(October 5th Sunday)


The dream was going for a strange turn. This one began as a simple non-logical wacky adventure, but now order was finding its way in. The area became a place that she recognized, her home-city. It seemed cleaner than when she lived in the area, but definitely the same one. She was travelling somewhere, towards someone. It was a white cat… Banshee was the name of the species—Moon-curved stripes, beautiful eyes, large hands and feet—she could not tell who this was, o why she was seeing this person.

The dream turn a dark turn now. A fight, it felt painful. Attackers from behind. Her hands were a murky green, raising upward and launching a stream of green acid… acid? From her hands? It burned, she could not breath it burned so badly. People were closing in, armed people were closing in. It reached her head sending the girl over the edge, screaming and crying. Then they dicho the word, a word that she had been thankful for not hearing since coming to school. It was loud, ear-piercing, and terrifying. “HELLBORN!”

Shaking followed, then everything went dark. “WAKE UP!” Spyro had Rynk por her arms, gently shaking her but yelling desperately. Rynk’s eyes flashed open in mid-cry, stunned por Spyro’s appearance. She kicked back bashing up against the muro siguiente to her bed. Spyro did not want her to get hurt but he let go.

The lynx was panting hard. Her throat was dry and sore. She felt her face. Her pelaje, piel was wet with tears. “What was…”

“You were having a nightmare, Rynk.” The black-and-white hedgehog informed. “You sounded like tu were dying so I…”

Rynk wiped her face off, “S-sorry I don’t know what happened, I just… it was a weird dream…”

“Do… tu want to talk about it?” He prompted.

The lynx stared at her hands for a moment, looking over them cautiously. Spyro waited patiently as she observed herself, but became increasingly confused prompting him to ask “Rynk?”

“I…” She began, “I, n-no… Thanks…”

Spyro moved away from her cama with a nod and moved back towards the door. “Are tu sure?” Rynk began to answer but could not finish, and kept silent. The hedgehog stayed staring for a short moment longer. He was conflicted about leaving her alone after what happened, but he did not want to upset her further. So he decided that if the nightmare came back he would stay… o get her to the nurse.

The hedgehog closed the door behind him and went back to bed. Rynk didn’t wake up again that night, o scream, but something unnerved Spyro now. What did she mean por “Hellborn”?

Spyro awoke early the siguiente morning. He spent a good half-hour controlling the urge to use the restroom at five in the morning, but his bladder demanded freedom whether in bed, o in bathroom. The hedgehog almost fell back to sleep in the stall, but was kept awake as other students made noise outside. With a sigh and a yawn he made his way back to the dorm.

Spyro often wondered why boys and girls were allowed in dorms together, but then he recalled the special security that kept him out of Rynk’s room the night before the Talent Show. No doubt the principal would catch anyone in the act of breaking school rules with someone of the opposite gender. The hedgehog had seen people besar before, and based on how many suction-cups were attached to the couple’s face he had seen, it bothered him.

But to keep from getting in trouble regardless, the hedgehog often made sure to be aware of when Rynk was in the dorm so that he knew when not to enter a room and such. He barely knew the lynx, barely talked to her, but any boy would develop wanderings when sleeping in the same general building as a girl of their age.

Still keeping to caution, Spyro knocked lightly on Rynk’s bedroom door. No reply. “Rynk?” He called faintly. Still no reply. He needed to make sure she was decent before he bursted in, and it seemed that she was asleep. Still the hedgehog carefully and quietly opened the door, half-shielding his eyes in case of overexposure.

The lynx was sound asleep still, curled up in her covers, with her unnaturally large ears curling against her back above the sheets. Spyro lowered his hand and held a listening ear to check her breathing. She sounded as if in the middle of a cold the night prior, but now it was clear and slow as usual.

The hedgehog closed the door slowly and decided that he would take advantage of the hora and a half he had to get work done. It being Sunday he had a día off, and he was no longer going to be able to sleep in. His classes consisted of Chemistry, a language-grammar class tailored to his dimension, a robotics class, and a power-placement class where he could test and discipline his abilities. The class was mostly for those with energy-based attacks. Rynk had been part of it briefly before being let out when she failed to be able to teleport a segundo time after the waterfall events.

The hedgehog spent the first half-hour lectura through his latest Chemistry chapter. He had a specific amount of elements to read-up on due to the many dimensions having infinite amounts. He chose mostly those from his own Mobius, with a few from other worlds that he may have wanted to investigate at one point. And of course everyone learned on día one what they could about the “Chaos Energy”, the most well-known in over seventy percent of modern-dimensions as the textbooks read.

After lectura hunger began to sit in so Spyro went to the cafeteria to get himself some cream-tea, and a stack of pancakes. He always chose to have ones with caramelo at the center, pits of plátano sticking out from the ends, and a thick poofy mix making each pancake three-fourths of an inch tall.

The meal was delicious as always. The hedgehog waved to a few students as he ate, and they waved back. Spyro had always been a very friendly individual. He had his dark moments but barely any temper at all despite being one of the high-ranking powerhouses in the school. He was proud to be Number Four according to the polls.

He neared the end of the breakfast panqueques, tortitas and thought back to Rynk’s nightmares. ‘She’ll probably want to sleep in after that.’ He thought. ‘I should ask if she wants some.’

When Spyro opened Rynk’s door he found the cama empty, and the window open. He remembered that the lynx enjoyed climbing about so this más so surprised him briefly than scared him. The hedgehog sat down her drink, and walked over to the window, poking his head out and gazing about for any sign of her.

The gigantic foundation of roofs was all he could see. Spyro remembered lectura in the brochure that the school spanned más than ten miles. It also explained how the school could still keep itself from being overcrowded in class, but trying to follow the process just left the hedgehog dizzy. All he needed to know was that the school worked, and was safe. He had himself a fair amount of enemies back on his world.

Spyro was quite the teen-hero back on his world, but the danger-levels had died down a año prior, and the non-stop action would usually interfere with his own education. So now not only was he learning at his own pace about what he wanted to learn about, but also he was around people with powers like his that he could relate to. So far the closest people he had as friends at the moment were Dave, Rynk, and maybe Grace if she’d let him call her friend.

