The door was shut and Mr. Tugboat pointing to the chair across from his desk, insisted for Astrape to take a seat. A few seconds go by and the silence only seemed to get louder. To Astrape this only meant one thing, given his situation a transfer and loss of his scholarship was all but waiting for him.
"Well let's get straight to the point Astrape, according to this terms results, it's obvious things didn't go as well for you, isn't it? You don't need to answer that. What I'm trying to say is, you need to think about what you're going to do next, what path you will take. Although, it's sad to say that there's only a slim chance you will be allowed to continue to pursue your high school certificate from here", said Mr. Tugboat, as the guidance counselor spoke as calm as his aura.
"So, Astrape, have you given any thought to it lately?", he asked
"I don't know, I guess… I just want to… if there's any way, I could just maybe retake the test and progress to the next year, I would like to find out if that's possible… Sir".
"I see, and that's really the course you want to take? If there's even a chance of ensuring the safety of your place here then you would be willing to take it? Is that what you're trying to say?", he asked, joining his fingers and leaning towards the table as he intended to ensure eye contact with the boy across the table.
And noticing his change in tone Astrape in silence, thought of what he really wanted. What was the main goal? Was it to prevent the loss of his scholarship? Was it simply the fact that if he ended his time at Vex Academy, he would be leaving one of the best educational institutions? Was it the vast amount opportunities that would not be available to him should he decide to leave? Or was it simply the embarrassment that he would have to endure and the fear of disappointing his family?
Leaning forward he answered "If I were to stay what would my options be? What should I have to do to continue… my… time here… sir?".
"Well, there's an option of appealing to the school board to give you a second chance, although that in the past has proved to be a rigorous and lengthy option with barely any success. One other way is by using your extracurriculars like clubs or sport as which is a guaranteed leeway. Although, that cannot be an option for you given your evasion of any extracurricular activities. I am not lying when I say that your chances are pretty slim. I will give you some time to think about this before you make your decision. So let me know in due time, alright?".
With his head bent down again after listening to what was a discouraging enlightenment of his eminent reality, he whispered to himself "But I don't have time".
Mr. Tugboat flinched asking "What was that? I didn't quite hear you?".
For a moment there was no answer to his question and a sudden stillness in the air. The lights flickered and the atmosphere in the room seemed charged and intense.
In awe and apparent fear, Mr. Tugboat could only think to ask if this was his doing. With a displeased expression he turned back to face the boy and suddenly he could not manage to utter a single word from his mouth. Being as he was in his state of shock and confusion.
"Is there a problem son? Or should I take this as a threat of some sort? Boy you better look at me when I talk to you otherwise, we're going to have some problems", he said in a low but confident and assuring voice.
"Sorry Sir I just um… I'm just really at a loss for words right now, if there's any way I can if there's any way you can just… help me, I'd really appreciate it. I… I can't get transferred to another school… I…I...I have to stay here, I have to. You don't understand it this is the only way please I'm begging you. I will do anything to ensure my place here. I have to stay, I have to", Astrape replied, with his head still down.
"Before I arrived here, I had a reputation of being one of the smartest and intelligent people in school or at least in my class. Maybe it was just because the schools I was at before were just limited, not as exposed or just small enough for me to thrive. Well at least to let me fool myself. I guess maybe I'm not that smart or I just lost myself, maybe I should have worked harder, maybe there just wasn't enough effort on my part. However, whatever the case is, I will do what I have to whatever I can to prevent this from happening, especially with what's going on at home. I just can't give them more bad news at this point. So, I have to stay, I just have to", he pleaded.
And the man across the table from him after listening to what he had to say was for a moment at a loss for words. In a normal sense there was no way for Astrape to continue at Vex Academy and he didn't know how to usher the impending message. There was no reason for him to have feet as cold as he did right now as well, after all, this was not the first time he had the duty of being the deliverer of bad news or maybe it was something else? Now thinking of what would be the best way to go about the situation, he began to recall how he handled past students and their different reactions until he remembered how he had handled students with a similar situation in the past. In this solution there was a possibility of a second chance for Astrape should he take it.
Leaning forward with locked fingers on the desk he replied to Astrape, "Listen son, I don't need to explain how heavy this academy regards it's principles and standards and we both well know that there is close to nothing I can do about this. However, I did say close to nothing".
Astrape suddenly looked up at him to see if there was at all any glimmer of hope.
The man continued, "I have worked here for long enough, been here in this situation with students in your position enough times, had to be the one to break the bad news enough times and so I have worked around these types of situations so many times. There is one way you could be allowed to continue here but I doubt you will take it. I have worked here for over 20 years and in this time only ten students accepted this course of action and from those ten students only one of them succeeded in ensuring his place at this academy. With that said are you still confident that you will for a fact do whatever it is you can to continue here?", he looked at Astrape who silently nodded his head in acceptance as his cold glare stared right back at Mr. Tugboat.
