The Beast Moves In!, tags: Isabella

He walked up to the door way of dormitory, carrying two bags in each hand, and two more under his armpit. Luckily for him, a group of students were on their way down, with the last student holding the door just long enough to smack Cyrille in the arm. He sighed to himself, through the zipped up hoodie and exhaled deeply. Cy looked around himself before stepping forward to the stairs.

“You know,” the unknown voice said, “they have elevators now. Pretty fancy stuff – you know, for a magical school.”

Cyrille gritted his teeth for a second, turning his head to see the other student out of his ‘good’ eye. Cyrille nodded, smirking slightly.

“I like the work out, thanks.”

As Cyrille started to walk forward quickly, showing no signs of fatigue with the heavy suitcases, the student called out to him again.

“I wouldn’t go too fast, too soon! They say the Beast is moving in sometime today. Don’t want to anger him, do we?”

Cyrille stopped again, pausing to himself for a second. He set the bags of luggage down, and pushed them to the side with a soft shove, before turning back and walking down the steps to the student. Cy made sure to keep his had lowered – God only knew what kind of response he’d get if the student saw his scar. Standing before the student, he turned his head to the side.

“’The Beast’, huh? He shouldn’t be too bad, you’d think. They wouldn’t keep a wild animal at Nemare, dying to get out and rip the students limb from limb, craving their every drop of blood. They wouldn’t do that here… would they?”

Cyrille was pleased with this question, as the curling smirk on his face suggested. He wanted to know what kind of answer he’d actually get from someone who was a part of the general public. Cyrille placed his hands inside the pockets of his hoodie, careful to hide the wild hair growing over his body. The student, dressed in a multicolored polo with large stripes and khaki pants thought for a second before rubbing his temple.

“I don’t know. There are stories – first-hand accounts of seeing The Beast up in his dungeon.”

It’s true; Cyrille was kept up in a tower away from the students while he was getting counseling for the loss of his parents – but it was in no way a dungeon. In fact, Cyrille preferred it to the room at his nanny’s in Ireland.

“Aren’t dungeons underground?” Cyrille asked, “and who told you they saw a Beast in a tower?”

The student, again, was dumbfounded. Cyrille nodded.

“Well, what stories did they tell?”

The student perked up, eager to tell their story. Cyrille got almost as giddy but had to control his excitement for his reputation hidden until just the right moment.

“One story, I forget who told it, said that they send children to The Beast when they’re bad, so that they get scared straight! They said he’d chain the student up and wouldn’t feed the student for DAYS, until the headmistresses would come up and get the student to spare them of their jail sentence!”

Cyrille looked at the student, himself dumbfounded. Hurt. Sad. Angry. Cyrille hung his head to hide his emotions, but spoke through his hood.

“Now that… that’s a story I can believe.”

“Of course you can! He’s… he’s the Beast!”

Cyrille’s skin itched. His eye twitched.

“No, that’s not why. I’d need real tangible evidence to back up stories of grandeur like that.”

Cyrille’s head was still hung low. The student leaned forward, whispering softly…

“Then… why do you believe?”

Cyrille looked up at the student, slowly removing his hoodie from his head, careful not to turn his face to the child, lest he be scared away.

“Because…”

Cyrille turned his head to look at the student, the scar turning the student’s blood cold, and a look of exasperation crossing his face. Cyrille saw the student there, frozen, and felt the rush of power running through him.

“I am YOUR BEAST!”

Cyrille primal screamed at the student, causing him to flee. Cyrille yelled things at the student – scary things, things he’d never say in a million years if he didn’t know who the student was, just to make the child run faster, and tell scarier stories. For now, he wanted the negative attention. He craved it. As Cyrille put his hoodie back up over his head, he turned around and stepped back towards the st- but the beautiful female student walking down the staircase caught his attention.

Well that entire book had been a waste of time. She had not been entranced into the book as many of her others... in fact she had for force herself to read it for the assignment. Normally she would love the books her English teacher recommended but... there was no adventure... no real love. It was more like a...the biography of a serial killer. The twisted mind of a sadist. It was like entering a dark void where she had never wanted to be in the first place... It gave her goosebumps just thinking of it. She was glad her book report was over and done with. She was going to insist on not drawing names of EVERY book in the library ever again for her book report. That was NOT the way to learn of new exciting books... Now she just had to write the book report.

Isabella looked around the library as she replaced the book she'd borrowed for over a week. That was the longest she'd ever really taken to finish a book of that size. Still, she was actually feeling a bit... claustrophobic. She wasn't sure why, but the walls were closing in and the sunshine outside was just drawing her out. She looked around just to see if there was someone compelling you to leave or anything.. like a witch or something but she didn't see anyone. There were witches at this school or maybe someone else magical that could make her want to leave a library.

Still, she found herself moving down and picking up a book on her way out. It was one of her favorites. She had to have read it three times... just that year. Whenever she got down about something... It was this book that made her feel just that bit better. It had been one of her father's favorites as well... Or rather he'd liked her reading it to him. She checked out the book, the librarian giving her a knowing look, and wanted to at least start it as she began to walk outside in the sunshine. It really was a gorgeous day.

Isabella had headed for the elevator to head down to the first floor... but it seemed that as soon as it had opened there was a crowd already inside it and the students just cramming in. Okay, so Bella wasn't really claustrophobic but there were too many students in there for her. Besides, she had legs. There wasn't really that many stairs till the first floor. She could walk down them.

Bella felt her fingers caress the binding of her precious blue book. She was just about to open it to begin reading it when she heard a raised voice. It was maybe a flight down. Inwardly, she cringed. Oh great... was it going to be a bully? Maybe she wanted the elevator after all... She looked down at the book. No... she couldn't go back. Yes, Morgan had nearly killed her in one punch but... Well she had been stupid. Perhaps if she just walked down and didn't do anything to really draw too much attention to herself...

Bella swallowed as the student with the hoodie turned back and just seemed to stare in her direction. Her feet faltered and she had to catch herself on the wall. She gave out a nervous giggled and put a hand to her mouth. Was he going to think she was laughing at him? Should she say hello to him? Perhaps just to be polite but then again she could say it in a way he didn't like... Wait was it a he? It looked like it from his built.... which was strong and muscular. She noticed his bags. He was new.... well then she had to at least be nice to him.. didn't she? She wasn't sure... She had been the new girl quite a lot though, so perhaps she should at least try. Yes, she would try. "Hello there." She gave him a tentative smile. She was still scared shitless. "New to Nemare Academy?"