Magic and Monsters

by S.T.Akira

Seven young Japanese children are invited to attended the Yamashiro School of Magic. Will they be friends or enemies, and what might destiny have in store for them? This is NOT a crossover, and is at its core very much a Digimon Adventure story. I hope you enjoy

3. Friend or Foe

Note: Sorry to my readers that it took so long to get chapter 3 up. But I made it in time for Halloween. I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 3: Friend or Foe

The litter strolls down the platform as students cheer its departure and appear to be following behind on foot. The vehicle is fast enough however that it would soon outpace anyone walking, almost as if it somehow understands that it is currently behind schedule. Much like a parade however, the litter and the students inside it for that matter are now part of a traditional ceremony. Late or not, they must play their proper role in the event.

Their transportation has a roof but no doors or vails, and as a result the six young students are currently on full display to the gathered crowds of older students and faculty. Facing towards the mountain, sitting from left to right are Tachikawa Mimi, Yagami Taichi, and Takenouchi Sora. Sitting across from these three first years, and facing towards the valley, are the unrecognized students who had been mocking Taichi mere moments ago. Across from Mimi, there is a stern looking boy with a squarish face, brushed bluish-silver hair, and slim glasses which appear to sit rather tightly on his nose. Opposite Sora, is a female student with long light-green hair that falls down well past her shoulders. This girl, whoever she is, still wears a sly mocking grin upon her face; her emerald eyes dancing back and forth between Mimi, Taichi, and Sora. Finally, gazing blankly forward with grayish-purple eyes and no expression on his face, sits a gaunt looking boy with stark white hair which is just long enough to cover his ears entirely. This child has very pronounced facial features, which despite his young age make him look something like a sculpture or the subject of an old painting. Oddly enough, his gaze soon lands squarely on Sora.

Though the white hair boy shows no real sign of emotion or intent, Sora can feel his gaze as if it was burrowing deep into her soul. She is very relieved therefore, when Mimi speaks up, breaking the tense silence.

"This is part of the ceremony too, everyone is watching, we need to wave to the crowd." She urges her fellow passengers, seeming to be at least somewhat familiar with the process.

The first years begin to wave, some with noticeably more zeal than others. Mimi smiles broadly and waves energetically, it is as if she is used to such pageantry.

Sora for her part, though certainly not shy, cannot help but to feel anxious as she waves with the eyes of so many students focused on them. Turning to her best friend, she observes Taichi leaning forward in his seat and doing his best to look lively. Yet it is clear that he remains unwell, beads of sweat collect on his forehead and his skin is rather pale.

"Taichi, maybe you should sit back and rest, you still look worn out from the journey." Sora suggests, feeling uneasy that her best friend still has not fully recovered from the kampo potion.

Before Taichi can answer, the shrill voice of the green haired girl cuts in with a chuckle. "What is he sickly or something? Relax will you, they won't even be able to see us once we pass beyond the gate. If you were on time, you would have heard the ceremony instructions."

Sora does not respond to this chidding. She is about to see if she can spot this gate in front of them, when it occurs to her that the white haired boy is still staring at her, not bothering to wave like the others. She does not want to show any kind of reaction, but the boy's harsh looking eyes makes her blood run cold. She wants to tell him to cut it out, but cannot find her voice. Despite being right next to Taichi and Mimi, she suddenly feels as though she is alone in the litter with this stranger. Taichi's eyes are currently closed as he still struggles to catch his breath, and Mimi is entirely focused on the gathered crowds.

The green haired girl seems to take notice however of this staring contest and grins wickedly at Sora. The tension in this small vehicle becomes almost too much for Sora to handle, when the students are interrupted by the echoing sounds of daikin, large musical bells whose origins can be traced back to ancient Buddhism. The bells chime in low and long notes, which eventually drown out all other sound on the platform.

Just then the litter comes to a complete halt on the platform. Inquisitively, Sora grabs hold of the vehicle's frame for stability then proceeds to jut half of her body out over the platform. Standing before her, about fifty meters out is a massive red wooden gate constructed in what almost appears to be a natural opening into the mountain. Dotted around the doorway in little alcoves are the daikin bells, which do not seem to require a human presence to operate. Not only does this gate absolutely dwarf their vehicle; so large that Sora imagines even a dragon would be able to gain entry, but the doorway is also furnished with three massive wooden struts far wider than any tree. They run the length of the gate horizontally holding it firmly shut. Forcing an entry upon such a structure would surely be nigh impossible, at least without substantial firepower. Chiseled in stone above the painted doors are the likenesses of four mythical creatures; a Dragon, a Phoenix, a Kitsune, and a Yatagarasu. Though merely sculptures, it feels as if these four creatures are somehow guarding over the school.

