"How so?"

Mallory put a finger to her bottom lip, taking another curious look around the flowering courtyard. “I guess I was just a bit overwhelmed by the extravagance of it all. But seeing as this is one of the most prominent magic schools in the region, I shouldn't have expected anything less.”

Unlike what most parents and carers would have described their experiences at or simple viewings of Mordhaben to be like, Mallory's mother and father weren't the most descriptive when it came to such. The girl had been told many stories, yes, however these stories were told so vaguely and indistinctly that it's almost a wonder Mallory had developed such strong curiosities for the place. But this would only leave Mallory without any clear expectations for the school, and thus absolutely stunned by the campus that now stood proud and tall before her. It was something she had never seen, and in her stranger case, never heard of.

She let out another low chuckle, tilting her head up to face her conversation partner. “Also, it's perfectly fine to drop the 'miss'. I usually go by Mallory, if it wouldn't upset you to address me that way.”

Loud, bustling noises came from the front of the crowd, and the students began to gather around the large building further down. Mallory pointed towards their direction.

“Ah. I think it's starting.”

She would quicken her pace towards the dense pack of people, not wanting to miss anything important. That was one of the last things Mallory didn't want to do on her first day.

When it came to the viewing of the short film after the administrator's rather unusual introduction, Mallory didn't speak much. Her eyes became noticeably wider once the tone of the film took a horrific shift, watching the black fog engulf an entire town and leaving nothing behind as it slithered away. Mallory stood almost dead still, not saying anything.

Once the film came to an end the administrator, or rather, his translator, finalised the opening ceremony with words that would certainly stick with Mallory.

"I ask that you take your search for knowledge and, if you wish, power, seriously while you are with us."

The same look of overwhelming curiosity and excitement she had been wearing when she arrived had returned, glimmering with life in her lavender eyes.

---

The interior of the administrative building was huge. And unsurprisingly, beautiful. It took quite some effort for Mallory to keep her mouth from hanging open each hallway she was guided through. From the beginning of the opening ceremony to the moment her and the rest of the students arrived at the cafeteria, Mallory had barely spoken a word, only taking brief glances at the hallway walls as she traversed through this new environment.

In the cafeteria she now found herself in, Mallory was also welcomed with new smells and new cuisines. But, wishing to keep things simple rather than gawking at the unfamiliar foods in the little time she had to eat, she took some bread and meat onto her tray and made her way to a table. Whether the boy from earlier or anyone else bothered to sit with Mallory, the girl honestly didn't mind. But a few new acquaintances on her first week at Mordhaben would definitely be appreciated.

@hagroden

---

Mark was in the process of brutalizing his meal when he felt a hand being laid on his head. He wheeled around, and reacted in the way that only someone who sleeps with their uniform on could.

"SOLDIER, IS THIS A DECLARATION OF WAR?!?, VERY WELL TH-"

He interpreted the action as an invitation to spar, but let out a solid "WHAT" as soon as he registered the hand belonging to a girl. First it was girls being officials, and now one of them wanted to fight him? Mark narrowed his eyes while trying to accept this, but it felt like the mental version of placing the circle peg in the square hole. When it came to reading people outside of coaching magic, he had the book upside down. Another student now began to laugh at unfolding scene in the background.

When he thought about the things girls did his mind struggled to fetch anything other than a blank image. Thinking even harder, he recalled that a lot of the newspapers that he would read often advertised machinery, with a well-dressed woman standing near it and smiling. Did girls do that as a pasttime? Was that her true goal?

Mark was out of his seat now, with no effort taken into wiping the trails of fruit juice and blood from his face. He addressed the calm girl in front of him now with confusion, pointing a finger at her face with vigor.

"I DID NOT COME HERE TO BUY MACHINERY SOLDIER, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I ALSO DO NOT POSSESS THE FORMAL CLOTHING NEEDED TO STAND AROUND IT EITHER, IF -THAT'S- WHAT YOU ARE ASKING." Mark then continued his speech. "PATTING OTHERS ON THE HEAD IS A DISPLAY OF SHAMEFUL AND INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR, BUT I WILL DISMISS IT TODAY DUE TO YOUR IGNORANCE IN THE SOLDIER WAY OF LIFE." He saluted and sat down again, the tone of his voice shifting from loud to loud-but-less-loud-and-more-friendly.

"IF YOU EXCUSE ME SOLDIER, I WILL CONTINUE TO ENERGIZE MY BODY. YOU ARE WELCOME TO JOIN AS A FELLOW STUDENT."

Mark began to vigorously lick his tray clean, wondering just how radically different this place was from his home. Everybody was so strange when compared to him, he thought.

Never before had Bawen been so appreciative of his lack of stature than in the crowded confines of the courtyard. The train ride had been tolerable enough, despite being forced into the company of his own kind. He quietly shuddered, remembering an odd spider like...boy, he decided, who seemed to be not quite all there. Thankfully, he vanished into the crowd as he watched the odd arachnid turn his attention to another poor soul. Though he slipped under the sight of most of the humans, his horns did draw one or two odd looks, prompting a quick mumbled apology from the chimera before he was quickly forgotten. Normally his sense of of propriety would be screaming at him for so much as daring to stand anywhere but the fringes of a room, but he permitted himself an indulgence just this once. There didn’t seem to be a conversation anywhere in ear shot, but he could hardly hear the film being played as his own heartbeat attempted to deafen him.

It was nice to stand among them, only to be ignored. At home, even the servants stared at him with thinly veiled disgust (not that he blamed them). But here? There were far more vulgar examples of his kind. Hell, when compared to the administrator he was almost...-the thought stops there. He scolded himself for letting himself get carried away. The humans around him were already being so kind as to ignore his little transgression into what was, by right, their territory. Thinking their indifference was in anyway akin of acceptance was just spitting in the face of that kindness.

He remained quiet as the tour group shambled inside, only numbly registering Volkova’s explanations. Silently he noted he would need to return later that night to begin reading through what records he was permitted in their entirety. If he was lucky, he could have them memorized and transcribed to his own documents within two to three months, class work pending.

Obtaining food, however, was the current challenge. More specifically was doing so without inconveniencing someone, and there were one or two false starts before he was finally sandwiched between two chimera’s in the queue. He was surprised to find Airelosian sea food, though it did not smell like it had back home. Despite concerns about the freshness of it, he resigned himself to a small helping of what smelt to be shrimp gumbo.

He eyed it suspiciously as he exited the line, looking for a place to sit before catching sight of a mop of white hair. The girl was odd. Human, definately. But there was a wraith like beauty about her. He was about to walk over and take a seat when his earlier transgression pushed itself back into his mind, his face flushing in shame before he quickly scanned the room.

A small bubble of relief allowed itself to burst in his chest as he spotted the other chimeras congregating in the southeast corner of the the cafeteria. If nothing else, they seemed civil enough not to inconvenience the humans while eating….or failing that, were smart enough to understand proximity to their slop trough was a good thing. He was no more than three feet from sitting down near a dog chimera, currently being petting by...some sort of turtle girl(he guessed?) long since removed from her bestial heritage but still bearing its taint all the same, before the boy erupted into an impressive tirade.

"IF YOU EXCUSE ME SOLDIER, I WILL CONTINUE TO ENERGIZE MY BODY. YOU ARE WELCOME TO JOIN AS A FELLOW STUDENT."

It took all Bawen’s self-control to choke back the small bleat of surprise that half way escaped him. He looked about nervously, his fear confirmed that a few humans had noticed and were visibly agitated by the outburst. He needed to distance himself from this social SNAFU, and do so now. His brain raced as he looked for a way out, eyes darting back and forth between the white haired human and the dog chimera.

