Unrecognized Personality

"You sure you know me?" the teenager asked casually.

"He sure acts too casual"

Jim turned back with a startle and this time was visible annoyed. He was sick and tired of hearing voices from nowhere. And the person who had said that was no other than his stranger friend, Akira, who as always, had appeared out of nowhere.

"Could you stop doing that" he chided Akira.

"Who me?"

"Not you, him"

"Who?"

Jim was a bit confused and so was his new friend. He was talking to Akira, and at the same time, his new friend was confusing his words as being addressed to him.

"Just continue with what you were saying" Jim said to the new teen, trying to calm the situation.

"Like I was saying, how could I possibly look familiar? I mean, I'm putting on dark shades." he said, pointing to his eyes.

"Oh!" Jim exclaimed. "I just thought I saw something familiar." he explained.

'He seems pretty familiar. I don't know, it could be the eyes..or nose..or the hair.' Jim thought.

The other teenager seemed to be thinking about something and suddenly raised up his hands like he had discovered something.

"Oh I know, I look familiar from my eyes" he said pointing to his shades trying to make a joke. But it was totally not funny.

"But the way.." the casual teen said, "I'm Peter Musgrave" he introduced, extending his hand for a hand shake, when he noticed his joke did not go through.

"Jim Alfred" Jim said reciprocating the handshake.

"Am I the only one, or does the name sound fake?" Akira asked.

Jim thought for a split second and commended Akira's question. "Thank you"

"For what?"

Jim did not understand. Wasn't peter hearing his conversation with Akira..or was he deaf?

'No it couldn't be. He hears me quite alright.' Jim thought. 'Or ...did he not see Akira as a personality to be recognized.'

'Oops' Jim wailed. 'Too bad for Akira, he's just some person that nobody even notices.'

Speaking of a personality no one noticed, Jim's mind was immediately drawn to an incident that occured on his way here.

_____

'Time for a good sleep' Jim stretched as he made to lay his head on the head rest attached to the comfy leather seat he sat on, behind him.

The upper section of the bus was filled already, and the ultra large bus was ready to move, waiting for some few more people to get on board before the journey began.

Jim raised his head up and decided he wasn't going to sleep. He began to yawn, struggling to keep his mouth half closed. That was before he remembered that he was supposed to place his hand over his mouth.

'HORN'

The lower section of the bus was full already and the loud horn indicated the bus was about to move. Gently, the motion began and continued to progress, slowly and slowly away from the track it had followed to pick up boarders. The craft picked up speed when it had reached a single lane, where at both sides of the lane were fortresses. Finally, the bus had exited the lane and was headed straight for the edge of the island through another single lane road. The bus crossed over the edge and began to move on a bridge like structure constructed close to the surface of the sea.

"That's the Academy for you" a fellow directly behind Jim praised.

Jim smiled and laid his head on the head rest behind him. He had seen enough and it was time to get his well deserved rest.

"That's the Academy for you" another voice mocked from Jim's side.

Jim couldn't help but notice what this other fellow had said.

'He was lucky he didn't say it out loud. A fight would have broken out immediately' Jim reasoned.

Turning to the man who said that, he inquired. " Why did you say that?"

The man turned to look back at him and, proceeded to answer his question without any delay.

"The guy at the back is talking, praising the Academy like the Academy is some sort of God, some kind of saviour. Anyone who does that is a fool."

'That stung' Jim thought.

"Why do you say that?" Jim asked the second time.

"Think of it this way. The Academy is like a double edged sword. One end blunt, and the other sharp, very sharp. The blunt end can help scratch your skin, make you feel good. But if you toy with the sharp end, you'll be sorry. It's also the same if you even get involved with it. Even a little. That's just how it is."

"So.."

"So, you have got to be careful how you handle yourself in the Academy and the Academy at large."

"Is that so, how come you want to get yourself involved in the Academy? There is no way you'll stay there and not get involved. Don't you think so?"

Jim's assumed butler who was by his side questioned.

Jim didn't know if the question was for him, and he didn't think so. But the guy by his side seemed not to hear..or acted like he didn't hear what the strange man said. In whichever case, Jim decided to to repeat the question since it was quite interesting.

