Viola followed Meruin into her room, smiling lightly as she always did and closing the door behind her.

"Ugh, that one is going to be annoying." Viola sighed, running a hand loosely through her hair. "If she meets a fairy I expect her to end up dead or worse." Giggling like an impish fairy herself, Viola gave Meruin a smirk. "Well, more entertainment for me at least. I'm only going to see how badly she messes up. Really, making a contract with me without clarifying 'help'. Fufu. Vague contracts are the worst." Taking the liberty of taking a seat on Meruin's bed, Viola gave her a smile. "So, little Meruin...care to help me with a little summoning?"

Meruin slid the suitcase on her bed away from Viola as a precaution. Before taking a seat opposite to her.

"Clarify 'help'." Crossing her arms, Meruin took the liberty of shooting her own words back at her. "I'm not as careless as La'Tavia is, Viola. So what exactly do you think I can do for you?"

"So suspicious." Viola giggled with a smirk. "Good, good, you should always be suspicious of anyone asking for help." Viola reached for her journal, a small, old worn thing with pages seemingly turning yellow with age. She flipped open a few pages, and if Meruin paid any attention she'd find most of it was written in a form of Latin.

"Lets see...well, to start with, I wasn't lying earlier when I said I was going to try summoning something as you may have already guessed." She paused on one of the pages, laying it down on the bed for Meruin to see. "You see, I am quite knowledgeable about many things...but when it comes to practical application, as loathe as I am to admit it, my skill is rather lacking. As well, my magical reserves aren't quite so deep." Sighing lightly, the small girl looked over to Meruin. "I suspect that is why they still consider me a novice, and I have to begrudgingly agree. Knowledge is useless, if you can't put it to use."

She mulled over her words. Violas' conundrum was one she could sympathize with - though lack of skill was a problem she had no difficulties solving, like her, she had been limited in the power department. Though she had since covered that weakness, she was still acutely aware of the rather irritating feeling of knowing exactly how to how to accomplish your goal, but not have the means to execute it.

Taking a peek at the book in Violas' hands. Worn with age, and written in the Holy Tongue, she could gather enough from context what her companion had in mind.

"A risky summoning, to be sure." Her muttering was more for herself than for Viola, but still meant for her ears. Her next question came out dryly. "Though I suppose your involving me mitigates the risk somewhat, doesn't it?"

"Well, when you can't do something yourself you seek outside help, yes?" Viola replied quickly, scooting a bit closer to Meruin. "And I've heard quite a few stories of you, Meruin...and when I saw we were to be dorm mates, I was ecstatic." Why she didn't seem to elaborate on, and quickly continued. "What I want is simple enough. The risk if I myself do it, is that I may not have enough sheer magical stamina to do everything myself. Summon and bind it with a contract...but with a little help from you, I should be able to do it. So we do it together, in a way."

Quite the proposal, she thought. Aloud, her response was less enthused. "I see. I can see why you sought me out now." Or at least, why she preferred her over her other roommates. Still, "You've yet to elaborate on exactly what you want out of me. If you're to get my help, let's begin ironing out details."

There was a hint of interest in her tone now, as she began thinking of methods and other benefits she might reap from this.

"Excellent." Viola smiled. "Mostly, I'll be borrowing your magical capacity and talent. I think the most efficient way is for you to do the majority of the summons yourself, but I am open to suggestions on that end." Viola stated. "When the summons is complete, and we pull in the spirit then I shall contract and bind the spirit with my own abilities." Viola paused a moment, holding a hand to her chin. "...ah, and if we could potentially get a private room in the research halls where we won't be disturbed either, that would be wonderful. I am unsure if a Novice such as myself could acquire one without supervision and I'd like this to remain a mostly...invited only party, heh."

If Meruin was uncomfortable with her proximity, it didn't show on her face. "I hope you've thought this out Viola." Standing up, Meruin went through her belongings, itemizing the things she believed they'd need. "Demons are a different sort of business compared to fairies. Demons are actively malicious beings, not like the playful Fae." Of course, Viola probably knew this already, but it was something that bore repeating.

"I can secure a sealed environment for us, and I'd also like to review the contract you have in mind for the demon," she said. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to discuss... payment, I suppose." It was very mercenary of her, but Mistress Chase had made sure to drill it into her that there must be a price for her services. Very different in that regard was she from Master Reina.

