I Became a Kindergarten Teacher for Monster Babies!

Rocky squeaked and covered his head as water rained down on him. "M-my shirt… it's all wet now…" he whispered pitifully, looking down at his dripping clothes.

Boo clutched his head dramatically, floating upside down. "Just wash your hands—don't flood us with a whole tsunami!"

But Drake only spread his wings wider, declaring proudly, "If Rocky washes hands, then I wash wings! We're teamwork!"

Another flap sent a tidal wave against the stalls, and Rocky gasped, "I—I only came to wash… now I need whole bath…"

Boo zoomed to the dryer and slapped the button. Hot air blasted out, nearly knocking him backward. He pointed fiercely at it. "Go!! Dry!! Before we all drown!!"

Drake, however, lifted his chin like a hero in the middle of a battle. "No! I will not stop… until all glitter is defeated!" he cried, sending another sparkling spray into the air.

By now, the bathroom looked like a battlefield—water on the floor everywhere, Felix sulking in the corner, Rocky dripping like a sponge, and Boo shrieking as he tried to save what little dignity was left.

"Woah!!" Vlad Jr. froze at the doorway, his red eyes widening like saucers. The bathroom looked like a hurricane had hit it. Drake had fully shifted into his tiny dragon form, wings spread wide and tail splashing in the sink as he flapped water everywhere, the faucet still running full force.

"You—" Vlad pointed dramatically, "—That's… that's TROUBLE!"

"Your friend is out of his mind!!" Boo shrieked, dripping wet as he hovered upside down like a drowned ghost balloon. His little wisps of hair stuck out in all directions. "He thinks he's in some kind of dragon water show! Somebody stop him before we all catch runny nose!"

Drake, on the other hand, looked proud like a performer in front of a stadium. "Behold!" he announced, shaking his soaked wings so that water droplets sprayed across the ceiling. "I am washing the whole bathroom with my mighty power!!"

Rocky whimpered softly in the corner, his shirt plastered to his skin. "I only… wanted… to wash my hands…"

Finally, after a long standoff, Vlad Jr. crossed his arms, his princely face set in the most serious expression. "Drake. If you don't stop right now, I swear on my royal title, I will not share my snacks with you ever again. Not even the chocolate ones."

The bathroom froze.

Drake's wings halted mid–flap. He looked genuinely horrified, as if Vlad had just threatened to steal the sun from the sky. "N-no chocolate?!" he gasped, voice trembling with disbelief.

"Yes," Vlad Jr. said gravely. "No chocolate. No cookies. No royal candies from my father's kitchen. Nothing."

Drake wobbled in the sink, tail drooping pitifully. "But… but I was only making a water show…" He looked around at his drenched classmates, who were glaring at him like angry wet cats. Boo was still floating upside down, dripping like a ghostly mop, and Rocky was quietly squeezing water out of his socks.

Felix jabbed a finger at him. "You don't even LIKE water!"

Drake huffed, his tiny dragon wings folding against his back. "Exactly! That's why it's fun to see all of YOU suffer instead!" His eyes sparkled mischievously.

"Monster!" Boo wailed dramatically.

"Dragon," Drake corrected proudly, but then his stomach gave a small grumble. His eyes flicked back to Vlad Jr., who smugly held up an imaginary plate of chocolate like a bargaining chip.

"Fine, fine, I'll stop," Drake muttered at last, sliding off the sink in defeat. He wrung out his tail, sulking as water dripped onto the floor. "But only because snacks are more important…"

The others sighed in relief, though Boo was still muttering, "Traitor dragon… glitter terrorist…" under his breath.

***

When all the little baby boys came back to the classroom, Alina couldn't help but smile. "Wow, you all look so fresh!" she said warmly. Her eyes lingered on Drake—who, for once, actually looked neat—taking in his bright, squeaky-clean face. Even Rocky, Boo, and Vlad Jr. stood beside him, looking fresh and soft.

The boys immediately turned to glare at Drake, who covered his mouth and let out a giggle.

"Teacher," Drake announced proudly, puffing his chest out, "we took a bath! Even though we didn't like it. And we even dried ourselves!"

Boo rolled his eyes so hard that if they went any higher, they might have gotten stuck in his ghostly forehead. "More like we cleaned up while someone splashed like a wild fish…" he muttered, but Alina only smiled.

"That's wonderful!" she said, clapping her hands lightly. "You all look so clean and fresh, and that makes me very happy. You know, washing ourselves is very important. When we take baths, brush our teeth, and keep our clothes clean, we stay healthy, and we don't get sick as easily. Clean hands and clean faces mean fewer germs, and it also makes us feel nice and confident."

Drake tilted his head, tail twitching curiously. "But baths are boring…"

Alina chuckled softly. "They can feel boring, sweetheart, but think of it this way—when you're clean, you're shining like little princes. Imagine trying to eat your favorite snacks with dirty, sticky hands. Would that feel nice?"

Rocky shook his head instantly. "Nooo, snack taste bad."

"Exactly!" Alina nodded. "So remember, good hygiene makes everything better—even snack time."

Vlad Jr. raised his chin with princely dignity. "Hmph. I always look presentable. Even when I don't like baths, I must still appear as royalty."

Boo mumbled under his breath, "Royal soap bubbles…" which made the others giggle again.

Alina laughed softly.

After a few minutes, the others trailed in too. Kelpie waddled through the doorway with his usual shy face. Right behind him was Sable, who glanced once at the others, muttered something under his breath, and quickly ducked his head down, his little steps almost soundless as he made his way inside. Luna appeared next, looking slightly annoyed that her fur had caught a bit of glitter, and finally Lucien entered. He didn't say much, but there was a faint curve to his lips, as though he was secretly pleased about something.

"Alright, break is over, everyone!" Alina clapped her hands, her cheerful voice echoing across the class room. "It's time for our next class!"

The babies groaned in unison, shoulders slumping dramatically.

Alina only smiled at their exaggerated sulking. Picking up a stick of chalk, she wrote Science Class on the board in big neat letters. "Come on now, this will be fun!"