A/N: Here is the next chapter. We have some scenes that weren't in the actual game, some thoughts that lead to more OOC-ness in some of the characters (Meaning we see that Crowley can, in fact, sometimes be a responsible caretaker). Some very non-canon reactions from our MC. And so on and so forth. We also learn more about Aster, though not greatly. And some discussions about treatments for out 4'9 MC. I hope you enjoy it though.
Chapter 2: Meetings and Conflicts
Divus Crewel was NRC's resident doctor as well as the science/ potionology professor. While all the staff were trained in first aid, Divus had gone deeper into the healer's field to better understand the results of his potion's field. Which made him perfect for the position he was in. And on the day before classes began, the man would take stock one more time just to be sure he was prepared for anything. Except this year, it would turn out that Divus wasn't prepared for anything. He heard there had been a commotion at orientation, but also heard that it had been taken care of. What he wasn't prepared for was his boss/ friend to enter the infirmary with a child only just taller than the younger Shroud boy. And Ortho Shroud seemed taller thanks to the heels that he wore and his ability to levitate off the ground, which is what he usually did. He was immediately concerned. Had the child gotten hurt at the orientation?
Aster looked up at the man Crowley had taken him too. The pale man was a little shorter than the headmage. His hair was a dual black and white parted to the side, with the white side being longer. He had narrow grey eyes and wore silver studs in his ears. He currently wore a tuxedo- it consisted of a black dress shirt whose sleeves were folded up past his elbows, with a bright red tie that stood out brightly. This was accompanied by a black and white vest, black dress pants, black dress shoes, and a black belt with a silver buckle, studs, and even some spikes. He also wore bright red gloves that matched his tie. On the counter in front of the cabinet he had been rummaging through was a long teacher's pointer with a red collar and jewel attachment. On the coat rack next to the door was a thick, black and white fur coat with several tail-like appendages at the bottom.
Crowley allowed the two mortals to take their time to study each other and size the other up. Aster needed to figure out he could rely on this man, while Divus needed to make some early observations before they got into the nitty gritty of what they were here for. "H-Hello. I'm Aster Merel. Nice to meet you sir. I'll be in your care." Aster finally broke their silence with a bow to the other. Crewel's brow rose in surprise before he replied.
"Nice to meet you, Aster." Crewel said, smiling softly to put the other at further ease. "I'm Divus Crewel. Why are we here tonight?" He asked.
Crowley sighed. "Aster here needs a thorough check-up." He said, before explaining the events of the night to Crewel who listened carefully as he began a basic well-child's check-up on the boy. The ceremonial robe had been set aside gently, revealing the simple, but elegant ceremonial uniform that was underneath the robe- which consisted of simple black slacks, a black long-sleeved button up shirt with gold flourishes on the lapels, and black and purple boots. Crewel first used a special potion to reveal any illnesses to be aware of, then checked the boy's blood pressure, vision, hearing, height, weight, and reflexes while waiting for the results as he listened to Crowley explain the situation.
"Alright. So basics first: You're 15. You have amnesia. You are 4'9 and weigh 100 pounds. The height is far below average for your age, and your weight is less than ideal for your height. On average, we want you at about 115 pounds, so we'll need to get you on a nutrient regimen to see if that can be increased. I don't think you'll ever breach 5 ft." Crewel informed the other two, a displeased frown on his face. "These indicate that you were malnourished and neglected. But since you're not all skin and bone, and I can't count your ribs just by looking... I believe, without your memories to give us a confirmation, that this happened when you were quite young. Not recently for sure. So you were at least eating wherever you were." he assured the boy. "Then we have your scars." He indicated the three scars that were visible on his torso, another three on his back and side, and one on his hip. The three on his front weren't very big or long. One looked to be a small, crescent moon burn scar, the other two were shot, small cuts. None took up much space on his torso, almost unnoticeable with their fade and small sizes. The ones on his back however stretched from his right shoulder blade to his left side with a couple other smaller ones spread out. As for the one on his hip, it looked like a mess of thin burn scars tangled together.
"The ones on your torso and your hip are old, which indicate you got these around that time as well. The ones on your back however... They're less than a year old. I'm inclined to believe they came from an accident though, as there are no other recent ones. As for everything else... Your reflexes are sharp, which is good. Your blood pressure, however, is lower than normal. I believe this comes from anemia. To counter this, that nutrition regimen we're going to be putting you on is going to be high in vitamins, especially iron. But I believe that's all for this. Unfortunately, there's nothing we can do for the amnesia. We'll have to rely on your memories coming back in their own time. However, I can look into my texts and consult some contacts to see if I can find anything else to help." Crewel told the two before him.
"Thank you, Professor Crewel. I really appreciate this." Aster bowed to the man. Divus gave a soft smile and ruffled the dark hair.
"You're welcome, Aster. So, do you have any ideas about the situation?" Crewel asked Crowley.
The headmage sighed. "Well, I'm most certainly not leaving him on his own. I'll take emergency, temporary custody of him. We'll contact offices and such to see if they can find any 'Merels' looking for their child in case he is from here and the Mirror was wrong." Crowley mused. "While we wait for results from that, I'll also look into what world's he may have come from and how to check them to make sure. As for what to do... We can't exactly have a student without magic, he wouldn't really get anything from the main curriculum. I also don't want him in any of the dorms. Not only because the Mirror couldn't sort him into any of them, but also because he won't have any proper protection from any who might turn out to be bullies." Crowley thought for a moment.
"Hmm... There is a dorm that has been abandoned for over a decade now on campus and away from the other students, however its rather dilapidated so I'm not sure if it'll be suitable for habitation. And to put him in the staff quarters might just get him targeted by those same bullies." Crowley mused as the others listened. Aster had been listening quietly and a little sleepily. When they mentioned a dilapidated dorm, his head cleared a bit.
