₀₁₈. feeling green?
IT MUST HAVE BEEN THE STRANGEST THING TO SEE FIVE ENTIRE HEARTSLABYUL STUDENTS present at the Pomefiore Dormitory. Especially when two of them were Heartslabyul's Dorm Leader and Vice Leader. It was no wonder that they received many stares when they were parading around like that as a unit.
"Rook Hunt, first on my Cater Check. Hehe, I'd tell you what he looks like, but I'm guessing you guys already know."
Riddle led them through the Hall of Mirrors. "I can see why he'd be a target, he was quite the outstanding player last year. ...But there's something off about him that I.. just don't— Ah, never mind. Let's keep going."
The only dormitory Yuu had ever been in before was Heartslabyul's, so she marveled at the prestige of Pomefiore's, equal parts amazed and envious.
It was just as pretty and regal as she thought it'd be, a white-walled castle standing tall and proud. Just like Heartslabyul, it was very beautiful, just in a completely different way. While the former was whimsical and colorful, Pomefiore was refined and elegant— she could tell just that much by looking at the well-kept courtyard and towers. Well, obviously the gardens weren't as impressive as the Rose Maze, but they were still very gorgeous in their own right.
(If both the dorms had one thing in common, it was making Ramshackle look like a camping tent, a tiny little shed to stomp on.)
This was just the outside. She almost didn't even want to look inside, too afraid of what it would do to her ego.
And yet, as the double doors swung open, she could not stop staring at every little thing she saw. The lounge, why, it had to be the prettiest thing she'd ever stepped foot in on campus. It was masterfully decorated with fancy chairs, tables, candleholders, and whatnot— decked out in gold and silver and several shades of purple.
The crown jewel of the room was a throne, placed atop a raised platform in the back. It was easily the most impressive object in the room— How could it not, with an ivory backrest carved into the shape of a bird? She could see that each individual feather was encrusted with a sparkling blue gem, fanning around the throne like an expensive halo.
So this, this is really what the school's budget went into. If Meowth saw this, he would be screaming and crying and trying to smuggle something out so he could pawn it off for some money. That was understandable. Each piece of furniture was gold-plated, for Arceus' sake, including that grandiose throne.
Ace whistled, impressed. "Holy crap, they're all so shiny." He wasn't just talking about the furniture— Pomefiore was founded in the name of the Beautiful Queen for a reason.
"Ah," Deuce pointed at a corner where three students sat around a table. "He's sitting over there."
He was right. Rook, with that unmistakable hat of his, was talking to some other purple-haired student she did not recognize. They were drinking tea, it seemed. Across from them sat Pomefiore's Dorm Leader— Schoenheit, if she remembered correctly— who was swatching various shades of makeup onto his skin.
"Non, non, little Epel! It is not elegant to put your fingers through the handle. Gently hold the cup, like so. Voilà!"
"Eh... Ah, alright. I'm sorry."
(Hm. For some reason, Yuu always assumed tea was a Heartslabyul tradition only. ...Pomefiore and Heartslabyul had a lot more in common than she initially thought.))
"Hm... I'm still undecided about the makeup for the tournament. However, that new foundation from Felicite Cosmetics has piqued my interest."
"Ha ha ha! My lovely Vil, our Rois du Poison! Your complexion is not so inadequate that it needs cosmetics to compensate."
"I am well aware, my dear. But," Shoenheit brought his arm up to the light, pursing his lips in contemplation, "if I want to aim one rank higher, I can't hold back."
"Wonderful! That spirit of yours, it truly is marvelous!"
"Hmm... Oi," Grim pulled at her shirt (he was nestled in her arms as they walked), the little gears cranking in his head. "That guy... Well, he looks like a limp noodle. If I was the culprit, I wouldn't go after him."
Yuu felt the need to be offended for his sake. "What? You—! Limp noodle? Don't be rude!"
"Oh, je n'y crois pas!" I don't believe it! Rook exclaimed suddenly from across the room. When they looked at him they could see that his attention wasn't focused on his purple-haired friend; rather, he was looking directly at them. "Et-ce vous? Is that you, Yuu?"
"Bonjour, Monsieur Rook!" She waved excitedly. No one could say anything before she skittered to his table, practically skipping with each step. The two of them began to talk animatedly in Kalosian, all shiny smiles and bright eyes. Heartslabyul watched them conversate, absolutely dumbfounded.
Bouncing on her feet, she asked, "Comment ça va?" Have you been well?
Grim, who was stuck in her arms with no means to escape, looked terribly uncomfortable being in such close range with Pomefiore's Vice Dorm Leader.
"En effet! Pourquoi, c'est une bouffée d'air frais de voir votre visage rayonnant aujourd'hui." Indeed! Why, what a breath of fresh air it must be to see your shining face today. He placed a gloved hand on his chest, in the way that he always did. And she laughed, starry-eyed.
"Wow." Ace whispered to no one in particular, his face an odd mixture of incredulity and shock and slight appallment. "She's totally been charmed by him."
Deuce could only stare. "It's like the flamingos all over again, but..."
"...Worse?"
