"So this is it," Kelly rasped as Vior returned to the dormitory from her meeting with the Father. She was leaving for the apprentice program the next day.
"Yeah," Vior replied, eyes downcast. Her heart was such a mix of feelings, she didn't know how to act. "Kelly—" She started.
Kelly shook her head, her silver-grey hair shimmering under the dorm lights. "I'll be fine, Vior. I figured this day would come." She approached and hugged Vior. "You give 'em hell out there, alright?"
Vior nodded, her heart still in an agony of indecision. "I'm going to make you proud." She said, holding her friend's shoulders. "I'm going to make all of us proud," her grey eyes blazed with determination.
Kelly smirked. "That's the Vior I love. Go out there and forget all about us. You deserve it."
I don't… she almost started, but stopped herself, shaking her head. "You were a great friend to me Kelly. Even if I forget it all, that will remain true." They hugged again, then gave themselves some space, trying to put the moment past them.
"Why don't we go see who else got accepted," Kelly finally rasped.
Vior nodded. "Good idea."
They went down to the sanctum where the board that had displayed their fight details now only glowed with one large message. "Congratulations to Vior Eversmith, Persimmon Liu, Evelyn Percival, and Vayne Snatcher for being accepted into the apprenticeship program."
"Hey Evelyn made it in!" Vior was excited that the girl who had helped her fight Perci would also be going with her to the program.
Kelly nodded. "She deserved it, her magic was pretty powerful, and her combat sense wasn't bad at all."
"Thanks!" A voice sounded behind them, and they both turned around. Evelyn was standing there, her blue hair draping down her shoulders to where she held her staff.
"You were right," she bounced over to Vior. "Helping you was a good idea," she was practically smiling from ear to ear.
"Glad I could help," Vior smiled bittersweetly, the memory of her defeat still a wound to her pride.
"Hey since, we're going to the academy together," Evelyn put her finger to her chin. "What do you say we team up?"
Vior looked at her sharply trying to analyze motive.
"Oh come on," Evelyn said exaggeratedly, "I'm good at magic sense, you're good at combat. We already know eachother and we're heading into the middle of an unknown. I think teaming up makes a lot of sense."
Vior relaxed a fraction and sighed. "You make a good point, I don't have any objections."
"Then it's a deal!" Evelyn grabbed Vior's hand to shake it, then ran off. "See you at the academy!" She yelled, disappearing into the next room.
Perci stood in the underground cellar she had called home for the past two years, packing the last of her things.
"S-So, you're really going then?" A girl stood behind her, her cat ears drooping as she watched Perci pack.
"Of course, silly! That was the whole point wasn't it?"
"O-Of course, m-m'lady, but…what am I supposed to do now?"
"Do whatever you want, stay here, go to the orphanage, run away—I won't stop you."
"B-but, the orphanage won't take you in if you don't have backing, and you've been providing for me the whole time I've been here, so…" The cat girl wrung her hands, glancing nervously at the older girl.
"It's been fun, Nell." Perci spun around and patted the cat girl on the head. "Show me how strong and brave you can be, and come meet me at the academy next year, k?"
"Mm," Nell giggled under Perci's touch. But once Perci stopped, she looked nervous again. "How did you make money, Perci? Y-you always seemed to have some holed away when we needed it."
"Mm," Perci said, returning to her packing. "That way wouldn't work for you, sorry Nell."
"Then, then…" Nell stuttered her thoughts spinning in despair at what her next steps were going to be. She had done everything right, why wasn't Perci helping her? She looked eagerly at Perci again for some hint of the affection that had kept her going these past few years, but her closest friend seemed to be ignoring her now, her mind bent on the excitement of her life to come. What am I supposed to do? She clutched at the edge of her cloak in panic.
"You can try the Father of course." Perci said casually. "Sometimes they have extra beneficiaries, but they're too lazy to keep a waitlist, so they just go to whoever shows up that day."
