THE ONE THEY FOUND THAT AFTERNOON WAS NOT TREY, but Cater instead. He looked uncharacteristically startled to see the four of them, more so to see Yuu. ...For some peculiar reason. She supposed it wasn't too weird of him upon deeper consideration. Perhaps he was still feeling guilty after that morning's... distasteful incident. It still left a bitter taste in her mouth.

The four of them came to him and intercepted him at the Hall of Mirrors, where he was just about to cross into Heartslabyul.

"...Cater-senpai, there you are." They caught up to him and he spun around with a vague look of confusion and alarm on his face.

Deuce crossed his arms, "Do you happen to know where Trey-senpai might be?"

"Wha—?!" Grim, who sat on her shoulders, shot up ferociously. He pointed at the dish in his hand with an accusatory look on his face. He looked like he couldn't believe it himself. "While we were suffering all day, this guy's just leisurely eating some apple pie the whole time?!"

The generous amount of whipped cream piled on top seemed to be taunting them.

She squeezed him lightly. "Grim, drop it." He did, albeit rather begrudgingly.

"Hey, guys," Cater twirled the fork in his hand languidly. "The ones they make in the cafeteria are delicious. The... ghosts made lots today!"

"This guy..." Ace clicked his tongue, his brows knit together. "You still wanna act all high and mighty after what happened this morning? I swear, this freaking dorm..."

"He's still in a bad mood from this morning, so don't worry about him," Yuu said, not too keen on apologizing to anyone anymore. She was rather ticked off herself. "Anyways, do you happen to know where Trey-senpai is?"

He looked at them curiously. "Why would you think I know that?"

Deuce raised an eyebrow. "Because... you're both third years and spend enough time together? We assumed you would have known, sorry?"

"Ah yes, that. Right. Of course, since we have known each other for so long. Right~" He waved his free hand, nodding along, "Unfortunately, I don't know where he is."

"Seriously? Don't you two hang out with each other every day?" Ace placed a hand on his hip, his eyes narrowed suspiciously, "You're holding out on us, aren't you?"

"I'm not! I don't know, check his classroom or something?"

"Great idea!" Yuu nodded, turning to him, "What's his classroom number, Cater-senpai? Maybe if we hurry, we can still catch up to him!"

"I... Why are you looking for him, anyway?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Grim exclaimed, "We're gonna find him so that we can finally get the dirt on that ridiculous red tyrant!"

Cater's eyebrows shot up a considerable amount. "Is that so?"

"You're not gonna let Riddle find out about this, are you?" Ace asked him.

"My lips are sealed, I promise!" Strange how he was on their side so quickly. Yuu had always thought he was a devout follower of Riddle's antics. ...Perhaps he changed after seeing firsthand how ruthless his dorm leader could be?

"So," Deuce said, "if you don't mind, Cater-senpai, the classroom number?"

"Um... Ah, I... dunno— Wait," He held up a hand, fixing the collar of his uniform, "Actually, I do remember the last place I saw him. He was in the Library after returning a book he borrowed."

"You should have just said that, then."

"Yeah, well, I was... getting to it, Ace."

Of course! Trey had to return the recipe book to make the Mont Blanc tart. Those cursed Mont Blanc tarts that put all of them in this situation in the first place. She took Deuce and Ace's wrist and started leading them away. "Thanks again, Cater-senpai. Though I don't know if you deserve it after everything you let us go through... Thank you anyway."

"...Yeah, don't mention it!"

Cater seemed so... out of it today.

YUU WAS THE ONE WHO SPOTTED TREY FIRST, his green mop of hair poking out between the bookshelves. The Library was still rather packed at this time of day, with students lingering around to study and whatnot. Among them, she could spot a couple of collars sprinkled in as their miserable owners continued with their business.

They walk towards Trey with a spring in their step and determination set in their eyes. Answers were long overdue.

"Trey-senpai."

He stiffened at Deuce's voice and nearly dropped the book he was holding, but regained his composure once he had seen them. "Oh, it's you guys."

"Cater-senpai told us you'd be here," Yuu told him, "He said you were returning the recipe book you borrowed. Seems he was right."

He seemed surprised. "You went all the way to the Music Club to hunt him down? That's nearly halfway across campus."

"What— No?" Ace gave him a weird look. "We chased him down at the Hall of Mirrors."

"Strange. I could have sworn Cater had club activities today," Trey murmured to himself. He shut the book he was holding and placed it back onto the shelf. "Anyways, did you need me for something?"

"You know exactly what we need from you!" Grim hissed.

Ace wasted no time cutting straight to the chase. "The way the Prefect operates is absolutely outrageous and downright tyrannical. It's a wonder to us how that guy can just do... whatever the heck he does without any repercussions."

He sighed with a grimace. "I figured you'd say that."

"Furthermore!" Yuu raised a hand, "I have so many issues with how animals are treated under his care. Does he normally whack little hedgehogs around on a day-to-day basis? How do you know that the method of dyeing animals via magic, of all things, is completely safe? Why is it that—"

"Alright, animal boy," Ace cut her off, slinging an arm around over her shoulders and eliciting a yelp, "I think he gets it."

