�����"Magnus? The students are almost all gathered. What's been keeping you?" The beautiful dark-haired woman asked, as she peeked into the office door.

�����"Hmm...?" The seemingly young man with long white hair looked up from the mountain of papers on his desk. "Oh, yes, the assembly! Thank you for reminding me, Isis!"

�����The woman chuckled. "You'd forget to eat or sleep sometimes, if it weren't for me, Dear."

�����Magnus nodded his head in acknowledgement. "That's why I'm so lucky you put up with me."

�����"You better believe it, Buster," Isis teased, running her fingers through his hair. "So, what's the project this time?"

�����"Just looking over the files of all the new transfer students. There's one in particular that intrests me." His reading glasses slipped down his nose, and he pushed them up, absently.

�����He looks so handsome in those glasses, Isis thought. "I guess I'm going to have to figure out a way to tear you away from all that paperwork." She winked.

�����Magnus looked up from his desk, blankly. "Hmm?" Then he noticed the look on his wife's face. "Oh! Err... Well..." He threw the papers aside. "Would it really be that bad to keep the students waiting just a little bit longer? It may be a good lesson in patience..."

�����"I was hoping you would say that," Isis said, giving him a kiss.

...

�����The assembly hall was a large, rather utilitarian room, decorated in banners with the school's crest: a red dragon in flight against a black background. Here, students of all grades were expected to stand in their neat rows, awaiting the beginning of the headmaster's welcoming speech for the new semester. Usually, this was not a problem, but the headmaster was running late today, and the students were getting restless...

�����"Man, this sucks!" a boy with dark brown spikey hair and ridiculously mismatched clothes complained. "What's keeping him so long? I wanna get moved into my dorm room."

�����"Patience, brother," the raven-haired young man next to him answered. "Besides, if I remember correctly, when we moved into our room last year it only took you about five seconds to dump everything you own into your drawers. Then, you started getting yourself into trouble..."

�����"Hee hee... Yeah, I remember. That was fun. Don't be such a party pooper, Fiore."

�����Fiore rolled his eyes at his brother. "You never learn, do you, Jinx? Still, as your older brother, I feel somewhat responsible for your behavior."

�����Jinx ruffled his fingers through his hair, embarrased. "Aww, C'mon, Fiore. I'm old enough to take care of myself, now."

�����"You sure don't act like it, though!" A female voice piped in from behind them.

�����The brothers turned to face a girl with light blue hair that reached almost to her ankles, and eyes that were a stunning shade of blue-green.

�����"Hello, Alaska. I trust that your summer went well?" Fiore asked, politely.

�����"Sure did!" Alaska beamed. "I went up north, to visit the fam. I got to go skiing almost every day. It was really cool! What about you guys?"

�����"Same old, same old..." Jinx replied. "We mostly hung out with the girls. Fiore and Ren did a lot of volunteer work. Even during the summer, those two are workaholics." He laughed. Should I ask her? He thought. Now is as good a time as any, he decided. "So, Alaska, I'm not a Freshman anymore. Now that I'm more mature, howzabout a date?" He grinned, hopefully.

�����"Mature?" Alaska retorted. "Yeah, right Jinx. Do you really expect anyone to believe you're mature, after that locker-room incident last semester? A lot of the girls are still really ticked off about that stunt!"

�����"Aww... I learned my lesson, honest!" Jinx insisted.

�����"And a very painful lesson, too, I might add," Fiore said. "You really shouldn't use your talents for such juvinile pranks."

�����"Yeah, well..." Jinx shrugged, embarrased, "how was I to know that Pyra would go so ballistic? All I saw was her underwear..."

�����Fiore sighed. "You've known Pyra long enough to know better," he replied, "and headmaster Dragonflight wasn't happy, either."

�����"I'll say!" Alaska added. "He really is a monster when he gets mad! How long were you in detention, again?"

