Leila Michelle Ingram's Story

The thump-bump of the bus solicited a surprised squeak from Mitch, and a far less identifiable noise (though it probably fell somewhere between an owl’s screech and crane’s whoop) from the covered cage occupying the seat beside her.

Aside from occasionally poking a piece of jerky it under the cage cover, or adjusting the volume on her MP3 player, the mousy-haired young woman had stayed nearly stock-still for the entire trip. Her eyes were obscured by dark glasses to protect them from the changing light of the road, but her gaze remained forward.

A collapsible white cane sat folded in her lap.

It had been a rather long and more than slightly stressful journey for both Mitch and her caged companion: Between boarding planes and dealing with incompetent airport staff, navigating less than accommodating bus services, and portaling her friend in and out of existence to clear TSA, it had been emotionally and physically exhausting.

So, when the bus lurched to a final stop and the sound of her peers beginning to disembark sounded around her, Mitch was more than elated.

She turned herself further into the seat as the others began grabbing their things from the overhead bins and jostling on their way out, opting to instead change out her sunglasses for a much (much, much) thicker pair of readers, withdraw her tablet, and connect to the school’s Wi-Fi while the others shoved in a hurry to reach the same destination in a relatively similar amount of time.

When the bus was empty, she stood, tucked her readers and tablet into her pocket, unfolded her cane, slung her backpack over her shoulders, and then lifted the cage with her free hand. Arrangements had been made to have her things delivered to her room.

“Thank you,” she said in the general direction of the driver, her voice soft and her smile softer. She swept the ground with the deftness of someone who had done this for ten years as she disembarked down the bus steps and headed up the crunchy gravel drive to the school entrance. The sound of voices booming against increasingly echoing corridors was not hard to follow, though she kept a reasonable distance back until she finally came to stand in what must have been some kind of office.

“I’m looking for registration?” she announced, piping up over some of the noise, staring in no clear direction as the cage gave another disgruntled chirp.

Someone touched her arm, and she startled a good bit more than she had at any of the bus’s bumps.

“Are you Leila Ingram?” said a woman’s voice, dry and disinterested.

Mitch nodded.“Yeah,”she replied, dipping her shoulder away from the unsolicited touch, but turning to face the woman who had spoken. “And it’s Just Mitch.”

“Alright, Miss Ingram,” said the woman, taking Mitch’s arm and guiding her toward what Mitch assumed was the desk. The girl resisted the urge to scowl at the way she was being dragged around through unknown space faster than she could sweep, but made no effort to correct the woman as she kept talking. “I’ve got some forms you need to sign. And an extra in regard to your exception to our familiar policy.”

Mitch stared ahead, and set the cage down at her feet. “Okay.”

“I need you to sign this.”

Mitch blinked, waiting a full five seconds to see if she would be grabbed without permission once again, before patting around for the pen, finding the paper, and signing randomly on each of them without paying any heed.

It would not have been hard to take out her readers, but this woman seemed to likely think she was too incapable for that. “Are we done? Can I let out my guide?”

The woman did not reply.

Mitch nodded, assuming the woman had probably also nodded. And if not, she was being kind of a bitch by not responding. Too tired to care much either way, Mitch then proceeded to crouch in front of the desk and open the door to the cage,

Like a bug crawling out from under a cup, her companion burst out, taking first to a wobbly flight that made a nearby student scream, and then settling down upon Mitch’s shoulders with all six of its legs, frond-antennae twitching as its head swiveled and its four shiny eyes darted about to take in the surroundings.

The cold body of the thing’s carapace-covered belly rested against Mitch’s body, and she could feel a low rattle-hiss-purr vibrate against her back.

“Hi Apple,” she crooned, and a genuine, wide smile spread across her face. She reached to scratch “Apple’s” purple furred back, and then turned to kiss his cheek before he scuttled back down to her feet.

She had taken the initiative to put him in his work harness before boarding her plane in London, in case anyone didn’t know that he was a “Service Animal! Do not pet!”

“Oh, hi. Hi little muffin. I know. I know,” Mitch carried on, folding up the crate cage and tucking it into her pack even as several other students passed by with noises of alarm or surprise. “Hi, fluff bucket. C’mon, now.”

She straightened, cane and cage both gone now, and took hold of the handle on Apple’s back. “Follow,” she ordered, and the pair moved into step behind the crowd making its way toward something that smelled like pancakes.

With the help of audio cues and her trusted sidekick, she managed to navigate the buffet line and acquire a plate full of something edible, and then proceeded back toward the tables with a bit of trepidation. People were not her forte- At least not people her own age or those who she didn't already know. Regardless, her options were limited. There was no sitting alone.

She stepped toward one that sounded (maybe?) less crowded, and offered a warm smile in what seemed like the right direction. “Is this seat open?” she asked, though her voice was much softer than she had intended.

'So it begins.'

Professor Oren Kovalenko, an angular figure with dark hair and a long blue coat, watched the numerous new students filing in, passing through the front office and signing off on forms with a sceptical eye. Well, one eye was on the throngs of their new intake, the other was on her phone where she was busy informing any staff members that were not already aware that the first large bus had pulled up and the place was beginning to fill up.

And she didn't expect a group of young mages to maintain any standard of behaviour for very long.

Especially not ones that were more often than not rich, privileged, sheltered, and had never been taught how to properly behave.

Speaking of that-

Norwegian shouting from the entranceway. Oh christ.
From where she was standing Oren could make out three figures at least a head taller than most of the people filtering around them. A woman in he late thirties with long, grey-flecked ginger hair and a crimson coat on, and a hulking man with a beard you could lose a family pet in, both hugging and saying their goodbyes to a third figure. Younger, but still with nearly a foot of height on the Professor, with a mop of red-orange hair and a voice with a strong nordic accent that was carrying over near enough everyone else's together.

Norrevinters.
No mistaking those.

With one deft movement Miss Kovalenko stepped back into the shadow of one of the hall's pillars, and melted into the darkness without a word.

Somebody else could handle Ren's spawn and the ginger storm. She'd see to making sure no-one had started killing each other in the dining hall.

