Grace Clairmont's Story

Headmaster Tabtill stands up in fronts of the gathering growing crowd. Hoping things would stay peaceful between possible clashing races and he wouldn't have to intervene. Once the crowd had settled down and taken their seats the Headmaster stands and beings to speak "Welcome all of you to Avolair Acadamy!" taking a short breath "I wish to welcome all you personally to your new home. We are hoping to make sure you are ready for the ever changing world" looking over some of the scruffier students "As headmaster I ask that you do your best from fighting among each other. We are here to improve your lives and keep you safe. To do that report to your classes daily and other wise enjoy your selves in a safe way" Taking in another breath the Headmaster finishes "Your homeroom teachers will go over the school rules otherwise you are dismissed" The headmaster finished with little flair and began talking to different students.

Grace tried to listen to the Headmaster. It was, after all, her first day at the academy. However, her curiosity soon got the better of her as she allowed her bright blue eyes to search the room for cracks in the wall. Cracks meant a hidden doorway.

She had become a master at finding missing objects and differences. Not to mention noticing minuscule details. Spending time looking for places to hide will do that to you.

While it started as trying to hide her unusual vampirism, her love of exploring soon turned it into a hobby.

After noticing the other students leaving, she quickly rose and took off into the hallway. Eager to find an adventure.

Grace, now hiding in the shadows of the hallway, looked over the walls. So far, her search for spooky doorways and cobwebbed caves had yielded nothing. There were a few potentials, but they ended up as tears in the wallpaper. Disappointed, she headed back to the hall that was busy with students.

Despite devoting her attention to the walls and floor, she couldn't help but notice other students interacting. She longed for just a little of the attention. While she was often silent with groups, she liked to be included. However, she was not one to approach groups. Instead, she smiled at anyone who looked her way and tried to keep the adventuring to a minimum.

Iris Baron & Gerdy Townsend - -

“That’s alright, no need to apologize… Good day.” Iris smiled politely to the blonde male, grateful at least to have found a seemingly nice enough student regardless of the outcome.

Once back in control completely again, and realizing that the majority of the room was almost empty, Iris thought best to leave the room promptly after that moment, ensuring she still had her backpack with her, before exiting the area eventually some minutes later and proceed out into the hall.

“I still don’t really know where I’m going.” She sighed quietly to herself. There wasn’t exactly a particular place that Iris needed to be at, or wanted to visit, so her list of destinations was both limited yet endless at the same time.

Whilst in deep thought, again, Iris couldn’t help but notice a student lingering in the shadows and oddly looking over the walls and flooring. She definitely didn’t know who the student was, much like the previous student, and yet Iris once again felt compelled to enquire more about them for whatever reason she could think of.

“Hello there,” She spoke up at that moment, before greeting the girl. “May I ask… what it is you were doing out there in the hall?” Blinking, Iris gazed at the female curiously before innocently giggling, “I don’t mean to seem nosey, sorry. I was just wondering...”

Grace practically jumped for joy as she saw another student approach her. She smiled gratefully at the girl as she approached. The girl was muttering to herself, it seemed, but that succeeded in piquing Grace's interest.

As the newcomer got closer, Grace noticed that the girl was very similar to her. Their snowy white locks both seemed to glow in the dim light. Though the hall was too dark to tell the color of the girl's eyes, Grace liked to imagine they were blue like her own. Finding someone that looked so closely like her excited her. Never having a family of her own, it made her feel comfortable.

"Hello there," the girls spoke, “May I ask… what it is you are doing out here in the halls?” Blinking, Iris gazed at the female curiously. “I don’t mean to seem nosy, sorry.”

Grace laughed quietly, "It's not a problem. I'm just looking to get to know people, I guess." She shrugged her shoulders a little, "It's my first day. My name is Grace, what is yours?"

Iris Baron & Gerdy Townsend - -

Iris smiled warmly as the girl responded positively towards her advancement. So far, it seemed that the Headmaster truly meant what he had said earlier, and that this Academy was a place for safety and companionship amongst the different races.

The girl, Grace, did carry a striking resemblance to that of herself - something that Iris had noticed before and perhaps was an unknowing reason for her initial curiosity towards Grace. In a way it was a little amusing, as if peering into a mirror almost with only the minor odd detail differing the pair.