�����"Umm... Well..." Jinx stuttered, uncomfortably. How many times did people have to keep bringing it back up? It wasn't like it was the weirdest thing that had happened that semester. Desperately, he tried to think of a way to change the subject. Then, as if to answer his prayers, he spotted two familiar pink-haired heads in the crowd.

�����"Hey, look, there's Pyra's sisters over there! Hey, Ren, hey Candy! Over here!"

�����The two girls turned towards the sound of Jinx's voice. Candy, the younger of the two, bounced up and down with joy, and broke from line, leaving Ren, the older girl, to follow.

�����"Hiya, Jinx!!" Candy cried, her long pink pigtails bobbing up and down as she ran up to give him a hug.

�����"Hiya little lady!" Jinx replied. "So how's it feel to be in third grade now?"

�����"It's neat!" Candy cried, brightly, her blue eyes filled with excitement. "I can't wait until classes really start tomorrow! I wanna see all my friends from last year! And my teacher's Miss Pandora, I hear she's really nice!"

�����The other girl smiled sweetly, brushing pink shoulder-length hair aside. Although her full name was Serenity, almost everyone called her by her preferred nickname, "Ren".

�����"She's been literally bouncing around all day, she's so happy," Ren said. "So, did you all get moved into your dorm rooms, yet?"

�����"Yep, I'm all moved in," Alaska replied.

�����"Not us," Jinx sulked.

�����"Check-in at the boys dorm was delayed, due to a last minute inspection," Fiore explained. "They wouldn't tell us why, but I imagine it has something to do with last year's infestation incident... What about you and your sisters?"

�����"I'm almost done, and so is Candy, but Pyra..."

�����"Has WAY too many clothes!!" Candy broke in, giggleing.

�����"Fioooore!" A girl with long red hair and spikey bangs called from across the room. "Is that you, my dearest darling?"

�����"Speak of the devil..." Alaska muttered under her breath. "I better go, before she sees me here. I don't wanna start something already. Talk to you guys later, K?" With that, she disappeared into the crowd.

�����"Hello, sweetums!" Pyra cried, when she finally reached Fiore's side. "Did you miss me?"

�����Fiore grimaced, inwardly. No matter how many times he had tried to explain his feelings to Pyra, she just wouldn't get it.

�����Jinx rolled his eyes. "Knock it off, Pyra! He just saw you this morning. How could he possibly have missed your high pitched squeals in such a short time?"

�����"Oh, shut up, Jinx!" Pyra snapped.

�����"Don't have to!" Jinx cried, sticking out his tounge.

�����"Shh... here comes the headmaster!" Ren cautioned.

�����A hush fell over the room, and the students scrambled back into neat rows. Magnus Dragonflight, dressed in his usual red robes and cloak, moved up to the podium.

�����"It's about time," Jinx whispered.

�����"Welcome students," Magnus began. "I see a lot of familiar faces out there, and many new ones as well. For those of you who don't already know, allow me to introduce myself. I am Headmaster Dragonflight, founder of this academy..."

�����"Wow, this school has a really hunky headmaster," A dark-haired female student in the back row whispered to the girl in red next to her. "The one at my old school was a mean old witch!"

�����"I founded this school so that talented youngsters, such as yourselves, would have a place to refine their gifts and learn to use them for worthy causes..." Magnus continued.

�����"I hope I get Miss Hamadryad as my homeroom teacher again..." A male student whispered, dreamily. "She's beautiful... a real nymph of the forest."

�����"Although you are all gifted in your own unique ways, I hope that you share a common goal..." Magnus said.

�����"Who's that beautiful guy with the long dark hair in the third row? The one in the grey, Eastern-looking clothes?" A girl with brown pigtails and glasses asked a green haired girl next to her.

�����"Hmm...? Oh, that's Fiore Masamune. He's a bit serious, but very polite. See the red-haired girl next to him, though?"

�����"The one in the black tights and the cape?"

�����"Yes. That's Pyra Mystic. Stay away from Fiore when she's nearby, she gets very jealous. Her younger sisters, the two with pink hair, are nice, though."

