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#twsted yarns
Twisted Wonderland… a touch too literally
Contents: gender neutral reader, housewardens, second person POV, relationships can be read as platonic or romantic, overall fluff
Warnings: non-graphic injury/reader twists an ankle, no physical description of reader otherwise
(As inspired by me and the ankle I sprained a few days ago)
A lot of your life at Night Raven College is taking it one challenge at a time, one step at a time. And just now, even that one step has become a challenge, as one moment you’re standing, and the next, you find yourself on the ground, hands stinging from the impact and ankle more twisted than, well…
You’re sure there’s something out there to complete the metaphor.
Now, the question is, is there anyone in this school who will even think of coming to your rescue?
~~~
Riddle Rosehearts
How did you-
Why did you-
OFF WITH YOUR- ankle??
Once it’s been established that it was purely accidental (and not the result of breaking any rules), Riddle is pretty sensible about the whole thing
Can he pick you up, no, that seems unlikely
But he’s definitely got a spell for that, and he’ll get you to the nurse’s office quickly
Riddle is of course strict about any follow up doctor’s orders; don’t even think about doing anything even remotely dangerous
After some nudging from Trey, Riddle would spoil you with assorted pastries and baked goods
Be warned though, injury is no excuse to be late to class (but he’ll help you get there, fussing over you the whole way)
Leona Kingscholar
You’d thought Leona was sleeping and entirely unaware of the world around him when you’d walked by earlier without seeing so much as an ear twitch
That being said, you nearly trip and twist your other ankle when you hear him behind you, asking just how much trouble you’ve gotten yourself into this time, herbivore
Well, you’ve already disturbed his nap and will probably keep doing so, so are you gonna let him help you or what?
Wait, what?
Leona is awake now, and the beds in the infirmary are comfortable as long as you don’t have to be in there, plus Ruggie might not think to look for him there
Will proceed to carry you to the nurse’s office without a second thought
Don’t expect anything else from him though, herbivore, this is just because it also benefits him
That being said, if Leona happens across your class’s PE lessons while you’re exempt and recovering, you might as well take a nap with him.
Azul Ashengrotto
Are you really that close with him? ‘Cause you’re not…
Well, Prefect, seems you’ve found yourself in a position to avail yourself of Azul’s services once again.
Kidding. Mostly kidding. At least 64%.
Has that octopus strength carried over to his human form? Who knows, neither of you are going to find out any time soon because Azul is not carrying you anywhere!
Will call Jade and Floyd for help, as making you float along might be too tied up in Flight magic for either of you to want to risk that.
But Azul will still be following along the whole way to the nurse’s office, loudly offering deals lest anyone (including you) think he’s concerned about you.
We know you’re concerned, Azul.
You’ll be hit with a convenient deluge of absurdly favorable coupons for the Mostro Lounge, just so he can keep an eye on you as you recover.
Kalim Al-Asim
Oh no!! Oh no oh no oh no oh no oh no!!!
Most likely to immediately panic on your behalf
Kalim is stuck between frantically calling for Jamil and trying to help you himself
This is how Jamil finds both of you trying to fly the magic carpet to the nurse’s office- what do you mean, what are you doing, this is the fastest way there, Jamil!!!
(Sorry, Jamil, please someone check this boy’s blood pressure)
Realistically Kalim knows this is a relatively small injury, but you should still be comfortable recovering afterward!
Will give you everything he can think of and the sun besides.
You may have to remind him that you can only elevate your ankle so high though, and you don’t need more any pillows.
Kalim will absolutely throw a feast as soon as you’re walking comfortably again.
Vil Schoenheit
Could he pick you up? Yes, probably.
Will he though? …Not so much, in all likelihood.
You might be able to sway him into carrying you if you oh so casually remind him about heroes quite literally sweeping folks off their feet and heading off into the sunset at the story’s end.
Be prepared to be swept off your feet even after he’s carrying you; Vil is even more beautiful up close.
(Somewhere in the bushes, Rook is snapping picture after picture. It’s not subtle though. You can hear him exclaiming about the sheer beauté of the moment.)
Most likely to have a potion on hand or nearby that can fix you up without needing to stop by the nurse’s office at all
Also most likely to scold you for not looking where you’re going, for being clumsy, for making him worry so much-
Wait, forget about the last one, and besides, you’ve signed up for walking lessons with Vil now, get ready for the vases.
