Ophelia woke up feeling itchy and hot, like she had been rolling in sand. There was a distant memory of a dream, but nothing solid to help her figure it out. And, she was back in drafty Ramshackle.
She was exhausted from the previous day. Her body ached from all the walking. The bed was warm, but she eventually did get up and take a shower. When she stepped out of the bathroom, she yawned and rubbed her eyes.
Grim stared at her, "Uh..."
"Yeah, I know," she yawned again.
Her hair was tied up in a sloppy mess and there wasn't a speck of makeup on her face. Her white button down wasn't buttoned all the way up, leaving the top button undone since she had no intention of wearing her tie. Her vest was unbuttoned and her blazer was buttoned, and she had the Octavinelle scarf wrapped around her neck. She didn't bother with her skirt, instead pulling on thick pants and grabbing her parka.
"Hey, Fifi. Why so bleary-eyed?" Tiny asked.
"You look like you've seen a ghost," Marshmallow laughed.
"Today's the last day of the fall semester. Look sharp and don't bungle the landing," Slim Jim smiled.
"Oh yeah, tomorrow's the first day of the winter holiday. Have you two decided what you'll be doing?" Tiny asked.
Grim blinked, "What's a win-ter holly-day?"
"It's when school lets out for the season. Most students go home to celebrate the new year with their family. They have fancy dinners too," Tiny explained.
Grim lit up, "Wait, there's FOOD?!"
"And plenty of it. Roast turkey, pie, a ham as big as your head, you name it...Not that us ghosts can eat, of course," Slim Jim stated.
"Some ghosts head home to the netherworld to spend holidays with the family too, y'know," Tiny brought up.
"Yeah, and some of 'em never come back!" Marshmallow laughed.
"Spendin' time with the family while gettin' your grub on sounds nice..." Grim drifted.
"Say, what's your family do, Grimmy?" Tiny asked.
"My family? Hmm...I don't remember 'em," Grim admitted after a few seconds of thinking. "I remember wakin' up hungry and alone. It was real cold. I was waitin' out there for someone to come get me for ages. What happened after that again? It's all so foggy...But hey, I'm a forward-facin' kinda guy anyway! The future's way cooler than the past! Especially 'cause I'm gonna be a rich and powerful sorcerer!" He laughed cheerfully.
Tiny sniffled, ghostly tears in his eyes, "Awww, poor little Grimmy had it rough!"
"How'd you like to spend the holidays sitting around the fireplace with us?" Slim Jim offered.
Grim laughed, "If there's good food to be had, consider me ready for some holiday cheer!"
"Let's get to homeroom. I'm sure Crewel will have something to say," Ophelia said as she grabbed her bag and nearly dropped it from exhaustion. "Looks like we're gonna be using notebooks today."
Grim looked surprised, "What's wrong with you? You've been actin' funny since you woke up."
"Just tired. Yesterday was...a lot."
"That's right! You had that date!" Tiny remembered.
"Tell us about it later, okay?" Slim Jim smiled.
"Yeah, okay."
Grim jumped onto Ophelia's back, grumbling about the cold. She was just as grumpy about it. Once they stepped out of the Ramshackle gate, she rubbed her eyes and yawned.
"Mornin', Shrimpy," Floyd greeted, smiling.
She blinked a few times then yawned again, "Morning. Guess you carried me back last night?"
"Yup. I thought about keepin' you in Octavinelle, but Jade said it'd be bad news if Crabby went lookin' for you and couldn't find you."
"Why would Ace be looking for me?"
Floyd grinned, "I'll tell ya later. And stay away from Jade today. He's in a pretty bad mood."
She frowned, "What happened?"
"When he slammed the door, the terrarium you made him broke. He was gonna tell you yesterday, but he didn't want to ruin the romantic vibe."
Ophelia frowned, "I made Jade a terrarium? When?"
"For his birthday. It was enchanted and everything," Floyd said, frowning.
"You don't remember doin' all that?" Grim asked her. "You got the other eel a takoyaki maker."
She shook her head, "Guess that's just one of those things that lost to scale rot. I'm sure if I see it again, I can remake it."
