Chapter Text
Do you hear the pealing of the bell?
Loud as thunder, soft as a whisper.
The Bell of Solace rings out.
Now, allow me to share with you a tale...
...About a monster who dwells in Fleur City.
Glorious Masquerade: Let the Bell of Solace Ring
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Book 1: A Social Request: Part One
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We cut to a dark room and a figure of a man standing next to a fireplace.
"Patience... Soon... just a little longer, and I will finally be rid of those abominations. Then we will be free. I shall bring peace to everyone!"
His laughter loudly echoes in the room, until he is interrupted with a knock at the door.
"Excuse me! The visitors from Night Raven College are here. We should go receive them"
*ahem* "I'll be right there."
The man at the door leaves leaving the man in the room once again alone.
"Hmph. Look at how giddy with excitement they are. Embarrassments, the lot of them. No matter, thought... I'm also quite eager to meet him. Just you wait... Malleus Draconia!"
A malicious smile forms on his face with his declaration, then he calms himself down as he leaves the room to greet their visitors.
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One month before...
We cut to the lecture hall of Night Raven College where the students are buzzing with what could be so important to have them in the lecture hall while others such as yourself are worried with the whole situation.
Grim groans. "Grr, stinkin' headmage, callin' us first thing in the mornin'..."
He yawns before continuing his frustration.
"What's all this baloney about an "important discussion," anyway?"
"Well whatever it is, I have a bad feeling about it, it better not mean trouble for me." Y/N states as she sinks into her chair also very tired since last night.
Last night was her nightly meeting with Malleus, where they would talk on a stone bench that is near many dead trees near the Ramshackle. They talked so much that they lost track of time (by an hour) and she remembers apologizing to him profusely when she realized the time, but of course he was very nice and said that he also didn't notice for how engrossed he was with their conversation. Which of course made her happy but also worried about his beauty sleep, which made Malleus chuckle at the comment and he wished her goodnight and he left with a snap of his fingers leaving behind only green flames in his place that left just as fast as he did. She was sad to see him go but they had to sleep, if only she new that the next day would be a lecture hall day.
She brings her self back to the dreaded lecture hall...
"He's summoned all the freshmen, and the sophomores and juniors too. It's never good news when he calls a mass assembly like this..." Ace says as a worried expression forms on his face.
"Shhh! The headmage is here." Deuce says as he straightens up.
Crowley happily walks to the podium at the very front of the lecture hall.
'๐๐ฉ ๐ฏ๐, ๐๐๐ฐ๐ค๐ญ๐๐บ ๐ช๐ โ๐ข๐๐ฑ๐ฆ... ๐ตโ๐ข๐ก ๐๐ด ๐ฏ๐๐ท๐๐ณ ๐ข ๐จ๐๐ฐ๐ ๐ ๐ช๐๐ฏ ๐ฆ๐ ๐ฑ๐๐ค๐๐ข๐๐ญ๐ฆ ๐ ๐ช๐๐ค๐ ๐ค๐ฆ ๐ธ๐๐ณ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ ๐๐ข๐๐ญ๐๐ฅ ๐ช๐๐ต๐ ๐ก๐ฉ๐ ๐๐ฆ๐๐ต๐ข๐ณ๐ โ๐ข๐๐ญ.' Y/N clutches her necklace hoping it isn't as bad as she thinks, even though it usually always is.
"Good morning, my wonderous students!" he happily exclaims. "What a lovely day this is shaping up to be!"
"Well, isn't he all smiles. It's creepin me out..." Grim says as a bit of sweat forms on his head.
"You can say that again." Y/N says as she prays that she isn't a part of this 'happiness' that Crowly is experiencing
"I have good news for you all. There will be an arcane academy social one month from today!"
"A SOCIAL?!" Everyone yells expecting it to be better than some measly social. So the room is filled with students chattering.
"Is this a separate event from the Arcane Academy Culture Fair?" asked Riddle.