"Why don't you then avoid the trouble of being at risk of the sharp end of the double edged blade" Jim asked using the guy's same illustration.

"You mean the Academy?" the arguing stranger asked.

"Hmm"

"I know the world does not have a chance and you know what I mean. The Academy is a refuge. And before you ask me what I mean by a refuge, I'm not dumb to think that humanity would be saved without the Academy."

"I don't understand a word of what this guy is sprouting" the butler revealed.

"Spouting" Jim corrected.

And though Jim was inclined to agree with the butler, he also understood part of what the arguing fellow was saying. Though most of his logic was incorrect or more accurately, contradictory. That was how much he was willing to defend him.

"Don't take the Academy as a refuge" another fellow at the opposite end of the row said.

'Yeah. Another individual who is just as interested as everyone about the Academy. Why do you seek safety in the Academy when you despise it,. or her" Jim thought.

"What do you mean?" the butler asked.

The fellow who just added to the discussion began to explain what he meant by that.

"I take the Academy as a 'better alternative to the obvious one we have already." he paused to gauge his audience's reaction and then continued.

"You know, there's this thing called the.. something tech. It's something the Academy makes. They say it can give you superpowers..."

"Who's the 'they'" the butler interrupted.

However, the shocking thing was that the individual kept talking without a care in the world about what the butler just said.

"I hear that it empowers a person to be almost like a god."

Jim couldn't help but feel that this guy was over exaggerating. 'Power of the gods'

"But guess what.." the man continued. "The thing has never being used to help people like us. It has never even be used to help anybody. It has only be used for war. War! War! WAR!"

"Hey keep it down" a female who was clearly disturbed by his outburst shouted.

"Sorry" he apologized. The fellow continued what he was saying. "Can you imagine that such technology...If you know what this can do, you'll be angry that's it's only used for war."

"How did you know about this?" another fellow who became interested in the discussion put in.

"Yeah.. How did you know?"

"I watch news and most importantly, I was a War correspondent. And as a war correspondent, I had access to video feeds, documentaries and live Action that most of you will never have access to" he said making war noises with his mouth, with a bit of demonstration.

"If that's true, show me the scars on your butt." the assumed butler joked. Once again, no one seemed to be interested in his joke.

The war correspondent continued what he was saying. "As a war correspondent, I've seen in action what these stuff.. I mean the tech thingy, can do. Believe me, in all my years as a war correspondent, I've never seen those things used for anything but destruction." he revealed.

"The Academy is no refuge. Just be happy that you'll be equipped with something that make you more better than the Academy entire of humanity."

Hearing this just made the sick feeling in Jim's stomach become worse. But apart from the feeling, he felt unfazed by the entire story.

'Different opinions, different perspective. All the product of fears.' Jim reminded himself.

"I agree" the butler stated, leaving Jim wondering how the butler could hear his thoughts from his expression.

Jim thinking this, unconsciously touched his face, as if he would be able to feel an expression.

Regardless, while the discussion continued back and forth resulting in an argument, Jim laid his head back on the head rest. He had had enough of the discussion and needed his well deserved rest.

___

"Want to go for a tour" Peter's words rang, interrupting Jim's reminiscing.

Jim raised his eyebrows up not knowing exactly, the type of response he was giving.

"No worries, I'll be your guide. We'll probably pick up some girls on the way and make some friends" Peter said smiling evily.

"Sure" Jim replied back. "If we're gonna pick up girls, who am I to say no" he joked, following Peter's 'lead'.

"I don't think he's joking" Akira said.

The trio began to walk, but Jim couldn't help but ask.

"Hey Akira" he whispered. " Where do you come from, and why does everyone not seem to notice you. Well..some people."

"As for where I come from, I don't think that is relevant in time of war." Akira said which Jim agreed to with a nod.

"And as for those who don't notice me, I don't really know. But I've learnt how to be unnoticeable even in the midst of people. I presume that's why" he explained.

"I would like to learn that." Jim replied. And as for why Akira decided to be unnoticeable, he decided not to know.

"Hope you are catching all these" Peter shouted to the hearing of Jim. pointing at the activities going on that Jim wasn't paying attention to.

'I guess he's a bad guide then' Jim blamed his disinterest on his tour guide.

"Cause you've not seen anything" Peter completed his sentence.