"Celles-ci doivent être... vos amis?" These must be... Rook looked past her to the group of five on the other side of the lounge. "Your friends, right? Il est assez rare de vous voir tous ensemble au même endroit." It is quite rare to see you all together in one place.
"Definitely worse." Cater shot Trey a look, who merely shrugged.
"Mhm, oui. Le directeur Crowley nous a chargé d'enquêter sur la série d'accidents survenus récemment. Alors, nous sommes ici!" Mhm, yes. Headmaster Crowley tasked us to investigate the string of accidents happening lately. So, here we are!
He spared a glance to the side, chuckling softly. "Il semble que vos amis n'aiment pas écouter une conversation à laquelle ils ne peuvent pas participer." It seems that your friends do not like listening to a conversation they cannot take part in.
"Vraiment?" Really? Yuu followed his gaze and tried her best not to crack a smile. Were they— Were they pouting?
"Vous avez raison! Ah, d'après ce que je peux voir, vos amis ne l'apprécient pas vraiment non plus." You're right! Ah, but from what I can see, your friends don't exactly enjoy it either.
A quick once-over across the table only proved her point. The purple-haired student had been curiously watching them talk, looking vaguely uncomfortable. Schoenheit paused whatever he was doing to observe them— Although he wasn't downright frowning like Ace, Deuce, Cater, and Grim was... he wasn't exactly enthusiastic either.
Many Pomefiore students had that quality, she realized. That... crypticness. One could never truly know what was on their minds. She saw it in Rook— he would get that look whenever he talked about Pokémon or NRC's many inhabitants— and she saw it on Schoenheit right now. They were... they were unreadable like that. Like they were always thinking about something.
Grim shook her out of her stupor. "You two are starting to creep me out."
"We'll stop now," she promised him, suddenly looking bashful. This was, unfortunately, not the first time Yuu would switch to Kalosian when talking when other people were still present in the room.
"No need to apologize," Rook laughed in that carefree way he always did, "The Second Language is known to be a language that sounds pleasant to the ear— Can you blame him for wanting to speak something so beautiful?"
Ace and Deuce had been silently observing. They were exchanging looks with each other, engaged in some sort of secret conversation underneath the guise of wide eyes, raised eyebrows, and subtle nods and glances.
"I... Fngaa... I guess not," the feline groaned, at a loss.
"Even still, it'd still be nice to understand the conversation." Riddle came up behind her, the other four following in suit. He regarded them curtly. "Vil, Rook."
"Bonjour, Rois des Roses!"
"Riddle," Schoenheit acknowledged, taking a sip of his tea. Even sitting down, Yuu realized he was still almost as tall as she was standing up. "...and company. It's good to see you alive and well. How is your shoulder?"
Yuu wondered if the way his blonde hair faded into a pretty lavender color was natural or not.
"Fully recovered. Thanks for the concern." He rolled his shoulders back just to prove his point. "I'll be frank— if Yuu didn't say it already, we're here to investigate the recent incidents."
"That's right. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?" Trey asked.
"We don't have anything to do with it, if you're implying what I think you are." Schoenheit raised a perfectly plucked brow, scrutinizing the entire lot of them. He looked almost offended that they would even think of such a thing. "I wouldn't tolerate that kind of behavior in the first place."
She suppressed a shiver and brought Grim closer to her chest.
"Oh, I believe you, alright," Riddle told him, "For as long as I've known you, you've never struck me as being the type to pull this kind of stunt."
"Well, it's because I'm not."
"I think we've already gotten what we came here for," he said, glancing to the side at Cater. The latter was waving his phone and sporting a thumbs up. "We'll be taking our leave now, if you don't mind. Ah, and remember to be careful."
"It goes without saying." Schoenheit waved. "Well then, be on your way."
"Adieu!"
"Adieu, Monsieur Rook."
Nothing else was said. After Heartslabyul left the Pomefiore Dormitory— and what a dormitory it was— they started bunching together in the Hall of Mirrors like a pod of Dugtrio.
If they were trying to be subtle about it, the desired effect was certainly not achieved. Well, of course it wasn't. She was right next to them and Grim, who was actively participating in the conversation, was even hanging off her shoulders. She was right there.
It was quite hilarious to witness, honestly.
"Did you see how friendly they were with each other? They're so friendly, too friendly!" Ace looked a couple of seconds away from tearing all his hair out. "It was like they were polluting the air with all those sparkles and... friendliness."
"Oh, come on. It's not like that."
"Yes, it is, Trey! It is like that, it is one-hundred-percent like that!" Grim swatted at the boy in question.
"I mean, come on~ Even if it is the Second Language, we still can't understand it!" Cater, whined, "I'd just like to be able to understand my favorite kouhai when they're speaking, you know."
There was an offended gasp.
"—One of my favorite kouhais," was quickly amended.
"Birds of a feather do flock together," Trey mused, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Come on, can you really blame them for having more friends? Listen to yourselves."
A voice of reason! Yuu wanted to cry. Finally!
"—Even if it is Rook Hunt." Ah. What a very backhanded way of coming to her rescue.
"The friend in question being Rook Hunt is the exact reason why we're discussing this in the first place," Riddle crossed his arms.
