Dear New Student,

You are cordially invited to the annual Masquerade Ball in celebration on behalf of--you. Panic over attire is unnecessary since your measurements have already been pulled from the uniform orders. An elegant ball gown or lavish tux chosen by the Headmistress waits in your assigned dorm wardrobe along with a mask. Please don both pieces as they are mandatory for your entrance into the Grand Hall. Dinner will be provided along with music for your entertainment. I, Lumen a veteran student and also in charge of admissions will greet you and a short speech will commence given by the Headmistress herself. The welcome ceremony begins at 10 pm in which the doors to the Grand Hall will lock. Do not be late.

Lumen’s steady hands finished setting personalized white envelopes on each nightstand next to all queen sized beds in both grandiosely decorated male and female dorms. Each wing with a set color palette in the name of semi-precious gemstones, and meticulously kept up with. If any ware or tare materialized on any piece of furniture, that item would be replaced post haste. The Headmistress demanded her Venetian style Academy to uphold an air of grand nobility at all times even down to the highly polished gold flatware. It would seem that as the outside world began to deteriorate just like the Headmistress, she made especially sure to keep her student’s lives inside as comfortable as possible.

The raven haired Junior spent the good part of the morning going through all dorms to arrange their quarters, placing the dresses and tuxes in each wardrobe, and writing the letters to set beside their extravagant beds. Another year of this tradition would soon come to pass though this particular time seemed disrespectful to celebrate. A young student by the name of Patricia vanished from the school not long ago. Her fresh face cast on the screen of the missing persons channel, never to be seen again. These series of ill-fated events were growing to become a normal occurrence but this particular pupil’s disappearance weighed heavy on Lumen’s fragile heart. This event along with the head of the Academy coming down with an unknown condition drew suspicion, and filled the paneled halls with whispers from students.

In the past few months Lumen has gradually watched as the Headmistress’ heath diminishes further. If there were doctors present their recommendations would be strict bed rest but the unyielding headmistress would most likely arch a brow, and wave them away with an impatient hand. Her dangerously gaunt frame had not moved from inside the large office, which was conveniently connected to her sleeping quarters, for some time. Refusing to see anyone--including Lumen on most occasions, the young student currently dealt with matters of the Academy almost entirely solo.

Strikes of a grandfather clock echoed through the dimly lit onyx room signaling 9 at night. Each unique student would be revealing themselves in precisely one hour. Per year, students would gather into an empty Grand Hall when they arrived. It would only be freshman’s attending--though crashing upperclassmen was normal--along with Axel and herself. The Headmistress would greet them after everyone’s arrival. For some reason Lumen had a bad feeling welling up inside--this semester was going to be different...she could sense that much. Time had unexpectedly flown by and the grey eyed girl still had many errands to attend to. For example, discussing security and the like with Axel should have been addressed hours ago. With the Headmistress being indisposed lately, all the brunt of Academy endeavors fell upon Lumen’s weary shoulders. With confident strides the loyal undergraduate left the room, locking it behind her, and headed outside underneath many moons that illuminated the lush courtyards.

Inching toward the only dark shadow among the eerie Tordred Maze, she could only assume the towering frame gazing into the abyss belonged to Axel. Though technically blind the timid looking student possesses a rather nifty ability of negative vision, which allows her to “see” obscurity. This took years to become accustomed to and she will never completely master the art of dwelling in a literal shadow world—by any means. With this blindness also came a creepy attribute. Often times large doe eyes forget to blink thus appearing quite ghostly in nature. There is little need to practice that act regularly and in all honestly she finds it quite an annoyance now.

“Axel, you will be attending the masquerade ball I imagine? The Headmistress will need your assistance more than ever presently.” Cut right to the chase, and although on a first name basis--it would seem otherwise due to her rigid tone.

“To be quite honest I have tried to cancel this silly gathering numerous times…She just doesn't seem up to the task.” After folding arms in ire she looked away for a moment before clearing her throat to continue.

“Either way, you’ll be staying in the Sapphire dorm, and you will behave yourself.” She commanded in a stern voice with an ever serious expression.

Hannah Louise Brixton

Sarabi, who had made herself perfectly comfortable on the pretty satin sheets, the colour of the roses her Aunt Ivy had kept in her garden, stirred as Anna sat down on the crisply made bed, her little ears twitching. The four-poster looked so comfortable, Anna was tempted to crawl in right there and then and sleep. She could probably sleep for a decade in that beautiful, big bed, with it's ivory bedposts that contrasted prettily with the scarlet sheets. She wrapped one arm around one of the posts, leaning her head on the hard wood while looking down at the invitation in her hand.

---

Acacia Malikov

Acacia had mumbled lightly to herself as she'd walk along the ground level of the large building. Left hand loosely wrapped around a suitcases handle whilst her right firmly gripped the leather length of a leash. Emerald hues with flecks of brighter greens flickered about before stopping dead and centre at the base of the staircase. A set of amber eyes had shifted, staring up at the slender girl. She smiled lightly down at the figure before drawing herself and the bag up the stairs. Each floor had an assigned colour and she stopped at the first floor she came across. This level had the garnet room and she rolled her shoulders back, the ginger locks dangling loosely down her shoulders and back as she headed for the door labelled 'Garnet' and stopped for a second to think.

She couldn't avoid meeting whoever she was staying with and reach to twist the door-handle. As soon as she opened the entrance she wandered in and let it swing shut behind her. If anyone was in the open living area their eyes would meet not with the girls, but with the form beside her, standing roughly 70cm high he was past her knee and with a high held head and sharply pointed ears caught nearly everyone’s attention. His leash was dropped in the matter of a few moments when entering the dorm. Figuring no other pets had been allowed he had privilege to wander as he wished.

His nose raced, velvet panels pulling scents in and out from all around him, a rippled figure of muscle just heaved as paws dragged him away from his mistress and around the room. He almost seemed to freeze after a while. Head lowering and neck tensing as he'd stare at the door of a room. Docked tail stiffly raised and chest heaving as he simply stared.

---

Hannah Louise Brixton

Anna was busy staring at the letter in her hand. The thick, cream parchment was pretty, embellished with golden, glittered edges. It was pretty and grand, just like the rest of the place. Anna was used to grandeur, but this was even more than she was accustomed too since her mothers death and her departure from the family home she'd grown up in.

Did she go to this party? The tone of the invitation suggested that it was mandatory, and she hadn't looked at her dress or mask yet, but if she was going to guess, based on the experience she'd already had of the school, Anna was willing to bed they were beautiful, probably clothes the likes of which she hadn't worn in a long time. It was then that Sarabi, who Anna thought had gone back to sleep, made a little noise in the back of her throat. It wasn't quite a hiss, but it was getting there. Anna frowned and set down the heavy parchment on her bed, gently picking up the kitten and holding her close.

"What is it, Sarabi?" She said, soothingly, stroking the cat's head. "Do you not like our new home?"

---

Acacia Malikov

Hardly budging to check on the canine at this place, Acacia simply rolled her eyes as he stared at a room "Glupyy durak" she huffed lightly in a natural tone. Looking at that particular door for a moment she figured someone must have been in it and headed for the room off to it's left. Opening it's door she'd drag her luggage in and sit it off to the side. The room was already decorated with furniture, her eyes danced over everything, mouth gaping the slightest as she'd blink in disbelief, she hadn't seen anything so grand in probably all her life, on the outside the splendid grounds were no give away of the magnificence within any of the buildings.

Acacia spoke louder as she looked at the door "Koshmarik, priyekhat!" she said in a firm tone, whoever was next door could probably hear her, but, Koshmarik didn't respond. Alerted ears raised forwards heavily picked up the noises within the room and he raised a paw taking a solid step forwards. His maw opened as his vocals rubbed deep in his throat and rumbled as he emitted a heavy bark, the base tone rumbling like a growl uncertain of what was in the room. He hadn't encountered a cat before, well not in a long time anyway. He simply stood there and stared with wide eyes.

In a louder tone as she emerged the door she clapped her hands and spoke heavily "Koshmarik! Dostatochno, ostavit' tot, kto nakhoditsya v tam odin. Prikhodite!" the accent of the NeoRussian's rung in her voice as she took on a stare of dominance. The canine himself glanced and almost huffed a heavily discontented groan as he stood stiffly, staring. He wasn't always great with his obedience and challenged his own mistress half the time. Though after a few moments would begin towards her stopping now and then to glance back.

---

Hannah Louise Brixton

The cat wriggled in Anna's arms, struggling in a way that was unusual for her contented temperament. Anna shushed her and stroked the cats head, standing up and moving over to the window, looking out of it to see if there was a bird or something else that might have spooked the kitten. Finding nothing, Anna frowned and looked down at the cat, holding her up and away from her face, when she tried to claw at Anna to get away. "Stop it, Sarabi!" She told her. Sarabi seemed even more panicked at this point and shot out of Anna's arms, hitting the floor on all fours and sprinting across the room, clawing at Anna's ivory wardrobe and climbing right on top of it in a way that only cats can. "Well, Jesus." Anna mumbled, looking at the cat in surprise, her hands resting on her hips. It was then that Anna heard it, the bark that shook her bones. She squealed, turning around, her eyes resting on the dog that stood in the doorway.

"Heavens-" She stumbled back a few paces in shock, before she heard a voice that entered behind the dog. She didn't realise at first that the girl was speaking foreign, but the words meshed together and the accent was clearly not one that Anna was familiar with, so she clicked on soon enough. Still, she didn't relax, looking from the dog to where Sarabi was still hiding, shaking, on top of her wardrobe. However, after what seemed to Anna to be an extremely long time, the tension in the dogs muscular shoulders seemed to lessen as he looked back at the girl who was clearly his owner. Anna crept around her bed, reaching up to Sarabi and forcing the cat, who clung to the wood like a lifeline, down into her arms, holding her tightly so she neither escaped or became a meal for the hell-hound standing in her doorway.

"Uh," She said, with uncertainty. "Hello? I'm Anna Cutter. Do you speak English?"

---

Acacia Malikov

Seeing the canine taking his time Acacia moved with a graceful stride. Moving herself as she grabbed at the leather length latched onto a thick brown harness. She stood tall as she moved into the doorway herself and stared lightly at the form gripping onto a grey fur-ball. Noticing the movements of the unsettled creature the girl held she looked down at the canine and almost growled herself, a glance of his eyes meeting hers set him into a sit as if he knew what he'd done. "I am terribly sorry about that." Her voice was gentle, a sudden change from the hefty tones of commandment, though the accent clung without any hesitation. "I am Ace," is all she exclaimed name-wise, jiggling the leash as she watched the figure evenly the same height as her, "This is Koshmarik, he isn't used to um... cats, you could say" she couldn't really word it, he didn't like anyone in general, but in her head cats was a good point for now.

