=== Prologue ===

He sighed deeply, struggling with the desire to bury his head under the nearest rock and howl there for a long time. Or from there, hiding completely. Depends on the circumstances. Somewhere deep in his soul, a call for wisdom was born, urging him not to abandon what had already been started, as the next time he would have to climb this mountain three times longer. Another sigh echoed, and his fingers formed a refined gesture once again.

"Look. You need to draw a circle, but unfinished one. Not reaching the first point literally by two claws, turn inside and draw a Line of Denial. Then, with the other hand, grasp the niari fruit…"

"I already ate it," sounded a guilty voice in response.

Grrrrr.

"Grasp an imaginary niari fruit. It doesn't matter where you're transferring it from — whether from the table or the garden of a wealthy Kumandrian merchant — it will disappear there and appear right here. You just need an object comparable in weight to avoid using too much…"

"Pengu-u… this is boring. I don't really like them anyway."

"That's why I chose niaris for training. However, sister, that doesn't stop you from destroying them out of pure boredom. But we've discussed this hundreds of times — if to be a decent dragon, you have to die of boredom, so be it."

"Blah, blah, blah."

She tilted her head back and slightly to the side, sticking her tongue out and pretending to be dead. Then she half-opened one eye and glanced at the teacher, but the green dragon with a leaf-shaped horn on its forehead just shook his head disapprovingly. Two long creatures, the Great Dragon Pengu and his equally great (rumored to still reject this honorary title) sister Sisudatu, were practicing magic in a place as suitable for this sacred art as possible — a small, skillfully carved grotto by the river, damp but quiet. There were only a few stones for furniture, and their hardness reminded Sisu of the soft pillows in Raya's house. In the palace, to be precise. The last time, they've made a wonderful mess out of one human woman, a child, several mandrills, a huge pile of velvet pillows, and one long fluffy noodle called "the great dragon Sisu". Naturally, such a mood couldn't help but affect their studies.

"Stop." her brother gently took her fingers. "Not like that. In any case, you should keep your palm away from yourself, but curl your fingers as if you're holding onto what you want to summon. An open palm usually predisposes to the exchange of an object of much larger size."

"Like you, for example?" she chuckled.

"Like me. Or you. Watch."

With an imperceptibly quick movement, he once again traced the discussed line in the air, and the dragons abruptly switched places.

"Whoa!" Sisu squealed in surprise, flicking her tail in the air, then turned her head in amazement and stared at her brother. Gradually, it began to dawn on her. "Hey! You didn't mention that you can swap living beings like that."

Pengu looked away. "I didn't want to tempt you with the possibility of using magic for a joke. Sister… Sisu. We owe you, the entire Kumandra owes you, but your character makes such spells too…"

"Dangerous? Yes, yes, don't look at me like that," irritably gesturing with both front paws, she rolled onto her back, writhing in a parody of wise instructions. "Goofy Sisu, who can't remember the simplest magic. Sisu, whose childhood is still twirling in her tail in all shine of puerility."

"I'm not…"

"I know! You're not trying to offend me, you're always fair and gentle, but… Pen, that's where the hurt is. What you say, everyone takes as truth. Always. And now you're trying to say th… m-m-mph! Grrr!"

"No," the dragon repeated with a light smile, not holding her jaws too tightly. She whipped him with a tail, but not with all her strength. "I'm just asking — be careful. Magic is dangerous. Even in the hands of our ancient ancestors, it could go out of control."

"And in those hands of mine…" Sisu grumbled unpleasantly, shaking her head and freeing herself from his fingers.

"Mine too. Magic is dangerous," he repeated. "Magic is unstable."

She sighed and looked outside, where a frog slowly drifted on a wide leaf of a white water lily through the greenish water surface.

"Maybe I won't study it then?"

"And if the druuns return?"

"They won't. Why would they linger here after getting their asses kicked, huh?"

"I don't know," Pengu sighed once again. He also started watching the green-skinned both water and land inhabitant. Since his frivolous sister refused to use moments of study for her benefit, this separate moment could be spent on contemplation. The silence was broken by a soft slap. Pengu turned around — Sisudat was concentratedly performing the final gesture of Cir-Dyala, and a violet fruit was finally there, laying at her abdomen. The dragon smiled encouragingly.

"Well done. Thanks for your diligence, sister."

"And no lectures about not using the great art of magic for my future sinister plans that will inevitably destroy the world?"

For the sake of the water spirits, Sisu…

"Dimwit," he allowed himself to express more colloquially out loud.

"Fear me, I am a great mage!" she grinned mockingly.

"You are a great dimwit. Don't joke like that. I was disheartened enough to learn that five hundred years have passed since… well, you know."

The dragoness looked downcast. She had apologized more than once, but all those attempts did not heal the small scars on his heart. At that time, she had no idea how to fix everything, and only a miracle… along with some true friends and a drop of forgiveness helped, restoring harmony to the world. And dragons. Pengu coughed, drawing attention to himself.

"I think that's enough for today. The main thing is, remember — don't turn your open palm towards yourself. The exchange trick works even when you want to move yourself, but then you need to keep your gaze on the object you want to exchange with. If it doesn't work with your gaze and you don't have the line of sight, imagine it mentally — the clearer the image in your head, the closer the exchange will happen. And at the same time, it will take much less magical power."

"What do you mean by 'closer'?" Sisu frowned, using her claws to fish out remnants of sugared sticky root from her teeth. Unlike the dried abomination Raya had once tried to treat her with, this thing turned out to be much tastier.

