He would walk out of his office as the sun rises, really? He was in his office for the entire night fact checking just two papers. He would look to his phone. The clock read seven thirty in the morning. The coffee shop on the corner of campus was open. Pausing as he walked outside, inhaling the fresh air from the trees around, the sting of a cool fall wind made him shiver for a second before he would open up his phone fully to send one of his students a message, to the one who wrote the paper on Project Star. 'Would it be possible for you to come to the coffee shop just off campus? I want to ask you some more questions on your project.' Putting his phone away he would look to the sunrise. The warm gleam from the direct rays of sun would make Astral swell up with joy. Everyday is a good day when you are happy.
During his walk he would stop here and there to admire the different beautiful spots on campus, from the flaring trees losing their leaves to the statues across the campus, coming across his. He would stand there and look at the plaque of it. His stats from the final game still etched there like stone. Looking up the rays of the sun glided off of his head. He would smile as he kept on his way. Feeling a buzz from his phone he would check it, seeing that his student responded. 'Yes Professor I will be there as soon as possible.' He would be beaming with happiness as he entered the coffee shop. The people working there all greeted him with open arms as he bought his standard order. A tea, coffee and a bagel with peanut butter and a sprinkle of sugar. Sitting down next to the window he would set up his laptop and wire it up to be fully secure as he pulls out the paper giving it another quick read through.
He would be enjoying his tea while double checking his research on his laptop. The cafe would have the usual amount of business from all of the morning people. He would be relaxed as he saw his student rushing to get to the cafe. She would be bundled up with a beanie hat and large fluffy coat, wearing tight pants and her unmistakable round glasses. Being a short lady who was of native descent. She would walk into the cafe and go up to Astral and immediately asked. "Am I in trouble, professor? Was the paper too in depth? Was there anything wrong?"
He handed her a coffee. "No, I found it amazing. It was super thorough, I am just asking a couple of questions about it, like how you came across it?"
"Ah," She takes a sigh of relief. Sitting down as her body winds down a little bit. "Well, my roommate did the paper on the Chinese Communist Party, and I was interested in what happened to the man who punched the tanks. And as you read. The trail went cold after Desert Storm."
Astral would flip through the paper to the end part. "Yeah, the ending is abrupt. Was there anything else that you could find after Desert Storm. Because I have no leads through my fact checking." He turned his laptop to her as she took a quick sip of coffee. Showing that there was no extraordinary events since then.
"Yeah you would be correct. I was able to find absolutely nothing on this after Desert Storm. Finding out it is one large cover up is exciting though." She would set down her coffee as Astral twisted his laptop back around.
"Yeah, the government always hides certain things. But as true history professionals dig for all sides of the story over just the one leading narrative." Astral would take a bite from his bagel and swallow it quickly. "My only other question is what drove you to keep researching this subject?"
Her face became puzzled as she took a second to think about it. "Well. I feel this weird connection to it. Like once I saw it. It hooked me in for some reason." She would blush before speaking again. "It made me feel so much like you and your adventures. Exploring something with such detail that no stone goes unturned."
Astral would smile, students idolizing him. It never got old. He seemed to be the person that he always hoped for. "That's amazing to hear. If it makes you feel better. As I fact checked this. I couldn't help but feel a certain nerve of uneasiness." he would twitch for a second. "The biggest thing was it felt like the paper was calling out to me." His uneasiness would grow with him speaking before his student spoke up.
"Professor don't worry. As you always tell us, take a second and breathe." She would reach her hand over and rest it on his as he slowed his breathing.
His panic slowly went down as he would breathe. "Yeah, I just have strong gut feelings that so far in my life." He took a second to pause and take a deliberate breath. "It hasn't been wrong yet." He checked his laptop for any reports and movements. It came up blank. Either he is just being paranoid or there is truly nothing this time.
"Professor. Why does this have you so shaken up?" The student would tap on his hand. He looked out the window and saw nothing and took a light breath, feeling much easier about himself.
"Well, that gut feeling is only getting weirder. Anyways, anything else you want help with or do you want to go about your day?" He would ask as he would lean back in his chair the slightest bit.
She took a sip of her coffee. Pulling out her other assignment. "Could you help me with one question before you go, it's for a math class."
"Yes I will. Then I'm going home for the weekend to sleep. Your project kept me up all night and I wouldn't be surprised if I had a sudden visit from authorities." he smiled as she went pale. She didn't want to get swatted. "That's a joke, they shouldn't find me through normal channels." She took a deep breath.
"Okay, its high level physics. The first question is the speed that object travel and the effect of air resistance in those travels." She would point out all of the variables as Astral took out a notepad to show her the setup to the equation.
"So, for each variable, from wind speed, to air resistance, the speed of your object and gravity, you have to discern it all and put it together correctly." He wrote down the order on his pad. "Putting these together will make your time and distance." he set up a visual example for her to see what he was talking about.
"This is a large distance, one thousand miles is no joke. It takes the standard jet liner over a couple of hours to make that distance." She looked at the numbers again. "Wait, are you telling me that the speed to close this gap in a hour is mach two point five?"
A look of understanding would befall her face. Astral would nod his head in agreeance. "Exactly, with this formula you can add up how much force it will exert on the object and how long it will take. Moving the variables around and you can play with them and figure out how fast you would need to be to get to your destination quicker or see how much more force is required."
"Professor I have a question. How have you became yourself?" She would ask as she fills out her homework.
Astral would look down to his hand. "Well. I've been a person who wants to better themselves no matter the cause. In that quest I have truly never found myself. I try being this happy person on the outside and being forever helpful. But it makes me feel empty even if I feel like others joy is the reward that matters." Digging deep into himself he would look back up at her and smile. "Even then I just want to not fade into another piece of history, I want to leave a mark on the world." He would be shaking taking quick shallow breaths.
"Professor, with all that you have done for history, you will always be remembered." She would speak softly as he stops leaning back on his chair. "Thanks for all of your help professor." She looked up to him. "You have became the man you always wanted to be."
These words would warm Astral's soul as something deep within hin quieted down. "Thank you, I will be on my way. I was happy to help you and thanks for the amazing project that you have submitted." He would stand up and put his laptop away. "Relax for this weekend and the rest of the year in my class. Take care." He would walk away happily, ready to go home after the long night and proactive morning. He was ready to go home and take a nap.
Sadly he wouldn't be able to sleep.