Chapter 2 Academic Salvation

Will and Alyss walked out from the dormitory after a prolonged argument about Will leaving his bow in the room.

Will, heads down sighs along the way to the school entrance. While Alyss slightly smiles understandingly. They both looked at the school entrance with no one around.

Alyss said with a puzzled tone, "I'm sure this is the school." Looking at the map.

Will looked where they came from to the school, "We can't miss it, it is practically beside us."

They decided to go in to see if there was anyone, they heard a faint sound of laughter coming from the rooms.

"Teacher Conference Room." Will read the sign and he knocked the door. The laughter stopped and heard several "Who is that."

A man with a tie opens the door and stares at them not recognizing them. "Err, may I help you?"

Will smiles, "Hi, My name is Will and this is Alyss. We were just transferred here."

They heard a call, "Tony, whos that?" he widened the door to reveal a table sat with most of the teachers. They all smiled and waved.

"Transfer students." The teacher named Tony said.

The woman at the head of the table stood up, "Welcome to Redmount Private High school, where the most talented and prestigious students. Also the home of the Blazing Arrows, it's an archery team we have at our school, best of the best compete in the nationals. However we never seem to pass the second round in the matches. " she said disappointed

"Even with our best archers, we never seem to make it to the finals. Our rival school always had that..." she continues rambling on.

Alyss said slowly, "Red...mount?"

Will looked blankly, "Archery...matches?"

Will and Alyss exchanged a glance. "Sounds like Redmont Fief." Will whispered.

"This could be something you could do" Alyss whispered back.

The woman continues not noticing their whisper, "I am the Principal Terrance, of this high school. However mostly this school is ran by the student council. If there's anything, most of the time that's where you should ask first."

One of the teachers called out, "Hey kids, you seem to be early for school."

"Early?" Will asked.

"But this is normally when we wake up" Alyss exclaimed "When does school start?"

"Around 8 am. Right now is 6." The other one sitting beside him called out.

The teacher who opened the door, "I see, you are my two transfer students. I think we'll get along well, extra credits for coming early to school!"

"Uh..." Will paused mid-sentence. I am not grasping everything right now...where's Halt or Crowley when I need them.

Alyss asked, "Where's the training ground for the archery matches you were talking about?"

The teacher directed them, "Down the hall, turn right and you'll see them. I think today they are practicing in there."

They nodded in thanks and Alyss began to pull Will towards the room where the training place is.

"Hey Alyss! Why?" Will said huskily.

"Well, I kind of feel bad telling you not to bring your bow, now here's a chance for you to use a bow." Alyss explained.

"But..." They opened the door, to see one team of five against a team of six shooting at each other.

Alyss looked at them, "Seem's like their using light."

Will observed them, "But they are also using real bows, yet arrows appear."

"Look, they have those little things on them and something on the walls are projecting them." Alyss points out.

"Just like Malcolm's projection screen with the smoke." Will began to laugh at the memory.

Suddenly there was a loud blare making their skins jump.
"What was that!?" Alyss calls out.

All of them began to walk up to the sidelines where they were.

"Yo, you interested? I haven't you around before you just got here?"one of them asked.

"What if they are from the Refaincrat high?" the other one asked.

"Are you?"

Alyss blinked, "Um...hi?"

One of them pushed the guy asking away, "Sorry, these guys are a bit protective of our practices."

A female shouted, "Hey, you know six of those "guys" here, are girls?"

He raised his hands up in apology, "I am Chris, the captain of the boy's team also the student president of the school. That girl over there is Jennifer, captain of the girl's team." He introduces.

Alyss glanced at the girl, "Jennifer...Shelton?"

The girl perked up and then just recognized Alyss, "Oh it's you. Hey I barely recognized you"

Alyss looked at her, "Did you forget Will is here too?"

She blinked again, "Oh him? Where is..." Will raised his hand, "Hi, my name is Will."

Both teams jumped, "What the!?"

Jennifer began to laugh, then fell onto the floor shaking uncontrollably.

