2: Kappas Don't Dance (Not The Waltz Nor The Tango)
"Young ladies, your attention please," Ms. Faragonda instructed.
Tor looked up, a piece of toast still dangling from her mouth.
"As is the tradition of Alfea School, we will be holding the annual welcoming ceremony for new students tonight, with a ball. The students of Red Fountain School will also be attending, for the ceremony of exchanging gifts."
Griselda cleared her throat. "As you will be required to assist with the preparations, all classes today have been cancelled."
The breakfast hall erupted in cheers.
"BLUDGE DAY!" Phoenix cheered, leaning backwards and falling off the bench. She squawked and rubbed the back of her head, wincing. Cass offered her a hand a pulled her up, back onto the bench. Tor rolled her eyes and continued to eat her toast. Aerin looked at the departing headmistress with one eyebrow raised, over one of her numerous programming textbooks. Jake shrugged and shoved another forkful of egg-bacon-hashbrown-sausage mush into her mouth, mumbling unintelligibly.
"Don't, Jake," Cass said, not even looking up.
"Wha...?"
"Don't speak with food in your mouth."
Jake rolled her eyes, and swallowed. "It's not like you never do it too..."
Cass snorted and looked down her nose at Jake. "Yeah, but you're a barbarian. I'm a refined barbarian. It's different."
"How different? It's like sugar- don't matter if it's brown or white, they're both sweet, aren't they?"
"Jake," Tor said patiently, "Save it for Philosophy class. We don't need the spouting of allegorical whatever at the moment."
"Yeah, whoever heard of a sweet barbarian?" Phoenix shuddered. "If I licked you, would you be sweet?"
Aerin hit Phoenix over the head.
"Ow!" she whined, pouting. "What was that for?"
"For being totally, utterly, unreservedly, and abjectly," Aerin took a breath, "wrong."
"I'm just saying, if things don't work out with you and Jehan, I call dibs," Raze drawled, staring at her newly painted toes. She was lying flat on her back with her feet in the air. Tor rolled her eyes.
"It's strictly a friends relationship. Completely platonic," Tor said, a hint of a smile in her voice. She was draped across a bed, completely exhausted from the decorating and preparing for the ball.
"Believe her," Cass said, snapping another picture of Phoenix in circle contacts. Phoenix made a cute face, sticking out her tongue and doing the two finger peace sign.
"Argh!" Aerin shouted, storming out of Jake's bedroom. Jake stared out blankly, sucking on a lollipop and fingering an Xbox controller.
"Tell that, that barbarian," Aerin fumed, pointing at Jake, "that it is completely unacceptable to be wearing jeans to the Alfea-Red Fountain Freshman Ball!"
"Wow," Cass said, "You've just hit an all time low."
"You know what this calls for?" Phoenix said. "Shopping!"
"That sound good," Raze agreed. Tor gave a thumbs up.
"I don't have a dress yet so that sounds pretty good," Tor said. Phoenix took out her circle contacts and placed them back in their case. She decided against that and replaced them.
"What are we waiting for? Let's go!"
"It's gorgeous," Phoenix gushed.
"Oh, my," Cass said. "It's glorious, Jake."
"I feel exposed," Jake muttered, red in the face. The dress she wore was strapless and pale blue with a ruched bodice. The full, flowing skirt was made of white tulle and whispered elegantly whenever she moved.
"What do you think, guys?" Tor asked, emerging from the change room in an emerald green taffeta ballgown. The dress showed skin through its corset-laced back.
"Thumbs up," Jake mumbled morosely. "But I can't wear this- I feel like a, a, a slut."
"No way, Jake," Aerin admonished. "You're not getting out of this one!"
"Buy that dress," Raze added. "Do it for Kaien."
"He's not interested," Jake insisted. Tor smirked knowingly as she emerged again, in her pre-ventilated jeans and white shirt. Using both arms to support the bulk of the dress, she took it to the counter.
Phoenix shoved Jake back into the change room.
"Hurry, guys. We have loads more stores to hit," she said, jumping up and down.
"Hey!"
