A/N: Here's a question for you guys! Which instrument would you play: Drums, Guitar, or Keyboard? (Do know I'm not asking you WHICH ones you play, just asking on a whim if you just want to play it just because) 3/6/24
Three days later, the quartet enter Pomefiore, with instructions for those waiting to be called on for the auditions. After a while of walking and about 2 turns, the four entered the lounge, seeing the familiar beautiful decorations from when they were spying on potential victims from the Spelldrive incident, only this time, they were allowed in. They looked around, with Angel looking at the decorations, seeing that purple and gold covered the place, and if she thought Scarabia's gold plated decorations looked eotic, then Pomefiore's gold plated decorations had more of an elegant feel to the room. She even saw that the chandeliers shined with elegance, giving the room a soft yet powerful glow as they hang beautifully above four. Upon closer inspection, she noticed that the walls had little bit of gold trimming, and she never knew purple and gold could make her feel so underdressed as she looks at her uniform compared to the splendid splendor of the fancy couches, tables, chairs, and even the flowers in various corners in the room. Though her attention was drawn to the surroundings, the three looked at the people crowding the place, looking at the scene in shock as various groups of people group up, some going over strategies, some talking, some watching videos, some stretching, and others doing whatever they can to prepare for their audition. "Myaaaah! There's a ton of competition here!" Grim exclaims in shock as he looks at everyone, some looking at the four, only to turn around back to their group and focus on their auditions.
"There's gotta be like fifty people," Ace says as he looks at the crowds.
"O-oh no, I'm tensing up already," Deuce says as she looks at the crowd, panic in his eyes. "I-I th-think I'm b-blanking out on the song lyrics." Angel only nods at the statement. Good thing I didn't volunteer to participate.
"You'll be fine if you just chill," Ace casually says as he sighs.
Footsteps approach the four and they look at the person in front of them, seeing Cater smiling at them. "Ooh, what's this?" He asks curiously. "A2 and teacup and Grim? You guys are here for the SDC auditions too, huh?"
"Hey, Cater!" Grim greets. "Yeah, how about you?"
"Got it in one," Cater says as he looks at the three. He looks to Angel and she shakes her head quickly. "Well, almost got it in one. But yeah, the event's happening at our school, and I hear Vil's gonna be in it this year. What could be cooler than competing on stage against a mega-celeb with five million Magicam followers?"
"Um..." Angel says in thought. "Who's Vil...?" She quietly asks.
The question shocks everyone, excluding Grim, who was also curious. "You don't know who Vil is, teacup?!" Cater exclaims in shock. She shakes her head in a panic, with her feeling that people's stares were heading their way, most of them looking at her in shock at the exclamation and some looking at the group with annoyance for interrupting their practice. "Well, that's to be expected I guess," he sighs. "Anyway, Vil is what I said he is: an ultra mega-celeb with five million followers. He's a model, actor, singer, and he does all this while being a student here. I'm sure you've seen him in some fashion magazines you've read before. He's usually the front cover in most of them."
Angel thinks back, trying to remember anything about him. She remember seeing some magazines with covers of men at the front and in some pages, but just ignored them, not really focusing on the models but the clothes instead. As Crewel taught her, "Don't fall for looks, most beautiful pups have a bad attitudes inside than outside," he told her, meaning that not everyone beautiful person is good because of their looks. "I...don't think so," she says. "I usually just look at the clothes and don't look at the models."
"Classic, teacup," Cater says with a sigh. "But that means that I might have a chance with you later!" He winks and Angel blushes. "But anyway, it's still cool nonetheless."
Ace interrupts the two with a huff. "Deuce took it way too seriously, but you're being way too shallow about it..."
"Pfft," Cater scoffs. "I'm pretty sure most people here are like me, actually," he looks around, stopping on someone. "Check out Exhibit A over there," he says as he points.
The group follow his finger and sees Ruggie humming something with eyes closed. "Hm-hm-hmmmm, hm-hmmm! Hmm," He opens his eyes, thinking. "I'm not much of a singer, but I'm sure I can make up for that with my dance moves. I'm taking my share of that fifty thaumark prize!" He snickers.
"Myah! Of course he wants the money," Grim deadpans.
"Ah, hello, Cater," Lilia says as appears in front of the five, upside down. "Fancy seeing you here."
"WHOA!" Everyone exclaims in shock as Lilia disappears and reappears right side up.
"Khee hee hee!" He chuckles. "A perfect reaction. Heartslabyul students are always so full of vim and vigor."
"C'mon, Lils, you're gonna give me a heart attack one of these days," Cater says as he sighs.
Angel calmed down and looked at Lilia, a memory coming up. "You're the one who brought us a greeting card during winter break," she says, getting his attention.
"Khee hee hee...Indeed I am," he says with a smile. "Lilia Vanrouge, surprise delivery boy, at your service," he playfully bows.
