Chapter Text
Is it morning already? Eli awakens with a pounding headache. The last thing they remember is going to sleep in their bed after a long day, so why…
“I better hurry up and find that uniform before someone spots me…” That line is a little too familiar for Eli’s liking.
“Urgggh… This lid weighs a ton!” That one too…
“Try this on for size! Mya-ha!” FIRE?! Eli jumps out of their coffin, frankly upset that they even know what they’re jumping out of.
“GRIM STOP!”
“What?! You ain’t supposed to be– H-How do you know my name?” Eli doesn’t deem it relevant to respond to the flaming cat’s antics, scooping him up and shushing him as they hear a door open nearby. Eli makes a split second decision, running through another door nearby and finding themself in the library. It seems that the plot is plotting.
“If this is a dream, I’m ready to wake up now…” Eli whispers, trembling slightly. Grim seems to take a bit of pity on them, merely snuggling into their chest as they clutch him tightly.
“Look, Grim, this is how this going to go, so I need you to trust me, okay?” The monster nods, confused as Eli takes in the room. Surely enough, there are floating coffins all around, and the lid to theirs is open, the coffin shaking as it tries to re-center its weight.
“You are going to pose as my familiar. You aren’t going to like it, but it’s the only way this is going to go smoothly. You may be sentient, but I know for a fact that you’re going to be seen as a mere monster if you don’t listen to me, okay? You and I need to work together to survive this.” Grim nods, but Eli has a sneaking suspicion that this is not going to go as well as they hope, especially where Grim is involved.
“My, you were eager to make your debut.” Eli jumps, accidentally squeezing Grim so hard he yelps, jumping from their arms.
“And bringing a poorly trained familiar with you? That is a clear violation of the school’s rules!” Eli sighs, apologizing to Grim before turning to a man in a big hat and a bird mask, a man they know far too well to be meeting him in person, Dire Crowley.
“You’re rude, you know that? Grim isn’t poorly trained, he’s rebellious. There’s a difference. He knows how to behave.” Grim makes an outraged noise, but is quickly silenced by Eli, who glares at him like their lives depend on it.
“Yes, well, you’re still not supposed to have a familiar without the proper paperwork. Of all the students I’ve dealt with, you’re the first with temerity enough to open their own gate and step out of it. Does the very notion of patience elude you?” Eli opens their mouth, but Crowley beats them to the punch.
“No matter. Your orientation has already begun. Let us return to the Mirror Chamber.” Eli nods, motioning for Grim to come to them. Luckily, he listens, and jumps on their shoulder, perching himself steadily before Eli begins to follow Crowley back.
“Typically the students have restraint enough to wait until I open the gates before waking up…” Crowley laments, making Eli roll their eyes.
“Gates?” Grim asks. Crowley stops in his tracks, seeming shocked that Grim can speak at all.
“Yes, gates. Although, I’m sure I can attribute your early awakening to that familiar of yours, and its behavior shall be your responsibility from here onward.” Crowley opens the door to the Mirror Chamber, holding it for Eli, who is surprised the man has manners at all.
“Alas, now is not time for such prattle, you’ve got a student orientation to attend! Go on now, make haste.”
~
“We’re done with orientation and dorm assignments?” A voice Eli doesn’t recognize asks. They wish they paid more attention to the beginning of the game, maybe then they could identify that voice. The other obstacle is that the voices are all in English now, not Japanese, but at least there’s no concern about a language barrier.
“Alright, new students—let me be clear. At Heartslabyul House, I am the law. Break the rules, and it’s off with your head!” That line would be more concerning if Eli wasn’t aware of just what the person saying it meant. At least they’re able to put a name to the voice now, Riddle. His English voice is certainly different than they were expecting it to be. There’s an audible yawn before the next person is heard.
“Well, that ceremony was as boring as ever. I’m going back to the dorm. If you’re in Savanaclaw, follow me.” That must be Leona, and there’s Ruggie’s tell-tale laughter following his declaration.
