Karin ran through her house with a bucket of water. She'd healed the wound on Alicia's dog, but the neighbor was upset that the blood remained. The brunette girl pushed the door open with her hip, squinting in the bright sunlight.
"Please hurry, he's been trying to lick it off." The neighbor cried. Karin rolled her eyes inwardly. Her village was so over dramatic.
Karin placed the bucket next to the dog and grabbed the cloth from her shoulder.
"There's no need to worry, really, Ms. Florentine." She assured the client.
From the moment she turned twelve, she'd been using and honing her little healing skills to help the animals of the village that adopted her. Unfortunately, she couldn't get it to work as well with people.
Since the moment she woke up in this little place, she'd only remembered a few things: her name, a few basic incantations, and her secret. She didn't know where her parents were, but any time she thought about it, her heart hurt, so she didn't.
Once she finished washing the neighbor's dog of blood, she waved goodbye and went back inside to start dinner.
She straightened her updo, stopping at the mirror in her main room. Her eyes lingered on the silk purple ribbon she'd kept with her all this time. The color had dulled and the embroidery threads were loose in places, so she didn't wear it often, but today felt like a good time to.
"I still don't know where you came from. " Karin said aloud, frowning.
"Maybe I was a princess when I was little and had all kinds of fancy ribbons." She joked. Karin giggled all the way to the kitchen.
"What an active imagination."
Karin screamed at the voice beside her. She backed into the counter, wand instinctively in hand. Not that she could do offensive magic, but it made her feel better.
A long, tattered paper hovered in front of her, the words moving too much for her to read. There was a stamped insignia at the top, but it was too folded to distinguish.
"You didn't have to scream. If I were human, my ears might be bleeding." The fifteen year old stared in amazement. The voice was most definitely coming from the magical paper.
"Wh-who are you?" Her voice was soft and quiet. The paper fluttered in frustration.
"If you can't even read, then why am I here? I am a letter of invitation from the Gendonelune Royal Magic Academy, here for a miss Karin Tokushima of Reitz. Would that be you?" The pig-tailed girl nodded, astounded. She stood straight.
"I've been sending applications for years…"
"Yes, and now we feel you are the right age and at the pivotal point in your magical career." The page sounded as if he had repeated the same spiel hundreds of times.
Karin felt the excitement well up inside of her, causing her to squeal.
"I can't believe this! Finally, finally I can start getting better. I'll be able to help people and animals!"
"Well, young miss-" The letter tried to speak, but Karin was too busy looking for a suitcase and babbling.
"I honestly was starting to think it was never going to happen." A few dresses were thrown into the bag, a peach colored sleeve peeking out over the side.
"I never heard anything, but I just knew I had to get it one of these days." A hairbrush and toothbrush.
"I can't wait to get to restrain, when do we leave?" She turned to the fluttering document.
"Well, if you would take a moment to breathe, I would say that you don't leave until two days from now. I will guide you to our prestigious academy. Also,-"
"Whaaat?!" Karin once again interrupted. She was instantly deflated. She had been dreaming of the academy since she could remember, literally. She wanted to be there and find out why as soon as possible.
Even though she was only seventeen and only good with animal magic, something in her heart tugged her towards Gendonelune. She touched the ribbon on her head once again.
Maybe I'll find out about you there, too. She hoped.
The next two days were spent giving the news to the girl's adopted community the great news. They were all clearly sad to lose their dependable Wizardess, but gave her congratulations and small gifts regardless. By the end of it all, Karin could feel her heart bursting with love.
Unfortunately for Mr. Letter, she didn't allow him a word in edgewise until she fell asleep on the final train ride to the academy.
"Oh well, she will find out the bad news soon enough. Let her sweat a little…" The enchanted paper laughed mischievously to himself.
…
A younger Karin laughed in plain joy as she run-through the meadow. Her friend had such large trees everywhere and everything smelled so sweet.
Karin felt like she could hear the flowers greeting her, the grass asking her to play as it prickled her skin.
"I wanna try some magic!" The little girl shouted. The boy she played with caught up, taking a moment to catch his breath.