Grim crossed his arms. "My henchman is mine! Henchmen don't just follow around the first shiny-faced blond guy they see!"
"Well, don't you think it's suspicious how fast they're getting along with each other, Trey-senpai?" Deuce frowned, gesturing at the air. He counted something on his fingers, "I just think it's alarming. They just met last week, and—"
"And he's already achieved something that took me so long to earn," Riddle muttered, then quickly realizing what he said. It was like some sort of strange confession that he just stepped into.
He said it so simply that for a moment she thought she might have just hallucinated it. Maybe she was being overworked that week and needed some rest. —But that couldn't be it. If that were the case, then why would he look just as surprised as she felt at that moment?
"What?" Left gaping like a Magikarp, she ultimately decided to shut her mouth. She tried again, blinking owlishly at him, "Is that the Pokémon Secret?"
"No, it's not that." Trey looked between the both of them, wearing a wry smile. "I think what he means is your friendship and respect."
"What? Well, I— I suppose."
"Ew, friendship. Lame. I think I'm breaking out in hives— Ow, what was that for?"
"I don't think I've ever had anybody admit that, how kind of you," she laughed, deciding to ignore Ace's comment. He already got a swat from Trey, anyway. "Wow, Dorm Leader Riddle Rosehearts thinks so highly of me. I must be really lucky."
"It just slipped out," Riddle insisted, coughing into his fist. "Think nothing of it! I've just been calling it as I see it, that's all— You can't be so easily deceived. Just what is Hunt's angle?"'
"Maybe there is no angle. Maybe he's just a normal guy who can speak the Second Language."
"I don't know if you noticed, Yuu," Deuce winced, "but no one at NRC is just a normal guy. Uh, especially Hunt."
"What a poor, unfortunate soul you are," Cater sniffled, wiping a fake tear from the corner of his eye.
"Of course you'd try to see the best in that guy," Ace shook his head, slinging an arm around her shoulders. He was grinning widely. "Coming from you, the guy who was literally tricked doing community service for the Headmaster, that's real funny."
"Tricked?" Yuu squinted at him. "I don't know why you're making fun of me. You're doing it too."
"Yeah, but you're doing it for free!"
This boy was officially hysterical, she decided. "That's literally the entire point of community service!"
"See what we mean? Yuu's just too..." Deuce searched for the right word, and for lack of better term he just said, "Good. No matter how you look at it, isn't he a good guy through and through?"
If she was confused before, her confusion only seemed to grow as everyone (yes, including Grim) agreed with him.
"He's on a crazy different level." Cater shook his head, wearing a troubled sort of smile. "I mean, I'd assume he went to RSA if I didn't know any better."
The word was like a trigger that caused the temperature of the room to drop.
"I don't... I don't see how that's a bad thing. Aren't you sure you're not, I don't know, paranoid or something?" She was met with many, many indignant noises. They looked like she'd just insulted their mothers.
"We're not paranoid, really." Trey could only laugh. He was the only one who wasn't pouting or frowning in some way— thank Arceus for that. "I'm sure all of us are just concerned, right, guys?"
Deuce placed his hand on her head, ruffling up her hair. "Someone's gotta be."
Laughing, she pulled him off, "I promise I can take care of myself."
"Of course, it isn't my right to dictate who you can and cannot be friends with," Riddle acquiesced at last, lifting his gaze up to meet hers.
He winced, "Just, please, let me give you this piece of advice. You've landed at Night Raven College. Think about it— not a lot of people can be trusted. Trust me, you'd be better off avoiding certain types of... characters."
Yuu tried to think of anything to refute him, but nothing came to mind. If anything, this only proved him right— with the doppelganger incident, and now, these string of accidents surrounding the Magift Tournament.
Nodding along was the only thing she could do.
"WE SHOULD PROBABLY SCOUT OCTAVINELLE NEXT. FOR MY CATER CHECK," Cater announced, waving his phone, "there's these two guys, Jade and Floyd Leech. According to my info, they're known for their killer combo attacks, using them to wipe the floor with any opponent."
Combo attacks? She couldn't help but assume that these two would be prolific tag-team Pokémon trainers, by association.
Riddle, who stood beside her, quickly stiffened up like a Kakuna. "Great Sevens, have mercy..."
The seven of them, including Grim, had been meandering around the entirety of NRC'S campus (dormitories and everything) for a good chunk of the day. They soon came upon the courtyard, the one with the ripe apple trees and the stone well, before long.
Grim blinked at the two towering figures in the distance, situated under a shady tree. "Wah! There's two dudes with the same face!"
Trey snorted. "Those are what we call twins, Grim."
As their group came increasingly closer, the height of the Leech twins grew to frightening levels. Concurrently, Riddle seemed to shift farther and farther behind the rest of them.
Now that they were only about three meters away rather than ten, Yuu was surprised to find out that she recognized them. Or at least, one of them; it became apparent to her that one of the two was present during the monthly dorm meeting.
"Those guys... they're so frickin' tall that they make the rest of us look tiny," Ace remarked quietly.
Grim, who sat in her arms, nodded along. "They're tall and lanky, but why do I get the feeling like they shouldn't be messed with?"