"Distance."

"I understood it the first time. But… how far usually… wait, what, can it throw me to the other end of Kumandra?"

The dragon remained silent. She arched her long neck and looked at him from below, trying to catch his gaze.

"Brother?"

"I… don't know, Sisu. But somehow, trying to use exchange without a clear purpose in mind, I summoned something very frightening. Something that doesn't exist and cannot exist in our world." Sisu gasped, then stepped back a step. Her long body contracted, as if preparing to jump, her eyes stared at the silhouette of the green dragon thoughtfully sitting at the exit from the semi-darkness. He turned his head.

"What? Ha-ha, no, don't think… I'm not talking about the druuns. I may have darkened the image a bit, that thing was… more weird than scary. Finger-sized, dry, lifeless."

"But you said 'scary' at first," she said, feeling the tension slowly leaving her body. Fool! You should think before saying such things…

"It scared me. If you think about it, it smelled of death, so I sent it back to where I summoned it from."

"With the Cir-Nyo gesture?"

"Yes, you already know that one."

Sisu smirked, tapping her fingers on the stone.

"Yeah… my favorite one."

She had repeatedly dealt with the consequences of her own novice sorcery. That's why the dragoness grumbled — deep down, she knew that Pengu was telling the pure truth about her lack of attention and ability to create man or, rather, dragon-made catastrophes.

"Maybe we should swim against the current towards the waterfalls? The Heart people have probably had enough of their favorite pet by now," her brother and teacher suggested with a slightly inappropriate smirk. Sisu nodded and, not giving him time for reflections, which the current leader of the magical tribe loved so much, spiraled into the calm waters. Maybe she wasn't as good at verbal games, clumsy in magic… heck, she almost messed up saving the world. Twice. But in the water, Sisudatu could chase both the wind and the light itselves.

In the palace of the former Stone Guardian Benji and his daughter Raya, there was a celebration, lively and bestowed with all the blessings of Kumandran nature. Tables laden with meat, fish and rice, various exquisite dishes and spicy sauces, wines, and subtly flavored desserts framed the joyful news that Raya was engaged to Omatu, the son of one of the influential people of the Claw. Knowing the independent character of the Guardian, people were not surprised by rumors that the young man had earned her attention not for his father's wealth, but for his reckless nature and love for joint adventures – fortunately, there were plenty of them in the country. As for Raya herself, after showing all due respect to the guests, she had now secluded herself in her room, lying in a circle of warm dragon with insanely soft fur, slowly stroking the silky mane of her friend with her fingers. Meanwhile, Sisu arranged herself a bed of a dozen large, albeit with not too well knocked out dust, cushions, mentally praising them for not being born as stones.

"Did Noya go to sleep?"

"Yes, with the monkeys," the girl nodded. "She's surprisingly calm today, unlike you…"

"Are you kidding me? My best friend is suddenly getting married! I'm overjoyed!" exclaimed Sisu, momentarily transitioning from a calm state to the lively one that accompanied her throughout the celebration. Her long body swayed like a wave, almost tipping Raya over. The latter, with a smile, patted the furry side, urging her to calm down.

"Firstly, I'm not getting married yet. Secondly, you already flipped the drink table, can you at least not overturn me?" chuckled the dusky bride. "And thirdly, I absolutely have no idea what 'getting married' means. For a matter of fact…"

"You could ask Boun. I, despite my age of several centuries – five hundred of which I spent unconscious – have no idea what you're talking about," Sisu shrugged. During the feast she had been served something warm and sour from a wide bowl, and after that, a light dizziness and pleasant warmth spread throughout her body.

Raya frowned, "Boun… couldn't make it. Sent a message that he'll be delayed in the upper reaches of the river. I think he just can't stand Omatu."

"But Omatu didn't come either?"

"Of course not, it's not a wedding, silly," Raya chuckled. "For a wedding, he'll come in all his splendor, with the best sword wearing rich clothes."

Sisu asked with interest, "Oh, are you going to fight?"

"What?"

"Why does he need a sword, then?"

"Oh, The Great Sisu… you sometimes amaze me."

"I am amazing, that's a fact," the content blue inhabitant of water and sky nodded. Raya rubbed the fur at her neck.

"And how is it among dragons? You don't have weddings or anything like that…"

She just pursed her lips and looked off to the side, "Pengu laughs at me every time I ask. Says it's too early, that if the blood itself doesn't boil, childhood still holds it in…"

"Your ass?"

"Tail, silly. A dragon's ass is called a 'tail.'"

"Sounds convincing," Raya smirked, sipping wine from the intricately carved wooden cup she brought with her, depicting a dragon holding a stone in its paws. "Then what about mandrills? They have both a tail and those big red cheeks behind."

"They're monkeys, like you, just with tails," the dragoness chuckled and rubbed her nose against Raya's shoulder. "Your wine is a funny thing. It seems not hot, but it warms you up inside."

"I think it's because you practically licked up a barrel," Raya suggested.

"Weird… and the goblet was so small," mused Sisu. A girl couldn't resist teasing her:

"Basin. A dragon's goblet is called a 'basin.' And can't you conjure up wine whenever you want?"

"My brother says there are plenty of restrictions. I can't create something out of nothing, or rather, I can, but it will suck all the magic out of me to the last drop, maybe even some life energy, and I'll have to accumulate it for several years. But he literally taught me one trick today… just wait!"

