Fandom JJK: Tales of GRIMM (CLOSED)

[Arcanist]

07/03/2022
11:32AM
BLACK FOREST, GERMANY

It was a clear day, a far cry from the recent and thundering lashes of rain and the chill that bit during the Black Forest’s bleak midwinter. Due to its remote location, the trek to that secluded monastery had always been a sizable effort, especially with the snow and ice. It acted as an incredible deterrent to locals and tourists not to venture up to the mountainous surroundings of what they believed was a secluded monastery of devoted and pious pupils. To the monastery’s denizens, however, its location only became another thing to moan about through the chattering of teeth and the straining of their legs uphill.

You would think sorcerers were used to such extreme effort that an uphill battle towards GRIMM Academy wouldn’t faze them. Alas, these were teenagers.

SpookyBones (Itsuki) ShadyLady (Misaki)
Colorless Spectrum (Mamoru) lion. (Dai) AI10100 (Soma)

Thankfully, a set of very special guests did not need to use their legs to travel uphill. Only the best bus for those partaking in the International Sorcerer Exchange Programme, containing Japanese students and their teachers from the Tokyo and Kyoto Sorcerer Schools.

A continued and successful programme, it was once again given the green light to go ahead again this year, and there was an excited buzz across campus at the arrival of more Exchange Students once again. Their flight and travel over was surely exhausting, though, the sight of the newly thawed and shining lake that lay below the monastery perched atop that steep incline would steer their mind away from it.

The bus would eventually struggle to a stop at the front of GRIMM Academy, a giant of gothic beauty and history. As the students and their teachers received some help from the bus driver in unloading equipment and personal belongings, they might have noticed the gaggle of students at one of the tall windows at the top of the building gawking and whispering excitedly at the arrival of the Exchange Students. They remained at the window, even as a small hunched and elderly woman appeared at the entrance with a warm smile.

“Ah, you’ve finally arrived! Welcome, welcome, it is so good to see you all,” she ushered them inside with a quick wave of her hand. “Don’t worry about your belongings, dearies, we’ll be sure to keep them safe for you.” As she ushered them in, the expanse of gothic scenery of the monastery didn’t stop at the outside. With the high ceiling, beams, and mosaic tiles above, there was a particular chill here.

“I am Frau Hilde, Deputy Headmistress of GRIMM Academy,” her voice lifted to the ceiling. “While I am sure you are excited and you have many questions, I would like to take you to meet the Headmaster and the Fourth Year students you will be spending much of your time with here this semester. If you could all follow me, I’ll take you to the Central Garden where they’re all waiting. It’s quite a sight to behold!” With a surprising amount of speed, she began walking to said garden, assuming that the new arrivals would follow.




Arcanist (Alice) Danidify (Robin), . D O V E (Sophie) Castello (Leandro) Jet (Zack)
Ambiloquous (Caïssa) The Prophet (Alexei) TheImmortalDeity (Callum)

In the Central Garden of GRIMM, flowering fauna signalled once again to the beginnings of a new season. Though there was still a light breeze in the air, the vines and flowers that clung to the monastery walls, the monstrous growth of plants in the centre, and the familiar chirps, clicks, and calls of insects and birds enlivened one of the Academy’s many pride and joys. It would make for the perfect meeting spot for those in the Exchange Programme, and an equally scenic start to the quick tour of the Academy.

It was here that GRIMM’s prestigious Year Four students - those who wished to continue their studies here another year - were gathered to meet their guests. They had been prepped and informed of their own responsibilities as ‘hosts’ to these students in the previous weeks, though, at the risk of the excitement making them forgetful, their tall and lithe Headmaster was dutiful in reminding them.

“And do remember the Student Handbooks,” Benjamin said, cleaning his monocle with a fine piece of cloth, before readjusting it over his left eye. “For our guests, though, should you be asked about anything, I would like to think you all are aware of the rules and regulations of GRIMM by now.” God help him if they didn’t. He repeated it more than enough times to the students.

A strong hand clasped him on the shoulder, not enough of a gesture to shock Benjamin, but to regard him with his usual cutting gaze. “I think they get it, Headmaster,” the man grinned, and removed his hand before he would be quickly rebuked for it. Vincent turned to the students gathered. “Most importantly, remember to smile! GRIMM and Europe will be a whole different experience to them, I’m sure, so make them feel at home.”

Benjamin hummed, arms folded and nodding in agreement. “Of course. Especially so, with what we have planned for them.”

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the familiar hobbling of Frau Hilde. Shorter in stature and wiser in her years, she was by no means slow. She led the Japanese sorcerers and their teachers with a comfortable and familiar ease into the gardens. He turned then, assuming that he didn’t need to gesture for his students or their Fourth Year Mentor to make themselves look presentable behind him.

As the foreign students arrived and stopped before the Headmaster, the Mentor, and the students gathered to meet them, it surely looked like they expected them. Benjamin’s eyes were sharp, almost appraising as he met each individual’s gaze. If any of his own students gave their own quiet greeting, he hadn’t noticed, or perhaps, didn’t acknowledge it. He looked to Frau Hilde and nodded in appreciation.

“My thanks, Frau Hilde, for guiding our guests here to the Central Garden. I believe it is a wonderful place to start your journey with us,” Benjamin began, turning his gaze back to the new arrivals. Though his expression was serious, there was a genuity in his tone as he continued.

“You are all very welcome to GRIMM Academy. I hope your journey here was smooth and that you aren’t too weary from travelling. I am Benjamin Lange, Headmaster here at the Academy. You have already met Frau Hilde, our Deputy Headmistress,” he nodded to her, and looked to Vincent Steiner, who stepped forward, the least formal of them all as he unfolded his arms and lifted one in greeting. “Our Fourth Year Mentor, Vincent Steiner. He oversees our Fourth Year students here at GRIMM, and you are welcome to approach and speak to him at any time should you wish to.”

