Dinner was a feast. It made up for the grueling afternoon really, just when Io had thought nothing was able to. The fragrant scent of cooked rice and spices filled the dining hall, prompting an earnest hunger that begged to be sated. Very much unlike how they were used to sitting apart, the room featured a single table that spanned the entire length of it, displaying dishes of vibrant color and a mix of fragrances.

"Please sit," Reyes said upon turning to the hearts, "make yourselves comfortable. We will begin as soon as the other group arrives." They nodded gratefully, thanking their instructor before filtering into the room.

"So...we go by rank?" Dmitri gestured to the many cushions lined up alongside the dining, turning the attention to Jing. She noted her duty to make a fast decision, pointing out the front-most seat at the head of the table.

"Let Jeremiah sit next to Mr. Reyes. The rest of us can sit at random," the phoenix said, being the first to take a seat. Io found the round cushions very aesthetically pleasing eye, noting that some of them had complex floral designs embroidered on their silk covers.

"Something smells real good," Aaqil glanced around the incredibly long table as he took the seat beside Jing.

Io couldn't disagree. In fact, he wouldn't even be exaggerating if he had said that everything in the room smelled heavenly. There was something about the air he entered the dining—about the way he was invited by the table itself. Io had been eyeing a steaming plate of greens which he had assumed were cooked spinach but looked a little different from the ones he had back home.

"I think it's the adobo chicken," Jeremiah lifted a dome-shaped cover from a very large dish, confirming his suspicions before feeling extremely pleased. "It's probably my uncle's suggestion. He knows I like this."

"Your uncle's really kind," Io complimented quite casually, taking a seat opposite the kite. Naturally, Luka filled the one next to him. "And thoughtful. I can't imagine what it would be like to plan a menu like this."

The room fell quiet.

"We, uh," Dmitri laughed half-heartedly, "have this all the time. Well not this, but like. An equivalent." Io blinked, mildly embarrassed all of a sudden. He turned to Jeremiah.

"Sorry if that sounded a little insensitive...I didn't—"

"Nah," the kite smiled, dismissing his apology with a wave. "Dishes like these do require a lot more planning and preparation compared to some eight-course dinner they have elsewhere," Jeremiah shot back with a sting, smirking a little when Dmitri rolled his eyes at the sound of 'eight-course dinner'.

"I mean you never know," was all he could come up with. "It's not like you do the cooking."

Lucienne had quite enough of this. Io could tell by the look on her face, and the fact that she was so unfortunately seated between the two. "Neither of you cook and if it's food you want to talk about, take this somewhere else because I don't want any saliva in mine."

Io was silently impressed, but before he could catch Luka's attention (preferably with an eye-laugh—wait, did Luka even know what that was?) voices were heard beyond the door to their right, leaving the predators in wait for something new.

It opened; strangers filtered in.

Eyes watched, wary.

"Hello again," the last of the supposed strangers entered, and Io found himself staring at a familiar face.

"Professor Kirill," Jing nodded without a face. "You will be joining us for dinner."

Not a question. At least not in tone, Io supposed. The phoenix sounded very much bored, had he not made any second guesses. To most, she would have appeared rude and uninterested.

"Indeed, we will be," the Himalayan vulture responded off-handedly. "How fortunate."

An unfamiliar face sat across Vaughn, sniggering at the professor's remark which terribly annoyed the latter. Quite suddenly, the food appeared to him less appetising than before. Thankfully, their instructor arrived within the moment of uncomfortable silence, bringing along with him Viktor.

"Ah, Professor Kirill. You are here," Reyes greeted warmly, extending a hand towards the other who had remained standing. "I apologize for the lack of a proper welcome—I can only hope dinner will make up for it."

Kirill accepted the handshake in an odd fashion, having little to say. "Oh. Brilliant, you speak proper English." This had Jeremiah frowning and several of Io's classmates looking quite astounded. Some, amused. "Well you have my thanks."

Reyes showed no discomfort, gesturing to the last available seat at the end of the table and directing the vulture with a friendly hand on his shoulder. "Please, take a seat. We're all hungry after a day's worth of familiarising."

Io's tummy agreed with a feeble growl. Luka turned and their eyes met, darkening the blush on the latter's ears.

"Indeed we are. But first," Kirill declined the offer with a very dismissive brush of the other's hand on his shoulder. "I believe there are some changes to the dinner arrangements."

This made the instructor frown. "Changes?"

"Yes," the vulture pretended to survey the room. "Is Iolani Tori here? Ah yes, there you are." He took the moon phoenix by his arm and successfully scared the other quite thoroughly. He also succeeded in triggering the golden eagle seated next to him.

