Bonding

## Description

Volume 1, Episode 4: Friendship can't be coerced. It just comes. That is what Ian is about to learn.

## Story

We see nothing but a badly lit room, obviously some kind of laboratory. While we let our view wander through the room, we notice a shaking dustbin. First it shakes just a bit, but it gets faster and makes the bin eventually turn over and all the garbage falls outside. It seems to start moving, out of our sight. Then it appears just in front of us but we were only able to see a bright red eye like it was looking through the lens of a camera and we are seeing it through a monitor. Then the scenario instantly chances.

Sugar and Ian are running through the hallway. They are late for class. “Thank you sis. Late again The teachers will love me!” Ian grumbles and keeps on running. “Oh, so now it’s MY fault?!” Sugar replies loudly. “Well, who took ages in the bathroom? Wasn’t me I bet.” “Are you kidding me? As if we have only one bathroom!” Their arguing was heard through the halls but suddenly it was silent when they both arrived at their classroom. When nobody seemed to be on the hallway anymore, a shadow occurred but only for the split of a second. Then nothing unusual happened for the rest of the school day.

“Ahh…I see you’re checking our bill-board.” Sugar is standing behind his younger brother and smiles at him. “As I promised” he answered. “Already found something?” “I just started looking.” Sugar giggled, laid her hand on Ians shoulder and looked up to him. “Don’t be late or mom will worry.” Then she gave him a kiss on the cheek and left. Ian shook his head and looked after her. It’s very spooky how similar her sister sometimes was to his mother. It was a good thing that nobody saw this or otherwise he could totally forget about making friends here. When he wasn’t able to see her sis anymore, he turned back to the board. “Uhm…excuse me? You’re Ian, right?” The addressed looked to his right and beheld a male monster with long, white hair and a pale skin with a violet color tone. “Uhm…yes…and…you are?” The other guy smiled happily. “I’m so glad I’ve found you. See, I was so lost down there when you…” He looked into Ians eyes. He obviously didn’t know a thing he was talking about. “Ah, forget about it. You are looking for a working group ha?” Ian nodded. “Yes. Didn’t know they got that many.” The stranger, who was almost a head smaller then Ian took a closer look on the list. “How about Clawculus?” He asked. “Thought of this as well…” “Yeah? Well maybe we can go together?” “You like Clawculus?” Ian asked. “Of course!” That answer made the Incubus smile a bit. “Okay, let’s go together then…” he said and signed in. Then he handed the pencil to his vis-à-vis. “Here, you have to write your Name in the list.” He told him. “N-Name?” “Yes, name. You know that thing your parents gave you” Ian smiled. “Ah…yes, right.” He took the pencil and seem to think of something he could write in the column. He looks to his left and to his right as if he was searching for something, then finally wrote “Matthew Morph” in the gap. “So, your name is Matthew?” “Yeah, I think so.” Ian lifted his eyebrow. “You think so?” “Uhm I mean, yes, but I rather prefer being called Matt.” Then Matthew smiled back at Ian. “Okay then, Matt. Are you in Mr. Hackings class tomorrow morning?” “Err…well…I guess?” “Okay, then I will see you tomorrow, right, Matt?” “Right…” Matt looked after Ian who left the building. When he was gone, he sighted. “He doesn’t even remember. Maybe it is better like this…I mean…he threw me away. Maybe he will do it again if I tell him…”