a new boy

The next morning, Akari, Kuro, and Arnold were escorted to the grand training hall. It was a massive space, filled with spectators and soldiers, all curious to see what the newcomers could do. The king, seated on a high throne-like chair, gestured for them to begin.

"Demonstrate your power," he commanded, his voice echoing through the hall.

Akari stepped forward with a confident smile. "As you ask, my king."

She glanced at Kuro and Arnold, giving them a subtle nod. Kuro sighed dramatically, as if this whole ordeal were beneath him. "Fine, let's get this over with," he muttered, stepping into position.

Akari began with a dazzling display, creating intricate ice structures that sparkled under the sunlight pouring into the hall. She followed it with a sudden burst of light, blinding but controlled, leaving the audience in awe.

Arnold stepped up next, manipulating metal weapons in the room to float and swirl around him like an elegant dance. He smirked slightly, clearly enjoying the attention.

Finally, Kuro teleported from one side of the hall to the other, appearing in midair and casually sitting on an invisible ledge he'd created with Noor. "Ta-da," he said lazily, earning a few chuckles and a glare from Akari.

"Could you at least pretend to try?" Akari whispered sharply.

"Why? This is plenty impressive," Kuro shot back with a grin.

The king clapped, breaking the tension. "I am impressed," he declared. "Your powers are remarkable. What about joining our academy? I believe you could be great assets to our kingdom."

Akari gave a polite bow. "It would be an honor, my king," she said sweetly, while internally celebrating that their plan was progressing smoothly.

Kuro leaned toward her and whispered, "An honor, huh? You're really getting into character."

"Shut up," Akari whispered back, smiling stiffly.

Arnold, trying to look serious, whispered to Kuro, "Maybe you should try being a little less smug."

"Maybe you should try being a little less Arnold," Kuro shot back, earning a sharp elbow from Akari.

And so, with a mix of talent, sarcasm, and barely concealed bickering, they successfully secured their place in the academy.

The trio was escorted to the dormitory of the shapeshifter academy, a sprawling building with intricate carvings and vibrant hues reflecting the kingdom's culture. Inside, the warden handed each of them their room assignments.

"Akari, you'll be in the girls' wing. Room 12 with two of our finest students," the warden said with a polite smile. "And you two boys will stay in the men's wing. Room 7, alongside another promising student of our academy."

Akari glanced at Kuro and Arnold, her expression unreadable, while Kuro frowned. "You're splitting us up?" he asked, clearly displeased.

"It's standard policy," the warden replied firmly.

As Akari walked to her assigned room, she couldn't help but notice the unusual yet beautiful dark tones of hair on every shapeshifter she passed, ranging from deep blues to jet blacks. In her own temporary form, her dark blue hair and golden eyes blended in seamlessly.

Upon entering Room 12, Akari found herself greeted by two shapeshifter girls. One had sleek, raven-black hair cascading down her back, her golden eyes sharp and assessing. The other had dark blue hair tied up in a loose braid, her expression soft but curious.

"Hi," Akari greeted them with a slight wave, deciding to act reserved but approachable.

The black-haired girl raised an eyebrow. "You're the new one, huh? I'm Naeva."

"And I'm Lyris," the other chimed in with a friendly smile. "Welcome! Your bed's the one by the window."

Akari thanked them, placing her belongings down while taking in the room. It was simple but cozy, with three beds, a shared desk, and a large window overlooking the academy grounds.

Meanwhile, Kuro and Arnold found themselves in Room 7, where they were greeted by a shapeshifter boy lounging on one of the bunks. He had short, midnight-blue hair and a cocky grin.

"Ah, new roommates," he said, sitting up. "I'm Ryven. Welcome to the jungle, humans."

Arnold gave a polite nod. "Nice to meet you."

Kuro, on the other hand, barely concealed his disdain. "Let's just keep out of each other's way," he muttered, tossing his bag onto his bunk.

Ryven smirked. "Ah, I like you already."

As night fell, the trio prepared for the challenges ahead. For now, their mission depended on blending in, even if it meant adapting to shared dorm life with strangers.

It didn't take long for Akari to become the center of attention in the academy. Among all the shapeshifter girls, her striking golden eyes, perfect features, and the grace with which she carried herself made her stand out. She quickly became the instant crush of nearly every guy in the class.

Everywhere she went, there were lingering gazes and sudden "coincidental" encounters.

"Hey, Akari, need help with your books?" one guy offered, appearing out of nowhere as she left the library.

