Nell was growing increasingly frustrated with trying to learn magic on her own. She'd already read every book she could find on the subject but Shokushu's library didn't have a vast selection of useful magical tomes, at least not any that were available to the public. Of course, she could have access to a hundred books and it still wouldn't have helped. Book knowledge was different than practical knowledge. Nell had very little practical knowledge of magic. She'd tried casting some spells on her own but they rarely worked. Most she had managed was a light spell and a weak fire spell.

She sat on the floor in the library, hidden in secluded space between dusty row of books no one read often, and practiced the latter. A tiny flame, not much bigger than what a lighter could produce, danced in the bowl of her hands. The library wasn't really the safest place to be playing with fire magic but Nell was getting tired of being cautious. She'd tried practicing her casting in the woods and grounds of the school and every time, without fail, she'd been interrupted by monsters. Her room wasn't safe either, not with the threat of Lujuria popping in whenever he god damned felt like it.

No, the library was better. It was early afternoon and there were plenty of students studying quietly, presumably working on their summer homework. Nell had chosen her hiding space carefully, not only was she within earshot of other students but she also could see the magic section from here. She'd taken to sitting here during the day, staking out the magic section in hopes of finding other students with magical talent like her. The independent study thing wasn't working. She needed help from someone who knew what the hell they were doing. She needed a tutor. This seemed like the best way to find one.

Ah, Daytime.

Daytime revealed a lot of things which would have been previously hidden. There are a lot of times when things that are hidden in the dark become visible in plain sight. There are also a lot of times when things of the dark cannot come out, and so daytime would be a safe time to gather, have fun, and study. It was also a pain for the old demon.

Lilitu would have been at ease had he not been so irritated with the sun and everything that it had come to stand for and help with. He wasn't affected by the sun, no, not at all, but it was the light and how it had shown him for what he was at times that he hated. He had resorted to cheap magician's tricks and disguises as he moved during the day as a result.

He was now his favorite disguise, an old man in a nice suit. He had foregone of the coat, as it was only hindering his movement and it was warm outside. He wouldn't last long (or so he thought...he was a demon after all) with that kind of warmth. He was going to walk in the grounds, at least, without anyone screaming as they ran away and worse, the full wrath of anyone who might have been trying to guard these students, at least.

He had moved into the library. Books were a passion of his, and it seemed logical that during the daytime, he would study up on different magicks which could help him and broaden his knowledge further. It was going to be silent...or so he thought.

For there, in that section, sat a little nymphette of a student, silently reading into books which he would've selected for himself.

He was delighted, although it meant reading would have to come at a later time. He cleared his throat audibly, to alert her of his presence, kind of like a mentor or teacher would.

Nell had given up practicing her measly little fire spell and had moved deeper into the Magical Lore section of the Library. No other students seemed to be interested in study magic today so she moved onto plan B. She began pulling books off the shelves at random and checking the index cards to see who had checked the books out last. Maybe she could find them in the student directory or something.

She'd gone back to sitting on the ground with a large spellbook in her lap and several more book laying nearby as she took notes on what other students were interested in magical studies. She became so engrossed in this activity that she didn't hear the man until he cleared his throat to get her attention. Nell blinked and looked up at him. Her first impression was that he was older than the other men she'd met of the island. (Of course, none of those men had actually been human.) He appeared to be about 50-ish, so around her father's age.

She eyed him suspiciously for a moment before closing her book and standing up. Nell had learned from experience than men on this island were not to be trusted, as most of them turned out to be monsters. Still, there was a chance the man was human and, in that case, he was most likely a Professor. She would be polite until he gave her a reason not to be. "I'm sorry, Sir. Am I sitting in your way?"

(Sorry if there are any typos. I'm writing this really late at night.)

He didn't answer back, eyeing her with an authoritative stare as if she had done some wrong which he hadn't really revealed. However, he fixed his spectacles, and turned to the shelf beside her. It was as if he was looking for something.

It was a huge black book, with a pentagram on the cover that looked like fresh blood. It was well hidden behind books like 'Practical Magic', 'Beginner's book of Magic Tomes', and 'Grade VI Spells for Dummies.' In front of it was an even subtler 'Complete Idiots Guide to the Occult'.

He bought the book out. He sifted through the copy, and found what he was looking for.

