Multiple Settings Anima Studies

[Tiguidi]

COBALT ULAR
Student Lounge​

"Oh yeah? That was your first time in a fight? You might be a natural at it!"

“Pfft, far from it.”, Cobalt let out a dry, yet amused laugh at Valerie’s comment. “I literally set myself on fire and randomly flayed about.”, he added with a chuckle, mimicking the arm movements he did during his brief bout with the demons earlier. “I guess I am lucky since my fire looks powerful enough to instantly execute weak demons so I could just stay still and let them ram into me and die.”

“... Going to war, huh?”, he repeated, pursing his lips and glancing at the ground. “I guess the idea’s not too far-fetched…” He didn’t add more to that but that thought made him ponder for a few moments. If demons were running about, with arcanists being the only ones able to kill them… He shook his head -he’d need to see the full picture before making assumptions.

He was forcefully ejected from his train of thought when he entered the lounge, freezing and blinking at the sight -the boy had half-expected their little tea party to be accompanied with a few random snacks like biscuits. But he didn’t expect the variety of fairy cakes, puddings and sandwiches to go along with them. “Whoa, that’s… a lot.”, he commented, robotically following Valerie and the others and taking a seat. He couldn’t help but wonder if he took a wrong turn somewhere and ended up in a high society tea ceremony -that wouldn’t be too surprising, with how weird the hallways were before class started earlier.

“Seriously…?”, he let out once Jessie came into view, holding an entire food tower filled to the brim with savory items. His hand floated above some of the food, not sure what he wanted to try out first. “Man, you didn’t have to go as far, Jessie; I’m not even sure we’ll be able to eat all of that.”, he said, nodding in appreciation to the chef. “But… thank you!”

Unfortunately, he was afraid his thanks went unnoticed as the conversation immediately shifted to Mariana and the demon. Understandable, considering what happened earlier in class, and Cobalt did want to know what was going on. Although he couldn’t help but worry that the shy Mariana wouldn’t fare well in the spotlight. He opted to stay silent during the exchange, figuring that it’d be more important for him to listen to the ones who actually knew what was happening, though it ultimately didn’t end going far as Mariana barked back and stormed out of the room, leaving an awkward silence in her place. Looks like the pressure imposed onto her from Jessie and Marianne was a bit too much to handle... But again, who wouldn't feel targeted after that?

“Ahh, she ran away…”, Cobalt frowned. “Um, I think we should leave her alone for now? I know it’s ironic since I’d really like a properly-explained context but I don’t think it’s good for her mental if we keep pressing on like this.”

---

Juju Autumn Leaf Verite November Witch _Yua Watanabe_ Silent Child

 

[Yakov011001]

Spoiler: A Moment to Relax

Nikklaüs wasn't ready for his room to be as big as it was. Shaking off the dizziness from the library, he scanned what looked more like an apartment than the simple dorm room he was expecting. There was a fairly spacious living room directly in front of him: a large TV sat atop a stand against the wall, and a double couch directly against the wall opposite; a single reclining seat just beside it, angled towards the center of the space where there sat an elliptical, glass coffee table. The space was flooded with natural light, the far walls cut out with two floor-to-ceiling windows. Just to his right as he came in the door was a refrigerator marking the start of the kitchen. Just behind the fridge, the start of the counter tops that stretched down to the end of the wall and took the corner to make one long L-shaped counter top. On the long side of the counters next to the fridge was a two-celled sink, and on the short side was an stovetop set-up with a microwave overhead. There was also a two tiered island sat between the kitchen and the living room, the taller tier facing the living room and set up with two barstools. There didn't look like there was any sort of dining room, maybe that was the closest they'd get?

That was the whole of what he could see just from the front door, but between the short end of the kitchen counter and the living room's double couch Nikklaüs saw the mouth of a hallway. He moved to it, dropping his bag on the center island. He looked in to find that it was rather dark: the only lights illuminating the space was seemingly the natural light pushing out underneath the two doors that were situated on the left wall of the hall. Following the left wall from back to front, he found a light switch at the opening that lit up a fixture in the center of the hall. Now he could see on the right wall two more doors, one a set of double doors directly next to him. Opening them up, it seemed to be a utility closet behind the right half of the door, the left side was where the evaporator was for the air conditioning. What was most interesting to him though was that he didn't see any sort of water tank underneath the evaporator. Tankless water heat? I do like to boil. It'd be nice to never have to worry about running out of hot water. Closing the doors, he moved to the two doors on the left side of the hall, the first one placed about halfway down. Opening it up, he found a really nice bedroom: a queen sized bed with a wooden frame, two desks(?), and what Nikklaüs assumed was a closet behind the sliding mirror doors. It was bare-bones, but that just meant it was spacious. As much as he wanted to crash right then and there though, he hated the idea of sleeping in his own filth. His sweat had since air-dried, but that didn't mean he was any less stank. Now, which door leads to the bathroom? Closing the bedroom door, he made his way to the end of the hall where the final two doors were situated directly across from each other. Opening the left door, Nikklaüs was left perplexed.

It was an exact copy of the bedroom he was just looking at. Huh? What? Did he... have a roommate? He only read his name. I was not super cognizant though, maybe I shouldn't've done that stupid experiment at the library. Oh yeah. I guess I must've missed it somehow. He reflected for a moment on who it could be that he was rooming with. Thinking back on all the individuals, he supposed someone like Jessie or Leander wouldn't be too bad. It could be co-ed. What? No, that'd be fucking ridiculous. He wondered how he had come up with that idea and shuddered at the idea of having to share a room with Marianne. Then again, they would technically be in separate rooms. It was more like sharing an apartment. He shook that off though, turning around and entering the bathroom.

The best way he could describe it was sterile. All white-on-white, but he supposed that was just a bathroom being just that: a bathroom. It was a long bathroom, a laundry hamper situated on the corner just across from the door and against the long double sink that stretched most of the bathrooms length; only stopping at the toilet and just next to it, a standard size shower. The only things Nikklaüs could see outside of the fixed features of the bathroom was a small collection of off-brand soaps. Fuck, I suppose I should've thought of that. Bringing your own toiletries? Yeah. You also don't have a change of clothes. He cursed himself for reminding him, but fuck it.

Tossing his cardigan into the hamper, Nikklaüs started to strip down from everything else. But once his shirt came off, he turned back to the mirror above the sinks. He could only sigh at the sight. His skin riddled with scars of various sizes and depths. Many of the smaller ones coming from his time in the competitive HEMA scene, and the bigger ones from all the odd jobs he'd taken up for the sake of 'gaining experience'. All being highlighted by the dips that they made in the body he'd cultivated since he'd first picked up a blade. He was deceptively toned, something that wasn't inherently obvious with the way he dressed often creating loose silhouettes around his upper body, like with his cardigan. Still, there was one scar that put the rest to shame. Running from just about his solar-plexus horizontally underneath his left pec before ending just underneath his armpit was what looked like a fault line. Like a tear in some clay that had been sealed, leaving an indent behind. The boys at the foundry say that it was a failed cable that tore through him when its tension snapped, but he couldn't remember. He brought a hand up to the back corner of his head at the thought, feeling a small indent in his skull no wider or deeper than the tip of a pen, but some four inches long. Could he really say that's what happened on that day?

Think not of it, what happened then isn't important now.

Right, I just want to take a shower.

 

[Autumn Leaf]

Mentions: Juju November Witch Solirus
Verite Silent Child Tiguidi

Jessie stood there for a moment, watching the girl storm away after spilling out her feelings. The light seemed to fade in his eyes, returning to a calm. He made no real motion to stop her from leaving the lounge. There was no need to make the scene anymore dramatic than it already was. Mariana was a grown woman. She did not need coddling. Better to let her blow off some steam, and return to her senses.

He chuckled a bit.
"Heh. At least, we know who it was." he murmured. Jessie turned to the small black-haired of the Montgomery twins.

"Marianne. Hm. I hope you're right about the decision-making of the school council. But one must recognize the risk. Especially should we take what we learned here to the unsupervised real-world. That said, I never intended to harm Miss Mirror. The human. I wanted to make that clear in our talk today... Before, well..." folding a serviette in his palm, the pallid man began to pick up one of the kettles. His grip on the handle tightened as though he made up something in his mind. His polite smile resurfaced. "Aha. Forgive my dour attitude. I shouldn't take the past to the present. Let us enjoy the time we have, now."

With that, he moved about the table much like a professional server. Issuing drinks, and food with a courteous smile. He made a point to stop by Cobalt with a wink, placing a white glass of slight sweet-smelling liquid before him. A cleverly disguised concoction. The sharp acrid trace of alcohol was vaporized in the pleasant blue-bubbling mixture. "A chef's pride is a spotless plate. Thank me that way. Here is that special request. I trust you won't betray my trust, by going against the law."

The man posed a question to Cobalt, though he seemed to be musing to himself more-so. "My, I wonder if that white fire would enhance the flavors in a roast..."

The roaming chef was already elsewhere at the dining table before an answer could be found. He came up to Valerie, who seemed to be caught up in conversation with Leander to recognize the awkward atmosphere. Probably for the best. Innocence at its finest. "Chai tea." he said while pouring a cup. With a spoon he began scooping from a small ornate pitcher, leaving a creamy cloud at the center of the steamy beige tea. "With extra milk."