He decided the best course of action was to answer him as though it had been a question. He locked eyes with the canine his voice an almost breathless rasp as it escaped him. ”Never in a thousand years, you worthless half breed.” he said, each syllable almost dropping through the floor as he spoke. He turned and made a calm, but faster than he intended, bee line to the white haired human. He takes the seat opposite of her wordlessly, staring into his gumbo as though it would tell him his future. Well...it smelt of gumbo, atleast.

@Rekaigan@HokumPocus@Jay Kalton

Berke Bayamaar

Berke was most surprised to find both Chimera and Monsters among the staff present at the ceremony. While Altay was a place of tolerance, he had always been told the outside was quite different, so it was strange to find non-humans in such prominent positions. Maybe the outside was more tolerant than everyone had thought? The staff decided to show them a little film to induct them into the school. At first, Berke thought they were in for a pleasant experience, but then the film got really dark and disturbing at the end. It made him think about just how sheltered he had been back in Altay. But the ultimate intention was one of hope, and that was something that Berke could get behind. He had come here for no other reason than to make himself useful just like those Mages in the film.

Berke was eager to fill his plate up quick, though not for the sake of a meal. While he could be a big eater when he wanted to be, Berke was more concerned about finding someone to sit down with and have a good chat. In the end, his meal was a fairly simple collection of meats and starchy fruits and vegetables. He always needed to keep his protein up. However, it was not a happy moment that awaited him upon finishing his task, but a dismaying one. He chanced upon a pair of people, one of which was loudly saying something about a "declaration of war". Berke was quite worried that these two were about to break the very rule that the nice lady from earlier had told them not to, and start a fight in the cafeteria.

By the moment Berke had made his way over to diffuse the situation, however, it seemed the situation had diffused itself. He had no idea what the dog Chimera was going on about, but from the sound of it, he didn't intend to fight. This was good. Joining the group, Berke added, "Yes, let's all...uh, "energize" ourselves together!" Before sitting down to eat near his fellow Chimeras. He wasn't sure if the girl had any intention of starting a fight, but hopefully she would be inclined to just sit down and eat regardless.

"Oh, and I'm Berke." He said to his new, loud friend. "What's your name?"

@HokumPocus@Rekaigan

Mycona Frisa

Mycona did not understand this "ceremony". Mycona had read that there was an "Administrator" at the Mordhaben's, but what she didn't understand was why the Administrator had a large other standing near them, making strange gestures as they spoke. The Mordhaben's was already confusing her to no end with their strange rituals. She did not understand a number of the words they used either, such as "Technician" or "presentation". For some reason, they all stepped aside as some strange picture show began. Mycona couldn't understand this either. What did the person speaking have to do with the Mordhaben's and magics? Eventually, the pictures changed to that of more strange others, all doing things Mycona didn't fully understand. What Mycona could gather is that some of them were very surprised because a town had gone. Were towns not supposed to go? Mycona had gone from home when she came to the Mordhaben's. Maybe the town was also at the Mordhaben's? Mycona would have to ask the Administrator if that was the case.

After more words she couldn't quite figure out, all the others began to move off somewhere else. Was the ceremony over? Were they going to start using magics? Evidently not, as they just ended up shuffling around, stopping to hear one of the others say things. What Mycona did understand was that they were going to have breakfast. They had breakfast at home. Mycona wasn't sure if this place had breakfast, but it this confirmed it. Mycona loved breakfast. All the interesting sensations she got from consuming food were almost as amazing as the magics she had seen and read about. This was something she not only understood, but could participate in.

Once in the cafeteria, Mycona initially began to grab as much food as she could. Mother and Father had instructed her on how to eat properly, so she knew better than to make a mess, but she still wanted to eat as much new food as she could. Half way through her task, she remembered that she still needed to find a "friend". The ceremony was over, so she wondered if it would be easier to find a friend now. She embarked on the task of finding a friend with new vigor, but quickly found that many of the responses she received were the same. Where oh where could a friend be, she wondered.

---

It wasn't long before Magnhild realized that this doggy didn't enjoy pats. But his sudden outburst reminded her of a tiny yappy chihuahua that she had come across once before. Had it not been for the slight furrowed brow that appeared on Mag's features, one might've thought that she had the blankest expression they'd ever seen in their life. The canine's manner of speaking was completely alien to her, and his constant use of the word 'Soldier' got on her nerves ever so slightly.

"I'm not sure if people come here to become soldiers.. Well I didn't anyway. Maybe you'd have better luck at a barracks instead of an Institute?" She replied quite bluntly, however it wasn't said in a snarky manner, rather a more 'trying to give a helpful suggestion' tone. She could care less about a soldier's life and their way of handling issues. It was quite clear to her that the Lobster man was against the military anyway. Perhaps even belittled them.

Another voice joined the noise. ”Never in a thousand years, you worthless half breed.” He said. She wasn't sure who it was pointed at, she thought a half-breed was a first generation Chimera.. And neither of them were. Maybe it was another way of saying 'Chimera'? Who knew? Who cared? She didn't know how this generation thing worked. Also, isn't that guy a sheep?

The two people that she's interacted with had their own kind of aggression that she didn't really enjoy. Fortunately a more pleasant voice entered the 'conversation'. Her gaze turned to see a hulking.. Gorilla Chimera. Not someone she'd associate with 'kind' at first, given what she's been told about Gorillas... Which is not a lot, other than 'Don't look them in the eye.' Which she immediately proceeded to do by accident. She stared at him for a moment as he addressed the loud canine. She took a half step back in silence, thinking that she wasn't really included in the conversation. Had it not been for those times when she was told not to speak unless spoken to by Airelosian guard, she may have introduced herself as well.

It had occurred to her that her food was slowly getting cold. And as mother always said, 'Food tastes better when it's hot.' Which was almost always true. Almost. She quietly moved back to her seat, having learnt that this pup doesn't like pat. Picking up her chopsticks once more, she continue on her journey to the bottom of her plate of noodles.

---

“I guess I was just a bit overwhelmed by the extravagance of it all. But seeing as this is one of the most prominent magic schools in the region, I shouldn't have expected anything less.”

Alexander nodded at this, he understood her meaning exactly. He had been told stories of this place and what it looked like for as long as he could remember, and yet the descriptions he had been given didn't seem to do the place anything even resembling justice. This place was sacred, in a way, and quite difinitively beyond words. He followed her gaze towards around the Courtyard and couldn't help but smile gently at the beauty of the place.

“Also, it's perfectly fine to drop the 'miss'. I usually go by Mallory, if it wouldn't upset you to address me that way.”

He turned his head to face her, and was about to respond with his own name when she spoke again.

“Ah. I think it's starting.”

She picked up her pace, and he did so as well reflexively. He turned his eyes from the back of her head to the podium, where the Administer began the first-year's introduction. He watched, a expression of mild anxiety spread across his face as a great canvas fell and a projector clicked on. He already knew what he would see, but it didn't save him any embarrassment; The face of the Great Military Colonel Nicholas Albert Breckenridge, his Father. His face reddened almost immediately, but it wasn't long until his bashfulness was replaced with a sort of grim maturity. He recognized that place, and he looked away, knowing what was about to happen. The Vivat incident, a massacre, more like.

---

After the film had ended and the students had been escorted towards the cafeteria, Alex had stayed near Mallory but remained uncharacteristically silent. He was almost brooding as he collected a small bit of food onto one of the trays, having been reminded of Vivat and the subsequent effect it had had on his father, his appetite was almost non-existent. He sat down diagonally from her, a seat across and to the right, picking at his food absent-mindedly.

