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As she unlocked the door, Raven mentally cursed. She hated opening her laboratory to students she had not trained herself. But as a teacher, she was required to follow some kind of curriculum, and she had been assured that these students had enough study to at least learn the basics of practical magic. An initiation was in order, she decided.

The room was in order, as it always was. Raven could not abide dust. She swept one hand over a counter, then went to organize her notes at the desk in the front of the room. It was early yet, but she expected her students to start arriving any time now.

"MorNING!" The sing-song voice rang out all the way through the hallway, seconds before the goldcrest sashayed inside the classroom. She was a few minutes behind her sibling, face flushed with a smile that appeared genuine and a little bounce to her sleep.

For all their affection for one another, they were completely different. Cleo was in a sundress today, a brightly patterned thing with a cinched waist and strapped sleeves that looked as if it were made fully out of lace. Her curls were pushed back with big bumblebee clips and her stockings were, of course, mismatched. One leg was knee-high with bright red apples, the other was also knee high, with dark orange oranges.

"Class can start now! I'm - TYVIE!" One could see how her smile before had been rather face as her expression lit up when she saw her sister. Cleo bounced again, jumping over to her sister, and she latched her arms around her. "Tyvvie, you are here! You didn't say you had this class! Awesome possum! This is going to be FUN, right, Teacher?"

Shilling was drowsing by the door. He was tiiired.

Despite Ravens tone, Cleo smiled brightly at her teacher. It was a bit ditzy and vacant, as was her voice, and she did not release her sister from her grasp. Oh, she knew what that less-than-kind smile had meant and she knew what this particular teacher was going to be like - Cleo also knew that Tyven would not take kindly to her little sister being abused, if it ever came down to the teacher being outright cruel to her.

Raven was like Rapier, except not as cool.

"I'm sorry!" she all but chirped as her small frame squirmed a bit against her older sister. "I don't get to see Tyvvie a lot in school and it makes the day sooooo much better."

She ran delicate fingers over her sisters hair, fondled the bun, and then hopped away with a pleased smile. Her 'writing implements' came out (a bright green notebook with flowers and a violet pen) as Cleo settled back against her chair.

She was ready to learn!

Still disapproving, Raven merely waited for them to be seated. She had no intention of derailing her class even further, unless it was truly necessary. That didn't mean she couldn't school them on her rules, however. "I feel I should inform you- both of you," she specified, "that I generally do not approve of close friends as laboratory partners, as friendships often distract from the task at hand. I am allowing this as an experiment only. If I find it necessary, I can and will assign you each new partners."

With that out of the way, Raven pulled a shade-like chart down over the blackboard. Written in a fine cursive, the chart detailed the rules of the laboratory. "Most of these are self-explanitory," she said. "I will tolerate no violent, rude, or otherwise disruptive behavior. You are expected to come to class, every class, on time. All of your coursework is due promptly. Are there any questions, or shall we begin?"

In truth, Raven was excited. It was finally time for her to see what these children were made of, so to speak. And they were promising students- or one of them was, at least. The other Raven would need to watch carefully.

Tyven's eyes cut over to the bird beside her. Sisters. Holding in a sigh at Cleo's actions and words, she instead nodded curtly at the rules, not bothering to take notes on them. Entirely what she had expected.

The purple-haired girl finally spoke, and her tone was polite, calm. "Thank you, Professor Millner. We will not give you any cause to split us up." She didn't have a doubt in her voice. In fact, Cleo tended to be more on task when Tyven was around to help her focus. "Please begin."

A slight smile. Tyven was more of a fighter than a magician, however, that was simply because she valued control above all as, and found it necessary to train and control her body. She was, in fact, a very intelligent young woman, and prefered mental puzzles. Time to see what was in store for them.

"I've learned some formulaes and stuff with the spells but not--"

Before Cleo could continue, a timid tap to the door rang out and a small, frail looking pale girl stepped into the room. She looked pale even under her natural coloring and almost frightened. Oh, that was right. She was late, nearly disgustingly so. Emi tried to speak, but her teeth chattered together too much for her to be able to at first.

It was Cleo that broke her from her trembling trance. "Emi, what're you doing here?"

The swan jumped in her skin, wide eyes turning to her cousins. When she saw that Tyven was there, her shoulders visibly relaxed and a bit of the fear left. Much like Cleo, Emi saw Tyven as a sort of protector. Tyven felt almost like a boy that would keep her from harm. She liked that. It was only then that she was able to speak.

"I- I was coming to class and I saw Keivlos. He was coming too or - or he was supposed to be. When I tried to get him to come, Odette, she. I mean. She. She got mad at his dragon, his dragon, he doesn't like me and she doesn't like him either of them, and they almost - I was going to be on time!" That was cried out, small frame twisting to the teacher. "Early. But they got almost in a f-fight and Odette wouldn't calm down and I don't even know if Keivlos is going to come but I tried, I'm sorry, please don't be mad. I--"

"Geesh - Emi! Calm down!" Cleo hopped up to her feet, eyes wide. "Prof Millner isn't going to yell at you like Auntie Dagger would. Right?" Those big eyes turned to the teacher in question. Emi sniffled. Her mother and dance teacher would have ranted. After the skirmish with the two dragons, and Keivlos, she didn't want to be yelled at. She would cry.

Raven frowned as she heard the door, and moved to answer it. She did not get far, however, before the conversation could unfold.

She had thought this student was better trained than to arrive so late to a class, but apparently not. And the relationships between the students made things much more complicated than Raven would have liked. She was considering dismissing the class entirely, when the well-behaved student spoke... literally taking the words right out of Raven's mouth.

Her frown lightened slightly, pleased that at least one student had sense. "Yes, well, Miss Reever is quite correct. I do not care to hear excuses now, but I do ask that you speak with me after class, Miss Kuseth." She stared at Emi to make sure it was clear which Miss Kuseth she referred to.

"Contrary to popular belief, I do not raise my voice unless it is absolutely necessary. Since this is not the case, I simply ask you to take your seats. There will be extra work for you and Mister Crossette, Miss Kuseth, and if your partner does not arrive before the practical portion of the lesson begins, you will not be able to participate. And we should be starting imminently. Am I understood?"

At least this was a student that Raven had taught before, so she could feel some comfort in that. But the raven child... good heavens, she could only hope that he never showed up.

"Now, where were we? Oh yes, continue speaking on your education thus far, please."

Tyven didn't bother to acknowledge the raven, instead keeping her eyes on the front of the room and explaining her limited experience with magic. She'd never met the strange bird, but she had plenty of reason to dislike him. Emi, despite the work she put into Keivlos, never quite seemed happy when she returned from meeting with him. Often, she was more upset.

Tyven was the protective sort, and well, Keivlos continued to cause Emi stress, as proven by his tardiness. To her, being late was a sign of disrespect.

"I've had a brief, cursory lesson with Professor Jetter, concerning magical formulae and how to recognize patterns of magic in everyday life. Nothing concerning spellcasting. I must admit that most of my efforts have been in martial arts and spiritual refinement, though I am becoming more interested in the mental and emotional discipline of magic."