Kaison
Nine times.

Nine times out of ten, a CPU Scarf beats a CPU Shift while at equal difficulty levels. Throughout the long train ride, the two CPU-controlled characters are pitted against each other with painstaking observation, and through each match Shift's AI is tweaked. When the match ends, the changes are saved and they fight all over again.

It was certainly busywork, but there was a distinct catharsis in watching an AI gradually become smarter. After successfully winning three out of six games, the flowery mix of soft pastels on Kaison's window reflected on the screen of his laptop, his cue that they've arrived.

It's quite refreshing, being able to stretch out his legs after a long ride, and the town leading up to St. Fortuna's beckoned. No time is wasted on deliberation; Kaison heads out, straight towards town. After all, he had plenty of time to meet classmates, especially this year. Rolling a suitcase behind him with a subtle bounce in his step, he idly begins trying to draw figures in the air, whistling a tune stuck in his head to go with it.

Flower after flower, building after building adorned with every color and scent entices him. Still yet, such delights were forbidden with pretty red ropes, like a distant memory of a fruit from eden. Even still, his favorite cafe awaited, and there she was, a beauty of red brick and white flowers.

Ah, sweet memories, made and to be made new.

---

Robert looked up at Clyde, and exhaled, disappointed that he would make excuses for her. He thought it to be quite evident that this girl lacked the proper respect for the sacramentum. Normally he would chew her out a bit more, but these people clearly didn’t want to make a scene. He decided he would drop it. For now.

“And you are?”
He paused. Perhaps he should have introduced himself first. This was confirmed upon him hearing , “I would like to note that it is considered rude to simply butt-in on a conversation without so much as an 'excuse me'.” Robert looked at the group at this, “My apologies, My name’s Robert, I didn't mean to offend, I just really care about the sacramentum.” He clarified. He was always raised to hold this bond with utmost respect, given that his parents were bonded. ” I shouldn't have just forced myself in like that, I was simply surprised is all. I’m sure she didn’t mean any disrespect.” He certainly believed that too. Few people were ever rude on purpose, at least not for any reason. He smiled, before asking, “And who are you all?” He should still be able to back track, and hopefully not offend these people too much.

Ruby was more than happy to take the piece of luggage that Korrey let her have. She would have taken more of the load from him if he had let her, but she didn't want to push her bounds and was just happy that he let her take this one thing. As she was loading the small piece of luggage onto her trolley, she overheard Regis calling her "visually impaired" and her having a disability while also getting Korrey's name wrong again after he just corrected him. Her grandfather had always told Ruby to pick her battles carefully, and this was one that she should best avoid now. For the sake of not dealing with someone rude, and for the sake of getting to the school on time. That and Regis quickly charged ahead like he was in charge... Well, it looked like the group was dispersing now. So with that, Ruby set off following Korrey, able to match his pace pretty well, since she had the lighter load of the two, as they continued up towards the school.

@Raijinslayer@discontent

---

Nancy was happily listening to her friends tell her about their summer break when another voice called out to them. Nancy turned to see Elena bounding over to them and Felicity, being the most energetic of the three of them, waved her over to them. Nancy stayed back with Monty. Truthfully...she didn't know Elena that well. She knew her from cooking class but they didn't really interact much outside of there. They had common friends in Felicity and Monty though so they still got along pretty well outside of class, but Nancy never really did know what to say to her.

Kyra stepped off the train, looking towards the school. Back again. She realized she was blocking the doorway, and awkwardly stepped to the side, blushing. She moved her messenger bag to the front, and opened it up. She pulled out a small slip of folded, blue paper, and opened that as well.


Kyra smiled and put the note back, setting off for the school. She was most definitely ready to start a new year. She was curious to see who her partner would be, but that would come in time. For now, getting there was what mattered, and she quickened her pace, not paying much attention to her surroundings, her mind fixed on getting to the academy.

"Well, as long as you understand," Liliac responded to his apology. So he just cared that much for the sacramentum. He was free to hold that belief. It wasn't as if she particularly cared what others thought. However, she couldn't share his sentiment. Sure, her parents often bragged how they were destined to be a couple since they were paired as a mage and familiar. But she didn't believe that. It wasn't like you couldn't change your partners if you didn't like them. The mechanism was simply a method of mutual beneficial interaction where both sides gained out of the partnership. The mage got the mana; the familiar got to control their power.

"My name is Liliac of the Blanc family. Pleased to meet you," she replied, though she was still looking at him threateningly as she did so. "And this tall man here"--She gestured at Clyde--"is Clyde. While this other, even taller man here"--she gestured at Leo--"is Leo John de Coeur. Unlike with Clyde, whom I just met after he bumped into me, Leo and I are acquaintances."

Yep, it was definitely him who bumped into her. Not the other way around. She was small after all. With how big he was, he must have not noticed her.

@Natsu@TheHangedMan

Vyvyan Ngiwan

Six hours and forty minutes is the typical length of a school day, and also about the amount of time Vyvyan had spent on the train. With the occasional break interspersed to massage his limbs or eyes, he busied himself with revision and self-study, going through his materials and notes, and even doing a short mock paper.

"Eh..." he mumbled to himself, skimming through the mathematics textbook, "Algebra? How come got Sec One Sec Two stuff here? I thought half of this already learn long time ago." It took until Algebra II before he encountered any new concepts.

While Vyvyan appreciated the opportunity to revise, and feared overconfidence on his own part, he had placed 18th in a nation-wide mathematics competition, and wished to dedicate his time to something brand new instead—magical studies. Magic and Spells and Abilities were not really taught in his primary years, so he spent the vast majority of the ride intrigued by and engrossed in the theory of the two subjects. Half a dozen hours were spent in this way, until the noticeable deceleration of the train, accompanied by numerous student passengers preparing to alight, notified him of their arrival.