"Akari, you're really good at blending ice and light! Can you teach me sometime?" another shapeshifter asked during practice, his smile almost too wide.

"Akari, you dropped this!" A third guy picked up a nonexistent item just to start a conversation.

Kuro and Arnold were seething from the sidelines.

"I swear, if another guy even looks at her, I'm going to lose it," Kuro muttered, his teleportation powers itching for use.

Arnold crossed his arms, watching another boy trip over himself trying to talk to Akari. "I'm starting to think we should've stayed in the jungle. At least there weren't fans there."

Meanwhile, Akari remained oblivious to the chaos she was causing. She continued her studies and training as usual, occasionally giving polite smiles that only fueled her classmates' infatuation.

The tipping point came when a group of boys openly approached Akari in the training yard, vying for her attention.

"Akari, I made this bracelet for you," one said, holding out a crudely woven accessory.

"No, no, Akari, I made this energy shield prototype!" another interjected, showing off a glowing orb.

Kuro couldn't take it anymore. He teleported directly next to her. "She's busy. Go away," he snapped, glaring daggers at the group.

Arnold walked up, just as annoyed. "And if she's not busy, she's still busy."

The boys exchanged awkward glances, muttering excuses before scattering.

Akari sighed, looking between her two overprotective "bodyguards." "Am I some sort of endangered species to you guys?"

"Endangered? No. Stolen treasure? Yes," Kuro said without missing a beat.

Arnold shrugged. "You'd think they'd at least back off after one rejection."

"You two realize I don't need saving, right?" Akari asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Not saving," Kuro corrected. "Just… crowd control."

Akari shook her head, muttering under her breath as she walked away. "Men. All of you."

Akari, Kuro, and Arnold spent their days blending into the academy, listening carefully to every word exchanged around them. Akari, with her charm and intelligence, managed to overhear plenty of rumors during her time in class and training.

From whispers about the king's ambitions to alliances forming between shapeshifters and some rebel angels, the trio slowly pieced together the larger picture. During breaks, they huddled together in secluded corners, refining their plan based on this newfound information.

"I heard the shapeshifters are planning to expand their territory by forming alliances with rogue angels," Akari said one afternoon, leaning forward in their shared dormitory corner.

"Hmm, that explains the large influx of supplies in the castle," Arnold noted, crossing his arms.

"They're even training younger shapeshifters to infiltrate neighboring kingdoms. It's… strategic, but honestly, not entirely evil," Kuro admitted reluctantly.

Akari looked at him curiously. "Not evil?"

Kuro shrugged. "They're not killing for sport. Their methods are brutal, yes, but it's clear they're doing what they think is necessary for their people. Honestly, we're kind of doing the same thing—pretending, infiltrating, planning."

Arnold nodded. "The shapeshifters we've met here… they're not all bad. Most of them are just following orders or trying to survive."

Akari sighed, a mix of frustration and understanding. "I know. It's strange. You see them as this terrifying enemy at first, but then you share meals, train together, hear their struggles. They're just… people."

There was a brief silence as they let the thought sink in.

"But," Kuro added firmly, "that doesn't change the fact that they destroyed my kingdom and killed my family. Understanding doesn't mean forgiving."

"Agreed," Akari said, her voice steady. "Even if we sympathize with some of them, the king and his allies must be stopped."

"Then we continue," Arnold said, his resolve unwavering. "We'll get stronger, gather more intel, and take our chance when the time comes."

As the sun set over the academy, casting a warm orange glow over the halls, Akari watched the shapeshifter students laughing and sparring in the training yard. She couldn't help but feel a pang of conflict in her heart.

"They're not all bad," she whispered to herself. "But that won't stop us."

Akari noticed the peculiar attention of the blue-haired, black-eyed boy. He seemed harmless yet persistent, always lingering nearby during breaks or training sessions. Though his behavior made her wary, the faint sense of familiarity unsettled her even more.

"What's his deal?" Arnold muttered one day, crossing his arms as he caught the boy watching Akari from afar.

"He's harmless," Akari replied nonchalantly, though the déjà vu lingered in her mind.

Kuro scowled. "Harmless or not, he's annoying. Want me to teleport him into a tree?"

Akari smirked, shaking her head. "Let's not make enemies out of allies... yet."

Akari couldn't shake the strange sensation that the blue-haired boy was somehow familiar. His presence stirred a strange mix of emotions—like déjà vu, but also something more unsettling. He reminded her of the boy who killed Arnold in her first life, and the guard who had helped her in her second. But the connection felt off, because she can't see that man face but can see his and she quickly pushed the thoughts aside. The feeling was fleeting, almost like a distant memory she couldn't fully grasp.

