"Huh… what the hell…?" Lynx looked around slowly as she was led into a sort of locker room, taking a slow, deep breath There was something… wrong, about this place. The tiles and lockers were a glittering black like onyx, but… she couldn't place a finger on it, but the room felt somehow alive. Lynx felt the hairs on her arms rise, something like static electricity running through her skin.
"You can feel it, can't you?" Alice grinned lazily, laughing softly. "There's magic in the rooms now- this is where the magic really happens. Don't worry, though, it's controlled enough to be safe. Come on, let me show you a bit more," She added, throwing a grin back at Lynx, who followed her around a corner and past more lockers, through a doorway and into- Lynx stopped short as a wooden rod impaled itself in the wall beside her head, her neck aching with the sudden snap of her head to the left.
"Jeez, you almost had a nasty black eye, are you okay?!" The room was full of young adults in loose, flowy pants and sleeveless, tight tops, holding a variety of weapons. With a padded floor and wooden walls, an arched ceiling, the room seemed a fairly basic dojo- a young man walked up to Lynx and gripped the wooden rod beside her, ripping it out. Lynx blinked, surprised, watching as, with a sickening squelching sort of noise, the wall closed itself as if it had never been impaled.
"Hey, cat, you okay?" The young man asked again, angling his head, and Lynx looked down at him.
"Mhm, I'm okay- my name is Lynx… I'm gonna be joining soon," She added awkwardly, shifting.
"Well, let's keep moving!" Alice beamed widely, pushing past with Lynx toward another doorway, through this room, which Lynx thought to be about as large as a basketball arena, but with the entire floor padded. "Coming through, tour for the new girl!!"
"Wait!" A voice, and Lynx glanced back even as Alice gripped her hand, tugging. The speaker was a young woman with long brown hair, pale skin, and a slightly less-than-athletic figure. "New girl, what's your name?"
"Lynx," She spoke, tail flicking quietly. "You are?"
"I'm the instructor for hand to hand. Don't be fooled by my weight- got a lot of muscle under here- my name is Marcus." She nodded softly, extending a hand, and Lynx, looking down, took a moment to realize what was expected of her. Reaching out, she shook the proffered hand, looking up at Marcus.
"Nice to meet you, Marcus. I look forward to um, learning from you." Lynx spoke quietly, glancing away, and Marcus nodded, releasing her hand and stepping back.
"Be safe, Lynx. Be seeing you." Marcus stepped back, turning to address the students who had now gathered around her quietly, taking a rest. "Get moving, guys, no need to stop and stare, we've all been newbies!!" Before Lynx could pay much attention though, Alice was pushing through a door and tugging Lynx along, so that she spilled into another hallway- but this one was different, very. The walls were black and slimy, pulsing, rippling while the floor was soft and firm at once, like a carpet. The ceiling, too… it rippled, like the walls.
"What the hell…" The cat girls stepped forward, drawing a slow breath, shivering, tail flicking faster. "Alice, my b-body feels like it's being electrified…" Something in her though, as alien as this feeling was, had come alive, responding beautifully, singing for the odd hallway, the feelings around her.
"We're getting deeper into the school," Alice hummed, gently taking Lynx's arm and continuing on. She, Lynx, was too distracted to mind the touch, just walking on, drawing slow, deep breaths. "The magic, it's resonating with us, that's what's happening. When your soul has a higher affinity for magic than the average- well, souls are magic, but I mean for controlling it… it can be hard to adjust to corrupted spaces like this," She whispered, clearly affected as well, her eyes wide and dilated.
"Does that mean, you can use magic?" Lynx asked quietly as they walked. The hall seemed to stretch on forever, before them, it was hard to focus.
"Hold on, do you need to stop?" Alice blinked, looking up quietly at Lynx. "Do you need to leave, are you okay?"
"I'm okay, this feels so, right," Lynx exhaled slowly, shivering. "I-I have to keep going, I need to see the rest, I'm so curious," She explained slowly. "Something about this is right…"
"A memory, maybe?" Alice grinned, hopeful.