"I've yet to give that boy a piece of my mind, you know."

"I'm sure you know how strictly Riddle follows the rules, don't you?" Trey turned to face her with an earnest look, "I know you must have your concerns, but he's a gentle caretaker for the animals. I assure you as Vice Dorm Head, they're not harmed in any way."

She hummed, not forgetting how Noibat was caught in the crossfire of today's scrimmage. "With all due respect, I'll believe it when I see it, Trey-senpai."

There was a deflated-sounding chuckle. "Fair enough."

"If only he could treat the entire dorm that way," The redhead grumbled, pointing at his chest, "How do you even feel about all this? Have you been enabling his behavior since you were kids?"

The boy stared at them with his eyes narrowed with suspicion. He leaned closer in a hushed whisper, "Who did you hear that from?!"

"This boy named Che'nya," Deuce recalled.

"Che'nya...? Oh, him." His expression morphed into one of recognition.

"Hey, you're older than Riddle, right?" Grim eyed him warily, "Why don't you just yell at him or something?"

"I could. Within reason, of course..." There was a pungent silence, and then a sigh. "But he's the Dorm Leader. There's nothing I can do against him."

Ace looked at him as if he had grown a second head, truly exasperated. "Well, why not?!"

"Well..." He sighed for the umpteenth time since they saw him, "Riddle is the person he is today because of the harsh environment he was raised under."

"Eh?"

Trey continued. "His parents are very famous magicians, to the point where there isn't anyone in town who doesn't know their names. His mother, especially. She's so well known that she wants her son to be the same— Everything from his curfew, diet, and academic programs are already decided for him beforehand."

Yuu blinked, processing this newfound information.

Grim stared at him with wide eyes. "Geh... Everything?"

"Everything," He repeated with a grim (har har, but now probably wasn't the time for jokes) look on his face, "What he can eat, what he can wear, what sort of friends he can make... All of those are already predetermined. In order to live up to his parents' expectations, Riddle kept quiet. He stayed inside— still does, sometimes— holed up in his studies."

Yuu brought a hand to her mouth, her eyebrows furrowed with concern. "His mother shut him indoors, too?"

Deuce turned around. "What do you mean, too?"

She didn't look at him. "...Let's let Trey-senpai finish."

"Thanks, Yuu, but there's not much more to say. By the age of 10 years old, Riddle had already perfected that Unique Magic of his. He's always gotten nothing less than first place in school, ever since he was in elementary. I can't even imagine how difficult it was for him."

There was a thick and heavy silence by the time he had finished, the suffocating kind that could be severed with a knife. All four of them exchanged silent looks upon the new revelation. Yuu felt as if she had heard something she shouldn't have, a sensitive topic for Riddle that probably shouldn't have been brought up. Trey just helped her see him in a different light, helped her understand how he was the way that he was. Was it just pity that was starting to show, or the empathy?

Thinking about Riddle's lifestyle and his overbearing mother made her stomach churn and her mind recall unpleasant memories. If what Trey said was true (and there was a high chance that it was), then it was no wonder he was so damn uptight with those rules of his. Yuu felt like her upbringing was a walk in the park compared to his.

"I had no idea he was raised that way." Deuce swallowed thickly, and she shared his sentiments. "So in other words, you're saying it's his parents' fault Riddle-senpai is like... that?"

He nodded. "Riddle thinks that being harsh will benefit everyone in the long run— that being bound by harsh rules and obeying them will make people grow."

"That's a terrible way to go about things. Heartslabyul is obeying him out of fear then, not out of respect. Ruling with an iron fist... is just..." Yuu stammered exasperatedly, "Not how things are done! Not with Pokémon or people!"

She is no stranger to the cases in which several Pokémon have lashed out at their Trainers that used strict methods. Many have rebelled, run away, even attacked their owners. That being said... With Riddle as their Dorm Leader, Heartslabyul has become a can of shaken soda; if you add just the slightest bit of pressure, it will explode.

Several heads turned in their direction, the sudden reminder that they resided in the Library at the moment.

"That's what he knows, and how he was raised." Trey shared their tense expressions. "With his whole heart, he believes that breaking rules are bad because—"

Ace snapped his fingers, finally understanding. "Because if he overlooks the rule-breakers, it's as if... He's denying everything he was made to be, right?"

"It's exactly that, I'm afraid."

"Still, does that condone the fact that he collared both Noibat and Grim, senpai?" Deuce asked.

"He's right," Yuu agreed, "I thought you said he was a gentle caretaker."

"I hope you'll find it in you to understand," Trey ran his hand through his hair. "Riddle's been quite stressed out this past week, given an... issue with the student roster."

"What the heck's that supposed to mean?" Grim's lips formed a tight, unamused line, "So what if it's an issue with the roster? He's a Prefect, isn't that what he signed up for?"

