Inter Mundos (Between Worlds)

Twenty Eight: A Voyage Of Discovery

The morning after our celebration of passing our finals, Maria and I were finishing up our breakfast, which we ordered for room service. We stuffed our bellies with eggs, sausage and toast with jelly. There were more items to choose from-more fancy, but I wanted something that reminded me of home. Maria never objected to it, so I assumed my choice was good.
When we finished we quickly dressed ourselves and hurried to meet up with the boys in the lobby. By our surprise they were there first.
"What a surprise," said Maria. "You two made it here before us."
Lucard crossed his arms and grinned. "While you were making yourself look pretty, which by the way I appreciate, the Captain and I were busy getting here on time."
Maria looked down at her wrist and read an invisible watch. "Hmm," she said. "By the look of my handy-dandy watch here it says we are right on time."
I snorted a laugh.
Jim looked my way. "I trust you slept well?" His gaze switched to Maria for a second. "The both of you."
Maria and I nodded. "Yeah, we slept okay."
"Just okay?" Lucard asked. Maria shot him a look.
I wasn't sure what that look meant, but I did notice the subtle movements. "I don't mean that we slept bad." I looked over to Maria. "I mean, I slept pretty good." I lied. "Did you?"
Maria nodded. "I did."
Jim picked up his bags that were resting by his feet. "We better get going." And like that we followed our Captain.

The trip back to the Academy was a gentle one, although it was rather lonely. Lucard and Maria were business talking with each other privately while Jim was swarmed by others to talk business and eventually disappeared into the estate room. However, this gave me plenty of time to think. I thought back to my life back on earth: growing up, my parents, the way people lived their lives back then. This place still felt so foreign to me. I wasn't sure I'd ever get used to this place. But I had friends here; more friends than I ever did back on earth. I was an introvert and I didn't mind. But now, with the way I was living, I was kind of forced to be more extroverted. As long as I had people to count on, Like Maria, Lucard and of course Jim, then I was okay with letting myself be heard.

When we got back to Montressor Lucard and Maria went their separate ways. Jim and I on the other hand went back to the Inn. By this time the Inn the had died down, seeing how breakfast was usually the busiest time of the day. Sarah closed up early to leave the evening open to us and cooked an amazing meal. It was good to see Ben again and having such an energetic robot walking around was enjoyable. He was the same as ever and never failed to crack me up with a joke.
"You were great in the finals." Sarah said as we sat around the table.
My eyes got wide. "What? You were there?"
She nodded. "I was. I'm not surprised you didn't see me though. There were hundreds of people there."
"Eight-hundred-forty-three to be exact." Jim said.
I was flabbergasted. "That many?"
"I'm sorry I didn't come see you after." Said Sarah.
"That's okay," I told her. "We left pretty quickly."
Sarah smiled. "Oh, to the banquet?"
I shook my head. "No, we went to the hot springs in the mountains." I saw the slight change in Jim's face and knew I had said something I shouldn't have.
Sarah raised a brow, although she didn't seem made. "Is that so?" She looked to Jim. "I thought EVERYONE was authorized to attend the banquet?"
Jim nervously rubbed the back of his neck. He had finished his food so there was no point in stuffing his face to avoid the question. "Yeah, those things are so boring." He admitted.
Sarah chuckled. "My Jim. Always a rebel." She shook her head and smiled. She stood up then and gathered our plates seeing as we were all done eating.

I went upstairs with my belongings and set out a fresh pair of undies and my new crew-type-uniform for tomorrow, and got dressed in something more comfortable. It was then that I looked out my window and saw that Sarah had set up new lights in the back garden. It looked so pretty and I was tempted to walk around it. Besides, after eating so much food it was a good idea to walk some of it off.
The lights around the gazebo were mesmerizing and the intricately twists and turns of the paths with flower gardens on both sides made me feel like I was in Wonderland.
"I wondered where you ran off to." I heard a deep voice and when I turned around I saw Jim. "I was hoping to talk one-on-one with you about the voyage."
I stood up a little straighter and rests my hands behind my back. "Go ahead."
Jim cleared his throat before speaking. "Going on a voyage for the next couple of months must sound really exciting to you, huh?" I nodded. "However true that may be it is equally dangerous. All parents and children must sign a waiver, agreeing to the dangers this voyage could very well intend." He paused for a moment. "But seeing as you are an adult and have no one but yourself to sign for, it is completely up to you whether or not you want to go through with this."
"Why wait until now to tell me this?" I asked.
Jim took a breath and let out a small sigh. "In truth: I wasn't sure how you would take it. I was putting it off for as long as I could. I guess what I'm trying to say is: I really want you to have this experience and I don't want fear to stop you. I have the papers inside ready for you to sign if you want to go through with it."
I thought for a moment. "Jim, if I didn't want this I never would have tried so hard to begin with."
"Then your answer is yes?" Jim asked.
I nodded and smiled. "Of course!"