After lunch was over, Caramel made her way to Professor Yogi's classroom without being seen. She didn't want to get ganged up on again. However, despite the afternoon's drama, she was actually quite happy, especially when getting to Taco Bell. Something about her chat with that customer behind her cheered her up...

Caramel made it to the room and opened up. Inside was Professor Yogi and another teacher she had never met before. However, she recognized him as the boy she saw the day of the entrance exam.

"Oh, Caramel, you made it. How wonderful!" Professor Yogi said cheerfully. She then gestured to the professor next to her. "I'd like you to meet Professor Znimation. He specializes in both Mine-imator AND Blender animations."

"You can call me Professor Z for short," the new professor replied with a kind smile. It further lifted Caramel's mood.

"Very nice to meet you, sir," she replied brightly. "I'm--"

"Caramel Charlatte, I know," Professor Z nodded. "You're the one the freshman class won't stop buzzing about." Those words made Caramel droop. So even the teachers were in on the rumors. However, she straightened up again when Professor Z continued. "Ignore them. All the professors know you were the only one who did any real work on the first try."

"Speaking of work, I hope you know we expect you to work hard in these extra classes," Professor Yogi reminded her. "As a matter of fact, you're not the only one who agreed to take them."

"Really?" Caramel said curiously. "Who else is taking them?"

As if on cue, the door to the classroom opened again, revealing a girl with pink hair, magenta eyes, and a gray cat beanie on her head. She walked in and sat next to Caramel without a word.

"Caramel, meet Horimuyaki," Professor Z introduced her awkwardly. Hori let out a mean sniff at Z and turned her nose up at him. Caramel opened her mouth to ask, but Professor Yogi answered before she had the chance.

"Z's ex-girlfriend," she whispered. "He still wants to be friends, but she's still a bit sore...try not to bring up the subject."

Caramel nodded, trying to smile at Hori in a friendly way. Luckily, Hori noticed and cast a friendly one back, signalling that she had no ill will towards Caramel.

"Now that we're all here, let's start with the basics," Professor Yogi said, standing up and projecting a large screen which showed an animation timeline. "Storyline. When making an animation, it's best to have an idea on what you want to happen in the scene before you animate it..."

***

An hour later, the classes for the day were finished and the students were dismissed to their dorms. As they made their way over, Caramel noticed that Hori, the girl from the extra class, was walking next to her. She decided to strike up some friendly conversation.

"So, you're into anime-style animations too?" she asked.

"Yuh-uh. You're looking at a born-and-bred otaku right now," Hori said proudly. "Never made an anime I couldn't name."

"That's incredible," Caramel said with amazement.

"Unfortunately, the same skillset cannot be said for my animating skills ^^; That's why I'm taking this extra class,"

"I'm taking it so I can boost my grades a little, and get my mind off of...some stuff,"

"The freshmen fiasco, you mean?"

"Huh? How do you--"

"I was there. It's okay. I know you were only trying to help that guy. You know him?"

"Not until recently, no,"

"You maybe got a bit of a...'thing' for him? /:3"

"N-No way! We're just friends! >/////

"Hehe, sure, that's what they all say."

Despite her confrontational statement, Caramel found herself enjoying being in Hori's company. Maybe this was what she was missing? A friend who was a girl?

Just then, as they rounded the corner, an evil face greeted them. Connie stared down at the two girls, her usual leer on her face.

"Looks like Horseface got herself acquainted with the local weeaboo," she sniffed, her posse already gathering behind her. "How adorable."

"At least this 'weeaboo' knows how to make the right types of friends," Hori growled back. "Unlike those poor souls you've chained to your back." Obviously, she was referring to the posse, who seemed offended, but also worried that they had been called out.

"Whatever," Connie sniffed. "Go read some manga or something, I'm not here for you anyways." She shoved Hori aside and went face-to-face with Caramel, though it seemed more like face-to-chest, as Caramel was shorter than her oppressor. "I didn't see a suitcase on your bed, FREAK, which tells me you're not taking my advice. This is your LAST warning: get out of school and quit making us look bad, or you're gonna wish those ninjas were chiropractors."

"And what if she doesn't want to leave?" Hori challenged, stepping back next to Caramel, refusing to run away.

"Then she'll see what happens, come the internship assembly," Connie hissed dangerously.

"Don't bother. You know they hardly choose freshmen anyways. What, you think she's THAT much of a challenge?"

"W-What? A threat? This Humancorn MUTANT? To me?! As IF! Whatever, do what you want, you're not worth the trouble!"

With an embarrassed and angry snort, Connie heel-turned and strutted down the hallway, her posse nervously following her. Caramel gave Hori a grateful look.

"You didn't have to do that..." she said, feeling happy someone had actually succeeded in driving Connie off for a change.

"And why not? We otakus gotta stick together!" Hori laughed, ruffling Caramel's hair. Then, her cheery face suddenly became serious. "But she's right, you know. You're a clever girl. She'll be looking for a way to knock you out of qualification for the internships."

"T-Then what do I do?"

"Be alert, is all I can say. Listen well to Professor Yogi; she ALWAYS knows what to do,"

"What about Professor Z?"

"What ABOUT Professor Z? Screw him."

Caramel twisted her brow in a half-amused, half concerned manner at Hori's reply, but was nonetheless happy for yet another friendship. "Do they really not choose the freshman class for internship?"

"Well, it depends on their grades. None of them are high enough, so the freshmen are often skipped over. But don't you worry. You'll do GREAT. You're smarter than the average freshman, Caramel, I can tell."

Caramel felt her spirits lift from Hori's encouraging words. Maybe she had a point. "Then from here on out, it's try-hard mode," she swore to herself. "Caramel Charlatte will be the first freshman in a LONG time to get an internship at BPS!"