Felix sat with his usual composed posture, observing the room quietly. His gaze shifted once toward the empty seat where Drake normally sat, then back to his book. He turned a page, but his eyes didn’t seem to be reading.
Sable leaned slightly toward Lucien.
"Class feels... different," he whispered.
Lucien nodded once, his expression calm but thoughtful.
"Yes."
"Different how?" Sable asked.
"Quieter. Less fire."
"Oh." Sable thought about this. "I miss the fire."
Lucien nodded again.
At that mont, the door opened.
Alina stepped inside.
The room imdiately settled, all eyes turning toward her.
She paused for a second, her eyes moving across the class, noticing everything in a single glance.
The quiet.
The empty seat.
The subtle way several children were looking toward the door.
The way Luna’s ears were still angled toward the hallway.
A small, knowing smile touched her lips.
She walked in gently, her steps soft against the floor.
"Good morning," she said warmly.
"Good morning, teacher," the class replied, though the chorus was slightly less energetic than usual.
Boo floated closer imdiately, his face scrunched with concern.
"Teacher," he said with a dramatic pout, "Drake did not co. He is missing. Absent. Not here. Where is dragoon?"
Alina nodded softly, setting her bag down.
"Yes," she said. "He will not co for a few days. His body is going through a change, so he needs rest. His mother sent a ssage this morning."
The classroom went quiet again.
Luna looked away, her ears lowering just a little.
"...Oh," she said quietly.
Vlad Jr. nodded seriously. "Health is important. Rest is important. Shedding is difficult for dragons."
Kelpie looked genuinely worried, his water rippling anxiously.
"Will he be okay?" he asked. "Is he in pain? Does he need water? Water helps everything."
"Yes," Alina reassured gently, her voice warm. "He will be fine. Just uncomfortable for a few days. His mother is taking good care of him. He will be back soon."
Rocky held his stone a little tighter against his chest.
"I will show him this when he cos back," he said softly. "It is very smooth. Very pretty. He will like it."
Boo floated slowly in the air, thinking.
"...I will update him with all gossip when he returns," he announced. "He will need to know everything he missed. Every detail. Every drama. Every snack event."
Felix closed his book with a soft snap.
"That will only make his condition worse. Gossip raises stress. Stress is bad for shedding."
Boo gasped dramatically.
"Rude! Gossip is healing! Gossip is dicine for the soul!"
"Gossip is not dicine."
"It is for ghosts!"
Alina smiled softly as she started taking attendance, her voice warm and familiar as she called each na.
"Lucien."
"Here."
"Sable."
"Here!" Sable waved happily.
"Felix."
"...Present."
"Rocky."
"Here," Rocky whispered, still holding his polished stone.
"Kelpie."
"Here!" Kelpie raised his hand, splashing water everywhere.
"Luna."
"Obviously here."
"Vlad Jr."
"Present, Teacher."
"Boo."
Boo shot up from his desk dramatically. "PRESENT! Very present! Most present ghost in existence!"
Alina chuckled and marked the sheet.
Everyone present except Drake.
The empty desk in the classroom felt strange, like a word missing from a sentence. She glanced at it briefly before setting the attendance sheet aside.
"Alright, everyone. First lesson is reading. Take out your books."
The class obeyed, the usual shuffling of papers and books filling the room. It was quieter than normal without Drake’s constant comntary, but the routine carried them forward.
After the first lecture ended, Alina announced, "Second period is free ti. You can draw, read, or play quietly."
The class imdiately relaxed. Conversations started, children moved around, and the room filled with comfortable low chatter.
Alina looked toward the corner where Vlad Jr. sat.
He was already organizing his notebook, his small hands neat and precise, but his eyes kept glancing toward her as if waiting.
She smiled and walked over.
"Vlad Jr.," she said gently, pulling a small chair beside his desk. "Let’s talk about the planning."
Vlad Jr. straightened imdiately, his whole posture shifting into what could only be described as ’business mode.’
"Yes, Teacher," he said seriously, pulling out a fresh piece of paper and a perfectly sharpened pencil. "I have been thinking."
Alina tilted her head, amused.
"Oh?"
"Yes." He looked up at her with those ancient child eyes. "Plantation should co first because plants need ti to grow. Sports Day can be after."
Alina blinked.
That was... actually very good.
"That is a very good point," she admitted.
Vlad Jr. nodded, making a small note on his paper.
"Also, plantation needs supplies. Seeds, small pots, soil, water cans." He glanced toward Kelpie. "Kelpie can help with water."
Kelpie looked up from across the room. "I heard my na!"
"Water helper," Vlad Jr. called.
Kelpie bead. "I accept!"
Vlad Jr. made another note.
"Rocky can provide small stones for decoration around the plants," he continued. "He has many."
Rocky, who had been quietly arranging his pebbles, looked up with wide eyes.
"I can?" he asked softly.
"Your stones would make the plants look nice," Vlad Jr. said seriously.
Rocky’s whole face lit up. "I will pick the best ones!"
Vlad Jr. nodded and added to his list.
"Luna can help with... carrying things. She is strong."
Luna’s ears perked up from where she was pretending not to listen.
"Obviously I am strong," she muttered. "I will help."
"Felix can help with planning the layout," Vlad Jr. continued. "He is good at thinking."
Felix looked up from his book. "I am good at many things, but yes, layout planning is acceptable."
"Boo can..."
Vlad Jr. paused.
Boo floated closer imdiately.
"I can what? What can I do? I need a job! An important job!"
Vlad Jr. thought carefully.
"...You can be encouragent supervisor."
Boo gasped. "That is the perfect job! I will encourage so hard! Everyone will be encouraged!"
Felix muttered, "That is not a real job."
"It is now!" Boo declared.
Vlad Jr. made another note, completely serious.
"Sable and Lucien can help with decorations."
Sable bounced excitedly. "We can decorate using our shadows!"
Lucien nodded calmly. "We can manage that."
Vlad Jr. looked at his paper, reviewing his notes.
"Teacher," he said, looking up, "we should also have na tags for each plant so everyone knows which one is theirs."
Alina stared at him.
This little baby was organizing better than most adults she knew.
"That is an excellent idea," she said honestly.
Vlad Jr. smiled slightly, pleased.
"And for Sports Day," he continued, already moving to the next topic, "we need teams. Not just individual gas. Teams are important."
"Why teams?"
He considered his answer carefully.
"Because if we only have individual gas, soone will feel bad about losing. But if we have teams, everyone shares the win or loss together."
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