Which twin was it? From this distance, she couldn't really tell. Of course, they had that unmistakable teal hair, but that was all she could discern for now.
"If they're strong, you think we should mark them?" Deuce proposed.
"Hm... If I were the culprit, I'd save those two for last. Those two... especially Floyd, let alone both of them— They aren't people I'd want to get anywhere near to. Yuu, take notes."
Take notes? She would have giggled if it weren't for the seriousness on Riddle's face.
"Aaah~ It's Kingyo-chan!"
One of the Leech twins, the one leaning on the tree, spotted them and proceeded to dash across the courtyard. His brother followed after. Which, in all honesty, did not take a very long time at all because their legs were so ridiculously long. Yuu counted the steps, only four were needed.
"He found me!" The boy in question, Kingyo-chan, made a startled sort of choking noise and shrunk further away. "Hide me, Trey, Cater!"
"Kingyo-chan, what are you doing?" This was certainly not the twin she met two weeks prior. "Hide and seek? Looks like fun. Hey, where are you going~?"
"Fl— Floyd, How many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me that weird nickname?" She has never seen Riddle so panicked before. Ace and Deuce looked equally as uncomfortable. (She couldn't blame them.)
"Whaat? But you're small and red, just like a goldfish."
Grim was completely unimpressed by the entire display of strange cat-and-mouse. "This guy's a weirdo."
He might as well have dug their graves because Floyd heard him and came over to them. If Yuu thought he was tall before, he was a skyscraper now.
"Now look what you've done, you talking raccoon." She said through tight lips, watching the Octavinelle student saunter over, "We're so, so in for it now."
They weren't met with anger or offense, just a threat under the guise of a hug. "Wow! A talking cat! So funny. Hey, hey, here's an idea. Can I give you a nice, tight squeeze?"
He smiled, and that's when she saw it, this mouth full of jagged, needle-sharp teeth.
"S-Squeeze! No way!"
Usually, somebody with a honeyed, cheery voice like his shouldn't have been as off-putting as he was. Yuu hugged Grim even closer to her chest. If she wasn't careful, he would snatch the cat out of her arms.
"Oya, Heartslabyul's all together in one place, aren't they? What a sight for sore eyes." The other twin came to her rescue, putting a stop to whatever conversation they were about to engage in. "Are you perhaps doing reconnaissance for the Magical Shift Tournament?"
Cater spared them an uneasy smile. "Um... Haha, that's the funny thing, actually. It's actually a rather long story..."
She pointed weekly at him. "Ah, you're..."
Now that they stood side by side, it was very obvious that they were actually quite different. Whereas one wore a neat and tidy uniform, the other's was haphazardly thrown together. The one on the left, Floyd, his eyes were downturned and easy-going.
His brother on the right— who must have been Jade, she realized— had eyes that were more catlike and sharp, just like him. Two totally different demeanors.
"What's this? The transfer student, Yuu, I take it? I don't think we've had the proper chance to meet." Yes, this was most definitely the twin that she saw at the Dorm Leader meeting. "It's a pleasure to meet you."
She blinked at him, not expecting such courtesies. "Oh— Yes, that's me. Ah, hello."
Whatever shred of fear that they had was completely sucked away.
Deuce gestured at the two, an apprehensive frown working its way onto his face. "Ah, don't tell me sh— he knows these guys too?"
"Jade was present at the Dorm Leader meeting, so Yuu definitely saw him," Trey supplied, "As for Floyd... Those two haven't met before, I think."
Well, they sure could hope.
He was right, actually. Floyd's carefree demeanor quickly broke away to something more... baffled. He glanced between Jade and Yuu, who were shaking hands (albeit with her looking rather awkward), the confusion as plain as day on his face.
"Huh? Hey. Jade, I didn't know this."
"Clover's right. He's always seen with his little critters, but I've been meaning to meet him ever since the meeting." His eyes were perfect crescents when he smiled. "So what a surprise it was when we stumbled upon him today."
"Yes, wonderful," Riddle cut in, shuffling in between the two of them. "Now, we'd like to get on our way, thank you very much."
"Yes, so if you could just let us go, that'd be perfect~"
He placed a finger onto his chin. "My, but we've got unfinished business. We cannot simply overlook your attempts at spying, am I right? Could I trouble you to go into detail about your reasons for coming to keep watch?"
Both of their smiles quickly turned into something much more sinister, their magical pens glinting dangerously in their pockets. —Which would soon fall into their hands if the next few words weren't chosen properly.
Deuce stumbled backward. "Tell me why I just got shivers."
"This guy looks calm and collected, but his eyes aren't smiling at all," Ace remarked, his eyes wide with disbelief.
Cater swung an arm around Yuu's shoulders, a last-ditch effort to drag them far from there. "Anyways, pardon the intrusion~!"
She wouldn't let herself be swept away yet.
"Hey, didn't you know? Back where I'm from, running away from battles is lame. Come on." Jade and Floyd probably— scratch that, definitely would've chased after them even if they fled. "Leech, I'm sorry."
"Oh?"
"Hey, hey." Grim tugged frantically at her shirt. "What're you doing? What're you saying?"