"Uh, what's going on?" Io blinked.

Kirill smiled, turning to Reyes with words that were outright offensive.

"I see that you are unaware of the boy's dietary needs. He is vegetarian, due to special circumstances and—"

"I am sorry Professor Kirill but I was in fact informed and have thus prepared five vegetarian dishes for Iolani. Surely, that is plenty?"

Vaughn was never one who could stand any dismal form of tension—and as far as he knew, this was a room he would never choose to remain seated in; considering the immense level of discomfort that this had somehow escalated into.

"Kirill," Viktor sighed as though this was not the first time he had to deal with difficult things, coming between the two. "I have already informed Mr. Reyes about this. There is no need for a fuss."

"Viktor, you're taking the side of a man you've never met?" Professor Kirill appeared falsely astonished. Then he smiled. "Should you be responsible for the poor sparrow throwing up for the rest of his holiday—surely, this risk is not worth your standing. We never know what went into those...vegetarian dishes."

Reyes looked at the vulture as though he was beyond comprehension—pure absurdity. "Well then, what would you suggest, Professor? That we make his meal before your very eyes?"

This was a show for the strangers. Most of them seemed perfectly entertained, amused by the tension that hung taut in the air—pleased at the expanse of another's frustrations and unhappiness.

"We have prepared for the boy a meal of his own," Kirill claimed and as though on que, a tea trolley was wheeled into the dining room by a petite-looking girl. "Tested by a prey itself."

"Kirill, look," Viktor was being very patient. "This is absurd," dumb, he meant to say, "there is no reason for you to mind what my students are eating. You should have informed me of this."

But as soon as the creature within had left his lips, Viktor felt regret fill its empty cage. "I know you're a rank above but this is just—"

"How do we know the food's not poisoned?" Jeremiah interrupted with a snort, no longer attempting to keep up a façade of manners. "Clearly, your actions are very dubious."

"Oh shut up kite—let them talk," someone on the other end mocked. Instantly, sides surfaced. There was a clear distinction between the hearts and who they considered were 'others'. "It's none of your business."

Jeremiah was on the verge of losing his patience when he caught the look on his uncle's face and decided that now wasn't the best time. If he were to continue on this path, it would only serve to sow discord between the separate groups—adding salt to a wound that his uncle was starting to feel.

He remained silent.

"This has nothing to do with you," Viktor insisted with a note of finality, lips drawing thin. "Dinner has been made with special arrangements. I was not informed of this."

"Then unfortunately for you, Viktor, Verity has informed me differently—"

"May I?" An unsuspecting voice spoke from the table and eyes turned towards it. The phoenix rose to her feet, gaze fixed upon the trolley of food that was wheeled in. "Iolani shall have the final decision. He will choose what to eat, and there shall be no arguments made against him." She turned to the rest and not a single sound of protest was made. No Avian was foolish enough to pick a fight with Jane. Falrir would hear of it immediately and there was no escaping his wrath.

"Io," she called upon him to speak. The instance made him fully aware of his presence in the room. Everyone was waiting.

"I'll eat it," he said referring to the new additions. "But it'll be a waste not to try the ones Mr. Reyes had everyone else prepare for me. I'll eat all of it—try to, at least. Maybe then I'll grow taller." He added a cheery smile for good measure.

The room stared.

And since no one appeared to be making a move to start, Io figured that perhaps they were waiting for him to try the food. He understood why, really. Bouts of curiosity—not uncommon. In fact, he had had many in the past. Io empathized.

"Thank you for the food, Mr. Reyes, Professor Kirill. Uh, are we going to start soon?" He looked around, particularly at Jeremiah's uncle.

"Of course," Reyes nodded as though waking from a dream. He had a difficult expression on his face—a cross between a smile and a sigh. "Go ahead. Everyone, please enjoy the food."

Instantly, forks were picked up and gazes directed to the dishes. Io compared this to the breaking of a spell cast upon the majority—slight magical, yet seemingly off-putting. Nevertheless, he picked up his fork, reaching for the new dishes that were placed directly before him for the sake of convenience.

"Io." He turned.

Then, there was the spell again. Within a word, eyes were fixed upon them once more.

Luka was reaching over by the time he did, taking Io's fork from his hand before directing it at the first dish. Io understood that his friend's intention was to conduct a brief taste test, which he decided was nice of him (silently sweet, yes that was the term) but really, unnecessary.

