^^ Raymond Regales Aurelius ^^

--- Raymond ---

As I tucked away my identification, I boarded the bus, and followed Miss Lilly to what must be my assigned seat. She sat in the first seat, and so I sat next to the window.

As the bus started moving again, she looked at me. "Is your brother always so... frightening?"

"Only whenever he wants to be. He wanted to scare you, because he doesn't trust you. He doesn't like people around me that he doesn't trust. He probably shouldn't come to the school." I said simply.

"Too many scents?" She asked, fidgeting with a small disk, with a groove in the middle.

"Partly. Also because he is very protective of me. Like I said, people he doesn't trust around me makes him angry. I'm sure he would go berserk if he went to the school." I chuckled.

She glanced at me worriedly. "You're joking, right? You realize he has to come to the school regularly, because he's not your guardian?"

I hummed. "Well, I'll hope for the best. He's usually excellent at not killing humans. He's the one who taught me." I grinned.

She blinked slowly. "Hmm. Well... you are remarkably well-behaved, so I, too, will hope for the best."

I nodded and laid down, resting in her lap, which was very comfy.

She hummed. "You know you can't just lay on people, Raymond."

I hummed and rolled, looking up at her. "Why not? I do it to Maximus and Mama all the time."

She raised an eyebrow. "Well for humans, you're invading personal space."

I blinked slowly. "You mean humans don't like to cuddle? How weird..." I hummed.

She smiled a little. "We like cuddling, most of us anyway, but you can't touch people without their permission. It's rude."

I hummed again, and then nodded. "Then can I lay here? You're very soft. It's nice." I asked simply.

She chuckled. "Alright, fine. Just understand that you can't lay on people you don't know."

I nodded and cuddled into her, relaxing on her cloud-like body. Unlike dragons, who were mostly pointy edges, this human was all soft, and it was perfect for cuddling when tired.

The bus made a few more stops, and then we arrived at the school. I grumbled at being forced to rise, but grabbed my bag from the seat, and hopped down from Miss Lilly's lap.

She led me off the bus, alongside the other supernaturals, who also had escorts, and then allowed me to gaze around calculatingly. "Hmph. Not very defensible." I snorted.

"Hmm?" She prompted, confused.

"The fence is flimsy and short, the sky is open, and the ground hasn't been reinforced. This place could be destroyed by a low-level earth golem." I said simply.

She laughed. "I suppose, but with strong men like you guarding us, what could go wrong?" She giggled, and hugged me to her, then releasing me and fixing my hair.

I huffed. "Well if you're going to be ridiculous." I grumbled, then raised a hand towards the gate, setting a powerful barrier that would only allow those registered with the school or relatives of said people onto the school grounds.

She blinked when pink light spread in a sphere around the campus, and then looked at me. "Was that you?" She asked.

I nodded proudly. "Indeed it was! I am a Master of Barrier magic!" I proclaimed, hands on my hips.

She sighed. "You can't cast magic like that for no reason, little one! It's against the law."

"It wasn't for no reason! The security was lacking, and so I upgraded it! It's for my own safety and for the safety of the entire school." I defended my actions, and then looked around. "Now where's my first tutor? I wasn't given a schedule."

She sighed again. "First you have to take the entrance exams, like everyone else. The exam hall is this way." She held out a hand, and I took it swiftly, smiling.

We entered an auditorium, and I hummed at the number of students from hybrid bloodlines or simply half-humans.

"This city has a very liberal view on Hybrids, I take it?" I raised an eyebrow.

She nodded, raising an eyebrow to match mine. "Yours didn't?"

"My family lives alone. Any breeding is done with Drakon's who travel to meet us and be studded, like racehorses. There's not much cultural diversity." I said blandly.

She hummed. "I suppose you're right. Well, I'm glad you're here now, hmm? And yes, interspecies breeding is rather common. Now let's get you a seat and a test." She led me to a small wooden chair with a platform attached, and then a different, older woman set a large sheaf of papers next to me, and a pencil.

I hummed and looked around at the people already starting, and began the test. It was interesting, but not exactly challenging, until I reached the last third of the test, which was hastily stapled on, and seemed focused on Latin Grammar.

I blinked, unable to read it, and raised a hand.

The elderly woman approached, and spoke quietly. "What's the problem, little one?"