Sisu closed her eyes and tentatively moved her fingers in the air, creating a sacred gesture. She imagined a pitcher of wine and directed the spell to another pitcher, almost empty and standing at some distance. Contrary to her fears, it worked. Now, on the stone floor of the room, there stood a completely different, though similar, turquoise pitcher, and it smelled pleasantly of wine. Raya clapped her hands in admiration, her eyes slightly widened:

"Wow! Sisu, you're just adorable!"

"Adorable, adorable…" the dragoness awkwardly said, swaying her tail, "I still have a lot to learn."

"Even with this, you can secure a comfortable life," confidently declared Raya as she lifted the jug and, raising it, sniffed it. "Indeed, wine! Farksian, they used to make this in the Tail Lands. Where is it from?"

Sisu shrugged weirdly, "I suspect straight from the Tail."

"Well, here's to the magical Tail of my favorite great dragon!" exclaimed the girl, lifting the jug. However, before taking a sip, she squinted her eyes slightly, looked inside again at the dark liquid. "Listen… I understand it's not from the Claw, but are you sure the wine isn't poisoned?"

"Someone remembers their training as the Stone Guardian too well," Sisu shook her head. "I imagined wine without poison, but now that you've mentioned it, I'm in doubt. Give it here."

And, before Raya could react, large fingers skillfully snatched the jug from her, and somewhat less skillfully smashed it on the floor, flooding the yellowish stone with dark-red liquid with the scent of sunlit grape valleys.

"Oops. I'm grateful, of course, but…"

"I wanted to taste it," Sisu mumbled, almost blushing with embarrassment. Her eyes dimmed, her facial expression took on a very embarrassed look, and her tail whipped the cushions several times, kicking up remnants of dust.

"Calm down…" the girl laughed, covering her mouth. "You can get more, right?"

"Yes, of course," Sisu bustled, pleased with the opportunity to showcase herself. She spun in place, then froze, concentrating as she folded her fingers and began to trace a circle. The dragon's muzzle twisted slightly, either from shame or the effort she put into it.

"Don't you need any words? It's a spell, right?" inquired her human friend with curiosity. Sisudatu shook her head and twisted her face even more. She desperately tried to hold the image of a wine jug in her mind, but the images got a bit confused, and besides, the concentration was greatly disturbed by the dust kicked up from the cushions. Tiny particles danced in the air, dangerously approaching the nostrils of the budding sorceress. She interrupted the gesture and moved away a bit from the cushions, starting Cir-Dyala anew. The free hand was already aimed at outlining the vessel, but at the last moment, the summoning of wine was overridden by a much more powerful urge of the body to clear the airways. Simultaneously with the completion of the gesture, Sisu… sneezed into her own open palm, managing in one moment to recall all of Pengu's warnings, feel how magic can change the world, and experience a bit of the regret that she would fully taste later on. But the main and irreparable had already happened – she made the transition.

A new sneeze sent whole fountains of dust into the air, and now it became insanely frightening because the dusty air around began to resemble either a sandstorm or those same all-devouring beings that hadn't been heard of for several years. Sisu pulled back, and her horn plunged into something wooden judging by the sound. Dust clouds settled a bit, although with every movement of her long body, new ones rose. But now it was at least partially clear – she was no longer in the same room. Some old and quite dusty place where people stored some goods. 'Perhaps I swapped places with a box or a large basket,' she thought. One of the greatest, grandest dragons was sometimes prone to a grand underestimation of her own size. Trying unsuccessfully to shake off the dust, Sisu, with curiosity, opened the lid of the nearest chest.

Clothing. Dragons didn't wear clothes, although she understood perfectly well what these pieces of fabric with funny fasteners were for. However, the fasteners here were crafted with incredible skill, worthy of the best craftsmen – but the fabric quality, at the same time, was not impressive at all. Sisu, treading softly in clouds of gray suspended particles, approached the rays of sunlight breaking through the small dirty window. Attempts to wipe it led to nothing, and besides, the dragoness was afraid of accidentally breaking it and then having to endure scolding from Benji. Or from Pengu. Or whoever owned this cursed and forgotten place. In addition to the items she knew, there were several completely unfamiliar ones – something resembling large lamps with perfectly smooth glass, numerous coiled thin ropes, square iron boxes with unclear contents.

Moreover, when the dust settled a bit, Sisu saw a trail – as if she had crawled in the dust without bothering to stand up. The trail was fresh and slightly sinuous, like the bed of a dried-up river, but she couldn't confidently determine what was being dragged here. And the same curiosity that made the "great dragon" almost sniff every unfamiliar item in the warehouse confidently led her forward. The trail led to a small square hatch made of wood and bound with iron plates, barely larger than Sisu's head, so she tried to lift the lid and look down. A simple wooden floor, a platform made of sanded and coated boards.

Dark-blue curtains were hanging on both sides, similar to those in Raya's room but larger, almost two-thirds the length of a dragon. Except for this, some mirror glasses with also strange wooden railing and a few benches, the room looked incredibly empty and abandoned, evidenced by the layer of dust on the floor. And if it's abandoned, there's no need to hide from anyone.

"Raya?" Sisu called uncertainly, finally pushing the hatch aside, sticking her head down and looking around. Sunlight poured through the narrow and tall windows, but it seemed there was no living soul here.

Okay. I need to get home. Raya is probably worried.

