When Kat caught up with the boys, the chase was pretty much over.

There was a small cauldron lying on its side on the ground. Ace had somehow acquired a large net, like a butterfly catcher's, and Deuce was holding Grim to the ground.

"I don't wanna, I don't wanna, I don't WANNAAAAA!" The little creature was wailing, thrashing around like a toddler having a tantrum. "I'm DONE with all these stupid, borin' classes-- I don't WANNA! I ain't goin' back- you can't MAKE me!"

Pulling her schoolbag a little higher onto her shoulder, Kat speedwalked over.

"You are MAKING. A SCENE," she hissed in a low voice, face stony and threatening. "Knock it off right now-- are you a toddler? An actual baby?!"

"DAMMIT!" Grim shrieked, squirming around in Deuce's grip. "Man, how come you're so bossy today?!"

"Because I have had. ENOUGH!" She snapped, raising her voice to just under a shout. "Listen to me."

Bumping Deuce out of the way, she grabbed Grim instead, one hand on his chest and pinning him to the ground.

"I am the only reason you are still here. I stuck up for you to the Headmaster. Apparently I must have overestimated you, though. I did that on the assumption that you understood the terms of this arrangement. Here I was, thinking we had an understanding-- possibly even a connection! But obviously--"

She gritted her teeth, pushing down a little firmer as he tried to wriggle away. "I was mistaken. You do not have the intelligence or maturity needed to realize that for now, we're stuck together. What I do affects you, and what you do affects me. I figured that you understood that, at least."

Grim squirmed and thrashed a little more, growling and spitting. "Listen, you--" he began.

She pushed down a little harder. "NO." She said firmly. "YOU listen. Shut up and LISTEN to me. If you don't, then that means I really WAS wrong about you."

"But I--" He tried again.

"And BECAUSE I was wrong, I'll gladly own up to my mistake. I'll admit to Crowley that you're just not capable of being a student here."

Grim froze, eyes going wide and ears flattening.

"I can always go back to being a janitor again," she continued. "I've already been to high school. I've graduated. The only reason I'm still here isn't for your benefit-- it's to learn more about magic and find a way home."

She looked down at him pointedly. "I don't necessarily need to be a student here to do that. It'll be harder, sure, but I don't NEED to. And Professor Trein seems like he'd be willing to help me, too. If you make things harder for me more than you're helping, I would be more than happy to go it alone. Do you understand?"

Grim stared back at her, shell-shocked. After a moment, he nodded silently.

"Good," she said, nodding back. "I'm going to let you up in a second. If you try to make a break for it once I do, I will catch you again and use my sweatshirt to wrap you up in a purrito. Then I will march straight up to the Headmaster's office, drop you on the desk and respectfully rescind my enrollment. Okay?"

He nodded again.

She sighed, lifting her hand and standing up. Grim lay there for a second as she brushed the dirt off her knees and adjusted her jacket and tie.

Ace and Deuce were staring at her blankly, jaws hanging open.

"...What?" She asked, looking around.

"...Nothing," Deuce said, shaking his head. "Um..."

Grim got up slowly, padding over to her and standing meekly at her ankle.

"Okay," she said, clapping her hands. "Now that that's settled-- where's the next class? I kinda forgot... And I don't know where the classroom is, either."

The last two classes of morning block passed without much incident.

The first was Music. It consisted of listening to a ghost in a powdered Beethoven-style wig talk while looking blankly at a sheet of music she couldn't read.

The next, Astrology, was actually pretty interesting. Once again, it was taught by Crewel, in a different room this time. A smallish tower room, actually- god, would the Harry Potter similarities ever end??- covered in star charts.

The half-hour flew by like ten minutes for her. She spent it filling sheaves of loose notepaper with scribbles-- as it turned out, this world had the same zodiac system as hers! Easy to remember, thanks to the knowledge of a certain infamous webcomic permanently seared into her hindbrain.

These other constellations were similar, but not quite the same as the ones she knew. For example, in place of Orion, was one simply called The Hero, and the one that, as far as she could figure, was probably Andromeda, was called The Hero's Lover. Kinda wack that she didn't even get her own name...

