PYROKINESIS

The Dragon in the Library

The next day passed almost normally… at least at first.

After a few classes, Pyra leaned toward Lena and Aria during lunch.

“Alright,” she whispered. “Operation Get-the-book-before-the-principal-finds-it starts now.”

Aria nodded nervously.

“I still think this is a terrible idea.”

Lena grinned.

“That’s why it’s fun.”

The three girls quietly slipped out of the cafeteria and moved down the hallway toward the principal’s office.

Pyra carefully pushed the door open.

“Clear,” she whispered.

They stepped inside quickly.

Lena rushed to the desk and started searching through the files. Aria stood near the door as lookout.

“Come on… come on…” Lena muttered while flipping through papers.

Then—

“Got it!”

She lifted the magazine triumphantly.

The cover read PRINCESS PYRA – THE LOST PRINCESS.

Pyra snatched it immediately.

“Yes!” she whispered excitedly. “Mission accomplished.”

The three girls started celebrating quietly.

But at that exact moment—

The door opened.

The principal stepped inside.

All three girls froze.

Pyra slowly turned.

“Oh… hey…” she said awkwardly. “I thought you stayed in your leisure room for like fifteen minutes.”

The principal crossed his arms.

“I had that time changed.”

He looked at them sternly.

“And you girls are definitely going for detention.”

“Ughhh!” all three groaned together.

---

Later – Library Detention

Their punishment was simple.

Clean the library for two hours.

Pyra pushed a cart of books while grumbling.

“This is all your fault,” she told Lena.

“My fault?” Lena replied. “You were the one celebrating.”

Aria shrugged.

“At least we’re not expelled.”

Two long hours later, they were finally finishing up.

“Alright,” Pyra said, stretching. “Let’s get out of here before anything else weird happens.”

But just as they were about to leave—

They heard something.

ROOOOAR!

Books suddenly crashed to the floor.

Shelves rattled violently.

The girls froze.

“Did you hear that?” Aria whispered.

Another loud THUMP echoed across the library.

Slowly, they walked toward the corner where the noise came from.

They peeked around the shelf—

And froze in shock.

There, in the middle of the library…

was a small red dragon.

A cute teenage dragon.

It was jumping around happily, knocking books off shelves and tossing them into the air like toys.

Lena smiled and waved.

“Hello.”

Pyra grabbed her arm immediately.

“Lena…”

She whispered urgently.

“That’s an actual dragon.”

Aria shrugged calmly.

“I’ve seen enough today not to be afraid anymore.”

She waved.

“Hello, Dragi.”

The dragon turned its head and looked at them curiously.

Pyra slowly stepped back.

“Guys… this is not a movie.”

She pointed nervously.

“This is real life.”

“My best suggestion is that we run out of here before it catches us.”

Lena shook her head calmly.

“Relax.”

Aria looked at the dragon again.

“What’s it doing here?”

Lena shrugged.

“I don’t know.”

Suddenly—

The dragon spotted Pyra.

Its eyes lit up.

Then it jumped straight toward her.

Pyra screamed.

“HELP ME!!”

She fell backward as the dragon landed on top of her.

“I want to see my 16th birthday! I want to get married! I’m not dying like this!”

But Lena and Aria were laughing.

Pyra slowly opened one eye.

The dragon wasn’t attacking.

It was licking her face excitedly.

Lena wiped tears from laughing.

“Looks like she likes you.”

Aria blinked.

“She?”

Lena nodded.

“I took classes about dragons.”

She pointed.

“This one is female… and probably about sixteen years old.”

Pyra pushed the dragon away and wiped her face.

“Ew! I’m going to need a whole bath.”

Then Lena noticed something.

She grabbed the dragon’s paw.

“Wait…”

There was a symbol printed on it.

The Ember Kingdom royal crest.

Lena gasped.

“Of course!”

Pyra frowned.

“What?”

“This is the royal dragon from Ember Kingdom.”

She pointed at the dragon.

“Her name is Pyrester.”

Pyra blinked.

“Why does it sound like that name was cut from mine?”

Lena laughed.

“Because it was.”

“You and the dragon were born at the same time.”

Pyra stared.

“The dragon is yours.”

“She protects you.”

“And her mother belongs to your mother.”

Pyra snorted.

“So she’s basically the dragon version of me?”

She crossed her arms.

“Oh how terrific.”

Aria looked amazed.

“This is incredible.”

Suddenly the dragon started running around the library again.

Lena’s expression changed.

“If your dragon is here… it means she escaped to protect you from danger.”

Pyra sighed.

“Well… couldn’t she have come to my house instead of school?”

Aria pointed.

“Look how you freaked out when she appeared here.”

“If she appeared in your bedroom, what would you have done?”

Pyra shrugged.

“Probably burn it.”

Lena shook her head.

“You can’t.”

“Pyrester’s skin was born resistant to your fire.”

“She’s the only dragon with that ability.”

“That’s what makes her special.”

Pyra rolled her eyes.

“Oh trust me… I can tell.”

Suddenly Aria looked around nervously.

“Guys…”

“Where’s Pyrester?”

Lena gasped.

“Oh no.”

Pyra groaned.

“This is why you don’t bring magical creatures to school.”

They rushed around the library searching.

Finally they spotted the dragon hiding behind some shelves near a group of students.

But the students couldn’t see her.

Lena whispered.

“Don’t forget—she’s playful.”

Pyra sighed.

“Oh great… why?”

“Because you’re playful,” Lena replied. “She has some of your personality.”

“Ugh!”

They walked toward the students.

Behind them, Pyra grabbed the dragon quietly.

The dragon thought they were playing and started wiggling happily.

Meanwhile Lena and Aria distracted the students.

But suddenly one boy started turning around.

Aria panicked.

Without thinking—

She grabbed him and gave him a long kiss.

Pyra and Lena stared in shock.

The boy blinked, completely stunned.

Then he smiled happily and walked away with the others.

Lena looked at Aria.

“A kiss?”

“Really? That was your cover?”

Aria shrugged awkwardly.

“I didn’t know what else to do!”

Pyra struggled with the dragon.

“Can you two discuss this later and HELP ME?!”

They finally dragged Pyrester back into the library.

They wrapped chains around her hands and legs and locked them.

The dragon happily wagged her tail, thinking it was a game.

Pyra patted her head.

“Stay here until we find a safe place for you.”

The girls stepped away and started discussing where to hide her.

Suddenly Aria frowned.

“Why am I always the one noticing bad things?”

Pyra looked at her.

“Aria… what is it?”

Aria pointed slowly behind them.

“Is there any chance this dragon can… disappear?”

Lena and Pyra shouted.

“What?!”

They turned.

The chains were still tightly locked.

But the dragon was gone.

Pyra stared in horror.

“Oh no.”

“I just pray she doesn’t enter my classroom.”

Aria shouted loudly.

“PYRESTER!”

“Oh Pyrester!”

Lena grabbed both their arms.

“She’s not in this library anymore. Let’s go!”

The three girls ran out into the hallway.

Now they had a new mission.

Find Pyrester.

Before the entire school discovered a dragon running around the building.