[Demon] Tsetsiliya's Silo

[alpha lyrae]

______________________ ONE __ A Red-Letter Occasion __❧__s o l o

______________________ TWO __ A Helping Hand __❧__r o l e p l a y

______________________ THREE __ Give It Your Best! __❧__r o l e p l a y

______________________ FOUR __ Coming Into Your Own __❧__s o l o

______________________ FIVE __ The Auditions __❧__e v e n t

______________________ SIX __ How To Deal With Rejection __❧__s o l o

______________________ SEVEN __ Destination: Christmas Town __❧__e v e n t

______________________ EIGHT __ How To Deal With Kindness (And Not Doing So Well) __❧__s o l o

______________________ NINE __ S.O.S.! __❧__r o l e p l a y

______________________ TEN __ That's Not A Fire Flower! __❧__r o l e p l a y

______________________ ELEVEN __ Alternate Uses For A Notebook __❧__s o l o

______________________ TWELVE __ Tangled __❧__r o l e p l a y

______________________ THIRTEEN __ Is This A Kissing Book Party? __❧__r o l e p l a y

______________________ FOURTEEN __ The Art Of Self-Improvement __❧__s o l o  

[alpha lyrae]

❧____A Red-Letter Occasion____❧

It had only been a short time since Tsetsiliya had moved into Amityville, and she was already surprised by the number of scare packages her parents had been sending. A few had been random leaving the nest gifts, such as a parade of awful outfits she had conveniently forgotten at home, as well as a new eyePod which was probably the closest thing to something she'd like her parents had given her in recent years. The remainder had actually been things she had not conveniently forgotten but just plain forgotten, or a random gift of her favorite eye bread - it made sense that Grandma Nadya was behind these packages.

However, what had perhaps been the biggest surprise since moving into the dormitory was the strange skittering noises she had heard underneath the floorboards. A mini-investigation revealed a gap between the planks, as though the already-loosened boards were nudged out of place by a small creature. Her heart began to thump softly in her chest, and she set the boxes she was sorting aside to fall onto her hands and knees. The open window blew in a chilly sort of breeze that made the poludnica shiver. She'd have to get to setting up her sun lamps, and not just for the sake of her few plants, either.

The board was pushed aside, and she was squinting into the darkness when a small serpentine head reared from the space. It hissed sharply at her, and when she reached over to pet it, its small razor-like teeth clamped onto her hand.

"Nngh!" The bite had certainly surprised her, but she gritted her teeth and used her free hand to grab the creature around the neck and yank it out. Both arms came down on top of it to restrain it, and she reached into a nearby box to pull out any sort of towel or wrap to restrain it. Finding an old sweater, she wrapped the tiny creature in it, letting it thrash all it wanted while it hissed. "No! Stop that!" Tsetsiliya reprimanded softly, and the creature's thrashing calmed if only a little. As though realizing she weren't going to let up, the tiny dragon stopped thrashing entirely. The poludnica fetched the creature some water, and watched it drink from the wrapped sweater with fascination. It drank as though it hadn't seen water for days; how long had the poor thing been down there?

That was when the knock came, and the scare package arrived.

With her room almost in order, she now turned to the package that had just arrived and the attached letters. Lucja, the fae dragon she had found trapped in her room upon arrival, was snoozing on top of her dresser, but looked over curiously when he heard the ripping of paper and the rustle of the letters.

Letter from Mom and Dad

Tsetsiliya,

We hope you are settling well into your new accommodations at Amityville. While certainly not as prestigious as Madame Morrigan's, we only want what is best for you and if Amityville Academy is where you will find it, then we are happy to help you.

Mama says that you should try out for the FEARleading squad and make friends with the ghouls there, as they will take care of you much as her FEARleading squad did. We miss you and are excited to hear about your wonderful grades and many new friends.

To help you along, your mother has picked out this wonderful outfit she has specially ordered. The maids all agreed that it would be quite lovely on you.

A letter from Grandmother is included.

Do hope to hear from you soon,
- Mama & Papa

Tsetsiliya turned to the package with a dubious look. Oh no. Knowing her mother's taste, it was bound to be something.. the corners of her mouth turned into a nervous frown. There was no putting it off though. Knowing her parents, come Visiting Day, they would expect to see her wearing it proudly, without shame, and very grateful for such a lovely gift.

