Unicorn The Magic Rhino Club

People were coming in from all directions. There small pockets of groups everywhere and along with the bright mutilated mess that was her cabins decoration, Bea was feeling slightly overwhelmed. It didn't help that in the back of her mind, she knew she should be a good influence and try and get everything and everyone sorted. Prefect and all. She watched though as more and more older students came in, and for once since acquiring the shiny little badge that proclaimed authority, Bea decided to toss responsibility out the window. She would try to enjoy herself this month, even though the the universe was trying to get her to do otherwise. Others were offering their help, namely a young blond girl that Bea had never met, and there was a good number of older students more than capable of asserting leadership and responsibility. One of them seemed to be a boy from...Mahoutokoro? He didn't seem to be a Hogwarts student. She smiled in return to his nodded greeting. "Hi! I'm Beatrice. Beatrice Langstreth... Hogwarts." The school was an afterthought, but since she hadn't met the boy and they were all a mix of schools, she thought it would be good to add it. She turned to the girl near him and nodded her head at the older blond girl. "Nice to meet ye."

Voices were coming from all directions now that she'd stopped, and at the call of her name, Bea whipped around to find the source. It was a girl in her year. She had seen her around, and the more Bea thought about it, had definitely seen the girl in the Common Room. Bea lamented that she should probably know her name better since they most likely had class together and the other girl knew her name. "Yeah?" At the rest of the question, Bea smiled brightly and shook her head. "Although maybe later when I decide to burn this monstrosity down. Who decided this design was a good thing?" A smirk graced her lips at the thought of burning the cabin and only ash standing in its place.

She cocked her head, trying for the life of her to remember the other girls name. When her brain came up empty, she gave in and swallowed her pride. "I'm sorry, but I can't for the life of you remember your name." She held out her hand towards the other girl for a proper introduction. "You can call me Beatrice, or Bea."

@Jack Burnett, @Erin Ryan, @Ruby Cazares
Desperately trying to play catch up while keeping my post length reasonable, I know I missed some people, sorry ;_; . If you wanted to interact in this post and you were not mentioned, or if I glossed over/missed something, feel free to owl/dm me and I will be happy to make changes! There was some backpedaling done here, so some interactions and their timings may read a little wonky.

In a living arrangement like this one, it was a relief to find there would be someone of a seemingly more mild-mannered temperament among the cabin of several (undoubtedly) soon-to-be-cranky teens. Mr. Midorimori was either destined to be a mediator and a voice of reason, or a figurative punching bag to a half-dozen unhappy children. Or, perhaps, neither. The fellow seemed like the type who was more inclined to keep to himself if given the opportunity- maybe watch the world (the cabin) go up in flames should things get out of hand.

Which they ultimately were destined to do, eventually.

Ginyami's well-wishes were taken with a light laugh. "I believe we will have no problem getting to it, thanks to you." Xailah dropped to the ground and proceeded to shimmy through the tunnel she had called through. Schrödinger, of course, followed along closely. It was doubtful that the two would have had trouble finding their way out eventually- they were familiar enough with labyrinthian environments and testy puzzles to be able to understand their nature and what was needed to overcome them. Regardless, Ginyami's patience was still very much appreciated.

Unfortunately, the appreciation was very short-lived as a new, far less patient presence announced itself to the cabin. And they sounded an awful lot like Ruby Cazares.

Having finally made it out of the tunnel, and into the mouth of the cabin's exit, Xailah and her feline friend found themselves alongside the other respective occupants of the room. The lioness would bow her head in a courteous gesture, to- who she assumed to be- Ginyami. The voice finally has a face, she mused to herself, watching the foreigner. Erin's introduction earned a quiet chuckle from the Gryffindor- or, sorry, 'Prefect Cat Lady'. "That would be me." She'd confirm. She wasn't at all bothered by the girl not knowing her name. But if she had to bet, she'd be willing to lay down a few galleons on the odd idea that Erin probably knew the cat's name. Xailah had started to notice early on (shortly after the feline had been sent to accompany her at school, back in her third year), that the student body could recall her companion... weirdly well.