Floyd frowned, "You didn't get your memories back?"
She shook her head, the question barely making sense, "I have no idea how to even get them back. But, I guess that's what pictures are for."
"Someone took a lot of us yesterday," Floyd said as Grim rushed into the school to get breakfast.
"Why?"
He shrugged, "Coulda been anything. They were takin' pictures of all the Night Raven College students that came down. Musta been part of some art club or something." He adjusted her scarf a bit and smiled, "See ya later."
Ophelia watched him walk away. Jade mentioned a romantic vibe. She didn't think anything they did was romantic. She'd ask Jade later.
She sent a text to Ace and Deuce to grab her coffee and something to eat while she headed to class. There was still one thing that stuck out in her mind.
Just what was a selkie?
When she got to her desk, she pulled out her phone and started her search. Her initial search turned up with a lot of porn sites, which was a good reason for the merfolk to get angry.
Finally, she found what she was looking for. A history article written by a merfolk. And the reality was much worse than Floyd said.
It began long, long ago, during the Age of the Gods, when the seas were still a mystery. In the dark depths, sailors and fishermen knew there was something under the waves, though they weren't exactly sure what. Back then, people believed that fog was cursed. It could sing, luring men off boats and into the water where nothing could be found.
Then, someone decided to give a sacrifice to the sea to spare their shipmates, a young woman, and the fog didn't chase them. Rumor spread and women were tossed into the sea on every voyage.
Then, one woman returned home. No one knew she returned pregnant, and the monster she birthed was tossed to the sea to die. The woman was put to death, beheaded and gutted like a fish before being thrown into the ocean.
A fae traveler who had been on a boat when a woman was tossed over, was quite surprised that the humans didn't know about sirens. He explained the creatures and how to avoid them. That information spread across the world within days. Finally, they didn't have to send their daughters to the inky depths of hell.
After a century, sirens faded into legend, and merfolk started to appear. Merfolk were kind creatures, at first. When fishermen found that the oils from merfolk could be used for various purposes, they began harvesting them from the sea. Merfolk grew cold and cruel, much like the sirens of old, but didn't actively attack humans.
The greed of humans blinded them. They started bringing women onto the ships again, tossing them into the sea to see if a merfolk would rescue the girl. When they did, the fishermen would capture the merfolk and kill it as soon as they could. They also used women in other ways to draw merfolk to land. Some of them even used women to, more or less, breed merfolk.
The women were called Selkies. They weren't people. They were masters of manipulation, slowly killing off the merfolk.
No wonder the three merfolk were so angry. Ophelia had been nothing short of friendly with them for most of the school year, then to suddenly call her a liar after what they did to her was nonsense.
"You seen Magicam today?" Ace asked as he placed a cup of coffee in front of her.
"No, why?"
"Apparently there were photographers all over Foothill Town yesterday because of the influx of Night Raven College students. There are pictures of all of us on Magicam. Cater's totally jealous."
She opened Magicam and found what he was talking about. She found pictures of everyone having a good time. Ace and Cinder were laughing on the frozen pond. Deuce and Amber were cuddled on a bench, enjoying hot chocolate.
She paused on the picture of her and Floyd. They stood at the entrance of Cottage Square, Ophelia captivated by the lights and decorations while Floyd was looking at her. He had looked at her like that all night.
Someone had posted a picture of her asleep in the Octavinelle lounge, snuggled up against Floyd as he kept his arm around her, ensuring the blanket wouldn't fall off and make her cold.
They really had been close before the Ramshackle incident.
It made her sad. She wasn't sure what exactly made it sad. It wasn't like they could be together. In that history article, it was clear the laws of land and sea were put to keep the exact same thing from happening again. Merfolk didn't want to die, and land dwellers didn't want women to be abused for money. Also, Ophelia wasn't from Twisted Wonderland. She was going to go home one day.
Where would that leave her and Floyd? Would they develop scale rot and die in different worlds? Her world certainly didn't have a cure for something like that.