Well.. maybe it wouldn't be so bad. Like a drowning man clinging to his capsized boat, she hung on to this thought. Perhaps they had asked Grandmother Nadya about what she had liked! Clinging ever tighter to this thought, her long, gnarled fingers unwound the twine, and she caught a flash of orange.

Orange was good! But what was this.. black lace?

In dumb surprise, she stared at what she considered a very unappealing outfit.

The skirt was far too short. Who wanted to look at hers, being Miss Skitter Legs and all (as the girls at Madam Morrigan's had so frequently pointed out)? She shook her head. What a mess.

As she sat down on the bed next to the unwrapped package, another letter fluttered from behind the one from her parents. She leaned over and picked it up.

Letter from Grandmother

My Słoneczka,

Forget about those FEARleading floozies and go try for something you actually give a damn about.

P.S. I have found that the material in your new "outfit" is not fond of fire. I had an ugly dress made of the same junk.

You did not hear this from me, though.

- Grandma

As tempting as it was (and knowing of a well-deserving furnace that would love this outfit), she couldn't bring herself to do it. If something was missing, her parents always seemed to zone in on it. Instead, she sighed and hung it in her closet. She had to be the good daughter. She glanced over her shoulder at the tiny fae dragon, which had curled up in the sweater like a bed and was softly snoozing. Her lips twitched into a smile before she returned her gaze to the outfit in her hands.

After a moment's scrutiny, she shoved it on the very back of the rack, and pulled forward the more traditional dress her grandmother had given her. It did well enough to block the gaudy outfit.

Well, she didn't have to be the good daughter all the time, anyway.  

[alpha lyrae]

❧____A Helping Hand____❧
To be addressed here


In which Tsetsiliya acts the guide for a wayward undead on his first day at campus.

A Helping Hand

Today was Collection Day - at least that was what Tsetsiliya had decided.

The poludnica had a small basket gripped between her gnarled fingers and a purposeful look in her eyes. The morning had been spent putting her dorm room in order (the last of her family's scare packages had arrived, and she had to do something in order to keep herself from eating all of the eyebread her grandmother had sent along) but it was sorely lacking in the plant department. She missed her little ones at home, which their family maid had promised up and down she would remember to feed them the rats they so loved. The only plant that had accompanied her was Pawel, the drooping witch's hazel that now rested in the too-spacious planter on the windowsill. She decided that a few more bedfellows could probably perk him up. Perhaps some poison sumac, if she could find some.

Poor Pawel was probably at the mercy of Lucja at the moment, who had spent the entire morning hissing at the drooping thing (and, well, anything else that approached the window, really). She had to say she felt rather sorry for the poor nightshade.

Moving a little faster now with this in mind, Tsetsiliya wandered between the dorm buildings and picked through the cracks for anything that looked promising. Hopefully the campus would yield some new additions for her room, as she still felt a little too disoriented to be going about town (although Moonlight Hill was a place she would have to remember to try sometime - it had looked so promising when she passed it on her way in, but all things come with time).

 

[alpha lyrae]

❧____Give It Your Best!____❧
To be addressed here


In which Tsetsiliya aimes to try out for the track team under the eye of its captain, Temes, but instead finds that fate had different plans.

Give It Your Best!

Tsetsiliya jogged down to the track field with her stomach doing flip-flops. One glance down at her short-clad legs made her cheeks flush a bright shade of pink; she had become so used to wearing long skirts that the sight of her pale legs startled her momentarily. She felt so exposed!

Pale legs or no, she had danced around the issue of putting forth her application with the track team for a fair few days since arriving. The bulletin board with club announcements had been the first thing she had sought after all her necessary appointments, and the track team had immediately caught her eye. She had played track at Madam Morrigan's for a short while but ended up quitting when she found herself face down in the mud once too often ( thanks to certain, ah, helpful hands ). It was something her parents weren't particularly keen on, as it was - her mother had insisted she try for FEARleading upon enrollment at Amityville. But now that she was here and away from them, and - for the moment - away from any prevalent bullies, she was ready to try again!

The bulletin board had said that the track team captain would be down here at this time of day. Tsetsiliya crunched the form that had been tacked to the board in her nervous fingers as she glanced around for anybody that looked remotely like they would be on the team. It had been so long since she had tried out for anything! But buried under her nervousness was a teeming excitement.

