"Bye-bye, Bella! See you tomorrow!" Stella said as she stepped inside her family's small private airship.
Their airship has four propellers, its engine is next to its gondola, and the spindle is her family's insignia. The balloon is painted a bright, light red as the setting sun's light bounces off it.
While Bella's airship only has three propellers, two engines below the rudders, and the gondola is a bit wide to accommodate more passengers and payload. I don't discriminate against another family's airship, but I think Bella's airship is better.
But what do I know about airships? I'm a butter worm.
Wait, why am I still a butter worm? I've been a worm for half a day! Am I going to revert to being a butter knife?
"See you tomorrow, Stella!" Bella stood at the ramp and waved goodbye to her friend. She could still see Stella on the window side until their ship gained enough height to fly away.
"Lady Bella, we shall depart now," the pilot said.
Bella peeked inside the gondola. She had me in his hand tight, "Where's father? Howlan?"
"I'm afraid they are not here with us as they have requested transport to downtown earlier to handle some private matter," the pilot assisted Bella with her items and implied that they would carry me.
"I can take care of my Bebe," she said solemnly as she stepped inside and jumped onto a couch.
"As you wish," the pilot bowed and went to the cockpit.
She placed me on a table near a glass window. Bella lay face-first and rested her chin on the couch's arm, her body completely flat.
I crawled towards her, hoping I could get a better vantage point of the window on top of her head. I was so near her that I could feel the weight of the air her nose was blowing.
"You smell like butter, Bebe. Well, I guess that makes sense," she sniffed and closed her eyes.
Bella, let me crawl on top of your head. I want to see the world!
If there is any consolation, at least I could see the sights from the window. Now, I will have a proper view of this city and maybe gain a better understanding of what his world looks like,
When the engine grumbled and the propellers started spinning, I could feel that we were now lifted in the air, slowly but surely.
This rudimentary machine is so scary! I can feel the bolts and metal vibrating violently as we continue upwards! This is my second time riding it, and I don't think I will get used to this.
A momentary turbulence rumbled the airship, but Bella didn't react. She continued to look upset.
I guess her father not being here for her first day of school really bothered her.
As the airship turned to join a traffic of other airships in the sky, it made an almost panoramic view of the whole Grand Armory.
No way, I thought as my nonexistent buttery eyes swelled in awe.
The earth where the Grand Armory stood is a huge chunk of a floating island. The main building, with the dome at its center, is surrounded by other towers and annexes. The courtyard where most of Bella's classes were held today was merely one of the academy's open spaces. There was an entire forest located just behind the building.
This has got to be magic. Should I be surprised? Beastblades exist, and I'm a damn butter worm.
The airship continued to fly through different skyscrapers and monuments, just a few meters away, almost scratching them. I was sightseeing like a tourist, and I enjoyed every inch of it. It was a fantastic city to live in.
But as we descended and blew past clouds, a striking view of the poorer sections of the city suddenly surfaced. It somehow spoiled the amazement, but in a good way, as I realized that it is not all golden. It shattered my naive gaze. Even though this is a fantasy world, it still has its sad realities.
The slum sprawled for a while, and the rest of the area was rough, until we reached a more decent neighborhood. A community with large plots of land and even larger buildings. It was busier. The roads are filled with four-wheeled land vehicles emitting steam from their engines. At the same time, the wide pedestrian sidewalks are packed with people minding their own business, walking towards wherever their destinations are.
I recall it was the same street where Bella lives, and I was not mistaken. Their mansion is a complex, storied building with a landing pad on its roof. On a quick bird's-eye glimpse, it occupies ten blocks, most of which were overgrown land.
The main building of their estate appeared to be a renovated stone castle with spires and towers on each corner. The architectural design was different on each floor. It was inconsistent, but the building rises to at least fifteen more floors.
She lives here?! Why do they need so much land? Who even has this much land in the first place? It's absurd!
Before I could even comment further, I paused because the airship made a loud thud as it landed. Servants were awaiting Bella's return, lined up and ready to greet their young mistress. The sun is setting, and the light starts to glow a golden hue.
Well, that was a ride of a lifetime. Can't wait to do it again tomorrow, right, Bella?
I turn to Bella, looking down on slowly drifting eyes. She is about to pass out.
Uh oh, I guess someone's sleepy. Someone has to carry you inside now. Come to think of it, I'm kinda tired too.
"Bebe, let's sleep," she said softly as she gently closed her eyes.
I guess someone has to come in here and get us inside—
Before I finish my thought, I heard a loud poof sound, and smoke enveloped us. The pilot quickly ran to check in on us, and there, he fanned the nutty-smelling dust. The pilot smirked, relieved to find his mistress well. At this point, I realized I can't move anymore.
I am back to being a damn butter knife.