The chiming of the bells continues to blare and soon crescendos into a harmony of music; the sound waves echo so loudly that the students can feel the air physically vibrating around them. Sora is startled slightly as the eyes of the four creatures begin to glow; each its own unique color. The Dragon's a fiery reddish-orange, the Phoenix's a radiant gold, the Kitsune's a mysterious blueish-green, and the Yatagarasu's a lustrous silver. Seconds later, the gate begins to judder and quake; the large rectangular wooden beams slowly begin to move, retracting into corresponding mortises built into the rough hewn mountain stone. Though the process is sluggish, Sora finds the sight to be enchanting, awaiting the opening of the gate with bated breath. The two doors just begin to scrape against the stone platform as the young girl feels a hand gently tugging on the fabric of her kimono. Pulling herself back inside to reveal that the hand belongs to her weary companion.

"What do you see?" Taichi asks, his countenance overflowing with curiosity despite his apparent fatigue. Under normal circumstances he would be leaning out to get a better look himself, maybe even climbing out onto the vehicle if he could get away with it.

The orange-haired girl flashes her best friend a sympathetic smile. "They are opening a giant castle style door, which must lead into the school. There are recesses in the stone where the music of the bells is coming from. The only thing I don't get is, there don't seem to be any other litters around carrying the other first years. So if they have already gone this way, why is the gate still closed?"

"Perhaps they closed the doors again, since we were running late." Mimi responds, not seeming entirely certain.

"It's all purely symbolic." The spectacled boy responds confidently. His voice sounds knowledgeable and orotund. "It represents the gates of learning opening up to us for the first time as we begin our purported educational journey. All pageantry, part of the ceremony, the other students would have already passed through the gate."

"Purported…Pagen-what?" Tai asks, clearly caught off guard by the other childs advanced vocabulary. It appears to Sora that he is still struggling to focus at the moment.

"Rather dense this one, isn't he?" The boy says now looking to his two mysterious companions.

Despite his wearied state, the extroverted brunette has enough sense to know when he is being made fun of. "I can hear you, I'm sitting right here you know."

"Truly? With the sorry state about you, I wasn't quite certain." The boy mocks, still maintaining his stern expression.

Tai goes to jump up from his seat. "Hey, you got a problem with me? Go on, say it to my face!"

Sora, having predicted her best friend's reaction to the taunt, grabs Tai by the arm and shoulder in order to keep him from standing.

"He's kinda cute when he's all worked up, like a yapping puppy." The green haired girl chortles, before sticking her tongue out at Tai.

"Sora, Tai." Mimi calls without turning to them, still addressing the crowd. "Don't let them goad you into making a scene. Remember, half the school is still watching."

"Tai, let me handle this." Sora insists.

Still worked up, Tai pulls against her slightly, not wanting to harm his best friend but feeling the need to defend himself. "But Sora!" However, this exertion only goes to prove that the incident on the train left the boy entirely sapped of strength. The muscles of his arm quivering, not coming close to breaking free from her grasp.

"Tai, please, you need to save your strength. This ceremony has just begun, remember what we talked about." She calls out, trying to reason with him.

The boy growls with frustration, but relents to the wishes of his best friend; sinking back into his seat with his arms folded.

Sora turns to the three students just long enough to address them. "He is not well at the moment, and I ask that you leave him alone." The words are skillfully structured as an appeal, but the stern look in her eyes signals that this is no request.

This earns a dissatisfied grunt from the stern looking boy, and a grin from the green haired girl. Sora then opts to ignore the three strangers for the moment, waving once again to older students as Mimi had previously instructed. Within minutes the doors to the school are entirely open; the bells ceasing all movement.

Peeking out of the litter once more, Sora can see a long and dark corridor which appears to travel at a downwards incline, leading deep within the mountain. There is the faintest of lights shining from a great distance, perhaps originating from the other litters. She had not even noticed the presence of large stone lanterns carved into the walls of the tunnel, until they magically roar to life in front of them. Bright orange flames which now flicker and dance throughout the tunnel.

