Kat, with Grim perched on her shoulder again, followed the energetic Cater across the Hall of Mirrors.
Even with the others here with her-- Ace, Deuce, and of course Riddle-- she was still more than a little anxious about going into a new dorm...
"A-Are you sure this is okay, Diamond-senpai?" Deuce asked, seeming a little nervous himself. "I mean, going into another dorm like this... We won't get in trouble, will we?"
Turning around, Cater walked backwards for a few steps, laughing. "Aw, come on, come on-- relaaax, Deucey-chan!" He assured him, waving a hand. "I do this all the time to pop in on my friends in the other dorms-- as long as we leave before curfew, it's totally fine! Besides--"
He nodded at Riddle, who had naturally sort of migrated to the head of the group, striding along with his arms folded. "We've got Riddle-kun here with us, remember? So, technically, this is housewarden business, ya know?"
"Oh... R-Right," Deuce said, nodding a little.
They approached another alcove, and Kat craned her neck, getting a look at the new mirror.
This one was about the same size as the Heartslabyul mirror, but oblong, a little like the Dark Mirror. The figure of a peacock sat atop the frame, fashioned of the same antique silver. Its tail feathers hung down gracefully around the mirror, fanning out like scrolling vines. It held the stem of a miniature Jack-o-lantern in its beak...
No, wait. As they approached, Kat squinted at the object. It wasn't a Jack-o-lantern... It looked more like a... An- apple?
But there was like-- some substance dribbling down over it. It was only metal, but it looked like something thick and runny, and-- the way it was dribbling, it seemed to form a stylized skull face...
Somehow, she got the feeling that, whatever the stuff was, it definitely wasn't caramel. Probably something a lot nastier...
Shaking her head a little, she turned her attention to the rest of the details.
At the top of the frame was the dorm emblem. Shaped like a shield, it had a stand collar and spiky crown at the top... Kind of like Heartslabyul's. POMEFIORE, it read in graceful cursive, with a symbol of some sort underneath... Another melty skull-apple, with a dagger either behind it or stabbed through it.
These stairs were actually carpeted with a wide strip of red velvet. By the walls on either side, shimmering spires of crystal sprouted from deep purple polished stone.
"Wow," she remarked, pulling Grim off her shoulder and into her arms for the journey through the mirror. "This is pretty..."
"You can say THAT again," Cater grinned back at her. "But just wait until you see the actual dorm-- the outside's got absolutely NOTHING on the inside, trust me!"
Riddle stepped through the mirror, making it ripple, followed by Cater.
Kat was next-- taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes, holding Grim a little tighter as she stepped through the liquid-like glass. Once more, a few seconds of breathlessness and a lurch of gravity in her stomach... Then she was blinking in the sunlight again, looking around in amazement.
"Oh, w-wow..."
She found herself standing on a white stone bridge, below an ornate arch of the same material.
It was bright and sunny, with a brilliant blue sky filled with wispy clouds. While there wasn't any particular scent to it, not like Heartslabyul's perfume of roses, the air was still pleasantly fresh.
The dorm... Realm? Seemed to consist of a large, round cliff island... A plateau? Was that it?
Turning around, she saw that the bridge they were on seemed to just-- go on forever, stretching over the forest below and even over a wide, glittering lake that spanned to the horizon.
It was also a lot bigger than Heartslabyul... Like, the plateau was about the size of the entire Heartslabyul dorm, including the hedge maze, as far as she could see.
More clean white paving stones and lush, manicured lawns made tiers up to the dorm building. It was a castle again, but probably twice the size of the Heartslabyul one. Built of clean gray stone, it had ornate arched windows, and purple-gray tiles formed the peaked roofs and capped the graceful spires.
It was all-- a little similar to the Heartslabyul dorm, at least in construction, but... The feelings they invoked-- the vibes, maybe?- were different. Heartslabyul, while beautiful and stately, also had a bit of a-- whimsical, almost welcoming feel... Like a place from a children's book or fairy tale come to life.
This place, however-- it was beautiful, definitely, but in a... More- regal, almost intimidating way than Heartslabyul? Like, looking around, Kat felt like she was standing in front of Buckingham Palace, or Versailles, or somewhere like that.
The air in the arch behind her rippled and shimmered again, and Ace and Deuce stepped through, shaking their heads and blinking.
"Whoa..." Both their mouths dropped open, looking around in amazement.
"Geez-- is this SERIOUSLY just a dorm?!" Ace demanded. "I mean, OUR dorm's pretty impressive, don't get me wrong, but-- this is on a whole different level...!"
