As Mina and Ariana exited the classroom, laughing and chatting about what they'd just learned, they nearly bumped into someone standing in the hallway. Ariana looked up, startled, to find herself face-to-face with Kai. His usual smirk was plastered across his face, though he seemed a little more composed than usual.

"Well, well," Kai drawled, his eyes flicking between the two girls. "Fancy running into you two here."

Ariana crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes at him. "What do you want, Kai? We're kind of busy."

Kai chuckled, leaning casually against the wall. "Busy waiting for Day and Scrap, huh? Figures. You two are always hanging around those guys." His tone was teasing but lacked his usual edge, which made Ariana pause.

"Yeah, so what?" Mina retorted, raising an eyebrow. "Why do you care?"

Kai shrugged, his expression turning slightly more serious. "I don't. Just figured I'd give you a heads-up since you're waiting for them." He paused for effect, his smirk returning. "They're both caught up in that weapon meeting thing. You probably won't see them until later tonight."

Ariana frowned, exchanging a glance with Mina. "How do you know that?"

Kai tapped his temple with two fingers. "I've got my sources. Let's just say I've been keeping an eye on things." He pushed off the wall, standing straighter. "Anyway, thought you'd want to know, so you're not standing around like idiots waiting for them."

"Gee, thanks," Ariana said dryly, rolling her eyes. "What a hero."

Kai laughed, clearly amused by her sarcasm. "Anytime. Just don't say I never did anything for you." He turned to leave but then hesitated, glancing back over his shoulder. "By the way, nice job in your match, Ariana. Didn't think you had it in you." His tone was surprisingly genuine, and before she could respond, he was already walking away.

Mina blinked, watching him disappear down the hallway. "Okay, what was that about? Since when is Kai nice?"

Ariana shook her head, still processing the interaction. "I have no idea. Maybe he hit his head during training or something."

"Maybe," Mina replied, still skeptical. "But he's not wrong about Day and Scrap. If they're at that meeting, we won't see them for hours."

Ariana sighed, her earlier excitement dimming slightly. "Yeah, I guess we'll have to find something else to do." She glanced at Mina with a smirk. "Got any ideas?"

Mina grinned mischievously. "Oh, I've got a few. Let's see if we can find some trouble to get into while we wait."

Ariana laughed, her spirits lifting again as they headed off together, ready to make the most of their unexpected free time.

As Mina and Ariana entered Mina's dorm, Ariana immediately noticed the difference in size. She glanced around, taking in the cozy, slightly cluttered room. There were posters of bands and a few scattered books on the desk, with a small potted plant sitting on the windowsill. Compared to Ariana's more spacious dorm, Mina's felt a lot tighter.

"Wow," Ariana said, smirking as she leaned against the doorway. "This is... quaint. Didn't realize your dorm was smaller than mine."

Mina rolled her eyes and plopped onto her bed, which took up a significant portion of the room. "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, princess. Not all of us can get the deluxe suite, okay?"

Ariana chuckled, stepping further inside. "Hey, I didn't choose it. Guess the school just knows I'm worth more."

Mina grabbed a pillow and threw it at Ariana, who dodged it with a laugh. "Keep it up, and you can spend the night on this very 'quaint' floor."

Ariana picked up the pillow and tossed it back to Mina, grinning. "I'll behave. So, what was your big plan? Or did you just want me to marvel at your humble abode?"

Mina sat up, crossing her legs on the bed. "I was thinking we could dig through some old notes I found from the upperclassmen. Stuff about advanced techniques, aura sync, that kind of thing."

Ariana raised an eyebrow. "Seriously? You want to study?"

"Hey," Mina said, holding up her hands defensively. "I call it... strategic preparation. Besides, some of this stuff is wild. You might learn something."

Ariana sighed, but she couldn't hide her curiosity. "Alright, fine. Show me what you've got."

Mina grinned and pulled a worn notebook from her desk drawer, flipping it open. The pages were filled with scribbled notes, diagrams, and what looked like personal observations. "This belonged to one of the top students from a few years ago. Scrap found it in the archives and thought I'd like it."

As Mina began explaining some of the techniques outlined in the notebook, Ariana found herself surprisingly intrigued. The two girls ended up sprawled on the floor, pouring over the notes and exchanging ideas, the size of the dorm quickly becoming irrelevant as they immersed themselves in the fascinating world of advanced combat theory.

