[IC] Academy of the Arcane Artes [Reboot]

[Jedly]

An Ode to the Predecessor(Old OP) | An Ode to the Surpasser(New OP) ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Restart & Refrain

Location: ??? Date: XX/XX/2068 ”So this was the resolution everybody had fought for? This was it?” The snow-white haired girl thought to herself as she hunched over a corpse. Knee deep in a landscape void of life, all that surrounded her was the decrepit remains of what used to be reality. The sky itself, once cyanic, was dyed a dark hue of red, perforated by two suns brilliantly burning away. Sure, the second war had ended. But rather than celebrations and exchanging of gifts, instead only lied nothingness. Both sides had reaped what they intentionally sewed into the heart of both of their worlds. The seeds of destruction which they had so eagerly planted now branched out and bridged the gap between the avant-garde and archaic realities, though not in the calm demeanor most had hoped for. The two ends brought about their own demise without even realizing it. And at the center of it was her. This lone, shattered soul of a girl, leaning over the corpses of those which she used to call brothers and sisters, yet they had passed on whilst she survived. She was granted control of the tide of events, but had no idea how to wield such power and brought about armageddon. This was not the requiem she had planned for, nor one she had wanted. She truly wished for a happy ending, with smiles on everyones faces and a cease fire written in fine print. Maybe they could have rebuilt the academy? How long ago was she a student there? A year? The war had distorted her concept of time and had dulled its blade. Regardless, hours, minutes, and seconds no longer bore meaning without anybody to abide by such increments. And then it hit her. She was the deity which controlled this world, she had her fingertips right on the control panel of reality. The girl refused to be the keystone piece in this contorted manifestation. She had the power to revert everything back to square one, to reset the actors on stage. But some would have to be removed, as they played major parts in the series of unfortunate events. Others would find themselves reliving the same days without any recollection of the first iteration. And where would she be? The girl honestly believed that she herself should be cut out of the future equation. It was the only viable option. Before she knew it, the world began to fade away, and with it she took one last glance at her comrades. Their eyes remained shut, as if they were lost in a peaceful sleep, soon to awaken. Well, soon they would stir again. The fate of the second chance lied in their hands alone. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A Kind, Endearing, Welcoming Letter(Written by GrEHy, MAD found by ER-sama)

A rift in space-time known as the Black Gale opened up, connecting the worlds of Earth and Lucis with an undisclosed (but absurdly large) amount of unexplored, monster-filled wilderness. That was twenty years ago, and while the situation in the Black Gale hasn't changed much, peace has been fostered between the two worlds. Today is January 8th. Three days ago a raven bearing a letter arrived, declaring that you had been selected to enroll one of many institutions dedicated to combat the threats posed by the labyrinths and wildlife in the Black Gale, as well as those posed by the two worlds themselves - an academy. And not just any academy, but the Academy of the Arcane Artes, one of the greatest and most renowned academies in both worlds. And you were one of the lucky elite chosen to attend this prestigious academy. Did you accept the offer? Hell yeah you did! And that was how you found yourself waking up bright and early (or perhaps staying up mind-bogglingly late), packing your bags, saying your good-byes to whatever friends or family you may have (or not!), and waiting outside your dark cave/quaint countryside hamlet/massive estate/cheap apartment/ludicrously expensive condo/etc for the arrival of a magical lion-eagle. Lo and behold, there they arrived, descending from the heavens like angels from on high. Fur and feather gleamed in the light of the relevant celestial body as the majestic creature settled upon the ground. It was alone, saddle empty, waiting for its designated rider. You mount the beast, tentatively, aggressively, or otherwise - it does not matter. From there you take to the sky, heading towards the Black Gale, that giant tear in space over there, at speeds that violated every traffic law on Earth and then some. But soon after you see it on the distant horizon: the Academy of the Arcane Artes. Or perhaps you don't, since you're clinging so damn hard to your griffin. Eventually you land, the sound of griffin's talons upon pavement. It was a miracle you didn't die or anything. That sure would've been inconvenient, huh? But that doesn't matter! You made it! Now welcome to the Academy of the Arcane Artes, bitches students. Enjoy your stay. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Varren Yinyues

8th of February/2066 Varren’s eyes shot open as he gasped for air. In a hurried fashion, the boy flung himself forward out of surprise and fear of what he had experienced during his slumber. Only if he had realized a few moments earlier the point where bed ran out in stock, and all that could be sold was the cold hard floor. Yes, the boy truly paid the price of haphazardness, landing face first into the wooden surface while armed with only a pair of boxers to shield his shattered pride. The boy was left to pout in shambles until the sun had slithered its way through his windows, on a one-way course into his eyes. This was usually how Varren’s mornings started. An ebullient boy repetitively rolling on the floor, ensuing phrases which a nine year old would rate as ’potty mouth’. Sure, the guy definitely had the pitch down pat. Most of these perilous mornings were spurred by nightmares, such as flashing images of coffee cups being smashes or the internet being shut down worldwide. But this particular dream which had rudely stirred him from his sleep was more unique than the rest. Varren himself was in it, yet his hair was an entirely different shade. It mostly consisted of hazy scenes, unclear and undeveloped, kind of like his brother’s tastes in fine weaponry. Anyways, Varren decided he was done squandering precious time and quickly dressed himself. The cyanic tie contrasted nicely with the shades of his cerulean hair. ”Wait a moment. Uniform? Who placed this here? Did one of the maids want me to cosplay this badly?” The boy’s eyes darted between the vacant clothes hanger and the pristine uniform he was now draped in. It took a few moments for a connection to surge in that whimsical brain of his. He snapped his fingers out of realization, ”Yes! First day of school! Wonder if Nii-chan is awake yet?” Varren was half tempted to burst in his brother’s room and pounce on the guy’s bed until he awakened, yet the boy wasn’t deadset on receiving a wallop to the face on day one. Regardless, that room hadn’t been occupied for a few years. He proceeded with morning stretches before eyeing the two travel cases lying near his door. Surely one of the butlers had snuck in during his sleep and packed away his belongings. ”I swear, if they misplaced one bullet, I’ll…!” Yet Varren couldn’t think of a threat to cast upon the random employee, yet a punishment of sorts was surely in order. He made his way over to his night table and swiftly swiped at a device which firmly fit around his wrist. With a few pecks at its LED screen, a small hologram was produced before him. The boy skimmed through contacts blindly. Literally; he had his eyes glued shut as he scrolled through the list, “Eeny, meeny, miney, moe heroine!” The boy plunged his jutted finger against a random name, and requested that his cases were to be brought to the front gate. He would have gladly lugged his belongings down the steps, yet given his frail figure, such a journey would only end in disaster. After pouring himself the last cup of coffee he would enjoy in the Yinyues household for a while, he proceeded to the front door where he was met by a woman. Unlike her son’s more colorful hair, her’s was a monotonous raven black. The woman looked like an iconic business official, dressed in finely spun clothing, as well as appearing half her actual age. His mother was twirling something around her finger when she laid her eyes upon the boy. Her expression lit up with a mixture of approval yet remorse. She let out a sigh and caught the gun my the grip, took a few paces towards Varren, then held the magazine port towards him. The boy cautiously and slowly attempted to grab the pistol, but the woman moved her hand back with every advance he made. After a few tries at seizing the sidearm, Varren began to frantically reach for the gun with flailing arms, yet it was only in vain. His mother was able to hold the boy back by his face, her hand gripping around the rim of his head as he continued his futile quest. She shook her head and released the boy from her bear grip, then quickly wrapped her arms around his timid figure, ”Dear god, boy. You weren’t even able to grab a handgun from your aging mother. How do you expect to fight monsters with that kind of strength.” She chuckled as she wrapped her son’s fingers around the pistol, ”It’s a White Wolf machine pistol. Fires an AP 5.8x30mm round. Look, even the ejection plate has grooves in it~! You can use it to beat a foe to a pulp if you run out of bullets. Although…” Her voice drifted off as she squeezed Varren’s biceps, instantaneously losing all hope in the continuation of her sentence. ”Anyways, I wish you luck, my boy. Make the Yinyues house proud, and forge another title for Magpul. Also, tell your brother I said hello, remind him that he has to turn in this month’s rent before he leaves.” With that, she patted the boy on the back and sent him flying through the doorstep. If Varren hadn’t mastered the otherworldly physics of coffee, he may have had been in a mess of third degree burns. The snow wouldn’t have helped much, either. The boy shivered when he was suddenly exposed to the ruthless climate change. It seemed odd, starting the school year in the midst of winter. What was even more disconcerting was the griffin waiting at the front of his ga- ”Wait a second. Something isn’t right here… Let’s see… Snow isn’t yellow… My scarf is on firmly… Coffee isn’t spi- by the caffeinated deities there’s a griffin right in front of me.” The boy felt sufficed with listing the creature as a figment of his imagination. To test his hypothesis, he reached an outstretched arm towards the beast’s hide and poked it. Instantly the collage of animals sprung into action, swiping at the ground under Varren, then propelling him into the air. All the boy could sneak out was a befuddled, ”What…?’, before he landed on the creature’s back. The griffin stuck its talons, with awe-inducing finesse mind you, around the handles of his travel cases. It then rose onto its hind legs and propelled itself off the ground, beads of water flew out of Varren’s sockets as they soared through the frigid air. Usually these things were outfitted with riding harnesses, yet the academy must have forgotten to dispatch this individual with one. All he could do was hold onto dear life, and prayed that his heart didn’t shrink as fast as his manh- Gracefully soaring through the air, Yinyues couldn’t help but to shiver as he felt the cold air brush against his uniform. ”It is winter after all… I should have worn a sweater or something.” He mumbled as he clung closer to the griffin, hoping to grasp onto a portion of its warmth. The warm-blooded beast was bred to endure such conditions with flying colors, covered in a coat of feathers which held in every bit of heat. He lowered his forehead in between its scapula, resting his tired mind as they advanced to their destination. The boy closed his eyes and attempted to find respite in the hectic turn of events. He listened to the rhythmic flapping of the griffin's wings as he mentally composed his will. Yet all of a sudden, his ears picked up more sets flying creatures. He glanced to his side, it took a few moments before a belated startled reaction came into fruition. Other beasts of the sky were beginning to fall into formation, each bearing their own student expressing varying complexions. Hell, one blonde was even riding the griffin as if she was the pilot. This was definitely more exhilarating than the uneventful school bus rides he committed to in the past. The boy’s eyes darted to the humongous portal before them. The break in the sky was consuming griffins like they were snacks, inhaling them en mass. It was at this point that Varren realized that he was face to face with the Black Gale. The very cause of the great reformations the whole entire world had to undergo decades ago. The grip on the griffin’s feathers tightened as he was suddenly consumed by a blinding light, unsure of what lied on the other side.

