#Mira DuBaer

[the-dark-mirror]

Twisted Tales: Welcome to the Villains World

Chapter 1: Strange Awakings

To say that it was Elizabeth’s first time in a coffin… it would be a complete lie.

The first thing she saw was nothing. Just darkness. Pure and utter pitch black darkness encased her body. Groaning, she shifted and then froze when she felt the smooth wood underneath her finger tips. She felt around and from what she could feel she concluded that she was definitely inside of a coffin.

For a moment she thought this was a prank. A prank that the inhabitants of her home frequently played on her. More specifically, Phineas, Ezra and Gus who loved to play this little prank on her.

She rolled her eyes, only guessing that this was the case and pushed against the door of the coffin. Her eyes widened when the door didn’t budge. The coffin door would always be unlocked, her ghosts wouldn’t be that cruel to do something like that to her.

Elizabeth fell back against the wood and was preparing to kick it open to the best of her ability, her coffin started to rattle, “What the?” She whispered in confusion.

She blinked in surprise when she heard a voice coming from the outside of the coffin. It was a little gravely and scratchy but it was also higher pitched and honestly sounded adorable, “I better hurry up and find that uniform before someone spots me…”

Elizabeth had never heard of the voice before. She knew every single ghost that walked her grounds, no one had a voice like that.

“Urgggh… This lid weighs a ton! Try this on for size! Mya-ha!” The voice exclaimed and suddenly blue flames ignited the coffin.

“F-fire?! What the hell?” Elizabeth screamed and launched herself at the lid of the coffin. Her entire body went translucent as she kicked off from the wood under her.

“Now to grab the goods… Nyahhh!” A small gray cat-like creature with a little black and white striped bow and bright blue flames dancing in his cat-like ears and the same colored blue eyes screamed as Elizabeth’s translucent body flew out, more like through the coffin and stumbled onto her feet.

“H-how did you do that?! You ain’t supposed to be awake either!” The creature exclaimed.

Elizabeth found her footing, her body turning back to normal and stared at the small creature in question, “What the hell are you?” She looked around and her jaw dropped at the massive number of floating coffins in this one single room she woke up in.

“Holy shit. There must be the same amount of coffins that the mausoleum has. Never saw floating ones though.” Elizabeth stares in wonder at the beautiful, ornate coffins.

More banging filled the room, coming from six other coffins.

“Ahh!” One coffin opened right next to the now semi charred one that Elizabeth floated out of. With a scream, another person started to fall out of the coffin.

Elizabeth’s eyes widened as she recognized the person immediately. “Esma!” Elizabeth thrusted her hand out, her teal eyes glowing along the veins in her hands glowing the same color and with the guided motions of her hand, Esma was gently set on her feet.

Esma shuddered out a breath and bowed her head to her friend, “Thanks Elizabeth… woah, what are you wearing?”

“I could say the same for you.” Elizabeth replied, letting her hands fall and the glowing ceased. Both girls were wearing beautiful dark purple and black robes with golden embroidery, black fitted pants with small heeled boots sharing the same colors. Both had their hoods up, completely hiding their hair and a good portion of the faces.

A bang rang out the room, louder than the others and a third person jumped down from their floating coffin, holding her laser flintlock. The person sighed when they saw the others in the room, “Thank god. We’re not dreaming are we?”

The flintlock disappeared from their hand in a flash of golden light, using said weapon to blast their way out of the coffin they were in.

Esma smiled at the person, “Jamie. I don’t think we are.”

Jamie frowned, “Seems dream-like to me.” She says, walking over to her two other friends. Her friends blinked in surprise as a floating blob of pink with big eyes flew out of the hood of Jamie’s robs.

“Morph got here too?” Elizabeth asked.

Jamie shrugged and opened her palm for Morph to place himself on. He babbled happily and rubbed himself against Jamie’s fingers, happy to be with his owner, “I guess. Morph, do you know how we got here?”

Morph shook his head and acted out that he was asleep just like Jamie was. “Huh, nope. He has no idea.”

