July came to a close within a few days, the Caihong family flying to Graytor on Zyn’s birthday. Zyn was able to start taking a hormonal potion full of testosterone, which would allow them to go through the “male” puberty instead of the “female” puberty, which their body would have naturally gone through otherwise. Zyn was excited to start the testosterone potions to connect to their magic, but Dr. Yeong mentioned it’d still take a while before their body adjusted. Dr. Yeong also warned them that Zyn’s moods would be sporadic as they adjusted to the sudden doses of testosterone. Zyn would likely be quick to anger and more impatient until the hormone stabilized.

The family returned to the Caihong Academy of Magic in the beginning of August, the government personnel still there. Ak-tu ordered his kids to stay in the northwestern tower, only allowing them to go to the southern building’s Eating Hall when it was time for meals. Luckily, a few days later, the government agents left, finding nothing to keep the school from opening. However, they made sure Ak-tu knew the school would be watched closely that year.

Though Ak-tu wanted to open the school as soon as they were gone, the air-mail had already been sent out to the students that school would begin on September 13, with magic assessments taking place the week of September 6. They still had a month—something Ak-tu was both irritated by but also happy about, as he’d have time for the prep work he had to do. 

Zyn wanted to travel, but Ak-tu grudgingly told them the family wouldn’t be able to. He had to meet up with his teachers to discuss the coming year.

Ak-tu approached the Admin Office with a small sigh, brushing off his long tank top and shorts as he entered. Khurshid and Fern were already waiting for him, sitting at the large desk in the middle of the yellow-painted room. 

Khurshid’s head was no longer buzzed cut, but his hair was still short. He angled his large nose in Ak-tu’s direction, his blind eyes staring at the wooden floor. He was wearing a tank top instead of his usual yellow robe, the heat too much to don anything fancier. Fern, meanwhile, was wearing a plaid shirt and shorts, with large boots on her feet. She adjusted the spiral necklace resting on her sternum as she sat up straighter. 

“We have a few things to go over,” Ak-tu said, closing the door behind him and walking to the chair behind the desk.

“Hello to you too,” Fern grunted. 

Ak-tu inclined his head apologetically as he sat down. “Sorry…there’s a lot on my mind…. As you know, we need to up the security to keep Chaocat and their spirit friends out of—and away—from the school.”

“I can see if the plants will tell me of any passing spirits,” Fern said briskly. “But sometimes, the plants don’t speak, even to faeries.”

Ak-tu nodded.

“We should make the frogoyles more enchanted,” Khurshid said, referring to the stone statues guarding the school. “Maybe place more outside the school too. And they can give constant video feed, instead of short clips whenever detecting movement.”

“Good idea,” Ak-tu said with another nod. “I’ll see if I can enchant them to do that, though it might take all month before they’re ready…”

He stood up and turned away from the teachers, facing the open window. Frowning, he wondered if Chaocat was outside, plotting their next move. But why? What did they want?

“What else is on your mind?” Khurshid’s voice broke through Ak-tu’s thoughts.

Ak-tu shifted his gaze from the trees to his teachers. “We need to make changes to the curriculum this year. School will only take three years to get through now, instead of four.”

“Three?” Khurshid grumbled in discontent.

“Why?” Fern asked.

“Because I’m probably not going to be around here for much longer,” Ak-tu said a bit hesitantly. “Once my kids are done, we’re going to get back to traveling. So that’ll be in two or three years—so long as the government doesn’t shut us down before then…”

“You’re leaving?” Khurshid asked in a low voice.

“But what about new students? Should we stop taking new students this year?” Fern pressed.

Ak-tu bounced up and down on his toes a few times. “Well, the school will go to Khurshid, if you want it. I know you’ve always wanted a magic school, and I’ll try to teach you everything I know, so you may be able to teach the advanced magic classes in the future.”

Khurshid pursed his lips and nodded quietly.

“So it’s up to Khurshid if we’re still taking new students after this year is over,” Ak-tu went on. “But we’ll take new students for this year, as Zyn needs to redo their first year anyway.”

“What are we going to do with the current fourth-years?” Fern asked.

“The fourth-years we have this year will finish their education according to the current curriculum.”

“And the third-years?”

“They’ll follow the new curriculum and be done with school after this year. So we’ll have two years graduating,” Ak-tu said, running a hand through his thick hair to swipe the bangs from his eyes.

