#twst dorms

𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟: 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐲𝐮𝐥

Out of the all the dorms, Heartslabyul is special.

It is the only one that moves.

Riddle can influence it some, but the halls have minds of their own when it is time to shift. Order is necessary, so it only shifts at the chime of the dorm's grandfather clock, every other hour. The dorm doesn't shift the garden as often as it does the halls, only when Riddle gives it the okay for it do so.

It's ideal for the garden to shift just before it's time to give the hedges and roses a refresh.

Heartslabyul experiences the shifting of the garden about once a month, and on that day, all students from the dorm are given an excused absence in order tend to the garden. The dorm reacts happily to the pampering, graciously setting up the venue all by itself for the mass tea party that comes after, as a treat for the card soldiers.

Riddle can differentiate his fondness for his cards from its fondness towards the cards, but nobody can blame him when he needs a moment or two to make sure he and the dorm do not get too tangled together. During this time, the clocks within the dorm tick quietly, and the clinking of porcelain as it's moved is muffled.

When the housewarden angers—truly angers, not just reprimanding rulebreakers—the roses close and the thorns usually hidden by the plentiful hedge are visible. The dorm shakes—it's doors, the plates, the cabinets and everything inside them—until Riddle collects himself.

After those instances, the cards make it a point to be gentler with the doors and are careful of where they step and how they do it, just until the dorm has calmed down again.

The dorm was curious about the prefect when they first entered the makeshift Queendom. They've had many visitors, but not one so...quietly amazed by everything. Their presence was just barely there, nearly covered by the magical energy of the two that flanked them.

[Riddle had felt the tug of the dorm's curiosity all day after the prefect had left.]

The events of the first week had left everyone rattled, which reflected on the dorm. While confined to his bed as he healed, Riddle had to deal with the constant tugging from the dorm—is the Queen alright? The cards need order and safety promised to them, you are missing one—

Missing one?

Riddle realized what the dorm was hinting at when he first reached out to fix the prefect's tie and grazed their chest. Even from this distance from the dorm, the tug from the dorm was strong.

Ah.

Missing one.

𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟: 𝐒𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐰

The dorm tugs at Leona more than he does to it. Normally, it lingers in a corner of his mind, silent and watching through his perch on the tallest rock over looking the dorm.

It tugs when it wants to observe and the only way for Leona to get it to stop is to follow through with what it wants. Once on the perch, it quiets down, preforming a head count of those within the lounge, then stretching to check the ones holed up in their rooms.

A grateful tug and silent murmur, and Leona is free to get down when he pleases.

[After he preforms his own headcount.]

Savanaclaw hardly changes its climate. There's a rumor that the dorm uniform magically regulates your temperature when you wear it, since it's such a mystery how no one has managed to pass out from heat stroke. The ones that have didn't pertain to Savanaclaw.

The reason behind it is because Leona, and by extension, the dorm, rarely ever get angry enough to allow the magical stability shift. Leona get annoyed—often—but keeps it away from the tug of the dorm, letting it remain pleasantly warm in the savannah.

Temperatures plummeted abruptly when Leona overblotted. The tree that held the dorm's banner wilted, branches curling inward as the humidity grew along with the falling temperatures.

Disorienting couldn't begin to describe how the humidity pushed against their chests while the cold made their breaths visible and teeth began to clatter.

It hasn't been that cold since. The biggest contribution on Leona's part. One that everyone is wise to not point out. The dorm keeps it warm, watches the terribly linked makeshift pack to be sure of no...excessive in fighting, warms the rocks just enough to rest against when it's in a particular good mood, and lets the prefect in without a problem.

Scarabia's students can handle the heat, but not for long until the dorm drives the visitors off unless they have unspoken permission to be there. The prefect, however...

The prefect is the only one other than the Savanaclaw students to describe it as 'warm'.

Because it's what the dorm wants them to feel.

They might not be able to see it, but everyone else certainly can. Magic warps the space around them when they step through the mirror, blocking out heat to allow only warmth for the duration of their stay. Because the dorm compelled it so.

No warning tug for Leona to ensure they can be allowed inside, or building heat to drive them off. They're allowed to go as they please, at least in the dorm's opinion.

It respects them. Admires their dedication towards this schools and the students inside Savanaclaw. They've proven they're not weak, that they're willing to raise a hand against someone if it goes against what they believe is right, only after exhuasting all other options. They're smart, difficult to hunt if they ever wanted to be.

