Maritess was flying through the halls of the school in search for a familiar face. While there were a great number of students, she didn't know any of them. And while Tess had been slowly gaining confidence in herself after all those classes and school activities, she still couldn't bring herself to simply fly up to someone she didn't know to ask for help. So it was a big relief for the winged vampire when she finally saw someone she recognized. "Lizzy!" she called out, waving to her bandmate.

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Assignments were starting to pour in, although most of the classes were 'beginner' type classes so the workload was still manageable between club activities and meeting up with friends... However, after the recent events - namely student council elections and battle of the bands - Lizzy couldn't help but rethink her schedule; were there classes she could afford to drop? Deep in thought, she jumped a little when a most familiar voice caused her to snap back into reality; she could recognize that voice anywhere...

"Tess!" She broke into a grin at the sight of her band's vocalist before waving back; while they were knocked out of the game pretty early, she had a lot of fun and she was sure the rest of LIT's members shared her sentiments.

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Tess had a little more courage to reach out to the spider demon, "Are you busy right now?" she asked, glancing over her shoulders towards the building where student mails were sent. "Could I possibly bother you for just a bit? I promise I'll make it worth your while." Not that she thought she needed to bribe Lizzy but Tess just didn't like bothering others if she could help it. And what she was going to ask help with seemed like a bother to Tess. What more for someone who was roped in?

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"I was actually just wandering about the school," Lizzy giggled, blushing a slight pink when she realized how weird that sounded; hopefully Tess didn't notice! She followed the ghoul's gaze before nodding slowly, smiling as she did, "Expecting something in the mail? And sure! You're not bothering at all actually!" A light chuckle escaped her lips; she was a little curious about what Tess needed help with - she had a feeling its not homework!

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Relief flooded Tess, and then gratitude, "Thank you so much," her hands clasped together in front of her before heading towards the building. "Today's the day my parents send me my monthly scare packages. I keep telling them they don't have to bother but my mom can be very... insistent." Her lips twisted wryly at the thought of the household matriarch. "A-and normally I can bring the package to my room just fine but this month my mom got a little carried away."

She scratched the back of her head, embarrassed on her mother's behalf. It was unusual that there were more than two medium-sized parcels waiting for Tess. But that day there was only one box. Except it was huge. Almost as big as Tess! (Technically half of Tess, but since she didn't have her lower half at the moment it was bigger than Tess.) "I don't know what's inside and I don't think it's a good idea to open it if I'm not in my room," she explained to Lizzy, then leaned in close, "And I don't trust the gnomes."

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"You're very welcome," The Demoness nodded, following behind Tess before skipping in order to catch up and walk beside her instead. As she listened, Lizzy couldn't help but giggle as she nodded, "Mothers can be like that! I know mine will send me packages out of the blue at times, although its ceratinly not monthly... Your mother must care about you a lot to send something every month!" Speaking about her mother had made her miss hers a little; she had never been away from home for such long periods of time before, after all! Still, this was no time to be sentimental!

At the comment on gnomes, Lizzy blinked before leaning forward as well, frowning slightly as she nodded in agreement, "I know what you mean... I don't like the looks they give to each other..."

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Tess didn't want to admit that the scare packages were her mother's passive-aggressive reminder of why Tess was at the academy in the first place. Instead she wordlessly nodded at Lizzy. There was no harm in lying by omission, right? Right. "The gnomes are sneaky and I'm sure they'll try to sneak a peek at what's inside." She had heard some of them had tried to sneak a peek up at some of the ghouls in skirts! "I think pushing it towards the dorms would be faster and less painful than trying to carry the box." She suggested thoughtfully.

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"I heard that some of them might take what's in the packages as payment... Tricky things," She sighed, wondering how many of the stories are true; gnomes seem to have a pretty bad reputation in the school! Then again, she always wore safety pants under her skirt, just in case. Running her fingers through her hair before tucking it behind her ears, Lizzy nodded before doing a mini fist-pump into the air, giving Tess a determined look, "Lets do this! I'm curious about what's inside!"