As he looked up and out of the windows and vaguely recalled his first time coming to Enklen, Vyvyan smoothened a few creases on his predominantly vermillion attire, a traditional short coat with a crossed collar and loose sleeves extending to the wrists, coupled with a pleated skirt that reached from his navel to his ankles. Well, the lower garment was in actual fact divided, and thus a pair of pants, though it at the very least greatly resembled a skirt. The entire set of clothing was a gift from his paternal grandparents for his sacrāmentum, which he had accepted with thanks after the usual polite protest, though the distinctive garb did contrast an uncomfortable amount with the generally casual clothes that most in the train had on.

Vyvyan had transferred earlier in the calendar year, but there had been barely enough time to so much as become acclimatised to the fresh environment and all its pecularities before the school year came to a close. Those few months were particularly educational, however, and not solely in the academic sense. Learning how to cook became top priority upon his return home, and while he had not the confidence to serve anyone but himself, and was nowhere near as proficient as those in the cooking classes, the congee he could now make served as an edible, cheap, and nutritious enough breakfast.

Amongst the last few to get off the train with his belongings, a process that necessitated the aid of a ramp and a pair of more able bodies, Vyvyan gave a shy bow and a word of thanks to the kind students he'd inconvenienced before heading off at a slow pace towards the school, pushing his two bags of luggage about a metre ahead to trailblaze a path—he was quite easy to miss, being most certainly the shortest in the entire crowd, no petite noble could beat someone seated!—in no hurry.

---

Robert held back a scoff as the small girl glared at him, she was truly his least favorite kind of person. She didn’t work for her sense of self-worth, it was hers by birthright, and she obviously has no qualms about using that to make herself seem better than others. He gave a cold smile, and nodded at her, “Oh don’t worry, I understand perfectly.” He affirmed, before turning his attention to the much more affable Leo, and shook his hand when offered.

“Lovely to meet you Leo,” He beamed, and then looked onward in the direction of the school, “I certainly hope we all see more of each other throughout the year, it would certainly keep things… interesting.” He said, his voice pausing for the last work as he searched for the right one. “Now, Liliac here is obviously a mage like myself, but what about you two?” He inquired. Though it was unlikely for him to be bonded with anyone here, it was at least be something to talk about.
@Hammerman
@THeHangedMan
@Klaykid

Kyra’s rushed pace remained unchanged, even when she ran through a few groups of people, yelling “I’m sorry!!!” She nearly collided with a boy on a wheelchair, and slid to a stop.

“I’m so, so sorry!” she apologized. “Please, please forgive me! I really didn’t mean to run into you!” She looks over at the academy. “Oh, but I’ve gotta go! I need to get there… sorry again!” she yelled over her shoulder, setting off once more for the academy.

After another minute of running around (and through) more crowds, she stopped in front of the academy. “Okay,” she panted, trying to catch her breath, “I’m here....”

Kyra sighed and sat down against the wall, still panting. She looked out in front of her, looking at all the students coming along the road. She saw a few people here and there that she recognized, but she couldn't see very clearly into the absolute onslaught of people. She sighed and got to her feet, entering the academy. She was ready for the sacramentum, and all that came with it. "Let's do this."

---

The Sun Room was the common name for the largest room in the Academy. Originally built as a place of worship, it was 20,000 square feet, with soaring ceilings and stained glass windows that let in light in a brilliance of dazzling rainbows. Students changed color as they stepped through the sunbeams, skin turning blue and hair wild green, as though the building were trying to claim the people inside as additions to its artwork, new jewels to place upon its crown. On the floor, the twelve pointed star, the holy sign of the soul, was emblazoned in gold tiles. Each pillar was crawling with imagery of the zodiac signs, from the fiery salamander to the frozen ice fox, looking as though they would burst from their murals and strut proudly around the room.

Richard had only been inside the Sun Room 4 times before, and every time it took his breath away. Though he didn’t believe in the old ways or forces of nature, even someone as atheist as he could feel the power resonating in this room. A steady pulse, a buzz in the air, the fluctuating temperatures and invisible winds from nowhere. There was no mistaking it, this old and ancient room was a place where magic concentrated inexplicably. Any familiar here could tell, deep down, through a sense science could still not explain. An animalistic instinct that made them just know. This was a place where gods walked.

The students poured in through the building, all making their way towards the old podium. Various teachers and staff stood near the podium, along with a large deal of volunteers from the senior class. Which made sense, he guessed, since the second year was pretty much the most important year for students. Not only did they get bonded here, but a volunteer would lead them off to their dorms. The second year dorms were far different from the first year. First years got a communal dorm that was separated by gender, with 8 boys sharing 4 bunkbeds. Rather hellish for someone who valued privacy as much as he did. But second years were different. Second years got a dorm with only them and their partner, and even had a sliding wall! Granted they still shared a bathroom and laundry facilities, but that would be better than the communal showers of the first year dorms.

Upon the podium stood two priests, Druids of the Holy Star, dressed in their regalia of white, purple, and gold. A mage and familiar pair, most likely. Their hair was a stark white, though neither seemed terribly old, the man’s beard was neatly trimmed and the woman’s hair in a tight, matronly bun. They stood before the altar, with quiet smiles on their faces, speaking to the headmaster. Headmaster Magnus Loyola was more of a bear than a man, tall, burly, with impossibly wide arms and a head twice as big as a watermelon. Rowdy black hair sprouted from his brown scalp like thundering storm clouds seeking to return to the sky, without pattern or meaning, a crazed halo of hair. His beard descended down to his chest in a frizzy madness, and between the receding storm clouds of his head and the tumultuous sea of his chin, the only part of his face that was visible were his forehead, eyes, and nose. And what a face it was! Eyebrows thicker than one’s thumb stood out from his shiny scalp, his gold rimmed pince-nez clasped onto a large, thing ridged hook-nose that magnified his wide, dark eyes. If his body was that of a bear, then his face was surely stolen from a rather brusque owl. Who likely wanted it back.

