It doesn't feel like a long trek to the Headmaster's office, but it really is one. There's just so many paths to take to get there—fine, I'm just complaining because with a short day I'd like to start on some cleaning. Plus, I'm full of food and tea and in all honesty I want to take a nice, long nap instead of heading to Crow the Crier. That was such a weird sight, and I've seen that man bawl twice now. I also have the worst feeling that it won't be the last time I see him break down. It's just so awkward.
Second to the mysteriously weird Rook Hunt and our bathroom encounter earlier today. I never want a repeat of that event either.
Deuce is the one to enter first, and greet properly. "Pardon our intrusion, Headmaster."
Honestly I might kick the door open and go iHOWDY/i next time I'm here. Sounds very Texas of me. I need to get more in touch with that. I should introduce them to howdy. I definitely need to introduce Texas-isms to this school. They need some culture.
"Excuse us!" Ace greets, more casual than the formality that Deuce presents.
I'm on team fuck this guy so.
Crowley rises from his desk, standing before it and somewhat leaning against it. I think he's sitting but I can't tell with the ostentatious cape/coat combo in the way. Is there a need for this? Maybe the cape of features is his actual skin and he turns into a Crow. We are in a magical world. Anything like that CAN happen.
"Now that you are all here, I would like to tell you all of this now. I asked you to come here to explain the recent incident at the Heartslabyul Dorm… something that I believe I need to explain to all of you properly." I do not like this serious tone, but I like it more than the crying. "As sorcerers, you need to know the consequences and the reasons of what happened to Rosehearts."
"You mean the Overblot, correct?" Deuce asks.
"Yes. That." I see the seriousness of our corvid-themed Headmaster as he corsses his arms and still manages not to cut himself with those claws on his gloves.
"Ah, I heard about Overblot from my older brother… but I didn't think it'd be like this." Ace is a little more serious than usual, too. Huh. "It's really just an evil villain beserk mode, huh…" Okay, he's being too casual about it. We both know Riddle could've died.
"What is Blot?" Grim asks the important questions.
"Alright, then, I will explain it to all of you—as I am so kind." Crowley irritates me on the best of days.
We saved the school.
He clears his throat first. "Blot is the leftover material that forms when magic is used." I don't have this problem. "It is similar to when a car that uses fuel expels smoke as it moves. It is similar—the Blot is the smoke produced by the use of magic. Does that make sense?"
How stupid does he think we are, again? Okay it's just me. I know it's for Grim and I—but I'm not sure if Grim knows what a car is. Hm.
"That doesn't sound good for you." I reply.
"Precisely. There are some historical and modern records of research on Overblot…" Crowley continues. "Yet it is still a mystery. But we know for certain that Overblot can be fatal."
"Oh yeah!" Ace, really? "I remember that my grandma used to say, /iDon't go and use all your magic or you'll Overblot/i, when I was younger."
"Great power comes with great risk. Not even the greatest of magic-users have unlimited magical energy." There's a sadness in his voice. Did something happen?
"So… the more magic you use, the more harm it causes you?" Grim looks a little freaked out.
I think it also is combined not just with magic use but extreme emotions? Riddle was in the middle of a meltdown.
"No, not exactly… Hm, perhaps it would be easier if I showed you!" Please don't. "Come out, ghosts! I'd like you to do something!"
A ghost appears. "Did you call, Headmaster?"
"What, what is going on?" Ace asks.
I know what's going on.
Crowley gestures to us. "Please teach these students a lesson." What the fuck.
"We'll do it!" A second ghost offers.
"Now, everyone, please ready your magic pens for this special lesson from your Headmaster!" Why is he so chipper about this?!
It isn't—long at least. There's some magic thrown at us, here and there, and in the end it isn't too much that he throws at us before he's done. But at the same time I am insanely offended at all of this. As I direct the group as has become our routine.
It's nice at how easily they listen when it comes to fighting, especially Grim. Honestly, it's a bit of a relief when they back off. They disperse, and we're a little worn out.
Grim immediately turns to Crowley, his hands on his… hips? Paws on his hips? It's a pretty cute pose. "Headmaster! That training didn't tell me anything about Blot!"
Yeah, Grim is hard to teach, isn't he?
"Grim, please look at the jewel you wear."
Grim looks down, and screeches. "What is this?! There's dirt!" He furiously tries to wipe away the black there. "-it won't come off!"
So the jewel shows blot. Huh. That's a curious thing to learn. I wonder if the students are given these to help them keep an eye on it, also as a device for channeling their power? I'm unsure, obviously. I don't really understand the purpose of wands, or magic pens in this world.