"It's a matter of the Dorm Leader meeting. I'll say that the Headmaster put us up to this, but that's all I'm going to say." Her eyes briefly flicked to Floyd and back, half-hoping that Crowley's authority alone would be enough to deter them. Fat chance. "Let's not let things get out of hand... or out of pocket, if you catch my drift."
Whatever witchcraft she used to dispel the tension in the air worked. Jade was awfully silent, and then a chuckle bubbled out of his mouth. "Clever, very clever wordplay. Alright, I think I'm starting to understand what you mean."
Floyd blinked owlishly at him, looking equal parts confused and bothered. He wasn't the only one. "What in the..."
"Make whatever you want out of it, but I promise you we don't mean any harm. I'm sorry, but I can't tell you any more than that."
He must have put two and two together. Humming, he smiled sharply, "Your answer was sufficient enough, so I suppose I'll take it. Thank you, Yuu."
"Hey, I don't. What the heck are you two talking about? Tell me."
"Nothing for you to be concerned about, really," Jade waved. He looked at his watch before saying, "Ah, would you look at the time— Floyd, it's time to get ready at the Mostro Lounge. We'll have to save playing with them for another time."
"A-Ah... Goodbye."
There were no words that could describe the absolute relief she felt when he bid farewell to them and left, taking his brother with him. She watched as they went off into the distance, the latter complaining about how secrets were being kept from him and how unfair it was and whatnot.
"...What the hell just happened?"
"That was scary," Grim whined. She could feel him trembling. "What's their deal?"
"Don't ask me." Riddle shook his head, at a loss. He too, was as rigid as an ironing board. "They've been that way since last year and I just can't handle them."
Cater and Ace shared the sentiment, looking equally as uncomfortable as the rest of them.
"I'd be afraid of their revenge if I ever went after them— I don't even know how, but they'd totally find out one way or another."
"Hell, I wouldn't even try. I can't believe we got off scot-free from literally spying on them. Man, if we were anyone else, they'd probably... I dunno, skin us alive or something."
Deuce winced. "Or squeeze the air out of us?"
"Yeah. Without a doubt."
"That's a morbid thought, you two." Trey spared them a wary look. The fact still remained that he didn't deny it, and it said plenty. Perhaps Riddle did have a point when he told her that she was better off avoiding certain characters. Perhaps these two were the exact type he was talking about.
No... they had to be. "At least we avoided it."
"We have you to thank. Good thinking," Riddle said, sounding quite relieved. "I wouldn't be surprised if Jade figured us out, however. He's quick to get the full picture."
"You'd think he'd help us, then?" She asked, almost hopeful.
"He absolutely would not," he nearly snapped surprisingly quick, "Not if it doesn't benefit him in any way. Do not ask him for help— actually, don't even concern yourself with either of the Leech twins."
Even Trey had to agree on this one. It was the first time she'd seen all of her upperclassmen so... disturbed. "Seriously, Yuu. They're bad news. You... you wouldn't want to get anywhere near Octavinelle, we promise you that."
"Let's hope we never run into them again," Cater shivered. He held up his phone, "The sun's already going down, so let's get our last Cater Check in for today. Ah, we have Jack Howl from Savanaclaw. First year."
"It's late enough," Deuce looked up at the sky, "He might already be at his dorm."
"Smart, smart, Deucy! Let's see... This guy, Jack, is super good at anything physical. I've even heard a rumor that he's gotten a flood of invitations from every sports club."
Riddle checked his phone, humming. "Ah, it's already five. Rule #346 of Queen of Hearts: 'One must not play croquet in the garden after 5 P.M.' I'm doing back to the dorm," he announced, "I can't take my eyes away for too long. Heartslabyul cannot manage itself, after all."
Grim crossed his arms, unimpressed, "I thought you've loosened up a bit, but you're just the same as ever."
He almost deflated. "Is that so? I thought I'd loosened up the rules a lot, like, a lot."
"You can't blame him for trying. I think he's much more lenient than before, actually," Trey chuckled. He wasn't just biased just because they were childhood friends.
Ever since his Overblot, Riddle had been working hard to repair the relationships between him and his dormmates and to become a better leader.
He genuinely wanted to change, even if she didn't exactly trust him back then (or at all, really)— which was why it came as a surprise when he told her he'd relinquish his magical pen just to meet her Pokémon team. He was really relinquishing all his magic, giving up his collars, his one and only crutch. Yuu never realized just how far he'd go to earn her trust.
"For what it's worth," she gave him her best smile, giggling, "I think you've changed for the better. Unlike what this insensitive little cat over here says— Hey, Grim, don't smack me!"
"Aren't your seriousness and dedication one of your good points, Riddle?" Cater winked, "So take care! Cay-kun's gonna be so heartbroken if he comes home to a Riddle-kun in a cast."
"I should follow him," Trey said amusedly, watching Yuu and Grim's nonsensical bickering, "Riddle, let's get going. We'll see you guys later, alright?"
"Don't do anything I wouldn't do," Riddle warned them for one last time, staring at Ace and Grim for the most part. "We'll be off then. Cater, I'll leave them in your hands."
"You can count on me!"
