The high noon sun shone through the window, and the sound of birds chirping could be heard off in the distance, though muffled by the glass…a hand reached over, and unlatched the metal, pushing the window open. The warm air coming in blew and brushed the curtain gently, tickling the hand gently. Tapping the windowsill impatiently, for only but a moment, Darcy withdraw and turned to face the bed. On the bed, tucked under the thinner bed sheets, with pillows comfortably arranged around their head…was their fiancé. Well, one of the arranged fiancés. His father had made two different arrangements with two families of nobility, in a way of staking a temporary claim…whichever legendary prodigy did better at the academy, Darcy would be sure to marry, and the other would be annulled.

She looked so peaceful, her head nestled in a triad of fluffy pillows…one would almost forget the kind of hellion she was. Though she behaved well enough in front of her adoptive father and mother, she treated everybody else like trash or serf. Darcy would never forget how she pulled his hair, so she could ‘talk’ to him ‘face to face’, and told him how she hated that they’d one day have to become husband and wife…that was just the sort of person she was…? At the time, he could only lower his head and murmur back an apology, and a small thank you. There hadn’t been many visits, but he would be visiting for the duration of this last academic year…visiting both fiancés, in his altered forms.

Leaning over her, he rested a hand on a small shoulder and shook it gently…but no response, no stirring. “Wake up, or I’ll have to crawl into bed with you…” No response. It was already noon, but…pushing her gently to one side of the bed, he crawled in beside her. Was this what married couples did? Sleep in the same bed? It felt crowded, and uncomfortable. Darcy stayed on his back, and stared up blankly at the white ceiling of their female fiancé’s dorm room.

---

On the other side of things...

Setting the mask onto the surface of the table, the headmaster reached over to the first drawer and pulled out a black box. Running a hand over the smooth black metal, he unlatched the top and popped the case open. A good time to smoke a cigar, a good day...lighting the cigar, he stuck it in the corner of his mouth, and spun on his wheelie chair. Today was orientation for the new students, settling it...and the assembly would be held tomorrow since a certain vampire under his employ happened to be preoccupied with his own personal issue. This...this year was going to be interesting.

On the corner of his desk was his crystal ball for long distance communication. He could have Lord Banes and Lord Albescu on the line in an instant...leaning over to the crystal ball rather precariously, he gave it a single poke, edging it close to the end of the desk and possibly onto the floor. Rolling, it rolled on the surface of the desk, and onto the side of that. Kelan was never much of a crystal ball person. Reaching into his cloak, he pulled out a smartphone and called up a certain teacher, "Hello? Yes, why aren't you here yet?"

---

The ringing was distant, and somewhere in the distance...the sensation on his side...

Rolling over the silken sheets, and falling out of the large king sized bed with a loud thud, he reached back up for the cellphone. "Hello? Erm, Sir Roda--!"

"-why aren't you here yet?" The voice was much more distant...then again, his vision was quite impaired...as it were, he was still rather 'jacked up' on absinthe. The green fairy. Pausing to think about the question a second, "Where exactly, sir?" ...and then it hit him! One thing that never seemed to be right with him was the judgement on the passage of time itself...it was a slight vampire trait, as well as him just being absentminded, and also recent heavy drinking. "I-I'm, uh, I'm on my way. Yes, goodbye." *click* Putting on his swirly eyeglasses, his charm with the world's most useful enchantment for vampires cast on it, Karl pulled the curtains open. The sun, the glorious and beautiful light...somehow, a minor phantom burning sensation crawled up his skin...bad memory, he didn't plan on burning like that again. The sky was blue, birds flew just under their aerial ocean...it was high noon, if that clock tower...was...right...? Where...where exactly was he, again?

Slipping out of the shadows and passing beneath rows upon rows of books, Lynn allowed his finger to glide along the bookshelves, his finger gently thumping against the books as she walked slowly towards her favorite spot. He often spent his days here between classes, hiding in the shadows like a predator waiting for his prey. She sat down in her favorite red crushed velvet armchair with her leg folded to rest her ankle atop the knee.
His head tilted back and he exhaled to the open air. He stared at the ceiling, drinking in the memories of the night. Her sweaty body rubbing against several others, licking the sensations of human men and women alike. A smirk formed on her lips, and he brought his head back down. Her long hair fell all over his face, the crimson not unlike the red velvet he sat against. A deep, throaty chuckle emerged from her soft lips, and his laugh increased until it echoed throughout the bookshelves.
Who would be the prey today?

