"Claire?" The familiar voice rang through the haze. "Hello? Earth to Claire? CLAIRE!"
"Eep—! W-wha—?! Oh n-no, not again—!"
Claire's eyes flew open snapped from her trance. In a split second, her body jolted, her balance betraying her entirely. One moment, she was sitting—peaceful, oblivious—the next, she was airborne, limbs flailing in a panicked windmill as her chair tipped backward.
And then—thud.
Face-first into the floor. Arms stiff, legs splayed behind her like a marionette with cut strings, her yellow hair splayed out in a chaotic halo around her head.
Silence.
A tiny, pitiful groan slipped out, muffled against the carpet. "Owwww... I-I think my nose is having a conversation with the floor... c-capisce..."
Rose, perched on the bed, Takumi standing nearby, and even Liene—half-distracted moments ago—froze, blinking collectively in stunned unison.
Claire remained motionless, her face burning red against the carpet, as if hoping the floor might just swallow her whole. She didn't dare move, just laid there like a thoroughly embarrassed starfish, her fingers fidgeting slightly against the carpet. She didn't move. She just layed there, resigned to her fate.
After a beat, she let out a tiny, defeated sigh, her voice wobbling slightly. "...I-I totally meant to, um... inspect the carpet. Y-yep. From this exact angle. Very... very important research..."
"Right, sure... Fascinating research methodology there, Professor Klutz. Planning to write a thesis about carpet fibers, or are you just gonna continue drooling there?" Takumi quipped, a smirk playing at his lips. His teasing expression faltered though, catching Liene's distant gaze toward the balcony once more.
"Oh Claire," Rose chuckled warmly, sliding off the bed to help her friend up. "Only you could make face-planting look this adorably dramatic. Come on up before the carpet decides to adopt you permanently."
Claire wobbled to her feet with all the stability of a newborn giraffe, her legs threatening to betray her once more. Everyone instinctively lurched forward, hands outstretched to catch her—but she managed to catch herself with a tiny "eep!", arms pinwheeling briefly before finding her balance.
"I-I'm okay! Totally okay, c-capisce!" she stammered, her cheeks flushed pink as she frantically dusted off her skirt, patting it down with quick, nervous movements. She shuffled toward the bed, attempting what she hoped was a dignified walk but looking more like someone crossing a tightrope.
When she finally reached the bed, she plopped down with an unexpected bounce that made her squeak in surprise. "Oh! Um..." She tucked the rebellious strands of yellow hair behind her ear with trembling fingers, offering a wobbly smile that was equal parts embarrassed and relieved. "S-see? Perfectly graceful. Just like... um... a swan. Or maybe more like a swan that's having a really confusing day..."
Rose smiled warmly in response, but her attention shifted as Takumi cleared his throat with a deliberate "ahem." His eyes, however, caught on Liene, who seemed lost in her own world, still gazing out the window with distant eyes. The unusual absence of her typical teasing remarks hung in the air as Takumi silently moved to stand in front of her, waving his palm before her face. She jolted slightly, snapping out of her trance with a startled blink. "Uh hey, boy..."
"Right now, that I've got everyone's attention..." Takumi announced with his characteristic swagger, dropping into position in front of them. He struck a dramatic pose, one hand on his hip, the other reaching for his weapon with exaggerated slowness. "Let me show you the newest version of my weapon..."
With all the theatrical flair of a stage magician, he whipped out the retracted scythe from his waist. The weapon extended with a series of fancy mechanical whirs and clicks, each segment dramatically unfolding like a mechanical peacock showing off its plumage. The blade caught the room's light with an almost cartoonish gleam—right before pointing directly at Claire and Rose.
"EEEP!" Claire squealed, practically teleporting to one side of the bed while Rose darted to the other, despite the scythe being nowhere near them. The sudden movement made Claire's hair poof up like a startled cat's. They quickly tried to compose themselves, straightening their postures and smoothing down their clothes before breaking into a synchronized, tentative clap, their voices barely above a whisper: "whooo..."
"I know, I know, thank you for the applause..." Takumi bowed repeatedly with exaggerated flourishes, spreading his arms like a Broadway star soaking in a standing ovation. The scythe twirled in his hand with unnecessary but admittedly impressive spins.