"I don't mind working on fixing up the dorm. It sounds rather fun, actually." He piped up. The two men considered him for a moment, making sure he just wasn't trying to unburden them or whatever might be going through his head. But no, genuine interest in fixing up a dilapidated building.
"Very well. I'll take you there to get you settled in, then I'll go and fetch you some food so you can start on the nutrition regimen that Divus will be putting you on. If I have your leave to take him from the infirmary for the night." He added to Crewel, knowing the man would exile him from the infirmary if he didn't think Aster should leave yet. Crewel gave a last studying glance of Aster before nodding.
"You can do so, but at least make sure it'll protect him from the elements. I worry that his immune system will be shot in this world since I won't be able to check and see if he has the proper immunizations for this world for a few months still. Unfortunately, those need a very meticulous potion to check for and the ingredients I need won't be ready for harvest until then."
"Could I not just take them? Are they expensive? What's the process?" Aster asked curiously, excited about the potionology. Crewel shook his head with a small smile.
"These immunizations are a onetime type thing. Since the Mirror couldn't specifically tell us anything about where you're from, we don't want to risk giving you a dose if you've already had one. It could make you gravely ill and we really don't want that. As for if they're expensive... They're not sold on the markets. The potions have to be fresh when taken and each requires something from the drinker during the last stages of the brewing process, so they have to be made as needed." he explained. The boy nodded in understanding.
"All right then, we're going to head off. I'll return for after a bit." Crowley told Divus who nodded and began to look for the appropriate potions the boy would need. "Shall we?" He asked Aster who nodded. "Good."
-NRC-
Aster looked up at the building at the end of the walk path. It was a two-story building with a rather tall attic as a third floor. The windows were all boarded up and he noticed cobwebs in the trees. He was kind of excited to see the inside as he took stock of the outside. "Let's get inside. I'm worried it'll start raining soon." he muttered. Inside, things didn't look any better than the outside. There was broken furniture in the entrance hall and lounge that they entered. "This should keep the elements at bay for the time being." Crowley said, fixing the windows and the bigger hole in the ceiling. There were some smaller ones, but they weren't too consequential for the time being. With a hum, he also started a fire in the fireplace. "I'll be back in a bit with some food, but I need to look into something first. I want you to eat before you try turning in for the night. So feel free to explore or find some other way to stay busy, okay?" He asked. Aster nodded. "Good. Also, I don't want to catch you wandering the campus. Especially not tonight. Ta!" He called, disappearing and leaving the boy to his own devices.
Aster looked around his new, temporary home. It was covered in dust, looking like a snow scape almost. He didn't even think there was a clean place to sit. He smiled. Working on this would help him to sort through his thoughts and try to compartmentalize everything that had happened that day. 'I'm in a magical place called Twisted Wonderland. I'm at Night Raven College, an institute for up-and-coming young mages. I have no magic, but I am sensing it- though it doesn't seem to be consistent. I have anemia and I'm underweight, so I'll be taking a nutrient potion for the foreseeable future. But other than that, I am in good health physically, which is a relief. I have amnesia, however, and that means my memories will need to come back on their own.' Aster worked through what he knew, trying to sort things out.
It was sometime later that he looked out the newly repaired windows when he heard thunder. 'Huh. He was right about the rain.' he mused, looking around the now, somewhat decent, lounge.
"GWAH! It's pouring out there!" A familiar voice shouted right next to his ear. Aster let out a surprised scream, scrambling away from the cat who began to laugh hysterically. "That look on your face is priceless! Like a bat that got blasted by a water gun!" He howled in amusement.
"What are you doing here?" Aster asked, getting his breathing under control. 'When did he get in here even?'
"Oh please, as if I wouldn't sneak right back in as soon as I escaped prying eyes." Grim rolled his eyes. "I'm not giving up just because I got kicked out one measly time." he huffed. Aster looked at the cat then sighed.
"Why are so determined to go here?" He finally asked. He had been wondering about it since the cat was taken from the chamber.
"Isn't it obvious? I was born to do this! I'm a magical prodigy who has the makings to become one of the greatest mages who ever lived!" Grim let out a wistful sigh. "I've been waiting and waiting for the black carriage to come collect me, and yet..." Grim huffed. "That Dark Mirror's got no eye for talent!" He perked up. "That's why I decide to come here myself." He said pridefully. He was going to say more, but the roof took that moment to leak from the rain.
The holes were small enough to not lead to too much damage, but... Aster sighed. "I should probably look for some buckets." he muttered to himself. He stood form his place on the floor and began to look around the lounge.
"Don't know why you don't just magic the holes away." Grim said before sneering. "Oh, that's right. You can't use magic at all. You're useless." he crowed. Aster glared at the cat, annoyed, his golden eyes flashing in the fire light. Grim froze under the gaze.
"These leaks are getting pretty bad. If you want to stay here, how about you help me find some buckets?" He smiled sweetly at Grim who gave a small, fearful whimper. And proceeded to follow the human down the hallway of the dorm. Aster looked down the hall. There were a couple doors down the hall, opposite the windows. It curved towards the left and there was a set of stairs that led up to the second story. He really needed to figure out the layout soon. They were walking down the hall when Aster turned suddenly. He and Grim were supposedly the only ones in here, but he could have sworn that he had heard something from behind them.
Laughter. Eerie, creepy laughter. "We haven't had visitors in ages!" A jovial voice said. "Oh, I'm just itching for new friends!" And a rotund ghost in a gray top hat and cloak popped up in Aster's face. Aster let out a shrill scream in shock and alarm while the ghost laughed.
