Sunny walked down Elysia street, it was a cool summer's day. She smiled as she watched the younger children run down the street and play with each other, and some dogs with wagging tails being walked down by their owners. She continued to walk down the street, having a cheery and optimistic look on her face. She had all the time she needed on this bright, sunny morning. She was just living life as a schoolgirl in a whole, new world.
"Aww, man! Our ball!" whined a little boy who's tattered ball landed on top of a tree.
Sunny, realizing that as an older child, must do something, walked over and knelt down to the little boy's level when her eyes began to water, the boy looked exactly like little Charles, and she couldn't help but become emotional, as if she were seeing him again.
"Uh….What's the matter, little boy?" she asked, trying to maintain a smile so that she could reassure him.
"My ball's stuck in the tree! I need help!"
Sunny nodded, "Alright! It'll come down in a jiffy!"
Without his noticing, she wiped her teary eyes, and, being tall enough to reach the branch that cradled the tattered ball, she raised her hand, and she gave the branch a gentle smack as if she didn't want it to be harmed. The ball rolled off the branch, the lime leaves making a shaking sound, and it directly fell into her hands.
"Here you go!" Sunny said with a smile as she placed the ball into the boy's petite hands, she smiled when he himself had an ear to ear grin, and with his arms around her waist, he embraced her really tightly.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" he exclaimed, hopping up and down like a rabbit while still holding onto Sunny's waist.
Sunny giggled, "If you be more careful next time, I'll take you on a date!"
"Alright!" The boy blushed, before turning around and walking away, bouncing his ball and making sure it didn't run off.
But before he knew it, his mother grabbed him gently, giving Sunny a sour look.
"Stay away from her. She's not worth your time."
As the two walked off, Sunny sighed, shaking her head lightly. She saw the Academy, it definitely matched Judith's description. But when she gazed at the giant circular clock that rested on the top of the gate, she gasped when she realized that it was near the time of the recruit meeting. Wasting no time left, she sprinted down the street, trying to make sure that she didn't bump into anyone, she really wouldn't want that to happen because of her own needs. Thankfully, the gateway wasn't far off, and she made it in the nick of time. However, to her dismay, she was in front of two, pale ogres with spears, they were absolutely snobbish! They were bare-chested with thousand strands of hair that made a hairy field, and they had very thick unibrows, it appeared they never shaved at all, but it didn't look like they weren't at all insecure about it. They both glanced at the petite Sunny, and they both raised an eyebrow.
"And who are you?" one of them said, his voice gruff and baritone.
"I'm just here to get drafted!" Sunny said, nervously but politely.
The two ogres took one look at her petite form, and they both began to laugh heavily, much to her dismay.
"And what do you know about being a crusader?" the other one with a shockingly soft and sweet voice that didn't sound all too threatening. "I bet you can't even pick up a spear like this baby!" he held up his spear, which looked worn out from the many battles he faced with it, but he still saw it as a precious gem-made weapon to behold.
Sunny felt her blood boiling, how dare they mock her like this? She remembered the wise words of the Roaster, and how she should always keep roasting.
"I….I don't give a dang about how young and small I'm looking! I can…stomp your foot if I want to!" Sunny held up her index finger, her expression fierce and enraged. "A crusader is a crusader, and it doesn't matter what they look like! It's the inside that counts!" Sunny said, forcing her words to run out her mouth despite her anxiety. "And I already know who you guys are! You may be tall and strong-looking, but you're so judgemental and crude! I've…been taught that it's not lady-like to be judgemental towards other people before you get to know them better!"
The ogres stared blankly in shock to hear the young and small girl in front of them give them a lecture like an angry mother to her naughty children. While the soft ogre scrunched his face, his eyes blurry like he was about to cry, the deep ogre couldn't help but smile a little like a proud father hearing his daughter stand up for herself.
"Well, you got our respect, kid." the gruff ogre said, moving his spear out of the way, while the soft ogre sniffled and did the same. "Go in."
Sunny smiled, "Thank you!" she didn't forget about being polite as she walked in, even if it was challenging when it comes to guards like the ogre duo.
