Okay, rushed post because I'm busy but don't want this to fall off the front page......

Horatio~

Our dorms are just as striking as the rest of the school, a four story pagoda with lanterns and wind chimes strung across the eaves. The first floor even has an atrium, giving us a view all the way to the top.

A few students plop down on sofas in the common area, and some others set out to explore the kitchen.

"Do you wanna come cook something with us?" Rainey asks me. "I think some of the others are making dinner."

"Uh, food's not really my forte, and I don't want to poison you guys. I'm gonna go check out the rooms." I point my thumb at the staircase.

Rainey nods in understanding, and walks off to join the others. I take the winding stairs to the top floor of the pagoda, and pause for a moment, my hands on the railing, looking down into the kitchen. Looks like someone turned into an Exofauna to help with the meal. Very... creative. Well, at least Ripley and Marilyn aren't tearing into each other anymore.

I turn back to the hallway and choose the door that will lead to my new home.

The door creaks open, (it's not too old so it was clearly built to creak deliberately), and I'm greeted with a minamalistic, but surprisingly spacious room. The wooden floor is covered with a small intricate rug, and paintings of bamboo, mountains, and other thematically fitting images line the walls. A simple platform bed rests in the corner, and a sliding door gives way to a balcony that wraps around the pagoda. A single spherical lantern hangs from the ceiling.

I drop my suitcase down on my bed, relieved that finally I can stop carrying it around. I plug my phone into the outlet beside my bed, noting the several new messages from Isabelle. I make a mental note to check them later.

Well, it'll certainly take some getting used to, but it's at least better than my old place. Although most rooms are better than my old place, to be honest. Smelling food, I turn around to go back downstairs. 

I walk to my room, it looks like a misty forest at night, with trees painted of the walls and stars on the celing. Then I see it. It's small but it's still there, a painted beast, staring out of the forest. I quickly move the oak dresser in front of it but there's another one behind there except it's bigger, like It's coming out of the trees. I move the dresser back and pull over a chair to hide it, luckily there is nothing hiding behind the chair. I walk downstairs and freeze, my eyes resting on the steak cooking on the stove. I feel something stir in my chest, an ancient, horrible being cracking it's eye open at the smell of fresh, red, meat. I quickly place a note that I wrote earlier onto the counter as I slip away into the forest.

(this is the note)

Roommates,

I've gone out for a walk in the forest, I'll be back later

- Daniel 

P.S. Don't come looking for me, I'll come back on my own time. Sorry for the inconveniecne

~~~

I'm thinking that Daniel turns into a monster, people find the monster a few hours later, and they get worried about Daniel since they don't know that he is the creature. Also, maybe he can turn into a half monster but he dislikes it even though he can control that form with much more ease than a giant, hulking beast.

I guess I'll post again if no one else is going to...

Wei~

I sit in darkness on the floor of my dorm, my legs crossed beneath me, my hands perched on the edge of my knees. With every breath, I try to clear the dissonance in my mind. To remain balanced.

Balanced... a word that means everything to me.

The initiation tomorrow will be the first chance we have to display our powers. It is the most important first impression one can possibly make at a school like this. It is the benchmark by which the whole staff will hold you at for the rest of the year. Your starting point.

Which is why it is important- no, imperative, that I stand out. If I'm not the best, then what else can I be?

Balanced on a precipice of success and failure? Of life and death?

Like a ghost.

Hey. Don't look now but you're being watched.

The balance is broken, the feather falls from the scale. My entire body darts around to see Dariya peaking in through the sliver of light formed by the door I left ajar. She retreats slightly at my sudden movement, but returns a second later.

"Hi Wei. Sorry to disturb you, but everyone's eating and I thought I should get you... I can leave you alone if you wan-" 

"No. It's fine." I rise in a single swift movement. "If one spends too much time distressing over the future, they will miss the blessings of the present. Thank you, Dariya."

Dariya looks moderately confused, but opens the door all the way to let me out. I follow her downstairs to see a feast spread out across the table, a conglomeration of foods from all over the world. I won't lie, it smells delicious. It seems I already underestimated my classmates.

Everyone is laughing, eating, and conversing merrily... and yet, I sense all is not right.

"I count fourteen of us. Someone is missing."

"Oh, yeah, about that." The girl named Korrynn extracts a small slip of paper from her pocket. "Daniel left a note."

Marilyn-

There are a few ovens in the kitchen, which is lucky because then I don’t have to glare at anyone to get out of my way. Someone appears to have transformed into an Exofauna. That’s...creative. 

I decide to cook a classic Beef Wellington for dinner. I manage to stay out of everyone’s way, and finish in an hour. I make a side salad, and put my dish on the table with the others. 

Dariya, the girl I talked to earlier, sits next to me but soon leaves to check on Wei. 

"I count fourteen of us.” He remarks upon entering. “Someone is missing."

A pretty girl that appears around my age speaks up, pulling a piece of paper out of her pocket. “Daniel left a note.” She explains. 

I frown. That seems a bit suspicious. It becomes more so when I hear what it says. “Don’t come looking for me.” Someone has to be hiding something. But I stay quiet, pondering what must be going on. 

Korrynn~

I show everybody the slip of paper. Various looks of speculation and distrust show on most faces. The closest girl, Marylin, crosses her arms.

"We should go looking for him." She states. Wei nods thoughtfully.

"Korrynn. I saw you talking to Daniel earlier. You seem to know him pretty well. He doesn't seem to trust anybody else. Do you think you could track him and bring him back?" He looks me up and down, sizing me up. I shove the note into my back pocket an look Wei straight in the eye.

"Yes, I believe I can. I'll go alone. My powers will take care of me. And Daniel." Wei nods again, and I turn to leave. Marylin grabs my shoulder.

"Wait. What are your powers?" She raises an eyebrow. I smile mysteriously.

"Not entirely sure." I leave the room, with all of the others struggling with my words. I go to my room first. I don't know what I went there for, but once I arrived I searched the room for clues of where Daniel might have gone and what he may be doing there. Immediately, I notice that he seems to have shoved some furniture against the wall. I shove it aside, completely undoing Daniel's work. The wall is painted like a forest, and two dark forms peek out from behind some trees. Their eyes are friendly, but they seem to glint. The forest. He went to the forest to unleash something. Possibly something terrible. I dash out of the building, heading for a line of trees.

~~

I've decided that Korrynn's powers will be changing into Exodaunae and mythical creatures, and powers over pictures. The situational powers seemed cliche to me. 

Guess I'll post again

Marilyn-

Not entirely sure.

Korrynn's words swim in my head. Someone unsure of her powers, it is belivable. Yet, doubt still lingers in my mind. But if anything happens, I'll be able to find out. 

Hopefully I can trust her. 

----------------------------

Sooo short, but I'm in school and just wanted to keep this going. 

Bold is the beast's perspective/ third person 

