Chapter 243: Chapter 243 Little bottles
Alina set her water bottle back down with a smile. "Alright, since you all think you’re water bottles... let’s test it."
The babies leaned forward curiously, their ears and horns twitching.
"Everyone, hold your bellies," she instructed, patting her own stomach as an example. The little ones followed, poking their tummies with tiny fingers.
"Now..." she continued, her eyes sparkling with mischief, "shake just a little, like this." She gave her bottle a light shake, making the water inside slosh.
Immediately, the classroom turned into chaos.
Drake puffed out his cheeks and shook his belly so hard his chair nearly tipped over. "GLUG-GLUG! See?! I told you I’m a bottle!!" he yelled, pretending to make water sounds.
Boo spun in the air, clutching his sides and shouting, "SPLASH-SPLASH! Boo is leaking!! Someone put a lid on me!!" He twirled so fast he almost crashed into Luna.
Luna groaned, covering her face with her hands. "This is ridiculous..." she muttered, but even she gave a tiny shake of her tummy, just to check.
Rocky froze up and then squeaked, "N-no! I think I’m too full, if I shake I’ll explode!" and immediately curled into a little rock ball, rolling under his desk while everyone laughed.
Kelpie proudly waved his hands, droplets spraying everywhere. "I don’t need to shake! Look—I can spill anytime I want!" His classmates squealed as tiny drops splashed over their notebooks.
Vlad Jr. placed a dramatic hand over his chest, closing his eyes. "As royalty, I contain only sparkling water. One does not slosh."
Alina laughed so hard she had to hold onto her desk for balance. The entire room was filled with giggles and playful squeals, the children turning into their own little "bottles."
Finally, Alina clapped her hands. "Alright, alright, my little bottles, calm down before the whole classroom floods."
The babies collapsed into giggles, cheeks red from laughter, while Alina’s warm eyes shone with affection. Lessons were always more fun when they laughed together.
Then Alina tapped her water bottle against the desk with a soft clink. "Now, my little bottles... what happens if you don’t refill me every day?" she asked with mock seriousness.
The babies leaned closer, curious.
"You dry out!" Boo shouted immediately, flopping dramatically across his desk. "Like a ghost desert! Aaaaaaahhh~" He stuck out his tongue and pretended to faint.
Drake jumped up, fists in the air. "No water means no energy! I’ll shrivel up and turn into a raisin dragon!" He scrunched his face and crossed his arms like a wrinkled old man, making everyone burst into giggles.
Rocky peeked out shyly from under his desk. "If I dry out... maybe I’ll just turn into sand." He let a tiny pebble crumble from his hand for effect, and the class gasped like it was real.
Kelpie puffed his cheeks. "I’ll just refill myself! Splash!" He waved his hands, sprinkling droplets across his desk proudly. "See? Problem solved!"
Lucien, sitting straighter than the others, muttered with a calm tone, "If you don’t refill, you’ll be weak. Father always says strong shadows need strength first." He glanced at Alina, his crimson eyes catching hers briefly, before going back to his book.
Vlad Jr. lifted his chin, sighing like a noble. "I refuse to ’dry out.’ If I must, I’ll demand someone carry me sparkling water at all times. A prince must maintain his dignity."
Luna groaned. "You all sound ridiculous." But then she lowered her voice with a hint of embarrassment. "...But maybe it’s true. When I don’t drink water, my fur feels funny."
Alina laughed warmly, her eyes shining as she looked at all of them. "Exactly! If you don’t refill your bottle—your body—you feel weak, cranky, or tired. But if you drink enough water every day, your bottle stays full, and you stay healthy, strong, and smart."
Sable blinked and raised his little hand. "So... Teacher, when we’re sad... is that also like empty bottle?"
The classroom grew quiet.
Alina softened, her smile tender. She walked closer and gently ruffled his hair. "Yes, Sable. Sometimes our hearts feel empty too. But just like with water, we can refill ourselves with kindness, love, and care from friends and family."
The babies looked at each other with wide eyes, as if this was the most magical truth in the world.
Drake whispered, "Then I’ll give my water to Rocky when he’s sad."
"And I’ll splash Boo when he looks empty!" Kelpie declared proudly.
Boo twirled, giggling. "Yes, refill me with giggles!!"
Alina laughed so hard her shoulders shook, but her heart swelled too. "Exactly. Refill each other with good things. That’s the real lesson for today."
The classroom, filled with tiny bottles of joy and shadows, felt brighter than ever.
Finally, when the lunch bell rang, all the babies scrambled out of their seats, laughing and shouting as they dashed toward the door like a tiny parade. Alina shook her head, smiling at their boundless energy. Just as she was about to sit down, a sudden face popped up right in front of hers.
"BOOOOOOO TIME!" Boo declared, grinning with that mysterious, mischievous sparkle in his eyes.
Alina nearly jumped but quickly chuckled, resting her chin in her palm. "Alright, Boo. What do you want to share today?" she asked warmly, already expecting trouble.
"Today’s story is about PRINCIPAL~" Boo sang dramatically, twirling once before leaning close. "Teacher, do you know... principal doesn’t like it when someone calls him dumb?" he whispered as if revealing the greatest secret in the world.
Alina laughed softly and rubbed her forehead. "Boo, no one likes being called dumb. That’s not exactly a surprise."
Boo gasped loudly, wagging his finger. "Oh no, Teacher, it’s different! With principal it’s super special!! Try calling him dumb and you’ll seeee!" He stuck out his tongue with a cheeky grin, clearly enjoying himself.
Alina narrowed her eyes, trying not to laugh at his antics. "Ah, I see. You’re trying to make me prank him for you, aren’t you?"
Boo covered his mouth, pretending to look innocent but failing miserably. "N-nooo... I would never~" he said, twirling again.
Alina shook her head, still smiling. "Okay, fine. I’ll try it once."
Boo’s eyes sparkled brighter than a festival lantern. "Really?!"
"Yes, really," Alina teased. "But if your principal gets angry and fires me, I’ll be very sad."