�����"So they're a couple?" The pigtail girl asked, disappointed.

�����"Not exactly..."

�����"...explore your own potentials, use your gifts for new accomplishments..." Magnus rambled.

�����"Jinx Masamune had better not try any more of his invisibillity tricks in the girls locker room like last year..." A girl with cafe-au-lait skin and short dark hair whispered to Alaska.

�����"If he does, Kris, then Pyra will let him have it again!" She giggled.

�����"Those of you who are returning students should welcome the newcomers and help them get aquianted with the academy..." Magnus said.

�����"Blah, blah, blah... almost the exact same speech as last year," A male student whispered to the pretty blonde girl next to him.

�����"You were here last year?" The girl asked him. "Could you show me around a bit later? I'm new here, and this place is so big I keep getting lost..."

�����"S...sure!" The boy grinned.

�����"As you know," Magnus continued, "in addition to regular subjects, we offer classes in all forms of magic, from runes and spells, to potions and charms, and elemental magic..."

�����"I hope I don't get Mr. Goliath for gym. I hear he's tough!" A male student whispered to a friend.

�����"...and there's even a questing class. Also, there are courses on magical history, such as a study of the different eras of magic, as well as..."

�����"I'm bored!" Candy complained.

�����"Shhh... he's almost finished, now," Serenity said, soothingly.

�����"I'm assuming all of you have read your student manuals. If you have any questions, feel free to visit me or my wife, Isis, in our respective offices. Any of the guidance counsellors or faculty heads would also be happy to assist you with questions or problems you might have."

�����"Dang... he's married." The dark-haired girl in the back row whispered. "He didn't look like he was old enough to be yet..."

�����"Face it, sugah," The girl in red next to her drawled. "You don't stand a chance. Aside from being VERY married and the headmaster, I hear he's a LOT older than he looks..."

�����"Really? How old is he? He only looks about 20 or so..."

�����"Who knows?" The girl in red shrugged. "Most say he's a hundred at least. Take my advice, it's a lost cause..."

�����I'll dismiss you soon, so you can finish checking into your dorm rooms. I realize that check-in at the East dorm was delayed a bit, due to a last minute reinspection. Someone thought they saw an invisible squirrel, so we had to check it out. After last year's infestation, we had to make extra sure. I'm happy to report that no traces of invisible squirrel activity were found, and check-in can begin immediately after this assembly..."

�����"What's this about invisible squirrels?" a male student asked.

�����"Oh, you must be new," The guy next to him replied. "It's kind of a long story..."

�����"New students should take the opportunity this evening to aquaint themselves with the campus, or see their guidance counsellors. The cafeteria will be open until 8:00 tonight. Lights out is at 9:00 for elementary students, 10:00 for junior high, and 11:00 for high school during the week, but later on weekends, or if you have a pass. The Cafeteria opens at 6:30 every morning, and we will reconveen here at 8:00 am for another assembly. Classes will begin immediately afterwards. Until then, you are dismissed."

�����"Yay!" Candy cheered.

�����"Finally!" Jinx exclaimed.

�����"So, Fiore-pookie, do you want to go to the Cafeteria and have lunch with me, now?" Pyra asked.

�����"I can't right now, Pyra. I need to check into my dorm room," Fiore replied, grateful to have an excuse.

�����"Maybe later, then, sweetums," She winked, causing sweat to bead down Fiore's head.

�����"Stop bugging him, Pyra," Jinx said, coming to his brother's defense. "Why don't you just ask me, instead?" He grinned, hopefully.

�����"Because you're a jerk, that's why!!" Pyra exclaimed, trying to hit him with a mallet she had pulled from some mysterious hiding place.

�����Jinx dodged the mallet and vanished.

�����"Ha ha!" his voice teased. "Can't hit me if you can't see me!"

�����"Come back here!" Pyra fumed, chasing after the sound of his voice.

