The Major sat alone under the Sun, on a bench of the garden facing Universalis. Once again, a group of people were hard at work in maintaining the trees adorning the alley stretching from the entrance gates to the main building. The flora of the Minnow Gardens didn’t need constant attention, the majority held its own, more surviving than thriving. The warmth and flow of water provided by Volantis gave the greenery enough to spare them from being calcified like those in the outskirts but couldn’t make up for what the Sun had once given them. The people working on the trees in front of him were more concerned in finding a way to make them bloom, one climbed high on a ladder taking measurements of its highest branches, likely comparing them to yesterdays.
The Major didn’t understand the subtlety in handling their branches, or caring for the soil that sat beneath them. He didn’t feel the drive to learn, but watching them working tirelessly, day after day, made him want to see them succeed. One of them would shoot him a glance, from time to time, swiftly looking away. He would not disturb them, the Major was only frustrated from having revisited classes he’d already taken. He waited there at zenith for the rest of the day’s schedule to start but he knew it would end up being more of the same. While the Capitán and the rest of the Cors were hard at work uprooting a sleeping calamity, there the Major sat, waiting for flowers to bloom in Last Kunlun.
He had often seen the Capitán sigh, exhaling air from either her nose or mouth to wordlessly express a sense of annoyance. He attempted it, but having neither mouth nor nose, all he could manage was a short whistle coming out of the collar of his frame. The Major truly wanted to find something useful for their investigation. He had found it odd at the time but the Capitán’s idea made sense, if there were records of anything that could mirror what they found in the underbelly, it would predate the Exodus. However, he was stuck learning the same events, the same names that had surrounded the rebirth of Last Kunlun. It was important, he understood why it needed to be taught to as many people as possible, but he needed to go further back into the past. The Capitán said it herself, something this strange, this vile had to come from somewhere, there had to be a precedent. But all he could do now was wait, and the Major whistled from his neck.
“You like the trees?”
The Major had been so lost in thought he hadn’t registered that Sihvan had approached him. He looked as he always did, clean shaven and well groomed, a tablet under his arm. While the Major sat, their eyes met at the same level.
“I like seeing them taken care of.”
“Awfully altruistic of you. I realize we haven’t talked much outside of class.”
The Major hadn’t talked much to anyone outside of the Cors. Including Sihvan, that made for five people he ever had a true conversation with. One more and he could claim he had one for every finger on his hand. He didn’t want to vent his issues with the classes he had under Sihvan’s tutelage, the Major didn’t place the blame on him, more frustrated at those who showed for one class only to never be seen again. He’d silently wished they would cross his path outside of Universalis so he could discern the fear on their faces, though he doubted this would give him any kind of satisfaction. Introspection. Actualization.
“Actually,” Sihvan continued, not leaving him time to respond, “That’s kind of why I’m here. I really feel bad, you have a near perfect attendance for my classes and I can’t help but imagine you’re feeling stuck in a loop these past few days. Weeks.”
The Major had gotten stuck on Sihvan mentioning “near perfect attendance”. He still had duties as right hand of the Cors that had made him skip some classes over time but he would have liked to claim true perfect attendance out of his professor. His volatile train of thought didn’t let him interject as Sihvan kept talking, in the rapid yet eloquent voice he was used to hearing him teach with.
“That’s why I want to offer you… special treatment, if you will. Extracurricular classes. I live in the Mythos Museum, do you know the one? Between Byzance and Helix, at the bottom of the hill.
“I know the one.”
“Then would that be alright with you? We can keep going from the date you want, or I can give you a tour of the place, or both!”
The Major felt strange about the offer. It was a first for him, he had taken attendance at Universalis through the usual channels, the Capitán being insistent on not interfering with this new part of his life. His first thought had been to her, should he be consulting her about going into uncharted territory without her knowledge? She left him this morning saying she would visit Freeway, he assumed she would attend the Pillar’s meet later that day as well. Her schedule was made, she had sent him on his way so he could make his own.
“It would be my pleasure.”
“Oh,” Sihvan stammered, “I expected to have to work more on being convincing.”
“You are right, I would rather not keep going in circles. I am looking forward to go back on tracks.”
“Love the eagerness, love it. I still need to go back for the next class but feel free to skip it, I won’t dock your attendance, you won’t miss out on anything.”
“Will that be alright?”
“It’s not like we’re kicking people out for that little anymore. See you in three hours at the museum?”
“I will be there.”
Sihvan shot two thumbs up in his direction as he ran off towards the building, saluting the ones working with trees along his way. The Major’s attention went back to them, the fields of grass were well cut, even if they wouldn’t grow much if untended. Going in and out of Universalis he’d seen the same people, over and over again, try out some chemicals or powders to try and liven up the soil. He’d heard from passing voices that their goal was to grow flowers all over the front of the school. The only flowers the Major had seen was in painting, some had littered the decorated floor of the calderan depot. Even if their colors couldn’t be reflected under the Sun, their varied patterns still grabbed his attention. Once more, he earnestly wished for their success, even if he couldn’t conceptualize what it would bring him.
The Major rose from the bench and headed back to the path. His sudden movement rattled the group working beneath the trees, making the one perched high on a ladder lose their balance and tumble backwards in a gasp. The Major dashed instinctively, crossing a significant distance in a single leap, his frame gasping in turn. Halting his momentum without trouble, the Major caught them by the collar of their jacket before they hit the ground. The save was met with unceremonious silence, the Major hadn’t thought of something to say, all their eyes were fixated on him. The air around him had gotten warmer from the friction he had exerced against his clothes and the ground beneath his feet. That patch of grass directly under him would have trouble growing back. He slowly laid the human down to the ground before wordlessly stepping out of their way, back on the gravel path towards the gates leading out of Universalis.