Kusunagi

Kusunagi was awoken by the sudden pain in his forehead. Rather than awake with the rage, he checked such classes emotion and simply opened his eyes. "Dove. I understand, I am difficult to wake. But when I instructed you to be persistent, that did not mean to peck my forehead till my eyes open." The small bird flew away chuckling? It manifest as a small girl pulling at his blankets! It was to that the man finally allowed a twinge of annoyance in his eyebrow. Quickly he let the feeling pass before simply uttering the singular word. "Hare..."

Instantly a man in a suit grabbed the little "dove" bowing to the master. "I do beg for forgiveness sir, you know how young ones can be." The one called hare bowed before carrying her off. As the two departed the Vampire seemed completely accepting to wake in the "day" despite the internal discomfort he is plagued with. He dressed himself rather quickly, considering it was a fine suit, with matching cape and ornaments of expense. His home had changed much since this plebeian was brought into their home, honestly....Mother had such a thing for the mortal world. Even trying to wake him for this Breakfast nonsense, and this academy....His eye brow twitched again, despite the fact he was 25, to attend such a juvenile thing, it interferes with so much of his work. But father made an excellent point, the potential for forming growing alliances and contacts for his future use would be far greater when they where young and impressionable.
The entire reason he has dove is to aid him in understanding childish behavior....She is an embodiment of innocence, but...."Hare." As soon as the words left the vampires lips his trusted rabbit was at his side, bowing accordingly. "Yes sir?"

"I wish to sleep longer. What is the schedule of the day?" The vampire stood poised but he could not stifle the yawn, but with hare he need not mind his image. His loyal companion smiled and nodded before listing off the plans, all the while pouring him a cup of blood sun tea. And handing him a pair of sunglasses...A rather normal thing to do while sitting, but to watch Hare pour tea with his ears and pull glasses out with his hands seemed both nonsensical and dexterous at the same time all the while walking with his lord.
"Doveee is coming too! Kooozey! Don't forget Dove!!!"
The cup broke from his sudden spasm of strength and irritation. But his face showed nothing, Turning behind he motioned her to follow while hare looked almost worried. "Why of course not dear dove. But do remember when we are among the sheep, you are to call me Lord." one wonders just how long Dove will have her head...

---

Glennalua wakes to her alarm. Bright and early. Before sunrise. However, pear is not one for early morning, as he lets her know. "ARE YOU KIDDING! ITS FREKIN FLOPPING EARLY! LIKE SO EARLY I WANNA EAT YOUR SOULLLLLLL! PEAR!!!! PEARRRR!!!!!!" As he continues his rage, his promises death and expletives grow! Much to the feroicous fruit frustration, The young woman did not even bat an eye. She had long since grown accustom to its rather rambunctious nature.
As she got dressed pear commented on her hourglass frame being inferior to ladies with a pear shape. To which she simply smiled and reminded pear that it was in fact an apple. The fruit sat slacked jawed, it was true, it was hideous. Top heavy. RED! If only it had been a green apple, perhaps then it would one day find the adoration it longed for...But no. It was Red! The color of anger, hate.....As the fruit had its crisis it sat silent, allowing Glenna her a peaceful morning. But in the same fashion she goes about patching up wounds, she stitched pears now bleeding heart. "Pear. Have you ever heard the term to eat a pear a day to keep the doctor away? No. You are an apple. You are the sweetest of all fruits, made into many products. You complete the diet. You are what makes humans complete. And red....Red is the color of Passion, and adoration." Pear replied with just a small grin and a sniffle. Glenna smiled and motioned for it to come along. Despite the fruits sour appearance and personality, he had the heart of a Golden delicious!
---HER BATTLE ARMOR---
Dressed in a rather unique uniform, it had a white fabric with red trim, and of course the red cross. A universal symbol of medicine, but it hung slanted? Ah yes, she needed to be able to treat angels demons and of course humans, but a cross standing up right or on its head brings discomfort to several of her clientele. She set the cross on its side so no matter who, they could come to her, as for the school girl esq design. (Pear calls it her pedo bait) she needed to be able to attend classes without constantly switching in and out of clothes, in addition some of the activities need students to find her in class! So she is easy to identify!

