It felt like hours of stumbling along gripping his shoulder in pain while getting more and more annoyed. Maybe it was the lack of colour, Maybe it was how utterly generic fantasy this castle was or the fact the group found themselves at a castle door tasked to open an escape route for the other teams that had him getting angrier by each slow minute.

For now there were no guards here but none of them could be certain for how long. Chewing his lip in irritation he looked round to see if there was an obvious switch or something.

“If we start lighting fires, it’d surely call the attention of the guards and there’s no certainty that the gate will burn before we do,” he paused, “There’s not much time, so it’s either open this gate or search for another exit. If we can’t find a way out we’re joining the Ghost Realm, so I say let’s figure out how to open the door we have.”

They couldn’t fail at this, there was no room for errors. If they decided to run around searching for another way out they might never find one, but by then it’d be too late, wouldn’t it? Looking at the gate again, he wished he could just blast right through the damn thing. Or maybe, they didn’t need to.

Continued from here @crossedtheline @silverknightpiece @thecoachman _____ The world blurred as the group was pulled from the cemetery. A mixture of monochrome and lights till it melted into a grey generic fantasy land and Rove spent a moment to wonder if he was in one of Idia's vr worlds.

Grasping his shoulder that was still bleeding he stared round in confusion he hadn't heard the tink tink of the can falling from Luciano's hand onto the floor till her stepped on it and instinctively felt his body fly forward as it rolled under his foot and he slammed into the grey dirt below with a hearty thump.

“Watch your step, bud,” he smirked when he pulled Rove to his feet, and ended up laughing a bit anyways. The sight of his injured shoulder, however, was nothing to laugh about, “Oh, shit man, uh, you need to heal up? You’re looking rough.”

“Nah. I usually give people nicknames, just easier to remember them in my head that way,” he explained. It was easier to sort when he named people himself. Save for Rove whose name was too short to make something out of, there was hardly anyone he met who hadn’t earned a nickname (or insult), “And… yeah, duh. But I’d let you down easy, since I’m nice like that.”

Actually he’d probably laugh in Clementine’s face, because there’s no universe where that isn’t a joke. Guys like them were too different, and he had his eye on someone else after all. He didn’t spare Ember another glance though, he was teased enough for his obvious crush on his boyfriend.

It took him a second to notice Clem had gone dead in the eyes, like he was mulling something over. That look sent a chill up his spine. He gently grabbed the other student’s hand and unwound his hair from his grip.

Jinx's hand moving his cleared his head.

He fanned his newly empty hand to examine his fingernails. "Let me down easy? Aren't you a darling. And here I thought you didn't care about my poor feelings." He continued to smile, but his tone turned sour as he continued, "I guess I'm pretty enough for that, at least." he hadn't forgotten what Jinx had said to him. He glanced at the guy across the room, but still couldn't get a clear picture of him. How was he supposed to know what he was competing against here?

Still, he was glad to hear Jinx say it. That proved that he had a crush on the guy-- why else would he reject him? Apart from his already established bad taste, of course. Yes, it could have been as simple as that.

“He’s not strong, and he’s not silent. He never shuts his mouth when he should, actually. Book smart, but kind of a moron everywhere else,” he leans back in his chair, “He’s a homeschooled weirdo who collects dead things in his bedroom. We hardly ever got along our first year, but now, I suppose we’re friends.”

That sounds mean and he knows it, but it was the truth. The truth can be offputting to some people, especially people like Clementine. At least it emphasized that Clem was not his type. Not that he had a type, given his track history. He’d dated all sorts.

“He gave me a dead rat for my birthday last year, and that’s when I decided I liked him,” he explained, even though that detail wasn’t true. He didn’t know he had a crush on Ember, and then fought against it for a long time, “He’ll tell you your future, for a price.”

“Careful, Clem. Someone might think you have a crush on me. Wouldn’t that be funny?” He smirked and picked up his pen, just to roll between his fingers. The repetitive motion was soothing for him, “There’s a lot of people that underestimated me once, and I intend to make them eat their words. That’s why I’m here.”

It was that steadfast determination that made someone like Clementine super annoying to be around. People who had nothing to prove and nothing but time and resources to just dawdle, never deciding, never moving forward, while Jinx fought for every scrap of respect he got. Clementine doesn’t want to do a school project, so of course there’s no consequences if he doesn’t do and makes Jinx foot the bill.

He could get pissed off again. He probably would be mad later when he remembered and decided to finish the project alone because he really didn’t want to lose any points if he could help it. However, he simply didn’t feel like getting mad at the moment, not until Clem reared his ugly side again and then this poor sap would be in for a world of hurt.

