Chapter 3: A Dismissive Ranking
After cornering the little cat creature, Grim, he is about to unleash his fire power.
Just then, Briar shouts, "Oh no you don't!"
She then quickly removes the boot she is wearing and throws it at Grim, giving him a hard bonk on the head.
Making him scream, "Me-YEOW!"
Soon, Grim begins to feel dizzy, "Why is the room spinning?"
The boy with the red eyes chuckles with a grin on his face at what Briar has done.
"Well, that stopped him," Briar replies.
Just then, Riddle in front of her, "Allow me to handle the rest."
He turns to Grim and shouts, "OFF WITH YOUR HEAD!"
Hearing those words makes Briar worried as Riddle fires his magic at Grim. But instead of taking his head off, a red and black heart shaped collar with a gold rim around it appears on Grim's neck, and has a lock at the front.
Grim panics to notice the collar, "MYAH! What are you doing?!"
"The Queen of Heart's Rule 23: 'One must never bring a cat to a formal affair.' Your very presence here is a violation of order. You will vacate these premises immediately," Riddle says.
But Grim angrily says, "But I ain't a cat!"
Briar calmly mutters, "He sure looks like one."
Grim continues, "Don't you try'n collar me I'll burn it right off!"
With that, Grim tries to use his powers to take the collar off, but he can't seem to perform his magic.
Making Grim confused, "Huh…? Wh-what gives? My fire ain't workin'!"
"Until I decide to remove that collar, you won't be using any magic. You're naught but a pet cat now," Riddle says with a smug look on his face.
Offended Grim says, "MeoWHAT?! I ain't nobody's pet-NOTHING!"
"Oh, you're nothing to worry about there. I certainly have no interest in having you as a pet. The collar will disappear once you're removed from campus," Riddle says.
Then Azul laughs a bit, "Ha-Ha! Good show as always, Riddle. Your signature spell locks down any magic. It's quite handy. I've just GOT to have it-ah, I mean, I've just got to have respect for it."
Briar turns to Azul looking rather confused to what he means.
But her thoughts are interrupted when she hears Crowley shouting, "Briar! Was I not clear that you are expected to take responsibility for your familiar? Now discipline your…"
But Briar interrupts him, "Woah, hold on! He's not my familiar!"
"What's that?! It isn't yours?" Crowley questions, confused.
"That's what I've been trying to tell you. I've never seen that cat before in my life until he tried to torch me from that coffin I was in. He must have snuck in before the orientation. He wanted me to give him the robe I was wearing and try to pass off as a student. At least, that's what I got from what he said and doing," Briar explains.
"Oh… is that so?" Crowley questions.
Briar calmly nods her head in reply.
Crowley clears his throat and says, "Then I shall have it expelled from campus. I shall even spare it from being served as dinner. My, but I AM kind."
Then says, "... Someone take this away, please."
Just then, two students pick Grim up and take him away.
Grim screams, "Nooooo! Let me gooooo! You fools better remember my name! Cause I'm gonna go down in the annals of magic history! Just you wait!"
Soon, the two students carry Grim out of the chamber and the door closes behind them.
"I kind of feel sorry for him," Briar says to herself.
Then a thought comes to her mind, "I wonder why he was so desperate to go to this school?"
Just then, Crowley announces, "Well, that was quite the unexpected fracas. I hereby declare the orientation has concluded. Housewardens, please escort students back to the dorms."
Just then, he notices something, "...Hm? Come to think of it, I don't see Housewarden Draconia of House Diasomnia anywhere."
The boy with the lion ears says in a monotone voice, "And that surprises you? Dude's a total recluse."
Then the boy with the red eyes asks, "Wait a sec… Did anyone even invite him?"
"If you're that worried about him missing out, maybe you should have told him yourself," The handsome boy says.
The boy with the red eyes crosses his arms and says, "Maybe, but I don't know him too well either…"
Soon, everyone begins to whisper and mutters among themselves. Briar is confused and kind of curious about what they're talking about.
One student asks, "Draconia… like Malleus Draconia? THAT Draconia?"
Another student says, surprised, "So it's true? He really does go to school here?"
Another student says, "Yikes."
Just then, another boy with a robe reacts a bit to the conversation. He looks rather young with pale skin, short dark hair with pink streaks that stick out at the sides, large dark red eyes, and fangs visible from his mouth.
