Allyson's POV.
I once had a friend...
It was a cold day. Weeks have passed since me and my Aunt moved into my Grandfather's Cabin located in Florida. I was standing in front of my new school. Looking around, wondering how can I overcome that day...
The sound of kids playing in the field, school buses stopping by and parents waving goodbye, I could only stand here. There weren't any neighbors around my new home so I couldn't approach anyone with a smile and confidence. Then there she quickly reached her hand in me...
" Hi! ".
With a sweet smile, amethyst eyes and brown hair, she introduced herself.
" I'm Vanessa... What's your name? ". I took her hand as a small smile forms in my face.
" You're new here? ". She asks after I introduced my name and my background. She was rather a talkative type during my first day here. She told me she moved here a month ago — at least something common for both of us.
" Oh, watch out from those guys. They suck at everything. ". Apparently, she was quite rude while explaining everything in the school. She even told me how horrible the food sometimes. After our little tour around the school, she asked something different.
" What do you want to do when you grow up? ".
I couldn't answer the question....
All I did was stutter. She smile once again and raised both of her hands. " Someday, I'll fly into the sky! ". It was too random that I couldn't help but to chuckle. Though, I don't mind the children who stared at us like we're bunch of freaks. " Stop it! ". She complained.
The bell rang. That was time to get inside. " You'll get used to this place. ". She commented.
You'll get used to this place.... Sure I will, Vanessa. However, I still wondered till now.
" Why did you left me? ".
I can still remember staring at the pitch black sky where you give your final light.
Why?
.
.
.
I wonder how she's doing up there....
***********************************
* Knock ... Knock *
As soon as I heard the Come In I enter the room. " Please, take a seat. " Miss Gears's second chair was waiting for me.
" Thank you. "
I sat for about three minutes of awkward silence till she talked. " So for about the results, the higher ranks talked about you. ".
" You see, we are searching for a man whose similarity to your peculiarity, his name was Nicholas Roberts, do you happen to know him? ".
Same as me?
" Oh no. Never heard a name like that in my life. ". Does this guy a criminal wanted by the Corps?
" Did Nicholas Roberts had problems with the corps? ". I asked hoping to get some good answer.
" He didn't do anything bad. Actually, it was him who created this foundation, the Dixinian Corps and mostly every machines from Human World. ". It made me blinked twice when Miss. Gears spoke him the founder of the foundation.
" Two years ago, he vanished. No one knew where he'd gone to. Neither Phantoms get ideas being him kidnapped or abducted. It seems he made his whereabouts hard to find... Vanished like a popping bubble.". Miss. Gears explained.
" What happened since then? ". I asked.
" Honestly, Aristique Magis...
changed the crucial lifestyle by magicians that time. After he passed away. Nicholas Roberts decided to increase the bond of other Specia to increase the chance to stop Phantoms at harvesting Peculiars. ".
She stopped then took a notice from her desk.
" Anyway, Allyson Bluestone. You've passed the test."
Huh? What? I passed? I don't know if I'm happy or not.
" Wow, thanks. "
" Actually Centia will do fine."
" As a new trainee of the Dixinian Corps, Allyson Bluestone, the Higher Ranks had made a decision to let you enter the Dixinian Corps. ". Miss. Gears raised her hand as the fire in her hand ignited the space in my necktie creating a number.
" No. 112468. " I looked at my necktie with the number 112468 is marked within the cloth.
" That number serve as a recruit number of Dixinian, be sure to keep it well.".
" Normally if a Specia has passed the test, they are supervised by someone. However, in your case. A Higher Rank is a must. ".
" I understand. Can I know the name of my supervisor? ". I asked.
" Silivia Bracks, you are temporarily working with her for few missions before you are officially promoted. ".
" And of course. It's not only Silivia will be your only supervisor.... ". She added.
" What do you mean? ".
" The rest of the Branch No. 157-NL will be your seniors. ". She pointed the necktie and said.
" That necktie is still incomplete. You still need new members to form the branch. So for meantime you'll be working with Silivia Bracks and the Branch No. 157-NL. ".
Branches? So there are branches to join?
" The Dixinian Corps has a system called Tree of Life, not exactly figurative. The Tree of Life has plenty of crowds to group with.". Miss. Gears's paper floats as she handed me a paper.
The paperwork shows a picture of a tree with it's system where the names are placed.
" As you can see, every branch had three Dixinians, depending on how the Higher Ups rearrange three different Dixinians:
• The other name of Dixinian is Leaves.
• The Resource Managers are called Roots
• while the Equipment Managers are called Fruit. ".
Miss Gears head to the nearby shelf and rummaged something.
" There are ranks as well. Trainee, Novice, Proper, Advance, Elite. ".
She handed me a piece of report
" You can wait your supervisor at the Waiting Hall. She's having a meeting currently. " Mrs. Gears shows me to the exit as a sign of go.
I left from her office as I walked to wait for further instructions at the Waiting Hall.
.....
It was spacious — almost looked like an airport lobby.
" Are you new here? ". I look back to see a fellow Dixinian.
It was a man with a large scar on his mouth. He was wearing a different attire from most Dixinians.
" Y-yeah. ". I answered back.
" You look rather young for being a Dixinians. A trainee? ".
I nodded back at him.
" Ah. Fresh days. I remember my time when I first joined. It made my blood boil with excitement. ". He started to narrate out of nowhere, I couldn't do much but nod in his words.