Two more coffins opened and the two occupants landed gracefully on their feet. Elizabeth raised a brow, “Kim? Mira?”

Both said girls looked at the group and then at each other, “Okay is this some elaborate prank done by the Hitchhiking Ghosts?” Kim asked, crossing her arms.

Elizabeth shook her head, “I don’t think so. They are good at what they do, but I don’t think they could ever go this far.”

“Ahh!” The last two coffins opened and the last two girls were way less than graceful, tumbling out of the coffins that were thankfully not that high in the air.

Jamie winced and jogged over to her two other friends, “Ally, Maxine. You two okay?”

Ally giggled a little, taking Jamie’s helping hand, “Oh yeah, I’ve fallen from places higher than that and came out unscathed. Maxine?”

Maxine sprang to her feet and bounced on her toes, “That was fun. Can I do it again?” She looked back up at the coffin, hoping to try falling out of it again.

“No.” The entire group of girls groaned in unison at Maxine.

Maxine frowned and stopped bouncing in her place, “Boo.” She mumbled.

“Oh-ho! You got a lotta nerve ignoring me, humans!” The cat-like creature screamed at the group.

Maxine’s eyes widened and squeaked, “What an adorable kitty! He kind of reminds me of Thackery.”

The cat creature let out a noise, offended that he possibly was compared to a cat, “I’m not a cat! The name’s Grim. Believe me, you won’t forget it!”

Grim folded his arms and glared at the group, “Now, one of you gimme your uniform, and be quick about it!”

The girls all exchanged a look, suddenly uneased, not believing what this creature named Grim was saying. Even if one of the girls gave him the uniform, he would be swimming in it.

“‘Cause if you don’t… you’re gonna regret it!” Grim exclaimed, waving his arms, the same blue flames that Elizabeth experienced, surrounded them for a split second. Like a warning.

The girls let out their own noises of shock, “Getting roasted by a kitty! We gotta be dreaming!” Maxine exclaimed.

Ally shook her head, “We are totally not dreaming. Those flames felt way too real.”

Grim scowled, “Well keep dreamin’, cause I ain’t no kitty!” He shot out even more flames at the group and that was their cue to get the hell out of there.

“Run!” Esma shouted, taking the lead and slamming her body against the doors of the room they were in, and flung them open with a loud bang.

The other girls quickly followed, “Seriously?! That’s something you see down in the Underworld!” Elizabeth announced to the group as they ran throughout the building they found themselves in.

They exited said building, their heels clacking loudly against the cobblestone underneath their feet as they ran through what they all could only guess was the courtyard.

“Let’s try there!” Mira pointed to another building just a little ahead of them. The group agreed with Mira, and all ran into the building, closing the doors behind them and leaning against the walls or against each other to catch their breath.

“Woah.” Ally whispered when she finally catched her breath.

The group returned to breathing normally and lightly pushed off each other or the wall, stepping deeper into the room in awe. Books were floating or even flying through the large, ceiling high bookshelves. Rows upon rows of books filled the room.

“Gotta be the library.” Mira guessed and smiled when she had to duck an oncoming flying book, putting itself back in its rightful spot.

Elizabeth grinned when a few books flew past her as well, almost fluttering at her in greeting. “Kind of reminds me of home.” Her mansion had a huge library that definitely competed with this place, though with more cobwebs and ghosts wandering about.

Ally looked around, eyes wide in awe. “Man, I wish the books in Halloween Town could fly.” The place just reminded her of home in Halloween Town, a library that her and her father spent days reading in. Though unfortunately, the books didn’t fly.

“Amazing.” Kim mumbled out before grabbing a book mid-flight, struggling with it a little, to read the title, “ Species of the Coral Sea . Huh?” The book flew out of her hands, obviously not being plucked mid-flight.

Each one of them had smiles on their faces. Obviously magic had a mind of its own wherever they ended up. In a weird way it was comforting.