The students then feel their vehicle shudder slightly beneath them. Large paper lanterns suddenly materialize on the external portion of the vehicle, hanging from the four corners of its roof. Followed shortly by large purple curtains, which entirely cover the two entrances. This would have thrown the six children into darkness, had it not been for glowing balls of bright white light which appear then float and shimmer above their heads. Each curtain displays a large golden crest. The image is that of a five petaled cherry blossom. Contained in the top leaf is the well-known symbol of the Japanese Royal Family, the other leafs contain images of a dragon, a phoenix, a kitsune, and a yatagarasu. Sora instantly recognizes them as being the same four creatures carved into the gateway.

While they can no longer see outside of the litter, the first years can hear the cheers of older students, followed by the sound of Japanese drums, shamisens, flutes, and other traditional instruments. This beckons the vehicle to continue its journey into the mountain.

Mimi sighs loudly. "Seems like we have been afforded some privacy, at least for a little while."

Sora feels a mix of relief and dread at this thought. On one hand they no longer have a crowd of onlookers to contend with, on the other hand they are, at least for the moment, stuck with these ill-feeling strangers. Despite having not spoken a word to her, the white haired child continues to stare intensely at Sora. She considers confronting the stranger, but decides instead to pretend not to have noticed the unwanted attention.

"Hey Mimi, are these creatures related to the four student houses that Koushiro mentioned to us on the train?" Sora asks, partially out of curiosity and partially to distract from the stranger's gaze.

"Hmmm?" Mimi questions, before turning her attention to the golden seal. "Oh yes, each one represents one of the four houses that a student may be sorted into. Each house has characteristics associated with it which are supposed to, in some way, align with that of its students. I wouldn't put much weight into it honestly. What the houses actually determine is your common-room, where you eat, sports teams, as well as some of your activities." She finishes with a shrug.

"How do you know so little about this?" The White haired stranger speaks up for the first time, speaking directly to Sora, his voice haunting yet somehow alluring. "You don't even know the importance of the houses? Of the ceremony? Do you know nothing about the very school you are about to attend?"

Sora, not certain how to respond, finds herself taken aback by this intense round of questioning. Likely taking notice of this, Mimi speaks up on the girl's behalf. "They are first generation students, a foreign concept to you, I know." She explains in a biting tone.

The white haired boy's grayish-purple eyes go wide in his sockets. "First generation? I can picture it for the boy, he is clearly a commoner. But you…"

Sora does not respond other than to glare at the boy angrily, not appreciating the way he talks about Taichi.

Clearly noting her reaction, he softens his tone. "My apologies, Radiant One, and where are my manners? As a first generation student, am I right to suspect that you do not recognize me after all?"

"Should I recognize you?" Sora says, trying to maintain a civil tone, after all they are stuck together for the remainder of the ride; if not longer.

"In your case I suspect not, allow me to explain." He states plainly. "The name is Tachibana Kazuhiko. The Tachibana family has a proud history within the aristocracy dating back centuries, with lineages tied to that of the Japanese royal family itself. It is known that magic is especially strong within such family trees, and believed to have found its origin with Emperor Jimmu and his connection to the gods."

"Wow that far back huh? So the current Emperor knows about magic then?" The orange haired girl inquires with genuine curiosity.

"Naturally, the Royal family is very influential within the country's magical community. The Royals do not attend Yamashiro themselves, instead they receive private tutoring; only from the most powerful mages of course. Though it is not unusual for them to pay the school a visit from time to time. I Sometimes forget that Mahoujanai know so little about the way of things." He chuckles gently, but detects that Sora does not find this comment to be humorous. "Not that there's anything wrong with that, commoners live a simpler existence, blissfully unaware of this world's more magical aspects. It's a shame really, going their entire lives without the wonders of magic."

"They get by just fine. Manage to have fulfilling lives without magic." Sora shoots back, folding her arms.

"If you can refer to such drudgery as fine, then sure." The spectacled responds rather rudely.

"And yet." The Green hair girl follows. "You chose to leave that ordinary life behind to attend Yamashiro, you must aspire for more out of life, yes?"

"I…suppose so, yes." Sora admits. "But that doesn't mean there is anything wrong with non-magical people! Our families are both non-magical and they have done wonderful things. My mother runs our family's Ikebana shop which has been in the family for generations."

