Ep.49: School Field Trip, Part 2

As we continue deeper into the jungle, boredom is tickling the back of my mind so I reach into my bag. “Alright, here it is!” I say as I pull out and play with the mechanical orb, tossing it up and down. “Are we there y-?”

“Where the hell did you get that from?” Ramsey demands, his voice catching the others’ attention and casting suspicion on me. A spark enters Gwyn’s eyes and he curls his fingers into his palm twice to Cinder, who hands him the book.

“What? This?” I point at the orb. “Oh, you know how I am always thinking ahead…” I look over at Maka with a smug expression on my face, “being the,” I snick with my tongue and shrug, “genius-that-I-am.”

“…” Ramsey, flabbergasted, remains silent.

Gwyn, uninterested in our tête-à-tête, is feverishly scanning the book of our ancestors.

“Umm… I hope fixing the problem doesn’t take too long, ‘cause I’m starting to get a baaad feeling,” Maka relays with his hands in front of his chest, turning his whole body as he looks around skittishly.

“Are you sure you’re not just overreacting?” Anaea chimes in, walking beside Cinder.

“Of course I’m n-not,” Maka defends.

“Hmmm… Cough. I wonder if Master thinks…” Cinder looks back at Gwyn and pushes his glasses up to his eyes.

“That’s weird.” Gwyn looks like he’s on the cusp of an epiphany. “Could it be?”

“What’s wrong, Professor?” Ramsey inquires.

“I may have just realized something…” Gwyn looks at me and smiles. “Young Fukai, would you mind lending me that mechanical orb you’re playing with?” Gwyn extends his hand out.

“I don’t know… I’m the one she…” I begin to say before Ramsey slaps me upside the head.

“Just let him see it, idiot. It might be important,” Ramsey demands.

“Ouch! Fiiiine!” I whine while handing over the orb.

Gwyn starts to look over the orb with a faint glimmer of hope blossoming in his eyes. “The inscriptions on the orb!” Gwyn flips the book open to a later page, looking for something. “See! They look exactly like the ones in this book.”

“Oh, really? cool! Hey, do you think this may give us clues or something?” I ask, excitedly sticking my face in the book.

“Calm down,” Gwyn says while pushing my face away, though I’m not sure if he’s talking to himself or to me. “Now, let’s see if I can interpret what these symbols mean.” While walking, Gwyn begins to read the ancient book in earnest, hoping to find the answers we all so desperately need.

Cinder looks lost in his thoughts as he mumbles, “Just maybe…”

“Just maybe what?” Anaea addresses Cinder, curiously craning her neck upwards to look at the youth’s face.

“Huh? What? What’s going on?” Cinder’s gaze darts around, having been startled out of his reverie.

“Down here, Cinder,” Anaea says.

Cinder looks down and notices Anaea. “Oh, Anaea, I’m sorry I didn’t notice you,” he comments while adjusting his glasses.

“It’s ok.” Anaea smiles and begins skipping. “So what are you thinking about?”

“Oh. Right. Umm… I was just wondering if we’re dealing with a contaminant or something unknown, maybe even something other-worldly,” Cinder answers while lightly scratching his cheek.

“I guess that’s a good question… I’ve been wondering that myself for a while,” Anaea states.

“Oh, really?” Cinder inquires.

“Yep!” Anaea says with a gentle smile.

Gwyn reads aloud as he finishes translating the symbols inscribed on the orb, “Strength comes here to die. The Truth is where I lie. Past, Present, Future; I see all. I am one of seven.” Gwyn ruminates on what he just read while examining the orb.