"It's a party where we get to meet people we don't know, right? Sounds fun!" Kalim says
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"Quiet down!" Crowley says as the room quiet down before he continues. "It shall be the first Promising Young Mages' Social. One of the other magical institutions came up with the notion. Specifically- Noble Bell College, in Fleur City. And they will be hosting it as well."
"Fleur City? I'm somewhat familiar with it. It's in the Shaftlands, I believe." Vil says
๐๐ฐ๐ก๐ฆ ๐ต๐ ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ง: ๐๐ข๐๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐ง ๐ตโ๐ช๐ ๐ค๐ฐ๐๐ญ๐ ๐ค๐ช๐ก๐ฉ ๐บ๐๐ถ ๐ข๐ก ๐๐ญ๐ ๐ก๐ช๐๐ฆ๐ ๐ก๐ฐ ๐ฌ๐๐ฐ๐ค ๐ค๐ฉ๐๐ณ๐ ๐๐ฏ ๐ตโ๐ฆ ๐ฎ๐๐ฑ ๐ตโ๐ฆ ๐โ๐ข๐๐ต๐๐ข๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ณ๐ '๐ค๐๐ถ๐ ๐ฆ ๐ฅ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐ผ ๐๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐๐บ ๐ฏ๐๐ฆ๐ ๐ก๐ฐ ๐ฌ๐๐ฐ๐ค ๐ค๐ฉ๐๐ณ๐ ๐๐ท๐๐ณ๐ฆ๐ตโ๐ช๐๐จ ๐ช๐ ....
"Indeed it is!" Lilia appears suddenly floating upside down in front of Vil and his group.
"Ack! You scared me. Don't just swing in like that" Vil says angrily as he crosses his arms. Epel and Rook were also startled by Lilia's appearance.
"It's quite a historic city." Lilia ignores him as he talks about Fleur City. "And while Noble Nell College is smaller than Night Raven, it's a storied institution in its own right. Even I've never set foot on their campus before. This is quite the rare opportunity." Lilia exclaims
"Vanrouge is entirely right!" Crowley states. "Much like our own campus, Noble Bell College is usually closed to outsiders except on special occasions. So it was quite a surprise to hear them of all people propose a meeting of arcane academies. I considered declining and telling them not to put our esteemed academy on the same level as the others... But they were most insistent when they reached out. I believe they said, "There is no arcane academy more exceptional than Night Raven College! Please, you must take part!". How could I say no in the face of such an honest appraisal of our school, which has flourished under my tenure as headmage?"
Y/N rolled her eyes, actually I think everyone rolled their eyes.
"Talk about overt flattery... No wonder his smile's a mile wide" Cater says as be twirls a strand of his hair.
"Hah, you're joking, right? Sounds like the most tedious thing I've ever heard. Who'd sign up for that?" Leona says as he leans back on his chair.
"This has 'hard nope' written all over it. Just the word "social" makes me break out in hives!" Idia says as he pulls his hoodie over his face and Ortho gives an annoyed side-eye. "Oh brother, why must you be like this..." He says as he pats Idia's head to comfort him.
"I doubt my liege has anything to learn from the rabble. Socials are meaningless!" Sebek states loudly.
"Looks like everybody hates the idea... " Grim says before turning his body to face you (since he is too short to sit in the chairs and reach the desk to see anything, he always sit on the desks to see) "What do you think of this, Y/N?"
"Hmmm, well I wouldn't have a need to meet important people, it might be nice to make new friends, but it also does sound interesting to visit other parts of this world." Y/N says with a light smile on her face. "What about you, Grim?"
"I'm with them! Sounds like a total snoozefest" Grim says as he crosses his arms.
"Oh come on Grim, you could at least give it a chance. Maybe you would enjoy yourself."
"The school's tiny, right? It's probably just all beige walls and stuff. Nothing' exciting."