It was almost concerning just how many people could identify the creature. Really, it was beginning to seem more like Xailah was the one following Schrödinger around, rather than vice versa.

As Erin tried to recall whether or not she had, in fact, been making a ruckus, there would be a momentary shift in her demeanor- it had only happened for a second, and was something that could have easily been missed. I'm not sure, the blonde eventually concluded, which Xailah took as a vague maybe.

However, someone with a particularly foul mouth, was inclined to paint Erin- and any others who would require aid with navigation- as noisy, or at the very least, bothersome- with a pointed "fuck off". Xailah naturally tuned out the obscenity. "Oh," she frowned lightly at Erin, taking in the moment where color would flee from the blonde's face. Strange, but she would not question it. "Perhaps the rooms have an echo then." Or maybe it was all just a result of sensitivity. To Xailah, a pen dropping on carpeted floor was "noise".

Attention would drift to the sound of the entry door opening. More unfortunate souls to join the frenzy. Oh woe. As they poured in, they were given a less-than-reassuring greeting. "Abandon all hope, ye who enter here." She lamented, eyeing the new set of students who had the shared misfortune of being assigned this cabin. More roommates. Who would have thought that idea would encourage a sentiment of pity.

It was then a small ray of light broke through the unpleasant predicament the growing group found themselves in. Well, it was some brightness for Xailah. Someone would inquire for her. So Ruby was here after all. "I am afraid so." Xailah called back out, solemnly. As Ruby finally came into the room, she gave the girl a warm smile- even if she was now well aware that it was indeed the Slytherin who had been slinging bitter profanities earlier. "Misery loves company, as they say. My condolences that here, of all places, is where we are to meet. I would have never wished this fate upon you."

A thought then occurred to Xailah, as she looked half-sheepishly as if to gauge her friend. Surely the both of them being here was no coincidence. "Ruby? Have you done anything particularly heinous within the last month or so? Someone must surely have a vendetta against those who have had the mischance of being placed in this cabin. Who else would be cruel enough to put someone here?" Xailah for one, immediately began thumbing through her memories of the past few months, but she could not think of any "criminal acts" performed outside her realm of normality that would have been considered outright despicable. Maybe she had stolen something from the wrong person? No, it couldn't have been that. The reasoning for placing her here- if there was any- was completely lost on her. She brought a curled finger to her chin, for it to rest in an expression of idle thought. "I cannot think of anything awful I have done recently, except for maybe..." She droned off, her words fading into a contemplative fog.

A question would come from Erin, as she made her concerns about finding her way around the cabin rather plain. Ruby, for whatever reason (Xailah assumed she was bitter over the living arrangement), responded sharply to the inquiry.

"Ruby," The Gryffindor scolded lightly, "It would appear some people evidently are not as keen as you are." Point proven when a black-haired boy (Arjan) entered the cabin and proceeded to get himself lost almost immediately. Xailah cringed slightly as she heard his distant mutters of confusion. At least someone in here was looking to be helpful, Ginyami's suggestion would make the Gryffindor look his way, briefly. "I think ribbon or string would be an excellent idea to help temporarily remedy the navigation problem many seem to be having." She had both in her luggage upstairs- her being a seamstress and all. She supposed she could spare a spool, if it would help. After agreeing with the foreign student she looked back to Ruby.

"The last thing I want to do is wake up in here, only to find out someone died in one of those awful tunnels because they could not find their way out." She whispered to the Slytherin, in what sounded like a semi-joking tone. Yes, because apparently there were a few people occupying the cabin- not to name any names- that had exactly one shared neuron, and were equipped with the navigational capabilities of a Pygmy Puffskein stuck in a habitrail; which was concerning, to say the least, but Xailah was more than willing to give everyone the benefit of the doubt and blame everything on the cabin- it was, after all, the greatest enemy the occupants would have to overcome.

