The morning had come to Scarabia. The sky was painted in beautiful purple and orange of the sunrise and the air was getting warmer. Opening up the window of the guest room with a toothbrush in his mouth, Jonah let out a sigh through his nose. After the parade yesterday, Jamil showed him the room he and Grim would be staying in. It was a simple dorm room for one really, but with that Scarabia flare with woven rug-tapestry on the wall, bedframe with silk curtains, and a Scarabia dorm uniform which coincidentally the same size for Jonah and ribbon for Grim prepared in the study desk. Then, they just spend the rest of the day talking about the training camp.

Speaking of which...

Turning back to the bed, he saw Grim still had his eyes closed and snoring loudly in the exact same position when he had left to take a bath. Chuckling a bit, Jonah walked back to the bed, kneeling on the floor as he tapped the spot next to the cat's head. "Grim. Wake up."

Grim grumbled and tossed in his sleep. "Five more minutes..." Jonah rolled his eye.

"Come on, sleepyhead." He picked up his cat and put him on top of his head, tummy down. Grim paws dangled in front of his face. Well, as long as he wasn't drooling. He doesn't want to wash his hair.

A knock suddenly came at his door. Taking the toothbrush out of his mouth, Jonah opened the door.

"Hey there." The boy in front of him was the same height as him, with medium long purple hair and bangs that stop at his eyes and a long thin braid that extends down to his back, golden eyes, and fair skin. He wore the Scarabia uniform: a cropped black vest with gold detail and red lapels over a sleeveless black hoodie with red trim on the inside, a belt resembling safety tape which has the name of the dorm, and a snake insignia wrapped around his waist with the long end trailing down, a dark red cloth wrapped around his waist with gold designs on it, black parachute pants with red flame designs, black sandals with a gold scarab design, and accessories like gold bangles on his left wrist, a thick choker, and a snake armband that curls on his upper right arm.

Jonah nodded back as a greeting. "Can I help you?"

"Just making sure you're okay this morning," he said. "Kinda an order from Jamil."

Jonah's eyebrows raised as his lips form an 'o'. Now that he dug deeper into his memories, the boy's voice was very similar to yesterday during his panic attack. "Oh. You're the one who called Senior Viper yesterday?"

"Yep." The boy nodded, smiling widely. "My name is Chandra, by the way."

Jonah smiled back. "Thank you, Chandra. But, yeah. I'm feeling better. Thanks for asking."

"It's nothing." Chandra waved his hand nonchalantly. "It's at least I can do for at least, maybe intentionally, helping me with the whole contracts thing."

Jonah paused. "You were there?"

"Yeah. Man..." He whistled, hands on his hips and shaking his head, probably reminiscing the moment. It was at that moment Jonah realized that it was only three days ago they had another overblot incident. It felt like a long time ago. He bit inside his cheeks, mentally stopping himself from fidgeting.

"I don't know what happened after that shouting fest, but you did a good job, buddy." Chandra patted Jonah's shoulder like a proud friend. But, somehow, from the way he phrasing his sentences, it puzzled him.

"Wait. You don't know what happened that time?" he asked.

Chandra shrugged. "Well, I was barely conscious that time. But I heard it was pretty nasty."

It wasn't nasty. It was an overblot! Is this boy taking the matters lightly? But at the same time, it kinda gave the same vibe as Riddle and Leona's overblot news. Just how fast the news disappears in this school? It just doesn't make any sense how a piece of news this big disappear in just two day-

"If you're ready, we're doing our homework together at the lounge." Chandra stepped back, snapping Jonah back to reality. The purplenette waved his hand before walking away. Jonah closed the door and leaned against it, rolling the toothbrush in his hand.

Grim grumbled from the top of his head, slowly opening his eyes. He yawned, stretching his legs. He looked down, looking at Jonah upside-down. "What's with the frowning?"

Jonah looked at the cat. He opened his mouth but closed it again. He shook his head. "No idea yet."

An overblot news disappeared in just two days... So bizarre...

-----

"Ugh..."Grim flopped his head to the comfy pillow underneath him as his muffled groans continued. "I thought the purpose of the winter holiday is staying away from books."

"There's also a reason why this is called a training camp," Jonah glanced at the cat's work. "6 times 3 is 18, Grim."

"Heh?!" Grim shot up and pulled his book loser. His ears were up. "I knew that! I was testing your focus."

Jonah snorted watching the cat quickly erasing his previous answer. "Yeah. Yeah," he muttered as he going back to his work on his lap.

Many students were gathered in the lounge with their books of various homework. Viper could be seen walking around and helping those who had trouble, sometimes even waking up students who were about to fell asleep, like right now he was shaking Chandra's shoulder before he drools all over his book.

"You're pretty good at math." Jonah looked up again as Asim plopped down next to him, skimming through his homework, humming at the correct formula and answer.

Jonah chuckled. "Yeah. This is like the few lessons that I'm good at." He sighed. "Though I don't know if it'll enough to boost my grade."

"That's okay. That's why we go to school after all. " Asim bumped to his shoulder playfully. "Math is probably my strongest suit as well. I've been playing with numbers since I was young."

Jonah turned his head toward him. "Really?"

"Yeah." Asim laid down, hands folded behind his head as he stared at the ceiling. "My family is a rather well-known merchant from my homeland. Since I'm the eldest son and the heir, I was taught how to count very early so I can help with income and outcome of my dad's business."

"The heir, huh?" Jonah rested his chin on his open palm and elbow on his knee, mildly interested. "Do you have siblings?"