With saucer underneath, the cup was gently laid down to freely enjoy. Jessie even poured one extra for Leander, in case he wished to enjoy. "Sweet tea, for a sweet smile. Oh, and don't forget the strawberry cake." he said, pointing to the modestly sized pink-frosted confection topped with comically oversized strawberries, "Shame she couldn't join us. Your partner. Butterflies? Or is it collywobbles? No matter. Be sure to save a slice for her, okay? I'm sure she'll accept it, if it's from you."

Any further requests from any other students would be met with the usual polite response. But perhaps, some would see the finality in his eyes. Wallflower intended to visit the staff offices after all of this ceremony had concluded. Whether or not they would listen to his request for an advanced course, would determine his fate going forward. There was something he intended to fulfill here, beyond socializing. Not that he did not delight in absent-minded youth. But it was clear he was older than the rest. He has experienced all this sort of thing before. It seemed wholly unnecessary to relive something that has already past. All the more so, when it was so painful to look back.

Everyone else, this was the period of their blossom.
A flower in bloom should be left untouched. A beauty unmatched.
One wilted such as his own, should be quickly removed.

...

 

[Solirus]

Isaac​

Leander was able to catch Isaac's attention, “Oh yeah- it's Isaac” he nervously responded, his eyes struggling to make eye contact. “Yeah, I remember your name, Leander.” Isaac paused for a second, did he word that weirdly, maybe he came off as a bit creepy with his words? “Yeah, it's all like… a weird experience- I still don't understand this whole thing, but I saw demons before…” Isaac felt weird talking to Leander, just like all his previous conversations. Isaac rose from his seat, “please excuse me” and swiftly left the lounge. Why had he bothered going to the party? He'd always find a reason to leave early. At the very least, he didn't take any of the food. His head was still filled with a torrent of thoughts, and he would ignore any attempt to keep him in the lounge.

Walking through the hallway, he could see the door with his name on it, alongside Valerie's. He only stared at it for a second before moving past it. If a mere conversation forced him out of a tea party, then having to share a room with someone else would be agonizing. Exiting the living quarters, Isaac made his way back to the main entrance, where surely he hoped he could return home.

 

[Juju]

November Witch Tiguidi
━ ◦ ※ ◦━​

Marianne’s eye twitched when her words of generously lent wisdom were swept aside and reduced to nothing more than ‘insults’, as her ignorant classmate so foolishly put it. Her eyes narrowed dangerously, expression shifting from casual pragmatism to clear annoyance.

Honestly, how daft can she be?!! She thought, anger welling up. If it wasn't for this bloody school, I wouldn't even be allowed to speak to you!

First the destructive Nikklaus and now this girl. By now, her patience had long run thin and threadbare. She had come to Anima Studies in search of better knowledge, but instead she found herself teaching the absolute basics to people who she had hoped to provide information. Of course, Marianne did enjoy teaching others, but she could not stand those who refused to learn.

Cobalt’s attempt to defuse the situation was nothing but drops of water onto an already burning fire. So he wanted to learn about the situation? Perhaps it was time for the pleasantries to come to an end. Marianne had enough of this childish game of runaway and tag.

There was a glint of anima, the flash of anger, and the delicate sound of a plate being placed back down on the table. In a flurry of movement, Marianne stood from her seat.

Her voice was sharp and loud enough for Mariana to hear her words clearly, “I beg your pardon? You're fortunate to be ‘humiliated’, if that’s what you want to call the truth! Do you have any idea what the arcanist protocol is for possession cases? Execution.”

She allowed a heavy silence to follow her words, to give them weight, “Do you understand? No trial, no warning. Simply kill on sight.”

Marianne glared holes into the back of Mariana’s head. “You’re an exception. Frankly, the only one I am aware of. I need you to understand this, to listen to me. I'm willing to help, but I will not sugar-coat. Furthermore, I understand that this is difficult for you, but ignorance will get you slaughtered, either by that beast or an arcanist doing their duty.”

She tapped her fingernail on the table, an effort to tug back the reigns of the annoyance she had let loose. Drawn by the scent, her hazel eyes went to the steaming beverages, noting that hers was missing among them. It made her withdraw, reminded her. She closed her eyes, let out a small sigh, and then opened them again. It really didn’t matter if Mariana listened or ran away. There were others, not just Mariana, who were seeking some explanations.

Marianne glanced at Cobalt, her gaze still intense, but free of any annoyance directed at him or anyone at the table. “Right. Cobalt, was it? If you or the others are willing to listen, I would gladly answer, to the best of my ability, any questions you might have.”

 

[Silent Child]

Leander was surprised to hear Isaac actually respond to him. Most people wouldn't bother.
“Oh yeah- it's Isaac” This confirmed what Leo already knew to be true. “Yeah, I remember your name, Leander.” Well that's a bit of a relief. At least he knows he won't be forgotten that easily.
“Yeah, it's all like… a weird experience- I still don't understand this whole thing, but I saw demons before…” Isaac responded to his previous question with little confidence, but Leo only gave a small smile in reciprocation. He felt the exact same way, but his connection was interrupted as Isaac stood up to leave. Not really trying to stop him, Leo's smile fell a bit as he watched him rush off to his room.

Leo's attention snapped to Valerie as she responded to his question, though not in the way he meant.
"A favorite? Hmm, hard to say already, but Sophia's a cute one, don't you think?" "Sophie- cute? I uhh-" His face went a bit red, but he nodded slightly before shaking his head to correct her for what he meant, but she wasn't paying too much attention as she tried the food.

"Mmm... this is so good! At first, I didn't know what fairy cakes were, that's what Marianne called 'em, but then I saw they're basically just cupcakes! Aren't they cute?!" He was surprised as she offered him a slice of the cake she was eating from, but he hadn't noticed she was still using the same fork. "C-cute yeah- they are. You must really like cute stuff?" Upon offering a smile with the question, he accepted the cake slice and taking a bite from it, feeling the sweetness filling his mouth instantly. He pulled away, savoring it for a moment as he chewed some before quickly swallowing it. "It's really good- Jessie did great making these-!"

He almost seemed to be in shock when his words seemingly summoned Jessie over to pour him some tea. More than he needed, but exactly what he wanted. "Sweet tea, for a sweet smile. Oh, and don't forget the strawberry cake." The compliment made Leo's face flush a bit more, but he did direct his gaze to the strawberry cake like intended by Jessie. It was truly one of the prettiest desserts he'd seen in his life. "Shame she couldn't join us. Your partner. Butterflies? Or is it collywobbles? No matter. Be sure to save a slice for her, okay? I'm sure she'll accept it, if it's from you."

Apparently Jessie hasn't gotten the correction last time. "Lola isn't my- I only just met her in class-" But his argument faded as Jessie walked away, keeping hold of his misunderstanding. With a sigh, Leo turned back to Valerie. "He doesn't listen much-" He took a drink of the tea that was given to him, and he drank 3/4ths of it almost instantly. How- is unknown. But it's safe to assume he really liked it.

Mentions: Solirus Verite Autumn Leaf

 

[November Witch]

Mariana Mirror

Status: Scared, angry & depressed.

Mariana’s fists clenched harder as Jessie began to speak like she wasn’t there anymore. Well, she could forgive that. She did seem like she was leaving. But how he just returned to serving with the others and small talk as if nothing happened pissed her off. Could he really just say something like that in front of everyone and pretend like it didn’t happen? It just made her emotions run even higher. The emotional waters rose higher behind the splintering dam within her mind.


She stopped though as Marianne spoke. Unfortunately, she seemed to take the words that were mainly meant for Jessie as if they were meant for her. She turned around, and seemed unsure of how to feel. She looked ready to start bawling and give up, but also ready to start shouting and arguing again. As if she couldn’t decide what emotion to let win her over. Her hands shook as she attempted to keep her emotions under control. Everyone else just stood there talking and chatting as if nothing was happening! No one was defending her or trying to help her in any way.


Even if her parents had died roughly a year ago, she had her aunt that took her in. She was never alone.


Until now. This was the most alone Mariana had ever felt in her entire life.


Mariana wanted to give up… Maybe she should have died with her parents in the accident. Dark thoughts started to cloud her mind as the dam broke.


Tears streamed from her eyes as she stared down Marianne, sadness and anger mixing in her eyes.


“Arcanist protocol? Possession cases? Execution? Killing on sight? What does any of that mean?? I have no idea what you’re talking about or why I’m here! It’s clear you all think you’re so much better than me because you do  know!”

Mariana genuinely thought that. Having been unconscious for the talk of others learning from Marianne and being too caught up in her words to hear anything else being said in the room, she hadn’t heard anyone else say that they were confused about anything. She thought she was the only person here who was confused. Seeing that no one was standing up for her, let alone paying attention to her made her feel even more isolated and lesser than them. Was she really such a pest, so dumb, that no one wanted to even see what was happening to her?


Was the world really this cruel? Were people really this hurtful? Mariana’s world view was dangerously close to shifting to a more negative, pessimistic one.


“And before you say you tried, trying is not talking down to someone in a passive aggressive manner! I get you all know more than me, but that doesn’t give you the right to talk down to me like I’m lesser than you!”


Her trembling fists went slack, and her body slumped as if all the fight left her. Her hands raised to her face as she began to cry and sob. How did this girl think any of this would work? How did she not see how shy and sensitive Mariana was? Mariana just didn’t understand that, or how someone could be so rude and insensitive!


