Back To School

"Wish I have my phone or camera with me right now.." Eugene was staring at all the colorful stars that filled the endless space.

"Breath-takin', isn't it?" Jaden replied.

Jaden and Eugene had left Corwinter to search the Realm of Light for the Seven Keys of Azerrak, as well as their other classmates.

The ship that they're piloting is originally Artemis's, but Jaden borrowed it, so he can look for Aya's friend and cousin, Affaf. As of this moment, the two boys are flying in the wide space, heading for the 5th Level. 

During their flight, Mado explained to Majd all that he had learned about Lacrima and the planetoids he visited to this very moment.

"The connection between planetoids is far from stable. That's why you've never seen demons before." Jaden said. "Not just that, but Corwinter's history is only 300 years! Yet, all planetoids use the same calander with nearly six-hundred years lived.."

"Maybe that's when the Axiom was established, not life in Lacrima!" Eugene added.

"Good point!" Jaden replied. "But one thing for certain. The Axiom government has made the Realm of Light segmented and closed off in order for it to be easily monitored." 

"So, if anything stands out of the ordinary," Eugene said.

"They can easily spot it.." Jaden finished.

"So, that's why you lied about your memories!" Eugene loosely pointed at Jaden.

"I had to keep a tight lip about the Keys." Jaden explained. "Or I'd definitely be chased and killed! That's why the best act is to keep my intentions a secret."

"What about the Eternal Knights?" Eugene asked. "They supposed to know about such powerful things." 

"Could be!" Jaden replied. "The Axiom government probably knows all about the realm's mysteries.."

"Well, since the Keys can grant any wish, wouldn't the Axiom be afraid that somebody might wish for something that can harm them?" Eugene asked.

"Hmmm, it's true.." Jaden covered his mouth. "The Axiom rules all that it can reach. For them, the Realm of Light is all that it is, and they pretty much got hold of it." 

"Ahh, you're right.." Eugene muttered.

"But for the Keys to possess the chance to turn tables on them overnight, then" Jaden said.

"Then, they must've got them all!" Eugene interjected.

"No, that's highly unlikely.." Jaden replied. "If they already have 'em, I wouldn't have found the Copper Key..." 

"So, what do you think?" Eugene asked.

"My guess is that they know where each Key is hidden, and they're watching for whoever goes after 'em." Jaden concluded.

"But if that's true, then that means" Eugene was interrupted by a beeping sound came from the ship.

~ZIIIIN!

"Huh!!" Jaden gasped.

The sound was followed by a quake.

~GHURRR!

"What's going on?!" Eugene uttered.

"Looks like we got hit!" Jaden checked the radar. "There's a ship attacking us from behind!" 

~Blast!

Right after he said that, the ship endured another hit. The mysterious hostile ship kept attacking Jaden's ship as he was trying to evade. It was shooting laser beams that hit them directly, and caused a noticeable damage. The impact made the two boys jump off their seats.

"Damn it!," Eugene said. "Can't you put it on display?!" 

"I'm on it!" Jaden saw the attacking ship through the screen.

"What the?!" he exclaimed.

"That's an Axiom ship!" Eugene exclaimed. "Why is it attacking us?!" 

Could it be?, Jaden thought. "I'll try contacting them!" 

Jaden tried dialing the Axiom ship, and asking for an explanation. The connection was successfully established, and Jaden went ahead to talk first.

"To the Axiom ship, do you copy?" he said through the ship's built-in microphone. "This ship is being piloted by Jaden Inferno from Red Grave. I'm accompanied by Eugene Osler from Corwinter. We both have permits to fly, as well as Duty completion and extensions."

Jaden finished what he had to say, and waited for the government's response.

'Oh, alright, you may precede! Sorry for the inconvenience.' was the reply Jaden was expecting. Instead, the Axiom ship charged faster towards them, and continued the shooting.

ZIIIN!