"I'm not sure, but I have to keep going, if you'll show me more," Lynx whispered, walking forward. There was something… something something something something something… why is this so familiar…? So much magic, I can feel it, it feels like- like home…? I don't understand, but I belong here… do I? Do I belong anywhere, really?
"Of course, let's keep moving!! The hallways can be a bit weird here, sorry about that, I don't know how long they're gonna be today," Alice hummed innocently, walking on, and Lynx quietly followed, breathing slowly, deeply, watching the way the walls pulsated, as if breathing, inhaling slowly. The scents of iron, of smoke, reached her nose- it was the scent of blood, of violence, of…
An image, behind her eyes. War, pain, the blonde girl kneeling in front of the burning cottage… and then… what cycle, what was the court-
"Eh?" Alice blinked rapidly, and Lynx came to her senses, eyes widening. Around her, a library, both alive and not- the floor was wooden, as were the walls, tables, bookshelves. That black material, like a living mesh, though, seeped through the floor in some places, like water rising and falling, lapping at different segments of floor. Lanterns drifting through the air along with loose books, and the shelves themselves lined with everything Lynx could imagine- there was no exit, here, no doorways out. A staircase up to the second story, where she could see more bookshelves.
"How did we get here…?" Lynx asked, confused, stepping forward, looking around, her tail flicking about in slow, languid motions behind her.
"The- the walls, they moved, brought us here," Alice whispered, curiously stepping forward with Lynx- but she wasn't paying any attention to the succubus- no, the books, floating through the air. One was drifting toward her, and Lynx slowly lifted a hand, snagging it out of the air. Driven by a harsh, violent impulse, she stowed the small book in a coat pocket, where it barely fit, bending just a bit. Around her, a cold blue light seemed to fill the room, reflecting on the black, wet surfaces of the floor and walls, the glass chandeliers in the ceiling… it was like the ice, but somehow, this blue didn't make her feel nauseous…
"Lynx- you can't steal books from the library, but- but I don't know why there's no doors, at the moment." Alice murmured, looking around as well, taking a few steps away, then forward, back, as if thinking that a secret trapdoor in the floor might open up.
"I- I have to take this book," Lynx exhaled, and suddenly, she was overtaken with a powerful sense of clarity, eyes slowly widening. "I- I haven't been thinking clearly, something is wrong with me, Alice- I feel like I've just woken out of a dream and my head is only working now."
"You have been really quiet and distracted- I think the magic is having a stronger affect on you than the usual," Alice blinked, now turning her focus to the catty woman in front of her, angling her head and bending down, just a bit, blinking meekly up at Lynx with a lopsided grin. "You alive, cat?"
"Yeah- yeah, that potion, it's like it just disappeared when we walked in here, I couldn't think at all. Didn't realize something was wrong until right now- we're in the library, you said?"
"Yeah, but normally it doesn't look this corrupted- and there are a handful of exits. It's like it doesn't want to let us out- surely somebody will notice, or the room will let us out soon. What's that book you grabbed?" She asked again, curious, and Lynx noticed with an uncomfortable twist of her stomach that Alice's pupils dilated like saucers as she tried to peer under Lynx's coat. Not liking that look, Lynx crushed the coat to her body, gently, and shook her head.
"I didn't grab it for no reason- the library gave it to me. I get the feeling I need to keep it to myself, and read it when I'm alone- the library wants me to have it. Ugh, that sounds so dumb when I say it out loud,"
"No, it doesn't." Alice shook her head. "All magic is born from souls- from conscious, the room itself, after so much corruption, can develop a will of its own. Maybe, it was handing you what you're looking for… I want to know-"
"Girls!!" Lynx whipped around, eyes widening- Aerendyl stood there, in a newly formed doorway, hands glowing with a warm amber light. Narrowing his eyes, he clapped his hands together, and Lynx staggered, covering her ears instinctively as what felt like a thunderclap washed over her. When she opened her eyes, the room looked normal, like any other library, albeit an abnormally fancy one with chandeliers, leather chairs and fancy varnished tables. "Are you okay? The outside hallways had almost closed, it was as if the library didn't want to let you out. Did you do something?"
