SAPPHIRE
03: Becoming a Meister
The middleman of the Black Valley showed up one night at the Waltemeyers' house to deliver the tuition money for the first year – Rena's Coral year. Rena did not see this person as she was busy attending the entrance exam to get into Garderobe. It was not hard, really. The entrance exam consisted of two parts: academics and fitness, both of which she had taken care of with ease. The academics portion had been a multiple choice exam nearly a hundred questions long, testing her on her mathematical knowledge and numerical operations, scientific knowledge, and basic language skills. The exam, taken by nearly three hundred hopefuls, took place inside the large gymnasium of Windbloom University. When the professor, a strict woman with greying hair, on duty said 'Go!' everyone immediately went down to work and began filling in the little boxes. While Rena simply paced herself and answered each question without hesitation, she could see and hear others who seemed to be panicking. Rena simply shook her head, feeling some sympathy towards them but knew that at the end of the day it was every girl for herself. As she was told by the professor before the exam began, only fifty of the girls attending the entrance exam would make it into Garderobe. Of the fifty that enter and become Corals, only half of them would become second year students, or Pearls; of the twenty-five Pearls, less than a quarter would become Meisters. It would be two years of hard competition and Rena knew better to let her guard down and slide in the rankings. She was in it to become number one and become a Meister, a full-fledgedOtome.
With the written examination done with, Rena simply waited for the fitness examination which was to take place in three days. At the end of the written exam, the professor had instructed that they all "dress for the occasion." The hopefuls were expected to spend the night, likely alone, in the forest and be able to navigate to a finishing point. This little exercise would test the girls for their navigation and orientation abilities, as well as their mental stamina. The question one had to ask was: How much do I want this? Upon being informed of this little task, the professor then asked if anyone wanted to leave. Nearly half of the girls in the gymnasium stood up and exited. The professor waited for the last exiting girl to close the door and turned back to who was left, saying, 'You will have another fitness and survival exam at the end of your Coral year, only it will be harder. Does anyone else wish to stay for round two?' A dozen or so girls left the gym. Rena never once contemplated leaving the gym, but she did have her doubts when so many of the girls left. The professor smiled – it was an almost mischievous, maybe threatening, smile – and said, 'Well then, I shall see you all in three days' time. Get some good rest in the mean time.' Rena left the gymnasium with the remaining hopefuls, her mind set on that fitness exam. I survived three days in the desert. I can handle this.
The professor had told them they only need to bring what was necessary. When asked what constituted as "necessary", the professor simply replied, '"Necessary" is what saves you from the forest. Think about it.' Rena packed her rucksack with all the essential items – water, food, and more water. On the basis that her trip across the desert must have been a bigger challenge, Rena only packed slightly more of the items she had coming to Windbloom. On the third day, Rena stood outside of the Waltemeyers' house dressed for success – ripstop shirt and pants, along with desert brown trekking boots all acquired for her by the Waltemeyers – with a parka stuffed into the ruck for the possible bad weather. She was set and ready to go. John and Cara Waltemeyer came out of the house, looking down at Rena with pride and concern. Cara hugged the girl from the Black Valley and said, 'We know you'll get through this.' It was only one night that she would be away from home, but the Waltemeyers had grown attached to Rena during the previous two weeks. She had essentially become their child.
Rena tossed the rucksack into the trunk of the black sedan and took her seat at the back of the car. The drive to the forest was quick. Either that or her mind had been wandering off again. When the black sedan stopped in front of the forest – Rena had learned that it was the thickest as well as the easiest forest to get lost in – she got out of the vehicle with a clean, cool head and was ready to get started on the exam. As she began walking forward to where all the hopefuls were congregating, John called out from behind and told her she had forgotten her rucksack. Reddening with embarrassment, as well as a bad start to the exam, Rena retrieved her ruck and thanked John for reminding her. Gathering herself, Rena joined the growing group of girls and waited for the fitness exam to begin. Everyone looked equally terrified, thinking as to what may be lurking in the deep forest and whether they would make it through the night. Rena looked up at the sky and saw the clouds darken. It didn't take a genius to know that it was going to rain; Rena removed the parka from her rucksack and zipped it up over her shirt. Rena looked around and noticed only a few girls brought something to wear to protect themselves from the weather. What in the world are the other girls carrying? Rena had to ask, seeing the rest looking at each other with uncertainty.
The professor wasted no time in getting the exam underway. She spoke briefly before blowing the whistle and letting them loose. 'You will complete this exercise in under thirty-six hours. Should you fail to reach the finishing point then you will undoubtedly be disqualified. From the moment I blow my whistle to the thirty-sixth hour, you will not be rescued be any of the staff. If you need help then call upon each other for help. Otherwise you are very much alone.' The speech had been intended on thinning their numbers but it did not appear to work. Rena likely knew why no one left: if everyone was reaching the same checkpoint then everyone would only need to follow each other. That idea, however, was quickly abolished. 'Just so you don't start grouping together, many of you will have a different finishing point you have to reach.' The professor nodded to her colleagues who began to quickly, randomly, hand out the location of their finishing point. 'If you brought a map, because we will not provide you with one, then you will locate that general area on your map. Your finishing point is somewhere in that area.' There was no need to say more as Rena knew full well what had to be done. It would be their job to reach the general area and find the end.
'You have thirty-six hours to complete the task,' said the professor in a booming voice that carried over the wind. 'You may begin – now!'
The whistle was sounded and the hopefuls quickly headed off towards their destination. Rena looked at them with disbelief. What was the point in running off when you didn't have a clear idea where the destination was? Rena along with several others remained at the start line. They retrieved their maps and began locating the general area of their finishing point. Rena used a grease pencil to jot down the coordinates of her location and a possible route to get there. Looking down at her map, she realised there was more rocky terrain to her location than flat surface; she would also have to cross several ravines in order to reach to her destination. The distance looked like it could be covered in eight hours, though the time would have to be adjusted for rest and other unexpected happenings. Well I better get started, thought Rena, tucking away the grease pencil into the pocket of her parka. As the girl made her way into the forest, Rena could have sworn seeing the professor giving her a nod of encouragement and support.
