Fantasy PHANTASMA: SCHOOL OF THE STRANGE

[ComradeSenpai]

"But Susie!" Anya retorted, huggin the elf.


"Don't you want to play in the snow with us? We can wear cool hats, and build an igloo, and make a bonfire, and probably other stuff I don't remember." she gazed at the elf with her large, glistening eyes.


"Lily will be there too. She's a plant, so she's smart at snow."

 

[MechaGhoul]

Suzette's face flustered, as she used her free hand to try to get Anya off. "P-please no hugging." Ferdie simply cackled, "See. This is what happens when you don't listen to me." Susie stopped in trying to get Anya off before glancing at Ferdie. "Une horloge brisée est juste deux fois par jour. Mais il est toujours cassé." She retorted.


She glanced back at Anya, "Er well, possibly. I m-mean I do have time to kill. C-could be er interesting, b-but I may not be out that long."

 

[CSA]

Lily had no idea what Anya meant by 'smart as snow', but it sounded like a compliment so Lily would take it. To her surprise, Susie acquiesced rather quickly. Was it the effect of an uncomfortable hug, Lily wondered, or had the duo gotten under her skin? If so, it was a very good sign for their friendship.


"That would be great, Susie. After all, you can read a book any time. There's only so long this snow will be here, and there are only a couple of hours before it gets dark."


Lily assisted in trying to pry Anya from Susie, and said, "So, Anya, what would you like to do? You can pick first because it was your idea."

 

[ComradeSenpai]

"I'm sure the papers won't be hard to fill out. Let's play in the snow~!" Anya smiled at her plant-friend.

 

[MechaGhoul]

"R-right." Susie said as she glanced at Lily. "Yes, that is t-true. But I don't think I'll be out there for too terribly long with you two."

 

[CSA]

"Alright, Anya, but what do you want to play in the snow? Snowball fight? Igloos? Snowman?"


Lily looked back up at Susie and smiled.


"It's alright, we just want you to play with us a little anyways so you can cut out a little early. Besides, I'm having you later tonight as well. I don't want to completely smother you."

 

[ComradeSenpai]

"I want to get dressed up so we don't get freezed to death." Anya answered, her face serious.


"Lily it's cold outside, remember? Remember jogging? I do. It was super cold. We need jackets and snow clothes."

 

[MechaGhoul]

"Well I'm er, glad you er, oh oh yes!" Susie said. "Yes, y-yes er you are." Suzette glanced at Anya as she brought up the weather. Immediately she shuddered a bit. "Yes, definitely." Ferdie simply spun his head around, as he began humming a bit.

 

[CSA]

"Oh, right," murmured Lily, "Yes, you both need to put on some more layers."


Lily, of course, wasn't too bothered. The cold made her feel a bit more sluggish, but the temperature didn't bother her much otherwise. Thus, she could wear little to nothing as usual and generally she'd be fine. Then again, fitting in was also important. Perhaps she should take to some winter wear this time.


"Maybe I'll wear a little more clothes too."


Because at the moment, she wasn't wearing much even for summer.

 

[ComradeSenpai]

"You should wear lots of clothes, Lily. I don't want you to get sick." Anya said, looking deeply into her friends eyes.


"If you caught a cold, you'd have to lay in bed all day, and I'd have to take care of you and feed you canned soup." she explained, thinking about it.


"I'd probably even have to wear a maid outfit to serve the soup right."

 

[MechaGhoul]

Wordlessly, Suzette headed off towards the dorm-room, while Lily and Anya discussed among each other. Ferdie cackled a bit as he offered out his hand for a high-five. "Donc, d'amerrissage, après tout?" Susie shrugged. When she entered, she searched for a book, selecting the Phantom of the Opera, then sat down in front of her closet and began reading a bit. "...I'd suggest moving location. If ya know, we are gonna..."

 

[CSA]

"Do you need the maid outfit to serve me soup, or do you just want to wear the maid outfit?" asked Lily, giving Anya a gentle scratch behind the ears. She then took the Neko's hand once again, and began leading her to their room.


"You know, Anya, I don't have to be sick if you want to play dress-up or something. I like it too," said Lily, smiling down at her.

 

[ComradeSenpai]

"I... don't need it?" Anya's eyes widened. Her entire worldview shifted, to one where you didn't have to wear maid outfits to serve soup properly. It was a strange world, with less frilly aprons.


"I also like to wear cute outfits." Anya agreed, nodding.


"We should get some to wear. I think our sizes should be close, if you wanna share mine. Susie can join in, but she's too big to fit in ours." she said.

 

[MechaGhoul]

"I'm just saying, Erik had a cool idea." Ferdie remarked as Suzette was reading the book. "You are referring to the death chamber? I always wondered why they cut that out from the adaptations." She idly flipped a page as she glanced at Ferdie. "It really gives depths to what he could have been if not for his horrible condition." "Which ain't that bad in the adaptations. And you have to admit the death chamber was awesome." Ferdie quickly remarked. "Yes, but from the perspective of the characters, it is as bad as it was in the original."


