Aries took his seat after entering class and greeting the other three who were there. As Roanna had yet to arrive, Aries had nothing to do for the time being, so he crossed his arms and laid on the desk, closing his eyes.
Darkness filled his vision, his eyelids allowing no light to reach his eyes. Aries delved deeper into that darkness, swimming through it like an ocean of black. Eventually, a small light appeared in the distance. Aries swam towards the light, its form growing larger as he did. It could also be seen as him shrinking as he approached the light. Either way, it didn't matter, as Aries simply continued to approach the light.
After what seemed like an eternity, Aries reached the light, which was now like a miniature sun blazing proudly before him.
'Is it fire related? Maybe the sun? Something to do with light and stars.'
It was something he couldn't put his finger on, no matter how much he thought about it.
'No matter, I'll figure it out eventually. For now, I'll look for clues.'
He reached his hand out toward the shining light. His hand plunged into its form, a warm sensation coating his hand.
'It's not hot?'
Aries had expected the "miniature sun", as he saw it— to be much hotter than it actually had been. He had prepared himself for terrifying heat when he plunged his hand into it, but was met with a comfortable warmth, like that of a campfire.
'Does this mean it's not fire related? Or is it that the fire is not to destroy but to support? Maybe—'
Before he could finish another thought, Aries felt a pull on his hand, then, he was pulled into the light. He tried resisting, but his strength was too feeble to resist. It was as if the world itself had been fighting against him.
He became a wisp of energy as he passed through the light. While he didn't feel any pain, the feeling of his body6:00-6:30 AM moving in such an alien way was enough to make up for that.
He eventually reached the center of the light, where his body reformed.
"Guurgh"
Aries felt like his organs wanted to leave him through his mouth. Moving like that was an unimaginably unpleasant feeling, and he hoped that he would not have to go through that ever again.
As he was lying down, Aries put his palms to the ground and pushed himself up, the grass beneath his hand pushing between his fingers, rubbing against them.
'Grass?'
Aries stood up and brushed off his hands, then looked around. The land was an unending field of golden ground and grass. In that grass were flowers with amethyst stems and petals of twinkling stars.
The sky was a metallic, silver colour with bright blue clouds floating in its vast expanse. The sun was a ball of molten gold that shone with a blinding radiance.
Aries squinted his eyes as he studied the sky before turning to the ground before him and kneeling down to get a better look at the flowers.
'What is this place? This isn't something I'm familiar with. Have I been teleported? No, this is still my "within", so where am I?'
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Aries was interrupted by the sound of knocking that reverberated throughout the expanse of the unknown realm he was in.
'Am I being woken up? But I'm not sure if I'm able to leave here…'
Even so, Aries still tried, as that was better than assuming and doing nothing. He closed his eyes and focused, clearing his mind and leaving it calm. A string of light appeared in his vision; his eyes were still closed, but he could see it nonetheless.
He tugged on the string, causing it to disappear and leave his vision in darkness once more. When he opened his eyes, light flooded his vision, and the classroom appeared before him once more.
'I actually left.'
He was quite surprised, and relieved. He thought he would be stuck there for a while. He turned to Roanna, who had woken him.
"Alice!"
"Here!"
"Amoy!"
"Here!"
Aries's attention was caught by the teacher—Mrs. Handley— taking attendance.
'What?'
Aries frowned.
'Why did she wake me up so late today?'
"Aries!"
It was his turn.
"Here!"
He answered brightly, keeping up the facade of a cheerful child.
'Whatever, it doesn't matter.'
As long as he didn't wake up before now, it'd be fine.
"Antony!"
"Here!"
.
.
.
.
"Batson!"
The room stayed quiet. No one answered.
"Batson!?"
Still nothing.
"Last time! Batson!"
She looked up from the attendance book and at the children.
"Is Batson not here?"
The children and the teacher looked around the classroom, only to find no trace of him.
"Strange… Is he sick? I'll have to contact his parents."
She muttered to herself.
Aries had also looked around the room, not finding anything of interest.
'Maybe he really is sick.'
He remembered Batson acting strangely the day before, so that could be the reason why.
'Well, whatever it is, we'll know soon.'
He looked forward as Mrs. Handley finished attendance and began class.
"Today—"
***
Munch. Munch. Munch.
Aries watched Emmet, who quietly ate his food instead of watching them constantly.
'Looks like he's starting to warm up to us.'
While he was still wary, Emmet had begun to accept the two as, if not friends, then at least acquaintances.
"Did you hear?"
Roanna turned to Aries and asked.
"Hear what?"
"A Bunch of rats have found their way into Lios and have been multiplying a lot."
"Really?"
"Um."
Roanna nodded
Aries thought back to the time he was training and saw the rats scurrying around near his house. He also saw a more on a few more occasions after that.
"Yeah, come to think of it, I have seen more rats than normal."
"I-i a-also see more t-than usually."
I was Emmet who had spoken. Both Aries and Roanna turned to him in surprise, causing him to shrink back.
'He's shivering like a leaf, but he still contributed to the conversation.'
A smile crept its way onto Aries's face. At the same time, he held Roanna's hand to prevent her from making a scene, as she looked as if she was about to jump and cheer. It worked like a charm. Roanna immediately sat back in her seat and stayed quiet. For some reason, though, she froze like a statue and became beet red as well.
'Is she sick? I'll ask her later.'
He turned towards Emmet with a smiling face and replied to him naturally.
"You too?"
Emmet stayed quiet for a moment before speaking.
"Y-yeah… I even h-heard a store had t-to close bec-cause they found a rats nest t-there."
"For real!?"
Snapping out of her daze, Roanna shouted in surprise.
"Um." Emmet nodded.
'It's a lot worse than I thought then.'
Since there were next to no rats in Lios besides the backallys, Aries had thought that they were overreacting, but if stores are shutting down, then that means the rumors are true.
"I'm sure it'll be taken care of soon."
"Um." Emmet nodded
"I hope so, because I HATE rats!"
They laughed and talked throughout lunch, and once it was finished, they went back to class. Eventually, the day ended.