"Ooh, ooh, does it have a name, per se?" Rose bounced on the bed, hands shooting up like an eager student who absolutely needs to answer the teacher's question. Her enthusiasm was cranked up to eleven, matching Takumi's theatrical energy.
"Oh! Oh! Is it s-something cool? Something d-dramatic?" Claire squeaked out, getting caught up in the moment before realizing how silly they all looked. She clapped her hands over her mouth, but her eyes still sparkled with genuine curiosity, even as she tried to stifle a giggle at their collective ridiculousness. "Um... c-capisce?"
"Of course..." Takumi swept his orange hair back with a dramatic flair worthy of a shampoo commercial, his trademark smirk reaching peak insufferable levels as he propped his scythe over his shoulder. "I call it... THE DESTROYER! Yes, in caps..." He paused, clearly waiting for the adoration he felt he deserved.
Claire, who had been watching with genuine wide-eyed fascination, fidgeted with the hem of her sleeve. "O-oh! That's... um... that's really something! Like those heroes from the shows with the—" she gestured vaguely with her hands, nearly knocking over her own weapon in the process, "—the pow! And the whoosh! ...c-capisce?"
Liene lifted her head from where she'd been staring distantly at the ground, managing a shadow of her usual playful smile. "Hmm? Oh... THE DESTROYER. Very... dramatic." Her teasing lacked its usual spark, but she still couldn't quite help adding, "Were you 10 when you named your weapon, boy? Let me guess, your backup name was 'Super Mega Death Blade 3000'?"
"I-I think it's kind of cute!" Claire blurted out, then immediately slapped both hands over her mouth, her face turning tomato-red. "Wait! N-not cute! I meant intimidating! Very intimidating and scary and—" A snort escaped through her fingers, making her eyes go even wider. "Oh no..."
"It is NOT cute!" Takumi's voice cracked like he'd just hit puberty again. "It's fearsome! Terror-inducing! Soul-crushing! It strikes fear into the hearts of... hey! Stop laughing! Both of you!" Each declaration only made his dignity shrink further.
"P-please stop," Claire wheezed between giggles, slowly sliding down the wall she'd backed into for support. "My s-stomach hurts... I can't... oh gosh..." She hugged her knees, shoulders shaking uncontrollably.
Liene watched Claire's breakdown with a faint smile, her eyes occasionally drifting back to middle distance before she caught herself. "At least... at least you didn't add numbers to it," she offered, her usual sharp wit dulled but still present.
"Well, actually," Takumi straightened up, completely oblivious to the room's atmosphere. "I had a whole list! THE KILLER was too basic, and THE BREAKER just didn't have that special—hey, why is Claire on the floor?!"
Claire had completely lost her battle with gravity, curled up in a ball of helpless laughter. "I'm s-sorry!" she managed between gasps, one hand flailing in what might have been an apologetic gesture but mostly just windmilled through the air. "It's just... it's just..." She made the mistake of looking up at Takumi's indignant face and dissolved into another fit of giggles, nearly bonking her head on the wall behind her. "T-the caps m-make it so much better... c-capisce?"
Liene, despite her distracted state, found herself pulled into a genuine laugh at Claire's contagious breakdown. Her usual sharp wit might have been dulled, but there was something about the pure ridiculousness of the moment that briefly cut through her melancholy.
Rose, who had been watching the entire exchange with growing concern split between Claire's meltdown and Liene's unusual quietness, bounced over to help Claire up. "Come on, you silly bean! Deep breaths!" She pulled Claire to her feet, steadying her when she wobbled like a newborn deer, then shot a quick, worried glance at Liene before her attention was suddenly captured by Takumi's weapon. Her eyes went wide, glittering like she'd just witnessed the most incredible magic trick. "Whoaaaaa, amazing..." she breathed, her voice a soft melody of awe as she practically vibrated with excitement. She turned back to Takumi with bright enthusiasm, temporarily forgetting her earlier concerns. "Though I have to say, your naming skills are absolutely precious! Want to help me name my next weapon? I'm thinking something with lots of exclamation points!"