Mariana didn’t want to bring down the room, so she started towards her own room. Granted, with how little attention anyone was paying to her, she doubted she’d even alter the atmosphere in the room with her sobbing…

 

[Solirus]

• Night sets in
• Morning Rises Anew

• 
  All good things come to an end, and as the sun slowly set and the night loomed, the students heard a tolling bell as lights around them sprung to life illuminating the hallways of the living quarters. The tea party wouldn't last for much longer, as the students themselves would head their respective ways for the day. They had not been told to remain in campus premises, and the door which led them to this place remained unlocked for use.
  
  For such an eventful day when the worlds of many were shattered or twisted forever, the night was dully uneventful…
  
• 
  As the sun arose, shining down upon school grounds, the students could hear the same tolling bell from yesterday. Those who had stayed on campus for the night would hear the sound normally, but the ones who chose to leave the campus found themselves still hearing the tolling bell, loud and unrelenting. The toll slowly faded before the students heard a whispering voice in their heads, "One hour."
  
  As students returned to the classroom for their first proper class, they would notice all the damage and chaos that had occurred the prior day was all but gone, replaced instead with an uncanny perfection. Jaquie was the next thing the students would notice, his feet resting atop the front desk, his umbrella lying on the floor, and reading a large book titled The Human Brain. Jaquie would wave at the students who entered the classroom without breaking eye contact from his book. "Please take a seat, we'll begin class shortly." Jaquie calmly explained, waiting to commence his lecture.
  

 

[Spoiled Bread]

Sophia Hughes
Location: Room -> Class

Sophia was feeling a bit embarrassed after her encounter with Mariana so she decided to rest for a few minutes in her room before going to the tea party. She wasn't really good with direction so it took her a few minutes before she finally found hers. Entering the room, she was greeted by the sight of a simple yet spacious room. She was quite used to her previous academy's 4 person rooms with the bunk beds though so it would probably took her some time to get used to her new arrangement.

Laying on the bed, Sophia let out a long relieved sigh as she relaxed her body. A lot of thing happened today so she didn't have time to realize how tires she actually was. Before long her eyes started to get heavier and heavier. She tried to keep herself awake but the finally succumbed and entered a long deep slumber.

-----------------------

The room was quiet dark, the only source of the light only come from the dim candle on the altar and the twisted moonlight that passed through the room's colorful stained-glass windows. In front of the altar stood a tall man wearing a long dark priest-like robe, he was silently loading various types of weaponry into a silver-coated briefcase. Guns, grenades, throwing knifes and many more. Sophia stepped forwards, letting her footsteps be known as to not startle the man before greeting him.

"What are you doing, professor?" She asked curiously.

"Hmm? Ah, you are one of the new kid. First year shouldn't be here." The man closed the briefcase before shifting his attention fully to address Sophia. "I'm going to do some exorcism. Wish me luck."

"With... guns?"

"It's my preferred method." The professor let out a weak smile, he gave Sophia a pat on the head before heading towards the exit with the briefcase in tow. Though before he vanished, the man turned his head to look at Sophia and said.

"Sophia Hughes, right? Those 16 people... If you can rewind time, what would you be willing to give to save them?"

"Huh... W-what?" Sophia's eyes widen at the question. Not only because it was very out of the blue but also because how heavy the question was.

"Apologize, that was insensitive of me. Please forget I ever ask that. Now go back to your room, the curfew would start soon." The man extended his hand forwards and an unseen force lifted Sophia off the ground and knocked her unconscious.

-----------------------

A dream. She remember the event in that dream as if it was yesterday. During her third day at Trinity she got lost while navigating the maze-like corridor and met the peculiar professor. That question was strange and she didn't thought much about it afterward, yet here she's dreaming about that question. It's probably because of Mariana, that short possession she displayed during the class brought up some of her buried memories.

"Wait, the tea party!" Suddenly remembered about the party, Sophia dashed out of her room only to be met with the moon already hanging high on the night sky. The party was surely already finished. She also skipped lunch and dinner and probably slept like a dead log for hours. She didn't brought any food herself and she ends up bothering the canteen lady so she could eat her dinner despite it being late.

-----------------------

New day arrived. Sophia already sat on her seat ten minutes before the class even started. Her missing out the party yesterday made her eager to not repeat the same mistake ever again. The sight of Prof. Jaquie's shoes on the desk didn't make her flinch this time as she started to get used to it. She straightened her posture when the professor finally decided to start the class.

 

[November Witch]

Mariana Mirror

Status: Nervous & scared.

Mariana shut herself in her room for the rest of the night. She closed and locked the door behind her, assuming it had one, and collapsed onto her bed. Anger, frustration, sadness, depression. All these negative emotions swirled around her mind like a tornado. Violent, uncontrolled thoughts passed by too fast to latch onto or really think too hard on. Mariana wished she wasn’t here, that this was all a dream. It would have been the best-case scenario. Not to mention she had no idea why she was being treated this way or even why she was here…

At some point, she had exhausted herself, and fell asleep without realizing it. When the girl awoke, it was dark in her room. She looked a mess and had fallen asleep in her clothes. It was early morning, around 2am, and the girl knew she wouldn’t be falling asleep again.

‘As much as I like the feast you provided me, I think it's time you get some explanations. It’s obvious none of the other weak, cold humans will do it.’

The demon scoffed. Just as it thought, humans were cold, harsh and aggressive to those who were considered different or outcast. Whether it was because Mariana was clueless or had a demon possessing her, it had still happened. It was why a majority of humans, especially those who insulted or ignored Mariana deserved the worst. Definitely no need to look deeper into that.

“I don’t know what you mean. Aren’t you me? I feel like I'm going crazy...”

Mariana murmured.

‘Hmm… I think a visualization will help you understand.’

The voice said. With a bright red light that blinded Mariana momentarily, a figure stood before her… It looked just like Mariana, except that she was dressed differently… She had different colored eyes and hair and… exuded a particular aura… One that was quite odd. There was no other way for Mariana to explain it other than different. However, it did also feel familiar. Her… being felt a little lighter. Like she had lost something or something had exited her.

“Does this help? I’m a ‘Demon.’ One of things your professor mentioned earlier today. Except I’m nowhere near the strength of those weaklings.”

She said with a disgusted tone. As if just comparing herself to them was going to make her gag.

Mariana was silent for a moment, again wondering if she was dreaming. She dug into her bag and pulled out a notepad. If she was going to be told all this, she was going to make sure she understood it. Damn everyone else and their little ‘in’ group! She would show them she could learn just as well, or even more than any of them! However, it was difficult to focus. Not only because of the environment and her racing thoughts… But there was essentially a clone of herself right in front of her! It looked like she was cosplaying a villain… It was so cool! But she couldn’t think of that right now. She had to get over the shock first.

“Uhm… I feel like I would retain this better if we were in a classroom setting…”

Mariana said sheepishly, causing the demon to roll her eyes.

“Fine. Not because you asked, but because it will be beneficial to you, got it?”

It grabbed Mariana’s wrist and dragged her out of the room down the hall, and back into the classroom they’d left the previous day. However, the two would pass Terrance as they got to the classroom. The two would see him leaving, and stare at them both for a moment before continuing down the hall. Mariana would feel a chill go up her spine for a moment. A dark unfamiliar school at night and someone just locked eyes with her momentarily. Who wouldn’t be freaked out?

When they entered, all the damage to the classroom would have been remedied, and it was as good as new. Mariana would flip the lights on and take a seat, while the demon walked up to the chalkboard. A tentacle emerged from somewhere behind her, Mariana couldn’t see where. It grasped a piece of chalk and wrote ‘Demons’ up on the board.

“Demons will be a good starting point. Specifically, what I am, and why you and I are bound for life…”

So, since no one else explained anything to Mariana the demon would… for better or for worse…

…

Mariana had filled up pages with information and was still reeling from it all. She took some time to look for a place to eat after a little over an hour of questions, answers, and a pseudo lesson from the Demon. Her other half would return to Mariana after the little classroom session. The kitchen still brought up the memories from the night before, so she opted for a vending machine she’d found. Mariana would then head back to her room and continue her online job. However, as the time for class neared, she would make her way to class, and once again sit as far away from everyone as possible, in the back and away from the windows.

Mariana would notice Sophie to be the first one here. The girl who had hugged her, scared her, and fell on top of her. She wouldn’t pay her any attention, and neither would the professor get any. Mariana would listen to anything around her but wouldn’t look. Her head would be down on the desk as the others came in. She didn’t want to meet the gaze of any of these people who thought so little of her.

 

[Verite]

Valerie Vu - Into the Morning
Mentions: Silent Child November Witch Solirus Spoiled Bread

​

Valerie let out a gleeful giggle as Leo flushed slightly at Jessie's implication about him and Lola. Certainly, she was having quite a merry time at the little tea party they had arranged together, but as it turned out, not all was well for everyone in paradise. She was initially ignorant of the troubles Mariana had been facing during the party, but once they hit a fever pitch as the girl's explosion of words caught Val's attention.

Having no context for the exchange since she'd been in conversation with Leo, Valerie could only look on, frozen in place and unable to say or do anything before Mariana had ended up storming out. Even after she'd left, Valerie thought about the prospect of going after her, but as much as she hated to see anyone in such a downcast mood, she wasn't really sure what she could possibly say to assuage the girl's woes. And if nothing else, her father had taught her since childhood that sometimes, people just needed their personal space, so maybe that was the best thing here too.

Even so, try as she did to keep on her way, it was undeniable that the momentum had hit a wall, and before she knew it, Val ended up dismissing herself and getting ready for bed. Tomorrow was going to be the first day of the rest of her life after all, so she may as well be as mentally refreshed as possible in order to take on everything that this school would throw at her.

