Chapter 1: Who else should I bring along?

Principal’s Office

Staff Area

Third Floor…

I was suddenly called in by gramps through Louise who creepily appeared out of nowhere in my room while I was changing my clothes to go shopping for the things I need for the trip.

The experience left me quite traumatized.

Why can’t gramps just call me on my cell instead of using Louise to bring me here?

Louise place a fancy looking tea set on gramps desk and pour some rainbow grass tea into two teacups on top of a small circular plate.

After she poured some tea, handed us each of our teacups and left the room while bringing the tea pot and tray that she use to hold the tea set with her.

Gramps starts sipping his tea and I did as well.

Slurp* Slurp*

After a couple of sips, gramps gently place his teacup on top of a small round plate.

“So sonny, I heard that you’re going on a journey with your friends.”

He said to me calmly.

The fact that gramps knew what I’m up to didn’t shock me at all since news spreads really fast around here.

“Yeah...”

I answered him casually.

“Bonding with friends by going on a trip together is a good thing. It helps build trust and companionship.”

“Okay…”

Why is he preaching all of a sudden?

“But I’m afraid I can’t let you go unsupervised.”

“And why is that?”

I took another sip.

“Because there a lot of things you don’t know about the universe and going on a trip with that limited knowledge will get yourselves in a lot of trouble.”

Gramps gently pick up his tea cup from his desk and took a sip.

He does have a point.

Not long ago, I was stuck in Libra space city living a boring life so I dunno what’s out there so I guess we need someone to supervise us but there’s a problem regarding that.

“I guess your right but who’s going to supervise us when all the teachers and staff are going to the Intergalactic School Sports Festival Summit?”

The teachers, staff and the members of the student council are required to participate in the School Sports Festival Summit which will happen two days from now and will last till the end of sembreak.

Not to mention our departure will be tomorrow so there won’t be anyone legit to supervise us.

Gramps takes another sip of his tea before answering my question.

Slurp*

“Your teachers Isaac Einstein and Leane Hawkeye can supervise you.”

I couldn’t help but to ask why.

“Hold on! I thought attending the summit is mandatory!?”

Gramps takes another sip before explaining to me.

“Leane Hawkeye could not attend the summit for a personal reason which I found valid while Isaac Einstein has an important science project to accomplish which will benefit the school’s interest.”

So much for mandatory…

“Okay… So Ms. Leane can supervise us but what about professor Einstein? Doesn’t he have a science project to do?”

Gramps suddenly presses a button on his desk and a holoscreen pops out on front of me that displays a blue print of some kind of ship with a list of items on the left side.

“Why are you showing me that?”

I asked.

“This is the ship that you will be traveling on.”

Gramps answers me calmly.

“Oh I see… Hey Wait! Where the heck did you get that!?”

“From your father of course. He was the one who told me about your trip.”

“I see…”

So it’s true that dad and gramps stays in touch.

“Now then, shall we continue?”

Gramps asked.

“Yeah…”

I responded.

Gramps lightly taps on one of the items on the list with his left index finger which spelled “R&D”.

I think I know where this is going.

After that, the holoscreen changes its display into the interior of the ship and one of the rooms of the ship is highlighted red.

Then, the image of the ship’s interior minimizes and moves towards the upper right side and a blue print of a room that looks like a science lab appears at the center of the holoscreen.

Gramps starts explaining.

“This is the R&D lab. It has the latest facilities and up to date technology that would accommodate the needs of Isaac to complete his project. So supervising you and your friends won’t hinder his progress.”

I knew this was coming.

Well the “R&D” label did give it away and not to mention Silvertech’s technologies are always up to date.

I guess there is no point arguing.

“Alright… I get it.”

I said while raising my hands in defeat.

Zit*

Suddenly, Louise enters the room with a tray of delicious looking pastries which caught our attention.

We watch her walk towards gramps desk and start neatly placing the plates of pastries on the table.

“Why not take Louise with you?”

Gramps suddenly suggested.

Louise didn’t flinch and continues to place the plates of pastries on the table while I reacted.

“Uh… What?”

“She can really be useful and having her with you makes me comfortable.”

“Don’t you need her to run errands?”

“Well Huck and Maybel can do my errands in place of Louise and your grandmother Raven will be attending the summit as well since she is the principal and owner of the Black Raven Academy.

“So?”

“Your grandmother doesn’t like Louise.”

“Why not just hide Louise somewhere where granny can’t find her?”

“Your grandmother will definitely be able to find her and she will definitely try to destroy her in the most horrifying way.”

“Then don’t tell her that you brought Louise.”

“I’m afraid your grandmother has a skill to detect lies and force the truth out of someone just like your mother.”

“By any chance, are you talking about the “death stare”?”

Every time my mother finds us suspicious, she would silently stare at our eyes with a murderous aura which psychologically tortures us and make us spill the beans.

Just mentioning the “death stare” sends shivers down my spine.

“Yes sonny. I’m talking about the “death stare”.”

Gramps expression darkens has he mentioned the “death stare”.

I guess even the great former General Gunn of the SMF who was feared in the battlefield couldn’t withstand the death stare.

Both of us became silent.

I’m guessing we’re both reminiscing about the horrifying experience we had with the death stare.

Louise who was done placing the pastries and utensils on the desk, turn towards gramps.

“What are your orders master?”

She asked with a straight face like she wasn’t listening to what we were talking about.

“Oh… Yes! Of course!”

Gramps clear his throat before continuing.

“Ehem! Louise! ”

“Yes Master.”

“As of now, I order you to serve my grandson and attend to his needs till he gets back here from his journey with his friends.”

“As you wish master.”

Louise said while bowing professionally.

I haven’t agree yet to bring Louise along and I still have something to say which is “Why not just leave here in the academy if you can’t bring her” but I guess my opinion doesn’t matter since gramps didn’t ask for it so I just kept my mouth shut.

It’s not that I don’t like Louise, is just that I don’t have any reason to bring her with me and honestly, the stunt that she pulled earlier still creeps me out.

“Now we have that all settled, let’s dig in shall we?”

Gramps pick up a plate of brownie with a pink icing and a green bush like decoration on top.

He picks up the fork with the Silver Wing Academy crest on the bottom end that is on top of a napkin with the embroidered Silver Wing Academy logo on it.

“Yeah let’s.”

I said and pick up a plate of blue cherry tart and a fork that is similar to what Gramps is using.

We both said our thanks and start eating.

While we were indulging ourselves with the pastries and tea, Gramps starts telling me his war stories.