"It's confidential information, so I can't tell you four much. I know I'm in no position to ask after everything that's happened... but please notify me if you notice any suspicious activity," He continued, voice tense and heavy. It made her almost pity him, in a way. "Like one person in two places at once, or someone acting out of the ordinary."

"...We'll keep that in mind," Yuu replied warily after a moment of prolonged silence.

"I know it seems strange," He said, dropping his voice to a low whisper, "But I knew something wasn't right when I secretly saw Riddle himself eating steak. In the dormitory garden."

"So what if he's eating steak in the damn dormitory garden?!" Ace snapped.

"Rule #102: Steaks of any variety are not allowed in gardens."

Deuce gasped with realization. "Dorm Leader Riddle never breaks rules."

"Exactly."

"You got guts, trusting us with this sorta information," Ace bristled, "I still got a bone to pick with that annoying guy."

"Thank the Seven it was me who saw him and nobody else. I still don't get it, and I swore I had seen him with my very eyes. And Riddle doesn't break rules, he never does."

"What's all this gotta do with him being a jerk at all, anyway?" Grim whined, "A jerk is a jerk. This collar's so suffocating..."

"I digress, I digress." Trey shook his head and cleared his throat.

"With the added stress, Riddle's been in an uncharacteristically bad mood. He's not usually so temperamental. So I understand why you'd think of him as a tyrant— I think the way he runs things could be considered a little overboard, too. Still, I... I can't bring myself to stop him. So please, keep what I said in mind."

Yuu made eye contact with the other two beside her.

Deuce placed a finger on his chin, muttering, "So the Dorm Leader's been enduring all that this whole time."

Ace stayed silent for a moment before lifting his head up to meet Trey's eyes. "Now that I got the whole story, I understand completely now. The reason why the Prefect is like that... is all your fault."

"Eh?!" The other four exclaimed, staring at him with wide eyes.

"Ace! You can't just say something like that!" Deuce hissed at him, not having expected him to be so forward.

"What are you talking about? I'm right." He refused to take back such words, only crossing his arms defiantly. "The Prefect can't do anything about his parents because he didn't choose them. But you..."

Trey looked down at the accusatory finger, pointed right as his chest.

"That's..."

"But you, senpai... At the very least, you always thought the treatment Riddle received from his parents was unfair, right?"

He could not respond, choosing to stay silent and dwell on Ace's words.

He's right, She realized, it was a mistake not to fix the problem at the source.

"If you think that the Prefect's making the same mistakes as his parents, just tell him directly. Fix your own mistakes," He continued, "What's gonna happen if you just feel sorry and continue to spoil him? Are you just gonna watch as everyone alienates and hates him?"

"That's exactly what I was fearing," Yuu agreed, "This really can't continue on forever! Arceus, there's only so much pressure that Heartslabyul can take. I don't know what'll happen if your dorm decides it's had enough."

Ace faced the older boy with an I-told-you-so look. "See? I don't care if he's stressed or what, but you're the reason why he's..."

"A big fat tyrant!" Grim supplied, shaking a fist.

"Yes, exactly that!"

"H-Hey, Ace! Yuu, Grim!" Deuce balked, taking a step back. "Stop that!"

"Or what? What's he gonna do, huh? Collar me?" Ace laughed incredulously, "And what about YOU? You're scared of that collar, so you're keeping quiet, right?!"

(On the side, Deuce started whispering his prayers.)

"...Okay, I think that's enough," She attempted to coax him back, " People are staring at you. At us."

He looked feral. He looked ready to fight.

"Nah, man!" He shrugged her hand off his arm, turning to Trey (who looked vaguely startled now) once more, "You're super lame, you know that? You call yourself his childhood friend, but the way things are, you're not even his friend at all!"

"YOU BOYS! THIS IS THE LIBRARY, SO KEEP IT DOWN, PLEASE!"

The five of them simultaneously jumped as the Headmaster seemingly materialized out of thin air behind Yuu. He nearly gave her a heart attack— How did she not notice him?!

"You're the one shouting here, yanno," Grim mumbled, clutching his ears.

"Oh, pardon me." Crowley cleared his throat before leading them to a more secluded section of the Library, "Come, come. The Library is meant to be a quiet place where students can study and enjoy reading. Good grief."

"Sorry, sorry," Yuu said, looking up at him curiously, "Why are you here anyways, Headmaster? How did you get here?"

"I was researching methods on how to return you back to your own world. See, I didn't forget at all! Oh, how kind of me~" He smoothly ignored her second question. "Research starts at the library, after all."

"Really? Thank you, sir."

She might have thought he was being sincere if he had not added, "However, I'm not actually here because I wanted to read the latest addition of a certain novel earlier than anybody else. No sir, not at all."

"What kind of Headmaster is this?" Grim grumbled.

She shook her head. "If you're not helping me return home, then just say that."

From the corner of her eye, she could see the three matching expressions of pity on her friends' faces.

The man coughed into his fist. "Please, Yuu-kun! Must you phrase it in that way? Ahem... No matter." He regarded the group carefully. "What is everyone doing here, wearing such troubled faces?"

