Querencia: School for Talented Gamers

Game 6: Serious Business

Naika wakes up to a morning where her brother Kairon had left already for work and all that's left of his previous existence was the cake in the refrigerator and the letter placed on the table near her bed with a note written in calligraphy, "Happy Birthday!".

It appears that Kairon has still not given up just yet on encouraging her to go, as the letter's message was "With this, now you can go, right?", and that was it. Straightforward and no formality or opening at all. It was no better than the note attached to it.

What it did have, though, was Kairon's professional promotion notice. In her mind she imagines that if Kairon were here, he'd say, "See this thing called money problem? Tada!" he claps and suggests that there is no longer that entity. Not that anything was there in the first place.

Looking at the numbers, she doesn't even need to resort to a calculator. That few thousand short of the deal turned into a few thousand extra.

The only loose end now is Neiko, who is now the only thing in the way of her and the academy.

Saying goodbye to him was the last thing she wanted to do after they went through raging sea, storm, and rain together that their parents left them in with Kairon as their raft.

Naika used her morning to prepare a bargain for the scout to take Neiko in.

Like she always does, she closes her eyes, takes a deep breath, clasps her hands, and usually after she'd come up with the solution. It wasn't magic though, it was only her way of expressing deep thought.

She listed the possible scenarios in her head and thought of all the best things to say in that situation, and she wants it to come down to having Neiko to prove himself in the scout's eyes.

But a coin can only have one side faced up.

"What!?" she screeched. The volume of her voice caused a small commotion in the cafe. And by small commotion, it meant she only gained a few curious looks here and there about what happened and the rest of the customers didn't really pay any mind.

"As I have said, miss Naika. If it were just his skills in question, it could have been arranged with few difficulties", the scout said. His downed eyes appear as if he had seen this scenario already once upon a time, if not more.

Having understood what the look implied, she admits defeat. She was hellbent on making Neiko prove his worth as a gamer and did not take into account if that was not the problem.

"It's okay sis. You didn't have to. I'm already happy that you're going and that's that. I appreciate the thought, though", Neiko said.

She sighs. "Then at least tell me why".

"I believe I have told you the past day, 'I have not come here for you, but you made it so', correct?", scout asked. "I have yet to tell you what it meant until this moment".

"And what does it mean?", it was her turn to ask.

"The scouts have been sent out to different districts in the whole world. In each of those regions only one student can be drawn. I am assigned in this district and have already found one besides you.

One of our students from one of the faraway districts then came here on his own accord and I merely observed what he would do in a place different from his. After he had made clear that he had come for no good, I was to halt him until a girl emerged from the crowd who claims no prior knowledge of Querencia, challenged him for his unbefitting attitude"

"That's me, isn't it?", Naika let out, rhetorical and unsurprised. "And not to be rude sir, but I don't want to hear stories, I want to know what it means".

Scout did not heed her suggestion. "I was surprised by this girl not only by her lack of knowledge of the prominent institution, but with her talent as well. She left me conflicted whether the student I elected was correct.

In summation, I had to negotiate rather dangerously for you already. And it was only even accepted in the most favorable circumstance. Bringing a third to the table might just relieve me of duty".

Naika was at a loss for words. Little did she know how much strings have already been pulled before she even started to think about doing so.

Scout clears his throat. "If you have no more queries, I am here to acknowledge you as one of our students. Your uniform will have to wait as caused by your circumstance. I will be here again in a month as tradition to wait for all other schools to end their years in consideration for our valued to-be students. I suggest you take the time to bid your farewells to your current peers".

Scout has seen this many times before. Mostly family, too. But he never gets used to the familiar sad silence that he can feel even after he leaves the atmosphere. But he had one last thing to say to try and make it feel better, "Especially him", referring to Neiko, before walking away.

Naika halted him. "Mr. Scout, you have mentioned that 'if it were his skills in question, it could have been arranged with few difficulties'. What does that mean?".

"I had a feeling you'd ask". Scout turned back and looked like he'd found an object of interest. "Always the hardy one, you are. The reason I elected you is because of this certain trait of yours, not giving up even against all odds. Very well".