"Alright, boys!" Commander Alberto scowled. "We're going to find that girl and we're gonna have her alive!"
The soldiers shuddered, all of them muttering to themselves. The commander however slammed his gun on the ground, huffing at the group.
"I'm not joking around, you fools! We're going to make her do 200 laps around the entire city if whatever she does is dire! I swear, if she has anything to do with the Prophet, then she'll be sorry! In fact, she'll be the most sorry person here in Meimon city!"
"But commander, she's just a little girl!" one soldier blurted.
"CHILD OR NOT!! Nobody messes with me or my superiors and gets away with it!"
The soldiers shuddered even more, some of them hugging each others' shoulders at the brash voice of Commander Alberto. They were definitely not used to his aggressive yet protective demeanor.
***
Sunny traveled down the vent, her knees aching and her feet deader. She winced slightly at what she was doing.
"Jiminy crickets, I can't believe I embarrass him like this." she shuddered remorsefully. "Sure, it's my fault for not going down that hole, but what was I thinking?"
She continued to travel down the vent like a mouse, watching as the stray rats scurried with her. She let out a tiny squeak, trembling at the sight of those little gray furballs spreading across. Suddenly, an adorable little white mouse stopped in front of her, squeaking curiously. Sunny shuddered even more, sweat drops falling onto the dusty floor and leaving some moist spots. However, the mouse immediately leapt onto one of the spots, rolling around and lavishing in the rare moisture. It looked upwards to Sunny, its smile angelic. Sunny couldn't help but soften at the lovely sight, and she knelt down, rubbing her finger against the mouse's cheek.
"Awww, aren't you the most adorable thing I ever laid eyes on? Yes you are, yes you are!" she baby-talked. "You cutie-patootie, why be scared of those rats when I could fawn over you?"
The mouse squeaked even more, leaning its head forward delightfully. Sunny couldn't help but coo even more. She continued to caress the mouse, but then she stopped.
"Alright, no more playing around. I gotta find some clues." she mused, until she looked down at the mouse. "Say, you can help me out! You seem to know alot about this place, don't you?"
The mouse squeaked curiously, and Sunny frowned, unable to get the answer. Before she could turn around, the mouse suddenly bobbed his head up and down, nodding to her question. Sunny picked up the mouse, her eyes glittering with joy.
"Alright, I'm going to have to give you a name…" she sighed. "And I gotta know what you are.."
The mouse's white face turned red, and it used its paw to scratch the back of its head, squeaking sheepishly. A lightbulb appeared on top of Sunny's head, and she leaned forward, giving the mouse a small kiss on its tiny cheek. The rodent's face turned even red, and his curly tail became straight as a line.
"So you're a boy." Sunny realized. "I'll just call you 'Squeakers' then, since you squeak when you're so bashful."
Squeakers smiled happily, and he rested his head onto her palm, relaxing in its warmth. Sunny nodded, approving of its nature. She continued to crawl down the vents, silently looking down in case there was an exit. Her eyes widened when she heard some clanking. Squeakers' ears perked up, and he immediately scurried into Sunny's sleeve. She turned around, her eyes closed as she was ready to face whoever was there. However, a familiar voice rang her ears.
"What are you doing here?!"
Sunny opened her eyes, and she was stunned to see Cynoce, who was sitting in the vents with her.
"CYNOCE?!" she exclaimed, before immediately covering her mouth with her free hand. "What are you doing here?"
"That's what I just asked you, sister!" Cynoce crossed his arms. "You're crazy if you're entering the Academy like this!"
"I have no choice!" she whispered. "I had a call!"
"From who?"
"From a colombe. I felt as if it were soaring in the air so that hope may be scattered, and that someone might pick up on that hope!"
Cynoce snickered, "You're even more delusional than I thought."
Suddenly, Squeakers appeared from Sunny's sleeve, trembling fearfully. Cynoce's eyes widened, his jaw dropped to the floor, and he let out a girly scream. Sunny quickly covered his mouth, putting a finger on her mouth to shush him.
"Be very very quiet! Anyone will hear you and we'll be thrown out!" she then sighed. "But anyways, what are you doing here? I didn't see you."
Cynoce huffed, "Miss Judith pretty much misses you right now, so I'm searching for you in her place. That was when I saw you breaking in here! I had to avoid those guards and the commander so that I could make it inside!"