As Mina flipped through the pages of the old notebook, her eyes suddenly widened. "Oh. My. God," she gasped, a grin spreading across her face. She pointed at a section of the page filled with messy doodles of hearts and what looked like little caricatures. "Ariana, look at this!"

Ariana leaned over, squinting at the page. "What is it?"

"These are notes about Leon," Mina said, her voice full of mock scandal. "But not like, actual notes about his teaching style or techniques. These girls were crushing on him! Look at this—'Leon's smile is so dreamy' and 'Do you think he's single?' Oh my gosh, they even ranked him compared to the other teachers!"

Ariana snorted, covering her mouth to stifle a laugh. "You're kidding me. Let me see that."

Mina held the notebook up, revealing a crude drawing of what was unmistakably Leon, complete with exaggerated biceps and an over-the-top charming smile. "This is gold," Mina said, giggling. "Imagine if Leon saw this. He'd probably die from embarrassment."

Ariana leaned back, shaking her head. "Or his ego would inflate even more. I mean, he does give off that 'cool mentor' vibe."

Mina started flipping through more pages, her curiosity piqued. "You know, I bet he knows. He's probably had students swooning over him forever. But this? This is next-level fangirl territory."

Ariana smirked. "It's weirdly comforting to know that even the top students had moments of, uh... distraction."

Mina laughed, setting the notebook aside. "No kidding. But seriously, though—Leon? Of all people?"

"Hey, don't judge," Ariana teased, nudging Mina with her elbow. "For all we know, you've secretly got a crush on him, too."

Mina made a face, pretending to gag. "Ew, no. He's like a walking action figure. Cool, but not my type."

The two burst into laughter, the seriousness of their earlier study session momentarily forgotten as they poked fun at the overly dramatic doodles and notes left behind by students long gone.

As the laughter died down, Mina grabbed a fresh piece of paper and a pen, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Alright, Ariana," she said, sitting cross-legged on her bed. "If they could rank the teachers, we can rank the boys in the school. Hottest to ugliest. Let's go."

Ariana groaned, half-amused and half-exasperated. "Seriously? Mina, we have better things to do."

"Better than this? Doubt it," Mina replied, smirking. "C'mon, it'll be fun. I'll start." She scribbled down a name at the top of the page. "Day. Obviously. I mean, he's built like a warrior and has that whole brooding, mysterious vibe."

Ariana rolled her eyes but couldn't stop a small smile from forming. "Of course, you'd put Day first."

"Don't pretend you disagree," Mina shot back, wagging the pen at her. "Okay, number two. Scrap. That guy's got charisma for days. Plus, he's hilarious."

Arcana tilted her head thoughtfully. "Alright, I'll give you that one. Scrap's got charm."

"Now," Mina said, tapping the pen against her chin. "Who's next? Kai? He's got that rugged bad-boy thing going on."

Ariana hesitated. "He's... okay, I guess? Not really my type, though."

"Noted," Mina said, jotting his name down anyway. "Alright, Arden. Smart, quiet, glasses. He's got that intellectual appeal, doesn't he?"

Ariana shrugged. "I guess. But he's kind of intimidating."

"Fair point. We'll keep him lower on the list." Mina moved on quickly. "What about Solis? Total firecracker, pun intended."

Ariana laughed. "He's got energy, that's for sure. But I don't know if I'd call him hot."

"Fine, middle of the pack," Mina said, writing his name down. "Okay, last but... well, maybe least. Leon."

Ariana snorted. "Leon? Really? He's not a student."

"Yeah, but if we're going by the old notes, he's technically in the running," Mina teased, smirking. "Plus, admit it. He's got that whole 'cool older guy' thing going on."

Ariana shook her head, laughing. "Fine, put him at the bottom. But if he finds out about this, it's on you."

Mina leaned back triumphantly, holding up the list. "There. The official ranking. Day reigns supreme."

Ariana rolled her eyes again but couldn't stop laughing. "You're ridiculous, you know that?"

"Ridiculously accurate," Mina shot back, grinning. "Now, who do we show this to first?"

