Strong wind slammed rain against the windowpane. Room 304 was warm. The patter of raindrops and the sound of Sarah flipping book pages created a soothing rhythm.
Maria sat at her desk, reviewing magic circuit diagrams.
Tap.
A sound different from the rain. A sound like a wet paw hitting the glass.
Maria immediately raised her head. She went to the window and pulled back the thick curtain.
Something warm stirred in her chest.
Behind the steamed-up glass, on the narrow stone ledge outside the window, a wet, black mass was huddled.
Its soaked fur clung to its body, making it look smaller, almost fragile. Its large ruby eyes reflecting the room's light, it stared pitifully into the warm room.
But it didn't come forward. It still remembered the pain of the invisible barrier.
Maria opened the window. Cold wind and rain rushed into the room.
"You came back..."
Seeing the open window, the creature pulled back and curled up, as if expecting a magical shock.
Maria took the black leather collar out of her desk drawer.
"Don't be scared... this time is different. This is your key."
She extended her hand. The creature sniffed and came a little closer, but was still trembling.
Maria leaned out, raindrops soaking her face completely. With a quick movement, she fastened the collar around the creature's neck. Its small buckle closed with a "click," and the magic circuit inside activated.
"Now come."
Maria opened her arms.
The creature closed its eyes and jumped.
It passed through the window frame.
The invisible protective wall scanned the collar's signal: "Confirmed: Student Maria Alessandra."
No sparks. No shock.
The creature landed safe and sound in Maria's arms.
Maria closed the window and put the creature on the floor.
"Look, Sarah! It worked!"
Sarah got up from the bed with delight.
"Wow! It's soaking wet!"
The creature, intoxicated by the successful entry and the room's warmth, did what any dog or cat does after getting wet.
It shook its body. With all its might.
SPLASH!
Muddy droplets and bits of rotting leaves exploded outward like shrapnel.
On the cream-colored walls. On the clean carpet. And worst of all... on Sarah's white satin pajamas.
Sarah screamed and jumped back.
"Eek! The carpet! My clothes! Smell that! Smells like a swamp!"
The creature, thinking Sarah's scream was a sign of happiness and play, wagged its tails excitedly and made a high jump.
Straight onto Sarah's neat, white bed.
Four deep, black, muddy paw prints were stamped on the clean sheets.
Sarah put her hands on her head and looked at the disaster in disbelief.
"My bed..."
Maria, who was covered in mud herself from head to toe, sighed deeply. Her gaze shifted from Sarah to the happy, dirty creature.
She rolled up her sleeves. Her tone turned brisk and decisive:
"Lock the door, Sarah. Bath time."
The small bathroom was steamy.
Maria, soaked in sweat and water, was trying to keep the creature, which had now become as slippery as a fish, in the tub.
The creature hated water. It clawed, clung to the edge of the tub, and constantly tried to jump onto Maria's shoulder to get away from the water surface.
Soap foam was everywhere.
"Don't go! Sit!"
The creature wagged its tail and splashed a mass of foam straight into Maria's face.
Sarah, standing at the door with a towel in hand, was doubled over with laughter.
"I think it's winning! The Great Strategist is no match for a cub!"
Maria spat to get the foam out of her mouth. She grabbed the creature, but not roughly. She pressed it against her wet chest and held it tight.
"Shhh... calm down. Relax. I'm not trying to drown you."
Trapped in Maria's embrace, the creature slowly calmed down. When warm water poured over its body, its tensed muscles relaxed.
Now that its hair was wet and stuck to its body, its thin, small skeleton was visible. Its ruby eyes looked larger and more innocent in that thin face.
Maria gently rubbed foam on its back.
Suddenly, a scene from the past came before her eyes.
The modern apartment... the white tub... and Kuro-chan looking at the faucet with hatred and scratching the edge of the tub.
A sweet lump formed in Maria's throat. The fearsome shadow beast in her arms felt no different from her old housecat.
A real, involuntary smile settled on Maria's lips. A smile that made her eyes laugh too.
"See... how much prettier you get when you're clean. I promise to feed you afterwards."
The creature surrendered and rested its head on the edge of the tub, as if realizing resistance was futile.
The creature sat on the carpet, still a bit damp. Maria picked up a towel to dry it, but Sarah stepped forward.
"Let me do it! Manual drying takes too long, and it'll catch a cold."
Sarah brought her hands forward. Her specialty magic was Wind.
A gentle stream of warm, swirling air came out of Sarah's hands. Like a 360-degree magical hairdryer.
The warm wind twisted through the creature's fur.
The water evaporated.
And then... something funny happened.
The creature's black, shiny fur, upon drying, puffed up. Puffed up excessively.
The creature that was thin and bony a few moments ago had now turned into a large, black, fluffy ball with three puffy tails. Even its eyes were barely visible through the fur.
Sarah let out a stifled scream of delight.
"My God... it looks like burnt cotton candy!"
She couldn't help herself. She went forward and hugged the creature (which was still confused by its volume change) and buried her face in its fur.
"Wow, so soft! Smells like my strawberry shampoo!"
The creature froze at first. Its body tensed. Its wild instinct said attack.
But Sarah's body heat, good smell, and gentle petting enchanted it.
It relaxed its body in Sarah's arms and let the girl squeeze it.
This was the moment of "Acceptance." The creature had now accepted Sarah as "one of us" too.
The warm light of the night lamp made the room cozy. The rainy weather outside had given way to snow, but everything was safe here.
The room was tidy again. Maria sat on the edge of her bed, drying her wet hair with a small towel. Her mind had calmed down a bit.
Sarah, not yet satisfied with the joy of seeing this "black fluff ball," came excitedly toward Maria's bed. She held the clean, puffy creature in her arms and wanted to sit next to Maria so they could talk about its cuteness together.
Sarah lunged to sit on the bed, close to Maria.
But suddenly...
The creature, who until that moment had been lounging in Sarah's arms with eyes closed, opened its eyes upon sensing Sarah approaching Maria's personal space.
A quick leap.
The creature jumped out of Sarah's arms like a black spring and, with strange skill, wedged itself exactly between Maria's body and Sarah.
Sarah was startled and pulled back.
"Eh?"
The creature puffed out its chest. With its black snout, it gently but firmly nudged Sarah's side and pushed her a little further back. Then it turned, rested its head contentedly on Maria's thigh, and wrapped its tails around her waist.
Its look at Sarah was as if saying: "This one's mine. Back off."
Maria looked with surprise at first, but then couldn't stop her laughter. She buried her hand in the creature's soft, puffy fur.
"I think it's jealous."
Sarah put her hands on her hips and with a feigned angry (but smiling) face said:
"Hey! Ungrateful! I was the one who wrapped the towel around you! I was the one who dried you with magic! Now you push me?"
In response, the creature just closed its eyes, pressed itself closer to Maria, and pretended not to hear Sarah's voice.
***
Maria had come to bring dinner for herself, Sarah and the creature. On the tray in her hand were three plates full of lamb stew, bread, and soup; much more than a little girl's appetite.
The smell of lamb stew and hot bread filled the cold stone corridor.
Maria quickened her pace. Her mind was on the creature waiting for its dinner.
Just have to get there fast... before the food gets cold or someone asks questions.
She reached the turn of the corridor. Where the magic lights were dimmer and the shadows of the columns longer.
She stopped suddenly.
A shadow was leaning against the wall.