"Hey, keep it down over-" Grim began before also letting out a startled shout. "GHOSTS!?" Well, at least Aster hadn't been the only one to scream.
Another ghost popped up next to the first, this one was much smaller than the other. "All the people who used to live here got scared of us and ran away." he said.
The first ghost slowly approached Aster who scrambled back. "We just want a new ghost to play with. What do you say, buddy?" He asked Aster. Aster looked at the only one with a way to defend them and yelped.
"Help me, please!" Grim's blue eyes flashed at the cry and seemed to jump to attention, even if he was shivering a bit.
"I'm a master sorcerer! I ain't afraid of any ghosts! Myah!" he spat out a lick of blue flames, but the ghosts faded and appeared in a new place.
"Nuh-uh! Not even close." A third ghost, this one tall and thin taunted.
"Over here! Over here!" the first ghost called, laughing at Grim's attempts to hit them. Aster himself just scrambled closer to Grim while avoiding the flames as well as he could.
"They keep disappearing and reappearing." Grim cried, spewing out another wave of flame that once more missed the ghosts and almost set the hall on fire.
"You can't aim with your eyes closed Grim!" Aster shouted to the cat, seeing his eyes were, in fact, closed.
"Shuddup! I don't need any lip from you human!" Grim yowled back, eyes opening regardless. Grim growled in annoyance. "I'm Grim, Master Sorcerer! How come I can't even hit one of these little-" Grim was interrupted by the ghosts laughing at him, as Aster tumbled back and fell next to the flaming cat. The three ghosts were surrounding them. "Ganging up on us, you bunch of cowards!" Grim yowled at the ghosts.
Aster calmed down. He had to be able to help somehow. Aster observed the situation and perked up when he felt a spike of his energy. Gold eyes snapped open. "To your left Grim!" He shouted, ducking away to the side. The tallest ghost was the one who had gotten a face full of fire. It yelped at the heat even it could feel.
"Ha, got one! Keep it up just like that!" Grim called. "And we'll clear out the whole lot of 'em!" He crowed excitedly, and Aster couldn't help but feel that same excitement himself.
"Yeah!" he agreed, adrenaline coursing through his veins. The two of them worked in tandem to keep the three ghosts at bay. It started off a little rocky at first as the two of them developed a rapport with each other, but soon, they got into the rhythm of the battle. Aster danced around the attacks on pure reflex, calling out warnings to Grim when he knew where the ghosts were going to appear. It was a few minutes of this frantic activity, but they finally sent off the last of the ghosts. The two collapsed to the ground exhausted by the activity.
"D- did we win?" Grim asked out of breath.
"Yeah, we did." Aster confirmed. "Thanks for the help Grim. I'm glad I didn't throw you out into the rain." He chuckled, Grim laughed himself.
"Just a walk in the park for a mage of my caliber!" He gloated.
"I have returned with your dinner." Crowley said, suddenly appearing out of nowhere. Which in turn, caused Aster and Grim to screech in surprise, in turn startling Crowley who barely managed to save the boy's food. "What the devil-?" he stopped, taking in the scene in front of him. Aster was on the ground with the same creature from earlier in the evening clutched to his chest protectively. Gold and blue eyes wide with surprise. He noticed scorch mark along the walls and floors and furrowed his brow in concern. It didn't seem like the duo had been fighting each other, so he wondered who they had been fighting. Only one way to find out. "That's the creature that was ejected from campus earlier this evening. What is it doing here?" He asked Aster.
"Taking care of yer ghost problem, that's what. You're welcome, by the way." Grim answered hotly from Aster's arms.
"Are you okay?" He asked the child, who nodded. Glancing over the boy he confirmed that was the case. 'Thank the Seven.' he thought. "That's right. This building had been abandoned for so long that I completely forgot that the dorm was haunted. The ghosts had scared away all the students that once remained." He mused. Aster tilted his head, thinking about that.
'Aw man, no wonder they were so insistent about getting a new friend.' he sighed. 'Maybe we can come to an agreement that doesn't involve me being turned into a ghost.' he thought.
"You're saying that the two of you joined forces to drive them away?" Crowley asked intrigued.
"I mean, 'Joined forces' isn't exactly how I'd describe it. More like I drove them away and the human watched." Grim said with a sniff. Aster just chuckled and held onto the cat a little tighter as he rolled his eyes.
"Of course you would say that." he muttered with mirth, a little drunk on their success.
"Hm. Would you two be so kind as to demonstrate your ghost-eradication methods for me?" He asked after a moment. Two sets of eyes blinked up at him.
"No, because I already got rid of them. Also, I want tuna!" he said, turning back to face Aster with demands of tuna.
"I will play the part of the ghost." Crowley said without issue. "As for the tuna, you can have some after you've defeated me." he replied, pulling out a vial of pale blue liquid and chugged it. Aster watched in interest as the headmage turned into a little ghost, complete with top hat, cape, and mask.
'Adorable!' he squealed internally.
"I gotta work with the human again?!" Grim complained.
"Do it for the tuna, master sorcerer." Aster encouraged with a chuckle.
"All right, but this is the last time. And I better be up to my jowls in tuna afterwards!" He insisted as the two of them prepared themselves for what was next. It was not an easy battle, but it had been eye opening. Crowley had even gotten hit a couple times... not that the cat's fire harmed him in any way, but it was that it had happened that mattered. "...Well?" Grim asked, panting from their exertion. Crowley nodded.