"No, I wouldn't," Lynx shook her head, and Alice frowned but bit her cheek, nodded… and then her face dissolved into a brilliant smile, and she clasped her hands behind her back, straightening.
"We'd never do anything suspicious, Director!! The hallways just really wanted Lynx to come in here, they closed and moved the library around us, then closed us in- I'm as confused as you are!! Thanks so much for coming to save us!!"
"Not a problem- Lynx, are you okay? The building hasn't done something like this in months, and the last time it did, it was trapping a dangerous demon trying to kill another student. I don't care that the library came to you- I care that you were trapped; the school prioritizes protecting its students above all." As he spoke, Lynx felt a terrible, icy chill wash over her body, but Alice smiled as pristinely as ever, tail wagging innocently about.
"I'm okay- let's get out of here A-Alice," She stammered, walking forward and into the hall, which now seemed very normal indeed- linoleum floors and tiled walls, though the walls were, at random intervals, interwoven with that strange black meshy material, same as the ceiling. Nothing at all like the living, breathing esophagus that had seemed to desire swallowing them before.
"Lynx, are you okay?" Aerendyl asked, gently gripping her shoulder and peering down at her. "I mean it- you look lethargic, your steps are uneven." Blinking up at him, Lynx swallowed, lip curling in a small snarl before she could stop herself.
"Sorry, it's not-"
"It's okay, don't like being touched, I'm sorry." Aerendyl stepped back, raising his hands. "You too, Alice- are the both of you okay?"
"I'm great! Just so grateful that you came and got us out so quickly!!" Alice grinned wildly, nodding so emphatically that her hair bounced. "Lynx wanted to see the magical classrooms and dueling grounds, to see more of the campus! I am assigned as her tour guide after all, aren't I??"
"No, I want you both checked out by medical," Aerendyl spoke firmly, crossing his arms. The three of them stood alone in this hallway, but when he said that, Lynx felt that an army had spoken to her, her ears pasting down, an odd tightness taking root in her chest- am I anxious? Is this anxiety? Come on you're telling me my soul can reshape me into some sort of superhuman cat hybrid and it can't take away some damn nerves?
"In fact, I'll take you there myself, let's go," He continued, carefully sliding past Lynx and starting off. Nodding, she followed him, not paying much attention to Alice anymore.
"D-Director??" The succubus hastened to follow them, pouting. "I was supposed to show Lynx around the campus, wasn't I? I didn't do anything wrong, I can finish this!! I can, I didn't mess it up at all, I really didn't!" Grinning wildly, there was something else in her eyes, but Lynx didn't try to figure it out- something about this wasn't right?
"Aerendyl- what's got you spooked?" She asked worriedly, stepping a bit closer to him, walking faster. "What's going on? Really?"
"The last four times that a room closed itself without an exit, there was a threat inside. I don't care what you were intending," Aerendyl admitted cooly. "Alice, it was you, or Lynx, you- the library perceived one of you as a threat in some way. I want you both inspected right now- I may be your friend Lynx and that is very much true, I don't want to give you any reason at all to doubt it. However,… I want you both checked out, that's the bottom line. By professionals- and for all that I am, I'm no healer. I know that all too well."
"If I was a threat-" Lynx started, confused, angling her head. "I mean what could an examination even find, really?"
"That you've got too much magic leaking out of your body, would be my first guess, if this really wasn't intentional on either of your parts. We've got fixes for that- gems that naturally absorb magic, we can use them to sap off the extra energy. Or, heaven forbid a curse- a cruel prank by a dormmate set to make you trigger defenses. It's happened once, so just humor me." Aerendyl took a different route, avoiding the sparring room, though Lynx heard it through a set of double doors as she, Lynx, and Alice were led through a door labeled with a river and two trees on either side of it- this here seemed to be a very basic sort of room. Sectioned off by a counter was a small examination chair, and in the rest of the large, wide-open room, a handful of beds with curtains around them, all open, the beds currently unoccupied. Behind that counter sat two people- a young man with short, dark hair and a woman who may have been thirty with a simple blonde braid behind her back. She seemed entirely unremarkable, but the man was a beautiful sight, with a halo casting a soft golden glow over his dark skin.