"Well..." Deuce stepped forward and began to explain that morning's situation.

Crowley was deep in thought by the time he finished. "I see... So that's what happened. Your pride does not allow you to apologize and have the collar removed, but you know that convincing the Dorm Leader will not go as smoothly."

"That's about it, yeah." Ace was still frowning.

"I see." He brought a metal-tipped finger to his chin. "If you dislike the way Mister Rosehearts runs things, you do have the option to switch dormitories. However, the Mirror of Darkness is the one that judges based on what it sees in your soul. That being said, it is nearly impossible to transfer."

"Transferring, huh?" Ace seemed to contemplate the idea, before shaking his head. "It's basically running away, isn't it? I don't wanna lose to that guy, though. Nah."

"Very well, then. How about challenging little Rosehearts to a duel and then taking the title of Dorm Leader for yourself?"

The way Crowley mentioned it so casually made her blink once, twice, before processing his words. However, when his words sunk in...

"EEEHHHH??"

"Like a battle, Headmaster?!" Yuu blurted immediately.

He frantically brought a finger to his lips and led them deeper into the Library. He whispered harshly, "I said, please keep it down!

Deuce leaned in, also matching his tone, "It's because you said something like that, Headmaster! How could we—"

"It's nothing strange at all, my boy," He dismissed, "You know, Mister Rosehearts himself got the position by doing the same thing, after all."

"You know what? I could see that happening," Yuu commented idly.

"Now that you mention it, how is the position of the Dorm Leader decided here at Night Raven College?" Deuce asked him.

Grim yawned. "People are sayin' that he managed to snatch the position after one week of getting in."

Trey looked almost proud. "Ah, yes. I remember that day."

She whistled lowly.

"Students can either be appointed by a previous Dorm Leader," Crowley continued, "Or, they can win a duel against them. A duel is one of the simpler ways, I'd say."

The little cogs were grinding in Ace's little head. "But... I thought using magic for one's own benefit was forbidden...?"

So they had those kinds of rules too, Yuu noted. Apparently, battles weren't as commonplace in this world. She should have known, honestly.

"For personal gain, yes," The Headmaster nodded sagely. He held up one finger, one exception. "However! A duel appointed by the Headmaster himself— me, in this case— is a different case entirely. You see, there are valid reasons for duels such as these."

Trey pushed up his glasses smartly. "If I remember correctly, it's forbidden to enforce a handicap on your opponent before a duel starts. Ah, but..."

Ace whooped. "So we don't have to apologize!"

"All students are given the right to challenge their Dorm Leader should they want to," Crowley informed, finally turning to face him, "What will you do, Trappola-kun? Will you challenge him?"

His expression took on one of determination. Clenching his fists, the boy said, "Alright then. I'll show him who's boss."

Deuce and Grim nodded along with him, the former cracking his knuckles.

"Same here."

"Me too!"

"Unfortunately, you're from a different dorm, so you can't participate, Grim-kun."

"Wha— What?! Then who's gonna take my collar off?!" He cried.

"Don't worry, don't worry." Ace came over to pat her back. "If I become Prefect, I'll order that Riddle to take it off for you~"

Yuu laughed. "I'm sure Noibat will thank you a bunch."

Grim pounded his fists weakly upon her shoulders. "Damn it... This was a chance for me to show off my skills, too..." If it was a battle he wanted, she was sure any of her Pokémon would love to compete against him in one.

Trey faced the three of them, his brows knit together. "Are you guys serious? Deuce, I didn't think that you'd agree with them so easily."

"Really? As a man, shouldn't I aim for the top at least once? I'll do my best for the team if we're gonna go ahead and challenge him. I'm sure Yuu feels the same way if he were able to battle."

"Of course, without a doubt."

Not a man, but okay, She mused. He did get one thing right though, and it was that she would do everything she could if it meant benefiting her team. She supposed that Ace and Deuce and Grim were a part of her team now. Strange, the thought of that sounded quite pleasant.

"There he goes with that chivalrous talk again. Yuu, don't encourage him."

"What's wrong with it?"

Crowley clasped his hands together finally. "Splendid! Then, I shall inform you of the duel proceedings."

"We should definitely strategize first. No good in jumping straight into a battle, after all." She suggested.

"You don't have to be so worried~" Ace's confidence was practically contagious. "So, does anyone have any good ideas?"

"Hm..." Deuce thought it over, "I feel like the Dorm Leader will win if we use magic. ...If we go physical, we might have a chance of winning."

"True. He looks fragile," Grim put in.

She thought back to the time during lunch or the Unbirthday Party. Even though she was sitting down every time he was around, Riddle seemed to be her height. Maybe even shorter. If so, Ace and Deuce could definitely overpower him.

"Oh, that's right." Crowley added, "Any attacks aside from magic are forbidden."

The atmosphere plummeted several degrees.

Deuce's entire being seemed to deflate. "E-Eh? Is that so...?"

And just like that, their chances of winning have dropped exponentially.

