"Canada. It's a Canadian dish. S.S.S. cafeteria is filled with various restaurants and categories from each country to help those who travel from their home countries. It caters to literally everyone. It's pricey depending on what you want, but the food is richly made. They also had rows of food trucks. We decided to get poutine because they accepted cash. We don't have our student cards yet. Most restaurants only accept those," Wolfgang explained.
"It's amazing,” I squealed, beginning to stuff my face. I was already halfway done before I paused, noticing how the guys were staring at me.
"Oops. Am I supposed to say a prayer or something?"
"No, it's not that," Dimitri defended. "It's like, two things."
"Star is sitting on your head," Yuriel pointed out.
"And I've never seen a girl eat as fast as you," Ryuu admitted.
"Me neither," Wolfgang confessed.
"Huh?" I gave them a confused look before looking up slightly to see Star was indeed on my head. I hadn't even noticed her, but she was staring at my poutine as though she was about to pounce.
I reached up and picked her up, looking into her bright eyes as she stared back at me.
"Mewr."
"I'm not nervous this time. Did you just come for the food?" I asked the little uni-kitten.
She wiggled with a happy expression, which I took as a 'yes'.
Lowering her to my lap, I picked a portion with my fork, offering it to her to inspect. Once she took a few sniffs and patted it with her paw, she began to nibble on it.
"Girls don't eat fast? I'm usually a normal-paced eater. I'm just super hungry," I explained.
"My little sister takes forever. We start dinner early so that she finishes right before her bath time and off to bed she goes. Takes her 2-3 hours," Ryuu admitted.
Wolfgang nodded. "Your sister literally takes forever. She gets super upset if she doesn't get to eat with anyone, too."
"Female hellhounds are rare, but I've seen plenty of women who take their time at restaurants back in my home country."
Yuriel shrugged. "I observe others and they don't eat as fast. I was worried you'd choke."
"Ah," I replied with a nod. "I'm just a different type of gal."
"And to add to the conversation…" We turned to see Clarissa at the doorway.
She had a wide smile on her face, clearly listening to our conversation. "Women at restaurants are normally on dates and like to eat slowly to prolong the conversation. That's what most shifters do when it comes to Shifter Dating Etiquette."
"Welcome back, Ms. Shine," Yuriel said. The four guys looked like they were going to move, but Clarissa merely flicked her wrist. "No need for formalities. Makes me feel old." She closed the door and moved to stand to the side, having a view of all five of us.
"You may call me Clarissa. Only during testing do we need to be formal. Or unless one of you pisses me off. Then you lose that privilege," she explained.
We nodded and quickly finished our food. Clarissa gave us a chance to enjoy our drinks before she got on with her assessment of us.
She walked over to grab a clipboard and quill, waving her finger to create a few blank pages that glided in the air and slipped themselves into the clip of the brown board in her hands.
"Let's see. You guys chose Quest 999. One that required you to obtain a ring from the safety of the mountain. How did that go?" she asked in delight.
"Good," we replied, unsure what else to say.
She nodded with a smile. "Let me take a look. Give me a moment." Closing her eyes, she tapped the top end of her pen on the board.
We waited patiently, Star stretching out and giving my hand a little nudge before she poofed away.
I'm going to have to ask Sis or Mom about that.
Clarissa was silent for five minutes before her eyes opened again. "What an intriguing experience you all had. I have to admit, this was a daring quest to pick. Was there a specific reason?" she asked, her eyes landing on me.
I didn't know what to say, unsure how I'd be able to maneuver around the truth of me needing the ring to cloak my mongrel features.
"Us guys decided we all wanted to date Silver and thought it would be cool to help get her a ring," Yuriel calmly declared.
The rest of us looked at him, seeing how relaxed he was.
He can't be serious.
"Like a promise ring of sorts," Dimitri added. Wolfgang nodded.
"We didn't know if we'd get to keep it or not, but at least temporarily. It also seemed like a challenging quest that would require all of our participation."
Ryuu nodded. "Finding out that the ring was in my father’s possession made the quest intriguing to accomplish. He's picky when it comes to artifacts, and it felt like a good quest to choose to prove that we have the skills, strength, and survival instincts to be a spy. The quest hit all avenues and is a good example of what we may have to do attending S.S.S. school.
Clarissa nodded, a pleased expression on her face. "May I see the ring?"
"Sure,” I replied, placing my fingers on the powerful band.
I tugged at it once, frowning when it didn't budge. Lowering my gaze, I tried a few more times, tilting my head in confusion.
"It won't come off.”
"Did your finger grow bigger, Blossom?" Dimitri asked. "Could have been the poutine."
The others snickered, unable to ignore Dimitri's amusing statement.
"No one gains weight in their fingers THAT quickly,” Ryuu argued.
"Let me help,” Yuriel offered, kneeling down in front of me and attempting to tug the magical ring off my ring finger.
"You know if someone took a picture right now, it would look as though Yuriel was proposing to Silver," Wolfgang whispered to the others.
There was a snap sound and we all of looked at Dimitri, whose face began to grow red as he held his phone.