“It’s my first day as well, so it looks like we’re in the same boat,” She said with an optimistic grin in response, feeling almost a sense of relief in knowing she was not alone in that fact. “My name? My name is… Gerdy. Nice to meet you, Grace.”

It was reassuring for Iris to have met someone who seemed quite pleasant and friendly, and at last she had found someone who made her feel at ease even if she had only just met the girl - Grace seemed like a really nice person from what Iris had discovered, regardless of whatever race Grace was. However, though knowingly lying - to a certain extent - Iris know that revealing her true identity would be more complicated that it was worth, at least for the time being. For now, to everyone, she was Gerdy.

“Anyway, um, do you want to, perhaps, explore the Academy? I don’t know my way around and this place is so huge, I didn’t even think to find out if there was a map or anything for this place.” Iris suggested casually. “Plus, I don’t know about you, but if I knew this place a bit better then maybe the Academy would feel a little more like a home than a school…”

Grace happily accepted Gerdy's request. "I love exploring. It would be great to get to know you and this place a bit better."

Gerdy definitely seemed like someone Grace would get along with. She seemed to understand her quiet nature, and natural kindness between races is hard to come by these days. Though it didn't matter to Grace which race Gerdy was, she could only hope that Gerdy would feel the same way upon finding out what she was. Grace was often considered too human for the vampires, and too vampire for anyone else.

"I've walked through the halls for a bit, but I was looking to closely to actually see anything." Grace chuckled lightly with a slight blush on her cheeks. "Which way would you like to go?"

Honestly, she had never had someone to explore with before. For having just met, she was surprisingly excited for this new experience.

Iris Baron & Gerdy Townsend - -

“Great!” Iris clapped her hands together in an excited manner. “I’m so glad you agreed.”

With a pleasantly broad smile, Iris curiously looked around the pair when trying to decide which way they ought to go.

“Let’s go this a-way,” She said pointing down towards the end of the hall. “Once we’re out of here I’m sure there will be somewhere that will catch our eye, maybe an old staircase or something that’ll lead us to somewhere that no other student has found just yet.”

With a slight skip in her stride Iris took a few steps forward, twirling round on the spot momentarily as her snowy white hair swayed in rhythm with her sudden movements. Upon stopping shortly after, and facing Grace once again, she only just noticed the slight blush on the girls features and merely giggled in response.

“Funny, how do you look too closely at something and not see anything?” Iris pondered lightly, unable to suppress yet another bout of innocent laughter from escaping her lips. “You must take your exploring very seriously, huh? It’s nice to see someone who is passionate about something in this place.”

Facing away from Grace, she concluded, “Now, onward we go!”

Hurrying off, and occasionally glancing over her shoulder, Iris practically skipped the entire way out of the hall and made her way into the next area, awaiting for Grace to catch up whilst managing not to bump into any of the passing students.

Grace smiled as her companion clapped her hands. Nodding in agreement, she watched Gerdy take off. She had taken a few steps to follow her new friend and was quite surprised when the slightly shorter girl whirled back around. Witnessing the fluidity of the movements from head to toe, Grace couldn't help but muse that perhaps Gerdy should have been the one named Grace.

Grace, despite having the same pair of legs her entire life and having used them frequently, was anything but graceful. She was quite fast when she wanted to be, though. Her favorite teacher from her old school had called her "fleet, but not firm" in her footing. Her clumsiness wasn't as drastic as it could have benn. While it was hardly noticeable to anyone else, Grace knew. The "real" vampires made sure she knew.

Grace shook the thoughts from her head as quickly as they had come as her friend asked a question, "Funny, how do you look too closely at something and not see anything?" The girl's laughter was infectious, as she soon had Grace giggling as well. "You must take your exploring very seriously, huh? It’s nice to see someone who is passionate about something in this place."

Grace calmed herself before answering in a light tone, "Thank you, but really, if you look for something too closely, you'll miss everything else."

At first, Grace skipped along with Gerdy, but she soon began falling behind. Eventually, she traded to running and, none too soon, caught up to the now stopped girl in the next hall. "You'll forgive me, I haven't skipped in ages!"

Iris Baron & Gerdy Townsend - -

Iris waited before offering a smile at Grace when the girl caught up. “Sorry, sometimes I get carried away and forget to act my age and walk like a normal student ought to.”

