Chapter Text
Anaya woke up to the chatter of hundreds of people.
She groans in pain. “Aadhira lemme go--”
Aadhira drops her and Heidi.
“Ow…” Heidi winces and rubs her hip. “Was that necessary?”
Aadhira looks at Crowley and then to the crowd of students, then to the Housewardens… except Malleus.
“I'm not here. Let me sleep bro, " Anaya groaned.
"No.”
“We're done with orientation and dorm assignments?” A red-headed boy shouted. “All right, new students—let me be clear. At Heartslabyul House, I am the law. Break the rules, and it's off with your head!”
“Hah, imagine having him as a housewarden,” Heidi snickered. “I know I would die. I don’t fancy the rules-first, heart-second mentality…”
Aadhira sighs, shaking her head.
“Well, that ceremony was as boring as ever,” a lion beastman yawned. “I'm going back to the dorm. If you're in Savanaclaw House, follow me.”
He turned to leave, but caught sight of the headmage and the four students with him.
Leona looked impressed at one of them’s ability to want to sleep.
“I want him in my dorm. He looks like he doesn't cause trouble. Ruggie, get his number”
“If only you knew.” Aadhira mumbles under her breath, before she sees a familiar face with glasses. Her eyes narrow, she immediately starts looking for the Tweels.
“New students! Allow me to be the first to congratulate you on your achievement,” Azul welcomed the new members with open arms. “As dorm leader of Octavinelle House, I am honored to have the opportunity to support you in what I hope will be a fulfilling campus experience.”
Heidi shivered. “I’m getting chills just by knowing the fish mafia is here…” But her expression changed as she looked toward the middle-right of the room, a goofy ahh smile on her face.
“Does anyone know where the Headmage went? He disappeared midway through the ceremony…” The Pomefiore housewarden questioned, looking about the room for Crowley.
Idia’s tablet spoke up from the corner, “Some headmage he is.”
“Truer words have never been said,” Heidi agreed quietly.
“Maybe he had a tummyache?” A boy with red eyes, Kalim, asked.
The headmage glowered, “I most certainly did not!”
The Heartslaybul housewarden nodded his head, “Ah, speak of the devil.”
“Dang, that was a spot on comparison, you can’t get much closer than that,” Heidi chuckled, ____
“If you must know, I was searching for the new student who'd failed to show for orientation.” If the man had feathers, they certainly would have been ruffled. He turned to Aadhira, Anaya, Heidi, and Yuuken. “Go on,” he said, practically shoving them forward. “As I am gracious, I shall let even late students pass through.” Then he frowned. “Young…lady? YOUNG LADY???”
Aadhira smiles, “Yes. Me, Heidi and–”
Anaya shoots straight up, slamming her foot into Aadhira’s toes. “I'M A MAN. I’M A MAN.”
A whistle came from the crowd, a stupid sophomore commenting, “A very pretty man.”
Anaya looks at him like she wants to jump him.
Aadhira stiffens, she bites the inside of her lip, and she kicks Anaya’s shins “Don’t. Do. Anything.”
Aadhira smiles again, "Heidi and I are ladies. But Anaya is a man. May we be sorted into our dorms now?”
The same sophomore laughs and mocks her, Aadhira breathes in and out, she searches for that sophomore in the crowd, then she takes off her shoe, and tries to throw it at him.
Anaya and Heidi jump at her, grabbing her and Heidi says, “PLEASE, YOU PROMISED ONE DAY WITHOUT COMMITTING ASSAULT"
“I never promised that.” She says, still staring down that sophomore. Heidi follows her gaze and glares as well, trying to commit the student to memory.
Aadhira puts her hand on Heidi’s face and says, “Whatever. Stupid boys aren’t worth it.”
“Weren’t you the one who was just about to shove your shoe down his throat?”
Anaya was silent for a moment before whispering “...Why didn’t you stop me from saying I was a man. I’m on my period.”
“...I’m going to murder you.”
“....I think Riddle might do it before me. Because I don't have a pad.”
“Anaya.”
“I’m trying!”
Aadhira shakes her head, “Anyways, Headmage Crowley, may we be sorted into our dorms now?”
Crowley nods.
Anaya and Heidi give Aadhira a little shove.
“Go on genius, show us what you can do.”
Rolling her eyes, smiling slightly, she steps in front of the Dark Mirror, it says, “State your name.”
“Aadhira Ravi Mihir.”
The Dark Mirror spoke in a gravelly tone, “Hmm… Diasomnia!”
