Chapter Text
Nikolai always wondered how it felt to give yourself up to nothingness.
To surrender your mind and hear not even your own thoughts.
The vulnerability behind the concept wasn’t one he thought to grow familiar with intimately.
Yet the void was curled around him comfortingly, swaddling his entire being and engulfing him with pure nothingness, caressing his very core.
A mother with her child, how tender it felt.
He could sink into it, forgetting all his troubles at that moment.
Becoming one with something so out of humanities reach; it was his utopia.
“Nikolai Gogol.” A deep, siren voice beckons him.
The comforting dark is ripped away from him, pushing him out and forcing his thoughts back into a too small box. Torch light and bodies crowded in a small room, Nikolai was greeted by beings clad in black.
A fleeting thought, the first to come after being submerged in the inky abyss, passed him; A cult?
It didn’t seem like such, not with another glance around, fully comprehending his surroundings with the fog passed his mind.
…Where is he?
Mulling over his last memories before now, a firm, strong voice echoed across the chambers, “Welcome to Night Raven College. First years, you will form a single file line and approach the Dark Mirror one by one to be sorted into your dorms.” It came from a bird-looking man in the center of the room.
He was retrieving Sigma from his Casino, seized by the government and its Dogs. He had only just knocked his fellow Angel unconscious when…
“You!” A young, commanding voice said. Nikolai blinked, looking around before he had to look down and see silver blue eyes glaring up at him. “Did you not hear the Headmage’s words? First years fall into a single file line. That includes you, off you go!” The short person shooed Nikolai away from the edge of the room, corralling him with other people dressed in black. That’s when Nikolai noticed he too had been dawned in a cloak of the same variety as everyone else.
He did not enjoy his signature Coat suddenly disappearing. Nor his eyepatch for that matter.
Oh, and did it need to be mentioned how he seemed to be shorter, too? Granted, he was still taller than most of the bodies here, but his impressive 6’0 stature he used to his advantage was now cut down to 5’10. Patting at his face he felt some of the same roundness in his cheeks from when he was a child. Age regression? He never recalled any sights of that red-headed Dog when he was waiting for Sigma. She was meant to be stuck in the Casino up above after all!
Another issue arose the longer Nikolai pondered on his situation; why can’t he recall a thing before now? Right as he was to leave with Sigma?
Where was the Manager?
Nikolai fiddled with his chin, regathering all his scattered thoughts and placing them in a disorganized neatness only fitting for him. A habit developed so long ago that the original purpose for it was forgotten.
A nudge to his shoulders brought him out of the depths of his mind. Blinking, he found himself facing a large dark mirror with a green face within it.
The nudge was from behind, a boy with a hushed voice hissing, “You’re holding up the ceremony!” Nikolai looked at the mirror, expression flat.
Was he meant to approach it? Rather silly to fuss about. T’was only a mirror.
He did even sillier things in his life, so why not?
Nikolai walked right up to the mirror, pleasantly surprised when its mask-face seemed to move.
“State thy name.”
The voice was familiar. It tickled Nikolai like a forgotten word on the tip of your tongue.
“Nikolai Gogol.”
“The Nature of thy soul is…”
The mirror was quiet for a minute, then two, then three, Nikolai started to wonder if the thing was a bust—
“…Diasomnia.”
Nikolai hummed, nodding. He had no clue what that meant.
Still, he was shown the way off the stand with the mirror and onto the rows of seats, where he took an empty one in the front, given baffled head turns in response.
With nothing now interrupting his peace, Nikolai returned to the depths of his mind.
Saving Sigma, drugging Sigma, leaving for the Meursault and…
… Blank.
No matter how much he fixed the time of events, there was a clear blank sheet in his memory. That wasn’t good. an Ability, perhaps? It could explain his seemingly reverted body and change in location. However that did nothing to shed light on where ‘this’ was.
…Could this entire place be within an Ability?
Hmm…
“Are we through with the orientation and dorm assignments?” The same voice which greeted him earlier cut clear through Nikolai’s mind gratingly. “All right, new students—let me be clear. In Heartslabyul House, I am the law. Break the rules and it's off with your head!” The short boy from earlier stood near a gaggle of cloaked children, making a diagonal cutting motion with a hand on his hip.
A deeper voice yawned from next to him. Turning, Nikolai realized he accidentally sat with some… older students? They called this a college, no? Everyone here was a student. “Well, that ceremony was as boring as ever. I’m going back to the dorm.” Then he got up with a grunt, tail(!) swishing behind him, making Nikolai take note of his ears perched on top of his hood. “If you’re in Savanaclaw House, follow me.”
