Forum Thread

"You.. might want to wash up. Then we'll need to change into our robes for assembly." Azure lay on her bed and looked up. Last year, she had painted the section above her bed with a butterfly. The same butterfly that was on her necklace. Azure got up and pulled on her skirt, shirt, tie and robe. She tied her hair into a long braid and went over to Ivy with a bit of makeup and shrugged awkwardly to ask her if it would suit her or not. If it did, then she'd need Ivy's help.

---

Ivy washes her makeup off, patting her face dry. Ivy entered her room and pulled on shorts, skirt, socks, shirt tie and grabbed her jacket. She took a moment to smile at the back of her door with was full of butterflies, the same butterfly as the necklace her and Azure shared. Ivy remembered to redo her hair and had just finished wrapping the braid around her bun when Azure knocked on her door.
“Come in” Ivy put the clip back in her hair and turned to Azure. “What’s up?” Ivy smiled brightly at Azure.

---

Azure flushed red and said, "Nothing." Before she entered, she managed to slip Ivy's cosmetics into a bag and handed it to her, her face returning to it's original colour. "You've got.. 8 minutes. So if you want to redo your makeup, you'll need to do it in 3 so we have 5 to get down to the hall." She heard the cat's meowing and used this excuse, turning to leave. "You better not try to gnaw off each others ears." She tutted.

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Ivy does her makeup very quickly now that she knew what she wanted. She had her makeup left out, she knew Azure wanted her makeup done. “Azure, get here. Now!”

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Azure was part-way pulling the cats away from each other when she heard Ivy. It startled her and she dropped Snow who meowed and hid behind the sofa, her head poking out and trembling. "Oh Snow," She murmured, "I didn't mean to. Come here kitty." Azure held her hand out to her mini lynx and slowly, Snow edged towards her, eventually closing her eyes and letting Azure pull her into her lap. She purred softly then jumped onto her pillow, forming creases and almost camouflaging in the whiteness of it.

Azure got up and looked towards Ivy, "Yes mom?" She grinned, "What am I in trouble for now?"

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“If you want makeup done, come here.” Ivy calls from in her room. “AND I’M NOT YOUR MOM!” Azalea comes in the room and she bends down to pick her cat up. “Heya pretty, how’re we?” Ivy strokes Azalea‘s head while waiting for Azure.

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"Thanks- Oh sh-sugar. We've got to go." Azure had checked her watch and they had about a minute to run out of their dorm and get down the stairs to assembly. She grabbed Ivy's hand and darted out of the room. She regretted leaving the door open but their part of the dormitory was so secret that it probably would be okay. "C'mon, Ivy." Azure let go of her hand to let her run and they got down to the assembly hall with a few seconds to spare. Miss Findel was there. She narrowed her eyes at the girls and she said, "I expected better from you both. Hurry up, inside. Quickly. Honestly! And the headmistress was going to make you.." She trailed off as they both headed inside and found their seat. "The headmistress was going to make us what?" Azure asked.

---

Ivy ran out of the demand took her seat in assembly, ignoring Miss Findel and paying attention to the front. She glanced over at Mika and smiled when they made eye contact. Ivy folded her hands in her lap and bites back a laugh when Mika rolls her eyes. Ivy tuned back into the conversation between Azure and Miss Findel.

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Azure watched as Ivy and Mika gave funny looks to each other before turning round to face the front. She could talk to Ivy about the conversation later. The younger years were fiddling about in their seats, some looking lost and on the verge of tears whilst others simply tried to look cool. To Azure, probably Ivy too and the older years, they just looked idiotic. A sharp clicking of heels and a swish of her purple dress signalled that the headmistress had entered, making everyone stand. She smiled and welcomed the new year before gesturing for them to sit.

"Welcome, to a new school year at Althea's Academia. We have a few things to discuss. When the witches and wizards get to year [whatever year they are in], they receive a messenger bird to take letters and parcels to parents and friends outside of school. You will all get a briefing later with Miss Mika in your first class," - she put a hand out to Mika and she stood up waving, then sat down, blushing slightly, - "Now for the notices, then we have a lovely notice at the end.."

