The Boarding School Chat

I followed the obnoxious pepto bismolly highlighter path laid out by my mother, making it painfully easy to find my room. Seriously. It was bad enough that she'd highlightered the room and all that... but apparently I was too daft to read a map?

Anyway, I got my trunk rolling down a huge hallway and followed the path. I opened the door to my room and was slightly weirded out to find two guys already there.

I had been under the impression that there would be two guys per room. I stood in the doorway, completely baffled.

T.Mor:

I had to wonder how we were suppoused to boil the water that came out of that faucet then... but Peter was normally right about this kind of stuff, so I figured that I would just pretend that not having a stove to boil water with made sense, and... yeah.

Though the whole shrinebox thing kind of made a lot of sense, I mean, nowhere else I'd ever been had had them so... it made sense, kind of that they were not really around.

"Oh." I stated.

For a moment I just stood there, staring at the sky with a bit of wonder. The sun, I was here, and looking at it. I mean, I'd caught a little sight of it when checking the gates back at home, but I'd never been able to just stand here and look at it. The sun was so...so bright. A weak word, but I couldn't think of anything that fit better.

Eventually I managed to pull myself away and pick up the small bag at my side before starting into the school. Feeling slightly self-conscious I quietly tugged on my skirt with one hand, desperately wishing that I had my normal jeans.

Once inside I kinda just stood there, staring around the halls and feeling a bit overwhelmed. I couldn't remember a bit of my life outside the prison, and now help the bit of excitement brushing my mind at the thought of being free of that place, of him. All I had to do is find my room thing and I'd be set. That thought in mind I tugged the map out of my bag, doing my best to figure it out.

Alright... I /thought/ the rooms were divided up into two guys each. Cue the two beds per room. So why did I suddenly have two roommates...?

Any why did one look vaguely familiar? Guess it didn't matter. I glanced between the two uneasily, though, thinking maybe I got the wrong place.

"Um...?"

"Alright so... I know this is the right room because I followed a freaking higlighter pepto bismol trail to get here. One of you didn't know how to read a map." I stated, waving around my obnoxiously highlighted map as evidence that I was in the right place.

"And... I'm not hauling that trunk...ANYWHERE else today... so, even if this thing is wrong somehow... you have to keep my luggage tonight." I stated. Seriously... that thing... was heavy. I mean, alright so I've hauled some gigantic pieces of wood about dark places before for really stupid reasons... and I'm not exactly like... weak or anything... but... Still, it was really heavy.

Will

Two beds...and three people...well not only did this sound like the begining of a bad joke but one of us had to be in the wrong room. I checked my map, nope, it said this room. "Maybe there's been a misprint?"

Cricket

Eventually, me and Finn--

Ah, Finn and I, I s'pose. Some sort of grammar thing, apparently. Since I'm in school now, s'pose I should get into the habit.

. . . who cares? Anyhow, me and Finn found ourselves with some papers and maps in our hands. Found someone to explain that the maps were to find our dorms, and it was easy enough to match numbers to numbers. Finn wanted to scope his room out, so I just continued on my own.

Until I finally opened the door that would be mine for the year.

The look of 'you've-got-to-be-kidding-me' flicked across my face like a card being shuffled in a blackjack dealer's deck; covered right quick, barely seen at all. Or else, that's how it felt, anyhow. A couple people had told me that for a thief, I didn't hide thoughts well. Not quite poker face, apparently . . . more like Go Fish face. I was getting there!

"Well. Small world." I cracked into a nervous chuckle, running a hand through my hair. "This is going t' be an adventure, oi my my . . ."

I checked my map, running over the directions again and again in my head. Unless there was some sort of error in the system, I was most definitely supposed to be in this dorm, in this room. Strange...

*Pov change*

After double checking that my concealed weapons were hidden and stored properly, the door opened behind me. When I glanced over my shoulder, I wasn't even surprised. Seems it was just that kind of day. I didn't even bother turning around, just going back to what I was doing.

"Cricket, your cohorts are in the other room. Now, either you can move there, or I can kill you in your sleep. I will leave the choice up to you"

I could read. I read a lot. Mostly notes from weird Prussians that sound kind of British when you talk to them over Skype about things. I honestly didn't know how there WERE still Prussians since... you know, Prussia kind of stopped existing a while back, but... whatever. They wanted to fill me in about weird archaeological digs and crap... that was their prerogative.