---

"You know your going to be an hour late right?"
Glenna actually made an Eep! "What!? WHY!?" Pear looked dejected "I may have turned all the clocks back....exactly an hour. So we could get more sleep..."Glenna looked around her small residential area and seeing only a small cat, she leaps into the air! Any who looked up may have been able to spot a truly beautiful crimson view,after all skirts are hardly designed for long jumping buildings.

"GOOD MORNING ACADEMY!"

"Glad to see some people never change." Yawned Tatiana as she got out of bed to see her roommate at the window starting her usual energetic girl routine by declaring good morning to everybody. While it was annoying at times, the disciplinary squad leader had to admit Emi's optimism was always worth waking up for.

While Emi went through a string of 'good-morning's' to everything around her, Tatiana just sighed and went to put on her uniform. Today was the opening day, and the disciplinary corps had to make a solid first impression. From her posture to her preparedness to her uniform, everything had to be impeccable for the first day of the year. Even her body....

"I swear this body doesn't like me." She muttered whilst fiddling with her uniform jacket which seemed to be a bit tighter than it ought to be. She knew she wasn't slacking off on daily training, so the only alternative was that her body was rejecting being a iron-fisted disciplinary squad member. Damnit, she didn't want to be another pretty face! (Although come to think of it, her mom hadn't been anywhere near petite either.)

"TATIANA! LETS GET GOING!" Emi's sudden outburst snapped her out of her reverie, and made her hastily finish dressing before turning to find Emi greeting all six of her pact-spirits and familiars around the small table in the dorm room whilst grabbing her schoolbag. Grabbing her own pre-packed bag and arsenal bandolier, Tatiana couldn't help but smile with her roommate as they left the room to the sound of others rousing and getting ready for their first day of the new academy year.

It was unfortunate though that she had to pass through her door on the way out. For the moment, it was quiet, but Tatiana decided to hang around for a few minutes outside the door just to make sure one of the "pride and joys of the academy" wasn't going to cause trouble this year.

Flora sighed, realizing that it was almost time for the first day of school to begin. With a little grunt she picked up the pile of books sitting next to her, somehow keeping them balanced all the way to the library's front desk. The librarian on duty eyed the walking pile of books speculatively. "Doing a bit of light reading, are we Ms. Cordelia?" He asked as she put the books down. "Just a bit. I don't think I have time for a hand cart today." She looked a bit sheepish as the man started stamping the books. Once he was done, she picked up the pile again and walked toward the entrance, hoping to drop the books off in her room before she had to be somewhere. "Don't forget," Called the librarian after her, "You promised to help catalog the new shipment tonight." She didn't respond, too preoccupied keeping the books from falling.

Charmant woke that morning as she always did with the sunrise. Her room was a riot of differing shades of pink and would have blinded any viewing it in the first bright light of the day.
"Morning Bibi, morning Tetri, morning Za Za, morning Clemons, morning Raji, morning Marta, morning Lila...... she said as she greeted every flower blooming in her room as she did every morning.
She then climbed out of bed her petite yet busty figure clad in pink nightgown an pink panties.
Charmant though 17 appeared 14 or younger to those looking at her. Daughter of the fae queen she is a Hierophant born with the ability to interpret sacred mysteries and understand arcane principles, a very handy talent when attending magic school.
She showered an then brushed her teeth before leaving her little room and heading off to school. She was in a good mood today an prayed that she not be forced to be near the Ecchi an should she that he go blind.

