J.ade, A.ir D.efying E.lementalist

VI:Toward Unknown

 Chapter 6 - Toward Unknown

There are eleven Rounins, a term they call the chosen gifteds, present and Chesca and I is among them. We gather around the Ash gates ready for the tour. The others don’t bother making friends and we don’t mind them. I arrived an hour before departure and five minutes later, Chesca arrived. Chesca and I have been talking for over twenty minutes, getting to know each other more when Gale and Jay arrived. 

I wait until they are in front of us before I introduce my new friend. 

“Chesca, this is Gale.” I point to Gale “And Jay, his twin.” I point to Jay then continue “Jay, Gale, this is Chesca Sheer.” I point Chesca. 

Chesca told me her last name awhile ago and I told her mine. It is an invisible rule for any two strangers to not tell each other their last names: Unless they think it is but proper. 

“Hi!” Gale exclaims. He is undoubtly in good mood. 

“Hello,” Jay says at the same time. 

Chesca smiles then replies, “Hello! Hi.” 

We sit: Chesca beside me, Gale on my other side and Jay on Gale’s side. 

“So, where are you from?” Gale asks Chesca 

“Pilinas,” she replies. 

“Wow. You traveled that far?” Jay joins. 

“Yes, with fifty Russos as my only money and six breads for the journey.” she sighs then add “If it weren’t for that party, their free food and Jade’s 110 Russo, I would’ve starved to death.”             

“Jade gave you a hundred and ten Russos?” Jay asks, amazed. Chesca nods.

“Wow, Jade. I didn’t know you’re generous.” Gale interrupts. He and Jay laugh. 

I roll my eyes and tell Chesca, “Don’t listen to them, they obviously don’t know how giving I could get.”

She giggles. I was about to add another remark when a man-like woman shouts. 

“Gather Around!” 

The scattered groups of young people gathers in a messy circle. Me, Chesca, Jay and Gale lingers at the edge of the circle. The muscled woman counts all thirty-four Rounins. 

“Who dares to come late?” the woman yells. She is clearly not someone to be messed around with. 

“Who says you are to not count me?” a boy leaning calmly at a tree branch nearby says. Like the woman hasn’t intimidated him. I note that I never saw him at the party or around here, though I am sure he is a Rounin too.  

“And who are you little boy? My orders are clear. Gather around.” The woman is red with rage now. Her beady eyes narrows down at the boy, who kept his cool as he jumps gracefully from the tree and approach the crowd. He stood about two feet away from our little group. 

“En,” he says simply. Jay snorts. I look at him and saw disgust for the new boy. I knew too perfectly that Jay hates this kind of guys: arrogant. I do too but his courage amazes me, it is not everyday that I see someone this stupidly brave. 

Surprisingly, the woman trembles slightly and shifts her gaze from the boy and continue, “This will be no normal tour…” like nothing happened. 

I look at the boy; I cannot imagine how he made the woman looked almost scared. The boy glances at me and catches me staring. He holds my gaze and after some time when I am sure he has no plans to drop the stare-game, I avert mine. I look at the talking woman just in time to catch her last word: “Go.”