Idia Shroud
You might be wondering how you’re going to get out of this mess, considering no one is around, when one of Idia’s drones pops up and Idia lets you know that Ortho is on the way to help.
Idia wasn’t spying, but it’s a good thing he happened to have one in the area that he happened to be checking, right?
He’s probably still struggling through an explanation that isn’t nearly as weird as he thinks when Ortho shows up, ready with a first aid kit, epipen, defibrillator-
Okay, Idia didn’t give him much of an explanation when he panickedly told Ortho to come rescue you.
Ortho will happily take you to the nurse’s office… and then over to Ignihyde to say thank you to his big brother in person.
Hey, injuries are a great reason to stay inside somewhere comfy and game with Idia, right?
Malleus Draconia
You’ll notice the fireflies as you’re trying to get back to your feet just before Malleus swoops in.
His Child of Man senses were tingling.
Just kidding, you had both planned to go for a walk right about now.
Magic isn’t even on his mind; he’ll scoop you up and carry you off to the nurse’s office.
He’d consider Lilia, if he’s closer, knowing that Lilia has dealt with worse (and stupider) between Malleus, Silver, and Sebek.
He’s not going anywhere until he’s convinced you’re out of mortal danger - and convincing him there is no danger might take as long as fixing you up.
Regardless, Malleus will slyly suggest ice cream to make you feel better, and isn’t ice cream always better with a friend?
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Taking Five
NRC needs its magestone back. Leona needs a break. You get your own Fairy Gala vignette.
(Gender neutral reader, second person POV, no physical description of reader, can be platonic or romantic depending on your reading)
~
With a final step, you find yourself in front of the door to Pomefiore’s ballroom. You and Grim had been working with Epel in the lab three floors down, but when the freezing cold had your components crystallizing before they could mix, you’d decided to check in on your current school-saving and student-wrangling project.
The faint music that had been audible outside the room grows louder as you open the door. You’re greeted by the sight of Vil, still as a statue and just as flawless as his gaze unerringly tracks the sweat-soaked dancing pair of Jamil and Kalim. Grim makes a break for the latter two, no doubt eager to show off his own moves, considering how much he’d been bragging just minutes ago. Which leaves…
Leona is about ten meters away and moving slowly, three vases still wobbling with his steps; you easily catch up to his almost glacial pace.
“What’re you doin’ here?” Leona’s voice comes out in a growl, no doubt hearing your approach even if he doesn’t see it, eyes locked forward as he takes another step. Savanaclaw’s housewarden looks well past his usual grumpy mood, and his typical superior air is more that of a disgruntled house cat caught outside in the rain. You quickly school your features into neutrality though; any sign of pity in this moment will get your head bitten off.
“I came to see how things are going.”
“Great, fine. Now go bother someone else, herbivore.”
You purse your lips, considering. “Hey, Vil, Leona and I are taking five.” Your voice carries over the music, easily filling the acoustically perfect room. Leona freezes before turning almost painfully slowly to stare you down, expression somewhere between annoyed, bewildered, and curious.
“No. Leona still hasn’t made it even halfway around the room without spilling water.” Vil’s voice is sharper than his cheekbones, critical stare not leaving Kalim and Jamil’s forms, seemingly determined to ignore… whatever it is that Grim is doing.
You look at Vil, eyebrows arched and mouth set in a firm line. Grim, spotting your expression even halfway across the room, stops and begins inching backward, familiar enough with that expression to want to be out of the blast radius. After a long few moments, the lack of reply has Vil finally turning his head, returning your gaze. The music pauses and Kalim and Jamil freeze. It’s quiet save for the gentle sloshing of water as Leona turns his head, looking between the two of you.
“That wasn’t a question.” Your words are as even as your stare, and a wrinkle of annoyance appears on Vil’s otherwise flawless face.
“Spudling…” There’s a clear note of warning in Vil’s voice that you opt to blatantly ignore. Behind him, Kalim, precariously perched on one hand and the ball of one foot, slides to the floor with a thump.
“Five minutes. Just trust me.”
The staring contest is finally broken when Vil turns away, restarting the music. “Five minutes. Kalim, what did you do? Back on your feet at once.”
“Right. Let’s go,” you say as you turn back to Leona, only to find that he’s already shedding his vases of water.
“C’mon, herbivore. Balcony’s this way.”
In all honesty, you’d at least half-expected Leona to ditch you at once, so it’s with some surprise that you acquiesce and follow Leona out of the ballroom and out to one of several balconies found at Pomefiore.