“Of course,” Benjamin stepped aside then, presenting the group of students who had been awaiting the Exchange Students’ arrival, “Our Fourth Year students. Just like you all, they will be graduating this year to go on and do many great things within our sorcerer society, I’m sure.” There was a hopefulness there, until he left it, and moved quickly on. “I would like to thank all of you who have attended. The GRIMM-JUJUTSU Exchange Programme has seen much success from the students involved in it in the previous years as I am sure your mentors have already made you aware.” Benjamin exchanged glances between both groups of students. “Take this event over the coming weeks as an opportunity to learn from one another and to make lifelong connections as sorcerers. It is ties like these between our schools and societies that stand the test of time, and hopefully, prove valuable to all of you.”

Benjamin seemed poised to say something else. He paused, seeing Hilde fiddling with her hearing aid, sucking in her teeth, and bringing her hand back down. The Headmaster threatened to flush before he cleared his throat. “Though, I don’t suppose you wish to stand and listen to me prattling on about the benefits. You will know best yourself why you are here and why you take part. In short, I hope this event is of great benefit to you all. And that you enjoy yourself too.”

It wasn’t all just hard work, like Benjamin had very often lectured it was.

“Now, before we guide you through GRIMM’s halls for a quick tour, I believe more introductions are in order.” If the eyebrow raise above the monocle was anything to go by, that was the signal for both GRIMM and JUJUTSU students to make themselves heard. ​

 

[AI10100]

GAUKURO SOMA
Location: Central Garden, GRIMM
Interacting with:​

It had been Soma's first time traveling overseas and he had to admit that it was tiring. Though thanks to his and Itsuki's disabilities, he and his group enjoyed certain privileges when it came to boarding the plane. He had been ill at ease most of the time— he didn't mind enclosed spaces, but the idea that there was no room to run to when they're thousands of feet up in the air was disconcerting. Still, the trip had been enjoyable. The others had made it marginally better as he listened to them banter.

After the plane, they were quickly ushered into a special bus to head toward GRIMM Academy. From what he had heard, the Academy was situated deep within a forest and was difficult to get to. It reminded him of Tokyo Jujutsu High. It was a hassle and a half to get out of the school without a car. He shambled into the bus and sat down in one of the front seats, allowing Fuwa to hop onto the window seat. While normally, Fuwa would have had to lay down on the aisle, Soma didn't think that it would be a problem. After all, there was plenty of space for all of them. He searched his bag for the familiar rough cylindrical container. He took it out and shook it once to confirm that he had gotten the correct one.

He imagined that Fuwa perked up at the sound and he carefully uncapped the container and placed the dog food onto the cap before laying it down on his side, holding it down to make sure that it wouldn't topple over if the bus suddenly stopped. Once Fuwa was done, she nudged Soma's hand with her nose to signal it and Soma capped the container again and slid it into his pack. The next thing was her water and Soma grabbed the smooth cylindrical container, shaking it once to make sure it was water. He brought the bottle out and squeezed, allowing the water to fill up the cap before he lowered it to Fuwa. She nudged him again. He waited for the water to spill back down into the bottle before storing it.

Most of the trip was filled with the chatter of the others to which he occasionally chimed in and the rumble of the bus. The most he could tell of their surroundings was what his companions commented on if they were awake. He wondered if they were allowed to explore the forest. It would do him well to be familiar with the area surrounding the school itself just in case. He wished he could pull down the windows to hear what was going on outside. He felt Fuwa shift next to him, presumably looking out of the window. Had they arrived? Just like that, the bus stopped and they were ushered out.

Soma was careful when he disembarked, holding onto Fuwa with one hand and he shouldered his pack on the other. Someone had greeted them by the entrance as their luggage was taken out of the bus. An elderly woman from the sound of her shaky voice, yet it seemed warm, welcoming, and firm all the same. Soma took a moment to tap into his cursed technique, studying the layout before him before shutting it down. GRIMM Academy was massive, as far as he could tell, and he was sure it would take a while before he could get used to it. He could see the cursed energy of other people around, a bit away from them. Students inside the building, perhaps?

"Mhm, I'm sure its beauty is unparalleled." Soma said in Japanese with a nod, sounding genuine despite the small smile on his face. Still, he followed behind the others, making sure that he wasn't two seconds away from tripping onto the dirt. Fuwa set the pace for him and he followed. The Deputy Headmistress had an odd gait, likely from age, and he could hear its difference from the stomping of his companions. Ones he had gotten used to. Despite that, her pace didn't slow down one bit.

The Deputy Headmistress was right. The garden was gorgeous.

To others, it may have been its colorful appearance and the arrangement of the flowers or whatever else could be seen. To Soma, it was because of the scents that mingled together. Carnations, roses, sunflowers, asters, daisies and he bet there were so much more— it lingered in the air. He was pretty sure there were flowers in there that he couldn't recognize. To him, it was quite literally a breath of fresh air— something calming in the bout of excitement and uncertainty he had found himself in. The sounds of birds and insects certainly added to its charm. He certainly wouldn't mind hanging out in this garden when there was some free time that was for sure. Maybe he could drag someone to tell him all about it. Surely someone was maintaining it.

They arrived at the meeting place and he could count a couple of people there, their cursed energy flickering within them. He hummed. The Fourth Year students probably. A man spoke up this time. His voice was a little raspy, older, whole. Benjamin Lange. He tried to keep the name and the voice in mind. There was the Fourth Year Mentor Vincent Steiner. Ah, he'd have to ask Mamoru or Misaki who that was at a later time.

The Headmaster continued on with his speech. He sounded like a proud headmaster, much like how their own acted before they were sent off to GRIMM Academy. The spiel wasn't as long as he had expected it to be and it did make Soma look forward to what kind of activities were planned out for them. He had stopped his speech and allowed the students to introduce themselves.

