She had the ghost help the child and left him to slumber in the bed with the others before she returned to the Lounge and clean up. However, she soon felt something pull her down and she fell ontop of the sofa! Looking down, she found Leona curled up with his head on her lap as she was left speechless.
Looking up, Leona yawned, "Just go to sleep."
She was just ITCHING to sock him right now!
Was her last sleeping attempt not enough to send a message across?!?!
He yawned and quickly fell into a deep slumber much to her surprise. She paused before sighing. He wasn't asleep…
She raised a brow when she noticed a familiar energy outside and smirked. She pulled out an ink brush and, with a swift knee, Leona finally "fell asleep". She then proceeded to draw on his face.
When she was done, she slipped out and went back to her room.
The next morning was met with laughter as Hoshi gave the kids their breakfast at the table. While the other three struggled to hold back their laughter, the others laughed loudly as Cheka pointed out curiously, "Unca? You look funny…"
"You don't say…" Leona grumbled irritably before snatching the wet towel offered to him by Yuu.
"Ahem! A-All right!" Yuu began, "Let's have our breakfast then get to school. Lotus, you stay behind and take care of the kids. You've had your fun. Let's not do this again."
She smirked, "Do it again? What do you mean? You can't really be thinking I was responsible for this!"
"You're face says something else." Jamil grumbled with disdain.
"That said, can you take care of Kalim today, Leona?" She replied, "Unless you want a boy to run into the cafeteria and give you more work, it would be better if you have lunch with Kalim… For a certain person's sanity."
Leona sighed, "Fine."
The others were left in disbelief as she smiled, "Great! Thanks again!"
Jamil whispered to Trey, "Hey, did you hear that?"
"He just accepted her request without any form of compensation…" Azul muttered, "No, wait! Did he just-?!"
"Is it really that crazy?" Grim tilted his head in confusion, "If it's Lotus, Leona is much more reasonable. If only he'd listen to us just as much…"
"You know we can hear you guys." Lotus laughed.
Cheka hummed, "Papa is like that too with Mama…"
Yuu laughed as he saw the other three's stunned face, "I'm afraid this time is different. Anyway, let's hurry!"
"Hold on." She handed Yuu a couple of bamboo pieces, "I've prepared some snacks for Grim in case he gets hungry during break."
"Thanks!" He threw them into his bag as they ate their breakfast.
Cheka picked up broccoli with a grimace and secretly passed it over to his uncle.
"Cheka, I saw that…" Lotus said calmly as she cut up the sunny side egg with her knife and fork.
"Awww…" Cheka pouted, "But broccoli tastes icky."
She raised a brow and sighed, "You too, Leona."
Leona scoffed, "Whatever could you mean?"
"Nothing." She laughed, "Just that I seem to recall only giving Cheka chicken soup and rice. Oh well… I guess Salad is on the menu for dinner tonight."
Leona scoffed but didn't say anything. However, Cheka pouted, "Salad?"
"Not while you're sick." She patted his head and ate the last of her egg, "I'll have to figure something out."
Azul spoke up, "Can I help too?"
Lotus raised a brow, "You didn't figure out the answer still?"
Breakfast was surprisingly much more lively with guests over. She had lost track of time when Ace and Deuce came to pick the two up. Later, she kicked Leona out as well, much to everyone's shock. Slamming the door behind him, she turned to Cheka and patted his head, "Now remember, everyone needs to work before they can eat. Otherwise, you will come back to a place with no food."
"Not even a piece of candy?"
She shook her head, "Not even a piece of candy."
"But I don't work…" Cheka hesitated.
"But you do." She smiled, "You are taught by your teachers, right? That makes you a student. Being a student is a job too. If you study hard when it's time to study and then play when it's time to play, then you are working too. Everyone needs to work to eat."
"Like Unca?"
"Like your uncle." She laughed.
