[center][h1][color=005CB8]Tybert Palug[/color] & [color=9fbfbc]Trixie Connary [/color][/h1][/center]

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Trixie pushed the door open and quickly entered the room, Excited to see her new ‘home’. So excited in fact, she had left all six of her bags out in the hall, half of them blocking the entrance. She had a bright smile on her face as she looked around the room. This was WAY bigger than her room back home. She giggled as she saw the big comfy couch and ran towards it. Doing a rather smooth jump/roll over the back of the couch and onto cushions. Well It would have been smooth if it weren't for the fact she did it too quickly and simply bounced off it and onto the floor with a thud. A soft [color=9fbfbc]“Owwwwiiieee…”[/color] could be heard from behind the couch. 

Slowly getting up she rubbed her forehead and peaked over the back of the couch towards Tybert. [color=9fbfbc]“I meant to do that…”[/color] she said sheepishly. 

Following close behind and having to drag the blockade of bags into the room, Tybert gave her the kind of blank stare that was typical of felines. [color=005CB8]"Y'know, I could teach you how to pull off a roll,"[/color] he said - completely overlooking the fact that he'd once accidentally rolled into a wall in front of her, then claimed he was "just testing his toughness". Not that it had stopped her laughing. [color=005CB8]"You ok though?"[/color]

Trixie’s eyes narrowed as she huffed.[color=9fbfbc] “I KNOW HOW TO ROLL. I'm not an idiot…”[/color] She said looking at the couch and mumbled.[color=9fbfbc] “Stupid couch…” [/color]before pulling herself off the ground. Looking at Tybert.[color=9fbfbc]“I'm fine…thanks.” [/color]She said softly with a small redness in cheeks. 

[color=FFC0CB]"Welcome,Tybert Palug and Trixie Connary."[/color] Athena spoke up. [color=FFC0CB]"This will be your dorm room for the foreseeable future. There is a bathroom in the door to your right that both of you may share if you do not wish to use the public baths. While sleeping in the dorm room is not strictly required, sleeping in any non sanctioned area of the school is forbidden and may result in disciplinary action."[/color]

At the sound of another voice, Tybert whirled around, finding himself face to face with yet ANOTHER talking crystal. His tail fluffed up so much it almost resembled Trixie's, and a low growl escaped his throat. First the huge crystal in the main hall, then all the floating glowing ones outside, now this? What even was she? Was a teacher spying on students through an enchanted gem, to keep them in check? He'd known mages would attend the school, but he hadn't been prepared for the place to be brimming with magic. Such a heavy dependency on such an unpredictable, dangerous force - it was bound to go awry.

Trixie perked up. [color=9fbfbc]“Oh COOL… Another one of those crystals here?!”[/color] She went over and got a closer look at it. Her head cocking in different directions as she switched angles and tried to see if she could figure out how it works.She got real close to her face and almost sniffed it, but she remembered tybert was there. So she hesitated a moment and took a normal breath before she reached out to grab it and fiddle with it. She hesitated when it spoke up again. 

[color=FFC0CB]“Attempting to move or tamper with Hoseforn Academy property may result in disciplinary action.” [/color]

[color=9fbfbc]“I’m not tampering with you, just looking…”[/color] she said as she grabbed it and turned it around in her hands looking for any hidden runes, Surprised at the resistance it had when she pulled it close. It certainly felt heavy, she didn’t see any runes on it…. She looked down, no runes on the floor… Maybe they were intentionally made smaller, she would have to use her scope to see.

[color=FFC0CB]"And Mr Palug, if you are stressed, a low dose of a sleeping potion could help,"[/color] the miniature Athena told Tybert as an ever-curious Trixie turned her over. [color=FFC0CB]"I recommend enquiring about such at the medical quarters."[/color]

Tybert's ears pressed flat against his head. [color=005CB8]"Don't give Trixie any ideas."[/color]

[color=9fbfbc]“I wouldn’t go to that boring place if my life depended on it.”[/color] She said, not looking away from Athena. [color=9fbfbc]“They only have the boring poti-”[/color] Trixie suddenly yipped and jumped back as she felt a tiny shock in her hands. Dropping Athena as she did. However instead of falling, it just floated back to its original position. She rubbed her fingers together, it didn’t hurt. Just scared her. She turned away from Tybert as she realized she yipped in front of him. Despite having a tail and ears (That she did not currently have right now due to traveling. It was just too much of a risk.). Tybert still believed she was a simple human who liked it. Not that she was really a kitsune.


