First Day of School? [Private, Phantasia, Aivee]

Fantasia's fingertip brushed the smooth surface of the faceted sapphire, feeling not a single crack or deformation in the gemstone. Locked in the focus of her Claymore's crossguard, it shone it's brilliant blue hue to her eyes and her eyes only. It was something she could not part with, for it was her Anima Stone, the Legion; that which contained her power, as well as her sanity. She tapped it twice, very lightly, before forcing herself to come to a resolution. Bringing the Edge of the Legion—the name of her hefty sword, which acted as the medium for the Anima Stone—to any redeemable academy was a long shot. Though she was not versed with the laws of Karakura high... she only need to use common sense to assume that weaponry at school was generally frowned upon. Loath as she was to do this, she pried her fingers around the edges of gemstone and popped the sapphire out of its socket; or rather, the stone seemed to jump out on its own into the open palm of her hand, as there really was no room for her fingernails to get underneath the edges.

She didn't bother arguing. There were enough experiences to be had later today. It was only morning.

Fantasia did not possess any sort of vehicle. She had glanced once over the options, but the objectivity of situation struck her; why bother wasting so much money on a car, when she could move just as fast through the air under her own power? So, she shot off like a rocket from her front door step, hurtling through the defensive barrier of Karakura toward the central city. Nothing but a speckle against the sky, she went mostly unnoticed for the majority of the trip. She only began to get a couple of glances when she passed by the airways among the flying cars. Perhaps the city was used to beings who shared the skies, and so she decidedly would smile and salute the passerbies before she revved up her speed. There was a loud crack as she broke the sound barrier for just the smallest amount of time, creating a cloudy shockwave around her in the process—what speed she had in her when she really tried. But as the institution of Karakura High began to come into view, she decelerated her flight, aiming for the ground now.

From the skies Fantasia descended, touching down gently with the tips of her sneakers into the near vacant lot before the school. The sun had only begun to rise, and so it would appear that she had arrived early to Karakura High. The positive thing about that though, was that she could easily take care of all the first day quandaries with an ample amount of time. Hugging her arms nervously around her body, the girl would begin her stride toward the buildings, in high hopes of finding the main office easily. Her footsteps were quiet even against the gritty black top of the parking lot, naturally so, though assisted by the change of footwear to soft-soled sneakers. In fact, her outfit was quite different from normal, with the only similarity being the symbolic satiation of the color black, including the thin knee high socks she wore. Covering her bottoms was a gathered skirt with very delicate and almost indistinguishable white threads. Her top was comprised of a casual off-the-shoulder tube top that did not disguise her lower stomach, but the article was complimented by a long-sleeved button down overlay which fortunately did, especially suitable for the early morning chill. Lacking the usual shady hood of her cloak, her outgrown blonde hair was allowed to flow straight and plain along her shoulders and draping down to the small of her back.

She wore a silver metal necklace, albeit hidden by the button shirt, it was adorned with the azure crystal that was her Anima Stone, Legion. And last to note would be the girl's near-empty backpack, strapped to her back and prepared to be filled with the school's textbooks. Otherwise, it contained the simple things: Paper, pens, pencils, binders, notebooks, and other such necessities. When she had first applied for Karakura High, the return letter they had sent outlined the supplies that would be required for the school year, and the naive girl most likely had gone overboard with such things. After all, given the rough boulevard her life had tumbled through, mere education had never really been a part of it. She had a host of fundamental skills and various tidbits of knowledge that she had acquired on her lone travels, and she even was a pretty fast learner, but as for now she was still behind with no proper academy to have attended. Not only the lack of education but the lack of social skills plagued her. This would be her first day of school in the entirety of her life—she really had no idea.

Fantasia's head tilted back, and she looked up. She was in front of a door with the words 'Front Office' written over the topic in bold capitalized letters. Heaving an anxious breathe, she would bring her arm forward to push through the door, and into the carpeted room beyond. She was in. There was a hiss of pneumatics behind her as the door slowed and gently clicked shut, rather than slamming shut as Fantasia was used to. Once the room had been sealed, the change in temperature became incredibly apparent. There was also a solace away from nature's sounds, replaced by the distant voices at the far end of the office and the hushed typing of the secretary closest to her. Despite the various voices, the only person that Fantasia could see was said secretary, and she looked very engrossed in her work at the computer. She would simply stand there patiently with her hands wrapped around her body in a tight hug. It was a suspension of activity. Nothing but sheer idleness as she stood there for what seemed to be a couple minutes. Eventually the brunette woman would deign to notice her, and ask for her to please take a seat. Glancing over toward the row of seats adjacent to the door, she would oblige.