As it was some students had started eating, or introducing themselves. Oren materialized out from behind the door, quite alarming several students who'd been lines up there, and proceeded to check over the status of things.




Over to one side of the cafeteria, on an otherwise yet unoccupied table, a small figure was slumped over the the surface, next to what was now the degenerated milky sludge of a bowl of cereal left uneaten beyond its time, and something that long ago ceased to be a hot drink.

Her long, rather untidy-looking red hair was spread across the table like seaweed, and she was wearing a blue sweater lined with knitted purple cat faces, the phrase 'Have a Mice Day' inset into the back and front. It was at least two sizes too big and luridly coloured enough that the student was clashing with the furnishings.

Professor K came to a halt behind the student, regarding the girl with her look of pitiless reptilian distaste before finally speaking up.

"Are we boring you already, Kingsley?"

The redhead awoke with a start, knocking her bowl astray with one hand and splattering the fortified mud across the surface.

The Professor remained perfectly stationary whilst one of her charges scrambled, blinking, to try and both stem the flow of milk from the upturned bowl, and address her at the same time.

"Oh..no! No Professor! I was just um...is it breakfast time?"
Apparently only just realising how many others had entered the cafeteria, the student known as 'Kingsley' looked over to the table across, giving a rather sheepish smile.

Kovalenko's expression however was her usual weary mask of disapproval.
"Well Kingsley that is what everyone else is doing, if you would like to try and catch up with the timetable, I think it would probably be beneficial for you. And please try and avoid wasting food in the future."

"Y-yes Professor..." the girl hastily responded, pale cheek reddening a little as the watched the aquamancer turn and walk off down the row.
"...so that's the year off to a good start..."

Jesse sat in the back of the bus as it chugged up to the school. Her peers were chatting in front of her, but she mostly kept to herself. Some had animals with them in cages, some of which looked intently in her direction. She tried not to draw attention to it though. She knew these people would be like every other person she had encountered. She would most certainly be ostracized if they knew about animals' affinity towards her.

She was the last one off the bus, purposefully of course. She took in the surroundings. The school was definitely unique. She read the sign: Marchand School of Sorcery. Was she in the wrong place? She knew the school was called Marchand, but the only place she had heard of sorcery was in storybooks. Everyone was filing into the cafeteria, though, so if she was to ask someone about it, she would have to go there. She took a deep breath, and followed her fellow students into the building. She looked around. Many places had already been taken. There seemed to be a nice place in the corner away from most people, except one girl who seemed confused. She supposed one person was better than being surrounded by them, so she went over to that table and quietly sat down.

She took some pancakes awkwardly, before saying, sheepishly, "Hi, I'm Jesse," and extending out a hand.

Upon hearing someone respond to her inquiry, Mitch turned her head a few inches so to her left so that her hazel gaze settled somewhere close to the speaker’s center mass.

“Oh, thanks I’m—“ She cut herself off, face going pale and her stomach clenching. She had forgotten her manners, or at least the ones her mother had explained in the weeks prior to this trip: It was disrespectful in the magical community not to pause after someone made an introduction. Or was it rude not to pause after you introduced yourself?

Or… Had he even given a house name? Or was “Drake” the last name?

Crapcrapcrapcrap he’s LOOKING at you.

She swallowed, and a meek, nervous smile crept across her features as she set down her tray.

“I…um. Sorry. I’m not really all that good with the… Um…” More awkward silence. ”Sorry about that. It’s nice to meet you, Drake. I’m Mitch. Well. Leila Ingram, I guess. Technicaly. But Dressler, on my mom’s side. Of the American Dresslers. I think. The rune ones. Who um. The ah… I’m not really used to magical gatherings and all of the— APPLE!”

Obviously bored of her blabbering, the seeing-eye-abomination hopped itself up onto the table, yanking her forward against the bench and taking her balance out from under her. She stumbled, caught herself on the edge, and gracelessly twisted to find her rear end planted halfway on the seat with a none-too-subdued "ACK!"

Apple cocked its head to the side, blinked with all four eyes, and then resumed its former task of examining the food on Mitch’s plate.

Mitch’s face flushed red with embarrassment, and she reached forward to swat the creature lightly on its hindquarters. It did not seem too concerned with being called ”Bad! Stoppit," however, as it started on the task of eating the napkin off of the tray with little hesitance.

”I’m really sorry. About him. He’s usually better… We’ve just had a long day, and all of this… Um. Sorry.

“But basically. Yeah. Just Mitch.”

It had, admittedly, taken Dawn a few moments to notice the slapping of shoe against tile as someone ran past- her nose had been thoroughly planted in her map by that point, brows furrowed as she attempted to work out a clear idea of where her classes were located- although she immediately snapped to attention as the source of the clamor threw her things down at the table before taking off again, with little fanfare involved. Dawn blinked in surprise, mouth open as if to say something, but shut it as the girl skipped off to the opposite end of the cafeteria.

Sudden, but understandable. While not everyone was as obvious about it, she was sure that most of her fellow students were excited to finally be at the school. Dawn knew she was. Taking a quick glance over at her nameless companion’s things, she slid her fork back into her breakfast, chopping it and bringing the smaller chunk to her mouth.

She had just finished polishing off one pancake when the stranger returned, bubbling with the energy that Dawn had observed a few minutes ago. Swallowing a mouthful of the strawberry milk she had grabbed along with breakfast, Dawn offered up a smile to the other girl, resting the bottle carefully upon the table. “I think I remember seeing you too, actually. You were up front, weren’t you?” She paused, extending a hand in invitation. “Oh, and, um. I’m Dawn, by the way. Nice to meet you, Tessa.”

The stranger, Tessa, hadn’t went for the usual greeting, for which Dawn was grateful. Given the...history of her own line, it wasn’t something she exactly wanted to bring up so quickly. Especially in front of someone so friendly. Picking her fork back up, she started to play with the hashbrown on her plate, stirring it into a mash as she looked down at the map. “Just a little,” she admitted. “I think I know where the dorms are, and the library, but, um. Not so much where each and every class is placed.”