Xailah cocked her head in a doggish fashion, puzzled by another question from Erin. Her attention was redirected to the blonde. She supposed the inquiry was warranted, although she couldn't imagine why Erin cared to know about chaperones- unless she just liked being in the know. And why had the Slytherin used a possessive pronoun? Wasn't a chaperone meant for the general group? "I was not informed of any chaperone duties." The metamorph admitted- at least she wasn't informed of any that she could recall. Maybe it had been mentioned in passing and promptly glossed over. "But, if you feel you need one I suppose I can accede your request." She'd humor Erin. For now. At least until she decided whether or not she was making a mistake. However, that reminds me; it would be a good idea to establish a few ground rules once everyone has settled... to the best of their ability. Just a few standard expectations, nothing too restricting." By the looks of things, it was going to be a long while before that happened.

Another complaint from Ruby was met with an equally defeated tone from the metamorph. "I am convinced this is somebodies idea of cruel and unusual punishment. I say we try to redecorate at the earliest convenience. If we are lucky, we may be able to snag some paints from a craft event, if there are any planned. That is assuming the décor has been charmed to reject spells." It was then she caught the passive suggestion, from another person in the cabin (Beatrice), to burn the place down; and although it was almost certainly a joke... the idea was tempting.

Xailah and Schrödinger are near the exit, and hanging around a little while longer to see who all has been assigned the cabin. They are both open for interactions still, but otherwise you can consider them to be there passively.

¤ | Ω | ¤

Nec Temere, Nec Timide. Durmstrang Institute's

Romeo Giovanni Marchonné [6'6.5" | 199lbs]

"English." "Italiano. Italian." "Russian."

| Faint Scar on Left Eye & Mangled Right Ear | \ Fingerless Glove on Right Hand, Bite Scar on Forearm / | Lichtenberg Figure on Right Arm and Down Back |

@Erin Ryan & Ginyami Midorimori
[Peripherally Mentioning Others Because there is a Lot Going on]
@Jack Burnett

Shifting aside as I noticed other people filing in behind me, I gradually put down my trunk and tried to make heads or tails of the room immediate, as well as locating potential areas by which I would be able to successfully maneuver if I had to. Letting out a pent-up breath of frustration as I realized that such places were few and far between, I had to agree with Ginyami as he quite rationally and politely mentioned the fact that the ladders did appear to be the most navigable for me. "I think that would be the only rational course." I responded curtly, still experiencing whiplash from the décor and the sheer amount of noise that was heightening in the area as more unfortunate souls piled in. "If the bedrooms are anything like this, though..." This would not be a pleasant month.

Still, stairs and ladders were by far better than tunnels and closed-in passages. There had to be an attempted effort, at least. Fortunately, it would appear that I wouldn't be the only one to struggle in this area as another taller student [Stephan] also approached the vicinity. Well, misery certainly enjoys company, doesn't she? I nodded in agreement with the gothic girl's [Xailah] right assessment.

There was certainly enough movement in the area, however, enough so that I figured it was likely best to resign myself to staying in the main area until things quieted down before attempting to negotiate with the terrain and take the time that I would need in order to find my way through the madhouse. I needed time to think, a way to focus, and the current state of affairs simply was not permitting this in the slightest.

Yefim's 'special person' (a good deal shorter than myself, this was true) was giving me a side-eye, a look that caused my own gaze to uncomfortably flick away in this situation. I didn't want to appear hostile, God knew that I certainly had the ability to appear as such without meaning it. Still, with her inquiry of Yefim, I returned her gaze. The case of Yefim was a bit of a strange one, for admittedly... I did happen to know little, if anything about why Yefim had left Durmstrang around the time of winter break. All I knew was that he had pulled out of the school after some significant life event had occurred for him. "He left Durmstrang for some other school." I shared as much as I honestly knew. "It was really sudden, but I think it was for a good reason." I mused. In a way, I didn't think it too terribly different from how I had elected to leave Hogwarts my first year and to transfer to Durmstrang. I was certain that wherever Yefim had gone, it was for his benefit... "I think Valentin would know more... he's a better friend to Yefim than I am."

I wouldn't be able to share more, and that sent a small twinge of guilt through me. Yefim was so strange to me; both domineering and yet such a confident leader. Always chasing something larger than himself, yet had some level of sensibilities that kept him grounded, loyal, and a confident leader of the Horntail Horde. He was an enigma that I would likely never fully unravel, a trait that it seemed that several people that I had known in the past seemed to possess either thanks to personal veiling or because of the fact that I was not a people person.

