Chapter Text
Ah, my dearest esteemed Eve
My proud, beautiful flower of evil.
You are truly the fairest one of all.
O magic mirror, thy wisdom I entreat…
Reveal unto me the visage I seek…
You, whose image the Dark Mirror did beckon forth…
If your heart bids it, take the hand of the one reflected in the mirror.
As flame reduces even the stars to ash
As ice seals away even time itself
As great trees swallow even the sky
Fear not the power of darkness.
Now—demostrate your power.
To me. To them. To yourself.
The hour grows long, and time is scarce.
Keep steady your grip, no matter what may Come…
Yui started waking up as she heard someone screeching.
“Ugh…?” Yui blinked and opened her eyes. All around her was pitch darkness, though she could hear the high-pitched screeching from around outside. It didn’t sound like any of the boys. “Who is that…?” She questioned herself, before she reached out to feel around herself. Light spilled in as the door of the coffin opened.
“I better hurry up and find that uniform before someone spots me... Urgggh... This lid weighs a ton! Try this on for size! Mya-ha!”
As it fell open, there was suddenly blue fire all around her. “Kya!!”
Yui nearly toppled out of the coffin, but she caught herself by holding onto its wall. From the sapphire flames appeared a tanuki-thing with the same fire in its ears. From the illumination of the flames, she could see she was no longer in her pajamas, instead she wore some kind of fancy black robe.
“What!? You ain’t supposed to be awake!”
“Kya!? A tanuki!?”
The girl’s eyes widened in both shock and slight fear.
It looked more offended than anything she had ever seen, more than Kanato when she beat him at chess. Its blue eyes narrowed in on her and puffed its cheeks. “How... How DARE YOU! I am no TANUKI! I'm Grim, sorcerer extraordinaire!”
‘Grim,’ Yui thought, turning the name in her mind. She stared down at him, now known as Grim. “Sorcerer extraordinaire?”
Grim just glared back at her. “Tch. Whatever. You… human! Just gimme your uniform, and be quick about it! 'Cause if you don't… you're gonna regret it!”
“Huh? No way!”
Yui stepped out of the coffin and immediately ran past the robber not-tanuki. She threw one of the doors open and into an unfamiliar hallway. “Someone help me!” Grim followed after her, he was still screeching about the uniform.
More blue fire went past her head as she ran. The lights in the corridor were lamps and candles and chandeliers with green fire. His aim was a bit off, but it didn’t stop his pursuit at all. “Help, please!”
“I’m on a tight schedule here!” Grim yowled. He was gaining on her quickly. Yui turned the corner and bursted into another room. A library. Her breathing was getting a bit shallow, after all the blood sucking, she had grown weak with anemia.
She hid behind a bookshelf and pushed her back against it. She was trying to catch her breath quietly, though her vision was starting to blur at the edges. Grim entered the library, prowling with a toothy grin, “Foolish human! Did you really think you could slip away from ME?” Despite his words, he couldn’t see where Yui had hidden, “Now, unless you wanna get burned to a crisp, take off that— Me-YEOW!”
Yui peeked out from behind the bookcase to see a man about a foot taller than her holding Grim by his scruff. The man wore a raven mask that obscured the top half of his face, and his eyes were just two yellow globs of light from behind it. His outfit was quite dramatic, especially the coat that seemed to resemble raven wings.
Grim wiggled and tossed in the grip of the man, “That hurt! What gives?” The man replied with a less than enthusiastic tone, “Consider it tough love.”
Yui stepped out fully now, she kept her hands balled up and close to her chest, she was still trying to catch her breath. “Thank you, sir.” She was still trying to catch her breath.
The man looked at Yui, then a small smile emerged from the scowl he had previously been wearing. He kept his grip on Grim tight as he responded, “Ah, I've found you at last. Splendid. I trust you're one of this year's new students?”
“Uhm–” but before she could answer, he kept on going.
“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.” Yui huffed softly and protested, just as did Grim.
“As if I'd serve some lowly human!”—”No way!” Grim yowled again. “Now lemme go!”
The man nodded as if he didn’t believe either of them, “Yes, yes. Rebellious familiars and disgruntled mages always say that. Do be quiet for a bit, won't you?”
He covered Grim’s mouth with his other hand and continued to speak to her, “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? No matter. Your orientation has already begun. Let us return to the Mirror Chamber.” Yui followed after him out of the library, finally being able to get her words in, “No, sir. I believe there’s been a mix up.”
He looked at her like it was the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard, “Nonsense, you were personally chosen to attend.”
You could hear Grim’s muffled protests. “Mmmrph!” He tried biting on the man’s fingers, but it appeared ineffective.
“But, student…?” Yui trailed off in thought, ‘No way that’s true. I was running away from Ayato-kun on the street…’ Her hand unconsciously went to her neck.
“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 restraint enough to wait until I open them before waking up.”
“So the coffins are like gateways…?” He nodded at her question.
“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 prattle. You've a student orientation to attend! Go on, now. Make haste.” They approached a set of large, black oak doors.
“Excuse me, who are you?”
He looked at her with a slight bit of concern as the doors opened on their own. Just how when she first got to… ‘No! This isn’t there!’ Yui scolded herself in her mind.
“Hm? Have you not fully regained consciousness? The timespace teleportation must have addled your memories…” he sighed. “Well, these things happen, I suppose. I shall explain it to you while we walk. Truly, my magnanimity is boundless.”
They stepped out into a courtyard. It was in the shape of a square with many hedges and a few apple trees, with a well in the middle.
He cleared his throat. “Ahem. This is Night Raven College. It is an institution for students the world over who demonstrate a rare aptitude for magic. It is the most prestigious academy of its sort in all of Twisted Wonderland. And I am Dire Crowley. Having been entrusted with its care by the chairman, I serve as headmage.”
Her question was answered, but it only served to bring more and more questions. ‘Twisted Wonderland?’ “I see, thank you.” Yui had never heard of such a place, but the man’s confidence and information was making her wonder how she could get him to listen.
“Only those who the Dark Mirror perceives as having a talent for magic are admitted to the college. Those who are selected are summoned to the campus through those "gates," which can appear anywhere. A black carriage bearing one such gate should have come to meet you.”
Now that she thought about it, just as she was speeding across the street, a black carriage with matching horses had come at her.
“That black carriage serves to receive a student chosen by the Dark Mirror. It too bears a gate that connects to this campus. And as you know, sending a carriage to meet someone on a special day is a time-honored tradition.”
“Truly?”
Crowley looked at Yui with more worry this time, though he didn’t say anything other than, “Now, let us attend to your orientation.” Grim’s continued protest had gotten louder by now and he was still trying to bite Crowley’s hand. Some smoke came from his mouth. “Mmfff! Mmmmmmfff!”