"All right, everyone," Ms. Roswell announced, pushing the doors open to the Library. "You've got forty-five minutes to get as much research materials as you need. This place has everything you need to know about Anomaly history, regardless of which topic you picked, so this should be enough."
Virgil looked around the Library, trying to look as awed as the rest of the students. He'd been here before, obviously, but it was still really cool to be able to use this as an actual resource.
Janus took an obligatory selfie with the Deception fountain, then pocketed his phone. "All right, team, let's get moving."
"So, what exactly are we researching, again?" Virgil asked.
"Our project is on demonic possession in the late Victorian era, and how that partially inspired much of Gothic literature back then," Logan answered.
Virgil stopped in his tracks. "Say what now?"
Logan gave him a disapproving look over his glasses. "You said that you were paying attention when we decided on our topic, Virgil. If you were, you wouldn't be surprised."
"He was texting Roman, Brainiac, give him some slack," Janus called over his shoulder.
"Okay, look, I'm all for doing a research project on demonic possession, but why exactly are we doing it?"
"Ah!" Janus turned back around, grinning. "You see, the first person to teach history here at the Academy, a young fellow named Dominic, was famous for his ability to summon demons from a separate dimension. So we thought that if we did a project relating to one of Ms. Roswell's predecessors---"
"Extra credit," Virgil concluded. "Gotcha."
"Not to mention, it's incredibly interesting," Logan added, plucking a book off of one of the shelves. "Even if you disregard the fact that there's really no way of telling where the demons came from, they apparently had an entire culture in their home dimension that we've only been able to get bits and pieces of. It's beyond amazing." He laughed slightly. "It almost makes me wish that my powers allowed me to tap into other dimensions like that."
"That power is exceedingly rare," Janus reminded him. "Everyone who's been able to do that was never able to produce a legacy line, or even an antilegacy line, and we've still got yet to find an Aberration who has an interdimensional power like that."
"I have never been happier to be an Anomaly," Virgil murmured, stopping by one of the holographic screens. "You think we could look up stuff about them on here?"
Janus started thumbing through a book called---Virgil did a double take---From Eldrich to Hominoid: The Classifications of Various Demons Throughout Anomaly History. "Maybe. A lot of the more modern stuff's classified, though, and the Canadian government probably won't vibe with us hacking into their systems for extra credit in History class."
Virgil pulled up the search bar on the screen. "Hey, L, what's the keyword I need?"
"Type in 'mindless mania 1800's,'" Logan replied. "There's an entire website made by college students dedicated to figuring out the mysteries behind it---and they source all of their information."
"I fucking love this school." Virgil typed it in---and the first result that popped up was a website called "The Mysteries of the Mindless Mania."
After several minutes of scrolling through and busily taking notes in the notebook Virgil had bought over the summer, his internal score of the Academy had gone from its already very high point to near infinite-coolness. It wasn't every day that you got to do a research project on fucking demons.
"Oh, also, I managed to get a pass for us to go off-campus for lunch," Janus added. "Jules's place isn't that far from here, and I thought he could give us some help."
Logan gave him an inquisitive look. "You seem to be on awfully good terms with him."
"Why wouldn't I be? He's nothing like his family."
"I know, I'm just surprised."
"GUYS!" Virgil turned around, grinning. "There's a type of demon that makes you cry blood! That's the most metal thing I've ever heard!"
"All right, we definitely will need Jules's help," Logan muttered.
.............
"Oh, yeah, I remember that," Jules said, sitting back down at the table. "Me and my friends ended up wasting a whole day looking up conspiracy theories on the Mindless Maina. Good times."
"Did you pick the topic for the same reason we did?" Virgil asked.
Jules shook his head. "Nah, I wanted to figure out a way to sic a demon on Logan's grandpa. I was unsuccessful, but it was still worth it." He paused. "Um, no offense, Lo."
"Oh, I can assure you, none taken," Logan said. "I've never met him, and I don't intend to unless I absolutely have to."
"Shoot him in the brain for me, would ya? He deserves it."
"Jules, don't tell the sixteen-year-olds that violence is the answer," Kayla called, walking into the little kitchenette. "You want to be a good influence."
"I am a good influence!" Jules protested, spreading his hands. "I'm telling these fine young gentleman to take revenge on those who've forsaken you!"
"You know better than anyone that revenge is a dish best served cold."
Jules let out a massive sigh. "Kayla, I've told you a million times, I would've done a way more impressive revenge thing if Nero hadn't died. I had to settle for spitting on his grave."
Kayla smirked. "Mm-hmm, keep telling yourself that."
"Honestly, it's a damn shame that I can't talk about any of this stuff on YouTube," Janus mused, tapping his chin with his pencil. "All of this is Buzzfeed Unsolved-worthy."
"Oh, you have a YouTube channel?" Jules said. "What's it about?"
"Theoretically, it's about philosophy, music, random shenanigans, and TV show and book reviews, but ninety percent of it is just him making fun of Christianity," Virgil answered.
"Then I'll be sure to check it out as soon as possible. Christianity's ridiculous."
Janus shrugged, grinning. "Some people tell me that I'm not allowed to make fun of it, since I'm not Christian, but if Bible-thumping fanatics get to call religions that are centuries older than them 'blasphemy,' then I think I reserve the right to meme on them, don't you?"