"Why is this in Latin? I don't speak Latin. English is hard enough, but Latin is impossible. Can you translate it to Turkish?" I asked.

She blinked. "Oh! I'm sorry, I was told you were a dragon, so I was trying make it more your speed... Turkish, you say? Give me just a moment." She smiled and removed the Latin portion, rushing to her desk, and handing it to a man who was typing already. He smelled of Demigod.

I looked at Miss Lilly. "Is that Demigod your security?"

She smiled. "No, he's a son of Thoth, not a warrior. He's the principle. Now shhh, no talking." She giggled quietly.

I nodded and looked back as the woman returned with new pages, written in a mix of English and Turkish.

I hummed and began examining the questions, and answering the easiest ones first. Questions such as 'Gül' İngilizce nedir?' Were easy enough. 'Rose' was my immediate answer.

The harder ones, such as 'İngilizce 'gökkuşağı' nasıl denir?' Were skipped, for now.

Once finished with the lesser questions, I returned to the harder ones. I broke down the word as best I could, and came up with 'Liquid Light Arch'. I hummed, and then thought of what a Liquid Light in an Arch would make, then chuckled, writing 'Rainbow' in the blank.

Once I'd finished them all, I handed the test back to the tall man that smelled of Demigod. "Your Turkish is a bit too formal. Difficult for a child to understand." I told him, and he nodded slowly.

"Indeed. But you did well, with only a few mistakes, and so I applaud you. Here's the next one, if you'd like to continue taking tests." He handed me another sheaf of papers.

I sighed and took it, answering all the questions where I stood, then handed it back. "This is very basic addition and subtraction, I don't know any dragon that couldn't do this." I sighed.

He blinked slowly. "A dragon that doesn't know Latin... ahhh, a Turkish Drakon, that makes sense! Then here, equations more at your speed." He typed up another set of pages impossibly fast, and handed it to me as it came out of the printer.

I was mystified by the first page, and hummed, taking it to my seat.

I used my scratch paper for the first time, and started attempting the problem.

2(4y+1) = 3y

I hummed. 'I think the equal sign means I have to make them the same... okay, so first I have to add and multiply all I can... 2 of whatever is inside the lines, means 8 of the Y, and 2 extra... maybe...'

8y+2=3y

'Okay, well, the Y means there's three and eight of some unknown quantity... so I have to get them alone, separated from the regular numbers, like the weak sheep.'

8y-3y+2=0
5y+2=0
5y=-2

I hummed, stumped finally. 'How do I find out what that number is? This is simply nonsense!' I growled at the test, uselessly. It was inanimate, and therefore couldn't be intimidated.

I looked at a different part of the page, and hummed at the small practice problem I'd ignored on accident. 'Hmm... so I divide both sides by the same number?'

Y=-2/5

I hummed and tested it, placing -2/5 in for y, and found it to be correct. I smirked and continued the test, answering all of those questions easily, now that I'd learned the trick.

I hit a new type of question, and was confused as to what it was asking for.

(3x+8)^2
49= ————
X^2

I hummed, and then nodded slowly. 'Okay so this is a division in progress, I guess, but I have to balance it anyway?...'

9x^2+64
49= —————
X^2

'Well, these (square's) are annoying, is there a way to get rid of them? What do they even-... oh.' I stared at the practice problem. 'Maybe I should just actually read these practice problems...'

3x + 8
7 = —————
X
7x= 3x+8
4x=8
X=2

I checked the work swiftly, and then nodded, moving on.

I reached the end of that test, and handed it in, just as a loud, extremely irritating alarm was rang.

I grew my claws, my spine sharpening slightly, and the Demigod hummed. "The bell is rung every Hour, to assist you in knowing when your classes have ended." He said simply.

I shivered and fixed my form back to human. "Irritating." I said simply.

He nodded. "Indeed... hmm... top marks for your grade level, I approve, though there is room for improvement... Next we'll move on to personality and specialty tests to figure out what you're especially good at."

I nodded and sat down at the seat in front of him, prompting miss Lilly to grab my bag, and move next to me again.

The personality test was simply a lot of irrational and circumstantial scenarios, and my responses to them, which I found boring, but I began to suffer through it.

---

I sighed and glared at the Demigod as he placed yet another test in front of me.