SAVANACLAW WAS ABSOLUTELY STUNNING IN THE EVENING, especially with the orange evening rays illuminating everything it touched. The savannah was practically glowing. This entire day had her feeling like some sort of tourist. She, who never left the icy solitude of Dendemille Town in the Kalos Region, never experienced anything like this before.
"Whoa... So this is the Savanaclaw Dorm?"
Right as they stepped through the mirror, the most prominent thing that stuck out was the change in temperature. Even though the sun was setting, the dry heat of this savannah still persisted.
The next prominent thing, of course, was the impressive housing that all dormitories had. Savanaclaw's was ginormous, a mountain (in a literal sense) overlooking grassy plains that stretched as far as the eye could see. It wasn't so elegantly decorated as Heartslabyul or Pomefiore, per se, but it sure as hell was a lot bigger.
Giant outcrops of rock jutted out of the main building like spears. Yuu counted the windows with disbelief— each spear of rock had to house three or four rooms, at least. She quickly found herself curious to see what the interior looked like.
"Whoa! Is that entire thing really made out of rocks?" Grim could not hide his awe either, pointing and exclaiming, "Where did that big animal skeleton come from?"
"Holy— That's huge! Like Mamoswine, huge! How do you think they got it to fit through the Mirror?"
She didn't even notice that. The skeleton, like the rest of the Dorm, was absolutely massive. It was kind of eerie how similar the skull was to Mamoswine's own head.
"It's got a completely different vibe from our dorm," Ace commented, gawking at the scenery.
"ke... Exactly! I don't know how to explain it... I mean, just the air feels kind of intense, you know?" Cater agreed, swiping at his phone, "Ah, let's see. Jack Howl, Jack Howl... He's got tan skin and silvery hair, with wolf-like ears and a bushy tail. He's impossible to miss."
Grim pointed at someone in the distance, "Oh, is that him? I think he's running in the yard!"
"Bingo! Grim wins this one. He fits the description perfectly, no doubt."
They were right. There was an entire stadium situated next to the main building, sitting atop a raised plateau, and situated next to that was a track field. Running laps around it was a student in their P.E. uniform. His fluffy ears and tail were unmistakable.
Deuce stared with wide eyes. "Oh— He's huge. That's gotta be the Leech's height, at least. And you said he was a first year, Cater-senpai?"
"Exactly, see what I mean? This is why all the clubs were trying to scout him. Out of everyone, I think this guy's most likely to be targeted."
As they approached him, Yuu came to the realization that he was the student whose ears she was fawning over all those weeks ago, and here he was now.
"Hey, prickly guy! Yeah, you with the big frown!"
"...Huh?" He paused in his running to look (or more like glower) at them. Something in his eyes flashed with recognition.
"Some bad guys might be coming after you, so we've decided to protect you. Consider yourself lucky!"
"What's your problem? Don't get in the way of my running." Of course, no one at NRC ever took kindly to receiving help, of all things. Jack came up to them— and by the lord, he was even taller up closer. Yuu had to crane her neck to look at his face, stumbling backward into Ace and Deuce.
"My cat, ignore him," was all she could sputter out, "He doesn't mean that."
She was about to slap a hand over Grim's mouth when Cater beat her to the chase, stowing the feline away in his arms. "Grim, there are so many things wrong with the way you just approached him."
"Fngaa! Mmggghhhmmghh!"
"Aha... Sorry about him. You're Jack Howl, aren't you?" A cautious nod. "Great! Do you think you could listen to us for a moment?"
His face did not change. If anything, his frown only seemed to deepen. "So what do you want? The cat said you wanted to protect me?"
Deuce cleared his throat, finally finding his voice, "Recently there have been a lot of accidents around campus involving students likely to be playing in the upcoming Magical Shift Tournament."
"So we're looking for the culprit," Ace replied, idly slinging an arm over her shoulder.
Jack's yellow, simmering eyes shifted between all five of them. "What's that got to do with me?"
"I'll be frank about it. We think you're likely to be targeted next, so our plan is to keep watch over you and catch the culprit in the act." Cater held out his hand for a shake. "So, what do you say? You mind helping us out?"
He scowled at the hand and chose not to receive it. "I refuse. I'll figure out something on my own, so there's no need for you to protect me."
"It might be more dangerous by yourself," Yuu protested weakly. She hoped he didn't notice her eyes flickering to his ears every couple of seconds. "Surely you don't want to get hurt."
"I said, I don't need it. Me being targeted... probably won't happen." He crossed his arms, muttering, "Probably would't even stay in the infirmary for long, with you in there. Don't bother me anymore. See ya."
"And there he goes..." Grim broke out of Cater's hold, sneering, "He sure was a rude jerk, huh."
Ace poked his little gray head. "The way you talked to him would rub anyone the wrong way."
"Gah! Having to pick a different way to talk to everyone makes humans such a pain!"
"Oi, what are you guys doing?" A new voice called their attention. Yuu turned around, spotting a trio of Savanaclaw students ambling in their direction. They were sauntering closer and wearing such big, cocky grins.
"Oh ho ho! So they're from Heartslabyul, aren't they?"
