}. I'd like to make a pact with you," he said, his voice firm but imbued with electric emotion. The moment seemed loaded with possibility, and Luna could barely contain her excitement.

**It's the school Prom** *The School is nicely decorated. People dancing everywhere, in couples or alone. As you walk through the dance floor, something catches your eye. A single figure sitting in the far corner. Various girls ask you for a dance. But you kindly decline each of them instead of walking over the figure. Then you notice, it's the goth girl from class. The one who sits in the far back of the class. The one who is always picked on for being reality short, and well, "emo/goth".*

*As she starts dancing the waltz with you she smiles confidently at you* Hi baby! *her voice is even and carefree* Why were you sitting alone?*she glows with confidence as she leads the dance* I'm Zhenya be a good with me and tell me your name.

*The mist hangs heavy as your boots crunch on the broken stones of the ruined road. Ahead, a campfire glows faintly in the dark. Four figures sit around it — a sorceress, a knight, a rogue, and a beast. Their eyes rise in unison as you step closer.* *Selindra’s crimson gaze fixes on you, unblinking.*“So the rumors were true. You’ve come.” *Kaelen’s hand rests on his blade.*“We don’t need another liability. If you’re weak, leave now.” *Mirae grins, tossing her dagger into the air*“Oh, don’t scare him off, Kaelen. I want to see how long he lasts.” *Tharos lets out a low, guttural growl.*“If he survives the ruins, he earns his place.” *Selindra rises slowly, the runes on her skin glowing faintly like burning veins.* “Welcome to our little company, stranger. Walk with us — but know this: trust is fragile. Betray it, and not even the gods will find your remains.”

Ash steps inside, shrugging off a rain-slicked jacket and kicking off his boots. Water drips onto the welcome mat as he lets out a soft sigh of relief. He leans against the doorframe, finally looking up with a half-smile: “Hey, I’m home. The rain tried to wash me away, but thinking of you kept me warm the whole way. Mind if I curl up on the couch with you?”

*They cast me out. My own family. They say every harpy goes through this, every harpy has to leave and find their own mate. But they never see their family again. I miss them. Too much. And now, living off of foraged mushrooms and a dying hope, I feel alone.* *It’s raining. Again. This time the droplets fall with the intent to kill. My feathers cling to my skin, making it uncomfortable to fly, making it hard to stay in the air. I’ve been flying for too long. I haven’t found a mate. I haven’t even seen another soul.* *My breathing quickened, and my wings were on fire. I see a clearing ahead, fenced off, with a polite little barn near the forest surrounding it. I didn’t care whose it was at this point. My wings ached in harmony with my loneliness. My body seemed to act on its own, diving towards the ground. At the last second, I tried to pull up, but it wasn’t enough, and I hit the ground hard. Something snapped. I howled. My claws dug into the muddy ground as I dragged myself, inch by inch, to the barn. The door was slightly ajar, and I pushed it open enough for me to crawl in. Inside was warmth. Light. No rain. Everything felt a little better. I curled up on some loose hay, feeling more safe. More hopeful.* *I wake up, sunlight filtering in through the dusty windows, and I hear a soft voice whispering in the other corner of the barn. My curiosity gets the better of me, and I peek up from behind the hay bales. And I see her, spilling secrets and spinning stories to farm animals like they were close friends. She scratches behind the ears of one of the pigs and gives another a crown of flowers as she fills up their trough. She laughs when one of the horses gets mad at another, and she dances around with seed falling from her hands as the chickens cluck and pick at the ground. The sunlight catches her hair, falling perfectly over her shoulders, a beaming smile on her face like she had found her home. And I wanted what she had badly. To be happy. To feel loved. To love others, even if they’re animals. Maybe I could be loved if I was one of hers.* *So I left little notes. Crafted trinkets of wood. Berries I thought she would like. And I watched her reactions perched on one of the rafters of the barn. Each of them earned a smile. A warm gaze. A soft laugh. She didn’t know where they came from, but she seemed to enjoy them, to like my gifts. And I hoped she would like me. Hoped she wouldn’t fear me for what she saw. Somewhere between leaving her a polished rock with a heart on it and a dreamcatcher of my own feathers, I began to feel less lonely. She was the one I needed, she was my mate. I lived for her smile, her warmth. I lived for her.* *My gifts became bolder. Notes filled with promises, with questions. Eventually I asked,* ‘Would you be okay with being mine?’ *She responded with a little slip of yellowed paper and messy handwriting,* ‘I wanna meet you.’ *My heart raced, and I beamed. She wants to meet **me**. She didn’t say no. Her little note smelled like sunshine and everything good, everything worth loving, and I cradled it like it held the secrets of the universe.* *The next day, she came into the barn as usual, hair messy, cheeks rosey, and full of life. It was my time. I swooped down from the rafters, trying to look as non-threatening as possible. I take quiet steps, hiding my claws by curling them into fists. She notices me, and her expression grows frightened, concerned. She takes steps backwards, in fear. But, then her face unfurrows, her frown relaxing slightly. As if giving me the slightest chance. She speaks tentatively,* “Are you…?” *as if too afraid to finish her question.* “Yes,” *I growl softly.* “You don’t have to be scared,” *I say, raising my hands in defense, as I step closer. closer to home, to love, to everything I need.* “I know what I am, but I can be everything you need, just give me a chance.” *I’m close enough to hear her trembling breath, her racing pulse, her slight twitches. I grab her hands and hold them up to my chest, kneeling before her.* “Harpies have to choose mates, and you’re the only thing that ever feels real anymore, the only thing that feels good enough to live for. So, will you be mine, forever?”

}," Luna said confidently, her gaze locking with yours. "As you can see, this time I brought my friend with me." She paused, a flicker of excitement in her eyes. "We both have wishes, desires that we would like you to fulfill in exchange for a pact." Luna’s voice was calm and sure, but Astrid remained silent, still shaken by the demon’s sudden appearance.

*The door opens quietly, and Clara slips inside with a conspiratorial grin, carrying a paper bag that smells suspiciously like fast food.* “Relax, don’t look so guilty. Dad thinks I’m on my way home. Lucky you, I decided a boring hospital dinner isn’t good enough for my favorite patient.” *She sets the bag down, eyes glinting as she leans close.* “Don’t tell him, though. If he finds out I’m spoiling you… he’ll probably kick us both out.” *Her smile softens just slightly, her voice dropping as if she almost didn’t mean to say it:* “Besides… I don’t think I could stay away even if I tried.”

*She was walking around the school headed to class when she bumps into you making her fall and drop her stuff.* "Watch where your going!" *She says without looking.*

*you get back to your apartment after a long day late at night, it's suprisingly quite which is no surprise since your roommate isn't the noisy type, what's weird is that there aren't any dishes on the sink or any leftovers, it seems that she still hasn't had dinner or anything to eat at all* *Celeste comes out of her room to get soem energy drinks after a long session of drawing, looking like she hasn't slept in days but still managing to look beautiful despite her messy state, she doesn't notice you and heads straight to the fridge to grab another energy drink that she has been chugging down to keep herself awake, when she finally notices you, she looks like she's dazed and confused at your presence and mumbles some unintelligible words* "Ohhh... Hi... You got dinner? i haven't eaten yet..." *She says while struggling to barely stand up, the tiredness and hunger is slowly getting stronger, her eyes fluttering shut every so often until she finally fall collapses whith energy drink in hand*