Aadhira’s smile twitches… I don’t want to be with Lilia. I’m switching dorms. I’m going to Scarabia… after Jamil's overblot. Yes.
Anaya can’t hold back her snicker. She mouths, Good Luck with the old bat. And I don't mean Batman.
Heidi can’t help but snicker too. Have fun with the dorm dinners, be careful not to eat anything that resembles nuclear waste!
Aadhira looks at Anaya and Heidi and smirks, she mouths, I’ll drag you both with me.
Ananya gave her a side eye, Aadhira moved away, flipping her hair, as Anaya stepped in front of the Dark mirror. It repeats itself again, “State your name.”
“Anaya Kawthar Rahman.”
A boy with a spade mark on his face whispers, “That sounds like a woman's name.” The one with orange hair looks at him “Dude, Shut Up. That's a man.”
The Dark Mirror was silent for a moment. It almost seemed to look…deadpanned? Pomefiore, god please, Pomefiore. I can get makeup, skincare and pads without being interrogated-
“Savannaclaw.”
“FUCK!” Shit, I said that out loud.
Aadhira stops herself from bursting out into laughter, her face blank. She mouths, Loser. I’ll help you sneak some skincare products and makeup. And pads.
I’m sorry, Heidi mouthed to the poor girl, she dug that hole herself.
Anaya closes her eyes and looks like she is praying for a moment, then proceeds to step toward Savannaclaw, staying as far away as she could so they wouldn't smell the blood seeping through her pants. Aadhira tries to go to Anaya, but they stop her. She glares at the students in response.
Heidi steps up to the mirror next, feeling kinda awkward in front of all the other students. It repeats itself yet again, “State your name.” It couldn’t have looked more bored if it tried.
“Adelheid Primrose Edelweiss.”
The Dark Mirror’s empty eyes seemed to stare into her, searching her soul to find the dorm that would hopefully not be the end of her, right?
“Heartslaybul.”
Riddle’s eyes immediately turned on her, and Heidi sweatdropped. Hey, she’ll get brownie points and it’ll be ok, right? Maybe she won’t lose her head… she can leave that to tweedle-dum and tweedle-dumber. She walked over to the collection of students representing the dorm of the Queen of Hearts, immediately noting and shaking her head when she saw two familiar first years already elbowing each other. She stiffened as soon as the red-headed housewarden turned around, though. Oh, boy…
Crowley turned his attention to the young man beside him.
Poor Yuuken, I can’t imagine actually being confused about what’s happening. It’s valid though. It would have been nice to get a warm welcome… I’ll have to try to make him feel more welcome tomorrow morning, Heidi decided.
“You are the only one who has yet to be assigned a dorm,” the Headmage stated. “Step up to the Dark Mirror, and be quick about it. I'll watch your weasel.”
Grim growled in response.
“State your name.”
“I'm Yuuken Emna…”
“Yuuken…The nature of your soul is…”
“...unclear to me.”
Aadhira snorts, Oop, that’s crazy.
Crowley took a step back with wide eyes. “What did you just say?”
“I sense no magical power from this one. Soundless. Colorless. Shapeless. Utterly vacant. Therefore, no dorm would be appropriate,” The Dark Mirror explained.
“Are you suggesting that the black carriage went to receive a person who cannot even use magic?” Crowley began pacing back and forth, waving his hands unbelievingly. “But that is absurd! The student selection process has not erred once in its century of existence! How could this have happened?”
Grim snarled against the headmage’s hand. “Mmmph! Nnnrgggh… ME! Let ME have this student's seat!”
The whole room collectively gasped as the direbeast leaped out of the powerful mage’s arms.
Aadhira stares, she can’t understand why Heidi liked the weasel the first time she saw him.
Anay closed her eyes, silently praying for a peaceful death before anyone noticed the fact that she was bleeding. Thank the Seven for the weasel, if he hadn’t acted, some beastman might have pointed out the fact that I am bleeding. That would be a ….. pain to explain to say the least.
“Not so fast, you hyperactive weasel!” Crowley tried to catch the little gremlin, but Grim continued to escape his hold and ran towards the center of the room.
“Unlike that human, I can actually use magic! So let me be a student here! Look, I'll show you! My spells're the cat's meow!”
“Everyone, get down!” Riddle yelled.
Then the banister got set on fire.
Grim cackles, “MYAHHHH!”
“RIGHT OKAY, I DIDN’T SIGN UP FOR THIS” Anaya says as she runs behind Heidi.