Jamie chuckled as Morph ‘ohed’ at the books. His eyes going comedicaly wide at the new environment. He started to dart ahead but Jamie caught him before he could stray from the group. “Hold it, buddy. I get it’s cool but we don’t know what this place is.”

Morph made some noises, obviously upset that he couldn’t explore but didn’t protest against Jamie’s words.

And their smiles disappeared as a wall of blue fire roared around them in warning and dissipating as quickly as it appeared.

A chorus of screams and a few curses rang throughout the library as the girls avoided the fire. Morph even screamed, flying into one of the pockets of Jamie’s robes, peeking over the edge.

They turned and saw Grim, smirking with his hands on his hips… or what the girls could assume was his hips, “Foolish humans! Did you really think you could slip away from ME?”

“Mean kitty.” Maxine whispered under her breath with a small pout. Kim nodded in agreement, her eyes glowing bright blue, her fingers twitching, preparing if Grim decided to attack the group again.

“Now, unless you wanna get burned to a crisp, take off that-” A whip snapped, wrapping around Grim, stopping him mid-sentence, “Me-YEOW! That hurt! What gives?”

Kim blinked, her eyes stopped glowing, but still remained her bright blue color. The group watched on as a man dressed from head to toe in black, dark blues and purples, almost dressed in a formal tuxedo with raven feathers adorning his cape. Pale skin, a crow mask hid half of his face and his eyes were seemingly glowing yellow and no pupil was visible. A top hat on his head with the motif of mirrors and keys incorporated in his entire outfit.

He glared at Grim as he lifted him wrapped in his whip. “Consider it tough love.” He declared.

Esma raised a brow at the man. Who the hell just carries a whip around? Not really the best way to discipline anyone. Let alone a cat-like beast trying to attack them.

The man’s glare went away and smiled at the group, “Ah, I found you at last. Splendid, I trust you seven are this year’s new students?”

The girls looked at each other, not really understanding what this man was talking about. School? As far as they were concerned, they were all hanging out at Elizabeth’s mansion for a sleepover. Then… Well, they couldn’t remember anything past a carriage rolling up to the mansion's gate.

“My, were you lot ever eager to make your debut.” He narrowed his gaze, “And bringing a poorly trained familiar with you? That is a clear violation of the school’s rules.”

“Um, sir, he’s not-” Elizabeth was cut off when Grim interrupted her.

“As if I’d serve some lowly humans! Now lemme go!” Grim struggled in his hold, clearly more than upset by the crow-man’s accusations.

The crow-man sighs, “Yes, yes. Rebellious familiars always say that. Do be quiet for a bit, won’t you?” He lifts Grim into his arm and places a hand over Grim’s mouth to prevent him from speaking any farther.

Ally’s eye twitches at the treatment of Grim. Yes, he was causing trouble, but this was… unsettling to say.

“Dear me. Of all the students I’ve dealt with, you’re the first with the temerity enough to open their own gate and step out of it.” He ignores the confused stares from the girls who had no idea what this bird-man was saying.

“Whoa, hold on, rewind.” Mira spoke up, waving her hands, “Those coffins we fell out of were portals?” Mira questioned. She knew about portals; fortunately, she used them often to go back and forth from her home on the mortal plane and to Coventry.

“Huh, never thought of using coffins before.” Ally mumbled. Portals were common enough, but coffins were certainly a new way to go about them. Maybe if they walked back into them, they could get back home?

It wouldn’t be much different than her and her dad using mausoleums to get to the mortal plane like Mira and back to Halloween Town. Of course doorways were a thing, like what her friend Splendora uses to get to her own home. Or even other forms of portals like Jamie used.

Apparently, crow-man had no interest in listening to either of them, “Does the very notion of patience elude you all? No matter. Your orientation has already begun. Let us return to the Mirror Chamber.”

“Orientation? What like, student orientation?” Esma questioned, tilting her head. They were already in school. If this really was a school, it gave off cult vibes more than anything.

“You awakened in a room full of gates, did you not? All of the students here at campus arrived by passing through such gates.” He explained.