[Card Captor]

Mathew Holems

"Well...this is definitely new" Mathew mused as he rode atop the Griffin that had more or less kidnapped him. "And to think, yesterday was just so normal. I wonder if this is any indication of thing to come". While he did know that he was going to be attending the Academy of the Arcane Artes, he didn't expect this kind of a ride there. Hell, he thought he was being abducted at first. Of course, there were clues that he was able to use to sleuth out the truth; like the uniform "This...this wasn't here before. Mother, did you put this outfit in my room!?" "Hmm? What outfit sweetie?" "Wait, if it wasn't you...then. Someone's broken into our home" "Mathew dear, what were you talking about-MATHEW HOMES! What are you doing!? "Someone has invade our home mother! I'll be damned if I let them kill the two of us and pull our horns out of our corpses!" "Mathew. Mathew sweetie, just calm down" "I will not! The day I've feared my whole life has finally come, I will not just sit back and let them take us!" "Sweetie I understand you're scared, but there's no need to-THE SOLAR GUN! Why is that even in your room!?" "Because I knew this day would come, so I prepared myself" "Henry! Your son has the Solar Gun! He thinks someone's broken into the house and he's in one of his moods!" "This is not a mood mother!" "HE'S WHAT!?" ...yeah, that could have gone better. "I swear, that was intentional. They just left the uniform in my room without warning just to get a reaction out of me. I simply can't believe this; my first day of school, and the staff causes me to nearly blow a few holes in my own home. Whoever is in charge of distributing uniforms should be fired. Don't you think so Muffins?" he asked the Griffin that he had named not too long ago. The Griffin responded with silence "well I think that's a bit much. Plus, I don't think they make wood chippers big enough" Mathew replied. The Griffin once again failed to make any sort of sound that could be taken as a reply of any kind "well if the wood chipper was too much, then a Bagger 288 is far beyond reasonable. I'm honestly surprised to hear that you even know about it" more silence from the Griffin "no, of course not! I simply didn't expect anyone from Lucis not involved in engineering to know about an obscure piece of Earth technology. The only reason I know about it is...well...when a Bagger 288 nearly run over your home, it makes one want to learn more about it" Griffin silence "I wish. Some maniac got one of those metal behemoths and nearly destroyed my entire town. Lucky for us, the Bagger 288 is a mining vehicle, and therefor doesn't have much in the way of self defensive weaponry." Even more Griffin silence "has anyone ever told you that you're a fascinating conversationalist?"

[Lucius Cypher]

Ralthavar Marcrosias

"Waiting... The insufferable waiting." Ralthavar stood in front of a large horde of orcs. At least a thirty strong, with families and relatives to see them off. They looked less like students and more like a warband; each was armed to the teeth with weapons, no less than at least three and Ralthavar had four. It was quiet, eerily so. Normally such a gathering would have music and some festivities, but this one was full of anticipation, as though they were warriors on the front line, waiting for the cavalry charge. Some orcs were eating, speaking to each other, or even resting up. But Ralthavar simply stood looking towards the horizon searching for the sign of their ride. Soon a elvish woman came up to Rathavar and hugged her, nuzzling her cheek. "My son, promise that you'll be good? I know that there is a lot of responsibility on your shoulders, but I also know you're strong enough to handle it. Make sure you write back to us too, alright? I want to know how you're doing!" Rathavar said nothing but smiled as his mother coddled him. His father stepped up, his arms crossed with a stern look on his face. But he cracked a smile, showing that he wasn't entirely serious. "And remember, this isn't a raid. Fighting shouldn't be all you're doing. We want you to make friends outside of the orcs, more so with these... Earthlings. The Harmonious Act may have improved relations for us here, but make sure that you give a good impression for the earthlings, understand my son?" "I know father. I will do my best, and than some." Rathavar said quietly. His father came to him and hugged, as did Rathavar's mother. Their warm bodies were a comforting feel in the frigid weather. Soon a noise pierced the air. "They're here..." Griffins from the academy arrived in swarm. A quick counter would notice there were exactly 100 griffins. While thirty flew in the orc's direction, the others scattered not too far away, to pick up others who were part of the Harmonious First. Ralthavar and his orcs were merely a part (Albeit a large one) of the organization which came together to foster friendlier relationships with one another. With final farewells, the young orcs gathered their equipment and supplies before gathering into a semi-organized formation. Rathavar was at the head of this formation. Though not the largest of the orcs, his presence was abundantly more noticeable than anyone else. Soon the griffins landed in front of the horde of orcs and watched them expectantly. There was silence. And than Rathavar spoke. "Mount your griffins! Wait for my call and we ride!" The orcs moved in to find a griffin for themselves. Rathavar was the first to pick, and he chose a particular griffin with golden-blond feathers. He'd need to be distinct if he wants his orcs to be able to follow him, unaware that the griffins would lead them to school well enough on their own. "Sound off! I want to make sure everyone is here, and each of you are prepared for what we are about to do. This is a war that no have ever fought. A battle that we have the honor of tasting first. This, is a diplomatic mission! We must show the Earthlings our strength, and in turn, find what makes them worthy of our strength! We lead a new generation of orcs, a generation that no longer needs to eek out an existence against hostile forces. We have begun our golden age, where the rift between worlds have been torn asunder just for us! So let us go, and face these earthlings head on! We will take their knowledge, absorb their powers, and bring it back to our home and our people. We are orcs! We live, we strive, and we are victorious! NOW SOUND OFF!" Rathavar had his griffin take the the skies first, followed by the hundred of other orcs trailing behind him. They circled the skies a few times to ensure that everyone was off the ground, and for one final farewell to the lands of Lucis and the country of Malakaus. The orcs in the skies and the orcs on the land had only one last thing to say before they were off. And it was quite audible. "WAAARGH!" ---

Rei Maven

The smell of honey-roasted almonds wafted through the air. Not the most aromatic incense, but it did it's job to cover up the scent of last night. Strewn around the room were exhausted bodies of party goers in various state of undress, and laying on top of the pile was Rei. She was stark nude save for a few accessories she wore for the purpose of entertaining others long through the night, none of whom were awake to be a bother. Rei looked around in a daze wondering what time it was. Early morning from the chill in the air. Today was the big day; she'd finally get out of Lucis and explore the predominately human world for once. She had heard many, many tales of the place, but it was only today that she would actually see it herself. Carefully making her way off the pile of lovers Rei walked off to a room to clean herself. Rei was within a large mansion where she held a party in her honor. She had been masquerading as a mistress of a orcish warlord, using his funds to throw decedent parties under the guise of diplomatic meetings. It was quite easy to convince the green-skinned monster men to hand their fortunes to her with false promises of improving their standing amongst the other races. Though she supposed her antics did make her warlord somewhat more likeable by more... Lavish folk. Stepping into a wash room Rei activated some of the magical runes placed around. One created heat, while another produced water. This water was poured into a brass tub with a cork plugging the drain. Placing the heating rune into the tub while the water ran, she stepped inside and shivered. "The water is still cold..." As she waited for the water to fill and heat she went over to a mirror built into the wall. She looked at her body, admiring it's form. Elves were so lithe and alluring, but a bit too thin for her taste. She liked a bit of meat on her bones, rather than the form of a starved beggar. Rei than proceeded to change into various forms, male and female, human, elvish, monstrous, demonic, angelic, mythical, and grotesque. But in the end she settled for her true form; a pale, white haired hermaphrodite. She giggled at the sight of her supple phallus hanging beneath her thighs. She gave it a gentle stroke before turning to her bath. Washing herself thoroughly, in every orifice and curvature, Rei emerged from her washroom smelling of lavender. Her guest were still fallen in her main room, but a few maids had come out to help clean. Taking a whiff Rei could smell the lust wafting through the air, but also... Purity. Or maybe that was just the soap. Either way, Rei was hungry, but not for breakfast. She approached one of the maids as she was putting clothing into a basket. "Excuse me..." Rei called out to the maid, and when she turned to face the succubi she yelped in surprise. Rei was still in the nude. "My my, are you my morning's entertainment?" The maid attempted to redirect her eyes, but Rei could see her struggling. The young maid has never seen a sight like Rei before, and she was tempted to gaze further. "C-c-certainly not, kind... sir? I am here but to clean your chambers." A soft laugh escaped Rei's lips as she approached nearer to the maid, her hips swinging, and as well as other things. "Is that all you have come here for, little one? My chambers?" The maid closed her eyes tightly but still directed her head towards her feet in a vain attempt to not leer at Rei. This both amused and disappointment the succubi who crept ever so closer. "I have no idea what it is you imply, master.... I am but a poor and humble maid." The maid said weakly. Rei could hear the hesitation and doubt in her voice. The maid wanted so much more, this she knew. "So you are, my dumpling. And a good one at that. Such strong hands and shapely body." This time the maid blushed and allowed a bit of laughter to escape her voice, both embarrassed and pleased at the compliment. "You embarrass me, master!" That was when Rei struck, caressing the maid's chin into her hands so that Rei could gaze into her eyes. "Fear not. You are safe here with me." The maid started to stammer now and weakly tried to escape Rei's grasp, but was memorized with Rei's eyes. "I... I must finish my cleaning, master. The mistress will have my head if I do not!" Rei remembered than that she was not taking the form of the Elven mistress that the maid was referring to, but despite that she knew the maid would be safe. After all, Rei had no hard feelings for the maid. Not yet... It was than that Rei giggled and pulled the maid into a near by broom closet, where only their voices could be heard. "Cleaning, eh? I have something for you. Here, polish my blade." "But it is huge! It could take me all morning!" "Plenty of time, my dear. Plenty of time." Sometime later, which hardly took the whole morning, Rei had emerged from her mansion estate wearing somewhat appropriate attire. At the very least she covered her genitalia, but still looked skimpy. It was obvious from her attire she intended to garner attention through her appearance. She would have waited for her guests to awaken and see her off, but the griffon would arrive so. It mattered very little to her; she made it known to them that she would likely be gone before most of them would have awoken. They would be taken care of nonetheless, and Rei had all she needed anyways. Looking into the skies she could see the lion-eagle come her way, and she sat there waiting for it. When it landed it looked at Rei who blew it a kiss. It seemed unaffected, though it had a much more physical reaction when, as she loaded her luggage onto the griffin, she chose to fondle it near it's own gender identification. It squawked and nearly kicked her, but Rei anticipated it and avoided the blow. "Come now, let's be off." Straddling the majestic beast Rei said no more as she and the beast took to the skies and flew towards the Black Gale. Not the largest hole she ever entered, but a virgin to her nonetheless.