Jake squeaked, nearly jumping. Her hold on her bag grew firmer as Raziel, Jehan and his friends crossed the road.
"Jehan!" Tor called, grinning. Jehan growled playfully, and gave her a noogie. Tyler laughed as Tor flailed and fought to escape his hold.
"Let go, you incorrigible piece of beeping bleepity-face!" she shouted, shoving Jehan off her. Jehan was doubled over in laughter.
"I don't think we introduced ourselves properly last time," Raziel said, elbowing Jehan hard. Tyler wiped laugh-tears away from his face.
"Obivously you guys already know me'n Caspian," Tyler choked out between chuckles.
"Jake's our gaming buddy," Kaien grinned, messing up her hair.
"But I only know Cass, and Jakey, and Tor and Raze," Raziel pouted. "Introduce me?"
"Phoenix, Aerin, this is Raziel," Jake said flatly. "Vice versa, etcetera, so on and so forth."
"Okay, so you guys are all in a squadron? Jehan, Kaien, Caspian, Tyler and Raziel-"
"Don't forget me," the boy behind them mumbled. His arm was in a cast.
"Wow. That must really suck," Raze said, running one finger down the cast. The guy grinned and ran a hand through his red hair.
"I'm Winter," he said. He grinned.
Phoenix tapped Raziel on the shoulder, "Um, hi!"
"Hi, yourself," he said, smiling slightly. Phoenix's eyes widened.
"Wow," she breathed. "You have really big eyes."
He looked away, fidgeting. It was the first time that a girl had noticed his eyes. He felt his cheeks heating up. It was actually the first time a girl had noticed him at all. Had something changed this year?
"Um," she said, shifting uncomfortably. "Can I take your picture?"
"Huh?" She held up a polaroid camera, rounded out white model. Before he could do anything, she had pulled him close and snapped a picture of the two of them. Later, Phoenix would remember the time they met with fondness; she would see him shyly looking up and blushing in the little polaroid square while she smiled.
"Phoenix!" Raze shouted. "Take a picture!"
They all crowded in, and Phoenix called on an innocent bystander to take the photo of them.
The boys recommended a pizza parlor; they nearly at the place out of house and home with their appetites. Tor and Raze challenged each other to an eating match, and contended fiercely as Jehan and Winter cheered them on. Raziel's awkward feelings didn't disappear as the afternoon wore on. Phoenix seemed to be just fine around him, but he needed a bit more time to get used to so many girls. He shook his head. He knew going to an all boys junior high with no sister school would be bad for his social skills.
Tyler and Caspian were annoying all along; Winter and Raze hit it off immediately. Jehan seemed to be into Tor. Kaien was being a nerd, as usual. His nose was buried in a book. Jake read from over his shoulder as she mechanically took bites out of a pepperoni pizza. They seemed fine. Then again, Tyler and Caspian both had sisters who had friends; Jehan was famous and had fangirls. Kaien was a clueless dreamer. It was simple, really.
"Ack!" Aerin shouted, "I've got no shoes!"
This sent the girls into various levels of panic. They decided that they needed to leave immediately.
"Bye, boys, see ya tonight!" Phoenix called as they walked down the street, away from the Red Fountain boys. Jehan nudged Raziel.
"You're really into Phoenix, aren't you," he said. Raziel stammered and blushed. Jehan just smirked and nudged him, wiggling his eyebrows. Tyler sighed happily.
"Raziel is finally growing up, guys," he announced. The guys laughed.
Phoenix walked down the stairs, heels dangling from one hand. The marble floor was cool and soothing against her aching feet. There was a reason that she didn't wear heels all the time. She padded soundlessly through the silent halls of Alfea, making her way to the party. Her dress, a scarlet silk creation, was partially covered by a practical black shawl. Her hair, loose and brushed until it was like a shining river of black satin, tickled her back and neck.
She heard voices. Phoenix was puzzled. Why would anyone be back here, apart from her taking a shortcut? She ducked behind a pillar, cursing the width of her skirt. There were three figures, one with bluish-white hair in a high ponytail. The one on the left had long brown hair with lighter bangs. They chanted softly as the last figure growled. They clenched their fists, frizzy hair crackling with lightning.