He raised his free hand, calling attention to himself. "Hey, I'm Gaukuro... Soma. Just Soma is fine. Just so we can clear things up, yes, I'm blind." He grinned, puffing his chest slightly in pirde. "Probably one of the first, if not the first, blind sorcerer you guys have met. Anyway, this is my seeing dog, Fuwa. She's friendly, I promise, but if you can ask to pet her before petting her, that would be great." A bit of a rehearsed ask. Most Japanese folk just leave her alone but it couldn't hurt to make it clear that petting her on duty wasn't the best decision they could make. "Aandd, that should be it? Yeah. I got some treats in my bag if some of you wanted to get acquainted with Fuwa later." He continued, apparently completely forgetting about introducing his own cursed technique. Ah well. Problem for another time, yes?

 

[The Prophet]

ALEXEI MARIA ROMANOV
Location: Central Garden, GRIMM
Interacting with:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Orchid colored eyes shone brightly as its bearer sat with the others, watching the far horizon with a gaze as if intent onlooking through the flora, buildings, and down the hill. If he could see the bus that drove up the steep hill, an onlooker could guess quite easily. But if it was any indication, the boy mouthed a small “Awe~” at whatever it was he saw. “......Милая собака……What do you think they’ll be like? I don’t know about you, but it would suck to play tour guide and stuff to someone super mean. They looked alright, but who knows?” came the musings of a white haired Russian, idly flipping a bullet casing between his fingers. Here in the garden with his peers, the young sharpshooter couldn’t help but speculate; When he spotted the bus towards the base of the hill whilst sightseeing, he simply had to warn the others.

The staff were faster, and they found themselves rounded up in the uniquely green garden, waiting for a bus of jetlagged sorcerers to come and integrate themselves with the cold climate of Europe and its warm inhabitants. Taking his focus form the new arrivals, Alexei Maria Romanov switched focus to the headmaster. The headmaster was saying something probably important; once he began to ignore the ants battling across the garden, it became easier to hang onto his words. “Don’t worry Headmaster, we’re the best! If I don't know something, I'll ask Caissa.” the youth nodded contentedly, as if it was only natural that they answer his questions. God help his grades.

“Ah, the bus stopped.” He added on, pointing to somewhere unseen.

Sure enough, a handful of minutes later a set of unfamiliar faces crested the corner, led by Frau Hilde. Already before they had made it to them he had put away his casing, waving a hand adorned with multiple rings as they approached. Alexei was silent for now; he wouldn’t want to interrupt the bossman for a silly first impression. Instead, he gave an easy smile towards all the exchange students as the headmaster welcomed them, nodding along in the background.

“Though, I don’t suppose you wish to stand and listen to me prattling on about the benefits. You will know best yourself why you are here and why you take part. In short, I hope this event is of great benefit to you all. And that you enjoy yourself too. Now, before we guide you through GRIMM’s halls for a quick tour, I believe more introductions are in order.”

Soma went first, and to his surprise the foreigner declared themselves blind. Was that why the dog was there? It in fact was! making a mental note to ask to pet Fuwa later, he nodded.

“Ooh! Let me go first for our side! I practiced like, sooo much last night. Ahem.” Hopping off of his chair and stepping closer, Alexei held out a hand for whoever would take it that could actually, well, see it. “Hey hey, Nice to meet you! Don't worry, You guys must be pretty tired after the flight and all, so I'll just be quick and casual with mine. My name is Alexei Romanov, and I'm obviously a 4th year here This place is great, you'll love it! After the tour and everything, just let me know if you want the best spots to sightsee and stuff, i do it all the time. I imagine the locale is pretty different from…where you’re from. Yeah, I totally remembered. Yeah.” forcing a brief laugh, he stopped midway to smile suddenly and glance back at his peers. “Oh wait! I know! This whole program is about cooperation between us, right? Since we might work together on things in the future, even past all this, I'll tell you a little about my techniques! Just a tad though, gotta leave some surprises. Me? Pretty simply, I can control water, and I'm grade 3. Pretty cool right? What about you guys?"

Finishing off his introduction with a harmless lie, Alexei gave a friendly and light bow. The headmaster wouldn't mind a little intrigue, right?

 

[Colorless Spectrum]

Mamoru Fujimori

It was Mamoru's first time traveling on a plane, was she excited? Not really. Were her siblings excited for her? Definitely. It's not every day you get to ride a plane, at least for those like her that was dirt poor in making ends meet. She was originally going to turn down joining the program but Jin and Yuka urged her otherwise and said how maybe one day they get to go to Europe too. Not to mention, Riko and Rika asked that she takes pictures of all the pretty places she'll be going to with her new haircut. The very same hair that they have cut into whatever it was a few days before she set off to Germany, there was no name for it and it was certainly weird but Riko was quite proud of it and so she was she. If any one of her friends made a comment about it Mamoru just responds with, "As my sibling said, it's perfect."

The plane ride was certainly something, Mamoru couldn't decide if she loved the view from above the clouds or it if frightened her to be so high up in the sky. Her knees certainly felt weak at some point, and the people with her had made the whole transport quite alright overall. There was a comfort around being with friends, especially with how long they have known each other. Once they landed down, the young student could only thank the heavens that the plane ride was finally over. She certainly enjoyed the bus more, she took a seat on the other side of Soma's and either watched Fuwa eat and drink or sleep. When she had come to, the bus had already stopped and everyone was already making their way out with their luggage. If there was anyone that needed help with carrying their bags, Mamoru had certainly offered to do so.

She was certainly in awe of everything that she saw. Sure you can search all this stuff online but seeing it in person was just- "Wow," She expressed in amazement at the large facility. "I can see why Zofia likes the 'Gothic Era,' Soma, buildings like these look great." She said to her best friend to which she had nodded in agreement at his statement. He was a key character in her becoming a Sorcerer even if it was by pure chance and has stuck with each other since then alongside Itsuki.

Of course, Mamoru followed in turn with the others, being one of the people at the front. She slowed down her pace once they reached the garden, walking beside Misaki whom she knew had a penchant for flowers. "It's really beautiful here, there are even those flowers that I gave you!" Pointing at the bush of carnations to their side, she wasn't knowledgeable about flowers but seeing it made her a bit giddy. The only reason she knew about it was her sending it as a gift back then, their relationship may have started on the wrong side of the foot but Misaki has become one of the people she trusts the most, and finding comfort just being around her like with Soma and Itsuki.