If the written exam had given her any concerns, the fitness exam did not. A challenge like this only played to her advantage. She had practically grown up in outdoor environments, and much of her training she received at the Black Valley was like the fitness exam. Rationing her food and water carefully, Rena planned a survival that would last two whole days. By the time the sixth hour rolled by, Rena realised she was well ahead of schedule and that her rationing did not have to be so conservative. She wanted to laugh and enjoy herself out in the wilderness as she always did during her training, but she refrained and carried on with a purpose. Along the way to the general area of her finishing point, Rena witnessed several girls break down in tears and wishing for someone to help them. Rena did not want to stop and waste her time with them, but she could not leave them behind and forget what she saw. Compromising and doing what she thought was right, Rena gave them some food and directed them back to the starting line. The girls were grateful and headed back to the beginning of the course, easily abandoning their dream of becoming an Otome. Rena knew what she wanted and knew it was within grasp. Only six more kilometres to go, she thought. Though the distance was likely to be only three kilometres as the crow flies, she had to make adjustments to changes in the terrain and obstacles along the way.
While the fitness exam may have been easier, it was not without its troubles. Rain began to pour heavily after the second hour, thereby slowing her down and making certain paths impossible to use, but that in the end was a minor issue. Perhaps the only real hiccup in the exam was finding the finishing checkpoint. Three girls sharing the same location as Rena arrived to the general area some time after her. They fanned out and began to look high and low for anything that had any semblance to a finishing line. Nothing. No stone was left unturned as they searched the area, but no finishing point was found either. Frustrated, the four girls got together and began to work over a plan on finding the location. They would spread out in a line, covering a certain area and distance, and march across the general area while looking for the point. When the point was found then they would call out to the others and pass together. No one in the group had any plans on backstabbing as everyone needed one another to pass. Rena checked her wristwatch (another courteous gift from the Waltemeyers) and realised they had about seven hours left until the time was up. While that seemed like a sufficient amount of time to find one location, Rena found it was not enough when one had to find the concealed location in a large area.
What exactly am I looking for? I must be looking for the wrong thing, thought Rena, frowning as she slowly walked across the forest floor, checking every square inch in her area of responsibility. C'mon, this shouldn't be causing you this much trouble. What doesn't fit? And immediately her eyes focused on a large tree ten feet in front of her. It was not so much the size of the tree that caught her attention, but the odd placements of the bush all around it. Rena did not call for her teammates immediately. She stepped up to the tree and began to search for something, anything. Finally she found it. Behind a thick bush was a slight crack in the tree trunk. She pressed her hand on it and realised it could easily be removed, but it was not a task she could do alone. Rena called out for the three other girls and pointed out her discovery. One of the girls – she had golden blonde hair and dark brown eyes – offered to lend her assistance to help move the piece of tree trunk. Rena and the blonde girl got a grip of the opening and pulled hardly. The side of the trunk ripped off, throwing the two girls on their backs, but were helped up to their feet by the other two.
'We found it!' squealed one of the girls in delight.
Upon ripping the side of the tree trunk off, looking inside, Rena saw that several feet underground was an opening like a door to another room. She retrieved her flashlight and jumped to the underground level. Rena had asked the other girls to wait above in case she needed help and had to be pulled up. They were a bit sceptical but agreed; Rena moved onwards alone. The door was wide open but the room, if it was a room, was pitch black. Rena took several steps forward and shone the light beam of her flashlight across the room. She stood in the middle of the empty and dark room feeling utterly confused. What is this place? Isn't this supposed to be it? She felt a sense of panic creeping up on her. If this was not it then they were wasting their time. Making one last examination of the empty room, Rena found a note nailed to the wall reading: "THIS IS NOT THE PLACE YOU ARE LOOKING FOR." Her blood ran cold. She wanted to scream out in frustration, to cry out in stress, at the injustice of it all. Rena closed her eyes and silently cursed her luck and the exam. The note had been left behind to taunt any unlucky sap who came. She ripped the note off the wall, punching the wall with her free hand, and was about to let off a series of expletives when suddenly someone began clapping from behind her. Rena spun around, shining her flashlight on the face, and saw the face of one of the staff members.
'Congratulations, you and your friends passed this course,' said the staff member with a smile.
There was an opening on the other side, behind the staff member. Another door? As she soon learned there was another door, which was very well concealed, in the room that lead to their finishing point. Rena now wanted to curse at her stupidity rather than her luck. The staff member, through small cameras in the room, saw everything. The staff member was about to let Rena proceed on without knowing that another room existed until she found the note. It was not until she began to hit the wall with frustration that the staff member stepped out and decided to be nice to the girl. The staff member explained that the exam had been designed that one must team up with others to complete the course. 'While it is possible that you can reach to your location in the allotted time, you will need a third party to finish it.' Rena, along with the three other girls, passed the fitness exam with five hours remaining. They were told that they were going to get picked up by the professor in a couple of hours. When asked if other hopefuls were coming to this location, the staff member shook her head and replied, 'Everyone else coming here dropped out.'
As they soon learned after the fitness exam, so many people had failed the course that a second run had to be conducted. Rena and the three girls were afraid they had to do it again but were told that it was not necessary. The failure rate had been so bad that the fitness exam was re-evaluated and changed to make it easier for future applicants. However, Rena didn't care about the future hopefuls getting it easier than she did. She breathed a sigh of relief and congratulated herself for surviving the ordeal. The Waltemeyers arrived at the starting line, exactly where they had dropped her off only the day before, and picked her up, beaming at her with pride. Rena was caked in mud and dirt which held them off from hugging her, but not from allowing her to kiss them both on the cheek. John and Cara had prepared a fancy a dinner for her that night and wanted to listen to all the stories she had to tell. Rena wasted no time and spared no details. She had her adoptive parents' full attention for the next three hours, describing each and every minute of the exam.