Anyway, my point- The numbers on the sheet that I'd been given about my dorm? Those numbers were right.

The third dude mentioned something about a misprint. It wouldn't be impossible, though... the headmaster had seemed a bit... nitpicky about the particulars when I'd read the informational pamphlet about the place. No clue what the guy looked like, but he used obnoxious words like..."prolix". No way someone who can worm that one on to the back of a pamphlet would be overlooking something like this. Probably.

"It's more likely that one of you doesn't know how to read." I stated slightly irritatedly.

*Pov change*

Two pickpocketing scores later, I finally found myself making my way up to my new room. Scared, but in a good way, I glanced down at my map to make sure I had the right place. Yup. Double yup. Definitely it. Would my roommate already be in there? What about the other dormmates? What would it be like to share a place with somebody? Who am I expecting to answer all of the questions I'm asking myself?

Calm down. Deep breath. Get serious. I opened the door slowly, first scanning for life. I was alone so far, got here before the other chick... but man, this place looks amazing! The beds are so clean, and there are all sorts of furniture that looked practically brand-new. Before I even had time to process all of that, I slid the bag off my shoulder and took a running dive at the nearest bed.

Ah... if this was a dream, I didn't wanna wake up.

Can I join?

I sighed deeply, an annoyed edge creeping into my voice
"I have the right room. I checked the numbers maybe a half a dozen times. So if there's a problem here, and it's not in the room assigning system itself, it must be from one of you two" I snapped.

Cricket

I didn't doubt a word of that. Not a bit. I was practically dead already with him right next door, let alone in the same room. Which meant I didn't have much to lose, which meant I had room to bargain. I raised an eyebrow at the back of his head before slinking deeper into the room like I already owned the place. "If they're next door, why stay when you can simply find some poor other lad and 'ave 'im trade? Wouldn't be too 'ard for someone like you t' convince. Might even get a room t' yourself somewhere, where you never 'ave t' see me or th' likes o' th' two next door again. I get my mates, you get . . . not my mates, and we're all one big 'appy non-murderous family. Now, this bed taken?"

Will

Leave it to Dorian to blame it on others. I rolled my eyes, "Well, my paper said this room. So either you or he has screwed up or the system has."

After awhile I managed to pull some person to the side and get some instructions on how to get to the room. Thanking them I started in the indicated direction, taking a few deep breaths in an attempt to calm my nerves.

New person to live with, fun....heh right, people and I..sometimes don't get along too well. Standing outside the door for a few moments I just stared at it, chewing on my lip. Well, it wasn't like wasting my time out here was going to make whatever was going to come any better, or worse.

Pulling open the door I took a quick glance around the room, spotting a girl on one of the beds. I was about to say something when I realized, I knew that girl.

"........um. Hi."

"Look. I know for a fact that I have the right room. One of you two is just dyslexic or something." I stated. My room was the room we were currently standing in. I had a whole pepto bismol trail on a map, AND a printed sheet of paper saying so. Unless I was suffering some kind of massive hallucination... There was no WAY I was in the wrong place.

"Why don't you both actually look at your sheets again to see if it's the right room or not?" I asked after a minute of highly annoyed thinking.

"As much as I would love to put as much distance between me and you three simpletons, I'm afraid that the pamphlet directly stated that room transfers were prohibited under threat of being expelled" I turned around this time, and gave him a condescending look, clearing my throat "Basically in terms you can understand: I would, but I can't. Which brings me back to the options I stated earlier"

*CHANGE*

These sheets were amazing. Like, really, amazing. As I rolled in them, I felt like I was submerged in... an ocean of... marshmellow-y... I dunno, sheets. Point is, they were soft, okay? So soft, that-

I fell off the bed when I heard my roommates voice. A familiar voice.
"Danae?!" I gasped, standing back up and running over to her. My eyes widened "Oh my gosh, it really is you! Dang, they weren't kidding in that song about small worlds and creepy dolls!"

"I already did! But fine, I'll humor you..." Alright, so I wasn't in the best of moods, but this was honestly getting aggravating. I looked at my map again, only to find that nothing had changed. At all. Still the same room, same dorm.