Tybert started as Trixie jumped back. Seeing she was alright brought relief, but... Had she just yipped? While not in part fox form? His eyebrows furrowed. While it was normal for people with animal features, such as himself, to have some mannerisms of said animal, Trixie was a human. He couldn't deny the fluffy ears and tail she liked to give herself were cute - not that he'd admit it out loud - but was the magic starting to have some kind of lingering effect on her?

[color=005CB8]”Ok, that's a new side effect,"[/color] he muttered. Before Trixie could reply with her inevitable sass, that stern voice piped up from the crystal.

[color=FFC0CB]“That was only a warning. More attempts to tamper with Hoseforn academy property will increase the strength of said warning.”[/color] 

Trixie grabbed the pillow on the couch and threw it as hard as she could at Athena.. [color=9fbfbc]“Stupid Crystal…”[/color] She mumbled. The pillow had no effect as it just bounced off it. Glancing at Tybert for a split second before walking over and grabbing her bags.[color=9fbfbc] “I just wanted to look at it…”[/color] She said softly. Then carrying it to her bed next to the balcony she yelled [color=9fbfbc]“I THOUGHT THIS WAS A PLACE OF LEARNING!”[/color] She huffed. As if she won the argument.


[color=FFC0CB]“As this is an institution of learning, it may be best to view this interaction as a learning experience. The lesson being; do not move, tamper with or unceremoniously manhandle Hoseforn Academy property.”[/color]

Trixie looked back at Athena and blinked… did a crystal just… give her sass? She looked back to her bag as she began to unpack it. Pausing for a moment as she was more intrigued now. But she started to unpack her first of ten bags.

With a long-suffering sigh, Tybert rolled his eyes. [color=005CB8]"Let's just ask her. Athena, who are you?"[/color] He kept his distance as he spoke, as if the spelled crystal were some kind of threat. [color=005CB8]"And why are you in here?"[/color]

[color=FFC0CB]"I am a device to offer assistance,"[/color] Athena replied, pulsing with an eerie light, [color=FFC0CB]"and to answer any questions students may have."[/color]

[i]Oh.[/i] Realisation sank in. If Athena was some kind of magical construct, created purely to serve others... That was uncomfortably similar to the origin of his own people. Now he regretted growling at her. [color=005CB8]"Uh, you don't have to if you'd rather not,"[/color] he replied, his tone suddenly softer. [color=005CB8]"As you saw just now, Trixie here likes figuring things out on her own. Please excuse her behaviour."[/color] He slunk to his side of the room, muttering under his breath. [color=005CB8]"Only question I have is what on Ealinata is WRONG with some of these mages."[/color]

He hadn't meant for Athena to hear him, or to reply, but he reddened with embarrassment as she did. [color=FFC0CB]"I can assure you, the mages here are reputable, and much can be learned from them. As for offering assistance, I do not mind doing so."[/color]

[i]Yeeeeeah, no,[/i] he thought. He'd sooner face a pack of direwolves than learn from the high-ranking, undoubtedly power-hungry mages of Hoseforn's. And despite Athena's reassurances, the whole situation still left a sour taste in his mouth - he'd heard horror stories of enchantments cast upon the original grimalkin servants, keeping them obedient. Was Athena, who'd called herself property and a device, under similar compulsions? Did people just casually accept that here?

[color=005CB8]"Personally, I only need to learn good old-fashioned combat skills."[/color] He glanced around, noting that someone had set up a training dummy and a wooden practice sword. He shrugged off his backpack, heading to the end of the room and placing it next to the dummy. As the leather brushed against it, it jolted into action, leaning aside and raising a jointed stick arm as if to block.

With a hiss, Tybert leapt backwards onto the bed. His gaze snapped to the runes carved onto the base of the dummy. [color=005CB8]"Ugh, is freaking EVERYTHING here magic?!"[/color]

Trixie let out a huff when Tybert mentioned to just ask her.[color=9fbfbc] [i]Like it would explain how it’s created. [/i][/color] she thought to herself. Though she would probably use it later to see how helpful it was….and find ways to look at it again without being shocked…maybe a lighting warding rune? Perhaps a potion? Did she have the right herbs for that? Might be good to double up. 

She heard Tybert saying he just needed to learn some combat skills, to which she rolled her eyes. Mocking him under her breath as she wobbled her head back and forth and said what he just did but to herself as she continued to pull items out with a chuckle. She got annoyed at the fact he hated magic so much. Despite clearly showing him many times it can be helpful. 

