It had been 6 months since Caramel joined the academy. Everything was going much smoother now that she had gotten the gist of things. Though she was still stuck dealing with Connie and her taunts, she still had her friends, Hori and Nitroz, by her side. Plus, her extra classes with Professor Yogi and Professor Z really put her over the top in the class! Best of all, a majority of the freshmen students had let go of or forgotten about the incident at the entrance exam, and a few even said hi to her and congratulated her on certain accomplishments. Everything was going wonderfully.

However, this new rise in Caramel's social level upset a certain bully of hers. Connie wasn't used to being overshadowed by other students, especially those whom she had insisted had no chance of making it out there. "That hybrid freak is making me look bad!" she hissed to herself one night. "This cannot go on!"

Connie quickly peeked outside her dorm room and noticed something sitting on the road. Once she saw what it was, she let out a nasty smile. "I think I just got my lucky streak. By 10:00 tomorrow, that little showboat's spirit will be CRUSHED."

***

Caramel walked over to her next class. She was ready for another good day, which she would be happy to report had been repetitive, ever since she started those extra classes. Hanging out with Nitroz and Hori made the situation all the better, too.

She saw Connie storming down the hallway, but she ignored her. Caramel learned to brush off Connie's aggressive and abusive behavior, such as to focus better in class. However, Connie didn't seem to be here to just talk this time.

"Caramel! How nice to see you!" Connie said in an overly-cheery voice, placing a hand on Caramel's shoulder and steering her in a certain direction. "I've got something cool to show you outside!"

"No thanks, I'd like to get to class--" Caramel tried to protest, but she then felt Connie's nails dig into her shoulder a bit, signaling to her that this wasn't an optional choice. Noticing this, she tried to struggle out of Connie's grasp, but the girl had an iron grip.

Caramel found herself steered onto the roundabout that bordered the school's main building. Connie's posse was already there, surrounding something. When they saw Connie with Caramel and parted, she saw what it was. Parked on the road was a slim and flashy low-rider. It certainly wasn't a school vehicle, but Connie seemed to know where it came from.

"Let's play a little game, Horsey," Connie leered nastily. "I drive, you see how fast you can gallop after it!"

"W-What makes you think I'm going to play this stupid game?!" Caramel demanded. "This isn't even your car! Where did--"

Caramel was cut off by an elbow to the back of the head. Connie snorted, then turned to one of her nearest group members, a boy with white hair. "Get the hankie chain," she ordered. "Bind her hands and get in the car."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" the student said, backing up a little. "You're going to drag her on the car? What if she gets seriously hurt?"

"What IF she gets hurt?"

"Use your head, Connie! If the teachers find out about this, we'll be in big trouble! We could all get expelled for this!"

"Too bad, chicken! We're in too deep now! We'll just say it was a car accident, and that she'll have to be sent home before she can squeal! Now, start the car!"

The boy hesitated, looking from Caramel to Connie to the car. He then backed up and shook his head. "NO. This is going too far, Connie. If you're seriously going to go through with this, I want no part in it."

Connie's face twisted in anger. She then whirled onto another student. "You! Bind the hybrid up! And you better not back out like THIS moron! Allow me to demonstrate why!"

Before the boy could figure out what was going to happen, Connie grabbed his hair and slammed him down on the hood of the car. The impact left a bruise on his forehead, and he slithered down onto the sidewalk, groaning, his face in his hands. Caramel stepped forwards to help him, but she was stopped by the student whom Connie had threatened.

"I-I'm so sorry..." the girl said with a trembling voice as she tied Caramel's hands together with the end of a handkerchief chain.

"I understand," Caramel whispered back, feeling sympathy for the poor people Connie seemed to have so whipped.

"Now," Connie said, slipping into the driver's seat and roaring the engine to life. "See what happens when you make a fool out of ME! I pay it back tenfold!" With that, Connie floored the gas and the car shot forwards. Caramel didn't even have a chance to take a step before she was flung off her feet, slamming and bouncing into the ground as the car continued to shoot forwards at an unforgivable speed.

