Author's Note: So here we are with the next chapter. There is some OOC-ness from a character towards the end, but it just popped up there so accept it as it is I suppose. Also, Ramshackle's ghosts have names, but I sort of twisted them from other names. It's not important really. I just wanted them to have names instead of Ghost A or Ghost B. I hope you enjoy!
Discussions and Advice
Yuukio smiled warmly at Professor Crewel as he worked his magic. "Considering it was a large dire bear beast, you're either lucky, talented, or both." Crewel told the boy as he finished knitting the last large cut on the boy's arm together.
"Both. Lilia Vanrouge is my father. He trained us." Yuukio explained with some unsureness in his voice, though the pride was clear.
"Ah. The runaway."
"Did they tell everyone?" Yuukio sighed.
"Crowley did." Crewel replied, causing the boy to glare at the head mage who was overseeing the situation.
"I believe we should discuss the situation with the mirror and your own. For one, you possess no magic."
"That's where I come in." Grim jumped in from next to Yuukio. "I possess magic, and as Yuukio's familiar I can act on his behalf for any magic required for classes." Grim said proudly.
"Yet another topic of discussion." Crowley said.
"Grim is still in need of magical training. But not possessing magic makes it difficult for me to help with practicality. I have theory and such down since I can sense magic. But the actual casting and control is not something I can properly coach."
"You can sense magic?" Crewel asked in surprise. Yuukio nodded.
"Yes. And it's saved our lives more than a few times." Yuukio added.
"The Dark Mirror placed you in the old dorm on campus which I will accept. I will even repair the worst of the damage. I will even provide a couple of school and p.e uniforms, for I am so kind." Yuukio snorted almost violently at that. "But the rest of the repairs and extra clothing will be up to you. And you will need to work things out with the ghosts who inhabit the old building on your own." Crowley said, kindly overlooking the lack of decorum from the child.
"I can do that."
"You were supposed to start last year but didn't due to being in a coma for several months?" Crewel asked as he looked through the boy's file.
"Someone volunteered us to slay a monster for some fish." Yuukio cast Grim a look. The dire cat had the grace to look repentant at least. "We were doing well, but I did unfortunately get severely injured and poisoned right at the end of the battle. The mirror was the one who put us into the healing coma."
"How is that possible?!" Crowley cried in disbelief.
"I've known D.M my whole life. I still know next to nothing about any of the reasons or hows of what he does." Yuukio replied. just as frustrated as Crowely was without answers.
"Anyway, you're registered as a freshman despite being the age of a sophomore. I hope that's alright." Crewel said, seeing that Crowley was too busy cursing the Dark Mirror to finish the meeting.
"I understand and accept it. Besides, it evens out a little due to Grim's younger age."
"Very well. We'll need to discuss things with Mr. Vanrouge about the necessities and stuff of your dorm." Crewel contemplated as he began to repair the ceremonial robe's damage.
"Actually, I had an idea about that Head Mage, if you're willing to hear me out." Crowley focused on the boy and nodded.
"I'm listening."
"I was thinking I could maybe work part time at the shop on campus. Or do odd jobs to pay for the repairs and necessities of the building."
"Oh?" Crowley was intrigued. "And why not just ask your father for help?" Yuukio winced.
"Several reasons. One, our family is not as well off as I think you think we are. Two, I'm too ashamed and unsure about bringing this up to him myself. And even if I wasn't- Three. I've spent the past five years paying for things myself and doing odd jobs and turning in bounties to cover necessities. It's weird to me to just go back to having someone else paying for me. Even my father. Four, my father is busy keeping an eye on the other three. They all require a closer eye than I do."
"I'm sure Mr. Vanrouge would disagree due to you being the one who ran away at 12, following what was practically a stranger." Crowley retorted.
"And the final reason; It's a win for you and Night Raven." Yuukio decided to ignore that remark.
"How so?"
"I do odd jobs and work at the store when I'm not in classes or doing work. Meaning I'm helping out you and the school, and the majority of the money you pay me for that is going into repairing an old, historic building on campus, thus restoring a part of this prestigious campus."
"Hm... I suppose you have a good point. Very well. Among those tasks you do for me, one will be keeping an eye out on any of the other freshmen as the oldest of them should they come to you. Or should I assign you to a task with them." Crowley said. Yuukio nodded his agreement.
