A flash of lightning and the ensuing strike of thunder again shakes Aofil's coffee cup. They steady it and while they're at it with having their hand on the cup, they sample their coffee again, despite them just putting it down before the lightning struck. They feel like they need it now, what with their pounding headache kicking and screaming inside their skull. It draws power both from their struggle to condense a year's worth of material into just two hours, and them feeling the fur on their arm stand upright. If it's from the weather outside or their recent episode, they don't know, and it's not what they need right now.

It's not what they need ever, as well. But hey, at least they're branded for doing something good. Doesn't help their headache or their mood, but it's nice to think that it would.

And now they're gonna help the ones that caused them to feel this way. That caused them to forever be cautious and aware of their own thoughts, lest the patch on their arm decides to spruce their anger up a bit with a few good dosages of determination. There's probably a patch of white in their soul as well, but for some reason they haven't really been eager to look at it these past years. For some reason they aren't really clicking their heels with joy at the notion and or thought of looking at the broken piece inside them that's the cause of all the hurt in their world. And then some.

A thing that they can't remove as well which is always a nice bonus. Magic and science has to be intertwined, right? A symbiosis, if you will. Aofil doesn't, but it's not like they have a say in the matter. Shaving doesn't work, and trying to dig it out doesn't work. It's a part of them.

So, they ask themselves, is this symbiosis a parasitic or a cooperative one?

"Not a goddamn clue!" Aofil shouts and letting their voice bounce around their kitchen while they sweep up their cup into their hand dangerously quick. They take another mouthful and twirl their pen between their fingers. With the way the fur acts from day to day it would be classified as parasitic, judging by the way it causes them to act, but apparently determination is something that a soul wants, so it's actually Aofil's fault for not appreciating something that would make anyone else feel powerful.

It's their soul that's at fault, right? Broken and scarred like a clay pot after more than a meter of free fall. It's their soul's fault that they can't use this supposed gift. A gift on a curse would cancel it out though, right? Guess it depends on the right type of gift, and this wasn't the right type of gift. Aofil looks at their arm in disgust. Is it another curse then?

Aofil pokes it with their pencil. There's no sign of the scar that they had after their failed excavation. It's completely healed. A small sign of something positive, or a sign that they have no control over it?

Aofil sighs.

No, this isn't the time to go down that path again, they have work to do. Aofil flips their pencil in their hand again, "Physics first!" they exclaim as they place their pencil against the paper.

Two thunder roars pass, but the paper is still as blank as it started bar the upper right edge which is stained slightly by a drop of coffee that fell out during the first thunder strike. This situation is all too familiar to Aofil, and they hate that.

They roll their fur stained arm around to try and get some blood going, but it doesn't really help. The paper stays blank. Aofil tries to massage out an idea from their head, but all they manage to extract is more annoyance and irritation. And a reminder of their headache.

Their headache, which again, is caused by the ones that it prevents Aofil from helping. So the more they think about it, the less it makes sense. They should just give it all a pass.

Well, they tried to, but it failed. They went into the principal's office with the intention to skip it all, and they emerged having gobbled everything up instead. And here they thought that the principal was gullible for believing their pill story, but here they are, trying to rub away the hurt that the principal insisted that they mantle.

But the principal didn't know about that.

Aofil's eyes shoot wide open. Or did they? Yes? No? OK, what if the principal knew? Did they try and set Aofil up? What if they didn't know? Aofil grunts as their headache knocks on their skull again, they aren't getting anywhere.

Why did they agree to this? It's all just a wash, just like the weather outside. It's pouring like the…

Aofil holds that thought, they won't allow it another step. They've gone this long without thinking of the past, and they'd be damned if they surrender now. They've left that life behind, they had. to. They saved everyone else's memories, at the cost of their own. This new life was supposed to be Aofil's drastic change! Yet still they're constantly reminded. Why? It wasn't supposed to be like this. It wasn't supposed to be shaving their arm every morning, and then burning it! They haven't read the newspaper in ages, and the on in this city is written by actual journalists!

Aofil drags their hands over their face slowly. They should just pull off their finger and let the monsters scatter in fear, get it all done with.

Wait a second.

Aofil's hand grips the pen again. They'll start with some simpler stuff, nothing that would just be uncomfortable, to lead up to the finger popping off. A card trick? No, that wouldn't sail. Just stick with magic including hands.

Aofil's list grows, and so does their smile. They feel their cheeks tugging and their lips separate from each other. Yes, and then Aofil starts shaking their hands as if they were hurting.

"Let me see what's wrong with them," they say to themselves. Oh yes, it sounds just as good as in their head. Just a bit of stretching first, and then.

"Pop!"