Sisu repeated the magic gesture, envisioning in her mind the large oak bench, a special bed that the industrious Heartland people had assembled for her near the river bend. However, if she achieved anything, it was an unpleasant feeling that fixing of what had been done wouldn't be so simple. Now she was genuinely scared — she attempted to conjure water, one of the first spells her brother had taught her, and failed again.

Did the transition drain all my magic for several years?! Or is it a world where magic is not available at all?..

Pengu talked about such worlds… Despairing, she let out a quiet sound — a mix of a groan and a sob. Then, she rushed to the hatch and squeezed down the small spiral staircase, leading to the floor and even below — apparently, there was some kind of basement. Windows! They would help her understand what kind of transition happened and where she was. Leaving traces in the dust, Sisu hurried towards the windows, caring little about being found. She fixated her gaze through the finally one of the transparent glasses. Outside, there was a cozy courtyard, even grass, and isolated trees. A raccoon was rushing somewhere along the concrete path.

That it was a raccoon, Sisu realized from the distinctive mask on its face; only two circumstances puzzled her. First, the clothing — it at least had some, unfamiliar to her. And second, the raccoon was indeed hurrying, businesslike and purposefully, on its hind legs, holding a shapeless black bag with something heavy in its front paws.

"This is madness," Sisu said aloud, holding her head. Her tail twitched, leaving a sinuous trail on the floor. Her gaze stared at the oddly dressed raccoon once again.

"But a very curious and mysterious madness."

Okay. What would my brother say? What could this be? Hm-m-m. It could be a child in a raccoon mask. And the raccoon's clothing, over which there was another layer. I don't know much about human clothing, but is such a thing possible?

Although, for a child, they move too confidently, she noted. A child of this size would be clumsy.

About as clumsy as me. Damn. I invaded someone else's home, and probably, another world. And that noise…

Not far from the entrance door, lively conversation was heard, clearly approaching. Unable to decide how embarrassed she should be for the unexpected intrusion, Sisu darted to the curtain, slightly pushing it aside, simultaneously painfully hitting her foot against something heavy and metallic, letting out a soft hiss. If only it were people… and not raccoons.

The voices were getting closer. Sisu eagerly heard individual words and understood she could decipher them, but some details still made her wary. One voice was low and deep, calm, but occasionally with a slight irritated growl, like the inhabitants of the Ridge. The other, higher, was also calm but filled with inner strength. She could tell she liked the second one more, yet the owners of the voices were still lingering at the door. From the content of the conversation, the low voice was searching for the right key. And finally, the door creaked open with a slight squeak, raising a few more dust whirls. Stepping over the threshold, the taller one covered his… nose? muttering something. His face didn't look particularly human either, but in the dim light, Sisu could only make out sharp ears. His companion also entered; however, his figure, less towering, was almost entirely hidden behind the first one.

The one took a few more steps and froze.

"An old dog can't handle a sense of nostalgia, huh, Legoshi?" a mocking voice from another came. The first one gestured into the air and touched the wall, saying shortly, "It's something… alien here. Somebody. An outsider."

At that moment, the light flashed. Not as bright as sunlight, it emanated from several fixtures on the ceiling, providing a good view of the newcomers — whether guests or the owners of the large house. Sisu gasped silently, bringing her fingers to her mouth. A wolf. Not a person in a wolf mask, but an actual wolf with a human-like figure, clothed in fabric pants, yet the muzzle — was it a face? — alive, expressive, with strange gray eyes clearly glowing with intelligence. He sniffed the air and twitched his ears in bewilderment, pressing them down.

"Where did this outsider come from? The club has been abandoned since your 'graduation,' if I can put it that way. When Gon-san dissolved it, along with a few interspecies for greater safety…"

The owner of the taller voice was now revealed. As if a wolf and a raccoon weren't enough, now there was also this… deer. Gray wolf, red-brown deer. They were behaving too strangely for humans, but what were they, anyway?

"Nevertheless, it's here, Louis-senpai."

"No longer senpai, wolf. And you've grown up, matured. I'm no longer the fawn from the drama club."

"B-but we'll fix that, right? Louis-s…"

"Rex Almighty, just drop that 's'" the deer laughed. "I had enough of dealing with Shishigumi and their gangster creed, and now you start calling me like I'm a character from a South American Mafia series."

"Okay… Lou-i-e," the other one spelled gently.

"What outsider? What is he doing here?" The deer pushed aside the blocking hand and boldly moved forward. "Hey! Come out, whoever you are!"

"Stop!" shouted the wolf, raising his voice for a moment. His apparent companion turned to him.

"What now?"

"Look at the floor…"

"Oh, damn… they're huge, aren't they?.."

'I left a trace,' echoed in her head. 'That means they'll easily spot me.'

"My nose can't figure out what kind of creature this is," the wolf said quietly. However, in the empty hall, the whisper echoed like thunder.

"And the footprints… they're gigantic. And nothing like anything. I rarely admit to something like this," Louis, surveying the surroundings with a shaky voice, said, "but I really want to run away. Very, very much."

The fur on the wolf's neck began to bristle. He let out a barely audible growl and moved forward. At that moment, Sisu decided to act in the name of what she always praised above all — trust.

"Don't run away. I won't harm you," she said gently, slowly advancing without sudden movements.

Please, Sisudat, for the sake of all water spirits, just don't mess this up. Don't embarrass yourself here.

