The first thing Willow did when she entered was walk up to Mr. No-name-but-about-to-learn.

“WHAT. IS. YOUR. NAME!?” Willow said, the question exploded out of her before she could realize how incredibly impolite and angry she sounded. “Terribly sorry, I just really wanted to know what your name is.”

“I can see that. My name is-” He was about to respond to her question but was rudely interrupted by the teacher.

“Class! We shall repeat what we have done for the past two days, but tomorrow we will do something just a little more exciting!” Ms. D’s voice boomed over the shuffling children.

Mr. Auburn gave her a sorry not sorry look before gracefully sitting down. Willow was screaming internally. WHYYYY? She thought, sitting, sighing, and shuffling her seat.

After class he finally told her his name.

“My name,” he said with a flourish, “is Gray V. Yard.”

“Nice name. Anyways, I better get to class.”

“Bye.” He said, looking like he was trying hard to stay straight faced, glancing backwards. Willow walked to her next class. The rest of the day was quite uneventful.

The rest of the trimester was just as simple. Willow was positively bursting with excitement when she attended the assembly for all the students at her level.

Today was the day they were going to get their first dragon egg! This was the best day of her life.

“Everyone! Everyone! Settle down. Settle down. I know today is exciting, but you must listen.” The teacher at the front of the room called.

“First of all, there will be multiple different dragon species that will hatch. Absolutely no trading your dragons. They will be attached to you the moment they see you. If you trade them, then they will become depressed and do nothing until they see you again.”

“Second, NO DROPPING YOUR EGGS! Put them in the pouch we will give you once you get your eggs! If you drop an egg, you will be expelled from this school!”

“Third! Spend time with your dragon! They will be more likely to listen to you and love you if you spend time with them!”

“Lastly, Introduce your dragon to other dragons or people! This will make it easier for them to meet new people and not shy away!”

“Time to get your dragon! Everybody line up!”

Willow was the first in line. The man giving out the dragon eggs winked at her.

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“I saved this one for you. It is incredibly special, just like you.” He said, with a twinkle in his eye. He handed her the heavy aquamarine and coral egg.

“Woah!” Willow said. “This weighs a lot.”

“Yep! Sure does.” He said, the twinkle in his eyes grew brighter.

“Come on, hurry up!” A sassy girl said from behind Willow.

“Oh, wait your turn, Roxie. They are almost done.” Came a boy’s voice behind Roxie.

“Thank you for the egg.” Willow said, hobbling away.

“Once you get your egg, go to the barn and claim a stall.” The teacher, Ms. Wagua, said.

Willow walked to the massive stable. Wow! I also get my own stall!

“Welcome! Get your brand, and once you find your stall, burn the brand into the wood next to it!” The person at the front of the stable said, gesturing to the huge table next to him.

Willow found her brand, (it had her name under it) It was a rose petal. Hmm. Pretty. Wonder if the brand means anything.

Willow dipped the brand in the nearby fire, and waited until it was white hot. She walked inside the stable and gasped.

It was massive! There were stairs leading off to one side, a huge line of big stalls, approximately twenty feet by fifteen feet each.

Looking up, Willow could see another floor that had more people and grown-up dragons. Even higher up than that, there were people riding dragons, some yellow, some green, some purple, some multicolored, some sky blue, some orange, some red, some as black as midnight, and not many that were white or gray.

Willow looked at her own aquamarine and coral splotched egg and wondered what her dragon would look like.

The sassy girl, Roxie, claimed the biggest stall, even though she had a pretty small egg (it was a dark purple). Willow claimed the next biggest stall, before anyone else could claim it.

I need it because I have a huge egg. She thought, trying not to feel guilty. And besides, they are all about the same size.

With that in mind, she branded the wood plate to the side of the door and wondered what to do with the brand. She peeked at Roxie and saw her just toss to the side of her stall.

Figures, Willow thought. She walked to the guy at the front and asked him what to do.

“Just put it back under your name.” He replied in his distinctly Southern accent. Complying, Willow put the rose brand back under her name. Wow, something that’s actually mine. Willow thought. Back at home, nothing was ever really mine. The closest thing she had that was hers was her bed, and even that was a hand-me-down.

Home, Willow thought with a pang and a start. WAIT. HOME. WHY HAVEN’T I THOUGHT OF HOME, AND WHY CAN’T I REALLY REMEMBER HOME? Willow thought, starting to panic.

She walked to her dorm, holding her head in her hands, shaking. What are they hiding?

She entered her dorm, and instead of feeling like home, it felt like a prison. She drearily walked to her bed and fell on it, feeling as if she was in some sort of trance. What are they hiding, what are they hiding, WHAT ARE THEY HIDING?! Willow thought over and over and eventually started to cry out of frustration and confusion.

She finally got so frustrated she screamed at the wall, “WHAT ARE THEY HIDING!?” The wall, being a wall, didn’t respond. But the door did.

Knock knock Willow heard at the door. “Y-yes?” She asked. “Come in.”

The 5th person, whose name was unknown, gave her a look. “You are right.” She said simply and then sat next to Willow on the bed.

“What?” Willow asked, confused.

“You’re right, they are hiding something from us.” She said Willow hadn’t heard her voice before, so she hadn’t known what it sounded like, but it sounded pretty.

“Do you know what?”

“No, but you are one of the only other smart ones who realize that they are hiding something.”

“Who are the others?”

“...Follow me.” She said, standing up and putting her auburn hair in a ponytail.