Aofil chuckles to themselves as they picture the monsters running around in fear. Them looking horrified at their finger, like everything's gone horribly wrong. The monster will think thrice before going back to their school afterwards.

Aofil holds up the paper and reads it back to themselves. Yeah, this looks good, really good. The monster will never think about setting their foot or whatever they have in their school again. Aofil's eyes continue reading back their master plan.

But their smile fades.

No monsters means that the school will fall behind. Their colleagues, friends, it's not just Aofil that's at stake here. If they did this, then it would lead to them being hurt as well. No, Aofil can't do this, they shouldn't do this. It would lead to more of those monster deniers congregating, and worse, at their workplace. Worse? Would it really be worse?

It would mean no more risk of their curse blossoming if there was no monster for them to think about. It would mean that they could stop thinking about them, and stop being reminded all the goddamn time. They would finally have some peace of mind. They could move on, finally. Their downstairs neighbor's contract runs out soon. It's only a matter of time before their building becomes purely human again.

And then? Perhaps they could figure out a way to keep the monsters at their city? They built it for that reason, right? They just need some persuasion. Aofil could probably lean on them if they wanted to. Pay them a visit, have some tea, and then perhaps change their minds while they're at it. They would trust Aofil. After all they did, why wouldn't they? How couldn't they? They owe Aofil, they owe Aofil so much. They're gullible, easily manipulated, and they hold a lot of power. So why not just give them a nudge in the right direction? Yes, humans and monsters have lived together for so long, but look at what we've accomplished while we were separated. Just a few words would be enough. Aofil has the potential to topple an entire kingdom. It would be so easy.

They just need to remind the monsters why the humans won.

The sky opens up wider and a wave of hard rain hits the window behind Aofil. They jump out of their chair, and feels that their breath has become agitated. Their heart is pounding, and there's a bitter taste in their mouth. Aofil's grunts as they touch their cheek with a finger.

It's hot.

Dammit, what the hell are they doing? How old are they? Twelve? They can't do this, it's childish. They would sabotage the future of Tylior, Julie, heck, everyone, if they were to do this. Kneecap everything good that has happened, just because they can't focus right now? Why did they even think it was a good idea?

Well, Aofil knows the answer, but it doesn't really cheer them up. They made the right choice in taking another pill, otherwise they would've probably gone to bed dedicated to go through with this. They should probably take another one, but that would leave only one left for tomorrow, and they're pretty sure they would need two even without the presentation. They're already at least one pill short for tomorrow, they can't compromise any further. Aofil crumples the scribbled paper in their hand.

They toss it inside their fireplace and grab the sealed package of matches. They unwrap the plastic and take out a match. They place it against the tinder.

But they hesitate.

"No!" they force out while at the same time flicking the match. The sparks run along the top of the match for a second before igniting and summoning a bright flame. The color is different. It looks familiar though, like it was made with magic.

Aofil throws the match onto the crumbled paper, which burns a more normal color, and flips the match case over.

"To commemorate the building of Monster City, a added component has been added to make the fire a bit more magical," the back of the box states proudly. Aofil bounces it in their hand for a while before throwing it in the fire as well.

They return to the table and sit down with a deep sigh. The pill is starting to calm them down now, good. Shouldn't be that difficult now.

"Aofil?" Tylior tries while tapping his pen on the cup he brought Aofil loudly, and without rhythm.

Aofil lifts their head up from their pillow made of arms and tries to blink away the tired. It doesn't work. They sink back down again with a sound somewhere between a mutter and a snore.

Tylior smacks his pen on Aofil's head, "No," Aofil responds after a couple of second. Tylior gives Aofil another smack, this time on their exposed hand. Aofil instinctively drags it away, but it falls back down once the tiredness flows back into it.

"How did you even manage to get off at the right subway station, Aofil? I've seen more awake people under the sand at an archaeology dig site."

Aofil fumbles for the cup of coffee with a couple of unglamarous and uncoordinated taps on the table. Tylior scoots the cup closer with his pen, "Thanks," Aofil says with their head still in their one armed pillow. They brings the coffee closer and drink it.

They lunge up out of their chair and bolt for the closest sink. They spit the coffee out and rinse their mouth as fast as they can, "What the hell is this coffee?"

Tylior shoots Aofil a knowing wink, "It got you up, didn't it?"

Aofil leers at Tylior from behind the stream of water flowing from the faucet. Their mouth is full of water so they can't answer, but their piercing gaze tells Tylior everything he needs to know.

He bows his head, "You're welcome," and tilts his hand towards Aofil.

With their stomach full of water and their mouth almost completely rinsed of water Aofil returns to the table and their chair opposite of Tylior, "Not gonna thank you."