For her part, Valerie was a well mannered roommate to Isaac, if he too chose to sleep on campus. For all her hyperactivity and happy go lucky attitude, it seemed that the girl naturally leaned toward the clean side and kept herself well, and while one might have expected her to be just as energetic and exasperating behind closed doors too, she became quite a deal more reserved suddenly, letting out a worn breath as if she had just performed a gig to its conclusion. Or maybe she was just being standoffish to Isaac specifically. Not that it was really his fault, but these things couldn't be helped.

...

Valerie had never consistently been an early riser; for all its faults, one of her favorite things about college (before she quickly dropped out) was how she could always choose classes that weren't that early, but it seemed that she wouldn't get to keep that luxury here.

"M-Mmrgh..."

Forcibly stirred asleep by the bell and the disembodied voice in her head, Valerie willed herself out of bed. She was the furthest thing from a morning person, but once she enjoyed a quick wash to make herself look presentable again and had a small snack that she pretended was breakfast, she was ready to dive back into the show. Getting dressed, she slid her hands into her stylish black gloves, slapped both of her cheeks to fully wake herself up, and stretched her pink lips into an eager grin.

"Okay... showtime!" She exclaimed to herself, and so began another day. The Sun rose again, so she had to as well.

As she made her way into the classroom, she was first put off by how easy it was to make her way back to it, after the whole ordeal she and everyone else had to go through the first go-around, and then she was once again put off by the sight of all damage and chaos in the room being completely gone. Magic sure was convenient! Or anima, whatever.

"Morning, all!" Valerie called out to Sophia and Mariana, holding two fingers up in a peace sign as she entered the room, seemingly the third student to show up. Her eyes lingered on Mariana for a second longer, flashing her a sheepish smile before moving to take her own seat.

 

[Tiguidi]

COBALT ULAR
Location: Student Lounge -> Dorm Room​

While the tea party had been surprisingly enjoyable, the atmosphere got considerably heavier after the whole ‘Mariana’s demon’ situation. His meek attempt at defusing the situation had obviously ended in failure and adding more probably would have been akin to dropping oil into an already-raging fire. A part of him didn’t want to make Marianne angrier than she already was.

Once night came, Cobalt had realized that he hadn’t checked out the dorm rooms yet. “Oh, we have roommates. Err, I suppose that makes sense.”, he let out at the sight of the name plates. “Uh, who’s ‘Rory Reyes’…?”, he asked no one in particular. Of course, all of this would be cleared out once Rook entered the room , assuming they also slept in the dorms. Cobalt probably wouldn’t have interacted much; he saw this first day as a complete social failure and didn’t want to risk anything else at this point, even though Rook didn’t seem to be the angry type.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next morning...
Dorm Room -> Classroom​

Stifling a yawn, Cobalt entered the classroom, giving a nod in greetings to Mr. Jaquie. He stretched his arms and neck, wincing as a faint pop was heard. “Urgh… good morning.”, he said to the others present in the room, giving them a quick glance. Sophia, who didn’t attend the tea party, looked quite eager and ready to begin. Since she hadn’t been present during the… conflict the day before, he wondered if someone told her about it. Speaking of which, Mariana was also seated, though she didn’t look like she wanted to interact with anyone. The thought made Cobalt frown, as he knew all too well that first impressions were crucial and, to put it in simple terms, hers was botched thanks to the whole possession thing. And of course, it was difficult to ignore Valerie’s presence. Being more familiar with her, he waved at her as he passed nearby, heading to his seat in the second-to-last row.

He was strangely excited for this first actual class. The day prior, during the tea party, Marianne had helped him and the others present a lot regarding anima and what would be important to know -at least to a beginner like him. Demons, spirits, their rankings, what arcanists essentially were… It all still sounded complicated but surely Mr. Jaquie would clear up the holes. Of course, all of that was assuming that he didn’t send a bunch of weak demons at everyone again and immediately call it a day afterwards.

---

jmann Solirus Spoiled Bread November Witch Verite

 

[jmann]

Rook
Tiguidi Solirus Juju

Rook and Aries spoke idly until they were ushered out. The kid seemed nice, even if they had a sort of customer service smile you would see on hospitality workers. That forced smile and facade of joy. They certainly seemed more magically inclined than Rook, talking something of a curse that took a family member. After suspecting the facade, Rook couldn’t be sure if the story was true either. They had met plenty of people telling extravagant accolades of themselves or over dramatic woe-is-me tales to establish dominance in the depression olympics. For the time being, in such a supernatural and extraordinary world, they could lend a little credence to such a tale.

After making their way to their dorm, what they thought would be a twin studio or maybe bunk beds was instead the largest dorm room they had ever seen. Rook stood in the doorway for a moment, marveling at every inch of the place. They nodded in acknowledgement towards Cobalt. On a chair sat a large beat-up brown and blue duffel bag. Rook darted to the bag to look through their belongings, checking everything was in its place. Rook thought they had hidden it away, but someone or something had found it and given it back.

Rook headed for the bathroom, pep in their step at the idea of having a proper un-measured shower for the first time in what must have been months but felt like years. They washed away days of grit and oil, emerging the cleanest they had ever been.
Rook ended the night curled in bed like a cat, their belongings stashed under the bed. In the privacy of insanely comfortable sheets, Rook held back tears. They still didn’t know if they were an arcanist proper or not, but if it meant three meals a day, a place to clean up and sleep, and friends? They’d learn a couple card tricks.

---

Rook was traditionally a light sleeper. Sleeping with an ear out for junkies and looters. But that night Rook slept long and hard. Weeks of sleep debt washed away. That voice in their head shook them right awake though. Rook would wear a different change of clothing but their thrifted patchwork jacket would stay.
On their way to class, Rook thought of their seat that day. Back in high school they sat towards the rear, far enough that they weren’t noticed but no so far back as to be suspected for any tomfoolery in the classroom. But this time, perhaps just this time, they’d choose the same seat at the front, where Marianne and Annamarie could save them. For the first time in a while, Rook was optimistic.

 

[Juju]

Collaboration I: the Case of Nikklaüs and Marianne

Yakov011001 Juju​

Marianne was still in a foul mood after what she intended to be a helpful conversation with Mariana only resulted in tears and flight. Did she not wish to learn the truth? It occurred to her afterwards that perhaps her approach had been too sharp, a sentiment Marianne would have shared had she been 10 years younger. She recalled a similar reaction she had towards her grandfather, and wondered if perhaps without realizing it, she had begun to replicate him. Marianne wasn't sure how to feel about that.

There wasn't much time to ruminate on things, as she was soon answering some questions from Cobalt. He had many questions, but he was an attentive learner, so Marianne found herself more than content to answer any he had. If anything, it calmed her down. By the time everything had concluded, it was nearly evening.

Ready to retire to her room, Marianne finally examined the dormitory doors and was faced with a shock. There, underneath her name, was Nikklaus’ own. A mixed dormitory? Just what sort of school was this? Without even checking the room, Marianne stormed off into the hallways in search of a teacher. There was absolutely no way she and Annamarie would be sharing a room with a guy she didn't know.

Eventually she found the principal’s office, but to her dismay there was a sign that read, ‘meeting in progress’. Marianne waited patiently nearby, but after a while it became clear that this meeting would stretch on for potentially hours. Defeated, Marianne had no choice but to return to the dormitory. Of course, she always had the option of simply returning to the estate, but it was somehow less palatable than the idea of sharing a room with some bullheaded guy she just met. It was just one night, she reminded herself, and it wasn't like she couldn't defend herself from any intrusions. Tomorrow she could get things sorted out with a teacher and leave it all behind.

With Annamarie’s hand held tightly in her own, the twins made their way into the dorm. A deep frown was on Marianne’s face, tired and agitated.

It had been some time, and Nikklaüs had plenty of time to acclimate to the shower—what with the alien controls and all—and the tankless water heater was nice: letting him stay in the heat for far longer than he could (should) at home. Retrieving what clothes he’d left in the hamper, he checked underneath the sink and found the towel he was needing in the cabinet below. Drying himself off haphazardly and far from thoroughly, he wrapped the towel around his waist and quickly crossed over to the bedroom directly across the bathroom. He let out a quick ‘fuck’ underneath his breath as he did, the cold air slamming into his still wet skin.

He had a half-thought. Maybe it’s rude to be claiming this room as my own so quickly, my roommate isn’t even here to put in their two cents. Ah! You snooze, you lose. That’s on them. He immediately dropped his towel and clothes on the floor close to the door and made a quick search of the room, taking it in better than he did before. Two desks, do I need two? He rummaged through all the drawers, finding each one empty. The same with the closet. Oh, fuck. That meant he didn’t have a proper change of clothes, which is annoying. Well, I guess I’m just—putting these pants back on. Goddamn it all.

Then Nikklaüs decided he was going to settle down for the night and begin his studies. So he settled himself down at the desk to start reading, only to realize once he sat down that he’d misplaced the books. And my bag, did I fuckin’ leave them in the kitchen? You did, you did leave them in the kitchen. He got up and moved to the door, but stopped upon taking the door handle into his hand. Maybe he should put on a shirt real quick; Nikklaüs kind of didn’t want his scars exposed. Nah, it’s a two second snatch and grab, who could be waiting out there for me? Now confident that there was nothing to worry about, Nikklaüs strode out to the kitchen only for that confidence to be shattered in an instant. Looking across to the door, who—of all the fucking people on this giant fuck-you rock—did he see come through the door with timing so perfect he could call it comedic. Let’s see: twin-tails, gray eyes, prim and proper duchess-like attire, porcelain chauffeur. That’s fucking Marianne Montgomery.