"You have too much energy!" The older kid complained. Karin stuck out her tongue.
"Leave me alone, I'm excited! You were born with magic, I didn't get it until lately. Teach me something!" She stomped her little foot, the sparkly blue shoe flattening the grass underneath. The boy rolled his eyes.
"Fine, but you have to pay attention." Karin nodded furiously. She plopped onto the ground in her dress, looking to him eagerly.
….
Karin's eyes fluttered open. She squinted in the bright light of the afternoon sun.
"It's about you woke up, you almost missed the best part." The girl looked to the snarky document in confusion, then to the window next to her face.
The train was currently passing the academy grounds. Tall towers reached into the sky, looking far more magnificent than the young Wizardess could have ever guessed.
"It's amazing!" She was in awe. The paper behind her shuffled.
"Yes, it is. It is also very hard to get to from the city, so you will need to follow me very carefully, understand?" Karin nodded, only half paying attention.
"Once we arrive, we need to go to the main platform and await the Prefect. You are to go nowhere else."
"Okay." The paper grumbled at her waved response. Karin was too busy fantasizing herself using high level magic without a single mistake, impressing all of the upper classmen. She giggled at the ridiculousness of it all.
They made it to the station and Karin managed not to run off. It wasn't until nearly an hour of waiting and listening to Mr. Letter complain that she decided to find her own way.
"Where do you think you're going?"
"If this Prefect fellow doesn't want to come get me, then I'll just get there on my own." She held her head high, confidently walking into town.
She was almost immediately lost.
"Right, so, if we walk this way…" She mumbled to herself. She sighed, defeated.
"We're lost Mr. Letter." She could feel the document about to launch into a lecture, but luckily, he was interrupted.
"Excuse me, miss, could I help you?" Karin looked up brightly, glad for the help. She met her gaze with a tall, older man with striking red hair. She noticed the scarlet tattoo running confusing patterns along his forearm.
"Y-yes, I'm looking for the way to the academy." The man thought about this.
"Well, lucky for you, I happen to be heading there myself." Karin perked up once again, she would've hated to make someone go out of their way for her.
He must be a professor of sorts. She thought.
"Then please, sir, could you escort me? My name is Karin Tokushima." The stranger smiled and bowed.
"Vincent Knight."
With the help of Vincent, Karin was able to make it to the dorms without incident, only barely making curfew. With a quick apology to the scary housemother, she took the room assignment and set out to find her room.
Part of her wished Mr. Letter could've hung around a little longer, but he became a normal piece of parchment. Her heart beat faster the closer she got to the room. The house mother only told her she had a roommate named Amelia Nile, and nothing passed that.
What if this girl was crude or didn't want a roommate? Karin crossed her fingers that she could make a good friend tonight.
She stepped up to the room door, bag in hand and took a deep breath. She put a cute smile on her face and knocked softly.
"Hello? Hang on-" A crash from inside. "It's open!" Karin couldn't help a little giggle. She walking in and saw a redheaded girl picking up a few textbooks.
"Sorry, I was trying to make space for you and kind of stacked things haphazardly." The girl stood and smiled brightly, offering her hand.
"Amelia. And you must be Karin? I thought you weren't going to show up, but I'm really happy you did!" Karin shook the girl's hand, slightly confused. She set down her bag on the bed.
"Why did you think I wasn't coming? Oh, was it because I came in so close to curfew? I kind of got lost." Amelia sat down in front of a large vanity, brushing her hair.
"Well, everyone thought you were coming yesterday. The Prefect was stomping around all day complaining about what a terrible student you were already being." She laughed a little to herself.
"I've never seen him so worked up." Amelia added.
Karin started unpacking, getting her pajamas together. She frowned. Mr. Letter had specifically said today, she was sure of it.
"I was told today. As far as I knew, he ditched on me. I think I'm actually glad for it, though. He sounds really mean." Karin placed the box holding her precious ribbon on her own vanity, taking down the pink ones currently holding her hair. Amelia snorted.
"He's not nearly as bad as professor Schuyler."
The girls talked far passed when they should've gone to bed, but when they finally did stop, Karin fell into an easy sleep, at least for a while.
