Episode 2: So It Begins

"Wait. Hold on, what do you mean you don't believe in magic? Then why are you here?" Oz was walking with me inside Doure. Which lets just take a minute to gush over how beautiful it really is in here because, Oh my god, I live for this. So let's explain the outside really fast, but let's be real it might not be fast. So what you have is this little island that's flat enough you can see were the island ends from all sides. Now in the very center is this cylinder shaped tower made of all different kinds of doors that reaches up passed the clouds, so who's to say how tall it really is. There was a rumor once that the tower grows by gaining more doors. I call bull but believe whatever you want. There's only one way in, through the main door which is like ten feet tall, plus double french doors, and my favorite part, stained glass. The glass isn't in any detail to be a clear picture but there's so much color and intricate line work in the design.

Now, the moment you've all been waiting for, the inside, which by the way looks totally bigger inside than it does outside. Also it looks totally different and by that I mean when you see a cylinder tower made out of doors you don't expect to walk in and everything looks elegant. Its like a Victorian mansion with floor to ceiling windows, the ceiling kind of never ends really, light greens in the carpeting on the stairs and in the windows of the other doors. The floors and walls are a nice cherry wood. In front of me there's two sets of stairs that meet at an open balcony with a staircase circling the wall and windows all the way up, occasional doors following the staircase leading to classrooms and offices. There's a bunch of students bustling about, but it doesn't distract from the beauty of this place. Really makes you think its an elite school for sure.

The doors on the first level, which is where I'm at, are by both ends of the stairs that lead to different offices. Under the balcony there's a counter like area that reads Front Desk. I imagine that's probably what I'm looking for. Ignoring Oz asking his ridiculous questions, I make my way over to the nice looking lady instead of the wicked witch of the west next to her. Oz followed right behind me, I could practically feel the guy breathing down my neck.

"Howdy youngin, you must be new. How can I help you?" Oh I knew I was gonna like Glinda the good witch. She has the same southern drawl as my Nan, I should send her a letter next time I get the chance.

I gave her my biggest smile because she just made my whole day a thousand times better. "Hi ma'am, I'm just wondering where a non Mystic like myself would need to go." I said giving her a toothy grin. Oz gasped and spun me around but not before I saw the confusion on Glinda's face. I know so rude, who interrupts conversations like that?

"What do you think your doing? You can't just walk in here and start saying things like that." Oz spoke with disbelief.

"Well how else do you suppose am I going to get help, huh? I don't have magical powers, I don't even believe in magic. But somehow, I'm here, so tell me Oz, what do I do?" I asked crossing my arms over my chest, waiting for his brilliant, know-it-all answer.

"I didn't mean it like that. But honestly I don't think anyone would know how to deal with you. I mean you'd be useless here really. You even just said you can't do magic so what's the point if you don't even believe to top it off?" Oz sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. Clearly he's had enough of me. Well trust me buddy, at this point, the feelings mutual. Who the hell tells people they're useless? Looking more and more like Gaston as we go.

The lady behind the counter cleared her throat. "That ain't no way to talk to a new comer Oz, and you know it. Y'all need to work together. I reckon you two could do some good to work together. Course that's the Headmasters decision but I'll be makin' a recommendation. Maybe while you're together you can work on gettin' along. Now youngin, you were given a key today. May I have that please? Its your student ID." She held her hand out with a smile. While I searched my pockets, Oz did his best to stop me.

"Hold on Ms. Loveng," Um excuse you its Glinda. "I can't be his mentor. You can't teach someone who doesn't even want to learn. That's what I'm trying to get at, 99% of our spells and magic require belief. Not only can he not do magic, he doesn't believe in it." He argued leaning on the counter now with his back to me, trying to explain. This guy just has a lovely way with words don't he?

"Be that as it may, he's here, I reckon for a good reason. Otherwise he wouldn't be here. Who knows, maybe while you two work together, you can make a believer out of him." At that I scoffed, yeah right. Oz sighed shaking his head, looking more frustrated than ever. 

Glinda, I know her name is Loveng, but Glinda is just too perfect. She took the key I gave her, inserting it into the keyhole of an old, small, bronze box and turned the key clockwise. The box made a bunch of noises like a printer then spit out papers like a printer but these pages looked old like some lost scroll you'd find in the kings tomb or something. The key turned itself back counter clockwise, sounding like a wind up key for a music box and popped out landing in her hand. Glinda turned back to me with a smile. "Alright youngin, these papers have all the information you'll need. Your schedule, supplies, and where you'll be stayin'. Now, I put it upon myself to keep you two in the same dorm. So you'll be with at least one person you know." She leaned close to me to whisper, "Even if they're a stick in the mud." We both snickered before she went back to handing me my things. "Let me just put this strap on your key that way you can put it 'round your neck and you won't loose it. And Tim?" She said my name at the end, by instinct I gave her all my attention. "I do hope you have a change of heart. Oz may be harsh in his delivery, but believing is the biggest power you could have. I hope you find your magic youngin. Now off you two go, have a wonderful day and welcome to Doure."