"Let's see.." she murmured, scanning over the information at the top of the application once more. "I need to find 'Temes'."

 

[alpha lyrae]

❧____Coming Into Your Own____❧

"< I think it will be a marvelous opportunity for you, Słoneczka! >" When Tsetsiliya had brought up the auditions for a production of the school play (the ever-classic The Nightmare Before Christmas) during her normal skellyphone call, she had once again been reminded of her mother's enthusiasm for seeing her daughter at the top of the social foodchain. Even now that she was further away from her family, safely in the confines of Amityville where she could keep her own garden and a vast array of minipets (her fae dragon Lucja was currently curled up in her lap and receiving some very nice pettings from her owner) rather than the halls of Madam Morrigan's, she could feel her mother's hopes and expectations.

Each felt like a boulder on her back, a pebble added with each comment and disappointment achieved. Already she was kicking herself for bringing it up in the first place.

"< Who will you be auditioning for? >" Like normal, whenever she made a call home, her mother commandeered the conversation (although on occasion she had opportunity to speak with her father, but moreso Grandmother Nadya out of the other two members of the main house), directing it this way and that. Somehow the conversation always rocketed back to her hopes for her daughter, her dreams - and each was a goal to Tsetsiliya. An unattainable goal, but it was on her list. Without even pausing properly to give her daughter time to think, Mrs. Pavlova answered her own question. "< It would be Sally, of course - you would make the most darling Sally! After all, you are both so similar. >" Her cheeks reddened at this off-handed praise; Tsetsiliya recognized the empty compliment, which was meant to make her strive harder. She had already marked the conversation as such when her mother had started calling her Słoneczka.. a nickname only used by her grandmother.

"< Truthfully, I was rather worried about sending you to this school. Although I am hearing only good things about it, I was not quite convinced.. but you are coming into your own quite splendidly! >" A stab of guilt infiltrated the poludnica's defenses, and her free hand stalled on Lucja's back. The fae dragon looked up in mild agitation, and a playful n** reminded the ghoul to resume petting. She gave her minipet an indulgent smile. Coming into her own, yes, that was it.. if that meant staying shut up in her room outside of two ventures outside. The auditions were something she had only mentioned on a lark, having seen the poster in the school halls, but she should have known better.

In fact, she did know better than to mention it to her mother. Why did she bother mentioning it in the first place? Deep inside, she wanted to be the ghoul her mother so wanted - the one who had endless dance requests during deghoultante balls, who played piano flawlessly, who received top marks in school, a proud and popular FEARleader.. or the star (or close enough to it) role in the school play. Perhaps she needed the convincing from her first before she even thought of convincing herself.

"< Y-yes. I will attempt to do you proud. >"

"< Very good, darling. I will leave you to your practice then - work hard, Słoneczka! >" Tsetsiliya held the sigh she wanted to exhale in, and replied with a committal hum. "< Papa sends his love. Sleep well! >" The demoness lowered the phone from her ear and rested it in her lap, heaving the sigh she had (wisely) not chosen to give during her conversation.

"< Słoneczka? >" Her grandmother's voice suddenly issuing from the receiver startled her to the point where she almost dropped the phone (Lucja did not enjoy the disturbance and retreated to the safety of her bed's underside with a hiss). "< Do not even worry about winning the lead or whatever. Only do it if it's what you want to do. Either way, we are proud of you. >" It was a semi-empty sentiment and they both knew it (only her father and grandmother would remain proud of her, win or lose - her mother would pout and carry on about it for weeks), but Tsetsiliya did not appreciate her grandmother's attempt to give her strength any less. "< Knock 'em back to life, child. >"

"< Thank you, grandma, >" Tsetsiliya replied before finally hanging up. She thought about the poster that beckoned to the students in the hallway. How many of her peers would be auditioning? Surely the competition would be rather stiff, and she had little to no experience with the stage (as was typical of wallflowers). Why should she try when she had little to no chance of making the cut? Lucja peered out from underneath the bed, and the poludnica just stared at the phone in her hands, the ghost of a smile creeping to her lips.

Why should she? This was a new school, which was a new start - a good chance for her to turn over a new leaf and really change things for herself. Why should she? Why shouldn't she?

At the very least, it was worth a shot.  