He was so wrapped up in his own mind that he barely noticed the shouting of a dog-like chimera, but he looked up momentarily to the individual who took the seat next to him. He offered a curt nod to the individual, avoiding eye-contact as he did so. Eventually, he looked up and spoke, a quiet and gentle tone in his voice.

"They don't tell you about what happens when you go home, they don't tell you about the nightmares and the panic attacks. They don't tell you how much a thing like Vivat can damage somebody, how war breaks people."

He froze for a second, only just now realizing that he had been spoken out loud. He clenched his fist under the table so hard that his fingernails left angry lines in his palm as he stared down into his food, his legs bouncing below him. He knew it wasn't the time or the place, but he couldn't stop the flood of memories that bombarded his thoughts. Things like how his father woke up screaming in the middle of the night for months after that attack, how even the sound of a door closing a bit too hard turned him into a terrified wreck. His father had been the strongest man he knew, and yet even he had been broken by the wars of men apathetic to the plight of soldiers.

Damn the entire fucking empire.

---

The train station was mostly deserted save for a few railway personel and one unimpressive individual wearing what might roughly be considered a generic military uniform. The small figure had their arms crossed and tapped one foot impatiently, glaring at a much taller man operating a nearby telephone. This man seemed to be having an uncomfortable conversation with the person on the other end, and the mounting irritation of the one waiting on him only made things more unpleasant. With a 'yes sir' and an apology for the trouble the man on the phone finally hung up and turned to the person that had been waiting on that particular call. He opened his mouth and began to relay what he had been told, trying to work in an apology while he spoke.

"You're cleared to keep the rifle on your person as long as it remains unloaded at all times. I'm sorry for the delay, miss-"

"Finally!"

The waiting Yrhen Oharra, a young woman who was not at all a soldier despite her choice of dress, interrupted the man before he could even finish speaking. She stepped forward and snatched up her prized 13mm anti armor rifle as the older man recoiled from her abrupt and aggressive approach. She slung the oversized gun over her shoulder and picked up her duffel bag with her free hand. With one last scathing look at the man she abruptly turned and set off at a very brisk walk. He watched her go and shook his head.

"When did kids get so scary? I hope my daughter doesn't turn out like that."


Dammit, dammit, dammit, dammit, dammit- ow! DAMMIT!! I cannot be late for my first day, I just can't. First impressions! What kind of a mage shows up late to where they need to be? Yrhen thought of numerous curses as she ran down the path towards Mordhaben's Institute for Aspiring Mages, most of them directed at the man that had held her up so long at the rails. She had already been dead last off the train in the first place; by the time approval to carry her rifle came, every other passenger was long gone to attend the opening ceremony. Besides not wanting to be late because it was a standard she held herself to, the ceremony itself was important. At least it was to her. Just as she intended to make a good impression on her soon to be mentors, she hoped the Institute would leave a good first impression on her, too.

Up ahead, at last, she could make out the intricate front gates and an open space just beyond. That's it! I made it! With a burst of adrenaline fueled speed she quickly covered the remaining distance and ran past the open gates into the courtyard beyond. The empty courtyard.

Too late.

She slowed to a stop, the only sound apart from the rain her own boots hitting the stonework. She stood there, alone, crestfallen. Looking around it was plain to see there was not so much as one person here, not even a staff member to wait for potential late arrivals. She was just that far behind. She had missed her chance. The best she could hope for was that missing the opening ceremony did not count as a negative mark on one's record. Yeah right. If I could be so lucky I would have made it here on time.

She sighed and felt the full effect of the chilly weather as the adrenaline seeped out of her. It was very uncomfortable actually. She guessed it was just above freezing out here and the rain made it feel even colder. Some of the raindrops were still frozen when they reached the ground, ticking against the stone and her hat. Even her heavy coat did little to protect her from the icy chill in the air. The fact that it was so cold in turn brought her attention to the flowers planted around the courtyard.

"In this? How?"

She walked towards the beautiful blossoms, setting her duffel bag down gently as she neared. There was an impressive array of flora present, most of it unfamiliar to her. Some were wildflowers she did recognize, however, and she knew most of those only bloomed this well in warmer months. She knew it had been closer to summer weather just a few days ago but even just one day of this temperature should see some of them wilting. That these were so vibrant and healthy could only mean magic was at work here. But how? Is the the air near them kept warmer? Or are they enhanced to handle the cold better? She held a gloved hand just over the flowers, trying to feel any difference in temperature through the leather.

It wasn't the air at all but it did feel slightly warmer closer to the flowers. Resisting the urge to remove her glove altogether she touched a bright pink petal. Her eyes widened slightly when she did so. The flower itself was warm, notably so compared to the air. And yet the courtyard was not blanketed in a thick fog, either. The gardeners here are amazing. Such skill and attention to detail... The slightest smile came to her face as she gently caressed the beautiful plants, and took in their sweet mixed scents. Oh well. I may have missed the ceremony, but as much as that sucks... I still have this moment all to myself. All in all? Good first impression, Mordhaben.

---

The old, red-haired gardener stepped outside into the rain. A new student had entered the school grounds and after the staff were given an alert by the railroad platform, he was found to be the closest person. Some sort of mixup regarding weaponry had happened - most likely a new employee at the railroad station who wasn't yet informed that Institute applicants and students were permitted to carry weapons on the train. With a wave of his hand, the rain stopped - or rather, it started striking an invisible dome over the courtyard again.

The new student was fairly small and gave off an odd scent that nobody but a trained outdoorsman like himself would have caught. She was admiring his handiwork, sending a surge of personal pride through him. Not many people noticed the different breeds of flower and tree he had planted about the campus, and the tropical plants surviving in the courtyard were one of his greatest works.

"I see you like my work," he said to the new girl as he walked over, his back creaking with strain with each step. Despite the arthritis, he was lithe and fit and forced his way through the pain. "Arthesian Corpseflowers. Morbid name for a beautiful plant - you wouldn't believe the lengths I went to to get them to stop eating every squirrel that hops the fence. The skeletons were getting hard to clean up. 'Course, I still let them eat the moles and rats, heh!"

Yrhen noticed a distinct lack of icy rain hitting her head and back as it was quite sudden and not gradual. Curious, she looked up, only to see the rivulets starting to form thin waterfalls in midair. What is that? A solid magical dome or water flow control magic? She neither saw nor heard the groundskeeper approach, such was her fascination and certainty that she was alone.

Hearing the voice Yrhen let out a short gasp and shot to her feet. She turned to the speaker and delivered a sharp salute, just as her grandparents, retired military themselves, had taught her. Her reflexive reaction did not seem misplaced when she saw the man that had addressed her. Older, but still with brightly colored red hair. Hunched and using a cane, but towering and fit and undoubtedly an experienced mage. A mage with a sharp eye, assessing her as she assessed him. He seemed to be the groundskeeper from what he said, but from what she saw such a title seemed too simplistic, she would have guessed him to be one of the professors.

Billy gave the girl a careful lookover. Her scent suggested she wasn't quite what she seemed and his sharp eyes caught glimpses of tiny details that others would never notice. But he opted to say nothing.

"I was trying to analyze the magic behind the flora's preservation, sir. I mean, I think they are very aesthetically pleasing, and I think student's morale will be higher overall for the work you've done here. Yuck. I sound like one of those snotty elitists. Is it ok to say what I really think? If I don't behave or give the answers expected of me... But this is one of the staff here. He may already know about me. And besides, what artist doesn't want to know their work is appreciated? If we're alone it should be OK, just this once.

She looked all around, making sure no one else was in earshot or even within sight, then made her decision. She moved closer to the man so he could better hear her as she whispered.

