Chapter Text
Rosalina woke up to pitch black she panicked and started moving only to realize she was in a box. She tried to remain calm and find a way out till a muffled voice from outside stopped her.
“I better hurry up and find that uniform before someone spots me... Urgggh... This lid weighs a ton!”
She started to push open the lids when she heard
“Try this on for size! Mya-ha!”
Then blue fire burst the lid open.
“F-fire? What the heck?”
“Now to grab the goods...What?! You ain't supposed to be awake!”
“A talking weasel?”
“How... How DARE YOU! I am no WEASEL! I'm Grim, sorcerer extraordinaire!
Tch. Whatever. You...human! Just gimme your uniform, and be quick about it! 'Cause if you don't...you're gonna regret it!”
Uniform? As she looked down to be wearing a very beautiful robe, black with gold embellishment and purple inside. Before she could get a really good look at it the weasel thing spit blue flames at her again as she tried to dodge, knocking her coffin into the coffin next to her and out came a recognizable figure. The long dirty blonde hair, tan skin and strong build was her friend Raylnn Mae. The blonde haired girl while dazed looked around and locked eyes with Rosalina.
“Rosie? What the heck is going on?”
“I don't know but this weasel thing is trying to attack me for the robe I'm wearing.”
She said as she scrambled to move away from the creature.
“Hey, come on! I'm on a tight schedule here! If you don't give me that robe right now.”
He spit blue fire in Raylnn’s direction causing the smaller girl to scramble back.
“Wanna make a run for it?” Raylnn asked
“Sounds better than being roasted alive!” Rosalina repiled
And with that the two girls took off out the door and a fire flamed weasel after them.
Once they finally got to a room they slammed the doors shut, both out of breath and exhausted.
“You think we lost that damgun weasel.”
“I hope so… Where are we?”
“I have no clue.”
Their moment of peace was however interrupted by a voice from the vent.
“Foolish humans! Did you really think you could slip away from ME? Now, unless you wanna get burned to a crisp, take off that— Me-YEOW! That hurt! What gives?”
The view of a tall man in a bird mask appeared, to Rosalina it reminded her of the phantom of the opera if he decided to go with a bird look instead of a classic opera look.
“Consider it tough love. Ah, I've found you at last. Splendid. I trust you're two of this year's new students? My, were you ever eager to make your debut. And bringing a poorly trained familiar with you? That is a clear violation of the school's rules.”
“Students?”
“That thang ain’t ours, sir.”
“As if I'd serve some lowly humans! Now lemme go!”
“Yes, yes. Rebellious familiars always say that. Do be quiet for a bit, won't you?”
“Mmmrph!”
“Dear me. Of all the students I've dealt with, you're the first with temerity enough to open their own gate and step out of it. Does the very notion of patience elude you?”
“Well you see —”
“Sir—”
“No matter. Your orientation has already begun. Let us return to the Mirror Chamber.”
“Students? Gates?” The girls asked.
“You awakened in a room full of gates, did you not? All of the students here at the campus arrived by passing through such gates. Although typically the students have enough restraint to wait until I open them before waking up.”
“So those coffins are like… portals?”
“The design is intended to symbolize a parting with your former world, and a rebirth into a new one. But now is not the time for such a prattle. You've a student orientation to attend! Go on, now Boys. Make haste.”
“Boys?” Rose questioned.
Raylnn leaned in a bit and whispered. “I think this guy got a few eggs short of a dozen.”
“First can you tell us one thing?” Rosalina asked the man turned back to her. “Where are we?”
“Hm? Have you not fully regained consciousness? The timespace teleportation must have altered your memories... Well, these things happen, I suppose. I shall explain it to you while we walk. Truly, my magnanimity is boundless.”
With that the girls followed the man back towards where they came,
Donatella Murray knew that she needed sleep but for her to be this out of it after two days of nonstop work, that she was now hallucinating she needed to take the advice to sleep more often. Last she knew she was working on her new robot but now here she is standing in a sea of people with no idea of where she is. When the door to what she had been in first opened she surveyed her surroundings. Even on the ground despite being only 5’4 she found the familiar face of Penelope Hylas, her senior from IT classes. The two had built a small acquaintance asking if she could code something advanced if she needed help. The senior already looked on the fritz trying to stay completely hidden. Dona weaved herself skillfully through the crowd till she got to the older girl where she stood in front of her. The older one jumped at first then let out a sigh of relief seeing someone who she recognized.