"Yes, there is a taint to the magic jewel. It is the blot when you use excessive magic." A short fight is excessive magic… probably because they're young and not used to using magic yet? I'll have to keep that in mind and keep an eye on Grim. It's not MUCH there, but it's a couple spots. Well, I think Crowley actually did the right thing to teach Grim. I guess he's a hands-on-and-show learner.
"Oh! Now that I look at it, I have a black smear on it too!" Deuce looks shocked.
Is it hard for people without pens to tell their limits then? But is it JUST the blot? Does the freak-out help or encourage it? Riddle seemed so consumed by his own bullshit… And what I heard, the visions I saw…
I need to talk to Riddle about this at some point.
"It looks dirty…" Grim looks so concerned.
"So, how does it go away?" I ask for the benefit of others because as I have no magic I have no reason to worry about it.
"It's not permanent." Crowley informs us.
"What a relief!" Grim seems so cheered. Cute.
"You need proper rest and time, it will go away all on its own." Now that's very curious—like it's just a natural waste cycle—like your other bodily functions. Huh.
"I see… so when we see too much blot, it's a sign to rest." Good ol' Deuce.
His braincell is working just fine.
"Correct! Blot dissipates when you eat, sleep, and rest like good students." Crowley, are you trying to tell teenagers to have good habits? It doesn't work.
"Wonderful!" I'm so glad Grim gets it. "It means I can rest and still become the Great Grim!" Nevermind.
"You still have to work hard." I comment dryly.
"I eat and sleep a lot." Grim. GRIM.
"The more magic one has, the more careful they need to be to not over-accumulate Blot." Hm, so does that mean that one scary famous guy has to keep an eye out? What was his name again? People whisper about him a lot…
Ah, it's really none of my concern. I already met enough new people today.
"So if we use our magic willy-nilly, it'll be easier to get more blot?" A reasonable question by Ace.
"To a degree, yes; however, with your current magical abilities I do not believe you need to worry about Blot." Crowley just delivered one of the sickest burns I've heard in Twisted Wonderland. "Isn't that a relief?"
Respect.
"Who could be happy about it?" Oh, Ace's offense is palpable.
Grim crosses his arms. "So if our jewels turn black we can Overblot like Riddle?"
Now, again, how does he get those claws near his chin and not scratch his face. "Anger, sadness, fear, confusion… it's an overwhelming amount of negative emotions that make it so much easier to accumulate Blot." Okay so my theory rings true. Thanks Crowley. "And then it will be easier to Overblot."
"Negative emotions, huh…" Deuce's wheels are turning so fast.
"...the creature, the shadow behind Rosehearts when he went into that ievil beserk mode/i," Is he mocking us? Bad Headmaster. "It… was like a manifestation of the negative emotions and blot that Rosehearts accumulated. Unfortunately, I know little more than that. From records, there are many ways to get to an Overblot state, but there are very few examples recorded."
Wait, but… that creature… a shadow? A manifestation? What about the monster from Dwarfs' Mine? ...Does… if the person dies, do they leave it behind and it becomes a monster? I have that as a theory now, but… if Crowley doesn't know much, then I can't ask him. Worse yet, I… don't think really anyone knows with how the Headmaster presents this subject. I do hope we don't prove that theory true, at least.
"Good! We don't want enough examples! I don't want to experience that ever again." Ace has a good point.
"It was a miracle you were able to have Rosehearts turn back to normal, but if he was left alone…" Dead, probably. "AHH! I DON'T WANT TO THINK ABOUT IT! SO TERRIFYING!" He suddenly shouts and we all wince at Crowley's outburst. What is WRONG with this man!?
"Don't just start screaming!" Grim shouts. Don't perpetuate the
"So sorry, I lost my composure. That was quite a bit, but using excessive magic can be dangerous. Please, all of you, do not forget this."
"Of course!" We all respond.
"And before I send you off, No Wei…" Uh oh, Crowley's got a lecture for me with that tone.
"What about my way back…?" I ask.
"Ah—well… Of course, your kind Headmaster is obviously doing his research but…" Crowley starts.
"So you're lying about looking into it." Grim huffs.
"Of course I am not lying! I am preparing for the intra-dorm Magical Shift tournament in October! It's quite the busy time, you know." That's an excuse.
"Magical Shift?" Grim asks.
"It's also known more commonly as Spelldrive." Both sound fine to me, Crowley. "Or Magishift."
"So… what is it?" I have to ask, because I do not know what this thing could even be.
Ace is the one to basically scold my not-from-this-world lack of knowledge. "You don't know what it is?"
"I'm from another world." Dumb fucks.
"It's a world famous sport—there's professional leagues all over the world and international competitions." So any big sport.
"I don't know either." Grim states plainly.