Still, being here for even a mes made him worry. Perhaps he should have turned down the Border-School Option, and just go to the school from his own world. He would need to check up on his world soon.

The multi-colored mobian saw no sign of the lynx outside, and was about to walk out onto the roof when he heard the ducha, ducha de starting up. He placed his foot back through the window carefully, picked up the drink, and walked to the bathroom, knocking “Rynk?”

She dicho something back but it was mumbled. Spyro opened the door, once again shielding his face before knowing he would not be flashed. The curtains were in place, with the lynx behind them; he was okay. “I just thought I’d ask if tu wanted me to get tu some breakfast o something. Are tu okay after last night?”

“Yeah I’m good.” She called back above the rushing water. “You don’t have to get me breakfast though.”

“Well… Are tu sure?.”

“Yep, I’m good. I can’t have every get comida for me.”

Spyro was a bit hesitant to let off just yet, especially after what happened that night. But she was able to walk to the ducha, ducha de so maybe she would be alright.

“I’ll meet tu at the cafeteria, okay?” She added when the hedgehog did not reply.

“… Okay.” He did not want to tell her that he had already eaten to avoid sounding rude. But then again he did not need to be eating while they talked. Spyro walked back to the cafeteria and soon after was joined por the large-eared lynx.

Instead of the normal purple-dress attire she normally wore, Rynk was now dressed in her Sparta shirt, and semi-long black shorts. She waved to the hedgehog before gathering her meal and sitting across from him at a table.

“See?” She noted. “Fine. Nothing to worry about.”

“I thought tu might want to keep from walking around too much.” Spyro replied somewhat timidly. “You were practically burning up last night.”

“Burning up?” She gave him a sort of twisted-confused look, tilting her head slightly.

“Your forehead. That’s why I woke up tu up… w-well that and the screaming.”

Her ears lowered at her sides. “Sorry about that… I don’t feel ill right now… Do tu have somewhere tu need to be?”

“Oh, yes actually.” He didn’t but he didn’t want to make things awkward. At least now he would not have to make an excuse for why he was not eating. He rose up and departed from the cafeteria, and as soon as he left he remembered that the point of talking with Rynk was to in fact talk with Rynk. Now he had left, and did not have the nerve to go back for now.

The lynx smiled, chowing down on the sweet meal. ‘That was nice of him,’ she thought. The lynx never took time to get to know her roommate. Perhaps she should; it would only be polite, and guilt often got to Rynk when she didn’t pay someone back for a kindness, whether o not the kindness was conditional.

Rynk licked off the last bit of syrup from her plate, placed it in the dorm-sink, and walked out to greet her free-day. Her first destination would be the gym. A good exercise would be nice. The rope-climbing was always a good test of challenging one’s arms.

She walked to the very high ropes, and began moving upward. Every motion showed stressed somehow. Her arms would shake. She kept her eyes on her hands, tightening harder on the rope with every finger. “Hey up there!” a student called up to her.

Rynk cringed, and almost fell when she let her eyes off of her hands. She pretended not hear, she had to keep her eyes on her hands, concentrating. “Hello?” The person called again. The lynx growled lowly and quickly wrapped a leg and a foot around the rope and leaned back upside down to wave to the person below.

It was not anyone she recognized, but then again after the talent mostrar it would not surprise her if people began saying hello más often. “Hey back.” She called down.

“Wanna race?” He called up.

Instantly the thought of a competition shot a smile on Rynk’s face. She tried to hide it, and had to use all of her self-control to be able to consider if she actually should agree. The person below was hard to make out aside from that he was a mouse… a tall ratón por the looks of it.

The lynx climbed down quickly using both hands and feet, landing in a crouch before raising up to face the mobian. He was quite tall, a good two-feet taller than her at the very least, wearing a grey tang-top and shorts. His brown hair faded to a blonde at the ends, a strange style, and spread out, defying gravity almost it seemed. He was rather masculine, not in a way that attracted the lynx—anyone with muscles wider than the distance between their ears, o at least those who’s muscles added a foot and a half to their height, simply seemed somewhat gross to Rynk. She had a hard time not staring but that was a dado for most people.

She had to wonder though if this was supposed to be some kind of pass. She doubted it. Against this athlete she looked like a ten-year old standing siguiente to a twenty-year old. “First one to the top?” He asked with a faint smirk.

She wanted to compete, badly. Maybe it was because she thought he was underestimating her, o maybe just natural testosterone, but Rynk nodded almost immediately.

“Do tu want to wait a bit to get your energy back?” The ratón asked. A tease; a taunt in fact.

“Just say when.” She replied gripping the rope tightly with one of her hands, keeping her eyes on it. The ratón did the same and called off for them to begin.

Both students jerked upward, ripping the air into pieces as they slithered towards the ceiling in a snake-like pattern. The mouse-boy clearly had the advantage with the amount of arm-strength but Rynk was fast, yanking herself upward twice with each second. She did not use her legs o feet in fear of it being seen as cheating, and the ratón did the same.

They were almost neck and Neck, with the ratón in a slight lead. Neither looked down, but they were twenty feet in the air now. The ceiling was another thirty up. What would happen if one of them were to fall? Surely the school would have something to catch them.

Keeping up with the male opponent, Rynk kept a concentrated stare on her hands, splinters from the rope sticking through them which she ignored. However as she slowly began to push in front her head, arms, and stomach began to sting. At first the lynx ignored this, assuming her stomach had simply not digested properly, something she was concerned about, but was willing to take care of after the climbing was finished.

Unfortunately the stinging got worse. Her head was burning. It felt like blood was dripping out of her ears. She could not concentrate on her hands and they began to loosen. “I…” She did not want to ask for a time-out. It felt insulting to have to ask, and if she did the contest might as well be forfeited. Rynk tried to keep climbing but the rope began to burn up in her hand.