"It's okay," he stopped the other by tapping his arm and taking back his fork. "You don't have to. I'm not a king, or a prince, or anything like that. I don't need anyone to—I don't know—check if I'm going to be murdered."

Several appeared taken aback by his words. Luka however, was simply hearing what he had already gotten used to but never bored by.

"Anyway," Io went on with a light-hearted shrug, "if I die in the next couple of seconds, we all know who's responsible. Clearly, he or she must be very shrewd...either that or they didn't plan this very well which is a waste of a human brain, really." The boy picked up a sliced lotus root and transferred it to his plate.

"I mean, they're definitely not the best at being an assassin so they might want to consider other career options," he laughed, sending the vegetable into his open mouth before chewing.

*

"That was the sickest roast I've ever heard," Dmitri came up to Io after dinner with a huge grin on his face. "What the hell was that? I didn't think you were so...I don't know, savage?"

"It's called being passive-aggressive you idiot," Lucienne rolled her eyes before turning to Io with a rare smile. "A decent example, I would add."

The moon phoenix returned her smile with one of his own. "Thanks! I'm still learning. My friend Nash is an expert at it."

"Who's that?"

"My friend."

Dmitri had on his face an expression that confused a smile and frown. "A prey?"

"A mynah," Io corrected without missing a beat. "Who is my friend."

"I know a few mynahs," Abigail Volt eased into the topic, taking a sip of an exotic cocktail that she had someone in the kitchen make. "They're all pretty cute."

Slayne was seated in a corner of the reception area where they had gathered after dinner, eavesdropping. As far as he understood, Nash (Jiro's sophomore classmate) was at best cynical and at worst—a prick.

"Nash can be cute at a glance but he's actually really cynical," Io responded rather openly, and for a moment Slayne was afraid that Io had access to his Link. After all if he was, indeed, the moon phoenix, then he would be the highest ranking Nocturne rivalling that of Jane's position and that would mean having access to every Nocturne's link—

"Cynical?" Jeremiah laughed. "I guess it isn't exclusive predatory behaviour, then. We have some sulk-birds ourselves." The kite made a vague gesture to Slayne and an invisible Vaughn—who had wandered off after dinner in search for solitude (no surprise there).

Luka was leaning against the wall behind the armchair that Io stayed snuggled up in; flip-flops off, hugging his knees. The eagle was having a hard time resisting the urge to take his friend elsewhere and having him speak less to those narrow-minded predators he had the misfortune of knowing. Luka wasn't used to having so many people speak to Io at once and witnessing it was extremely difficult, he found.

It reminded him of the first-hand experience he had during the season games. He had figured it wasn't something he'd like to repeat. Inevitably however, there was a difference between hopes and reality.

Victoria had her feathers ruffled as well.

"Seriously though, that Kirill guy is suspicious as fuck. I wouldn't have eaten those things he brought in—no matter the circumstance," Dmitri laid out, kicking his feet up on the coffee table in which Lucienne's Avian glared at disapprovingly.

"I wouldn't have either," Jeremiah agreed with a sigh, gazing at the bottom of his empty cocktail glass. "That man humiliated my uncle."

Io turned to the kite with an apologetic expression.

"Sorry Jeremiah."

He shook his head. "No, it had nothing to do with you. That bunch of recruits...I've never seen them before."

"Looks like they're going all out on Tori, then," Odette turned to Io with a rare smile he found quite enchanting. "V loves that sort of thing."

Dmitri yawned all-too-forwardly, arms stretched over his head as he got up from his seat. "Whatever it is, they sound like little shits." (A/N: Technically, you hearts are little shits as well :D but of course author will gib you good backstory and good character development in which other little shits get less HAHA you lucky little shit Dmitri)

"And I'm tired of sitting around," he added whilst surveying the common room. "Anyone up for a night flight?"

"Dmitri, it's ten in the evening," Shri pointed out with a sigh. "And we just had dinner."

"Oh come on, that was two hours ago," the falcon swept aside the reasons that Io found perfectly rational. "Alright fine, how about a jog? A jog, alright?"

"That's not any better," Odile judged quickly. His twin laughed.

Dmitri turned to Lucienne for help but she denied him any attention. Io didn't know whether to find this conversation thoroughly amusing or just plain sad. The falcon was about to give in and head back to the villa for a swim when Jeremiah suggested the gym.

"It's past opening hours but I could ask my uncle for the key," he shrugged. "I'm sure he wouldn't mind."

The former's eyes lit up. "Deal," Dmitri flashed a huge grin. "You're coming, right?"

