Luella and Clarence looked at Schnee's map of the school. They both knew the layout off by heart, but even this map was odd to them. The rooms were labelled with odd symbols instead.
"Maybe... we should try the cherry tree!" Luella said, pointing towards the heart symbol next to the famed cherry tree outside the school grounds. "A heart means love, so..."
"That's a great idea!" Clarence beamed at her. "Let's just hope we don't catch anyone snogging or... worse..."
Luella laughed at her companion's flushed face. She knew what 'incident' he was talking about. He came to her first, after all.
Once they arrived at the cherry tree, Luella made a dash for the lowest branches. "Just like we did when we were younger, remember?" She giggled, "We even planted this, too..."
"Yes, although our party was a little bigger back then." Clarence sighed in remembrance, "Now we barely talk to the others, and Sanlo keeps herself busy..."
"That's why Schnee designed this, dummy!" Luella told him. "He noticed you've been getting lonely... I mean, come on! You try to keep yourself busy with the students, but I know you don't like spending your nights alone... your room is very large for one person."
"I can't really meet anyone, either." He continued. "It'll put the students at risk. And I'm not dating them, since that would be very illegal. So... I don't know what Schnee's doing, since he knows the risks... there's very few people I could date here."
Luella turned away from him and pouted. "Yeah, I wonder who he's pointing to... dummy..."
"Hm? Did you say something, Luella?" Clarence called out to her. Luella's face turned red instantly.
"O-Oh, I was just saying... there's other hearts on the map!" She quickly recovered, "Look, there's... hey, it's another one involving the two of us! Who would've thought!"
Clarence frowned at her strained, almost pleading voice. "Is this stressing you out? We can stop if you'd like-"
"N-No-!" She yelled, "I-I was just saying... the next place is your, um, playroom... with the piano."
"The... piano..." Clarence muttered. "... He does know Icarus isn't here anymore, right? Could that be who he's referring to?"
"L-Let's just go to the playroom-!!" Luella grabbed Clarence's hand and dragged him through the various hallways until they arrived at his old playroom.
"L-Luella, you're getting really worked up about this..." Clarence blurted out as she shut the door. "... Don't tell me you're afraid that I'll get distracted if I start dating someone?"
"What? N... No..." Luella glanced towards the piano. "... I want you to be happy just as much as the next person. Plus, you wouldn't let anyone distract you from taking care of the students."
Just as they were discussing this, they heard a knock at the door. Luella quickly darted to open it, partially to avoid any more awkward conversations.
It was Schnee, and he was holding a letter addressed to Luella. "Sanlo told me to give this to you. It's important... she said that the doctor you asked about finally got back to you about your... condition."
Luella's eyes teared up slightly as she examined the envelope. "O-Oh, I... I don't know if I want to open it... wh-what if it's bad news-?!"
"Ms. Yvette, you shouldn't worry yourself too much." Schnee smiled at her. "Whatever it is... I'm sure the professor and I... no, everyone, will be able to support you."
Luella smiled back at him. A fake smile. Schnee simply nodded and left the room, not wanting to pry too much into her private life.
"Luella, remember that there are other options." Clarence held her hand to comfort her. "This isn't the end of the world..."
"You're right... you're right..." Luella started to open the envelope and read what the letter said. "Luella Yvette... your condition will make pregnancy difficult due to your robotic features... but... it's possible...!"
"I-It's possible-?!" Clarence gasped in shock. "B-But... I thought..."
"Me, too!" Luella hugged him and wiped her tears away. "It may be difficult, but it's possible... there's still a chance for me! Clarence...!"
They pulled away before bursting out with laughter. Luella was always worried that her robotic features would prevent her from doing things that a normal human would do, and pregnancy was the last thing on her list to check out.
Sanlo referred her to an expert, who took her in for an examination. She had been waiting for a month or so to hear their findings, and all of it had been worth it.
"Are you thinking of launching into it straight away?" Clarence asked her. "I-I don't mean to be so intrusive, so you don't have to-"
"I want to be with the man I want first." Luella said immediately, cutting him off. "I want him to be the father... not some random donor."
"I hope he feels the same way." Clarence smiled at her, "I'll support you throughout. Especially for all you've done for me."
"Yes... thank you, Clarence..." Luella smiled, a real smile. "... I..."
Luella leaned in close to Clarence, her-
"WAIT!" Came a cry as the door slammed open. Luella jumped back, her chance gone.
Felice grabbed Luella and Clarence's hands and started to drag them outside. "You have to come quickly! It's an emergency!!"
"What's going on-?!" Clarence managed to get out as they ran down the hallway. "Felice-!"
"It's Carlen!" Felice yelled between pants, "He... he's on the roof! I think he's going to jump-!"
—————
Dai was reading a book on the bottom bunk whilst Carlen lazed about on the top. They had been roommates since day one, yet the bunk bed was getting a bit too small for the two of them. Carlen had been begging for a king sized bed for months, but Dai was too embarrassed to agree.
Besides, he could always hold Carlen's hand whilst he was sleeping. He had a habit of leaning over, letting his hand dangle from the top. Dai didn't know how he could sleep like that. His arm could fall off.
