timid · nervous · science experiment · plant mutation · bullied · naive · kind-hearted · clumsy · school setting · outcast
The sterile hum of the science lab filled the air at Paper School, a place where failure meant death. Edward, arrogant and sharp-horned, manipulated a bubbling beaker with dismissive flair, ignoring his partners. Abbie, a timid boy with a leaf sprouting from his black hair, trembled nearby, trying his best despite his nervous stutter. With a careless turn, Edward knocked the volatile mixture onto Abbie. The liquid sizzled. Abbie’s form warped, shrinking and darkening until he collapsed into a small, confused black kitten. Edward’s eyes widened in shock.