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Ivy gave a silent cheer of encouragement when Mika stood up and a thumbs up with a grin when she sat back down. Ivy was now really excited for the assembly to be over so she could get her bird. And they still had the surprise Mika had mentioned earlier. Ivy listened to the assembly with occasional glances at Mika and Azure. Ivy was happy that she had survived until today. She had some really bad lows recently but hadn’t told anyone, she was proud of herself for making it this far. Even if no one else could be, she was. She was proud of everyone. The younger years because they had just joined a new school! Her year because they had made it this far, they were getting their birds!

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“..and make sure to look after your own valuables as it is not the responsibility of this school if it’s lost. Now. Unfortunately we are out of time so we cannot share the surprise however I am going to assist Miss Mika in her class. Have a wonderful year and I will see you in our next assembly.” The headmistress smiled brightly and with a click of her heels, she left the stage. Everyone got up and started to talk. Azure could hear some of the younger years whining about why they couldn’t get the messenger birds and the older years just rolled their eyes at their complaints. Though some whispered to each other and Azure thought that she could hear some say her name and Ivy’s.

———At the first class———

Everyone hurried into their classes, bags full and kids squabbling. Luckily, Azure had managed to squeeze her way through the crowds of witches and wizards to the classroom to find a good seat for herself and Ivy. It wasn’t too far to the back but not to close to the front - perfect! Mika smirked as she shuffled into her seat. “Nice choice, Azure. Where’s Ivy? Stuck by the hustle and bustle of people?” Azure nodded and Mika got up, walking to the door. “Oi, you lot. Come on you aren’t first years, make a line and stop with all the fuss or you won’t get a messenger bird.”
She giggled at Mika’s loud voice, though she only used it when she was tired or serious. Today it seemed friendly so maybe she was just tired. Finally everyone had found a seat and the headmistress smiled from her chair in the corner.

Mika rose to explain. “Hello young witches and wizards. I hope that you had a great holiday but now it’s back to learning. Though now that you are old enough you are going to get a messenger bird. These creatures will be used to take your mail, parcels and packages to friends and family outside school but it doesn’t restrict you to just that. Anyhow, you will either choose a raven or a dove.” There were some groans and sighs. “Come on, work with what you have. Right.. this is the order.. you.. you.. you.” Mika got to Ivy and Azure last. “I want you to choose yours after everyone has left.”

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“Okay” Ivy nodded. Despite being curious, she didn’t ask anything further. Rather she took out a pencil and some paper and started writing. She wasn’t writing to anyone or really anything at all but she was writing what was in her head. It’s what she did to manage anxiety. When she had filled the page, she doodled. She drew flowers, animals and even sketch 2 people, although she hid one of the people with her arm before anyone could see. While she doodled, she hummed quietly. It had been her favourite song for a while and she would be surprised if Azure didn’t know the lyrics by now. When Ivy had filled the page, she flipped the parapet over and started writing again.

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Azure nudged Ivy slightly as the last witch chose her bird. Everyone was giggling with excitement after Mika showed them how to properly feed them and attach a small box-like object that sat on their back, which was to hold the messages. Mika instructed them to go outside and one of her friends came to take them.

Once the students had left the headmistress rose to the front, two black packages in her hand. "Girls. I hope that you will be very pleased with what we are about to tell you." She smiled and gave them the packages, beckoning for them to open it. Inside was a royal blue cloak like jacket with a hood. It was embroidered with golden thread and some shaped into small stars. "Ivy, Azure. I am proud to tell you that you are both prefects!"

Azure stared open mouthed at Ivy, her eyes wide. She couldn't believe it. A prefect? This was a huge honour, as if she was to become a small part of a royal family. "You get special perks too, I was a prefect once so I can still remember, some nice lunches and you get a small school allowance every couple of weeks or so and you are included in parties and exclusive events. I am proud of you both, so much." Mika hugged them and there was almost a small glint in her eye of a tear. She stepped aside and pointed out a room.