As soon as all the students were inside the Sun Room, the doors were closed behind them, the last stragglers ushered in by attendants. With that, Headmaster Loyola stepped up to the podium, prepped his microphone, and began to speak.
“Welcome back, students, welcome back! I trust you all had fun on your summer vacations, and are ready for another long, hard, grueling year of slavery?” he asked, pretending to be stern. This was a part of his routine that Richard had learned from the previous year, and he smiled as playful boos rang out from among the crowd. Loyola pretended to look surprised, patting his chest and pulling a sheet of paper from his coat pocket.
“Oh! Oh my, pardon me, that was my speech for the third years! Well, at least you all know you know what you have to look forwards too. Don’t tell the first years, we don’t want them escaping!” he joked, provoking some laughter from around the room.

He seemed to smile, though it was hard to tell with his immense beard in the way, and continued on with his speech.
“As you all know, this is a very important year for you. This is the year that you will all take the sacramentum, and undergo the binding of the soul. Since the dawn of man, there has always been the mage and the familiar, who have always required one another in a constant balance. In the ancient days, there were those who believed that mages and familiars were once one, a perfect being, a near god. The Magi. But these Magi were not perfect. They made war against another, they leveled mountains and dried up the sea. They killed one another in bloodsport, and destroyed each other’s homes. They threw off the natural balance of the universe, for their power was too great. And so, the gods came down from heaven, and split all of the Magi into smaller, weaker beings. Those who could use magic, but were weak in their reserves, and those who had had too much magic, but could not use it. The goal of these ancient gods was to create a more harmonious world, where the ancient humans would learn to accept each other, work with each other, and rely on one another. The creation of a sacred bond, tying the now separate souls together, and learning to live in peace.”

He paused to clear his throat before continuing.
“This is the mythology of our people, of course. To some, a convenient explanation, to others, to word of god. But whether the origins of this story is true or not, one cannot deny the power that the sacramentum brings. It is a vital step in your education, and undertaking it marks that you are no longer mere children. With this ceremony, you step into the world of adulthood together, and find your place as equals. Here you are educated not merely on how to master your powers and trades, but on how to shape the world as the next generation of leaders, peacekeepers, teachers, and guardians. This school is here for you to flourish, and to help the world flourish in turn.”

He ended his speech and gestured to the two druids behind him, who stepped forward, clasping their hands.
“To this end, I have invited here magisters Lucinda and Volos to enact the sacramentum. I will call you up by name, two at a time, to be bonded by them. Afterwards, one of our lovely volunteers will show you to your dorms. Your elective choices are due by 6:00, and I hope to see you all at dinner. And now, without further ado, let us begin the ceremony.” and with that, the two Druids stepped forth, and Loyola began calling names.

---

Felicity could hardly contain her excitement, bouncing on her toes as she stood next to her brother and best friend. The section of the room they were in painted them in a vibrant red, and the bright colors that turned people into colored macarons made the scene more magical. It was like a fairytale, something out of a dream. People walked up to the podium when their names were called, meeting each other in the middle. The Druids took their hands and recited an ancient oath, one Felicity couldn’t recognize at all. It was alien to the tongue and almost unnatural to the ears, and hearing it repeated over and over brought a shiver up her spine.

The building anticipation had her jittery, and she clung to her twin, pulling on Monty’s sleeve. Though she couldn’t speak, she gave him an excited smile, trying to hide her nervousness. This was the moment of truth, the point where she would get her partner. She had to bounce, or else she was scared she might start shaking and lose control of her knees. And if she did that, then she couldn’t exactly walk up the stairs to get her partner! No, she had to wait, wait and listen for her name to be called out. Then she could meet her partner, and then go to her room and lose her legs. But not before!

“Felicity Joy Goldberg and Korrigan Umbraisis!” Headmaster Loyola called out, scanning the crowd. Despite herself, Felicity almost passed out from the shock of hearing her own name. She staggered slightly, groping for her suitcase and squeezing her brother’s hand before she hurried up to the podium. She had to leave the luggage near the side, before stepping up next to the female Druid, and pausing before the pedestal. She was up their before her partner then, who would be arriving any second! Korrigan Umbraisis? A weird name, but it sounded familiar. Where had she heard it before? Well, she would see them in a few seconds anyway, she would wait!

As the crowds of eager and giddy second years formed to listen to the announcement of the academy headmaster, Korrey was currently spread eagle on the floor in the back, taking a long moment to catch his breath after the ordeal of moving his luggage. Still recovering, he didn't pay attention to most of what was being said, his thoughts focused on how he was going to get any of this stuff to his dorm. I guess I'll have to ask the volunteers to help, but damn is that going to leave a poor impression on my partner. Speaking of, I wonder when I'm going u-



Korrigan didn't move at first, wondering if he'd heard things or if this was really happening. Taking a moment to pinch his cheek to make sure he was neither dreaming nor suffering and exhaustion related hallucination, the tall redhead practically jumped to his feet, quickly pushing his way through the crowd, much to the displeasure of most of them, till he got to the foot of the podium, taking a moment to bend over and catch his breath, still feeling a bit winded. "Sorry about the slightly delayed response, kinda over-packed my luggage and had a heck of a time getting it up here because of-Oh, hey blondie." Lifting his head as he spoke, Korrey's eyes blinked in slight shock from behind his sunglasses as he saw that his partner was in fact the girl he'd stopped to help out just minutes before. Rubbing the back of his head, he bounded up to the male druid. "Well I'll be, didn't expect to meetin' ya so soon. . . or, ya know, on this podium. Dang, talk about coincidences."

Korrey could help but chuckle at this admittedly strange, though not unwelcome, turn of events. At least I already know I made a good first impression. . . I hope. Though, if I were a bettin' man, I'd say that brother of hers is probably going to be none to happy about this From behind the tinted glass of his shades, he spared a few glances across the crowd, wondering if he could possibly spot the guy in the crowd before turning his attention to the druids. "Welp, ready whenever you guys are."