So far, the place looked fantastic and Fray Hilde certainly seemed like a warm and sweet woman. Not just that but she was surprisingly quick too, perhaps there are some things you can still do in that age when you're a Sorcerer. Not long after, it seemed they had arrived at the rendezvous what with all the people in front of their little group. The man who introduced himself as the Headmaster seemed like a stern fellow, the type to uphold the rules to his very best.

And here was the part she expected to hear, like it was the first day of school, introductions. Soma had gone first, she didn't expect anything less knowing him. Then a student from GRIMM who surprisingly spoke in Japanese and butchered it all the same. It was amusing to say the least and it was what made Mamoru decide to go next. "Hey," she started off in English with her slight Japanese accent, walking over to the front. "That was a nice try but still very bad. Did you use Google Translate for that?" She quipped before taking Alexei's hand into her own. "I'm Mamoru Fujimori, it's a pleasure to meet you all. I'm a Grade 3 Sorcerer and my technique is an element too! Here, I'll give you a hint and you can guess." With a lopsided smile on her lips, she sent a small shock of electricity from her hand to the other just to give that short tingle before letting go. "Cool right?" She asked him while stepping back a bit to let someone else take the spotlight.

Interactions: AI10100 ShadyLady The Prophet

By: CkSpectrum

 

[Ambiloquous]

.♕.

Caïssa von Seilern und Aspang

Lush floral displays and songbird trills were all well and good to while the time away, but Caïssa von Seilern und Aspang had her attention seized by something else. Something familiar. A squirrel seeming no different from any other squirrel peeked at GRIMM students from a leafy bough before scampering down the trunk and deeper into the garden, as squirrels were wont to do. It would’ve been a perfectly innocuous action, if not for the fact that the NYMPH Network assistant remembered inspecting the joints of that exact squirrel not a week prior. Cursed corpses usually patrolled the perimeter of the academy grounds. Did exchange students warrant the extra eyes more than the border?

Immediately after her mind brought up the question, she realized that they did. Any issues that arose between the sorcery situation in Germany and the overseas students might cause a rift between the three schools, and there was no knowing the clear backgrounds of whoever had come overseas—unless background checks were done, which wouldn’t surprise her. She tapped her chin with a finger, thoughtful.

Then the unintelligible Russian mumble of a boy with streaky dyed hair pulled her idle line of sight away from the patch of puffy carnations it had rested on. Caïssa knew his vision was extraordinary, but to see enough of the Japanese students a hill away to judge their demeanour was still impressive. Not that she would tell him; the sharpshooter was already complacent without her fuel for the fire. She quirked her lips up to soften the blow and replied, “I don’t know about them, but I know a variety of reasons to be mean to you. Want me to list some?”

At the headmaster’s admonition and Alex’s response, Caïssa let out an amused snort. Even her memory wasn’t so good that she held all the rules in her head. Most of them could be summarized using common sense, so there hadn’t been any need to memorize the Handbook like she would a history textbook. She didn’t say that though as she quietly retorted, “What am I, Google?”

She wouldn’t actually refuse if he asked, but she had a better method to swerve around the need of rote memorization. A while back, she had scanned a digital copy of the handbook into her phone after someone pulled a lawyer and tried to argue against her in the name of Rule Who-the-Fuck-Knows. It made it fairly easy to search up any specific regulations, though the program she used had difficulties in converting the image to text, so some terms were more than a bit wonky.

Glancing purposefully away from the group, she missed Steiner’s speech as she discreetly poked around her phone. And send. Now, if any of her roommates or Alex had trouble with listing GRIMM rules out of the blue, they at least had an error-prone PDF to fall back on. She quickly made sure to note the dilemma of misspellings in her document, just in time to see Lady Hilde hobbling her way over.

There were enough dissimilarities between the foreign students to tell them apart, each individual sporting a comparatively unique appearance—not that such things were rare of Sorcerers, with their tendency for strange visual idiosyncrasies. The notable distinctions were different coloured eyes, pink bangs, a never-before-seen haircut and a dog. It was a very cute dog. After an introduction from the blind Sorcerer beside her, the pup's name was revealed to be Fuwa. Caïssa pushed making acquaintances with Soma higher on her list. While his odd pride in fighting blind certainly interested her, the puddle of fluff beside him was the real reason she wanted to befriend the other.

She caught nothing from Alex’s introduction except his greeting, his name, the number four and… water? A quick virtual course on Japanese had allowed her to understand none of his choppy rambling, though it couldn’t be said that his abysmal accent helped much either. It was only when one Mamoru Fujimori commented on his very bad machine translated Japanese that she caught on; of course he hadn’t actually practiced the language, just this particular greeting spiel.

Mamoru herself had an uneven, jagged shock of hair reminiscent of the “element” in her technique. Blunt and confident, such were the traits that Caïssa gleaned from her short self-presentation. Her grasping of Alex’s hand didn’t look to be the beginning of a handshake, but it could be a difference in culture that she missed in her research. Zofia certainly hadn’t said anything about it, and the infrequent chess player knew her as the fount of all weeb knowledge.

Clearing her throat, she pulled out a black chess pawn and twirled it between two fingers. “Caïssa von Seilern und Aspang. Call me Caïssa. Grade 3 Sorcerer, and my technique is—” The chessman dropped from her fingers and started growing in size. Landing on its feet and sliding into a kneel, the black pawn froze in place as an armoured soldier figure gripping a black pike. “—this.”

She rested a hand on her hips and added, “I hope you’re tougher than the last batch. It’d be a shame to see you drop out so early.”

Of course, she’d never heard of any student dropping out of the programme midway and definitely hadn’t met enough of the last group of exchange students to understand their combat prowess. But she wasn’t lying. She did hope for the new lot to be stronger than those in the past, and it would be a terrible shame if they left—whatever assumptions they made of her sentences afterwards was an insinuation, not a fact. The pawn moved to stand behind her after her introduction, completely oblivious to the tension she was trying to spark.