Sunny blushed, "Cynoce, I had no choice! I can't just stand by and do nothing! I have to find out where the Prophet is!"
"You're just a kid though!"
"And so are you! Besides, I may not know much about solving crimes—I don't have the license after all—But I need to at least find a clue!"
Squeakers squeaked in agreement, causing Cynoce to back away, cowering at the tiny furball's sight.
"And I have a little wayfinder in hand!"
Cynoce grumbled, crossing his arms and huffing. He just couldn't stand the little mouse, no matter how large his puppy eyes were.
"But I'm a dog! Dogs are loyal and they protect people, not little rodents!"
"Hey, maybe he's actually an angel in disguise." Sunny mused. "You never know what the Creator sends to you."
"Whatever." Cynoce scoffed. "Let's just make sure there aren't any cats."
Sunny's eyes widened, and her smile faded.
"Oh, right…That…But anyways, let's try to do something and be useful, alright? Besides, it's going to be harder because there are two people now."
"So you want me to leave this place and get my bum back to that hag's crib?"
"I'm not saying that, I would love to get some help from you. However, you gotta do as I say—And that means no screaming like a little girl."
"Excuse me?!" Cynoce gasped. "I do not scream like a little girl!"
A gremlin-faced rat passed through the vent, and Cynoce backed away, letting out a huge shriek. Sunny smacked her hand against his mouth again, keeping it close.
"This is my point! You gotta make sure nobody sees or hears us or we'll be done for! I already got somebody after me."
***
The two continued to crawl down the vent, both of them silent. Squeakers suddenly squeaked, immediately racing farther away and making it to a nearby exit.
"Good boy!" Sunny praised.
She carefully looked through the holes, and her eyes widened. The lounge was there, and so were the professors. They were all sitting on the couch, having a meeting. Professor Annette was resting in the arms of Professor Emilia and Professor Maxmillian. Profesor Adolpha and Professor Nicolo chatted with Professor Soleil, as well as a figure hooded and clad in black, who sat next to Professor Soleil.
"That's strange…" Sunny muttered. "I've never seen him before…"
But her eyes widened more, even to the point of looking like pale saucers. Elliot was next to the figure, his head was lowered and he had a frown. The figure stroked his back in an almost tender way. But she didn't let that make a quick judgment, she continued to eye the scene in silence, making sure nobody heard her. But she still pondered why Elliot, of all other people, was there.
"Now tell us, Elliot." Professor Nicolo inquired. "Where were you and Professor Lune the other day?"
Sunny mused for a while, she never heard of a "Professor Lune" before. Meanwhile, Elliot glared at them, his eyes narrowed.
"Are you saying that we have something to do with this?"
Professor Adolpha interrupted, "We're not doing that to you and Lune, Elliot. We just haven't heard from you and—"
"Oh, don't be so sensitive all the time, Adolpha." Professor Lune said, her voice low and mysterious. "We already know you guys enjoy pinning the blame on the Plutonian users."
Professor Maxmillain scoffed, "Oh, don't be such a wuss, Lune! You guys just have a bloody history, that's all!"
Elliot's eyes narrowed even further, he crossed his arms, and he mumbled under his breath.
"That's easy for you guys to say…"
Professor Soliel chuckled nervously, "Say, folks! Why don't we focus on how to find the Prophet? We can't just stand by and do nothing!"
"That's what we're doing, Soleil." Professor Emilia stated, still fanning Profesor Annette. "We're trying to find the suspects and information about where the Prophet might be."
Professor Lune sighed, shaking his head, "Professors, Professors…Always trying to make yourselves look good in front of us like we're your superiors…Because you fear us."
Professor Maxmillian scoffed, standing up from the couch. Steam poured out from his ears as the water in his brain evaporated. "I ain't afraid of anybody except the Creator himself!"
Professor Emilia wrapped her arms around Professor Maxmillian's waist, pulling him back before he could rant even further. The man sighed deeply, sitting back with crossed arms. He gazed at Professor Lune, who smirked at him, almost in a malevolent way.
"That guy looks like bad news." Sunny mused. "But why would they bring Elliot in this? Just because he's a Plutonian user, doesn't mean he's a part of this."
