CH. 34 - A New Home

With the sun lowering in the sky, Wolf and Phoenix make their way back to their dorm building, Wolf moping about after the news of their total failure.

"I just don't understand why we have to take responsibility. It's not like we're the leaders or anything. And Nobody didn't even say anything about the teams!" Wolf complains openly.

"Wolfy, I think you're taking this far too personally. I get your frustration, but there's nothing we can do about it. If anything, I thought you'd be honored, implied to be in charge and all. I certainly don't want to be." Phoenix says as they step up to the main doors of the building. Wolf just stares at Phoenix with a subtly upset look before teasing her.

"That's because you're a little bottom who doesn't like telling people what to do." Wolf teases smugly. Phoenix's vein pops on her head as a loud thud is heard from inside the building. Killian looks at the door, surprised for a moment, before smiling softly.

"Guess they finally made it back." He says happily.

"Took them long enough." Moshiro says.

"What did they even have to do? Find one dude?" Alston says too. They both speak with irritated tones due to their upset moods. Phoenix opens the doors as Wolf crouches on the ground in pain with a big bump on her head. 

"Sorry we're so late guys." Phoenix apologizes.

"Yoo Phoenix, how'd the mission failure go?" Dante asks from a couch in the community space. Phoenix sweats a bit with an awkward smile.

"Yeah, well, the mission went great but… since yours didn't go so well, it seems we all failed." Phoenix says with an awkward smile, trying to be polite. Wolf rubs her head as she steps inside.

"Yeah, we probably all failed because of that dead eyed, bald headed demon over there." Wolf mocks as she points to Cole, who was minding his own. He gets a comically large vein pop over his head.

"Why must you always call me bald?! I am not bald, you damn pup!" Cole shouts back.

"You don't get to give me lip! I actually passed my mission, unlike you!" Wolf shouts back as they get in each other's face.

"Yet here we are, all not passed." Cole argues.

"Yeah, cause of you! What kind of argument is that??" Wolf argues back.

"Shut up, both of you. You're making my headache worse." Alston groans as she lays her head back over the couch next to Dante.

"Failure headache, I get that." Dante says with a smile. Alston just looks at him with a blank stare.

"I don't know about y'all, but I didn't fail anything. I'm, in fact, the greatest success in dragon history… I think." Yoko says entering the room while holding a large stack of chips and snacks.

"What are you talking about?" Tadashi asks with a bewildered look.

"Where did you get all those snacks?" Phoenix asks. Yoko pops their head out from behind the large pile of snacks.

"I found them." They say innocently. Moshiro sighs as Dante sweats a little.

"Someone please tell me there's a grocery store or something around here…"

Dante says, worried. Yoko puts it down on the large table and licks their lips excitedly. Wolf stares at them for a moment but as she looks over, she gets a shocked look when she notices the pile of bags and luggage in the community space.

"What the Hell??" She rushes over and looks through the stuff, finding her bag and pulling it out. "What is this?? Someone emptied our rooms?"

"Yeah, no shit, detective dog." Cole mocks. Wolf glares at Cole. Yoko looks over and gets an offended look before rushing to her side.

"The disrespect! How could any human dare disrespect a dragon like this! All my stuff is on the ground!" Yoko shouts. Wolf sweats a bit and looks at them.

"I don't think you had any stuff to begin with.." Wolf points out.

"Well, I'm noticing that nowww." Yoko says defiantly as Tadashi speaks.

"Our partners have been assigned. The current room assignment has been rearranged to our permanent rooms." Tadashi explains. Hearing these words, Yoko perks up a bit.

"Oh yeah! About that, I totally found something-" Yoko says but the others ignore their words as Wolf sweats a bit.

"Guess I should've paid closer attention to the schedule. I would've at least packed up some of my dirty clothes…" Wolf says under her breath. Killian giggles a bit.

"Dirty dirty Wolfy." He teases playfully. Wolf blushes with an angry look.

"I am not!"

Wolf shouts as a knock is heard at the door. Saika looks over and approaches the door. He opens it only to see no one. He looks confused for a moment before getting startled by a voice.

"H-hello!"

The shy but cheerful voice speaks, waving a gloved hand and now noticeable shirt. Saika jumps back a bit like a cat on edge but only for a moment, realizing it is only Mia, the groundskeeper.