She needed to talk to Floyd. They needed to end it before it went too far, before Ophelia didn't want to go home. Because if she ended up staying in Twisted Wonderland for Floyd, where would she end up if things didn't work out?
"Cinder said if she had known you and Floyd were so close, she wouldn't have even suggested Caleb try to go with you to the Winter Festival," Ace mentioned.
"Oh, I heard about that! Floyd got in a fight at the game, right?" Grim asked.
"Yeah, then another one in Mostro Lounge," Ophelia confirmed.
"I wouldn't call what happened in Mostro Lounge a fight. Floyd knocked him out cold with one hit," Deuce commented.
"Yeah, what was up with that? I get rivals, but that was a bit much," Ace said.
"It's complicated. Caleb called me something that was basically the ultimate insult to merfolk and Floyd leveled him. Honestly, he got off easy with Floyd. Jade plays the long game." She bit her lip, "With how mad Jade was, I wouldn't be surprised if he's still plotting something."
"Yeah, but you're human," Deuce pointed out.
"I'm basically an honorary member of merfolk society," Ophelia said as she showed them the bracelet. "It's enchanted so I can actually go down to the depths of the sea. I guess the Leechs are a big deal."
"Listen up, whelps," Crewel called the class to attention. "Your holiday vacation starts tomorrow. I'm sure all of you are foaming at the mouth to get back home. But every year, there's always some foolish pup who forgets about his homework and spends the whole break goofing off. Just remember that I have a severe punishment in store for any such slackers out there. Are we clear? You have permission to use the Dark Mirror to return home for the holidays. Report to your dorm mirror once you've packed your things!"
"Yes, Professor!"
"Ugh, finally! A break from this cramped dorm life!" Ace stretched.
"Good grief. Night Raven College doesn't kid around with holiday homework. Look at all this," Deuce complained.
"Speaking of going home, I guess you haven't found a way back yet?" Ace asked Ophelia.
"Will you two be spending the holidays in your dorm?" Deuce questioned.
"Yup! We've made plans to have ourselves a feast with the ghosts!" Grim cheered.
Ace looked relieved, "Oh, right. There're plenty of ghosts on campus to keep you company, so it won't be just the two of you."
"But when school lets out, don't the cafeteria and school store shut down too?" Deuce asked.
Ophelia and Grim lost their smiles.
"I didn't even think about that. Where'm I supposed to get the food for my feast?!" Grim yelled.
Ophelia's shoulders dropped, "The Headmage wouldn't let us starve...maybe."
"Sounds like you'd better check in with him soon," Deuce suggested.
"You need Crowley's permission to use the Dark Mirror, so my guess is he's probably there right now. Let's find out," Ace said.
Once Ace and Deuce had their luggage, the group headed to the Mirror Chamber that was overflowing with students. Ophelia felt a bit envious as she watched a student announce their home then disappear.
A single voice rang out over all the others. "Alright, everyone. Announce your destination to the Dark Mirror and keep a tight hold on your belongings. If you let go for any reason while in transit, your luggage will get spirited away elsewhere. If you have any possessions you absolutely cannot afford to risk losing, send them by post from the school store."
"He's in total party mode!"
Ophelia had never noticed how pale the Headmage was. His skin seemed white as snow against the sunshine yellow tropical shirt he was wearing. Still he wore his crow mask but he had a white fedora on, which was only slightly paler than his skin.
"Wearing an aloha shirt in the middle of winter?! He's obviously ready to go on a tropical vacation!" Ace pointed out.
"He's not even trying to hide it," Deuce shook his head.
"Hey, Headmage! We gotta talk!" Grim yelled, his voice somehow louder than all the students.
Crowley was happy to greet them, "Why, hello. What brings your merry little band here?"
"Do I get to go home, too?" Ophelia asked as she crossed her arms over her chest.
Crowley looked surprised, then thoughtful and smiled slyly, "Ah...Ahhh! Ahhh, yes! Of course! A way home for you!" He laughed, "Why, I'm expending every effort! In fact, I'll be spending the winter break expanding my investigation area to a tropical land I've never visited before. That's how deeply my diligent streak runs."
"You don't look dressed for an investigation to me," Ace muttered.