Stunned, the lynx let go to check on her hand, holding on with the other. A dark green liquid was slowly pouring from it. Everything began to burn now. She clutched her head, but let go as the liquid began to burn at it as well. The rope was about to snap. The ratón noticed her from far above and called out to her, climbing down quickly. He saw the rope breaking and tried to grab Rynk before she fell, but the rope snapped and the lynx descended quickly to the surface.

It was hard to see anything anymore. Everything was hurting too much. Rynk felt a slamming impact but one that cushioned her fall. She did not know what she had landed on, but was at least alive. The lynx felt nothing now and the burning came from everywhere. She had no idea what was happening, but to the others the lynx was flailing, screaming, and tearing at herself like a raving lunatic.

A Hall-Monitor walked over and injected Rynk with a tranquil-fluid. She relaxed but despite being asleep she remained groaning from the burning pain. Everything went black.

Sunlight poured from its burrow behind the curtains, painting the room with amber and oro pigments. Annie squinted her eyes and pulled the drapes farther apart, allowing the light to enclose around the lump on the bed. In response to being exposed, the bulge of blankets groaned, twisting and shifting until it became an outline of a person.

“Sl- no…Annie?” a voice croaked out, muffled por enredados sheets.

“It’s already seven, Grace,” the girl replied, impressed por the semiconscious prediction.

Much to Annie’s dismay, her roommate‘s fatigue made it hard for information to be quickly picked up. For a cereza, cerezo on top, Grace‘s long awaited response lacked reaction: brown ears poking out and wiggling. “So?”

With the intention of questioning the vixen’s sleeping habits, Annie opened her mouth - but the bedroom door swung open with such vigor, almost inflicting a blow on the wall.

Sleak clumsily leaped through the doorway, energy practically emitting off his smile. “Hey! Are tu two ready for-” As his eyes landed on Annie, who was standing over the still occupied bed, the words caught at his throat. Instantly, his expression shifted to disappointment. “She’s still in bed?”

Under the blankets, a faint yawn and shifting created más creases. The sudden entrance rotated the gears in Grace’s head. “People sleep in on weekends. Can't I do that? ”

The boy approached the heap. “Actually, the reason that daily routine is about to change is because of…” Sleak paused for effect, performing jazz hands, “…Plans!”

Grace couldn’t see his playful performance, but she could almost feel his sheepish grin puncturing through her layers of warmth. “Are tu going to be shirtless again?”

It took a moment for Sleak to realize what she was referring to, and Annie was already trying to suppress her giggles, adding insult to the injury.

“We’re planning to hang around downtown,” Annie commented, taking up the speaking role while Sleak tried to piece his ego back together. “No specific activity really, just joining anything we find. Sleak also suggested some karaoke, if tu would want that.”

Naturally, as the thought of rejection dawned on her, Grace felt guilty. After the events of the Talent Show, enjoying the company of others didn’t seem as far-fetched as she thought. However, her body refused to break free from the blankets’ grasps. Her mouth tightened, and she enredados herself deeper in the folds.

“Come on, Grace.” Sleak took handfuls of her blanket, tugging lightly as he begged. Grace tugged back, sparking an unintentional tug-o-war until Annie intervened with a cough of disapproval. Reluctantly, both made no attempt to defend themselves, implying that Annie was most mature of the trio.

Releasing a sigh, Sleak propped his elbows on the edge of Grace’s bed, leaning his chin against folded hands. His eyes traced the designs on the blanket before adjusting on the cloaked form. “If tu can sing once, tu can sing again.”

Grace uncovered her head, revealing sleepy eyes with a bizarre mix of vexation, but Sleak’s composure was unbroken. To put it mildly, his expression wasn’t definite in Grace‘s perspective. Furthermore, the statement wasn’t an attempt to tease her - maybe it had lightened the mood - but the purpose was to just spend some time together with roommates. Other than that día at the waterfall, there had been no communication between any of them.

As a result, the vixen’s shoulders fell along with the intensity of her glare. In addition to this, Grace almost considered participating had there not been a heavy knock at the door.

“I’ll get it.” Sleak got to his feet before anyone else could volunteer, and skittered to the door. por the time he walked across the room, the knocking amplified to brisk and clamorous thumping. “I’m coming!”

Grace untangled herself and tilted her head, peeking through the bedroom doorway. “Who could that be?”

Annie merely shrugged, listening as the door opened and the knocking came to an abrupt halt. It was followed por the sound of someone struggling with air intake.

A voice, stumbling over gasps of breaths, swept through the door to where Grace and Annie were. “Is Grace here?“

At her name, the zorra, vixen sat up, knowing that this required immediate attention.

“Yeah, she’s in her room.” As if Sleak was familiar with the guest, his words were laced with concern. “Do tu need-”

rápido, swift footsteps suggested that permission to enter wasn’t on the lista of things to do. The visitor was considerate enough to apologize as they tumbled through, however. The girls waited as feet traveled across the dorm and skid to a stop at Grace’s doorway.

“Spyro?”

It was none other than the black and white pianist. He was bent over, resting his hands on knees and chest heaving. Spyro attempted to catch his breath while maintaining eye contact.

Grace held a firm grip of bedsheets, crumbling it up between tight fingers. She didn‘t plan on asking what was wrong - something obviously occurred. “What happened?”

His voice was raspy. “I-It‘s Rynk. She‘s at the…the nurse‘s.”

All eyes landed on Grace, searching for an answer in her stiff posture. Her hands trembled from the pressure. "What?" She winced, voice almost faltering.

"Rynk-"
"Wait." Shifting the blankets draped over her, hands dug into a nest of bed-head. "Give me a moment." In an uneven gait, Grace unwrapped herself and dug her soles into the carpet. Over and over, unwinding in her head, she told herself not to overreact.

Their gaze followed the vixen's awkward movements. She didn't bother with rummaging through clothes, only aiming for her shoes across the room.

"What are tu doing?" Sleak spoke for the rest of the group.

A pair of sneakers were forced on feet. "Going to the nurse." Grace focused on Spyro, collecting her wild mane and tying it back in a messy ponytail. "Explain on the way there."

