ᑕᑌᖇIOᑌᔕEᖇ ᗩᑎᗪ ᑕᑌᖇIOᑌᔕEᖇ

Cαƚ σɾ Rαƈƈσσɳ? Tԋαƚ ιʂ ƚԋҽ Qυҽʂƚισɳ.

Y/n's POV

Ker-chack!

...

Ker-chack, ker-chack, kerchack!

A loud clattering noise rouses me from my pleasant nap, opening an eye, it's dark but I still can't shake off my drowsiness.

' What's going on? What's that noise? ... Maybe it's just mom coming in to wake me up...Is it Morning already?'

"I better hurry and find that uniform before someone spots me.." A squeaky pitch voice sounds frantic, as if already imagining trouble.

Scratching is heard on my wooden 'door', going for a second peek, I spot a tiny paw push itself under the 'door', struggle under its weight then disappear closing the 'door' once more with a soft 'thump'.

"Urgggh... This lid weighs a ton!"

The word lid strikes me out of my sleep drunk state. 'Lid? ... I thought-' "Try this on for size! Mya-HAA!" The voice huffs and lets out a battle cry.

FWOOSH

I am nearly blinded by the bright blue flames and intense heat that are mere inches from my face, the lid is cracking and charring from the sudden exposure to the fire.

"BWAAAH!? F-Fire?! HOLY- HEY, I'M INSIDE!! WHAT THE HELL!?" With quick thinking I hold my arms over my face and use my shoulder to lunge forward. The wood easily bends, giving way under me as I land on the floor coughing and clearing my lungs, my body coated in ash and soot.

A startled cry in front of me lets me know that the arsonist is standing in front of me. Opening my eyes to shoot a glare at the person, was broken when met with a grey and white patched cat-raccoon standing on its hindquarters, it's bright turquoise eyes wide with the same amount of shock as me.

With a scream the cat-raccoon lifts their paws up in surrender. "WHAT!? YOU AIN'T SUPPOSED TO BE AWAKE!" Pushing away from the creature, gaining as much distance as I can from the talking cat-raccoon.

Taking a quick glance at my surroundings I realized I'm still in the Gothic style coffin room. Swallowing hard at the realization that I am still in the dream, I forcibly stand up and the fear is swirling in my gut.

'Floating c-coffins!? Why am I still in this dream- IS THIS ONE OF THOSE DREAMS THAT ARE WITHIN A DREAM!?'

Looking back at the creature, I point an accusatory finger at the offending... THING!
"And why is there a talking ... Cat-raccoon!?!"

The Cat-raccoon's face scrunches their face in a angry snarl, it bares it's fangs and claws. The little tuffs of blue flames seem to grow with his emotions, his three pronged tail whips furiously behind him.

"How... HOW DARE YOU! I am not a cat or a raccoon! I am GRIM, sorcerer extraordinaire!" With a huff 'Grim' places 'his' paws on his hips and pivots his body to the side, turning his head exasperated. "Tch. Whatever. You, human!"

He points his little paw at me, a mischievous grin spreading across his face.

"Just gimme your uniform, and be quick about it! 'Cause if you don't... You're gonna regret it!" He perks his lips and a stream of blue fire shoots out and nearly catches the edges of the uniform. Quickly yanking the robe away from the flames, he lets out a growl, the flames go out leaving behind black scuff marks.

Glaring at Grim, the wheels in my head are turning already developing a plan.

'No way you little pervy cat, plus they wouldn't even fit you!! Are you seriously this dumb?!'

I discreetly pull my robes above my ankles. I look down at my feet to see if my shoes are there but to my misfortune they were heeled boots. 'Heels!? My natural enemy!' I can feel my chances slowly dwindle by the minute. 'I am NOT going to end up as Barbaque to a little cat-raccoon!'

"Getting roasted alive by a cat-raccoon? What will I dream of next?" I curse my mind for it's wild imagination, and perhaps the whole wives tale 'sugar before bed will give you nightmares' plays a part in this too..

Grim unsheathes his claws and holds them in a offensive pose. "Well keep dreamin', 'cause I ain't no cat or a damn raccoon!" Taking his outburst as an opportunity, I rush forward and hop over him, leaving the little monster behind in the room and rushing out into a dark hallway.

Taking notice that it is in fact nighttime and that this looked like a school's corridor. My heels clack loudly against the corridor, where to? I could really give a rat's ass! I hurry past doors, with quick perception, they were of empty classrooms.

"Stop running human!"

Grim shouts after me as I cut diagonally across a campus courtyard following the stone pathway into the castle, finding myself in a bit of a jam. My choices were either left, right or up a giant staircase. The pitter of paws behind me hasten my choosing.

"Screw it! S-Somebody, help me!"

Charging up the flight of stairs, I flank towards the right and notice double wooden doors. Above the doors is a plaque with the image of an open book indicating that I'm heading towards the Library.

'Plenty of places to hide!' Pushing myself through the doors, if I wasn't running for my life I would've shed a tear at the sheer beauty of it all, the library is fairly large and books are floating above me in a quick but safe traffic flow.

'Belle and I would simply never leave this place.. But seriously. If this is a dream, I'm ready to wake up now.'

Clutching my head I count down from ten. My throat closes up and my nerves fray, the familiar wetness trail down my cheeks and to the floor. I rush to the aisle closest to me, these damn heels are gonna give me away!

'And when I finish, I will wake up,

in my bed,

in my room,

in my house,

my family smiling and going on with our lives...'

Fwooosh

"A-ah!?"

Lifting my head away from my hands, I am trapped between a bookcase and a semicircle of fire, Grim stands up on his hind legs then levitates off the ground to be eye level with me, sounding breathless and smirks.

"Foolish human! Did you really think you could slip away from ME?" His face drops the smirk, he holds out his paw and squeezes it in a open-close gesture.

"Now, unless you wanna get burned to a crisp, take off that-"

A loud crack interrupts Grim as a black leather whip whips and binds around Grim's tiny body, successfully capturing the troublesome fur ball.

"OWW!! That hurts! What gives!?" He struggles against the whip trying to get free. Following the length of the whip to the wielder, a man stood tall easily over towering me.

But his outfit was out of this world! He looked like a Crow Ringmaster at a circus, his crow like mask covered only the top half of his face, two bright yellow eyes peer down at Grim authoritatively. Placing his hands on his hips he calmly makes his way towards us, I see the length of his whip retract with each step he took.

"Consider it 'tough love'."

'That seems a little harsh for just "tough love" .'