A Garden of Blooming Coals: Twisted Wonderland OC

Chapter 4 - Peony

That sends both twins laughing. Well, even if she'll probably go to the entrance ceremony blushing, at least she's been able to entertain them on the ride in.

A small series of bumps, before Hina feels the carriage come to a stop. She shifts a bit, then pushes the door to her coffin open, squinting a bit at the bright light that greets her.

"Hey guys, I just got in," she says, stepping down, then hopping from the carriage to stretch her legs a bit. She shakes out one, then the other as she looks around. "Are you guys here yet?"

"We'll have to greet you at the ceremony," Jade says, "I'm afraid the rules for we elder students aren't quite so lax as they are for the first years."

A hum from Hina. "Will I get to say hi to you guys there?" she asks. Looking around, she finds more carriages around, other students stepping out from some, some excited, others appearing as though they've just awoken from a nap, confirming her suspicions about why the robes are as soft as they are.

Floyd's voice comes in. "Yes," he says, "After the mirror sorts you though. I wanna see your face when it does."

Hina quirks her lips. "As long as I'm not put into Savanahclaw, I think I'll be fine," she says.

"I hope you're in our dorm," Floyd sighs.

"I dunno," Hina says, "You guys wear suits, which are kinda ehhh for me. I mean, you saw how uncomfortable I look in my ID photo."

"If you do get placed into Octavinelle," Jade says into the phone as Hina begins following the mass of other first year students, hanging toward the back to avoid being trampled, "I'm sure Azul would allow you to modify your uniform to something a bit less masculine."

"I hope so," Hina says, "Azul's good though. I'd probably just have to pay him."

Floyd giggles. "I like hearing Sunfish say Azul's name," he comments.

Hina pouts. "Azzzzzzzzzzzzul," she holds down, forcing herself to make the Z sound rather than the theta one.

Another laugh from Floyd. "Cute," he coos.

Hina glances up from the floor, her breath catching slightly at the sheer number of students. "I thought Night Raven was a private school," she marvels, "How are there this many students?"

"Magic," Jade replies, a note of humor in his tone. "In all seriousness though," he adds, "I do think we should hang up soon. I'd hate for you to miss being called because of us."

Hina chews the inside of her cheek. "First tell me where you guys are," she says, "Just so I can stay grounded."

"Do you see Azul?" Jade asked, "He's to the left of Sealion- err- Prince Leona, in the robes."

Hina, deciding to not point out how literally everyone in this room is wearing robes of one kind or another, surveys the room, and when her gaze finds Azul, it's not long before she spots the shapes of the twins near him and-

"Dear gods you guys got tall!" Hina blurts, earning a few funny looks from students around her.

"Ah, there you are," Jade comments, and now Hina can see that Floyd must have left the call earlier, because she watches him be passed the phone next.

"You're still small," comes Floyds giggle, "Sunfish is so tiny."

Hina's puffy cheeks at that earn a bit of laughter from both twins.

"Alright, now that we can see one another," Jade says, "I do believe we must put the phones away."

"Right," Hina says, "In case I don't get into your dorm, give Azul an aloha from me."

"Certainly," Jade assures.

"Bye, Sunfish," Floyd drags out.

Click.

Lowering her phone, Hina slips the device into her pocket, tugging slightly at the collar of her shirt. Here comes that feeling, the one she always gets in places like this.

They're staring.

They're all staring at you.

You should have straightened your hair.

You should have tied your hair up.

Your clothes are all wrinkled from the ride in.

They're all judging you.

She shrinks slightly into herself, shuts her eyes, takes a deep breath and looks back up toward the shapes of the twins. Jade is speaking to Azul and, oh, he's looking at her.

Hina lifts a hand and gives a sheepish wave, mouthing her greeting to him, which he returns with a simple nod.

Before long, the ceremony truly begins, first year students having their names called out by the Dark Mirror itself, before they're sent to their respective dorms.

Heartslabyul students are sent to join a petite boy with a shock of red hair and a busy, but absolutely gorgeous coat dress and crown.

Savanahclaw students go toward towering, dark haired Prince Leona Kingscholar of the Sunset Savanah.

Octavinelle students go, of course, to Azul, who Hina can tell even from here seems slightly too warm toward them.

Scarabia students-

Hina blinks.

She stares openly.

Because she absolutely knows the housewarden of Scarabia.

White hair, red eyes, white ink down his arms, a thousand and one pieces of gold jewelry.

"Not Prince Kalim," she says quietly to herself.

"Huh?" asks another first year beside her, a petite boy with the most amazing lilac hair Hina's ever seen.

"Nothing," she says quickly, and before the boy can ask, his own name is apparently called by the Dark Mirror.

To the next dorm he goes, one called Pomefiore, and lead by-

Once more, Hina's blown away.

Vil Schoenheit.

The Vil Schoenheit.

Tall, fair and drop dead gorgeous, hair half swept up with a golden crown perched atop his head, he is every inch an image of queenly beauty.

Next up, Ignihyde. Hina vaguely knows this dorm already since its patron is another underworld's god, one called Hades she thinks. Its leader isn't even there in person, instead present on a tablet. Blue fire for hair with what Hina assumes is matching blue makeup.

Lastly, Diasomnia, which Hina thinks is led by the rather small, bat like boy ushering the students toward himself. He has a strange aura about him, but Hina's not complaining. She likes the raspberry colored streaks in his hair, which is enough for her to ignore the aura.

And then it happens.

"Makoa Keahi."

The Dark Mirror's voice is low, resounding, commanding, and Hina's limbs momentarily forget how to work, but after a second of cold, petrified fear, she shuffles forward, head bowed, to greet the mirror.

Standing before its sleek visage, she feels naked and exposed, wrapping her arms around her own waist slightly. She feels two distinct sensations then.

The beautiful warmth of fire, curling and blossoming in bright oranges and ambers.

Then the withering, the rot, the decay that she brings all flora. The roots of her hair prickle slightly at that, and she unconsciously scratches the back of her head.

There's a long moment, in which the mirror's deep voice does not resound, before another feeling washes through her.

Warm.

Soothing.

Glowing.

At first, she thinks it's fire, but when she hears the name of her dorm, she realizes that, no, the feeling is comething else entirely. Something a hundred thousand times better, something that would have never allowed her to be stuck in Savanahclaw.

"Pomefiore."