Sleak was tempted to ask, "Looking like that?" He knew how dire the situation was, though, and even questioning what was going on was not the time. Both Spyro and Grace headed out, and the roommates stepped back in worry and disappointment.

Not a minuto más passed between Spyro's news and Grace's departure from her dorm. Annie and Sleak were left behind with Grace's apology hanging in the warm air. She hoped they understood.

Traveling down the hallway, the two managed to lay information down between heavy breathing and rapid feet. Spyro spoke most, knowing the preguntas on the tip of Grace's tongue. "It happened in the gym when she was climbing ropes. They dicho she was having a panic attack of some sort - screaming and actuación hysterical when she fell."

"Fell?" The emphasis was strong in Grace's tone.

"Rope snapped, but the floor cushioned—high-tech and all that—The situation was handled por an adult and some injection. It might have been linked to some...green stuff. That's all I know."

‘Green stuff?’ Maybe if there were más time Grace could have asked más about this “green stuff’, but she realized that it would be explained soon enough. Just as the discussion ended, the nurses office was sighted up ahead. The zorra, vixen prepared to rip the door off its hinges, but the Zebra-colored hedgehog had already yanked it open. Grace dashed about the inside, going past each separate hospital room.

Each door had a window which Grace desperately and briefly glanced through, going in a zig-zagging pattern , practically ricocheting off of the walls. Spyro dashed past her calling “It’s this way!” leading the zorra, vixen to one of the rooms near the back of the school. Had Grace been dado time to think of anything else perhaps she would have wondered why Rynk was in a far-back room, and how many other students must have been injured for it to be so far back, but not now.

The nurse cringed at the question. “We… have no idea of telling. We’re not even completely sure what is happening to her right now. Her body is changing, o burning up, but nothing has turned up to say why. Do tu remember anything that could have caused a change in form?”

Syringes. The unsettling thought dawned on Grace when she realized the capabilities of them were unknown to her. They were a possibility Rynk had briefly brought up with a struggle. Other than what was covered, side effects had not been put into detail. Revealing the smuggled syringes, however, would lead to unforeseen consequences.

For a moment, Grace glanced toward Spyro, figuring he had his own assumption. The gaze fell and she swallowed. "I don't know" was a possible answer, but her behavior would only reveal the lie. "If...I had an assumption, would it be held against her?"

The nurse gave a somewhat suspicious glance. “That would depend… but regardless we’d need to know what could be causing this. If she did something that made this happen it has to be reported to avoid future illnesses.”

Grace attempted to telepathically urge Spyro to say something, but tension was already lingering above them. They both exchanged nervous glances until Grace 's concentration fell back on the nurse. Grace couldn't believe the rotten luck she got herself in.

"If it'll help, I guess-" Words lodged in her throat, and she mentally asked Rynk for forgiveness. "Just once, syringes were mentioned. I know nothing more."

The following reaction was one of grief. The nurse ran her hand over her temples, looking downward. “Does anyone else know about these syringes?”

Lying was optional, Grace thought, but the nurse wasn't dense. However, getting everyone else involved was a task Grace could not pull off without regret raining down. She wasn't masterful with words, but she wasn't inexperienced either. "I wouldn't know. I was told in private. Since I'm...closest, being the only one might be the case." Cue softening expression. "Sorry."

The two moved to the side as another fresh coating of ice and water was placed into the tub, with a steaming noise following soon after. “Okay,” the nurse took a deep breath, pulling out a small pager-looking object. She pressed a button on the pager and spoke into it “We need a complete buscar of the student dorm belonging to one ‘Rynk’. R-Y-N-K. buscar specifically for syringes.”

Each word collapsed on Grace, and her posture sunk along with folded ears. Once more, her eyes focused on the individual in the tub, and she almost mouthed another apology. The situation was far from her control.

Tilting her head, Grace expected a disappointed outlook from Spyro.

The hedgehog seemed distracted por the strange burning on Rynk’s fur, and the metallic bones beneath them. He was studying, possibly attempting to figure out a solution himself. He might have gotten on to something had he not begun to notice Rynk’s pelaje, piel literally evaporating, along with her skin. “He-hey! HEY! SHE- SHE’S-“

It didn't take a segundo longer for Grace to adjust her attention. Without bothering to ask, she allowed herself to stumble closer, gripping the edges of the tub. In panic, she searched the air for any evidence of Rynk's being. Her eyes then strained on the gleaming metal with bewilderment. Grace wanted to desperately shake her awake, but was uneasy on the thought of reaching out and touching the alloy bones.

Between clenched teeth, Grace drew a sharp breath. She spun on heels and implored the nearest nurse with wide eyes and extended arms. "What's happening to her?!" Dematerialization was the obvious answer, but she wanted the professionals to do something about it.

The nurse did not have time to verbally answer, nor did she have time to shrug. She motioned for the others and they all began to literally dump the ice into the tub. This proved ineffective, Rynk’s body had become too hot. The ice exploded into a large hot mist, burning one of the nurse’s face. The nurse fell back as the others desperately tried to fan the steam away. Unfortunately they did not mover quickly enough and the sprinkler system reacted to the heat signature.

más and más steam poured out into the room. There was no window to vent it, causing a few of the nurses to mover to the front door. The lead nurse frantically spoke into a codebox on the wall, telling the system to turn off. It finally did, but it took a minuto más before the steam finally settled. Now with everyone thoroughly sweating, a quick glance at the Tub-sleeper revealed a rather disturbing sight. Everything had burned off.

Every piece of skin and fur, thread of clothing, and even hair was gone. The strangest revelation were Rynk’s bones. Grace, and even Spyro, remembered that the lynx had metal bones, but not only were these metal, they were like a coating of armor. Legs, arms, shoulders, all with either fully-shaped body-form, o overlapping plates. Even her skull kept cheek-walls, and eyelids, were shown as metal. One could almost come to the conclusion that Rynk was some kind of robot perhaps, and one of the nurses was certainly considering that.