"Certainly a noble profession. Ikebana is an artform which has long been appreciated by statesmen and aristocrats alike; I wonder if perhaps your family intermingled with royals somewhere through your lineage. Apologies for my companions, they can both be rather hasty in their judgements. A rather unbecoming trait, I must say." Kazuhiko shoots a glare at each of his friends.

He then proceeds to alter the course of the conversation. "Anyway, we never did finish introductions. As I said, my name is Tachibana Kazuhiko." He then gestures to the green haired girl. "This is Ebina Eiko." Then to the spectacled boy. " And this is Sasaki Akito. What is your name, Radiant One?"

There's that strange nickname again, and could he not even pretend to be interested in Taichi as well?" Sora thinks to herself, curious yet wary about this student. "My name is Takenouchi Sora, this here is my FRIEND Yagami Taichi, and we just recently met Mi…"

"Oh I assure you, Miss Tachikawa needs no introduction. The Tachikawa family can also trace its lineage to royalty, admittedly they are closer related to the current royals than my family, not that it is a contest of course. Her Grandfather was close friends with the former Emperor, and is said to be seen as something of an advisor of the current Emperor."

"So you two are related?" Tai asks suddenly, displaying that, despite his prior silence, he has been listening intently to the conversation. "I never would have guessed, you don't look anything alike."

"Distantly related…very distantly." Mimi says disdainfully.

"Oh come now cousin, no need to be so cold." Kazuhiko responds, in feigned disappointment. "Generations removed or not, we are still family. We should get along, we are destined to be in the same house after all."

Mimi harumph's at this response. "Yeah…we'll see." She then leans her against the frame of the vehicle, turning away from the group.

"You seem pretty knowledgeable about all this magic stuff." Tai responds, his clear effort to be non-confrontation despite the prior provocation makes Sora smile.

"Why thank you, I would certainly like to think so." Kazuhiko confirms quite proudly. "Sorry, your name again?"

"...Taichi" The brunette mutters in a slightly frustrated tone. "So can you tell us about these four houses, and what makes them so important?"

"Worry not." The boy responds with a smile. "I shall not endeavor to leave our new companions in the dark of it."

"Huh?" Taichi utters vacantly while scratching at his nose.

"What I mean to say is, yes, I can tell you about the four houses." The white haired boy leans forward in his seat. "First is Yatagarasu House, also known as the Priest's House or the House of Spirit. Its associated traits are Guidance, Integrity, and Faith. Many famous intellectuals and teachers have attended this house."

"Second is Kitsune House. Some call it the House of Artisans and Merchants, others view it as being more akin to a house of thieves; my family tends to lean towards the latter view. Their traits are Cunning, Smarts, and Trickery. Not that one has a say in these matters, but I hope none of you end up there; for your own sakes. While some great mages have no doubt graduated from Kitsune House, the same can be said for many troublesome and even downright evil individuals."

"Yes, that is commonly said, but I choose to take it with a grain of salt." Mimi interrupts, still not looking at the white haired boy.

Kazuhiko simply shrugs at this. "That is your prerogative cousin. I for one have heard enough stories on the matter to become convinced of the house's questionable nature. Perhaps our time here will reveal the truth. Regardless, the third option is Dragon House, also known as the Warrior's House or the House of Samurai."

With these words, Taichi, taking hold of Sora's knee for stability, leans forward eagerly to hear more.

"Interested in this House are we? Perhaps you see yourself as a warrior?" Kazuhiko smiles. On the surface the smile appears warm and friendly, but Sora senses something else, perhaps contempt?

"Seriously Kazuhiko-kun?" Akito grunts. "A warrior? The boy looks like he can barely stand, let alone fight. I have to wonder if his invitation to the school was made in error."

"No…he's got a power within him, I can taste it." Eiko licks her lips. Making both Taichi and Sora rather uncomfortable.

"Enough you two! it is not for us to determine, the artifact will reveal that in due time." He then turns his attention back to Taichi. "Please ignore them, it is doubtless a respectable house. Many great warriors over the centuries have belonged to the Dragon. It is even rumored that the great unifier, Oda Nobunaga, attended Yamashiro as a Dragon, though it is hard to confirm as written records from those times are scarce."

"Lastly, and dare I say most importantly, Phoenix House, also known as the House of Nobles or to a lesser extent the House of the Noble Blood; as its founding is said to have had ties to Emperor Jimmu himself. The House's traits are Enlightenment, Peace, and Stability. Though great mages have emerged from each of the four houses, the most supreme and powerful magic wielders all hail from the Phoenix. I cannot deny my pride for the Phoenix as most of my ancestors have belonged to the House of Nobles" He turns to look squarely at Sora then. "And that, Radiant One, is where I suspect you belong."

