Rom and Suke were walking to the freshmen event in dresses that garnered a few looks. Looks of jealousy and shock.

Suke leaned in and whispered to Rom, “You see them looking right?”

“Yeah. I don't like it.”

The attention Rom was getting from wearing an emerald dress that shined in the setting sun and came down to her ankles with embroidered snowy vines that coiled around her waist was very much unwanted. However, Suke was all smiles in her dark orange gown that flared out just below her knees like a blooming flower.

“Come on. We look great and I don’t know if anyone has ever told you but green is your color gurl.”

Rom stopped and looked at Suke. “Don’t ever say girl like that again.”

“Oh I thought I could pull it off and the timing felt right.”

“Yeah, no one says girl like that anymore so your timing is way off.”

“Oh. Well duly noted.”

As the two continued on, Suke spotted a student wearing glasses who was gazing at Rom and walked into a pole. “You wouldn’t believe what I just saw.”

”Was it four eyes over there face planting into a pole?”

“Yes, and it was because he was staring at you.”

“That wasn’t nice to say,” Shade expressed, popping out of Rom’s hair and onto her shoulder.

“Really? I don’t see how. Maybe I should borrow his glasses so I can.” Rom’s tasteless and terrible joke was met with silence.

“The glasses would-” and before Rom could get another word out, “I get what you said but I don’t find it funny,” Shade retorted.

Rom grunted her face. “What I said was mean and uncalled for.”

“And you will apologize to him,” Shade added.

“Why would I apologize to him? He doesn’t even know what I said”

“But you know what you said and that’s all that matters.”

Suke could see a stare-down happening between Rom and her quill not knowing what was being said but she did know that they had arrived. “We are here,” she announced, standing in front of two huge wooden doors.

“What are those weird black coins scattered throughout the doors?” Rom asked.

“No one really knows. Well, none of the current students since the secret of this door is only revealed to alumni and they swear an oath to not speak what they learned to anyone. So we only have rumors to amuse us before learning the full truth after we graduate.”

As the girls went to touch the doors, they opened up with two well-tailored men on each side announcing “Welcome, future leaders and protectors of the skies and the lands below.”

Smiles, conversations, and appetizers with enticing smells being brought around by waiters were the event scene.

“Ok, Suke. You do your thing and I will be on the side eating and watching to see if you start throwing punches at people,” Rom whispered before following a waiter.

Only thirty minutes into the event, Rom started to feel bored just watching people mingle and not even move a single muscle to the beat of the music playing. “This is actually a really good song and yet the dance floor is still empty. Can exalted people not dance or can they dance but not well?”

Rom preemptively felt that Shade would add or make a comment but was still silent. A silence that had been going on the entire time they were at the event.

“You still not speaking to me? It’s been over thirty minutes. And why would I need to apologize for something that didn’t hurt his feelings since he didn’t know what I said?”

Still not a word. Shade wasn't saying anything which only added to Rom’s boredom.

“Fine!” Rom shouted, shocking the waiter next to her and then rushing onto the open dance floor. While the majority of the event floor was stone and grass, a small circular portion in the middle was wooden. Students were standing around near white covered table tops looking on as Rom started dancing.

Captivating movements pulled more people around the dance floor that Rom could only surmise was there for display while the beat of the music guided her fluid body. Down, up, side to side, and spins were just a few moves her onlookers saw that started to sway their bodies.

While Rom was starting to have fun, Suke was trying to start conversations with others but failed each time. No one wanted to waste time talking to a gleam, especially during an event meant for important negotiations. Talks of becoming friends to help with classes that weren’t their strong suit. Agreeing to switch to the same classes in order to be in the same group for class projects. Even paying for others to write reports or speeches. These negotiations would last through the semester or even the full year.

“Well this sucks,” Suke muttered to herself and that’s when she noticed. The once barren dance floor was now full of people dancing around Rom who was outshining them all.

“Rom!” Suke shouted while making her way through the dancing people. The speakers were so close by that Rom barely heard her roommate.

“What?!” Rom shouted back.

“Finally someone who can give me a challenge dancing!” Suke replied.

“Oh, a challenge!? Well, bring it!”

The two tore up the dance floor to the point their open-toed shoes were off and they were on the side rubbing their feet.

“You know what. I haven’t danced like that in a while,” Rom revealed.

“Why? Are there not many people who can dance down in the Nile?” Suke asked, trying to catch her breath.

“No. There are plenty who can dance and way better than myself but it’s just that some people tend to take it a bit too serious.”

“Sounds like they took all the fun out of it.”

“Yeah, they did but enough of that. I am going to be on my way since it looks like you have everything under control. I’ll also wash your dress and put it back in your closet.”

As Rom put on her shoes and exited the event, she passed the young man with glasses who walked into the pole earlier. She was just about to let him walk by until she suddenly jumped in front of him.

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“I am sorry for what I said and I think your glasses are great for a myriad of reasons. So bye and have a great night.” Rom smiled and walked away leaving the event and the boy very confused.

“Now was that so bad?” Shade said, breaking the silence.