"I suppose it is fair, though since you are helping me." Viola sighed lightly, seemingly ignoring Meruin's warning. She knew well the dangers of attempting to meddle with demons or spirits, especially more malicious ones. You didn't grow up around them without learning to err on the side of caution. "I'll allow you to look over it when the time comes...that said, I expect some haggling to potentially take place so some things may change from what is planned...now, what would you want in return?" Payment of course, Viola had expected. That's how contracts and deals worked. Both parties benefited in some way as long as both kept up their end of the bargain. "I do not have access to much, but I will fulfill my contracts to the letter."

Now that was something for her to consider. Truthfully speaking, Viola had very little to offer that she had interest in. After all, she had access to resources she was sure Viola had never even seen, and in terms of ability, she was equally sure she eclipsed the other girl in that department, insofar as it came to magic in general.

"If you don't mind me asking, what magic do you specialize in?" Perhaps that would give her an answer.

"A fair question." Viola replied, leaning back lazily on the bed. "Specifically, Summoning and Contracts. In simplest terms I can form a temporary alliance with otherworldly entities, bring them to this plane of existence, and they'll do whatever it is I desire as long as I have the appropriate strength to command them." Granted, she couldn't do anything particularly flashy with it yet like summoning a demon straight from hell. The most she could pull would be low level wraiths and some lesser imps.

"As for that second part," Viola looked over to Meruin. "I can bind spirits, if they are willing, to a contract. For example, If a spirit was willing I could ask to borrow an ability of its, in return for something of mine, or something else that usually will benefit the spirit. Or, I could potentially bind it to take up residence in a mundane item of sorts, thus giving the item special properties. Say, binding a fire spirit into a blade to give the blade fire properties so long as the contract is upheld."

Meruin considered her abilities for a moment. Plenty of uses, given the right opportunity, but nothing that she could find an immediate use for. For now, it seemed as though Viola had nothing of substance to offer her. Well, no matter - it was traditional for magicians that business be dealt and traded in favors.

"Well, it seems that you don't quite have anything that I could want at the moment," she said with a shrug. "So, I propose you owe me one favor. Anything I want, barring life-threatening requests and intentional humiliation, to be collected at my convenience."

"That is agreeable." Viola replied, smiling slightly. About what she had expected to come of this. "If that will be all, then, this Contract is signed and sealed." Hopping off the bed, Viola chuckled. "Best we not keep that one waiting. She'll barge in here again if we take too long."

Nodding, Meruin put her things away, and held the door open for her. "I'll be sure to draft a formal document for later," she said. "Not that I don't trust you to your word, but affairs like this are best left in writing."

"Agreed." Viola replied. Well, this had gone well. Hopefully this could be the start of a wonderful partnership. She just needed to make sure to not owe Meruin too many favors and this would be beneficial for the both of them. "Now lets go see about finding ourselves a Fairy~"

Xinhua was about to comment on how terribly exaggerated her reputation was, when the boy who had spoken to her threw a fried egg on her face.

Admittedly, this was an entirely new form of humiliation for her, enough that she actually paused before her rage had hit its peak.

So it was with some amusement that she watched as her dormmates left one-by-one, for various reasons, culminating in Zane making a clumsy attempt at escaping her wrath, resulting in a fantastic body pile up that got a slight snicker out of her. And of course, in the resulting excitement, it looked like Zane had forgotten that he was supposed to be running from her, considering their snail pace from the dorm.

Silently, the priestess rose from her seat, and wiped the food of her head. In that instant, her hair was clean - grease or crumbs left, as though it had never even come into contact with the offending meal. A perk of being a priestess: perpetual beauty, regardless of the circumstances. No need for make up or even to brush her hair in the mornings. It would take a literal act of god to ruin her looks.

Following them outside, she placed a hand on Zane's shoulder.

"Perhaps an apology would be in order, before you go off on your little adventure?" she asked evenly. Truth be told, any anger she felt was easily controlled. Much like the Storm in her name, it took a long time to form, but once it did, woes be to whoever was in her path.

Curt girl, he thought. He could work with that. "See you in a bit," he said, as he made for his room. After a moments setup, he joined his new dormmate in the living room, chewing gum in hand. "Fancy a sweet? It's clean, I promise," he said with a wry grin, before popping one in his mouth.