@onenote
@SunsetRoses
@Invader Len

Felicity had many ideas about her partner. Her partner could be a cute boy with brown hair and freckles, maybe one who wore glasses and spoke with a stammer. Maybe her partner would be the girl in the pink T-shirt in the first row, with blue ribbons in her hair and a pair of dice block earrings? Korrigan, Korrigan, what a weird name! She couldn’t tell if it belonged to a boy or a girl, so she was left waiting in those last seconds for them to appear. She had many possible ideas for who her partner was and what they looked like.

However, neglected among them, was that her partner would be the tall, strange looking boy she’d met on the platform that morning.

”Well I’ll be, didn’t expect to meetin’ ya so soon… or, ya know, on this podium. Dang, talk about coincidences.” he said, rubbing the back of his head. Felicity was no less surprised, she’d had no idea this boy was in her year, let alone a familiar she might be paired with! He was so tall, she thought he was a senior! Before she could say anything in reply, he turned to the two druids, letting them know he was ready.
“O-Oh! Yes, I’m ready too!” she exclaimed, remembering where she was.

The female Druid beckoned her to hold out her hand, and she did so, before having it placed atop Korrey’s. The woman placed both of their hands in hers atop the pedestal, before chanting out her ancient rhyme. The man joined in, dripping water on their hands, and Felicity watching in awe as a the red, circular seal appeared on the back of her hand. There was a slight tingling sensation, like what one might feel when their foot was asleep, but as Felicity flexed her hand, the tingling went away. She didn’t feel very much different, being bonded like this. Maybe it was something she would get used to?

From the alcoves across from them, another pair of Druids hurried onto the stage, one obviously sweating. Had they been running? Two younger women, clad in the same robes and earning some rather disapproving looks their older counterparts. Headmaster Loyola turned to them and they exchanged what Felicity assumed were hushed apologies, before the two women set up a second pedestal on the other end of the stage. Headmaster Loyola cleared his throat, turning back to the audience.
“There’s been a slight change, no need to panic. As you may tell, this is a very large class this year, and so to get through these proceedings a little quicker, we requested two additional Magisters. Magisters Cruz and Celeste got a little lost on the way here, but they have arrived safely. A shame, we let loose a pack of bear-hounds in the halls just for this occasion. Keep on your toes.” He joked, before clearing his throat.
“Worry not, I’ll continue reading out names. Let’s see, who’s next….” he trailed off, looking to return to his place on the list.

As soon as the ritual was completed, two volunteers stood near the stage, beckoning them down as Headmaster Loyola prepared to call the next names.
“Come on, this way. We’ll help you with your luggage.” said the taller of the two, though not as tall as Korrey. Felicity quickly nodded, stepping down onto level ground and allowing the volunteer to show her the way. She couldn’t stop staring at the mark on her hand, a faded burgundy color, though it had been glowing scarlet a few moments before.
“Wow… So we’re bonded now, huh? How awesome! Monty’s gonna be jealous I got bonded first~” She gloated in a singsong voice, following the seniors out of the way.

She looked up at Korrey, (gosh he was tall, she couldn’t get over that) and gave him a smile.
“I didn’t know you were a familiar! Wow, and we met on the station too! I wonder if it was fate or something? It’s Korrigan, right? I’ve never heard that name before. You’re a very unusual person!” she noted, picking up her suitcase and letting it roll beside her.
“But unusual isn’t bad! Where are you from? You have a strange way of talking!” It rather reminded her of an old-time gangster movie she watched with Monty once. Or rather, she tried to watch while Monty ranted about all the illegal things the gangsters were doing and how all the characters should go to prison. She didn’t watch crime movies with him anymore for that reason.

@Raijinslayer
@The Errorist

Regis Dimitrios

Regis strolled into the magnificent halls of the Sun Room. Its sight a breath-taking view to behold, as it was every had time he had seen it. The day had finally come. Wherein he would virtually be tied to another person for an entire year, if not more. Regis had dreamt about and anticipated this ceremony since the very day he had become aware of its existence. He would spend entire days thinking of how grand it would be, how he'd create a true companion in mind and soul, bonded together on a level yet unknown to him! He knew how capable the people who chose the partners were, surely they would grant someone as great as a Dimitrios with an equally suitable companion! Or, at least, someone great enough to truly understand Regis' eminence, and to not avoid him for some reason!

With his usual wide, self-assured smile and regal gait befitting one of his stature, Regis took in the grand sight of the hall, the groups of anxious chatterings between classmates or friends, the majestic and dazzling lights shining a rainbow down upon them all. In such a lovely place, with such fabulous people, at such an momentous occasion, Regis gulped down a sizable breath of fresh air and atmosphere...

... trying to calm down the unbearable shakes that had gripped him. While other's laughed during the usually humorous speech that the Headmaster always provided, Regis could only maintain a strained smile as he tried not to vomit, he blazer becoming a sauna as sweat dripped down his back. Was the Sun Room always this wide? So spacious? The usually grand hall felt like a coffin as the Headmaster continued his speech, something about balance and tradition and was it always so hard to breathe? This was absurd, he had never felt apprehension about taking the sacramentum, yet the thought of walking up that podium sent waves of anxiety through his bones.

Regis took deeper breaths, and tried to analyse the cause of this seemingly sudden panic, vaguely aware that the first two people to be bonded had already been sent up. He doubted it was the act itself that worried him, people had done the ritual a countless number of times without particular incident, although he had heard some nasty rumours about people exploding when attempting to form bonds with more than one person. Unsubstantiated rumours. No, it wasn't the ritual.

All that was really left to consider was the partner. Regis didn't have water where his brain was, he knew very well most people avoided him. His usual assumptions was jealously, or that they feared themselves insufficient when compared to him so they never responded well to Regis' attempts at friendship. If the person he was to be bonded to for an entire year reacted the same way... Alright, he thought to himself. You've some got time to calm down, drink some water, think of the calm ocean waves--

"--and Regis Dimitrios!"