[alpha lyrae]

❧____The Audition____❧
To be addressed here


In which Tsetsiliya ( again ) swallows her nerves to audition for the part of Sally in the school play of the classic story.

The Auditions

Tsetsiliya steeled herself as she moved quickly across the stage. The lights were glaring, blinding, and it only made her nerves worse. It had been so long since the poludnica had tried out for anything, but she had loved this story so much growing up. She'd already made the mistake of mentioning it to her parents in her last letter home, and they were very much enthusiastic on the idea. Grandmother Nadya too had encouraged her to go for it.

Well, she had come to Amityville to make them proud, didn't she? She wouldn't know unless she tried! And wouldn't they be pleased to know that this was one of the few opportunities she had willingly worn one of the dresses her mother had special ordered for her? Her nervous gaze remained on her bare legs below the frayed hem, until she forced herself to look out at the audience, repeating a sort of mantra to keep her centered. If she got too nervous, she'd start to shift.. and she had to do her best and stay on top of things.

'You can do this! You can, you can, you can!'

"H-Hello!" Tsetsiliya's voice squeaked out into the seats, and she nervously cleared her throat and continued. "M-My name is Tsetsiliya Pavlova. I will be auditioning for.. for Sally." She swallowed nervously and backed away from the edge of the stage, in order to give herself proper room. And with a slow, steading breath, she began to sing.

"I sense there's something in the wind,
That feels like tragedy's at hand.." The poludnica swayed in time with the music and sang. She had a soft voice, and even to her ears she knew it wasn't carrying very well into the audience. As she drifted across the stage with light steps, she urged herself to sing louder.

"A-AND though I'd like to stand by him --" The first part of the line squeaked out loudly and off-key, and she cringed.

"Can't shake this feeling that I have.." A tingle of nerves raced across her cheeks and danced on the tip of her nose. 'No, no, no -- stay in control!' She took another breath, a little deeper this time, and twirled dreamily around a forgotten skellyphone stand lingering towards the back of the stage. She had to keep moving, be light on her feet!

"The worst is just around the bend,
And does he notice --" Tsetsiliya glanced down with melancholy as the tingling receded. 'There, there.. keep going!' She clasped her hands over her chest. "-- my feelings for him?" She moved towards center stage again with dancing steps, stumbling once over her quilted boots but luckily managing to recover herself so she didn't fall over.

"And will he see how much he means to me?" Her downcast gaze now looked towards the seats. "I think it's not to be."

There was a pause, and in a sudden rush of embarrassment she remembered where she was. "T-Thank you!" She bowed quickly, her headscarf slipping a little and she ran off stage. As she reached up to adjust it, her hands brushed the long, warted nose of the hag - which now rested center stage on her face. She made a low, embarrassed groan.

She'd really have to work on that.

 

[alpha lyrae]

❧____How To Deal With Rejection____❧

Well, that certainly could have gone better.

Tsetsiliya slumped against the door as it clicked closed behind her, sliding against the wooden exterior to the floor. Lucja cocked her head from the top of the boudoir and fluttered her tiny wings before taking flight, gliding down to the poludnica and squeaking at her. The ghoul gave her a tired smile and patted her head, before standing up slowly and making the few strides across the room to her bed. The fae dragon stayed where it was, sitting upright and following her owner with curious, watchful eyes.

Tap tap.

Tsetsiliya sighed. This whole endeavor had been a disaster in the making. The smaller messenger bag she had taken to the audition with her (which contained two copies of the lyrics: one to give to the judges, not that she really needed to, and one for her own memorization, which was by now covered in various notes and highlighted in at least three different colors) was set down beside her as she lowered herself to the mattress. She felt the sting of disappointment for not getting the part, surely, but it was moreso a feeling of embarrassment.. and dread at when she would have to tell her parents in the skellyphone call tonight.

Tap tap tap.

Perhaps there was a way to abate that disappointment? Or was it dread, really? She brought her hand up to the bridge of her nose and massaged it gently in an effort to ease the tension that had settled there. Oh Jack, she didn't even want to think about the play right now, much less telling her parents about it. Much less think about going to watch the whole thing. No, no, that would likely be a good night to stay in, get some extracurricular studying done. If she couldn't be a stage starlet like her mother had so hoped, then perhaps her studies could benefit from this instead.

Tap tap.