"He won't harm it." she seemed hesitant in that simple statement, but was confident he should hopefully stick to her own side like he normally does. She raised her left hand to rub the back of her neck and the messily curled strands dangled about her face before she looked up again and moved it out of her vision. Silver piercings sat about her face, she seemed to have a thing for them, but the didn't seem to bother her as she spoke lightly through them.

"Cute animal though," she smiled and tried to lighten the air, "I might go put him in my room though." Attempting to turn quickly she'd start for the room, not too much of a people person herself she only communicated when she really had to. If the girl tried to stop her then she'd calmly turn, if not she'd slink back into the depths of her room with the canine close to her side and shut the door lightly.

---

Hannah Louise Brixton

Sarabi didn't seem to be calming, her nails digging into Anna's arm through her thin sweater. Her owner kept moving her around, dislodging the felines claws from one area of her body, only for the cat to attach herself to a different area. In the end, Anna gave up and let Sarabi's claws lightly scratch her arm. Not once did the cats gaze leave the dog, even though it's owner took hold of the leash. Anna couldn't really relax either; the girl didn't really look strong enough to control that animal if he decided he wanted to make a meal out of Sarabi. Anna glanced at the window, wondering if it came to it, would Sarabi land on her feet? She almost smirked at the dramatisation of events in her head.

"It's not a problem, really." Anna said, in response to Ace's apology, her NeoBritish accent contrasting with what had finally identified as NeoRussian. "I'd shake your hand, but..." She nodded towards the cat. "I don't think I could hold onto her if I brought her any closer. Her name is Sarabi."

Anna looked over the girl who had introduced herself as Ace, noting how bright her green eyes were, how they stood out against her fair skin. Anna smiled back as Ace complemented Sarabi, who Anna could feel had finally settled down a little, instead choosing to nuzzle into Anna's sweater, evidently trying to hide herself. As Ace dismissed herself, Anna glanced at the open letter on her bed and, setting Sarabi down, she followed the girl out of her room, shutting the door behind her so that she could keep the pets apart.

"Ace?" She said, the heels of her boots clicking on the light wood floor in their shared lounge "Have you seen the invitation to the Masquerade yet? The letter reads like it's mandatory, and we have all been gifted with gowns, or suits, and a mask. It sounds quite fun and I was wondering, if you want to go, if you'd care to walk down together? I believe we've got..." Anna was interrupted by the striking of the clock, and she noted the time as she glanced at it. "an hour in which to dress."

---

Acacia Malikov

Acacia had stopped in her tracks for the time being, her bright eyes shifting as she stopped at her own open doorway and glanced within before looking at Anna. "I haven't had a chance to really look about," she lightly spoke as she'd raise her spare hand and point at the cage provided in one corner of the room "Koshmarik, go on, get in." Her hand released the leash and without too much of a fuss and the cat now out of sight and attention the over-sized hound found himself drawing forward, shoulder rolling as his head ducked and his entire body entered into the bared cage, a simple crimson dog bed sitting within for him to lay on, in which he did.

Reaching in slightly she'd shut the door until it clicked and turn to face the one who asked about the masquerade. Running fingers through what looked like knotted hair without any hassles she looked around "Not sure if I will be going," she fiddled with a lip ring for a small moment before looking at the brown haired girl, "I am not too much of a people person, neither is he." She gestured at the door with the light glance of her eyes. "After all, he will be coming with me." She spoke in a simple tone, "He is a, as you'd call, service dog, so he never gets left behind."

"So it is mandatory?" Acacia question after a moment, "If the invitation states mandatory I guess I will tag along." She nodded and smiled partially, waiting for a response.

---

Hannah Louise Brixton

"I'm assuming it is," Anna said, glancing over at the dog, who seemed to follow his masters orders swiftly enough now that her cat was out of sight. He didn't look so intimidating, curled up in his bed. "The invitation read so, and that is where they're serving dinner tonight. I've not had a chance to look at my gown yet so I can't imagine what they're like, but I can't see them being any less grand than our surroundings." She smiled upon hearing that Ace would be coming, "Wonderful," She commented, "It'll be nice to have somebody there I've already met."

---

Acacia Malikov

Acacia seemed to smile herself "I guess then it's time to change." She nodded "It is always a good feeling to never be alone, especially in a place that seems too good to be true," she stated softly and turned to her door, "I wonder what mine will look like" she reached for the door handle and looked to Anna "I do hope that the two fur balls accept each other." She smiled and let the door open in front of her as she disappeared into it and let it click shut once more behind her.

Once secluded once more she glanced over at the pale cream parchment on the bedside table. Her eyes fluttered about the room and hardly acknowledged the canine staring after her. She moved towards the large garnet wardrobe and reached with both hands for it's doors, opening it she'd look within, mouth dropping open almost at the satin like fabric of an emerald green gown. She looked it up and down as she reached to pull it from within the cabernet and lay it flat over the bed instead. "Oh my!" she spoke as she glanced at the companion on the other side of the room.

Turning she'd look back in the cupboard and see what else there was black heels, simple in style that wouldn't be seen from under the dresses length. Another item sat near them. A mask? Acacia thought to herself. A mask of a light almost metal looking material, matching in emerald tones it branched off at the top in swirls of speckled seemingly sparkling glitter. It was the perfect masquerade mask.

---

Hannah Louise Brixton

Back in her own bedroom, Anna walked over to the large ivory structure that stood against her deep red walls, and was more than large enough for her to climb inside, and pulled open one of the doors. The inside of the wardrobe was quilted red satin and Anna ran her hand along the smooth, shining material, ever taken by the beauty and attention to detail she was surrounded by. A shock of white caught her eye and she looked down at the mask  that she was to wear tonight. White She thought, The colour of purity, innocence. She smiled picking up the seemingly weightless object, the delicate ribbon trailing through her fingers like water. She tenderly stroked the feathers that flared out from the top of the mask and would curl around her head. Setting down the mask on her bedside table, noting that Sarabi had once again fallen asleep, nestled in among the sheets, Anna turned back to the wardrobe and opened the second door.

All of Anna's breath was gone the moment she laid eyes on the dress. Anna had experienced beauty, she had experienced beautiful people, beautiful places, beautiful clothes, but this dress...this gown was the substance of Anna's dreams. She tentatively reached out to touch the ivory material, scared that the oil from her skin would mark it, at the same time knowing that was a silly assumption to make. The material fell through her fingers, light as air and soft as Sarabi's fur. Anna had to laugh, biting her lip and looking in disbelief around her, catching sight of herself in the antique mirror that stood across the room from her. Finally, she felt like she had found a place that could last.

---

Acacia Malikov

Acacia almost seemed breathless as she wrapped tender fingers around the edges of the mask. Moving to lay it beside the dress she'd look at the colouring, the fabric and the way both looked like they were made to compliment her eyes, hair and figure. Whoever made them was a master tailor indeed. She'd move about lightly on her toes as she began to undress herself removing the casual wear and replacing them with the formal length of satin fabrics. After moments of struggle and almost falling over with a bang she'd caught herself with the bedside table and finished getting into the glorious item. It fit like a glove.

Moving towards the wardrobe again she'd remove the heels from it's flooring and close both the doors. Placing herself on the edge of the bed she'd begin to strap the shoes around her ankles so they wouldn't come off. Green eyes of a bright emerald flickered to the mask as she finished the leather buckling and reached for it with a porcelain toned hand. Fingers grasping it lightly as she drew it to her and flipped it over, she'd raise it to her face and felt the chill of the metal against her cheekbones. Satin ribbons slipping through her grasp as she'd tie it behind her head, the mess of ginger hair sat naturally down her back, she liked it out and in comparison it curled gently and danced about like it was made to be that way.

Acacia soon arose to her own feet, the heels clopping lightly as she moved around the large bed and headed for the mirror that bore everything in the room. She smiled bright and lightly ran her hands down the dress, the fabric elegant and smooth as it moved with her. Fingers lightly playing with it as she spun to the left and then the right. 

"How do I look Koshmarik?" She turned to the canine, laying almost like royalty as he raised his head to glance at his mistress. He made no noise and simply blinked as amber eyes shifted about the room. Chuckling softly Acacia moved towards the door to grab at it's handle "Priyekhat." she said firmly yet with a sense of contentment. The canine raising as he emerged only to stretch out, hind legs stiff while his chest dipped down and front legs extended forwards. After a moment like that he'd pulled himself forward and raised up, moving to the emerald fabrics side, a faint hand grasping the leash he dragged about and held it firmly.

---

Hannah Louise Brixton

It took Anna a little longer to get ready than Ace. She pulled her hair free of the pretty braid it had been tied in all day, running her hands through her hair and loosening the curls that fell naturally about her face. She didn't feel the need to do much with her hair, especially since she would be wearing the mask anyway. She touched up her eyes with the make-up she dug out of her suitcase, darkening her lashes, lining her eyes in black Kohl and making her eye-shadow smoky and mysterious, the dark make up striking against the lightness of the mask. She painted her lips with lipstick that merely acted to enhance the appearance of her own lips, making them look full and pretty. Then she slipped on the dress.

The white chiffon cascaded over her, a waterfall on her skin, smooth and cooling, covering the small tattoo she had on her ribs. She fastened the straps behind her neck, feeling the golden embellishment and admiring the outfit in the mirror. She looked mysterious, but somehow alluring and innocent all at the same time. How curious. Anna remembered when her mother was alive; Eloise and Richard used to attend gala's and go to the opera and the theatre and Anna used to see her mother dressed in gowns and her father in a different tux all the time. It always struck her how perfect they were, how they fit together. Anna winced as a horrific scene flashed through her head. Her mother's face, smiling and then bloody. Anna put her hand to her head, trying to blink away the images and she tore her eyes from her own reflection to the pretty, vintage lace shoes that she saw in the cupboard. The perfect fit, she slipped them onto her feet, tying the ribbon at the back in a bow. Standing up, she shook out her skirt and caught her own eyes in the mirror.

"Time to make an impression, Hannah." She told herself, smoothing out her skirt, grabbing her
bag for the evening and walking to the door, glancing back only to make sure Sarabi was still sleeping soundly. She looked at the cats water-bowl that she had filled up pretty much as soon as they arrived and saw that it had barely been touched. Having a thought, Anna pulled the door too and moved to her bedroom window, shutting it. Sarabi's ears twitched, but she didn't quite stir. She didn't know her way around this place and Anna didn't want her cat getting lost any more than she wanted Ace's dog to eat her. She softly closed her bedroom door behind her as she left, desperate for the time in a few hours when she would crawl into that huge, inviting bed.

---

Acacia Malikov

Acacia pulled her own door open as she emerged from within, door being closed behind her as she looked down at the canine so near and glanced around the open space. She had already moved towards a chair to sit in, not a fan of make-up too often or most other fashion accessories she simply wore the dress, shoes and mask with a clean slate of skin unaltered by powders, liquids or liners.

Sitting patiently she took the time to look about at all the details and decorations of the dorm. It was a splendid place, a place that looked fit for royalty, not someone likeAcacia I don't deserve to be here, neither of us do was the only thought that ran through her head. As she thought back to her old life, foster families and homes that weren't all that great, the only thing that was the same in her life, was the loyalty, protection and comfort of the creature so many people deemed dangerous and unsuitable for a child.