Excuse me? Regis blinked. The panic that had only just begun to wane returned in full force when he realised that, one, he had been called up already, and two, that he did not hear his partner's name. He might have heard an 'erg' at the end of their name, but that was it. That would have been part of their last name. He didn't need that! Realising he was still standing there even after a few seconds had passed, he finally started to move his feet, which may as well have been encased in blocks of cement at the effort it seemed to take. He trudged up the stairs, only just realising that two new druids had appeared to help off-load the mass of students.

Regis only hoped that he would remember his partner from somewhere, and hopefully avoid the potential social faux pas of not knowing someone's name despite it being uttered several seconds prior. Considering his usual prowess at remembering people's names with 100% accuracy, surely he would be fi-- Nope, no idea whatsoever. The boy he was paired with was unfamiliar. Like most people the boy was taller than him, but not absurdly so like half the other boys were. Blond hair, blue eyes, all accounts reasonably attractive, but Regis ignored all that in favour of focusing on breathing and remembering the script he spent an entire train trip pouring over.

"Uh, hi." That was most certainly not how it went. "No, wait, hello." That wasn't it either. "Hang on, was it 'salutations'...?" He looked away from the boy, as if pondering a deep philosophical quandary. "Give me a second." He began ruffling through his blazer pockets, picking out his crumpled script. "A-ha! It was 'greetings'. Greetings!" Good start, good start. "Crap, there's more. Uh, 'greetings sir slash madam second year Mage of St. Fortuna's Academy for the Higher Arts whom I may...' Wait, dammit, I was supposed to change that bit. Excuse me." Regis grabbed a pen from his front blazer pocket, and started scribbling out parts of the first sentence, and would have continued if he wasn't reminded that this was not a meet'n'greet.

"Excuse me, but--" one of the druids spoke up, to which Regis instantly ceased his actions.

"Sorry!" he said, cutting off the druid before they could finish speaking. His eyes went right back down to the script. "Something something 'esteemed and distinguished', something something 'glee and various forms of exuberance', something something 'rampaging hormones'... and uh, nice to meet you and whatnot. Okay, bonding time!" He shoved the script back into his pocket.

Nailed it!

The Sun Room was just as Beatrice had remembered it. The wide, arched ceiling stretched tall above the crowd of students, as if were trying to touch the heavens. The floor was smooth marble, checkered in a black and white pattern. Beatrice's eyes were immediately drawn to the middle of the room, were the golden twelve pointed star lay, looking regal as it had since she saw it last. Around the room there were twelve intricately designed pillars, one for each of the zodiac signs. Her eyes scanned the pillars for her own zodiac sign, Serpens. She found it rather quickly, the winged snake curling around its column hard to miss, especially as it was habit for her to look for it by now.

Beatrice only realized she had stopped moving when someone bumped into her from behind. She offered a quick apology over her shoulder before continuing to move farther into the room. She changed colors as she walked, the light from the magnificent stained glass windows bathing her in its many hues. This had to be her favorite part of the room, and certainly the most dazzling. When she had stepped into the Sun Room in her first year, she had sworn it was magic. She still wasn't sure it was possible to create such a beautiful sight. Richard had explained how it worked many times before, but Beatrice still regarded the Sun Room with a certain mysticism.

After everyone settled down, Headmaster Loyola began his speech. Beatrice had always been fond of the man, despite his appearance he was quite jovial. She excitedly cheered and booed along with the rest of the crowd throughout his speech, growing quiet as he told the crowd about the past. Some people believe the Magi to be nothing more than just a fairy tale, whiles others would defend their existence fiercely. Beatrice herself prefered to be in the middle of the spectrum, and was neutral towards others beliefs.

As the Druids began calling names, Beatrice held on to Richard’s arm for comfort. She has been looking forward to this day, but the idea of going up in front of all these people and meeting her partner filled her with anxiety. She was glad she and Richard had decided to both go to St. Fortuna's, she wasn't sure she could handle all of this without her best friend.

---

Monty could hardly believe this was happening. He and Felicity had been preparing themselves all summer, but still he felt the familiar feeling of sweat in his palms. He wiped his hands on his pants, careful not to dislodge Felicity's hand, which was currently clinging to his arm. He looked down at his twin and smiled back at her. He could see she was bouncing with anticipation, and he tried his best to be a comforting figure.

Suddenly Felicity's name was called, and Monty looked down at her, giving her what he hoped was a reassuring smile. He couldn't help but feel uneasy as he watched his twin walk up to the podium. His feelings of unease were multiplied when he saw her who partner would be. His hope for her having a nice, calm girl to be her partner went down the drain. He himself didn't care who he was paired with, but his sister was different. She was an incredibly strong young woman, and he admired her, but he knew how self conscious she was about her scar. She hated people even seeing it, if someone were to comment on it... Well, it would not be good. However, Korrey himself looked quite a bit unusual himself, so maybe he wouldn't say anything rude. He seemed rather polite, but Monty had only met him for a few minutes. Well, Monty would give the boy a chance, but if he so much as looked at Felicity in the wrong way, he would be in for it.

"Monty Goldberg and Regis Dimitrios!"

These vaguely threatening thoughts were cut off as Monty heard his own name called. He grabbed his suitcase and carefully weaved through the students between him and the podium. As he got to the stage he left the suitcase by the stairs and hurriedly climbed the stairs to the podium. The boy on stage with him was shorter than expected, fairly good looking, and seemed to be having a hard time speaking. Monty waited patiently as Regis stumbled over the greetings. He quirked an eyebrow as the boy pulled out a piece of paper and began writing on it, but chose to ignore it. The boy was probably just as nervous as Monty was about this.

"Well, uh, salutations to you too. Regis, right? I'm Monty Goldberg, though you probably heard that already." Monty laughed sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. God this was awkward. Turning back to the Druids, Monty gave them a small smile and a nod. He extended his hand, laying it on top of the pedestal. He had studied the sacramentum long enough to know the basics of the ceremony. The people join hands on top of the pedestal, and the Druids then performed the rite. After that the seal would appear with some faint tingling, and the newly joined partners could be on their merry way.