Upon seeing her, the deer recoiled and brought right hand behind his back, as if searching for a doorknob. Surprisingly, his companion, on the other hand, calmed down as if he heard the words and immediately believed them. The wolf adjusted his clothes, seemingly unsure where to put his hands with those powerful claws, but his eyes remained fixed on the uninvited guest.

"Really huge," the voice behind him whispered.

"Who are you?" Without paying attention to his anxious friend, the wolf asked. He looked at her long and slender body with slight disbelief in his eyes but said out loud only, "I've read… or rather, my grandfather told me about creatures called kirin in my childhood. Are you a kirin? You look like one."

"Legoshi, kirin is just a fairy tale. Do you really think that…"

The wolf gently pulled him forward by the clothes, then delicately turned the deer's refined muzzle toward their new acquaintance with two fingers, maintaining silence and pointing with his hand. They silently stared at her for a few more seconds, and after that the deer said:

"Yes. That's… a compelling argument."

"I'm not a kirin," she shook her head. "I don't know what a 'kirin' is. My name is Sisudatu… but you can call me Sisu. I'm a water dragon. Nice to meet you. And I don't eat deers or wolves. I like fish with rice and sweets."

"Fish… do you think she's from the sea creatures?" the deer pondered, sitting back next to his friend. "With their strange beliefs in the cycle of rebirth…"

"Louis!"

"What?"

"Excuse him, please. My name is Legoshi, a gray wolf. Nice to meet you," he bowed.

"Louis, a red deer," the deer said dryly. His hand finally emerged from behind his back, as if he were hiding a poisoned dagger there and had just hidden it behind his belt. Sisu smiled warmly but the herbivore backed away again. The wolf made an expressive face and whispered, "Fangs! You're scaring him!" Then gently nudged his friend:

"Sorry. She means no harm, just not used to our world. You wouldn't ask a shark to hide his or her teeth, would you?"

"Sharks don't smile. Besides, I wouldn't trust your judgment, considering who you've tried to befriend in the past," Louie tried to smooth the awkward situation with irony. Finally, gathering himself, he bowed politely towards the intruder:

"I'm sorry, Sisudatu. Nice to meet you. I should have shown more self-control."

"It's alright," she nodded, trying to gesture as little as possible in the presence of those afraid of her. "Forgive me for invading into your… what is this? Palace? Warehouse?"

"This is a drama club," Legoshi corrected gently. "We attended it for a while when we were high school students. Then… each went our own way."

The deer snorted, scratching head next to one of his antlers:

"I must admit, I was surprised to see you at the director's door."

"Mutual surprise," Legoshi noted with a sweet, almost unnoticeable smile. "But nothing compares to the surprise… right here."

"I'm sorry. Deeply," Sisu repeated, looking at the wooden floor. She wanted to sink through it. And she also wanted to pet those adorable animals. But one of them was afraid of her, and that was an absolutely bad way to start a friendship.

"It's okay," the wolf continued. "We just didn't expect to see anyone here. Especially someone so large and… beautiful. I'm sorry if… something's wrong."

Beautiful? She smiled, keeping her teeth hidden:

"Thank you. You're a very cute wolf too. And your friend will be cute too when he stops being afraid of me. And when I find some place to wash or at least clean myself." All three froze in silence, facing each other, not knowing what to say. Something clicked in the dragon's head, and she suddenly asked with curiosity:

"Drama club?"

"A water dragon?" the deer asked simultaneously, raising an eyebrow.

"What's wrong with water dragons?" Legoshi asked after a pause.

"But they're not…"

The hand in the black sleeve, covered with gray fur on the back of the palm, rose again, pointing towards Sisu. Louis sighed:

"Got it. Today you're shattering any beliefs, oh spirit of fairy faith and intangible love!"

Legoshi smirked, "Just not 'The Adler,' please."

"We vouched to Gon, my friend. And Gon will vouch for us in front of the board of trustees. So, why not Adler? Besides, we need to put up posters and try to restore the former popularity to this gloomy place called 'Cherryton High Drama Club.' Coming back to your question, Sisu, that's the drama club – a place where high school students stage plays by various famous authors. A lot happened over the past year… and it was abandoned. But we're here to inject a bit of nostalgia and tell the world that we are still ready to fight for bringing beauty back to this madness!"

With these words, Legoshi changed his posture, dramatically raising his fist towards the sky. Legoshi continued to smile, allowing himself only a small remark, "This suits you more, Louis… I'll handle the technical side. And please figure out what to do with the costumes."

"Our Dom, one and the only fashion ruler and a resident peacock has already graduated… I think we'll find someone among the former second-years who knows a bit more than we do."

"Plays, board of trustees, second-years… acting skills… I don't understand a thing, but I'm insanely interested!" Sisu exclaimed, covering her mouth with both hands. She couldn't contain her excitement.

Sorry, Raya, but the other world is too mysterious and fascinating! I'll be back… when I can. If only I could send a message that I'm okay… but how to do it without magic?

"Sisu… sorry, can I touch your fur? And mane." the wolf asked hesitantly. "It looks so soft."

"And so dusty," Louis snorted. "Maybe you should find a broom in the storeroom and properly dust off your dragon-unicorn? By the way, Sisu, how did you end up here?"

She frowned in frustration, spreading her hands, "I… messed up the spell and ended up here. And I still don't know where 'here' is."

"The spell," Louis said emotionlessly, looking around.

"Yes," she nodded, deciding that honesty was the best guide in this new world. "I only recently mastered it, instant teleportation… well, more like an exchange spell. But it doesn't work here."

