𝘏𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 ~ 𝘚𝘭𝘰𝘢𝘯𝘦 𝘏𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘴

~ 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙎𝙞𝙭: 𝙉𝙤𝙩 𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙒𝙖𝙨 𝙀𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 ~

While the structure of the Academy was very similar to the one back in the Umbrella's timeline, Astrid couldn't help but notice the vague differences. The hallway leading to the Sparrow's bedrooms was a little brighter. Whether it be the fresh coat of paint or the sun peering through the clean windows, it felt like Astrid was walking through a normal hall, and not one that could've easily been haunted by ghosts.

"And this is the theater," Sloane opened the double dark-oaked doors and they walked inside. The ground was covered with red carpet and a few velvet and gold ropes stood an inch away from the door, making a path. Looking out to the big screen, Astrid was in awe of the number of black leather loungers the room contained. The Sparrows could've easily invited three dozen people to watch a movie with them. And in the corner of the room was a mini concession stand complete with a popcorn machine, soda bar, and baskets of different types of candy.

"This looks so..." Astrid trailed off, unable to come up with a perfect word to describe it all. "Incredible?" Sloane finished. The Shadow Girl nodded, carefully eyeing the red and white machine emitting that familiar fresh popcorn smell. Sloane didn't need a mind reader to know what Astrid was thinking. Just the look in her eyes proved she was resisting the urge to eat some of it. "Go for it," Sloane said, patting Astrid's back.

She watched with a tiny smile as the blond grabbed a gloved handful, popping buttery kernel after kernel into her mouth. "Looks like you, Jayme, and Alphonso have something in common. They love popcorn and junk food," The gravity girl spoke up again. "Klaus was the same way growing up. When we were kids, our Ben, Klaus, and I would sneak to the kitchen and eat all the sweets we could find until our stomachs hurt," Astrid recalled the memory that had been locked away in the vault for so long.

The two women continued their tour, stopping by in each room from the main level to the rooftop. They had just exited the dojo canopied by a few trees when she noticed a gleam of light from the far end of the rooftop. The orange rays reflecting off the glass made it hard for her to see what was inside, and while doing her best to protect her sight, she called out to Sloane, pointing to the glasshouse. "Oh! That's our greenhouse! We haven't gotten to replanting the flowers yet since it's still chilly,"

Astrid slightly lowered her hand, asking if they could quickly look around, to which the Sparrow nodded. Immediately after opening the door, Astrid felt toasty from the sun's heat tucked inside. Looking around, she saw vegetation in every corner. Some were vegetables and fruit plants; others were cacti and aloe. But the one thing that caught Astrid's attention was the blooming buds of cherry blossoms and dark red roses.

"Beautiful, aren't they?" Sloane whispered, patting the soil underneath it with a gloved hand. "Extremely beautiful," Astrid replied. The smile that had formed during the tour, slowly faded back into a thin line as she remembered how bland her upbringing had been. Every day, nearly all hours of the night, she and her siblings had been hard at work, never having any time to have fun. Though she wouldn't say it aloud, Astrid was jealous of the Sparrows. And while the kidnapping itself wasn't fun, she enjoyed everything she saw and everything she learned. It made her wish this could've been her life.

Sloane grabbed a nearby watering can, and as she fed a few of the nearby plants, she couldn't help but notice the young woman's sad expression. "What's wrong?" She asked, taking off her gloves. "I wish my life was like yours. You guys actually do stuff together," Astrid admitted. "I'm sure you and your family have had some good times together," Sloane reasoned.