Well, we've reached the final. Thanks to everyone who provided feedback. It's helped a lot.

Just as a reminder: The main theme is overcoming pride. The transcript for the narration is below after the cited sources.

Looking forward to seeing how everyone's story turned out.

All Sound Effects and music used are copyright free. Here are the sources:

Sound effects from: Zapsplat.com

Ending music from: Music and Sounds (YouTube Channel), Song - "Mozart - Horn Concerto in E-flat major, K.447 (Copyright Free Classical Music for Youtube)"

Narration and voice-overs done by yours truly.

Act 1
Once upon a time…in a world where monsters and humans USUALLY lived together…

There was a classical music academy serving as a reform school for high school monsters deemed unfit to integrate with humans. The school was erected as an alternative to monster prison, and sought to produce civilized beasts able to contribute to the integrated world.

<PRIDE: Monster adults believing they can change delinquents in a softer way>

The school was run by adult monsters, who were SUPPOSED to be able to discipline the kids.

But every DAY, teachers were the butts of violent pranks, leading many to quit. The principal BEGGED them to stay to protect the school’s reputation and funding, but most teachers were too afraid of the merciless youths.

<PRIDE: Principal does NOT want it on record that teachers aren’t reforming the kids>

Who was the WORST of the students? A fire-breathing dragon named Dex Burnington, who ACTED proud and cool, but was just sick of his parents carving out his life FOR him. He wanted to be seen as independent, able to make his own decisions.

<PRIDE: Dex thinks he can break the rules all the time>

The scene would play out the same way each time: Dex would end up in the principal’s office for harassing ANOTHER teacher, his parents would scold him in front of the principal saying: “You’re a Burnington! Act like one! Stop humiliating us with your foolishness! Don’t you WANT to be integrated and successful?” And his girlfriend and classmate Isa the Ice Princess would be outside waiting for him afterwards.

<PRIDE: Dex’s parents want to be seen as fit for integrating with humans>

Until one day…

A HUMAN teacher was called in to whip the rowdy reptilian AND his classmates, into shape.

Alfred Klembo, although human, was NOTORIOUSLY tough, and wrote ASTOUNDING symphonies. He came from a family of classical music legends, and was driven to carry on their legacy as the PERFECT classical conductor.

<PRIDE: Klembo believes maintaining his family legacy will have him noticed by his family>

When Klembo entered the classroom for the first time, the students felt his heir of authority and looked in shock. All except for Dex, who stared at Klembo with menace, and anticipation.

<PRIDE: Klembo’s perception of his own authority vs Dex’s belief that he can do what he wants>

Thus the story began…

Act 2
Klembo had been informed of Dex beforehand…

because of that, he IMMEDIATELY brought Dex to the front of the class to make an example of him.

<PRIDE: Klembo believing he can MAKE Dex submit, thus make the whole class submit>

“Now, Mr. Burnington, we’ll start with a few measures from a Klembo concerto. Watch closely.”

“Sure thing, teach,”

<Klembo takes out trumpet, puts his mouth to it, Dex blows a blast of fire through the back end. Klembo dodged, NARROWLY escaping a charbroiled face.

“Oops! SOR-RY!” <Dex shrugs, kids laugh and cheered, Dex gives a prideful glance back at his adoring fans, and to Isa, who smiled back.

<Klembo keeps composure>

“Nice lungs you’ve got there. Perhaps you’d like to show us how well you can play.”

Dex grinned. Trumpet in hand, he strafed in front of the music staff, opened his mouth and blew a blast of fire through his trumpet, burning Klembo’s sheet music.

“How’s that teach? Hope you like your music well-done!” grinned Dex. <Class laughs and cheers again.

<PRIDE: Dex thinks he doesn’t have to play if he doesn’t want to>

<Klembo smiles>

“You’re a brash fellow. There’s an anger in you that could truly shine in an orchestra. You could TAKE that fire and turn it into forte!”

<PRIDE: Klembo speaking to a rowdy child as a superior vs Dex defying his teacher>

<PRIDE: Klembo’s poetic advice>

“Forte THIS” <Dex blows a circle of fire on the floor, surrounding his professor>

<PRIDE: Desire to make his teacher submit>

“You guys see that? I know YOU saw it, right Isa? Yeahheah.”

<PRIDE: Dex loves the crowd cheering him on>

Klembo: “Heh.” <Klembo blows on his trumpet with such force that it sends the surrounding flame toward Dex’s behind. Dex gives a shout as a crispy hole is burned into the back of his pants, exposing his heart-patterned briefs>

<PRIDE: Maintaining his composure as dominant and as teacher>

<PRIDE: Belief he can make Dex submit>

<PRIDE COMPROMISED: Being laughed at>

Dex: “You smug old…”

Klembo: “Sit down! It’s time for a lesson!”

<PRIDE: Dominant Teacher>

Dex grumbled, but did as he was told. Klembo continued.

<PRIDE COMPROMISED: Dex sitting on crispy pants, embarrassed, doing what he is told>

Klembo: “I come from a line of disciplined men. Knowing discipline, means knowing how to harness chaos. Taking moments of flighty joy AND of thunderous force, reigning them in with rhythm, repetition, harmony, attacking and retreating at the right times. Symphony is WAR, young Dex. And we Klembos are well versed in war. And THAT is why I’m here. To teach you to fight with strategy, POWER, and with the right instruments of course. Now Dex, you have fought and struggled with me to NO avail. But LISTEN and obey, and I will make you more powerful than ever before.”

