Two weeks passed by in the blink of an eye and all Dina’s time was spent on being occupied with reading books to prepare for the examinations and nurturing her egg.

She took out the ironed uniform and began getting ready. The pleasant blue and white colors giving the uniform a fresh aesthetic.

Dina didn’t take much time to finish and she left home for Blossom High School with Turi’s well wishes and Lawrence babbles sending her off.

When she got to the hall the exam is going to be conducted, she is greeted by students surrounded by nervous energy without any distinction between who studied and who did not.

Dina located her assigned seat and settled down. She couldn’t help being affected by the mood in the air as sweat coated her palm in a thin sheen.

She hoped to get a really good score, it will make her chosen university give her priority in most things.

Lights streamed from the windows and fresh air continue to populate the hall from the ventilation system.

The silent hall turned quieter as the invigilators in charge of the exams came in. Their beautiful and handsome features garnered quite a few smiles.

“My name is Jio Rae and my partner here is called Mili Swit. You can call us Invigilator Jio and Invigilator Mili. Ready your essentials so can we get started on the exams.” The male introduced before he and Invigilator Mili, the female swaggered to the huge table at the front of the hall to take care of the piles of papers they brought.

The Invigilators were swift in distributing the exam papers and the students began answering. Only the soft whirling of fresh air from the ventilations and the scrawl of the writing utensils meeting paper broke the noiseless haze covering the hall.

Dina flew through the questions she knew quickly and the fate of those she don’t have any inkling about is minny minny manny moe.

The next part of the examination is computer based, making it easier for students to choose random solutions for questions that doesn’t ring any bells.

Hours later, Dina and the rest of the exhausted students trudged out of the exam venue. Some of their lifeless eyes betrayed the arduous battle they fought.

Uncertainty flashed through Dina’s mind for a second before vanishing. She knew most of her peers are suffering from this too but even if she cared for an higher score, it didn’t really matter what she got. At least there is a higher chance of her passing.

“Bayo, what was your answer to the Biology exam, question number 50. I keep feeling like I picked the wrong solution.” A female student asked, her beautiful black hair framing her round face and spilling moderately over her shoulders.

Bayo is a male student famed for his intelligence and his status as a teacher’s favorite.

He stopped talking to the girl he was in a conversation with to give a reply, “I came across something similar months ago. It option A.”

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A groan collectively slipped out of the students whose answer were different.

The female student leaned on the wall connected to the building with a grimace too exaggerated for the occasion.

“I went with option B. I repeatedly calculated to get that answer and you are now telling me it is wrong.”

Smiles appeared on everyone’s faces at her over dramatic pose.

“I’m just waiting for my mom’s scolding at this point.” A male classmate snorted.

Dina’s mouth lifted. Thankfully, her choice was option A.

She let the strange satisfaction course through her. It might have been one in the numerous theory and practical questions the exam presented but getting it right brings a good feeling nonetheless.

Soon, everybody pitched in and Dina slipped away to begin her journey home. The golden orange rays from the bright sun colored the planet in its domineering shade and her walk turned brisk.

******

Three weeks after the examinations.

The exam is divided into batches to ease its grading and Dina is in the first batch. The results would soon be out.

Dina is basking in excitement. Fourteen days ago, she felt her beast egg reach out to her. It had finished its development and is ready to be hatched.

The slight anxiety and haste she swam in since the exams curbed at the joyous news.

During the nurturing time, Dina made sure to feed it the golden liquid from the lantern to aid its growth and everything was going smoothly.

She browsed through all the beast cards she knew to halt on the one showing her beast’s species, the Pink Clawed Mino.

Beast cards are portable rectangular shaped metals. The metal it is made from is light and suitable for imaging. A beast card is considered complete when it has the picture of the species it’s about on one side, the way the egg looked in its nurturing stage and a some basic information on the beast.

The Pink Clawed Mino fulfilled all her expectations of it. It could be used when going on offense and it is aesthetically pleasing to the populace. She couldn’t ask for anything more.

With a thought, she appeared in her nurturing space. The soft glow emitted from the lamp covered the room in homey warmth and Dina instantly released the stress plaguing her these past few days.

Her attention is drawn to the egg shaking mildly in the circular indent.

Anticipation tugged at her heartstrings as curiosity, excitement and love surge through her from their telepathy link.

It’s quest to see the world made her want to be the best travel guide and the love for her caused joy to bubble in her heart.

Crack!

A winding black line appeared on the shell with the sound of something fracturing. The line continued to spread alarmingly and Dina didn’t move her sight for a second. She wanted to capture everything happening to the egg, it is her companion of life and death after all.

After what seemed like forever to her, a tiny head burst out of the oval egg. Most of the Pink Clawed Mino’s body features were hidden except the exposed head and the long ears spotting a black color at the ends. The two round eyes of the infant beast stared fixedly at her, their color alternating between deep purple and lighter pink depending on where the light hit them.

The baby beast squirmed out of the shell completely to stand with both hands and feet on the grove.

“Cha.” Called the baby beast cutely before turning her attention back to the broken eggshells.

The call felt like a consolation to Dina for choosing the shells over her. Dina didn’t know whether to cry or laugh. This baby beast is too mischievous.

Who was waiting patiently for her to break out of her egg and who was abandoned in the end? She of course!

Dina decided to name her Cha Cha. It can’t get any better than that, she knew she didn’t have a good naming sense.

Cha Cha grabbed an egg shell to taste, her long nails looking both deadly and beautiful with its dark metallic glow. A satisfied feeling is transmitted to Dina and it revved her hunger. Dina had an illusion, it was like she almost wanted to fight Cha Cha for the shells.

Thankfully, her emotions are hers alone so she isn’t totally embarrassed.

Cha Cha finished gobbling her first food and rubbed her belly as she stumbled into Dina’s position. She climbed up Dina’s leg to her chest. Her claws refused to let go of Dina’s clothes for a minute as she clutched on for dear life.

Dina and Cha Cha returned to the bedroom as Turi barged in, her expression emanating joy.

She paused a bit to catch her breath before sharing her news.

“I browsed through the USLE website for the first batch results and you did good. Your score is 523.”

Dina’s lips lifted at the corners when she heard the happy news.

The USLE stands for the United School Leaving Exam. Every high school student must partake in this exam to qualify for any of the special or military colleges and universities.

The university she picked had the cutoff mark of 480. She passed and at the same time secured benefits for herself through surpassing the cutoff mark.

She showed Cha Cha to Turi.

“I hatch my beast companion today. Isn’t Cha Cha pretty?” Dina glowed as she did the introduction, “Cha Cha, this is my mama.”

“Cha.” Cha Cha greeted and Turi’s face beamed with smiles.

“Hello Cha Cha. Set the table while I prepare more dishes, it’s a double celebration.”