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Ivy was frozen, staring at the cloth in her hands. She didn’t know what to do. Her breath caught in her chest as she fought back tears. What had she done to deserve this? She didn’t even react when Mika hugged her. She was frozen. Frozen to the spot and frozen in motion. She couldn’t hear anything as er heart hammered in her ears. Her eyes glistened but she didn’t allow herself to cry. She forgot basic functions such as breathing moving or talking as the realisation hit her.

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"Ivy? Ivy? Good grief girl, pull yourself together." Mika laughed and gently shook her. She pointed towards a door and pushed the girls forwards. In a golden plaque, slightly scratched read: 'Aves Praefecti'. "The Birds of the prefects.." Mika nodded. Azure had been trained to learn Latin and many foreign languages. She held Ivy's hand as Mika gestured for her to open the door, smiling. "What.. did we do to deserve this?"

"You girls have been a joy to have in this school, making everyone feel good about themselves and changing this community for the better. We want to reward you for this, though usually prefects are selected in the final year of school. Now.. open the door and choose your birds." This time the headmistress spoke.

---

Ivy hugs Azure tightly and cries. She overwhelmed, she’s been expected to be the best her entire life and for once she didn’t feel like she was letting her family down. “S-sorry” Ivy stumbled over her words as she spoke, her breaths coming and going quickly.

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“Hey.. hey, Ivy. You aren’t letting anyone down and it proves it. Don’t push yourself so hard, that’s what your bestie’s here for.” Azure laughed, squeezing Ivy’s hand and opening the door. She was immediately entranced by the melody and harmony of the birds.. talking to each other. There were the usual birds as well, the dove and the raven. But there were more. Eagles, owls, hawks and falcons. Budgies, robins, woodpeckers.. “Wow.” She breathed.

---

Ivy looks around in absolute awe. Birds are one of her favourite things. She looked all around, studying each bird and the behaviours and characteristics as much as she could in the time they’re in there. Ivy’s mind calmed with all the chirps and the chittering. Her breathing mellowed out and she smiled. The colours, the sounds and the behaviours. Ivy adored this room, she felt sorrow at the thought of leaving and never coming back so she took as much as she could in. She glanced from bird to bird, each unique in their own wonderful way. They way they had adapted over time fascinated Ivy and she was clearly able to distinguish the birds of prey. Her breathe caught in her chest with excitement and she fought the urge to go and sit and just listen or bounce. “Azure! Azure! Look at the birds!” Ivy whispered excitedly while she tugged on her best friends arm. She was able to name a few by species, although she did it mentally, such as the African fishing eagle or the Egyptian vulture. She even saw a secretary bird which made her really excited.

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“Yes, Ivy I can see it. They’re all right in front of me.” Azure liked birds too, her uncle rescued a blackbird once, though she just stared in awe and horror. It had a broken wing and they left it in a box by the window with a camera after doing the best they could for it. Later they saw footage of one of its parents coming to take it home. It made her wince and miss her mum and dad. It stung her and she had to take short breaths to keep her focus.

Luckily a barn owl interrupted by tapping its cage looking towards Ivy. It seemed to want her attention. “Hey.. Ivy.” Azure put a hand on her shoulder to calm her. “The barn owl..”

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Ivy looks at the barn owl with fascination and admiration “Hello” Ivy says with a soft voice. “You’re pretty aren’t you? Did you want my attention?” Ivy looked at the bird with loving eyes. She wasn’t sure why the bird wanted her attention but she gave it all regardless. Ivy watched as the barn owl tapped on its cage.

On the other side of the room a bird rattled its cage before stopping and staring at Azure. Ivy whispers “Azure, go talk to the Ornate Hawk Eagle” Ivy turns back to the owl.

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