Archive of Our Own ^beta

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I know there are a billion of these, but I was reading them, and I kept thinking about what I would do differently, so here we are.

I update every other Friday at seven am exactly (PDT) until it's done. I'm still figuring out where exactly I want this story to go, but there will be a plot that is somewhat similar to the canon series.

I'm putting this at the beginning of all of my stories. There are a few general rules I'm going to enforce. (By enforce I mean I'll block you if you don't follow them).

1) No swearing in comments. This is an attempt to be respectful to people who don't appreciate it when others swear. In addition, oftentimes a swear word is taken negatively even if you don't mean it that way. If you swear in my book, I will give you one warning. If you argue, or give a rude response, I will block you. I have enforced this, and I will continue to enforce it.

2) Be nice. Respect people's opinions.

3) Constructive criticism only, and constructive criticism is encouraged.

4) Point out typos if you want, but don't be rude about it.

5) No wars (ship wars or anything else; too often those get out of hand, and I don't want to have to mediate them.)

6) Enjoy! :-)

Chapter Text

A/N: The world in this is somewhat different from in the real Wings of Fire. Basically, I changed the names of the tribes. The "status" at the bottom of the description is how they're treated by the HiveWings (or Kypseli in this AU). The higher the number, the higher the status. Also, I added something: they all have "weapons" which are just what the name says. Only certain people are "weaponed". In the characters chapters their weapons are listed.

Foglia:

Etymology: "foglia" is Italian for "leaf". Pronounced "foe-lee-uh".

Appearance: various shades of green or brown hair, gold or green eyes, varying skin color, usually on the darker side

Homeland: the forests across the continent

Status: Four

Glacee:

Etymology: "glacee" is French for "ice". Pronounced "glass-ee".

Appearance: light blue, silver, or white hair, blue or silver eyes, pale skin

Homeland: the icy tundra to the north, cold climates

Status: Two

Kypesli:

Etymology: "kypseli" is Greek for "hive". Pronounced "keep-sell-ee".

Appearance: red, orange, blonde or black hair, green or brown eyes, pale or medium skin

Homeland: the caverns under Pyrrhia

Status: One

Noctu:

Etymology: "noctu" is Latin for "night". Pronounced "nock-too".

Appearance: black hair, black eyes (silver when Weaponed), pale skin

Homeland: the caverns under Pyrrhia

Status: Two

Ramil:

Etymology: "ramil" is Arabic for "sand". Pronounced "ram-ell".

Appearance: blonde or brown hair, brown eyes, dark skin

Homeland: the desert

Status: Three

Resham:

Etymology: "resham" is Hindi for "silk". Pronounced "resh-am".

Appearance: varying hair, skin, and eye color

Homeland: the caverns under Pyrrhia

Status: Five

Segara:

Etymology: "segara" is Javanese for "sea". Pronounced "seg-ar-uh".

Appearance: blue, blonde, or green hair, green or blue eyes, medium or pale skin

Homeland: the coastal areas and rumored to have once lived under the ocean

Status: Three

Shavar:

Etymologry: "shavar" is Mongolian for "mud". Pronounced "sha-var".

Appearance: brown hair, brown eyes, varying skin color

Homeland: the swamps

Status: Four

Ua:

Etymology: "ua" is Hawaiian for "rain". Pronounced "oo-ah".

Appearance: hair and eye can be any color, varying skin color

Homeland: the rainforests

Status: Five

Zerua:

Etymology: "zerua" is Basque for "sky". Pronounced "zerr-oo-uh".

Appearance: red or orange hair, varying eye and skin color

Homeland: the mountains

Status: Three

Chapter Text

Dear Distinguished Student,

Congratulations! You've been accepted to Jade Preparatory Academy, the most prestigious school in Pyrrhia. Her Imperial Majesty Queen Wasp was educated here, along with the rest of the royal family, going all the way back to Queen Ladybug. Only the best Weaponed individuals in Pyrrhia are accepted.

Term commences on September first at eight o'clock with your first class. All students are required to be at Jade Preparatory Academy from one week to two days early, at least on August twenty-ninth. Jade Preparatory Academy is in Wasp City, a kilometer from Her Imperial Majesty Queen Wasp's palace.

The subjects you will be studying are as follows:

Math, taught by Professor Hawthorn Mulberry (Foglia) for classes C and F and Professor Caterpillar Termite (Kypseli) for classes A and B.

Language Arts, taught by Professor Asha Landslide (Shavar) for classes C and F and Professor Whirlpool Loggerhead (Segara) for classes A and B.

History, taught by Professor Webs Whitewash (Segara) for classes C and F and Professor Cadelle Termite (Kypseli) for classes A and B.

Science, taught by Professor Mangrove Bandicoot (Ua) for classes C and F and Professor Mastermind Galaxy (Noctu) for classes A and B.

Foreign languages, taught by Professor Hvitur Iceberg (Glacee) for classes C and F, and Professor Permafrost Icestorm (Glacee) for classes A and B.

Physical education, taught by Professor Kestrel Peregrine (Zerua) (two days a week)

Art, taught by Professor Magnificent Shine (Ua) (one day a week)

Music, taught by Professor Dune Roadrunner (Ramil) (one day a week)

***Please note: There are three substitute teachers who teach one class per subject per week. All students will have either Stonemover Cursebringer (Noctu), Chameleon Honeybringer (Ua), or Nautilus Jetty (Segara) for ten periods a week. They follow the main teachers' lesson plans, and which days they teach on depends on the class and which classes need more help. All three of these substitute teachers will have their own homeroom.***

The four grade levels–nineth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth–are split into four classes each, each class having room for ten students. At the beginning of the year, a week before start of term, each student will take nine exams–on what they will learn that year, not the previous year–to determine what class they should be in. The ten highest grading students will be in A, the next ten will be in B, the next ten will be in C, and the ten lowest grading students will be in F. The exams will take place on August twentieth, August twenty-first, August twenty-second, and August twenty-third at either Wasp City Middle School or Cicada City Middle School, whichever location is most convenient for you. Please alert the school of your chosen location at least three days prior to the exams. Students will find out what class they are in on August twenty-fifth. Students will receive their supply lists on August twenty-fifth, in the same email where they find out what class they are in.

Welcome to Jade Preparatory Academy and congratulations again on your acceptance to the most prestigious school in our empire,

Oasis Sizzle

Principal of Jade Preparatory Academy

Head of the Department of Education

on behalf of Her Imperial Majesty Queen Wasp

Chapter Text

Warning: All files on students attending Jade Preparatory Academy are classified. For Her Imperial Majesty Queen Wasp's Eyes only. Unpermitted viewing punishable by maiming, dismemberment, impaling, and death, in that order.

All information gathered via reports from former and current schools.

Peril Cinder:

Age: fifteen

Address: 521 Devastation Street

Race: Zerua

Weapon(s): necklace that allows her to control fire

Immediate Family: Kestrel Peregrine (mother), Soar Cinder (father), Sky Cinder (twin brother, deceased), Scarlet Cinder (stepmother), Ruby Lava (stepsister), Tourmaline Lava (stepsister), Hawk Lava (stepbrother), Vermilion Lava (stepbrother)

Extended Family: Cliff Lava (step-nephew)

Ancestry: mother (Kestrel Peregrine) professor of Physical Education and Self Defense at Jade Preparatory Academy, stepfamily from long line of Zerua nobles, stepmother (Scarlet Cinder) current head of Zerua Weaponry Monitoring

Eyes: brownish green

Hair: bright, blood red

Skin: medium

Pet(s): None

Favorite Subject: Physical Education

Favorite Hobby: fire dancing

Likes: Clay Landslide, fire, picking fights, fighting

Dislikes: her stepmother (Scarlet Cinder), school, peace, rain, being friendly/friendliness

Conditions of Acceptance: stepfamily's connections, mother's job, extremely rare Weapon

Grade: ten

Winglet: Jade

Class: 10F

Classmates: Tsunami Hurricane, Fierceteeth Galaxy, Rattlesnake Sidewinder, Deathbringer Moonslayer, Coconut Marmoset, Liana Marmoset, Swordtail Dusk, Strongwings Foresight, Jambu Paradise

Room: Jade 10G

Roommates: Tsunami Hurricane, Glory Paradise, Luna Glimmer, Sunny Roadrunner, Fatespeaker Moonslayer

Moonwatcher Clearmoon:

Age: fourteen

Address: 669 Nebula Lane

Race: Noctu

Weapon(s): necklace that lets her read minds, ring that gives her occasional visions of the future

Immediate Family: Secretkeeper Clearmoon (mother), Morrowseer Clearmoon (father, deceased)

Extended Family: Quickstrike Moonslayer (aunt, deceased), Shadowhunter Moonslayer (uncle, deceased), Fatespeaker Moonslayer (cousin), Deathbringer Moonslayer (cousin)

Ancestry: father (Morrowseer Clearmoon) convicted criminal, aunt (Quickstrike Moonslayer) former celebrated assassin in Her Imperial Majesty Queen Wasp's intelligence force

Eyes: silver

Hair: black

Skin: pale

Pet(s): Solar (cat)

Favorite Subject: history

Favorite Hobby: reading

Likes: reading, books, school, studying, her friends, libraries

Dislikes: her weapons, making friends (the process, not the outcome), Winter Icestorm when he's angry

Conditions of Acceptance: a ninety to a hundred on every test since fourth grade

Grade: nine

Winglet: Jade

Class: 9A

Classmates: Icicle Icestorm, Cricket Tick, Blue Glimmer, Anemone Hurricane, Hazel Redwood, Changbai Apine, Barracuda Humuhumunukunukuapuaa, Pronghorn Heatwave, Thrush Eagle

Room: Jade 9G

Roommates: Cricket Tick, Kinkajou Paradise, Icicle Icestorm, Sundew Oakleaf, Willow Maple

Swordtail Dusk:

Age: fifteen

Address: 80 Silkworm Road

Race: Resham

Weapon(s): a belt that enhances his strength

Immediate Family: Starstreak Dusk (father), April Dusk (mother), Io Dusk (sister)

Extended Family: N/A

Ancestry: father (Starstreak Dusk) known criminal, many other perceived criminals in family

Eyes: orange

Hair: blue

Skin: medium

Pet(s): None

Favorite Subject: Physical Education

Favorite Hobby: running

Likes: revolution, his friends, track and field, running

Dislikes: school, construction crews, eating meat

Conditions of Acceptance: Her Imperial Majesty Queen Wasp's wanting of eyes on him

Grade: ten

Winglet: Jade

Class: 10F

Classmates: Tsunami Hurricane, Rattlesnake Sidewinder, Fierceteeth Galaxy, Strongwings Foresight, Liana Marmoset, Coconut Marmoset, Deathbringer Moonslayer, Peril Cinder

Room: Jade 10B

Roommates: Deathbringer Moonslayer, Riptide Whitewash, Starflight Galaxy, Clay Landslide

Lynx Frost:

Age: fourteen

Address: 1130 Beluga Road

Race: Glacee

Weapon(s): a necklace that lets her freeze and unfreeze things

Immediate Family: Blizzard Frost (father), Gwyn Frost (mother, deceased)

Extended Family: N/A

Ancestry: no notable connections

Eyes: blue

Hair: silver with a slight blueish tint

Skin: pale

Pet(s): Snowfox (rabbit)

Favorite Subject: art

Favorite Hobby: figure skating

Likes: figure skating, teasing, pranking, her friends, jokes, animals

Dislikes: the Icestorm family, Snowfall Icestorm when she's angry, fighting

Conditions of Acceptance: four-time Pyrrhian Figure Skating National Champion (levels Intermediate, Novice, Junior)

Grade: nine

Winglet: Jade

Class: 9B

Classmates: Winter Icestorm, Qibli Roadrunner, Umber Landslide, Sundew Oakleaf, Willow Maple, Siamang Cassowary, Arid Bongo, Nettle Fly Trap, Mindreader Crooktail

Room: Jade 9G

Roommates: Sundew Oakleaf, Willow Maple, Moonwatcher Clearmoon, Cricket Tick, Kinkajou Paradise

Starflight Galaxy:

Age: Fifteen

Address: 328 Solar Avenue

Race: Noctu

Weapon(s): an ancient scroll that recites facts when asked to

Immediate Family: Farsight Galaxy (mother, deceased), Mastermind Galaxy (father, in jail), Fierceteeth Galaxy (sister, in and out of jail)

Extended Family: Secretkeeper Clearmoon (aunt), Morrowseer Clearmoon (uncle, deceased), Moonwatcher Clearmoon (cousin)

Ancestry: many criminals in family

Eyes: silver

Hair: black

Skin: pale

Pet(s): None

Favorite Subject: Science

Favorite Hobby: Studying, reading

Likes: studying, reading, school, his friends

Dislikes: fighting, Fierceteeth Galaxy, Fierceteeth Galaxy's driving, pressure

Conditions of Acceptance: one hundred percent on every test since fifth grade

Grade: ten

Winglet: Jade

Class: 10A

Classmates: Glory Paradise, Luna Glimmer, Snowfall Frostcurrent, Cobra Lily Oakleaf, Reed Landslide, Fin Loggerhead, Marsh Landslide, Crystal Frostcurrent, Newt Squelch

Room: Jade 10B

Roommates: Deathbringer Moonslayer, Swordtail Dusk, Clay Landslide, Riptide Whitewash

Blue Glimmer:

Age: fourteen

Address: 92 Silkworm Road

Race: Resham

Weapon(s): hair spray that lets him shoot strands of fire from his fingers

Immediate Family: Burnet Glimmer (mother), Silverspot Glimmer (stepmother), Admiral Redspot (father, in jail), Luna Glimmer (half-sister)

Extended Family: N/A

Ancestry: No notable connections

Eyes: blue

Hair: blue

Skin: medium

Pet(s): None

Favorite Subject: history

Favorite Hobby: weaving

Likes: his friends, his family, peace, stability, octagonal glasses

Dislikes: wars, violence, eating meat

Conditions of Acceptance: rare Weapon

Grade: nine

Class: 9A

Classmates: Icicle Icestorm, Cricket Tick, Moonwatcher Clearmoon, Anemone Hurricane, Hazel Redwood, Changbai Alpine, Pronghorn Heatwave, Thrush Eagle, Barracuda Humuhumunukunukuapuaa

Room: Jade 9B

Roommates: Qibli Roadrunner, Winter Icestorm, Umber Landslide, Turtle Hurricane

Luna Glimmer:

Age: fifteen

Address: 92 Silkworm Road

Race: Resham

Weapon(s): butterfly hair clip that lets her shoot strands of fire from her fingers

Immediate Family: Burnet Glimmer (stepmother), Silverspot Glimmer (mother), Admiral Redspot (father, in jail), Blue Glimmer (half-brother)

Extended Family: N/A

Ancestry: No notable connections

Eyes: green

Hair: green

Skin: medium

Pet(s): None

Favorite Subject: art

Favorite Hobby: weaving

Likes: art, tapestries, her family, her friends, getting good grades

Dislikes: eating meat,

Conditions of Acceptance: rare Weapon

Grade: ten

Class: 10A

Classmates: Glory Paradise, Starflight Galaxy, Snowfall Frostcurrent, Newt Squelch, Fin Loggerhead, Crystal Frostcurrent, Reed Landslide, Marsh Landslide, Cobra Lily Oakleaf

Room: Jade 10G

Roommates: Tsunami Hurricane, Peril Cinder, Glory Paradise, Fatespeaker Moonslayer

Tsunami Hurricane:

Age: fifteen

Address: 750 Oceanstorm Road

Race: Segara

Weapon: a pearl necklace that lets her shapeshift into a leopard seal

Immediate Family: Coral Loggerhead (mother), Gill Hurricane (father, deceased), Professor Whirlpool Loggerhead (stepfather), Anemone Hurricane (sister), Turtle Hurricane (brother), Orca Hurricane (sister, deceased), Octopus Loggerhead (stepbrother), Fin Loggerhead (stepbrother), Cerulean Loggerhead (stepbrother), Auklet Loggerhead (half-sister), Zooplankton Loggerhead (half-brother), Clownfish Loggerhead (half-brother), Pondweed Loggerhead (half-sister), Sailfish Loggerhead (half-brother)

Extended Family: Shark Stingray (uncle), Turquoise Stingray (aunt, deceased), Moray Stingray (cousin)

Ancestry: comes from long line of Thalassa nobles, mother (Coral Loggerhead) current head of Thalassa Weaponry monitoring, stepfather (Professor Whirlpool Loggerhead) professor of writing at Jade Preparatory Academy

Eyes: blue

Hair: blue

Skin: pale

Pet(s): None

Favorite Subject: Science, specifically hydrology

Favorite Hobby: Swimming

Likes: water, swimming, her friends (most of the time), sports

Dislikes: Whirlpool Loggerhead, reading, school, prophecies, being powerless

Conditions of Acceptance: parents' influence and wealth

Grade: ten

Class: 10F

Classmates: Deathbringer Moonslayer, Fierceteeth Galaxy, Rattlesnake Sidewinder, Coconut Marmoset, Liana Marmoset, Swordtail Dusk, Strongwings Foresight, Peril Cinder, Jambu Paradise

Room: Jade 10G

Roommates: Peril Cinder, Luna Glimmer, Fatespeaker Moonslayer, Rattlesnake Sidewinder

Turtle Hurricane:

Age: fourteen

Address: 750 Oceanstorm Road

Race: Segara

Weapon(s): earrings that allow him turn invisible

Immediate Family: Coral Loggerhead (mother), Gill Hurricane (father, deceased), Professor Whirlpool Loggerhead (stepfather), Anemone Hurricane (sister), Tsunami Hurricane (sister), Orca Hurricane (sister, deceased), Octopus Loggerhead (stepbrother), Fin Loggerhead (stepbrother), Cerulean Loggerhead (stepbrother), Auklet Loggerhead (half-sister), Zooplankton Loggerhead (half-brother), Clownfish Loggerhead (half-brother), Pondweed Loggerhead (half-sister), Sailfish Loggerhead (half-brother)

Extended Family: Shark Stingray (uncle), Turquoise Stingray (aunt), Moray Stingray (cousin)

Ancestry: comes from long line of Thalassa nobles, mother (Coral Loggerhead) current head of Thalassa Weaponry monitoring, stepfather (Professor Whirlpool Loggerhead) professor of writing at Jade Preparatory Academy

Eyes: green

Hair: blueish green

Skin: pale

Favorite Subject: writing

Favorite Hobby: writing

Pet(s): None

Likes: being bland, his sisters (aside from Anemone Hurricane), dark colors, stories

Dislikes: being noticed, being active, making decisions, having pressure on him

Conditions of Acceptance: parents' influence and wealth

Grade: nine

Class: 9F

Classmates: Sirocco Sidewinder, Squid Salmon, Flame Torch, Mandrake Fly Trap, Snail Oyster, Eel Catfish, Alligator Crawdad, Banana Hibiscus, Viper Camel

Room: Jade 9B

Roommates: Winter Icestorm, Qibli Roadrunner, Umber Landslide, Blue Glimmer

Chapter Text

Winter Icestorm:

Age: fourteen

Address: 216 Squall Avenue

Race: Glacee

Weapon(s): anklet that lets him create snow and ice storms

Immediate Family: Tundra Icestorm (mother), Narwhal Icestorm (father), Icicle Icestorm (twin sister), Hailstorm Icestorm (brother, deceased)

Extended Family: Glacier Frostcurrent (aunt), Reindeer Frostcurrent (uncle), Crystal Frostcurrent (cousin), Snowfall Frostcurrent (cousin), Mink Frostcurrent (cousin), Professor Permafrost Icestorm (uncle)

Ancestry: family from long line of Glacee nobles, aunt (Glacier Frostcurrent) current head of Glacee Weaponry monitoring

Eyes: blue

Hair: white with a tint of blue

Skin: pale

Pet(s): None

Favorite Subject: science

Favorite Hobby: skiing

Likes: his friends, school, technology

Dislikes: Qibli Roadrunner's puns, his family (aside from Hailstorm Icestorm and Mink Frostcurrent)

Conditions of Acceptance: family's connections, uncle (Professor Permafrost Icestorm) professor of language at Jade Preparatory Academy

Grade: nine

Class: 9B

Classmates: Qibli Roadrunner, Umber Landslide, Lynx Frost, Sundew Oakleaf, Willow Maple, Siamang Cassowary, Arid Bongo, Mindreader Crooktail, Nettle Fly Trap

Room: Jade 9B

Roommates: Qibli Roadrunner, Umber Landslide, Blue Glimmer, Turtle Hurricane

Clay Landslide:

Age: fifteen

Address: 603 Marsh Lane

Race: Shavar

Weapon(s): a French-fry keychain that allows him to sense what is morally right in a situation

Immediate Family: Cattail Landslide (mother), Umber Landslide (brother), Reed Landslide (brother), Pheasant Landslide (sister), Marsh Landslide (brother), Sora Landslide (sister, in jail), Crane Landslide (sister, deceased)

Extended Family: Professor Asha Landslide (aunt, legal guardian)

Ancestry: long line of professors at Jade Preparatory Academy

Eyes: brown

Hair: brown

Skin: medium

Pet(s): Spruce (a crane, in memory of his sister)

Favorite Subject: math

Favorite Hobby: eating

Likes: food, his siblings, peace, his friends

Dislikes: his friends fighting, school (aside from friends), wars

Conditions of Acceptance: aunt (Professor Asha Landslide) professor of writing at Jade Preparatory Academy

Grade: ten

Class: 10C

Classmates: Riptide Whitewash, Fatespeaker Moonslayer, Onyx Sizzle, Greatness Sharpteeth, Io Dusk, Cerulean Loggerhead, Pike Barnacle, Ocher Swamp, Alba Iceberg

Room: Jade 10B

Roommates: Riptide Whitewash, Deathbringer Moonslayer, Starflight Galaxy, Swordtail Dusk

Willow Maple:

Age: fourteen

Address: 103 Blatt Boulevard

Race: Foglia

Weapon(s): necklace that lets her communicate vaguely with plants

Immediate Family: Birch Maple (father), Cedar Maple (mother)

Extended Family: Sequoia Redwood (aunt), Hazel Redwood (cousin)

Ancestry: from long line of Foglia nobles

Eyes: gold

Hair: green

Skin: medium

Pet(s): Talkatoo (canary)

Favorite Subject: botany

Favorite Hobby: gardening

Likes: animals, plants, her friends, her family, ice cream

Dislikes: yelling, fighting, anger, pesticides

Conditions of Acceptance: family's connections

Grade: nine

Class: 9B

Classmates: Winter Icestorm, Qibli Roadrunner, Umber Landslide, Sundew Oakleaf, Lynx Frost, Siamang Cassowary, Arid Bongo, Nettle Fly Trap, Mindreader Crooktail

Room: Jade 9G

Roommates: Sundew Oakleaf, Lynx Frost, Moonwatcher Clearmoon, Kinkajou Paradise, Cricket Tick

Deathbringer Moonslayer:

Age: fifteen

Address: 5684 Nebula Lane

Race: Noctu

Weapon(s): a sword that never misses its mark and causes more pain than it should

Immediate Family: Quickstrike Moonslayer (mother, deceased), Shadowhunter Moonslayer (father, deceased), Fatespeaker Moonlsayer (twin sister), Battlewinner Sharpteeth (foster mother), Greatness Sharpteeth (foster sister)

Extended Family: Secretkeeper Clearmoon (aunt), Morrowseer Clearmoon (uncle, deceased), Moonwatcher Clearmoon (cousin)

Ancestry: mother (Quickstrike Moonslayer) celebrated former assassin in Her Imperial Majesty Queen Wasp's intelligence force, foster family (Battlewinner and Greatness Sharpteeth) from long line of Noctu nobles, uncle (Morrowseer Clearmoon) known criminal

Eyes: silver

Hair: black

Skin: pale

Pet(s): None

Favorite Subject: Physical Education

Favorite Hobby: sword fighting

Likes: flirting with Glory Paradise, sports, anything physical, horror movies, fighting

Dislikes: reading, his foster family, school, dogs

Conditions of Acceptance: influent and powerful stepfamily, celebrated mother

Grade: ten

Class: 10F

Classmates: Tsunami Hurricane, Fierceteeth Galaxy, Rattlesnake Sidewinder, Coconut Marmoset, Liana Marmoset, Swordtail Dusk, Strongwings Foresight, Peril Cinder, Jambu Paradise

Room: Jade 10B

Roommates: Swordtail Dusk, Starflight Galaxy, Riptide Whitewash, Clay Landslide

Fatespeaker Moonslayer:

Age: fifteen

Address: 5684 Nightslay Drive

Race: Noctu

Weapon(s): a necklace that gives her vague visions of the future

Immediate Family: Quickstrike Moonslayer (mother, deceased), Shadowhunter Moonslayer (father, deceased), Deathbringer Moonslayer (twin brother), Battlewinner Sharpteeth (foster mother), Greatness Sharpteeth (foster sister)

Extended Family: Secretkeeper Clearmoon (aunt), Morrowseer Clearmoon (uncle, deceased), Moonwatcher Clearmoon (cousin)

Ancestry: mother (Quickstrike Moonslayer) celebrated former assassin in Her Imperial Majesty Queen Wasp's intelligence force, foster family (Battlewinner and Greatness Sharpteeth) from long line of Noctu nobles, uncle (Morrowseer Clearmoon) known criminal

Eyes: silver

Hair: black

Skin: pale

Pet(s): None

Favorite Subject: writing

Favorite Hobby: prophesizing

Likes: her friends and family, prophecies, being heroic

Dislikes: her foster family, mean people, the other false dragonets, violence, unenthusiasm

Conditions of Acceptance: influent and powerful stepfamily, celebrated mother, mediocre performance in tests since first grade

Grade: ten

Class: 10C

Classmates: Clay Landslide, Cerulean Loggerhead, Pike Barnacle, Ocher Swamp, Onyx Sizzle, Greatness Sharpteeth, Io Dusk, Alba Iceberg, Riptide Whitewash

Room: Jade 10G

Roommates: Tsunami Hurricane, Glory Paradise, Sunny Roadrunner, Peril Cinder

Sundew Oakleaf:

Age: fourteen

Address: 101 Blatt Boulevard

Race: Foglia

Weapon(s): necklace that lets her communicate with plants and make them grow faster

Immediate Family: Belladonna Oakleaf (mother), Hemlock Oakleaf (father), Cobra Lily Oakleaf (sister)

Extended Family: N/A

Ancestry: mother (Belladonna Oakleaf) former general in Her Imperial Majesty Queen Wasp's army (she deserted)

Eyes: green

Hair: green

Skin: medium

Pet(s): None

Favorite Subject: botany

Favorite Hobby: taking care of her poisonous greenhouse

Likes: poisonous plants, plants, yelling, being active, her friends

Dislikes: being underestimated, being patronized, Nettle Fly Trap, her family (most of the time)

Conditions of Acceptance: mother's connections, rare Weapon, has scored between eighty to a hundred on every test since seventh grade

Grade: nine

Class: 9B

Classmates: Winter Icestorm, Qibli Roadrunner, Umber Landslide, Willow Maple, Lynx Frost, Siamang Cassowary, Arid Bongo, Nettle Fly Trap, Mindreader Crooktail

Room: Jade 9G

Roommates: Willow Maple, Lynx Frost, Moonwatcher Clearmoon, Kinkajou Paradise, Cricket Tick

Glory Paradise:

Age: fifteen

Address: 9725 Cacao Drive

Race: Ua

Weapon(s): a lei that lets her camouflage herself, nail polish that lets her shoot venom from her hands

Immediate Family: Chameleon Shine (father, deceased), Magnificent Shine (mother), Kinkajou Paradise (adoptive sister), Jambu Paradise (twin brother)

Extended Family: Grandeur Paradise (grandmother)

Ancestry: comes from long line of Ua nobles

Eyes: purple

Hair: yellow-orange

Skin: dark

Pet(s): Silver (cat)

Favorite Subject: natural science

Favorite Hobby: drawing

Likes: her friends, art, fashion, TV

Dislikes: being flirted with, school, her mother, Tsunami Hurricane's bossiness, being active, math

Conditions of Acceptance: wealthy grandmother (Grandeur Paradise), ninety to a hundred percent on every test since sixth grade

Grade: ten

Class: 10A

Classmates: Luna Glimmer, Cobra Lily Oakleaf, Starflight Galaxy, Snowfall Frostcurrent, Reed Landslide, Fin Loggerhead, Marsh Landslide, Newt Squelch, Crystal Frostcurrent

Room: Jade 10G

Roommates: Tsunami Hurricane, Peril Cinder, Fatespeaker Moonslayer, Sunny Roadrunner, Luna Glimmer

Kinkajou Paradise:

Age: fourteen

Weapon(s): lei that lets her camouflage, nail clipper that lets her shoot venom from her fingers

Address: 9725 Cacao Drive

Race: Ua

Immediate Family: (biological parents unknown), Glory Paradise (adoptive sister), Grandeur Paradise (adoptive mother)

Extended Family: Magnificent Shine (adoptive mother's biological daughter)

Ancestry: adoptive family comes from long line of Ua nobles

Eyes: light purple

Hair: dark purple

Skin: dark

Pet(s): Silver (cat)

Favorite Subject: music

Favorite Hobby: singing and dancing

Likes: loud music, her family, being hero, bright colors, anything she considers exciting (which, it should be noted, is quite an extensive list)

Dislikes: unenthusiasm, Magnificent Shine, Winter Icestorm being grumpy

Conditions of Acceptance: adoptive family's connections

Grade: nine

Class: 9C

Classmates: Tamarin Jungle, Ostrich Roadrunner, Fearless Darkshadow, Ermine Boreal, Garnet Whirlwind, Crocus Mangosteen, Charming Dragonfruit, Bombardier Beetle, Salty Ocean

Room: Jade 9G

Roommates: Sundew Oakleaf, Willow Maple, Cricket Tick, Moonwatcher Clearmoon, Lynx Frost

Sunny Roadrunner:

Age: fifteen

Address: 581 Gobi Way

Race: Ramil-Noctu

Weapon(s): a bracelet that lets her shapeshift into a roadrunner

Immediate Family: Thorn Roadrunner (mother), Stonemover Cursebringer (father), Smolder Sizzle (stepfather), Qibli Roadrunner (adoptive brother), Onyx Sizzle (stepsister)

Extended Family: Six-Claws Roadrunner (uncle), Kindle Roadrunner (aunt), Ostrich Roadrunner (cousin), Professor Dune Roadrunner (uncle), Burn Sizzle (step-aunt, deceased), Blister Sizzle (step-aunt, deceased), Blaze Sizzle (step-aunt), Singe Sizzle (step-uncle), Scald Sizzle (step-uncle), Char Sizzle (step-grandfather, deceased), Oasis Sizzle (step-grandmother)

Ancestry: stepfamily long line of Ramil nobles, step-grandmother (Oasis Sizzle) current head of Ramil Weaponry monitoring, biological father (Stonemover Cursebringer) celebrated Noctu animus, mother (Thorn Roadrunner) from long line of known criminals (it should be noted that Thorn Roadrunner has not been proven to have followed in her ancestors' footsteps)

Eyes: brown

Hair: light brown

Skin: dark

Pet(s): Fluffy (dog), Holler (dog)

Favorite Subject: art and music

Favorite Hobby: dancing and singing

Likes: friendly people, her friends, animals

Dislikes: when people are mean, being patronized

Conditions of Acceptance: influent and powerful stepfamily, uncle (Professor Dune Roadrunner) professor of music at Jade Preparatory Academy, mediocre performance in tests since first grade

Grade: ten

Class: 10B

Classmates: Octopus Loggerhead, Pheasant Landslide, Sepia Squelch, Bigtail Shadowseeker, Mightyclaws Shadowseeker, Carnelian Torch, Peregrine Eagle, Boto Shimmer

Room: Jade 10G

Roommates: Tsunami Hurricane, Glory Paradise, Peril Cinder, Fatespeaker Moonslayer, Luna Glimmer

Qibli Roadrunner:

Age: fourteen

Address: 581 Gobi Way

Race: Ramil

Weapon(s): earring that allows him to sense peoples' weaknesses (physically and emotionally)

Immediate Family: Thorn Roadrunner (adoptive mother), Smolder Sizzle (adoptive father), Sunny Roadrunner (adoptive sister), Onyx Sizzle (adoptive sister), Cobra Sidewinder (mother), Rattlesnake Sidewinder (sister), Sirocco Sidewinder (brother), (father unknown)

Extended Family: Six-Claws Roadrunner (adoptive uncle), Kindle Roadrunner (adoptive aunt), Ostrich Roadrunner (adoptive cousin), Dune Roadrunner (adoptive uncle), Burn Sizzle (adoptive aunt, deceased), Blister Sizzle (adoptive aunt, deceased), Blaze Sizzle (adoptive aunt), Singe Sizzle (adoptive uncle), Scald Sizzle (adoptive uncle), Char Sizzle (adoptive grandfather, deceased), Oasis Sizzle (adoptive grandmother), Vulture Sidewinder (grandfather)

Ancestry: adoptive father's family from long line of Ramil nobles, adoptive grandmother (Oasis Sizzle) current head of Ramil Weaponry monitoring, adoptive mother (Thorn Roadrunner) from long line of known criminals (it should be noted that Thorn Roadrunner has not been proven to have followed in her ancestors' footsteps), biological grandfather powerful crime lord serving Her Imperial Majesty Queen Wasp, biological mother celebrated assassin serving in Her Imperial Majesty Queen Wasp's intelligence force

Eyes: brown

Hair: blonde

Skin: dark

Favorite Subject: music

Favorite Hobby: drumming

Pet(s): Fluffy (dog), Holler (dog)

Likes: his adoptive family, his friends, puns, rock music, causing trouble

Dislikes: his biological family, Onyx Sizzle, the outcome of his trouble

Conditions of Acceptance: biological family's connections, adoptive family's connections, scored ninety-five to a hundred on every test since third grade

Grade: nine

Class: 9B

Classmates: Winter Icestorm, Umber Landslide, Lynx Frost, Sundew Oakleaf, Willow Maple, Siamang Cassowary, Arid Bongo, Nettle Fly Trap, Mindreader Crooktail

Room: Jade 9B

Roommates: Winter Icestorm, Blue Glimmer, Turtle Hurricane, Umber Landslide

Cricket Tick:

Age: fourteen

Address: 3847 Lady Cicada Drive

Race: Kypseli

Weapon(s): scroll earrings that give her photographic memory

Immediate Family: Katydid Termite (mother), Lord Malachite Tick (father, in jail)

Extended Family: Cadelle Termite (grandmother), Caterpillar Termite (grandfather), Lady Scarab Tick (grandmother), Lady Jewel Tick (aunt), Her Imperial Highness Queen Wasp Tick (first cousin once removed), Lady Bloodworm Tick (first cousin once removed), Lady Mantis Tick (first cousin once removed), Lady Cicada Tick (first cousin once removed), Lady Vinegaroon Tick (first cousin once removed), Lady Hornet Tick (first cousin once removed), Lady Tsetse Tick (first cousin once removed), Lady Yellowjacket Tick (first cousin once removed), Her Majesty Queen Cochineal (great-aunt, deceased)

Ancestry: related to Her Imperial Majesty Queen Wasp by father (Lord Malachite Tick), father (Lord Malachite Tick) arrested for having an unapproved affair with mother (Katydid Termite)

Eyes: brown

Hair: orange

Skin: medium

Pet(s): None

Favorite Subject: science

Favorite Hobby: reading

Likes: reading, books, studying, knowledge, her friends, logic puzzles, puzzles, mysteries

Dislikes: when things don't make sense, being told not to ask questions, most teachers

Conditions of Acceptance: being an unofficial member of the Imperial Family, getting a hundred on every test since third grade

Grade: nine

Class: 9A

Classmates: Blue Glimmer, Icicle Icestorm, Moonwatcher Clearmoon, Anemone Hurricane, Hazel Redwood, Changbai Alpine, Pronghorn Heatwave, Thrush Eagle, Barracuda Humuhumunukunukuapuaa

Room: Jade 9G

Roommates: Moonwatcher Clearmoon, Kinkajou Paradise, Willow Maple, Sundew Oakleaf, Lynx Frost

Riptide Whitewash:

Age: fifteen

Address: 36 Tide Way

Race: Segara

Weapon(s): a surfboard that lets him control the ocean during high tides

Immediate Family: Professor Webs Whitewash (father), Kelp Whitewash (mother, deceased)

Extended Family: N/A

Ancestry: no notable connections

Eyes: blue

Hair: blue

Skin: medium

Pet(s): None

Favorite Subject: Physical Education

Favorite Hobby: swimming, particularly surfing

Likes: sports, the ocean, surfing, his friends, pranking, truth or dare, sleep

Dislikes: the Hurricane family, school, being pranked

Conditions of Acceptance: father (Professor Webs Whitewash), professor of history at Jade Preparatory Academy

Grade: ten

Class: 10C

Classmates: Clay Landslide, Cerulean Loggerhead, Pike Barnacle, Ocher Swamp, Fatespeaker Moonslayer, Onyx Sizzle, Greatness Sharpteeth, Io Dusk, Alba Iceberg

Room: Jade 10B

Roommates: Clay Landslide, Deathbringer Moonslayer, Starflight Galaxy, Swordtail Dusk

Chapter Text

Glory Paradise hated tests.

It wasn't the tests' fault. Most of the time they were easy. She didn't even blame the evil teachers at Jade Preparatory Academy. (Most of them were awful, particularly her mother, Magnificent Shine). Glory just . . . she had better things to do than sit staring at a paper trying to puzzle out a complicated math problem.

Particularly right now.

Glory glanced at the clock on the wall, then at the blue, Segaran head of her best friend, Tsunami Hurricane. Tsunami was scribbling furiously, mumbling something that sounded like, "So pointless," under her breath. Glory was half sure she wasn't even trying and was just writing random things.

Glory sighed. The only way she could get out of here earlier than twelve o'clock was if she hurried up and finished this. But she did want to do a good job, so she couldn't hurry too much.

This was the most important test of the year. It would determine her placement for her tenth grade class, 10A, 10B, 10C, or 10F. She'd gotten Class A last year, but she'd barely passed her finals, and hadn't studied at all over summer. She really needed to get a good grade on all the beginning exams if she wanted to get into the top class again. She'd passed science (Professor Mastermind handed A's to everyone who got the first question correct), language, social studies, foreign languages, and art, but it all came down to math. She needed to get a fifty or higher to get into 10A, as they were tested on what they were learning that year.

But her sister's birthday was just as important. Kinkajou Paradise was turning fourteen today, and she'd kill Glory if she didn't make it. Besides, a party sounded far more appealing than two more pages of incomprehensible numbers.

But there were still twenty minutes left, and two pages on the test. Glory sighed and looked at the test again - right as a ball of paper bonked her in the head.

Glory jumped, spun around, and glared at Peril Cinder, the fiery redheaded Zerua sitting behind her. "What are you doing?" she hissed.

"I'm done," Peril said. "Bye." Peril gave Glory a slightly smug grin, picked up her bag, and stalked toward the door.

"Hey!" the teacher shouted. "Where do you think you're going?" Mr. Frost, Lynx Frost's father, who taught math at the second-best school in Pyrrhia, did not look happy.

Peril turned and gave him a sweet smile. "Kinakjou's party. I finished my test."

Mr. Frost raised an eyebrow. "Did you? Then why is it not on my desk?"

Peril's smile faltered. She looked at the paper that was still sitting on her desk and handed it to him.

Mr. Frost smiled. "Now you may go."

Peril rolled her eyes and left the room.

Glory smiled and turned back to her test. She finished the next page and a half in fifteen minutes, during which half the tenth graders in the room finished and left. Now it was just her, Starflight Galaxy, and Reed Landslide, and Glory was really in trouble. There was no doubt she'd be late to Kink's party now.

Five minutes and the hardest problem yet.

She glanced at Mr. Frost, who was pacing around and looking over Reed's shoulder on the other side of the room. She could get a note onto Starflight's desk without him noticing.

But she knew Starflight would never help her cheat, and she didn't want to anyway. Starflight fiddled with his pencil, looking anxious as he always did during a test. He always used every last second of time to check and recheck his answers, and the last time he'd gotten lower than a ninety-eight was in fifth grade.

