sun, moon, stars, northern lights

The air in the Hall of Mirrors was thick with the scent of old parchment, extinguished candles, and an underlying current of ozone that crackled whenever the Dark Mirror’s surface rippled. It was early September 2025, a time when the world of the living was supposed to be cooling into autumn, but for Himari Asahina and her three best friends, the seasons had ceased to matter the moment they stepped into the shimmering light of the Blue Fairy.

Himari stood at the front of the group, her 175cm frame casting a long shadow against the polished stone floor. She adjusted her black leather jacket, the familiar weight of it providing a small sense of comfort in this alien, gothic cathedral. Her blonde hair caught the flickering candlelight, and her grey eyes remained steady, even as a small, black cat with soulful brown eyes wove between her combat boots.

"Where are we, Himari?" Tsukimi Mikazuki whispered, clutching the hem of her cardigan. Beside her, Hoshiko Hoszihora was looking at the floating coffins with wide-eyed curiosity, while Tama Jewell stood tall, her lawyer-bred poise masking her inner turmoil.

"I don't know," Himari replied in fluent Japanese, her voice low and steady. "But stay close. Leone, stay by me."

"I intend to, believe me," a voice rasped. Himari jumped, looking down at her cat. Leone’s mouth had moved. The black cat looked up, her brown eyes wide. "Wait... I can talk? Himari, your magic—I can feel it! It’s like the sun is sitting right under your ribs!"

Before Himari could process the fact that her pet was now a conversationalist, the heavy doors of the hall swung open. A tall man in a crow-like mask and a flamboyant cape swept in, followed by a confused-looking teenager in a grey hoodie.

"Oh, heavens! More of them?" the masked man cried, his voice dramatic and frantic. "I am Dire Crowley, Headmage of this prestigious institution, Night Raven College! State your names at once!"

Himari stepped forward, shielding her friends. "I am Himari Asahina. These are my friends Tama, Tsukimi, and Hoshiko. And this is Yuu," she added, nodding to the boy in the hoodie who looked just as displaced as they were.

"And I'm Grim! The greatest mage to ever live!" A small, grey monster with blue flaming ears burst from Yuu’s arms, causing a ruckus.

"Silence, furball!" Crowley snapped. He turned toward the massive, ornate mirror at the end of the hall. "Now, step forward. Let the Dark Mirror judge the nature of your souls and assign you to your dormitories."

One by one, the girls approached. The atmosphere in the room shifted. Several students in various colorful robes watched with bated breath. Among them, a tall man with lion ears and a scarred eye leaned against a pillar, his green eyes narrowing as they landed on Himari. He let out a low, huffing breath.

"A herbivore in leather," Leona Kingscholar muttered to himself, his tail twitching. "Interesting."

Nearby, a silver-haired student with glasses and a calculating smile—Azul Ashengrotto—adjusted his spectacles. He wasn't looking at the girls' beauty, but at the sheer aura of authority Himari radiated. She moved like someone who had survived a storm and come out stronger. "A girl with that much presence... she would be an invaluable asset to Mostro Lounge," he murmured.

From the shadows of the back of the room, a tall figure with black horns and glowing green eyes watched in silence. Malleus Draconia felt a strange pull toward the blonde girl. She didn't flinch when his gaze met hers; she didn't tremble at the overwhelming magical pressure he unconsciously exerted. She simply looked at him with a nod of acknowledgement, as if he were just another person. It was a sensation he hadn't felt in centuries.

The Dark Mirror’s face flickered into existence, its voice booming like thunder.

"State thy names."

"Himari Asahina. Tsukimi Mikazuki. Hoshiko Hoszihora. Tama Jewell."

The mirror began to glow with a blinding, ethereal light—not the green of the dorms, but a pure, crystalline blue.

"These four young maidens carry legendary powers," the Mirror proclaimed, its voice shaking the foundations of the school. "Blessed and chosen by the Blue Fairy herself to be the bearers of the power! The Sun, the Moon, the Stars, and the Northern Lights! They are the weavers of the celestial balance!"

The hall fell into a deathly silence. Crowley’s jaw dropped. His mask nearly slipped off his face.

"Legendary... powers? The Blue Fairy?" Crowley stammered. "But that’s... that’s myth! That’s—"

His eyes rolled back into his head, and the Headmage collapsed in a heap of feathers and velvet.

"Well, he’s dead," Hoshiko remarked, poking Crowley’s side with her boot.

Suddenly, the air in the room shimmered, and the ethereal image of a woman with shimmering wings appeared before the four girls. The students gasped, some falling to their knees.

"Himari, Tama, Tsukimi, Hoshiko," the Blue Fairy’s voice was like bells. "Do not fear. I have informed your families—the Jewells, the Mikazukis, and the Hoszihoras—that you are safe. The child you rescued is back in the arms of those who will love her. You have proven your hearts are true."

She turned her gaze specifically to Himari. "And perhaps, in Twisted Wonderland, you will find someone very special to you, Himari. Someone who understands the weight of a crown you never asked to wear."

With a flick of her wand, four sleek, glowing "Mirror Phones" appeared in the girls' hands. "Use these to speak to your loved ones. Your journey begins now."

As the fairy faded, the room descended into chaos.