Claire and Liene paused mid-laugh, exchanging looks before glancing back at Rose. Claire's expression was a mix of amusement and mild panic, like she couldn't decide whether to keep laughing or start worrying.
Rose leaned forward, her nose mere inches from the blade, her expression as innocent as ever. "Does it do anything else? Like... sparkle or shoot lasers?"
Takumi's confidence, which had been teetering on the edge, shot straight back up. He puffed out his chest, his smirk transforming into a full-blown grin. "Well, since you asked..."
Claire managed to sit up, still hiccupping with giggles, her legs tangled underneath her in a way that suggested she hadn't quite figured out how sitting worked. "O-oh... w-we're doomed, aren't we?" she whispered to Liene, twiddling her fingers nervously as she shot her friend a shy, conspiratorial smile.
"Yep," Liene replied with a wan smile, mustering enough energy to nudge Claire's shoulder playfully, a brief flash of her usual self showing through her subdued demeanor. "But at least we'll die entertained."
When night fell that Saturday at precisely 7:30 PM, their group formed an odd formation as they walked through the lit hallways alongside other students after leaving Takumi and Liene's dorm. Takumi kept sneaking glances at Liene, his usual smirk softening into something more concerned.
"Hey, you're being weirdly quiet. Did someone steal your snark supplies?" he prodded, masking his worry with his usual sass.
Liene merely shrugged, her thoughts clearly elsewhere. "I'm fine," she muttered, brushing off his concern with a weak wave of her hand that lacked her usual flourish. "Just... thinking."
"Ooh, ooh! But what about the extending blade mechanism?" Rose bounced alongside Takumi like an overexcited puppy, her eyes sparkling with genuine fascination. "And the way it transforms! And those engravings! Did you design those yourself? They're so pretty!" She leaned in closer, practically hanging off his arm as she fired off questions rapid-fire.
Takumi's eye twitched slightly, his usual love of attention warring with the sheer overwhelming energy of Rose's enthusiasm. "Well, if you must know—" he started, only to be cut off by another burst of questions.
Behind them, Claire shuffled along, clutching her journal tight against her chest like a shield. "U-um..." she started several times, wanting to join the conversation but never quite managing to get the words out. Her feet did an awkward little dance every few steps, like she couldn't decide whether to speed up or fall back. Her small, nervous smile stayed fixed in place as she chewed on her bottom lip, occasionally adding a quiet "capisce" to herself as she worked through whatever thoughts were tumbling through her head.
She nearly walked into a wall, caught up in her internal monologue, only saving herself at the last second with a squeaked "Eep!" that had Takumi and Rose turning around—though Liene remained lost in her own world.
"You okay back there, notebook buddy?" Rose called out, momentarily distracted from her weapon interrogation. "Want to hear about THE DESTROYER's special features too? Takumi was just about to tell me about the—"
"I was TRYING to tell you about—" Takumi interjected, only to be drowned out by Rose's continued enthusiasm.
"—the super cool transformation sequence! Come on, Claire! You can write about it in your journal!"
"O-oh! Um, yes! I mean, if that's okay? I wouldn't want to... to impose or anything... capisce?" Claire stumbled forward a few steps, then back, then forward again, like a nervous bird unsure where to land.
She lowered her gaze to her journal, suddenly finding comfort in its familiar pages as she flipped it open with a small 'plop'. Her head tilted side to side like a curious puppy as she scanned through her previous entries, fingertips trailing across the blank pages with an almost reverent touch. Pulling out her pen, she began to write, her inner voice a mix of enthusiasm and nervous energy:
"H-haloooo mommmm," she narrated in her head, her mental voice doing an excited little bounce despite her careful, measured handwriting. "It's been a super weird month – like, SUPER weird! Um, specifically, it's October 13, 958 S.E... and I still can't believe I'm actually writing this from the Academy! It's been kinda fun though, especially with Rose around!" Her thoughts tumbled over themselves like puppies down stairs. "Oh! A-and guess what? I finally made friends! Besides Rose, I mean... Two of them actually! There's Takumi and Liene, who are... well... how do I put this... they're uniquely unique? If that makes sense? Which it probably doesn't... but then again, I'm not exactly normal either, capisce?"