“So do you need a towel or- never mind then.” Leona has pocketed his magic pen again before you can even finish the sentence, a flash of yellow and a rush of wind leaving him dry and even more windswept than usual.
“If I never see a vase again, it’ll be too soon.” Leona says, stretching, as you lean on the cool stone wall extending out over the garden. You make a noise of agreement, looking out over the manicured lawn and greenery of Pomefiore, contemplating what would happen if you brought a peacock back to Ramshackle. “So, what do you want?”
“Hm?”
“Five minutes ain’t worth much, but it’s still five minutes I don’t have to listen to Vil.”
Oh. Right. The ever present suspicion of ulterior motives at Night Raven College. How could you have forgotten?
“Mostly, control over the Ramshackle thermostat again.”
“Yeah?” Leona’s tail twitches, its path seemingly impeded by his gala outfit courtesy of Professor Crewel. “Tch. This whole thing is annoying. How’d I end up here anyway?”
“Oh no. Being made responsible for cleaning up someone else’s problems. What an unimaginable nightmare that I have no absolutely experience with.” You say, entirely deadpan.
Leona’s ears flick in surprise before he laughs. “Someone’s not feelin’ very sympathetic after all.”
“You’d threaten to eat me if I felt sorry for you.”
“You’re not wrong.” He looks at you sidelong, mouth pulling into that familiar smirk. “Ya know. I could just leave. Not like you could stop me anyway.”
He’s right, or, he would be, if you hadn’t already considered that. “True. But I’m not the one you need to worry about.” You lean further over the balcony railing to call out. “Hey, Rook!”
There’s scarcely a rustle before a purple hat pops out of a bush, and Rook is waving frantically. “Trickster! Roi de Lions! Bonjour!”
You wave back while Leona groans, head dropping in apparent defeat. At least for the moment- it’s check, not mate.
“So what was the other motivation on gettin’ me out of there anyway? If you wanted to butter someone up, Kalim’s family is richer than most of the royal families combined.”
You roll your eyes. “Frankly, Leona, I do not give a flying-”
“FNYAH!!” There’s a loud shout from Grim somewhere in the depths of Pomefiore, and you pause.
“He’ll be fine.” You brush it off. “The point is, I don’t care about money or you being a prince right now. It’s- hm.” You ponder how to explain, half watching Leona as you consider. “Ruggie can make the switch with the tiara,” you start.
“I know. That’s why I brought him.”
“Right. He’s the best at sleight of hand in the school. Then Kalim is… definitely good at being bright and loud and, well, he can be a good distraction. And Jamil can keep Kalim out of trouble. Mostly.” Leona nods at your assessment, looking down at the garden below. Or keeping an eye out for Rook; it’s hard to tell. “Everyone has their role, and they’re all very good at what they’re doing. But it’s not enough. Like it or not, there’s something here that only you can do, and we need you to pull this off.”
Leona chuckles, the sound ringing dark and hollow. “Do you now? And what do you think you need me to do?”
“Besides go back into the ballroom in a minute? Falling asleep on the runway probably wouldn’t be ideal, but… I did mean what I said.”
Leona’s tail flicks, barely missing you. “Then what do you do, herbivore?”
“I thought that one was obvious.” Leona looks at you, raising an eyebrow. “The same thing I always do: keep this place from falling apart around everyone’s ears.” Leona’s resounding laugh is genuine this time, and it brings a smile to your face. “I mean. At this point it has to be less work overall just to put the effort in on Vil’s training, right?”
“Five minutes is up,” is all the answer you get from Leona, just as all the thanks you get is his flicking tail smacking your arm. “C’mon, herbivore. We’ve got a show and a magestone to steal.”
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Summary: What’s a magicless prefect to do when they suddenly do magic? One thing is sure: this is absolutely, unequivocally Grim’s fault.
With: Dorm leaders, gn reader, brief mention of injury in Riddle’s section
Let’s be honest, flying class is pretty much useless to you. Your time on the field is a near even split between the ground-level exercises Coach Vargas subjects everyone to and avoiding Vargas’s attention while your friends take flight. Your lack of magical abilities has yet to stop him from shoving a broom in your hand and proclaiming that building up your muscle mass will have you in the air in no time. No time? No, thanks.   So you’re standing idle, watching Ace and Deuce fly literal circles around you. Even Grim can get airborne of his own volition, climbing up and up and up…   Before he’s falling. “Grim!” Your shout is lost in the wind behind you, and you’re 10 meters up before you can even realize you’re floating. “Wh-” The broom jolts, threatening to drop back to the ground below before Grim’s yowling reaches your ears. You outstrip Ace and Deuce, eyes locked on your troublesome gremlin before-   “Henchman?!” You’ve caught him, and, while your descent is far from graceful, you find yourself in one very perplexed piece on the ground.   You flew. You just did magic. You just did magic. What the FU-   “All right, lesson’s over. Don’t forget, FOUR dozen eggs with breakfast.”
