For all of her life, there was only one thing Karazelle really wanted.

She remembered her earliest memories in the Terna's townhouse in the upper residential area of Brimstone; a cold, sterile home for the most part. Most days were spent in the company of nannies and au pairs, with her mother returning from B.I.D. on the weekends to spend time with her daughter. But even during the summer months, when she was home all the time and the heat was at its highest, the Terna household still felt cold and lifeless. Viola wasn't very good at building rapport with others, least of all her only child.

Maybe it was that disconnection that made Karazelle the way that she was. Always seeking out companionship, and yet never quite finding it. Her playgroups never ended well for her overly-enthusiastic demeanour frightened the other children, and by the time she entered primary school, she had earned a reputation for being obnoxiously friendly. Secondary school was much the same, and when she finally enrolled into B.I.D. for her tertiary-level education, she had dozens of people she could call acquaintances, and yet not a single one she could consider a friend.

Jelli was the first. That single, split-second decision she made to smash her lunch tray over Magnus Rost's head was what finally got her an in with one of her peers. Then Quinn; getting to know the transfer student was easy, considering she needed a guide. Lottie naturally gravitated towards the Imp after that, so it was a cakewalk getting to know her too. Then, Izzbelle. Funnily enough, it was easier to sympathise and get on the Oni's good side once Karazelle had experienced all of her bad memories first hand. Elya was never someone she could really consider friendly, but she never did get around to murdering her, which was always a good sign. And finally, Whitney was the last to fall into the roster of those she was close to. The hoity-toity Nymph she never swore in a million years she would ever bother trying to befriend.

For a while, the Succubus believed she had finally broken her little hex. That she had shaken the curse of the Terna name and made something of herself. That she was actually worth the air she breathed.

And yet... the look in Viola Terna's eyes when she came to in that hospital bed... it broke her right back down to nothing.

What she wouldn't give to be seen. To be acknowledged by her, just once. For Viola to drop her "principal voice" and act like a fucking mother to her, just one goddamn time. Maybe then she wouldn't have to jump through all these hoops. Maybe then she wouldn't ever have messed with Cobalt in the first place. Maybe then she wouldn't have felt the need to try and fix all of his woes, when she could barely even get started on her own...!

After she passed out, chaos ensued.

All of Karazelle's failed creations, the ones she spilled on the floor... They formed a massive cloud of toxic gas that permeated the school and drove everyone inside mad. Once she was conscious again, she was able to witness firsthand the results of her mistake; hospital staff rushing around like a kicked hornet's nest, struggling to keep up with the patients being shipped up from the school. Supposedly they had to call in a special governmental unit to contain the damage; men in hazmats and gasmasks wielding hoses to try and condense the vapour.

The damage to school property would be well into the thousands. She could tell just by the way Viola stared at her from the bedside chair.

Cobalt had saved her. Who else, honestly? Only he would do something so recklessly brave. He carried her all the way from the basement to the front of the school, half-blinded by what remained of the gas, gasping for breath all the while. Apparently he was covered in blood, all his own.

She never meant for this to happen. She was supposed to help him, not...

Viola didn't speak much. She just came to check on her daughter, and to give her an ultimatum.

"My office. Five o'clock. No excuses."

Not an ounce of motherly concern in that voice. Typical.

But ever the good daughter, Karazelle did as she was told. After preliminary tests, she was prescribed some medication to tackle any potential respiratory problems that could have arisen from the chemical exposure and discharged, her room swiftly taken by another patient. It was remarkable that she had gotten off as lightly as she did. Apparently all those hours playing at alchemy in the underschool had built up quite the tolerance within her. Still, she felt the burning gazes of everyone she passed by upon her back. They knew this was all her fault.

It must have been how Cobalt felt, every time something terrible happened in town. How he didn't collapse from the crushing weight of expectation and disappointment was... something.

By the time she returned to B.I.D., she saw no sense in returning to her room. Instead, she just headed to her mother's office, passing through the wrecked interior of the school on the way. Broken windows, stained walls and flooring, damaged furniture from everyone's bouts with mania... all her fault. A knot formed in her stomach as she climbed the stairs, tightening to a painful degree when she stepped into Viola's office.

What awaited her was a small school chair, sitting right in the centre of the room. Surrounding it were four more chairs, all empty. At the very top of the room, Karazelle's mother sat at her desk, quietly leafing through a pile of reports.

"Momma-" Karazelle began, taking a step forward.