She paused for a moment before she began squeeing in her description of the chamber, "Well it is a marvel of architecture and an incredibly powerful tool! The room is entirely made of mirrors, it warps their perception of things, driving you into madness. Plus the sections of it being warmer and colder than the other, you have no consistency you can hold onto in your despair!" Ferdie cackled, "OH! And the tree with the noose!" Susie flipped another page, "Well he had felt the need to offer them a kindness, a means of escape. They could have died from starvation and dehydration, but he did provide a way out. A dark, but ultimately, a ray of hope nonetheless." Ferdie spun his head from side to side. "No, no. It wasn't a kindness. He was a monster after all, and being treated as such would only reinforce his evil ways. It was a way of mocking his victim, of taking away the hope. Only death await those who oppose me in my lair. This is my world." Susie idly flipped another page.

 

[CSA]

"Don't remind me," murmured Lily, who totally wasn't sensitive about her size because of how perfect she already was. But of course, the Alraune wouldn't mind if she was maybe a little bit bigger. In one place or another.


"Anyways, I've got my own outfits. I probably won't need to borrow any of yours."


Lily was also certain that she could fashion a winter outfit out of a few solo pieces she had bought because they were cute despite their concealing qualities, so that wasn't a particular concern either. She would be sure to ask Anya if she was missing any pieces, but the Alraune seriously didn't want to remind herself how close their measurements were.


"I'm six years older, dammit, and I haven't grown at all in about three. At this pace, even the kid's gonna leave me behind before long."





Sighing, Lily opened the door to their room and began searching for appropriate winter clothes.


"Hey, Susie, did you get ready for snow time yet?"

 

[MechaGhoul]

Suzette quickly shut the book and glanced at Lily, "Er ah, n-no I haven't gotten ready for snow-time yet." She said as she slid the book away. Ferdie merely spun his head forward. "Right then, I probably should." Susie began searching for her selection of winter clothes.

 

[ComradeSenpai]

"That's good you have them." Anya said.


"I don't actually have a lot. I'll borrow some of yours probably." she explained, going through her drawers. The cat pulled on a parka and some snow boots, and a pair of wool mittens. This would be a lot warmer for outside.


"Okay, I'm ready!" she exclaimed. "Susie, Lily, get your coats on!"

 

[MechaGhoul]

Susie went through her drawers, as she selected out a pea coat, some black gloves, some boots and a white scarf, and changed into them fairly quickly. "Okay, ready then."

 

[CSA]

Lily nodded at Susie before going back to searching through her drawers, blushing ever so slightly. She grabbed a few items, and quickly entered her adult closet to change. When she came out, she was wearing a light pink wool jacket with white fur trim and a matching pink snow cap. She also had on pink mittens, white pants, and pink snow boots.


Blushing intensely and fidgeting nervously, she looked from one room mate to the other before asking, "U-um... i-it's not too... too concealing, is it? D-does it look... OK on me?"


She couldn't bring herself to look the other girls in the eye. Lily just wasn't very comfortable showing off so little of her body, and was actually incredibly self-conscious at the moment.

 

[MechaGhoul]

Susie glanced at Lily, and just paused for a moment, before giving a quick glance to Ferdie. The glance. A glance which involved her narrowing her eyes as her brow furrowed. Susie returned her attention back to Lily, and a thought occurred to her. Right now I'm -not- the nervous one. J-j-jeez. I, wow. T-this... Huh. Reflecting on how usually it would be the other way around. She clasped her hands together, tilted her head slightly and gave a smile.


"Tres bien! I think it looks quite fashionable on you, it is rather pretty looking and is a fine amount of concealing. After all with the weather and what not." Ferdie released a muttered snicker as Suzette finished her comment, and tilted her head back up.

 

[ComradeSenpai]

"Now you won't be cold!" Anya cheered, giving a fist pump.


"This means we're ready to play outside. We should hurry before it gets dark, though. They come out at night." she explained, headed towards the door. Anya was ready for the winter wonderland.

 

[CSA]

Lily didn't know any French, but she was pretty sure that 'tres bien' was a good thing. The Alraune looked up slightly, still blushing, and said, "Y-you think? Y-you really think it looks-"


Then Lily heard Ferdie's stifled snicker and looked back down again, trembling a little. Lily was rather vulnerable and uncertain at the moment, and Susie's dummy wasn't helping one bit. Lily headed for the door with Anya, eyes still on the ground.


"Y-yeah," murmured Lily, "L-let's h-hurry before, uh, n-night."


"M-maybe I really do look odd. I thought this might look cute, but Anya didn't say anything about it except that it seemed warm. S-should I really go out like this? I'm not so sure any more."

 

[MechaGhoul]

"Answer is yes. Ferdie is just being jealous." Suzette quickly remarked. Ferdie's head spun to the side, "Jealous!? Why you litt-" She took him off and placed him on the trunk. "Er a-ah, let's go yes? Should be fun." She followed them towards the door while leaving Ferdie behind.

 

[ComradeSenpai]

"Looks what? Pretty?" Anya asked, turning around.


"Lily, I think you always look pretty. The important thing is that your clothes keep you warm and comfy, okay?" she said, giving the plant her warmest hug.


"Come on; let's go play!"

 

[CSA]

"Eh? J-jealous? Why would Ferdie be jealous of-"


Then Anya also told her that she was pretty and gave Lily a hug, boosting the Alraune's confidence a little more. Yes, of course she was pretty. Lily was always pretty in everything, even though she was still feeling a bit timid. Lily gave her friends a shy smile.


"Th-thank you both. Yes, let's go play."


Lily extended a slightly trembling hand towards the door knob and opened it, slowly making her way towards the outside while attempting to avoid the gazes of her peers.