…You’re going to need some help with this one.
Riddle Rosehearts
It only makes sense to go to Riddle, right? He’s an applied magic powerhouse and an accomplished flier besides
Still, when you nervously explain what happened, he looks nothing short of dumbfounded
Well this is- this is unexpected, that’s all
Ace later says he wishes he’d gotten a picture because the likelihood of seeing Riddle make THAT face again is next to nothing (Cater absolutely got a picture)
Both you and Riddle are up to your eyeballs in research for the next few weeks, spending so much time together that whenever Trey brings around tea to make sure Riddle eats something, there are always two cups
There’ve been two more times you’ve done magic, once when Ace got stuck in a rose bush trying to retrieve a wayward hedgehog, and then when Deuce fell out of a tree while in pursuit of a blue flamingo
Ace’s scratches had healed in an instant, while Deuce more floated than fell down
You’d felt Riddle’s eyes on you afterward, studying, but if he’d figured anything out, he was keeping it to himself
As for you, you’re no closer to intentionally doing magic than you’ve ever been, and you’re spending more time complaining to Trey and Cater than you are actually helping with the unbirthday party preparations going on today
“If you’re going to talk instead of help, then someone else will have to-” Riddle goes to pick up the quiche Trey made specifically for Cater
“Wait, Riddle that’s-”
“OW!” Riddle tears his hands away from the dish that had come out of the oven moments prior, eyes watering and fingers red
“Riddle! Okay, okay, cool water, now-” you gently tug Riddle by the wrists over to the sink and start the water running
“Um, that… that won’t be necessary.”
Everyone’s at a loss for words as Riddle holds up his hands, any trace of injury gone
“I’ve been developing a theory, about the sporadic nature of your latent magical talent.” Riddle is still looking at his hands, flexing his fingers in surprise. “It seems it activates when someone you care for is either in danger or injured. We’ll have to do further work to see if you can’t use it intentionally, for other tasks, but-” he looks up at you, “-if you’re amenable, I would love to continue to help.” You grin, nodding.
“Wait, that means they like Riddle!” Thank you, Cater, for your contribution.
Riddle is a tomato
For all his hypothesizing and reasoning, he hadn’t followed his theory to that final logical conclusion
Once stated, it’s kind of undeniable, and Riddle blushingly admits that well of course he likes you too, you’ve been spending so much time together that how could he not
It’s only after Trey drags Cater out of the kitchen (thankfully before Cater can post this to Magicam) that both of you admit you’d like to add some regular dates to your rotation of study dates
Leona Kingscholar
You… did not ask Leona for help
You were at lunch after flying, just talking to the other freshmen about setting up a study group, when-
“Herbivore, why do you smell like magic?”
Well, cat’s out of the bag, and lion’s out of the botanical garden
Congratulations, Leona is now looking at you like you’re a particularly interesting chess puzzle
Of course, Leona isn’t the type to spend hours pouring over books about this, and neither are you, at least in his opinion, so come on, herbivore, you’re coming to spelldrive practice
Despite the lack of any discernible effort or consideration on his part, Leona is actually putting some thought into this
You flying wasn’t based on studying or reading or whatever the hell Azul’s trying to do over there, it was based on some kind of instinct when your fuzzball started falling out of the sky
After a few times where you drop to the ground when a wayward disc flies in your direction, it’s pretty apparent that your complete lack of self-preservation instincts extends to whatever magical ability you have
What’s interesting, he tells you one day, tail swishing and ears perked, is that if any spell is headed toward Jack or Epel without them realizing, something always gets in the way, saving their asses at the last second
That something is you and your magic, herbivore
Congratulations, you care about people so much that it gave you magic powers
That being said, neither of you can make eye contact for a week after a spelldrive disc flying straight at Leona’s head turns 180˚ and knocks that annoying sophomore who threw it ass over teakettle
Ruggie is laughing, both at said sophomore and at both of you
Even if neither of you are ready to talk about it, you’re a good luck charm for spelldrive matches (and it’s not cheating if it’s unintentional, don’t look at him like that, herbivore), so Leona will want to keep you around
And if you both happen to be taking a nap in the botanical garden together, who cares, you’re a great pillow, and Leona’s right, it’s the perfect place for a nap
Azul Ashengrotto
I’m sorry, you decided to go to Azul Ashengrotto about flying?