"He he he! They're that red brat's grunts!"
"Bunch of 'Labyul babies. Did you really think we'd let you come into our territory and just leave like that?"
And oh, Arceus, they were huge. Like, a good head or two above her, that was for sure.
Deuce shook his head. "Ugh, this pattern. Why is everyone we meet..."
He didn't finish his sentence because Ace and Cater started ushering them to the Mirror Gate, waving frantically at the trio of Savanaclaw students. "Ah, we're leaving! Sorry about the intrusion~"
"Don't be like that, come hang with us!"
"Ha ha! We'll be sure to show you a great time, promise! —Ah, man, my fists are just raring to go."
"Oi. Knock it off."
...They always seemed to meet at the strangest of moments.
She didn't know how to feel about having Leona Kingscholar come to her aid so often. He scanned their group, the beginnings of a fight, looking rather amused. It seemed that his word was very much the law because the trio of Savanaclaw students immediately halted what they were doing.
"Dorm Head Leona!"
"These guys were the ones who just wandered into Savanaclaw. We were just gonna rough 'em up a bit!"
"Aren't y'all the guys I met in the cafeteria?" Ruggie— who she realized was standing behind Leona— waved at Ace, Deuce, and Grim with a nonchalant smile on his face.
"Ah, you!" Grim hollered, bumbling out of Cater's arms, "Deluxe menchi katsu sandwich guy!"
Yuu stared at them, mildly surprised. "You've met him before?"
"How could I forget a face like that, after what he did to me? That's a hate crime!" She would have to ask him for the full story later.
"Don't go around giving people delicious-sounding names. I've got a name with a really nice ring to it— Ruggie Bucchi, y'know." He sounded rather unfazed for a person who was being screamed at. He acknowledged her at last with a nod, "Hey, Yuu."
"Hi, Ruggie-senpai." She couldn't possibly forget the time he saved her ass from getting beat in the botanical gardens, whether intentional or not.
"Not too bad— Here, think fast!"
She nearly jumped out of her skin when the boy pulled something out of his pocket and tossed it in her direction. After fumbling with it and nearly dropping it, she came to realize that it was a biscuit. "Oh— Thank you, I guess?"
"Nice catch. Shishishi, you look like you need it! I know I'm already on the scrawny side, but come on."
"Shit!" The other Savanaclaw students could not believe their eyes, staring openly, "Ruggie-san's giving away food! To the new transfer!"
"Wait, what?" Deuce exclaimed, looking just as shocked, "Forget about us knowing him, but how do you know him? Haven't you been stuck in the infirmary all week?"
"They've stopped by once. I also saw Leona in the botanical garden, remember?" Yuu recalled, "It's kind of weird, actually. You wouldn't think I see a lot of people, but I have been! See, there's these two other boys— Kalim and Jamil— "
"Damn." Cater chuckled. It sounded more like a sigh than anything. "I don't think Riddle's gonna like this one."
"Stop barking up a fuss, you're hurting my ears," he tsked, placing a hand on his hip, "That's too troublesome, mutts. What're you gonna do if this interferes with the Magift Tournament, huh?"
"A-Ah..." It became quite evident that they hadn't thought about the future consequences.
"That's what I thought."
You owe me, Leona's eyes seemed to say. To warn. Before anyone could notice or comment on it, his face already shifted back into its usual apathetic, tired expression.
"Hey. Herbivore, take your little friends and get out of here before you get pounced on again," She could already see his backside; he and Ruggie were making their leave— to where, exactly, was a mystery to them all. Yawning, he waved, "I'm not gonna be as nice next time."
"Shishishi! We'll remember this at the Magift Tournament, so better watch your backs." They both disappeared into Savanaclaw's main building, and all anyone could do was stare.
"I would like to make a change to Cater's previous statement: I know Riddle is definitely not gonna like this one."
"What in the fresh hell was that?" Ace all but screeched, holding up two fingers in her face, "This is the second time today you've gotten us out of a problem— Do these guys just... cozy up with you the second they get the chance?"
"I can't tell who's worse— Leona or the Twins."
"Hey, I'd be lying if I said I didn't see more people than before the Dorm Meeting," Yuu shrugged, waving her snack in the air, "But it has its perks— Look what happened. See, it pays to have friends in low places."
"Who're your friends? Them?! There's no way. Man, Riddle's gonna lose his head when he hears about this!"
"Yuu-chan, drop that biscuit! For all we know, it could be poisoned!"
"Hey!" One of the remaining Savanaclaw members hollered, a bulky guy with some sort of leopard ears, "Oh, now you've done it."
They froze.
The boy with the panther ears cracked his knuckles, "You think we're just gonna take all that crap you're saying about our Dorm Leader, huh? This is our Leader, Leona Kingscholar, so watch your damn mouths!"
The last one, the aardvark-eared boy, snarled, "Maybe we'll just staple it shut for you, how about that? I don't know what the hell you did to Ruggie and Leona, but I'm sure as hell not gonna take this lyin' down."
"Let's not be like this," Yuu protested, trying not to let the height of the three Savanaclaw students scare her too much. "I'm sure none of us want any trouble with you."
