Groaning while stretching, Diamond looks up at the sky above the Pegasus dorm, humming lightly as he glances at Peridot who is tinkering with some form of device.

"I'm going for a walk, hold down the dorm for me." Diamond states making her jump a little, nearly dropping the device.

"W-wait, what? Emerald said not to let you go anywhere alone with that Dragon about." Peridot informs him, trying to seem firm.

Diamond rolls his eyes and continues walking out the gate of Pegasus House, "You're welcome to tag along."

The smaller coloured girl looks between Diamond and the dorm, groaning as she promptly follows their leader into the woods. The pair walking in relative silence till it's broken by the sounds of commotion coming from Wyvern House in the distance.

"They sound busy..." Peridot comments, making note of the activity.

Diamond hums before continuing, heading more in the direction of the observatory, looking around at the trees before again up at the sky. "Peri... Why are we doing this?"

"Hmm? I don't think I understand-" Peridot is cut off by Diamond as he turns to her.

Diamond sighs, "We lured Alexander to the mirror, taking advantage of his air affinity then have brought through others. Then we prepare for revenge on she who locked us in that infernal place only to be dragged into a war game between us, Merlin's old apprentice and the Nightmare Force... The one who wronged us, to begin with, isn't even here so what purpose does any of this serve?"

Peridot retracts her hand slowly, seemingly deep int thought as she ponders her answer for a moment. "I want to say getting even with the Nightmares, but... You'd likely argue it was centuries ago, what does it even matter now? So... As disappointed as you might be, I don't honestly see a point to our current course."

Diamond smirks, turning around to continue his walk as she follows close behind, the pair soon reaching the observatory. Diamond sighs, now looking upon the ocean as he bites his lip.

"That's just it, there isn't a point to it. Originally it seemed like a good idea when I got out, smack a little payback on them both, but... In the end, we'll still be slaves to the mirror if we don't find a way to break it. We'll forever be quarter of a species stuck in rotation for eternity while we never get to see our friends or my sisters again." He rubs the back of his neck, sighing deeply.

Peridot walks up beside Diamond to also look out on the ocean, "Perhaps a more defensive strategy could be employed for the war game? Simply fortify and defend our area for its duration while figuring a way to break the mirror? I know several of our more active members won't like it, but if we're invaded they could let off some steam. It's merely a suggestion, but I feel it's the best one."

Diamond nods, glancing down at her before ruffling her hair. "That's why you're my smartest friend." He smiles and looks back towards the water.

"I know." Peridot holds her head up smugly with a beaming smile.

"You can head back now if you want and tell Emerald about the plan so she can set it in motion, I want to stare at the ocean a little more." Diamond states walking forwards as Peridot bows a little bit before walking off reluctantly.

Diamond walks forward to the edge of the cliff next to the observatory as he takes a deep breath, glancing down to take in the view before looking up and turning around to see Alexander leaning against the wall of the building.

"Found my spot I see... The one time I decide not to ponder deeply on a cloud." Alexander sighs deeply, closing his eyes.

Diamond chuckles, "You too?" The comment makes Alexander raise an eyebrow, "Back in the old kingdom, I used to enjoy laying on clouds. Magic has been around for such a long time since the beginning I'd wager."

Alexander seems sceptical but decides to indulge the gem by walking over to the cliff edge, standing beside them. "I take it you vanished a lot when needing some time alone or time to think?" He asks, still keeping his arms folded.

Smiling as Diamond leans his head back, "Oh yeah, more often than Emerald would have liked to be honest. You overheard my conversation with Peri, didn't you?" Alexander nods, making Diamond smirk a little, "I don't expect you to accommodate my change of plans, nor do I think you would for the same reason we won't tell our friends to not fight any who wander too close."

"Yeah... Letting off steam. I feel several of our houses could use the combat, upcoming exams are stressing everyone out. I imagine yours have been couped up for several years inside that mirror." Alexander questions, glancing at Diamond.

"Exactly... While we're here, what's on your mind?" Diamond questions as he passes a glance towards Alexander making him sigh.

Thinking for several moments, he unfolds his arms and looks up. "I'm flinching... Tomorrow I'm meant to use an untested spell to enter Spirita, the familiar realm. I want or rather I need to, in order to fix this mess I've caused. Someone made a deal with Shadowfright because of a secret I kept from them..."

"About Ventus?" Diamond quizzes.

"Yeah, I lied about not having a familiar when none showed up to our joint summoning ritual at the start of this, our second year. I should have told him then, I promised my family I wouldn't say anything because he's blacklisted... I really fucked up and now I'm hesitating to fix it." Alexander sighs deeply, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Oh, that's where that neck rubbing habit came from, didn't think I did it before. Due to the mirror taking energy, we tend to have residual habit effects linger for a bit." He chuckles, sighing to himself, "If you care enough about this person you wish to save from Jerry, I'm sure you'll find what you need inside to take the leap." Diamond turns around to begin walking back in the direction of Pegasus House.

Alexander frowns, seeing the point he makes, even if he doesn't agree with where it comes from. "Thanks, I guess... See you around maybe."

