Chapter 98
It took a few weeks for the Ramshackle dorm to be prepared and no one would let Odette near the construction site.
'I doubt Lilia told anyone but it's still weird they won't let me go back, but maybe that was decided the days I was in a coma. They did go get all the things I would need for these weeks.' Odette thought as she and Grim made their way to their dorm.
At breakfast that morning the Pomefiore trio they were told to come to their dorm at noon.
They came upon their dorm and the outside was completely different. The building had been painted cream, each window had a pair of new shutters painted a dark green, even the grounds surrounding the dorm had been cleaned up.
"Mya-ah! Ramshackle dorm is back baby!" Grim cheered as he punched the air.
"Wow it looks brand new!" Odette gasped. 'Its so much nicer now.' She thought as she took it all in as they walked up the pave way.
"Whew! It was suffocating staying at Pomefiore during the renovations Vil yelled at me whenever I had a midnight snack, and people expected me to do some stupid 'treatment' whenever I got outta the bath and they kept naggin me to brush every single bit of my body then again your hair and my fur are like gloss city so I guess it wasn't all bad. Myah." Grim complained crossing his arms over his chest.
"That is nice and maybe now you'll remember to keep brushing your fur." Odette teased.
"Oh they're here! Hey Odette! Grim!" Kalim cheered as they walked on to the front porch.
"The guests of honor have finally arrived." Vil smiled down at them.
"It's really fancy inside too, come on in." Epel said as he opened the door for her.
Inside the foyer looks much the same but there is a new cream wallpaper and the rug cleaned, the floor oiled and the furniture polished. There was even a plant now.
"Grimmy! Odette!" The ghosts cheered as they appeared.
"Ep! Oh! It's you guys, don't just pop up like that you nearly gave me a heart attack." Grim whined as he jumped back
"Hey, we're back!" Odette greeted.
"Welcome back you tow." Harold the thin ghost greeted back.
"We're so glad you're safe and sound." Gerald the rounder ghost said.
"Don't scare your elders like that we didn't feel alive when you two were gone." Harold confessed with a sniffle.
"Whaddaya mean? You're already ghosts." Grim remarked.
"Oh yeah so we are." Gerald laughed.
"Come in, come in, wait until you see what they've done with the place." Harold said as he floated towards the lounge.
The lounge had received more of an upgrade then the foyer. Everything in the room is new, the wooden floors, the walls and the windows. It all sparkles. The furniture, rugs and rugs are all new as well and various shade of cream, gold, gray and dark green.
'I don't remember having more then one couch.' Odette thought with a wide grin as she looked around the room.
"Awesome! Everything's all shiny and sparkly." Grim whooped.
"I was worried because the roof and flooring got destroyed when we fought the Charons but Styx kept their word and covered all the expense needed to restore the place." Vil explained as Grim wandered the room.
"That meant we still had money we'd set aside for renovations so we fixed up all the rooms that have plumbing like the showers and the kitchen and replaced your water heater and some other appliances. Now you should be able to shower without the hot water randomly running out." Jamil as Odette ran her hand over the mantel of the fire place.
They had replaced the broken piece and even put up new photos. Odette stared at one of the photos taken during the VDC.
"That's going to be so nice, I feel like staying at Pomefiore has spoiled us. It's not Ramshackle now! We should rename it to the Dapper dorm now." Odette joked. 'It may not be my original home but this is home now.' She thought as she looked up from the group photo.
"I'm glad you like it personally I wish we could've put in a fancier chandelier." Kalim laughed as he pointed up at the chandelier in the ceiling.
"That chandelier would've eaten up our entire budget let it go." Jamil grumbled.
"This one is just fine, it's so pretty." She assured him.
"Oh yes Odette, we have a surprise for you in your room. Why don't you go take a look?" Rook suggested as he lead the group upstairs.
Odette's room is so different. The wallpaper is stripped with the dark green and cream, it now has two windows that bright more light into the room that has dark green curtains. The large mirror is flanked by new electric candles and the fireplace is clean. The bed, nightstand, a chair and another table, and large rug all match the rest of the room.
"Whoa! What in the world! It looks like Pomefiore up in here." Grim gasped.
'It does have a Pomefiore feel but in green instead of purple.' Odette thought as she took it in.
"Well do you like it?" Vil smiled.
"It's so nice, I'm afraid to ask how much it cost." Odette whispered as she blinked rapidly.
"Your jaw would hit the floor if you saw the price tag, I kid actually the plumbing repairs and lounge renovations took more of our budget than we planned so we couldn't do much for your room hence this." Vil said as he went over to her fireplace and clicked something.
The room changed. It wasn't as fancy but it was still new and clean.
"Mrah? Now it's back to bein the same ol room what's the trick?" Grim asked as Odette laughed as wiped a tear from her eyes.