Another voice, coming from a boy with glasses near the center to his right, called for attention, “New students! Allow me to be the first to congratulate you on your achievement. As dorm leader of Octavinelle House, I am honored to have the opportunity to support you in what I hope will be a fulfilling campus experience.” Nikolai cocked his head, sensing something more behind those words than what was presented.
His eyes were drawn over to a fairly beautiful looking person hidden under a hood, thin eyes glanced around the room before sighing, “Has anyone seen the Headmage? He disappeared in the middle of the ceremony…”
Now that it was pointed out, Nikolai did notice a glaring lack of a bird man and feathers among the sea of black and purple.
A snort, robotic sounding, came from a floating blue rectangle (a tablet, who knew!), “Some Headmage he is…” it grumbled.
Not one to ignore his curiosity, Nikolai stuck his hand in his coat sleeves, activating his Ability. His hand disappeared from his body and appeared behind the blue rectangle, touching the floating device. It was cold and metallic, he stroked it briefly against his bare skin. Some new Japanese technology, maybe—
“HIIIYEEE!!” The rectangle jostled, swerving around. Luckily Nikolai pulled his hand back before it could be seen. The beautiful person from before turned and glared at the rectangle.
“What now, Shroud?”
‘Shroud’ bobbed in place for a little, looking around for whatever touched it, then lowered itself, mumbling, “N-Nothing… sorry Vil-shi…”
Nikolai snickered into his sleeve. Oh, this will be fun.
He suddenly felt eyes on him, causing his attention to snap over immediately for the owner. Yet he couldn’t find them at all, the heavy weight of their gaze disappeared the moment he began to seek it.
Could it be that someone connected the tablets’ sudden disturbance to him? Trouble, trouble…
Interrupting his brewing plans was a boisterous boy, loudly suggesting, “Maybe he had a stomach problem?”
“I MOST CERTAINLY DO NOT!” Came from the entrance.
“Ah, speak of the devil.” The blue-eyed boy from earlier said.
Nikolai turned, and sure enough, there was the bird-man from before, although he was now accompanied by a grey-cat and a small student, shown by the robes they donned like everyone else.
The bird-man continued, striding forward with the student trailing behind him and cat in hand. “If you must know, I was searching for the new student who'd failed to show for orientation.” He then stopped short of the stairs leading to the mirror, turning to said student, “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.”
“Ghrrr!!!”
That thing was a weasel? Then he was a rat!
“He isn’t my—“ The student tried to speak up, but the bird-man hushed and urged them up the stairs. They sighed, giving up on correcting the bird-man and faced the mirror.
“State thy name.” The mirror repeated what it’s said dozens of times before.
“Yuu…”
“Yuu… the nature of thy soul is…”
Nikolai leaned back, deciding to observe the other bodies in the room. There was a person who definitely saw his Ability, he should find them sooner or later. But what was this place? Who were these people? If this was truly the work of an Ability then—
“What did you say?” The bird-man squawked, shocked. Nikolai tuned back in, wondering what he’d miss. Murmurs broke out between the other students, talking about Yuu.
“I sense no magical power from this one. Soundless. Colorless. Shapeless. Utterly vacant. Therefore, no dorm would be appropriate.” It explained, which only furthers the bird-man’s disbelief.
Huh, magic? Another word for Ability perhaps? Was he really kidnapped by a cult?
Not again. Dos-kun would be so upset with him!
“Are you suggesting that the black carriage went to receive a person who cannot even use magic? But that is absurd! The student selection process has not erred once in its century of existence!” Bird-man spoke with an aghast look thrown Yuu’s way, a clawed(?) hand covered over his mask, “How could this have happened?”
The hand which held the whip, which held the cat-thing, loosened, giving the cat-thing wriggle room to break free. What a wild beast! Then it began to talk and THAT’s when Nikolai really focused on the current scene.
“Let ME have this student's seat!” The cat demanded, landing on its feet and facing the bird-man.
(He should probably call him by his title now, Nikolai idly mused.)
The demand shook the Headmage out of his thoughts, “Not so fast, you hyperactive weasel!”
“Unlike that human, I can actually use magic! So let me be a student here! Look, I'll show you! My spells're the cat's meow!”
“EVERYONE, GET DOWN!”
Nikolai watched as a bright blue ball of flames flew past several students, landing across the room and lighting another student's butt on fire. He wasn’t in the range of being hit so he was one of the few who stayed upright despite the command coming from the short redhead.
Oh, this might very well be a real thing. Magic, that is.
The cat-creature didn’t let up, firing randomly in all sorts of directions to ‘show off’.
The boy which the fire grazed shouted out, “HELP! MY BUTTS ON FIRE!!” That’s when the magicless kid, Yuu, ran over to assist in putting out the blue flames.
