Capítulo 37: Chapter 36: Befriending Blake
Rip was still only a kid after all.
Frightened, he instinctively ran to hide behind the person he considered trustworthy and safe.
A human just appeared out of the air!
—No, they didn't.
Blake had been there the whole time.
With unfathomable and calm eyes, Blake watched Rip run like a small animal to Chase's side, dodging behind the latter.
He gave no reaction. He only didn't want to be called a ghost, that's why he spoke out.
Now that they know of his existence, Blake kept his mouth shut and his eyes straight, unblinking.
This creeped out Rip even more, even Chase was starting to be affected by the unpleasant feeling that Rip had been sensing from the moment they came near this area.
The unpleasant feeling came from the person before them with a waveless expression but gloomy appearance—Blake. Their new roommate.
The three of them stared at each other in a stalemate.
Suddenly, a strong wind blew in from the open windows, causing the two casements to flap left and right in panic, slamming loudly against either the wall or the frame.
Startled by the sudden movements, all attention was directed to the window. Rip rushed forward and locked the windows after closing the casements.
Outside, not knowing when, the originally mild and blue day changed to cover the earth with gray clouds as thunder boomed and rain threatened to fall. The air was damp and saturated. The leaves of plants trembled as the small critters went to seek shelter from the approaching storm.
A sense of unease and forbidding appeared in Rip's heart.
Did the skies change because of…
Rip slowly turned his head around to look at the person on the bed.
Just in time to catch Blake's eyes that rolled to the side to look at Rip as Blake's body and face remained motionless in place.
Sky blue collided with pure black.
Those orbs seemed to suck him in, inviting him into a world of darkness and doom, loneliness and gloom. Yet, at the same time, a world of emptiness, of nothing.
Rip forced himself to look away.
'What was that?!'
Goosebumps jumped onto Rip's skin.
This black-haired youth really creeps the life out of him!
At this time, Chase's phone suddenly rang, breaking Rip out of his daze.
Chase took out his phone and turned it on to see that it was his alarm ringing. After the assembly today, he had set an alarm up for 18 minutes, leaving 2 minutes for him and Rip to get to their instructor for the next session in their schedule.
"It's time, let's go," Chase said as he easily shook off the unpleasant feeling that attempted fruitlessly to cling onto him. He looked at both Rip and Blake when he said this. "We'll get punished if we're late."
Chase walked to the door and stepped out first, not waiting for either Rip or Blake to react, he was out of there.
Weirdly, Chase was a punctual person as well.
Rip looked at the disappearing back of Chase and then at Blake on the bed who showed no signs of movement.
Rip hurriedly exited the room.
"Wait! Wait for me!" Rip shouted as he ran after Chase, his cheery and energetic aura had been dimmed.
Back in the now empty dorm room, Blake finally moved his stiff body.
Calmly getting off his bed, Blake walked out and closed the door.
The lights flickered every time he passed by them, a gloomy aura spreading from his body as the source. A tangible black atmosphere seemed to follow him wherever he went yet, despite this, no one seemed to notice him except for the chill he brought.
Some time later, Rip and Chase were on dusting duty in the Everett Mansion. All the other remaining trainees were sent off to their respective areas to work on their assigned duties.
This session not only allowed them to put theory into practice, it also made sure that the Everett Mansion was kept clean and functioning as all the original staff were sent to participate in the special training.
Dusting the shelves, Rip looked curiously around at the novel items he had never seen before.
Reaching the edge, a sudden chill spread from his spine to the rest of his body. A dark and gloomy aura came from that direction.
Stiffly turning his head to the right, Rip was caught off guard by the unexpected sight of a beautiful and exquisite doll that looked almost life-like. As if they were a human being that shrunk to the size of a toy.
Its unworldly beauty struck Rip's soul and stunned him in place. The duster nearly fell out of his hands.
Upon taking a closer inspection.
"This… this…" Rip was tongue-tied. Repeating the word "this" like a broken record.
Noticing that Rip suddenly stopped working and seeing his abnormal behavior, Chase came to take a look to see if he's alright.
"What is it?" Chase asked as he walked to Rip's side.
Chase was stunned.
The exquisite, life-like doll sitting on the decorative shelf on display closely resembled the black-haired and black-eyed young man they saw today!