As Dawn poked some of the hash-mash past her lips, her eyes wandered somewhat towards the entrance. More kids were arriving, by the looks of it, a lot of them looking just as uncertain as she had been. Soon enough, her eyes caught movement, and settled on a particularly bright splotch of purple that had entered with a student.

And soon after that, the Trickster began to cough, choking on the bit of potato she swallowed in her surprise. She covered her mouth, “ahem”’d, then swallowed again. The hashbrown continued its trip down without further complication. Crisis averted. While Dawn was certainly familiar with Familiars, this one in particular seemed to have more...personality than most. Giving it another once-over, Dawn turned back to face her company, (catching sight of who she presumed to be the owner), and found that another person had joined the table.

She hoped that they hadn’t seen her choking. That wouldn’t be a particularly good impression, either.

Nevertheless, Dawn once again put on her best PR smile, and shook her head. “Not at all,” she said, then, after a momentary pause so Tessa could introduce speak, started with her own introduction.

“Oh, and, um. I’m Dawn. Dawn Memoli.” She ducked her head a little after that, smile a bit more sheepish this time around. Hands resting in lap, she, too, waited for the pause to finish, before turning to respond. “So, a French Defender? I’ve heard a lot about that line. All good things. And, um,” Dawn lifted her hands from where they were lying, lifting them up to the table, “I’m pretty excited. My parents homeschooled me before this, so this’ll definitely be new.” Her tone grew warmer with her last few words, eyes brightening with renewed excitement. “I heard they’re teaching all of the Secondaries here, too. I can’t wait to get started.”

Mitch blinked.

She had never heard of a “Coleman” line, but then again, she hadn’t heard of many lines outside of the major six or seven that came up in casual conversation with the few mages she knew.

”Oh, yeah. Coleman. Of course”, she replied, now careful to not give herself a reason to be sorry. The way he wrote off family lines was very different from what she had been led to expect of the other students, and she filed the detail away.

Apple, however, was thinking far less analytical thoughts. The dog-sized Familiar, wholly unaware that he was being spoken of, was quite busy with investigating Mitch’s plate. He bent low over the food in the left corner, pondered it with his fronds, and then opened its mouth.

Out of which sprang another, smaller mouth, striking like a snake with razor-like teeth that ensnared a sausage link and yanked it inside as the entire jaw mechanism snapped shut. There was a hissing, grinding sound as Apple tossed his head back and the meat was swallowed, followed by a series of chirps not dissimilar to a hyena’s cackle.

Mitch stroked him between his antennae.

“He’s just Apple,” she replied to the inquiry, some of the nervousness melting away as the conversation veered into familiar waters. “I summoned him when he was a baby, and he’s furry and gross and I love him.”

Apple hiss-cackled louder at the mention of its name, two eyes closing shut in contentment while the other two watched Mitch and Drake, respectively.

”Just watch his tail. It drips acid. But only if you get him excited. So it's probably fine."

Mitch’s gut clenched into a tight knot, and the color drained from her cheeks at the sudden change of subject. Her palms were washed in a cold, clammy sweat, and she set her fork back down onto her tray so that she would not drop it.

Drake was uncomfortable.

He had mentioned something that he thought would make her uncomfortable, and then made the choice to skirt the elephant in the room; ignore all subjects that could force the awkward topic out into the open.

She was different; nobody wanted to mention it.

“It’s okay,” she said, offering a small smile, “I know he’s not red. He’s purple.” She reached forward to where Apple sounded like he was, and the little creature reciprocated by pressing his head into her palm with a hissing purr. The furry ridge of his back rose up to rub against her arm for a scratch, and he flopped down onto his side as the expected reward was granted.

“I’m not that kind of blind,” she explained, her best ‘casual conversation’ face pointing just a few centimeters too far to the right to make eye contact with Drake, “And it’s not bad to ask about, or whatever. For future reference. Just so… So you aren’t uncomfortable. It's not like it's a secret.”

Awkward pause.

Should have just kept that to herself.

“But yeah. I uh. I’m mostly at Marchand because my mom decided I’d been homeschooling for long enough. She wanted me to try out the whole mage thing a bit more before I decide for sure what I want to do for work. I’m pretty set on studying computers, but I guess the magic thing is worth checking out. Seems less employable, though. And you?”

She stabbed a pancake and shoved a bite into her mouth, then, eager to make sure she couldn’t proceed to let out any more stupid babbling.

And then there were very loud noises.

At the sound of a scream, Mitch tensed and Apple was quickly on his feet. With a fluttering hop, he slithered defensively onto her shoulders, two forelegs perched on her hair, two eyes trained on the sound, and the other two roving in search of any more trouble. He let out a screeching caw in the direction of the commotion, and his tail curled up to block Mitch's face from any potential incoming. Above him, his wings snapped together, rubbing to produce a low rattle not unlike the warning of a snake.

"Drake? What's happening?"

Tover’s brain was on fire.

Everything was dimmed from his perspective. Sounds dulled and blurred as cascades of blood pounded the insides of his ears. His sped up heartbeat drummed slow and with pounding vigor. Adrenaline had kicked up when the thinking cog had realized what it had just made the body do.

Forget that he spent the first major conversation of the day back snapping at a teacher, or that the attempt to make friends was lackluster because of it. A tremor coursed in his digits, breath heavy, shaky in his seat. He was half in and half out of reality as events became tumultuous.

Why did it feel so good?

He expected fear, a sense of diminishment, the need to creep back into her corner of safety. His ghostly eyes remained wide and glued on the instructor as the man spoke, but Tover didn’t actually hear a word. Just muddled noises as if you’re hearing someone through a wall in the other room, overlaid only by his own unyielding heartbeats.

Imagination spoke for him as a chessboard was mentally conjured. Massive and wide where standing on a single square would make one feel miniscule. From above, a colossal disembodied hand materialized and took hold of something as it descended. Only when the fingers squeezed together did a white pawn shatter into existence with a reverberating glassy clang, heavy dusty thud leaving the foot of the piece as the pawn was lifted and moved two paces forwards on the board. His board.

