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" Heeheehee... don't you two have to be up to clean the school?" Demetria barely registers the voice.
"Five more minutes..." Grim complains from next to her.
"Laze about too long and you'll never wake up again!" One ghost jokes.
"Just like us! Eeheehee!!" Another joins.
"Ffgya! It's those ghosts again! Girl, wake up!!" Grim shoves Demetria.
"Over there," she lazily directs Grim to fire at them, but it's too early for them to do much.
"We'll get rid of you eventually!" Grim shouts. Demetria covers her ears.
"Too loud for this hour..." she grumbles.
"Dorm meeting! Everyone up!" Bailey yells from the first floor. Demetria and Grim reluctantly drag themselves to the living room, where the rest of the girls had already gathered, as well as Crowley.
"Good morning, everyone. Did you sleep well?" Crowley asks the girls. They all mumble mixed responses.
"I was sprawled out then I fell out the bottom of the bed! Then the ghosts woke me up. This is the worst!"
"I slept okay , despite almost freezing," Demetria whines.
"Quite tough of you despite finding yourselves thrown into another world. Wonderful!"
"So why are you here?" Bailey asks, wanting him to get to the point of this impromptu meeting.
"I came to speak to you about your work today. You are to clean the campus... But the campus is quite large. Cleaning it all without magic would be impossible. So for today, I'd like you to clean the Main Street area from the main gate to the library. As for Miss Bailey, you'll be assisting professor Trein in his class. Understood?"
"Gotcha," Bailey answers for everyone.
"Demetria, please keep a close eye on Grim so he doesn't cause a scene like yesterday."
"Aye aye sir," Demetria gives him a weak salute.
"You have permission to have lunch in the school cafeteria. Alright then, work enthusiastically," Crowley takes his leave.
"There's leftovers in the kitchen if anyone needs breakfast," Bailey tells the girls. Most of them head to the kitchen.
"No way I'm doing any cleaning. I wanna go to class and use a bunch of awesome spells, like, bang, boom boom boom!" Grim complains.
"We can study later," Demetria ensures him.
"For now, let's get ready, then head to campus," Ryder adds. The girls get ready while Grim waits impatiently.
~~~~~~~
"Hello?" Bailey knocks on the classroom door. She sees an older man with a cat writing on a blackboard.
"Come in, Miss Saxon. The headmaster has already briefed me on the situation," Bailey approaches the man. "Mozus Trein," he offers her a hand to shake and she takes it.
"Nice to meet ya. Sorry if I'm not much help today. I'm still a little dazed from... whatever it is that happened to me."
"I understand. I'll mostly have you watch for now so you can get acquainted with how things work here," Bailey sighs in relief.
"I appreciate it. Can I ask you something about your students?"
"Of course," Trein confirms.
"I don't really know how to word this... Are they... good people? I mean... my sister is here too, and she's only 17. I don't like that she's defenseless against a school full of magical teen boys. So, should I be worried?" Bailey awkwardly asks. She doesn't want to offend Trein by suggesting his students are dangerous, but she really needs to know. If she has anything to worry about, she'll be taking Althea and running.
"You have nothing to worry about," Trein smiles reassuringly. "If any student was stupid enough to try anything on you ladies, they would be expelled before they knew it."
"Good to know. Okay, I'm ready to start working now," Trein hands Bailey a sheet of paper.
"Please go make 30 copies of this worksheet. The copier is in the office all the way down the hall."
"Yessir," Bailey takes the paper and walks down the long hall of the building. She passes a few students on the way who seem shocked by her presence. She also can't help but realize the building is way nicer than any of the halls at her college. It pissed her off, considering she paid nearly 30k a semester on that school. The copier was also way better than any at her school. She examines the copier, wondering if it works the same way as the ones in her world.
"Do you need assistance?" A male voice asks. Bailey whips around to see one of the most attractive men she had ever seen, clad in a massive fur coat.
"I'm good. I think it works the same as an earth copier," the man raises a brow at Bailey. "...Earth is my world," she informs him.
"Ah, so you're the assistant teacher I was warned about," warned? That was a strange way to put it.
"That's me. Bailey Saxon," Bailey extends a hand to him. He lightly swats it away with a strange pointer. "Um, excuse you?"
"To think an educator would come to work looking like this!" He insults.
