The Legendary Seven

Trey chucked at the words the small monster said. "Just as Cater said earlier, This academy has seven dormitories that are all inspired by the Great Seven." he began to explain, seeing Xinyi instantly perked up and listening intently. "First, we have the dorm based on the strict spirit of Queen of Hearts' Heartslabyul, the dorm we belong to. Then there is…"

He then paused collecting his thoughts and started counting the dorms off of his fingers. "Then we have the dormitory based on the indomitable spirit of the King of Beasts, Savanna Claw, and the dormitory based on the spirit of the sorrow of the Sea Witch, Octavinelle. The dorm is based on the spirit Magi of the Desert, Scarabia. Based on the spirit of advocating for the Beautiful Queen, Pomefiore. The dorm is based on the diligent spirit of the King of the Dead, Ignihyde. Based on the Graceful spirit of the Queen of Thorns, Disasomnia."

Xinyi stared at him in amazement. "There are so many dorms," she whispered, trying to commit the names to memory.

Grim on the other hand was complaining. "All of them have long names! I can't remember all that at once!"

Cater laughed, having a big grin on his face. "That's okay! You will remember their names even if you don't want to."

Trey nodded in agreement, turning his attention back to the new students. "Which dorm you enter is based on the judgment of the Dark Mirror when it looks at your soul during the entrance ceremony…" he pauses slightly when he sees Xinyi shift a bit uncomfortable. "So you'll find each dorm is filled with similar types of people."

"You're right about that. I totally see it." Cater exclaims, smiling at his friend.

Deuce looks at the two still confused. "What kind of types?"

Trey looks around the room before pointing to a table a bit farther away. "For example… look over there." He points at a tall boy with tan skin, defined muscles, and a stature considerably larger than his peers. He has short, fluffy silver hair but what drew everyone's attention was…

"He has dog ears?!" Xinyi says in surprise. She had never seen such a thing before. 

Trey looks at her and smiles. "Judging by his appearance, he must be from Savanna Claw."

"Ah that's it! They are probably the type of dorm that enjoys exercising and fighting." Cater elaborates with a smile. "Are they all just husky and buff? Either way, Savanna Claw's colors are yellow and black."

Grim didn't take much interest instead looking for someone different to question. "Okay. What about that guy with the gray and lavender thing on his arm?"

The man Grim pointed out, was one Xinyi had seen at the opening ceremony. He had fair skin and short, wavy hair that was a cool light-gray. His hair parts on his right side and flips up at the ends, with one long lock of his hair framing the left side of his face. 

"He's from Octavinelle," Trey said, then looked in another direction. "The two sitting at the table in front of him with the dark red and gold colors are from Scarabia."

The first was another Xinyi recognized, as he was the one she helped. His skin was dark but he had very short white hair that was a bit choppy. The one next to him was almost opposite, sporting long black hair that reached his waist.

Cater looked at the two and smiled. "It's been said that both dorms are full of very smart students and are always ranked the highest on written exams." he then looked at the new students. "Ah, but the Scarabia dorm manager doesn't care for studying that much!"

"Okay! I'm sensing a red flag!" Ace declares, glaring at his senior.

Trey smiled at him and nodded. "You adapted pretty quickly huh?" he then looks around again. "Going back to the topic, the shimmering ones over there wearing purple and red armbands are from Pomefiore."

The first had mid-length hair cut in a bob style with straight-cut bangs. The other, which caught most of their attention was an elegant-looking lavender-haired student, who was significantly smaller than the other.

"Woah? Look at that cute girl over there!" Grim instantly exclaimed, causing everyone to look at him.

"Eh? A girl at an all-boys school?!" Deuce escaped as well before being hit by Ace.

"You dummy. There's no way they'd let a girl enroll in this all-boys academy." the redhead said, looking back at the fair-skinned boy. The boy looked up at them but they all looked away slightly embarrassed.

Cater laughs at them and continues to talk. "If you're on the hunt for girls, you should go see Rose, the portrait in the west building. She's got real class. I don't mind introducing you if you're interested. Should I set up a blind date?"

Ace laughs along with the little humor. "I'm good! I don't doubt this Rose girl's cute, but, uh… she's a little flat." he was about to continue and comment about Xinyi's gender but stopped. He remembers how uncomfortable and scared after her gender was revealed to him and Deuce. That coupled with the fact she had once again cut her hair, made him believe she didn't want people figuring out about her gender. He didn't think Cater and Trey would do anything but he'd rather keep it a secret to help her be more calm in front of new people.

"Hey, if you hit it off, who cares how flat she is?" Cater exclaimed before looking back at the small group. "Well, anyway, Pomefiore's basically the top as far as appearance goes, and their beauty regimen is second to none. Their dorm leader is a Magicamegrammer with over five million followers."