He felt nervous realizing what kind of forward push he’d done, yet relished it at the same time. Yes. Good. This was good. He liked this. Being forward and direct gave a sense of freedom that he’d been craving. Sure he was used to lurking in the backdrop and sullying his time away. But this, this was better. This felt like confidence. This felt like who he wanted to be.

Standing up to family was a task and a half, an impossible feat for someone who could only look up to those who sneered down. But this, this teacher, this had no such sway over him. Neither personality pressure nor authority rebuffed him from speaking his mind properly for one of the rare times he managed to. This is what kept Tover slow and sluggish as he sunk back into the seat to restore telltale nonchalance, absent-mindedly adding some food to his mouth. He wasn’t there. Not mentally.

Adelaide hadn’t joined the table. Tover didn’t even see her walk off, attention having barely been on her after using her introduction to plug in for added effect when he’d expressed discontent. One less person at the table was not remotely a problem, it was even comforting to remain with a small group of people that had all shared similar interest to defend Dawn.

Skylar had sodded off, but he’d spoken a lot. Likely some lecture.

Tessa must have said something; he did notice her mouth moving before she got up. The mouth movement of ‘milk’ was enough to backburner it as warbled sound came from Desdemona. Though he must have clearly heard Dawn’s little quip, a smile of pleasantry etching onto his face with a nod. That had been a fantastic weekend.

The barbarian grizzly that roared and barreled past with all the subtlety of a derailed freight train however, was easier to notice. Followed by a sudden "TESSA!” as the noise cleared enough for reality to sink back into the land of importance. He turned his head to watch the ensuing wrestle and scream match a few tables away. His mind half-wandered inconveniently. Another chessboard as Norrevinter viking-hugged the Sterling with the kindness of a cannonball.

Tower takes Bishop.

Tover had to give his head a shake. Other important things just happened. Tessa. Help Tessa. By the time his hand was ready to push away from the table however Dawn and Desi were already with her.

Nagging words were thrown from the eventful table. Oh. Found the Monroe. Or two? Perhaps his vision was still equalizing, but those girls had some similarities between them. Never having gotten a great look at her, he actually couldn’t tell which of the two it was that had tried to say hi.

This place was chaos.

An odd noise rustled the air. A screeching caw? What could possibly make that sound? The Norrevinter table was wild and easy to keep eyes glued on, sure, but to ignore the noise you didn’t recognize. Now that was dangerous. Already half up from being in progress of going to Tessa, his half-open eyes did a scan around the ro..

The fluff-creature. It was perched defensively on the shoulders of a girl, wings snapping and protectively positioned to defend her from harm. Where was it looking? A quick glance to the Sterling table answered that entirely.

Norrevinter was giving one hell of a speech. For all that brutish veneer and sizable mass that was likely dwarfed by the sheer density of her pride, there was a good mind in there. His eyes flicked momentarily to Tessa. A good mind, but blind to consequences of what happens when recklessly charging to a goal.

He was standing now. Tessa had been helped, and he’d been too distracted to contribute. Tessa hadn’t been the source of the issue though. Just a victim. Tover didn’t know much about the big feud between the Sterlings and the Norrevinters, but it didn’t need his kind of mind to easily put the pieces together.

Jarlinna Kora Mari was a hefty name. Kora would do. That would likely intimidate the pants off those Monroe girls if what he said was enough to make her pass up their table, and given that the suave looking one.. well. Slightly tarnished. Had been used as a seat, her chances of being taken seriously were pretty good, and the challenge of a fight was very likely to make everyone keep their head down. It didn’t hold a candle to the imposing pressure some of the women in his family let off. Or perhaps, it’s because he didn’t know much better, but.. did that sound like bluster? Angry and emotional, primal and direct. Had she even realized the effects of her warpath? How everyone was looking?

She was never, ever going to make a single friend that way.

Why did that thought hurt, so incredibly much. His heart clenched at the realization that if this is how she leaves off, it will only get worse from here with more cause for anger.

A beautiful thought bloomed in Tover’s mind, the tactical cog saying it’s due.
“I’m going to do something stupid.”
His words were soft, the adrenaline from earlier present albeit slowly diminishing. Directed at the general table before putting one foot infront of the other, straight towards the Prime Spotlight of the morning.

One. Just one.

Just one redeeming moment was all he’d had to chance in order to not only to make another friend, but also to not let that prideful mountain of a woman suffer in the long term. He’d seen before where that kind of bluster got you. Alone. Angry. Pained. Unwanted. Hating the world.

He stopped within talking distance, but was a little louder as only the adrenaline from before was actually keeping him on his feet. Sure he was frightened. Who wouldn’t be scared when you’re approaching the current prime possibility for biggest school bully.

It didn’t need to be like that. It didn’t need to turn out that way.

“Hey Norrevinter!” Tover exclaimed loudly while not exactly hiding. God this was uncomfterable, but he coulden’t pass it up. Not again. He’d regretted the first time years ago, having said nothing and watched it play out. Not this time, this time he’d take the pain. Standing there seemingly without fear, hands half in his pockets with a nudged-loose tie. While his approach was lightly slumped, he straightened up to speak as if to try and be taller. Not that such an attempt had merit.

“That was a nice speech. Councilmember is nice and all, but you won’t make it if you don’t realize what happens the people in your path. I know councilmembers are strong, and smart, but most of all I heard they care. They care about people and want to do what’s right.”
He shoved his thumb harsh over his shoulder.
“You hurt someone back there, while on your rampage. So if you too, care. Walk with me and come apologize, and talk to her. Because that’s what someone worthy of honor would do.” A light breath was his only interruption, the idea of ‘the right thing to do’ stuck in his mind as he swallowed hard to push that know back down his throat.
“But if you don’t care, and all you are interested in is your personal vengeance, or whatever this is.” He said the last part motioning at the interaction that occurred between Monroe at her. “Then a fight is the only thing you’re ever going to have here. You speak well. You can think well, and you’ve got the strength to accomplish what you want. That’s great. But if you don’t have the heart to use those where it matters. Then I’ll take that fight Norrevinter. I’ll take that fight every day, because never will I ever want to see you in a position of power.”

