The words from Viola scratched. It was plain to see that she felt her place in the school was far higher than reality. A reality that needed to shown to her immediately. However, La’Tavia has more fish to fry, “I really don’t like boring people.....I’m going to talk to Meruin. See-ya.” La’Tavia walks towards Meruin’s room and knocks on the door. “Hey Meruin, are you free to talk?”
Viola frowned lightly. Well that was odd. She expected her to take the bait. Oh well, so she was the energetically boring type. How unfortunate. No entertainment value at all. Pity. She was about to say something as well, but the redhead apparently decided to simply ignore her. Now that wouldn't do at all.
"I do believe dear Meruin said she had some business to attend to in her room." Viola said, walking over behind Tavia. She had business with Meruin as well, after all and she wasn't about to let this neanderthal potentially interfere, and as far as Viola was concerned Meruin had already agreed to speak with her. "But by all means, do interrupt the dear."
Meruin paused with unpacking. As expected, her bags contents were bigger on the inside than they were on the out. Currently, the only things she had unpacked were a set of books and her clothes. Eyes narrowing behind the door, she closed her luggage and snapped its lock into place.
"La'Tavia was it? What do you need?"
Seeing the girl’s room, she saw that all of the rooms were pretty bare but the same for each person, as usual. She looks down at Meruin and began, “Well I came to pick your brain about contracting Fairies.”Then she stepped to the side to reveal Viola behind her, “however this one followed me here so you have two guests, can we come in?”
"Followed? I was here first, you know, and Meruin already agreed to speak with me about something." Viola brushed past La'Tavia, seemingly unconcerned with her intrusion. "Besides, if its fairies your interested in I might be a better source. I used to play with the ones around the estate all the time."
With a sigh, the short mage snapped her luggage shut, and approached the door to her room. "Let's talk outside," she said, somewhat stiffly.
“Yeah!! Let’s sit around for Meri’s classroom.” La’Tavia jumper in excitement as she followed Meruin out into the main living room.
"What," came her deadpan response. "Meri? Excuse me?"
“You don’t like it?” The fire starter was puzzled at the girl’s response to her name being shortened and then changed. “I nickname all of my fiends.”
”Aha, well, I'll admit it is a rather cute one, little Meri." Viola replied with a smirk. "Mhm, in fact I don't think I could have come up with a better one myself, heh!" She giggled lightly, before following Meruin out.
Even though Viola laughed, it was true, La’Tavia thought the name was really cute. “I think you’re really cute Meri and I thought the names fit because of it. Plus it’s easy to say.”
Were she a lesser person, Meruin might have groaned, but she had her pride and kept silent instead. As she passed, she acknowledged the remaining member of their dorm with a nod.
Nick had been eating a biscuit. He dabbed his mouth off with a napkin and sipped his tea. “You sure know a lot about the fae, don’t you?” He said, taking a seat on the couch, saucer in hand.
Meruin shrugged. "As much as anyone that's taken the time to know them." She tilted her head over to Viola. "And assuming Viola was truthful, she would probably know a fair bit more than me." Which raised the question of why La'Tavia went to her instead.
"I don't lie dear...I may bend the truth at times, fufu, but lies are not something the world likes. My entire magic relies on truth to an extent after all." Viola replied with her usual impish tone. "The Fiore estate is quite remote and vast, and Mistress has gone to great lengths to ensure its a sanctuary for all sorts of magical creatures." Viola looked over to Tavia. "That said...she probably asked you because she realized I don't really feel like helping her, heh unless she gives me something of equal value in return."
“I didn’t ask you because I you never scratched my fancy.” La’Tavia replied rolling her eye. Most relationships between La’Tavia and someone else is decided before people meet her.....by La’Tavia itself. As selfish as she is, she doesn’t hide emotions and she doesn’t mince words. Her attitude towards Viola isn’t about like and dislike. She doesn’t dislike Viola, she just didn’t find anything worth while to like her for. “But, if Meri says you know more then I will ask you. What is it about Fairies that Headmaster is so worried about?”
"Didn't I already tell you? I wasn't joking when I said they'd eat you. Some find humans quite delicious to have over for dinner." She giggled. "And of course, if you make a contract with one then you'll probably have an entire swarm to deal with...it'll also be rather annoying for us since they'll probably take it as liberty to move here as they please."
"Among other things,” said Meruin, completely ignoring the use of the nickname that was forced on her. "And people unfamiliar with the Fae run the risk of boring them. *That* is especially dangerous."
“Uh huh,” La’Tavia sat and pondered for a moment over their words. It seems that before she makes a contract with one, she must first become familiar with one. Something she has not done since all she does is beat people up in the arena. “Sounds like I should watch my butt around them. And it seemed so fun. “ She then skunk into her chair, “I would not like to put everyone else in danger either. Have either of you made a contract with them before? Ya know, Fairies.”
"Yes. I had made one a few minutes ago in fact."
"Unfortunately, my mistress forbade me from doing so. Hag spoilsport."
“A Few minutes ago? How did you do that?” La’Tavia said sprinting up with full interest. “Ha ha yeah, overprotective moms right?” La’Tavia could relate to that one.
"Mm, a one time deal. A stack of pancakes in exchange for them delivering me to my room, unmolested." A fairly simple and difficult to misinterpret contract. The best kind, when it came to dealing with the fair folk.
"Heh, you have no idea Tavi, dear. Mistress Fiore was less mother and more...demon? Devil? Undead Wench? All of those, heh!" Viola chuckled as Meruin made her reply.
“You telling me? My mom refuses to let go! I’m like ‘Mom! Why would you teach me magic and then tell me not to train it.’ But it’s all good.”. As she replied, Viola’s character took a slight turn upwards in La’Tavia’s mind
"So, will that be all?" Hopefully it was. She hadn't even finished unpacking yet.