"Those rotten!" Jaden smacked the console.

Their ship was starting to shake left and right rigorously, and both Jaden and Eugene were losing balance.

"Mado, be careful!" Eugene said as the ship endured a critical hit.

"WARNING, SYSTEM IS NOT RESPONDING..."

"Shit, I'm losing control!" Jaden struggled to keep his ship dashing forward.

~SHIIIN! BOOM!

The Axiom ship shot directly at their engine one more time. Jaden and Eugene's ship began sparking and emitting smoke.

"This can't be good!" Eugene yelled.

The lights within the ship had turned dim red.

"THE SHIP IS SHUTTING DOWN!!" Jaden yelled while desperately steering his ship to safety.

He then saw a planetoid that they were already in it's radius.

"MADO, DO SOMETHING!!" Eugene yelled as the ship started to fall fast.

"We're being pulled down by this planetoid's gravity!" Jaden managed to utter.

The magnitude of this planetoid pulled the smoking ship, and the Axiom ship delivered one last blow that damaged the ship's navigation system.

"UAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" both boys screamed as their ship fell into the planetoid and disappeared.

"...."

""

"Eugene...!" 

...!

"Eugene..!"

Eugene heard a familiar voice calling him. He slowly opened his eyes.

"Eugene, get up!" the voice said.

When his eyes were opened, Eugene glimpsed a girl with long blonde hair through the blur.

Eh, am I dreaming?!, he wondered.

"EElaine?!"

The person in front of him gave him a quick slap.

"Ouch!" Eugene reacted. He then blinked, widely opened his eyes, and got up. The blonde girl was gone, and instead, his friend Jaden was trying to wake him up.

"Dude, did you hit your head?!" Jaden sighed.

"Ohh, Mado.." he said. "What happened?!"

"Well, we landedor more likely crashed down.." he replied.

Jaden and Eugene were still inside the ship, that apparently crashed safely on the new planetoid.

After making sure they weren't badly injured, Jaden and Eugene checked if their ship can still fly again.

"No use, it won't start up.." Jaden said in disappointment.

"So, we're stranded here now?!" Eugene pulled himself up, and looked through the transparent window.

His eyes were only able to see trees and bushes that felt to him as if they stretched to no end. Jaden then was able to turn the ship on, but as he commanded it to hover, the ship couldn't rise above the ground.

"..ENGINE NOT RESPONDING.."

"Hmm, 'guess the engines got whacked." he said.

A minute later, the two boys decided to go outside, and check the damages from that conflict. 

"Looks like it won't be flying for sometime.." Eugene muttered as they saw a large portion of the main engine completely burnt, and out of commission.

"I can't believe it!" Jaden was near weeping. "I promised Aya that I'll return it safe and sound! NOOO!!" 

"Well, look at the bright side!" Eugene said sarcastically. "There's a chance you won't get out of here, so no need to worry about that!" 

Jaden let out a long sigh, and then looked around them."Where are we anyway?.." he asked.

"Looks like another green planetoid." Eugene stroked his chin. "But the trees here aren't as tall as in Corwinter."

"Yeah, you're right!" Jaden muttered, but then heard something. Something that sounded familiar. "Uh, wait!" he gestured to Eugene. " 'You hear that, right?"

"Eh..?" Eugene began to pay attention. "Uh, is that... a car sound?!"

"Exactly!" Jaden whispered. "C'mon, let's check it out!"

The two boys went towards the direction of the distinct sound. 

But if this was really a car, does that mean?

While walking through the forest, the two boys came across a linear open space that was extending on both right and left sides. When they finally stepped outside the woods, Jaden noticed that the ground under his feet didn't feel as dusty or soft. But in fact, it was hard.

"Oh, look!" Eugene pointed at the ground. "That's an actual street!" 

"Yeah!" Jaden replied. 

Could that be right?, he thought. Are we in the real world, or some image of it?