One of the girls took off her helmet and asked Will, "What did you do to her? She never laughs."

"She doesn't?" Alyss confused.

"Not at school she doesn't." Shaking her head getting more amazed.

Then Chris recovered, "Say, both of you want to try out for the Archery Team?"

One of the four guys crossed their arms, "They probably heard of what happens, they probably won't"

Alyss stepped back, "Definitely not me, but my fian-err, boyfriend here wants to." As she pushed Will a little forward.

"Wh- hey!" Will exclaims.

"So you want to join?" One of the large boys stood chest to chest with him.

The other boy beside him grins, "Alright, let's give him our first-day treatment."

Chris hanged his head, "Not this again..."

They signaled a guy to the hidden control room.

"Alright, since you don't have a bow. We'll lend you one, just for today. Get one if you want to come here on other days." The big one called out.

Chris calls out, "Come on really? We can't-"

The one to the far left shouts, "We can't have a sissy on our team, we need to judge him."

The six girls sat around Alyss who began pestering her with some questions, "So what's he like?" one of the girls asked.

"Who?" Alyss asked absent-mindly.

"That guy, your boyfriend." She points at the cloaked figure.

"Oh him, he's a funny, sweet guy." Alyss responded, not sure what to say.

"Don't you think he's a bit...on the weak side? You're such a terrible girlfriend, pushing him against the whole boys' team." The other standing towards the railing turned.

Alyss' eyes widened, "The WHOLE boys' team?"

"Yeah didn't you know? Oh boy, he's going to get it real good now. Their traditional tests are usually played in the field with all the specifications all spiked. So when you get hit with light, they actually hurt. Some can be as bad as a bruise to a broken bone." Jennifer explains.

Alyss began to laugh, "Really now?"

The one standing looked uncertainly at her, "Mhmm...you are a awful girlfriend, are you sure you're not just playing him with your looks?"

Alyss stood up, "Of course not!"

"Then why are you laughing?" the girl sitting beside her asked.

"Oh...nothing. You girls just watch." With a smile, I'm practically more worried of the boys team than Will.

One of them whispered on the sidelines, "What is he doing, picking every single bow up. Does he know that it's part of the first test?"

"First test?" Alyss asked.

"To see which bow he chooses. The heavier the draw, the more points for him in judgement." The one standing clarifies.

The five boys stood on the other side of the field, waiting.

One of them muttered, "Why is he taking so long?"

"Oh hush, I want to see what bow he chooses." Chris looked intently at Will.

After a long period of silence Will turned around without a bow. The large boy calls out, "What? You can't pull back any of those?"

Will shook his head, although with his cloak it was hard to tell if he moved at all.

"No, big one, I'm scared I might pull them back and break them." Will called across the field.

"B-break them?" one of them stammered confused.

"You got anything heavier?" Will asked.

Chris pointing to the far right, "Over there in the box, there is a super heavy one. You can try that. Or else you'll be stuck with the choices on the wall."

"You're kidding Chris, even Fred can't draw that back." The one beside Chris said referring to the large boy. "You can't expect him to draw that, look at his figure."

Will muttered, "Don't judge from what you see."

Then he picked up the heavy bow, "This is something decent."

Everyone mutterd in amazement, "He's not seriously bluffing is he?" Fred scoffed.

"Let him choose it." Chris said.

Will bellowed, "This thing has barely any draw weight, but if this is the one you insist being the most heaviest one," he draws the bow fully at a perfect stance. "-then I'll use it."

Everyone but Alyss watched opened mouth. "W-whaAAT?"

Ooo

"Alright guys, here is the plan. He might have some immense strength. But there are five of us. We just need on arrow that hit's him. Then he should be good as done." Fred planned. He looked over his shoulder to see Will calmly standing in the middle of the field.

"Alright let's do this." They all gave a short Burning Arrow team cheer and spread out.

