Can't I Fit In Anywhere?

Chapter 24: Portal

Aaron got down from the roof quite easily. In a practiced move, he changed into a bird, and flown down. Ryan, on the other hand, had to climb down the tree, which took longer than Aaron.

Ryan jumped down to the bottom branch after the climb down, only to see Aaron looking up at him. "Hurry up!" He hissed at Ryan.

"I'm goin' as fast as I can!" Ryan sat on the branch, and slide off. Ryan bent his knees upon impact, hitting the ground with a light thud.

"Could you go any slower?"

"Probably. Now where did you-" Then Ryan heard it. The sound.

It sounded about how Aaron described it, except there was no bang. Only a quiet whooshing sound. "Oh, ya, that sounds underground." Ryan commented.

"Oh now you hear it."

"Well, I'm so sorry that I don't have advanced hearing. Now, unless you want to get caught, I suggest we stop standing here in the middle of the open with only a tree for cover."

Aaron huffed, and didn't fire out a rebuke, but continued on. "Do you know another way into the lab besides the main entrance?"

Ryan smirked. "You're not claustrophobic right?"

Aaron had the decency to look slightly unnerved. "No. Why would I?"

"Good, because I know where the vent system opens up and no one will be in there."

Ryan looked around before gesturing for Aaron to follow. "Care to tell me where is it?" Aaron asked.

"The tree. The main entrance is there, why not the opening for the vents?"

They both snuck towards the tree, nearly getting caught once when Aaron stepped out into the open, before Ryan grabbed his shirt and jerked him back. It nearly caused a fight, until they heard a teacher ask 'Anyone over there?'.

They both quickly hid in some brush as the teacher scanned to area. They decided to brush off why a teacher was out at four in the morning, and they continued on.

Besides that close incident, everything went smoothly. Well, as smoothly as it can get when the duo hates each other and bickering every minute.

Once they reach the tree, Aaron looked around, inspecting everything. "I don't see anything." He pointed out.

"Come over here." Ryan told him, going around the tree.

Aaron looked where Ryan went. There was some brush where Ryan was looking. In a few kicks, the brush was pushed aside, to reveal a vent opening.

"Why do you know this is here?" Aaron suddenly asked.

"I get bored, and when I'm bored, I explore. Did you know there is a cave quite a few miles away from here?"

The look Aaron gave him nearly made him burst out laughing. "What?" Aaron spoke in the end.

"I need to move okay! Now Who's going to go first?"

Aaron looked at him, and realized that he was right. Anytime he saw the fire boy, he was moving. Weather it be by bouncing when standing or tapping his fingers, he was moving.

Aaron then looked down at the vent. "You know the vent system, but I have better hearing."

"I don't know where the sound is coming from though, and vents are echo-y." Ryan looked like it took a bit of strength to say that, since they both came to the same conclusion.

"Me?" Aaron asked, pointing at himself. "It seems like you finally realized I'm better than you."

"First off, not true. Second off, it's only because you have better hearing than I."