"heh, no wonder they said that we may be mad, digging up our old memories and hearts." She said bitterly.
"At least I remember what I have forgotten long ago, what broke my fragile heart." She picked up the petal as she started fading, now in her original clothes.
"And what finally fixed it, thank you." She smiled as she vanished and the world faded away.
============
"mgn" Sakura awoke and looked around.
"It seems the others will take a bit..." She observed as most of the people around were still asleep as well as Mary and the others.
*drip*
Sakura put her hand to her face, there was a tear.
"..." She didn't linger on the topic and looked around for where to go next before waiting for the others.
...
Mary awoke next, clearly a burden was relived from her shoulders.
"Hey Mary." Sakura called to her, "The others haven't woken up yet."
"Ok." Mary went to snuggle up with Sakura.
...
As the rest of the crowd started waking from their test, most were sad, however the rest looked resolved or relived.
With most waking, so did Fen and Chise, at the same time no less.
"Welcome back." Mary welcomed them to reality.
""Who woke first?!"" Both asked, drowsily.
""..."" Both looked to each other, sparks flying.
"Pft!" Sakura's laugh brought their attention, "It was me haha! ha... ha."
Her laugh slowed at the end.
"Want to talk about what we went through?" Mary offered.
"Maybe later." Sakura responded and the others nodded in agreement.
"I already looked for an exit, but I didn't find one, so we have to wait." Sakura said, dejected.
"It's fine." Mary comforted.
...
Not long after, the rest of the participants woke up.
"Should be almost done." Chise was bored and the rest agreed with that statement.
*woosh*
"Speak of the devil." Sakura said as the fire appeared and Xan walked out of it.
"haha, nice one." Mary caught the joke.
"I see you're all done with your trials." He looked over the crowd in dissapointment.
"I was hoping for you to finish earlier." He clapped, "Anyways bye bye losers!"
He smiled as half the crowd disappeared.
"That spooked me!" Sakura looked to the others, relived they were still here.
"Don't be scared, I just sent them to the lesser tier schools." He calmed the people present.
"Now then, all of you made it into my academy, congrats!"
*Cheers*
"Calm down, calm down, there's still the written part." This shut up the crowd.
"It will be the last part that determines where you will be placed, it's easy, assuming you have the ability to read."
With that done, the way to the final part opened up.
"Huh, guess we can finally relax at home after this." Sakura slumped over, stress leaving her body.
"Now don't fall asleep just yet." Mary tugged on the dress.
"Ok..." Sakura shambled to the final area, with Fen and Chise following close behind.
After walking through the door, there was a sign that met them.
"Take a paper and find a seat.
When finished, put it in the box in the front and leave." Mary read aloud from Sakura's pocket.
"It seems that if it has no precautions against cheating, there must not be a reason to cheat." Fen observed.
"Yeah, but let's just finish this." Chise grabbed a paper and went to a random seat.
The group also did so, picking seats near each other, except Mary who was too small for a chair so she just sat on the table.
When Sakura looked at the questions, it was all open questions.
Some of the questions were about morality, but the rest were preferences on classes, like if you want to learn magic, alchemy, or swordsmanship.
So obviously they finished quickly and put it in the box, it was a completely closed off box so no getting back whatever is put in.
Outside, Sakura was met with another reception area.
"What's with all the bureaucracy in this place..." Sakura couldn't help but comment as she went to one of the ladies.
"Name and grades?" She asked in a bored voice.
"Sakura, and I got an S." Her eyes widened a little, but returned quickly after.
"Here, you will get your uniform and schedule mailed to your home." She handed a card to her, "This will be your student ID. It will be used for opening the mail from before and access to the academy's facilities."
On the card with nothing on it?
Noticing her confusion, the lady continued, "It will activate and show what's on it when you put your mana into it, after doing it once it will register it and only you will be able to use it."
"Thanks." Sakura smiled and walked off, putting her mana into it like she said.
Upon doing so, it turned black with Sakura's smiling face and her name next to it, along with her race, which was blank, and gender, FT.
Below it there was another blank space with the words:
'This part will be filled upon entering the campus.'
"I wonder what it could mean?" Sakura pondered as she left the room.
"Hey Sakura, you were last." Chise appeared with the rest.
Sakura looked around, they were outside.
"Well, not much to do, wanna go somewhere for dinner, I'll pay." Chise offered.
"Sure." Fen accepted and so did Mary and Sakura.
Chise nodded, "I know a good place."
And so the group went to the restaurant with Chise.
"Isn't this like... super fancy?" Sakura couldn't help but comment at the decor and clear dress code.
"Yeah, but my family owns it." Chise waived her off as a waiter approached.
"Hello welc- Sorry I wasn't informed you would come my lady." He bowed.
"It's fine, I didn't announce and came on a whim." Chise started sounding prim and proper.
"We'll have a private room, I don't want interruptions." She replied.
"Right away." The waiter led them up a pair of stairs and led them to the end of the hall, all other rooms were occupied.
Inside the room was filled with art and there was a tv, not to mention the cushioned seats.
"Quite comfy in here." Fen praised.
Chise's nose was raised in pride, "I know right!"
Mary shook her head at her antics.
"No wine, you two are lightweights." Sakura said as they grabbed menus, 'They have no price labeled...' She noticed.
""Fine~"" Both Mary and Chise pouted.
"hehe, well let's eat, what do they have..." Sakura said to herself, browsing the menu.
Looking at her, Fen shrugged and did the same.
Soon the waiter returned and took their orders and went off, leaving the group in awkward silence.
"So what did you all go through?" Mary decided it was time to touch on this topic.
"..."
"Fine, I'll go first..." Mary sighed.
"What I went through is a situation in which I met you," She looked to Sakura.
"But..." She fiddled with her hair, "I couldn't accept the reality of the HUB and my mortality compared to you." She looked away.
"I ended up running away." She took a deep breath, "But soon I figured, 'If I want to stay with her, I just have to remake myself!' and that's it."
"I mean, that's kinda what you did already, no?" Chise motioned at her doll body.
Mary shyly nodded, "yes..."
"That's nice that you think of me and resolve yourself for that." Sakura smiled but it was a little pained.
The others noticed but didn't say anything.
"So who wants to go next?" Mary interrupted the tense atmosphere.
Chise raised her hand, "I guess I'll go next..."
(To be continued)