This time Tsetsiliya sat up. The persistant tapping had bored into her head, distracting her from trying to sort out this situation. Immediately her gaze fell on Lucja, but the small dragon remained where it was on the floor, unerring gaze still upon her - and obviously the minipet hadn't moved.

Tap tap.

Her head swiveled towards the window. Squinting her eyes through the darkness, she saw something flit by the glass then knock against it again, a little louder this time. The ghoul gave a start when the creature rapped the glass headfirst. Not very bright, was it? What could it even want? Cautiously, she moved towards the window and pushed it open, her arms immediately recoiling when an especially cold breeze blew in her face. It was a cold that seemed to suck the precious heat from her room, and she immediately reached back up to close the window when the small minipet that had been tapping came speeding through the opening and smacking her straight in the chest. Her hands flew out to catch it, cradling it as it blinked blearily a couple of times before looking around at its new surroundings. It was such a unique minipet.. bird-like.

"M-My, you are being persistent," she said to the small creature. The hummingbird sprite looked around, gaze flashing here and there before it took flight again and began zipping around her room. Lucja hissed as it passed, and the poludnica raised her hands up in an effort to try and grab the intruder. It flew a fair few circles before landing on her desk, smack in the midst of her note paper pile. Confused for a moment at what she was standing on, the minipet then grabbed it in both hands and headed for a fern-occupied planter in the corner. "H-hey!" The poludnica called after her, followed by another gasp as the minipet made quick work of shredding the paper. The tiny strips were arranged in a messy bundle around the creature, before she, too, curled up happily in the flower pot. Lucja's hisses subsided slowly as the fae dragon contented herself with a stony glare. Tsetsiliya folded her arms across her chest; so it looks as though she's acquired a new little "tenant", so to speak. Another sharp breeze blew in, and the ghoul returned to the window and shut it quickly. Her eyes drifted once again to the table where the small sprite had first landed, finding the mess of papers scattered on the surface.

Perhaps a letter to her grandmother might be a better way of breaking the news.  

[alpha lyrae]

❧____Destination: Christmas Town____❧
To be addressed in several parts: I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII


In which Tsetsiliya and her peers storm Christmas Town for a raid they will not forget. And during which 16 growth points are gained.

CHRISTMAS TOWN: Krumm Car

Tsetsiliya had never been on a train before, and she hummed with excitement as she stepped into the cabin. Already there were students everywhere, chatting excitedly about this and that, and the student council member who was in charge of the car made a small welcoming speech. The poludnica wondered if she could keep all the names straight - there were so many people in one car!

She moved down the aisle looking for a seat, and passed a rather interesting duo. The girl wore a rather poofy skirt and was saying something in a loud voice to the boy, whose tail she held between her ringing hands. Thinking that they seemed rather.. preoccupied, she noticed a vacant seat behind them instead, next to a winged boy.

"H-Hello," she asked nervously, pointing to the window seat. "M-May I please sit here?"

CHRISTMAS TOWN: Festive Forrest

Tsetsiliya was beginning to feel nervous again, realizing that she didn't really know anybody in the present company. It was best to have comrades in times like these, wasn't it? It beats trudging through unknown lands without a soul to talk to, after all. She clutched the wreath and glanced from face to unknown face.

The headless ghost bemoaned the loss of her camera, and really, her heart went out to her. She especially felt sorry for the poor thing having had her lovely dress torn to shreds in the crash. Examining her own outfit, she noticed the large rips and bits torn from the dress and sleeves, but otherwise she was fine. Nothing a little basic repair couldn't fix. All that mattered was that the braided belt was still there and undamaged. That would have terribly upset her - now she knew how the ghoul must have felt.

She unwrapped the long sash from around her waist and draped it over her arm. Then, tottering over to the ghost and the boy she was engaging in conversation, she mumbled to the ghoul, "H-Here.. perhaps you might like my sash for wearing? S-since your dress has been ruined.." It was a breaking-the-ice maneuver with the secret hope she could stay involved in the conversation this time (the train ride had made her so sleepy). But also it was an effort to survive the raid - there was safety in numbers, wasn't there?

CHRISTMAS TOWN: Candycane Lane

Tsetsiliya brightened when Barth didn't jump down her throat. This was a good sign! Maybe she had chosen well after all! With Rain waving her over she felt all the more part of the group.