Clementine's fingers stalled for a moment before continuing, but he couldn't stop the intrigue slowly breaking out in the form of a smile his face. You know, this Jinx guy was kind of exciting. Though he finished his little self introduction with the statement that he was 'an average guy'. No, he wasn't. Clementine usually worked on 'average guy's.

"'Clem'? Awfully familar, aren't we." he had been called that before, but only by his friends. He wasn't sure what Jinx was yet. He didn't like him, officially, but you could have friends you didn't like, right? He had done it a million times. Neither his face nor voice were sad or melancholic in any way; he was lighthearted, nonchalant, though he dropped his usual smile. "I don't really know why I'm here. Because I was invited, I suppose. It would be rude not to accept the invitation." He glanced at the clock, but didn't read the time.

“Nah. I usually give people nicknames, just easier to remember them in my head that way,” he explained. It was easier to sort when he named people himself. Save for Rove whose name was too short to make something out of, there was hardly anyone he met who hadn’t earned a nickname (or insult), “And… yeah, duh. But I’d let you down easy, since I’m nice like that.”

Actually he’d probably laugh in Clementine’s face, because there’s no universe where that isn’t a joke. Guys like them were too different, and he had his eye on someone else after all. He didn’t spare Ember another glance though, he was teased enough for his obvious crush on his boyfriend.

It took him a second to notice Clem had gone dead in the eyes, like he was mulling something over. That look sent a chill up his spine. He gently grabbed the other student’s hand and unwound his hair from his grip.

“Right. Nice to meet you too,” he straightened out his posture, but couldn’t match his height. Didn’t even have the benefit of wearing shoes, it was almost embarrassing how short he was, “You can call me Jinx. Let’s start on our way back.”

The grass felt prickly under his feet, a most uncomfortable texture. Just perfect for a long walk home. At least his bed would feel all the more comfortable in comparison.

“So… you a cop or something? The only guys I’ve seen that mind their posture all the time have been cops or royal guards.”

Jinx wasn’t the only one studying the person he’d suddenly ended up with. Solaris was taking his own mental notes about the Pomefiore student, though he hardly seemed the part. Sure, he was in his pajamas, but nothing about him screamed the overly glamourous look Vil and most of that dorm had. It was certainly interesting.

He noticed him try to stand taller, something many people attempted around him. He could hardly blame them considering how tall he was, in fact, he expected it. "Noted. And yes, let us be of."

He raised an eyebrow at the question. An interesting choice of words. "I am neither, for now, I am just a student. I was raised this way." He responded rather vaguely. "Royal guards, on the other hand, are a much less common sort to see around. I cannot help but wonder where exactly you would have encountered them"

That was far more interesting than his story, he could almost guarantee it.

“You new to campus or something? I think everyone can hear Sebek coming a mile away,” Jinx shook his head. This guy must have thought he was being smart, “Silver is also like a knight or something. He’s on my infiltration team.”

That ought to satisfy him. Didn’t make any sense for Solaris to be getting nosy anyways, they’d just met. In Jinx’s opinion, he wasn’t that interesting anyways, unless you wanted to hear him complain about history class or potionology. Most people didn’t. Fiddling with his moonstone necklace, the brief anxiety he felt had waned.

Rove had a point but the way he made his point made Jinx get second hand embarrassment. Still though, he wouldn’t complain about going down instead of up.

The graveyard, while a change of scenery, was an unwelcome surprise. Why would the ghost realm have a graveyard anyway? It’s not like you could die twice. Suddenly, there was giggling a few rows over and Jinx felt a chill down his spine.

From where he was thrown back—even if he was on his way back to his fellow students sides—he could see the child off into the fog but lost sight of her first. He looked at his teammates and shook off his uniform from the dirt where he landed.

"I do not feel in the best of shape. My upper back took my fall." He doesn't lie about hurting, it would be counterintuitive. He calmly continues, "But we can talk later; she has given up reprieve. We must find her."

A few careful steps forward have him moving first. Reaching into the fog and taking hold of the closest, he could feel his fingers gliding over crumbling cement as he leaned over… for nothing to show up. The empty space has Silver looking back at his team with a shake of his head.

She’s a burst of energy, not wanting the game to be over so soon, but Jinx spends a few minutes talking her down enough to get information about the mage stone: A description of a dark tower, and a warning.

“Whatever’s going on there— they don’t wanna be interrupted.” 

Rove had a point but the way he made his point made Jinx get second hand embarrassment. Still though, he wouldn’t complain about going down instead of up.