As Jaden was thinking, wind blew in his directuon, and dragged with it few flying papers, and fliers. One flier got stuck on Jaden leg. When he picked it up and read it, he was disappointed. 

"Could this be?!" Eugene said. "Are we back in the real world?!"

"Seriously, Majd?.." Jaden mocked him. "Then how'd ya explain our wrecked ship back there?!" 

After saying that, Jaden also showed his friend the flier. "And look when this one was issued." Jaden said. "Eighth Month, Year 666!" 

"We're in 2019 in the real world.." Eugene apologized. "Sorry, Mado.." 

~Chatetetetet!

The sound of the car came back again. Both Jaden and Eugene heard it clearly this time.

"I think it's this way," Jaden ran towards it. "C'mon!" 

The two boys walked few meters on the new found street until they ended up finding the source of the sound. It was a car, parked on the left side of the street. It looked like the driver was having a problem turning it on.

What model is this?, Jaden thought. It looks like a Ponniac, but different..

Both Jaden and Eugene walked cautiously as they approached the car. Their footsteps felt way too loud to bear. Jaden, who was walking front, kept his eyes glued on the parked car, while Eugene was moving his eyes in all directions.

The moment they reached close enough, the two boys took a peek at the driver's seat which was surprisingly empty. 

As perplexed as they both were, Jaden and Eugene felt like there was something right behind them. Eugene turned around first. 

"Ahhhh!" he jumped.

"Haha!" It was a semi-bald middle aged man with a strange smile, looking straight at Eugene.

Jaden noticed that he was wearing sweat pants, and running shoes. He also had a whistle hanging on his neck.

Seems like a gym teacher, he looked at the man's smile again.

A creepy gym teacher!

"What have you two been up to running around my car?!" the man said.

"Nonothing, really!" Eugene stuttered.

"We heard the ignition sound multiple times, so we came to see if anybody needs help." Jaden answered.

The sweat pants man was convinced with Jaden's explanation, and then said "Well, hell yeah! This piece of trash got wrecked on me all of the sudden!"

"Oh, that's a bummer!" Jaden shot to him.

"If you'd allow us to check it out, we might be able to help." Eugene said. 

"You two?!" the man said. "Wait, I've never seen you around before! And what are these funny clothes!" 

"We're from" Eugene was about to make an unwanted mistake as Jaden covered his mouth, and said instead "We're from a hardware store nearby, and these are our uniforms, haha.."

"Oh well, I'm already running late, so you better make it quick! My class is waiting for me!" the sweat pants man replied.

Jaden started checking the keys, while Eugene was checking the batteries. 

"I guess we need to push it.." Eugene said.

"Okay, you come sit. I'll push it." Jaden replied.

Let's see to what extent this resembles reality, he thought.

As he and the middle aged man were pushing the car, Jaden wanted to gather information. 

"This car model is a lot heavier than it looks!" he said.

"They were supposed to build lighter new models, not the other way around!" the man replied.

"So, is it also heavy on the gym teacher?!" Jaden shot back.

"Don't underestimate the macho, Hogan before he gets his morning coffee!" he hastened his pace, and pushed harder.

As they were pushing the heavy car up the hill, the guy told Jaden about himself and his planetoid.

His name was Bryce Hogan, and he was a highschool gym teacher.This planetoid was called Lucis. It resides at the edge of 4th Level.

"Oh, can't believe it..!" Jaden sighed.

"What's the matter with you?!" Coach Bryce yelled. "What kind of person asks about stuff like that?! 'You two living in Maplewood, or what?!"

Shit, I totally got off bounce here!, Jaden thought. Fix it, act dumb!

"Well, I only wanted to see if gym teachers know more than just pep talk, you know.. hehe!" Jaden bluffed awkwardly. 

C Alright, now I totally butchered it...

Once they reached halfway on the way up on the hill, the wrecked car ignited successfully at last. It's motor was humming, and roaring like it went back to life.

