The days leading up to the Novice Tamer Challenge were a blur of frantic juggling. Mia was no stranger to multitasking, but the sheer magnitude of her responsibilities was proving to be a new level of challenge. Her mornings were consumed with her job as an elementary school teacher—her students were as excitable as ever, and the beast safety lessons were getting more creative by the day. One student had started drawing "do's and don'ts" on his slate, with stick-figure depictions of beasts biting, hugging, and occasionally playing the flute. Meanwhile, Mia had become a reluctant celebrity in the classroom, as the kids couldn't stop talking about the upcoming competition. The phrase "Miss Greaves is going to the Beast Tamer Tournament!" had been repeated so many times, it had become the classroom's unofficial slogan. They were excited, and Mia knew that she had to show them what it meant to work hard and have fun. But she also knew that she needed to step up her own training if she was going to survive the tournament—much less compete.
It was an exhausting balance. The school day ended, but Mia rarely had the luxury of free time. She spent her evenings practicing with her beasts, running through the motions of the obstacle course in her tiny apartment. Nut Nut Brawler had quickly taken to his role as a personal trainer, barking out commands and creating impromptu drills using random household items—like chairs and pillows that transformed into makeshift hurdles. "Flex! Run! Dodge! Balance!" Nut would shout. "You're not just a tamer! You're a beast flexing machine!" Mia would roll her eyes, but it was hard not to get swept up in his enthusiasm.
Professor Hootsworth, meanwhile, was the voice of reason and the harshest critic. "That was an abomination of grace," he would say after Mia's third attempt at an evasive roll. "You're supposed to land on your feet, not your face."Mia grunted, wiping the floor off her cheek. "Next time, I'll try to aim for my knees instead."Professor Hootsworth, perched on her shoulder, gave a dry caw. "I'm glad we agree on the definition of 'improvement.'"
Most nights, after dinner and practice, Mia would collapse into bed with a sore body and a mind buzzing with her growing list of things to do. She wasn't just training her beasts and preparing herself for the competition; she still had a classroom full of kids to care for, lesson plans to prepare, and the constant, ever-present pressure of living up to the expectations placed on her. The other teachers at the school were supportive but busy, leaving Mia with no real downtime. She didn't mind—mostly. She loved her job. But balancing her responsibilities was starting to feel like taming a particularly unruly phoenix. Some days, everything felt like it could go up in flames. "I think I can handle this," Mia would murmur to herself during her short, caffeine-fueled study sessions, flipping through Lina's old notes, "as long as I don't burn out first."
By Friday afternoon, Mia was starting to see some improvements. Nut had finally learned to stop using his tail to knock over chairs during training, and Hootsworth had perfected a long-distance "mental signal" trick where he could command Mia's movements from across the room. The owl would squawk from his perch, and Mia would spin around in an exaggerated motion, all in perfect sync with his commands. She had no idea how he was doing it, but the little bursts of telepathy made her feel like she was unlocking some secret part of her connection to her beasts. She was starting to feel it—the way the threads of her spiritual energy and the beasts' energy were interwoven, pulling together. Slowly but surely, her connection to them was strengthening. But there was still so much to do.
The competition was now only days away, and the stress was starting to show. Mia would wake up earlier and earlier to fit in extra training. Her students, who were keenly aware of her commitment, had begun to rally behind her, drawing pictures of her in an armor suit with an oversized owl and a squirrel at her side. Each one had written encouraging notes on the back: "Good luck, Miss Greaves!" "You're gonna win!" "Go get 'em, Coach!" Their enthusiasm was heartwarming, but it also made her feel like she couldn't possibly let them down.
On the morning of the competition, she stood in front of the mirror, adjusting her uniform one last time. Her teacher's garb was practical but didn't exactly scream "competition-ready." It was made of sturdy cloth with reinforced areas for beast-holding pouches, but today, Mia had added a small, silver badge to the side of her coat that read: "#1 Teacher." She'd received it from one of her students during their last class before the break, and it made her smile. "I guess I'm number one in someone's eyes," she muttered, shaking her head and adjusting the badge slightly. "Alright, Nut. Hootsworth. Ready to show the kids what we've got?"Nut, who was dressed in an absolutely ridiculous training vest, bounced up and down enthusiastically. "We've got this! We've got this! We're ready to flex! Show them the power of the squirrel flex!"Hootsworth ruffled his feathers. "Show them dignity, please. And aim for more grace, if possible.""Yes, Professor," Mia said, winking. "Grace. Got it."
The Windmere District Arena was massive, a sprawling field surrounded by bleachers. It had been transformed into a mini obstacle course, with winding paths, platforms, and beast-holding enclosures. Mia could hear the distant chatter of tamers and spectators, and she couldn't help but feel a little intimidated. The energy in the air was palpable—competitive, but also full of excitement. She could see other tamers getting ready, many of them stretching or practicing commands with their beasts. Mia took a deep breath and tried to calm her nerves. "It's just like one of my training sessions," she said, though she wasn't sure if she believed it herself. She was starting to feel like a fish in a pond of sharks.
She made her way to the registration table, where a few of the younger participants were already gathering. A tall boy in a red jacket turned to her and gave her an awkward smile. "You're Miss Greaves, right? The teacher?""That's me," Mia said, offering him a tight smile. "And you are…?""Uh, Elias," he said. "Elias Lark. I've been taming since I was sixteen.""Ah, just a baby," Mia said with a playful wink. "I've only been at it for… a little over a week."She wasn't sure why, but his eyes widened. "Oh… okay. Cool. Well, good luck.""You too." She gave him a thumbs-up, feeling a little awkward. She wasn't sure if her attempt at humor had worked or if she had just aged herself by a decade in his eyes.
The first round began soon after, with the tamers lining up to take on the obstacle course. Mia's heart raced as the first competitor completed the course flawlessly, his wolf beast leaping gracefully over each barrier. Mia tightened her grip on Nut's harness and looked at Hootsworth. "Alright. Let's give it everything we've got. We may be small, but we're mighty.""And flexible," Nut added with a grin. "Flexibility is key!"
The buzzer sounded, signaling the start of their turn. Mia took a deep breath and surged forward, her beasts following behind her with coordinated precision. This wasn't just a challenge for them—it was her time to prove that age didn't matter. Experience, heart, and a little bit of humor could win the day. She had no idea if they were going to win, but she was determined to give it her all.