The Twins were mesmerised as the carriage stopped in front of their dorm. After disembarking, Morgranna parked the carriage to the right of the steps leading to the front door, explaining that it was explicitly assigned to them and could not be used by others until the Academy reclaimed it upon their departure.
They ascended the steps outside the pagoda and, after being scanned to confirm their registration, entered through the door, which closed quietly behind them. They found themselves on a balcony that wrapped around the ground floor, elevated above the ground outside, where they circled, noting the numerous windows and doors along the exterior.
Next, they entered through the main door into a spacious reception hall that occupied the entire ground floor, dotted with soft lounge chairs and accompanying small tables, and dominated by a large central pillar. Subtle lines on the pillar hinted at a doorway's outline. As they approached, the lines shifted, forming a door that opened automatically to reveal an elevator. They stepped inside and ascended to the next floor.
Stepping out, they discovered the first floor was a comfortable living area, complete with sofas, small tables, a dining table with chairs, desks equipped with holographic screens, bookshelves, and a kitchen area. Numerous windows and doors opened onto a wraparound balcony, flooding the space with natural light.
Taking the elevator to the top floor, they found a combined sleeping and bathing area. An ancient Chinese-style bed dominated the room—so large that both Twins and Morgranna could lie side by side with space to spare. A large dressing table with a mirror stood between two vast wardrobes, each fitted with mirrored doors—ideal for sitting as Morgranna styled their hair.
An enormous bath, large enough for swimming, occupied one-third of the top floor and was filled with steaming water. There was also a shower space for two, a double washbasin, and mirrors above. As on the lower floor, many windows and doors led to a wraparound balcony, flooding the area with abundant sunlight.
The Twins returned to the living floor and settled on the sofas to discuss decorations with Morgranna. Their conversation shifted to their preferences for soft furnishings and balcony furniture on all three floors, as well as their tastes in books, art, and sculptures.
Afterwards, Morgranna served drinks and snacks and instructed the Twins to read through the information pack while she tidied the dorm. She planned to prepare lunch, and later they would receive the orders placed after trying on their uniforms. The Twins obeyed—both already understanding the universal truth that one must always listen to their Mammy.
Meanwhile, Morgranna set to work, directing four servants per floor to perform a thorough cleaning and, as each area was finished, tackling the soft furnishings and furniture placements herself. With only a few items yet to arrive, the dorm was transformed within a few hours. Morgranna then ushered the Twins upstairs to the sleeping area to try on their uniforms, showing them how to dress and tidy up if needed.
Now, the Dorm was nothing short of luxurious. Sheer metallic silver curtains hung at every door and window, providing privacy without blocking light. Thick, silver curtains also draped the bed, which was made up with silver bedding. Tasteful, silver-colored rugs offered comfort by the bed, and the dressing table was set with grooming tools, hairbands, pins, and other neatly arranged items. Soft silver cushions adorned the stools in front of the mirror.
Their new uniforms awaited on a rack. At Morgranna's insistence, they changed into their uniforms, and she guided them in putting them on, ensuring the fit was perfect—no alterations needed. Once satisfied, the Twins decided to keep their uniforms on to get used to the feel. Morgranna checked their hair, collected the prior clothing for cleaning, and escorted them back to the living floor.
Morgranna then prepared a warm, filling, and delicious lunch. Eagerly, the Twins watched as she set the food out on the dining table on the balcony. As soon as the meal was ready, they sat and quickly ate it all. Afterwards, they thanked Morgranna for the excellent meal and took time to relax and digest, admiring the view of the Academy grounds. Sipping hot tea, they watched as the servants, under Morgranna's direction, cleared and cleaned up.
Looking at the transformed living floor, like the top floor, all of the windows and doors had sheer metallic silver curtains hanging in front of them, with metallic silver rugs placed by the sofas, now adorned with soft, metallic silver cushions. Small silver tablecloths were placed on the small tables near the sofas, and even the dining table had one. In contrast, the chairs had soft silver cushions placed for comfort.
Soon, a soft chime sounded through the dorm. Morgranna answered the door and found a man who introduced himself as the Dorm Manager and inquired if everything was satisfactory with the Dorm. Morgranna confirmed it was and asked if anything else was needed, which the Dorm Manager denied before departing.
Shortly afterwards, the Twins decided to visit the postal room after being notified that their packages were ready for pickup. Morgranna reassured them that no one could enter the dorm without their permission, even if they were away. They left the dorm, entered the carriage, and set off for the postal room. After Morgranna collected the packages, she asked if the Twins wanted to go straight back or walk around the Academy grounds.
The Twins asked whether wandering would interfere with Morgranna's work, but she assured them it would not, as the Academy was extremely safe. The Twins chose to explore the grounds. Before leaving, Morgranna reminded them that curfew lasted from six to six, urging them to return before then. The Twins agreed, and Morgranna took the carriage back while the Twins set off on foot.
Finally alone, the Twins wandered in a direction Er chose, discussing their feelings about everything that had happened since their arrival—only now truly beginning to process their experiences. They sipped on drinks Morgranna had given them whenever thirsty, and Er snacked as he pleased, always feeling a phantom hunger that Yi did not share.