Interacted With: The Prophet
Mentioned: . D O V E TheImmortalDeity Jet AI10100 Colorless Spectrum​

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[Arcanist]

Alice von Düben

Interactions: | Mentions:
I'm too lazy to tag it literally concerns all ya'll lol​

Alice had started her day bright and breezy as she normally did, ready to take on the world! Or at least, giving the illusion that she was. Her routine since enrolling at the Academy hadn’t changed much, with an early morning walk with her roommate and dear friend Robin after a night of explosive complaints. The slate was always scrubbed clean the next morning, until there was something trivial for one of them to passively aggressively complain about. Candles, unfolded laundry that still had to be put away, just the typical little things that they normally complained to one another about.

What changed in her normal routine was the announcement of the Exchange Students’ arrival at GRIMM this budding spring day. Alice zipped around with more vigour and enthusiasm that morning than what was thought to be possible. Morning walks were less of a meander and more of a walking-sprint, and breakfast was shovelled into her before she started her day. Handbooks, maps of the academy grounds, an itinerary of classes and more were prepared for the new students that would be joining them.

She had left them in the room, forgetful as she was in the excitement of the day ahead, but she could hand them out later!

Some of the GRIMM Faculty - Headmaster Benjamin and their mentor Vincent Steiner - and of course the fourth years had arrived in the Gardens, awaiting the Exchange Students to arrive. Alice took to admiring some of the flowers that bloomed around them, no thanks to the gardening club and Groundskeeper Jakob with their methodical work. She listened to the speculation of her peers on what the students would be like and Alexei’s announcement of their arrival. Caïssa’s comment earned a bit of a snicker from the girl before she rose to her feet. Having some mean-spirited people would surely dampen her excitement, so she did what she had always done - hope they didn’t come face-to-face with the worst case scenario.

Alice gathered with her peers to listen to another one of Benjamin’s speeches. Despite taking such words to heart, she would admit his constant hammering of academy reputation and ideals into them did wear after some time. She was glad Vincent was there to freshen it up a little in between those serious speeches. Alice heard a muffled ping from her pocket, though, opted to ignore it during the speeches. Though, the timings around the part of explaining and maintaining academy rules made her wonder if someone had asked what the academy rules were.

As the Exchange Students rounded the corner with Frau Hilda leading the fray in unsurprising quick succession, Alice couldn’t help but lean over to Zofia and whisper, “I really hope they settle in here. I guess they might be pretty nervous in a new place, huh?” She could imagine that could take precedence over any mean-spirited thoughts any of them could have.

Alice, the whole time the students stood in front of her, gave the biggest smile, had the straightest back, anything to make a good impression on their guests. Alice blanked during most of the Headmaster’s speech, mostly because she was so focused on looking presentable and noting the kind of students that would be staying with them. The one she noticed first, and kept flitting her eyes back to, had pink streaks in her hair that stood out among the rest.

Introductions came, with Alexei telling a white lie about his powers, some terrible Japanese enunciations, a little shock demonstration (heheh), and Caïssa’s comment that made Alice cringe, just slightly. Hoping to smooth things over before they could get rocky, Alice stepped in.

“Alice von Düben, hi!” Though, in her eagerness and rush to introduce herself, her greeting had rose above a whisper, and those around her would hear, like it bounced in their heads, a sharp, high-pitched feedback. It didn’t last for terribly long, though Alice had to stop herself from throwing out a quick apology for fear of doing it again.

Vincent stuck a finger in his ear, wiggling it around as he recoiled from the high squeal that rattled in his head. “Whoa, easy there, Alice! I know you can’t help it but…”

Benjamin said little, though, from the way he rubbed his head and grit his teeth, he didn't go unaffected by Alice's slight screech either.

“I know, I know,” Alice returned to her whispers, the only control she had over a cursed voice like hers, and she looked apologetically to everyone around her, “sorry, it happens if I’m too loud. I guess you got an unfortunate experience of my cursed screeches! At least it maybe gave you all a bit of a wakeup call?” She laughed - as quietly as she could muster, of course - still looking around with some reassurance.

 

[Danidify]

Robin Frey
Shikigami User | 4th Year GRIMM student | Teacher's Assistant (Technical Arts)

Once upon a time, there was a youngster so eager he would rise even before the sun could fully wake up from its slumber.

It’s the early, early morning, when the fresh green waves of Grimm’s gardens begin to glimmer with morning dew as the first beams of light take aim. Birds are whistling with joy, giving a voice to the sky as it slowly saturates with life. Meanwhile, clutter from below adds volume to the symphony: squirrels are climbing and quarrelling playfully, moles are digging vigorously, and odd GRIMM students are (consensually) ransacking the Greenhouse.

“This is going to be so good, that feral little cat won’t know what hit him!” The peaceful tune of nature took to the background as Robin Frey, an excitable fourth-year student, told the world of his desires. Today was a special day, that was no secret. To Robin, however, this was more than just the start of the Exchange, it was a chance for redemption.

Despite devoting years to GRIMM’s cooking club, Robin had never really received acceptance from the true Chef at the academy. His pasta was never seasoned enough, salad never fresh enough, dessert never sweet enough–no matter what he made, there was always a point of critique from that damned feline. But the young cook did not let his ambition fade, on the contrary. He tried twice as hard, pouring mounds of love into every stir, pour and taste, but it still wasn't enough. Today, however, he had a chance like no other: the cooking club was cordially invited to help prepare for the welcome feast. Naturally, Robin accepted and readied for battle. This would be his time to shine.

Crossing off the last words on his imaginary grocery list, Robin placed down his basket of coveted goods before facing his begrudgingly beloved roommate. Bearing outward elegance and poise, Alice remained somewhat true to her Wonderland namesake. Personally, Robin would indeed describe her similarly to the iconic Alice, specifically an off-brand Swedish rendition where Alice is the bastard child of the Caterpillar and Mad Hatter. In their many years as roommates, he had uncovered many rabbit holes in her personality. But this was their morning walk, one of few moments where a stalemate was announced in their familial squabbles.