"What? I thought it was a good picture to take. You never know when you'll need an alibi."
All of us shook our heads, turning our attention to my current dilemma.
"Why won't it come off?" I asked, looking at Clarissa with pleading eyes.
She still had a calm, loving expression on her face, placing her clipboard and pen onto the countertop of her file cabinet. Turning back to face us, she clapped her hands.
"Did you guys read the instructions?"
"Shit!" I cursed. "That's what we forgot."
I looked to the others as they shook their heads.
"We were in a rush and didn't check to see if there were instructions hidden in the selected spot," Ryuu responded.
Clarissa looked deep in thought. "There's nothing we can really do about it as of now."
"That sounds bad," Wolfgang commented.
"It's not necessarily bad, but the instructions would have told you the history of the ring," Clarissa noted, walking over to her desk.
The guys moved to stand around my chair, while Clarissa sat down, giving us her full attention.
"The previous owner of that ring was a powerful sorceress. Legends say she was also an angel shifter. This was most likely before the event that plagued the world and made us into shifters, but the supernatural had always been among humans for as long as anyone can remember." She lifted her hand and hovered it over her desk, slowly gliding it above the dark oak surface from right to left.
We gasped when a 3D figure formed on her desk. There stood a silhouetted woman in vivid teal, her wings outlined in white.
She had her left hand out, revealing a gold ring that looked exactly like mine. She was surrounded by clouds, as though she was suspending herself in the air.
"Many called her Lia the angel, bringer of light and justice. It's the reason why the center stone shifted between a pearl to crystal clear. She was the bringer of peace between what scriptures state were four main kingdoms."
As she explained, four different sections formed beneath Lia, their outlines matching the colors of the four surrounding crystals on the ring.
"Each
kingdom had an element, and the purpose of the ring was to represent the alliance between the kingdoms and Lia. Their unity ensured that peace and harmony would fall down onto their people and Lia would protect them if evil tried to strike. The ring was an ancient artifact that held great power but could only be activated through magic. Before Lia was deemed an angel, apparently she was a witch."
A witch like me? Was that why I was able to pick it up?
"We don't know what happened to Lia and the four kingdoms, but their bond lived through the ring and was put into the possession of King Kensuke because he'd be able to protect it from anyone who sought the ring for its capabilities. None of us know exactly what other powers lie within it, mainly due to the fact you'd need a strong witch or wizard to activate it. Supernatural shifters wouldn't be able to activate it, which was one of the main reasons we made it into a quest," she concluded.
"Does that mean the quest was set up for failure from the get-go?" Wolfgang suggested.
Clarissa nodded. "Correct. We all know S.S.S doesn't accept humans. Therefore, it would be impossible to complete the quest, unless accompanied by a mage. Even if one was able to take the quest, the chances of the team working together without having a connection with one another would have ended in failure. You also have to take into consideration the level of magic the mage carries. If they aren't strong enough to convince the artifact to leave its protective barricade, that would lead to failure as well. Finally, King Kensuke and his guard are very difficult to outsmart. Far too many obstacles. That's why it's a failed quest."
She smirked and looked right at me. "Until today."
I didn't know what to say, feeling speechless.
She knows I'm a human. That means I'm going to be kicked out. Did we go through that quest for nothing?
My shoulders sank at the thought and I tried not to let my disappointment show, but I knew it would be obvious.
"Ms. Shine," Dimitri said with a serious tone. "We all understand the rules here at S.S.S school and that the requirements are normally set in stone. However, seeing as we completed the quest and the potential Silver has displayed, shouldn't she at least be given an opportunity to attend?"
"I'd have to also vouch for this," Ryuu stepped forward. "It's thanks to Silver that we were able to pass. She showed throughout our quest different levels of magic skills and strength and is one of the reasons we survived Guardia's wrath."
"Not to mention, she saved me from crashing to the ground when we got hit by the fire attack. That was only the defused impact. If it hit us bang on, we would have died instantly," Yuriel defended.
Wolfgang moved forward, putting a hand on my shoulder. "In my viewpoint, that quest was put up there for the chance that one day a witch would try to attend S.S.S. When you think about it, for a mage to attempt to bend the rules and work double to try and attend such an elite school not only proves a level of courage but also shows her determination and desire to attend. Many people don't show half of that commitment, assuming they'll get in simply because they're a strong shifter. Is there any possibility she can be granted a chance?"
I blinked back tears, looking at the four men who stood up for me.
They’d just met me, and the request thing wasn't even written on a contract or anything. Yet they stood tall and proud, asking if I could be given an opportunity.
I wanted this so bad. Not only to make my dad up in heaven and my family proud, but to be given the chance to work alongside these men.
To get to know them more. Maybe I'd even fall for them.
"Hmm." Clarissa waved her hands, the 3D images dematerializing.
She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back into her chair, tapping a finger onto her lips. "What should we do?"
What should "we" do?
"I believe Miss Solange should have a shot."
Astonished by the new voice, all of us turned to the door behind us, seeing an older woman with silver hair.
Her eyes matched her long locks, and she wore a long gold gown. What caught my attention were her gold cat ears that twitched a few times.