"Let's have a fun duel by playing by the rules, shall we?" The Headmaster laughed heartily in an attempt to lift the mood. "I will finish telling you all the rules tomorrow, so please inform me when the Duel shall take place. Now then, please excuse me."

Without another word, the man left. His cape swished with a flourish as he went.

"And he's gone." Yuu shrugged. "I guess I should find him later and tell him about the battle."

Among other things, her mind quickly added.

"Battle," Trey repeated, "Yuu, you do seem to have some knowledge of those, don't you?"

She shrugged as nonchalantly as possible. "You could say that, but I was never able to delve too far into those." Her words this time were true, at least.

"Alright...! This— This is fine," Ace said, more to himself than anyone else, "I'm not as confident if it's magic, but... We'll manage somehow!"

"Y-Yeah!"

"My neck is on the stake here, so you better all do your best!" Grim exclaimed.

"I'll be rooting for you two," Yuu told them. Perhaps it would do them good to have one of her Pokémon perform a status-boosting move on them.

"You guys..." Trey looked very adamant, but— Well, there was nothing he could do about it now. He must have wanted to help Riddle as well, since he did not make any further move to talk them down.

"When I become the Prefect," Ace promised, shaking his fist, "I'll have that guy say, 'It's all my fault, I'm sorry' to me! And I'll stop him from enforcing all those crazy rules!"

She really hoped so, for all their sakes.

SANDSLASH AND FLETCHLING PROMISED TO SIMULTANEOUSLY FREEZE AND SET HEARTSLABYUL ON FIRE, RESPECTIVELY, when they saw Yuu come home with a collar wrung around her neck. Their anger did not cease, especially when they saw Noibat come out of his ball looking like a right mess.

It took quite a while to calm her team down because all five were any for his sake, and rightfully so. Only the promises of revenge the next afternoon could quell their fury.

Dinner was quick, and then there's a last-minute effort to remove the collars. Her team tried to help the best they could. That is, in the only way they knew how to.

Meowth volunteered first and attempted to Fury Swipe the collars into oblivion. Ace pushed him away after a missed Swipe nearly took out an eye. There's Fletchinder, who offered to melt the metal off with a quick Ember. Sadly, that option was quickly shot down.

By the end of the night, Riddle's collars were still in the same condition as they were that morning— not a single nick or dent to be found.

"What is this stuff made of?!" Yuu had hollered, at a terrible loss, "Fire beats Steel, simple as that! What in the world...!"

They called it a night when Sandslash tried to offer his services; Meowth would use his pronged claws to pick the locks around each collar. An immediate denial was received.

Yuu dreamt of strange tales again that night. The first part of her dreams was something brutal and ruthless: A queen and a little girl, their argument, and then a beheading.

Why did no one stop the Queen from beheading the girl?

She ended up waking in the middle of the night because of such a dream. Sleep came easier the second time around, and she dreamt of something much more pleasant. Just a couple of Budew and Zigzagoons and Teddiursas, among other wild Pokémon, prancing around a rose garden. It wasn't much, but it reminded her of home. That alone was enough for her.

When she woke up again, it was to the sharp reminder that she was not in her homeworld anymore. This was Twisted Wonderland, and Pokémon did not exist here.

Grim pawed her awake this time around. "Oh, you're awake, Yuu!" He seemed very cheerful today.

Ace, like yesterday, was already up and changed into his uniform. "This is it! Today is the day, so let's get moving."

"Alright, alright. Let's go, then."

She let him and Deuce bring her to the kitchen (still dusty and in need of cleaning, unfortunately). Breakfast was finished rather quickly.

It was lonely and quiet in this new world. Instead of waking up to the delightful chirping of Pidove or Pidgey, she only saw regular birds. Dull. There were no Grass-types in the backyard or the garden, just as there were no Wild Pokémon in the forest behind the dormitory.

How dull it was, this world devoid of Pokémon.

Classes came and went in a flash. When the bell rang, Ace and Deuce swept her away to Heartslabyul's Dormitory. A large crowd of students had gathered inside the hedge maze by the time they had reached it. They were murmuring among themselves, peeking over each other to try and get a glimpse of the upcoming battle.

"Hey, did you hear? Someone challenged Prefect Rosehearts to a duel!"

"You mean, THE Prefect?! I can't believe it. Is that poor sucker out of his mind or what?"

"But this is the first challenge he's ever gotten, you know. Let's go watch~"

Among the horde, she could make out a vibrant red head of hair. It belonged to Riddle, whose silver eyes swept across the field. He was wearing the same bold outfit from yesterday, his scepter twinkling menacingly in the light.

Behind him, she spotted Cater and Trey, who were whispering together. Twin expressions of apprehension racked their faces. Beside them stood Headmaster Crowley, whose extravagant attire made him stand out like a beacon against the sea of red and white uniforms.

(Good, so he was here. That meant she could inform him of the sudden appearance of Wild Pokémon. It was so long overdue; by now, she could only hope he would not be too angry that she did not tell him earlier.)

