SCHOOL ARC
August frowned at the tank, muttering to herself as she concentrated. "Alright… corodex frog, come on…"
With a flicker of magic, the water in the aquarium rippled. A small creature appeared with a pop. But instead of the rare corodex frog, a familiar, scowling grumpy toad sat there, glaring at everyone like it wanted to pick a fight.
Jimmy blinked. "...August, you summoned the same toad again."
"It's not the same toad!" August barked, scooping it up. "This one is… uh… just angrier, that's all."
On Adam's shoulder, his chinchila twitched, tiny nose quivering as it fixed its beady eyes on the toad. Its fur bristled, and a low growl rumbled from its throat.
Jimmy slowly turned to Adam. "Adam… why do your chinchila and August's toad look like they're about to kill each other?"
Adam threw up his hands helplessly. "No idea. Maybe… species rivalry?"
The chinchila gave a sharp squeak and lunged. The toad croaked angrily and leapt straight toward it.
THWACK!
Jimmy sighed and smacked both creatures gently on the head with a book, stopping their midair clash. They both froze, stunned, glaring at him with mutual indignation.
"No fighting in class," Jimmy said firmly, pointing at each of them. "You—stay on the shoulder. And you—back in the tank."
The chinchila squeaked defiantly but obeyed. The toad croaked, clearly offended, but hopped back into the aquarium with an exaggerated sulk.
Jimmy turned back to the room, only to notice several other students staring blankly at their empty aquariums. Not a single frog—or even a toad—had appeared.
Jimmy raised an eyebrow. "...Do any of us even know what a corodex frog looks like?"
The entire class, in perfect unison, said, "Nope."
The teacher pinched the bridge of his nose. "Unbelievable." He waved his staff, and a glowing picture of a bright green frog with shimmering golden spots appeared above the board. "This—this is a corodex frog. Not a toad. Not a salamander. Not whatever… that thing is."
Jimmy glanced back at August's tank, where the toad sat puffing its cheeks angrily. "Yeah," he muttered, "pretty sure that one's not it."
Jimmy squinted at the floating image of the corodex frog projected above the board. He leaned over the tank, focusing hard.
"Alright," he muttered, "green, shiny spots… long legs… got it."
The water rippled as he reached into the aquarium. His fingers brushed something solid, and with one swift motion, he yanked it out.
But instead of a frog, he was holding a strange, long, twisting root, its surface glowing faintly with magical energy.
Jimmy blinked at it. "…What the hell is this?"
Adam tilted his head. "Uh… definitely not a frog."
The professor's eyes widened slightly. "Oh, my… that's a corotex root. Extremely rare. Most advanced alchemists take weeks to conjure one."
Jimmy stared at the glowing root in disbelief. "Then why did it come out when I was imagining the frog?"
The professor folded his arms. "Tell me—were you imagining the frog in its natural environment?"
Jimmy nodded slowly. "Yeah… in some swampy place, with vines and stuff around it."
The professor smiled knowingly. "There you have it. You conjured not just the frog's form, but part of its environment. And in that environment grows the corotex root."
The class erupted into murmurs, students shooting Jimmy impressed looks.
Adam rolled his eyes and dipped his hand into his own tank. Concentrating, he muttered, "Okay, focus… frog, green spots, long legs…"
With a faint splash, a small, bright-green corodex frog hopped into his palm. Adam grinned. "First time's the charm for me."
Jimmy gave him a flat look. "Good job, genius. So…" He held up the rare root, then nodded to Adam's frog. "How exactly are we supposed to get the eyes?"
The frog in Adam's hand blinked slowly, as if it somehow understood, and then let out a quiet, ominous croak.
The frog blinked again, staring up at Adam with wide, unblinking golden eyes. It gave a slow, ominous croak, as if to say, Try it, I dare you.
Adam gulped. "S-So… uh… does anyone actually know how we're supposed to… you know… get the eyes?"
Jimmy crossed his arms. "Not a clue." He turned toward August. "You're the noble here. Any royal training in frog-eye extraction?"
August's face went red. "Why would I know something like that? My family doesn't make potions—we hire alchemists to do it!"
The frog croaked again, louder this time, like it was laughing at them.
Adam leaned toward Jimmy, whispering, "It's… staring at me. Why is it staring at me?"
Jimmy deadpanned. "Because it knows. It knows what's coming."
Before Adam could panic, the professor strode over, robe sleeves swishing behind him. He stopped at their table and sighed. "I see we've reached the classic beginner's dilemma—step two."
August tilted her head. "Step two?"
"Yes," the professor said, adjusting his glasses. "Safely collecting the frog's magical essence without… traumatizing the creature."
Adam perked up hopefully. "So we don't have to, um… actually remove its eyes?"
The professor chuckled softly. "Of course not. You think we'd let first-years go around blinding frogs? No. You simply channel magic through the frog to extract the eye essence into a crystal vial."
Jimmy raised an eyebrow. "You could've mentioned that earlier."