It's tempted to tug at Leona until he shows them how to hide what little is left of their presence, or how to wash off the magical residue of all they come in contact with to make them untraceable. It likes to imagine what it would be like if the prefect dared to be a little less nicer when the time calls for it.

𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟: 𝐎𝐜𝐭𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞

All it takes is a ripple to create a tide. Azul understands this better than most, and yet.

His grip over his side of the bond is tight, making sure nothing from his end leaks through and causes chaos for their waters. But he cracks, and his grip falters, and the dorm tugs at the chance to finally feel what its housewarden feels and—

And it murks.

Thankfully, the water on the outside of the glass wall in the Mostro Lounge is separate to the rest of it all, so customers have no view of how it essentially becomes impossible, even for those with adept eye sight, to make out anything through the murky waters.

They've tested it again and again; it's not ink, or dirt, it's just...murky. Like the magical output is so high, it fogs up everything and keeps everyone in their rooms and out of the water until Azul realizes his mistake and restrains his side of the bond yet again.

And the cycle starts again.

The water fogged over heavily when Azul overblotted—both with ink and with the magical fog that only ever seemed to appear in this dorm, because no one in this dorm has ever felt truly safe with each other, so what better way for the dorm to respond than to hide them while the Housewarden looses his grip on the bond—

That hasn't happened since. Not because he's better. But because he knows his limit with the bond.

And the only one to confront him about this was the prefect. They arrived after hours in the lounge, sat down at the bar tops as Azul was counting his profit of the day, and stared. Stared until he made due on the promise they had jokingly made one day, and he had jokingly agreed to.

He took them into one of the pools, and got in along with them, because that's what they wanted.

The prefect knew—somehow—and took his hand and felt safe enough to float beside him. Safe. In Octavinelle. He floated beside them, potion keeping him human shedding off his skin as the dorm kept him afloat, but crawled up his side to cover his gills, give him the air he needed while he clutched their hand and felt...safe.

The water around the prefect held them up gently, pleasant against their skin as they looked over and smiled softly at Azul.

The pools leading to the outside of Octavinelle—the sea—opened up on their own, and some took it as invitation. The water swelled and greeted them and felt wonderful against their skin. Shadows cast across windows and let others know that—apparently—races were a thing they did in Octavinelle. Apparently.

The dorm was reluctant to let go of the prefect when they decided any longer would get them sick. They nearly slipped countless times from the water trying to lead them back into the pool. In the end, they had laughed gently and patted the surface of the pool, promising they'd be there the next day.

And when they entered the Mostro Lounge the next day, water rose from one of the tanks since to give them a wave. Azul had the tank removed with a slight flush as he greeted you himself.

𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟: 𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐚

When in Scarabia, try not to compare their sun to the one outside the mirror dimension. Something in them—something that ingrained in each of them when the mirror named them apart of the dorm—takes major offense to it.

Their sun is...well, they can't say sacred. Their sun is important to them.

It matches the pace of the one outside the dimension of sands, rising and setting with each day.

Except when the housewarden decides a period of rest is in order.

He'd kneel by the fountain, resting his head on his arm while his hand gently grazed the water. It'd reach up for him, wrapping around his fingertips, drawing out weak giggles from the housewarden.

He's whisper something, and a gust of warm wind would sweep though the dorm from the sands outside, shutting off anything it could find—phones, alarms, the lanterns in the lounge.

Students would shiver—because it's cold in the desert at night, even though the dorm attempted for its wind to be warm, maybe even cooling—before quickly snuggling into blankets that were brought up to their chins.

The wind would make its rounds, then return to the housewarden with a warm brush against his shoulders.

Stand.

And he would, and he—along with gentle input from the dorm—would choose when the sun would rise and the mirror leading to the outside world would leave where it was buried in the sands.

After the incident over the winter break, the prefect—understandably—was hesitant to step into Scarabia for quite some time. Kalim waited—the dorm waited. And, eventually, the prefect took the housewarden's hand, stepping into the portal after him.

The dorm waited. Waited until dinner, until the prefect sat themselves next to Jamil without coaxing, until dessert was being passed around while students were lounging on cushions with lanterns illuminating the space from overhead.