"Y-Yeah," Deuce agreed, dumbfounded. "This looks like-- an actual castle... I- I mean, a castle where, like, actual royalty lives!"
"Of course," Riddle declared, turning back to look at them. "The dormitory is actually modeled after a castle in the Shaftlands that, according to legend, the Fairest Queen once dwelled in."
He straightened up, chest puffing out a little bit and giving a small, smug smile. "OUR dorm is modeled after a castle in the Queendom of Roses with a similar claim-- but for the Queen of Hearts, of course. One could say that Pomefiore and Heartslabyul have quite a bit in common... The two dormitories have always had a fairly good relationship, in fact, according to the history of this school. Now, come-- we don't have all day, and the culprit may already be planning their next move."
"R-Right," Kat agreed, nodding as they followed Riddle off the bridge and up the sweeping courtyard. Holding Grim like a plushie, she looked around.
Students were scattered around here and there... Mostly sitting elegantly on white marble benches or beneath trees, chatting or reading.
It was about half-and-half as to what they were wearing-- some were still wearing the school uniform, while others were in what was probably the dorm uniform... A deep indigo, almost kimono-like tunic or coat, with slim dark pants or leggings tucked into black boots with gold accents.
They looked over as the group passed, but didn't seem particularly bothered... Especially once they spotted Riddle.
The looks they were giving HER, though... She blushed a little, pulling her shoulders up and lowering her head a bit.
It wasn't just her, to be fair-- Ace, Deuce, and, to a lesser extent, Cater, were also on the receiving end of the looks, but still... It was so-- so... Judgmental. Or-- no, not judgmental... More like-- critical?
She kind of wished she was better dressed... Maybe tied her tie right, or at least tried to get all the Grim-fur off the uniform jacket and pants.
After what felt like ages, the group finally arrived at the wrought-iron fence around the castle. The fence was supported at the corners by white pillars, topped with large antique gold apples, and even the front gate had a matching gold pattern on it... A huge apple, with one half on each of the gates.
Riddle didn't seem to be slowing down, even as they drew closer...
Just when Kat was starting to feel even more nervous, the gates swung open inwards. Jumping, she squeezed Grim a little tighter, making him give a quiet squeak.
"Sorry," she said quickly, loosening her grip and giving an apologetic wince. "I'm just-- kinda nervous..."
Grim panted a little, shaking his head as the group passed through the gates and up the path to the front doors of the castle. "Hah... Hah... W-Well-- normally, I'd give ya more of a scolding, but..."
Squirming around, he clambered up her chest, back onto his perch on her shoulder. "I kinda get where you're comin' from," he muttered, looking around. "This place is fancy enough to make ANYBODY nervous... Even me."
"Okay!" Cater was saying, turning around and walking backwards again as he pulled his phone out. "Cay-kun's Check starts here-- at Pomefiore. First up is Rook Hunt-kun-- a third-year who caught my eye while I was compiling my list of-- well, not suspects, heh. Keep an eye out for his blond bob and hat! Those are his trademarks-- you can't miss 'em!"
Ace, Deuce and Kat gave murmured statements of affirmation as they approached the doors to the castle, which stood open.
Cater, turning the right way round again, hopped lightly over the threshold, with Riddle barely half a step behind him.
Taking a deep breath, Kat stepped into the building as well, looking around.
...Jesus Christ, this place was-- no, it wasn't even luxurious. Luxurious was the Heartslabyul lounge-- this place went way, way past luxurious. It was... Opulent. Gold and ivory paneled walls, glittering crystal chandeliers hanging from the high ceilings, rococo-ass furniture arranged tastefully around the room...
If there was, like... Just a touch more gold, it would've been painfully over-the-top, even tacky, but as it was...
...God, she really shouldn't be here. She shouldn't even be breathing the same AIR as here.
"Rook-senpai is an exceptional player," Riddle said as they emerged into what was probably the dorm lounge. "He performed extremely well in last year's tournament, but-- hmm..." He paused, putting a hand to his chin and frowning. "...He IS also a bit-- odd, one might say."
The lounge was full of students, too-- a few were walking, going to other places in the dorm, probably. Most were sitting, though-- either at tables, polished to a mirror-like sheen, or on the deep indigo-purple velvet of armchairs or chaise lounges.
The whole room buzzed with sound... Even though all the individual voices were modulated and refined, they overlapped into a quiet cacophony, punctuated by the clink of dainty china from teacups, saucers, and pots.