“Son of a bitch.” Was all Nikklaüs could manage.

Marianne’s stormy expression shifted from shock, to embarrassment, to utter rage. A pink colour flushed across her face as she shouted, “Bloody hell, can you at least make yourself decent!”

She caught a glance of an uncomfortable amount of scars, and well, skin. It was far too much to take in at once. She quickly flung her gaze away, shielding it with a hand. With her other, she shoved a palm in front of Annamarie’s indifferent, unflinching gaze.

“This is just my luck!” she exclaimed shrilly, “It’s bad enough that I have to share residence with you!”

Well…

It was nice for Nikklaüs to finally get a win over on Marianne, though he’d’ve preferred to do so some other way. Not wanting to show weakness or hesitation, he pushed that advantage. Crossing the kitchen until he was almost right in front of her, but stopping short at the island where he had left his bag and his books.

“Your luck?” He said mockingly, in a suspiciously well-practiced royal pronunciation accent: like something you’d hear on a documentary off the BBC. “Please, love. Surely you could think of worse. Although, I’ve a hard time thinking of something worse myself, I suppose,” He snatched up the books, wiggling them spine first for her to see. “Now then, I must be going, love. I have some reading to catch up on.”

Nikklaüs offered her and Annamarie a bow—each separately—before turning and walking off. He made it slow though, he was captivated by the thought of what Marianne had to say next.

The mocking accent used by Nikk was not lost on Marianne, whose temper only sharpened. She whipped her hand away to shoot him a glare, only to remember he was shirtless. Now she could easily be considered the indecent one. Wait, was this the whole objective here? Was this supposed to be intimidation? How dare he! Too late and too proud to back down, Marianne lividly held her ground.

“Why you…!”

Seriously, he should cover up that mess of scars. Most arcanists, even the ones who had nearly died on the job, did not burden themselves with scars. Anima arts flawlessly healed most wounds. So it was quite odd to see any scars, let alone someone literally covered in them. She couldn’t help but look at them, her eyes a mix of curiously and repulsion, even in her enraged state. Silently, she cursed Nikk and indecency, cursed his stupid recklessness, cursed whatever beast did this. The thought of dark, infernal claws sinking into flesh made her shudder.

Her eyes narrowed, a sneer on her face, when she found something sharp to shoot back at Nikk. A book he so innocently announced, happened to be one she was familiar with, “Hmph, you certainly do need to catch up! Deciphering Sigils Vol I and II? Ha! I had that book memorized when I was barely six!”

Nikklaüs couldn’t help the grin that appeared on his face. She picked the exact wrong thing to challenge him with.

“¿Y cuánto idiomas sabes? Estoy curioso.” He turned to meet her, but the smugness that was there quickly turned into something else. “Not all of us have had the headstart you have,” Nikklaüs’ tone turned somber for just a half second. “Y’know, before just now, I thought you’d be the kind of person to encourage a student eager to learn. It’s a shame to see I was wrong.”

A flicker of confusion crossed Marianne's face, at the language barrier. It was a simple message, but a potent one. Her gaze lowered shamefully, a sign that Nikk’s words had cut a little more deeply than she would ever admit to. How quick was it for the bladed words to be turned inwards. A war on two fronts.

“I, well…” her frown deepened, storming with bitter thoughts that wore down the anger. “No, you’re entirely correct. What I said was completely unnecessary and impolite. Please excuse me…”

Out of habit, she lowered her hand from Annamarie’s eyes so that she could instead clutch the doll’s hand in her own. A habitual gesture of comfort.

“Those blessed with knowledge have a duty to share it with others. Just as arcanists are compelled to defend those who cannot defend themselves,” she continued, the anger in her eyes transformed into a more fervent, sombre flame. It sounded almost like she was scolding herself, or speaking a mantra.

When she looked back at Nikk all the embarrassment and anger was gone, replaced with a cool, steady gaze and an expression that could match the doll beside her, “If you require any assistance, please let me know. Tatiana Elpida is an excellent scribe, though even still, many parts can be unclear to the beginner.”

Nikklaüs sighed. With what emotion he released it with, was unclear. Some weird mix of relief and some other thing he couldn’t define. But he thought it was cute, how she clung to Annamarie for comfort. That’s it, he was sighing out the cute.

“I appreciate the offer, love. Before that though, I want to make sure you’re not being too hard on yourself. That doubt and regret can very quickly become a trap, and could keep you from growing. Instead, we could try this whole thing over again. Tomorrow is a new day after all.”

Even if a bit shameless in his current dress, Nikklaüs closed the distance between them, only now was it that their height difference was obvious. He didn’t quite tower over her, but a full head taller was—well maybe he did tower over her. He offered her his hand.

“My name is Nikklaüs Tetsuya Tenshouha, I summoned my Anima for the first time today and also you’ve probably seen more of me today than anyone else has in my lifetime,” Reintroducing himself, Nikklaüs suddenly got self-conscious of his shirtlessness when he finished the phrase. Even if he was only referring to the scars. He reflexively brought the books up under his arm to cover his largest scar. “I’m willing to tell the stories later, if curiosity strikes you.”

“That won’t be necessary. We are all entitled to our private matters. As you said, it should have been kept as a private matter had it not been for me.” Marianne said, her awkwardness still evident in how stiffly she stood when Nikk approached her. She had half the mind to step back, but the door behind her made that a little difficult.

Marianne was in fact quite curious about the scars, though it felt wrong, too intimate. Just like how he was shamelessly approaching her without a shirt. Seriously, why was he getting so close?! She glanced between him and his outstretched hand, eyes a little unsure. Gingerly, she accepted the handshake, trying not to look at the scars or Nikk too closely.

“Marianne Montgomery.” she introduced herself again, casting her gaze sideways. His concern for her mental state caught her a little off guard, but she summed it up as just a quirk of those born outside arcanist society. “I'd also ask you not to concern yourself with me. I assure you everything is under control.”

She withdrew her hand and gave a subtle cough, “Now, if you would kindly let us pass… I believe it's time Annamarie and I got ourselves settled into our chambers.”

“Right,” Nikklaüs chuckled at her awkwardness, honestly it eased him more than maybe it should’ve. “Sorry about that. I’ll let you guys get to your rooms. I’ve already holed myself up in the backmost room, I hope you don’t mind. “ He said, retreating to his studies. He wanted to comment on her remark about having things under control, but out of fear of being any more pretentious as he already had been, he decided to bite his tongue this time.

Instead he returned to his room without another word and settled himself at his new desk. It was time to get some work done. He didn’t find any supplies in the desk earlier, but his autopilot checked the drawers again. Suffice to say Nikklaüs was surprised to find some study supplies in there this second time around. Ma always said I was blind. It was a saran sealed package. Upon tearing it open, Nikklaüs found a few pens and mechanical pencils, a scratch book, and a more proper, leather bound book. Ooh! And some post-it notes. Turning to page one, Nikklaüs began his journey through Deciphering Sigils Vol. I:

Chapter I - the Sigil “Alphabet”

To use the word alphabet would be a bit misleading. As unlike the alphabet as used in a lot of latin scripted languages, each sigil is representative of a full idea or concept. But not unlike the latin alphabet, each individual sigil acts as a building block for what are effectively words of power and by—

When the dust settled, Marianne explored her new living quarters. It was nothing like what she was accustomed to back home, but that was neither here nor there. All that mattered was that it was clean and orderly, and if anything, the modern design was an improvement. She noted several features that were absent at the manor, including electronic lights and the hum of what must be some sort of ventilation or air conditioning unit. Quite the luxury.

Exhausted and still on edge from the previous conversation, it was all Marianne could do but place her purse on the nightstand and sit on the bed. She was impressed by how big it was for a queen-size, as it was significantly larger than the one she slept in at the estate. Come to think of it, everything was rather large in this place. Could it be located somewhere in America?

After careful consideration and a great deal of reluctance, Marianne found the courage to take a shower in what was clearly a shared bathroom. Judging by the condensation, it had been recently used. Marianne shuddered at this realization, and carefully prowled the bathroom for any sort of mess. Once she was absolutely sure things were clean, and that the doors were firmly locked, she finally switched on the shower. Just in case, she had Annamarie stationed at the door with the clear instructions that if anyone tried to enter, she had permission to attack. Fortunately for all parties, there was no need.

After she was finished, Marianne traded her chemise for a nightgown and helped Annamarie into her own. They were of the summer variety, but the thin fabric had made it easy for her to fold it up in her purse. It had been her grandmother's suggestion, which she now silently thanked. It saved her the trouble of returning to the estate prematurely, almost as if she somehow knew about the residency situation.

It’s just until I can bring our other clothes tomorrow, she reminded herself as she undid Annamarie’s hair and brushed it through with a comb, as well as the matter of changing dorms. Mind you, these dorms were vastly different from what she expected. Even still, she wasn’t quite sure if she was completely comfortable. Those thoughts could be kept for the morrow. For now, she needed sleep. She tucked Annamarie into bed, switched off the lights, and then nestled herself in, one hand clasped around the doll’s.

When Marianne awoke, the sky was just beginning to turn the same colour as Annamarie’s eyes, both of which stared at her from across the pillow.