With a gentle sigh, and without making too much fuss, Iris steadily regained her breath back after feeling slightly tired from her sudden sprint just then. By now she ought to have known better than to attempt to exceed her limits, if she really knew what her actual limits were. The whole reason for her attending the Academy was to do just that - discover her true capabilities with hopes of improving her life all-round in the future, if she even had a future beyond the walls of the Academy.

“Your actually not a bad skipper,” She assured Grace. “Say, I never did ask, but, what exactly are you? Sorry for my rudeness, I just realized that no matter how hard I think about it I can’t quite work out what species you are,” She chuckled slightly. “Whatever it is you are, though, you are a nice one at least and I am happy about that.”

After a moment or two passed Iris motioned for the other white haired girl to follow as she began walking again, although unsure of where exactly, she assumed that wherever the pair ended up would be an adventure at least.

"Oh come now, acting your age is no fun!" Grace exclaimed with a giggle. "Besides, is anyone here really normal?"

Her forehead wrinkled a little at the sight of her friend's sudden change. Grace didn't want to be overbearing and just decided to keep a closer eye on her for a bit. Healing others and nursing them to health was the only thing that paralleled exploring in her life at the moment. She offered her friend a reassuring smile.

"You're actually not a bad skipper," Grace couldn't help, but blush at Gerdy's comment. Though it isn't a serious compliment to most people, it made Grace happy to not hear cracks about her balance for a change. "Say, I never did ask, but, what exactly are you? Sorry for my rudeness, I just realized that no matter how hard I think about it I can’t quite work out what species you are. Whatever it is you are, though, you are a nice one at least and I am happy about that."

Though it is a question that Grace dreaded answering, it's bound to happen during her time at the school. She smiled kindly and let out a chuckle herself, "With my kind, it's hard to tell sometimes. I'm a vampire. I think you're rather nice as well. What are you?"

She followed Gerdy's motions and walked along with her.

Iris Baron & Gerdy Townsend - -

“Hm… I suppose no one is really normal around here.”

Iris keenly listened when Grace revealed she was a vampire. Despite seeing the girl with her own eyes, her newfound friend she had come to know only briefly, the fact that Grace was a vampire was still something that Iris found hard to believe, though not in a bad sense.

“Your a vampire? That’s just… mind-blowing.” Iris stated with a bemused stare.

Iris fell silent momentarily whilst thinking deeply over the matter, mainly just to familiarize herself with this fact and perhaps learn a thing or two from the vampire, if possible. After regaining herself, and with a reassuring smile towards her friend, Iris continued, “I haven’t met a vampire before, but I find it fascinating to know that I’m actually talking to a real vampire!”

However, when questioned about her own species Iris immediately fell silent, again, due to the uncertainty of what exactly her own answer should be on the matter. Of course, after another moment of thinking, she already knew that there was no easy way to put the truth to Grace.

“Well, I am…” She paused with slight hesitation. “… A zombie, simply. The walking dead, truly.”

Iris hoped that Grace would not freak out over her confession, not that she would blame her, and yet regardless she still deeply wished that Grace would just be oblivious to the whole ‘zombie’ fact.

After allowing a minute or two to pass between them, Iris spoke up, “Well, perhaps we ought to go and find our dorms? I could walk you to your dorm if you’d like, I’m sure mine will be nearby and it's way more fun to go together!”

Though Grace knew that Gerdy had meant nothing by it, she couldn't help but wince at the words "real vampire." There were a couple causes of the grimace. One, although Grace knew that her kind were "real" vampires, she wasn't treated like one. Two, despite thinking she counts, she can't help, but feel as though she's deceived Gerdy. Hearing the excitement in the girl's exclaiming voice only strengthened the feeling. The pang of guilt shot through her stomach like a bullet.

Thankfully for Grace, the subject was changed. She could see that this was also a sore subject for Gerdy as well. Grace could understand how she felt, but not why. Zombies were awesome! She heard they are the most laid back and accepting of all the races. When she had been younger and still fresh to the prejudice against her, she often wished to be a zombie instead, to be with people that would accept her.

Grace leaned forward in excitement, "A zombie! No way! If I could be any other race, I would be a zombie," after a short pause and some deep thought, she added, "or a cat."

In response to Gerdy's statement, Grace happily said, "Of course. I think I saw a sign in the main hall pointing... um" After a bit of diliberating, she added, "That way."

