Alina stood frozen in place, her chest rising and falling quickly, trying to hold back the flood building behind her eyes.
But then—
Boo moved.
Like a spring-loaded spark, Boo leapt from his desk, knocking over two chairs and a box of crayons.
"HEY, FAKE PRINCEY!" he shouted.
Alina gasped. "Boo! No—!"
But he was already flying.
Literally.
His ghostly blood kicked in as he floated mid-air like a tiny, furious spirit of vengeance, paper crown flapping behind him, arms stretched back.
"I always had a dream of slapping the principal's face!!" he declared with the dramatic flair of a baby Shakespeare actor.
SLAP!
The sharp sound echoed.
He had actually done it.
His tiny palm met the man's cheek.
Hard.
Alina's soul left her body for a moment.
She watched in horror.
The man slowly turned his head back toward Boo, the corner of his lip twitching—
Not in pain.
Not in surprise.
But something darker.
His pupils narrowed.
And then his body pulsed with an inhuman energy.
With a quiet crack in the air, he transformed—
In his place stood a child but not just any child.
His white hair flowed like threads of smoke, his eyes glowed deep crimson, and behind him…
Seven pale silver tails unfurled, swaying and whipping in the air like the blades of a ghostly storm.
His little hands clenched at his sides.
He was still small barely taller than Boo but his power pressed down like a thundercloud in the classroom.
He looked at Boo with a calm, unreadable Anger.
"You shouldn't have done that," he said.
Alina couldn't breathe.
Was he… a student?
Was he even real?
She took a step forward, her voice cracking:
"Sweetheart…?"
He didn't answer.
He just kept staring at Boo, who floated a few feet away, eyes wide now with realization that he may have messed up… just a little.
Luna growled knowingly.
Rocky ducked under his desk.
Alina stepped forward slowly, steadying her breath.
Her knees still wobbled from the shock, but her voice remained calm like she was trying to soothe a frightened kitten instead of standing in front of a glowing, red-eyed, seven-tailed child who had just transformed in her classroom.
She looked at Max, who now floated a few feet away, his paper crown sliding over one eye.
"Boo," she said gently, "go take your seat. You shouldn't slap anyone like that, alright? Even if they're scary."
Boo paused mid-air, slowly floating down, his fingers nervously twiddling.
"…Sorry," he mumbled with his head bowed, then dashed to his desk, sat down with exaggerated stiffness, and whispered under his breath,
"Still worth it."
Alina sighed.
Then she crouched down slowly, her dress pooling around her knees, and met Felix at eye level.
He didn't back away.
But he didn't drop his guard either.
His crimson eyes were still glowing faintly, the seven tails flicking gently behind him like silent warnings. His lips were pursed, his jaw clenched.
He looked more like a prince on a battlefield than a preschooler.
"What's your name, sweetheart?" she asked gently.
He blinked once. Then muttered in a firm, raspy baby voice:
"Felix."
It wasn't just a name—it sounded like a challenge.
Alina smiled anyway, tilting her head.
"Felix," she repeated softly. "You know scaring your teacher and shouting like that wasn't very nice, right?"
Felix didn't answer. He just looked away.
But his lips pressed tighter together.
And slowly, his tails began to vanish one by one—until only his tiny figure remained, pale hair falling into his eyes.
Alina reached out and gently tucked the hair behind his ear.
"We all make mistakes. But I believe you can do better. Okay?"
Felix looked at her finally. Not angrily. Just… surprised.
Surprised that she wasn't yelling. Or running away.
He gave the tiniest nod.
Just once.
Then quietly walked past her and found the empty desk near the windows, the one with his name etched in neat silver letters.
He climbed up, sat down, and folded his arms… but didn't speak again.
Alina stood slowly, brushing invisible dust from her knees.
Eight.
Only one baby left.
Alina took a deep breath, pressing her hand gently to her heart.
For the first time that morning, the room felt calm.
Well, calm in a monster-kindergarten kind of way.
She walked slowly to her desk, picked up the register, and turned to face them with a small, proud smile.
"Alright! Now it's attendance time," she said cheerfully, flipping open the page.
The room stirred softly.
Drake bounced in his seat, waving both hands in the air like he might explode if she didn't call his name first.
"Drake?"
"HERE!!" he shouted, almost falling out of his chair.
Alina chuckled.
"Vlad Jr.?"
The little vampire raised one hand elegantly, his back straight. "Present, Miss Alina. And you look lovely today, by the way."
She blushed a little.
"Thank you."
"Luna?"
The gray-haired girl growled from her seat.
"I'm awake now, aren't I?" she muttered.
"Close enough," Alina smiled.
"Rocky?"
The quiet boy raised his hand slowly, fingers trembling slightly but he met her eyes.
She gave him a soft nod.
"Good job, sweetheart."
"Sable?"
There was no response.
But his shadow twitched, and his small hand raised..barely.
Alina marked it with a smile.
"Max?"
"Boo, actually," he corrected, adjusting his crooked crown.
"But yes. King of Crayons, present."
"Kelpie?"
The blue-haired boy didn't move.
But from his seat, one tiny hand lifted..just a little, just enough.
Alina marked his name with the softest smile.
"Felix?"
The pale boy by the window glanced at her.
And for a second..just a second he nodded once.
Alina placed a final check mark and closed the register.
She looked up at her class.
The most chaotic, strange, magical group of children she could've imagined.
"Perfect," she whispered to herself.
"All present."
Well... all except one.