Hunter groaned as he rolled out of bed keeping his eyes closed tightly. The sunlight continued to filter through his eyelids regardless as he struggled to stay asleep. His mother called his name from downstairs and he loudly grunted a response. He had every intention to get up and go to school, just not at this particular moment. He wanted to continue the dream he was having.He could almost actually taste the delicious strawberry waffles and he had a strong desire to eat them even if they weren't real. He had been just about to drift off to sleep when from the corner of his room he heard the one voice he was not looking forward to.
"Your mom has a beautiful pair of C-cups Hunter. I'm very jealous."
It was at that moment that his eyes snapped open. That stupid sword hilt was talking to him about boobs again. What he wouldn't give to just throw the thing out the window. But there was the small problem where he had made a pact with the thing. He got up out of bed, picked up the sword hilt roughly (to which it responded with: "you have to be gentle with a woman's boobs you know".) and he shoved it into his bag for school. He began to get dressed, refused to comb his hair, and trotted down stairs. A muffled voice could be heard from inside his bag, but he couldn't make out the words (thankfully). He approached his mom and gave her a kiss on the cheek grabbed some toast and said "I love you. I'll see you tonight" before waling out the door.
When he finally arrived at school he headed straight for the gym. He laid his bag down and began his morning training. 20 push-ups, 30 sit-ups, 40 jumping jacks, 10 mins. jumping rope, and finally 15 mins. shadow boxing. He knew no one ever used the gym in the morning as this was where he came every day. He was never disturbed and thus never lost his focus. Besides, most people in school were too afraid of him to approach him anyway.

Books were nice. Except those rare cursed books that would spit fireballs or something once you tried to read them. Fuck those books. There were no cursed books stacked up between the hands and chin of Genesis von Harz, otherwise referred to as the (hopefully temporary) host of the lesser plague demon Nux. Just regular books, with fairly average content written in its pages. Stories about made-up worlds, instructions on how to perform this or that sealing rite to keep demons in check, a tome on theories about the possibility of a brief invulnerability pasta can provide if properly enchanted and ingested...y'know, perfectly normal things like that. The books were all due back today, except the one on top of the stack, held in place between the rest of the stack and Genesis's chin; that one was her diary. She liked to keep it handy. Since they were due back, it only made sense to head to the library and return them, so that was where she was going now. She was almost there, too. Good thing, since stacks of books have a remarkable habit of weighing down on the arms of the person carrying them.

Flora was turning the corner when she saw someone walking towards her, just for a second before the books she was carrying blocked them from view. She didn't see who it was, but she did manage to read the titles of the books they were carrying. Stopping about where she thought they'd be passing her, she said "Noodle Magic? Really?" Before she realized they couldn't see her face. Closing her eyes for a moment, she flipped through her mental dictionary for the spell she was looking for, and said "Fly for me." Before letting go of the books. The levitation spell took hold on the bottom book, stopping them just before hitting the ground, and she put her hand on the top to keep them steady. Now that she could see, she adjusted her glasses to look at the white haired girl with horns. "So is that actually a thing, or are you just reading it for laughs?"

Charmant practically danced down the halls of her school. She loved attending here but not so much for it's help in her arcane studies but to meet people.
So far she'd loved meeting everyone except a few and one of those was an Ecchi Boy who was trying to peek.
Charmant always wore something pink along with a bright smile. She did so because she was usually very happy, were she at home she would be dealing with being the youngest of 1,000 children and everyone else around her would be a Cousin, Uncle or Aunt, here she was just another girl.

My head..... The boy woke up holding his head. It didn't take a doctor to tell you he had a headache, the expression on his face made it a dead giveaway. Through pained eyes he looked around, only for his eyes to almost burst out of his head from shock! "Where..." The voice that came out was not his own, not that it was a bad sounding thing honestly reminded him of those punks that spend as much time on their hair as a gir He shook his head violently pulling himself to the point, the long hair went every which away! His confusion grows! Looking down he is almost relived its still a mans chest.
"I thought that I was in one of those games for a secon.....WHAT THE HELL!"

He tries to get out of the bed, but the blankets are ornate and thick and acting as a net and making him....faceplant! Holding his forehead he looks about this room, er where was he? Where was his posters? Where was his computer? Where was his television?! He inhaled deeply in near panic, where was "My Job! I can't miss my first day!" He tries to find his clothes, fumbling about the room he finds something he was not ready for...A mirror! "The hell!" He faints...