Seeing the interaction between the two and ignoring the flabbergasted expressions of the others, Trey could tell how much she cares for children. Despite not knowing them, she took in mysterious children, fed them, cared for them and then send them to bed. She even educated the Heartslabyul students acting like a teacher and made sure her dormmates were fed. Yet, why was it that she had such a terrifying presence when talking seriously with them? Not to mention, she was also quite selfish and a schemer. But, she was so gentle with children.
"Could it be due to something?" He muttered softly to himself.
"What are you thinking of, Trey?"
He turned around curiously before seeing that it was Lotus and froze, "Wh-what… are you talking about?! I'm not…"
Lotus laughed, "You're a terrible actor. In this situation, you should just admit it."
"Ugh…" he groaned, "How did you find out?"
"Eyes don't change so easily." She smiled, "Unlike the shape of your face, that's the only thing that don't change. Not only that, but I can smell the potion off you three."
"This really isn't a laughing matter." Trey sighed.
"Oh but it is…" she smirked, "For me, of course."
"Of course." He wore a troubled smile, "Then can you give us the antidote?"
"The teacher said to wait for a week, didn't he?" She hummed, "You'll be fine. Besides, it's rare to see our seniors smaller than we are."
"But our dorm duties-"
"I see Cater and the other two will manage… as long as Cater is the one in charge." She smiled and waved her phone, "Besides… I've already notified all of your dorm leaders. I also recall asking a friend in Octavinelle to lend a hand to the twins. In exchange, he'd have a free meal with us for a week. After all, it'd be better to have a meal with people you can trust. Don't you think?"
She hummed this as she turned around and walked away carefree.
"Big brother! I'm hungry…" Cheka ran to her with a pout.
"But we just ate?" She soothed the child with a curious expression before smiling, "All right. I'll grab you another serving, but you have to be good and don't eat things off the bushes or the ground. If you do follow these easy steps, I'll give you something sweet later."
"Really?!" His eyes sparkle, "Can I have it now?!"
"If I give it to you now, the bad bugs in your tummy will hurt you more. Those bad bugs will keep making you feel bad unless you get well soon. Then they'd be gone." She feigned a troubled look.
"BUGS?!" Cheka looked mortified.
Lotus patted his head, "If you be a good boy and eat healthy, then they'll be gone."
"All right! I'll eat lots of healthy food!" He shouted with determination.
"I hope that includes the carrots on your plate next time." She joked.
"Ugh…." He groaned much to her pleasure.
Trey shook his head in disbelief. Who'd have thought she could be so mean under that kind looking face?
Lunch rolled around and then dinner when Leona was dragged in by an annoyed looking hyena beastman. She hummed when she noticed another small yet familiar looking child dangling from his collar and Leona's hand.
"Jack?" She gasped as she covered her mouth in disbelief.
Leona raised a brow, "What you recognize him already?"
"Can you find another beastman with Silver hair and wolf ears and tail?" She managed to reply while hiding her surprised reaction.
Seeing the scrawny little kid in their smallest PE uniform, she was taken back to when they were children. Jack was a growing child who struggled to do tasks such as heavy lifting and often got into fights with trouble making boys. He often looked up to the buff adults and want to be much stronger than them. Thinking about it now, he's certainly grown.
She poked his nose curiously, "So… What happened this time?"
"We don't know." Ruggie replied.
"What?" She looked to them in surprise.
"Yuu and Grim came running to us saying how another student got turned back into a kid. Turns out, it was Jack." Ruggie replied curtly before dumping him in her arms.
However, not long after he did, Jack took a couple sniffs before his ears perked up. He looked around before sniffing her face and cried out in surprise, "Peony!"
She was taken aback! She raised a brow and turned to them seeking answers before receiving an equally confused look. She sighed and placed the child down. Looking at him, she replied, "Jack… How old are you?"
Leona's ear twitched and an unpleasant look came across his face once he heard this. Jack replied innocently, "I'm eight…"
"Oh god…" Ruggie groaned in horror.