"I see. Well son, given your determination you might have no problem in taking the military course I presume?", Mr. Tugboat said to him.
Astrape confused, asked "Military course? What do you mean? I was in the science program and it has no relation with the…".
"Vex Academy is not just one of the best educational institutions across our continent but is known to produce the best and most valued Soldiers to our Military and Defense unit which has defended the lives of our country and the values of our government for so long and they continue to do so. Saying that anything under the supervision and guidance of this academy is an understatement", Mr. Tugboat interrupted as he slowly raised his low toned voice, standing up with his hands placed on the desk.
He continued, "You asked me for a solution, for any option, any way to keep you here. Well son, this is the only way to do it. I'm not saying you'll be required to join a military squad as a result but this is the only way for you to keep your place here. So, I will ask you again will you or will you not?".
Stuttering, Astrape answered, "I… can I at least have some time to think? This was not what I was expecting at all".
"Listen here son, it may not have been what you were expecting but you begged me for a second chance. And when I extend it to you, you hesitate? It's not like you have much of a choice here. Let's be honest you failed and now you reap the consequences. Where's the desperate little boy I saw just a moment ago? Where are his determined eyes that caused the lights in my office to flicker? You beg me for one more chance and yet you stutter and hesitate when I offer it. How stupid of you for wasting my time and how foolish of me for thinking otherwise. If you're not as determined as you showed yourself to be, then see yourself out of my office before I do so myself. So, what will it be son?" asked Mr. Tugboat, oozing aura as frightening as his height as he fully stood and looked down on a shivering Astrape.
"Were you not taught to take responsibility for your actions? Should I assume that neither your mother or father gave you that lesson? Listen Astrape, this is your only option take it or leave it".
"Mom? That's right, mom. I wouldn't know what to tell her if I were to go home now. Mr. Tugboat is dead serious right now", he sighed. "But so am I. There's only one way to answer this, I don't have a choice, running won't solve anything and at this point if I don't do what he asked I might not get a chance like this. I might not be able to help mom out with Jinn's situation but I could at least do this. Yeah, going back home with such disappointment won't do anyone any favours, in fact it might just make things worse. So yeah, I guess it's settled then, it'll be my choice even though there aren't any other options really".
Taking a silent but deep breath he said, "I'll do it. I accept".
Standing up he bowed his head to Mr. Tugboat and looked into his eyes as he said again, "I'll do it sir. I will take part in the military course. Even though it's only so I can keep my place here, I promise to do my best".
Mr. Tugboat raised an eyebrow, "Taking part in the course? I don't remember saying anything like that", he assured.
"Wait what? Then what exactly did you mean? I thought that the whole reason you were making such a big deal out of this was, y'know because it's a life changing decision", he replied confused.
"Anyone's life can change at any moment. Anyway, what I was actually trying to tell you contrary to what you thought is to take part in The Vex Academy Bash Tournament. You do well enough in that and well, you get to carry on and progress to the next year, although you will need to take some extra classes. Oh, and if you're talking about a life changing decision, first place gets a prize money worth fifty thousand stoices. Now I don't know about you but that's life changing enough to me".
"Wait, wait… You… You just said take part in the Vex Academy Bash Tournament, that's… the… the one where students taking the military course get to show off their elemental skills against each other. The one that requires the students to actually fight each other and stuff?".
Mr. Tugboat assured "Eh, I'm sure you're gonna survive son. Don't worry about it, just make sure you survive it and I'll be sure to put in a good word for you alright. Of course, you'll probably get beaten to a bloody pulp but I'm sure you'll be just fine".
"Now I wish they could award me the fifty thousand stoices just for surviving because there's no way I'm gonna go far in that tournament. But if I actually do… If I actually win, I'll be able to pay for Jinn's treatment before it's too late… that's if I win and that's a big if. In any case just by taking part in this I really am dead, huh, I better say start saying my goodbyes then", Astrape thought to himself as he walked out of Mr. Tugboat's office.
"Astrape!", called Mr. Tugboat, "You don't have to do this son, if you ever change your mind, I'll be right here?", he said.
"Alright sir, thank you", said Astrape before closing the door behind him.
Baffled with what had just transpired, Astrape returned to his dorm planning to retire to bed. Upon reaching his room and seeing Danny already tucked in, he followed suit. Tossing and turning, hours passed before he begun to doze off into the night while wondering just what he had gotten himself into.
Even though it was only for a short time he thought of the risks the tournament posed to him, what it would do to his body and mind, if at all there would be any trauma that he would have to deal with in the aftermath, after all he was only a boy who in the past couldn't stand up for himself and was still occasionally a victim of bullying leading to his anti-social lifestyle. Yet he would now have to go against opponents whose sole purpose at this academy was to hone their skills in battle.