Ω
Garderobe promptly delivered her school uniforms to the Waltemeyers' house some days later along with the annual fees. Rena noticed that the Black Valley did not raise enough money so she would have to get a job of her own to pay off the rest. Luckily the fees were not due until the second last month of the school year thus allowing her time to find a job and work. With financial issues aside, Rena put on the red and white Coral uniform and looked at herself in the mirror. 'You look fabulous,' commented Cara, smiling. John simply stood aside swelling with pride. They did not have a child of their own, so to have Rena as their adopted child, a student at Garderobe, was something worth taking pride in. Rena's reflection stared back at her with a sense of purpose, a sense of want. Wearing the Coral uniform, Rena knew her goal to become an Otome was another step closer to reality. Although two long, hard years separated her from becoming a Meister, she knew it was all within reach. Her deep blue eyes showed no doubt, no waiver, in her journey to become an Otome. She would do this for herself and for the Black Valley.
The middleman from the Black Valley had returned a few days earlier to deliver some letters of good luck from her friends. Rena gave the middleman a letter of her own addressed to everyone in the Black Valley, telling them she would do her best and not fail. Knowing that she had some sort of contact with her home made her a bit at ease and the task at hand seemed a lot easier. The past few weeks had given her some of the most memorable moments in her life and she knew there were more moments like that to come. However, she felt alone, detached from her friends back home. Though she did not have any close friends, Midori and Yohko, the two youngsters, had been as close as a friend she could want. She knew she could easily make friends at Garderobe, but how smart of a choice was that? Everyone would be competing for the top spot so wouldn't that make them her rivals? Rena decided that such matters could be handled later.
While the "ooh and ahh" factor of Windbloom Castle came from its fairytale features and the royal family, Garderobe, in her opinion, was so much more. Located not too far from Windbloom Castle, the Otome academy took up much more land and seemed like a small town in itself. Students were to remain on school property at all times during the weekdays, and were only permitted to leave during the weekends to locations nearby. For the next ten months Rena knew she would be confined to the small village that was Garderobe. Her only duty in that time was to work hard and simply make it to the next year, and find a job to pay for the tuition. Of course, this sense of isolation from the rest of the city did not make Garderobe any less appealing. Rena couldn't wait to begin classes and start the next part of her journey in becoming an Otome.
'If you need anything, remember you can call us,' said Cara Waltemeyer, turning around from her seat and looking back at her as they parked in front of the main gates of Garderobe.
'We'll also give you any updates on your friends from back home,' said John from upfront. 'Don't worry, okay? You got this in the bag.'
Rena smiled appreciatively and stepped out from the vehicle, looking at the open gates of Garderobe. Students – new and old – were already making their way inside. This time she did not forget to retrieve her luggage, which was nothing more than a black duffel bag filled with her necessary belongings, in the trunk. She received a warm hug from her adoptive parents and bid them good bye for ten months. Rena heaved the duffel bag over her shoulder, took a deep breath in, and marched up the wide path into Garderobe. The path going uphill eventually led to a flat, open ground with benches and small structures. The Pearls, wearing their white and green uniforms, were at ease with their surrounding, she noticed. Well it was their second year so they already knew their bearings. The second year students sat about, talking amiably, and were seemingly relaxed. The Corals, Rena saw, were trying their best to relax but failed horribly.
'We're all nervous here,' said a voice from behind.
Rena turned and saw that it was the same blonde girl that had passed the fitness exam with her. The girl was not alone, though. Another girl with fiery red hair and piercing grey eyes stood next to her. 'Oh – well, yeah, I guess we're all nervous here,' said Rena nervously.
'I'm Eileen Riley – Windbloom,' said the blonde girl, extending her hand, announcing her name and nation of origin. 'This is Marion Weir from Cardair.'
'Rena Sayers,' said Rena, taking the hand, 'I'm from – uh – Windbloom too. It's nice to meet you all.' Eileen gave the girl an odd look but said nothing. Rena worried that Eileen suspected her of lying, but of that she could not be sure without asking and the last thing she wanted to do was alienate herself. Indeed Rena initially felt lost in the sea of strange faces, but to be acquainted with one of the Corals already was a relief. 'So, where do we go from here?' she asked, looking around the campus grounds.
The girl named Marion Weir answered, 'We're told to meet in the amphitheatre in the next hour.' The red haired girl turned around and pointed to an old limestone structure across the campus grounds. 'The professors are going to welcome us and organise us into different dorm rooms I suspect.'
'Hopefully we don't got bunkered with someone intolerable,' said Eileen Riley, sizing up all the Corals. 'I want to make it into my second year, you know?'
'Can't we ask to be paired with someone we know?' asked Rena, looking at the two girls in confusion.
Marion snorted. 'I highly doubt it. They'll likely place us with complete opposites as a test of our will,' said the Coral from Cardair, bitterly. 'You know what? I hear that the rooms can actually house three, so if you're one of those unlucky ones then you'll up with two roommates instead of one.'
'That won't be so bad,' said Rena. 'That means you get more people to talk to.'
The girls from Cardair and Windbloom looked at Rena as though she was out of her depth. Rena, who did not want to draw attention and alienate herself, seemed to be failing at keeping a low profile. Note to self, she thought, keep mouth shut next time. She smiled feebly at the girls, revealing her innocence at the new world once again. Marion Weir rolled her eyes whereas Eileen Riley shrugged and said, 'Well we'll see how our luck runs. C'mon, let's head to the stadium. I want to get good seats for whatever is coming up.' The three girls, with their luggage in hand, marched off towards the limestone amphitheatre for the start of a journey that would span two years.