"There. That should do the trick."
"Are you sure? We don't want some freshmen to reverse this one, like what happened..."
"I'm sure. Alfea, prepare for the kappas."
"They won't be coming back from this one so easily."
the frizzy haired one cackled quietly. "Ha! The New Trix are in business."
"Shut up, you idiot! Don't take any chances!"
The one with the brown hair emitted a pulse of purple light.
"Frost, I sense a pixie nearby," she purred. Phoenix held her breath. It was getting cold, really cold. She tried to run. Why couldn't she move? She bit her lip, trying to struggle free. The feeling of cold travelled up her legs, up her arms...She jerked, but bands of ice crawled over her body, trapping her. She opened her mouth, but a cold hand silenced her. It was so, so cold. A voice, dripping with malice, whispered in her ear.
"Well, well, well, what do we have here?"
"Have you seen a freshman girl, black hair, violet eyes, this tall?" Raze asked. The group of Red Fountain boys shook their heads. Jehan tilted his head to the side. Tor tapped Tyler on the shoulder.
"Have you seen Phoenix? She came down here before us, and we haven't seen her since."
"No, we thought she was with you girls," Tyler replied. "Raziel here, he's been waiting an awful long time."
"Can I ask a favour?" she muttered. "I have this bad feeling that she's in trouble. Can you come look with us?"
"Alright," Caspian said. "Where should we look?"
The girls regrouped and dragged the boys into the corridor. Jake steeled herself and squared her shoulders.
"Alright. Kaien, Aerin, cover the east wing. Winter, Cass and Raze will take the south wing, and Jehan, Caspian and Tor will take the west wing. Raziel, Tyler and me will cover the corridors and shortcuts," Jake directed. "Let's go!"
Kaien, Aerin and Tyler ran in the direction of the east wing. The others ran out, calling for Phoenix. Jake grabbed Raziel and marched him in the other direction.
"It's this way to our dorms. We'll try the nooks, crannies and shortcuts first," she said.
"Maybe she wanted to take a peek at the gifts before they came out," Raziel suggested. Jake frowned.
"That's not like her," Jake and Tyler said at the same time. Raziel fidgeted. Jake frowned even more.
"Let's go, Raziel," she said. They walked down the corridor. Jake shivered, pulling her pretty Victorian-style mantle closer around her shoulders. Tyler looked around suspiciously.
"It's cold," Raziel said. The words came out in curling puffs of vapour. Moonlight streamed through the frosted windows. Raziel trailed a finger through the condensation on the window. Jake poked on of the ice flowers in the corner of the window. Tyler shivered, and removed his cloak to drape it over Jake. She seemed startled.
"Duty of care," he responded. "Tor would kill me if you froze."
"What is this?" she hissed, poking at the frost crystals on the floor. Jake was shivering violently. The pale glow of the moon lent an eerie cast to the scene. Raziel rounded the corner-
"Phoenix!" Jake shouted, kicking off her heels and running barefoot to her friend. She held her hands out, letting the Dragon flame form around them. Rivulets of water dripped onto the floor; the icy manacles that held the dark haired girl thinned and broke all together. Phoenix's eyes were closed, and she shivered weakly. She was pale, almost white; Raziel caught her as she sagged to the floor.
"Damnit, damnit, damnit," Jake swore, passing her flaming hands over Phoenix's face and arms. Her dress was damp with meltwater, and heavy. Raziel grunted, swinging her into his arms. Jake looked at Tyler, worry clear on her face.
"Raziel? Jake?" Phoenix whispered, eyelids fluttering.
"Phoenix? Phoenix," Jake said. "Phoenix, who did this? I swear, I'mma rip them to shreds-"
Phoenix lifted her hand, her shaking finger pointed at the empty alcove where the chest of presents were.
"New Trix," she whispered, "curses."
"What kinds of curses?" Tyler urged. Jake swore softly. Phoenix's eyes were sagging shut.
"Come on, come on," she hissed.