"Me…a Phoenix? Why? And how would you even know? We just met a few moments ago." Sora utters in response. Feeling somehow both flattered yet uncomfortable at the same time.

"And why do you keep calling her Radiant One?" Taichi questions pointedly, quite uncomfortable in truth with his best friend being called an intimate feeling nickname and by some stranger no less.

"Because it's true." The white haired by answers bluntly. "How many people have you met with her vibrant hair color or her marvelous eyes? Not many I wager, if any at all. It is known that when an individual possesses an innate connection to certain types of magic, that magic can take physical manifestation. I have met others with such features, several within my own family in fact, but few as stunning as you Radiant One. Your hair and eyes are reminiscent of a Phoenix's flames of renewal. I predict that it is a sign of great power."

"Well even if that's true, dragons are associated with fire as well, are they not? Who's to say she won't end up in Dragon House?" Taichi suggests, feeling uneasy about the very concept of this boy being so intensely interested in Sora. Something about Kazuhiko makes his skin crawl.

"Not at all my friend, I sense that Western myth has influenced your view on the wondrous creatures. Western dragons are said to breathe fire. Japanese dragons are powerful creatures as well, but you may be surprised to find that they have an affinity for the element of water, not fire."

"But Taichi-kun has a point in another sense, doesn't he, cousin? The House colors of the Phoenix are Gold and Purple, the colors of the noble class. And the colors of the Dragon?" Mimi says, clearly taking pleasure in shooting down Kazuhiko's theory.

"Indeed, Orange and Red. Well we will find out soon enough. But I strongly suspect she will join me in Phoenix House, call it a mage's intuition. And if you possess the power of a strong bloodline, which I suspect you do, I would gladly teach you everything I know once we are housemates. You have missed much living among the Mahoujanai, let me be your guide as you embark on this journey."

Kazuhiko extends a hand towards Sora, causing Eiko to grin. But Sora hesitates to take his hand in hers.

"Well if Sora ends up in Phoenix House, then you can bet that's where I will be as well." Taichi insists. "We stick together don't we, Sora?"

"Yeah" Sora practically whispers at first, but then regains her confidence. "Yes, Taichi is right! Where he goes, I go! And vice Versa!"

"I hate to break to you but that's not how things work at Yamashiro." Kazuhiko retracts his hand and glares at the wild haired boy. "House selection is a matter of fate, not fancy. I say this as a kindness, Taichi, so as not to get your hopes up. House distribution among new students is not equal, and Phoenix House is the most selective of them all. With only ten to fifteen percent of new students joining on average each year. But what we lack in numbers we make up for in powerful magics."

"And money." Mimi interjects. "Don't leave out that aspect. Families who can afford top of the line wands and the newest magical equipment, while other students are often left with second hand gear. I wonder how other Houses would compete if they all had access to the same materials, I suspect it would be a much closer contest."

"It is true cousin, many of us come from successful families. But there are a handful of wealthy members of other houses as well. No, our true strength comes from within. Don't tell me you question your own blood?"

"I do when it comes to this childish theory of bloodline superiority, who knows if half of those old tales are even true." Mimi fires back.

"Theory?" The White haired boy laughs. "Cousin, there is centuries worth of history backing up that fact. Magic was a gift from the gods to the royals, and generation after generation that lineage has produced some of the world's most powerful mages!"

"But if magic came from the gods and the Imperial Family, then wouldn't that mean anyone who can perform magic would have a connection to that bloodline." Sora asks in earnest.

"No…well…I suppose one could make that argument. But their blood would have become so diluted through marriage with Mahoujanai over the centuries that it wouldn't contain the same connection to magic."

"And yet." Taichi rebukes. "Here Sora is, daughter of two non-magic individuals. But you said that you suspect she has a great power within her."

"Excellent point Taichi!" Mimi exclaims, sensing that the argument is turning in their favor. "And of course we know that mages exist across the globe, you wouldn't suggest it all came from the royal family."