Mina's grin widened mischievously at Ariana's suggestion. "Kira, huh? That fiery upperclassman? I mean, she'd probably love it—especially if we rank Solis low. She seems like the type to argue just for fun."

Ariana chuckled, leaning back against Mina's bed. "Exactly. Plus, I'm curious to see if she'd actually agree with our ranking or completely tear it apart. I bet she'd have some strong opinions."

"Alright, it's settled," Mina declared, snatching the paper and holding it up proudly. "We'll show Kira first. But fair warning—if she doesn't like where we put Solis, she might use that war hammer of hers on us."

"That's why you're going to present it," Ariana quipped, smirking.

Mina mock gasped, clutching her chest dramatically. "Betrayed by my friend! Fine, but if I go down, I'm taking you with me."

The two burst into laughter as Mina carefully folded the ranking list and tucked it into her pocket. "Let's go find her," she said, hopping off the bed. "If nothing else, that'll be entertaining."

Ariana nodded, still smiling. "Yeah, let's see how much chaos we can stir up."

The girls wandered the dorm halls, the quiet hum of the building amplifying their footsteps. Their search finally led them to a door with bold red letters spelling out KIRA. The sharp, striking font stood out against the plain wood, making it impossible to miss.

Ariana stopped in front of the door, raising an eyebrow at the dramatic display. "This has to be the one," she muttered, turning to Mina.

Mina crossed her arms. "You're the one who wanted to do this. Why am I here again?"

"Support," Ariana said with a mischievous grin.

Kira cracked open the door, her fiery red hair tumbling forward, obscuring most of her face. She was wearing a long, baggy shirt that looked like it might belong to Solis, giving her an unexpectedly casual and almost disheveled appearance. Her orange eyes peered out from behind her hair, narrowing slightly as she scanned Ariana and Mina.

"What do you want?" Kira's voice was sharp but groggy as if they had just interrupted her mid-nap.

Ariana quickly nudged Mina forward, who stumbled slightly before regaining her footing. "Uh, hi, Kira!" Mina said, flashing an overly enthusiastic smile. "We, uh, just wanted your opinion on something super important."

Kira raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "Important enough to interrupt me?"

Ariana chimed in from behind Mina, "It'll only take a minute. We promise."

Kira sighed, opening the door a little wider but not stepping out. "Fine. What is it?"

Mina fumbled with the paper in her pocket before pulling it out and unfolding it dramatically. "Okay, so... we made a ranking of the hottest to ugliest boys in the school, and we thought you'd be the perfect person to judge it. You know, as an upperclassman and all."

Kira stared at them for a moment, her expression unreadable. Then, without warning, she burst out laughing—a loud, fiery laugh that filled the hallway. "Are you serious?" she said, grinning now as she crossed her arms. "This is what you came here for?"

"Serious," Mina said, nodding solemnly. "We need your expert opinion. And maybe some backup if anyone argues with us."

Kira smirked, finally stepping out into the hallway. "Alright, let me see this masterpiece. But if Solis is at the bottom, you're both dead."

Mina handed over the list, and Kira scanned it, her fiery eyes flicking down the page. Her expression shifted slightly as she reached Solis's name, and she looked up at them, her smirk returning. "Alright, not bad. But I've got some edits."

Kira stepped back, holding the door open wide. "Come in," she said casually, tossing the list onto a nearby desk as Ariana and Mina entered. The room was modest, decorated sparsely with a few posters of past champions and some personal trinkets. The bed was large but meant for one, its covers rumpled.

Mina glanced around, then pointed at the single bed. "So... where does Solis sleep?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Kira smirked, leaning against the doorframe as she shut it behind them. "With me. Where else would he sleep?"

Ariana and Mina exchanged a look, their expressions ranging from surprised to intrigued. "Wait, like... all the time?" Ariana asked.

Kira shrugged, her nonchalant attitude giving nothing away. "We're partners. It's convenient."

Mina grinned mischievously. "Convenient, huh? Sure, Kira. Whatever you say."

Rolling her eyes but smiling faintly, Kira waved them off and grabbed the list. "Alright, back to this. Let's make some improvements."

They gathered around the desk as Kira started adding names, jotting down a few upperclassmen who hadn't been included. "You're missing Arden and Vyn," she said, scribbling their names near the top. "Arden's got that whole 'mysterious genius' vibe, and Vyn's... well, let's just say people notice her."