Except, the doll's face enjoyed a clean and flawless skin devoid of dark circles. Its eyes were soulless and emotionless, similar but also unsimiliar to the human they knew. The outfit it wore strayed far from the modern dress of this era.
Daintily it sat, motionless and silent.
Wordless and gloomy.
Bearing a great resemblance to Blake.
"Is… Was this modeled after Blake?" Chase's mouth was dry as he witnessed this inexplicable and bizarre sight. How could a doll resemble a living person so much unless it was created from their image? No human could possibly be born after a doll's image.
"You know… I suddenly got this urge to take a picture of this doll and show it to Blake," Rip suddenly said.
Chase instantly vetoed his idea.
"We can't. As part of the staff protocol, no information regarding our masters or the information we hear and see within the Everett Mansion are allowed to be spread. It also means that we are prohibited from taking private photos or videos within the mansion and the estate." Chase recited what he learned from the staff handbook which was given out freely to all the trainees for them to independently familiarize themselves with the Everett Mansion's rules.
He had studied the handbook seriously and meticulously everyday in order to lower the probability of being fired as well as to stand a better chance at passing the mysterious test.
"I know~ But although this doll looks gloomy, it's also so beautiful!" Rip exclaimed, charmed. Rip had never seen a doll like it before, so detailed down to the shape of the pink nails and the realistic yet pleasing facial features.
"You can always take Blake here to see it. Anyways, get back to work. We must finish dusting our assigned areas before the next class begins, or else we'll get a scolding and a punishment," Chase said and pulled Rip away from the doll by the back of his collar.
"But you know, that Blake guy really does make me feel uncomfortable somehow… the aura around him… I can't describe it in mere words! More importantly, how were we unable to see him?! He was right there!"
As they continued to dust, their topic of conversation shifted to Blake.
"I don't know." Chase was also bewildered by his recent bizarre experience. It was impossible not to see someone when they're right in front of you. But it truly happened to him.
"He looked unfamiliar to me. I don't think I ever saw him before. What about you, Chase?"
"No idea."
In reality, Rip, Chase, and Tate have seen Blake before. There were even times where they had worked at the same station while in their meal preparation classes and were partnered up by the instructors for lesson activities and exercises. The only thing was, because of Blake's low sense of presence that left others no impression of him, none of their brains remembered his existence or the fact that they had met and even interacted.
Entangled in his thoughts, Rip at last decisively cleared away the haze and excessive vegetation in his mind and made a decision.
"Since we're rooming with him, we might as well get acquainted with him. Who knows, he might be more friendly than his looks suggest," Rip cheerily said, trying to pump himself up.
"Sure." Chase agreed.
In this way, the two of them decided to befriend their new roommate.
Who will be a much bigger challenge than they had initially expected.
Looking at the time, Chase saw that it was time to meet up.
Patting the concentrating Rip on the shoulder, Chase said, "We're done here. Let's get going."
Rip nodded and followed.
Not long after the area was emptied, a familiar figure entered the scene.
His long golden hair glimmered like gold dust under the bright light of the crystal chandeliers. Long robes fluttered in the air as he made his way to the shelf on which the doll that entranced Rip sat.
It was as exquisitely beautiful and motionless as before. With its soulless and emotionless eyes, it glanced at the shining yet sly-looking newcomer.
"There you are!" The figure exclaimed in delight as he gently took the doll off the shelf. "I was wondering where I had misplaced you."
Carrying the exquisite yet gloom-exuding doll, the owner walked off with his doll.
The area again descended into peace.
*****
In painting class.
The painting instructor clapped his hands together.
"Everyone, partner up and paint each other!"
"Hey, Blake! Let's partner up!" Rip bounced cheerfully and excitedly to Blake's side with high steps.
Blake looked silently at Rip.
"Chase threw me away and found another partner. You won't disdain me, will you?" Rip looked at Blake pitifully with his big sky-blue eyes. Using his childish and cute appearance to the fullest.
Chase, hearing Rip's nonsensical words, rolled his eyes. 'I threw you away? More like you threw me away!'
Blake nodded.
"You would?!" Rip was shocked at how straightforward Blake can be.
A pair of emotionless, gloomy eyes stared at him.
