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Inside his dorm room, Ahm was folded up on his bed playing Spinecraft and griefing the hell out of some poor sap that had wandered into his and Nahm's territory when Merry burst in. The flash of light caused him to turn away and hiss in pain but the visual discomfort was quickly set aside in favor of staring at the piece of paper being shoved into his face my his excited ghoulfriend.

Really though, he'd heard her trill. He should've known she'd be bursting through."What? What've you got there beautiful, hmm? Must be important, you're practically vibrating." His eyes didn't want to focus properly just yet, so he just saw paper and blur.

With the importance of the notice in her hot little hands, Ahm could forgive her the momentary flash of forgetfulness (he would have anyway but the exam notice made it that much easier) - it wasn't like she did it often. Usually when she had Big News or wasn't as awake as she might otherwise have been (perhaps intoxicated, but shhh...). "In that case..." Ahm reached around the ghoul in his lap to save and exit his game; this required his full attention, now didn't it?

"Oh Jack, we do." He skimmed over the notice and grinned as her wings flared with excitement. They'd been waiting - hoping, really - for this. Nahm was already there, already a knob, but Ahm and Merry...well, they were catching up.

"Come anytime, huh? So beautiful, when do you want to go?" In theory they were good to go right then, if they wanted...right? A frission of excitement crept along his spine like itchy lightning. The first year exams!

"Sure, lemme get dressed to go out." He closed his laptop completely and grinned up at her while sliding from the bed; Ahm absolutely didn't mind going as soon as he'd gotten himself wrapped up for a fight. Normally he only wrapped his neck, tail and hands since the rest was covered well by clothing, but this was an exam at Amityville and could mean anything. He absolutely didn't trust the educators not to go so far as to prepare an actual battle as the test.

Which meant he'd be wrapping up all the way: tail, shoulders to fingers, upper torso to throat and from his toes to his knees. Over the soft winding would go skin tight, breathable material from home - an under-suit of sorts - and then actual clothes: jeans, socks and sturdy boots. A long sleeve turtle-neck. A belt (they were handy, never knew what you might be able to accomplish with a good belt at hand. And of course a cowl to help hide his face, after he'd put his hair into a low ponytail. Merry could help, of course, but really...Ahm was so accustomed to wrapping himself or his twin up that it would probably be faster if she just watched.

Oh Prom...oh trip home that he was actually looking forward to (okay so he always liked being home he just didn't always like being made to go).

Tucking a few small items into various folds and compartments, Ahm turned to the chimera, eyes glowing in his hood. "Well, let's get this over with."

Ahm relished the stolen kiss, but kept himself task-focused - if he didn't, they'd never make it out of the room. But with both monsters staying to task, they linked hands and headed out; Ahm's tail twitching against his leg in time to the tune Merry hummed.

"Huh...doesn't this look inviting?" It was quite the opposite, being imposing and spooky in ways that would have set his ruff to rising had he been furred. As things stood, the fine hairs at his nape prickled. The smell was actually the worst - like a siren call - smokey and delicious.

The Grue couldn't quite resist, not with a welcome from a sign, the scent, and that half-broken door just begging them to step inside. "Best to just go in." He tugged Merry after him, not relinquishing her hand for a moment, and was dismayed - but not really surprised - when the deserted space locked them in.

"I..should've seen that coming." His free hand was at his forehead, long fingers pressed against his temples as Ahm mentally berated himself for being stupid. Though really...this was something they were supposed to be doing, right? Well..then it would have happened either way and he'd just sped it up a few minutes. He could live with that. Glancing around, their purpose there built in his mind, "I suppose we're supposed to make it through this place..."

The closest room that wasn't an occupied-only-by-spiders coat closet was a kitchen. Ahm stood with Merry at the door jamb, looking in curiously. "I'll go first, give you chance to see what might be waiting for us." Ahm kissed her lightly and then entered the kitchen fully, moving confidently towards a door near the 'entrance'. This proved to be a bad idea, as once he opened the door he found himself soaked by a rather large bucket of iced water that had him swearing not only in the Common tongues, but several others, including his native one. The door was slammed with as much force as he could muster, paired with a "Who the JACKING ********> left a bucket ******** cold-a** water...." Well, they knew at least one thing to be wary of now!

Beejoux

Ahm was not amused, okay. He was wet, which wasn't horrible, but it was cold and it would take forever to dry - if it did, without him stripping down, which he would not do - so he'd be Jacking cold the whole exam. "It's just water, but it's Jacking cold." He wiped water from his face and peered into the darkness beyond the first door. It was a small enclosed room full of...giant peppers and exaggeratedly small forks. "Nothing useful in here."

Ahm grabbed one of the peppers and ate it, missing Merry's bump into the bin of bones though the sound did make him turn quickly, boots slipping on the damp floor slightly and putting him into a deeper crouch than he'd wanted. "Merry!" He went to her side to help pick her up off the floor. "Are you alright, love?" He waited to make sure the chimera wasn't hurt before warily going for another door.

Surely it woudn't be booby-trapp-- It was. Another bucket of icy slush-water fell onto Ahm's head and he just stood there with the most disgruntled expression on his face. "Merry. I hate this house. I'm going to burn it down when we're done."

Ahm's tail lashed, flicking chilly water around the kitchen as he wiped further water from his eyes. "You know, that's a good idea. Fine. The morning we leave for home, we're taking a match to this heap." Merry's laughter cut through the growing tension and soon enough Ahm joined her, eyes half-shut into crescents as he laughed over the ridiculousness of his situation. "I think the buckets have a thing for me."

He picked up the bucket and ate it too. Then he started off again, coming after Merry. He was about to say something when she stepped in something gross. "Ugh, That's--" Ahm not paying attention meant he knocked into another of those stupid bone-bins, causing him to stumble but not fall - and he eyed the bones thoughtfully before tossing what looked like a finger bone into his mouth. "Tastes like...canid."

"Here, wipe your hoof." The Grue held out a handkerchief from deep in his robes, maybe it would help, maybe it wouldn't.

If the buckets had a thing for the Grue, they could Jack right on off. He wasn't interested, though they did absolutely have an interesting flavor to them. Merry smoothed water from his cheeks and he smiled, bedraggled but still full of self-assured confidence. This was a temporary thing...and certainly all exams were made to be annoying and horrible, right? So it wasn't either of their faults that he was soaked and she'd gotten her fur - and feathers - ruffled.

"Ugh, whatever that is, it's like skitter glue." Ahm folded the cloth up and tucked it back into his robes. He watched her momentarily before wandering off towards another door, this one looked sort of likely. Before he could open it, he heard a great crash and woosh and then Merry's screech as yet another bucket came down. On her. Ahm watched the bucket rolling across the black and white floor and glowered at it, "Cheater," he hissed.

"I'd give you a layer, but it wouldn't help." Damn. It was one thing for him to be soaked, but poor Merry? Still...maybe the Buckets really were on his side, 'cause she looked good wet. Or they hated him 'cause he was doing an exam and couldn't take advantage. With a bit of a grump, Ahm opened his door...and promptly got doused again.

By this point, he didn't bother doing more than making a sharp intake of breath. "Jacking buckets, I swear..."