A new "day" had dawned on them.
...Did I miss something?
He gently raised his leg, inspecting the vine hugging his feet before setting his foot back in place. He looked forth noting that each student had their own slender partner with them. She continued,
"... so that's why I've decided to mix things up a bit, we're going to have our neat little crash course inside one of these bad boys right behind me,"
Elliptic and thrumming with energy, the emerald shaded gate poured forth a beautiful green upon the patch of yellowed grass that lay before it. She called the attention back to her as she proceeded on,
"you're to be issued with a book, once you get in, try to get a feel for what you may find in there. The better you try, the better for you and also to tackle the issue with the Potions professor, I have made a small change that is possible to be graded while still doing the task I've given you, but, if you would still like to know more about potions, her lab is open to all plus we really need more product, the more, the merrier, ...any questions?"
"..."
"Alright then... yes?"
"... C... Can we move in groups, Mrs. Karina?"
The bespectacled boy was able to blurt out the words under the pressure of all those stares. She looked on to the crowd locking in on key faces before answering,
"Do you have anyone in mind?"
"Yes," he answered meekly.
"... then hurry and pair up with them, we're losing time."
The field silent, traced his steps as he walked over and stood beside the recently trending duo. He sheepishly waved at them, Seiza recognizing him with a nod and Aluri with a joyful whisper,
"Hello there! "
The crowd snickered at the interaction. Mrs. Karina, stretching out her beautifully crafted arm in grace sent her leafy companions to work. From within the brown box propped up on a large leaf besides her, sprouted a tree, of sorts. In mere seconds, the branches covered over the field, engulfing all of the students present under its expansive foliage. Looking up, the students reached for the "fruits" firmly held up by a network of tiny branchlets spanning across the fruit's upper half. A little tug and they let free. Once each got his own share, as quick as the tree sprouted so did it retreat back into its beige confines, leaving behind a sweet scent hanging in the atmosphere surrounding them.
"Harmony in Nature,"
She concluded the enigmatic phrase with a clap signaling the genesis of the main event. Park felt a familiar pain ascend his arm.
"Good thing I came prepared...,"
He paused for a moment as he flipped onto the first page. Silently scanning through the neat pages, he closed it up and headed for the portal. Her glossy, black eyes watched him as he walked to, into and onwards to the venue within.
"..."
"... this quest book is cherished property of one, Mrs. Karina and Madam Velena, once done with, please return it to the respective owner/owner(s). Thank you and Good Luck, Harmony in Nature."
"... and there is an Endtree's flower with...,"
"... I think that looks like wind?"
"Yes, thank you Sarou."
Aluri beamed, signing approval to him.
"It looks like...,"
"... we've been split from the rest, oh yes! the obvious!"
Durhma's crowd laughed at the person's expense who locked eyes with another, geared to pounce on him.
"... not now, Ax, now we need to think about doing something more important, plus getting our work done because books are stupid...,"
"Kekeke,"
"... we need to look for a particular group of people to explain something to us, might as well be able to do our work for us,"
"Kekeke... Nerds... Kekeke...," their brains overlapped with only chaos, twisted their faces with disturbing bliss.
"... hah, it seems we're down by quite a number,"
...
Sometime later.
"If you've any questions..."
Some hands immediately went up.
"Please eat them and shit later."
The class burst into a roar of laughter.
"I LIKE HER!"
The eager hands quickly collapsed under shame.
She continued.
"Go to the garden."
"List what you have seen and submit them to me."
"At least five of them."
Park heard footsteps approach the door.
"I hope she whipped up something nice. These kids drained me."
The door slid open.
"Oh, you're here."
"Ask your friend what I've told them to do."
She was almost out of the classroom.
"Don't you think you forgot someone?"
"..."
The bulb lit.
"Baxter."
The red-haired kid was caught trying to escape through the window.
"Jump ketchup head."
She intensely stared at him.
"I. Dare. You."
They had a standoff for a short while before he gave up.
"Fine you got me."
He proceeded to jump out of the window.
"..."
"Good boy."
She was smiling.
"..."
"AAAAHHH!!!"
Everyone's attention was drawn to the window.
Something fast and dark popped in through the window.
"AAA..."
"...HHHuh?"
"Whoaaaa!!"
The class looked at the creature in awe.
"She just summoned it without a care."
"But I thought it was one of the most violent ones to exist."
The creature's stalk stretched from the window spanning the entire classroom and right to where Karina stood.
It opened its maw and dropped "Ketchup head" right at her feet.