Kazuhiko stutters at this. "It's simple…foreigners must have a different, perhaps less-divine source of their magic. As for Sora…well there must have been latent magic in her parents' blood that they simply weren't aware of. Look here Taichi, the point is, Phoenix House is only for the most gifted of students. You do not seem to be especially intelligent, do you have a natural disposition for magic? Feats from your childhood that set you apart from the rest? A family that has achieved greatness? What makes you so special that you think yourself so capable?"

"What makes me special? Well…" Taichi becomes uncharacteristically quiet now. "I'm not sure…"

"See what I mean?" Kazuhiko grins victoriously. "Nothing wrong with being ordinary. Without the ordinary there cannot be extraordinary. Worry not, you will be just fine in Kitsune House." Realizing his words he corrects himself with a stutter. "Or whatever House you end up in."

Looking to her best friend, Sora notices that the jabs and insults are getting to him. His expression is full of doubt and his posture submissive. She takes Taichi's hand in hers and holds it up, making sure that Kazuhiko witnesses their solidarity. "You know nothing about him, any House would be lucky to have Taichi, so keep your snooty judgments to yourself!"

"I mean no offense Radiant One, the boy may well go on to find success in the magical arts. He doesn't strike me as an intellectual true, but perhaps he won't be consigned to Kitsune House, he may surprise us and end up as a Dragon after all. Anything is possible."

But Kazuhiko's tone reveals his true feelings to Sora, that Taichi belongs in Kitsune, the House that he himself clearly sees as being lesser. Suggesting that he feels the same about Taichi; behind all of his veiled and flowery words this boy is looking down upon her best friend.

"Well, as you said, we will find out soon." Sora mutters. Despite the fact that she still has many questions, she finds that she longer wants to converse with this boy or his friends.

"Aw it seems you've upset these little fledglings, Kazuhiko. Perhaps they aren't ready to leave the nest after all." Eiko, making little effort to conceal her mockery.

"I'm offering my friendship here Sora, with time I'm certain that you will realize my kindness. You are new to all of this…"

"By the gods, give it a rest will you Kazuhiko." Mimi half shouts, clearly losing her patience now. "You were the one who said the sorting ceremony would decide not us. Why don't we cross that bridge when we get to it, assuming she even ends up in Phoenix House, before you go making yourself look like a fool if she doesn't. So just shut up already."

Rage passes across Kazuhiko's countenance, but for once, he does not verbalize any sort of response. The litter falls back into silence for the remainder of their journey. Sora continues to hold Taichi's hand in her, who appears to be troubled and lost in thought. She turns to give Mimi an appreciative glance, but the girl is now pouting in the corner, facing away from her and Taichi. The orange haired hopes that she did not play a role in upsetting this new friend, but ultimately determines not to pry; especially within earshot of Mimi's cousin.

Fortunately for everyone inside of the vehicle, it is not long before they feel the litter come to a halt, then slowly lower itself to the ground. Sora is about to pull back the purple curtain on her side of the cart, when it magically raises itself and disappears. The paper lanterns however, remain, a good thing too as it is rather dark outside.

Mimi exits the cart right away, followed shortly thereafter by Akito, Eiko, and Kazuhiko, leaving Taichi and Sora alone in the vehicle. The brunette boy attempts to stand up on his own, but to his best friend's shock and concern, it does not seem that he has recovered his strength during the ride. In truth, Sora would rather see her friend to the school nurse than attend some kind of ceremony, but she remembers the professor's words that there will be time to rest after the formalities have concluded; feeling that that time cannot come soon enough.

"Still feeling weak, Taichi?" She asks, as she watches him struggle.

The admission shames him, but he does not hide the truth from his best friend. "I don't know what's wrong with me, it was just a stupid potion, but my body feels like it just got done running back to back marathons."

She presses the bottom of her wrist to his forehead, only to discover that he is running a slight fever. "It's ok, Taichi, lean on me." She says in that motherly way of hers, encouraging him to rest his arm over her shoulder.

Carefully, step by step, she helps him out of the litter. As they exit, they are astounded to find themselves in a massive and presumably natural cavern. Behind them the tunnel remains moderately illuminated by the stone lanterns. In front of them, rather unexpectedly, is a large wooden boat dock, and beyond it a substantial underground lake, its water pitch black due to the lack of sunlight; only reflecting the light of nearby torches. Despite the large body of water, the duo find that they can see right across to the other side, where it seems another dock and a pair of large double doors await them. Gathered on those docks seems to be all of the first year students from the train, leading to the duo to surmise that they must cross the lake in order to catch up with the group.

