BranchWood Academy - Canceled

Jeanne walked into the school's main building with something of a somber attitude. She dragged her fingers across the stone walls, looking up at the vaulted ceiling which led to the first set of stairs to the main dormitories above. Ignoring them, she continued down the hall to a locked door, iron wrought and well kept. It gleamed in the light; well kept, like the rest of the grounds.

She reached for the doorknob, sighed, and turned it. The door swung inward, revealing a smaller staircase, leading up to the third floor. Jeanne entered the hall, tracing the banister as she drifted upward. It bore intricate carvings of budded vines which spread and climbed the wall, as if someone had taken a real plant and frozen it in time where it now sat.

At the top of the stairs, she looked left at the landing, passing a sign that read "Girls Dormitory, No male admittance" to a second door, devoid of decoration. She closed her eyes;taking a deep breath as she did so, and then entered the room.

Inside, the only objects of furniture were two desks and a pair of beds that lacked anything but box-spring's and matresses. after closing the door, Jeanne drifted to the one that was placed nearer the window she had observed from the grounds below.

She sat on the edge of said bed. testing the give of the mattress and springs. Then stared at the other bed for a full minute.

"Hey Dana. Sorry I took so long... I know I said I'd come back last year, but, some stuff happened. I mean, I had a new job, Dad sent me his sword.. It got complicated. And then, you-"

Jeanne choked, pulling her feet up on the bed and huddling up against the head of the bead. "I should have stayed and finished school with you... Dad wanted me to. You know Dad. He never wanted us to go anywhere without each other, even when we were kids. I guess I just wanted to be my own person too much though. "

She rolled over on her side, staring at the other bed. "You had more right than anyone I ever knew to be happy. You should have-" she paused, burying her face into the mattress, instinctively hiding her tears. "You should be alive."

Jeanne had dreams.

She was 14. The same dormitory. But it was different. There were sheets and quilts neatly placed on the beds. Blue curtains hung in the window, which was open to a spring that glowed with life. She saw a girl on the other bed, reading a spell-book intently. It was her sister Dana.
Then the scene changed, she saw herself, somewhere else, in a tent in the middle of nowhere. She saw her father, an old man, giving her the key to a door that stood in the side of a cave. The insides bearing the tools that she now used were inside.
Again, she saw herself, in an old house, with her sister. waving to her as she left the house, to make her own way.
Lastly, she saw her sister. in the courtyard. dead. Her body torn to pieces by whatever had entered the school. her head missing from her shoulders. And she knew that she should have been there.
When she awoke, the sky had changed. the sun had moved, she could tell that she had slept for two hours. So, wiping her face, she stood, finished with her grieving. Ready to hunt. Ready to kill.
"Monsters run when faced by the light" she murmured. remembering an old adage of her father.

Suddenly a noise from downstairs distracted her. Someone else had entered the hall to the dormitory.

Quade had entered the dormitory from the south side entrance allowing himself to slip inside easily. Due to this being the old dormitory used by BranchWood Academy it had been shut down and replaced with the up to date current dorms. These dorms where in much better shape and the building was also much more efficient then this old one had ever been. The dormitory had also managed to save a lot of space by condensing both male and female students within the same dorms and rooms.

Quade had always returned to this Abandoned Dormitory section in order to get away from all the activities that proceeded and went on during the day. Quade had never been a fan of being within crowds or among many individuals. Due to Quade's current position he was easier to handle then normal. He currently had no ability to change form despite his mimic heritage, This was a direct resultant of the fight with Ludovic. Quade had only returned to this dormitory today to catch up on missed rest due to everything that had been going on.

Jeanne went to the corner of the landing silently, looking down and seeing who was making their way up. Upon seeing that it was Quade, she went back into the room and sat cross legged on the bed. Patiently awaiting the newcomer.

Quade began down the corridor heading past the room that was currently inhabited by Jeanne at this time. Instead he continued past the dorm room towards the other stairs that led up again to the fourth floor right before the actual roof access. He stopped at the door realizing it was locked and he just sat agains the door instead. Quade seemed to just lean back against the door and was entirely relaxed just sitting there.

Jeanne heard Quade outside in the hall, passing the room she now occupied, and she felt a strange suspicion. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but it nagged at the back of her neck. She placed a hand on the gladius hidden in her coat, fingers tapping the pommel silently, reaching down and gripping it tightly. She did not know who was out there, but they hadn't moved from the hallway, and that was odd in of itself. She moved her hand past the sword and reached into an inner pocket for a bracelet. She slid it on her left wrist, flexing her arm with a sudden influx of strength. She took deep breath, her whole body felt energized, alive.
Then, she walked out the door and looked straight at Quade. " Lo, there."

Quade's head jerked up immediately as he realized someone else was here. His eyes couldn't adjust the way they normally would due to his entire body being unstable. Quade stood up immediately and rose his hands quickly in reflex. "Hmm? Who is it?" Quade was looking directly at them and could only make out a shape. "I didn't think anyone would be here at this time." he was looking forward at the individual while being in a defensive position. It never hurt to be careful in situations like these. "Look I'm not here to bother anyone. So let's get that point across shall we?"

Jeanne stood a few steps away from Quade. She saw his arm, shaking as he raised it, and his eyes, squinting to make out her shape. She knelt down in front of him, looking closer. She could see signs of exhaustion, and also that his body was vibrating, as if his skin itself was having trouble staying together. "Shapeshifter, huh. What species?" she asked. pulling her bracelet off.