"Oh-- is that him?" Deuce asked, nodding towards a table towards the center of the lounge. "Over there?"
Kat peered around him. Three people were sitting at the table, apparently having tea. They were all still wearing the school uniforms, and-- oh...
She felt her stomach lurch, like a drop on a rollercoaster. One of them-- the tallest one at the table-- was... Extremely pretty. Like-- a pretty that seemed to surpass all avenues of gender presentation, boiling down to being full-on, pure, unadulterated 'pretty'. God, it was almost like getting flashbanged...
"Guah--!!" Ace hissed from next to her, actually wincing a little. "H-Holy fuck... Is it just me, or is it, like, super sparkly over there? I can barely even look at 'em..."
Kat closed her eyes for a second, shaking her head, as if to blink the imaginary sparkles away. It wasn't quite as hard to look at them now... But it still wasn't exactly easy.
They were all pretty, actually... One, the shortest at the table, was delicate and doll-like, a little like Riddle, with lots of fluffy lavender hair.
The second-tallest was...
Okay, yeah, that had to be him. Stick-straight, bright blond hair, a sharp face with a pointed chin, and a... Hat. Too big for a fedora, but not a cowboy hat... Almost an-- Indiana Jones hat? But also not really...
Whatever it was, it had a big, white fluffy feather stuck in the band, sweeping back in a graceful arc.
The third and tallest one...
...Yeah, it was still kind of hard to look at this one, actually. Slim and graceful, even when sitting still, he had ash-blond hair, with a purple ombre at the ends. His bangs were long and swept elegantly to the side. The rest of his hair was pulled back in one of those half-up braided 'crown' hairstyles, wrapped around the back of his head.
She remembered him, definitely... It was the pretty person from the ceremony, the one who'd laughed when she'd blurted out the thing about the 'he-they school'. But-- jeeesus fuck, he was even prettier than she remembered... Or, maybe, than she could see at the time? The Mirror Chamber had been dark, and his hood had been up...
The three seemed to be talking about something-- or at least, the two blonds were. The small, purple-haired one seemed a little nervous-- or maybe depressed? She couldn't really tell...
The pretty one pulled a compact mirror out from somewhere. Snapping it open, he smoothed the ends of an eyebrow with a black-gloved pinky finger as his mouth moved.
Whatever he'd said, it appeared to be of great amusement to the one in the hat-- Rook? That's what Cater and Riddle had said, right? Giving a dramatic laugh, he put one hand to his chest, gesturing towards his companion with the other as he spoke.
The other blond seemed to roll his eyes, continuing to speak as he checked over the rest of his face in the compact mirror.
Rook laughed again, shaking his head and making his hair sway back and forth as he said something else.
"Mmmm-- I dunno," Grim, still on her shoulder, grumbled, giving the table a suspicious look. "I'm not pickin' up a very, y'know... Strong vibe from that guy..."
He huffed a little, swishing his tail. "If I was the culprit, I wouldn't go after HIM first... Or maybe at all."
"Mmm-- eh, maybe you're right," Cater shrugged, giving a sheepish laugh. "Okay-- how 'bout we peace out and move on to the next stop, huh?"
"O-Okay," Kat murmured, nodding, even though she was still looking at the trio at the table. Jesus-- it was hard to look at them, but it was also hard to look away...
Angling the mirror a bit, the ash-blond flicked a strand of bangs back into place. Then he stopped, apparently catching sight of something in the mirror. Snapping it closed like a flip phone, he turned his head, frowning slightly and looking right at the group of Heartslabyuls... And Kat.
She stiffened, feeling herself starting to blush again. Oh, geez-- did he remember her? He probably did, didn't he... Shaking her head, she turned, hurrying along with the others as they started back out of the lounge.
Kat was almost out the door when she felt a sudden, random shiver up her spine. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up, and her heart rate randomly accelerated, like something had startled her.
Instinctively, she turned her head, glancing back.
...Rook-- or whatever his name was-- was looking across the room.
Right at her.
There was no doubt about it-- he was looking directly at her. He was all the way back across the room, but she didn't even think he was blinking...
The pretty, ash-blond person must have said something, because after a few seconds, Rook looked back at him, nodding in agreement.
Kat took this opportunity to scurry back out the door, catching up with the others, who were waiting on the front path of the castle for her. "S-Sorry," she apologized, bobbing her head a little bit. "Didn't mean to-- get distracted, um..."
"Hey, it's fine, it's fine!" Cater assured her, giving another grin and a friendly wave as they started walking again. "I was the same way when I first saw the Pomefiore dorms-- don't worry about it!"