One that was particularly interesting was a formation that wasn't exactly a constellation. It consisted of two stars-- one larger, brighter one, and a smaller one, slightly down and to the left of it.

The larger one had many names-- and according to the dusty textbook she'd found on one of the shelves, this wasn't even all of them. The Youth Star, the Faerie Star, the Evening Star, the Wishing Star, and the Second Star... Which didn't make much sense, considering that it got first billing in pretty much everything she could find about it.

Even some more anthropomorphized titles, like the Starmaiden or Star Maid, the Queen of the Heavens or the Celestial Queen.

The one used most often was the Blue Star. According to the book, its light had a faint blue corona visible to the naked eye.

The other star wasn't as well-decorated as the other, only having a few names. The Spark, the Grasshopper, the Firefly or the Lightning Bug, depending on the region, were the most common.

It even had a few anthropomorphic monikers as well. The Faerie's Lover, the Queen's Consort, the Heavenly Consort, the Maiden's Swain...

Well, at least the Hero's Lover, whoever she was, wasn't alone in playing second fiddle to her boo.

Throughout both classes, Grim remained uncharacteristically silent. He avoided her gaze when she glanced at him, sitting morosely next to her while looking down at nothing.

Oh, geez... Maybe I was a little too hard on him?

Turns out she didn't have to worry much.

As soon as the bell rang, everyone started milling towards the cafeteria. The scent of food drifted through the air, and Grim perked right up. "Woo-HOO!" He cheered, clambering up her leg like it was a cat tree and scrambling up to her shoulder. "Lunchtime at last! Hey, Kat-- get a move on, huh?! I'm starvin' over here!"

She snorted with laughter, shaking her head and giving him a look. "Yeah, from all that running away you did, huh?"

He froze guiltily, and she laughed, ruffling his head. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding," she assured him. "I'm just glad you stopped moping..."

"Yep... Back to his old, greedy self," Ace agreed, hands on his hips and smirking. "Too bad, though... This cafeteria's got a huge selection, but I don't think they serve any sketchy black rocks, if that's what you've got a hankering for."

Kat looked at him sharply. "You are never going to let that go, are you?"

"Nope," he shrugged, walking backwards towards the cafeteria. "Deuce, you comin'? You snooze, you lose, my guy!"

"You can go first, Prefect-- I mean, Kat," Deuce said. He stepped back a little, indicating she should go in front of them instead.

She smiled. "Aw... Thanks, Deuce! I'll be sure to get you that latte, okay?"

They moved into the cafeteria, looking around.

Sure enough, the chandelier was back in one piece, hanging from a ceiling that looked brand-new, with no signs of cracks or even mortar. Maybe it was her imagination, but the glass globes seemed to be shining a little brighter than before...

She wasn't sure what she was expecting, exactly. It wasn't a fancy buffet spread out on two long tables next to the windows, though.

It looked really fancy, more like wedding catering than a school lunch line, complete with long white table runners and ornate dish stands. It wasn't the normal type of buffet, with the covered hot dishes where you could serve yourself. Everything was already plated up, complete with garnish. Students passing by could just take a serving of whatever they wanted, either by itself or on a tray.

A line was forming around the buffet tables, and she, Deuce and Ace shuffled in, with Grim on her shoulder. After a little while, they got up to the tables. A ghost in an apron and chef's hat was waiting there, with a stack of trays floating next to it.

"GYEH!" Grim yelped, bristling, but the ghost just beamed at them. "Oh, I think I remember you-- you were the two who had worked so hard to clean up Main Street yesterday, right?" It asked cheerfully, voice echoing slightly.

"That's us," Kat nodded, smiling. "And-- I'm sorry, I'm not great with faces, but... You gave us that juice yesterday, right?"

(Well, the ghosts didn't really have normal faces to begin with, but she wasn't going to say that.)

"That was me!" The ghost confirmed, nodding happily. "Thanks for stacking the glasses, by the way-- that was very considerate of you!"

"No problem," she replied, shrugging as much as she could with Grim still on her shoulder.