All the girls on the sidelines watched intently on what was going to happen next. Alyss? She immediately knew who was going to win. Come on, we had been in front of danger. Battle of Skandia, Kalkara, Arrida, Nihon-Ja. It is obvious, Will knows it.

They heard the buzzer, suddenly the scenery changed. Will stood suddenly surprised, "It's a forest." He muttered. "Worse choice."

Then suddenly an arrow appeared out of nowhere. Rangers, who needed sharp eye and reflex skills, simply since arrow was slow enough Will flicked his bow and glanced the arrow off course, all of them muttered with shock and amazement. "The arrows they have here are surprisingly slower than real ones..." he muttered again both amazed at the technology and dissatisfied from the lack of realism.

"He did not just do that! Does the program even allow that?" one of them heard.

Then 3 of them nodded and jumped at once trying to fire at him at once.

Will aimed, drew and fired less than 3 seconds. All three boys went down groaning without one single boy actually coming to a full draw.

Fred growls with anger, "No one can fire as fast as that! Especially a bow with that!"

Chris chucked, "I think we are looking at a master archer here."

Fred grins, "Not yet, I still haven't shot."

Will stood open, "Sigh, where are those two?" He suddenly saw a flicker of movement, zooming out his field of vision. He suddenly saw another spot move, as soon as the person stood up, Will aimed and fired and hit him right in the head.

Jennifier squealed, "He took Chris out!"

"Well, he still got Fred to deal with, his dad owns an archery ranch. There is no way he could-" she paused as Will drew pointing nearly ninety degrees up, and fired. "Well...that is a crude..." and the arrow slammed right onto the back of Fred right where he was hiding, "shot." Jennifer finished

The bell blared as Will won the round.

No one moved, Will shook his bow, still not pleased with the quality and then placed it back into the box. Then walked towards where Alyss was standing.
"Next time Alyss, I am bringing my own bow. That one makes me feel like holding a twig."

Alyss soothed, "Yes yes I know my fault." She turns over and waves at them, "See you later Jennifer and everyone else! We got classes starting soon and we need to find these metal lockers."

The boys began to sit up and groan with pain, "There is no way he made that shot, NO way" Fred slams his fist on the ground.

Ooo

Word quickly travelled about the morning practice, about a guy single handed utterly destroyed them boys' archery team. Which was obviously backed up by the girls gossiping. Will and Alyss had every class together, which was probably the doing of Sarah or the Director. With some heavy grueling work trying to understand what the teachers were talking about, the only thing that only made sense to them was math. By the end of the day, Will met Alyss at her locker.

Will stood leaning by Alyss' locker, "Good thing I had this cloak on or else I'd be pestered with a lot more attention than usual"

Alyss looked at him closing her locker, "Well, don't you like attention at least?"

Will gave her a baleful glance, "Well. Hey Alyss? I heard something about the most beautiful girl just transferred to this school, and hey! She JUST looks like you!"

Alyss grins at him, "Alright you got me there."

Raising his eyebrow, "So they've been getting at you too?" sensing a smile lurking behind his lips.

She nodded with a grin and they both walked out the front door to meet rows of luxurious cars parked on the front lawn. Will and Alyss stood shocked, "Wow, those are some pretty things that help people move around like a horse."

Will nodded, "There, that long one is ours."

Alyss peered at what he was pointing, "How do you know, I see at least 10 of those across the front field."

Will laughed, "I accidently dented on the side of that one, in the training."

Alyss walked up to the car and bent over to check, "Yep, definitely a strong outer shell to withstand an arrow hit. There is a visible dent."

The driver opened the window, "Come on, don't worry about it. We'll get it fixed. Hop in."

As Alyss and Will got in, Louise, Jennifer and Steve waved good bye, then realized that they lived in their dorms, "Where are you going?" shouted by Louise before Alyss closing the tinted window.

She looks over at Will who was had his eyebrow raised, "What? I didn't want to answer."

"You will sooner or later." Already knowing Louise's personality.

"Not now, Will." She warns.

She could feel Will beside her shaking as he silently laughed.

ooo

The headquarters weren't really that far off from the school, they soon saw the same tower they were at when they first woke up to reality.

