Sunny stared at the massive crimson gates towering above, casting long shadows over the snowy ground. These were the gates of the Awakened Academy, it looked something straight out of those comics that Sunny had once read.
"It's big, very big." Sunny muttered under her breath but his words were caught by our favorite speedster Will.
He turned towards Sunny and chuckled, "That's what she said." Sunny rolled her eyes and shot back, "Don't break your arm jerking yourself off, it isn't that big alright. Just above average."
Her face considerably reddened as she whispered her insult, Will shrugged it off as he focused onto the lowering bridge.
His eyes wandered around the icy place as he laid his eyes on a tall and slender girl who looked close to his age. She had silver-white hair that was neatly parted to the side, on her head was a pair of old walkman, causing Will to be slightly jealous.
'Rest in peace my old walkman, you had a wonderful journey.'
Will recalled the fate of his walkman, he had carried it since birth, it accompanied him everywhere. It was his baby, his precious but then one night, his walkman had attracted the attention of a crime boss who fancied it.
He offered Will some rumination for selling it to him, which Will obviously refused. So he broke into Will's and Sunny's rugged old shack, beat them up and stole it, but the thing that ticked him off the most was that the crime boss used it for two songs before destroying it.
Sunny told him to let it go but Will was pettier than she could ever imagine, he remembered his face, his name and everything he needed to kill him. After the winter solstice was over and he returned, he would enjoy his time with the crime lord.
A low, mechanical creak resounded in the field as Will turned his head towards it. This was it... no longer would he run and be afraid.
Will recalled Master Jets words of advice which was almost similar to his previous one, which was refusing the psychological counseling, focus on Wilderness Survival and abandon everything else and finally make comrades.
"...."
Inside the hall Will saw an enormous amount of Sleepers colluding and talking with their fellow Sleepers about their Nightmare. They shared details about their Nightmare and their Aspect as they tried to bolster their standing in front of others.
Will didn't care much for these social trivialities, humans were like isolated islands, floating in the sea of fate.
Human encounters are like the collision of these lonely islands, and once they touch, there would be an effect. Sometimes, the islands would stick together, in the name of "interest", "kinship", "friendship", "love" and "hate". But eventually, they would separate, walking towards the path of destruction.
This was the truth behind life. Unfortunately people are always afraid of being alone, they crave the liveliness of the human crowd and refuse to do nothing with their time because once they faced loneliness.
It meant facing pain and hardship. But once they can face this pain, people would obtain talent and courage. Thus high achievers are definitely lonely.
Will wondered how many would die being summoned to the Dream Realm, how many would betray their allies to allow themselves to escape the cold clutches of death.
Even the closest companions will part at a fork in the road. To expect permanence from impermanence is to invite disappointment.
Will patiently waited for the induction ceremony to start but in the meantime he enjoyed the amazing show of Sunny being humiliated. Within a few moments she had acquired the reputation of being obnoxious, brash and rude.
Sunny soon came back with her shoulders low, in the end he came back to Will and licked her wounds. After a series of disgruntled remarks, Will asked a question he was meaning to ask from the beginning.
"Sunny, your flaw, is it related to not being able to lie?" Will whispered to his best friend, Sunny seemed a bit shaken before he nodded.
"How did you know?" She asked curiously, as Will shrugged his shoulders, "You're the most deceitful person I know, so when you start suddenly spouting of the truth it is quite surprising. So I just had a gut feeling"
Sunny seemed a bit offended as she dramatically placed an arm to her chest and feigned a faint, "How harsh, don't you know I'm the most honest lass in the world, two worlds in fact."
Will chuckled as Sunny went off to pick up a fight with another person. After a few minutes of peace and calm he heard a violent interaction unfolding, 'What is Sunny up to now.'
"I would let you know… my Appraisal was, uh, it was "glorious"! Yes, glorious. And the Aspect I acquired was of the Divine rank."
A number of weird and strange looks befell Sunny as she didn't stop, but instead boasted even more. "Mind you, I'm not some lofty Legacy. Pfft! I'm from the outskirts. I've never even received combat training. All that training and he only got an "excellent"? What did he do during the Nightmare, pick his nose the whole time?"
Will couldn't help but laugh at Sunny's remarks, they were on point. After that Sunny didn't stop, no she kept going on, Will tried his best to suppress his laughter but at the end he couldn't stop it as he burst into chuckles, instantly attracting everyone's attention.
Casters eyebrows raised as he asked, "Now, who are you?" Will walked up to Sunny and put his arm onto her and said with a smile, "I'm this bumbling idiot's friend."
Sunny clicked his tongue as he looked at Will with an annoyed expression, one of Casper's cliques walked up to him and balled his fist, "Did you laugh at us before?!" He asked as his eyes turned red with fury.
"I'm still laughing, what of it?" Will said with a smug grin, as Sunny placed an arm on his shoulder. His face turned red, "Are you messing with me?"
Will looked at him with disdain, "No, I'm just making fun of you." He said with a smirk, causing some of the people in the crowd to laugh.
Which ticked off the man even more, a sharp fist hit his cheek as Will landed on the floor, Sunny rushed to him as she tried to wake him up.
"He was too cocky, this is what he should get."
"Imagine trying to act tough only to get knocked out in one punch, that's gotta be embarrassing."
Similar comments rang out in the crowd, but contrary to everyone's expectation Will rose up and spat a decimal of blood. His expression was indifferent as he took up a fighting stance.
"Do you want to embarrass yourself again?" He asked arrogantly.
Will shuffled his feet as he dashed up to Caster's follower in a slow fashion, the boy stood there waiting for the weak punch, as Will closed the distance, he took on a fighting stance.
But contrary to expectation, Will raised up his leg as lightning accompanied it, with a blur he kicked the boy's knee causing his knees to buckle. His hands clutched his knee as he screamed out in pain, Will had shattered his kneecap.
His eyes watered as he screamed out in pain, "HELP!! MY LEG!! IT HURTS!"
Will raised his leg and kicked his face again, this time without superspeed. The crowd stood there in a stupor, a moment ago Will had been knocked out and dropped to the ground but in just a fraction of a second, the situation had reversed.
"Next time, don't try to show off when you are pathetically weak. Gentle reminder, you should wash your face, I stepped in some manure today."
Another one of Caster's followers came up as they raised their arm, "Don't mess with us!" He yelled out before Caster stopped him.
Will looked at him and hummed, "If you don't want to attract attention, don't do stupid stuff."
Sunny softly punched him, "That's enough Will, if you go too far, you know…."
Will cut her off as he said, "You should get that checked out, I'm pretty sure I shattered your kneecap. If you don't get it looked at, you'll probably lose the entire limb.
"By the way, for all of you concerned my Aspect rank is Sacred. Anyways, you should move along before I make the rest of you cry in front of all your friends." Will stated with a chuckle before he slung his arm on Sunny and walked away.
"You know I used to find it insulting that I was never invited to be a part of your special little club but now I realise that I lack the flexibility to become a member. I could never get my head far enough up my own arse." Will made a slight joke on his way out.