed, deep yet filled with experience.
"She's almost done, father," Gabriel replied.
"Are you sad at seeing your sister leave?" the emperor asked kneeling down to reach Gabriel.
Father has changed, I always had to look up at the big man, but now..., "I'll miss her."
Gabriel despite only being thirteen years old, was quite mature for his age. Having grown up around adults, he had to adapt.
"Me too," the emperor's face softened, standing back up.
Father has begun smiling more than usual, he even talks to me more than usual, Gabriel lips curling up into a smile. It's all because of my sister.
The boy was able to understand emotions normal thirteen years olds wouldn't understand, he knew the sudden changes in his sister bought about a change.
"Father, are you sad?" Gabriel looked up at him, curious for his answer.
"I... am, I won't be able to see her for another year," he placed his hand on Gabriel's head, "do you want to go with me, to the academy?"
Gabriel accepted it, the changes around him, because he was still a child at heart. A child who yearned for a peaceful family dinner, a breakfast where they could laugh and smile.
"I was thinking of going with her."
He tousled Gabriel's hair slightly, smiling "I will have to leave early, I had something to discuss with Miss Shia, tell Daniela I'll see her at the academy," the emperor walked away.
...
"Sister, aren't you ready yet? Father's left."
"Can you please wait, I'm going to be a bit late."
"Alright, but aren't you going to be late?"
"It's alright."
"Don't be so tense, let her take her time," Thaddeus had been observing for some time.
"But won't she be late?"
"Don't worry about that, besides she might need some space, why don't you come with me, let's go wait at the gate."
Gabriel walks off with Thaddeus.
...
"I can't believe I'm about to go to an academy and study, I'm thirty four years old, I shouldn't be going to an academy," Daniela sat down on her, rubbing her forehead.
CLAP
Her two palms connected with her soft cheeks, her pale skin turning red on impact.
"Now isn't the time for me to freak out, my name is Rose Morris and I have never run from a problem, I will face this."
She fell back to the soft bed, sinking in. I don't think it'll be that bad, just random terrorist attacks and some homework.
KNOCK KNOCK
"May I come in?" Wyge's voice came through.
"Yeah," Daniela slowly got up, and walked towards the door, opening it for her.
"Where's Gabriel?"
"He went to the teleportation gate with the first prince, he got tired of waiting for you my lady."
"Let's leave, aren't you ready?"
"Yes, let's go," Daniela looked back at the mirror once more, her pristine white suit, with a white shirt inside, her red tie standing out.
"Oh, here is your pin," Wyge pulled out a small pin barely the size of her pinkie. It was a silver moon, the round design perfectly maintained.
She brought it near her left chest and gently placed it.
CLICK
The suit had a hidden magnet, which kept the pin stuck to the suit.
"Let's go."