The Beginning of the Beastmasters

by WaterBendingQueen88

In a world where magic and mayhem collide, Niho Shimoba, a girl with no memories, must rely on herself, having no magic whatsoever, and the people she befriends to ensure her return home. And even without magic up her sleeve, she has ways of getting even the most selfish and self-centered boys to team up and save themselves from macabre fates.

3. Egos Clashing

I thank KatherineOzawa of Wattpad for helping me.

The portal spit them out one at a time. The three got to their feet and looked around to see dark woods, the sky an inky blue with the sun's rays long gone. A small brook with rushing water carved into the ground, a small wooden bridge their only way across, leading into a dirt path and the path led to a small cottage in the distance.

"So this is the Dwarfs' Mine... Long ago, this mine was flush with magestones." Deuce trailed off.

Grim curled into himself out of nervousness. "Urgh... Who knows what lurks in there now?"

"Look, I can see a house. Let's see what the people there have to say." Ace started walking across the bridge, as the others trail behind. Niho, somehow, had a small feeling in her gut something was off about the place….

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Deuce knocked on the door and pushed it open, "Hellooo? Is anyone home…? Must be empty. It looks like it's been abandoned." He propped the door open and let the others follow in after. True to his word, the inside of the cottage was dusty and grimy after years of neglect, much like the Ramshackled House.

Grim wasn't watching himself and ran into a low hanging spider web, "Bwah! I got a spider web on my face! Ptchoo! Ptchoo!" he kept spitting it out of his mouth and batting his paws.

"Look how tiny these desks and chairs are. Did children live here?" Ace started counting out the chairs one by one. "One, two… Seven! It's like a clown car in here."

Niho gave him a sarcastic look, "You do know dwarfs are little people that are grown up, right?"

"Y-Yea, I did!" Ace covered himself despite the embarrassed look in his eyes.

"When the mine was flourishing, this house must have been a lively place."

Ace shrugged at Deuce's theory. "Well, this isn't getting us anywhere. If we're gonna find a magestone, it'll be inside the mine. Let's head inside and take a look."

XXXXXXXXXXXX

The group made it to the entrance of the mine which looked pretty close to caving in from an angle. But a few support beams held it together so none of the sort would happen.

Grim backed up, "Wou wanna go inside THERE? It's pitch black!"

"What, are you scared of the dark? Pathetic." Ace's remark wasn't taken well by Grim, who stood taller and started marching inside.

"Myah?! I'm not scared of anything! I'm taking the lead. You all follow me!"

They squeezed their way inside to see some light reflected in the tunnel that showed a few railroad tracks for gem carts to roll around on, and the walls barren with a few stubborn gems locked in the granite.

Deuce looked around the place until he felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end and halted, "Huh? Hold up!"

"What now?"

"There's something there!" he pointed ahead.

At that, two ghosts wearing tattered cloaks appeared, making Grim shriek, "Myah?!" and hide behind the others.

"Hee hee hee hee! Visitors! The first in ten years!"

"Do make yourselves at home… You can stay forever!"

"More ghosts?! They're floating around here too!" Ace recoiled.

Deuce grabbed his pen, "If we stop the fight, we'll never get anywhere. Let's just keep moving."

"Sure, but don't act like we voted you team leader. The only reason we're here in the first place is because of the stupid stunt you pulled." Ace fired back.

Deuce didn't hesitate to get up in his face. "Oh? I'm pretty sure this all started because you tried to shirk your window-cleaning punishment!"

"So we're bringing up ancient history now? Then if you wanna get down to brass tacks, this all started when that furball torched that statue!"

"Myah?! Maybe you shouldn'ta made fun of me, then!" Grim jumped in.

"This blame game isn't helping!" Niho shoved the two away from one another in anger.

Deuce regained his bearings and got a hold of himself, "He's right! Guys! We're in real hot water, remember?! If we don't come back with a magestone by morning, we're all being expelled!"

Ace scoffed, "Yeah, which is why we don't need you ordering the rest of us around. It gets old real fast."

"All of you, calm down."