“Good morning, Annamarie.” Marianne mumbled as she sat up, brushing wet tears from the corner of her eyes. She hadn’t remembered dreaming, as usual, but sometimes her body would hint otherwise.

She rose from the sheets, got dressed, did her hair, and then helped Annamarie do the same. The first order of business was a short ‘meditation’ session to sharpen and condense the anima within her chest. Once she was satisfied with that, she moved on into the kitchen.

Marianne did not make her own breakfasts in the manor, so the option to cook herself something came as a sort of novelty. In the end, she made herself a simple bowl of oatmeal paired with fresh tea and assorted fruit. As she ate, she reviewed her notes from yesterday while Annamarie sat on the opposite side, waiting.

“Do you think class will be useful today, or just another aptitude test?” she asked the doll while she rested her head on a palm. With a sigh, she added, “Then again, this is already a large step for anyone new to arcane arts. We've ought to be helping a few of our fellow students after class.”

Speaking of which, perhaps she should invite Nikklaus to the study group. She glanced at his door, which had still not opened since last night. As much as she was grateful to have the kitchen all to herself, it surprised her that he would be reckless enough to risk being late for class. There was no way he had not heard the mental alarm. Surely. She simply snorted in disapproval and stood up to do the dishes.

By the time everything, including the counters, were washed, sanitized, and dried, Nikklaus had still not shown his face. Class would be starting soon and if he didn’t get his lazy corpse out of bed then he would surely be late for it. Marianne tapped her finger on the counter in agitation. She should really just leave and forget about her negligent roommate, but she couldn’t do so in good conscience.

In a huff, she stomped over to his door and knocked several times. When no answer came, she knocked a little louder. Still, no response. She raised her voice, “Nikklaus, you really ought to get going now! Class will be starting soon!”

The only response was silence. Drawn by the commotion, Annamarie stood by her side and glanced at the door, head tilted inquisitively. Marianne waved her hand to the doll, “Everything’s alright, Annamarie! Don’t you worry now…but by god, I swear…”

The day was still young and Marianne was already getting conniptions. She checked the clock, which to her dismay revealed that she too was getting dangerously close to being late if she stuck around any longer. How on earth was he still sleeping? For a moment, she considered the worst. Was he alright? Invading someone’s private quarters was a serious issue, one she did not intend to breach. She banged on the door again, yet still there was no answer. Her worriment heightened, sparking intrusive memories.

After waiting a little longer, and stressing over her choices, Marianne finally decided it was best to check on him. She opened the door and quickly found Nikklaus, slumped over his desk and notes. There were a lot. The scratch book had been filled to near its entirety, its pages ripped out and spread wide across the desk’s breadth. Post-it notes riddled the vertical surfaces of the desk, scrawled on them various glyphs and sigils he made to practice. Two of the books were open: one of them, Deciphering Sigils Vol. II, and the other his leather-bound notebook opened to a page headed ‘Sigils & You - Part III: Compound Sigils’. While in an odd position, he was clearly alive. His breaths still fell, and his anima still danced, peaceful for lack of rage. A wave of relief crashed over Marianne, and there was a moment of silence before she flew into a rage of her own.

“Oh you daft sod!” she hissed, pissed at the fact she had been worried over nothing and that he had made her wake him up in the first place, “Nikklaüs! You wake up this instance or I swear…”

Almost instantly, the chair he slept in flew back; spinning like a top on one leg from the momentum. He was settled into an extremely low to the ground and aggressive stance. Nikklaüs’ Anima had fired up from having summoned Zantetsuken, his left hand holding the base of the sheath tight and his right having settled over the handle ready to draw. Even if only for a fraction of a second, Marianne could feel that this was not Nikklaüs.

“Ah, fuck,” But it passed quickly. Nikklaüs sighing in relief, he collapsed onto his hands and knees. Zantetsuken shattering on the floor before its shards evaporated into static. “Please don’t spook me like that, Marianne.”

Marianne realized a little too late just how unprepared she was for an attack. The same could not be said for Annamarie, who had taken a step forward the moment Nikklaus stirred. A pair of white-and-black scissors were held in both hands, blades ajar and sharp. As if paused in mid-animation, she froze her movement just as Nikklaus fell to his knees. Unlike him, the doll did not rid herself of the weapon just yet. She continued to regard him with glassy, piercing eyes.

“Spook you? Says the one who nearly drew a blade on a fellow arcanist!” Marianne hissed, feeling the dread and adrenaline still coursing wild in her veins. There was no denying what she had just seen; something unusual had taken hold of Nikklaus’ anima, like a kettle boiling over with too much water. As much as she didn’t want to jump to conclusions, after seeing Mariana’s case, there was a chance that Nikklaus was also tangled in some sort of possession. This was indeed something they would need to discuss later. Going forward, she would have to keep her guard up at all times.

“Pipe down,” Nikklaüs brought a hand up to rub his eyes with his forefinger and thumb. “It’s too early in the morning to be so loud, love,” Looking back up, he saw Annamarie still had scissors drawn at him. “Teacup, c’mon. You’re killing me here. You can put ‘em down.” He stood from where he’d been kneeling.

The strange nicknames garnered a little eye twitch from Marianne, though Annamarie seemed rather apathetic at the comments. She simply watched and waited, like an arrow ready to be loosed. Gently, Marianne placed a finger on Annamarie’s blade, causing her to lower the scissors that quickly fell away in crimson motes.

Marianne refused to admit she had been worried about the welfare of her idiot dorm mate, or that she had been caught unawares, so instead she buried it in a shower of anger, “Do you realize how many times I tried to wake you! Ah, I should have just let you sleep through class! At this rate, we’ll both be late!”

“Both of us? Come on, now love. You could leave right now and be on time, you don’t have to wait up for me. How much time do I have?” He stressed referring to himself alone. He didn’t want to get in Marianne’s way. He made his own bed, and it was time to lie in it.

“Well, you can figure that out yourself! I’m going to class.” Marianne spat, fully aware that she should have just left him to his own consequences, which he just had to point out. Quickly, she turned heel and stormed out of the room. As she retreated, she called back, “And quit calling me love!”

So Nikklaüs was alone in his room again, and now having a moment to himself to process everything: he felt his stomach drop and his heart jump into his throat. It was a double whammy, wumbo-combo that created a pressure differential in his chest he could only call dread. Unable to hold himself up with his trembling legs, he dropped to his ass. What the fuck was that!? Look, unfamiliar place, unfamiliar people. I got a bit jumpy, alright? He couldn’t argue with himself there. Still, he was shaking at the idea that he could’ve hurt Marianne. She is undoubtedly more skilled and disciplined than I am, she would’ve been fine. No, even then, how could she have expected that from me? I need better control. You’re plenty in control. He reassured himself of that best he could before looking to get himself ready. He didn’t want to be late for his first class on what would more formally be his first day of school.

“Time to get ready,” He made to stand up, the tension in the room breaking when the spinning chair he’d kicked up finally lost its momentum and clattered to the ground. It made Nikklaüs jump. “FUCK!”

It wasn't long before the twins made it to class. Despite how dire Marianne had made the situation out to be, they still arrived before class was in session. Some of the other students, not counting Nikklaus, had yet to even make their appearances. Even so, Marianne's agitated look was enough for any onlooker to tell that she was far from impressed. With Annamarie following like a shadow, Marianne made it to her seat at the front of the class.

jmann Solirus​

Much to her surprise, she found Rook sitting in the front row, just beside the seat Marianne had used yesterday. Had they moved up to specifically sit beside her? It certainly seemed to be the case. Marianne’s frown cracked, letting out a small smile instead. A little bubble of excitement rose up in her chest. Perhaps the morning wouldn't be completely ruined.

Before the twins took their seats, Marianne offered the founding member of their study group a polite wave, “Good morning, Rook.”

Letting go of her frustrations in a sigh, Marianne then placed her notepad on the desk, preparing herself for the lecture even if she suspected she may not learn new information yet. At the very least, she could identify areas to expand on or clarify for the members of ‘Study Group’. Once again she was reminded of how she failed to enlist both Mariana and Nikklaus, though frankly she didn't want to think of her stupid dorm mate at the moment.

“Good morning, Professor Lawphel” She managed to say to her teacher's greeting, her mind already preparing some practice ideas for the club.

Nikklaüs surprisingly wasn’t far behind. How he wasn’t late to class was a wonder, but that was certainly almost only on a physical level. If you could even call it that. He was disheveled and without his cardigan, and his breathing was a bit labored but deep and consistently paced. His mind though, was obviously not there; as he walked in back first to open the door. Apparently his arms were too occupied with his two books: Vol II of his studies, with his notebook laying in its open pages. He didn’t even look at his teacher, opting for a quick “Mornin’.” Effectively only performing it as a formality.

“The sigil for Anima,” Nikklaüs began to mutter to himself, hugging the wall to return to the seat he’d had the day before. “Is a compound sigil, made up of what seems to be the sigil for mind, body, and some third that I can’t read yet.”

It seems like his mind is never at rest

 

[Silent Child]

Leander found himself taken aback as Mariana abruptly decided to leave the party in a fuss. A frown crept onto his face, sensing the disturbance that rippled through the gathering. Slowly, one by one, party members departed, leaving Leander alone in contemplation. Despite hearing the bell, he observed that no one bothered to handle the leftover plates and dishes.

