As Jimmy walked down the cobbled path near the town plaza with Luna gently nestled in his taming codex, he noticed a familiar group by the side of the road—the same ruffians who used to bully him relentlessly. But this time, things were different. They were being held by two officers, hands restrained, heads low. One was bruised, another clearly sobbing. The tides had turned.
Jimmy didn't say a word.
He simply stopped, turned toward them, and gave a wide, genuine smile—a smile that carried no hatred, no revenge, only quiet triumph.
One of the officers, curious about the silent boy, stepped forward. "You again, kid? You came to play around this neighbourhood?"
Jimmy shook his head and signed boldly with his hands, smiling:
"Nope. I'm awakened."
The officer blinked. "Huh?"
But as Jimmy reached into his bag and pulled out his Whisp Master ID, Brain Domain Certificate, and Talent Registration, the officer's eyes widened.
"By the gates… You actually did it."
Others standing around, including one of the young officers and a few passing townspeople, glanced at the documents in stunned disbelief.
"Where's your Whisp?" another officer asked, stepping closer.
Just before Jimmy could answer, Sister Lisa arrived like a gust of wind, her steps firm. She placed a gentle hand on Jimmy's shoulder and spoke to the crowd.
"He has no time for delays. He has schools to apply to."
Without waiting for more questions, she turned him around and they walked away—Jimmy taking one last glance at the ruffians.
For once, he was ahead of them. And they knew it.
Back at the Orphanage
Once home, Jimmy immediately sat at his desk and began uploading his credentials to the admission portals of the two schools that had accepted his application:
Nymera Institute of Elemental Studies
Veyrith Academy of Tamer Arts
..............
It was already evening, and time was short.
He then turned to Luna, who had just been let out of her Whisp Codex. He filled a large plastic tub with water and handed her a toy ball.
"Use Water Gun to keep the ball afloat," he signed.
"Catch all spilled water in the bucket."
Luna barked a chirpy "Oon!" in understanding and began splashing, spinning, and chasing the ball with enthusiasm. It was messy. It was chaotic. But she was learning—and laughing.
Just then, the door creaked open.
Sister Lisa entered with a neatly sealed white box. She handed Jimmy a new phone with a SIM card already inside. "You'll need this," she said. "All official notices and school communications go digital now."
Jimmy's eyes lit up. He eagerly unboxed it, switched it on, and the screen flared to life. His first action?
Open the camera.
He called over Luna, took a few adorable shots of her posing, one with her ball balanced on her nose. Then, he turned the lens toward them both and took a selfie with Sister Lisa smiling quietly in the background. That picture became his new wallpaper.
Then he checked the deadlines.
Tomorrow. 5:30 P.M. For both school.
His heart skipped a beat.
Without delay, he began packing his small travel bag: extra clothes, documents, his new phone, his old necklace, and Luna's tag ID.
"I'll wake you at 5:00" Sister Lisa said as she stood by the door.
"And remember—our first stop is Nymera. Then Veyrith. I hope at least one lets you in. Nymera's tough and challenging."
Jimmy nodded quietly, but his heart was already racing.
The Journey Begins
The next morning, as the 5:30 bell rang across the orphanage, Jimmy was already dressed and ready. Luna was curled up in her Codex, resting. Sister Lisa rubbed her eyes as she prepared quickly.
Ten minutes later, they boarded the early morning bus.
Jimmy sat next to Lisa, clutching his bag tightly. Luna was nestled silently inside the Codex. The early sun peered through the windows, and soon all three drifted into sleep, swaying gently with the road's rhythm.
They were awakened by the bus driver's voice.
"Last stop—Nymera Institute sector."
They got down quickly and hailed a yellow taxi to the prestigious school.
Nymera Institute of Elemental Studies
The gates of Nymera rose like stone mountains, regal and intimidating. The iron-wrought emblem shimmered with elemental glyphs, dancing between fire and water motifs. This place looked like it belonged to prodigies.
Jimmy approached the front gate where a stern-faced guard in uniform scanned approaching applicants.
Jimmy showed his Application ID and stood silently.
The guard checked the ID on his device, raised an eyebrow, and made a quick call to the admissions office.
"Yes," said the guard. "We have a kid here—name, Jimmy. Final review?"
A brief silence passed.
Then, the answer from the other side came, muffled but harshly clear.
"Tell him he just failed the final review. We got someone better."
The words hit Jimmy like a slap. His breath caught in his throat. His hand froze mid-sign.
The guard hung up and gave a practiced, almost mechanical smile. "Please try again next year, kid. It happens."
Sister Lisa clenched her fists. Her lips tightened. "What final review? He passed all your criteria—how did you change the results overnight?"
Without waiting, she stormed forward toward the school gates.
"Excuse me, ma'am!" the guard said, stepping in front. "You're not allowed beyond this point without clearance!"
"I have a right to know who decided this!" Lisa raised her voice. "You rejected a mute orphan who just awakened! He has no rich family, no house backing him, and yet still came all the way—"
"Ma'am! Please—"
Jimmy gently tugged her sleeve.
He signed slowly: "It's okay. Let's try Veyrith."
Lisa stared at him, her jaw tense. Her heart was breaking for the boy who never once complained. Then, slowly, she nodded.
"Let's go."
As they turned away from the school that had no place for him, Jimmy didn't cry.
He didn't show anger.
He just held the Codex close to his chest—and whispered in his mind:
"We'll show them, Luna. One day, they'll regret this."