"Come along, let's get you guys some food and you your potions Aster. We'll discuss things then." He informed the boy who nodded and grabbed up Grim. Soon they were in the lounge and Crowley had the duo eating some food, making sure Aster took his potion. A pale green liquid of some kind. "It's incredible... I've never seen anyone bend a monster to their will quite the way you have Aster." He informed them. "I knew there was something about you though, I could tell that you had a certain animal trainer like vibe. That being said..." he trailed off in thought. Aster tilted his head, going over the events that night.
"Would it be possible for Grim to stay with me?" Aster asked after a moment.
"WHAT?!" Crowley exclaimed in alarm. "He attacked you several times to night and could have very much hurt you. And you want him to stay?" He asked in disbelief. Grim was also surprised by the request of the kid. Aster looked up at him with large pleading eyes that seemed to glow in the fire light. Crowley felt his resolve crumble at the sight. "I suppose I cannot deny your plea." He sighed. "Very well." Crowley told them. Gold eyes sparkled.
"Really?!" Grim asked in shock.
"Let me be clear however!" Crowley stated, getting their undivided attention. "Under no circumstances would I admit someone who wasn't chosen by the Dark Mirror, let alone a monster who nearly harmed several of my precious students." he informed. 'And my soon to be ward.' he added to himself. "And because I have a feeling that if left without anything to occupy your attention, Aster, I can't allow you to roam freely and to your own devices." he added.
"Shouldn't have gotten my hopes up." Grim huffed dejectedly.
"Don't be too worried. I'll just have you do some odd jobs around campus that will hopefully keep you busy and out of trouble. And since you know your way around a broom, I guess you'll be considered something of a janitorial team around campus." He spoke. "So what do you say to your two working together as a team? If you agree to that, I will make a special exception and allow you to remain on campus." He told Grim. "I'll also allow you the use of the library for you to better understand this new world you're in, and study magic for you Grim. Once your work is over, of course." He informed them.
"What? What kind of deal is that?!" Grim cried. "I wanna put on one of those sweet uniforms and be a student, not sweep up people's junk!"
Crowley smirked at the cat. "If you're not satisfied with my offer, I can arrange to have you thrown out again." he smiled coolly. Grim's fur stood on end a little.
"...All right, fine! Let's do it." Grim exclaimed.
"Sounds good to me." Aster shrugged.
"Wonderful. Then I beseech you both... Work hard as the newest members of NRC's janitorial staff." He grinned widely. He left them soon after ensuring that Aster and Grim were going to bed shortly after providing some simple clothing for Aster to sleep in and an older version of the NRC P.E uniform to work around in the next day. He would be stopping by in the morning to talk with them more.
-NRC-
Aster and Grim awoke to an unpleasant surprise of the ghosts targeting them once more. After a morning workout that was done in the form of a light battle, they learned that the ghosts loved pranks and were looking forward to having others in the dorm with them. "We have gotta get rid of them." Grim grumbled, though there wasn't any real heat behind the words. Aster just chuckled from his spot on the edge of the bed.
"Good morning, Aster. Did you sleep well?" Crowley asked, popping his head into the boy's room as the ghosts were passing by. He had cleared up their behavior and confirmed their intentions towards Aster and Grim weren't malicious that morning which is why he had allowed them to wake up the two.
"Not at all! When I sprawled out on the bed, the mattress fell right through the frame! Exactly how ramshackle IS this dorm?" Grim accused the man.
"I slept pretty well." Aster told the man, stretching his limbs and causing them to pop loudly. Crowley and Grim both cringed at the horrific sound.
"Well, I'm delighted you slept so well considering everything you went through yesterday." Crowley grinned. "Go ahead and get ready for the day. I have breakfast for you." He informed. Grim hooted and jumped from the mattress, following the man out of the room and giving Aster some privacy. Aster thankfully had some basic supplies, which was a relief. After changing into the athletics uniform- loose black and white striped pants, a slate blue tang-top, with a dark gray, light zipper hoodie with NRC embroidered into the chest- he brushed his hair and put it into a loose ponytail to keep it out of the way. He'd work on the bathroom next so he could get a nice shower in, but he should be okay for that day. Nodding, he joined the other two in the lounge.
"Your job today will be cleaning parts of campus, okay?" Crowley asked as the duo ate. Aster nodded. "That said, the campus is vast, and without magic, it'd be quite the Herculean task to clean it all. Therefore, today I'll have you focus on the area spanning from the front gates to the library." He informed them. "And Aster, I expect you to keep a close eye on Grim. Try your best to keep him from causing another incident like yesterday."
"I will." Aster said.
Crowley nodded with a small smile on his face. "You may take your lunch in the cafeteria. I eagerly await the fruits of your labor." Crowley said, heading off for the day and trusting Aster to get to work once he was finished with breakfast.
Grim huffed. "I ain't cleaning nothin'!" Grim complained. "I'm here to study magic so I can be blastin' off spells left and right!" he cried in annoyance.
"After we clean, we'll do some studying in the library." Aster comforted the cat. Grim huffed in response making Aster shake his head in amusement.
-NRC-
On the main street of the campus were seven statues. Each had its own air about it. "So this is main street." Grim commented, looking around in interest. "It's incredible! I didn't see much of it yesterday."
"Because you were busy trying to keep up with me." Aster grinned.
"I was keeping up just fine." Grim replied in offense before turning his back on the human and looking at the first statue that had a woman who wore a dress with hearts and a small crown. "This lady looks like she's got some real anger issues." Grim commented.
"You don't know the Queen of Hearts?" A voice asked behind them. The two of them turned to see a fair skinned boy with short ginger hair and bright scarlet eyes. Around his left eye was a heart shaped marking. He wore what Aster assumed was the school uniform for students here at NRC.