"O-ok!" Nell clung to the last straw of hope that Perci was offering her. Maybe she knows something! Maybe she's arranged something for me!
"Alright, well," Perci had finished packing and slung her pack over her shoulder. "Cya," She rubbed Nell's head again, then began climbing the stairway up to the street.
"Bye!" Nell called out, her voice a little hoarse. And then she was left alone, and the silence fell heavily on her shoulders.
The next day Nell headed to the church, her cloak pulled down firmly over her head, her eyes darting around like Perci had trained her, watching for any potential kidnappers. She arrived at the front doors and plodded up to the Father who was in the middle of a conversation with some worshippers who had come to pray. She waited on the edges of their conversation, hesitant and watching. Eventually the couple took their leave, and the Father was left unoccupied.
"Ah," Nell started, hoping to get the Father's attention. The Father continued smiling at the couple who was leaving until they left the doors, then he turned to Nell.
"We don't have any spots open, unless you have a backer, you'd better bundle off. I don't want you disturbing any of the worshippers who come to pray or else you'll really have no shot at the orphanage." His tone was blunt, neither sparing, nor directly malicious.
"O-ok," Nell hurried out of the chapel, before tears started blurring her eyes. Wait! She suddenly turned towards the church. I didn't introduce myself! If Perci set something up…But it was too late, she had already asked, and she wasn't willing to go confront the Father again about something that might or might not be arranged. She sat down on a step opposite the church and grabbed a stick to poke around with. What do I do now? She thought, her ears drooping underneath her hood. She hadn't felt so alone since Perci had found her. She had never been much, but Perci had said she'd be useful. And she was kind and had fed her lots of treats. But now she was gone, off on her next adventure. And she was alone, without her.
"Were you hoping for a spot in the orphanage?" A voice rasped in front of her."
Nell's head jolted up to see a grey-haired girl a couple years older than her standing in the street looking at her.
"Yeah, but I…" her voice faltered, tears welling in her eyes.
"It's ok," the girl crouched down by Nell. "The Father's like that with everyone who tries to get a spot. Have you been on the streets long?" The girl's raspy voice tickled Nell's ears weirdly, but she sounded kind.
"Mm," Nell nodded. "But I had a friend who always took care of me. But…she's gone now, so I don't know what to do with myself."
"It's like that for a lot of kids," the silver-haired girl said with a sigh. "You know, I was on the streets myself for a few years. Last year I entered the church's apprenticeship selection process. Do you know it?"
"Yeah…" Nell would've gone on, but the silver haired girl continued.
"I ended up losing pretty badly to a girl a year younger than me, had my throat slashed out, and the healers couldn't fully fix it."
"Oh…is that why your voice is all raspy?" The girl nodded.
"Anyways, that girl who beat me felt pretty bad about the whole thing, and she had extra in her allotment for the church, some kind of fine money from the person who killed her parents. So I ended up getting a slot with the orphanage."
"What did you do to that girl?" Nell asked, curious.
The girl laughed. "We became good friends. She won the selection process this time, and is going off to the apprenticeship program."
"Oh!" Nell blinked in surprise.
"Anyways, the reason I bring this up is because as stupidly soft-hearted as she is, she left me the rest of her allotment, since she doesn't need money for the apprenticeship program. But the thing is…it's enough for two slots, no sweat. And seeing as I'm only one person…"the girl laughed hoarsely. "What do you say, think we can be friends?" She extended her hand to Nell.
Nell just sat there looking at her blankly. "W-wh-what!? You're giving me a slot!?" She suddenly jumped up.
"If you want it," the girl grinned.
"B-but, I'm!" Nell flicked down her hood revealing her cat ears, looking at the girl as if daring her to change her mind.
The girl blinked, then smiled and offered her hand again. "My name's Kelly. What's yours?"
"N-Nell," Nell offered her hand hesitantly.
Kelly shook it and grinned. "Nice to meet you, Nell."