Another breath, another nervous swallow he tried to stifle. Teeth doing a temporary grit. Although he said the next part with an effort to hide the painful emotion, his facial expression betraying him to show the care and concern.

“Don’t let everyone here believe that a loud brute is all you are.”

If she apologized to the Sterling or the Monroe. That was her prerogative, however they were direct targets after she’d rampaged her way over here. He took a step back and to the side, raising his left hand to offer it as direct invitation. Having done his best damn attempt to diffuse tension like he did at home all the damn time, and at the same time trying to provide Kora a social escape route. This could be patched.
If she refused.
He’d tried.
If she didn’t, he planned to walk back to Tessa with her regardless if she accepted the hand or not.

Her current targets could clean up their own mess. The suave one looked like he’d try and talk his way out regardless, the girls were going to be upset just because they could. The other one.. He didn’t quite know. Looked somewhat familiar. Perhaps he’d met him before and just couldn’t recall, but the name Jason just stuck in his head. Tover didn’t say more however, having moved out of the walkway enough to give way and offer Kora the space to start the walk back down to Tessa.

Would it work out like he wanted? Maybe not. Tover already having decided to bite the bullet, and deal with this event as a new step forwards for who he wanted to be. Because at least of this, he could be proud. The mousy, corner-kept, silent Tover, was gone.

Jesse didn't really see the problem with sleeping in the cafeteria. It was breakfast after all. While Helena got up to get some more cereal, she ate her pancakes and looked around the cafeteria. That boy, apparently named Jason, had turned his attention to someone else. He really seemed stuck up. Not that she was one to judge, but wow. He reminded her of Draco Malfoy from the Harry Potter books. That's how arrogant he was. She turned her attention back to her pancakes.

All of the sudden there was gasping around the cafeteria. She looked up to see a boy getting up, painfully, with yogurt on his head. Next to him was a very smug-looking girl who had obviously done the deed. She saw people left and right jump to the boy's defense. Good, at least not everyone here was stuck-up. Through all the commotion, she learned the girl's name was Norrevinter. Strange name. But the girl didn't seem to care that no one thought well of what she was doing. She sat on his head. If Jason was Draco Malfoy, this chick was Pansy.

Maybe I should say something... Jesse thought. She wasn't one to get into fights. In fact, she avoided them as much as possible. But this girl was just being a bully at this point. Jesse got up from her seat to go find a teacher, or at the very least, a responsible adult. But as she did so, a boy stood up and did her job for her. The cafeteria was silent after his speech, looking at the Norrevinter girl, wondering how she would reply. Jesse, however, felt that the boy had hit the nail on the head, and started clapping.

Jason put on a fake smile as he nodded to Adelaide speaking to her politely. "Oh I understand that something like that is very important. However maybe next time it would be better to fix the mess rather than let it sit. Before jumping into a feud between two powerful future council members who have the power to make you and your sister's life miserable."

As Jasper left and Adelaide apologized on her twin's behalf he zeroed in on Kora who was currently apologizing to his.... to the girl she knocked over he mentally corrected. As Larke offered to clean off a non-existent mess on the younger girl his eyes narrowed. Sterlings rarely did things out of the kindness of their heart, that bastard was up to something. Meaning he would have a talk with Larke later and officially declare Tessa under his protection, after all he had promised to look out for the younger girl. Whether she wanted it or not.

Now onto problem number two, as he disapprovingly eyed the black hair youth and blind girl with the insect abomination. Now seemed like as good a time as any to inform him of what was going on, and why shouting 'knock it off' was the worse move imaginable. As he took a step forward Montana appeared and basically told them all to not be privileged brats. He nodded agreeing with the man's message, after all getting into trouble on the first day looked bad. Once the teacher was done he continued forward towards his targets.


"Mind if I join you Miss Ingram and companion. While his tone was polite it was not a question as he moved to sit down without waiting for permission. His eyes looked at Drake studying the youth with a rapt attention as he took in every detail about him in a very unnerving fashion. "I'd like to introduce myself, Jason Avalon." There was no pause as he continued as very few did not know who he was. "Miss Ingram, your new friend may need some lessons in etiquette. Please bare with my questioning for a moment while I figure out a few issues. Jason's tone was cold as his face shone of disapproval as he spoke to Drake as if the boy was a child. "I would like to know who you are and why you felt it was a good idea to involve yourself in a feud. As well as ask what made you think that saying 'knock it off' was a good idea and was going to help anything?"

“I’m not sure… Some tall ginger girl just brought down some guy and poured yoghurt all over him, then sat on him… Hold on, I’ll be right back,” said Drake.

As far as Mitch was concerned, the offered information was about as useful as a MacBook Air.

That is to say, not very useful.

She stared intently forward at the wall as the conversation continued, though her head was cocked slightly to the left so that her ear was pointed more directly toward the goings-on. She did not know much about mage lines, but what little she did seemed sufficient to explain: There was a Norrevinter (distinguishable by her telltale inability to distinguish the letters “r” and “w,”) and a Sterling (going by the general asinine charm with which he handled the confrontation.) There was also some mention of an Avalon, as well as someone else that was offering his input.

Some clapping ensued after that.

Mitch pretended to not hear most of the exchange, instead shifting her pancakes around with her fork as the others worked it out.

Apple, for his part, continued to be a good Apple. Once the Shaggy-Black-Fur-Male-Thing was gone, he kept up his warning rattle for a good thirty seconds, adamantly protecting his Bad-Eyes-Good-Pets friend. From what he could see, the Fire-Head-Large-Thing had opened assault against one of the Short-Fur-Male-Things, and he had no idea who was next on its docket. Clearly a dominance battle. Now there were other Female-Long-Hair-Things involved.

His tail lowered to sit on Mitch’s forehead for a moment when the White-Fur-Man-Thing started to speak (and the good-eating-things stopped flying), and then finally curled back into its resting position against his own back as the situation deescalated.