"Queen of Hearts?" Grim asked curiously, Aster's own head tilted in interest. "Is she some kind of big deal?"
"Yeah. She was a queen who lived in a maze-like garden of roses long, long ago. She was a strict woman who prized order above all. She wouldn't tolerate a rose being off-color, or her playing card soldiers out of step. She basically ruled over a kingdom of madness, but not one of her subjects dared to defy her. You wanna know why? Because the punishment for breaking a rule was immediate decapitation!" He said, sounding awed.
"That is seriously messed up!" Grim cried in shock, Aster himself was put off by the revelation. Was that normal here? he wondered.
"Pretty cool, right? I'm a big fan!" the kid replied. "I mean, who would bother to obey a queen who's nice all the time?" he asked.
"Yeah, true." Grim said, giving into agreeing with the other kid. "... Who're you, anyways?" Grim asked.
"Name's Ace. I'm a first-year student here, as of... today! Pleased to meetcha!" Ace introduced himself gleefully. Aster tilted his head, sensing the genuine glee from the boy. It made him nervous, actually.
"I'm Grim! I'm a prodigy who's plannin' to be, like, the greatest mage who ever lived!" Grim exclaimed before motioning at Aster. "That there is my far less interesting henchman, Aster." Grim introduced them.
"Aster, huh? That name's got an odd ring to it." Ace replied.
"I'm no one's hench-anything." Aster replied coolly to Grim. Grim gave a nervous chuckle and edged away from Aster as did Ace. The boy was a little terrifying despite being super tiny and without magic.
"So tell me, Ace. Is that lion with the scar in the eye a famous ruler as well?" Grim asked curiously, knowing Aster was curious as well. Ace nodded, liking the change of subject and atmosphere.
"Of course! That's the King of Beasts who ruled the savanna. But he wasn't born to the throne- he had to earn it through hard work and elaborate schemes. When he became king though, he declared that hyenas would be pariahs no more, and should live among his subjects as equals."
"He sounds like a great guy! Not everyone looks past social status like that. Who's the lady with the octopus' legs?"
"The Sea Witch who lived in an underwater grotto. She basically devoted her whole life to helping troubled merfolk. If they were willing to pay the price, she'd help them change their appearance, find love, whatever! They say she was so good, there was no wish she couldn't grant. They also say the price was a tad steep, though." Ace said.
"It sounded like she was granting wishes, of course the price was steep." Aster couldn't help but speak up. Ace looked down at the boy with something akin to impressed at his understanding.
"So you're saying that once I'm a great mage, getting rich off folks will be a total cinch?!" Grim cried excitedly. "Oh, oh! Do the dude with the big hat next!" Grim cried.
"The Sorcerer of the Sands. He was an advisor to a total dolt of a sultan. He was a smart guy. Really capable sort. He exposed this swindler once- some guy pretending to be a prince in order to trick the princess! After that, he got this magic lamp and became the greatest sorcerer in the world. Then, they say... he used that power to become sultan himself!"
"Wow! I guess it's true that a mage needs to be an excellent judge of character huh? What about this beauty over here?" Grim asked as they moved further down the street.
Ace looked her over. "She's a queen who was said to be the fairest in all the land. In fact, she used her magic mirror to check how she ranked on a daily basis! When it looked like her position was threatened, they say she'd do whatever it took to keep it. Can you imagine the level of dedication it would require keeping a record like that? Also, they say she was a master of making poisons." He added.
"Really?" Aster asked, voice sounding excited and intrigued at the thought. Poisons, huh? Neat.
"She sounds kind of scary." Grim shivered at the thought.
"You think so? I gotta respect the hustle." Ace shrugged.
"F-for sure." Grim gave into a desire to agree. "Sounds like she fought hard for what she believed in, and never gave up! And the one with the flaming head? Now THAT guy looks scary!" Grim exclaimed.
"You think so?" Aster asked. "I think he looks awesome, and I love the flaming hair!"
"That's the King of the Underworld! Single-handedly ruling a kingdom packed with rambunctious spirits- that takes competence! He may look scary to us, but he was a straight shooter who worked tirelessly at a tough job he never even asked for." Ace said, giving a weird look at Aster. "I mean, this is the guy who was ordering Cerberus, the Hydra, and the Titans into battle for him." Ace said excitedly.
"Hm. That IS something. T'think he could have that much power and not let it go to his head. And the last one there, with the horns?"
"That's the Thorn Fairy who lived on a mythical mountain. She was noble and elegant, and a master of magic and curses- even by the standards of these seven! She commanded storms, covered entire kingdoms with thorns... She could use magic on a massive scale!" Ace paused for dramatic effect, and Aster tensed. "She could even turn herself into a giant dragon."
"Ooh. A dragon! What all monsters yearn to be!" Grim said, his eyes sparkling brightly.
"Pretty cool, huh? Not like some piddling weasel." Ace said with a sneer. Grim let out a startled sound while Aster prepared himself for a fight. Ace laughed. "I can't hold it back anymore! Come on, you're the ones who turned orientation into such a fiasco, right? The one summoned by the Dark Mirror who can't even use magic, and the monster no one summoned at all. It took everything I had not to burst into laughter right in the middle of the ceremony!" Ace chuckled.
"Your mind must be addled, considering that fracas happened at the end of the ceremony, not the middle of it." Aster told the other boy with an unimpressed look. Ace spluttered at the boy's words.
"You don't have to be such a jerk about it!" Grim growled at the boy.
"So in the end, neither of you got admitted and now you are janitors?" He laughed again. "So lame!"
"What did you just call me?!" Grim yowled.
