Chapter 8: Last minute changes

It had been days since the aptitude fiasco and the matter still didn't die down. One is that various families are taking turns in complaining in the caretaker's office. And second, some weird person changed the class' arrangements.

As far as Leila knew, ever since she was attending the daycare she is always assigned to the same cluster group. Non-changing, if she described it plainly. Even their teacher was the same.

But why did she and Khelly suddenly have to transfer to another class? Furthermore it's a specialized one. Isn't such arrangements a little too late for a change? They are only a few weeks left before the vacations and they are obviously not going back to the center as they will be elementary students by then.

She was once again with that arrogant child Harvey and two of his entourage. In short most of the children who were with her at the test are now her new classmates. And to be precise, they were the fifteen students who passed the twenty fifth minutes of the exam. Those who weren't able to even reach the twentieth minute were not included to those who needed to change classes.

The class dynamics of this newly formed class was not very harmonious as their initial classes. Especially those last five children that collapsed in the exam. Khelly was one of them and she refused to tell what happened that they are in such bad terms. Leila could only try to keep herself away from their looming tensions.

Leila could only sigh in her mind "kids these days". She really doesn't understand them no matter what perspective she uses to try.

It's not just that they have some drastic changes. They actually have a new teacher, someone they have never seen in the daycare. Her presence was especially just assigned to their class and no other.

She was a welcoming sort, but not a simple person. She played with them and taught them some subjects for their next educational level, which her new group is fond of. She is a crowd favorite after the first two days she arrived.

Despite all that Leila is unnerved with how her eyes looked at them, like that man's eyes during the exam. Examining and observing them like a particular specimen that needs to be recorded, reminding her greatly with the oddly dressed Aljur. As that thought came to her, Ms. Holley's presence made much more sense. The former goddess had some speculations that their new class arrangements may be related to that madman at their aptitude test.

"Leila!" Khelly said as she took a seat besides the girl. It is snack time and children were left to their own devices. She had just finished her biscuits and juice and was bored. "Did you understand what Miss Holley told us about? I just can't put my head around it."

Leila nodded and took off a piece of her sandwich. She then gave it to Khelly, a habit when she had some food she always gave some to others.

At this point her doing it was nothing but instinctive. After all she has been doing this for as long as she can remember. She especially did it alot for young deities of Reilas in the beginning of their existence.

When everyone was still feeble(in a god's perspective) and life was a little inconvenient. Everything was still unstable and uncertain. Leila was not amused with how things are.

To ensure that the entities that come after her develop their own domains and power, she went and created the tree of life. It was her first lore and marked her as the first ever goddess of creation of Reilas. Though that fact was lost in time, she is indeed the first celestial to make a creature in the world of Reilas.

The tree was a giant tree with golden leaves and the reddest fruit. The tree produces the fruit of gods, no name was given to it as its creator simply referred to it as the Golden Tree. Containing the purest energy and power that helps the still developing divines. It was also sentient, clever and sly picky to whom its fruits will fall on. Whoever eats it is granted with power unimaginable to a mortal. It grew in the darkest and farthest corner of the universe, nurtured with the energy of the primordial abyss and chaos.

Leila harvest these fruits everyday for herself and shares them to the young goddesses. She supplied them these fruits as the tree allowed no one but her to approach it. The fruits are not the only foods that deities consume, but it is the favorite of gods. As it possesses the energy of the void and chaos they once belonged.

To provide for them, she formed this habit of giving others her fruits whenever she had some, as they mostly don't have access to them. Only now that she's a human did she manifest it by sharing whatever she can give to others.

"What do you think is the next subject she will teach later? I hope it's not numbers again! They confuse me every time." Khelly said as she exclaimed her sandwich is yummy and can she have another.

Without another word Leila gave the other some of her food and said. "She'll talk about history today."

Khelly asks how she can be sure and remarks that Miss Holley gives her lessons at random. Leila refutes that it's not random, rather it follows the normal schedule of an elementary class. Which was told by Harold about a few days after the exam came about, when he was thinking which school should they send Leila. Leila took advantage of that topic and asked what is the difference with a daycare to a school when it's just the same as a place where children were sent to during the days.