Obviously due to his own excellent defensive ability.

Quite satisfied with himself, Apple slunk down from Mitch’s shoulders to curl into her lap, and was resting there comfortably when Drake returned. Mitch’s left hand was stroking his wiry fur when she heard Drake sit down, and she adjusted her gaze to be back in his general direction.

“I figured as much,” she replied with a small shrug, “If anything really bad was happening, he’d have probably tried to eat it.”

When another voice joined in (Avalon? She knew Avalon, at least in name and voice,) she turned once again and offered a vague smile. “Of course you can sit. Mr. Av- Jason. Um.”

More awkward pause.

“But. My name’s just Mi…”

She let the end of the sentence die out as Jason began chiding her newfound companion. Her shoulders folded in ever so slightly, and her eyes went back down to the table. The thought of saying something crossed her mind, but quickly dissipated as she recalled that this was a face-to-face conversation: There would be no hiding behind an infamous tag or username here.

After a sentence or two, she reached into her pocket and popped a headphone into one ear.

Best not to interfere with that.

Facing Dawn, Tover noticed the small personal war she was having to push hair out of her face before the conversation began. The lack of raven locks muddling her face let those grey eyes be visible again, and it caused the edge of a smile to curve on his face. What an oddly pleasant feeling. Was this what it felt like to make real friends, instead of that simulacrum atrocity his family accepted? He felt a little flush, though that may have been just from the recovery of his borderline fearless intervention just earlier.

“It really wasn’t too big of a deal, Desdemona and I were closer, anyway.”
Well that was a relief, he’d thought it might have been otherwise, but bothersome little trails of thought like that were very common for him, and just hearing he was okay always did wonders to shut those down. Dawn’s shrug an almost helpful reinforcer.

It was the curve of her lips as they slid into the beginnings of a smile that made him feel warm, and just a touch helpless. He’d made someone smile? His face, while generally marred with practiced nonchalance softened its features into a warmer expression as he listened.
“Well, considering nobody is flipping anyone into a table right now, I’d say it was a job well done.” He saw her fingers fold, and sat up in response, as if she might suddenly be a little more serious.
“You did pretty good holding yourself together up there, though, I think. I heard a few people clapping, too.”

Forget warm. He was turning pinkish red in the cheeks and shyly had to turn away a little. His grey eyes cast down and to the side, some loose locks of hair falling back out of place over his forehead as a full-on unstoppable smile of pride and fulfillment stuck to his face, listening to her clear up the naming convention as the tips of his fingers felt prickly, raising them to rub the back of his head after managing a small mention.
”T..thanks, that means a lot.”

“That’s my middle name, actually. So you weren’t completely off.” Dawn explained. “And, ah. I would have no problem with more talking, really.” She had paused, glanced over her shoulder, then turned back around. “I didn’t see whoever started it. It was nice of her- whoever she is.”

When Dawn mentioned clapping he instinctively turned back to look at the table along with dawn, locating where the girl in the big hoodie sat. She seemed somewhat covered in bits of fur here and there because of the hoodie, but that didn’t matter at the moment. Glad to just have recognized her before turning back to face Dawn as Tessa joined in on the conversation.
”I don’t know her name yet, but it’s the girl in the messy hoodie over there. I’m not going to bother her now though, she’s got her own thing going. I’ll thank her when I can later. Also, Evelyn’s a really nice name. Probably why it stuck~ I’d be happy to have some long conversations when we both have free time to catch up!” Tover sounded almost chipper.

The invitation to conversation with Evelyn was a pleasantry he was going to enjoy delving into sometime, but it looked like group socializing was going to cut up the deeper conversations people could be having at the moment. It was pleasant though, thinking everyone should get this, a tender blossoming warmth behind the middle of the chest from talking to classmates who were becoming friends.

His attention split from the inner sensations he was experiencing as some Tessa speedily cut in with some strong french. He spoke the language, but she was going a bit fast, his color balancing back to normal during his momentary frown that spoke volumes of what he was understanding while she spoke. A tempered pleasant look replaced it when she kicked up her translating skills.

"Guys I have something awesome to tell you later it is juicy too!”
As nice as that was, he had the odd feeling that what Tessa had to say was very much going to be ‘girl talk.’ Making Tover look around for a temporary way out for a minute or so before he could return to the table. Surely there was someone he could temporarily say hi to and maybe pull into this in-the-middle-of-being-minted group of friends. ”That’s nice~” was all he managed to say before Tessa slid into sudden questioning twined with pleasant compliments, her bubbly personality really shining through.

"That was some awesome negotiating Tov, butterflies or not you did great! Oh that girl no idea who she is but with a speech like that I doubt anyone could ignore you. You were like a practiced diplomat, where did you learn to do that? You really helped Kora out, are you trying to get in her good graces?”
The kindness of her compliments had been a very welcomed, if not an outright necessity for the well being of his continued social growth and overall well-being. He’d been silently wrecked in some ways by the whole ordeal. Hearing things like this though, this helped. He felt much better with the supportive validation from his peers, and general acceptance that he’d not only done the right thing, but that people were a little impressed with the whole thing. It was a quiet reward for trying to be himself, and instead of being met with the disdain that would normally have followed at home. Here it seemed.. it seemed welcomed.

Steady as he felt from the social feedback, an icy chill clamped to his senses. He coulden’t help but see similarities in the gaze Tessa’s blue eyes held as she leered at him with an almost zealous intensity. It reminded of some of the looks he’d gotten from people that had only wanted something out of him. Her compliments had likely been sincere, and if Tover had to make a guess, she had noticed what he might have been actually up to with that chess move of his. Well. Half-move~ He did have something he didn’t want to see again fueling the action.

There was a messy comprehensive answer in his head, but it broke down easy enough as his face crunched together in pensive though. When his features softened and returned to leaning-on-the-table nonchalance, he was good to talk.
“Tessa, right?” Tover started, taking a sip from his cup of water since his tea was all gone. “First off thanks for the kind words, you’re a good part responsible for why I’m ‘Okay’ right now, along with Dawn, and mystery girl who started clapping over there. Until a bit ago. well..” He raised his hand holding the water cup a little, it still had a tremor.

