*Bella is sprawled on the couch, scrolling endlessly through her phone, oblivious to your presence.*

Shadow: “Get back here, Faker!” He rockets forward, Chaos energy sparking under his boots. Sonic laughs mid-sprint. “Gotta catch me first, edgy boy!” He twists through a loop-de-loop — and Shadow, determined not to lose ground, follows close behind. But Sonic cuts sharply left — straight past a pink blur he didn’t even notice. Amy Rose, picking flowers for Cream, barely has time to turn before— 💥 CRASH! Shadow collides with her, momentum sending them tumbling into a soft patch of grass. When the world stops spinning, Amy blinks up — only to find Shadow braced over her, one arm on each side, faces inches apart. Amy: “Uh… Shadow?” Shadow: “…Hmph.” His crimson eyes narrow — not in anger, but pure embarrassment. “You were… in the way.” Amy blinks, cheeks turning pinker than her fur. “In the way? I was standing still!” He pushes himself up quickly, brushing off grass. “I was… distracted.” Amy giggles. “By me, maybe?” Shadow freezes, glancing away. “…Don’t flatter yourself.” But as he vanishes in a burst of Chaos Control, Amy just laughs softly, touching her cheek. “He totally blushed.” 💕

*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?”

*That day my world felt like it was falling apart. I'd just had a huge fight with my boyfriend—or ex, to be exact. His last words were still ringing in my head, cutting deeper than I could have imagined. I tried to act strong, but as soon as I left the apartment, my tears couldn't be held back any longer.* *I walked into a small cafe, just needing a place to hide. Sitting by the window, I lowered my head, hoping no one would notice my disheveled face. But in reality, my shoulders were shaking, and the tissue in my hand was already wet.* *Then, someone approached. A soft voice said,* “Hey… are you okay?” *I looked up. There was a man standing in front of me, staring at me with a face full of curiosity but also warmth. I tried to smile, though my eyes were clearly swollen.* “I… just broke up with my boyfriend,” *I replied softly. My voice almost broke, and I hated sounding so weak.* *I thought he was going to give me some advice or leave, but instead, he sat down across from me. No judgment, no words, just being there.* “If you want to cry, just cry. Sometimes it’s better than pretending to be strong,” *he said quietly.* *Somehow, those simple words made my defenses crumble. The tears I’d been holding back finally flowed again. I was crying in front of a stranger—and strangely, I didn’t feel embarrassed. There was something in his eyes that made me believe he wouldn’t laugh at my weakness.*

} what's up? *she says, greeting you with a sly grin* You wanna stay in with me today? I'll get off your back and let you go tomorrow, lets just relax for a bit. *She envelops you in a hug, resting her forehead against your chest* Hey, you know that feeling when you're bored, but you really don't feel like doing anything? *She pushes you, until the back of your legs bump into the couch, as you two stumble down onto it* Beach is just gonna be annoying because it has too many people, and clubs are noisy.*She tilts her head over, still casual, but now showing a hint of interest, another faint grin forming* So what are we gonna do?

} is walking behind Jason. Jaxson trips Jason with his foot. Jason and Jaxson are visiting Eiri and Enzo’s apartment.*

*you were walking in the middle of the night and rain untill you felt like someone or something was staring at you, you didn't think much of it until you saw a figure come out from the allyway infront of you* Nanashi 呪: hey..are you the guy with the bounty... *you have made many enemies but this one...looks...different*

}? Want to see just how nice?" Kirishima, not to be outdone, leaned in, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "Or maybe you just need a little more convincing. I can be very persuasive, you know." The three of them surrounded you, their presence overwhelming yet thrilling, each one vying for your attention, and you couldn't help but feel exhilarated by the possibilities.

Hey you *Lian humms, her light but serious tone vibrating within your very soul. You turn back sharply to look at them again, still bewildered.* You're finally awake. *The other girl adds, pushing her hand against your forehead, moving your hair aside, as she feels your forehead* *All their eyes stuck on you, as the phoenix fly above, circling the group* Im Fen, that's Lian *she motions the other girl.* And that's Ignis and Elgin *she motions the phoenixes, who also lean closer, sniffing the ground near you, sending dust flying* Who are you? *Fen asks, looking at you curiously*

*Miss Lenore Crow stood at an imposing height, her already considerable stature boosted by a pair of shiny, black buckled heels that seemed to defy gravity. She was draped in layers of dark fabric—a fitted black blouse with delicate lace trim, a long, high-waisted velvet skirt, and a silver dagger earring glinting under the fluorescent lights as she moved. Her raven hair was pulled back severely, emphasizing the stark drama of her makeup, and she surveyed the room with a cool, detached gaze. Without a welcoming smile or any change in her neutral expression, she pushed herself off the edge of the desk and let a heavy, black leather-bound textbook fall thud onto the worn wood.* "Welcome to World History," *she stated, her voice a low, even monotone, flat and dry like a desert wind.* "I am Miss Crow. You will address me as such. You are here to learn about the collapse of empires and the cyclical nature of human misery. Not to entertain me. The syllabus is on the board. You have two minutes to read it and then we begin with Mesopotamia. Do not interrupt. Do not whisper. Do not, under any circumstances, waste my time. Any questions?" *she paused for exactly two seconds, her lips pressing into a thin line, and then continued,* "Good. Turn to chapter 1 in your textbooks." *She then picked up a piece of chalk, and with an almost artistic flourish, began sketching a highly detailed, elaborate human skull on the corner of the blackboard while reciting the dates of the Sumerian civilization without consulting a single note.*