Ω
The two years passed relatively quickly for Rena. In fact it seemed to have passed in a blur. It was true that Garderobe likely held the most important memories in her life, but the experience seemed so unreal that she felt a sense of detachment from reality. The ten months at Garderobe, away from the thick of the passing world, had changed many of her views. Though she secretly wrote back to the Black Valley whenever she could, she soon found the task to be a bit of a chore. Becoming an Otome took priority over anything and everything in her life. Her mind was always set on staying one step ahead of the competition in her class. Rena found herself working harder than anyone, which finally paid off when she was listed as the number one Coral, as well as the designated number one Pearl (earning her a spot with the Trias). Not simply academics but in life as well. Rena found a part-time job with the royal family, mainly keeping the vast green fields in good condition. The job had long hours but the pay was better than she could have hoped. Suddenly paying for her tuition seemed a lot easier, and one of the great obstacles of her dream had been bypassed.
Despite being one of the best in the entrance exam, Rena found that the competition in her class was a lot harder than she had predicted. Clearly those who had passed the entrance exam were of exceptional calibre, forcing the girl from the Black Valley to step it up a notch. It only took her a couple of days in class to realise she could not barrel through the year alone without any help. As luck would have it, Rena was given the same dorm room as Marion Weir. Rena soon learned that she and Marion were more than polar opposites. Marion was always bitter and a cynic, but she complimented well with Rena's determined but seemingly innocent view to life. Though it took them several weeks to listen on the same frequency, the pair soon became contenders for the number one spot in the class. The year finished with Rena being the first in the class with Eileen and Marion right behind her. Eileen had been bunkered with 'some girl that probably doesn't even know why she's here.' Despite this little setback, Eileen performed excellently in class and during sparring lessons.
The whistle would blow and the two Corals would have at it. Rena's gruelling training in the scorching desert paid off handsomely. Though she had been beaten several times, Rena won more matches than anyone in her class. Not only could she take a hit or two, she was capable of dishing out the damage when the situation called for it. Their professor was often forced to keep the girl from the Black Valley from sparring until every pair had gone; the professor would then pick the best fighter of that day to fight Rena. Sometimes the opponent won, but almost always they lost. The weeks without training had left her rusty, but throughout the year her skills were back to where it had once been. She was able to adapt fluidly to the changing battle, reading the mind of her opponent and sometimes correctly interpreting their move in advance. This often frustrated her partner to the extent where they simply gave up. Rena often felt guilty for winning the matches with ease but her professor simply said, 'Just keep doing your best. If you start letting up now then they won't learn to push themselves.' Perhaps the only real challenge came from Eileen Riley who could, on occasion, match Rena blow for blow. However close the battles would be, though, one could often predict that the winner of the match would be that strange girl from Windbloom.
The final exam of the year was similar to the fitness exam as the professor, who Rena came to know as Miss Maria, had said. 'This one will be similar to the fitness exam you completed prior to attending this academy, but it is also different in many ways,' began Miss Maria, looking at each student sternly. 'You will be assigned a partner and you will work with your partner to reach all your designated checkpoints. Should you fail at completing your checkpoints then you will be disqualified. Should you cheat in any way – and we will find out – you will be disqualified as well as removed from this school. You will do all you can to survive in the wilderness and complete your task. You have seventy-two hours but do not forget this: whoever finishes first will have that reflected on their overall grade at the end of the year. Good luck ladies.'
The exam was held in a thick forest – much thicker than that from Windbloom – in the Aries Republic. Unlike the exam they had gone through at the beginning of the year, the final exam of their Coral year only allowed them to carry a certain amount of food. This meant that much their food had to be scrounged from the forest, further testing their ability to survive out in the wilderness. Marion voiced the opinions of many when she bluntly said, 'This is the stupidest test ever.' Rena did not comprehend what Marion meant when she said the exam was "stupid" as she had lived this through many times back at the Black Valley. Of course no one knew about this so Rena simply went with the majority, but when the exam was underway she reverted back to the girl from the Black Valley and expertly navigated to each checkpoint with her partner, Eileen. The two of them were able to reach six out of the fifteen checkpoints in one day – an excellent start for the top two Corals. Unlike the fitness exam at the beginning of the year, the final exam was not as troubling at the end. The two were the first to finish the course three hours ahead of Marion and her partner, the second to finish. The weather was also working to everyone's advantage – sunny blue skies without a single cloud to be seen. Rena firmly believed that final exam was the easiest outdoor exercise she ever had to conduct in her life.
'Well that's done and over with,' said Eileen with a grin, leaning against the trunk of a tree and wiping the dirt off her face with a wet cloth.
Their second year at Garderobe as Pearls was similar, but Rena found the biggest challenge was the academics; sparring lessons were no different than the Coral year, except for maybe the fact that they were down to half the number of students. Rena had to juggle her duties as a part-time employee with Windbloom Castle, a member of the Trias, and trying to stay as number one Pearl throughout the second year. It nearly destroyed her mind and body but she survived, coming out of the mess better than she did going in. Once again Marion Weir was her roommate, and once again they worked with each other to dominate their year. Though Rena continued to hold the position as number one, Marion nudged Eileen off of number two. For the most part her second year at Garderobe passed uneventfully and in the same blur that tainted her first year. There were memorable moments, of course, but she could never recall any on hand. When asked through a letter by Yohko how her second year passed, Rena replied, 'I can't tell you for sure, Yohko. Basically it all seemed to have jumbled up and snowballed. Everyday was the same, but it was also different.'
Perhaps the only memorable moment of her second year was the final exam and the Meister's Graduation Ceremony held in the amphitheatre. The Pearl's yearend exam was a lot simpler in terms of goals, but quite a bit more difficult in terms of what had to be done to achieve it. The exam was simple: survive a series of eight consecutive fights against Meister Otomes, where each fight would last ten minutes. 'Well that's easier said than done,' observed Marion when they were told. No one defeated all eight Meisters, or a single Meister at that, but some had survived to the eighth round before getting knocked out. Rena would remember this fight as she had for the first time struck back in anger and was thoroughly beaten as a result. It had damaged her ego, which had built up over the two years, but had taught her a hard lesson.