" You looked like you really enjoy this job. ". I asked. Still trying to change the topic~
" Ah yes. Experiencing such things makes me live my life to an edge with excitement. We go from hunting beasts, prevent phantom business, solving interspecies problems and other things. It's like the Dixinians are the Modern Adventurers. ". He answered.
" There was even one time when we fought a ghost. Hahahaha. There's a time as well when we expertly retrieve a contagious fungus. ".
He keeps blabbering about his achievements so much that I find it both annoying & amusing. It makes me remember my Grandfather telling me bedtime stories.
" Was also a time when a wyrm ate my hand. ". He exposed his amputated hand.
That escalated way too quick.
" They say scars are honors of the past. These battle wounds of mine are my pride.". He proudly spoke.
" Is that it? ".
Someone spoke from behind. The two of us looked back.
" Anyways, look at mine. ".
We saw his amputated leg — screws tight and wires dangling like it was pulled out of some sci-fi.
" That's extreme. ". I commented.
" Psst! ".
While the two are bragging on their achievements, someone called me at the back. Two familiar faces caught my attention as I wave back at them.
" Hey Allyson! ".
Rachel greeted me with her usual grin, Mr. Charles on the other hand raised his left hand.
" You sure took your sweet time with Centia, huh? ". She spoke as I approached them.
" You seem to be talking to someone... ". Mr. Charles asked.
" Oh. ". I looked back. The two men are still arguing over their scars and lost limbs.
" I'm kinda worried. ". I commented.
" Nah. Don't be. Those two are good friends, Grant and Darkheim.. They've been here for at least a year. ". Rachel replied. These two men joined for a year ago yet they looked like they've been here 30 years.
" Besides that... I have a surprise for you. ". Rachel smiled. She pulled her necktie and showed it to me.
" What? ". I looked at it and it clearly shows the number 157-NL.
Wait... That means.
" Yah! Welcome to our group. We'll be the one su—per—vi—sing you. ". She excitedly explained.
" Silivia Bracks is our third member.... But. ". She pointed at the far left corner. The large sign with languages I haven't mastered yet
" She's still busy with her meeting. ".
" I guess we'll have to wait for her... ". I replied.
" Hmm... This case is a bit suspicious. It contains two different possibly casualties of Specias. ". Mr. Charles mumbled as he read the case file.
What? Case file? When did he-
" It's hard to stay here and wait like what... 4 hours? We'll just have to go! ". Rachel exclaimed. Mr. Charles gave her a look.
" Seriously? Did you forget how Silivia looked like when you badly messed up? ". He asked.
" Nope. Not afraid of her. Never was. Never been. ". She proudly mentioned with a smug on her face.
Her partner looked at her with one eyebrow raising in a doubtful manner.
" Don't come running to me when she'll try to chop your tail off. " He noted.
" Nah...That analogy won't scare me, let's finish this case as possible! " She responds.
Mr. Charles was disapprovingly to Rachel's action, he intend to stay but Rachel has the strength to pull him to the Coordinating Area.
He opens his hand and Rachel's hair was quickly pulled by something. Though, I don't see anything pulling it.
" Ow. Ow.. stop resisting! Let's just go! ". Rachel complained.
* Murmurs..
Ah crap. Now everyone's noticing the noise.
" Now tell me one good reason why we don't have to wait Silivia? ". Charles asked. I tried to calm the two but Rachel quickly raised his right arm and spoke.
" I have a proposal. ". She replied. Mr. Charles loosened the grip as the later lend an ear for the incoming bribe.
" Oh... ". He was a bit flustered.
" What do you think? ". Rachel smirked, as clear as day she was plotting something menacing.
" I don't what they're talking about. ". I whispered to myself.
" I g-guess.. I let you slide.. only for today. Still, you have to give your best explanation if Silivia hears about this. ". He surprisingly agrees to the early departure. Rachel gave him a friendly pat.
" Bribe successfully manage d. ". It was then followed by him saying "oh shut up".
" Now...Now. Since everyone agrees going. Let's finish up early as possible! ". Rachel let a gleeful smiled before pulling both of our hands towards the area.
Surprisingly, the place wasn't far from the waiting space.
I looked back and saw people are still waiting and casually minding their own business. I'm kinda worried how Silivia Bracks would feel if I suddenly left with her partners...
As I looked back, I saw Rachel and Mr. Charles talking with a worker. He had the same outfit as Mr. Kim, the other day. Guessing it is one of his workers.
" Are these the machines that enables to transport Specias into the Human World? ". I asked.
Mr. Charles pointed on one of the large platforms as he explained.
" It is powered by the Dixis Gemstones associated with Transportation or Teleportation abilities. Channeling a magic circle and that'll let people travel into few worlds. ".
" The one you saw few days ago was a portal. The typical Circular passageway ones."
" They are used to transport truckloads of materials on their specific locations. ". As he briefly explained about how the teleportation works in this world, Rachel came running back with the confirmation to go.
" Alright then, It's time to go. ". He spoke. We walked into the designated platform as the workers from above began turning the power to activate the portal.
Runes from the stones began appearing and one by one soaring into the air like a holographic effect. Connecting like pieces of chains.
" Coordinating Plates A-41 Turning On! Area: The Overworld. Designated Area: North Carolina- ".
" Teleporting in 3... 2... ".
Ah... This is it. It's been 2 days since I left the Human World.... I feel nervous and excited about the mission.... Allyson.. stay focused. Focus.
" Oh I almost forgot to mention something ". He spoke.
* Magic Circle activates...
" There's a recoil for first timers. "
Huh?