Major Interaction/s: @Arreyis, @Krytavius, @Hammerman, & @azoicsiren
General Interaction/s: @anyone who likes some goddamn fluffy heart pancakes

Having his own en suite bathroom was definitely a relief for Enzo, and for good reasons.

As he stepped out of the shower and into his bedroom, the sight of his spacious living space greeted him. Opposite him hung the banner and coat of arms of House Arachne which adorned the space above his desk. The floor itself was even well-carpeted, serving as a home for the king-size bed with its velvet satin sheets and even his quaint wardrobe from back home. There was also a wide-screen television with some gaming consoles, a powerful computer set, and even a small armory.

Shuffling towards his wardrobe, Enzo shrugged off the towel on him, and the sight of his beaten body reflecting from the large mirror beside his cabinet stopped him in his tracks.

A grim reminder, a reflection... He stopped in front of the mirror, eyes taking in the scars littering his ribbed chest. His lips quivered at the sight of the veins visible beneath the pallor of his arms. Even the ugly, raised bumps of flesh coiling around his waist up to the space of his clavicle flashed memories of that battle at Arayat. The howls, the screams, and the blood. It reminded him of how fragile mortality was, and it reminded him of how much little time he had left compared to his peers.

Jaw clenching in renewed resolve, Enzo grabbed a shirt and a pair of shorts in preparation for sleep; however, instead of immediately tossing himself on the bed, the boy relented to sit on his desk first. With movements born from years of repetition, he grabbed the tattered, leather-bound notebook before opening it to a blank page. As he uncapped a pen, the legacy began humming an ancient melody passed down from one member of a Great House to another-- a song that immortalized the thirteen apostles' victory over a major battle against the creatures of the dark.

Enzo began to write on it, imprinting in ink the memories of the day. He wrote of Alex, describing him as a literal child in the world of demons. He could only pray that he doesn't give up too easily. Of Levi, Enzo smirked as he recounted the guy's deliberate attempts to piss him off, and it was somewhat refreshing, really. As a Legacy, people have always tried to tread on thin ice with him, but Levi didn't really give two flying fucks about his legacy and family. He only saw Enzo as any student, and perhaps, that was the kind of friend Enzo needed in this school. No masks, no lies. He also wrote of the fellow legacies he met, and he remarked on how on-point the first impressions he had on them during that time when he had to study the members of the other Legacy families. The Lionheart was proud, the Lepidos was gentle and soft, the Ivory was strong in both looks and actions-- as it seemed, all the legacies had the potential to live up to their family's expectations.

He couldn't really say the same for him. 'The web of life,' Enzo thought of his family's words, causing him to scoff. How was he supposed to achieve those expectations?

Finally, he sealed in ink the memory of that unpleasant guy. The loathsome individual who seemed to be making an effort to get everyone to dislike him.

Deep down, Enzo felt guilty at lashing out at him. It was human nature to always project your hatred on something else to ease your own burden, and maybe-- just maybe-- he hated the guy because it reminded him of who he once was before that war at Arayat. Cold, distant, and treated the skin of others as lesser than his own. In the same way that his pride and hostility was a cry for help due to his problems with his failing health and high expectations to live up to a family legacy, that silver stag's cold demeanor might have also been a cry to get him out of a pit of suffering.

In the same way that Teresa was the catalyst that catapulted Enzo out of his despair, maybe he or the other students could be the same for the silver stag.

A small smile formed on his face before he put down his pen and turned the pages of the notebook. His eyes glazed over the tattered pages of the notebook, taking in the written memories of his days.

A reminder for Enzo. That once his arms flail and his knees shake, once his very body fails him... he could still look back on these pages and remember that he had, at the very least, lived.

---

The clang of steel against steel sounded in a quiet place within the forest as Enzo dueled with the Panday Spirit. It was part of his daily routine to train against his own spirits in order to further improve his skills. With the Panday launching heavy blows at the swordsman, Enzo tried to dodge around, but he could only try to parry the blade before his cough started again. Brought down to his knees whilst the armored titan looked down at him, Enzo sputtered until his voice went hoarse.

"You shouldn't push yourself so much. You only slept for a few hours, and now, you've been training for almost three." The Panday spoke to him, its voice breathy.

"If I can't even fight on equal grounds with my fellow Legacies, what's the point?" Enzo reasoned as he tugged on his grey hoodie before dusting off his grey joggers. He plunged his kris into the earth before standing up. "Have you seen them? Trained and proficient. If I cannot fight on their level, at least, I want to narrow the gap."

"Hard to narrow it down six feet beneath the soil." the spirit replied. "Like a canoe, young master. It doesn't matter who gets their first or last-- they're all taking the same journey. You're not missing the boat; you're still on time."

"Hard to also maintain my family's name when I let others do the paddling for me." Enzo sighed before waving off the spirit who vanished in a hazy smoke.