Exiting the gate, the group started back down the courtyard towards the bridge.
"...Huh," Grim muttered, crossing his front legs grumpily. "The way Cater and Riddle hyped that guy up, he sure ended up bein' a disappointment... How's a prissy guy like that s'posed to be a great sports star? He looks like he'd freak out at the tiniest speck a' mud on 'im!"
Kat slowed down a little, falling behind the rest of the group for a few moments.
"...I'm-- not sure that's true," she muttered eventually. "I..."
...Just the memory of that momentary shiver made another shiver ripple across her body.
"...I don't think," she finished, speeding up a little to catch up with the others again. "That you should... Underestimate... People like that. People in general, I mean. You-- never know..."
Grim scoffed, obviously not very impressed by her statement. "Yeah, yeah... Whatever."
Shaking her head, Kat just kept walking, focusing on leaving the Pomefiore realm as soon as possible.
Kat hadn't really relaxed until the group had exited the Hall of Mirrors, back on the main campus grounds.
They were walking down one of the corridors around the central courtyard with the well, with Cater checking his phone again. "Okay!" He announced. "Next up for Cay-kun's Check are... Ah! Right! From Octavinelle House-- the second-year twins, Jade and Floyd Leech!"
Kat actually saw Riddle stiffen a bit, bristling slightly as his shoulders rose.
"Word is," Cater continued. "The thing that makes these two such a powerhouse on the field is their teamwork! They work so well together that the opposing teams just straight-up don't know how to deal... They're so far beyond just 'being on the same wavelength' that it's even kinda spooky!"
Giving a theatrical shiver, he tucked his phone away again. "Must be that twin thing that people keep talkin' about in movies and stuff... Ope! And speak of the devil..."
Stopping at one of the stone windows, the group peered out into the bustling courtyard.
Through the milling students, Kat saw two people over by the apple tree. One was leaning casually against the trunk, one foot propped up against the bark with their hands in their pockets. The other one was seated on the bench below it, apparently reading something from a folder on their lap.
Grim, on her shoulder, actually jumped a little, mouth falling open in amazement. "...Wah! Hey-- how come there's two guys with the same face over there?!" He demanded.
Kat looked a little closer. Oh-- wow, he was right. The pair was identical... At least, from this distance, they were.
They had the same broad shoulders, and the same long, almost triangular torsos. Even though the distance and her face blindness weren't doing her any favors, they appeared to have the same general facial structure and features. They both had short, choppy teal hair with a single long streak of black in the bangs, and, as the one on the bench closed the folder neatly, getting to their feet, they were also both roughly the same height... That height being 'tall'.
"...Yeah, those are twins, Grim," she told him. "Identical twins."
Grim gave her a blank look.
"...You seriously don't know what twins are?" She asked after a second.
"Wh--" Grim bristled, fur puffing out a little as he scowled. "N-No! I know what twins are-- they're-- uhhh... Th-They're..."
"Siblings?" She finished for him. "Born at the same time?"
"Y-Yeah-- yeah," Grim agreed hurriedly, nodding. "That."
"Uh-- h-hey," Ace muttered from beside her, sounding nervous. "Is it just me, or-- are those guys so big that they make everybody else around 'em look tiny in comparison?"
"...No," Kat said, shaking her head. "You're right-- they're... Really tall."
And they were. Tall and... Big.
Their torsos were probably about the same size as Trey's... Instead of the same slightly muscular feeling Trey had, though, their long limbs and tapered waists made them look streamlined and slim.
Even though they were standing a little ways off from the others in the courtyard, she could still tell that they practically dwarfed the other students.
"Hey-- what year did you say these two were in again?" She asked, looking back at Cater and Riddle.
"They're second-years-- just like Riddle-kun," Cater replied. "So, that means they're seventeen-- same as him!"
"...Jesus," Kat muttered, looking back at the twins. Okay, Jojo-ass seventeen-year-olds-- fuckin' Jotaro Kujo over here..
...She noticed that, even though they were remarkably similar physically, their... Demeanors? Were extremely different... As were their clothes.
They were both wearing the school uniform, obviously. The one who'd previously been sitting down was neat and sharp, though... Not a wrinkle visible on the perfectly tied tie immaculate black jacket, buttoned up over a crisp white shirt. His-slash-their posture was as straight and professional as Riddle's, and, as he spoke to his... Twin?- his gestures were elegant and refined.