You do realize that you were the only one worse at flying than everyone’s favorite octopus
Oh great, if even you can fly that means he really is the worst-
Sorry, Prefect, he’s gotten carried away, but you have absolutely come to the right person, he’s great for consulting, especially about the mystery of your new magic, and he promises the fee won’t be that high, since it’s you and all
Like Riddle, there’s a lot of research, but interspersed with that are shifts at the Mostro Lounge, because if Azul’s spending this much time with you, he’ll need to impose on your free time in return
And now he gets even more time with you, it’s a win-win for him
You haven’t made much progress so far, without even a hint of more magic from you, and you’re both tired from a full night of research when an Octavinelle student clearing four or five tables’ worth of dishes bumps into you before everything threatens to fall on Azul
You throw out a hand to try to reach Azul… and the dishes are floating
Azul steps to the side, straightening his glasses as a spoon floats by his ear
It seems like your magic activates when someone is in danger
A few more test runs (Floyd and Jade are happy to help, the rest of Octavinelle less so), and it’s apparent your magic is rooted in protecting those you care about
Oh…
Azul is blushing as he asks if you want to update your contract
He only turns redder when you grab his hand, bringing it to your lips as you propose a few modifications of your own
Kalim Al-Asim
You go to Kalim because you know this ray of sunshine will be nothing but supportive, don’t you?
And even if he has no more idea of what’s going on than you, you’ve got his encouragement… and Jamil’s knowhow
Even so, it’s Kalim himself who helps you figure it out
You’re both in potionology together when Kalim gets excited (as he is wont to do) about the prospect of you doing further magic, of becoming a powerful mage, spinning around in delight aaaaaaand
He’s about to collide with the quite literally boiling hot cauldron, but then.
He’s not.
Kalim is floating, and you two are staring at each other in bemusement
“Was... was that you?”
“I... maybe?”
“Um… can you put me down now?”
You don’t even know how you got him up there, let alone how to put him down
It takes a sharp remark from Crewel startling you both to bring Kalim dropping lightly to the ground
There are a few more incidents along that line and some theorizing with Jamil (while Kalim snoozes- he absolutely drools in his sleep, it’s endearing) before you finally piece it together and explain it to Kalim- you can use magic to protect those you care about
“Oh, so you like me then!” Kalim is delighted by this revelation
“Um… yeah. I really do.” You answer, taking his hand and intertwining your fingers
Bless his heart, it takes him a minute
“Wait, you like me, like me?”
You do. You really do.
Vil Schoenheit
Did you really think that your beautiful and daring rescue of your beloved gremlin had gone unnoticed?
As he extensively praises your marvelous act of heroism, Rook drags you back to Pomefiore and practically foists you off on Vil
Wait, what? Both you and Vil look to Rook in confusion, but all you see is his fedora whipping around a corner as he goes off to spy on Leona
Vil is… less than pleased, but sure, fine, he’ll help you, potato, if only because that deer-in-the-headlights look reminds him of someone who shall not be named, and he wants it to go away, FAST
So you flew? Sure, fine, but do you understand magic? The basic fundamentals you need to build off of? Hm? No? Okay, we’re moving onto potions so you can learn basics and figure out magic.
Okay, this is also because Vil is an expert in potionology, and if he’s going to teach you, it’s going to be something he’s good at
And well. You do get potionology now! Crewel actually compliments you on how much you’re improving in his class, but as far as actual magic goes?
