A few days later
Charlotte could return to class after her wounds healed, at least most of them. She wore an eye patch over her left eye.
Charlotte: "…hmm."
Step
Charlotte: "Ugh…"
When she saw Nacht, she trembled.
Charlotte: "Ugh…"
Charlotte stepped back a little and sat farther away this time.
Kisa: "…Oh no."
Nacht: "Hmm?"
Diego: "…She is probably scared of you."
Nacht: "Hmm…"
Serwald: "Hello my little ones. How are you doing? Good?"
Diego: "Can we leave class early today? Our breaks are too short."
Serwald: "Oh, an eighteen minute break is not enough for you?"
Diego: "That is not even enough for one bathroom trip."
Nacht: "Exactly, but that is because you need thirty minutes in there."
Serwald: "Fine. We can end class earlier… hmm… Miss Charlotte Eichenwald, what is it? Why are you sitting so far away?"
Charlotte: "Ugh?"
Serwald: "Your eye probably hurts from that distance. Sit next to Nacht. There is an empty seat by him."
Charlotte: "Ugh… but… ugh…"
She looked at Nacht and started shaking.
Serwald: "Do it already. We want to begin."
Charlotte nodded. She walked slowly to Nacht and sat next to him. She was scared.
Nacht: "Hmm… hahh…"
Serwald: "Good. So, today we will talk about something specific. Have you ever heard of the magical berries? They also come from the Fairy Tale Forest. These berries taste so sweet, but they are also a miracle. In Britanika, they used them for children and babies with illnesses. These berries also give a lot of mana. They are perfect for people with little mana. There are people who have barely any mana…"
Serwald held up the berries.
Meanwhile
Two Ages: "Hehehe…"
In her true form, she looked at herself in the mirror.
Two Ages: "Soon I will have to act… hehehe."
One hour later
Back to class
Serwald: "Alright. I hope you will have fun with Miss Tina, your plant mage and teacher."
Kisa: "Plants."
Nacht: "Hmm."
Diego: "What do I care about plants?"
Mona: "Ugh… stop being annoying."
Nacht: "Honestly I am surprised no woman has been made pregnant by you yet."
Diego: "Dude, we have not even been here for two weeks."
Nacht: "Hmph… hmm?"
Mona: "Where is Charlotte?"
Nacht: "She is probably still afraid of me."
Diego: "You stepped on her eye and because of you she has to come to class with an eye patch. What did you expect."
Kisa: "Hmm…"
Nacht: "…Hmm."
Diego: "Kisa is also mad at you."
Kisa: "No, I am not. I know Nacht is a good boy. But you should have controlled your anger more. Poor Charlotte. I understand why she is angry at your family. I know you cannot help it. I think she knows that too. But…"
Nacht: "Alright. I will apologize in a cool way."
Kisa: "Hmm?"
Diego: "What, are you going to buy her an eye?"
Nacht: "Very funny. Maybe I should give you a book about being decent and not staring at every woman."
Mona: "Yes. That would be good. Especially now. Our nature teacher is very young, so I am scared how hard he will stare at her."
They headed to class.
Tina: "Hello my dears. My name is Tina Ainsworth."
Mona: "Ainsworth?"
Charlotte: "…Ugh…"
Nacht: "If I am not mistaken, that is the name of a plant mage family, the Ainsworth. That is insane. One thing you have to give this school, they must pay well to have members of families like that teaching here."
Diego: "Did I miss something? Is there a strong family?"
Nacht: "The Ainsworth are famous nature mages. They can even eat raw meat and some of them look similar to elves. That is because Leron, one of the oldest, married an elf. This teacher does not look like an elf, but it is still crazy to see this family here."
Tina: "Alright, my dears. Hehe. Today we will talk about a plant. It is called Destim. The special thing about this plant is… I recommend you pay attention when you pull it. Would anyone like to try?"
Diego: "Me. I can do it."
Tina: "Good, Diego. By the way, I already know your names because you are new. Alright, Diego. Pull on the plant. Lucky for you, this is the first plant class for the whole school. Hehe, a new main subject. Normally it is optional. Now go on, pull it."
Diego pulled on the leaves and suddenly got punched in the face.
Crash
Diego: "Urk."
Crash
He was thrown several meters.
Mona: "Huh."
Nacht: "Um…"
Kisa: "Oh no."
Destim: "Punch. Punch. Punch."
Tina: "That plant is very brutal. It punches anyone who pulls its leaves. The harder you pull, the stronger the punch."
Nacht: "Aha."
Diego: "Ugh…"
Destim: "Oh dear, I should have warned you not to pull too hard."
Diego: "Ahh…"
Nacht: "It is probably too late."
Destim: "Anyway, if you want to handle me, you should first pet my head, then pet my leaves, like you do with a cat or a little puppy."