Io was very tempted to tag along, since he didn't know what a gym was (they never had those back in his village and the best workout was really a day in the fields, which was already the worst thing ever) but he'd rather spend some time with Luka before the midnight curfew.

"Alright. But I don't really gym, just saying."

Dmitri was in an outrage.

"Great, now you're telling me you were born with abs. Great, just fantastic."

_________________________

"Have you talked to Vaughn?" Io prompted his friend as they crossed the grounds towards an open space for Luna to land. Victoria could only laugh as Luka shook his head in a dismal manner.

"No."

"Why not?" The former expressed disappointment in the form of a pout. "He's very amusing. Although he doesn't know it himself. Oh, and he liked Shakespeare. But I don't know what that is."

Luka couldn't believe his ears. "He's amusing?"

"Yeap," Io responded with a happy nod, a light in his eyes that resembled the face of a moon. "Oh Luna's here."

Good evening to all, the moon phoenix folded her wings after a soft landing. Ah, Io. I believe I must inform you of an approaching crème brulee.

The boy burst out laughing. "Vaughn's here? I thought he'd be alone somewhere avoiding his roommate."

Which is probably why he thought of coming out here, Victoria reasoned in a quipped tone. How unfortunate for us. But I must admit, he is one hopeless case of a vulture—they were meant to be social! The Avians conversed light-heartedly with Io's occasional input while Luka was left to concern himself with the fact that Io could pick up Vaughn's heat.

The eagle had been aware of it, of course, but that was due to his exceptionally acute sense. Even he had to admit that Vaughn, however unbearable, was good at suppressing his heat.

They waited for him to appear round the corner. Within a moment's anticipation, Vaughn's silhouette emerged from its hiding and within a mere second of their gazes meeting, froze; turned tail; and began in the very direction he had come from.

"Hi Vaughn! Where are you going?" Io protested mid-wave, noting that the vulture was walking very quickly. And in the wrong direction.

While Luka and the rest considered (as seriously as possible) the prospect of a Vaughn who was already cursing the skies under his breath, Io went out of his way to catch up with the latter—taking it upon himself to call out his name.

"Vaughn! We're here!" The boy laughed as he did, feeling a sudden exhilaration of the night that breezed past the tips of his fingers.

It wasn't that he never understood Vaughn's distaste or particular dislike towards himself; in fact he did. Io did quite understand how the vulture regarded him, whether as the sparrow or the moon phoenix—the latter was probably in denial—they were different within each instant, changing constantly, even. In his every thought, perhaps.

"Vaughn," he huffed as he finally caught up to the sulky other. "Where are...ha—you going?"

Io found that he shouldn't have exhausted himself. He hadn't considered the fact that they were on a mountain and the air was thin, unlike the regulated oxygen levels on the island. The creature in his cage was beating fast—abnormally fast, and a little too loud as well.

"And that has nothing to do with you, I believe," The vulture stated without looking at Io, stopping for a moment to turn in yet another direction.

"You were coming towards us, don't deny that!" Io teased with a laugh that sounded pretty much breathless.

Vaughn drew lips his into a line, feeling strangely disturbed by the fact that Io had ran to catch up with him. "Oh I'm sure you wouldn't want me interrupting your..." he stole a glance at the three Avians and Luka waiting for Io, "private time."

Io laughed once more. "What? No."

"I wasn't talking to you, Tori, I was talking about your friend," Vaughn saved with a snap. Io shrugged, still trying to catch his breath.

"Okay."

The vulture turned to him with a frown of disbelief. "Is that obedience? How very...unusual."

"Hm," Io blinked, thinking that he could see what was being seen at a glance but in reality, could not. "I don't know. Maybe you're right." It wasn't long before the boy was rubbing at his eyes.

This was strange behaviour indeed and Vaughn considered reporting this to Viktor, whether or not it was a cause for concern. Apparently an obedient Iolani frightened him as much as the very opposite did.

"I shall take my leave. Goodbye."

"The stars are really nice over here," Io went on talking to his back. "Jeremiah said that we could catch the milky way one of these days—if we head up to the peak at night. You should come!"

Vaughn did not bother with a reply. After all, the vulture was afraid of the night and it would be his biggest mistake to lay his heart bare in front of the other predators. Deep down, for sure, they must detest him.

"Vaughn," Io's laugh could be heard from afar. "No one ever said that!"

___________________________

By the time Luka had sent Io to the doorstep of his accommodation, the latter's eyes were barely open and his arms were tired from rubbing away the constant itch that surfaced every now and then. Io yawned once.

"You know, I'm supposed to be a Nocturne but I don't feel very active at night," he laughed listlessly, receiving a pat on the head.

