A/N: I'm going to publish chapters up to the end of the Prologue arc before this specific fanfic goes on another years-long break for research, plot planning, and seeing where TWST's main story goes. I felt bad about keeping people waiting and the existence of only 1 chapter with a cliffhanger for this fanfic was bothering me a lot.

What's my name?

Why? Why couldn't she remember?

Grim's ears shot up in alarm. "Henchm-er-Yuu! What're you looking so scared about?"

My name is not Yuu!

My name is not Yuu!

If "Yuu" isn't my name, then what is it?!

…

Agh! Nothing but a blank!

Fuck! Fuck! She had to wake up now!

Yuu pinched her arm hard.

So hard that the deep indents on her skin showed clearly.

Most importantly, she felt the pain.

Yuu stared at her arm in disbelief.

She turned her head slowly to Grim.

Grim fidgeted. "What're you staring at me so intensely for? It's creeping me out."

Yuu's hand hovered over the blue flames in Grim's ears. Heat emanated from them.

She petted the top of Grim's head, making him purr. There was no denying how soft his fur felt.

She bit her lip.

Not a dream then.

Then what's going on? Where exactly am I?! How did I even get here?! Nothing makes sense!

"-uu! Yuu!"

Grim patted Yuu's shoulders with his paws. "Hey! I'm talking to you, Yuu!"

Grim jolted Yuu out of her spiral of thoughts. She sighed. "Sorry, Grim. I'm just so confused. I don't know my name. I don't know where I'm from. I don't even know what's going on here."

Grim blinked in surprise. He put a paw to his chin in thought. Then he grinned with a sparkle in his eye. "With my smarts, I could help you figure things out!" He put on a serious "thinking investigator" face.

Yuu could picture Grim with a deerstalker hat and a small pipe in his mouth. She would have laughed if the situation wasn't so dire.

"So, Yuu, do you remember anything?"

Yuu shut her eyes, her forehead creased in concentration and gathered her thoughts.

"All I remember is…"

A drum roll.

Party streamers.

A group of children wearing party hats.

She tapped her top hat with her wand and paused for dramatic effect. Then her hand rifled around inside the hat.

"Aha!" She pulled her hand out and the audience gasped.

There, she gently cradled a bunny in her hand.

A chorus of "aww"s and a round of applause.

"I'm…" Yuu's stomach twisted. "-a magician."

Was she though? Was she a magician, really?

Saying those words didn't feel right.

Grim rolled his eyes. "Well duh. You've got to be one to be in this school."

"Huh? What do you mean by that, Grim?"

Grim puffed up his chest, raising his paws in the air. "This is Night Raven College! The greatest magic school in the whole world!"

Yuu processed this info. "So...you're saying we're at a magic school? Magic? Like wizard magic? Shooting fireballs out of hands. Flying on broomsticks. That kind of magic?"

First, a talking magical creature. Now, a magic school?! What was going on?!

Yuu shook her head. - I'm with a magical creature that could use flame magic and I'm stuck inside a Gothic castle-style college. Of course, it'd be a magic college. What was I expecting?

Grim was unimpressed. "So you have mages where you're from, but no magical creatures? Weird…"

Yuu frowned. "No. Not exactly...There aren't any mages or magical creatures where I'm from."

"Wait. How do you know that? I thought you said you didn't remember anything?" Grim pointed out.

Yuu's forehead creased. "I don't-I don't know how I know. But I just know. A gut feeling, I guess. I remember being a magician. But my personal life?"

Yuu looked down at the palms of her hands.

"My family. My friends..."

Her hands closed into shaky fists.

"All of it is just a gaping black hole."

For once, Grim went quiet. "...I don't remember anything either." He looked up at Yuu with sad eyes. "Are you...waiting for someone too?"

"Waiting for someone…?" Deep down, Yuu felt some kind of longing and sadness. But for who?

"...I'm not sure, Grim."

Yuu pointed at the black and white ribbon Grim wore around his neck. "So the person you're waiting for...Are they the one who gave you that ribbon?"

Grim patted the ribbon with his paws, a troubled expression on his face. "Probably. I've had this ribbon for as long as I could remember. But I don't know anything else."

Yuu sighed deeply. So Grim couldn't really remember his past either. But grieving about the gaps in their memories wasn't going to get them anywhere. "Let's get to know each other, Grim. Maybe that'll jog a memory or two."

Grim shrugged. "Couldn't hurt. All this waiting around inside the coffin is so long and boring!"

Yuu felt relieved. At least Grim was back to normal now. That made talking a lot easier. "Grim, when you screamed about me being awake, what did you mean by that?"

"You were supposed to be asleep. Every new student brought to Night Raven College is put to sleep inside the coffins. They're only woken up by school officials or upperclassmen."

"So you did your research into student enrollment for this school but you never bothered to study the school map to have any idea about where to go?" Yuu deadpanned.

"I-well-...Shaddup, Yuu!"

Grim puffed his chest with pride. "What does any of that studying stuff matter anyway? My fire magic is enough! Knowing the new school year was about to start at Night Raven College, I thought they were gonna call me in as soon as possible!"

Grim's ears flattened against his head. "I'd been waitin' and waitin' for that black carriage to come but..." His smile faded. "But…" His eyes started brimming with tears.

Yuu stroked Grim's back in comfort. "Well, you're here now, aren't you? Takes a lot of guts to take the initiative than wait around for someone else to do things for you."

Yuu's hand moved to pat Grim's head. "You know, Grim. Wouldn't you rather be called a great mage than a monster?"

"That's the greatest mage to you!" Grim's eyes brightened. "Yeah...Yeah! I'll be called the greatest mage ever!"

Yuu smiled in relief. At least Grim was cheered up now.

Then Yuu's head whipped up sharply.

Wait…What was that? Had she heard something?

"You're sure you have all the food and tables set out?"

Yuu's ears weren't playing tricks on her. There was definitely a voice coming from outside the coffin!

Another voice responded to the first one. "Yup! Got the entire dorm's favorite snacks! Just in time to welcome the new freshman later tonight!"

Grim's ears perked. He'd heard the voices too.

"Hehe. The Great Grim is about to make his grand debut." Despite Grim's confident tone, his grip tightened on Yuu's shirt.

"Grim, close your eyes!" Yuu whispered.

"Huh?! Why?!"

"We have to pretend to be asleep!"

"Oh right!" Grim hurriedly shut his eyes as Yuu did the same.

A voice came from just outside the coffin. "Ok! Time to wake up the freshmen!"

A beat of silence.

Some shuffling.

And then-

"OPEN!"

A/N: I worked on part of this chapter back in May 2022 while waiting in line for Space Mountain at Disneyland. I was on a trip with my friend group for one of my friend's birthday. This was the second time I went on Space Mountain in my life. The first time I went in middle school, I had my eyes closed most of the time because I thought it'd be a scary rollercoaster. But it turned out to be fun. So as an adult, I actually kept my eyes open this time. But I was a little sore after the ride was over. My adult body is not the same as it was when I was young oof.