"Take a seat, Miss Terna," the Headmistress interrupted, not even looking up as she gestured to the chair.

"But-!"

"I said take a seat."

Nothing good was coming of this. But there was little Karazelle could do other than comply. Miserably, she sat down in the accused's chair and waited as the minutes ticked by in silence, punctuated only by the shuffling of Viola's papers and the scribbling of her pen. Gradually, other members of staff began to file into the room, each taking a seat in one of the four chairs. Miss Cain tutted as she passed, stinking of cigarette smoke. Mr. Hersh and Mr. Zespire arrived together, both looking tired and irritable. Madam Pudon was last, carrying an armful of hastily-written notes. She gave Karazelle a sympathetic look as she passed, but could do no more for her than that.

A sick sensation settled in Karazelle's gut. She knew exactly what this was. They all did.

An Expulsion Trial.

"Let us begin," Mistress Viola abruptly said, neatly shuffling her reports into a pile.

Her eyes flashed as she looked up at her daughter. There wasn't a single hint of motherly love within them.

"Karazelle Terna, I trust you know why you are here?"

She swallowed the lump in her throat.

"... I do. But it was an accident, I swear. I never meant to-!" she began, desperate to plead her case.

"Ethan," the Headmistress interrupted once more, "an account of the casualties, if you would."

Mr. Zespire sighed and rubbed his eyes, muttering under his breath as he pulled a notebook from his pocket. Flipping it open, he thumbed through the pages with agonising slowness.

"Pretty much everyone in the main building was affected, and a couple of folks in the other ones too. Hundred and fifteen were lightly injured in the panic, with thirty-five sustaining more serious injuries, and fifteen needing extended hospital treatment. Two staff members among them," he said, glaring at Karazelle.

Mr. Hersh reached for the notebook and began to read off a different page.

"On the material side of things, we've counted nine broken windows thus far, twelve broken doors, innumerous damaged desks, chairs and lockers, and nigh-uncountable chemical stains to stonework, linoleum and wood paneling. Factoring in the costs of cleaning blood spilled in the ensuing fights..."

Viola raised her hand.

"I'm not in much of a mood for figures right now, thank you. Miss Terna, anything to say in your defence?" she asked, returning her attention to her daughter.

"Momma, I didn't mean for this to happen! C'mon, you know this! You know me!" Karazelle cried.

"We also recovered a large amount of stolen chemistry supplies from the tunnels beneath the campus. I've factored that into the total cost as well," Mr. Hersh added, tapping the notebook.

"Nobody was using it! It was all rotting in the Science Building!"

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"Watch your tone, young lady," Mr. Zespire growled, a thin coil of smoke rising from the corner of his mouth.

As the tension steadily rose, Viola just calmly wrote something down on a page before nodding to Madam Pudon.

"Monique?" she asked, her voice edged with a steely tone.

"Ah... of course..."

Standing up, the Succubus rummaged through her notes.

"This, ah... toxin, as it were... It's an amalgamation of many traditional Succubus alchemical components. Primary ingredients seem to be Fesser's Passion, honey, milk and sugar, with traces of more exotic ingredients. Angam Clodfingers, Flattery Bloom, dormant Red Rose bacteria... and countless others. Mixed together so dangerously like this... it's more of a viral attack than an aphrodisiac. I, um... I assume that was the original intention...?" she explained, dropping her usual ditzy act given the serious topic at hand.

She looked at Karazelle expectantly.

"Well?" Viola asked, leaning against her hand.

"... It wasn't supposed to be like that. Just... I wanted to make something better. Something that could really help someone, you know? A... cure for sadness, I guess..." Karazelle answered, staring at her feet.

She could almost feel her mother's eyes narrowing at that.

"And were you trying to help someone in particular, Miss Terna...?"

The Succubus didn't answer. With a heavy sigh, her mother leaned back in her chair and gestured to Miss Cain, who was sitting bolt-upright.

"Very well, we'll move on. Martha?"

The Fallen produced a neat pile of ordered papers. Adjusting her glasses, she began to read.

"Karazelle Terna. Third year, Class 3-F. Multiple misdemeanors in first year, mainly failure to complete assigned work and refusal to comply with the school's uniform. In second year, multiple curfew violations were reported, as well as complaints of harassment from students and teachers alike. She had also been noted for stealing staff resources with intention of cheating on tests. Finally, in third year, we can add numerous reports of flagrant disrespect towards staff and absence without explanation from her classes."

Lowering the reports, her acidic gaze cut through the Succubus.

