Queen vs. Cafeteria
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image [https://i.ibb.co/9gP5RS6/toppng-com-line-dividers-png-1000x200.png]
Sharpened by her recent power ascension and weeks of dodging textbooks, Eydis's reflexes kicked in. With a graceful sidestep, she evaded a collision with a pair of koala bears latching on a juicy eucalyptus branch.
By ‘eucalyptus branch,’ of course, she meant the rapidly-turning-blue Natalia, currently being smothered by the aforementioned koala bears, also known as Colette and Birgit.
"Where have you been Nat? We haven't seen you since dial-up internet!" exclaimed Birgit, her voice strained from the apparent exertion of the ‘hug.’
Natalia, eyes bulging like a threatened pufferfish, finally escaped their grasp with a strangled gasp. Her ‘Gifted Student’ pin glinted accusingly under the cafeteria golden light.
"Nat?" Colette gasped, eyes wide. "You have something you wanna fess up about, girl?"
Natalia launched into a rapid-fire recap of her last two weeks: the unexpected duel, the Gifted revelation, and the obligatory brotherly bonding session in their hometown. Nervous glances toward Eydis punctuated her hurried explanation.
Eydis raised an eyebrow. Sure, the whiny chorus of "why-didn't-you-tell-us?" was tiresome as it was predictable, but the genuine concern and awe in Colette and Birgit's eyes (definitely not fuelled by that green-eyed pest lurking in the corner, Envy) warmed her more than she'd ever admit.
Envy, the ever-present ‘pet’, unleashed a tantrum of static in her mind. Eydis, however, slammed it shut with a triple-locked vault door, muffling the whining.
A tiny spark of pride, carefully disguised as indifference, sparked within the Queen. Natalia was finding her footing, embracing her power. But acknowledging that out loud? Not on this lifetime.
"You're...smiling," Natalia mumbled.
Eydis tilted her head, a playful smile replacing her usual smirk. "Am I?"
"A real one, not your usual... Eydis-ness," Natalia clarified. She shifted, blushing slightly. "So, uh, I'll be busy training...Gifted stuff."
Was Natalia overheating? In Autumn?
"Didn't know you were such a bookworm all of a sudden, Nat?" Eydis teased, placing her cool hand over the fire mage’s forehead. “You sure you’re ready to be back to school so soon?”
Natalia swatted Eydis' hand away like a startled cat. "I just... I don't want to be helpless again.”
Hurrying towards a table, she practically dove between the ever-animated Colette and the ever-thirsty Birgit, muttering under her breath, "There are people I want to protect."
Eydis gave a subtle nod of understanding. Meanwhile, Colette and Birgit launched into a well-meaning lecture about the importance of things beyond raw power.
Tuning them out, Eydis’s amber gaze drifting across the cafeteria. She frowned as she watched students engaged in a bizarre culinary gladiatorial match. Forks and spoons clattered against plates as they devoured monstrosities resembling quadruple-decker burgers that defied all laws of physics and taste. The ravenous fervour, the way their mouths watered like wolves eyeing prey, was almost… barbaric.
Fascinating. Was it just her, or did they all seem a little... hyper-caffeinated today? Their energy levels were off the charts, mirroring the absurdity of their lunch choices.
On her left, Birgit serenaded the room with a chorus of slurps. Her sixth empty juice carton stood proudly on the table, a monument to her unwavering dedication to… hydration perhaps? Just as Eydis prepared to unleash a perfectly timed sarcastic quip, a morsel of gossip, juicy enough to rival Birgit's discarded cartons, drifted past her ear.
"Ugh, did you hear Tiffany threw another epic meltdown and quit...again?" one voice snickered, half a burger disappearing in a single bite.
"Seriously? After practically crawling back on her hands and knees, blackmailing half the school?" another replied, biting angrily into a drumstick.
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"Maybe the Ice Princess's glare finally overloaded poor Tiffany's circuits. A single death stare, bam!" a boy chimed in, slapping his pizza on his plate with a smack. (Points for creativity!)
"Or maybe that dark magic she dabbled in backfired and took over her tiny mind," someone else added with a mouthful of rice.
Eydis smirked. Now that was a burn so savage, so on point, it deserved a participation trophy. Just weeks ago, these same voices would fawn over Tiffany, their words dripping with syrupy admiration. Now that the tide had turned, so had their loyalty.
Ah, the hypocrisy of it all. So deliciously human. No wonder her familiar felt compelled by this place.
The Academy, true to form, kept the Tiffany incident under wraps. The following week became a breeding ground for outlandish conspiracy theories. Meanwhile, Envy's search for anomalies within the academy walls came up empty. No sign of other familiars, no trace of anything… off. Eydis felt a familiar unease gnaw at her.
It was too quiet.
The rhythmic clatter of trays screeched to a halt. A gasp sliced through the room, then shattered into a chorus of high-pitched squeals.
