Dawn couldn’t help but shoot side glances Reina’s way. They’d been playing hide-and-seek around the Academy a couple of days ago, and Reina had abruptly fallen asleep near the end. Ever since the collapse two days ago, everybody was keeping a close tab on her, not just Dawn.

Come on. If one of your friends suddenly crumpled to the ground, wouldn’t you be concerned as well? They tried waking her up and to their relief, it worked. That ruled out any sort of infection or sickness. She doubted Reina would have woken up so easily if that had been the case. Of course, she had told them about her little problem, and Dawn wanted to throttle the little girl for not telling her sooner.

Dawn sighed. She couldn’t really blame Reina after all. According to her, she’d been hoping it had gone away but no such luck. Basically, Reina fell asleep at random times of the day and was always sleepy. Dawn had heard about this before and decided to search it up.

Narcolepsy. That was what Reina had. The symptoms fit perfectly, but Dawn wished they hadn't. Reina was the brightest of them all, a star in the darkness. Why was she the one with such an ailment? It wasn’t nearly as bad as some of the other disorders but it wasn’t something she would wish upon anybody either.

Imagine it. If somebody suddenly fell asleep, they would be in a whole lot of danger. Anybody could sneak up on you and do whatever they wanted with your body. By the time you woke up, it may be too late. Dawn’s mind imagined some of the worse things that could happen and felt sick. The same thing when it came to cars and traffic. Narcolepsy apparently was completely randomized. Reina couldn’t choose when or where she fell asleep. Reina also said she didn’t have much of a warning beforehand.

If Reina fell asleep while crossing a road. . .

Dawn hoped somebody would take notice and help but she couldn’t be sure. There were a lot of bad people in any city, and Neverstien was sure to not be an exception. All in all, Dawn swore never to leave Reina’s side. Which out of nowhere got a whole lot easier the next day when Dawn spotted what Reina was wearing.

It was the same bear onesie she’d been wearing on Saturday! Dawn thought the only reason she wore that was that they’d rather abruptly come and taken her away for Hide and Seek. Instead, t appeared she was planning on wearing that for the long-term plan. And it was adorable! Not only did the onesie make her look even more huggable than before, the fact she put a little silver jacket and a cloak over it merely added to the overall look. Dawn had to forcibly stop herself from charging at her first thing.

She was raised better than that, after all. Dawn also took notice of her boots, which sadly covered up her onesie feet. On Saturday, she hadn’t been wearing a shoe and they could see the paws. However, her boots were quite intriguing. They appeared to be made out of metal, and seemed like something people would use to fight with or cross a mountain. Dawn’s eyes popped out even more when Reina clicked her heels together (for such a short and uncoordinated girl, she could really be balanced sometimes) and a pair of small wheels popped out. Reina expertly maneuvered her way through the crowd to Dawn.

“Hey, Dawn! Are you excited for class? I know I am, but I forgot what class I’m going to. Which class are you going to? You think we’ll be in the same class?” Reina commenced rapid-fire mode.

Dawn was more focused on her eyes. There weren’t any dark circles underneath and they looked as vibrant as usual. Dawn shook her head in quiet amazement. How could this little bundle of joy fight off overwhelming sleepiness every minute of the day?

“Dawn! Hi! Hello? Are you there?” Something bonked Dawn on the head and she blinked out of her thoughts. Looking down, she located Reina frowning at her.

“Were you ignoring me?” she asked, leveling a glare that promised pain if Dawn said yes. She didn’t know what things Reina could inflict on her but she didn’t want to find out.

“What? Of course I was paying attention, why would you think I wasn’t? A good friend always pays attention!” Dawn held her breath. Would Reina fall for it?

Reina smiled and good grief, it was like rainbows and sparkles after a storm. “I believe in you! Come on, we should go! What’s your first class?”

“Math, I’m pretty sure.”