~~~ 

The second that I am in the cover of the trees I shift. It's always been painful, though I suppose that one can never get used to their flesh and bones tearing and breaking to turn into a beast of destruction.

~~~

A monster clawed it's way out of the boy, eyes glunting with malicious hunger. It made a demonic howl that sounded sadisticaly happy, as if it was waiting for this. The beast's roar shakes the trees and causes plates in a building to rattle. The building's sign shakes as if it is going to topple off "003 Everest".

~~~

Im in math class so this is short(Please help me my tablemates are making horrible jokes and they're killing meeeee! Class ends at 11:27am and it's 11:04am).

Korrynn~

As I dash out of the school complex, a trumphant roar spilts the air. Instinctively, I run towards the sound. A tail, seemingly made of shadow, lashes and disappears into the trees. The beast must have seen me. I throw myself in the direction of the beast, taking advantage on the pre-trampled ground instead of being hindered by upward-reaching foliage. I jump, arms forward. Instead of my hands meeting the ground, silver hooves flash along the trampled grasses. A unicorn may seem the wrong creature to turn into in the pursuit of this dark creature, but unicorns are faster than humans and it was the first thing I thought of. I gain on the beast. It catches sight of me, my glowing alicorn reflecting in its gleaming, fully black eyes. I shift back into a human. The beast seems to recognise me. The pupils, which had covered entirely both eyes, shrink, exposing the whites and the grey irises. I gasp. Those are Daniel's eyes!

"Daniel!" I shout to him. The beast's outline wavers. It stops running just as we enter a clearing. The creature is made of shifting shadow, which, as I watch, begins to fade. Inside I can see Daniel's outline. He seems to be struggling to get out, and the shadows appear to fade into Daniel. He looks up at me, happiness and desparation churning behind his eyes.

"Korrynn! Why did you come?? I told you not to in my note-"

"And I was coming to check on you, if I could find you! And I did! That thing, whatever it was, apparently likes to advertize its presence." Daniel laughs nervously.

"Yeah, I guess I should thank you." His face turns agitated. "But you could've been killed, Korrynn! I could have killed you!" He seems about to burst into tears. The shadows around him disappear, leaving him sitting on the churned grass. "I could have killed you." He repeats again, in a whisper. Tears trickle down his cheeks. "And I wouldn't have even cared." I walk over to Daniel and sit down next to him.

"Hey, I would've gone after you even if you had written in your note the danger." He looks up at me, his tears no longer running down his face. After a moment of silence, he laughs quietly.

"You know, you make a very pretty unicorn."

~~ 

Korrynn starts to get up but I grab her arm and say "Please don't tell anyone, I don't want to explain."

She's silent for a moment "Okay..." I sigh in relief "But, I have to know, how do you control it?"

"I don't." I admit, "It kind of, just, happens, the only reason I know of is the sight of red meat. Apparently it's very hungry." My eyes flick over to the half eaten deer carcas in the corner, Korrynn hasn't noticed it yet. I shift my gaze to look into her eyes with a rare mischevious grin "Wanna race?"

