Walking down the stairs, they found Mr. Robert sitting cross-legged on the ground, wrapping up the triaging of the portal parts. He waved at them as they arrived.

    “Heya kids. Didn’t cause too much trouble I hope?” He asked in between two yawns, slowly standing up.

    “Eeh…” Muttered Sam, ready to give the explanations. “About me, my intimidating old self is enough that no one asks questions, and for Anna, the current story is that she and Marcus are separate people. The only potential threat would probably be the vice principal lady, who after meeting both Anna and me looks like she’s two steps away from calling the police or something.”

    “She looked piiiissed.” Added Jules for emphasis.

    “Damn it. That’s not good.” Replied the professor. “Let’s just hope they don’t stick their nose in my business again…”

    Anna and Lucie sat down on the chairs, while Jules glanced at what was left of the portal. “Oh boy, that box of broken parts looks pretty full…”

    “Eh. It really is, isn’t it?” Replied the professor while pinching the bridge of his nose. “It’s definitely gonna take me months just for finding replacement parts. Add to that building the actual machine back up… I don’t think it’s gonna be running again for at least half a damn year.” He slouched onto one of the chairs in defeat.

    “Did… Did the machine work before the mummy accident?” Asked Anna.

    “Yeah. We could even see through it and everything. There was this gigantic desert on the other side…” Answered Lucie. “But there was no buildings or anything. How did that mummy even get through?”

    “I wish I knew.“ Said Mr. Robert. “Maybe it detected my portal and opened it from the other side somehow… Does that mean the portal leaves residues behind when it opens or something like that, that’s how it tracked it through to here? Mmh... It would help my research so much to know...” He lifted his gaze at the ceiling and started thinking.

    “And I still have no damn idea how what happened to Anna, well… happened.” The professor added. “Tests completely inconclusive.”

    “Mr. Robert, how long has it been since your last full night of sleep?” Asked Sam, a bit unpromptedly. They had been standing up for a while, observing the teacher.

    “Beats me.” He answered.

    “That’s probably the problem, then. You’re too tired to figure it out. Take a break, a good night’s sleep, and come back on it when you’re refreshed?”

    Mr. Robert chuckled. “Never thought I’d be lectured by a kid… But you’re probably a smart cookie on this one.” He stood up, gathered his belongings, and climbed the stairs with a wave of the hand. “Don’t stick around too long, okay? Wouldn’t want peeps investigating the noise while I’m not around.” They heard the door close behind him.

    “I should probably leave too, my bus should be here any minute and I really want to show off my change to my sis.” Stated Sam, who stood up from their chair. Anna followed suit to give them a hug before they left.

    They didn’t hang around at the lab for long either anyway, what with the professor’s warning. Lucie, Jules and Anna climbed the stairs and went back to the corridor, walking towards the schoolyard.

    “When did you become this touchy-feely, Anna?” Asked Jules in jest.

    She took a second to process the question, but didn’t get it. “What do you mean?” Lucie gave Jules an accusatory glance.

    “Well, this morning you clung to Lucie’s hand as if it was a lifeline, and this afternoon you gave her and Sam hugs like they were NBD.”

    “...I did what!?” She said, stunned, her face growing red with embarrassment.

    “Wait... You hadn’t realised? Like, it was just a reflex or something?” Enquired Lucie. “I thought… Nevermind.”

    Jules glanced away, realising a bit too late he shouldn’t have brought the subject.

    As Anna thought through the implications, her face paled. “Oh no. If I’m not doing that willingly, then what is!? Is it the collar that’s making me act like that? Am I trying to repeat the thing that happened to Sam yesterday!? Like, I need to drink life force to sustain myself now, and I do that by touching you all all the time!!?”

    Lucie caressed her back while they closed in on the benches. “How do I say this… Yeah, I don’t think that’s it. I’m pretty sure the collar’s having some sort of weird effect on your behavior, but that specific thing doesn’t sound like it’s part of it. Maybe you’re just touch-starved.” She made her sit down on the stone slab and continued her explanation. “I mean, you did just get out of I don’t know how many years of restraining yourself in all kinds of way, didn’t you? Maybe you always were a hugger, but just didn’t do it while it felt like you didn’t belong in your body.”

    Her time as Marcus already felt so long ago, and it hadn’t even been a day. She sighed and calmed down. “Maybe… You always know so much about this, Lucie. I’m so glad you’re here for me... and for Sam too...”

    “Eh.” She shrugged while receiving another hug. “I’m pretty sure Sam has themself figured out by now. Doesn’t feel like they needed much of my help beyond explaining to you two.”

    Jules had been staying silent for a while, but seemed to have nothing to say, still blaming himself for bringing the topic up.

    “Uh, by the way… You said the collar’s changing how I act?” Asked Anna with worry.

    “Eeeeeeh…” Lucie shrugged again, trying to deflect the question. “It’s really just a hunch more than anything. I’m probably reading too much into it anyway…”

    “Speaking of ‘anyways’,” Butted in Jules, “Should we go do something before the sun sets, or?”

    “We could study!” Replied Anna with piqued interest.

    “Ah come on.” He grumbled. “You literally get turned into a girl by a mummy monster from another world and all you still care about is school work? For your own good, take a break.”

    Lucie glared at him with an anger she hoped was enough to shut him up.

    “Wait, wait, I didn’t mean it like that! Just, don’t overexert yourself, you know?”

    “But work is what calms me…” Anna answered timidly.

    Jules threw her an incredulous glance, and rolled his eyes. “Ok, sure, I guess you know you, yeah. Still, maybe things will have changed in that aspect, maybe you just didn’t enjoy other stuff because you didn’t feel like you and that won’t be the case anymore.”

    “Okay, since when are you a psychologist?” Growled Lucie.

    “Since when are you one too?” He retorted.

    “Can we, please, not fight over this?” Demanded Anna with pain in her voice. “I think we’re all kinda tired in our own different way, so let’s just calm down, alright?”

    “...I’m just gonna go home. You’re right, I’m tired too, and I need to go do something to relax. Bye.” Jules flung his bag over his shoulder and left the girls by themselves.

    Lucie spent a few minutes hugging Anna, making sure the tears wouldn’t arrive. But, well, they’d be tears of fatigue, Anna thought to herself. She didn’t want to harbor any ill will to Jules, or anyone else ever for that matter.

    “So… Gonna sleep at your parents’ tonight, or...” Tentatively queried Lucie.

    Anna’s grip on her clothes grew tighter.

    “...My house again, then.”

    She nodded against her shoulder.

    Lucie slipped her fingers in Anna’s hair and caressed her gently. Something about this felt greatly calming.