Carlen's watch beeped timely. He jumped off of the top bunk and beelined for the briefcase on their desk.
"Doesn't it get annoying?" Dai asked him, "I don't think I could stab myself as much as you do... besides, I like my eyes looking like clocks. You make really funny puns out of them!"
"Yeah, well... some of us don't like looking unique." Carlen said, annoyed. "Especially when you've been ridiculed because of it."
"But... Carlen..." Dai sighed as Carlen injected himself with more of the blue serum. "... everyone is the same here. You don't need to use it-"
"Aww, does my little Dai have a thing for animals?" Carlen joked. Dai knew he was just hiding his true feelings. "I never took you for that type..."
Dai's face went bright red. "N-No-! I-I'm not... Carlen!! That's gross! Don't start that again!" He huffed and closed his book.
Carlen hissed as the last of the serum was drained. "I hope this new batch works... then I don't have to worry about turning blue when I teleport."
"I think it's neat!" Dai smiles at him. "I mean... it kinda hides your identity if you teleport to the wrong place and the wrong time... people will be looking for a blue boy."
"I'd rather not be blue at all." Carlen argued back. "Blue... it's my least favourite colour..."
Dai hugged him from behind in an attempt to cheer him up. "Don't get all sad... please..."
Carlen turned around and winked at him. "I won't if it keeps my little Dai happy. You'd prefer if we do something more romantic, right~?"
"J-Just don't go around telling everyone else about how we kissed and stuff this time..." Dai murmured, embarrassed. "... Felice always says that it's gross... I don't think people need to know..."
"Yeah, Yeah... whatever you say, my Prince." Carlen held Dai's chin and leaned in for a kiss. Dai wrapped his arms around him as their lips touched.
Just as Dai was about to pull away, Carlen grunted in pain. Dai's eyes snapped open immediately as he tried to figure out what was wrong.
Carlen looked away and collapsed by a chair. Dai ran towards him and offered his hand. "C-Carlen, what's wrong-?!"
He looked like he was about to say something, but fell right into Dai. Dai screamed and tried to shake him off to the best of his ability.
"Carlen... Carlen... please say what's wrong! I-I don't know what to do-!" Dai cried out. Carlen managed to lift his head and give a faint smile. He soon wretched in pain again, clearly struggling.
Dai noticed that he was fixated on his hands. He soon found out why - his hands were starting to turn blue.
Not just his hands... but his arms, face, legs, even his hair. Carlen cried out as a tail forced its way through his clothing, his ears becoming pointier.
"D-Did... did the serum not work?!" Dai asked him, trying to get a response. "I... I've never seen it this bad before, though-!"
Carlen looked at his nails in horror. They, too, had become more pointy - almost as sharp as claws.
"Help... someone help!!" Dai cried out again, tears streaming down his face. Carlen was still in pain, despite most of his transformation being over.
Felice stepped into the room and dropped the book she was carrying. "I... oh my god! What the hell happened to Carlen?!"
"H-He just started t-to turn back into this-!" Dai said through sobs. "I've seen him blue before, but... never like this!"
"I'll... I'll go get the professor, yeah?" Felice backed out of the room slowly. "He'll know what to do-!"
"No-!" Carlen yelled, getting angry all of a sudden. One of his hands, previously holding Dai's cheek, dug into it with his newly-pointy nails.
Dai yelped in pain as blood started to pour out. Carlen immediately dropped him, staring at his injury in horror. "D-Dai... I... I..."
He simply whimpered in response, holding his injured cheek. Dai was too frightened to speak and Carlen knew it.
Felice ran towards Dai and held a nearby towel towards his cheek. "Carlen, you need to calm down. Got that?"
Carlen turned towards a mirror, his eyes widening. To him, he looked like a monster. A horrible monster that hurt his closest partner.
Dai was about to say something to Carlen, but as soon as they made eye contact, he teleported away.
"Great! Now he's going to get himself killed!" Felice sighed, annoyed. "Honestly... this wouldn't have happened if he didn't ask for a more powerful serum! He knew the risks!"
"N-No... he... I need to find him-!" Dai said, standing up. "Come on... we need to hurry!"
Dai's right eye slowed down more than it normally did as time slowed around the two. They needed time to find Carlen, and time was his specialty.
"Right... where does he go when he's angry or something?" Felice asked Dai. "Does he sit somewhere nice?"
"Um..." Dai's mind went through multiple options before settling on one. "... the... the roof! He likes to sit on top of the roof and watch the clouds!"
"Th-The roof-?!" Felice's eyes widened, "I... I'll find the professor! If anything, he can make Carlen come down!"
"B-But he doesn't like forcing himself inside other's minds-!" Dai argued. "Especially when controlling their movements! He hates it! And Carlen would hate it, too!"
"It'll be a backup plan." Felice told him. "Just... just in case anything happens. It's better safe than sorry, Dai. It's worked before."
Dai nodded as he and Felice went their separate ways. Felice dashed off to the lower floors whilst he ran towards the top, ignoring the slow movements of everyone around him for once.
He was going to find Carlen. He had to. Especially at a time like this.
———————————————
romance? I don't know her
- hatty