"What he said! You look ready to go soak up the sun!" Grim argued.
The Headmage was offended, "How could you suggest that? I've only clad myself in appropriate attire for my venture. When in a foreign land, do as the locals do. Escaping winter's frigid bite to kick back in a hammock and sip coconut juice while gazing at the tranquil ocean waves...I have NO such refined and indulgent vacation plans whatsoever, I assure you."
"What an incredibly specific denial..." Deuce commented.
"It ain't fair for you to have all the fun! I wanna go on a tropical vacation too. Take us with you!" Grim demanded.
"I don't wanna go anywhere with the Headmage," Ophelia said with a frown.
"Can't say I blame you there," Ace agreed.
"But that would spoil my delightful getaway from - ah," Crowley cleared his throat, "This investigation will be dangerous. Yes, very dangerous. Best that I handle it alone. Besides, I'd much prefer if you stayed on campus. I have a critical job for you, as a matter of fact." He gave the Ramshackle duo a serious look, "It's so critical, the very survival of Night Raven College hinges upon it."
Ophelia wasn't convinced, "What now?"
His attention moved to Grim, who was more easily convinced than Ophelia, "Should you take on this job, your holiday provisions will be provided in full. I'll even arrange for a holiday feast. Roast turkey, pie, a ham as big as your head...In fact, I'll throw in some piping hot spare ribs and mashed potatoes to sweeten - er, salt? - the deal. What do you say?"
"Sounds like a one-way ticket to a food coma!" Grim exclaimed. He calmed a bit, "H-hmph. I guess I'll hear you out, at least."
"Dude, you are a born sucker," Ace sighed.
Crowley cleared his throat, "The fires in our campus cafeteria fireplaces are all furnished via fire fairy magic. They've lived in the cafeteria fireplace for many years...But if we don't supply them with dry firewood every day, they will fade away. Should the fire fairies disappear, our whole campus would be gripped with cold every winter."
Ophelia blinked. That did actually sound important.
"You know, I've wondered how the school stays so warm without central air," Deuce spoke up.
"So it was magic. Kinda obvious in hindsight," Ace stated.
"Normally, our kitchen ghost takes over fire duty during extended school breaks...But this year, his daughter had a baby, so he's visiting the netherworld to see his first grandchild," Crowley ended.
Ophelia floundered, "You made that up!"
"Look, it was a miracle of love, okay? Don't sweat the details. More to the point, someone needs to handle fire duty if you want to stay warm over the holidays. Just by throwing firewood into the fireplace every day, you'll stay both warm AND well-fed. That is, as we say, two birds with one stone. Oh, what a generous deal!"
"Y'know, this does sound kind of like a gimme compared to the usual messes you dump in our laps," Grim smiled.
Crowley smiled, "Doesn't it, though? You would be surprised at just how kind I can be. Oh yes, and since I'll be out for a while, I'd like to give this to you." He handed Ophelia a piece of paper with a number, "This is my number. You can call me in the event of any emergency. It is to be used ONLY for emergencies, mind you. Now then, if you'll excuse me, I have many students to transport home to their families. I'll leave the rest in your capable hands." He smirked, "Ah, I'd better make certain to peruse some tourist pamphlets before I set out. Goodness gracious, I'm so very busy..."
Grim jumped with excitement, "Now I get to chow down on a fancy feast over the holidays!"
"I still get the feeling you just took a sucker's deal, but hey, whatever floats your boat," Ace smiled.
"Hey, guys! You can stop standing in the middle of the hall and blocking traffic now!" Ruggie said.
"Ruggie? Wait, what's with all that luggage?!" Deuce asked as the group stepped to the side. "A backpack, three duffel bags, and a giant cooler..."
"Oh, this?" He cackled, "I took all the food that was about to hit its sell-by date at the cafeteria and the school store. Since we're about to go on break, they gave 'em to me basically for free."
"For real? There's no way you can eat all that," Ace pointed out.
