That same night in Ramschackle dorm, after finishing their homework, taking a good shower and having dinner, Grim was able to fall asleep quickly as soon as he lay down on the bed.

"Mnnng... Mnya mnya... Did ya see my super long shot...?" He asked excitedly in his sleep. Apparently, he was playing Magical Shift in his dream and doing well there.

On the other hand, Yuu was unable to fall asleep. Not only because he was still unsettled from the incident in Savanaclaw, but also worried about meeting the shadow girl in his dreams once again. So he had decided to listen to the music from the MP3 someone had given him to try to relax a bit.

Of all the songs he had heard so far, one that had caught his attention the most had two versions: a happy one that conveyed a romantic feeling, and a calm one that sounded like a lullaby. He chose to listen to that second version another time:

I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream...

I know you, the gleam in your eyes is so familiar a gleam...

But seeing that it wasn't helping him as much as he wanted, he decided to take off his headphones, put on the slippers he'd been given and went outside the dorm to walk around and clear his mind.

He felt the night chill invade his body as he descended the stairs to gaze from afar at the building, which still kept the old planks of wood blocking the windows.

How many days had passed since that old building had become his new home? He already lost count.

"I wonder if I'll be able to go home..." He sighed out loud.

Despite the fact that in that place he made incredible friends, met interesting people, saw and learned unimaginable things and he was under the protection of a kind and considerate guardian, he could not help but miss his old home, his belongings there, his old friends and, above everything, his family... He had never been separated from his sister or his mother for such a long time before. What could they be doing at that very moment? What about his aunts? Were everyone thinking of him the same way he was thinking of them?

He thought he was alone in the garden, but a sound a few steps behind him told him otherwise.

"Hm? Who are you over there?" A deep, calm voice asked him, apparently surprised to see him there.

That voice was not a familiar one, Yuu flinched and turned around quickly. "Who's there!?" He asked alarmed. He began to fear that going out in the middle of the night would turn out to be a mistake.

His quick movement slightly startled the newcomer, who nevertheless kept his cool. "This really is a surprise, you are a child of man," he observed as he finished approaching him at a leisurely pace.

Yuu could see him better, he was an attractive, young man with pale skin and black hair whose length reached below his shoulders. He was really tall, dressed in the school uniform with the lime green color in his vest, magical gem and arm band, which pointed out he was from Diasomnia.

What most caught the eye were his long, elegant black horns on his head, his eyes of the same shade of green with dilated pupils, as if they were those of a reptile, and his long, pointed ears. All of this said that this person was far from being a human being. Yuu had learned recently about faeries and different kinds of fairies in that world, some of his characteristics matched theirs.

He didn't feel in danger nor did he believe that he would want to hurt him like those from Savanaclaw, but kept looking at him warily.

"Do you live here?" The young stranger asked. "This dorm had been abandoned for a long time." He frowned dissatisfied. "I'd quite been fond of it as a place I could be quietly left alone," he murmured with a thread of frustration in his voice.

He didn't seem to be lying, Yuu was able to breathe calmly as he felt safe. "Really?" He sighed. "Phew... For a moment I thought someone wanted to attack me," he looked him in the eye. "The headmaster lets me live here since a while ago, so you probably didn't realize it until now. Then... who are you?"

The question seemed to take the stranger completely by surprise. "Who am I?" He asked with wide eyes. "You really don't know who I am?"

Yuu shook his head. "This is the very first time in my life I see you," he answered.

"Truly?" He asked once more before flashing a calm smile. "Hmm... I see. This is... exceedingly rare. How should I call you?"

"I'm Yuu," he replied. "Yuu Oshiro. I'm the prefect of this dorm."

"Yuu? What an unusual name..." The stranger commented.

Yuu laughed softly. "I get that a lot," he said. "But why do you say it's unusual I don't know who you are? Am I supposed to know?"

"I am..." The young man said before stopping as if he reconsidered the idea and looked at him with a mysterious smile. "Actually, I'm not going to tell you. It is better for you not to know."

"Huh? Why do you say that?" Yuu asked confused as he tilted his head.

"Because the moment you hear it you will feel a shiver spread over your body," the young man replied. "In exchange for your ignorance, I'll make an exception and allow you to call me whatever you'd like." He smiled mischievously, revealing two long fangs as he spoke. "However, you may come to regret it someday."

"What a weird guy..." Yuu thought to himself. He had gotten used to Night Raven College students' mischievous smile and the... peculiar behavior of many of them, this young man from Diasomnia was no different. "Okay, if you prefer it that way, I'll think of a name," he told him.

"Very well." The corners of his smile turned down thoughtfully. "Hmm... However..." He closed his eyes regretfully. "If there are people living here, it means that this abandoned building is no longer abandoned, that's too bad. I'll have to find another abandoned place for my nightly stolls."

