Out in the open, the group of dozens of people follows the calmly walking butler who follows his desirable road. Moving to a hidden place behind one unremarkable hangar, others follow. Right there, there is a staircase, ending in a surprisingly large private dock. The oceanic smell hits William's nose right away, giving away a quite large boat that is right there in the water, ready to travel out to the ocean. There is no notion of the open ocean, however. There seems to be some gate or mechanical opening, letting it cruise to the ocean. It is at least 150 feet long, with no sails. It's metallic in the majority of the body, but the wooden parts take the majority at the top deck.
Instead of sails, which are common in fishing boats, since they don't require any fuel, there is a great engine that has been created in this factory, making it fast and steady - albeit with the need for fuel.
It is a wonder of many years of hard work would take to create it - one of the biggest kinds of boats that Tonic Tune Company built over the years. There are big letters on the visible side of the hull, showing the name of Tuna, the IV. Who knows what the roman letters of the number 4 imply? Maybe the number of failures before? Wrecks, or other mistakes?
William sees it, and all of the present Walkers too, but not many are that surprised by this sight. William is, but he is a rarity, or so it seems.
Unsurprisingly, the other hangars and buildings get their respective butler, informing them of the beginning of the Trials. Soon enough, more people show up before the Tune, the IV.
The butler that appeared in the hangar with instructors takes the leading position, side by side with the other butlers. Each has some stylish suit, man or woman, it doesn't matter.
“Great, it seems there is everyone present.” the middle butler says. “For now, the youths for the Trials will follow the ticket numbers provided in the Instructor's papers. Also, every young Walker will follow the Instructor into the boat. No exception, but you can go your separate ways afterward. You will part away in the Academy for good, as it's the end of the contract for the Instructors, but the start for the youths.”
His voice is clear, speaking as if every tone, and breath is hearable, so everyone could hear him. William is already with Roman, so this leaves the majority of Instructors glancing around, and finding their small responsibilities. Though, those responsibilities have a different approach to them. Some are, after all, older than William.
Those are the 2nd timers or worse, but even they have the instructor on their own since it's something that has been decided on, a long time ago. A second change can give the motivation to grow up. That is the premise of giving a chance to failures in the Academy's eyes.
In a minute or two, the pairs were formed, and no one was left alone. That isn't usually the case, since someone would hesitate to find an Instructor or youth.
Butlers see the number of people in rough 2 triple digits. Upon checking them by the pair, people walk onto the boat with the prepared staircase.
“What tickets that butler talked about?” William asks Roman, who doesn't talk much but waits for this charade to be over.
“Room for us, I suppose, or some business with surrounding walkers. There seem to be brackets for the youths, as I recall. 1st timers, 2nd, and so on.” Roman replies, giving William a satisfying answer before continuing. “The journey to the Academy will take some time. 4 hours or more. This involves quite a redundant piece of travel, which I found annoying and unimportant. So let's go, our number is 42 so we aren't the late ones but not the worst.” Roman tells and like many, they soon board the Tune, the IV.
There are a lot of passengers, which may be bad, but considering the size of the boat, it is nothing too cramped. In fact, the main deck is quite open and spacious, filling the space with walkthrough areas, halls, and respective rooms for couple hundred people. There are hallways, and purposeful furniture as if this is a hotel or something. However, not everyone has available room on their own. The 1st timers do, while the 2nd timers and above will wait out in the open deck. This is about right since the presence of failure is a defining line.
Most of them will return with failure, but who knows what will happen in these Trials. Their chance may come, albeit the knowledge that the 2nd time and further are harder, is nothing new.
A few minutes later, in a room, a quarter the size of William's previous room. It has two single beds above one another, making it crumpled, but not that bad. Other than that, there is a single chair and desk, with a small closet in the corner. It's not big, nor small, and it even has a small round window on the wall, but for now, it serves no views whatsoever.
“I guess that's the first time I've been on such a large boat like this,” William tells from the upper bed, laying down. “Anyhow, how can one tell such a boat differently? A ferry, ship, or yacht that I heard and seen before?”
“Don't care, don't know. It's nothing fancy or something exciting so why wonder about that?” Roman argues, sitting beside the table. There, he sees the paper as well as his contract form. It states to be only read by the Instructors, so William lays down for a bit, uncaring about it, even though he is curious about it.
Resting and stretching his back, he watches the close, yet unfamiliar ceiling. Pulling his right arm close to his face, Roman's opinion definitely matters. The boat is nothing exciting and that's true, but this journey is. He watches the small swirling of his Emblem. It is mesmerizing how such a thing exists, and its movements of the inner Vectors are chaotic, like an ocean of crimson waves. His hand feels good, rested, and expectant along with the rest of the body. That is a rather surprising subject since the past 9 days have been nothing but incredibly tiring. He tightens his fist but doesn't follow the call of Mindless Eyes. There is no need for him to train for now, since he did so enough. Although, is it enough for the Trials? That, he doesn't know, but he chose to rest for a little bit, rather than get unnecessarily tensed up.