[Kidd]

Zarbaha

Khayal sat in pieces before Zar, a component in her hand and a cloth in the other as she cleaned her beloved weapon. Suitcases sat beside the table, her modified school uniform among the items. The base was quiet, the snow outside absorbing all sound. Her golden brown eyes would occasionally flicker to the window—this was silly of her, of course, because she wouldn’t see the griffin before its presence was announced. Especially in the dark. Still, she was eager to return to the Academy and she kept her eyes and ears open. Zarbaha Umar would be entering the Academy for her fifth year, so her break was spent in the field with other Gatekeepers to be. She had spent her time over the last few months putting to use the technical knowledge received at the Academy and developing it beyond the textbooks. She was ready to show off her strength as a graduating student and become a Gatekeeper. Finally, the monitor beside her figure came to life, a woman’s face looking through the screen. “Umar, your…escort to the Academy has arrived.” Zar’s heart skipped a beat in excitement, but she remained passive in expression and tone. “Thank you,” she spoke clearly through her accent, one that has grown through multiple languages and would be hard to properly distinguish its origin if not for her appearance. “I’ll be out in a moment.” She carefully set the cloth aside and cautiously, methodically put Khayal together piece by piece—until the monitor shut off and she rushed to put her weapon back together, a smile coming to her face. Once fully assembled, she pressed a button and watched as the large rifle shifted into a polearm: a glaive. Satisfied, she slung the weapon over her back and piled her bags on after. Zar took a final glance around the small room she had called home for a while; on her departure, it looked so bare. It lacked personality. And that was fine with her. Zar turned her back on the room and headed for the exit. It was still the middle of the night where she was stationed and most of the personal was still asleep. She had said her goodbyes when the sun was still up and had gotten a couple hours of sleep before waking up to prepare for the ride. “Hello, lovely,” Zar greeted the griffin, who puffed up at the given compliment as she stepped into the cold. She set her bags in the snow and adjusted the strap on her chest and then her headdress (she had lost it her first year, not prepared for the speed at which these beasts could fly). Zar rose a hand to groom back the feathers on his head before hopping gracefully onto his back. “Ready when you are,” she said as she latched herself onto the griffin’s warmth. Its claws gripped her bags, and the beast let out a warning caw. And then they were off. The cold stung at Zar’s face, but she forced herself to watch the sky as they rose. Her eyes narrowed and watered thanks to the speed, but she loved the ride. The beating of the griffin’s wings echoed in her eardrums, and suddenly there were more. Sure enough, when she turned her head to look around, other students were riding on their own griffins. Zar couldn’t help the large, white grin on her face; the experience was exhilarating every time. Suddenly, the sky shifted to a bright white and she knew that beyond this would be the Academy. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Dagny

“Yah-hooooooo, mother fuckers!” Dagny’s voice interrupted the beating of the dozens of wings as the beasts and riders were sucked into the portal connecting Earth to the Black Gale. Her griffin was particularly large, speaking volumes about the weight compacted into her muscular build. Clearly, the woman liked to fly, but it was only during the school year was she able to ride so fast. Her initial departure had been far less dramatic…

☼☼☼

“When’s it gonna get here?” the young woman beside her asked between shivers. “Here” was a small house in the middle of a tundra. Dagny’s family home was terribly isolated from the rest of Sweden, Earth, and the only sign that there was life outside of the property was the road. The road, incidentally, was covered in snow and ice and therefore blended in with the rest of the landscape. As snow continued to fall, her luggage—only a couple bags—was becoming covered in it. Noticing this, the purple eyed woman brushed the powder off with a gloved hand. “Whenever,” Dagny offered unhelpfully, placing her hands on her hips as she gazed up at the stars. The two appeared to be different in every way: the woman was slim, dark skinned, and had dyed her hair blue to contrast her violet eyes. Dagny was bulky, pale, and blonde, her eyes a bright blue—though they looked far darker under the night sky. Not to mention the former was dressed in heavy, warm clothes and still shivered next to Dagny, who wore shorts and a tank top without so much as a goose bump. Dagny spit some fire into the air, warming her companion for a brief moment. “Bet you can’t wait to get back to bed,” she teased. “I’m sorry we’re not all walking furnaces,” came the retort, the woman sticking her nose into the air. The dragon chuckled and opened her mouth to respond, but a screech broke the silence and the women looked up as a griffin fell from the sky. “Well, this is me,” Dagny stated casually. “See ya later.” She offered a wave as the griffon gathered up her things. Though the hand she waved with was grabbed and she was pulled back into a hug. The dragon girl felt her face flush red and she hesitantly hugged the other back. “Write me or something,” the purple-eyed woman ordered as she pulled away to wink at the dragon. Dagny glanced away, then back, and nodded. “Y-yeah,” she responded as she cleared her throat, coughing up smoke. “I’ll do that.” And with that, she climbed onto the griffon and waved once more as they took off.

[That AWFUL Guy]

736 Morning preparations had never been a massive priority of 736's. The crack of dawn signaled little change in the isolated lab he called home. There was no need to make a bed. Flesh Golems do not sleep. There was no need to make breakfast. Flesh Golems do not eat. Hygene was of minimal concern. The caustic alchemical substances that spread their fumes through 736's bizzare, decrepit hovel made conventional bacteria a non issue. The building, the experiments and 736 himself eternally smelled of formaldahyde. There was little that could be done about it. In most cases, 736 wouldn't even notice the progression of the cycle of life outside. The sun rises, the sun sets, the people of the nearby villages wake up to whisper their gossip about the strange shack in the forrest that had been vacant for 3 years, but still belches forth a plume of smoke at seemingly random intervals. And 736 continued his studies. There were tests to run, books to read, notes to be organized, samples to be grown. There surely would not be enough hours in the day for him, had everything not seemed like one continuous day. That was not the case today. 736 remembered the event clearly. 72 hours prior, some sort of corvid had delivered to him a letter, informing him of a most fortuitous oportunity for further research and testing: enrolement in a program to train Gatekeepers. In his studies, the Gatekeepers had always caught 736's attention. They and they alone were the wardens of the Black Gale, a bridge between worlds, hosting strange fauna and governed by alien natural principals. 736 had a fair amount of academic knowledge in the way of psychology. Thus, he could identify his response to this prospect as "excitement". 736 had been cognisent of the fact that he could not transport all of his test subjects to the Academy with him. After being provided sufficient time to ponder, 736 determined that all that he really required were the basic supplies for testing: scalpels, microscopes, slides, etc. He would also need Blitzengiest, though 736 did not think of the amorphous green symbiote as luggage, or even a weapon. More of a pet, really. In all 6 years of his life, the curious little life form was the closest thing that 736 had ever had to a friend. Finally, 736 donned the cloak provided to him. 736's practical knowledge of society, limited though it may have been, made him aware that many of his peers would find the sight of a 2.5 meter tall, iron-studded mass of reanimated flesh disconcerting at best. Thus, he found it pertinent to obscure his rather aesthetically offputting form as best he could. Leaving his abode for the first time in recent memory, 736 found himself face to face with a creature that resembled a mish-mash of parts almost as arbitrary as himself. The beast in question was none other than a griffon. 736 knew that the Academy, prestegious establishment that it was, would provide some form of lavish transportation. After resigning himself to the fact that no, he did not have time to perform behavioral tests on this rare and spectacular creature, 736 mounted the griffon with little hesitation. Tests had shown that Blitzengiest could become a servicable flight membrane, should the need arrise. And with that, the beast let out a screech and began to ascend.

[Tyrant from the West]

Gabriel was flat on his back, with eyes tainted by drowsiness, staring at his ceiling. Its color used to appease him when he was a younger child, but now the dark green color felt alien. After spending most of these last two years away from home, being back with his dad was very unnerving for him. The first day of school couldn't even compare to the feeling of anxiousness and alienation he felt at home the last couple of weeks. He even found it somewhat poetic, that the place he had spent most of his life felt so far away. Even though he was within its walls, he felt like they were almost like jail-cells. Heh. He laughed at himself for getting poetic and philosophical, that didn't occur too often. If anything, just the thought of poetry and philosophy was scary! Especially poetry! Gabriel struggled most with language based classes, and poetry always made things worse. It was like people would throw a wrench into the machinery known as a speech and everyone would look at it and call it art! But if you fucked up when you tossed your wrench, you'd be a cheesy fuck who needs to learn how to write properly. He turned onto his side. Now instead of looking at his ugly alienating ceiling, he would look at his ugly and disorganized wall. The wall was filled with bands from earth and lucis, as well as the letter he had received when they offered to let him into the school. It was also covered with his report cards and progress reports. Almost all of them were amazing, with a few spots of average here and there. Although his personality and actions would suggest otherwise, Gabriel tries. Gabriel tries really hard. He doesn't just want to be successful, he wants to be extraordinary! To put it into sports terms, he wants to be the Jordan that lifts off Nike through the roofs! He wants to be the one that goes down in the hall of fame. The gatekeeper people won't ever forget about. However, to do that he would need to perform actions that make him stand out in a good way! That is something he has to work on. Pio! Pio! Pio! the alarm rang out. The audio was distorted, and had been taken from an old Spanish song that taught kids the sounds animals make. He took clips of the little bird and had used that, it was very efficient. Using it would make sure Gabriel would get up and awake in ten seconds or less! Listening to it for anymore then that would be worse then getting beaten up or whipped. Anyhow, It was now 5:45 and it was time to get up! He took off his pajamas and threw them on the floor, he would be sure to pick them up after his shower. He needed to be clean first and foremost. Having hot water purify him through pain and pressure was always sure to yank him into consciousness. After a shower he was much more awake and alert than if he had just gotten ready and waited for his brain to sort itself out. Besides, morning showers are the best showers. He didn't feel at all comfortable letting himself wallow in his own filth for an entire night only to have to wait until the next night to clean it off again. Now it was time to get some food. Gabriel wandered back into his room, and threw his pajamas into a basket partially filled with other dirty clothes. He would be sure to do his laundry again at another time, but for now all he wanted to do was get dressed and fill his belly. Once he had finished putting on the school uniform, he went into his bathroom again to give himself a once-over. Everything seemed to fit well, and the armor cloak they gave him wasn't too heavy or too tight. Why can't they put both the cloak and coat together?. For the past two years he had decided to get the armor, and for the past two years he had asked that question. As per usual, the bathroom didn't answer him. Maybe it was cause it was too expensive? Because having both functions would make it too heavy? Either way, he double checked to make sure his clothes had Uriel written on it instead of Gabriel. And once again they did, which would make life hell of a lot easier. After he had finished his morning routine and was done checking himself out in the mirror, he meandered downstairs. He went straight to the kitchen, and gazed around the room, as well as into the rooms the kitchen were connected too. His dad wasn't there. Couldn't stay home a little longer to send me off? Shit. It was a bit sad for him to think about, but sometimes that is just how it is. He turned his attention to the table. On it was a store-bought card. At least he was able to leave me a card. Lets see what kind of sentimental shit he wrote. However, once the card was open, it was not what he had expected in the slightest. It had the design of some pink and orange cartoon styled girl with two wands and the caption Wowza uza be five-za! Happy birthday my little princess!. Gabriel cringed at the card and could barely find it within himself to open it, but curiosity to find out what was on the inside won out. The card, once opened, dropped a dollar bill to the group. Inside the note itself was a little message written from Gabriel's dad.