Glory sent him an amused look, and he rolled his eyes at her, mouthing, "Are you done?" Glory shook her head. Starflight's expression turned stern, and he jabbed his test with the tip of his pencil.

Now it was Glory's turn to roll her eyes, though she was smiling. She turned to her test and scribbled the first number that came into her mind just as the bell rang.

"Students," came the voice over the loudspeaker, "the beginning assessments for Jade Preparatory Academy are finished! Please turn in your tests for grading, and you may leave. You will get your results and class by tomorrow nine pm via email from school administration. Thank you!"

Starflight breathed a sigh of relief as he turned in his test. "I think I passed," he told Glory. "But I'm not totally sure. I might have missed number six . . . What did you put for that one?"

Glory rolled her eyes. "I don't even remember but number six is, let alone my answer! Besides, I don't have time to listen to you go over every single problem, you sloth. We have to get to Kinkajou's party, or she'll put my new shoes in the pool." Glory was only half sure her sister had been joking.

Starflight grinned. "That sounds like Kinkajou, all right. Let's go, then. She'll probably do something horrible to me during the sleepover, too."

"If she does, I'll help her," Glory told him.

Chapter Text

"There you are!"

Kinkajou Paradise raced across the grass and tackled her sister with a hug. "Fatespeaker said you'd gotten test fever!"

"Did she?" Glory answered distractedly.

Kinkajou grinned, poking her nose. "Come on, Glor. Cheer up! Have fun! And you, Starflight, are not allowed to study for a test you've already taken!"

Starflight frowned. "But - "

Kinkajou groaned. Honestly, most of the time Starflight was so incredibly annoying. "No! You're at a party, my party, and you have to socialize, and have fun."

"Studying is fun!"

Kinkajou rolled her eyes, ignoring Glory's snort of amusement. "Maybe for you it is, but for the rest of us, it's not!"

"Yeah, come hang out in the real world for once," Glory added. "Instead of disappearing into your books."

Starflight scowled. "Fine. I'm going to go talk to Sunny and Qibli." He motioned to a blonde Manal-Noctu girl at a table nearby joking around with her adoptive Manal brother.

"Poor Starflight," Kinkajou said.

"Definitely poor Starflight," Glory agreed.

"Yep," Tsunami said as she came up from next to them, along with her brother, green-haired Turtle. "Poor Starflight. Is he staying over tonight?"

Kinkajou nodded excitedly. "Everyone is, and Grandeur said we could use the pool as much as we want!"

Tsunami grinned. "Prepare to get splashed!"

Chapter Text

Qibli Roadrunner knew something was off. He was doing his best to pay attention to Sunny and Starflight's conversation, but it was hard. He kept glancing over to where his adoptive mother, Thorn Roadrunner, stood with Grandeur Paradise, discussing plans to take Glory and Kinkajou to Wasp City with them. (Jade Preparatory Academy started in just less than a week, and it took at least a day to get there. The beginning of the year assessments took place at various local middle schools around the continent, including the one he'd just graduated from in Cicada City).

Qibli's Weapon, an earring that allowed him to sense weaknesses and danger, was alerting him to something. It was narrowing in on a spec of grass a mere foot away from where his mother stood, but his vision wasn't good enough to see why.

"Qibli?"

Qibli blinked. "Oh, uh . . ."

"I asked you whether we should meet on the tenth grade floor or the ninth grade floor for the Winglet sessions," Sunny said.

"Um . . . well, didn't you say Dune lent you his classroom last year?" Qibli realized Starflight had gone across the yard and was now deep in a conversation with Cricket Tick about the history of salt in the Roman Empire, so he and Sunny were alone in discussing their band.

"Yes, but he won't do it this year. Apparently, we made too much noise, and it was disturbing the other ninth graders during their study time."

"But it's the only place in the school with a drum set! And I can't exactly bring mine halfway across the continent." Qibli was not thrilled with this. How was he supposed to be part of the band without a drum set? He played electric guitar too, but that just didn't have the same thrill.

But just then, Qibli's eye caught on that spec of grass again. It looked just like any other spec of grass, but now it seemed a bit more . . . shadowed. And if his Weapon kept drawing his attention to it . . . it meant that spec of grass was a danger to someone.

His eyes traveled to Thorn again. Her usual sunny smile, her wiry frame, her banged-up neon yellow tennis shoes. His earring was drawing his attention to her, too.

This was not good.

"Qibli?" Sunny said again. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Qibli lied. He knew that wasn't nearly good enough to fool Sunny, though. "I'm hungry," he added, then strolled away toward the table in the corner of Kinkajou's yard, toward the table of cookies.

"Cookies aren't going to help," Sunny said, following him. "And you're not okay. You're worried about something. You're forgetting about my Weapon." She subconsciously touched the silver charm bracelet on her wrist, the object that gave her her power to sense when people were upset.

"Oh . . ."

"See, you're always talking when you're in a good mood," Sunny said. "I can usually never get you to shut up, normally."

Qibli groaned. He should have realized Sunny would sense something. She always did, and she could be very persuasive when she wanted to be.

"See that patch of grass over there?" he asked her, pointing in the general direction of the spot his earring kept telling him to be aware of.

"What?"

"That spec of grass." He pointed again.

"What about it?"

"I don't know."

Qibli's eyes traveled to Thorn again, then back to the spec of grass. He felt more urgent now than he had a minute ago. Meaning that whatever was going to happen was going to happen soon.

Qibli cautiously approached the spec of grass and reached toward it.

"Qibli?" Sunny asked. "What in Pyrrhia are you doing?"

"Oh no," he breathed, ignoring her completely.

The spec of grass wasn't a spec of grass.

It was a small bomb.

And the countdown to the explosion read sixty seconds.

Chapter Text

Qibli was acting incredibly strange. First, he kept ignoring Sunny completely, which never happened, and even if paying attention to her meant she'd get mocked three times in less than a minute, it was still better than being ignored. Second, he hadn't said anything insulting about anyone in the past minute, which was even stranger than not paying attention to a conversation. Third, his gaze kept traveling between their mother and a random spec of grass in the middle of Glory's yard. And now, he was crouched next to the random spec of grass staring at it in horror.

"Are you okay?" Sunny asked him.

Qibli ignored her. "Mom!" he shouted across the yard.

The yard went quiet.

Thorn frowned at him. "What now? Is the pool about to overflow because you - "

"I found a bomb and it's about to go off in - " he looked at the spec of grass again " - thirty-eight seconds!"

Sunny sucked in a breath and backed away until she bumped into Kinkajou.

Thorn didn't ask questions. She simply came over and crouched down next to him, gaping at the apparent bomb.

"Qibli! What . . ."

"My Weapon," he explained.

"Everyone evacuate," Thorn commanded. "Immediately. It's not big enough to destroy anything but the yard."

Sunny turned around and ran into the building, trusting her mother to handle it. Thorn was amazing at handling disasters; it was why she was a social worker.

"What if the bomb blows up the building," Starflight fretted, falling into step beside her.

"Mom's always right about these things," Sunny reminded him.

Starflight didn't seem assured. "But what if it kills her?"

Sunny paused. She twisted her Weapon anxiously, then tried to put on a brave face for Starflight. "She'll be fine." I hope.

"Why are you all coming inside my house?" Grandeur Paradise inquired angrily. "Wasn't Kinkajou's party supposed to be outside?"

"There's a bomb," Winter Icestorm informed her. Winter had been Qibli's best friend since kindergarten, and he'd made friends with the rest of their group in third grade. Now, he spent more time at the Sizzle Mansion than the Icestorm one. (both their families were extremely rich, but Winter's was snobby and rude. So was Sunny's stepsister, Onyx Sizzle, but she spent all her free time locked up in her room, leaving the rest of the house to Sunny and her friends).

"A bomb?" Grandeur shrieked. "In my yard?"

"Yes," Winter said calmly, as though bombs were in his friends' yards every day.

"Are you okay?" Tsunami asked, coming up beside her and Starflight.

Sunny rolled her eyes. She loved her friends, but sometimes they treated her like a little sister. They talked over her and acted like she didn't have any opinions. And made fun of her height. Just because she was a tenth grader less than five feet tall didn't mean she was useless.

"I'm fine, Tsu," she said, letting the exasperation creep into her voice. "It's everyone else I'm worried about."

Tsunami glanced around at their crowd of friends, looking just as worried as Sunny was.

"I don't see Riptide," Starflight announced. "You wouldn't be worrying about him, perhaps?"

"Oh, maybe I should ask you what you're doing with Sunny," Tsunami retorted. She huffed and walked away.

Starflight flushed. "Oh, um . . . bye!" he said quickly to Sunny before hurrying farther into the mansion.

Sunny glanced behind her. Other than Thorn, who was just stepping through the door, she was the last person inside.

At which point, the bomb went off.

Chapter Text

Tsunami Hurricane burst through the doors of her family's manor, relieved to be done with the day's events. First, she'd had to take the last three Jade Preparatory Academy beginning exams: science, foreign languages, and math. She'd probably failed all of them. Second, she'd gone to the Paradise mansion for her friend's birthday and almost been killed by a bomb. Third, her brother had spent the entire walk home fretting about his exams, teasing her about her crush, and wondering whether Kinkajou was okay. Now, she was looking forward to some nice peace and quiet. Or rather, peace and blasting loud music from the speakers in her room.

No such luck.

"Tsunami!"

That was the voice of Whirlpool Loggerhead, her stepfather and professor of writing at Jade Preparatory Academy.

Beside her, Turtle groaned. "What did you do this time?" he asked.

"Nothing, I swear! I only, um, covered his favorite tie in oil paints."

"Tsunami! That's not nothing!" Turtle could be so annoying sometimes, with his you're-in-so-much-trouble attitude.

"It's not bad enough for me to be grounded, either," she grumbled.

"Tsunami Hurricane." Whirlpool came around the corner, looking absolutely furious.

Uh-oh.

"I know you did this." He held up a tie covered in pink, blue, and orange splotches. You could barely tell it was even a tie. "You put oil paints on my tie. If I had half a mind, I'd forbid you from going to the Academy this semester. But, fortunately for you, Her Imperial Majesty wouldn't allow it." He sniffed. "Once you're accepted, there's no going back. So I'll settle for not letting you come with us to pick out your school supplies this year."

Whirlpool probably thought that was the worst punishment ever. But really? It wasn't. Tsunami knew Thorn would let her stay at the Sizzle mansion for the day, and since Sunny, Qibli, and probably at least three of their other friends would be there, missing shopping was the best punishment she'd ever received.

"Okay," she told Whirlpool. "Have fun tomorrow." She turned away from him and Turtle and strolled away to her room.

The Loggerhead manor was the biggest house in the neighborhood. Tsunami had eleven siblings - three biological siblings, though one was dead, three stepbrothers, five half-siblings - and each had their own room (and bathroom). Plus Whirlpool and her mother, Coral, and five guest rooms. That equaled seventeen bedrooms, twenty bathrooms, plus the indoor and outdoor pools, the kitchen, three living rooms, two dining rooms, the movie theater, and the library. Oh, and they had a family of servants, who lived in the basement.

On the way to her room from the entry hall, Tsunami went up three flights of stairs, passed ten bedrooms, the kitchen, one dining room, the indoor pool room, and the entrance to the basement. In all, it took her a total of five whole minutes to get to her room.

Tsunami opened the door and flopped down on her bed, pulled out her phone, and began checking her email.

As she watched, one appeared at the top of her screen. Tsunami clicked it and read,

Dear Tsunami Hurricane,

Congratulations! Your exam results are in! On your history exam, you scored 7% in the lowest result bracket. On your math exam, you scored 13% in the lowest result bracket. On your foreign language exam, you scored 2% in the lowest result bracket. On your science exam, you scored 15% in the second-lowest result bracket. On your music exam, you scored 5% in the lowest result bracket. On your art exam, you scored 20% in the lowest result bracket. On your physical education exam, you scored 56% in the second-highest result bracket. On your writing exam, you scored 7% in the lowest result bracket.

Given these scores, you have been placed in class 10F for your sophomore year at Jade Preparatory Academy. Your supply list is as follows:

Guide to Writing by Gnat Leech

Our Beginnings by Hyena Limestone

The Universe: 1st Edition by Bloodmoon Greatteeth

Art Exploration by Fabulous Jungle

Basic Mathematics: Grade Ten by Leafcutter Sunspeck

Grammar and Language by Icecap Icedrift

The Theory of Music by Hyrax Sundrop

Glacee Vocabulary by Permafrost Icestorm

Glacee Grammar by Permafrost Icestorm

Intermediate Kypselan by Stinger Centipede

Noctu Vocabulary by Darkseer Soulflare

Physical Best by Dragontrap Spindle

Two dozen Ticonderoga pencils

A half dozen pink erasers

A dozen college-ruled notebooks

A dozen multicolored highlighters

A pair of scissors

A pencil case

One bottle of glue

Two glue sticks

One pack of colored pencils

One pack of multicolored pens

One pencil sharpener (either electric or hand)

One stapler

One tape dispenser and six rolls of tape

One roll of blue tape

One ruler

One pad of paper

One set of watercolor paints

One dictionary

One thesaurus

One laptop computer

One pair of headphones, earphones, or earbuds

One pair of tennis shoes

Hoping you are well,

Oasis Sizzle

Principal of Jade Preparatory Academy

Head of Education Department

Tsunami sighed. She'd been expecting to get F, the way she'd gotten the year before. (She was thrilled that Whirlpool only taught A and B writing, not C and F). But the main thing she disliked about F was that her friends had many, many siblings between them. And most of the horrible, cruel, and mean ones got F. Every. Single. Year.

Fierceteeth Galaxy and Strongwings Foresight, mainly. She'd only gotten them last year. And at least she'd probably have Peril, Deathbringer, and Swordtail.

But she still wasn't thrilled to be in F.

Tsunami forwarded the email to her mother, and then pulled open her friends' group chat.

SquidBrain:

I got my class assignment. 10C. You guys?

Roadshifter:

I got 10B. : - (. Qibli's 9B, and Onyx got 10C.

SquidBrain:

Ugh, I have Onyx?

Roadshifter:

Yep. Sorry, Riptide.

SquidBrain:

Grrrrrr.

Know-it-all:

I was put in 10A. I'm so relieved. I was worried I missed question 14 b on the history exam, but I got a hundred and twelve percent. (A/N: Points to whomever gets this reference!)

Know-it-all:

(Fierceteeth got 10F, in case you are curious).

Tsunami groaned. Of course she'd have to spend another year being Fierceteeth Galaxy's roommate.

Fierceseal:

I'm 10F. Boo.

Roadshifter:

Oof. Poor you. Don't worry, we'll visit you. And you can visit us, And I'm sure you'll have at least someone else.

Tsunami smiled slightly. Of course Sunny - called Roadshifter because of her Weapon, which allowed her to shift into a roadrunner - would have something encouraging to say; she always did.

"Tsunami!"

Tsunami's mother, Coral Loggerhead, floated into the room. "We simply must celebrate. Anemone has scored 9A! And of course, dear, we shall celebrate your assignment too," she added quickly, misunderstanding her daughter's frown. "Tsunami, we are gathering in the main dining room to make plans for a party tomorrow." Coral swept back out the door. "Be there, dear."

Tsunami sighed, brushed her hands over her phone, and typed a response to Sunny.

4:12 pm, August 27th

Fierceseal:

I have to go. Mom said we have to plan a party for Anemone getting into A. Tell me what the others get. (I don't know what Slowpoke got, but I'll bet a hundred dollars on F).

Chapter Text

"Congratulations," Turtle Hurricane said glumly. Fortunately, his sister Anemone didn't seem to notice a difference.

"Thank you!" she said with overwhelming exuberance. "I was so worried I'd get B, C, or even F, though Mom kept saying that wasn't possible." She laughed. "It would be horrible to be in F, wouldn't it?"

"Turtle, which class are you in?" Tsunami asked pointedly from behind him.

"F," he replied sullenly. "No surprise there."

"Well, welcome to the F club, then," she said. "I got F too."

Turtle would have been glad his sister was in F if only they were in the same grade. But Tsunami was a sophomore and Turtle was a freshman, and all the other freshmans in their friend group would surely be in A and B.

Except him.

"Oh, cheer up," Tsunami ordered. "F isn't that bad, even though you get all the trouble-making kids. Besides, it gives you an excuse to hang out in the - "

"You are a trouble-making kid," Anemone informed her.

"Am not!"

"You put oil paints on Whirlpool's tie!"

Tsunami shrugged. "So? At least I'm not - " She broke off, glancing at their mother a few feet away. Even Tsunami couldn't get away with calling their mother's precious animus names, even though she was one of Coral's favorites.

Anemone gave her an incredibly frosty look and stormed away.

"Anyway," Tsunami continued as though nothing had happened, "aren't we going to the Sizzle mansion tomorrow?"

"I thought that was the plan," Turtle replied. "But we can't miss Mother's party. She'd be furious."

Tsunami sighed. "Yeah, probably. Hey, Mother!" she called.

Coral looked at her across the room. "Yes, dear?"

"What time is the party going to be at?"

Coral frowned. "Dinner, of course."

Tsunami looked as pleased as if Coral had informed her they'd be dining on raw meat. "Thank you," she said quickly. Coral turned back to their chef, Shrimp Tidal.

"I guess we're not going to be able to go," Turtle said glumly.

"We can go in the morning," Tsunami corrected. "And we can probably come back for the sleepover after the party."

"It's not worth it," Turtle responded. "Besides, her parties go past midnight."

Tsunami sighed. "We might be able to sneak out early."

They both knew the chances of that were practically impossible.

Chapter Text

Lynx Frost sighed, leaning her head against the car window as her father pulled the car into the Target parking lot. She worried the list between her hands, staring at the names of all the expensive textbooks. She wondered how her father would ever afford them - though she knew that they already owned most of the less expensive things on the list.

She checked off all the stuff she already had. Lynx sighed again, knowing that she'd probably need to back out of a few competitions this season - the entry fees would cover the books.

Two dozen Ticonderoga pencils

A half dozen pink erasers

A dozen college-ruled notebooks

A dozen multicolored highlighters

A pair of scissors

A pencil case

One bottle of glue

Two glue sticks

One pack of colored pencils

One pack of multicolored pens

One pencil sharpener (either electric or hand)

One stapler

One tape dispenser and six rolls of tape

One roll of blue tape

One ruler

One pad of watercolor paper

One set of watercolor paints

One dictionary

One thesaurus

One laptop computer

One pair of headphones, earphones, or earbuds

One pair of tennis shoes

One backpack or binder with organized sections

Once the car was parked, Lynx hopped out of the car and followed her father into the store.

"What first?" Blizzard Frost asked.

Lynx checked the list. "Two dozen Ticonderoga pencils." She grabbed a cart and trailed Blizzard as he led her to the school supplies section.

It took them a bit to find everything on the list. After ten minutes, Lynx had everything up to the books.

"Where would tape be?" Lynx asked her father. "It's not here."

"Probably the home office section," Blizzard replied. They headed there, to find two familiar faces in the aisle.

"Hey," Luna Glimmer said. Her younger brother, Blue Glimmer, stepped out from behind her and smiled at Lynx. "Are you doing your school shopping too?" Luna asked, eyeing Lynx's full basket.

Lynx sighed. "Yep." She grabbed a roll of blue tape and a tape dispenser from the shelf. "Where's the clear tape?"

Blue pulled a roll of tape off a shelf behind him and handed it to her. "There's only seven left. Whomever comes after us isn't going to be happy."

"Why do we even need this much tape?" Lynx grumbled as she took the one he handed him and put it in her basket. She got the other five rolls of tape, and the three of them - plus Blizzard and Luna's mom, Silverspot - headed back to the school section to find the next things on their lists.

Chapter Text

"Deathbringer!" an all-too-familiar voice called. His foster mother, the extremely annoying Battlewinner Sharpteeth.

Deathbringer sighed and put down his phone. He'd been bombing Glory's texts with every emoji in the emoji library, in order. She threatened to block him if he continued, but, being Deathbringer, he didn't listen.

"Deathbringer!" The word was now accompanied by feet stomping up the stairs, and Deathbringer quickly got out of bed before Battlewinner could see him lazing around. He opened the door and peeked into the hall.

"Get up," Battlewinner snapped. "You're leaving for Wasp City in about an hour."

"Oh, right," Deathbringer said, feigning ignorance. "Fate and I are going with the Roadrunners, right?"

"Do whatever you want," Battlewinner said disinterestedly. "I'm taking Greatness, but if you want to go off with your annoying little friends, then I don't care. I may actually prefer it. It gets you out of my sight for longer."

Deathbringer grimaced. For the thousandth time, he wished his mother was still alive. But she wasn't, so it was no good to dwell on the past. He was used to Battlewinner's rudeness. "It gets you out of my sight too," he snapped back. "So that's always a plus."

His foster mother rolled her eyes and left the room. Deathbringer began - reluctantly - to pack. He didn't have many things, but he would be hard pressed to pack them in an hour anyway.

Deathbringer reached behind his bed and pulled out his Weapon, a sword that never missed its mark and caused more pain than it should. He slipped it into the sheath attached to his belt, then began to work on packing his clothes. He filled one relatively small suitcase with all of his clothes, then got a duffle bag for his school supplies. With all the books he needed - being in 10F, it was twelve thick textbooks plus everything else - the duffle bag was incredibly heavy, even for him. Deathbringer smiled, thinking he'd make an excuse to help Glory carry hers later.

Deathbringer put his bags by the door, then began to fill his backpack. Blankets, pillows . . . he'd get snacks from Thorn. Earbuds, computer, phone, charger . . . all the technology. What else did he need? No, that was it, his friends would most likely be bringing all the other stuff, and he could borrow from them. And he could always buy things in Wasp City if needed.

Deathbringer sighed, put on his backpack, put his duffle bag on his suitcase, and rolled down the hall, carried them down the stairs, and sat down on the front stoop next to his sister, waiting for the Roadrunners to arrive.

Chapter Text

"Are you ready, honey?" Secretkeeper Clearmoon asked her daughter.

"No," Moonwatcher Clearmoon, who preferred to be called Moon, replied glumly.

Secretkeeper sighed and sat down on Moon's bed, putting an arm around her shoulders. "It'll be okay, Moon," she whispered. "You'll make friends. It'll be better."

Moon shifted. She'd been homeschooled for her entire life. Now that she was starting Jade Preparatory Academy, she would be separated from her mother for months at a time. And the worst part was that she'd have to meet new people . . . and interact with people other than her mother. That was the scariest part; she never ordered at restaurants, hid behind her mother when she was asked a question . . . she barely ever spoke in front of people other than her mother. How was she going to be able to handle herself at school?

But she didn't have a choice. It was Queen Wasp's orders that she go to the school. Due to the rareness of her Weapon - which allowed her to occasionally see the future and read minds - she was wanted at Jade Preparatory Academy.

"You'll have fun once you get used to it," Secretkeeper assured her.

Moon didn't answer. She stared off into space, examining the wood of the door to her bedroom too intently. This was the last time she'd see that door for months; she'd miss it for no particular reason, other than that she would miss everything.

"It'll be okay," Secretkeeper coaxed. "Come on, honey. We have to get going or we'll miss our flight."

Moon didn't move. Her mother took one of her hands and pulled her gently off the bed. They walked through the hallway and out the door of their small apartment.

After an anxious ride to the airport in which the driver of their taxi didn't help by asking questions, Moon was not in a better mood. In fact, she was in a worse mood. The airport was crowded, and Moon did not like crowds.

Or people in general.

She stuck close to her mother as they checked their bags and passed through security, keeping her head ducked to avoid attention. Their plane was delayed, which just prolonged her misery. Moon had to sit through an extra hour at the airport, then another three hours on the plane. At least she had her books.

Finally, one stressful hours and seven point five minutes later, their plane landed. Moon and her mother were at the back, so it took a long time for them to get off. When they finally reached the gangway, Moon hesitated. Stepping off the plane meant facing her fears. Stepping off the plane meant a new life, a new home, however temporary . . .

She reminded herself that she didn't have a choice. Queen Wasp had ordered this, and Queen Wasp's orders had to be obeyed.

Moon took a deep breath and put one foot onto the gangway.

Chapter Text

Starflight Galaxy climbed into the backseat of his father's car with a sigh. His older sister Fierceteeth was in the front, texting her boyfriend, Strongwings.

"Are you excited for school, Starflight?" Starflight's father inquired, pulling the car out of their driveway, on the way to Jade Preparatory Academy.

Fierceteeth snorted. "Of course he is. He's a nerd, just like you. You teach, for goodness' sake. And you teach science."

Mastermind chose not to respond. Starflight ignored his father's question, not wanting to hear Fierceteeth's response to his answer.

But then as soon as they turned onto the highway, Mastermind voiced the question again. "Are you excited for school, Starflight?"

"Yes," he said truthfully.

Fierceteeth laughed almost maniacally, still typing on her phone. "Nerd," she taunted.

Starflight leaned against the window and attempted to ignore her. This was going to be a loooong drive.

Both literally and figuratively. They were driving all the way from Cicada City to Wasp City - a whopping eight hours in a car. He wished they were flying, but they (a) didn't have the money, and (b) they couldn't put all the stuff they were taking on a plane.

They were moving to Wasp City for the next nine months - the duration of the school year. The way they had ever since Mastermind had accepted a job at Jade Preparatory Academy two years earlier, the same year Starflight had started attending the academy.

Starflight had not been happy about his father's new job.

For one, his father was not a very good teacher. He'd only been appointed because Queen Wasp trusted him to stick to the "approved" curriculum. For another, it meant that Starflight had to spend at least some time with his family while at school - his father insisted. And spending time with his father meant spending time with Fierceteeth. And Fierceteeth -

"How's your homework coming along, nerd?" his sister asked.

"There isn't homework," Starflight said tiredly. "Term hasn't started."

"And you haven't already started studying?" she demanded, cockiness oozing through every word. "That's unlike a nerd like you."

"Nerd isn't an insult!" Starflight snapped. "Stop using it as one!" He froze, surprised at the bravery of his own words. Responding to an insult like that was Tsunami's or Glory's thing, not his. In the rearview mirror, he saw Fierceteeth's eyes narrow with a malevolent rage that was only in her eyes right before she punched someone. But she wouldn't dare with Mastermind around . . .

She didn't. She only huffed loudly and continued tapping away at her phone.

Starflight allowed himself a small smile. Perhaps there was a way to deal with his sister after all.

Chapter Text

Winter was having an incredibly bad day, and it was only eight am. To start, he'd been woken up by his twin sister, Icicle, yelling in his ear. Then, he'd been forced to have a conversation his parents before leaving the house.

For most people, that wouldn't be so bad. But Winter went out of his way to avoid his parents, and frequently he was successful.

Today, he was not.

"I hear you have arranged other accommodations for your trip to Jade Preparatory Academy," Narwhal Icestorm said, his voice, as usual, completely emotionless. "This is unacceptable."

Winter tried to avoid flinching. He was unsuccessful, and his father noticed.

Narwhal paced the length of their family's great hall. "Ramils?" he asked in a way that most people would say "mosquitos". "Really, Winter?"

"They're status is three," Winter pointed out, not that he expected his logic to work on his father. "Only one lower than us. And Jade is a school for all races and all statuses. Even some Reshams go there."

Narwhal hissed. "It is still lower," he said, ignoring Winter's last two sentences.

Winter sighed. "Can you get on with it and just tell me that I have to go to Jade with you so we can be done with this conversation?"

His father made a show of rolling his eyes before saying, "I want to imprint on you the importance of not associating with other races." (A/N: When I say "races" I mean tribes. I know it's confusing, but they aren't dragons and don't use dragon names. Go read the first actual chapter if you're confused. I haven't been putting a lot of this in the previous chapters).

"Oh," Winter said. "So I'm only allowed to speak with Kypselis and Noctus? Unfortunately for you, most of my professors will be people from other races."

Narwhal let out a long, exasperated sigh. "My point is that it would be better for everyone if you did not associate with other races more than you have to."

Winter rolled his eyes but acquiesced, knowing that if he didn't his father would tell his uncle Permafrost to keep an eye on him at Jade. He really, really wanted to keep his friends, and he couldn't do that if he was forbidden from speaking to them.

Most days, it felt like they were the only things keeping him alive.

Chapter Text

Cricket stepped out of the backseat of a nondescript 2013 white Toyota Sienna and onto the boring gray concrete of Wasp City. Jade Preparatory Academy loomed in front of her, the large building blocking out most of the sky.

Cricket smiled. This was where her destiny lay. In a palace of learning.

But when she looked back and saw the expression on her mother, Katydid's, face, her heart twisted. Jade Preparatory Academy might be the top school in Pyrrhia, but Cricket knew it held a dark past - and present.

Queen Wasp herself had been educated there, along with the rest of the monarchy, including Cricket's father, Malachite, Queen Wasp's cousin, and Cricket's aunt, Lady Jewel. Jade Preparatory Academy was where the royal family taught their subjects to be cruel. It was where Cricket's parents had fallen in love, and where Malachite had been arrested for having an unapproved affair. Katydid had almost been arrested too, but Lady Jewel had convinced Queen Wasp to clear her of all charges.

All in all, Cricket was not excited to be there.

She had her friends, of course, but as a Kypseli, it would be hard for her to spend time with them without getting in trouble. Her teachers would be watching her more than others, because she was a disgraced member of the royal family.

Cricket sighed, following her mother into the building.

"This way," Katydid said, opening the front door and leading Cricket to the end of a line, a disconcerted expression on her face.

"Kypselis to the front," a security guard called, beckoning them forward. Cricket and Katydid were swept up in the line, and Cricket glanced over her shoulder, looking for familiar faces. The line, like most in Pyrrhia, was organized by status: Kypselis at the front, Glacees and Noctus, after them, then Ramils, Segaras, and Zeruas, Shavars and Foglias, and finally Reshams and Uas. Cricket scanned the line as they passed each section, and she quickly noticed Blue and Luna standing with their mothers at the end. She frowned, wanting to talk to them, but as the guard ushered her and her mother along, she had to settle for sending them a smile that she was sure was sad.

Cricket sighed as her eyes drifted over the line. She hated this. Why couldn't she just go to the end like a normal person? But she had to play the part of the obedient, ignorant Kypseli.

Or else nothing would change, and she'd get herself killed in the process.

Chapter Text

Peril Cinder walked through the doors of Jade Preparatory Academy, her footsteps echoing throughout the empty halls. She'd come in through the staff entrance, so she could avoid the multitude of students and their families lining up at the front. Though now, she almost wished she'd gone that way. Maybe she'd have run into one of her friends.

Though . . . it was surprising that she hadn't run into Starflight, Tsunami, Turtle, Riptide, or Clay in the day she'd been here. Staflight's father was the science teacher at Jade Preparatory Academy. Tsunami's and Turtle's stepfather taught writing to the higher classes. Riptide's father was the dreaded history teacher, and they were all required to be at Jade a few days before everyone else.

And Clay . . . Peril's heart skipped a beat as she thought about him. His aunt, who acted as his legal guardian to him and his siblings, was Asha Landslide, professor writing to the lower classes at Jade. And that meant that he would also be here ahead of time.

Peril practically skipped down the hall with the thought. A passing teacher, whom she recognized as Cadelle Termite, Cricket's grandmother, gave her a significant look. Peril didn't stop. She ran though hall after hall, eventually finding her way to her dorm room, which, once they got there, she would be sharing with the rest of Jade 10G, the girls in tenth grade in the Jade Winglet. This was good, because all of Jade were her friends. Most of the people in other Winglets, however, hated her. (Or so Peril thought. Clay claimed she simply didn't know them and that was why they acted like she didn't exist, but Peril believed that he was just being his nice Clay self and didn't actually believe this himself).

Peril stomped into the dorm room, having upset herself by this train of thought, when she was interrupted in her pout by an exuberant, "Peril!"

She glanced up from the floor, which had been occupying her attention as she entered the room, to find a familiar, blue-haired Segaran head staring at her. "Hey, Tsunami," Peril said. "Good to see you. When did you get here?"

"Just a few minutes ago," she replied. "I haven't unpacked yet. Is Riptide - I mean, are the others here?"

Peril smirked. Tsunami really wasn't subtle about her crush on Riptide. Then, Tsunami wasn't subtle about anything. Much like Peril. "Not that I know of," she told her friend. "But they could be here and just aren't up yet."

"Tsunami!" a familiar voice yelled from somewhere below them. Anemone, Peril thought with venom. "I need heeelllllp!"

"Turtle's on the same floor," Tsunami yelled back. "Have him help you!"

Below them, Peril heard Turtle groan. "Why would you tell her that, Tsunami?!"

"Because I don't want to help her right now!" Tsunami called back, comically cheerful.

Turtle groaned again. Loud footsteps and lots of clanking followed.

Tsunami grinned at Peril. "Want to go raid the teachers' private cafeteria?"

"Butterblasts for the win!" Peril replied as she followed Tsunami out of their dorm.

Chapter Text

Sundew Oakleaf tapped her foot impatiently on the tile floor of the main hall of Jade Preparatory Academy as she craned her neck toward the front of the ridiculously long line.

"Stop that," her mother, Belladonna, ordered. "We don't want to draw attention to ourselves."

"No one can hear it anyway," Sundew shot back. "Everyone's talking." This was, in fact, true, and it made Sundew want to claw someone's face off. The room was filled with chatter in multiple languages, though near Sundew the chatter was mostly in Common, because none of the lower-status races wanted to be caught by the Kypseli authorities speaking their native tongue. Sundew and her mother, however, were speaking Foglian, which was earning them repeated surprised looks from the people around them.

"We're already drawing attention to ourselves," Sundew reminded her mother. "We're speaking Foglian."

"So we don't need to draw more attention," Belladonna countered.

Sundew gritted her teeth. Arguments with her mother were impossible to win. She rather pointedly continued tapping her toe.

Belladonna sighed. "Shut up," she ordered Sundew rather suddenly, straightening to attention as a Kypseli guard came over to them.

"Do I hear you two speaking Foglian?" the guard asked, suspicious.

"What?" Belladonna asked, looking startled. "Why would we do that?"

"That is what I am wondering. Might I remind you that speaking, learning, passing on, or otherwise mentioning the language of a race beneath the rank of Two is prohibited under Clause Four of Her Imperial Majesty Queen Wasp's Declaration of Rights?"

Sundew heard Belladonna grit her teeth rather verbally. "We don't need to be reminded. We were speaking Foglian, yes, but it was a curse word I assume you would prefer I don't repeat in Kypseli or Common."

The guard sighed. "I will remember your names," he told them. "Belladonna and Sundew Oakleaf?"

Belladonna hesitated, then nodded reluctantly.

"This is your first offense," he told them. "The second will be a fine, and the third an arrest. It is only Her Imperial Majesty Queen Wasp's benevolence that spares you from those fates now."

"Her 'benevolence'," Belladonna muttered as soon as the guard was out of earshot. "I'd say more like 'malevolence'."

Sundew didn't agree. She didn't think it would be safe to, in case anyone overheard, though for once in her life, she agreed with her mother wholeheartedly.

It was odd being in a place where they couldn't do anything without someone watching. In her home, Cicada City, Sundew was used to hanging out with people from other races and ranks at school and going into the homes of the rich powerful afterward as she and her friends worked on projects together. That . . . would never happen here. She knew that she was in the Jade Winglet, and that there was a Kypseli - Cricket - and an Ua - Kinkajou - in the same dorm room. But she wasn't encouraged to be friends with them. Jade Preparatory Academy, much to Sundew's frustration, was a place of learning.

it was not a place they were encouraged to have fun.

And, though Sundew hoped this would change soon, certainly not revolution.

Chapter Text

Riptide Whitewash stepped over the threshold of the door to his new dorm room. To his surprise, there was no signs that anyone was living there. Two of his roommates, Clay and Starflight, should have already been here.

Riptide explored the small apartment. There was one small common room, a reasonably sized bathroom that would be fine for two people but was insanely small for five, and two bedrooms on opposite sides of the common room, one with two beds and the other with three.

Now Riptide saw signs of life. In the room with two beds, there was a bag on the bottom bunk that Riptide recognized as Starflight's. The pillows and blankets were arranged in an orderly, very Starflight fashion. Riptide peeked in the wardrobe across the room, and saw clothes thrown in, as if the owner didn't care very much. Riptide assumed that Clay had claimed the other bed in this room.

He headed across the hall and plunked his bag on the bottom bunk of a bed. This room was the same size as the other room, but as it was arranged so three people could fit, it was more cramped. There was a bunkbed against one wall, and a desk, wardrobe, and another desk between it and the door. The other wall had a regular bed, and then a wardrobe. The third wardrobe was between the two beds, and the third desk was in the corner nearest to the door.

Riptide sighed. It was the standard Jade Preparatory Academy dorm set up - the same as he'd had last year. He turned to the bunkbed, climbing up and putting is bag on the top bunk. He knew Deathbringer would be annoyed later, but right now Riptide didn't care. He wanted that top bunk.

Riptide unpacked his things, claiming the wardrobe and desk closest to his bed. It didn't take long, as he'd only brought enough clothes for two weeks, assuming that they would be doing laundry rather frequently. And his school stuff was already in his backpack, though he did unpack some of the things it would be insane to take from class to class, like tape.

Once he was fully unpacked, he headed out into the boys' common room - which wasn't much of a common room, containing only a table and a washer and dryer - and then through another door into the main, Jade 10 common room. This was a much better common room than the individual boy/girl common rooms. There was a kitchen along one wall - there wasn't a cafeteria at the Academy, and all Winglets were "self-serving", meaning that they were in charge of taking care of themselves. It was a little like college, but with younger kids. Riptide was glad Clay could cook - and even more glad that Glory, Tsunami, and Sunny had access to virtually unlimited supplies of money that they were happy to share.

On the other side of the common room, there was a long couch and a TV set. The couch was only large enough to fit all eleven members of the Jade 10 Winglet if they all squished together, which was a little annoying, but the table was worse. The kitchen table could fit at most eight people - and even that was a stretch.

Riptide crossed the room and opened the door to the girl's common room. "Helllooooo?" he called.

"Riptide!" a familiar voice responded. Tsunami came out from one of the bedrooms. "Took you long enough. We got here, like, hours ago."

"I've been here for a bit," Riptide admitted. "I've unpacked. And Starflight and Clay are here, by the look of their room."

"Peril's here too," Tsunami said. "She went looking for Clay."

"Of course. Is that everyone who's supposed to be here?"

"I think so."

"Good, then. So we can find the others and then meet everyone as they come in."

Tsunami grinned, a beautiful grin that made Riptide's stomach go all fluttery. "Great. C'mon."

Chapter Text

"Be careful," Burnet Glimmer reminded Blue and Luna as they stepped out of their car and onto the sidewalk ten blocks from Jade Preparatory Academy.

"You and Swordtail will be the only Reshams there," Silverspot added, pulling two suitcases out of the back of the car and rolling them toward Blue and Luna. "You'll have enough eyes on you. You don't want to attract more."

Luna rolled her eyes. "We know, Mom. We won't break any rules." She took her suitcase and pulled it onto the sidewalk, motioning for Blue to follow her.

"Besides, we have Cricket," Blue told Silverspot and Burnet. "And a lot of Noctus and Glacees in our Winglet. We'll be fine. Plus, I'm not going to break any rules." He gave Luna a significant look, hoping his sister would agree that she wouldn't either. She didn't. Instead, she rolled her eyes, put her backpack on her suitcase, and headed off huffily down the street.

"Luna, wait!" Burnet called, glancing around nervously. Most of the people on the street were of a higher status than them, and quite a few were Kypselis, Glacees, or Noctus. Blue was a little nervous too.

Luna sighed exasperatedly, making a passing Kypseli stare. "It's fine, Mama. I know the way."

"That's not what I was worried about," Burnet whispered as soon as she, Blue, and Silverspot had caught up to Luna. She glanced around nervously. "We need to stay together."

They'd walked a few blocks when a Kypseli stopped them in the street. "Where do you think you're going?" he asked, his voice gruff.

Luna opened her mouth, and Blue kicked her. His sister's response wouldn't make anything better. And in all honesty, it would probably make the situation worse.