@Discontent@Invader Len

Korrigan 'Korrey' Umbraisis

"Well you are a bundle of energy aren'tcha?" Korrey said as he walked after his newly minted partner, flexing his right hand a bit and looking at the red marking that had formed on his hand. He was a bit disappointed at how. . . simple the ritual seemed. Like, the two fo them had held hands, the woman chanted out some old gobbledigook while the the other guy sprinkled water on their hands and that was it. He had been imagining something so much more grandiose in his head, but it was whatever. He was still pretty stoked that he had finally gotten his partner, though the fact that his partner was a girl did complicate things a tad. Okay, so I really have to remember to put on the Pajamas I packed, and probably try and curb my habit of walking around in my underwear. . . especially in the mornings.

Feeling his face heat slightly as his mind followed that particular train of thought a tad longer, he quickly zeroed back into his surroundings as he just avoided walking into a nother student, having gotten momentarily lost in his thoughts. "Hey, give me some credit. I was hopped up on some fantasy novels when I came up with it, and it was a spur of the moment kind of thing. Don't regret, though. . . also, hold on a sec, I got to handle something." He spared a glance over to his bags, taking a moment to jog over and open up on of them. Reaching in, he pulled out a special glass container, with sigils on the outside that signified that it was magical in nature. Inside of it was , who was looking positively estatic to be outside of the darkened depths of the luggage container. Korrey would quickly jog back to where Felicity and the volunteers were waiting, holding up the lizard so that he could properly introduce himself by shaking his small body to and fro, mouth open wide in the lizard equivalent of a big stupid grin.

"Felicity, meet Vulcan. He's my love-able dummy of a bearded Dragon and is very glad to make your acquaintance. I'd have liked to properly introduce you to Festus, but they're a bit busy still sulking, for whatever reason. Now, uh, what were you askin' me about aga-oh right, where I'm from and why I talk a bit funny." Placing his chin on top of Vulcan's container(an action that caused more shakes of happiness), Korrey thought a bit about how to go about explaining it. Well, I'm from Erridun, but unlike most of the people here, I wasn't exactly rollin' in dough. Livin' on the streets meant that I didn't really have anybody to teach me how ta' speak proper, and ya know what they say about old habits."

"but enough about me, tell me a bit about you, Blondie? If we're goin' to be partners for the whole year, best get to knowin' about each other sooner rather then later. So, to engage in a bit of tit-for-tat, where do you come from? Got any interests or hobbies, mind tellin' yourdreams for the future, and other such random bits and bobs of info, ya?"

@Invader Len

Regis Dimitrios

"Well, uh, salutations to you too. Regis, right? I'm Monty Goldberg, though you probably heard that already."

Oh thank whatever merciful deity, gods, goddesses, demigods, divine powers, celestial beings, or even some eldritch abomination floating over the multiverse, Regis thanks them all for the fact the boy reiterated his name. Monty! Monty Goldberg! A fantastic name! An easily remembered name! A fantastically easily remembered name!

"H-haha, yes. Of course I did. Already hear that. Ha. Obviously." Regis gulped down his dry throat, following his soon to be partner's hand to the pedestal, placing his above the boy's outstretched hand. One of the druids began to chant an ancient... rhyme? Mantra? It was certainly ancient, at least. They dripped water over their hands, which Regis somewhat hoped masked his sweaty hand, at least a bit. But Regis barely noticed much of this, for all he could focus on was how much water he needed to quench the barren wasteland that was now his mouth. Tingling sensation in his hand, signifying their newfound bond? Who cares?! He was about friggen' asphyxiate!

The rest of the ritual played out in a manner he could only describe as anticlimactic. After all, they could hardly make a big show of every single student in the hall, they would be there all day. If it weren't for his pressing need to not succumb to dehydration, he may have been somewhat disappointed with the outcome. New mark on hand, Regis descended the podium towards the two volunteers that beckoned them down.

"Hey there, we'll take your luggage and show--" the male one of the two started speaking, but Regis cut him off.

"I'll take my luggage, you get me water, pronto," he said, his mouth in turbo mode. The volunteer looked to his partner, confused. "Go go, chop chop, if I fall over dead I'll blame your laziness. Go!"

"Uh, sure," the man uncertainly said, and trudged off to fulfil his sacred duty. Regis grabbed his luggage and began to follow the remaining volunteer with his newly created partner.

"So, Monty! Guess we're going to be stuck together this year! Well, not 'stuck' in the sense of 'reluctantly glued together', more in the sense of, uh..." Regis wasn't quite sure how to finish that sentence. So he didn't! "Well, anyway! What are you into, Monty? Reading? Scrap booking? Firearms?"

Felicity looked up curiously at the mention of fantasy novels, though not quite catching what he meant. Korrigan did sound like a name from a video game or fantasy book, though she couldn’t quite place where she had heard it before. Were his parents avid readers then? Or maybe novelists themselves? How interesting that must be! Before she could ask him any further questions in her bubbly interrogation session, her partner jogged over to his luggage. She politely paused, wondering what it was he needed to handle. Did he forget his phone in his bags? Was there something sensitive to jostling, like a vase or soda stash? She knew from her first year that one girl had brought an expensive china vase that she used to decorate her nightstand, and would always fill it with very smelly carnations. She hoped she wouldn’t have another roommate who loved very smell carnations.

But nope, he did not return with a cellphone, soda stash, or expensive china vase. Instead he returned with a glass container, which contained a shaking, grinning lizard! Korrigan introduced the lizard, a bearded dragon, as Vulcan, and made reference to a Festus. Another lizard? Well, lizards were certainly more interesting and more welcome than the overwhelming stench of carnations!
“Oh, how cute! He looks like he’s dancing! Hello, Vulcan! Oh, you’re so lucky, Monty and I always wanted pets when we were growing up! But my mother is allergic to fur, daddy’s allergic to scales, and Monty is allergic to feathers, so it was impossible.” she explained, stifling giggles as Vulcan’s little body shook happily.