"What's your name, miss?"

There came the question, another five minutes later. "Fantasia. Uh, Fantasia Nevermore." Blushing ever so slightly, she would look toward the wall where a couple of decorative paintings littered the surface. There were more keystrokes and clicks as the woman was probably inputting information and searching for her file or some such nonsense. She took her own sweet time again, but when she next did anything besides stare at her computer, it was to stand and hold out a folded up outfit of clothing, a couple sheets of paper, as well as a flimsy looking badge. Fantasia stood and came to gather it all up; apparently among these papers was her schedule, school map, rules, and guidelines. Thanking the lady, she would spin around and walk out the door and back into the cold. The shadows cast by the sun had shrunk the slightest bit, and there were a couple more vehicles in the school parking lot, but it was still relatively early and with a while before the first bell rung.

Fantasia would stand just outside the office just sorting through all the documentation she had just received. Her schedule listed her single classe by its respective subject, followed by the room number and teacher's name. The badge had something of a logo for the school, apparently using a shield as the symbol. The Rules and Guidelines were contained in a sizable booklet that Fantasia did not even bother reading over right now. She had gone over the most important things already from the letter they had sent her at home, so all three of those were placed inside of her backpack. The only sheet left was the school map. She had memorized her schedule well enough, and so all she had to do was pair the room numbers up with the spots on the map... except she had no idea where she was. It was probably about time to head to a nearby restroom so she could change into this... mandatory dress. She was only thankful that part of it remained black, so that she would not have to bring the situation up to the principal and make a big deal out of it. The thing was, she probably was going to have to get into the school in order to find any bathroom.

This moment was going to have to come eventually, so... In a stride that was so obviously self-conscious, Fantasia would hesitantly move toward the gates of the school, about to enter the institutional forest that was Karakura High. She always hated maps anyways.

She had just begun to pass through the looming metal gates of Karakura when she felt the light rap upon her shoulder, even through the two layers of fabric that lied between her skin and the perpetrator of the prodding. Well, needless to say she was surprised by it, but it was not shocking enough that she jump in place, wide-eyed, spin around, and throw her stuff all over the hard cement ground; it was just a tap. Fantasia would turn counter-clockwise, coming face-to-face with a female who was a little bit scarce in terms of height, until of course she chose that moment to bow and present her stygian head of hair—smooth, straight, long... pretty to sum her opinion up. "Greetings and forgive my intrusion, but you seem lost, Miss. Would you like some assistance?" This young stranger had spoken such words in such a silvery sweet voice, despite her young age. And when she finished her bow and opened her crimson eyes for Fantasia to see, she was granted a well-composed face. It was not that she was any sort of magician with facial evaluation, but if it hadn't been for the words spoken, her mind would have a burdensome time trying to determine whether a friend or foe stood before her.

Aside of such thoughts, she was so incredibly thankful for the girl's appearance at such an opportune time. She didn't think she would find somebody willing to offer assistance so soon. Despite being unbalanced by the formal bow and verbal decorum of the raven-haired girl, she would indeed respond, and hastily. "Uh, yes yes, and thanks for offering. Tell us, do you go to this school? Karakura High?" Fantasia's voice was much rougher around the edges. It was definitely deeper, as though she were possessing the maturity of a woman already, despite her appearance displaying otherwise. Her head nodded back toward the school as she spoke, just out of tendency. She was much more open about her body language and facial expressions, clearly glad for the help, and opaquely surprised at the girl's first impressions. "Because we are trying to find the, uh... latrines. As you can see, we sort of need to change." She would offer a light laugh after explaining her situation, decidedly taking the stranger for a friend for now. Awkwardly, Fantasia offered a short bow of her own.

"By the way, our name is Fantasia. It's nice to meet you."

Something off?