"Y'know, I haven't seen many students," Lynx hummed aloud, thinking.
"Yes, there's very few combat lessons going on today, those are largely reserved for the end of the week so that students can let their bodies rest over the weekend and not waste their only time to do homework getting their asses handed to them. Jones, is this student alright? I need you to examine two."
"I'm fine, really, I just had some burns," She, the blonde woman, sighed and stood up, nursing a bandaged right arm. "It's my own fault, I got carried away in the dorms, was trying to make a pizza last night because I got the munchies at like five in the morning. Wanted to see if Jones could magic it better."
"Understandable. Are you well now, miss? These two students are urgently in need of inspection," Aerendyl spoke gently, caringly, and for a moment, Lynx stopped paying attention, standing there next to Alice, who smiled as serenely as ever, her eyes back to normal- in the library, Alice's pupils had dilated until her irises disappeared… Lynx remembered black, none of the vibrant gray-blue there now. She swallowed, trying to think back- maybe it was the magic of the school riddling her. I mean, I've never spent much time around magic- or have I? I didn't in the hospital, or with Aerendyl, anyway… but what if it wasn't the school?
"Mhm! I'm okay, really, though, there's no need to inspect me!" Alice pouted, stepping forward as the blonde left, climbing into the examination chair with a playful pout on her face. "I just want to give Lynx a tour, you know? I didn't mess up, I didn't,"
"You can still show her around the city after this, if Lynx has the energy to walk, and if your examination goes well. Can't be too careful," Aerendyl sighed, turning and starting for the door. "Jones, if you find anything suspicious at all, quarantine these girls and contact me immediately."
"Yes, sir," Jones spoke in a low, calm voice, his hands glowing with a soft white light, hovering over Alice's forehead and chest, his eyes closing. Before Aerendyl could fully leave, Lynx called out.
"Hey, friend, can't you just inspect us yourselves? It's like you said, you're an angel~" She stuck out her tongue, a smile tugging at her lips.
"I learned that I'm not a healer a long time ago. Sorry Lynx," Aerendyl sighed, closing the door behind him, and Lynx rocked back a bit on the balls of her feet, frowning.
"Yeesh, who hurt him, am I right? You're not getting in bed with the director are you~?" Alice giggled. "How scandalous would that be~? No, you don't seem like that kind of girl, but- why's he so interested in you?"
"He's um, my friend," Lynx explained, looking back at the examination chair, and at Alice, at Jones, who was still focusing, eyes closed. Alice seemed relaxed, albeit anxious.
"Lynx, I can still show you what there is to do in town after this at least, right? I don't want to mess that up for you…" She smiled- but there it was again. That… something, under the surface.
"Sure," Lynx nodded, remembering the way her eyes had seemed to gape and become windows to the abyss. Even so… no need to burn bridges or cause any problems. Better to tuck her head- somehow, she just, didn't believe Alice was a threat, at least not intentionally. "Sure, we can still do that- but let's not piss off the boss."
"Well, your heart isn't beating," Jones spoke levelly, finally leaning back and gesturing for Alice to stand, watching as the succubus bounced from the chair. Lynx stepped forward, but Jones held up a hand, and, the other, still glowing, he slowly ran over the chair from top to bottom.
"Mn, are you disinfecting it?" Lynx asked curiously, and Jones nodded, waving for her to sit down. When she did, the chair sank comfortably under her- much more comfortably than she would have expected, for sure.
"So Lynx, was it? You are a new student I take it." Jones asked softly, humming.
