Space Time and a little bit of Madness!

Chapter Three Continued

impressionable students occupied them.’Wow! It seems like they have remodeled it…’  Milk pondered tensely as she succeeded to obtain a seat. Likada sat in the seat on her left, and Tsunamae on the right.
“Settle down, pupils!” A thunderous voice hushed the totality of the class. Professor Constellatio seemed amused as he perched into the chair beside the hefty chalkboard. “Welcome to Astronomy!” He announced grandly. “This beginning semester, we’ll be studying how to translate the stars.” Everybody broke out into a disconcerting haze of excited murmurs. Milk emit a distressed sign. ‘I absolutely loathe this subject. I know I’m their alleged Princess- but sometimes they’re just meddlesome hellions that intend to destroy everything in sight.’
    What Milk did not notice was that she was glaring precisely at the Professor with her naturally nasty gaze in her eyes. People quietly discussed how sadistic and barbarous she regulated herself to be...
    “I-um,I...” Professor Constellatio stuttered madly as he started to sweat rapidly. “...Let’s continue, shall we?” His eyes flickered nervously, evading the watchful irises of his students.
What was it about this one that made him feel so… troubled?
    He fixed his gaze onto the chalkboard. “Let us hop right into our first lesson. Please withdraw Astronomy: Second Year  from your bags. Flip the current page to seven- Introduction: How to Analyze Stars and Constellations.”  
    Milk unintentionally growls, distracting a few others. She lifted the heavy textbook from her knapsack and unfolded it, revealing pages of peculiar-looking photographs and tiny black text. “Today, I will first introduce you to the basics of Celestial Reading. Follow me- we shall enter the Starlight Planetarium.” He writes a few unintelligible words on the board. “Carry your textbooks as well- we’ll be needing them.” Constellatio winks.
    ‘The Planetarium!’ Milk anticipates dreamily as she trails recklessly behind her fellow colleagues. ‘Beautiful…’ She reminisces enchantingly.
    As they arrive in the delightful suite, terrified gasps unexpectedly brimmed the room.
    “The stars! Where did the stars flee?” Constellatio squawked as he gawked up at a black, empty ceiling. “Wha? The stars are gone from the roof! They’re supposed to be there!” Milk shrieked at the current swap of events. “Everyone! Report to the Meeting Hall- I shall go retrieve Mrs. Astrid!”
***
    “...For now, please have your Lunchtime outside.” Mrs. Astrid timidly concluded her speech as each scholar slowly filed outside the drawbridge. Likada, Tsunamae, and Milk accompanied them, following the large groups to a grassy, open field with odd herbs and flowers.
    They resolved to relax in a vacant spot quite distant from the other students. Inquisitive whispers swam through the fresh air.
“How could this happen?” Likada wondered nervously.
“I’m positive it was some sort of mishap. The stars can’t just casually vanish, right?” Tsunamae fidgeted in return.
    “Hey! Guys!” Milk heard a cry in the distance, just as Saturn rushed up to them, plopping down  next to her.
“Our class was evacuated straight away after we heeded what had transpired in the Center. Are you alright?” Saturn worried anxiously.
    “We’re all fine.” Milk replied. “Just unnerved. Do you have any theories on what might’ve occured?”
    “...Well, I might have an idea.” Saturn said, hauling out a leather journal from her backpack. She opened it, displaying complex hieroglyphics. “The fifth year Astronomy textbook states that absent and obstructed stars or constellations is an omen of disease, obsolescence, and bloodshed.”
    She points towards a passage in the book. “Ares, Greek God of War, held a strong rivalry against Athena, Greek Goddess of Wisdom. An unheard-of fable tells of the civilization of Athens and how Ares decided to mutate some of its residents into stars as a risky stunt. Athena transforms them back, of course, but this tale is whom the grim omen was birthed from originally.”
    “What does this signify, then?” Likada responded eagerly. Tsunamae and Milk nod fervently.
    “War. Someone, or something, is planning to impair our universe. Cozmos will be the first to be demolished.” Saturn halts. She slammed the journal shut and promptly shoved it into her bag, sighing.
    “What shall we do now?” Milk exhaled tiredly.
“Purchase some sundaes!,” exclaimed Likada, blowing off Saturn’s glare.
“If it’s Sunday already, then why are we at school?,” demanded Tsunamae impatiently.
“No- I meant the ice cream,” replied Likada.
“Oh! I knew that!” laughed Tsunamae mischievously.
“Guys-we should really be focusing and school and the stars!” blurted Saturn angrily.
“Yeah. We really should,” said Milk sarcastically.
“Gather ‘round, children!”
The quartet calmly walked towards the alarming voice, revealing a rather distressed Mrs. Astrid. Whispering students crowded around her.
    “Listen closely-Cozmos will continue its orderly fashion. Please return to your regular schedule.” She bowed slowly, clicking her staff against the ground gently. “Off you go, then.”
***
“For the homework,” announced Professor Constellatio. The whole Astronomy class let out a frustrated groan. “...You will read a book of hieroglyphics and translate it to English, fifty percent for accuracy, fifty percent for participation.” A glint of apprehension illuminated his crystal-grey eyes, dismissing the class.