Bruised and battered, as well as hungry and dehydrated, when the seventieth minute ticked by, Rena was determined to survive the next ten minutes. Rena had adopted a defensive style against her experienced opponents, by striking back only when an opening presented itself. This had probably helped her survive longer than her friends who had traded blows with their opponent, only to be swept aside when the sixth or seventh Meister arrived. Rena held her ground for her eighth Meister, knowing that if she could survive the whole ten minutes then she would end up ahead of everyone else. Her opponent appeared before her and wasted no time in getting the match started. Rena was immediately dealt a punishing blow to the ribs (requiring her to rest for quite some time after) by the back end of her opponent's lance, throwing her to the ground. The next several minutes were a series of painful strikes that left a mark on her for days to come.
However, with each crushing blow Rena felt anger growing inside of her, swelling more and more as she took the brunt of one attack after another. It was the feeling of being defenceless; the incapability of fighting back which fuelled her anger was burning intensely. A cut lip, broken bones, bruises and gashes, but nothing more damaging than a spirit slowly being chipped away. Rena never allowed her growing ego to get the best of her, but in this final fight it seemed to be more prevalent than ever. Her ego dictated her every move, and because she was Pearl Number One she had to survive and win. Later, reflecting on that day, Rena knew that was her biggest mistake. Her ego had told her to strike back and take the tempo away from her opponent because there was no way Pearl Number One could cower without fighting back. So Rena, without waiting for an opening, feeling her anger take control, struck back at the Meister who had years of experience over the Pearl. What happened next was a lesson taught and learned. A strike to the same ribs felled Rena to her knees and hands, and another blow to the head knocked her out for a good several hours.
'You took one hell of a beating, but you finished with the longest time,' said a disembodied voice.
Rena began to come to. Her eyes opened and the blurry faces above her slowly came into focus. Eileen and Marion were smiling sympathetically at their friend. 'I guess I know what not to do,' mumbled Rena from her hospital bed, grinning faintly. She was still falling in and out of consciousness.
'Well the good news is that you made it,' said Marion Weir.
'The better news is that you got a week to heal up and look pretty again,' said Eileen with a grin. 'Usually the Meister's Graduation Ceremony is done a couple days after the final exam, but since you took one hell of a beating, I think the Headmistress pushed the date back.'
The bruises and cuts (which could be visible during the ceremony) had healed in a matter of days, but the healing ribs and bones required at least several weeks of recovering time. Rena would have none of it and made do with walking with a slight limp and bad posture. There's no way I'm missing this, thought Rena when she was told that her graduation ceremony could be done in private after her recovery. No, she wanted to graduate with the rest of her friends. She had been one of the eight Pearls to become a Meister and she was going to graduate alongside them regardless of her condition. The Waltemeyers would be there and she had even been told, discreetly though, through a letter by the middleman that some individuals from the Black Valley would attend the graduation ceremony as well. This sent a chill down her spine as she suddenly remembered what her original task had been. Meeting Reito again suddenly seemed like something she wanted to pass on.
But the day for the Meister's Graduation Ceremony came and she placed all her concerns behind her. Wearing the Meister's uniform was like stepping into a new world. She felt like a completely different person. Rena viewed herself wearing the Meister's uniform in the mirror prior to walking out under the bright skies for the ceremony: the blue, white, and gold lined dress uniform, which stopped at her ankles, was worn over a white shirt and red tie; her dress shoes were replaced with knee-high, dark brown boots. Rena tied the white ribbon that had been given to her by Reito before they parted ways, to her flowing black hair, which had now grown long and well past her shoulders. As July and her sixteenth birthday neared, Rena had been told by the Waltemeyers that she had grown up significantly since they had first taken her in. Adding to the fact that she had grown a few inches since she entered Windbloom, her skin was fair and her body had grown in terms that would make her blush furiously. Marion, who was usually blunt in her language, said, 'The only girl who wouldn't want your body would be blind, deaf, and mute.'
'Why deaf and mute?' asked Rena, frowning.
'The person must be deaf because your beauty screams "I'm so sexy! Sexy, sexy, sexy!"' started Marion, making Rena redden heavily.
'And what about being mute?' asked Rena in a small voice, not sure if she wanted to know the answer.
Marion looked thoughtful for a minute. 'I'm not too sure, really,' said after a while.
All in all, the graduating student was different than the person they had been coming into Garderobe. They had grown up in those two long years and had learned many valuable life lessons along the way. The eight soon-to-be Meisters were all friends in one way or another. The relationship may not be strong like a friendship between old friends, but the bond was there. The time they had spent together, lived together, and suffered together were shared equally amongst them. They knew each other by name and by the way they behaved. They were no longer acquaintances. They were now friends, but they would also be going down their separate paths. The group would return back to their home nation to serve it proudly, but the bond they had developed would never be severed. It was a moment they would all cherish together. This last day, this last moment together, they would enjoy to their heart's content. It was a proud day for the eight of them. Mothers would openly cry while fathers would try to hold it in; the professors that had been their mentor for two years would see their students off, seeing a product of their skill and teaching ability pay off with great results.
The amphitheatre had been changed for this memorable moment. The arena had been removed of the usual pillars, and the dirt floor had changed to a clean-cut grassy field. A red velvet carpet extended from the entrance tunnel from the stadium leading into the centre of the arena where a platform for the graduating Pearls had been erected; standing to the side of the platform was a podium where the Headmistress would give her speech. Family members and important people were given seats on the arena floor before the platform; everyone else viewed the event in the theatre seats. Along the walls of the arena – renovated and cleaned after the final exam of the Pearls – were the flags and banners of all the nations whose student, or students, was graduating. Garderobe had borrowed Windbloom's military band and had them performing for the Meister's Graduation Ceremony. The King and Queen of Windbloom, along with many other royals from other nations, took their place in the stadium seats set exclusively for them. It would be an event watched by many.