Iris Baron & Gerdy Townsend - -

Iris was almost caught off guard by her friends acceptance. She hadn’t expected such understanding, not so easily at least, and yet was grateful and relieved all the same to have met someone so welcoming and embracing as Grace was. Knowing this formed a reassured smile to her lips, and her eyes became nothing more than orbs of pure happiness within a few short passing moments.

“Oh Grace, I am so happy you are not put off by what I am!” Iris squealed literally as she quickly leapt forward and hugged her friend as tightly as she could managed. “You are truly a good friend, no matter how short of time I have only knew you for.”

Shortly after, and with a sigh of relief, Iris released the girl and sheepishly took a step back. A slight blush made it’s way across her pale face whilst doing so, but for that moment Iris didn’t really care as she was so thrilled for the time being that all of her initial awkwardness had completely vanished.

“As much as I do like cats I don’t know if I’d want to be one,” She muttered with amusement. “Although, maybe being a ghost wouldn’t be so bad…” Once remembering about the dorms Iris quickly calmed herself down, a little, before happily staring at Grace with a broad smile. “We better get going then, before the dorms get too crowded!”

With an almost mischievous giggle she tugged on Graces arm softly before beginning to skip ahead a little.

Though she struggled to keep balance, Grace readily returned Gerdy's embrace, feeling her reservations about the new school ebb away. "I'm so glad I've met you!" Grace beamed from ear to ear. "I've never been around someone that accepts me like you before."
As the contact ended, Grace met Gerdy's blush with a scarlet tinge of her own, "I don't understand how someone could be put off by you." Growing up in a vampire community, she was often looked down upon by her own kind. She couldn't imagine anyone disapproving of such a nice girl.

"Being a ghost would be fun, I guess. I don't really know much about them though." Grace shrugged as she struggled to call forward her meager knowledge of ghosts. She skipped after Gerdy to the best of her ability, eager to find her new living space.

Iris Baron & Gerdy Townsend - -

“Maybe you’ll meet a ghost while your at the Academy, you never know.” Though not initially wanting to give much of herself away so early on, Iris couldn’t help but grow more fondly over the thought of Grace meeting her truer self, should that moment ever occur during their time in the Academy.

It hadn’t took long until the girls had found the dormitories. By the time they had reached the dorms, Iris had gradually shifted from a light skip to a gentle walk, before digging around in her backpack and pulling out a piece of paper with various information written on it. Scanning over the words carefully she soon took note of her dorm-room number - 203 - along with her roommate, Mira Rose, who was still unfamiliar to Iris since the pair had not met yet. She figured that she would meet her roommate at their dorm and hopefully get along.

Slipping the paper back inside her backpack Iris then turned to face Grace, “Do you know what room your staying in? My room is 203. If anything, at least we’ll be close by to one another, sort of.”

It was a little saddening knowing that she would not be sharing a room with her new friend, however, at least through this it meant that Iris always had another place to go to if things got to much, and this way it made Iris that much more excited whenever she would leave her dorm knowing that she could visit Grace whenever it was possible.

“Even though we’re not sharing a room we can always see each other anyway,” She said in an upbeat tone of voice. “You know why? Because, friends stick together, through the worse and for the better! Never forget that.”

Grace smiled at the wonderful girl near her. She pondered on the prospect of meeting a ghost. Her ignorance on the race prompted a little fear. She heard they had some fearsome powers. Possession was scary business, but she couldn't help but be a little curious. Mentally chastising herself for being as judgmental as the other vampires were, she spoke in a confident voice, "I suppose, as long as they are nice, I don't care what they are."

As they approached the building and began to slow their pace, Grace pushed up her sleeve to reveal writing. She grinned sheepishly, "I'm always forgetting and losing papers. I swear I'd lose my head if it wasn't attached." Looking over the various notes and scribbles, she finally found her room assignment. Of course she had forgotten to write down her roommate's name, but her unspoken question was answered with Gerdy's announcement of her room number. With a sad sigh, she added, "I'm in room 103. I guess we aren't that far."

"Of course we'll see each other! You're stuck with me now." Grace put on a smile and tried to keep the room assignments from getting her down. Perhaps her roommate would also be kind, though they could never replace Gerdy as her first friend at the academy. Grace was a master at sneaking around, there could hang out whenever they wanted.

"Well, I guess I should go find my room then. Let's meet up later and tell me all about your roommate!" Grace waved at Gerdy as she took off down the hall.