Click she heard the closing of a door off to the other side of the room. Koshmariks ears alerted as he watched the figure that had emerged from the space, sitting in a regal position as he huffed and didn't remove his sights from her until his own human arose to her feet. Her bright eyes complimented by the darker tone of the light weight metal mask. Her locks naturally dangling as they were before over her shoulders and down her back and chest, the fabric of the dress making her skin evermore so pale than before, almost like a doll that could easily be broken if knocked too hard.

"Oh my, you look stunning," she spoke gently as she was struck by the innocence of pure white and silver highlights. The dark locks of chocolate strands let down unlike before sitting almost similar to that of Acacias, she bit down on her bottom lip lightly as if almost jealous or something along those lines. She tried to keep most her comments to herself and moved around the chair so that it would be easier to escape the dorm when they were ready to start for the hall. "Whoever made these must have worked really long and hard, especially if they made one for everyone!" she looked Anna up and down, the materials were like that of flowing water, elegant and feminine, fit for anyone with money to spare.

---

Hannah Louise Brixton

Anna blushed as Ace complemented her, her cheeks turning a rosy shade of red, her pale skin darkening for just a moment. She wasn't a stranger to complements, but it had been a while since she had gotten one like that. The last person to call her stunning had been her father, on her prom night. She raised a hand and tucked her hair behind her ear, fiddling with the bag in her hand. She smiled, modestly, and looked at Ace's dress. The green was rich and full, the perfect jewel shade that accentuated the paleness of Ace's skin and brought out the different shades of red in her hair, the shades darkening on the inside of the roses that encircled Ace's narrow waist. "You look gorgeous!" Anna said, her eyes meeting those of her new room-mate. She smiled, her cheeks full and back to their normal colour.

The mask on Ace's face cast shadows down her pale cheeks, defining her cheekbones and darkening the freckles scattered across her nose, which trailed down across her exposed shoulders. She looked like something from someone's imagination, mystical and enchanting.

"And I think they are handmade," Anna said, moving to the door and opening it, giving Koshmarik a wide berth, but trying to be subtle about it. "Shall we go down?"

---

Acacia Malikov

Acacia looked down as her cheeks seemed to instantaneously tint to a pale rosy tone at the compliment. She didn't get those often, then again, she didn't normally hang around others who got on well with her. As the door was opened and space was given she nodded and smiled lightly, the curl of her lips pointing at her ears as she began striding towards the door, elongated legs swiftly carrying her as the heels emitted clop, clop noises with each step. The canines paws spreading over the flooring below as he glared at the woman who bore enough space for him to pass by. Koshmarik could sense something about her that gave away a sense of probable uncertainty around him, but it didn't bother him so, he got the vibe of seemingly harmlessness at this point, keeping alert for anything that may change around him.

"I believe it is time for us to find our way to the ball." The parchment of the masquerade invitation still sitting on her bedside table, unsure if it was needed she left it there, though she more so forgot about it more than anything. Waiting for Anna to emerge the room and shut the door she'd look towards the stairs and slowly begin for them allowing Anna to catch up and remain with her "It honestly is nice to know someone already, I don't normally go out or do anything with others," she spoke softly as she walked "But, even if I wanted a private room, I think it might work well sharing with another person." she smiled and glanced at the girl beside her.

"I hope we do get along well and become friends." she looked ahead again and continued walking as they reached the stairs to descend. Slender digits holding the leather leash tightly as the canine remained on her right light a magnet that couldn't resist being near.

---

Hannah Louise Brixton

"I would like very much if we could become friends," Anna replied to Ace, "It will be nice to have somebody to call a friend so early in the year. Loneliness is a terrible thing." Anna said it with the sad smile of somebody who knew the feeling all too well.

Anna lifted her skirt as they began descending down the twisted staircase, her heels clicking on the solid marble beneath them. Her hand trailed on the bannister, smooth and cool. The doors at the bottom of the stairs were open, the night air fresh, blowing in on a gentle breeze that ruffled her skirts only a little. They made their way out into the night, a series of pathways leading them to what Anna knew to be the Main Entrance, and off which she believed was the Grand Hall in which they were to have the Masquerade ball. As they walked through the grounds, Anna noted their beauty, even in the night. There were tiny little lights that twinkled through shrubs and endless shrubs, all sporting a different flower. Rose bushes here, clusters of tulips or lilies there. And the smell. The flora mingled with the crisp night air, subtle and overwhelming all at once. Anna felt more relaxed now than she had for a while, even if she was dressed in a gown that suggested a rather decadent evening was ahead.

Rain had not completely settled in mentally with his accommodations yet – at times he’d still wake up and not know where he was. It was a bit strange, as he was a boy accustomed to change before, but the entire experience had been, at least subjectively, pretty damn surreal for him. Colour coding dormitories so rigorously, he thought, was dumb and unnecessary, and he didn’t particularly like the depressing shade of his assigned dorm. He’ll grow out of it. At the moment, though, the striking white of any envelope on his night table stands out very well, with him noticing it immediately when entering the room. He took off his jacket with swift, rehearsed movements, walked over, and tore the letter from its casing. This school apparently prefers private written communication over all the other forms employed in academia – he noted the same thing next to the others’ beds.

A welcome ceremony, that’s nothing out of the ordinary, right? Truly he didn’t know, but he isn’t just going to go around asking how schools work, and he was confident enough of his ability to just figure it all out along the way. His thumbs crumpled the bottom of the paper a bit, as he read it over a second time, making sure he didn’t miss any crucial information. One can be a bit unsure on one’s opinion about the possibility of others marching into his room at any time to leave clothes and messages. This is quite a fancy place; one of those places where this could be entirely standard. Rain reached for the wardrobe handle, and grabbed the new fabric waiting for him. How the light hit it, the entire thing looked eerily uncomfortable, but he couldn’t bet on his own experiences. With its string around the neck was a masquerade mask. It had probably been chosen carefully, as he faintly recognized himself. The blond gazed at the door before untying the knot that held it on top of his new outfit. As he tried it on for the first time, it was as he expected it – the sculpted curves wrapped the top half of his face perfectly.

“Absolutely ridiculous” , he sighed. It was half expected that the mask would be uncomfortable enough for him to toss it aside, but I guess they did intend to host a full-fledged masquerade ball, in which masks were necessary. Nothing too extravagant, luckily: a black mask with a braid pattern under the eyes and small, elegant silver tone decorations between them on the forehead - so he could wear it and just expect that everyone else had to as well. Laying the accessory on his bed, he pulled the tuxedo off the hanger and, before his roommates got back, put it on methodically (or at least, in a way he supposed people put tuxedos on methodically). Surprisingly the attire didn’t choke on any of his limbs – they only had the bare measurements for his uniform, but they surely did a good job in tailoring his upmarket clothing. The strangeness of his life at the moment hit his thoughts again as his hands slid out of the jacket sleeves. “This is a joke. Such a joke.”

And yet he conformed, taking the mask by the ribbon in his left hand and sitting down on the black mattress where it was. Rain stretched to reach for the paper that he had previously scrunched, having to read it one more time. Ten o’clock –more than half an hour from now. He always preferred being prepared early on rather than at the last minute anyways, since before this his life was pretty much built on last resorts and quick decisions. Being early gifts a fake sense of control, and plus, there’s now plenty of time for loitering. Rain stood up and walked out the door to the shared living room, mask in one hand, a ball of wrinkly paper in the other.

Rain stepped out of the room alone, quietly making his way towards the Grand Hall, only now beginning to feel out of place in his bow-tie. The change in atmosphere was baffling once he got there, but his expression was kept the same if just a little bit softer than usual. He stood at the entrance, quickly identifying everything familiar here as a defense against the grandiose unfamiliarity: curtains, flowers, flowers. He felt assured that he wasn’t the first one to come, although he wasn’t going to put on his mask just yet. Standing against the wall a fair distance from the gates he began noticing details and planning out his approaches. Only when he realized how out of place he’d look with a bare face and the very typical, customary tux he was provided once a lot of people were here did he try to strap it on. Maybe he should have kept it from the first time, because the ribbons somehow became a lot harder to knot together the second time around. Rain started, ritualistically, swearing under his breath as he sunk away to examine his mask further. “I don’t belong here. Ridiculous.”

Entrance To CTS
Arthur looked around and breathed it in. It definitely smelled like home, with the complete shit penetrating your nose and all. The scenery was beautiful though. It almost rivaled his home out in the country. But his home had it beat. only slightly, but it still had it beat. Glimpsing all the new faces, Arthur immediately set to work trying to find his dorm room. He slinked around slowly looking for a victim to steal a map from. Finding a tall male he "accidentally" bumped into him, taking the map from the man's back pocket. He apologized and walked away, using his new found map to locate the dorm. Walking towards it, he noted the size.

Dormitory, Sapphire Room
Well it definitely lived up to its name. The room was the deepest hue of blue, mimicking the gem it was named after. Arthur loved the color, and Robin appeared to love it as well. she laughed at it and sat down on his bed, enjoying the comfort. Looking through his room, Arthur found his outfit for the ball. The mask was simple and green, only big enough to cover his eyes and nose. The suit on the other hand, was a disaster. it was a mainly white suit, but had stripes of powder blue running along the sides of the coat and the legs. Taking one look at it, Arthur tossed it on top of his garbage. "Fuuuuck that. I'll just wear my normal clothes." He sighed, wishing he truly had a better suit. "Hey! Watch your language!" Robin scolded, nagging him about etiquette and manners. "Yeah yeah mom whatever." Arthur tossed off his normal shirt and put on a button up, leaving the top button unbuttoned, and the shirt untucked. He kept his normal jeans on, and switched into some high top sneakers. Tying the mask on, arthur walked off to the grand hall leaving his suit and having his mother in tow.

Grand Hall
Arthur looked up at the grand hall. "Well. They sure got the name right. What do you think mom, big or what?" The hall was indeed big. In fact it was almost monolithic. "I like it." Robin said in a monotone voice, having changed into a dress and still in awe of the large building. Arthur looked inside, and slowly walked in, trying not to make a flamboyant entrance.

Alexander Lanicaster the Third
Tordred Maze -> Sapphire Dorm -> Grand Hall

A green haired man stood within the fog of the Tordred Maze. His features almost completely hidden by the white haze that covered the area. Axel stood motionless as he scanned the maze. He has spent many nights in that maze and he could tell that it was changing. Just like the crumbling exterior of the school, the already eery forest was beginning to grow and warp. Roots had begun to grow large thorns, and the forest walls had grown higher. Axel let out a long sigh, and then moved up to the entrance and laid his hand on one of the trees. It’s branches, over the years, have twisted and turned to look like a tree like claw was sprouting out of the trunk and reaching down at you. Axel looked up at the terrifying branch, and smiled. He didn’t smile because of the tree had just happened to look at, but at the slight footsteps in the distance.