"I understand that there have been many incidents outside of your control, Miss Terna, but that still does not excuse you from disciplinary repercussions."

"Harassment?! I was just trying to talk to people! It's not my fault they don't like what I say!" Karazelle yelled, standing out of her chair.

"Miss Terna," Viola said sternly, folding her arms.

"And people adjust the uniform all the time! What's wrong with that?!"

"Miss Terna!" her mother warned, a little louder.

"A- And I can't help that you think I'm disrespecting you just because I stand up for myself! I'm not about to take-!"

"Karazelle! Sit down!" the Headmistress suddenly yelled, startling everyone.

Slowly, the indignant Succubus slumped back into her seat. What was the point in trying to argue? Viola had mastered the art of stonewalling long before she had the voice to speak out; it was always pointless to contest her, whether it came to what they ate for dinner or where she wanted to go to school.

Silence reigned as the Headmistress silently deliberated with the papers on her desk, before she eventually planted her hands on the desk and stood up. Dressed in her suit with her epauleted coat spread across her shoulders, she was the spit of judge, jury and executioner.

"I have given you so many chances, Karazelle. Too many, some would say. As a mother and a principal. But this... foolishness was the last straw. There are some things I just can't overlook. You must understand that I am forced to act," she said quietly.

"Momma... No..."

She straightened up.

"Karazelle Terna," she announced, beginning the sentence that could ruin Karazelle's life.

An expulsion from tertiary school - even this late into the game - was a death sentence for her future education. Universities wouldn't accept her with such a black mark on her record, and any teacher training courses with them.

"You can't!"

"I declare that on this day..."

"Momma, please!"

"... you are hereby..."

"STOP! PLEASE! MOMMA! IT'S ME! DON'T DO THIS!"

Viola flinched. Just for a moment, before continuing.

"... hereby expell-"

Her sentencing was cut off by the sound of the doors crashing open, far behind them. With her back to the entrance, Karazelle couldn't see who had just interrupted the worst moment of her life, but going by the reactions of everyone in the room, she could take a fair stab at it. As footsteps clomped closer to them, Miss Cain stood up and pointed an accusatory finger at the intruder, scattering her papers everywhere.

"Mr. Trayer, what the Hell is the meaning of this interruption?!" she cried, eyes narrowed with rage.

Slowly, the Succubus turned her head to see none other than her core teacher take his place by her side. He looked truly awful; worse even than the night of their fateful encounter. He was wearing a torn, blood-crusted shirt, and parts of his hands were still covered in slivers of bone. Poorly-healed wounds covered his body; where they came from, she didn't want to know.

"I'm her teacher, Martha. I have every right to be here," the Incubus said, clenching his fists.

"You're supposed to be resting! Or cleaning yourself up! Or both!"

The Incubus' eyes glinted.

"And you're supposed to be in a retirement home, but you know what they say about the best laid plans. Now kindly shut up and let me speak."

His voice was darkly confident, seething with anger. Though his presence was reassuring, when he walked past Karazelle, she noticed something burning hot in his eyes. Something that frightened her.

Cobalt marched up to Viola's desk and planted his hands on the desk.

"Just what do you think you're doing?" he asked.

The Headmistress met his scorching gaze.

"I could ask you the same question, boy. Turning up like this, looking like that, acting this way."

"She's done nothing to warrant an Expulsion Trial."

"You were down there. You saw first-hand what she did."

Cobalt glanced over his shoulder at Karazelle. An involuntary shiver of fear ran through her.

"Yeah," he said after a moment, "I saw spilled chemicals and broken glass. I saw an accident, nothing more."

"The making of those drugs was no accident, boy."

"And have you stopped to consider why she was making them in the first place?"

Viola narrowed her eyes.

"What are you getting at?"

Returning to Karazelle's side, Cobalt placed a hand upon her shoulder. It was nice to have him so close, but the jagged bone upon his hand poked into her uncomfortably.

"If you knew her well, you'd know that Karazelle's a unique girl, Viola. Set apart form other of her - our - kind. But there's still a norm to be perpetuated, and the pressure to fit that mould is always present."

Her mother scoffed.

"What are you talking about?"

"The social butterfly. The confident flirt. The alchemical master. They're all perfect ideas of a Succubus. Born to grab attention. It's easy to see this is all Karazelle has been trying to live up to."

Sitting back down in her chair, Mistress Viola folded her arms. The other members of staff just sat quietly, watching on with wide-enraptured eyes.