"We're taking our kids to school," Silverspot answered, her voice hushed.

The Kypseli's eyes narrowed. "School?" He laughed. "There isn't a school for your kind anywhere near here!" He laughed again, a cackling sound that made Blue wince. "Or anywhere in Wasp City!"

"We go to Jade Preparatory Academy," Luna interjected loudly, right as Burnet opened her mouth. Blue almost groaned. The only Kypseli it was safe to be this . . . rude around was Cricket. And Katydid. But otherwise . . . it was dangerous.

The Kypseli laughed again and raised an eyebrow. "You? Reshams? At Jade Preparatory Academy?" He actually doubled over laughing.

Burnet and Silverspot exchanged a worried look. Luna stared at the Kypseli with her head held eye, eyes blazing. She reached for her hairclip, and Blue flinched. Luna's weapon allowed her to shoot fire from her fingers, as did Blue's, but Blue didn't want to think of the trouble they would be in if they used their weapons on a Kypseli. He kept his head down, avoiding everyone's gaze. It was safer that way.

"Hey!" a familiar voice yelled. "What do you think you're doing?"

Blue turned around to find a pale-skinned, dark-haired Noctu with a sword at his hip. Blue exhaled in relief. Deathbringer.

"They're with us," Deathbringer said, coming up and taking Blue's arm in a firm grip. "We're going to Jade, and they're our servants," he said smoothly.

Unfortunately, this was more believable than two Reshams going to Jade on their own. "Just roll with it," Deathbringer hissed to Luna, who was already glaring at him. "You can thank me later."

The Kypseli laughed, less cackly this time. "Oh, that makes waaaay more sense. I'll let you get on with your business, then. Good luck at school."

"Thank you," Deathbringer said, leading Blue away and motioning for Luna, Silverspot, and Burnet to follow. They waited for the Kypseli to wander out of earshot before speaking.

Luna immediately spun on Deathbringer. "Why'd you do that? We were fine on our own!"

"No, you weren't," he told her, letting go of Blue's arm. "If you said any more, he was going to call the authorities."

"It's true," another familiar voice said, and Thorn Roadrunner stepped in front of them, followed by Qibli, Sunny, and Fatespeaker. Onyx Sizzle, Sunny and Qibli's sister, and Smolder Sizzle, their stepfather, were also there. "Sorry, Luna, but someone needed to do something," Thorn said. "We figured it should be us."

"Thank you," Burnet said to Thorn. "Ms. . . ." She trailed off, and Blue remembered that his moms hadn't met any of his friends or their families.

"Please, call me Thorn. My last name is Roadrunner, but that doesn't matter. I'm the person whose house your kids always disappear to." Thorn grinned.

Burnet appeared startled. She turned to Blue and Luna. "I knew you were at a friend's house, but . . ."

"You thought it was someone of our status," Luna finished grumpily. "Well, we're already friends of all of our Winglet - in our years, anyway."

"That's Qibli, that's Sunny, that's Fatespeaker, and that's Deathbringer," Blue added, pointing to the corresponding people. Then he thought to add, "And Smolder and Onyx."

Silverspot dipped her head. "It's very nice to meet you. Thank you for saving us back there."

"It's really no problem," Thorn said, then suggested they resume heading toward the school.

Thorn, Smolder, Burnet, and Silverspot got to know each other, and Deathbringer, Fatespeaker, Sunny, Qibli, Blue, and Luna talked about random things. Onyx, however, stayed at the back, glum and brooding.

Blue didn't know this group as well as he knew some of their friend group, but it was still nice having someone other than Luna to talk to for the walk. No one else bothered them, as they were with two Noctus - Deathbringer and Fatespeaker - and everyone assumed the rest were their servants.

When they reached Jade Preparatory Academy, the group parted. Deathbringer and Fatespeaker were entitled to head up to the front of the line, and Sunny, Qibli, and Thorn were able to skip a significant portion.

Luna, Blue, Burnet, and Silverspot, however, had to stay at the back.

Blue didn't mind very much. This was, after all, how things had always been. But Luna obviously did mind.

Blue sighed. His sister was going to get arrested eventually if she kept this up.

Chapter Text

Fatespeaker Moonslayer followed her twin brother - older by fourteen minutes - up to the desk when they were called.

"Names?" the bored Segara asked.

"Fatespeaker Moonslayer and Deathbringer Moonslayer," Deathbringer answered. "Jade Winglet, grade ten, classes C and F."

The Segara yawned and after a minute or so of searching, ticked them off on a list he had in front of him. "All right, so you're going to go left. Follow the arrows. You'll get into another line, where you get priority like this one, and you'll go through security like in an airport. They're going to scan your bags and examine your Weapons."

Fatespeaker and Deathbringer headed left. "I can't believe they made us stand in line for just a paragraph of information," Fatespeaker grumbled. "Couldn't they have emailed it to us and then had us just go straight to security? Especially since we were here last year and know how it works?"

"They want to make sure we're here," Deathbringer pointed out. "But I agree it's kinda dumb."

Fatespeaker sighed as they got into the back of the security line. It was moving even more slowly than the other line, since there was only one security station and more steps to go through. There was only one station open in the previous line too, but with fewer steps, the line was moving much more quickly.

"I wonder where the others are," Fatespeaker chirped. "I wonder how this year is going to go, if it'll be as good as last year Maybe - " Her eyes widened suddenly, and she gasped. "Oh! I think I'm having a vision!" She heard Deathbringer sigh very audibly as she closed her eyes. "I predict . . . it's going to be AWESOME! And there's going to be lots of GOOD FOOD, like maybe even WALRUS, and everything is awesome!" She opened her eyes to see Deathbringer standing against his suitcase, rubbing his forehead.

"It's times like this when I wonder how we're related," he told her, then added, "And how well your Weapon works."

Fatespeaker frowned. "My Weapon works just fine, thank you very much." She huffed and turned away from her brother, her eyes focusing on the girl ahead of them in line.

The short Noctu girl kept glancing around nervously, and she twisted her ring as she leaned into her mother.

Fatespeaker frowned. Something about the girl seemed vaguely familiar, an unformed thought tugging at Fatespeaker's consciousness as she stared.

The girl turned, blinking, then flushed at the same time Fatespeaker averted her eyes. A second after the girl turned, Fatespeaker's head shot up with sudden recognition. "Moonwatcher?"

The girl jumped, blinked again, and turned. "Yeeessss?" she asked hesitantly.

"Is that your name?" Fatespeaker asked.

The girl didn't answer for what felt like a ridiculously long time. "Yes," she said eventually. "But call me Moon."

Fatespeaker grinned. "You're my cousin!"

Moon flinched. "What?"

"You're my cousin," Fatespeaker repeated as Moon's mother turned around. "Your last name's Clearmoon, right? I remember you. A little, anyway. I haven't seen you in years."

Moon's mother studied Fatespeaker closely. "You're my brother's kids," she said finally. "Fatespeaker and Deathbringer."

Fatespeaker clapped her hands together. "Yup! It's soooo nice to see you again, even if I don't remember you. You're Secretkeeper, though, right? My mom's sister-in-law?"

"Former sister-in-law," Secretkeeper corrected. "Morrowseer and I are divorced. And no offense, but your parents are dead."

Moon winced. "Mom," she said, her voice so quiet that Fatespeaker had to strain to hear her. "I don't think we should remind them of that."

"You shouldn't," Deathbringer agreed, coming up beside Fatespeaker. "We don't want to be reminded."

Secretkeeper sighed. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine," Fatespeaker said, then turned to Moon. "So! What grade, Winglet, and all that stuff are you in? You're younger than us, right?"

Again, Moon paused before answering. "Yes," she said softly. "I'm fourteen. Grade 9, Jade Winglet, Class A."

Fatespeaker whooped, earning an eyeroll from Deathbringer. "Yay! You're in our Winglet, then. Though we're in Grade 10. But we know most of the people in Jade 9, and they're all really nice. I think you have Blue and Cricket in your class, too, and that'll be good. You'll like them. Ugh, you also have Anemone, though. And Icicle. They're both terrible. But Blue and Cricket will make up for it, I think."

"Fatespeaker," Deathbringer interrupted. "We barely know her. How do you know what she likes?"

Fatespeaker shrugged. "She seems nice. And everyone likes Blue and Cricket. Aside from jerks like Icicle and Anemone, I mean."

Deathbringer sighed and turned to Moon. "Sorry, my sister's kind of crazy. And enthusiastic. And annoying. But also friendly. If you need someone to hang out with, she's the place to go."

Fatespeaker shoved him. "We're cousins, remember?" she asked Moon. "And family takes care of each other."

Moon smiled for the first time since the conversation began. "Thank you," she said, her voice just as quiet as before, but somehow, it didn't seem quite as shy and timid.

Fatespeaker smiled at Moon. It wasn't much. but it was progress.

"Hey!" Deathbringer's voice snapped. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Oh, I'm sorry," a smooth, charismatic voice replied. Fatespeaker turned to find a Noctu boy with dark, heavily gelled hair and a white-toothed smile that looked kind of . . . charming. "Did I knock that over?" He bent to pick up Deathbringer's water bottled and handed it to him.

Deathbringer glared as he took it. "Who are you?"

"Me?" the boy asked, seeming surprised by the question. "Why, I'm Darkstalker."

Chapter Text

Clay Landslide stood with his friends on the other side of Jade Preparatory Academy's security, waiting. What for, he couldn't necessarily tell. He knew they were waiting for their friends to come through, and then they'd take them up to the dorms and show them around. But the number of Kypselis passing by wasn't lessening, and Cricket had already come through. Turtle had taken her up, as he was the only one of their friends in her grade already here. But the rest of them - Clay, Peril, Tsunami, Riptide, and Starflight - were stuck standing at the entrance, waiting.

Clay's stomach rumbled, earning an eyeroll from Starflight and a sigh from Tsunami. Riptide didn't react. Meanwhile, Peril's cheeks were doing something odd that involved turning red.

"I'm hungry," Clay said.

"We know," Tsunami informed him. "But we don't have any food, sooooo."

"Complaining won't do you any good," Starflight added. "I'd suggest you go out and buy something, but then you'd have to pass through this line, and that would be a process."

"It's stupid that we have to go through this security every time we leave campus," Peril grumbled. "What do they expect us to do, bring in dynamite and blow up the school?"

"Queen Wasp is paranoid," Tsunami agreed.

Starflight hushed her. "This isn't a safe conversation to have here. Or anywhere, really. Did you notice how our rooms are bugged?"

Everyone, including Clay, turned to him in shock. "What?"

Starflight sighed. "Don't be so loud about it. The whole school's bugged. I wouldn't be surprised if the entire city is bugged."

"It is," Cricket confirmed, coming up beside them with Turtle trailing her. "But we should wait to talk about this."

Starflight nodded eagerly as Clay, Peril, Tsunami, Riptide, and Turtle exchanged a glance. "We'll tell you more later," he added, and Cricket nodded emphatically. They exchanged a "we're nerds and we know more than you" look.

Clay didn't fight them. He wasn't even sure he wanted to know more about the room being bugged. But it looked like his friends did. Peril was looking at Starflight with an expression that Clay had seen on her face before - only it was never directed at him. Usually, it was directed at her mother, Kestrel, or Tsunami or Glory, as those were the three people who got on Peril's nerves the most.

Clay stepped closer to her, for a reason he couldn't quite pick out. Her face relaxed, then tightened.

"Are you okay?" Clay asked her.

She gave him a look he couldn't quite decipher. "I'm fine."

He scrunched up his nose and examined her. "Are you sure?"

"Yes!" Peril gave him a look that was still mostly undecipherable, but Clay thought he saw a pinch of annoyance in her gaze. "I'm sure, Clay."

"Lynx!" Tsunami exclaimed, turning toward their Glacee friend as she hurried toward them. She was alone, which probably meant that her father hadn't been able to come with her. Even though the races with higher status had more opportunities and in some cases even more rights, Glacees, Noctus, and even Kypselis didn't always have more money than people at lower status. Lynx's family was considered poor for a Glacee - but they had what was considered a normal income for Ramils, Segaras, and Zeruas.

Tsunami hugged Lynx. "Do you know where the others are?" she asked.

Lynx shook her head and set down her bags. She had three - a suitcase, a duffle bag, and a backpack. "I know Winter's somewhere behind me. So is everyone else."

"Let's go up," Cricket suggested, taking Lynx's duffle bag. "You're in my room. Or my dorm. I think you'll be in the other room. I bet Sundew and Willow are going to bunk with me."

"Probably," Lynx agreed, picking up her other bags and following Cricket down a hallway. Peril and Tsunami went with them, leaving only the boys in the hallway to continue to greet their friends.

Clay sighed. Waiting was fun - sometimes. But right now, this was not one of those times - even though he loved his friends.

Sometimes, they were just exhausting.

Chapter Text

Swordtail Dusk was late. He ran up the steps of Jade Preparatory Academy, trying both to hurry and to look inconspicuous.

He was pretty sure it didn't work, judging from the number of stares he was getting - though luckily there were no Kypselis nearby to yell at him.

Swordtail lugged his stuff into the room and stopped at the end of the line, behind a group of Uas who very noticeably ignored him. He stepped to the side and scanned the line ahead of him for his friends.

He didn't see any of them, which was surprising, since he was sure Blue and Luna were there. Glory and Kinkajou too, probably. He assumed everyone else was also there, but that they were too far ahead of him in line for him to see them.

Swordtail headed back to his things and pulled out his phone, opening to twenty-eight separate messages. Most were from his friends, on their various group chats, talking about who was there, who wasn't, and sending pictures of the dorms, claiming certain beds. But some were from his parents and sister, asking about how things were going. Their family could only afford a flight for Swordtail to get to Wasp City, so he'd come alone. Thorn and Smolder has offered to let him come with them, and even to pay for his family's flights, but Swordtail had refused to accept their charity.

So now he was alone. Swordtail pulled his jacket closer around himself, feeling weirdly intimidated by the whole thing. He hadn't been this intimidated last year.

Maybe it was because he knew what to expect. Normally, that would probably make it less stressful. But in this case, Swordtail rather thought it didn't.

Now, he knew the horrors he would be force-fed. History the teachers would lie about. Questions he would try to ask but they were forbidden to answer. The looks he would get from virtually every higher-status person at the school who wasn't his friend. The Kypseli teachers who would act like he didn't exist whenever he tried to answer a question or even looked at the board. Jade Preparatory Academy was marketed as the best school in Pyrrhia, but Swordtail believed it was only that way for the higher statuses.

He sighed as the line moved forward a few feet. This was going to be an incredibly loooong day.

Chapter Text

Willow Maple had been waiting in line for more than two hours when her family's turn came to go up to the front. She sighed and followed her mother and father up to the registration desk, where she noticed that there was only one desk. The line would have gone waaaaaaay faster if there were more desks, but apparently Queen Wasp was cheap.

"Willow Maple," her father, Birch Maple, answered for her when the Segara at the front asked.

"Winglet, grade, and class?" he inquired, his voice still incredibly bored. "And I want to hear it from her."

"Jade Winglet, grade nine, and class 9B," Willow said.

"Do you have any pets that will be staying here?" he asked, eyeing her canary, Talkatoo, warily.

"Yes," Willow said.

The Segara nodded, yawned, and after a minute or so of searching, ticked her off on a list he had in front of him. "All right, so you're going to go left. Follow the arrows. You'll get into another line, where you get priority like this one, and you'll go through security like in an airport. They're going to scan your bags and examine your Weapons. Parents aren't allowed past security, so you might as well say your goodbyes here."

Willow fingered her Weapon, a necklace that let her communicate incredibly vaguely with plants - she was nowhere near Sundew's level. Her parents exchanged a glance and then her mother, Cedar Maple, said, "We'll stay with you through the line."

Willow nodded, grateful to have that extra bit of support. She honestly wasn't all that worried about going to boarding school - she'd have her friends, and most importantly, Sundew. But she was mostly worried she'd miss her parents and get homesick, so being able to put off the goodbyes was good. She'd gotten various texts from her friends saying that they were waiting past security, so she'd be able to go straight from her parents to her friends.

Cedar thanked the Segara behind the desk and led Willow and Birch down the road of arrows. They got into the back of a line that was just as long - if not longer - than the one they'd just been in.

Willow decidedly did not complain about the line. She wanted to, but then when she saw Sundew, she wouldn't be able to brag about how she didn't complain.

Her parents complained, though. They complained for the entire hour and a half standing in line until they got near to the front of the line and her parents decided they should leave.

"I'll call you every night," Willow promised.

"I love you," Cedar said, hugging her daughter tightly. Willow wondered whether, if compared with Edaline from her favorite book series, Keeper of the Lost Cities, her mother would win in a strange-hug contest.

"I love you guys too," Willow whispered. Talkatoo squawked in what Willow interpreted to be a sympathetic way.

Birch joined the hug, and they stood there like that until an annoyed Shavar behind them said, "It's your turn."

Willow reluctantly pulled out of the hug, and gathered her stuff, reminding herself that she would have her friends. "I love you guys," she said, her voice wavering as she put her things on the conveyer belt to go through the x-ray machine.

"Weapons over here!" a Zerua security guard called, motioning to a small dish and another x-ray machine. Willow gave her parents a quick hug, said another goodbye, and turned away, taking her necklace off and placing it in the dish on the conveyer belt. Then she stepped through the full body scanner they had set up - into a new life, for the next four years, at least.

Chapter Text

Luna Glimmer stepped up to the registration desk ahead of her moms and Blue. "Hi, Luna Glimmer and Blue Glimmer," she said, not waiting for the Segara sitting there to ask.

"Wow," he said, looking her up and down. "You're Resham."

"Brilliant powers of deduction," Luna said curtly. This was what she hated. She'd gotten used to rudeness from Noctus, Glacees, and Kypselis, but the other races were usually better, as they were looked down on too.

"Luna," Burnet interrupted sternly. She turned to the Segara. "I'm sorry. My daughter is - "

"Annoyed," Luna said, swatting Burnet out of the way as she interrupted. "As I said before, I'm Luna Glimmer. Jade Winglet - "

"I'm sure, I'm sure," the Segara said dismissively. "Moon, you said?"

Luna felt herself turn red. "No, I said Luna," she snapped. "Luna Glimmer, Grade 10, Jade - "

"How'd you get into this school?" the Segara interrupted. "I mean, Reshams and Uas don't get in very frequently. Usually only about two per year."

Luna sighed as Blue answered. "Our Weapons are rare," her brother said politely. Sometimes Blue was too polite. Well . . . more than sometimes.

The Segara, who had asked the question, ignored the answer. "What were your names again?"

"Blue and Luna Glimmer," Silverspot interjected.

The Segara scrunched up his nose and looked at Blue. "Isn't Teal a Segaran name?"

"He said 'Blue'," Luna snapped, shifting protectively in front of her brother. "Were you born incapable of listening or is that the kind of thing an idiotic bureaucracy taught you?"

"Luna!" Silverspot, Burnet, and Blue all said in unison.

She rolled her eyes. "What? It's not like Queen Wasp will kick me out. I'm too important."

Burnet dragged Luna away to a corner as Silverspot and Blue continued to deal with the guard. "You can't just do that," she hissed. "Especially here. The Queen is too powerful. Besides, we're alive and we're together. We have each other. What can be better than that?"

Luna flinched. Sometimes her mother was just like Blue. Calm. Content - too content, in Luna's opinion. So content that it was bordering on submissive. Burnet didn't understand. Yes, they were alive. Yes, they had friends. But . . . that wasn't enough. Luna didn't want to go into construction or work for an upper-class family like her mothers. She, on the other hand, wanted to weave for a living. She doubted the Kypselis would be very happy. And honestly, her power was to create fire. It was the whole reason she'd been accepted to Jade Preparatory Academy. So, Queen Wasp probably wouldn't be happy if she didn't use it in her job.

"Fine," Luna said to her mom, thinking it would be easier to simply agree. Burnet would never understand. "I won't . . . annoy anyone. Aside from Blue. I get to annoy him, right?" She honestly wouldn't have put it past her mom to say she couldn't annoy her brother.

Burnet sighed. "I doubt you'll stick to it, but I guess this is the best promise I'll get." She turned back to the registration desk, where Blue and Silverspot were motioning to them.

Luna sighed as she followed her mother down the path of arrows. Things had to change. But . . . it might take a while.

Chapter Text

"You're my roommate?"

Winter Icestorm couldn't quite believe what he was seeing. Qibli Roadrunner lay across the top bunk of their bunk bed at Jade Preparatory Academy, looking quite pleased with himself.

Qibli sat up and peered at Winter. "You can try to move," he pointed out. "Ask the others."

Winter huffed and stomped out of the room. If he had to spend the rest of the year with Qibli in his room . . . He was going to claw someone's face off.

"Hey!" Winter yelled, slamming the door and storming out of the boys' small private common room and into the larger one they shared with the girls in their Winglet. "Blue! Turtle! Umber!"

"What are you so angry at?" Kinkajou's bouncy, teeth-grit inducing voice penetrated his consciousness and turned. She backed up a step.

"Qibli claimed the bed above me," Winter hissed. He plopped down on the sofa as far away from her as he could get, which wasn't all that far, considering there was only one sofa.

"Oh. And?"

"And I would rather share a room with a diseased wildebeest."

Kinkajou giggled, again setting Winter's teeth on edge. "Oh, Qibli isn't that bad," she said.

"'That bad'?" Qibli asked, striding into the room. "Kinkajou, I'm offended. I'm not bad at all!"

Winter snorted. "Really? You're the literal definition of 'that bad'."

Qibli rolled his eyes. He dashed back into the boys' common room, and a minute later, Winter heard a door open and his voice calling, "Guys! Winter wants to ask you something!" He came out of the common room followed by three boys: a Shavar, a Resham, and a Segara. "Ask them," Qibli told Winter, a hint of mischief in his voice.

Winter sighed. "Can I switch with one of you? I really, really, really don't want to share a room with Qibli."

"No," Blue and Turtle chorused in unison as Umber said, "Yes."

Blue and Turtle exchanged a glance.

"What?" Umber asked.

Turtle sighed and pulled Umber off to the side, Blue following. Qibli looked at Winter and grinned. Winter rubbed his temple. "Is this your way of trying to disguise your ways of annoying me into ways of helping me?" he asked Qibli.

His friend shrugged. "Maybe I just know that when I help you, you get annoyed."

"Okay, none of us are going to switch," Blue said to Winter and Qibli. Umber stared at his feet, looking slightly annoyed.

Winter harrumphed, getting to his feet and facing the three boys standing in the doorway. "But I'm - "

"Lady Glacier's nephew," Qibli cut in, putting on a high voice that Winter supposed was supposed to be an impression of him. "We know."

Winter ignored him. " - Lady Glacier's nephew, and I'm a higher status than all of you, so you have to do what I say!"

The room fell silent, and Winter realized he'd shouted the words. The looks on his friends' faces - hurt, betrayal, and annoyance. They seemed . . . sincerely angry. All of them - even Kinkajou, who Winter had never seen angry before.

Qibli and Kinkajou both crossed the room to stand with Blue, Turtle, and Umber. "That was . . . uncalled for, Winter," Qibli said, his voice hard.

Winter flinched, a feeling of dread filling his stomach. "I-I'm . . ." The word sorry was on the tip of his tongue. But for some reason, he couldn't force it out of his mouth. He was Lady Glacier's nephew. He was a Glacee, and Glacees didn't apologize! Especially to those at lower ranks!

"You're what?" Kinkajou said, her voice hard, almost accusatory.

Winter didn't answer. Space. He needed space. He turned and fled the room, heading out of their dorm and down the hallway.

The realization struck him at the bottom of the stairs. He collapsed against the wall, burying his head in his hands.

Winter might have just ruined the one thing that was keeping him alive.

Chapter Text

Qibli didn't quite know what to say after Winter ran off. He knew his friend was sorry - or he mostly knew anyway. But . . . Winter hadn't apologized. And that hurt more than Qibli wanted to admit. It almost seemed like Winter cared enough to be sorry, but not enough to tell them that he was sorry.

"I'm sure it'll be fine," Kinkajou said, following him and the other boys into Turtle's, Umber's, and Blue's room.

"You always think that," Umber said grumpily.

"It will be fine," Qibli told him, telling himself that he wasn't being overly hopeful. "Winter will apologize once he gets ahold of himself."

"He's probably just embarrassed," Blue added. "Maybe he had a bad day."

I'm sure he did, Qibli thought, remembering what he knew about Winter's family and reminding himself how lucky he was that Thorn - and technically Smolder - had adopted him when he was five.

"We need Lynx," Turtle said. "Tell her what happened."

Qibli's eyes lit up. "Yes! Lynx can talk to him!"

Kinkajou nodded. "I'll get her. There's this new girl in our Winglet - her name's Moonwatcher. Apparently, she's Fatespeaker's and Deathbringer's cousin. She's been avoiding us so far, but I think she'll turn out to be nice. Lynx and the others are trying to find her."

"That's good," Qibli said. He hadn't realized that there would be anyone he didn't know in their Winglet.

Kinkajou bounded out of the room, and a minute later was back with Lynx.

Qibli, Kinkajou, Turtle, Blue, and sort of Umber explained the situation with a lot of talking over each other and interruptions. By the end of it, Lynx looked like her head was going to explode.

"I'll talk to him," Lynx agreed when they were done. "But don't expect him to listen. He's really stubborn."

"Oh, we know," Qibli said sourly. He leaned back further in his chair with a groan.

Lynx sighed. "I'm sure he really is sorry, Qibli. Winter wouldn't hurt you guys intentionally." She slipped out of the room, and the conversation died as she left.

"Well, I'm going to go talk to Glory," Kinkajou said, getting up. "I need to ask her something."

Qibli, who had pulled out his phone, looked up in surprise. "You literally just saw her! You also have a phone. What is so important that you have to run up there and talk to her?"

Kinkajou grinned in a way that made Qibli a bit uneasy. "You'll see," she said smugly. "Or . . . you'll probably hear, really."

He sighed as Kinkajou bounced out of the room, her enthusiasm radiating off her, like she was a glowing beacon of sunlight. "What kind of disaster is she going to cause this time?"

Turtle shrugged. "Nothing we can't handle."

Qibli sincerely hoped that was the case.

Chapter Text

Deathbringer Moonslayer opened the door to his Winglet's common room, smiling when he noticed a cantaloupe-haired, purple-eyed girl sitting on the couch reading a book.

"Hey, Glory," he said, allowing a smile to creep up his lips.

She let out an audible sigh without looking up. On the other side of the couch, Tsunami snorted and tried to hide her smile. Glory gave her a significant look.

Deathbringer smirked to himself and stalked over, sitting between her and Tsunami. "Did you hear me, my queen?"

Again, Glory ignored him. Deathbringer repeated the question. This time, Glory sighed again and answered with an irritable, "Yes, Deathbringer, I heard you."

He grinned, determined not to let her annoyance deter him. "How are you, my queen?"

Glory sighed for the third time in the span of that single conversation and slapped her book closed. "What do you want, Deathbringer?"

"To talk to you," he informed her.

Tsunami snorted. "Then I'll let you guys do that. Bye!"

"Tsunami!" Glory snapped as her friend hopped off the couch and headed toward the girls' dorm. "Please don't leave!"

"Sorry, Glory," Tsunami said, not sounding very sorry. She winked, and a look Deathbringer couldn't decipher passed between the two girls.

Glory rolled her eyes as Tsunami closed the door. She turned to Deathbringer, putting her chin in her hand and looking at him with an expression he tried to convince himself was amused, but was probably more like annoyed. Then he tried to convince himself that she was only pretending to be annoyed, and he had a little more success with that, but not to the point that he actually believed it.

"Talk away," Glory said.

Deathbringer started, caught off guard, and she seemed to know it. She smirked at him, and repeated the statement. He stared at her. "After years of pretending to hate me, you suddenly want to . . . listen to me talk?"

"No," Glory said, and Deathbringer rather thought that this was more realistic. "I just want to appease Tsunami. She's listening through the door."

"Oh, come on, Glory!" Tsunami called, obviously annoyed. "How'd you know it was me?"

"You're my friend," Glory told her. "And my friends like to spy on me."

"We eavesdrop," Tsunami corrected, opening the door and giving Glory a glare Deathbringer was sure was mocking. "We don't spy."

"I do!" Kinkajou shouted, appearing in the center of the room and making Glory, Deathbringer and Tsunami all jump in surprise.

Glory's little sister grinned triumphantly. "Didn't see me, did you? Almost like I was invisible."

"You were invisible," Glory pointed out. "It's literally your Weapon's power, sis."

"And you aren't even supposed to be here!"Deathbringer said. "You're supposed to be on the floor below us, in your own dorm."

Kinkajou huffed. "We'll, I'm here, and it's not like you're going to send me away."

"I can go get my sword," Deathbringer offered, and both Glory and Kinkajou turned to him in fury. "What?" he asked them. "It would certainly send you away."

"No!" Glory yelled. She stood up from the couch, and turned to him threateningly. "If you ever threaten my sister with that monstrous thing again, I will personally kill you."

"It wasn't like I was actually going to use it," Deathbringer whined. Then he grinned. "But being killed by you would be the ultimate compliment."

"I'm sincerely mad at you, and you're still flirting with me?" Glory asked incredulously. She turned to Kinkajou. "Actually, sis, did you plan this all out?"

She grinned deviously. "I might have."

Glory sighed. "Go back to your own dorm, please."

"And why would I do that?"

"Because I'm your older sister and you should listen to me? Please?" The word had an edge of desperation, and Kinkajou must have picked up on it, because she sighed and stepped toward the door, making a show of pouting while she was at it.

"All right, Fine. Bye!" Kinkajou gave a little, overly cheerful wave and stepped out the door.

"I'm not talking to you anymore," Glory informed Deathbringer as she stood up from the couch and heading to where Tsunami was still watching the scene with an amused expression. "Or listening to you talk."

"I'm afraid you don't have a choice about that last one," Deathbringer said. "Puppy! Death! Bringer! Sword! Night! Random words! See, you're listening to me talk!"

Glory stopped, turned to him, and smiled. "Actually, I think I do have a choice about that last one," she said, her smile turning into more of a smirk. A second later, she disappeared, her Weapon making her fade against the background. "Bye!" her voice said from the doorway next to Tsunami. "I'm locking the door - and even you will never get in!"

Deathbringer sighed. Yes, he could pick locks, but if Glory thought that he wouldn't be able to get in and talk to her, she was probably right. He frowned at the door, then turned and headed back to his own dorm.

He would have to go annoy her later.

Chapter Text

Lynx Frost's eyes welled up as she stared at the blonde boy sitting on the staircase.

"Winter?" she asked, her voice quieter than she'd intended, but loud enough to break the excruciating silence that filled the hall.

He let out a long sigh. "I know Qibli sent you, Lynx, and I don't want to hear it. Go away."

She didn't. She sat down next to him and put her chin in her hands. "Tell me your version of the story."

Winter deigned to glance at her. "You sound like my therapist."

Lynx frowned slightly. "I didn't realize you had a therapist."

Lynx could see how Winter's eyebrows scrunched together with his next words. "I . . . don't."

From his tone and expression, Lynx could tell that was a lie. And it didn't really bother - or even worry - her that he had a therapist. Honestly, it was good. He needed it. But it hurt a little that he hadn't told his friends about it. She waved it off and brought the conversation back to the matter at hand. "You never told me your side of the story."

Winter kicked the riser of the stair he was sitting on with the heel of his foot. "Why would you want to hear my side of the story? Qibli will win the argument no matter what. He's much too good at arguing."

"This isn't about him," Lynx insisted. "It's about you."

"But it is about him!" Winter practically growled. "He got mad at me."

Lynx cocked her head to the side. "This is guilt I'm hearing."

Winter looked at her, his face a mixture of what Lynx told herself was mostly amusement and a little bit of anger, but knowing Winter, she probably had that backward. "Yeah, you really sound like my therapist."

Lynx sighed. "Can we get back to the point of this conversation? Because you're kind of acting like Qibli right now, distracting me with pointless comments."

The distraction worked a little too well. Winter worried the cuff of his jacket between his fingers and barely looked at her as he asked, "Do you think they'll forgive me?"

The emotion in his voice caught Lynx by surprise. She'd never seen him this upset. "I do think they'll forgive you," she said honestly, doing her best to seem like she hadn't noticed. He'd just get embarrassed if she pointed it out. "But they won't if you just act like you don't care. If you apologize, they'll forgive you. But you'd better do it soon."

"Do what soon?" a snide voice, straight out of Lynx's nightmares said from behind them.

Winter growled and turned, giving his twin sister an annoyed look. "None of your business."

Icicle put her hands on her hips and smiled in a smug, infuriating way. "Actually, it's very much my business. You see, Mother and Father told me to report on your doings here at the Academy. They're not exactly pleased with how you've been behaving." Icicle crinkled her nose. "Especially with other tribes."

Lynx saw how Winter tensed with the words. She bit her lip, unsure if she should intervene, and even if she did, what she would say.

"That's great," Winter told his sister. "You can go tell them that I'm breaking all the rules, then. Mother and Father don't like to have their time wasted, and everything else you tell them will be a repeat of what you said when you told them I was breaking all the rules, sooooo there's not really even a point for you to keep spying." Winter gave her a smile that made her frown before he turned to Lynx. "Come on. Let's go back to the dorms. I need to apologize, don't I?"

Lynx smiled to herself as she followed Winter passed Icicle and back to their dorms. She wondered how long it would've taken him to agree to apologize if his sister hadn't interrupted. Probably a while. Winter was very stubborn.

But . . . She would have thought that his sister would make him less agreeable. And she never would have expected to simply not care when Icicle told him she was reporting on him. It was honestly kind of awesome. Maybe they really were melting him.

They stopped at the door to the Jade Winglet's common room. Winter took a deep breath, his hand hovering over the doorknob.

"You'll be fine," Lynx assured him. "Just come from the heart."

"I'm bad at that."

"Oh, I know. But they'll be impressed that you cared enough to try."

Winter sighed. "Fine. I can try." He took another deep breath, put his hand on the knob, and twisted it, opening the door.

Chapter Text

Kinkajou Paradise felt her hands clench as Winter, followed by Lynx, entered the room. Lynx shot her a stern look, and Kinkajou reluctantly unclenched her hands.

"Winter has something he wants to say," Lynx informed the group, giving Winter an even sterner look than the one she'd given Kinkajou. Winter rubbed his eyes as though the conversation were tiring him.

Qibli sighed, and the actual annoyance in his voice surprised Kinkajou. Qibli rarely got annoyed, and when he did, he did a pretty good job of hiding it. He must be really annoyed at Winter.

And she got it. She was annoyed too.

Winter sighed and ran his hand through his hair when Lynx gave him another significant look. "I'm sorry for what I said."

"And?" Lynx prompted, giving Kinkajou, Qibli, Turtle, Blue, and Umber a look that said, Just roll with it.

Winter sighed again, longer and more exasperated than before. He hid behind his bangs as he told them, "And I didn't really mean it. I just . . . instincts took over." He fidgeted.

Kinkajou exchanged a glance with her friends. Winter certainly seemed sincere, especially since he looked this nervous. And honestly, Kinkajou didn't think he would apologize if he didn't mean it, both because Lynx wouldn't let him and because he simply wasn't that kind of person.

"We forgive you," Blue said solemnly.

"No, we don't!" Kinkajou and Qibli interrupted at the same time. They looked at each other, and Kinkajou grinned when she saw the same mischievous expression on Qibli's face that she was sure was on hers.

"We get to make you do something first," Kinkajou informed Winter. "To prove you actually mean it."

"Are you sure that's necessary?" Blue asked.

"Yes," Qibli said. "What should we make him do?"

"How about nothing?" Winter suggested.

"No way," Kinkajou said. She did a little jump, grinning widely as her mind filled with ideas. Should they make him eat a plate of food Clay picked out? Or force him to wear Qibli's clothes for the rest of the week?

"Oooh, I've got it," Lynx said, giving Winter a devilish grin.

He sighed. "You're seriously siding with them?"

Her grin widened as she flipped her hair over her shoulder and winked. "You deserve it. Also, it's fun embarrassing you."

Winter huffed as he sat down on the couch. "All right. What's my punishment?"

"I have to discuss it with the Board of Dare first," Lynx informed him, leading Kinkajou, Qibli, Blue, Umber, and Turtle into the girls' common room. "I think we should have him leave a note on Professor Kestrel's desk that says, 'I love the way you smell. What odorant do you use? Skunk?' And then he should have to sign it, 'Your secret admirer'."

Kinkajou doubled over laughing. "Okay, you're officially my partner in crime," she told Lynx once she'd gotten her breath back. "I'm going to have to show you my notebook about how best to embarrass everyone in our group later."

Lynx grinned, tossing her luscious silvery blue hair over her shoulder again. "Deal."

"We should take a vote," Turtle suggested. "All in favor of Winter leaving an embarrassing note on Kestrel's desk?" Kinkajou rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. This was such a Turtle thing to do.

Kinkajou, Lynx, Qibli, and Umber raised their hands. Turtle and Blue did not.

"Come on, guys," Qibli said exasperatedly.

"I still think this is unnecessary," Blue insisted.

"Well, we don't, and you were outvoted anyway," Lynx informed him. She tugged Qibli and Kinkajou toward the door, and the others followed.

"Okay! Winter, get out some paper."

He glared at her. "From how hard Kinkajou was laughing, I have a feeling I'm going to regret this."

"You only figured that out now?" Qibli scoffed.

"No, but that confirmed it." He sighed but did as Lynx asked and got some paper.

"Okay, now write, 'Dear Kestrel'," Kinkajou instructed.

"Wow, I'm really going to regret this." Nevertheless, Winter did as Kinkajou told him, probably knowing it was fruitless to resist. Or maybe fruitful, since if he resisted, Kinkajou was liable to throw fruit at him. She decided then and there that if he didn't go through with his punishment, she would stuff a pineapple up his nose.

"And now write, 'I love how you smell. What odorant do you use? Skunk? Love, Your Secret Admirer'," Qibli said, and his voice had a definite smirk in it.

"And you have to leave it on her desk on the first day of school," Lynx put in. "She's your homeroom, right?"

"And I'll stuff a pineapple up your nose if you don't do it," Kinkajou added fiercely.

Winter sighed. "I would expect nothing less."

Chapter Text

Glory Paradise rolled over and groggily slapped her alarm clock, nearly knocking it onto the floor.

"Be nice to your clock, Glory," Sunny said, laughing as she leaned over the railing of her top bunk and looked down at Glory's exhausted form.

Glory rolled her eyes as the alarm beeped yet again. "What time is it?" she asked her roommate.

"Six forty-five!" Tsunami yelled from across the room. "Which is a ridiculous time to wake me up with your stupid alarm, Glory! School doesn't start for another hour."

Sunny frowned, and Glory watched with a twinge of worry as her friend simply jumped down from the top bunk. "It's not nice to insult alarms, Tsunami."

Tsunami gave her an incredulous look that Glory found somewhat amusing. "It's an alarm, Sunny. It doesn't have feelings."

"Well, Glory does!"

"I don't care," Glory interjected, forcing herself out of bed. Her cat, Silver, shot out from under the covers and onto the floor with a hiss. "I call the bathroom first!" she called over her shoulder, heading into the common room. Only once she was there, she realized that Fatespeaker, Luna, or Peril might already have claimed it.

"Good," Tsunami called, and Glory imagined her friend burrowing back under her covers.

Glory opened the door to the bathroom, knowing that even if someone was in the bathroom, she would only be opening up to the two vanities. The toilet and shower were through another door.

To her immense surprise, no one was in the bathroom. No one was even taking a shower yet. So, Glory hopped in. It was only until she was out of the shower that she realized she'd forgotten her clothes. Glory sighed, made sure she was fully dried off, and then put her pajamas back on and headed back to her room. She grabbed the first thing out of her closet - jeans and a green ombre tank top - and raced back to the bathroom before someone else got up. Quickly slipping the clothes on, she put her pajamas in the hamper in the girls' common room. Then she went back into the bathroom to do her hair and makeup.