 She suddenly heard a commotion and hissing. She looked around as he yelled angrily. After seeing what happened she busting out laughing. Falling back onto her bed. [color=9fbfbc]“Ooooo The big bad soldier! Scared of a simple training dummy!”[/color] She laughed a little more, wiping tears from her eyes as she got up and hopped over to his side of the room to come look at the dummy which was frozen in its block that never came. After a quick inspection of the runes she was satisfied with her curiosity of it.


Tybert hopped down from the bed, scowling and folding his arms as his face reddened. [color=005CB8]"I wasn't scared! I was just... surprised! And careful there."[/color] He moved closer, wary eyes on Trixie, who examined the runes. [color=005CB8]"Don't touch it, those movements are pretty sudden."[/color]

She looked up to him and grinned.[color=9fbfbc] “I guess you do need to learn ‘some combat skills’ huh?”[/color] She said with a smug grin. She said as her shoulder brushed against the dummy and it brought it’s elbow on top of her head, booping her and causing her to pull back and rub the top of her head. [color=9fbfbc]“Yeowch!”[/color] But she kept on laughing at her previous joke.

[color=005CB8]“Ah!”[/color] Tybert’s eyes widened. Just as he’d suspected, the dummy was built to attack as well as block, and Trixie had found out the hard way. [color=005CB8]“You alright?”[/color] Her laughter indicated she was. A relief, but her constant teasing annoyed him no end. 

Trixie groaned as it started to hurt more as she rubbed it a little more furiously but she still was giggling. Half from her joke and half from ‘surprised’ explanation. She peaked one eye open and nodded to his question.[color=9fbfbc] “Hnnng…I’m fine.”[/color] She said as she moved to one of her bags that he dragged in and started to rummage through them.

[color=005CB8]“And I’m telling you, I already have plenty of combat skills, just got to hone them to perfection.”[/color] Confident as he sounded, he couldn’t help wondering about the training process. If all the training equipment was like this, his education at Hoseforn’s would be even more grueling than he’d imagined. Still, he’d prove he could best any opposition, even if magic was on their side.

But she didn’t ignore him, she listened to him while she looked for the item she wanted.[color=9fbfbc] “Yes, you have the jumping and rolling down…wait…no, never mind…You have jumping and yowling down. pat.”[/color] She said looking back at him with a teasing grin. Remembering the comment for teaching her how to roll and remembering the time he rolled into a wall himself.

[color=005CB8]"I'll have you know, jumping is a valuable skill."[/color] Tybert responded to Trixie's grin with a frown. [color=005CB8]"And I can roll just fine."[/color] He knew exactly which incident Trixie was referring to, but that had been a while ago and she still wouldn't let him live it down.

She found the tiny vial with a dull red liquid in it. Without hesitation, she popped it open and drank it without hesitation. That bump on her head was going to give her a good headache for sure. She wanted to make sure she got a jump on it and just took a medium strength pain reliever made from cloves and capsaicin mostly. The only annoying side effect of this one, which the latter ingredient caused was a spicy/burning sensation. Like she just ate a pepper. She took a few deep breaths and stood back up. 

She looked to her heaviest bag with the books. and back at him with big eyes.[color=9fbfbc] “Could you…um… Please?”[/color] she said cutely as she pointed to her slightly larger desk/lab table. [color=9fbfbc]“I still don't have enough mana…”[/color] She added as she pulled pathetically on the strap. She had used all her mana up during the trip with the bags floating so she didn’t have to carry them. Or tybert for that matter.  Made the trip great. However upon reaching Hoseforn she used up all the magic in her stones and her natural pool. Which meant they had to carry them to Athena and then to their room. Tybert only agreed to take four of the bags… making her take six. Stingy, as he was much stronger than her, but she couldn’t refuse. She did manage him to take the heaviest ones though.

Letting out another sigh, Tybert approached the bag and crouched. That face worked on him every time, and Trixie knew it. [color=005CB8]“I still say it would’ve been easier to hire a cart.”[/color] It would have been more expensive, but better than relying on magic - of course, now Trixie had gone and exhausted herself. [color=005CB8]“But alright, you know me all too well.”[/color]

He set to work loading the many, many alchemical books onto the desk, stacking them neatly even though there was no way the order would last. By tomorrow, they’d be in their usual haphazard pile, with potion ingredients strewn across them. [color=005CB8]“Just this one bag,”[/color] he said, even though he knew full well it wouldn’t be. All Trixie had to do was give him that look again.