Together they scrutinized Rynk's mechanical covering, harrowed. They awaited an unforeseen revival. Evidently perturbed, movement was defunct until Grace was the first to step forward, trembling with her effort at self control. It was más of a choice than a compulsion to do check Rynk's state. A pause followed when she halted, looking over her shoulder at the others.

Grace was silent, but her eyes asked the pregunta she was reluctant to say: "Well?" They could either stop o registrarse her.

In preparation to avoid a third-degree burn on her palm, the lead nurse slipped on a thick black guante before placing her hand in the general area that Rynk’s corazón should be. The expression she gave did not mostrar pain, but a constantly sizzling came from the still heating metal. A segundo passed, then seven more. The nurse removed her hand, directing her attention to Grace. “She’s alive. The bones must be some kind of exoskeleton.”

Grace repeated the word under her breath, almost tasting metallic facets. Languidly, she glanced at the display in the tub, almost tired out por the turmoil. "What are tu going to do next?"

“We don’t know…” The nurse shook her head. The change seemed to pause for a half-minute, then once again continued. The metal bones began to stretch, and bend into different shapes in small areas, such as large pours in the fingers and toes, and somewhat longer arms and legs. It made a screeching sound and a hissing, then our of dozens of almost unnoticeable pours around the body came small bits of pitch, black, fur.

Seeing the transformation, Grace winced and retreated a step back, but kept keen eyes on the details. "It's...creating-" She wasn't able to finish her sentence, realizing that sudden possibilities could arise at any moment. Remaining cautious, her concentration skimmed the room for the others' reactions.

All eyes were focussed on the change. The metal bones became darker as they were slowly covered as well. The black pelaje, piel formed completely around Rynk’s body, looking más like a formless suit, with no eyeholes o mouth. Muffled breathing could be heard underneath it, leading to gagging. The nurse snapped out of her perplexed state and quickly felt around Rynk’s mouth, using small cuchillo to cut out a hole, causing the lynx to gasp deeply. Instead of blood however a murky green substance dripped out, stinging the nurse’s hand. She screamed, jerking back and wiping off the liquid as quickly as possible.

Around Rynk’s body a different kind of pelaje, piel seemed to sink out, around her arms, legs, neck, and face. It was a dark green murky color, almost the same as the acidic-blood, creating curving twisting patterns. When tu fold a piece of paper, and then cut designs in it, and unfold it, the paper has a nice little pattern of shapes. That was what this looked like—swirls and diamonds shaping around the lynx’s fur, with a curving green diseño just below her eyes and atop her muzzle.

siguiente came the ears, slowly reforming. A rubbery pale-tan material created the structure, before they too became covered in the long thick fur, with moon-curving designs at the ends. They were about the size that Rynk’s were normally, but wider instead of longer. The inner-ears were a deep grey.

Rynk had been unconscious so far, but Spyro began to consider that she was rousing, seeing how long, black, talon-shaped claws, with holes at their ends, began to tear through the new pelaje, piel at the tips of Rynk’s fingers, and a hissing slowly formed in the atmosphere around the mobians.

At the hiss, the risks of the situation now became clear. Even if it momentarily froze them in place, it didn't take a segundo long for the group to give Rynk room, o at least hold a firm stand nearby. Despite leaving some el espacio in between, almost seemingly avoiding the issue, preparations for the inevitable were kept in mind. At a distance, they watched until it was necessary to act.

Despite noticing Grace and Spyro’s caution, one of the nurses gently pushed them back. “I think tu should wait outsid-“ A growling arose from the tub. “NOW!”

Startled, Grace looked over the nurse's shoulder, almost edging adelante, hacia adelante to get a better view.

All that was seen before both teenagers were put outside was a blast of green liquid flying into the air, and all that was heard was a deafening scream.

In the vixen, delirium was triggered. Grace planted her foot on the ground, adjusting herself into a rigid stance. Erupting adelante, hacia adelante with a shove, an attempt to reenter the room was forced. "What's going on in there?!"

The black-and-white hedgehog held her back, but he clearly had the same pregunta in mind. At that moment however that room was not safe, and Spyro was not about to let the zorra, vixen jump into what could be her death. “Just…” He moved to the side of the door opening it a crack, enough so that they could both peek inside.

Wordlessly, Grace nudged closer without considering comfort zones. Her hands pressed against the wall, holding back urges of suddenly widening the frame. The scene focused into a clear image as she squinted her eyes.

The room was being torn apart, with equipment not already flying in the air, jabbed into the walls, ceiling, o floor. The green acid was smoking from all areas with a constant supply being sprayed about. One nurse was calmly, but very loudly, speaking into a receiver, which explained why the walls were opening up and attempting to grab the darting black and green figure, who was either throwing things o people in attempt to what they could only hope was escape.

The worst of it was the noise; screams were too simple of words to describe these sounds, they were wails, gargles, whimpers, snarls, and repeating piercing screeches so loud that even small ripples of movement on the floor could be seen. But the noises were so numerous and frequent that neither Grace nor Spyro could distinguish who was screaming, and who was crying.

In the midst of the ruckus one of the nurses was slammed into the door, knocking Spyro and Grace in their foreheads and sending them back. They hardly recognized the pain from reentry to the floor as their interest remained with the events inside. To their left a group of Zone Cops moved to the front of the door, walked inside, then ceiled it behind them. Not too far behind them was Craiger, who had just missed his opportunity to slip in. His eyes were wide and frantic, briefly looking to Grace and Spyro for an explanation, the door, then back to Grace and Spyro again. He almost dicho something but he hardly knew what to start with, so he began with what he assumed was the safest option “Are tu two okay?”

Image still fresh on her mind, Grace slowly looked up at him and nodded, basically answering for the both of them. However, she wasn't exactly concerned over her own state. Instead, the inhabitant's status in the room - her friend's status- was acknowledged, along with the nurses'. With a grua, grúa of her neck, Grace made her priorities clear por adjusting her attention to the sealed door.

The hedgehog, and male fox, moved to the front of the door, with Spyro leaning an ear against it. Craiger turned back to Grace. “I heard that there was a rope accident but… what happened in there?”