Glory finished fifteen minutes later, and by that time, Sunny had gotten into the shower. The fact that no one else had at least entered the bathroom concerned Glory, but it wasn't as if she could force her friends to get up. In fact, she'd assumed that Tsunami, Luna, Peril, and Fatespeaker would all wait until the last moment to get up and have to fight over the shower. It was part of why she'd gotten up early.

Glory exited the bathroom and headed into the main common room, where Starflight was sitting at the table, reading this year's assigned science textbook and . . . Was he eating cereal? If so, he was doing it very oddly. He had two bowls - one filled with cereal and the other with milk. As Glory watched, he took a spoonful of cereal and then dipped it in the milk before he brought it up to his mouth.

"What are you doing?" Glory asked. Even she was surprised at the amount of judgement in her voice.

"Eating cereal," Starflight answered absentmindedly, taking another spoonful of cereal as he flipped a page of the textbook.

"Uh, okay . . ." Glory said. She decided not to point out that this was a very odd way to go about it. She headed over to the counter and reached into one of the upper cabinets for a bowl. She joined Starflight at the table a minute later, with her own bowl of - significantly less healthy - cereal.

"Hey, guys!" Sunny exclaimed, coming out of the girls' common room. The little Ramil wasn't wearing any makeup, which Glory honestly respected her for. She noticed Starflight's odd eating and made a face at Glory.

Glory shrugged. She hoped her expression conveyed, "It's Starflight; what do you expect?"

Sunny took that as an acceptable answer and joined them at the table. "When do you think the others will be up?"

"Late," Glory said honestly. "I kind of hope Deathbringer's late. We have Kestrel for homeroom! He'll get in so much trouble." She sighed wistfully, and Sunny giggled.

"Riptide probably won't be late," she said. "But I bet everyone else will be."

"Probably," Glory agreed. "Did you hear about the littles' prank?"

"We were texting about it all last night," Sunny reminded her. "Winter has to put an embarrassing note in Kestrel's desk."

Glory laughed. "I bet they won't be late. I don't think Qibli, Kinkajou, and Lynx will let them."

"We should leave early so we can be there when he does it," Sunny suggested, gobbling up the rest of her cereal.

Glory glanced at the clock. "It's only seven forty. We've got twenty minutes till class starts."

"And we should be there fifteen minutes ahead of time so that Kestrel can't even think of marking us late," Starflight interjected. He put his spoon down, closed his textbook, and took his dishes to the sink. He put his textbook in his backpack, then gathered up the three other textbooks he was carrying and motioned to the girls. "Are you guys coming?"

Sunny grinned. She put both hers and Glory's dishes in the dishwasher, put her backpack on, and followed Starflight to the door. They both looked expectantly at Glory.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," she snapped. Her backpack wasn't nearly as heavy as Starflight's - he was carrying textbooks for every class, even though they wouldn't be going to half of them that day. She put it on her back, and as she was following her friends out the door, she heard Deathbringer's panicked voice yell, "You guys! Get up! We've only got twenty minutes!"

Glory smiled.

Chapter Text

Moonwatcher Clearmoon got up early. It was six in the morning when she hopped out of bed.

A little impressed with herself for being able to wake up without an alarm, Moon took a pair of boring black leggings that would hopefully help her blend in. Maybe it would even help her Winglet ignore her. She chose a nondescript black shirt that matched, and then went into the bathroom to shower, change, and put on her makeup.

Moon hated makeup.

She hated the way her hand shook as she applied it, the way it clung to her face like she was the cliff, and it was the person about to fall off. She hated how no matter how hard she tried at night, she could never get it all off. Most of all, she hated her guilt whenever she wore it - like she was betraying herself by altering her body.

But she hated the way she looked without makeup more, so she was stuck.

Moon sighed, packed her things away, then headed into the main Jade 9 common room. It was empty. She made herself a bowl of cereal and ate it as fast as she could - which wasn't particularly fast, considering it took her seventeen minutes. Then she checked and rechecked her bag to make sure she had everything.

Pencils? Check. Erasers? Check. Computer? Check. Phone? Check. Earbuds? Check. Map of the school? Check. Textbook and notebooks for all the classes she had before lunch - Foreign Languages, Science, and Language Arts? Check. More books thank she could ever possibly read in a day but needed because she didn't want anyone to talk to her? Check.

When Moon put on her backpack, she realized she could barely lift it. She sighed as she hoisted it onto her shoulders. If Jade Preparatory Academy didn't teach her anything, at least it was going to make her stronger.

Moon headed out of her dorm and down the steps. Since she was only a freshman, her dorm was only one level above the classrooms, and she only had to go down one level. She wandered the halls for a few minutes, following her map and trying to find her way to Kestrel Peregrine's classroom - the homeroom for all grades of the Jade Winglet.

She was examining her map when something bumped into her. Hard.

"Hey!" a cold voice said from behind her. A boy, blonde, Glacee, and shockingly handsome stepped in front of her. "Watch where you're going!"

Moon stared, and she was unable to respond for a moment. This was . . . the first time she'd spoken to someone without her mother there. Moon stood frozen, and the boy waved a hand in front of her face. "Hello? Noctu?"

Moon couldn't remember what the question was, or if it was even a question, when another boy, an equally handsome dark skinned Ramil, knocked the other boy out of the way. "Sorry, my friend's a little cold. I'm Qibli, by the way, and this is Winter. Jade Winglet, Grade 9. Class B. What about you?"

Moon stared and blinked. Half of her mind was thinking about how odd it was that two boys from such different statuses were friends, even at JPA, but the other half of her mind was stressing out about how this was the first time she'd ever spoken to a complete stranger - Fatespeaker and Deathbringer hadn't counted, and they'd mostly done the talking for her. After what felt like forever, the boy repeated the question. "Who are you?" the Ramil asked, and Moon could have been imagining the annoyance in his voice, but she didn't think she was.

"Me?" Moon squeaked, and she was impressed with herself for being able to get even that much out.

The blonde boy sighed exasperatedly. "Yes, you! Who else would he be talking to?! Me?"

The black boy elbowed his friend. "Be nice, Winter. She's probably just nervous. What's your name?" he asked Moon politely.

"M-me?" Moon stammered, then she realized that was the question she'd just asked. "I-I'm M-moonw-watcher," she answered.

"Hi, Moonwatcher," the boy said, smiling and sticking out his hand. "I'm Qibli, and this is Winter. We're from the Jade Winglet, what about you?"

Moon counted to three to calm her nerves before she replied. "I-I'm-m the J-j-j-a-de W-winglet-t t-too," she stuttered.

"Really?" the blonde boy - Winter - asked skeptically. "What grade are you in? We know everyone in our Winglet." He and Qibli exchanged a glance.

"G-grade n-n-nine," Moon replied after another pause. She needed a way to get out of this conversation, but she couldn't figure out a way to without being rude. She touched her necklace, considering turning on her mindreading. But she hadn't read anyone's mind in years, and she didn't want to invade their privacy like that.

"Really?" Winter said again. "How have we not met you before now?"

"We're grade nine too," Qibli explained. "You must be the new girl we heard about. Moonwatcher Clearmoon? Fatespeaker's and Deathbringer's cousin?"

"Th-that's m-me," Moon agreed.

"Cool," Qibli said. "We're heading to class. Winter's going to put a - "

"Shut up," Winter snapped, jabbing Qibli. "It's bad enough having to do it, you don't have to go around talking about it and making it worse."

Qibli grinned. Even without her mindreading, Moon got the distinct impression that he enjoyed making Winter annoyed. "Oh, cool off, Icebrain. Get it?" he asked Moon, a stubborn grin still etched across his face. "Because he's a Glacee? Cool off?" Qibli grinned like it was the funniest joke in the world.

"That joke's getting a little old," Winter informed him. "Point is," he added to Moon, "we're heading to class, and my friends are making me prank Kestrel. So we'd better get going, so I don't get in trouble."

"See, and I think it'd be funny if she gave you detention," Qibli said. "And we were rude, we should have asked you to join us." He grinned at Moon. "You're heading the same place as us. C'mon!"

With no other option, Moon followed Winter and Qibli through the confusing halls of Jade Preparatory Academy. They seemed the know where they were going, which Moon was surprised by. After all, they were freshmen like her.

"This is our homeroom," Qibli said over his shoulder to Moon, holding the door open for her. She managed to mumble a barely audible, "Thank you."

"We're here," Qibli announced to the room. There was a group of entitled-looking older Kypselis who looked like seniors, and a group of three girls from different races who looked a little older than Moon. The shortest one smiled at them as they walked in.

"Hi," the shorter girl - a Ramil - said. "Who's this?" she asked, looking inquisitively at Moon.

Qibli introduced her, and afterward the girl smiled and introduced herself as Sunny, Qibli's sister, and her friends as Tsunami and Glory.

"So," Tsunami said to Winter. "We heard about your punishment."

Winter groaned and ran his hands down his face. "I am going to claw Kinkajou's face off."

Glory snorted. "Good luck. She's harder to kill than she looks."

"Are you going to do your dare any time soon, or are we going to have to wait for a few years?" Qibli asked.

"Do your dare! Do your dare!" Tsunami started chanting, making the group of Kypselis in the corner glare at her. She ignored them as Qibli joined in. "Do your dare! Do your dare!"

Winter groaned. Sunny and Glory both sighed. "In case you're wondering," Glory said to Moon. "They're always like this."

"Fine!" Winter snapped. "I'll do the dare!" He pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket and marched over to Kestrel's desk.

"Hey! What are you doing?" a Kypseli yelled from the corner.

"I have a note for Professor Kestrel," Winter said smoothly. "Would you like to read it?"

Qibli nearly fell over himself with laughter, and the Kypseli shot him a look of disgust. "You're laughing at a higher status than yourself?"

"Shut up," a voice said from the door as Qibli decidedly stopped laughing. A female Kypseli, flanked by a Glacee, an Ua, and two Foglias stalked over to her tribemate. "He can laugh if he wants."

"Yeah, it's none of your business," the Glacee interjected, and her friends nodded. "If Winter has a complaint, he can take it up with Qibli himself. He doesn't need you to defend him."

The Kypseli looked at her friends. "Whatever," she said, tossing her hair and heading back to the corner, where they went back to whispering and shooting the rest of their Winglet furious, gossipy looks.

"So, Winter," the female Glacee who'd stood up for Qibli said. "Are you going to leave the note?"

Winter rolled his eyes. "It's not like I have a choice. You guys are annoying."

"We try," Qibli said.

Winter sighed, turned, and left the folded piece of paper on the teacher's desk. "There, happy?"

Qibli, the Glacee, and the Ua exchanged a glance. Then the Glacee nodded. "Yep. You've completed your punishment."

"Oooohhhh, who are you?" the Ua asked suddenly, seeing Moon. "Oh! You're the new girl! Fate's and Death's cousin. Moon, right?"

Moon nodded slightly.

"Cool! I'm Kinkajou. You're going to have soooo much fun in our group," she said exuberantly.

Moon couldn't help herself from sighing. The plan to wear dark colors and lurk in the back was not working. It seemed like she would have to talk to people no matter what.

Chapter Text

Swordtail Dusk awoke to someone shaking his shoulder rather violently.

"Come on," Deathbringer said. "School starts in five minutes."

Swordtail sprang up and dashed over to his closet, pulling out the first clothes he could find. He could hear the water running from the bathroom and assumed that it was Clay or Riptide. Most likely Clay, as Riptide was the type of person to wake up late and then still get to school fifteen minutes early. And Deathbringer woke up late and arrived late, but he always arrived looking impeccable. Swordtail, on the other hand, was the type of person who got there late and was still dressed in his pajamas when he walked in the door.

After putting his clothes on, Swordtail dashed out of his dorm room and into the main common room, where Fatespeaker and Deathbringer were hurriedly fixing breakfast. Riptide was gathering up his things and heading out the door, and Peril was sitting at the table, hurriedly shoving cereal into her mouth. Tsunami and Luna were nowhere to be seen, and Swordtail wondered if that meant Glory and Sunny had convinced them to actually wake up and go to class - an impressive feat.

Swordtail grabbed a granola bar and decided that it would have to suffice as breakfast. There was no time to get anything more. He followed Peril out the door, and together they headed down two flights of stairs and through the various twisting hallways to their homeroom.

"You're late," Kestrel said bluntly when they walked in the door.

"We know, Mother," Peril snapped. "You don't need to rub it in."

"Don't talk to me like that, young lady, or it's detention."

Peril snorted. She sat down at her desk and fixed her mother with what was admittedly an intimidating stare - and Swordtail had faced a lot of intimidating stares. "I can talk to you however I want," she informed Kestrel. "It's my mouth."

"That's it," Kestrel said. "Detention. Meet me here at lunch. You too," she added to Swordtail.

"Always Kestrel, giving out detentions on the first day," Luna whispered when Swordtail slipped into the desk next to her. "You'd think she'd cut us some slack."

"Are you talking when I'm talking, young lady?" Kestrel demanded.

"You weren't talking," Luna pointed out. Swordtail - and most of their friends - stifled a giggle.

"Well, I was about to," the teacher replied. "That's just as bad. Detention!" she barked toward the doorway as Deathbringer and Fatespeaker entered the room.

"What!" Fatespeaker exclaimed. "I didn't foresee this! You were supposed to - "

"Shut up and head to your seats," Kestrel barked. "Now, to get started with this lesson - IS THAT EVERYONE?" The entire class whipped their heads toward the door as it opened yet again, and Clay stepped through.

"Y-yes," Clay stammered. "I'm the last one."

"Then get in and sit down! NOW!"

Clay hurried over to the only empty desk in the room, the one incidentally next to Peril. Or maybe not so incidentally. Swordtail's desk was next to Luna's; that couldn't be a coincidence. And Fatespeaker sat down next to Starflight, and Deathbringer next to Glory. Looking around the room, Swordtail realized that all of his friends were sitting next to their crushes.

"As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted," Kestrel continued, striding back and forth across the room. Her shoes made an ominous click against the floor that somehow silenced even the obnoxious Kypselis at the back of the class. "This will be your homeroom for the rest of the year. Most of you already know me, but for those of you who don't, I will not be introducing myself. If you figure it out on your own, then congratulations, you deserve to be here, and if you can't, then too bad."

Swordtail rolled his eyes. It was the same speech Kestrel had given them last year - though last year it had been in PE, as the Jade Winglet had had Webs for their homeroom. But this year . . . Kestrel was going to be a far worse homeroom teacher than Webs. Swordtail was used to her from PE, but now he would have to start off every day in her classroom?

This year was going to be the definition of ugh.

Chapter Text

As soon as Kestrel dismissed them, Starflight Galaxy, Glory Paradise, and Luna Glimmer left the classroom and headed to their first actual class, Language Arts with Professor Whirlpool Loggerhead. Tsunami's stepfather was pacing the front of the room, and he barked, "You're late," at Glory and Luna - but not Starflight - when they walked in. Starflight tensed, and though Glory tried to hide it, he could tell she was annoyed. Another example of classism at JPA.

"We're not late," Luna informed him defiantly, not even trying to hide her annoyance. "This period doesn't start for another minute."

Whirlpool ground his teeth together, loudly enough to be heard around the room. "You'll watch your tongue, young lady."

"I notice you didn't tell Starflight he was late," Luna snapped. "Only me and Glory. And you're not even a Kypseli. I expected better from you. Actually, no I didn't. Tsunami told me what to expect." She huffed, turned on her heal, and sat down. Starflight and Glory followed, though without the huffing.

"That's detention for you, miss," Whirlpool snapped. "See me after school today. And you too," he added to Glory. But again, he didn't give Starflight detention.

"Whatever." Luna slammed her book on her desk and flipped through the pages, nearly tearing one.

"Since our last students have been so kind as to grace us with their presence," Whirlpool said, giving Luna and Glory significant looks, "we shall get started. I am Whirlpool Loggerhead."

Wow. Starflight wasn't surprised at Whirlpool, only a little disgusted. He knew that most Kypselis, Glacees, and Noctus were jerks, but Segaras too? What was next? Would Foglias start being rude to Uas and Reshams? It seemed likely, if a little ridiculous.

"Most of you know me from last year," Whirlpool continued. "If you do, then you know that you will address me as 'Professor'. I have a zero-tolerance policy for late work. If an assignment is late - I don't care if you told me ahead of time or if you're sick - you will get a zero on it. This is literally a zero-tolerance policy."

Starflight listened intently to the rest of the speech. It was mostly reminders about how this was the highest-level class and to maintain your place in Class A you would need to work hard and literally get A's, but Starflight was able to glean two useful pieces of information: This class would be harder than it was last year, and there would be some changes to Whirlpool's style of teaching. The first one was unsurprising (When was the next grade not harder than the previous?), but the second one surprised Starflight. Whirlpool didn't seem like the type to change something that worked.

Whirlpool then launched into the first lesson. It was mostly review, and Starflight had to take notes so he wouldn't fall asleep. He could tell that Glory and Luna were mostly tuning the lesson out. But then Whirlpool started to talk about the assignment, and Starflight was more than a little horrified.

"Your assignment is this: Read pages 1-37 of Language Arts: Advanced by Honeycomb Honeybee. Then read the first part of Beowulf and write a summary of the part you read, and a prediction of what you think is coming next. Use what you learned about writing in Language Arts: Advanced to assist you in your writing. You may collaborate, but you may not use the internet or any other sources aside from Beowulf and Language Arts: Advanced. This reading and the writing assignments are due tomorrow at the beginning of class."

That was . . . a lot of work. And Starflight wasn't afraid of work. In fact, he rather liked work. But to read a third of Beowulf in one day - plus thirty-seven pages of a textbook - and then write a summary and a prediction? He could do this easily if he had no other classes. But Starflight assumed that the other classes would give them workloads like this too, in which case he would have no time to relax and in order to complete everything - and complete it well at that. He might even have to stay up exceptionally late.

Whirlpool dismissed them a minute later, and Glory, Luna, and Starflight began to gather up their stuff.

"I'm sorry about him," a Foglia said to Luna and Glory. "He's always like this, you know."

"Unfortunately, we definitely know," Glory grumbled. "He's my friend's stepfather."

"Oh, too bad," the Foglia said. "I know you three from last year, don't I?"

"Yeah," Luna said. "You're Sundew's friend, aren't you? Cobra Lily?"

"Yep, that's me. And you're Luna, Glory, and Starflight, correct?"

"That's us," Starflight agreed. The four of them left the classroom. "We have math next, right?"

"Yep," Luna said when she checked her schedule. "With Caterpillar Termite. Definitely what we need, another Kypseli."

"We don't have it as bad as Cricket, though," Glory reminded her. "Caterpillar and Cadelle are her grandparents."

"But she's still a Kypseli," Luna grumbled. "So at least she has it easier than us. You know Caterpillar and Cadelle won't be outwardly rude to her. Only us." She sighed. "Is it easier for you?" she asked Cobra Lily. "Because Foglias are Four?"

"Not really," Cobra Lily said. "I think it only gets better once you're Three, and then you still have Noctus, Glacees, and Kypselis being rude to you. No offense," she added quickly to Starflight.

"It's fine. You're right; that's certainly what I've seen," Starflight agreed. "But no one is rude when you're Two. Not even Kypselis."

All three girls gave him a look, and Starflight wondered if he'd said something wrong. He didn't have time to ask, though, because they'd reached their next class.

"Detention for all of you," Caterpillar Termite snapped when they walked in. "You're late."

"We weren't late!" Glory, Luna, and Cobra Lily all said in unison.

"We're early," Cobra Lily said. "Two minutes early."

"Well, the rest of your class is already here, so that counts as late in my book," Caterpillar said.

"But - " Luna started.

"No buts."

"But - " This time it was Glory, but she was shut down just as quickly.

"It seems the Noctu is the only one with any sense. At least he knows not to argue. And for that, I'll excuse you from your detention, just this once." Caterpillar smiled at Starflight, but he couldn't bring himself to smile back. Yes, Glory, Luna, and Cobra Lily had argued. But somehow, Starflight didn't think that if their roles were reversed, Glory, Luna, or Cobra Lily would have been excused from detention.

Chapter Text

Turtle Hurricane was not in a good mood. For one, it was the first day of school. That was never a cause for joy. But that wasn't why Turtle was in a bad mood. He was mostly in a bad mood because he didn't have any friends in his class. If only he'd tested into C instead of F . . . Then at least he'd have Kinkajou . . . But alas, he was in F. And if he were a grade above, he would have his sister, Deathbringer, Peril, and more.

But Turtle was in ninth grade, so he was alone. There was nothing he could do other than mope, and even someone with no initiative like Turtle knew that moping didn't do anything other than bring spirits down.

Turtle pushed open the door to his first actual class, math. The teacher, a Foglia named Hawthorn Mulberry, smiled at him. That didn't make up for the hostile stares of his classmates, but at least someone was nice. He surveyed the room, looking for any familiar faces. There was one Foglia, one Ua, one Shavar, one Zerua, two Ramils and three Segaras - plus him. No faces were friendly, but Turtle groaned inwardly when he noticed a Ramil, Segara, and Zerua sitting together. Viper, Squid, and Flame. The old bullies from middle school. He sat as far away from them as possible, next to a Ramil covered in tattoos who gave Turtle the creeps and a friendly-looking Foglia.

"Hey," said the Foglia. "I'm Mandrake. You?"

"Turtle," Turtle replied glumly, barely listening. Then he frowned. "Wait, Mandrake. Are you from Cicada City?"

"Yeah," Mandrake said, looking confused. "Why? Do I know you?"

"No. But I think you know my friend. Her name is Sundew."

"Oh, her." Mandrake let out a soft groan, though Turtle noted with confusion that he was blushing a bit. "Yeah, I know her." He didn't go into detail, and Turtle didn't ask, because he was already regretting getting himself into this conversation. He had to talk to someone who wasn't one of his friends. It was so much work.

"Okay, class," the teacher said overly enthusiastically. "Since it's the first day of school and you kids are new, we're going to give you an assessment!"

The Ramil next to Turtle raised his hand. "But didn't we take a test a week ago? When they decided what class we belong in?" he asked without raising his hand.

"Yes, you did indeed, Sirocco," Hawthorn replied, smiling. "But that tested what you're going to learn this year. Now you're going to take a test on what you should have learned last year, if your school was competent."

They actually tested what we'll learn this year? Turtle thought incredulously. What kind of school does that? No wonder he'd done badly on it. Only people like Starflight who knew everything they're going to learn before they learn it would do well on a test like that.

Hawthorn handed out tests and Turtle skimmed it. He was immediately overwhelmed. He recognized most of the questions as something he'd learned, but he didn't remember how to do them.

What is the missing side length? Show your work.

Turtle stared at the problem. He had absolutely no idea what to do. Normally, he would have simply taken a guess, but the problem had told him to show his work. A guess would never work. Turtle sighed and turned to the next problem. Maybe something would come to him if he distracted himself.

Nothing did. In fact, the rest of the test continued in a similar fashion. Turtle didn't know how to do anything on it.

So he went back to the beginning and stared at the first question.

"Ten minutes," Hawthorn warned after Turtle had been staring at the question for approximately eleven and a half minutes.

Turtle grimaced. He frowned at the problem. The shortest side was three. The next shortest side was four. Turtle took a guess that was probably wrong and said that the longest side was five and ignored the show your work section underneath. Turtle made similar guesses on the rest of the test. He was sure he'd done badly, but he forced himself to return Hawthorn's smile as he handed the teacher back his test.

"I'm sure you all did great," Hawthorn said cheerfully. "You're dismissed!"

Turtle sighed as he gathered up his things. Hawthorn was wrong. He had not done great. In fact, he'd done horribly, and Turtle suspected that he would do equally horribly on every test for the rest of the year.

Jade Preparatory Academy was not all it was cracked up to be.

Chapter Text

"Hurry up, you turtles," Tsunami snapped.

"Since when do you care about being late?" Deathbringer asked.

"I don't. But I care about not having to listen to Starflight's lecture when he finds out we were late." Tsunami stomped off toward their third class, science with Mangrove Bandicoot.

"That's fair," Peril admitted. "Starflight's lectures are annoying."

"We're in F, what does he expect?" Swordtail grumbled.

"We're already late," Tsunami called over her shoulder. Moons, her friends were so slow.

"We are?" Peril asked. "Who here has a watch?"

"No one," Swordtail replied. "Tsunami's making things up."

"No I'm not!" Tsunami hollered, even though she had indeed lied in order to get her friends to hurry up.

"Everyone else in our class went ahead," Peril noted. "Maybe we are actually late."

"She's right," Tsunami called. "We are!"

Deathbringer snorted. "That's just because Fierceteeth and Strongwings wanted to get away from us. Rattlesnake went with them."

"We have Liana, Jambu, and Coconut in our class too though, right?" Swordtail asked. "Like last year? Where'd they go?"

"Ahead of us," Peril replied. "They practically dashed out the door. Probably because science is their favorite class. It's all the Uas' favorite class."

"As long as Mangrove is teaching it," Deathbringer reminded her. "Glory hates science, but I bet she'd like it better if Mangrove were teaching it instead of Mastermind."

"Are you guys coming or not?" Tsunami demanded. She was still a few classrooms ahead of them. It wasn't that she really cared about the subject, but she really didn't want to be late to the first science class of the year. Or late to any of her classes that day. After the first day, she could be late as much as her friends wanted.

"We're coming," Peril grumbled. "But if you don't want to be late that badly, you can go ahead. We'll probably take a while."

"We will," Deathbringer added. "There's no probably. I want to miss as much of this class as I can."

Tsunami rolled her eyes. That was such a Deathbringer thing to say. She really didn't get what Glory saw in him. Her friend was far more school-oriented than Tsunami, so if he annoyed Tsunami, he must drive Glory absolutely nuts. "Fine, then. See you in . . . hopefully a really long time from now." She dashed off down the hall, hurrying around the next corner and stopping in front of her classroom.

Tsunami pulled open the door and immediately glanced at the clock. She wasn't late. Good. But she was almost late, so her friends would be in trouble if they didn't start running. She sat at her desk, then pulled out her phone and texted their group chat. It took her a bit to find it. She had the phone numbers of everyone in her friend group, plus all of her siblings, and multiple group chats with various combinations of her friends. The one she was looking for was labeled 10F Group Chat. Usually, they only used it when they needed to tell something to only their class. Otherwise, they used the main group chats.

You've got one minute, guys, she typed. You'd better hurry.

A minute later, she got a response from Peril. We're coming, we're coming.

When the clock turned to 10:30, Peril, Swordtail, and Deathbringer still had not arrived.

"All right," Mangrove said. "I assume Miss Cinder, Mr. Dusk, and Mr. Moonslayer are on their way, so let's get started." He paced the front of the room. Tsunami noticed with amusement how Liana's eyes tracked him from one end of the room to the other. "I believe you all had me last year for this subject, correct?" No one corrected him, and so he continued. "Welcome to science." He rattled off a few beginning-of-the-year instructions that Tsunami had heard before. They were basically the same as in all her other classes and from last year.

"This year we are studying the universe in science," Mangrove said, and at that moment the door opened. Tsunami groaned inwardly. Her friends were nearly fifteen minutes late. It wasn't like they'd missed anything important, but still.

Mangrove raised an eyebrow when the three of them walked in. "Well, finally."

"Sorry," Deathbringer said in his I'm-a-cocky-jerk voice. "We had to go to the bathroom before class."

"And it took you fifteen minutes?"

"What can I say? I'm constipated."

"Shut up, Deathbringer," Peril ordered. She stalked to her seat next to Tsunami.

"Really," Swordtail agreed. "TMI."

Deathbringer smirked. "Whatever."

Mangrove sighed loudly. "I suppose I'll cut you some slack because it's the first day of school. But next time you're late, and certainly next time you use that kind of cheek, it's detention."

"So, pick one class to be late to," Peril told him. "Otherwise, you'll end up with seven separate detentions."

Deathbringer smirked. "I'll do my best."

"Could I have your attention, Mr. Moonslayer?" Mangrove asked pointedly.

Deathbringer nodded. "Of course."

Mangrove took a deep, calming breath and continued his speech.

By the end of the class, they hadn't done any actual science. Mangrove assured them that that would start immediately the next day, but he didn't give them any homework, which Tsunami was very happy about. She already had a huge workload for that night, and she'd only been to three classes so far.

"You're dismissed to lunch," Mangrove announced. All around her, Tsunami's classmates - especially Fierceteeth and Strongwings - were rushing around packing up their things, looking incredibly relieved. Tsunami moved more slowly. Even though lunch, aside from after school, was her favorite part of the day, she felt no need to rush. There would be plenty of time.

Chapter Text

Lunch was Clay's favorite part of the day.

There was for a very simple reason for this: Clay liked to eat. A lot.

He wasn't a glutton for food or anything like that, but he did get hungry often. And by the time lunch rolled around, he was usually starving.

That was definitely the case today. Clay raced out of his last class, Language Arts with his aunt, Asha Landslide, and hurried through the halls of Jade Preparatory Academy at top speed. Riptide and Fatespeaker had to run to keep up.

Clay burst into his dorm room, panting. He'd speedwalked the whole way, and he wasn't in the best shape.

"Someone was hungry," Glory remarked dryly from the couch. She had a piece of pizza on her lap and was eating it lazily. Two boxes of the same pizza lay on the table.

"We were lazy today," Tsunami told Clay. "Tomorrow we might get something fancier."

"Pizza's fine!" Clay said enthusiastically. He grabbed a plate and piled three pieces of pizza on it.

"You're not allowed to eat it all," Peril said grumpily, stomping out from the girls' room, Sunny and Luna trailing her.

"This isn't all of it," Clay protested. "You still have, like, two whole boxes."

"More like one whole box," Starflight pointed out. He was doing homework at the table. "There are - "

"Okay, okay, we don't need the whole mathematical breakdown," Clay grumbled. He took his plate of pizza and joined Glory, Tsunami, Sunny, Deathbringer, Luna, Swordtail and Riptide on the couch. Peril grabbed her own pizza and sat next to him, and Fatespeaker joined Starflight at the table.

Starflight sighed exasperatedly. "You all should really be studying right now," he told them. "We've already gotten so much homework."

"We'll have plenty of time later," Glory said breezily. "Lunch is supposed to be a break."

Starflight rolled his eyes and went back to his work.

The group traded stories about annoying teachers and annoying classmates while they ate. "Oh, my moons," Luna said. "We have Snowfall in our class."

"Snowfall Frostcurrent?" Sunny asked, surprised. "Winter's cousin."

Glory nodded. "We had her last year too. I shouldn't be surprised, but argh. I'd hoped she'd get B this year or something. I should've known better, based on what I know about her."

"You've got fifteen minutes before class starts," Starflight warned. He finished his pizza and threw his plate away. "I'm going to class." He gathered up his things.

"Did you finish your homework?" Tsunami asked snidely.

"I finished all the math," he answered, not looking the least bit slighted. "I'm going to stop by and turn it in before class."

Tsunami and Glory exchanged their signature, "Is Starflight going insane?" glance. He caught them looking at each other and rolled his eyes. Sunny laughed. Clay continued to eat.

"Good-bye," Starflight said, exiting the room. "You'd better not be late."

"We won't be," Tsunami assured him, probably untruthfully. Clay was certain she would at least try not to be late, but succeeding was a whole other story.

The group trickled out of the dorm in groups of one, two, or three. Clay finished eating first, but he stayed and talked until they were really pushing it on time. Now it was only Tsunami, Peril, Deathbringer, and Swordtail left.

"See you guys later," Clay said, getting up from the couch.

"I'll come with you," Peril said quickly. Clay saw Tsunami, Deathbringer, and Swordtail exchange a look that confused him.

Clay and Peril headed down the stairs to the classroom level. Peril seemed nervous and jittery, and Clay didn't know why. "Are all your classes going well so far?" he asked.

She jumped. "Oh, um, yeah," she replied. "They're fine." A brief flash of annoyance passed across their face, confusing Clay even more.

"Well, bye," Clay said a few minutes later when she reached her next class. He still had a few doors to go.

"Bye," Peril said grumpily, stomping into the room. Clay headed to his next class, math. He sighed. His least favorite subject.

But the math didn't worry him nearly as much as whatever was bothering Peril.

Chapter Text

Luna Glimmer's next class was her favorite. She skipped down the hallway, ahead of Glory.

"You're excited," her friend noted.

"I know," Luna said, grinning at Glory. "History is my favorite."

"Even though it's taught by Cadelle?" Glory asked.

Luna nodded. "She's the worst, but at least we don't have Webs. She's actually a good teacher, if not a very good parent, based on what I've heard from Cricket."

Glory sighed. "I still don't like her. But at this point, I don't like any of my teachers."

"That's fair," Luna agreed. "They are all pretty awful." The two girls turned the corner and headed down the hallway to their class.

Starflight rolled his eyes when he saw them. "You were almost late," he said.

"But we weren't," Luna felt the need to point out.

He sighed. "But if you had been -"

"We would have gotten in trouble," Glory interrupted. "Being late isn't the end of the world, Starflight." She and Luna exchanged a smile as they took their seats.

He sighed. "If it affects your grade -"

"Oh, my moons, Starflight!" Glory snapped. "Then it affects your grade. And we weren't late, so this conversation doesn't even matter. Save your lecture for Tsunami; she actually needs it."

"So," Cadelle hissed, stalking out from a storage closet behind her desk like she was a singer coming out from backstage for the first time at a show. She had clearly planned this entrance. Luna had to stop herself from laughing at the stupidity of it. "Welcome to history." She paused, clearly expecting a response. There wasn't one. She continued. "This year we are studying ancient history, using an efficient monarchy-approved curriculum."

Luna and Glory looked at each other. Chances were, "an efficient monarchy-approved curriculum" meant it would leave out important historical events. Particularly about Reshams and Uas.

"Pay attention," Cadelle snapped. "You two, in the front row."

"Us?" Luna asked incredulously. "We are paying attention!"

"No, you're not. You were looking at each other." She said the word looking like it was a federal crime.

"They were looking at each other too!" Glory exclaimed, pointing to Crystal and Snowfall, two Glacees who had indeed been looking at each other.

"You were looking at each other more," Cadelle said. "And I would appreciate it if you would stop looking at each other so I can get on with the lesson." She considered, then said. "Actually, detention for both of you. See me after school."

"Why?" Glory demanded. "We didn't do anything wrong."

"Oh, but you did," Cadelle said. She was really reminding Luna of Professor Umbridge from Harry Potter. She hoped the history teacher didn't have Umbridge's enchanted quills. "You ignored me. And you talked back."

Luna glanced at Starflight, who was looking at his desk like it held the keys to the universe. She wished he would say something; as a Noctu, he might be able to get the teacher to listen.

But he didn't say a word.

Glory, however, did. "You call that talking back? Well, I can do better than that. I think you need to learn your priorities. Was it rude of us to exchanged looks across the classroom? You could argue. But is it worth detention? Not really."

Cadelle stared at her, and for a moment, Luna thought the Kypseli might hit her friend. But she only said, "Detention for the rest of the week, then. If you miss one, you'll get double."

Glory sat back in her chair. "Fine."

Snowfall gave Luna a smug look and tossed her hair over her shoulder in the most obnoxious way possible.

Luna felt her hands curl into fists. This was clearly classism. Cadelle, the obnoxious Kypseli, had pointed out the Ua and Resham doing something wrong (something that wasn't even that wrong but clearly an excuse to get them in trouble), but not the Glacees.

Typical, but Luna still hated it. She wanted to punch the lights out of her teacher. She knew Glory would help her. But she also knew it would only get her in more trouble.

This was a long game.

If she wanted change, she had to play it like it was one.

Chapter Text

Blue Glimmer was not in a particularly good mood. They'd already gotten so much homework from their first four classes, and they still had two more to go.

This was in contrast to Cricket's mood, which was simply skyrocketing. As Blue looked over at her, she bounced once, smiled nonstop, and skipped down the hall.

"What on earth are you so happy about?" he asked finally.

She grinned back at him. "School! I love it."

He sighed. It wasn't like that was news to him. But . . . she was excited about fifteen pages of math. And that was only the first day! Fifteen pages of math on the first day did not bode well for the rest of the year.

And that wasn't even including their homework from the rest of their classes. Blue sighed, just thinking about all the work they would have to do that night. There would be almost no work for anything fun.

But he supposed he should get used to it. He was a Resham, after all. He'd be working his whole life.

"Come on, slowpokes," Cricket called back. She was in such a good mood that she'd skipped around the next hallway.

"Save your energy," Blue advised. "We have PE next, and you know Kestrel will be mean."

Cricket's face soured. "Oh my moons, she's the worst. Whaddya wanna bet she'll make us run the mile?"

"Nothing, since I agree with you." Blue fell into step beside her, and they walked in silence for a few moments before Blue said, "We should invite Moon to walk with us." They both glanced behind them at the shy Noctu girl carrying boatloads of books a few paces behind them, just out of earshot.

"I wonder why she's so shy," Cricket whispered. "She's barely said two words this whole day."

That was true. She'd spoken a little in homeroom that morning, and though at Kinkajou's insistence she'd answered a few questions at lunch, she hadn't said a word to Blue or Cricket, even though they had all their classes together.

"I don't know," Blue whispered. "Once we know her better, we can probably ask."

"Moon," Cricket called. "Do you want to walk with us?"

She gave a mumbled response and stared at the floor.

"Sorry, could you repeat that?" Blue asked, exchanging a glance with Cricket.

"I'm fine on my own." Blue still had to strain to hear, but at least her words were audible.

"Okay," Cricket said. "But you can walk with us whenever you want."

Moon nodded, looking as if the simple motion had sucked all her energy.

Blue and Cricket turned the corner and headed into their PE classroom.

"Finally," Kestrel grumbled, earning sympathetic glances from everyone in the room aside from Icicle. "Take a seat."

They sat. A minute later, Moon entered the room. She took a seat in the only empty chair, one next to Blue. As soon as she was seated, Kestel glared at all of them.

"We will go outside and run the mile. Four laps around the track. You must come in under twelve minutes and run the entire time. I will know if you walk. After you run the mile, you will do the same workout the football players do. You must complete it without stopping to get credit. At this point, class will end." Kestrel glowered at their shocked faces. "Oh, come on. At least be happy that there's no homework."

Blue was happy there was no homework. However, doing the footballers' workout? No one in the class played football. They were all going to die.

Blue's prediction came correct: they all very nearly died.

Running the mile was fine - they'd all done that in Middle School too. But the workout?

"50 pushups!" Kestrel yelled. "No water breaks!"

Blue was ninety-nine percent sure that the football players got water when they did their workout. This was supremely unfair.

But the real problem was when Moon collapsed of exhaustion.

She'd been the last to come in after the mile and hadn't even passed it. Then she tried to do Kestrel's fifty pushups and literally fell to the ground.

And Kestrel didn't even do a thing.

"Get help, you imbecile!" Cricket yelled, her voice an octave higher than usual. "She's unconscious! Call a doctor!"

The teacher merely shrugged. "Her fault. She should've been exercising before this."

Cricket and Blue looked at each other. "Fine," Cricket said angrily, speaking for both of them. "We're taking her to the doctor."

"And fail PE!" Kestrel called after them.

Cricket and Blue ignored her. They picked up Moon with a lot of shifting positions and almost dropping her, until a Foglia named Hazel came over and helped them. Icicle gave them a rather contemptuous glance, which Blue smirked at.

They took her to the nurse's and left her there. Blue wanted to stay - and Cricket insisted on staying with him - until the nurse kicked them out. (Though she let them stay long enough to get out of the rest of PE).

Blue and Cricket left the nurse's, and Cricket seemed to be jumpy on their way to history. He thought it was just because of what had happened to Moon, but then he realized . . .

History was the class taught by her grandmother, Cadelle Termite.

And Cadelle hated Cricket.

Chapter Text

Cricket Tick took a deep breath before she opened the door to her sixth period class. She felt Blue give her a reassuring smile, but it did nothing to allay her concerns. First Moon, and now this?

She entered the class and immediately, her eyes fixed on her grandmother. Cadelle smiled, but the effect was menacing. "Why Cricket," she practically hissed, "I've missed you."

Cricket's tongue felt literally tied. It was a few minutes before she was able to work up the courage to say, "Well, I haven't missed you."

Cadelle clicked her tongue. "A horrible mistake, really. I am very missable."

Cricket decided to ignore that. She sat down, Blue next to her.