"Go get some rest. Stop rubbing your eyes," Luka warned for the third time to which Io nodded with an airy smile.

"Okay. Guess I'll get going."

"Goodnight."

"'Night Luka."

He retreated into the entrance, past the kitchen and into the living room where it was warm. Io had expected the newcomers (who he assumed was sharing the villa with him and Viktor) to be lying in wait, ready to inspect the abnormal species he was but he found—to his delight—an empty villa. Even the professor was not around.

Io climbed up the stairs to his room, a quick shower before bed at the back of his mind. There was, however, an odd discomfort in his chest which he mistook for a distorted sense of hunger. He considered going downstairs to raid the fridge but then thought against it. It was the stairs that made him do so.

What a day, Lyra sighed upon making herself comfortable in the birdhouse, leaving Io to himself in the room.

His gaze drew towards the bed that was made, the idea of undoing what others had intended to be orderly strangely inviting. Io collapsed on top of the covers, kicking off his shoes as he did so. There was a momentary pause before he felt the pleasant sensation of his cheek against the cool surface of the pillow.

He had to get up. He had to take a bath. There were many things he had to do.

Things.

He had to do.

________________________

He woke. It was quiet.

The night was at its heart when Io felt a pull near the area below his gut. It was a strange area of discomfort, having never felt it before. He left it alone however, and returned to sleep by turning over.

*

The first rays of light that filtered through the gaps in the curtains was his cue to wake, again, and yet as a Nocturne, a part of him wished to be sated by warm sleep. This would have been the end of the sparrow's thought process on any ordinary sunrise but on this particular morning, Iolani was feeling awfully charged.

Even before his eyes had opened to receive a world that appeared entirely different to the one existing mere hours ago, Io registered a disturbing mouthful of pillows and covers—as though he had devoured an entire bed.

He choked on his breath, sitting up at once to relieve the pressure on his chest.

There was nothing there.

He was breathing heavily, searching the room in a daze to see if he had, indeed, somehow swallowed the bed next to him. He hadn't.

The sparrow was about to think it all a very confusing dream when he realized that the heavy scent of fresh linen never left his senses and it was masking everything else within his perspective. This included what he felt was a fever running through his mind and more specifically every part below his waist.

His first thought was to undress.

"What," he said to himself. That didn't make any sense. If this was, indeed, a terrible fever he had the so-called fortune of inheriting, then surely his first instinct would be to get some medication. Whatever that was left of his rationality told him to ask Lyra for help.

Io directed his gaze to Lyra's bird house on the balcony. She was sleeping.

"Lyra." He called, lifting his arm with the intention to wave but even that felt extremely heavy. Or perhaps it was the doing of his covers. Yes, he should remove them about now.

Io kicked off his covers and laid there, forcing his mind to keep watch on the creature in his cage. But reason slipped through his fingers like snow—melted. By what?

There was a heat that spread to his feet. They had been cold, chilled by the night.

Where was Viktor? Io had expected him to say something before leaving, at the very least. Sleeping in wasn't exactly the best thing to do on his first morning here. Mr. Reyes would be very disappointed. What time was it?

As Io struggled to grasp whatever rationality that was felt in his hands—very much like water that slipped through the spaces between his fingers—a heated shiver haunted the back of his spine, leaving him quite lost indeed.

Gone were his thoughts of seeking help, replaced by a furious need to care for himself. A selfish flame burned within his cage and the creature within could only watch as it did.

Spreading.

Io rolled over and fell to the floor, a dull pain throbbing in his ankles but soon enough, that was not his main cause for concern.

His reason, usually seen from afar like a point of vantage—a bird's eye view—had been reduced to a near cloud that shrouded the light he had always been able to cast on a world that existed independently of his mind. Io found that he could not see; could not see well for the matter.

In that instance, Io felt as though he had lost many things though he knew not what they were.

One of them

was himself.

__________________________

A/N: Hi guys! So I know that was kinda long, but the coming update will probably be even longer /.\ hahaha and I guess you can tell what's it going to be about. Anyway, what do you think of these weird new people from the Order? Gosh so many more birds of prey I can put out there believe me. 

Also, check this statement every now and then because I'll be placing the link to the 'Tap' chat book for Flight School right here in the form of a comment! It will be up when I'm ready which is probably tomorrow. The link will be right here so don't forget to check it! ^^ The first scene will be texts between Io and Luka!! 

Thank you for reading my dear. 

-Cuppie

P.S Hope I've portrayed heat well. Pray that the next chapter is gonna be fine.