Axel moved away from the tree and took a few steps away from the entrance of the maze and waited for his visitor. He doesn’t get many visitors whenever he is out by the maze. The most company he ever got was a few unruly students looking to smoke a cigaret. He hated that type of company. In his opinion, it proved fruitless to have a conversation with people who were stupid enough to destroy their lungs just to feel more relaxed. Axel knew this wasn’t that type of visitor though, he has heard these footsteps before. It wasn’t long before Lumen, the raven haired beauty of CTS, emerged from the shadows. Axel wasn’t even able to say his greetings before she started talking business.

“Axel, you will be attending the masquerade ball I imagine? The Headmistress will need your assistance more than ever presently.” she said with her usual stern tone.

Axel smiled at Lumen and gave a small chuckle. “It’s good to see you too Lume-Lume. I will be attending the masquerade, yes. I haven't missed any of the the masquerades since I arrived at CTS and I don’t expect to miss it now,” He gave a small pause to see if Lumen would react, but moved on without seeing any reaction, “I also know that the Headmistress will be needing our help. It seems her condition has only gotten worse.” He said in his usually laid back tone.

“To be quite honest I have tried to cancel this silly gathering numerous times…She just doesn't seem up to the task.” After folding arms in ire she looked away for a moment before clearing her throat to continue,“Either way, you’ll be staying in the Sapphire dorm, and you will behave yourself.”

His smile faded as Lumen began to command how he should act around his new victims. He gave a small sigh and then gave Lumen a large grin. “You have nothing to worry about Lume-Lume. I promise I won’t make this new batch of freshman frequent visitors to the Psych Ward this time.” He said in an almost gleeful tone. He loved to mess around with the people around him. It gave him a form of entertainment that no one else would understand. Axel looked behind him and gave the Tordred Maze one last look over, and began to walk away. “As for the Headmistress, you know how stubborn she can be. That old goat won’t let anything stand in her way when it comes to CTS. Let’s just be patient with her, and maybe we can convince her to rest for a while after her speech,” Axel stopped and turned around to face Lumen, “I know I’m not the type of person to say this, but lets have a little faith that she can make this speech without any altercations. I would hate for her to lose her image as the strong and proud headmistress of CTS because of a silly old cold,” Axel hated showing his caring side, and Lumen was the only one to ever see it, “Anyway! I should probably go and introduce myself to my new victi-- I mean roommates. I hope you’ve been practicing your steps cus’ I’m gunna school you on the dance floor tonight Lume-Lume…. See ya then.” He said as he turned back around and walked into the male dormitories.

He made his way up the stairs, sauntered up to the Sapphire dorm door, and opened the door. He walked in and yelled, “Oh Lucy! I’m home~!” He was disappointed to find that no one was there, and that his decades old reference was completely wasted. He looked around the room and noticed that someone had already arrived and left. He assumed they left for the ball, but he wouldn’t be surprised if that wasn’t the case. He walked over to his room, and slipped into his suit and mask. He liked the mask, but his suit seemed a little too much for his tastes. He looked at himself in the mirror and shrugged. He knew that the suit looked good on him. The CTS staff has never made a mistake in that department. After a minute of faked self adoration, Axel moved away from the mirror, grabbed his black fedora, and left the dorm. He needed to go practice some dance moves since he challenged Lumen to a dance contest and had absolutely no skills to back it up.

He reached the Grand Hall at around 9:15 and was surprised to see only a few people had already arrived. He walked passed a man swearing under his breath as he was trying to secure the mask onto his head. Axel stopped and looked at the man. He began to chuckle at the man and then said, “Hey, buddy. You need some help with your mask? Those ribbons can be a pain in the butt sometimes.”

Rain struggled as discretely as possible. The ribbons were expensive in that frail, delicate kind of way and his fingers were already tearing away the tiny silk threads from each other – he had not even really thought of the fabric as being made of tiny threads, even though with close inspection it obviously was. Before his inexperienced tinkering they were more like thin bands of soft metal, with an oddly mercury-like quality on the surface. As he struggled to resolve his predicament as quickly as possible a playful voice lifted his head like a bullet sound. It didn’t take him long to identify the owner of the words, and the first thing he did was look away (never downwards!), in the most apathetic way possible, even though he knew the individual must have seen his initial surprise. He was not by any means caught in the worst position possible, but Rain noticed the differences between his own attire and the stranger’s. And he’s absolutely not complaining, grateful for the simplicity of his assigned clothing, but the connotations he concluded from the situations rose harshly. The school seemed to issue different designs to every student. Again it was the peculiar tightrope between thoughtful and disturbing. Something tells him this would become a running theme.

Lowering the mask, his eyes shot back towards the others’ amber ones. It was a tricky choice whether or not to believe he should stand his ground here – he needed friends before unavoidably finding enemies – but more than one of his options were, at least to the normal pedestrian, paranoid. He spoke solidly, the solidity of the ground beneath ceramic plates held by shaking hands. “I don't need your help! ...If I can’t put it on then I’m probably not meant for it.” Sort of a blatant lie since, however modest the mask’s adornments were, it was practically carved on him. “Do you think it’d be a problem if I didn’t wear a mask in the Masquerade?”, he smirked, approaching the stranger a bit. His intuition tells him not to become enemies with this particular person, though being as he was he teased this decision eagerly. “Maybe I’ll balance you out. Please inform me, what can I learn from the fact that the school deemed you worthy of becoming a seventeenth century French aristocrat?”

He bit the inside of his cheek a bit in fear that it might really be eighteenth century instead and that somehow people remember this from high school, where they’ve probably learnt a lot more information than him, but his face lit up artificially with comfortable assertiveness, holding his mask on his hip. "That also happened to be in some vampire movie, apparently". His tone was friendly in the core, in a deliberate attempt to not actually offend the other too much, but if one were really good at reading into people they would recognize this just as trying to seem cool and indie. Which it was, of course, but even the speaker doesn't know that. Rain waited for a response in anticipation.

Acacia Malikov

Nodded at the words spoken by Anna, remaining silent from that point she walked almost in sync with her room-mate, the leather strap sitting now relaxed within her palm as the canine remained close. Her bright eyes taking in the scenery about as it seemed more so awe-inspiring than anything else, she'd never been to such a place of size and luxury.

Gingery strands loosely hanging down and framing her face in a light oval form, a light scatter of freckles painted her nose bridge and cheek bones before vanishing off to the sides and reappearing upon the heights of her shoulders. The gentle specks giving off a light tan in those areas under the moonlight while the luminous jewel eyes glistened like something mythical and unnatural.

Slender left arm raising as she lightly shifted some loose strands from her sights and hooked it behind her ear. Heels clacking with each step echoing with that of Anna's as she smiled and looked around “This place really is magnificent!” she stated mostly to herself as she lightened up partially. Settling her sights upon the large building that slowly became more and more visible after the lengthy walk from the dormitory. She glanced down at the canine who visibly moved in his regal manner and kept alert as he always had. It was good for him to be out, even if he never really relaxed in the situations provided in social community events, such as what she classed the Masquerade.

---

Koshmarik

Spread his pale lips lightly, the fleshy pink serpent emerging his maw as it glided over the velvet liver nasal at the end of his muzzle. Vocals rubbing as he huffed to himself and rotated his ears at each and every sound picked up. Two chains around his neck clinking lightly as he moved, shoulders rolling visibly and the tightened chocolate coat rippled over a well toned figure of pure muscle. Docked tail high and dominant as the tan highlighted paws moved almost effortlessly under him.

Amber eyes glancing about as he watched people in different directions, many of which appeared to be heading to the same location as his mistress. The thickness of the leather hardly bugged him as it sat snugly about his deep chest, anyone would visually note that the girl holding the connecting restraint would not be able to withhold him from going after anything that he may have wanted.

Sharply pointed ears that of which he was naturally born with sat high and mighty. His movements unstrained and unreassuringly majestic as he remained pasted by his mistress and watched every notable change around him.

On alert, the muscled form was probably enough to steer most clear from his and his humans path. Harsh eyes, tall figure, pointed ears and a look that could deem him viscous he was probably something no one wanted to try messing with.

ALPHONSE 'AL' DONOVAN

Alphonse wasn't exactly sure whether he was displeased or just in complete shock. He stood there as his eyes ran over the towering edifice of an academy and immediately thought of the possible worst-case scenarios. To be fair, the building was huge and the students he'd seen walking about earlier just oozed royalty. Age had definitely taken its toll on the college however, with the lichen and moss just beginning to make their way up the sides of the building, in which the granite and cobble had begun to crumble- everything about it was rustically beautiful, nonetheless.

He raised his hand up to glance at his watch and yelped in the process. "About an hour to go- shitshitshit" hurriedly dragging his suitcases with him, he made his way across the gates and ventured inside. Normally he'd have taken the time to admire the building's interiors, but damn, he was late; what with all the settling down and getting ready having to be done just before the masquerade ball. Taking a look at his letter containing the information about his dorm, he couldn't help but think about his situation grimly- sure, he was safe(for now) and everything would be provided for, but how well would he fit in with the rest of the students? Would they be kind? Would he end up hating them? Have any of them ever murdered anyone? He shook his head at the last question as the memories from his prison had flooded back into his head. It definitely wasn't something anyone would want to remember, but what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right?

Nope--

What doesn't kill you comes back eventually and tries again. What if he'd end up dead by the end of the year?

Before he knew it, there he stood: in front of the dorm he'd be sharing with two other people. The 'sapphire' dorm, the glimmering brass plaque read. Quickly yet cautiously, he turned the knob and flopped his suitcases right before him with his foot to block anything that wanted to take a jump out at him. Nothing. "God... stop being so paranoid you wuss." he muttered under his breath as he undid his tie. He looked around and noticed that two other people, presumably his dorm-mates had been there already, their clothes lying on the beds. One of which being a fancy suit laid upon the trash can. Scrunching his nose he figured he'd be the last one to arrive as usual.

The letter that was left for him on his bedside table was, along with everything else, just magnificent, Al thought with displeasure. It was not that he did not admire the grandeur of the place and everything within it, he simply doubted himself. He read through the letter and then checked his wardrobe for the mentioned suit and tie. He gawked in awe after he had laid them both carefully on the bed, the suit being surprisingly under-toned for a masquerade ball, much to his pleasure. He was never the flashy sort of guy anyway, so this would be perfect for him. He switched his attention to the mask and thanked his lucky stars for something rather simple than extravagant. The mask covered half his face and formed a semi-sickle shape that drooped down towards the chin area. It was rather sleek, per se. Not too overwhelmed this time, Alphonse proceeded to dress up. Much to his surprise it had fit him almost perfectly, with the waist being a little tight around him he had expected it to- indulging in that emotional eating binge just before he had left home was obviously not the best idea. I'll have to fix that later, he thought, running his hand across his abdomen. Brushing that aside, he finally slipped on his mask. He wiggled his nose comfortably into the crevice of the mask and like that, it was set firmly. Happy he'd been given an accessory with no particular strings or fabric to tie the mask into place, he stepped in front of the full-length standalone mirror and grinned at his reflection. "Hey there, handsome!" he set his hands on his hips and began to strut from the far corner of the room towards the mirror, shamelessly taking in the sight of his new getup.