Cadelle paced the classroom. "Where is Miss Clearmoon?" she asked. "The rest of you are here."

Cricket and Blue glanced at each other, debating whether or not to respond. Then Blue said, "She's in the infirmary."

Cadelle looked like she wanted to laugh, which gave Cricket a serious inclination to punch her grandmother. She resisted the urge.

"May I ask why?" Cadelle inquired.

Blue explained what had happened in PE, and this time, Cadelle actually laughed aloud. "That is so Kestrel. She'll continue for the rest of the year. You'd better get used to it."

No one in the room seemed particularly happy about that, but no one had time to respond either, because Cadelle launched into her lesson.

Even to Cricket's ears, it was boring. Part of that was the fact that it was all review, but most was because of Cadelle's monotone lecture style. To think she'd been a little relieved she wouldn't have Webs. Cadelle might actually be worse, if such a thing was possible.

The class ended after an hour of lessons. Cadelle gave them an equivalent amount of homework, but unlike all the other teachers, she promised that they would have time to work on it later. It was almost enough to make Cricket think this class wouldn't be as bad as she'd thought, until Cadelle pulled her aside at the end of class.

"I need you to give a message to your mother," she said to Cricket.

Cricket glared at her. "And why would I do that?"

"Because you're a nice and helpful grandchild."

"But I'm not," Cricket said flatly. "When have I ever helped you?"

"Hmm. Good point. Perhaps this could give you some incentive." Cadelle leaned forward with a dramatic pause. "I can get Kestrel to make her workouts less . . . strenuous."

Cricket frowned. That was pretty good incentive. "All right," she said agreeably. "Tell me what the message is and maybe I'll deliver it."

Cadelle laughed, a surprisingly melodic sound. "Nice try." She pulled out an envelope and handed it to Cricket. "Either you deliver it or you don't. Don't open it or I'll know. And trust me . . ." Cadelle's eyes turned suddenly stormy. "You don't want the consequences."

Cricket tried to hand the envelope back. "I won't deliver it."

Cadelle wouldn't take it. "Oh, you will. You'll regret it if you don't."

Cricket gulped. This was why she hated her grandmother. "Fine," Cricket whispered, her voice barely audible. She wondered why she felt like this was such a monumental decision. "I'll deliver the note."

Chapter Text

Sunny Roadrunner raced out of her last class as soon as it ended. She was glad it was over for two reasons. Permaforst Icestorm was incredibly boring to listen to for an hour, but that wasn't the problem. She didn't have any of her friends in her classes, so the whole day had pretty much been torture. Now, at least, she would get to see them, if not do homework with them.

Sunny opened the door to her dorm's common room to find her friend group spread out across the couch, sitting at the table, and on the floor doing homework. They were grouped by class. Class F - Deathbringer, Tsunami, Swordtail, and Peril - were sitting on the couch. They all had books out, but Sunny suspected none of them were actually working.

Class A, on the other hand, were all sitting at the kitchen table, quietly doing their work. Occasionally, Glory or Luna would ask Starflight something, but they were clearly the responsible ones in the room.

On the floor were sitting Riptide, Fatespeaker, and Clay, who were at least making an attempt to do work. But they kept getting sidetracked by Tsunami's, Deathbringer's, Swordtail's, and Peril's conversations, so they weren't getting very far.

Sunny smiled as she looked over the scene. It was so familiar. It was kind of like proof that no matter what changes this year held, her friend group - her family - would power through it. They would be okay.

Sunny sat down at the table next to Starflight, Glory, and Luna, deciding to be responsible and get some work done. "Do we have the same work?" she asked Glory, looking over her friend's math homework. She took out her own and compared it. "Eeee! We do! Yay!"

"Great," Glory said, and to Sunny's surprise she sounded like she meant it. "What problem are you on?"

"I haven't started," Sunny admitted. "Professor Permafrost let us out late."

"Oh, you had him last?" Glory sighed. "That was my least favorite class aside from PE. He's so boring."

"Yeah," Sunny agreed. "He's as bad as Webs, I think."

Glory frowned and she lowered her voice as she said, "His lecture style is bad, but that's not what I was talking about. We're only learning Kypseli and some Glacee and Noctu - did you notice that?"

Sunny nodded. She had noticed that. She'd noticed that last year. "But we expected that," she pointed out.

Glory's frown deepened. "True. Did you - " She broke off, glancing around the room, though Sunny didn't understand why. The only people anywhere near them were their friends - and their friends would understand anything bad she said about the government. "Never mind," Glory said. "Let's continue this. I'm on question three. We have thirty."

"Thirty?!" Sunny yelped. She skimmed to the back of her packet and gasped. "I have forty."

"Forty?" Glory repeated, just as shocked. "No way. That is so not fair."

"It's like they think that just because I'm not in Class A I need more practice," Sunny grumbled. "I don't. This is literally review. It's easy. And even when it gets harder I won't need more practice."

"I know," Glory said in a very Glory tone. She didn't sound particularly sympathetic, more sarcastic. But any acknowledgement had been better than what Sunny had expected.

Sunny sighed as she stared at the first problem. She copied down Glory's answers and method for the first two problems - careful to avoid Starflight's gaze - and then they both stared at question three.

Glory sighed as she pulled out her calculator. "Guess we'd better get to work, huh?"

Sunny nodded, not the least bit excited for the afternoon.

Chapter Text

Sundew Oakleaf dashed down the hall, glad the day was over. She opened the door to her dorm to find her friends lounging around doing their homework. She joined Cricket, Blue, and Willow at the table. Everyone else was gathered on the couch, and Moon was nowhere to be seen.

"Hey," Willow said cheerfully. "Did you have fun going to the bathroom?"

"Did you just ask me if I had fun going to the bathroom?" Sundew asked incredulously. She had indeed gone to the bathroom a few minutes earlier, which was why she'd been the last one of her friends to get to their room.

Willow shrugged. "Yeah."

"Why?"

"Why not?"

"Uh, because it's weird? Who has fun going to the bathroom?"

"It's only weird if you say it's weird. Plus, it's a conversation starter."

"Asking someone if they had fun going to the bathroom is not a conversation starter, Willow!"

"Oh, is it not? We're conversing."

Sundew stared at her, hating that her friend had a point. "I'm ignoring you."

"Good idea," Willow said. They both turned back to their work.

"Can I talk to you?" Cricket whispered to Sundew after a beat of silence.

Sundew nodded, confused. She noticed Willow and Blue exchanging a confused glance but not interfering. Sundew followed Cricket into their dorm.

"So what is this about?" Sundew asked, her mind racing with possibilities.

Cricket sighed, wringing her hands. "So my grandmother talked to me today," she said slowly.

Oh no, Sundew thought. She had a pretty good idea of where this was going.

Cricket nodded, reading her expression. "She asked me to give my mother a letter. I wanted to open it, but she said she would know if I did." Cricket sighed. "I don't want to deliver the letter, but I'm worried about Cadelle's . . . anger. She didn't threaten me to deliver the letter, but her tone wasn't exactly what I would call pleasant."

"Why are you telling me about this?" Sundew asked.

Cricket frowned slightly. "You're the most capable person I know. Even though you're the most likely to suggest a violent solution, your non-violent solution will work."

"Okay, but . . . You're, like, way smarter than me. Why can't you do this yourself?"

Cricket pushed her glasses up her nose, looking slightly disgruntled. "Are you refusing my request for help?"

"No, I'm just . . ." Sundew paused, trying to figure out her words. "Trying to think. I'll help you, but I don't know how much help I can be."

"Well . . . what do you think is in the message?"

Sundew shrugged. "I have no idea. I don't think we should open it, though. We should send it to your mom, let her open it, and then find out what's in it."

Cricket chewed her lip. "I thought of that. But if it's a threat of some sort, she won't tell us. She'll want to protect me."

"I never said we would ask her," Sundew pointed out, surprised she had to explain this. She could see having to explain this to someone like Blue, but not Cricket. "I said we would find out."

Cricket frowned. "Find out? How . . . Oh." She nodded. "Good idea."

"We should involve the others," Sundew said, standing up to head into the main room. "Just, you know, to have some backup."

"Wait, we'll need backup?"

Sundew shrugged. "I hope not, but it can't hurt. It's between two estranged Kypselis. It could be anything." She didn't say what she was thinking, knowing it would freak Cricket out too much. But . . .

Cricket's father was a member of the imperial family who'd been disowned for having an affair with her mother. Cadelle was firmly on Queen Wasp's side, so it was possible that the queen would ask her for help. What if Cadelle's message contained a threat from Queen Wasp herself?

Chapter Text

Riptide Whitewash stared blankly at his textbook, reading but not understanding. His eyes glazed over, and when he glanced at the clock it was nearly half an hour since he'd sat down. He hadn't gotten a single thing done, hadn't even read a paragraph of the stupid science textbook.

Riptide lifted his gaze from the book and surveyed the room. It was strangely quiet. Starflight, Glory, and Luna were whispering at the table, but they were doing it so quietly that Riptide couldn't begin to glean an answer. It didn't matter. They were either arguing about something stupid, or having an intellectual debate Riptide wouldn't understand.

Riptide sighed loudly, earning a "shush" from the table and smirks from the rest of his friends.

"You can do the homework without reading the textbook, you know," Deathbringer said.

"No you can't," Glory called. "Don't listen to him."

Deathbringer pouted. "Why wouldn't he listen to me, my queen? I'm a genius."

"A pretty stupid genius, apparently," Glory said. "Seriously, Riptide, you need the textbook. I think most lessons covered a lot, but they didn't cover everything."

Deathbringer rolled his eyes in a very Glory-like way. "You're fine without it. I mean, you might miss one little detail here or there, but what does that amount to, really?"

"One detail can be the difference between a passing grade and a failing grade," Starflight announced to general eye rolls - even from Glory. He frowned. "What? I'm right."

"He is right," Tsunami whispered. "But I'm choosing to ignore him."

Riptide snorted against his will, then glanced at her, embarrassed. Deathbringer sent him an amused expression.

Riptide turned back to his work, determined to concentrate. Otherwise, this would be an incredibly long night. Well . . . it was going to be a long night anyway, but if he didn't at least try to get some work done now, he would be up all night.

But he still couldn't concentrate. After fifteen minutes during which he managed to answer one question on the science homework, Riptide slammed the book shut. "I'm going for a swim," he announced.

"Bad idea," Starflight warned.

Riptide knew it was a bad idea. But swimming would feel more productive than trying and failing to absorb this information.

"Can I come?" Tsunami asked, perking up, and Riptide felt his heartbeat accelerate to the speed of light.

"Sure," he managed to squeak out.

She grinned. "Great! I'll get changed and meet you at the pool." She closed her notebooks and headed into the girls' dorm.

"Dude," Deathbringer breathed. "Have fun."

Riptide rolled his eyes, though secretly he was beaming inside. He hurried into his dorm and put on his swimsuit, then grabbed some flip flops and literally ran down to the pool.

He found Tsunami sitting by the deep end, her feet dangling in the water. She smiled at him, and her hair caught the light as she tossed it over her shoulder. "Race you?"

Riptide nodded, not sure he could trust his voice to work.

"On your mark, get set, go!" Tsunami called, leaping into the pool and pushing off on "on your mark". She shifted into a harbor seal after one stroke.

"Cheater!" Riptide smiled to himself as he followed her, sure he was going to lose this race and not caring one bit.

They raced and splashed each other until Tsunami checked her phone and blanched. "It's been two hours," she said, looking panicked. "We should get back to the dorm."

Riptide nodded, less than thrilled. He could have spent all eternity in the pool with her, and he wouldn't have gotten the least bit tired.

But he dutifully followed her over to their stuff and dried off.

"Want to do this next week?" Tsunami asked, and it took Riptide a second to register the question.

"Like, swim?"

She nodded, looking amused. "That is what 'this' meant, you idiot."

Riptide felt himself smiling. "As long as we have the time," he promised. "Over the weekend, maybe."

Tsunami looked satisfied with that. "Great." She sighed. "I guess we'd better get back to work."

As Riptide followed her up the steps and back toward their dorms, he'd never felt happier.

Chapter Text

By the time Tsunami and Riptide came back from their "swim", Fatespeaker was exhausted. She'd only finished two subjects' worth of homework, and it was already after six pm. She was just beginning to open the next textbook when there was a knock at the door.

"Wonder who that could be," Glory said, getting up to open the door like a normal person.

"Don't open it," Starflight advised, not taking his eyes off his paper. "We don't need the distraction."

Glory turned and stared at him. "So I'm just supposed to ignore the door when it rings?" Her eyes met Fatespeaker's, and they both rolled their eyes.

"You are when you're doing something more important," Starflight replied. Fatespeaker couldn't tell if he was serious, but knowing Starflight, he probably was.

Glory groaned, rolled her eyes again, and opened the door.

"What took you so long?" Sundew asked.

"Sundew!" Willow snapped. She smiled at Glory. "She's grumpy today, sorry. What she means to say is, 'Hello, Glory, thank you for opening the door in such a timely manner'."

"That isn't what I meant!" Sundew piped up.

Glory snorted. "I can understand being grumpy," she said to Sundew. "It's my usual emotion."

Willow sighed in exasperation as Sundew said, "Just open the door so we can come in."

"Go away and do your homework!" Starflight called as soon as the door shut.

"We're done," Sundew announced, to general astonishment.

"No, we're not," Willow corrected. "She's lying."

Sundew sighed. "Why do you have to be so honest?"

"Because it's the right thing to do."

"You sound like Sunny," Glory informed her.

"Thank you," Sunny called from the couch next to Peril.

"Yes, thank you," Willow said, heading farther into the room and high-fiving Sunny.

Glory sighed. "Care to give a reason why you're here? If you have homework, shouldn't you be doing it?"

"You should," Starflight added.

Sundew shot him a disgruntled look. "Well, we were here to talk to Starflight, but if he's going to ignore us and tell us to do our homework, then I suppose that's a lost cause."

Starflight actually looked up from his book. "Is this more important than your schoolwork?" he asked in a tone Fatespeaker interpreted to mean he expected them to give a sheepish smile and say, "No".

To Fatespeaker's amusement and Starflight's shock, both Willow and Sundew said, in perfect unison, "Yes!"

"Nothing is more important than schoolwork," Starflight chided, earning protests and lists of exceptions from around the room.

"What?" he asked. "It's important!"

"It is," Fatespeaker acknowledged, though she didn't really mean it. "But there are some things that are far more important. Like friends and family."

Starflight winced, looking satisfyingly guilty. "Okay, sorry. Few things are more important than schoolwork, and those are some of them."

"This is more important," Sundew insisted.

He glared at her.

"It is," Willow confirmed. "It's really important. And we think you'll give the best advice of everyone here." She frowned. "Maybe not better advice than Sunny."

"Hey!" Starflight protested as Sunny smiled. Fatespeaker covered her laugh with a cough. "I give good advice!"

Sundew yawned. "I mean, we thought that, but if you're not going to give it to us, we'll ask Sunny. I'm sure she'd be more than willing."

"I would," Sunny confirmed, looking amused by the whole conversation.

"Oh, fine," Starflight grumbled. "I'll talk to you about whatever super-important thing this is."

"Great!" Willow said so cheerfully that Sunny glared at her. "Now, before we tell you, you have to agree to three things."

"Okay . . ." Starflight said warily.

"First, we're telling you purely in confidence. This is a secret."

Starflight leaned back and crossed his arms. "I can't promise that."

Sundew sighed. "If you're going to say that you can't promise not to tell anyone if someone's being hurt, blah, blah, blah, all that nonsense, then I can assure you that it won't get anyone hurt."

Willow made a noise that sounded like a protest, and Fatespeaker wondered what on Earth this could possibly be about.

Starflight caught it too. "It seems like your girlfriend doesn't agree."

"She's not my girlfriend!" Sundew yelled, and Willow just stood there blushing furiously. The rest of the room burst out laughing.

It was nearly five minutes before the room was quiet enough for Sundew to grit out, "Just agree, Starflight. Or I'll go to Sunny."

"Why is that such a threat?" Sunny demanded. She turned to Starflight. "Do you think my advice isn't as good as yours?"

He mumbled something unintelligible.

Sundew sighed. "Just listen, both of you. We're going to need . . . backup, and we need to talk to competent people."

"The rest of us are competent," Tsunami piped up.

Sundew ignored her, focusing on Starflight. "I suppose Sunny can be included in this conversation, but not the rest of you. The rest of you are competent, but do not always make competent decisions."

Fatespeaker and the rest of the group exchanged glances. Fatespeaker was a little offended, and she could tell her friends were too. But they all silently agreed to let it go.

Starflight sighed. "Fine. I agree to the first of your terms."

Willow nodded. "Our second term is that you don't freak out."

Starflight laughed. "Okay, that's easy. Freaking out is Tsunami's thing."

"Hey!" Tsunami snapped.

"What? It is!"

Sundew groaned. "Our third and final term is that you do your best to have rational, unbiased judgement."

Starflight blinked. He looked confused, an emotion that Fatespeaker rarely saw on his face. "Okay . . ."

"Great!" Sundew exclaimed before he could say anything further. "Then let's go. The girls' common room in your dorm?" She looked at all the girls in the room, daring them to argue.

Fatespeaker shrugged, speaking for all of them. "Go ahead."

Starflight looked so unhappy as Sundew and Willow led him into the girls' common room, Sunny following more cheerfully. When the door was fully closed, Peril turned to the rest of the group. "Who wants to listen at the door with me?"

Fatespeaker smiled. This was going to either be a disaster, or the most fun she'd had in a while. Either way, it was going to make the night interesting.

Chapter Text

Peril stood next to the door, her ear at the crack. Her heart was beating in her chest, and she wondered why she was so nervous. She was only eavesdropping on her friends. That wasn't very hard, and the worst thing that would happen was they would get mad. They probably wouldn't even stay mad, a fact that so exasperated Peril about her friends. What was the point of life if you didn't hold grudges?

"Shhh!" Fatespeaker hissed loudly. She had her ear against the crack on the other side of the door.

Peril rolled her eyes. "You shush. I'm not making any noise."

"And neither are the rest of us," Tsunami pointed out, just as loud as Starflight. Stealth was not her strong suit, unlike Glory, who was currently standing invisible between Fatespeaker and Peril.

"Be quiet," Glory whispered, her words barely audible.

"We are," Tsunami replied, not very quietly.

Glory sighed. "Listen."

"So, you're telling me that Cricket needs to deliver a note to her mother, and for some reason you need me to tell you how best to do that? Can't she just mail it? Also why isn't she here now?" Starflight's voice carried audibly through the door.

"She wanted to finish her work before she focused on something else," Willow answered, only replying to the last question.

"Like a smart person," Starflight interjected.

Both Willow and Sundew ignored him, much to Peril's amusement. He had academic smarts, but he wasn't particularly emotionally aware.

"Just answer the question," Sundew said tiredly, and Peril wished her friends had been quieter so she could hear what the question was.

"But it's a stupid question!" Starflight protested. "You don't need help."

"Starflight!" Sunny said, sounding shocked by her friend's words. "This is a genuine concern. We should be worried!"

"But it's probably just something normal. Come on, Sunny, what kind of mother wouldn't want to renew contact with her daughter?"

Peril winced. Mine? she wanted to say. Kestrel had, but only barely. And her stepmother, Scarlet . . .

"Many of your friend's mothers," Sunny said quietly.

Starflight stayed silent, and Peril was glad. She almost didn't want to know how he would say, but the fact that he didn't respond almost made it worse.

"We've resolved to send the note," Willow told Starflight and Sunny, and again Peril was confused. "But we don't think we should open it first, and we don't want to ask Katydid what's in it. Cricket thinks she would try to protect her."

"That makes sense," Starflight agreed. Peril imagined Sunny nodding.

"Any advice on how best to find out what it says?" Sundew asked, more calmly than she usually spoke. "Also ideas on who else we should tell? We'll probably want backup."

"Yes, backup," Starflight said, sounding relieved. "But not me."

"We weren't asking you," Sundew informed him, her voice back to its usual snobby tone.

"Good," Starflight told her. He didn't seem to get that that was an insult. Peril almost felt a little offended for him, but he wasn't Clay. He didn't deserve her offense.

"Who should we ask for help with this?" Sundew reiterated.

"I'd say Tsunami, 'cause she's strong, but she might be a bit too irrational for this," Sunny said. Next to Peril's ear, Tsunami huffed. "Take Glory. She's strong and . . . not irrational?"

Starflight huffed a laugh. "Part of me wishes they could hear you right now."

"Me too," Sundew said.

"But it would be so mean to tell Tsunami that!" Sunny protested. "Ugh, I'd have to hear the taunting. Glory would gloat for hours."

"Let's get back on topic," Willow chided in a tone that sounded like one a teacher would use. "We'll talk to Glory. Tomorrow, though. We'll bring Cricket over here for breakfast."

"We will?" Sundew asked, surprised. Willow must have given her a look, because she said, "Uh, yes, we are, definitely."

"And then from your class?" Sunny asked. The silence that followed almost seemed pondering. "Oh! I forgot about Qibli. Yes, Qibli would be the best person by far to go to with this. He knows sneaking around and uncovering secrets better than anyone."

"Oh, that makes sense," Willow agreed. "I can't believe we didn't think of this before. Qibli would be most useful."

"Great," Starflight said, still sounding incredibly relieved. "Can we go now?"

"I suppose," Sundew acquiesced. "Yes, go back to your oh-so-important schoolwork."

"Great!" Feet hurried towards the door, and Peril, Glory, Fatespeaker, and Tsunami weren't able to hurry out of the way. The door opened and hit Glory.

She appeared in a flash, her nose bleeding. "Hey!"

"Sorry," Starflight said, looking horrified - until he noticed the rest of the girls standing around the door. Then his frown turned from guilty to angry. "You were spying? Even though they told me this was secret?"

Peril and the others exchanged a glance. This was going to be a loooong night.

Chapter Text

Willow was Sundew-level annoyed.

Why was she Sundew-level annoyed when she was usually the calm one of the two of them? Because her "friends" had been spying on a conversation that they knew was private.

Private.

As in, no one else should be listening to the conversation private.

Willow glared at Peril, then at Tsunami, then at Fatespeaker, and then at Glory. Then she felt a little bit guilty for glaring at Glory since she was sitting on the couch holding a tissue up to her nose. The door had hit her in the nose, which was now bleeding.

"What do you have to say for yourselves?" Willow was surprised by the venom in her voice. Maybe she'd been spending too much time with Sundew. Then again, too much time with Sundew? That was impossible.

"We . . . were curious?" Fatespeaker hedged. "Although, I bet I could have foreseen it." She wrinkled her nose and said to Glory, "Sorry I didn't foresee him hitting you with the door."

Glory rolled her eyes. Willow wanted to too. Fate and her visions.

"An actual answer this time?" Sundew asked harshly.

"We were curious!" Peril insisted. "That was an actual answer!"

Willow decided it was best to let it go. She took control of the conversation before Sundew could say anything else. "What did you hear?"

"Nothing," Tsunami said grumpily. "They kept talking." She glared at Peril, Fatespeaker, and Glory.

"Actually, the talking was mainly you," Glory informed her, replacing her blood-soaked tissue with another.

Tsunami rolled her eyes. "Nonsense."

Glory let it go, which was probably good. Otherwise, the argument would last all night.

"What did we say?" Sundew asked. "Like, exactly."

Peril slouched in her chair. "Nothing, really. I mean, I heard stuff about Cricket and notes, but I didn't hear your explanation of the problem, so it didn't really make much sense."

Willow relaxed. That was good. She, Sundew, and Cricket really didn't want to involve the whole group until they had too.

"I heard," Tsunami started imperiously, "that I am apparently 'irrational'. Supposedly, I am more irrational than Glory." She glared at Sunny, who ducked her head.

Glory gave a very loud, very Glory-like sigh. "Well, it's true. You are irrational."

Tsunami opened her mouth to argue but was cut off with a glare from Sunny.

A glare from Sunny.

Willow took a moment to laugh at the absurdity of that. Then, Sunny could be pretty intimidating when she wanted to be.

"Let's all go to bed and discuss this in the morning," Starflight suggested.

"Oh, but don't you have your oh-so-important schoolwork?" Sundew asked tauntingly.

Starflight winced. "I meant after that. Besides, I'm almost done."

"Almost done?" the rest of the room repeated in shock.

"How?" Riptide asked, voicing the question they were all surely thinking.

"Well, for one I didn't take a two-hour break to go swim," Starflight said testily. "But I'm also a very efficient worker."

"Well, the rest of us can't go to sleep yet," Sunny pointed out. "And I agree with Starflight that homework should come first. So, all of you go back to your work."

"Yes, Mother," Tsunami grumbled.

Sunny rolled her eyes. "And I think this conversation should be suspended." She turned to Willow and Sundew. "Will you two come here tomorrow morning? With Cricket and my brother?"

Willow nodded. "Yup. If someone can get him to get out of bed early enough."

Sunny laughed. "Yeah, he's lazy. Good luck. I'll send him a text if I remember."

"So basically, you're kicking us out?" Sundew asked in a tone Willow thought was rather harsh.

"Yep," Sunny said, smiling as she escorted them toward the door. "Be back tomorrow morning."

"We will," Willow promised, leading Sundew out the door. "Good luck on finishing your homework, guys!" she called into the dorm.

"You too," Sunny said right as the door closed.

"So, back to homework," Sundew grumbled. "I was kind of hoping it would take longer."

"Me too," Willow admitted. "But we'd better get going."

Willow practically dragged her feet up the steps and down the hallways to her grade's dorm. The long, boring night was far from over.

Chapter Text

Lynx frowned when her alarm went off. She didn't want to get up, but it was unavoidable. Well, technically it was avoidable. School didn't start for another four hours. But if she wanted to defend her titles, she had to get up this early.

Lynx reluctantly slipped out of bed, careful to avoid waking her roommates. It was four am, so she figured they wouldn't appreciate being woken.

Why did Lynx Frost need to wake up at four am, you might be wondering? It was that she was a figure skater, and when you figure skated at a supremely high level like she did, getting up ridiculously early was a necessity. Or you could be homeschooled, but Lynx didn't really want to be homeschooled, so getting up at four am it was.

Lynx sighed, grabbed her clothes from her dresser, and went into the bathroom to change. She'd taken a shower the night before, so she would be able to sleep in fifteen more minutes.

It took her only ten minutes to get dressed, brush her teeth, and grab some breakfast. She would eat on the bus.

She walked through the halls of Jade Preparatory Academy, careful to avoid attention but not look like she was avoiding attention. Skulking around, even by the upper classes, tended to garner unwanted attention.

Lynx got out of the school without incident, then headed toward the bus stop. The busses in Wasp City ran 24-7, though only Reshams and Uas on their way to work in the rich Kypseli, Noctu, and Glacee houses used the busses at this hour.

And Lynx.

When she got on the bus after waiting for a few moments, she earned quite a bit of stares. The driver was a Foglia, but all the other passengers on the practically empty bus were either Reshams or Uas.

Lynx took a seat by the front, avoid of everyone's eyes on her. She stared out the window, avoiding making eye contact. After a few moments, her eyes began to dart about. She couldn't stand the feeling of so many stares.

"I like your hat," Lynx said finally, to the Resham across from her.

The Resham blinked, and it was a moment before she was able to answer. "Thank you, miss."

"You're welcome," Lynx replied, because she wasn't sure what else to say. She wanted to say something else, to start a conversation, but she knew that would be near impossible - a Glacee making small talk with a Resham in public? That was practically unheard of it.

Lynx sighed, wishing one of her friends were with her. But they would all be bored - watching people practice for hours is pretty boring unless you can critique them. None of her friends knew enough about figure skating to be of any use to her.

Lynx got off the bus a few stops later, in the Glacee district of the city, making sure to thank the driver on her way out and smile at the Resham she'd given the compliment to. She walked a couple blocks to the rink and took a deep breath before stepping inside. She'd been here before, but as a visiting competitor, not a home skater.

Lynx was known in the skating world, being the reigning Junior national champion. She only had one level and a couple years of getting older until she was eligible to compete in the Olympics, and when that happened, she was one of the favorites.

Lynx opened the door to the rink and stepped in. This was where she'd be skating practically every day for the next four years; she had to get used to it. Her head coaches were still in Cicada City, and she didn't have the money to travel back and forth constantly, so Lynx was going to start working with a couple coaches at this rink in Wasp City.

Lynx had prepaid for her freestyle (practice time where everyone at a certain level and above shared the ice), and she waved at the front desk before heading up to the warmup area on the floor above. She took a few minutes to warm up, then sat down to tie her skates, which she did in record time.

She had a few more minutes till her session started at five am, and there was no reason to brave the cold for any longer than she had to, so she checked her texts. Surprisingly, someone was up at five in the morning. Unsurprisingly, it was Winter.

IceBrain:

Is anyone awake?

Winter'sBestFriend:

No.

IceBrain.

Ugh, I hate you. Qibli, change your name!

Winter'sBestFriend:

Why would I do that?

IceBrain:

I really do hate you.

Winter'sBestFriend:

Aw, stop lying to yourself, Winter. You love me.

IceBrain:

No, I really don't. Also, I can hear you laughing to yourself. It's annoying, and it's keeping me awake.

Winter'sBestFriend:

And If I'm laughing, of course you can hear it. You're on the bunk below me! And you're the one who texted me at four thirty! YOU woke ME up!

IceBrain:

No one forced you to respond. Besides, me texting shouldn't have woken you up. Who has their alerts on during the night?

Winter'sBestFriend:

Uh, me?

IceBrain:

Well, you're an idiot. Only idiots have their alerts on during the night.

Lynx sighed and typed out a response. She figured she'd better stop the argument before it got too out of hand, and the boys ruined their friendship forever.

YouAllSuckAtIceSkatingAndIDon't:

Could you guys stop it? Please? And you should both go to bed. It's too early for this.

Winter'sBestFriend:

If it's too early, then why are you up?

YouAllSuckAtIceSkatingAndIDon't:

Skating. Remember?

Winter'sBestFriend:

No, not really.

IceBrain:

And you pride yourself on a good memory?

YouAllSuckAtIceSkatingAndIDon't:

Winter, be nice.

IceBrain:

I'm always nice.

Winter'sBestFriend:

Now that's a good joke. I laughed out loud.

IceBrain:

I heard you. You don't need to tell us that you laughed.

Winter'sBestFriend:

I was saying that for Lynx's benefit.

IceBrain:

Are you sure it wasn't to annoy me?

Winter'sBestFriend:

No.

IceBrain:

Argh!!!!

YouAllSuckAtIceSkatingAndIDon't:

Please go to bed. Both of you. You'll be annoyed in the morning if you don't. And goodbye - I'm going skating.

Winter and Qibli both responded, and their argument probably continued, but Lynx didn't bother to check the texts. She grabbed her bag and hurried into the rink, taking off her guards as she stepped on the ice. Lynx skating toward the boards and put her kiss and cry bag down. Then she did her warmup and went to find her coach.

At five in the morning, there was a surprising number of people on the ice. Herself, one pair of pair skaters and another pair of ice dancers, and a couple of singles skaters, plus three coaches.

Lynx scanned the three coaches faces. She wasn't sure which one was the one she was supposed to meet.

"Are you Lynx Frost?" a voice asked from behind her.

Lynx turned to see a relatively tall female Kyspeli standing behind her, off the ice. "Yes, that's me, ma'am." A twinge of annoyance passed through her. She knew she was expected to use titles like that when talking to Kypselis, but it was annoying every time.

"Oh, joy. You'd better be talented, to make up for that attitude. I am Scarab."

Lynx started. "Lady Scarab? Queen Wasp's aunt?" She paused a moment, then added, "Ma'am?"

"Unfortunately, yes. I am our idiot ruler's aunt."

Lynx smirked slightly. She'd never heard anyone call Wasp an idiot. "And you ice skate . . . ma'am?"

"Yes. I coach. And I'm your new coach, unless you were lying about your name."

"No, ma'am, I am Lynx. My coaches didn't tell me my new coach was . . . you."

Scarab raised an eyebrow, seeming the slightest bit amused. "They didn't give you my name? Or give you any say in that decision?"

"No, ma'am, they just were like, 'Hey, there's this coach over in Wasp City who's really good, how about you work with her?' and I was like, "Um, okay?', and that was it."

Scarab sighed. "Your coaches are all Glacees, yes?"

Lynx nodded, wondering where this was going.

"They probably wanted me because I'm a Kypseli and I can raise their status," Scarab said with a sigh. "Whatever, I'm used to it. What's your highest jump, and what level are you tested to?"

"My highest jump is triple toe, ma'am," Lynx said. "And I'm tested to Senior in Moves and Junior in free skate."

"You mean Gold in Skating Skills and Pre-Gold in freestyle?" Scarab asked with a raised eyebrow.

Lynx resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Just because the figure skating association had changed the names recently didn't mean she couldn't use the old ones. "Yes, ma'am, that's what I meant."

"Good." Scarab paused a moment, and Lynx waited for instructions. "Do you have programs right now?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Can I see them?"

"I'm not warmed up for that." Lynx paused, fully expecting Scarab to say, "Too bad". Kypselis didn't like it when people told them they couldn't do something.

"Then go warm up for that," Scarab ordered, surprising Lynx. "I want to see all your jumps and spins anyway."

Lynx nodded grabbed a sip of water, and then took off across the ice.

"Oh, and Lynx?" Scarab asked. "You don't need to call me 'ma'am'. Or even Lady Scarab. Just my name will do."

Lynx blinked. This was unusual. Scarab was different. "Okay," she said cautiously. "Thank you."

Scarab laughed. "Thank me when we're free."

Lynx blinked again and didn't respond as she began to skate. What did Scarab mean, "when we're free"?

Lynx had a sinking feeling that Scarab was referring to something more ominous than anything Lynx's imagination could come up with.

Chapter Text

Cricket woke to someone shaking her shoulders.

"Come on," Sundew's voice said. "It's morning."

"I'm tired," Cricket complained. She opened her eyes and stared at her friend.

"So am I," Sundew said. "But I have information about the letter."

Cricket's eyes widened, and she burst out of bed with sudden energy. "What's your information?"

Sundew glanced around nervously. "Let's go somewhere else."

"There's literally nowhere private in the whole school," Cricket pointed out, though she followed Sundew out of the room.

"Somewhere more private than this," Sundew clarified, which didn't clear up anything.

"So . . . the common room?" Cricket asked. How was the common room more private than the dorm?

Sundew turned and scowled at her. "No. My garden."

Cricket stopped and gaped at her friend. "Since when do you have a garden?! At school?"

Sundew smiled slyly. "Nope. You'll see."

It was about half an hour before Cricket "saw". Sundew made her take the bus - without dinner - before they reached a botanical garden in the Foglia part of the city.

"This is literally less private than school," Cricket pointed out.

Sundew turned around and smiled. "You'll see."

"You said that half an hour ago!"

"Oh, just follow me." Sundew turned around and stomped into the botanical garden, paying their entries.

"How is this your garden?" Cricket asked. "Also, please tell me we won't be late to school." She glanced worriedly at her watch; they had less than an hour till their first classes.

"We'll be fine," Sundew said confidently. "And this is Sequoia's garden."

"Sequoia has a garden in Wasp City?" Cricket asked skeptically. "Sequoia as in Hazel's grandmother?"

"Yep," Sundew said. She led Cricket through the botanical garden, into the most secluded part. They sat on an intricate concrete bench behind an old tree. "And now we can talk."

Sundew was silent so long that Cricket was wondering if she was going to say anything. Then Sundew glanced around, nodded once, and spoke. "We've told Glory and Qibli about the note," she said. "And we're all coming with you when you give it to your mom."

"Who is all?" Cricket asked, hoping it wasn't their whole friend group. That was over twenty people! "And why does this merit a private conversation?"

"Me, Willow, Blue, Qibli, Glory, Starflight," Sundew listed. "I think that's everyone."

"When is this happening?" Cricket asked, glad she would have backup.

"Over break, when you visit your mom." Sundew glanced sideways at Cricket. "You are going home to visit your mom, right?"

"I am now. What are we going to say to her? Tell her the truth?"

Sundew shrugged. "That's up to you."

"So . . . is that it?" Cricket asked after a moment of silence. "You dragged me here just to tell me you'd be coming with me to talk to my mom?"

"This was necessary," Sundew insisted. "Queen Wasp is always watching. You wouldn't notice, since you're a Kypseli. But we think the dorms are bugged. We risked too much talking last night."

Cricket sighed. "Of course. When is anything ever easy?"

"Nothing is easy, with her in charge." Sundew sat in silence for a moment, then stood up. "Come on. We don't want to be late for school."

Chapter Text

Winter stomped down the stairs, his face twisted into an expression of grump.

This was a normal occurrence with Winter, but today, he was in an especially bad mood. Winter had woken up late, but that wasn't very grumpy-inducing.

The reason Winter was in a bad mood was because of Qibli. (Huge shocker, right?)

Qibli had decided he was going to make everyone breakfast. That should tell you enough in itself. When he'd gone to use the stove, Qibli had turned it up to the highest setting, hoping that would make it cook faster. Somehow, the food had caught fire, and it had taken the combined efforts of Winter, Moon, Peril (who was the opposite of helpful), and Kinkajou twenty minutes to put out the fire. (They had not allowed Qibli to help, even though he'd wanted to).

Now, as Winter headed to his first class of the day, he was NOT in a good mood. He kept his head down, concentrating on walking and fuming. Because he was staring at the ground, he didn't notice the Kypseli coming the opposite direction until he bumped into her.

"Hey!" the Kypseli shouted. "Watch where you're going!"

Winter stopped in the middle of the hall and gawked at her for a moment. Then he realized he was acting like Moon had when he'd said the same thing to her, so he put more effort into coming up with a response. The best he could do was, "Seriously?"

The Kypseli, who Winter now realized was an adult but not a teacher he knew, scowled at him. "Are all Glacees this slow?"

"No, only me," Winter blurted before he realized that that probably wasn't the best thing to say.

The Kypseli continued scowling. "Somehow I doubt that. All of you lower ranks seem pretty dumb to me. Maybe Glacees aren't as dumb as Reshams, but still dumber than us."

Winter stared at the Kypseli, trying not to be too offended. This was normal - if you were talking to a Resham or an Ua. But not even Kypselis said things like that to Glacees. "Who the heck do you think you are?"

The Kypselis's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Someone with a lot more power than you, so I suggest you shut your mouth."

Winter scoffed. "Yeah, right. You're not a teacher. You've got literally no power here. You're probably not even supposed to be here. What'd you do, climb through a window so you can accost students?"

The Kypseli's expression somehow managed to become more intimidating. "No, I entered through the front door like a respectable person. And I have more right than any of you students to be here, considering I run this place."

Winter laughed. This Kypseli was so overconfident. "You know literally nothing," he said. "And I'm about to be late for class, so I should be done with this incredibly stimulating conversation."

"Good," the Kypseli said, her voice now filled with venom too. "You deserve it."

Winter rolled his eyes. "Whatever," he said in the tone he used when talking to his friends. He'd never used it to address his parents or other adults before, but this Kypseli was asking for it. "Goodbye."

He walked off down the hall, and when class started, he absorbed himself with schoolwork. The conversation was soon forgotten.

That was his fatal mistake.

Chapter Text

"Hey, what'd you get for fifteen?" Qibli asked Winter.

"Stop talking to me."

"Um . . . why?" Qibli asked. He supposed he shouldn't be surprised - this was Winter, after all - but he had to admit he was a little upset at his friend's tone.

"Do I need to speak more plainly? I believe I said, 'Stop talking to me'."

"And did you think I would listen?"

"No," Winter admitted. "But I thought I'd try."

"Oh, stop arguing," Turtle muttered tiredly. He rubbed his head, looking exhausted. "I have enough to do without mediating your conversations."

"Oh, come on, the workload isn't that bad," Qibli said, not really meaning his words. "You have time to argue with us."

"This is like fifteen times the amount of work I'd expected," Turtle grumbled. Qibli grinned slightly; he sounded like Winter. "And there's never time to argue - you always argue at the most inopportune times."

"Can you all stop talking?" Winter interrupted, in typical Winter fashion. "I need to concentrate."

"But if we do it together it'll be faaaasteeeer," Qibli whined.