The graveyard, while a change of scenery, was an unwelcome surprise. Why would the ghost realm have a graveyard anyway? It’s not like you could die twice. Suddenly, there was giggling a few rows over and Jinx felt a chill down his spine.

Silver can see Jinx get pushed back and out of the position he had taken just behind him. It was lucky that Silver hadn't jumped in the beginning, with how far out he had started. He unclipped his baton from his belt and took aim with his shards of ice just behind the ghastly child, taking a shot at her zooming back.

𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐬: 𝟎.𝟓 𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐞.

The shards of ice hit, but the distance and aim were off. And moved; she really could. The ghost seemed to pivot on the spot and flail her way to Silver. 

𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐬: 𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝟐 𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐞 (⅗).

But at least he has been able to examine the spirit’s patterns. 

He takes a breath and concentrates. A quiet hum comes from his magestone. A strangely disarming and dancelike shadow appears as Luciano casts the void spell. It disappears, but the ghost’s expression tells a different story.

Luciano deals 1.5 damage to Sally! (1.5HP left)

The spell seems to be gone now, but Sally now seems to have the same fearful look that Luciano had when she first attacked him. She tries to retaliate, but... 

Sally misses Luciano!

...as Luciano simply ducks down, grabbing the mint in the process.

Mint leaves acquired!

"Come on... You're nothing more than a stupid Halloween prop just looking at you bores me!"

She turned to him as he braced himself shield up as the claws collided, he grimaced as his knees buckled slightly. How unexpected from the spirits? Pondering this realm it was almost impressive.

Deciding for a gambit he reduced the magic in his shield hearing it crack. Taking his chance to whip his magic pen, a string of frozen water magic shaped like a mace at Sally, grinning as it collided.

Rove Hits! Sally takes 1 point of damage!

The sound of shattering glass as claws broke through his shield, the magic dispersing as ghostly claws struck into his torso scrappin along his collarbone and shoulder with a cry he tossed her over his shoulder.

For just a moment, Jinx is confused and looks around for the child before realizing the fight is over. He delivered the “killing” blow.

“Did you guys see that?” He asked, “… Oh, and, are you guys okay?”

Rove had a point but the way he made his point made Jinx get second hand embarrassment. Still though, he wouldn’t complain about going down instead of up.

The graveyard, while a change of scenery, was an unwelcome surprise. Why would the ghost realm have a graveyard anyway? It’s not like you could die twice. Suddenly, there was giggling a few rows over and Jinx felt a chill down his spine.

The graves are not what you'd want to see, but it's some form of civilization. Perhaps the ghosts kept them here because it was their own belongings, or perhaps it was a cruel joke that they slept there. The haunted sounds carried over to him, and Silver turned back to his team.

If there is one thing he doesn’t wish to be, it’s to become a ghost himself. And he knows that. So he takes out his magic pen...

Luciano misses! (Sally: 5/5 HP)

Sally hits for 0.5 damage! (Luciano: 4.5/5 HP)

But Sally was faster as she goes through Luciano. His arms shake. Why can’t he lift his arm? And why can’t he move?

As she swung at the group Rove was quick to pull out a shield. Solid and firm forming like a beetle's shell for ghostly claws to scrape against. Hard practices with Silver paying off as he smirks behind the ethereal shell.

Sally misses!

Spinning the pen round his fingers like rolling dice he prepared a void spell brewing and crackling as he seized up the moment she was busy with Luciano aiming his shot and firing.

Sailing and crackling through the air he grinned smugly ready to gloat....and it missed....

Jinx misses!

Drawing attention to himself, the child ghost rushes him and gets a solid hit in.

Sally hits for 1 point of damage! (Jinx 4/5 hp)

“My parents can’t feel any which way about me. Y’know, on account of them being dead,” he clicked his tongue, “… Don’t get weird about that though. I pinky swear I’m not gonna sell you some orphan sob story for sympathy points.”

Clem. Clementine. So he was a fruit after all.

“Ah, yeah. Good choice, Clementine Callaway. Now, am I supposed to know who you are or not?” he was genuinely asking, pop culture wasn’t his wheelhouse and he definitely didn’t listen to Cater talk long enough to pick up on any of it, “I mean, are you like a magicam influencer or something? Seriously, I’m grasping at straws here.”

“Ah, yeah. Good choice, Clementine Callaway." Damn. He figured it out. Booooooooooooo. "Now, am I supposed to know who you are or not? I mean, are you like a magicam influencer or something? Seriously, I’m grasping at straws here.”