"You'd be surprised. The neighborhood kids devour this stuff like, well...a pack of hyenas. Besides, gotta make sure my grandma eats well over the holidays. Speakin' of which, this frozen food ain't stayin' frozen for long. Gotta run! Smell ya next year!" Ruggie told the Dark Mirror his destination and disappeared in a flash of light.
"There he goes...What was that about 'neighborhood kids', though?" Deuce wondered.
"Ruggie comes from a place where food is a bit scarce," Jack explained. "So whenever school lets out for a long break, he stocks up on all the food he can get and shares it with the local kids."
"So, there is some decency in him," Ophelia commented.
"What about you, Jack? What's with that planter you're hauling? You taking up gardening or something?" Ace asked.
"It's a cactus I've been growin' in my free time. It'd wither up if I didn't keep it watered over break." He looked away, embarrassed, "A-anyway, enough about me!"
"Ruggie's sharin' his food with a bunch of kids who ain't even family, huh? Never knew he had it in him," Grim commented.
"Hyenas believe in sharing spoils equally. I'm sure that's how Ruggie was raised."
"The mere thought of a feeding frenzy like that gives me the willies," Leona said as he approached the group. He wasn't happy or excited to go home at all. "I can barely stand the noise one kid makes as it is."
"Does that mean you're skipping out on visiting your family, Leona?" Jack asked.
"Man, I wish. Nah, they'd give me no end of grief if I did. I'm goin'. Ugh, talk about a holiday chore."
"But you're not bringing anything?" Jack noticed.
"So? I got my wallet and smartphone. What else do I need? I've got clothes at home anyway."
"This's a whole different kind of extreme," Grim muttered.
"You're not even bringing your homework, are you?" Ace said.
"Homework can wait until after break. Holidays are for resting. Later, herbivores."
Leona was gone, as well.
"He's good enough to do anything when he applies himself, so why doesn't he?" Jack said, disappointed. "Well, I know I'll be getting mine done. You guys had better do the same. Later."
Jack walked to the mirror.
"Whatever you say, tryhard. See you next year, huh?" Ace called after him as Jack disappeared.
"Leona's commitment to his principles is actually impressive," Deuce said.
Someone put his arm over Ophelia's shoulder. "Okay, froshes! Don't let those bad boy upperclassmen give you any bad ideas, you hear?" Cater told the group.
"In our dorm, if you don't turn in your homework, Riddle makes sure it's off with your head," Trey warned.
"Hey, Trey. Hey, Cater," Ace greeted.
Cater groaned, "Going home is kind of a drag for me, too. I just know my sisters are both coming home. They don't care if it's the holidays - they'll run me ragged anyway. I wish I could stay over at your house instead, Trey!"
"You'd be welcome to, but we'd be running you just as ragged. Winter is the patisserie's busiest time of the year."
"Oh yeah, your family runs one of those, huh? So much for any escape."
Riddle looked downright miserable as he slowly entered the Mirror Chamber. The incident with Riddle seemed like a lifetime ago. Ophelia hadn't seen much of the housewarden since the Spelldrive tournament, except housewarden meetings or passing in the hall.
Deuce scrambled out of the way, "Housewarden Rosehearts! Sorry for blocking the way!"
That seemed to bring Riddle back to reality, "Hm? Oh, it's you boys. If you're going to stand around and congregate, at least stay near the wall."
"Huh, he's soundin' kinda defeated," Grim whispered.
"Oh, right. The housewarden's got an extreme case of helicopter parenting waiting for him at home. No wonder he's not enthused about heading back," Ace returned sympathetically.
Trey smiled sadly, "Riddle, I'm not allowed in your house, so I won't be able to bring by any cakes...But you're always welcome to visit me at the store. I'm sure Chenya will drop by to hang out, too."
"Yes, you're right." He was quiet a moment, "I think...I'm going to try talking with Mother some. I don't know if she'll listen, but even so."
Everyone was quiet, all aware of how serious the situation was.
"...Alright. Good luck," Trey said.
"What'sa matter, Goldfishie~? Don't wanna go home~? Then here's an idea: don't. We're not. Cmon, you can join us in the stay-at-school club," Floyd laughed.