"And you're both so clueless you don't even know who the Great Seven are. Not a one of them!" He howled, and Aster flinched at the words. It wasn't his fault he had amnesia! "Before you try getting into the academy again, you ought to take a second crack at kindergarten." Ace hounded them.
Grim began to growl lowly. And Ace's amusement at the situation just increased. Aster sighed in annoyance at the situation. "Okay, let's just..." he began, trying to calm them.
"Anyway, just thought I'd tease you a bit. And I'm glad I did." Ace said with a grin.
"That wasn't teasing." Aster growled, causing Ace to step back.
"Well, I've had a blast." Ace said, backing away with false nonchalance. "Unlike you, I actually have classes to get to, so I'll let you get back to picking up trash. Bye!" He waved and began to walk away.
"You ain't walking away from me! It's too late for that!" Grim cried, throwing a ball of flame at his back.
"Freshman, move!" Aster cried out a warning. Ace barely dodged in time.
"No one makes fun of Grim, Master of Fire! I'm gonna make that explodey-head of yours explode all over again!"
"Explodey-head?!" Ace cried in offense. "You wanna throw down with me, shorty? You got some guts. You wanna talk hair, huh? I'm gonna shave you like a toy-poodle!" Ace retorted. Aster sighed as the two of them began to throw spells at each other. None were really too powerful since they were both low leveled, but it could cause some damages. He sighed as a crowd began to gather.
"There's a fight? Cool!"
"Get him!"
"Guys! Take this down a notch before someone gets hurt!" Aster cried, running in between the two fighters who had just sent off two spells just a bit more powerful than their others.
"Gah, look out!" Grim cried.
"You idiot!" Ace cried.
"MOVE!" They shouted at Aster, a wind spell sending the fire spell off course. Aster hit the deck.
"Oh no! The Queen of Hearts's statue looks like it's been flame broiled!" Ace cried horrified.
"It's your fault for dodging it!" Grim shouted back.
"ENOUGH YOU TWO! YOU'RE BOTH RESPONSIBLE!" Aster shouted, glaring at the two of them from his place on the ground.
"What is going on here? Cease this at once!" Crowley's voice reverberated in the area as he appeared. The two troublemakers both tried to run, only to let out shouts of surprise when Crowley caught both of them with his whip. "As if you two could escape from me!" Crowley let out a heavy sigh. "Why are you on the ground Aster?" He asked, seeing the boy flat on his stomach looking up.
"Avoiding being burned at the stake." Aster replied blandly, burying his head into his arms. Crowley sighed frustratedly into his hand.
"Of course that's it." He looked up at the statues. "You charred one of my statues?! It's almost as though you want to be expelled!" Crowley scolded Ace and Grim. "State your name and grade." He told the ginger.
"Ace Trappola... Freshman." He looked down, scolded.
"Then listen well, Trappola. And you as well Grim. As punishment for today's infractions, you are hereby ordered to wash 100 windows. And Aster, if you would join them to keep an eye on them." he told the boy who nodded. "You three will meet in the cafeteria after class. Are we clear?" He asked calmly.
"Yes sir." Ace grumbled while the other two nodded.
-NRC-
"I'm already exhausted from a full day of cleaning. I can't believe we still gotta was 100 windows!" Grim cried. The duo was in the cafeteria waiting for Ace to show, both having finished a very late lunch provided by the cafeteria ghosts since they had missed lunch during the cleaning of the Queen of Hearts statue. Divus had been especially displeased upon seeing Aster's nutrient potion was still in the infirmary after lunch.
Aster sent the complaining cat a deadpanned look. "Try and learn from this, Grim." he suggested. Grim completely ignored the words.
"What's bugging me is, Ace ain't even here yet! To make us wait after what he did..." Grim trailed off with some muffled grumblings. Aster just rolled his eyes as another several minutes passed. Aster sighed.
"He bailed on us." the two said in sync.
"Let's go find him Aster." Grim grumbled. Aster nodded, already standing up from his bench. Together the duo began to search out the ginger. It was a portrait, of all things, that confirmed what they had already figured out and sent them to the Hall of Mirrors where the entrances to the dorms were located. Aster had thanked him before chasing after Grim who had already ran off. They got to the hall pretty quickly, thanks to Aster's natural speed and sure enough, part way in the hall was the ginger they were hunting down.
"Yeah right, like I'm gonna wash a hundred windows." the boy was talking to himself, the words echoing a little bit in the empty, cavernous hall. "I'm just gonna go back and-"
"AHA! GOTCHA, PUNK!" Grim cried out triumphantly. Ace spun around startled, while Grim jumped from Aster's arms and chased after the boy who made a quick beeline for a nearby hall. "Stop right there pal! No fair getting a head start!" Grim cried, giving chase, Aster right behind him.
"Who in their right mind would ever wait? See ya!" Ace called back cockily. Aster looked ahead and spotted another boy coming into the hall with his head in a book.
"...Hm?" He looked up at the sound of running and saw the trio coming his way.
"Outta my way!" Ace called, shoulder checking the other boy as he ran past.
"HEY! What gives?!" The kid, a bluenette with blue eyes and a black spade marking on his right eye, cried in outrage.
Gold eyes narrowed. "He's shirking his cleaning responsibilities!" Aster called out and the boy's eyes widened.
"What? That's not right!" He said, sounding offended on their behalf. "But how to stop him?" The boy wondered, allowing them to run past and started following them while muttering different ways to do just that.
"I don't care how! Just do something! Anything!" Grim cried, falling behind Aster who had passed both the bluenette and Grim.
"Anything? All right!" Blue eyes widened as a thought occurred to him. "Here goes anything! I summon thee... something heavy!" the boy shouted, and the trio watched in interest as a large cauldron appeared above Ace and fell, pinning the boy to the ground.