Taking initiative, he gathered the salvageable food, storing most in the refrigerator and placing the rest strategically in locations like the pantry and countertop. Engaging in a meticulous cleanup, he washed the dishes, savoring the moment with music playing through his over-ear headphones. The sound of running water would greet anyone venturing out of their rooms.

After spending an hour and a half on the cleanup, dusting off the table and restoring order, Leander finally retreated to his assigned room. "What a day... A new mystery school... Now I get to sleep in a new place. Yay me," he mumbled, visibly drained.

Entering the room, he noticed one door already closed and smiled, hopeful that Lola found some peace in her rest. Turning off the lights she had likely forgotten, Leander entered the other room. He closed the door, and settled into his somewhat unused bed. Shifting to find comfort, he stared at the ceiling in the dark, murmuring words of encouragement until sleep claimed him.




The next morning, Leander woke to a phone alarm before sunrise, a routine he followed. After spending half an hour in bed, he rose, navigated to the bathroom through the middle room, and took a quick shower. Clad in a basic T-shirt and athletic pants, he returned to his room, only to hear a bell chime in his head. "One hour." Unfazed, he donned a hoodie, feeling an odd jolt. Almost as if some of his morning energy had been drained. Suddenly, he felt something brush against his leg. He dashed forward before turning around to figure out what was going on. A small, plump cat had appeared, its black fur and yellow slitted eyes giving it an air of familiarity. "How... Did you get in here?" Leander cautiously reached out, and the cat nestled against his hand, melting his heart.



Noticing the lack of a collar, he pondered the professor's stance on pets. "I'll have to ask if pets are allowed. For now, you've gotta stay here, little guy." He resumed his preparations as the feline obediently sat. Intrigued but pressed for time, Leander closed the door gently, leaving the cat behind, and headed to class.

The classroom, already half-filled with returning students, caught Leander's attention. Mariana occupied his seat from the previous day, but he was unbothered. He offered a casual wave and smile upon his entry. Deciding to sit behind Marianne in the second row, he observed her willingness to help and expressed a keen interest in absorbing all the knowledge the class had to offer. Until class did start though, he occupied himself with a drawing that his arm mostly covered, so anyone passing by couldn't just happen to see.

 

[Solirus]

Anima
Spoiled Bread November Witch Verite Tiguidi jmann Juju Yakov011001 Silent Child​

As the hour was almost over, the one's inside the classroom could hear a rapidly approaching footsteps and as the door opened, it revealed a worn out and tired Isaac. Valerie would remember that Isaac had not appeared in the dorm room, leaving her bereft of a roommate. Isaac was too tired to be nervous and simply gave a sigh of relief as he arrived on time, taking a seat on the center row closest to the window, and resting his head on his arms.

The sound of tolling bells filled the campus once more, signifying the start of classes. Jaquie closed the book he was reading and gently placed it onto the desk. "Morning everyone." Jaquie said as he rose from his seat, "Today we'll begin learning about Anima." Picking up a chalk, Jaquie began writing something down on the board. "Now, some of you may be more familiar with anima already, but if you aren't, that's perfectly fine, everyone starts somewhere." Jaquie finished his drawing, a simple silhouette of a person with a hole on their chest. "Anima is the manifestation of emotions created by the soul." Jaquie wrote down the definition, it was a very standard and simplified definition of anima, which anyone who had a superficial understanding of the subject knew about.

"Now, what does that actually mean? First, we must divide the two core components here: the soul and anima itself." Jaquie wrote down both of these and underlined them, "Be sure to take notes, helps with learning and remembering. Now, we start with the soul, only living things have souls, with humans having the most noticeable and impactful souls, demons do not have souls. Now the soul itself is very complicated and weird, however the only thing you should know starting out, is that the soul produces anima based on the emotion someone feels and that the soul can't be seen or detected."

"Then we go into anima, the thing the soul creates based on our emotion. Anima can take many forms and on low quantities it is harmless, simply dissipating onto nothingness. However, when there are great concentrations of anima, that is when we get arcanists and demons. Anima allows an arcanist to develop their anima art, which is their unique power manifested through a specific emotion. However, anima also allows the usage of general abilities which can enhance the body, today we will be focusing specifically on the ability to enhance our ability to see and hide anima alongside identifying the type of anima we see." Jaquie finished writing down the notes on the board, grabbing the eraser but waiting for the students to finish their notes "Before we continue, does anyone have any further questions?"

 

[November Witch]

Mariana Mirror

Status: Sheepish & determined.

Mariana didn’t see the gestures of any that entered the classroom, as her head was down. She didn’t want to pay any attention to them. Besides, they would probably speak down to her if she engaged with them. She had a pencil in her right hand and tapped the heavier, pink capped side on the desk while she waited for class to start. The demon and her had been talking about the nature of humans with Mariana, for good or for bad, and the girl had no choice but to listen. While she normally wouldn’t have thought much of it, she now wasn’t sure if the demon was all that wrong after her experience with everyone yesterday…

When the teacher spoke, Mariana wordlessely raised her head and started to take notes. She absorbed everything the teacher said, and would make sure to. She had to show those around her that they wouldn’t know more for long. Maybe if she knew just as much, or more than her fellow students, they would stop treating her the way they were. She was determined to learn, not just for the knowledge, but for the possibility her peers would accept her and treat her as an equal.

Those who entered would notice Mariana had changed her clothing into something else compared to yesterday. A purple beanie, black sweatshirt unzipped to show a white shirt. It looked more casual than what she had worn the day before.

The girl was silent when asked about questions. She could just ask her demon. Though Mariana wanted to know his answer to some things, she refrained, for fear of being made fun of by the others. She would ask the professor after class. Perhaps she would ask for his email too, just so she could ask questions if she was stuck on a homework project too or something. But for now, being silent and diligently taking notes was what she was going to continue to do.

Mariana's current outfit:

 

[seasonedcat]

Aries | Classroom
thankfully for Aries, everyone seemed busy with their own thing, thus letting him slip easily into a desk and following his orders to 'show up' for his classes. As a result, he went under the radar for the most part, spending his time observing the others in the class, specifically his favorite two disgusting parasites. Though, eventually, his peaceful time was interrupted when Rook walked up to him and began to chat with him.

the two of them exchanged small talk for a while, Aries' bubbly personality making the conversation and many lies flow smoothly. A story of revenge for his dead sister. That was most likely true for some poor sod, not that he could care much. From there, they chatted more until Aries excused himself and returned to his room for the day, not caring much more for anything else everyone did with their day. Thankfully for him, his promised roommate never showed up.
--
the next day, Aries started the same as usual, shovling a disgusting amount of food inside his face before the sun had risen, having stuffed his cupboards full after raiding the student lounge last night when everyone else was gone. Not that he could do much in the ways of cooking other than Onigiri, something he can't remember learning, but it is the only thing he can make that's decent. Other than that, he kept most of the other food raw or got things that did not need much/any cooking.

Aries then spent the rest of the morning working out in his room to avoid the others even more. He was hoping if his roommate continued not to show up, he could turn the room into a mock training room so he didn't have to interact with the filth. After eating his second breakfast, he decided he should probably appear in class lest he face punishment for disobeying orders.

Aries made his way through the stench-filled hallways to the class; the muffled noise of the teacher droning on continued before they paused; deciding it was the best time to enter, Aries threw the door open, offering the class a broad smile as he waved, "Yes teacher, I do have a question, where should I sit. I seem to have gotten a bit lost again. I hope I didn't miss too much!" he supplied cheerfully as he took in the class again, seeing surprisingly more faces than he thought he would still enrolled. After his sharp gaze returned to the teacher, he offered an apologetic smile to them as he waited for a response. Aries's facade did not falter as his nostrils burned from the reak of the filth that still sat in the chairs; gods, he hoped he could watch them get torn apart by a demon soon. Though that would have to wait, from the board, Aries could assume this class wouldn't be on anything that took fun.
interactions | the whole class but mainly Solirus
mentions |

 

[Spoiled Bread]

Sophia Hughes
Location: Classroom

Sophia dutifully noted what Jaquie said in her notebook. She's probably one of the few in the class who had basic anima training but still she wanted to write because her theoretical knowledge had always been lacking. Besides, different teacher might reveal different side of the supposedly same knowledge, who knows. She was so focused on her study she didn't even react to some students just coming into class or other distractions.

"Professor, you said demon has no soul. But I know some demons are capable of higher thinking and displaying various emotions. Is this not sign of the existence of soul? Even if its corrupt and only done to manipulate humans?" She asked the professor as the opportunity presented itself.

 

[Verite]

Valerie Vu - Classroom

​

As Jacquie began to start the lecture proper, Valerie initially only stared blankly at him. Her smile was still visible but there was undeniably a bit of blankness in her eyes. For the whole past day, she'd been so excited at the prospect of learning magic that she forgot about how learning could be such a drag. It wasn't until the diligent teacher issued a reminder to take notes that the young woman snapped back to lucidity and pulled out her notebook, diligently writing down everything she could parse just like the others in the room. If nothing else, at least this class was about something that would actually affect her day to day life going forward, and not something completely useless to her. All these years later and she still hasn't found a use for quadratic equations, after all. How about that?

Jacquie's words about how anima was the manifestation of emotions, Valerie couldn't help but give a self-satisfied smile to herself. What did that say about her that hers was based on light and making a splash? Not to toot her own horn or anything, but the writing was kinda on the wall with that, right?