"Got it. Dragon and teleportation spell. If you hear banging from behind the stage, it's me in Sanu's old office, ramming my horns into the wall."

After such a dramatic statement from Louis, slightly limping, he headed towards the large curtains. Legoshi followed companion with his eyes and whispered, approaching Sisu, "He's good guy. Just sometimes… gets nervous."

After the brush was found, and Legoshi began to dust off the extremely dirty dragon, Sisu immediately lay down, squinting contentedly at the touch of the coarse fur. These strangers weren't so bad, she thought. Louie seemed to have regained his courage and was calmly sitting at the edge of the stage, swinging his legs in long beige trousers.

"So, is this… a school?" Sisu inquired, scrutinizing her new acquaintances with wide eyes.

"Cherryton Academy as it is," the deer bowed, pressing his hand to his chest.

"And you study here?"

"Unfortunately, not anymore. We both left for different reasons – well, I left, and Legoshi was expelled for… um," the deer hesitated, watching as the harmless wolf cleaned the gently blue fur, "for a fight."

"S-sorry," Legoshi mumbled almost inaudibly. Louie waved irritably:

"You have 'land into every trouble' literally written on your forehead, and every time it's for a reason that can't be ignored. But getting back to school – we are now theatrical senseis, so to speak. We'll teach new generations the art of acting and everything that surrounds it."

Legoshi chimed in, still quite upset by the recent events, "Director Gon-san wouldn't have allowed us to open the club if it hadn't been for a relatively quiet year… within the school. And your help."

"Help?" raising one eyebrow, Sisu asked. Louie shook his head:

"I'm the sole heir of a well-known businessman, whose name, for the sake of pleasant variety, won't tell you anything. Financial aid," and seeing the confusion on the large horned face, he hurried to clarify, "Money."

"Ohh… so, you gave money to this Gonsan to reopen the club here, where you'll do your 'acting'?"

"Quite accurately, but from your mouth, it sounds, to put it mildly, strange," the deer smirked ironically. "To remember, -san is just a polite form of mentioning anybody or talking to them. Non used beneath friends. And what were you doing there, at your place?"

"Learned magic, swam, ate, tried to save the world…" Sisu began listing thoughtfully, bending her fingers. Louis chuckled in surprise, "Is that in order from more important to less important?"

She giggled, revealing her carefree nature again, "Not exactly. But we saved Kumandra… or rather, Raya saved it. She trusted someone she considered an enemy. And it worked!"

"Probably a lot of 'magic' and all that?" Louis asked.

"The most important part of magic is trust," Sisu looked at him reproachfully. Then she realized and added, "Oh, and also delicious treats and nice gifts!"

"I know exactly who you need to meet," Louis shook his head, looking towards the window. "Wears her heart on the sleeve, emotions laid bare… and Legoshi's the same, though he's quiet. So, tell us, what should we do with you?"

"I don't understand," Sisu said.

"Well, you say you've teleported from your world to this one using magic. We don't have magic, at least I've never seen it with my own eyes, nor heard about it in the news or on the internet. Our technology isn't at the level to freely transport dragons from point A to a subspace point B. And how do we send you back, and more importantly, where? And, in general," he paused, "why should this be our problem?"

"Louie!" Legoshi exclaimed, holding out his hand. "Rude. Don't be so harsh with her, Sisu is already confused."

The deer gave him a sidelong glance, "You say 'confused' as if the possible top of the food chain isn't sitting in front of us."

"Food chain?" Sisu asked in surprise, running her fingers over her curled tail. "And what are 'technologies'? I understand only half of what you're talking about."

The grey wolf reached into his pocket, pulled out a grey box made of a strange material resembling glass, pressed something, and it lit up, covered with strange symbols and squiggles. He said, "Here. This is technology – phones, televisions, computers, cars. All of this… how to explain… a combination of mechanisms to make life easier. And it runs on electricity."

"And 'electricity' is…?"

"Lightning," Louis dryly replied, looking at the box. Legoshi finished transforming Sisu's dusty-blue fur into a simple blue, though it was evident that dust had embedded itself in all those tiny hairs. He sneezed, wiping his elongated snout and turned to his friend with a smile, "I'm done. She's so soft…"

"And you're an eternally naive and enthusiastic puppy," Louis teased him. "How to awaken the beast in you, tell me?"

"You know it doesn't work. It never worked. My instincts are fully under control."

Stunned, Sisu said, gently touching the "technology" with her claw, "You trapped lightning in a box, but don't believe in magic…"

"Mad world," Louis laughed, now genuinely amused. He touched her mane and thoughtfully rubbed a few strands with his thin fingers, whistling, "Delightful. Thanks for allowing, Sisudatu."

"To be honest, I'd like to touch you too. If you're not afraid," the dragon hesitated, lowering her gaze.

"Go ahead. Just don't break any bones," the deer said gruffly, feeling the fear creeping back and knocking gently on his chest. His friend nodded silently. Sisu gently touched the wolf's fur on his head, then ran her fingers along the furry neck, trying to scratch under the chin, causing him to close his eyes contentedly and press his ears. She withdrew her hand, touched the short reddish-brown fur of the other animal, ran her fingers along the twisted horns, unable to hide her smile. She said aloud, "You have very beautiful horns, Louis."