"…iiivvv… …oooouuu…"

Everyone froze in fear at the strange mangled voice.

Ace's voice quivered, "Wh-where's that coming from?"

"…neeevvvaaa… …iiivvv… …ooouuu…"

"Sounds like...it's getting closer…" Deuce peered down the mine, squinting to make out a shape in the obstructing darkness.

Suddenly a repulsive and hulking monster emerged from the shadows towering over the group like a giant oak tree, the head shaped like a lightbulb and filled with black water-y liquid. "Stooonesss… Stooonesss aaare miiiiine!" it screamed, the gurgling prominent.

"Bwah! There it is!" without hesitation the others start running for it, away from the creature, which was following them.

"What is that?!" Deuce screamed.

"Myaaah! No one said there'd be monsters! Let's get outta here!" Grim begged.

"That thing's super creep! But didn't it just say something about 'stones'?!" Ace recalled.

But the monster heard him and stopped, screaming at them, "Stooonesss… …nevvva give stooonesss...!"

Deuce gasped, "So there ARE still magestones here!"

Grim shook his head rapidly, hiding behind Ace's leg. "Myaaah… Even as a master sorcerer, I… I don't think I can take that thing down!"

"But we need a magestone or we'll get expelled! I'm going in!" Deuce stepped forward.

Ace gaped at him. "Are you outta your mind?!"

"You can't do it alone!" Niho tried to make him change his mind, but Deuce stayed stubborn with his choice.

"I won't be expelled! No matter what!" with that claim, he rushed forward.

"Begone! Begone! Begooone!" The monster became enraged, and in a flash, slashed at Deuce with his pick-axe, throwing him away and slamming into the mine's wall.

"Bwaaah!" He shouted on impact and slid to the ground.

Ace pushed up his jacket's sleeves and grunted out, "Aw, crap! He's got Loosey-Deucey on the ropes! Not on my watch! Heeyah!" He swished his pen and threw a wind sphere to push the monster back, but it did little to affect it. It only made it furious. It screamed and did the same slashing punch at Ace, making him hit the wall from the blow.

"Bwaaah!"

"Myaaah! Stay away from me!" Grim shrilled and threw a wall of fire to block it off, making the monster let out a threatening growl.

"It's like nothin's even hurtin' it!" he quivered.

Suddenly, a small glimmer flashed in the corner of her eye and Niho gasped, "Did you just see that sparkle?!"

Ace, who saw the same glimmer, nodded in affirmation. "Behind the monster! There's something sparkling in the mineshaft!"

"Could that have been a magestone?!" Deuce got up despite the pain in his back.

"GWAAAAAAAH! Nooo giiive yooouuu stooooooone!" The monster roared, shaking the walls of the mine and making Niho cover her ears at the shattering sound.

"Niho, we need to book it, and fast! That thing's gonna pound us into tuna paste!" Grim started running for the entrance.

"You're right, for once! We need to run for it, you guys!" she begged. The two complied to her request and picking themselves up, they ran out of the mine, only leaving the monster with its guttural screams.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Out of the mine, around the cottage and over the brook, the others made it towards the edge of the woods to gather their bearings.

"This should be far enough, I think?" Grim heaved, out of breath.

Ace cracked his back from where he landed. "Owwww… What was that thing? No one said there'd be anything like that!"

"That was no normal ghost, that's for sure." Deuce shook his head.

"Let's just give up and go home. I'll happily take the expulsion if it means never having to fight that thing again." Ace muttered, but Deuce heard him and shoved him away harshly.

"What?! Nuh-uh, not happenin'! I'd rather die than get expelled from Night Raven! How can you give up when the stone is right there?"

Ace crossed his arms, "Pfft. Big talk from someone who's not even half the mage I am. You want that stone so bad, go get it yourself. I'm out."

But as if a switch was switched in Deuce's head, he starts raging, "Oh YEAH?! Fine, go back to your coop, you big chicken!"

Both Grim and Niho were too surprised to say anything at his sudden change in behaviour.

"Whaaaaat?! Who're you callin' chicken, huh?!" Ace seemed to egg him on.

