To Embark

Today was the day everyone had been getting ready for. Micah and Peter were just about done getting their stuff ready for the flight. Peter seemed to have packed more than Micah, considering the amount of luggage they had. It was time to depart, time to engage in battle.

Micah and Peter felt a whirlwind of emotions about the situation, especially considering they were headed to Russia. Imagine a holiday with enemies plotting against them and a mission to save the world by holding an orb. Don't worry about it.

"Ready to go?" "Um, excuse me," Micah said, struggling to juggle the three bags and two pieces of luggage with wheels.

"Yeah," Peter said.

"Sure, let's get moving."

They strolled out of the room and veered right, stumbling upon two elevators. Studying the elevators, Micah mentioned, "Peter heads to the right, and I head to the left."

"Just take the elevator, would you?" "Peter asked," he said.

"We can't take the chance of the elevator shutting down," Micah responded.

They headed to their designated elevators and descended to the first floor. They stepped outside and saw the lights arranged like a path, with people yelling in the distance. As they kept strolling, they stumbled upon even more distinctions than they had previously noticed. I was really taken aback by how quickly all these changes had happened.

"Well, here we go," they both chimed together as they followed the lights. Not entirely sure where they were headed, but they had faith that the lights would lead the way. They led them to the rest of the group and a big airplane.

This airplane looked smaller than a typical commercial aircraft, yet it appeared to be quite heavy. One of the people in the group spotted Peter and called out his name, which Peter recognized as Vienne's. He was still anxious about her, praying Xavier wouldn’t pick up on his discomfort. She had a certain allure, but he chose to maintain a safe distance to steer clear of any potential complications.

Upon their arrival, the luggage started to be loaded onto the plane. Micah glanced around and noticed several other planes that looked just like the one they were about to board. Peter observed that having passengers and luggage on the same plane could potentially lead to stability problems because of the weight distribution. He inquired Asiris about it, and the reply was that their planes were significantly larger than the ones in their world.

Peter and Micah hopped on the plane with their bags stuffed with snacks. We kept the supplies and food in a different area to prevent frequent trips for meals. As they settled into their seats, they glanced around, observing the plane's design, which closely resembled a typical aircraft, except for the smaller windows designed to reduce glare from outside lights.

Xavier went to the front room while Vienne decided to stay in the same room as Peter as the rest of the group boarded the plane. Peter was doing his best to stay calm, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he was sweating.

"Alright folks, we'll be taking off shortly," the pilot informed the passengers, "We're headed from Maine to Singapore, so sit back and enjoy the flight." I'm sure you're all familiar with the routine for being on a plane, but we'll still play the video for you.

After the safety procedures were explained in the video, the plane started its takeoff. "We're about to depart," announced the pilot. "Hope you have a pleasant flight and see you in Singapore!"

As the plane sped down the runway, Micah experienced a peculiar feeling when the aircraft ascended at a 50° angle. "Alright, this definitely feels a bit strange," he remarked. As they ascended thousands of feet into the sky, the sensation faded, and Micah's heart rate decreased. “Well, that was strange,” he laughed, before drifting off into a deep slumber.

When Peter finally woke up, he saw that Micah was still fast asleep. It looked like everyone else was asleep, except for Vienne, who was heading over to Peter. Peter felt a sudden wave of anxiety and attempted to keep his cool.

"Hey, Peter," she greeted with a smile.

"Hey, Vienne," Peter responded, attempting to conceal his discomfort.

"I have a little confession to make," she whispered, glancing around the room cautiously.

Peter prepared for what lay ahead.

When I first laid eyes on you, you were just a sweet thirteen-year-old, but oh so captivating. You were really down-to-earth and kind, unlike Xavier," she added.

"Hmm, that's intriguing," Peter replied carefully.

"But hey, you're a warrior with a brave heart now, and you're better than ever." "You're pretty much everything a girl could ask for," Vienne remarked.

Peter attempted to conceal his unease, as he was unfamiliar with romantic gestures or sweet words.

"I have to admit, I used to be a fan of yours," she mentioned, giving Peter a slight sense of relief that her feelings might have changed.

"I really like you," she said, and Peter's hope was immediately crushed.

Vienne strolled off and stepped into the first room, unveiling her true intentions. Peter attempted to calm down, hoping it was only a bad dream, but deep down, he was aware it was all too real. Feeling embarrassed and uncomfortable, he knew the trip was going to be even more awkward now.