She moved Solis's name higher on the list, tapping the pen against his spot. "And Solis doesn't belong this low. You two need better taste."

Ariana snorted. "Or maybe you're just biased?"

Kira shot her a playful glare. "Of course I'm biased. But I'm also right."

As they continued debating placements, the conversation devolved into laughter and teasing. It wasn't long before the list had grown into a sprawling, chaotic ranking of practically every boy in the school, with notes and doodles scribbled in the margins.

By the time they were done, Mina leaned back in her chair, grinning. "This turned out way more fun than I thought."

Kira chuckled, tossing the pen onto the desk. "You two are ridiculous, but I'll admit, this was entertaining." She stretched, her fiery aura flaring briefly before settling. "Alright, who's ready to defend this list when half the school gets mad at you?"

The three girls stifled their laughter as they finished pinning up the last copy of their "Ultimate Rankings" list on a dorm bulletin board. Ariana leaned against the wall, grinning as she whispered, "This is going to stir up so much chaos."

Mina snickered, tugging Kira along. "And the best part is, no one can prove we did it. Right, Kira?"

Kira shrugged with a smirk. "Not like I care if they find out. But watching Arden try to deny his rank is going to be priceless."

As they made their way back to Kira's room, a few of Kira's friends passed by, glancing at the three of them but saying nothing. Ariana noticed one of them—a tall girl with green streaks in her hair—raise an eyebrow as if to ask, What are you up to now? But she didn't press for answers. Kira's antics were well-known.

Once back in Kira's room, they flopped onto her bed and floor, still giggling like conspirators. Mina sprawled out dramatically, wiping fake tears from her eyes. "I can't wait to hear Arden's reaction. Or Kai's. He's going to be so mad he didn't make the top five."

Ariana sat cross-legged, shaking her head. "We might've just painted targets on our backs. What if someone figures out it was us?"

Kira waved off the concern, leaning back against the headboard. "Let them. If they can't handle a little friendly critique, they shouldn't be here."

The room filled with laughter again, the girls feeding off each other's energy. As the excitement slowly ebbed, they found themselves lying in a comfortable silence, the kind only troublemakers could share after a successful prank.

Mina broke the quiet, glancing at Kira. "So, who's going to take the blame if Leon somehow gets his hands on the list?"

Kira grinned, her fiery eyes glinting. "We'll just say Solis made it."

After a while of gossiping and giggling, the air in the hallway felt a bit more relaxed, the tension from before slowly dissolving. Ariana and Mina were leaning against the wall, making light conversation, when the door to the dorm room suddenly swung open.

Without looking up, Solis stepped inside a casual grin on his face. "Hello, babe," they called out, clearly referring to Kira, as he walked in with easy confidence.

It wasn't until he looked up that he realized Ariana and Mina were standing right there. His expression shifted from casual to surprised as they took in the unexpected visitors. "Oh," Solis said, raising an eyebrow, clearly caught off guard.

Solis froze mid-step, his greeting trailing off awkwardly as his golden eyes darted between the three girls. His casual "Hello, babe," suddenly seemed out of place, and the realization hit him like a ton of bricks.

"Oh," he muttered, straightening up as a faint blush crept onto his cheeks. "I didn't realize we had company."

Kira smirked, clearly unbothered, and waved a hand toward him. "Relax, Solis. Ariana and Mina aren't going to bite."

Mina, ever the instigator, raised an eyebrow and leaned forward. "So, babe, huh? That's cute. You two always this lovey-dovey?"

Solis scratched the back of his neck, his confidence slightly shaken under their amused gazes. "Well, uh... yeah? I mean, it's not a secret or anything."

Ariana tried to suppress a laugh, failing miserably. "It's just funny seeing someone like you get flustered," she teased. "You were so serious during the fight."

Solis rolled his eyes, but there was no real annoyance in his expression. "Fighting's one thing. Walking in on your girlfriend hanging out with her... creative friends? That's something else."

Kira snorted at his choice of words. "Creative, huh? Don't worry, we've just been ranking the boys in school. You made the list, by the way."

That caught Solis off guard. "Wait, what?" His brows furrowed in confusion. "What list?"