The professor smirked. "I find students remember lessons better when they're sufficiently… motivated."
Adam exhaled in relief and set the frog gently onto the desk. "Okay… essence, not eyes. That's a relief."
The chinchila on Adam's shoulder, still glaring at the nearby toad in August's tank, let out a tiny, judgmental squeak.
Jimmy smirked. "Alright, genius. Your turn to 'channel magic.' Don't blow us up."
Adam shot him a glare but followed the professor's instructions, placing his hands over the frog. A faint glow enveloped the creature, and small sparks of golden light gathered in the crystal vial at their table.
The frog croaked once, almost approvingly.
August crossed her arms, pretending not to be impressed. "Hmph. Beginner's luck."
Jimmy grinned. "Or maybe you just suck at summoning frogs."
August's eye twitched. "Say that again."
"You. Suck. At. Summoning. Frogs."
The grumpy toad in her tank croaked loudly in agreement, and half the class burst into laughter again.
"Alright," August muttered, rolling up the sleeves of her green hoodie. "If Adam can do it, so can I. Watch and learn."
Jimmy smirked. "This ought to be good."
The professor stepped back, arms crossed. "Remember, Miss von Scraner—steady focus. Channel your magic slowly, and—"
"I know how to channel magic," August snapped, closing her eyes. A faint glow sparked between her hands as she reached into the tank. The water rippled, and the grumpy toad — yes, still the wrong creature — stared up at her with its usual look of eternal disgust.
August focused harder. Magic flared around her hands, brighter and brighter, until a sharp flash of light burst across the table. The vial at her station rattled and began filling with shimmering golden essence.
Adam blinked. "She's… actually doing it."
Jimmy raised an eyebrow. "Huh. Didn't think you had it in you."
"Shut up," August gritted through her teeth, sweat beading at her brow as she channeled the last of the essence.
With a final pulse of energy, the vial glowed brilliantly and then settled into a steady, golden shimmer — perfectly filled.
The class went silent. Even the professor blinked, impressed.
"Well," he said slowly, "that… was flawless technique. Excellent work, Miss von Scraner."
August opened her eyes and let out a triumphant huff. "See? I told you. I'm not bad at magic."
Jimmy tilted his head, unimpressed. "Yeah, yeah. Beginner's luck."
August glared at him, ready to retort — but then the toad croaked loudly and launched itself out of the tank, leaping straight into her hoodie pocket.
"Wha—HEY! Get out of there!" August yelped, hopping backward and flailing to shake the stubborn creature out.
Adam's chinchila, perched on his shoulder, let out a shrill squeak and lunged like a tiny furry missile.
Jimmy groaned. "Oh, for—NOT AGAIN!"
SMACK!
With one swift motion, Jimmy bonked both the chinchila and the toad with his notebook, stopping the chaos before it escalated into a full-on animal battle round two.
The classroom erupted with laughter, students clutching their sides.
The professor pinched the bridge of his nose, though there was a faint smile on his face. "At least you completed the extraction, Miss von Scraner. Next time, perhaps less… theatrics."
August's face went crimson as she muttered, "Stupid toad…"
Jimmy smirked, resting his chin on his hand. "Face it, August — even your toad knows you're dramatic."
August was still grumbling under her breath as she set the glowing vial carefully on the table. "Stupid toad… I don't even know why it likes me."
Jimmy smirked. "Probably because you keep summoning it instead of the frog you're supposed to."
Before August could retort, the toad croaked — loudly — and then launched itself like a spring straight out of the tank.
"Wha—HEY!" August yelped, stumbling backward as the creature soared toward her face, little webbed feet flailing wildly.
Jimmy's reflexes kicked in. He moved faster than anyone in the room could track, one hand snapping up midair to catch the airborne toad by its back leg.
THWAP!
The room froze. The toad dangled upside down from Jimmy's hand, croaking angrily but helplessly, kicking its tiny legs in protest.
Adam blinked. "...Did you just catch that thing in midair?"
Jimmy glanced at him, deadpan. "Would you rather it attached itself to her hoodie again?"
August's cheeks turned red. "I—I had it under control!"
Jimmy raised an eyebrow. "Sure you did. That's why it was about to tackle you like a wild beast."
The class erupted into laughter, students pounding their desks. Even the professor had to cough to hide a smirk.
Adam's chinchila, perched on his shoulder, squeaked and growled again, glaring at the toad as if to say, Put it down and let me finish this fight.
Jimmy sighed, holding the wriggling creature up. "Calm down, grumpy. You're sitting this one out." He carefully dropped the toad back into the tank, closing the lid this time with a sharp click.
The toad croaked one last time, quieter now, as if plotting its next escape attempt.
August crossed her arms, glaring at Jimmy. "You didn't have to humiliate me like that."
Jimmy smirked. "I didn't humiliate you. The toad did. I just saved your face."
Adam tried — and failed — to stifle a laugh. "He's… not wrong."
August turned away, muttering something that sounded suspiciously like, "Stupid scarf-wearing show-off."