inventrix

"But then why did she give him to Professor Inazuma?"

The Unofficial Shipper's Club of Doomsday Academy were gathered on the lawn outside the dorms, trying to make sense of the most recent, completely unanticipated developments in one of the most hotly contested 'ships of the school.

"Maybe she was regifting him or something?"

Principal Doomsday, it was known both throughout the school and most of the city of Cloverleaf, Kept a new boy ("young man") every year. He was usually an Addergoole graduate, which most of the school and very little of the city knew. And all but the most unobservant noticed they always fit one of two types: tall and blonde with horns or antlers, or small and dark-haired.

"He was one of the blonde ones!"

The Unofficial Shipper's Club kept a meticulous tally of which was which. When she came back with a blonde one, the Red Lightning faction cheered; a brunet, the Doomsday Law faction looked smug. When she'd come back with the latest - a blonde with a crown of horns - Red Lightning had gleefully marked down a third in a row for their side, and Doomsday Law had sulked.

"Maybe she's tired of blonde."

"No, no, she's got a new boy now and he's blonde too."

The third consistent feature of Cya Red Doomsday's habits was that she always released the boy at the end of the school year, shortly before going and getting a new one. Never sooner; never later.

"Leo-sensei doesn't even want to Keep anyone again. He said so himself!"

Except this year. This year, she'd handed him over to Professor Inazuma. Leofric Lightning-Blade. One half of the 'ship that this year's Kept was supposed to be supporting.

"I guess he changed his mind...?"

"Forget about why; what does it mean?"

The Unofficial Shipper's Club stared at their charts, both halves completely at a loss.