"Hey, now. Don't act like their looks are all they've got going for them." Tray stepped in and explained to them. "Pomefiore is also known for a lot of its students skilled at making potions and curses."

"Yeah, forgot about that." Cater laughs before looking around again. "Usually I'd point out Ignihyde here, but… I don't see any of them around. Their armbands are blue and black. Everyone in the dorm feels like they constantly have their guard up. Even I don't have any friends from there. They're the total opposite of Heartslabyul. We're all pretty cheerful, I'd say."

"So you mean it's full of pessimists." Grim states with a raised eyebrow.

Trey once again had to step in and clarify. "Hey now! Don't say such things. Though they are very quiet and mature. This dorm's students are very skilled at magical energy and digital techy stuff."

They all nod in understanding. "Only the… Diablahblah dorm is left." Deuce babbles unsure of his words.

Ace bats the back of his companion's head again. "Hey, you're fooling no one with that straight face of yours. It's Diasomnia." 

"I bit my tongue, okay!" Deuce glares at him as he holds his head.

They all laugh but before Cater looks around the room once more. "Diasomnia is… Ah, there they are. They're all in those booths in the back." He points towards three members, the first having silver hair, the middle having black hair with pink streaks and the last having light green hair. "That green and black armband tells you it's them. They're kinda like super VIPs around here. They have this aura that makes it difficult for us normies to even try and talk to them. The dorm leader has mega 'don't come near me' vibes…"

They all stare at them for a while. "Ah? They have a kid with them?" Ace decided to ask, catching the attention of Trey. 

"This school technically lets students enter by skipping years," he explained, looking slightly unnerved. "But that isn't what's going on here. He's a third year, same as…"

"I'm Lilia. Lilia Vanrouge." Everyone jumps in surprise at the sudden voice. There, directly behind Xinyi was the boy they were talking about.

"He-he just teleported!" Grim yelled, scampering slightly away, before glaring at the boy. Xinyi was only slightly startled by the whole ordeal.

The boy only smiled at her before addressing everyone else. "Are you all curious about my age? Kufufu. My cute visage is practically bursting with youth, but" he lifted his head slightly and looked towards Tray, " as your glasses friend so kindly supplied, I am not exactly the age one would call a child."

Trey looked away but one could barely hear him mumble. "Bursting with youth…?" before going silent.

Lilia then looked back at Xinyi kneeling to her level with a friendly smile on his face. "There's no need to simply look on from afar. Come up and speak with us any time you wish." He says looking at his two companions in the background. "Are we not all students of the same school? We at Diasomnia will always welcome you with open arms."

The two behind him did not share the same joyful attitude and instead gave very cold expressions. "You, maybe, but I can't say the guys over there look that excited at the prospect of talking to us." Deuce states, getting nods of agreement from all around the table causing Lilia to frown a bit.

"D-don't be r-rude." Everyone jumps upon hearing the small voice of the supervisors. "W-we d-don't know them, a-and they don't know us. W-we shouldn't j-judge."

Her small little statement brought a bright smile to Lilia's face, and the man couldn't help but pat her head. "How sweat a little thing like you are," he says, and upon seeing her smile back he looks to the rest of the group. "Kufufu. Apologies for dropping in on your meal. Until we meet again."

Xinyi waves to them with a bright smile while the others behind her whisper. "Our table is easily over twenty meters away from them, but you're telling me that he heard us talking?" Ace exclaimed as quietly as he could. "Freaky!"

"W-well… Let's just say that Diasomnia has many peculiar members." Trey whispered back. "Many of their students excel at all kinds of magic. Their dorm leader, Malleus Draconia, is counted among the top five mages in the world."

"For real, though. Malleus is like, the most super of super crazy powerful." Cater exclaimed slightly louder than the others before clearing his throat. "Though on the topic, our dorm leader is his own brand of crazy."

Ace took this as a chance to complain, and he wasn't about to be quiet about it. "So true! All I did was eat a single piece of tart and he collared me. His narrow-mindedness is supercrazy."

When hearing this Xinyi sighed slightly and was about to tell her friend that wasn't what Cater meant when a sudden voice took them all by surprise. "Oh, really? I'm super crazy, am I?"

Behind Ace was the Heartstabyul dorm leader, a disapproving frown on his face and his silver eyes narrowed at the other's back.

Yet Ace was ignorant of this and continued to complain loudly. "Sure are. Blew right past 'strict' and straight into being a tyrant." he said laughing, only to be stopped by Deuce.

"Ace!" he hissed, "Behind you!"

At first, the boy was confused but then realization struck him. Slowly Ace turned his head and jumped at what he saw. "Holy crap! Dorm Leader!"

Riddle only crossed his arms awaiting an explanation from the first year.

It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences.

Audre Lorde