The other had a much more casual bearing, carrying himself with an easygoing, slouching air. His jacket was open over a light bluish-gray vest, which... Wasn't even buttoned. His shirt was fully untucked, and the collar was open to below his clavicle, with no tie in sight.
Grim exhaled softly, still looking at the twins in awe. "Sheeeesh... With how big those guys are, they've GOTTA be strong too, right?"
Deuce came up next to Kat, looking out the window, then back over at Cater and Riddle. "So... Does that mean you think they might be targeted, too?" He asked.
"Mmm..." Riddle crossed his arms, looking darkly at the teal-haired twins.
"...I don't know," he admitted after a second. "The truth is, if I were the culprit... I'd most likely save them for last. Those two-- they aren't people to be taken lightly..."
His face darkened even more. "Particularly that... Floyd," he muttered through gritted teeth.
Everyone looked at him for a second, mildly in awe.
"...Um," Kat said after a second. "Riddle, are you o--"
"Ahhhhh-- hey, it's Lil' Goldfishie!~"
Riddle blanched, stepping back as his eyes widened in shock. "Ack! Drat-- he's SPOTTED us!" He hissed, tensing.
The unkempt twin loped across the courtyard in a few long strides, and Kat, Ace, and Deuce scurried out of the way just in time. He casually vaulted over the windowsill, strolling up to the increasingly stressed-looking Riddle with a placid smile on his face.
"Kingyo-chaaan~" he crooned. "What're you doin' here, huh? Wait, don't tell me-- playin' hide-and-seek? Heheh-- sounds like fun!"
As he approached, Riddle took several steps back, looking almost frightened for a second. Then he shook his head, straightening his shoulders and crossing his arms. "F-- Floyd!" He snapped, leveling an icy glare at the much taller student. "How many times must I tell you to STOP referring to me with such bizarre nicknames?"
"Awww..." 'Floyd' actually pouted a bit. "But, come oooon... You're so little an' red, so how are you NOT a goldfish?"
Riddle bristled, the beginnings of an angry blush starting to rise on his cheeks. "I am NOT a goldfish!" He barked, taking a small step forward and glaring at the teal-haired boy. "My NAME is Riddle--"
Kat drew back a bit, looking in confusion at the arguing pair. Or... More like Riddle was arguing, but the other boy-- Floyd?-- was smiling along, seeming entirely unbothered.
It was a little bit like the scolding he'd tried to give Che'nya at the unbirthday party, actually, but... Well, Riddle seemed a lot more... Perturbed? Not exactly angry, but not exactly scared... Some kind of mixture of both, which was... Probably not a very good combination.
"This guy's kinda a weirdo," Grim muttered on Kat's shoulder, giving Floyd a suspicious once-over.
Suddenly, Floyd's head snapped up, whipping around towards Kat with a speed that made her jump. "Uwaaaaah," he exclaimed, loping over to her with his mouth falling open into an amazed smile. "No way-- is that a talking cat?! So cooool..."
Kat flinched, backing up with one hand held protectively in front of Grim.
As 'Floyd' got closer, she could see that his teeth were sharp... Not fangs like Crowley or Che'nya, but rows of straight, pointed white teeth, like a shark's.
He was definitely taller than Crowley, though... Fuck, he was probably taller than that Sebek kid too, by at least an inch.
"Hey, hey," he smiled, still approaching Kat with his eyes fixed on Grim. "Would it be okay if I squeeze ya? Huh? Huh? Can I squeeze ya, lil' kitty?~"
"Wh-- sq-SQUEEZE?!" Grim spluttered, bristling and digging his claws into her shoulder. "No WAY, man! Cut it out!"
Suddenly, Kat's back collided with someone's chest, and Grim went tumbling forward off her shoulder. Her reflexes kicked in, and she managed to catch him, clutching him to her chest with both arms.
"Oya?" A voice asked from above and behind her, and she looked up. The face of the other twin looked down at her, mismatched eyes gleaming from beneath sharp, thin brows.
"My, my," he smiled, placing his black-gloved hands on her shoulders. "Do excuse me..."
He half-shuffled, half-lifted her to the side, placing her down neatly next to him and removing his hands as she staggered away from him.
"Now, this is a surprise," he smiled, folding one hand to his chest as he looked at the others. "It would appear that a gathering from Heartslabyul House has come for a visit..."
Kat backed up all the way to the wall of the corridor, clutching Grim and watching the scene unfold in silent confusion.
