Rosia sat on the enormous couch, her legs dangling like a kid trapped in a grown-up world gone completely off-script. The oversized backpack Grimbella had handed her felt like it contained at least three tons of textbooks, enchanted snacks, and what might have been a small, grumpy demon disguised as a pencil case.
"So," Rosia said, trying to sound brave but mostly feeling like a squirrel who'd wandered into a lion's den, "about this demon school thing... when do classes start?"
Grimbella sipped something bubbling from a mug that ominously glowed purple. "Classes? Oh, honey, there's no such thing as schedules here. It's every day surprise and survival. Which is why you start with orientation. Or as I call it, the 'Welcome to Hell' trial."
Rosia blinked. "Wait, a trial? Like a test? Will I need a book or pen or anything normal?"
"Nope," Grimbella grinned. "You'll need wit, charm, and the ability to dodge exploding textbooks. Follow me."
They exited the mansion and headed toward an ancient, towering labyrinth called the "Initiation Grounds." Around them, students—demons of every shape and size—bustled in groups, casually juggling fireballs, reciting spells in six languages, or riding bizarre creatures that looked like a cross between a pig and a mop.
Rosia tried to act cool but inwardly screamed as a demon with bat wings zoomed past her, trailing a sparkly smoke cloud.
"Orientation starts with meeting your classmates and surviving the... icebreaker challenges," Grimbella explained, pulling out a parchment that steamed like a hot pizza box.
The first challenge was "Guess Which Demon Eats What," which quickly devolved into chaos as Rosia accidentally offended a three-headed demon by guessing his favorite snack was "foot fungus" instead of "molten marshmallows."
Then came "The Friendly Fireball Dodge," where Rosia learned two things very quickly: she was terrible at dodging things and fireballs really hurt if they hit you square in the face.
Just when Rosia thought she might be doomed to eternal embarrassment, a cheerful voice interrupted her panicked flailing.
"Hey! You look like you're about to get eaten by a fireball."
Rosia turned to see a demon boy with spiky midnight-blue hair, mismatched eyes, and an infectious smile that instantly calmed her nerves.
"I'm Zed. And you are?"
"Rosia. And yes, I definitely look like cannon fodder right now."
Zed laughed. "You're way too modest. You'll do fine. Just come with me — I'll show you the secret to survive demon school: Make friends fast and confuse everyone about who's in charge."
Zed introduced Rosia to a small group of misfit demons who seemed surprisingly welcoming. Among them were:
Bibble, a tiny imp with a bad habit of stealing socks but a heart of gold hidden under all that mischief.
Lumo, a floating orb of light with a sarcasm level rivaling any human teenager.
Grag, a hulking rock demon who only communicated through interpretive dance but was shockingly good at math.
Rosia felt a warm flicker of hope. Maybe this chaos wasn't just madness—it was a chance to belong somewhere completely unexpected.
The final part of orientation was the "Adoption Officially Official Ceremony" held in the Grand Hall, where Lady Grimbella proudly introduced Rosia to the demon community. With extra arms waving and eyes blinking in confusion, the room buzzed with curiosity and approval.
Rosia felt like a tiny ship sailing into an ocean of terrifying but strangely hilarious monsters. She could already tell that life here would never be boring—and probably a lot of fireballs.
That night, back in her shifting bedroom with its perpetually closed closet (because something loudly growled inside), Rosia finally let herself wonder:
What will tomorrow bring?
A thousand possibilities, mostly terrifying and some ridiculously funny. But for the first time in a long time, Rosia smiled. She was no longer just ordinary—she was something else entirely.
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