18 - 18 -

Ensuring that I didn't get in anyone else's way, I quickly made my way back to my seat. Boingo was awaiting me, flipping through his own papers that he picked up. Looking at it, I noted that he picked a differing location than the one I had settled on; Luna the Moon.

As I was peering at him and the specific question that the sheet asked about the planet's culture, Boingo had noticed my starting and he quickly turned around. "Hey, I've been waiting for this!" He flipped his small booklet to the first page. "And I think it'd be fun to jump around on the moon when the gravity's so low."

I nodded. Of course. I felt my sense of regret grow inside of me for picking Crystalline Cave. While it did, however, I quickly started to shake it off. Surely there was a spell that would reduce gravity? The truly dazzling nature of the numerous crystals would surely be irreplaceable. "Yeah. I would like to try that someday."

The small yellow creature peered over at my sheets. "What'd you pick?" In a swift motion, he leapt from his chair and started reading the top of my booklet. "Crystalline Cave?" The corners of his mouth descended into a frown. "So you're going to see all the shinies..."

I realized that another seed of confliction was growing from inside Boingo. He solemnly hopped back onto his seat, but when he remembered where he was going Boingo shook his head and seemed to erase his doubts about picking his location.

Once everyone had got their sheets, the teacher haphazardly organized the spare copies that had been left behind. "So," he explains the project further, "while you are on your excursions, your group will be paired with a tour guide." Without leaving too much of a pause, he stuffed them back into a drawer. "I've instructed them to plainly explain the answers to your questions as you encounter them, giving extra time to answer miscellaneous questions. Everyone got that?"

The entire class made various signs of approval that included the nodding of heads, a simple "yes" or one of many variants, a small grunt or something else. The teacher scanned us before appending one final question. "Any questions?" As expected, everyone either sighed disapprovingly or simply stayed silent. The teacher kept talking soon after. "It will last a total of three days, or a total of two nights. We will leave in the morning one week from now when you would usually arrive at the school. Everyone is dismissed."

With that, we all hurried to pack up and move towards the door. Of course, Boingo managed to gather his belongings and pounce away faster than I could; as a result, I could push through the small frame without much trouble. A few seconds after, the actual bell rang to signal that the time that was allocated to each class was completely used up. From there, the hallway swiftly became crowded.

"You," I felt a bony hand grab my shoulder. Spinning around, I looked at its source, my heart instinctively pumping blood faster.

"I'm sorry." It was my teacher. I felt his gaze soften as he spoke. "But I need to speak with you about the project. Care to spare a minute or two?"

"Yes, yes," I stammered. Through the use of magic, the teacher beckoned me forward, phasing through the horde of students that filled the hall. Some of them reacted with shock, some rationalized the situation in their heads or simply didn't pay enough attention. Within seconds I was back inside the teacher's room.

"Now," my teacher began, placing his hands together. "I've heard about the incident last night, and I know that this must be a shock to be leaving the campus so soon." He tried his best to maintain a friendly tone. "This is why I will offer you the chance to simply read up on the history of the civilization while everyone is out. What say you?"

I had already made up my mind. After all, the memories that I would from looking at those dazzling crystals was surely going to be immortal. "I'm sorry," I refused, "but I need to go. I already want to see the caves so badly, and I..."

The teacher nodded before I could find any more words. "Yes, yes. The Crystalline Cave really is something." He promptly started to retreat further into the classroom. "I'm truly sorry for wasting your time, I just needed to confirm that you wanted to participate after the suffering you endured."

"No, thank you," I also started to make my way towards the door. "I didn't know that you would do that." My elderly teacher nodded as I encountered the slightly less crowded hallway for a second time.

As the week carried on, Boingo's level of excitement only seemed to grow, which was fairly reasonable. The deadline approached and time and time again he started to pester me about what he predicted the civilization would look like. As he did this, I either zoned out or briefly thought about my own location. I wasn't nearly as energetic about the ordeal as Boingo was, but I still looked forward to the assignment. I wondered what Boingo would feel about the essay portion that we would have to endure the day we came back to school.

Finally, the day came and I woke up feeling fairly groggy. After all, I had thought about going to the cave all through the night, keeping myself awake with my intrusive thoughts. As I carried on with my usual routine, the topic was persistent either in the back of my mind or the front, most of the time the latter.

Walking out the school's grand doors to the field, I saw a group of students who I had recognized in my fairly expansive class. I bounded down the steps carrying my largely emptied bag of supplies, which included a spare water bottle, the sheets that I was provided and a spare notebook along with three pencils, a sharpener and a pen for convenience.

I slipped the sack into a more comfortable position as I laid my eyes upon my teacher, who had taken to greeting everyone that showed up with a friendly smile. "Come, come. Oh, it's you!" The teacher's eyes widened slightly as I approached him. "So you decided to come?"

I nodded, carrying, assimilating myself with the group of students. "Yes. it's just too big of an opportunity to just pass up."

"It's certainly something to cherish," my teacher replied, his merry voice creating a small foil between the persona he maintains teaching us. "Well, I hope you have a good trip."

I felt something brush up against my leg, and I instinctively turned my eyes and head to investigate its source. I breathed a sigh of relief.

"It's today! It's here!" Boingo's voice seemed to be higher than ever. I could see his thin tail almost whipping the legs of other students. "I'm going to the moon, Feste!"

"You are," I confirmed. "But you do know that this is mostly for an assignment, right? You're not going there just to sightsee."

The creature's movement slowed gradually and his smile fell slightly. "Yeah, I know that. And I don't like it, either." Shifting his gaze, Boingo only now realized that the teacher was standing next to me. "No offence..."

"None taken. Everyone has negative feelings towards to school, just to varying extents." Our elderly teacher mirrored the expression he directed towards me, but this time towards Boingo. "Regardless, I hope that you have a wonderful trip."

We all fell silent and the teacher shook his head, breaking the conversation. He pulled out a sheet that most likely had the class roster. Peering over it, he began to read out several names in a more serious tone, with students affirming that they were present. One by one, he made his way down the list, eventually finishing with a sigh. "It seems like two students decided to change plans. However, I did tell everyone that we would leave at precisely eight. Alright, come on, everyone!"

With a quick flick of the wrist, our teacher summoned eight rifts that were much like the one Malus had summoned and later the principal Midnight. I shuddered at this thought but quickly stifled much of the flashbacks that swiftly appeared inside my head, deciding to jump into the portal that was labelled after my assigned location before the moment could unearth any more sour memories.