Vil is frankly insulted that you are not blossoming under his tutelage, potato
So much so that, as he’s lecturing you for the third time today in the Pomefiore lab, he doesn’t notice as a fanged, venomous plant uncoils itself and starts heading in his direction
You launch a blast of wind magic without a thought, and both you and Vil stop to stare at the now very unhappy plant retreating back to its pot
Okay, potato, go back and explain in excruciating detail just how you flew last time
Well, now that makes perfect sense, your magic activates when you want to help or protect those you care about
Vil’s smug smile falls off his face as, unlike Riddle, he figures out what that means
You’re both staring at each other, in what might charitably be described as abject horror
Right then, see you tomorrow, sweet potato
You both will get there... eventually
Idia Shroud
Idia can tell that something is off when you’re gaming with him later
The story comes out in bits and pieces as you two take on a particularly challenging boss
You keep him apprised of your endeavors to figure out what had happened and how to do it again, though he can hear as you sound more and more frustrated as you fail to find answers
Idia starts talking about various video game characters to console you, talking about how some of them have the strangest requirements to activate certain abilities, like taking damage or proximity to certain objects or other characters…
Hm, now that you mention it… you did take flight because your gremlin was going to find out if cat monsters land on their feet
Two days later, Idia is stopping by the school store and desperately trying to avoid notice
So far so good, Cater even misses him, though he’s looking at his phone, but Idia is still relieved
It’s when a chattering Kalim walks by without even turning his head in Idia’s direction that he really gets confused
“Neat, huh?” You bound up to him, gesturing
…when did he turn invisible?
Wait, you can do magic to protect those you care about? That’s your activation requirement?
So that means… you…
You grin, and shrug, and ask if you can permanently be each other’s player 2
You might have to turn him invisible again; this man is pinker than Valentine’s Day and he will never survive this revelation otherwise
Ortho help the fire extinguisher
Malleus Draconia
You’re still trying to wrap your head around the whole “suddenly doing magic” thing when your friend Hornton pops up outside of Ramshackle
And what interesting tales do you have for him today, child of man?
Well, you’re not gonna believe this BUT-
It’s Malleus. You know, future King of Briar Valley, top 5 mages in the world, specialist in protective magic. Well, you don’t know, you just know this man as an absolute gargoyle nerd, but that’s irrelevant at the moment
Point is, he figures it out in five seconds flat- your magic is intrinsically tied to protecting those you care about
Right, that makes sense, but how did you-
And he’s gone
(Sebek runs by Ramshackle, once again looking for Malleus Draconia, who you may or may not be convinced is an NRC cryptid, since you’ve never actually seen him)
Your fellow freshmen (specifically the one brain cell trio) give you plenty of opportunities to test out this theory and prove it right before you see Malleus again
Malleus is both delighted and smug to be proven right
“My only question now is, would your magic extend to me as well, child of man?”
Why does it sound like this man is proposing to you? He is
You answer with an emphatic yes
After considerably more practice, you can levitate yourself up to kiss your new boyfriend with ease 
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“Hide me.”
Featuring Deuce, Cater, Sebek, Azul, and Leona
You round a corner, running at top speed. Out of sight for the moment, but you can still hear the rapid footfalls of your pursuers. You can’t keep running. You need somewhere to hide.
Freeze. Let’s go back to how you got into this mess.
It had been a perfectly ordinary morning, right down to the musical squabbling of Ace, Deuce, and Grim that so often accompanied your breakfast. You almost didn’t notice as the surrounding noise of the cafeteria died down, what with Grim’s yowling.
What was hard to miss though, was the thirty-odd students in white milling about near the cafeteria entrance. A flock of RSA students had descended upon the school, and you just knew this was going to be a headache.
For you specifically.
Sure enough, less than ten minutes after their arrival, you found yourself cheerfully and threateningly volunteered by the headmage into being the sole member of the welcoming committee, leading the RSA students on a tour of NRC. And they did like asking questions, about NRC, about the different dorms, about your studies here… right up until they decided that as the lone magicless student living in Ramshackle Dorm, you were in desperate need of rescuing. Whether you like it or not.
That was when you’d decided to run.
~~~
Deuce Spade
Poor Deuce. Almost as soon as you get to the courtyard, you run into him at full speed, knocking you both to the ground.
“Eh??? Prefect???”
“I need to hide. Now.” You don’t have time to explain; your mishap is giving the RSA students a chance to catch up and you’re left scrambling.
Deuce is scrambling just as much as you are, as wide-eyed as whenever Trein springs a pop quiz on your class, pulling out his magic pen because what else is there to do but-
“I summon thee cauldron!”
Everything is dark now. At least Deuce summoned the cauldron the right way down. All things considered, you’re fairly comfortable in your improvised hiding spot.
Deuce gets perilously close to entering delinquent mode when the RSA students ask where you went, practically yelling if they’d even asked your opinion on the matter.
Finally, the cauldron is rolled off of you, and you see Deuce’s face, sheepish but grinning, backlit by the sun.