The duo just watched as she disappeared from their view. As Sunny walked down the pathway, she found on the sideways ogres and trolls who were all guards, and they knelt down upon noticing her. She couldn't help but smile, feeling like a princess in the presence of chivalrous guards. Eventually, she arrived at the large door, its metal frame crested with a 5-pointed star. Not only that, it had red, heated lasers guarding it, which stunned Sunny who backed away. She turned back to the guards, but they didn't do anything, it was like they were waiting for the keeper of the doorway to arrive.
"SHUCKS!" The soft ogre exclaimed, running over to her. "Don't worry, sweetcheeks! We'll deal with this matter! We always do!"
The deep ogre followed along, and he pushed the soft ogre out of the way, causing the latter to tumble around a loose wrecking ball and hitting a trash can. When he raised his head, he was completely dazed, with a bump on the top of his head and little phoenixes fluttering circling around his head like vultures.
"Oh my goodness!" Sunny exclaimed. "Are you alright?"
"He will be." The deep ogre reassured, walking to a lever and pulling it, causing the lasers to be vanquished, its intense warmth cooling down. "This is Mythikos, we're always alright…unless the Creator flickers the Non-Law."
Sunny nodded, and she had the urge to fold her hands together, so she did. She was deep in thought when she closed her eyes, it was like all she was feeling was running through her folded hands. She thanked the Creator for being so merciful, thanking him for bringing her to this opportunity. It was so wonderful to be praying, it was an experience that she cherished, and someday, she was going to miss praying to the Creator for the first time.
"Anyways, step right in, lovely!" The deep ogre opened the doors and stood to the side.
Sunny smiled, nodding her head in gratitude, and like he requested her to do, she stepped right in. She took in the majestic scenery, it was like a fairy tale castle. There were two-stairway cases that led to what appeared to be dorms because of the blue and pink stars on the top of the hallway entrance. In the middle was however a fabric that was covering a rectangular shaped object with a small pillar carrying it like a museum artifact. Sunny was curious, curious of what could under that fabric, but she shook her head, she shouldn't pry.
"And what do we have here?"
Sunny turn around upon hearing another gruff and baritone voice, and it came from a group of tall, menacing looking men with scars and broad chests. She looked around the crowd, and she realized that she was in fact the only one who was a little girl, yet again.
"Oh….Hello!" Sunny waved a little, being polite and sweet again…unless they were going to taunt her again.
"Sorry, little girl. But this is where people get drafted, go back to elementary school where you belong." One of them said with a smirk.
"But I came here because I want to get drafted." Sunny suddenly blurted.
The crowd went silent, but out of nowhere, they all burst into mocking laughter, much to Sunny's dismay. However, she didn't hold back any longer, she's been dealing with this before, and even if she is anxious and nervous in front of a group of grown men with a menacing aura, she knew what to say.
"Look, I don't know what your problem is, but just because I'm a little girl doesn't mean I can't do this, alright? I want to help people, I would love to help anybody I come across, even people like you!"
"And what are you going to do, girlie?" The first man asked, taking a step closer with his arms crossed.
"I'll study as hard as I can, and once I'm finished with my training, I'll travel everywhere, and it's not just the citizens of Meimon that I want to help out! It's everybody, and it doesn't matter who they are here."
The first man laughed again, and his laughter distorted into cackling, "We'll see about that, girl! Give me your best shot!" His legs bent into the letter V, and his palms rested on his knees, he had a determined look on his face. "Go on, give me a punch!"
Sunny looked at his chest, it was solid iron, and her eyes widened, there was a literal piece of his chest that had been amputated and replaced with iron. She felt a sense of pity for what the man must've gone through, but she knew that she must fight back, she wasn't afraid of holding back any longer. She held one hand, balled it into a fist, and with a swing, she directed it towards the iron, giving it a hit. The crowd went wild, erupting into "Ooooh!" and "Woah!" However, the moment her knuckles hit the cold steel of the iron, her entire body shivered violently except her arm. The man snickered, as if he were a proud father, and he gave Sunny a single poke on the forehead, causing her to finally stop shaking and hit the ground on her back.
"You did well, kid." the man said with a smirk. "You'll do well as a crusader, but you'll have to do better with your physics there."
Clink…Clink..
