The next day, Caramel woke up, a bit puzzled as to why she wasn't in her room in the mountain temple. But then, she remembered yesterday's events, what with where she passed the entrance exam and got to talk with the BPS members themselves. It put her in a great mood.

However, as she washed up, grabbed her bag and headed down the hallways, she noticed a bunch of kids stopped talking and stared at her. Some of them, mostly freshmen, even glared and started whispering. It was clear that they were angry with her for the entrance exam fiasco. She couldn't understand why they couldn't just let it go. They had passed, hadn't they?

"I hope that boy who stood up for me made it in," she silently wished to herself. Though not popular with the freshman group, she was hoping she could make a friend through him. It was better than nothing.

As luck would have it, she bumped into the boy in question himself. "Oof!" Caramel shook her head free of the impact. "Sorry, I--" She paused when she saw who it was. "I, er...hi again."

"Oh, it's you!" he said with a smile. "The girl that saved me at the entrance exam!"

"Haha, yeah. I mean, I wouldn't say 'saved', but...that's me ^^;"

"Thanks very much for helping me out back there. Oh, I'm sorry, my name's Pixel Nitroz."

"I'm Caramel Charlatte. Nice to meet you,"

"Caramel...what an unusual name,"

"I-I'm sorry, it was the one I was given when--"

"Hey, hey, whoa! Don't apologize, it was a simple comment,"

"Sorry...I'm really defensive sometimes. I'm more used to kids my age just making fun of me..."

"I'm sorry to hear that. They don't know what they're missing out on."

Caramel gave her new friend a kind smile. It was the first real smile she had managed to work up ever since getting here. "Missing out on clumsiness and stuttering? Yeah, they're REEEEEEEAL jealous."

Nitroz let out a hearty laugh. "More for me, then. Wanna walk to class together? I have Environments and Backgrounds."

"Nice! Me too! Let's go!"

Feeling better than ever before, Caramel walked beside her new friend, so glad that the year was getting off to a remotely good start.

***

"So, in conclusion, when adding skies, you want to make the clouds other than default, but make sure it looks as natural to your scene as possible. If your--"

Caramel listened closely as the teacher, Professor Slyter, droned on about the importance of animation backgrounds and scenery. She memorized every important detail and scribbled each note down swiftly. She was so focused on her work, she didn't notice that a handful of freshmen students were looking back at her, glaring.

After class ended, she was merrily chatting with Nitroz on her way out when four girls headed her way. "Oy! Did you have fun buttkissing the teachers, Corny Meal?"

"Uh-oh," Nitroz grumbled, tugging Caramel's arm. "Don't look back there. Just let it go. Lead a long life!"

However, Caramel was in a more confident mood, and she was NOT going to take insults like she usually would. "My name is CARAMEL," she said coolly, turning back to face her oppressors.

"But you can call her 'Idiot,'" Nitroz mumbled to himself, turning back to aid her. He knew she wouldn't get by this alone.

"I'm sorry, then, Caramel. Caramel the halfling," the lead girl snorted, shoving past her haughtily as her three posse members surrounded her, snickering.

"Hey, Shorty," the girl then confronted Nitroz, getting all up in his face. "You a halfling too, huh? Part lame?" With that, she tugged his tie down and let go, sending it rolling up and whacking his nose repeatedly.

"Good wordplay there, Connie!" snorted an short, wrinkle-faced girl.

"Hey! Leave him out of this!" Caramel demanded, shouldering out of the circle and putting herself between Nitroz and the girl, supposedly called Connie.

"We've heard sooooooo much about you," she continued, with too much sugar in her voice. "Raised in the mountains, the only Humancorn-thing for miles--"

"What's it to you?" Caramel shot back, her patience wearing thin.

"And Horseface," Connie started up again, moseying back to her posse. "I've got a message for your so-called parents."

Connie then proceeded to make all sorts of ridiculous fighting poses, all while shouting out Japanese war cries in a nasal accent. Her gang laughed aloud and started to do the same.

"Oh, hey, Ninjakid, how's it going?! Hahaha!"

"Oy, Horsey, translate this for me, will ya?!"

"What's Japanese for 'go chase your tail?'"

Suddenly, Caramel felt enraged. She was used to being pushed around by other kids, but in all the unfairness and cruel statements she'd been forced to listen to, no one had ever insulted the Ninja Twins. And she wasn't about to let these freshmen get away with it, either.

Her teeth gritted, she stormed over, her hooves clenched up. Nitroz, finally able to straighten his tie out, noticed the danger and tried to hold her back. "Whoa, WHOA! Don't give in! Think happy thoughts! HAPPY THOUGHTS!"

Caramel paid no attention. As she drew closer, the gang noticed, and immediately stopped their teasing. Connie gave a single nudge of her head, and her crew slipped into defensive positions in front of her. There was no way Caramel was going to get past them.

"Get outta here, Hybrid," Connie hissed. "You better get back to your herd!"

"Maybe it's the unrelenting COMMON SENSE talking, but I'm seeing wisdom in this advice!" Nitroz said fearfully, putting himself in front of Caramel and gently but firmly turning her the other way. "Let's go, now! Like, NOW."

Her shy self taking over again, Caramel wilted and let Nitroz push her away, walking off in the other direction. But Connie and her gang weren't done yet.

"I think her little boyfriend's got his tie a little ruffled!" hooted Connie.

"Oh, it's because you messed with it earlier! I get it! HAHAHAH!"

Before Caramel knew it, pencils, rulers, and crumpled paper were being thrown their way. The walk escalated into a run to avoid the school-supply rain. At one point, Caramel felt a heavy notebook impact on her head. Shaking herself free of the dizziness, she ran faster Nitroz right beside her the whole time.

"Well, there goes my good mood," she thought with despair, fighting to keep the tears from falling.