She glanced at the boy again. His sharp features and piercing black eyes were undeniably attractive, and for a moment, Akari caught herself wondering how he seemed to always be in her peripheral vision.

"Why does he keep looking at me?" Akari muttered to herself, her voice barely above a whisper.

Arnold shot her a sidelong glance. "Because you're beautiful," he said, a bit too casually, though a hint of jealousy crept into his tone.

"Well, I'm not interested in him," Akari replied, half to herself, but still unable to shake the nagging sense of familiarity.

Akari was lounging in the courtyard one afternoon, trying to read through a pile of books on Noor, when she overheard some students gossiping nearby. She caught a few words that made her ears perk up.

"Did you hear? Alastair, the guy with the blue hair, is actually the prince of the shapeshifters."

Akari blinked, nearly dropping her book. "Wait... What?" she muttered to herself, then leaned in, trying to catch more of the conversation.

"Yeah, apparently he's been disguised as just a regular student to blend in, but turns out he's royalty," one of the girls said with a sigh. "So dreamy, right?"

Akari stood up so fast she almost knocked over a nearby bench. "Alastair?!" she repeated loudly, her eyes wide. "The prince?!"

The girls looked at her, startled by her outburst.

"Yeah, you didn't know?" one of them asked, clearly taken aback.

Akari stared at them, her brain short-circuiting. She then facepalmed dramatically. "Of course... Of course it had to be him! Why not, right?!" she muttered sarcastically to herself. "First life, second life, and now this life... I can't escape princes, can I?"

She turned around, completely exasperated, only to find Alastair standing right behind her, giving her a knowing smirk.

"Did you need something, princess?" Akari said, not missing a beat, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

Alastair raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "I'm not a princess, but maybe you'll find out more later."

Akari just shook her head. "Well, I guess royalty and trauma go hand in hand for me. Next thing I know, you'll tell me you're some sort of ancient dragon lord too, huh?"

He laughed, clearly enjoying her bewildered reaction. "Not quite, but you never know."

Akari rolled her eyes dramatically. "Unbelievable."

Alastair wasted no time in turning on the charm, flashing a mischievous grin whenever Akari was around. Whether it was a casual comment, a lingering gaze, or a subtle touch, he made sure to keep his attention focused on her. And of course, Akari wasn't about to let him off easy.

"How's the weather today, princess?" Alastair asked one afternoon, leaning casually against a tree as Akari walked by, his eyes gleaming with playful intent.

"Just peachy," Akari said, not even glancing at him. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm busy pretending I'm not being harassed by a prince."

Alastair smirked, unfazed by her sarcasm. "Oh, I'm just trying to be polite. You know, show some interest. You do like people who are interested in you, right?"

Akari turned around slowly, eyes narrowing, clearly amused by his persistence. "Alastair, just because you say you're interested doesn't mean I'm going to throw myself at you. Try again."

"Oh, don't worry," Alastair said with a wink. "I like a challenge."

Meanwhile, Kuro and Arnold watched from a distance, their expressions unreadable. They were both quietly fuming, but they had to hold their tongues. This whole "friendship" act was getting harder to pull off by the day.

Arnold muttered under his breath, his voice full of barely contained frustration, "I don't trust that guy."

Kuro sighed, crossing his arms. "Yeah, me neither. But we can't do anything, remember? We have to stick to the plan and let her figure it out herself."

"Plan? More like torture," Arnold grumbled, watching as Alastair leaned in a little too close to Akari.

Akari, noticing their silent disapproval, couldn't help but turn and give them an exaggerated shrug. "Relax, you two. I'm handling it. I know how to deal with an overly persistent prince."

"Yeah, but do you want to?" Kuro shot back, voice dripping with jealousy.

"Well, I am pretending to be his friend, aren't I?" Akari said sweetly. "Besides, it's not like anything's going to happen."

Alastair caught the tail end of the conversation, grinning even wider. "Oh, something's going to happen, alright. Just wait."

Akari rolled her eyes dramatically. "I can't believe this is my life now. First, I'm surrounded by princes, and now I have to worry about actual royalty trying to get in my business. What's next? A crown? A proposal? A literal dragon?"

The boys shot her a look of disbelief, but they knew, deep down, they had no choice but to watch from the sidelines as Akari navigated yet another chaotic situation.