“But if I’m going to take over the school,” Khurshid cut in, “why not keep the curriculum the same?”

“Because the fourth year just doesn’t seem necessary to have in the first place,” Ak-tu replied. “Many students leave after two or three years. And, considering we choose who goes into the advanced classes, there are even less students in the fourth year.”

“That’s a fair point,” Fern murmured, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. 

Khurshid frowned, but said nothing more.

“Anyhow, we’ll need to come up with a new curriculum,” Ak-tu continued, turning back to the window. “Fern, I trust you to rearrange things for Plants and Potions accordingly. As for Magic Studies and Magic Channeling, Khurshid, I’ll be co-teaching that class with you for the second-years. And you’ll be sitting in on my third- and fourth-year classes, in order to know what you’ll be teaching in the future.”

“Very well,” Khurshid murmured. “What about the martial arts classes, though? Kung Fu 4 is the magic-based one.”

“Actually, there’s a little magic in Kung Fu 3. But it seems I’ll just have to advance students a little faster,” Ak-tu said with a sigh, his shoulders slumping. “This is exactly why I didn’t want to make martial arts be part of a magic school…”

“I thought it was a nice compromise,” Khurshid said, his tone getting defensive. “You couldn’t make up your mind with what you wanted for the longest time, and when you finally decided on the magic school, I suggested you bring in the martial arts—that way, you could still teach what you wanted to. You didn’t have to carry over all of the material you learned at your school. You didn’t have to create different ranks. You even could have added magic in from the start, and make it more magic-based…like it should have been…” 

“Yes, I know,” Ak-tu grumbled wearily. “But…there’s not much point in changing too much to the Kung Fu now, as I’m sure the class won’t be around once I leave.”

“I suppose we’ll find out later, as I’m not sure myself,” Khurshid admitted. 

“Anyhow, I can’t think of anything else that needs to be adjusted,” Ak-tu said. “Any questions for me?”

“Why not allow me to take over the school now?” queried Khurshid. “You can still teach the higher classes while having me in charge. It might make the school appear better to the government too, if your name is no longer listed as the head.”

Ak-tu shook his head multiple times, turning back to the others. “No, Khurshid. I don’t want something to happen this year, and the government pins you for it. Otherwise, the school won’t be able to reopen if they shut it down. We’ll only transfer the school to your name if the government shuts us down before I leave, while I’m the one in charge. I’d much rather have my name discredited than yours.”

Khurshid blinked several times, then smiled lightly. “Thank you for looking out for me, Ak-tu.”

Ak-tu nodded. “Of course. Don’t you worry, Khurshid. Once it’s time—whether I leave or the government interferes and forces me out—you’ll own the school.”

“Sounds like a deal to me.”

“Any other questions or concerns?” Ak-tu pressed, leaning against the window.

“What happened with you and Chaocat?” Fern asked.

“I already told you,” Ak-tu said simply. “We fought years ago, then I found Ren.”

“Why did you fight?” Fern clarified, her mismatched eyes gleaming. 

Ak-tu ran a hand through his indigo hair. He tried to think back to the stormy island in the middle of the ocean. He could almost smell the salty air, hear the waves crashing to the shore, feel the rain and wind beating against him. His head suddenly hurt, as if it had been slammed against the stony ground once more.

“Chaocat…was becoming corrupt,” he said slowly, willing the headache to go away. “I tried to help them come back to their senses, but they wouldn’t hear it… They didn’t realize how far they’d gone…they turned into an enemy…”

“What do you mean: ‘becoming corrupt’?” Khurshid pondered. 

“I…they…” Ak-tu sighed, closing his eyes as he tried to concentrate. Head pounding, he uttered, “I don’t remember…”

“How can you not remember?” Fern huffed. 

“It was fifteen years ago,” pointed out Khurshid, though he sounded doubtful too.

Ak-tu opened his eyes, Khurshid appearing as a yellow blob and Fern as a green splotch. Realizing his vision was blurry, Ak-tu faced the window again, tears sliding down his cheeks. Why was he crying? From the strain of trying to remember? From his body remembering the pain he’d felt when he was thrown to the ground? From his friend turning against him? 

“Ak-tu?” Khurshid mumbled. “Are you okay?”

“Fine,” Ak-tu said softly, uncertain if they could hear him in the quiet room. “I’m fine. I think I’m just gonna get some fresh air… Why don’t you two start working on the new curriculum? I’ll be back soon…”