I was content, not happy, no, far from it. But content. Got here earlier than anyone else. Got settled and unpacked my things; clothes in the wardrobe, and my padlock safely secured to said wardrobe; Books all stacked on the bookshelf, the covers and spines all painted black; toiletries all set out; and I was laying on the bed, arm hanging off the edge. I was content.
I was, until I heard people next door.

Just the talking was fine, wasn't my business.
It /was/ my business when people started yelling, that was annoying. They were arguing about the room.
Freaking idiots.
Well, I already knew what my supposed roommates name was, that was easy enough to figure out. So that made this situation an easy fix.

I got up, went through the bathroom, and opened the door.
"Hey, idiots. Which one of you is Will?" I said, my voice raising and nearing monotone. I honestly didn't care who was who, I just wanted some damn quiet.

Cricket

I backed away under the look her gave me . . . backed up right against a bed, and ended up kicked back on it like I meant to do that. "Now, let me get this straight, then. You simply can't switch rooms, you just can't . . . you might get expelled. Oh, th' 'orror. But you'll kill me in my sleep. Aye, I can't even read, but I'm fairly sure there's something in th' rules about not raising a gun t' your roommate. Logic!" I was actually having a bit of fun with this, in an odd sort of life-threatening way, and I was sure it showed on my face.

I looked at the other two people in the room. I was most likely not Will... considering I remembered my own name, if nothing else.

"I'm Daniel. So... One of them." I used my excellent deductive reasoning skills as I leaned on the gigantic trunk I'd hauled up the stairs earlier that day.

His amusement managed to only further my irritation, and I gave him a tiny, cruel smirk "It would be all to easy to cover up your murder, Mr White- I have plenty of practice. Additionally, it would serve purposes that extend past the intended one. For example, I would be doing a civil duty by ridding the world of your annoying presence. Logic"

*POV CHANGE*

Alex:
"And my name is Alexander." I added, glancing over at the only person that hadn't contributed his name "Guess that leaves you, hmm?" I bit back a slightly smug smile. After all, he had acted so sure of himself only to be completely wrong.

Cricket

Well, that would have stung a small tad more if it hadn't come from Dorian, who . . . well, leave it to Dorian to voice his annoyance in snarky comebacks. I didn't expect any less. So that bit didn't phase me.

Still didn't doubt that I would be dead as soon as I shut my eyes.

"Ah . . . 'ow's this." I had my hands tucked behind my head by this point, laying on my back with my legs propped up against the wall and watching him upside down. "Wait 'til I at least know 'ow t' read, then kill me. That way I can write a will, and if I'm graced with a grave I'll make sure it's got written on it: 'I told you so. Quote Dorian Aldric.' Otherwise, it's a bit of a failure of a way t' threaten t' kill someone, in thier sleep . . . th' person doesn't even know what 'it 'em, and th' murderer doesn't get t' voice any last words that they're going t' 'ear. Completely painless. You've at least got t' tack on a last word, there." I paused, wondering if I'd just ranted all of that out loud. "Ah . . . heh. I've got a bit of personal experience when it comes t' effective death threats."

Dorian:
"Actually, assassins don't typically stop to throw a few last retorts at their target... that would be missing the point of a quick, clean kill" I took care to enunciate the words as if I were talking to a complete idiot. Which is a probably fairly accurate analogy. "Though I will probably refrain from killing you. For now that is. I suppose it will depend on how this set up goes, hmm? However... do not make the mistake of expecting any sudden, miraculous acts of tolerance from me. If you bother me too much, a quiet death in the middle of the night is probably the best you will hope for. Understand?"

Will

"I am. Who' re you?" I asked, glancing over at the new commer. And Alex...man...Dorian had a double.. the thought was extreamly unpleasent.

(Can I throw in a girl since they' re aren' t many?o3o)

Cricket

My smirk faded a tad, still watching him. If I was going to die, I'd always wanted to make sure it was out with . . . at least a pop, if not a bang. Clean and quick? It was anonymous, without a signature on anyone's part. Wasn't quite noble, even if it was painless . . . that, and I'd been half-joking. Dorian didn't seem like the type to want his name on someone's grave.

It was going to be a long year.

My gaze finally turned up to the ceiling as I let out a breath of a sigh. "Understood."