�����"Oh dear, they're at it again," Serenity said, embarrased, "and on the first day, too..."

�����"Run away, Jinx, run away!" Candy cheered, jumping up and down.

�����"Nya Nya!" Jinx's voice taunted.

�����"I'll get you yet, Jinx Masamune!" Pyra cried, producing a fireball with her magic, and getting ready to aim it in the direction of the taunts.

�����Although grateful for his brother's distraction, Fiore saw that the situation was rapidly getting out of control. Everyone in the room was starting to stare at the commotion. "That's enough, you two!" He scolded. "You know the rules about fighting. As upperclassmen, we have to set a good example for the other students."

�����Pyra let the fireball fizzle out in her hand. "Whatever you say, Fiore-pookums," She replied, sweetly.

�����Jinx re-materialized next to Serenity and Candy. "Jeeze, is she PMSing or something?" he whispered, causing Serenity to blush and Candy to giggle.

�����"What was that?" Pyra glared.

�����"Oh, nothing..." Jinx repiled, innocently. "Gotta go, so much partying to do, and so little time!" With that, he ran out of the assembly hall in the direction of the boy's dorm.

�����"I should go as well," Fiore said, looking in the direction his brother had run off to. "Who knows what sort of trouble he'll get himself into?"

�����"Maybe the two of us can have a nice romantic dinner tonight? Say at about 4:30 or so?" Pyra suggested.

�����"Why don't we all meet together?" Serenity suggested, feeling sorry for Fiore.

�����"It'll be fun!!" Candy exclaimed.

�����"That's a good idea," Fiore said, relieved. With Serenity and Candy to act as buffers, it wouldn't be as bad... "I really must be going now." He hurried after Jinx.

�����"But... Fiore..." Pyra protested, staring after him, disappiontedly. Then she glared at her two sisters. "Whose side are you on, anyway?!" she hollered.

�����"Whatever do you mean, sis?" Serenity asked, innocently.

...

�����From a high tower in the campus temple, a young man draped in a cloak that resembled white owl feathers gazed into a crystal ball.

�����"So... she continues her pursuit of Fiore...," He said, clamly, brushing dirty-blonde hair aside. "Quite shameful, for her to throw herself at him like that..."

�����"Whatever... It's none of our business," A boy concealed almost entirely in a black, hooded cloak mumbled. "Just tell me why you sent your image here to invade my privacy..."

�����The handsome face of the illusion grinned. "My, aren't we impatient? I thought you might want to catch a glimpse of her sister, at least. She keeps getting prettier every semester, even though she usually hides it with those white robes..."

�����"Knock it off, Jerith. I'm not in the mood for your games..."

�����Jerith sighed, and lowered the crystal ball. "Very well, Jacob. I'll tell you why I sent my projection here to you. As you know, This will be my final year at the Academy. I need time to work on my graduation project. Let it be known around campus that no one is to disturb me while I am working on it. I want to do a good job and impress the headmaster."

�����Jacob's stormy grey eyes narrowed behind long, straw-colored bangs. "You bothered me just to tell me that?!" he glared, angrily. "Cut the crap, Jerith! And if you really want everyone to know, then tell them yourself! I'm NOT your errand-boy!"

�����"Temper, temper," Jerith said, sounding a bit hurt. "I was just hoping you would support your older brother, that's all."

�����"Yeah, right," Jacob muttered.

�����"I was also hoping that maybe you would try to act less... rebelious this semester. To stop being so anti-social. I'm concerned about you, little brother."

�����"Hmmph," Jacob muttered. "I'll do whatever I want. I don't want you butting into my affairs."

�����"Very well. If you really feel that way, I'll leave..." The image fuzzed around the edges, then faded into a puff of illusionary smoke.

�����"Jerk," Jacob mumbled, when he was finally by himself.

...

�����Fiore caught up with his younger brother about halfway to the boys' dorm.

�����"Thank you for the distraction, brother," he said, sincerely.

�����"You really need to talk to that girl..." Jinx replied.

