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Yǐn Cáng did not slow down until he was back at the Monster Dorm. Even then he simply slowed to a power walk, and strode through the winding corridors and up a set of stairs to his room. It was not until he had actually arrived in his room that he realized he was still holding the box, the rabo that Miss Danny have given to him. It looked mostly the same, but was now slightly crumpled.

He moved across the empty space of his room and set the box on his bed, essentially the only flat surface in his room other than the floor.

And then he stared at it. Several moments passed before it wiggled, as whatever it was inside of it seemed to realize that the trauma of being carried was past. The movement fluttered the simple tag tied to it, and he knelt down to examine it.

"E-Va" he sounded out hesitantly, uncertain of the word. "Ev-Ah? E-Vee-Ah?" He was no closer to deciphering the word, so he simply left it alone for now.

Yǐn Cáng stood and turned away and the box let out a rather demanding "yip!" He looked back, slightly shocked at the rather insistent tone in the noise, and then walked away to head to the cafeteria. Surely he was imagining how demanding that yip had sounded.

The sky outside was just beginning to lighten from complete dark when Yǐn Cáng woke. He stretched before sitting up and yawning, swinging his feet around to get out of bed.

That was when he first noticed the floor.

Bits of brown were strewn all around, as if it had snowed brown flakes in his room. He sat there, staring, until it attacked. The sudden n** at his ankles jolted him into being fully aware, and he jumped out of bed, spinning around to face his attacker. Twin golden orbs stared back at him, before emerging from underneath the bed. The rabo swished her three tails, before sitting down, looking as if she had done absolutely nothing wrong, and giving him a rather haughty look, daring him to yell at her.

His first instinct, unfortunately for her, was not to yell, but rather to grab. She was already in his overly large hands before she could move, and she yapped in protest at the sudden treatment. She was already halfway to his mouth before her scent fully hit him.

Rabo?

He put her on the bed and watched her warily. "Ev-Ah?" he questioned as she glowered at him. She made no other move, so he tried again. "E-Va?" This time the name was met with a c**k of her head and a paw raising toward him. So that is how I say that. Still, what do I do with it. He studied her closely, eyeing the little ball of fluff and tails. Miss Danny would probably be upset if I ate her and Ren believed that minipets were very useful. Perhaps I should keep her.

Eva grew tired of waiting for him, and let out a short and demanding yip, raising up on her back legs and holding out her forepaws, a clear sign that she wanted to be picked up. "You are not a princess, Eva," he scolded, and at that she began yipping excitedly. Before he had fully processed what was happening she was off the bed and at his feet, curling around them happily and letting out a strange purring noise, not minding if she actually stepped on his feet or not.

"Eva," he tried again, trying to get used to the name. Just as abruptly as she had started purring she let out a short, angry bark and bit his ankle. "Stop that Eva," he scolded, patience wearing thin despite the fact that he had just become aware of her a scant couple of moments before.

She bit him again.

"If you are going to stay here Eva," *n*** "you are going to have to stop behaving so badly. Eva," *bite* "ow stop that right now Eva!" *chew* "That is not lady-like behavior! I thought you were supposed to be a little princess, Eva." "Yip! Yip yip yip!" "Princess...Eva?" *purr* "Really now? Princess Eva?"

Princess Eva gazed up at him, her large golden eyes glinting in the dim light. Finally, he understood.

When her boil finally made it back to the room he had been in his insect-like form. Eva had fussed at him a bit, but it was evident that he was not his usual self. She had even needed to go back to nudge the door of the room shut, concerned.

From there he had proceeded to cycle through remaining completely still to trying to shrug off his pelt. It was rather bizarre, and when she was not washing her front paws meticulously, sleeping, or otherwise preoccupied she watched him curiously. This was new to her, and what was even more peculiar was that her dinner was not showing up in her bowl at the regular intervals she was accustomed to, no matter how often she demanded to be fed.

Finally, with one last distasteful look she had but one option left, and she grudgingly accepted that fact. She would have to provide her own dinner. It was awful to think that she had sunk so low as to have to hunt for her own meals, but her servant was otherwise incapacitated. In fact he had finally emerged from his shell and had barely managed to stumble over to the blue cushions that padded the floor, standing there dejectedly.

She had watched him capture various creatures in the room, namely rats and spiders, but most had learned that there was a predator in the room and had moved their nests and webs elsewhere…if they were still alive to do so. However, one nest had had newborns, and had never left. And those new little rats had recently grown enough to venture out of the nest, reveling in the fact that the boil lacked the energy to hunt them.

So, as distasteful as it was, it fell to her to teach them that this was her domain. She had playfully practiced the arts of hunting, and it was those skills and instincts she called upon now. Her efforts were well rewarded. The first one was a fairly clean kill, and she removed the body before settling into a crouch again, waiting for one of its siblings to come out to find out why the first had not returned. This one caused a bit more of a problem, but she managed to capture and somewhat grudgingly devour it nonetheless. Then she turned her attentions back to the first one, picking it up gently and heading toward her boil. This once she would take care of her subject. It times of extreme hardship sometimes one had to help the less fortunate after all.

She sat behind him carefully arranging her tails, and demanded his attention, though it was slightly muffled due to the rat in her jaws. When he turned she dropped the small rodent. “Can you eat?” she questioned, and watched as he quickly proved that yes, he could. It was good to see that her gift was so well received, even if his manners were atrocious. As he thanked her she washed her face, trying not to show how relieved she was. He had not seemed himself, and knowing he was well enough to eat was comforting. As a way of showing her approval she wound through his legs on her way to her bed. Eva was sure that her subject would repay her when he was feeling better. In fact, she would see to it.

Finally. Finally she had made it back to her dorm room. Yin closed the door behind her and turned to face Princess Eva. Who was still a ghoul. Ecstatic she scooped her up, cuddling her close as she moved over to flop down on her bed. Finally, something that was still right in the world.

Princess Eva was sniffing at her and giving small yips of confused protest, but eventually she settled down as Yin stretched out on her bed, staring up at the ceiling. Why did ghouls have so many emotions? She felt so many different things at once. Relief from being back in her room, horror at being a ghoul, fear that she would remain a ghoul, love for Princess Eva, confused and happy and upset and just…everything. All at once. Things were confusing as a ghoul.

But at least she knew what to do for the next day or two as she waited to see if the effects would wear off. Sleep. She was crawling into bed and not moving until she was a boil again or she truly needed to eat. Princess Eva seemed content enough to stay by her side, and she curled up next to her purring as Yin closed her eyes.

And could not fall asleep.

There were so many emotions!

She started thinking about what had happened, from suddenly becoming a ghoul to all of the strange things that had happened. Cool and comforting arms around her. Clutching a lighting fixture for safety. Being yelled at by her best friend. Hunters. Dissipating. Hugs. Moths. Feeling more than a little overwhelmed she began crying, not her overly dramatic sobs from earlier but tears that seeped out and trickled down her face, warm paths that quickly cooled and began to itch.

Princess Eva whined and began nuzzling her face, tongue darting out to see what was happening to her face. Yin could not repress the small laugh that bubbled up, nor did she try to. Whatever else happened she had Princess Eva. And her friends had proven that they could be counted on as well. She was not alone anymore, and with that thought in mind she drifted off. She could deal with being a ghoul tomorrow.