"Ah! I'm so s-sorry! I didn't mean to startle you! I-I'm just here with a letter from the office. I-it's your room assignment and something else. I didn't check cause I didn't want to be rude…" Mia says softly while lifting the two envelopes towards them as Wolf, Cole and Killian step behind Saika. Killian takes the papers gently with a warm smile. 

"Thank you, Ms. Mia. Oh, also, sorry for bumping into you during the tour. I've been meaning to apologize." Killian says. Mia freaks out, a little embarrassed by his words.

"Ah, oh no, don't worry about it! It happens all the time! I just tend to let it go hehe…" She says. They look at her or the lack of her as she gets more embarrassed. "O-okay anyway, I'll be going now! Enjoy your night!" She shouts while rushing away. They all stare as she leaves before Wolf speaks.

"What a silly lady." She says with a smile. Cole just looks at her for a moment.

"Shut up." He says, walking away. Wolf looks shocked.

"What?? I wasn't even talking to you!" She shouts back. Killian looks at the papers and pulls out the second one first.

"What's that?" Saika asks.

"It's a letter from the professor." Killian says as he opens it and begins reading. "He says, 'Due to the overall performance of your first assigned missions, Nazuna and I have motioned to Southpaw for an extra remedial lesson. He has confirmed our requests, so in the near future, your team will be sent out for extra training. Be ready.' They certainly move fast, don't they?" Killian says with a smile to Saika as he groans.

"Extra training?.."

Yoko licks their lips satisfied after having eaten all the snacks on the table but perks up upon hearing their words.

"Extra training??" They dash over with excitement on their face before jumping onto Wolf's back. "I want to try some extra training! You think teacher somebody will let me fight him??" They ask excitedly as Wolf struggles to stay standing.

"It's what we earned. We all failed, so now we need to work extra hard to make up for it." Cole says while walking away.

"That is true. For now, let's focus on getting to our new rooms. I've been itching to see what they look like!" Killian says happily. Hearing these words, Yoko perks up once again.

"Oh, right! Wait, wait, guys, listen! I found something super cool!" The others turn and look at Yoko sitting on Wolf. Yoko looks at the group excitedly. "I found something way cooler than some dumb human dorms."

They say intensely. The others stare at them, some intrigued while others distrusting. Phoenix sweats as Tadashi and Moshiro stare.

"I don't know... Should we hear them out?" Phoenix asks, looking to the others for advice. Moshiro turns her back to them.

"I don't care. Believe this stranger or not, it's not up to me." She says plainly.

"Mysterious origins or not, we have technically fought side by side now." Tadashi says, pushing up his glasses. Phoenix sighs as she looks at Yoko.

"Sure, could be fun!" Killian says with a smile.

"Another adventure! Yippie!" Dante shouts while smiling at Yoko. Yoko smiles a big smile back before jumping into his arms, yipping with him. Phoenix just shakes her head a bit.

"Guess we can trust them, just a little." She says. Tadashi smirks as Moshiro looks over her shoulder at them.

"Fine. Come on, lead the way." Moshiro says while walking off. Yoko looks at her excitedly before jumping after her. The others all just follow their lead as they head out together. Alston watches this but stays seated on the couch.

"Yeah, have fun with that." She says before Cole picks her up by the collar of her shirt and carries her with them. Alston just groans as they walk off.

As they are walking out of the building, Galen and Law step into the community area with a surprised look, watching the others leaving.

"Where are you guys going?" Galen asks. Wolf turns and looks at him, beginning to close the door behind her.

"Sorry, this adventure is for cool kids only." She says, sticking her tongue out at them before closing the doors entirely. Galen and Law just stand there and stare at the doors for a moment before looking at each other.

"Cool kids?" Galen asks.

"Weren't they the ones who failed?" Law asks too. They both just shrug, continuing on their way.

Elsewhere, in some undisclosed area away from the ASA, Yoko floats as they lead the way. The others follow happily as a few of them mope.

"I didn't realize this would be a hike in the dark of night..." Saika complains.

"I think my headache is getting worse..." Alston complains, too. Phoenix looks at her surprised for a moment before stepping towards her.