“You know, I have a pretty good feeling about this program thing. We’re gonna do well Alice, I just know it.” There was a pride to Robin’s pose as he presented his optimistic predictions, unbothered by the fact that his whole being was coated in dirt, sweat and a dominating aura of coping. Young Frey wasn’t the smartest cookie in the jar, but his body was wise enough to inwardly scream with nerves. Many challenges were on the horizon, and the first was soon to start.

Dawn swept by in what felt like minutes, and soon the clock would hit 11:30 sharp. Donning a colourful uniform decorated with fresh stains of flour, fruits and various pastes, Robin quietly slid into the crowd of onlookers as the Headmaster’s speech ensued. He had tried, truly, not to look like an infant that just discovered fingerpainting, but the stains were simply too stubborn. In his helplessness, however, Robin found peace and acceptance, for what better way to cope than with willful ignorance? He would bear the fruits of his labour as markings to be proud of.

When Alexei made note of a wild bus sighting, Robin perked up like a prairie dog on watch. Contrary to his ever-so-slightly gun-obsessed roommate, he did not have any special perks to sharpen his sight, so it took a while before the metal gift on wheels finally came into view. Robin was excited, needless to say, though he couldn’t help but feel the slightest of nerves manifest. This really was a big day, not just for his silly cooking renown, but for his entire career. Missing yet another chance at promotion would be heartbreaking. But it wouldn’t happen, not again.

Finally, Intrigue overflowed his mind as sharpening pupils tracked the first individuals that got off the bus. Almost immediately, one thing stood out: every single one of these exchange students was an absolute behemoth. Robin usually saw his height as a strategic boon, but his neck would soon disagree.

Within moments, the conversation took off at the hands of an exchange student who introduced himself as ‘Soma’. Robin was fawning over Fuwa the moment that little fluff ball came into sight, but he was quick to change focus when Soma properly introduced himself. All in all, he came off as a confident and capable person. Most of all, he seemed very friendly, and Robin couldn’t help but smile at his positive energy.

That smile would swiftly take a couple of weird turns, for Alexei Romanov was here to sow chaos. Robin usually enjoyed his displays of interesting choices, but right now it made him want to astrally project into another dimension. Fortunately, Mamoru Fujimori, an instant icon, had come to claim the stage with a slamdunk of blunt honesty. He would definitely approach her later once the conversation grew less cluttered.

Next in line was Caïssa, slightly, moderately, severely intimidating Caïssa. From his years at Grimm, Robin knew her as a particularly composed figure, but there was a frightening factor to her confidence and order. The blond-haired boy nearly passed out once she set loose one of her animated chess pieces, following it up with a gut punch of an introductory sentence strong enough to send him into an early grave. It was at this point Robin went into a state of damage-control, hoping to nullify some of the ambiguous energies that had manifested at the hands of his fellow students.

Slipping away from the larger group, Robin circled over to the remainder of the Japanese crew that had yet to introduce themselves: two very fashionable beanstalks. A lightly stunned yet nevertheless friendly expression stuck to his face as he neared closer.

“Hi, I’m sorry for the… strong introductions. I swear they’re not always–” An ear-piercing echo chimed past, cutting Robin off with comically horrible timing.. This wasn’t the first time Alice had so kindly ravaged his ears, but it was a difficult sensation to get used to.

“As intense.” he finished his sentence, holding a finger against his right ear to combat a pesky lingering hum.

“Anyway, I’m Robin Frey, a Shikigami user. It’s really nice to meet you both!” Robin spoke gently yet with an earnest spark as he gazed between the two figures. Between the girl’s intensely aesthetic accessories and the boy’s captivating eyes, finding a good spot to focus on was difficult.

interactions: Arcanist ShadyLady SpookyBones mentions: Colorless Spectrum AI10100 Ambiloquous The Prophet​

 

[SpookyBones]

​

Itsuki felt more at home than he had in a long time once his classmates and his sister students embarked on their journey to Grimm. A hummingbird beat its wings fervently against his ribs as he anticipated their arrival. Itsuki had lost countless hours of sleep to daydreams, trying to anticipate what missions they may have and the unique skills his new companions may have. The night before they travelled he neatly folded and laid out all his clothes atop his desk, accompanied by his suitcase and backpack at its side. His noise-cancelling earphones were a must for the journey - not that he didn’t enjoy the conversation- but Misaki’s constant prattling over every minor hill or bump in the road once they had landed would undoubtedly be unbearable.

Airports always unsettled him slightly, though travelling with his friends certainly took the edge off; between Moriko insisting he take some rhodochrosite from her and listing each of its properties and purposes, and intermittently bickering with Misaki, he couldn’t actually find the time to get lost in his thoughts. Take off was smooth and it didn’t take long to settle into his surroundings, taking pleasure in watching ground disappear beneath them. Itsuki adored his longtime friend Fuwa, and of course her owner Soma was pleasant company too; when he heard she would be accompanying them on the exchange he went wild though of course with Soma’s disability what did he really expect. If ever she couldn’t come, Itsuki would have been more than happy to take her place at Soma’s feet.

His insomnia had been a particular devil the night before their travel though this time he was brimming with excitement and took to reading till he fell asleep a mere few hours before his alarm was set to wake him. Once Misaki had fallen asleep on the plane, Itsuki indulged himself in a nap, knowing fine well that by the time he awoke she’d still be drooling her brain cells out the corner of her mouth, and this way he wasn’t vulnerable to any tricks she may play on him whilst he slept.

Their point of arrival was truly a sight to behold and far grander than Itsuki had expected. His mind wandered to the no doubt intensely rich history that was etched into the Academy’s walls. The grounds themselves were well attended to and the new flora native to Germany sparked intrigue in his heart.
The cast of Grimm Academy entailed some particularly, eccentric individuals- who from first appearances proved slightly jarring as Itsuki was unable to quell the slight grimace that fixed onto his lips at his languid gaze over the crowd. Well it's a free country after all- I think. At the head of it all seemed to be a stern middle aged man and a deceptively spritely grandmother, though he was sure their skills must account for their authority.