“New students! Allow me to be the first to congratulate you on your achievement. As Housewarden of Octavinelle, I am honored to have the opportunity to support you in what I hope will be a fulfilling campus experience!” At this point, Crowley has led Eli and Grim far enough into the room that they can see who is speaking, and Eli has to gasp, they all look so different from how they do in-game. Well, that’s to be expected considering they look more human than art themself, but still.
“Hey, does anyone know where the Headmage went? He disappeared midway through the ceremony…” Vil’s question is met with sarcastic amusement.
“Some Headmage he is.” A tablet that Eli can easily identify as Idia sighs.
“Maybe he had a tummyache?” Kalim offers. Eli feels their breath catch in their throat at the sight of the pair of them. They’ve always thought that Vil was pretty, but Kalim ? He’s far too pretty to be real right now. They were prepared for Vil to stun them, not the Scarabia Housewarden.
“I most certainly did not!” Crowley shouts from beside Eli, who winces at the noise. As-is, they’re about two seconds from a meltdown or a panic attack and they can’t tell which one it is anymore.
“Ah, speak of the devil,” Riddle says, carefully eyeing Eli and Grim as well as the Headmage.
“If you must know, I was searching for the new student who’d failed to show for orientation,” Crowley turns to them now, giving them a stern look and grabbing Grim from their shoulder. Eli immediately goes to protest, but Crowley beats them to the punch, “You are the only one who has yet to be assigned a dorm. Step up to the Dark Mirror, and be quick about it. I’ll watch your weasel.”
Eli tenses, knowing that this is where Grim is going to stop listening, especially if his growl is anything to go by. This is where the chaos begins, they’re sure of it. Alas, they have to face the Dark Mirror.
“State your name.” The Dark Mirror booms. Eli covers their ears, the sound bouncing off the high ceiling and almost echoing back. They’re going to have a meltdown.
“I’m Eli…” They say.
“Full name.”
“Elliot James.” The Dark Mirror hums, deep in thought as the disembodied mask seems to appraise them. They’re glad the Dark Mirror accepted that because there’s no way they were going to give their full name like that, so first and middle should suffice. The Dark Mirror’s frown turns into a wicked grin before it opens its mouth again. Eli doesn’t remember that happening in the game.
“The nature of your soul is…” There’s a long pause, one that makes Eli’s heart move to their throat.
“...unclear to me.”
“What did you just say?” Crowley demands. Eli knows what’s coming next. The Dark Mirror is going to pronounce them magicless and tell them that they don’t belong anywhere, and then Eli is going to find themself in Ramshackle and–
“I haven’t sensed magic like this since the time of the Seven. This one is bright like the star one wishes upon, and yet no dorm would be appropriate.” The entire room is silent and Eli’s brain does a factory reset.
What.
The.
Fuck?
“I come from a world where magic is left in fairytales, and you say I have magic?” Eli asks, voice nothing more than a squeak even to their own ears. Crowley looks between Eli and the mirror, and if they weren’t freaking out themselves, they’d take pride in being able to derail the Headmage like this.
“But that is absurd! The student selection process has not erred once in–!” “I shall allow this student to decide their fate.” The words the Dark Mirror utters send the entire room abuzz. Eli covers their ears, wishing they had headphones or earplugs or something to filter out the noise because they can’t keep holding this meltdown back, it’s just not possible. They’re already at a new record.
“Well?” Crowley asks. Eli feels tears well up in their eyes.
“I want to go home…” They beg. Their hands come from their ears to their arms, where they allow their hands to come below the sleeves of their robe and claw at their arms, relishing in the grounding feeling that the bite of pain brings them.
“I need to go home, please. I don’t belong here, I’m not from this world, this universe even! I haven’t spoken up because I figured this is a dream that I’ll wake up from, but I managed to calm Grim down enough that he hasn’t set anyone on fire yet, and I’ve been playing along with the script I knew because I was hoping I’d wake up before I faced the Mirror!” Eli can’t breathe, nothing is helping them calm down. They can’t do this anymore. They need to hit something, to take out their frustrations and sudden anger on something or someone. They can’t do this. This isn’t real . This has to be a dream.
Everything goes to shit when Crowley touches Eli’s shoulder, though.
“HOW DARE YOU TOUCH MY HUMAN!”
“Grim, stop –”