Karin found herself on the ground of a sense, dark forest. The light of the full moon shine through the leaves of tall trees, allowing the girl to see.
She pushed herself up to standing and walked forward to the glittering pond in front of her.
"What am I doing here?"
She looked for any sign of why she stood where she was.
"Young Wizardess…" Her attention snapped to a small copse of trees, and the unicorn stepping out from them.
Her hand flew to her mouth in awe. It's white fur and mane were brighter than the moon could ever hope to be, its own personal constellations decorating each strand of the name. It lifted it's head, showing off the porcelain horn protruding from its forehead.
"Why have you come?" It spoke in her mind. The girl opened her mouth to respond, but nothing came out.
"Karin. Karin…"
"Karin!" The brunette Wizardess woke with a start, banging her forehead into Amelia's.
"Ow, geez, girl! I wake you up in time and this is what I get?" The redhead rubbed the injured spot, a smile playing on her lips. Karin jumped out of bed and started getting ready.
"I'm so sorry, Amelia! Thank you so much!" The roommate rolled her eyes and laughed.
"It's okay, I'm going to go ahead to breakfast." Karin mumbled a distracted reply, throwing her uniform together on the bed. She groaned as the door closed, realizing she was going to miss breakfast.
"I guess I need the extra time to find my class anyways…"
By the time she was ready, she had twenty minutes until class was to start.
"I have enough time to grab a quick bite…" She was lost in thought when a flash of pink and blue passed her vision. She was instantly knocked to the ground. She looked up to see the student who hit her scrambling to get up.
"Sorry about that, but I have to go get Taffy. He's trying to escape right now." The cotton candy haired boy reached out a hand, a playful glint in his matching eyes.
She took the stranger's hand, but frowned the whole through. The boy had some interesting style choices on his uniform, but other than that, he was fairly handsome.
She opened her mouth to ask his name, but he looked over her shoulder then back at her with a grin.
"Sorry again, but I've just found my queue to leave. I'll see you around." He kissed the back of her hand and dashed off without hesitation.
"What just happened?" Karin sighed and collected her things. Suddenly a hand reached out and grabbed her last book. She lifted her gaze to see a man towering over her.
"What I would like to know is where you were the day you were supposed to arrive?" Karin gulped. It hit her that this had to be the Prefect Amelia mentioned. She said nothing, searching his cold violet eyes for any sign of mercy.
She stood quickly, bowing in apology.
"I'm very sorry Mr. Prefect, sir! I was told to arrive yesterday afternoon by the letter." She stayed bowed in silence for a moment before a book landed softly on her head. Karin lifted her head to see the man holding out her notebook. His eyes held something unknown.
"Very well. However, I do not appreciate having to search for you yet again this morning. You should have reported to my office at seven sharp." She pouted, not hearing anything like that from her guide.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Prefect." She said, defeated. The wizard in front of her frowned.
"How would you like it if I called you Bunnyhead? My name is Klaus, not 'Mr. Prefect'." Karin's hand flew to one of the pigtails she usually wore.
"I do not look like a bunny!" She frowned. His name sounded familiar, but she didn't know why. Maybe Amelia had said it the night before and she just hadn't heard?
"Now, Miss Tokushima, we have an appointment. Follow me." Without warning, Klaus strode passed her, not bothering to check if she was behind him. She hesitated, noticing how regal his cloak made him seem. She huffed stubbornly and ran to catch up.
"Where are we going, K-Klaus?" She stumbled in her words, embarrassed to be so casual with him. He glanced back at her for a second.
"We are going to see the headmaster, he's asked to see you." The blond upperclassmen explained. Karin gasped at this. Was she really going to see the famous headmaster? Even her small village knew of him and his his skill for magic. Karin looked to her feet and blushed. She hoped he wouldn't be dissapointed in her abilities.
The Prefect stopped after some time and knocked on a large, detailed door. After a moment, he exchanged greeting with someone behind it and the duo was let in. The man that opened the door elegantly made his way to the side of an early mid-aged man with brown hair and a well trimmed beard to match.
