"I make you angry?" David growls.

Scy's eyes widen a little and he whips around to see David's rather broad chest a few centimeters from him. The imposing boy has a snarky smirk on his face, and has his arms spread slightly with his palms facing upward.

"Yes... The way you treat people makes me angry." Scy replies evenly.

The two of them lock gazes. Scy's stony expression serves as a foil to David's smarmy grin. The air around them starts to heat up a little as David takes a step closer, nearly knocking Scy's chair over.

"What's so wrong about treating inferior people like inferior people?" David shrugs innocently.

Scy bites back his words in favor of magic, and yellow light envelopes his arm as he goes to punch David square in the jaw. His fist doesn't land, instead woolly blankets wrap him up like a burrito.

"There will be none of that in my class, boys." Professor Thaulmer scolds.

Michael and Jamie watch helplessly as a blanket covered Scy is hoisted up into the air via Prof. Thaulmer's magic. David has a satisfied smile on his face, and stands by as if he's gotten what he wanted. Jamie gives the taller boy the stink eye whilst Michael tries to defend Scy by explaining what happened to Professor Thaulmer.

"Don't worry, I'm not punishing either of them." Professor Thaulmer chuckles.

Michael looks relieved, but before he can relax a pillow going at high speed knocks David off his feet. The tall boy slides to a stop under someone's desk, and loud snoring can be heard moments later. Jamie and Michael both look at each other, and then at Scy's dangling feet.

~

"I forgot Professor Thaulmer can do that..." Jamie mumbles.

Michael nods with a distant look in his eyes, and stuffs another bite of Sphinx Bread into his mouth. The delicious buttered bread tastes like something that's been toasted by Ra himself, and leaves Michael wondering if any mageless foods can compare.

"I was caught off guard... At least she didn't get them into any trouble." Michael replies.

The two of them are mostly silent throughout dinner, yet Michael keeps catching Jamie glancing his way. The gaze isn't one of malice, but he isn't sure what to think of it.

"Maybe Jamie is secretly prejudiced against mageless?"

"So what do you do for fun?" Jamie suddenly asks.

Michael chokes a little on his bread, but recovers quickly. After swallowing his food he clears his throat, taking a big gulp of Demon Fruit Juice. The tangy taste feels like a slap in the face compared to his bread, and wakes him up.

"Uh... Well, I don't know. I used to play video games, or just sort of wander around with my friends." Michael says vaguely.

Jamie nods in understanding, and glances from Michael back to his food.

"Wander around..? Scy and I used to go to these caves near our home town." Jamie says smilingly.

"Caves? You mean mage world caves, right?" Michael asks incredulously.

There's a smugness in Jamie's smile as he nods. Michael can only imagine what sort of nefarious ghouls and abominable growths populate the subterranean mage world. Michael's face pales at the thought of wandering such a place.

"Oh calm down... It's not as crazy as you're imagining." Jamie laughs.

~

Two students and one professor walk silently down the corridor neighboring the potions classroom. Professor King's golden mane reflects the magical lantern light beautifully, yet his dark expression betrays this beauty to convey dissatisfaction.

David's grimace hasn't left his face since he left the cafeteria. Michael's face is similarly dark with a blank look of resignation. Neither of them have looked at one another for the whole walk.

"We're here." Professor King growls.

The two students straighten up as Professor King turns around, and the imposing lion headed man gives them a stern look. David's glare falters under Prof. King's gaze, and Michael averts his eyes completely.

"I'll be here to collect you in an hour." Professor King sighs.

The two boys perk up at his words, but Professor King raises a hand to stop them.

"You're to do your best to clean the drainage system..." Professor King continues.

There's an odd groaning sound of fluid moving through pipes from beneath the floor. Professor King pauses as a few distinctly animalistic gurgles echo throughout the corridor. He continues speaking once the sound of gushing fluid ceases.

"...but your safety should be your top priority." Professor King finishes.

Michael swallows a mouthful of saliva whilst eyeing the braced iron door to the potions classroom drainage system.

~

Foul odors and thick miasmas flit about the chamber like insects in a forest. Gases of unknown make and origin keep bubbling up out of leaks in the pipes, albeit most of them are supposedly harmless to a mage. Michael isn't convinced.

"Thank god he taught us this cleaning spell first..."

Michael's hand glows a bright white while the rest of his body is enveloped in a faint blue aura. Flashes of white zip out of his palm and stab into a wad of pink tar like missiles targeting an enemy base. Plumes of smoke rise up and the whole mass melts away in seconds.

The whole room is only as big as the potions classroom itself, but there's levels to it. Professor King was adamant that they do not go lower than the second level, but David immediately descended to the second level without speaking to Michael.

"At least he's leaving me alone."

Michael moves to an especially stubborn black stain on the base of a pipe, and channels his magic with careful precision. The feeling of slowly feminizing is almost unnoticeable to him now, and he makes quick work of the mess in front of him.

Things are going well after nearly forty minutes of cleaning. Michael is shocked by how much of the first level he's cleaned on his own.

"I might be able to finish this level all on my own?"

Unfortunately for Michael things don't always go according to plan. Echoing shouts and clanging metal ring out from below, and inhuman roaring sends a shiver down Michael's spine. He looks up at the exit.

Michael shakes his head and sprints for the ladder leading deeper into the potions classroom drainage system.