The engine of the van is killed, and as the vehicle stops shaking, the first of the three figures steps into the back of the van, right in the space between the tranced-out Austin and Luc. The fennec immediately recognizes him as the synth that waited for them at the parking lot of their school, and tenses up. However, rather than hitting him with the spiraling visor, the synth’s expression shifts into a teasy yellow smile.
‘No worries, Luc. You’re safe. For now…’ he says with a teasy undertone. The synth awkwardly makes his way deeper into the van, shifting between the wolf and the fennec, before reaching Miss Dozzybun, and Robin’s sleeping figure.
From the gravel path, a second figure steps into the van. Luc looks at the figure, and is surprised to see the headmaster of his academy step into the van. Damian, a large black-furred wolf—significantly larger than Austin, both in size and presence—smiles at the fennec.
‘Hello, Luc. Nice to see you here. I’m always happy to see my students sign up for the yearly exchange program with Master Shihai’, the principal says while bending over Austin and undoing his seat belt.
The fennec fox quietly mumbles ‘h-hello, sir,’ as he watches the wolf snap his fingers directly in front of Austin’s snout.
‘Rise,’ the wolf commands firmly.
‘Yes sir,’ Austin responds immediately, getting up from his chair. The wolf boy is still clearly deeply entranced, swaying in place ever so slightly. His arms remain limply by his side, and the wolf’s snout is drooped down to his chest, eyes still closed. His voice is quiet, nearly a mumble, and there’s a dreamy quality to it.
‘Good boy,’ the principal says. ‘I quite fondly remember you playing the exhibition match on my field… quite the handsome jock you are. I bet you’ll be fun to spectate for the exchange as well. Now… follow after me, pup.’
At the command, the principal steps out of the vehicle. Sleepily, Austin marches after the principal. His footpaws land on the gravel outside of the vehicle, and obediently following behind the large wolf he disappears into the night. As Luc watches his roommate vanish, the synth passes by him with Robin following after him as well. The deer boy is also deeply hypnotized, a dreamy, woozy smile on his face as he steps outside of the van. Then, as the two have left into the dark as well, presumably following after Damian and Austin, the third mysterious slithers into the van.
Two black-and-white scaled footpaws step into the van, followed by a long snout with two white whiskers flowing from either side. An eastern dragon, very neatly dressed and richly decorated with golden jewelery all over his clothes and body, snakes his way into the tight van. The dragon has a enamel spiral pinned to his jacket, in the familiar gold-and-salmon-pink colour pattern. His coils slither over Luc’s lap before finding their way in the now empty seats of Robin and Austin, leaving just enough space for Miss Dozzybun and Luc to sit. Then, the dragon speaks up. His voice is soft, gentle, warm, disarming. Luc almost immediately recognizes it from the phone call, and his subconscious recognizes it from something deeper than that, yet refuses to shape the recognition into an actual thought.
‘Welcome to my mansion, Luc, Dozzy,’ the dragon says. ‘You may call me Master Shihai. I’ve owned this land for many years, and hosted this exchange on my grounds for almost just as long. I’m sure you’ve got many questions about what awaits you both so, if you’d please... Follow me.’
Luc almost instinctively answers with ‘yes, master,’ but manages to keep it to just a simple, polite nod. The dragon snakes his way out of the vehicle again, leaving room for Miss Dozzybun and himself to unbuckle and step out of the vehicle. The fennec stretches as his footpaws touch the gravel path, no longer cramped inside of the black van. He immediately notices a large group of servants, all neatly dressed in green suede uniforms, carrying a bunch of labeled suitcases inside from a large pile in the middle of the gravel path, his and Austin’s suitcases included. The synth must have had them somewhere in the front of the van and put them there right before they opened the back door.
The dragon gestures at the fennec fox to follow after him, Miss Dozzybun already hopping right beside him, and Luc nods as the three enter the mansion together.
Happy Hypnovember everybody! For 2026, I am writing a sequel to my story Exhibition Match, featuring the athletic Austin, theater kid Luc, and many many many cameos with my fans, friends and followers! --- Luc (and, while still zonked, Austin) finally meets the host of the exchange program, Master Shihai. The dragon introduces himself to Luc and Dozzy, while Austin and Robin are taken into the mansion by the synth. --- Featuring cameos from Digi ,Robin and Mrs. Dozzybun
![Akko's Hypnovember 2026 Day 7 - the Departure [A/L]](https://sf.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/medium/6223/6223699_Akkobold_chapter_7_-_departure_a_l_.jpg "Akko's Hypnovember 2026 Day 7 - the Departure [A/L]")