Nikolai laughed, kicking his feet on the bench he sat on with his hands covering his mouth to poorly stifle it. This whole situation was so bizarre!
The Headmage demanded someone do something about the cat, which caused several students to shift and murmur some more. Most obviously were the older students, leaders of some kind.
“Ugh, can I go now or…?” The animal-ear man asked.
The beautiful person arched a brow, leaning in and tauntingly asking, “Oh? I thought you fancied yourself a hunter. Go and help yourself to that plump little morsel!” Gesturing to the rampaging cat-creature.
The cat-man scoffed, falling back into his seat beside Nikolai when it was clear he wasn’t leaving anytime soon. “Too much effort. Catch it yourself.” And dismissively waved off the beautiful person as he closed his eyes. Was he seriously attempting to take a nap now?
Nikolai watched with rapt attention as the beautiful person turned away with their own scoff.
“Allow me to handle this, Headmage Crowley.” Oh finally! A name for the blasted bird-man! “If none of you are up to the task of catching a small animal, I will accept responsibility.” The glasses-wearing boy stepped forward, brandishing a… pen?
Nikolai followed the boy’s movements as the pen was waved around, blocking out the remaining noise besides the crackling of the fire. What was he planning to do with a pen?
The boy turned to the redhead, and Nikolai saw as the other boy also pulled out a own pen followed by, “Furry miscreant. I will abide no rule-breaking. You will be judged by my hand!” And tilted his hand to aim at the cat-creature, the gem near the butt of it glowing, firing off something white.
The cat-creature yelped, barely dodging out the way. That seemed to be the trigger as the two students then began to give it their all in attacking(?) the cat-creature. To its credit, the cat-creature dodged pretty well. Too well. Nikolai yawned as the scene unfolding got boring after the first few seconds. Sparkly lights were nothing to be bedazzled toward. He was more curious about the end result if the two did catch the cat-creature.
And how to make it more… interesting.
While he was debating if using his Ability would be worth the possible exposure that cat-creature fired off another fire-ball that flew right past Nikolai, nearly searing his, and the boy next to him, hood.
His hair was almost singed.
Nikolai’s smile dropped.
No more debating, then.
He reached under his waist, into the tail-coat that was created by the sash around his waist, activating The Overcoat and watching as his hand disappeared into the purple fabric and appeared closer to the commotion with the cat-creature. He snagged the creatures scruff when it ran by, watching delightfully as it let out a pained and alarmed yowl. Loudly. He wasn’t kind with his touch, he never was.
The two students rushing after the cat-creature paused, more-so the boy with glasses than the redhead, who stared at the golden ring and the disembodied hand, while the redhead took the cat-creatures immobility and shouted, “OFF WITH YOUR HEAD!”
“Mygahh!! What the—?!”
His fingers were shoved out the way as a giant collar appeared around the cat-creatures neck. Nikolai took that as his cue to pull his hand back.
The redhead boy stalked up to the cat-creature. “The Queen of Heart’s rule 23: ‘One must never bring a cat to a formal affair.’” He recited, “Your very presence here is a violation of order! You will vacate the premises immediately.” His short stature loomed over the cat-creature, arms crossed with that pen still in hand.
The cat-creature was making a fuss, “But I ain’t…!” Unfortunately, Nikolai was distracted from the unfolding play before him by a tail brushed his leg, bringing attention to the animal-ear boy next to him. He looked on ahead, bored, but when he spoke it was clearly addressed to Nikolai.
“That was your Unique Magic.” A statement, not an inquiry. Nikoai tilted his head. That’s when his green eyes flickered down to his coat tail and then up to meet his mis-matched color eyes.
Nikolai knew when he was caught and gave a manic grin in response.
This seemed to be some sort of correct option as the animal-ear boy snorted and returned to look ahead.
He could lunge at the boy right now and slit his throat, an itch beneath his skin telling him to do so. Two people saw his Ability in an unknown setting and he knew nothing in return, that wasn’t good. Sure, it was the basic form of his Ability, but any information was too much information. (As Sigma once declared to him.)
But he was granted information in return. Were Abilities called ‘Unique Magic’ here? If so, that collar must be that redhead's ‘Ability’.
Nikolai may not know where he is, but he was never one to stay uninformed for long.
“…Housewardens, please escort your students to the dorms.” The Headmage— Crowley— instructed, one clawed hand raised to dismiss the students. The jester saw the cat-creature was no longer around. “…Hm? Come to think of it, I don’t see Housewarden Draconia anywhere.”
Draconia? Like The Collector?
“And that surprises you?” Animal-ear boy drawled, standing again and stretching out his back. “Dude’s a total recluse.”
The boy whose butt was on fire spoke up, “Wait a sec… did anybody even INVITE him?”