Clementine shrugged, leaning forward so that both of his elbows were on the table and his cheeks rested on his soft hands. "I don't know. I'm rich, though you probably knew that" He smiled. "I'm not a singer, or an actor. I have a magicam of average to above average popularity, though I don't maintain it as an asset of mine. I guess I'm the son of some important people" or else why would he be so rich? He went to a lot of parties when he was younger. Maybe his parents were just socialite trust fund babies. He wasn't really sure what they did actually, because he didn't really care. For once he wasn't being difficult on purpose, his answers were just vague because he didn't really know what to tell him.

“Careful, Clem. Someone might think you have a crush on me. Wouldn’t that be funny?” He smirked and picked up his pen, just to roll between his fingers. The repetitive motion was soothing for him, “There’s a lot of people that underestimated me once, and I intend to make them eat their words. That’s why I’m here.”

It was that steadfast determination that made someone like Clementine super annoying to be around. People who had nothing to prove and nothing but time and resources to just dawdle, never deciding, never moving forward, while Jinx fought for every scrap of respect he got. Clementine doesn’t want to do a school project, so of course there’s no consequences if he doesn’t do and makes Jinx foot the bill.

He could get pissed off again. He probably would be mad later when he remembered and decided to finish the project alone because he really didn’t want to lose any points if he could help it. However, he simply didn’t feel like getting mad at the moment, not until Clem reared his ugly side again and then this poor sap would be in for a world of hurt.

“Uh, y’know, I chose my name. Atticus, I mean. Jinx is a nickname though, other people gave me that,” on account of his bad luck, but he didn’t feel the need to clarify. Obviously their unfortunate circumstance was evidence enough of the origin, “C. Cause, C is in your last name.”

And his first, apparently. C.C. Repeating initials, very nice. Ten letter word that starts with C and ends in E. Still, he needed a little more to get a better idea.

L because of Callaway, but also now the board spelled and he hadn’t missed a letter yet:

CLE_E____E CALLA_A__

Clementine was not an insecure person. He was generally confident, sure of himself, etc etc, he didn't have low self esteem (some might say he had too much, actually). That's not to say confident people couldn't have moments of weakness, but he definitely wasn't insecure about his own name. Still, hearing Jinx (Atticus? Should he be calling him Atticus? Well, he didn't like him anyways) say that he had chosen his own name as well took some weight off his shoulders. Jinx probably didn't think it was weird, then. It was unlikely he'd ask questions.

“C. Cause, C is in your last name.”

He filled in the C, the L, the smiling face on his little heart guy.

"...M"

Drats. Jinx was getting close. He pouted as he filled it in.

CLEME____E CALLA_A_

“My parents can’t feel any which way about me. Y’know, on account of them being dead,” he clicked his tongue, “… Don’t get weird about that though. I pinky swear I’m not gonna sell you some orphan sob story for sympathy points.”

Clem. Clementine. So he was a fruit after all.

“Ah, yeah. Good choice, Clementine Callaway. Now, am I supposed to know who you are or not?” he was genuinely asking, pop culture wasn’t his wheelhouse and he definitely didn’t listen to Cater talk long enough to pick up on any of it, “I mean, are you like a magicam influencer or something? Seriously, I’m grasping at straws here.”

When there was no A in Calloway’s first name, he cringed. He’d played hangman about five times ever in his entire life, all on the same day when his brother learned the game existed, and then never again because he’d gotten bored. The game lost its charm when you were aware of the most common letters used and had any level of pattern recognition. Maybe Lucian was just predictable though.

Then E, until

__E_E____E _A__A_A_

“Ten letters and has three e’s. You pick that out yourself?”

“Uh, y’know, I chose my name. Atticus, I mean. Jinx is a nickname though, other people gave me that,” on account of his bad luck, but he didn’t feel the need to clarify. Obviously their unfortunate circumstance was evidence enough of the origin, “C. Cause, C is in your last name.”

And his first, apparently. C.C. Repeating initials, very nice. Ten letter word that starts with C and ends in E. Still, he needed a little more to get a better idea.

L because of Callaway, but also now the board spelled and he hadn’t missed a letter yet:

CLE_E____E CALLA_A__

Maybe he really was some politician’s son or something. Didn’t really make a difference to Jinx though. Another table up and left, their project finished. Well, that’s just great. Of course he got the weirdo who didn’t even want to share his first name.

He was just saying that to make him mad. He had to be. He didn't even get his last name right, that had to be on purpose. Well, Clementine wouldn't be had so easily. A horse. Unbelievable. He could have responded 'then it's a good thing my last name isn't Calloway', but he figured Jinx would just retort that they sounded similar enough. “Are you someone important? What’s so great about your name that I have to play you for it?”

