You carefully stepped into the classroom, taking small steps so as to not tread on anything. Today was Bring-Your-Pet-To-School day, given the commotion around the entire school. The sheer variety of animals on display had shocked you—the most normal one you'd seen was one girl you didn't recognize, who brought a cat. At least, you thought it was a cat. It might have been a chupacabra.

Of course, nobody had bothered to inform you of this event after you'd missed the last week of school(long story), so you were the only student in the room without some kind of companion. You were beginning to consider painting eyes on a rock like that short girl in the front had done when you were interrupted on your way to your seat.

"Hey! Anon! Anon, hey!" A poke on the side made you turn, seeing a girl in a violently orange hoodie. "You're back!" Gigi sat right next to you, and you'd gotten to know her mostly against your will, since she took any break as an opportunity to chat with anybody in the vicnity. You drop into your seat, shrugging off your backpack. Whatever. You could take the hit to your grades.

"Mmm. Morning," you yawn, rubbing at your eyes. "What's up?" Her eyes lit up, and a pit opened in your stomach. You were clearly off your game—you never give Gigi Murin an opening. She'd probably spend the next half-hour talking your ear off about gacha game characters.

"Did you see everybody's pets? I got to see so many cute animals already and class hasn't even started!" She grinned a sharp-toothed smile, pigtails bouncing as she waved expressively. "But!" She raised a finger. "I still think Grem is the cutest." She quieted for a moment, and you realized she wanted you to say something.

"Grem?" She nodded, and from her bag she pulled—what was that? Some kind of salamander?

"Grem!" Gigi dropped the three-foot long amphibian on the desk, its skin shiny and wet. It let out a plaintive gweeeh and wiggled on the desk surface, before she scratched its head and it soothed. "He's the best! Look at how slimy he is!" The creature managed to get a grip on the wooden desk, shifting slightly.

"Wow." You blinked at the thing, and it met your gaze with one beady eye—the other one seemed to be missing. Then a long, slimy tongue darted out of its mouth to lick its eyeball, wetting it. "Gross."

"What? Anon, you can't say that!" Gigi leaned protectively over her giant salamander, shielding its ears from your slander. "That's so rude! Grem isn't gross, he's cute!" Her cheeks puffed, pulling the creature closer to her as it let out another soft gweh. "I don't usually get to take him anywhere because his skin dries out, so he's nervous, that's all!"

"…okay." You weren't really sure how to respond to that, especially not on four hours of sleep. "What happened to his eye?" She frowned, looking down at the critter as she scratched under his chin.

"He lost it when he was really little, I think." Another soft noise as its leg kicked happily from the scratches. "I think he fought a bird! Grem's reaaaally tough, so he probably won, too!" You cast another eye at the salamander. He didn't look very tough. As if sensing your thoughts, it looked up at you and yawned.

"Here, you feel him!" Suddenly. the creature was lifted under its arms, and Gigi passed him onto your desk, leaving a trail of slime across it. Ugh. Now you were gonna have to clean that up. Tentatively, you reach out to touch the soft-skinned lizard, rubbing behind the ridge of its eyes. It softly gwehs at you, and you feel yourself begin to smile involuntarily.

"See, see?" Gigi's nose was in the air, positively beaming as she leaned over. "Grem's the greatest, right?" Darting forward, the salamander latched onto your finger, masticating it impotently, something not unlike anger in its eyes, probably for stealing Gigi's attention.

She rubbed the side of his face, and he released your saliva-soaked finger. You were gonna need a whole roll of paper towels for this, it seemed.