"They're... abolutely gorgeous. Sir."

"Hah, thanks. Not every day a student pays attention to my handiwork. If you're that interested, I'll give you a hint - I use a magical construct to remotely feed a constant stream of heat into the plants here. Oh! You're new here, right?"

He checked his watch. The watch was frozen.

"Bah, forgot to wind it again... Here, take these."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a handful of small bars of fruity gelatin with a thick, chewy texture. The wrappers read, 'Quickmag, the breakfast for mages on the go!', and were packed with protein, vitamins, and carbs. Nothing about the wrappers suggested they tasted good in any way whatsoever.

"I think there's supposed to be a tour today. How about we try to find where they are?"

Assuming the tour of the school would be starting soon she gratefully accepted the offered nutrition bars, and reverted back to her usual serious demeanor.

"Yes sir!" She snapped another salute at the groundskeeper before picking up her bag and following his lead. She was glad he had been here, she had no idea where she was supposed to be.

A real breakfast would have been nice. Oh well, I should be grateful I got anything at all with how things turned out. I wonder what kinds of things they serve at a prestigious school like this? Must be nutritious at least, military soldiers and magic users alike use a lot of energy, right? I just hope it's nothing too bland or artificial tasting. I wonder if they'll have-

Her train of thought was completely derailed as she unwrapped and bit into the allegedly fruit flavored bar. Her stern expression soured notably as the flavor assaulted her unprepared taste buds. In the end, she was happy to not immediately choke or spit it out. A look of grim determination settled on her face as she chewed, forced herself to swallow, and took another bite.

I swear to all that is worth a damn in this world, I will never let myself be late for a meal again.

---

---

As the groundskeeper guided her through the main building Yrhen was awestruck by the architecture, both inside and out. As a country girl moving from one frontier town to the next she had never seen anything like this, certainly not in person anyway. For a moment, when she entered the grand circular room, she was stunned and her eyes widened in wonder at the sheer beauty of the room. She stopped where she was and slowly turned in place, taking in every detail she could see, right down to the subtle yet intricate carvings on the staircase railings.

Noticing her guide was patiently waiting for her she hurried over to where he was, ducking her head to hide her face. She followed him through the next set of doors outside to a street and a brick building which looked almost out of place considering the craftsmanship behind her. Immediately she noticed many different smells faintly drifting on the light breeze, all of them delicious. It seemed she might not have missed breakfast at all and she felt something akin to deep regret having suffered through that wretched QuikMag bar a moment ago.

"Huh. Cafeteria smells pretty good - guess breakfast is later than usual today... And to think you just ate one of those foul things. Heh."

No kidding. I almost feel like throwing up, but that would still be a waste of what I assume are still good nutrients. Maybe there will be something good enough inside to help wipe away the memory.

Wishing her guide a good day Yrhen braced herself and pushed open the doors to the cafeteria. Once inside Yrhen had to take some time to collect herself, even though she had mentally prepared herself. There were more people than she had expected and the inside was terribly claustrophobic. It was like the train itself only she doubted she would be able to find a comfortable spot to sit by herself. Then there was the smell and sight of all that food, laid out like a festival by her standards and of such variety she had never known. She couldn't help but salivate upon setting foot inside, especially when a rare and very welcome scent caught her attention among the menagerie of other smells.

Is that...?

She found herself moving towards the section of the cafeteria that had all of the Airelosian cuisine, following her nose. Once there she easily picked out what she was looking for among the various seafoods and noodle dishes of the neighboring nation. She quickly grabbed a tray and jabbed a finger at what she wanted, glad that most of the people here had already come through and gotten their food.

"The Coraque blue cheese, as much as I'm allowed to have."

As soon as the pungent cheese was piled on her tray Yrhen set off towards another section of the cafeteria, intending to see just how many rare samples from around the world were actually being served. The fact that Coraque, a rare cheese from an entirely different nation, was here had her excited about what else she could possibly find. Unfortunately that excitement died quite quickly as she overheard someone nearby.

”Never in a thousand years, you worthless half breed.”

Yrhen stopped in midstride, her already unfriendly expression hardening into something closer to intense hatred. It wasn't unusual for her to overhear such things, nor was it unusual that it pissed her off every time. She looked over to get a look at the speaker, expecting to see the all too familiar scene of a human harassing a chimera. She was instead shocked to see a third or fourth generation chimera was the one calling another chimera half-breed.

What the hell?! Is that piece of shit putting down his own kind?! Where the fuck does he get off? She shook her head and turned away from the scene as the horned boy went to go sit at a table with people that looked completely human. Disgusting. Fucking disgusting. It's not like things aren't bad enough between humans, monsters, and chimeras. Now it's even so bad that chimera hate each other? Half the people in here are one generation or another. Fuck it, whatever! Not any of my business.

She took a few steps toward the next line before stopping again. I've lost my appetite... Slamming her tray down on the nearest table Yrhen whipped around and stalked toward the horned boy who turned out to be shorter than she was. Grabbing him by the collar she hauled him to his feet and turned him to face her. Still holding him in place with one arm Yrhen drew back her other hand and slapped him as hard as she could across the face.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?! Have you even looked in a mirror lately?! You're just as much a 'half-breed' as he is! But as far as I'm concerned you're the only worthless one I see here."

@ghastlyInc

Before Jhin could respond to Lucannus, a commotion was heard in the form of sounds behind the administration build door. The entrance of their administrator signaled the start of the ceremony. Jhin gave the man his undivided attention and took in ever word he said. He released a slight gasp and watched the light bounce off the different mirrors and then the images played. Jhin was astounded, he had never seen anything like this, the images came out looking like memories he would store in his mind. Jhin being who he was, had questions, but most of all if he could create or achieve something this great by attaining the knowledge this school had to offer he was more than willing to attend. Jhin was sure his answers about life and who he was could be answered here, he longed to to learn and wanted nothing more than to soak up as much as he could while he was attending.

When the images stopped he was initially confused as to what he saw but the administers explanation was sufficient enough to calm some of the storm that was raging in his mind. Jhin hated when it got like this, questions left unanswered, people not willing to do their part and helping him to stop asking questions. This is what troubled his mind as they went on the tour of the facilities, Jhin's secondary eyes where the only pair focused on the sights and areas while he was looking at his fidgeting hands. He was thinking about what he wanted out of life, his mother made things simple out in the wild; survive. But this was not the cold and harsh wilds of the north, and here the opportunities were more plentiful, Jhin just had to decide which ones he would take.

---

When they entered the cafeteria, the smells of good food started his stomach to rumble and his pedipalps stood to attention acting as extra feelers for his senses and leading him towards the Flynenhael section northeast. He knew they should have the cheese and cricket special. It was something normal to what most would call the "sitcks", what many don't know that crickets were a good source of protein and after you fried them (with a little seasoning) you poor hot cheese and bacon bits all over it. Jhin likes his barley fried, he wanted the crickets to still be kicking so he could taste their fear, fear always makes the meat taste better.

He walked up to a kitchen stall behind some other humans who he assumed where from his home, and began to stack his tray with fruit and meat. Then he saw them, the gold coated creatures in all their glory waiting to be eaten. When he got to that end, some where still living while other crickets had died and now sat as cheese encased statues. The were surprisingly a lot left, but that just meant more for Jhin, and it only pushed him to fill the space left on his plate with them. He found on of the relatively empty tables after and sat down, when he looked at his cricket meal a feel of nostalgia came over him, and he started to remember the first time his father made him this meal and how happy he was. Jhin sighed at this and could only wonder what brought on his longing for familiarity, this caused him to eat slow and savor each bite.