Ariana and Mina burst into giggles again, and Kira leaned back smugly. "Don't worry about it," she said, her tone teasing. "Let's just say you ranked pretty high."

Solis narrowed his eyes at her, clearly suspicious, but decided not to press the issue. Instead, he plopped down in the chair by the desk, shaking his head with a sigh. "You're all trouble, aren't you?"

Kira grinned wickedly. "You knew that when you started dating me."

Mina quickly raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. "Wait, are you telling me that Kira and Solis are dating? Is that why their connection is so strong?" She spoke as if everything was starting to click into place.

Kira glanced at Solis, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "I'm gonna leave my aura inside you," she muttered, her voice low but enough for everyone to hear.

Solis immediately turned a shade of red, clearly embarrassed. His usual confident demeanor faltered for a moment as he quickly began to unbutton his jacket. "Alright, alright," he said, his voice slightly strained as he tried to regain his composure. "The weapon meeting is over. You two can head back to your dorms now."

Mina's eyes lit up with curiosity at Kira's casual mention. She leaned forward, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. "Wait, what did you mean by that? Your aura... inside him?" Her voice was playful, but her tone suggested she wanted to know more.

Kira shot Solis a quick look, a smirk tugging at the corners of her mouth. "It's just a little connection thing. You know how we weapons and meisters have that bond, right?" She shrugged nonchalantly, though the intensity of her aura made it clear that there was something deeper to it.

Solis immediately reddened, his expression turning embarrassed as he swiftly removed his jacket and tossed it on the nearby chair. "Kira!" he muttered, clearly uncomfortable with the direction the conversation was taking.

Kira ignored his flustered reaction, but her grin widened. "It's just a little bond. Keeps us connected. Makes sure we're always in sync during battle."

Ariana blinked, her head tilting to the side. "You mean like... you're always aware of each other's moves or emotions? Is that how it works?" She found the concept fascinating, as it seemed to go beyond what she had learned about other meister and weapon bonds.

Solis huffed, crossing his arms over his chest as he tried to look unaffected, though his face betrayed his embarrassment. "Yeah, something like that... but, uh, it's a little more personal than just being in sync."

Mina, sensing that this conversation was making Solis uncomfortable, shifted topics with a grin. "Alright, alright, I get it. No more embarrassing questions for now." She gave Kira and Solis an exaggerated wink, before turning to Ariana. "Guess we should head back to our dorm, huh? Can't be late."

Ariana nodded, still processing the whole "aura connection" thing. "Yeah, I think we've got enough gossip for one day," she said, standing up. "But, uh, don't be too mad at Kira, Solis. It's just... you two seem like an interesting pair."

Solis rolled his eyes but didn't say anything, content with the conversation moving away from his and Kira's relationship. "Yeah, well... enough about that. The weapon meeting is done, so you two better head back to your dorm before curfew."

Kira gave him a teasing look. "Don't act like you're not already planning to follow me around later tonight, babe."

Solis groaned, clearly hoping that the conversation would die down as Ariana and Mina headed toward the door. As they left, Kira gave them a wave. "See you around! And remember, ranking boys is serious business."

Ariana walked Mina to her room, exchanging a quick goodbye before heading down the silent hallway to her own. The dim light from the overhead lamps cast long shadows on the walls, making the usually familiar dormitory feel a bit more isolating.

As she neared her door, Ariana glanced up and saw Day standing by one of the lists she had put up earlier. He was reading through it with an unreadable expression on his face.

When he noticed her, his eyes met hers briefly before he looked back at the list. His gaze lingered for a moment longer before he finally turned to face her.

Ariana's heart skipped a beat as she caught Day's gaze. He was holding one of the lists, the one she had helped rank the boys in the school earlier, a faint smirk playing on his lips as he looked between the paper and her. 

 "You... did this, huh?" he said, his voice a mix of amusement and disbelief. 

 Ariana felt a rush of embarrassment flood through her, but she tried to hide it with a shrug. "It was just for fun. Mina got it in her head to rank everyone. You know how she gets," she said, though she wasn't entirely sure if that explanation would make it sound any better. 

 Day rubbed his hand on the side of Ariana's cheek "So you don't think I'm attractive" She quickly replied "I didn't say that" Day opened the door to the dorm room smiling.