"I don't think it has to be like that," Yuu interrupted him.

Now the young man gave him a confused look. "What do you mean?"

"Well, it's true that this building has been abandoned until recently, but apart from the three ghosts, it's just me and my friend Grim who live here. All we do at night is sleep, it's not like we like to party all the time or make noise around here, you know? That way it seems to be still abandoned," Yuu explained. "So if it's okay with you, you can keep walking around here any night you want, we'll leave you alone."

As if he were considering the offer, the stranger crossed his arms thoughtfully. "I admit it is a really considerate offer, even though we just met and you don't know my name. How do I know you won't regret it later?"

"I won't, you already used to walk around this place before I came here," Yuu assured. "Unless you decide to do something like break in and steal the few things we have inside, of course." He chuckled before holding out his hand. "Deal?"

The young man looked at his hand in surprise, deep down he couldn't tell whether that human was naive or really daring, but he liked the confidence he conveyed. "Then it's a deal," he said as he took his hand in a gentle handshake. "You should go back inside, it's late and getting colder," he recommended before taking a step back. "Well, for now I bid you adieu."

Followed by a tinkling sound of a spell, the stranger vanished into thin air, leaving behind a sparkling flash.

"He disappeared..." Yuu commented with a mixture of bewilderment and surprise as he looked around.

Following the stranger's advice, he hurried back into the dorm.

If Malleus had returned to Diasomnia dorm on foot instead by teleporting, he might have seen a Black Carriage drawn by a fierce-eyed horse making its way down the school's main street... Showing through its crystal walls a coffin-shaped gate inside...

Meanwhile, in Savanaclaw dorm, Ruggie entered Leona's room with a tray of food.

"Good job today, Leona. I'm bringing you dinner," the hyena-boy greeted before whispering. "I also finished another job..."

"Ah, you're very efficient, Ruggie," Leona told him with satisfaction as he watched him place the tray on the desk.

"Of course I do," Ruggie said with a big, proud smile. "Anything is easy to do if it's for you, Leona."

Leona suppressed a laugh. "Ha, listen to you. You're doing this for yourself."

"Oh no, Leona, this is for all of us," Ruggie assured. "Everyone wants to see the world turned upside down," he became serious. "Also, the hyenas from the legend of the King of Beasts followed him because they wanted to improve their living conditions. I'm just doing the same thing.

"Hmph. Then be discreet while you're 'hunting', don't leave any evidence behind," Leona told him.

"Shi, shi, shi!" Ruggie laughed. "Of course, hyenas' specialty is not leaving a trace of their prey, after all. Speaking of evidence, that little guy with the photos didn't hesitate to report our game to the headmaster. Did he scold you a lot when he called you into his office?"

Leona closed his eyes wearily. "It was nothing in particular, he just warned me not to do it again... After a very long talk full of indignation. This puts us at a disadvantage, we might be seen as suspects from now on. So make don't let your guard down around anyone, not even that pipsqueak, something tells me we shouldn't completely underestimate him."

"Yes, sir," Ruggie agreed. "By the way, for the next prey which player from which dorm should we target?"

Leona flicked his ears and tail suspiciously. "Let me think... How about a wolf that likes to hide and eavesdrop to other people's conversations?"

"What!?" Ruggie asked puzzled as Leona stood up and stared at the door.

"I know you're there, first-year brat," the dorm leader sternly said. "Maybe you want to find a different hobby with those big ears of yours."

Jack came out slowly of the dimness outside the room with a sad look, both because of the fact of having been discovered and because of the conversation he had just heard.

"What do you want at this hour? Are you feeling homesick and need lullaby?" Leona asked sarcastically.

"Do you want me to sing one for you? Shi, shi, shi, shi!" Ruggie asked mockingly.

"Just tell me the reason," said Jack impassively. "Why are you guys doing something like this?"

"I see, what you want is a bedtime story. All right, I'll tell you one," Leona said while crossing his arms. "For two years in a row we played against Malleus and Diasomnia dorm in the first round of the tournament, as a result we were crushed. Only a participation trophy, ever since Savanaclaw, who was always known to defeat each and every one of his opponents, we were seen like newborn kittens who hadn't even opened their eyes. And our pathetic matches were broadcasted all over the world. What do you think happened next?" He frowned with a mixture of fury and frustration. "The dorm leader was branded as incompetent and all professional leagues offers for Savanaclaw were reduced to zero."

"But that's... you just had to try harder," replied Jack with a slight insistence.

"It's just what you say," Leona told him without flinching. "Until last year we weren't using our true potential, only an idiot would believe that there's a chance to win against a monster like him in an honest match without something in advance. We knew we'd lose, but we still didn't come up with a plan. It must be shocking to hear that about Savanaclaw, the dorm founded by the persistence of the King of Beasts."