Now, feeling famished, Enzo sheathed his blade before heading back to their building where he spotted a few of his classmates already awake and about. He spotted Luke, the messy blonde-haired boy was munching on the horrors of just a slice of bread whilst Levi leaned against the kitchen counter, nomming on what seemed to be a sandwich. He also arrived in time to see Ryanne and another student whose long hair glinted like moonlight. Enzo could swear that he had seen this person before, whether in pictures or in person. And, it was only when Enzo had passed by her to respond to Ryanne did he finally recognize her.

"The bread's with Lionheart, Ryanne," Enzo replied with a cheery tone, although, he found it absurd to 'point' something to a visually-impaired individual. Then again, he found no reason to underestimate her. He even admired her, actually. Two kindred souls, bound in their disabilities. "Oi, Levi, you didn't eat all the 'nanas, did you?" He called out to the other male by the counter.

Turning to the white-haired girl who busied herself with getting a glass of water, Enzo smiled at her. "Lady Rei of House Serpentine," Enzo chuckled at the thought that he might actually see all of the Legacies. "Great to finally meet you, I'm Enzo. We'll be working together soon, I guess."

With the greetings out of the way, Enzo headed for the sink where he washed his hands before going for the cupboards. He pulled out some foreign brand of pancake mix. It wasn't the same as back home, but it would do. Turning on the stove, gathering the ingredients, and preparing the pan, Enzo began making a batch of pancakes for himself before remembering that he did have classmates. Taking a whiff from the mix hardening into a fluffy heart-shaped pancake (courtesy of the varying molding trays he found at the back of the cupboard), Enzo turned to the kitchen.

"Anyone up for pancakes? I can make a batch of them," Enzo inquired before turning back to the pan. "Levi, get me some maple syrup from the top cupboard, will you? I would get it myself, but it seemed god forgot to make me taller."

The night before.

A MIDNIGHT BATTLE BY THE POND

Drakus been been laying on his bed for what felt like hours, yet sleep continued to elude him as haunting visions of violence and loss hid right beneath his eyelids. He had heard that some of the others were planning on going to the Kappa ponds in the morning and for some reason this bugged him.
He wasn’t sure if it was their foolishness that bothered him most or perhaps their bravery. Maybe somehow it was simply jealousy. Anyway pride had insisted that if any were to explore the dangers of the pond first it would be him.

Sneaking out, mostly undetected, lightly armed, he made his way through the night to the forbidden pond.
Upon nearing the water he saw a petite slender figure with long white hair and pale skin, sitting perhaps too near its edge. Cautiously Drakus slowed his approach, Moving with silent steps he manoeuvred out wide to come from behind.

She waited patiently, tossing cucumbers pieces towards the pond, a few of them making it into the water. The shadows beneath moved in a frenzy. Suddenly a scaley, little hand popped up from the surface of the pond. Its claws dragged against the earth as it blindly felt around until its fingers grazed another cucumber. It greedily snatched it up and dragged it back under the water. Fascinating..so they do like cucumbers... How odd it was that these vicious meat eaters, who enjoyed the intestines of children on average loved this simple vegetable. She was slightly pleased with herself, a smirk creeping up on the edges of her lips. However, it didn't last long because the creature emerged from the water again and this time it crawled out of the pond. A reptilian like a figure with colors of yellow and brown, a shell, much like the tortuous, was attached to its back. In all honesty, it was rather repulsive to look at. It rummaged around the dirt for more treats and took a moment before realizing there was a small girl staring at him. It quickly stood up and Rei mimicked it by standing up as well. Grabbing hold of another cucumber and holding it out " Were you looking for these" her voice soft and silvery and non-threatening in the least. She tosses it another one but it never met the ground, the creature caught it in midair and swallowed it whole, obviously wanting more. It crooked. She tossed it the last one and sighed in false disappointment" That is all, there is no more. Farewell " with that said she gave a bow to the little creature and it growled at this gesture. Unwillingly it bowed back and the bowl on top of its head emptied of its water, its power source. " wow.. that was almost effortless. I must say I'm a little disappointed... I thought you were clever creatures..." The little thing seemed a little distraught and hurled its self towards her. Scratching and snarling. Camly she slipped two twin blades that were tucked away inside the sleeves of her jacket. Bracing herself as the enemy drew closer. In one swift movement, her right arm extended and sliced across the creature's body in a horizontal fashion. Her left leg followed suit swinging the momentum of her body in the opposite direction and placing a powerful kick into the creature's side, projecting him back into the pond with a bloody splash. ::

Meanwhile, approaching deliberately from behind, observing the commotion intently with an intrigued curiosity, Drakus casually inched closer. He could hardly believe his eyes. Surely this had to be some sort of vile demonic ploy. He remained alert and on edge, scanning the still starlit surface of the pond for any further signs of movement.
One thing he was sure of was demons could not be trusted, he was left unsure if this was all just a lure for him or if some lonely innocent looking petite little girl had really just lured out and attacked a demon after trying to engage with it.
Consumed with curiosity he gave way to caution and very carefully unfurled the chain of his Kusarigama while watching the girl.