Grim was the only one who decided to break the tension, "Whoa, Deuce… Is it just me, or did you, like, turn into a totally different person just now?"

Deuce heard him and gasped, recollecting himself, "Huh?! A-ahem! Sorry… Lost my cool for a second there."

Niho rubbed her arms out of nervousness. "Can't you do something with your magic?"

"The headmage said it himself- magic has limits. If you can't strongly visualize your magic, it isn't going to happen. Using magic at a greater scale, or using different types of magic-those things require training." Deuce shot down with a sigh.

"Yeah, that's why magic academies exist. It takes a lot of training before you can snap your fingers and turn your thoughts into magic. And the more flustered you are, the more likely you are to make mistakes." Ace picked up.

All she did was give them a look. "Oh, I'd assumed spellcasting just came naturally."

"Nope, although if the magic's your specialty, you can use it more intuitively." Ace mumbled to her.

"Anyway, we need to find some way to defeat that creature and get the magestone." Deuce got them back on track.

Ace spat towards him, anger resurfacing, "Yeaaaaah. Just like the time with the chandelier, right? You 'found some way,' and now here we are. We just fought that thing and it creamed us. So what exactly is your plan here, genius? Because I sure don't trust you to improvise!"

Niho felt herself getting irked at their head-butting.

Deuce got close to Ace and seethed, "What?! You're the one who-"

Grim sighed, "Aaand they're at it again."

"Will the two of you knock it off already?!"

The sudden screech made both the first years and the creature fly back in shock, seeing Niho's eyes wide and saying that she was done with this bullcrap.

"Whoa, that was loud. Where'd that come from?"

Niho started to spit fire at the three, "It came from you all being idiots who can't do anything but argue! You said it yourself-we can't hurt that thing."

Grim felt his tail curl in at her iced over tone of voice.

"Urk… But… But what are we going to do, then?!" Deuce asked, nervous to invoke her anger again.

"What if we came up with a proper plan first?"

Ace let out a dry laugh at her phrase. "A proper plan? Like some kinda buddy move? Is that a joke? You always say the lamest things with the straightest face, Niho."

Deuce couldn't help but agree. "Agreed. No way could I work together with him."

Grim, knowing Niho will do anything to teach them a lesson, was quick to speak, "Yeah, but… Gettin' expelled on the first day… That's pretty lame too. Maybe even lamer."

At that, the two felt their resolves waver. "W-well…"

"…"

Niho smiled, "Yeah, there's nothing cool about that!"

"Gah… Fine. Let's just get this over with, then. All right, Niho. What's the plan?" Ace nodded.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

The two peek over the bushes to see the monster pacing back and forth in front of the mine's entrance.

"Niho… Is this plan of yours really gonna work? I'm sca-I mean, I'm a little…uh, hungry."

Niho shrugged, not taking her eyes off the creature. "Then let's brace for the worst."

With that, Grim shouted, "H-hey, monster! I'm uh… I-I'm over here!" he waved his arms in the air to draw his attention.

The monster saw him and growled, "Grrraaawrrr! BEGOOOOONE!" and began to shuffle it's way to them.

"He's comin' our way! Niho!"

Niho threw out, "Right over here, monster!" The monster spotted her, too.

"Grrrurgh? Thieeef thiiis waaay tooooo… Neeevvva giiive stooones! Neeevvvaaa!" He slashed at the ground, leaving a strong dent in the dirt as warning.

"Eep! If it lands one of those punches, we're toast!"

"Let's lure him as far from the cave as we can." Niho grabbed him and started running. The monster followed after her, swinging it's axe violently.

"Begooone! BEGOOOOONE!" it kept yelling.

Once she passed by a pair of trees, Grim nodded, "We got him a good distance away from the mine!"

"Now's our chance!" she screamed, propelling Grim forward.

"You bet. I got this! One extra-large gust of wind, comin' up!" Ace yelled, creating a vortex of wind.

"With a side of Grim's blazin'-hot fire! MYAAAH!" A tall wall of blue flames added an extra layer to the attack, making an unbreakable barrier for the monster.