"I don't want your help, and I don't want to help you."

"That's it," Turtle announced. "I'm leaving." He took his textbook, notebook, and pencil, and stalked out of the room, rather quick for someone whose name was "Turtle".

Qibli and Winter stared after him, then looked at each other. "That was odd," Winter noted. "He's usually quieter than that. He never has enough initiative to leave the room when we're arguing. What do you think happened?"

"Oh, so now you want to talk to me, now that it isn't about schoolwork?"

Winter scowled. "Fine. I got the square root of four sixty-one for number fifteen."

Qibli's eyes widened. "How'd you remember the question I asked about?"

Winter gave him a look. "It was the first one on your paper you hadn't answered."

"Oh," Qibli said, feeling slightly stupid. He was normally sharp enough to notice something like that, but . . . this was Winter.

"Do you even know how to do number fifteen?" Winter asked Qibli. "Did I just help you cheat by telling you?"

"Well, no, I just -"

Abruptly, the door flew open.

Qibli turned around, expecting to find Kinkajou, Turtle, or one of the other students in their dorm.

That was not the case.

Instead, three large burly Kypselis stood in the doorway, wearing Queen Wasp's personal guards' uniforms. All appeared unarmed, but that didn't mean much. They could have smaller weapons that allowed them to do certain nefarious things.

"Is this the dorm of Winter Icestorm?" the largest and burliest asked.

Qibli and Winter exchanged a nervous glance before Winter said quietly, "Yes."

"Yes, sir," the Kypseli corrected.

Winter seemed to shrink down in himself. This was the most Resham-like Qibli had ever seen him. "Yes, sir," he mumbled.

"You're under arrest," the second of Queen Wasp's guards said to him.

"What?" Winter and Qibli exclaimed at the same time.

"I said, you're under arrest," the guard reiterated, sounding annoyed. "Honesty, are all lesser classes this stupid?"

The third guard, who hadn't spoken up until this point, snorted. "He's a Glacee. If Glacees are this stupid, then of course the rest of the classes are."

Qibli flinched, trying not to sound too offended. He knew this was how most Kypselis thought.

"Arrest him," the first guard, who seemed to be the leader, ordered.

"Um," Winter said timidly. "What am I being arrested for?"

"Not your place to know," the second guard said gruffly, grabbing Winter's arm in a way that was far too rough for Qibli's liking.

"Hey," Qibli interrupted, trying to still sound respectful. It was difficult. "He has a right to know why he's being arrested."

"Not according to precedent," the third guard said, sounding way too pleased with himself. "Miranda Rights are only extended to Kypselis."

Qibli's jaw dropped open. That was so stupid. Honestly, though, he was wondering if it were true. Kypselis had the privilege of lying without facing repercussions.

"That's not fair," Winter argued, which was rather dumb of him, if Qibli did say so himself.

"Shut up," the second guard said. "Or we'll gag you."

Winter wisely shut his mouth, but Qibli wasn't so smart.

As he followed Winter and the guards out of the room, he asked, "How much trouble is he in?"

The first guard spun around. "Do you want to be arrested too?"

"Well, it's not exactly high on my priority list, but I'm open to the possibility."

"Qibli," Winter said suddenly. "Please shut up. I don't need help."

Qibli could see in his face that that wasn't true. Winter was scared, and Queen Wasp and her minions were ruthless. Whatever they thought Winter did, he was in trouble.

The gravity of the situation hit Qibli in that moment. If Winter was arrested, it was likely he'd never see his friend again. Very few prisoners ever came out of the Queen's dungeon.

Qibli made a split-second decision. "Guys!" he yelled as loud as he could, sprinting past the guards into the hallway. "Code red! We need help in the ninth grade hall!" He made sure he was loud enough to be heard on the floor above them, in the tenth grade dorm. That was where most of the Jade Winglet's fighters were.

Sure enough, a multitude of footsteps pounded down the stairs. The door to the stairs burst open the same moment Winter and the guards exited the dorm. Tsunami and Peril were first, with Swordtail and finally Kinkajou trailing after them. Qibli assumed the rest of the Winglet were still upstairs studying - no one else was the type to run headfirst into battle with no explanation.

"Who's dying?" Peril asked, flexing her fingers like she was ready to fight.

"Stop them!" Qibli yelled, pointing at the guards, who were eyeing the group without much concern.

"Can do," Tsunami said confidently. She didn't even question why they were fighting a bunch of Kypseli guards. She lunged at the first one, Swordtail following soon after.

"I need fire," Peril said to Qibli. "I won't be as effective without it."

"There's no time," Qibli argued. "They're going to arrest Winter, and you can still fight, right?"

Peril sighed, then dove in to help her friends. "I'd better see you helping too, Qibli!"

"Oooh, fun," Kinkajou said with her customary enthusiasm. "Let's fight Kypselis!"

"Go back upstairs, Kink!" Qibli yelled, panicking slightly. He hadn't expected Kinkajou to come downstairs, only the more experienced fighters. "It's not safe!"

"I'll be fine!"

She would not be fine.

Qibli was sure of that even before one of the guards twisted her arm, causing her to scream in pain. The guard then used his other arm to punch Kinkajou in the face harder than Qibli thought was humanly possible, knocking her out.

"Kinkajou!" Tsunami yelled, momentarily distracted. The guard she was fighting used that opening to punch her, and then Tsunami was out.

Tsunami, the indestructible force of water who could out-fight anyone, was unconscious.

This was not good.

There were three Kypseli guards against Peril, Swordtail, Winter, and Qibli. They still had more people, but the guards were fierce fighters. Soon, Winter was in some sort of trance courtesy of one of the guard's weapons, and Swordtail was struggling. Qibli was regretting calling for backup.

Peril was still going strong, but soon she too tired, and the guard was able to use her weapon on the fiery Zerua too. Swordtail was out a moment later.

"Now you," the biggest, burliest guard muttered ominously. "You and your little friends should all be punished, but you especially. You called them here, caused us trouble . . . But even worse, it was all for a Glacee two statuses above you. I've never seen such inter-status loyalty. Disgusting."

The guard stepped on his face, and Qibli was out for good.

Chapter Text

"This is so stupid," Peril muttered. "Curse you, Qibli." She paced around the small cell that she, Qibli, Swordtail, Tsunami, Winter, and Kinkajou were all sharing.

"Sorry," Qibli said. To Peril's ears, he did not sound particularly sorry.

"We need to find a way out," Tsunami decided.

"No, really?" Winter asked sarcastically. "We're trapped in a rotten cell who-knows-where, guarded by Queen Wasp's most menacing guards! I think we should just stay here!"

"Really?" Kinkajou asked, surprised.

"No, you good-for-nothing Ua!" Winter growled.

"Winter," Qibli said warningly.

"Sorry, Kinkajou," Winter mumbled, seeming slightly embarrassed - a first from the proud Glacee.

"I should set someone on fire," Peril suggested. "Any volunteers?"

"I volunteer Queen Wasp," Winter offered.

Qibli snorted. "Peril, don't set Queen Wasp on fire, please."

"It would be so fun to watch though," Swordtail said wistfully.

"And so fun to do," Peril agreed, equally wistful. She could just imagine her fingers sinking into Wasp's skin . . .

"No one is setting anyone on fire," Qibli decided, as though he actually thought Peril would listen.

"Could you set one of the guards on fire?" Tsunami asked.

"No, she couldn't," Winter said before Peril could answer.

"Why not?" everyone, including Peril, asked at once.

"Weapons don't work in the prisons," Winter explained. "I read that somewhere."

Qibli's brow puckered. "Huh, that's why my mind feels funny."

"Doesn't your mind always feel funny?" Winter asked. "I mean, with all the fuzz in there, it would have to."

"If my mind is fuzzy, then yours must have a giant fuzzy carpet covering it."

"Please stop arguing," Peril said, proud of herself for remembering to say, "please". "I'm all for arguing, but you two are annoying."

"We need a plan," Qibli said.

"No duh," Winter grumbled.

Tsunami sighed. "There's a lock to the cell."

"Also no duh," Winter pointed out.

Everyone collectively elected to ignore him.

"And to escape this cell, we not only have to unlock the cell, but get past many, many other guards on our way out of a castle dungeon that we don't have a map for," Qibli summed up.

"We're going to need outside help," Tsunami realized.

"We have to contact Mom," Qibli said. "I don't want to put my family in danger, but she can help us."

"Thorn can help us," Tsunami agreed. "We just have to contact her."

"How?" Swordtail asked after a moment of silence.

That was the million-dollar question.

"Weapons don't work," Winter said. "So those are out of the question.

"To quote you," Qibli said to him, "'no duh'."

Winter rolled his eyes.

"We need to think non-magically," Tsunami said. "And since I know that thinking isn't my strong suit, I'll stay out of this conversation."

"Me too," Peril agreed.

"Me three," Swordtail added.

Winter and Qibli looked at each other, and then at Kinkajou.

"What?" she asked them defensively. "I can be super helpful!"

"We know," Qibli said gently. It didn't sound to Peril like he meant it, but she wasn't good at deciphering peoples' meanings, so maybe he did. "So, any ideas?"

Chapter Text

Kinkajou sat in silence as her friends debated ideas. She knew they didn't want her input, and if they did, they wouldn't listen.

But she had a really, really good idea!

Like, an actual idea! And it was a good one - one her friends should listen to!

Kinkajou watched as Qibli and Winter - mainly Qibli - examined the room and debated the best way to escape.

"There are no weaknesses," Winter said.

"Yes, there are," Qibli corrected. "We just need to find them."

"Guys," Kinkajou said, but of course no one listened. Moons, was this how Sunny felt all the time?

"How?" Winter asked loudly, echoed by everyone else in the room except Qibli and Kinkajou.

"Guys!" Kinkajou said louder.

Winter sighed exasperatedly. "Yes, Kinkajou?"

Kinkajou scowled at him. "We don't need to find weaknesses in the cell," she said. "We need to find weaknesses in the guards."

All her friends stared at her. Then Tsunami groaned. "That is such a Sunny idea."

"That's a good thing," Kinkajou insisted, offended for both herself and Sunny. "Sunny's plans work."

"They do," Qibli agreed. He faced Kinkajou. "So, you're suggesting that we convince to guards to help us escape."

"Yes." Kinkajou was surprised and relieved that her friends were listening to her.

"That's going to be hard," Peril said. "The guards are Kypselis - they have no reason to help a bunch of lower-class prisoners."

"They aren't Kypselis," Winter corrected. "They're Glacees and Noctus. Queen Wasp needs people she can trust - meaning higher-status people - but also people who won't object to doing such . . . low-ranking work. The people who arrested us were her personal attack force, so they're higher-ranking Kypselis."

"How do you know all this?" Tsunami asked.

"I'm a Glacee. Some of my family has worked as a guard for Queen Wasp. It's what I'll probably do at some point. Or it's what I would have done, if I hadn't gotten arrested." Winter frowned slightly.

"So it's good that you got arrested," Qibli pointed out. "Since now you don't have to work as a guard to Queen Wasp."

Winter rolled his eyes. "I'd rather be a guard than be a prisoner."

Qibli - wisely for once - didn't respond. Instead, he asked Kinkajou, "So you're saying we convince the guards to help us escape."

"Sort of," she replied. "I think we should ask the guards to help us contact your mom."

Qibli cocked his head. "Yeah . . . I guess that could work. I'm sure my mom can figure out something. Though I do think it would be better for the guards to help us escape and then contact Mom. The guards wouldn't want to help us with anything that could leave evidence."

"Okay . . ." Peril said. "So . . . what are you saying?"

"We can get the guards to help us escape, but then once we're out of the castle we'll need Mom's help," Qibli summed up.

Kinkajou smiled, glad her friends were listening to her idea and building on it. "So, when the guards come to feed us, we talk to them," she explained.

"We can't just ask them to help us escape," Qibli said. "We have to go slowly, and we have to offer them something, so they'll be inclined to help us."

"There's always money," Winter said.

"Mom as money," Qibli agreed. "We can offer them that. People will do drastic things for money, especially if they're poor."

"So it's settled, then," Peril started, then closed her mouth as footsteps sounded in the hallway.

"We'll talk to them," Qibli whispered. "Manipulate them to help us. Starting when they come in, and going on until we convince them."

Kinkajou met her friends' eyes, and a certain understanding passed between all of them. No one said a word until the door opened, and a guard entered.

It was time to put their plan into action.

Chapter Text

Glory was worried.

This was for a reason that really should have been obvious, but apparently, it wasn't.

"Kinkajou is missing!" Glory shrieked. "How can you not be worried?!"

Clay shrugged. "She can take care of herself. She probably just went to the library."

"Kinkajou?" Starflight asked skeptically. "In the library?"

"Also . . . she disappeared yesterday," Glory said. "Other than Starflight, who stays in the library overnight?"

Clay shot them both a look that Glory interpreted as an Oh, you're right, but don't tell Glory that look.

"Not to mention that Tsunami's gone too," Riptide said quietly.

"So is Swordtail," Luna said, sounding annoyed they'd forgotten. Glory completely understood; if he were her, he'd be mad too. Maybe even more mad than if her sister

"As are Winter and Qibli," Moon added.

"And Peril," Clay put in.

"Wow," Starflight said. "That's everyone who responded to Qibli's call for help."

"Oh wow," Glory said sarcastically. "We had no idea. It's not like we all heard the call too, and then noticed that the people missing were the ones who went to help him!"

Sunny sighed. "Be nice, Glory."

"You realize that's literally impossible?" Glory asked. "I'm never nice."

"You are sometimes," Sunny said, optimistically in Turtle's view.

Glory scowled at her.

"Guys," Moon interrupted tiredly. "Can we talk about where they are and how to get them back?"

"Yes, sorry," Glory said. She glanced around at their assembled group. "Any ideas?"

"No," Luna said despondently. "We don't know what the emergency Qibli was on about was, so we don't know why they disappeared. And without knowing that, we can't really know where they are."

"Maybe they're fine," Blue said optimistically. "JPA is safe, right?"

The entire rest of the room, Turtle included, exchanged a glance. "Oh, brother," Luna said with a sigh after a moment of silence. "You are so innocent."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Blue asked indignantly.

Sunny sent Blue a sympathetic glance, but everyone else ignored him.

The room was silent for a moment, everyone lost in their own thoughts. Then Deathbringer walked through the door, in his usual irritating fashion.

"Where have you been?" Glory asked, standing up and glaring at him. Ugh, why did she care where he was? And why had she asked where he was as if she cared?

"Uhhh, the bathroom?" Deathbringer tried, his face decidedly not his Smug Face.

"Really," Glory said in her unconvinced stern tone. "We called this meeting at six am. It is now seven."

"Fine," Deathbringer said. "I was following up on a lead."

"Oh really," Glory said, just as unconvinced and stern as before. "What lead?"

Deathbringer glanced around the packed room, and then said far too dramatically, "I know where they are."

Chapter Text

"You've been quiet for a while," Glory said snarkily. "Not making up a false lead, are you?"

Deathbringer made a face at her. "It's only been about ten seconds," he pointed out. "And I would be telling you right now if you hadn't asked a question." He paused and cleared his throat dramatically.

"Oh, get on with it," Glory grumbled.

Deathbringer, in a move that was completely OOC, ignored her. "Qibli, Winter, Tsunami, Peril, Kinkajou and Swordtail are in Queen Wasp's Palace."

The room was silent for a moment. Then Moon asked, "Um, Deathbringer?"

"Yes?"

"How do you know this?"

Deathbringer paused. He should have realized he would have to answer this question.

"You're hiding something," Glory said, studying Deathbringer intently.

Deathbringer looked away. "Sort of. I may have done some snooping last night."

"Snooping?" the entire room echoed.

"Yeah. Well, spying, you could say, but snooping sounds better." Deathbringer paused. Presumably for too long.

"Snooping where?" Glory asked.

"You really like to interrupt, don't you?"

"I thought that was your thing," Glory shot back. "I'm actually quite good at listening, thank you very much."

Sundew sighed. "Stop flirting and start talking. Deathbringer, tell us where you were snooping, or my plants will strangle you."

Deathbringer had known Sundew long enough to know that that was not an idle threat, and even though Deathbringer was sure he was capable of outdoing Sundew's plants on the field of battle, he thought it best to avoid a fight.

Of course, he couldn't let Glory think he was a coward, so he said, "Oh, I'll tell you, but I'll do it on my own time."

Sundew rolled her eyes and looked at Glory. "Can you make him cooperate?"

"Probably." Glory faced Deathbringer. "I will slap you if you don't tell us, now."

Deathbringer frowned at her but knew Glory's threat was even less idle than Sundew's. "Fine. I was snooping around Professor Cadelle's classroom."

The room sucked in a collective breath, Cricket more than anyone.

"My grandmother?" she asked.

Deathbringer nodded. "Yes."

"And what did you find?" Glory asked pointedly.

Deathbringer sighed. He'd already told them more than he should, and he didn't want to risk getting his friends in more trouble. "There are cameras in here, right?"

Everyone looked at Starflight, who blinked at being the sudden center of attention. "Yes. There are also likely microphones."

"So . . . nothing we say is safe," Fatespeaker concluded.

"Why didn't you tell us this before?" Moon asked Starflight. "Haven't we already revealed we know too much?"

"Yes," Starflight said. "However, I highly doubt they actually check the cameras or go through all our conversations, so say what you will."

To Deathbringer, that didn't seem like such a good idea. There was no way to guarantee that no one was going through their conversations, and since everyone had been . . . taken, surely there would be more monitoring than normal. He was a bit surprised Starflight hadn't thought of this himself, but then, Starflight had book smarts, not street smarts.

"We should save this conversation for later," Deathbringer announced, pushing himself off the couch and heading toward the door.

"Oh no you don't, Death Boy," Glory called after him. "You're telling us what you found in Cadelle's classroom whether you like it or not."

"Actually, I'm not . . ." Deathbringer trailed off as he opened the front door and found himself face-to-face with an unfamiliar boy.

They stared at each other for a minute, equally panicked. Then the boy smiled in a way that gave Deathbringer the willies.

"I'm Darkstalker," he said. "Who are you?"

Chapter Text

Turtle stared at the boy standing in the doorway of their common room with the same expression as everyone else in the room, the universal what is going on right now? expression.

"I'm Deathbringer," Deathbringer said warily.

The guy named Darkstalker grinned. "Interesting name. Rather violent."

"Says the guy named Darkstalker," Deathbringer retorted.

"May I come in?" Darkstalker asked politely.

"Uh, sure."

Turtle exchanged a wary glance with Moon. Inviting this strange person into their common room did not seem like the brightest idea. But then, it was Deathbringer talking.

As Darkstalker stepped through the door, Turtle had the strangest sensation, like the universe was trying to tell him something. He reached up and brushed his earring, which was his weapon. It allowed him to turn invisible. Being invisible seemed like a good idea right now.

Turtle tapped his earing with the activation sequence - yes, he had to activate his earring like it was programed - and promptly disappeared from view. Moon narrowed her eyes at him, but thankfully Darkstalker didn't notice.

"Why have you decided to visit our corner of the school?" Glory asked Darkstalker sharply.

Darkstalker grinned. "My girlfriend and I are doing a sanctioned interview for The Daily Hive of students at JPA. I'd like to interview you all."

Well, that didn't sound too bad. But there was still something about this that was nagging Turtle. Darkstalker was too creepy to just want an interview.

"Of course," Moon said politely to Darkstalker. "Have a seat."

The rest of the room stared as Darkstalker took a seat in the only empty armchair and opened a notebook. "Names?"

The group introduced themselves one by one - everyone except Turtle, who was of course invisible.

"Great," Darkstalker said pleasantly. "So nice to meet you all. Now, first question: So far, what do you think of your experience at JPA? Do you find it to be a good learning experience for all students?" He looked directly at Luna and Blue as he said this.

"We've learned things," Cricket said cautiously.

"Interesting the Kypseli is saying this," Darkstalker said.

"We've learned stuff too," Luna interrupted indignantly. "Though I'm sure not as much."

"Next question, directed specifically to the lower-statuses," Darkstalker said before anyone else could chime in. "Have you been treated badly since your arrival at the school?"

"Uh, duh," Luna said. Blue blanched, looking nervous. Turtle sighed. Poor Blue. He was so nervous all the time around the upper classes, even their friends.

"There's no way this is a sanctioned interview for The Daily Hive," Glory said suspiciously. "This is more about racism than school life."

"You're absolutely right," Darkstalker agreed. "Which is why I'm not actually doing a report for The Daily Hive. I only said that so you'd let me in." He pocketed his notebook.

Everyone in the room except Darkstalker looked at each other in confusion and worry.

"So who are you?" Deathbringer asked after a moment.

Darkstalker leaned in conspiratorially. "Have you ever wanted things to change? Have you ever wanted a different, better ruler? One who treats all people fairly? Well, I can help with that."

"Sounds too good to be true," Deathbringer remarked. Everyone except Moon agreed.

Darkstalker smiled. "I can assure you it isn't. I work for the Hands of Peace. And with your help, I'm going to change the world."

Chapter Text

The guard entered their cell. She was a tall Kypseli, with dark hair and green eyes. She wore all black, which made her that much more intimidating.

"Hello," Qibli said politely. "How are you doing?"

The guard blinked and looked at him for a second, then turned away very purposely. She set down a tray of food which looked DISGUSTING to Tsunami.

Tsunami opened her mouth to protest, but Qibli sent her a look that seemed to say, "Let me do the talking." Tsunami knew he was right, but she wasn't about to listen.

"Are you going to answer him?" Tsunami asked angrily. "Or are you Kypselis so full of yourselves that you can't answer a simple greeting?"

Qibli sighed. "Tsunami, please shut up."

"You're not helping," Winter agreed. He turned to the guard, who was making her way to the door. "Ma'am, you do realize that you're imprisoning me, a Status Two? I mean, I get why they're being imprisoned, but me? I haven't done anything wrong."

"Winter, shut up!" Kinkajou yelled, causing everyone in the room to jump.

Kinkajou. Yelling. That was a first. But Tsunami understood why. Winter had just effectively said he believed in the status quo and insulted everyone in the room.

To Tsunami's utter shock, the Kypseli stopped with her hand on the door and turned around slowly. She examined Winter. "Do you know why you're being imprisoned?"

"Me? No. These idiots attacked the guards when they tried to take me. They're under the impression that they're my friends - like I need help from the lower classes."

"Winter, what are you doing?" Qibli demanded, his voice so quiet and angry he seemed almost intimidating.

"It's simply disgusting," Winter said, ignoring Qibli. "They actually think they care about me."

"The lower classes are stupid," the Kypseli agreed. After a moment of silence, she sighed. "Can you recall doing anything remotely illegal?"

"No," Winter said. "I'm a student at JPA. I've been a law-abiding, contributing member of society all my life. My parents are Tundra and Narwhal Icestorm." He smirked, like he thought that would be an asset.

"Oh, them," the Kypseli said. She studied Winter even closer, then sighed. "I think I can convince Queen Wasp to free you. Not them -" she looked at Qibli, Winter, Swordtail, Peril, and Tsunami with an infuriatingly disgusting look - "but I can probably get her to free you. Come with me."

"Winter . . ." Peril said, and Tsunami was surprised. She wouldn't have thought Peril would be the one to complain - she would have thought Qibli. But Qibli was just staring forlornly off into space, so it was left to the rest of them.

Winter twitched slightly, the only acknowledgement that he had even heard Peril. He kept his gaze locked on the Kypseli as he followed her out the door.

And then he was gone. Tsunami couldn't believe it. She didn't know Winter as well as some of the others in their group, but she hadn't expected him to betray them like this.

Tsunami sighed as her friends all looked at each other. "What now?"

Chapter Text

"Um," Moon said to Darkstalker. "How, exactly, are you going to change the world?"

Darkstalker looked a bit confused at the question. "I just told you - I'm with the Hands of Magic."

"That doesn't answer her question," Glory pointed out.

"No, I suppose it didn't." Darkstalker was silent for a moment. He ducked his head, then said, "I don't really know yet. But that's where you come in!" he added, perking up, his voice suddenly mega-cheerful.

"If you don't have a plan, how can you expect us to agree?" Glory inquired.

"I explain my ideals," Darkstalker said pompously. "You will be swayed."

"Are you sure about that?" Deathbringer asked.

"Well, no, but there's no harm in giving me a chance, is there?" he asked, flashing a smile.

"No, there's not," Moon cut in. "Tell us about your ideals."

Glory and Deathbringer both looked at Moon in irritation. Moon raised an eyebrow at them. What was wrong with hearing what Darkstalker had to say.

A lot, it seemed, from the way everyone else in the room frowned at Darkstalker as he leaned forward conspiratorially.

"Just start talking," Glory snapped. "You can waste less time that way."

To Moon's surprise, Darkstalker ignored her. "I believe that the Statuses should be abolished," he announced. The room was silent.

"You know there are cameras and microphones here, right?" Starflight asked slowly.

Darkstalker simply smiled, waving his hand. "Oh, don't worry about that. I've taken care of it. We'll be fine."

Starflight did not seem to find that reassuring. Honestly, neither did Moon.

"I also think that Queen Wasp should be overthrown," Darkstalker continued.

"And who would be put in her place?" Deathbringer asked immediately.

Darkstalker waved that off. "Let's not worry about that now," he said. "The important thing is getting Wasp off the throne, and her family out of power."

"What then?" Glory interrupted.

"And how exactly are we going to overthrow Wasp?" Deathbringer added.

"Then, once Wasp is overthrown, we take control of the government, abolish the Statuses, and create peace across Pyrrhia."

"Pyrrhia is at peace," Starflight pointed out, only to immediately shrink under the room's withering glares.

"You call this peace?" Darkstalker demanded. "The lower Statuses are living in constant fear, without access to good jobs or education."

Starflight ducked his head. "I know, I just . . ."

"He agrees with you, he's scared," Sunny informed Darkstalker. "And it's okay," she said to Starflight. "I'm scared too. But just think: once we succeed, we can make the world so much better."

That sounded pretty optimistic to Moon. But then, Sunny was the queen of optimistic. And usually, if she could convince her friends to help, her optimism paid off.

No one else seemed to be having that train of thought. The rest of Moon's friends were looking at Sunny very skeptically. This was normal, Moon reminded herself. No matter how many times Sunny ended up right, her friends were still skeptics.

"I'll help you," Sunny said to Darkstalker. "I can't speak for my friends, but Wasp needs to be overthrown, and I would definitely be willing to help you do that."

Darkstalker smiled at her. "Thank you, Sunny."

"How do you know her name?" Glory demanded.

Darkstalker smiled pleasantly. "She must have mentioned it."

"I'm certain she didn't," Glory countered, slightly angry.

"Maybe I did," Sunny interjected. She smiled at Darkstalker. "It's fine. My friends are just suspicious."

"For a good reason!" Glory exclaimed. She turned to Sunny. "Please tell me you don't believe everything he's saying."

"I believe he's doing his best to help the world," Sunny answered, cocking her head to one side. "If that's what you mean."

Glory groaned and clutched her head. She stared at the ground in anger for a moment, breathing in in a very irritated way. "Fine," she grumbled after a moment, turning to Darkstalker. "We will all help you with overthrowing Queen Wasp."

"We will?" three-quarters of the room asked.

Glory glared around at everyone. "Yes, we will."

Even Moon knew it was best not to argue with Glory when she was in that mood. So Moon smiled politely as Darkstalker grinned pleasantly at the room and asked, "So, should we begin formulating a plan?"

Chapter Text

Sundew thought that the plans her friends were bouncing off each other were stupid. Like, was anyone actually convinced that they would be able to break into the castle and murder Wasp? There was no way that would be successful. They were twenty-ish fourteen to sixteen year olds. Not happening.

Not only that, but did everyone actually think that Darkstalker could be trusted? They were taking him at his word - that was always a mistake!

Sundew sighed, scowling around at everyone. "I have a plan that's better than yours," she announced.

Cricket frowned. "Sundew, we already have a plan."

"No, you already have a bad plan. There is a difference between plans and bad plans."

"But-"

Sundew sighed. "Just listen to my plan." She waited for all of her friends to nod before she continued. "We have two options," Sundew said. "One: break into the palace and rescue our friends and/or murder Wasp. Two: recruit others to our cause and begin either peaceful or guerrilla violent protests."

"Hold on," Willow interjected. "Are you suggesting a peaceful protest?"

Sundew scowled at her - then smiled. It was Willow; she couldn't be expected to stay mad for long. "No," she said. "I want you to know all the options."

"I still vote we break into the palace," Glory said. "Rescuing the others is the priority."

Sundew examined the room. Most people seemed to agree. Fine. If they insisted on being stupid, Sundew would be there to make sure they survived. "Then we need a solid plan," she said. "Not whatever thing you were discussing. That would never work in real life."

"Oh, because this is so real?" Cricket asked.

"It's not like we're in a book," Sundew shot back. "The stakes are real. Wasp will execute us if we give her the chance."

"So we don't give her the chance," Cricket concluded.

Sundew sent her a withering look. "That was obvious. How we don't give her the chance is the question." She glanced around the room. Sundew had many ideas, but she knew her friends wouldn't like them. "Any ideas?"

"We need more information," Starflight said. "But we have no way to get it."

"Deathbringer has been snooping around," Glory announced. "He might have some information."

Deathbringer glared at her. "I don't. I only know what I told you before."

"Which was nothing," Glory supplied.

He frowned. "Okay, fine. All I know is that our friends are imprisoned in Wasp's palace."

"How exactly do you know this?" Glory inquired pointedly.

Deathbringer gave her his signature smug smirk. "That's for me to know and you to find out."

"Deathbringer -"

"Okay, so they're in Wasp's palace," Sundew interjected before the argument could escalate. "Where in Wasp's palace?"

Deathbringer shook his head. "I could only find minimal information."

"Yeah, his assassin contacts don't know anything," Glory said sarcastically.

"They don't!"

"Wait, you actually have assassin contacts?"

Sundew felt the need to intercede again. "Is there any other information you can share with us? Such as security around the palace?"

"No," Deathbringer said. "But if I can get to the palace, I can find out both those things."

Sundew considered this. That wasn't all that hard to believe - Deathbringer was a trained assassin, and his mother had been trusted by Queen Wasp until she wasn't.

"So," Darkstalker interjected, and honestly, Sundew had forgotten he was there, "we're going to the palace?"

Sundew wasn't sure who we was in that equation, but whatever - some of them were going to the palace. Whether Darkstalker would be a part of that group was a whole other conversation.

"Yes," Sundew said after a moment in which they all considered. "We're going to the palace."

Chapter Text

Willow was not at all pleased with the plan. Part of this was because it meant leaving school for at least a week - but if they succeeded there wouldn't be a school to go back to, sooo . . . But mainly, the reason Willow was not at all pleased with the plan was because it involved Sundew. In fact, the entire thing relied on Sundew. And Deathbringer, she supposed, but it was Sundew who Willow was worried about.

As she crouched next to her . . . friend and waited, Willow wondered whether she would ever see Sundew again. This was dangerous. Really dangerous. They were breaking into Queen Wasp's palace, for moons' sake!

"Sundew," Willow whispered.

"Shhh. Don't give us away."

"I know," Willow hissed. "But Sundew, are you sure this is a good idea?"

Sundew glanced at her with a slightly irritated expression. "Good? No. Smart? No. But considering the circumstances, this is the best plan."

Willow could see the worry on Sundew's face, though. She followed her friend's gaze from the ground to the castle. It looked impenetrable. Scratch that - it was impenetrable. Willow and her friends had known this, but clearly, that hadn't gotten through their heads. They were still breaking into the palace.

And it was time to put that plan into action. The group had split up into three groups: a distraction, an infiltration, and an exfiltration.

Willow was part of the distraction, along with Starflight, Cricket, Sunny, and Lynx. Cricket was the leader of that group. Deathbringer and Darkstalker headed the infiltration, and Luna, Turtle, Riptide, and Moon were helping them, along with Darkstalker's friends Clearsight, Fathom, and Indigo. Glory and Sundew were the leads of the exfiltration team, with Fatespeaker, Blue, and Clay under their command.

"Are you ready?" Sundew asked. She was helping Cricket with the beginning parts of the distraction before taking her place as part of the exfiltration team.

"Me?" Willow asked.

"Yes, you. Who else would I be talking to?"

"I - okay, fair. Yes, I'm ready. As ready as you can be for creating a distraction so that your friends can break into an impenetrable palace."

"Nothing is impenetrable," Sundew reminded her. "We're going to impenetrate it."

Willow didn't have any of Sundew's confidence. She knew her part, and she intended to execute it. But what if she couldn't, or what if something else went wrong? If someone else didn't do their part, the whole thing wouldn't work.

Willow jumped slightly as she felt someone grab her hand. Sundew.

"We most likely won't die," Sundew said. "We've got this. We're just waiting for the signal. It should come soon."

Willow snorted a laugh. That was not reassuring. In fact, Sundew's words only made Willow more nervous. They were close. Close to enacting a plan that might bring ruin to them all.

Okay, that was a little dramatic, but it was true. Willow couldn't afford to do this wrong.

When the signal - a series of three quick bird chirps from Glory - echoed across the clearing, Willow took a deep breath. She pressed the button on her phone.

The bomb was set.

Five minutes until it went off.

Willow and Sundew leapt from their hiding place and slunk around, making sure they followed a path to stay covered and out of sight from the guards of the palace. Once they'd gotten far enough away, Sundew pulled Willow behind a bush. "This should be far enough."

"Why are we running?" Willow asked. "You said the bombs aren't supposed to be dangerous."

"They can wound," Sundew corrected. "Odds are they won't hurt anyone, though. We only want to cause confusion. And we don't want to be in a position where we could be found in the chaos."

Willow nodded. "Right." She clutched Sundew's hand in fear.

"One minute," Sundew whispered.

Willow didn't reply. There wasn't any need to. They couched in silence, staring into the distance, waiting for the bomb.

And sixty seconds later, the bomb went off.

Chapter Text

Riptide crept along the corridor behind Deathbringer, Darkstalker, Darkstalker's weird friends, Luna, Turtle, and Moon. They were obviously attempting to be stealthy, but Luna and Riptide himself were not succeeding. The rest of the group were succeeding in being quiet. They were all invisible except to each other by Turtle's spell, but Riptide was legitimately concerned that he and Luna would bring the whole mission down.

Breaking into the most fortified place in Pyrrhia was rather difficult.

Riptide followed the rest of the group around the corner, following Darkstalker's and Deathbringer's orders to follow their leads. They pressed themselves up against the wall when anyone passed, and soon Darkstalker had led them deep into the palace. He seemed to know it well.

Darkstalker unlocked a door with a key he pulled from his pocket and beckoned them inside. Riptide frowned as he trailed after the others into the room. Why would Darkstalker have a key to a room in Queen Wasp's palace?

Riptide glanced over his shoulder, feeling slightly uneasy. This was weird. Really weird.

And it got even weirder when they descended a set of steep, old steps. Presumably this was the entrance to the dungeons. Why in Pyrrhia would Darkstalker know an entrance to Queen Wasp's dungeons?

The dungeon didn't seem to end as they followed Darkstalker through the maze of cells. Riptide was still suspicious - why and how did he seem to know where to go?

Darkstalker stopped at a cell too dark to see into and motioned for the group to step forward. "I'll let you talk to your friends," he said.

Riptide rushed forward. Was this where they were? Where Tsunami was?

"Tsunami?" he called into the darkness.

"Riptide?" a familiar voice asked. Tsunami appeared behind the bars of the cell, silhouetted against the dark. "Wait, where are you?"

"Oh, sorry, I didn't remove the spell," Turtle said. "You can see us now."

"I can tell." Tsunami smiled at Riptide and then glanced at the rest of the group. "And the rest of you!"

Deathbringer snorted. "Wow, I feel so loved."

"Sorry I'm not Glory." Tsunami turned to Riptide as Swordtail rushed up to the bars and gave Luna an as good as a hug as he could with the bars between them. Kinkajou followed half a second later, hugging Turtle and grinning at the rest of them in standard Kinkajou fashion.

"We need to get you guys out of here," Deathbringer said.

Qibli and Peril walked up to the bars. Moon greeted them, grinning, then craned her neck to look past them into the cell. "Where's Winter?"

They all glanced at each other, and then Qibli said, "He, uh, he left."

"Left?" nine voices echoed in unison.

"He convinced the HiveWing guard that he wasn't our friend and hadn't done anything wrong got the guard to free him."

Deathbringer blinked. "Okay, that is actually genius."

Qibli blinked. "You think he wasn't serious?" Riptide could hear the worry in his voice.

Moon and Deathbringer looked at each other, and then they both gave gave Qibli an incredulous look. "Of course not," Moon said. He may be . . . well, Winter, but he's not a liar. I've seen his mind. He likes us. He wouldn't betray us for real."

Qibli still didn't seem convinced - and neither was Riptide, if anyone could keep up a ruse like that and manipulate Moon's mind reading, it was Winter - but he let the conversation drop. "So, are we leaving or not?" Qibli asked instead.

"Let me take care of that," Darkstalker said, sliding forward and grabbing the lock on the cell door.

"Who are you?" Peril demanded.

"Oh, me? I'm Darkstalker." He spun the lock around in his hand, then tapped it. He dropped it and - he opened the door.

Just like that.

Riptide and his friends shared a look. Qibli opened his mouth to talk but was interrupted when -

"Well, well, look what we have here," a sinister voice said as its owner stepped out of the shadows.

Riptide spun around to face the voice.

Queen Wasp stood, in full regal glory, in the middle of the dark hallway. She smiled, showing her teeth like a predator. "A group of traitorous lower-classes breaking their friends out of my dungeons. Oooh, are you in trouble . . ."

Chapter Text

"Uh-oh," Luna said unnecessarily.

"Let me handle this," Darkstalker hissed. "You run."

Luna did not have any intention of running. She was not abandoning Swordtail. Or anyone else, but mainly Swordtail. "Come on, guys!"

"You'll never escape, little Resham," Queen Wasp said smugly.

"We'll see about that," Luna said fiercely. Swordtail, Qibli, Kinkajou, Tsunami, and Peril exited the cell.

"Well, we'll be leaving now, Wasp," Darkstalker said pleasantly. "This way."

Luna and Swordtail exchanged a glance. Were they actually going to try to walk out of here? Was the Queen going to let them? There was no way . . .

Sure enough, the Queen clicked her tongue. "You'll never get out of the palace."

"Are you going to stop us?" Deathbringer questioned, sweeping past her, with the rest of them trailing him and Darkstalker.

"I don't need to. My guards will."

"Hmm," Deathbringer said.

On that encouraging note, they followed Darkstalker out of the dungeons completely unopposed.

The opposition started once they were almost out of the palace. Fifteen Kypseli guards stood in their way, blocking the closest exit.

Great.

"Do we retreat?" Riptide whispered.

Darkstalker glared at him. "No. I do not retreat."

Luna didn't like the sound of that. Darkstalker had to know that retreating was sometimes the smart option, right? There were a lot of guards, and even though she and her friends could fight, these were trained Kypseli guards. And if three guards had defeated Swordtail, Tsunami, Peril, Winter, Qibli, and Kinkajou, then Luna and her friends wouldn't stand a chance against fifteen.

Darkstalker took a threatening step toward the guards. "I suggest you step aside," he said.

The first guard smirked. "I suggest you stop helping Resham worms and

Swordtail drew himself up to his full height. "How dare you," he hissed.

Oh, Swordtail, Luna thought. Don't mouth off to the guards. Then, on the off chance it somehow got them out of here, she supposed it was worth it.

"I am not a worm. Luna is not a worm. We are humans, with names, and faces and opinions. We are-"

Oh, bummer, Luna thought. I liked that speech. Swordtail wasn't usually all that eloquent, so when he was, especially about a topic they both were passionate about,

"Oh, save it for prison," the guard grumbled, stepping forward and pulling a pair of handcuffs out of his back pocket.

"I don't think so," a familiar voice said.

Winter Icestorm stood in the now-open door behind the guards. The rest of their friends, Thorn, and at least fifty other people, from all different races and statuses, stood behind him.

Winter smirked at their shocked expressions. "Guess I'm not a traitor after all. How do you like the backup I brought?"