This leaves him alone with such thoughts since Roman has some other things in mind than thinking about William's wonders. He knows that this journey should have been nothing to him, apart from getting rewards at the end. Now, it may have changed, so he looks forward to the Trials, albeit still a little. After all, a return after years of being away from the Academy isn't all that pleasant prospect for him.
After a while of wondering, or worrying, William feels a slight jolt. The whole boat just moved, and its journey is starting.
In the main captain's room, at the middle, and most elevated point that oversees the front of the Tune, the IV, a captain is standing behind the table, towering over all sorts of gadgets, monitors, or analog clocks. He navigates through a narrow opening after the gate opens vertically by some hands, or mechanism on the land. It's an easy way to have utmost security, no weather issues, and excellent conditions to work. Having outdoor space isn't that great for this kind of industry that is happening in this factory. Indoor space is easy to manage, and better for working 24/7.
Beside the captain is a group of butlers, who oversee nothing but security and risks.
“Is sir Norman right with the course?” a middle-aged captain, wearing a white jacket, along with white jeans, asks. His ruffed beard and haggard hair make one wonder how someone like him ends up as a captain, but one with experience is always welcomed.
“No. You should, captain Bradley” one of the butlers replies with almost no emotion in his voice.
“It's the same fucking thing every damned time,” Bradley complains, scuffing his head away from those insensible butlers. “I will travel just fine since I had to. I doubt it's a sensitive topic, but you'all are here, and others too. A little storm is coming up anyways, so let's carry on to the southeast.” Bradley complains, carefully navigating out of the gate, which ends in a light, and a vast Atlantic ocean.
The formal, albeit not that simple journey, starts. The end results or even the starting point of this boat are negligible for the majority of the people in the Federation. In fact, none of them knows about some Trials, deals with the Academy and Assembly, or things that Walkers has to deal with in order to get there.
Ignorance is bliss, and forced peace is even more important to some than troubles against the Dark age. A simple and peaceful time in the Federation may be a blessing, shrouded in disguise of terrifying Outside, but no one would change the safety for anything else.
The Tune, the IV is sailing splendidly, and not slow, or too fast. A few hours passes by, allowing many people on the main deck to seek the open ocean for the first time. It's a ridiculous prospect. Seeing such a mass of unknown water, with unknown sights down below. Some think what could be 100 feet underneath them, or even 1000. The ocean can go far deeper than that, however, hiding sights that not even the prime 21st century would hope to see.
Disappearing from the proximity of the Federation is something mandatory to do for the sake of travel. Now, the Tune, the IV is going forward into the unknown distances for half, no. Far less than half of the people. Most people on the boat know the Academy.
By this point, William leaves the security of his brief bed that he doesn't need. Deciding to explore the sight of the main deck and the ship itself, he wants to see this place better and no one said he couldn't.
There are a few 1st timers who do the same as him, hoping to calm their nervousness or the lack of it. William sees the main deck, and the wind of the penetrating water that the Tune, the IV, goes through. The sun is bright like in the Federation, but it's much colder in the middle of nowhere. He thought he would love this sight, but he doesn't. Most 1st time visitors in this situation probably feel the same thing, but William doesn't think they want to start a conversation. He feels the same way. Before anything else, the importance that comes with the Trials is prone to such emotions.
Walking around the dock, and walkways beside the railing, he has a good time. Though, he discovers the back side of the boat isn't open, and a few other sections are closed as well. There is a walk-through beside the quarters for the rooms and couple stories tall structure. Around the edges of the boat is large enough space to fit 4 people side by side. Then, there are larger open spaces at the front, one in the middle, and one at the back. There are seating areas, sofas, a few bars, and even a pool. What for? William doesn't understand it again, nor how it all makes him feel. He read about such extravagances, but for them to exist at this age? Someone must have paid a ton of resources to get this created.
What sort of customer would build this freaking ship? For so-called vacations or what? William wonders, venturing to the middle part of the boat where most people are. The sky is sunny, and no amount of clouds could stop it at all.
William looks from the middle of the ship to the end. Reiling surrounds the edges of these walkthroughs. They are metallic pipes welded together and are quite sturdy and smooth. He sees only more water, and waves traveling behind. Just water and the sky beyond. That's it - blue sky, with blue and wavy water. Cloudy and dark spots over the horizon are somewhat worrying, however.
It's his first time watching this sort of vision from this traveling perspective. He feels tiny, in comparison to the vast world that is out there, even though he saw much more than some folks from the Federation, or so he believes. It's safe there, somewhat. People need earth below their feet to live, and the majority of the Earth is preoccupied with the Dark age. He knows it, everyone knows it.