"Should you not technically be discussing this with his father?" Crewel sighed, already knowing both were going to be stubborn about this.
"It should be fine." Yuukio murmured softly, as though not fully sure but willing to take the risk.
"Well, if that's our business here finished, shall we head to your new dorm?" Crowley asked.
"I want weekly checkups for the next month. You were in the wild a lot and in a magical coma until only a month ago according to your reports." Crewel told the boy who accepted the order.
"Bye professor. See you in classes on Friday." Yuukio replied. It was Wednesday night now, and Thursday was being given to the students so that the freshmen could get accustomed to the campus grounds.
"Yes. Now don't push yourself these next few days. The injuries are healed, but you could still re damage the areas and cause more issues."
"Yes sir!" Yuukio chirped before following his new guide. Grim following at his feet.
The Head Mage did give Yuukio and Grim a tour of the grounds as they walked to their destination. He pointed out the colosseum, library, the sports field, main street, and the shop Yuukio had mentioned, promising to discuss Yuukio's proposal with Sam the next morning.
He pointed out the Hall of Mirrors, the botanical garden, the school pharmacy, which is where most potionology classes took place, before they finally reached the dorm Crowley was taking him too. This was located at the bottom of a cliff that went directly up to the main school building, surrounded on the back and side by thick groves of trees. Behind the group of trees behind the building was a cliff that dropped off quite some ways into the ocean below.
"Here we are. I'll accompany you inside and I'll repair the worst of the damage while you communicate with the ghosts." With that, the man opened the screeching gate and led the way up the stone path to the front double doors.
Yuukio and Grim followed at a content pace as they took in the large area around the building. There was a garden along the front and leading around with no foliage or anything in its beds. There was a dead tree that Yuukio could still sense faint traces of magic from. There was a large space to the side perfect for training or parties. There was also a clothesline and Yuukio wondered if it was just for warmer weather or if the dorm held no dryer at all.
The trio enter the front door which took Crowley a little bit of a push and he was left contemplating whether or not to fix that. Seeing the boy examining it though, he decided he'd leave it up to him to fix. "Alright. Front and center!" Crowley called into the building when they reached the dusty lounge.
Yuukio and Grim watched as three ghosts appeared before them. One was short and stout. One was tall and thin. And the third was tall and stout. Each wore a slate blue/gray top hat and a short slightly ragged cape that clasped in the front matching the top hat in color.
"Hey Head Mage. Heard some rumors about the ceremony." The tallest one said, the three looking around him at the human and cat beast.
"Indeed. The Dark Mirror has assigned our non-magical student and his familiar here to this dorm. You can talk out the ground rules and such with these two while I repair the worst of the damage." Crowley told them before leaving the lounge and starting upstairs first.
The group looked at each other in contemplation for a long minute before all five moved. Somehow they had all had the same thought in mind resulting in the two groups having a little spar in the center of the lounge.
Yuukio used his whip as a distraction while calling locations to Grim to throw some flames. The ghosts meanwhile were fast to dodge and fade in and out depending on whatever their attack plan was. The spar lasted about ten minutes before they called a truce between them.
"Not bad for fleshy mortals." The tallest ghost said with a laugh.
"Not bad for some old spectres." Grim retorted. When Crowley showed up after another ten minutes it was to the five beings happily discussing their thoughts on pranks and the ground rules for the dorm that all of them could agree on.
"I see you're all getting along swimmingly. Bravo." Crowley told them, getting their attention. "The worst of the damage has been repaired. You are safe from the elements and any too horrible drafts. The showers also work, though the water will only be luke warm for now due to their old age. I'm sure you can deal with it in your renovations. I will stop by later this evening with Grim's mage stone, some clothes and emergency essentials for you, the hours of the cafeteria, your class schedule, and dinner. You can take morning and afternoon meals in the cafeteria starting tomorrow."
"Thank you, sir." Yuukio told the man who nodded.
"You're welcome. For I am a most generous soul." He said with false humility. Then he was gone leaving them to share a bemused look.
"That's the head mage for you." The tallest ghost- Strit said. "So humble!"
"So magnanimous!" The shortest one- Stint added.
"So noble!" The stout, tall one- Falso finished.
A beat of silence and the five burst into laughter. "I'll admit... It's rather amusing. I like him." Yuukio decided.