The ghost continued. "So-- you two are students now, right? Congratulations!" It beamed even wider, clapping its misty hands in a small round of applause.

"The Headmaster's set you on the standard meal plan. Lunch is in the cafeteria every day, even on weekends-- except for school holidays. We can make you something for breakfast if you get here between five and seven AM... Same with dinner, except in the evenings, of course. If you miss that, then you're always welcome to use the kitchens here. Or, you could always take some ingredients back to your dorm and whip something up in the kitchens there!"

It glanced around, then leaned in, whispering theatrically. "Most students don't do that, though-- they always end up eatin' each other's stuff," it informed them. "It's led to more than a few-- let's say, altercations?- over the years."

"Oh," Kat said, nodding. Yeah, that sounded about right...

She glanced over her shoulder at Ace, who glared back, scowling. "Hey-- can you keep movin', please?!" He demanded. "You're causing a pile-up back here!"

"Oops-- my bad," she apologized.

The ghost laughed, waving a cartoonish hand and floating a tray off the stack. "Here's your tray," it said, and she took it cautiously. "Have a nice day!"

"You too," she smiled, nodding and heading forward.

"Uwah... " Grim drooled audibly, staring at the tables with greedy eyes. "Man, they sure got a lotta good-lookin' grub today, huh?"

"Sure do," she nodded, looking at the spread. Wow, even the servings themselves were fancy... Garnish and aesthetically dribbled sauce and everything. "Hmm... Okay, just tell me what you want-- within reason-- and I'll grab it for you, 'kay?"

"Whoopee!" He cheered, punching the air.

"Within reason," she repeated, but he didn't seem to hear her.

"Oh man, oh man... Lookit all this! Fluffy omelets, grilled chicken... OOH! Wow-- a bacon-and-egg tart?!"

That last one made her wince-- and apparently she wasn't the only one. Ace yelped, almost dropping his tray. "AH! HEY-- inside voices, dude! God..."

He shook his head. "Where was all this energy earlier during break time, huh? Unbelievable..."

Grim didn't hear him, either. He was making excited biscuits against Kat's shoulder, tensing up like he was about to jump. "Hey, hey, Kat-- grab me that grilled chicken, okay?! There's only one left! An' an omelet, an' some jam-pan... Aw heck-- just get everything!"

She rolled her eyes, settling for the chicken, the omelet and a couple jam-pan, which as far as she could tell, was a jelly-filled bun of some sort. For herself, she got a couple of slices of bacon-and-egg tart-- pretty sure this is just a quiche-- and a bowl of cut fruit.

The drinks were on the other side of the room, by the fireplace. There were rows of large, fancy glass dispensers... Even what looked like a small coffee shop, staffed by ghosts.

"You coming, Deuce?" She called over her shoulder, starting to walk towards it. "I'll get you that iced latte, but only if you hurr-- OOF-!"

She'd bumped into something while her head was turned, staggering back and almost dropping the tray. Luckily, she was able to regain her balance, but Grim wasn't so lucky. He went tumbling backwards off her shoulder, falling to the floor with a startled mewl.

Shaking her head, Kat looked around. "Oh gosh-- I- I'm really sorr--"

She was cut off by an angry exclamation from the person she'd bumped into, fumbling and almost dropping their own tray. "Rrrrrgh... What the-- HEY! Girlie! Watch where you're goin', wouldja?!" They demanded, whirling on her.

They and-or he was probably about Cater's height, with messy, platinum-blond-slash-silver hair. It looked a little too crispy and brittle to be natural... Even here, in what she was almost certain was some kind of anime-adjacent world or dimension.

They were also wearing the uniform sloppily-- no vest, again, like Cater. Instead of a casual, nonchalant air, though, it seemed like he'd either completely forgotten or couldn't be bothered. This was furthered by the untucked shirt, loosening tie and cuffed uniform pants. She thought she could even see some stains on the shirt...

"I-- I'm sorry," she apologized, moving back and trying not to step on Grim. "It was my bad, I wasn't looking where I was going..."