He cleared his throat, garnering the attention of each student. "Now that both parties are present, I shall be watching over the duel here in the Heartslabyul Dormitory."

The murmurings came to halt as he raised a hand. "The challengers are Ace Trappola and Deuce Spade. They are going up against Riddle Rosehearts, who accepted their challenge. Ahem... As per usual duel proceedings, please remove the collars to make sure there are no handicaps on both sides."

Noibat and Grim, who were present, gasped miraculously as the collars fell from their necks. At last, the heavy weight upon their shoulders was lifted (literally).

Ace and Deuce stepped forward and rejoiced. "This damn thing's finally off...!"

"It will be back on you in a little while, so I'd say you best enjoy it while you can." Riddle twirled his pen deftly around his fingers, his lips upturned in a subtle (yet confident) smirk. "I couldn't believe my ears when I heard you two had challenged me to a duel. Are you really serious?"

At his remark, Noibat let out an angered snarl and Yuu had to coax him back.

Ace and Deuce met his cold gaze. The former nodded, his brows tense. "Of course."

"We would never challenge you as a joke."

"Hmph. Never mind. Let's get started then, shall we?"

Cater stepped forward adamantly, leaning forward to whisper into his ear. "Riddle, what should we do about our afternoon tea?"

"It shouldn't be a problem." That confident expression did not falter, not once. "Afternoon tea always has to be at exactly 4 PM."

"But it's already past 3:30..."

"Do you think I'll be late for anything in my life? I can guarantee this will be over quickly," He snapped, turning to the other two, "As you can see, I barely have enough time as it is."

"This guy..."

"—Taking you one-on-one will be time-consuming, so come at me, both of you."

How confident of him. A sound of fanfare blared loudly, roughly at the same time that a large number of Heartslabyul students started cheering for their dorm Leader.

"You can do it, Prefect! Please settle this quickly~!"

The action felt pre-rehearsed and robotic and strained as hell, which did not go unnoticed by Yuu or Noibat. She made eye contact with Cater and Trey, who were both frowning deeply at that moment.

"They sound so confident," Deuce remarked warily.

Grim, who was carried in her arms like Noibat, wrinkled his nose. "Ugh, that's so creepy...!"

Ace glared rather fiercely at Riddle. "We didn't come here without a plan, you know!"

He was ignored. "Headmaster, please begin at once."

Crowley pulled out a mirror from who-knows-where, one small enough to fit inside the palm of his hand. "Alright. The moment this hand mirror falls to the ground is the moment to start. Ready..."

The glass shatters when it hits the floor.

"Fight!"

"—Off with your head!"

No sooner do those words leave his mouth does Riddle slam his scepter to the floor. Before Ace and Deuce could even react, could even reach for their magical pens, two collars clamped around their necks. The scream that left their throats was violent and it made Yuu wince. When she looked down, she could see herself— as well as Grim and Noibat— in the very same condition.

The courtyard was silent.

"Damn it!" Ace winced, clutching his neck, "Can he do nothing else but steal other people's magic?!"

Deuce's expression mirrored his. "To think that we couldn't even do anything...!" He got out through gritted teeth.

"He's so quick," Yuu gasped softly, her eyes blown wide with surprise. She never would have expected him to outclass them all by this much. Such a miscalculation on her part... How could she underestimate him so much?

"Mister Riddle Rosehearts is the winner!" Crowley declared after a pause. After seeing her initial shock, he turned to her to explain. "One's magic stems from the strength of the imagination. The stronger you imagine the results to be, the more success it shall turn out."

"So you're telling me Rosehearts is strong because he is one-hundred-percent confident in his skills as a magician," She said dumbfoundedly, "Huh."

She thought back to the other day, where her two friends had looked less-than-ready to face off against their dorm Leader.

"Exactly. Mister Rosehearts here has shown us all how much he has polished his magical skills."

Grim clutched his head in defeat, quivering. "Fngaa! The difference in their levels is just too much...!"

"Hmph, it didn't even take five seconds," The boy regarded them, smiling amusedly, "I'm surprised that you went and challenged me with a skill level such as that. Aren't you embarrassed?"

At their silence, he continued, his smile melting into a frown. "Anyone who breaks the rules will always amount to nothing. Mother was right."

Just what did his mother drill into that head of his?

Deuce crossed his arms, scowling, "...It's true that rules should be followed. But strictly implementing every single nitpicky rule in the book just makes you a tyrant!"

"Hah? There is a punishment for every broken rule, isn't there?" Riddle placed a gloved hand on his chest. His sharp voice rang clear throughout the yard. "And I am this dorm's absolute rule. That is why those who break the rules have no right to complain to me!"

Look at me, his voice seemed to demand, Look at me. I am the very best. I am at the very top, all because I have followed the rules. The rules have gotten me right where I am, right here, right now!

"You can't keep using rules to do whatever you want!" Yuu hissed at him, "No one ever said leniency isn't allowed! What are you so afraid of that you won't let the slightest mistake go unpunished?"