"Good evening, Dean. I'm glad you could make it," Clarissa greeted.
The five of us bowed our heads in respect, still trying to get over our shock. It wasn't her older appearance that bothered us. In fact, she looked extremely young but had a knowledgeable gaze. Like she'd seen it all.
"Good evening. I was highly intrigued when Clarissa informed me that Quest 999 had been completed."
She walked into the room, Clarissa standing from her chair and gesturing for the Dean to sit. She gave a pleased smile and took her seat, Clarissa now standing on the Dean's left-hand side.
We rose up and stood a bit straighter. I didn't know if the others could feel it, but this woman's energy palpated through the room, and I was sure her magic was just as lethal.
"I am the Dean of S.S.S school. I will not say my name just yet, for that information is reserved for those who've become an official student of our prestigious school," she began.
I had to swallow the lump in my throat, her words immediately making me feel like we'd already failed.
Her voice was stern, and her silver cat eyes scanned down our group, starting from left to right and then trailing back and landing on me.
"I've already reviewed your quest footage from start to finish. Intriguing how five completely different individuals with no connections to one another can form a team, choose a quest that has never been completed before, and make it out in one piece. I will admit that you impressed me with your skills and strength. When you had to quickly jump off the mountain, your magic and shifter abilities came in handy. I also got to see hints of compassion when you were in the vent."
She glanced at Yuriel and then me again, making me wonder if she saw every single thing that happened during our quest.
How would they be able to see everything? What magic spell can track a group's every move?
"What impressed me the most was the moment when you were in the cave." She leaned back into the chair, crossing her arms over her medium-sized breasts, her eyes locked on mine.
"Silver Spell Solange, was it?" she inquired.
When I nodded in response, she continued. "What motivated you to decide that each guy needed to contribute an element to the ring?"
I could hear the Dean's curiosity, but also a hint of amusement in her voice. She was enjoying this, leaving me praying I didn't screw this up for myself and the others.
"To be honest, I allowed the magic of the ring to guide me in what I needed to do. Every magic artifact is supposed to be viewed as an entity. We can't take advantage of their power without their acceptance of us using them for good, or in some cases, evil,” I explained, remembering my dad's voice when he used to teach me all about magic artifacts.
Lifting my left hand, I stared at the ring, a grin forming on my lips.
"The ring has been sitting inside a box for decades. Though we only know a bit of its past and the previous owner, I'm sure it was waiting for the day its owner would return and reclaim it once more. My dad always said that the best way to take care of a magic artifact is to put it in an open display. Just like how swords and staffs are displayed in glass boxes."
"Why is that?" Dimitri asked, sounding intrigued.
I turned to look at him. "It allows the magic artifact the chance to see what's going on around it. Even if it's in a safe room or museum. Those who own such artifacts check on them once or twice a month. Sometimes even weekly. At least if someone comes and checks in, they can visibly see it."
"While in a box they can't," Yuriel whispered.
I nodded. "When they have no sight that they're being taken care of, it builds up a level of anger or sadness. It makes them feel not valued and that's why it's risky to touch magic artifacts without asking for their permission to use. That built-up anger, sadness, or even regret can be placed on you. Most individuals who have bad intentions usually have to face those consequences, which could includ
e death itself."
Looking back at the Dean, I lowered my hand.
"I think the reason I needed an element from each of the guys is because the light magic within the ring was originally weak...or hypothetically…lonely. Magic responds to emotions and seeing as the stone in the middle represents light, it had to be the strongest. The other elements had faded away, leaving the light magic by its lonesome. By charging it with the four other elements, we kind of made the light magic realize it wasn't alone again and in return, it granted the ring its magical power."
The room was silent for a few seconds and I blushed.
"I don't know if magic is treated the same way for shifters as it is with mages, but anything in this world that courses with energy is alive. Whether it be magic that comes from our own bodies, or what comes from the world itself."
The Dean smiled then, nodding her head in understanding. "I'm aware of your laws and respect for everything living, which includes magic of elemental nature."
Her eyes grew serious once more. "As you know, this is a Supernatural school, and if we did accept you, it would be quite obvious that you are human."
I swallowed and nodded. "I understand, Dean. Though this was a team effort, I wouldn't want to put my fellow peers’ futures on hold for my own dreams. I also don't want to cause any trouble for you and the administration. I'm merely thankful for your consideration." I bowed my head, my heart already sinking in defeat.
It wouldn't be fair for the others who traveled all the way here to have to go home, ending up as failures because of me. Even if they were willing to do it, it wouldn’t be right.
Dimitri looked like he was about to speak but paused, his nose twitching before he leaned in closer to sniff me.
The others slowly looked at him, Wolfgang having a conflicted look.
"What are you doing, Dimitri?"
"Hey. Silver smells different." He pouted his lips.
I groaned. "Like sweat and dirt."
Wolfgang tilted his head, sniffing the air before moving past Ryuu to take a better whiff of me. "No, Dimitri's right. Your scent changed."
SSS: Year One (Supernatural Spy School Book 1) Page 13