"I feel the same," she chimed in at the end of Rain's speech. Certain death? She honestly hoped not, but with the air so full of JOY and these peculiar creatures lurking everywhere.. one could never tell what was in the future. "B-but there is safety in numbers, so I hope that we be very much alright.. ?" Even then, she wasn't sure. Better to hope for the best but prepare for the worst, wasn't it? She patted her wreath for reassurance.

She turned when a familiar voice came calling, and the headless ghoul joined their party. "H-Hello!" she greeted. "I hope my sash is serving you well?" This was great! More people she was familiar with (even though not very much), and a steadily increasing number in her party. The thought that a larger group would attract more attention never even crossed her mind; to her, safety lay purely in large numbers. That was logical thinking, wasn't it?

When Jamais had mentioned something about getting out of there, the poludnica nodded. "L-let us continue, yes?" She, too, was eager to get through this unsettling place and go home. Now that Rain was healed up, traveling should be a little easier. She hoped so, anyway.

CHRISTMAS TOWN: Icy Path

By the time Tsetsiliya had finally started up the steep Icy Path, her group had already gotten a good head start on her. She shivered only a little, but moreso over not liking being alone on this path one bit, but it was her own fault. If she were not so negligent and let her attention wander like that!

Giving her arms a fierce rub, she pushed through the snow with the best of her might. Cold was something she was used to from home, but this kind of cold was very lonely.

She had to catch up to the others! Or die trying at least.

On second thought, she really didn't like that idea, but she didn't have much of a choice now but to push on and hope she came upon them soon.

CHRISTMAS TOWN: Christmas Town

Tsetsiliya tumbled into Christmas town and glanced around for the others.

No sign.

She didn't blame them for not wanting to stick around. This place was practically seeping with JOY. Once again she was by herself, thanks to her inability to avoid idling. Her grandmother had always encouraged her to be a self-sufficient demon, and she'd proven her mettle as a team player earlier, hadn't she? It was time for Tsetsiliya to prove she could handle herself just fine.

With a deep breath and a pat on her skirts to rid herself of the snow that had gathered there, she headed into Christmas Town.

CHRISTMAS TOWN: Sandy Claws' Warehouse (Red Door)

Tsetsiliya emerged from the red door into the workshop. Immediately she was on her guard when she heard, no mistake, the sounds of battle. Her friends! Shaking off the last of the snow, she hustled further into the workshop and nearly collided with a humongous robot. A quick backpedal showed her the others - her friends!

"E-Everyone!" She hustled forward, the wreath ready in her grip. She had to do something!

CHRISTMAS TOWN: The Main Warehouse

Tsetsiliya entered the warehouse, suddenly surprised by the sight of so many others. She had been traveling with a smaller group, that she felt she must have gotten used to them. Now, in this big collection of students, she was starting to feel small again. Well, smaller anyway.

Minding her scarf-turned-satchel, she made her way through the crowd upon spotting Alwine and Belladonna. There were some familiar faces at least! She had been concerned that she hadn't seen which door the witch had taken, but was relieved to see her okay.

"I-it is good to see everyone okay," she said quietly, approaching the small cluster.

 

[alpha lyrae]

❧____How To Deal With Kindness (And Not Doing So Well)____❧

Letter from Grandmother

My dearest Słoneczka,

I broke the news to your parents for you. For the most part, she handled it fairly well (as well as your mother normally handles things). Even if you did not get the part in the play, just remember that I am proud of you regardless. Besides, you were never much of an actress anyway, but I suspect that was your mother's influence talking when you went to audition. Disappointment is just another thing to overcome in afterlife, but you are a survivor, Słoneczka. You will handle it just fine, certainly.

Did you throw that dress in the furnace yet? You will need to make room in your closet since your mother was flapping about ordering another few outfits for you in order to "soothe your broken heart." Just thought you should be ready for it.

Love,
Grandmother

 

[alpha lyrae]

❧____S.O.S.!____❧
To be addressed here


In which Tsetsiliya loses her family heirloom belt and enlists Belladonna's help, only to find a friendship as well.

S.O.S.!

Where, where, where is it?!

Tsetsiliya could feel the cold sweat on her brow as she dug through the brush that surrounded the reaper dorms. How could she have missed it, how? The poludnica's hands were shaking as she dug, and she'd be on her feet before falling to her knees a few feet away. She had to find it.. she absolutely had to find it!

