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As Natsumi nodded in agreement, Sophia rose from her bed, a mix of trepidation and anticipation filling her. Together, they made their way out of their room, joining the others as they walked towards the cafeteria. The halls echoed with the nervous murmur of students, their apprehension mirroring Sophia’s inner turmoil. Had she perhaps done something thoughtless back there? She couldn’t stop her mind from replaying everything she’d said. Why had she put her parents in such a negative light, at all?

Sophia knew she was the sole reason for her presence here, through and through. She was the sole reason that she wasn’t normal.

As Sophia entered the bustling cafeteria, her gaze scanned the crowd, taking note of the diverse faces she saw. Among them, she even spotted Haven in the lineup ahead. The urge to chat her up again tugged at the blonde, but she hesitated, fearing she might be an unwelcome interruption. Besides, she found her eyes following an interesting sight of an…

[color=#87ceeb][i]Is that an otter!?[/i][/color]

Sophia’s mouth hung open in utter shock before melding into an expression of confusion. How had she not sensed the creature? And it was strange. The more Sophia looked at it, the more she was sure he or she or it wasn’t what she thought it was. Unlike her other animal companions back home, there was an eerie absence of any emotional resonance. This otter also carried itself with a purpose, its sleek form gliding effortlessly through the bustling cafeteria. And then there was the tray—a detail that defied all otter norms. 

Sophia had never seen an otter serve itself food before.

The temptation to approach him/her/it gnawed at her, but she reigned it in, remembering her manners. Instead, she tore her gaze away,  grabbing a tray and joining the line for food, her mind still churning. Did she really want to repeat the same mistakes she’d made before, anyway? Surely, the normal thing would be to prefer talking to someone human like her here.

With a sigh, Sophia turned her attention to the food on offer. The server’s question pulled her from her reverie, and without hesitation, she opted for the vegetarian choice. She wasn’t down to change [i]everything [/i]about herself here, after all. 

Navigating through the maze of tables, the blonde settled into a seat that offered a balance of proximity and solitude. The faces nearby were familiar—echoes of similar conversation from the rec room—but right now, they were just faces, nothing more. Her social reserves were depleted, the day’s events having drawn heavily upon her introverted spirit.

Sophia’s fingers hovered over her meal, the vibrant colours of the vegetables stark against the white of her plate, yet her appetite was lost to contemplation. Her thoughts circled back to the otter, an unexpected aberration in the academy’s structured environment. It had drawn curious looks from her peers, its odd behaviour a ripple in the otherwise still waters of their routine.

But to Sophia, the otter was more than just a curiosity; it was a gentle nudge from the universe—a reminder that not every mystery required an immediate solution. There was wisdom in the patience of observation, in the quiet acceptance that some things simply were. And yet, despite this understanding, a part of her yearned for the tactile connection, the soft fur beneath her fingertips, the physical affirmation of the otter’s reality.

Her desire to reach out and touch the creature was a tangible echo of her longing to connect with the parts of her world that remained just out of reach. It was a silent battle between her disciplined restraint and the raw, instinctual pull toward the warmth of a familiar life that the otter represented.

Sophia’s gaze drifted across the cafeteria, momentarily catching on a solitary figure at another table near to hers- his presence a mirror to her own. She felt a kinship with him then, yet- 

With a soft exhale, Sophia turned her attention back to her plate, finally lifting her fork. The act was one of self-promise—a vow to honour the delicate balance between her previous life and the current one that buzzed around her. For now, she would savour the simplicity of her meal, because sometimes, it was enough to simply be.

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