"How's that taste?! With my winds fanning them, even Grim's feeble flames can become an inferno!"

"Whaddaya mean 'feeble'?! Ya really don't know how to shut yer mouth, do ya?"

Niho signaled down Deuce's for one extra thing. "Now's our chance while the monster's afraid of our flaming tornado!"

Deuce took a deep breath in and out, "Just stay calm, aim carefully… and pull out the biggest, heaviest thing I can think of…" he closed his eyes and pictured the one thing in his mind. Once he saw it, his eyes opened with determination. "Get 'em, cauldron!"

The same black pot as before slammed down on the monster, crushing him into the soft earth. He screamed in pain.

"Nailed it! The plan's workin'! Look, Niho! That monster got smashed flat by a falling cauldron, just like Ace did!" Grim fell on the floor laughing.

"Coulda done without the reminder, thanks! This has been one drag after another." Ace scoffed.

"Quick! While it's distracted, we need to get that magestone!" Deuce waved for them to follow as they bolted into the mine.

The monster looked up to see them running and flailed, "Guh?! Waaait! Nooooooo!"

Deuce made it back inside, this time, running farther down the mine and, "That's it! That's the magestone!" True to his word, there it was lodged into the wall, the size of a basketball. He went to reach for it.

But outside, the monster knew what they were about to do. "Dooon't tooouch thaaaaat!" he screamed and with all his anger, smashed the wind barrier keeping him prisoner, leaving only the blue flames to vanquish.

Niho gasped as she heard the barrier shatter and saw the monster was halfway through their magic cage. The others heard her sharp gasp.

"Uh-oh! Looks like it's nearly wriggled free!"

"Hey, Deuce! You gotta add more weight!" Grim ordered as he tried to get the gem free.

And Deuce did so. "Y-you mean something heavier? Uh… I summon thee, cauldron! And also, uh… Um… Another cauldron! And a cauldron on top of that! All the cauldrons!"

Before the monster could break the second wall, the same black cauldron as before lands on him, forcing him to the ground. "Nnngaaaah!"

Ace gave him a look, "Is that the only thing you know how to summon?!"

"Pipe down already! I'm worked up enough as it is!" Deuce screamed back.

Grim managed to pry the gem from the wall, but nearly dropping it, Niho snagged it before it could shatter. "We got the magestone! Now let's get outta here!"

"Roger that!" Niho cradled the gem in her arms as she ran after the guys out of mine and towards the portal.

The monster looked up from his place on the ground and his eyes landed on the girl last, when he saw the gem in her arms. His anger only grew from there seeing her stealing what was his. "MYYY STOOOOOOONE!" With little effort, he threw the cauldron off of him, and got up. He swung his axe horizontally into the fire, extinguishing it, and went to chase after the group.

The others had nearly made it to the cottage when they heard the monster's scream of rage.

"Are you kiddin' me?! It's still coming! It pushed off all that weight!" Ace shouted.

The monster still charged forward, his eyes, if he had any, were set on Niho. "Ooooooooogh…! Giiive it baaaaack!"

"It's too fast! It's about to catch us!"

Niho kept the magestone closer to her out of protection. "But we've weakened it! If we strike now…"

"Aw, fine! Let's just smash the thing. Try not to wet yourself, Deucey!"

"Same to you, Ace!" Both boys proceeded to grip their pens, ready to throw down.

Grim stood between them, stance firm. "I'm gonna show ya why they call me Grim the Great!"

Deuce looked over his shoulder and nodded towards Niho. "Hide in the woods until this is done!"

She nodded silently and ran behind the nearest tree, shielding the magestone close to her body. She could hear the monster approaching them and she held her breath, fear already surging.

"Where…..where is it?!" the monster screamed. "That stone….is minnnnnnnne!"

"We're not giving it back to you, ugly!" Ace snarled.

The monster roared, making Niho curl up as tears bubbled into her eyes as the ground shook with it.

"Let's get him!" Grim shrieked.

The sound of wind slashing and fire crackling was all Niho heard and the screams of the boys as they tried to overthrow the behemoth before them.