Fantasia heard one her many voices push out from its usual place and highlight the question at the forefront of her mind. The girl would mull, obviously seeing it as well. The stranger was staring at her with almost intrusive eyes as she forced the silence to lengthen into something of an awkward reticence. The blonde would squirm in place, shifting her legs and causing her skirt to twirl ever so slightly as she waited. Thankfully the lack of communication ended with her chime-like voice again, musically returning Fantasia's greeting. Embarrassment abating, Fantasia returned to her pleasant self and straightened herself up. At this point is when she hoped the girl, now known to her as Shisome, would direct her to the nearest bathroom and allow her to change into the mandatory clothing, in line with the strict dress code. But the awkwardness was back, as she just happened to pass her by without a word. It took Fantasia a second to realize she was supposed to follow, but all would move along smoothly thereafter.

This is where Fantasia began to get a little distracted; the pair delved into the school plot, and inside was an institution beyond the scope of her previous imaginings. The buildings were so large, so upscale in comparison to her first guess; the difference was paling. Her eyes darted back and forth, spotting key words on the buildings such as 'Cafeteria' and 'Library'. She also would catch the various signs for the hallways the listed the classrooms that would be found in their respective directions. And the last sign would designate an area set out simply for lockers, from numbers X to Y and some such. Fantasia thought she'd spotted the telltale symbols for the restrooms; but at the speed she had to move to keep up with Shisome, she didn't have enough time to confirm it. Trusting the girl, she kept on trailing her as she moved into the building containing the lockers. Funnily enough, she would stop at the lockers instead of a bathroom, and begin fiddling with the wheel on the door.

Fantasia had zero knowledge on the workings of the combo wheel and the lock itself, and as it was she just stared at Shisome's fingers twirling around, with sprinkles of curiosity and a dash of confusion. What she was given wasn't much; not a word when she had begun leading. It was possible that the girl had for some odd reason forgotten Fantasia's presence and went off on her own daily routine. And all this while the blonde might have been following her like a dummy—she had to confirm. "Uh, you are still helping us, Shisome?" she nervously inquired, as if afraid the strange girl might bite back. Wordlessly, the ebony haired female would withdraw a pair of shoes and sealed envelopes from her locker, before shutting it close. And once again, she was off, and Fantasia was left straggling without a clue before she decided to follow in turn. They rounded into a different hallway where from her vantage, she could now easily see the indicators for the restrooms.

She released a sigh of relief from behind Shisome, glad to know she wasn't idiotically following a girl in a way that made her look like a creepy stalker. Again with the strange politeness, Shisome would bear the door open and bow. Finally, thank the gods and goddesses above, she spoke again, saying she would wait for her here and help her if she so needed it. Fantasia shuffled into the bathroom, but she turned to face the raven-haired girl before she made it all the way in, and with a big smile she would one-up her; she crossed her legs in the imitation of a curtsy before she bowed a full ninety degrees over for her, flipping her hair in the process. The exaggeration in her movements meant this action clearly an act of comedic good will, and the blonde would top it off with kind words. "Yes, something is off. But we like you. You have our gratitude, Shisome." And then she would disappear into one of the closer stalls to change.

It was a couple minutes later, but when next Fantasia came out of the stall, she had some refreshing color in her outfit. The loss of the black would always leave her mind at unease, like a guilty prodding, but to see these hues of tan, white, and red on her were somewhat satisfying. She would come out of the bathroom to find Shisome waiting, as promised, and would throw herself into a spin that fluttered her skirt and stirred the various zippers on her backpack. "What do you think?" she asked jovially, hugging herself as she waited for a response.

Shisome's answer was very favorable, causing a lukewarm sensation that wormed up from her stomach into her chest and past that up to her face, casting her lips into a small smile. But she seemed so embarrassed by the compliment, stammering all the way through it. She couldn't maintain eye contact after the first look, and even Fantasia would be able to notice such a blush easily. She abashedly scratched the back of her head as a small sweat drop fell down from the side of her face. She waited patiently for the other teen to compose herself before she said anything more. And when her maroon eyes could focus on Fantasia, and she looked placid—the epitome of youthful decorum and manner. "Thank you, Shisome," Fantasia would state softly, trying again to imitate the black-haired girl's cordial bow based on what she had seen, rather than acting like a goof like before. Shisome returned with a dim smile of her own, before her attentions seemed to shift to something else.