“Aww, he’s terrified! Trapped things always lash out when they think they’re out of choices,” Heidi swerved around a student running as far from the flames as he could. “Why do we always have to solve everything with violence??”
Kalim yelps, “AHHHHH! HELP! I'm on fire over here!”
Jamil runs to him, and he tries to put the fire out but Kalim keeps moving around.
Crowley yells out, “Someone catch that blasted animal before it sets the entire school ablaze!”
Leona leans back on his chair, yawning as he watches the chaos, “Ugh. Can I go now, or...?”
Vil turns to Leona, “Oh? I thought you fancied yourself a hunter. Go and help yourself to that plump little morsel!”
Leona yawns again, “Too much effort. Do it yourself.”
Aadhira covers her mouth, “That’s so valid.” She says, before slapping a hand over her mouth as she realizes the two could hear her.
The two turn to look at her, she waves and says, “You look great. Bye.” she walks away.
Azul puts his hand to chest, speaking to the Headmage, “Allow me to handle this, Headmage Crowley. If none of you are up to the task of catching a small animal, I will accept the responsibility.”
“Omg it's the squid??? Kim Dokja who?”
Idia’s voice comes through the floating tablet, “WTG Azul. Rackin' up those participation credits.”
Kalim runs around, trying to get rid of the fire from his butt, Jamil following him to help, “Hey, um, my butt's still on fire... Could someone maybe put this out?!”
Crowley stares at the students in disbelief, “I'm sorry, were my instructions unclear?!”
Leona sighs, “Preeetty sure you can handle catching one mangy weasel all on your lonesome there, headmage.”
“Lonesome”
Grim yowls at everyone, “How many times do I gotta say it? I'm Grim, spellcaster extraordinaire! I am NOT a weasel!”
Azul smiles, though it doesn’t reach his eyes, “Aren't you a spunky little fellow? Riddle, would you be so kind...?”
Riddle raises his pen, his brow furrowed. “Furry miscreant. I will abide no rule-breaking. You will be judged by my hand.”
“I’m so tired…” Aadhira says, before she plops onto a bench, pulling her legs up to her chest, she shifts so her head is laying near her shoulder, she yawns and closes her eyes and she falls asleep while the chaos is still happening.
“Oh boy… this is gonna be fun.”
Aadhira shifts and continues sleeping.
“Are you guys just going to lie there and… watch this happen?” Heidi facepalms before ripping a piece of thick, velvet curtain from the wall, much to Crowley’s dismay at the damage, and snuffing out Kalim’s flames. She didn't hesitate, tearing the heavy fabric down with a sudden, sharp tug. “I don't care who's in charge—someone needs to take action!”
“My butt’s no longer on fire! Thanks… miss…?”
The girl smiled and waved, moving away and closer to Grim’s chaos. “Heidi! And don’t sweat it! Ha! Get it? Because there’s fire all everywhere?” She laughed to herself, Haha that's a real kneeslapper.
Kalim laughs, “Oh, that’s a good one!”
Jamil groans, “Great, there’s two of them now.”
“Yes, also I am gone. I am just gone.” Anaya whispers as she sneaks out the room and into the nearest bathroom. She was praying, HOPING , no one saw her leave. What she didn't notice was a certain sandy-haired hyena seeing her fleeing the room, and the stench of blood following her.
Yuuken watches this all happen. Crowley turns to him, “Get your familiar under control!”
Yuuken blinks, “He’s not mine.”
“...He’s not?”
Yuuken says, “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you the entire time!”
“Check it! See how strong I am?!” Grim yells, continuing to blow fire across the room. “Haa!” He smirked, but his face quickly changed its expression as a blast of magic neared his head. “Whoa, whoa, whoa!”
“How very brazen of you to go on breaking the rules in my presence.” Riddle says, backing away from the heat.
Azul pushed his glasses up, smiling slyly. “Shall we make this quick, then? I'm afraid we don't have much time to spare.”
“Myah! It's a dead end!” Grim shouted, the two mages surrounding him.
Azul tsked. “Poor soul. Ran yourself straight into a corner, did you?”
“I suggest you surrender. Otherwise…” Riddle raised his magical pen.
Grim shook his head violently. “NO! I'm gettin' into this school, and that's FINAL!”
“Stand aside, Azul!”
“MYAAAH!”
“Your sentence comes first. The verdict, afterwards. Have you any last words? Then it’s Off With Your Head!”
Grim yelps as a black and red collar appears around his neck. “MYAH?! What are you doing?!”
Riddle lowers his pen, walking towards Grim, “The Queen of Hearts's Rule 23: "One must never bring a cat to a formal affair." He crossed his arms. “Your very presence here is a violation of order. You will vacate these premises immediately.”