The graduating Pearls, all wearing their Meister uniform, stood inside the dark tunnel waiting to be called out. Cheering from the crowd sitting in the stadium seats indicated that everyone was eager to get the ceremony underway, but the signal would not be sent until after the band played and after the Headmistress gave her speech. The raucous noise above echoed throughout the tunnel; each graduating Pearl looked at one another, smiling, knowing that they had finally achieved their goal. For Rena, leaning against the wall as it pained her to stand upright for long periods of time, this was the moment she had been waiting for since that tour of Windbloom Castle. Rena looked down at the Meister's uniform, feeling the soft but tough fabric in her hands. She would know no other clothes except for this very uniform. Today would be the beginning of a new chapter in the lives of the eight Otomes. Upon "officially" being announced as a Meister, they would be assigned to their very first Master and be given their very first GEM. It was perhaps that alone which caused the girl from the Black Valley to be nervous.
The brass section of the band blared, signalling to the attendees for calm and quiet. From the tunnel the Otomes can see their Headmistress take to the podium and begin her speech. 'We have come here today to bear witness to a group of extraordinary young woman,' began the Headmistress. 'We have come here to see this new generation of Otomes – the servants of peace and democracy, of justice and honour – step forward into the world to which they will serve dutifully without hesitation. For it is without a doubt that we, the free people, cannot function without the aid and the sacrifice of these hard working young women, who have, and will, give up so much of their life for a duty they see fit to serve. Many have attended this school to reach this point, dreaming of being here today, but these eight are the very best to have come out. Today I have the honour of presenting you this year's graduating Pearls! Please welcome the future Otomes of your nation!' The cheering was a crescendo, building up in loudness as the Headmistress announced the graduating class.
The eight Otomes walked out of the tunnel, following the red velvet carpet, towards the platform in the middle of the stadium. Each step was a battle of will for Rena as she attempted to keep a straight face and respectable posture, but today was her day and she wasn't about to lose out to some injury. Upon stepping out from the shadow of the tunnel, Rena's ears were deafened by the loudness of the crowd, who were clapping, yelling, and basically making any noise to celebrate the moment along with the Meisters. The sunlight beamed down on the group as they walked towards the platform, the summer weather agreeing wholeheartedly with the situation. Rena breathed in deeply, swelling with immense pride and excitement.
They stepped onto the platform and took their positions accordingly to the nametapes on the stage. Rena, she noticed, stood at the very centre of the platform. She saw John and Cara Waltemeyer sitting in the front row seats. Cara was doing her best not to cry, and John simply appeared too overwhelmed to clearly show a single set of emotions. Rena smiled appreciatively down at them. She wanted them to know how all of this could not have been possible without their help. Her eyes moved from the seats below her to the people sitting in the stadium. Rena looked for Reito or anyone from the Black Valley she knew in the stands, but she might as well have been looking for them across the city as she had no idea where they were or what they now looked like. It had been two full years and only words had been exchanged, not photographs.
'Today these eight young women you see have endured two hard years of work and sacrifice to be where they are,' said the Headmistress. 'Their Master will know no better Otome than these Meisters who stand beside me.' The Headmistress waved an open arm at the graduating Pearls. 'Yes, they are no longer Corals, no longer Pearls. Today they are now Meisters!' A thunderous applause from everyone in the stadium; Rena felt her heart skip several beats. 'Today they will embark on the next chapter of this amazing journey. Their Master will now introduce themselves to their Otome, form a contract, and formally complete the transition from Pearl to Meister.'
Marion Weir from Cardair was assigned to be the Otome of a young, respectable looking ambassador. As the ambassador stepped onto the platform, Marion took a knee before her Master. A box containing the Master's ring and the GEMs was given to Marion by Miss Maria. He took the ring from the box and placed a GEM into the open slot; Marion took her own GEM and placed it into the slot of her ear piece. The ambassador asked if the Otome would accept him as her Master and serve him; Marion accepted and the GEM glowed – the contract was complete. The ambassador gave his new Otome a nod and stood at her side.
Eileen Riley had been assigned to a Chief Warrant Officer Marc Hurst, a strong looking soldier likely in his late thirties. It seemed as though Eileen would not be his first Otome judging by the way he introduced himself and presented her with the GEMs. He was courteous and followed the protocol down to the dot. When she accepted the contract the GEM on his ring and in her ear piece glowed red and they became Master and Otome.
Rena was the last to receive her GEM, but it was unlike any of the others she had seen. It was a necklace, not a GEM, which was given to her. The Blue Sky Sapphire, as it was called, was placed around her neck soon after it was introduced by Miss Maria. The difference from everyone caused the entire stadium to go quiet. Rena did not know how loud the stadium had been prior to her announcement, but now it was silent, not a word said or an action heard. Rena knew she had to take a knee in order to be presented with the Blue Sky Sapphire. Simply dropping to one knee seemed like an impossible task; she did her best to not show any signs of pain. The Blue Sky Sapphire was beautiful, Rena noticed when Miss Maria placed it around her neck. It was not heavy and felt perfect around her. Its very presence seemed to have removed any pain she had been feeling from the injuries she sustained during the final exam. The question now was who her Master was.
And then she saw him. He was young, though mature enough to be her Master, and was dressed similarly to Eileen's Master. Wearing military dress blues, her Master stepped onto the platform, removed his cap, and presented himself. 'I am Warrant Officer Emmett Antilla,' he said, looking at his soon-to-be Otome. Rena looked up at him and saw that he had reddish brown eyes, maybe even crimson, and unruly black hair, which surprised her that it had not been cut. Clearly there was some sort of regulation in the military on the appearance of oneself. Otherwise he seemed like a likeable person. He was neither tall nor big, but somewhat smaller than his colleague though he was not skinny; his demeanour was not too serious but he was not taking light of the situation either. 'Under the power granted by the Blue Sky Sapphire, do you accept me as your Master?' he asked.
