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There isn't a body to bury.
STYX takes Leona Kingscholar's body away. Idia Shroud knows that it doesn't matter. There isn't a body because no one will remember Leona was even ever at Night Raven College. There's so much work for STYX to do. Idia's father even comes to school — for work, he says, but the first thing he does is check on Idia and Ortho — and then goes to Sunset Savanna. It turns out easiest to say that Leona Kingscholar had died in childhood, Overblotted after he found his sick mother hidden away as the family secret. It's an odd lie, Idia thinks when he reads the report but it turns out that Leona's birth had been difficult on the queen and some part of her had never recovered. When Leona had died apparently Lethe's memory wiping hadn't worked on her so spinning the lie around her insistence her son had gone to Night Raven College was necessary. It leaves a bad taste in Idia's mouth. He thinks about Ortho and really the entire Shroud family, doomed to be forgotten and also to drag whoever had the bad luck to get involved with them or too stained with blot down to hell with them. But inevitably, as he always does, Idia settles into resignation.
They make Ruggie the Housewarden. Headmaster Crowley hems and haws about it clearly unsure what to do with a Housewarden who doesn't come with prestige, power or money. All the students though know that Ruggie is — was — Leona's right hand. Even if he wasn't technically Vice Housewarden Ruggie was the heart and Leona the brain. If asked Ruggie would have declined but there's no asking when it comes to Overblot cleanup. They simply make it happen. Replacing that many memories is difficult and it's obvious that Ruggie can tell something is missing. Idia is glad he attends Housewarden meetings via tablet because he wouldn't be able to hide his expression, not with the stumbles over things Ruggie should know — if he is truly Housewarden — or the blanks in memory that everyone seems to share.
"And, on the topic of academic eligibility. . ." Vil Schoenheit intones. There is the barely veiled something in his voice. Idia would call it judgey. Riddle called it leadership. Azul only ever commented on it if he wanted something from either the party under scrutiny or Vil himself. Scarabia had no horse in the race and Kalim couldn't read Vil's tone anyway.
"Hm? What about it?" Ruggie asks.
"Test scores are posted publicly." Vil points out.
"Yeah? An' so what? Savanaclaw's meeting what we need to." Ruggie is defensive and Idia can't see his expression but imagines Ruggie must look trapped. Leona had been able to field scrutiny with the swagger of any jock alpha male but Ruggie had never been the type.
"There are academic standards to uphold." Riddle breaks in. "While bare minimum is something students can achieve as Housewarden you should be — "
"Should be this? Should be that? Who're you all to say that? I never asked for this. This ain't my job. It's — " Ruggie snaps and then his words come to a halt.
"Ahhh. Right. Right. Let's all just remember every dorm has its strength, right? Here at Ignihyde we're technomantic specialists. Pomefiore's being super bijin and Savanaclaw is meatheads good at throwing rocks. All this arguing is cutting into my game time. Hurry it up." Idia mutters. it successfully derails everyone from whatever Ruggie was going to say. ("Meatheads? I'll show you meathead." "Bijin? Please, Idia use normal language that doesn't reduce my students to just looks." "I notice you said nothing of Octavinelle." "Let's all get along like Idia-senpai said!")
Jack is the captain of the Savanaclaw Spelldrive team. It's a little odd, he's just a first year after all, but Housewarden Ruggie had injured his arm last year (somehow, no one remembers exactly) and could no longer play Spelldrive to the same degree he had before. It is still impressive to see Ruggie hanging from the broom by his legs or one arm but there's a fragility to the hyena beastman that must have come with his injury. So Jack does what any NRC student does. He challenges everyone on the team for the captain position and wins. He and Ruggie butt heads over Savanaclaw's style.
"I don't like the idea of giving up." Jack argues.
"Givin' up? What do ya mean?" Ruggie slumps in his chair. It feels uncomfortable to have Jack trying to both argue with him and call him 'Ruggie-san'. It's even weirder when the other Savanaclaw students do it, even the upperclassmen. He feels like he's literally stepped into a pair of shoes too big for him and his tenacity won't let him give up but he feels like a pup with a bone far too big for him.
"Going around behind people's backs. . ."
Ruggie doesn't roll his eyes but his laugh is forced. "C'monnnnn Jack. It's strategy not giving up."
"We should just be honest and upfront. I know we have the talent." Jack argues.
"An' what about the strategy?" Ruggie counters.