"Kappas," she whispered. Her eyelids fluttered shut, and her head fell against Raziel's chest.
"Kappas?" Tyler said incredulously, "Oh, dear Dragon..."
"Go get the others! We have to stall for time!"
Tyler pulled a slim metal rectangle out of his hidden pocket, throwing it to the ground. It unfolded and lifted into the air, forming a slim pocket hoverboard. He jumped onto it and leaned forward, sending it and himself hurtling down the corridor.
"Come on, Raziel!" Jake said, hiking up her skirts and running out of the hallway. "She needs more help than I can give her."
"Kappas?" Raze squeaked. Tyler nodded breathlessly as tor and Raze ran in, followed by the rest of the others.
"The chest!" Tor shouted, pointing at the golden box that two Red Fountain boys were carrying. An escort of four surrounded them.
"Stop right there!" Winter shouted, waving his good arm wildly. Caspian planted himself firmly in their path.
"Hand over the box," he ordered. The boys with the box balked, but steeled themselves.
"Why should we?" one of them challenged.
"Look, the eggs in that box are cursed," Jehan stated, with an excess of forcefulness.
"As if," the other retorted. Tyler pointed at the girls.
"Stall," he gasped. "They need some convincing."
The girls ran into the ballroom, flinging the doors open wide. Both boys and girls stared at them oddly.
"Stall," Aerin whispered, eyes widening.
"Oh, dear," Cass said, alarmed.
"I don't like the look of this," Tor said, biting her lip.
"Stage, guys. It's the only way we can stall," Aerin insisted. The girls ran onto the stage as the spotlight swung onto them. Aerin clicked her fingers, and instruments appeared in their hands. Cass gasped as she was dumped onto the stool behind a drum kit.
"Hi guys!" Aerin said, forcing cheerfulness. "We have a little unscheduled entertainment!"
The crowd murmured and whispered, looking up at them expectantly. Griselda marched toward the stage, looking furious; Jake quietly entered and grabbed hold of her arm. She whispered urgently in the teacher's ear. Tor fingered her shiny black bass, while Raze and Aerin clutched at their guitars.
Griselda marched over to Faragonda, and Tor continued.
"We'll be singing, uh," Tor announced, fumbling for a song they all knew, "Until My Last Breath."
Aerin snapped her fingers, and the rest of the backing track played out.
Cannot cry it loud enough
I'm giving up this ghost
How can I still justify
When you deny my voice
In this nothing I am not allowed
I just follow alone
Words as weapons without a sound
Echoes dying unborn
Until my last breath
You'll never know
Until you feel the silence
When I am gone
Now is vanishing
Everything
What we might have been
Only now you praise
Call my name that you won't see again
The doors opened again, and the six Specialists escorting the gifts entered, looking slightly battered. Tyler and Caspian struggled after them, striped with bruises, while Jehan shouted at them. Winter leaned in the doorframe, looking tired. A bruise was rapidly purpling the left side of his face; Kaien still had a telescopic bo staff in one hand. Codatorta was bristling and seemed fit to burst as he marched over and seized Tyler by the collar. Tyler's eyes widened, and his mouth moved rapidly; he gesticulated violently, stabbing a finger at the box.
The boys set the golden box on the ground and unlocked it. The girls were obviously more interested in the gifts than in them. Aerin's eyes widened, and she lost the tune. Tor ripped off her bass, Cass' drumsticks fell to the stage with a clatter.
"STOP!" Raze shouted, but she was ignored, save for a glare or two. The eggs moved fast, hastened by the girls' anticipation.
An egg passed into one of their classmate's hands. She twisted it-
In a vortex of black particles, a kappa formed, knocking her to the ground as murky pond water splashed over her, ruining her gown. The kappa's gnarled, webbed hands clutched at the girl's hair as its beak snapped close to her face. Its wrinkled, sagging green-brown skin melded into a shell that looked as it if were made of fouled potion mixed with faeces. Its head bore a crater that looked like the remains of an exploded boil. The kappa's slit-pupiled eyes gleamed with intelligent malice.