One of Itsuki’s downfalls was letting too much of his opinion ride on first impressions and right now- he was puncturing his tongue in an attempt not to slander those who hadn’t even had the chance to introduce themselves yet. Of those who had stepped forth, one sorcerer in particular- Caissa I believe she called herself - had piqued his interest, her small show of her ability had earned some of Ituski’s respect and admiration. Their introductions were relatively short and sweet, except the one Mamoru thankfully interjected and gave a no doubt shocking greeting.

Alice- as the headmaster reinforced, near enough deafened him with her introduction. Itsuki briskly shook his head as if to throw the sound back out his ears and smiled disbelievingly at the small girl who was the source of their discomfort. Her style he admired greatly and at her nervous laughter no louder than a sigh he stepped forth to meet her. “Good to meet you Alice! Don’t worry about it, I’m excited about all this too.” He made an attempt to briefly lock eyes with all Grimm’s usuals, finally landing on Alice’s counterpart who made an alluring display with his unique choice of decoration for his apron- nevertheless it certainly highlighted his passion.

“I’m Itsuki, it's a pleasure to meet you! My cursed technique is blood manipulation, any minor injuries feel free to come to me and I’ll speed that clotting right up for you. Robin, yes? Your name suits you well, its adorable.” He put a hand on the back of Misaki’s head, “This here is my lesser half. Less brain cells, less attractive- you name it.” All the while he smiled at Robin good naturedly, “Thank you for welcoming us so kindly.”

Interactions: ShadyLady Arcanist Danidify | Mentions: Ambiloquous Colorless Spectrum AI10100​

 

[The Prophet]

ALEXEI MARIA ROMANOV
Location: Central Garden, GRIMM
Interacting with:
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Alexei was feeling quite proud of his introduction; I mean, who wouldn’t? One of the newcomers approached him as he held out his hand, no doubt surprised by his sheer googling ability and memory.

“...”

They knew english?! Alexei’s butchered words caught in his throat and orchid eyes widened, looking around for confirmation of any sort. He’d long assumed that Japanese would be their preferred language, but I guess trying to memorize lines at the last minute wouldn’t cut it much. In any case, he was glad to drop the unfamiliar act and return to a more comfortable dialect. The newcomer introduced themselves; a blonde woman named Mamoru Fujimori. She seemed friendly enough, he appreciated not getting slammed for using google translate like he no doubt would be by his friends later. Clearing his throat and going back to a language he actually knew, he responded. “Блядь, Yeahhh, I kinda forgot to study. Like at all. Was it really that bad? I mean..actually, that’s not a hill I'm dying on. Nice to meet you!” flinching in surprise briefly in response to the slight shock, he laughed and nodded as he stretched his fingers out to get rid of the tingle. Electricity was a pretty cool technique, and would probably win over someone using a water based technique. Good to know. “Very cool.”

Raising his hands in surrender Alexei he backed off he left the floor for another greeting to take place, keenly watching the reactions of the exchange students as introductions went along. Anything he could glean off them he would try, especially with them being new around here. He didn’t expect much just yet, but that’s why he attempted not to give much either. Good ole’ Caïssa went next, showing off her chess pieces and being their usually scarily profeesional self. Didn’t mean he stopped smiling though; in fact he echoed her statement about ‘the last batch’ with a cringe and a quiet chuckle. Not telling of anything expressly, but echoing the statement somewhat in an attempt to give her statement more weight. Did something happen? Did she do it? Did he help? Who knows?

His reactions were cut short as Alice stepped up, high pitched noise making the boy wince slightly and grip the rifle casing in his pocket tight as her ability was unintentionally used. “Ow.” While the ambient sounds of the garden came back into the spectrum and Alice’s latest burst winded down, Robin introduced themselves a little less violently. No doubt balancing their amazing introductions with damage control that the teachers and headmaster would likely echo in nature, Alexei leaned back. All in all, this was wonderfully fun. Were they maybe coming on a tad too strong? Maybe.

Listening to the exchange students was also pretty cool too; besides the one who shocked him, another stepped up with the ability to mess with blood. A tad morbid, but useful nonetheless. if it could help with injuries. Maybe he should get injured on purpose to spark a conversation? Might be a good idea. Itsuki focused on Robin for the moment after looking at everyone, giving Alexei the perfect time to look over to their belongings and anything else that might give away some additional info. “Wonder if they got any guns past customs.” came a quiet ask, peering deeper. Maybe they had traces of gunpowder on their clothes, or calluses on their hands?

Seemingly satisfied after a moment of looking, he returned to the present. The Russian had to keep themselves from laughing at a joke made at the expense of the exchange student’s friend, he wasn’t mean. Itsuki seemed personable which was good, Alexei could always respect someone who kept their cool in the face of the parties’ sometimes eccentric nature. Eyes fell on those who hadn’t introduced themselves yet, waiting to see their personality shine through.

As well as their abilites of course, but that was a given. "These guys are great."

 

[ShadyLady]

Goodbyes were not an easy thing, for most. There were plenty of things you were supposed to miss, like your favourite (and only) sibling, well-loved hangouts, your precious motorbike... Well, maybe she would miss it a little, home, or whatever that thing even is. It’d be a lie to say Misaki hadn’t had a little sniffle in the airport, pausing her badly hidden waterworks behind her goggles only to proudly declare to the Tokyo students before boarding the plane that this would be ‘the beginning of her uh, new beginnings!’ and then wiping her few tears, heading onto the plane and fastening her seatbelt beside Itsuki, bickering with him until she got bored, snoring away before they even set off.

Instead of being tired from the flight, Misaki had never felt better. There was nothing better than a good cry to let it all out, a whole plane flight’s rest to make one feel rejuvenated, and plenty of new locations and people to look forward to. If it weren’t for Itsuki flicking her forehead and in retaliation her giving him a cattish swatting back she could’ve gone at least another few hours. Wiping her drool on her sleeve, she sent one last glower at Itsuki before getting up with an exaggerated stretch, elbowing her friend and accidentally bonking him with her hold-all when she got the luggage down.

