Episode 2: Kindergarten, Chaos, and Magical Candy
The morning sun painted the sky in soft orange hues as birds chirped and Tokyo yawned awake.
Inside a two-bedroom apartment on the second floor of an aging building, chaos brewed.
"I DON'T WANNA WEAR THE RIBBON!"
Lily's shrill voice echoed like a war cry. The small, pink-eyed half-demon girl stood atop the kitchen table, arms crossed, puffing her cheeks in protest. Her twin pigtails were bouncing like furious tassels, and her bunny plush—Sir Floofles—sat beside her with silent disapproval.
"You're wearing the ribbon," Sakura said, deadpan, holding up a pastel pink bow.
"No!"
"Yes."
"No!"
"Yes!"
"Mamaaaa! It's too cute! It makes me look like a magical girl side character!"
"You are a magical girl. And the bow matches your lunchbox."
"That's emotional manipulation!"
Sakura squatted and gave her a gentle look. "It's your first day at kindergarten, Lily. Don't you wanna look your best?"
Lily blinked, her pout melting just a little. "…Will there be snacks?"
"Yes."
"…Fine. But if someone calls me a baby, I'm freezing time and teleporting home."
"Do not teleport anyone today. That's an order."
Ragna poked his head into the hallway, wearing a frilly apron that read "Demon Daddy Supreme" and holding a bento box decorated with ominous little meatball skulls and sausage tentacles.
"Ready for school, my precious little Overlord?" he asked, grinning.
"I'm gonna dominate the playground!" Lily declared, pumping a fist.
Sakura buried her face in her hands. "…She's definitely your daughter."
---
At Heavenly Petal Kindergarten
The gate was pink. The walls were pastel yellow. A line of tiny students in colorful uniforms shuffled in while holding hands.
Lily stared, wide-eyed.
"…They're all so… small."
"You are their size," Sakura whispered.
"But I have a tail and can control time. I'm above this."
Ragna knelt down beside her. "Sometimes to conquer the world, you must infiltrate the enemy camp."
Lily's eyes sparkled. "Like an undercover agent?"
"Exactly."
Sakura sighed. "Please don't use spy metaphors for kindergarten."
A young woman in her twenties approached them, smiling brightly. She had short chestnut hair, round glasses, and the kind of permanent cheeriness that said I've worked with toddlers long enough to survive a nuclear meltdown.
"Hello! I'm Miss Yumi, Lily's homeroom teacher! You must be her parents!"
Sakura offered a polite bow. Ragna winked.
Miss Yumi flinched slightly but kept smiling.
"Don't worry, Miss Yumi," Lily said, proudly puffing out her chest. "If any kids bully me, I'll just turn them into statues for five minutes. It's totally reversible."
Miss Yumi laughed nervously. "Aww, how imaginative!"
Sakura grabbed Lily's shoulders and whispered, "Do not turn your classmates into stone. That's how people get expelled."
"Even if they try to eat my candy?"
"Use words, Lily. Not hexes."
"…Lame."
---
Lily's First Hour
The classroom was bright and filled with the laughter of toddlers. There were crayons, finger paints, blocks, and a suspiciously large stuffed giraffe with one eye missing.
Lily sat in her chair, feet dangling, observing her peers like a small general surveying enemy territory.
Next to her sat Kenji, a chubby boy with cheeks like mochi and a constant sniffle. On the other side, a shy girl with big eyes named Momo clutched a plush cat and whispered to it constantly.
Lily leaned to Sir Floofles, whom she had snuck into class in her bag.
"I don't trust the sniffly one," she whispered.
Sir Floofles said nothing.
Miss Yumi clapped her hands. "Okay everyone, let's introduce ourselves! Say your name and something you like!"
One by one, the children stood.
"I'm Kenji, and I like dinosaurs!"
"I'm Momo, and I like cats!"
"I'm Lily, daughter of Sakura the Radiant Blade and Ragna the Obsidian Flame, heir to the Demon Throne and Wielder of the Infinite Freeze!"
The room fell silent.
"…And I like strawberry milk."
Miss Yumi blinked. "…That's… great, Lily!"
Kenji whispered, "What's a Demon Throne?"
"It's where I'll sit after I beat up destiny," Lily replied proudly.
Kenji nodded solemnly. "Cool."
---
Snack Time… and Magical Candy
During recess, the kids sat in a circle as Miss Yumi passed out biscuits and juice.
Lily, however, opened her lunchbox to reveal her personal stash: glowing pink candy wrapped in celestial paper.
"What's that?" Momo asked.
Lily grinned. "Magical candy. Mama says I'm not supposed to eat too much, or it messes with space-time."
Kenji leaned in. "What does it taste like?"
"Like victory."
The other kids watched as Lily unwrapped a piece and popped it into her mouth. Her pupils briefly became stars. Her hair shimmered like glitter. The room's temperature dropped three degrees.
Miss Yumi didn't notice—until Lily stood up, her power flaring ever so slightly.
"Lily?" she said gently. "Everything okay?"
"I feel… powerful."
Miss Yumi chuckled. "Alright, sweetheart, let's sit—"
ZAP.
In a blink, Miss Yumi vanished.
A distant scream echoed from above.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA—"
The entire class looked up.
"…Did you just teleport the teacher to the roof?" Momo asked.
Lily looked at her candy wrapper. "Oops."
Kenji clapped. "That was awesome!"
---
Emergency Parent Call
Sakura was mid-meeting when her phone buzzed.
From: Heavenly Petal Kindergarten
Subject: Slight Incident
She sighed. "Please tell me she didn't freeze the goldfish tank again."
---
Meanwhile, Ragna was flipping yakisoba at his restaurant when a customer walked in and said, "Hey, your kid put her teacher on the roof."
He dropped the spatula. "That's my girl."
---
Back at the School
Miss Yumi sat inside the nurse's office, wrapped in a blanket, sipping warm tea. Her hair was frazzled.
Sakura bowed repeatedly. "I'm so, so sorry. She's just… creative."
Miss Yumi blinked slowly. "She teleported me with a grin."
"She just gets… excited sometimes."
Lily sat in the hallway, fidgeting with her bunny. "I didn't mean to! I just wanted her to sparkle like the candy did!"
Sakura knelt. "Honey. You can't use magic during snack time."
"Even if the snacks are boring?"
"Yes!"
"…Okay."
Ragna arrived moments later, slightly out of breath.
"Did she turn someone into a tree again?" he asked casually.
"No," Sakura growled. "She teleported her teacher to the roof."
"Ah. Improvement!"
Miss Yumi groaned.
---
Later That Evening
At home, Lily sulked in her room.
Sir Floofles floated around, now semi-sentient again after last night's mishap.
"I'm never gonna make friends," she muttered.
Sakura knocked on the door, walked in, and sat on the bed.
"You scared your teacher today."
"I said sorry."
"I know. But being powerful doesn't mean you get to ignore people's feelings. You have to use magic responsibly."
"…Even when people call me weird?"
"Especially then. Being kind is stronger than any spell."
Lily blinked. "…Is that why you didn't kill Papa when he burned the curry again?"
Sakura choked. "Th-That's a different kind of kindness."
A moment later, Ragna peeked in holding a small crepe with sprinkles.
"For the bravest kindergartener in Tokyo."
Lily's eyes lit up. "You got me strawberry?"
"Always."
She tackled him in a hug.
---
To Be Continued…
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