“Sorry about that, Prefect.” He reaches out a hand to help you up. “It was the first thing I thought of.”
You grin back, taking the hand. “Hey, it worked, didn’t it? Sounds like honors student problem solving to me.”
After your compliment, nothing can deflate Deuce’s good mood for the rest of the day.
Cater Diamond
Cater is of course perusing Magicam when you sprint past. “Prefect? You… you okay there?”
“Cater. Help. RSA’s trying to kidnap me.” You skid to a halt, scrambling back a few feet to hide behind him, closing your eyes and bracing for impact. “Hide me.”
It’s not going to be enough, of course it’s not, you’re hiding behind one person, and-
The horde of RSA students thunders past, somehow not noticing you behind Cater. Wait, what? You open an eye.
Thank goodness for Split Card. You’ve successfully hidden behind a wall of five Caters.
“Leave it to Cay-Cay!” The five Caters say, posing in unison.
“Thank… you… hah.” You’re still breathing heavily when you hear the telltale click of the camera. “Cater?”
He shows you the picture, already on Magicam, captioned, “Someone’s too popular for their own good. #rsavisitsnrc #getyourownramshackleprefect #thisoneisours”
Sebek Zigvolt
Well. It’s Sebek. He’s not exactly subtle, and he’s not a fan of people running through the school.
(I love this goofy crocodile boy)
Just your luck. You’ve been dashing through the hallways trying to lose the RSA students when you come across Sebek. He steps in front of you at the last moment, and you scarcely avoid collision. It’s too late to avoid him entirely though.
“HUMAN! DON’T YOU REMEMBER THAT RUNNING IS EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED IN THE HALLWAYS!”
“Sh!! Sebek shh!!” You glance over your shoulder. “Can’t you save this lecture for later?”
“WHERE COULD YOU NEED TO BE SO URGENTLY ANYWAY?”
“Please Sebek just shush!! I have to-“
“NOTHING BESIDES SERVICE TO MALLEUS COULD REQUIRE SUCH DISREGARD FOR OTHERS MOVING IN THE HALLWAYS!” Oh for f-
“SEBEK I AM TRYING TO GET AWAY FROM THE RSA STUDENTS SO CAN YOU PLEASE! BE! QUIET!” You shout, every bit as loud as Sebek himself.
It is quiet. Dead quiet. You turn around. The RSA students have stopped behind you, staring in abject horror. Quick as a wink, you duck behind Sebek. It’s the least he can do, considering he got you caught.
“WHAT? MORE RUNNING IN THE HALLWAYS? AS GUESTS OF NIGHT RAVEN COLLEGE? YOU SHOULD BE-“
You’re not sure if Sebek fully caught onto your conundrum or if the RSA students have just earned a ticket to a typical lecture on decorum and Malleus Draconia, but you take the opportunity to sneak away.
You’ll thank him later.
Azul Ashengrotto
You’ve been avoiding your would-be rescuers all day, and you’d think they’d have gotten tired by now. Or at least needed to have gone back to RSA already.
You make a break for the mirror chamber and Octavinelle specifically.
You get to Mostro Lounge so close to opening that you are quite literally ducking under Jade’s arms to get in as he’s still opening the doors.
Not that you stick around long enough for him to say anything, instead making a beeline for your target.
Azul jumps when you throw open the door to the VIP room.
“Ah, Prefect.” He straightens up, seemingly relieved upon seeing that it’s just you. “You… you don’t have an appointment.”
“Azul, please.” You cross the room in an instant, slamming your hands down on his desk. “Hide me.”
“Hide… you?” He’s perplexed, but sure enough you can see the wheels turning in his brain on how to turn this to his advantage. “From what?”
You can hear Floyd exclaiming about the sudden influx of RSA students and know that you’re going to regret this.
“RSA students. One week of Mostro Lounge shifts. And excuse me.” You don’t really give the octopus a chance to counter offer before you crawl under his desk.
At least there’s more room under here when you’re not trying to fit Jack there too.
Leona Kingscholar
The botanical garden should be deserted at this hour, given that Crewel is busy teaching… your… class…
You make a mental note to beg for Epel’s notes later
But with all of the paths through the botanical garden, it makes it that much easier for you to get stuck between groups of RSA students
Off the path we go!