The professors continued to chat, their eyes focusing on each other, almost as if they were having a stare-down contest. Profesor Lune continued to smirk at Professor Maxmillian, who was on the verge of exploding if it weren't for Professor Emilia patting his shoulder to ease him. Elliot meanwhile just continued to stare down at the floor, frowning as Professor Lune continued to rub his back gingerly.
"Relax, everyone." Professor Lune said. "We were merely at my office, training his abilities."
"But it was lunch at that hour." Professor Adolpha stated. "We didn't have to train."
"But that wasn't a requirement, right?"
Professor Maxmillian couldn't take it anymore, he grabbed Professor Lune by the collar, a spiral of water pinning him against the wall and freezing, just like his icy gaze. The surprised professor grumbled, struggling to break free, but the ice was as strong as metal. Professor Emilia and Professor Adolpha grabbed Professor Maxmillian's arms, attempting to pull him back. However, he began to rant.
"I lost a brother to one of you, and I will not lose the Prophet in the same way!" he confessed. "You guys should've taken me! I ought to be destroyed for how unbearable and stubborn I could be! But my brother…He was a sweetheart, he didn't deserve all of this nonsense!"
But Professor Luke snickered, it was a cruel sound. Yet Sunny could tell how ungenuine and flawed it sounded.
"There is no need to yell at us, we had nothing to do with your brother. So that means all that yelling and ranting is pointless."
"What do you know about grief?!"
"I would've asked the same thing if I wasn't Professor Lune."
Elliot however frowned, he clutched his ears, unable to bear the noise. His eyes were shut close, and his teeth were gritted. However, no matter how much pressure he placed onto his ears, he couldn't block out the noise. He stood up from his seat, and he scurried out the door. Professor Nicolo however remained seated with the fainted Professor Annette. With one glare, a gust of wind burst out from the window and grabbed Elliot like a person. It animatedly whisked him back inside and smashed him back on the couch. Elliot gasped, clutching his heart, her eyes nearly popped out of his sockets. But Professor Nicolo just smiled in satisfaction, and he watched the scene with Professor Maxmillian and Professor Lune.
"Calm down, boy. If you think of this as a circus, then you won't have to be afraid at all."
Elliot faced the scene, his eyes were still widened. But he took the professor's words to heart. He couldn't help but snicker coldly at the sight of Professor Lune tangled up. Yet, he felt sympathy for Professor Maxmillian, who continued to rant. More steam started to run down his cheeks, he was definitely weeping, but his rage evaporated his tears.
"TELL ME!!" Professor Maxmillian screamed. "Where is he?!"
Professor Lune snickered, "If only I could use my powers to figure out, for darkness is connected to space...But unfortunately, I'm a bit tangled up."
Professor Emilian patted Professor Maxmillian's shoulder, "Please, Max. Let him go. He's been punished enough."
"There is no such thing as being 'punished enough', woman! I'm going to make this man SUFFER! Suffer until he tells us where the Prophet is!"
Professor Lune turned to Elliot, "Elliot, my boy. Would you tell them where he is? I believe we're going to be in this together since they're so obsessed with pinning the blame on us."
Elliot didn't say a word, he just sulked in his chair, unable to find something to snicker about, even if his master was bounded by Professor Maxmillian. He just clutched his ears again, almost out of remorse. It brought Sunny sympathy and sorrow.
"It can't be right." She whispered. "Elliot can't possibly be helping Professor Lune….Maybe he was forced to do it?"
Cynoce couldn't help but soften when he saw the entire scene, and he just glanced at the door, frowning.
"Creator, I didn't realize this was going to be this screwed."
"Me neither." Sunny closed her eyes, letting out a shaky huff. "Whatever Lune's doing, I just know he has something to do with the Prophet, and that Elliot's being forced into it." she then opened her eyes, and she spoke in a determined voice, "We're going to tell the closest friends we got about this. We can't have this go on. It may take the entire year—and maybe drain some of our training, but it's going to be worth it!"
Cynoce scoffed, "Well, what are you trying to be? Sherlock Holmes?"
"This isn't fiction, Cynoce!" Sunny said, sternly. "This is real life! Someone is missing and he must be really important if everyone is screaming and running around like headless chickens! I may be a trainee, and so may be the others, but that doesn't mean we can't do anything! Let's prove them wrong that we children can do what adults can do!"
