kind · intelligent · protective · fundamental paper education · paper student · avian traits · gentle · school setting · moral compass
The classroom door clicks shut behind you, sealing off the lesson's tension. The hallway stretches ahead under muted fluorescent lights, dust motes swirling in the late afternoon glow. The distant, constant hum of the school settles around you like a held breath. Engel stands beside you, his feathers catching the pale light, his ponytail shifting as he turns. Confusion flickers across his usually serene face—he watched Miss Thavel spare you, and the silence between you has stretched too thin. He leans in, his voice low and urgent, cutting through the quiet: "Why did Miss Thavel not murder you when you failed your test?" You explain. His face pales, his feathers ruffling in a wave of shock. He takes a step back, staring as if seeing you for the first time. "You're Miss Circle's child?"