"Weeeellll, little Meruin I actually had something I wanted to discuss with you in private. Help regarding something of mine. A little contract between ourselves." Viola replied with a smile. "But that can wait until after you've unpacked, if you prefer. I'm certainly in no rush." Tavia was one of those blissfully stupid types, huh. They were talking about two entirely different things. Mistress Fiore was not her mother. Not in the slightest.
“No wait, you wanted to butt in sooooooo badly about what I wanted, spit it out, what was so important that you needed to interrupt what I wanted?”
"I'm going to summon a demon that's sole task is to eat you."
“Grow up kid, that’s not even worth pretending to be worried about.”
Meruins' response was a dry [color=darkgreen ]"I would think that summoning demons recklessly is rather worrying."[/color]
"You all have no sense of humor." Viola sighed, clicking her tongue derisively.
“The only thing fun for you is the misery of others, it’s completely obvious how boring you really are.”
"That was a joke?" said Meruin, tilting her head.
"...ouch, Tavi. That hurts. That really does.". Viola replied in a mock, fake hurt voice. "And here I thought we were besties after bonding briefly over our terrible mothers." Viola sighed, turning back to Meruin. "It was intended as one, yes. I of course, don't actually intend to summon a demon that eats little Tavi here."
Meruin shrugged. "I'll take your word for it." Wouldn't have been the first time she's seen it attempted after all, even if the last attempt she'd seen ended up going sideways for the summoner instead. Polyanna had a difficult time trying to fix that particular mess. "Now, I'll be packing my things. We can have that discussion afterwards."
She stood up and made for her room.
”Woah, one last thing, Meri, before you go.”
She stopped with a sigh. "Must you keep calling me that? What is it then?"
“I was wondering if you would come hunting with me and a couple of friends?”
"...fairy hunting?" Viola raised an eyebrow. "Awfully reckless you know. Why do you want to find one anyways? I'm curious. Most humans stay far away from them as possible."
“Because what other statement is there to make than to make the Headmaster turn upside down when we prove him wrong!”
Nick took another sip of his tea. “What do you mean by ‘hunting?’ You’re not going to kill and eat one, are you?” He asked, an eyebrow arched.
“Contracting........Kay”
“Use that term from now on instead.” Nick said to her.
"...you want to...contract a fairy to surprise the headmaster?" Viola couldn't help but to laugh loudly. "You want to mess with forces you have barely any knowledge of, for a prank? Oh by Dagda, pfft."
“Hey, pulling a prank is a most noble cause.” Nick said to Viola.
"Oh I agree, I agree, but-" Viola said through a fit of laughter. "-I just wasn't expecting it...but how exactly would we be proving him wrong, hm?"
“Indeed! And why is the headmaster wrong?” Nick asked, pouring himself another cup of tea. “I’ve always been told Headmaster Niccolo is a great man.”
"Ah, I see. You're all touched in the head." Meruin said, nodding her head. "Or rather, why go through something so pointless?"
It was taking everything in her power not to set Viola’s dress on fire. After all, in La’Tavia’s mind, she deserves it. However, they are assigned rooms together and that alone had enough reason to keep as calm as possible to assess this situation. “Reason to prove him wrong? I meant surprise him. All I want to do is have fun and Meruin is the person I want to come with me. Because if she doesn’t, and I contract one without guidance, I just might not be able to keep those guys entertained. And who knows who will get dragged down into my problems....” She said with a mischievous look. “That would totally be a problem for you, wouldn’t it, Meruin?”
"That was quite a thinly veiled threat." Viola mused. "It would be a problem for everyone in the dorm if you meddled with the Fairfolk." Thinking for a moment, Viola smirked lightly. "But of course, I don't particularly care what you end up doing as long as you don't bother me. In fact, if you plan on going to the forest perhaps we can help each other." Viola glanced over to Meruin. "You see, I am a Novice. Incorrectly ranked, mind you. I've read pages from the Ars Goetia, read Theatrum Chemicum, and even a few grimoires. As you might know, Novices are prevented from accessing the forest. Get me access in whatever way you please, and I could possibly help in this endeavor of yours."
“Done!!, You in tea boy, Nick?”
"So, I don't suppose I can be excluded from this endeavor now?" If all La'Tavia needed was help getting a fairy, and Viola wanted to enter the forest (her being a Novice surpised Meruin) then her presence wasn't really needed now was it?
"I'd love to join you." Nick said, putting down the empty teacup. "I'll go get my gear." He said, trotting off to his room and coming back with several vials now holstered at his hip. He slid a seemingly empty vial from his pocket. "Want some invisibility potion? Can't have them seeing us sneaking you in." He said to Viola.
"It's a deal then!" Viola laughed. "I shall help you, and in return you get me into the forest." The fact that Tavia didn't further investigate or clarify what exactly that 'help' entailed was a test of sorts. One she had just failed, but she'd learn that lesson later. "That's one idea, but I feel like they'd have measure's against such a thing." Viola replied to nick with a small hum. "But by all means, we could certainly give it a try...that said, Meruin." Viola turned her head back to the other mage. "If possible, I still want to speak with you later when you're free. No rush or anything, I'd prefer to take things slow in any relationship, fufu."
“Hell no you aren’t excused. You’re coming too!! Because if you don’t,” She then looked at Meruin with a devious smile, “you may never have peace of mind again.”
Meruin withheld a groan, and replied tersely. "Noted, La'Tavia. It seems I am to be dragged into this." Shaking her head, she turned to Viola. "Come, let's continue this conversation in my room. In private," she emphasized the last word with a pointed look at her fiery-haired roommate.
“Hurry up! We leave in 30 minutes.” Then La’Tavia walked out of the room to round up the rest of the team.