Renee joined the rest of the class, giggling with childish delight at her success, the unfortunate fish still in her grasp. She noticed Miss Kamon beckoning her to come over. Renee drifted towards her, tightening her grip on her prize.
"Well done Renee! You're the first in this class to do this manoeuvre perfectly! Although I did expect you to do well, considering you're from the other world." Miss Kamon glanced down and saw the fish in Renee's clutches. "You could have that fish for lunch, it's a rainbow fish, hence the colours on it's body. They're quite rare as well and they're supposed to taste quite sweet."
"Thanks, Miss!" Renee grinned and glided back to join her classmates. Mizuki gazed coolly at Renee. Renee gazed back.
"I have to say, that was pretty awesome, Renee, but don't get a swelled head, okay?"
"Yeah, sure." Responded Renee, as a loud bell began ringing, indicating that it was lunchtime.
"Okay, class dismissed everyone!" Miss Kamon declared in a loud voice and everyone rushed over to the ledge as fast as they could, knocking into each other as they went. Renee was the last to get to the ledge. Opening the door to the school castle, Renee trotted inside and quickly found her way to the Food Hall.
A few minutes later she was seated at a table with her dorm mates, cheerily tucking into a steaming rainbow fish. She felt someone looking at her and glanced up in time to see Alfie look hastily away, his face turning red. Why do i get the feeling I like her? At having heard that, Renee blinked and looked hard at Alfie.
"Did you say something Alfie?"
She heard me!? Renee looked at Alfie, who looked back squirming uncomfortably on his chair. She knows! Oh my god she knows! Alfie suddenly got up, his chair skidding backwards.
"Uh, I got to go guys!" Alfie turned and charged out of the Food Hall, his face bright pink. Yuki jumped up and went after him. Renee's face went blank as her brain processed what she had just heard. I can hear thoughts! And then. Omigosh Alfie likes me!!! And... I think I like him to! Renee began to blush and she felt warm and fuzzy inside. She chuckled and then noticed that everyone was staring at her.
"Hey Renee, your face is bright red." Maori stated, a concerned look on her face.
"Yeah," joined in Mizuki, "Thinking about someone?"
"No!" Spluttered Renee. Maori and Mizuki shared knowing glances.
"Oh yeah, Mr Nekozawa told me to give you this." Said Maori, changing the subject, having seen that it made Renee uncomfortable. She passed Renee a thin transparent disc, about three millimetres thick with a diameter of five centimetres. In the very centre of the disc, a small diamond dominated the area, gently pulsing different colours. Renee cupped it in her hands and carefully examined it.
"What is it?" She questioned, gingerly poking the disc.
"Well," started Maori, "Mr Nekozawa said it was your Elemental Disk. Every Elemental Master has one. Apparently you dropped it from when you visited his office."
"Oh... Where should I put it?"
"Anywhere you want."
After a few minutes of thinking, Renee adjusted her clothes once move, so that a breast pocket, with a zip, was patched on over her heart. She slipped in her stone and zipped up the pocket.
"Is here okay?"
"Yep."
A few minutes later, Renee and her friends were strolling down the corridor, when a volley of shouting interrupted their chatter. Mizuki's nose twitched and a look of hunger flickered across her face.
"I can smell blood."
Renee could smell it as well, the metallic scent drifting around unwanted. A few steps later, the group came across a crowd of onlookers. Renee tapped the shoulder of one boy, who turned around to face her.
"What's going on?" She asked, trying to see past him.
"Miss Kamon's been almost killed. Her throat's been ripped out and she's been half drained of blood. Obviously the work of a vampire. "
Renee frowned and forced her way to the inside of the circle. The sight that met her was like a scene from a blood-filled nightmare. Miss Kamon was lying sprawled on the ground in a pool of scarlet liquid, her simple white robe stained crimson. She appeared to be dead, but the slow rising and falling of her chest was evidence that she was still alive. Barely.
Apart from the over-powering scent of blood, she could smell something else. It smelt familiar, but she just couldn't put her finger on it.
"What is going on here!??" Demanded a rather loud voice. Everyone turned around to see a male teacher striding towards them. People moved to clear a gap in the circle and the teacher marched in glaring at everyone who was unlucky enough to make eye contact with him. When he saw Miss Kamon, his face turned a deathly shade of white.
"You!" He barked, pointing at Renee. "Go and get Mrs Obuchi the Reviver!"
"Uh, sure." Replied Renee turning around and scampering away. Hmm... Where could Mrs Obuchi be? Maybe she has a room somewhere... Renee rushed though some random corridors, when it came to her attention that the passageway she was standing in was rather dark. She found it very menacing and proceeded with caution.
She treaded along the floor carefully, with her head down, when she bumped into someone. She looked up and started apologising.
"Oh! I'm sorry!" Then her night vision kicked in and she saw who had blocked her way.