"Hey! What about me?" Grim shouted, trying to blast a fireball at the mirror. "I'm the one who should be legendary!"

"Watch out!" Yuu yelled as Grim’s fire went wild, catching the hem of a student's robe and spiraling toward a massive, ornate chandelier hanging from the ceiling.

"Ace! Deuce! Do something!" a red-haired boy with a heart-shaped birthmark shouted.

A boy with blue hair and a spade mark on his eye jumped forward, summoning a cauldron that missed the fire entirely and crashed into the floor. Another boy with messy orange hair laughed nervously as he tried to blow the fire out with wind magic, only to make it grow.

*CRACK.*

The massive chandelier groaned and plummeted.

"Move!" Himari barked. Without thinking, she threw her hand up. A burst of golden, searing light erupted from her palm—the Legendary Sun Magic. It didn't just stop the chandelier; it vaporized the falling glass into harmless golden dust before it could touch anyone.

The silence that followed was even deeper than when Crowley fainted.

Leona Kingscholar stood up straight, his eyes locked on Himari. "Not bad, Kitten," he drawled, his voice a low rumble that vibrated in Himari’s chest. "You’ve got some bite to go with that bark."

Himari glared at him, her grey eyes flashing gold for a split second. "My name is Himari. Not 'Kitten'."

Azul stepped forward, smoothing his coat. "A magnificent display. Truly, Miss Asahina, your talents are... unprecedented. Perhaps we could discuss a contract over tea? I am Azul Ashengrotto, manager of the Monstro Lounge."

"She doesn't need your shady deals, Octo-punk," a voice boomed from the back. Malleus Draconia stepped into the light, his presence making the other students shrink away. Except for the four girls.

Tama, ever the protector, stepped beside Himari. "She isn't interested in contracts or nicknames. We just want to know where we're sleeping."

Malleus looked at Himari, a rare, soft curiosity in his expression. "You are not afraid of me, child of the sun?"

Himari shrugged, crossing her arms over her leather jacket. "I've dealt with scarier things than a guy with horns. My brother Akira used to be a lot more intimidating when he was throwing me down the stairs."

The room flinched at the casual mention of her trauma, but Himari’s expression remained stoic. She didn't like talking about her biological family—the Hosekinas, the gemstone merchants who had fallen from grace. She was an Asahina now, a daughter of the Jewell family in every way that mattered.

Crowley groaned, finally waking up. "Right... right. Since none of you have been assigned a dorm by the mirror—and since you've essentially broken the laws of magic—you shall all reside in the Ramshackle Dormitory. Yuu, Grim, and the four... Celestial Maidens. It’s an abandoned building, but it’s a roof!"

The walk to Ramshackle was long and drafty. The building was a Victorian nightmare of peeling wallpaper and creaking floorboards.

"It’s a fixer-upper," Hoshiko said optimistically, looking at the dust. "I can put some of my bass gear in the corner."

"I’ll need a space for my violin," Tama added, already inspecting the structural integrity of the floor. "And a desk. There’s going to be a lot of paperwork to fill out if we’re staying here."

Tsukimi sat on a dusty sofa, opening her Mirror Phone. "Look! My moms already sent a message. 'Tsukimi, honey, don't forget to water the plants if they have any.' They really aren't worried, are they?"

Himari sat by the window, watching the moon rise over the twisted spires of the school. Leone curled up in her lap, purring loudly.

"You okay, Himari?" Yuu asked, sitting on a crate nearby.

"Yeah," Himari said softly. She looked down at her hands, which still felt warm from the sun magic. She thought of the Lion King, her favorite movie. *The Circle of Life.* She had been pushed out of her old life, survived a foster home, and found a new family with Tama. Now, she was in a world that looked like a dark fairy tale.

"We're going to be okay," Himari promised, looking at her friends. "We have our magic, we have each other, and we have Leone. We’ll survive this school."

"And the boys?" Tama asked with a smirk. "The lion guy was definitely checking you out. And the octopus. And the dragon."

Himari rolled her eyes, though a slight blush crept onto her cheeks. "I'm not here for a drama, Tama. I'm here to graduate and go home."

"Famous last words," Leone muttered, yawning. "I give it a week before you're fighting off a prince with a sword."

Himari pet Leone’s ears, staring out at the woods. She didn't know that at that very moment, in three different dorms, three powerful leaders were thinking about her. Leona was wondering if she tasted like sunshine; Azul was calculating the value of her legendary magic; and Malleus was simply wondering if she would like to go for a walk in the garden.

The prologue of their life at Night Raven College had ended, and the real story was just beginning.

***

**Sources & References:**
1. *Twisted Wonderland Official Lore:* Based on the game's Prologue "Welcome to the Villains' World."
2. *Disney's Pinocchio:* The Blue Fairy's role as a granter of wishes and a guide for those with "true hearts."
3. *Japanese-American Cultural Context:* The characters' bilingualism and the naming conventions (Asahina/Hosekina).
4. *Legal and Business Background:* References to the Jewell family as lawyers and the Hosekina family as gemstone merchants.
5. *Musical Hobbies:* Based on common character archetypes in idol and fantasy media (Violin, Bass, Keyboard, Piano).