'Please, please, please let this be a nightmare!' she prayed in her mind. Her forehead touched the glossy surface of the gem, a white-hot coldness seeping from it.

The monster dispelled the attack Ace threw at him and raised its arm, the axe preparing to strike him down, with a scream.

"Crap!" he dove out of the way just as the tip of the axe was to graze his leg. The axe lodged itself into the ground, forming cracks underneath it. The monster tried to wrench its weapon out of the ground. Only worsening it, as the crack grew, spreading forward into a long strip and towards one of the tallest trees in the woods. The one Niho was behind.

Suddenly, the ground rumbled and shook, almost like an earthquake.

Niho looked up to see the tree was being uplifted from the roots.

"Niho, get out of there!" Deuce screamed.

She obeyed and ran towards the others out of fight or flight.

"Myyyyyyyy stoooooone!" the monster shrilled, and tried to move, only to feel something locking around his wrist. Heavy metal chains locked his wrist with the axe.

"Over our dead bodies!" Deuce stood in front of her, his pen glimmering menacingly.

Loud crackling was heard, and the monster looked up in time to see the tree he dislodged began to tilt forward. On top of him.

"Don't look!" Deuce turned around and hugged Niho close to him, shielding her eyes from the monster's quick death.

Ace and Grim ducked behind several bushes, hearing the monster's anguished screams.

The mammoth tree tipped forward and slammed down on the monster, crushing its body and silencing it's garbled voice, the glass head of it shattering into shards and ink.

Silence hung in the air as Deuce let go of Niho, Ace and Grim emerged from the bushes, fur matted and clothes battered, and they looked up to survey the damage.

Underneath the gigantic tree, The monster's body lied limply on the ground, it's head was completely destroyed, glass and inky water puddled underneath the place where its head once stood.

Niho took in the damage with morbid fascination, only to gasp in shock as she saw the ink, the glassy shards and the monster's dead body rise up in a vapory mist altogether and disappear before her eyes in a puff of smoke.

Deuce panted beside her as both Grim and Ace joined them, till on edge.

"Is it… over?" Ace asked unsurely.

Grim was the only one gutsy enough to move towards the monster's death spot and see that no trace of the creature was left behind. "I think…we won? I think we dit it!" he looked up and grinned.

"All right!"

"Woohoo!"

"Gimme a victory high-five!"

The group celebrated, including Niho, who you could say had gotten over seeing the monster's death quite fast.

"Shared adversity sure brings people together, huh?" she softly smiled as she kept her hold on the magestone.

That brought down the party mood fast as Deuce coughed into his hand, "Uh… I don't think that had anything to do with it."

"Yeah! Spare us the cliches, Niho!" Ace brushed off.

"There's no 'together' here! We won 'cause of me! This is all from me bein' a magical genius!" but the three knew they couldn't win the argument.

"Y'know… I hate to admit it, but… We mostly won because of your plan." Ace shrugged.

Deuce nodded after, "Yeah… If you hadn't managed to keep your cool and tell us all what to do, we never would have got this magestone. Now I won't get expelled. And wow, is THAT a relief!"

Niho smiled lightly. "I'm just glad no one got hurt."

"Yeah, yeah, lessons were learned, et veterans. Can we just go home already? I'm wiped." Ace yawned to prove his point.

Grim began to walk towards the portal, muttering all the while. "Usin' all that magic made me hungry!" but then something caught his eye on the ground. "Huh? What's this?"

The three humans followed his line of sight and saw a brownish-black colored stone in the spot the monster once stood. "Is that a part of the monster we just beat? It looks like…a magestone? But it's black as coal! I've never seen one like that before." Deuce nibbled his lip in confusion.

Grim picked it up with his paws and sniffed it. "What IS this? It smells amazing!"

"Are you insane?"

"Must be some kinda fancy monster candy that it was hidin' from us! If this tastes half as good as it smells…" He shoved the stone in his mouth in one bite.

Niho gaped at him in morbid surprise. "Did you seriously just eat that?!"

Grim froze as he swallowed the stone whole.