"Thank you," he accepted the compliment with dignity, feeling the fur on her large fingers and trying not to touch the claws. "I recently shed them, but they grew back in all their beauty. Yours are not bad either. But why do they grow so strangely? I've never heard of animals having two horns growing in a line. Well, except for rhinos, but they also don't have them on the foreheads."

"Some beetles have them too," Legoshi recalled, his tail slowly wagging.

"I don't know why," she shrugged. "That's how I was born. Hatched, I mean."

"You've exchanged compliments enough; let's stop," the deer sighed. "We need to figure out what to do with all this… situation." They exchanged glances this time, and the wolf also sighed, reflecting exactly the same emotion and a concerned look. Slowly and quietly, he said, "Even I understand that the city will go crazy if we bring a dragon out there."

"Yeah. And she can't go into the sea."

"Why?" Sisu asked disappointedly.

"Pokra-pokra? Mablga krapk ndya?"

" …?"

"You see. You don't even know the language. Although for some reason, you know ours," Louis turned his hands palms up and barely shrugged, "side effects of teleportation, probably."

"Language? Fishes are INTELLIGENT?!" she raised her voice almost to a scream. Her conversation partners almost simultaneously grimaced; Legoshi even pressed his ears – first to his head and then with his hands.

"At least for us, they are. Their settlements, their culture," the deer nodded.

"And birds, and insects?!"

"Birds – yes, insects – no. Although Legoshi says that many of them are quite smart."

The wolf shook his head negatively, "They don't have brains in our… sense, just nerve clusters. But for such small and simple forms, they are very organized. And beautiful."

"I think I no longer want to eat fish," Sisu said with disgust, feeling a lump rising in her throat. The deer and the wolf smiled synchronously, each in their own way – irony and softness, distrust and understanding. "In our world, it's just fish; it can't speak or think about anything. It just swims back and forth."

"And did you ask?"

"Well, they don't build cities," the dragoness giggled, drawing lines on the dusty floor. "Usually. And they don't attempt to communicate. I don't want to offend anyone, but even our animals…"

The answer was a piercing squeal from the very door. And the sound of running feet. All three stared at the doorway; the wooden door creaked shut again. Louis, with enormous eyes, looked towards Legoshi, "That was…"

"Yes," the wolf jumped to his feet. "Her scent, her voice. Do you want me to talk to her?"

"Well, definitely not me! Trust me, our parting was not the easiest one…"

Without waiting for the end of the sentence, Legoshi rushed to the exit. They had very little time before the dragon in the drama club became public knowledge or, worse, a matter for the authorities.

His nose played a double game. The wolf pursued both the target that needed to be caught and carefully returned to the club and the female of his kind. However, judging by the intensifying scent, Legoshi was catching up with her. Breathing heavily, the wolf turned the corner at full speed and collided with the she-wolf with reddish fur, awkwardly maintaining balance and immediately grabbing her by the wrist so that the girl stayed on her feet. The phone flew out of her hands and fell onto the freshly cut grass, but she didn't pay attention, instead throwing herself onto the neck of her pursuer:

"Legoshi-senpai! You're alive! Oh, Rex, I'm so glad… but… you left Louis with that… with… WHAT IS THIS ANYWAY?!"

Tears appeared in her eyes; Legoshi gently wiped them away and stroked the shoulders of the she-wolf, relaxing her tense body. He said, translating his breath:

"Juno… everything is fine. Louis is okay; he's safe. You and I too."

"What… I don't understand," she shook her head. "What is this in the club? A new decoration? But why is it so scary? And why did you even open a club?! Damn it, I have exams in three months, and here you come, the two of you, and turn my life upside down again!"

She almost shouted the last part. That was Juno – any emotion came directly from the heart, bypassing reason. Despite being quite intelligent and an attractive predator, she never limited herself to a narrow emotional range.

"She's not scary. Her name is Sisudatu. She… comes from the marine creatures," Legoshi allowed himself a small half-truth. Juno growled in response:

"Do you know how scary she is?! I almost fainted, I had only one thing in my head – to run as hard as I could, as if I were a herbivore escaping from a predator…"

"Let's go. I'll introduce you," the wolf smiled and pulled the girl's hand with the force and determination of a bulldozer. Juno resisted for a while, then reluctantly dropped her shoulders and followed him. For Louis, she told herself. All for Louis. If he's alive, then I can endure a little.

Although Legoshi delicately let go of her fingers near the entrance to the school club building, the female's body refused to obey, and her tail firmly clung between her legs. Instincts seemed to be screaming: don't go, there's something you can't defeat inside, retreat if you want to survive, run! But she stubbornly stood still, waiting for a panic attack to go away. The nose only added sharpness – the smell inside was weakly perceptible but completely alien. Pleasant, but still alien. Finally, she gathered tiny drops of courage and crossed the threshold of the familiar club. Under not very bright electric lamp light, the trio looked at her, and if the wolf and the deer were close and familiar to her, each in their own way, the third creature… or rather, the female being, as Legoshi said… was not that simple.

Juno suppressed the desire to growl and slowly approached the strange group.

"I told you," the wolf said with his eternal unwavering confidence in friends and acquaintances. "She'll handle herself."

"Hello," Sisu broke the silence, slightly tilting her head. "I'm Sisu, a water dragon. I'm sorry if I scared you."

Damn formalities! Why couldn't she just hug two fluffy dogs, and they would stop being afraid? Calm down, Sisu… you're smart and reasonable… at least, you want to look like that, even though there's chaos in your head and childhood in your tail.