"What you just saw was an illusion made with this magical projector." Vil explained as he picked an object off the mantle and handed it to Odette.
The object reminded Odette of a sexton and a globe mixed but instead it had a crescent moon in the center. "It's beautiful." She whispered.
"You can use this to inject a little fancy flair into your modest accommodations." Vil explained as he shown her how it worked clicking the button again and the fancy room returned.
'I don't need anything fancy but the thought it nice.' Odette thought as she looked around at the illusion again, surprised at how real it is.
"Back in the day when CG effects and projections mapping were less advanced magical projection like this were indispensable in showbiz this is a used one I got in the cheap from an acquaintance of mine. It's more a toy than anything but it'll lift your spirits right?" Vil asked.
"It's amazing! Thank you so much and it's vintage? I love it." Odette gushed and she hugged the object to her chest.
Buzzing sounded from the hallway.
"Mh? Sounds like someone's at the door." Grim said as he looked into the hallway.
"I wondered who it is." Odette said as she placed the projector on the mantle and turned it off. 'Who did they invite?' She wondered as she made her way down to the door, she opened the door to see Deuce and Ace.
"Yo! Congrats on the Ramshackle makeover." Ace said as they came inside.
"Whoa! And I thought the outside was nice. It looks amazing in here." Deuce gushed as he looked around the foyer.
"It's enough to make me forget what it was like when we first enrolled, dust used to fall from the ceiling every time I took a step." Ace remarked as he popped his shoes off and put on a pair of slippers on.
"Here Trey made a celebration tart for you." Deuce said as he handed her a white box.
"And this is from us, it's a stash of the newest snacks and drinks from the school store." Ace said he handed the bag to Grim.
Grim quickly dropped to the ground and began to dig through the bag. And shouted "Mya-hah! Total score!"
"Hey mind your manners don't just don't open it right here in the foyer." Deuce scolded him as he got into his slippers.
'Not even an hour home and he's forgotten everything Pomefiore has taught him.' Odette thought shaking her head.
"Oh! Check the size of this strawberry tart let's eat it right now!" Grim exclaimed as he ignored Deuce and look up at the box in Odette's hand.
"Why that's a capital idea! Might I have a slice?" Crowley asked as he appeared behind Ace and Deuce.
"ACK!" Everyone shrieked.
"Headmage you're back?" Deuce asked Idia silently appeared behind Crowley.
"For crying out loud can you knock it off with the pooping up outta nowhere?" Ace griped.
"I take umbrage at that. You're all grossly overreacting to a mere visit." Crowley remarked
"So whaddaya want?" Grim snapped.
'Just what I was thinking.' Odette thought as he pushed them and headed towards the foyer.
"As the recent Styx affair has come to a close I've been making rounds and reporting to each Housewarden." Crowley explained.
"Uh, uhhh hey." Idia greeted.
"Please come in but please don't follow his lead, please take off your shoes and put on a pair of slippers." Odette said as she pointed to a pair sitting out.
Then they headed to the lounge were everyone else was.
"Goodness, it was absurd I tell you I was called before parliament in the Land of Dawning Bigwigs from Styx, the Department of Education, and the Department of Magic all bombarded me with questions and glared daggers at me why are so many consecutive over-blots happening on your watch? How do you explain this? That's what I want to know what have I done except run this school as diligently as I could NRC has resident counselors and medical mages appointed by the Department of Education as it is since the assembly saw no major issuers with the school's leadership the inquiry came to a close but I certainly didn't expect one of our students to being about an off campus catastrophe even as we convened." Crowley ranted.
"Sorry." Idia muttered as he stared at the floor.
"Luckily the matter was resolved without any lasting damage thanks to the intrepid actions of our very own students. It was those deeds that convinced the assembly there was no issue with school leadership as for Idia Shroud here he and his parents have expressed a desire for him to return to campus and so he shall I do hope you'll all be able to get along again." Crowley continued as he looked over to Idia.
"Yeah." Idia mumbled as he rubbed his arm.
"He's been avoiding eye contact this whole time not to mention mumbling I see no desire on his part to get along with any of us." Vil pointed as she he crossed his arms over his chest.
'Well he does have nine pair of eyes staring at him, some glaring.' Odette thought as she saw Idia flinch at Vil's words.
"In addition I have one more person to introduce a new transfer student." Crowley announced turning towards the door.
"A new transfer student?" Grim asked as someone appeared.
"Hello again." Ortho greeted with a smile. He had a new designed, a black suit like body that was sleek and looked like a the school's uniform. "As of today I, Ortho Shroud will be
transferring to NRC as a freshman in class C. Happy to be here."
"What!" Everyone in the room gasped.
"Ortho!" Odette whispered as she went over and hugged him.
Thanks for reading and sticking around. We're back to the main story line. For now. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. We're be detouring to our favorite parts again soon.