Grace forced herself to relax. "Including the details, a lot happened. Do tu want me to start at the beginning?"

“If it’s not a bother.”

She took a deep breath. "When Spyro and I entered, they had Rynk in a tub of ice, trying to cool her off. She was burning up, even missing some fur." Her corazón was pounding now. "They asked preguntas - I'll get to that later - then suddenly her pelaje, piel started to... evaporate. Things got worse when they added ice, and it ended up with some steam and her, um, exoskeleton being revealed. We knew about it, but seeing her almost made entirely out of metal, it was hard to envolver, abrigo our heads around. Then...the metal started to shape itself, Craiger. Black and green pelaje, piel was appearing, covering her. It still looked like Rynk...but her appearance was changing into something else. We were shoved out, but we saw the green stuff - acid. We even saw the damage. Rynk woke up and destroyed the place. The nurses..." She fell silent.

The Ausey zorro, fox became más wide-eyed than before. “Y-… a- acid? Wait is that what’s going on in there?!”

Spyro stepped in. “They… have it under control I think.”

Craiger was far from convinced. “Do tu have any id-“ He shook his head while breathing in deeply. Dozens of different objectives swam in the male fox’s head, but he seemed too conflicted to settle on one. He span to the muro opposite to the door, butting his head against it, which was followed por a segundo sigh. “We have to get those doors open.”

Grace eyed Craiger over keenly, dumbfounded por his behavior. Although interrupting the situation would be a plan she would follow through, it still struck her to hear the demand. "How and why?"

“Could have Stripes here open it,” he dicho gesturing to Spyro, “and the why is because everyone in there might be-“

The door creaked open, sliding and screeching against the ground and wall. The three teenagers turned to look inside. The room was even más wrecked than before. Lighting fixtures lay on the ground half-torn, holes in the muro and equipment could be seen, all the nurses were huddled at one corner of the room being bandaged, and the Zone Cops surrounded a now unconscious figure.

Suddenly, the atmosphere became heavy and dense. A brief flash of mixed emotions ignited. One foot followed another - the zorra, vixen was moving forward. Disregarding decency, Grace chose to intercept in a state of blind fury. "What did tu do?"

She wondered what her state of mind was, wondered why her plans were impetuously devised last minute. One motive for her behavior: her friend was overcome por authorities, with deliberate force, it seemed. Contradiction: she assumed it was condoned as safety for the staff and students. Whatever the truth, it was hard to golondrina in its purest form.

One of the officers checking the unconscious transformation rose from his kneeling position, turning to Grace. “Don’t worry she’s just sedated. ‘Tore up the room pretty badly.”

Her posture loosened. Momentarily, Grace observed the excessive damage, then her eyes landed on the wounded nurses. A thought struck her: there had to be a consequence for all this. "...What are tu going to do with her?"

“For now,” he replied, “she’ll be confined to her dorm until we can make sure she’s safe. We’ll need to go through our databases to find out what kind of form she turned into.” Before the teenagers could get closer for a más personal view the officer moved closer up to them. “We’d also appreciate it if tu gave her some room for decency reasons. I’m assuming tu are all friends of hers?”

Grace nodded firmly, hoping the situation hadn't altered their views.

“I’m sorry tu had to see this then.” He continued. “We’ll notify tu three when we ca-“ One of the other Zone Police tapped his coworker’s shoulder. The one speaking to Grace and company held up a finger to say that he would be right back, and the two walked a distance further back into the room.

The vixen's stance shifted, but her attention was still on them. They were reasonable, for the most part, but she remained cautious.

During this brief pause Craiger decided to act productively, asking mainly Grace, but partially Spyro, “If tu think tu can stomach it after this I could go por the cafeteria to get something. You’ve eaten?”

Her concentration faltered. "Wha- oh...no, actually. I haven't." Grace remembered her immediate route from her cama to the nurse's. Perhaps her unkept appearance already implied that.

“Do tu want something? I-… I don’t mean to sound indifferent but maybe it’d be best before someone passes out.”

Now that attention was on her, Grace was starting to realize how hungry she actually was. "Yeah. That'll be nice."

Silence settled in, and Grace swallowed a lump that rose in her throat. Another quick observation of the surroundings, then a flinch. They wouldn't be accompany to Rynk for a while-the night before being the group's last, normal get together for now. "If I had known..." Grace began, but her voice stumbled.

As the Zone Police finished examining, cleaning, and questioning, they had Rynk set on a dolly, covered por a cloth, and carried towards her room. As they left however, the one who had spoken to Grace before mentioned “The nurses dicho tu mentioned syringes, is that correct?”

The zorra, vixen was only able to nod in reply.

His casco kept any expressions hidden, but the mannerisms he showed made the impression of feeling disappointed. “We didn’t find any in her room. If she ever had syringes they’re gone now.”

Her shoulders tensed, not expecting the news. Grace's head lowered, masking confusion. "I...don't really know what to tell you."


With the lynx gone, and comida waiting for them, the two mobians made their way to the cafeteria. They almost passed Craiger por as he made his way back to them, and quickly informed him that the police had left before the three made their way back to the lunch-room. Since Craiger did not know what they preferred he prepared a simple stack of panqueques, tortitas with whipped-cream for both of them, and nothing for himself.

"Not hungry?" Grace inquired, in mid-cut of her pancake. Earlier, she expressed her gratitude with a smile and a thank you, even having enough well-being to moderately raise her fork as an implied toast. She had to give him some credit for lightening the mood and supplying them with food.

“I ate.” The Ausey zorro, fox shrugged.

Grace tilted her head, almost disappointed in herself. "Of course, the obvious." She proceeded with eating and analyzing the taste.

The cafeteria doors swung open, and a pair of hesitant teenagers entered. Like any cliche, it was composed of a male and female. They emerged as any other duo looking for some food, naturally, just a bit más high-strung. Upon closer inspection, however, one represented a walking travesty while being guided por the other. As they strolled through, they appeared to be searching the area. Their motives were different.