"Hmm? Shape shifter? No such thing. Well, indirectly I suppose..." Quade lowered his arms realizing that he was fine. The situation indeed startled him due to the fact that he was unable to protect himself. "Well, I'm a unique version of Abyssal Mimics, Also known as the ancestral Mimics. Except in my case I'm not a full mimic, I'm one third human, it's created a lot of abnormalities within my mimic self... Persay." he leaned back against the wall again.

"So, what brings you here then? I figure you were already here if you found me so easily." he looked up still unable to make out who it is. "But, My unique biological structure gave me a strange defect as a mimic. Instead of being able to change into what I please... My body normally would change into what ever I come in contact with. It comes with a unique perk as well, It's like the power of the body I copy gets stored in my own DNA. The last fight I was in, I over did it and it left me in this condition."

Jeanne nodded. "Mimic, met a couple of your people before. Not so bad." She held the bracelet in both hands now, sliding it in a circle. She sat cross legged across from Quade now. "I take it that you're not in exactly the best condition then..." she held out the bracelet. "Here. This bracelet increases strength. It can boost you till you get your full strength back. Just, give it back when you feel normal again."

Quade began to reach out for the object. "So, what makes you feel obligated to give this to me?" he takes the bracelet from and looks at its shape and design. "Seems like this is an ancient artifact. Where'd you manage to obtain such a thing like this?" he places it on himself and the replenishment from the bracelet seemed to cancel out the issue Quade was having with keeping his body intact. "Well, surprisingly it seems it's enough strength alone to suffice for the lack of my actual mimic structure right now. Thanks."

He finally stretched and looked around the area his eyes finally adjusted. It was obvious that he was more relaxed and less worried in his situation now. "So you've met other Mimics huh? I got out casted from the Mimics due to my partial human heritage. Also due to the fact of my unstable power and the fact that it's just an embarrassment."

Jeanne shrugged. "Nothing obligates me. you're not well, and I can help. The bracelet is a family heirloom, not exactly ancient though. My great grandfather made it. He was craftsman, of sorts." she nodded at his comment on its effect on Quade. "My dad worked with a mimic a few time. Name of Nabkha. Pretty stiff, but he was my dad's friend. "

"Are you positive it's not ancient? It seems like it has properties of those rare ancient artifacts.." Quade inspected it further as he looked at it closely. "So how does this thing work to begin with? Is it a type of magic?" he questioned the actual strength and time period it was designed from.

"Pretty damn sure. Why wouldn't I be? As for how he made it... Essentially its stored energy. Kinetic and magical alike. The moment you take it off all the energy goes back to it." She answered. "It was a spell of his own design. Thing is once he finished he never wrote down the secret. So that there is a one of a kind product."

"I only ask because it symbolizes a few things that are from a long time before it's own. Being a mimic I've lived quite a long time. So that's why I was curious, well more of the fact that if he based it off anything." Quade looks around "do you hear that?" he looked around as if he was crazy but soon a small humming was heard throughout the dorms. "This isn't your doing I'm assuming?" he looked at Jeanne while trying to understand what he's hearing.

Jeanne turned back to the room she had just vacated. The humming was growing louder and she drew her gladius from its sheath. "Definitely not me." She said.
She reached for a bandana that was wrapped around her forearm. It was red and plain. She wrapped it around her forehead and stared at the wall of the dorm. "Distortion field. Some sort of portal. Someones activating it from the other side!" She said.

"Wait wait... What! You mean here and now? Can you tell who it is?" Quade raised his arms quickly in a defensive position prepared for an outcome that he hadn't expected. "The day I just wish to relax is the day hell breaks loose again.." he looks towards the spot where Jeanne had suggested. "Out of all days I have to not have any abilities now besides your bracelet.. Better than being useless I suppose!"

Jeanne moved to the wall. Looking straight through it as if it didn't exist. She moved to he door and into the room. "Look. Whatever's about to come through that thing doesnt expect anyone to be in here. Run downstairs and get some help. I don't have any natural magic of my own so borrowing any of my abilities won't help you. I'll keep whatever comes through busy til you get back. Assuming I don't jus t get the chance to cut its head off first."

Quade considered leaving... "I think you should be the one to get the help... Perhaps being not human could have its benefits in this case." Quade was considering the possibility of something nonhuman coming through the portal. "Where am I expected to get help at. We know for a fact everyone else is currently off dealing with the courtyard incident. In fact I don't even know where they had gone. But, I have a strong feeling we won't have anyone to help us out."

Quade clenched his fists and then decided to take off the bracelet and give it to Jeanne. "You'll need this more if I'm going to get others."

Jeanne smacked her head with her face. "Ugh, why does everyone think that being human is a handicap. Look, if I thought I needed the bracelet I wouldn't have offered it. With this sword, its little more than an added bonus. Go to the Dome, see if anyone's left. But do not take off the bracelet until you can fight without it. If there is no one else I'll need you for support at the least."
She pushed his hand aside and rushed into the room, ducking low and knocking over the bed on its side for cover until she could see what she was facing. Then she turned suddenly, remembering something. "Wait! I left a footlocker in the luggage retainer in the main hall. There's a phoenix stone in it." She ran back for the bracelet. "It'll put you back on your feet. I don't usually use it since it has a bad recharge time."