" I believe you are looking for this particular book, no?" he said, speaking to the girl, but not really looking up from the book.

At first, Nell thought the man was going to scold her for something but she hadn't been doing anything wrong. Unless he'd been there for longer than she'd realized and seen her practicing her spell. He didn't say anything if he did but rather he turned and started shifting books around on a nearby shelf. Nell was familiar with all those books already, they'd been useless not to mention borderline insulting. Reading the "Complete Idiots Guide" to anything was almost too degrading to stand.

The old man pulled out a strange, title-less book Nell had never seen before. It was black with a blood-red pentagram on the cover. How had she missed that one? It was frickin' huge! Nell frown and shifted closer as the man opened the book and began flipping through the pages. "I believe you are looking for this particular book, no?"

Nell pause and raised a brow at the man. Instantly suspicious again. "Actually, I wasn't looking for anything in particular, sir." At least not any book in particular as she'd assumed she'd already tapped out the school's library. She leaned in closer and tried to catch a glimpse at what was written on the page the man had filled it open to. "I was just browsing. What makes you think I'd be interested in this book?"

From the corner of his eye, the disguised demon could see that he had piqued the girl's interest. He was silent, observing her movements, as she shifted to look closer at the book he had just literally conjured out of thin air.

In reality he had pulled it out of his library from his den in the caves. Somehow, his magic had worked, although now it began to smell like burning sulfur and he had to subtly but suddenly close the portal and tried to silently wave the smoke away. The book, however, glowed malevolently in the silent space. It would be enough for the girl to see that this spell book seemed to have a life of its own.

He had sifted through quite some pages when he heard her speak.



He continued playing the smart, snobbish old man. He let out a heave of silent dismay, and he looked at her through bespectacled eyes.

" If those books aren't enough to convince, then I don't know what is."

He shifted his gaze to the small pile of books on the floor, along with a quite large book that was somehow bound in a leather cover that looked strangely like human skin.

Nell glanced back at the small pile of books she'd been amassing. "Yes, well, I suppose there is not point in denying that my browsing has been more or less focused on one particular subject. Still, that doesn't necessarily mean that I'll be interested in that book." She gestured to the tome in his hands. "It could be a book on demon summoning for all I know." That was the last thing she needed, more demon troubles. The book did look somewhat sinister with its black and red cover, it even seemed to glare faintly in the old man's hands. "It is clearly a powerful book but that doesn't mean it will be useful to me. So, forgive me but I must ask you again, what makes you think I'd be interested in that particular book?"

Now that there caught him. He never counted on the girl to be this bright, this adept in catching him. He knew she was smart, and all, but not this smart. His question had actually backfired on him, and he was dumbfounded, as if he was struck dumb. Nevertheless, he held the book she so coveted (he can see it on her expression, as if he didn't know) aloft, reading it, trying to make the mood lighter.

He huffed a silent sigh. There was no other way, and he didn't have all day to stay in here. The authorities would soon sweep down on him.

He took a condescending look through his glasses at the girl and it hit him the first time that she was really a stunning looker. Her uniform really suited her, accentuating her curves as if her life depended on it. He fought the urge to smile, as she was really something. His sense and taste did not fail him again.

However, he had a role to perform.

After he looked at her, he turned back again to read the book. He then propped the book on one hand and, without looking, snapped his fingers. A ghost of the spell she performed earlier appeared in the very place where she had conjured the spell, grayishly burning and remaining there, until it popped silently a few seconds later.

" There. You happy?" he said.

Nell stared at the small gray flame in disbelief until it vanished and her eyes snapped back to the old man. What was that?! It had clearly been a shadow of the spell she'd cast earlier--she'd stared at the frustratingly tiny flame too often to mistake it--but why had he shone it to her. Was he threatening her? There were no rules in the school charter prohibiting researching magic but playing with fire magic in a room filled with thousands of burnable books was another matter. She shuttered to think of what the detention for this offensive would be like. The one detention she'd gotten before had been bad enough and that had been for a trivia uniform (or lack there of it) infraction.

Nell frowned at the old man and crossed her arms over he chest. "No, I'm not happy at all. Who are you and what do you want from me? If you are looking for a girl with magical talent for some nefarious reason then I should warn you I'm probably not the best candidate. You saw the size of that flame just now. The book I got that spell from said it should be the size of a small cat. So, clearly, I'm not very good at it."