The hairs on the back of her neck tingled, her fingers curling tightly around her blade. she swiftly turned on her heels. Her long hair a blur of silver. she looked up and over towards Drakus direction where she noticed him standing there in the shadows. Embarrassed she quickly swung her blades to the side, letting the blood of the demon flick off her weapon. " Did you enjoy the show " She spoke with a tone of bitterness::

With a faint amused smirk Drakus gave the strange girl a slight nod of acknowledgment as he relaxed and stood tall. His heavy chain in hand, casually spinning at his side. Only now did he notice her deep mesmerising eyes.
”You’re fucking cra..” he began in a teasing tone before suddenly cutting himself short with a sharp flick and extension of his arm. In s blur the weighted fundo at the chains end went lashing out towards her.

---

The ensuing battle lasted for far longer than Drakus had anticipated, each skirmish earning his female opponent more and more of his respect, maybe even admiration. Neither combatant ever dipped into their powers, instead relying purely on raw physical strength and talent. Despite the severe intensity in which they attacked each other and the deadly focus of their moves, each wore a continuous smile as they dance back and forth, a dance of blades and blows.

In the end a proud taunting Drakus stood victorious over the slim petite pale girl. However he was not unscathed. A thin line of blood stretched across his cheek. He wore the injury proudly in his smug arrogance. He was not ashamed of it because she had earned it. Both had shown the other many of their tricks, the battle had turned out to be a truly revealing conversation on many levels.

Content, Drakus gave her an approving nod, straightened up his ruffled clothes and nonchalantly turned and walked away. Not many words were used, not many were necessary.

Mei had intended to wake up at 8:00 AM. Instead, a thunderous moaning jolted her awake at 5:30, because that was just her luck. As she jumped out of her bed, ready to fend off some intruder, all she found was the TV blinking, "MORNING ALARM" flashing in bright colors. She let out a long, exasperated sigh, half-tempted to just crawl back into bed; but she knew that was a bad habit to get into, so instead, she dragged herself into the shower. She took her time, enjoying the warm water, surprised that the pressure was so nice. Of course, the School of Death subjected its students to some of the most rigorous physical challenges known to man, so maybe this is how they made up for it. By the time she was done, maybe half an hour had passed...maybe the early wake-up wasn't so bad after all. Mei wrapped her long hair in a towel, wandering back to her room in a bathrobe. Her mind wandered to what she might wear that day; vanity was never her style, but it was her first real day at the School. Would it hurt to look nice?

After some deliberation, Mei settled on an airy yellow blouse and white shorts. Comfortable, but cute; she could almost admit it looked good on her. Of course, there was the possibility that she was going to be drowned by Kappas, so perhaps her clothing choices didn't matter that much in the end. She made her way downstairs, only to find that several other students were already having breakfast. "Morning, everyone," she greeted, a soft smile on her face as she wandered into the kitchen. The smell of fresh pancakes hit her almost immediately, spurring her hunger. Just in time, too, since Enzo was offering to make some. "I'll take some," she said, leaning against the counter. Come to think of it, she was in the mood for some cooking herself. Grabbing another pan and placing it on the other burner, Mei decided on a nice helping of scrambled eggs to go with her pancakes. Simple, quick, but still tasty.

"Anyone want scrambled eggs?" she offered, beating a mix of eggs, milk, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Cooking wasn't exactly her specialty, but she'd made scrambled eggs enough times to not set the kitchen on fire. Besides, it was a nice way to make a good impression on her new...friends? Housemates? Peers?

@Calatrava

---

She was rather calm while sipping her glass of water. she leaning against the kitchen sink. She was simply watching them, How they talked. How they interacted.

Honestly, she didn't see demon hunters in any of them. They either seemed normal or disabled.

…maybe that was their advantage….

She had to admit she was highly interested in finding out.

Her eyes lingered on the Blind girl and then her dog. She wasn’t sure how to feel about her companion. It wasn’t that she didn't dislike animals. She just wasn’t around them often and never had a pet, so she couldn’t understand the appeal.

Yes, everything was just fine until a dark-haired young man entered the kitchen. At first, his presence didn't phase her but she couldn’t help but notice his sickly appearance.

He approached her with such a positive demeanor it was disturbing

She Raised an eyebrow
"Hmmm are you..Well enough... you look rather tired? Are you Ill?"

She tilted her head to the side a little and at first, it might seem that she was genuinely asking because she cared about this stranger's well being but really she was a little surprised. she didn't know anything about him and yet he knew her first name and house. It made her a little suspicious about what else he might know about her. If he knew anything at all. She was rather annoyed now.

