~Elite Hunter Dorm- Junsui Academy-Wakaba Prefecture~
"You killed them... It's your fault... You're a monster just like us... monster... monster... monster!"
Noah wakes with a start, gasping for breath as he struggles to orient himself. His shirt is soaked, and his face is drenched in sweat, which continues to pour profusely. His hands are deeply embedded in the mattress, and it's only when a feather floats up that he realizes his claws have shredded the sheets and mattress. He doesn't need to see his reflection to know that his face has morphed into the twisted visage of a Junsui Demon. Forcing himself to focus, Noah works on slowing his heart, which is pounding so wildly it feels like it could leap out of his chest. After several tense moments, he manages to calm down enough to shift back into his human form.
Noah glances around his darkened room, dimly lit by the soft glow of moonlight. The space is large and spacious, though the furnishings are basic. On the right, the bathroom and study corner feature a single armchair, a coffee table, a bookcase, and a desk against the wall. To the left, there's a closet, dresser, and a small sitting area with a sofa, TV, and the brand-new Gamer Man X, the latest gaming console to hit the Wakaba trade market. His room is the only one with such luxuries; the others share smaller quarters. Naturally, his room has become the go-to spot for their hangout sessions, much to his annoyance.
He looks down at his bed, which sits in the center of the room. It's full-sized and very soft, though now it bears deep shred marks on his side. The other side is untouched but littered with feathers scattered around the room. "Damn," Noah mutters under his breath. Tahno is going to be furious—this is the third bed they'll have to replace in the last two months. He thought he was past these nightmares, haunted by memories from so long ago that he'd nearly forgotten them. He wishes he could forget them completely.
"I don't want to get up!" Noah groans, falling back onto the bed with his arms outstretched. He wants to go back to sleep, but after a nightmare like that, he knows he can't—he never has been able to in the past. He notices the warmth where his right arm lies and realizes that Lili was there not long ago. She must have left when his nightmare started, as he's always instructed her to do. He knows all too well that he's dangerous in these situations. If she had still been there, he might have slashed through her. Unlike him, she can't heal, and a wound from his claws would be fatal. Though in an emergency, he could heal her, but only as a last resort.
Lili often comes to Noah's room at night, just as she has many times over the last four years, and he takes her in. He never intended for it to become a regular occurrence, but after all the pain she's endured at the hands of selfish men, he can't bring himself to turn her away. It's not love—not for him, and he's pretty sure not for her either. It's simply a way for her to cope with her trauma and remind herself that not all men are monsters. Since they started this, she's gotten much better at interacting with others, including men, so something is working. If this is the only way he can help her heal and keep her from losing herself, then he sees no harm, as long as she continues to ask him. He's made it very clear that he will never do anything she doesn't ask him to do, no matter what.
Just as Noah begins to feel the pull of sleep again, an abrupt disturbance jolts him back to consciousness.
"It's 6 AM, you lazy bums! Time to get up! You'd better be dressed and in the arena in an hour, cadets!" The loudspeaker blares through the entire sector, impossible for anyone to ignore.
"Ah! Dammit, Tahno!" Noah grumbles, knowing that Tahno enjoys waking them up like this, likely just to annoy him. Dragging himself out of bed, he reluctantly heads to the bathroom. Normally, he'd sleep in if it were a regular class day, but today is Sunday, training day for all cadets under their preceptors. Most cadets are trained by a General associated with their respective element class, but as members of a special unit, Noah's team has the misfortune of being trained by the head commander, Mason Tahno himself. Although Tahno outranks everyone in the Junsui Hunter Military and could claim a higher title, he prefers to retain the General rank. They all call him Tahno anyway, so it doesn't really matter. Regardless, he's a hard-ass and will dish out severe punishment if they're even a second late. They're sure to regret partying late last night.
~
Noah steps out of his room around a quarter to 7 and makes his way down the illuminated corridor. As he walks, he passes two doors midway down, one on each side. The left door leads to Gunther and Nikoli's room, while the right leads to Mai and Lili's room. Noah's room is at the very end of the corridor. Opposite his room, at the other end of the corridor, the narrow path opens into a much larger space with various sections. To the immediate right, a half-step leads to the social section, the largest area, where they hang out when not gathering in his room. A large TV, stereo, and an active simulator game system occupy the space, the latter requiring actual movement rather than just sitting in front of a TV with a controller, as Noah does with his Gamer Man X. There's ample seating, including several sofas of various shapes, sizes, and colors. In the far top corner, a small workout room is available for individual training, and to the left, a large, modern kitchen takes up the remaining space. However, they rarely do any cooking themselves.
"So, there's really no one you like?" Lili hovers over Mai, eager to hear her answer. Her long, pink hair hangs down to the side, obscuring her face so that only one of her matching eyes is visible. Her tan complexion is in slight contrast but not overly so. She's of average height, curvy, and well-endowed in all the right places. It's not hard to see why all the guys fawn over her, though she never accepts their advances. Whether it's because of her aversion to them or her fondness for Mai is still unknown.
"What are you even asking me, Lili? You already know the answer to that question." Mai, in contrast to Lili, is very tall, slender, and has a more masculine figure. However, that doesn't detract from her natural beauty. Her blue curls are tied back in a side-hanging ponytail, and her blue eyes are enhanced by her dark complexion and complemented by her full lips. Her face is slightly broad but also cute, giving her the appearance of a charming prince, and she's revered as such, though she's not interested in the least.
"Oh come on, Mai, give me something. There's got to be someone in this entire Academy you like." Lili is hyperactive and bubbly when it's just the group around, but in public, she's like a different person. She hops around Mai, grabs her arm, and playfully tries to pry the information she wants.
"Lili! You're being ridiculous. There's no... I've got more than enough to handle with you." A faint blush crosses Mai's face as she looks away from Lili, whose face is now close to hers. She's not being honest at all.