~Vohoum!

"Woo-hoo!" Coach Bryce yelled. 

"She's alive!" Jaden panted.

"Yay! That was a good warm-up!" Eugene added.

"But you just sat in the car..." Jaden replied.

"Don't deny his role in this, you big slut!" Coach Bryce told Jaden. "Without him, your job was gonna be even harder!" 

"Wait, what'd ya just call me?.." Jaden muttered.

"Hahahaha!" Both Coach Bryce and Eugene laughed out loud.

Seconds later, Coach Bryce took off, and left the two boys in the woods. He offered to give them a ride, but Jaden refused since he didn't yet know where to go.

"Drive safely, Coach!" Eugene waved to him as he went.

"Are ya done already?.." Jaden mumbled angrily. 

"Come on! He's not a bad person!" Eugene smiled.

"Sure! He was whimsical.." Jaden cynically replied. "Let's find our way to the main street." 

The two boys kept walking for some time before finally reaching the main road. On their way there, they noticed more fliers as the one they'd encountered before. Jaden realized that there was some sort of a problem in this town.

All these fliers are talking about this town's mayor being almost killed by an unknown assassin, he thought. Seems like it's the first time such thing happened.

Maplewood, huh?

This town's so unbelievable, Jaden thought. It's like I'm being back into the real world! Or maybe an American mid-western kinda town. 

Jaden and Eugene were amazed by how everything around them seemed very normal and mundane.

This town is organized, Eugene thought. Quiet, sweet, and innocent.

After walking for few more minutes, Jaden and Eugene reached a lively place. It was group of large buildings nearly surrounded by a fence. As they were slowly walking on the crowded sidewalk, they saw large yellow buses parking by, and countless young people walking around them from every direction. Eugene's shoulders had even endured few bumps.

"Eh, like we're back at school!" Eugene felt annoyed.

" 'Guess you're right," Jaden looked in front of them at the large flag on top of the buildings. "This is a highschool!"

Right after he said that, Eugene eyes caught something shocking. 

No way!, he thought. "Huh?!"

"What's the matter? You'd seen a ghost?!" Jaden asked.

"..Elaine.." Eugene muttered.

"Wait, WHAT?!" Jaden exclaimed.

He tried to trace what his friend was so shocked to see. It was a tall thin girl with ginger long hair, styled in a ponytail. Jaden's eye were only able to catch her from behind as she walked into the school's building. When he looked back at his jaw-dropped friend, Jaden thought of the possibility that they might be led here by the Axiom just to see Elaine.

Was this out of question?, Jaden thought. Did that ship attacked us just to make us find Elaine? The girl they've taken away for execution, made everyone in Bellyn Village forget about her just to drop her here, so she can play school girl! Not in the cards..

Jaden then noticed as Eugene was about to head into the school grounds. "What the heck you think you're doing?!" Jaden grabbed his hand and stopped him.

"It's Eline!" Eugene tried to push himself away. "I gotta get to her!"

"Hold up, you idiot!" Jaden restrained him harder. "We can't just barge into a school lookin' like this!"

"But...Elaine is in there!" Eugene cried.

Jaden then pulled his friend away from the school, and walked around the fence.

"Mado, please, let me go! I gotta" Eugene said as he was being dragged by Jaden.

Once they reached a quiet alley, Jaden explained to Eugene. "If we enter the school with our current look, we'll draw attention to ourselves!" he whispered. "Even if that was actually Elaine, maybe she's on the Eternal Knights' watching list, or something!" 

"So, we're gonna let assumption stop us now?!" Eugene argued.

After hearing that, Jaden looked around, and drew a mind map of his surroundings. He then climbed a shorter wall, and grabbed Eugene up with him.

"Okay," Jaden said. "We're gonna walk on these two roof-tops till we reach the building where the boys locker room is."

Jaden pointed to Eugene exactly what rout should they take to sneak into the highschool. 

