Me and them stared for a solid minute before I shook off my surprise. "Oh, yeah-um, hey, guys! Uh, wait-I mean that-" I was already a blubbering mess in front of these three. I slapped my hand over my face and groaned, feeling blood rush into my face like a tidal wave.
"This isn't how I wanted to meet you guys…"
I felt a hand on my shoulder and I looked into the blonde's girl's blue eyes. She honestly had quite the pity in her look, it somewhat pissed me off.
"It's alright, little brother," she slowly moved her side to side in an empathetic manner, "Big sister here is also at a loss for words."
Chills shot down my back and I slapped her hand away quickly.
"Why are you still on that little brother-big sister thing, Manami?!" I pointed an accusatory finger at her.
"It's because I consider everyone I know in our time at the awakened academy like family." Manami smiled at me, placing a hand on her hip. She reached out a pale hand and pulled at my nose, "and you're my socially anxious little brother! Don't ever forget it!"
I groaned and pulled away her hand. The second this girl put a nickname or label on you, you'd best believe she would stick with it. It was irritating and endearing at the same time.
Manami was one of my classmates in the awakened academy at NQSC. She was along with the two people behind her, Camille and Ravi, both in the top 10 in rankings among our sleeper batch. Even there, in the studious and dark environment, Manami was quite the life of the party. I remembered stories about how she sneaked food and nonalcoholic drinks into her room with other people to have an overnight party at the end of every week. Ford wouldn't stop talking about those parties, and even said the only reason Manami hadn't gotten in trouble was because Awakened Rock also participated in those parties.
The last bit was suspicious, but I did notice how he seemed more tipsy on Mondays when he greeted the students.
Regardless, the girl nicknamed, "Goddess of Celebration," was standing in front of me. The last time I saw her was when all the sleepers were about to go to the dream realm for the winter solstice. I saw her in the distance exchanging hugs and tears with the many friends she had. Still, the thing I remembered most was her smile.
I considered the awakened academy quite the grey place. There weren't many bright things there and the instructors constantly pushed the life-or-death reality. While others groaned, I didn't really mind too much. However, I'm glad that the person in front of me didn't extinguish that darkness.
Manami seemed a little brighter, her skin more clear, and her blue eyes resembling real sea water. It reminded me of the River of Sapphires that the awakened train passed over.
We were in the waking world after the winter solstice, which meant she and the other two behind her had successfully escaped the dream realm and became awakened.
…
I felt something cold come from my eyes and trickle down my cheeks. Manami and the rest started panicking and came closer to me. Manami herself seemed the most startled as she reached out to me with a forced smile. "Vincent, why are you crying? Are-are you okay? I was trying to eb mean when I called you socially anxious, I was trying to make a joke–I'm sorry!"
I quickly realized I was crying and started furiously wiping at my eyes. Red bruises formed but still the tears came. I resorted to putting my forearm against my eyes to block my field of vision.
In that darkness, I saw it.
My first nightmare, the ironclad ants and the ironclad queen. My aspect, describing me as the king of tragedy. My dormant ability imploding my body parts and filling me with a surge of overwhelming pain. The Great Plateau with the long hot days and the nights terrorized by the Moonlights Surge. Moments where we were betrayed and ambushed. My cohort members were killed by Orochi and Blair. Later, I learned that I had the lineage of the goddess of hunting and blood.
I was surrounded by so much pain, death, and tragedy.
It felt nice to be able to witness something related to 'living.'
"I'm…really happy that-that you guys are alive." I choked out, as my three awakened classmates tried comforting me. I was really so happy.
All that joy was cut short by a few words.
"My, are you Vincent's friends?" Orochi's ice-cold words stabbed my heart. I quickly snapped my head to look at him in shock before he said the twisted words, "Nice to meet you, I'm Vincent's father."
I didn't look at Manami and the rest, blocking their view of my face. My face so tightly warped into a look of pure rage. Orochi smiled, his jade eyes curling with a sinister look when he saw my glare.
"You're Vincent's…father?" Manami said.
Orochi nodded, putting two hands behind his back, assuming the stance of an old father. "Yes, me and him are here for a little vacation. Could I ask what you all are doing here? Oh, sorry if I seem like I'm interrogating you. I don't want you all to get in trouble. I know you all awakened and that you're more than capable of taking care of yourselves, but could you answer this old man's question to quell his worry?"
Manami slipped away from and walked to Orochi, a bright look on her face despite being face to face with a dangerous looking man. "Nice to meet you, Vincent's dad, I'm Manami!"
"Manami? Mmmmm…that's a good name."
"As for why we're here, well, you see me and the rest of the awakened academy kids who went there are coming here to have a party and catch up. Actually, since we crossed paths with you and Vincent, is it possible your son could come with us to that party?" She reached out a hand to Orochi.
Oorchi studied it for a second before clasping it. "Of course. I'm so happy Vincent is being invited by his friends." He shook Manami's hand with a delightful expression.
However, after being with Orochi for only a week, I understood the meaning behind his expression.
He was looking forward to using their lives to put me more under his control.