For a full minuto they created the impression of being lost, up until the moment the male student acknowledged Grace's table. A brief flicker of dread cloaked his expression, but he notified his buscar partner before shuffling over, albeit rather reluctantly.

Before Grace took notice of their objective, he already made it half-way to his destination with the girl in tow. The zorra, vixen swallowed a large bite when recognizing them: Dante and Shade. In turn, they witnessed the color drain from her eyes. When the two crossed a specific distance, Grace settled her fork on the plate, and they slowed their pace.

Face to face, expressions were blank.

Spyro, being quite unfamiliar with Dante and Shade paid no attention to the matter, and continued eating, be it slow and frowningly. Craiger recognized his dorm-mate quite instantly and was prepared to give him a casual greeting before noticing how unpleased both he and Grace seemed.

Dante briefly eyed each of them, contemplating on whether his timing was careless o not. They appeared relaxed before he invited himself into the circle. Three onlookers witnessing the scene would also prompt an awkward aspect into the situation. Fortunately enough, their presence wouldn’t cruzar, cruz Dante’s comfort zone. Besides, the aardwolf would make a hasty leave after several words.

“We heard of the accident.” He spoke firmly while glancing, being considerate of everyone’s presence. The personal connection between Grace and him was acknowledge, but it would not be focused on. He noted how the group seemed to have a void - someone missing. “I’m assuming it was Rynk.”

To his dismay, Grace was staring directly up at him instead of reacting immediately. She seemed to regard Dante with vague suspicion, as if daring him to make a false move. Time had slowed to a nauseating crawl. With a nod, her voice then wavered . “She‘s being…taken care of for now.” Grace knew he wasn’t aware of the disorder at the nurses’ office.

Dante’s ears perked, as if he hadn't quite heard the words Grace directed at him. The message, however, registered on his face. For reasons unfathomable to Dante, he was deprived of words. Restricted as he was from speaking, he had to glance down for an instant, lectura sentences at his feet.

“I see.” Now for the hard part. Offering condolences was never a experience Dante could easily touch upon. Even back then, words could never indicate sympathy, so he depended on actions. That, however, was not an option at the moment. From what he learned in their time apart, he couldn’t overstep boundaries. This was not a death, after all.

Assuming they all had a close connection with Rynk, he spoke to no one directly. “I’m sorry to hear the news. I personally did not know her all too well, but naturally…hearing she was involved was concerning.”

Grace noted how his body language, tone, and words displayed a different side of him.

“Although I have little to offer other than my condolences, and I do understand if el espacio is needed,“ -he briefly glanced at a certain person before focusing again, fixing his loose tie- “I can provide any help, o at least some company - whatever is best. At the very least, knowing her condition and sending our sympathy would be deemed necessary, I hope.”

Dante structure with sentences and voice almost struck a forgotten cord buried in memories. Considering Grace’s long-established view on him, she couldn’t golondrina his words, not yet. She awaited Craiger and Spyro’s vistas of his revelation.

The male zorro, fox spoke “We’re glad tu care.” Somehow, despite attempting to be cautious, the message seemed off to Craiger, worse than Spyro’s… o he was just overreacting. So he stopped with what he had, and awaited what came next

“That’s very appreciated.” Spyro bluntly and openly rewarded. “I’m sure she’ll appreciate hearing tu dicho that.” Craiger was hiding, attempting to hide, the stress he felt while awaiting Spyro to finish. He understood that this was a very thin millimeter of glass on which all three of the boys were standing on, and that Spyro did not. His cringe was a faint twitch, and he gave a silent relief of breath which could only be seen por the relaxing in his chest as he dared not mostrar it through his mouth, and cause an awkward noise. He was only glad that Spyro had finished and would not say anything absentmindedly that could jeopardize the situation.

At first, it was silent. Grace had divert her attention to the cold pancakes, listening and stealing glances to examine their mannerisms up until this point. Now, she was in deep thought while breathing heavily.

The aardwolf was attempting to replace his panic with positive thoughts. So far, in Dante's perspective, respuestas were appealing. por sheer luck, he hadn't caught the discomfort, o he merely chose to not address the matter. Thankfully, por tactic agreement, the subject was to be handled with much consideration.

Even if the situation appeared to be confronted smoothly, the words caused hardly a ripple. No one would dare admit it, but they relied on Grace's reply to manage the outcome. She was still quiet, however.

For the ones who were aware, tension was engulfing their remaining oxygen. Shade mentally promised her consciousness to detach herself from the issue, but she felt the heavy air they were experiencing.

Finally, Grace craned her neck and met Dante's eyes with unsettling sentiment, almost startling him. At first, he swore trouble lined her face, but she then appeared impassive. Dante couldn't determine her upcoming reply.

Viewing the issue rather casually, the zorra, vixen clasped her hands under her chin, and her expression transformed into youthful appreciation. She spoke softly for the first time. "Thank you. I'll let Rynk know."

A brief reaction of relief reappeared from Craiger, while Spyro remained oblivious.

Dante fumbled for words. "I- you're all welcome, I suppose." He managed to let the comentario simply slip por with the others. Dante couldn't acknowledge just one person - his goal was clear from the beginning: expressing condolences. Allowing another primary focus would make the situation más obvious.

When realizing his behavior change, Shade invited herself into the conversation. "Sorry if we had interrupted tu guys. Just offering some help, tu see." Absentminded of her own flirty nature, she adoringly waved a hand and smiled. "We'll leave tu be now. And we, of course, like to thank tu ourselves."

“Okay.” The hedgehog replied. Craiger almost elbowed him out of annoyance towards his obliviousness but distracted himself with a quick, “Thank tu too.”

Grace had only squinted at Shade in response, nodding her head slightly in recognition. Needless to say, the conversation reached its limit.

Dante and Shade took their leave afterwards without another word. They achieved enough. Before departing, Dante glanced over his shoulder in a inconspicuous manner, attempting to catch anything. Grace, however, had eyes downcast. The pair soon vanished behind the doors.