Ariana's heart raced as she stood there, a mix of surprise and nervousness bubbling up inside her. Day's fingers had barely grazed her cheek, but it felt like an electric jolt that sent her mind spinning. The playful glint in his eyes only added to the growing heat in her chest.

"Day, wait—" Ariana started, but she couldn't finish her sentence before he opened the door to the dorm room with a quiet smile, his voice smooth and teasing.

"Maybe we should talk about it inside," he suggested, his gaze lingering on her as he stepped back, giving her room to enter.

Ariana's mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, all vying for attention. What was he implying? Did he want to have this conversation? She could feel the weight of the moment pressing on her, but part of her was curious—curious about where this could lead. Was he serious, or was he just messing with her, like always?

She hesitated at the doorway for a moment, but then, without fully realizing it, she stepped inside. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she crossed the threshold into the room, and Day closed the door behind her, his presence suddenly filling the small space.

"So, tell me," Day said, his tone playful but edged with something more serious, "do you think I'm not attractive?" He leaned against the door, watching her intently, his eyes dark with amusement.

Ariana's face flushed, and she could feel her palms grow slightly clammy. She glanced at him, her mind scrambling for the right words. "I—" she started, but she felt her voice falter. She wasn't sure how to explain that it wasn't about not thinking he was attractive—because, honestly, she had noticed how good he looked, especially now with the light from the window casting a soft glow on his features.

"I didn't mean it like that," Ariana blurted out, taking a deep breath to steady herself. "It's just... Mina made the list, and I didn't even think about how it would sound when I said it."

Day took a step closer, his gaze softening just a little as he observed her flustered expression. "It's okay, Ariana," he said, his voice low, almost reassuring. "I was just messing with you."

Ariana met his eyes, her heart still racing, but now with a different kind of uncertainty. "You were?"

Day chuckled, the sound warm and genuine. "Yeah. But I've got to admit, I like how flustered you get. It's cute."

Ariana blinked, surprised by the compliment. "I'm not flustered," she protested weakly, but the heat in her face betrayed her.

Day grinned, clearly enjoying teasing her. "Sure you're not."

Day stepped closer to her, their bodies pressing against each other. Ariana could feel her chest brushing against Day's body with every breath she took. Day leaned down, kissing Ariana's ear and whispering, "Then let me know when you start to feel hot, my Meister." Those words already made Ariana hot, her breath shortening and her heartbeat getting quicker. Day trailed his fingers along her arm as he continued kissing her ear and cheek down to her neck his hand reaching up to her breast his finger gliding over her nipple her body twitched as she let out a sharp breath of air "And you aren't flustered yet?" Day asked his hands continuing to explore her body underneath her clothes her skin warm and heated Day started removing her clothes slowly her jacket and shirt his arms wrapping around her body as he took her down to the bed laying her on her back he kissed her chest licking between her cleavage and rubbing the sides of her waist before pulling her shorts down from revealing her blue lace panties.

Day reached over them hovering his hand over her clit "Say the word and ill stop" Day whispered into her chest Ariana panted shallowly "I can handle it" she said between the spaces of her breath Day placed his hand on her clit moving his finger in a circle slowly while sucking on skin her breast falling in and out of his mouth with every hickey she held his head gripping his hair her pussy getting wet soaking through her panties Day pulled them down her ankles kissing down her stomach to her clit licking it softly he continued licking her clit side to side until she pushed his head down to her pussy wet soaked waiting for attention he licked and kissed it gently his tongue dipping into her holes.

He twisted his tongue in licking and pressing against her walls his tongue barely squeezing between her tight hole she let out soft and loud moans with every flick of his tongue he sucked up her juices his tongue slipping deeper into her until he could just barely brush against her g-spot she tightened her legs around his head as she rode his tongue crying out his name he continued hitting her spot more twisting his tongue pulling it out only to show attention to her clit by licking and sucking it before Ariana knew it she was shaking her body thriving as she cummed Day stayed down licking her pussy and swallowing her as she finished let everything out until she was finished panting heavily her leg resting on his shoulders as she slid her panties back up and kissing her neck "maybe you do find be attractive he whispered in her ear as she laid there falling asleep.