"Last one, I promise." He smiled, and sat back down.

I sighed and opened it, pausing at the picture of a list of materials, and the physical properties of these 'elements'.

I hummed and turned the page, intrigued. 'What the hell is all this? I've never seen it before...' I hummed, then looked up. "I have absolutely no idea what this is, but I want to learn."

He chuckled and nodded. "Alright. Take that home with you, then, and I'll make up your schedule... you'll have 6 different classes, with two teachers, interposed on the first and sixth classes." He began muttering to himself, and nodding slowly, before printing out a short card, and handing it to me.

'Home room,
Chemistry,
Art,
Neo-Physics,
Algebra,
Music.'

I hummed. "What is Neo-Physics?"

"The study of basic natural laws, tweaked for a Magical Influence. It also includes basic history on the use of magic to attempt to control those forces throughout time." He nodded.

I hummed. "Sounds suspicious... but whatever. Where do I go to eat? It's nearly noon."

He laughed, and looked at the woman next to him. "It is time for lunch, yes, I think, but today was a B.Y.O.L. day... hmm... aha! Take him to the culinary building, they'll be happy for a taste-tester for the rest of the day."

I tilted my head. "Culinary?"

"It's where people learn how to cook." Miss Lilly said simply.

I hummed. "Why can't Miss Lilly come with me?"

"It's my joy to get you to and from school, little one, but I have to leave once Home Room is over, those are the rules. I stayed extra today because of the tests. I have to go now okay? I'll be back when it's time for the bus home." She smiled and pet my hair.

I grumbled and hugged her, then turned away to show my displeasure. (Turning your back on a mother Dragon usually whips them with your tail, hence it being used to voice annoyance.)

She giggled and pet my hair again, walking out of the room.

I grumbled some more and electrocuted my hair in annoyance, making it all stand on end.

The elderly woman laughed softly and fixed it gently, ignoring the static, brushing it all backwards. She smelled of dragon, if faintly, like she lived with one.

I submitted to her attentions, crossing my arms as I'd seen some humans do when they were angry, and she giggled, poking my nose. "Oh stop that, she's just following the rules. You'll see her in a few hours."

I huffed and picked up my bag, checking that everything was there.

She smiled and held out a hand. "Want to come with me to go get some food?" She asked.

I hummed at the thought of meat. "Hmm... fine. I'll allow you to feed me."

She giggled and gripped my hand gently, walking out of the empty testing hall and across a large expanse of grass, shaded by trees. "Ooh! Very nice! I could stretch out here!" I grinned.

She hummed, raising an eyebrow. "I suppose you could, yes, and with the teacher's permission, I'm sure something could be arranged. This school is about half-filled with demi-human students, so we're very accommodating."

"Demi-humans? What are-... Ahh, Hybrids." I nodded.

She smiled. "Yes. Hybrids. My grandchildren amongst them. I suppose you might get along with them, because they're dragons."

"Can they shift?" I asked, curious.

"No, they are only a quarter dragon, from my husband." She shook her head.

"Then they aren't Dragons. If they can't shift, but they have dragon blood, then they are Dragonborn. Very big difference, to us." I explained simply.

She hummed. "I see. Dragonborn, you say? Is that a Sub-Species of Drake, like the Drakon's and Hydra?"

"No, it's just a term for humans with dragon blood. Papa says that Dragonborn used to be mankind's greatest and most powerful dragon Slayers, only second to the Demonborn, and they used to try to drive all the different Lumina races extinct." I explained again.

She blinked slowly. "Oh! That's a bit of a doozy, eh? Not a history fact that a child should learn so young. Much too violent."

"Violent? That's not violent at all. Now the story of the legendary Hoard of Damascus, and their slaughter at the hands of Pyrene the Amazonian Green Drakon, avenging her murdered children, now that is violent. The ground outside of the city is still a marsh, watered and cursed by the Blood of the Hoard. I've been there, papa told me the story when I was 4. It was really smelly, cause the blood is all rotted and old and nasty." I grinned.

She turned a bit green. "Oh. Okay... let's not tell those types of stories around other children, okay?"

I nodded seriously. "True, dragon-kin lore should stay between dragon-kin... thank you for reminding me."

She sighed in relief. "Yes, of course."

