PDK Fantasia

Chapter 3

Morning finally came and the sun rose out of the horizontal line. But Seclinette was already all up and awake and ready to set off with Persperphone to the Royal Phoenix Academy of Combats.

Except, that is, Kameko the tortoise.

"Get up Kameko!" Seclinette tried pulling Kameko who was clinging onto the bed mattress with its mouth. Feeling annoyed, it tried to get back to its comfy cushion so that it could get more relaxing sleep. But Seclinette couldn't afford to be late!

"Seclinette! You're about to be late!" Lady Zara opened the door and reminded.

"Mum, Kameko doesn't want to budge!" Seclinette complained.

"Mee!" Kameko growled, still clinging on.

"Oh no, Seclinette, don't force that little critter," Lady Zara smiled and held out an apple slice, and within seconds, the ten-centimetres reptile closed its mouth on the apple slice and snuggled in Lady Zara's arms.

"Kameko would want to rest some more. Why not take this little box so that you can place Kameko and the cushion in it?" Lady Zara placed Kameko on its cushion and pointed to one of Seclinette's little boxes. "You can choose to cut a small hole in the box once you get to your new school."

"Great idea Mum! Thanks for the advice!" Seclinette took a small box and placed the cushion with Kameko on it inside. It fitted perfectly.

"I won't be sending you off unfortunately, I have too attend to my guests," Lady Zara said.

"It's ok Mum, I will send a letter tonight to tell you I'm okay." Seclinette slung her baggage on her left shoulder before carrying "Kameko's house box". Before going outside to wear her boots, Lady Zara handed Seclinette a small square letter.

"Put this in your bag," she told Seclinette,"It's Kameko's daily schedule for her meals and others."

"Ok," Seclinette did what Lady Zara told her and she ran to the gates before turning back to her mother and waved the final goodbye before setting off to the Aquawing Dock.

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When Seclinette reached the dock, the sky started to turn into a dim azure blue, and the sea had just woken up, starting to show a little hint of colour from pitch black.

Persperphone was already in a boat with a shelter placing her things when she saw Seclinette. Her smile brightened and she gestured Seclinette to come.

"Good thing you're here in time! The boatman said we'll be going in a few minutes," Persperphone said, her hand fishing out to a bento box from her baggage and presenting it to Seclinette.

Seclinette entered the boat and sat down, with Kameko in its own house box, now wide awake and eating another apple slice that Seclinette gave, but Seclinette gently pushed the bento box to Persperphone and said,"I'm not hungry Pers, I just ate."

Persperphone angrily pouted and insisted,"You wouldn't want to puke in the sea and give those fishes your terrible 'water pollution'! I only packed you some simple foods and ginger!"

"Good thing you didn't choose sushi, vinegar sucks when it comes to seasickness," Seclinette thought for a while, before taking the bento from Persperphone."I will only eat a little bit of ginger, okay?"

Persperphone smiled and beamed,"That's my best friend!"

When the boatman came back, the girls shifted to their comfortable positions before setting off.

As the boat continued gliding across the marine blue sea, Seclinette was busily writing notes in her notebook, while Persperphone was gazing at the direction of the dock, now a patch of blue sky with white fluffy clouds.

Kameko, now energetic, got out of its own box and crawled up to Seclinette's lap to see the skies too.

As the ride continued smoothly, the girls were taking a nap when Kameko suddenly exclaimed,"Mee! Mee mee!"

"Huh? We're here?" Seclinette squinted her eyes open and yawned, waking up Persperphone.

"Hey, I'm trying to continue dreaming I was in a world full of cats!" Persperphone hollered.

"You can't, we're really-" Seclinette saw a large building and opened her jaws.

"-Here."

"Whoa, this is crazy!" Persperphone immediately jumped and shook the boat.

The Royal Phoenix Academy of Combats standing on the Ancient Island of Winged Shamans in between the Phoenix and Dragon kingdom was as tall and huge as a 200 metres hill. Its crest, which was attached in the middle of both left and right main gates, were a five pointed scarlet shield-like design with two golden yellow wings at the sides to represent royalty. On the design was a sword and a blue ribbon overlapping the middle part of the sword, with a motto 'Rise above the skies' engraved on it.

Just behind the gates was the famous school itself.

"Well, let's get our things out and meet the school," Seclinette hurriedly took out her baggage and placed Kameko in its house box before getting out to step on land. Persperphone followed behind.

The girls now strolled along the valley-like pathway, with a few trees and bushes decorating its sides, and within a few minutes, they stood in front of the school gates.

"Well, I wonder who will be guiding us," Persperphone said as the gates slowly opened, dividing the school crest into half. A lady, who seemed to be in her late thirties, walked towards the girls' direction. She was wearing a long velvet blue dress with white frills and her hair was tied in a bun.

"Ah, well if it isn't the new students Seclinette and Persperphone! I'm Mrs. Ashlina, the headmistress of Royal Phoenix Academy of Combats. How are you?"

"Good morning, Mrs. Ashlina! We're fine!" Seclinette and Persperphone replied in an unison.

"Great! Now, first things first, let's get you to your dorms. Come along!" Mrs. Ashlina gestured the girls and went through the opened gates and turned left, only to see a five-storeys light pink building with many windows and a red-tiled trapezium roof.

"This, girls, is the girls' dormitory," Mrs. Ashlina was now at the main door of the pink building, making Seclinette stare in awe.

"Follow me to the fourth floor, that's where your room is," Mrs. Ashlina said, going up the stairs to their right, with Seclinette and Persperphone following behind.

"Hm... Let's see... ah! Room 80!" Mrs. Ashlina opened the room door and beckoned the girls to enter. The room had a nice shade of light purple and there were two cupboards at both sides by each bed's ends. There were also two  wooden working desk which had a smooth layer of lacquer on it and it was placed closest to the window, with chairs for people to sit on.

"Please unpack your things and get ready your weapons. One of my students will be here soon to show you around the school. I will be going for now, see you later!" Mrs. Ashlina waved before closing the door lightly, leaving the girls to pack.

"Wow, I didn't know the headmaster of the school is so kind!" Persperphone told Seclinette as she placed her things at the right corner near the window.

"Yea, I know right?" Seclinette placed her things at the opposite corner near to the window too. "Don't try to occupy my side though. I'm taking this left bed."

"Yea, and by the way, I wonder who's going to show us around the school," Persperphone wondered, helping Seclinette place Kameko's house box with Kameko inside the box, sleeping again.

The duo unpacked their things and cleansed their weapons with a microfibre thick cloth when the door suddenly emitted a 'knock knock!' sound.

"Hello! Are the newcomers in this room?" A feminine voice echoed from outside. Both Seclinette and Persperphone felt a little strange. The student knocking the door seemed to feel a little irritated.