Part 8 "Do you know where you are? (1)"
The cafeteria is reached and Zeltar's eyes are rushing through the tables and looking for his new comrades. Alan leads further but there still is no sign of students that would recognize their teacher. Before they pass another table Zeltar sees that an unknown girl gets bullied by three students. One pulls her hair, the other put some sort of pills into her food, and the last one is holding her chin while speaking to her. She already looks weak, the skinny arms that are unable to help her in this situation, shaky, stick-like legs are barely holding her on her feet. It is difficult to understand what he is trying to say but the view disgusts Zeltar to his core. Back in the school days, other students, we bullied for being from other countries or having their own opinion on things that in the bully's viewpoint was incorrect or unlikable. Zeltar himself never was the victim of their violence but he saw enough to not what to get in their way. No matter how much he would want to help the poor girl, invisible chains of fear are holding him back.
"Discussing," Alan speaks up unexpectedly.
"I-it is."
"And no one is going to do anything about it."
"What? Why?"
"It is...complicated."
"What exactly?"
"You will have the same choice she had to make real soon. But only you decide what it will be."
Alan wanted to continue walking forward but something in him changes as he speaks:
"Just to think that someone is lowering others for the fact that they want to accomplish goals with their strength, on their own...fucking unforgivable."
Alan takes the plate from the table and throws it directly into the forehead of the guy that was holding the girl's chin earlier. Glass plate is shattered against his head as the other two are screaming in panic, they run away leaving their friend alone. It is almost like they never knew each other. Blood starts to float from the boy's forehead, still, in shock effect, he tries to look around to find the causer of pain. Rage on his face fades as he sees Alan, realization hits him, he starts to ask for his forgiveness.
"F-forgive me, Mister Alan! I-I-"
"Pack your things AND FUCK OFF!"
The student obeys immediately and runs out of the cafeteria, the place goes completely quiet. Every single person is speechless from Alan's act, the one who is most horrified by Alan is Zetar. Brother acted completely out of his character, what he did was the exact opposite of what he was going to behave earlier.
"Let's go."
"W-what was that?"
"The action. I just did what you were afraid of."
"B-but it was dangerous, have you been looking forward to the consequences?"
Hah, do you ever imagine how many problems there are? If you keep count of every single possible outcome of the situation, you will become a madman. Action Zeltar. Action makes the difference in who you are and how they *leads his hand throughout the whole cafeteria* see you."
After these words, Zeltar takes the last view of a girl that is gathering her things, she doesn't look mad, sad, or even slightly upset. There is a slight smile on her face as she wipes away the tear from her cheek and goes to exit. The boy can't even imagine how would this incident turn out if Alan would not be near.
"Thank you for helping her, I- I would not be able to do it."
"You could Zetar, just stop thinking about what others might think about you. I would not judge you for not helping her but the dilemma is that you wanted to. Being a pussy is much worse than being an asshole. Just remember it, okay?"
"Yes."
They reach the end of the cafeteria where are only two students sitting next to each other.
Girl and a boy, both with coal-black hair, already in uniform that Alan holds in his hand for Zeltar. The boy seems to be more relaxed and optimistic after seeing his teacher and new team member. On the other hand, the girl is more aggravated as Alan comes closer. She already wanted to leave as Alan rushes towards her back and pushes her by the shoulders down on her seat.
"Shhh, and where are you going."
Girl takes her hair and moves it over her shoulder so that she could see it. She has her long hair collected in the style that is called 'Ashefall's dragons tail'.
And what are we hiding there young lady? Alan asks her in an authoritative tone.
"Piss off."
"You know that in this school first-grade students can't have a proper hairstyle right?"
"Isn't that up to me to choose? It is my hair after all."
"You have to prove that you can have your choice."
"Ugh, you are just a walking joke in this whole organization, still can't understand why they keep such an insignificant asshole."
"Sarah, calm down."
The boy next to her joins the conversation.
"It's just unacceptable Nolan. This moron thinks that he has permission to command us."
"It is just a rule sis. No need to start a war about it."
Still furious she begins to hold her arms together as she slowly gets quiet and unwraps the hair tie that was holding her tail together. Hair frees up as it smoothly and slowly covers her whole back. The sight of wasted effort and lost joy of result.
"Thank you for your understanding. Now allow me to introduce you to Zeltar, your new teammate. Zeltar this is Sarah and Nolan, they are brother and sister as you can tell."
"Nice to meet you."
Zeltar offers a handshake to Sarah. She noticed Zeltar's hand but doesn't reply. But then Nolan takes the offer instead, reaches for Zeltar's hand, and shakes it while apologizing for his sister.
"I am Nolan. Nice to meet you Zeltar. Don't mind her she is just a closed type
person, you know?"
"Ah, it's nothing. I just hope that at the end of the day we all will get along with each other."
"Sure. I mean, otherwise, how can we even call ourselves a team if we don't get along?"
"Yeah, you're right."
When both of them thought that this would just be a quiet introduction, Sarah decided to step in for herself.
"I am not a closed person, ok? I just think that if you want to greet someone, you should at least do basic things before that, such as cutting your nails, washing your face, and at least not have a complete disaster on your head." Why don't we all start to look like this?"
After hearing that Zeltar turns red, sweat drops start to go down his forehead. Embarrassment makes his skin burn from the top to bottom, he just wants to run in the direction of the exit but instead of that, he decided to take it all in.
"(Just stay calm Zeltar! Stay calm! It's ok I will just play it calm.) I am sorry if my appearance makes you feel like that. I will do better after we meet next time."
She looks him right into the eyes and answers.
"I am looking forward to that." Now take off your hands! *speaks while looking at Alan*
He let go of her shoulders and speaks with a wily smile.
"Maybe I should grab a shovel and fix your crown with it, my lady?"
Without responding she stands up and leaves their company.
"Okay, since her Majesty left the table, the big-talk part will be up to you Nolan."
"Me?! I almost fell asleep during the speech of director Gall."
"How much did you manage to hear?"
"Half? I don't know."
"This will do, just tell him about the basics of the things he has to know about first grade, other team members, rules, and yadda yadda."
"Okay, I guess."
Alan hands Zeltar the uniform he was holding earlier and the blade. Confusion isn't even a word to describe how puzzled he feels about these two items.
"W-what do I do with it?"
"A-a-a, if you would show up at the time then I would explain. Since you didn't Nolan will do that for me."
Zeltar already was about to sit next to Nolan but Alan adds the last few sentences to make it clear to him.
"Oh, and one more thing Zeltar."
"Yes?"
"For every question you have, everything that is unclear to you, ask right away. Nolan sometimes likes to lower how good he is but trust me, the speech is practically recorded in his mind."
Alan leaves them both for serious talk. The whole area seems to go quiet, as everyone felt underground just to make this conversation as open as possible.
"Okay. Allow me to start my lecture about Bloodur's military prison school."
"What again?!"