Or not.
Eydis rolled her eyes internally. Seriously? She lifted her head, expecting a fire drill or a rogue dragon invasion. Instead, the sea of students parted like the Red Sea before... Astra.
Astra had always been popular, a quiet enigma that drew attention like a lighthouse in a storm. But now, after her viral takedown of Tiffany, the adoration was a tidal wave. She was practically worshipped — a real-life Wonder Woman in their midst, if the decibel level was any indication. Even Eydis, queen of obscure references, couldn't help but appreciate the aptness of the pop culture comparison.
(Though admitting she secretly enjoyed the movie was a line she wouldn't cross with Natalia. Not ever.)
The constant adoration must be exhausting, like being swarmed by a gaggle of hyperactive fireflies drawn to a mesmerising flame.
Wait, "mesmerising"? What nonsense was her brain conjuring?
Astra's effortless deflection of Envy's power during that whole debacle had been undeniably impressive. So impressive, in fact, that Eydis had spent the past week avoiding her roommate. The Queen wasn't exactly keen on Astra picking up on any lingering traces of Envy's essence clinging to her aura.
The metaphorical essence leak was now plugged—binding sigil, enhanced by a sealing spell. Crisis averted... except for a rather unbecoming case of the Royal Raccoons. A most inconvenient development.
There had to be a revitalising sigil tucked away in the dusty corners of her memory. Not that Queen Eydis, bane of the Underworld, ever needed such a mundane thing. But even a ruler acknowledges the importance of a makeover, wouldn't you agree?
Eydis was contemplating the merits of cucumber slices versus a full-on ice pack (though the latter might be overkill) when the sounds of Astra's fan club escalated to a near-earthquake of screams. Just as the Queen considered deploying industrial earplugs and a welding helmet, Astra materialised through the throng, her crimson gaze a laser beam cutting through the chaos and landing squarely on Eydis.
Uh oh. This wasn't good.
Before Eydis could formulate a witty escape plan involving a strategically placed banana peel (perhaps two, for good measure), a shadow fell over her. Looking up, she found Astra hovering above her seat, a storm brewing on her face.
Could Astra sense her lingering darkness? No, it couldn't be! What did Astra want?
And more importantly, what did she know?
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Meanwhile, in Alchymia City, Indigo weaved through the throngs of the Central Business District’s lunchtime rush. He reached a skyscraper and barged into a penthouse, ignoring a flustered secretary.
Inside, the study was lit by the harsh afternoon sun. Dmitri Romanov sat by the large window, his red eyes locked on the strange, sickly pink orb on the horizon known as The Eye. Adrian, sitting on the comfortable couch, gave a brief nod of greeting.
Indigo slammed the laptop onto Dmitri's desk. "Chief Advisor, while I understand the urgency, a drone strike on The Eye without any prior discussion? Especially considering I'm still the Head of Research here?"
A frosty silence descended upon the room. Dmitri leaned back in his chair, radiating disdain. "A superior strategy, Professor Crane. Far better than your do-nothing approach.”
“Is that so?” Indigo asked, then pressed Enter on the laptop. A video appeared on the screen, vividly depicting violet smoke billowing from the compromised Eye in the aftermath of the recent drone deployment.
With a deliberate pause, allowing the gravity of the footage to settle, Indigo continued, "Dmitri, would you care to elaborate on the presence of this... anomaly following the authorised operation?"
Dmitri clenched his jaw, his hand tightening into a fist. Adrian, ever perceptive, placed a document on Dmitri's table. It showed images of Tiffany Blackwood, using dark magic that resembled the purple smoke.
After Adrian filled Dmitri in about Tiffany and her power, he added calmly, "We didn't make the connection to how the smoke escaped The Eye until just now. Remember when our first set of helicopters came too close and got... disintegrated?"
Realisation dawned on Dmitri's face. His eyes widened with genuine fear. "You mean each time The Eye was 'attacked,' it leaked out these... sentient beings?"
Indigo's face turned grim. "We were hoping we were wrong but..." he pressed play again, and the smoke in the screen seemed to coil with much greater intensity than the first. It pulsed and writhed, an unnatural violet glow emanating from its core.
"An evil has been unleashed, Chief. And it's a ticking time bomb. These students, Tiffany included, might be the first victims."
Defeat slumped Dmitri's shoulders. He pinched the bridge of his nose. With a grunt, he snatched the document and scrawled his signature across the paper. The weight of the decision pressed down on him, a grim responsibility that settled heavily in his gut.
"Your request to interrogate Tiffany Blackwood is approved. Find what you can about this smoke entity. Fast! And Adrian..."
Dmitri continued, his voice low and serious. "Authority granted for you to use your power on Senator Noah Blackwood and his kins, if necessary."
Adrian straightened in his chair. "Understood," he murmured, his golden eyes burning with an otherworldly intensity.