Heading straight for the door, he mentally noted that he would unpack as soon as the event was over. Gracing himself with the anxious thought of meeting new people and socializing, he dusted himself off and made his way to the Grand Hall with faux confidence. His positive demeanor wouldn't fool many however, with his teeth slightly chattering and hands sweating away like that.

Get it together.

You've made it through a successful prison break, don't act like a pussy now.

Cursing himself for being so shaken up, he bit his lip as he (tried to) compose himself upon reaching the stairwell of the Grand Hall. Resting his body against the pillar, he'd noticed a few people had arrived before him, scattered around the wide lobby, as he'd expected and much to his disdain. The thought of running away now was tempting, but he stood his ground. It would probably be a good idea to start befriending these people now, after all, when shit hits the fan he'd probably need a few people backing him up, right? Right.

Go.

Just do it- talk to them. Do it for your sake!

A few eyes were set on the shaking boy, he felt them drilling through the back of his head as he simultaneously backtracked mid-lobby and made his way to the empty buffet to snack on phantom appetizers. He felt paralyzed- crowds were definitely not his thing, so he stood there like a statue, leaning against the buffet table and twiddling his thumbs.

Good lord. This is going to be a long night.

-

Ace was right, Anna noted mutely. This place was magnificent. For the first time, an uncomfortable feeling of unease manifested in Anna's stomach but she pushed it away almost immediately. She didn't want to see faults in the beauty all around her, and was probably just projecting her own negativity onto it. She tended to do that sometimes, but had learnt to recognise the foreshadowing and usually could stop it in its tracks. She dropped the white material she'd been holding as they went inside, away from the mud and dirt of the grounds, and it swept the floor, gliding noiselessly, fluttering every now and then with the soft breezes that blew in from the windows. This place was almost certainly too good to be true. As Anna looked around at the rest of the people there, all dressed grandly, and some dressed eccentrically. Here and there, Anna saw a brightly coloured suit or an outrageous dress mixed into the cocktail of elegance and grace.

Glancing behind her at the cool, inviting night with it's fresh air and beautiful, lush gardens, Anna was tempted to leave the party, avoid the temptation to make small talk with people she didn’t know yet, all the while trying to be her best self in front of them. She would have to pull out all the stops tonight and be the socialite she was raised to be. She set back her shoulders and raised her chin slightly, her hair a magnificent shower of chocolate and mahogany tones, racing down her exposed back and stopping before the little dimple at the base of her spine where the material of her dress was knit together. They passed two boys, one of which seemed to be having trouble with his mask, while the other tried to help him with it. Anna's lips quirked upwards in a tentative but genuine smile and she gave them a subtle tilt of her head in greeting, but didn’t interrupt their interaction.

"Is there anything to drink?" She wondered aloud, running her hand up and down her arm, a particularly cold breeze catching her.

“How much longer until we get there?” Jason prompted the driver. He was ignored, as he had been the entire trip. Clearly the driver had been told not to answer any of Jason’s questions, but why his parents would bother giving such instructions was beyond him. Luckily, he didn’t need a response, as the train station soon came into view.

“We’re right about here now, Master Jason. I hope you had a comfortable ride,” Jason responded to himself, deepening his voice to imitate his driver more accurately. It was a light hearted jest, but the driver still shifted in his seat uncomfortably. Jason’s lack of professional etiquette always bothered the newbies, and their discomfort was always entertaining.

The station itself was pretty close, considering the lack of air travel, but the drive was still too long for Jason. He spent the entire ride pressed up against the door, waiting to be released. Once the driver finally did open it, Jason unintentionally exploded out of the nondescript, black car, immediately falling onto the pavement from the sudden loss of support and attracting the attention of many nearby strangers. He picked up his cherry red glasses and stood upright, dusting himself off and regaining his composure.

He ignored the stares of the passersby, whose mundane routines had been interrupted by his entrance, as he thanked his driver. “Thank you so much for taking me here. It was a real pleasure. I enjoyed our conversation. It was very… Enlightening. A real bonding experience. You have to be the most intellectually stimulating driver I’ve had so far. I’ll have to tell my father to send you again, I’d love to have you as my personal driver,” His gratitude dripped with sarcasm, but neither his feelings of appreciation nor his playful gestures seemed to be well received as his driver stopped reacting to his antics. A real shame. Losing that source of fun, Jason sighed and examined his glasses for any damage. They were purely for aesthetic purposes, so he liked to maintain their condition.

The now-incredibly-boring driver apparently didn’t want waste any time after he had finished heaving Jason’s luggage out of the trunk since he swiftly returned to his position behind the wheel and sped off without ever saying a single word. Typical.

---

When Jason finally arrived at his dorm, he felt pretty worn out, having spent the entire day traveling, but the new environment and new scenery had distracted him wonderfully. He took his time enjoying the architecture before he finally entered the male dormitory. The building itself was impressive, but nothing completely unexpected, all things considered. It was no doubt a private school for rich kids. Plus, based on elusive location of the college, he assumed that the school grounds were expansive, another indicator of general exorbitance. The dorms could quite possibly be the most uninteresting part of the college. He had yet to find out for himself, but for now he kept his expectations moderately high.

Of course, he was not disappointed when he made his way upstairs and entered the Onyx dorm. Plopping down on one of the sofas, he found that the ornate furniture was in pristine condition, and the living space overall was impeccable. Jason was quite used to such a lavish home environment, but he could always appreciate perfection and beauty. Exploring the space a bit, he chose one of the three doors and pushed it open.

“Three individual bedrooms,” he deduced expertly, “and this one appears to be uninhabited. Excellent.” After he rolled his luggage into the room, he plopped onto the bed, examined the room further, and noticed an incredibly conspicuous white envelope on the bedside table. His curiosity piqued, he quickly tore the envelope open and read its contents. A masquerade ball. Sleep would have to be postponed for such an event, but Jason was sure it would be worth it. Without wasting another moment, he began preparing. He stripped off his jacket and shirt, and continued the process of undressing. Everything went well until he came to a sudden realization: You can’t wear glasses and a mask at the same time.

Jason fell onto his knees; he had lost the ability to stand. Devastation! Agony! Defeat! Torture! It was horrible. He curled into a ball on the floor, half naked now, at this tragic epiphany. What was he supposed to do? What could he do? It was unfathomable to show up to a masquerade without a mask… But his glasses! They were so stylish! He rolled around on the floor, drowning in his own indecision.

Eventually he knew he had to get up. Time was running out. With a new sense of urgency, he opened the wardrobe. His eyes were closed when he opened the door, too anxious to know the truth immediately. Was it going to be hideous? The anticipation was almost too much for him to bear. Slowly, he opened his eyes a bit. He was barely able to see through his squint, but he found his mask almost immediately. Red! Oh thank the gods and all that was divine and powerful. Red! The same cherry red of he beloved glasses. He almost cried tears of joy. His heart had been broken, but now all was right in the world.

His sanity restored, Jason resumed his previous task. He donned his tuxedo effortlessly, having worn such formal attire on many occasions before. It fit incredibly well, and felt like a second skin. The mask too, seemed to have been molded to his face, as it rested comfortably on his features. Jason was hesitant to leave his precious glasses behind, but he had no other choice and no reason to take them with him. They’d be safer in the dorm. Not able to afford another minute contemplating this decision, Jason placed his glasses in their case, and left them on the bed.

The walk was uneventful, as solitary activities tended to be, but his boredom would soon be over. He briefly wondered if there were females attending the ball. Surely there would be. Balls were pretty much made for ladies. Formal dresses were a big deal, and there weren’t many opportunities to wear them. But the walk over, surely it must be difficult to do in heels? And when the cool night air caressed his face, he wondered if these ladies would be suffering from hypothermia. It was a humorous picture to imagine: beautiful ladies adorned in glamorous dresses, shivering in the cold air and just generally looking uncomfortable. Oh the fun to be had at a ball! He could hardly contain his excitement as he approached the Grand Hall.

Lumen Vale
Tordred Maze > Second Story > Grand Hall

Scarlet Wraith
Grand Hall

Unknown male
Grand Hall
“It’s good to see you too Lume-Lume.”

Since their very first introduction the emerald haired trouble maker put it upon himself to give the callous junior a most adorable nickname. A swift scolding would befall anyone who dare refer to her as anything other than Lumen; however, Axel was excluded from said reprimand. Often pretending to find his humor tasteless she refused to laugh or smile in his presence. This was difficult at times especially since the outline of his arrogant smirk was contagious. One could find themselves swept away by such devious charm though she knew better.

With all joking aside a serious tone from the trickster made cloudy orbs gaze in his general direction. When speaking about the Headmistress’ condition both often could not help but feel empathy toward the stern yet generous woman. Even Axel’s playful demeanor subsided to a more compassionate manner, and Lumen rather admired that rare side of him. Within a matter of minutes his familiar teasing commenced once again, and the previous heartfelt sentence faded into the past. Long locks of shiny hair slid forward slightly as she nodded—a gesture of understanding—and then watched his shadowy form disembark to the dormitories.

Instead of trailing fifteen minutes back to her own private dorm to prepare, the Headmistress previously sent a private tailor to deliver Lumen’s dress into one of the ladies lounges located on the second story of CTS. Rather than stroll through the main entrance and likely be seen by newcomers, a discreet route was taken that no one except Axel knew of. An entryway naturally hidden by impenetrable creeper vines and only accessed by magical properties. This area could be found with great difficulty on one side of the massive building closet to the Tordred Maze. With no eyes upon her or anyone to witness her admission she moved indoors and up a winding staircase to ready herself.

The Headmistress always picked out Lumen’s masquerade gowns, one year to the next not a one the same. Though, each held similar traits of lace, sheerness, flowing material, and an un-complicated style to slip into. This elegant garb was no different and once on she focused on smoothing down voluminous locks. Lengthy ebony tresses were swept into a messy yet lustrous hairstyle strewn with a headpiece of silky black and ivory crimped ribbon. Half of her flawless face covered by matching semi-translucent mesh made into a mysterious mask. Adorning herself too much felt foolish since only outlines were visible the majority of the time, thus intricate details of makeup were often bypassed.

An elongated lessor mirror reflected a decent structure so she trusted it, turned off the light switch, and contently emerged toward a balcony attached to an imposing double staircase. This spot overlooked the entire Grand Hall and each fancy draped student within. Eyes began scanning over all shaded figures, counting bodies in her head until she caught sight of a different aura. Hands tightened onto the iron wrought railing wondering why she was attending. One would either observe the statuesque cast of the woman with icy waves of hair easily or glance right past. The enigmatic Junior known as Scarlet blended into her surroundings quite easily like a chameleon when she desired but apparently her disguise did not go unnoticed for long.