"Good job."
Karina gently stroked the dark plant creature.
It made a cooing sound.
It disappeared into green specks of light.
"What the fuck was..."
"Put a sock in it."
Karina cut him off.
"Now I need your pockets to be much deeper."
He tried to get on his feet but slid.
There was green mucus all over his body.
"Easy there I don't want my piggybank hurt."
Karina stared at Park wide-eyed.
"What are you waiting for?"
"A whistle?"
Park hesitantly offered his hand.
Baxter eyed it for a while then grabbed it.
Park felt it.
Heat rose in between their tightly knit hands.
There was a slight sizzle.
Karina noticed it.
"Might be the slime."
Baxter tried to play it off.
No one bought it.
He helped him to his feet.
"Okaayyyyy..."
"Good job sir."
"Now off we go piggy."
Baxter looked at her.
"Yeah, Piggybank was long."
Baxter wasn't even two steps in. He slid and fell again.
Park almost slipped away.
"Hey Hey Hey Hey."
"We're not done yet."
"Off we go with my VIP."
"Either that or I call Puddles..."
"Call Puddles."
Park advanced towards the door.
The creature burst through and blocked his path.
"...on you."
The creature's breath fogged up his lenses.
"Kids don't respect their elders these days."
"..."
"Anyway, Choose your poison."
Park waged between morning breath and piggy.
"..."
He sighed.
With a grunt, he helped Baxter on his feet.
"Good choice."
The creature vanished.
"Let's go."
They walked to the dorms.
Sometime later they arrived.
"Aaaannnnd now I wait."
They were now in front of the main entrance.
"Hop to it then."
She tapped her wrist.
Park let go of Baxter.
But the gesture wasn't reciprocated.
"Go take your love in there."
"And hurry up while you're at it."
Park tried to tug away but he was pulled in, nonetheless.
The metal doors shut.
"..."
"Weirdos."
Park was shoved aside once they were in.
"Uh? You're welcome?"
Heat enveloped Baxter's body. He was trying to burn off the foreign fluids all over him.
He had a shockingly fine control to the feral fire that was now surrounding him.
The blue flames licked away the gunk off of him.
Bit by bit the sickeningly sticky green mucus sizzled away into nothingness. He was in deep focus.
So much that he didn't notice Park.
{Unknown substance has been absorbed by Ink]
"Now that that's done..."
"ATCHOOO!!!"
"Kekeke got an allergy?"
Baxter saw a blur quickly approaching him.
"What the..."
The doors flew open.
Baxter and Park sprawled outside.
"Looks like you're done cleaning up."
Park got to his feet.
He tried to offer his hand but was slapped away.
"Sorry..."
He innocently continued.
"...guess I'm allergic."
"Get up."
Karina cut in.
"We don't want to be late."
Baxter got to his feet.
"Even the better that you're done this early. We will have everything ready before she arrives."
Baxter looked confused.
"Yes, the potions professor's in on this too."
"Velena?"
"It's Madam Velena young man."
"Don't ever call her that again."
"No one wants a weird looking piggy."
"..."
"Enough talking now. We need to start going."
She threw her arm over his shoulder.
"We're gonna have a blast."
She pushed him forward.
"Now walk."
She turned to look at Park.
He was staring at them.
"I want a report ready before the end of today."
Baxter wanted to speak.
With a wave of her hand, she cut him off.
"Just give up."
"Nothing about you screams books."
"..."
"Well, she wasn't wrong about that."
"But how about this?"
"The deeper your pockets are the better your grade will be."
"Is all about those pockets."
"Simple right?"
Baxter wanted to speak up.
"Riiiigghhhttt."
She patted him gently on his back.
"You got this."
"I believe in you."
With that, Baxter and Karina were gone.
"AND NO SMOKING ON CAMPUSSSS!!!!"
"Smoking?"
{Regeneration is in effect]
"Aaah Smookingg."
There was steam all over.
He was all alone now.
"..."
"Off to the garden we go."
...
"Death Star, Lonely Tears, Doom Fall, Moon View..."
Park was quick with them as he noted the exotic plants down. He did it with the utmost accuracy.
Suddenly he sensed danger behind him.
Park quickly dodged away.
He rose up and stared at his assailant.
"...and Karina's best friend..."
With the last stroke of his pen, he closed his book.
"...Mad Man's Joy."
"..."
"Done and done."
"And the glasses stayed on."
"Heh. Bonus points..."
He felt a warm breath on his neck.
"Hello."