Floyd's sudden appearance brought Riddle back to life, "Where did you come from, Floyd? And would you kindly refrain from sticking your nose in business you know nothing about? It's quite irksome."
"He's right, you know. It's never a good idea to blindly pry into others' family business," Jade scolded.
Floyd frowned, "Aw, cmon, Jade. It's boring spending every new year with the same old suspects." He smirked, "Besides, Goldfishie's so teeny, I'm sure Azul would love to keep him as a pet~!"
Riddle glared, "I'm sorry? Would you like to say that again? You're awfully brazen to take that tone with the head of Heartslabyul." His face suddenly turned as red as his hair, "And speaking of heads, I'll have yours for this!"
"R-Riddle, no! This is NOT the place, my guy!" Cater said as he stepped away from Ophelia.
"Settle down, Riddle. You're letting him goad you again," Trey said sternly.
Riddle was seething, but trying to calm down. Ophelia was impressed by how far he had come. There was little left of the tiny tyrant.
Cater turned his attention to the eels, "Sooo, Floyd and Jade! Your family's in the Coral Sea, right? Why aren't you visiting them?"
"We and Azul live in the far northern reaches of the Coral Sea. At this time of year, the whole surface is covered in ice floes," Jade explained.
Floyd was borderline pouting, "What he said! It's hard gettin' home with all the freezy-freeze, and it's boring there anyway." He smiled, "So the three of us prefer to go home on spring break instead, when the ice has melted."
"Wow. Living under the sea has all kinds of challenges, huh?" Trey mused.
Riddle huffed, "The last thing I need is to spend the new year with you Octavinelle boys. I'll be going now. I bid you all a pleasant holiday."
Trey smiled, "Good grief. Well, at least he's got his moxie back. As for you guys, don't cut TOO loose over the holidays, okay? See you around."
Trey and Riddle left together.
"I should be getting home, too...Ah, but first, a commemorative photo!" Cater said as he quickly gathered the freshmen together and took a selfie. "Hashtag #FallSemesterLastDay #WithTheFroshes. #HappyNewYear #JumpingTheGunLOL." He hugged Ophelia, "Okay, bye now! Happy holidays, folks!"
Floyd put his arm around Ophelia's shoulders, "So, little Shrimpy. Are you and Seal stayin' on campus?"
"Yep. Headmage's orders," she said.
"Orders? What orders?" He asked.
"We're in charge of putting logs in the fireplace in the cafeteria."
Floyd looked confused.
"It's...it's a thing," she sighed.
Jade smiled, "It's good to know you'll be relatively safe for the winter holiday. Taking a break from all your meddling should give your weary soul a nice relaxing holiday."
"I don't meddle. I get threatened."
Jade chuckled, "Come, Floyd. It's time we return."
Floyd winked at her and left.
"Just lookin' at their faces makes me think back to when they were workin' me like a dog in the Mostro Lounge," Grim cried.
"Yeah, that was brutal stuff," Deuce agreed.
"Don't remind me," Ace grumbled.
"Well, the crowds are thinning out. We should probably head out, ourselves," Deuce suggested.
"Good call," Ace agreed. "Feel free to hit me up if you get bored over winter break!"
"Feel free to reach out if you need anything at all," Deuce smiled. "My mom's probably waiting on me, so I'd better go." Ophelia hugged him, which he awkwardly returned, "Happy holidays."
Ace's hug was a bit more natural, "See you next year!"
Ophelia watched them disappear.
"I've always thought of those guys as a couple of loudmouths, but now that they're gone...It's clear as crystal just HOW loud they've been! Buncha meddling so-and-sos..." Grim grumbled.
She chuckled, fighting tears. "Let's get back to Ramshackle and get our homework done so we can relax."
"Nah, Leona's right. Holiday's for restin'!"
"I'm not helping you," she stated as they headed to the infirmary.
Pendragon glared at her, "The day before the winter break and you come here. What could you possibly want?"
"Pills to get me through the break."
He sighed, "At least that's quick." He reached into the cabinet, "I had to preorder this month's pills. You should be covered until school starts up again."
"Thank you," Ophelia said as she took the jar from him.