Bestrewn in a form fitting silver dress as ashen hues were hidden behind an icicle mask this Scarlet could feel unwelcoming optics cast upon her, and decided to immediately move away from bitter observation. Perhaps it best to take leave, though she wished to attend a bit longer. Crashing these events did not go without punishment since the mistress of the academy had an ever watchful gaze everywhere. High heels clicked with every step weaving through tight knit individuals.

This round-a-bout route took her toward the entrance where a male with vibrant intense jade eyes and a suit to match collided into some woman speaking with friends. This lanky man could hardly stand and a pungent stench of alcohol permeated his breath. His legs staggered but somehow found luck to quickly halt an otherwise sure fall.

“Oops, pardon. My mistake.” Pompously he saluted to the random stranger he before wobbling off to make another scene without helping out. This time a lean shoulder accidentally bumping against a woman with a coiled cardinal mane admiring the glamorous surroundings.

“Magnificent eh?” He overheard her say and then repeated the word.

“Quite mistaken, love. You must be new...Such a shame.” The handsome stranger sneered while casual hands reached inside a secret compartment inside his emerald jacket to remove a steel flask. From there he sipped without shame and offered the red head some by tilting the container a tad.

“Nice pet.” He added with a smirk though the man appeared quite dashing something behind that criss crossed Venetian mask hid something otherworldly.

Liam Fleming
Entrance--onyx dorm room--outside male dorm

Liam's let out a sigh of relief, exiting the train. He hated train rides. They made him feel nauseous. Thankfully, no violent expulsions of the contents of his stomach was involved. He walked into the school grounds, his eyes running over the slightly falling apart grounds. It gave an eerie effect to it. He heaved his duffle bag up higher on his shoulder, dragging a suitcase behind him. He slowly found his way to the male dorms. Having taken his time to explore the areas around. As he approached the dorms, he couldn't help but notice the very ominous woods in front of it a little ways. He shook his head, looking closer at the doors and building.

Heaving a sigh he walked inside, climbing up the stairs towards the onyx dorm, gazing around at the overzealous inside. Probably to make up for the outside. Walking up to the dorm, he opened it, stepping inside and closing the door. The male stood still for a moment, listening for movement while looking at the furniture. It was all tinged with a grey or black color. Rather depressing, not his first choice in it. He then walked into a room, discovering that things were on the floor and bed. Obviously claimed by someone. He walked into another, finding it unoccupied. Good. Tossing the duffle bag onto his bed, he gently put his suitcase up on it as well.

His eyes were suddenly attracted by a white envelope on a otherwise grey and black furnishing. Extremely difficult not to notice. With a small shake of his head, his hand grasped it, effectively ripping it over in one swift move. He read it over, a scowl deepening on his face. He had no desire to go to this ball, but since he had no excuse, for now, not to, he might as well get dressed. He pulled open the closest, studying the rather plain suit, yet with a splash of color. He grabbed it, disrobing and pulling on the suit. It fit well on his fit body, twisting in it after putting on the jacket. He spotted the mask, a single eyebrow raising in slight amusement. It was like the headmaster knew what his favorite animal was. He tied on the wolf shaped mask, looking at himself in a mirror. He might not like these things, but damn did he look good.

Deciding to keep it on, he headed out of the room, and following that the dorm room, he made his way down the stairs, black dress shoes impacting the floor underneath them. He threw open the door to the outside world, talking a step out and letting it shut behind him. He glanced towards where he discovered was the great hall, grimacing as he tried figuring out an excuse not to go. He would rather wander around more then go to some stupid dance. He vaguely wondered if he would be mistaken as an student that wasn't a freshman due to his age, but quickly cast it out of his mind, knowing that wouldn't likely happen.

Acacia Malikov

Turned to face the man who’d bumped into her, he seemed off centered and was coated in the thick stench of alcoholic beverages. “Magnificent eh? Quite mistaken, love. You must be new…Such a shame.” he spoke directly to her, obviously having overheard her comment. She watched as his arm rose and hand dug within a compartment within his jacket, the colors resembling that of her own dress in its emerald tone.

Receiving offering from the man to sip his drink she shook her head. Hand coiled tightly around the leather in her hand, “Nice pet.” he seemingly smirked as he watched her.

“Thank you, but no thank you, could you please step back.” She spoke heavily, replying both to his offering and the fact he stood so near, with the dense Neo Russian accent tainting her words. She herself tried to step back somewhat, you must be new…such a shame she thought to herself what he’d said trying to figure it out silently. Her lively jade eyes looking from the man to Anna not too far off before lightly shifting back again.

She was visibly uncertain of the man so close, but as she moved the canine beside her had other ideas and hardly budged from his position.

“He isn’t so trusting sir, please step back.” She pulled the leash slightly, the heavy nearly 50 kg form on the other end hardly budging at the action as he seemed to stare at the off man with light accompanying vocals.

---

Koshmarik

Had suddenly raised his head and tugged his lips back when a drunken man stumbled into his mistress. Pale tanned curtains, now baring the ivory white daggers hidden within, fleshy pink sitting crookedly behind the fangs and vocals rubbed constricting emitting a deep almost unnatural rumble.

Amber eyes heavy as he allowed his tongue to draw over the length of his maw. Naturally docked tail high and stiff as his ears alerted heavily, the points aimed at the man who offered his burning drink to his human. There was something off about the man; he didn't like the feeling one bit, his voice, his posture and the idea he was drinking.

He created tension on the leash as his mistress moved herself back and he merely stood staring, the rumbling in his chest low and confirming distrust, he bore warning that he was uncomfortable with the man so near.

Harsh eyes of set thought didn't budge from the face of the stranger dressed in emerald. Mask covering a majority of his appearance.

Jason amused himself with childish pranks for the entirety of his initial 5 minutes, but immature shenanigans always lost their luster quickly; one could only undo so many masks, spill so many drinks on so many dresses, and dance by himself for so many minutes before someone decided to kick him out. His bright aqua hair wasn't exactly subtle, and someone was bound to call him out. There were always a few party goers who didn't actually know how to let loose a little. Damn killjoys. In any case, Jason soon grew tired of forcing fun into the fete, and decided to look for it instead.

He skirted the edge of the hall, examining the group and searching for anything remotely intriguing. He had heard a loud clamoring noise from one direction and moved toward it, but he seemed to meet the source halfway. Watching an intoxicated man work his way around, Jason assumed this person had been the cause.

"Oh would you look at that. A drunk harassing a pretty lady. How marvelously cliche. I love it," He suppressed his urge to grin at the sight, and decided to join the scene. Jason didn't exactly want to get involved immediately, so instead he started dancing his way over until he was close enough to hear their exchange. At this point he wasn't an interloper, just a dancing spectator. It didn't seem like a lot of people were dancing though, so he either had poor judgement or just liked to dance. Perhaps he just liked the attention.

The music selection was appropriate for the luxurious and regal atmosphere, he noticed. Professional string players must have been hired and performing somewhere, pouring orchestral melodies into the hall. The acoustics of such a large room were not ideal, not like an actual concert hall of course, but the music still resonated beautifully, floating in the air until it eventually sweetly serenaded the attending audience. Jason danced by himself and he would look strange based of that fact alone. However, he could not help but let the music consume him, and take over his body. His sense of rhythm was on point, and he moved gracefully and fluently. It wasn't mesmerizing by any means, but years of lessons did not go to waste. Still. No amount of impressive dancing could account for his voluntary solitude in a such cooperatively based activity. Caught up in the music, Jason almost forgot to pay attention to the drama unfolding nearby. Almost.

“Thank you, but no thank you, could you please step back,” the damsel requested before repeating herself soon after. Jason mentally noted that she did not exactly fit the description of a damsel in distress, but he had no other alternatives regarding her title. As he pondered this a little more, he eventually grew tired of dancing without a partner, and settled for half-hearted swaying from side to side. He came to the conclusion that without some slap-provoking action, the little conflict between the damsel, dog, and drunk man could have a quite a disappointing resolution. After all, any of them could simply walk away politely.

Figuring now was a good a time to join in as any, he directly walked up to the players at hand, and interjected himself into the conversation. "So what's going on over here?" He inquired with a feigned casual tone. It was more of a pleasant gesture if anything since he was so obviously eavesdropping.

Anna was stood a little way off, looking at the buffet table and wondering how on earth somebody was supposed to hydrate themselves at this party. Surely there would be waiters, or something, out soon enough? There seemed to be trouble in all corners of the room, Anna saw a girl in a silver dress get bombarded by a boy, who barely stopped to apologise, and in several instances, she saw drinks get spilt over dresses. Aside from hoping that didn't happen to her, Anna's first thought was, where had those people gotten their drinks from? As if my magic, "Drink, madame?" said a voice from behind her and she turned, taking a glass from the tray the waiter offered her and smiling her thanks. She couldn't tell if the drink was alcoholic or not, but it was sweet and it was a drink and it was what she had after. At first she didn't notice the man who had begun a conversation with Ace, it was only when Koshmarik's growls caught her attention that she turned around, able to hear him audibly over the music and chatter in the room. Ace's eyes flickered to her own, showing how uncomfortable the situation made her. In all honesty, Anna thought the man had to be a little stupid to be to bold around the dog, whose stance and demeanour made it clear that he didn't want him there.

Anna was about to go over and intercept Ace when yet another party joined the conversation, another man, interrupting their exchange. At first, Anna thought that perhaps he was a friend of the one in the venetian mask, but he simply leaned in, "So what's going on over here?" . Obviously, he wasn't going to be any help and she didn't want Ace getting scared away from the party. She made her way over to them, lifting her dress slightly, out of the way of peoples clumsy footwork, and inserted herself into the conversation, stepping between Ace and the man who'd initially started talking to her.

"Ace, would you like to go and get some food? I've not eaten all day." She said, the british on her tongue emphasising her last words. The british manners in her also made her turn and greet the two boys. Oh, hello. If you'll excuse us, I have to steal away my roommate. We're positively starved."

Disa Nygren
CTS Enterance > Girls Dormitory > Grand Hall

College had never been a main objective in Disa mind. While she enjoyed learning, she loved her freedom more, and wanted to do nothing but embrace it after graduation with her best friend, Gwendolyn Finch. As childhood friends, they considered each other sisters, and when she disappeared, a part of Disa went missing as well. The beautiful brunette she had considered her best friend had ended up on that god-forsaken channel because of own meddling, and guilt had swallowed the blonde whole. Feeling responsible for her friends disappearance, she had spent most of the past month mourning, and beating herself up, and when she wasn’t locked in her room doing said things, she was obsessing over the disappearances and staying out late in the city desperate trying to ‘find’ her friend. Her health mentally and physically began to take a tole during this time, and while Disa had refused to admit it, guilt was eating her from the inside killing her slowly. If it hadn’t been for the acceptance letter, and her parents almost begging her to go to CTS, the blonde knew she wouldn’t have been here. She had her suspicions that they were responsible for her application, and Disa knew that sitting around at home wasn't going to change anything, but there was still something eating her up about the whole situation. It made her skin crawl, and her gut to twist with anxiety. College was definitely going to be a new, more challenging chapter in her life, but Disa had never been this anxious about anything, and that’s what was really worrying her.