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"Just let them try," Tess rolled up her sleeves and flexed her arms. While they were nothing impressive, the undead were capable of surprising feats of strength. Plus, Tess was on the Track team for Javelin. With a heave-ho on both ghouls' parts, it wasn't long before the large box that made clinking noises with each shove was at the entrance of the Undead's dorm. "Pardon the smell, we're a bit close to the passage that leads to the zombies' room." Tess wrinkled her nose, no matter how long she'd been here, she didn't think she'd ever get used to the smell of rotting flesh. "My room's this wa-oh Jack, STAIRS!" she realized their new predicament.

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When they finally reached the Dorms, Lizzy couldn't help but feel rather proud and accomplished for a whole minute - while she does take daily walks, she dislikes any heavy physical exercises of any kind as she's not particularly good at it. However, while she was sure it was because Tess was there to push the package together with her, she moved a huge package from one place to another! When was the last time she did that much pushing and shoving?

However, that sense of satisfaction quickly vanished as she stared in horror at the flight of stairs - at this point in time, it proved to be more of a headache than the smell of rotting flesh drifting towards them. She stroked her chin before turning to Tess, "So... What now?"

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Tess frowned. Deeply. She didn't frown out in the open unless she was really, really bothered by something. And at that moment: It was these jack-damned stairs. She had no problem, she could fly! But that box was going to be impossible to get up to her room. Unless it was lighter... "Are there any gnomes around?" she asked in a whisper, peering down the hallways for any signs of the aforementioned beings.

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"Try calling out for one?" She suggested in a low whisper, although she was not sure why they had to whisper in the first place. Looking around like a paranoid squirrel, she then added, "They seem to be everywhere after all... What do you have in mind?" She paused, biting her lower lip; Tess couldn't be thinking about asking one for help... Could she? They were pretty desperate after all.

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When it seemed like the coast was clear, Tess decided to try her luck and quickly opened the box. She promptly discovered just why it was so jack-damned heavy. "Mytrax crystals?!" she gasped, pulling out a gem the size of her palm with a tentacle coiled around it. And suddenly she felt like a terrible, terrible, terrible daughter for ever thinking the only times her mother sent her scare packages was to make her feel guilty about losing her legs. She turned to Lizzy and held out the crystal to her, "My mom sent me Mytrax crystals. I'd like you to have one. They're harmless. Most of them at least."

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Lizzy heaved a sigh of relief when she realized that Tess wasn't thinking about asking a gnome for help, feeling rather silly for assuming so. When the box was opened, Lizzy peeked into it after Tess did; what could be inside? Food? Clothes? For a long time, she stared at the crystal-like objects that took up the whole box, eyes widening when she realized just how many there are - at least the box being so heavy made sense to her now!

"What are... Mytrax crystals?" She asked, tilting her head a little as she took it from Tess' hands. She turned it around, trying to take a better look at it; was it alive?

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"They're pets all the girls in my old school used to have but my parents wouldn't let me get one because my dad's allergic to tentacles." she giggled, poking the appendage. "I remembered sulking about it for two whole weeks," she shook her head, homesickness kicking in with full force. "I guess mom figured since I'd be in the academy for some time, it wouldn't hurt to send me some. But wow, this is more than what I would ask for," she looked fondly at the box and its contents. "I could probably carry armfuls up to my room, if you don't mind standing guard? They can be good bludgeoning weapons while they're in this stage." She grinned, remembering the trouble some of the other girls at her old school got into because of it.

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"Pets?" Lizzy stared at the crystal in her hand; its hard to believe that something like this could be alive... Although Tess did mention something about 'at this stage' - meaning they'll grow into something else? She then giggled, keeping the Mytrax Crystal that was given to her, "Allergic to tentacles? What a unique allergy! And thank you... I'll take good care of it, promise!" She nodded, beaming at Tess, glad that she was trusted with something the ghoul valued.

"Don't worry, I won't allow a gnome near this package... If they dare to try anything funny, I'll punt them myself!" She put on a determined face, patting the side of the box gently as she continued, "So take as much time as you need!"