The Ranch

Trial Committee (5)

"...."

"....."

"..."

"D-did that really just..."

"A newbie actually managed to survive a high level trial?!?"

The committee creates a confused ruckus. Something like this is unprecedented. I myself, most likely am making a shocked pikachu face.

I stare in silence as the replay of the trial appears on screen. Out of my peripheral vision, I can see confounded, surprised, and crazed looks. Some people are even pulling out their own hair, I don't think they've realized....

I can't be the one to criticize them, as I'm in the same position. I only felt the pain from my scalp when I saw someone else doing it and realized too late. I move my eyes from the reply to glance at my hands full of strands of hair.

How could we have guessed this outcome? There's no way we could have expected a newbie to pop out of nowhere and intervene in the trial. Not only that, he excelled in the course, finishing it so easily and even having the time to help the real trial participant. How are supposed to grade the participant in this situation. If we were going by the books, an outsider helped, so it would be counted as cheated and would be disqualified as an inhabitant. But, I've never heard a newbie helping a senior? Shouldn't it be the other way around. Even if we look through the past records, I doubt we'll find another example of this situation.

As I slowly calm down and rationalize the situation, I can't help but to realize the space beside me has been quiet the entire time. I glance to the side, to see the same straight faced Instructor Felix, who has not been affected whatsoever by the unbelievable situation.

Scatter-brained, I ask him for a solution," I-Instructor Felix? What should we do?"

The man's eyes cool me down to the freezing point. I can feel my body stiffening under the cold temperature. A rhythmic tapping quietly sounds in the room. The light taps should be overshadowed by the the chaotic yelling, the the tapping seemingly permeates above the noise, likes it's right next to ones ears.

The room slowly quiets down. The instructor lifts his slender fingers off the table, silencing the tapping. A room of eyes stare at him, waiting for his next words. "Pass." Is what he says.

"Pass? Who? Both of them?" I ask.

Instructor Felix looks a me before getting up and exiting the conference room.

Should I take that as confirmation? I look towards the others. They're silent.

Eventually, someone shrugs," Well, they escaped alive, which was the original solution. Even if we wanted to fail them, what would our reason be? A newbie helped him out? Hah... just go ahead and pass the man...and change the file for the boy and give him an S tank for his second trial. We'll treat this as his trial."

"Won't this create complications? The second trial is supposed to be puzzle-solving, this one was purely atheism." A worried voice asks.

"Shouldn't. The second trial doesn't matter much anyways." Someone answered.

Coming to an agreement, we input the scores and end the meeting.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As the sun starts to set, Tih walks back to the pond to get a drink of water. Cupping the cool water into his mouth, he glances at the previously forgotten burnt toast.

Hours in the sun gave Major Jax a major sunburn. Tih squats to poke the tomato colored skin.

"AAGH!" The pain forces the man wake. Instinctively moving away from the pain, the burning sensation moves through the rest of his body. Veins bulge, as his body tenses. Ten Major strains his eyes to look over his body. "...Bloody he11." He grunts in pain.

Trying to refrain from moving, so as to lessen the pain, a stinging is felt on his cheek as Tih once again pokes his red face. Major Jax let's out a string of curses," What the fu*k do you think you're doing kid?!? Think I won't slap the sh1t out of you just cuz I'm currently immobile?!" He yells at Tih.

Tih continues to look at the familiar red skin, recalling the times when his skin also looked like that, when he spent multiple summer days outside. He recalls the old man putting a clear, gooey substance from a plant on the red skin. Tih gets up and walks into the direction of the same plant he saw when he was looking around earlier.

"Oi! Wai-" Major Jax tries to stop Tih from leaving him alone, but he already disappeared from his view. He wouldn't have cared what the brat did if he wasn't stranded in the middle of the forest. Nights about to arrive as well. If he wasn't in pain every time he moved, these factors wouldn't matter, he could easily find his way out of the mountains alone, but unfortunately...

On his way towards the plant, Tih also grabs some berries from a nearby bush. They also had bushes like these by the orphanage. He would often snack on them when he spent the nigh in the woods. The juice from the berry would stain his face and hands purple, which he found weird, but the sweetness and many seeds that were fun to chew on, made up for it.

Chewing on seeds, Tih walks straight to the exact location of the plant, snaps a couple from its roots, and walks back to the man.

With purple-stained hands, Tih hands the plant to the stiff Major Jax.