Staring at the irate males around her, she barely withheld a sigh. Fortunately she was taken while heading home after swimming, so she had 'that' handy.
She reached into her bag, pulled out a white dry erase board, and flipped it over before handing it to the irate red head.
"What..."
Impatiently, she pointed at the page that had been attached to the back. Closer inspection revealed it was a list of sorts.
The red head looked at her baffled, before he actually bothered to read. He blinked, before reading it aloud for the benefit of everyone else.
"I am a functioning mute, but I am not deaf. I can hear what you're saying just fine, but I am physically unable to respond. No, I do not need help with basic tasks and I am fully capable of doing the same things as everyone else. The only thing wrong with me is that my vocal cords are paralyzed..."
The more he read, the more everyone's expressions went from anger to disbelief. In any case the red head's anger had dissipated rather effectively by reading what was on the back of the clipboard.
It was clear the young woman before them had had to deal with 'well meaning morons' far too often if she had this printed out and readily available when meeting new people. One of those who had stayed out of chasing the errant feline was giving her a calculating look.
"What's your name?" he asked.
She took the clipboard back, flipped it over and with the ease of long practice scribbled it on the board with a marker she had handy.
"My name is Tsunami. Where is this place anyway?"
"This is Night Raven College," said the red head she had handed the clipboard to. "How did you get here anyway?"
Tsunami cleared the board and wrote down something else.
"I was coming home from swim practice and woke up in the coffin."
"That explains the smell," said another male. Closer inspection revealed cat-like ears and a long thin tail.
She glared at him in annoyance, before she flipped him off.
Since she had emerged from the coffin, she was tentatively allowed to stay. At least until they could sort this mess out.
The next morning, Tsunami left the former dorm and went exploring. Since she couldn't be sorted due to some interference (according to the mirror), she was unable to become an official student. Never mind the fact that this was an all boys school.
It was rather fascinating, to be honest. A school for mages, which people back home would take to be a myth. It made her wonder if mermaids were real.
"Aren't you the weird girl who didn't get sorted and the familiar who got kicked out? Why are you still here?" asked a voice.
Tsunami turned with a scowl. That was beyond rude.
Without thinking, she began to sign.
"I don't get it. Why are you flapping your hands like that?" he asked confused.
Frustrated, she began to reach for her dry erase board. She had a special pouch she used to keep her markers and the board.
Stupid jerk.
"She's right, you are a jerk!" said Grim.
Tsunami paused and stared at the cat. She couldn't physically say that out loud, so how did Grim know what she was thinking about this red haired pest?
"You want to start something, furball?"
"Only if you want a black eye to go along with that tacky make up you're wearing, clown!" said Grim irate.
Before anything further could be said, Tsunami tapped Grim on the shoulder.
"What?" he asked, annoyed. He was spitting mad already. Then he read the clipboard.
'Grim...why are you verbalizing what I'm thinking?'
Grim blinked.
"Wait...what?" he said baffled.
'You just repeated, word for word mind you, exactly what I was thinking about that red haired pest.'
"Oi," said the other teen, annoyed they were now ignoring him. "You got something to say?"
Rather than say anything, she flipped the board before handing it to the red head to read. It took him a minute, but she could tell when he got to the parts that usually shut people up about her silence.
"You mean you're..." he started, embarrassed.
'Finish that sentence with anything that implies I am incapable of understanding you or that I lack the capability of handling myself and you will be sorely regretting it,' she scribbled rather quickly.
At this point she was just glad they could read her language.
"Tch...it would be more trouble than it's worth to fight a disabled chick," he said annoyed.
In the span of two seconds, he found himself on the ground due to the punch she had given him. He was wheezing, as she had knocked the wind out of his rather effectively with her right hook to the gut.
Huffing in annoyance, she scooped Grim up. She needed to test something, which if she was right would make her life considerably easier overall.
A few hours later...
Crowley looked very relieved that Tsunami had a proper translator. While it was unusual, he could allow Grim's presence in the school since the two of them had formed such an unusual bond.
She still wasn't a student yet, as he couldn't exactly justify having her in class since this was an all boy's school. But at least Grim's presence would be tolerated around campus until this was sorted out.
~*~*~*~*
It said a great deal of how done she was with people treating her as 'helpless' due to the fact that she couldn't speak, that the first thing she did after being told by the headmage to find a replacement for the gaudy decoration Deuce, Ace and Grim broke was to immediately put the two boys in their place. Grim was all too happy to 'translate' exactly what she wanted to say to them, especially since it wasn't his ear she was twisting.
"Ow, ow, ow!" said Ace, as her fingers twisted his ear in painful ways.
"Uncle, uncle!" said Deuce.
Grim cackled at the sight, before relaying Tsunami's words to them.
"Are we going to do this the easy way, or the hard way. The easy way is you two following my lead, and getting this over with."
"What's the hard way? Ow!" said Deuce.
"I lay both of you out with more than the gut punch I gave Ace earlier," said Grim.
Deuce and Ace didn't have to think too hard, especially since Tsunami had both their ears captive.