We entered a building that smelled overpoweringly of spices, and I hummed, sorting through all of them mentally, enjoying the challenge.

We found a room that was filled with older students, around Maximus's age, or close, and the elderly woman spoke to the teacher swiftly.

The tall, yet somehow also fat, man grinned. "BRAVO, STUDENTS!!! WE HAVE GAINED A TASTER!!!" He boomed out of his giant chest.

I hummed. "Giant Blood. I understand now. All Giants are gourmet's."

He grinned. "Very true, boy! Now! We are cooking mini Lamb-chops and chef salads. Sit here, and prepare to critique!" He patted a tall stool next to where he was standing.

I hummed and leapt up, bouncing clear of my own height, and landed on the stood perfectly.

He grinned and nodded. "And perfect timing! First group, bring forth your offering to the Gentle Giant and Ravenous Dragon Child!" He proclaimed grandly.

I chuckled as the first set of people brought forward three plates, setting two in front of me and the giant, and keeping the Third.

I took up the utensils, and then set them down, picking up one of the three tiny lamb chops by the bone end, and popped the entire thing into my mouth.

I chewed slowly, tasting everything together, then crunched the bone as well, finally swallowing.

The giant grinned at me, having done much the same, though he pulled the bone out, instead of eating it. "How'd that taste?" He askeda.

"Hmm... I feel like they relied on that yellow Spice too much. It was a little on the Sweet Side, whereas if they'd used that red Spice, maybe it would've had more heat, which is good, in my opinion. I don't like sweet meat. Meat should be Spicy, Fruit is Sweet." I nodded, and ate the other two chops, lightning quick.

He nodded. "Indeed. Too much Turmeric, not enough Cayenne. C-, Group A. Try to impress me next time." He said coldly, gazing at the people.

They blushed and took their plate towards their cooking station, and I sniffed the leaves. "Why are there leaves on this plate?" I asked him.

"Lettuce. I don't have much patience for it either, myself. Mostly water." He shrugged.

I nodded and ate it swiftly, humming at the taste. "Interesting... it tastes like the Lamb Fat that cooked off was placed in the leaves for a sauce of some sort... very eatable..." I hummed.

He blinked and tasted his own. "Oh? So they did... solid, then." He nodded and someone reached for my plate.

The giant grabbed the man's wrist before I bit him. "Taking something from a dragon... is never wise." He said softly, and I finished my 'lettuce', then handed the frozen man my plate.

The next group came up with their offerings, and I grinned when I smelled dragon on one of them.

The proportions were more to my size, but I paused. "Weren't they supposed to be 'mini'?" I asked.

He nodded. "Indeed. Negative points. Bad start..."

I bit into the meat, and grinned, slowly pulling away as the meat ripped off the bone. I pulled it all into my mouth swiftly, and then groaned, chewing slowly to enjoy it. "So Tender... and spicy... not the red Spice... something else?"

One of them spoke. "It's ground Jalapeño seeds, mixed with Cayenne and Roasted Paprika. My Garam Masala."

I blinked at the unfamiliar words, and looked at the giant. He nodded. "Interesting mix of spices... and this Lamb is well-roasted, very tender, without being mushy... but the size is clearly not what you were assigned..."

I tried the lettuce, and hummed. "Is it that common, to use the fat as a sauce?"

"Yes, and they smothered the lettuce, instead of adding flavor. I say C-, because of how well-cooked. If it had been the correct size, it would have been a B+." He shrugged, and placed his two extra lamb chops on my plate.

I grinned and scarfed all four down, setting the bones aside for after, then giving the plate to the man who seemed to be in charge of that.

He reached for the bones, and my soft snarl had him quickly retreating, as the next group came forward.

---

I groaned gently, content. "Perfect..." I sighed, chewing on a bone slowly.

The Giant chuckled. "Indeed. I am Chef Ian Monroe. And you are?"

"I am Raymond Regales Aurelius. I would like to apply for the position of judge every day from here to the end of the year." I grinned.

He chuckled. "I think I'll accept. You will have a class with me, then... at this time, which should be Sixth Hour. What's that replace?"

"Music." I shrugged.

He nodded. "Ahh. Good. I'll see you tomorrow, then. But be warned, you'll be working, to, not just tasting."

I laughed softly. "I'll earn my food, don't worry."