Chapter 1
It was late at night when the girl began her work, the pattering of rain against the window adding a degree of misteach to the whole operation. Before her was a pot, perched atop a small gas burner, the contents of which she diligently stirred, occasionally stopping to read form an old book which lay by her side.
"After the seventh boiling, the herbs will have released their vital elements and the mixture should acquire a red coloration, that is when the zinc shavings are to be added"
The book was titled 'Intro to Alchemy', one of her latest finds from the deeper corners of the town library. Gently she picked up the shredded bits of tin foil which she had prepared beforehand, and scattered them over the brew, which consisted of water, rosemary, and sunflower petals.
"After the metal is added, continue to stir until the colour of the mixture becomes a golden-brown"
She continued to stir, her excitement growing along side her irritation. This was the fifth time she was attempting the recipe, and she was determined to have this be the last one, she made double sure to follow every step, triple sure that she had measured out everything correctly, but still the flower-metal broth refused to cooperate.
"Ugh, but I did everything right, why won't it… AH!"
She yelped as an overzealous stir tipped the pot over, spilling its contents across the wooden floor. Quickly she jumped to her feet, throwing bedsheets onto the draining liquid in an effort to prevent her doings from being discovered. Having finished the cover up, she stood stock still, holding her breath, heart pounding like a drum as she focused all her attention on listening. Five seconds passed, then ten, then fifteen, until she finally heard what she was listening for, a rhythmic thudding noise that came in pairs, one always louder than the other.
The girl grabbed the now wet sheets and jumped into bed, eyes closed, pretending to be asleep, while still listening intently for the thudding. The sound grew louder every time she heard it, its source coming closer and closer to her room until it stopped directly by it.
The door opened slowly, creaking as it did so, admitting a man into the room. He looked over the still lit burner, the toppled pot, and the big wet spot on the blanket under which the girl lay. He sighed, mumbling quietly to himself.
"When will you grow up."
He approached the bed, taking a knee beside it, the small figure shifting slightly to make room for his arm to rest on.
"Hey kiddo, you doin ok?"
The man asked quietly, lifting his hand slowly towards his daughter. He never hit her, never raised his voice at her, he didn't want her to fear him and yet, a moment before his hand touched her fluffy head, she flinched.
"Yeah, I was just reading."
Mumbled the girl through her pillow, her fathers hand petting her head sending waves of guilt through her mind.
"With a gas burner?"
"Mhm"
She mumbled again, her head slightly shaking as she fought back tears. The man sighed once again, scooping her up into a gentle embrace, head tilted at an uncomfortable angle as the girl refused to let go of the pillow.
"I'm sorry dad."
Mumbled the pillow, arms wrapping around the man in a hug as the girl cried.
"Come now, everything is ok."
The man whispered, repeating it over and over as he tried to console his crying daughter, but she didn't listen, or perhaps she didn't believe him, he couldn't tell.
"It's alright Betty, everything is alright."
"It's alright Betty."
"Betty"
"Betty!"
Her eyes opened sharply, her body flinching at the sudden awakening, and the emotions brought on by the dream. For a few moments, she breathed rapidly, eyes darting around the room, searching for any indicator of where she was. She lay on a large bed, covered by turquoise sheets with a semi-transparent golden vale separating her bed from the rest of the room. Having calmed down, Beatrice rose from her bed, the quick motion making her dizzy and informing her that not all of her has decided to wake up just yet.
Beatrice, now twenty-one years of age, slowly waddled to the washroom, idly glancing at the other three beds that wore present in the room, they wore empty as always, a stroke of luck she never stopped thanking her fate for. The room itself was a large octagon, with two tall windows facing the rising sun the beams of which wore gently creeping their way up and through the stained glass, bathing the floor in patterns of flowing water.
The lights flickered on, startling Beatrice as she saw her ginger curls arranged into two pillars, tapering off as they reached the top, one going up and to the right, the other up and to the left. Surprise swiftly made way for a brief window of appreciation, couldn't have been easy to arrange it like that she thought, a thought that quickly made way to slight frustration as she realised the amount of work it would take to sort her hair out.