"Long night with the presentation?" Tylior pries while drinking some coffee of his own. He enjoys it a bit too loudly for Aofil's taste, "You're usually a bit more spiffy than this in the mornings, and the presentation is all I can think of right now. Well, that and how good this coffee is," Tylior takes another sip and closes his eyes in enjoyment, "Ah, fantastic."

Aofil holds out their empty cup and Tylior pours some of his into it, "Yeah, long night. Was a bit harder than I expected, but I think I got it under control."

The jar of just a single pill in their pocket would like to say otherwise, but it's the best Aofil can do at the moment. Their doctor didn't come back today, so it's gonna be a couple of interesting hours later at the presentation.

Interesting is the last thing Aofil wants it to be.

They pat the folder next to them on the table, "Got everything here."

"It looks a bit thin," Tylior comments while reaching for it. Aofil snatches it away violently.

"Then please don't touch it, otherwise you'll break it," Aofil explains while waving it back and forth.

Tylior nods, "OK then," he shrugs.

They sit both in silence for a couple of minutes before Tylior notices the clock. He motions for it with a nod, "Test soon."

Aofil returns the nod, "Yeah, brilliant," they mutter before downing the rest of their coffee.

"You have your pills with you, Aof?" Tylior taps his throat, "Your voice."

"Yeah," Aofil nods again, this time slower, "I got it with me. I'll take another one before the test."

Tylior leans forwards, "Take it now."

"Tylior," Aofil replies, "I'll take it, don't worry."

Their voice is getting rougher by the word, they can hear it themselves. Nothing they can do about it though, they need it later more than they need it now. Tylior doesn't seem convinced though. He opens his mouth to speak, and despite Aofil's hand trying to stop him, he continues, "The presentation is just a presentation, Aofil. This test is important, even for you. I don't want you to have lesser pay next year because your students failed."

"Why would it matter now that I'm angry?" Aofil responds with a throw of their hand, "They've already studied for it, and their grades aren't gonna change if I look a bit tired."

"There's an inspector this year," Tylior reveals, "Nothing official, but I saw someone that blended in here as well as, well, a government official at a high school."

"I'll be fine," Aofil growls.

"I don't believe you, Aof, and you've said that my judgment is valued higher than yours when you are like this. Every time with this."

With an annoyed grunt Aofil takes out their pill jar and pop it open. They throw the pill into their open hand and show it to Tylior, "Only one left, and I need that one for the presentation! It's not really a choice!"

Tylior's brow furrows, "Why?"

Aofil curls their fingers around the pill, "Because," they throw it back into the jar and close the lid.

Tylior's waits patiently for a continuation that never comes. He leans over the table and clamps his hands together slowly, "I thought you cared more about humans than you did monsters, Aofil."

Aofil's just a smidge away from calling Tylior out on that, but they know it's what he wants. Tylior knows how to play Aofil, but he'd never do it out of malice, just to show Aofil how far they are, and that they need to back down.

But not now.

He can't know, no one can. The principal knowing is already far too many along with their doctor, who probably saw through Aofil's lie from the very start.

"Aofil?" Tylior tries again with a snap of his fingers in front of Aofil's face, "You still with me? Monsters in your head?"

Aofil ignores the joke, "That's why I'm saving it for them, and not my students. I know my students, but I have no clue who the monsters are gonna be. I'll be fine, Tylior. Just trust me on this, please. I'm already on the brink of losing it. I was up all night and morning with this. I didn't get any sleep whatsoever. I'll manage the presentation, but I need my medication for me to not break the pointer over my knee."

Tylior looks at Aofil who meets his eyes with theirs. They know he's searching for the smallest crack in Aofil's already thin facade. He cares, he's a good friend.

But not now!

This one time he has to trust Aofil, or not care. Either way, Aofil needs to hold their mask.

Tylior catches the clock again, "If you say so, Aofil," he smiles out with a nod. He leaves with a pat on Aofil's shoulder, "Good luck, with both things."

"Thanks."

Aofil sits alone with their thoughts for another while. The jar in their pocket presses uncomfortably against their leg so they pull it out again. They place it on the table, and they're surprised that it doesn't bend it. It weighed much more inside their pocket.

Aofil flicks the top and it falls over. Nope, table is still intact. They give it a spin and watch it slow down as, in their own words, there's a difference in velocity between the two objects. Eventually the jar slows down to a halt, and the pill inside just a couple of seconds afterwards.

The lid points to the empty chair opposite of Aofil, and the pill too.

Aofil pockets the pill jar again and collects their things. As they leave the teacher's lounge they look back at the table.

They shake their head. No, it couldn't have been magic. The monsters aren't here yet, it's too early.

Their gaze floats up to the chair. It hangs for a while as their mind races.

Again they shake their head. No, that would be far worse.

Please, don't let it be his.