"Noodle magic? Really?" Genesis stopped dead in her tracks. She hadn't really expected it to be taken seriously, of course, but she also didn't expect that somebody would notice the words on the book. Not that there was any shame in noodle magic; the topics in the book were still theories at best. Further testing had been needed, so Genesis figured she'd try a few of them herself. The results weren't good ones...well, they weren't there at all. "So is that actually a thing, or are you just reading it for laughs?"

"A little bit of both, to be honest. Everything in the book is still theoretical, but it could be interesting to say the least if it turns out to be effective. As far as I can tell, though, it doesn't work." No point in lying, right? Lying was bad, after all. Naturally, Nux inside her was telling her to lie her head off about it. The idea was to try and fortify her spirit to the point that it could survive without a body for a time so that she could "kill" herself and get rid of the damn plague demon, but since the only good results (the only results at all, actually) in her noodly experiments were taste tests, Nux wasn't going anywhere via pasta. At least she got a wonderful recipe for a slightly sour mushroom-based sauce from the book.

Flora smiled, holding her hand out. "My name's Flora. It's always nice to meet a fellow book lover, even if they're into weird magic." Once introductions were over, she glanced at the books Genesis was carrying. "Mind if I see that noodle book for a minute?" She asked, letting her own books float to the ground. "It's always good to get a second opinion on these things."

---

Out in front of the school, a light flashed for just a moment, bright enough to be seen anywhere with an outside window. Afterward, the only change was a boy lying on the stairs, staring up at the sky. He didn't try to move, for some reason content just to watch the clouds until someone talked to him. From the pocket of his leather coat, a silver pocket watch gleams in the sunlight, the first part of it's engraving in full view. Venta.

"I didn't need this change of pace."

---

Sunshine?

Calista stirred in her bed with a soft groan, cuddling more deeply into the soft blankets and pillows. Huh, she must've collapsed into bed last night She was sure that she would wake up hunched over in a chair in front of her computer. Whatever the case, lying in bed was infinitely more comfortable than being upright in a chair--no matter how comfortable her high-tech swively chair was. It's really great, being swathed in multiple pillows and blankets, the soft breeze flowing in, a warm body in her bed...

Still in dreamland, Calista rolled over and curled up against the figure in her bed, her subconscious not finding it weird at all. With a peaceful sigh, she snuggled her face against his chest, her dark hair falling over her face slightly. Pulling the covers over herself more securely, a murmur escaped from her lips. She was having a pleasant dreamless sleep, and even as she began to wake up, Calista fought to stay asleep.

However, when you start waking up, you become at least slightly conscious, and eventually wake up. Her eyes opened slowly and she stared at the stranger right in front of her. Something was wrong. Something was very very wrong. But what? As Calista slowly became aware of her surroundings, the puzzle pieces slowly fit together, bringing together a very alarming situation.

Holy--

Calista tumbled out of the bed with a squeal, landing in a heap on the floor. Tangled in multiple blankets, she had to navigate her way through the mess to sit up. By then, her hair was all messy and she was wide awake. A flood of questions crashed through her mind, so much that she had absolutely no idea where to start.

Where was she? What time was it? What is she wearing? She didn't own that nightgown. And who was in the bed with her?!

Calista scrambled backwards, scooting away with all of the blankets. "W-who are you? Where am I? What's going on!?"

However, even as she uttered those words, Calista thought that she recognized the figure. Where has she seen him before? There was something very peculiar about her situation, and she was getting a sense of deja vu. Why did everything seem so familiar?

Curling up within herself, Calista suppressed the urge to scream and run somewhere. There wasn't a hostile air, and that wouldn't accomplish anything. Still, she was positively shaking, and her eyes darted around everywhere in discomfort.

The fiancé turned, in bed...hugging onto him, before opening her eyes an staring at him, then falling and scrambling away from him. Sitting up on the bed, and smoothening out his day clothing...all this was quite interesting, and new to him. Hugging him, resting her head on his chest, staring into his face...so, so strange. She'd usually just kick him out of bed, or punch him in the face, or tie him up in the blink of an eye. It as new and surprising, but not all that uncomfortable...which either meant she was in the mood for messing with him. There was...also something very odd about her, but he just couldn't put his hand on the pulse of it...