“Penelope are you ok?” Dona asked
“Trying not to have a full on panic attack. But a bit better since I know someone else is here.”
A tall figure pushed past the two of them making Dona press herself closer to her senior.
“Thank goodness! What in the world is going on?” Donatella’s eye twitched slightly at the voice turning behind her was Evie Bella who looked a bit frazzled as she looked around the area.
“No explanations as of right now. I was hoping Penelope knew but she doesn't have ideas either.” Trying not to sound as irritated as she felt.
‘“Hey I think that's Whitney over there.” Evie remarked, waving her hands in the air to get the girl's attention. The ponytailed black curls turned to them and elegantly walked towards them. Sometimes Dona wondered how she walked so smoothly even though people she trips over her own two feet just walking the halls. She just was too perfect at school.
“So do we know what cult we just got pulled into?” The tall girl remarked. “I was just leaving a shift at the dinner and I'm here.”
“What makes you think we know.” Donatella remarked her montoned voice came out louder than she wanted to.
“Do you guys wanna just start shouting and make everyone realize we don't belong? Penelope's panicked voice came out as her eyes darted around them.
“What do you mean Penny?” Whitney asked
“I told you to stop using that nickname, and also we seem to be the only few panicking. If I got with this then we are wearing unusual clothing. I guess some ceremonial robe as Whitney said this might be some type of cult and if that is true this might be their initiation, but I don't know about the rest of you but I don't want to stick around and find out.”
Just then a small body popped out from between two large figures and fell on their butt.
“Oww! Jeez what gives?”
“Eleanor?’” Evie asked
“Evie? You're here too?” The small blonde asked then looked over at the rest of them.
“Whitney, Donatella, And Penelope too. Where are we?”
Donatella never really had a close relationship with Eleanor but they had a few classes together the girl was really sweet but also very oblivious and leaning just on the dumb blonde side to close for her liking. The small blonde came and stood next to them before she spoke again.
“Hey Penelope what's that around your neck?”
“Huh?” the older one questioned before she felt it.” It was a mask of some sort that looked to cover the bottom half of the face.
“I thought these were just my headphones, I don’t know what this is.”
As the older girl examined the mask as best as she could and the girls started questioning a hush fell over the crowd. They looked up to see a boy with Christmas red hair.
“Welcome to Night Raven College, My name is Riddle Rosehearts dorm leader of Heartslabyul dormitory.” The short boy stated
This is a school? And what kinda deviant art oc name is that Dona thought
“Man, you think he meant to dye his hair to look like Santa's suit?” Whitney whispered to Evie.
“It's quite an atrocious color for hair if you ask me.”
“I congratulate all of you for being accepted into our prestigious academy. Here in a moment I will ask you all to come line up in a calm orderly fashion to receive your dormitory assignments from the mirror. If you push it will be off with your head.”
“I really don't like that, how do we get out of here?” Eleanor asked.
And for once all the girls were in agreement, but when Dona looked it was blocked by older and beefer students.
“We will have to wait till a distraction then slip out, I have my phone does anyone else? We can use it to get a map of where we are and make a run for it. Hopefully this is everyone.” Dona straigized quietly. Though once she mentioned the phone they all patted their robes and found their phone, all of them letting out a sigh of relief.
“What in the hell is that?” Penelope asked, pointing towards the mirror. They all looked to see a face in the mirror. Green light and black lace making it omnius. They all froze like deer in the headlights, what hell is wrong with this school?
Riddle's voice broke their frozen position.
“Now please step forward and let the Dark Mirror reveal the shape of thy souls.” He moved to the side with five other people and a floating tablet. Donatella had to guess they were all dorm leaders though was interested in the floating tablet. Ok this place was too logical, defying where the hell was the exit.
“Let's move over to the wall out of the way so we can slip out unnoticed.” Whitney whispered as they slowly moved towards the wall.