" Also, Please tell me you're not going to address me by my house each time we converse because I'm going to tell you right now, it will grow rather old for me "

Taking the last sip of water she stared at the food he was preparing then she leaned towards him a little. Eagerly waiting for his reply::
@Calatrava

Interactions: @azoicsiren, @Reshy134
Mentions: Everyone in the kitchen

Flipping the pancakes unto a nearby large, serving plate with trained skill, Enzo's eyes darted to look at the Serpentine legacy who seemed to also be on the unfriendly side of things. The ice and cool of her voice felt like subtle daggers, laced as concern and care. A true heir of House Serpentine, she was. Her eyes shone like the pearls of Tubbataha, but the radiance seemed to hide an unmistakable shadow. Entrancing yet it betrayed a certain hint of danger, that if someone was not careful, they might be enmeshed in a serpent's coil. The members of Serpentine were somewhat negative in the eyes of the other Great Houses, but he had learned to respect them. In a war against the demons, honorable warfare would not bring back the fallen who could have been saved if a dishonorable blade or poison had just found its way in the back of the Demon Warlords. They had no issues in dipping their hands in blood and dirt if it meant wresting humanity from the jaws of death.

That alone made them an ally in Enzo's eyes.

But, her eyes spoke another language, and it wasn't one that Enzo was willing to learn.

"Ah, well, you're not the first one to notice," Enzo grinned at her before shaping some eyes and mouth on the heart-cake. "But, yeah, I've been running away from my coffin all my life now, and it's only a matter of time before, well..." He paused in thought before chuckling at the idea of his own demise. "The landlord comes a-knockin' for my rent. I have a sickness that is more stubborn than a Filipino looking for a bargain." He placed two smiley heart-cakes on a small plate and placed a fork on the side. "In the meantime, I'll do what I can to help. Learning the art of reaping, helping the innocent, or," He sucked in a breath as he flipped another set of pancakes. "Just cooking for people I barely know."

He set aside the new batch of heart-cakes, serving it on the table before heading back to the stove where he addressed Rei again.

"Sorry, the force of habit," Enzo laughed softly as he added in the mix. "I address each member of the Great Houses by their House because it was what my parents taught me as respectful. I should address them as such until they give me permission to call them by their names." He explained to her. "It's like... one of those pretentious college professors who rage when you forget to call them 'Doctor'. You know how some families are. I'm just trying to avoid that crap, but if you like, I can always call you by whatever name you prefer."

As he finished the last batch of heart-cakes, he grinned at his works. A sense of pride filled his chest, causing his eyes to twinkle with delight. He could at least do this much for others, even if he was near useless on the field.

"Here," He offered the small plate of heart-cakes to Rei with a proud grin. "You've been working hard," The boy pointed to a small bruise on her arm. "You're quite cool, y'know? I hope you find a home here; a home doesn't have to be a place, it can be people, like friends."

He felt worried for her for a split second, knowing that there might be some heirs from Truehorn. Their families have not been on the best of terms lately. However, that was not his business to probe into.

"Here ya go, Lepidos," Enzo shoved the other batch on another plate before offering it to Mei. "I'll take one. Damn, you've got a good hand at making scrambled eggs," He looked over at the way she whisked the yolks and seasonings. "Have you considered adding chives? I heard it lifts the flavor."

Finishing the last batch before setting aside some for himself, Enzo turned off his side of the stove before weakly shuffling to the counter. He fished through a small drawer by the counter, luckily finding a packet of jasmine tea which he placed into a cup of water he just boiled. A cough or two later, Enzo started eating.

"So, anyone got plans today?" Enzo quipped, addressing everyone in the room. "Exploring this island ain't so bad before classes beat our faces in."

@Arreyis @Calatrava

---

Levi watched as his fellow housemates started rolling into the kitchen one by one. When Ryanne walked in her words became lost as he focused on her beautiful chocolate lab, he again had the strong urge to pet the creature, yet knowing he was not allowed to touch he just watched the pup. Two other voice filled the room with a hello but he ignored them and kept his eyes on George.

A voice called his name,looking up, he realized it was Enzo. Gazing at the grim one Levi noticed the kid appeared to have been training already. This irritated Levi, he was already behind most of his housemates in skill, hell most the school, he should have been up training as well even if it was just one morning he didn’t need to slack off, to fall behind, to be looked down on.

It took him a second to realize what Enzo asked him.

He gave a little huff ”No” He picked a banana walked it over placed it beside the bread.

Having just eaten and not trusting Enzo not to poison him, Levi, was going to decline but as he watched the other boy make it heart-shaped he quickly changed his mind. He grabbed the syrup that was requested from him and set it beside the already made heart-cakes.

Levi picked up a plate that had two heart pancakes. His face slightly went red as he looked at the food, smelling great, he took a bite. It was delicious he muttered out a little thanks and continued to down the pancakes.

