Chapter 242: Chapter 242 Water
Her voice rose playfully at the end, teasing rather than threatening, and the babies froze. Their mouths fell open in unison, eyes widening like she had just spoken the deadliest curse.
Drake gasped, clutching his chest dramatically. "Nooo, Teacher! Anything but that! My tiny dragon hands can’t handle so much writing!"
Boo spun halfway out of his chair, waving both arms like an alarm. "Homework?? That’s like... writing at home! No, no, no! Home is for sleeping, Teacher, not torture!"
Rocky covered his face with both hands, peeking timidly through his fingers. "I-I’ll just... turn into a rock forever... then you can’t make me write..."
Even Luna, who had been trying to look tough, slumped forward with a scowl. "Teacher, you’re cruel," she muttered, her golden brown eyes narrowing. "Pure evil."
Alina chuckled, hiding her laugh behind a delicate cough, her shoulders shaking. "Evil? Me? Oh no, little ones. I’m only reminding you that writing isn’t so scary. But if you all keep acting like this..." she leaned forward, lowering her voice dramatically, "...maybe homework will become real."
The classroom erupted in wails and protests, every baby pleading at once—exactly what she wanted.
Alina folded her arms, still smiling sweetly as she watched them squirm. "Alright then... either you write now, or I’ll start preparing homework packets tonight."
The babies froze like statues. Then, one by one, tiny hands began to move reluctantly toward their bags.
Drake groaned the loudest, dragging his notebook out like it weighed a thousand stones. He slammed it dramatically on his desk. "Fine! But if my wrist falls off, Teacher, you’ll have to carry me forever!" He puffed his cheeks, already looking like he’d lost a great battle.
Boo, meanwhile, twirled once in surrender, clutching his notebook to his chest like a tragic hero. "Boo will write... but only because Teacher’s smile is too scary when she’s evil!" He plopped the book down, grabbed his pencil, and immediately doodled a stick figure crab on the corner.
Luna rolled her eyes, pulling her notebook out neatly and flipping it open with a sharp flick. "Finally. I don’t know why you all act like writing is the end of the world. It’s just words." But even as she said it, her ears twitched angrily.
Vlad Jr. placed his notebook on the desk like it was made of gold, dabbing his mouth with a napkin before picking up his pen. "A prince must endure even cruel trials," he sighed heavily. "Very well. I shall lower myself to this peasantry." His crimson eyes sparkled as if he’d just delivered a tragic poem.
Rocky looked like he might cry, but he slowly pulled out his notebook and whispered, "If... if I get too tired, I’ll just... turn into a rock, and no one will notice..." He peeked at Alina for reassurance, his cheeks pink.
Kelpie pouted as he set his notebook on the desk, droplets of water splashing onto the paper.
Felix, on the other hand, twirled his pencil with sly grace.
Lucien, the calmest of all, quietly set his notebook down and opened it, crimson eyes flicking around the classroom with faint amusement. "You’re all dramatic," he murmured, though his lips curved ever so slightly when he caught Alina’s eyes.
Alina, trying not to laugh, clapped her hands. "See? That wasn’t so hard, was it?"
"Yes, it was!" Drake whined instantly.
"Worst day of Boo’s life!" Boo added, face buried dramatically against his notebook.
"Pure cruelty," Vlad Jr. whispered like he was narrating a tragedy.
Alina chuckled, her voice warm but firm. "Alright, little ones. Open your books. Let’s begin."
Then Alina picked up her own water bottle from the desk and held it high for the babies to see. The clear liquid inside glistened under the light, simple and ordinary, yet magical in its own way.
"See this?" she asked with a playful smile. "This is water. And do you know what? More than half of our bodies are made of this."
Drake’s eyes went wide. He slapped his belly dramatically. "WHAT?! Then if I shake really hard, will I sound like a bottle too?!" He started wiggling in his chair, puffing his cheeks as if waiting to slosh.
Boo gasped so loudly it echoed through the room. He floated closer, eyes sparkling. "That means Boo is a water bottle too?! Quick, quick—shake me and see if I splash!" He twirled in the air, pretending to spill everywhere.
Luna frowned deeply, her little brows furrowing. "If we’re bottles of water... then why don’t we leak when we fall down?" She crossed her arms, suspicion glowing in her golden brown eyes.
Alina laughed softly, crouching down near their desks. "Because, Luna, our bodies are made to keep water safe inside. Without it, we can’t live. It keeps our hearts beating, our muscles strong, even our brains working."
Kelpie’s eyes lit up with pride, droplets sliding from his fingers. "See? I told you! Water is the most important thing. Without me, none of you could survive!" he declared proudly, puffing up like a little king of rivers.
Rocky squeaked and hugged his belly. "Th-then I better not waste mine! What if it all spills out... I’ll just turn into a rock!" His cheeks turned pink as the others giggled.
Vlad Jr. sipped from his tiny blood bottle and raised a brow. "So we are all... walking water bottles. Some of us sparkling." His crimson eyes slid toward Drake with a smirk. "...Some... clearly not."
"HEY! I sparkle too!!" Drake shouted, flapping his little wings furiously.
Felix, with his sly fox grin, leaned back in his chair. "If I’m a bottle, I’ll just evaporate and escape class. Problem solved."
Alina pressed her lips together to hide her laugh. "Felix, you can’t just evaporate. But it’s true—we lose water when we sweat, or even cry. That’s why we must drink plenty every day."
Boo raised his hand dramatically, eyes round. "So if I cry a lot... does that mean I’m sharing water with the world?!"
The whole class erupted in giggles, even Luna had to hide her grin behind her hand.
Alina’s voice softened, her smile warm. "That’s right, Boo. Water is life. It’s inside you, me, and every living thing. So drink well, take care of your body’s water, and you’ll always be healthy."
The babies nodded, though Drake was still poking at his belly as if waiting for the sound of water to slosh inside.