Her pen skittered across the page as she hunched closer, completely oblivious to her surroundings. "S-so about classes this past month! There's Arcane Mysticism – all about magic and stuff that Rose would probably think is suuuper basic – and then there's combat class..." She let out a nervous giggle, accidentally smudging the ink. "Oh gosh, speaking of combat class, remember that whole thing I wrote about with the arena? Well, it got even crazier because they made us FIGHT TO THE DEA—" Her eyes went wide with horror at her own dramatics. "Wait-wait-wait, no! That came out wrong! Nobody died! I promise! Though it felt pretty scary... oh geez, I'm getting off track again!"
Her writing grew increasingly wobbly as she rambled on, lost in her letter-world. "I've actually done okay in some stuff! Though I'm still super clumsy with the sword... and mana manipulation is like trying to hold water in a colander... Oh! But Astral mastery is neat – I got to show off my stellar skills! Though I maybe accidentally sneezed during one demonstration and made all the star charts float... Strategy and history are kind of a snooze-fest, along with Akumo studies and anatomies... and mom, Survival and Physical Conditioning is literally the w-worst! Like... h-hell—" She dropped her pen in shock, fumbling to catch it and knocking over her inkwell in the process. "Oh no-no-no! I didn't mean to say that! Pretend you didn't read that! Um... anyway! Weapon maintenance is good – I take really good care of my baby, Tearful Embrace! Ethics and discipline... well... I only dozed off twice! Maybe three times... And don't laugh, but yes, I've fallen down. A lot. Like, a LOT a lot. And communication class is still... um... let's just say I managed to tangle my words so badly last week that Professor Mirran thought I was speaking in ancient tongues..." She let out a soft, self-deprecating laugh, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. "But..."
Claire walked straight into Rose's back with a thump, triggering a sudden chain reaction as the group came to an abrupt halt. Her bowed head collided with a dull thud, and she scrambled to steady herself, glancing up in awkward panic. Flustered, she shook her head and waved her hands apologetically. "Eep! S-sorry! I wasn't... I mean, I was... oh geez, I'm such a klutz..."
Still rattled from the collision, she quickly brushed aside the stray strands of yellow hair that had fallen over her eyes. "W-why did everyone stop so—"
Her words died in her throat.
Her gaze traveled up—past Mr. Renji's usual bored expression, up even further—and then even further until she was staring directly into the piercing violet eyes of an enormous dragon. The creature loomed beside their history teacher, its massive tail swaying back and forth with an oddly puppy-like enthusiasm. A low, rumbling purr echoed through the hallway as it tilted its head curiously at the students.
"MEEP!"
Claire jolted so hard she tumbled backward, her diary slipping from her hands as her pen clattered onto the floor. The sharp sound of paper and plastic hitting the ground barely registered as she crab-walked away in sheer disbelief. "Th-that's... that's... there's a... c-capisce?!" Her voice climbed several octaves, her brain struggling to process the sight of their monotone professor casually petting what appeared to be a very real dragon.
"OH. MY. GOSH!" Rose practically vibrated with excitement, her eyes sparkling like fireworks as she bounced on her toes. She grabbed Claire's arm and squeezed it. "Claire! Claire! Look at those scales! They're like twilight crystals! And those wings – they're so majestic! Can we pet it? Please tell me we can pet it! This is the most amazing thing EVER!"
"Well, well..." Takumi drawled, crossing his arms with his signature smirk, though his eyes betrayed genuine surprise. "I guess the school budget finally covered that class pet you wanted, teach? Though most people would've settled for a hamster." The dragon snorted, releasing a small puff of smoke that made Takumi take a quick step back. "Okay, point taken, big guy."
He glanced at Liene, expecting one of her usual sharp-witted jabs, but she remained uncharacteristically quiet, her gaze distant. The normally quick-to-tease girl seemed lost in thought, barely registering the massive predator that had just huffed smoke in their direction.
The dragon let out a low, pleased growl as it nuzzled against Mr. Renji with enough force to make their teacher stumble. Its tail swished happily, nearly knocking over a nearby statue.
"Ah, good morning!" Mr. Renji called out, his typically dull voice carrying an unusual warmth. "Don't worry, Chompy here is perfectly friendly. Aren't you, boy?"