Valerie became particularly intrigued at the prospect of anima evidently having the ability to enhance one's own body as well. So did that mean it could organically make them all physically stronger? How nifty! This means she wouldn't have to waste money on a gym membership or anything, right?

For all these wayward thoughts swirling around in her head, Valerie didn't bother vocalizing any of them, figuring that they'd all be answered soon enough anyway, letting Sophia and whoever else ask their own questions. And for her part, she glanced at Aries as he bustled into the room too, giving a strained smile to the point that one could practically imagine a comical sweatdrop on the side of her head, but otherwise said nothing.

 

[Juju]

Solirus Spoiled Bread jmann
━ ◦ ※ ◦━​

Nothing Jaquie had covered was new information for Marianne, but nonetheless she kept diligent note of everything that he said. After all, there was the chance that some of the others might not be inclined to taking notes, or failed to write every detail. One of which, by the looks of things, happened to be Rook.

Not everyone recalls information in a visual manner, she reminded herself as she transcribed the lecture in her flowing, antiquated handwriting, All will be well should they simply listen.

After class had been dismissed, perhaps she would ask Rook if they wished to borrow her notes. On second thought, she could simply make a copy for Rook’s personal use. It wouldn’t take very long to write it out again on a separate piece of paper. At the very least, it couldn’t hurt to have. Of course, theory was only valuable when paired with practical application, so perhaps she could also help Rook and Cobalt practice sensing anima signatures. There had been one particular item in the student lounge that would be suitable for such an exercise.

Marianne stopped herself when she realized just how ahead of herself she was getting, and how it had nearly distracted her from the lecture. This was no time to plan out extracurricular activities! If she failed at being a student, there was no chance she could be a teacher. Only perfecting both would do. She would settle for nothing less.

While Marianne’s gaze fluttered between page and chalkboard, her twin sat in perfect stillness. Annamarie stared at Jaquie with her everlasting expression, making it difficult to tell if she was drinking in every single word or completely zoned out. The only thing that broke her steady, ruby gaze were her unusually spaced out blinks.

Eventually there was a pause in the lecture, an opening for student questions. The first to bite was Sophia, who picked a rather unusual question. Frankly, it was a bold one as well. It was a subtle shift, but her words made Marianne’s lips purse and her brow twitch, resisting a frown.

Judging by how acquainted she was with things, Marianne could only assume that Sophia must have received some sort of formal education before transferring here. Wherever that was, however, must have had a curriculum quite different from her own.

That line of thinking was quite a dangerous one to have, let alone voice to a room full of Arcanists. Well, Arcanists to be. That was not to say Marianne did not share at least a little bit of her curiosity, just that she admired the girl’s bravery. In her mind, she could clearly picture the narrowed eyes and tense postures of her in-laws and relatives at such a careless statement.

Marianne raised her hand, adding a question of her own after Sophia had spoken, “While on the topic of demons and anima; Professor Lawphel, will you also be discussing the unique methods used by demons to siphon, preserve and utilize Anima in their own 'arts'? This, of course, compared to the conservation methods and techniques used by Arcanists?”

 

[Yakov011001]

While Nikklaüs' attention was divided, it was undivided in its allocation towards study. Referencing how the Arcanist's scripture and its construction alludes to objective reality, it's really just a description of what's observed. Where the script gets its power is something he's yet to figure out. For example, now during Lawphel's lecture does he connect the dots on the construction of the compound sigil for Anima: mind, body, and soul. He wanted to ask questions about the link between Anima and emotion: the lesson implying that Anima invariably has different forms based on the linked emotion. Can an Arcanist's linked emotion change? How does that change the idea or form of the art involved? Before he could figure out what specifically to start with, someone else chimed in. Sophia, if he could remember.

"Professor, you said demon has no soul. But I know some demons are capable of higher thinking and displaying various emotions. Is this not sign of the existence of soul? Even if its corrupt and only done to manipulate humans?"

Nikklaüs shook his head at the idea. No, that's not right. He answered in his mind, referencing his book on sigils. If Anima is a compound sigil made of three parts, what happens when you remove a piece? Well, when you remove the 'soul' you are left with the compound sigil for 'demon'. Interestingly enough, if you remove 'body' instead that's how you get 'human', somehow implying that being human transcends physical form.

“While on the topic of demons and anima; Professor Lawphel, will you also be discussing the unique methods used by demons to siphon, preserve and utilize Anima in their own 'arts'? This, of course, compared to the conservation methods and techniques used by Arcanists?” Nikklaüs brought his head up from his books for the first time in the lecture at Marianne's question.

Nikklaüs' face became one of confusion. Two questions at the beginning of the lecture, that's some surprising engagement for a theory lesson. Still, for what reason are they obsessed with learning about demons before themselves? Know your enemy, I guess. I think it's be a better idea to understand your own role in this conflict before jumping on aspects of your enemy that only serve what is effectively—I don't know—does it really matter if demons have souls or not? No, they still cause harm nonetheless. Nikklaüs brought his hand over his eyes, the sleepless night showing its first signs of wear on him.

Focus up, this is important.

 

[Tiguidi]

COBALT ULAR
Location: Classroom​

Once sitting on his seat, Cobalt paid more or less attention to the other students entering the classroom. A small notebook had already been taken out and a pencil was twirling between his fingers; he was ready.

The blue-haired boy listened in silence during the lecture, transcribing Mr. Jaquie’s words in shorter versions to keep space on the paper -Cobalt even added a few simple drawings instead of sentences, copying the humanoid silhouette the teacher had drawn on the board. He didn’t feel too lost at all these explanations as most of this beginner’s course had already been discussed with Marianne the day before during her own little crash course.

He was attentive to the others’ questions, making sure to leave space in his notebook to write down important information. Though his mind drifted off for a moment, a thought intruding his mind. Letting a quiet hum, he raised a hand with a question of his own. “I’m… not sure how pertinent this is but can animals develop and control Anima or are their souls, uh, not ‘impactful’ enough?” The idea of a dog running around hunting demons was an amusing one.

---

Solirus / everyone in class

 

[Solirus]

Questions
seasonedcat Spoiled Bread Juju Tiguidi ​

Once Aries had entered the classroom, Jaquie turned to face him, there wasn't a single hint of annoyance in his expression and instead smirked a bit, "Morning Aries, seems like you haven't gotten used to arriving on time. Now where to sit, where to sit…" Jaquie looked around the class for a second, then back to Aries. "You know, I've been told that I shouldn't leave poor behavior unpunished and that I should do something about it, so instead of simply hitting you, you'll stand next to me for the entirety of the class. That way you won't miss anything I say." Jaquie said with an amused grin.

Turning to face the other students, Jaquie seemed very pleased with the questions he was getting, "Excellent questions everyone."

"As a simple matter of fact, we know demons don't have souls, however let's analyze this. A soul produces anima based on the emotions of an individual, a demon is made up of anima and without anima they simply vanish from existence. In which case, it explains the behavior of demons, they need to constantly find ways to replenish anima, whether through absorbing left over anima from people or killing them. If demons had a soul, they would never starve and the behavior would change considerably."

Jaquie then turned to face Marianne, "Those topics will be discussed later on when we take a deeper dive into how demons and function. But to give an idea, demons are generally very efficient at preserving anima, as they can't produce their own. Thus, they preserve anima like… let's say a balloon, when that balloon is popped, anima starts leaking out until they dissipate into nothing. Stronger demons circumnavigate this through unique methods, sometimes concentrating a large quantity of their anima into smaller sections, allowing their body to take heavy damage that can be repaired easily so long as that concentration is left unharmed. These concentrated areas can then also develop into a demon's own anima art, which are similar in nature to one's arcanists possess." Jaquie cleared his throat for a second, "Before I keep rambling on, just know that it's not vital to know that just yet, demons that you will be facing are all weaker and dumber and have likely not developed any of these, they will die more easily than a living creature."

Finally, Jaquie turned to Cobalt, "sadly no, animals can't use anima they produce… I wish I could give you an explanation, but I can't. Ms. Cristine has performed research on the subject, be sure to visit her if you're interested in it."

"Now, any further questions before I continue?"

 

[_Yua Watanabe_]

Lola

---

After getting scolded, Lola felt embarrassed and decided it might be better to stay away from the others during their little party. She thought she could do better next time. As a result, she stayed in her room for the rest of the day, dedicating it to writing. She hoped that by keeping track of everyone and how the day went, she could have a better time interacting with people.

---

Morning came quickly, and unfortunately, Lola slept a bit longer than the others. Feeling emotionally drained from the day before, she groaned as she woke up at her desk, her back aching. Confused, she glanced at the messy, incoherent words in her notebook, she felt embarrassed for her self.. couldnt even write properly. Checking the time on her phone, she scrambled to get ready, nearly knocking over her chair. "Fu-fuck.. Im a fu--ck up- s-sh--.. ugh!" she put her face in her hands attempting to suppresss the anxiety that made her shake and squirm a little.

Having got herself together, Lola ran out of her dorm as soon as she was ready, her book and pen clamped tightly in her mouth while she struggled to button up her blazer. She worried it would be embarrassing. She hadn't even had time to tidy up her hair, probably looking like a mess.

Approaching the classroom, she suddenly stopped, patting down her clothes to look a bit neater. Taking a deep breath, she held her book tightly and opened the door. "Im So Sorry... I'm-- I'm late..." she said quickly before rushing to the seat she had claimed before. Lola attempted to give a friendly smile after, but it ended up being more.. stiff and nervous looking.