Sunny heard the sound of metallic boots, the satisfying sound was rhythmic, and she felt quite entranced by it. She turned around, and she saw a boy with messy, brunette hair and orangish-red eyes, as well as metallic boots with metallic wires that stuck from his toes to his unusually big thighs. He had a fiery personality, just like Cynoce, and he groaned when he saw Sunny, like she was some irritating fly. However, he also smiled, licking his lips like she was some delicious meal.
"So, you're the gal who saved that old fart-ess, huh?" he asked, his hands on his hips as he shot Sunny a threatening but flirtatious look. "I wonder how a beauty like you is still single!"
Sunny furrowed her eyebrows, this boy, who was the same age as her, was questioning something personal about her.
"What are you talking about?" she asked.
"What I'm trying to say is that a girl like you shouldn't be in something as dangerous as Meimon Academy!" the boy spoke, walking over to her and talking her down like he was a superior older brother. "Women need to have men by their side. In fact, only men should be in the militia, not some petite, little girl with a sharp tongue behind her innocent facade!"
"Excuse me?" Sunny asked, offended by his false concern and doubt towards her because of her gender. "Anything men can do, a woman can too!"
"Trust me, princess." The boy leaned forward, whispering in her ear while also inhaling her intoxicating scent. "I'm just looking after you. If you want, I can hang around with you!"
The crowd let out some amused "Ooooh!"s and a few adorable "Aww!"s as they watched the scene play, they were sure that Sunny was going to blow her top because of the boy's doubt towards women's fighting abilities. And yes, the top of her head rumbled like a steamy pot's lid, rage-filled smoke exiting out her brain as she let out her anger.
"Guess what?" Sunny called out, pointing her finger towards his chest, she didn't mind how muscular and veined it was. "I don't care about what gender I am! I'm going to be a crusader and help out people no matter how difficult it can be! Someone ought to put you in your place for doubting me just because I'm a girl!"
"You're no woman, princess." The boy snickered, ruffling her hair. "Like I said, you're a small girl. What use is a little girl? Nothing." he then sarcastically winked. "That's why I call you a princess, because you'll never be a queen."
Sunny's face turned red, she had never felt this angry before, and her top was already rumbling violently, lots of anger in the form of smoke. She clenched her fists, her knuckles turning white. The boy wasn't afraid of her, he just snickered as she tried to contain herself from screaming at him like a ferocious lion. But in the end, she refused to hit someone, even if they're as infuriating as the boy.
"Leave her alone, will you?" A boy with exotic white hair and strawberry red eyes called out, walking towards the scene.
"Oh, look who it is!" the boy rolled his eyes, his arms crossed as he refused to even make eye contact with him. "It's Hippie Hiro, the peace-loving freak!"
"Hey!" Sunny called. "You can't just call people names like that!"
The boy just pushed her face out of the way and walked off, absorbing into the crowd, who were silent as they finished their argument.
Hiro sighed, and he shook his head, "That baka. Someone ought to teach him a lesson!"
Sunny heard the foreign word that he spoke, and she felt entranced by his exotic pronunciation.
"Woah, what language was that?" she asked with an enthusiastic smile as she stepped closer to him.
"Oh, that was Nihongo." Hiro said with a pure and gentle smile. "I'm Hiroko Amano, but everybody calls me Hiro. I just love Meimon! The way it's so peaceful and beautiful here, just like how everything would be here in Mythikos!"
Sunny smiled, she was already starting to like Hiro, who didn't judge her for being a girl like that bully who walked off.
"I'm Sunilda Tournesol, but you can call me Sunny!" she then groaned. "I don't always get angry, but the fact that I'm being doubted because of my gender infuriates me!"
"Don't worry about him." Hiro reassured her with a head pat, he was treating her like a little sister, but he still saw her as an equal. "That's Raldir Thinfins, and he's really into women, but he doesn't have any luck because he's always trying to be their protector no matter what." He then groaned. "The only loser I see around here is a jerk like him. But that's alright, I know you can do this, you had the guts to save that sweet, old lady from that vicious honk-a-tweet the other day, and you went face to face against the Roaster himself! Even I would've wet myself if I encountered him!"