"A POT?!" Ace sounded completely baffled at the predicament he found himself in. Grim began to roll around on the ground laughing.
"Look Aster, look! That Ace guy got crushed beneath a giant cauldron!" Grim howled with more laughter. "It squashed him flat! That's what you get!" Grim pointed a paw at the boy.
"A cauldron?!" the bluenette cried, catching up with Aster and Grim next to Ace. "I wasn't expecting that. I may have over done it." he muttered, helping Aster to lift the heavy thing off of Ace.
"Ow! What are you bothering me for?" Ace cried, sending a pout at Aster. "You guys could have just banged out the work yourself!" He accused, sounding rather petulant.
Aster snorted in disdain. "There's no 'banging out' a hundred windows."
"You have to wash a hundred windows as punishment?" The bluenette asked, sounding a little horrified. "What the heck did you do?"
"I was just screwing around with the fur ball a little..." Ace began.
"Not screwing with him. It was bullying." Aster corrected the ginger. Ace gave a small cough.
"...The statue of the Queen of Hearts got a teeny bit charred. Sue me." he said, ignoring the other boy.
"'Teeny bit charred'? Me and Grim took an hour cleaning it." Aster grumbled under his breath.
"You damaged a statue of the Great Seven?" the kid cried in alarm. "No wonder he flew off the handle at you! After you managed to get into THIS school, how could you get in trouble on the first day?"
"Oh, shut up!" Ac cried in embarrassment. "Who are you, anyways?" He demanded.
"My name is Deuce. Deuce Spade. Don't you remember your own classmate? Uh..." Deuce trailed off, realizing that he had no idea who this ginger was.
"You don't remember my name either, do you?" Ace asked with a smirk.
"That's not the point! You shouldn't try to shirk an order from the headmage!" Deuce replied.
Ace gave an accepting sigh. "Yeah, yeah, message received..." He turned to Aster with a grumble. "Fine, let's bang out the windows already." The trio paused as something seemed to occur to them.
"Great Seven, I thought it was quiet." Aster muttered, the curse coming naturally to him.
"The fur ball! He's gone!" Ace cried looking around with the others. A blur of gray was spotted on the other side of the hall as they heard him laughing.
"I'll let you two handle the rest! See ya, suckers!" Grim shouted.
"You caught me so YOU could run away yourself?!" Ace cried in realization while Aster massaged his temples to ease the ache that was building there. "Hey! Uh... Juice?" Ace asked, looking at the boy.
"It's Deuce! With a D!" was the offended reply.
"This is partially your responsibility, you know! So help me catch that little fur ball!" Ace demanded.
"How is this my responsibility?!"
"Grim's useless janitor friend can't use magic." Ace said, only to let out a pained yelp when his ear was grabbed and pulled down, forcing him to look into flashing gold eyes.
"Listen here, you little punk." Aster growled lowly. "First, Let's make it clear right now that my lack of magic doesn't mean I'm useless." Ace whimpered and nodded as well as he could. "Second, none of this would have happened if you hadn't decided to be a complete jerk to two people you didn't even know, who hadn't done jack to you! And no, it doesn't exclude Grim either for reacting the way he did instead of letting it go. Neither of you listened to me when I told you to stop, and both of you blockheads tried to run from the headmage, which didn't help your situations at all. That is what happened. That is what led to all of this. Do we understand each other?" Aster asked.
"Yes!" Ace whimpered and ducked away from the boy as soon as he was free.
"Deuce, I am sorry for getting you dragged into this, but I would really appreciate it if you would be willing to help us catch Grim." Aster smiled at the bluenette who nodded.
"I would love to be of help." Deuce squeaked. And with that settled, the trio rushed after the cat who had stopped so he could listen to Ace's dressing down by Aster at the other end of the hall. Seeing them coming his way, Grim jumped out of a window and into the courtyard to escape them.
"Stop right there fur ball!" Ace hollered when they got to the street.
"Make me!" Grim taunted.
"Then a game of cat and mouse it is. Follow me, Juice!" Ace ordered.
"How hard is it for you to say my name right?" Deuce cried as they chased after the cat.
As they chased after the cat, Aster noticed that Ace and Deuce worked rather poorly together, what with their arguing allowing Grim to get away and race in another direction to escape them. At some point the trio wound up back in the cafeteria, where Grim somehow managed to jump onto a chandelier. Aster watched the cat spin around on the light fixture with a dizzying headache. "No fair climbing onto a chandelier, you coward!" Deuce called up to the fur ball. "I haven't really learned flight magic yet..." he trailed off looking around for a solution while Ace and Grim taunted each other. Aster looked around but found no way for him to get up to the chandelier himself. "What could I summon to hold on to him...? Hmm... Oh!" Deuce cried, hit by an epiphany and getting Aster and Ace's attention. "That's it!" Deuce said.
"Did you come up with some-" Ace began, only to falter when Deuce pointed his pen at him. "Why are you pointing that at me?" Ace asked nervously.
"Because I'm going to launch you." Deuce said, like it was a perfectly normal conclusion to come to.
"What?!" Aster cried in disbelief once the words registered. "There's no way that ends well." Aster tried to reason.
"Are you kidding me?!" Ace screeched, trying to pass it off as a scoff. Only to screech again once he started floating. "Put me down! Seriously, do not launch me! Abort! ABORT!" Ace cried before he went flying towards the cat who let out an alarmed yowl.