(While Klembo is giving his speech): <The class looked on with shock and dismay. Isa was FIXATED on Klembo, thinking she had heard his name before. She snuck out her phone and did some searching.>

<PRIDE: Klembo’s declarative speech>

Dex: <Grumbling>

Klembo: <leaned down to Dex in his seat in front of the class.>

<PRIDE: Dex not budging>

Klembo whispered: “Just like your parents wanted.”

Dex jerked his head around, more irked. Klembo continued.

<PRIDE Compromised: Dex’s home life violated>

“I KNOW what they ought you at home: dedication and training, the determination to pass down a piece of art that any man or beast could enjoy. Isn’t THAT, what your mother and father wanted?”

<PRIDE: Klembo ranting about how great his work is and how he will teach Dex>

Dex: “Urgh, You! STAY outta my business!”

<PRIDE Compromised: Dex loses his temper>

Klembo: “You could LEARN, Dex,” said Klembo. Legendary craftsmanship.”

<Dex’s pocket vibrated. Dex took out his phone and saw a text from Isa.>

“What’re you doing?! Put that away! That’s the problem with youths. Always distracted. Never learning a thing!”

Dex: <Gasps, then smirks> “Legendary, huh? You PHONY! You’re no legend. You’re not even a Klembo! “

“I beg your PARDON? Sit DOWN!”

Dex: <Held his phone up to the class pointing at it.> “He’s NOT a Klembo! LOOK! He was a-DOPTED as a favor the Klembo’s owed to a half-human half monster couple! He’s no human. He’s half SHAPESHIFTER!” <The students gasped, then looked amongst each other, whispering.>

<PRIDE Compromised: Klembo exposed>

“He’s NOTHING! He thinks he can tell us what to do! He can’t…”

Klembo: “Dex, you better sit back down RIGHT now!”

Dex: “What’s wrong? Your little legacy disap-PEARING all of a sudden?”

<PRIDE: Dex restored his status as superior to Klembo>

Klembo: “This behavior of yours is going to get you in TROUBLE, Dex.”

Dex: “Oh, NOW I’m in trouble? You’ve got NOTHING on me.”

Klembo: “Is that right?” How do you think I know about what your parents wanted Dex?”

Dex: “Stop TUHLKING about that,” said Dex through gritted teeth.

Klembo: “The principal told me EVERYTHING Dex. How you ALWAYS end up in her office, and Mommy and Daddy have to come get you.”

Dex: “Urgh!”

Klembo: “How long do you think the school will TOLERATE that, Dex? If YOU screw up one more time…”

Dex: “They TOLERATE it, because they HAVE to! One expelled student and their funding for their little REFORM experiment goes POOF!”

Klembo: “Great Scott, you’re a foolish…”

“CAN it, Dumbo! Now I’m gonna have you running home like ALL the others!”

Klembo: <Dives to the floor>

Dex’s flame goes forth, Isa: <GASP!>

Dex: “ISA!”

<Isa knocked unconscious, her icy flesh melting away. Class gasps, some running to her aid. Klembo lifts his head up, sees the matter and did the same.

<In a fit of shock, grief and shame, Dex fell to his knees and roared, his wings popping from his back as he elevated towards the ceiling, but as he neared the top floor window, his flame breath activated the sprinklers. They sprayed down, filling his mouth with water, extinguishing his flame, leaving nothing but a mouthful of smoke. He choked and spluttered, slowly falling to the ground, unconscious himself. Klembo sees Dex falling and makes a risky decision>

Klembo: “Foolish boy! Can’t be-LIEVE he’s making me DO this…SHAPE…SHIFT…NOW!!!

Narration: “That day, Dex Burnington, a proud dragon…fell. But thanks to his teacher, it WASN’T the end…”

Act 3
Isa’s father the Ice King was one of the government officials who okayed the musical reform school project. When he heard what happened to his daughter, he threatened to shut down the school. Once again the principal was left begging and pleading. As luck would have it, Klembo was a former colleague of the Ice King from many years ago, which is how Isa thought to look up Klembo’s legacy in the first place. Klembo and the Ice King reached a compromise: The school would stay open, but Dex would serve 1 year in monster prison or nearly melting Isa.

<PRIDE Compromised: Principal’s credibility threatened by incident>

<A few weeks later, Dex awakens in his cell. Staring up at the ceiling, he thinks of his parents, his mother in tears, his father’s boiling stare. He thinks of Isa, melting, saying she couldn’t feel her legs. He then thinks of Klembo: “You could LEARN Dex…you could LEAAARRRRNNN.”

Finally, Dex sits up, sighing deeply. He decides he’s going to try something…

Later that morning: <Dex ask the warden for a favor…>

<RELIANCE: Dex needs the warden to grant him a request>

Meanwhile, Klembo continued to teach. Since the incident, the students were much more obedient. Slowly but surely learning their instruments. Klembo had them play a classic. Not his own, but a Beethoven symphony. As the class plays, Dex is playing his trumpet, the item he requested from the warden. Dex is playing the trumpet part. Little by little, he is learning. After a few measures, Klembo stops them. “Well… that wasn’t QUITE on tempo. But it was a good start.”

Ever since the day Klembo arrived at the school…Klembo and Dex BOTH, learned to conquer their pride.