Reina gasped. “Me too!” She grabbed Dawn’s hand and began dragging her down the hallway. Dawn narrowly avoided crashing into everybody, apologizing repeatedly. “Hurry up!”

Along the way, Dawn passed Brandon and Lucifer and a hint of guilt flashed in her. She liked Brandon, and Lucifer was nice to her, but they understood she wanted to branch out a little, right? Brandon turned his nose and sadness flitted over Lucifer's face before Brandon turned him away. Dawn's heart sunk. She'd expected them to drift apart when they arrived to the Academy, but she hadn't thought it'd be this soon.

“Dawn! Dawn, Dawn, Dawn, Dawn!” Reina shouted, drawing many looks. Dawn noted Brandon and Lucifer were looking their way as well.

“Yes, Reina?”

“Why aren’t you listening?” Reina puffed out her cheeks. “I was saying, "Don’t worry. She might seem crazy but she’s really not!”"

Dawn scratched her head. Maybe she should pay more attention, she felt like she was missing something important here. “Sorry, whose ‘she?’”

Reina rolled her eyes. “I thought you were paying attention?” she ribbed. “The teacher, duh! Our math teacher!” she clarified, not that Dawn really needed it.

Interesting. A teacher whom Reina felt the need to warn her about. That. . . .didn’t sound so good.

“It’s just around this corner!” Reina exclaimed. Dawn raised an eyebrow at her friend’s still unexplained sense of direction in here but shrugged it off. The poor girl was dealing with narcolepsy, she didn’t need Dawn questioning her. They swerved around the corner and like she said, there was a door clearly labeled, Math, along with a line of students waiting outside. They joined the end where they found the rest of their friends.

“‘Sup?” Monica nodded her head. Reina threw some thumbs up her way.

“What’s going on here?” Dawn asked. Was this what their teacher was always going to be like? Dawn looked at Reina since she seemed to know so much but she wasn’t facing her direction, instead animatedly conversing with Felicie with who knows what.

“Dunno. We arrived and there was already a line there. I’d you’d gotten here a little sooner. . .” Monica gazed at her.

Dawn bristled at the accusation. “I woke up on time!

“Weren’t you bunking with Felicie? How come she got here sooner?” April asked.

Dawn blushed at the memory. It had been awkward sleeping with Felicie. She only had one bed and wouldn’t allow Dawn to sleep on the floor. Nor did she want to sleep on the floor. In the end, they slept in the same bed. Now that she thought about it, she hadn’t slept much at all while Felicie snored away. She chalked it up to her being super tired but now, she doubted she even understood what could be misunderstood by the situation.

“I don’t know, when I woke up, she was gone. I forgot to set an alarm clock too.” Dawn mumbled, kicking at the floor.

Monica snorted, puffing out her chest proudly. “You still need alarm clocks? The disgrace! Do you not possess any dignity?”

Dawn stared at her, slightly dumbfounded. “What, do you not use alarm clocks?” she finally asked.

If anything, Monica’s smirk grew even larger. “Of course not! I was trained from birth to be the perfect lady and no lady should require an alarm clock to wake up!”

“. . .you trained to wake up without an alarm clock?” Juliet made sure. Monica nodded proudly.

“An alarm clock,” April repeated. Monica sighed.

“Yes, what’s so hard to comprehend, dunderheads?” Monica asked.

Dawn burst out giggling and it wasn’t long before April and Juliet had joined in. The sight of Monica’s aggravated face only ensured more mirth.

“What the heck is wrong with you people? May, I need a pickup!” she whined, making grabbing motions with her hands.

May approached shyly and was picked up and deposited onto Monica’s lap. Monica wrapped her arms around the poor girl and squeezed. “Oh, May! You’re the only one I can trust in this miserable place!”

“A-air! I need air!” May gasped. Dawn looked at her in concern. She was turning blue? Was that even possible?

“Monica, stop harassing the poor girl before you get arrested,” Juliet ordered firmly, attempting to pry May from her grasp.