Grim growls, “But I ain't a cat either! Don't try to collar me! I'll burn it right off! Huh...? Wh-what gives? My fire ain't workin'!”
“Until I deign to remove that collar, you won't be using any magic. You're naught but a pet cat now.” Riddle turned away as Crowley came over to pick up the direbeast.
“M-meoWHAT?! I ain't nobody's pet-NOTHING!” Grim protested, straining against the metal.
“Okay, this may be a little over the top…” Heidi sweatdropped. “Aren’t you dehumaniz--uh--de--dire-beast-izing him? That must go against the Queen’s rules in some manner, shouldn’t it?” Heidi chastised, immediately shrinking back from the glare the red-head sent her. “I mean, uh,” she tried to mend her mistake, “It will come off, right?”
Riddle scoffed at her worry. “Oh, you've nothing to worry about there. I certainly have no interest in having you as a pet. The collar will disappear once you're removed from campus.”
“Ha-HA! Good show as always, Riddle.” Azul clapped Riddle on the back, giving the short boy a smile that didn't reach his eyes. “Your signature spell locks down any magic. It's quite handy. I've just GOT to have it—ah, I mean, I've just got to have respect for it.”
“He’s not even trying to hide it…” Heidi whispered dumbfoundedly from her new hiding spot, after her wonderful conversation with her new housewarden, behind a tall student. Tall. Oh HECK NAH- She quickly moved toward the other Heartslaybul students before she got eliminated by squeezing or mushrooms. Better safe than sorry.
“Then I shall have it expelled from campus,” Headmage promised. “I shall even spare it from being served as dinner. My, but I AM kind. ...Someone take this away, please.”
“Nooooo! Let me gooooo!” Grim wailed. “You fools better remember my name! Cause I'm gonna go down in the annals of magic history! Just you wait!”
“Ooo Hamilton” Anaya said as she popped her head back in real quickly before running away. But she ran too quickly and one of her shoes went flying off and slammed into Aadhira’s face.
Aadhira grabs the shoe, removing it, and she turns to Anaya. She chases after Anaya with the shoe.
“WAIITT IT HURRTTSSS”
Aadhira grabs Anaya and starts hitting her with the shoe.
Aadhira stops and looks at the students and then drops the shoe on Anaya’s face and walks away, to the other first year Diasomnia students.
“Huh, I feel kind of sorry for the little guy…” Yuuken mumbled.”I wonder why he was so desperate to stay here?”
Crowley brushed his hands free of invisible lint. “Well, that was quite the unexpected fracas. I hereby declare that orientation has concluded. Housewardens, please escort your students back to the dorms.” He gestured to the students then paused. “...Hm? Come to think of it, I don't see Housewarden Draconia of House Diasomnia anywhere.”
Leona’s ear twitched at the mention of the dragon fae. “And that surprises you? Dude's a total recluse,” he scoffed.
“Wait a sec... Did anyone even invite him?” Kalim asked, looking around.
Vil crossed his arms at the Scarabia Housewarden. “If you're that worried about him missing out, maybe you should have told him yourself.”
“Maybe, but I don't know him too well either…” he trailed off.
The students began whispering amongst each other.
“Draconia... Like, Malleus Draconia? THAT Draconia?” A Pomefiore student gasped.
“So it's true? He really does go to school here?”
“Yikes,” an Heartslaybul freshman near Heidi commented.
“Is he rude?” she asked him, well-knowing that none of these people had ever met him. “I haven’t met him yet, have you?” Puppy eyes should do the trick to get them to tell the truth, right?
“Uhh… not exactly…” The freshman rubbed the back of its head. “But the guy’s powerful, he ought to be aggressive, right?” This was an all boys school, he thought he didn’t need to practice talking to girls! Heidi internally smirked.
“Are you sure? Let’s not judge a book by its cover, sound good?” She smiled, knowing exactly what she was doing. He hesitantly nodded back.
A deep voice spoke up. “Ah. Just as I'd expected. I figured I'd come down and see for myself whether Malleus had made an appearance,” Lilia said, searching the crowd for a set of horns, “But once again, he was evidently not informed that his presence was required at an official ceremony.”
“Ew, it's here. Aadhira how are you going to DEAL with that”
“I’m going to sacrifice him to the Gods.”
“I support you, I'll build the altar. I vote to give him to Hera. Ragebaiting masters they are. ”
“Oh my gosh,” Heidi shook her head. “What beef do you have with Lilia?”
