"May I also introduce our first-ever Honor Student, Miss Mary, who will take on a special position while at Darkwick Academy. She will not be joining any particular Houses and starting this school year while we are doing our absolute best in finding a way to break her curse, she is going to help our Ghouls in their investigations!"

There was a loud hullabaloo after Chancellor Cornelius made this cheerful announcement to everyone inside the auditorium, everyone was taken aback and the murmurs didn't exactly put Mary at ease. She was never fond of being up the stage or talked about, it was only fueling her social anxiety up; if only Grim was with her, she would feel okay.

Some of the students were blatant on throwing looks of disdain, others eyeing her up and down then there were rude side-eye glances directed to her.

"Wasn't she the one on the wanted papers this morning?"

"Why is the school giving her so much special treatment? She looks ordinary"

"Meh as expected it has nothing to do with us students taking general courses"

All these together and the unseen expectations weighed Mary's shoulders.

--

Sighs. The night's ceremony was fresh throbbing painfully in Mary's surface memories whilst she laid in the bed; it was already bright and lights were coursing through the draped curtains on the windows, the wind was blowing from her left, it actually felt cool and airy but gosh, the events echoed repetitively it was irksome.

Chancellor had her stay in this huge vacant cathedral, it wasn't that ruined though but there were floorboards obviously requiring some major fixings and thick dusts caking some pillars and displays; clearly, no one had occupied this place for a while until now. Grim was meant to be here too but the professors wanted him to undergo some series of tests and as they considered him an 'anomalous animal' he couldn't be left wandering with her.

Today is the start of her official year as Darkwick Academy's student.

Her father would look for them, she no longer had her old phone and other things, it had been destroyed so they wouldn't have any means of reaching her or Grim. A week of vacation turned into a school year, she wasn't sure whether she would cry or laugh at her demise.

"No good will do if I just skulk here, I promised Grim I would do my best for the both of us" Mary would think of her friend, she had to be composed for both of them. They only had each other for now. Getting up, she pushed the curtains to the side and found a cute cat in a worker garment, it was so adorable while fixing a part of the old window pane.

After bathing and putting on the prescribed uniform, Mary stared at the ring on her finger—it was such an elegant accessory yet it echoed being ancient, probably exposed to many things, and bore witness to scenes not known to mankind. Why would this object choose her? Huh.

"Good morning Mary!" There was the comical and adorable blonde Kaito Fuji, he waved at her while beaming.

Standing next to Kaito was Lucas whose composure was unyielding, always looking like the gentleman he was. His lips were curved into a small smile. Last night, Lucas was selected to be in the same House as Kaito which was Frostheim. "Good Morning, Mary, how did you sleep?"

"It's okay, I am not really sure what to feel about being here but there's no other way but forward" Mary declared, shrugging, her chest was like a loud drum due to nervousness.

They made their way to their first class, quickly finding some seats and it went on smoothly—Mary thought the subjects being taught at Darkwick Academy were slightly different from Night Raven College but it didn't them less bonkers. Both were different in their own way.

The next subject was out in a spacious field, their professor was Moby who appeared to be a bulky human in long cloak with an octopus head. He was soooo strange.

"Choose the artifacts that will resonate with your soul and give it a try," Professor Moby stated.

Mary saw the rows of displayed objects on the long table, all were almost akin to polished jewelries but Lucas reiterated these were artifacts—as for example the double blades he picked up transformed itself into a regular fancy keychain but once in battle, it will revert back to being blades. Meanwhile Kaito got himself a gold bow.

A towering boy with shaggy sandy brown hair accompanied by a girl came forward, he scoffed. "Honor Student right? What can you do?" His question was mocking.

"An honorable student only in title you mean" Says the girl with black hair and green highlights as she held onto the boy's arm, leaning closer.

The redhead stepped back and didn't meet their gazes, "I do not want any trouble" She hated being tangled in brawls or nonsensical lashing. It was problematic and she wasn't good at being sassy either so as much as possible she avoided them.

The girl with green highlights raised a brow, "You are the one who brought trouble here, biatch. We went through the hard way getting ourselves in this elite school but you got some kind of VIP plot twist to be admitted in? Wow" She rolled her eyes visibly.

"You'd think Ghouls being at the center spotlight is bad enough but they just had to add you in the mix" added the sandy-haired boy.

Their snide remarks were shards which were pang of pain in Mary's chest, she finally lifted her gaze and met theirs—emerald green eyes glinting with controlled anger. "You are merely making baseless conclusions, if it were for me, I'd rather not be here. If you want your spotlight so much by all means hog it to yourself I do not have any intention of taking it" She couldn't control her words.

At the back of her head, Mary imagined the couple being strangled by thick thorny vines, she wanted them to be devoured wholly by large flytraps. The lining of her vision was tainted with black.