"How many times must I say it for you to understand?! No one will follow rules that are lenient!" The scathing look he gave her was glacial, now. Haughty. Arrogant. "If you cannot follow one measly rule, just what was your education like?"

Unforgiving. Harsh. Something like yours. But he didn't need to know that.

"Stop it." Why wasn't anybody stopping him?

"Who are you, an outsider, to tell me how to rule?" Riddle's hand rocked back and forth through the frigid air, "You were born from parents who can't even use magic, weren't you? I'm almost positive that you didn't receive any adequate education before stepping foot in this school."

"Leave my family out of this, Rosehearts."

A furious snarl tore out of Noibat's throat.

A nerve had been struck. She looked up to meet his gaze, sucking in a breath. How was it possible that he had simultaneously hit the nail right on the head and missed the target entirely? He was right, her mother wasn't the best, but—

"—How pathetic, truly."

Deuce cracked his knuckles, taking a step forward. "Damn you...!"

"I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU, GODDAMN IT!"

Before any of them could blink, Ace sprung himself up and swung his right arm forward. He had just punched the Dorm Leader. (Yuu would be lying if she said he didn't deserve it.)

"Eh..?!"

At this, the Prefect stumbled back with a yelp. Cater, Trey, and Headmaster Crowley come to his aid, helping him stand upright.

"Riddle-kun?!"

"Rosehearts-kun?!"

"Ace?!"

The crowd around them gasped, not having expected a student (a first-year, at that) to punch the Prefect square in the face.

"He... He actually punched the Prefect?!"

"That was a beautiful right hook!" Grim praised in a low whisper, "So sharp, so clean!"

Yuu whistled lowly, "Audino would be impressed."

"A-Ace?! Did you just—" Deuce looked at his friend as if he had committed treason. He might as well have.

The boy merely stretched his arms, amber eyes narrowed into slits. "Haah... I'm tired now, man. I don't care about you or this duel anymore."

Riddle was still reeling from the punch, clutching his (now red) cheek. His eyes were blown wide with disbelief. "Eh...? You just... —You just punched me?"

No one has gathered up the courage to punch their Dorm Leader, apparently. It was a wonder how no one thought about it earlier, She thought.

"Kids aren't their parents' trophies. Your parents aren't the ones who get to decide what you're worth." She watched as Ace sauntered up to him until they were less than a foot apart. He was seething.

"I finally understand! The fact that you're a trashy person isn't your mom or dad's fault at all! You've already been at this school for a year." He pointed his finger in Trey's direction and the rest of the student body followed his outstretched arm. "And the one to blame is that bastard you call a friend has done absolutely nothing but turn a blind eye to all your selfishness!"

"What are you saying...?"

Trey stayed dreadfully silent, not denying any accusations.

Ace did not relent, and Yuu and Deuce did not stop him. "—And I get that your mom raised you the way she did, but is 'Mama this, Mama that' all you can say?! Are you not capable of thinking for yourself, or what?!" He spat venomously. "I'm so fucking over you."

"Ace, you can't just cuss out the Prefect—"

"—Not now, Deuce. I'm not finished." He turned around to face the Prefect once more, "To hell with all this Red Ruler bullshit! You're just a baby who happens to be gifted with magic!"

"Baby, you say...?" His face quickly went through an ugly myriad of emotions, ranging from confusion to shock to rage. "You know nothing and yet... You don't know anything about me and yet—!"

He looked fit to explode. Why wasn't a single person trying to calm him down?

"Yeah, I don't. I don't know a damn thing! Did you think I would, with that nasty attitude of yours?! Don't be stupid."

"Shut up. Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!" Riddle was practically foaming at the mouth, his form trembling with pure and unbridled anger. His hands were clenched unbearably tight around his scepter. "QUIET! Mother is right! That is why I am also right!"

Yuu broke away from Ace and Deuce, weaving her body throughout the crowd. Grim and Noibat clung desperately to her in order not to fall. The other students around her continued watching the scene unfold fearfully.

She finally came across Trey and Cater, hollering, "What are you doing?! Calm him down!"

Trey heeded her words, coming to Riddle's side. With a sense of urgency, he said, "Riddle, it's alright. The duel is already over!"

"Clover is right. Any attacks performed outside of the duel will nullify your victory!" Crowley's golden eyes flickered behind his mask, his frown deep and concerned. "If you persist, you will be breaking the rules!"

"I agree with the newbie! I've had enough of this too!"

She turned around to find a purple-haired student holding a carton of eggs, turning around all too late to see him chuck one through the air. Her eyes followed its line of trajectory, widening when the egg splattered onto the Prefect. It smeared and trailed down his cape, eggshells falling to the floor. There was a silence that hung in the air like a bad odor.

"What was that...?! An egg?" Shocked, Trey turned toward the crowd. His eyes scan for the perpetrator. "Did someone throw that?"

"Who threw that egg at me?! Who is it?!"

Riddle must have been angrier than ever. She could not see his face in the crowd, but his rage was heard loud and clear in his voice.