"How exactly am I supposed to look!? I came to this world against my will with nothing but the clothes on my back! Unless you're planning to buy me something nice, this is what you're gonna get!" She yells.
"Very well, you can pay me back later," Bailey looks at him like he's insane.
"Huh?"
"I'll take you shopping after work. I won't be able to tolerate you looking like this on the days you're assisting me. Meet me back in this room at 5 pm," he offers. Bailey blinks.
"Really? Okay," she agrees. "I'm gonna.... Make these copies now," she turns back around.
"Divus Crewel, by the way," he gives Bailey what she assumes is his name before leaving her to her work.
~~~~~~~
"Amazing! So this is Main Street!" Grim beams. "I didn't get a good look yesterday, but what's with these statues? All seven of them look pretty scary. This granny looks especially snobby."
"You don't know about the Queen of Hearts?" An orange haired boy around Ryder's age approached them. It was just Grim, Demetria, and Ryder, as the girls decided to split up to cover more ground.
"Queen of Hearts? Is she important?" Grim asks. They all turn their attention to the statue of an overweight woman wearing a crown.
"In the past, she was the Queen who lived in the Rose Maze..." the boy, who introduced himself as Ace, went on to explain the stories of all seven statues surrounding Main Street. Demetria and Grim were completely absorbed in the stories. Ryder was less interested, though her mind soaked in most of the information anyway.
"Oooh! A dragon! All monsters look up to them!" Grim shouts.
"They're all so cool! Unlike a certain raccoon..." Ace gets all of their attention now. "Ahahah! I can't bear it anymore! Ahahahhaa!" Ace doubles over laughing. "Aren't you the guys who went crazy at the entrance ceremony!? You were summoned by the Dark Mirror even though you can't use magic, and you, a monster, weren't called but still trespassed! Man, it took everything I had not to lose it right there!"
"Whaaa! You're a rude one!" Grim scream.
"The nerve of this kid..." Demetria grumbles.
"So in the end you weren't allowed to enroll here and now work as janitors? Haha, pathetic," Ace goads. Demetria has to stop Ryder from decking him. "And you don't even know about the Great Seven? I recommend you go back to kindergarten before coming to Night Raven College."
"We didn't choose to come here," Ryder reminds him.
"I thought I'd just mess with you, but you really blew my expectations away. Unlike you three, I have classes to attend. Keep the school clean, janitors~"
"This jerk!" Grim yells.
"He's just gonna say that and leave!?" Ryder adds.
"Calm down, don't waste your energy on him..." Demetria tries desperately to defuse the situation.
"I'm pissed now!" Grim lets out a massive fire breath.
"Hey! Watch it!" Ace warns. Demetria can only watch the escalation, leading to the magic users showing off their moves, with Ryder directing Grim. A crowd gathers, and she tries to hide herself away.
"Eat this!" Grim breathes out even more flames.
"Aaaaah! Crap! The Queen of Hearts is charred!" Ace shouts in horror. Demetria sees Crowley approaching.
"Enough!!! Just what is going on here?!" The headmaster asks.
"Headmaster!?"
"He's gonna tie us up with the lash of love! Get outta here!" Grim panics. Ace and Grim get whipped.
"Owwwww!"
"Two days in a row hurts!" As Ace and Grim get reprimanded, Demetria hopes Crowley doesn't know she's there.
"You seem very eager to be expelled," Crowley warns Ace. "And this is how you supervise Grim? And why is Demetria not looking after him?" Demetria cringes.
"Sorry..." Ryder mumbles.
"My goodness... you, what's your grade and name?"
"Ace Trappola, first year."
"Then, Trappola, Grim, and Ryder. As punishment, I order you to wipe 100 windows around campus! And tell Demetria she's expected to help," Demetria is actually a little relieved at the light punishment.
"It's all 'cause this joker was making fun of us!" Grim complains.
"Eeeh? Me too!?" Ace groans.
"Most definitely! Meet in the cafeteria after school, understood?" Ace and Ryder reluctantly agree.
"Nothing but misery since yesterday!" Grim whines, but agrees.
~~~~~~~
"Iris, there are fucking cat boys here!" River tugs on Iris's sleeve, pointing out a student with large, fluffy ears and blondish-brown hair.
"Those don't really look like cat ears," Iris points out.
"Who cares, he's so hot!"