"As far as I know, you're the only students staying on campus. I'm going home and I'm not thinking about you again."
"And here I thought we were friends," she said dryly. "Have a good holiday, Dr. Pendragon."
When Ophelia and Grim got back to Ramshackle, Ophelia made tea for them and sat on the couch to watch a movie that had been recommended by Floyd and Jade. It was an old flick filmed in the sea by merfolk and it was based on the Mermaid Princess falling in love with the human.
"Guy must be pretty desperate if he's going for a fish when all these prettier humans are tryin' to get his attention," Grim commented.
"Desperate? Sounds to me like he knows what he wants and he found it."
"Easy for you to say. You and them eel brothers got somethin' weird goin' on."
She frowned a bit, "Floyd wasn't doing so great. Nothing good came from Azul trying to take Ramshackle. But, past is past. We're working through it."
"What're you talkin' about? You can't seriously be friends with them after all that!"
"Floyd was dying. To save him, I had to give up all my happy memories of him."
Grim frowned, "Now that I think about it, you used to be pretty close with them, but you were pretty standoffish with them. Guess I can't blame ya for givin' it all up to save him."
Grim and Ophelia relaxed the first few days of winter break, just taking a breath from all they had been through. She did a little homework every day but stopped visiting the library to find a way home. She even convinced Grim to help clean up Ramshackle a bit.
Ophelia frowned as she shivered in the morning light. Grim had actually climbed under the sheets in the middle of the night to fight the cold.
"Maybe we should get a fire fairy of our own," Ophelia shuddered as she walked to the fireplace in her room and tossed a match into the dry wood. She was grateful it caught immediately.
Once she got out of the shower and got dressed, she stood in front of the fireplace to warm up. Grim yawned, stretching as he sat up, "It's cold!"
"Yeah. Let's get a fire going in the lounge then head on to the cafeteria."
Grim was happy to agree. Once they had a fire started in the lounge, Ophelia bundled up, wrapping her scarf tight around her neck before leaving with Grim. She frowned at the sea of white that claimed the campus.
"Ooh, check it out! We got a whole blanket of snow out here!" Grim said happily.
"Let's check the fireplace," she grumbled as she shoved her hands deeper into her pockets.
Grim looked a bit concerned, "Yeah, maybe the fire fairies are feelin' the chill, too. Better bring 'em some firewood. Ooh, and I can check out the kitchen an' see if they got any leftovers while I'm there! La-la-laaa~!" He skipped ahead of her.
Before they got to the main door, Grim had tried to jump onto Ophelia's shoulder, but she had to carry him because his paws were so cold, he couldn't flex his claws.
"Geez, it was cold out there! My paws feel like icicles!" Grim whined. "Hurry up and get that firewood in the fireplace."
Ophelia grabbed a log and tossed it in, wondering if it would actually be enough to last til the next day. With the chill outside, she wondered if two logs would be more appropriate.
To her surprise, little creatures glowing like embers appeared on the logs, causing the fire to grow.
"Ahhh...You guys must be the fire fairies. I'm feelin' warm and fuzzy just being near you," Grim purred.
The Ramshackle residents stayed a while, enjoying the heat and loathing the cold they would have to return to. The crackling of the fire suddenly turned sharp, like a knife cutting against a cutting board, and the scent of burning pine changed to cooking meat.
"Hm? What's that I hear over the crackling fire? Chopping? And...sizzling meat?!" Grim drooled. "And now my nose is tinglin' with the spicy aroma of foreign cuisine! It's coming from the kitchen. Let's see what's up!"
Ophelia followed the cat, raising an eyebrow at the students in the kitchen. Standing a few feet away was Jamil.
"Once you're done cooking the vegetables, boil the thawed meat," Jamil ordered. "Don't forget to add the nuts once the oil is heated."
"Yes, sir!"
"Vice Housewarden, will one tablespoon of spices be enough?"
"The housewarden's palate veers spicy. Add another teaspoon," Jamil advised.
"What's goin' on in here? It's winter break, but the kitchen's full of students!" Grim said as he poked his head in.