"Yeah, no KIDDIN'!" The student snarled, glaring at her. He had a mean-looking face with tan skin, and his armband was the same crimson color as Ace's, Deuce's and Cater's. "Lookit this!"

They shoved the tray forward, making her flinch slightly. "See this?!" They pointed angrily. "You went an' broke the yolk in my carbonara!"

Sure enough, there was a plate of pasta on the tray, with yellow egg yolk leaking into the cracks between the noodles.

"I'm-- really sorry," she apologized again, still backing up. "I-- Fzzt--!!!"

She jumped, making a stupid sputtering noise as she bumped, lighter this time, into somebody behind her. They grabbed her shoulders, in theory to steady her, but it really didn't feel all that friendly.

"Oi, oi, oi," they said in a faux-cheerful drawl, leaning around and grinning at her. "That's a real bummer... Everybody knows pokin' the egg's the best part of eating carbonara, ya know!"

This one had sort of pinkish-red hair, was also wearing the uniform sloppily, and was about the same height as Ace. Even though it sounded like everyone was speaking English to her, she could almost hear the 'da-ze~' at the end of his sentence.

Dammit... She really didn't like where this was going.

"Look, seriously, I really am sorry," she tried one more time.

The redhead squeezed her shoulders hard, making her jump as he shouted. " 'SORRY' ain't gonna CUT it, lady! What're you gonna do to make this up to my buddy here, huh?!" He shook her roughly a couple of times.

Growling, she struggled out of his grip, turning around and backing away again. Somehow, she was still managing to keep her tray from spilling all over the place.

"Hey, don't fucking TOUCH me," she snapped, not sure whether the overpowering burn of emotions was fear or rage. "I already said I was sorry-- I can get you a new one, okay?!"

"Nah," the other guy, with the bleached hair, grinned. He half-set, half-tossed the tray down on a nearby table. The plate jumped, the noodles and runny egg spilling across the tray. "You've ruined my appetite... I don't feel like pasta anymore. Ooh!"

He perked up, grinning nastily. "How 'bout I take that grilled chicken a' yours instead, and we'll call that compensation?"

"FNYAGH?!" Grim ran forward, planting himself in front of Kat with his back arched and tail lashing. "No WAY, pal! That chicken's MINE, you got it?!"

"My hero," she muttered under her breath.

"Haah?" The redhead sneered, slouching forward with his hands in his pockets. "Hey, hey-- that's no way for new students like yourselves to talk to their senpais, is it?"

He glanced at the bleached-hair guy, then sneered again. "Looks like you need a lesson in respect-- why don'tcha follow us outside for a sec?"

They both pulled their magical pens out of their breast pockets, with menacing grins on their faces.

"Shit," Kat muttered under her breath.

"W--Wait, senpai!" Suddenly, Deuce was hurrying forward. He planted himself between her, Grim and the advancing goons protectively. "I'm sorry, sirs, but--"

He looked nervously from one thug to the other, squaring his shoulders. "I thought that the school's guidebook said that fights using magic were forbidden?"

The bleached-hair thug stopped in his tracks, looking surprised. "Fights?" He asked. "No, no, you got it all wrong... This ain't a FIGHT! This is just a little senpai-to-kouhai education, you got that? See, you lowerclassmen gotta learn your place somehow, right?"

"That's right, that's riiiight," the redhead agreed, nodding. "Now that that's all cleared up..."

He swung his pen, sending a burst of strange purple energy through the air. "Let's see just how many ways there are to skin a cat, huh?!"

Kat ducked, still somehow managing to keep the tray from spilling all over the floor.

As the magic started flying back and forth, she squinted one eye open, watching the flashes of light and elements zip through the air, like a tiny indoors fireworks show.

Author's Notes:

Yeah, I liked the 'skin a cat' line in TWEN. Some of the turns of phrase in the app are actually pretty fun.

Next chapter is the return of the ~MATERIAL GWORLLL~ and the arrival of the only normal person at this godforsaken school. Good for Kat. She needs a break from these chaotic bois.

I don't wanna write the whole fight. It'll just happen between parts. Sorry. But not really.