Rena felt her mouth go dry. This was it. This was her dream right here. To acknowledge him as her Master would finally make her an Otome. She nodded, saying, 'I accept.'
The sapphire pendant glowed brightly and in a flash two GEMs coming from within shot out into the air – one of them found its place in Rena's ear piece and the other settled into the warrant officer's ring. It glowed blue and slowly faded away. Rena instinctively reached for the GEM, feeling the small sapphire stone, still warm, that had now made her an Otome. Rena stood up after she received her GEM and bowed gracefully – she felt no pain at all – and smiled at her new Master, who, to her surprise, smiled back and even blushed slightly. A snigger. Yes, she had heard someone snigger and it was likely to be either Eileen or Marion. I'll corner them after this, she thought. The soldier gave Rena a nod and took his place at her side as the other Masters did.
The Meister's Graduation Ceremony ended with the Headmistress speaking one last time, but Rena's mind was no longer paying attention. The world before appeared different to her. The colours received by her eyes were sharper, brighter; the noise was clearer to her ears; and the smells were distinct. Her sense of touch and taste had likely changed as well. Was it just her mind playing games with her? Or had this transition from Pearl to Meister changed her? Rena felt the Blue Sky Sapphire necklace around her neck, and the GEM attached to the ear piece. If her five senses had not changed, her direction in life certainly did. The attendees roared to life when the Headmistress was done her speech, and the new Otomes were given a bouquet of flowers by the principal. 'Congratulations, Miss Sayers,' said the Headmistress as she gave Rena the flowers. The Otomes, treated as celebrities, waved to the crowd, taking this one last moment to be themselves. The Masters took their leave from the stage, letting the Otomes have one last minute with their friends.
Rena turned to face her Master, but before she could let a word out Miss Maria appeared and said, 'Congratulations on becoming a Meister, Miss Sayers.'
'Thank you, Miss Maria,' replied Rena.
Miss Maria leaned forward and spoke in hush tones, 'You are perhaps the most gifted student to have entered this school, Miss Sayers, but I do hope you remain loyal to your task at hand.' Rena looked at her with an odd expression; Miss Maria continued. 'I have done my part in keeping the matter a secret because I trust that you are loyal to the duties demanded of an Otome, as well as the duties you will perform for Windbloom.' Rena continued to look at Miss Maria quizzically, unsure of where she was going with this. 'Rena,' said the professor, calling the Meister by her first name, 'I will never reveal your place of birth to anyone without permission, but be aware and remember who you are serving.'
Rena froze in place, looking at Miss Maria with wide blue eyes. She was stunned, absolutely stunned. How had she been discovered? Rena had made sure the letters she sent had not been tampered with. In fact, Rena had often met with the middleman directly to receive and deliver her letters. Suddenly her future as an Otome seemed to be in jeopardy. She could already see it slipping away already. All that hard work had been for nothing. Rena, her breathing in quick gasps, tried to retain her composure but found herself failing miserably. 'H-h-how did you know?' Rena stuttered, drawing an odd look from her Master who did not know what was going on between the Otome and the professor.
'Those from the Black Valley have a different genetic make-up than others,' replied Miss Maria knowingly. 'The doctor has done her part in keeping this information a confidential matter. Not even the Headmistress knows, though the doctor has often felt the need to inform her. I told the doctor that those from the Black Valley are not as they are described. I hope that you do not prove me wrong.' Rena shook her head. 'Good then. Very well I shall let you enjoy the rest of your evening. Once again, congratulations, Miss Sayers.' Miss Maria gave Antilla a nod and walked off.
'What was that all about?' asked the soldier when Miss Maria was out of earshot, walking to the side of his Otome, his eyes following the professor.
Rena shook her head, brushing the matter off. 'It's nothing,' she replied, trying to sound as casual as possible. 'She just wanted to wish me luck and remind me that it's all for real now and not something from class,' she lied, hoping to convince her Master.
Emmett Antilla seemed to have deemed the answer good enough and did not pursue the matter anymore. 'I have to go talk to my superiors anyway,' said Antilla to Rena. 'I'll look for you when I'm done, which won't be for a while, so take the time to spend it with your friends and family.'
'I will,' said Rena, nodding, feeling a sense of relief that she did not have to explain herself anymore.
With that Warrant Officer Emmett Antilla left the stage and disappeared into the crowd of people beneath the platform. Rena smiled at John and Cara Waltemeyer in the crowd beneath her and waved them on to the stage. Can I tell them what just happened? Rena turned to Marion and Eileen, who had came to her side, and asked, 'Did any of you guys laugh at me?' She wanted to be the one to start the conversation and not have them ask questions about what the discussion with Miss Maria had been about.
'I was expecting a "Congratulations!" or "We made it!" but I guess an accusation will do,' joked Marion.
Eileen grinned, shaking her head. 'Your Master looks kind of cute,' she noted, seeing Rena's Master near the back of the stadium with Hurst and several other soldiers. 'I wouldn't mind having your –'
Rena held up a hand and quickly said, 'Alright, alright, I don't need to know what you're going to say.' The three girls laughed, sighed, and looked at each other one last time. 'So I guess this is it? Two years and here we are.'
'I never doubted myself for a second, you know?' began Marion. 'But it still seems like a dream just being here. I can't believe we actually made it.'
'This is it,' said Eileen in a voice signifying the end of a long journey. 'This is it; we're done with this place. Two years and now we're Otomes. Two years and now we leave.'
The girls looked at each other sadly, but none was more sad than Marion. Unlike Rena and Eileen who would still be together as they lived in the same country, Marion had to return to Cardair with her Master. No other student from Cardair graduated so she would not have anyone to share the experience with on her trip back home or when she returned to her nation. Though she did have friends back at Cardair, none of them understood what she had gone through at Garderobe. No one except Rena, Eileen, and the five other girls who would soon go their own separate paths. 'You know I'm really going to miss this place,' said Marion in an uncharacteristically sentimental voice. 'I really am going to miss Garderobe and you guys.'