"Quite the thesis, boy. Although you'll have to forgive me for cutting to the chase. I assume all this acting out was to grab a 'special someone's' attention?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Cobalt nodded.

"Of course."

"And was this 'special someone' you, perchance?"

This time he shook his head.

"No. Open your eyes, Viola. I know you're not that blind."

She leaned forward.

"You're on thin ice, boy."

But Cobalt did not back down. He anted up to her threat by making an accusation of his own.

"Tell me, Viola; how much time have you actually spent with your daughter outside of an office or a classroom? How many times have you called to see how she was doing, or checked in on her dorm to see if she was coping with coursework? How often have you spent the weekend together, in your own house like a normal family?" the Incubus pressed, his voice hardening to a steely edge.

Karazelle could feel her blood run cold at his words. But judging by the look on her mother's face...

"A child would go to great lengths for a scrap of parental approval. Even greater lengths just to be noticed."

"You don't know a damn thing about what you're talking about!" Mistress Viola yelled, finally losing her cool in a way Karazelle had never seen.

Cobalt stood his ground.

"On the contrary, I know more than I ought to. Because I know Karazelle Terna better than her own mother. She and I have been through Hell - figurative and literal - and came to understandings that I know you have never even come close to. Even now, I can see how you look at her like she's just another student amongst the hundreds of others attending this school. She wants a mother, Viola. And all you've ever given her was a headmistress."

"You...!"

"So if she can't get motherly love, then she'll try for motherly reprimands. Little by little, Karazelle has acted out specifically for your attention. To get you to scold her as any mother would. And even now, after everything, you're still treating her like just a student! Holding this entire farce of a trial, rather than just talking to her! Ruining her chances at a future over one mistake!"

"You're speaking nonsense, boy! Nonsense!"

Rushing back up to the desk, Cobalt got right into the Headmistress' face.

"You're expelling your own child, Viola! All because she wanted you to acknowledge her!"

"I'M EXPELLING HER BECAUSE OF THE DAMAGE SHE HAS CAUSED THIS SCHOOL!"

"YOU'RE EXPELLING HER BECAUSE YOU LOVE THIS SCHOOL MORE THAN YOUR OWN FUCKING DAUGHTER!"

The room went deathly quiet as Viola recoiled, utterly stunned by what he just said. Not a sound was heard, save for Karazelle's hammering heartbeat, and Cobalt's heavy breathing. HIs veins were pulsing violently, glowing even through the stained fabric of his shirt.

"Think about it, Viola. She's nearly finished her last year. For crying out loud, she's just about to start her exams. And you're willing to deny her a future, just for the sake of a few crumbling buildings?" the Incubus spoke after a considerable amount of silence.

Karazelle had never seen her mother look like this before. So furious, yet so terrified.

"Th- They're not just some buildings! There's a reputation I have to consider-!"

"A reputation that'll be tainted upon word getting out that you expelled your own daughter because some chemicals that resulted from a faulty ventilation system. A ventilation system that's so archaic that it barely provides enough fresh air to the dormitories. Dormitories that have been slowly collapsing for years, yet are only supported by a few metal beams. Metal beams which are now heavily rusted and decayed" Cobalt interrupted.

He shook his head.

"No, they'll all find out about the problems that you refuse to fix, Viola. They'll find out. And just like that, the reputation you're so enamoured with will go straight down the plughole."

Tightening her fists, Viola slowly turned around and gazed out the window, lost in deep thought.

"Do the right thing. Make the right choice," he concluded, returning to Karazelle's side.

She looked up at him, eyes gleaming with awe. Cobalt, normally so terrified of Mistress Viola, had just stood up to her, and furthermore, gave her a tongue-lashing unlike anything she had ever seen. He glanced down at her and gave her a weak smile, but there was something about it that seemed uncertain. Her heart skipped, but it was frightening how she couldn't tell whether it was fear or something else entirely.

"Fine..." Viola finally said, after what felt like hours.

Turning around, the Headmistress slumped into her chair.

"She's not going."

And just like that, the fear in Karazelle's heart melted away into nothing. Leaping from her chair, she hugged Cobalt tight and sobbed a thousand thank-yous into his shirt, caring not for the filth clinging to it. Looking up into Cobalt's eyes, she-

"But you are."

Confused, they both looked over at the Headmistress, who bared her teeth in reply.

"Cobalt Atticus Trayer, you are hereby dismissed. You have three days to get out of my school."