Chapter Text

Clay crouched with Fatespeaker and Glory within distance from the castle, ready to help. Being part of the exfiltration team meant a lot of waiting. And listening to Glory go over the plan a million times. And sitting with nothing to do.

Moons, this was boring.

Clay yawned.

Glory shushed him. "We have to be ready for when they give the signal," she scolded him.

"I AM ready for when they give the signal!" Clay insisted. "More importantly, YOU are ready for when they give the signal, so that on the off chance that I'm not ready, you can tell me."

Glory sighed. "Oh, Clay."

Clay didn't really have anything to say to that. He knew Glory was right, and that he needed to be ready, but seriously, he'd been sitting there for over an hour. How long did breaking into a castle and freeing their friends take?

Okay, probably longer than an hour. Unfortunately, it was reasonable to expect that he would be sitting there waiting for an incredibly long time.

Clay was right. It was another hour until something remotely interesting or exciting happened. During that hour, Glory had gone over the hour three more times, much to Clay's - and Fatespeaker's annoyance.

"Finally, I found someone," a familiar voice said in a whisper.

Glory spun around, Clay turning around too, but much slower. His mouth dropped open when he saw who was in front of them.

Winter smirked. "Surprised to see me?"

"Aren't you in jail?" Glory asked. "Weren't you the reason everyone got arrested?"

"Oh, my visions didn't tell me about this," Fatespeaker said rather worriedly. Clay almost rolled his eyes, but he remembered that that was Glory's thing and left the eyerolls to her.

"First of all, no, it was their fault they got arrested," Winter said. "Insisting on helping me, the idiots. I guess it was my fault I got arrested, but certainly not my fault everyone got arrested." He sniffed in that aristocratic way that only Winter could master. "Second of all, yes, I was in jail, but I convinced one of the Kypseli guards to free me."

Clay had not expected that. By the looks of it, neither had Glory. "You what?" she asked.

"I convinced one of the Kypseli guards to free me," Winter repeated. "Well, more like manipulated her. Qibli will likely kill me for some of the things I said."

"What did you say?" Glory asked suspiciously. "Never mind, no matter what you say, I'm sure Qibli will always kill you. The important thing is, why are you here and how did you know where to find us? And how long have you been free?"

Winter rolled his eyes. "A couple days. Long enough to gather some allies. And you're not exactly hard to find. I knew you were going to try to break in - I have stupid, impulsive friends. So, I've been surreptitiously wandering the grounds until I came across someone I knew to tell them of the plan."

"You have a plan?"

"Of course. Because your plan isn't going to work."

"It's a good plan," Glory objected.

"Maybe so, but you won't be able to execute it without help," Winter said. "And help is what I brought."

"What kind of help?" Fatespeaker asked.

Winter smirked. "Your visions didn't tell you?" he asked, looking far too pleased with himself. "I brought our own army. And Thorn."

Chapter Text

"Hey," a voice said near Sunny's ear. She jumped and spun around, to see Fatespeaker crouching beside her.

"You're in a whole different group," Starflight hissed from beside Sunny. "What are you doing?"

"There's been a change of plans with exfiltration," Fatespeaker said. "Glory and Sundew sent me, Clay, and Blue out to tell everyone."

"We're the distraction," Starflight said, unnecessarily in Sunny's opinion. Surely Fatespeaker knew that. "So it doesn't affect us."

Fatespeaker shook her head. "No, it does. Everyone is needed for exfiltration now."

"Why?" Sunny asked.

"Because Winter escaped," Fatespeaker said, as if that didn't create a million more questions. "And he brought an army, and now we're going to fight the guards."

"Why?" Starflight asked. "Why can't we just stick to the plan?"

"And how did he escape? And who's the army? And how did he even get an army?" Sunny asked, her mind racing. This was entirely too much information and also not enough.

"It's complicated," Fatespeaker said, as if she thought that could count as a satisfactory answer. "Basically, apparently he went to Thorn, and she got him an army. And now apparently, we're going to use the army to help them escape. And I think maybe the ultimate goal is to kill Queen Wasp, even if Winter didn't say that outright."

"What?!" Sunny and Starflight asked in unison.

"We're going to try and kill Queen Wasp?" Sunny whispered. She didn't like that. At all. It was dangerous, foolhardy, and would probably get a lot of people killed. And Sunny didn't like the idea of killing people, even if that person was Queen Wasp.

"I don't know," Fatespeaker answered. "But that seems to be the unofficial plan. I think Winter's army will take care of it, so we'll just be there for backup."

"Winter's army," Sunny snorted.

Fatespeaker smiled slightly. "It's a funny phrase, I know," she said. "And it's more like Thorn's army. Anyway, the signal, to be at the main entrance to the palace is when the lights flicker twice."

"Which lights?" Starflight asked.

"The ones on the palace," Fatespeaker answered. "All of them. It's the exfiltration team's signal. Apparently Darkstalker has a way to turn off the lights temporarily that they're going to activate on their way out."

"Of course he does," Starflight grumbled.

"I'm glad Deathbringer went with that group," Sunny said. "Darkstalker makes me nervous."

Fatespeaker snorted. "He makes us all nervous. My visions haven't told me much, but he's obviously evil."

"Maybe not evil," Starflight countered. "But he definitely has a hidden agenda."

Fatespeaker huffed, obviously slightly annoyed that Starflight was disagreeing with her visions. "Alright, well, I'd better get back to Glory before she starts to worry. I don't want her mad at me for taking too long."

"No one wants an angry Glory," Sunny agreed. "Bye, Fatespeaker. Thanks for warning us."

The other girl shrugged, gave both Sunny and Starflight a quick hug, and disappeared into the foliage.

"Well," Starflight said when she was gone. "That was interesting."

Interesting was an understatement. If nothing else, this was going to be an exciting day.

Chapter Text

Fatespeaker returned to Glory and Sundew after her conversation with Sunny and Starflight.

"So, what now?" Fatespeaker asked as she walked up to Glory and Sundew. Blue was with her, but Clay hadn't returned yet.

"We wait for the signal," Glory responded.

"Well, duh," Fatespeaker said. "That was kind of the reason I just went around to all the groups. To tell them about the signal. I meant once the signal comes."

Sundew rolled her eyes. "Go to the palace and wait for orders."

"From Winter? You're letting Winter boss you around?"

Both Glory and Sundew bristled. "No," Glory said. "We're letting Thorn boss us around. Though in all honesty, Winter knows more about this than we do."

Fatespeaker raised an eyebrow. It was unlike either Glory or Sundew to admit that someone, especially Winter, could do something better than them. Fatespeaker thought it wasn't a good idea to risk their wrath by pointing this out, so she stayed quiet.

No one else said anything for a while. And the signal still wasn't going off. And Blue and Clay still weren't back.

"Should we be worried?" Fatespeaker asked eventually.

"I'm sure they're fine," Glory replied, though Fatespeaker could tell from the line of her mouth that Glory was getting worried too.

"They are fine," Sundew said authoritatively.

Fatespeaker narrowed her eyes. "How can you know? I'm the seer, and I don't see anything."

"So you're the not-seer," Glory muttered.

Sundew rolled her eyes, though whether at Fatespeaker or Glory, Fatespeaker didn't know. "I don't. But they're headed by Deathbringer, and he's competent."

"But what about Blue and Clay?"

Sundew sighed. "Let's just be quiet until the signal goes off. Or until Blue and Clay get back."

Glory snorted. "You realize that's impossible, right? We're with Fatespeaker."

Sundew snorted, and Fatespeaker scowled. "I don't talk that much!" she insisted.

"Yes, you do," Glory informed her. "Let's at least make it about something interesting, please, if we must converse."

"There's nothing interesting to talk about," Sundew announced, "since we shouldn't discuss my poisonous plant collection lest someone overhear and thus get an advantage."

"You sound like Starflight," Glory said. "Or Cricket."

"Oh no, do I? I'm sorry."

The conversation died again. Come on, Blue! Come on, Clay!

Unfortunately, neither of them returned, and the signal didn't go off. It had been long enough that even Sundew was starting to get a bit worried.

"Should we head over early?" Glory asked. "Or go find them?"

Sundew frowned contemplatively. "No," she said at last. "Let's give it at least five minutes."

It was four minutes and forty-two seconds until they got word of their friends. Clay burst into their little clearing, panting.

"We're in trouble," he gasped. "They captured Blue."

Glory gasped. Fatespeaker blanched. Sundew merely had a worried expression on her face.

"Should we go rescue him?" Fatespeaker asked.

"No," Sundew said. "We can take care of that later, during the battle when everyone's distracted. For now . . . Let's wait for the signal."

And at that very minute, the lights on Queen Wasp's fortress flickered.

Chapter Text

Blue was panicking. He was separated from his friends in the midst of an infiltration. More importantly, he had been captured by Kypseli guards.

That was probably the thing he should be worrying about. His friends could take care of themselves.

Blue glanced around frantically as he was dragged toward the main doors of the fortress. He was surrounded; there would be no way to escape unless he took drastic measures.

Drastic measures involved using his Weapon.

Blue did not want to use drastic measures. Blue's Weapon was a can of hairspray that, for five hours after spraying it, allowed him to shoot fire from his fingers. He'd sprayed it before leaving for Wasp's fortress, and it had only been three hours since they'd arrived. So, his ability would probably work. Blue could feel a bit of fire in his fingers, though not as much as he had a few hours ago when he'd first sprayed it.

Blue glanced around, hoping there was a fire extinguisher nearby. He only wanted to scare the guards, not seriously hurt them.

There was no fire extinguisher in sight, so Blue would have to rely on his ability to control his fire, which he was not confident in at all.

Nevertheless, he closed his eyes and concentrated, focusing on the feeling of flame weaving its way through his fingertips.

"Whoa," a guard said, and Blue snapped his eyes open to see flames encircling his wrists and snapping at the guards.

"Let me go," Blue snapped in his most threatening tone, which, according to Luna, wasn't very threatening, but maybe it would be when backed up by fire.

Apparently, it was, because the guards let him go. Blue scampered out of their reach, toward the entrance to the castle. He squinted, realizing that there was a large number of non-guards blocking the entrance. As he got closer, he realized who they were.

Winter's army!

He quickly slipped between them until he got to the front, where Winter was detaining a couple guards while his friends watched.

Wait. His friends!

"Luna! Swordtail!"

"Blue!" Swordtail cried.

"What are you doing here?" Luna demanded. "Are you okay?"

Blue ignored her. "I'm so glad you're okay!" he said to her and Swordtail. He looked around and noted that all his friends, plus Darkstalker, were accounted for. (He didn't really care about Darkstalker, but reminding himself that the boy existed was probably a good idea).

"What are you doing here?" Deathbringer hissed. "The signal won't go off for another minute! You're compromising our escape plan!"

"I got captured," Blue said casually. "Don't worry, I escaped."

"Obviously." Deathbringer grabbed Blue's arm and dragged him through the door, flipping a switch on the way out. "C'mon. Let's go."

"No, we can't," Blue said. "This is the meeting place."

Deathbringer spun around. "The meeting place," he enunciated slowly, "is outside the palace walls. The exfiltration's job is to create a distraction, not put yourselves in more danger."

Blue shook his head, slightly impressed with himself for how he was telling Deathbringer he was wrong. "There's been a change of plans. We have to stay here."

Deathbringer groaned. "This was not the plan," he muttered. "Who gave you that order? Glory?"

"I did," Winter said calmly. He raised an eyebrow at Deathbringer. "Since I'm the one who rescued you, I do think I should have a say."

"Ugh, fine. What's your plan?"

Winter glanced around, smiling slightly. "Now, we take back our freedom."

Chapter Text

Swordtail would be lying if he wasn't at least a little bit surprised by the turn of events. First, Blue (of all people) had appeared, announced he had escaped capture, and promptly informed them that Glory had turned the plan on its head. Then, Winter had essentially poofed into existence and announced he had an army.

And now, the courtyard of Queen Wasp's palace was going crazy. Guards were swarming them, but the members of Winter's army were keeping them at bay. More were coming out from the palace, and Swordtail had a feeling they were soon to be overwhelmed.

He locked eyes with Luna, and then they both jumped into action.

Swordtail fought guard after guard. His Weapon, a strength-enhancing belt, had been taken by the guards when he'd been captured, but Swordtail was a formidable fighter anyway. He pushed all worries about his friends' safety out of his mind and focused. One guard was unconscious. Another was clutching his elbow. A third screamed in pain. And then it all stopped as the courtyard froze.

"Now, now," a familiar sinister voice said, heels clicking on the marble steps as a figure stepped out of the palace gates.

Queen Wasp.

Swordtail glanced around to make sure no one would take advantage of the distraction to catch him by surprise, but everyone around him was watching Queen Wasp warily. Swordtail quickly turned his focus back to the Queen.

Her gaze surveyed the battlefield, eventually settling on Winter. "You seem to be the ringleader," she hissed. "You are the one who offended me. You are the one who escaped. You are the problem."

"I beg to differ," Winter said calmly. "But I rather think you are the problem. I'm a Glacee, and even I can see it."

Oooohhhhh, Swordtail thought in the most stereotypical middle-schooler making fun of someone voice. Someone's in trouble, and for once it isn't me!

Queen Wasp's face turned practically purple with rage. "How dare you! This wouldn't be happening if you hadn't attacked!"

"This wouldn't be happening if you hadn't arrested me for accidentally bumping into you!"

"You told me I had no power!" Queen Wasp shouted angrily.

"I didn't recognize you! You were walking around JPA in a disguise. You clearly didn't want to be recognized. You were being super disrespectful, and if you had been literally anyone else, it would have been true!" Winter turned around and faced his audience dramatically. "Do we want a Queen who arrests people for trivial things? Do we want a society where one group of people - well, three groups of people - have undeniably more power than the others? We have her surrounded," Winter continued, "we could destroy her now. All we have to do is do it."

The courtyard was silent. Kypseli guards gaped at Winter, looking appropriately horrified. But most of Swordtail's friends - and Winter's army - were smiling.

"Yes!" someone shouted.

"Great," Winter said, smirking. "Then let's capture her."

"What?" Queen Wasp gasped, then turned to the nearest guards. "Arrest them all at once!"

"Yeah, that's not going to happen," a voice that was both familiar and unfamiliar said. Darkstalker stepped out from behind one of the doors of the palace. To Winter's shock, he clutched a knife in his left hand.

"And why won't it?" Wasp hissed. "I believe I am the Queen here."

"Not for long." Darkstalker lunged forward faster than Swordtail could blink.

In a flash, Queen Wasp was dead, and Darkstalker was standing to the side of her body.

"Well," he said, completely oblivious to the utter shock of his audience, "that was fun."

Chapter Text

Starflight stared, both impressed and appalled. And in shock. Mostly shock.

Queen Wasp was dead.

And even more surprising:

She had been killed by Darkstalker.

Starflight and the rest of the courtyard gaped as Darkstalker stepped over the body and grinned at the crowd.

"Well," Darkstalker said with complete calm, "it looks like the world is in need of a new ruler."

Well, that much is obvious, Starflight thought. Though who, or how, would surely be up for much debate.

But then Darkstalker said, "And by the decree of the Convention of Races two thousand years ago, the person who kills the previous monarch - either in a duel or otherwise - shall be ruler.
Therefore, I am next in line to be King."

Of course. Of course this was Darkstalker's plan. Why hadn't Starflight seen it? While helping them defeat Queen Wasp, he was only furthering his own agenda.

But surely Darkstalker wouldn't succeed. There was no way that Winter's army and their friends would let him take over. Starflight's friends were too strong-willed.

But then Darkstalker said, "Well, I believe a little clean-up is in order," and directed the Kypselis near him to remove Queen Wasp's body. And the Kypselis listened. Queen Wasp's guards listened to a Noctu who has just murdered their queen.

Something was officially wrong with the world.

Starflight was in a state of shock as Darkstalker continued to direct the Kypselis and the rest of the courtyard. In a daze, Thorn, her allies, and everyone else Winter had brought abandoned the courtyard. Soon, it was only Starflight's friends, Darkstalker and his friends, and a couple random Kypselis standing around.

"Well, I've solved your problem," Darkstalker said pleasantly. "I told you I would change the world with your help."

"Well, you've certainly changed the world," Deathbringer said.

"Whether you've changed it for the better is debatable, however," Winter added. "As much as I am pleased Wasp is dead, I don't think you're the best person to take her place."

Darkstalker frowned in a way that set Starflight's teeth on edge. "I beg to differ. Besides, I have effectively gained the throne. There is nothing you can do. I can tell my guards to kick you out of the courtyard and there would be nothing you can do."

Oh, this is dangerous. He's already referring to them as "my guards". What have we gotten ourselves into?

"We could do to you what you did to Wasp," Deathbringer offered.

"You know, karma," Winter agreed.

Starflight was half-convinced they both had a death wish.

Darkstalker scowled. "Have I done anything wrong yet? You of all people should know it's wrong to judge people on things they might do."

"You're right," Deathbringer conceded. "Other than be totally creepy, you haven't done anything. So, we'll give you a week."

"We will?" Winter countered. "I vote we take him out now."

"He technically helped us, though," Deathbringer pointed out.

Winter scowled. "I don't trust him."

"No one does. But . . . he's not wrong."

Starflight could see both sides of his friends' arguments. Deathbringer was right that they should give him a chance, but Winter was right that giving him a chance was dangerous.

"He's not," Moon spoke up. "I say we give him a chance. A month. Then we can reevaluate."

Winter was clearly not happy, but he agreed.

Darkstalker smiled at them all. "Now that that's settled, would you like to stay in the palace for a couple days? Or would you prefer to go back to school?"

Starflight and his friends exchanged a collective glance.

"Someone should stay here," Deathbringer said after a moment. "The rest of us should go back to school, but there should be someone here to keep an eye on him."

"I'll stay," Moon offered. "I feel like I'll be the least biased."

"So will I," Winter said, and the sentiment was quickly echoed by Qibli and Kinkajou.

Everyone looked at Peril and Turtle, expecting them to follow their closer friends.

Peril scowled. "What? Why are you all looking at me?"

"Do you and Turtle want to stay?"

"Well, I don't."

"I'll stay," Turtle said, sounding anything but pleased by the notion.

Peril's scowl deepened. "Well, fine, then! I'll stay here too."

"So that's settled," Deathbringer said. "Moon, Winter, Qibli, Kinkajou, Turtle, and Peril will stay at the palace with Darkstalker and the rest of us will go back to JPA."

No one objected. Everyone who was staying was escorted into the palace by Darkstalker, after goodbyes and promises to bring them their things soon. The rest of the group followed Deathbringer out of the palace courtyard.

As they were leaving, Starflight couldn't help but take a last look at the palace. He had the ominous feeling that they had all just signed their death warrants.

Chapter Text

"Well, this is interesting," Cadelle Termite said, surveying the classroom. Her golden eyes lingered on Cricket, eyebrows raised expectantly.

Cricket didn't know what her grandmother wanted. Well, actually, she kind of did. Cadelle was a Kypseli to the core, meaning she had completely supported Queen Wasp. This was the first time Cricket had seen her grandmother since the incident at the palace, and it made sense that Cadelle would be more than a little annoyed at her. She had, after all, helped engineer the overthrow of the most powerful tyrant in recent history.

The thought sent a chill down Cricket's spine, and she couldn't help but smile.

Queen Wasp was gone.

Of course, nothing had really changed in the past two weeks since Darkstalker had taken power, if the environment at JPA was anything to go by. The teachers were still mean, the higher-status students were still bullying the lower-status students, the curriculum was still full of pro-Queen Wasp propaganda, and the rules of inequality had yet to be revoked.

Cricket knew it would take time, but sometimes she wondered whether Darkstalker was even trying. Of course, this was why they'd given him a month trial period, but still. There were no visible changes in two weeks . . .

"Cricket, I expect you to pay attention in my class," Cadelle said sternly, interrupting her thoughts. "Answer the question I just asked you."

Cricket had not heard the question Cadelle had just asked her. But if she knew anything about this history class, she was pretty sure she knew the answer. "Queen Wasp?"

Cadelle's eyes narrowed. "Correct. Now tell me what the question was."

Bummer. Cricket had thought that might work. She tried to come up with a question to which the answer was Queen Wasp, but the closest she could come up with was, "Who's the worst, most racist, arrogant, egotistical, and narcissistic tyrant of the past century?"

As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Cricket regretted them. Cadelle would be furious, and she might even give Cricket detention.

"What did you just say?" Cadelle hissed, after a moment of shocked silence.

Someone in the back of the class snickered. It was probably Sundew.

Cricket decided that if she was going to do this revolution, she was going to do it all the way. Cricket sat up straight and lifted her chin as she repeated herself.

Cadelle's mouth fell open. "How dare you! Her Majesty Queen Wasp was a great, determined, and strong leader!"

Cricket shrugged. "You're welcome to your own opinion. Anyway, it doesn't matter anymore. She's dead."

Cadelle's mouth open and closed for a few minutes. Cricket had to admit she enjoyed seeing her grandmother so flustered. "Detention, young lady," Cadelle snapped. "And I'll be writing to your mother."

"Hey, you can't send her to detention for stating the truth," Sundew called from the back of the class.

"Send her to detention and the rest of us go too," Luna piped up. "We all think the same thing."

"No, we don't!" someone Cricket didn't know shouted, sounding panicked.

"Fine," Cadelle hissed. "Anyone who speaks against Her Majesty Queen Wasp will be receiving detention."

Half the class spoke up, even some people Cricket wasn't friends with. It was great.

As almost the entire class headed to detention after classes together, Cricket couldn't help but smile. Maybe there wasn't much obvious change, but no one could have imagined this much rebellion a couple weeks earlier. Things were slow going, but they were getting better.

Chapter Text

"Hey, loser," a semi-familiar voice said. "Whatcha doin'?"

Swordtail spun around and groaned inwardly when he saw that it was Winter's sister Icicle, and her posse of obnoxious Glacees. This was either going to be very fun, or very not-fun.

"Well, I must be a loser, because I'm looking at you," Swordtail said. "You pollute the air around you with your loser energy."

Icicle's eyes narrowed. "Don't talk to me like that. You realize you're a Resham, right?"

"As a matter of fact, I am indeed aware that I am a Resham."

Her eyes narrowed further. "Are you talking back to me?"

Swordtail rolled his eyes. "I wasn't before, but I am now. Are you so insecure that you yell at everyone who answers your questions?"

"I know you're friends with my brother," Icicle said. "And I know you had a hand in defeating Queen Wasp. But that doesn't make you invincible. You're on thin ice, Resham." With that, Icicle gestured to her posse, and they all strutted down the hall, looking like they owned the place.

Swordtail sighed as he watched them leave. Things really hadn't changed since Darkstalker took over. Not that he'd expected it to; Darkstalker was obviously evil. But he had hoped he'd at least try to make it look like he cared. Darkstalker had to be somewhat smart, as he'd managed to manipulate Swordtail's friends. He'd want to keep them as allies, so Swordtail had thought Darkstalker would at least pretend to do what they wanted him to.

Swordtail sighed, sitting down on the stairs and opening the group chat. There was a whole long text a couple days old from Qibli, explaining what life at the palace was like and telling them what Darkstalker was doing. Apparently, it wasn't much.

That had been contested by Moon, who believed that Darkstalker was doing the best he could and that politics took time.

Yes, but it had been two weeks, but Darkstalker was in control of the whole government! This wasn't a democracy, for moon's sake! It shouldn't be that hard for him to make a decree!

Maybe it was though, because the only thing Darkstalker had done was raise taxes, since he "needed to establish himself as the king". Also, he probably just wanted more money.

Swordtail didn't know anything about politics, but that seemed like a pretty stupid reason to raise taxes. If Darkstalker wanted to establish himself as king, he could do something! Make a change! Help his citizens! If he wanted to raise taxes, he could make them equal for all classes! Raise taxes on the Kypselis - who had literally no taxes - not everyone!

Ugh. Swordtail groaned. This was not a very good revolution. He wanted a revolution to accomplish something! To give people a better life!

Two weeks, Swordtail told himself. Two weeks, and then Darkstalker could be overthrown. Assuming he ended up being evil, but there was no doubt about that. Assuming Swordtail's friends realized he was evil . . . There was doubt about that.

I'll just have to make sure they do, Swordtail thought. And once they realized Darkstalker was evil? He wouldn't stand a chance. Swordtail and his friends were a force to be reckoned with, and with them on the job, the world would end up a better place.

Chapter Text

"Moon!" Darkstalker poked his head through the door of her suite, grinning. "I just got these new uniforms for the guards! Want to see?"

"Sure," Moon answered, putting her book down with a smile. Darkstalker had been going on about these uniforms for the guards for nearly a week, and by all accounts, they were going to be good.

Moon followed Darkstalker out of the room and through the palace to the throne room, where a few Kypselis and Noctus were waiting. No Glacees, which surprised Moon. Then she felt guilty about not being surprised that other classes weren't there. And then, she wondered why other classes weren't there. Wasn't Darkstalker trying to be more inclusive? Maybe other classes just didn't have the right expertise yet, after being kept out of power for so long.

"Where are the uniforms?" Moon asked after looking around for a moment. All of the guards in the room were wearing the old uniforms.

"Arachnid?" Darkstalker prompted, and a Kypseli stepped forward, handing him a package. He set it on the throne, motioning Moon forward. She stepped up beside him, looking over his shoulder as he opened the package.

The new guard's uniform was actually quite similar to the old guard's uniform, with one difference. The new guard's uniform was black, where the old guard's uniform had been yellow.

Moon wasn't quite sure she liked the difference. Black was the color of Noctus, something she was sure Darkstalker knew. He wanted to remind people of his power.

The thought made Moon feel slightly guilty. She had supported Darkstalker, and she intended to keep supporting him. But sometimes she didn't agree with his policies. Or his fashion choices.

"Do you like it?" Darkstalker asked her eagerly.

"Uh, sure."

His face fell. "You don't like it."

"It's nice," Moon said politely. "But I don't really like the color."

"What? The color is the best part! It represents me! My power!"

Moon could see some of the Kypselis in the room trying and failing not to wince. Some of the Noctus, too. She was pretty sure even she was wincing. "That's the worst part, Darkstalker," she said as gently as she could. "What the color black represents, if you want to be successful among all races, you need to avoid being a complete Noctu."

Darkstalker recoiled, looking wounded. "But I am a Noctu. And I'm better than Queen Wasp - everyone knows that!"

Most of the Kypselis behind him didn't look like they agreed.

Moon chose her words carefully. "You are, but you're not doing enough to be inclusive. Look at who's in this room: only Kypselis and Noctus, the same people who were previously in power. You said you wanted to abolish the Statuses, and you haven't even tried. In a couple weeks, if my friends don't see you making more changes, they're going to kick you out."

A dangerous glint appeared in Darkstalker's eye. "Like they can stop me," he scoffed. "Your friends may have overthrown Queen Wasp, but I'm king now, and I'm going to be the best king ever." Darkstalker lifted his chin and looked Moon in the eyes. "I'm going to make this world a better place, under my rules."

Chapter Text

"We need to talk," Winter announced, stepping into the common area between the rooms where their friends were staying in Darkstalker's palace. "Without Moon."

"We are talking," Qibli informed him, not looking up from his phone. "Without Moon."

"Listen here, you -"

"I think he means is that we need to have a serious conversation without Moon," Turtle interrupted diplomatically.

"What kind of serious conversation?" Kinkajou asked. "And why without Moon? That seems kind of mean." Kinkajou had been left out of too many serious conversations herself, and knew how hurtful it could be.

Winter took a seat in an armchair. "She's too loyal," he said. "To Darkstalker. She likes him too much."

That got Qibli to look up from his phone. "She likes him?"

Winter gave him a look. "Not like that, you jealous weirdo. As a friend."

"Oh," Qibli muttered, his cheeks turning read.

Kinkajou raised her phone to snap a picture, but Turtle pushed it down. She scowled at him. He scowled back.

"Did you two just have a conversation with your faces?" Peril demanded.

Winter sighed just as Kinkajou was about to respond. "Can we focus? The point is, Moon can't be trusted." At the look on all their faces, Winter amended, "With things related to Darkstalker."

"That's better," Qibli said. "And for what it's worth, I agree. Darkstalker definitely can't be trusted, and Moon trusts him, so by extension, she can't be trusted." Qibli paused. "Wow, I just said the word 'trust' three times in one sentence."

Winter sighed. "Yes, yes, very impressive. Also, that's what I said. We have established that Moon can't be trusted. The point is, what are we going to do about it?"

"Nothing?" Peril offered. Everyone, Kinkajou included, looked at her. "What?"

"I think we should avoid trying to convince her he's not trustworthy," Winter announced. "Besides, when the month is up, we can kick him out."

"If you believe he'll go willingly," Qibli pointed out. "Which I don't."

"Why wouldn't he go willingly?" Kinkajou asked. Her face flushed as everyone looked at her. "What?"

"You are so naive," Winter said with a sigh. "Kinkajou, people like Darkstalker like power, and they're willing to do anything to keep it."

Kinkajou scowled. "I know. He's evil, I get it."

"Do you?"

"Weren't we discussing what to do about Moon?" Turtle asked.

Winter sighed. "Yes, sorry, Kinkajou. We're going to avoid telling Moon anything important, and then in two weeks, when the month is over, we're going to kick Darkstalker out of power."

Qibli raised his hand. "Shouldn't we take a vote?"

"No."

"Oh. Well, can we take a vote anyway?"

"What does the word 'no' mean to you?!"

"Um, I think it means no."

"Oh moons, stop arguing," Peril snapped. "Why am I friends with you guys? I can't stand your arguing!"

"What arguing?" Moon asked, stepping into the room. Everyone immediately straightened their posture, and Kinkajou tossed her hair over her shoulder anxiously. Moon paused in the doorway. "Oh, Winter and Qibli are here. I see." She smiled, stepping further into the room, and Kinkajou relaxed. Moon didn't know and therefore couldn't tell Darkstalker anything.

The world was safe.

For now, anyway.

Chapter Text

"I'm nervous," Peril announced. She was standing with her friends in front of the entrance to Darkstalker's throne room, sweating.

Well, everyone except Winter was sweating. "Don't be," he said. "The worst he can do is throw us in jail. Been there, done that."

"Um," Qibli piped up, "how about we don't get sent to jail."

"That is the plan, but plans go wrong all the time. I wouldn't count on it. Now let's stop delaying. Let's go." Winter flung open the doors, and the group stomped into the throne room.

"Well, hello," Darkstalker said pleasantly.

Peril had a flash of panic. What if Darkstalker was actually a good person? What if he could be a good leader? No, no, trust her friends, they were right, he was evil. Yes.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" Darkstalker asked.

"It's the end of the month," Winter barked.

"My period's over," Peril said before she could stop herself.

The entire room turned to look at her, and Darkstalker choked on something, presumably his saliva. "What?"

"Not what we're talking about," Winter said, sounding slightly strained. "We're here to kick you out of office."

"I am king. You can't kick me out of office."

"Darkstalker," Clearsight said warningly from his side.

He scowled at her. "They can't! And I am king!"

"You are currently king," Winter said. "But you won't be for long. We defeated Queen Wasp, and we can defeat you too."

"Who counts as 'we'?" Darkstalker demanded. "I, for one, am confident that not all your friends share this opinion. Moon, what do you think?"

Even with Peril's limited social skills, she could tell that Moon felt nervous. "Um, I don't know," she answered, her voice quiet. "I think they're right," she added after a moment. "You - you could be doing a better job."

So she is on our side, Peril thought.

Darkstalker's eyes narrowed. "You do? Is this because you don't like my guard outfits?"

"What? No!" Moon exclaimed. "Your guard outfits are not the most important thing in the world!" She paused, taking a deep breath. "I think you're not doing enough to integrate society. I think . . . I think you're starting to care more about power than the welfare of your people."

Darkstalker blinked, looking taken aback. "What? Of course I care about my people!" He glanced around the room, looking slightly panicked. "Give me another chance," he said, almost begging. "Another month, and I can make the world a better place."

"You can, but will you?" Winter asked pointedly. "Face it, Darkstalker, you're being kicked out."

Darkstalker rose from his throne - which hopefully wouldn't be his much longer, Peril realized - and strutted ominously down the steps in front of it. "Not if I can help it," Darkstalker announced. "Guards!"

"Darkstalker, please!" Clearsight exclaimed.

Darkstalker ignored her as the guard entered the room. Peril took a step back from the throne, which happened to be in the direction of four other guards.

Darkstalker raised his chin, giving each of Peril's friends - including Moon, who looked terrified - a stern glance.

"Take them all to the dungeons."

Chapter Text

"We have a problem," Glory announced, stepping into the 10th grader's common room.

Clay looked up from his bowl of cereal. "What's the problem?"

"Our friends have disappeared," Glory explained. "My sister. Sunny's brother. Tsunami's brother. Moon, Peril. I think that's everyone. It would be kind of embarrassing if it wasn't."

"That's everyone," Tsunami agreed.

"Why have they disappeared?" Clay asked.

"Because none of them have answered any texts or calls for a day and a half," Glory answered. "If that isn't suspicious, I don't know what is."

"I say it's Darkstalker," Deathbringer announced. He took a bite of pizza, chewing almost as loudly as Clay did.

"Well, duh," Glory said, rolling her eyes. "The question isn't who took them. The month is up, they probably told Darkstalker he couldn't be king, and then he freaked out. The question is how we fix this."

"Okay, if you're so smart, you tell us," Deathbringer said. "How do we fix this?"

Glory rolled her eyes again. In Clay's view, she rolled her eyes too much. "I literally didn't claim to be smarter than you. But whatever. I vote we do what we did last time."

"You mean follow my lead," Deathbringer said snarkily.

"Why are you so annoying today?!"

"I'm around you. My annoyingness increases when you're around."

"Ahhhh!"

Clay couldn't help but laugh as Glory face-planted into one of the pillows. She rolled over and gave him an affectionate glare, then shifted her focus back to Deathbringer. Clay could tell that her glare at him was mostly affectionate too, and Deathbringer definitely noticed. He grinned at her, making Tsunami roll her eyes.

"Stop flirting. We have a serious problem. I'm worried about my brother, and I'm sure Glory and Sunny are also worried about their siblings."

"Yes," Glory said, sitting up and smoothing her hair, which had gotten messy when she'd face-planted into a pillow. "We need a plan."

"We have a plan," Deathbringer pointed out. "Follow me."

"Follow me, you, and Sundew," Glory corrected. "Can someone go get the ninth graders who are here?"

"We will," Luna offered, dragging Swordtail out of the room.

"Come on, Glory, Sundew wasn't even that useful last time," Deathbringer complained. "We don't need her."

"We need reliable commanders. Me, you, Sundew, possibly Cricket or Luna. Face it, without Qibli or Winter, we need her."

"Hey," Tsunami objected. "I'd be a reliable commander!"

"No, you wouldn't," Starflight said. "You're too . . . emotional. Brash."

Tsunami glanced desperately at Clay, but he only shrugged. When Glory and Starflight teamed up, they could come up with too many good arguments to counter. (Also, he kind of agreed with them. Tsunami would be too impulsive as a commander).

"Hey," Sundew said, stepping into the room with Luna, Swordtail, Cricket, Blue, Willow, and Lynx behind her. "I heard our friends have disappeared, and you need me."

"We do not need you!" Deathbringer exclaimed.

"Yes, we do," Glory said. "We need a plan to infiltrate the capital again, and free our friends."

Sundew grinned. "Sounds fun. Where do we start?"

Chapter Text

Turtle was not in a good mood. Why would he be? He was in a jail cell listening to Qibli and Winter bicker, watching Peril scowl, Kinkajou sulk in the corner, and Moon curl into herself. Not only was it boring, it was depressing. If Kinkajou was sulking, something was really wrong. Winter and Qibli arguing wasn't really anything out of the ordinary, but they were certainly amping it up.

Turtle sighed, leaned his head against the wall, preparing to take as good of a nap as he could. Which meant a not-very-good nap.

"Hello," a voice said suddenly, a moment into Turtle's "nap". His eyes flew open to see Darkstalker standing outside the cell, smiling far too pleasantly.

"Oh, good, entertainment," Qibli said cheerfully. "Entertainment is seriously lacking down here. Do you think you could bring us a TV? Maybe a ping-pong table? It would make being stuck in a dungeon far more tolerable."

Darkstalker smiled, reminding Turtle of an evil, younger Dumbledore. "Unfortunately, Qibli, that is not why I'm here. I have a request for your friend Winter."

Turtle frowned. At least it wasn't Kinkajou he wanted, but he was still worried for Winter. But Winter could handle himself, probably, so there wasn't really any reason to worry.

Winter sighed. "What's your request? I may or may not grant it."

"Don't," Qibli advised. "Whatever it is, don't."

Winter ignored him, focused on Darkstalker. "Tell me what you want."

"I have invited your family to dinner next week, and I would like you to attend. If you're expressing your support of my policies, of course."

Winter laughed. "You're assuming that my parents listen to me. They don't. They don't even like me. If I'm supporting you, that's an excuse for them to not support me."

Darkstalker shrugged. "They have to know you're mainly the one who overthrew Queen Wasp. Your opinion must count for something."

Winter paused, considering that. "You know, I haven't actually seen any of my family since then. So, it's possible they've changed their opinions, but I wouldn't count on it. I don't think I'd be much of an asset to you. And quite frankly, I don't want to go to a fancy dinner with my family. I won't say I have better things to do, because I don't, but it's literally the last thing on my list."

Darkstalker frowned. "What do I have to do to get you to come?"

"Free us," Winter said, as if it were obvious. Which, Turtle realized, it was.

"Nice try. Other than that."

"Entertainment," Qibli prompted. "I want a ping-pong table. And a TV."

Winter gave him a look. "It's what I want, not what you want." He paused. "But I suppose some entertainment would be nice. If you promise to give us three kinds of whatever entertainment we want - by popular vote, don't worry, Qibli - I'll go to the dinner."

Moon sat up from where she was sitting sadly in the corner. "You don't have to, if you don't want to," she told Winter.

"I know. And I don't really want to. But I'm bored, and who knows, it could be useful." Winter gave them each a significant glance, which Turtle supposed was supposed to convey a specific message. He had no clue what that message was, but presumably someone would explain once Darkstalker was gone.

"Great," Darkstalker said. "The dinner is tonight. Someone will come get you in about half an hour."

"Delightful," Winter said, though his expression said he thought it was anything but.

Darkstalker dipped his head at them, then disappeared down the hall.

Chapter Text

"Well," Narwhal Icestorm said, looking down his nose at his second son. "Fancy seeing you here."

"What a coincidence," Winter replied in the exact same we-are-being-polite-but-not-really tone. "It's not like the entire reason Darkstalker invited me was to help convince you to support him."

Winter's father raised an eyebrow as his mother sidled her way over to them, a glass of what was hopefully wine in her hand. "Oh?" Tundra asked.

Winter refrained from rolling his eyes. "Darkstalker wants me to convince you to support him. I don't know why he thought that would work. In fact, I don't know why he even expected me to spread his message. For the record, I don't agree with anything he does. He's a power-hungry monster." Not unlike yourself, his mind finished, but didn't say. This plan wouldn't work without his parents' help.

Narwhal's eyebrows rose even further, if that was even possible. "Really. Weren't you the one to put him in power?"

Winter felt himself grimace. The last thing he wanted to be associated with was Darkstalker's rise to power. "No. I took Wasp out of power, but he put himself in power."

"Not quite true," Darkstalker announced, sweeping across the dining hall floor to join their conversation. Winter suppressed a groan. "Winter did help overthrow Queen Wasp, but then he offered me the kingship."

"I literally did not. You were the one who first put it in my friends' heads to overthrow Wasp. Before you, they were just going to break into the dungeons to get us out. Then you were the ones who got us into the palace. You're also the one who actually killed her. I probably wouldn't have done that."

Darkstalker sent Winter a significant look, before saying, "You didn't try to stop me."

Winter sent a significant look right back. "I did, actually, but then you threw me in the dungeons!" He turned to his parents and explained, "That's why I haven't been at school."

Narwhal and Tundra looked at each other, and Winter smiled. He had never seen his parents so confused, and it was awesome.