It had started as a normal day of plant-collecting. After checking out the crevices and bushes near this dorm when she had helped Christof find his way, she had been keen to come back and collect more plantlings for her windowbox planter. Just as then, she'd found some wonderful new acquisitions (her poor little nightshade would be so happy at more company!), and she had hustled back to the dorm.

The plants had been repotted and watered, and she had washed her hands and was getting ready to sit down to her studying when she caught a glimpse of her waist.

Her heirloom chain belt was missing.

And now here she was. Digging, digging, digging. Where could she have lost it? There was a good chance that she had lost it somewhere along the way, but she didn't even want to consider that possibility at the moment. Tsetsiliya looked towards the looming dorm next to her. She could always ask for help.. she did know someone here. They had fought together in the raid, and she had seemed so kind.. perhaps she could help! But no no, could she ask her? It wouldn't be.. imposing, would it?

Trembling, she walked up the front stair and opened the front door of the dorm, peeking her nervous head inside. Belladonna was her only hope!

 

[alpha lyrae]

❧____That's Not A Fire Flower!____❧
To be addressed here, with a follow-up here.


In which Tsetsiliya makes Jericho take her on an adventure to replace a destroyed plant, only to discover they are still in Inception Christmas Town.

That's Not A Fire Flower!

Tsetsiliya hummed as she sunk her fingers into the dirt of the planter in front of her. The window was open, letting in the ever-blowing autumn breeze, and Pawel, her poor drooping witch's hazel, was nearly blowing away with it. She had nudged the planter a little more into the sunlight, hoping the fresh air would do him some good, but she was getting ready to transfer more friends into the same box. He had needed some companions in the same box, but she had to make sure her latest acquisitions didn't oust him for root room first.

Then the wind shifted, and from the open window she heard a loud sneeze and felt.. a blaze of heat.. ? The poludnica looked up in time to see the flame peter out and the charred skeleton of her poor Pawel resting in the planter. She cried out in surprise and rushed to the window, dirt flying from her hands as she reached up to check.

At her touch, the rest of the plant crumbled, and her mouth fell open in shock. How? Why did this happen? She looked around for something, anything, that could explain it. She had heard somebody sneeze before.. then her searching eyes found him. With the large wings and the horns, not to mention the smell of smoke that hung around.. surely enough, this was her culprit.

But all she could do was stare in disbelief. When the words did come, they came in a low cry.

"H-h-how could you.. ?"

 

[alpha lyrae]

❧____Alternate Uses For A Notebook____❧

 

[alpha lyrae]

❧____Tangled____❧
To be addressed here


In which Tsetsiliya is taken under Carthusia's wing thanks to an accidental run-in and masses of tangled hair.

Tangled

Tsetsiliya, too, was walking the hallway as she was making her way back to her room from the bathrooms. Her long hair was wrapped in a towel, but unfortunately rather sloppily, with long strands peeking out here and there and trailing water behind her. It was early evening but she was already in her bedclothes, thanks to dropping a planter in her room and needing an emergency shower. She wasn't used to taking showers this early in the evening - if anything, walking around in her pajamas embarrassed her to no end.

What if somebody saw her? She had shower times pinned down to the minute at Madam Morrigan's, but she was still getting used to the cycle here - to her, busier times in the halls meant better chances of being seen. Being seen meant opportunities for getting teased. She hadn't exactly run into that here yet but she certainly dreaded when it would.

As though to answer her paranoia, Tsetsiliya heard a door click open behind her. With a fluttering heart and a quick glance over her shoulder, she took off and was moving down the hall quickly, banking around the corner to the safety of her room.

Her downcast eyes did not see the taller demoness around the bend before it was too late, nor did she feel the towel slip from her head and her calf-length hair come spilling out. She did catch a glimpse of the girl when they collided.

Now she'd done it.

 

[alpha lyrae]

❧____Is This A Kissing Book Party?____❧
To be addressed here


In which Tsetsiliya learns that she needs to read party advertisements more clearly.

Spin The Bottle

Tsetsiliya had been curious at the noise coming from the room down the hall from her own. There had been a lot of student gatherings happening lately, perhaps this was another one? To be honest, she was quite surprised there hadn't been another gathering at the demon dorms since her arrival; she was used to her kind being very into socializing. Her mother was always dressing her up for balls or parties back home, anyway.