She frowned, releasing a low grumble, but before she could begin the work of reparation to her head, the source of her awakening made itself known once more I the form of a knock on the door and a trembling boyish voice stating.
"L-Lady Beat-trice, breakfast is almost o-over"
Her frown quickly changed to a devilish grin as her mind concocted a plot to lift her mood, and continue a long-standing tradition, one which she didn't entirely understand, but was more than happy to participate in none the less.
The boy was stood by the door for about ten minutes by now, his roommates watching from several doors down, quietly giggling at their friend's clear nervousness and embarrassment. The boy raised his hand to knock, but before his knuckles could reach the wooden door, it swung open, revealing a comparatively large figure wearing a long, white robe. The figure had a red face with an expression stern enough to crack pavement, a straight bushy moustache under its nose, and pair of giant golden red horns rising from its head.
"Who dares Awaken me!"
Bellowed the creature, fixing its bright green eyes upon the trembling boy, who, after a moment's hesitation, bolted away screaming towards his hysterically laughing friends. Having done her part in this bizarre hazing ritual, Beatrice removed the mask, giggling to herself before shooting a quick, stern glance at the still laughing boys, who in turn swiftly ducked back into their room, spreading her grin even further.
"So worth it"
She chuckled to herself as she continued her morning preparations.
A group of second year students was making their way down the long hallway which both connected the dormitory to the main campus building and served as a sizable chunk of the dorm itself. They left their rooms later than most, preferring the more quiet and less crowded atmosphere which, by their expectations, should have settled in the dining hall by now.
They kept a slow pace, enjoying an idle chat amongst themselves, or so they did, until they heard a yelp, then another, then several more, each closer than the last. The group stopped, curiosity mandating they turn around and determine the reason for the exclamations, only to join in the cascade of surprised shouts as the answer revealed itself.
The answer was Beatrice, running at top speed while dodging, weaving, and in one instance, leaping over a student who crouched to pick up their glasses. She blew past the group like the worlds fastest tumble weed, shouting an apology along with a hasty jumble of words that the group decided was an explanation, although all they could make out was the word "Muffin".
Despite her not inconsiderable efforts, Beatrice arrived too late, for the last of the chocolate chip muffins, which she nearly trampled over a dozen students to get, was nowhere to be found. With her dream of starting her morning right now properly shattered, she picked out her usual combination of pastries and scrambled eggs, deciding to satisfy her sweat tooth with extra sweet tea.
Right as she finished assembling her breakfast, she felt a pinch at either side of her stomach carefully tugging at her ocean blue dress.
"Still fit in the dress huh?"
Asked an impish voice from behind, giggling, and giving the dress two more tugs.
"Oy!"
Beatrice exclaimed while whirling to face who she already knew to be there; a woman, roughly a head shorter than herself, with straight, jet-black hair that seemed vanished after it met her equally black cloak, both in stark contrast to her incredibly pale skin. She wore a tight-fitting leather suit which left only her head and hands exposed lending the woman a ghostly appearance, a visage which was only let down by her massive smile. Beatrice bent down slightly to position herself face to face with her grinning best friend, the corners of her mouth twitching in an attempt to keep her clearly overexaggerated scowl from becoming a smile.
"Youre one to talk, I don't think I've ever seen you eat anything that wouldn't qualify as desert!"
Djunon cackled in response, earning her a smack of retaliation as Beatrice flicked her head to the side, sending her locks into her friends face and transforming the cackle into a full-on laugh. After calming down, Djunon produced from the depths of her cloak a muffin, an act which made her friends eyes widen and flick between the baked good and her grin.
"Muffin of peace?"
Beatrice narrowed her eyes and stuck her jaw out, making a hammed-up expression of deliberation before snatching the baked good and stating in a voice mimicking that of a noble woman.
"You are forgiven."