At her arrival to Euthenia, and the massive campus of CTS, the girl found herself captivated by the grounds. While the swamplands before the campus reminded her of home, CTS was unlike anything she could imagine. The lush carpet of grass was filled with different types of flowers and plants while a cobblestone path winded through the dirt splitting off in two paths, one leading straight ahead to the large stair case of the main building while the others veered off to the right towards the Dorms. With a duffle bag slung over her shoulder, and large dark green suitcase in tow, her gaze fell over the crumbling authentic building one last time before making her way to the Ivory dorm rooms.

“Wow…” Slack jawed, and lacking any words to describe her reaction, the blonde was blown away by the appearance of her dorm once she arrived. High ceilings, pure white walls, and a fully furnished living room surrounded her now. Running a hand over the smooth fabric of the antique looking arm chair, she eagerly stepped up to one of the two doors within the shared dorm before carefully turning the knob and peaking in to see if it had already been claimed. Upon sight, Amber orbs widened as she took in the large personal room, which to her fortune was unclaimed. Like the living quarters behind her, the bedroom was fully furnished and ready to be used while the walls were a pure white with gold framing surrounding the edge of the room. “This place is incredible.” Speaking to herself in a awe-inspired tone, she closed the door behind her before throwing the duffle bag along the soft cushions of her bed, and laying her suitcase along the floor so she could begin unpacking her things.

Situating her items from home around the room to make her new arrangements more comfortable, a small picture frame of her family was sat along the large dresser next to the window. Returning to her bedside a thick black binder was pulled out from one of the many pockets of her suitcase, and thrown onto the bed. Taking out each picture, Disa began to hang them on the walls with tacks, a small smile growing as each photo was added to the plain white wall. The bright white paint on the walls beside her bed and beneath her mirrors were covered now. Photo’s of her friends and family stared back at her, while serene and photogenic pictures of Neo-Louisiana were mixed in with familiar faces. It was only when she studied the pictures that her smile faltered, and her content mood dropped. While she hadn’t noticed it when she had set them up, most of the photo’s were of her and Gwen. Her smiling face stared back at the blonde as if nothing had ever happened, and as Disa stared back at her missing friend, guilt began to swarm her thoughts, and chest. Swallowing hard, as her mouth ran dry and a knot slowly began to form in her throat she quickly turned her head away, refusing to take the pictures down but also refusing to look at them. “I’m sorry, Gwen.” The quiet apology to her lost friend went unheard, and all the blonde could do was move on with her day.

After putting away her clothes and setting up the rest of her items, Disa was just about to tuck her suitcase and duffle bag under her bed but came to a pause when she noticed a white envelope sitting along the nightstand beside her bed. Raising an eyebrow she stared curiously down at the envelope, not noticing it before slender fingers wrapped around the thin paper, before tentatively opening it and bringing out the letter inside. Skimming over the words golden eyes slowly began to widen as she realized what the letter was entailing, and to her misfortunate, that it was going to begin within the hour.

“Oh no.” Checking the time, and cursing under her breath she threw the letter along the bed and hurried into the closet where her dress, and mask were waiting. Quickly opening the door, Disa found herself frozen once again, stunned by what was hanging before.“Good lord..” A long, white gown was before her, almost stuffed in the wardrobe as it struggled to contain the long, thick material. “Am I supposed to be getting married?” Grasping the bottom of dress carefully in her hand she draped it out of the closet, letting the long white fabric splay out as she got a better look at it. The color just about matched the walls of the dorm room, and the scratchy lace material underneath made the blonde repulsed. Dropping it from her fingers and letting the fabric fall back into place along the hanger, she checked the tag on the inside of the dress and scowled harshly, “Great, it’s my size too.” Letting out an exasperated sigh, amber eyes immediately locked onto an intricately designed mask sitting on one of the shelves in the wardrobe. “Beautiful.” She said in a breath taken tone. The heavy gold paint on it shined brilliantly as she lifted it in her hands and stared hard at the mask, tracing the thin vibrant wings that were attached to its side.

Taking the mask but leaving the dress, she closed the wardrobe and walked casually over to her dresser as she kept the time in mind. Leaning down and opening the bottom drawer, Disa pulled out a pleated, white and tan lace dress. While it wasn’t completely formal, it was much better the puffy monstrosity in her wardrobe. Quickly changing out of her clothes, and into the dress, she grabbed a pair of brown mid-calf leather boots from beneath her bed and hoping on one foot, she pulled on her shoes one at a time. Standing before the mirror along her wall, a small grunt rumbled from her chest as she looked over her plain features. While she had never been one to worry about appearances, it was clear first impression meant something at the upscale academy, so rather then heading out with no makeup she picked up the eye-liner pen lazily and fixed up her appearance. Only covering her eyelids with a thin line of black makeup, she capped the pen and threw it on the dresser. Running lithe fingers through platinum lock, she splayed her wavy locks along her shoulders as she left her hair down. Staring at herself in the mirror, she spoke up in a content tone as the edges of her lips curved, “There, now that looks better.”

Twirling a bit and flaring out her pleated dress, a smile returned to Disa’s face as she looked over herself. It had been a long time since she had done anything fun, and now that she was surrounded by so many new people anticipation began to swell within her. Taking the opportunity to grab her camera to snap pictures of CTS and add them to her collection, Disa hooked the bag over neck, letting it lean against her chest as she grabbed the mask from her bedside. With no help to put it on, she stood in the same spot awkwardly still with her head turned up to keep the mask from falling off her face. Pulling shimmering red ribbons attached to the mask behind her head, she tied it in a firm knot before relaxing. Fixing it onto her face properly, so it sat comfortably on her nose and against her cheeks, amber orbs stared back at her as she stared at herself in the mirror once more before leaving the dorm.

Locking the door behind her and placing the key in her camera bag, muffled chatter from the levels bellow caught her attention. Leaning over the iron railing she caught sight of students leaving their rooms, dressed in elegant garbs, and masks like her own. Grinning with excitement, and anticipation for the ball she pulled out her camera from the bag and turned it on. With a small beep, and flash on the screen signaling it’s activation, Disa raised the camera to her eye as she stood still and snapped pictures of the students below. Like a fly she eagerly buzzed around both dorm buildings, and the walkway to the main building. Snapping pictures of beautifully dressed students, and the scenery around campus the blonde eventually found herself following the crowd to the Grand Hall.

The ballroom was like the rest of the school, elegant, breath taking, and towering. The lush decorations that covered the Grand Hall caused her jaw to drop once again as she stared around in awe before quickly snapping pictures of the room around her. Her odd hobby, and more casual clothing quickly caught the attention of others but as Disa lost herself in her pictures she brushed off all the looks she received and continued to wander about. The crowd was growing with time as Disa walked amongst the finely dressed. While she didn’t entirely stand out thanks to her semi-formal attire, she couldn’t help but feel that she didn’t belong amongst the other students for the formal event. Underdressed, bored, and more interested in the beautiful campus that she still and yet to fully explore outside, the petite girl began to eye the doorway. Passing by a few of the older students, she caught their snooty looks and rather then letting their better-then-thou attitude get the best of her, she shot back an equally harsh glare as she walked by. Feeling unwelcome, an irritated twitch came to her upper lip as she returned her gaze back at the exit. ‘Ugh, I have to get out of here..’

Carefully moving through the crowd with an 'Excuse me' here and there as she passed other students, she curved past a small group and walked alongside the empty buffet tables. Unfortunately her path was blocked off as a crowd of students stepped in front of her. Cursing under her breath and trying to find a way another way around the group she watched as a tall, masked student suddenly bumped into a red haired girl, sending her to the floor. Stepping back quickly to avoid getting pulled down with the girl, her shoe dug into the foot of someone behind her as she stepped back. “Ah!—“ Gasping out loud, she moved to the side with haste as wide amber eyes focused on the student she had just stepped on, “I am so sorry! I didn’t see you behind me, and-“ Licking her lips nervously she stopped her rambling and spoke in a more even tone, “Are you.. I-I mean is your foot alright?” The hall began to grow packed now, as Disa found herself trapped next to the tall blonde. Throat growing dry, and her cheeks burning hot from the awkward tension a small sheepish laugh escaped from her lips as she turned her gaze to the crowd. Rubbing the back of her head as she struggled to say something else the girl mentally kicked herself for acting so odd. It wasn’t like her to act like this, but being in a new surrounding with new people, Disa couldn’t help but grow nervous, especially since she stepped on the boys foot. Clearing her throat and making eye contact with the unfamiliar blond male, she held out her hand to the other as she finally introduced herself. “The name’s Disa,” She said with a smile as her cheeks and ears burned red with embarrassment once again, “Sorry for stepping on your foot."

As if the world had not already started collapsing within the confinement of his own mind, he then had his foot stepped on in the midst of the inward chaos.

Al retracted his foot, his toes curling within his shoe as soon as the woman's heel left a mark. He grunted but just managed to compose himself, despite the chills running miles up and down his spine. Was the woman related to the prison? Did they send her here to finish off what they started? Is he going to die tonight? Alphonse couldn't help but let his thoughts run wild as the woman quickly regained her composure as well. After being cut off from the outside world for his entire childhood and imprisoned for months, one would expect him to be quite the hard shell to crack. However, he was exactly the opposite. Socialization was never really Al's forte, that was a given. On the other hand, as of now, he was definitely unsure of how to respond to the painful gesture. His mind was in complicated knots as his fingers twitched, watching the woman as she explained herself.

The explanation proved to be in vain, however, as her words came in to one ear and flew out the next.

Did I--

already make an enemy?

---

"The name's Disa," she began, "Sorry for stepping on your foot." That was strange. Normally an adversary of his wouldn't feel the need to apologize. Maybe she was keeping up a facade to try and get on his good side? He wouldn't make that mistake.

He pondered for a moment about his reply, thinking carefully about the wording. Would he have to use an alias?

"I-I'm Alexander." he finally said, struggling to calm his rising blood pressure. The false name would have to do-- better safe than sorry. Al gave her a once-over, taking in the details. If she was an assassin, she was a damn beautiful one. They do pick them well, hiring the most convincing actors and having them carry out their roles until it was time for them to put their target to sleep. He tilted his head as soon as he noticed the colour beginning to manifest on her cheeks, making it quite obvious she was as anxious as he was. This definitely made it easier for him to adjust. After all, if she was trying, he might as well--

right?

Oh, god. Just let it go, they'd never find you here. No one would've been allowed into the academy without an invitation, so there you go, Alphonse.

