In The Jungle(Shicca)

1

*Note: Older Weisz will be referred to as 'The Professor' and young Weisz will just go by 'Weisz'*

The buzzing of cicadas rang loud in the ears of two young travelers. The one, a 14 year old boy with endless amounts energy and an affinity for bugs.
The other, the clumsy and untraditional, yet spunky 18 year old sister of the boy. The leader of the two, she held a close love for animals in her life, specifically in the cat family.

The air buzzed with life as the pair walked through the dense jungles of Granbell. The grass reached up to their knees, both swatting away mosquitos as they made their way towards a research site.

"Rebecca, when do you think we'll be able to get out onto the field?" The boy, Happy, asked as they walked, taking off his cap and wiping the sweat off his brow.

His sister, Rebecca, smiled at his eager attitude, turning her head slightly to look at him.
"Why don't we focus on getting to the Professors campsite first?" Rebecca asked, adjusting her hat, looking back forward and staring down at her crinkled map.

Happy rolled his eyes, jogging forward to match Rebecca's stride. He walked up next to Rebecca, holding out the compass in his hands to show her.
"North correct?" He asked.

Rebecca nodded and ruffled her brothers unnatural blue hair, smiling at him as they continued their walk.

•••

Rebecca swiped away a large palm leaf, sighing a breath of relief as the sight of three tents greeted her vision.

Outside the largest tent, Rebecca noticed an older man with grey, slicked back hair sitting on a log, writing something in a small moleskin notebook.
"Professor!" Rebecca called happily, both her and her brother running through the wet mud to their mentor, Professor Weisz Steiner Sr.

The old man looked up towards the noise and immediately stood, quickly meeting the pair half way. He embraced Rebecca and Happy tightly, letting out a small laugh as they squeezed him.

The three stayed like that for a short moment before Rebecca and Happy jumped down from the hug, straightening their clothes with embarrassed smiles.

Happy immediately began to ramble about what kind of bugs he wanted to find to the Professor, who listened intently with a fatherly smile splayed on his face.

Rebecca, however, tuned her little brother out and began to look around and observe the campsite.
As she searched, she noticed that she didn't see any sign of the Professors son.

She most definitely would have noticed him by now, he loved to tease her endlessly and would never give up the opportunity to treat her like the helpless young girl she used to be.

Nevertheless, she was confused that she didn't see her childhood friend anywhere around.
"Professor, where is Weisz?" Rebecca asked, turning back to the old man and cutting off her brother.

Rebecca noticed Happy pout from her peripheral vision, but she ignored it.

The Professor turned his head to Rebecca, offering a smile and a small, dismissive wave of his hand.
"Junior went to go gather some firewood. He should be back soon."
Rebecca nodded, and then the Professor told the pair to go pitch their tents and unpack.

The two siblings dispersed, Happy picking a small spot further away from the Professors tents, both his lab and sleeping tent. He set his tent up close to the Professor's sons tent, who Happy had always idolized.
Knowing Happy, he would end up sleeping in Weisz's tent anyways so the two could tell scary stories and talk about Rebecca's embarrassing formative years.