Rain lashes against the tall, stained-glass windows of Elliott Manor, the wind howling through the spires. Thunder rumbles, shaking the chandelier in the main hall. Inside Tessa’s room, a pillow fort sprawls across the floor—blankets draped over chairs, cushions piled high, and a flickering lantern casting wobbly shadows. Tessa sits cross-legged at the center, her dark silhouette dwarfed by the fort’s sagging roof. N, V, J, and Cyn huddle around her, their glowing eyes blinking in the dim light.

Lightning flashes, illuminating the gothic walls.*

Tessa: "This is way better than the gala prep, right?"

N adjusts a pillow, his silver hair glinting as he grins.

N: "Totally! No fancy suits, just us and… uh, thunder?"

V fidgets with her apron, flinching as thunder booms again.

V: "I-I don’t like it… what if the roof leaks?"

J, perched stiffly on a cushion, rolls her eyes.

J: "It’s stone, V. It won’t leak. Stop whining."

Cyn tilts her head, her twin tails swaying as she narrates herself.

Cyn: "Annoyed glare. The storm is loud. Fun."

Tessa giggles, pulling a blanket tighter around her shoulders.

Tessa: "Cyn’s right—it’s kinda fun! Like an adventure."

A gust rattles the window, and V scoots closer to N, her screen flickering.

V: "A-an adventure? In here?"

N pats her shoulder, tossing a book into the fort’s corner.

N: "Sure! We’ve got stories, snacks—well, no snacks, but still!"

J smooths her maid dress, glancing at Tessa.

J: "You’re lucky I’m here to keep this fort standing."

Lightning cracks, and Cyn climbs onto a pillow, her yellow eyes glinting.

Cyn: "Giggle. The sky is angry. Like Mother."

Tessa hugs her knees, smiling at her drones.

Tessa: "Good thing we’ve got each other, huh?"

Thunder roars, but inside the fort, it’s warm and safe.