Sky and The First Trial

As more time passed and the briefing with Alatus ended with Dani, Alex, Shike, and Boo, we all gathered back into the group home we originally stayed at. In the lobby of the large building, dinner plates were going around with hot food, something I haven't seen in what felt like forever.

It was all for us as well.

White cloth-covered tables and flowers in pots gave the room the breath of life that it needed. The laughs and smiles gave me some sort of hope... I couldn't remember the last time I heard it.

But, as things came to a close and everybody enjoyed their dinner, I returned my plate and profusely thanked all of the chefs personally because of how delicious the food was. They told me that I could eat it every day and I almost teared up.

I had research to do now.

Secluded from the rest of the main group, I traveled to a small table with Shike, Belle, Alexia, and Boo. Belle seemed to explain my request to meet with the four of them to learn more about Sky in The First Trial.

"Sorry to interrupt the conversation. Is now a good time?" I asked. Shike welcomed me and shook off any worry, and explained the basis of the situation to me.

"In The First Trial, we were all friends... well, some more of us were included in that group as well. It was Belle, Alexia, Boo, Mitra, Myth, Naomi, Owen, and myself in a big group. Only we three knew each other since childhood, and Sky was involved in that group as well. Ever since we were kids, I think we could all say that we were confident Sky would take care of us if anything ever dared to happen." Shike said.

Belle and Alexia nodded in conjunction, but even Boo slightly nodded as well.

"Anyway, we trained and trained, going off to this school for defending the land. You see, Sky's parents were two strong people, and they were amazing in every other regard as well. Sky stuck close to them whenever he could, but he knew to stay away so he could grow on his own." Alexia said. It seemed she was in awe of his parents...

I'm happy Sky got the chance to see his parents...

"During that school year, I fought against Sky a couple of times, and it looked like he was never even trying. He was so happy with the fact that I was a rival, or something, that he never gave it his all. I still don't understand it, but he beat me even with that being true. It pissed me off... through and through..." Boo added with a slight smile. It seemed she was over those old feelings.

"One day, another student broke my arm... and that's when Sky finally seemed to try at something," Belle muttered.

I turned my attention to her immediately, awaiting her explanation.

"When I had my arm broken, the two boys who did it teased me, and told me that next, they would head for Alexia, and then for Shike, and then for Sky. When I told them to take it out on me instead, they beat me senseless, leaving me bloodied and bruised to the point of almost no return. That's when Sky showed up. More or less... he taught them their lessons." Belle said.

"Don't sugarcoat it. First off, Sky broke a kid's jaw with one punch. After that, he broke the other kid's teeth with his fist, punching him in the face over and over again. He moved to the other one and splattered the back of his head against a pillar, took a stab wound to the stomach, and then returned it to the kid's neck before kicking him out of a window from the second story and killing him by pushing him out of the building." Boo explained.

Dammit... he was gruesome there too... and it was the only thing he tried at. To kill others. Can he really be safe?

"Even so, as violent as that was to hear about... He took care of Belle. Sky never did anything like that unprovoked, and he served his punishment for that. He spent two years in isolation with Illya before returning to help us defend against the threat that existed in that world." Alexia said again.

"That's where his parents come in. His Mom and Dad risked their lives to defend ours. Running in there and wasting away their potential fighting this enemy... Providence... Providence was a hundred times more violent than Sky was, or is right now, and Sky was able to fight her. That's when he tried again when our lives were in danger... our concerns were initially the same as yours, Carl, but seeing our friend put his own life on the line like that, when he could've so easily taken others if he so wished to... our doubts were cast aside." Shike told me.

"It sounds like Sky had some trouble there... then, you're sure of who Sky is as a person? I feel bad saying this, but I've had my doubts as well." I said.

"Can I ask you a question, Carl?" Boo asked me, to which I nodded.

"In the event that Sky was a bad person, would you really willingly act out against him?" She returned another question, putting her feet up on the seat across from her with crossed arms.

"I would ask him why he acted like that and ask him to fix it," I explained, but she scoffed.

"And? What have you done for him to cause him to think about changing his ways? I was raised as a kid to fight all Asterios and kill them without any mercy, but the more I learned about Sky and who he was, the more I looked up to him. His courage, his strength, and everything about him was the ideal guide for living my own life. I helped him as much as possible in that fight against Providence, and even against Illya... and, where were you during all of that?" Boo asked.

"Boo, don't be mean to him. He just wanted to help." Shike told her.

"Bullshit, Shike. I don't care if this guy woke up with Sky before we technically knew him. I want to know what he did to think he's important enough for Sky to consider changing who he is as a person. What weight do you hold to his life? What makes you feel entitled enough to ask for such a large thing?" Boo asked me.

And at that moment, I froze and shook my head.

"I... Nothing. I haven't done anything." I told her.

She nodded and looked the opposite way.

"I know. Otherwise, you wouldn't have looked so hopeless asking for Belle's input." Boo explained.