"There." Matt sagged against the back of his chair, a paper mache rocket dangling from his limp hand. "That's the last one."
Braxton set a hand on his friend's shoulder. "You alright? I told you not to over do it. You shouldn't have done the last rocket."
Matt gave him a small, tired smile. "I'm fine. Magic just drains a lot from me, you know? I'll be alright. The rocket will be easier to carry around than the pillow."
Braxton huffed, but didn't argue any more.
"We should break into teams," Jim took charge immediately. "Groups of two. One to hold the indicator, and one to keep tabs on the group chat so we can communicate with each other about where we're getting good reads on him."
"I'll stay here with Matt," Braxton stated instantly. "We'll keep the pillow and act as home base. I'll handle the tablet work. Matt, you are going to stretch yourself out on Jim's bed and take a nap."
Matt laughed. "Braxton, I'm fine."
"And I wasn't kidding."
"I have 628," Aladdin volunteered. "I'll handle the communications. Grab a rocket, little man. We'll start in the dormitories and move towards the observation tower."
"Hogarth and I can take magical creatures and the outside fields," Varian piped up. "If Maximus catches us, I think I can talk him out of turning us in right away."
"Then that leaves me and-" Jim's stomach dropped. "Oh great."
Mellow started rubbing his pincers together anxiously as he spotted Jim's stormy expression. He attempted a thin, nervous smile. "I guess that leaves us to do the classrooms?"
"I guess so," Jim answered curtly.
Varian handed Jim a set of his arachnastraps. "Here. Just in case you need to traverse by ceiling. Be careful. You two are going to have the most dangerous portion."
Jim started tying the bands in place around his knees and toes. "I don't care. I'll get expelled if it means Sy's safe. Let's go, we're wasting time."
Jim opened his door with a firm swat. The smooth metal slid apart. Morph was the first one to zip out, eagerly looking back and forth like a scout. "All clear, all clear!"
Jim stepped out behind him. The rest of the boys, save Matt and Braxton, piled into the hall behind him. Aladdin and 628 immediately peeled off from the group, starting their way down the hall. 628 had their rocket cradled in one of his four hands.
Varian tucked the paper he carried into his bag along with Hogarth's tablet. The two of them took off towards the sky bridge at a run. Time was of the essence, they wouldn't need to look at their supplies until they had reached their section.
Like Hogarth and Varian, Jim and Mellow had a good distance of school to cross before they could begin their hunt. Unlike their friends, however, it wouldn't be wise to go charging into their section of the school. Practically all of the adults in charge would be hanging out around that way. At least, the ones that would care to catch cadets skipping class would be in that direction.
Which meant they also had the highest chance of running into Gray.
"We should go slow, but steady." Jim instructed. It helped to keep his mind off of what was beside him if he focused on the task at hand. He just needed to find Sy. That was the only thing that mattered.
Mellow nodded. "Do you want me to carry the rocket and scout ahead? I can traverse by the ceiling, so it might be a little safer for me to lead."
Jim hated to admit he had a point.
"Fine," Jim reluctantly held the rocket out towards the manticore beside him. The day he never needed to work with one of Scroop's species again couldn't come soon enough.
Mellow scurried up the wall and across the ceiling. He centered himself in the middle of the hallway, his long legs oddly silent on the metal. Occasionally there was a soft tapping noise that Jim could detect, though largely any noise Mellow made was drowned out by the sound of Jim's own boots as he followed several paces behind.
Mellow scuttled sideways as he approached their first cross section. He poked his head around the corner, scanning for anyone who might be out and about in the halls.
Morph flew forward to float next to his head. "All clear, all clear!" The small shifter chirped happily.
"Morph!" Jim hissed through his teeth. "Get back here!"
Morph cooed and tucked the floating globs of being that made up his tail under his body. He zipped back to Jim's side and settled onto his shoulder.
"Thank you." Jim tried his hardest to sound exasperated with Morph, but it was hard to actually be annoyed with him. He was just too cute to be irritating. And Jim was too worried about Sy and frustrated about being stuck with Mellow to expand any further emotion towards the situation with his pet.
"Hall's clear." Mellow confirmed Morph's earlier assessment. He scuttled around the corner, heading towards the skybridge that separated the dorms from the classrooms. Jim was only a few moments behind.
Each time Mellow approached a door, he swung himself off the ceiling to pull half of it open. Jim was annoyed at how he was polite enough to wait and make sure Jim was close enough to pass through after him before the doors closed automatically. His kind were cruel and callus. Why did he have to act so considerate?
Jim followed him into the skybridge. It always felt so peaceful in here. On sunny days the glass sides amplified the sun enough that even in winter it didn't need to be heated. On rainy days the water running down the windows was soothing. Even with the wind howling over, under, and around the passageway, it always felt warm and cozy inside.
Sometimes, when it was particularly stormy, Jim would bring his schoolwork and sit in the hall to do his lessons. People meandered about less frequently when the weather was bad, so he was rarely in the way. He enjoyed the opportunity to watch the storm and the security of knowing he was safe inside, rather than caught out in the nasty weather.
The only downside was it made him miss his mom's cooking. Stormy days back home, what few of them there were, always meant his mom made soup. Nothing tasted as good as his mom's soup.
Except her cookies. And the pickled purps. And those donuts. And the po boys. And-
Okay, all of her cooking.
He followed Mellow into the other building. Maybe he'd ask Sy to come home with him this summer. His mom would love Sy, he just knew it. The two of them would have so much they could talk about. And he did want his mom to approve of the person he was dating. He had no doubts that she would, but he still wanted to introduce them.
"Jim?" Mellow's voice cut through Jim's thoughts.
"What?" Jim looked up at the other cadet.
Mellow held out the rocket. "The color's getting darker blue. I think we're getting further away from Sy. We should turn back."
AN: Just a heads up, my friends, I'll be on vacay next week, and I'm not sure what the situation with the wifi will be like. All odds are it'll be fine and I'll be able to post as usual, but I suppose we'll find out!
Hope to see you soon. Drop me a line any time! 3