And so, with their dispute settled and smiles plastered wide across their faces, the two women made their way to their usual table, one that resembled a short, stout tree, with its flattened canopy serving as the tabletop, and several interwoven thick branches playing the role of chairs.
Sat around the table wore four individuals; Two boys in their mid-teens who seemed to be in a heated debate, forks stabbing at one another when points wore made, sending bits of food flying every possible direction. Both wore dressed in standard school uniform which included a black waist coat, a red long-sleeved shirt, and black, silver lined trousers, with the only distinguishing feature between the two being that one had a thin strip of salami hanging off his ear.
Between the arguing boys sat a bespectacled man in his early twenties, his oak brown hair cut short, and neatly groomed back, lending him a rather academic look; one that was very much let down by his clear struggle with a small tomato on his plate, the constant dodging of the duelling forks on either side of him doing little to help. He wore a green surgeons robe, held shut by a bright blue band with a netted cap peeking out from one pocket and a pair of gloves from the other.
The fourth individual, and the first to notice the approaching couple was a golden-haired woman nearing thirty, dressed in a silk, free flowing shirt of forest green, its sleeves terminating halfway past her elbow. She sat with her arms crossed, her plum rosy cheeks raised high as she observed the quarrelling boys and the struggling doctor with a matronly smile, radiating nothing but pure joy and love. She waved a hand in greeting, her instructors broach briefly glinting in the morning light.
"G'mornin Anna, Oscar."
Said Beatrice, nodding first to the golden-haired instructor and the robbed man, the latter of whom flinched in surprise, stabbing his fork hard into his plate sending the tomato flying across the room.
"Oh! Good morning girls, didn't notice you approaching."
Responded Oscar with an embarrassed smile.
"What are Johhny and Eddy fighting over?"
Asked Djunon, snatching an untouched cinnamon role from Eddies plate, the boy noticing nothing as he continued his cutlery joust.
"Who should have the last cinnamon roll."
Answered Anna, her hand over her mouth in an attempt to hide her laugh while Oscar leaned back, silently chuckling before returning to the table stating.
"Unparalleled conflict mediation, as always."
"Woo beph!"
Mumbled the pastry thief, her muffled response prompting the boys to inspect the now empty plate, who after quickly looking around, grimaced, grumbling in unison.
"Yeah, that tracks."
The hamster cheacked Djunon producing a chuckle of satisfaction in response.
A loud bell rang out, heralding the beginning of class and prompting both Johhny and Eddy to leave the table, followed shortly after by Oscar who left saying "I'm going to make sure they don't skip classes again."
"Thank you! We'll see you tonight!"
Shouted Beatrice to the departing medic, before more quietly asking those still present at the table.
"We're still good for tonight, right?"
"Of course! Plus, I am the one responsible for the drinks so you wouldn't let me miss the occasion even If I wanted to"
Responded Anna while flicking her golden locks from her shoulder, a mischievous and anticipatory smile spread wide across her face.
"Great! Dju and I will stop at Karin's to pick up some sweets"
"Eh, might have to go withought me, Mrs. Catford wanted to see me after lunch, and I should stop by Hephestus; said hes got something for me as well"
"Aight, then we go now!"
"Can't, you have botany"
Answered the cloaked woman, taking a drawn-out celebratory sip of coffee as her companion stopped briefly, her eyes locked on the grand clock sitting above the large exit from the cafeteria, before running off with a shout of. "Damn it! I'll be late!"
"You are going to take it too far one of these days"
Said Anna, her eyes trailing the rapidly disappearing head of orange, but her words directed at Djunon.
"Maybe, but it's way too fun to give up on"
"You call bullying fun?"
"Gentle bullying"
Corrected Djunon before adding.
"I'd stop it if it really bothered her"
Anna snorted in response, smiling to herself at the subtle change in tone and expression that her friends failed to conceal for but a moment.
"If you are sure. First years should be here soon, I should go and prep for class, see you tonight"
Said the instructor. Parting with her friend with a hand wave and a smile.