"A water… dragon?" Juno asked hesitantly, leaning forward and sniffing the air.

"A long story," Legoshi interrupted the silence.

"But we're not involved in this," his friend added. Juno closed her eyes and bowed sharply, trying to maintain some semblance of politeness:

"I'm Juno, a grey wolf, third year of Cherryton High. Nice to meet you."

Smiling faintly, Sisu just nodded in response. Louis mockingly asked:

"Where's your pride, Juno? Even I, a pitiful and weak deer, didn't run away."

"We'll talk about it later!" she shot back, glaring at him. The mood deflated, like the wind. "Why did you guys return, and in pair? Is what they say about you true?"

"What do they say about us?" Legoshi asked puzzledly, glancing towards the deer. Juno blushed:

"Well… you defended him. More than once. And Louis paid too much attention to you when we were still in the drama club. Els always said that you two… are probably dating."

"What?!"

"Nonsense!"

They both stepped back at the same time, although the distance was already about six feet. The deer shook his head. "No. No-no-no, absolutely not. Leave that to the fantasies of freshmen who are just trying to understand what strange thoughts are popping into their heads. I'm used to thinking that we're pretty good friends… despite everything that happened."

"What happened?"

"Nothing happened," the wolf crossed his arms in front of him. "Everything is fine."

"Legoshi, understand me correctly, we've heard a lot of rumors… about Riz, about the black market…"

Louis coughed and said with a slight irony, "Interesting, where would the rumors about the black market come from if only you saw me there? Juno… it's still remains to be clear, but I'm sorry."

Juno was stunned. What? Meanwhile, he continued talking. "My pride at that time led me into a trap of confusion, fear, and constant hunger. Perhaps it wasn't the best way to influence my ability to think clearly, but I wouldn't want us to become enemies because of one dark episode."

"No… if anyone should apologize, it's me," she murmured. "Too anxious, too explosive, I'm hardly attractive to you as a girl, and…"

"And your self-esteem is bouncing like a cardiogram," Louis added maliciously, shaking his head and smiling at the same time. "In five minutes… no, in two, you'll be thinking again about how to outsmart everyone and take the lead role."

Sisu couldn't hold back any longer. She grabbed them both in a hug, making Louis curse, and the wolf shudder with fear. With affection, she said, "I'm so glad when everyone reconciles!"

Upon hearing these words, Juno fell silent and at the same time gained a little confidence. Stretching out her hand, she slowly stroked the silky fur growing on the dragon's head, like a lion's mane.

Why does a water dragon even have fur? Although it's so soft and pleasant…

The tail treacherously wagged, and Legoshi, seeing this, immediately mirrored the joyful movement. The deer, finally slipping out of the overly, in his opinion, strong hugs, snorted, "Dogs…"

"Why didn't you say right away that she… I mean, that Sisu-chan is so kind?" Juno asked angrily, also freeing herself from the affectionate grip.

"When could we have time? You ran out of the club so fast, it was like a whirlwind. And I'm not much of a runner lately," Louis waved his hands, then sighed and sat back on the edge of the platform, rubbing his knee.

"Yes… to complete reconciliation is probably still far away, but the first step is taken." Juno categorically stated, "I'm still angry."

"Not for long," he smirked.

"No matter how long it is. Just know… here. If you don't want to share secrets, maybe Sisu will tell something?"

"I'm… a bad storyteller," the dragoness blushed. "Too carefree, constantly jumping from one thing to another."

"Maybe let's talk about the club?" Legoshi suggested, sitting on the floor again and involuntarily sweeping it with his tail.

"Yes-yes! What did you say about the main role, Louis-senpai?"

"Oh, Rex the almighty… we want to reopen the club. So that's all the news, in general. Did anyone from our old club members stay, or did everyone disperse?"

Juno sat down next to him, soiling her white school skirt and swinging her legs in partially slipped stockings. "Listen, you need to ask around. I know for sure that the third-years have already graduated… which means Ellen is not there…"

It seems that both perceived the news about the absence of this particular person with light enthusiasm, judging by the tone of the wolf and the relieved sigh from Louis.

"…Shiira, Mina, Kai passed the exams early, although I have no idea how he managed to do it with his level of academic performance. Probably some trick with fake documents. Bill transferred last year… but, strangely, Els also submitted a request to transfer to the last year. I can't imagine why she would transfer in the last year…"

"They both loved our little club," Legoshi sighed, rubbing his nose with his fingers. "Even Bill became much more mature while he was president for a short time. And I'm not sure, but they were friends with Els."

"Friends or friends?" Louis slyly clarified. The wolf looked at him in surprise, then a light blush appeared under the gray fur: "Do you think they…"

"I don't think anything and have nothing to do with your dirty fantasies about little herbivores," Louis jokingly cut him off. The wolf growled harmlessly in response. Juno, with eyes wide opened, said:

"You've changed so much…"

"We have a dragon in the room. Light nervousness is forgivable, I think."

"No… I mean, you've become different. Light, as if the old Louis, burdened with miles of obligations to himself and the world, disappeared somewhere." The object of speculation shook his head:

"He's still there, but sometimes it manages to hide much deeper. And what about others? Kibi, Tao, Fudge? Aoba? And where did the old pelican go?"

"Need to ask. Aoba, I think, is in the basketball club, not sure about the others."

"For now, we have one main task ahead of us…" Louis surreptitiously surveyed almost twenty feet of cyan dragoness. "How to hide the huge letter in plain sight."