Pantheo High: Enrollment

A Walk with New Friends

As Psyche walked out of the main entrance of the school, she sat down at the steps, propped her elbows on her thighs, and cupped her hands as she exhaled on her palms. In front of her was a lawn of grass, about ten steps wide before it stops into a sidewalk and into a rotunda that leads to a straight, long road. With all the craziness around her, she thought it was great to finally sit down and rest for a while. Psyche laid down the steps like she was in the middle of a grass field, resting her hands on her stomach as she looked up the lavender sky. Only now does it set to her that it's already 6 pm. She got up and as she was about to go look for her bags in the Principal's waiting room, a loud taxi whistle rings from behind. She turns around to see Loki, Bragi, and Rose, waiting for her right on the sidewalk with her luggage in hand and with Rose holding the Shih Tzu. She points to her luggage while slightly squinting.

Psyche: Why do you guys have my luggage?

Bragi shrugs.

Bragi: Ask Mr. Kelpto here.

He elbows Loki's arm. Loki gives her an apologetic smile as he raised his hands up like he was surrendering.

Loki: Look, I saw some really nice clothes here and thought they'd be good for selling online. Sorry.

Bragi sneers at him.

Bragi: You're not.

Loki chuckles.

Loki: Yeah, I'm not.

Psyche does a combination between a sigh and a laugh as she puts her palm up her forehead.

Psyche: Whatever the case, I'm glad you guys got my luggage.

Her eyes widened as she points at Rose and the little white Shih Tzu pup in his hands.

Psyche: Is that?-

Rose solemnly nods.

Psyche walks closer to them and starts petting the little puppy. The Shih Tzu closes its eyes as it started to fall asleep. She then gently took the pup out of Rose's arms and into hers, holding it close to her chest and petting its forehead. She gave the sleeping pup a doting look as she held it in her arms. To her, it was still unbelievable that this was the same puppy that tried to eat everyone in the covered court.

Psyche: How did you find it?

Bragi snorts.

Bragi: Her.

Psyche: What?

Bragi: It's a her. And it wasn't that hard. We just found it walking along the sidewalk and sniffing the ground. I think it was looking for you.

Psyche held the puppy the same way a person would hold a child. As the puppy shadowboxed in the air with its eyes shut like a newborn baby, Psyche can't help but tickle the puppy's stomach. Rose cracks his neck by pressing his fist against his jaw. 

Rose: C'mon. We can name the lil' mutt while we walk.

Psyche, Rose, Bragi, and Loki walk down the street towards their house, with Psyche carrying the dog and her rolling luggage, while the three carry her bags.

Bragi: So, what would your parents say? With you moving in with us?

Psyche: Oh, I haven't told my mom yet. But I'll tell her once I'm done unpacking. I don't think I can tell her that I'm living with three guys, but I might have to explain that to her if she comes to visit.

Loki: I have a potion for that if she comes over.

Rose: IF, they come over. We're not doing that again.

Rose cuts in immediately. Psyche looks at Loki, expecting an answer. 

Loki: Look, we did it before, we could still-

Rose's eyes showed deep fear and agitation as he pulled Loki by the collar.

Rose: I am NOT, wearing a dress, EVER AGAIN.

He lets go of him and does a few brushes on Loki's slightly crumpled shirt. Psyche did a cross between a snort and a restrained giggle.

Psyche: W-why?

Rose hikes his pants up.

Rose: First of all, knee-length skirts are too breezy. Seriously, those anime girls must be freezing down there. Second-

Psyche shakes her head.

Psyche: No no. I meant, why would you wear a dress?  You're not fooling anyone.

Bragi scratches his eyebrow with his index finger as he slightly clenches his teeth.

Bragi: Yeah um, as an experiment, Loki made a potion that can reverse our um, genders.

Psyche's face went red as she tried to control her giggling.

Psyche: And I'm assuming this was voluntary.

Rose glares at Loki as he gave them a sly smile.

Loki: Well, let's just say, we had no other choice.

Bragi: WE, didn't. You, well, I'm sure you had your fun.

Psyche took a deep breath but still busted out giggling, with tears leaving the corners of her eyes and clutching her stomach as they walked.

Psyche: I swear, you guys must've had the craziest adventures.

Bragi: More like close encounters. We almost got eaten by the dog you're holding right now.

Psyche: You mean this dog? 

She gives him a lopsided smile as she held the dog up to Bragi's face. Bragi instinctively waved his body away from the pup as it licked its own nose and gave Bragi a bored expression the 'I could kill you right now, but it's too much work.' face.

Bragi: Please don't.

Rose lightly tapped Psyche's arm with his elbow as they walked.

Rose: You got a name for her yet?

Psyche raises the dog up into the air. 

Psyche: Well, I was thinking... Sunny.

Rose shrugs and puts his hands in his pockets.

Rose: Yup. Sounds about right.

The three all nodded in agreement as they reached the house: a decrepit, old, haunted-looking bungalow with a dead tree on the lawn. The white paint on the wood looked worn-out, showing its fair share of rains and probably, termites. The windows were so dirty and brown, and the roof looked like it was gonna collapse any second, and the cobblestone path the led to the foot of the door was covered in moss, to the point that they looked like clumps of dirt. Psyche sighs as the four of them stared at their house, then looked to their right to see their mailbox: a rusted brown tin rectangle that was stuck to the ground by some kind of long wooden spike. Next to it were a bunch of aged letters that filled the box to the point of some letters sticking out the lid, and most were just at the foot of the mailbox, like a paper anthill.  

Psyche: Hades?

Rose, Bragi, and Loki: Yeah.