“If you’re so worried about it, why didn’t you invite him?” Beautiful person asked.
“Haha, but I don’t know him all that well either…”
A new wave of murmurs broke out in the crowds.
“Draconia… like, THE Malleus Draconia?”
“Holy sh… so it’s true? He goes here?”
“Yikes….”
An interesting crowd reaction. Someone to fear, perhaps? Nikolai slotted the information away for later review.
Just then a short person– shorter than the Port Mafia executive– walked into the room, sighing immedietly after scanning.
“Just as I’d expected. I’d figured I’d come down and see for myself whether Malleus had made an appearance. But once again, he was evidently not informed that his presence was required at an official ceremony.” He spoke to no one in the room, yet at the same time Nikolai felt the judgment lay heavy in the man’s words to everyone present. Akin to a parent indirectly scolding a child.
Glasses boy simpered, “You have my sincerest apologies. I assure you, this oversight was in no way intended as a snub.”
The redhead then tacked on, “I mean, you must admit, he's not exactly the easiest person to strike up a conversation with.” Shifting on his feet subtly Nikolai can tell he is feeling guilty, if only a little.
The deep voice man stayed quiet, assessing the room. “No matter.'' With one hand raised he beckoned for students to come forth, “All who were assigned to House Diasomnia, follow me… I just hope he doesn't sulk about this.”
The last portion was said in a murmur even Nikolai couldn’t hear from his place.
Wait, did he say Diasomnia?
Nikolai hopped up, realizing it was the name the Mirror had declared him which was being called, and moved around to follow after the short man with the mass of bodies. Oh! But not before he turned around and put a finger to his lips at the animal-ear student, grinning a silent, warning grin. A glare was what he got for his message.
Oh well, he wasn’t responsible for the consequences if animal-ears went on and spilled his Abilities secrets! He did warn him!
Nikolai caught up with the rest of the Diasomnia students following the short man, taking in the sights on the way to their destination.
Oh, ew. Did that mean Nikolai was one too? The weight of his potential situation settling in. Gross. School meant being bound by rules and status quo and authority, things he infamously is known to disregard!
The building they just exited was a beautiful castle, certainly something Bram would praise had he been there. Nikolai can already tell he’d enjoy sight seeing if he reached the top one day… maybe tomorrow.
If this all wasn’t a dream or some one day Ability.
Nikolai and the gaggle of students were led into another building full of mirrors. He admired how each one was shaped in their frames, holding his chin with a smile. He couldn’t stay to look for long as the short man called for attention by a mirror with a dragon at its head and green torch pillars framing either sides of it.
“This is Diasmonia’s mirror, you will walk through it to reach the House’s dormitory.” The short man explained, turning to face the crowd. Nikolai can see a gleaming smile with fangs appear under the hood. A Vampire? “Now, who would like to demonstrate first?”
Crazy he may be, Nikolai wasn’t willing to be the first to try something so unknown like this. Luckily he was saved from being chosen at random by a hand shooting in the air, and a loud voice declaring, “I WOULD!”
Yikes, he might be louder than Kamui.
The short man looked unsurprised by the declaration. The boy walked to the front, standing before the mirror and looking at the short man next to it. “Please go on ahead.” He encouraged, gesturing.
The loud boy put his hand on the mirror and Nikolai watched it ripple and glow before giving away under the hand, the limb disappearing in it, much like his hand does with The Overcoat, or through water. The loud boy squared his shoulders and walked the rest of the way into the mirror, leaving behind the rest of the Diasomnia students and the short man in the hall.
The short man clapped his hands together, “Now two of you will go at a time, no shoving! Come now, we all want to rest for the night, do we not?”
When Nikolai went through the mirror, on the other end was something he didn’t expect.
Another, larger, castle.
Oh, this college is rich! Is what the jester thought as the short man led them to the castle where they entered into a large, grand common-room.
Someone was already waiting for them inside.
This being was tall, sitting up on the throne in the common-room with a frown on their painted green lips and greener eyes bearing down on them. Draped in black and green, Nikolai had to wonder, for the briefest moment, if the gorgeous being before him was a statue. The horns perched atop of their head caused him to lean into that idea, before it was shattered completely when the presence of the thing before the crowd had crashed over him like a tsunami.
This was no ordinary being. He cannot even claim they were a man.
The short man addressed the crowd, walking to stand beside the horned being.
“This is your Housewarden, Malleus Draconia.” Then, he tugged off his hood to reveal a head of black and pink hair with a pair of bright, raspberry slitted eyes beneath uneven bangs. Inhuman, his mind supplied. Just like the one next to him. “And I am your Vice-Warden, Lilia Vanrouge.”