Asim grinned at him. "30 younger siblings and still counting!"

Jonah's elbow nearly slipped off his knees as Grim let out a yelp. "Ffgna! O-over 30!?" he screamed. "Multiple twins?!"

"Some of them are, even triplets." Asim laughed. "I kinda stopped counting when they reached 30! I remember all their names and faces though! Ahaha~"

Grim leaned closer to Jonah, whispering, "The scale of his family is so different compared to commoners like us..."

Jonah nodded at him before going back to Asim. "If Leona and his brother have that rivalry intensity, I can't imagine having all 40 siblings ganging up on you."

"Well, sibling rivalry can be a little bit intense." He let out a nervous chuckle. It felt like he wants to say more but decided to stop himself. He sat up, stretching his arms before standing up. "Anyway! Guys!" Everyone looked up to him. "We're going to have a magic practice after this!"

"Yes, Prefect!"

-----

Hours later, they found themselves in the Scarabia courtyard, all wearing their sports uniform. "Find your partner, everyone!" Asim instructed. Everyone quickly went to their closest student. Jonah couldn't help but smile. It seemed the bond of friendship between the Scarabia students is quite strong.

Asim turned to Jonah. "Jonah, Grim. Want to spar with me?"

Jonah glanced ho the cat hanging on his shoulder. "What do you think?"

Grim's ears twitched in excitement. Smirking he jumped off Jonah's shoulders. "I'm ready to burn your butt again," he growled.

Asim grinned. Taking out his magical pen, with one spin, it changed into a long red staff with a red gem and golden snake hugging it. "Give me your best shot!"

Spinning his staff, Asim struck first with his water ball attack. "Grim, evade!" shouted Jonah, and Grim stepped away. The cat ran to the prefect all four, blue flame coming out from his teeth as he pounced, but Asim avoided him. Grim flicked his tail, but his trident end was blocked by Asim's staff, getting tangled. Asim grinned and pulled his staff, bringing Grim with him. The prefect spun his staff before throwing Grim straight to the unprepared Jonah who unable to hold himself. Both cat and his partner fell to the ground.

"Oi!" Grim climbed on top of Jonah's head, tail flicking and smoke coming out from his ears. "We're not done yet!" He slapped Jonah's cheek. "Come on!"

Jonah groaned as he got up. "Fine." The captain ran to the prefect, much to Asim's surprise. Jonah slipped down to the ground and at the same time Grim jump off from his head, shooting fireballs at Asim. Asim blocked all of them with his staff but didn't anticipate, Jonah swiped him off his feet. Asim's back hit the ground and Grim shot himself toward him. However, Asim raised his staff and sprayed a large amount of water at Grim, sending him screaming to the fountain.

"Grim!" Jonah ran toward the cat who emerge from the pond, spitting water and goldfish from his mouth. "You okay?"

"He looks like he's just goofing off all the time but he hit pretty hard." Grim stuck out his tongue. "He's like Ace but less of the trickster part."

"Guys!" Both of them turned toward Asim. "That was fun! You did a great job together."

Jonah shrugged but still smiling. "It's nothing, really. We still need more practice."

Asim nodded. "That's why we have this training camp after all. Want to try again?"

Jonah turned to Grim. The cat didn't look upset. Shaking his fur, he went back with all four paws on the ground, ready to pounce. "I won't lose this time!"

Asim laughed. "Bring it on!"

-----

"He beat you up hard, huh?" Jonah chuckled as he massaged Grim's back. It was after dinner and everyone went back to their room to take a shower.

"Shut up..." the cat groaned. "Ugh... My back... Still sore..."

Not long after, there was a knock on the door. Climbing off the bed, Jonah reached for the door and pulled it, revealing the white-haired prefect in his robe pajamas. "Senior Asim. What's up?"

He lifted a plastic back in his hand. "Wanna help he lit up these fireworks? I got them from Sam's shop."

-----

Soon they found themselves gathered once again in Scarabia's courtyard. Some of them had a blanket draped over their shoulder because of the cold desert night. They watch the bright fountain firework that Asim just lit up.

A student with short braided dark pink hair and pink eyes suddenly yelped when a firecracker exploded next to his feet. "Ah!"

"Look at Yudhi's dance." Chandra, the culprit with some rubber firecracker in his hand, laughed.

A senior with dark skin and white apple cut hair, layered with a ponytail on the left side, and black eyes shook his head. "It's only funny until someone loses an eye."

"Oh, lighten up, Mustafa."

As it was a signal, more firecrackers exploded, this time, near Chandra's feet. "Hey!" he turned toward the culprit. "Ashoka. What's that for?!"

Ashoka, a tanned boy with dirty blond with a thick ahoge and bright green eyes, grinned at him. "It's funny~"

"It's only funny when it happens to someone else!" Chandra shouted back, which only resulted in Ashoka clacking up.

Jonah took out a tube and set it on the ground. "Launching the 100 Buster!" Grim shouted as he spitted fire to the fuse. Two or three fireworks shot up and exploded in the sky with pale yellow light but weaker than the shining stars that night.

"That's it?" Chandra commented.

Ashoka sighed in disappointment. "It doesn't look as badass as it sounded."

"We have more for everyone here!" Asim took out a pack of stick firework from the plastic bag. "Let's light up the night!"

The night, overall, was fun. Every student was enjoying themselves after a hard day of training camp. This was a nice moment to relax before another hard day tomorrow.