"I'm with you on that," Jules agreed, taking a sip of tea. "I don't think my parents worshipped anyone other than themselves or each other, but I'm familiar with how crazy it is."
Logan rapped his knuckles on the table. "Can we focus on the project that's probably worth a good portion of our grade?"
"Actually, I really don't care that much about the project," Janus said, sitting forward. "Matter of a fact, I can easily just do the entire thing the night before it's due. I wanted to talk to Jules about the Circle."
And whoop there it is, Virgil thought, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
Jules paused mid tea-sip, then set his mug down. "I... I was kind of under the impression that I'd just be helping the Academy and the officials weed out the agents from the Circle."
"Oh, no, you'll be helping us as well," Janus told him. "You see, I'm very good at holding grudges, and I don't tend to let things go easily. And that rule applies double when the person I have a grudge against kidnapped me." He smirked. "I'd like to be able to take them down---and you can help me do it."
Jules looked a little unsure. "I mean, I'm all for helping someone take the Divinity Circle down, but you and your friends are sixteen. That's a little young."
"Sixteen's a little young to get abducted and kept in a cell for three weeks," Janus said darkly. "And we're only three years younger than you were when that happened." He gestured to Jules's burn scar and prosthetic hand. "So I don't think patronizing me is going to get you anywhere."
"Also, I turn seventeen in November," Logan added.
Jules looked back and forth between them, then sighed. "What the hell. You definitely seem determined enough."
"I guess I should probably break out the junk food, then," Kayla decided, opening up one of the cabinets. "Serious talk is always made better by BBQ Pringles."
"If you have any Cheetos, I'd love some," Virgil said.
"Coming right up, kid."
Jules exhaled. "Okay, so, the Circle's main focus when I left was to recruit as many bigshot legacy families as they could. I think you guys know that the Jacobis are one---"
"Except for my father," Logan said.
"Except for Alex, yes, you're right. The Renauds are also one, or at least Michel and his wife. Then there's the Donovans, and I think there's a few members of the Llewellyn family in there... and that's all I can think of off of the top of my head."
"I'm familiar with the Donovans, but not the Llewellyns," Janus said, scribbling in his notebook. "The Donovans have weather control, correct?"
Jules nodded. "The Llewellyns can speak any language."
Virgil frowned. "That... that doesn't seem that powerful?"
"Oh, trust me, it's powerful," Jules told him. "Being able to speak any language means that you can blend in seamlessly to any environment. Having someone like that on your side is vital when you're talking about the Divinity Circle."
"Does this matter, really?" Logan interjected. "It's been six years since you've left. Their goals have almost definitely changed."
"Yeah, I know." Jules scratched the back of his neck. "I'm really only useful in theory. In reality, all of my knowledge is pretty out of date."
"Well, there's someone that might know more," Janus suggested. "A young man named Ian Gunnar gave me some information while I was in there, and I think he knows a good deal about how it works."
"Ian?" Jules repeated. "Tall kid, blonde hair, Icelandic accent, allergic to sleeves?"
Janus blinked. "I... didn't really notice the accent until you pointed it out, but everything else is pretty accurate."
"He and Auggie used to hang out all the time." He laughed. "God, the shenanigans they got into. Ian once dared Auggie to try to breathe fire, and when that failed drastically, he tried to heal his burned throat by making him drink water that was exactly one degree away from freezing."
Virgil stared at him. "You're joking."
"I am most definitely not."
"No shi---is that why Augustus's voice is all tough-guy smoker-ish? Because his best friend dared him to breathe fire?"
"When they were seven," Jules said, pointing at him. "They were a bunch of lunatics."
"You know what? Forget the Circle for now," Janus decided. "Tell me all of the embarrassing stories about Augustus. I want free rein to mock him the next time I see him."
"Yeah, I think you deserve it." Jules cleared his throat. "So, one time Auggie decided that he was going to try and juggle fire---he was eight at the time, let me remind you---and he nearly burned down the entire living room. Ian's bright idea to fix it was to cover the living room in ice, and this was right around the time that Augustina had invited Khristina---that's your grandmother, Logan---"
"I know who Khristina is," Logan answered, nodding.
"Well, anyways, she walked into the still frozen-over living room in heels and immediately slips, causing her to land right on her back and sending one of her heels flying into the air and sticking to the ceiling."
"And they never got caught, either," Kayla added, sitting down with them. "At least, Jules says they never got caught."
"No, Ian took the blame," Jules said. "From what I can recall, Ian took the blame a lot. Didn't want Auggie to get into trouble."
"Can't say I blame the guy," Virgil muttered.
A/N: Okay, lesson learned---next time I take a break before uploading a new book in a series, actually crank out more than six chapters before posting, and don't waste time on side projects. Of course, I started writing Academy back in August, and I didn't start posting until it was already November and I had, like, twenty chapters written, and I still had to take a hiatus in order to catch up, so... I guess it's just a curse of having ADHD.
Also, I don't think I've actually clarified in canon before that Ian and Augustus actually have very distinct voices, and that is a damn shame. So, now you know that Ian has a slight Icelandic accent, and Augustus sounds like your stereotypical tough-badass character... and now you know the reason why Augustus sounds like that.