When they got out, Will flipped his cloak around. Checking every angle, Alyss wonders. "What are you doing?"

Will opened his cloak, "Although I have a cloak with me which is apparently unnatural in school, I still got to wear this stupid uniform. I completely forgot the change."

Alyss laughs, "I think mine is alright, there isn't much a problem for you since you got that cloak."

"Either way..."

"Since when did you get into fashion?" Alyss joked.

Before Will got to reply, the driver was waving them to go into the door of the building, after walking a few short steps in the hall, they took an elevator to one of the tower levels.

"So this is an elevator." Will looked around in the place. Coming to a conclusion, "Seems like one big box of metal."

There was a sudden shift of feeling the elevator stopped moving and to doors opened.

Alyss marvelled at the sight outside the windows, "Wow in a few minutes we are already up this high!"

Will glances down, "Yeah...definitely easier than actually climbing, with ropes either way."

They both turned at the sound of opening doors, "Welcome back you two." Sarah waves, " The director is right inside."

It was the same office where they signed the paper, at the front there was Director Cortex.

"Have a seat." He says warmly.

With a little greet, they both sat expectantly not sure what to expect.

"So how are you fitting into the school on your first day?" with a big smile.

Alyss replied with her courier tongue, "Well, it was indeed an interesting experience. There were a lot of things that didn't know was possible."

The director looked at the cloaked figure sitting, "How about you Will?"

"It's good I suppose. Not the same as home but I guess it could be the same in some ways." Will replied. They want something from us, but they don't want to tell us yet. Think they want to soften us up first...we could do that but....the urgency?

Will suddenly glanced around, "Wait, if this is some secret agency, why are we out in the open? I'm sure you have some sort of future security measure, but this seems too...wide to be secure at all."

The director nodded, "Good eye, in other terms as a secret operative, we also are a company called "Telstion Technology industry" it acts as our cover."

Will nodded slowly, "So a wolf in a sheep's skin."

The director laughs, "Well, we do have company branches across the world. We work with the governments too under a company name of course. Our existence is known to rumors and what we put out if you try to search up on us. Only a few know outside of our company the true point behind the company."

Alyss said slowly, "So if you have people across the world...companies...then that means... if anyone tries to break your cover it will be hard to go up against a world-wide known company in the first place...that's pretty smart."

Will smiles under his cloak, So that explains the expensive looking things around them.

"For that matter I called you here today is to give Will some data-" Then he saw some confused looks at the word.

"Information. Information about the bow we have been designing and creating. By the end of this week, it should be ready for use." The director said proudly.

Sarah whispered, "He's always like that when he creates something magnificent."

"You already have drawn the picture and diagram for such complicated thing?" Alyss said amazed.

"We didn't use papers." He said meaningfully.

She blushed embarrassed, "Oh that's right."

ooo

After a half hour of talking, they said their goodbyes and were on their way home. During the ride, the surroundings began to reflect an orange-like color.

"It's almost night time." Alyss breathed silently as she looks out, fogging the window a bit.

Will exhaled, "As normal as it can get around here, things aren't the same in any direction."

"I know what you mean. Who knew that there were vast places beyond just Nihon-Ja and the eastern steppes." she agreed.

"Also, I can't help but get the feeling they are holding back on telling us something." Will muttered.

Alyss looked at him, "To use us?"

"Who knows, something like that but also helps us along in a way. Why else quickly construct a concealable bow that doesn't require any arrows, as much as I believe this future is more advanced than our previous lives...I highly doubt that they would have drawn up a model overnight." Will hunched while ruffling his hair.

The car drove up to the front gate of the dorm, after saying thanks to the driver they sat on the curb of the sidewalk. Will lied down on the sidewalk, the streetlights soon came on.

"So this is what we children are supposed to be doing at our age in the world." Will concluded.

Alyss nodded uncertainly, "Apparently we can't get any major jobs until we finish school or something along that, most certainly a laid back life."

