The Split Sun and The Mechanical Moon

Chapter Eleven: Birds Fly According to Instinct.

Tomorrow is Promises concert, if I don't get Brandon on my side by today then I'll miss my only opportunity to even see Promise. So here I stand, in the middle of the institute's center plaza with a big fountain in the center. It was a bit dark, even though it was 11 in the morning. The moon gleamed down at me, it was a full moon last night, and the night before... and the night before. I feel like I'm replaying every day over and over, and now I'm hesitating to walk inside this building. Argh, I'm overthinking things! I stomped inside, concealing myself with a black hood as I scanned the hallways. There were a lot of rooms, but there was only 3 lecture rooms. I walked for a couple minutes, until I saw a nameplate near one of the doors to one of the lecture rooms.

"Professor Smith."

This should be him, I opened the door and walked inside. I attracted some attention, a cloaked figure walking in and all, the students began to murmur as I stood near the corner and observed. Brandon snapped his fingers, and now I got a good look at him.

"Focus, all of you."

Brandon wasn't the same, he now had mocha and light brown hair, his right eye was a light green while his left was a darkish brown or grey. He wore tech pants with lots of straps dangling off it, he appeared to have a vest on his chest with more straps. A large brown coat with an orange secondary color covered a lot of him. A jacket under the coat that covered a lot of his neck, acting almost like a scarf. He had gotten shorter, and maybe his voice was a bit higher.

"Let's get back on track, where was I?"

The students saw the opportunity to make the teacher stall the lesson, so they instantly shut it. Brandon kept looking over at me, he sighed and spoke to his class.

"How about... why do we think birds fly?"

A couple hands shot up, the lecture room was built like an amphitheater. The seats got progressively lower to the ground as you get closer to the back of the room. Brandon called on a woman, and she spoke with firm posture.

"Birds fly to survive and adapt, as well as to build nests in trees... and all that."

"Yes yes, survival is why they fly? What about, how do birds fly?"

More hands, Brandon called on a man near the back.

"Their wings have lots of feathers than generate lift when they flap them."

"Another great answer, it would seem we know everything about birds hm?"

The students nodded, a couple "mhm"s. Brandon smirked.

"Then surely someone could tell me, who told birds how to fly?"

Silence, not a single hand shot up in the room.

"Exactly. When there's no clear indication on a solution, you get to hear the opinions of others! For instance, the belief of a higher god who created all things, the belief we evolved from primates, the theory that this is all a simulation. These are all theories and beliefs, every side will tell you this is right and wrong, and these people are bad or wrong. A simple question about birds, turns into an all out world about which belief or theory is more relevant than the other. So then, when someone asks you who taught birds how to fly? What do you say? Do you stay silent? Then they'll think you're dumb. Give an answer? If you don't get it out right, they'll think you're stupid. Every situation has consequences."

A man spoke.

"With all respect Sir, what does this all mean?"

"Great question Connor, what does it all mean? There are questions in life that you cannot answer, no matter how many sides of life will tell you this is right, it is nearly impossible."