Her father had a good laugh on that question and said that she's right on that sentence in more ways than one. He explained that the difference lies on the fact that they will be drilled with knowledge that may or may not be useful in their future.

In Elementary, they will be taught about subjects and topics and how it will shape them into what kind of adult they will become. Unlike in the daycare where they are taught how to read, write, simple arithmetic which are more on exploring nature; elementary schools are the place where they will know competition and ranks. An institution that teaches obedience and compliance.

Though Leila contradicts that even in daycare there are ranks and competitions, how different could it be. The father could only amuse himself that in kindergarten what you call ranks and infighting to no.1 is only childish and not of great concern. In elementary in worse cases, high pressure can lead to death of a student. In lighter cases it will make a bright student to be withdrawn and less brilliant.

He then told her of his own experience in elementary. It's fun in his opinion and from the vague memory of his time in the centre compared to days in elementary, it is certainly more restrictive. They are told to study more and playtime and nap time was even removed from the schedule. Instead the study hall was mixed in and physical education was introduced.

Harold was carried away with his stories of his past, that he talked about many things he encountered in elementary and how worse it will become as she will reach high school. Let's just say her father didn't have the happiest school days. But from that talk Leila learned a lot about how schools work.

"Miss Holley had already tackled arithmetic, language and science. Physical education was still not tackled, but with the current equipment and environment she might only tell us a little of it so I eliminated it from the possible subject. Magic is possible but we only know so much that it's dangerous if she teaches us that. So that left History for today. Besides, I saw her notebook this morning so I'm certain of my guess." Leila calmly gave her analysis as she gathered the wrappers of her sandwiches. She then took the box of milk and drink on it, thoroughly ignoring the dumbfounded Khelly.

"You do always know everything, Leila." Khelly said as she followed the lead of the girl and cleaned her own area. " Like back then in the test."

"I don't know everything Khelly." Leila said as he threw her trash in the designated area. Giving warning the girl to watch her mouth and blind worship. "Never think of me as smart or wise, arrogant and foolish people get drunk over such praises. Not knowing that people are sometimes dumb. They always complicate things when things should have been simple and of due course."

Khelly had a questioning look on her as she tilted her head to the side. Leila just sighs and tells the other not to think about it and returns to her seat. The next class is almost starting.

"Okay. Though you must promise me that you'll help me later if I don't understand." Khelly said as she returned to her seat. Which is by the way just side by side of Harvey the child whom the blond is afraid of in the earlier days.

Now although still not very harmonious in relations, they exchange some words that made them a little closer. Khelly said some words to the boy and they hit it off. Even if the two won't recognize the bond they shared, Leila knew that the two treasured each other especially.

With every word they exchanged, they got to know each other in ways no one had ever tried to explore into. Khelly had someone who won't isolate her because of how annoying she is. While Harvey has someone who is not afraid to voice out her dissatisfaction about himself. His current friends always walk on eggshells even if they have already been friends for so long.

How great will it be if their bond remains like that as the years pass by. Leila liked to preserve these simple joys that the two unlikely friends have found from the other. If the two explicitly voice it out and dearly wish for it, the former goddess has a way to make that come true. But the drawback was that their fate will be intertwined thoroughly. If they part on bad terms, they might become fated rivals who will always see that their presence will never be forgotten by the other until the time ends. Both seeking a self-destructing end for each other.

Leila watches all that and sees that there are no problems and she rests her mind off them. She just assumes that kids will always be kids. Her brethren were also like them only more destructive in ways human children will never be when they were younger. Fights and misunderstanding of the past will be forgotten over food or sleep. It's an envious skill of children that will slowly disappear in time.

So with nothing to do, Leila communicates with the mana around her mind. She directed a small play as she waited for their teacher. It's fun with no one to see its beauty. She even instructed the Mana to do some tricks in front of the children, unfortunately they can't perceive what is in front of them. The most felt was some minor changes in the air and nothing more.

After a few minutes, only when she was in the most interesting part of her play did their teacher appear.