"Perhaps," the neatly-dressed twin was continuing as his brother came over and stood next to him, grinning lazily. "In order to prepare for the upcoming Magishift tournament, you are attempting a little... Reconnaissance?"
"Ah-- hehehe..." Cater gave a distinctly nervous-sounding laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. "W-Well... We're-- doing a lotta things, ya know? We can't really get into it ATM, but-- you know how it is, right?"
"Hmmmm," the neatly-dressed twin-- what was this one's name? Jade?- mused, putting a fist to his chin. He glanced sideways at Floyd, and they exchanged a look.
"...We don't approve of such underhanded tactics as spying," he said after a moment. "Would you all be so kind as to inform us why it is you were loitering about, observing us? And please-- spare no detail. We are..."
He took a step forward, still smiling. "...TERRIBLY curious, after all."
The others, even Riddle, actually took a step back, looking increasingly nervous.
"G-Geez," Ace muttered. "This guy talks like some kinda' fancy butler or something, and he's smiling, but... His eyes aren't smiling... Like, at all."
"Ahaha..." Cater twirled a lock of hair around his finger, giving an even more nervous laugh. "Ah-- well, anyway... Oh-- wouldja' look at the time! Sorry for buggin' ya-- we'll get outta that pretty teal hair of yours now, okay?!"
Darting forward, he ran past Kat, grabbing her by the upper arm and dragging her along with him.
She yelped, almost tripping before managing to find her footing, clutching Grim tight with her other arm. Oh, okay-- guess we're running now. Sure-- why not?
Looking back over her shoulder, she saw the others exchange baffled glances, then start running as well.
Floyd and Jade-- or whatever his name is-- also exchanged another glance... An almost delighted one. Flashing identical sharp, white-toothed smiles, they started to follow... Slowly at first, but quickly gaining speed.
"Lil' goldfiiiiiish," Floyd grinned, loping along behind Riddle. "Wait up a sec! Come oooon-- tell me what you're up to! You can trust me-- promise!" He actually tried to grab at the back of Riddle's jacket.
Riddle ducked out of the way, vaulting over another stone windowsill and cutting across the courtyard.
Cater, still clutching Kat's arm tight, skidded around a corner into an adjacent corridor, following Riddle, with Ace and Deuce not far behind.
"H-Hey-- what the hell is WRONG with these guys?!" Deuce panted, looking back at the twins, who were, unfortunately, still following. "Are they-- seriously trying to beat us up, or what?!"
Kat glanced back as well.
...Maybe not, she thought to herself. She wouldn't put it past them, but... Nah, the vibes they were giving off weren't exactly... Violent? At least, not at the moment...
It was more like-- they wanted to scare them. Like they were enjoying this...
...Somehow, that felt a little-- worse?-- than just straight-up wanting to beat them up. A little-- ickier, maybe? Or more sinister?
...Everybody at this damn school is so fucking weird, she thought, shaking her head and turning back as she kept running.
Author's Notes:
Nobody:
Literally nobody:
Rook: *EIGHT MILLION EYES EMOJIS*
More dorm lore-dumps, lol.
Obvi the Pomefiore dorm's supposed to be Snow White's castle (or the Evil Queen, but it's technically Snow's by birthright).
The Shaftlands probably became the Shaftlands after Snow and Prince Florian got married-- before that, it was just two neighboring kingdoms, but the marriage obviously instantly formed an alliance between them, and since, y'know, Snow being queen and all, she'd probably focus more on the good of the people as a whole rather than this kingdom vs. that kingdom, and presumably Florian too, so after a long time of that, they sort of... Unofficially consolidated into one country, and probably absorbed some smaller countries and principalities and whatever around the edges, so now they're just... The Shaftlands.
(Ppl dunk on the old movies like Snow White and Cinderella bc 'huuuh princesses bleugh where's their personality' but. Philip was the first prince to actually HAVE a personality at ALL, lmfao, and even Charming had more of a personality than my guy Florian, but... He's probably a decent guy? Since he's a Disney prince? Rip his personality, tho. All we know about him is he's got a feathered hat and a horse.)
I've decided it's bigger than all the others besides Diasomnia, since a) it's the oldest dorm, and b) Pomefiore MFs are too fussy to be okay with having roommates.
T W E E L S A R E H E R E
I like them so much, but... They also scare me so much. Like, in a list of 'which TWST character would scare me the most, IRL?' They're literally at the top of the list.
Like-- Malleus? Nah, he's fine. Leona? Mostly okay. Rook? Definitely the WEIRDEST, but mostly okay too. THESE motherfuckers??? HELLLLLL no.