Monica refused, tightening her hold. “And who's going to report me?”

Juliet leered and took out her phone. “Me-hey!”

Monica swiped her phone and flung it down the hallway. It clattered on the floor and was sent sliding out of view. Juliet glared daggers at Monica, absolutely fuming.

“Can't report me without your phone,” she teased, pulling her eyelid down. Juliet opened her mouth, probably to bite her head off when she said, “Better hurry up and found it before somebody steps on it. Won't that be such a shame?”

If looks could kill, Monica would be six feet under. Add May in as well for good measures. As it was, the most Juliet did was stomp away in search of her phone. “You do know she’s going to come back and punch you in the face?” Dawn checked.

Monica grinned. “Of course I do. But she won’t.”

“So confident, are you? What, do you have some sort of blackmail on her?” April asked.

“Nope! All I need is my body! Who can hit my beautiful face and voluptuous body? It’s wonderful!” Monica pushed May further into her chest.

Dawn had never heard a more arrogant proclamation. Okay, she had, but not from somebody her own age. Dawn and April nodded in unison and socked Monica in her shoulders.

“Ow!” Her grip slackened and May took this chance to dive for freedom, barely escaping by a hair from Monica’s greedy fingers. May hid behind Dawn and she couldn’t help but feel warm.

“What was that for? And May! You traitor!” Monica exclaimed frantically. May squeaked and ducked entirely out of view.

“Juliet, are you all right?” Dawn heard Reina ask.

“Stupid Monica chucked my phone all the way out here. Can't find the damn thing, I swear, I am going to wring her neck when I come back.” Juliet growled.

“That’s so mean! Monica shouldn’t have done that!” Reina said.

“Don’t worry, we’ll help you look!” Felicie declared like it was some sort of quest which would determine the fate of the world. Juliet smirked.

“Thanks a lot, girls!” They preened at her compliment and Dawn couldn’t help but shake her head. They were just so. . .innocent! As was May but she was more of a shy cute, one that shouldn't be prodded at or less you risk her crying. And Dawn had a feeling a crying May resulted in an angry Monica.

April noticed where I was looking at and her gaze turned sad. “I wonder how she’s holding up?”

Monica turned as well. “It sounded like she had it when she was young and it went away. Guess being here must have triggered it or something?”

“That makes no sense. Narcolepsy doesn’t fade. It’s a lifelong problem," Dawn said absentmindedly before pointing out something that had been on her mind. "Doesn’t it feel strange to you? How Reina knows so much about the Academy, things that aren’t even in the pamphlet? Never mind the fact she didn’t even have a pamphlet?”

“Maybe she’s one of those people who have good luck without them even knowing?” April suggested.

“For goodness’s sake, that sounds like magic. There is no such thing as magic, it’s been proven.” Monica said.

“We know, we know. I’m saying, maybe there’s a different explanation for her knowledge than the obvious one.” April said.

“Like how she lived here before?”

“She’s a kidnapper who dressed up as a child?”

Both Dawn and Monica suggested this at the same time. Shell shocked, they gazed at each other.

“What the heck? Lived here before? Why would she live here before, what is she, the school mascot?” Monica demanded.

“At least I made some sense! Why would she be a kidnapper dressed as a kid! Actually, how would an adult fit in that tiny body?” Dawn retorted.

“A vertically challenged person? I don’t know, we can ask her. It’s not like she’ll yell at us or anything, I don’t think she can yell.” Monica said.

“She was kinda cold when I first met her, and angry too,” Dawn recalled. It was totally strange to her now that she thought about it. One moment she was angry and the next she was all sweet sugar and stuff. Was she bipolar?

“Reina? Angry? Call me when the apocalypse happens.” Monica said.

“Children,” April muttered underneath her breath. Obviously not quietly enough as Dawn and Monica glared at her. She chuckled sheepishly and raised her hands. “Whoops?”