Chompy responded with an enthusiastic headbutt that sent Mr. Renji staggering back several steps, followed by what could only be described as a draconic attempt at a playful boop with its massive snout.
From her new position on the floor, Claire gaped at them both, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. "Ch-Chompy?" she squeaked, barely above a whisper. "The giant dragon is named... Chompy?" The dragon's head swiveled toward her at the sound of its name, and Claire let out another "meep!" as it rumbled what sounded suspiciously like a laugh.
The dragon slowly lumbered forward, its massive presence causing Rose and Takumi to instinctively step aside—though in very different ways. Rose, eyes shimmering with excitement, practically danced to the side, her hands clasped together in pure delight. "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, look at how graceful it is! For something so big! Claire, are you seeing this? It's like a giant scaly ballerina!"
Takumi, on the other hand, grabbed Liene by the collar and smoothly guided her out of the way, muttering, "Yeah, nope. Not getting trampled today. I don't think 'death by dragon' would look good on either of our transcripts."
Liene, who had been gazing absently at some point in the distance, simply allowed herself to be moved. After a moment, she blinked, her usual sharp smile returning though not quite reaching her eyes. "My hero," she drawled with practiced sarcasm. "Careful though—people might start thinking you actually care."
Takumi scoffed, waving a dismissive hand. "Please, if you got stomped, I'd have to deal with ghost-Liene haunting me for the rest of my life. And let's be honest—you'd be the most annoying ghost ever."
"Mm," Liene hummed noncommittally, her usual quick wit seemingly running on autopilot as she watched the dragon with an oddly distant expression.
Meanwhile, Claire remained very much in the dragon's path, sprawled on the ground like a deer caught in headlights. Her hands twitched as she tried to push herself up, only to freeze entirely when the dragon's enormous head lowered toward her. Chompy let out a curious rumble, hot breath ruffling her hair.
"M-MEEP!"
Her shoulders jerked, and she let out a strangled squeak, her entire body stiffening like a startled cat. The dragon's deep violet eyes blinked at her, and it tilted its head with another low, inquisitive growl. A small puff of smoke escaped its nostrils, forming a perfect ring that floated over Claire's head like a halo.
"Oh stars, oh stars, oh stars—" she whispered under her breath, her fingers clenching at the air as if trying to grab onto something—anything—to anchor herself. "N-nice dragon! Very nice dragon! I-I'm not food! I probably don't even taste good! Too stringy! Not even an appetizer, capisce?!"
Instead of devouring her whole, the dragon let out what sounded suspiciously like a chuckle—a deep, rumbling sound that vibrated through the floor. It nudged something toward her with its snout—her diary and pen, which she had dropped in her panic. Chompy had somehow managed to pick them up without leaving a single tooth mark.
Claire blinked rapidly. "Eh?"
The fearsome beast bobbed its head expectantly, its tail swishing behind it like an eager puppy. When she hesitated, it made a soft crooning sound and nudged the items closer, managing to look remarkably proud of itself.
With extreme caution, Claire reached out and took the items, her fingers trembling like leaves in a storm. "Th-thank you?" she squeaked, voice breaking on the last syllable. "Y-you're actually kind of sweet for a giant terrifying dragon, aren't you?"
"See? He LOVES you, Claire!" Rose practically exploded with enthusiasm, bouncing up and down with such energy she might have achieved liftoff. She clasped her hands together, eyes sparkling. "This is just like in 'Dragon's Heart Monthly' where they said dragons can sense pure souls! You've made a friend for life!"
"L-loves me...?" Claire echoed weakly, her entire body still as rigid as a plank, even as Chompy made a satisfied purring sound and gave her hair a gentle nuzzle. "That's... that's good? Right? Right?!"
The dragon huffed impatiently, shaking its massive head and releasing a small puff of smoke that made Claire's hair flutter. Another rumble, this one sounding suspiciously like a draconic sigh of exasperation at her hesitation.
Taking a deep breath—one that sounded more like a squeaky internal pep talk—Claire hesitantly lifted a trembling hand and... carefully patted the creature's snout.
Soft.
Warm.
Scaly but... smooth?