A warm gust swept through the lounge before the lanterns were dimmed in unison, letting the moonlight through properly the curtains.

A minute of silence passed before a giggle came from the housewarden, a tired—yet relieved— sigh from the vice, and a confused sound from the prefect when the students shrugged and got comfortable where they were.

Kalim had reached over and led them down to lay completely, letting a gust of wind float a shawl over their form. The vice would sigh and relent when the housewarden did the same to him. Jamil had shot them a look that said 'go with it' as Kalim flopped down beside them.

The wind had brought them a light blanket, letting it fall gently on top of them and swirling around them as Kalim tucked the three of them in. Then, it left for the others.

To Kalim, the wind had brought back a count of everyone in the dorm, an accurate head count of everyone in the dorm. A number upped by one, upped by the person whose breath was slowing beside him. Whose shawl was brought tighter around them by a soft wind and what felt like a gentle caress to their cheek.

𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟: 𝐏𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐞

Pomefiore is certainly not lacking mirrors.

But sevens is it reserved about them.

Out of the dorms, Pomefiore is definitely the one who isn't hesitant to make its opinion known.

If too many students have gotten up at ungodly hours in the morning just to practice that perfect stroke of their eyeliner, or practicing a spell they've perfected by now and are essentially deluding themselves into thinking something is wrong.

And when that happens...

Vil feels a harsh tug to his side of the bond with the dorm, harsh enough send him stumbling backwards—and Rook somehow always catches him, hiding giggles because "My, Roi du Poison, you know what that means" and Vil will sigh, and ask him to order a dorm meeting while smoothing out the space between his eyebrows.

Vil will be sat on his chair when the dorm files into the lounge, and once the last person crosses the threshold of the door—

The door will slam shut, and the ornamental design decorating the back of Vil's chair—what resembles a peacock's proud feathers—will snap shut.

First years (the first few times this happens) will jump, while everyone else (those accustomed to it) breath a rare sigh of relief.

Quietly, students will return to their rooms, and upperclassmen will teach underclassmen how to remove their makeup the way the dorm wants them to. Gentle on the skin, and the proper usage of face products after ward.

A period of rest, not unlike Scarabia's tradition. Only, here...

No one is expected to be perfect. Just for a little while.

And it's freeing. The showers and baths will warm themselves, and petals will be scattered onto the surface of the rippling water of the prepared in the baths. After letting the warm water relax their muscles, their free to do whatever they want.

As long as they turn around all the mirrors in the dorm. Not one should be visible. It's harder to both envision someone judging you or to judge yourself when you're restricted from staring at yourself in the mirror. It's even harder when the lights are dimmed.

[No one is allowed to say a word of judgement to anyone during this time.]

These periods of rest will happen at least once a month. Because...everyone seems to reach that point once a month in the dorm's eyes.

It thought its students were bad.

And then the prefect stepped through the mirror.

Vil had to resist the harshest of tugs while they were speaking to him, eyes bags prominent, fingers hiding the slightest shake, and yet. Yet.

They had kind eyes. Their face seemed too tired to form a smile, but they gave him a polite nod and brightness shined in their eyes and—

The dorm tugged.

And Vil couldn't do anything. Yet.

His(and the dorm's) opportunity came when the prefect stayed over while their dorm was being renovated[renovated] by S.T.Y.X. after Idia's overblot.

They stepped into the dorm, they settled in, and the lights dimmed immediately.

They had squeaked softly when Rook brought them to their feet and fell silent when Vil led them to the baths. It was slightly jarring, seeing so many Pomefiore students wiping off their make up and—and slouching. Epel was using his accent and no one said a word.

It was even more jarring to spend the entire night being...being pampered.

It was even more jarring to fall asleep in a soft bed with warm blankets that gently held them down and a pillow that cradled their head so comfortingly. Then, the phantom sensation of a kiss to their forehead.

𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟: 𝐈𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐡𝐲𝐝𝐞

Ignihyde is a living machine dedicated towards the comfort of its inhabitants.

Students who rarely leave their rooms other than for classes, and barely take care of themselves beyond personal hygiene because they're glued to their devices.

The dorm provides breakfast each morning, if you come down to the communal area and retrieve it yourself. No sending someone down for you, or inventions designed for convenience; if you want warm breakfast, you must come yourself.

It works most of the time.