There are a number of small wooden vessels resting motionlessly in the water near the docks. Kazuhiko and his two companions are currently in the process of boarding one of these boats. Not far off shore, Taichi and Sora recognize Mimi gliding slowly across the water in a boat all by herself.

"She seems really nice, I thought we were getting along. Did we do something wrong?" Taichi asks, resting the weight of his body against his best friend.

"I don't know." Sora responds gloomily, staring at the girl in the green kimono as she travels towards the center of the lake. "But we can't worry about that right now, let's get ourselves to that ceremony."

The best friends slowly make their way to the dock, only to realize that an older looking student in a gray kimono, stands motionless by the water, watching as the others make their crossing. The duller color helped her blend into the darkness of this cavern. Like the professor, she has a floating quill and piece parchment beside her. As Taichi and Sora take their first steps onto the dock, the wood creeks beneath their feet, causing this older female student to turn and face them.

"There you are, our final two stragglers, you're lucky that we are pretty relaxed when it comes to the first…" But she stops after getting a better look at them in the lamp light; walking up to greet them now it is clear that she wears the same prefect badge as Jo. "Is he ok?"

Not sure if she should be mentioning the incident on the train, Sora keeps it brief. "He's not feeling well, he has a slight fever."

The girl reaches out to feel his forehead, confirming the fever.

"Darn, I'm so sorry, what a terrible way to spend your first day at Yamashiro." She responds sympathetically. "I'm Prefect Ohara Yuki. Yagami Taichi and Takenouchi Sora, with Prefect Kido Jo correct?"

"Yup, that's us." Sora responds.

"Taichi, I know you're not feeling great, but do you think you can manage the ceremony? We could always take you to the nurse and sort you later, but it would be a real shame to miss your first year ceremony."

"I can manage Senpai, I don't want to miss it, please." Taichi pleads.

"Then let's get you over there, you're the last students we were waiting on anyway, so I'll go with you and help you find Jo; he should be across the lake with the rest of your group."

"Thanks Senpai" The duo responds in unison.

Yuki and Sora help Taichi board the nearest vessel, the young orange-haired girl then offers to let the boy lean on her, mitigating any risk of him falling overboard. A paper lantern hanging on the front of the boat begins to glow, and the enchanted vessel pulls away from the dock.

"It says here that you are both first generation students, you must be nervous, I know I was when I first attended Yamashiro, knowing next to nothing about the school."

"You are a first generation student as well, Senpai?" Sora asks, seeming a bit surprised.

"I am, though my younger sister eventually joined me. Don't worry, it all gets a lot less intimidating, your housemates will help you adjust." She says cheerfully.

"What house were you sorted into Senpai?" Sora asks.

"Oh me? I'm in Yatagarasu House alongside your prefect, Jo, I was actually his prefect last year. You're in good hands, even if he can be a bit high strung." She giggles.

"Yeah, he seems really nice." Sora remarks. "And dedicated to his role."

"He is, though I suspect he feels he has a lot to prove being the youngest prefect in a few generations. I think he will do just fine though. This is my final year at Yamashiro, and it is comforting to know that the school will continue to be in good hands like his."

"Wow, you're a seventh year student?" Sora responds. "Can I ask what you thought of your time here?"

"Of course!" Yuki answers energetically. "It's been a magical experience, forgive the pun, I'm certain that yours will be as well. Just make sure you don't squander your opportunities, you will have many chances to make new friends and discover your passions, embrace those opportunities when they arrive, and you will be just fine."

"Thank you Senpai, I will remember that." Sora replies feeling a bit more at ease thanks to the kindness of this older student.

The trio fall into silence as they near the center of the lake. Looking over the edge Sora finds herself shivering slightly, she would dread to fall into this water. Not for a lack of ability to swim, she can do so quite well, but the inky darkness of the cavern makes the water seem black and mysterious, as though anything might be lurking under its surface.

She is shaken from these thoughts as she checks on her best friend, who rests his weary head against her. Despite his fatigue, his expression is one of focus and concern; his brow furrowed as she hears him mumbling to himself.

"Taichi?" She whispers. "Is something wrong?"

He looks at her, his eyes heavy with concern. Pausing briefly before responding. "Sora…do you think there is a chance that Kazuhiko is right? That you will end up in Phoenix House without me?"

Her own fears reemerge within her mind. "I don't know Taichi, but I hope not. I really hope not."