Reunite

Chapter Four

"Soo, where are we going?" Aqua asked for the 20th time. "The magical forest for test subjects #1000 through #10000. You are number #1418, don't forget!" Furoku replies for the final time. "Ah, look there's the room!" Furoku says, with a slight tone of relief. An unwelcoming stone door stood still against the wall. "..Are you sure this is it?" Aqua asked. "It looks vacant. I don't think that animals would practice magic inside h-" Aqua didn't get to finish her sentence, as a sweating tawny owl opened the heavy door, gasping and panting for air. As soon as the door opened a slit, an enormous explosion sounded, followed with laughter, and a few screams.

"This.. room.. is.. CHAOS!! They should give me extra pay for this.." The tawny owl complained, ruffling his feathers. "What are you waiting for, eh? Get inside so I can shut this god forsaken door!" He hooted angrily. Aqua and Furoku trotted inside, eager to get away from the exasperated owl. 

"That was not a happy owl!" Furoku commented. "Aren't you grateful you have me?" Aqua rolled her eyes jokingly. "Sure." The blocked out explosions sounded on their left, and the talking and screaming sounded on their right. In the middle, there was a huge oak tree, the roots spread across the marble stairs, and twisted back to create some sort of seat. Swarms of fireflies were hovering in the ceiling, creating little lights blinking in and out.

"Wow! Not bad!" Aqua exclaimed, dazzled by the entrance. "Hey, first timers?" A mean voice asked from behind. Furuko answered, "She's new. Thanks, Fern, you can go now."

Aqua turned around to look at Fern. Fern was a lean, chestnut doe with white spots on her cheeks and back. Instead of horns, Fern had antennas like a slug. "Heh, I know I'm stunning." Fern said, with her nose in the air. "You are so cool! Are you like half deer, half slug?" Aqua asked. "WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME? YOU LITTLE PIECE OF-" Fern shrieked. "AAAAAH!!! OK,OK! ARE YOU HALF INSECT THEN??- AAAAAH!!" Aqua screamed as Fern rammed her over with her forehead. "I'M HALF DEER, HALF UNKNOWN YOU-" Fern slapped her hoof over her mouth. "Oops. Anyway, Nobody knows what I am. Welcome to the power-room! We wish we could change the name, but we don't have any ideas." Fern whisked back upstairs and opened the door leading to the left.

"Huh, which room did she go into?" Aqua asked Furoku. "The magic-testing room. The name's pretty self explanatory." Furoku replied. "We can't go inside any of the rooms yet, since we're waiting for Professor Beetroot.

"What kind of parents name their child 'Beetroot'?.." Aqua muttered quietly. "Oh, is that him?" Aqua asked, pointing at a centaur. "Hey! It's rude to point. And their pronouns are they/them!" Furoku said in a hushed voice, as if they would get in trouble for a small accident like that. "Yeah, sorry about that. You didn't answer my question, though. Are they Professor Beetroot?" Aqua asked hurriedly, as the centaur trotted closer and closer towards them. "YES, now put your finger down!!" Furoku whisper-screamed. "HE'S COMING!!" Aqua hissed. Yuzuki and Aqua both inhaled deeply, then acted as mature as possible to the centaur.

"Hello, Professor Beetroot." Aqua and Furoku said, as if their small quarrel never happened. "Hey! Welcome to the power-room! I'm here to show you where you get sorted to, the magic-testing room or the test-subject room!" Professor Beetroot said cheerfully. "And no need to act so formal!" They added with a wink. "Wha- oh- alright!.." Aqua said, expecting Professor Beetroot to act more strict. "Also, don't try to escape this place! If you get caught, you will be our new subject to test on! Then, we will throw your body out in a body bag and leave you out for rats to eat!" They said cheerfully. They turned away from the two and left. 

"Don't mind them," Furoku whispered to Aqua. "They're just joking.. I think. I haven't seen them throw out any bodies yet." Aqua gave Furoku a horrified look. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY YET?" She whisper-screamed. "Ugh. Just don't bother escaping, they have this whole security system planned out." "But why would we need to escape?" Aqua asked. "Hey.. Look. I know we just met today, but I seriously don't want more animals to get killed or get tested on. It's no funny business.. I lost my beloved mother because of the humans." Aqua gasped. "I-I'm sorry for your loss. I promise I won't escape." Suddenly, Aqua was struck by a memory of her past. "Is that where my mother has gone?!"