Evie was sure their opening to get out had come and gone, there had only been one ture opening: a boy with red hair dragged a shorter one through a door. Their plan had worked by moving over to the wall and blending in so they didn't have to face the scary mirror mask that yelled out names that she can only imagine her baby sister coming up with from one of the japanese shows.
“Is that all the new students?” Riddle asked.
It was dead silent.
“Now for the new students in Heartslabyul, I am the rules, break them and off with your head.”
What a tyrant she wished people would be more regal with their wording.
“Well, that ceremony was as boring as ever.” A man with a lion tail? Spoke, though Evie herself had to admit the man was quite attractive with his deep tanned skin and long black locks the man could be a beautiful model.
“I'm going back to the dorm. If you're in Savanaclaw House, follow me.”
Then a boy with silver hair spoke.
“New students! Allow me to be the first to congratulate you on your achievement.
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.”
“We should sneak out with one of the dorms then run for it.” Donatella suggested
“And not be able to find each other's great idea.” Penelope snapped back
Then a very handsome boy spoke and pulled her attention to the ceremony.
“Hey, does anyone know where the headmage went? He wasn't here for the ceremony…”
The tablet said “Some Headmage he is.”
Right as the lion boy was about to open the door a man burst the doors open. There were two figures behind him that the girls recognized as Rosalina and Raylnn Mae. Last year Evie had dated the eldest Alka brother for a few months and grew a small hatred for the girl after she refused to model for the girl in favor of gymnastics practice called her designs fru-fru. Though Rosalina on the other hand she knew was a born model and from a well known family and a bit of a flower child.
“I Most certainly did not!”
“Ah, speak of the devil.”
If you must know, I was searching for the new students who'd failed to show up for orientation.
You are the only one who has yet to be assigned a dorm. Step up to the Dark Mirror, and be quick about it. I'll watch your weasel.’
A blue flamed weasel struggled in the man's grasp. She almost felt sorry for the thing as she watched him shake it to shut it up. She could hear the gears in Donatella’s head turning from next to her weighing if it was fine to leave the two here as they made a run for it or risk grabbing them.
“We can't leave them darling.” she said
The brainiac looked at her. “I guess you're right. So who's going to try and grab them?”
They watched as they walked up and stated their names to the mirror.
“They both know me so they will trust me.” Whitney stated as she moved forward in the crowd the other girl followed behind.
“The nature of your soul is...unclear to me.”
“What did you say?”
The crowd erupted in murmurs as the headmaster fought with the mirror. While all this happened the weasel thing wiggled out of the headmaster's grip.
“ME! Let ME have this student's seat! 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!” The girls watched in horror as the weasel cat thing spit blue-fire catching the boy with red eyes on fire.
“Ahhhh! HELP! I’m on fire!”
As chaos erupted around them with people arguing and fighting.
Whitney leaned out and grabbed Raylnn. The country girl looked at her in shock as Whitney shushed her and motioned her to grab Rosalina.
The red haired boy had collared the weasel and the girls slowly backed up into the crowd
“MYAH?! What are you doing?!”
“The Queen of Heart's Rule 23: "One must never bring a cat to a formal affair."
Your very presence here is a violation of order. You will vacate these premises immediately.”
“Ha-HA! Good show as always, Riddle. You're signature spell locks down any magic. It's quite handy.” The silver hair boy spoke “I've just GOT to have it—ah, I mean, I've just got to have respect for it.”
“Was I not clear that you are expected to take responsibility for your familiar?
Now discipline your— wait where did they go?”
The girls froze as the dorm leaders and headmaster started looking around then slowly backed up.
“There they are! Wait there more?” The boy with red eyes exclaimed
“Hey now the part where we run right?”
“Yes, but we can't get past the buff guys.”
“Leave it to me.” Raylnn stated and the girl broke out into a run pushing past people as she approached the doors.
“Excuse me fella’s” the gymnast said as she hip checked them out of the way, and they broke into a sprint.
“Uh girls there following us!” Evie stated
“We have to split up. There seems to be a fork in the road. Raylnn, Rosalina and Whitney take left, me and Penelope will take right Evie, Eleanor go straight!” Donatella shouted.
So, then they split reluctantly so did the dorm heads along with some of their dorm mates.