"Are you okay?!" Deuce started freaking out.

"That's what you get for eating trash!" Ace sighed.

"Oooooogh… Urrrgggh… That…was AMAZING!" Grim squealed.

"What?!"

"Rich in flavor and full-bodied… Like sweet, fragrant flowers burstin' into bloom on my tongue. A whole field of 'em! Right in my mouth!" Grim sighed.

Ace gagged, "Gross. Monsters must have real weird tastes."

"You might be onto something there… Most humans don't take random stuff they find on the ground and just pop it into their mouths." Deuce shook his head in disgust.

"Monsters really will eat anything, I guess." Niho followed.

"Myah ha ha ha! Man, was that great! Don't worry about me. I don't got a weak stomach like you humans do."

Ace spat back, "Hmph. We'll see if you're so smug when you're sick later tonight."

"Okay, let's pull ourselves together. We need to get this magestone to the headmage!" Deuce led. The others followed him back to the portal, jumping through, keeping the magestone in their possession.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

The Dark Mirror in the chamber warped and spat out the three in a huge dog pile, catching Crowley off guard when he saw the magestone in Niho's arms.

"Pardon?! You're telling me you actually went to the Dwarfs' Mine in search of a magestone?" He asked them, taken aback.

The four stare up at him, confused.

He shook his head in disbelief. "I didn't expect that you'd seriously do it. And never in my wildest imaginings did I think you would actually return with a magestone! And here I spent all evening preparing your expulsion documents." he admitted.

Niho jumped to her feet and glared at him, "You seriously didn't believe we could do it?"

"Are you serious?! While we were fightin' some crazy monster for you, you were expelling us?!"

"'Monster'…?"

Ace answered his question. "Yeah. There was a monster, all right. A big, nasty one. It nearly killed us!"

But the birdman was confused. "Would you kindly relate this story in full?"

XXXXXXXXXXXX

They traversed into the headmaster's office. All there stood was a lone desk trashed with several papers. Lilac walls painted the room with stars and moons and behind the desk and hung onto the walls were pictures of the infamous Great Seven. Niho had an odd feeling wash over her just with one look at them. But she pushed it away as she and the guys explained what they had just gone through. When they finished, Crowley stayed there silent.

"Hmmm. So a mysterious monster was living in the mines. And the four of you worked together to destroy it, and then brought its magestone back to me?"

Ace started acting like a tsundere. "I don't know that I'd call it 'working together.'"

"It was more like we just happened to share the same goal at the same time…" Deuce finished.

Then, Crowley began to cry. Loud.

"What is this guy's deal?! Burstin' into tears in public? At his age?!" Grim jumped back.

"In all the decades I've worked at this school… The day has finally come when the students of Night Raven College have joined hands together to defeat a common foe!" Crowley sniffled.

Deuce's face flushed a bright red in embarrassment. "Whoa! No! No way would I Jon hands with that guy!"

Ace took the phrase literally as well. "Okay, one, there was no joining of hands. Gross. And two, exactly HOW old are you, headmage?"

"At this moment, I am moved beyond words. This incident has proven my hopes were justified." He looked at the girl with a smile of pride. "Niho, my doubts are allayed! For you… You possess the talents of a beastmaster!"

"A…beastmaster?!" she said the phrase like glue in her mouth.

"My students have all been selected by the Dark Mirror for their exceptional talent and potential. But great talent begets great pride and big egos. Most are so self-reliant and self-centered that they never even consider cooperating with others." Crowley talked to her.

"You make it sound like That's a bad thing." Grim miffed.

Crowley merely ignored him and continued ranting, "But you, Niho, possess no magic. Yet in spite of that-or perhaps because of it- you were able to convince those who CAN use magic to work together for a common goal. The everyday, humdrum mundanity you possess may be exactly what Night Raven College needs!"

"But…none of those words are good things?"

"Niho… I am convinced that people like you are necessary for the future of this school. My educator's intuition tells me so. Trappola, Spade-I hereby revoke your pending expulsions! Furthermore, Niho…" he faced Niho, "I am granting you the qualifications necessary to attend school at Night Raven College!"