Hey Gabby! Or is it Urrie when its school related? I'm sorry I couldn't send you off on your big day, congrats again on becoming a 3rd year! I am absolutely sure you can make it all the way up to fifth. Also, I want to tell you that I am super proud to be your dad, and that once you make it to fourth year I'll have a gift ready for you, one that I am sure you will drool over!And,as a token of my sorrow for not being here today, I promise to increase your allowance for these next few months! But until then, I hope this can keep you over. - xoxo Daddy. PS // If you do any drugs, either smoke them or drink them. Anything that leaves track marks or is snorted will fuck you up.

Gabriel blushed throughout the whole letter. Rarely would Gabriel break composure, but whenever his dad called him by his nickname, it would always throw him off. Once the letter was done being read, he put it back on the table and grabbed the dollar and stuffed it into his pocket, it was time to eat. He poured himself a bowl of 'Sweetie-tetties crunch', an off brand cereal that was almost pure sugar and trash. With every bite he could almost feel some of his veins clog up and die. It was at times like these that Gabriel couldn't help but think of the one truth he had discovered, the truth that others could never handle to hear. The truth that Earth food, at its best, will never lose to Lucis'. Earth's cuisine was truly superior in almost every way, and that Lucis really needed to work on their preparation and selections if it wanted to stand a chance against earth. As of this moment they were like a small anemic child fighting against a robot who's weapon system was composed entirely of ballistic knives. Once he had finished his bowl of diabetes, he put the empty dish in the sink and rinsed it out. Usually he would just drop it in, but as a courtesy to his dad he would do it this once. After that was cleared up, and all the cereal and milk had been put back into their rightful places, he rushed upstairs. On his shelf, next to his most recent progress reports he had yet to pin up on his wall, was the bag of mayhem. He picked up the bag and attached it to the side of his pants, through a series of knots his father had taught him, it was possible to make the bag both easily accessible as well as difficult to remove. Once he made sure to bring his greatest asset, it was time to leave! After back-tracking through the house one more time, to make sure he was carrying everything necessary, he went through the front door onto the porch of his house. As he turned himself to close and lock the door, he noticed that his dad had stuffed another card between two cracks in the wood. This card only read Don't forget your Bag! The card also had another one dollar bill attached to it, which he swiftly stuffed into his pocket alongside the previous one. It was certainly nice of the old man to remind him of the bag, had he forgotten it things might have ended up quite terribly. Once he cleared away from the porch and looked into the sky, a griffin came down onto the ground and waited for Gabriel to mount it. The last two griffins he had rode were much more unruly, so it was nice to have one that felt well-mannered for once! Once he was on top of the griffin, an old conversation he had with his dad resurfaced in his mind. Hey Gabby, think of this! What if you stood on the griffin while riding it! Now, Gabriel knew a good idea from a bad one, but at the same time the thought of standing upon its back as it brought him into the sky was very, very nice. Such as it with all great heroes, Gabriel could not resist the temptation to ascend like a beast. He stood atop the griffin as it began to flap its wings, and as it rose he couldn't help but remember that stunts like these where why , statistically, men didn't live as long as women.

[Noster]

Sylus Moriam Rays of sunlight, in hues of gold, orange and red, began to peek through the treetops, bidding the humble abodes that lay nestled in the branches just below a good morning. Sylus stood up from a sitting position at the realization that it was dawn, brushing his long white hair behind his shoulders, fastening his bow and quiver to his back, and checking inside his pack once more to ensure all he needed was there. Once satisfied, he slung it over his shoulder and took out his smoking pipe, loaded it with tobacco and lit it. The white tiger that lay curled at his feet stirred, lifting her head up towards Sylus, looking him in the eyes with piercing deep blue ones of her own. Her voice, a gentle feminine tone that echoed in Sylus’ mind, chided him, saying “Your father would hate to see that you took up such a habit, Master.” Sylus glared down at her, not in the mood to be scolded by such a layabout. ”I am aware of that, Nalia, but t’is the only thing that can calm my nerves at times like this.” “Relax, Master.”, Nalia replied, “Treat this day like all others before it, and you will do fine.” “That is easy for you to say. All you need to worry about is your next meal and finding a warm patch of sun to bask in.” Sylus looked away from her, having nothing more to say. Nalia knew he was awful with goodbyes, and he’d already said his parting words the previous evening, to her and to everyone else. Just hours ago, he had left the the gathering at the Chieftain's hall that took place every time any resident of Caeldiron’s Rest left the village for any reason, no matter how long they would be gone, be it weeks, months, years, decades or centuries. He had nothing more to say, to anyone within earshot at least. he put out his pipe, put it back in his tobacco pouch and spoke into the morning air. “This will be my second year at the academy. I will reach greater heights of my abilities, and I will take every step necessary to surpass you, Father. I promise you, I will be a gatekeeper just like you, and I will return here one day. I will keep my promise to mother, even if you could not do the same.” He said something very similar to himself one year earlier, on a morning very much like this one. The academy was worlds away from here, both literally and figuratively. Last year was an equally overwhelming and refreshing experience, and he knew this year would be no different. Within the hour, a griffon would land right before him, to take him within the black gale, to the Academy. He wondered if it would be the same Griffon as last year. He hoped not, as he was not the greatest conversationalist among beasts, repeating “Just hold on and be silent” to all of Sylus' inquiries. although, thinking back on it, perhaps he simply was not used to being spoken to by a student, as the beast-tongue was not a common gift, even among Sylus’ people. At last, after a seeming eternity had passed, he began to hear the beating of wings and gallant screeching of a Griffon. “I have arrived, student” echoed within his Sylus’s mind, the screech given meaning by his Druidic bloodline. The beast landed before him. Sylus mounted the beast promptly, opting not to make conversation this time, as this griffon exuded the same no-nonsense attitude the last one did. “The second year… I almost cannot conceive of it” Sylus found himself muttering as the great beast flapped its wings and gained momentum, emerging from the treeline and careening towards the great rift in the sky once more. Thoughts of what the coming months may hold weighed heavily on Sylus’ mind, so much so that the scenery seemed to shift and change even quicker than the year before. Eventually, he was stirred from his daydreaming by the Griffon's change to a downward momentum, the Academy gates looming below.

[Konami]

The village in the Dark Forest, really little more than a cluster of old log cabins clustered around a central fire pit, was far more active than usual this morning. While most of the inhabitants would normally be indoors preparing for the morning meal or, more likely, a long day of hard work. However this morning, just about everyone was outside, clustered around the center of the village, talking eagerly among each other. The cause of their excitement was a regal figure, perched in the very middle of the murmuring crowd. The large Griffon sat with it's head held high in pride as it waited from it's charge to arrive, glancing occasionally at it's audience, though most of it's attention was focused on a single log cabin, otherwise indistinguishable from the others. In the darkened interior of the cabin, lit by a few sputtering candles, a girl in a black, wide-brimmed hat looked over the row of wood carving tools that were laid along the top of a large workbench. The candlelight reflected off of Ma's thick round glasses as she counted the tool once again, making sure that she'd collected everything she'd need. She rolled up the tools in a leather wrap and stored them in one of the many compartments of her pack, which sat next to the door. Ma looked at the her pack and glanced around the room once again, wondering if she'd forgotten anything only to be interrupted by the sound on an impatient sigh. "Bloody hell, girl! You've got everything." Came a masculine, and very annoyed sounding voice. The source of the voice was mystery as Ma appeared to be alone in the room. "Let's go, before I die of old age." Ma glanced up at her hat and responded. "You're younger than me, remember. I'll die of old age long before you do. Ouch!" She flinched as something, or someone, dug their claws into her scalp. "Okay, okay! I'll go, just sthtop!" She grabbed up her pack, and struggled through the door and into the morning light. Ma squeezed out through the door, being held back for a moment by the considerable size of the pack she was wearing, mostly due to the fact that most of the pack's space was devoted the young tree that she was carrying in it, the leafy treetop was poking out the top of the pack and hung over her head like a green umbrella. Ma gasped in wonder as she looked at the majestic Griffon that waited in front of her house, barely aware of the other Witches in her village wishing her farewell. "Woah I kinda withsh sthomething like that waths my Familiar... Ouch! Sthorry." The little Witch spoke with a noticeable lisp. Ma hurried forwards and climbed onto the Griffon back, barely settling into a comfortable position before the great beast took off, ascending to incredible heights in a moment and banking towards the Black Gale. Ma could've whooped in excitement if she weren't afraid of swallowing a bug. Strangely, despite the wind her hat remained securely planted on her head. She watched, her wide eyes hidden behind her heavy glasses, as they approached at rift in the sky at incredible speed and, before she had the chance to brace herself, they had blasted through it. The act of passing from one world to another was a strange feeling, like a tingling sensation that ran up and down Ma's arms, and then the moment passed and Ma was looking down on the Black Gale itself, the bridge between worlds. She wanted to see it all, and looked around hungrily, but the cluster of buildings in the distance held her attention. The Academy. "We're almost there, Sthid!" She said excitedly. "Oh joy..." Came the sarcastic reply.