�����Fiore sighed. "I have tried, believe me. Pyra just won't listen. Everything was fine between us, until that incident last year. If only..." He trailed off. But what else could he have done? "I... really don't want to hurt her feelings, but I just don't feel the same way about her as she does about me."

�����"I know, I know... you feel too much like a big brother, huh?" Jinx said, winking.

�����"Well, we did grow up together. After our own parent's died... her family practically adopted us. So yes, to me she's like a sister. All three of them are."

�����"Have you tried putting it to her that way?" Jinx suggested. "Unless you wanna end up marrying her or something, you'd better make sure she understands..." He paused for a moment, as if reflecting on his own words. Then, suddenly, as if the moment had gotten too serious for him, he yelled, "Last one to the dorm is a rotten dragon's egg!!" and took off running.

�����Fiore stared after his brother, surprized at what he had said, and a bit jealous of his carefree nature. Then, smiling, he ran after him.

...

�����"213B! The same room as last year! Cool!!" Jinx exclaimed, examining their dorm assignment cards.

�����"Hopefully you'll at least try to keep your things on your own side, this time," Fiore replied. It was amazing to him that, despite the fact that his brother always packed fairly light, his belongings had a way of multiplying themselves, until they covered the floor. Last year, they had reached dangerously high levels, until Fiore, unable to stand the mess any longer, had broken down and cleaned it up himself.

�����"Sure, sure...," Jinx mumbled, absentmindedly. "I get the bed by the window this year!" He picked up his bags and started running across the lobby for the stairs.

�����Fiore was about to caution his brother about running in the hallway, but before he had an opportunity, Jinx collided with a student carrying a large trunk.

�����"Oww!" the figure cried, from beneath the trunk. "Hey, watch it, will ya?!"

�����"Whoops!" Jinx said, sheepishly. "Here, let me help you with that." He shoved the heavy trunk aside. "Sorry about that... Hey, you must be new here, 'cause I haven't seen you around before. My name's Jinx. Jinx Masamune. And this is my older bother, Fiore.

�����"Yeah, I'm new. I just transferred from Corinth Academy. The name's Chanse. Chanse Melody. Tell me, do all of the new students here get knocked on their butts the first day?"

�����Fiore smiled at the joke. "You'll have to forgive my brother. He often gets carried away..." Chanse... What beautiful green eyes... And such a power I sense... He thought.

�����"I'll live...," Chanse replied, brushing long brown hair aside. "Hey... this is the East Dormatory, right?"

�����"Sure is! What room do you have?" Jinx asked.

�����"213A," Chanse answered, holding up a dorm assignment card.

�����"We're suitemates, then!" Jinx said. "Follow me, I'll show you the room!"

�����"S... suitemates? But... but there must be some mistake..." Chanse stammered.

�����"I'll say... I applied for a single..." A voice said from behind them, moodily.

�����The three turned to face a very sullen-looking Jacob Whitewind, dressed in his usual black clothes. He was holding up his own dorm card.

�����"213A?!" Jinx read. "Awww, man... you mean we gotta share a suite with you?!"

�����"Y... You're my roommate?" Chanse said, regarding Jacob. "I'm sorry but... I don't think this arrangement will work."

�����"Hmmph," Jacob grumbled, offended. "Who wants to share a suite with a slob and be roommates with a girlie boy that looks like he's in Junior high?" Jacob retorted.

�����Chanse glared at him. "Junior High?! Girlie BOY?!!! Is that really how you see me?!"

�����"Don't listen to him, Chanse." Jinx said. "My brother looks kinda like a girl, too, but no one ever makes fun of him for it..."

�����"Um... Jinx?" Fiore began, seeing that an eruption was about to take place.

�����"I AM a girl, you idiots!! And I'm not in Junior High, I'm sixteen!" Chanse yelled.

�����Jacob and Jinx stared.

�����"I tried to tell you..." Fiore said, calmly.

