Academy floors were substantial for learning and starting experiences, and for a different reason, it was the first step Mi-Yung wanted to touch today.

  Many kinds of informative texts, archived notes, and a plethora of other stuff kept multiple generations busy.

  Although they weren’t necessary for most of them, their deal never damaged this society, or anyone willing to learn and broaden their horizons.

  It was useful for every youth, though not as popular, since not everyone could afford the time necessary to fully commit to it, when time could mean money and focus somewhere else. For those looking for knowledge and better tomorrows, this was a place to call home.

  William had a rather heavy mind after yesterday's upper floor and Kaufman, so he didn't plan to think about deep academics for at least a couple of days.

  Continuing from where he left off yesterday sounded like a suitable idea, but it hit an unshakable wall called Mi-Yung.

  Ellie would disagree, as she thought any floor was perfect. She handled Celeste like a rare guest going through a neglected forest and showed her anything simple yet interesting.

  She had many ideas about what to start with, or what might stir her needs, or pull interest into wants and desires. After all, the best way to do it was through entertainment and putting attention into tests.

  That one was a peculiar problem, if not more vague than a sense of bond or love that Ellie was confused about, while Celeste... had nothing worth noting.

  It sounded so simple at first, and after trying to crack her surface and hugging shield, Ellie discovered it was much harder than giving a knock of her feelings to William, and much harder than giving him that expert attention on the first day. But she got through him, so this girl shouldn’t break her.

  And even then, perhaps those feelings were unfamiliar for a reason, or barely eligible to do what they ought to hold.

  Ellie was still young and wet behind her years—at least for some people—and getting to know William caused a combination of troubles, and started a much-needed shakeup of her life. And yet another one appeared before her, all thanks to Mi-Yung once more.

  Ellie was grateful and hoped this wasn’t a misunderstanding or a silly situation caused by experiments or experts. It was doubtful Heidi would play with this, and Burton was way too busy and stern for this kind of thing. It could be all luck.

  These floors weren’t that important for William, who saw them the day he met Ellie. For a while, they spent their time between the history and museum floors, and lost a lot of time there because of that. There were a lot of discoveries, while premises and needs came with requirements and greatness.

  Or shitty boredom because who had time to read nowadays, when she could hunt and play with a skull or something.

  It had fewer uses for someone like William, who could read, write, and think for himself, but it wasn’t just about it. For his Walker-like future, one should learn how to think and know people and common basics.

  That was why any floor was usable, even for the likes of him. Alas, the primary purpose was to give regular people and youths a much brighter chance.

  For William, Outside gave him his privilege, ideas, and knowledge. He was slow compared to someone like Ellie, but he wasn't shabby compared to most of the Outside. Hence, this answered it. He was better than Celeste by a massive margin..

  His Emblem did the rest, and camps and people did want to help no matter what. Some did so grudgingly, others with ulterior motives, or even rare honesty.

  As for Celeste, she was here like a fish tossed into a desert. She felt overwhelmed by all those big rooms, tight corridors for her liking, and those things called books seemed like witchcraft.

  “Don't worry too much, Celeste. I was overwhelmed as well. When I was three.” Ellie suggested and pointed out to others to stop before going too far. In truth, she wasn’t. The moment she saw those rows and books, her world opened like a giant portal.

  Mi-Yung planned to use what she could and didn't plan to hinder anyone.

  So, the first thing Ellie suggested was the same thing Mi-Yung did.

  Sitting down and getting to know one another face to face was about it. Simple chairs and a table were enough, while the quiet peace of the library broke neither of them.

  Celeste shifted in her seat as if it were poisonous. Hound kept up with his appearance in her lap, frontal paws resting on the table, and many eyes watched two onlookers as if he were her guarding spirit.

  Ellie was right beside her, while Mi-Yung and William faced them.

  “Can you tell us about yourself?” Mi-Yung suggested to Celeste, speaking calmly and thinking it was working out well. “There is no foe before you. Just friends.”

  Celeste trusted her but didn't feel she should. Dreadus would help with this so much better; Mi-Yung wished to kick his back twice. The next time, things will get spicy. Maybe even this night.

  No answer came, so William introduced himself next.

  “I am William, by the way. We met, but that isn't very important. I am your age and soon to be a Walker like you. It's nice to meet you, Celeste.” William offered no hand, knowing that it would do nothing, so he tried to be calm and collected.

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  He met similar children to her; lost, disconnected from the world and parents, and unknown. He kind of saw his past self and a little bit of others in her, which helped a lot with empathy and his approach.

  All thanks to the reality outside and orphanages, maybe even a mirror helped. Or Dann. Yeah; that guy would seriously help this girl out of principle and do a good job at it.

  Was William also good at it? Not really, but he didn’t fear for his skin or life to just curl up and run away or in a circle.

  Celeste nodded to him and hunched backwards even more. “What... tell? I don't...”

  She thought about the words Dreadus taught her and the introductions of this place. It overwhelmed her like these people, who seemed way too close to her liking.

  Couldn't they just die? Drop dead? Leave? Bad… bad thoughts.

  “Alright, I see there is no going back from here.” Mi-Yung figured. “Celeste here has been lost for a good while, if ever. Frankly, she belonged nowhere and never belonged to anything. I want her to see a different perspective, and Dreadus wants her to be better, while I owe that guy a favor, so this is it. Do you agree, Celeste?”

  “Dreadus... wants what?” Celeste asked.

  “Good things for you.” Ellie suggested. “He helped you, right?”

  More like destroyed-her-home type of help, though Celeste didn't want to mention it, let alone talk about it.

