Yuki raised his hand and aimed at the target. He focused with everything he could and a fire ball the size of a plum shot from his palm and hit the target.
The other students clapped their hands in amazement. Yuki had been the only one to hit the centre of the target three times in a row not to mention being the strongest among his peers.
"Well done Yuki," the magic teacher said and Yuki smiled.
He walked back to the line and the teacher dismissed them. As they walked down the path, many students pushed each other to get closer to Yuki inquiring about his secrets. He just smiled and waved them aside heading towards Chan's training area.
The class was divided into two, those who could control fire and other heat related elements and those who could control air and water based on their primary strengths status.
Sneaking among the bushes, Yuki, hidden from sight watched as the students made arrows from water and some air.
Yuki had thought that Chan was lying about how some students could create things out of nothing and now that he had seen it for himself, he was beyond impressed.
The practical lesson took an extra thirty minutes and once they were done, the students were dismissed.
Chan walked behind the others rubbing his sore neck. As he walked past the bushes Yuki was hiding in, he jumped out startling Chan.
"Did I scare you?" Yuki asked and Chan placed a hand on his chest.
"You know something, that could have actually killed me," he said and Yuki swung an arm over his shoulder.
After spending an year together, the two grew closer and were now inseparable.
"Am done with my classes for the day," Chan said and Yuki sighed.
"Lucky you. I have a study session later," he lamented," we are in the same year and class and yet am the only one getting extra lessons while everyone else is free to rest. How unfair."
"Well if you'd at least put in the effort in your studies there wouldn't be any need for the extra classes," Chan said and Yuki sighed in frustration.
"Thanks for summing that up for me Chan. Real helpful," Yuki said and hurried towards the class.
The teachers sat in the small office and Akira had her elbows resting on her desk as she listened to what the teachers had to say.
"Am telling you. That kid is special," one said.
"Agreed, I can feel it when he's training. It's like something more powerful is hidden deep inside him," another replied.
Akira rubbed her eyes," Of course he's powerful. The little one is a young phoenix."
The teachers immediately went silent as soon as they heard this.
"A phoenix? That's impossible."
"Impossible you say but here you are in my office talking about his strength," Akira said bluntly and the teachers smiled sheepishly.
"Miss, if what you say is true then the little one has a lot to learn."
"That's why I want him attending extra classes. The sooner he's made aware of what he can do the better," Akira said.
"But... he's still young. Won't it be too much for him to know everything all at once?" A teacher asked.
"Well it's up to you to make him knowledgeable step by step. I believe he'll be willing to learn anything you have to offer."
Yuki sat facing the teacher books spread on the table.
"What are we learning today teacher?" He asked and the teacher picked a book from the pile before Yuki.
"How about we learn about the history between humans and us?"
"Didn't you teach that a week ago in class?" Yuki asked confusedly and the teacher nodded and handed him a paper.
"If you feel you don't need to study that then how about a quick test to see if you a..."
"Lesson 1 how the humans came to exist," Yuki said hurriedly opening the book," Oh would you look at that. I had no idea something like this existed. Looks like I'll have to study everything from the start."
The teacher chuckled and their lesson began.
"I'm back," Yuki said placing his bag beside the table before plopping onto the bed.
"Am drained. I feel like my head is going to burst," he whined.
The dragon raised its head from where it was curled up and flew towards the bed.
"Are you hungry?" Yuki asked patting the small head," You look thin. How long has it been since you last ate something?"
Yuki sat up once his calculations were done and he grabbed the dragon rushing towards the door only to stop.
How would he explain himself if he ran into a teacher and they asked how he got a pet? No, he shook his head determined to find his new companion some food and he knew just the right person to help him as well as keep his secret.
He hid the dragon in his clothes, the cold scales making him shiver slightly, as he made his way to Chan's room.
"Hey Chan!"
Chan raised his head and looked at the person who had just barged into his room.
"Again with.. Yuki how many times must I tell you to knock before coming in?"
"That's not important right now."
Yuki closed the door behind him with a click and walked towards Chan.
"You never listen to what I say do you?"
Chan looked at him and noticed a bulge under his shirt. Upon closer inspection he could see something wriggling under his clothes and he took a step back.
"What is that?" He asked pointing a trembling finger at the bulge.
"Don't panic Chan but.."
The dragon wiggled in the clothes its head popping out. It looked around the unfamiliar environment before its gaze fell on the stranger before it. It let out a low growl and Chan flinched slightly.
"That's.... that's... that's a.. a... DRAGON?!"
The shock was too great that Chan disappeared, his clothes falling to the ground with a soft thud. From the clothes, a tiny brown head peeked up and it dawned on Yuki, Chan hadn't actually disappeared but the fright made him revert back to his original form. A small, brown, fluffy bunny.
Yuki knelt beside the bunny gently caressing it's trembling body. The dragon flew out of Yuki and landed before the bunny causing it to sprint, hiding in Yuki's arms.
Chan sat looking between the two in front of him and rubbed his temple.
"You're telling me you happened to run into a dragon in our school and decided to keep him?"
"He also saved me from those snakes before," Yuki added and Chan glared at him.
"THAT'S BESIDES THE POINT!" Chan sighed, lowering his voice," But Yuki, that is a dragon. Did you pay any attention in class? The teacher said they are very dangerous."
Yuki grabbed the dragon and shoved it in front of Chan," Does he look dangerous to you? He's such a cutie."
Chan looked away and cleared his throat," Stop doing that so suddenly."
Yuki smiled and lay the dragon on his lap," Great so what's the plan?"
Chan sighed," We are going to get in deep trouble if we are ever discovered. But I think I can make it work as long as y..."
Yuki and the dragon leapt into his arms, holding him in a tight embrace and Chan gasped.
"Thank you so much Chan. I knew I could count on your help."
"Too close.." He muttered under his breath.
"In today's class we are going to learn about shape shifting," the teacher said," now there are two things that can cause us to freely change forms. One reason might be willingly and the other fright."
His words were received by 'oh's' and he smiled before ducking under the table.
Right at the moment, a large blue creature growled loudly and almost everyone disappeared from sight.
Yuki looked at the blue creature in amazement, it had dark blue scales covering its upper body while its lower body was covered in light blue scales. It had a pair of dark purple eyes that shimmered in the late morning sun like diamonds. The creature was without a doubt a dragon and when it landed where the teacher stood, its body length covered almost half the front while its width was a desk wide.
The teacher walked before the dragon and smiled," Wow, almost everyone got frightened."
His eyes landed on Yuki who was staring at the creature behind him.
"Hmm, are you not frightened by the dragon?" The teacher asked Yuki.
The dragon turned its head and met Yuki's gaze. Yuki without thinking blurted out," So cool."
The dragon let out a low huff, it sounded like a low growl but nevertheless had the sound of a light laughter and the teacher chuckled shaking his head.
"Okay then. Can everyone turn back?"
One by one, small heads of mice, rabbits, birds, hamsters, squirrels and beavers appeared from under the desks and later, human figures appeared.
"Why would you scare us like that?" A girl asked, her voice still shaking.
"To test your bravery," the teacher shrugged and numerous students let out low groans of displeasure.
"Not funny teacher. What would you have done if we died?"
"If this is enough to kill you then you have a lot to work on. That aside Yuki wasn't the least bit scared. Look at him, his eyes are sparkling."
The students murmured amongst themselves and Chan who had finally turned into his human form rubbed his forehead.
"I don't think I will ever like this class."