The morning after the ice cream monster incident…
The dorm was in ruins.
Farl had shredded three sets of curtains in her sleep, gnawed a hole through the wall, and was currently curled up in a pile of laundry like a giant wolf-puppy wrapped in socks. Kairo stood in the doorway with two bags of snacks and a deadpan look.
"So, which one of you is gonna explain why there's a werewolf nesting in my boxer drawer?"
Mira, still wrapped in a towel, stomped over.
"She's recovering. Don't make it worse."
Kairo raised a brow.
"I'm not. I'm just sayin'—if she starts chewing my shirts, I'm fighting back."
Vivi was sitting upside-down on the couch, holding an empty popsicle stick and staring blankly.
"Why do bad things always happen around laundry day…"
Later that afternoon…
Sunlight spilled across the Academy grounds, soft and golden. A light breeze stirred the leaves, birds chirped lazily, and for once, everything felt calm. The battle with the ice cream monster was behind them, and even Farl had stopped growling in her sleep.
Reika stood outside, hands in his pockets, staring out over the courtyard. His black shirt clung to his back lightly, sleeves rolled up past his elbows. He looked out into the quiet with an unfamiliar look on his face—peaceful, but distant. He wasn't used to this kind of calm. Or warmth. Not the kind that came from inside.
Emotions, he thought. They were… weird.
A mechanical hum stirred the air, low and rising. Reika looked up.
Descending from the sky was a black chariot, sleek and regal, drawn by two mechanical phoenixes. Their wings shimmered like blades of light, feathers glowing with power. They touched down softly on the lawn, their chrome talons barely bending the grass.
The door of the chariot hissed open.
She stepped out like a royal visiting peasants. Her hair was blue, flowing in perfect waves that tumbled down her back. Her eyes, sharp and green, scanned the courtyard with calm confidence, already knowing she owned the space she walked into. She wore a short violet dress, trimmed in gold, that stopped just above her knees. It swayed gently with every step. Every motion of hers was intentional, practiced, poised.
She looked right at Reika.
"You," she said, smiling. "Flame-boy. You've grown."
Reika blinked, stunned. He recognized that voice, even if it had been years.
"Aira?"
He hadn't seen her in nearly a decade. The girl from the merchant town, the one who used to give him things instead of words. They'd moved around so often, he never thought he'd see her again.
And here she was—wealthy, beautiful, confident—and staring at him like nothing had changed.
She stepped forward, closing the gap between them. She reached up and brushed his bangs aside with two fingers, like she had every right to.
"Took you long enough to remember me."
Inside the dorms, Mira stood at the window, her fingers curled tightly on the ledge. Her eye twitched. Vivi stood beside her, holding a cup of lemon tea with a death grip.
"Who the hell is that?" Mira asked coldly.
"Why is she touching him like that?" Vivi hissed.
Kairo, lounging across the couch, was halfway through a bowl of cereal. He didn't even look up.
"Judging by the over-the-top entrance and fashion choices? Sponsor. Or long-lost wife. Maybe a secret princess. Definitely rich. I'm giving her ten out of ten on drama points."
Mira didn't answer. Her expression darkened.
Vivi placed her cup down carefully. Too carefully.
"We have to do something."
"For once," Mira said, "we agree."
Reika barely had time to process before chaos unfolded.
Mira marched up first, dressed in a sharp black training uniform. Her hair was tied up, two blades strapped to her back.
"Reika! You promised you'd help me train this morning. Speed drills. Remember?"
Then Vivi appeared, holding a tray of fresh tarts, dressed like she stepped out of a floral commercial.
"Actually, he promised to try my tarts first. Family recipe. Might go bad."
Aira didn't flinch. She simply tilted her head, violet fabric rustling gently as she stepped between them.
"Aww. That's sweet. But I came to take Reika to my private waterfall garden. Where the koi fish are enchanted and the air smells like moon petals. You know, relaxing."
Mira blinked. "Moon petals?"
Vivi stared. "Imported from where?"
"The sky," Aira said with a delicate smile.
Mira opened her mouth to protest, but Aira had already looped her arm through Reika's and was walking him away.
Kairo leaned in from the hallway with popcorn.
"That woman's dangerous."
Aira's "garden" was no exaggeration. Hidden behind the Academy's east wing, it was a mini paradise. A crystal-clear stream ran through the grass, lined with floating lotus candles. Cherry blossoms drifted from trees that weren't supposed to bloom this season. There were silver tables set with food that glowed faintly with magic. And yes—there was an actual waterfall.
She led Reika to a blanket made of soft velvet, lined with cushions. He looked around, slightly overwhelmed.
"This feels like cheating," he muttered.
Aira slipped off her heels and dipped her toes in the water.
"Everything's fair in love, war, and Academy politics."
Before he could answer, a loud crash sounded behind them.
Vivi and Mira had arrived—completely uninvited.
Vivi was holding a still-wobbling pie that had clearly taken a hit during the journey. Mira was holding a thermos labeled For Combat Recovery Only and looked like she wanted to throw it.
"Did someone say picnic?" Vivi said, smiling through gritted teeth.
"Thought you might need… refreshments," Mira added.
They both sat down with forced grace. Vivi tried to offer a slice of her pie to Reika, only for Mira to accidentally knock it into Aira's lap.
Aira calmly took a phoenix-feather towel from her bag and dabbed her dress.
"You two are such a delight," she said sweetly. "I'll have to hire you as party clowns next time."
Vivi's face twitched.
Mira muttered something about banned curses.
Meanwhile, Reika just sat between the chaos, eyes wide, shoulders tense. Kairo was hiding in a bush twenty feet away, writing in a notebook.
"I've seen battles quieter than this. Reika's living the dream and the nightmare."
Eventually, the garden quieted. Mira and Vivi gave up on sabotage and sat silently, sulking. Aira leaned against Reika gently, her blue hair brushing his shoulder.
"Why did you come here?" he asked.
"You remember what I used to say," she replied. "That I'd find you when we were older. When I had the means. I meant it."
"I didn't know how to feel back then."
"And now?"
Reika hesitated.
"I think I like this. Feeling things. Having people."
Aira turned her face toward him, her eyes softer now.
"Then let me show you what it means to feel everything."
She took his hand. He didn't pull away.
He didn't want to.