"I'll shut your mouth!" The girl with green highlights glared furiously, ready to storm forward to give Mary a piece of her mind.

Lucas stood before the redhead, covering her from view. "Stop, please step back and do not do anything foolish" His dark violet eyes narrowed a bit, "I heard what you said, you initiated it so don't act like you're the victims here, leave Mary alone"

But the couple was obviously holding themselves back and they gave Mary an angry, warning look before walking away to their group of peers.

"Are you okay?" Lucas asked, genuinely concerned. "I should have not left you here alone..."

Mary appreciated him but this was an exaggeration, she was still slightly annoyed at the couple. "I am fine, I can handle it and you don't have to stick by my side all the time" Her voice has a bite to it.

"Luca, dude! Stop taking Mary to yourself! Give me some space here!" Kaito came as well and collared the other boy—he was trying not to be heard but Mary heard him clear as the sky.

With her mood still dampened by the mean students, Mary couldn't find it in her to go along with these two. She was rather getting irritated even if she didn't really want to.

"I will just go to the washroom" The class was over anyway and they had free period before the next, before either Lucas or Kaito could reply, she already went out ahead hurrying to the washroom.

--

Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale. Mary stared at the mirror whilst leaning onto the marbled counter sink inside the female washroom, her mood really plummeted to the ground in a bad way after the encounter with those couple—based on the color lining their uniforms, they were from the same House as Kaito and Luca. Tch.

She wouldn't usually this short-tempered or maybe she was only tired and her body clock or system was still adjusting to the things around this strange school. If she wanted to survive peacefully without garnering too much attention, she wouldn't have to disclose where she came from. She didn't want to do that and who knew what could happen if she did.

"If only Riddle was here with me or anyone from Heartslabyul..." Mary slumped her shoulders while muttering to herself.

Of course that would be pointless, wishing for those rowdy but talented boys to be with her wouldn't really make things easier. Mentally slapping herself, she needed to stay focus, she barely made it through this day, what more year?

Stepping out of the washroom, Mary was ready to go to the next class when she came face-to-face with a familiar tall figure. He was leaning casually against the wall with a smile on—couldn't tell if he was amused or what.

Mary stepped forward to him, "Haku? What are you doing here?"

"I saw you with a foul expression so I thought something must have happened, I didn't mean to look like a weirdo waiting for you here" Haku stated.

A deep sigh, she turned her gaze away. "It's nothing unusual, just your typical mean people and bullies acting snarky without holding back. School hierarchy and rubbish"

"You don't like using bad words, do you?" Haku didn't hold back a chuckle, founding her struggle to find the proper words amusing. "You must have been raised quite nicely if you are too anxious of what you say, Mary"

Mary crossed her arms, turning away from Haku completely to look at the view outside the windows—overseeing the open park where some students were walking or hanging out. "I feel like a fish out of its familiar waters and that's not the worse part, I have to stay for a year"

"Don't push yourself too hard on this, Mary, I know it's not going to be easy but...maybe you'll find something worth enjoying while you're at Darkwick Academy" Haku stated, those hazel amber eyes peering at her with warmth. "By the way, I am glad to see you finally feeling better and with vibrant color" He playfully poked her forehead.

The gesture had Mary taken aback, she stepped back and held a hand to her forehead. "Of course I am okay, what was that supposed to mean?"

A light chuckle came from Haku, the glint of playfulness wasn't lost in his gaze. "I hadn't gotten a chance to visit you when you got sick after placating the escaped anomalies, if it weren't for you, we wouldn't be able to get the anomalies to containment."

And it went back to the surface of Mary's mind, of how she first called for Haku and he carried her when she lose consciousness. "That didn't mean anything I was delirious and you were the only one I knew among those guys present, I mean Luca and Kaito were there but they were too far from me at that time--" Her cheeks slightly turned flustered as she ranted.

Haku patted her head, smiling. "I'm just kidding, don't be too flustered now" His eyes lifted up as he saw Professor Hyde approaching with a large grin on.

The white-haired peculiar Professor with a full black covering on his eyes pointed back and forth to them. "You two remind me of my golden youth days! Aren't you two extra close already?! Love it!"

Mary turned to Professor Hyde, oblivious by the subliminal meaning of his words. "Do you need anything, Professor? I was just about to meet up with Luca and Kaito for our next class"

"You have free period next, Mary, and this is the perfect time to discuss the first mission you will be going to" Professor Hyde declared. "I'd like you to come with me"

Haku was mildly surprised that the redhead would already join a mission this early when she barely had the time to explore and grasp everything in Darkwick Academy, he knew Chancellor and Professor Nicholas explained the important details but there were still many parts that weren't clarified.

But there was no doubt she would be a helping figure in any investigations.

"Good luck, Mary, and don't overdo yourself, okay?" Haku reached out to her hand, squeezing it lightly with reassurance before taking his leave.