Yellow Sun Academy

Chapter 17: Zoology

Honey Aatish:

"Animals study," I say, staring at the board. "Our first class for the day is animals study. Hmm."

With my head resting on my hands, I stare at the classroom from where I'm sitting. The classroom is a large circular room with us students sitting in wooden seats on one half and a dozen screens on the other half, each having a picture of a different animal on it.

As I keep looking around, someone taps me on my shoulder. Looking to my side, I see our team leader holding up his holo-display. There's a note written on it.

"The study of animals is referred to as zoology," the note says.

"Uhh, thanks."

A second later, we all hear footsteps and turn our heads to the front.

"Hello class," a thin professor with small round glasses and spiky green hair says. The professor takes a sip of what I think is coffee from his thermos. Afterward, he starts to talk really, really, really fast. "I am Professor Runn. Professor Ruun is my name. It is. It is. It is."

Professor Runn then runs from one side of the class to the other, kicking up a windstorm as he runs. He runs so fast that I have to pull back my head.

"Wow," I say, looking at Chadd. "And you tell me I need to lighten up on the sweets."

"Animal study," Professor Runn starts, "Is more than simply studying the animals. It's the study of their behaviors, their movement, their motto, and so much more. Fighters such as ourselves don't only need to know about their attacks and defenses. We also need to understand them. How they work and why they work in those ways. For example, take this breathtaking animal."

Professor Runn points at one of the screens, and all of the screens on the wall change. They now show us a small winged animal with a very sharp nose.

"A trochumm," Professor Runn says with a smile as he spins around. "A very small animal but incredibly fast, a minimum speed of 75 miles an hour, and is almost always moving. Very rarely had anyone ever seen one of them stop. Some fighters believe they never stop moving at all. Can anyone tell me anything more about this speedy animal?"

Most students raise their hands but Corentin and I are among the few that don't."

"Hmm," Professor Runn says, tapping his chin as lightning speed as he stares at us. "You. Over there. The boy sitting next to the girl with very bright orange hair!"

Professor Runn seems to be looking right at Corentin. Corentin points at himself and Professor Runn nods his head.

"Yes! You! You! You! Do you have anything to add about trochumm? Such as where they are most commonly found? Or how is it they attack? Do you? Do you? Do you? Come on. This is not a hard question. One simple fact. One at all. Anything you know."

I guess I really shouldn't be surprised at this point that Corentin, our team leader, doesn't say a single word. All he does is sit and stare as the Professor asks him over and over again if he knows anything about the trochumm.

"Do you," the Professor asks once more. "Do you know anything at all about the trochumm? Come on. Even if you don't, just throw something out else. This is the study of animals after all. Studying isn't just about knowing the right answer. It's about finding them, and something, that means giving a wrong answer first."

"Yeah," another student a few seats above us says. "Come on, man. Just say something."

"Yeah," some other student shouts from somewhere else. "Say something! Say anything!"

"Say something," a third student yells.

Despite all of this, Corentin doesn't utter a word. He stays silent.

"And to think," I whisper, leaning close to Chadd. "He got the sound crest."

"Okay," the professor says. "Moving on. Yes! How about you, young lady? Do you know anything about the trochumm?"

"Oh me," Clementine says, now pointing at herself.

"Yes! You! You! You! Please! Give us your insight into this fascinating animal!"

"Oh uh, yes. The trochumm. It's, uhh, it's uhh--"

I watch from the side as Corentin bumps Clementine with his elbow.

"Hey," she whispers, looking at him. When she does, Corentin brings up his holo-display which is now hidden under the desk. He points at the screen, where there are a bunch of hand-written notes.

I can't be sure since the notes are backward for me, but they seem to be notes about trochumms.

"Trochumms are most commonly found everywhere in the world," Clementine starts, "Except in colder regions. They attack with their needle nose, stabbing before quickly flying away and returning. Most trochumms lived with other trochumms though they are a few species of independent trochumms."

"Excellent job," the Professor says with a smile. "Let me see. Let me see. Let me see! You! You over there! List one more fact about trochumms!"

While Professor Runn is asking another student, Clementine whispers to Corentin.

"Thanks," she says with a nod.

Corentin doesn't answer. At least, not by talking. All he does is nod his head.

"Ahh," I think, "Come on. Say 'no problem' or 'you're welcome' or something! Why don't you talk? I mean, is there a reason why you can't talk? Are you disabled? Oh man, I'm so sorry."

I keep looking at Corentin as he writes down everything on the board on his holo-display. He quickly draws his own picture of a trochumm and puts the notes he takes around.

"Wow," I think, watching as Corentin takes down as many notes as there are on the board. "You write fast."

It takes Corentin only a few seconds to write down everything someone says about trochumms. Even when they're wrong and the Professor has to correct them, Corentin will erase the whole thing and re-write it before the Professor even finishes talking.

Looking at all the notes Corentin had written in the last few minutes, I jump when I feel someone bumping me.

"Honey," Chadd whispers, hitting me with his elbow. "Honey!"

"What," I say, turning around. "What's up?"

"Professor Runn is calling you," Chadd answers. He points down at Professor Runn who is staring right at me. He brings up his own holo-display and scrolls down it.

"Ms. Honey Aatish," he starts, "Yes? Yes?"

"Yes," I repeat.

"Ah. I was worried I got your name wrong. Yes! Ms. Honey Aatish, please come down here."

I look at Chadd and all he does is shrugs his shoulder. I look at Clementine but she's looking around. I look at Corentin. He nods and points toward the Professor. I nod and leave my seat to join Professor Runn in front of the classroom.

"What do you need," I ask. Professor Runn takes a sip of his coffee before running and disappearing. He reappears seconds later with papers in his hands.

"Please pass these out," he says, dumping all the papers in my arms. As he does, all the papers almost knock me down.

"Since this class seems to already know so much about animals, how about I skip the basics and go right into testing? Plus, with these tests, I can know which animals we need to focus more on."

"A test," I repeat as I stare at the papers in my arms."

"A test," the other students repeat. Everyone, of course, except our team leader.