With some astonishment, Matt beheld the rather unceremonious entrance of the administrator. While he had certainly heard that there would be chimera among the staff he hadn't imagined that there were quite so many, nor that they would be quite so.... monstrous. Having never seen a chimera from up close before today Matt couldn't help but stare at the absurd lobster man, and in fact missed Boorkat's entire speech. He had no intention of being a racist, but he was rather worried about what it meant for the school if the person in charge was a monster person. A rather angry monster person, too, if his 'tone'(?) was anything to judge by. It was only the novelty of moving images that snapped Matt back to reality as the film started.

It opened up with the iconic imagery of brave young soldiers in their natural environment. Matt was a bit overwhelmed at the sheer manliness on display, although reassured at the confidence in these people's every movement. Clearly the country was being protected by the best of the best. Unfortunately Matt wasn't exactly soldier material, as he was well aware, although if he were he would have jumped at the chance to join the men in the film. It looked like a good time, after all, and he'd be doing a lot of good. But before Matt could go over the pros and cons of army life the film started to take a sudden dark turn. Some kind of evil fog monster attacked, and seemed to destroy the entire town! Matt was shocked, seeing these brave men suddenly dumbfounded. What was that thing, that it was able to so casually brush past the soldiers and deal so much damage.

The lobster man seemed to be of the opinion that this Terraphage was no longer a threat, but such words were no assurance to Matt. How was anyone supposed to stop that thing if it attacked? Certainly not the lobster. All at once his unwavering faith in the safety of the nation was severely shaken, and the ominous tone of the following message did nothing to assuage the situation. Looking a bit paler he walked into the cafeteria, hoping a bit of good food would set his mind at ease.

Like everything today, the cafeteria was filled with new sights and sounds. And now also smells. The menu was filled with things he didn't recognize, and some he did recognize but wouldn't ever have considered 'food'. Who would eat crickets? Maybe it was for the chimera. After all, there was no way that they'd be allowed to eat people on campus. While he would have to try all these new things (well maybe not the crickets) eventually, after a day filled with strangeness he longed for the comforting embrace of good, simple food. He managed to stuff most of a chicken onto his plate, complimented by baked potatoes slathered in gravy and a crop of carrots. They weren't quite as good as they were back home but no matter where you were, chicken was still chicken. At least that was one thing that would never change. Matt set upon his food with a ravenous appetite that one would not expect of such a small person. In food he found a small piece of home, which would serve him well as his day got ever stranger.

Mealtime was interrupted by a nearby scuffle with a doglike chimera. It barked something at some girl about machinery and being a soldier, licked it's plate a bunch and acted like anything it just did made sense. Matt just shrugged it off. It was a dog person, so it probably didn't know about *people* manners. Although it was a bit rude, even for dogs. Baxter back home was always nothing but pleasant. Absentmindedly Matt wondered if one was supposed to 'train' a chimera or 'educate' them. Would it be offensive if he asked? It probably would be.

Speaking of offensive, some strange girl was loudly announcing that she was looking for a 'friend'. Matt stared for a moment and then looked away, as if protecting his eyes from a bright light. He had found it, after all of these years. That holy grail he had seen only in his dreams. Someone more socially awkward than he was. Aghast he once more glanced in her direction, as she continued to ask people. It seemed she was oblivious to the glances she was getting from the students around her, as well as the concept of 'personal space'. It hurt him in a way he didn't know he could get hurt, in a strange mixture of sympathy and secondhand embarrassment. How could she act like that? Was it even possible for a person to be that clueless? Maybe she was really drunk or something, and would come to regret this later. How horrible it would be for one's first impression to be so thoroughly ruined. Having been a bit of a social recluse all of his life Matt couldn't help but sympathize and, in a rare bout of courage, decided to do something about it. He probably wouldn't be here long anyway, so why not at least try and help this girl while he was here? The warm meal in his belly granted him confidence, and he strode up to the strange girl even as she was attempting to get someone's attention. "Ah, miss, that uh.... isn't how you find friends. You should probably sit down for a bit and sober up." Matt offered, feeling a bit more awkward now that he was actually there.

Bawen considered the young man next to him carefully. He hadn’t noticed him when he had sat down, a mistake on his part. But, if the boy had taken any offense at his intrusion he made no show of it, for which the chimera was grateful. The dealing with the mutts outburst had been embarrassing enough without having to wander about the cafeteria in search of a socially acceptable seat. He allowed the room to wash over him for a moment, the din of utensils on plates and idle chatter almost thunderous in the interpersonal silence. Bawen was considering broaching some idle small talk, if only to diffuse the awkwardness of his presence, when the young man blind sided him.

"They don't tell you about what happens when you go home, they don't tell you about the nightmares and the panic attacks. They don't tell you how much a thing like Vivat can damage somebody, how war breaks people."

Bawen gawked at the boy for a moment, unsure what to make of that statement. Was he...being threatened? No. The man sounded more haunted than hostile. He clears his throat quietly, deciding this was as good an invitation to start a conversation as any.

”...I apologize sir, but I've missed out on some much needed conteBaaa-” A bleat escapes him as he’s yanked from his chair, gumbo clattering to the floor below. Thinking it was the dog chimera, a brief flash of agitation shot through Bawen and a scowl planted itself firmly on his face. Well, if nothing else, teleporting away and watching the gormless mutt strike air would prove amusing.

However, any sense of rebellion was sucked from him the moment his gaze met his assailants, replaced only with mild panic and instinctive urge. The strike hits him with full effectiveness, a outcome as much his own choice as his attackers. To roll with the hit would be disrespectful, and to stand firm against it would be seen as defiant. Better to simply take the strike you earned and be done with it.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?! Have you even looked in a mirror lately?! You're just as much a 'half-breed' as he is! But as far as I'm concerned you're the only worthless one I see here."

Bawen swallows the urge to rub the growing welt on his face. Ah, she must be annoyed he yelled at the mutt. Well, atleast they had only managed to agitate one patron, albeit one with an impressive left. ”I apologize ma’am.” He says casually, his tone flat and indifferent as though this were a daily occurrence. ” I meant no disrespect in disturbing your meal. While his behavior is an embarrassment, you're right in pointing out I am no better. Thank you so much for the correction.” He stares at her blankly, sleepless eyes looking almost bored with the exchange. ”....Is there anything else you need miss? I've spilt mediocre gumbo to clean." he asks, limply leaning into the grip.
@hagroden@FlitterFaux

---

Alexander's wandering eyes fell on a small girl, clad in a military esque outfit as the gentleman to his right seemed to contemplate a response to his own brooding outburst. He had been pulled out of his own mind at the sound of her slamming a tray onto a table nearby, and quickly storming over to the table he was currently occupied at. He doubted this would go well.

Unsurprisingly, he was right. The young chimera next to him had just began to respond to his semi-philosophical musings as he was pulled from his seat, slapped, and then verbally berated. The worst part however, was the poor boy's response. Submission. Alexander almost immediately recognized the behavior, and sympathy welled in his gut. He had seen many a chimera subject themselves to such thinking, that they were inferior to the pure-blooded humans. It was a sentiment Alexander despised within his very core, the idea that someone could be ranked as superior or inferior was absurd to him, value lay in one's actions, and the content of one's heart. Nothing else.

He rose from his own chair, a movement that seemed neither rushed nor done lazily. His reddened, tired eyes fell directly on the eyes of the military-clad girl that had approached them and grabbed his companion from his seat. For a moment, his eyes seemed warm, albeit tired. That moment ended quickly however, and a cold steely stare replaced it. His eyes were intense, to say the least; they seemed misplaced on him. Eyes that cold, eyes that intimidating, neither of these were aspects of the personality he had moments ago displayed. In mere seconds he had shifted from a gentle, kind boy to an imposing and seasoned man.