[Daird]

Penelope had decided to meet the griffin up on the landing area above her hometown. She could see the buildings below, carved from the seabed, and picked out her family's former mansion. Someday, I'll be back. This is just the first step. She climbed onto the griffin's back, unable to keep herself from yelling, "Giddyup!" The griffin glared at her, but took off anyway. As they approached the Black Gale, Penelope braced herself, not quite sure what passing through would feel like. A quick stab of cold, and then they were through, looking down on the Academy. The griffin pulled into a deep dive, and she whooped with delight. As they landed, Penelope took a look around at her new home. I think I'm going to like it here.

[drewccapp]

Kelly kept her eyes closed for most of the flight for fear of getting something caught in her eyes. She had her sound translator off and instead was listening to music through her headphones so she couldn't hear the air moving past them. She imagined if she didn't have the option to turn it off she would have ringing ears by the time she landed. Flying didn't scare her, she simply hadn't been prepared to protect her eyes from dust and stuff in the air. Before she had gotten on the griffin she had set off from her house after exchanging few words with her parents. They understood where she was going and her mother had been particularly excited to hear about it. She didn't want to make a huge deal out of it and left as soon as she could. She walked to the given destination as the one she was given wasn't far from her home. That was when she saw the griffin and watched it land with awe. She felt a chill as she passed through the Black Gale then the griffin took a dive and her heart skipped a beat. She hadn't been expecting it at all. She felt their momentum shift as they landed and she slowly opened her eyes to see she was in fact on solid ground. She got off of the griffin and looked around seeing there were others that were landing. She switched her music off and turned her sound translator on so she could hear her surroundings. She didn't really have any idea where to go next, so she simply waited for directions to come around.

[AliceInRedHeels]

The shop light flickered on as it woke up the dusty relics and scavenged goods, it’s glow clashing with the glass casing blinding the gems below as they glistened in protest. The soft mauve colored walls absorbed the warm rays, as their high end shelves clung to it, holding steadfast not daring to let the mounds of leather bound books be cast down to the wood floors. Unlike the ancient relics, the floor showed little want for attention, their soft gleam betraying the intrepid cold seeping through it. A brief moment later the telltale hum of a neon light echoed through the broadened space, the harsh gleam warming the window pane, as the shop’s light spilled out onto the empty sidewalk; its only company the steady silent rows of street lights constantly watching over the merchant street. A lone girl stood in the back door way, the thin black curtains enveloping the backs of her ankles, her shadow casting itself into the room, as the soft whir of her eyes penetrated the quiet reprieve, the eerie glow yellow dissipating from them only broken by the constant scroll of white text across them. A soft yawn caused their disappearance as she closed them running a hand over her face in an attempt to wake herself up, per usual she had woken up to see to that the storefront would be ready, even today of all days, for today was the day the young girl would set off into a world completely outside the comfort of her home, and oh the wonders that awaited her.

~~~~

The blaring of her alarm woke Mia awake with a jolt as her eyes quickly adjusted to the dark, a soft display showing the date, time, and temperature by default in the corner. She closed her eyes once more slowing breathing before bringing a hand up in front of her vision, steadying herself as she reopened her eyes the flash and scroll of text and numbers quickly replacing the former display. Designation:HumanTemperature:97degreesClassification:HandLength:0.15mAttributes:Flesh, Hair, Nails, Scars… This constant stream of data continued to emerge in her vision, as she started the process of getting ready, the same data she had seen for the past eleven years, nothing had changed in her room, more books and old scrolls laid scattered on her desk, and sprawled down onto the floor around it. A small oak armoire, another remnant of a past life, stood tall in the back corner, the bathroom light washing over it, sparkling slightly on the chipped and worn red paint. Besides those small adornments the room was bare, the bed itself took the other half of the girls room. A starry landscape projected on to the covers, the sheets and pillows a soft off white, plain in most regards to the tapestries strung in rows on the barren right wall, stretched out to tell a story and create another world the girl could spend hours starting at. It started with the depiction of fairy tales, elves dancing, human shaped flames joining in the folly, the raiding of orcs, fairies and dragons taking to the air, the contents of hers childhood storybooks expanding to a massive black tapestry parting it from the side of cave drawings, and knights, from castles, and space ships, mecha’s and lasers, horses and motorcycles littering the other half of her collage. It seemed that someone had taken a black marker and drawn on it so the black void encompassed parts of the others, covering creatures and items alike. Making her bed proper, Mia turned to address the pile of clothing adorning the only chair in the room, intentionally meant for her to relax in as she read, and usually covered with the books littering everywhere. A slow shaky breath leaving her small lips, ”Well today’s the day..” came the soft ethereal wisp of a voice as she turned towards the bathroom a slight glimmer of fear etched onto her face, the data filled eyes as cold as they day she got them.