"WHAT?!" the guys screamed.

Niho was overcome by surprise, but more relaxed, "As an actual student?! Even though I can't use magic?"

"Of course. This is extraordinarily kind of me. However, there is one condition. Your inability to use magic is, for a mage, unacceptable. You would not be able to adequately pursue the school's curriculum! As for you, Grim… Your actions today have made it clear that you possess sufficient talent to become a mage. In light of the total sum of your respective circumstances, you and Niho will share a single enrollment at Night Raven College." was the offer.

"Myah! I… I'll get to go to this school…? As an actual student? Not a janitor?!"

"Correct. However! There must be no further incident like the one that occurred today. Are we clear?"

"Myah… Myah… Niho, I… I finally…" Grim looked down to see if he was dreaming or not.

Niho couldn't help but smile. "I'm so happy for you!"

"MYAAAAAH! I FINALLY DID IT!"

"Accordingly, I will now present to Grim the magestone that is issued to every student here." Crolwey snapped his finger and tied around Grim's bow collar was a bright purple gem.

"Heh! A magestone, eh?!" Grim eyed the shining jewel.

"It is typically attracted to the 'magic pen' that each student uses. But I suspect your paws cannot handle implements. Therefore, I have a custom solution for you. Is it possible that I am, in fact, too kind?" Crowley praised himself.

"Ah, sweet! I look awesome! A magestone collar, to be worn only by the legendary archmage, Grim!" Grim did a little shimmy for a victory dance.

"You're not listening to anything I say, are you?" He faced Niho next. "Niho. As you can plainly see, Grim remains oblivious to the customs of human society. You are to keep a tight rein on Grim, and ensure there are no further incidents!"

"Wow, that's quite the promotion. From janitor to student to prefect, all in the span of a day."

"Oh, I see. So if your dorm is just you two… And the headmage is putting you in charge of Grim, that makes you…the dorm prefect."

"Well, that's gotta be a Night Raven first! A magic-less prefect? But sure, why not? Whatever works!"

Niho smiled at Crowley with confidence. "I'll do my best!"

"Heh heh heh. Good luck to you, Magic-less Prefect!" Ace winked.

"Ah. Yes. I suppose that does make you a prefect. I just so happen to have a job for you, and that title will make it all the easier to foist…er, I mean, congratulations! Now, I have something for you. This is called a ghost camera." With a flick of his wrist, a small camera like a polaroid dropped into her hands.

"Ghost?" she asked, inspecting the new device.

"Ooh, my grandma told me about those. Those are, like, super old magic items, right?" Ace asked.

"I would hardly consider them "super old…" Ahem. But it may indeed have been invented when your great or great-great-grandmother was a child. It's a camera enchanted with a special kind of magic. It enables the user to photograph not just the subject's physical form, but parts of their soul itself." Crowley explained.

"Wait, that sounds…sketchy." Deuce looked suspicious.

"They're called Memories." Crowley put it simply. "Here's the thing: when the soul bond between photographer and subject deepens… The Memories captured in this magic camera's photos come jumping out!"

"Jumping out?" Niho asked with puckered lips.

"When the photographer and the subject grow closer, their photographs grow animated like videos… And sometimes the photographs take on corporeal form and slip out. Is that not what you youths would call 'wicked keen'?"

"That almost sounds like ghost photography!"

"Very astute. Hence the name "ghost camera". I understand it was developed as a more vivid way to capture moments in time, in an age before video. As Spade observed, in days of yore, when people saw Memories jumping out of photos, they would get spooked and yell, "Ghost!" I've heard many a tale of people who were deathly scared of being photographed by such cameras."

"This tech sounds like way more trouble than it's worth." Ace sighed, knowing there may be trouble ahead with the contraption.

Crowley patted her shoulder. "Niho. I would like you to photograph Grim and the other students with this camera, and make a record of your campus life."

"Myah ha haaa! Sounds like the perfect way to immortalize all my finest moments!" Grim was still off in his own world, making Crowley sweatdrop. But a serious look crossed his face as he stared at the girl.