For a few seconds, he simply stood staring directly into her eyes. Were she of a weak stock, she would likely flinch away from a gaze so intense, but he doubted her to be of weak constitution. Cowards rarely acted upon their convictions, and she seemed to be firm in hers. Then, he spoke, his voice cold and calm.

"Let him go. Now."

With that, his arm suddenly twitched and the red bags under his eyes nearly glowed. He used the bit of power he had gratuitous command over to cause the tension in her arm to release, causing her arm to become limp and numb. Using the precious moments he had allotted, he very quickly stepped forward and pulled the young chimera back by his shirt. Alex then stepped forward further and let go of the young man's shirt in a single movement, placing himself between the chimera and his attacker. He stood close to her, so close that he was forced to look down to meet her eyes. As he did, his gaze softened once again, and the warmth of his disposition returned.

"I apologize, for that." He said softly, regret clear in his eyes. "But if you wish to harm someone for the misplaced views he espouses, I ask that you do so with me." He concluded, maintaining a gentle eye-contact. It was clear that what he spoke wasn't a bluff, and from his stance it was almost entirely evident that he would allow any sort or assault without repercussion.

He had seen the sense of submission the chimera boy had displayed before, perhaps this action could show him that he deserved to be treated as more than an animal.

At the sight of a cafeteria scuffle, Brovak averted his eyes from his food and closely watched. He'd been sitting in the Flynenhael quarter of the cafeteria chewing on a piece of extremely tough jerky beneath his mask, deep in 'conversation' (or what would pass for a conversation) with Professor Leere ever since the end of the opening ceremony. "New students are always so... Energetic."

One subject student apparently had said something very, very offensive, as he was (perfectly justifiably) ripped out of his seat and slapped by another student. Hard. Brovak glanced to Leere and very quietly clapped for the blow. This was how food fights usually started. And gang brawls. And duels of honor. Of course, he would have to step in if it got too b-

Oh.

A third student had gotten involved while Brovak was fantasizing about the wonders of high energy cafeteria brawls, and this student had done something particularly against the rules. He had used magic on another student. Brovak sighed, and stood up. "Pardon me, Zayid. I'll go deal with this," he said as he began his slow and leisurely walk towards the brawl on the other side of the room. He wouldn't take hard action unless someone were to risk causing permanent harm to another, but at least this way he could say he did something.

As the spider boy left him alone he let out a sigh of relief, man was that guy strange and annoying. Slipping the book he was reading back into his rucksack and slinging it over his shoulder. The devil boy made his way towards the cafeteria where he was hoping to get a decent meal. As upon entering the large cafeteria his hunger began to resurface. He did not eat prior to leaving on the train, he had took his mind off the thought of food by reading his book. The first smell to hit his nose was the smell of beef, quickly making his way over to the meat section grabbing a plate. He placed a T-bone on his plate with a side of mashed potatoes and gravy. As he made his way over to pick a seat secluded from the rest of the students. Over the crowd he managed to pick out two words.

Worthless Halfbreed

Lucannus dropped his tray on the table and whipped his head in the direction of the poor bastard. His uninterested expression becoming cold and unforgiving. As he walked over to the table of the speaker.

Though someone had beat him to it, watching the small women pull the chimera out of his chair he only seemed to get more pissed off. As the girl began shouting at the boy, Lucannus closed in on the two to get a closer look at what was going on to see it was this small insignificant insect who was the one who said such words. Soon it seemed like a human boy with large bags under his eyes came to the chimeras rescue making the girl drop the guy. Lucannus moved in closer, standing a few feet behind the girl, enough that his shadow had envolped her. He stared the human boy directly in the face picking up on what he said.

"But if you wish to harm someone for the misplaced views he espouses, I ask that you do so with me."

Lucannus squinted his eyes, the situation clearly irritating him.

"The problem here is not you, it's that wretched sack of shit that I personally want to maime. He looked down at the boy as he awaited to look the guy straight in the eye. Some may have been intimidated by this guys look but Lucannus was not one, as long as they bled. There was nothing to be afraid of

"I want to know why would you take the brunt force for such garbage." The young devil wanted a good answer as to why he was trying to protect that insect. That chimera spoke as if he was a human talking down on his own kind. Lucannus balled his fist up as he tried to resist the urge from frying that bastard. He was much more worthless than anyone else, who does he think he is talking down on another chimera like that.

@hagroden@FlitterFaux@ghastlyInc

Mycona Frisa

In the midst of attempting to find a friend, somebody actually decided to approach Mycona for a change. Mycona was surprised to find an other that was almost as small as her. So many others were much larger. The strange man wanted her to sit down and "sober up". "Okay." Mycona said as she complied with his request she sit down. "What is 'sober'?" She asked as a follow up. He told her to sober up. That begged the question; what did it mean to sober, and how did she do it in an upwards direction? Was it a synonym for jumping? Mother explained that many words had the same meaning, so maybe to sober was to jump? Jumping was something that made you go 'up'.

"Are YOU a friend?" She asked, wasting little time between questions. It occurred to her after asking that it may be that asking that question was precisely what he was telling her wasn't how she found friends. Mother had never explained how to find friends, only that she would find one "eventually". Mycona had asked for a more specific time frame, but Mother could not provide one. In retrospect, she should have asked Mother to explain how to find them. She had assumed from the word "eventually" that it was only a matter of time.

@thewizardguy

---

Having made her decision she expected a fight. At the very least she expected some resistance or harsh words in response to striking someone full on in the face. If she had any hopes it would be for her actions to get through to this boy, to make him think about what he said. But what she got was...

Nothing.

He looked at her but in his eyes she could see nothing. He spoke, saying the words she might have hoped to hear, but they sounded hollow. It was as if they were just sounds that had no meaning. He made no move to retaliate or defend himself, in fact he was practically a ragdoll in her grip. She might have thought he was being sarcastic and mocking her if it had not been for these things. As it was Yrhen felt terribly unsettled.

I call him worthless... and he honestly agreed with me? There really is something wrong with him. Something far worse than I thought. I feel like no matter how many times I hit him or how much I shout at him... none of it will ever get through. It's like he's... Yrhen had to suppress a physical shudder as the thought occured to her. It's like he's dead inside. Pity and a deeper disgust mixed with her anger as she imagined what could have happened to this boy to make him like this, and her grip loosened just barely.

But her fingers tightened again as she saw a very tall boy stand up and turn his attention on her, demanding she let the one in front of her go immediately. Her first instinct was to tell him to fuck off but the words never left her throat as she met his eyes. When on a hunt Yrhen sometimes ran face first into some very dangerous monsters, either chasing down prey or evading some other threat. There was always a split second when that monster met your eyes and it realized exactly what you were. It was a terrifying and critical moment where you either ran, took the initiative and attacked, or died. This boy was looking at her with eyes like that and it was an internal struggle to hold her ground against her instincts.

This was a mistake. She braced herself as he clearly started to use some kind of magic. She expected some kind of weak attack, almost certainly something that wouldn't be too dangerous to use in this crowd. She felt certain he wouldn't be using anything that could seriously hurt her and she was determined to just take it without flinching. However, nothing could have prepared her for her arm going almost entirely numb and losing all function. She understood the implications of what happened instantly and she felt absolute terror in that moment.

He just shut down part of my body!