Oh, did he not mean that?
Rip activated his brain.
"Oh!! You were answering my first question!?"
Blake nodded.
Rip instantly beamed.
"Great! Let's draw!" Rip happily moved their easels close together to a good distance and angle apart.
Blake apathetically complied with Rip's arrangements and sat down on the stool in front of his easel.
An hour later.
Rip showed Blake the progress of his painting of him.
"Tada!"
Flipped around, a mix of black, blue, white, gray, and purple greeted the other party's eyes.
Flickers of specters, long fading tails of ghosts, and pure darkness dominated the entire background. The portrait of a gloomy black-haired and red-eyed Blake took up the most room in the forefront, appearing sinister like a hungry, vengeful ghost. The Blake within the painting looked more like a monster who comes out at night to scare other monsters than a human being.
Blake, "…"
***
In combat class.
Chase walked up to the isolated Blake who possessed no hint of a presence and who everyone unintentionally ignored.
With a bright and sunny smile, he offered, "Wanna partner up with me this time?" Chase jabbed his thumb in Rip's direction. "He ditched me."
If someone who didn't know about their plan heard this, they would've thought that Rip and Chase's friendship was falling apart with their ceaseless words of one ditching the other.
Blake moved to stare at Rip who indeed partnered up with someone else this time. He, with his short brown hair and always smiling expression, was a familiar face to Blake. Someone who talked a lot nonstop to him but for some reason never recognizes or remembers him the next time they meet.
Blake wordlessly nodded.
"Awesome!" Chase grinned with sincere joy. "Here! I'll help you with the stretches."
Blake expressionlessly nodded. He had no opinions.
After they finished stretching their body loose, they started practicing the familiar self-defense combat technique.
Usually when they practice, one of them would begin as the attacker while the other uses the techniques they learn to defend themselves and sometimes fight back. After a round, the former defense person would change to offense and vice versa.
"You start first," Chase insisted and prepared himself for the other's attack. To be on the safe side, he repeatedly told himself to go lighter on Blake and to not go all-out; he doesn't want to hurt or injure the other party. He wants them to be friends, not enemies.
Blake charged at Chase.
He threw a few punches at Chase's face.
Chase dodged all of them and suddenly took hold of Blake's arm.
Chase's pupils contracted as his body followed its honed instincts to throw the attacker over his shoulder.
Blake's body slammed roughly onto the dirt ground.
Blake, "..."
Chase froze. 'Okay, that did not go as I had hoped. I still need to work on my self-control.'
"Hehe, sorry, street fighting instincts," Chase apologized as he helped Blake up.
Blake expressionlessly patted off the dust on his body and face.
Even though the other party's face remained the same as usual, Chase inexplicably felt the gloominess in the air roll out farther than before.
***
In the cafeteria at lunchtime.
Rip watched Blake walk past them without even sparing them a glance. Still as cold and detached as ever.
Dejected, he turned back around and whimpered to Chase, "You know, we tried really hard, but… he's just not warming up to us! Besides, I haven't heard a single word from him except for this morning. Are we that unlikeable?! He doesn't even want to talk to us."
Chase comforted, "Maybe he's just taciturn."
Rip continued to wail, "It was so easy to befriend others, but I swear, I think I saw his gloominess increase to another level!" As he said this, Rip whipped his head around to look at Blake who found a deserted spot and sat down.
Squinting his eyes, Rip's eyes darted here and there around Blake's surroundings.
He sat back down in his seat, his head lowered in his despondence, facing his meal.
Rip confirmed, "Yep. The dark and gloomy aura around him thickened. I think we made it worse somehow."
On one hand, Rip was worried and anxious, while on the other hand, Chase was calm and confident.
"Don't get anxious yet. I'm sure we'll get through to him eventually. We just gotta keep pushing."
"You're right. We gotta keep attacking until we break open his defense! We can't expect him to be the one to take the initiative after all."
Rip took another look at the lonely, gloomy, and silent corner of the cafeteria which everyone subconsciously disregarded.
Taking a deep breath in and exhaling the turbid breath out along with his worries.
Determination sparkled in Rip's eyes.
"Let's move on to Plan B!"
Status de energia semanal
-- Ranking de
Poder 
-- Pedra de
Poder