Nacht: "Puppy?"
Kisa: "Oh…"
Tina smiled and showed them. The plant smiled and giggled.
Destim Plant: "Gehehe… gehehe."
Kisa: "It laughs?"
Nacht: "Aha."
Mona: "Hmm…"
Tina: "Alright, my dears. Try it."
They tried it.
Nacht: "So…"
Destim: "Nnnn."
Step
Crash
Nacht: "Ugh."
Diego: "Dude…"
Nacht: "Oh… I do not like this plant."
Mona: "Hmm… like this."
Destim: "Nnn."
Crash
Mona: "Ow."
Diego: "Ugh…"
Nacht: "This plant is like a toxic girlfriend."
Diego: "Oh no, Kisa is next."
Kisa walked up to the plant.
Kisa: "Hmm…"
She began to pet it gently.
Nacht: "Dude, if it does anything to her… if you hurt her…"
Diego: "You said dude twice."
Mona: "Did you get a concussion from the punch?"
Nacht: "You too, apparently."
Diego: "Hey, look."
The plant did nothing.
Kisa: "Hmm…"
Tina: "Oh… that seems to work."
Clap
Crash
Kisa: "Ow."
Tina: "Or maybe not."
Crash
Charlotte: "Ow…"
Charlotte held her eye.
Tina: "Huh… oh dear. Are you okay?"
The plant punched everyone.
Everyone had a bruise.
Tina: "Oh dear…"
Kisa: "I am scared…"
Nacht: "If ADHD were a plant."
Diego: "Ow…"
Kisa: "My nose has been bleeding for five minutes."
Tina: "Alright, my dears. I think we should try a different plant."
Kisa: "Yes, please."
Nacht: "That would be cool."
Mona: "Yes, please."
Diego: "Yes ma'am."
Tina: "Alright then. This plant."
Crash
Diego: "Ugh."
Nacht: "This is great…"
Kisa: "Uh…"
Mona: "Um…"
The plant was small, but creepy.
Tina: "This plant has something special. Cover your ears."
She took it out.
Tina: "The transmitter plant."
She pulled out a piece of it.
Tina: "Yes hello… hmm… hello Miss Two Ages… I am teaching the class right now… hehe… the plant is good, right?"
Diego: "Whoa."
Nacht: "Where am I, a plant shop?"
Kisa: "How cool."
Mona: "Aha…"
Charlotte: "Hmm…"
Charlotte smiled.
Tina: "Alright, my dears. How about I show you my magiya. My magiya is nature. I control plants. Actually, there are plants you can talk through even without that magiya…"
She walked to one of the plants.
Tina: "Haahhh… Pelerosso… Esteban."
The plant opened and a dwarf came out.
Esteban: "Wweeee… halli hello, dear humans. My name is Esteban… how are you… weee… I can already see there are many beautiful women."
He jumped onto Kisa's lap, between her thighs, then onto Mona's lap.
Kisa: "Huh."
Esteban: "Wee… you are really pretty girls…"
Tina: "Shame on you, Esteban."
Esteban: "Why, what did Esteban do now. Esteban loves pretty women. Esteban wants to be put to sleep by her."
Nacht: "Get off her lap right now. You think you can just sit on my girlfriend?"
Tina: "Huh?"
Esteban: "Huh?"
Nacht: "I… uh… I mean our friend."
Kisa smiled.
Kisa: "Oh… you are cute…"
Mona: "You are not talking to me."
Esteban: "Esteban talks to you. Why do you ask Esteban that."
Mona held him up.
Kisa: "Hehehe. Sorry, but I am not as pretty as you think. Hehe. As you can see, I have white hair."
Tina: "Hmm?"
Kisa: "Hehe. It is not a pretty color."
Tina: "Esteban, get down now."
She pulled him off.
Esteban: "Hmm?"
Kisa: "Huh."
Tina: "…"
Esteban: "Oh…"
Tina: "Esteban, show them the clover."
He sighed and pulled out a clover.
Esteban: "This is the clover."
Tina: "Legend says, whoever finds a five leaf clover may make a wish. Whoever finds a three leaf clover will be cursed. Alright, that is enough for today. Come on, my dears. You have a break."
Ding dong
Tina: "You see."
Kisa: "Hmm."
They left the room.
Kisa: "Hmm…"
Nacht: "Hey, Mona, Kisa, no matter what happens, never get close to that dwarf."
Kisa: "Why?"
Ichabod: "Dwarves are evil beings. They are very violent. They are known for abusing women."
Kisa: "But he was nice."
Diego: "No, Kisa. He is right. He did not smell like a nice dwarf."
Kisa: "Hmm…"
They went to the cafeteria.
Kisa: "Hmm…"
They started eating.
Meanwhile
Splat
Tina: "Urk."
Esteban: "Hehehe… remember, Tina. I know you did it to protect the women, but then I will abuse you instead."