---

"It's okay, shit happens-" he inwardly cursed himself for his poor wording at such an elegant event. He hesitantly stuck out his hand and grinned slightly, "anyway, nice to meet you Disa. Once the ball begins, would you like to have the first dance? Maybe then you could find more excuses to step on my foot as much as you please." he let out a light chuckle.

It wouldn't hurt to make friends.

He prayed.

Grand Hall

Arthur looked around at the ball. It seemed to be as if he was the only one who got the short stick in the dressing department. Everyone else looked lovely and well dressed, while he was just bleh. He prepared to walk over to the guy who looked extremely nervous, but as soon as the girl approached the man, he slinked away, not wanting to bother them. In another part of the room there seemed to be a man causing trouble and causing a ruckus. Figured. If there was a party, there was bound to be annoying trouble makers. there was another person in another part of the room. She had a dog with her. interesting. He was going to walk over, but watched as she was swamped by two guys, and rescued by another girl. "Pfff. Oh well. You win some you lose some. Seems like I lost this time. I'm just gonna go nap this party away."He muttered. It seemed as if there was no one to talk to. Head hung, Arthur walked over to a table and kicked up a chair, placing his head on the table and preparing to nap while waiting for the festivities to begin. "Let's just wait this out." He said.

CTS Entrance
«Here we are.» she whispered as she entered the beautifully built College. She had received the letter quite some time ago yet the question she was most eager to ask whoever was in charge wasn't why her but how did they manage to find her and whether they were aware of her past. Her life had been... eventful at least so far and for that reason she had learned how to blend in and how to be discreet while avoiding all kinds of authorities. In fact, Doc had made sure that all files concerning her had been deleted when he took her away.

She took a deep breath before heading upstairs in search of Ivory, the dorm she had been assigned to. No thoughts, no feelings, nothing to distract her. She felt exhausted but she wouldn't let herself get in the way of perhaps having a normal college experience. Nellia wasn't sure how long she would be able to keep up that why-so-serious facade but then again she wasn't sure that the stairs she was about to follow knew how to get her where she was going.

Ivory Dorm
After a small adventure throughout most of CTS, Nellia finally found Ivory, her dorm and the place which she would call home for the foreseeable future. Full of hope and with her mind already making happy-end scenarios she went ahead to open the heavy-looking door.

«Aaaaand it's locked.»

I could pick the lock. It doesn't seem like a door capable of giving me trouble. I would prefer transforming into a hundred and eleven perfect, little, multicolored ants and simply pass under it, through the tiniest of spaces but I guess it's not possible otherwise everyone would do it. she thought as she kneeled in front of the lock which she opened within a few moments.

«Hmm... Someone has been here.» With her interest piqued she checked every door of the dorm only to find one locked too and two leading to unclaimed rooms from which she picked the less fancy one. She could say that she hated how bright everything was, how posh the whole dorm looked yet her girlish side felt like a princess. All that was missing was a tiara.

«Hello my room!» she yelled as she entered her place, a room with a bed and all kinds of luxuries. Beds weren't something she had enjoyed a lot over the last few years and a luxurious life wasn't in her priorities yet she didn't mind it at all. She threw her suitcase on the bed and started touching and examining everything around her, from the little decorative porcelain horses to the curtains which were made of something so smooth that she felt it slipping through her fingers.

«A dress? And a mask?»
When she opened the wardrobe, she had no expectations to find clothes there.

«I can understand the beautiful mask but why the dress?...»

And then she saw it, the envelope on her new nightstand.

«Umm. Right. A Masquerade Ball. I could attend... Or I could resume counting the stars...»

She put on her dress and then admired herself in front of the mirror. She knew that her physique along with her facial structure were aesthetically pleasing yet what made her stand out from the millions of beautiful people was her eyes. A deep blue one and a bright green one which at the moment stood out even more with the mask.

«I look ravishing. Ravishing is a nice word. So's viridian but I don't look viridian, that would be silly.»

With no other words she left, heading towards the Grand Hall where the ball was taking place.

Grand Hall
She didn't have any trouble finding it, afterall lots of students were heading this way, dressed as if their futures depended on it.

She entered the mostly empty of objects and somewhat filled with souls Hall quietly. The amount of others was fueling her anxiety which in turn threatened to take over. She felt her self-control disappear when thousands of thoughts flooded her at once. She couldn't plan ahead. With so many possible conversations, variables and outcomes, Nellia couldn't predict what the best move for her was.

---

«Nellia listen to me.»
«Doc it hurts! It hurts so badly, i-if you just give me a moment to set some of them free!»

A sixteen year old girl threatening to cut her head open in order to let some of her maddening thoughts out was something Doc had been trained for, even if that girl was someone like Nellia O'Dell.

«Just listen to me for a moment dear. I want you to imagine boxes. As many boxes as you want with a number on each one.»
«...Yes?»
«Now I want you to put each thought into a box. The ones you-»
«I understand. Prioritizing my thoughts. Hmm. Who would have thought it. Thanks Doc, I guess I owe you one, cutting open my head could have been... troubling.»

---

The memories flooded her unexpectedly as if someone or something gave her just what she needed, a watchful and uknown protector. Or simple self-preservation. Within moments she was back under control, each thought in order.

She walked towards the tables with the refreshments and grabbed something to drink. And then she simply stood. Idle and quiet, watching everyone have fun and mingle. She wouldn't approach anyone in order not to make a choice which could shape her future. She'd leave it to luck, whoever approached her would go to her according to his or her want to do so and not because the wheels of her fate demanded such a thing.

Or, a far less complex scenario, she considered approaching anyone and introduce herself, a normal social behaviour, a far too stressful and scary thing to do. She let out a whisper, barely audible yet strong enough to reach her ears despite the noise.

«Beginnings are scary.»

Unknown Male
Grand Hall
Jade hues lit up instantly after hearing the thick accent of Neo Russian. However, arms tightly folded in disappointment as he did not expect to be greeted so harshly, especially when low growls of an angry mutt were directed at him for no reason. “Not so trusting? Well, we seem to have that in common.” A light sneer was given at the creature who so very badly wished to rip his face off. By this time a gentleman donning red had found his way to aid the not so helpless dragon tamer. This greatly irked the man in green and he could not help but scoff in distaste before managing an un-pleased grin.

“Now now, there’s no need for an ambush. I am not so daft as to overlook a hint. The lady made it perfectly clear that I am not welcomed here.” Although smiling he threw the most threatening of glances at the male who had interrupted them.

“Excuse me for being blunt but it is not wise to approach me that way, freshmen." A subtle warning through semi gritted teeth was given as he viciously stared down the gent.

A polite voice from another newcomer delayed any further words but the unknown upperclassmen in tousled brunette tresses was either so wrapped up in making a point that he refused to falter, or simply did not hear her. His athletic form remaining stark. This situation was made all too apparent that something awful was going to transpire within seconds. This is precisely when one last person decided to stop the ruckus. Out of the blue the admissions student in black lace appeared behind the impervious hellion.

---

Lumen Vale & Unknown Male
Grand Hall
“I think that will be enough from you tonight.” Lumen tactfully interrupted and swiftly tapped the drunkard on the shoulder before the man could inflict one of his abilities on Jason. Through a special means she knew exactly what this disguised mans intentions were at that moment, and it was not good in the least. He knew exactly who had come to intervene and cast a suspicious glance across the room as if waiting for a command from someone. His lean body visibly relaxing as if following an order not to continue. Turning to face the sightless second in command he cocked his head to the side and smugly half smiled.

“Lucky for you, it seems as if I am needed elsewhere. Goodbye Miss Vale.” His attention then turned back to the woman holding a steady lease. “Please, forgive my drunken behavior as it will not happen again. Ya ne imel v vidu nichego plokhogo.” He said genuinely to the fiery haired woman and then politely bowed while wearing a crooked grin. His emerald form strolled out assuredly almost as if the intoxication had been an act all this time. Lumen continued to watch the mistrustful man make his leave with cautious eyes before speaking to the group. She knew that would not be the last time running into him.

“I apologize. There are many upperclassmen who continue to crash this gathering in hopes of evading capture. This happens every year and their manners continue to dwindle.” She tried to reassure though her tone remained quite stern.

“My name is Lumen Vale. I am the one who placed a letter on your nightstands. If there is anything you need do not hesitate to ask.”

Clearly, socializing with students did not seem a particular skill of the formal woman who knew this fact all too well. She tried to make light conversation even though her attempt may seem forced.

“Excluding the mishap I do hope you are all enjoying your time here so far…Dinner will be served shortly.” The ornately dressed Junior remained calm but seemed extremely tense. Granite tinged eyes managed to scan over the scenery every so often as if looking for someone in particular, although the nuisance had already left.

---

Scarlet Wraith
Grand Hall
Scarlet managed to find a place to lay low for a while in the form of a table where a poor lad seemed to be indisposed. After being stared down from Lumen she figured heading for the exit would bring about too much attention. There were many tables outlining the golden walls but the one closet to her held a fellow resting his head in defeat it seemed. She took it upon herself to ask permission in a sense before just plopping down beside him. Hopefully not startling his nap or whatever it was he was doing, she cleared her throat and began speaking.

“Excuse me Sir. Hope that it’s alright that I sit here for a bit.” Gingerly a voice questioned while pulling a chair out to sit down. The angelic woman sighed as if depressed and placed both hands on her lap gracefully.

“Do you ever feel like you don’t belong?” She could be heard speaking almost to herself but quickly shook her head and smiled warmly.

“Sorry, never mind. That’s a silly question huh? I am sure you have numerous friends.”

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Faust
Outside Male Dorms
The mischievous man chuckled to himself while blithely descending down steps to a grimly illuminated outside realm. Frowning a bit after finding his flask to be empty, he carelessly chucked the container to the side while heading to the Tordred Maze. Happening upon a man with a ruby tie, Faust could not help but intrude. Deciding to change direction a bit he inched closer to the man while extending a hand with a pack of cigarettes. There were many names one could call the devilish pupil but selfish was not one of them. His wrist waved slightly letting the stranger know he was offering up one.

“Hey, you look like you’re getting ready to head to the masquerade.” Regardless if the drifter took one or not Faust placed one cigarette into his own mouth, and ignited the end with an engraved lighter. Amass of white smoke swirled into the chilly atmosphere as he exhaled and flipped the lighter closed, placing the item back into his pocket along with his hand.

“Sure, being surrounded my anonymity can be lucrative…if that’s your type of thing. I much prefer what happens outside while everyone is busy inside.” He walked to the student and took off his mask placing the piece in his back pocket. Chiseled face looking to be about twenty-ish but certainly no younger than that.

“Name’s Faust and this season is the best time to head into the maze. Friends and I go in there all the time to hang out. Smoking and alcohol is prohibited on school ground but Lumen won’t set foot in here. So no one will know. Up to you though.” He shrugged lean shoulders while taking another puff.

“You don’t look the type to enjoy foolish dances anyway.” He snickered before gradually heading in the direction of a fog covered forest, peering back to see if the newcomer would follow.