And then came the screaming. The kappa croaked and swiftly turned around, affixing its frog-like rear end to the girl's arm. Her eyes widened, and she screamed as the vampiric demon fed on her, through its anus. The hall erupted into chaos. Teachers and Specialists wrestled with kappa demons as some of the girls fought to fend them off. Aerin set up numerous small bubble shields as Tor called on the cutlery. She grabbed two of the carving knives and whirled in an arc. Her knives bit into two of the kappas leaping at her and she fought her way over to Tyler. The twins backed up against each other and grinned nastily.
Raziel appeared in the doorway, holding a limp Phoenix in his arms. His eyes widened, and he quickly backed away. A kappa launched itself off the girl it was feeding on, aiming for the prone Phoenix. Raziel turned, shielding her with his body; Caspian cut the demon down in mid-air. Kaien smashed one onto the wall and Jake scorched the top of one's head. Wizgiz jumped around the room as Griselda and Palladium blasted the creatures every which way. The floor quickly became soaked with kappa and human blood.
Raze screamed at Raziel to get out of the way and he ducked to the side just as she blasted a clutch of kappas who had the superior mental presence to sneak up from behind. Aerin tore a swathe out of the advancing beasts as she arced a barely-controlled beam of power across the room, melting an ugly black gouge into the floor.
It seemed an eternity until the last kappa fell to the ground, limp as a ragdoll.
Raziel finally dared to enter, Phoenix leaning on his shoulder. His cloak covered her, but she looked exhausted. Tor walked up to them, gown soiled beyond recognition. In one hand was a carving knife, in the other a cleaver. Both were very, very dirty. Jake retracted her phantoblade. Tor looked around, at Raziel and Phoenix, and then at the kappa with the melted skull by her feet.
"Well, ain't this a pretty bucket of shit."
This is Tor of Linphea, signing in. Here's a little bit about me~
Nickname: Tor, Tori, Toria, but if you call me Lulu, you're effing dead. Except Dad. Dad's fine.
Favourite Food: Hot fudge sundae, spicy chicken wings, the steak of champions, manly man food like that, even though I'm pretty sure I'm female.
Favourite Colour: Black. Black goes with everything, and even if people do think you're a Satanist, wearing black makes you feel like all the darkness and softness of the night is wrapped around you, protective and comforting. Or it can make you feel different, like you don't give a shit 'cause what makes you happy makes you happy, and no-one can take that away.
Favourite Hobby: Hanging out, listening to music, dragon-racing with Jehan.
Favourite Pet: Dragons, dragons, more dragons. Jehan's split-tail racer Lupo is gorgeous. I mean, if it weren't a dragon, I'd be all over it.
Ideal Boyfriend: A comrade and a friend, who has a lot of history with me. Probably an incurable flirt, 'cause I like to flirt too. Someone sweet, but knows how to deal with me and my respect issues. I'm not looking for a Prince Charming, I'm looking for someone who challenges me on a daily basis, but will never lose sight of the fact that we both care.
Best Friends: Jake of Eraklyon, Cass of Tides and Jehan Caitlis.
Favourite Movies: Horror and thriller, especially when watching with a cute guy who is super huggable :)
Loves: My mom and dad, and even though Tasia is annoying, Tasia and Tyler.
Hates: When Tasia or Tyler barge into my room unannounced.
Favourite Music: Heavy metal, thrash metal, symphonic metal, yeah yeah! Dark Violets, Fading Unwritten, Subtle View, and that Earth band nightwish. The Escapist, oh, damn, that song is powerful. It resonates on a deeper level. Just magic.
Favourite Shoes: Combat boots, and those huge stompy platform boots that go to about thigh length and lace up with d-rings- ah, heavenly.
Favourite Subject: Defence and Tactics.
Favourite Spell: Anything that involves slicing and dicing them monsters.
Catchphrase: Well ain't that a pretty little bucket of shit.
A/N: Okay, so now I 've given you guys two chapters. i know you're reading, so review! Ten reviews total and I'll update next Tuesday, my time. Less reviews equals later. So go and click that lonely button ;P