”Going look at the kappa.” He answered Enzo then asked a question of his own. ”Ryanne, how long you been with George?”

---

She found his answer surprising. His first impression was not his best in her eyes no matter how hard he tried being polite. She enjoys this side of him much more. He was eloquent and somber.
Strangely, he reminded her of the rain… when it kissed your eyelids and cheeks...weeping from the heavens. Circulating its sadness.
when his eye glazed over while he thought about his imminent death ..a new emotion took place.

Curiosity..

He was dying and yet here he was in an environment that would surely kill him faster than his sickness.
Was he not afraid of death or did he just accept it?
So Many questions swirled inside her mind but she wasn’t willing to ask these things. It was too personal.

She grew rather uncomfortable and placed her glass in the sink. Lightly grabbing hold of the plate and staring down at it hollowly.

A family…

Quickly she looked away and straighten her posture building her defensive demeanor again. The pancakes were cute but she wouldn’t eat them. She took the fork that was offered with the plate and stabbed it into the hearts center, then placed it on the counter.

Looking up and now addresseing the room “I hope all of you are making an effort to train. It would be a pity if you all died on our first drill session … as entertaining as it might be. It would get.. “she trailed off and sighed falsely “rather lonely”.

Grabbing hold of her yoga mat and making her way out of the house.

As harsh as her words might have sounded it could easily be implied that Rei was an Uptight bitch and it wouldn’t be completely wrong. She didn't care about their feelings much only her own.
Disregarding Enzo words of endearment.

why get close to people….

she didn't see the point. With this line of work, a few of them were bound to die. She didn't want to get attached. she tried her hardest not too.
When in reality she would love to be normal and be able to express herself openly and accept love and friendships in an instant but it just wasn’t that easy for her.
Rei never had a normal childhood. There were never any birthday parties, no one ever tucked her in at night and comfort her when bad dreams plagued her thoughts. When she fell and scraped her knee, no one kissed it.

It was only Rei.

Even the smallest gesture of his silly heart-shaped pancake had filled her with foreign emotions. She felt ridiculous.

Frustrated rei found an open spot directly in the sun and set up her mat. She proceeds with some stretches and then did an array of yoga poses.

Beginning with a downward facing dog and then leading into a one-legged king pigeon. Which she held for a long moment, Giving her Sore muscles a long, deep stretch. Desperately trying to relax and empty her mind of all worry:

"Thank you, Enzo." Receiving her answer about the toast and bananas she walked around Alexandria and started to open the bread, but then Enzo offered pancakes and she reconsidered. "Oh, I'll take some pancakes." She settled for eating a banana while she waited, listening to the conversation around her. A new girl's voice came from the doorway and Ryanne was intrigued by her cool attitude, as it was so similar to the boy from last night. She took two of the pancakes when Enzo set them on the counter, and put just a tiny dab of syrup on them.

"No eggs for me, thanks Mei. Rest, George." She said quietly, letting the dog know he could rest, and he lay down at her feet. She didn't care for scrambled eggs, as it was too easy for her to make a mess with them. She ate daintily so as to avoid getting any syrup or crumbs on herself. When Levi asked her how long she had had George she started a little, not really expecting anyone to talk directly to her.

"George has been with me about four years now. I got him before I was mostly blind, so I know that right now he's looking at me with puppy dog eyes wanting a treat." she said, and in fact George was staring at her with his mouth agape waiting for anything to drop. He was well trained in every aspect, but food was a weakness she had never broken him of. "You can pet him if you want to, since he's resting, just say hi first."

George stood up and looked at Levi, a slack jawed dog-smile on his face. He had heard one of his favorite words, and was waiting on the new guy to come pet him.

"I'm actually going to go exploring with him this morning, see what we can get up to around here. I want to get to know the paths before we get down to training, makes things a little easier." Ryanne said after swallowing the last bite of her pancakes. "These were delicious, Enzo. Thank you."

Torok Vencor

Either after realizing that the others were too tired or to content to go off on their own, Torok concluded that he would be star gazing alone tonight. Making his way past the door and back out into the dark grass in front of the manor. The large man found a nice spot away from the conversations of the others and laid down with his spear beside him. At least it wasn’t very cold.

He laid there for some time. Watching the stars, the satellites twinkling in the upper atmosphere, and hopped for the occasional shooting star. The faint whispers of a few others that didn’t seem very tired either came and went. The slight sounds of a silent sparing match drifted through the air as well. Soon everything fell silent to just the sounds of insects and the occasional breeze. Slowly he drifted off to sleep under the stars.

The next day.

Torok woke after what seemed like a few hours at least. The starry sky gave way to the sleepy yellows, oranges, reds, and blues of sunrise. The morning dew made his clothes slightly damp but brushed off easily. Standing and stretching with a yawn and a smile he looked around, “this place is even more gorgeous in the day light.” Thinking aloud as he took off his heavy jacket and his damp shirt.