The dorm is kept stocked with water or vitamins that it chooses went to dispense. Each room has a chute beside the bed. If something appears from it, you must take it, grumbles and all.

Most of this is Idia's doing. Not the chutes or the forced care, no, he's just the worst, so the dorm has forced it upon everyone in case they take after their housewarden.

Most of the magic that resides in Ignihyde—since the students busy themselves with non-magical technology—resides within the dorm itself.

Temperature is incredibly important to the dorm. It fixates on it, tugs Idia into its digital worries when the heat begins to build.

Ignihyde is a cold place because it quite literally has to be.

Heat builds, so the cold combating it builds, so the dorm takes on another task of keeping its souls warm and comfortable. It's not a difficult task—Ignihyde has been happily doing this task for years, and takes pride of only having to fully shut down once a month—but the housewarden's influence on the dorm annoys it to no end.

Anger, annoyance—anything that makes Idia's flare red, makes the dorm's heat spike. It's fixed within the second, but the solution is to plummet the temperature before anything short circuits. Meaning, blankets rush down chutes and hot beverages start to pour from the automated systems in the communal area just as cold souls come down looking for something warm.

Still, the dorm tugs at Idia with a solemn attitude, wishing it could do more. Maybe he, as housewarden, could do more.

And then the prefect began coming around each week.

Bags held in their arms, with many more being carried by a hovering Ortho behind them. They handed something back to him—a card—and made their way to the communal area, opening up all the fridges and beginning to place food inside.

The dorm remembers Ortho allowing it access to his optics, so it could watch closer as this foreign soul busied themself with providing for the ones of Ignihyde. Proper food was put into the fridges, with healthy alternatives to the things the students already ate as well as ingredients in case any of them dared to stay down long enough to cook something.

And they kept doing it.

Each week without fail—even if it was the Shrouds' credit card being used—provisions were brought. And as the weeks passed, more and more was taken and needed to be replaced. The dorm cheered with pulsing lights when the prefect placed a basket in front of the housewarden's door, and continued to do so with little, silly notes.

Ignihyde adores the prefect.

𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟: 𝐃𝐢𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐧𝐢𝐚

The storm that circles over the Diasomnia dorm has been there since...anyone can remember. The lightening within it crackles whenever Malleus angers, illuminates the path way for late night owls searching for the kitchen or returning to their dorm, and becomes pleasant ambience once you've spent enough time outside in the storm to realize it won't hurt you.

The thorns along the path share the same story. Night falls inside the pocket dimension, and the vines unravel to cover the stone path to hinder intruders or students leaving the dorm without the housewarden's or his vice's permission.

But they curl into themselves in the early morning, letting students pass without the risk of clothes snagging, or worse, tearing. In the early morning, thunder booms in time with a loud chime through the castle, serving as a more...urgent reminder to rise from their beds.

[With Silver, if the dorm sees he has not risen by his fourth alarm, the windows will begin to rattle just loud enough for him to wake up thinking he left them closed the night before. If that doesn't work and Sebek has not yet arrived, Malleus will receive a prompt tug towards Silver's dorm.]

When Malleus closes himself in his room, the dorm chills with him. In the lounge, the fireplace keeps itself lit on cold days, throughout the day and the night. The storm grows larger, but the wind that hits the windows is gentle. Nobody is brave enough to ask if that is Malleus's influence, or the dorm stepping in.

For the past nights of the last month, the dorm has counted one missing from its nightly rounds within the castle. The dorm's housewarden.

It tugs when he returns each night, questioning where he has been. The castle groans when he doesn't give it a direct answer, but he seems...happy when he returns. So the dorm lets him go each night, making its rounds and relaxing when he returns each night.

But Malleus slips one evening, and the dorm feels the rush of affection towards one prefect.

It's curious now, tugging at him to bring them into the mirror since the dorm itself has no power outside this place and can't bring them itself. It tugs at him to share his nightly adventures with the prefect, or the simple walks they share while speaking with each other.

The night Malleus told them dorm of Ramshackle, back in the days it was in...less than optimal condition, thunder and fire flaring jolted students up right, no matter the year they were in.

Now, the tugging is insistent, the dorm demanding Malleus bring the prefect to Diasomnia. So, Malleus relents. The prefect arrives in Diasomnia on a visit for the first time and has to be wrestled from a bush of thorns that was holding them so gently.

