Expectations When Expecting

Book 3, Chapter 1

It was dangerously close to midnight and Yuu was stuck drilling information into her mind, cursing the fact that she'd been dragged back into school. She was currently barred from the room as Grim was doing everything he could to study for the exam, having gotten his paws on a booklet that he swore would get him a passing grade.

"Just make sure you keep the door unlocked, Grim. I don't wanna have to ask Rook or Lilia to break in through the window to unlock the door at 3 am. Again."

"C'mon! It was one time, and I haven't locked the door since!" Grim had yowled in annoyance.

Yuu chuckled at the memory of her feline friend, hoping he'd get a good score. Yuu shook her head, trying to focus on the book whose pages she'd been studying for so long that the words had begun to mesh together.

She slammed the book shut, promptly apologizing to it. "I'm sorry, it's not your fault I'm stupid."

She decided to get herself a bit of tea instead. Perhaps a bit of time away from the textbook would do her well.

She jumped at the crash of her front door and sighed, slowly turning. "Right on time! Hello Rook."

The slightly younger man walked up, smiling as he shut the door behind him, bringing baked goods. With a sigh, Yuu looked at her friend with a raised eyebrow. She'd gotten used to at least one person breaking into her dorm every night. To be honest, she couldn't precisely blame them, they were excited.

Take Rook, for example. When he'd first glanced at her for half a second and instantly found out that she'd begun showing, his surprise visits had come to be almost nightly.

"Madame Trickster! You've positively glowing today!" He chirped, kneeling as he placed a hand over her stomach, which caught Yuu off guard. Rule number one of befriending Rook, expect the unexpected.

Yuu smiled awkwardly as Rook began conversing with her baby, bubbly and grinning like a madman while Yuu just stood there.

"Rook, I love that you're excited about talking to my baby, but warn a girl please."

"Oui! Have you already had your Magiscan? If not, may I accompany you, mon ami?"

Yuu smiles at her eccentric friend. "Fine, but you have to promise that you won't freak the people there out."

Rook gave her a sweet smile. "Moi? Nonsense, Madame Trickster! I would never!"

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Crashing waves and violent winds blew against Yuu, shocking her body, forcing her into a sitting position and prying her eyes open, only to blind her. She stared at the darkened skies, suddenly brightened by a flash of lightning.

"What a terrifying storm..."

She turned atop the rock on which she stood, her eyes widening in horror when she noticed the ship. The cries of petrified, desperate sailors fighting against the storm, a boat moving away.

"Hurricane a'comin'! Stand fast!" One of the sailors hollered to the captain, Yuu assumed. "Secure the riggin'!" He barked as sailors ran around. Yuu looked at the ocean, noticing two people in the sea. A beautiful young woman with bright red hair, swimming to shore with a young man leaning heavily against her. He appeared to be unconscious.

"Hey! Two are overboard!" Yuu cried, trying to get the captain's attention. She looked around for something to help when the scene changed, the storm ending suddenly.

Yuu stared in surprise, confused. A new voice startled her.

"Look!" Yuu turned to notice the red haired young woman, on the shore, looking at the man. It dawned upon Yuu that this young mermaid was strangely familiar to her.