Squad 11-D combed through the dense forest in search of Scales.

Trees.

Shrubs.

Holes.

Anything that looked remotely suspicious.

Unlike the Day one, they moved as a single group.

Soraya had insisted on it.

If another squad appeared or something unexpected happened, splitting up would only make them easier targets.

A few students occupied the treetops above.

Their job was simple.

Watch.

If their paired class for the day appeared anywhere nearby, they were to warn everyone immediately.

Unfortunately, the arrangement wasn’t helping their progress.

They had been searching for over an hour and found absolutely nothing.

Not a single Scale.

Reggie crouched beside a hole beneath a tree root.

He squinted inside. The darkness stared back.

Then something shot out.

"Aaah!"

Reggie screamed and launched himself backwards.

His hands immediately began slapping at his face.

"Get it off!"

Everyone spun around.

Nothing was on him.

A terrified rabbit burst from the hole and sprinted into the undergrowth.

Then laughter erupted.

Reggie’s face went pale. Then red. Very red.

"Tactical screaming, huh?" Carrots asked in mockery.

"It suddenly jumped at me!" Reggie defended himself. "I thought it was a snake or something."

"Sure."

"Absolutely."

More laughter followed.

"I haven’t even had anything to eat yet." Reggie tried defending himself again.

"That’s your excuse?" Isaiah asked.

"And besides," Reggie continued, ignoring him, "we haven’t found anything."

His frustration returned immediately.

"I don’t get what the Directive is for anyway. They didn’t even tell us how many points we got for claiming the Vault yesterday." Reggie grumbled.

"Then they tell us to find more Scales." He spread his hands. "For what?" Another Vault submission?"

Farida glanced up from the bush she was inspecting.

"Stop stressing over it." She said gently. "Points might be released after Trials."

"That isn’t what I’m trying to—"

"You should listen to your girlfriend." Grover cut in jovially.

Reggie froze and became even redder than before.

Farida’s head snapped up.

"We are not dating!"

Grover laughed.

Carrots looked delighted. She slapped him across the back.

"Nice work."

Grover instantly winced and grabbed his injured arm.

"Ow!"

Carrots cackled. "I’m glad my pairing theory is catching on."

Farida looked genuinely distressed now.

"We’re not dating." She repeated, voice dropping lower. "He’s not even my type."

"What?" Carrots asked.

Farida looked away.

Her eyes drifted toward Finch. He was currently searching behind a large rock.

A moment later he found a small plant covered in dark-red flowers.

Finch plucked one and walked straight toward Yesu who was busy shaking a shrub.

He raised the flower and tried tucking it behind her ear.

Yesu shifted away.

"What are you doing?"

Finch remained completely unfazed.

"Back at the festival," he said. "You seemed to like flowers."

Yesu glanced at it. Then shook her head in dismission.

"I don’t like red."

Finch looked at the flower. His interest visibly faded.

"Well in that case—"

He casually tossed it over his shoulder.

The flower hit Farida, who was already making her way to them, and fell to the ground.

Farida picked it up.

"I like red."

Finch turned immediately. "Really?"

She nodded. "I think it’s a very deep colour."

He took the flower from her. "Since you said so then..."

And without hesitation, he tucked it behind her ear.

Farida froze.

Finch stepped back, examining his work.

Her cheeks turned pink. Then darker. And darker still.

"Red does suit you." Finch said, nodding.

Farida ducked her head in shyness. "Um... thanks."

A strange silence followed.

Yesu had stopped searching. She was staring at the two of them. Not suspiciously nor curiously. Just...

Confused.

As if she were witnessing something completely foreign. Something that did not exist on her planet.

Finch noticed. A grin slowly appeared on his face.

"Beauty, are you by any chance, jealous?"

Yesu frowned.

"Get lost."

Then she bent lower and resumed shaking the shrub.

Finch chuckled.

"Can I ask you something?" Farida blurted.

"Anything." He said.

Farida hesitated, gave a cough to ease up her shyness.

"How do you and Yesu know each other?"

Finch’s smile disappeared.

Farida continued without registering it.

"You obviously knew each other before she transferred." She looked between them. "And you seem really close."

A small smile appeared on her face.

"You must have been friends for years."

Finch went completely still.

Across from him, Yesu stopped searching and slowly turned to stare at Farida.

Finch shifted uncomfortably.

Farida looked between them. "Did I say something wrong?"

"No." Yesu shook her head. She straightened from the shrub.

"We met years ago but I wouldn’t say we’re particularly close friends."

Finch placed a hand over his heart. "Ouch."

Yesu ignored him. "Finchkin came and went like the wind."

"That was because we lived different lives." Finch defended. The grin had already returned to his face.

Yesu thought about it.

"Partially true." She nodded. "We lived in different places."

Farida forced a thin smile. "Well... now you’ve been reunited. How lucky."

Neither of them answered immediately.

Yesu snorted. "I wouldn’t call it luck."

Finch looked offended.

"Echelon would probably be more bearable if I hadn’t been placed in the same class as him." She stated.

Before Finch could say something in reply, Soraya’s voice cut across the forest.

"Let’s move on."

The squad immediately looked up.

Soraya folded her map. "There’s obviously nothing here."

Collective groans followed.

Students reluctantly abandoned their searches and began regrouping.

"This whole thing is hopeless."

"The forest is too big."

"My feet hurt."

"I’m starving."

The complaints continued as they started walking.

Isaiah remained thoughtful. After several moments he finally spoke.

"I don’t think we’re doing this right."

The chatter dimmed.

He gestured toward the endless forest surrounding them.

"This place is massive. Searching randomly doesn’t make sense."

Several students nodded. That had been bothering them too.

Isaiah looked toward those who had been part of the hunting party on Day One.

"How did you guys find the Scales before?"

The group fell silent. Thinking.

Then suddenly—

Farida gasped. "The snake."

Everyone turned.

"The robotic snake."

More students began remembering.

"The first ten Scales were near one."

"And the second..."

"Wait..."

Understanding slowly spread.

Isaiah snapped his fingers. "Snakes." He glanced around. "Snakes resemble dragons."

The squad stared.

"The relics are dragon scales." His eyes widened. "The Scales must be with the snakes."

A ripple of excitement spread through the group.

Finally, an actual lead.

Soraya spoke next. "Then we change objectives."

Everyone looked at her.

"We stop searching for Scales. And start searching for snakes."

Several students immediately brightened. That sounded far more manageable.

Or at least less hopeless.

Then Reggie slowly raised a hand.

Half the squad already knew what was coming.

Carrots groaned. "Dude, don’t."

Reggie ignored her.

"And just how," he asked carefully, "are we supposed to find the snakes?"