�����"Yep... Umm... She's got girl stuff up there all right..." Jinx said, peering closely at Chanse's baggy, Chinese-style shirt.

�����"Why... did they assign me a girl as a roommate?!" Jacob said, looking her over.

�����"Stop staring, you perverts!!" Chanse hollered, backing away and folding her arms across her chest. "Jeeze, you'd think you guys had never seen a girl before..."

�����"Sorry..." Jacob mumbled, embarrased.

�����"Oh boy!" Jinx cried, excited. "I didn't know the dorms would be co-ed this year!"

�����Fiore sighed. "Forgive my brother for his stupidity. Obviously, you were assigned to the wrong dorm."

�����"I guess the teacher assigning dorms thought I was a boy, too." Chanse blushed, uncomfortably. "Do I really look... like a boy in this outfit?" No one had made that mistake at her old school, but maybe that was because she had grown up with most of the students there?

�����"Err..." Jacob stammered, looking at Chanse's tan and black shirt, and loose fitting dark blue pants. Her clothes really do hide her figure, he thought. Still, there's something about her I sense... "At a first glance... maybe... kind of...?" He replied, lamely.

�����"Your clothes are kinda baggy, and not exactly the style most girls would wear..." Jinx added.

�����"Oh..." Chanse said, looking forelorn. I guess I am kind of a tomboy... she thought. And I wanted to make a good first impression, too...

�����"I think it's very cute," Fiore said, earnestly "You should wear whatever you feel comfortable in. Don't worry about what others think."

�����"...Thank you," she smiled, feeling a little better.

�����"So says my brother, who wears dresses sometimes..." Jinx teased.

�����"They're not dresses... They're Kimonos. There's a difference," Fiore replied, turning red.

�����"Whatever..."

�����"I guess I should go back to the office and straighten this mess out. It was nice meeting you guys, even if you're kinda weird." Especially the guy in black, there is definitely something strange about him, she thought. Kinda creepy. "Maybe we'll have some classes together, or be put on the same assignment or something." She picked up her trunk and headed for the exit.

�����"Oh, by the way..." she paused. "Does this school have a kendo club?"

�����"Yep, the kendo hall is on the other side of campus, near the temple" Jinx answered. "Why?"

�����"I was thinking about joining, once I get settled in. Well, see ya around!"

�����"But..." Jinx called after her. "Jerith doesn't allow..."

�����"Too late, she's gone." Jacob said. "She'll find out, eventually."

�����Fiore stared at the door that Chanse had just exited through. This looks like it's going to be an interesting year, he thought.

...

�����"So, you see sir, there's been a mistake," Chanse explained. "I belong in the girl's dorm..."

�����"I should say so..." Headmaster Dragonflight replied. "That's the last time I ask professor Cyclops to assign dorms. He has an eye problem..." He winked.

�����"Umm... you're joking, right, sir?" Chanse said, smiling hesitantly. It sounded like he was, but you could never be sure with grownups...

�����Magnus smiled. "You caught me. There is no professor Cyclops. But I will re-assign you to the girl's dorm right away." He shuffled through some paperwork. "Let's see... 324A in the West Dormatory has a vacancy. Here you go..." He handed her a dorm card.

�����"Thank you, sir. If you'll excuse me, I'll go get moved in now." That didn't take very long... she thought.

�����"By all means..." Magnus said, indicating the door. "And I apologize for the mixup..."

�����"That's the girl you mentioned?" Isis said, coming into the office after Chanse had left. Her orange gown had runes sewn onto it, her magical specialty.

�����Magnus nodded his head. "Out of all the new students we recruited, she appears to be the most promising. She's a smart one... I wonder if she suspects that I assigned her to the wrong dorm on purpose...?"

�����"It doesn't really matter, does it?" Isis shrugged.

�����"No, I suppose not..." Magnus decided. "But we should keep a close eye on her."

...

The Beginning...

This story and it's characters are � Chibi Ningyo (Cara V.), 2000.

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