“Oh, hush.”

Luckily Rom didn’t have far to walk and remembered how to get back to the dorm under the night sky which still amazed her. Once she made it in front of the freshmen towers, it was quiet, which didn’t surprise her since everyone was at the event or so she thought.

“The little gloom is all alone,” a familiar vexing voice said, prompting Rom to turn around.

“Oh, it's you again. What was the name? Tool. Yes, Tool. You are a tool.”

Yale Tool, from class, snarled and darted towards Rom with vibrant light blue eyes that didn’t scream he wanted a hug.

“Rom! His spectrum is—”

“I know. It’s red which means he is not a happy camper.”

Rom went to move but in that moment Yale’s speed picked up suddenly which surprised her and unfortunately, the heels she was wearing didn’t help her movement. Stupid heels she cursed to herself leaving only the option to block his oncoming attack. It was quick but Rom spotted his left hook coming in which she went to block but it was feint. Or rather a trap to grab her right arm.

Damn!

“I got you now,” Yale said with a smug smile.

He had at least six inches over Rom and the white button-up dress shirt that fitted his upper-toned body didn’t reveal to Rom why his single grip was able to lift her off the ground with such ease.

How strong is he?

“I got him!” Shade yelled out before bursting out of Rom’s hair and poking him in the eye.

“Ahh!” Yale screamed, releasing Rom to cover his eye.

“Nice one Shade.”

“Thanks and now I really don't like his face,” Shade said, landing on Rom's shoulder.

“Stupid little quill,” Yale cursed while his own quill appeared out the collar of his shirt with glowing red eyes. “I was going to just scare you and maybe rough you up a bit but now the gloves are off.”

“About time!” someone shouted off in the distance.

Both Rom and Yale turned to see a person step out of the darkness of the night and into full view under one of the light poles in front of the towers.

“Sebastion?” Yale said.

“Sebastion? A friend of yours I'm guessing?” Rom asked Yale.

“No. I am his older brother who wants to claw out his own eyes from watching him tarnish the Tool name.”

The person claiming to be Yale’s older brother Rom could believe it since he had a similar look and was just taller and more muscular than Yale.

“Why are you even here?!” Yale demanded.

“I am here because mother has been trying to get her sweet little baby boy on the phone for two hours now and sent me to check on him as if I don’t have anything better to do.”

Yale pulled out his phone seeing the missed calls from his mother. “Damn. I was at an event and didn't notice.”

Rom sighed. “Well this seems like a family-only conversation so I will just head to bed.”

“No!” Yale shouted followed by a finger point towards Rom. “We are not finished here.”

Rom started walking away saying “Just go call your mom and we can pick this up another day.” Once she fully turned around towards the towers, Sebastian appeared in front of her. What the? So fast Rom thought.

“If I heard correctly, you are a gloom and I don’t know what problem my little brother has with you but I can’t have it persist,” Sebastian announced. “Yale hurry up and take care of whatever you have with this gloom or will I have to clean up your mess like I usually do?”

“I have no time for this nonsense. Please get out of my way. I won't say it again,” Rom said, getting a sadistic smile from Sebastian which caused her to take a step back.

“He is dangerous Rom,” Shade said.

“I know. Every part of me is screaming to run,” Rom revealed while kicking off her heels.

While her focus was on the one brother in the front, the other grappled Rom from behind in a headlock. “Just take the money and drop out. Why are you making things so difficult,” Yale said, struggling to keep his grip.

“I’ll get him in the other eye this time,” Shade said flying towards Yale’s face but was swiftly knocked away mid-air.

“Shade, are you ok?”

“Yeah. His partner just decided to join in,” Shade replied while glaring at the red eyes of Yale’s quill hovering in the air.

“It's fine. He seems weaker than before so I got this.”

Rom used both her hands to forcefully loosen Yale’s hold around her neck and then slam her head back into his nose leaving it to run red.

“Fuck! My nose!” Yale shrieked and before he could even check to see if it was broken, Rom already wrapped around to his back with a swift hook to the back of his knee causing him to kneel. What came next were three quick jabs to Yale’s face. Two landed while the third was caught by the palm of his hand.

“His hand didn't even budge from stopping my punch. His strength from before must be back” Rom thought as she hopped back to collect herself.

“Rom. Red eyes is just frozen on his shoulder but I sense something emitting from both their bodies.”

Rom had no clue what was happening with the other quill and she didn't have time to figure it out since Yale had already got up from the ground with a kick that whiffed over Rom’s head as she ducked. Seeing an opening to his midsection and taking it, Rom landed an uppercut that staggered him a little. The firm muscles she felt from hitting his stomach wouldn’t surprise her if he felt any pain at all but she knew where her strength lay. Speed and precision were her aim and hitting below the belt wasn't beneath her if needed.

Sebastian just watched with the same sadistic smile from before as his brother fought. Rom didn’t believe the brothers cared about fighting fair and why would they? The other freshmen were at the event and even if they weren’t, who would help a gloom. So, she made sure to keep an eye on both brothers just in case the one-on-one became a one versus two.

