[Daico opens his eyes, panting heavily.]
Daico [Internal] - I- I'm back...? Was it all a dream...? [He hears faint, distorted energy sounds.] Where... where is that coming from? Ugh, my head...
Mr. Moss - ATTENDANCE!!
[Daico rises, still disoriented, and opens the door.]
Mr. Moss - Wow pal, is Mister Lava Boy a deep sleeper? You have fun yesterday?
Daico - You asked that befo- Wait, what...
Mr. Moss - What's the matter, boyo? You look paler th- [Locks in immediately.] You are under arrest.
Daico - Wait, what?
[Mr. Moss punches Daico across the face.]
Daico - What the hell?!
Mr. Moss - You have the right to remain silent. Come with me.
Daico [Shouting] - WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!?
Mr. Moss - What's that on your shoulder...? That yellow glowing dust.
Daico - Uh... this? It smells weird. I don't know what it is...
Mr. Moss - I want to believe you, Daico - but this is serious. I can't take any risks. [He pulls out a secondary mask and puts it on.] Come with me. Now.
Daico - Hey! I didn't do anything! Search my room! Look everywhere!
Mr. Moss - Fine. [He searches the room at blinding speed.]
Daico - Woah... Watch the... clothes? I guess... man!
Mr. Moss - Seems like you're telling the truth. Nothing suspicious... well...
Daico - So what now? Am I free to go?
Mr. Moss - ... Yeah. GO ALONG, kid! I've got more students to wake up! [Removes his secondary mask, now back to his casual self.]
[He walks out. Daico closes the door behind him, still dazed.]
Daico - Huh... weird. [Heads to the bathroom.]
[He opens the sink.]
Daico - ARGH! HOT AGAIN?! What's with this water!? I can't even clean up lik- Wait. Did I... dream this too...?
[He steps out into the hallway and pauses.]
[Daico stands at Feiyah's door.]
Daico - Hey, Feiyah~ knock knock. You in there?...
[He steps back, rubbing his head.]
Daico - Ugh... my head... [Leans against the wall, breathing heavily.] Why do I feel so damn dizzy...?
[Ceiling POV - A hatch opens. The masked girl watches him from above.]
Daico [Internal] - This pain... I feel like I'm gonna die...
[The girl drops from the ceiling in front of him.]
Girl in Black - You. What is that on your shoulder?
Daico - What is up with people and my shoulder today? I have no idea, I swear! I woke up and it was just... THERE! Augh... my fucking head... and did you just drop from the ceili-
[The girl tilts her head like a wild animal. A long kunai gleams in her hand.]
Daico - Whoa whoa whoa - are you trying to kill me?! [Still clutching his forehead.]
Girl in Black - What's up with your hair? Why are there white streaks? [Her tone is eerily monotone.]
[Daico grabs a handful of his hair.]
Daico - What...? Since when...? Wait... how do you know my original hair color?
[She drives the kunai straight through his skull.]
[Retry] [Sound cue.]
[Daico jolts awake, breathing hard.]
Daico - ENOUGH WITH THESE DAMN DREAMS!!
[He stumbles to the sink and stares at himself in the mirror.]
Daico - My hair...? She was right. White highlights... when did that happen?
Mr. Moss - ATTENDANCE!!
[Daico opens the door.]
Daico - Mr. Moss, sir! Please have a look at-
Mr. Moss - What's up with your hair, kid? Ya dye it- [Spots the yellow glow on Daico's shoulder and locks in.] You are under arrest. [Grabs his secondary mask and puts it on.]
Daico - WAIT! The dust, right? You think I did something?! Well lemme tell ya! There's a-
Mr. Moss - Enough said. Hands on your head.
Daico - BUT SIR! [Begins approaching Mr. Moss.]
Mr. Moss - "\LAVA SERRATION/"
[Daico gets beheaded.]
[Retry] [Sound effect.]
Daico - [Hard breathing] NO! NO! NO! THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING! [Looks at shoulder.] JUST WHAT IS THIS STUFF?! [Rushes to the bathroom mirror.] I have to figure out a way to get rid of- [Looks at mirror and thinks to himself.] Why... is my hair... turning white...
Mr. Moss - ATTENDANCE!!!
[Daico begins to open the door but hesitates.]
Daico [Internal] - No. I shouldn't. He'll kill me again... [Steps back.] Why am I waking up in bed every time? Why is my hair changing...?
Mr. Moss [Outside] - Heya kiddo! Is Feiyah in there with you?! You two havin' fun~?
Daico - [Quickly rubbing the yellow dust off his shoulder] UHHH, nah! She's probably sleeping in!
Mr. Moss - On day two?! What nerve! Females, amirite?!
Daico - SURE! YEAH! [Still frantically cleaning off the dust.]
Mr. Moss - I know I'm not supposed to linger, but... can I ask you something?
[Daico pauses mid-shirt change.]
Mr. Moss - You and I - we both got a weak Sorcery. But don't let that stop you from showing up to class, friend.
Daico - [His expression softens.] Don't worry about that, Mr. Moss... I never planned to skip.
[Camera cuts to Mr. Moss, leaning against Daico's door.]
Mr. Moss - I know I act all tough, but... it stings when students belittle me. [He removes his mask.] So please, kid. Come out. Let's head to class together, alright?
Daico - Mr. Moss, I - sigh. Fine. [He throws on his uniform.]
[Daico opens the door just as Mr. Moss spins flamboyantly around and puts his mask back on.]
Mr. Moss - Let's go, Lava Boy! We've got to - [He stops abruptly, his tone shifting.] Hey...
[Daico gulps.]
Mr. Moss [Dead serious] - Why'd you dye your hair? You look gay.
[Daico stares blankly.]
Daico - I'm not.
Mr. Moss - Kinda expected Feiyah to be in there with you... glad she wasn't. Gotta keep up appearances, y'know?
Daico - Yeah, alright... [He glances up and notices the ceiling hatch creaking slightly.] AH! ENOUGH... Let's just go...
[Camera lingers on the ceiling hatch. The girl in black drops silently into Daico's room, leaving a crystal and swiping a book.]
[Daico notices but pretends not to. He looks ahead.]
Mr. Moss - Heya kiddo... learned any Lava techniques yet?
Daico - [Distracted] Uh... no.
Mr. Moss - Get ready, kid. Gonna make you... a legend.
[Outro music begins to fade in.]
Daico [Internal] - I need to find out who that girl is... and why I keep resetting after death... It has to be connected to the Magic Bombardment. I've been given a chance to fix it. If this is some divine trial - and if there really is a god -
[Daico stops walking. The camera zooms into his eyes.]
Daico - Challenge accepted.
[Camera cuts to the masked girl crouched in the vents, staring down smugly while murmuring...]
Masked Girl - Good.