"Oh, here. Sorry, I forgot to do this earlier." Phoenix says as the flame energy ignites on her hand and emits a glow. Phoenix points it at Alston for a moment as she looks surprised before Phoenix lowers her hand. "Feel better?" Phoenix asks.

"Uh, yeah actually. Thanks!" Alston says happily, surprised by that. Tadashi looks at her before speaking.

"That power of yours sure is versatile." He says. Phoenix looks at her hand, smiling warmly.

"Yeah, I've been testing it so much. I just keep finding new things I can do. It makes me feel... useful." She says softly. Tadashi smiles a bit before bumping her with his shoulder gently, causing her to giggle.

"Alright, you got us out here, now tell us why?" Killian says with a smile, eager to know what the adventure is about.

"Well, while we were waiting for the dog human and the pretty human, I got hungry." Wolf looks annoyed by their words as Phoenix blushes. "So I flew out to find some food and while I was out, I came across... this!"

They say excitedly while rushing to a clearing in the forest area. The pack stops as they all notice what Yoko was talking about. Their eyes grow wide as they stare at this seemingly abandoned building standing before them. It is large with multiple floors and seems to be in fairly good shape for what it is. The oddly welcoming building stands still, waiting their reaction.

"What the Hell..?" Alston mumbles. Yoko looks at the pack with a smug look.

"What do you guys think? Would be a pretty cool place to live, right?" Yoko asks, still smug. Saika looks at them with a drooped look.

"This old rundown place?.." He asks. Yoko looks shocked.

"It's not rundown! It's perfectly great old ruins!" Yoko shouts. Killian chuckles as Wolf sweats a bit.

"They are a dragon afterall. Makes sense they'd like old ruins to hangout in." Wolf says. Moshiro clicks her tongue slightly as she walks past them.

"Would you stop calling them a dragon? Dragons aren't real, they probably just have some Myth Type power." She says harshly, walking towards the building. Yoko sees this and smiles wide, following her in.

As the pack enters the building, they look around, their paths illuminated by the moonlight leaking in through the windows. They observe all parts of the building and begin to piece together what it could have been.

"There's so many rooms. Could it have been a hotel of some kind?" Wolf asks.

"Not likely. Due to how intact everything is, it is safe to assume this place was built with purpose. It was supposed to stand the test of time." Cole says, adjusting his glasses.

"So some kind of base." Tadashi adds, looking around.

"Yes. Possibly related to the Academy in some way. Considering the relatively close vicinity." Cole says more.

"Maybe the Academy used to reach out this way." Alston says as Cole nods. Killian looks around before turning towards Saika and smiling.

"At least the rooms here are bigger than the dorms." He says with a giggle as Saika smiles, blushing a bit. Phoenix then turns to Yoko with a surprised look.

"And you want us to stay here instead of the dorms?" She asks. Yoko nods happily.

"Yeah! Those stuffy rooms are so small, I can't even extend my wings all the way!" Yoko says, stretching their wings out. Then they quiet down a little and blush awkwardly. "And I figured… maybe we can make this into more of a home.. for all of us." Yoko admits softly.

The pack looks at Yoko for a moment before smiling warmly and giggle. Even Moshiro's gaze softens as she looks at her partner. Dante then jumps up excitedly.

"Yeah! Screw those old tiny rooms! I've been there too many times already!" He shouts happily as Yoko's face lights up. Alston looks at Dante with a confused look.

"Huh?" She voices as Dante keeps talking.

"Besides, I haven't been here before so I don't remember what this place looks like." He says with a smile. Alston just stares at him for a moment.

"You're one weird dude." She says. He turns and smiles at her.

"Thanks!" He smiles. Alston just chuckles a bit as Wolf approaches Tadashi.

"Well, what do you think? If we were to do something like this, could we pull it off?" Wolf asks. Tadashi adjusts his glasses before speaking.

"It certainly is possible. The place would need some work but I'm certain I could pull it off." Tadashi says.

"A project like this would take a few nights at least." Cole adds, stepping next to Tadashi. Wolf and Alston look surprised. Tadashi looks at him before smirking slightly.

"And with some schematics I took from Nobody, the primary parts would function with no problem." He says. Cole looks at him before smirking as well. Alston then steps up next to Cole with a slightly smug smile.