Sunny giggled, but then she and Hiro both yelped when a bombing voice called out,
"Attention, all recruits! Remain silent and pay respect to Gameliel of the Lordly Quartet!"
The crowd had gone quiet in an instant, and a figure appeared at the top of the golden balcony with a giant ring, which was higher than the staircase. The shadows cleared, and a middle-aged man with a soft look on his face appeared, he was clad in a lime green robe, his limbs barely visible. The thing that was quirky about him was how his long and silky-looking black beard had a ring at the bottom making a ponytail, he was unusual, but also very regal.
"Greetings, my children." he spoke, his voice grimy yet royal-like and superior. "I am Gameliel, and I am the Emotion of the Lordly Quartet. I am the deliverer of news, and I run the infirmary of the militia. Even though it's the Heart, who is Caiaphas, who would be the one who would come in representation of Meimon Academy, I must say for his health was declining terribly. When you get home, please pray that he will stay with us, and that the Creator is kind enough to keep the Non-Law long enough for him to stay more. But we can all agree that nothing is forever." he said the last words in a grim manner, highlighting how fearful yet fascinating the Non-Law could be.
Sunny took a deep breath, she sighed and shook her head, feeling somber for those who have lost their lives, she looked around, and she saw beautiful statues of youthful crusaders. Her eyes widened when she saw how young they were, they didn't look any older than a teenager….She was going to be one of them someday, but she reassured herself that despite it all, she remained hopeful, hopeful that her sacrifice would not be in vain, hopeful that she will be acknowledged for her effort. Hopefully, the people she saved will live until their hair turns white as snow. But for now, she was in the present, not in the future, and not in the horrible past, she wasn't on earth anymore, she wasn't even a real human anymore. Even if she dearly misses her loved ones, there's a chance that she may never return, which is why she must help out others who can't help themselves.
Gameliel then clapped his hands, "Take out the podiums, ladies!"
Four Ingenue-like priestesses walked down the stairs, all of them carrying metallic and flat boards, and they set them on the ground. With their toon physics, they stretched the boards into what appeared to be rectangular boxes, but when it was finally morphed, they were podiums with papers to sign up on accompanied with a pencil.
The crowd formed into 4 lines, all of them long and with an equal number of people, young and old. They all waited patiently as the first four of the lines signed the papers. To pass the time, Sunny continued to look around, until she saw the distant roof, which was decorated by beautiful and vivid paintings of legendary crusaders fighting for their life and for others, their eternal faces expressing frozen feelings of bravery and compassion. However, as she continued to look, there were only a few women, while most of the figures were men. She frowned, but in her heart she knew that she would be one of those figures on a painting one day, and she would be a face of feminism and women's dignity, which turned her frown upside down.
"Move!" called Raldir, who pushed Sunny out of the way and Hiro too.
"Hey!" Hiro yelled. "What is your problem, man!"
Raldir rolled his eyes, as if Hiro had asked a stupid question. "My problem is that you guys are in my way!"
Hiro clenched a fist, he wished that he could just punch Hiro right now, but he noticed Gamaliel, who had a somber look on his face, as if he's reading Hiro's conscience wrestling with his violent intentions. Unable to do anything, he just stood there as Raldir took the pen and signed the paper, then he winked at the priestess, who said nothing, only to look at him with a blank expression.
"Curse this!" Raldir yelled, kicking the podium. "Why am I always so bad with women! I just want to protect them, that's all!"
"Well, they don't need your protection!" Sunny called out, pointing her finger at Raldir. "You ought to be ashamed to be treating women like fragile objects to be prized over and pushing people around like they're piles of garbage!"
Raldir grumbled, and he just walked off, the top of his head rumbling violently.
Sunny however felt her heart thumping, and despite her new found confidence, she couldn't help but feel frightened by Raldir's demeanor, how forceful and demanding he was. However, she took a deep breath, her eyes closed, all she was doing was focusing on calming down.
"Sunny, are you alright?" Hiro patted her shoulder in a brotherly way. "It's alright, I promise. I'm going to protect you from him no matter what."
Sunny nodded her head, she already knew that was what he was thinking. After all, she had already made another friend with a love for peace while getting used to this truly amazing world.