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Nexus Campus Town

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Umbra of Chaos:
Fu Hua

She presses herself into pages and cobblestone walls. Her spirits spreads through the cracks in the floor and spills into the air. The Headmaster might wield the world around her as a weapon, but Fu Hua is the world entire. Would her own limbs rebel against her? How much of this place would that thing have to break apart to even try and harm her?

The phoenix chews the inside of her mouth a bit, imagining it. That thing has always returned here, like a spirit or a god. Perhaps it will remain until every last student has been butchered, every book burned, every foundation torn to dust. Or maybe it would become her, as she paints this place in her colors, until she has become so much of it that it cannot harm her no more than a hand could harm the person entire. A rebellious limb taken over from within, brought to heel. That is also a rather satisfying thought. That thing would look good if there was more of her in it, no? Yes, that sounds quite entertaining!

She raises her hand, fingers like talons, ready to begin it now. But the chirping of a stray bird distracts her. Fu Hua stops, even as the entire building groans in the wasted anticipation of a furious battle come to nothing by a whim. "Hmph, no secrets. She simply wants to learn everything about the ants in the newest terrarium she has found. Tea... is good" Her eyes turn to the robed figure, and the gleeful, murderous glint in her eyes is far gone.

"You, thing, stay out of my way.  You are not the kind of being that can defeat me."

YOLF:
Headmaster

At any other time, the Headmaster might find it in herself to be amused at the endearingly awkward place where the specter's words leave this woman who is a walking axiom. Right now, she wishes to drown herself in a giant mug of coffee, and laments that she can't, because it would mean leaving this group unsupervised.

She squints under the hood, and the eyes half-concealed beneath golden bangs soar through memories that were not hers until she took them. The taunt of the one roiling in resentment is not meant for her, but the woman called the Headmaster is its only recipient. Does it matter whether you mean the shape of the river or the contents of it when you name it? It slips around her, yet hits with the coldness of bitter ages.

"And you are no longer the kind of being that can defeat anyone. Manners would go a long way," she says. Shaking her head with almost eager sincerity as she turns her face to the new teacher and the familiar. "Since you're here despite my suggestion, I hope you have a good selection of sweets to go with the tea, Interim Professor."

Who?:
Kore

The tension leaves Kore’s body, and she slumps like a puppet with it’s strings cut.

She had no idea what she would have done if it had devolved into a fight. Fu Hua would have likely won, and - Kore couldn’t have stopped her. Even without the energy that now suffused her body, it was just... she didn’t think she could have stopped Fu Hua without using the second form.

She nodded gratefully at the dramatic man who had just appeared (magician - and a familiar? Fascinating-), and at the headmaster. The arm around Fu Hua’s shoulder remains there. It is by no means a harsh grip, or even firm, but it’s there. Thank you, she thinks at the spirit, inputting as much of her gratitude into that thought as she could.

People, she thinks, a rising surge of giddiness making her want to jump for joy. Her eyes flick between the three of them, etching their faces, the way they breathe, the way they hold themselves, into her mind.
 
"I haven’t had tea in a long time... It would be appreciated. And I would appreciate other perspectives on the history of this place - Fu Hua called it the Nexus? Ah, Kore is my name." Despite her excitement, she manages to keep her voice level and calm.

"And we can discuss - "the date" - later." She mutters to Fu Hua.
 

Kotomine_Rin:
Lawrence

"My, my. My, my, my, my, my... please, do have a little faith in me. I would never betray your expectations." He uttered that last word sweetly and deliberately, as if there was some meaning rolling on its forked tongue before bowing dramatically. "I will keep every promise made, that in itself is a promise. Thus I swear... today's sweets will leave you breathless."

Well, he did make plans for today's teatime, but there were unfortunate miscalculations made. Phenex was oddly quiet too, watching the scene with keen interest... and the powerful intruder. Now, who could she be?

Ah. Another miscalculation.

And with that, he turned a cautious glance at the other girl. "Kore... how wondrous. I am delighted to share these humble halls with thee; So please, make yourself comfortable, the show has only just begun. I, Lawrence Wright, declare it with mine heart on the line."


A few moments later...

He closed his eyes, elegantly pouring tea from up high and preparing cups while the three ladies sat in one of the lounges. Theatric as ever, he used a few of Phenex's hexes to scald the brew to the perfect temperature. It was something that might surprise the headmistress too, his movements were more refined than you'd expect the typical bookstuck scholar, as if he had some experience serving. You could totally see him in a butler's uniform just now, smiling warmly as he slid the cups to the dear guests - and his generous host.

On the table laid platters of colored sweets, cookies made of rare fruit jams and candied rarities, while honeyed pastries made of nuts and nectars filled the room with a delectable joy. You could practically see just how giddy he was, preparing the most wonderful platters and serving them oh so dramatically.

"These honeyed treats come from faraway lands, some which aren't found in many worlds. The recipe is simple in essence, but the sweet flavors are quite complex. These baklava for example come from distant eastern lands in my world. Please, enjoy them."

As he bowed, the smells of fragrant tea filled the air. Why, this was no time for conflict, there was no reason why they shouldn't have a peaceful intellectual discussion.

He did hope the others agreed.

Umbra of Chaos:
Fu Hua

Indulgence. Now this was something she could do. There was nothing she did partially. So she drank tea, and ate treats. Swallowed them, really. She would shift between practically eating things whole to slowly savoring them, taking minutes to chew over a single snack. "Ah, now this much better. I'm much more used to this." Fu Hua says it so casually, as if there was not a battle being waged right now between her and the headmaster.

Their energies snap at each other. Her corruption, her ego bleeding out into the world around her. A drop of ink turning the sea black. And at the same time the magic of that thing tries to stop her. It tries to serve as an obstacle. But it cannot. It controls but it does not change the substance. It can crush and mold, but it does not alter the fundamentals. It cannot prevent this place from becoming more of her, at least, not as easily as she can spread. The effort it takes to rid a canvas of paint is incomparable to the ease in which one can pour buckets of it onto the surface.

She loves winning. Especially when it is so easy.

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