"Wait- wait why isn't Alice's heart beating?" Lynx asked, looking over at the smiling girl who waited for her against the wall, leaning back.
"It just hasn't been since I came back from the dead," Alice shrugged, grinning. "Guess maybe my soul saw it as a funny metaphor for how sad I was in my past life. I don't like talking about it."
"Mn…" Lynx nodded, sighing quietly. "Yeah, I'm a new student, how'd you know?" Jones was doing his thing, Lynx supposed, shifting awkwardly, his hands hovering over her chest and forehead.
"Well, most new students come here after their first few combat lessons asking if I can fix their bruises and aches- and you, dear girl, have yet to step in here. So, I can only assume that as you haven't been in here with your ass kicked yet, you're a prodigy… or a new girl. See how smart I am? That, and the other context clue, oh, you know, Alice offering to give you a tour of the campus."
"O-Oh. Yeah, no, that was a dumb question my bad," Lynx huffed, and Jones chuckled softly, leaning back, the light in his hands fading.
"Well you're both fine- no magic leaking out of your bodies, no curses or magical objects on you. I'm not sure what happened, but you're free to go, and I'll report two very healthy girls to the Director."
"Simple as that, I'm all set?" Lynx angled her head, slowly standing up.
"Yes ma'am, as simple as that. Have a good day, ladies," Jones smiled, and Lynx, nodded, headed for the door.
"Thank you for taking care of us Jones, have a good day- woah!!"
"Let's goooo, I can't wait to show you the town!!" Alice cheered, yanking her along by the hand and giggling madly. "I didn't mess up after all, we can still show you the sights there's so much to do!!"
-
"Hahahaaaaa~" Alice laughed as she collapsed back into the dormitory lounge with Lynx, and she, the blonde, couldn't help laughing herself.
"Okay but to be fair you threw the dogs a hot dog and then expected them NOT to want more," she snorted, and Alice cackled harder, kicking her legs as the sound of barking sounded from outside, Alice stuffing a hotdog into her mouth, denting her cheek and biting, chewing, even as she giggled harder, struggling to keep her mouth closed.
"Heeeeeee, hungry doggies," She giggled out, and Lynx snorted, sinking slowly into a couch with the succubus, rolling her eyes.
"Yeah, yeah." Nodding, lynx slowly let her head rest back, closing her eyes. There were other students here, but they seemed to be on phones or video games, or with their noses buried in books, saved for a couple of boys loudly jeering and playing billiards across the way, in their own world.
"Hey, Lynx?" Alice spoke softly now, as she swallowed, and the cat girl opened an eye to slowly look at her tour guide.
"Yes?"
"I wanted to say sorry. I know I made you a little uncomfortable in the library- and I just wanted you to know that I'm not a threat or anything. I felt awful with how nervous you looked."
"That… I don't know what to say. We're good. I mean, if it's a magic library, who knows, maybe it was reacting to something in my past that I can't remember," Lynx suggested softly, shrugging, yawning, exhaustion and the ache in her calves beginning to tear at her.
"But, you looked, so uncomfortable," Alice whispered softly, her smile fading almost entirely. Even now, though, the corners of her mouth twitched upward.
"Whole situation was uncomfortable," Lynx mumbled, acutely aware of how close the succubus was, and how very exhausted she herself felt, legs aching.
"Mhm, well I'm glad that you don't blame me, I only want to help, to make you feel good," Alice whispered, shifting closer, blinking slowly, finishing the rest of her food, swallowing.
"Make me feel g-good? That's a bit bold for somebody who just met me- and there's a lot of people around, to boot," Lynx mumbled, swallowing slowly. Don't I hate being touched…? Where's that revulsion… but no, there was only exhaustion, the soreness of legs that had spent nearly an entire day walking about, and a dull heat burning in the bottom of her stomach as Alice shifted closer, their thighs pressed together. No, no she was so weird, she's hiding something, this morning… but there's no fake smile now, she looks so, vulnerable…
Lynx gasped softly as Alice's lips brushed lightly against her own, their eyes slowly closing. For a moment, she just sat there, swallowing slowly and shivering, and then she leaned in with the succubus, slowly kissing her, forgetting, if but for a moment, that they were in a dormitory full of people. There was only the searing heat of Alice's soft lips, the growing pool of heat in her own belly. Alice's tail curling around her, Lynx's wrist, a hand drifting against her waist, plucking at the button of her jeans, pulling, their lips meshing harder, needy, deep-
"Ew- get a room, the two of you!!" Laughter, and Lynx jerked back, looking up and shaking her head, tail beating erratically.