Iris Baron & Gerdy Townsend - -

“And you are stuck with me as well.” Iris giggled as she relished in the bonding that was beginning to take shape between the pair just at that moment. “Of course. I should look for my room as well wherever it be, but I will meet you later and tell you all about it, and likewise!”

Returning the wave Iris took one last look towards Grace as the girl headed off down the hall, before turning round herself and beginning to make her own way through the halls in search of her own room. Some time passed before Iris had found herself on the correct hallway. Taking the piece of paper from earlier out once again she stared long and hard at it, rereading the information several times whilst passing the rooms that stood before hers, assumingly.

201... 202... 203! This must be my room, I hope. Tucking the paper into one of her pockets Iris took a deep breath before finding the courage to push open the dorm-room door. Stepping inside she poked her head cautiously round the door to see if anyone, mainly her roommate, were in.

“Hello?” She questioned, though received no answer. “I guess my roommate is not here yet.”

Closing the door securely Iris promptly got to work unpacking her belongings around her side of the room, making sure that all of her clothing was nearly put away, before attempting to decorate around her area of the dorm to make it feel more cozy and home-like. Of course, due to being a ghost such a task would have not been as much of a hassle as it was for others, though since she had used up a lot of her strength already Iris was unable to summon the strength to fully use her telekinesis. Instead she physically moved around her belongings until everything was just right.

Wow. Who knew I, or you, had so much stuff!

“It’s not stuff… it’s highly collectable stuff thank you!”

Well, be it whatever you say it is, just be grateful I agreed to bring it along with us!

As the siblings squabbled, if it could even be called that, the body that they shared just sat lifelessly on their bed the whole time. Their entire conversation privy to no one but themselves.

“Anyway, what should we do now?”

Wait for our roommate, I suppose. I just hope the girl is nice. I wanted to meet her before she went to sleep or anything, and start things on a good note.

“This is kind of weird don’t you think? Us, in one body. What do we do?”

We just need to be careful around her, for now. Everything worked out with Grace, remember.

Regaining control Iris yawned a little before slumping down against the bed, curiously awaiting the arrival of her mysterious roommate, if she managed to stay awake long enough.

Grace frowned as she approached her assigned room. As she drew closer, she spied a white slip of paper posted on her door. Once she had gotten close enough, she glanced over the writing.

'We're sorry for the inconvenience, but Grace Clairmont has been reassigned to room 203. For more information, contact-'

Grace's frown transformed into a wide grin. She was excited to room with the friend that she had grown so close to. She practically skipped in merriment down the hallway as she dragged her bag to the stairs. She pulled the large duffle up the stairs. Once she had arrived at the second floor, she searched for her new room.

'203... 203... Where is it?' She thought to herself, impatient to see Gerdy's reaction to the news.

Finally, she found the door marked '203'. She dropped the heavy bag to the ground and knocked on the door, grinning from ear to ear.

Iris Baron & Gerdy Townsend - -

Iris sighed softly. Sitting up on the bed she figured that her roommate wasn’t going to be turning up anytime soon, for whatever reasons unbeknown to her, unfortunately. All of her initial excitement had slowly dwindled into boredom.

“Maybe I don’t have a roommate, actually…” She told herself in a questioning tone. “Maybe...”

Just then there was a knock on the door, the sudden disruption prompting the girl to her feet and eagerly hurrying over beside the door with her hands curiously placed on the handle. Taking a breath, Iris cautiously opened the door gradually to reveal a familiar face grinning at her.

“Who is it?” She asked, before the realization hit her. “Grace!”

Throwing the door open wide Iris jumped forward and wrapped both arms round the other girl, hugging her tightly with an uncontrollable squeal escaping her grinning lips. Of course, though unaware as to why Grace was even there in the first place Iris was more than pleased, clearly, to see her again. Upon releasing the girl she calmed herself down.

“I am so pleased you came to visit!” She stated with obvious glee, before only just then noticing the bag down beside Grace. It was a large duffle bag, presumably carrying all of the girls belongs inside of it naturally, which began to make Iris ponder over it a little. “Have you not settled into your dorm yet? That bag looks awfully heavy, you must come in and sit down!”

Iris motioned for Grace to enter the room, completely oblivious to the fact that perhaps the girl was actually her roommate.