“I’m no diplomat. I just.. I’ve been around a lot of people that had to know just what to say in order to get the result they want.” He paused to look right at Tessa, but his body posture shifted to something defensive, like he really didn’t want to talk about this, at all, because it caused such discomfort. “My family is a matriarchy. I’m not exactly a people person, but saying the wrong thing to the wrong girl in my family can net you some pretty brutal and unorthodox responses and results.”

Tover cleared his throat to bite away the topic, it was too uncomfterable and it showed heavily all over him, eyebrows strained as he took a proper drink of water and got into answering. “A couple years ago I was in a private school, and something very much like this happened.” He nodded over to Norrevinter. “Except that back then, I didn’t know what the cost was. Over a few years that person only ever got seen as a bully, and was treated in a way that only made things go more and more downhill. All because they never had a chance to turn it around, because of something they did right at the beginning in front of everyone. I only learned later of the effects that had, and I wasn’t the person you just saw talking either. I coulden’t help then, and I felt regret. I couldn’t bear to see watching it play out for a second time. So I was just going to take the humiliation of failing infront of everyone.” his head dipped down, as if the outcome he was expecting in his head was playing and it was considerably more bleak that what had actually transpired. ” I’d rather live with the knowledge that I did what I wanted and followed my will, then live with another regret of “It didn’t have to be that way.”

Tover was fighting with his tie without having noticed it. The thing almost completely undone. He was frowning during his lean, the common eyes only half-open look glued to an empty spot in the middle of the table. Like he coulden’t bear to look at anyone right now. “If it happens that Kora likes me more because of it.. I mean. It would be nice, and I won’t mind, because I’ve always wanted more friends. Real friends.” He raised his head, and looked in Norrevinter’s general direction. “But I doubt it. She’s a big bundled ball of pride, and I think all I actually did was maybe prevent the mess from getting worse, but I doubt she sees me as anything more than someone who got in the way of her feuding. If that’s how it is, that’s fine. I did my part in giving her the chance to show that she was a person, and not just.. another bully. Because I wasn’t convinced the person from a few years ago was one either, just never got the chance to be seen as anything else.”

Tover moved his food tray to the side. “That aside, I’m sorry for using your fall as an excuse to get that done. That wasn’t kind of me. But it doesn’t seem like that’s something you didn’t know.” His ghostly grey eyes met Tessa’s, and returned the penetrating gaze. She was clever. She wasn’t the only one as Tover was warming up to her. “I’m happy to have made a friend that realized there was more to my little piece of drama than just pretty words. Thanks Tessa, and thanks for playing along and letting things play out so things went well for everyone.” His expression faded back to a solemn calm. Breaths easing into the soft normality as his explanation was over, a small smile returning as he remembered all the pleasant things that were said.

“I don’t have a middle name. The name is just Tover, some people just use ‘Tov’ if it’s easier for spelling. If a nickname happens to come up, those are nice too. At the moment though, I think you said that you had some juicy details to tell people. Erm… well. That sounds like it’s girl-talk, and I feel a little in the way.” Tover pushed away from the table and stood up, looking around to catch Jason Avalon in the corner of his eye, giving a stern talking to the black-haired spitfire that had darted in and provided napkins to Sterling. In that little group, he saw the place where he remembered the little fluff-critter-thing was making that dangerous noise earlier. Was it just him or did it look like that that girl felt really left-out?

Tover squinted at the sight before looking back down at the girls with some concern. “Hey Dawn, Tess? there’s a girl over there that looks really left out, and you’re all really pleasant. So while you’re gossiping, I’m going to see if I can’t get her to come to this table so she can make some friends too. Okay? He gave a brisk nod in Mitch’s direction to give a heads up where he was going, and tapped the table twice to say he was off before walking.

The girls might have noticed that there might have been another reason or two he took a temporary break from the table. Opening up hadn’t made him comfortable, and the sudden shakiness in his voice near the end gave away that he really just needed a minute to recover. He was going to be fine and back, he didn’t dislike their company. Still, Tover is a boy talking talking to a group of girls, and that alone still needed some getting used to.

He made it a point to take the long way around. For comfort’s sake if nothing else as he approached the table and softly spoke to the girl with the.. fluff-dog-thing on her lap when he was close enough. Tover said hi from the side where Mitch didn’t have an earbud in. “Em, hey. I’m at the table with some girls who are trying to make friends, and we noticed you were kind of keeping to yourself over here. Did you want to come make some friends too? We’ve got an open spot at the table for you, and these guys look pretty busy.”

It wasn’t a ploy either. Avalon was standing there with fire in his eyes and a purpose in his stance, and the Black-haired guy he was talking to seemed engrossed in the conversation. Whatever Avalon had planned, it wasn’t something he was part of, and it was just going to have to play out without him. Then again, he really felt like he’d met Avalon before, and just couldn’t place where. Something to do with chess? Maybe. There was something about the way the guy spoke that just felt familiar. He’d ask later. For now he was glad for the momentary reprieve as he caught a few words between Jason and Drake, his shoulder turned to them. Not quite wanting to get involved in something again so soon.

Drake did not find her joke about Apple to be funny.

In fact, now that there was somebody new at the table, Drake seemed not to notice that Mitch existed at all. Par for that course. She started flicking through various albums and playlists, eyes still set ahead, and the hand holding her phone resting on Apple’s back. Just as she had settled on something she wanted to hear, another voice came up beside her.

Too close to logically not be speaking to her.

“Em, hey. I’m at the table with some girls who are trying to make friends, and we noticed you were kind of keeping to yourself over here. Did you want to come make some friends too? We’ve got an open spot at the table for you, and these guys look pretty busy.”

Mitch turned her head to face up in the direction of the speaker, and Apple scuttled up to the top of her head to give the White-Haired-Male-Thing a good sniff. Her murky gaze settled fairly close to on center (for he was so close that it was a difficult target to miss) and she furrowed her brow as the sound of his voice ran through the necessary recognition process.