"W-who are you? Where am I? What's going on!?"

Narrowing his eyes in suspicion...he realised why he felt something off about Calista. Her magic, it seemed very...weak. Too weak...of course, this Omni-mage could easily hide it with the perception magic she used last year, though it shouldn't have easily have deceived him like this. No other explanation...coupled with her 'confusion' and this 'weakened magic', she must have been pulling his leg for some odd reason, as it were. Deciding to play along, he answered clearly an concisely, "Walker, Darcy Walker, fiancé of Calista Albescu. Your personal dormitory, in the...Magically-Magical Academy of Magic. You are trying to deceive me into believing some sort of convoluted plot, all in order to possibly cause me more bodily harm once my guard is down...again. For the last one, I am correct, yes?" Saying this, he leaned from his position seated on the be in order to offer a hand to pull her back up. Sure, this would be dumb, leaving himself open like this...but this is just what the fiancé was supposed to do, right? Darcy waited patiently for an answer.

---

Out in the front of the school...

Swirly glasses obscuring his ability to see, ever so slightly, as the dragon landed to the side of the academy...still, Karl swore that in a flash, there had been a person lying on the front steps. Dismissing this as the lasting effect of strong absinthe, he hopped off the metallic scaled dragon's back and turned away as the being began to shape shift back into it's smaller lizard form, making loud growling sounds as the sounds of bones snapping disturbed the air. Turning around, to stare down at the small iguana like creature, he gave it a bow before it crawled into a crack in the building, "Thank you, again. I'll owe you back a favor." The crack in the stone wall sealed up behind it.

Trying to fix his clothes, just a little, he was glad that the silvery dragon actually answered his call, this time. Last time, he ended up getting the headmaster to pick him up. Big. Mistake. With his clothing less dishevelled, but still dishevelled all the same (and still a little hung over), he walked around to the front of the school...there was a person, laying around the front! This, this wasn't the oddest thing to happen around here. Walking up to the mysterious person, he blinked a few times behind his swirly eyeglasses in order to clear his eyes, the charm on the glasses really did weaken the vampiric sense. Since Karl is was indeed an instructor, and thus had to set an example...he nervously offered a hand out, "T-that looks rather uncomfortable. Do you need any help up, friend? Or, would you rather keep laying down here?"

"Mind if I see that noodle book for a minute? It's always good to get a second opinion on these things."

"And my name is Genesis von Harz," the horned girl introduced. "Go ahead," Genesis replied about the book, holding it out for this girl as best she could with a stack of other books keeping her arms in place. Flora, she said her name was. "You seem more experienced with magic than I am, with floating books and such. It's a little strange, with my family's lineage...heheh." Why confess to everything? Honesty and blabbermouth-ness weren't the same thing, after all. If there was one good thing Nux had gotten her to do, it was that. Don't chatter about every secret you have endlessly. Because honestly, what good did that do?

Gesturing in the general direction of the library, Genesis asked "Do you mind trying to read on the go? These books are due back today and I'm trying to get them in before classes start." That was another good habit the plague demon in her ignited; being a little more assertive. Pre-seal Genesis would probably just stand there patiently and let her books get turned in late if it came down to it. She still wanted to get Nux out of her before assertive someday became aggressive. Genesis wanted to ask Flora about any sort of seal-breaking magic, but asking about that kind of thing and saying "By the way, I have a lesser plague demon in my body" just after meeting somebody generally provided less-than-desirable reactions. She would know.

---

Today was another day. Another day of slithering, stalking, sneaking, speaking, and making people miserable. Walking up (for a generous definition of "walking") to the academy, admiring the contents of an unremarkable bag that was in fact filled with shiny yet otherwise-worthless items, was Akoko Delfan. For some people, today could have been somebody's birthday or the anniversary of some special event. To Akoko, it was just a day. Go in, hang around for a few hours, leave, and if she had failed to throw at least a small wrench into somebody's day before leaving school, go throw a wrench into somebody's day. So went the average day in this lamia's life, and oh how she loved it. The only thing she didn't like? Days that just felt bland. Like today.