"You never told me you were a furry!" Iris laughs. River smacks her with the duster she's holding.
"I'm not! But you know, when in Rome..."
"Do who the Romans do?" Iris finishes.
"You're the worst!" River playfully attacks Iris again.
"Hey, don't those guys look kinda miserable?" Iris notices Ryder, Demetria, and Grim listlessly going about their cleaning from a distance.
"Pfft, drama queens. This isn't that bad. Other than sweating through our only clothes," River pulls the collar of her sweater down on her neck. She did have a red bralette top included in her outfit, but opted not to walk around an all boys school in just that. The girls shrug at each other and get back to cleaning.
~~~~~~~
"I'm already beat from cleaning all day... now we have to wipe 100 windows too..."
"I can't believe you two roped me into this..." Demetria sighs
"'m sorry..." Ryder mumbles to her senior.
"That Ace guy sure is taking his sweet time! Who does he think he is, making me wait!? I'm pissed!" The group wait in silence for longer than they would like to.
"God, he's taking fucking forever," Ryder complains.
"Wait, don't tell me he bailed on us!?" Grim mentions, pissing Ryder off more.
"Let's find that jerk!" The group sets off to look for him in his classroom.
"Ah, there's nobody here?" Grim says to the empty room.
"No, I'm here," a mysterious voice says.
"Talking painting! Talking painting!" Demetria freaks out.
"Talking portraits are not a rare sight in this school, no?" The painting says. Who are you looking for?"
"A guy named Ace. He's got a heart mark on his face and hair that sticks up," Grim fills the portrait in.
"I know him. He's one of the freshmen who started today. He went back to his dorm not long ago," Ryder and Grim get more agitated.
"So he did try to get away! Which way did he go?" Grim asks.
"The entryways leading to the dormitories are in the inner part of the east wing," the group uses the info to go after Ace. Sure enough, they find him in a room full of mirrors.
"Hey asshole!" Ryder shouts.
"They found me!" He screams.
"Jeeerk! Hold up! I won't let you be the only one to escape!" Grim screams.
"Did you really think I'd stop just because you told me to!? I'm outta here!"
"I want to skip out too!" Grim runs after Ace. A blue haired boy who just entered noticed the scene.
"Huh?"
"Outta my way!" Ace pushes past the boy.
"O-oh?"
"Yo, help us catch him!" Ryder shouts.
"Magic to capture someone? I should freeze his legs, no, how about I restrain him? Or I could... um..." the boy deliberates.
"Anything works!" Grim tells him.
"Just hit him hard!" Ryder adds.
"Anything.... Eh! Anything is fine, so come on! Something heavy!" The boy summons a massive cauldron, dropping it on Ace.
"The hell!? A pot!?"
"Ace is as flat as a pancake under that cauldron!" Grim laughs hysterically.
"I didn't think I'd get a cauldron. Did I overdo it?" The boy asks.
"Yes, but it was deserved," Ryder reassures.
"This hurts... couldn't you have left me alone and wiped those 100 windows in a flash for me?"
"It's all your fault for being a dick!" Ryder accuses.
"Wiping 100 windows... what in the world did you all do?" The boy asks.
"I got into it with the furball and we might've charred the Queen of Hearts' statue a bit," Ace informs him.
"You damaged one of the Great Seven statues!? Of course you'd get in trouble for that! You get into a prestigious school then do something like that on the first day..."
"Shut up! And who are you!?" Ace asks.
"I'm Deuce. Deuce Spade. Would it hurt you to remember your classmates' faces at least? Um..."
"You don't remember me either," Ryder can't help but laugh at Deuce's hypocrisy.
"Aah! Wait, there are girls here!?" Deuce shouts. His body goes rigid.
"Long story," Ryder says.
"A-anyways, if the headmaster ordered you to do something, then you better take it seriously!"
"Yeah, yeah. Then let's get it done and over with," Ace pauses for a second. "Hmm..."
"Grim is oddly quiet," Ryder points out, agitation growing.
"That furball's gone!" Ace, Ryder, and Deuce take off after him.
"Oh god.... More running?" Demetria sighs and follows them.
~~~~~~~
They finally find Grim in the cafeteria.
"Crap! He's darting around everywhere!" Ace yells.
"Catch me if you can, suckers!" Grim hops up on a pricey looking chandelier.