Tina: "Ghhh…"
Esteban: "Hehehe."
His teeth spread in an unnatural way. His claws grew larger and his voice became deeper.
Esteban: "Hehehe."
Shadow teeth
A moment later
Tina: "Urk… urk…"
Esteban: "Hehehe. That is probably enough. Our contract was that I can take any woman I want, and if you resist, then I do it anyway."
She had wounds on her face
Tina: "Ugh… I am sorry…"
Esteban: "Hehehe."
She was tied to a bed, but what he did not know was that he was being watched.
Bretton: "Ugh… hahh…"
Luie: "What the Fuck… we have to get out of here."
They ran away, fast but trying to be quiet.
Kisa: "Oh… the food was delicious. Hehe."
Nacht: "Hahh."
Suddenly Crane appeared.
Crane: "Wohu wuhu. Nacht, Nacht, I found him."
Nacht: "I understand. Good work, Crane. I would say we should talk to Charlotte."
He walked over to Charlotte, who was sitting alone.
Nacht: "Hey."
Charlotte: "Ugh… huh."
She got scared and even dropped her plate.
Charlotte: "W what… did I do something?"
Nacht: "Calm down. Where did your confidence go. I just want to tell you something. You wanted revenge, so I am giving it to you. Come with me to a quiet room."
He walked off. She followed him nervously.
Nacht: "Thomas Albert. The one who killed your parents."
Charlotte: "Ugh…"
Crane: "Wuhu. Street 55 in Telsford City. Farther than we thought, because last time he was seen somewhere else, but I found him."
Nacht: "I will help you."
Charlotte: "Why should I believe you. What if it is a trap to kill me too."
Nacht: "If that is the case…"
Charlotte: "Hmm…"
Nacht grabbed at his eye as if he was about to tear it out, and Charlotte screamed.
Charlotte: "That is enough. Fine. Damn it."
Splat
Charlotte: "Ugh."
Nacht: "Is that proof enough for you."
But it regenerated instantly.
Charlotte: "Hahh…"
She sat down on the chair.
Nacht: "I will help you."
Nacht looked at her.
Charlotte: "Why are you helping me?"
Nacht: "Because I think I went too far with you."
Charlotte: "Hmm… fine."
Nacht: "Hmm."
Charlotte: "When do we go."
Nacht: "Tonight. 22:00."
Charlotte: "Ok."
Meanwhile
In Telsford
Thomas: "Hmm… who are you?"
"Hello, Thomas Albert. We are the Sentinels."
Thomas: "The Sentinels?"
"We follow the orders of Gargamel, the Lord of Nightmare."
Thomas: "So he really exists. I thought he was only a legend."
Sentinels: "No…"
It was a woman in a dark suit, a large hat, and a long dark coat. Her mask was completely white except for the left eye, where there was a purple tear.
She bowed slightly.
Sentinel: "My master wants you to work for us."
Thomas: "Huh. Are you serious. That is an insult to my dignity, my respect. Why should I help you. For what."
Sentinel: "My name is Liora. Liora Hukewood. People call me the Crying Woman, or Liora the Weeping Woman."
Thomas: "Show me your face, then I will accept."
Liora: "Hmm… I cannot. If you see it, I must kill you, unless you accept the offer. You must kill someone."
Thomas: "Tsk… honestly."
Liora: "You must, more precisely, kill children. Five. The five Cinder Tales. Charlotte Eichenwald, Kisa Pushkin, Mona Hainsworth, Diego Dukewood, and lastly Nacht von Zephyr."
Thomas: "Ugh… hahhh… accepted. Now show me your face."
She removed the mask.
It was a woman with short purple hair, a wound across her nose, one purple eye and the other green.
Thomas: "What is my gift, my reward, I mean."
Thomas looked at her.
Liora: "You may wish for whatever you want. It may be that we are nightmares, but we can grant wishes."
Thomas: "Good. How about, if I win…"
He held her cheek.
Thomas: "You give me yourself . Hehe."
She clenched her fist, then calmed down.
Liora: "Of course. But only if you succeed."
Thomas: "I will succeed. By the way, can I torture the children before I kill them. They are my prey. It would be against my rights if you did not allow me to abuse them."
Liora: "Of course. You can do whatever you want, as long as you show me their bodies. That is what matters."
Thomas: "Hehehe. Then it is settled."
She nodded.
Liora: "If you will excuse me, I will be on my way."
Thomas: "Sure."
She vanished.
Thomas: "Creepy."
Meanwhile
Liora: "Hahh… what a disgusting man. Hmm. As long as he kills them, it will be worth it."
Gargamel: "And, Liora?"
Liora: "It is done, my lord. He will kill them, one after another. Do not worry."
Gargamel: "Good."
Franzoa: "Hmm."