Night Raven College
The next morning Yuukio, dressed in one of the P.E uniforms Crowley had retrieved for him, headed to the base of the cliff that went directly to the main building. "Still hoping to avoid your family?" Grim asked from the ground.
Yuukio winced but nodded anyway. He still had yet to actually tackle his feelings. Besides, he wasn't sure how long they would give him before they converged on him and instigated a mandatory family counseling meeting. His best guess was maybe that night. If he was lucky. Maybe even the weekend if he was super lucky. Or they could be on their way to his new dorm within the hour and that was if he overestimated their patience.
"Alright let's do this. Doesn't look as treacherous as some cliffs we've climbed... You do have your whip, right?" Grim asked.
"Yup. Trusty whip right here." Yuukio indicated the trusty weapon at his side. With a nod, Grim jumped to Yuukio's shoulder and the duo started their climb.
Thanks to their experience, despite the injuries Yuukio was still recovering from, they made the climb within an hour. Though they did find a couple of areas wide and sturdy enough to take a break on making it easier on the boy.
"The top is right there Yuukio. You've got this!" Grim encouraged. Yuukio huffed a laugh before grabbing onto the top and pulling his upper half onto the sturdy ground.
"We did it!" Yuukio exclaimed with triumph while Grim got off his human's back.
"What are you doing?!" A voice cried shrilly, causing Yuuki to screech in his own alarm and let go out of surprise. And causing him to fall right down the side of the cliff. There was a curse and soon Yuukio found himself being caught by a strong body.
He glanced down and saw how high they were and how far from the cliff he had gotten. He clutched his hands around the one who caught him, distantly noting the hardness... Almost like an android or robot. "Ortho did you catch him?" A voice asked hysterically.
"I caught him brother." Yuukio's savior called. And soon they were touching back down on the top of the cliff. "Are you okay?" The slightly artificial voice asked. Yuukio glanced up to see what was definitely a technomancy built android with short, blue fiery hair and golden eyes. Just behind him was another boy. This one was quite tall with long blue, fiery hair, wide golden eyes, fair skin, and blue painted lips.
The taller one also wore what looked like the P.E uniform but for the dorm with black and neon blue colors. Ignihyde? "I'm okay. Thanks for catching me. Ortho, right?" Yuukio asked, collecting his familiar who jumped into his arms.
"Yes. I am Ortho Shroud and this is my big brother Idia. Who's going to apologize for scaring you and causing you to fall." Ortho added sternly towards the other boy.
"Um, right. I'm sorry for almost causing you to fall to your death or whatever." The taller boy mumbled in embarrassment, getting slightly quieter as he finished the apology.
"It's fine. Looks like we surprised you too." Yuukio said, seeing that the part he had climbed had entered into a more isolated area near the main building. There was no automatically clear way of getting into this little area.
"Yeah. Speaking of, why were you climbing the cliff?! Why aren't you taking the path like a normal person?!" Idia screeched again. Apparently seeing someone climbing over the edge had been more surprising than Yuukio thought it would be.
"Nope. Just trying to avoid my family- and anyone else, really- for a little longer while dealing with my feelings on everything." Yuukio admitted.
"Oh yeah. You ran away when you were 12 or something, right?" Idia asked.
"How does everyone know this?" Yuukio asked in disbelief.
"Ortho has an automatic translator. He kind of translated Lilia's Faye screams." Idia explained.
"I see. But yeah, basically."
"Because they were over protective?" Ortho asked.
"Yeah. And I needed risks apparently to discover my abilities. I don't regret leaving per say since Grim might have died if I hadn't. But I do regret putting them through what I did." Yuukio isn't sure why exactly he's telling these two brothers but while Idia seems a little off kilter and unsure- probably introverted. Both he and Ortho had been listening.
"Then just tell them like that. When you're ready of course. Family can be both the easiest and most difficult people to talk to." Idia mumbled. "Anyways. I gotta go. Good luck or whatever." He almost whispered before darting away like he was desperate to get out of the interaction. Definitely an introvert. Ortho gave a much more eloquent good bye before following after his brother. Thus leaving the human and dire beast alone.
"That was weird, right?" Grim asked.
"Yeah. But a good bit of advice." Yuukio decided. "Let's go get breakfast."
"Yes!"