"Sorry!!" She huffed, standing, face flushing darkly.
"Mhm, mhm, sorry," Alice nodded, bowing her head, face redder than a cherry. "I'll g-go to my room," She added, hurrying off.
"Sorry, again," Lynx began, but was cut off.
"Don't feel bad, shit was kind of hot," One of the boys laughed, grinning from ear to ear. "But people be recording and stuff so I thought I'd stop you before you got carried away and became trending online. No need to thank me," He added, turning and, laughing with his buddies, walking off. Lynx, for her part, sighed and hurried after Alice, toward the staircase, hurrying. She found the succubus slowly trudging upstairs with a smile on her face that didn't match her slow, defeated walk at all.
"Alice, hey, listen," Lynx mumbled, catching up to her and tapping the girl's shoulder, who turned and smiled so big… that her eyes closed. The blonde frowned, her brow furrowing, but said nothing at the clever way of avoiding eye contact.
"Sorry Lynx, that was way too forward of me! I was just trying to make you feel good!"
"Okay well don't make it sound like you kissed me for some sort of public service," She huffed, hissing through her teeth, tail thrashing.
"N-No, but, normally people can't look past my smile- they think I'm a liar and that I'm going to hurt them. Happy demons, it's a bad stigma," Alice hummed, grinning a bit more genuinely, her eyes open. "I had a nice day with you, and I'm sorry I got carried away, but you seemed so stiff, and then, I just, you're so pretty," She mumbled, smile unchanging. Lynx felt a confusing mix of heat in her cheeks, chest and stomach, and looked away, shuddering softly.
"Stop complimenting me like that… just this morning I was thinking that I need to be careful of you and now I'm confused," Lynx sighed, rolling her eyes. "You're hiding things, but so am I."
"I just, want to make you feel good," Alice whispered softly, slowly stepping forward. "Just, a little bit," She whispered quietly, slowly lifting her arms, hugging Lynx's neck and raising herself onto tiptoe. "I won't go too far, so just, let me…" She trailed off, and Lynx slowly hugged the succubus's waist, kissing her back, slowly, deeply, angling her head, both moaning quietly. Lynx groaned, though, and slowly broke the kiss as Alice jerked her jeans open, shaking her head.
"I'm not-" Lynx panted out, tail thrashing again, eyes half closed, breathless.
"Understood, nothing like that," Alice mumbled, slowly wiping her mouth with a sleeve and looking away, smiling softly. "Maybe we should say good night here, Lynx- but, I don't want this to be the last time I see you, if that's okay. It's nice, to not feel bad for smiling all the time…"
"Mn, good night, Alice," Lynx mumbled, hesitating, turning and walking down, to her own floor.
"Good night, Lynx," The voice called after her.
A bit later, the cat girl walked into her room, locking the door behind her and looking around. Even in the low light, she spotted something on the counter- a note. Walking closer, she read the small slip of paper, yawning.
'Hey! I got you this. -A' And beside that note on the counter, a small coffee machine already set up and ready for use with grounds, filters and a pair of mugs beside it.
"Ugh… thanks, Aerendyl…" She whispered, laughing softly. That kiss with Alice… that was just lust, right…? You can't form a connection in a day, and I don't know what she's hiding… but she doesn't know what I'm hiding either…
"Mm, you sleep on these things," Lynx sighed softly, climbing into bed and hugging a pillow, yawning, closing her eyes. "Mhm, mhm, sleep…"