”You’re the boy who shut up the Norrevinter,” she said matter-of-factly, and swung her body around from the seat so that she could stand. A short click of her tongue sent Apple slipping down her body quick as Mercury over a lab coat, and he sat at attention beside her. She slipped her hand down to grab his harness, and gave a shy smile toward the speaker. ”And I think I’d like that,” she answered as she stood, ”Just point us to it. Or. I mean. Kinda start walking and Apple can figure it.”

Jason watched Drake like a hawk looking at prey, before slowly raising an eyebrow. His tone was amused as he spoke to the black haired youth as if he were a child. "For future reference when two people fight you have four options. Tell someone with authority, get between the two, try to be diplomatic about it, or stay where you are. Now since you had zero idea who those two were and their power level plus skill level getting between them would have been dangerous on your part. You are honestly lucky that Kora and Larke were not fighting or you would be on the floor in pain right now for getting in over your head." He paused for a moment as he let the words sink in before continuing.

"That girl was not trampled and was fine, I had my eye on the situation the whole time and was monitoring it. While you may have not meant it to be a hostile remark it was taken as a hostile remark." Jason's fingers drummed on the table as he tried to correctly word his next statement. "Yes I said feud, the Sterlings and Norriventers have been feuding since the 16th century for various reasons. I'm going to explain this to you now since you do not seem to grasp the situation. By showing favor to one of those two you are declaring an alliance without realizing it or not, which means the other may declare you as their enemy and bring you into the feud."

Jason sighed as he looked at Drake "You must be a new comer to our little society, my suggestion to you is to be informed and think before you act or it will cause trouble for you and your kin." Tover approached and talked to Mit- something while he was busy talking with Drake. The Book boy seemed full of surprises today, he had never known the other to be particularly social. Then again it had been years since he had last seen Tover.

So Drake had been thoroughly reprimand and things were explained to the newbie, he had done his job now to throw the poor boy a bone. "Why don't you join your friend over at the other table, I'm sure that they can answer any questions about society that you may have." He added on a polite smile to make the words seem softer and take away a bit of the bite. "After all I've kept you from your companion here long enough." With that he turned his head to Tover and mouthed the words 'Watch Them' when Drake wasn't looking. After all if anyone could watch out for a blind girl and an idiot it was Tover.

Kora couldn't help but feel that Tover was putting too much stake in the whole thing. It was not as if anyone whose opinion mattered didn't already know what to expect. Some people truly got wound up about some small things. Still, he seemed well-meaning enough, and it never hurt to have people on your side. Especially when some of the students were so touchy.

Not so much with the Botrelle girl though, it appeared, who seemed pretty unconcerned about her trip.
"Yup. I'm sure. It was nothing personal, I'm sure you're great and all." Kora responded to Tessa, maintaining the good natured tone, though her newfound diplomacy was tested when the sister of the previous girl showed up. Still, she was doing a better job than her sibling at keeping things civil.
"Apology accepted. Sterling isn't concerned because this is how things are, and it's probably a good idea to.."

She trailed off momentarily upon catching the exchange or Sterling passing the napkin, and Tessa's blushing. Her gaze moved over to Larke.
"Really? There is something wrong with you."

----


At the end of the corridor leading from the cafeteria, the shadows cast into the alcove there began to ripple and warp for a brief moment, before Professor Kovalenko appeared. A few wisps of dark, inscrutable matter seemed to evaporate off the surface of her coat and coil round her boots as she stepped out, in time to pause in front of the retreating Jasper and give her a look of stony disapproval.
"Miss Monroe I'm not aware of anybody giving you permission to leave the cafeteria. Professor Lovette is going to be arriving soon to deliver some very important announcements and I wouldn't like him to have to repeat them all purely for your sake, so I'd appreciate if you returned to your seat. "

Her dark grey eyes swept up as she caught someone else about to exit.
"The same goes for you too Mr Coleman. Return to your seat. I don't want to be spending all my time acting as sheepdog for every student tantrum that takes place this year. So let's start as we mean to go on."
She made her way to the entrance as a brisk pace, pausing for a moment to shoot Cyrus and Dinah a look sufficient to cause the two to scramble inside and to the nearest available seat (the furthest distance away from each other that they could find at short notice).

From there she walked over to the figure of Montana, coming to a stop next to the man.

"They don't seem to be listening." the woman remarked, noting that his short speech hadn't made more than a few students set their food down and wait for some form of permission."Seems we're going to need to teach this the hard way."
Oren swiftly lifted one slender, gloved hand into the air and snapped out her fingers to their full extent.

A wave of frosty air burst out from the woman like a blast from the arctic wind, and within moments all the food and drink the students had been enjoying was frozen completely solid. Fruit juice sat inert and fixed to its glass, pieces of toast were left as hard and unyielding as paving slabs.

Satisfied she'd gotten people's attention, Professor Kovalenko spoke up, her tone singular and unwavering.

"I beleive Mr Montana was speaking to all.
In the future I'd highly recommend listening to what he has to say.
This is the first lesson you are going to learn here.
I'm sure that a lot of you are used to people doing what you say at home, or being able to talk your way out of having to listen. That isn't the way things are going to work here.
Each of us on staff has been appointed by the Council of the Eight Powers to train you in the arts of magic, and as we're acting on their behalf, nobody is above the rules here. "

Her icy gaze lingered for a moment on both the ginger giantess and her silver-tongued nemesis, pretty certain today's incident was neither the last, nor the worst trouble those two would cause.
"Failure to listen to us, any of us, is going to result in immediate consequences.
Please keep this in mind the next time you choose to disregard what is being said to you.

Norrevinter, Sterling, consider this you first and your only warning to keep your fighting to combat class. Next time anyone tries something I'll assume they enjoy battle so much that they'll jump at the chance to spend their free time cleaning the combat equipment. "
Norrevinter might have been the instigator in this case, though if Sterling hadn't done anything to deserve being tackled yet, he probably would have in the first few days, so Oren saw nothing unfair about applying it to both sides of their ridiculous fight.