“Yale, your use of the evoke quill is atrocious,” Sebastian commented while watching from the side. “Why are you booning your strength and speed in spurts instead of using it all? You could have crushed her by now.”

“Shut up! I don’t need or want your backseat fighting commentary!” Yale exclaimed with haste breath while fighting.

The whole sibling bickering quickly got old for Rom but what Sebastian said interested her. She knew there were multiple quill types that gave different capabilities to bonded beings and her lack of knowledge on what Yale’s quill could do put her at a disadvantage but what she just heard might have just changed that.

“It sounds like an evoke quill can boost one’s strength and speed if booning means what I think it means,” Rom surmised.

“I was just thinking the same and that could be why red eyes isn’t moving. Maybe booning requires concentration and to be still?” Shade added fluttering off Rom’s shoulder. “I’ll fly over and-”

“No!” Rom said while vaulting over a bike rack and gaining some space from Yale’s relenting attacks. “He has been keeping an eye on you since you poked him but I have a plan.”

“What plan?”

Rom took a glance over at the heels she took off from earlier. “Smart,” Shade said, going into Rom’s hair and out of Yale’s sight.

“Just wait until I give the signal then you can go for his quill.”

“Got it.”

Rom spotted a garbage can with a top filled with cigarette butts and ashes. Just what I needed and as she darted towards it, Yale was right on her tail. A quick sharp turn past the garbage can with only two steps away from it was as far as Rom could get before a kick to the back sent her tumbling to the ground towards the shoes she kicked off her feet earlier.

“Enough with the running!” Yale shouted.

“Fine!” Rom retorted with a launch of a shoe.

A tilt of his head to the side allowed Yale to avoid the shoe but then he saw a smile on her face.

“Now!”

Shade flew out of the dodged shoe that was still airborne behind Yale and tackled his quill off his shoulder.

“He is all yours now!” Shade said rustling with the other quill.

Rom followed with a handful of cigarette butts and ash into Yale’s face, obscuring his sight. One second she was in front and the next she was behind him with an arm wrapped around his head.

“Get off me!”

“Not a chance!”

The sides of Yale’s neck were compressed with increasing pressure while Rom straddled his back with both her legs latched onto his pelvis. With her hands locking the hold together and no unusual strength to break it, Rom had Yale on the ropes.

“Have it your way,” Yale voiced while moving towards a nearby tree. His older brother just watched with the same creepy smile of enjoyment with no inkling of interfering in the fight.

Rom seeing where Yale was headed, quickly picked up on what was about to happen and braced herself. A large grunt was heard as Yale slammed backward into the tree. Rom kept in her shriek of pain and just tightened her hold.

Yale with low and slow breaths said “I can keep this up,” as he slammed again.

Rom endured the pain. I can do this! I have taken much worse.

Sebastian’s smile started to slowly turn to disgust as his brother kept slamming up against the tree with no sign of Rom letting go. “Annoying gloom,” he muttered, taking a step forward.

“Don't!...you…dare,” Yale barely got out with a glare towards his brother.

“You are embarrassing me and the family. End this or I will!”

“This…will–” and before Yale could finish what he was saying “Shut up…and do…your worst,” Rom said in weakened breaths.

After they both collected their remaining little strength, Yale slammed up against the tree one last time with all his might. An acorn dropped from up above, passing the unconscious eyes of both him and Rom. However, once it hit the ground only Rom was barely able to come back to her senses.

Shade and Yale’s quill stopped their scuffle and rushed over to check on their bonds. Sebastian on the other hand was furious seeing his younger brother fall to the ground in failure. “You little piece of shit,” he said walking over to Rom and Yale. “I don't know why Father and Mother put up with you and to fall by the hands of a filthy gloom.” Once he got near them, his eyes widened. “You're still conscious? You can really take a beating little girl. Too bad you couldn't be one of my contracts. You would have made a great host but for now, your death will do.”

Although Rom’s eyes were slightly open, her body was throbbing in pain and it was taking everything in her power just to keep awake. Even Shade’s worried cry of “Please be ok!” while fluttering over her face was narrowly made out. All she could do was watch Sebastian’s hand descend upon her and Shade until a caring voice was heard as she drifted out of consciousness.

“Rom!” Suke shouted, rushing over. “What did you do!?” she demanded looking at Sebastian who retracted his hand.

“I did nothing and why do you care for a gloom?”

“Her name is Rom and she is my friend,” Suke said and at the same time, she realized who she was talking to causing a cold sweat to come down her head. “Your Sebastian Tool.”

“Yes, I am and the person you overlooked on the ground is my younger brother Yale, making your allegiance to the gloom over an exalted person very irritating.”

Suke could feel an unknown pressure coming from the older Tool brother whose eyes reflected that of the strong looking down on the weak.

“Were you going to kill her?” She asked.

An answer was about to be given but Sebastian noticed other students coming back from the event and hurriedly picked up Yale with one hand to place him on his shoulder. “If you tell anyone of what you think you saw, I will make your life at this college a living hell,” and before Suke could even process the threat, the brothers were gone.