Chapter 3- Last Day Home

The act of packing took significantly less time than Mina had expected. By early afternoon, every single thing she could possibly think of needing was stuffed into one of several large trunks that Papa had brought up from basement storage for the occasion. With everything stowed away and ready to go, and a solid six hours before the start of the party, she left the house to make one final visit to the school.

As she flew, the pit in her stomach grew. She had no idea who they were going to get to replace her. She hoped it was someone who cared as much as she did. But, what if they couldn't find another teacher? What would happen to each of them? If they all gave up on dancing because she left them to pursue her own dreams, what would that mean about her? Was she really willing to run the risk of crushing the futures of a dozen young girls just to get her own way? The thought made her sick to her stomach. If that happened, she didn't know how she'd be able to get past it.

When Mina arrived at the gym, however, she was surprised to see a class was already in session. All of the girls were airborne and doing warmups, with Marra leading them through the regular flow of stretches and flight exercises the class always did before moving to more serious dance work. Making a point to stay out of sight, Mina watched them through the window inset in the gym door.

Once warming up, the dozen of them set about practicing the technique she'd shown them yesterday. To her surprise and pride, all of the ones who had been able to figure it out yesterday still seemed to have the movements down. Those who had the general idea but still needed refinement soon broke off into a separate group, where Mina watched as Sylvie set about helping each of them in turn with trying to tighten up their skills. The remaining students who hadn't figured it out yet remained with Marra as she walked the group through it again, demonstrating step by step how the technique was performed.

Something about seeing this caused a small swelling of pride in Mina's chest, and before she realized it, a bit of a smile was starting to creep across her face. This only lasted a moment, however, before the fear and sadness began to creep back in. This might be the last time she got to see them all together. She wanted to go inside, to tell them all how proud she was of them, to give them one final lesson before she left, but something stopped her as she placed on hand on the door handle.

If she went in there right now, it wouldn't be for their benefit, it would be to make her feel less bad. After all, she wasn't about to change her mind, ignore the letter, and decide to not go to the school of her dreams to stay with all of them.

...Was she?

The truth was, looking at each of their determined faces, she was seriously considering it.

But then, what if she did stay? What would Papa say, when she told him everything he'd done to help make her dream come true had been a waste of time? And what about everyone else who had helped him?

No matter what choice she made, she would be in some way letting someone down, wouldn’t she?

Mina gave the group in the gym one last long look, then spread her wings and took to the air. She needed to think, and the best place for that sort of thing was among the clouds. There was no one to bother you there. Fortunately for her, the rain had cleared out, leaving behind a smattering of greyish clouds that hung low over the village. The last place you wanted to be in the middle of a storm was in the air, for multiple obvious reasons.

From up at this height, Mina could see the entire village spread out beneath her. The occasional rays of sunlight that managed to get through the cloud cover dappled the roofs, and with the day starting to warm, a low haze was starting to rise around the hills and fields on the outskirts, and even in some of the cobblestone streets.

She was going to miss it here. This had been the only home she’d ever known. That hill over there is where she’d learn to take wing for the first time with Mother, before she’d passed. And there was where her and Papa ate cheeseburgers every Friday night. Over there, in the high-arched temple with the twin steeples and burnished dome? That’s where she’d met June. She could still remember the smell of stirred up dust as the two of them chased each other around the empty sanctuary. Father Mikkelsen had finally had to resort to locking the place up when he wasn’t watching the door to keep them from doing it. He never did seem to figure out that Mina could just fly them to the roof and get in through a skylight instead.

Looking at all of this, was she really about to just leave it all behind?

She tried to imagine what Gnomon City must be like. She’d see it in movies and documentaries, and read about it. It was the largest city on the continent, and the capital of Eida. Caltriss Academy was there, sure, but so was the ruling High Assembly, and the Mortarion Gallery, and Locksley Park, which was so big that her entire village could fit in it twice with room to spare. There would be more restaurants there than she could eat at in a lifetime, more things to see than any person could ever hope to see all of.

The thought of it simultaneously thrilled and terrified her. All of the things she would get to do, and see, and learn would be beyond anything she could imagine. But what if something went wrong? Who would help her?

Mina shook her head to rid it of the thought, and turned towards home. Nothing good was going to come out of worrying about that. She needed to get her mind off of leaving and give herself something to do. Papa was going to need help getting ready for tonight, she was sure of it. But there was no rush. She’d take the scenic route home.

About half a mile out from the house, the bottom fell out of the gathered clouds again, and Mina had to dive out of the air as the rain pelted her and a peal of thunder that was far too close for comfort shook the air around her. Mina arrived back at home on foot, soaked through and chilled to the bone to find her father hard at work on final preparations. 

He raised an eyebrow when he saw her.

"You good?" He asked.

"Just a little shower." Mina said flatly as she slid off her water-logged shoes and stomped past him to her room.