"Yet here we are... a courier and a ranger. Nearly full-fledged." Will laughed at the last bit

"Nearly?"

"Well...we aren't back at home to serve the purpose so..." Will trailed off.

"I seriously have no idea what to do now. We are in a world full of unknown wonders, dangers that surpass the past. Technically if you believe what you say is true Will, then we are in the clenches of that secret organization in any prospect." Alyss said with a tone of sadness.

"Well... that is true...however I don't know something is still nagging me right now. And definitely it's about them either." Will said a bit confused.

"What?"

"As for that intelligence, I think they are good enough people. There is something that is holding them back from unleashing force upon us to do what they want." Will huffed.

Alyss lied down beside Will, there were plenty of cars rushing by. One of them stopped to check if they were alright, which afterwards drove off.

After a long while watching the moon and stars in the sky, Alyss spoke, "You know, there is something that is nagging me too."

Will laughed, "Right. I still have that feeling too. I don't know what this is however..."

Another moment passed, "Are we staying outside right now to avoid those three which I have a feeling is plotting to ambush us with questions?" Will mumbled under his cloak.

Before Alyss could reply, a voice answered for her. "If you guys were actually thinking we were going to do that, then that'd be awfully rude of you two to think so."

They both turned to see who it was; it was Louise with a big bag in her hand and a scarf. "Aren't you two cold?" she asks.

"Not really, this cloak of ours is cozy so Alyss and I aren't that worried about that." Will replied. "Were you just buying some stuff from the market?"

She nodded, "Yeah I did."

Louise looked at both of them whom which looked back at her, slowly both resumed their previous position...lying down. Standing there for a couple minutes, Louise spoke again.

"Don't you two have some homework to do? Especially someone who didn't know a TV could change channels?" she pointed out.

A few seconds passed, Louise watched in shock as both of them slapped their fists into their palms at the same time and said the exact same words,

"Oh, so that's it. We forgot about the homework."

The three soon burst into laughter.

"Oh geez, you guys are forgetful aren't you?"

Alyss stood up brushing her clothing down, "We aren't that used to the customs around here."

Will nodded, "Far off from getting used to I'm afraid."

Will realized how big the bags were, "Here, let me help you with that." And attempted to grab the bag, while Louise resisted, "Wo- hey! It's okay I can..." they both fought for the bag. She quickly loses and watched as Will strolls off towards the building. "...handle them."

Will shouts behind his shoulders, "What do you have in here? Some sheep wool?"

Louise laughed, "No, just lots of potatoes and vegetables."

As Alyss watched those two, she felt a something within her rise and then shook it off, as she quickly caught up with them.

Ooo

"So...Canada...is this country here?" Will points with his pencil with his hand.

Alyss leaned over to check, "I think so, then that means US is this place."

Will scratched his head, "I've always had a good grasp with maps, but this is just too big. I mean, if you turn it to one side, it looks like a duck"

She looks doubtfully at Will, then turned the map. "You know what....it actually does!"

"The world is round...all around is water....we can't drink...because it's too salty.." Alyss muttered.

"I don't think I can take this anymore, my life used to be so simple. Out in the woods, playing some tunes on my mandola with Tug while drinking a good cup of freshly brewed coffee." Will said dreamily.

"And now they got several different types of how you make coffee which destroys the richness of it's original." Alyss finished.

"We need a teacher who can teach us this stuff, if we are going to fit around here. We at least need to know our surroundings.....and plan out a detailed plotline around this area particularly." Will said thoughtfully, as he withdrew out a map of the city roads.

"I thought you said.."

"Only large ones. But this is small, shouldn't be much of a problem...see right here we are right beside Redmount High.... The tower is here, all these little streets and big ones are represented by color." Will explains, "Which is a smart idea than just plain symbols too."

"Little steps at a time, little steps at a time. We still don't know how long it will take to actually get their teleportation working. So we might as well actually try to make the best out of this place." Alyss rising to a challenge.