"Maybe." Diamond waves back to Alexander before vanishing into the trees.

Alexander sighs, groaning loudly as he swears several times. "Argh, fuck a duck!" He kicks the ground a bit, sighing deeply.

Walking down the corridor towards his dorm room, Alexander stops at the door for a brief moment to internally sigh before entering the domicile. Frowning, he closes the door behind him and proceeds to the living room where Ignis can be seen on their sofa scratching a particular spot behind Ventus' ears which seems to have subdued him entirely.

"Alexander, a senile old man hath invaded the domain and subdued the mighty Ventus, wind dragon god of calamity~" Ventus complains but seems to be purring in a dragonish way.

Ignis glances down at the small dragon with a raised eyebrow, "Mhmm, maybe one century that title will stick... You seem a little nervous, Alexander."

"Heh, I would ask if it's that obvious, but evidently it is." Alexander sits down on the opposite beanbag, looking around, "Where are Fae and Starlight?"

"Out for ice cream I believe." Ignis looks up at Alexander, "I knew, you realise, about Ventus when you and Edward took your year 2 summoning ritual. Assuming you paid any attention in magical history, you'd know the one other magician who has ever wielded the power offered by this familiar's pact?"

"Merlin?" Alexander replies, shuffling a little while staring at his housemaster.

Giving a slight chuckle, Ignis nods slowly, "Indeed, only Merlin has contracted Ventus prior to yourself. This is no mere coincidence either, though I imagine it's still too early for me to explain why..." Closing his eyes in an almost Asian fashion, Ignis thinks for several moments before opening them again. "Your bloodline, specifically, is what enables you to form and maintain the pact you have with Ventus. That is to say, Merlin's bloodline on your mother's side..."

Alexander blinks several times, staring at Ignis before tilting his head to the side still contemplating the sudden ancestor bomb he's been handed. "Da fuq?"

Ventus squirms, mewling out of character for a split moment, "Tis true, while an extremely rare occurrence, select familiars form blood pacts with their magicians that transcend through their bloodline to any descendants like your mother. Though thy influence was limited to spiritual protection given thy incarceration in that cave." Ventus explains briefly before going back to a purring mess.

"Quite, however, out of Merlin's many and varied familiars, only Ventus formed the blood pact. Why this is, remains a mystery to all except the woman herself." Ignis states as he leans back in the seat.

Alexander raises an eyebrow at the slip from Ignis, "Say what now?"

"Hm? I thought it was all explained rather well, to be honest." Ignis boasts, moving around his beard slowly.

"No, no, no, you just said 'woman'." Alexander leans forward as Ignis silently groans inside.

Ignis shakes his head slightly, "I might be getting old but I'm not senile yet as to slip on the gender of history's most prestigious founding magician." He states proudly making Alexander smile.

"So, what you're saying, is that in order to not be considered senile enough to slip on the gender of history's most prestigious founding magician, they'd have to, indeed, be female, right?" Alexander queries with a smirk.

Ignis nods several times slowly, "That's right- wait a minute..." Ignis narrows his eyes at Alexander, "You're a pain in my ass, I hope you know this boy..."

"I try." Alexander leans back before he sighs deeply, "Joking aside... Was Merlin a female?"

Ignis lets out his own sigh, musing over something briefly before giving in. "Your ancestor was indeed female compared to the widely known male version, or as your companions know it to be Starswirl. As much as I'm sure you'd love for me to unravel that mystery for you, I'm sure that you have prior commitments to prepare for."

Ignis glances over to the coffee table which still has all of Fae's spell sheets sprawled around with her final version laying in the middle. "Oh..." Alexander states, swallowing as he glances at Ignis, wondering what his warning will be.

"I can't imagine you'd have this made for a simple 'giggle' adventure... I can only speculate as to the dire circumstances you must be in to consider the journey. I will simply compel you to be cautious... Getting to the fabled Spirita is a chore all its own, actually finding what you seek and getting back is another entirely." Ignis shuffles Ventus off his lap, onto the seat beside him before getting up.

"I'll keep that in mind... You know I wouldn't listen, even if you told me not to go." Alexander states making Ignis chuckle.

"Then you'll understand why that's not what I did. You are a lot like your mother in many regards, especially when it comes to the lengths you'll go for those beside you... Try to make it back, you wouldn't be able to comprehend the level of trouble I'd be in if you were to die in such a place." Ignis comments as he shuffles out the door, leaving Alexander to his thoughts.

After several moments, he looks sharply at the door, tilting his head, "The hell you mean 'if I were to die'? Hey, old man! What do you mean 'die'?!" Alexander yells, frowning before getting up to follow Ignis but is blocked when Starlight and Fae return.

"Oh, you're back, we brought ice cream if you want some. Was Ignis just here?" Starlight asks, walking into the kitchen.

"Something like that..." Alexander groans, dropping back down onto the beanbag with a deep sigh, making Starlight frown.

Author's Notes:

Another one! Trying to get a steady release flow alongside university and other life events me and my co-author have to go through. We hope everyone is still enjoying the fic and look forward to how it progresses through the current arc.