It's a Big World After All

Chapter Three

Ravyn half-jogged the three steps to the door of the bus. It was closed.

She rapped her hand on the glass panel, and after a few seconds the door hissed and folded open to the side. Reaching her hand up, she gripped the metal bar at left and yanked herself up the two steps.

Everyone was huddled down on the floor. Their faces were white, their eyes wide. Ravyn wanted to say something, but she was stuck for words. Her mouth opened slightly, in vain hope of conjuring up something even slightly reassuring to say.

"We heard the gunfire. And that pilot's weapons... And that shot! A bullet came right through the back of the bus," Mrs Trey rose to her knees on the floor. She sounded like a business woman; her voice was calm but stern, and you could sense her confusion and stress, "Ravyn. What happened? What was that all about?"

"I'll explain," Ravyn replied, "Soon. Just... There's a lot. But, I can't really say yet..." She turned her head to the open door and looked outside. AJ stood a few metres away, arms crossed casually, as the grey carrier hovered down to land. "There's a few things that need to be sorted out-"

"Your arm!" One of the students suddenly exclaimed, having seen the bloody gash on Ravyn's forearm.

Ravyn glanced at her arm, "It's fine. It looks worse than it is."

Out the corner of her eye, Ravyn saw looks of concern cross the adults' faces as they suddenly noticed her wound.

"Hey, why don't you all step outside," Ravyn suggested, turning her head to glance at everyone in the bus. She could see that some of the students had tears in their eyes. Others looked at her with eyes full of shock. "Might be good to get some air," she finished, offering a small smile, before stepping of the bus herself. It felt stuffy in there, and she was at a loss for words anyway.

Behind her, Ravyn could hear Mrs Trey speaking to the students. The shuffling sounds of movement soon followed.

Ravyn walked over to join AJ as the students began exiting the small bus.

"Well?" AJ's eyes were fixed on the now-landed carrier ahead. The aircraft's door was only just opening to form a ramp to the ground.

"They're in a bit of shock, but, all things considered, they should be fine."

AJ nodded, twisting around to observe the group behind them.

"So, what'll happen now?" Ravyn asked him.

"Well, this is the interesting part," AJ turned to look down at the girl, who was over a head shorter than him.

"They didn't exactly see much... They saw the scouters, the pilots. Heard the gunfire. But I think all of that could just be accounted to some kind of military-related thing."

"They also saw you with a dagger and a pistol," AJ pointed out with a smirk.

"Yes, but 'youth military training' happens to be one of the more popular reasons I've given for my lack of presence these past couple of years-"

"I didn't think swords and daggers were the weapons of choice here on Earth."

"Well..." Ravyn tilted her head to the side, "There is that."

Two men had just made their way down the ramp of the carrier, and were now heading towards Ravyn and AJ. One of them, the older one, was dressed in a pilot's get-up; same as AJ's, but the only difference being a blue stripe which ran from the man's right shoulder to the centre of his chest. Walking a step ahead of the pilot was a young man dressed in a grey sleeveless jacket, zipped up at the front, and pants of a royal blue colour. A belt circled his waist, from which hung two pistols. His deep brown-red hair glinted in the warm sunlight as he walked.