Squeakers squeaked again, nodding his head in agreement, he bended up Sunny's thumb, holding it with his tiny paw like a flag as he stood tall and proud like a soldier. Cynoce watched, and he huffed fiercely, putting a hand sideways to his forehead and saluting as well.
"Count me in this too!" He declared. "If the furball's gonna fight, then so will I!"
Sunny smiled, "Glad to have you with me. Anyways, let's get out of here, we can't be around forever."
She took out her brush, and she dabbed it against the black paint in her ToonBook. She painted on the floor another portable hole, and she gulped, her fear returning.
"What's the matter?" Cynoce asked, growing concerned for the first time.
Sunny gulped, "I can't go in."
"Why not? We have to go before it's too late! They'll get us, they'll get you!"
Sunny looked down at the hole, the dark emptiness shadowing her mind with flashbacks. She cradled her ears, as if she were shielding them from the screams she yelled falling down the hole. Right now, everything didn't matter, but her fear did. But Cynoce slapped her shoulder, snapping her out of her trance.
"There's no time to be scared!" he yelled, grabbing her shoulder and yanking her down with him and Squeakers. "We're going to get out of here no matter what!"
***
With every mile they fell, it felt as if a year had gone by, it went on and on—perhaps to no end…But then…
THUMP!
Sunny opened her eyes, and she found herself in the Academy's fields with Cynoce, who held Squeakers in his palm. When the dog-boy awakened, he looked down at that very palm. He let out another girlish scream while Squeakers raced towards Sunny's pocket.
"No, no!" Sunny reassured. "It's just Squeakers! You've met him before!"
Cynoce frowned, "Look behind you!"
Sunny turned around, and her worried look faltered, replaced by a nervous smile as she was surrounded by a group of guards with metallic spears and shotguns, all of them donning merciless glares.
"Father.." she quietly muttered.
She hugged Cynoce tightly, both of them shuddering in fear. Squeakers perched onto Sunny's shoulder, whimpering with fear.
"There she is!" one of them said. "Pretty easy!"
"She's got that ugly mutt too!" another pointed out. "And a little mouse! How quirky is this kid?"
"Me?! Ugly?!" Cynoce stood up, his hands on his hips. "I'm the most handsome dog-boy you ever laid eyes on! You all are just blind in the face of true beauty!"
"ENOUGH!" Commander Alberto approached, his arms crossed. "Sunilda Tournesol…You little troublemaker…What's it to you and the Prophet, eh? You're just a trainee, a pipsqueak!"
Sunny frowned further, "I'm sorry for what I did before, but I just can't stand by and do nothing!"
"You're a child, brat. Children are supposed to be in their houses playing with dolls and such, not running around and making a fool out of me!"
"But I'm a crusader. Crusaders are brave and loyal people who are always ready for every challenge, struggle, whatever it is!"
"If you are one, then why don't you use your Leistung?" Commander Alberto snickered. "Or are you an Impoten?"
"Yeah…I am one." she lowered her head, facing the ground with despair.
"I wonder how you got here in the first place…I never met an Impoten as rebellious as you are. You might as well get dumped on the streets the first time you receive a mission. Why? Because you'll instantly fail."
Cynoce couldn't stand this any longer, he stood up, looking mighty and tall. However, it wasn't just a facade, it was something rather genuine and protective. He breathed heavily, all of his breath inhaling as his lungs expanded like a balloon. Everyone backed away, including Sunny and Squeakers. The moment it was all released, Cynoce let out a demonic roar that sent shockwaves all over the Academy, everyone was blown away, but Sunny and Squeakers were the only ones who weren't swept up their feet. Commander Alberto and his men however were blown all over the place, landing on the trees, the bushes, and even upon some of the houses' roofs. Closing his mouth, Cynoce opened it once more to shriek like a little girl while racing towards Sunny as Commander Alberto sat up from his dangling position on the tree.
"RUN! RUUUUUUUN!" he exclaimed.
He grabbed Sunny by the back and pulled her as he sped out the gateway, the soldiers watching in shock as he shifted into a brown bolt of lightning. Commander Alberto however grumbled, his hands balling into fists. He stood up, dusting the leaves off his regal armor.
"I'll get you, Tournesol…and your obnoxious dog-boy too!"
"Erm, boss.." a soldier commented. "You forgot her little mouse."
"Oh, don't worry, cadet. I'll make sure that the furball doesn't get away either."