Yrhen took a step back from both the small horned boy and the tall one that had so casually disrupted an integral part of her. She clutched her arm tightly to her torso as the nerves, imperfectly affected, felt like they were going ballistic. She glared at the tall one desperately trying to cover any signs of fear, though there was very little she could do about her sudden sweating. Whoever this boy was Yrhen could only see him now as a threat unlike any she had encountered before. And like any other walking, talking threat she refused to show any weakness if she could help it.

Whether it was because she had backed off or he was just satisfied he had done enough he stepped between the two of them and his expression softened. He started talking in a soft voice completely at odds with her perception of him so far. This was even more upsetting than if he had kept looking at her coldly. It was eerie even, since he now reminded her of someone she knew. His expression, body language, way of speaking, and even his build and many of his features were not unlike her own grandfather. After what had happened this especially did not sit well with her, and at this point she was starting to feel nauseous.

She didn't have much time to consider his words and what to do next due to someone coming up behind her. Getting the sense of being surrounded Yrhen reflexively turned and dodged away from them both. She looked between the savior of the boy she had gone after and the newcomer that had been behind her. Apparently this guy also had a problem with the little hollow racist behind the grey haired sumaritan. It looked like he wanted to pick up where she had left off in a bad way. It was a strange sight, the newcomer, a tailed chimera himself, was dead set on teaching the tiny chimera a lesson, while a human stood between him and his target.

How absurd. Chimera at each others throats and a human is the one to stand up for that... that living piece of wreckage.

Glancing away briefly Yrhen noticed one of the professors slowly making their way over, as if there was no need to rush. She turned away from the scene she herself had started and walked away, back toward the cafeteria entrance. The whole thing had been pointless in the end, and now she just very much wanted to put distance between herself and the boy that had disabled her arm. Normal sensation had started to gradually return but the incident had her shaking at this point. The last thing she needed was for anyone to notice that.

If he had been even a little off target and got any part of my torso...

Bawen sat patiently in the girls grip, making no real movements outside of the occasional shifting of his weight for comfort. If she was going to continue slapping him, he was at least going to give her the courtesy of being sure footed when she did so. He was just about ready for the next strike when something flashed across the girls face, his words finally seeming to have register in her mind. Anger still seemed to roll off of her if soft waves, though now tempered by something.

It was an odd change, though one he scarcely had time to analyze before he heard someone behind him demand his release. The girls eases for a moment and Bawen almost considers simply stepping out of her way as something (presumably the speaker) drags him backwards with all the force of a child winning a game of tug of war over a stuffed toy. Momentum carries the sheep boy farther than intended, planting him ass first back into the chair he came from. It took him a few moments to realize the boy he'd been sitting with had decided to intervene, now close enough to the human girl that he was pretty sure they could smell each others displeasure if they so choose.

Anxiety shoots through the chimera's mind for a second, worried the two humans might come to blows. Not helped that he couldn't figure out the reason for the boy's interference. In so far, the girl had done nothing Bawen considered wholly unreasonable. Unexpected, to be sure, but she was well with in her rights to-"But if you wish to harm someone for the misplaced views he espouses, I ask that you do so with me."

And like that, a realization sets in, followed swiftly by mild irritation. The boy seemed to be under the very false impression that he needed to be SAVED from the girls grip. He was about to stand back up and gently reassure the boy that, despite what his bleeding heart might be saying, that everything was fine when the tall shadow of a third interruption loomed into his vision. Thankfully, it was just a chimera, with a bloodline so thin he almost looked entirely human. Under normal circumstances, Bawen wagers he would be feeling somewhat envious of the boys good (human) looks. But then again, under normal circumstance the other chimera probably wouldn't be glaring at the sheep boy with enmity to burn a hole in the ozone. The girl, who looked decidedly over with this conversation the moment the other boy rushed her, slinks away to safety and the sheep chimera was tempted to go with her.

However, it was probably best to deal with the remaining two boys first. The devil looked to be out for blood and Bawen couldn't risk the human doing something stupid for his sake. "I can assure both of you..." He says, his voice sounding less hallow than before as he stood up, cutting an immensely less impressive figure than the other two. "That I do not need nor want anyone to fight my battles for me. Not that there is any to be had at the moment." he said, stepping to the side of both of them and giving the human a polite but terse nod. He then turns to the devil, locking eyes with the other one of his 'kind' before continuing in a harsher almost scolding tone. "And even if I did, I do not think I need to remind either of you that fighting or using magic outside of the arena or classes is a practice best reserved for idiots looking to face disciplinary action." he says, lamely raising a finger to point behind the devil at the steadily advancing staff member.

@hagroden @pkken @FlitterFaux

---

Alex turned to face the the second individual that seemed interested in harming the small chimera, a young man who seemed to be almost equal in height and form to Alexander himself. A noticeable difference however, was that this individual seemed to be a chimera as well, evident by the slight stump of horns on his head and the tail behind him. Surprisingly, Alexander's eyes remained soft and welcoming as he listened to the boy's words.

He took a step forward, standing so close to the devil before him that he could have smelled the slight whiff of mint in Alex's breath as he spoke; words that contrasted starkly with the young man's expression.

"Lay a hand on him, and you'll forget what it feels like to have use." He stated simply, in a tone that did not match the words he had used. He had spoken as if it were nothing but an observation of the weather, rather than threaten to permanently numb someone's limbs. Alexander has a tendency to read people, whether it be their eyes or something else entirely, but he knew when intimidation would work, and when it wouldn't. So it was this way that he knew channeling the strength and intimidation that was his Father would have little effect on the Devil standing mere centimeters away from him.

Having spoke the only words he intended, and seeing the headmaster's approach, he turned from the pair of chimera's instead turning his attention to the girl that had walked away. He followed her at a pace he was familiar with, but his long strides lead to him quickly gaining on her; and before long he was practically walking next to her. He didn't speak for a few moments, instead contemplating his words. He wished this girl no Ill will, as he understood her outrage towards the smaller chimera behind him, but he also didn't wish for her to have ill intent towards himself.

"I understand why you attacked him, but I hope you can understand why I could not allow you to continue." He said, finally. He believed the statement encapsulated his current sentiment, but he did not give her time to respond before speaking again.

"He believes himself and his kin inferior, that is apparent; but lesser so is his craving to have this ideal reinforced. What use is theology without impact, after all?" He said, before pausing momentarily. "I am, truly sorry for my use of magic. If it's any sort of consolation, I would not have done it if it would have hurt you." He concluded, finally finished speaking. He had talked to more people and more frequently just in this morning than he normally did in a day, as such, insecurity began to sweep over him. But, this was not made apparent by anything more than an increasing look of exhaustion in his eyes.

"Oh, uh, sober, that's... uh.... well when you're affected by liquor, or..." Matt scratched his head for a moment. He'd seen his dad sober up from a long night at the tavern often enough to be familiar with the mechanics of alcohol, but he wasn't sure how to explain it. He was reaching for some sort of reference point, but he could tell from this girl's expression she had no idea what he was talking about. He wasn't talking now, and she was just staring at him expectantly. Why had he thought this was a good idea? Oh God, she probably thought he was a moron. He could feel a cold trail of sweat slowly make it's way down his face.