Hissing some harsh obscenities under her breath after putting her bag of "treasures" away, Akoko slithered onward. The day was going to start whether it was bland or not, so she may as well double her efforts to try and make things interesting.

Flora smiled as she took the book, pushing her own stack to the side to pick up later. "Of course. Although it won't take the whole trip for me. I'm gonna let you in on a bit of a secret here, I only learned about the levitation spell yesterday. This is how I learn magic." She closed her eyes and breathed in slowly, and when she oppened them again the irises had changed from brown to bright blue. She flipped the cover of the book open and immidiately started flipping pages. Almost before the first page touched the cover, she turned to the next one, and within a few steps she was halfway through the book. Her eyes moved so fast they were almost a blur, and soon she was at the back cover. Closing her eyes again as she closed the book, she let out her breath. She kept her eyes closed for a while longer, pressing her hand to her forehead, and when she looked up and opened them again they were back to their original brown color. "Well," She started, "It's a sound premise I suppose, but according to 'Enchantment and Mana Storage' by Phoebe Grove, flour is a terrible conduit. If you could make the noodles out of ground gemstones or maybe oak leaves it might work, but then it wouldn't taste very good." She handed the book back to Genesis. "You don't eat oak leaves right?"

---

Looking up at the man above him, the boy considered for a moment. Finally deciding that he was right, he took the man's hand. "Thank you." He said, still dazed. Looking more closely around, he realized he was lost. "Um... Excuse me... Sir? Do you know where I am? Or who I am? Or where I came from? Or anything at all really."

---

"W-what are you talking about? I wouldn't do anything like that..." Calista tilted her head to the side in confusion at that rather evil assumption about her. Hesitantly, she accepted the hand offered to her, and pulled herself to her feet.

In her disoriented state, it took a little bit for her to process exactly what was said to her. Apparently this Darcy Walker was supposed to be her fiancé, and he didn't have a very high opinion of her? Wait, did he truly mean her though? Calista's last name wasn't Albescu... Suddenly, something clicked in her mind.

Fearfully raising her gaze up to Darcy's face, she squeaked, "Did you just say... The Magically-Magical Academy of Magic...?"

Hesitating for just a moment, Darcy nodded, "Yes. The M-MAM...despite the juvenile nature of the academy's name, this is the height of magical education. Of course, you should know of this...?" Tilting his head at her, questioningly...it was rather curious how she was behaving.

They hadn't previously spent too much time together, this year would be the longer to date, so he couldn't exactly say he did know exactly how she would behave 100% of the time. Purchance...was this her time of the month? Tales of women with personalities flips of their heads for over a week or so...maybe this was it? As much at this situation greatly confused him, he could understand natural human functions due to hormones.

With a small amount of more silence hanging in the air..."You...aren't asking just about the academy, are you...? What is it that you really want to ask me...?" Asking about the academy after attending to previous years to the one person who possibly knows the least...it implied that Calista was going far with this prank, and thought up a lot before deciding o go through with this. Somehow, that didn't sound right in his head, and another part of his head was nagging at him as to what this was.

Lifting her fingers to press against her temple, Calista closed her eyes tightly and took a deep breath. She indeed did know everything that Darcy was saying. That was the problem. Opening her eyes again, she took in everything in the room, realizing why it had all seemed so familiar.

As crazy as it was, apparently she had slipped into one of her newer dating sim games.

Again, absolutely crazy! Calista was obviously dreaming, there was no way that this was possible. She moved her hand from her temple, to smack herself across the face. "Wake up.... Wake up..." She muttered to herself.

This was so strange, Calista had never succeeded in lucid dreaming, and now that she apparently was doing so, she didn't want to stay in here. Out of all of the dating sims to dream about, she had to choose this one. While this game in particular had a compelling story, with stunning graphics, so a timid person like Calista, it was very difficult to play.

Calista's an antisocial people-pleaser, who wants nothing more than for everyone to like her. The protagonist of this game... Let's just say that everybody hated her. Arrogant, shallow... Calista found it painful to endure the nasty comments and the humiliation that the protagonist felt, despite it being all programmed and fake.

Now just imagine how badly Calista would feel if she herself had to go through it.