  So she said one thing on her mind and recalled monsters and people in monster skins. “Future?”

  “She doesn't dwell on the past,” William added with an appreciative nod and considered a more proactive method. “I wouldn't force what is bad out of anyone bad. I mean, learning is a process that can go on for years and years. Go slowly.”

  “Says you!” Mi-Yung snapped at him. “Mind you, I want to know your story too, so kindly shut up and think about it while this girl is something else.”

  “Is that so? I have a better voice, but that doesn't mean I want to talk about everything. Like you. Like Celeste. It is understandable to be stubborn since everyone's life was different and will be different.”

  “What the hell did you just say?”

  “As I've said...” William begrudgingly said and didn't finish his sentence.

  Mi-Yung put her hat aside and feared she had asked for way too fucking much. “I will let this slide, William. Celeste, the future is what you stated. Do you want to become a decently wild Walker, or a minor inconvenience?” she asked Celeste, who immediately nodded.

  “Which is it?” Ellie whispered again.

  “Walking!” Celeste cheered, and even Hound howled. Then, Celeste figured she should be better and also got louder, but Ellie snapped her shut. It was a very persuasive action since she shouldn't do any war cries or that sort of thing here.

  Outside? Sure. Maybe she would even join for giggles and familiarity.

  “The boy beside me is in the similar shoes as you, Celeste. Compare. See. Learn. Make friends if that’s what you think is good. If it is not, a lonely path is gruesome and long.”

  “S-shoes?” Celeste pulled her head down after hearing what Mi-Yung said and watched her shoes and his.

  They were nothing alike.

  “Not literally, Celeste,” Ellie whispered to her ear, and she felt no shame and idea what that meant.

  “Simply put,” Mi-Yung continued, “Dreadus thought you needed something else than his pampering. He decided propelling you forward is like me pushing and trailing your path alongside a lot of minor inconveniences. Do you want it or not?”

  “I think this has much better words, Mi-Yung.” Ellie openly suggested that her way of doing this was wrong.

  Mi-Yung didn't refute her. “You already helped William, so I think putting her between us is not bad. I didn’t think of you at first, so let's calls us even.”

  “Which means?”

  “Do you want to help her or William?” Mi-Yung pulled two interesting questions, and Ellie wanted both without shame or greed.

  Surprisingly, William didn't mind where this conversation was leading. “I have stuff to learn. I don't mind another recruit right beside me. Maybe I can teach her a thing or two as well, or she can give me new ideas, too. My perspective isn't as bad as you think.”

  As someone relatively close to Celeste, albeit with a rather broader life in North America, this wasn't a bad idea.

  Without Celeste mentioning anything, everyone decided on their targets and subjects, which left the main subject... where?

  Celeste had no clue what was going on. Her future was no longer in her own hands or persistence. Dreadus mentioned it had to come this way, and that she was no longer alone. He also said she should adapt and learn in this jungle full of other hunters. Those last words alone made a lot of sense to her, so she did exactly that.

  She tried, but living like the pieces suggested couldn't do much good for anyone like her. William saw it better than anyone at this table. He caught bits and pieces and noticed Celeste’s struggles and probed her mind.

  It was erratic and a weird feeling. To know the poor soul, and that someone was out there like her, it felt sad yet good at the same time. He realized his thoughts came with a bad idea, and that he wasn't alone.

  Approaching Celeste and doing it with cautious optimism, or realizing needs, might help everyone. Nobody asked for him. Nobody thought the help could get in the way or come as suddenly as lightning or a simple meeting.

  To give this girl peace, maybe she wasn’t willing or asking for it. Also, giving ideas out was up to those who passed those times, and who is here to say one should be peaceful?

  He wasn't peaceful and won't be.

  Mi-Yung was overthinking this far too much and decided to have these youths do this naturally.

  “Alright. Last question, Celeste. Do you want to learn?” Mi-Yung asked Celeste after both William and Ellie clarified jackshit.

  She shrugged.

  “NO more! I will take care of it.” Ellie declared and made no room for negotiation.

  Mi-Yung chuckled, got up from her seat, forgot her hat, and was over this discussion.

  “Fine. Get it done if you think you can take it. And I think we have tasks to do, so too bad, right?”

  “I wanted to come along, but this is the best choice. So, I am… sorry. I want to take care of her.” Ellie said without a speck of politeness, glancing at calm William, who didn’t think much of it. Though pain still left her voice quivering, and he caught nothing.

  “Good. Can we work for great starts? Everyone has things to do.” William said and got up and walked away. “Come back to us when Celeste is ready. I will gladly accompany anyone and help them out if I can.”

  Ellie was still bitter about him leaving. At least her time with Celeste will prove something new, or give her much more drastic measures.

  It won’t be easy, considering that multi-eyed beast changed sizes depending on… what? And why the hell had everyone ignored it since the beginning?!

  As he left, Mi-Yung followed and stopped before giving both young girls one last wink.

  “Don't push things too far, and you, Celeste, if this is bad for you, I don't think clinching onto complicated people is too much to ask for, but it needs attention and hunting sight. You want a Walker's life. There is more to it than killing, surviving, and seeing the world. Learning to walk is a first step, and these floors are like walls to climb on. At the top, there are very nice walls. Try your best. You will like it, I am sure.”

  Celeste hugged Hound and pushed it closer to herself. “I won't lose...” she mumbled and gave Mi-Yung one more reason to leave without thinking.

  This left two girls alone, and Ellie had plenty of things to do for her after she realized Mi-Yung wanted William for herself, and she let her have him.