"Once we're in, we change our clothes, and wear something more highschool appropriate." 

"What?!" Eugene stepped back. "I can't just wear some sweaty guy's shirt!"

"Oh C'mon! A school this big has gotta have few merch! So, don't fidget just yet!" Jaden replied.

Jaden jumped off the short wall, and climbed the building in front.

"What're you waitin' for?!" Jaden said. "Let's hop!" 

On hearing that, stuttered Eugene shook off, and followed his friend by climbing the roof-tops. The two boys tried to balance their walk while looking around if anyone notices them. With his hunter skills, Jaden helped Eugene get up on taller buildings until they finally reached the campus's building.

"Alright," Jaden pointed. "Thats most likely the gym, so that dark room nearby must be the locker rooms." 

"Okay, let's be ninjas!" Eugene said sarcastically.

After they successfully found their way inside through a window near the roof, Jaden and Eugene ended up being in the dark storage room. Eugene waited cautiously as Jaden was looking for any school merchandise to wear.

After approximately 5 minutes, Jaden came back, and signaled to Eugene with his hands. Then Eugene slowly opened the storage room's door. The two young men put their heads out to peek, and made sure that the way to the locker rooms was clear.

"Okay," Jaden whispered. "The boys locker room is over there. Let's bounce!"

"Let's!" Eugene nodded.

In a nick of time, Jaden and Eugene slipped through into the locker room. It was an empty dark room, full of lockers, and smelled like foot fungus. Once they made sure that it was quiet and clear, Jaden gave Eugene his new outfit.

"So, you will be wearing the hoodie," he handed the yellow hoodie to Eugene. "And I will take the Jersey."

"They still unwrapped!" Eugene sighed. "That's good luck!" 

Jaden didn't know how to respond to that, and went on to change his clothes behind some lockers.

Once he took off his jacket and his shirt, Jaden felt somebody else's presence. The moment he turned around, he noticed a girl with waist-length black hair standing in front of an open locker. But what caught his eyes were the strange blue light that illuminated vividly between her hands.

What's that?!, Jaden thought. Some sacred arts, or is it?

Jaden tried to use his UI, but no matter how hard he tried to call it forth with his mind, it didn't show up.

C'mon, what's wrong?!, Jaden was annoyed. Show up, please..

The girl that was facing the locker, turned around an spotted Jaden as he was smacking his head. 

Dammit!, Jaden grinned.

At that awkward moment, the mysterious girl's went pale, and stepped back from the locker after returning whatever she was holding inside, before locking it. And with small quick steps, she ran out of the locker room without saying a word.

"Hhey!" Jaden muttered as she went.

"What's the matter?!" the newly dressed Eugene asked.

"A girl just stormed out.." Jaden replied.

"A girl?.." Eugene said.

"Yeah, she was here seconds ago...."

"Don't tell me we're in the wrong room!" Eugene covered his eyes as his face became red.

After they both got ready, Jaden took the first step out to the hallway. He noticed as it was crowded with students walking around.

"Alright, here goes nothin'!" Jaden mumbled.

The two boys walked side by side through the hallway. They were both wearing school varsity outfits. It wasn't too long before they started to grab attention, which Mado originally tried to avoid.

"Hey, we're like celebrities!" Eugene said. "Everyone is watching us.."

"Yeah.." Jaden replied. "Let's just walk away from here, and fast!" 

But as they were about to walk out, someone grabbed Eugene's shoulder. When the two boys turned around, it was Coach. Bryce. 

Shit!, Jaden thought. Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit!

"Oh," Coach Bryce said. "What do we have here?!"

"Uhhh, you?" Eugene stuttered as he looked at Jaden, but he too was troubled.

"So that's what you've been up to.." he said as he sipped from his coffee mug.

"Look, we can explain.." Jaden said hesitantly.