From Malleus's influence, or simply the dorm's, nobody will ever know.

𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟: 𝐑𝐚𝐦𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐥𝐞

There's no Ramshackle student alive to tell the prefect whether or not the dorm was like the others; alive, to some capacity.

When things move on their own, it's was from the influence of the three ghosts that roam the halls and are fond of the prefect. When things move, the prefect didn't question it and simply returns it to the rightful place. If it's there again the next time they saw it, they'd sigh and accept that is the new rightful place.

However, the ghosts have started moving things less and less. With the dorm rebuilt and the prefect putting them selves to cleaning the dorm each Saturday, they hardly want to make a mess of things. Instead, laundry is done and folded by the time the prefect returns from school. Curtains are beat of their dust, and mirrors are suspiciously clean.

The prefect has long grown used to the odd sounds that come from Ramshackle. Yes, it was renovated, but it's still an old building. An old foundation, and everything inside it that belonged to the previous students is still there and kept clean along with everyone else.

They've resigned to doing everything themselves, not exactly needing a dorm that was alive, when it was just them, Grim, and the ghosts.

And whatever has started to open the door for them when they go to leave in the morning.

The prefect....chooses not to question it. It turns off all the candles when they leave, and turns them back on promptly at eight in the evening. Whatever it is, its becoming more lively, more eager to assist in quite ways.

The prefect believes its regaining its strength. It dies down when people visit, acting dormant, then springs back to life with quiet embers in the fire place.

So, actually, it's Grim, the prefect, the ghosts, and Ramshackle, the dorm.

First, Auralim dorm! The silhouette shown is most definitely based on Alice, but it would be so nice to have a character based on the White Queen from Tim’s Burton Alice in Wonderland adaptation instead..!

Then, Privalo dorm is definitely the most mysterious right now, since that character could be ANY LION. They could be based on Nala, but that’s a very controversial move since Cheka (based on Simba) is a little kid in the story, if anything, they could be Rani, Sarafina possibly, or even Shenzi instead (so an hyena instead of a lion beastman).

I want to emphasize the possibility that since NRC had “good/RSA aligned” characters (Rook, Kalim, and Silver), it’s very much possible that RSA may also have more “bad/NRC aligned” cast as well!

Of course, the in?famous and well awaited Rielle from Marinafinne dorm has finally made his colorful debut! I love how expressive he is! And his blue eyes quite literally stare into your soul, they are scarily bright😭

Azul had implied back in the Octavinelle Arc that he knew Rielle back when he was a bullied child, and many fans kinda just assumed he never stood up for him then, but again we’re not certain if Rielle was even aware of Azul being bullied…

And of course, Dunasmina dorm’s gorgeous Minajeal!! This dude outmogged EVERYONE like wow😭 I think poor Jamil finally lost his “Best Hair” crown. Interesting how he doesn’t like being controlled/pressured as a prince and seems to be very aware of how others/esp Jamil perceive him… I dunno if this was already confirmed, but is this not the very cousin that Kalim said way back was related to royalty?

Next, the Pomefiore mirror I’m assuming is either Neige in a new fit or a whole new character based on Prince Florian! I’m actually the most excited for him and the dorm name is so satisfying to say(Charblanche~~)

But lowkey… judging by his big, feathery hat and gentlemanly/princely pose, could he possibly be one of Rook’s relatives.???👀

Then, for Psycheros, I’m guessing that they’re a mix of both Megara and Hercules? They have a heavy sleeper build and just one-punches everyone😭 They seem spunky and cool and confident in themselves (basically the opposite of Idia). But looking at the silhouette, I also feel they could even be based on Pain & Panic? Which would actually tie them more directly to Idia since those two had worked for Hades.

Now finally, the Rosa Auroria dorm, the only dorm in the entire game to have two separated words as its name instead of just one, single word. This mystery character is probably the red fairy from sleeping beauty, or they could be a mix of all three of the good fairies. I feel like they would actually get along with Lilia, and I wonder how (if they’re a fae) they would tie into all the heavy, historical lore Diasomnia Arc had (if at all)?

~~~*~~~*~~~

Will be hoping & waiting for RSA Lighting McQueen & Mater-based characters someday now that RSA’s release is actually happening🥹 like please Yana turn humanoid McQueen & Mater into a real professional, legitimate thing🙏