Flight School: Prey

Starting End

"Is this...the Box? The one Professor Faustes was talking about?" Pipa recalled, careful to use the predator's title for fear that they were overheard by any predator nearby. After all, they had spotted quite a couple of other participants on their way to the entrance.

Io didn't know whether he should nod or disagree. He personally had similar sentiments—but his assumptions were often wrong anyway.

He gave a light shrug and tentative smile. "I'm not the best person to ask, but looks like it!"

"It's huge, I wasn't expecting it to...really be a box," Pipa stroked the top of her Avian's head, trying her best to calm herself. She had a smile on her face, as usual—but Io could tell that it was a smile that hurt.

They soon came across a sign.

Peering closer, Io felt reassured that Predators and Prey were being separated before the game. The sparrow and canary followed the direction of the arrow labeled 'Marks', pointing them towards the left.

The air was a quiet mist that had yet to wake; as if it was not the Sun's to make.

Dawn was approaching, and so was the start of the end—but neither Io nor Pipa knew the troubles they would have to fend.

They met another prey along the way—it was the blue jay who had attended the briefing with the two of them. She recalled that she had forgotten to introduce herself, and dropped her name without asking for theirs.

"My names Catherina, but Rina's fine. Oh yeah, I heard from my senior that you should watch out for the 'Hearts'. We're spades, right? Well I heard that predators with hearts are the fastest...or strongest. Something like that."

It was a fine warning; something that Io and Pipa were glad to hear but of course not just before the start of the game.

Pipa was already picturing the worst-case scenario—but no. She erased it before it could poison her heart.

This wasn't the time to be down.

"Hello. All Marks?" It was Miss Tenner—Pipa and Io's homeroom teacher. She met them with a smile as the three nodded quickly. "Alright, I need you to show me your charms one by one so that I can identify you by your number, is that okay?"

She flashed a not-so-discreet thumbs up in the general direction of her students.

When Io presented his black choker with the glass charm attached to it, he wasn't surprised. Not when he noticed Miss Tenner's pupils constrict with an unnatural fear.

He, too—

Was afraid.

But then again, he, too—

Was curious.

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"Iolani Tori, this is Harper. She will be bringing you to your starting point," Miss Tenner introduced briefly as she ushered the sparrow towards a girl who seemed very uninterested in her surroundings.