Korrynn blinks in confusion before I stand up and  duck behind a tree. "Hey! Daniel what are you-" She falls silent as I step out from behind the tree with the legs and horns of a beast, a furry purple and black tail swishing behind me, the skin of my hands turning purplish black, sharpening into claws and my pupils slightly dilated. SHe made a noise of surprise and wonder as she noted my half and half form. 

"So?" I say "Let's race eh'?"

"Yeah I wanna race!" she exclaims as she turns into another human-hybrid creature and we take off.

~~~

Let's bring the party back to the gang! 

Short unimportant descriptive post wheeee

Korrynn~

I allow my legs to become like a dragon's, along with my arms and my head. A tail snakes out behind me, the blade-like plumes at the end shearing the air. Graceful, staglike horns twist away from my head, and my hair becomes a short main that runs down my back. I look almost exactly like Daniel, but instead of a shifting purple and black mixture, my scales are silver and white. There are some other obvious differences in body shapes, such as his muscles are more prominent and his overall look is more handsome and noble, although I am more agile, sleek, graceful, and beautiful. I take off, sod flying up behind my claws. Daniel runs behind me. He laughs and draws up beside me. I smirk mysteriously and jump onto a giant fallen tree. He laughs again, but that fades into the trees when he begins to trip on ferns and twigs. Finally, he jumps onto the tree as well, but by then I'm much farther ahead. Now it's my turn to laugh.

"Shoulda followed me up the first time!" I throw over my shoulder. The trees begin to thin. Behind me, Daniel puts on a burst of speed, his beastly muscles rippling. Soon he's right on my heels.

"Change back now!" He calls. I let my half-monster form change back into human, and he does too. A moment afterwards, we break through the line of trees. We stop, laughing. Daniel smiles. A genuine smile, unlike the ones I've previously seen on his face. We begin to walk towards the school building, but Daniel takes my arm.

"Korrynn, I-"

"THERE YOU ARE!" In the doorway stands Marylin and Wei, along with most of the rest of the class. Marylin stalks over. "Where were you, Daniel??" He looks at me and mouths 'I'll tell you later'. I nod. Daniel turns to Marylin.

"I went out for a walk to have some alone time. I got a bit lost in the woods. Oh hey, Korrynn, thanks for coming to find me." He smiles at me again. I smile back. As she walks with us towards the rest of the teens, I see a knowing look in Marylin's eyes as she looks at me and Daniel. It leaves me wondering.

~~

YUS DANIORRYNN!!! I have a ship picture to draw now... 

Ripley~

The kitchen is well stocked, sparkling, and large enough for me to avoid Marilyn. I can't believe I lost control like that. I like to think of myself as a fairly friendly person, but after today? I'll be lucky to make friends at all. But it wasn't all me, I tell myself half heartedly while slicing an avocado, She was being bossy. What a snob. But, try as I might, I can't shake the uncomfortable feeling that I was in the wrong.

Dinner is fun at first. We gather around the table, a small group that grows as the others file in, drawn by the smell of food. Marilyn has made some sort of weird British food, meat wrapped in pastry dough. It's actually very delicious. Everyone is talking cheerfully until the quiet boy who interrupted my argument before walks in. Wei, I think his name is. He stares around from the bottom of the stairs, then states: "I count fourteen of us. Someone is missing." 

That swiftly kills the mood. 

A girl who I believe turned into an exofauna earlier tonight pipes up, "Oh, yeah, about that. Daniel left a note." We pass around the sheet of paper, which explains Daniel had gone for a walk in the forest and that we shouldn't go find him. Which is, quite frankly, a bit odd. It's really cold and dark out, and none of us know our way around very well. And why on earth would he be so insistant that we don't look for him?

And now we're sending Korrynn out to go look for him, alone. Does no one else think we should stick as a group? We're supposed to be learning team work or something, right? Yeah, just like you practically attacked Marilyn this morning. Great team work, Ripley. But Korrynn asserts that she will be fine, as her powers will protect her and Daniel. I'm sure they will. She can turn into exofauna, which is honestly a little creepy. Exofauna are evil. They've killed hundreds of thousands of people, and that's why we're here: To stop them. To protect everyone.

But off she goes, leaving the rest of us to finish our meal. No one eats much after that and conversation is hushed. Soon, we hear a banging on the doors and we all leap up to let what hopefully is Daniel and Korrynn inside. Or possibly to fight for our lives. Who knows? 

Fortunately, our wandering classmates are standing on the steps, arms linked. I try to push to the front amidst the babble of excited voices demanding to know where Daniel went. He exchanges an odd glance with Korrynn and mouths something to her, but I can't tell what it is. Then he turns to us and says quietly, "I went for a walk to have some time alone, but then I got lost in the woods. But then Korrynn came and found me." They smile at each other. 

I hear myself mutter, "Geez, that was fast. How long have they known each other, five hours?" Nobody can hear me over the chatter, which is definitely for the best. I've made enough people angry for one day.