Yira’s mismatched eyes were agleam with excitement as she settled into the plush seat of the hyperloop pod. Today was the big day - her entrance exam for the prestigious Stratos Akademiya magic academy. She fidgeted nervously, smoothing out her second-hand uniform and triple-checking she had all the necessary papers and vouchers needed to even qualify for testing.

This was her golden ticket to a brighter future, she reminded herself. A future where she could properly provide for her siblings instead of scraping by on the streets. She owed it all to Fujimi’s generosity, gifting her his coveted exam voucher after she tried pickpocketing him. Talk about karma coming back around!

Fujimi had told her she was destined for greatness at Stratos Akademiya. She aimed to prove him right and make the Furí family proud for taking a chance on a street urchin like her.

“Next stop, Stratos Akademiya Entrance Exam Center,” announced the hyperloop coolly. The pod accelerated, neon cityscape blurring past the window. Yira took a deep breath. No going back now. Her new life awaited.

Meanwhile, Fujimi ambled to school, thoughts focused on Yira’s big day. He knew her resourcefulness and scrappy intellect left her more than prepared for anything those stuffy academy administrators could throw at her. She’d flourish at Stratos Akademiya.

“Yo, Fujimi! Over here!” Takashi called out, beckoning Fujimi over to their usual bench. Miku and Erica were already seated, discussing strategies for an upcoming group project.

Fujimi greeted them warmly. It always amazed him how perfectly his friends here resembled their counterparts back in 2022. Though their clothes and gadgets were more futuristic, their personalities were exactly the same. Seeing their familiar faces helped ground Fujimi amidst all the strangeness.

As they headed to first period, Takashi regaled them with an improbable tale of some upperclassmen who snuck off campus and got attacked by blob creatures from an experimental DNA gacha.

“I heard they’re still covered in slime and oozing tentacles!” Takashi whispered dramatically. Fujimi and the girls rolled their eyes but smiled at his antics. Some things never changed, even over a century.

The schoolday passed in typical mundane fashion. Fujimi kept glancing at the clock, eager for Yira’s exam to finish so he could hear how it went. By last period, he was thoroughly distracted, gaze fixed out the window.

A sudden commotion at the back of class jolted Fujimi alert. A group of boys were huddled over a tablet, talking loudly.

“Dude, look at this crazy rare creature! I heard some mafia gang is hunting people who get ones like it from the gacha.”

Fujimi frowned. Wasn’t this the same rumor Takashi had shared earlier? It left him uneasy. Perhaps he should warn Yira when she returned, just in case…

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The afternoon bell finally rang and Fujimi hurried from campus, hoping to beat the transit rush. As he cut through a side alley, movement caught his eye. He spotted two figures sneaking behind the academy’s west wing, dressed all in black. Strange…Fujimi crept closer, hiding behind a dumpster. Squinting, he could make out…Miku and Erica? What were they up to?

Before Fujimi could react, a deafening boom shook the ground. He whipped around to see smoke rising from the front of campus. Students poured from all directions towards flaming rubble that was once the academy’s grand entrance. What on earth?!

Fujimi scanned the chaotic scene anxiously. The headmaster was calling for order while teachers ushered stunned students away from the destruction. Had there been some kind of freak accident?

His thoughts raced, trying to make sense of what occurred. Fujimi knew his analytical tendencies made him prone to worst-case assumptions. Surely this was just some science experiment gone wrong…right?

As the scene calmed, Fujimi caught sight of Miku and Erica, their faces soot-streaked but otherwise unharmed. Relief washed over him. He started towards them, eager for an explanation, when suddenly the cuff of his sleeve was seized in an iron grip.

Fujimi whirled in surprise to find himself staring into the inhuman blood-red eyes of a pale, skeletal creature. It opened jaws filled with jagged black teeth, letting loose an ominous grunt as it began dragging Fujimi away from the crowds…

Fujimi yelped as the creature clamped down on his sleeve with its bony claws. Its skin was so pale it was translucent, and Fujimi could see every vein and sinew pulsing grotesquely underneath.

“Dude, let go! This is my favorite hoodie!” Fujimi protested as the skeleton-thing tried tugging him away. Man, its grip was strong for a bag of bones.

Fujimi glanced around desperately, but everyone else was distracted by the exploded school entrance. It was just his luck to get abducted by some freaky lab experiment at a time like this! Why him?

As the creature rasped angrily and kept dragging Fujimi along, he tried appealing to its sense of compassion. “C’mon buddy, can’t we talk this out? I’m sure you’re not really a bad…uh, whatever you are. Just hangry maybe? I can get you a snack!”

The creature paused, bony head tilted. For a second Fujimi thought he might have gotten through to it. Then it hissed and renewed its efforts to abscond with him.

“Okay, no snacks then,” Fujimi muttered. “Worth a try.” He braced his feet, trying to wrench his sleeve free, but nearly dislocated his shoulder instead. This thing was freakishly strong!

Just as Fujimi was imaging the embarrassing headlines (“Boy Abducted by Science Fair Project Gone Wrong”), a dark blur suddenly descended from above.

“Unhand him, fiend!” bellowed a mysterious figure in a billowing cloak. Before Fujimi could react, his rescuer extended a hand and blasted the creature with crackling arcs of crimson energy.

Howling, the creature released its grip on Fujimi and dissolved into a puddle of goo. Fujimi gaped at his savior. “Whoa…thanks for the assist! Your magic zappy powers totally melted that thing.”

The figure turned slowly, shadows still obscuring their face. “Do not thank me yet. More dangers lurk nearby.” The voice sounded familiar. Wasn’t this the same weirdo who accosted Fujimi before?

Fujimi laughed nervously. “Ha, yeah, you’re probably right. This has been a seriously freaky day already. But hey, I really appreciate you vaporizing that thing before it made me its bony love slave or whatever.”

The figure tilted their head quizzically. Before Fujimi could question them further, a sudden tremor shook the alley. The ooze puddle was bubbling violently, and beginning to reform…

“Oh come on!” Fujimi exclaimed. “What does a guy have to do to get a little break around here?” But his cloaked rescuer was already adopting a battle stance, magical energy crackling around their hands.

“Ready yourself, Fujimi,” they intoned solemnly. “The true battle is about to begin…”