Karin looked sheepishly from the scary, dark clad man to the nicer headmaster. She took a deep breath and prepared to ask her question.
"Um! Headmaster, sir! I have to know, why did you accept a clumsy Wizardess like me? I mean, I'm grateful, I've been waiting my whole life to be accepted, even though isn't know why-" The headmaster raised his hand to stop her, a smile playing on his face.
"Have you read over the letter we sent?" This surprised Karin, of course she had read it. She pulled the paper from her bag and quickly scanned the words until…
"P-provisional?!" She heard a snicker from behind her. Her heart sank.
"Every student is given a trial period of thirteen days before a magical item decides their fate. You will spend many of these days in classes taught by my college besides, Professor Conrad Schuyler." The dark haired man scowled. Karin gulped nervously, remembering Amelia's stories.
Karin spent the next ten minutes asking questions and getting an orientation of school and how it worked. After all that, she bowed and followed Klaus from the room.
"I'm sorry you have to walk me to class." She said softly. His back was to her, but as the meeting went on, he seemed to draw into himself. He slowed his paced slightly so that he walked beside her.
"I'm a busy man, but that's doesn't mean I can't help you. If I left you alone, you'd likely get lost, Bunnyhead." His violet eyes gleamed playfully. Karin pouted.
"How rude!" Part of her regretted feeling bad.
"It's not my fault the map is so complicated." She protested. Klaus raised his eyebrow, but didn't tease her further. Karin huffed in embarrassment.
The duo was put into a comfortable silence for a bit when Karin stumbled and brushes against the Prefect. He grabbed her arm to steady her unintentionally.
"Watch your step!" He hissed impatiently. His tone was scary. Karin looked at him, deciding if she should keep quiet or not when the emblem on her breast began to shine. She gasped as she watched Klaus' light up and synchronize with the pulsing light emanating from her emblem.
Klaus mirrored her expression, watching orbs form from the light, the two coming up to meet each other and bursting with little sparks.
"What kind of magic was that?" Karin heard herself ask. Klaus cleared his throat and continued walking. Karin jogged to catch up.
"What was that?" She asked again.
"Nothing." He abruptly stopped, catching her by the shoulders before she crashed into him.
"You are really careless, you know that? I just hope your intelligence makes up for your lack of balance." He turned her to face the door, then curtly left.
Karin growled frustrated that he had insulted her without answering her question. She walked through the door and looking for a place to sit. She noticed an open spot next to a blue haired boy, a wolf casually sleeping at his feet.
"A familiar… Cool." She suddenly wished she had a creature to bond with.
"Speaking of familiar, I don't think we are, and I'd like to be." Karin jumped at the sudden voice beside her ear. A green haired boy came around her, a smirk on his lips. Karin blushed, realizing he was talking to her. A glittering earring dangled on his left ear.
"Who are you? You're new. I'd never forget such a pretty face." The boy lifted one of her ponytails in his palm and kissed it, now less than a foot from her face. The young Wizardess was speechless.
"Luca, that's enough of you disgusting behavior." Green and pink eyes darted to look into lavender ones. Karin gasped and stepped away from Luca.
"K-Klaus? Wait, no, you're not him." Her heartbeat slowed back to normal. Luca held his stomach beside her, laughing.
"Oh, that is perfect. Don't you think, Prince Elias?" Elias glared at the troublemaker. It was clear that he didn't like the nickname given to him. He turned his attention back to Karin.
"You're right, I'm his younger brother, Elias Goldstein. You should find a seat before class starts." His tone was just as sharp as his brother's. At his name, a sudden stab of pain went through Karin's head.
"Guh!" She fell to her knees, dropping her supplies for the second time. The classes attention snapped to her immediately.
Her mind clouded, but after some time the pain faded and she could hear Elias calling her name, a name she hadn't told him. He met Elias' eyes, then lost consciousness.
It's been a long wait for this chapter, but I'm happy people are reading this one :) not a lot happened in this just because it's only our beloved heroine's first day.
I've also been having g an issue between the app and website as far as replying to reviews. So far on both stories, I've replied to almost every review, so if you didn't get it, it's because I used the app :'(