She was so preoccupied with her current situation, that she kind of forgot the presence of one of the datable characters. All her life, she's wanted to meet them. It's rather ironic, that now she has a chance, she doesn't take it at all.

Watching his fiance first act 'confused', then slap herself across the face while muttering 'wake up' to herself...there was now a longer moment of silence to follow...if Calista would answer with silence, Darcy would have to return it with patience. Still...if this was her monthly episode he'd never seen before, maybe she'd require some assistence from the attending nurse in the infirmary. There was probably some magic for this, there usually was...?

Peering around the girl's room for a moment in boredom, stepping over a little bit of bedroom clutter, the wardrobe was now only a few inches from his face. Reaching a hand over, he pulled it open and began searching through the dresses. "Albescu, if you are having female issues, you need not hide it from me. I am, after all, your fiance."

Taking more time, searching...he eventually pulled out garment bags. Unzipping both, he held up the outfits in each hand..."Choose your outfit for this afternoon. Once you've changed, I can escort you to the infirmary before taking my leave." One was recognizably the default optional 'School Uniform' outfit, the other was a regular 'Default Dress'...Darcy wasn't going to bother with searching through more drawers, thankfully (and rather conveniently), two outfits had already been made out by Calista.
"Female issues?!" Calista repeated in surprise, finally registering Darcy's presence. "No, no, I'm fine, it's not that...."

Recognizing him for his character, Calista examined him closely. He was one of her favorite characters in the game, and he looked even better in person--or dream, whatever. It was only now that she was beginning to feel embarrassed to how she woke up this morning... But hey, it was a dream right? Even if it wasn't her favorite game, she might as well ride it out until she woke up.
"I'm really fine, I don't need to go to the infirmary." Calista said, a little more confident in her decision. Besides, what would she tell the nurse? 'Help! I think I'm stuck in a video game, whack me with a hammer so I wake up'? She'd be in an asylum for sure.

Letting her check him out from top to bottom, so to speak, he stared down at the girl who was to be fiance. It was still pleasantly surprising that she hadn't uppercut him, or similar, yet...he looked away and nodded, "Is that so?" Before going over to the door of her dorm and turning the doorknob.
"I will take my leave, then. The headmaster said that you should spend the day resting and reflecting...you had quite a (-n unusual) fainting spell this morning." There was a slight pause, before he looked over at Calista with an interesting sort of expression, "The headmaster also said that, for now...'your secret' will be hidden, and that you should do your best to hide it. Good bye, Calista Albescu. I will see you tomorrow..."

With that, he stepped out and closed the door behind him.

---

Calista Albescu has gained...
+5 Karma with Darcy Walker, for not uppercutting him or putting him in a strangle hold, though he was expecting it...
+1 Friendship Points for not acting aggressively
-1 Aggression Points for not acting aggressively
So far, the total changed are...
+89 Aggression Points: Darcy expects to be kicked between the legs, though he doesn't have any actual junk to kick...
-75 Romance Points: Calista is his arranged fiance, they have somewhat of a mutual dislike of each other
-70 Friendship Points: they don't need to be friends...
---

Tatiana tapped her foot as she waited for "her highness" to awake to her usual screaming tirade. And didn't hear it at all. She raised an eyebrow at that. Someone felt off, really, really off. She couldn't put her finger on it, but it felt serious. And she always took her gut feeling rather seriously after the Timmet incident.

Her gut feelings promptly compounded when Darcy Walker stepped out of the room, minus verbal abuse or any visible impact marks. This a major change in character. Putting one hand to a holster at her waist, she gave a slight nod to the young man. "Good morning mister Walker. How's our little princess? Did she somehow develop manners recently?"

She glanced at her watch. Time to return to her usual patrol soon. If little-miss-magic-terror didn't show her face soon, Tatiana decided to confront her elsewhere later and hope she didn't cause a scene at the start of the year. She didn't like it, this bitch needed a full-time watchdog, but duty was calling soon.

Tatiana Status:
Tatiana is now suspicious of Calista Albescu
+1 Relationship points: "Let's hope she keeps being nice today."
Relationship at: -89, Tatiana has a serious grudge against you. Your a high-level target in her eyes.