"We need something however, like...a goal. Like you said, we now live in a different world where things are dangerous on different scales than just swords and arrows." Will nodded.

There was a knock on the door. Alyss, who recently found out the little hole in the door, was to actually look through to see who was on the other side.

Alyss said to Will, "It's Louise...and she's got something in her hand."

She opened the door and invited her in.

"What brings you here?" Will asked.

"Well... since you helped me out earlier, I figured I could share some of the dinner I had with you guys. It was kind of lonely over there so I figured maybe at least have dinner here with you guys..if that's okay." She said uneasily.

Will shrugged and looked at Alyss who didn't seem to mind, "Sure why not. What did you make?"

"Curry, lots of it." She smiles as she opens the pot.

Alyss leaned closer to smell, "That actually smells really good. Never smelled it before."

"You haven't? Surely your cooks would have made this some point in your lives...right?"

Will laughed, "The only thing I've had usually were coffee, fruits, bread and jam."

Louise dramatically fell on the floor, "That...so harsh..." Alyss looked at her with confusion.

"Did you have some kind of.." waving her hand around to describe what she was trying to say.

"Oh no, it's acting. It's just harsh what Will ate in his life...." slowly stopping as Will began to smile.

"Well...we used to have a friend who was excellent at cooking." Will began,

Alyss nodded, "She would make us the most delicious food in the world."

Louise's eyes widened, "Really? Who? Where? Have I ever heard of her?"

"Not really. She's no longer ...with us anymore." Alyss broke on the words not quite sure how to describe what you would call being separated on different time dimensions.

However it seemed like Louise understood, "Oh I see....sorry to hear...well want to try some of this?"

They quickly finished the pot down to the last drop, Will exclaims, "That must have been a ton of work. It was good!"

Alyss nodded quickly, "You got to teach me some time how to cook that."

Louise laughed, "Well it's easy, all you got to do is chop some..." She trails off again as she sees the other table having some red circles.

She went over and picked up both papers, "This is the pop quiz we had today."

Will and Alyss exchanged a glance.

"Yeah.."

"You both have excellent writing skills!" She excitedly jumps around, "The teacher praised you two! She has never done that ever to anyone in the class!"

"Um...thanks? Whoo hoo!?" Will weakly cheered.

Then Louise got super serious again, "But on the other hand...every single 50 questions all are wrong... how do you even manage to score that?"

Will began to scratch the back of his head, "You see..."

"We both aren't..." Alyss continued...

"Really that..."

"Smart." Will finished.

Alyss nodded rapidly, "Yeah smart." Then gave a side-glance to Will Good thinking.

Louise looked at both of the papers, "You know, from what Jennifer told me, you both are practically talented in a lot of areas BUT school."

They both laughed nervously.

"It's like...you never been to a school before!" with an astonished tone.

"I mean look here, this question." They both huddled behind her to see what question.

"Is North America on the north hemisphere or the southern hemisphere?" She taps the paper with more emotion than the previous.

"BOTH of you circled the SOUTH side." She kneeled down slowly not believing that.

Will and Alyss grinned timidly.

Will slowly started, "Well just a few minutes before you came...we just figured out where Canada was and where USA was..."

Louise held up her hand in front of Will's face, "Stop, right there." Then extending the other one, stopping Alyss in mid breath.

She took a deep breath. "At least, of that. You two have really good writing styles...that's a plus..it's a shame that is ruined by poor academics."

Will and Alyss looked down, This isn't good for us... there's that possibility we could get kicked out too...I hate the sense of failure.

Which is also what Alyss was thinking on the similar lines. Will thought, as he hears Halt's words during training. Practice...practice...practice...

She said...then coming to a decision, "That's it, I can't stand this." They both looked up at her with surprise.

"Every day, I don't care how long, we are going to have a study session every night until the test's you get are higher than a B. I might get Steve and Jennifer to help too..."

"Um..." Alyss cocked her head to one side....as Louise's words sank in, they both shouted, "WHAAAT!?"

07/09/15