~~~~

Outside the seemingly small shop, the street slowly crept to life matching the rays of sun as it ascended into the sky. More lights started to decorate the once empty avenue, the sole presents on the street was currently resting on the pavement outside the store. Should another traveler had walked by not five minutes earlier they would have seen the proud being descend from the heavens as gracefully as a cat claims its prey, it’s wings clipping the sun light casting blinding rays of gold into the shadowed way below before landing with nary a sound to claim not even as it walked across the cobblestone pave, a tribute to the old markets. The lithe muscles of the being bristled as it settled down lying on the cool ground, mimicking the sphinx of old. The gold shimmered once more with the motions as a brief gust rustled the fallen leaves, its large wings folding neatly into place, its bright keen eyes focused on the girl standing in the shop.

~~~~~

Walking down the stairs, the uniform falling nicely onto the girl’s slighted frame, Mia ran a hand along the wall once more not needing light as her eyes adjusted. A quick battle with her hair had tamed it back down into a manageable state, bright red rimmed glasses nestling on her noise mirrored the letter she had received from the academy as she reread it hoping to see if she could gleam any information on just how she was to reach the Academy perched in the precipice of death known as the Black Gale. A soft sigh escaped as a brief flicker in gaze to the left sent the letter flying back into the depths of her data files, not having found anything advantageous. ”Hmm guess I’ll just have to wait and see..” She mused softly, taking in the time as she pushed the curtain aside reaching out to flick on the life, during her younger years she would have closed her eyes at the incoming tirade of data, but experience and a few upgrades had fixed that issue. Those upgrades, even the most recent ones with the influx of data on Lucius didn’t deter from the shock factor of seeing a fully grown griffin staring back at her from the street side of the display window. Designation:GriffinColor:Gold:Sex:MaleHeight:68inWeight:268lbsTemperature:102degreesClassification:LucianWingedBeast… Mia stared at the stream of data, interrupting her view of the majestic creature before tentatively taking a step into the shop, her two small bags stood ready by the heavy oak door baring the entrance to the store. Awe stricken the girl continued her slow pace easily avoiding the counter and smaller display cases, annoyed by the humans slow pace a sharp clack of its beak mixed with a rumble of displeasure echoed from the griffin as he roses shaking himself off in the process once more casting rays of gold light in all directions, his left claw pawing the ground slightly in agitation, as if this reaction was common in most first years. A soft giggle escaped the girls look at how much the griffins cross expression matched that of her mother’s when the small girl couldn’t keep up with the woman’s made dash through the shopping mall for a sale.”I’m coming, I’m coming.” She reassured the griffin as she opened the door walking outside, collecting her bags in the process, truthfully the mostly held the girls favorite books and items rarely anything essential to completing a school term. She had learned a while ago that taking notes would become a tedious habit for her. Placing her bags down in front of the griffin, Mia tilted her head slightly wondering just where she should place them, doing a small circle of the beast slowly running her left hand through its silky feathers, pleasantly surprised by how warm and soft he felt. Almost smirking the griffin casually collected her belongings in his front claws before using his left wing to buff and scoop her up on to his back, and without a warning took off for the sky, a soft hoot of enjoyment slipping past his beak as the girl clung desperately to his neck, ”Hey!! That was rude!” her cries of protest were meet by the griffin diving down precariously into a loop as it pulled back up joining the rest of the flock heading towards the Black Gale. Knowing the danger of staring into such a massive anomaly, Mia should have looked away but instead tightened her hold on the griffin determined to see this entire massive cavern in the sky and pass through it. WARING: OVERLOAD IMENENT!! DATA CORRUPTION POSSIBLE!! The bright red warning flashed vividly in her eyes as they entered the gale, the griffin increasing in speed as they white light encased them just as her vision failed and once more she found herself fumbling desperately to keep a grip on his feathers leaning against in not daring to sit proper in case she tumbled off having no read on how high they were above the ground or the void itself. Mia stayed like that until she could feel the griffin land and a soft nuzzle on her cheek from the concerned creature, made her smile before. ”Give me a minute, mein herr, this happens at times..’ She answered sitting up slightly as the soft glow flickered back on. Reboot System Activated. Welcome Back Fehlschuss Betancourt

[The Fox Without]

Amon blinked wearily as the first rays from the rising sun hit her eyes , her neck sore from having slept against the barred window in the cell she had been left in, a stone block with spartan theme, until she was to be transferred. She had fallen asleep watching the celebrations of humans outside. She couldn't be sure what they had been celebrating, but she had seen from her years on earth that humans seemed to need little reason to celebrate, always ready to languish in their abundance, but there had been such colors that night, bright flashes in the sky that literally screamed for attention and yet disappeared as quickly as they showed themselves. It had been one of very few treats in the last few weeks she'd had. Amon had been prepared for death, like all who hunt must be, and had indeed expected it to come someday, although many decades down the line if she had a say. When one goes after herd creatures, one is tempting retribution with every meal. Amon's eyes narrowed at that thought, how proud she had been, believing she was ready to face death. However the humans of this world had turned out to react differently once they'd figured out the perpetrator to the rising body count. They had laid a trap for the trickster, and once they had caught her, they denied her the hunters death she had prepared for. Instead they asked questions, wanted to know why, where, and who, all sacred answers to one of her kind, so tightly did they hold knowledge that been theirs alone. Amon's eyes soften at the next thought, a shame entering them as the memories continue to recollect themselves unbidden. She was still young by her kinds standards, and when they offered the chance at survival, that base instinct overrode her pride, and like any animal, she gave away all they asked for. Then the men from home had come, she could smell the magic, the power, coming off of them, and they learned of her abilities, saying it was necessary to evaluate her skills if she was to be taken to this school they offered as an alternative to execution, servitude instead, in the races glorious battle to protect the lands. He even had her open her orb, allowing him access to her mana stores. He had seemed impressed by the amount of mana in there. He appeared to have gained all the information he wished from her, and had spoken to those holding her. Afterwards there had been words outside some quiet, others rather loud she could tell it was the wardens then, she had apparently gotten his son in her circuit before they had caught her, the memory at retelling the taste to him when they'd brought her in bringing a smirk to her lips. Amon scratched at the new accessory she had been given, a simple black leather choke wrapped around her neck, the device they believed they would control her with. They wanted the monsters to fight the monsters. Well if they wanted a monster, she'd be more than happy to give it to them, but it would be the kind they feared lived under their beds, the ones that would attack when they were defenseless. She would not soon forget how they had taken knowledge, prey, and her freedom from her, all things came with a price, and if they were willing to take they must give as well. With this happy thought in her head, Amon smirked shooting off of the seat and gathering the supplies they had given her to start school, 9 tails whipping into a frenzy behind her as she thought of what the future might yet still hold, ears catching the sound of wings flapping in the distance, claws scrapping the ground, and what sounded like an armed escort coming her way. It would take vast amounts of patience and waiting for a chance to appear with such restrictions on her, but that would be nothing new to a hunter who had stalked prey before. But for now, she would be that perfect little schoolgirl they wanted to turn her into.

[Exodus]

Chris The room was small. Kinda dingy, actually, and a mess. An open duffel bag lay on the table, a few shirts hanging out over the edge. Jeans were draped over a chair, a jacket hung on the doorknob, a blanket had been kicked onto the floor, and even the bed itself was a mess. Well, if it could really even be called a bed, more like a glorified cot (admittedly a little wider) with a bedroll on top, but that's beside the point. It was nicer than what some of the other to-be 5th years stayed in at least. Chris woke up early that morning. Which is to say, early by his standards. He rose with the sun. But today was different; he had to go back to the Academy. Fuck. He was only half-packed. Again: Fuck. He scooted over, sat at the edge of the cot, rubbed his eyes,scratched his organic bicep -the left one- and yawned. A rag sat on the end table against the wall next to his bed. He picked it up, and gave his metal arm a once-over, rubbing out any spots that may have accumulated and hardened during the night. There was a noise from behind him as he stood up, a stirring of the sheets and the murmur of a voice. He looked behind him; oh shit. The girl. Fuck. FUCK! What was her name again? Fuck. He had to pack. Now. Sliding off the bed, he started retrieving his guns from their hiding places near him. Pistol between the mattress and headboard, check. Revolver behind the end table, check. Sniper rifle underneath the bed, check. He looked frantically around the room, trying to figure out what to do next. Pants! Yeah, pants. That would be good. He tiptoed over to the chair quickly, grabbed the pair of jeans, and started putting them on. KRRRP! Shit. Big toe ripped a huge hole in the knee. Oh well. Ripped jeans were back in-style anyway. He flipped the dangling clothes back into the duffel, and tossed any items lying about into it as well before zipping it up as quietly as he could. Lifting up the bra on top, he grabbed his shirt off the bedpost. It was one of his favorites- "Feed My Frankenstein." Ah, Alice Cooper. The music of his grandparents, as he affectionately called it. They were pretty cool people. Okay, mind wandering. Re-focus. Gotta go. He grabbed his duffel off the table, and his jacket off the door, stuffing his arms in as he started running down the hall. He suddenly stopped and did a 180. Guns. He ran back, stuffing his guns in the holsters in his jacket, and slung the rifle over his shoulder. He looked back at the girl. She was still asleep, and... Hey. She was actually pretty cute. Maybe he would leave her his number on a scrap of paper, or... Nah. Still barefoot, he got outside just in time to see the griffon land in front of him. He had to brace himself from the wind that its wings created. Walking over to it, he rubbed its beak before pulling its head into an embrace. "Hey, buddy... Long time no see." The griffon cawed quietly in response. "Well, don't worry. I'll come visit you once I get settled in, alright?" The griffon shook its neck and ruffled its feathers. "Alright, there's my boy." He patted its head before hopping up onto its side. The beast wasted no time before letting off a caw, getting a good running start, and taking off into the early morning darkness.

[Zombehs]

“Time is now 12 hours. It is highly suggested to return.” The monotonous voice of a glowing orb somehow managed to pierce through the chaotic sounds of the battle in the underground cavern. A messy brawl would have been more accurate to describe the situation though as a lone figure stood tall amongst the horde of creatures that sought to dog pile him. All manners of cries from high-pitched screeches to deep rumbling roars filled the air as the approached, but Raule responded only with the sound of his blows as they pulped his enemies. “Suggestion noted,” he muttered rather sardonically as he tore half a dozen infested in half with a kick. 'These things are fucking persistent,’ he thought bitterly as the halves twitched violently even as he charged past them and tore into the remaining horde. At least they were fragile, far more so than they had been in life, and the sheer force behind his strikes were enough to shred the infected to pieces. The spores that drifted from their torn bodies found no purchase on Raule either, the Void eradicating any trace that so much as tried to worm its way into his body. A wave of all-consuming blackness radiated out from him and dozens stumbled back as the Void erased the surface traces of the infection. And then the world was lit aflame, the dead material lighting up easily as firebombs detonated all around him. The noise changed to panicked cries as the infected instinctively fled from the cleansing flames, and Raule stood amidst the charred corpses unperturbed by the smoke filling his lungs with a thoughtful look. In the end he had chosen to pursue the infection deeper and to its source. It was more tedious than difficult as the main danger these creatures posed was completely ineffective against him. Their numbers made progress a slow crawl as he was literally forced to rip through thousands of bodies, flinging parts and mutilating the infected like some mad blender. At times he fought while his eyesight was clouded by smoke and fires danced him at every moment, so thick was the ground with infected that they would have bogged him down had he not burned them. It was literally the worst grind he had to deal with in all his years at the Academy and this wasn’t even something that had been forced onto him by the school. No, it was just something he’d come across while waiting for his final year to start. So it was with some vengeful satisfaction that he watched the wall of tendrils blast apart when an explosive crammed infected slammed into it like a projectile. As the plants withered and fell to the ground he climbed through and winced at the spore filled air. It was little more than an annoyance, but at this moment Raule had fairly little patience for anything. The bright vine wrapped core pulsed brightly as he came into contact with the spores, the infection vectors disappearing the moment they touched him. Evidently it realized the foreign presence had reached it and the chamber seemed to shudder as vines began to uncoil from the very floor. “Oh hell no you don’t,” he muttered as he grasped what was left of the explosives he’d been provided and hurled it straight at the infection’s source. Perhaps a bit overkill, given there was still enough inside to apparently immolate an entire high-rise, but as mentioned, Raule wasn’t in a very “give a shit” mood. He bolted the moment the projectile was out of his hands which proved to be a very good idea as he didn’t quite manage to hop the remains of the gate that had protected the core’s chamber. More of the blast threw him right out and he hit the ground hard, tumbling to a halt after a few moments. He didn’t even need to turn around to understand a fire storm was raging on behind him as the heat and light made that quite clear enough. “Really?” The word was spoken with a sense of disbelief and annoyance as he felt the ground tremble under his feet and a bit of dust rain upon him from above. Apparently with the core’s death and its system of vines, its entire lair was about to destabilize. “Fuck me,” he muttered before he began to bolt for the surface, the Watcher’s soft glow illuminating his path for him. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ “Good to see you made it out. Thought things were looking bad when we started getting some heavy seismic readings.” Raule paused in trying to catch his breath as he looked up into the man’s eyes before looking back away and taking a few more deep breaths. “Yeah… thought the whole damn thing… was going to collapse on my head.” He took a final deep breath before he straightened his posture and met the man’s gaze. “Anyways, things should calm down now. There’s probably still a number of infected, but if they should die off on their own in a few days or so without the core to maintain them.” "We appreciate the effort you put in. It was bad enough trying to contain them, can’t imagine how we would have cleaned out the lair on our own.” “Well it’s my job as much as it is yours.” The words seemed to sit well with the man and he cracked a smile as he nodded. “Good words kid. You sure you don’t want to stick around, I’m sure nobody’s got an issue with that after what you pulled off.” To that Raule had to shake his head. “Academy wants its fifth years back by now. There’s probably a griffon flying around up there wondering why it can’t find its passenger. Makes them terribly sad and disappointed.” The man seemed to chuckle at the imagery before he held out a hand. “In that case, it’s been a real pleasure to have you around. Hopefully we’ll meet again.” “Indeed Major. Farewell for now.” He gave the officer a firm handshake, slipping off his clawed gloves to do so before he turned to the east where the Academy lay. Refitting the piece of equipment, he gave some of the gathered soldiers a wave before he kicked himself into a full run. The buildings blurred past him as he accelerated towards max speed, fully aware of the massive wall that surrounded the entire complex. The ground cracked and fragmented under his feet when he pushed off it, and he just barely managed to clear the fortification; his claws actually carved small furrows in the material with a shower of sparks. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Surprisingly, his run to the Academy came to a halt only a few kilometers away from the military base. A loud cry from above had him skid to a stop, leaving a small trail of ripped up earth, and he looked up expectantly. Unsurprisingly, his expectations proved correct as he saw the griffon dive bomb towards him. It was a bit hard to tell, but the creature might have looked a bit angry. “Well damn…” he muttered as he braced for impact.

[Ryonara]

Six AM, sharp. First routine: Activate the main body. It would need a few minutes to full boot up which in the mean time Yuga would use to check what her tasks for today was. She got a list from the company: First she would need to run a diagnostic on her body as well as her systems. She already did one last week, but this was protocol. Secondly she'd need to head down to the main office to pick up her Memory Banks. One was general knowledge, another was a combat Memory Bank for her main body, and lastly a blank Memory Bank. Yuga could guess from the blank Memory Bank that they wanted her to observe everything she can about the academy. Fair enough she supposed, she would like to learn as well. Once her body was ready Yuga loaded herself through the Main Terminal and into her lithe and robotic frame. The first place Yuga headed to was the machine shop. It was a factory setting where hundreds of robotic bodies were being made, but unlike Yuga they were "Cheap" service androids, not nearly as sophisticated as her body was. They wouldn't even be getting an AI. Yuga saw some of her siblings along the way and greeted them silently by sending them her list of tasks for the day, while she obtained theirs. Similar to her own but they were heading to different parts of the shop for different needs. Yuga wondered why she was only given three tasks for today, but she figured that after she reported in she would be given her other tasks. Once Yuga arrived at the machine shop a familiar face came up to her. "'Ello there lassy, ready for your check up?" Yuga nodded her head at the mechanic. "I am ready." Stepping onto a platform Yuga waited patiently as mechanical arms came out of the ground. The first thing they did was remove Yuga's auxiliary limbs from her back and dismantled them on a separate table. Than another arm came out and held Yuga aloft by the base of her neck as her legs were removed and also taken apart. Next was her arms, than her torso, leaving Yuga as a severed head floating by a robotic hand. And even that didn't last too long before it was placed on a table with the mechanic from before. "Just going to shut this off right quick Yuga, you won't even feel a thing." The life in Yuga's eyes died down as she returned to the cyberspace she called home. Here Yuga would have her system diagnosis. Although she lacked the physical organs, she could almost year the scientist crunching through her code to find errors. At the same time she heard, or saw, someone speaking to her. This was a different sort of test: This was the Personality test were they made sure Yuga could reliably handle a situation on her own, without relying on someone else to give her directions. "Good morning Yuga. Please answer the following questions..." This diagnosis lasted about two hours, ending exactly at eight o'clock AM. By the time she was back into her body Yuga looked new and squeaky. "Oh? What is this?" Yuga felt around on the back of her head and moved her fingers over three slots. The mechanic there smiled at her while wiping his nose with his greasy glove. It defeated the purpose of trying to keep his nose clean. "Added extra ports for yer Memory Banks Yuga! Before you've only been able to access one at a time, but this time we've managed to fit two more on ya. This way you don't have to keep hybridizing memory banks and just use three to their full potential. Now that being said, if you aren't going to use one of them we recommend cover them up with a port plug. You know how it is, stick anything else in there and well... Things could get messy." Yuga nodded her head stoically as she looked at the ports through a mirror. "I understand." With that out of the way Yuga headed on over to her main office. It was very far away from the Machine Shop where she just was, and much quieter. Yuga actually had to wait for a bus to pick her up. The driver was a crusty black man who gave Yuga a polite greeting before waiting a few more minutes for more passengers. Two more robots joined, neither of them related to Yuga but they sat next to her anyways. Eventually some humans came onto the bus chatting about finally getting their sleep. Morning workers no doubt, been here since one AM. The only noise came from them as the bus moved across a wide open concrete plain and into another building. There was a sign next to a set of double doors that read out, in English, "ARISAWA TECHNOLOGIES". There was a lot of bird poop on it. The robots sitting next to Yuga stood up first and headed strait to the sign, their task apparently being to clean it. Yuga bid them a silent farewell as she entered the main building to find the main office. Following a familiar path Yuga stood before a large imposing door. It was not a normal door made of wood with a door handle or such silliness, but a titanium steel alloy gate that could only be opened with a key card scan and a voice prompt. Neither which Yuga had or needed because someone opened the door form the other side. "Just on time Yuga Abubu." Sitting at a large wooden desk was a sharply dressed woman, her brown hair tied up in a bun and her face adorn with a pair of rimless glasses. She took out a small metal box which Yuga took. Than Yuga picked up a pen just as the women took out a slip of paper. Yuga signed it with her signature, taking the effort to put two little dors above the "u" in her first name. It made it look like a smiley face. Once that was finished Yuga did not leave just yet. She had obtained her Memory Banks now, what was her next tasks? She asked the receptionist. "Excuse me... Was there anything else I was tasked to do today?" The lady looked away at her computer for a moment before taking out her phone and scanning it for any notes. She spotted something and started working on her computer a bit and in a few seconds she turned to Yuga. "Yes, there's a Griffon waiting for you at the front entrance. Today's the big day, isn't it Yuga? Your second year at the Academy! Aren't you excited?" Excitement. That was the emotion of feeling a great amount of enthusiasm and eagerness about something. Was Yuga excited? "Very. It would be good to go back." A little white lie. Yuga would not regret going back to the Academy, but she would miss the Company. Communications with them at the Academy was limited to deliveries and the occasional email due to blocked frequencies from the Black Gale. And not only that but Yuga was actually a bit worried about going to the Academy. She had did fairly well for herself the first year thanks to superior firepower, but she had left her combat chassis at the Academy. Granted, it was being well maintained, but she felt that this year she could go for a upgrade. She disliked how she lacked melee options and know that striking her opponents with the barrel of her guns were a good way to damage them severely. She made these thoughts known to the company of course, but she also knew that they had yet to implement any plans into upgrading her Combat Chassis. She supposed it wouldn't matter. She would be working with a team now, who ought to be able to make up for what she lacks. Hopefully. Yuga met the griffon at the front entrance, a large majestic beast from Lucis. Before mounting she opened the metal box she had taken from the receptionist and inserted the Memory Banks into her ports. She could feel the information rush into her head and it was sensational. Never before has she ever had access to more than one memory bank at a time. She could feel her body move on it's own in reaction to various attacks, as well as a bunch of random trivia and factoids about everything from mathematics to Western Literature Arts and Psychology to Instrumental Music. A lot of generally niche information that Yuga may have no use for, but better safe than sorry. Once she had gotten over the initial euphoria of the Memory Banks Yuga wordlessly mounted the Griffon and headed through the Black Gale. "I wonder if anything has changed since I last went through here."

[BrodZ11711]

Jett Croswell

The warm sun pierced the clouds and beamed along the grassy cliff. The waves crashing along the jagged rocks and the smell of salt lingered in the air. Jett stood at the cliff, straight back, arms behind his back and black Ray-Bans on his eyes. Jett awoke to find a uniform on his bed, still wondering how it got there. Jett got dressed and left his hotel to arrive at this cliff. The sword around Jett's waist, Striker isn't like just like any katana. Striker has a voice of her own. Her voice spoke through Jett's mind, "Jett, Are you sure about this? About this school?" a worried tone in her voice. Jett, talking through his mind with a smile breaking across his face, "I know Striker, not like me to go to this type of thing. But we owe to Ralthavar and The Harmonious First's. If it wasn't for him we'd still be getting chased. He wants me at this school to be his bodyguard. He can handle himself but I owe it to him." On the horizon a creature could now be made out to be a griffin. "Well, that's certainly different. Kind of forgot what they look like, been on Earth to long. Striker, I don't want you to reveal yourself to anyone. This tries to create peace yes, but putting young races together like that, fights are bound to happen" Jett said to Striker. "Got it Jett. But are you going as Jett or Ramon" The griffin had landed and this beauty was huge. Jett took the lead and jumped on and replied to Striker, "Ramon". Jett nodded to the griffin and the beauty took flight, towards his future and towards his master.

[Dead Cruiser]

"I was walkin' through the big city lights..." An ethereal, synthesized voice called out into the night. The shimmering streets of downtown Los Angeles, normally bustling, were nearly barren at this time of night. Even in such eventful times, cities slept, and when they did, Frontal Lobe was alone with his thoughts. Pacing the slick sidewalk of a city he used to be familiar with, the possessed android chirped out a tune to amuse himself. His "face," a hypnotic, glorified screensaver, shined back at him in the large puddles in the street. It had just stopped raining a little while ago, and he was content to take a stroll through the steaming city. "As I was walkin' I was lookin' for a fight..." The downtime was always the worst. He just had too much time to himself, and too little to spend it on. One never realized how many distractions and pleasures relied on stimulating senses until one was bereft of them. Sure, he could still get a kick out of things now and again, but by and large they were cheap thrills. Screwing with the power grid to write curse words that only the orbital satellites could see. Reprogramming the animatronics in a children's themed pizzeria to scare the shit out of the employees. That sort of thing. But distractions were all they were. "'Cause you know the freaks come out at night..." FL didn't lack purpose. He had decided on one, himself. It was just that it was a long ways off, and he had yet to get used to this "eternity" thing. Being dead, one would think that he would be more patient and accustomed to silence and stillness. Truth be told, he didn't have as much time to get used to it as most. Just when he was coming around to the idea, he had gotten yanked back into the bright and shiny world of people with skin. Having such unique dilemmas made FL a bit distant, as literally no one else he knew could empathize with him. But he'd get used to it in time. He'd have to. "And I'm a freak, baby, damn right." However, the griffon in front of him was a relief to see. He had been waiting all freakin' night for this freaky bird to show up, and finally its fuzzy ass decided to show up. FL rolled his neck, the motors in his spine whirring quietly at he did so. Sidling up to the griffon, he reached out gently to it with his "real," plasmic arm. He focused his energy into the griffon, and attempted to reach into it. Nope, once again, he phased directly through it. No dice this time, he supposed, but that why he was going where he was going, right? FL mounted the griffon, his gloved, mechanical hand latching onto its mane as his other held his single suitcase of luggage. The beast seemed notably disturbed by his presence, but FL really didn't care. If it wasn't used to carting around ghosts that rode around inside of robots, it could damn well hurry up and get used to it. He spurred the beast on with the heels of his leather boots, and his mount took to the air. There, dead ahead, was their destination. The Black Gale. Some might feel trepidation at such a sight. Terror even. FL felt only purpose, as cold and steely as his metal body. He had forgotten how to feel fear a long time ago. He had forgotten how to feel a lot of things.