She sobered a little as he told her he was from Erridun, and explained a little more on his background. Living on the streets? Had he been homeless? So that was why he spoke so strangely. She felt a little bad for pointing it out now, she hadn’t meant to make him uncomfortable. She wanted to apologize for her blunder, but he very quickly moved past it, turning the questions onto her.
“Oh! Well, I’m from Maefeld, my parents are jewelers in the Pearl district! Um, I want to be a fashion designer when I graduate, and I like designing and making my own clothes! I made this dress myself, actually!” she said, gesturing down to the patterns on her hem. She was rather proud of her needlework, she had spent two weeks making this dress for her second year debut!

“Um, what else about me… Monty is my twin brother, and even though he’s taller than me, I’m the older one by two hours! His full name is Montgomery, if he ever gives you trouble, just call him that, it makes him splutter like a broken car. Um, I’m a lifetime subscriber to Vague magazine, and I wrote some articles for Teen Vague in a contest over the summer that got featured! My best friend is Nancy Jones, she’s also a second year mage. She’s a really good cook too, her parents own a restaurant in Lynden! I like gardening and cooking, though I’m not very good at either yet. Aaaaand… Oh! My magic type! I’m a shadow mage! Monty is a light mage, and people usually get our magic types mixed up.” she answered to the best of her ability, wracking her brain for all so called “bits and bobs” about her.

They eventually arrived in front of two doors, both with the number 227 emblazoned on them in gold.
“Here’s your dorm! The doors don’t have a locking mechanism for safety purposes, but you really don’t need them.” one of their volunteers said, opening the door closest to them and letting them inside. Felicity pulled her suitcase in, striding in and taking a look around.

It was certainly spacious! Mint green walls with a dark mahogany trim, wide windows that let in lots of light and had, on closer inspection, flower boxes right outside! A luxurious queen bed with blue blankets, dark hardwood floors that shone with polish, desk, dresser, bookshelf, table, and chairs all made with the same handiwork and elegance! Yet across a short divider, was another room mimicking this one in all symmetry! One of the volunteers, currently not occupied with luggage, walked up to the divider, pulling out a handle and dragging it across. A sliding wall! That separated the room into two bedrooms! Felicity was amazed. Life as a second year was certainly much more luxurious than a first year!

“This wall can be slid open or shut with ease, allowing you both some privacy while keeping the dorm intact! The bathroom as two entrances on either side, and contains a toilet, sink, shower, washer, dryer, as well as soaps, shampoo, detergent and tooth brushes. If you need replacements or run out, go to Mr. Stockton’s office down the hall, fill out a form with your room number and needed supplies, and they’ll be brought to your dorm by the end of the week. There are bi-monthly inspections to make sure the rooms are tidy and not being damaged, so try to keep things clean. You are allowed to decorate the room as you see fit, as long as you don’t damage the room itself. The cost of necessary repair will be billed to your families, so don’t break anything.” the volunteer explained, launching into a well rehearsed tour of the facilities. When he finished, he pulled out two papers, handing one to Felicity and one to Korrey.

“These are your choices for electives. Currently, the school offers music, painting, cooking, horticulture, and an introduction to monster hunting as electives. You don’t have to attend the same electives, unless you choose monster hunting. We’ll give you a few minutes to decide, then take your answers back to the teachers and let you settle in.”
Felicity looked over the paper, her brow furrowed as she thought about her choices. Music? But she couldn’t play an instrument, and Monty said her singing voice was like a cat being shaved. Painting maybe? But her specialty in art was sketching and design, she didn’t want to make still-life portraits of fruit. Cooking or horticulture sounded nice. Nancy would definitely be in a cooking class! They could gossip and play and Nancy could give her tips so she didn’t burn anymore cookies! She looked up at Korrey, wondering what he might be interested in.

Monty let out a breath as they began the ceremony, glancing around the room. He had hoped to have his sister in the crowd for support, but it seemed she had already left with her own partner. He hoped Korrey would be alright with idle chatter, because Felicity had been a chatterbox all day. It was slightly endearing, but also annoying after a while. He was drawn back to the present by the tingling in his hand that signified the bond had been made and his seal was forming. It was over with faster than he had expected.

As he and his partner stepped down from the podium, Monty watched as Regis immediately sought out their volunteers, cutting one off as he started speaking. Monty raised his eyebrows in disapproval at the sudden demands, but chose not to comment just yet. He didn't want to start off the year-long bond badly, especially if it was possible the other boy was still having trouble. Although he doubted the boy would actually die, he had seen these types of dramatics with his sister. He turned to the volunteer, smiling at him.

"I can take my luggage as well. Thank you very much sir" As the man walked away to get Regis's water, Monty began following the other volunteer, bag in tow.

He took in the scenery as they walked, admiring the art in the hallways and the large windows that gave a magnificent view of the schools prided garden. The grass was neatly mowed, flowers of all colors bloomed, and the most breathtaking in Monty's opinion, was the topiary section. It was a garden in its own right, with several different stone pathways with hedge borders, arches and walls. All the pathways led to the center, where there was a large marble fountain. The fountain was made of marble and in three layers, with more water spouts on all three. At the very top stood an elegant marble statue of Saint Fortuna herself, covered in draping cloth. She was the patron saint of both magic and knowledge, and to represent that she had in one had a golden orb, and in the other she clutched a book. The orb stood out to most, glowing brilliantly in the sunlight and designed with small but intricate lines and swirls.

This was a common spot for students to go when they needed calm, and some students even asked the statue of Saint Fortuna for advice and blessings. Monty had come there himself many a time, taking comfort in the peaceful atmosphere when life got too stressful. The garden also twelve topiaries spread throughout the garden, to represent the twelve zodiac signs and their elements. The place gave of a certain aura of tranquility, and was eerily quiet at times, compared to the colorful joyful tone the rest of the gardens surrounding the school grounds hosted.