"You didn't switch your shoes," she said with a gesture back the way they came. At first Fantasia was at a juncture in which she did not quite understand the statement, but as her thoughts moved back to when Shisome had opened her locker and pulled a multitude of various objects out, she remembered one of those objects being a pair of fancy shoes. As if a light bulb had brightened up atop her head, Fantasia's eyes widened and she realized that along with the uniform, it would be sensible to expect that the dress code included specific shoes. Good news, the new footwear shared the same color as Fantasia's currents: black. She was pretty apathetic about it, as there really wasn't too much difference between the two to her, so switching between them was not an issue. She followed Shisome's quick pace toward the lockers. Hundreds upon hundred of different metal boxes placed next to each other, differentiated only by a sheer code on the face of the doors. Fantasia lost herself in a moment of stupefaction, knowing she had not a clue which one of these hers might be.

When she snapped herself out of it, she noticed the girl's extended hand, and this time not a word had to be said for Fantasia to get the gist. She would gladly dump to task upon the more experienced student, swinging her backpack around to open it up and withdraw whatever papers she thought might have the necessary information. She handed them off, and let Shisome take the lead as she was so kind enough to do thus far. Fantasia would merely keep in step and observe as she did her thing. When they finally arrived at whatever locker had been allotted to her, the blonde would pipe up with a question of curiosity, piqued by the quiet nature of the red-eyed beauty. "You aren't a girl of many words, we see. It makes us very curious about you; usually the quiet ones aren't social types, choosing to keep to themselves. But you, you came to us very fast to help us out. Are you truly a shy being, or a confident one?" This time, it was Fantasia's turn to tilt her head.

Trying to explain to intricacies of a schoolhouse locker to a girl like Fantasia without using a single word, was a quest for naught. Such would be proven by the very situation she was in, as Shisome tried her best to show the blonde what to do. She had no clue of what numbers her combination was made of, or how to correctly input them onto the wheel. At best, the Nevermore would watch intently and try to memorize exactly what numbers she was stopping and turning on; it was the only option open to her. Barely a foot from the lock wheel, her eyes squinted as they observed the specific patterns, chewing a bit on the inside of her cheek while she took mental notes within her mind. Shisome turned the wheel four times in total, before she moved her hand to the handle and pulled it open. Inside of the locker were several text books, and a pair of dress shoes atop the pile of literature. Fantasia pulled her shoes out first before closing the locker again. The metal locks and tumblers clicked back into their original positions, resetting the combination that had to be entered. She placed her hands upon the wheel, for now it was her turn.

As Fantasia began her delicate cycling of the combo wheel, Shisome would then and only then answer her. Though only if you considered a betwixt and vague response an answer. To be honest it was not quite the satiating result for the girl, and only left her with more questions than she began with. For now she would concentrate on working with the combination, just rounding the number and reversing the spin. That's when Shisome begged the question that she knew deep down would eventually be asked. She froze, the wheel stopping just so suddenly as her eyes bore blankly into the door of the locker; looking yet not seeing. She would not start back up until Shisome finished speaking, and she would end up reversing the wheel before she was supposed to without even noticing it. Why did she speak as more than herself? Well, it was easy enough to answer why, harder to explain, and even harder to relive to history behind it. Her heart would clench for a split second as the memories pushed at the bars of the cage she had locked them into.

"No, no. There's no theory craft necessary. We speak this way because we are different from... normal people. To explain it best is like; you are only one person in your mind, but we are multiple people in my mind... yet the same. It's not really a subject we want to dwell on right now." It was spoken softly, lacking the bright energy she had been displaying up until now. She had rounded the third number and just hit the fourth. Silently she would reach for the handle and hesitantly pull, to no avail. She tried thrice, the the metal locks held it shut tight. Sighing, she asked Shisome to show her the combination again, thinking that she might have memorized it wrong. "Sorry, we're not used to this kind of stuff. Never seen a lock like this in our life." She would retreat from the locker, hands clasped behind her back, staring directly at the wheel with shallow eyes. Control—her many selves worked within her mind to contain the backlash of the tragic memories. For even today, they haunted her, and would haunt her for the rest of her life.