Dark beings can still cross the oceans, after all, hitting and subjecting their terror through numbers, and incredible sights of destruction. Albeit, those are rare occurrences and when they happen, they may no longer be catastrophic. That's one of the reasons the Federation is remaining in place for the last 20 years. The land in the middle of the water is prone to remain less attacked. Lands like New Zealand and Japan are one of the few big lands in the world that remains in a similar position, but their close proximity to bigger lands isn't an advantage.
They also have much more land to defend and a lot of losses occurred in the past century. In that sense, the sight in Nepal Himalayas mountain range is one of the biggest and most steep places on earth. It provides a different source of defense and China, and India works around it.
Apart from the low temperature that has mild effects on the Dark beings, the general fortress method of a higher ground still works. If it wouldn't, any form of defense would crumble apart long ago.
William thinks about such things as a little depressive since it still means that there are countless places that humans can no longer visit. It is frustrating. The world is full of wonders, but now, it is a world full of dangers. He learned about it all by himself. He leans his arms on the railing, watching the distant sky along with the waves. Wind flaps around his head a little, making his hair sway in the wind. The boat is riding the waves quite fast, but it will still take some time before reaching the Emblem Academy.
He waits for nothing at this point but calming his mind. It goes great until his time is stopped by an unlike disturbance. It's at least not some measly and loudly foolish fool. That one, William would recognize.
Instead, a cheerful and firm voice appears behind him, talking as if he talks with himself.
“Did you know that the speed in these boats is made in knobs? They are little places in the rope that acts as a source of knowing how many knobs the boat goes. Isn't that interesting? We should be quite fast thanks to the Rising Engines.”
This is an interesting fact, that surprises William. He assumes everyone is intentionally remaining calm, and none talk to each other because of the Trials and their nervousness.
“Huh?” he grunts with a question, after quenching his surprise away. Still, he is yet to turn his head to the new visitor.
“Don't Huh? me!” the voice complains, shouting, and seemingly, trying to mildly hit William's shoulder, but William sidesteps in a moment without even looking at him. “Anyhow, I am just trying to focus the conversation. There are so many young Walkers here, but all of them are so stern and unsteady. Most 1st timers sit with their heads below the sky and wait for the inevitable. Very few venture outside. Like you.”
“I mean... I am not that different.” William argues, turning his head to his right. In front of him is a rather honest looking, and not that slim-looking youth. With short brown hair, blue eyes, and a visage of importance. He stands straight, with a light brown vest around his white shirt. Equally light brown are his trousers, making him look as if he is on vacation. The only issue would be the lack of sunglasses, but those aren't something that current people find worth remaking.
“Oh! At least you speak. That's great! Excellent!” the youth cheers up, flexing his hands in open emotions. “Hello, my name is Louise.” he offers a handshake, which William accepts since it's a good manner to do so.
I guess there are some folks who are not like the common folks. Should I feel shocked? Surprised? Fearful that I am not like this? I wonder. William thinks to himself, wondering what's the deal with this youth. He has never seen him before, and he is sure of it.
“I am William,” he answers, shaking Louise's hand.
“Nice to meet you, William. It's still around 1 hour before the arrival at the Academy. Wanna spent time together so it will disappear faster.” Louise says with some limited cheerfulness, while also leaning his hands on the railing.
“Be my guess. I won't say no to you if you don't feel like not doing so. I am a calm guest, however.”
“That is fine. Willingness to hear someone is a step forward. It's just better to think of something different than the Trial. Having a lonely time in such a condition as this boat will lessen your brain cells. It's stupid to feel tensed and nervous. It will make your Vectors, or Acranite harder to control.” Louise says as if this matter of fact does indeed makes sense. At least for himself, that is.
“Hehehe.” William chuckles, finding his words fine, but the way he says them is interesting and almost arrogant. “Still, these are incoming Trials to the Emblem Academy and everyone sees it as a tremendous opportunity to help humanity. What can one expect? Some nervousness is fine.” William argues.
“So you are saying you aren't nervous?”
“I am not saying... that. I am, but what's the point of that? It's normal when one is young, isn't it?”
“So your's is a first time too?” Lousie asks.
“Of course. Do I look like someone older?”
“I guess that's a great argument. Who has been your Instructor? Has it been great?”
William pauses for a second, as this boy seems like the kind that will never shut up. It reminds him of someone, but in a different way. Perhaps even in a way, that is even beyond that.
“Roman is his name, and I guess the time under his tutelage wasn't that bad,” William says, thinking - It was terrible. Nigmarish training. “Anyway, how have you managed yourself, Louise? I bet you are also a 1st timer since you asked me about it.”