"No need for that!" Coach Bryce yelled. "I can see both ' your excitements blasting me to small pieces!" 

"Huh?" both Jaden and Eugene were confused.

"You boys and your late night porn sessions.." Coach bryce said. "The tryouts for the lacrosse team!" 

Tryouts?!, Jaden thought. So he didn't recognize us!

"Yeah!" Jaden replied. "We're just way too excited, Coach. You won't believe!" 

"Haha, we even helped a guy we don't know today in the woods!" Eugene laughed.

"Hmm?!" 

Oh, crap!, Jaden kicked Majd in his mind, and then kicked himself twice.

Coach Bryce narrowed his eyes as he took another sip of his coffee.

"You know, I sorta had this feeling that I've seen you before.." he said.

"Uhh, ummm, it's just that we were out there, and then.." Jaden tried to ramble, but all of the sudden, Coach Bryce smiled strangely, and then laughed out loud.

"You too must go to that forest at night as well, huh!" he said. "But that's not a problem to me, okay?"

Jaden and Eugene were completely blown off. 

"OKAY?!" Coach Bryce shouted.

"Okay!" Jaden replied.

"Fantastic!" he said as he walked away. "Good luck, boys!"

"Phew.." Jaden took a deep breath. This encounter might've cost me few good years, he thought.

Next moment come by, and Jaden realized that he was standing on his own.

Where the heck is Majd?!, he wondered. But as he looked in front of him, Jaden was able to spot his yellow hoodie between the crowds.

Jaden was able to follow his friend while he's walking in a steady pace.

"Hey, Majd!" Jaden said. "Where are you going?!" 

"I saw Elaine walking this way, I have to find her." he replied in cold tone.

"And then what?! You're just gonna say 'Hi, how are you?'" Jaden said.

"Why not?!" Eugene walked faster. "Maybe I'll throw in something smooth.." 

"Dammit, Majd.." Jaden mumbled, and continued to follow him.

Jaden wasn't at all comfortable with his surroundings. Every direction his eyes go, he found a suffocating crowd, and loud voices of students walking around and talking and laughing. As he walked after Eugene in the packed hallway, he remembered his true highschool experience. 

Away from the petty talk, he thought. Highschool is always a crappy place. No matter how anybody wants to look at it. It'd always be a pain in the ass. The land where it's all about conquering. Grades, sports, drama, love, broken friendships, isolation, depression it's all here. Where the crowd beats the original. Where the strong conquers the weak. Basically, nothing different from the rules of the wild.

 I can't stop hating it..

When reaching near a less crowded spot next to a classroom, Jaden noticed his friend slowing down. Eugene finally spotted his missing dear friend. She was walking slightly in front of him. 

It's her! Elaine is walking right before my eyes, Eugene told himself. But, what am I supposed to say after all this time?! 

I'm sorry that your life have turned upside down!

Would she even remember how her life was like? 

She seems so relaxed, and carefree..

Jaden was watching his friend fidgeting as he walked behind the ginger hair girl.

Come on, Majd, he thought. This is what you wanted to find the most! I'm praying for you..

Eugene mustered all the courage he got, and stretched his hand to grab her shoulder, but she was rather further by few centimeters. Eugene's hands was just touching the air behind her orange ponytail. 

I can't, he thought. It's the same as before. Elaine would always slip through my fingers. 

Eugene started to see flashbacks of his dearest friend. How she cared for him, how she scolded him, and how she played with him in the forest. But most importantly, how her smile kept his smile. And how after she'd been tied up and taken as a sinner by the Knights while he just watched silently.

I won't let that happen again!, Eugene yelled in his mind. I am a whole different person now!

When Jaden was right behind him, Eugene skipped a step, and grabbed the girl walking in front of him. The ginger hair girl strattled in respons. He watched her slowly turning around. At that moment, he saw a ghost of his childhood friend turning to face him before disappearing. 

"Elaine!.." Eugene cried.