Monica shook her hair back. “Look, I’m going to walk over there and ask her myself. It’s got to beat standing around here waiting for a no-show teacher.” With that, Monica strolled off with April and May doing the same shortly after.

When Dawn stared at Reina, all she saw was a happy girl who lived life to its fullest, with all the joy and love in the world. So why was there a voice in her head that warned her things were about to get very messy?

“Hey, Reina?” Monica asked. Reina looked at her.

“Yes, Monica?”

“You know about-“ Monica began. By now, the sense of fear had turned into a blaring alarm signal. She dashed ahead, determined to make sure she didn’t complete that sentence.

She didn’t know what would happen if she did but she was sure it wasn’t going to be a happy life.

“GOOD MORNING!”

The sudden loud cry took all the wind out of Dawn’s sails and she collapsed to the floor. Groaning, she lifted her head to spot an attractive-looking woman wearing a lab coat. “Greetings, little ones! Today, we have the most spectacular class in history, one I hate. Math!” She stuck her finger to the sky as if she was praying or whatnot.

Dawn wondered if she realized what she said was contradicting. If she did, she didn’t show any indication of it.

“Um, Miss-?” somebody asked.

“Xia, it’s Xia. Call me anything else and I assure you, things will be missing.” The sharp edge her voice had taken on didn’t go unnoticed by anyone. Well, maybe Reina who was energetically waving at the teacher.

The boy gulped but trudged on. “Right. No offense, but where were you?”

“In my office.” Dawn waited for the ‘duh.’ “Why, where were you?”

“Here, waiting for your class to start.” the boy bit out.

Xia waved his concerns off like they were mere flys, not worth the attention. “Don’t worry about that, I like to focus on the now, not the past or the future. It works wonders for me, you should try it.”

The boy sniffled. “Well, we’re 20 minutes late.”

“And you have 60 minutes left, a perfect hour. Isn’t that great? I think an hour is a much better number than an hour and 20 minutes. It’s not even an hour and a half! Who came up with these?”

“Don’t the teachers do?” Daphne asked.

“Eh, don’t remember. Probably stamped a paper or something. Anyway, get in, get in.” Xia said impatiently.

“We would but we need the key.” The boy from before stared impatiently at Xia.

“Key?” She patted herself down and Dawn felt a dawning (ha!) sense of dread wash over her. This was her teacher? Reina said not to be taken back and Dawn wasn’t the type of person to judge people like that, but still! Normally, she would chalk it up to the eccentric nature of heroes but the only problem was that this was math, and her parents had warned her math was going to be the hardest. If she wanted to receive good grades, she needed to work hard.

Xia finally gave up the pretense of searching for keys. “One of you smash it open with your Art or leg,” she said drily.

To say people were shocked was an understatement. Doing this in gym or training was expected but in math? To do property damage? And because the teacher forgot the key? This whole situation reeked.

“Why are you all looking at me like that? Chop chop!” She clapped her hands but still, nobody moved. Rolling her eyes, she walked over to the door and with one fell swoop, knocked the door straight off its hinges.

“There you go. Hurry up, hurry up,” Xia said, pushing her students through the doorway. Most of her peers had gained enough thought capacity to move but those who didn’t were shoved in by Xia. Xia locked eyes with her. “Hey, ponytail girl. Hurry up, most everybody is already gone,” she told her.

“Huh?” To her shock, Dawn realized she was telling the truth. Dawn was one of the only people left outside. Warily, Dawn approached the door, making sure Xia wouldn’t try anything. She got distracted when a sudden weight on her arm dragged her down.

Pulling herself back to, Dawn saw it was Reina. She beamed up at her, revealing all her teeth. “Didn't I tell you? Didn’t I tell you she was cool?”

Dawn stared at Xia, who was pulling the ears of a wayward student. “Yeah. . .cool.” As the wayward student was pushed into the classroom, she watched Xia's smile drop and darkness clouded over her teacher's face. She seemed harmless; so why was there an uneasy tension?