"Are you certain that's the stance you want to take? The social is a chance to speak with other students and broaden your horizons. It's not some challenging course. And after the social, there will be a ball where you can dance, eat, chat, and enjoy all the festivities! And since you're students of the prestigious Night Raven College..." Now full on looking at Grim. "I'm sure the other attendees will fawn all over you. I can see it now! "Wow!" "Can I have your autograph?" "You're the cat's pajamas!"" Crowley says with such conviction.
*Gulp* "For real...?" Grim says very intrigued.
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"And more to the point-this is a special time of the year in Fleur City."
๐๐ช๐ ๐ฉ ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ฆ๐ค ๐ค๐ฉ๐๐ณ๐ ๐ก๐ฉ๐๐ต ๐ธ๐๐ด, ๐ผ ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ถ๐๐ฅ ๐ณ๐๐ข๐๐ญ๐ฆ ๐ ๐ต๐๐ณ๐ก ๐ก๐ฐ ๐ค๐๐ณ๐๐บ ๐ข ๐ฎ๐๐ฑ. Y/N thinks.
"It is?" Grim turns back to Y/N who in return gives him a shrug.
"They're holding their famous festival. It only happens once a year. For two nights and three days, you'll take in beautiful sights, see delightful entertainment, shop for unqiue souvenirs, and of course... Enjoy a myriad of delectable vittles! With all expenses paid by the host!" Crowley exclaims in delight.
"I WANNA GO!" Grim says now on his feet tugging on Y/N arm.
"What about the beige walls and stuff... Besides there's probably a catch to this..." Y/N says as she bobs back and forth to the tugs.
"Me! Mememe! I wanna go to Flowertown or whatever! I want delectable vittles!"
"Of course you didn't hear me, greedy cat." Y/N says with a sigh
This gets the students to start talking again.
"For free? Okay, now you're speakin' my language." Ruggie says with a grin on his face.
"A social for exceptional mages sounds like it'd be quite beneficial, actually." Azul says while rubbing this chin.
"Mm, yes. This is the perfect chance for you to learn more of another culture, Malleus. You should..." Before Lilia could finish his sentence he looks around. "Hm? Where IS Malleus?"
Silver gasps. "Did someone forget to tell him about the assembly...? I'll go find him now." Silver rushes out of the lecture room to find Malleus.
Y/N hopes that he didn't sleep in because of last night.
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Meanwhile Malleus...
Sitting in the empty classroom "Hmm... Everyone sure is late... Even the teacher isn't here... Hmm, odd."
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Now back to the lecture hall...
"Once of the year festival... For free... Now I'm sure there has to be a catch!" Y/N states.
"Oh, Y/N stop thinkin' already and get to celebratin'! " Grim says as he pounds a fist into the air.
"Then we all better get packin'!" Ace says all excited and ready to leave.
"Ah, not everyone can go." "HUH!?" Everyone practically fall out of their seats with the sudden confession Crowely made.
"I knew there was a catch..." Y/N sighs as she rubs the bridge of her nose.
"The social will take place on Halloween. We have our own important Halloween festivities to run, so we can't leave the school empty. I'll be selecting 10 representatives to take part in the social."
"10! Out of the whole school, well that hardly seems fair..." Y/N says as she rubs the back of her head.
"Way to get our hopes up for nothin'..." Epel says disappointed
"Who shall be our esteemed representatives?" Rook asks
"My selection will be made via the fairest possible means." Crowley answers.
"The fairest possible means? Like some sort of stringent rubric that incorporates grades and club participation...?" Trey says.
Crowley pulls out a black box. "A random drawing!" Crowely says adamantly.
"YOU'RE JUST DOIN' THAT FOR THE LAUGHS!" Grim angrily states, while Y/N facepalms as the word "fairly" echoes in her head.
"Anyways! We're a bit short on time, so I'll be drawing from the magical raffle box right now!" Crowely states as he ignores Grim's words and drowns his hand into the box of names.
"Our chosen representatives are...!"
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To Be Continued...