"If we're strong enough, we won't need it." Jack crosses his arms.
"Are we? Can we?" Ruggie waves his arm, his stronger hand, "Ya seen our team? We're missing some key pieces, no ace among us. You're good but you're not that good. Where's this confidence coming from, Jack?"
Jack opens his mouth. He stops. He doesn't know. He feels like he believes in Savanaclaw's team. He feels like he knows how good they can be if they just work a little harder. But Ruggie's questions weigh him down.
". . . Ruggie-san, sorry." Jack nods his head in one quick bow. He may be strong-willed and bullheaded about some things, but he still has respect for his seniors. "You're right. I'm not sure why I thought otherwise." He is surreptitiously not looking at Ruggie's weaker hand. To everyone's memory it was a brutal broom collision and fracture. But the scarring left behind doesn't look like a healed broken arm, it looks like someone rubbed Ruggie's skin raw with sandpaper and then crushed his arm under a rock. He's lucky to still have it and even the weak grip he can manage seems like a miracle.
"Tch. Yeah, well, don't bother apologizin' either. Nice thought you had, too bad it ain't reality."
Ruggie stares down at the Spelldrive roster list he has. He feels like something, someone, is missing. They don't have an ace. No core of the team and Jack's the new captain. Even when Ruggie was captain they had to have had someone. Maybe they can't beat Diasomnia but they handily won previous games and right now he's not sure they could beat Octavinelle. No matter how hard he thinks, though, he can't remember the 'who' he's missing.
The Botanical Gardens is more quiet than it had been in several years. Malleus Draconia had known it to be the frequent sleeping place of one Leona Kingscholar. He rarely accosted the beastman in the gardens, even that much he knew. Old textbooks — and some small tidbits from Baul Zigvolt — had told Malleus that it is entirely inconsiderate to overwhelm a beastman's preferred napping place. And Malleus knows his very presence can be quite overwhelming.
Leong Kingscholar is gone now, though, and Malleus finds himself standing in the gardens thinking of the other.
"Looking for a certain plant for alchemy — oh! Hello, Malleus Draconia-san!" The younger Shroud brother also frequents the gardens now. It's somewhat tiresome but Malleus does remember why. Since so much of Leona Kingscholar had been erased from the world it's possible that pieces of him would remain or memories could be triggered by being in places he used to be. The younger Shroud is simply an extra security measure from STYX.
"Hello, smaller Shroud." Malleus tilts his head a little.
Ortho looks at him, eyes wide before smiling. "Are you thinking about something?"
The answer is yes. Malleus is thinking about how Leona Kingscholar had been a friend. While Malleus did not have many friends Lilia had assured him that the beastman got something out of the time they spent together. For all of Leona's snarling and prickly nature Malleus had found himself having fun when they spoke together. It was only Leona who had never treated Malleus as anything other than average — as far as Malleus could tell, anyway. It was refreshing when Leona snapped at him or met Malleus's verbal challenges with no caution. Who else would dare retort to Malleus Draconia? Only Leona Kingscholar.
But he is the crown prince of Briar Valley. He and Lilia had been briefed since the Lethe system from STYX did not work on stronger fae, that there was to be no more 'Leona Kingscholar at Night Raven College.' Lilia had shook his head, sighed and said how regretful but not unexpected from a boy who would never be king but wanted to wear a crown. Malleus had agreed, how regretful, but weeks after he finds himself trying to grasp the shape of his own thoughts. They often eluded him, particularly when it had to do with a feeling that he couldn't name. Malleus isn't bothered by it, after all for many fae it can be like this. Eventually the thought or feeling will solidify. He's found it to generally be unproductive to try and force himself to 'think faster' especially because his temper can be quite terrible and unbecoming of a king. But. . .
Leona Kingscholar.
The name feels heavy in his mouth so he chooses not to say it.
"Ah, no. It seemed like a good day for a walk." Malleus gestures.
"Yes, the weather is perfect for a walk." Ortho chirps. "Should we walk somewhere together? Nii-san has a test so I have free time. I think we would have a much better conversation not here." It is an unsubtle hint that Malleus does not pick up.
Leona Kingscholar.
Malleus stands there a while longer, thinking. He does not like the thought that is forming and becoming solid. He likes the feeling that comes with it even less.
"Yes, let us walk elsewhere." Malleus agrees and they leave the garden behind.