Slipping off his shoes and socks, taking a moment to feel the grass between his toes, he knelt down on both knees and held his spear out in front of him. Closing his eyes and breathing deeply he spoke to himself once again this time it seemed to be a poem or song, “walk in the deepest of foot prints, step into the fog, breaking the silence a threatening song. On the trails of the ancients, the demons awake, at the end of all evil the battleground shakes. To the sound of the metal, the splinters of bone, in a war with the summoned the soldiers of stone. As the vessels of guardians I follow along, with the words of the wise and the way of the strong.”

With another deep breath he stood, taking off the bright red cover of his spear and attaching it to a small clasp on the bottom of the spear. Slowly he took a fighting stance, his spear facing forward and his eyes still closed he began his meditation. Meditation for this one meant slowly going through each and every strike and technique he knew. Keeping his muscles flexed and tense through every smooth slow motion. Then he began to speed up this process until he was swinging his spear and attacking invisible opponents with strikes meant to kill.

As Mei dropped a bit of butter into the heated pan, quietly humming to herself, she started to zone out. She'd helped her mother out in the kitchen so many times, the act was almost routine to her. Of course, her mother was a much better cook than she was, but she did like trying. It was only when Enzo spoke directly to her that she snapped back to reality, turning her attention to him. "Hm? Oh, thanks! I made eggs with my mom all the time, I guess it's just practice." She paused to listen to him speak, biting her lip in thought. "Chives, huh? Never tried that before. Good idea." Mei set the bowl on the counter, fishing a bundle of fresh chives out of the fridge and slicing up a sizable amount before adding them to the bowl. She almost felt like she was overselling her cooking skill, but she supposed it didn't matter as long as the food tasted good. She continued to beat the mixture, then added it to the now-hot pan.

Once again, the sound of her name drew her attention, this time to Ryanne. Mei nodded at her, figuring she'd just have more eggs for herself. "Alright," she said, returning to the task at hand, though she did listen in a bit as Ryanne spoke. George seemed like a good dog; that kind of unconditional loyalty was rare in people. She smiled, faintly, remembering her own dog back at home. She made a mental note to ask her mother for pictures later. Finally finishing the eggs, she gingerly moved them to a bowl and placed them in the middle of the table. "If anyone wants some, feel free to take them," she said, scooping some onto her own plate. They weren't bad, but they certainly paled in comparison to the pancakes. "Damn. These are some seriously good pancakes." she remarked, looking up at Enzo.

@Arreyis @Calatrava

Interaction/s: @Reshy134 @Arreyis @azoicsiren @Krytavius

"Yoga, huh?" Enzo remarked, observing the muscle linings on the woman's body ripple as a consequence of the deep stretches she performed. He had often heard of yoga's aptitude for relaxation. Normal people would see two different poses being done, but for him, he just witnessed two ways on how to send him straight to the hospital. He wasn't confident of his body's ability, and while he had trained before, he still couldn't risk it. "Could teach me that one day. I heard it can make miracles. Perhaps, it will work on me." A rich laugh of amusement spilled from Enzo's lips as he carried on with his pancakes.

He tried not to show it, but with the compliments coming from both Ryanne and Mei, even a spider would find himself tangled in glee.

"Heh," Enzo let a shy smile curve his lips, cheeks dusting slightly pink. Enzo knew it was pathetic to feel so proud of just being able to make pancakes for others, but in his life, he had never been capable enough of such simple things. It was always him being treated like glass, shielded away from the world's shadows. The young Enzo definitely understood the need for such boundaries and limitations, but decades of being held behind the barbed wires of life to just look at his surroundings change without the influence of his hand was a fate that Enzo refused to doom himself to. He was as much as a reaper as anyone and for so long, he only wanted to be acknowledged. And, if acknowledgment comes from him cooking above-average pancakes, then, he'd take it.

Starved for recognition and affection... Oh, how pathetic and poor he was, and yet, here he stood. Among one of the best and the brightest.

"Thanks, Lepidos and Ryanne," Enzo grinned at her, a glint of genuine happiness dancing behind his irises. "Cooking did allow me to relax back home. Made me feel in control of myself. Grounded."

The smile on Enzo's face would have continued on until the rest of the day if wasn't for Levi's information on their plans for the morning. The pools, where the kappas lived, were already declared to be out of bounds. There was a strict rule for students to avoid these demons of the deep, and there was a good reason for these rules. While Enzo was certainly confident in being able to fend off a kappa, he couldn't say the same for the greenhorns or for those without combat experience. Rules were meant to be followed because they guarded the lives of all who lived by it.

"W-well," Enzo nervously looked at Levi. "Isn't that forbidden? It was explicitly stated not to look for them." His voice struck an octave deeper. "Kappas are no jokes, Levi. They've killed multiple children... people... Especially, in Japan," He turned to Mei at this as if asking for her confirmation. "I hate to be that guy, Levi, but rules are rules. They're there for a reason. And, the reason is for none of us to return home in body bags before we're actually meant to die."

