Yellow Sun Academy

Chapter 6: Drop-Off

"Oh," Alice says with a smile. "You're saying I should clean more than just the barrel. You're right. Thank you again for the cleaner."

I nod my head and give Alice her rifle back. While she cleans the trigger, I return to my seat and adjust the sliding metal plates of my gauntlets. While the two of us are working on our weapons, the speakers above us come on, and the Headmaster's voice is heard.

"Attention all students," Headmaster Noah starts. "Please leave your bags in your room and come to the traincraft's hull immediately. Also, do not forget your weapons."

Alice and I look at each other before we leave our rooms.

"Hey," Alice says as we walk side-by-side. "Best of luck."

Once more, I nod my head. As Alice and I walk down the hallway, it quickly becomes crowded with other students. Before Alice and I are separate, I shoot out my fist. Thankfully, Alice understands what I'm going for. She shoots out her own fist and we both pound it before splitting.

Headmaster Noah:

As the traincraft's hull is quickly filling with the new transfer students, I adjust my glasses. It takes only a few minutes before all the students are here. Once they are here, I turn to my fellow assistant headmistress.

"Amaya," I say.

"Yes Headmaster Noah," Amaya says, stepping forth.

"Are the pods ready?"

Dressed in a white shirt and black skirt and with long blond hair tied into a single ponytail, assistant headmistress Amaya brings up her own holo-display. She checks the screen before answering me.

"Yes, they are," Amaya answers. "All pods are functional and are ready."

"Excellent, Please bring them up."

"Of course."

With the push of a holographic button, Amaya activates the pods. One by one, tall, metal pods shoot out from the hull's metal floor. As they shoot out, they unleash a little bit of smoke before the glass doors swing open.

"Thank you," I say.

"You're welcome, sir."

She steps back while I step forward. As my feet hit the metal staircase, the sound echoes and grabs the attention of all the students. Their eyes all turn to face me even before I reach the top of the platform.

"Hello, students," I start. "Your first test begins now. In my personal opinion, the greatest partners and teams are forged in the field. Here, in our private desert, your year-long partnership and teams, and possibly for the rest of your lives, will be forged."

I reach into one of my pockets and pull out a small game piece before showing it to everyone.

"You, along with your team, a maximum of only 4, will travel to a ruined temple North of here. There, you will have game pieces similar to the one in my hand. Each member will pick one. Choose carefully. Once you have your chosen game pieces, you will receive coordinates to where you will be picked up. Now, all students, please step into an ejection pod."

One by one, the students step into an ejection pod. All except one. One student slowly steps into his. As he steps into it, the glass door closes.

"Uhh, excuse me," the student, a young boy with very short blond hair says while tapping the glass. "I have a question."

"Not yet," I say, walking down the platform. As I walk down and away from the platform, I walk into the middle of the room and surround myself with all the new students. "Take this advice I am giving to all of you. Do not 'pick' your partner or your team. Let the Wild pick them for you."

With that said, I turn to assistant headmistress Amaya and give her a nod. Amaya nods back and pushes another button on her holo-display. As she pushes the button, the first set of pods shoots out, dropping the students into the desert below.

"What is it that you wanted to ask," I say, turning to the student.

"Yeah," the student says, still tapping his glass door. "Uhh, do these pods have anything like parachutes? Because I'm looking around and I don't see one. Oh, wait! Are they going to land gently below?"

"No," I answer. "The pods will open halfway down. Afterward, you will need to get down yourself."

"What! Wait, you're kidding! Right? There's no way you would just eject us halfway while we're still in mid-air! Right?"

I turn my head as five more pods are shot into the desert below. The students must have noticed too because now, he is throwing himself against the glass door.

"Calm down," I say, "You will be fine."

"How sure are you of that," the student asks.

"About seven percent," I answer with a shrug.

"Seven percent," the student repeats. His pod then ejects.

I walk to a window in the wall of the hull. Looking outside, I see the pods opening, one by one, and students falling into the desert.

"What a strange student," I say, turning to walk with the assistant headmistress.