Elise sat alone in her room, brainstorming ideas for a new fanfic while arguing online, flaming, and downvoting artists who didn't like her work. Then, her thoughts drifted to a few days ago when she read her My Immortal novel excerpt in front of the class. She had been so nervous about sharing it, but Chad—of all people—had called it a "masterpiece of literature." And she could tell he was being sincere. He was the most popular guy at Brightwater Academy and had no reason to lie to her. Most guys just tell lies and manipulate girls to get what they want.
But I'm just Elise... a weird, nerdy girl in oversized clothes with hardly anything to show. A guy like him wouldn't usually look at me twice. Yet, somehow, he seemed to remember me. He didn't give me that usual puzzled, "Who is this girl?" look. And he said my story could actually be published, and that he related to Raven Bloodrose—the character based on me—which is... strange. I don't see myself as anything like Chad... or do I?
That shook Elise. Chad, the golden boy, relating to her character, Raven Bloodrose? It didn't compute. She wasn't like him—popular, perfect. Or was she blind to something in herself? Then it clicked: he got it. He saw the same layers she did.
She knew about Chad's waifu, Alixia, from The Seraphim Protocol—a girl wrestling with meaning, identity, and the hazy edge of reality versus illusion. A soul caught in existential chaos: Did she forge her world, or was she its puppet? Real, or just code? Elise lived for that depth.
Off-screen, fans twisted Alixia into their ultimate wet dream—big boobs bouncing, lips parted, a panting anime fantasy dripping with sex. They ignored The Seraphim Protocol's soul, blind to her depth, jerking off to a shell of her. Chad's life echoed it. Academy girls chased him, begging to suck his dick, flashing their tits, drooling over his body, never seeing past the surface. Her truth drowned in fandom's lust, his in their flesh-and-blood hunger—both hollowed out, stripped bare.
Elise could tell that Chad related to Alixia, as if he saw himself in her—like they shared a similar struggle that others couldn't understand.
"I did a great job with this story and definitely should treat myself for a job well done," she thought. I know exactly what I deserve... She'd seen the most adorable pet on a show, and there was no way she could resist owning it. A pet, let's say, that really appreciated its owner. She quickly found the number and dialled for the Brightwater establishment called "The Petting Den."
Ring... ring... ring...
"Hello, you've reached The Petting Den... where we're totally happy to pet your den. This is Randy speaking. How may I assist you today?"
Awkward silence.
"Ugh... H-H-Hello... I-I'm Randy... I mean... H-H-Hi, Randy," Elise stammered, her voice trembling as she fumbled for the right words. She quickly recovered, her tone shifting as if she were channelling the full force of her dark alter ego. "I am Raven Dark'ness Dementia Bloodrose... from... Brightwater Academy… No, wait... Academy Gotham... and I am a vampire... the most powerful one... the one who walks through eternal darkness!"
She blurted out the words, her face heating with embarrassment. She hated how awkward she felt. But, of course, the only way she could speak was through the character of Raven—a version of herself who was dark, mysterious, and so much cooler than her actual self.
Randy cleared his throat, his voice smooth and businesslike. "Hmmm... okay, Miss Darkness... are you making threats? Because, just so you know, I'm well-versed in voodoo... I can send some dark energy right up your butt."
"N-no... n-no... no threat... I just w-want... a p-pet to buy..."
"Why didn't you just say so!! So, Ms Raven, what pet are you looking for? Let me guess… You want something big and black… a bird maybe."
"I d-don't know the b-breed, species, or... or w-what animal it is exactly... b-but... i-it's SUPER CUTE!!"
"So, you want a mysterious pet, huh? Not even sure what it is? Let me guess, it's not a cat or a dog, is it? I hope this isn't another person asking for a Pikachu. We get kids crying weekly when they realise rats aren't yellow, don't have those big, sparkly eyes, and can't shoot electricity out of their little cheeks… (doesn't mean their butts)."
"Not Pikachu... Uh, how do I even describe it? It... had tentacles, and, well, those tentacles... kinda... um, y'know, in the H-Hentai... I mean, anime... it's, uh, t-tentacles... sorta... well, they kinda went up the girl's... butt and... um, y'know... and in her... uh, v-vagina. I just thought it would make a g-good pet... for me, I guess..."
Randy was silent for a moment, processing what he'd just heard. It wasn't something you heard every day. Then, a low cackle followed by muttered curses came through the phone. "Jeee-zus!" Randy exclaimed, his voice a mix of disbelief and barely suppressed laughter. "Oh boy... you're something special, aren't you, Raven?"
"S-s-so… She did her best to hide the disappointment in her voice, though it was clear she wasn't thrilled. "Y-Y-You d-don't h-h-have any…?"
Randy couldn't hold back a fresh round of laughter, his amusement practically shaking through the phone line. "No, vampire girl, we're completely sold out…"
She took a deep breath, straightened up, and slipped fully into her Raven Dark'nessDementia Bloodrose persona: "Well... Raven Dark'ness Dementia Bloodrose didn't want one anyway! She was just curious, okay...hater!!? She doesn't need a pet... she's too powerful for such things. It's not like she has time to deal with... pet responsibilities when she's busy ruling the dark realms and, y'know, being all mysterious and stuff. Besides, I gotta go... suck some blood or something. PS… I am blocking you."
"Wait… don't go yet.. The laughing stopped, and he began to whisper. "For company research... could you tell me what the show was you watched? I need to watch it... in my personal time."
Randy is being Randy right now and doesn't deserve the truth—he needs to suffer!
"The show," she sneered, unleashing her inner darkness, "is called 'School Days'. But you gotta watch every... every episode to see the tentacle monster. It's in the last episode, where Kotonoha gives Sekai a tentacle pet in a bag… And then, oh, that's when the real fun begins!"
She paused for effect, clearly relishing the moment.
"You need to experience it right: light some black candles, dim the lights, create a whole scene, y'know? Now, I gotta go… Paint my black toenails black, contemplate my eternal existence, and lurk in the shadows. Typical vampire stuff. Anyway, later, loser!"
His voice filled with excitement as he spoke into the phone, clearly oblivious to the warning. "I'm so gonna watch every single episode," he said, already picturing himself setting the scene. "Can't wait to... experience it... like you said."
She hung up.