"Name's Francisco, and you would be?" Never a bad idea to make good with the people you'd be living with for the better part of the year, especially in a school where curses ran rampant. They had a whole department in the Enforcers dedicated to curse breaking for a reason, after all.

Took a second to savor the sweet in his mouth before answering. "Yeah, should begin tomorrow proper. You can sign up for what classes you want at the Admin buildings. Didn't you read the brochure?" He gave a questioning look at the girl. She was obviously new, if she didn't know how classes worked around here yet. Well that would be pretty swell for him.

"I could show you around, if you want?" he offered. It might even be fun.

The treants of the school were patient, pondering specimens with long memories. In the years past, they had dealt with countless students who thought to get past them and gain access into the forest that was their charge. Before even that time, they had dealt invaders of every stripe; destructive forces who sought to harm Beloved. Where it not for the Headmasters protection, they would have surely perished in shame.

So it is in the spirit of gratitude that they take up the task of preventing his students from accessing his land. Some are merely curious, and so are turned away, others are of the daring type, and must be sternly scolded. But for the more malicious types, those who seek to enter with ill-intent in their hearts, the treants returned them to the earth.

La'Tavia was perhaps one of the most persistent and audacious challengers to their authority. She had caused all manner of mayhem attempting to gain entry into their forest without permission, and they drove her back every time. It was actually quite amusing for them - especially as La'Tavia was a girl of little evil intent - much to the surprise of the treants.

So it was with some amusement that one of the treants roots reached out from underground, and pulled La'Tavia and her friends down into the earth, leaving only their heads above ground.

"Back so soon, Firebird?" A gnarled face on a tree-trunk peeked over to her. It's voice, slow and ponderous, and rumbling deep like a canyon. "Or was it? How many days has it been since you've come, I wonder."

"There's quite a lot of them now aren't they?" said Moss-Hands. He was fairly young for a treant, barely 500 years old, so he was always in a hurry when compared to other treants. Right now, he was enjoying a fascinating image of his first time deciding on something. An important milestone in the growth of a young ent.

A low and pleasant rumble came from the treant next to him. "Ho hum." Longbark was a treant that was significantly older than Moss-Hands, and he had been alive since before their forests relocation to the boundary within the University's walls. "I think that one means to distract us." He was of course referring to William.

It was unfortunate. The Treants were a long lived species, slow to act, but swift when they do, with a patience that spanned longer than human lives. Images of the past mattered little to them, when the present was an event that took so long.

And so it was with little hesitation that roots burst forth once again and pulled two figures into the ground. Zane, because they thought he saying 'dumbass tree' in front of a treant was rarely a good idea, no matter the context, much less while pouring water on top of someone they were fond of (no matter how exasperating they found her at times), and William, because attempting to use magic that doesn't instantly kill an treant was arguably just as bad an idea.

They left Liors alone, because it felt unseemly to punish so violet as shrunken as her, and because she tried asking nicely to let them go.

"So hasty, are you? One must not be so hasty," said Great-Oak, slow and ponderous even by treant standards, and thus also the wisest. "Talk slower, perhaps then we might understand you. Infants always talk too quickly."

Meruin, buried somewhere behind Viola, let out a deep, frustrated sigh. "It's amazing how neither of you saw this coming," she said, referring to Zane and William.

Gold was not so much judgmental (excluding one particular man) as she was no-nonsense. As such, while she had a fairly refined sense of tact, she was unafraid to point out reckless stupidity when she saw it. So she did.

"What exactly... where you hoping to accomplish with this half-brained scheme? Never mind I don't want to know," she said with a shake of her head.

One of the first things she did once she had free time was secure permission to enter the forest. She had myriad of reasons that were pointless to get into at the moment, but suffice it to say, she was an efficient worker. She had gotten to the administrative buildings as soon as they had opened, and once she had secured a pass, made a beeline for the forest as fast as possible.

Imagine her surprise when she was beaten to the punch by a whole group of students. Her first thought was that somehow they had been able to secure passes before the school year had started - that thought was quickly buried along with the students.

"So, yeah, I have to say this is amusing. I'd stay to help but I'm kind of busy. See you later!" The girl flashed her permit to the treants, who lifted the large gate for her. Running inside, she quickly disappeared from the groups line of sight.