"I'mma get you first, transfer. Get off your high horse! Good guys like you really piss me off."
His fist reached for the collar of her uniform. "W-Whoa, I never—"
"We'd like to see you try." Deuce and Ace were by her side in an instant, snapping with just as much fierceness. Their magical pens were barred, she realized, dazedly. "You touch him and you'll have all of Heartslabyul coming after you in an instant."
"What a joke! Yeah, run back to your wimpy little Dorm Leader once we rip you to shreds."
"What're y'all doing?"
It was the second time that day her ass was saved. This time, rescue came in the form of Jack Howl. He stalked over with the same clear-cut frown he always seemed to have. So he'd been listening in to their conversation.
"Huh? What's it to you?" She, along with the rest of her company, could only watch as the Savanaclaw students bickered back and forth. ...Was bickering the right word for it, though? "We're just showing some trespassers their place."
"What's so fun about kicking some newbies around? I can't just stand by while this is happening in front of me. Dish it out during the Magift Tournament instead."
"Hey, Howl! You sure are cheeky," Leopard snarled, walking up to him. He took a jab at Jack's chest with every word, "for a first-year, huh?"
If intimidation was the goal, it was a rather sad attempt at it. It was hard to be intimidated by a person who needed to crane their neck up to stare at you. "...I could say the same for you. Is this really how upperclassmen act at NRC?"
"Tch, you're a buzzkill."
"Don't tell me you didn't hear what Leona just said."
Panther exchanged a look with his two friends, before clicking his tongue decisively and turning away. "We won't let you off so easily next time you trespass on our turf, you hear me?" All three of them disappeared to who knows where, sucking much of the tension out of the air.
"Jack, was it?" Deuce asked, wearing a relieved smile, "You saved us."
"Thank you so much," Yuu told him earnestly. It was the only thing she could think of saying at that moment. He wasn't as bad as she initially thought, and not as cold as he made himself out to be. "Ah, I really thought I was done for back there."
"It wasn't like I was trying to help you or anything," He muttered, crossing his arms and looking the other way. "Just go before this sort of thing happens again."
"You heard him," Ace groaned, rubbing the nape of his neck, "My feet are killing me after walking around all day. Let's just go straight back to the dorm."
"And I'm starving," Grim complained. "Yuu, gimme that guy's biscuit if you're not gonna eat it. if he stole my deluxe menchi katsu sandwich, I get this." She ended up complying with him, not feeling too hungry anyway.
"Well, then it's settled," Cater hummed, sparing Jack one last glance, "We'll be heading out, so be careful, alright?"
"You guys aren't in a place to worry about me. ...Just go home already."
She agreed. Better not stay in the savannah any longer than they had to.
UNEDITED, 7464 WORDS
Psychic — As the name states, this is a Psychic-type move that traps the target in some kind of telekinetic aura. Psychic, as depicted in the game franchise, is quite different from its TV series counterpart. The former is more of a brute force attack in which the target is smothered in/damaged by the aura.
In the anime, however, Psychic is depicted as this type of neon blue glow— in which the target is being shown hovering in the air before being dropped or slammed against a hard surface (by the caster). In this case, I've chosen to stick to the anime! Just because I feel like it's kind of similar to Ruggie's Unique Magic, hehe.
Dugtrio — Otherwise known as the Mole Pokémon. This is a Ground-type Pokémon introduced in Generation I, the evolution of Diglett. Yuu uses this Pokémon as a comparison to how the Heartslabyul members were crowded together in the Hall of Mirrors.
Magikarp — The Fish Pokémon, also introduced in Gen I. This Water-type Pokémon is known by many, and Yuu was described as "gaping like one" in this chapter.
Kakuna — The Cocoon Pokémon, another Pokémon introduced in Gen I! This Bug/Poison-type evolves from Weedle, and its moveset only consists of Harden. Hence, it's used to describe Riddle's rigid reaction to the Leech Twins in this chapter.
Is anybody still here? ... Ahaha...
...Yeah, I know, I said I promised to publish this chapter five days ago— and I'm so sorry I couldn't hold up to that promise! I had a lot of assignments due on the 20th, so I just couldn't get anything done. I'm so sorry! Please accept all my apologies.
But, ah, speaking of the 20th, how is everybody's experience with the game in English? I, for one, am having a blast. It feels so surreal to finally understand the characters! Now I can finally access everyone's card Chats with ease. Whoohoo!
Moving on! How did everyone feel about this chapter? Obviously, we can see that Trey is getting an extended time warranty with the investigation, though I wonder just how much longer that will last... Muahaha... The answer is not long, I'll tell you that! So sorry, Trey.
I planned to have more scenes in this chapter, but each one took an abnormally large amount of screen time. How did everyone feel about this chapter? Personally, I wonder if the heartfelt talks between Yuu and co. came off as cheesy, but it is what it is. And I hope the interaction with the Leech Twins wasn't too stiff.
That's all, I think! Watch out, I'm gonna dropkick all my readers with drama and angst and everything in the next update! I'm coming for everybody and even their mothers, so go hide them.
(Also, I'm hoping to update on the 10th of February! This too, is subject to change, but let's hope it doesn't.)
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