[Jedly]

Neutrality

The Academy’s Elegance

Varren gritted his teeth, shielding his eyes from the blinding light as it encroched on his eyelids. Without a moment wasted, the boy reopened them and was faced with a similar terrain to the one he had just departed from. The boy nearly fell off of his griffin out of amazement, before the flow of griffins was an endless scape of white stretching beyond the horizon. At this point, other beasts of myth and lore bearing other students draped in different uniforms began to branch off from the large clump of youthful aspiration. The only bliss he was obliged to was a slight change in climate, yet he would be forced to bear the frigid temperature for the next hour. The main unit of aviators passed a slew of academies, with small groupings splitting off at every stop. The academy Varren was attending was located in the known middle of the Black Gale. Of course those which are closer to their corresponding portal are more sided with whatever world established them first, yet there were a few which claimed true unbiased neutrality. This gave way to the demolishment of leverage, and created a sense of equality to circulate throughout the campus. But due to its placement, it was quite the excruciating journey. The boy couldn’t help but to giddily grin as he hugged onto the griffin tightly. “Alright, Mr. G!, we’re gonna go in for a fast landing. This is Yinyues six-four to Academy Base, how copy?” Alas, the boy’s innocent ramblings were only met with the frozen wind as a response. After a journey full of sneezes, wails, and miracle saves at keeping his balance, the section of griffins bearing academy students parted ways with the traveling conglomerate. Varren peered down while tightening his grip on the beast, only hanging his upper torso over its streamline figure ever so slightly, just enough to get a decent bird’s eye view. He scanned for the landing zone and ended up focusing on what appeared to be a medium between a dock and an airport. He wasn’t able to make out much, given the fact that the entire surface was covered in a fine layer of pure white. The campus itself was gigantic, large enough that the student was unable to see its edges through the snow, and could only make out faint silouhettes in the distance. He began to narrow his eyes as he attempted to mentally paint out what he imaged the appearance of said buildings would be. Actually, the boy was so focused, he had forgotten the sudden change in gravity. “Oh~! This… Happened…” What started off ecstatic quickly transformed itself in a shamble of dread. His griffin had completely flipped itself over, forcing the boy to hang on for dear life. The creature then launched itself into a nose-dove, keeping Varren by the fingertips as it made its swift descent. He could see his life flash before his eyes, all of it. All those times he had outsmarted his classmates, also all the countless visits to the range, even the funeral he held for his first coffee cup. Well, in retrospect, doesn’t seem to have been that much of an eventful life. Rather than flailing him into a nice rosey decoration to the landscape, the bird arched its back and bleated its speed. The landing was surely elegant, but was hard enough to squeeze out the last ounce of measly strength in Varren’s fingers. His face was void of expression, as if he had just come face to face with the devil. He unconsciously slipped off of the bird’s side and fell back into the snow. The grey sky was all he could register in his dazed state. But soon enough the gears of youthfulness began to churn again. “That was a fun ride! Could’ve been a bit smoother Mr. G, but that’s alright. I rate it a nine out o-” He was cut off mid-sentence when the griffin narrowed its beaded eyes at him, “I of course mean… ten out of ten! Yeah! I’ll tip you later. You can name my first born, alright~?” The creature only muttered a grunt at Varren’s terms before propelling itself off the ground, covering the boy in a coat of blown snow as it set out to real in another student from their homage. The boy spun around on the heel of his foot and patted himself down with hands already numb from the snow. He tightened his scarf, then dug into his cases and sifted through its contents. “Let’s see… Gun… Magazines… Gum… Some more magazines… Bit of manga… Alright, all set.” With a quicky crossing of his arms he gave a nod of approval. Definitely not to himself, but to the thoughtfulness of whichever butler packed his case. He exhaled and idly watched as the heated air dissipated, then glanced up at the continuous flow of griffin traffic. The student wasn’t entirely sure about the layout of the academy, surely they would be brochures distributed later on. The boy was caught off guard when he heard a loud crackling sound renown through the entire campus. He would have fallen back into the snow if he hadn’t managed to keep his balance. After a few moments of suspense, the auditor cleared her throat before speaking, ”We hope that your arrival to the Academy of the Arcane Artes was as smooth as it was enjoyable. For now, we would like to ask you to take your luggage and proceed to the main hall and follow instructions given by teachers for your sitting location.” The monotonous voice continued to repeat the message with no avail. ”For now, we would li- Headmaster, what are you doing?" The voice once bland was now surprised all of a sudden. ”All students who are currently standing around like a bunch of uninformed buffoons, please proceed into the main hall. As for those of you who still intend to loligag- sorry, I mean lollygag, I advise that you follow the same suit, before I shove my lower-right crystalline edge up your rea-” The voice suddenly diminished in volume, as if it had been yanked away from the microphone. All that could be heard was the crackling of timbers and flames. After a few moments the womanly voice from earlier regained her composure, apologized for the interruption, and continued with the procedural announcement. The boy glanced around at the incoming students and shrugged, wondering which of them would be his possible classmates. ”Guess we’ll find out later~! Or maybe sooner than I expect. Tune in next time, on Varren Ball Z-” And then Varren got decked in the face by a stray snowball. Oh winter, so beautiful, yet so cruel. The boy decided to linger for a few moments before proceeding towards the line filing into what he presumed was the main hall.

[Grey]

Francois Jeannotte

A sound filled the small, immaculate white room. Francois let out a low hum as he read through the final pages of the novel at his desk. He rolled his swivel chair out, turned on the revolving seat, and slid the book back into place on the bookshelf with the rest of the young adult literature graciously granted to him by his guardians. "Good for the mind," they'd told him. Sliding back across the meticulously organized, sleekly designed dormitory to the desk, the French-American checked the clock on his dresser and got off his seat. It was just about time to head out for 'second phase testing', as the labcoats called it. Personally Francois didn't mind the change. He knew that it required him to attend a Gatekeeper's training academy with other individuals working towards the same goal, a far cry from the solitary testing he'd been doing since... Well, ever. But if it was anything like his previous testing, it shouldn't be all that complicated, right? Which meant that there was no need to worry as long as he made himself useful, right? Francois' grip on the back of the chair tightened for a moment as he pushed the seat into place at the desk. ...And besides, now he'd have the opportunity to stop bothering the labcoats and finally interact with people his own age. Hopefully they wouldn't be as professional and aloof as the former. He... really didn't like that possibility. The oddly-haired young man strode to the coat closet and donned his army-green blazer. He glanced at the clock again. He still had some time left until he had to leave. Thus what followed was a quick inspection and cleaning of the white room and its sleek, modern furnishings. Francois would rather not inconvenience the scientists who'd taken him by leaving a mess of the room they'd provided him after all. The experiment in nanotechnology took one last look at his 'home' and sighed. He'd already said his goodbyes the night before - they threw him a party and everything! - which meant all that was left was to wait outside for his transportation. Which, incidentally, was what he was doing right now. Francois took the moments he had left to bask in the utter lack of scenery in the undefined American southwestern desert. His mind pondered the possibilities of what transport awaited him as the slight breeze pushed a tumbleweed across his field of view. Maybe it'd be some kind of marvel of science, like a hover-car or miniaturized jet or a super advanced VTOL. He knew that the other half had capabilities of their own, so maybe he'd be teleported with some kind of magic? A large feather fell from the sky, passing in front of Francois' face. The student glanced upward, mismatched eyes widening a moment later. "That's incredible...!" he exclaimed, expression utterly incredulous as the hybrid lion-eagle descended before him. The young man unconsciously stepped backwards, as the griffin landed with a beat of its mighty wings. The beast stared at him, eyes practically screaming the words "saddle up kid, you're in for a wild ride." Absolutely giddy with excitement, Francois mounted the creature. There was no saddle, but once he settled into the griffin's soft, feathered back, he realized exactly why that was. This bird was really, really comfy. It smelled bird-like, sure, but damn it felt good to be on. However, once he was deemed by the griffin to be sufficiently secured, they flew. Poor Francois didn't even get thirty seconds to bask in its comfortability before he was forced to face the high-speeds of griffin-based flight. Isn't it sad? As they gained altitude, Francois decided to tale a look back at the ground, where the shape of the facility he had left grew smaller and smaller. He'd only flown twice in his life: now, and when he was younger, getting brought over from France. His grip on the griffin tightened, illiciting a squawk that forced him to relax. Even if they were going rather fast, it wasn't prudent to cling too hard to the mount, yeah?

<<o>>

Francois decided that he rather liked flying. The sensation of wind flowing through his hair, the freedom of being unfettered by the ground, the blurring of surroundings as they dart through swaths of land... It was all just wonderful. Though he could do away with the chill. They'd already crossed into the Black Gale, and already the frigid cold stung his exposed skin, a vast divergence from the warm winds of the southwestern US. He'd take into account the weather discrepancy for next time around. Fortunately his griffin's body heat was sufficient to keep him from losing fingers or toes. Not that his nanobots couldn't deal with that. Because they could. Finally the Academy came into view, it's silhouette like a lighthouse on a stormy cliff. Snow bombarded the young man and his mount, bringing back long dead memories of cold Parisian winters. He gritted his teeth and narrowed his eyes to avoid taking a snowflake to cornea. By this point Francois had lost track of the time he'd been clinging to the griffin. Although that was mostly due in part of the fact his griffin thought it a good idea to try and outdo some other unfortunate individual's griffin in the 'give your rider a heart attack' contest. Thank goodness for reinforced gripping ability. Nevertheless, despite that daunting experience, Francois could earnestly say that he still liked flying. Rather, the only change was that he now thought his mount was an asshole. Thankfully the landing was much smoother. The griffin glided down to the landing platform at a nice, smooth, reasonablly consistent speed, which was apparently not the case with certain other individuals. Francois dismounted and nodded at the asshat griffin, as if to say that he accepted that landing as an apology for the griffin's heinous attempt at stunt flying. He retrieved what little luggage he had packed from the griffin and listened to the rather peculiar announcement. He blinked twice. Was this what education among other youths would be like? He shook the thoughts from his head and the gathered snow from his hair. It wasn't his place to judge anyway. And so, snow crunching underfoot, Francois gazed around the surroundings as he made his way to the main hall. Or more accurately, the line of students forming outside the main hall.

[Noster]

Sylus squinted and covered his eyes as they adjusted to the blindingly stark-white landscape before him, his body shivering in response to the sudden extreme drop in temperature. "I cannot wait until the weather changes... This cold is nearly unbearable," he found himself saying as he took in the familiar, but still surreal, alien architecture that stretched out below him. he looked beside, in front of, and behind himself, watching as more and more griffons parted ways from the group he was clustered in, narrowing down to the students that were to be his peers. Most of the students he could immediately make out details of were clinging to their transportation for dear life, or generally seemed to be in some state of shock or awe. He inferred from this that there must be quite a few first years in the mix, more than the following year even. After some time of passing academy after academy he recognized the much more familiar silhouette of The Academy of the Arcane Artes in the distance, and began bracing for his descent and landing. Sylus's transportation hovered in place for a bit before beginning gradual descent to the landing area. Once on the ground, he dismounted the griffon and collected his things from its claws, nodding in appreiciation towards the beast before it flew off again. He idled for a moment, glancing at the other students landing nearby, picking out any familiar faces and studying a few of the unfamilliar ones. As the speaker system crackled to life, Sylus was stirred from his curiosity by the realization that he needed to get inside to the main hall promptly, both because of the imminent first-day ceremony and the fact that he was utterly freezing. He briskly joined the throngs of students heading into the main building, to begin what would inevitably be an eventful school year, for better or for worse.