"It's called a lot of things, but people are mostly using Spelldrive, I think—there's two teams of seven players." Ace explains, "It's bansically where you try to take a disc from your opponent and shoot it into the goal they're trying to stop you from scoring in—and the team who scores the most points at the end of the game wins." Seems simple enough for me. I guess it's Magic Frisbee.
"Is it like football…? Do you even have football?" I ask.
"Football? Is that a sport where you're from?" Deuce asks. Question answered.
"Oh—I have never heard of such a sport. I will have to add this to my research at the library… it may give us a clue." Crowley, you're not going to any time soon and we both know it.
"Though, it'd be hard for you to even play Spelldrive, No." Ace says, and I know why: lack of magic.
"Why?" Grim asks.
"Magishift uses magic… you carry the disk, attack, and defend with magic when you play." I was right and Deuce made it so.
Still thijnking this is Magic Frisbee.
"A lot of the fun is watching the players use cool, flashy magic. Show off, perform stunts… it's a lot of fun." Ace is cheery.
"Exactly!' Crowley's too loud. "That's why Night Raven College is the renown champion of Magical Shift!" He's probably saying it in the old fashioned way which is why I will not call it that in casual conversation. "Many of our alumni players have gone on to play professionally!" He's very proud. "Professional teams come every year to scout our students at the intra-dorm tournament. And many famous sorcerers and celebrities come from all around the world to watch. It is a very important, exciting, and televised worldwide event."
"Televised?" They have TV here? Where? I haven't seen one yet. I also haven't been looking.
"People watch from all around the world?" Don't be a fame chaser, Grim. "Well, if I win something like that everyone around the world would know my name!" No. Stop.
"Well, of course, our players that perform exceptionally well and win the tournaments are scouted to join professional teams!" Sounds great.
"Though for Grim, people would be shocked to see a monster playing." Oh boy. I am wondering how monsters fit into the world here—considering Deuce, it really isn't… common? How does it all work here?
"Great! I'm going to train and be victorious." Uh, Grim honey, Ace said seven players. And its dorms. WE have two people in our dorm and I can't use magic.
I can't say anything to break his poor little heart right now. I am weak.
"Ah, but Grim cannot participate in the tournament." Crowley crushes dreams for me.
"Why not?!" His heart is breaking.
"I said before it was an intra-dorm competition, did I not?" He's not even being gentle! "And your dorm does not have seven people—which is why you cannot participate." Ouch. Cold.
"WHAT? No way!" Oh, oh, Grim's heart is broken. And I'm not sure if he was saying my name, or no way… I'm staying quiet.
"But you can still participate!" Crowley offers, but that's not going to help. "You can help prepare the field, hand out drinks… The players on the field aren't the only main characters." Uh.
"No! I don't wanna! I don't wanna!" Oh, Grim—he really is like a little kid, isn't he?
"Oh, Grim…" I sigh.
"I want people to chant my name, and say how cool I am—or talk about my flashy moves!" This is a little bit embarrassing to listen to, cat monster.
Ace looks pretty shocked. "What a wild imagination."
Isn't imagination the cornerstone to using magic? Grim might end up being pretty powerful indeed.
"You can hope to get a team's worth into Ramshackle next year—but for now just let it go." Deuce is trying to comfort him but we both know there will be no one else unless they willingly transfer, and who would want to join my in-repair shithole?
"If Ace steals another tart we'll have one." I comment dryly.
"And last but not least, No Wei…" Ah, the crow still has to crow.
However, as a mistress of bullshit I know how to dance around whatever he's going to say. "You know, Headmaster, you have to use my middle name to be more effective." I am probably the worst.
"Middle name…?" He asks.
"As my guardian, you do need to use it to be stern." I reiterate.
"—what is it, No Wei?"
"One. As in No One Way." I am blessed with straight face.
I can't see his eyebrows, but I assume they're furrowed. "No One Wei…"
"Well, thank you for the lesson, kind Headmaster! Let's get going so you can get back to your things!" And I run away with the others as fast as we can. I think we're all definitely worn out right about now.
Deuce and Ace are pretty quiet as we go down the first staircase. "Well! Glad we're over that. And we even learned something."
"No One Wei…" I hear Deuce say.
"Yeah?"
"… … No One Wei…" Ace repeats.
"Yes?" I ask, again.
"What's a middle name?" Grim asks. That makes sense.
"It's tradition where I'm from—you give your children multiple names. Their first name, which is what they go by—a middle name, which really helps you differentiate people with common last names. And a last name, or a family name." I explain easily. "So you will usually just call me No, which is my first name—and someone that's an authority figure or really a guardian or parent uses the full name, or the first and middle, to emphasize that someone is in trouble."
"Oh… so it's a warning name…" Grim kinda gets it and I'm happy with that.
"Yep!"
We have escaped—or I have escaped a lecture.
And now it's onto what's next: homework.