"Getting on the chandelier is underhanded! We haven't learned flying magic yet... is there any magic we can trap him with..." Deuce takes a second to deliberate. "Ah, I've got it!"
"Wh-why are you pointing your magical pen at me!?" Ace screams.
"I'll just throw you!" Deuce proclaims.
"H-hold on a minute..." Demetria protests.
"You're joking, right!? Whoa, don't make me float!! You're really going to throw me!? Knock it off!!" Deuce ignores Aces pleas.
"Catch him, ya hear? Take aim... fire!" Deuces launches Ace in Grim's direction.
"Aaaahhhhhh!!"
"Ffnngahhhh!!" Ace and Grim both scream, crashing to the ground.
"Fuck." Demetria says to herself. Ace starts coughing.
"I can't believe you!"
"I-I screwed up! I didn't think about the landing!" Deuce chastises himself. Ryder is in hysterics once again.
"Are you AN IDIOOOT!?!? We caught Grim, but if the headmaster finds out we busted the chandelier..."
"If I find out?" Demetria and Ryder scream in shock at Crowley's sudden appearance.
"Headmaster..."
"Just what exactly ARE YOU ALL DOING????" Crowley shouts at everyone. "You weren't satisfied with just damaging the statue so you destroyed the chandelier too!? This is the last straw! I will have all of you expelled!"
"Eeehhhhh!?!?" The boys scream.
"Please! Anything but that! I have things I have to do at this school!" Deuce begs.
"You have nothing to blame but your own idiocy."
"Harsh..." Ryder whispers.
"I'll pay for all damages if I have to!" Deuce adds.
"That is no normal chandelier. It runs on magic that will burn for eternity. It is a masterpiece we commissioned the legendary meister of magical tools to make. It is a treasured legacy that had been around since the school's very foundation. It would cost no less than a billion Madol. Can you pay for those damages?"
"A b-billion Madol!?" Deuce yells in shock.
"Any clue how much Madol is worth?" Ryder whispers to Demetria.
"No idea."
"But teacher, can't you just fix it up with magic?" Ace asks.
"Magic is not all powerful," Crowley lectures. "Moreover, the magic crystal was shattered. No two magic crystals are the same. The chandelier will never be lit again."
"Crap... what am I going to tell mom..." Deuce looks ready to cry.
"... I know. There might be one way to fix the chandelier."
"What!?" They all shout.
"The crystal for this chandelier was mined in the Dwarf's Mine. If we have the same kind of crystal, repair might be possible."
"I will go find a magic crystal! Please, allow me to go!" Deuce proclaims.
"However, I have no guarantee that there are any left in the mine. The mine has been closed for awhile and it's very possible it is exhausted of crystals," Crowley warns.
"I'll do anything to get our expulsion rescinded!" Deuce declares. Crowley considers it.
"...very well, I shall give you one night. Come to me with a magic crystal by tomorrow morning, or face expulsion."
"Yes! Thank you very much!" Deuce shouts.
"Fine, let's go get that magic crystal and be done with it," Ace agrees.
"Use the gate in the mirror chamber to go there directly."
"Yes, sir!" Deuce dashes to the chamber.
~~~~~~~
The five of them run into the other girls, sans Bailey, on the way to the chamber.
"Yo, what's the rush?" Violet asks them.
"We met some stupid people, now we have to take a little trip so they won't get expelled," Demetria quietly informs the other girls.
"Care to help?" Ryder asks.
"Pass. I've done enough work for today," Althea says.
"I'll also have to pass. I wanna get food," Iris adds. River nods, indicating she'll be joining Iris.
"I'll come," Violet tells them.
"Wait, really?" Demetria asks in surprise.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Violet asks back.
"You uh, just never seemed like the proactive type," Demetria responds. The two high school seniors never interacted much, but Violet was known around school as the more low key type. The only things she seemed to be passionate about were playing the guitar and dressing cute.
"I'll ignore that for now. Do you want my help or not?"
"Yeah, follow us," The group, with the addition of Violet, takes off again.
~~~~~~~
Ace sighs.
"Why did it turn into something like this? Today is not my day..."
"Now isn't the time for mumbling! Let's go!" Deuce addresses the Dark Mirror. "O Dark Mirror, light our way to the Dwarf's Mine!" Ryder and Violet snicker at the dramatic language. The mirror opens up a portal to their destination.