Shying away from conversation again but still attempting to remain polite if there were more questions or remarks to be had, I slowly began to pick my way around the room to investigate the stairs and ladders in an attempt to determine if they would indeed be able to serve my purposes of finding a place to settle down and get as comfortable as could be managed. I still kept an ear on the others milling about, though if I could help it I would try to make myself of little interest. I was overwhelmed, I needed to be able to hear myself think through the slowly rising buzzing in both ears.

Think rationally, think calmly.

Reducio

Stats:

Ω Stamina 9 | Evasion 8 | Strength 17 Ω
Ω Accuracy 18 | Wisdom 10 | ArcPower 0 Ω

Abilities:

Ω Obnoxiously Strong | Perfectionist I | Martial Artist | Healing Sage I Ω
Ω Muggle Condition Ω

*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*

More people flooded in, some of them talking to people they knew and others offering to help with directions. It was suffocating in here—with her overwhelming hatred of this cabin’s design, the addition of so many people just made it worse, even if they hadn’t done anything wrong. At least she didn’t know most of them, so it wasn’t like anyone she particularly hated was there—although she certainly had not made a good impression. But she was not bothered about making friends in this cabin, she just wanted to be out of here as much as possible and for her cabinmates to be quiet when she slept in the evening.

Ryan dismissed Ruby’s correction with a “Don’t really care,” but her intention had not been to ensure Ryan knew who she was—rather, it was to avoid any of the other students thinking that she was a prefect and irritating her with stupid questions or forcing other obligations onto her. The actual prefect here—her friend, Xailah, was the only good thing about this cabin, and Ruby walked over to stand next to her. “Thank Merlin you’re here, but I’m sorry to see that you’re stuck in this… cabin too.” Was she being dramatic? Absolutely. It was just a cabin, not the end of the world, regardless of how it felt to her. Xailah’s smile would melt away some of the Slytherin’s annoyance, managing a small smile in return. The Gryffindor spoke of not wishing this fate upon her and an exhale of air would act in place of a laugh. “And I you.”

The cabin was still not bearable—the anger masked underlying humiliation as she considered this to be demeaning and far below herself. But Xailah’s ability to smile at her even when she spit fire was comforting, although she didn’t deserve it at all. Xailah had repeatedly seen the worst of her and not turned away even when Ruby distanced herself, a fact that she was both incredibly grateful for and puzzled by. The Gryffindor asked if Ruby had done anything “particularly heinous” recently and she shook her head. “Nothing of the sort,” she confirmed. “Barely so much as a quarrel.” But Xailah had a point—maybe it was a deliberate punishment for something or other. The older girl had trailed off when thinking of what she had done recently, and light blue eyes stared intently. “Xailah? Have you?” Her friend was hardly the type to start fights, but rather ended up stumbling into trouble. It had a tendency to find her, rather than the other way around—at least to Ruby’s knowledge.

Xailah, while tolerant of Ruby’s behavior, would not let it slide by without a comment, it seemed, as the Slytherin’s gaze snapped to meet Xailah’s upon hearing her name in that tone. “That’s their own fault, not my problem,” she muttered. Xailah agreed with Midorimori on the string idea to help people get around and Ruby rolled her eyes. It had better not be enough to trip her or bother her cat, but aside from that it was irrelevant to her. She knew she could find her way around, at least to the important places. But Xailah whispered an extra explanation—that she didn’t want to find someone dead in these tunnels—and Ruby chuckled. Fair enough. “I suppose I could get behind that.”

Ryan claimed Xailah as her chaperone and the Gryffindor accepted, which made Ruby raise an eyebrow, but she remained silent until her friend brought up the topic of ground rules. “I doubt we’ll be able to get everyone in the same place at the same time when it’s so hard to navigate. What kind of rules were you thinking of? Perhaps our chaperone—the assigned adult one, that is—could inform everyone?” She could certainly agree with Xailah’s comment about this being cruel and unusual punishment, and nodded at the suggestion to redecorate. That would definitely be needed. It was a thought that continued to calm her—she had to hope it could be done, because any other option was unbearable.

*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*