"Someone actually did it," Grim commented under his breath.

"Grim, not helping."

Yuu turned around to where the student was, only for him to have slinked back into the crowd. She poked her head through the crowd just in time to see Riddle laughing. Laughing.

"Haha... Hahaha... HAHAHAHA!" He keeled over and clutched his stomach with unhinged laughter. When he lifted his head again, she swore that look of his could have frozen a lake over.

She paled. "He's absolutely gone."

"Fnngaa... What're we gonna do?"

"You've had enough? I'VE had enough! No matter how much I've warned you, no matter how strict I've gotten, you all kept breaking the rules!" He waved his scepter across the air in one sharp motion, heaving, "Every single one of you... You're all just mindless idiots that think can only think for themselves!"

For the first time since she saw him, Cater wasn't smiling anymore. "Riddle-kun! Please!"

"Very well." Riddle composed himself for the briefest moment, right before his calm demeanor shattered. "If no one will admit it, then you all will take responsibility! Off with all your heads! OFF WITH YOUR HEAD!"

"Shit, shit, shit! I knew this would happen, but I didn't think everything would be this bad!"

Grim and Noibat gaped at her, never hearing her cuss so openly before.

They weren't the only collared ones among the crowd anymore. As far as she could see was a student in disarray, a bulky collar around their neck. There had to be at least forty— No, fifty students that showed up to watch the battle. Don't tell me...

He collared all of them?!

"Urk! This collar is—!"

"AAAAH! He's crazy, I'm outta here!"

"Ahahaha! How do you like that? Now, none of you can raise a hand against me!" There was a warped kind of mirth dancing in Riddle's eyes, a self-satisfied grin stretching across his face. "I knew it. I'm the only right one because I enforce the rules. Me!"

"Desist, Rosehearts!" Crowley called over the buzz of the frenzied students, "Not following the rules is unlike you at all!"

"Trey, this is looking bad..." Cater murmured, his brows creased, "If he uses any more magic, he'll..."

Something changed in Trey's eyes. "...Riddle, enough!"

"Hey, you! Not everything will go the way you want, you know?!" Ace hollered, sneering, "This is exactly why I called you a baby!"

"You... Are you asking to get skewered?! Take that back right now!"

"Ace!" She screamed, her voice lost throughout the cacophony of the distressed crowd, "Don't provoke him anymore, he's completely unhinged!" He couldn't hear her.

"Hell no. Never."

"This is really, really getting bad!" Cater ordered loud and clear, "You guys, get out of here!"

"Grim, Noibat, hold on tight—"

"Shit, make a run for it!"

"He's gone mad! Man, move outta my way!"

Bodies were jostled back and forth as each and every student scrambled for the exit. She struggled to keep hold of her companions, weaving in and out against the current of people. She stumbled into Crowley, who helped steady her. Quickly thanking him, she lifted her head just in time to see Riddle slam his scepter to the floor.

Yuu watched with wide eyes as a dark mist swirled from it, coating the entire maze in a murky haze. The sky, which was a vibrant blue before, was painted a violent red. She stared breathlessly as rocks, shrubs, and clumps of dirt were lifted off the ground. On command, the rose bushes in the vicinity uprooted themselves from the dirt. As if Psychic had been used on them, each one started floating through the air and teetering around Riddle like some kind of twisted merry-go-round.

Such raw power, such energy—

"Wh— Wha—?!" Grim stared at the hedges, quivering with fear, "All the trees in the courtyard are floating...!"

"Such distorted magic...!" Deuce shielded his face from the swirling mist, "Don't tell me he plans on using that on Ace?!"

"Rose hedges, tear that boy— That— That rule-breaker's body to shreds!"

Crowley was preoccupied with clearing out the rest of the Heartslabyul students at the exit. "This is terrible— Trappola, get out of the way!"

Yuu fought desperately against the current, jostling several strangers away from her. She broke out of the crowd just in time to see a thick tree trunk sweep across the ground, ready to plow through Ace's feeble body. "ACE!"

"Fletchinder, use—"

"—Doodle Suit!"

Budew, Zigzagoon, Teddiursa — All mentioned in Yuu's dream. They're all pretty cute, low-level Pokémon that can be easily found in the wild. She recalls missing them.

Pidove, Pidgey — Common, low-level and bird-like Pokémon. Like the above, Yuu misses seeing them around.

Psychic — A, you guessed it, Psychic-type move that lifts the target into the air. Yuu uses this analogy when describing the trees in the maze.

Whoa, a lot going on in this chapter. Um, I've slipped in a few subtle details about Yuu's home life, so... there's that, at least? Um, so how we thinking? I left off at a bit of a cliffhanger, so you're very welcome. 💃 We are this close 👌 to revealing Yuu's secret, I'm shaking in my socks. Partially out of terror since I've made little progress in my drafts so I... literally have no more. Expect another in twenty days, one whole month at the latest (I'm terribly sorry). Please tell me what you thought of this chapter or leave a comment, all support is greatly appreciated! 💖