---

Tired, wet, bruised and bloody he would stagger back into the house. Making his way into the busy kitchen Drakus acknowledged no one as he got busy rummaging through their supplies. He would take very measured proportions of specific foods with his shaky hands. When eating he sought only nourishment and not joy. He would meet and feed his bodies requirements for optimal performance and recovery, nothing more, nothing less. Years of nutritional information and biochemistry permanently seared into his subconscious. Right now he was being forced to make do with what was available. He paused once to examine every oneelse’s food, and with the faintest scoff, he piled up his odd concoction of non-breakfast foods onto a plate.

---

After her yoga and some mental reflection. Rei headed back to the house.

Her arm cradling the yoga mat and her other extended out to graze her fingers against the leaves of the foliage-covered path. Her head tilted slightly up to watch the clouds overhead. A loud snap came from the woods, causing rei to stop in her tracks. She slowly looked over into the depth of the surrounded woods. Her eyes narrowed as tried to focus in on what was lurking around in the depths only to see a swift shadow move past.

Usually in moments like these Rei was prepared however this wasn't the case. Instead of investigating REI decided to slowly continue towards the house.

Goose flesh caressing her skin. She couldn't shake the feeling like she was being watched and quickened her pace into the house after hearing another large twig snap.

Rei quickly slipped inside and shut the door tight, pressing against the door. Whatever it was actually frightened her. The feeling of utter despair took her at the moment. Taking a minute to collect herself, she walked back towards the kitchen.

Taking a quick glance inside then stopping abruptly, recognizing a familiar face. she was staring at Drakus soaking wet and scarfing down food like a pissed off dog.
She smirked but bit her lower lip to hold back her laughter " went for a swim?" her tone condescending but also playful.
Already she was feeling much better:::

@azoicsiren

Drakus paused mid mouthful to glare daggers at the insolent remark thrown his way. However his disdain receded when he saw who it came from. Swallowing his mouthful of green gruel he sat up straight before casually and snuggly replying. “Was a nice morning for it so I didn’t see why I shouldn’t.” He gave her a smile as he shamelessly looked over her body. His face gave no inclination of his intention, reason or what he was looking at/for.

---

Rei's eyes were always scanning her surroundings even if she didn't make eye contact with the other people in the kitchen, she knew they were there, she simply just ignored them.

She sighed, raising her eyebrows at his obvious gaze but it only inspired her to flip a few silvery stands over her shoulder. Rei, not having the best people skills still managed to be likable and desired. She looked to the other students and her smile faded softly

"I will join"

she gestured to them with a wave of her hand as she spoke

" This little outing.... I would like to see the village.. and how you react to the kappas might be amusing. Maybe .. "

she looked over to Drakus, Now realizing she didn't even know his name.

" Perhaps.. You can show them some backstrokes"

She started out the kitchen "Wait for me "

Now the ghostly girl vanished down the hall and into her room to quickly shower and change into something less revealing however it wasn't any less distracting than her Yoga outfit.

She slipped on a pair of high-rise shorts that hugged the curves of her waist. Her top was off white with a layer of lace and rested off the top of her shoulders. She slipped her heart-shaped sunglasses on and her sandals.

Grabbing her katana before slipping out of the room.

she made it back towards the group, dressed for summer weather since it was rather hot earlier. She tossed an overlarge sun hat on her head and leaned against the wall.

" Ready?"

"Know," Enzo grimaced, looking at his classmates who were already willing to go. "That I am there to protect them. I cannot stop all of you from going, but I can protect those who cannot fight. You've never dipped your hands in blood, have you, Luke?" The sickly legacy coughed into his palm before balling his fists. "You think demons are just jokes? A bedtime story parents tell their kids?"

Horrid memories of the demonic wars he had fought in throbbed within the recesses of Enzo's mind, and he couldn't stop his teeth from gritting. All reapers sank their hands in the shadows to make sure that the upper world need not dirty themselves. They wallowed in nightmares to ensure that the innocents slumbered in peace. They died in darkness so that the many may thrive in the light. The art of reaping was no joke, and to treat the demons who claimed countless lives as a light fantasy was an insult to those who laid desecrated upon the soil across the world.

This guy... he was blessed with health and strength... and yet he squandered it on naivete and carelessness.

Enzo definitely loathed this guy.

"You think demons are cool?" Enzo smiled at him, malice dripping from the curves of his lips. "You might wanna ask the children who were drowned by kappas, swallowed whole by bakunawas if they thought it was cool." However, Enzo decided not to pursue it too much. If others enjoy the thrill of getting themselves killed, he couldn't stop them. But, it would be a greater dishonor not to protect them. "You may say I'm being dramatic, but you've never fought a demon. Never seen someone torn apart by their hands. But, I did."

