Twenty-seventh

Tamitha sprinted her way to their Headmaster's car waiting in the building's entrance, driven by Castor. Feeling defeated, she sat in the back seat where Pearl's located, while the headmaster sat in the passenger seat. The moment they both settled, Castor promptly revved the engine and left the building.

The moment Tamitha catches her breath, she shifted her body towards Pearl who looks lethargic and lost a lot of weight. They looked at each other as they hurriedly gave each other a tight hug. "Thank goodness you're safe," Tamitha whispered as she sobbed for her and Pearl's reunion.

"Thank you for saving me." Pearl cried, too. Pearl shared with them what happened to her, and it broke Tamitha's heart. She regretted not seeing the difference, even the littlest things. She felt she could have done better, but didn't. How did she not notice it sooner? She reflected. As Pearl tells what happened, Tamitha tried consoling her to comfort her best friend from recalling a traumatizing experience. Turns out they captured Pearl during Pollux's boxing tournament. It was the same day as the Flicker's attack too.

"Oh, my gosh! I think the Flicker was a distraction to make the switch. I should have not underestimated Asteria." Tamitha screamed when the realization hit her.

"That's what Pollux thought too." The Headmaster Damon butted in.

"What do you mean? Does that mean he already had something about Pearl and Asteria's switch? And how did you know we're there?" Tamitha flared up, and Pearl was quick to calm her down. While Castor was driving frantically trying to understand what's happening to them these few months.

"No, I mean, the moment you told Pollux about what you felt towards the fake Pearl, he told me that the switch apparently happened when the Flicker appeared. But he does not know what's Asteria's purpose for doing that." Damon explained as he looks in the direction Castor's heading.

"Castor, are you alright?" Damon asked, looking concerned with how tight Castor's holding the steering wheel. "I–I don't understand what's happening. I- why is this happening?!" Castor whispered, trying to hold his feelings. He doesn't want to scare the girls at the back. But as soon as someone holds his tensed shoulder, he gradually calmed down. It was Tamitha's way of asking him if he's fine.

"I understand your frustration, Castor, but I don't think it's my story to tell, so I suggest you go talk to your brother as soon as he gets back. For now, your brother instructed me to drive you all to your ranch house." Castor took a long sigh before nodding as a sign, agreeing to Damon's statement. Castor took a turn and drive effortlessly on the way to their Ranch House.

Tamitha aided her best friend and from time to time asks if she's hungry or thirsty. Fortunately, Damon got everything prepared in his car: he has drinks and snacks, which Pearl gladly feasted on the moment she sat in the car with Castor.

Moments later, Pearl was fast asleep on Tamitha's shoulder. Tamitha grabbed the blanket at her side and cover it with her best friend.

For a second there, the car felt peaceful. But Tamitha can't hold herself anymore, so she talked. "Mr. Damon, why are you here? What's your relationship with Pollux?"

The headmaster took a glance at her for a second, thus back in front as if he's securing something. Tamitha's forehead creased because of his odd movement, but she waits quietly. Then Damon turned his direction to Tamitha. "I'm a friend of his. He shares most of the things with me and he asked for my help. It looks like he knows what's going to happen today."

"A-are you a God too?" Tamitha asked once more. Damon chuckled as he shakes his head.

"Sadly, no. Let's say… I'm a spiritual guide for all of you. Let's leave that in there."

Tamitha doesn't seem to be satisfied with his answer, but she decided to let go of the topic and shifted it to all the things Asteria told them earlier. "Do you have any idea why did Asteria take Pearl and why is she saying something crazy, like we will cause something? And that we will cause abomination?"

"What?!" Both Castor and Tamitha got shocked by the sudden reaction of Damon. Tamitha got scared how Damon's eye widens, she could swear she saw a hint of fear in his eyes too. "I-I'm sorry for the over-the-top reaction." Damon apologized as he let out an awkward laugh.

"You already know she's a goddess, right?" Damon started, Tamitha simply nodded as an answer. "She's the goddess of astrology. I mean, that's what everybody knows but often they'll forget that she's also the goddess of oracles and pro–Oh no! NO! NO!" Panic set in on Tamitha when she completely realized what Asteria's telling her. She can't help but move from her position, moving Pearl, who's sleeping tightly on her shoulder, but Tamitha accidentally interrupted it because she fidgetted.

"Tamitha, calm down," Damon called, but Tamitha's all too occupied with her thoughts. Castor was once again confused about what's happening. "Can somebody tell me, what's freaking happening?!" He half-shouted, trying not to lose focus on his driving.

"Alright! Every one of you calm down!" This time it was Damon's turn to shout, evidently not handling the commotion well. "Tamitha! Listen to me!" At last, he got Tamitha's attention.

"Alright, listen, for everyone's peace of mind, Asteria might be the goddess of prophetic dreams, but as far as I know not everything Asteria's prophecy comes true; I mean, at least there's something you can do to change those prophecies and I think Pollux is already on it."

Tamitha's breathing eventually even out, she's close to having another panic attack, but apparently, you can't blame her, Pearl and her are being accused of being the person to destroy the world without them even knowing how the hell they could do that. The disturbed Pearl was not in the mood to think about what they were talking about so she heads back to sleep.

'How did this even happened?' She wondered as she looks in the windows. It was dark outside since it's already late. If this was a normal road trip for them, she would playfully let her head out on the windows raising her two hands in the air and enjoy the cold breeze, but today's no ordinary day, it was one stressful and uncalled for adventure and discovery. She's glad that her best friend's fine but other than that she was tired and confused to understand. She still got a lot of unanswered questions, but she doesn't think she'll even be excited to learn all the answers to it so she rested, at least for now because she knows the moment she sees Pollux it would reveal a more riveting story.