Oh no, he's actually kinda cute—
The dragon's eyes lit up with pure joy, and it let out an excited rumble that vibrated through the floor. Its whole body wiggled like an oversized puppy, massive tail sweeping back and forth with enough force to create a breeze. The sudden movement made Claire squeak and nearly drop her journal for the second time, clutching it to her chest like a shield.
"Great. Our resident death-lizard's gone full housecat," Takumi smirked, watching the scene unfold with raised eyebrows. "Terrifying."
Liene, her sharp wit sliding back into place, let out a slow, teasing hum. "Huh. Must be the clumsy charm. Who knew awkwardness was a dragon's type?" Her lips curved into a catlike smile. "Maybe he likes them small and squeaky."
"T-that's not—! I mean, I d-don't—!" Claire flailed her free arm wildly, her face turning the color of a sunset. "It's not like that! He's just being nice! And I'm not squeaky! Capisce?!" Her voice cracked on the last word, coming out as—ironically—a squeak.
Rose bounced over, beaming like a small sun as she patted Claire's back. "Aww, look at you making new friends! You're so adorable when you're flustered! Like a tiny, embarrassed chipmunk!" She clasped her hands together in delight. "And now you have a dragon friend! This is the best day ever!"
Claire whined softly, trying to hide behind her journal as Chompy nudged her again, clearly pleased with his new human. The dragon's rumbling purr sounded suspiciously like laughter.
"Nooooo," she mumbled into the pages, peeking over the top with wide eyes. "Not you too, Mr. Dragon..."
Claire inched toward the dragon with tiny, hesitant steps, her face turned away and eyes squeezed shut. "N-nice dragon... very nice dragon... c-capisce?" Her trembling hand reached out, barely brushing against its scales. The dragon's tail immediately began wagging with such force it created a small breeze, and before Claire could retreat, a massive tongue slathered her from head to toe.
"Eek! No, wait—ahaha!" Claire dissolved into helpless giggles, trying to shield herself from the enthusiastic dragon kisses. "S-stop, stop, Mr. Dragon! That t-tickles!" She flailed her arms ineffectively, her usual nervousness temporarily forgotten in the absurdity of being dragon-slobbered.
"Oh my gosh, that is THE CUTEST THING EVER!" Rose squealed, practically vibrating with excitement. Her eyes lit up with sudden inspiration. "Hey, Mr. Renji! Can I ride him? Pretty please? I promise I won't pull any aerial stunts! ...Maybe just a tiny loop-de-loop?"
Takumi, watching this chaos unfold, elbowed Liene. "Hey, Space Cadet, you're missing the show. Claire's getting a dragon bath, and I think Rose is about to either make history or become it." When Liene finally blinked back to reality, a faint smile tugged at her lips at the sight of Claire's predicament.
"Who knew dragons were basically just oversized puppies?" Takumi drawled, crossing his arms. "Though I have to say, THE DESTROYER is still more impressive than—" He cut off as Chompy bounded over to Rose, who had somehow already climbed halfway onto its back.
"Wheeee!" Rose cheered as the dragon pranced around the hallway with her, while Mr. Renji's usual monotone expression showed the tiniest crack of alarm.
Claire picked herself up from the floor, her hair sticking up in every direction from dragon saliva. "I think... I think I just got my monthly bath in one go," she giggled nervously, trying to smooth down her wild hair. "C-capisce?"
"Ten sen says Rose tries to smuggle it into our dorm," Takumi muttered to Liene, who had finally emerged enough from her thoughts to roll her eyes at his comment.
Claire scooped up her journal, hastily scribbling a quick ending: "Anyways sorry to cut short, I still have lots of things to say but yeah... love, Claire!" Her handwriting turned extra squiggly with her excitement as she remembered something else.
Here's a revised version that emphasizes the contrast between Claire's excited, typo-filled messages and CH1's formal responses:
"Oh! Oh!" Claire fumbled with her phone, nearly dropping it twice before finally extracting it from her pocket. Her fingers danced across the screen with barely-contained excitement:
"heyyy CH!!!! omg omg u wont BELIEVE what happend today!!! we saw a DRAGON!!! like an actual real life DRAGON!!! it was all violet and BIG and scary but also super nice???? like a giant puppy but with scales?? capisce???"