Monty was snapped out of his reverie by his new partner's questions. Embarrassed about zoning out, Monty returned his full attention to Regis. He cringed at the mention of being glued together, trying to smile, but it came as more of a pained grimace.

"Uh, yeah I guess." He laughed awkwardly, trying to mask his discomfort. Dammit, he was usually good at being sociable, why was it so awkward now? "Well I like reading I suppose, but not really the other two very much." Monty responded to Regis's questions, racking his mind. He was neutral on firearms, and scrap booking reminded him too much of his aunt Sarah, with her eccentric personality and her many, many cats.

"I like cooking, although I can't say I'm very good yet. My friend Nancy is teaching my twin sister, Felicity and I how to not burn everything we touch, so that's good I guess. I also love to gardening. I come from Maefeld, so it's nice to be able to have some greenery here and there. Uh, other than that I love motorcycles, comic books, that kind of stuff. Oh! I also love the show 'Statutes and Organization'" He responded excitedly, eyes lighting up at the mention of the popular crime show. Felicity refused to watch it with him, which he found frankly unfair, since she made him sit through all of her cliche bodice ripper romance films. It would have been fine if she wanted rom-coms or just any good romances, like ‘The Notepad’. But no, she had to go and watch that crappy vampire show, ‘Dusk.’

Realizing he had probably gotten overexcited, Monty rubbed the back of his neck and looked away, feeling his cheeks flush "Sorry, you probably didn't need a rant. I just get really excited sometimes. So, what are you interested in Regis? Any hobbies?"

He glanced up as they arrived at the door, the golden gilded numbers on the door reading 220. The remaining volunteer opened the door and showed them in, explaining the doors and various functions of the room as they went. Compared to the living quarters her was used to from the last year, this setup was quite the upgrade. At least it had some semblance of privacy, even if that was only an easily moved sliding wall. Well, that didn't matter too much, he never needed much privacy anyway. His thoughts drifted back to Felicity in the same type of room, and his brows furrowed. He'd have to check on her soon, make sure she was comfortable.

The volunteer handed them a sheet, and Monty scanned over it, listening to the rushed explanation of electives. He wondered what Regis would want for electives. The most popular class was monster hunting, which he wouldn't mind taking, and he hoped he could fit either cooking or gardening in there as well. He preferred cooking, that was his favorite elective, mostly because it's where he always knew he could find Nancy, and maybe even Felicity.

"Thank you. Uh, just let me get a pencil..." He set the paper on the closest table and quickly rummaged through his bag in search of his pencil case. When he found it, he extracted two pencils, offering one to Regis.

"Do you want one?" He asked, not looking up from his paper. It was habit really, his parents always taught him to bring multiple pens and pencils, just in case anyone else forgot them.

Ruby thought it would be easy to keep up with Korrey since his load was heavier than hers, meaning he couldn't go as fast as he could have been. But as they got to the school doors and the crowd became thick with students, Ruby found herself not only separated from Korrey, she also lost track of him entirely. Impressive seeing how tall the two of them were. Well, seeing how she still had some of his luggage, Ruby hopped that she A) didn't have something important, and B) was able to find out his room number quickly so she could bring it back to him.

All thoughts of Korrey left her mind though as she entered the Sun Room. It was just as radiant as she remembered, the color's that washed over the students were just as vibrant, and that mystical feeling that Ruby felt the first time she ever entered the Sun Room was still just as strong. Ruby often imagined that entering an ancient, long forgotten temple would give her the same feeling of awe. If Ruby could, she would have stood still to take in the whole room and every detail, but the students around her weren't exactly inclined to let her just stand there when she was in the way so she kept moving until she finally came to a stop in the crowd around the podium.

Another part of being in the sun room that Ruby liked was listening to Headmaster Loyola's speeches. He was an amazing public speaker, knowing how to get the room to laugh and able to captivate his audience as well as he prepared students to receive their sacramentum bonds. He certainly helped Ruby with the slightly anxious feeling she had when it came to getting her partner. Speaking of which, she recognized one of the first names to be called up. Korrey!

Ruby quickly scanned the room to see if she could recognize Korrey's future partner. It didn't take long for Ruby to see the blonde girl that Korrey had been talking to earlier had been chosen as his partner. She seemed nice earlier, so Ruby was glad that her friend wasn't paired up with someone not nice. She hoped she could say the same for herself when the time came.

---

Nancy didn't know what she had been hoping for as she and her two friends waited to hear their names called. She kind of didn't want to be called up, or at least not last as she seemed to be destined to be. Not that she wasn't supportive of her friends! She happily cheered for Felicity and Monty as their names were called, happy to see them paired up with interesting and seemingly nice people (that Korrey dude seemed nice but Nancy could feel the "little brother is concerned" vibe that Monty was sending out). But now she was worrying in ways she hadn't thought of till now. What if her partner was scared of her? Monty had been scared of her at first so it wasn't an impossibility. What if she made her partner uncomfortable? She knew her friends would tell her that that was ridiculous, but it was still a worry she had.

But Nancy wasn't allowed to worry about it for long after Monty was called up because her name and her partners were being called.

"Nancy Jones and Nathanial Zane Elswood"

Shoot, Nancy knew that name. But where did she know it from? Trying to remember was like trying to remember something vital for a test and having it on the tip of your tongue. But that didn't stop Nancy from trying as she made her way up to the podium. It was here that she finally saw her partner. She...still couldn't place him. Was he in one of her previous classes before? Or just happened to be someone in the right place and time as she handed out goodies? That might have been it. She really hoped it was the latter as it would show she's not completely scary as she looked. To help further drive that point home, she gave Nathanial a smile and held her hand out to him. "Hey dude, nice to meet you! I'm Nancy, looking forward to working with you this year."

@MechonRaptor