He calmly says, "Ah. Just as I'd expected. I figured I'd come down and see for myself whether Malleus had made an appearance." Then crosses his arms, "But once again, he was evidently not informed that his presence was required at an official ceremony."
"You have my sincerest apologies. I assure you, this oversight was in no way intended as a snub," Azul replies.
But then Riddle says, "I mean, you must admit, he's not exactly the easiest person to strike up a conversation with."
Then the boy with the streaks says, "No matter. All who were assigned to House Dias, follow me. I just hope he doesn't sulk about this…"
With that, all the Housewardens lead the students assigned to their dorms. Briar watches as the many different students leave the room. She soon realizes that some of them have animal-like ears and tails, even the boy with the lion ears. A few moments later, all the students leave the room, leaving Briar alone in the chamber.
Just then, Crowley walks over to Briar and says, "Well, Briar. This is a most unfortunate turn of events."
"Um yeah. This has turned to a weird night," Briar says, confused.
Then Crowley says, "Still, I have not expected to find out that you're a girl. We have a few students with a feminine appearance so I have assumed you're a boy based on your appearance."
"Uh…" Briar says, and nervously giggles as she rubs the back of her head, "Yeah. To be honest, I've actually been mistaken for a boy, based on how I look and sometimes dress."
"Well, I'm afraid that you will not be attending the Night Raven College after all. Surely you realize that I cannot very well admit a student with sealed magic abilities in my academy. Plus, this is a boys' academy after all. " Crowley says.
"I understand. It would be rather strange if someone like me attended a school of magic, and at an all boys school. It would be kind of weird," Briar says.
Then asks, "So how do I get home?"
"Worry not. The Dark Mirror will see you safely home," Crowley says.
He walks towards the mirror as he says, "Now, step into the gate, and visualize the place from whence you came."
Briar is relieved and says in thought, "Finally, this dream can end."
Briar then steps in front of the mirror and begins to visualize her home.
In her mind, she pictures a large forest covered by trees, bushes, and full of wildlife. There is also a cottage of two stories colored brown and with a green roof that matches the trees with a few windows, a door with a small staircase in front of it. There is also a small waterfall close by with a river flowing a short distance from the house. Inside, it shows a small kitchen with a table and two chairs, a sink, with some cabinets, a small living room with a small TV set, and a room with a large bed, with little stuff inside. This places her home.
Briar continues to think of her home as Crowley walks beside her.
Crowley then says to the mirror, "Oh Dark Mirror! Return this soul to where it belongs!"
The Dark Mirror doesn't say a word at first.
Crowley clears his throat and says, "L-let us, er… try this again."
Then says to the mirror, "O Dark Mirror! Return this soul…"
But the Dark Mirror says, "There is no such place."
"What?" Crowley asks, confused.
"What?" Briar softly says to herself in shock.
"There is no place in this world where this soul belongs. None," The Dark Mirror says.
This comes to a shock for them, especially Briar.
"What? But… but it can't be…" Briar says, stunned.
Crowley is shocked, "How can that be? My, but today is a veritable cavalcade of impossible phenomena!"
The Dark Mirror doesn't say another world.
"This had never happened throughout my long tenure. I must confess that I am at something of a loss," Crowley says.
"But… but it… it can't be true. I know my home. I've lived there since I was seven… I was raised there by aunts before they…" Briar says, trying to process what is happening.
She then begins to pinch herself hard, and yelps, "Ow!"
Feeling the pain from her cheek, Briar becomes more shocked and comes to realize, "I… I feel pain.. Real pain… So… so this… this is all real… if this is real… then… I… I can never go home…"
Briar then falls to her knees in deep shock and tears begin to fall from her face. Crowley stands and watches the distressed expression on her face.
He kneels down to her and says, "Fret not, we'll find a way to send you home."
Then asks, "Tell me: From what land do you hail?"
"Well…" Briar says, and wipes the tears from her face, "I'm actually from San Diego, California in the United States."
"I'm afraid I am not familiar with such a place. I am intimately acquainted with the origins of every student who has ever come here, and yet… This mysterious homeland of yours eludes me," Crowley says.
Briar asks, "So what do we do?"
"Let us go to the library and look it up, shall we?" Crowley replies.
Briar answers, "Okay."
Crowley then escorts Briar out of the Mirror Chamber and they head to the library. Crowley soon looks at Briar and notices the medallion she is wearing. He looks at it with a serious look, and wonders if he has seen it before.