"Even so!" Jack exclaimed angrily. "It isn't okay to do something as cowardly as attacking people and cheating!"

"It isn't okay?" Leona asked irritably before looking at him calmly. "Jack, I'm doing this because I care about what's best for the members of Savanaclaw, you know? If the entire world sees us defeat Malleus, we'll get those offers back along with our dignity. It's already been decided that if we don't win this year Malleus will enter into the hall of fame. This is our last chance, but you want to waste it because of your sense of justice? Do you want to destroy your upperclassmen's future ?"

With those questions Jack felt cornered. "T-That's..." Was the only thing he could think of to say, nervous.

"Using your head to chase your prey is one of the basics of hunting, there's nothing cowardly about it," Leona added without hesitation.

"Shi, shi, shi! In this school it's survival of the fittest, goodie two-shoes can't survive here," Ruggie said maliciously.

"But dorm leader, if you gave your best, you wouldn't have a problem with Diasomnia!" Jack exclaimed with fury and indignation. "I still remember your play from three years ago. I...!"

Hearing that made Leona lose any patience he had left. "Don't talk like you know everything!" He growled angrily. "Give my best? How stupid. No matter how hard I try, nothing would change. Leave now. If you want to see the light of another day..." He warned.

Jack gave him an affected look before leaving the room.

"This guy could be a problem, should I get rid of him?" Ruggie asked.

"No, wait," Leona told him. "Even if he goes and tells Crowley, he has no evidence. And we need his skills for the tournament, just keep a close eye on him."

"Yes, sir," Ruggie agreed before also  leaving.

Being finally left alone in his room, Leona lay down on the bed and rested a hand to his head. He clicked his tongue in irritation. "...That first-year brat... He talks just like my brother..." He mumbled.

Just at that moment, when he was finally getting asleep after the pleasant encounter with that mysterious green-eyed stranger, Yuu could hear an unpleasant and heavy dripping sound...

Later, he had another strange dream after visualizing the mirror in his room.

Just like last time, Yuu was wearing the white cotton t-shirt and the brown cotton pants, the print on his shoulder was also emanating a blue glow. The dream also featured animals, but it was much more sinister and dark than the previous majestic one.

The place seemed to be a dark cave with steaming geysers scattered around. An adult lion with a dark mane and a scar over his left eye was talking to three hyenas.

Yuu recognized that lion as Scar, he was apparently related to little Simba and his father.

"A shining new era, it's tiptoing nearer," Scar proudly announced to his henchmen.

"And where do we feature?" A skeptical female hyena named Shenzi asked.

Scar squeezed playfully her cheek. "Just listen to teacher!" He insisted in response.

As Shenzi rubbed her sore cheek in annoyance, Yuu noticed the shadow girl and the blue glow on her right shoulder standing a few meters away from him. It didn't take long for her to see him either, but both of them refocused on the images.

"Be prepared!" Scar exclaimed.

"Yeah, be prepared. We'll be prepared!" A male hyena called Banzai said. "For what?"

"For the death of the king!"

"Why? Is he sick?" Banzai asked.

"No, fool, we're going to kill him! And Simba too," Scar said wickedly.

Yuu winced at that idea, the girl didn't seem indifferent to hearing it either.

"Great idea! Who needs a king?" Shenzi exclaimed enthusiastically.

"Idiots! I will be the king!" Scar yelled. "Stick with me and you'll never go hungry again!"

"Woo! Yeah, alright," Shenzi exclaimed. "Long live the king!"

"Long live the king!" At least a hundred other hyenas repeated at the same time. "Long live the king!"

They all began to march in military step as if they were forming an army; as they approached Scar, who was watching them from above a high ledge, they turned their heads to him as a way of paying regards.

"Yes, my teeth and ambitions are bared! Be prepared!" Scar exclaimed again, already savoring his victory.

Yuu froze, he had just witnessed the planning of what seemed to be a coup and an assassination plan. "But why did he want to be king so much?" He asked out loud.

The shadow girl must have noticed his concern, because she approached him slowly and tried to take his hand to calm him down, but Yuu instinctively moved it away, action she seemed to respect and took a few steps away from him with both arms raised.

When they wanted to realize it the images of the dream had already vanished, but just like last time, both were still standing there looking at each other.

Yuu took a few steps back, not knowing quite what to do. The girl did the same.

Suddenly, the glow on Yuu's left shoulder widely intensified. The same thing happened with the shadow girl, who had also lifted the right sleeve of her shirt to see it.

They were able to look at each other for a second before the glow quickly turned into an intense flash that made Yuu close his eyes and shield them with his arms.

When he felt the light disappear, he slowly reopened his eyes. The place was the same gray space where the images disappeared, but something was slightly different there...

[Published in 7/2/2022]