During their walk, they discovered a significant training ground where older students were sparring. Intrigued, the Twins sat on the benches to watch. The students were faster, stronger, and more ferocious than anyone the Twins had seen before. When the sparring ended, some approached.
"Hey, I haven't seen you two before. Did you come here from the Awakened training ground?" the taller student asked. He was met with a swift slap to the head from his companion, who said, "Idiot, can't you see they're Unawakened? They must be from the new batch." The taller one scratched his head sheepishly. "Sorry, I just assumed because of their size."
Er grinned. "No worries, we've been told we're taller than average. Your sparring looked amazing—I want to do that too!"
"Hi, I'm Loki. If you like, I could teach you a bit," the friendlier student offered.
"We can't, sorry. We're not allowed to yet," Yi replied quickly, stopping Er from contradicting the Elders' instructions.
"Oh? Haven't adapted to your bodies yet?" Loki's companion asked. The Twins nodded in perfect synchrony.
"Yeah, you'll have to wait until you've had at least three combat lessons first," Loki remarked.
"I'm Zephyrion, Zeph for short," added the companion. "The first three combat lessons are day-long sessions. They help you adapt fast but are very gruelling—and totally worth it."
Suddenly, Loki received a notification. "Crap, it's an hour before curfew, we gotta bolt now!"
"Crap!" echoed Zeph. "You'd better get back to your Dorm ASAP. Curfew is no joke!"
The Twins nodded, said goodbye, and hurried to their dorm, arriving with fifteen minutes to spare. As they entered, they found Morgranna with an expression that spelt 'trouble.'
The Twins gulped, and Yi began to explain. Thankfully, Morgranna accepted their reason but admonished them to set alarms an hour before curfew to avoid missing it in the future. She watched as they set up the alarms, then directed them upstairs for a bath.
After undressing and showering—with Morgranna giving them a thorough scrub—they soaked in the hot bath to relax their muscles and nerves. Er swam lazy laps while Yi floated on his back, both enjoying the warmth. Meanwhile, Morgranna cleaned their clothes and readied robes and grooming tools for when they finished.
After about half an hour, she fetched them from the bath, dried them off, groomed their horns, and brushed their hair. She asked how they wanted it done for bed, and both opted to leave it loose, worried that tying or braiding might be uncomfortable for sleeping.
Robed, they went downstairs for dinner on the balcony. The meal was leisurely, paired with a tranquil, enchanting view of the dusky sky. The fading sunlight poured across the sprawling Academy grounds in a golden-orange glow, casting long, gentle shadows over manicured lawns and winding stone paths.
Trees and flowering shrubs caught the last light, their leaves illuminated in silver and amber hues. Above, the sky was streaked with lavender, rose, and indigo, deepening as evening arrived. Distant lanterns and lamps began to flicker, casting a warm shimmer by the doors and walkways. From this vantage, the sounds of the Academy—hushed conversations, a distant bell, the laughter of students heading indoors—drifted up as the world transformed for the night.
On the balcony and indoors, ambient lights flickered on, bathing the dorm in a warm, soft, and comfortable glow. The Twins relaxed further, savouring a tranquillity they'd only just discovered. They sipped Morgranna's special hot chocolate with a hint of salted caramel.
As dusk faded to night, they realised two hours had passed on the balcony, simply enjoying the peace. They decided to curl up on a sofa on the bedroom balcony. They stood up and ascended to the top floor after each had selected a novel from the now-filled bookshelves adorned with varying sculptures and small artworks.
They both read a novel until their ten o'clock bedtime, savouring more of that delicious hot chocolate and the unrivalled calm they would experience daily from now on. They finally felt at home, accepted for who they were. No longer having to hide to avoid unwarranted beatings, scoldings and being spat at.
When it was time, they closed their novels and set them on the tables beside their sofas. They headed inside to brush their teeth—with Morgranna helping, as brushing their fangs was still tricky—before lying down on the soft bed, heads on pillows and snuggled under the smooth, warm comforter. They wished Morgranna goodnight and drifted to sleep as she gently drew the silver curtains closed around their bed before leaving the floor to clean the living floor for the next day.
As she puttered downstairs, like all Mammys in the Academy, both of the Twins slept peacefully. They finally felt at peace, warm and safe —a feeling they had only just begun to discover —and they longed for more. But now they actually dared to be greedy, wanting more of this warmth, peace and safety.
But more than anything, they felt a deep longing from within their heart, and even their soul, for a permanent companion that would love them as they were for the rest of their life. A companion that would genuinely be theirs, willingly and with open heart and soul, would choose to become one with them in every way possible.
The parts of them that caused them to be rejected and abandoned on their homeworld would instead be embraced by their companion with open arms. They would not just be a companion; they would be a soulmate — someone just like them, flawed, imperfect, and maybe slightly crazy. But still worthy of love and trust.
The Twins had fallen asleep with these thoughts, and their dreams were filled with sad memories and visions of a future full of happiness, care, warmth, and love. They dreamt of their soulmate; their dreams were pure.