"You know, doing this is against the rules. You'd be going against the Academy." Alston says teasingly. Cole looks at her, surprised, almost forgetting that fact before he turns away from her. Alston looks a bit disappointed before Cole speaks.

"Consider it payback for Professor Nobody sabotaging our missions." Cole says quietly. Alston looks pleased as the others smirk.

"Well then, we better get to work!" Phoenix says happily as the others all cheer and start getting to work. That night, as everyone begins to work, Killian pulls out the other letter given to them by Mia. He opens it up and begins reading.

"The Vanguard-Hunter system was created to provide students and agents alike safety and strength in a team but above all else, it was made to help two Souls grow and develop off of one another."

He reads as the night comes and goes and soon, over the course of the next few days, and without rest because of pure excitement running through their veins, the once empty building is filled with new life. With Tadashi and Cole leading the charge combined with the strength and skill of every one of them, the pack is able to bring this abandoned, long forgotten part of the Academy back into the light.

"A strong bond between two Souls is far more valuable than the strength of a dozen alone. To help forge and strengthen those bonds, we developed an environment to do just that."

The pack, now standing at the entrance of this building once abandoned, with all their belongings in hand, stares into the building now brimming with light and personality. Little imperfections found everywhere you look, reflecting the very souls of the ones who put their all into this place they will now call home.

"Now go on and step forward into your new lives with confidence. - Nobody"

Without wasting another second, Yoko rushes up to the rooms to find their own with Moshiro right behind them. They open the door to their new home as Yoko peaks inside. A big smile spreads across their face as they rush into the place built just for them.

Tadashi and Dante smirk while fist bumping each other and stepping inside. Saika smiles with big eyes before jumping onto Killian, hugging him tightly. Alston casually steps into their new home and turns around, surprised at the sight before her. Cole stands in the doorway, seemingly frozen and hesitant to take the next step forward with a look of disbelief and anticipation. Alston looks at him before gently raising her hand and offering it to him with a warm smile. He simply nods and takes it, stepping into his home.

Wolf and Phoenix walk together and stop just before their door as Wolf grabs the handle with a mischievous smile.

"Do you think there's a ghost inside? Maybe two??" She plays as Phoenix sweats a bit, slightly anxious.

"Don't say that! G-ghosts aren't real! Besides, we refurbished this place ourselves. It's ours now."

Phoenix says warmly with a soft smile as Wolf blushes a bit. She nods gently.

"Right."

Wolf says before opening the door and looking inside. She smiles wide as she steps inside with Phoenix right behind her. They look around in a small living room with an attached kitchen and a hall connecting to a bathroom and two bedrooms.

"It's… perfect!" Phoenix cheers. Wolf blushes a little as her eyes shine brightly.

"Yeah…"

Phoenix giggles as she drops her bags and spins excitedly, taking in the new home around her.

"It's like our own little apartment! There's a kitchen and everything! It's like we actually moved out on our own! I'm living a fantasy!" Phoenix says happily as she turns to Wolf who's busy taking everything in too. Phoenix blushes a little as she stares at Wolf. "It's perfect…" She whispers as Wolf looks at her and smiles, a small blush on her cheeks as well. 

"It's really like we're in a fanfic, huh? Hehehe!" Wolf giggles. Phoenix nods happily as Wolf walks past her to one of the rooms. "I call this one." Wolf says, grabbing the handle of the door to one of the bedrooms. Phoenix gets a shocked look.

"Hey, wait, why do you get the first pick? We agreed we wouldn't design any of the rooms until after it was finished!" Phoenix says.

"Yeah, well, you took too long, sucker." Wolf sticks her tongue out at her as Phoenix gets angry.

"Wolfy…"

She says with a dark, angry tone as Wolf opens the door to the room on the left of the hall. Wolf looks at her and sweats a bit before loud pummeling is heard throughout the building. Wolf is then tossed in the other room with red bumps on her head as Phoenix huffs proudly.

"Hmph. I always get the first pick, remember?" Phoenix says.

"Right… My bad…" Wolf says weakly. Phoenix then smiles softly, the blush not leaving her face before turning around and entering her new room.

All of these students, new to the academy, new to this home, new to this life, begin to unpack their belongings and settle into their new home with smiles on their faces and excitement in their hearts, awaiting for the next adventure to come.