The poludnica had seen the flyers around as well, but just as she had done with the posters for other events, her eyes had barely skimmed them, if at all. No, no, her studies were what was important! She had been good, though, and all of her studying for the evening was finished, so what was a little socializing? She still didn't know very many students, and if this was like any of the parties she had been to back at home, then perhaps she might meet a few of her own (and be bored to tears in the process).

Oh well, it would be something to please her parents in her next skellyphone call.

"H-Hello?" she called quietly, knocking softly on the door.

 

[alpha lyrae]

❧____The Art Of Self-Improvement____❧

Tsetsiliya still felt dizzy from the Spin the Bottle party, even after she had had a few nights to think on the events of said party (and only now was managing to look back without blushing to the roots of her hair). Here she was, lying in bed with the lights off and eyes closed (while the sun was still outside - good Jack, what was her problem?) Had the gods decided to laugh at her by tossing her at that very handsome nix fellow not once, but twice? It was silly, really, and she would not allow herself to be subject to such whimsical thoughts. Such thoughts would only end in hurt, after all - he quite obviously had his own group, and someone he was quite obviously interested in (that rather intimate kiss he shared with the she-wolf was enough to prove that to her). It did remind her though, even with her handful of encounters (and the Christmas Town raid), that she was sorely lacking in close friends. But the tight-knit feeling that the nix, gryphon, she-wolf, and nagual had.. needless to say she was jealous. Jericho had come with the Mindflayer she had seen around campus and the two stuck pretty closely together.. if that was not the calling card of a trusting friendship, then she liked regular turns in the Princess Corner.

She had made the acquaintance of a few people during these excursions, and while they were nice, it was still so early on in the relationship phase that she was unsure if it would stick. She had offered her sash, advice, and made the first small steps, but that would only be as good if somebody were to return those same gestures.

Despite her wariness of people, she wanted that - friendship with complete trust. Madam Morrigan's had not permitted her any such friends (only situational friends with other ghouls who were on the receiving end of bullying, and would just as quickly betray her to their antagonists in order to avoid being tortured themselves), but she had come here for a fresh start. Getting away from that horrid school with its horrid, snobby demonesses was something she had dreamed about during her first couple of years there, when she was busy hiding in the bathroom stalls or being stuffed into garbage cans. Her family wanted her to flourish; she wanted to flourish. But social encounters were so.. so.. nerve-wracking. She needed time to get to know people from a distance, to ease into their personalities at her own pace. But that was just a quitter's way of saying she wanted an easy, trouble-free friendship, wasn't it? She didn't like this quitter's attitude.

Oh, what was it that all the ghouls at Madam Morrigan's had used - social networking? It seemed to be the big thing nowadays, at least judging from her previous school. Tsetsiliya did not have a MyFace page, nor a Macebook profile, a Critter account, nor a Groanspring. Even if she did, there was no guarantee that she would have friends on any of them. The interweb was fickle in that way, she assumed. Tales of cyberbullying she had overheard while at school also did well to keep her away from it for a while - best not to make oneself available as a target, right?

But she had come here to change, and change required courage. But perhaps it was best to start small. Groanspring was a good way to start small, wasn't it? Slowly sitting up from her bed, she switched on the bedside lamp and crossed the room to her PreC. Once it had hummed to life, she typed in the appropriate address into the browser and began filling in her information. All the while, she kept debating with herself.

Was this trying too hard? Would it even work? Her family, grandmother included, always stressed the importance of building connections. Connections were the important thing, her parents said; knowing many people regardless of whether or not you are close to them, since at least it gives one the option to be choosy. Her grandmother, always being the one that made the most sense (to her, anyway), had told her that while connections are important, friendships are always made of stronger stuff. But one does not make friends without first making a connection.

The ball was in her court.

Once done with the basics (confirmation squeemail and all), she went about setting up her profile. Her apprehensions grew with each ticking minute, but for every doubt that cropped up, she kept it at bay, if only for long enough to actually finish what she was doing. At last she had finished, and she sat back in her chair with a slow, nervous sigh.. Her fingers went about their normal fiddling with her gold chain belt as she stared at the screen. All she could do was keep her fingers crossed that she might get to know some people this way.