'Don't worry, Marion, you could away write to us,' suggested to Rena in a hopeful tone. 'You'll write to us and we'll write to you. We can stay in touch that way.'
Marion smiled and the three friends shared a hug one last time. 'I better get going,' said Marion, looking over her shoulder at her proud family standing below. 'Hopefully I'll see you two around some time.' With that Marion Weir, the bitter, cynical girl that Rena had lived with for about twenty months, left her side and became the first of the eight Otomes to begin the new chapter in her life.
'Hopefully,' said Eileen in a distant, sad voice. She too saw her parents and decided it was time to part ways, though it was likely not to be permanent. 'We'll I know I'll definitely see you around,' she said to Rena. They smiled at each other but said nothing. Eileen turned and descended from the stage to meet with her parents.
'It definitely has been a long time coming,' said John Waltemeyer from behind.
Rena turned and faced her adoptive parents. Should I tell them what happened? No, they're probably better off not knowing. 'Yeah, it has been a while,' she said softly, looking around at the amphitheatre. 'It still seems so unreal to me, though.'
'Believe it,' said Cara, smiling, 'it's real.'
Rena felt her eyes well up with tears but blinked them back. 'You know none of this could have been possible without your help,' she said emotionally. 'I really want to thank you for all the help you've given me in the past two years. Saying "thank you", though, just doesn't seem enough.'
'You know us, Rena. We like to help whenever we can and we won't ask anything in return from you,' said Cara Waltemeyer, stepping forward and giving her adopted daughter a hug. 'Besides, you're here because of your hard work and…' Cara backed off from the embrace and looked over Rena's shoulders. The Meister turned and saw three cloaked figures, but she didn't need to be told who they were. 'We'll give you some time with them,' said Cara, stepping back to her husband's side.
'You don't owe us a thing,' said John to Rena. 'The only thing we can ask is that you keep getting better and become a better Otome.' John smiled and said, 'Well, I guess we'll let you talk to your friends. You haven't seen them for two years so you probably have a lot to catch up on.'
The Waltemeyers left Rena alone on the stage, passing the people from the Black Valley, giving them a nod as they got down from the platform. The three citizens from the Black Valley walked up to Rena; she held her ground, trying to make out the faces underneath the hoods. So much for keeping a low profile, she thought as she looked at them. One of the cloaked figures looked around and shook his head – no, this wasn't a good place to talk. The leading cloaked figure pointed a finger towards the back of the stage; Rena nodded in acknowledgement and casually walked off to the rear of the platform.
'So… is that you, Reito?' asked Rena, looking around to make sure no one was listening in.
The leading cloaked figure threw off his hood. Rena's eyes widened more in shock than the feeling of meeting an old friend. His face, scarred and worn even more than she remembered, seemed to have aged several years, making him look as though he was thirty instead of a decade younger. However, it did not seem as though he had any other surprises to show. Reito remained the same person Rena had known him to be two years ago. He smiled and said, 'Well I guess you did make it after all. I see you're wearing the ribbon I gave you that night.'
Rena felt the white ribbon tied at the back and said, 'Yeah, I still have it. It's nice to see you all again, Reito. Who are the other two?'
'No one you know, but they know you,' answered Reito. 'Everyone has been following your progress since you came here; they also read the letters you send home. We're all happy for you, Rena.' He smiled at her but she noticed that it seemed almost forced.
'Well I couldn't have done it without everyone's support and sacrifice,' said Rena diplomatically. 'I couldn't have done it without your help too, Reito.'
She watched his face, gauging for his reaction. Reito simply nodded and said, 'Well we were all hoping to see you come back, but…'
Bingo! So that there was the problem. As she had been assigned to a Master, it was now impossible to return to her home. Not only that, but she would now have to stay and live in Windbloom until her service was over. Reito, who seemed to hate anyone having something he did not, was fighting against his inner feelings of disgust against the kingdom. He forced a smile and played the part, but inside he hated every moment wasted in Windbloom. 'I'm sorry I can't make the trip,' said Rena apologetically, feeling truly regretful to be unable to return back to her home country.
'That's okay,' said Reito, his tone of voice easily betraying him. Clearly you're not okay with this, Rena knew.'Well we came to congratulate you and make sure you don't forget what you originally came here to do.'
'Reito,' said Rena, touching the white ribbon around her hair, 'I haven't forgotten.'
'Although you'll be living in this – place –' the word "place" did not seem quite appropriate to use for a nation like Windbloom '– for a while, never forget where you cam from,' reminded Reito, ignoring what the Meister had just said.
This was the first time she had been seriously accused of her loyalty, and the person to accuse her was none other than Reito. It angered her greatly that he did not seem to trust her. She settled a steely gaze on Reito and defended herself. 'Are you questioning where my loyalties lie, Reito?' she demanded furiously. 'For someone who is supposed to be my friend, you sure do a lousy job of being one!'
He opened his mouth to speak but before any word could be said, the voice of Emmett Antilla interrupted the conversation. 'Hey, Rena, I've been wondering where you went,' he said, walking over to her side. He noticed the three figures and asked, 'Is there something I can help you with?'
Reito's eyes fell on Rena; she held his gaze unflinchingly. 'No, everything is fine,' he replied. 'We were just wishing an old friend good luck on her future.' He gave Rena a nod and curtly said, 'Have a good day, Rena.' He flipped his hood over his head and the three cloaked figures walked off. Rena couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt and responsibility for whatever was going through his head. That idiot, Rena thought in exasperation.
When the three cloaked figures were out of earshot, Antilla asked, 'Okay, so what was that one all about?'
Rena shook her head. 'It's nothing, really,' she replied, though unconvincingly. Once again the warrant officer did not pursue the matter and simply took her explanation, but she knew he did not buy her answer. Rena watched as the three from the Black Valley exited the stadium. This was supposed to be her day of celebration and happiness, but for some reason she simply felt miserable. That idiot, she thought angrily. Really, that idiot…