A minuto o two of silence passed. Deciding that it may be appropriate Craiger asked “Do tu want to go check on Rynk?”

Grace's posture straightened. "Of course." She looked as if she had been holding her breath.

The male zorro, fox nodded and rose from his chair. Spyro recognized their readiness and quickly shoved the last two bites of his meal down before wiping his face and rising as well.

Grace lowered her brow on how little she ate, but stood on her feet to imply she was ready.

The trio travelled to Rynk’s dorm, slowly near the beginning of their trip as they say that Dante and Shade were for the moment going in that same direction. Thankfully the Aardwolf and brown bat turned a corner which did requiring following, and the group’s pace quickened again.

Craiger made a brief three-note knock on the door, and received no reply. “Maybe she’s asleep?” He asked?

“I’ll check. My dorm anyway.” Spyro opened the front door and walked inside. After a few turns of his head he motioned for the others to enter.

The main room seemed unharmed. It was not overly clean with a few pieces of clothing about, but no signs of a struggle o fight was noticeable. Spyro lead them to Rynk’s room and lightly knocked on the door. “Rynk?”

"She should be able to hear us," Grace muttered, standing alongside and listening for a response.

“She’s never had a problem with it before… then again, maybe the change did something.” Spyro theorized. He knocked a segundo time. “Rynk?”

“She’s probably asleep.” Craiger added. Spyro paused considering the suggestion. To make certain he began to open Rynk’s door. Not two inches into opening it the door was knocked back shut hard, with a clicking following right after.

“Erk!” Spyro barely yanked his hand away from getting pinched. “She’s awake.”

"Rynk, what's going on in there?!" The zorra, vixen was tempted to pound on the door, maybe even break it, but immediately stopped herself. Seeing that knocks were unresponsive, and she wouldn't let them in, Grace reluctantly lowered her hand. "'Give her some room'..." she repeated what the officer had suggested, "Is this what they meant?" Grace turned to the other two, expecting their vistas on the matter, perhaps even a plan.

“Y- tu shouldn’t come inside!” The lynx’s muffled voice informed. “There- ther- I couldn’-“

“Breathe.” Craiger interrupted. “Try to breathe, slowly. No one is going to barge in, Rynk.”

They heard nothing on the other side, assuming that Rynk was taking Craiger’s advice.

Grace leaned her forehead on the door, waiting and listening. It goes without saying that she was worried, and this sort of level in friendship was awfully new for her. "If you're able to, let us know if there's anything that needs to be said, alright? Anything." She stepped back, not expecting immediate answers. "Don't hesitate to tell how you're feeling."

“I just-… tu really can’t come inside.” Rynk replied. “Acid’s everywhere and it’s in the air, and- the STUPID Zone Cops didn’t latch the door!”

“Yeah I was wondering why they didn’t do that.” Craiger noted.

“They didn’t think I’d be an issue since… I’m hooked up to this… box thing.”

"Box thing?" Grace repeated. "Is it supposed to restrict you?"

“Pretty much… well that and keep the acid from spreading… and keep me from…”

"From?" Grace's voice was quiet but held an urge for her to continue.

“… Going crazy again…”

Grace gulped. "...You think it's going to happen?"

“Probably…”

“Is there anything tu want us to do?” Craiger asked.

“I… I just need to be alone right now, to think.”

The zorra, vixen had to wince, just a bit. She would have appreciated a means of contact if something were to happen, but they had to do what was best at the moment. "Alright...."

As the three began to turn to leave, Rynk quickly dicho out “I’m sorry, I-… I’m sorry.”

Grace looked back, slow in movements. "You don't have to apologize, Rynk."

There came no reply to this, but then again there was little to be dicho otherwise. The teenagers exited the dorm in very non-positive moods. Strangely however Craiger seemed más to be in a state of confusion, deep in thought. He even rubbed his chin, muttering very faintly. The male zorro, fox was in such a state of pondering that he was about to slam headfirst into a wall.

Grace grabbed a hold of Craiger's arm and yanked, wordlessly. It wasn't brute strength, yet it held enough force to at least avoid an impending headache.

The Ausey zorro, fox flew his head around to face her, now looking even más puzzled. Noticing the muro directly after this his face took a shamed expression. “Sorry.”

She released her grip. "You're alright. What were tu thinking about?"

“Rynk’s new… form. I’ve got some theories but I think I’ll wait to spread them when and if it turns out I’m ri-hi- oh!” He slapped himself on the forehead. “We didn’t tell Rynk what Dante and Shade said.”

"Oh, right." Grace glanced back briefly, considering another visit. "That was my responsibility."

“I can do it if you’d like.” Craiger suggested. “Unless you’d prefer doing it yourself.”

There was a pause. "I think it's better if it came from me, but you're free to tag along."

“I’m going to go see if the nurses are alright.” Spyro joined in, reminding the two that he was still with them before walking off.

Craiger faced Grace again. “Alright, let’s go.”

Once again they walked to the dorm, once again they walked inside, and once again they knocked on Rynk’s door.

Grace leaned closer to listen. "Rynk? It's Grace and Craiger."

Nothing could be heard on the other side, nothing but the wind and a rustling. “She DID want to be alone.” Craiger reminded, but something seemed odd about this situation. Why could they hear wind? Did Rynk have a window in her room? Wouldn’t it be closed if she did? The male zorro, fox shook the doorknob but it had been locked. He took a step back, pausing before kicking the door, awaiting Grace’s approval.

She nodded silently and moved to the side for room.

The kick broke open the door, but it began to close back up. Realizing that the School’s security was controlling the door, Craiger quickly rammed against it with his shoulder, while positioning his foot against it. “Get in.”

Grace squeezed through the opening and immediately held and unlocked the door to keep the strain off. When looking behind her, she glanced across the interior of Rynk's room

A large metal block with a green acid pouring out of it stood with broken wires at its top, sparking with a blue energy. The room itself was partially tarnished though the tossed items and torn cama were barely noticeable compared to the giant gaping hole in the wall. It was attempting to regenerate but acid remained on its walls. Rynk was not to be seen.