" Obviously you aren't very good at it." he spoke. Still, he would have his uses for her...one way or another.

He looked at the book and slowly tried to make sense of the situation. Sure, he got her attention now, and she was dumbfounded how he knew magic, but she still wasn't convinced. He had to make a good case about why he was showing ghost spells to her and impressing her with magic or he won't even get her to come with him.

Still...

" Would you believe me if I told you that I'm some sort of benevolent wizard and I'm here to take you under my wings as an apprentice?"

That could get her attention further. The old demon started to turn the wheels of the play, and the ball was now in her court. He would have to wait further until she made more compelling cases.

Nell cocked her head to the side and gave the old man an incredulous look. "I could believe wizard. I could even believe that you are cruising the school for potential pupils. But 'benevolence'? On this god-forsaken island?" She shook her head, sadly. "I'm sorry but I'd find that very hard to believe. If you are really so benevolent you should be offering to get me off this rock before offering to teach me magic."

(Sorry that was so short. Didn't know what else to say.)

[OOC: Ahh, that's okay, it happens ]
IC:
" Touche, touche." he said, shutting the book with a loud slam, then proceeded to place it behind him. He looked at the girl.

" However, I find this place more suitable for my practice. Outside I will be shunned as a pariah, hunted down for my craft." he said. " You do understand, don't you? The burning, the inquisitoria, everything?"

He looked at her and avoided to look at her as anything but a potential student. In truth, inside his mind, he was painting images of him and her. Rather distorted, rather demented, with those clothes off her and his true form ravishing her again and again and again. The pictures were enough to make him blush in this form.

" So, final answer, are you willing to risk it all and come with me, or do I leave you here to practice play-magic and produce lighter sparks?"

Nell regarded the old man thoughtfully for a moment. She had no reason to trust a thing he was saying, not that he was saying much. He was clearly a magic user though and he was offering to teach her. Of course, if he was really a monster in disguise he probably wasn't really planning on teaching her anything save for more pain and humiliation. Still, there was a chance... She frowned inwardly. This was stupid. She should just say 'no, thank you' and walk away.

She looked back to where his spell and her's had been moments ago and then to the pile of useless tomes on the floor. This self-teaching strategy wasn't working. If this man was the real deal she would be a fool not to except his offer. Hell, even if it was a trap she might still be able to glean something useful from the old man before he turned on her. She turned back to look at him, "Fine, I'll bite. Where are we going?"

He was surprised, though it was enough to hear her say this...



He smiled a shrewd smile, and fixed his glasses. Of course, her dress would have to be fixed, but that can be arranged. He looked around. No other people were present, although there were people in the library. The area where they were was secluded enough for him to try his skill.

" Hmmm. Well hold on then...this could get bumpy."

Holding the book in one hand, he took the girl's wrist, muttered a few words under his breath...and a loud, audible *pop* could be heard in the library. However, the experience for both him and the girl could be described as nothing short of a unique experience. It was like falling into a long, distorted black hole. There were forces that tugged at you from every side...until there was a light at their feet, and they both dropped onto soft, green grass.

They were now in an area where the school can be seen, although not far. It was a clear opening, although there wasn't anyone around.

Nell barely had time to react to the man's statement before he took her by the wrist and the bottom seemed to drop off on the world. She suddenly found herself falling into darkness. She let out a short yelp and clung onto the only solid object within her reach, in this case the old man. The trip ended almost as suddenly as it had begun. There was light as the tunnel opened up again and deposited them into a grassy area some ways from the school. Had Nell not still been recovering from the rather jarring experience of teleporting, she probably would had been unnerved by how quickly the man had been able to steal her away from the relative safety of the library to some secluded place miles away.

Instead, she was suddenly struck by the fact that she was clinging to the strange old man like a life preserver and quickly let go of him and took a step back. She was slightly embarrassed at her own behavior. She prided herself on at least putting up a bold front. Clinging mindlessly to some man she hardly knew was hardly a sign of bravery. She turned away from the old man and cleared her throat. "Excuse me... That was... ummm... Where are we now?"

(Sorry I took so long to reply. Just started summer classes.)