I took the key and papers from Glinda. And I thought I was going to have a hard time at my other school, hahaha...I knew absolutely nothing. I looked at the papers and saw on the back of my schedule was a map. It had a blue dot that said 'your here' and there were six other red dots at different places, those must be my classes and the numbers by them must be the order. This is so stress inducing. I was really hoping for a more dramatic response to me not being a mystic than that. I mean if that's gonna be the reaction I get then why bother... Sigh, no, have to keep trying, Jupiter ain't no quitter. Besides, its not like Gaston here is pleased, so maybe I can base others response to me with his.

"Lucky for you classes don't start for another week do to a magic user holiday, not that you know anything about that. But you have to attend the orientations, you have 3 of them. For now though we'll just go to the dorms. Can't believe I'm stuck with you for a whole year." He grumbled and I just rolled my eyes pretending that didn't hurt a little to hear. Like, I know I'm "useless" but that's just mean. Jeez is he gonna be like this the whole time?

"Well lucky for you, you don't have to. Its not like we're actual partners. And to move things along, I'll find the dorm on my own since I'm so useless." I said and started walking ahead. I barely got the map out again before Oz grabbed my arm to stop me.

"Wait, I didn't mean it like that. Its just I don't get how you can't even believe in magic when practically everything now days involves magic. But I'm not hating on you or anything. I just don't get you." He said with a shrug and a bit of a smile. He let my arm go and maybe its me being naive, totally is, but I'm kinda warming up to him. Hell if I'm gonna admit that though.

Feeling a little confused myself I shake my thoughts. "Well, you can make it up to me. Help me get kicked out." I said with a smile. He looked adorably more lost.

"Hold on get kicked out? Why would you want to do that? I mean I get that you don't believe in magic and don't use it. But don't you think your here for a reason? Like Ms. Loveng said." Oz rambled on.

"And don't you think I'm hear by mistake? Look you guys can all do your magic together. You know, "is this your card" and all that. But I don't feel like I should be here." I said and started walking in the direction to the dorm. Oz followed keeping step being quiet again, probably trying to wrap his head around me...I mean there's other things I'd like wrapped around me if you know what I mean, hehe. Okay, sorry.

We finally made it to the dorm and I noticed it was empty. "Where is everyone?" I asked as he opened the door and let me step inside. There's four beds, so sharing with another two dudes good to know my time spent here will be spent drooling over my mates. There's a door to the side which I assume leads to the bathroom. I sat on the only plain bed in the room surrounded with blank wall space. Oz sat on the bed in front of me. Between these beds is a nightstand in front of a window with, that's right, stained glass, best part of Doure really. "They're on vacation. Spending time with family and all that. Are you sure you want to get expelled?" He asked with an unreadable expression in his eyes.

I nodded my head. "Yeah. I mean what business does a non Mystic have in a school for Mystics? I don't belong here Oz." I told him and he put his chin in his hands, elbows on his knees and sighed. If I didn't know better I'd say he was a bit disappointed with that. Nope, no, not possible. Just stop Jupiter, you're reading into things now. He calls you useless and you still want him? Come on now, Nan taught us better.

There was so much silence passing by that I was tempted to write that letter to grandma. Dear Nan, how are you? I'm great. I get to go to a school I don't want, with people I don't have interest in, well except maybe one, but its really complicated and mostly I just like him for his looks at this point, who will not be named who's also my roommate, and a very nice lady I've started calling Glenda in my head. She reminds me of you in a lot of ways. She's definitely going to make being here easier. Said roommate is so quiet I got to write a fake letter to you. Love Pit. I jumped at the sound of a voice completely forgetting Oz was in the room. "Okay. Okay, I'll help you." He said through laughs at my jump, I glared at him till he stopped.

When Oz was done, I held my hand out to him standing so he could reach me. "Shake it to seal it." I said with a smirk and he looked at my hand as though it would jump out and bite him, which was a little off putting, but I mean he's willing to help so this is no time to be picky. After a minute he stood up and took my hand looking me in the face. Thinking about it there might be one regret of leaving the school, but hell if I'm gonna say or admit to that, though its totally Glenda, let's be honest. "Tomorrow we'll start working on me getting out of here. I have a week and 3  orientations, I'll still go to those but we can at least use that time to really plan something." I said sitting back down on the bed and laid back.

Oz nodded in agreement. "I still can't believe it, no one has ever been kicked out before. You'll be a legend for sure, good or bad depends on point of view, but totally legend." He said with a hint of awe and worry. Smiling I slowly I felt my eyes close, exhaustion catching up with me. It's been a day I'll tell ya that and its only just beginning.