"Make sure to grab onto him as you pass!" Deuce called after the flying boy who blindly reached out and grabbed the struggling cat. But along the way, his jacket got caught and Deuce lost control as the two of them went spinning around in several circles before coming loose. The two of them crashed into Deuce and sent the three skidding a few feet, while Aster jumped to the side to avoid the chandelier that fell with a crash.
The three boys groaned in pain while Grim was making dizzy meows, muttering under his breath. "I can't believe you just did that!" Ace shouted at Deuce from one side of the fallen chandelier. "You complete and total moron! We got Grim, but we broke the chandelier! If the headmage finds out about this-" Ace's lecture was interrupted by the arrival of the headmage.
"If I find out about... what, dear Ace?" Crowley's low voice asked from behind them. The three boys screeched in alarm and surprise at his arrival. "Headmage Crowley...!"
Crowley looked over the scene in front of him. Broken chandelier? Check. A dizzy Grim? Check. Three guilty looking children? Check. Of course they had gotten into more trouble, with a new one added into the mix. "With the amount of damage already caused, you should be expelled." He stated with a frustrated growl.
"WHAT?!" Ace and Deuce cried.
"Headmage, please! Give me a second chance! I can't get expelled from this school! I need to be here!" Deuce cried desperately.
'Did they not here me say 'Should be'?' Crowley wondered. 'Might as well go along with it. Maybe they'll learn to be less reckless in the future.' he figured. "Then blame yourself for your own foolish behavior." he lectured.
"I'll pay for the damages! However much it costs!" Deuce insisted.
Crowley raised a disbelieving brow. 'I guess I can give them in educational lecture.' he decided. "That chandelier is no mere light fixture. It's a magical chandelier. Its candles are powered by a magical energy source, enhanced so that the candles will burn for eternity. It was created for us by a legendary artificer. Possibly their finest creation. It has been here since the school was established, and I imagined it would be here forevermore." Crowley tilted his head, thinking. "Considering its historical value, I would estimate its worth to be no less than a billion thaumarks." He sent a look at Deuce. "And you intend to repay that sum?"
"A... A billion marks?!" Deuce squeaked.
"B-But I'm sure with your magical talent, sir, you could snap your fingers and fix it right up!" Ace said.
'Nice attempt at flattery, I give it six points. However,' Crowley sighed. "Even magic has its limits." he informed the children, noticing that Aster was paying rapt attention to the lecture. "Furthermore, its magestone- the figurative heart of any magical artifact- is cracked. A magestone cannot easily be replaced. I fear the candles of this majestic chandelier will never burn again." he mourned.
"This is bad..." Ace murmured.
"What am I going to do?! How am I going to tell my mother...?" Deuce trailed off, sounding absolutely heartbroken. Aster placed a hand on Deuce's shoulder, trying to offer some comfort as he himself tried to think of something to help.
'Curse my soft heart.' Crowley thought, frowning at the dejected sight in front of him. "There is a small chance..." Crowley trailed off, thinking about the most recent reports for Dwarf Mines. "A small sliver of a chance to repair this chandelier." He told the two students.
"There is?" the trio asked hopefully.
"The magestone that powered this chandelier was mined from the Dwarfs' Mine. If you can acquire a magestone with the same properties, it may be possible to repair it." He informed them.
"Then I'll go find a magestone!" Deuce exclaimed determinedly. "With your permission, sir!" Deuce added. Crowley sighed again.
"I should caution you that I cannot promise there yet remain magestones to find. The mines were closed quite some time ago. It is quite likely that all of the stones have already been mined." He cautioned.
"I'll do anything to avoid expulsion, sir!" Deuce informed the man. Crowley studied them and sure enough, all three were looking determined.
"Very well, then. I will suspend your expulsion for a single night." He said, looking at his watch. It was seven in the evening now. The trip wouldn't take them long... It wasn't like there were any monsters or anything in the mines, just some mischievous ghosts that knew better than to harm anyone if they desire their continued existence. And the mines were still structurally sound. So it should be a quick in and out without any issues. They should be safe enough, he decided. And he was about 99% sure that Aster was going to go with them, so at least they would have someone with some common sense between them. "You're expected back by midnight with a magestone. If not, you'll be expelled." He told them. In actuality, he would give them detention and have them work in the school store for a while if they didn't retrieve one. But he was hoping it would be a good lesson for them.
"I understand, sir! Thank you very much!" Deuce thanked him. Aster nodding his own thanks.
Ace sighed. "Fine, then. Let's hurry down there, find a magestone, and get this whole thing done with." Ace said.
Crowley nodded. "You should be able to reach the Dwarfs' Mine instantly by using one of the gates in the Mirror Chamber." He informed the trio.
"Yes sir!" Deuce said. As the group was making their way out of the cafeteria, Crowley heard Grim coming too.
"Myah! Wh- where am I?" Grim asked.
"You may end up wishing you had stayed asleep." Aster informed the cat, his tone ominous. Crowley chuckled at the fearful sound the cat let out that was muffled once the door shut. He worked on salvaging what he could of the chandelier, knowing that no more students would be entering the cafeteria this late in the evening. He'd be up late waiting for the children to return. If they weren't back by midnight, he'd go and search for them.
-NRC-
"Man... How did I end up in this mess? I swear I have the worst luck." Ace bemoaned his situation, making Aster snort at the boy's desire to avoid taking responsibility for his actions.
"We don't have time to complain. Let's go." Deuce said, turning to the Dark Mirror. "Dark Mirror! Take us to the Dwarfs' Mine!" Deuce requested. And there was a glow as the portal opened.
None of them had any idea of what would happen on their little adventure that night.
A/N: There we go. Quite a lot of differences from the story. And an obvious love for flaming hair which is a reason Idia Shroud is one of my favorite characters in the game.