Azul played a facade of concern, placing a hand over his heart. “You have my sincerest apologies. I assure you, this oversight was in no way intended as a snub.”
“I mean,” Riddle started, standing up straighter, “you must admit, he's not exactly the easiest person to strike up a conversation with.”
Lilia sighed, turning towards the mirror on the far right. “No matter. All who were assigned to House Diasomnia, follow me. I just hope he doesn't sulk about this…”
Aadhira sighs, following close behind.
“Well, Yuuken,” Crowley lamented, “This is a most unfortunate turn of events. I'm afraid that you will not be attending Night Raven College after all.” He shook his head like the drama king he is. “Surely you realize that I cannot very well admit a student with no magical ability to my academy.”
Yuuken opened his mouth to speak but Headmage beat him to it.
“But worry not. The Dark Mirror will see you safely home. Now, step into the gate, and visualize the place you whence you came.”
“Phew…” Yuuken did NOT want to deal with…whatever place this was. “What a long dream this was.”
Crowley faced the large piece of glass in a dynamic pose, his arms spread wide. “O Dark Mirror! Return this soul to where it belongs!”
“......” The mirror was silent.
Headmage cleared his throat. “L-let us, er...try this again. O Dark Mirror! Return this soul—”
“There is no such place.”
“What?”
“There is no place in this world where this soul belongs,” The Dark Mirror explained. “None.”
Crowley began to panic, “How can that be? My, but today is a veritable cavalcade of impossible phenomena!”
“......”
“This has never happened throughout my long tenure,” he continued his rant. “I must confess that I am at something of a loss.” He turned to Yuuken, a puzzled look on his face. “Tell me: From what land do you hail?”
“I’m from Japan,” Yuuken replies, beginning to worry.
“I'm afraid I am not familiar with such a place. I am intimately acquainted with the origins of every student who has ever come here, and yet... This mysterious homeland of yours eludes me.”
“Wait, what?!”
“Let us go to the library and look it up, shall we?” Crowley suggests.
Heidi looked back longingly at Aadhira’s fading figure then turned her attention back to her new housewarden. Oof. Her first impressions on her new leader weren’t going too well. “Great. Now to deal with a teapot tyrant,” Heidi grumbled. She reluctantly fell into the growing line behind Riddle, bumping into another student in the process.
“Hey!” A voice whispered harshly to her, a face with ginger hair and a heart heart shape over his left eye glared at her. “Watch where you’re going!”
She took a second to gape at the boy, but quickly regained her composure and acted the part of someone who definitely did not know who Ace Trappola was. “I could say the same to you as well,” Heidi murmured back, giving him an equally hard glare. “You’re the one who stopped moving like an idiot! Apologize,” she reprimanded, her greenish-blue eyes piercing.
“Why should I? I didn’t do anythin-”
“What’s going on over here?” A tall male with ivy green hair and glasses asked as he walked over to the first years who paused in the middle of the line to bicker, causing a scene. Thank goodness Riddle already passed through the mirror. “Is something going on?”
Heidi didn’t waste a second to point fingers at Ace. “Yes! You see, this guy over here-”
“Wait a minu-” Ace started, but got interrupted by the golden-brunette.
“He so rudely pushed me and he won’t apologize for it!” she continued, holding her ground and crossing her arms and looking away. “I wouldn’t have cared if it were a passive accident, but it’s not right to blame me for the problem if I wasn’t the one who caused it!”
“You-!”
The vice housewarden stared with wide eyes at the freshman, one with a disbelieving look on his face and the other who continued to stare at the opposite side of the room. “I-um,” he started, rubbing the back of his neck, “Let’s just get to the dorm before anything else happens, okay?” He asked with a chuckle, trying to lighten the mood. “We can let bygones be bygones for now.” He started leading the two towards the mirror on the far left. “By the way, Adelheid, was it? I believe Riddle wants to talk to you about your dorm room situation when we get back,” he added to Heidi who paled at the thought of the red head. Ace snickered, earning an elbow from her as the three walked to the portal leading them to their new home.
Aadhira groans, these kids are such slow walkers and oh, that’s Sebek Zigvolt. He’s so awesome. Aadhira sighs before her mood sours, “Great, now I’m stuck in a dorm with a ragebaiting bat… and dragon, because doesn’t Malleus like to ragebait Leona? Whatever.” She whispers. Very quietly, almost to the point of silence, because the fae could probably hear a whisper.
Shaking her head, she begrudgingly walks faster, near the side of the Diasomnia first years.