"Ahem… Make especially certain to capture the mischief caused by certain students who struggle with impulse control. Keeping a photographic journal sounds far less tedious than writing me lengthy reports, wouldn't you agree? As a prefect, consider it your duty to maintain a sharp eye on your surroundings and record them. Note how generous I'm being in providing a rare magical item that even someone like yourself can use. Is my kindness not beyond all reckoning?"

Niho nodded after soaking in the information. "Thank you, sir. Also, if this 'beastmaster' thing goes well, maybe the Dark Mirror could find others with that skill and then enroll as students for the Ramshackle House. It'd be a pain to work with every single student at this school by myself." She requested.

"Don't fret, I'll add it to the list, but the hour has grown late, so further details shall have to wait till the morrow. You are all dismissed. Return to your dorms."

But just as the guys prepared to leave, Niho stopped them. "Oh, and one more thing since we're the only ones here." She turned to Ace and Deuce, hesitation in her step and body language. But she managed to find a shard of courage and say it to them without shying away. "Considering what we've just been though, I think I can share my secret with you…I'm a girl."

Both boys went completely silent and stared flabbergasted at her.

"WHAT?! A GIRL?!" Ace shrieked. Deuce elbowed him, making him shut up.

"Sorry about him." he threw a glare at the ginger over his shoulder and gave her a sympathetic look. "But don't worry: your secret's safe with us. Well…more me than him." Deuce didn't look over to see Ace throw him a glare. "But what are you going to do about the others?"

"Right now, everyone else seems to see me as a boy, and that might be for the best right now." she nibbled her bottom lip with some worry. She's already had enough on her plate. The last thing she'd want is for her real gender to be revealed and cause an uproar. "You need to swear to NEVER tell anyone…until the right time."

"You've my word." Deuce nodded firmly. "Right, ACE?"

"Sheesh. Don't guilt trip me! Ugh, but fine, whatever." Ace scoffed, long recovered from the blow.

"As shall I. And as your benefactor, I'll make sure nothing goes awry during your stay here." Crowley swore.

Niho nodded, relieved to know they could keep her secret under wraps.

"Good night, sir!" Deuce bowed and opened the door, letting Niho go first and the rest follow her out.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Out in the hallway, the three breathed a sigh of relief.

"Phew… We managed to avoid expulsion. That was a close one!"

"Yeah, no kidding!"

Grim had a skip in his step as he walked ahead of the three tired humans, "La la la la la! I'm a student of Night Raven College! La la la! I'm gonna be the top mage on campus in no time. Enjoy eating my dust, boys!"

Ace smirked down at him, "Big words for a sentient pile of lint who's literally only half a student. Still… Good for you."

"I guess we're schoolmates now. Grim, Niho-welcome to Night Raven." Deuce smiled at her, which she returned.

"The pleasure is all mine!"

"Okay, seriously, can we quit it with that stuff?" Ace groaned in embarrassment.

"Heh. We'll be seeing each other all the time now. We'll see what a pleasure that turns out to be. Especially you, Ace, since we're in the same dorm." Deuce nudged Ace.

Ace bantered back with, "Yeaaah, can't say I'm jazzed to see your smug, self-important scowl every day."

"Better than your lazy, dopey grin."

"Keep bawling, crybaby. I haven't forgotten how you almost wept when he said you were expelled. Catch ya later, Niho." Ace gave a lazy salute as he and Deuce headed down the hall for the Hall of Mirrors.

Niho watched them leave with content. "Oh, um-"

Grim stood by her feet, watching them as well. "Man, those two are made for each other. Maybe they're the type who bond through squabbling? Anyway, Niho, let's get back to the dorm! Tomorrow when we wake, it won't be as janitors. Finally, finally… My glorious education as a proper Night Raven College student is about to begin!"

XXXXXXXXXXXX

NEXT TIME…

"The roses in the garden are crimson... the tablecloths pristine white. Come, let's begin our perfect tea party."

"I am the absolute rule here. And you shall respond 'Yes, Housewarden.' Got it? Because all ways…absolutely everything…ARE MY WAYS!"