Esma stared unamused by him, so yeah, he basically answered Mira’s previous question.

Mira herself was irked by him, sighing and rubbing her temple.

The crow-man continued, “Although typically the students have enough restraint to wait until I open them before waking up.”

Elizabeth crossed her arms, “Yeah, well, waking up to someone trying to burn me to a crisp is quite motivating.”

“Not to mention, easy to shoot out of.” Jamie mentioned. She hated confined spaces, guns always helped.

The girls hummed and murmured, each not wanting to stay in such a confined space with no recollection on how they got there.

The man was baffled at the group. They just left their coffins without anything from him. He shook his head, not wanting to fully address their ways of leaving the coffins, “The design is intended to symbolize a parting with your former world, and a rebirth into a new one.”

Maxine’s heart dropped, “P-parting?” What did that really mean? Could they not get back to their homes? They should be able to have a choice in this matter. They didn’t choose to come here.

“But now is not the time for such prattle.” He continued, “You’ve got a student orientation to attend! Go on, now. Make haste.” He waved them along, gesturing for them to follow him out of the library.

Jamie huffed, “Look, we aren’t going anywhere until you tell us where we are and who the hell you are.” She just wants a straight answer from this guy.

He tilted his head at the group, “Hm? Have you not fully regained consciousness? The timespace teleportation must have addled your memories…”

Jamie furrowed her brows, “Timespace?...” Did the gates work like her portkey? Her eyes widened at the thought and she quickly patted down her pockets, quietly apologizing to Morph as she searched for the one item she always makes sure she has on her person. She sighed in relief once she felt a metal, spherical object in her other pocket.

“Well, these things happen, I suppose. I shall explain it to you while we walk. Truly, my magnanimity is boundless.” He smiled, praising himself despite not fully answering Jamie’s question.

Unfortunately, the girls, without much knowledge on where they were, they kind of had no choice but to follow this strange man. Defeated, the girls follow him out of the library and through what they could only guess is a courtyard. Apple trees grew everywhere, a well was placed in the middle that looked oddly familiar to a few of them.

“This is Night Raven College.” Well, that answered half of Jamie’s question.

“It is an institution for students the world over who demonstrate a rare aptitude for magic. It is the most prestigious of its sort in all of Twisted Wonderland.” He explained.

They had to admit, the college was impressive, beautiful even. Some of the girls were used to the gothic architecture while others weren’t used to the castle life.

“And I am Dire Crowley.”

“Thank fuck, we got a name.” Jamie sighed and Maxine giggled at her friend.

Crowley gave Jamie a pointed look before continuing, “Having been entrusted with its care by the chairman, I serve as headmage.”

Esma speaks up, “Magic?” It wasn’t that none of them heard about magic. Hell, they lived in worlds full of magic and had magic themselves. Each one of them is special and unique to themselves.

Crowley nodded, “Only those who the Dark Mirror perceives as having a talent for magic are admitted to the college.”

Maxine hummed at his words. Maybe that explained why they ended up at Night Raven, hell in Twisted Wonderland altogether?

“Those who are selected are summoned to the campus through those “gates”, which can appear anywhere. A black carriage bearing one such gate should have come to meet you.” Crowley explained.

Flashes of multiple carriages showing up at Elizabeth’s mansion flashed in the girls' heads. But… none of them had heard of Twisted Wonderland or Night Raven College. And did he say Dark Mirror?

“The black carriage serves to receive a student chosen by the Dark Mirror. It too bears a gate that connects to this campus. And as you know, sending a carriage to meet someone on a special day is a time-honored tradition.”

Silence hung over the group. “So these carriages basically dragged us here against our will?” Maxine asked. They never asked for this.

Grim started making noises of protest from Crowley’s hold. Seriously, Maxine was starting to think that this treatment of the poor cat was unnecessary.

Crowley ignored Grim’s noises of protest, “Now, let us attend to your orientation.”

The girls all shared a look before following Crowley. What did they get themselves into now?