Wait.... was he a friend? Was she trying to be friends with him? Was this a rhetorical question, one of those questions he wasn't supposed to answer normally? Maybe she was just trying to spread the idea that she was a 'friendly person', create an impression, but didn't expect anyone to actually answer. Or maybe she was actually reaching out to him for some reason he couldn't comprehend, and if he declined she'd be deeply offended. He'd probably be exiled from the school for such a grave offense. When he talked to her had he accepted some sort of responsibility, was that why she was asking this question? Or maybe she was still just being ridiculous and he just needed to explain to her that this wasn't how you acted. Could he really tell her how to act? Would that be presumptuous? He'd headed into this situation high off of the new sights and sounds and places, thinking he could actually talk to PEOPLE. Strangers, no less! And her face wasn't helping. She was just sitting there, expectantly. What did that face mean? Was it anger? Disappointment? Boredom? Was she about to vomit on his shoes and collapse? Wait, what if she did collapse, and he had to do something. She probably would collapse! Any moment now! And he had no idea what to do about collapsing girls! And- And- And....

"Alcohol is a CHEMICAL!"

Having exhausted all his other options, Matt simply blurted out something vaguely related to the situation. Was it the right thing to say? Probably not. But it was something! And now that he was talking, he just kept talking. As long as his mouth was working, his brain didn't have to.

"In order to create any form of liquor you must first cause the chemical alcohol to come into existence by fermenting certain fruits, such as....."

This was going to take a while. He was explaining everything. She hadn't walked away or vomited yet, so he just kept going.

"...local varieties of wine, a variety of different ingredients can be...."

Why hadn't she shut him up yet? He was just rambling, he had no idea where this conversation was going. Hell, he was barely breathing. Could she really be interested in what he was saying? Probably not. Was she not interrupting him because it would be rude? She'd probably walk away the moment he stopped talking, with that disgusted look in her eye. But as long as he kept talking....

"....giant crab things, but they don't like fire I heard and maybe also garlic but that was in another book that..."

Wait when had they gotten to crabs? This wasn't even the original subject matter. Why was nobody stopping him? No normal person could have stayed interest throughout this train crash of a monologue. Had she died on her feet? Nope, definitely still breathing. Still looking at him. Did he have something on his face?

"....with a laserbeam to the spleen but only on sundays also have you noticed that the weather..."

The bottom of the barrel. Talking about the weather. Surely, something had gone wrong here. Matt was drenched in his own sweat, silently begging for someone to stop him. He had already committed social suicide. Someone stop him. Please.

---

Emilya lifted a hand as casually as possible when Mark exploded with unchecked enthusiasm. She fought to stifle the urge to laugh, not wanting to unintentionally insult the boy. Even Hans was surprised at the verbose young man though he recovered faster than his sister in this case. His welcoming smile returned and he nodded at the young chimera.

"I'm sure you'll do just fine here, recruit. Ah, the opening ceremony should be starting... shortly."

Hans had turned at the sound of the doors opening but the unexpected scene caused a break in his speech. As his smile fell away Emilya lost any previous desire to laugh. Instead she seemed to be scowling at one of her fellow professors in particular. Both siblings seemed particularly relieved when the ceremony moved on. As the students were guided towards the cafeteria the Vances waited and took up position behind the group making sure no one was left behind. Emilya addressed Hans without taking her eyes off the students.

"That boy is going to be a handful."

"Like someone else we know."

"Tch. Exactly."

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The Vances were deep in conversation with a group of students over the exact relationship between the school and the military when Emilya heard something that sounded like an altercation between students. She turned to look in the direction of the disturbance and was met with a wall of bodies blocking her view. She tried to see around the horde of students without having to find higher ground but to no avail. However, she did take note of professor Brovak casually making his way towards the general direction of the shouting.

Emilya groaned and rolled her eyes, knowing Brovak only bothered to interfere when his duties as a staff member absolutely mandated he do something. Excusing herself Emilya stalked over to Brovak, her heels clacking loudly against the hard floor. She drew abreast of the thin, shrouded man, still unable to see what was happening thanks to her diminutive height.

"What exactly is going on over there? I can't see a damn thing but if you're on your feet..."

Brovak replied as the pair walked along. He really should have been moving faster initially, but the situation had already resolved itself. Mostly, at least. "Some insensitive remarks by one of the new students upset quite a few people, one of whom retaliated. Another student used nerve control magic to stop what I imagine could have turned into a real fight. Admirable, but a dangerous move and even more against the rules than merely slapping someone, as I understand it."

Emilya's face soured considerably as professor Brovak relayed what had happened. "And you're just walking over to deal with- oh nevermind. I'll take it from here."

Brovak continued walking as though he hadn't heard Emilya trying to take control. "Yes. I am. The situation has resolved itself on its own, but I still need to hand out office referrals. If you could make sure that Bawen Coridell and Lucannus Murdoc are alright, I would appreciate it. I'll deal with the other two."

"Fine, fine. Just pick up the pace please? Before something else happens."

With that Emilya made a beeline for the two students on their feet. She stopped just short of the two and took a close look at both of them through narrowed eyes. When she spoke her tone of voice made it clear she was not pleased and would not tolerate any further breach of the rules.

"Names."

Mallory almost chocked on her drink when the outburst of a certain student shook the entire cafeteria. She snapped her head around towards the source of the shouting, only to see a chimera of sorts confronting a poor student by yelling directly at them. Whatever the boy was upset about, Mallory was too confused to react to the ordeal in any other way but to simply raise her eyebrow.

Then a student, small in stature and frail in physique, passed by the dog-like chimera with a retort that would raise Mallory's suspicions. Surely this boy, having horns protruding from his own head, was a chimera too? Was he indeed insulting someone like himself?

With a more gentle turn of her head, she faced away from the boisterous dog chimera and towards the boy who had decided to tag along by her during the opening ceremony. Mallory would have started a conversation right then — the boy didn't seem to be in the highest of spirits — but the horned boy suddenly took a seat opposite her before she could. And the boy, whose name Mallory realised she didn't know the name of yet, spoke up.

"They don't tell you about what happens when you go home, they don't tell you about the nightmares and the panic attacks. They don't tell you how much a thing like Vivat can damage somebody, how war breaks people."

It seemed more like he was trying to keep those words to himself, Mallory noting the quietness of his voice. He seemed serious, somewhat distraught even. And in all honesty, oddly enough, Mallory wasn't sure how to respond to it. Mallory almost grimaced at the awkward atmosphere she suddenly found herself in.

Before she could say a word, everything seemed to flash before her eyes.

Someone decided to intervene by grabbing the horned boy in one hand and smacking him with the other, and soon the boy who previously had a solemn look on his face stood up to shield the chimera. Then another person would intervene, their eyes glaring with the intent of tearing the little horned boy apart. From the sheer intensity those three people visually expressed, Mallory could already tell this wasn't just going to end up as any other foolish cafeteria brawl.

Then the girl who had attacked the chimera - and who now seemed to have been affected by something - turned away from the scene, and the grey-haired boy pursued. That left Mallory with the scrawny chimera and the other student that looked like he was out for the horned boy's blood. She looked up at the both of them for a second, still seated. Mallory certainly had her fair share of school conflicts in the past, but this one was one of the more difficult ones to act upon. Although she had heard the horned chimera saying very questionable things, even Mallory could tell this was getting out of hand.

She rarely found herself in the position of peacemaker, but it would have to do in order for this fight to not escalate any further. Were something more violent to break out, it would likely mean a lot of trouble for the surrounding onlookers; Mallory included, who had the fortune of having a special front seat to watch all the current action unfold.

“Ah yes, I think it's about time we settle down, boys,” Mallory interjected, donning a small smile. Like the horned boy she raised a pale finger, gesturing towards the approaching staff member.

“Now certainly isn't the time to be stirring up a conflict in the cafeteria on our first day here, hm? Not exactly the best way to build up one's reputation, I'd assume.”

Soon the female staff member closed in, asking for the names of the two boys. Deciding to keep quiet for the time being, Mallory flattened her smile, taking a hefty sip of water from her cup.

@ghastlyInc @pkken