"I can make things much worse for you," Darkstalker hissed, low enough that his parents wouldn't hear. "You've just lost your reward and gotten you and your friends into a deeper cell."

Winter simply smiled. "I know what I'm doing." He ducked away from the conversation, smirking to himself, and scanned the room for his sister Icicle.

She was talking to Winter's cousin Snowfall, and a surprising addition: Lynx. Winter hadn't known Lynx knew his cousins.

"Hello," Winter said, joining the conversation.

"Oh, you're here," Icicle said, sounding anything but pleased to see him.

"Winter!" Lynx exclaimed, her excitement a sharp contrast to Icicle's displeasure. "What happened? What did he do? We've been worried!"

"Oh, he's put us all in the dungeons," Winter informed her casually. He took a sip of water. "I'm out right now because he wants me to help convince my family to support him."

"Oh," Lynx said, sounding dazed. "Should you be telling me this?"

"No." Winter glanced over his shoulder. Darkstalker was still talking to his parents, presumably patching things up after that disastrous conversation. Disastrous for him, at least. Winter had his parents right where he wanted them.

Winter smirked to himself, then focused on Lynx. Out of her, Icicle, and Snowfall, she was the most likely to be helpful. Originally, he'd planned to convince Icicle, but Lynx would need no convincing, and why waste the energy?

"I need you to get me in the car when you leave," Winter announced.

Lynx grinned. "What's your plan?"

Chapter Text

Lynx stood in the women's restroom outside the dining hall where Darkstalker's dinner party was taking place. She examined herself in the mirror, not because she cared about how she looked - though she did - but because she was waiting for the signal.

Snowfall and Icicle had left fifteen minutes earlier, to get the getaway car and meet them out front. Then Lynx had left, on the pretense of going to the bathroom, and now Winter was leaving the dining hall.

Hopefully. It was possible the guards wouldn't let him by, but Winter was a good actor, and if he acted desperate enough, the guards would probably allow him to "go to the bathroom" even if they weren't supposed to.

Watching the entry to the bathroom in the mirror, she waited for Winter to walk by. When he finally did, she left the women's restroom and joined him as they walked toward the exit to the palace.

Luckily, the palace exit was close to the dining hall, so they only had to pass one checkpoint. The guards who were on duty were two Glacees, and all Winter and Lynx had to do to get past was explain they were joining their friends who'd left to get the car earlier. The guards, of course, remembered Icicle and Snowfall, so they let them pass. It was also quite helpful that Darkstalker hadn't told most of his guards to be on the lookout for Winter - only the ones within the dining hall, thinking that would be enough.

As soon as they passed the last checkpoint, Winter and Lynx began to hurry. They didn't run, and they didn't walk fast enough to be suspicious, but they were moving quickly.

When they reached the exit of the palace, there was another checkpoint, and this time the two Kypselis on duty were not inclined to let them pass.

"We're with the two girls who came out earlier," Lynx said, trying to seem panicked but not too panicked. "Icicle and Snowfall. They went to get the car and were going to pick us up."

The Kypselis looked at each other. "Sorry," one said. "Without a guarded escort like your friends had, or authorization from Darkstalker, we can't let you by."

Lynx panicked internally. Why hadn't the guards at the earlier stop escorted them? What if this was an elaborate scheme to catch her helping Winter escape, and then arrest her too?

A car honked from across the street. "They're with us," Snowfall called, leaning out from the driver's seat of her car.

"My parents wanted us all to leave early," Icicle added from the passenger side, leaning over Snowfall to stick her head out the window too. "Stuff to take care of at home."

The guards glanced at each other. They were clearly cracking.

Then Winter went in for the punch. "We need to get some news back home," he said. "My parents just made a deal with Darkstalker, and they sent us to implement it early. He'll be mad if his plans don't come true for a couple days because you didn't let us by."

"He sent you kids?" one of the guards asked skeptically.

The other guard smacked his arm. "You are unbearably rude," she snapped, before turning to Winter and Lynx. "All right, you may pass." At the other guard's expression, she added, "What harm are they going to do? They're kids."

"Kids killed our queen," the guard muttered, but he stepped aside.

Winter and Lynx exited the palace and got into the backseat of Snowfall's car. She hit the gas, and before long they were within the grounds of Jade Preparatory Academy. Which wasn't that safe, considering it was controlled by the government, but still. It was where Winter had told them to take him.

The quickest escape from the dungeons of Queen Wasp had been successful.

Chapter Text

"Hello," Winter Icestorm said cheerfully, stepping into the tenth-grade common room at Jade Preparatory Academy.

The entire room stopped and looked at him.

"You're back," Tsunami said. She didn't sound particularly happy about it, and Riptide laughed.

"I am," Winter agreed. "I've just escaped from Darkstalker's dungeons, where our friends still are. So, if we could skip the you're so happy to see me, or in your case, the you're so unhappy to see me, that would be great."

Riptide couldn't help but snort a laugh, earning a look from Tsunami. He gave her a smile, and she rolled her eyes.

"So everyone is in the dungeons?" Glory asked. When Winter nodded, she glanced at Deathbringer. "That's what we thought. Our plan was to do what we did before," she continued to Winter.

Before Winter could respond, the door opened, and Lynx walked in. "Snowfall and Icicle got away okay," she told Winter. "Though they're being bombarded with calls from your parents about where they went."

Winter snorted. "They can deal. They offered to help us. And they can handle with Mother and Father better than I can." He faced Glory again. "That's what I was thinking, too. Just make sure we put who we want into power this time." He scowled.

"Agreed," Sundew said. "So what's the plan?"

Winter sighed. "We need an infiltration and a distraction team. Part of the infiltration team will split off and go to the dungeons. We need maybe a small exfiltration team, for use in an emergency. Hopefully, though, we won't need to escape."

The plan seemed solid to Riptide, but he didn't really know much about infiltrating palaces. That was his friends' forte.

"That's not very specific," Deathbringer said. "I think I should be in charge. I can make a better plan than that. Besides, I'm the one with experience. All you did last time was get help from Thorn."

Winter rolled his eyes. "The simplest plans are best. Besides, without me, you'd all be in jail." He turned to Sundew and Glory. "How are we picking captains?"

"I want the exfiltration team," Glory volunteered. "I headed it last time, and I think Sundew would be more useful somewhere else."

"I was distraction," Cricket said. "I could use help with that. Sundew can be with me."

Sundew nodded, and Winter said, "That leaves me and Deathbringer with infiltration, which I think is best. Deathbringer, once we get the key, you'll lead the team to free our friends from the dungeons."

"And how are we going to get the key?" Deathbringer asked.

Winter smirked. "Isn't it obvious? Darkstalker will give it to us."

"Um," Riptide said, speaking for the first time the whole conversation, "no, he won't."

"Well, not willingly," Winter agreed, "but he will if we make him."

"You want to torture Darkstalker?" Sunny asked, sounding horrified.

Winter laughed, a sound completely unfamiliar to all in the room. "Of course not. Just threaten him a little. Once we get into that throne room, leave it to me." He grinned. "Darkstalker won't know what hit him."

Chapter Text

Qibli sat in his cell, twiddling his thumbs, as he and his friends waited for Winter to come back. Although, knowing Winter, he'd probably figure out a way to escape, and wouldn't bother helping them.

Qibli sighed. Without Winter here, there was no one to bother. He couldn't bring himself to bother Moon, Turtle wouldn't care, Kinkajou would help him, and Peril would get annoyed in the wrong way. Of his friends, Winter was by far the most fun to bother.

Stomps came from the hallway outside their cell, and Qibli sat up as Darkstalker stomped into view. He had two Noctu guards with him and looked as though he were on a mission to destroy the world.

What did Winter do?

"Where is he?" Darkstalker demanded, stepping up to the bars.

Time to improvise. "Who?" Qibli asked.

Darkstalker's eyes narrowed. "Your friend! Winter! He disappeared!"

Called it. "That's news to me," Qibli said, which technically wasn't a lie. "I'm pretty sure it's news to all of us." He glanced at his friends, who all nodded emphatically. Way to oversell, guys.

Darkstalker scowled. "Really? Are you sure he didn't say anything?"

"Why would he? He probably knew you'd question us, and didn't want to get us in trouble. Also, he probably didn't trust us enough to keep his escape a secret."

Darkstalker considered that. "I suppose that's a fair point. None of you are trustworthy, and I certainly wouldn't want you to help with my escape."

"Wow, thanks," Qibli said sarcastically, though secretly he was relieved. Maybe Darkstalker would finally leave them alone.

Darkstalker sighed. No such luck. "Where would he have gone, though? You must know him well enough to know that."

Kinkajou bopped up and down with excitement, her hand raised. "Ooh! Ooh! I know!"

"This isn't class, Kink," Peril said with a sigh. "You can speak."

Kinkajou made a face at her and told Darkstalker, "He would have gone to JPA."

No, Kink, Qibli thought. Don't tell him that!

Darkstalker raised an eyebrow, a sinister smile creeping up his lips, not unlike Qibli's grandfather's smiles. "Jade Preparatory Academy? That's interesting. He'd be meeting with your friends, I presume?"

"Yes," Kinkajou answered. Qibli wanted to facepalm.

"They're probably talking about how to rescue you all," Darkstalker mused.

"Please don't go capture them," Moon said desperately from her corner. "They've done nothing, and they don't deserve it."

"Except aid and hide a prisoner of the state," Darkstalker pointed out, and Qibli had to agree that that was actually a good point. If he wanted to arrest their friends, there would be little that could stop him, and he'd even have a good reason.

"Still," Moon pleaded. "You can re-arrest Winter and not hurt our other friends."

Darkstalker smiled at her. "I did tell you I wouldn't hurt your friends. I intend to keep that promise."

And yet we're all, including Moon, trapped in a dungeon. I guess that doesn't fit Darkstalker's definition of "hurt".

"I won't need to arrest them," Darkstalker continued. "Because they're going to come here to free you, and when that happens, I'll be ready for them."

Chapter Text

"So," Glory said to the room, "we mostly know how we're going to overthrow Darkstalker, but we don't know what we're going to do once we do."

"We need a plan for a different government," Winter said, which Glory thought was rather obvious, but didn't point out. "What kind of a government do we want?"

"Shouldn't we take a vote?" Clay asked. "Like, with everyone?"

"Everyone here, or everyone in the country?" Glory asked. "Everyone in the country would be a bit much."

"And I think most of the Reshams and Uas would be scared to voice their opinions," Luna added. "The vote would end up being skewed to the upper classes, and they'd want a monarchy of one of their own."

"We definitely shouldn't have a monarchy," Winter agreed. "But a full-on democracy would be hard to set up in so little time."

"Anything would be hard to set up in so little time," Glory countered. "But I agree. We need some sort of simple democracy."

"What about separate Queens?" Sunny asked. "Like the old ones, before Wasp?"

"See, I like that in principle," Glory said. "But we'd have to split the continent into sections for each group, and everyone's already been integrated. It would be too much to get everyone to move into their sections. And if we tried to have a Queen while everyone was living around each other, it wouldn't be feasible to rule. We need one governing body for the whole continent, but with everyone represented."

"Like a Council of Queens," Sunny concluded.

"Not very democratic," Winter said. "But I like it. I know my family would never except anything else than being in charge, so they'll like that. We'd have to put them in charge anyway, to avoid a war."

Glory couldn't help but find that somewhat amusing. "So, we're thinking one Queen from each race, who come together in a Council to make decisions for the whole continent?"

"That's good," Sunny agreed. "But I think we should have a democratic factor."

"We can't hold elections now," Winter said. "We need something ready to go before we take on Darkstalker."

"Not now," Sunny said. "I was thinking later. Like, when the Queen dies or resigns, we hold an election for the next Queen. Or like every five or ten years we hold an election."

"What if we just have a Council, and we let each race choose how it chooses its Council member?" Glory asked.

"The Glacees will want a monarchy," Winter added. "Probably based around my family, and they're powerful enough to get it. It'll be easier to just give them what they want from the beginning." Lynx nodded in agreement.

"I think most Reshams and Uas will want a democracy," Luna added. "I know I do."

"We should choose the first representatives, though," Glory said. "To ensure we have a system lined up when - if - Darkstalker is overthrown."

"Yes," Winter agreed. "Lynx, can you call Icicle and Snowfall and have them tell my parents about this?"

"Sure," Lynx said. "Though I'm not sure this is the greatest idea ever."

"Oh, it's not. But hopefully the other members of the Council can keep my parents from getting their way."

"I think we can put my mom in charge of the Ramils, and Tsunami's in charge of the Segaras," Sunny said. "I'll call Mom and tell her. Tsunami, you call your mom." The two of them grinned at each other and went into their dorm room.

"Zeruas - Ruby, Peril's stepsister would be good," Glory said. "We can put my grandmother Grandeur in charge of the Uas. Um, we don't know any good Shavars or Noctus. Clay, Starflight, can you take care of that?"

"Sure," they both said, and hopped on their computers.

"We should put Sequoia in charge of the Foglias," Willow said. "And Cricket, would Jewel be good for the Kypselis?"

"Yes," Cricket said, looking pleased. "I'll call her now."

"Could we put Tau and Cinnabar in charge of the Reshams?" Luna asked Swordtail and Blue. "They seem reliable."

"They work for Lady Jewel," Swordtail explained to the room, clearing up Glory's confusion.

"And they're competent," Luna said. "Blue, can you go call them?"

"Sure," Blue answered, and headed into the boys' side of the room.

"Do we have everyone or a plan to have everyone?" Glory asked.

Winter nodded slowly. "I think we do." He grinned. "Tomorrow, then, it's go time."

Chapter Text

"Hey, Mom," Sunny said when her mother picked up the phone.

"I really hope you're not calling because you're planning to break into the palace again," Thorn said. "And please tell me that your brother is completely safe and has a good excuse for ignoring my texts, that is not in jail again."

Sunny smiled. "Um, well . . ."

She heard her mom sigh on the other end of the phone. "Yeah, I had a feeling that's what this is about. I'm down for whatever you want me to do."

"Great. I need you to gather whatever army you brought last time, and then I need you to be willing to be the Ramil representative on the new Council of Queens we're starting."

"You want me to be the Queen of the Ramils?!"

"Yes." Sunny was proud of herself for not stuttering.

"Well," Thorn said after a moment, "I was not expecting that."

"I know," Sunny said. "But you'll do it?"

"Of course." There was a pause, and then Thorn said, "Thank you for trusting me with this responsibility."

"I could think of no one better," Sunny replied, smiling. "We're planning to invade the capital tomorrow, I think. If you could have your army ready by then, it would be great."

"I'll be there," Thorn promised. "I love you, and when you see Qibli, tell him I love him too. Please don't die."

And with that, Sunny's mother hung up.

Sunny closed her phone and went back into the common room with Tsunami, who had also finished speaking with her mother.

"Good, you're here," Glory said when she saw them. "We've just decided to put someone named Moorhen in charge of the Shavars, but we still can't find a good Noctu representative."

"I still think I should do it," Deathbringer said.

Glory rolled her eyes. "You're fifteen. No. Also, you'd be a horrible ruler."

"Wow, thanks," Deathbringer said sarcastically. "Good to know you have faith in me."

Sunny smiled a little at her friends' antics, but knew they'd go on for hours if someone didn't stop them. "Once we find a Noctu representative, what are we doing?" Sunny asked. "I told my mom to be at the palace with her army tomorrow."

"That sounds good," Winter said. "Though I like naming it after me better."

Glory rolled her eyes, and Sunny laughed. "We can just call it 'the army'," Glory said. "Do we have a specific plan for getting into the palace? I don't know how much security has changed since Darkstalker has taken over."

"It's not that different," Winter said. "You can get in if you're a high Status and act like you belong. That's what Lynx and I did. I think we'll be able to get in, but not necessarily into the throne room."

At that moment, there was a knock on the door. Sunny had a moment of deja vu to when Darkstalker had knocked on their door a month earlier.

Winter got up and looked through the peephole. Sunny realized he was checking to make sure it wasn't guards here to arrest him. Winter opened the door to reveal a male Segara and a female Noctu.

"Hello," the Noctu said. "I'm Clearsight, and this is my friend Fathom. We're here to help you overthrow Darkstalker."

Chapter Text

Starflight frowned at the two people in the doorway - Clearsight and Fathom. He glanced at his friends, hoping one of them would voice the obvious problem so he didn't have to.

Luckily, Glory did. "We've been offered help before," she told them. "In fact, I believe you two were there when Darkstalker offered to help us. Look where that ended up."

"We know," Clearsight said, stepping into the room. Fathom followed, though he seemed a little reluctant. "We were there."

"If you're Darkstalker's friends, why are you offering to help us now?" Sundew asked.

"We don't agree with what he's doing," Clearsight explained, and Fathom nodded.

Starflight's eyes narrowed. Fathom hadn't spoken at all. He wondered if Fathom didn't actually agree with Clearsight, but was here to report back to Darkstalker. Or maybe Clearsight was also a part of the trap. Maybe this was all a scheme to arrest them too . . .

Wow. Starflight was paranoid.

"How do we know we can trust you?" Winter demanded. Starflight relaxed slightly, glad someone else was voicing his concerns.

Clearsight considered that. "I guess you can't. But give us a chance, please. We have a plan that can help you, and I don't think you can succeed without us."

Sundew, Glory, Cricket, and Winter exchanged a glance. "What's your plan?" Winter asked with a sigh.

Clearsight smiled and took a seat in one of the only open seats on the couch. "We have a way into the throne room of the palace that Darkstalker doesn't know about," she said. "And we have a way to defeat Darkstalker without killing him or even getting into a fight."

"What if we want to kill him?" Winter asked. Cricket made a face at him.

Clearsight gave him a severe look. "Then we aren't going to help you. I refuse to help murder my boyfriend."

"You're dating him?" Tsunami repeated incredulously. "We definitely can't trust you!"

Clearsight scowled. "You don't have to. All you have to do is let me try this."

"What's 'this'?" Glory asked.

"I was getting to that. Fathom has a contact - a Segara - who can make potions. We're going to ask him to make a potion that will make Darkstalker a newborn baby."

There was shocked silence for a moment.

Then Starflight and all of his friends started laughing at the exact same moment.

Clearsight did not look amused. "This could work," she insisted.

They all gradually stopped laughing. "That was a sincere suggestion?" Glory asked. "Oh." She and Tsunami exchanged a glance.

"Be nice," Sunny chastised them, then turned to Clearsight. "Your contact can seriously do that?" She sounded impressed.

"Yes," Fathom said, speaking for the first time since they'd arrived. "He can. And with his help, Darkstalker won't be dead, but he also won't be any trouble. His mother has already agreed to this."

"Interesting," Winter said. "And what would we need to do to make sure that Darkstalker becomes a child?"

"Well, nothing, really," Clearsight admitted. "We'd lead you into the throne room, and then I'd do the convincing. Mainly, we need a form of government to be ready to take over before we defeat him, and I assume you have a plan for that."

"We do," Glory confirmed. "But I don't think we're okay with being left out of this."

"You wouldn't be. We'd have you in the room, and if for some reason I can't convince Darkstalker to drink this potion, you would be our backup plan."

"I like the idea of not killing him," Sunny spoke up.

Tsunami rolled her eyes. "Of course you do."

"Hey, that's mean," Clay said. "And I agree. I like Clearsight's plan."

Winter, Glory, Sundew, and Cricket exchanged a glance. "All right," Winter said finally. "Let's get started."

Chapter Text

Tsunami huffed angrily to herself as she followed Fathom through the streets of Wasp City. (Why had Darkstalker not renamed it Darkstalker City?! That's what she would do if she were an evil tyrant . . .)

Tsunami sighed, snapping out of her reverie. Walking through Wasp City with Fathom was really, incredibly, boring. He wasn't very talkative, and Tsunami couldn't even complain that he was going the wrong way, because she didn't know where they were going.

Approximately fifteen boring minutes later, Fathom stopped at a stereotypical house, so suddenly Tsunami almost walked into him.

"We're here," Fathom announced, then knocked on the door.

"What," the Segara who opened it grumbled, his eyes widening when he noticed Fathom. And Tsunami, she liked to think. She was totally recognizable!

"Hello, Grandfather," Fathom said. "We need help."

"Well, obviously, if you're here," the Segara scoffed. He glanced at Tsunami. "Who are you?"

Okay, so maybe she wasn't recognizable. "Tsunami," she answered.

"One of Coral's daughters," Fathom said, and Tsunami's eyes narrowed, because how did he know that? She certainly hadn't told him.

That seemed to satiate the old Segara, though. He opened the door a crack wider. "Come in."

Fathom and Tsunami entered the house, which was rather small and dingy, more like the house of someone of Status Four or Five, but not Three.

"What can I help you with?" the Segara asked Fathom, taking a seat in an armchair.

"We need a potion to make someone grow younger. As in, regress from a twenty-something year old to a baby or toddler. Memory wipe, everything."

The Segara nodded as though this was the most normal thing in the world. "Of course. For Darkstalker, I presume?"

Tsunami gaped at him. "I'm sorry, who are you?" she asked before she could stop herself.

"Me? I'm Albatross."

Tsunami blinked, her brain short circuiting. "The evil one?"

Albatross smirked. "If by 'evil', you mean the one who killed his sister and practically his entire family, yes, that's me."

Tsunami took a step back. "Then how do I know you're not going to kill me?!" She spun on Fathom. "And you're his grandson! Are you working with Darkstalker? Is this all a plot to get me killed?"

Albatross held up a hand, and for some reason, Tsunami listened. "No," he said. "I assure you, Fathom is on your side. He's the one who stopped me from killing the rest of my family."

"If that was supposed to be reassuring, it wasn't."

"I understand." Albatross sighed heavily. "I regret murdering my family, Tsunami. I have distanced myself from my remaining family members - yourself included - for that very reason."

"Wait, we're related?"

"Very distantly, but yes." Albatross sighed again. Weirdly, he reminded Tsunami of Sunny's dad, Stonemover. "In times like this, however, I come out of retirement as a master of magic to help people."

Tsunami opened her mouth, but Albatross held up a hand to stop her. "I will help you with your potion," he said to Fathom. "It will take roughly an hour." With that, Albatross stood up and left the room.

An hour of literal silence later, Albatross returned. He handed the potion - which seemed to be a pack of strawberries . . . ? - to Fathom, who nodded his thanks and gave Albatross a hug.

"I trust you to show yourself out," Albatross said to Fathom. He turned to Tsunami. "Give your mother my greetings. It has been a while since we've spoken, but you can remind her that she can come to me if she is ever in need."

Very confused, Tsunami nodded.

Albatross smiled. "Now, it is time for an old man to rest. This has been a long day. Good night!"

Once again, Albatross left the room.

Fathom and Tsunami stared after him for a moment, and then Fathom said, "Come on. No time to waste."

Chapter Text

"This way," Clearsight said with a smile, leading Fatespeaker deeper into the maze of streets that made up Wasp City.

Fatespeaker wasn't quite sure what she thought about Clearsight. Her visions hadn't told her anything - but that wasn't too surprising. They never informed her of anything useful. But her instincts told her that Clearsight was just what she seemed: kind and helpful, even if she was stressed and distant frequently.

But a part of Fatespeaker couldn't get over her suspicions. What if Clearsight's nice exterior was all a ruse to help her boyfriend keep her power? But then, if she was really helping him, Fatespeaker could only imagine the emotional toll she must be going through. Knowing she was voluntarily bringing down her boyfriend had to be hard.

"We're here," Clearsight said, smiling at Fatespeaker and jolting her out of her thoughts. She knocked on the door, and it opened almost immediately to reveal a middle aged Noctu.

"Oh, thank the moons," the Noctu said, the relief evident in her voice and her face. "Come in, quickly."

Clearsight and Fatespeaker entered the Noctu's house. It was small for a Noctu, but it was still rather large, and well lit. Privileges came with being a Status Two.

"Hello, Clearsight," the Noctu said, giving her a quick hug. She smiled at Fatespeaker. "And who is this?"

"Fatespeaker," Clearsight answered for her. "One of the students at JPA who's helping us."

"Hello, Fatespeaker," the Noctu said with a smile. "I'm Foeslayer, Darkstalker's mother."

Fatespeaker blinked. She'd known they were coming to visit Darkstalker's mother, but she hadn't known her name would be Foeslayer. She was too nice to be a Foeslayer. "Hello," Fatespeaker said once she'd found a voice.

Foeslayer smiled at her once again, then turned to Clearsight. "Would you like refreshments?"

"No, thank you," Clearsight answered. "We're in a bit of a hurry."

"Of course. When are you planning on attacking?"

"Tomorrow."

Foeslayer closed her eyes, nodded once, breathed out, then opened her eyes. "I see. Am I to join you now?"

"That was the point of us coming here," Clearsight said.

Foeslayer nodded slowly. She glanced around the room, taking in every detail, before she nodded again, squaring her shoulders. "I'm ready."

"You'll be back," Clearsight said gently. "Probably tomorrow afternoon."

"I know. But it won't be the same. He'll be different."

"It will never be the same," Clearsight agreed, her voice a haunted whisper.

Fatespeaker had the sudden feeling that she was intruding on a conversation she shouldn't be intruding on. Why had Clearsight even invited her?

"But it's for the better," Foeslayer said, her voice suddenly strong. "Let's go. Before I change my mind."

Clearsight smiled at her. "We're going back to JPA now," she said. "You'll be staying with the Jade Winglet ninth graders, since most of them are being imprisoned by you-know-who, and there's extra space."

"Oh," Foeslayer said weakly. "Great."

Clearsight gave her a sad smile. "I know." She glanced around the room one last time, her eyes just as sad as Foeslayer's. "Let's go."

Once they were outside and on their way to JPA, Clearsight leaned in and whispered to Fatespeaker, "I'm sorry I brought you. But I was worried that if I didn't bring someone, we'd both start crying and never leave."

Fatespeaker nodded slowly. She understood that, to a degree. "It's okay," she said to Clearsight. "I'm glad I came." And she was. Now, she wasn't at all suspicious.

Maybe, with Clearsight's and Fathom's help, everything would be okay.

Chapter Text

The morning of the attack, Sundew was crouched behind a tree. Unlike last time she'd been in this situation, she didn't have Willow to help her.

Sundew sighed. When they'd been making groups, she'd agreed that Willow should be part of the infiltration team, but now she was regretting that decision. As one of the leaders of the distraction team, she had Cricket as a co-captain, and Starflight, Sunny, and Lynx under their combined command.

She pulled out her phone and texted the group chat that had all members of the distraction team on it - a much more effective from of communication than they'd had earlier.

Snudoo: Everyone in place?

Snudoo: WHO CHANGED MY USERNAME?

Lynx: It was Willow . . .

Snudoo: Ugh. I can't be mad at her.

Cricket: Guys, answer her question, please. Are you all in place?

Starflight: Affirmative, commander

Sunny: *thumbs up emoji*

Lynx: Yes

Snudoo: Great. Deathbringer's going to give us the signal, same one as last time.

Lynx: We know. We've gone over this a million times.

Snudoo: Great, then, you know what to do!

Cricket: Radio silence until further notice.

Further notice came a few moments later, when a bird tweeted four times. A different bird responded, and then the original bird replied with four more tweets. Deathbringer, Cricket, and then Deathbringer again.

Snudoo: They're ready. In five minutes, set your bomb.

Starflight: I've thought of something.

Snudoo: Can it wait?

Starflight: No.

Snudoo: Fine. Tell us.

Starflight: Won't Darkstalker know we're trying to distract him so we can get in?

Cricket: We thought of that. It's possible, but he probably wants us to enter so he has an excuse to arrest us. As long as we get in, it's fine.

Starflight: Um, okay.

Snudoo: Five minutes is in one minute.

Lynx: Do you realize the confusing-ness of that statement?

Snudoo: Yes. Now let's stop talking and SET OUR BOMBS.

Sundew put her phone down and put her hand on the trigger. Three, two, one. She twisted the dial, and the bomb went off. Smoke immediately clouded the air in front of her, so that she could barely see.

Sundew leapt up and started running, to the side first, and then after a few minutes toward the palace. She was pretty sure at this point that the guards had gotten far enough that she wouldn't run into any of them.

After a few more minutes of running, Sundew reached the doors to the palace. Cricket was already there, waiting for her. A minute later, Lynx reached them, and finally Starflight, gasping for breath.

"Sorry," he said, still looking exhausted. "I'm not the best at physical things."

"I can tell," Sundew said curtly. "Let's go. The infiltration team should have opened the way." She reached for the door, smirking as it opened easily. She and Cricket led the way to the throne room, and they reached it within a few minutes.

Sundew let Cricket do the honors this time. Her friend opened the doors to reveal a sight Sundew definitely hadn't expected.

The infiltration team was all standing in a circle, watching warily as Winter held Darkstalker at gunpoint.

This was most certainly not part of the plan.

Chapter Text

"I hope you know where we're going," Winter hissed at Deathbringer as they led one third of their friends through the palace to the throne room.

"Don't worry," Deathbringer replied confidently. "I know what I'm doing."

Spoiler alert: Deathbringer had absolutely no clue what he was doing. He'd told Winter that he didn't need a map to reach the throne room - and he'd thought he wouldn't. But now, they were lost in the castle, and they really, really needed to get to the throne room quickly.

"Are you sure you're not lost?" Winter asked, and Deathbringer decided that maybe honesty was the best option.

"No," he said. "We're lost."

Winter cursed, then turned to the other members of their group. "Please tell me one of you knows where we are."

They all looked at each other, and then Riptide said, "Sorry. No clue."

Winter stomped his foot. "All right. Here's what we're going to do."

"Ask for help?" Luna offered.

Winter gave her a surly look. "No. Keep wandering around until we find the throne room."

Deathbringer, Riptide, Luna, Swordtail, Willow, and Tsunami all exchanged a glance. "Um," Deathbringer said, "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"No. We're doing it anyway. Follow me."

Technically, as Winter's co-captain, Deathbringer could have argued, but honestly, he didn't really have a better solution. So, he nodded at the other members of their team and followed Winter through the halls.

Against all odds, they - or Winter, really - actually found the throne room pretty quickly.

"There you are," Clearsight whispered when they reached her and Fathom. The Noctu and Segara were standing casually outside the throne room, prepared to lead them into the secret entrance.

"Sorry we're late. Someone got lost," Winter said, glaring at Deathbringer.

"Not my fault!" Deathbringer argued, though even he knew that it most definitely was his fault.

Clearsight rolled her eyes. "Let's hurry. Darkstalker's receiving an update from his counselors, but he won't be occupied for too long, and we need him to be distracted."

Winter nodded. "Lead us."

They followed Clearsight and Fathom through a long-forgotten side tunnel and stopped when it ended in a door.

Clearsight handed Winter a key and said, "This is where we leave you. We can't be seen with you if we want to have any hope of getting him to eat the strawberry."

"The . . . strawberry?" Swordtail whispered to Luna, who shrugged.

"You're not the only one who's confused."

"Thank you," Winter said to Clearsight and Fathom, and Deathbringer nodded. He should probably at least pretend like he was in charge here. "We remember the plan," Winter continued. "You rush in when you're ready."

Clearsight dipped her head in acknowledgement, and then she and Fathom disappeared into the shadows.

Winter turned to the door and put the key in the keyhole. "All right," he said. "One, two, three."

He turned the key, and slammed the door open so suddenly Darkstalker nearly fell of his throne.

Deathbringer had to admit - that was a sight he wouldn't forget.

"Oh, there's a door there," Darkstalker said dazedly. "In my defense, it looks like part of the wall."

"Release our friends and give up your throne," Winter ordered in a loud voice as Deathbringer and their friends poured into the room, surrounding Darkstalker in the prearranged formation.

Darkstalker smirked. "I think not." He pulled a gun from a holster at his side and aimed it at Winter. "I'd rather kill you."

Winter smirked. "And I'd rather kill you." Quick as a flash, Winter leapt forward and knocked Darkstalker's gun out of his hands, flipping it around so it was pointed at Darkstalker.

"Only one of us is going to get our wish, and it's going to be me."

Chapter Text

Willow stared in shock as Winter held Darkstalker at gunpoint. This was not part of the plan. This was really not part of the plan.

Her friends seemed to have the same train of thought, as Luna, Swordtail, Riptide, Deathbringer, and Tsunami were all standing in shock. Willow opened her mouth to speak - stop him, maybe - but the words wouldn't form. Luckily, before she had to come up with a backup plan, the door flew open, and Sundew entered.

Good. Not just because she was her girlfriend, but also because Sundew was probably the most capable person here. She had a better chance of fixing this than anyone else.

"Okay," Sundew said, stomping further into the room and standing next to Winter. "This is what you're going to do: Hand us the keys to the dungeon, or Winter's going to shoot you."

What? Sundew! This was not what Willow meant by "fix this"!

"Well," Darkstalker said slowly, "It appears I don't have much of a choice."

"Yes," Sundew agreed. "You don't have any choice, in fact. So hand us the keys."

"Well, I could," Darkstalker said casually, "or, I could do this." He reached down and pressed a button on the side of his throne.

Immediately, alarms blared. Four Noctus and one Kypseli burst into the room from the main entrance, all looking horrified at the sight in front of them.

"Attack them," Darkstalker hissed. "And make sure I don't die."

"I'm pretty sure they can't stop me," Winter said, then yelled out as one of the Noctus attacked him, knocking the gun out of his hands. "Hey! That was rude!"

Rude? Willow thought, but she didn't question it. This was Winter, after all. He was entitled to be a little weird.

"Oh, snap out of it, all of you," Sundew shouted. She whirled, smacking the one Kypseli out of the fight. Willow smirked. That was the Sundew she knew. "Darkstalker, give us the keys and this can stop!"

Willow frowned. Maybe they didn't need Darkstalker to give them his keys. Maybe they could just take them.

Willow looked around the room. Darkstalker would probably want to keep his keys near him, so Willow focused on the throne. She headed around the edges of the battle, dodging whenever an enemy swiped at her.

When Willow reached the throne, Darkstalker was still sitting on it. That was the obvious problem. Willow went behind the throne and climbed the back, then jumped on Darkstalker, tackling him to the ground.

His keys. That was what she was looking for. She wasn't trying to injure him, just get the keys. Willow reached into Darkstalker's pocket and pulled them out, grinning.

"Hand them to me," Sundew yelled at her. "I'll go free them!"

Willow weighed her options. She couldn't keep sitting on Darkstalker forever. And Sundew was pretty close to the exit. If she could make the catch . . .

Willow threw the keys.

Sundew caught the keys.

She smirked at Darkstalker, who looked furious, and blew Willow a quick kiss. And then she disappeared through the doors of the throne room.

Willow smiled. At least one good thing would be accomplished today.

Chapter Text

"Darkstalker!" Clearsight yelled dramatically, running into the room from the main entrance, Fathom just behind her. "Are you okay?!"

"No," he grumbled. Willow was still sitting on him, and the sight made Luna giggle. "This is awful."

"I know, I know," Clearsight murmured, falling to her knees by his side. She looked up suddenly, glaring at all the guards. "What are you all still doing here? Leave!"

"But what about our enemies?" Darkstalker demanded. "They still need to be vanquished!"

Clearsight glared at Luna and her friends. "Stay, but don't do anything evil." She gave Winter a significant look, and he nodded almost imperceptibly.

"I have something for you," Clearsight said. She motioned for Willow to move off Darkstalker, and she complied.

Darkstalker sat up, rubbing his head as he leaned against his throne. "What? And why are you giving it to me now?!"

Clearsight waved his concerns away as she pulled a pack of . . . strawberries out of her pocket. "Here."

"Strawberries?" Darkstalker asked incredulously. "Why are you giving me strawberries?"

"Because you've never had a strawberry," Clearsight said, as if the answer were obvious. "And everyone should have had a strawberry."

"Um," Darkstalker said. "Why now?"

"Because," Clearsight said stubbornly. She shoved the pack of fruit in his face. "Eat it."

"Just do it," Fathom said, as if the conversation were exasperating him. "Then we can get onto important matters."

Darkstalker gave him a suspicious look. "Are you tricking me?"

"Why'd you ask me and not her?! It's her strawberries!"

Darkstalker considered that. "You know, you have a point." He took the strawberries from Clearsight and popped one in his mouth.

Luna tensed. Would it work? Or were Clearsight and Fathom crazy, and their contact didn't know anything?

Darkstalker chewed for a moment, the room uncomfortably silent. "This doesn't taste that good. A bit too sweet." He swallowed the whole strawberry, then paused, his eyes widening dramatically.

Darkstalker shifted out of Clearsight's arms and stared at her, a betrayed expression on his face. "Did you poison this?!"

"I'm sorry, Darkstalker," Clearsight whispered. "But you've gone crazy."

"Crazy?! I'm trying to better the world!"

"But it's not working," a new voice said gently, and Luna turned to see Darkstalker's mother, Foeslayer, enter the room. "Clearsight's right. For the good of everyone, you had to be stopped."

"Mother?! I killed Queen Wasp! She was a tyrant!"

"I know," Foeslayer whispered. "But so are you."

Foeslayer and Clearsight looked at each other, a broken expression on each of their faces, and Luna's heart wrenched. They were willingly doing this to their son and boyfriend, to break a system that benefited them.

Wow.

Foeslayer and Clearsight were really good people.

"Is this making me younger?!" Darkstalker shouted suddenly, jolting her out of her thoughts. "What did you do?!"

"It is," Foeslayer said. "In a minute, you won't remember any of this. You'll be young again, and I'll get to raise you again."

"I love you," Clearsight whispered into the silence a moment later, as Darkstalker became a wailing baby on the floor.

Chapter Text

Blue skipped down the halls of Jade Preparatory Academy, a huge smile on his face. Things were really, really good since Darkstalker had become a child. Not necessarily for Clearsight, Fathom, and Foeslayer, but they were dealing and knew this was the right decision.

But overall, life had improved by a tenfold. Thorn and the other queen nominations had been at the palace during the battle, and they'd quickly taken over and set up the new form of government.

The Queen Council has been an immediate success. Though not everyone agreed with the decision to put Winter's aunt Glacier on it, everyone agreed that it was for the best. Jewel was good for the Kypselis, making them more tolerable and less racist.

And life for the Reshams and Uas? Never better. Blue hasn't been heckled once on his way to class. He wasn't sure if that was because the former upper classes were afraid of earning the wrath of the new regime or because their opinions were changing, but either way, it was better.

Blue knew it would take time for society to fully change. Already, there were some extreme factions - mainly led by Wasp's relatives, the former leaders of the provinces who had been removed from power - that were trying to revert things back to the old way.

But it wasn't going to work! The Queen Council had a firm grip on power, and the one attempt at organized rebellion had failed before it could gain traction. It helped that three-quarters of the population were on the side of the new government, so it was mainly only the Noctus, Glacees, and Kypselis running the rebellions, and they weren't gaining much support.

Blue smiled as he continued down the hall. This was more than he could have ever dreamed of.

"Hey," a voice behind him said, and Cricket stepped up to walk beside him.

Blue beamed at her. "Hey."

"You're happy," Cricket said with a laugh.

"Oh, you know . . . Everything."

She laughed again. "Everything indeed." She paused for a moment, and Blue opened his mouth to say something when Cricket beat him to it. "Blue?"

"Yes?"

"There's something I've been meaning to ask you."

"Yeah?"

"You know the old laws that forbid inter-race relationships?"

Oh, that was where this was going. Blue had not expected that. "Yeah," he answered lamely, his voice a bit squeakier than normal.

"Well, the Queen Council has revoked them."

Oh. This really was where she was going. "I know," Blue said. "It's great, isn't it?"

"It really is," Cricket agreed. "And not just because it means more rights and more freedom."

Blue was clearly supposed to say something specific here. The best he could manage was, "And what's the other reason?"

"You're really going to make me say it, aren't you?" Cricket asked with a smile.

Blue couldn't help but smile back at her. "I guess I am."

Cricket stopped, turned to face him, and took a deep breath. "Do you want to do the thing that used to be illegal but isn't now?"

Blue grinned. That statement could have referred to a lot of things, but somehow Blue knew exactly what she meant. "I would love to."

And as Cricket did a little, excited hop and beamed at him, Blue knew that things would be better now.

This new, Queen Wasp-free, Darkstalker-free, Cricket-definitely-not-free, life was truly amazing.