He was important. He was rich enough to be important, and powerful, and loved. But Jinx was missing the point-- they should play because it was fun. Just saying his name was boring. But more than that, he also wanted Jinx to work for it. He enjoyed having what other people wanted, and now that Jinx expressed a desire for information that Clementine had, why would he give it up so easily? Especially when Jinx had continued to be so rude through their entire interaction.

“Uhhh… okay. You like the color orange, so, is your name… Tangelo?”

Clementine pouted. "We're playing because it's fun, and you're supposed to guess one letter at a time, silly. And no hints" he winked and pressed a perfectly manicured finger to his perfectly moisturized smiling lips.

When there was no A in Calloway’s first name, he cringed. He’d played hangman about five times ever in his entire life, all on the same day when his brother learned the game existed, and then never again because he’d gotten bored. The game lost its charm when you were aware of the most common letters used and had any level of pattern recognition. Maybe Lucian was just predictable though.

Not to mention, this moron has no idea who he’s trying to call over. Maybe he could get Ember to prophecize this guy’s date of death. That usually gets people freaked out pretty easily, even if Em was lying. Imagine the future Oracle goes full vision mode on his dumb ass and tells him he’s going to melt into a wrinkly old fart. That’d be hilarious.

“Oh…. No…. Don’t do that….” He gave barely any protest to his waving, “Hey, wait. Before you steal my crush or whatever, what’s your first name? You literally never told me, and I feel like I gotta know who I’m declaring my mortal enemy for life after this.”

“Hey, wait. Before you steal my crush or whatever, what’s your first name? You literally never told me, and I feel like I gotta know who I’m declaring my mortal enemy for life after this.”

Clementine wanted to laugh again, this guy was kind of funny. But he schooled his expression. Not friends. "What, my last name isn't pretty enough for you either? It doesn't sit nicely enough in your mouth? My, you're hard to please" he was entertaining the idea of flirting with Jinx directly, but that probably wouldn't get him anywhere. "Well that's too easy, I'm afraid. We could play a game for it, how about hangman? If you win I won't call him over, and if you lose i will" he already started drawing out the little dashes to fit his letters on, despite the fact that Jinx hadn't yet agreed. His orange glitter pen was also orange scented, because why wouldn't it be.

__________ ________

Maybe he really was some politician’s son or something. Didn’t really make a difference to Jinx though. Another table up and left, their project finished. Well, that’s just great. Of course he got the weirdo who didn’t even want to share his first name.

Wait, boyfriend? Why was everybody always talking about his boyfriend? His face burned red against his will. He didn’t have marriage on the mind, what a stupid thing to even insinuate. Marriage is for vapid people who have no career options (and in rare cases, true love). Guys who’d have an easier time finding work as a statue or a lawn ornament than anything useful certainly fell under that framework.

“First of all, I don’t have a boyfriend. And second, I’ve been in a bad mood since I was born. I popped out and the doctor declared me naturally unpleasant. It’s clinical,” he snorted, “Is it such a wonder that I didn’t fall to my knees and beg you for money and attention when you batted your eyelashes at me? I have to be in a bad mood to just not like you?”

He actually thought Jinx's response about being born in a bad mood was pretty funny, and he wanted to smile and laugh at it, but he didn't, because duh. They weren't friends. He decided to ignore his questions about his expected reaction to instead press him on the guy across the room.

"No boyfriend? I'm so surprised." he rolled his eyes with a light smile, twirling some hair around his finger and finally putting the mirror away as he shifted a little closer to Jinx.

"So you wouldn't mind if I made a move on him, right?" He looked again at the boy across the room. He noticed that Jinx had stopped looking in that direction entirely, and picked it up and brought it out. "Aaw, you don't have to be so shy. You're just frustrated because you can't get his attention, is that it? Why don't I call him over."

He used to do this all the time. He'd figure out who had a crush on who and bring them over and embarass them in front of eachother. He'd tell them outright that the person had a crush on the other, or watch them get all flustered and unable to speak, or make them watch him flirt with their crush.

Not to mention, this moron has no idea who he’s trying to call over. Maybe he could get Ember to prophecize this guy’s date of death. That usually gets people freaked out pretty easily, even if Em was lying. Imagine the future Oracle goes full vision mode on his dumb ass and tells him he’s going to melt into a wrinkly old fart. That’d be hilarious.

“Oh…. No…. Don’t do that….” He gave barely any protest to his waving, “Hey, wait. Before you steal my crush or whatever, what’s your first name? You literally never told me, and I feel like I gotta know who I’m declaring my mortal enemy for life after this.”