Connie was laughing hysterically, but her crew could only stare, horrified, as poor Caramel was dragged around the roundabout. Caramel felt several cuts sting her skin, her eyes watering from the wind, pain, and anguish. It was clear Connie was going to go to unthinkable levels to hurt her. Was it easier to just give in?

Just then, she heard a shout of "HEY!" echo somewhere ahead of her. Connie stopped the car, and Caramel tumbled to a stop.

"Um...uh...oh, no! Are you okay, Caramel? I TOLD you that road skiing was a bad idea--"

"Can ya NOT? We saw what you did to that poor girl!"

"Hey! That's my car!"

"Crap! Book it, everyone!"

Connie made a superman leap out of the car and ran straight for the safety of the school as the rest of her posse scattered, leaving Caramel on the edge of the hankie chain, still bound.

"Oh, you poor thing..." a semi-deep British accent crooned. "Here, now, let us help you."

"Mgh...wha?" Caramel turned her head, her vision too fuzzy to see her rescuer's faces. All she saw was a tux on one man, and a black coat and brown bandoleer strap on the other.

"Sit up--that's it," said a slightly higher-pitched British accent. "Now, let's get you out of those bonds." Before Caramel knew it, with a swing of his sword, she was freed from the hankie chain.

"Here, have a cup of tea," the first man said, handing Caramel a warm cup. "Now, what was that dastardly girl up to?"

"She's just been...trying to make me quit school," Caramel admitted, sipping her tea, tasting the bittersweet flavor of English Breakfast. "Maybe she's right...I mean, no matter how hard I try, there's always someone who'll hate me. Who'd pick me for the internship anyways?"

"Well, with a give-up attitude like that, I suppose they wouldn't," sniffed the second one. He let out a grunt of pain as his friend elbowed him.

"What my friend is TRYING to say is 'sticks and stones may break your bones, but words will never hurt you.' This girl can say and do all she wants, but you should NEVER let her break you. You're a strong, independent, and clever girl. That's JUST the type of character BPS will be looking for, so don't shove it in the closet for popularity's sake, alright?"

Caramel lifted her chin, her rescuer's words making her feel better. "Yeah...I guess I forgot that in the heat of the moment." She then started to hand the now-empty mug back to the man in the tux. "Thank you for the tea."

"Ah, keep it," the man said with a pat on her head. "I've got plenty more back at the office. Oop! Here come your friends now, I think. We'll leave you to them."

Before Caramel could ask who the two were, she felt Hori cannon into her back in a tight hug, crying "sorry, sorry, sorry" over and over again. Nitroz knelt down next to her and joined the hug, prompting her on what had happened. Caramel's attention was diverted from the two men, and she gladly accepted her friend's comforts.

"Connie, that unforgivable bugger," Hori angrily snapped. "She'll answer to ME for what she's done to you, I SWEAR."

"Hey, Caramel, what's that in your hand?" Nitroz asked. Not even noticing she still had the tea mug in her hands, she tilted it for Nitroz to see. Once he saw what it was, his expression changed to that of someone who had been caught in a pair of headlights.

"What's wrong?" Caramel shook her shocked friend's shoulder.

"T-That's Sam Small's signature tea mug!" Nitroz sputtered. "Where did you get this?"

"A man and his friend gave it to me after they chased Connie and her gang off," Caramel explained. "But if it's Sam's mug, I don't--"

Caramel stopped short when she turned the white mug over. Engraved on the side was the BPS logo, every pixel in place with Sam Small's mug, alright. Realization taking over, she shot her head up, and from between her friend's arms, she saw the car drive off into the distance. However, she caught sight of chocolate brown hair on the driver, and black hair with animal ears on the passenger next to him. Caramel's eyes widened with amazement.

"Maybe the BPS team is closer than I thought..."