Meanwhile, a certain lion’s nap has been disrupted, and while he’s just waking up, Leona quickly pieces together what’s going on
You’re hiding behind some shrubs when someone picks you up, you letting out a shriek as you’re thrown over their shoulder and they start walking
“Quit screamin’, or do you want those pompous brats to find you?”
“Leona?!” You pause in your flailing, even more startled than you’d been a moment before.
“I said, quit screamin’.”
“Um… where are you… going?” He doesn’t respond as he navigates the botanical garden, and it strikes you that he probably knows it as well as Crewel himself. Leona easily avoids being spotted by any of the RSA students, who grow quieter as he - and by extension, you - get further away from them.
“Ack!” As unceremoniously as he’d picked you up, he drops you on the grass.
“They won’t find ya here.” A pause, as you stare, wide-eyed and wordless, up at Leona. “Tch. You’re welcome.” He says, stretching, cat-like, before flopping to the ground as well.
“Oh. Oh! Thank you. Um… Leona?” Your confused gratitude is replaced with pure confusion as Leona pulls you toward him.
“What? You’re ditchin’ class and the tour group already. You have nothin’ better to do.”
Yeah, you might be stuck as Leona’s pillow for a while.
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Perhaps they were right, the grumbles and mutterings about how Twisted Wonderland had changed you, weaving and warping you into something as twisted as the grin plastered on your face. Or perhaps this was simply who you’d been all along, and all you’d been waiting for was the key in the lock and for the door to open.
And yet, in the end, it doesn’t matter, not really. Inevitable or incidental- insignificant. Unimportant as ink-colored sludge, congealed and clinging, pours forth as if from your soul itself, engulfing you. You are plunged into darkness as a still-glowing sword quenched in cool water, emerging from the toxic Blot far stronger and sharper. You are more powerful than you have ever been, more powerful than any of them; you can have anything and everything. After all, who’s going to stop you? Who even could?
~~~
Ace can’t believe it. Or maybe he just doesn’t want to. His friend, his favorite Prefect (don’t tell Riddle), his magicless favorite person who should have been safe, Overblotting. How could you do this? You’re the one who fixes this, who has their backs and holds them all together. But maybe- His hand shakes, magic pen held loosely and pointed toward the ground as he stares. Maybe that’s why… Maybe you… He takes a breath, steadying himself. Maybe, maybe not, who cares. You’ve knocked sense into him enough times. Time to return the favor.
Deuce knows he’s not the most academically gifted, needing to put in twice as many, ten times as many hours of study even to keep up with his peers. Yet he’s never felt as ill-equipped a student at Night Raven College as when he sees you transformed. How had he not noticed? This doesn’t just happen, he knows that. He racks his brain for any memory portending this moment. He comes up blank, but not blank exactly- swirled up in countless memories of you, his friend. Loyalty has always been the boy’s strong suit. That, and dropping cauldrons. You’d best prepare to get clonked on the head with the biggest, baddest cauldron Night Raven College has ever seen.
Trey has been accused of being a mother hen, the oldest brother, the one who takes care of everyone. You included, the endearingly clueless freshman who needed more than a little guidance. But since your arrival, or at least since you saved Ace and Deuce from getting expelled, it’s become clear to him that you’re the same shade of painted rose, as it were. It’s hard to say if you remind him more of his siblings or of himself. Either way, you’ve a hold on his heart, and he’s not letting go. He got Riddle back from Overblot, and he’s getting you, too.
How does this keep happening? Cater is not especially excited about being in yet another life-threatening Overblot situation. But you? The nice, quiet (at least in comparison to the dynamic duo) freshman he’d spent several hours painstakingly explaining Magicam to? You? You’ve always seemed so… okay, so you’re not always happy, and you’re constantly getting mixed up in other people’s problems, and you always seem to get the short end of the stick, at least when the headmage is involved. Actually, as it turns out, you, like him, have a lot you conceal from others. And if it were anyone else, Cater might try to run and hold out for a teacher or three. But it’s you, and he’s not going anywhere.
You’ve broken the rules. But how? Riddle is frantic, gray eyes wide and unseeing as he thinks, sharp mind upending every recollection of every mention of Overblot, trying to comprehend how, just how, the Ramshackle prefect, the magicless, miraculous student who can keep Ace and Deuce (mostly) in line, managed to Overblot. The rules of magic… it’s not a matter of strict order and subsequent punishment, it’s an impossibility. He blinks, gaze and focus both sharpening as he studies your now monstrous form. It seems the rules, impossibly, are irrelevant. What’s important now, is getting you back.
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