The response came swiftly, each word precisely chosen and perfectly typed: "A dragon? That's quite an extraordinary claim. I assume you maintained appropriate safety protocols?"
"NOPE!!!" Claire's thumbs flew across the screen, her excitement causing even more typos than usual. "it totally licked me!!! im still coverd in dragon drool but its okay??? its like the most adorkable thing ever!!!! the dragon was like whoosh with its tounge and i was like eep but in a good way???"
"I see your enthusiasm remains... unrestrained as always. Please tell me someone more sensible was present."
"omg yes!! rose was there n takumi n liene but LISTEN CH the dragon was sooooo cute!!!"
"*tongue"
"wait no theres more typos"
"but u get what i mean rite???"
"capisce????"
"OH OH rose is trying to convince mr renji to let her keep the dragon as a pet!!!"
"gotta go see this its gonna be HILARIOUS"
"wait one more thing!!!"
"the dragon made this weird purring sound???"
"like a cat but BIGGER"
"Claire. Focus. Are you certain it was actually purring and not preparing to—"
"sry gtg!!! rose is doing the puppy eyes thing at mr renji its WORKING???"
Claire quickly scribbled in her journal: "Anyways sorry to cut short, I sitll have lots of things to say but yeah... love, Claire!" Then, remembering her phone, she fired off one more rapid series of messages:
"CH!!!! update!!!"
"mr renji said no :((("
"but the dragon gave him puppy eyes too!!!"
"like how does a dragon even DO that???"
"its so precious im gonna cry"
"That's... actually somewhat concerning. Dragons aren't typically known for displaying canine behavioral patterns."
"omg ur right!!!! maybe its part puppy????"
"that would explain SO MUCH"
"brb gonna go research dragon-puppy hybrids!!!!"
"Claire, please don't—"
"too late already searching!!!! capisce!!!!"
"And that's why we can't keep the dragon!" Mr. Renji declared, though his stern expression softened as Chompy, the violet dragon, nuzzled against his shoulder with an almost puppy-like whimper.
"B-but look at those eyes!" Claire gestured wildly at Chompy's pleading expression, nearly tangling herself in her own excited movements. "They're like... like... liquid amethysts of pure adorableness! C-capisce?"
Around them, other students lounged in the common area, some sprawled on couches doing homework, others gathered in small clusters sharing stories and laughter. A typical evening at the academy.
Rose was practically bouncing. "We could build him a little house! With a swimming pool! And—"
"And perhaps a golden throne while we're at it?" Takumi drawled, though he couldn't quite hide his smile as Chompy attempted to curl up in Mr. Renji's lap like an oversized cat.
8:59 PM.
The playful argument died mid-breath.
Mr. Renji tensed first, his hand instinctively moving to Chompy's neck. The dragon's usual happy rumble transformed into complete silence, its head lifting sharply toward the windows. Its pupils narrowed to slits.
Claire was mid-giggle when she felt it—that suffocating stillness, like the air itself had frozen in place. Her phone slipped in her suddenly clammy hands. Around them, conversations faltered, students falling quiet one by one as the unnatural silence spread.
9:00 PM.
The first window shattered with a spiderweb of cracks before exploding inward in a shower of glittering shards. Then another. And another. The sound rippled through the academy like a wave, each breaking window adding to the crescendo of tinkling glass and splintering frames. Students scrambled back from the windows, some crying out in surprise, others frozen in shock.
Then—darkness swallowed them whole.
The lights died with a decisive snap, extinguishing even the faintest glimmer. In the pitch blackness, Claire could hear the panicked breathing of students around her, the rustle of movement as people huddled closer together. Rose's sharp intake of breath, Takumi's boots shifting on glass-strewn floor, Liene's telling silence. Chompy's usual purring had gone deathly quiet.
Through the darkness came... sounds. The whisper of movement. The scrape of... something... against stone. The crunch of glass beneath unseen feet, multiplying, surrounding them. A student whimpered somewhere to Claire's left. Another prayed softly in the darkness.
Claire's fingers trembled around her phone, its screen now dark and lifeless. The cheerful messages from moments ago felt like they belonged to another world entirely.
Something shifted in the darkness. Watching. Waiting.
They were no longer alone.