Blood spurted as one of his elderly kinsmen, Serafico, fell to the ground with a demon's claws embedded in his chest. It was the second day of the War in Arayat when the Arachne Clan felt the fatigue and pressure from fighting over a hundred demons. Pushed back to their last bastion, the remaining defenders put up a final stand with their summons shackled to their side. Enzo had swallowed his fear then as he summoned once more his triumvirate of spirits. His eyes glazed over the mangled bodies of his fallen clan members, and the fear that gripped his heart was replaced with fury.

"I know I cannot stop you, and that, you cannot take responsibility for the lives of our classmates," Enzo declared. "But, I will. So, lead, and I'll pick up after your mess."

Deborah woke up and almost took out her gun to shoot at the noisy TV. Why was this necessary? She hated alarms, she truly did. Another thing she hated was a strong headache, which was exactly what she felt today. "Ugh... I overused my magic yesterday." it was an annoying feeling on the back of her head that made her mind feel shallow, as if being a human had suddenly become a shore so her mind had just reverted to something lesser.

Instead of rushing to the breakfast, she took a long shower, trying to relax her body, before dressing up in a more practical outfit than the one yesterday, jacket with pants, sword and pistol on her belt, the necklace with the image a of a griffin made of gold and amethyst, the symbol of her family's chivalrous order, indicating she was in the fighting branch of the house. Still looking stylish, albeit also very tired, she went down the staircases without saying a word, preparing some tea and setting aside some biscuits, a light breakfast to help to start the day.

She hated to isolate herself from the others, but at the same time, she hated interacting when she wasn't feeling sure of herself, it could lead to unnecessary behavior, making it so she had to spend the time in which she was 100% dealing with what she has done when she wasn't in such a good shape. Still, when the topic of the Kappas was brought up, she had to address it.

"The village sounds interesting, and yes, I guess there is something going on with the Kappa, after all, why wouldn't they remove the creatures themselves. It could be a test." she said to Lucas. Hmm, I wouldn’t say stating some demons are cool is that reprehensible, after all, it's common to find wolves and lions cool as well, and both of those are as willing to end a young child as some lesser demons.” she added with a shrug. In the end, she preferred that mindset as she felt less of a glorified butcher.

Paine had managed to get a lot more rest on the way here, well bits and pieces of it. There was the occasional map and passing out on the ground from pushing himself a little too far than necessary. None the less, by the time he managed to get to the dorm room he wasn’t tired at all. He had a trouble with that in particular, find a good time here or there to sleep properly and in a proper bed no less. It was typically sleep that had come for him rather than the other way around, and not often particularly restful, though that didn’t matter one bit.

He had enough time to decorate his room all the while talking to Raziel with what should be placed where and how. The blankets where changed out for something resembling space blankets from home and there was a various manner of plushies covering the bed, some of which were monstrous characters from cartoons others resembled demons and a couple other things here or there. It was all rather set up a balanced spread with three plushies on one side of the bed and another three on the other side of the bed.

The rest of the night was a matter of babbling and reading various books and the like surrounding magic. The subject of this ongoing debate and mental exercise was the used of moonlight rosewater and its so called ‘transformative’ properties which were mostly acclaimed to be mythical. On the other hand, what would it be interesting to turn into? His mind wandered and skimmed through various magic books throughout the night.

The alarm blared and he would not have noticed if it weren’t for the volume. It was time to do something, and to get going. There was no point hanging around in the room much longer. He threw himself in a shower for a few minutes and gets back out. It was important to get food and get ready for training immediately after, so he’d go down toward to the kitchen debated with a leisurely pace.

“I know that we haven’t eaten yet but come on. It wouldn’t be that much of a pain to simply run down now would it? I doubt it would pass out this time Raziel, you must be kidding. I only nearly passed out last time and that was from trying to run for miles, miles! This simply going downstairs and getting something to eat.”

Paine the scrawny and messy haired kid would wander into the kitchen area wearing butterfly covered pajamas. “Oh, there’s… other people. Hello, what do you say when you first meet people again? I think I’m supposed to say something here outside of hello, but it’s not coming out and… not working for me, please help. How do I do this, um, how are you... persons?”

Drakus had managed to finish eating without having to engage with another imbecile. However the latest newcomer gave him a growing headache with his continued rambling. Being one of proper etiquette and standing, Drakus had used more than his fair share of cutlery for his meal. As much as he hated a mess he also despised cleaning up after others. Methodically and thoroughly he cleaned up only that which he had used or touched.
After ensuring he had left no impact in the kitchen beside that which he had taken, he began to remove all the ice from the freezer and bag it.

His mind raced replaying earlier events. He had much to ponder and experiment on. But right now, while his classmates went out to ‘play’ his focus was rest and recovery. Tonight would be another gruelling night of training for him.