"Lead the way," said Deuce, rubbing his poor abused ear. Ace stayed silent, but he still remembered that painful punch.
As they (reluctantly) followed Tsunami through the mirror to the mine, Ace couldn't help but ask "Where did you learn to throw a punch like that anyway?"
Grim, from his position on Tsunami's shoulder, translated.
"A friend taught me how to properly fight after one too many arguments regarding my swim practices," said Grim.
"You can swim?" said Ace. He was mostly trying to make small talk to distract them from their task.
"I'm captain of the school swim team, and I've had serious offers about going national. It's one of the few things I can do without people trying to interfere," replied Grim.
It was weird acting as her translator, but if it allowed him to attend the school and become a great mage, then he'd roll with it. Besides, she knew the best way to scratch his ears.
"So what's the deal with the hands?" asked Ace as they walked to the mine.
"I think that's sign language," said Deuce.
Tsunami stared at him in surprise. She carefully re-positioned Grim to her shoulder before she slowly moved her hands. Deuce blinked, before he cautiously asked "Could you repeat that?"
She did.
"Yeah, I recognize some of it. One of my aunts is deaf," said Deuce. "I'm not very fluent though...I only recognized a few of the signs."
"I can teach you, if you like," said Grim.
"If we get out of this without being expelled, I'll take you up on that," said Deuce with a smile.
What Tsunami lacked in magic, she made up for in the ability to outrun even Deuce.
"Well that was a bust," said Grim annoyed.
"Now what?" said Ace annoyed.
Tsunami considered what to do. An idea did occur to her, but it was utterly stupid and rather suicidal at best. She tentatively raised a hand.
Ace and Deuce looked at her. She told them, via Grim. They stared at her.
They were just as stunned that her idea worked.
~*~*~~*~*
Tsunami looked at a very disgruntled Ace, who had a rather odd collar around his neck. She tilted her head in a tired, if quizzical expression.
"I got kicked out of my dorm. Can I stay here until morning?" he asked.
Grim let out a massive yawn.
"What did you do?" said Grim.
Ace winced.
"I ate a piece of tart."
Tsunami and Grim stared at him. Ace stared back.
"You're sleeping on the couch," said Grim flatly.
The next morning...
Tsunami spotted the red head from last night. Riddle, she believed his name was.
She politely tapped him on the shoulder. He turned, an annoyed look that partially melted when he realized who it was.
"Yes?"
She scribbled something on her board. Riddle took a moment to read it before he spoke.
"Ace ate a tart that was to be for the Unbirthday party without permission. If he wants to come back, he will have to make a replacement," said Riddle calmly.
Tsunami scribbled something else.
"As long as the tart isn't chestnut, which is explicitly forbidden, then he will be allowed back. Rule number 53 states that anything stolen must be replaced," said Riddle.
Tsunami tilted her head, confused.
"Heartsabyl follows the rulebook laid down by the Queen of Hearts herself."
The next question she had actually had Riddle smiling a bit.
"I can get you a copy, if you are indeed interested."
Tsunami perked up and nodded. It sounded interesting, honestly.
Grim bounded up and with a bit of help, managed to climb onto her shoulder.
"Thank you for answering my questions, Riddle-sempai," said Grim dutifully.
Riddle blinked at the familiar oddly. Tsunami had a mischievous expression as she scribbled something on her board.
"Your familiar is able to translate for you?" said Riddle in surprise.
"Headmage Crowley said that he would be willing to have Grim listed as a service animal so long as the correct paperwork is filed. That way he can legitimately enter the classes, and still be listed as a student," said Grim.
The ginger-haired teen with the diamond mark looked rather bemused at meeting the oddball freshman during lunch. He also handed her a book.
"You're an odd one, aren't you?" he said cheerfully.
Tsunami tilted her head at that.
"You're not afraid of the teapot tyrant at all, are you?"
Tsunami stared him down. The ginger-haired teen almost flinched, but managed to hold it.
She scribbled something on her board.
Another teen, this one with green hair and a clover imprint on his cheek, read it.
"Why would I be afraid of someone who's hurting so badly inside?"
That made the green haired one still, just a bit.
"So what did the housewarden say, anyway?" asked Ace.
Grim made sure to swallow before he translated for Tsunami.
"You have to make another tart, preferably not a chestnut one, to replace the one you ate," said Grim.
"And how would you know that?" asked the green haired teen smiling.
"I asked your housewarden, since that seemed to be the fastest way to resolve this," said Grim.
"Is that why you went to find him, Tsunami?" asked Deuce.
"Wait, she went to find him?" said Cater.
"For that matter, why did Grim reply for her?" asked Trey.
Tsunami scribbled on her board.
"Wait...he can read your mind?" said Trey surprised.
"Or at least make a very educated guess," said Grim. "Makes it easier to answer the teacher's questions at least."
Grim didn't bother to hide his purr when she stroked his ears. She was unfairly good at that. Tsunami was just pleased to have a such a fluffy familiar.
"Problem is I have no idea how to cook," said Ace.
"If it's something as basic as a tart, I can help," said Trey. "But you will owe me big time and you should really make a proper apology to the housewarden."
Ace made a face at that.