"Oh yeah, Angel," Grim calls out. "You said we got a holiday greeting card from an unknown sender, right? Ain't this the guy right here?" Grim asks.
"Ah, but you'll find that the initials on the card differ from my own," Lilia states. Angel remembered the initials of M.D., trying to figure out who exactly matched those initials. Lilia sees her pensive face and chuckles. "Khee hee hee...You'll find out who sent it soon enough," he says with a smile.
"So, Lils," Cater calls out. "Are you auditioning for the SDC too?"
"Mhm. I belong to the Pop Music Club, so I would be remiss to sit out on a musical presentation. I invited Malleus to join me, but he declined, claiming he had no desire to be put on display for humans. He's a surprisingly shy boy, you know," he says with a sigh.
"I'm...not sure your definition of 'shy' is the same as mine..." Cater hesitantly says. "Gotta give you props for bravery, though. It takes guts to prod a bigwig like Malleus into doing an audition."
"Event like these are part of campus life," Lilia states. "I thought it would do him some good to give it a whirl, but so it goes. And yourself? I'm surprised you didn't invite your partner, Trey," he says as he looks at Cater empty sided.
"Oh, I did. But alas, I got jilted!" He cries. "Riddle's the chairman of the Culture Fair Management Committee, and Trey's busy assisting him."
"Ah, of course."
"So! How's about we take an audition selfies as jilted buddies?" Cater says as he takes his phone out.
"Certainly," Lilia smiles. "Come, freshmen, join us," he tells the four as they watched the exchange.
"Uh, you want us in the pictutre?" Deuce skeptically asks.
"Nobody rejected us, y'know," Grim huffs, paws crossed.
"It doesn't matter! YOLO!" Cater says as he and Lilia surround the freshmen, phone in hand. "One, two...yay!" He smiles.
"Yaaay!" Lilia smiles and the freshmen look at each other and shrug, slightly smiling at the phone until a familiar snap is heard.
Cater types of his phone. "Hashtag #NRC #SDCAuditions #TotallyPassing #JiltedBoiz. And, posting...now," he says with a swipe of his finger, a chime being heard from his phone, making him smile.
"Y'know, considering Malleus's reputation..." Ace says as he looks at Lilia. "I always saw Diasomnia as a cold, unapproachable kinda dorm. But you're always warm and friendly, huh?"
"Come on, you know better than that," Cater says. "Our dorm's got polar opposites, too. Just look at Riddle versus you and me!"
"Now that you mention it, it's true," Deuce adds. "Housewarden Rosehearts is terrify- uh, a real stickler for the rules. But that makes me wonder...When the Dark Mirror talks about the nature of our souls being suited to a certain dorm, what's the deal there?" He asks.
"Khee hee hee...." Lilia chuckles. "A true learning experience is living amon people who think differently than you do. Let me provide an example. Ignihyde has a reputation for being home to introverts who mislike having any sort of attention called to themselves. Yet one of their students is auditioning today."
"Ooh!" Cater exclaims while everyone look at his line of sight, the person in interest shocking the freshmen. The person they were looking at was smaller than Angel and Lilia and had short blue hair made of what looks to be fire, but the thing that shocked them the most was that his body was somewhat mechanical, a white base with blue colors every now and then on the top and legs, but black and glowing in his middle. He was wearing what looks to be a mask that covered his mouth but a light blue see through vizor that showed off his yellow eyes. The main thing that stood out was that on his left pec, or what Angel assumed to be where his pecs would be, was blue fire coming out of it, making her wonder how it was being contained. "That's Idia's baby bro. It's not everyday he flies solo."
"You're not kidding about the baby part," Ace says as he watches him stretch...whatever he has. "Dude looks like a grade schooler. And that getup! It's like he's some kinda superhero."
"Oh, I guess you froshes wouldn't know that story," Cater says to them. "Idia Shroud, housewarden of Ignihyde, brought his brother Ortho with him when he enrolled."
"What?!" Ace and Deuce exclaim with shock.
"You can DO that?" Angel asks, confused at the situation.
"Yep, actually, you've met him before actually, teacup, when you were waiting for us to have lunch," Cater says as Angel looks at Ortho again, remembering the familiar features than stood out. Oh yeah...the guy who was uncomfortable with talking. "I didn't share any classes with Idia until I started my junior year, so I'm not totally up on all the deets, but...He brings his brother to most of his classes. The teachers never even bat an eye at it."
"I know brothers can be close, but taking a brother with you to school is nuts!" Deuce says in surprise.
"This Idia's guy got a few screws loose, if you ask me," Grim comments.
"Don't talk that way about my brother!" Ortho shouts to Grim with a glare.
"Whoa!" Grim exclaims in shock as he appears in front of the six.