The bus journey was entertaining. Anything she saw that was even vaguely interesting had her booting or shaking the unlucky soul’s seat in front of her, jabbing a finger at the sight in question and yammering on as she snapped pics, showing each of them to Itsuki, the unfortunate one who’d opted to sit a row ahead of Misaki. She would’ve happily continued babbling away on the bus until her friend finally snapped, but they’d arrived before he could and now she had to be on her best behaviour. Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself as she applied a thick layer of lip gloss, staring at herself in the compact mirror she carried around with her. It was time, time to be the international baddie she was always destined to be.

Walking with the others, she couldn’t help but snap a few discreet photos as they all headed up the grounds. Ooohing and aaahing at whatever she saw that was even vaguely interesting, that being everything she saw. Her jaw dropped when she saw the garden, only shutting when Mamoru dropped her pace to walk with her. Offering the girl a toothy grin, she nodded at what the blonde said, “you’re so right, it’s gorgeous! I wish I could show my brother… if only this place had signal.”

Reaching her most anticipated destination of the day, or more so meeting, Misaki’s hands found their home on her hips as she eyed the European competition, or friendly fellows, she hadn’t made up her mind yet. Her golden eyes narrowed to a squint, brows furrowing as she regarded the Russian’s attempt at Japanese. Shoddy as it may be, it was understandable for the most part. ‘He definitely learnt that from Google Translate’, and she snickered when Mamoru voiced her thoughts. Water manipulation sounded interesting at least, maybe this Alexei guy was the garden's personal watering can and if that was the case, Misaki looked forward to a demonstration of his abilities.

As for Caïssa von Seilern und Aspang, the Japanese sorcerer couldn’t help but scrunch her nose at the young woman. Pretentious was the word that came to mind. From her name to her technique and that impertinent attitude, it left a sour taste in Misaki’s mouth and a wonder to how difficult it would be to destroy the pike wielder or whatever it was that she summoned and hopefully alongside it, her ego.

Rolling her eyes, she looked away only to have her attention be quickly snatched up by a petite blonde. Misaki blinked, static thrumming inside her head as the sole brain dead thought of ‘she’s cute’ played on repeat, only to be cut short by that very girl offering the group a cheery but sharp greeting that had Misaki wincing as the static and internal mantra was replaced with a rattling ringing. Instinctively, she clamped her hands over her ears, only easing them away when that buff teacher fella, ‘Sterner? Or was it Viktor? Viktor Stainer..? Whatever,’ began to speak.

Finally noticing the less entrancing companion at her side, Robin, Misaki smiled at him and his pretty friend, only dropping it when Itsuki’s hand landed on the back of her head. Now, less brain cells she could understand, but less attractive? That was where she drew the line. She slapped his hand, inky florals decorating his pale skin at the contact and she grabbed it, holding it up for the others to see. “The name’s Misaki Kurosawa, I’d show you more of my technique but I wouldn’t want my dear friend here to break his hand now, would I?” Sticking her tongue out at Itsuki, she dropped his hand, clicking her fingers and dispelling the pattern formerly adorning his skin. “It’s lovely to meet you guys!”

 

[TheImmortalDeity]

Callum Walker​

"Haaaaaaaaah~" Callum let out a long and exasperated yawn. He gently rubbed at the sleep in his eyes. The scenic garden and beautiful weather were great and all, but it didn't mean much to the salty sailor that was still waking up. While the other GRIMM students were happily yapping away at the possibilities of the new arrivals, Callum was mulling over his lack of sleep. Insects chirping, know-it-alls groaning, and the raucous sound of botched bullet-making left the young man worse for wear these last few nights. If his attitude wasn't proof enough; his uniform had been sloppily put on, his belt was undone, his hair was disheveled, and there was a good chance Callum had forgotten one of his shoes back at the dorm. Whatever the case, he was grumpy.

He hadn't listened to a word the headmaster had to say. Instead, he flipped through the contacts on the phone Caïssa had bought him. His incessant tapping stopped when the contacts Deadbeat and Deadbeatess appeared. A preview of a message from Deadbeat began to read: Hey, Bud! Mind if we borrow . . .

The message was covered by a new one, followed by a small BZZT from his phone. It was some pdf from Caïssa. He snorted derisively. Delete. This caused the sullen teenager to look up, finally getting a view of the new arrivals. His nose reflexively scrunched up. He didn't care for introductions.

As Alexei took to the stage, Callum nonchalantly backed away into the crowd. He made sure to tuck himself away so that nobody dared to call on him. If he was lucky, they'd finish all of the introductions without noticing him in the slightest. That was the plan, at least. Then Robin went and smudged all sorts of cooking residue on him. "Oi, Robin, ya got-" he went unheard, the boy zooming past him.

Callum must've missed a few introductions because Caïssa had suddenly summoned one of her pawns dangerously close to him. She mentioned something about a previous group of exchange students, and from what he understood, she definitely killed them. To be frank, this wasn't exactly a surprise. He did assume that she was one bulging blood vessel away from a massacre. He continued his attempt at backing away into the crowd.

Then Alice von Dübstep, as he aptly named her, shattered his eardrums. He stumbled away, his sleep-deprived mind now shaken with shock. What a horrid turn of events. Despite his plans, he was now at the front of the GRIMM group again. He let out an audible gulp. Robin had finished his introduction, and the attention jutted to the duo Itsuki and Misaki. They introduced each other in turn, rather aggressively at that. He then saw Alexei's eyes periodically land on him. It reminded him of the dog sitting next to some random exchange student. Suddenly, it became his turn. Damn it.

"Uhhh, erm," he sputtered. "The name's Callum Faulkner- no, uh, Walker. Callum Walker. I am a fourth-year student and I use salt, so yeah . . ." Callum's eyes darted to his feet. He definitely forgot a shoe. This is why he hated introductions. He shoved his hands into his pockets and turned away, a slight pink to his cheeks. He quickly went to leave the premises, but then remembered he might get in trouble. Instead, he cradled himself into a ball behind Alice. "Kill me now," he grumbled to himself.